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RandFan · 23rd July 2011, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

i believe that this thread is reporting good news for the people of texas.
to all who see this as an insult to texans, i am sorry for your mis-perception.
that is all......

Backhanded compliments are hardly misperceived as insults.

Hi John, you know for an Irishman you don't drink that much.

ApolloGnomon · 23rd July 2011, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by Toontown

BTW, 1 in 3 Texans cannot read this sentence or comprehend the map depicted in the following link:

http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/docs/09illitmap.html

link = "Percentage by County of Illiterate Adult Texans"

Gosh, do ya s'pose they tested in a manner that accounted for adults who are literate in Spanish but not English?

Yeah. About that.

bikerdruid · 23rd July 2011, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Vortigern99

My main point has been that that's not all the state is comprised of. We also have masses of the non-religious, and even our numerous religious people can be tolerant, open-minded and kind-hearted, believe it or not.

i really am delighted to know this and thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt.
besides my exposure to texans in alberta oil, there is a hunting lodge next door in the valley, next to our farm......
every year there are hundreds of foreign hunters that come here, the vast majority american.
the type of loud-mouthed, obnoxious, brand-new-cabela's-camo-wearing jerks that come here every year to kill our bears and moose, with little or no respect for life, are very common.
i never included, in my assessment, the asshat texans i have met there, because i just assumed they are just plain schmucks that you folks probably despise too.

that said, i am pleased to know that there is a, hopefully growing, more enlightened texan populace.
i wish some of you folks would come to alberta once in a while and leave the blowhards in texas.

ApolloGnomon · 23rd July 2011, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

dude....most reservations are like third world colonies in north america.

I've visited reservations. I would not disagree with this point.

Quote:

texas is a stronghold of conservative christian thought.
are you going to argue that it is not?

Nor would I disagree with this one, as I've also been to Texas.

RandFan · 23rd July 2011, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

i wish some of you folks would come to alberta once in a while and leave the blowhards in texas.

You know Bob, for an Indian you don't steal much.

bikerdruid · 23rd July 2011, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by RandFan

You know Bob, for an Indian you don't steal much.

dude.
i live in northern alberta. i have many native friends. i have taught two generations of native kids. i work with the local beaver indian elders, helping them liason with outside agencies on land claims issues. i am welcomed in their homes and they in mine.
your futile efforts to paint me as a bigot fail miserably.

ApolloGnomon · 23rd July 2011, 04:34 PM

heh heh. you said 'beaver.' heh heh.

AnnoyingPony · 23rd July 2011, 04:38 PM

THIS... IS... SPARTA!!!!!

Actually, it's Texas, but either way it's awesome

Brainache · 23rd July 2011, 04:38 PM

At least everybody seems to agree that this is good news.

It shouldn't be news at all, but the fact that it is news certainly suggests to me that the Texas school board endorsing science education is a rare and remarkable event.

bikerdruid · 23rd July 2011, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by ApolloGnomon

heh heh. you said 'beaver.' heh heh.

actually, it's 'tsani', in their language....

RandFan · 23rd July 2011, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

your futile efforts to paint me as a bigot fail miserably.

I don't need to do anything. And trust me on this, you do that just fine on your own. I never said you were bigoted toward Native Americans. Just that your backhanded compliments against Texans are just as bigoted and ugly as those made against Native Americans.

Toontown · 23rd July 2011, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by ApolloGnomon

link = "Percentage by County of Illiterate Adult Texans"

Gosh, do ya s'pose they tested in a manner that accounted for adults who are literate in Spanish but not English?

Yeah. About that.

Yeah. You would think the dept. of education would be smarter than that.

OTOH, perhaps you can see their point. What good is literacy in Spanish if you live in an English-speaking country?

What if a WASP were to invent his own spoken and written language, in which he was fluent, but couldn't read or speak English competently? Should he be considered literate? What kinds of jobs would he be able to handle?

Mudcat · 23rd July 2011, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Vortigern99

Snip lengthy and irate post.

I understand how you feel, I lived in Georgia (deep in the Bible Belt) all my life and Georgia (and the people that live there) have a lot of stereotypes. I now live in Kentucky, where there are a lot of stereotypes. I'm fairly certain anywhere else you go, you'll wind up in an area with a lot stereotypes.

So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay?

As to the OP, I'm certain there were reasons we're not privy to that they made this ruling. Had the winds been blowing a different direction I'm sure they would have gleefully ruled the opposite.

Vortigern99 · 24th July 2011, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by Mudcat

Originally Posted by Vortigern99

snip lengthy and irate post

I understand how you feel, I lived in Georgia (deep in the Bible Belt) all my life and Georgia (and the people that live there) have a lot of stereotypes. I now live in Kentucky, where there are a lot of stereotypes. I'm fairly certain anywhere else you go, you'll wind up in an area with a lot stereotypes.

