Letters to the Editor
Serai1
Published Letters: 503 Editor's Choice: 32
-
Interesting interview
[Read the article: The religious state of Islamic science]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]That the Muslim world preserved and developed the ancient wisdom while Christian Europeans were mired in darkness and ignorance is not news to me, since my family comes from Southern Spain, one of the greatest centers of learning in the medieval world at the time. But I am interested to learn about the difficulties that science encounters today in the Muslim world. I must admit that I've pondered the question of morality and science, specifically the idea that just because we can do something doesn't mean we should, which seems to be anathema to many in the scientific world. It's the kind of mindset that leads to scientific knowledge being placed at the service of rather horrendous ends, at times.
I'm also interested (I guess that's the word, *sigh*) that the current religious craze for irrational literalism resulting in "creationism" is rearing its ugly head in other religions as well. It may sound cozy to try and come up with a way to square ancient religious fables with modern science, but what happens when scientific inquiry runs smack up against a wall that religion says cannot be breached? How do you develop biology, physiology and medicine without evolution? I always wonder what a "creationist" scientist does mentally when hit with that kind of quandary - just slap a big blind spot on the problem and pretend it doesn't exist? Kinda hard to get usable results if you keep riddling your science with holes like that.
But I think the most interesting thing for me here is (looks upward on the letters page) how many comments that can be called snarky, dismissive, bigoted and/or insulting are signed Anonymous. One might actually think the commenters are hiding something. I wonder what that might be?
Yes, very interesting indeed.
-
Dear Anonymous 7826
[Read the article: The religious state of Islamic science]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You're so cute. I wish I had a camera right now.
I do love it when people haul off and comment without thinking. So you've met every scientist who ever worked on a morally ambiguous project, have you? My, you must be an awfully popular dude! All those parties must keep you up awfully late. When you sober up, you may have something to say that I'll find as interesting as this article. Then again, probably not.
And that last little bit is really cute, too. I may not be using my real life name, but my comments are all attributable to one person - me. Whereas you could be anybody, couldn't you? No way to trace your snark back to a particular person. That's awfully convenient for you, isn't it? Which is my point exactly.
When you have the guts to use the name you signed up under so we all know who's talking, then I'll take your little barbs seriously. Until then...ciao!
-
Wow
[Read the article: Dear sir, my name is Natacha and I would like to marry you]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There really are people who still fall for those African scams? Really?
I remember keeping a file of those scams for a boss of mine back in the 70's, when they were mail-based. It's amazing how long such things can keep working. And it's even more amazing that they keep working on the internet, where information is so freely traded.
I guess there will always be people eager to be skinned.
-
Nice if you have the bucks
[Read the article: The next-gen disc format war gets uglier, more ridiculous]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Since I, like the majority of people out there, do not have the money to switch machines every couple of years, I guess I just won't be buying any of Paramount or Dreamworks' movies. Unless they'll play on non-hi-def machines, I'll just have to forego the utter ecstasy of these studios' product.
How will I ever survive? *eyeroll*
-
Let's see now...
[Read the article: Pit bulls are innocent]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In the 60's, German Shepherds were considered dangerous dogs. I know because my family had four of them over that decade, and we got the kind of flack that this article talks about.
In the 70's, it was Doberman Pinschers that were the menace. I know because my family had three of them over that decade, and people used to be afraid to come over, even though not one of those dogs ever bit anyone, and one of them was a certified coward who would practically cry if you looked at her wrong.
In the 80's, Rottweilers were the awful dogs. My best friend, who is a veterinary nurse, has had two of these, both of them complete pussies, and she talks about how no one would go near her when she walked them.
Now it's pit bulls. I've known a number of these dogs (though not lived with them), and they've all been great animals. Not a one of them has ever been mean or threatening that I've seen.
We go through these cycles with dogs, it seems, as a way of denying the fact that it's the people, not the dogs, who are at fault. Dogs can't help their genetics (good or bad) anymore than people can help theirs, and yet we label them killers without bothering to find out if the dog in question actually is violent or not. It's a holdover from the mindset that says animals are just soulless machines without their own personalities, and each one is much like another.
Personally, I'm very glad that my dad had such an enthusiasm for precisely the breeds that everybody else wrung their hands over. It taught me a lot about not judging based on looks or prejudices.
-
If we're going to ban any dogs...
[Read the article: Pit bulls are innocent]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...how about we ban those horrifying yippy little doguettes that never ever EVER stop barking once they get going? Talk about awful creatures. I personally would prefer the outside chance that maybe, someday, a larger dog would bite than the certainty that those hateful little critters WILL bark all night, every night. And if you don't know what I mean, you haven't lived next door to SIX of those things going off at all hours. Now that's enough to make you want to call the dogcatchers.