Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User talk:Whizkid

2010-02-11T03:39:54Z

DwayneD: /* Reverts */

{{welcome|sig=--[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 20:37, 27 September 2009 (EDT)}}

== Redirects ==

The reason we don't allow article moving with a redirect is that it destroys the edit history of the article and any attached talk page. If you feel the need to move an article, just post on its talk page or contact one of us, and we will be happy to move it for you. Needed redirects, of course you can do to accommodate searches, such as uncapitalized, etc. Thanks! --<big>[[User:TK|'''ṬK''']]</big>/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 21:01, 6 February 2010 (EST)

== Merge Candidates ==

Sorry it is taking so long for me to go through the list you called my attention to, but it is Superbowl day! I should be done tonight, and all remaining items can be merged. If you want to undertake that chore, keep a list of what needs to be deleted when you are done, and I will do so. Thanks! --<big>[[User:TK|'''ṬK''']]</big>/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 19:00, 7 February 2010 (EST)

Not a problem. I'm paying more attention to the game than the website tonight too. --[[User:Whizkid|Whizkid]] 19:03, 7 February 2010 (EST)

:You can dispose of the A's and B's, some I left edit notes on what to merge into. --<big>[[User:TK|'''ṬK''']]</big>/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 06:50, 8 February 2010 (EST)

== Reverts ==

Thanks for your help protecting Conservapedia.--[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 12:09, 9 February 2010 (EST)

== Golden calf ==

Thanks for spotting my poor poor use of language there! [[User:DwayneD|DwayneD]] 22:39, 10 February 2010 (EST)

Reproduction

2010-02-11T03:37:32Z

DwayneD: Creation of first living creatures

'''Reproduction''' is the process of creating more life from existing life. Some creatures can reproduce themselves (see [[asexual reproduction]]). Higher forms of life require a male and female for this (see [[sexual reproduction]]).

The ability to reproduce is a key aspect of life. Things which cannot reproduce themselves are not considered to be alive in the full sense (but see [[virus]]).

Owing to the huge gaps in the [[Theory of Evolution]], atheistic Biologists usually do not care to consider how it is that the first living creatures came into being and acquired the ability to produce offspring. Scientists working from a [[creation science|creationary]] perspective accept the word of [[God]] as written in [[Genesis]] as the explanation for the creation of the first living creatures.

'''Asexual reproduction''' is reproduction by a single [[organism]].<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Biology''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1998</ref>
This reproduction is accomplished through a few different ways, primarily cloning (in bacteria and some sea dwelling invertebrates) through budding and self pollenation (in plants)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Reproduction| ]]

Golden Calf

2010-02-11T03:26:21Z

DwayneD: Expanded

The '''golden calf''' of the Bible was a false God created by the rebellious followers of Moses while he was fasting and praying on the mountain.

When Moses journeyed to the summit of Mount Sinai in order to receive the Ten Commandments, he left the Israelites for forty days and forty nights. The Israelites, fearing that Moses would not return, asked Aaron to make gods for them. Aaron complied and gathered up the Israelites' golden earrings. He melted them and constructed the golden calf.

The people said it was their [[god]] which led them out of Egypt.

[[Category:Exodus]]

Texas

2010-01-20T21:33:59Z

DwayneD: HP, West of Texas oilfields

{{USState
|name=Texas
|flag=Texas_State_Flag.gif
|motto="Friendship"
|nick=The Lone Star State
|capital=Austin
|language=English
|governor=Rick Perry
|gparty=Republican
|senator1=John Cornyn
|s1party=Republican
|s1phone=(202) 224-2934
|s1email=http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm Contact
|senator2=Kay Bailey Hutchison
|s2party=Republican
|s2phone=(202) 224-5922
|s2email=http://hutchison.senate.gov/contact.cfm Contact
|population=
|date=December 29, 1845 (28th)
}}
'''Texas''' was the twenty-eighth state to enter into the union and was admitted on December 29, 1845. Texas is the second largest in population after [[California]] and has the second largest land-area after [[Alaska]]. It has the largest land-area in the continental [[US]]. Before its admission, it was its own [[Republic of Texas|country]], having gained [[Texas War of Independence|independence]] from [[Mexico]].

The capital of Texas is [[Austin]], and the largest city is [[Houston]]. It was solidly Democratic from about 1900 to the 1970s, then Republicans gradually took control and now dominate the political atmosphere of Texas.

Up until the 1980's Texas had a booming oil industry, starting with the Spindletop oil gusher. For many years Texas was one of the largest oil producers in the world, with the West of Texas oilfields famous around the globe.

Currently, Texas is shifting from the oil industry to the service sector. It has a growing tech industry and is home to many well-known corporations such as [[Dell]], [[Texas Instruments]] and [[Hewlett Packard]].

The current governor of Texas is [[conservative]] [[Republican]] [[Rick Perry]].

==History==
{{main|History of Texas}}

Six national flags have flown over Texas. Spain, France (which had a small brief settlement), Mexico, the [[Republic of Texas]], the [[Confederate States of America]], and the [[United States of America]] have ruled Texas. <ref name="txonlinehandbook">http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online
</ref>

===Spain: 1519-1821===
Spain sent in several exploration teams, but they found no gold and gave negative reports that warned about the arid land and the hostile Indian tribes. Spanish settlers moved to [[New Mexico]] instead.

Spain opened a mission at San Antonio in 1718 along with several small missions and military outposts, primarily to keep France from expansing from its base in Louisiana. Spain began issuing permission for American settlement, but was replaced by Mexico in 1821.

===Mexico===
In January 1821, the Spanish authorities in Mexico City granted American [[Moses Austin]] permission to settle 300 families in Texas. After the death of Austin and after Mexico's successful revolt against Spain, the Mexican provisional government confirmed this concession to [[Stephen F. Austin]], the "Father of Texas." The younger Austin obtained contracts to settle 900 additional families, most of whom arrived by 1833. Austin's colonies formed the nucleus of the American settlements in Texas.

===Republic of Texas===
''March 2, 1836 - December 29, 1845''

[[Image:Texas1835.jpg|thumb|550px|Texas in 1835]]

Texas leaders gathered at [[Washington-on-the-Brazos]] to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836. Four days later the [[Alamo]] fell after a 13 day siege by Mexican troops led by [[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna]]. The massacre of all the defenders gave rise to the rallying call "Remember the Alamo". Santa Anna's Mexican troops were defeated on April 21 at the Battle of [[San Jacinto]] near present-day Houston. Mexico, however, refused to recognize the independence and when Texas joined the U.S. in 1845, the [[Mexican American War]] became inevitable.

Texas was a favorite destination of German immigrants in the 140s and 1850s. The state grew rapdily because of cattle herds and cotton farming; there were few cities.