So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay?

As to the OP, I'm certain there were reasons we're not privy to that they made this ruling. Had the winds been blowing a different direction I'm sure they would have gleefully ruled the opposite.

"Lengthy and irate"? "Keep my cool"? Can you please indicate in the snipped post where I am being "irate" and where you believe I need to "keep my cool"? I think my tone and language is quite reasonable:

You said a mouthful there, Elizabeth! Every time a thread pops up about an event or social phenomenon in Texas -- anywhere on the 'Net, not just here at the JREF -- people who don't live here, and/or have never spent a day in their life here, decide to chime in about how deplorable the culture in Texas is, how stupid its residents are, how backwards its ways.

These are the same people who will argue with you if you talk about the Texas coastline ("Texas does not have beaches or islands!") and who think Texas is a desert full of cacti and tumbleweeds. To them, it seems, our cultural heritage is as barren as they imagine our landscape to be.

I say: Fine. Good. Stay out. Keep to your delusions. The traffic is getting too thick around here anyway.

More on-topic, yes -- this state is full of Christians. Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists. I invite one and all to point to a state in the US that is not. Meanwhile, as evinced in the OP, we also have masses of free-thinkers, intellectuals, scientists, skeptics, agnostics, atheists, educators, artists -- in short, people who defy the absurd stereotype forced on us by the rest of the country.

Mudcat, your condescension -- "So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay?" is unnecessary and unwelcome. My task here is to explain to those who do not have any way of knowing otherwise, such as Bikerdruid with whom I've so far had a pleasant exchange of information, that Texas is much more than it may seem to outsiders. Why you expect me to ignore inaccurate stereotypes is a mystery for the ages.

pierce · 24th July 2011, 07:46 PM

Saw this article on NCSE. "Victory for evolution in Texas" - "The Texas Board of Education has unanimously come down on the side of evolution. In an 8-0 vote..."

This is my first post so I'm not allowed to paste links yet.

So copy/paste this in your URL bar:
ncse.com/news/2011/07/victory-evolution-texas-006802

Yay!

Pierce

Ausmerican · 24th July 2011, 07:57 PM

http://www.ncse.com/news/2011/07/vic...n-texas-006802

You're welcome.
And welcome to the forum.

WildCat · 24th July 2011, 08:06 PM

No doubt because Don McLeroy is now out of the picture, he's possibly the dumbest guy in Texas.

AdMan · 24th July 2011, 08:14 PM

Yes, yay Texas (and hook 'em horns!).

There is already another thread about this:

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=214891

Jekyll's Guest · 24th July 2011, 08:38 PM

Of course to get that decision, Texas had to have a powerful enough fairytale lobby in order to make in necessary...

It's like cheering Alabama for recognizing gravity.

Ausmerican · 24th July 2011, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Jekyll's Guest

Of course to get that decision, Texas had to have a powerful enough fairytale lobby in order to make in necessary...

It's like cheering Alabama for recognizing gravity.

Alabama finally recognized gravity?!
Well let's hear it for Bama then....ohh, I see what you did.

Jekyll's Guest · 24th July 2011, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Ausmerican

Alabama finally recognized gravity?!

The gavel struck and all the judges fell 20 feet to the floor.

Travis · 24th July 2011, 09:58 PM

Well Alabama did once refuse to acknowledge π as anything other than the whole number 3.

Well not really. But would you put it past them?

Ausmerican · 25th July 2011, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by Travis

Well Alabama did once refuse to acknowledge π as anything other than the whole number 3.

Well not really. But would you put it past them?

Georgia still refuses to acknowledge any pi other than peach.

summand · 25th July 2011, 12:40 AM

Evolution vs. Creationism: 14 : 0
http://ncse.com/news/2011/07/victory...n-texas-006802

leftysergeant · 25th July 2011, 02:24 AM

Maybe the text book publishers decided that they were not making enough money to resist a boycott from other states if they tailored their product to cater for the looney tunes in Texas.

Ladewig · 25th July 2011, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

huh?
my point remains that there must be a large number of people in Texas that have draconian attitudes, else there would not be weekly executions and Rick Perry would not be governor.

Because legislature has finally changed the law to allow "life without parole" the number of executions has been dropping.

As for Governor Perry, in the 2006 election, he won with less than a majority of the votes cast. In a six-way race, he garnered less than 40% of the votes (1,714,618 votes (which is not a large number in a state with 25 million residents).

The last election was 2,733,784 to 2,102,606, in Perry's favor. If only 316,000 people voted the other way, Perry would have lost. Claiming that Perry (a jackass pandering to the religious right) is evidence that Texans are a draconian people is the height of absurdity.

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

Texas is a stronghold of conservative christian thought.
are you going to argue that it is not?

