atinymonkey

Many apologies, Blike, for the thread hijack. Feel free to delete one of mine, if I ever get an interesting one.

http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/templates/search/websearch.cfm?mainpage=/royalsoc/fel_dird.htm I can't seem to find you, old boy. You may want to specify which royal society. Myself, I'm only a member of the royal society of yachtsmen, as I'm not a Professor. Just stick to topic, if you disagree with what I've said, fine. I've given you evidence. Disagree with the evidence if you like. Throw your rattle out your pram if you like, I really don't have time for self absorbed little self publicists. Or for that matter people with 'degrees' from Springfeild university. If your tired of trying to impress students with the results of your google searches, I don't think I'll miss you much. By the way, how come neither the British Library or The Library of Congress has any of your books? Possible because they are purile? Heretics, all 169 pages, I could have written in one night. While drunk. And if you happen to think I'm being harsh, I'll remind you I asked for you to back off. Thanks for your time.

Well, isotopic dating can be used on calcite, bone etc. As a fossil is not bone, it is pointless to use the method. http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Archaeology/Original/a00056d.html It's the sediment that's tested for fossils, not the fossil itself. As for a creationist argument, I think you have lost the plot. If you like you can join us on an archaeological dig and see the practical application of dating methods, there are digs once a year in York that amateurs can join in on. http://www.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/kilham/ Meantime, back off. I'm not 12 years old, and don't need lecturing.

Well, the main reason you cannot carbon date a fossil isn't the 60,000 margin of reliability, it's simply that the fossil is not composed of it's original elements. It is a facsimile of the original bone. That facsimile is created by the sedimentary layer that created the fossil over time, as they both become rock. So it become easier to date the surrounding material than the none existent carbon for the bone that no longer exists. To answer your question about the falling onto rocks far older than yourself when you die, the bone would then be exposed and decay rather than be transposed into fossil. There is specific requirements in fossil formation and the primary one is that the bone is surrounded by sediment or mud almost immediately. It's the mud's age that you want to know, not the fossil itself.

It's Quantum field theory that puts a constant on everything, making the universe 2D is easier to deal with. That's done by setting Newton's universal gravitational constant to 0. If you are writing plan, is easier to do it flat, and build on that. The human mind finds it a little hard to conceive 3D problems and solutions! String theory only says that the string is 2D as the plan is not complete enough to add the gravitational constant. So your right, but it's easier to pretend that the world is flat, as we are not at the stage to set sail to prove it isn't. Metaphorically speaking.

Great, it would have to be the British soldier giving out flowers to random people in the streets. At least he’s not being beaten to death by a whole bunch of flowers, like the American guy!

And here is the plan http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2929365.stm subject to change, of course.

This seems to be decending into a slagging match, What is proposed to happen is a group of formation of four governmental districts in Iraq under the direction of the Allies (US and UK) in order to put in place a democratic system that will enable the country to vote for local leaders and a government. Much like the UK forced the US to do when it was colonised. The governmental districts will be lead by the hand for the first few years, probably by the US given the UK's attempt at this in the 20 century, to enable the rebuilding of Iraq to happen without private citizens stealing the countrys cash reserves. However the intention is to only be in place to facilitate the restructuring of the country (socially and economically) and enable the country to be self sufficent again. The simple fact is no one want's to stay in the middle east, especially not in Iraq.

What, from the US attacking civilians? Unlikely you say? Ever heard of a small country called Japan? You may have missed it, but the US dropped two atomic weapons on the country. Not to mention the atrocitys in Vietnam, Naplam that village? Ok, why not?

1) Should a specific dress code be introduced for the civics classroom? Yes, you scruffy young tykes. Prepares you for the real world where you will be expected to be presentable at work. Put on your own clothes in your own time, not the states time. (plus prevent bullying of students who are 'fashion challanged'!) 2) Should eating/drinking be allowed in the civics classroom? Nope, that just make's a mess, is unsanitory, distracts from the class and besides they give you a lunchtime for lunch. 3) Should students have the right to leave their classroom for washroom or drink breaks without having to ask permission? No, it's about showing respect for your teacher in asking for permission. It means you are more inclined to learn mannors and not become french. 4) Should marks be deducted for late test/assignments in civics class? Not if there are reasonble grounds.