===Confederate States of America===
Texas joined the Confederacy ''March 2, 1861-March 15, 1865''. The coast was blockaded, and after the fall of Vicksburg in 1863 it became almost impossible to send men, horses or cattle to the east. Texas became a backwater with little military action.

===United States of America===
''December 29, 1845-March 2, 1861 and March 15, 1865-present''.

Texas' [[Reconstruction]] experience was similar to other rebel states. Texas was hardly damaged by the war, and attracted a large number of immigrants from the deep South after 1865, while few Europeans arrived. Cotton and cattle continued as the dominant economic base, with [[Cattle Drives]] used to move the cattle to railheads in Kansas and Missouri before the railroads reached Texas.

==Energy==
[[File:Texas-oil.jpg|thumb|350px|right]][[File:Oil-symbol.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]

Texas leads the Nation in fossil fuel reserves and in non-hydropower renewable energy potential. Texas crude oil reserves represent almost one-fourth of total U.S. oil reserves, and Texas natural gas reserves account for almost three-tenths of total U.S. natural gas reserves. Although Texas’s oil reserves are found throughout the State in several geologic basins, the largest remaining reserves are concentrated in the Permian Basin of West Texas, which contains more than 20 of the Nation’s top 100 oil fields. Similarly, deposits of natural gas are found in abundance in several Texas production basins, with the largest fields heavily concentrated in the East Texas Basin in the northeastern part of the State. Texas’s fossil fuel reserves also include substantial deposits of lignite coal, found in narrow bands in the Gulf Coast region, and bituminous coal, found in north central and southwestern Texas.<ref> See [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=TX Energy Information Administration, State Report 2009]</ref>

Texas is also rich in renewable energy potential, including wind, solar, and biomass resources. Wind resource areas in the Texas Panhandle, along the Gulf Coast south of Galveston, and in the mountain passes and ridgetops of the Trans-Pecos offer Texas some of the greatest wind power potential in the United States. Solar power potential is also among the highest in the country, with high levels of direct solar radiation (suitable to support large-scale solar power plants) concentrated in West Texas. Due to its large agricultural and forestry sectors, Texas has an abundance of biomass energy resources. Although Texas is not known as a major hydropower State, substantial untapped potential exists in several river basins, including the Colorado River of Texas and the Lower Red.

Due to its large population and an energy-intensive economy, Texas leads the Nation in energy consumption, accounting for more than one-tenth of total U.S. energy use. Energy-intensive industries in Texas include aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, and petroleum refining.

===Petroleum===
The State’s signature crude oil type, known as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), remains the major benchmark of crude oil in the Americas.

Texas leads the United States in both crude oil production and refining capacity. Texas’s first major oil boom began in 1901 with the discovery of the Spindle Top oil field in the upper Gulf Coast basin. Since then, major discoveries have been made in East Texas, West Texas, and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas oil production increased until 1972, when it peaked at more than 3.4 million barrels per day. Afterward, production declined rapidly, and in recent years Texas crude oil output has fallen to less than one-third of its 1972 peak.

Although Texas oil production is in decline, the State’s signature crude oil type, known as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), remains the major benchmark of crude oil in the Americas. Because of its light consistency and low-sulfur content, the quality of WTI is considered to be high, and it yields a large fraction of gasoline when refined. Most WTI crude oil is sent via pipeline to Midwest refining centers, although much of this crude oil is also refined in the Gulf Coast region.

Texas’s 26 petroleum refineries can process nearly 4.8 million barrels of crude oil per day, and they account for more than one-fourth of total U.S. refining capacity. Most of the State’s refineries are clustered near major ports along the Gulf Coast, including Houston, Port Arthur, and Corpus Christi. These coastal refineries have access to local Texas production, foreign imports, and oil produced offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the U.S. government’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which operates two large storage facilities in Bryan Mound and Big Hill, Texas. Many of Texas’s refineries are sophisticated facilities that use additional refining processes beyond simple distillation to yield a larger quantity of lighter, higher value products, such as gasoline. Because of this downstream capability, Texas refineries often process a wide variety of crude oil types from around the world, including heavier, lower value varieties.

Refineries in the Houston area, including the Baytown refinery, the Nation’s largest refinery, make up the largest refining center in the United States. From Houston, refined product pipelines spread across the country, allowing Texas petroleum products to reach virtually every major consumption market east of the Rocky Mountains. This network includes the Colonial Pipeline system (Koch), which is the largest petroleum product pipeline system in the United States and is vital for supplying markets throughout the South and East Coast.

Texas’s total petroleum consumption is the highest in the Nation, and the State leads the country in consumption of asphalt and road oil, distillate fuel oil, jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gases (LPG), and lubricants. Texas LPG use is greater than the LPG consumption of all other States combined, due primarily to the State’s active petrochemical industry, which is the largest in the United States. Four separate motor gasoline blends are required in Texas to meet the diverse air quality needs of different parts the State, including reformulated motor gasoline blended with ethanol required in the metropolitan areas of Houston and Dallas-Forth Worth. The agriculture-rich Texas Panhandle has several corn- and milo-based ethanol plants that are operational or under construction.

===Natural Gas===
Texas is the Nation’s leading natural gas producer, accounting for more than one-fourth of total U.S. natural gas production. In the early days of Texas oil production, natural gas found with oil was largely considered a nuisance and was often flared (burned off) at the wellhead. Although some Texas cities and towns located near oil fields began using natural gas for energy, it was not until the State banned flaring after World War II that oil producers began to find new markets for natural gas. Two pipelines that once carried crude oil to the East Coast were converted to carry natural gas and a new natural gas pipeline to California was built, setting the stage for strong natural gas production growth in the 1950s and 60s. Texas natural gas production reached its peak in 1972 at more than 9.6 billion cubic feet of annual production. Since then, output has declined steadily to less than three-fifths of that level.

Today, an expansive network of interstate natural gas pipelines extends from Texas, reaching consumption markets from coast to coast, including those in California, the Midwest, the East Coast, and New England. Texas has 10 natural gas market hubs located in both East and West Texas, more than any other State, and its natural gas storage capacity is among the highest in the Nation. Most of Texas’s 34 active storage facilities are depleted oil and gas fields converted for storage use, although many sites have also been developed in salt dome formations. These storage facilities allow Texas to store its natural gas production during the summer when national demand is typically lower and to ramp up delivery quickly during the winter months when markets across the country require greater volumes of natural gas to meet their home heating needs. However, due to the growing use of natural gas for electricity generation in the United States, Texas has occasionally withdrawn natural gas from storage during the summer months to help meet peak electricity demand for air-conditioning use.

