Your prejudice is showing, I'm gonna give up on what is clearly a lost cause on this subject with you.

I get it, you believe, by default, that all police officers, not just this incident, are greater than 50% made up of liars and murderers who will kill people for slighting them and their authority. Just so you know, you are long, long past the point of confirmation bias in the degree which you've entrenched your train of thought in stone.

The raving lunatic with a machete is a clear threat to everyone in the area. Incapacitating him with tasers is far quicker and safer (to the cops and civilians) than trying to contain him with riot shields. Is there a chance that the taser could kill him? Sure. However, the chance is far lower than if you shoot him with a gun. And again, it isn't just the life of one man at stake. The suspect was obviously deranged, violent and unpredictable. At any point, he could have made a beeline for one of the cops or some random pedestrian and done serious damage. That's 30 minutes of putting lives at risk vs 1 minute of relatively safe tasering.

As for the possible positive outcomes... what, he recovers and leads a mediocre life working as a janitor because nobody wants to hire someone with a history of violent psychosis? How many years would it take to reach that point? How much taxpayer money would be spent? Is a single lost cause worth all that time, money and risk? If humanity were on the verge of extinction and every life really mattered then sure, he might be worth it. However, there's no shortage of perfectly sane and productive members of society that don't run around swinging machetes and howling like animals. Society already puts down animals that pose a threat to humans. Why not extend that policy to the most dangerous animal of all?

I also think you still miss the point....your answer seems to confirm that.
Condoms are >98% effective when used properly. I think your numbers might be for first time users with zero instruction...not the average user...but are more likely really from anti-sex education organizations.
At this point, it is totally reasonable to write off others as lost causes because they intentionally and zealously get important life or death things that effect us all so terribly wrong. No one with a brain that's actually looked at the problem still honestly believes deniers, only political hacks and those that trust them over science. I write them off with no qualms.

No, I'm not missing the point. The point of the video is in the title "how climate change deniers sound to normal people". The video itself clearly illustrates this. The previous sentence is the first time I've directly addressed the topic of the video. It's disturbing that you think you can dictate to someone based on conjecture (since I hadn't directly addressed the video topic before this) whether they have understood something or not. I indirectly addressed the topic when I wrote of the video ridiculing people who do not understand climate change (which is what the video does).

But that doesn't change what I've said. I.e. that if you are going to present a fact, then be accurate.

It also doesn't change my opinion that ridiculing them is counter-productive.

Unless all the knowledge in your own head is in 100% correct order, then perhaps you shouldn't write others off as lost causes because they've gotten something wrong.

Yeah sorry, but you're still missing the point. It's not to compare facts point for point. It's to point out how ridiculous the objections to climate change are.

And frankly, anyone who doesn't accept the reality of climate change at this point is a lost cause.

Where was I eight years ago? Avoiding most social media. It only took six years for you to seduce and entice me here. And that was after a referral from a trusted friend. I'm not a lost cause [just a late one]. Happy to be here by gum, Thanks @dag and @lucky760 for your noteworthy achievement. Onward and Upward.

Society has in place a soft punishment for this man only to let him become more violent in the future. Punishment is a lost cause for this man. Execution swiftly after his trial.

There are to many people in today's society that see nothing wrong with this and act like this daily.

If caught on tape an it is clear as day evidence of this level of evil then execute.

I'm not too concerned about the privacy implications:

1) Don't use your real google account; make a new one with no "friends", false name and other data. I'm sure this removes some of the "features", but probably nothing you can't live without if you're concerned about privacy issues. In the meantime, feel good about yourself for "stickin' it to the man" and making google's advertising database think that all of your browsing history/etc. is being done by a 93-year-old woman from Abu Dhabhi named "Beverly Knickerbocker".

2) If you're extremely concerned about google knowing what you're looking at 24/7 because of the camera on the device, I'd be happy to sell you a small piece of electrical tape "digital privacy filtration screen 2.0" for the low-low price of $10.

*edit* -- I don't want one of these things myself, but I'm not vehemently opposed to their existence. With some sort of firmware update that puts a configurable open-source "OS" on them that allows you to control exactly what comes in and what goes out, might be more interesting. But in the meantime, it isn't privacy concerns (or even worrying about looking like a dork -- totally lost cause there) that make Glass a non-sale to me. It's simply that I don't think I'd get much positive use out of them, particularly compared to cost.

*further edit* That was a fun rant you linked to @dag. I think he needs to relax a little. Or maybe just get out ... less? When you see pretentious douchebags everywhere, maybe the solution is staying home?