ROLF I just read the case of a man brought to trial in 1337 for failing to produce the Devil as arranged in commercial transaction. The case was later dismissed, but still, "give us five crowns and I'll rase the very prince of hell for you" "oh, go on then" "And that when the accused failed to bring forth Satan, Mi'Lord"

Funny sideline:- LSD is a derivative of ergot, a fungus that affects rye grain. Rye grain was the staple crop of the middle ages, and was the staple crop for the settelers in the 'new' world. The witch trials in Salem were just mirrors of similar witchhunts 150/100 years earlier in Europe (see the Witchcraft Acts of 1563 and 1604 in England), before the farmers learnt not to eat the wheat with fungus on it. The fungus giving the person who consumed it enough of a chemical kick to seem possesed, given enough time with the contaminated food source for the chemical to build up. A quite consice history of documented 'witchhunts' is here:- http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/witchtrial/eis.html Although local woodcuts in the UK plus the legends of the Witchfinder General and his various methods of detemining a witch have lead to the whole 'dunking a witch' thing. They didn't intend for them to float, they intended for them to sink, suffer and die. And everyone thinks the English are nice:rolleyes:

Or on purpose, it's not as if the US and the UK are a bunch of Saints themselves. It wouldn't be the first time either country had attacked civilians.

Well, almost all of the evidence that can be found is biased. The only western reporters are led round by the US/UK troops. The reports of attacks are fed through the military, the civilian reports are contradictory and pander to whatever the reporters happen to be making a point about. There are no impartial reports from the area, but we can make logical assumptions that innocent civilians have died as a direct result of actions performed by both sides in the conflict. The American military like to use terms like 'surgical attacks' as they infer a use of tactics that will keep the civilian population safe. However they never say that 'surgical attacks' could mean napalming the whole area, the definition is whatever they decide after the event. In the meantime, the voters at home are content that the act of war is 'surgical' so won't be nasty or messy in any way, so they can igonre it and get back to muching donuts.

Machiavellian ? How so? I don't remember any of tactics for gaining absolute power involving making people get up an hour early! Don't worry, it's not an unorthodox practice from the states it's an unorthodox practice from England. It was to increase production from farms during the 2nd World War (and annoy Swiss watch makers). The same reason keep's it around today, it benefits the gross national product. Plus, apparently it helps prevent the poor little schoolchildren being squashed flat by cars on the way to school in the dark.

My cousin's husband spent 14 years at university, I think he had 12 doctorates at last count. It's quite common in Norway (he's Norwegian, obviously) to carry on your studies for as long as possible. Unfortunately a doctorate does not indicate a high IQ, the first car he bought after finishing his studies was a Porsche. Now, driving a Porsche in Norway is tricky without snowchains for half of the year, unsurprisingly Porsche don't make snowchains . In the UK, it's a little harder to get a meaningful doctorate. A doctorate in, say, philosophy, will take about 6 months of study and the doctorate will be almost worthless. However a doctorate in Archaeology will take 4 years of site work, thesis, museum work and lecturing - which make it a seriously hefty doctorate to hold. The longer you stay at university the less time you have left in your working life, and the harder it becomes to increase your earning power. The mind is at it's most fertile aged 25, and most people peak at that. Past that age you should really be settled into a career or field of research.

I'm just hoping that he was not related to that Mother and Father.

I think you are confusing diplomacy with dictating. A diplomatic solution will never result in one sides capitulation 100% with the other, diplomacy is about compromise on both sides. In order to set yourself aside from a dictator, you cannot dictate yourself. Mind you, I think it is just a poor use of the word in this case. We were not really in a diplomatic situation with Iraq, it was more of a combined policing of Iraq. The situation was undermined by the decision of factions to take the 'law' into their own hands and become a body of international vigilantes. Besides, how can you on one hand say that Iraq has ignored the UN, and not see the conflict of interest when the US and UK ignored the UN?

