Comments for Open Hatch http://alexandtia.com/Alex Virulent, Petulent, Inexpugnable! Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:29:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on The L.A. Times on Richard Dutcher by Alex http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/08/the-la-times-on-richard-dutcher/#comment-529 Alex Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:50:50 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=259#comment-529 I have replied to Hydralisk in <a href="http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/08/beliefs-in-abeyance-was-the-la-times-on-richard-dutcher/" rel="nofollow">my next (epic)</a> post. I have replied to Hydralisk in my next (epic) post.

]]> Comment on The L.A. Times on Richard Dutcher by hydralisk http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/08/the-la-times-on-richard-dutcher/#comment-519 hydralisk Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:27:23 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=259#comment-519 > Proof isn’t the point. You can no more disprove any point of religion (for > example the existence of God) than anyone can prove it. Very true! This is why I personally make a point of believing in everything everyone tells me about anything unless I can produce proof to the contrary. I have not yet been able to produce proof that microscopic helicopters dispatched by the New World Order are not spying on me (how would I be able to see them?), that at 12:00 every night my body is not possessed by dark alien entities shaped like eggplants (there's no way to disprove it while I'm being possessed), or that I won't get rich by depositing all my $ in the bank account of the nice Nigerian gentleman who keeps sending me email (it's not like I've been to Nigeria!). Therefore I must accept all these things as true by default. There is no such thing as burden of proof. Only burden of disproof, yes? > The results of living your religion are the proof. Meetings, taking the > sacrament, service, study, testing the word of God. You try the > experiments; and do the results make you unhappy or happy? Happy! Well, not all the time. Maybe not even most of the time, but I should throw out the data that doesn't fit, shouldn't I? This is why all religions are true. They have all given solid advice on some aspect or other of life, and therefore have all proven themselves to be correct in every abstract point of doctrine. Even when those points of doctrine contradict each other. Er, maybe... > Never mind I’d tell you like many a Mormon I know it’s all true. Which I do. A non-mormon might call such a statement arrogant, but I guess that's just because the non-mormon has not been privy to concrete evidence that angels actually do go around passing out golden books to farm boys like I suppose we all have. Oops, I forgot we had shifted burden of proof to the skeptics! > Proof isn’t the point. You can no more disprove any point of religion (for
> example the existence of God) than anyone can prove it.

Very true! This is why I personally make a point of believing in everything everyone tells me about anything unless I can produce proof to the contrary.

I have not yet been able to produce proof that microscopic helicopters dispatched by the New World Order are not spying on me (how would I be able to see them?), that at 12:00 every night my body is not possessed by dark alien entities shaped like eggplants (there’s no way to disprove it while I’m being possessed), or that I won’t get rich by depositing all my $ in the bank account of the nice Nigerian gentleman who keeps sending me email (it’s not like I’ve been to Nigeria!). Therefore I must accept all these things as true by default.

There is no such thing as burden of proof. Only burden of disproof, yes?

> The results of living your religion are the proof. Meetings, taking the
> sacrament, service, study, testing the word of God. You try the
> experiments; and do the results make you unhappy or happy?

Happy! Well, not all the time. Maybe not even most of the time, but I should throw out the data that doesn’t fit, shouldn’t I?

This is why all religions are true. They have all given solid advice on some aspect or other of life, and therefore have all proven themselves to be correct in every abstract point of doctrine. Even when those points of doctrine contradict each other. Er, maybe…

> Never mind I’d tell you like many a Mormon I know it’s all true. Which I do.

A non-mormon might call such a statement arrogant, but I guess that’s just because the non-mormon has not been privy to concrete evidence that angels actually do go around passing out golden books to farm boys like I suppose we all have. Oops, I forgot we had shifted burden of proof to the skeptics!

]]> Comment on The L.A. Times on Richard Dutcher by BHodges http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/08/the-la-times-on-richard-dutcher/#comment-494 BHodges Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:09:39 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=259#comment-494 Beautiful. Excellent post. Thank you very much for your thoughts. Beautiful. Excellent post. Thank you very much for your thoughts.

