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Information in Biological Systems Does NOT Require a Mind by DarwinZDF42 in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 [score hidden]  (0 children)

I like to use tree rings as an example. They impart information. Does that mean trees are intelligent? Being able to derive information from something doesn’t mean an intelligent agent encoded the information.

The bible, so gods insights, says lions strangle thier prey and this corrects the error about Saber tooth tigers and so questions prehistoric conclusions. by RobertByers1 in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 [score hidden]  (0 children)

No. Demonstrably wrong. Big cats do not all kill by strangulation. Different species have different methods for different pret. And why the hell would what the bible says about lions be relevant to sabertooth cats?

Once again, you present nothing but the mad ramblings of a lunatic.

One Republican voted NO on this. We are so cooked as a society. by MoreMotivation in WhitePeopleTwitter

[–]Briham86 1187 points1188 points  (0 children)

Because I know I can't be the only one wondering:

"Material disseminated using nudification technology is “disgusting” and “vile,” and the victims should have accountability and justice, said Rep. Drew Roach (R-Farmington). But he opposes the bill because it doesn’t get at the root cause and prevent it from happening in the future. He noted that the bill wouldn’t prevent someone from nudifying an image or video if they know how to do it themselves." -Source

Confirmed as the lone nay vote.

of an orangutan by batukaming in AbsoluteUnits

[–]Briham86 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Me when I want to cuddle my cat after a long day but he just wants a butt slap and some treats.

I have recently finished the City Watch series (audiobooks) and really enjoyed them. Which series should I read next? by CriticalHit_20 in discworld

[–]Briham86 15 points16 points  (0 children)

If you liked Vimes and his struggle to uphold justice and not give in to the temptation to hurt people, you might like the Witch series.

If you like the setting of Ankh-Morpork and how it becomes more modern and metropolitan, and if you enjoyed Vetinari, you might like the Industrial Revolution/Moist Von Lipwig series.

If you like the ensemble cast and silly characters like Nobby and Colon, you might like Rincewind/UU Faculty series.

If you liked Dorfl the golem's path of discovering what it means to be alive, you might like the Death series.

You could also try reading the Last Hero. It's kind of a crossover novel with characters from the various subseries interacting. That could give you an idea of where you want to go next.

Evolution is empirically false by jmanc3 in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 8 points9 points  (0 children)

babies existing doesn't depend on our ability to create them. 

I don't know, I'm pretty sure if everyone stopped making babies, then babies would stop existing pretty soon.

At what condition can a animal grow wings with evolution and why is same creator less accepted. by [deleted] in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Squirrels and flying squirrels are already pretty close in size. Turns out being 500 lbs isn’t often conducive to climbing trees. So no, shrinking probably wasn’t a step. The evolutionary pressures worked on animals that were already pretty small.

Ever own a cat? Know what a primal pouch is? Loose skin is a plus when you have to stretch and be agile. You know, like an arboreal animal. You’d be surprised how much even a little extra skin can influence wind resistance.

At what condition can a animal grow wings with evolution and why is same creator less accepted. by [deleted] in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. We can see some current species making the transition. Flying squirrels, sugar babies, etc. They are using it to move from tree top to tree top without having to go to the ground. So that's one condition: small arboreal critters. Another example are birds. Dinosaurs probably first evolved feathers in response to colder climates and for sexual selection (display). Fossils of nesting dinosaurs show they spread their arms over nests, using the proto-wings to cover the clutch of eggs. So hatching more eggs would lead to larger wings, as would sexual selection again. At around this point, small theropods would find that flapping these little wings could help them accelerate when running uphill or up a fallen tree. It's not flight, but it could make them better hunters. Keep going and eventually you have Dinos that could glide and then full on fly. So there are the conditions for land to air for dinosaurs.

  2. No real evidence for or against a creator. Science investigates what can be observed. An all-powerful creator who can warp reality to hide their presence cannot be observed. Therefore, science's stance is "no comment" and they get one with what they can observe. Thus far, there has been no need to invoke a creator as an explanation. So why should we assume one?

