Was there a way to measure the mass of a black hole or the level of gamma radiation released from it in 1589? Did black holes exist in 1589?

Never said it did. Anywhere. I love science.

So, you're equivocating relatively recent rules espoused by a man-made institution with some sort of evidence of the non-existence of the supernatural?

The title of my post is "hate comes in many forms", not "hate comes in identical forms."

I start out by saying "I have no qualms against atheists nor people who believe in the supernatural. I do have an issue with those in these groups..." and end by saying "ignoring the veracity of the content of Dawkin's beliefs, simply recognize Dawkin's actions." I don't see where I ascribed all atheists as having a negative message, just Dawkins and his followers. That was the point. The irony that Richard Dawkins and his followers have the same negative message as the people he is so against.

No intellectual touché or overt "I'm above even he" to be taken from that, is there?

The flaw in this statement makes the assumption that, "I am now going to believe in this because somebody said this."

Many, previously non-religious people - atheists and agnostics alike - have had religious or supernatural experiences that they lack the ability to explain. Just because our language is inadequate or that people inadequately apply language to describe an experience doesn't mean the experience wasn't genuine.

I have no qualms against atheists nor people who believe in the supernatural. It doesn't bother me that either group of people exists. I do have an issue with those in these groups that ascribe to a system of hate and exclusion in order to identify the who's with them and who's against them. Ironically, the most extreme members of these particular types of folks so often fail to see they are what they hate. They operate in the same ways - they identify themselves as part of an enlightened, exclusive group that is superior to the other and engages in spreading that belief to others.

I was recently at our local high school football game and an older couple was passing out Richard Dawkins DVDs to the crowd. How is that any different than a holy roller passing out Bible tracts at a football game? How is Richard Dawkins going off on a barnstorming tour to save the world from religion different than Billy Graham going on a world tour to save the souls of the lost?

Science tells me that its understand of the laws of physics stops at a black hole's singularity? Does that mean I disbelieve the singularity exists because science has no way of describing the singularity? Superstring theory tells me that 10 dimensions of spacetime exist and bosonic string theory 26. Is it then possible that, if true, we can't (yet? ever?) comprehend events or life that takes place beyond our 3 dimensions of existence or that events from these dimensions can affect the reality of ours? Why is it when we speak of entangled quantum particles separated by billions of miles affecting each other instantaneously as a valid theory yet the very real experiences a significant amount of humanity have had and can only explain that it was God (does it matter that they call that experience Buddha, Jesus, Marduk, or Zeus?) as ignorant ramblings? That is, why exactly hasn't religion gone away after all this time?

I guess all I'm saying is, ignoring the veracity of the content of Dawkin's beliefs, simply recognize Dawkin's actions for what it is: I'm better than those folks over there and if you're smart you'd join my side and liberate yourself from your current misguided life. Personally, I choose to keep a more open mind to possible explanations of reality than Dawkins and (insert religious fundamentalist figurehead here) choose to.

...up until that point in which it becomes advantageous to do evil.

Mod up. Parent is spot-on.

I have an Xbox and my kids have an Xbox. I have to go through great pains to be able to get both of us to play DLC. The Steam DRM scheme would be quite welcome in our scenario. No DRM would be most welcome but that goes without saying. Sure, they would need to play on the same account so things like achievements would be meaningless but...meh, who cares.

Regarding always-on DRM, we have access to a vacation cabin in the mountains and the boys like to play Xbox at night after a day of fishing and hiking. So, the new scheme would make an Xbox a brick in that location? No thanks. I'm already soured that I can't relax playing my copy of Diablo III there.

This is why I won't be buying a next-gen console. The current DRM scheme has me at my limits. Adding more and you will lose a customer. I've spent thousands of dollars over the life of the 360. Now you will get $0 from me. Will your always-on DRM recoup that loss? Maybe. Seems awfully risky though.

It looks like Microsoft is taking a page from Apple and emphasizing design now - along with the warts that go with it. I've never used the wedge mouse but instinct tells me that using one will invoke carpal tunnel induced rage like Apple's Bondi iMac puck mouse and clit-scroll Mighty Mouse.

Well, Rush did claim that Bane, the main villain who has been a Batman character in the comics for at least a decade or more, was propaganda against Mitt Romney because Romney's venture capital firm is named Bain.

So, lets get back to the theory that some right-wing nutjobs that have undue influence over stupid people.

Forgot to mention, you can contact the local Public Utilities Commission and they made be able to help too.

Identify the public lands you're interested in and then go to the county government offices (recorder probably) and research easements on those properties. Many counties are starting to put that information up online. Not sure if easements on public lands would show up on tax maps but that would be a place to look as well.

...it's the way the ending was implemented.

Battle Readiness high or low? Doesn't matter, same cutscene.
Geth or Quarians alive? Doesn't matter, same cutscene.
Rachni queen alive or dead? Doesn't matter, same cutscene.
Renegade or Paragon? Doesn't matter, same cutscene.

Regardless of plot holes and deux ex machina, what pissed me off was that the last 10 minutes of the game was antithetical to the way the entire series - hundreds of hours of playtime - functioned up to that point. The whole frickin' point of Mass Effect was that your choices mattered but ultimately they just didn't. And the fact that choosing control, destroy or synthesize only ended up changing the color of the explosions (okay plants had circuit boards in their leaves if you chose synthesize) was a fart in a bathtub.

I had a Paragon save and a Renegade save from Mass Effect 2 and played the Paragon first. There is no incentive whatsoever to play the Renegade save. I'm not even interested in any DLC because it's all pointless.

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_digital_pen.asp

I love the retro look of these.

Agreed on the menubar. This may help Menupop

I just heard Bill Gates tried to kill himself but botched it and is recovering in a Seattle hospital.

I once saw a XBL gamertag that was Shatnermouth. Is that you? If so, wanna play some Star Trek Legacy sometime?