I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?

There is no god.

Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot..com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!

On 2/21/24 5:55 AM, pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>
> There is no god.
>
> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>
At least for now, TO has lost its classic reason to be. Who knows
what's ahead. At least check in from time to time. Nothing is
off-topic now.

On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 12:58:16 AM UTC+11, pzm...@gmail.com wrote:
> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>
> There is no god.
>
> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!

PZ, I concede that Peter could be (was) obsessive and worse, but is there a moment for grace and mercy, rather than always "being hated and hating"? Not intended judgmentally, but to offer another way:

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:1-7)

On Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 4:23:17 PM UTC-6, MarkE wrote:
> On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 12:58:16 AM UTC+11, pzm...@gmail.com wrote:
> > I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
> >
> > There is no god.
> >
> > Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
> PZ, I concede that Peter could be (was) obsessive and worse, but is there a moment for grace and mercy, rather than always "being hated and hating"? Not intended judgmentally, but to offer another way:
>
> "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:1-7)

You will not persuade me by quoting the Bible at me. Quite the contrary.

On Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 11:18:17 PM UTC, pzm...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 4:23:17 PM UTC-6, MarkE wrote:
> > On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 12:58:16 AM UTC+11, pzm...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
> > >
> > > There is no god.
> > >
> > > Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
> > PZ, I concede that Peter could be (was) obsessive and worse, but is there a moment for grace and mercy, rather than always "being hated and hating"? Not intended judgmentally, but to offer another way:
> >
> > "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:1-7)
> You will not persuade me by quoting the Bible at me. Quite the contrary.

In case the bible verse was too distracting, herewith a secular endorsement of the content of MarkE's point

On 2/22/24 7:21 AM, Burkhard wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 11:18:17 PM UTC, pzm...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 4:23:17 PM UTC-6, MarkE wrote:
>>> On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 12:58:16 AM UTC+11, pzm...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>
>>>> There is no god.
>>>>
>>>> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>>> PZ, I concede that Peter could be (was) obsessive and worse, but is there a moment for grace and mercy, rather than always "being hated and hating"? Not intended judgmentally, but to offer another way:
>>>
>>> "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:1-7)
>> You will not persuade me by quoting the Bible at me. Quite the contrary.
>
> In case the bible verse was too distracting, herewith a secular endorsement of the content of MarkE's point
>

De mortuis nil nisi bonum.

On 2/21/24 8:49 AM, erik simpson wrote:
> On 2/21/24 5:55 AM, pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>> Google decides to end its support?
>>
>> There is no god.
>>
>> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance,
>> https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's,
>> https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb,
>> https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight.
>> Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too
>> -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>>
> At least for now, TO has lost its classic reason to be.  Who knows
> what's ahead.  At least check in from time to time.  Nothing is
> off-topic now.

Has there been any statement of cause of death? Something stuck in his
craw, perhaps?

--
Mark Isaak
"Wisdom begins when you discover the difference between 'That
doesn't make sense' and 'I don't understand.'" - Mary Doria Russell

On 2/26/24 9:17 AM, Mark Isaak wrote:
> On 2/21/24 8:49 AM, erik simpson wrote:
>> On 2/21/24 5:55 AM, pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>
>>> There is no god.
>>>
>>> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance,
>>> https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's,
>>> https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb,
>>> https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight.
>>> Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that,
>>> too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>>>
>> At least for now, TO has lost its classic reason to be.  Who knows
>> what's ahead.  At least check in from time to time.  Nothing is
>> off-topic now.
>
> Has there been any statement of cause of death? Something stuck in his
> craw, perhaps?
>
I don't know of any statement, but I haven't looked hard. He was about
78; not a young man.

erik simpson <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 2/26/24 9:17 AM, Mark Isaak wrote:
>> On 2/21/24 8:49 AM, erik simpson wrote:
>>> On 2/21/24 5:55 AM, pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>
>>>> There is no god.
>>>>
>>>> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance,
>>>> https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's,
>>>> https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb,
>>>> https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight.
>>>> Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that,
>>>> too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>>>>
>>> At least for now, TO has lost its classic reason to be.  Who knows
>>> what's ahead.  At least check in from time to time.  Nothing is
>>> off-topic now.
>>
>> Has there been any statement of cause of death? Something stuck in his
>> craw, perhaps?
>>
> I don't know of any statement, but I haven't looked hard. He was about
> 78; not a young man.
>
He was 51 when I first encountered him here. I’m 56 now. I guess that’s how
age and years work but wow, just wow!

pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>
> There is no god.
>
This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope you
are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with cancer. I
sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't know. Neither do you!
>
> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance, https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's, https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>

On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>> Google decides to end its support?
>>
>> There is no god.
> >
> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope you
> are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with cancer. I
> sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't know. Neither do you!