Texas consumes more natural gas than any other State and accounts for about one-fifth of total U.S. natural gas consumption. Texas natural gas demand is dominated by the industrial and electric power sectors, which together account for more than four-fifths of State use. Because Texas demand is high, and because the State’s natural gas infrastructure is well connected to consumption markets throughout the country, several companies have proposed building liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals along the Gulf Coast in Texas.

===Coal, Electricity, and Renewables===
Natural gas-fired power plants typically account for about one-half of the electricity produced in Texas and coal-fired plants account for much of the remaining generation. Although Texas produces a substantial amount of coal from 13 surface mines, including five of the 50 largest in the United States, the State relies on rail deliveries of subbituminous coal from Wyoming for the majority of its supply. Nearly all of the coal mined in Texas is lignite coal, the lowest grade of coal, and all of it is consumed in the State, mostly in arrangements where a single utility operates both the mine and an adjacent coal-fired power plant. Although lower in energy content than other varieties of coal, lignite coal is also low in sulfur, an important consideration in the State’s efforts to lower emissions. Texas consumes more coal than any other State and its emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide are among the highest in the Nation.

Texas is a major nuclear power generating State. Two nuclear plants, Comanche Peak and South Texas Project, typically account for about one-tenth of the State’s electric power production. Until the recent uprating (capacity improvement) of the Number 2 reactor at Palo Verde in Arizona, the two South Texas Project nuclear reactors were the largest in the Nation.

Although renewable energy sources contribute minimally to the Texas power grid, Texas leads the Nation in wind-powered generation capacity, and substantial new wind generation capacity is under construction in Texas. Texas surpassed California as the country’s largest wind energy producer in 2006. Currently, there are over 2,000 wind turbines in West Texas alone, and the numbers continue to increase as development costs continue to drop and wind turbine technology improves. At 736 MW, the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in central Texas is the largest wind power facility in the world.

Texas produces and consumes more electricity than any other State. Despite large net interstate electricity imports in some areas, the Texas Interconnect power grid is largely isolated from the integrated power systems serving the eastern and western United States, and most areas of Texas have little ability to export or import electricity to and from other States. Texas per capita residential use of electricity is significantly higher than the national average, due to high demand for electric air-conditioning during hot summer months and the widespread use of electricity as the primary energy source for home heating during typically mild winter months.

==Education==
==Education==
The weakness of education in Texas has always (and still is) an important priority. The Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico included the following grievance against the government of Mexico pertaining to education:

<blockquote>''It has failed to establish any public system of education, although possessed of almost boundless resources, (the public domain,) and although it is an axiom in political science, that unless a people are educated and enlightened, it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty, or the capacity for self government.''</blockquote>

Even today Texas is in the forefront of education in the country as the [[No Child Left Behind Act|No Child Left Behind( NCLB) Act]] is being implemented. The administration of George W. Bush used Texas as a model for many of the reforms in the NCLB Act because of his previous experiences as governor of Texas.

In 2006 Texas ranked #25 out of 50 states on a composite index of public education.<ref>See "Which State Is Smartest?" (2007) at [http://www.morganquitno.com/edrank.htm] </ref>
Texas ranks:<ref> see Carol Keeton Strayhorn, Texas State Comproller, "Major Challenges Facing Texas Education Today" at [http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/wwstand/wws0512ed/]</ref>
* #49 in verbal SAT scores in the nation (493) and #46 in average math SAT scores (502).
* #36 in the nation in high school graduation rates (68%).
* #33 in the nation in teacher salaries. Teacher salaries in Texas are not keeping pace with the national average. The gains realized from the last state-funded across-the-board pay raise authorized in 1999, which moved the ranking from 33 to as high as 26th in the nation, have disappeared over the last five years.
* Texas was the only state in the nation to cut average per pupil expenditures in fiscal year 2005, resulting in a ranking of #40 nationally; down from #25 in fiscal year 1999.
* #6 in the nation in student growth. The general student population in Texas public schools grew by 11.1% between school years 1999 and 2005, with the largest percent of growth seen among low income and minority children.

===Public Education===
The Texas public education system consists of 1,033 independent and common school districts. There are an additional 190 charter school districts. Public school enrollment has continued to increase at a rapid pace. In the 2000-2001 school year, public school enrollment was at 4,059,619 students. By the 2006-2007 school year, the public school enrollment had increased by over 500,000 students to a mark of 4,594,942 students.
===Higher Education===
The University of Texas System and the Texas A&M System are two of the largest higher education systems in the nation, with numerous branch campuses. [[The University of Texas at Austin]] is the largest institution in the UT System, while Texas A&M is the flagship of the rival system. Thanks to ownership of oil fields, their endowments in 2006 reached $13.2 billion and $5.6 billion. The best endowed private schools were Rice University in Houston with $4.0 billion, Southern Methodist University in Dallas ($1.1 billion); Baylor College of Medicine ($1.0 billion), and Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth ($1.0 billion).

The state of Texas is home of many notable institutions of higher learning.

* [[Baylor University]]
* [[Rice University]]
* [[Texas_A_and_M_University | Texas A&M]]
* [[University of Texas at Austin]]

==Notable Texans==
[[Image:Texascapbuilding.JPG‎ |thumb|350px|The Texas capitol building in [[Austin]]]]
*[[Lance Armstrong]], who holds the record for most consecutive [[Tour de France]] victories, was born in Plano.
*[[George W. Bush]], 43rd President of the United States, former Governor of Texas.
*[[Pat Garrett]], the policeman who shot [[Billy the Kid]], lived in multiple locations in Texas.
*[[Sam Houston]] was the president of Texas when it was an independent nation, and lent his name to Texas's largest city.
*[[Howard Hughes]], the reclusive billionaire who was the subject of the movie ''The Aviator'', was born in Humble.
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]], former president, lived and died in Stonewall.
*[[Ted Nugent]], controversial conservative musician, lives near Crawford.
*[[Ross Perot]], former presidential candidate, lives in Dallas
*[[Stevie Ray Vaughn]], musician.
*[[Claudia Johnson "Lady Bird Johnson"]], Born December 22, 1912. Lady Bird Johnson was the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She is also known for her involvement in improving the physical conditions along the nations highways.