Dammit ... I knew this was gonna make me tear up. Glad I watched though. The world could use more compassionate human beings willing to roll the dice on a "lost cause". *promote

>> ^VoodooV:

gee, shiny resorts to harassment? color me shocked!
I'm sorry, but ill say it again, people like shiny need to be kicked out of here. It has nothing to do with conservatism or religion, these people simply don't contribute to civil discourse. I know plenty of conservative/religious people who are capable of engaging in civil debate and discourse, Shiny or QM, and others aren't among these people
They drop their talking points and move on to the next sift. That's not debate, that's not discourse. And you certainly can't have rational discussions with someone who no matter what, thinks you need to be saved and doesn't view you as an equal human being and him and his god are always correct and you're always wrong. It's not conducive to rational discussion and quite frankly, it's simply not healthy, period.
And yes, it is trolling.
Remember that even though they seem to be an endangered species, there are actual rational right wingers out there. You may disagree with them, but they can actually debate civilly without regurgitating Fox News or Theistic propaganda.


This is such an old response and thread, but I thought I'd say it anyway as I really want it said in here.

I've met, actually, a great many people that are very set in their theistic mindset, but like you said they also don't think I'm going to burn in a pit of fire come the end of time; in fact quite a few of them would be morally outraged if such a thing occurred--as they literally know, like me, that the difference between believing in God and not, is merely a thought away (or you could say, one neuron connection/pathway away).

There are a few that believe in fire and brimstone type things, but they only--typically--reserve it for the greatest of crimes (like an Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot). Even fewer still that believe that there is a harsh judgment remaining for a lot of people, but they tend to believe that there is a way to "return" or to repent there--in the "lake of fire" and come back a new person.

BUT, the ones that think there IS a hell, absolute and horrifying in all it's glory, these are ALSO the very same people that cannot have a rational discussion with you. It's very strange. It's as though their ability to actively decide whether actions in play are moral or not are by definition an unanswerable question until they have been told by someone ELSE what that answer is: either the Bible, other religious members, or talk show hosts, and you get my picture. THESE are the dangerous people.

It reminds me of the story in the Old Testament, in Numbers 15:32-36 (for those that wish to read it). Now I know many *newer* religions, get around this stuff by saying they use the New Testament (it has it's fun stuff too, but for now, let's just do this one) due to Christ's Salvation and his, yada yada yada yada yada--I heard this for a long time myself as a Mormon and in some Catholic services I went to.

This guy collects what is essentially firewood on the Sabbath (this was back in the day when not having a fire active in your house/hut/tent/whatever at night could literally mean death--in case you've never been out camping/hiking, fires are VERY important and are a DAMNED LUXURY with our matches, steel wool, sleeping bags made to hold in heat, and other items that make a night in the wilderness go by--gently and one could say comfortably fun).

Instead of just collecting this firewood, making a meal and going to bed, this guy gets caught for working on the Sabbath and is taken to Moses and Aaron. So we all know what that little commandment this is, the one EVERYONE disobeys now (It goes by either of these two definitions and there are more versions--trust me: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. -OR- Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.). So God buzzes Moses on the iGodphone™ and tells Moses the bad news, or well the good news and the bad news. The bad news is that "unnamed villager" will be taken outside the encampment, with what sounds like most of the people and then stoned to death. The good news, is they get to stone someone (sorry, but back then and with the regularity of which stoning happened I really think people enjoyed it when these edicts came on down...)!

SO, I've seen this tale said many a time and I CANNOT believe the amount of heads I see move up and down while this is repeated. They LITERALLY agree with cold-blooded murder in the first-degree, for GATHERING FIREWOOD!!! In the damned ages BEFORE the Dark Ages-life SUCKED! You NEEDED FIRE!!! It wasn't a question of maybe I'll skip it tonight it was a matter of when do I start it up--every night! So you can see why people like this can be dangerous as someone from on high that they think is their leader gives them what essentially is a crime, they don't think to long about it--they act, and carry out whatever truly horrifying act it was.

This has been abused by many Cult leaders, like the "Alien Comet riders" or also known as Heaven's Gate in California or something even MORE horrifying like Jonestown (something that was horrific--there are some GREAT documentaries on this to watch,; I suggest looking for them) or something semi-recent like (straight from wiki), "The 778 deaths of members of the Ugandan group Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, on March 17, 2000, is considered to be a mass murder and suicide orchestrated by leaders of the group.", so you can see while large religions don't do these WILD events they DO slowly in fact do smaller and incrementally increase their crimes.

You might ask what crimes, but it is literally crimes that we can point to that are AGAINST the VERY FABRIC of your own teachings. Use the Golden Rule in your life and get rid of the authority driven craziness, it will only lead you to sadness, if you're a zealot--fight it within yourself.
--------

So, anyway, what I'm saying is that I very much agree that there ARE many people that are theistic believers (not just Christan ones mind you) that are GREAT to talk to and many times you don't even have to argue with them you can have laid back conversations with them--it's amazing who you run into.