The clueless is strong in this one.

>> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance,
>> https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's,
>> https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb,
>> https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight.
>> Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that, too
>> -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>>
>

John Harshman wrote:
> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>
>>> There is no god.
>>  >
>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope you
>> are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with cancer. I
>> sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't know. Neither do
>> you!
>
> The clueless is strong in this one.
>
The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_ for
an absolute fact!
It's belief and belief _only_.
>
>>> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance,
>>> https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's,
>>> https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb,
>>> https://pandasthumb.org/ ) where you can continue the good fight.
>>> Unfortunately, blogs are in decline, too (I blame google for that,
>>> too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle continues!
>>>
>>
>

On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
> John Harshman wrote:
>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>
>>>> There is no god.
>>>  >
>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't know.
>>> Neither do you!
>>
>> The clueless is strong in this one.
> >
> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_ for
> an absolute fact!
> It's belief and belief _only_.

I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular cluelessness
in that case are not entirely clear. But its general nature is clear. HTH.

On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 18:55:44 -0800, John Harshman
<john.harshman@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>> John Harshman wrote:
>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>
>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>  >
>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't know.
>>>> Neither do you!
>>>
>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>> >
>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_ for
>> an absolute fact!
>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>
>I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
>example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
>joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
>unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
>ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular cluelessness
>in that case are not entirely clear. But its general nature is clear. HTH.

Charitably, he could be posting a self-parody of someone who doesn't
understand how baseless opinions lack persuasive power.

--
To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge

John Harshman wrote:
> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>> John Harshman wrote:
>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>
>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>  >
>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't
>>>> know. Neither do you!
>>>
>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>  >
>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_
>> for an absolute fact!
>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>
> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
> example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
> joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
> unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
> ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular cluelessness
> in that case are not entirely clear. But its general nature is clear. HTH.
>
I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming that
PZ was joking?
I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just another
mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.

On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 23:50:27 -0500, Ron Dean
<rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:

>John Harshman wrote:
>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>  >
>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't
>>>>> know. Neither do you!
>>>>
>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>  >
>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_
>>> for an absolute fact!
>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>
>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
>> example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
>> joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
>> unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
>> ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular cluelessness
>> in that case are not entirely clear. But its general nature is clear. HTH.
>>
>I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming that
>PZ was joking?

Your mind is like a steel trap.

>I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just another
>mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.

--
To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge

On 21 Feb 2024 at 13:55:26 GMT, "pzmyers@gmail.com" <pzmyers@gmail.com> wrote:

> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem,
> exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots
> who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're
> finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>
> There is no god.
>
> Some of us old people have moved on to blogs (mine for instance,
> https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/, or Larry Moran's,
> https://sandwalk.blogspot.com/, or the Panda's Thumb, https://pandasthumb.org/
> ) where you can continue the good fight. Unfortunately, blogs are in decline,
> too (I blame google for that, too -- they killed easy RSS access). The battle
> continues!

Thank you for your comments.

Sadly, the link you have provided to your own Blog doesn't 'work'.

The other two are just fine.

On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
> John Harshman wrote:
>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>  >
>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't
>>>>> know. Neither do you!
>>>>
>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>  >
>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_
>>> for an absolute fact!
>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>
>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
>> example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
>> joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
>> unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
>> ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular
>> cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But its general
>> nature is clear. HTH.
>>
> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming that
> PZ was joking?
> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just another
> mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>
Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried baking?
Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll think of
something. Well, you probably won't.

On 2/29/24 6:21 AM, jillery wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 23:50:27 -0500, Ron Dean
> <rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> John Harshman wrote:
>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise
>>>>>>> problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent
>>>>>>> creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every
>>>>>>> conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit,
>>>>>>> Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>  >
>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>>>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>>>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't
>>>>>> know. Neither do you!
>>>>>
>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>  >
>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_
>>>> for an absolute fact!
>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>
>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
>>> example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
>>> joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
>>> unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
>>> ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular cluelessness
>>> in that case are not entirely clear. But its general nature is clear. HTH.
>>>
>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming that
>> PZ was joking?
>
>
> Your mind is like a steel trap.
>
>
>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just another
>> mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>
> --
> To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge
>
I think his mind resembles the peace of God.