==See also==
* [[Dallas]]
* [[History of Texas]]

==Basic further reading==
*[http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/ The Handbook of Texas Online] ''- Published by the Texas State Historical Association'' thousands of scholarly articles on every aspect of Texas history
* [http://www.texasalmanac.com/ ''texas Almanac'' annual compendium of statistics]
* Bailey, Alvin R., Jr. and Light Townsend Cummins, eds. ''A Guide to the History of Texas.'' 1988. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=71910759 online edition]
* Campbell, Randolph B. ''Gone to Texas: a History of the Lone Star State'' (Oxford University Press, 2003, 500 pages.], standard scholarly survey [http://www.amazon.com/Gone-Texas-History-Lone-State/dp/0195138430/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190683778&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]; also [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=103945805 complete online edition]
* Fehrenbach, T. R. ''Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans '' (2007), popular survey [http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Star-T-R-Fehrenbach/dp/1579125379/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190683778&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* McDonald, Archie P. ''Texas: A Compact History'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Compact-Archie-P-McDonald/dp/193333715X/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190683778&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search]
*Wooster, Ralph A. and Robert A. Calvert, eds. ''Texas Vistas'' (1987) reprinted scholarly essays

====notes====
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Texas| ]]
[[Category:Western United States]]

Talk:Essay:47 million Americans without health insurance lie

2010-01-16T21:24:41Z

DwayneD:

I'm sorry, I am NOT trolling. I just need to say, as someone without health insurance, whatever the number is, and whatever the political ideology, the idea that if I was in a country with socialized medicine then I could be treated for my ailments, that is a serious issue. Being screwed because I'm "too poor", is that not elitism? [[User:Kwasi92|Kwasi92]] 12:29, 16 January 2010 (EST)

:I know your situation, one whereby healthcare costs are out of your financial ability and the utopia of "affordable healthcare for everyone" is what sounds good. It's too good to be true, it really is coming from these particular politicians (whatever the political ideology). Our all too compassionate country has set up program after program to help the less fortunate with taxpayer money. Non-profit companies of a free market system, Americans have donated more than any other country in the world. Hurting generations to come will look back and say "Economic suicide", sharp tongues , and broken promises. Don't trust big government, defend the oath! --[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 13:22, 16 January 2010 (EST)
:I'll add that I think you should apply to be a Canadian citizen, I'm not kidding and it's relatively simple. Enter their healthcare system. If treatment means life, you have no options then go there. However, can you afford to wait in line with all the other Canadians suffering the same ailments, sometimes years? They will draw your name from a lottery and give you a shout-out "you won" visit to see the doc, because that is how "healthcare for all" works.--[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 13:37, 16 January 2010 (EST)
::Even if the rather extreme view you gave was true, Kwasi92 would still have a better chance of getting treatment in Canada than in the US. There is no lottery; there's a queue, and if at any point your ailment becomes near-immediately life threatening they will treat it anyway (I'm no expert on Canada's system; I'm assuming it's similar to Britain's). The DoI gives "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as unalienable rights, and I don't understand how so many people feel comfortable with a system that allows all three to be infringed upon; the first is obvious, the second by forcing people into debt to pay for high healthcare bills, and the third by not allowing people with life-altering illnesses treatment unless they can pay for it. [[User:CharlieT|CharlieT]] 15:01, 16 January 2010 (EST)
:::Well, I don't expect everyone to agree with me, I find your points...let's say... vague. Not a "lottery" it's really just a queue? What is a word for wait inline with others? The following link says otherwise [http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/09/real-canadian-health-care-field-trip.html] Who makes this decision ''" any point your ailment becomes near-immediately life threatening" ''? The American healthcare system is SUPERIOR on so many different levels when compared to socialized medicine.--[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 15:20, 16 January 2010 (EST)
::::Your link doesn't work, so I'll try again later. As I said, I'm unfamiliar with the Canadian system, but I highly doubt they use a lottery; I'm going by the British system, where your place in the queue decides when you get treatment. A doctor decides whether your problem has become immediately life-threatening, or you can call 999 and get an ambulance; it's not as if your appendix ruptures or your arm falls off and you have to wait two weeks for treatment; you will be rushed to hospital and operated on immediately. You don't go before a 'death panel' before or after which asks you how productive your life has been or tests your political loyalty <s>or asks whether you can pay</s>. I'll admit American healthcare is better, but that's because they can go about their business without regard to cost; they choose who to treat, confident in the knowledge that the bottom line doesn't matter, because the patient will pay; those that can't go out on their ear (unless, I'm hoping, it's a true emergency). American healthcare is probably better - for those who can get it. The system, however, I consider worse, for those who can't afford it don't get it. Socialized healthcare is probably worse, because a) they don't have a limitless amount of money to spend and b) they treat EVERYONE, so they have to treat more people, but still, I consider the socialized system the better of the two, because everyone receives treatment. My preference, however, is for a system like Britain's; private healthcare for those who want and can afford it, and that takes pressure off the socialized system which treats everyone else (and treats them well, however many scare stories about people waking up with three arms you hear). [[User:CharlieT|CharlieT]] 15:49, 16 January 2010 (EST)
:::::Charlie, socialized healthcare doesn't mean 'free' health care. What it means is productive members of society are forced in to paying more taxes, and also in to funding such 'treatments' as abortion. [[User:DwayneD|DwayneD]] 16:24, 16 January 2010 (EST)

Poi

2010-01-16T20:28:27Z

DwayneD: Firedancing

'''Poi''' is the term used to refer to the traditional martial dance of the Maori people in [[New Zealand]]. Such martial ceremonies were know as firedances. Traditionally, those who were proficient in poi were seen as more desirable, with the best performers being revered as [[minor]] [[god]]s according to the local religion <ref>[http://www.luxotica.com/education/history.cfm History of Firedancing]</ref>.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:New Zealand]]

Violent video games

2010-01-16T20:00:59Z

DwayneD: removed non-working internal links

'''Violent video games''' are [[video games]] that teach and encourage the players -- typically children -- to engage in horrific virtual violence. Teenagers playing these games are desensitized to violent and criminal acts<ref>http://www.townhall.com/columnists/PhyllisSchlafly/2008/04/07/violent_video_games_held_to_be_free_speech?page=2 </ref><ref>http://www.apa.org/science/psa/sb-anderson.html</ref>. In a particular study specifically children who were diagnosed with neurotic behavior and predisposition to aggression reacted to violent stimuli brought by video games, though not all of them showed aggressive behavior as a consequence<ref>http://www.qj.net/Study-Violent-games-don-t-alter-normal-kids/pg/49/aid/88522</ref>.

Examples of violent video games include:

* [[Grand Theft Auto]] (series) -- The series, which now spans ten games, is considered a "sandbox" game where a player can roam around a virtual city at will. The player is able to obtain many different types of weapons, murder anyone they encounter including other criminals and prostitutes, innocent bystanders, and even police officers. One of the games also included a modification that allowed a player to engage in graphic sexual acts in the game; however this was not made for the public and was found long after the original release.

* Doom and Quake are first person shooter games wherein a player roams around various levels killing various demonic creatures. The games have been described as murder simulators and were blamed as inspiration for the Columbine Massacre as well as other [[school shooting]]s.

* Postal 2: Apocalypse Weekend (M-rated) -- The ads for this first-person shooter boast that new weapons will enable you "to hack your enemies to meaty bits!" It involves a game character who commits violent acts against unarmed civilians. Other features in the Postal series include: urinating on people to make them vomit in disgust, using cats as shotgun silencers, and playing fetch with dogs using human heads.

