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RIP: Stephen Jay Gould
gdyas writes: " Reuters reports that famed paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould has died today at age 60 of cancer. Famous for his many essays on natural history, modifications to Darwin's theories, and as the winner of the American Book Award for "The Mismeasure of Man", a history of intelligence testing, Gould was and remains a profound influence on biology." CNN also has a piece on him.
Why I love spam
by Barry Dennis info@Netweb.com
Am I crazy or what? I love spam! My spam is important to me. In this new age of the Internet, I need the information and opportunities that e-mail marketing provides. So what's the big deal about spam? I think a few well-meaning but uninformed politicians and advocacy groups have decided what's good for us.
In the ancient, pre-Internet days, I used to get all kinds of mail in my U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The mail had stamps on it; later on it had imprinted postmarks of one kind or another. I was in the direct-marketing and mail-order business, so I used my name and address as a quality-control measure, just to see how long the mail would take to actually arrive at my house. As you can imagine, my name found its way to many different lists of one type or another, and I got lots of mail. Depending on the perspective of the recipient, it was called "junk mail" or "file 13 candidates," or "recyclable materials." Individual pieces included catalogs of every type and description, magazine and book club offers, resort vacation packages and credit cards. Can you believe it? Offering me, an entrepreneur, a credit card? Had they lost their minds?
And I loved it.
I loved reading the offers; I learned things and I even bought some things. They say the easiest sale is to a salesperson, and maybe that's true. But I was a tough customer. I only bought what I needed, or in some cases what I wanted, because they convinced me with good copy, attractive product art and presentation, and with offers backed by a guarantee. They convinced me I had made a great decision. They were (and still are) reaching out to satisfy my needs as their research indicated. Now, in addition to my mail at home and at the office, I get e-mails. Lots of e-mails. And for the most part, I love them. They tell me about things I'm interested in, such as services and products that might satisfy some of my needs. They provide information referrals, ideas and food for thought. And e-mails are smart. They don't require a postcard or envelope with postage to get more information--you just click "reply." Or in many cases, click on the "hot link" direct to the e-mailer's Web site.
Look, here's the deal. Spam is the "junk mail" of a few years ago. There is still "junk" mail, although I prefer to think of it as marketing mail--searching for new customers and reinvigorating established clients. My spam is important to me. In this new age of the Internet, I need the information and opportunities that e-mail marketing provides. The Internet is a new marketing channel, an information research assistant, and a replacement for some of those mail-order catalogs I used to request. And man, the response time!
The courts and the Federal Trade Commission long ago thrashed out the framework for people taking their name off mailing lists by using the Direct Marketing Association-maintained "opt out" list. Mailers run their list through the DMA and matches are culled for each person from that list. People don't get what they don't want. But did you know that many of the people on the DMA file have requested catalogs or information by direct mail within a few months of their "opt out?" Why? Because we have grown used to getting information this way. If we need to, we can do the same thing using the DMA, or the Internet Advertising Bureau, or another industry trade group.
So, what's the big deal about spam? I think a few well-meaning but uninformed politicians and advocacy groups have decided what's good for us, and in their zeal, they are trying to establish a new and unwarranted benchmark for the marketing channel we call the Internet, and for one of its components: e-mail.
We really have to fight this intrusion. E-mail is no less commercial speech than other forms of communication; e-mail is a new and--in some cases--a better way of quickly identifying, qualifying and servicing customers. Large catalog marketers are pleased with the growing percentage of Internet-driven business, and they use e-mail to offer specials and other information potentially valuable to their customers, at less expense than mail-only contact programs.
Not everybody has an e-mail address or access to the Internet: Approximately 70 million U.S. households have computers, out of 120 million total, but not all of the 70 million have access to the internet or e-mail. Most businesses do have Internet and e-mail. There are some e-mails I get that I don't want or appreciate: pornography, two credit card offers every day (give me a break!), and some others. But you know what I do?
Hit delete. I hit delete, and I'm free. As for the rest of my spam: Keep it coming!
about the writer
Barry Dennis (domain@netweb.com) is president of Netweb, an Internet and offline marketing and public relations agency.