BUT, for the people I mentioned they are nearly lost causes. I don't know exactly what their problem is but it does have something to do with the fact that they MUST be told a "truth" by a "high-ranking-official" for them to change a stance. They are TRUE believers, ZEALOTS to their cause and dangerous.

A little bit the same as you said @VoodooV, but I thought I'd add a few more nails into that coffin.

>> ^GenjiKilpatrick:

That's unfortunate and unfair.
Sure, it might be unappealing. But Youtube incentivizes reply girl behavior because youtube isn't about quality content, it's about turnover and clickthru rates.
It's a pretty good exposé tho, I'd encourage everyone to watch the second half.
It really humanizes alejandra. Gives her depth and reminds us that we're all just little ape people trying to make it thru life.

>> ^entr0py:
I made it half-way through. Great example of just how horrifying the youtube community is. Glad there's an alternative.



I wasn't very clear, I was horrified by the people threatening her, not by the girl who cleverly found a way to make money on youtube. What she does seems mildly irritating but harmless; it's easy not to click on her videos if you don't want to. Harmless unless merely seeing a little thumbnail of cleavage sends you into a rage spiral. But people that sensitive about boobs should really abandon the internet as a lost cause.

I appreciate your comment because it shows thoughtful people on the sift what you, and people who think like you, are all about. It shows the facism inherent in your idealogy. It sounds like you'd fit right into the communist regimes of the 20th century.

As far as your claim on genetics goes, I find it ironic because your faith in materialism and evolution demands that your thoughts and beliefs are the result of unconscious processes and chemical reactions in your brain. In this view, your militant antitheism was decided by the arrangement of atoms at the beginning of the Universe. You inherited your reason from unreasoning animals, and your so called rationality is determined by irrational forces, IE, it is untrustworthy and should be discarded.

>> ^SpaceGirlSpiff:
Why do you all still argue with Shiny? I've said it before and am saying it again. You are wasting your time. Shiny has no capacity to change his mind based on reason, logic or rational evidence. You may as well spend your time trying to convince a dog to change the color of its hair.
You will cite reason, logic and rationality... he will cite dogma. Rinse, repeat.
He is most certainly one of those who is genetically predisposed to be religious (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/weekinreview/12wade.html) and cannot help thinking the way he does. I would pity him if he and those that think like him did not pose such a threat to the civilized world.
He is a lost cause, but there are others who can be "saved" and brought to see reason. I suggest you find those and spend your time helping them instead.
You are better off ignoring him. Let his dogma go unnoticed and starve him of attention. Let his dogma die of starvation and fade into the past.

Why do you all still argue with Shiny? I've said it before and am saying it again. You are wasting your time. Shiny has no capacity to change his mind based on reason, logic or rational evidence. You may as well spend your time trying to convince a dog to change the color of its hair.

You will cite reason, logic and rationality... he will cite dogma. Rinse, repeat.

He is most certainly one of those who is genetically predisposed to be religious (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/weekinreview/12wade.html) and cannot help thinking the way he does. I would pity him if he and those that think like him did not pose such a threat to the civilized world.

He is a lost cause, but there are others who can be "saved" and brought to see reason. I suggest you find those and spend your time helping them instead.

You are better off ignoring him. Let his dogma go unnoticed and starve him of attention. Let his dogma die of starvation and fade into the past.

Riots in the streets, Storm the Legislature, Kick the politicians out on their a$$es, Bankrupt Wall Street Bankers and Big Business Corporations...

Oh, whoops, I thought we were listing the things that wouldn't happen because in the end, the general populous is too lazy and scared to stand up for their rights. They are all too close to bankruptcy and loosing their homes, The People are too scared of loosing everything they have spent a lifetime building. Debt has enslaved the people and it is being used to control them and keep them subservient. The majority won't start to rise up until more and more people have gone bankrupt or at least finally feel it's a lost cause.

As long as "The Majority" of people feel like they may be able to hold on to what they have, they won't take to the streets in desperation. The youth are trying to get a foothold and most are trying legitimately, those that continually failed are taking to the streets but the majority is still entrenched in "The System" and influence by their parents and the lazy generations that have come up since the 70s revolutionaries. (IE: my generation [X])

Ah thats a bit unfortunate. Hey look, get him on tour with queen, drugs and sex may be just what he needs to straighten out. I cant believe he doesnt worship freddie, singing like that so maybe hes not a lost cause.
>> ^laura:

I agree...just thought you'd want to know before you go worshipping this guy...it's not his talent after all, it's his personal gift from the Almighty.
>> ^rottenseed:
Part 1 makes me want to upvote your comment.
Part 2 makes me want to punch infants in the face.>> ^laura:
Here he is doing Bohemian Rhapsody: http://youtu.be/wGcDpnxtqsc
He is in a Christian rock band named Downhere ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downhere ).