* The Punisher (M-rated) -- Game player is able to jam knives into victims' sternums and pull up to increase the damage, cut off heads, ram a character's open mouth onto a curb, run a character over with a forklift, rip a character's arms off with an industrial hook, and set a character on fire in an electric chair.

* Resident Evil (series) (M-rated) -- Includes chainsaw decapitations and impalements, and zombies and other monsters ripping off other characters' throats and biting off their heads. A promotional chainsaw shaped controller was released with Resident Evil 4.

* Manhunt (M-rated) -- Game player's character is James Earl Cash, a convicted serial killer facing execution. The execution is ordered to be faked so that a character named "The Director" can use Cash as a star in a series of snuff films. As the Cash character kills other characters, by suffocating them with a plastic bag, slicing them up with a chainsaw, shooting them point blank with a nail gun, stabbing them in the eyeballs with a glass shard, or beheading them with a cleaver, The Director makes sexually vulgar comments. The game has two difficulty settings: fetish and hardcore.

* God of War (M-rated) -- Game features disembowelment, mouth-stabbing, eye-gouging, severed limbs, and human sacrifice.

* Silent Hill 1-4 -- large portions of these games involve roaming around decaying buildings and beating hideously malformed humanoid monsters to death with blunt instruments.

* Condemned -- Requires the player to bludgeon NPC's to death.

The Court of Appeals for the [[Eighth Circuit]] declared this to be [[free speech]] and struck down a [[Minnesota]] law that prohibited minors from purchasing or renting video games bearing a "Mature" or "Adult Only" rating.<ref>''Entm't Software Ass'n v. Swanson'', 2008 U.S. App. LEXIS 5634 (8th Cir. Mar. 17, 2008).</ref>

==See also==
* [[Video games]]

==References==
<references/>

==Sources==
* [http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60631 Violent video games free speech?]

[[Category:Video Games]]

Debate: Why have conservatives let themselves get a bad name?

2010-01-16T19:32:42Z

DwayneD:

{{debate}}
::
I'm young (22) and exposed to a large group of liberals (in college) but it seems to me that the conservative movement has had a real problem with dirty tricks. Nixon was famous for it, outside of watergate his staffers ordered large numbers of pizzas for his opponents to pay for and invited foreign dignitaries and the like to the campaign events of his opponents so they would show up and be turned away at the door. The Neocon movement has embraced torture despite the fact that the US pretty flatly declared that no circumstances of threat could justify torture back in the 80's when we were the great nation leading the world away from torture. Conservatives are supposed to embrace personal liberty and small government, but many want draconian laws limiting free speech and think its alright to give govt. the power to enforce them. Unwarranted surveillance and sending troops to war with out a declaration from congress. This isn't conservative, we are not holding on to our constitution or our values, we are giving them up one by one to do something that looks clever. I see it in religion too, a great many people seem to have a religious outlook on existence that is based on tricking God into giving them eternal life, and attitude where they can go through life being awful in Gods name and then repent and be fine and that Jesus will forgive them because they are sinners. Personally I am a very forgiving individual, but if I learn that someone is going to do something to hurt me and assumes that I will forgive them because they ask me too I am likely to tell them just where they can stick there apology; If you premeditate remorse in to your plan to do something wrong as far as I am concerned no one with even a fraction of all knowing could possibly see that remorse as true rather than an insult on top of the prior wrong doing. --[[User:Brendanw|Brendanw]] 16:13, 9 October 2008 (EDT)

: It is because a lot of conservative principles are abhorrent things like opposition to equal rights for everyone, railing against food stamps, and killing middle eastern people. Also if you are not a WASP, you are an America-hating commie, according to the conservative talking heads on tv. [[User:Nrupert|Nrupert]] 13:58, 11 December 2008 (EST)

:: Nixon was a liberal Republican just as Bush and the neo-conservatives are. Brendanw is right about neoconservatism, I frequently tell people that Bush is an "FDR pro-business liberal" and they laugh at me, when in reality neoconservatism was a word invented by & for the anti-Johnson, anti-hippie, pro-business left-wingers of the 1940s (i.e. FDR's Bretton Woods and wanting to end Social Security after the Depression). In addition, most people don't understand how monetary policy and inflation work. (In elementary school until late high school, I could not understand why someone would be "pro-business" instead of pro-poor, and called myself a "Democratic Communist" lol)

:: As for the religion issue, I think people hate Christianity anyway. As a matter of fact, I have yet to meet an atheist who is not motivated by specific hate for specifically Christianity. My father suggests their respect for freedom coupled with hate for Christianity might be Satan-influenced. Who knows.

:: Racism is an issue with many conservatives, I hate to say it but it is a problem we have to face in order to remove a stereotype. While most people want to deal with illegal immigration, reverse discrimination, and preservation of language and culture for non-racist reasons, some seem to be motivated by a subtle racism. For example, I don't know if you've ever heard the Richard Bergis staged prank calls (available on YouTube), but one describes the problem of this subtle racism perfectly. The pranksters tell Bergis that there will be a black NASCAR driver, and at first he starts out making racist jokes, then it's "Can't white people have one thing for themselves?" and finally a slew of insults, racial slurs, and swearing. Now this is exaggerated and (judging by the other ones) fake, but you get my idea. If we are to defeat this stereotype, people who support paleoist ideas have to make it clear that they are not motivated by racism or anti-Semitism and why.

:: And most importantly, biases of left-wing media outlets such as CNN and the once-libertarian-leaning MSNBC must be effectively challenged and exposed by Fox News and talk radio. The left criticizes us for "entertainment news" and reliance on personalities with opinions, but unlike the left' supposed lack of bias we admit it's "opinion". Blogs can help as well in getting the public to realize that there is no "objective news" and each side has an agenda. -[[User:Danq|danq]] 19:10, 19 September 2009 (EDT)

Now, I'm a realist. I'm conservative on certain issues and liberal on others. Let me define the two terms the way I view them. Conservative: keeping things the same, tradition, embracing what works realistically at a given time. Liberal: Thinking outside of convention, newness, rebelliousness to norm. I have both qualities, its part of being human. I believe in gun ownership and also the right to burn the flag. I do not lean to one side or another like the media. The media and politics have forced people to pick sides. But the biggest thing, in my view, that gives conservatives a bad name is that most individuals that declare they are conservative do not think outside the box and impede good progress. Don't forget, the american revolution was a liberal move. Also, many conservatives I know let nationalism and religion cloud true reason. Most liberally minded people think outside the box and rebel and cause much pain for themselves, BUT in doing that searching they find truths and ideas that challenge those who do not challenge convention but merely accept it for what it is. Conservatives have a bad name because they refuse to see things from a liberal viewpoint. Instead they blame it on the devil or something like that. This is the 21st century, its high time our minds start questioning. --Nonobu