Hmmm, America has vital strategic interests at stake in the Middle East which is why they are involved. It was Clintons attempt to reach an Barak-Arafat accord that cemented Americas involvement in Israel and Palestine. It annoys Bush that he is forced to be involved in Israel and Palestine, and is looking for a quick fix. You can't really cite diplomacy by proxy, it wasn't effective even when it was being actively pursued (religion is in the way, as well as gross arrogance of the leaders).

I thought Japan owned America now. Isn't that why they are classed as Allies? I think there diplomatic routes may be a little more direct than Iraq can manage, seeing as Japan could cripple US economy. Mind you, that's a threat to the US isn't it? Best bomb them again:-p Hopefully, this should be the last time the boys have to show off their big guns. The next time there is none co-operation the US will be the first to see a none violent solution. Take into account all the other instances of the US using a diplomatic solution in, er, well, um, somewhere I'm sure.

Oh, who voted Yes then? BTW, if you highlight that row of smiley faces they look kind of spooky. Sort of. If you squint. I can find some references for you of UK ghost stories, an some 'scientific' explanations of paranormal events. But the science bit never gets much past that on Ghostbusters. Unless you would rather examine the cultural differences in ghosts, such as the fox in Japan and the pixes in Cornwall.

Well, I've found the Ten Commandments. It took a bit of searching, they were in West Africa in the second Ark of the Covenant. I've had a quick skim across them, and Adams correct. They are signed on the bottom by Gods own hand. I didn't have time to have a really good look as the temple guards were going to find me in a bit. There were two odd things, one was that there were 12 commandments and the last two seemed to have been partially scrubbed away. The other thing is that ever since I read them, I appear to have a low level glow, and can now control the elements with the power of my mind. Interesting that one of the 'lost' 2 commandments states in Hebrew 'Thou shalt not be a horses ass Adam'. Bit of a coincience, nes pa?

Ok, so the human brain is capable of absorbing and processing a vast amount of information almost subconsciously. Take the calculation of the trajectory of a thrown ball, the calculations would take hours to work out on paper but your hand still appears in the correct place to catch the ball. The mind also fills in gaps to process information, a partially sited person or a person with tunnel vision will often see objects out of the corner of their eye (people they know, familiar objects) that don't actually exist. The mind has simply created them when it expected something to be. So it would be a fairly logical assumption that the mind processes information from a wide variety of sources that we are not consciously aware of and forms conclusions based on that. Some of these conclusions, while based on information received could be construed as 'ESP' as they have no apparent source. People tend to turn to the supernatural to explain things they don't understand. It's my opinion that ESP is just a term used by people who underestimate the processing power of the human brain.

To sum up:- Yup, there are valid reasons for war against Iraq.:bravo: Nope, none of them instigated the war.:nono:

Good point, dragons exist in most cultures and have properties common to them that extend to each legend in each country. China in particular has built them into the culture. Troll, Ogres, Yeti's etc also appear across myth and legend in most cultures. It does point towards the existence of some prehistoric life in living history. At least I'd like to think that is the reason that the legends appear. Some life obviously did survive whatever killed the dinosaurs, and some still exisits in the same form (no evolution for crocodiles and sharks!) the Coelacanth points to the ability for prehistoric animals to hide up until recent times. I guess it would be possible for a larger creature to have existed long enough to encounter 'modern' man. We could take the oldest know poem, Beowulf , to be a story based around the hunt of some form of prehistoric man in amongst the primitive tribes in Scandinavia. Tolken for one was a firm believer that there was some truth in myth! Of course, that is all supposition. I think any 'evidence' would be dubious. But I like the supposition, and I'm inclined to believe it at times. Of course, St George is the patron Saint of England and he is famous for killing a dragon, so I guess I'm predisposed to believe in legend.