John Harshman wrote:
> On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>> John Harshman wrote:
>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the
>>>>>>> noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the
>>>>>>> persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but
>>>>>>> disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one
>>>>>>> obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>  >
>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I hope
>>>>>> you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight with
>>>>>> cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I don't
>>>>>> know. Neither do you!
>>>>>
>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>  >
>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_
>>>> for an absolute fact!
>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>
>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your immediate
>>> example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding seriously to a
>>> joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of humor and so are
>>> unable to recognize it, or that you just read that sentence while
>>> ignoring the prior context. The details of your particular
>>> cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But its general
>>> nature is clear. HTH.
>>>
>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming that
>> PZ was joking?
>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just another
>> mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>>
> Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried baking?
> Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll think of
> something. Well, you probably won't.
>
I simply responded only to the comment "there is no God". That's all!
For some reason you cannot deal with this, so what do you do: not
surprising - you resort to belittling, personal assassination and
slander. I don't have to deal with insults from you!

On 01/03/2024 05:01, Ron Dean wrote:
> John Harshman wrote:
>> On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the
>>>>>>>> noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the
>>>>>>>> persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but
>>>>>>>> disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one
>>>>>>>> obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I
>>>>>>> hope you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight
>>>>>>> with cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I
>>>>>>> don't know. Neither do you!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>>  >
>>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly _know_
>>>>> for an absolute fact!
>>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>>
>>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your
>>>> immediate example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding
>>>> seriously to a joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of
>>>> humor and so are unable to recognize it, or that you just read that
>>>> sentence while ignoring the prior context. The details of your
>>>> particular cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But its
>>>> general nature is clear. HTH.
>>>>
>>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming
>>> that PZ was joking?
>>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just another
>>> mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>>>
>> Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried
>> baking? Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll
>> think of something. Well, you probably won't.
>>
> I simply responded only to the comment "there is no God". That's all!
> For some reason you cannot deal with this, so what do you do: not
> surprising - you resort to belittling, personal assassination  and
> slander. I don't have to deal with insults from you!
>

As I understood, in context the phrase "there is no God" is an idiomatic
way of saying that life is unfair. (PZ Myers' original post didn't reach
me, so I never saw it in its original context.) It's one thing to miss
this on first reading - it's another thing (Trump Syndrome) to double
down on your original interpretation when corrected.

--
alias Ernest Major

Ernest Major wrote:
> On 01/03/2024 05:01, Ron Dean wrote:
>> John Harshman wrote:
>>> On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the
>>>>>>>>> noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the
>>>>>>>>> persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but
>>>>>>>>> disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of
>>>>>>>>> one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I
>>>>>>>> hope you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight
>>>>>>>> with cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I
>>>>>>>> don't know. Neither do you!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>>>  >
>>>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly
>>>>>> _know_ for an absolute fact!
>>>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>>>
>>>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your
>>>>> immediate example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding
>>>>> seriously to a joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of
>>>>> humor and so are unable to recognize it, or that you just read that
>>>>> sentence while ignoring the prior context. The details of your
>>>>> particular cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But
>>>>> its general nature is clear. HTH.
>>>>>
>>>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming
>>>> that PZ was joking?
>>>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just
>>>> another mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>>>>
>>> Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried
>>> baking? Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll
>>> think of something. Well, you probably won't.
>>>
>> I simply responded only to the comment "there is no God". That's all!
>> For some reason you cannot deal with this, so what do you do: not
>> surprising - you resort to belittling, personal assassination  and
>> slander. I don't have to deal with insults from you!
>>
>
> As I understood, in context the phrase "there is no God" is an idiomatic
> way of saying that life is unfair. (PZ Myers' original post didn't reach
> me, so I never saw it in its original context.) It's one thing to miss
> this on first reading - it's another thing (Trump Syndrome) to double
> down on your original interpretation when corrected.
>
I have not seen not seen whatever it was that PZ Myers wrote. I only
saw the statement I responded to. I have a right to defend myself
against such false accusations. With this, I'm done!