:Thanks for your candid analysis, but it sounds like you're on a path to atheism, and 99% of atheists end up being liberal. This may be the 21st century, but evil hasn't magically disappeared. Censoring the Bible, the most logical book ever written, doesn't make it any less true.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 14:57, 6 January 2010 (EST)

Mr. Shlafly, it's an honor to meet you.
I am not against the bible but you cannot rule out other religions that add to the vast scope of the human experience. I was raised lutheran and went to a lutheran school for most of my life. The Bible does have logical teachings. There is "evil" in the world but saying that it stems from the devil is a belief, not a fact. It can be a fact to many conservative people who will fight for it, and that's the problem. There is no evidence and that is frowned upon by many people. What I meant by it's the 21st century is that we have reached a growth in civilization where it is time to look for new answers to old problems. I believe that people's actions and thoughts can hurt the world around us, be it aggression or mere ignorance, but being atheist does not con-notate a bad thing but merely a lack of belief in what there is not enough evidence for. They rebel to tradition. Philosophically, what evidence do you have outside the bible that evil appeared in the 1st place? -That being something a liberal would ask. I would also like to hear your concise opinion on what a liberal is. Also, here's a link to an interesting video: http://www.ted.com/talks/devdutt_pattanaik.html -- Nonobu

:Lack of [[faith]] is the single greatest cause of depression and despair. There have been famous [[atheists]], some of whom went crazy. The output of that belief system is mostly harmful. Contrast that with the output of Christianity. How many atheistic hospitals have been built compared with Christian hospitals, for example? That is virtually zero compared with thousands.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 23:51, 7 January 2010 (EST)

There have also been famous christians, some of whom went crazy. I can argue against the output of religion as much as I can against atheism. Atheism and liberalism by nature are to offset convention and cause a tempest, call it growing pains. The night is always darkest just before the dawn, you cannot have newness without destroying what was there before. Therefore, Rome changing from pagan to christian also had a harmful output. It is all about perspective. I agree with your hospital bit, but there are almost no atheist hospitals because there is no atheist church that gives contributions. Christianity is also more organized. Atheists are normally against any spiritual organization. As for lack of faith causing depression, I would have to agree and disagree. It has been proven that people with faith live longer and happier lives. Religion is the opiate of the masses. It can be mind control and it can be wrong but it can make us feel confident and gives us drive. Atheists usually have no religious motivation, atheists are wandering and exploring. As somewhat of an atheist, I do not mind that searching because every stone I turn over has another truth. I do not mind sacrificing a comfortable, structured life to enable myself to see the complexities of this world. Jesus taught how to live your life. I agree with his teaching of love and we should strive to be as loving and tolerant as him. But God, a creator, that is a different story altogether...
Let me bring up conservationism and liberalism again. Conservatives get a bad name because of their blatant bias. A liberal can form a bias over time but the natural liberal has NO bias. Liberals are searching for new answers and thinking outside of convention. Conservatives will do whatever they can to uphold convention no matter how unrealistic it may be. They will target opponents personally. Lets look at the root words of liberal and conservative. Conservative: CONSERVe, CONvention. Liberal: LIBERAte, deLIBERAte, LIBERty. Conservativism is to conserve tradition and liberalism is to free oneself, deliberate and discuss complexities. All in all, liberals use critical thinking to answer questions, conservatives seem to use the answers of tradition and their bias as what is normal based on how they have been conditioned over the years in their social surroundings. FOX news targeted the children who were singing about Obama and called it "indoctrination". The facts in that situation is that the children were given permission slips which all parents signed and they sung about every president. FOX merely looked at children singing a song about Obama and wanted to relate to nazi germany. I'm sorry but that is blatant BIAS! Look us the definition of bias and you will find that it is a belief in something based on unfairness and narrow-mindedness. Being open to ideas, being liberal is NOT having a bias. ---Nonobu

:Well here's a question, regarding the output of atheism and Christianity, and the dark before the dawn. How long a time of negative output do you allow atheism before you change your mind and say that atheism is likely not capable of great positive output? Christianity began to have positive output within the first few hundred years of its existence. Has atheism, in the form of Enlightenment thinking and modern secular humanism had the same positive output? If you think it has do you have any examples? [[User:AddisonDM|AddisonDM]] 21:27, 8 January 2010 (EST)

:Nonobu, your argument leaves out libertarians, neoconservatives, some paleoconservatives (like Raimondo), Jews, atheists, agnostics, gays, probably even pagans and Muslims, and plenty of others who would call themselves conservatives and combining it all under the Christian Right. Plenty of conservatives favor change, even forward change. For example, neoconservatives are against laissez-faire capitalism and could support left-leaning pro-business economic policy. Plenty of conservative think tanks can make these arguments. There are varying reactions to technology in a world changing since 1776, namely with regard to stem-cell research and human cloning, and even with copyright policy, from the original time-limited government grant to recent views of a private property right. And with the conservatives supporting greater individual rights, your own life, and the life of the ones you love, can change in a non-Christian manner with or without government intervention. Also, you forget that "liberalism" was originally a term for the libertarianism of the Founding Fathers and not support for welfare programs - most countries still call the Right "liberal democrats" and the Left "social democrats". If you define "bias" as not being open to change, you are leaving out plenty on the Right who are. -[[User:Danq|danq]] 23:24, 14 January 2010 (EST)

My argument isn't necessarily to target any groups but individual's philosophies that are liberal and conservative. I'm simply saying that bias is antithetical to keeping an open mind. - I think that conservativism gets a bad name because of websites like this. There is a small group within the conservative demographic that agrees with everything on here. But to label this site as "conservative" gives all the rest of the people in America who consider themselves conservative a bad name. That conservapedia bible project... really?? rewriting the bible to fit an ideology is ridiculous at the least. I can go on and on. This site has its work cut out for it. And to reply to AddisonDM, the positive output christianity had equaled the negative input it added to other groups. Modern secularism is opening people's minds to more realistic and less superstitious ideas. We are making decisions based on rationality and not on religion. Christianity had bad affects just like atheism has bad affects. Christianity changed paganism forever and rationality will change christianity forever. Its the evolution of human society. ---Nonobu

:Nonobu, I urge you to get out more. There are twice as many "[[conservative]]s" as "[[liberal]]s", and in the latter category are many people who are obvious hucksters, like [[Al Gore]], or people who don't say anything meaningful, like [[Barack Obama]], or people who refuse to open their mind. Realize that conservatives give to charity at a higher rate than liberals, and the next time you or a loved one benefits from that charity, thank a conservative and open your mind.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 14:27, 16 January 2010 (EST)