]]> Comment on The L.A. Times on Richard Dutcher by Alex http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/08/the-la-times-on-richard-dutcher/#comment-493 Alex Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:47:13 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=259#comment-493 Yeah, I can see that - and after all why should I be interested in religion unless there is something for me in it; unless there is <em>happiness</em> for me in it. Actually that's what I love about Mormonism - it promises more than any other religion (so far as I know). You want something? Okay, do this and this and this and someday YOU WILL BE A GOD. :) Ha! Yeah, I can see that - and after all why should I be interested in religion unless there is something for me in it; unless there is happiness for me in it.

Actually that’s what I love about Mormonism - it promises more than any other religion (so far as I know). You want something? Okay, do this and this and this and someday YOU WILL BE A GOD. :) Ha!

]]> Comment on The L.A. Times on Richard Dutcher by Shelly Bjorkquist-Skuza http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/08/the-la-times-on-richard-dutcher/#comment-492 Shelly Bjorkquist-Skuza Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:20:50 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=259#comment-492 I know what you mean about how faith isn't really intended to be doubt free. I feel in my heart that Mormonism is true but I can't deny that I don't have the 100% faith I want in every aspect of its teachings. I think its important to have doubts and questions, otherwise you won't make progress. As someone who didn't really get serious about the faith until adulthood I can agree that attending meetings should be about you and not the others in the ward. If you think like that then its easy to get intimidated and not attend. I started thinking about attending church as an annoymous student in a huge university. It made a world of difference. I know what you mean about how faith isn’t really intended to be doubt free. I feel in my heart that Mormonism is true but I can’t deny that I don’t have the 100% faith I want in every aspect of its teachings. I think its important to have doubts and questions, otherwise you won’t make progress.

As someone who didn’t really get serious about the faith until adulthood I can agree that attending meetings should be about you and not the others in the ward. If you think like that then its easy to get intimidated and not attend. I started thinking about attending church as an annoymous student in a huge university. It made a world of difference.

]]> Comment on Four Quicktime HD export test clips by lili http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/07/four-quicktime-hd-tests/#comment-355 lili Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:21:41 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=252#comment-355 one and two were too big and took way long to load. 3 and 4 fit, and loaded faster. one and two were too big and took way long to load. 3 and 4 fit, and loaded faster.

]]> Comment on So cool - MATRIX SCREENSAVER by Open Hatch » Blog Archive » The Electric Sheep Screen-saver http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/02/so-cool-matrix-screensaver/#comment-335 Open Hatch » Blog Archive » The Electric Sheep Screen-saver Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:57:41 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/02/so-cool-matrix-screensaver/#comment-335 [...] love that MATRIX screen-saver I found and will probably go back to it from time to time.  Meanwhile, [...] […] love that MATRIX screen-saver I found and will probably go back to it from time to time.  Meanwhile, […]

]]> Comment on Mother - Game Over - Remix by Open Hatch » Blog Archive » Blaster Master - Title Screen - Remix (nintendo) http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/06/mother-game-over-remix/#comment-329 Open Hatch » Blog Archive » Blaster Master - Title Screen - Remix (nintendo) Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:55:53 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=236#comment-329 [...] reference to Pilcrow’s prescient request, I now present a remix of title in subject from the Nintendo 8-bit era of glory.  The overlaying [...] […] reference to Pilcrow’s prescient request, I now present a remix of title in subject from the Nintendo 8-bit era of glory.  The overlaying […]