Houston elected a lesbian mayor. Houston police officers for the past 10 years have been allowed to march in Houston's Gay Pride Parade in uniform. There are still a lot of cities in the U.S. where that is not permitted.

My point is that Texas is not as homogeneous as you think.

Vortigern99 · 25th July 2011, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Ausmerican

Georgia still refuses to acknowledge any pi other than peach.

"No, son -- pi are round. Cornbread are square!"

Vortigern99 · 25th July 2011, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Ladewig

Because legislature has finally changed the law to allow "life without parole" the number of executions has been dropping.

As for Governor Perry, in the 2006 election, he won with less than a majority of the votes cast. In a six-way race, he garnered less than 40% of the votes (1,714,618 votes (which is not a large number in a state with 25 million residents).

The last election was 2,733,784 to 2,102,606, in Perry's favor. If only 316,000 people voted the other way, Perry would have lost. Claiming that Perry (a jackass pandering to the religious right) is evidence that Texans are a draconian people is the height of absurdity.

Houston elected a lesbian mayor. Houston police officers for the past 10 years have been allowed to march in Houston's Gay Pride Parade in uniform. There are still a lot of cities in the U.S. where that is not permitted.

My point is that Texas is not as homogeneous as you think.

Nominated!

Ladewig · 25th July 2011, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Toontown

Look at it this way: If you need heart surgery, would you want a surgeon who was taught creationist garbage in school to be digging around in your chest cavity?

I cannot understand the amount of willful ignorance that goes into believing that the Earth is 6000 years old. It is beyond nutty. I certainly don't want it taught outside of religion classes.

That being said, in choosing a heart surgeon, I really don't care if he was or wasn't taught creationism in high school. In fact, it is possible for a practicing creationist to be an excellent heart surgeon. I'm pretty much only going to look at his experience and success rate in deciding if he is qualified enough to operate on me.
.....................

Speaking of heart surgery, Texas was the site of a number of firsts in the field of heart surgery and two of the field's greatest pioneers (Denton Cooley and Michael DeBakey) practiced in Houston. In fact, the city is still considered to a world-class medical community.

Jack Astor · 25th July 2011, 11:34 AM

I graduated from Texas Tech, so pardon any bad grammar.

In the crazy race, I'd say Arizona and Texas are neck and neck first place; with the other usual suspects (every Southern state) trailing closely behind. Oklahoma gets honorable mention, seeing how they made sure those hordes of Muslims taking over the place don't impose Sharia law (the only reason Texas doesn't drop off into the Gulf of Mexico, is because Oklahoma sucks).

I'm from Lubbock, and my family still lives there. Out there in West Texas, they think Rick Perry is a bit too much of a liberal do-gooder. I grew up learning Jesus loves you, and he's gonna send me to the place where the feller with the horns and pitchfork conducts his business -- and sex is vulgar, sinful, nasty, evil; and should be only be saved for the one you love. There's a reason why we're all nuts.

Fortunately, there are some pockets of enlightenment in Texas.

Ladewig · 25th July 2011, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Ladewig

My point is that Texas is not as homogeneous as you think.

In fact, I consider Texas to be one of the five least homogeneous states in the Union.

......................
Yes. I admit I have become one of those people who quotes his own posts. Feel free to mock me mercilessly.

Halfcentaur · 25th July 2011, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by slingblade

Despised Okie, here.

Even I'm smart enough to know you don't mess with Texas. Or Oklahoma. 'Cuz we're OK.

Damn skippy. *rolls up shirt sleeves*

Oklahoma just had a similar victory several months back, thanks in no small part to aid from the Clergy Letter Project. Check out the "criticism" section for a good chuckle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergy_Letter_Project

They're getting desperate.

Ausmerican · 25th July 2011, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Jack Astor

I graduated from Texas Tech, so pardon any bad grammar.

In the crazy race, I'd say Arizona and Texas are neck and neck first place; with the other usual suspects (every Southern state) trailing closely behind. .

Now you just hold on a minute!

As a resident of Arizona I have to protest and stick for where I live. Given our much smaller size and miniscule population in comparison to Texas we have you beat silly in the crazy stakes! And you Texans damn well know it!

You have the entire city of Houston to hold up as a beacon of sanity, you know what we have? Tucson. Now Joe Arpaio may not quite match Perry on a national lunacy level but his longevity speaks volumes to the pure river of redneck that runs through this state.

Texan lunacy in the main is confined to thinking that they are big.

Darth Rotor · 25th July 2011, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by bikerdruid

wow.
so who do you suppose elected rick perry?

Tell ya what, druid, look up the 2006 election results, and the previous campaign, and figure out who did.

The election for Governor of Texas.

Educate yourself, lad, and put the E into JREF your own self.

