Peter D

a.) None

b.) 6 months

c.) 10 years

d.) Life in prison

A Wisconsin couple allowed their daughter to die a preventable death rather than seek treatment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091007/ap_on_re_us/us...

Oh, but they were *praying*. That excuses their behavior. What if locking my kid in the basement were part of my religion? Would I still get only 6 months?

This sort of stuff makes my blood boil. It seems any crime is excusable if only you were doing it for God.

They're both 10MP. That's about as far as my level of understanding goes. I will be using this for a vacation in D.C. so it will be used indoor and outdoor.

The A1000 is going for $150 while the SD890 is going for $170.

Sorry, I know you guys probably get this kind of question all the time, but I'm a camera dummy so I need some help.

A Promise Keeper and defender of the sanctity of hetero marriage has been caught CHEATING ON HIS WIFE can we throw away this unreal and unrealistic BS Puritanical ideal?

I will remain consistent here. If what Clinton did with his free time was none of my business then it's also none of my business what Mark Sanford, Larry Craig, John Ensign, etc. do with their free time. Agreed?

Friend: I have a fire-breathing dragon.

Me: OK, show me.

Friend: Well I can't. You see, she's invisible.

Me: Perhaps we can spread flour on the ground so we can see her footprints.

Friend: Oh, she doesn't walk. She floats.

Me: OK, how about if we get a thermal camera.

Friend: She doesn't give off heat. Not even the fire she breathes.

Me: Fine. We'll sprinkle water on her so we can see it run off her body.

Friend: Yeah, well she's incorporeal. She has no body.

Me: So what's the difference between a floating, incorporeal, heatless dragon and no dragon at all?

Friend: But she's there. I see her. I'm certain of it. There have been a lot of stories of dragons throughout history and across different cultures. They're in tapestries and paintings. How can you assert my dragon may not be real?

Am I being closed minded in thinking this dragon may not really exist? Does anyone believe my friend? Would it be responsible of me to believe my friend based on no evidence, on nothing but his say so? Is it possible there is no dragon at all? Are claims which cannot be tested and assertions that are immune to disproof worth anything?

Thoughts?

Since science has brushed aside many ancient superstitions, are these new sciency creatures, ET aliens, taking the place formerly held by those ancient superstitions? In other words, do some humans *require* such creatures? Do some people just use the latest version of the mystic creature to explain certain events (i.e. sleep paralysis, hallucinations, etc.)?

I've been reading it for about a week. Normally bored with such books, I have been very entertained by this one. I strongly recommend it for skeptics and paranormal advocates alike.

Do you believe it's really "based on a true story"?

If so, what do you think about the anecdotal evidence of the current owners who claim the place isn't haunted at all?

Apparently Ed and Lorraine Warren, the two responsible for the Amityville Horror hoax, were at one time associated with this place. As with every one of their investigations they found positive evidence of a haunting. But, naturally, Lorraine claims the place was spirtually cleaned in 1988, thus wiping out the haunting.

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/horror-...

I feel so sorry for the current owners. You just try to mind your own business, living in a beautiful old house, only to have a bunch of wackos trespassing and peeking in your windows. It might be time to buy a 12 gauge and some rock salt.

Let's say someone disbelieves in psychic phenomena. After debunking hundreds of those who claim to have such abilities this person grows tired of being the one responsible for providing the burden of proof. Instead, he creates a "put up or shut up" contest, challenging those with paranormal abilities to show him--according to a mutually agreed upon protocol--they possess such talents. He offers an incentive for claimants--a monetary reward for demonstrating supernatural abilities. Surely if psi abilities existed people would come calling, right? Surely if a distinct phenomenon existed objectively in this world, independent of its believers, then it could be manifested somehow in careful experiments, right?

The vast majority of cases appear to follow a pattern that is consistent with natural or predatory death--splitting hides caused by post-mortem bloating and parasitic consumption of soft tissues like the anus, testicles, eyeballs, tongues, lips, ears, udders, etc.

This is not to say there is only one cause for ALL such cases. Perhaps many cattle died natural deaths or were taken down by predators, but it's possible there were some human hands involved.

No closed-minded skeptics! Only answer if you believe that fat spirits can clog the portal to the other side.

I'm looking to upgrade my old 720p Samsung 32" LCD. I think I want to check out the plasma side of things this time around. After much hand-wringing I think I've settled on the Panasonic TH-46PZ85U. The ratings seem to be above average and with the price inching toward $1,000 it's seeming like a good buy.

I'm as much into features as the next guy, buy I don't really care about features that cost money but don't pull their weight. The only think this TV seems to be missing is the 24p cinema playback. So I'm asking those who know whether or not this feature is worth while.

Also, is this the TV to get? I don't want high-end. I just want a good value bang for the buck, mid-range TV. Any other recommendations for a 46" around $1,000?

The primary reason for this purchase will be for Wii Fit and maybe some other games for the girlfriend. (My PS3 takes care of my manly gaming needs.)

The Wii console comes with one controller and one nunchuk, so I know I need to buy another controller and nunchuk. It looks like it might be cheaper to buy Wii Play (with remote) and a Nunchuk, right?

Do I need a recharger? If I don't have one how do I recharge the controllers? Surely not batteries.

Do I need the wireless bar? If I don't have this do I need to have the controllers plugged in when I play?

I know I need to buy Wii Fit and this comes with the balance board. Do I need anything else? (I don't plan on buying the mat and the socks.) Does the balance board plug into the Wii for a power source? If so, how long is the cord? If not, does it run on batteries? Does this need to rest on a hard surface or is carpet OK?

I'm not really concerned about accessories like the steering wheel, tennis racket, golf club, etc. I just need to know about the essentials.

Also, any help in buying all of this in a financially efficient manner would be much appreciated. This question is probably asked daily, so I appreciate your patience and thank you all.

The Oath of Office:

"I do solemnly swear (or AFFIRM) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." No mention of "so help me god".

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

"In law, an affirmation is a solemn declaration allowed to those who conscientiously object to taking an oath. An affirmation has exactly the same legal effect as an oath, but is usually taken to avoid the religious implications of an oath."

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

I have a PS3 hooked up to the internet via wireless router. Can I stream videos from my computer to my PS3? If so, how?

If education is universal, compulsory and publicly funded, what's wrong with doing the same for health care?

I've seen sites for Jews, Christians and other demographics. But the nonreligious population is 15% and growing. Why don't we have a site?

I know you can identify yourself as atheist, agnostic or nonreligious on most sites (even eHarmony!), but I have a feeling that due to the social stigma most people don't answer this question honestly.

I can feel the weight of my psi balls in my hands. But as I fondle and caress my psi balls they generate a great deal of heat, making everything all sweaty.

My question is: Can you guys recommend anything to prevent my psi balls from getting all sweaty? The musky odor seems to be repelling my g/f. Does Gold Bond work for this sort of thing?