Protected: God On the Brain – God as Brain Chemistry

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God On the Brain – God as Brain Chemistry

Just saw a doco on the ABC on a theory that we are sort of hardwired for belief in God, Neurotheology. Not sure what I thought of this. I assume with these programs they just use Richard Dawkins just to annoy those with religious sensibilities. You can find the transcript here –

God on the Brain

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We’re going to an Election, Thank God the phony campaign is over

So the PM has announced the election date will be October 9 and the major issue he believes it will be fought on will be trust? Trust?? I wonder where he has been living these last few years and am starting to wonder about his grasp on reality? Trust this man who has lied and schemed for the last 8 years to maintain power? These last few weeks surely with even his most ardent right-wing supporters admitting that yeah he probably did lie about children overboard, but it didn’t matter because the great Australian unwashed don’t care much about Iraqi or Afghani refugees and their children. But the horrible feeling I get is that the sneaky little bastard has usually been fairly spot on, in regard to the Great Australian Public’s mood or at least the “battlers” as he calls them (the aspirational voter type who will vote for anyone who will promise them a tax cut, bugger that the social services of this country are going down the toilet.) He wouldn’t have announced the election date, if he didn’t think he could win.I’m sure every question raised about his lies concerning WMD’s, children overboard, the wharvies dispute, Tampa, the immigration gulags in the desert will all be covered by his usual catch-all excuse that he wasn’t told.

Maybe they will now stop wasting our government money on phony Community Interest Advertisements masking as re-election ads for the Coalition, but no, John Howard and his lot seem not to apply the same strict measures to clear up this example of government waste. They’d rather persecute someone on Social Services payments.

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We’re going to an Election, Thank God the phony campaign is over

So the PM has announced the election date will be October 9 and the major issue he believes it will be fought on will be trust? Trust?? I wonder where he has been living these last few years and am starting to wonder about his grasp on reality? Trust this man who has lied and schemed for the last 8 years to maintain power? These last few weeks surely with even his most ardent right-wing supporters admitting that yeah he probably did lie about children overboard, but it didn’t matter because the great Australian unwashed don’t care much about Iraqi or Afghani refugees and their children. But the horrible feeling I get is that the sneaky little bastard has usually been fairly spot on, in regard to the Great Australian Public’s mood or at least the “battlers” as he calls them (the aspirational voter type who will vote for anyone who will promise them a tax cut, bugger that the social services of this country are going down the toilet.) He wouldn’t have announced the election date, if he didn’t think he could win.I’m sure every question raised about his lies concerning WMD’s, children overboard, the wharvies dispute, Tampa, the immigration gulags in the desert will all be covered by his usual catch-all excuse that he wasn’t told.

Maybe they will now stop wasting our government money on phony Community Interest Advertisements masking as re-election ads for the Coalition, but no, John Howard and his lot seem not to apply the same strict measures to clear up this example of government waste. They’d rather persecute someone on Social Services payments.

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Protected: On Line sites to spark romance between party loyalists

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On Line sites to spark romance between party loyalists

Saw this in the paper yesterday and it all sounds rather ghastly. Oh God just what we need all those Conservatives signing up to singles dating agency dot.coms to meet like-minded Mr or Miss(never Ms) Right Wing to breed more little conservatives. Personally I think I might be more attracted to the Leaning Left site – at least it says it’s for people who don’t take themselves too seriously, even if they are serious about their politics.

Lonely hearts get political
By Katharine Goodloe
Washington
August 27, 2004

This year’s electoral divide has some tech-savvy singles turning the search for Ms Right into the search for Ms Right Wing. By adding a partisan tilt to the internet’s dating options, a spate of new web sites allows singles to scout for soul mates of nearly every political stripe.

Take Kenny Opsal, 31, of Appleton, Minnesota. The self-described conservative Christian is looking for a like-minded girl who “can maybe even beat me at a game of hoops.” Not a tall order, but his town is about 70 per cent Democratic, and his job at the local prison doesn’t help him meet women.

“One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is that people just like to go out and drink,” he said. “So you don’t really meet people who are that conservative, besides at church.”