Darth Out

bikerdruid · 25th July 2011, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Darth Rotor

Tell ya what, druid, look up the 2006 election results, and the previous campaign, and figure out who did.

The election for Governor of Texas.

Educate yourself, lad, and put the E into JREF your own self.

Darth Out

darth, dude....it was a rhetorical question, but thanks.

Dr. Keith · 26th July 2011, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by leftysergeant

Maybe the text book publishers decided that they were not making enough money to resist a boycott from other states if they tailored their product to cater for the looney tunes in Texas.

Not to jump on Lefty, since this is a common refrain, but from publishers I've talked to this is not much of an issue anymore. Apparently the printing process is nimble enough for them to have several versions of a text without much added cost and they have been doing so for some time. So, while this was a good way to get outsiders interested in Texas's education board struggles, it is less of an issue than it used to be.

AdMan · 26th July 2011, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Dr. Keith

Not to jump on Lefty, since this is a common refrain, but from publishers I've talked to this is not much of an issue anymore. Apparently the printing process is nimble enough for them to have several versions of a text without much added cost and they have been doing so for some time. So, while this was a good way to get outsiders interested in Texas's education board struggles, it is less of an issue than it used to be.

Interesting--and good to hear.

Philosaur · 26th July 2011, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Mudcat

So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay?

Originally Posted by Vortigern99

"Lengthy and irate"? "Keep my cool"? Can you please indicate in the snipped post where I am being "irate" and where you believe I need to "keep my cool"? I think my tone and language is quite reasonable:

Vortigern, Mudcat's response embodies a favorite tactic on this and other forums.

Quote:

Bob: I think vanilla ice cream is best.

Alice: Well, I enjoy chocolate ice cream more.

Bob: WHOA! Dial it down a notch, Alice! What's with all the histrionics?! You know, you should really try to stay rational and civil, and not fly off the handle. It really hurts your credibility and marks you as an ignorant fool. Also, if you're going to disagree with someone, you could try to be a little nicer.

Alice: All I said was that I prefer chocolate. I'm merely expressing my opinion.

Bob: Geez, Alice! I'm about two seconds from reporting you for harassment. Your ad homs are not appreciated. Furthermore, you are equivocating on the word "prefer", and making a blatant appeal to authority with the "I said" crap.

Apathia · 28th July 2011, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by Complexity

I tried pleasing someone once, and then everyone expected me to do the same for them.

I think you ought to admit that the flow of idiocy from Texas has surpassed the flow of idiocy from the rest of the United States (combined) for the past several years. It is possible that I missed a few glimmers of light that may have escaped from the galaxy-sucking black hole of willful ignorance that is Texas. If so, I apologize to those lonely few who have, so far, escaped obliteration.

Take it back, Complexity! Take it back.
Texas doesn't have as many bat-crazy legislators as Arizona!

Apathia · 28th July 2011, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by Ausmerican

Now you just hold on a minute!

As a resident of Arizona I have to protest and stick for where I live. Given our much smaller size and miniscule population in comparison to Texas we have you beat silly in the crazy stakes! And you Texans damn well know it!

You have the entire city of Houston to hold up as a beacon of sanity, you know what we have? Tucson. Now Joe Arpaio may not quite match Perry on a national lunacy level but his longevity speaks volumes to the pure river of redneck that runs through this state.

Texan lunacy in the main is confined to thinking that they are big.

Oops! You beat me to the Arizona Bashing!

23rd July 2011, 03:59 PM	#121
RandFan Mormon Atheist Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern California Posts: 53,955	Originally Posted by bikerdruid i believe that this thread is reporting good news for the people of texas. to all who see this as an insult to texans, i am sorry for your mis-perception. that is all...... Backhanded compliments are hardly misperceived as insults. Hi John, you know for an Irishman you don't drink that much.
	__________________ Ego, ain't it a bitch? It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion. --Adam Smith

23rd July 2011, 04:10 PM	#122
ApolloGnomon Aluminum Tripod Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Time Zone Zed Zed Plural Zed Alpha Posts: 2,012	Originally Posted by Toontown BTW, 1 in 3 Texans cannot read this sentence or comprehend the map depicted in the following link: http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/docs/09illitmap.html link = "Percentage by County of Illiterate Adult Texans" Gosh, do ya s'pose they tested in a manner that accounted for adults who are literate in Spanish but not English? Yeah. About that.
	__________________ Lunar Sample Compendium ............Apollo Lunar Surface Journal "I'm ignoring the rest of your foaming rant. " JayUtah Last edited by ApolloGnomon; 23rd July 2011 at 04:11 PM. Reason: Attempt to appear literate in English