]]> Comment on Adobe “Safecast” spyware shut down my legal photoshop install by Alex http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/06/adobe-spies/#comment-318 Alex Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:04:23 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=241#comment-318 Actually I think pdf files render beautifully on screen and in print. More accurately, it's Adobe Viewer I don't like. Earlier versions are okay - the thing has bloated exponentially. It's a memory hog, takes forever to load, pesters you to auto-update incessantly after you tell it no, installs a "speed up" utility that makes the system crawl at boot, always auto-loads in your browser when you click a .pdf, crashing my browser half the time. You can see that's a long list of dislikes, hence the word "hate". Nevertheless I save and distribute my screenplays in pdf format. Actually I think pdf files render beautifully on screen and in print. More accurately, it’s Adobe Viewer I don’t like. Earlier versions are okay - the thing has bloated exponentially. It’s a memory hog, takes forever to load, pesters you to auto-update incessantly after you tell it no, installs a “speed up” utility that makes the system crawl at boot, always auto-loads in your browser when you click a .pdf, crashing my browser half the time. You can see that’s a long list of dislikes, hence the word “hate”.

Nevertheless I save and distribute my screenplays in pdf format.

]]> Comment on Adobe “Safecast” spyware shut down my legal photoshop install by AY http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/06/adobe-spies/#comment-317 AY Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:22:55 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=241#comment-317 That is REALLY irksome. I'm curious, tho'...why do you hate pdf files? I love those files. That is REALLY irksome.

I’m curious, tho’…why do you hate pdf files? I love those files.

]]> Comment on Life, the Universe & Everything XXVI main address (recording) by Open Hatch » Blog Archive » Information Deficit Disorder http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/05/life-the-universe-everything-xxvi-main-address-recording/#comment-316 Open Hatch » Blog Archive » Information Deficit Disorder Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:41:15 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=222#comment-316 [...] would like to make a note in reference to this past blog post, where Orson Scott Card introduced his speech on Science Fiction as a Valid Literary Genre by [...] […] would like to make a note in reference to this past blog post, where Orson Scott Card introduced his speech on Science Fiction as a Valid Literary Genre by […]

]]> Comment on Mother - Game Over - Remix by Alex http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/06/mother-game-over-remix/#comment-314 Alex Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:07:21 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=236#comment-314 Pilcrow, are you kidding? <em>Doing something from Blaster Master next is exactly what I was already planning!</em> I've had a harmony part in mind for the introduction sequence of that game, and if I'd had time I would have included a remix of that in this post! We're on the same period of the same sentence of the same page.. Pilcrow, are you kidding? Doing something from Blaster Master next is exactly what I was already planning! I’ve had a harmony part in mind for the introduction sequence of that game, and if I’d had time I would have included a remix of that in this post!

We’re on the same period of the same sentence of the same page..

]]> Comment on Mother - Game Over - Remix by Pilcrow http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/06/mother-game-over-remix/#comment-312 Pilcrow Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:23:37 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=236#comment-312 Oh I like it a lot. Do something with Blaster Master next. Also, you’ve made an instrument right there that sounds rather like a theramin. Awesome. Enchanting. Please keep sending me stuff like this. Oh I like it a lot. Do something with Blaster Master next.

Also, you’ve made an instrument right there that sounds rather like a theramin. Awesome. Enchanting. Please keep sending me stuff like this.

]]> Comment on Obama and difficult decisions by Alex http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/02/obama-and-difficult-decisions/#comment-288 Alex Fri, 16 May 2008 19:20:34 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/02/obama-and-difficult-decisions/#comment-288 Just a note - as the above comment alludes to, this post said I don't know anyone who takes that position (I'm an admittedly quite sheltered Mormon, and that isn't my own church's policy on abortion) - and as far as I know, that's the truth - but more than one person has informed me there are folks who take that position. Obviously, I disagree with that position. Just a note - as the above comment alludes to, this post said I don’t know anyone who takes that position (I’m an admittedly quite sheltered Mormon, and that isn’t my own church’s policy on abortion) - and as far as I know, that’s the truth - but more than one person has informed me there are folks who take that position. Obviously, I disagree with that position.

]]> Comment on The Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008 by Loren M. Lambert http://alexandtia.com/Alex/2008/04/the-shawn-bently-orphan-works-act-of-2008/#comment-4 Loren M. Lambert Sat, 03 May 2008 17:24:35 +0000 http://alexandtia.com/Alex/?p=7#comment-4 This sounds [really bad!] This sounds [really bad!]

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