Letters to the Editor
Renegade Iconoclast
Published Letters: 649 Editor's Choice: 11
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If science and religion disagree, religion is invariably wrong
[Read the article: The religious state of Islamic science]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]How many personal computers have been built with devotion to Islamic principles of physics? Did a Christian understanding of the Bible help us to land on the moon? Would you fly in an aircraft based entirely on an interpretation of the Koran? Would you let a surgeon with no training in modern medicine operate on your heart because he or she was guided by the divine works of Allah?
No sane person would answer yes to any of the preceding questions, and yet we are supposed to believe that religion and science can co-exist. So what if Galileo was Catholic? Do you honestly believe he would be Catholic today?
Pointing out that science and religion co-existed is one thing. Give me a single example of a case where religion furthered our understanding of science and I'll convert to your religion. I'm not very frightened of the outcome of my challenge, because it is impossible. There is no such example. In every case, the best you can say is that the priests didn't get too much in the way of the scientists.
Non-interference and non-hindrance of science is only laudable to very simple minds. Personally, I find offensive the very idea that I owe any deference or respect to any religion whatsoever. If you disagree, then feel free to point out just one great thing that religion has done, that couldn't have been accomplished some other way. While you're racking your brain, I can point out at least one hundred evils that have been spawned of religion, that never would have seen the light of day in its absence.
Religion is primarily evil by nature. It has been promulgated by human governments specifically to split populations amongst themselves, or to drum up fervor against the "enemy," who happens to have a different brand from your own.
I dare you to mention Gandhi or Mother Theresa. Double dog dare you.
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I come from a piano background
[Read the article: How "Guitar Hero" saved guitar music]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I've always wanted to play guitar, but was daunted by the difficulty, and Guitar Hero has definitely piqued my interest. What's more, I've found that what I thought was 4 years of useless piano lessons (I wasn't all that disciplined) actually paid dividends in the game. I know where to make transitions, even though the fingering isn't marked, and I know the difference between good practice and bad practice (slow and steady wins the race).
In terms of transferable skills, it's quite obvious to anyone who picks up the game that the game makes the music more accessible. However, try playing Freebird on expert mode and you'll see the game requires some skill. I was also in band, so I have a slight musical background, and I can tell you that GH definitely helps develop necessary skills, like timing and coordination, and fingering technique (although the plastic they use to make the fretboard is pretty horrible). These are skills that are necessary for any instrument, not just guitar.
So throw my name in with those who say "rock on!"
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Oh, and btw anonymous
[Read the article: How "Guitar Hero" saved guitar music]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You use a snarky tone when you can't even be bothered to use the fake name that you signed up with on Salon, instead hiding behind "anonymous," for a piece about a video game, and expect people to take you seriously? Are you afraid a bunch of 8 year-old nerds will track you down and beat you with their molded plastic guitars?
Why don't you post the video of you playing Free Bird on expert difficulty? Then maybe we'll listen to your dismissive BS.
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Paragraph by paragraph reaction
[Read the article: Israel eyes the '08 Democrats]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I can't resist writing a letter whenever Israel is mentioned. I'm biased. Here's my take on the article.
Paragraph 1: Meddling? People can't even be bothered to watch the candidates debate, on national television, but some website I've never heard of is "meddling?" Pardon me while I go eat a pastry made from the blood of Muslim children.
Paragraph 2: What's Texas? Chopped liver? Jeez, we get no respect.
Paragraph 3: Israel is a democracy, the only one in the Middle East. Women are allowed to drive, and no one gets stoned (erm.... literally anyway). So it makes perfect sense that their biggest supporters are Republicans.
Paragraph 4: Well, when I was at the convention, everyone said they were totally putting you on.
Paragraph 5: Ya, Obama seemed really interesting at the youtube dinner too.
Paragraph 6: If we're going to change the Constitution, let's make it so that anyone from Arkansas can run as many times as they want, and anyone born in Austria gets kicked out of the country. I've heard other plans, but I thought they sounded a little weird.
Paragraph 7: Yeah, let's "bring Israelis and Palestinians to some sort of agreement." It's never been done before, and it's guaranteed to work, and we're not totally arrogant a*holes for thinking we have the power to do that.
Paragraph 8: It seems that Obama has a brain. No joke, I really don't know what to make of it. It's a little outside my experience when dealing with politicians.
Paragraph 9: I've long considered Obama a DLC candidate (mostly because my dad says so). Am I wrong? Why do I always want to vote for him every time he speaks out loud?
Paragraph 10: Let's not count our chickens before they're black.... ehhh... hatch.
Paragraph 11: Hmm... so this Haaretz thing I've never heard of may actually not matter at all to the idiots who vote? Wow, you learn something new every day!
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P.S. (pre-emptive strike)
[Read the article: Israel eyes the '08 Democrats]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes, I've read Haaretz and I'm even familiar with The Israel Factor. It's satire.