23rd July 2011, 04:11 PM	#123
bikerdruid hermit hippy weirdo Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: green island autonomous zone Posts: 7,369	Originally Posted by Vortigern99 My main point has been that that's not all the state is comprised of. We also have masses of the non-religious, and even our numerous religious people can be tolerant, open-minded and kind-hearted, believe it or not. i really am delighted to know this and thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt. besides my exposure to texans in alberta oil, there is a hunting lodge next door in the valley, next to our farm...... every year there are hundreds of foreign hunters that come here, the vast majority american. the type of loud-mouthed, obnoxious, brand-new-cabela's-camo-wearing jerks that come here every year to kill our bears and moose, with little or no respect for life, are very common. i never included, in my assessment, the asshat texans i have met there, because i just assumed they are just plain schmucks that you folks probably despise too. that said, i am pleased to know that there is a, hopefully growing, more enlightened texan populace. i wish some of you folks would come to alberta once in a while and leave the blowhards in texas.
	__________________ Subvert the Dominant Paradigm!! Last edited by bikerdruid; 23rd July 2011 at 04:13 PM.

23rd July 2011, 04:13 PM	#124
ApolloGnomon Aluminum Tripod Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Time Zone Zed Zed Plural Zed Alpha Posts: 2,012	Originally Posted by bikerdruid dude....most reservations are like third world colonies in north america. I've visited reservations. I would not disagree with this point. Quote: texas is a stronghold of conservative christian thought. are you going to argue that it is not? Nor would I disagree with this one, as I've also been to Texas.
	__________________ Lunar Sample Compendium ............Apollo Lunar Surface Journal "I'm ignoring the rest of your foaming rant. " JayUtah

23rd July 2011, 04:19 PM	#125
RandFan Mormon Atheist Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern California Posts: 53,955	Originally Posted by bikerdruid i wish some of you folks would come to alberta once in a while and leave the blowhards in texas. You know Bob, for an Indian you don't steal much.
	__________________ Ego, ain't it a bitch? It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion. --Adam Smith

23rd July 2011, 04:25 PM	#126
bikerdruid hermit hippy weirdo Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: green island autonomous zone Posts: 7,369	Originally Posted by RandFan You know Bob, for an Indian you don't steal much. dude. i live in northern alberta. i have many native friends. i have taught two generations of native kids. i work with the local beaver indian elders, helping them liason with outside agencies on land claims issues. i am welcomed in their homes and they in mine. your futile efforts to paint me as a bigot fail miserably.
	__________________ Subvert the Dominant Paradigm!!

23rd July 2011, 04:34 PM	#127
ApolloGnomon Aluminum Tripod Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Time Zone Zed Zed Plural Zed Alpha Posts: 2,012	heh heh. you said 'beaver.' heh heh.
	__________________ Lunar Sample Compendium ............Apollo Lunar Surface Journal "I'm ignoring the rest of your foaming rant. " JayUtah

23rd July 2011, 04:38 PM	#128
AnnoyingPony Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 366	THIS... IS... SPARTA!!!!! Actually, it's Texas, but either way it's awesome
	__________________ Here be dragons! Here be my blog!

23rd July 2011, 04:38 PM	#129
Brainache Nasty Brutish and Tall Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Behind you! Posts: 9,182	At least everybody seems to agree that this is good news. It shouldn't be news at all, but the fact that it is news certainly suggests to me that the Texas school board endorsing science education is a rare and remarkable event.
	__________________ Words cannot convey the vertiginous retching horror that enveloped me as I lost consciousness. - W. S. Burroughs Invert the prominent diaphragm!!! Expect from others what you did to them - Seneca.

23rd July 2011, 04:39 PM	#130
bikerdruid hermit hippy weirdo Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: green island autonomous zone Posts: 7,369	Originally Posted by ApolloGnomon heh heh. you said 'beaver.' heh heh. actually, it's 'tsani', in their language....
	__________________ Subvert the Dominant Paradigm!!

23rd July 2011, 04:52 PM	#131
RandFan Mormon Atheist Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern California Posts: 53,955	Originally Posted by bikerdruid your futile efforts to paint me as a bigot fail miserably. I don't need to do anything. And trust me on this, you do that just fine on your own. I never said you were bigoted toward Native Americans. Just that your backhanded compliments against Texans are just as bigoted and ugly as those made against Native Americans.
	__________________ Ego, ain't it a bitch? It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion. --Adam Smith

23rd July 2011, 09:00 PM	#132
Toontown Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,646	Originally Posted by ApolloGnomon link = "Percentage by County of Illiterate Adult Texans" Gosh, do ya s'pose they tested in a manner that accounted for adults who are literate in Spanish but not English? Yeah. About that. Yeah. You would think the dept. of education would be smarter than that. OTOH, perhaps you can see their point. What good is literacy in Spanish if you live in an English-speaking country? What if a WASP were to invent his own spoken and written language, in which he was fluent, but couldn't read or speak English competently? Should he be considered literate? What kinds of jobs would he be able to handle?
Toontown Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 3,646