On Fri, 1 Mar 2024 18:04:08 -0500, Ron Dean
<rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:

>Ernest Major wrote:
>> On 01/03/2024 05:01, Ron Dean wrote:
>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>> On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the
>>>>>>>>>> noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the
>>>>>>>>>> persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but
>>>>>>>>>> disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of
>>>>>>>>>> one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I
>>>>>>>>> hope you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight
>>>>>>>>> with cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I
>>>>>>>>> don't know. Neither do you!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly
>>>>>>> _know_ for an absolute fact!
>>>>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your
>>>>>> immediate example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding
>>>>>> seriously to a joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of
>>>>>> humor and so are unable to recognize it, or that you just read that
>>>>>> sentence while ignoring the prior context. The details of your
>>>>>> particular cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But
>>>>>> its general nature is clear. HTH.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming
>>>>> that PZ was joking?
>>>>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just
>>>>> another mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>>>>>
>>>> Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried
>>>> baking? Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll
>>>> think of something. Well, you probably won't.
>>>>
>>> I simply responded only to the comment "there is no God". That's all!
>>> For some reason you cannot deal with this, so what do you do: not
>>> surprising - you resort to belittling, personal assassination  and
>>> slander. I don't have to deal with insults from you!
>>>
>>
>> As I understood, in context the phrase "there is no God" is an idiomatic
>> way of saying that life is unfair. (PZ Myers' original post didn't reach
>> me, so I never saw it in its original context.) It's one thing to miss
>> this on first reading - it's another thing (Trump Syndrome) to double
>> down on your original interpretation when corrected.
> >
> I have not seen not seen whatever it was that PZ Myers wrote. I only
>saw the statement I responded to. I have a right to defend myself
>against such false accusations. With this, I'm done!

You could at least try to lie more artfully; you need the practice:
****************************************
From: Ron Dean <rondean-noreply@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: talk.origins
Subject: Re: Peter Nyikos dies 18 Feb, Google kills Usenet 22 Feb.
Coincidence?
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:00:42 -0500
Message-ID: <f2ODN.94845$Iswd.11647@fx05.iad>
References: <6276c971-c5ae-4b08-bfa4-d5f525a77251n@googlegroups.com>

On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:00:42 -0500, Ron Dean
<rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:

>pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>
>> There is no god.
************************************
The above trivially proves your latest post utterly false. Not only
does its quoted text affirm the explanations provided by Harshman and
Major, it proves that you directly responded to PZ's post which you
now claim you hadn't seen.

--
To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge

On 3/1/24 8:00 PM, jillery wrote:
> On Fri, 1 Mar 2024 18:04:08 -0500, Ron Dean
> <rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ernest Major wrote:
>>> On 01/03/2024 05:01, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>> On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the
>>>>>>>>>>> noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the
>>>>>>>>>>> persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but
>>>>>>>>>>> disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of
>>>>>>>>>>> one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I
>>>>>>>>>> hope you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight
>>>>>>>>>> with cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I
>>>>>>>>>> don't know. Neither do you!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly
>>>>>>>> _know_ for an absolute fact!
>>>>>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your
>>>>>>> immediate example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding
>>>>>>> seriously to a joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of
>>>>>>> humor and so are unable to recognize it, or that you just read that
>>>>>>> sentence while ignoring the prior context. The details of your
>>>>>>> particular cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But
>>>>>>> its general nature is clear. HTH.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming
>>>>>> that PZ was joking?
>>>>>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just
>>>>>> another mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried
>>>>> baking? Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll
>>>>> think of something. Well, you probably won't.
>>>>>
>>>> I simply responded only to the comment "there is no God". That's all!
>>>> For some reason you cannot deal with this, so what do you do: not
>>>> surprising - you resort to belittling, personal assassination  and
>>>> slander. I don't have to deal with insults from you!
>>>>
>>>
>>> As I understood, in context the phrase "there is no God" is an idiomatic
>>> way of saying that life is unfair. (PZ Myers' original post didn't reach
>>> me, so I never saw it in its original context.) It's one thing to miss
>>> this on first reading - it's another thing (Trump Syndrome) to double
>>> down on your original interpretation when corrected.
>>>
>> I have not seen not seen whatever it was that PZ Myers wrote. I only
>> saw the statement I responded to. I have a right to defend myself
>> against such false accusations. With this, I'm done!
>
>
> You could at least try to lie more artfully; you need the practice:
> ****************************************
> From: Ron Dean <rondean-noreply@gmail.com>
> Newsgroups: talk.origins
> Subject: Re: Peter Nyikos dies 18 Feb, Google kills Usenet 22 Feb.
> Coincidence?
> Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:00:42 -0500
> Message-ID: <f2ODN.94845$Iswd.11647@fx05.iad>
> References: <6276c971-c5ae-4b08-bfa4-d5f525a77251n@googlegroups.com>
>
> On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:00:42 -0500, Ron Dean
> <rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>
>>> There is no god.
> ************************************
> The above trivially proves your latest post utterly false. Not only
> does its quoted text affirm the explanations provided by Harshman and
> Major, it proves that you directly responded to PZ's post which you
> now claim you hadn't seen.
>
> --
> To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge
>
THere's a big difference between "seeing" and "reading". Ron D.
exemplifies that difference.