He turned to conservativematch.com. Like many online daters, Opsal filled out a personal profile that other members can browse. But his questions moved beyond the personal – 1.77 metres tall, open to travel – and into the political. He opposes abortion and supports cutting taxes. The comments in his “views” section open with “Reaganomics all the way.”

Though Opsal hasn’t had much luck yet, it’s been only a few weeks. He says the site might bring him closer to someone “just to talk with, or maybe to date.”

Brian Barcaro, a senior partner in Acolyte, the company that launched conservativematch.com in May, said such political connections are the site’s goal. As the only single member of his company, Barcaro said he scours the site for business – to monitor their popularity – as well as for pleasure.

“We think it generally helps in meeting people and carrying out basic values,” he said. It’s also helped him find a few girlfriends, but “nothing marriage-related at this point,” he said.

This year’s presidential campaign has brought politics to the forefront, said Tony Sandoval, president of Terra9Singles, which in March launched democraticsingles.com and republicansingles.com. Sandoval believes interest in the sites – nearly 3,600 users have signed up – is buoyed by interest in the Iraq war and the popularity of political movies such as Fahrenheit 9/11.

“Everyone is in the political mind-set right now,” he said.

Teresa Van Deusen of Austin, Texas, is making her living off the election as the creator of a get-out-the-vote web site, voter virgin.com. Although the site is nonpartisan and Van Deusen dedicates her work hours to bridging political gaps, she said her personal life should be “easier.” So she joined the left-leaning loveinwar.com.

While she initially connected with people through other online dating sites, Van Deusen said, they too frequently turned out to be “staunch right-wingers.”

“It can be a deal breaker,” she said. “I can’t see sustaining a relationship with somebody where we have such primary differences.”

But in taking pains to separate singles along political boundaries, these sites might also be doing harm, said Lisa Ronis, who runs a Manhattan-based matchmaking service. Such selective searching, she said, goes against the adage that opposites do attract.

“I never, never ask about politics,” Ronis said. “What’s that got to do with love, really?”

Not much, according to the creators of one of the internet’s most popular dating sites.

“We tend to think of Democrats and Republicans as different types of people from different backgrounds voting differently on key issues,” said Trish McDermott, vice-president of romance for match.com. “But when it comes to dating and love, we might be more alike than that we are different.”

MEET ME IN THE LOBBY

More than a dozen online sites are trying to stir romantic sparks between party loyalists. A look at what’s out there:

REPUBLICANS
singlerepublican
“Dedicated to helping conservatives like yourself meet their perfect soulmate.”

republicansingles
“A community to meet the ‘right’ person”

CONSERVATIVES
conservativematch
“A real community of people who share conservative values”

conservativematchmaker
“An exciting place for single members of the convervative (sic) line of thought!”

DEMOCRATS
democraticsingles

“A community of Democrats, Greens, and Progressives who have decided they want to meet those with similar world views”

democratsingles
“The online relationship site for Democrats”

democratpassions
“An online site specifically for Democrat Singles”

demdates
“Smart. Sexy. Liberal.”

LIBERALS
liberalhearts
“Uniting Democrats and Green Party members who are like in mind & liberal in love”

LIBERTARIANS
libertarianpassions
“An online community for Libertarian singles”

GREEN PARTY
greendates

LEANING LEFT

loveinwar
“A new site for people who take their politics seriously, but don’t take themselves too seriously”

ACTIVISTS

actforlove
“Dating for activists: take action, get action!”

KRT

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Since everyone else on my flist is doing it. Why Not?

Virginia Woolf: Orlando. You are a challenge, for
outer events, the outside world, the time etc.
play no importance to you. Your focus is in
writing, in gender issues, and inside your own
head. Self-analysis and exploration of yourself
as well as the outer world hold great
importance to you.

Which literature classic are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

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Since everyone else on my flist is doing it. Why Not?

Virginia Woolf: Orlando. You are a challenge, for
outer events, the outside world, the time etc.
play no importance to you. Your focus is in
writing, in gender issues, and inside your own
head. Self-analysis and exploration of yourself
as well as the outer world hold great
importance to you.

Which literature classic are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

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Protected: Some Rather Apt Cartoons

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Some Rather Apt Cartoons

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