23rd July 2011, 09:48 PM	#133
Mudcat Man of a Thousand Memes Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 3,766	Originally Posted by Vortigern99 Snip lengthy and irate post. I understand how you feel, I lived in Georgia (deep in the Bible Belt) all my life and Georgia (and the people that live there) have a lot of stereotypes. I now live in Kentucky, where there are a lot of stereotypes. I'm fairly certain anywhere else you go, you'll wind up in an area with a lot stereotypes. So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay? As to the OP, I'm certain there were reasons we're not privy to that they made this ruling. Had the winds been blowing a different direction I'm sure they would have gleefully ruled the opposite.
	__________________ The major problem with Ocham's Razor is that while the simplest answer may be the best answer that doesn't make it the only answer or the right one. Kopji: A perfect utopia where everyone follows the rules is more like a hell than a heaven.

24th July 2011, 12:14 AM	#134
Vortigern99 Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 5,057	Originally Posted by Mudcat Originally Posted by Vortigern99 snip lengthy and irate post I understand how you feel, I lived in Georgia (deep in the Bible Belt) all my life and Georgia (and the people that live there) have a lot of stereotypes. I now live in Kentucky, where there are a lot of stereotypes. I'm fairly certain anywhere else you go, you'll wind up in an area with a lot stereotypes. So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay? As to the OP, I'm certain there were reasons we're not privy to that they made this ruling. Had the winds been blowing a different direction I'm sure they would have gleefully ruled the opposite. "Lengthy and irate"? "Keep my cool"? Can you please indicate in the snipped post where I am being "irate" and where you believe I need to "keep my cool"? I think my tone and language is quite reasonable: You said a mouthful there, Elizabeth! Every time a thread pops up about an event or social phenomenon in Texas -- anywhere on the 'Net, not just here at the JREF -- people who don't live here, and/or have never spent a day in their life here, decide to chime in about how deplorable the culture in Texas is, how stupid its residents are, how backwards its ways. These are the same people who will argue with you if you talk about the Texas coastline ("Texas does not have beaches or islands!") and who think Texas is a desert full of cacti and tumbleweeds. To them, it seems, our cultural heritage is as barren as they imagine our landscape to be. I say: Fine. Good. Stay out. Keep to your delusions. The traffic is getting too thick around here anyway. More on-topic, yes -- this state is full of Christians. Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists. I invite one and all to point to a state in the US that is not. Meanwhile, as evinced in the OP, we also have masses of free-thinkers, intellectuals, scientists, skeptics, agnostics, atheists, educators, artists -- in short, people who defy the absurd stereotype forced on us by the rest of the country. Mudcat, your condescension -- "So perhaps you should remember that next time you hear a stereotype about Texas and keep your cool. 'kay?" is unnecessary and unwelcome. My task here is to explain to those who do not have any way of knowing otherwise, such as Bikerdruid with whom I've so far had a pleasant exchange of information, that Texas is much more than it may seem to outsiders. Why you expect me to ignore inaccurate stereotypes is a mystery for the ages.
	__________________ "I'm 'willing to admit' any fact that can be shown to be evidential and certain." -- Vortigern99 / Noah D. Henson "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." -- Jimi Hendrix

24th July 2011, 07:46 PM	#135
pierce New Blood Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 7	Yay, Texas! Saw this article on NCSE. "Victory for evolution in Texas" - "The Texas Board of Education has unanimously come down on the side of evolution. In an 8-0 vote..." This is my first post so I'm not allowed to paste links yet. So copy/paste this in your URL bar: ncse.com/news/2011/07/victory-evolution-texas-006802 Yay! Pierce
pierce New Blood Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 7

24th July 2011, 07:57 PM	#136
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	http://www.ncse.com/news/2011/07/vic...n-texas-006802 You're welcome. And welcome to the forum.
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	__________________ Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing. Henry David Thoreau

24th July 2011, 08:06 PM	#137
WildCat NWO Master Conspirator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 49,457	No doubt because Don McLeroy is now out of the picture, he's possibly the dumbest guy in Texas.

24th July 2011, 08:14 PM	#138
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,335	Yes, yay Texas (and hook 'em horns!). There is already another thread about this: http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=214891
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,335	__________________ It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan

24th July 2011, 08:38 PM	#139
Jekyll's Guest Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,948	Of course to get that decision, Texas had to have a powerful enough fairytale lobby in order to make in necessary... It's like cheering Alabama for recognizing gravity.

24th July 2011, 08:43 PM	#140
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	Originally Posted by Jekyll's Guest Of course to get that decision, Texas had to have a powerful enough fairytale lobby in order to make in necessary... It's like cheering Alabama for recognizing gravity. Alabama finally recognized gravity?! Well let's hear it for Bama then....ohh, I see what you did.
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	__________________ Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing. Henry David Thoreau

24th July 2011, 09:40 PM	#141
Jekyll's Guest Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,948	Originally Posted by Ausmerican Alabama finally recognized gravity?! The gavel struck and all the judges fell 20 feet to the floor.

