Posts by Russell Brown

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  • Hard News: Testify!,

    Well, Russell, unless Gallup hires mind-readers what exactly does that poll prove? Here's another equally plausible read on that: There's plenty of religious bigots, racists and homophobes who won't share their prejudices with strangers on the phone, any more than they'd run down the street screaming 'I hate niggers, faggots, kike and papists!'

    You could say the same about any opinion poll in that case.

    If nothing else, it indicates that it's more acceptable to express prejudice against unbelievers than most other groups. It's not exactly news: anyone who dares call themselves an atheist in America can expect to be misunderstood, at the least.

    The Pew surveys have shown much the same thing. IIRC, the rate of people who believed that being a "good person" is contingent on believing in God was much higher than that in any other western country.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Testify!,

    This just in: USA Today/Gallup poll. More than half of Americans would refuse to vote for a well-qualified presidential candidate on the basis that that candidate was an atheist.

    Atheists rate lower than any other group, and are the only group that more than half of respondents said they would not vote for on principle. That's even worse than a homosexual!

    Least prejudice would be faced by a Catholic, followed by a black man. Women trail in behind Jews, in fourth place.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Auckland Earthquake - Some Mistake Surely?,

    Watching Ep 16 of 'Heroes', fresh off the wire. Most exciting. Totally missed the earthquake.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Testify!,

    Russell, great batting on The Panel this afternoon.

    (With the Family First guy, that is.)

    I could have gone on. I made a snap decision to go hard because I'm tired of these people trotting out their talking points unchallenged. It's the kind of facts that sound good until you know the , uh, other facts.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Yellow Peril: Oink,

    I don't know what I did to deserve this thread... oh that's right, I called Che a 'big cracker'!

    There must be somewhere that serves big crackers for breakfast. Perhaps with smoked snapper on them.

    But that political cookbook is a really good idea. Think about, take notes as you travel and write it in five years' time.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Yellow Peril: Oink,

    Anyone tried that French crepery (that sounds a bit wrong) on Manners Mall? Manners Mall certainly never smelled so good.

    No, but my friend Kerry took me to that Vietnamese French bakery one hungover morning. That's bloody genius that place.

    PS: I hasten to add that valuing ethnic minorities solely for their food is shallow, trite and unconsciously patronising.

    PPS: Mmmmmm ....

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Testify!,

    I can't help but think that if religious studies was done properly in schools, dimwit MPs and press columnists would get all up in arms about "political correctness" or something (TV current affairs shows would just say what they thought the most people wanted to hear).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Testify!,

    Aside from the photo in the link, last nights game delivered a couple of other memorable images, the 'see, its easy' look on Gillespies face as he chopped and edged 16 off one crucial over,

    The best bit there was McCullum leaning on his bat at the other end with a quizzical grin on his face after Gillespie finished the over by bludgeoning Watson's last delivery for four past mid-off. Heh.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Testify!,

    I wonder sometimes if there's a secular parent left who doesn't have a horror story about trying to get their kids a state secular education.

    We haven't really had a bad experience, although the songbook at intermediate irked me a bit.

    I have a policy of not coaching my kids either way, letting them come to their own conclusions, and when they're obliged to sing about being on their way to Heaven twice a week I feel like the school is overstepping its bounds.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Testify!,

    snippiness?? i hope you didn't think i was implying that the other things you were busy with were less important, cos i wasn't. was just trying to point out that we did want to be inclusive of everyone, even if we weren't successful this time around...

    Fair enough. I meant to put a smiley in there ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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