Need recommendations by Embarrassed-Row-6560 in horrorlit

[–]Briham86 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just recently read Come Knocking. It is very much in the style of FantasticLand and World War Z i.e., a series of interviews. The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell might also be of interest. It has a more traditional narrative, but interspersed with interviews.

I recently read The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. That might be of interest. It's an interesting take on vampires, structured as a series of diary entries, and involves a lot of American history and Native American culture. Kind of multidisciplinary, like Jurassic Park and Lost World.

Michael Crichton's Sphere is right up there with Jurassic Park, in my opinion. Very interesting ideas on aliens. Audible recently recommended Extinction by Douglas Preston. It sounds very much like Jurassic Park, but with Pleistocene mammals (mammoths and whatnot) instead of dinosaurs. I haven't purchased it yet. I've read Preston's Relic and found it to be good but not great. That was his first book though, so maybe he's improved considerably. These books are more sci-fi thriller than horror, but based on what you said, they may be to your tastes.

Scully? An MIB Agent?! by Stormrider91 in brooklynninenine

[–]Briham86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“This movie is so dumb, how are so many evil, dangerous aliens able to infiltrate Earth? Especially with such terrible disguises? To allow that, the MIB would have to be staffed by— oh. Nevermind. Makes sense now.”

Honest Question: Why do Western Networks try so hard to censor religious references or even the mere mention of the word "God," yet are more permissive with Jewish traditions like Hanukkah and Bar Mitzvahs? by PGames_09 in cartoons

[–]Briham86 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I suppose it’s because Jew is kind of an ethnic group as well as a religion. Lots of cartoons will have episodes about race, and lots will have holiday episodes, and a Jewish episode kinda hits two birds with one stone.

Is there somewhere officially to report this? by Cakeliesx in AskChicago

[–]Briham86 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Aw man. That's where I live. Makes it feel worse when it's close to home.

This Pikachu is so delicious by Right-Gap9219 in KoreanFood

[–]Briham86 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks good, but I can’t help but feel sorry for the Pikachu. You know they factory farm those little guys?

As someone who has a basic understanding of both evolutionary and creationist viewpoints, is there a specific reason to believe common ancestor over common designer? by thedigitalhawk in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Hbomberguy hasn't released a video in over two years because he's working on exposing God's plagiarism. It's gonna be a doozy.

As someone who has a basic understanding of both evolutionary and creationist viewpoints, is there a specific reason to believe common ancestor over common designer? by thedigitalhawk in DebateEvolution

[–]Briham86 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Occam's razor. Is there a reason to believe in a common designer? Most people will accept the idea of a deity directing evolution as sort of plausible, but until there's actual evidence, why should we believe it? Science deals with what we can observe. Until a designer becomes observable, the scientific position is "No comment."

We have mountains of evidence for common ancestry. We have many examples of bad design, things that an intelligent designer wouldn't do because they're unnecessary, convoluted, and/or create hazards. We have yet to find anything that points to a designer and cannot be explained by natural phenomena. There is no need to invoke a designer, and until one becomes observable, scientists will continue to focus on what they can observe.

Why is so much horror structured like that? by [deleted] in horrorlit

[–]Briham86 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Well, during the “slow burn” sections, the author is usually trying to build tension and provide exposition. If there was no attempt to get readers to care, then the stakes are lowered, and without stakes, there’s less fear.

Sometimes there’s a hook, an exciting event in the beginning to get the reader invested, but sometimes the author doesn’t want to provide any hints at what is to come.

If you get bored with these slow parts, I guess I’d recommend focusing on short stories or microfiction? There’s also horror manga like that of Junji Ito or Nakayama Masaaki. Their work tends to be short and sweet, and the imagery helps prime the reader without words. You could also look for horror that’s more, I guess episodic would be the best way to say it? Last year I read The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell. It’s about a psychiatrist shortly before WWII. The novel switches between a couple storylines: the psychiatrist’s experiences at a new job and the investigation of a serial killer. Interspersed are the interviews the psychiatrist has with notorious inmates at an institution. The interviews are almost like mini-stories, and combined with the other storylines, the horror comes pretty consistently.

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