24th July 2011, 09:58 PM	#142
Travis Misanthrope of the Mountains Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tuolumne City, CA Posts: 18,101	Well Alabama did once refuse to acknowledge π as anything other than the whole number 3. Well not really. But would you put it past them?
	__________________ "Because WE ARE IGNORANT OF 911 FACTS, WE DEMAND PROOF" -- Douglas Herman on Rense.com Zingiber Officinale The Humor blog of some not crazy guy

25th July 2011, 12:04 AM	#143
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	Originally Posted by Travis Well Alabama did once refuse to acknowledge π as anything other than the whole number 3. Well not really. But would you put it past them? Georgia still refuses to acknowledge any pi other than peach.
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	__________________ Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing. Henry David Thoreau

25th July 2011, 12:40 AM	#144
summand Scholar Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 75	Evolution vs. Creationism: 14 : 0 http://ncse.com/news/2011/07/victory...n-texas-006802
summand Scholar Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 75

25th July 2011, 02:24 AM	#145
leftysergeant Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Spanaway WA Posts: 18,614	Maybe the text book publishers decided that they were not making enough money to resist a boycott from other states if they tailored their product to cater for the looney tunes in Texas.
	__________________ No civilization ever collapsed because the poor had too much to eat.

25th July 2011, 10:47 AM	#146
Ladewig Hipster alien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: not measurable Posts: 16,935	Originally Posted by bikerdruid huh? my point remains that there must be a large number of people in Texas that have draconian attitudes, else there would not be weekly executions and Rick Perry would not be governor. Because legislature has finally changed the law to allow "life without parole" the number of executions has been dropping. As for Governor Perry, in the 2006 election, he won with less than a majority of the votes cast. In a six-way race, he garnered less than 40% of the votes (1,714,618 votes (which is not a large number in a state with 25 million residents). The last election was 2,733,784 to 2,102,606, in Perry's favor. If only 316,000 people voted the other way, Perry would have lost. Claiming that Perry (a jackass pandering to the religious right) is evidence that Texans are a draconian people is the height of absurdity. Originally Posted by bikerdruid Texas is a stronghold of conservative christian thought. are you going to argue that it is not? Houston elected a lesbian mayor. Houston police officers for the past 10 years have been allowed to march in Houston's Gay Pride Parade in uniform. There are still a lot of cities in the U.S. where that is not permitted. My point is that Texas is not as homogeneous as you think.
	__________________ Is the JREF message board training wheels for people who hope to one day troll other message boards? It is not that hard to get us to believe you. We are not the major leagues or even the minor leagues. We are Pee-Wee baseball. If you love striking out 10-year-olds, then you'll love trolling our board.

25th July 2011, 11:16 AM	#147
Vortigern99 Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 5,057	Originally Posted by Ausmerican Georgia still refuses to acknowledge any pi other than peach. "No, son -- pi are round. Cornbread are square!"
	__________________ "I'm 'willing to admit' any fact that can be shown to be evidential and certain." -- Vortigern99 / Noah D. Henson "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." -- Jimi Hendrix

25th July 2011, 11:18 AM	#148
Vortigern99 Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 5,057	Originally Posted by Ladewig Because legislature has finally changed the law to allow "life without parole" the number of executions has been dropping. As for Governor Perry, in the 2006 election, he won with less than a majority of the votes cast. In a six-way race, he garnered less than 40% of the votes (1,714,618 votes (which is not a large number in a state with 25 million residents). The last election was 2,733,784 to 2,102,606, in Perry's favor. If only 316,000 people voted the other way, Perry would have lost. Claiming that Perry (a jackass pandering to the religious right) is evidence that Texans are a draconian people is the height of absurdity. Houston elected a lesbian mayor. Houston police officers for the past 10 years have been allowed to march in Houston's Gay Pride Parade in uniform. There are still a lot of cities in the U.S. where that is not permitted. My point is that Texas is not as homogeneous as you think. Nominated!
	__________________ "I'm 'willing to admit' any fact that can be shown to be evidential and certain." -- Vortigern99 / Noah D. Henson "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace." -- Jimi Hendrix

25th July 2011, 11:32 AM	#149
Ladewig Hipster alien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: not measurable Posts: 16,935	Originally Posted by Toontown Look at it this way: If you need heart surgery, would you want a surgeon who was taught creationist garbage in school to be digging around in your chest cavity? I cannot understand the amount of willful ignorance that goes into believing that the Earth is 6000 years old. It is beyond nutty. I certainly don't want it taught outside of religion classes. That being said, in choosing a heart surgeon, I really don't care if he was or wasn't taught creationism in high school. In fact, it is possible for a practicing creationist to be an excellent heart surgeon. I'm pretty much only going to look at his experience and success rate in deciding if he is qualified enough to operate on me. ..................... Speaking of heart surgery, Texas was the site of a number of firsts in the field of heart surgery and two of the field's greatest pioneers (Denton Cooley and Michael DeBakey) practiced in Houston. In fact, the city is still considered to a world-class medical community.
	__________________ Is the JREF message board training wheels for people who hope to one day troll other message boards? It is not that hard to get us to believe you. We are not the major leagues or even the minor leagues. We are Pee-Wee baseball. If you love striking out 10-year-olds, then you'll love trolling our board.