jillery wrote:
> On Fri, 1 Mar 2024 18:04:08 -0500, Ron Dean
> <rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ernest Major wrote:
>>> On 01/03/2024 05:01, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>> On 2/28/24 8:50 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>>> On 2/28/24 6:32 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>>> John Harshman wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On 2/28/24 2:00 PM, Ron Dean wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the
>>>>>>>>>>> noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the
>>>>>>>>>>> persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but
>>>>>>>>>>> disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of
>>>>>>>>>>> one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> There is no god.
>>>>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>>>>> This is _your_ claim, but I see no proof. To know is impossible.
>>>>>>>>>> Therefore, it's just your opinion, for what it's worth! But I
>>>>>>>>>> hope you are wrong. We buried my sister after a long term fight
>>>>>>>>>> with cancer. I sincerely hope to see her again some day. But I
>>>>>>>>>> don't know. Neither do you!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The clueless is strong in this one.
>>>>>>>>  >
>>>>>>>> The truth is we are _all_ clueless, since we cannot possibly
>>>>>>>> _know_ for an absolute fact!
>>>>>>>> It's belief and belief _only_.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I suppose it's only right that I explain the nature of your
>>>>>>> immediate example of cluelessness. So here: you were responding
>>>>>>> seriously to a joke by PZ. It's possible that you have no sense of
>>>>>>> humor and so are unable to recognize it, or that you just read that
>>>>>>> sentence while ignoring the prior context. The details of your
>>>>>>> particular cluelessness in that case are not entirely clear. But
>>>>>>> its general nature is clear. HTH.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I responded to the comment "there is no God" so, are you claiming
>>>>>> that PZ was joking?
>>>>>> I don't care who wrote the phrase "there is no God" it's just
>>>>>> another mindless and thoughtless unproven claim.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Reading and thinking are not among your talents. Have you tried
>>>>> baking? Oh, but you probably have to read for that. Never mind, we'll
>>>>> think of something. Well, you probably won't.
>>>>>
>>>> I simply responded only to the comment "there is no God". That's all!
>>>> For some reason you cannot deal with this, so what do you do: not
>>>> surprising - you resort to belittling, personal assassination  and
>>>> slander. I don't have to deal with insults from you!
>>>>
>>>
>>> As I understood, in context the phrase "there is no God" is an idiomatic
>>> way of saying that life is unfair. (PZ Myers' original post didn't reach
>>> me, so I never saw it in its original context.) It's one thing to miss
>>> this on first reading - it's another thing (Trump Syndrome) to double
>>> down on your original interpretation when corrected.
>>>
>> I have not seen not seen whatever it was that PZ Myers wrote. I only
>> saw the statement I responded to. I have a right to defend myself
>> against such false accusations. With this, I'm done!
>
>
> You could at least try to lie more artfully; you need the practice:
> ****************************************
> From: Ron Dean <rondean-noreply@gmail.com>
> Newsgroups: talk.origins
> Subject: Re: Peter Nyikos dies 18 Feb, Google kills Usenet 22 Feb.
> Coincidence?
> Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:00:42 -0500
> Message-ID: <f2ODN.94845$Iswd.11647@fx05.iad>
> References: <6276c971-c5ae-4b08-bfa4-d5f525a77251n@googlegroups.com>
>
> On Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:00:42 -0500, Ron Dean
> <rondean-noreply@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> pzmyers@gmail.com wrote:
>>> I mostly abandoned TO many years ago, in part because of the noise problem, exemplified by obsessives like Nyikos and the persistent creationist idiots who had nothing to say but disrupted every conversation. Now that we're finally free of one obnoxious twit, Google decides to end its support?
>>>
>>> There is no god.
> ************************************
> The above trivially proves your latest post utterly false. Not only
> does its quoted text affirm the explanations provided by Harshman and
> Major, it proves that you directly responded to PZ's post which you
> now claim you hadn't seen.
>
I responded only to what I saw. Are you claiming the statement, "There
is no God" was PZ's statement?
> > To know less than we don't know is the nature of most knowledge
>