::I agree with Andy here, the only people who view conservatives in a bad light are liberals. I am not concerned that a (small and getting smaller) group who have rejected all logic would wish to give my conservatism a bad name. [[User:DwayneD|DwayneD]] 14:32, 16 January 2010 (EST)

Talk:Primate

2010-01-16T19:08:55Z

DwayneD:

Mainstream biologists place [[human]]s in with primates, but I feel that this is the same as asserting that people are only animals. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 14:35, 11 April 2007 (EDT)
:Biologically; yes. However, in my opinion, what makes us different is that we have the power of higher thinking and creativity. [[User:Marl Karx|Marl Karx]] 14:37, 11 April 2007 (EDT)

::There might be more to it than that (see [[Creationism]]). --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 14:43, 11 April 2007 (EDT)

:::Clearly the word "animal" is used differently in the Bible than it is in modern science. I'm becoming acutely conscious of the new talk page rule, so I'll post no more on this topic (I'm not joking). [[User:RDre|RDre]] 14:51, 11 April 2007 (EDT)

== Humans are apes. ==

Humans are apes in the sense that we're (technically) animals that would be classified as an ape by the definition of ape (as a way to think about it: are we plants, fungi, or bacteria? Biologically, are we different enough to have our own kingdom for life?).

It comes down to a semantic argument, but primatologists do study the apes (and include humans into that classification) because of our exceedingly close similarities. We fit the definition of ape, but we shouldn't be offended since we're much more complex. -
[[User:JulietB|JulietB]] 00:34, 16 January 2010 (EST)
:God created us in His image, He did not create us as apes. End of story. [[User:AlexWD|AlexWD]] 00:23, 16 January 2010 (EST)
::As stated above, there's a distinction between how the word animal is used. An analogy would be cats and dogs. We can agree they are two distinct animals. But we can also agree they have similarities. In the same way, taxonomically, we're apes because that's what we'd be classified. Ape is just a smaller tier of primate. If you reject the fact that we're apes (which actually has smaller groups to which humans are unique), you might as well go all the way up the chain and not call humans primates or animals. -[[User:JulietB|JulietB]] 00:35, 16 January 2010 (EST)
:::You say that as though there would be something wrong with such a claim. [[User:AlexWD|AlexWD]] 00:37, 16 January 2010 (EST)
::::Creationism and evolution aren't at odds here. It's the classification of humans as apes. If they are not apes, what would you propose they are? If they are not animals, you are suggesting that humans have their own separate kingdom. Humans would be considered mammals, yes? Mammals are animals. So humans are animals. We can go down further by saying humans are apes because they have ape characteristics (our digits, especially our thumbs, have apical tufts; but we are distinct from other apes in that we have many more faculties). Ape is just a classification. We tend to equal it with thoughts of gorillas, but it's a much broader term. -[[User:JulietB|JulietB]] 01:09, 16 January 2010 (EST)

:::::Apes don't make and wear clothes, make and use real tools, read and write, pray, or build civilizations. Yes, those are very significant characteristics of humans and to ignore them is to live in denial.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 07:23, 16 January 2010 (EST)

::::::This looks like another triumph for the evolutionists running our public schools. Juliet, please read some of the mountains of information which contradict the ridiculous Darwinist belief that humans are apes! [[User:DwayneD|DwayneD]] 14:08, 16 January 2010 (EST)

Liberal censorship

2009-12-14T17:30:25Z

DwayneD: Spelling

'''Liberal censorship''' refers to [[liberal]] attempts to mute all opposition to liberal [[beliefs]], is one of the core tenets of liberalism, and is an almost exclusively liberal practice in modern times. Deceitful techniques of liberal censorship include:

*censoring readership of the Bible by deceptively taking people away from it, particularly in their formative years
*feigning offense in order to censor [[classroom prayer]] and religious symbols
*branding statements as "hate speech", with the ultimate goal of marginalizing the Bible in that way
*intimidating sponsors of conservative speaking events by harassing them
*seeking information about donors to traditional marriage referenda in order to harass them

Liberals inevitably demand censorship of ideas that challenge their views, and thus attempt to silence all criticism of their ideology by slandering [[conservatives]] and other opponents as [[racist]], [[reactionary]], legally enforce [[political correctness]], and establish legislation making many forms of religious speech illegal under misnamed [[hate speech]] laws. This is especially true in the most its most extreme political manifestation, [[communism]].

The NRSC makes this claim:
*Realizing that their ideas couldn't compete in the [[Free Market]], [[Democrats]] schemed for ways to crush [[conservative talk radio]]'s success. Their answer? The so-called “Fairness Doctrine.” Revival of the “[[Fairness Doctrine]]” would have the chilling effect of censoring conservative talk radio by requiring radio stations to air liberal content. Air liberal content or your station license will be revoked. It's unfortunate that Democrats are willing to trample on our [[First Amendment]] rights for political gain.<ref>[http://www.nrsc.org/CostOfDemocrats/StopLiberalCensorship/ NRSC petition]</ref>

In an attempt to divert attention from this demand, liberals charge that [[Conservative]]s also censor when they can. An example some give is Conservapedia. They claim that edits that disagree with the prevailing conservative viewpoint here regularly lead to a block, even though Conservapedia says it does not block for ideological reasons <ref>For example, a Conservapedia administrator makes the charge [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk:Barack_Obama&diff=561372&oldid=561371 here] and a previous administrator admits that he and the site owner engaged in ideological blocking [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk:Barack_Obama&diff=prev&oldid=561457 here]</ref>.

Unlike Liberals, Conservapedia does not censor on ideological grounds. Occasionally it is necessary to take action to prevent Liberals from abusing its hospitality to ideas by seeking to damage or destroy the project through waves of vandalism from outside and deep cover subversion from within. Such action is necessary to protect and defend freedom of expression.

== Liberal Totalitarianism ==
The result of pervasive and institutionalized liberal censorship is termed ''liberal totalitarianism.''