25th July 2011, 11:34 AM	#150
Jack Astor Thinker Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Earth Posts: 142	I graduated from Texas Tech, so pardon any bad grammar. In the crazy race, I'd say Arizona and Texas are neck and neck first place; with the other usual suspects (every Southern state) trailing closely behind. Oklahoma gets honorable mention, seeing how they made sure those hordes of Muslims taking over the place don't impose Sharia law (the only reason Texas doesn't drop off into the Gulf of Mexico, is because Oklahoma sucks). I'm from Lubbock, and my family still lives there. Out there in West Texas, they think Rick Perry is a bit too much of a liberal do-gooder. I grew up learning Jesus loves you, and he's gonna send me to the place where the feller with the horns and pitchfork conducts his business -- and sex is vulgar, sinful, nasty, evil; and should be only be saved for the one you love. There's a reason why we're all nuts. Fortunately, there are some pockets of enlightenment in Texas.

25th July 2011, 11:38 AM	#151
Ladewig Hipster alien Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: not measurable Posts: 16,935	Originally Posted by Ladewig My point is that Texas is not as homogeneous as you think. In fact, I consider Texas to be one of the five least homogeneous states in the Union. ...................... Yes. I admit I have become one of those people who quotes his own posts. Feel free to mock me mercilessly.
	__________________ Is the JREF message board training wheels for people who hope to one day troll other message boards? It is not that hard to get us to believe you. We are not the major leagues or even the minor leagues. We are Pee-Wee baseball. If you love striking out 10-year-olds, then you'll love trolling our board.

25th July 2011, 01:39 PM	#152
Halfcentaur Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,003	Originally Posted by slingblade Despised Okie, here. Even I'm smart enough to know you don't mess with Texas. Or Oklahoma. 'Cuz we're OK. Damn skippy. rolls up shirt sleeves Oklahoma just had a similar victory several months back, thanks in no small part to aid from the Clergy Letter Project. Check out the "criticism" section for a good chuckle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergy_Letter_Project They're getting desperate.
Halfcentaur Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,003

25th July 2011, 06:31 PM	#153
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	Originally Posted by Jack Astor I graduated from Texas Tech, so pardon any bad grammar. In the crazy race, I'd say Arizona and Texas are neck and neck first place; with the other usual suspects (every Southern state) trailing closely behind. . Now you just hold on a minute! As a resident of Arizona I have to protest and stick for where I live. Given our much smaller size and miniscule population in comparison to Texas we have you beat silly in the crazy stakes! And you Texans damn well know it! You have the entire city of Houston to hold up as a beacon of sanity, you know what we have? Tucson. Now Joe Arpaio may not quite match Perry on a national lunacy level but his longevity speaks volumes to the pure river of redneck that runs through this state. Texan lunacy in the main is confined to thinking that they are big.
Ausmerican Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,416	__________________ Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing. Henry David Thoreau

25th July 2011, 06:34 PM	#154
Darth Rotor Salted Sith Cynic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rat cheer Posts: 34,378	Originally Posted by bikerdruid wow. so who do you suppose elected rick perry? Tell ya what, druid, look up the 2006 election results, and the previous campaign, and figure out who did. The election for Governor of Texas. Educate yourself, lad, and put the E into JREF your own self. Darth Out
	__________________ Helicopters don't so much fly as beat the air into submission. "Jesus wept, but did He laugh?"--F.H. Buckley____"There is one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth ... His mirth." --Chesterton__"If the barbarian in us is excised, so is our humanity."--D'rok__ "I only use my gun whenever kindness fails."-- Robert Earl Keen__"Sturgeon spares none.". -- The Marquis

25th July 2011, 06:49 PM	#155
bikerdruid hermit hippy weirdo Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: green island autonomous zone Posts: 7,369	Originally Posted by Darth Rotor Tell ya what, druid, look up the 2006 election results, and the previous campaign, and figure out who did. The election for Governor of Texas. Educate yourself, lad, and put the E into JREF your own self. Darth Out darth, dude....it was a rhetorical question, but thanks.
	__________________ Subvert the Dominant Paradigm!!