In the Holy Bible (the Jewish book of *creative* history) Jehovah put Adam to sleep in Chapter 2 of Genesis in order to *create* Eve outta Adams rib. Jehovah took pity on Adam cos he was alone in the Garden of Eden whilst all the other creatures had mates of the opposite sex. When Adam woke up he feasted his eyes upon Eve who was perfectly formed and he didn't give a toss about her not having a navel. Remembering back to my own wet dream fantasies I would have preferred 3 nipples on 2 breasts than a nice rounded belly with no navel...but that's only me...i just like my wimmin to be born of other wimmin than *PERFECTLY* created by God. Any other younger geeks feel the same way as me on this subject? Cheers from www.bellybuttonland.com
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Three Rings for the Elven-gimps under the whip,
Seven for the Gaylords in their halls of fudge,
Nine for Mortal Puffs doomed to wank men,
One for the Dark GayLord on his dark boyfriend
In the Land of Shitstab where the Gayness lies.
One Ring to wank them all, One Ring to cum them,
One Ring to stab them all and in the darkness rape them
In the Land of Shitstab where the Gayness lies.
He paused, and then said in a deep voice,
"This is the Master-Knob, the One knob to wank them all.
This is the One knob lost many years ago,
to the great weakening of its master's power.
Now, he greatly desires to have it up the arse again,
- but he must NOT have it!"
Three Rings for the Elven-gimps under the whip,
Seven for the Gaylords in their halls of fudge,
Nine for Mortal Puffs doomed to wank men,
One for the Dark GayLord on his dark boyfriend
In the Land of Shitstab where the Gayness lies.
One Ring to wank them all, One Ring to cum them,
One Ring to stab them all and in the darkness rape them
In the Land of Shitstab where the Gayness lies.
He paused, and then said in a deep voice,
"This is the Master-Knob, the One knob to wank them all.
This is the One knob lost many years ago,
to the great weakening of its master's power.
Now, he greatly desires to have it up the arse again,
- but he must NOT have it!"
Three Rings for the Elven-gimps under the whip,
Seven for the Gaylords in their halls of fudge,
Nine for Mortal Puffs doomed to wank men,
One for the Dark GayLord on his dark boyfriend
In the Land of Shitstab where the Gayness lies.
One Ring to wank them all, One Ring to cum them,
One Ring to stab them all and in the darkness rape them
In the Land of Shitstab where the Gayness lies.
He paused, and then said in a deep voice,
"This is the Master-Knob, the One knob to wank them all.
This is the One knob lost many years ago,
to the great weakening of its master's power.
Now, he greatly desires to have it up the arse again,
- but he must NOT have it!"
If we're going to play scientists, I'd like to see a source for this.
Ah! but if the "religious" beliefs is correct, you will spend eternity saying to yourself: "Man, I wish I opened my mind and eyes and investigate for myself those "stupid" beliefs"
... how should I say it... when the jello hits the fan? id est, when nothing in your world makes sense (e.g. you lost your job, you can't get another job, you lost a loved one, a disaster strikes, you're diagnosed with a terminal illness, etc.) I would like to see how science can save you.
And if the "relgious" belief is wrong, when you die you won't be able to reliase that you wasted your whole life worrying if you were sinning because you thought about licking chocolate ice-cream off the breasts of your best friends wife.
You wanna be scientific? ok, answer this:
1. Where do we come from?
2. What are we doing here on earth? (What's our purpose of living?)
3. Where are we going after death?
The first question is the only scientific question in your list.
If your answer to the first is "god" my reply is "where did god come from?" It's just as hard to answer.
My answer to the first is "I don't know." I'll probably never know. Probably no one will ever know. But that isn't going to stop us from looking and trying. Even if that means admitting we were wrong every now then. That's something that scientists are willing to do.
And I am espeically not going to try and solace myself by assuming I came from an invisible being who is supposedly all good but allows all sorts of fucked up shit to go on in this world, won't talk to me and supposedly had a son to a teenage unwed virgin and that that son died one day, came back for a weekend and hasn't been heard from since.
Regarding the second question? What the hell is "purpose?" For the most part our "purpose" is to fuck and reproduce. Get busy.
Regarding the third question, probably nowhere.
None of the ancient "beliefs" that you listed are able to answer these questions in a manner that is relevant to where you are in life as a living-human being in this world today... except *one*!!
Your ancient belief isn't answering those questions either.
These questions are legitimate "scientific" questions, on top of that, these ones actually matters, these are the ones that give you meaning, security, and hope to keep on living. Are you going to say that *your* life doesn't matter to you?
Yes, I am going to say that. Life is cruel, cold, pointless, and empty. Why don't I kill myself? My genes won't let me.
