en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/609273 Comments by ronlawhouston http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/discussing-ideas-vs-discussing-people.html#IDComment1038595147 If you assume that the 80-20 rule is correct and you apply it to ideas, that means that you must hear quite a number of bad ideas before you ever find a good one. Still, it's hard sometimes to try to hear someone out who is generally obnoxious and outrageous. I have a very hard time on that issue with Ann Coulter. Thu, 9 Feb 2017 17:29:45 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/discussing-ideas-vs-discussing-people.html#IDComment1038595147 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/is-trump-using-our-outrage-against-us.html#IDComment1038476943 In my opinion, Trump is a not very bright narcissist who has surrounded himself with sycophants. I think it's more "the gang that can't shoot straight" than the evil empire. Yes, he's going to do what he wants to do, but I simply don't see much of a plan in their strategy. Tue, 7 Feb 2017 15:19:05 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/is-trump-using-our-outrage-against-us.html#IDComment1038476943 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/praying-for-super-bowl-win.html#IDComment1038386464 Well, I don't know who I'm praying to, but I'm praying that my squares win the pool. On your post, I never thought about it, but it does take some serious ego to think that whatever deity answers your prayers. I suppose it's culturally conditioned in Christians to believe it, but when you think about it, it takes a real narcissist to think that you have influence in random events. Sun, 5 Feb 2017 19:51:16 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/praying-for-super-bowl-win.html#IDComment1038386464 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/what-i-want-from-news-media-in-2017.html#IDComment1038281036 Actually Jack is fairly liberal. I think it's more a question of holding your side more accountable. You expect the small minded to wage propaganda wars catered to the small minded. You expect someone like Maddow (who is a very smart woman) to not engage in such demeaning tactics. Sadly, most "news" now is about money and ratings. Fri, 3 Feb 2017 15:13:14 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/02/what-i-want-from-news-media-in-2017.html#IDComment1038281036 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/what-i-want-from-news-media-in-2017.html#IDComment1038167374 I've got to agree with you Jack. You can be very factual but your spin on the facts can distort things and end up being propaganda rather than reporting. I miss the old days when so much time and effort went into making a 30 minute broadcast as unbiased as possible. Wed, 1 Feb 2017 18:48:29 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/what-i-want-from-news-media-in-2017.html#IDComment1038167374 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/assaulting-people-who-say-things-we.html#IDComment1037829515 I probably shouldn't say this but "Maybe I'm strange." For me, I don't like watching people get assaulted. However, my mind likes the concept of this guy getting assaulted. It's not so much that I support the behavior of the person doing the assault, it's more a sort of karma is a bitch sort of thinking. So, does that make me strange? Thu, 26 Jan 2017 00:57:07 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/assaulting-people-who-say-things-we.html#IDComment1037829515 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/a-new-ex-mormon-blog-to-check-out.html#IDComment1037821976 I love the comment about protestants starting a new denomination. It's very witty and ironically true. It happened in my time in the Episcopal Church USA. Wed, 25 Jan 2017 21:32:13 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/a-new-ex-mormon-blog-to-check-out.html#IDComment1037821976 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/a-new-ex-mormon-blog-to-check-out.html#IDComment1037769122 I was lucky enough to have a friend who was Mormon (and remained that way) but knew me well enough to bitch about things. He was no big fan of all the "missionary" stuff. Wed, 25 Jan 2017 02:03:29 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/a-new-ex-mormon-blog-to-check-out.html#IDComment1037769122 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/facing-new-reality-of-president-trump.html#IDComment1037640865 Love or hate Trump, he is his own man. That fact actually makes me wonder whether he'll last 4 years. He pisses off people of all stripes. At least for the next two years it would take a Republican coup to get rid of him, but I can certainly envision such a thing happening. My firm belief is that most Republicans would much prefer a Pence presidency. Sun, 22 Jan 2017 17:17:01 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/facing-new-reality-of-president-trump.html#IDComment1037640865 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037571076 Have you been bugging the conversations between me and my wife? :) Sat, 21 Jan 2017 01:18:28 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037571076 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037571050 I need to look at that poll and the data. When it comes to abortion phrasing is particularly important. An accurate statement of my mindset would be anti-abortion but pro-choice. I suspect there are a number of people like me who would fall into that oxymoron. Sat, 21 Jan 2017 01:17:22 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037571050 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037569960 There is a lot - I mean a whole lot to the outrage phenomena. I see it at work all the time. Sat, 21 Jan 2017 00:37:59 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037569960 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037548242 Damn, what do people want a written invitation? Women have, obviously, different issues than men. I also see that some of their issues are more threatened than male issues. It never crossed my mind that men could not participate or that men would be unwelcome. Am I missing something here? Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:37:56 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/find-women-march-near-you.html#IDComment1037548242 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/interacting-with-those-who-disagree.html#IDComment1037514032 I tend to be politically active on a local level and have friends on both sides of the liberal - conservative divide. One of my friends actually sued the City of Houston to stop them enacting an "anti discrimination" ordinance and then forced the City to put that issue on the ballot. He put on some very effective commercials when the issue came up for election that played up the fear of "men in women's bathrooms." Even though the City of Houston is pretty liberal the conservative side won. I have another friend who I consider not particularly conservative who was very concerned about "men in women's bathrooms" from the perspective of her female children. I get annoyed with the people doing these bathroom laws trying to tell transgender people which bathroom to use because people are simply ignorant about how transgenderism works. So, on one level I think my friend's fears are irrational and not based on science. However, I can fully understand how out of naive ignorance someone can arrive at a certain conclusion. Most of the LGBT I know are very tribal when it comes to their community. Now that is something that I fully understand. Should they be less tribal and dialog more? Absolutely. However in the bathroom debate they face a major uphill challenge. The problem is that fear is an easy sell and explaining things takes a long time and a dedicated education effort on the side wanting to educate people. That was the lesson on the Houston anti-discrimination ordinance. Trying to educate people that they have nothing to fear from transgendered folks is a much harder burden than simply selling the premise of "be very afraid of men in women's bathrooms." The key to victory or defeat lies in persuading the middle. If you don't understand your enemies positions, then you can never effectively develop a counter. What I'm effectively saying is that sometimes you dialog to understand the other side so you can eventually kick their asses. Yes, it would be nice if some compromise could be reached, but many times that's simply not possible. Still, you never know unless you dialog and you can still use that dialog to your advantage when and if you need to kick their asses. Thu, 19 Jan 2017 21:10:01 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/interacting-with-those-who-disagree.html#IDComment1037514032 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/demons-licking-my-face-and-other-missed.html#IDComment1037421847 Damn, don't tell us we need to be serious in our comments now. Actually, with the number of regulars you have, a lot of us know what to expect from each other. I rarely see folks getting overly snarky but occasionally it happens. Generally, I'd say your regulars are a pretty good crew.. Wed, 18 Jan 2017 03:34:46 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/demons-licking-my-face-and-other-missed.html#IDComment1037421847 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/are-we-aiming-for-post-racial-society.html#IDComment1037348502 My guess is that Dr. King did not want a "true" post-racial society. I think people need to be free to celebrate their racial and cultural backgrounds. We don't want to be turned into some homogeneous grayish blend of people. What we do want is for the treatment and attitudes toward the different races to be equal. I tend to be more than a bit liberal so I don't have problems with things like "Black History Month" or the NAACP. I do ponder why there is no such thing as "White History Month" or the NAAWP and why any attempt to create such things would be deemed "racist." As usual, you raise an interesting question that could even be applied to things like religious belief. Mon, 16 Jan 2017 17:17:18 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/are-we-aiming-for-post-racial-society.html#IDComment1037348502 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/post-truth-politics.html#IDComment1037316721 Great story and unfortunately not surprising. Mon, 16 Jan 2017 02:37:05 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/post-truth-politics.html#IDComment1037316721 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/post-truth-politics.html#IDComment1037298046 I can't say for everyone but I've never assumed that only the right engages in this behavior. I can say for Jack that he's been particularly critical of the left. It's really a question of cognitive biases particularly confirmation bias. Everyone engages in those behaviors often without realizing it. Still, there is something very peculiar in the whole Trump phenomena. Maybe he is the new Teflon Don. Sun, 15 Jan 2017 17:23:27 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2017/01/post-truth-politics.html#IDComment1037298046 http://www.atheistrev.com/2016/12/why-your-blog-posts-are-not-being.html#IDComment1037259753 I would try to figure out just how long I've been following you, but it would only make me feel old. I know I've been following you for a pretty long time. Like I said, thanks and please keep it going. Sat, 14 Jan 2017 19:25:52 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2016/12/why-your-blog-posts-are-not-being.html#IDComment1037259753 http://www.atheistrev.com/2016/12/why-your-blog-posts-are-not-being.html#IDComment1037220193 I'm glad you've kept it going. I enjoy reading your stuff. How many years has it been now? Fri, 13 Jan 2017 20:51:51 +0000 http://www.atheistrev.com/2016/12/why-your-blog-posts-are-not-being.html#IDComment1037220193