Such attempts to remove first amendment rights (see [[Fairness Doctrine]]), along with [[gun control]] and the outlawing of [[creation science]] and even [[homeschooling]], have led many critics to note the parallel between the modern liberal movement and 20th century [[totalitarian]] regimes. The censorship of school prayer is consistent with [[Fascist]] beliefs.<ref>Jonah Goldberg, "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning"</ref><ref>Edmund Burke Institute [http://www.edmundburkeinstitute.org/documents/The_Just_Cause_Liberal_Totalitarianism.pdf]</ref><ref>[http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/p_hollrah/06262007.htm The Nazification of the American Left], Paul R. Hollrah, ''New Media Journal'', June 26, 2007.</ref>

Georgia Congressman [[Paul Broun]] claimed that [[Barack Obama]] may seek to establish a [[Marxist]] [[dictatorship]] in the United States.<ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRxZox4GFoIweckPDP1oRhKBlHOwD94CDDM80</ref>

=== Gun Control ===
The term Liberal Totalitarianism extends to liberals' attempts to breach the [[Second Amendment]] by banning weapons. By removing guns, a government can remove citizens' ability to resist totalitarianism, as occurred in [[Nazi Germany]] and [[Soviet Russia]]. As Thomas Jefferson stated, "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

== See Also ==
* [[Hate Speech]]

==Notes==
<references />
{{template:liberalism}}

Petroleum

2009-12-01T16:23:49Z

DwayneD: Drilling technology

'''Petroleum''', named for "rock oil", is a [[fossil fuel]] usually found deep within the [[earth]], although some deposits are very close to the surface.

It is a heavy dark [[liquid]], consisting of many different [[hydrocarbon]] [[chemical compound|compound]]s. Wells are drilled deep in to the ground, and the crude oil is extracted and [[distillation|fractionated]] into its components by volatility in an oil refinery. Recent advances in drilling technology have enabled deeper and more difficult wells to be succesfully drilled, allowing previously inaccessable reserves to be tapped.

Some of the main products distilled from crude oil are:

The following table<ref>Stainforth, J., Nourse, R. & Nosiara, M., 2007, ''Basin Oriented Geology - Petroleum Systems Module Course Manual''.</ref> compares the qualities of various types of petroleum:

{| class="wikitable"
| align=left bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''[[Fraction]]'''''
| align=center bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''[[API]] gravity'''''
| align=center bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''[[Viscosity]] (mp)'''''
|-
| align=left | [[Gasoline]]
| align=center | 60
| align=center | 6
|-
| align=left | [[Kerosene]]
| align=center | 50
| align=center | 20
|-
| align=left | [[Diesel]]
| align=center | 45
| align=center | 100
|-
| align=left | [[Lubricating oil]]
| align=center | 30
| align=center | 500
|-
| align=left | [[Residuum]]
| align=center | 10
| align=center | >105
|}

== Origins ==

Oil deposits are often found in concurrence with [[natural gas]] in a variety of geological structural or [[stratigraphy|stratigraphic]] traps.

Petroleum is possibly of organic origin, believed by some scientists to be formed from the remains of vegetable material. Secular [[geologists]] have contended that petroleum is the remains of huge amounts of [[alga]]l material that was laid down millions of years ago, and altered in form under high temperatures and pressures. Layers of buried plant material tend to produce [[coal]] or [[lignite]].

Creationary geologists believe that petroleum was formed from organic material buried during the [[Great flood|Noachian flood]].

Recently, researchers have shown that natural gas can form rapidly<ref>O’Donnell, E. 2005. “Rocks into Gas.” Harvard Magazine 107, no. 4.</ref>, and that some is still being formed.
This gives support to the creationary view. If this research is supported it would refute the idea that fossil fuels are diminishing.{{fact}} It has also been posulated that oil and natural gas are formed continuously by an abiotic process, deep inside the earth<ref>Gold, Thomas (1999). The deep, hot biosphere. Copernicus Books</ref>. These petroleum products constantly migrate from deep in the earth to the earth's crust where they can be effectively mined <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59991</ref>. If this hypothesis is supported by further evidence, the notion of petroleum as a limited resource would be refuted.

==Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports to the U.S.==
[[File:Oil$70-09.jpg|thumb|400px|world price of one barrel of oil in constant 2009 dollars]]

The top five exporting countries accounted for 64% of United States crude oil imports in February 2009 while the top ten sources accounted for 84% of all U.S. crude oil imports. The top sources of US crude oil imports for February 2009 were Canada (1.913 million barrels per day), Mexico (1.219 million barrels per day), Saudi Arabia (1.099 million barrels per day), Venezuela (0.960 million barrels per day), and Angola (0.671 million barrels per day).

Canada remained the largest exporter of total petroleum in February, exporting 2.512 million barrels per day to the United States. The second largest exporter of total petroleum was Mexico with 1.364 million barrels per day. <ref>[http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html Crude Oil and Total Petroleum Imports Top 15 Countries], Energy Information Administration, April 30, 2009</ref>

<center>'''Crude Oil Imports (Top 15 Countries)'''</center>
<center>'''(Thousand Barrels per Day)'''</center>

{| class="wikitable"
| align=left bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''[[Country]]'''''
| align=center bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''Feb-09'''''
|-
| align=left | [[Canada]]
| align=center | 1,913
|-
| align=left | [[Mexico]]
| align=center | 1,219
|-
| align=left | [[Saudi Arabia]]
| align=center | 1,099
|-
| align=left | [[Venezuela]]
| align=center | 960
|-
| align=left | [[Angola]]
| align=center | 671
|-
| align=left | [[Iraq]]
| align=center | 554
|-
| align=left | [[Nigeria]]
| align=center | 457
|-
| align=left | [[Brazil]]
| align=center | 365
|-
| align=left | [[Kuwait]]
| align=center | 251
|-
| align=left | [[Ecuador]]
| align=center | 243
|-
| align=left | [[Columbia]]
| align=center | 225
|-
| align=left | [[Equatorial Guinea]]
| align=center | 167
|-
| align=left | [[Algeria]]
| align=center | 142
|-
| align=left | [[Russia]]
| align=center | 139
|-
| align=left | [[Chad]]
| align=center | 101
|}

<center>'''Total Imports of Petroleum (Top 15 Countries)'''</center>
<center>'''(Thousand Barrels per Day)'''</center>

{| class="wikitable"
| align=left bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''[[Country]]'''''
| align=center bgcolor=lightgrey | '''''Feb-09'''''
|-
| align=left | [[Canada]]
| align=center | 2,515
|-
| align=left | [[Mexico]]
| align=center | 1,364
|-
| align=left | [[Venezuela]]
| align=center | 1,139
|-
| align=left | [[Saudi Arabia]]
| align=center | 1,115
|-
| align=left | [[Angola]]
| align=center | 671
|-
| align=left | [[Iraq]]
| align=center | 554
|-
| align=left | [[Nigeria]]
| align=center | 498
|-
| align=left | [[Russia]]
| align=center | 478
|-
| align=left | [[Brazil]]
| align=center | 381
|-
| align=left | [[Algeria]]
| align=center | 372
|-
| align=left | [[Virgin Islands]]
| align=center | 333
|-
| align=left | [[United Kingdom]]
| align=center | 285
|-
| align=left | [[Kuwait]]
| align=center | 251
|-
| align=left | [[Ecuador]]
| align=center | 243
|-
| align=left | [[Colombia]]
| align=center | 241
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[category:geology]]