You might think you got the answer based on science, but wait until
Your rapidly approaching "jackass" status in my mind for demonstrating a complete inability to understand what science is about and not possessing any argumentative skills at all. Science doesn't claim to have the answer to everything. I'd love to know why my girlfriend is sucking her roommates cock, but science isn't going to answer that for me. I never thought it would. I don't apporach things scientifically because I think science can answer everything. I approach things scientifically because of all the ways of answering many questions, science does the best at finding the right answer. Even if that means discarding a theory often.
Are you trying to tell me that you think if I were Christian I would know why my girlfriend sucked her roommates cock? Your arrogant. Your god is arrogant. Did she do it because god made her? He's more fucked up than I thought.
Do you feel consoled believing in something that you have no evidence for? Does it make you feel good about yourself, your life and so on placing all of your faith in an invisible creature that refuses to answer your prayers? If so, great, keep on believing. Keep in mind that you have no evidence for it. And keep in mind that the failure of other explanations does not imply that your explanation is right.
..you forget that Sagan was an atheist (and Gould, at least an agnostic). They're dead, and no longer exist; they're not having conversations with some deity.
no real reason to post this, it just irks me how whenever some influential and respected person dies (Mother Theresa, Lady Di, etc..) there's invariably a cartoon or an editorial in every paper depicting them in "heaven" talking with "god"... sorry, that might make *you* feel better, but death is death..the "ultimate enemy" as Gould himself said.
Veteran LA newscaster Jerry Dunphy dead at 80
Published 10:10 p.m. PDT Monday, May 20, 2002
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) - Veteran newscaster Jerry Dunphy, famous for beginning his broadcasts with the words, "From the desert to the sea to all of Southern California," has died, his family announced Monday night. He was 80.
Dunphy, 80, the nighttime anchor on KCAL-TV, suffered a heart attack Wednesday.
"To the people of Southern California, he served as a constant beacon of truth and guidance in our ever changing world," according to a statement issued by Dunphy's family late Monday night.
"We ask you to share in our celebration of an American life well lived, with the peace of knowing he is now with God.
Dunphy had been a fixture in Los Angeles broadcast news for more than 40 years.
He joined KNXT-TV, now KCBS-TV, in 1960, and went on to work for several Southern California news stations.
Why was this modded to +5 funny?
Were the moderators just remembering how funny the episode was...? This kind of makes no sense
Not much funny in the actual post
the most mysterious thing you'll see today
Karma envy?
Yeah, people tried pulling that shit with Einstein too. "Didnt relativity lead to a breakdown in social/moral values?". "No, it didnt. Fuck off, idiot."
:)
Please explain to me the calculations which lead you to belive God exists?
You are simply arrogant!
Do you think that the Muslims are wrong when they belive in Allah?
Do you think that the Lutherans are wrong?
Do you think that the Cathlics are wrong?
You probably know the answer to these questions or atleast are going to tell us that, but in reality NOBODY knows. I think atheists are too rather arrogant, because it is also impossible to prove that there is no God (just like it's impossible to prove that there is a God or gods for that matter).
Sure it seems pretty unlikely to me that there is a Christian God, but I can't say that for every freaking religon out there. There might be a one true faith someplace which only a couple of people know, but it's rather probable that I will not find out anyway.
I mean the belief in Christ has just spread more rapidly than many other religons, but that does not make it true. The fact is that we wouldn't never hear from a religon that thinks that the followers should keep to themselves and not spread their views.
That's why I think religons are probably just viruses of the mind, but then again I could be wrong, but atleast I acknowledge the fact that I do not know everything.
I figure his word is just as good as the Bibles.
* Not an exact quote. Feal free to correct me.
Re: "It's selfish and immoral to only be concerned about yourself, or be like Reagan's fundie Secretary of Interior who said "We don't have to worry about the environment, the day of judgement is at hand". Yes, we do have to worry about the future even after we're gone for our children."
What I find amusing is an atheist calling something "immoral," thereby adopting tenets of theism without thinking. Without God, there is no morality: only situational advantage, and it is illogical and senseless to "have to worry about the future." There is no reason to be moral/nice/kind to one's fellow man apart from a perceptible advantage gained; if you cannot identify the exact advantage, you are acting illogically. Atheism, if carried to its logical conclusion, inexorably leads to nihilism.
TANSTAAFL