Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Liberal creep

2008-07-02T00:56:18Z

TrueValues:

==References==
Any chance the second example could be referenced? The commandments and trustworthiness of this encyclopedia demand a reference for such a sweeping claim.--[[User:Jimmy|Jimmy]] 20:34, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

#Be more specific: which claim do you mean?
#Be more respectful: it is not for newcomers such as yourself to issue demands - or to interpret the rules.
#This is a warning - make helpful comments and contributions, or be elsewhere. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] <sup>[[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]]</sup> 20:37, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

When he left, Bill Clinton had never been president, therefore that claim is useless. --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:27, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

:Ed: I am talking about all of the unreferenced claims made in the second example. Please accept my apologies if I wasn't being specific enough by asking if the completely referenced second example could be referenced. I was being perfectly respectful; please don't read more into my comments than what is actually there. I was not making any demands; I was merely pointing out the commandments demand references for every claim. According to the guidelines, it is entirely permissible and helpful to make requests for references by using the {{fact}} tag. If you are saying the guidelines are in error or there is a problem with my interpretation of them, please let me know. I consider myself an experienced user of this encyclopedia based on the number of edits and length of time posting articles.

:True: I was asking about the second example, any chance it could be referenced? The statement about Reagan doesn't state he had the highest approval ratings prior to the election of George H W Bush. Now if you want to make that claim and provide the reference, I will not object. Yet is will be a distortion of history not to include Clinton's higher rating and this is supposed to be a trustworthy encyclopedia, not a blog that distorts the truth.--[[User:Jimmy|Jimmy]] 20:51, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

::Of course a source could be found for it. But instead of complaining about it and putting a fact tag on it, you should contribute by finding that source, as opposed to taking the liberal view that "someone else will do it". --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:56, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

User talk:Jimmy

2008-07-02T00:36:37Z

TrueValues: /* RE */ new section

{{welcome|sig=[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 23:52, 19 November 2007 (EST)}}

Take a better look to the the article [[Gettysburg Address]]. There are the words.

"That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

--[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 12:30, 19 November 2007 (EST)

What are you trying to say? The words 'under God' were added after I pointed out the discrepancy between the article and the Breaking News item. Check the history, http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Gettysburg_Address&diff=339689&oldid=289268 --Jimmy 19:29, 19 November 2007 (EST)

: We have to thank you for your comment. Now the article is better... But in your first comment you did not mention the words "under God". Next time may be you could be more specific. Is that asking to much? --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 23:51, 19 November 2007 (EST)

The main subject of the news item was the phrase "under God". I didn't think repeating the wording of the phrase was all that critical in getting my point across. It seems at least one person, Schlafly, was able to understand what I was talking about. My request to you is to put a little more research into your responses before asking people to "take a better look." Thanks --Jimmy 00:21, 20 November 2007 (EST)

:We were in the middle of a Contest, but even we were in normal times it is too much work for a Sysop to read every word of every comment. Your comment '''was NOT''' clear enough. Also, I find your reply lack of kindness. Could it change? --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 18:43, 20 November 2007 (EST)

Well now, this is going from bad to worse. Your attitude is making me wonder why I even pointed out the error of the Gettysburg article in the first place. I would appreciate it if you would just let this matter drop, because face it, you made a mistake.

The comment I made was short and to the point. The founder of this website understood what I was talking about and thanked me for my efforts. If you have a problem with spending two seconds to read the 20+ words I wrote, then maybe you should reevaluate your way of conducting your role as an editor.

As for my alleged lack of kindness, you are the one that said I should “take a better look” even though you failed to take ten seconds to point, click, and read the history of the Gettysburg article. Doesn’t that sound hypocritical? It is the carelessness on your part that has resulted in this meaningless exchange. Is this what I am to expect from the majority of sysops on this website? I hope not. --Jimmy 19:59, 20 November 2007 (EST)

::Your help in this matter has been fine and noticed. It has been grateful for by Andy and by me. There is no doubt about it. We encourage you to keep helping CP. What I can not accept is to see it as a mistake.

::You started writing:

:::''The article on the Gettysburg Address is concise and to the point, yet it does not contain '''the phrase''' attributed to it by the 'Breaking News' section.''

::And the phrase was: ''"That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."''

::That phrase '''was''' in the article with the difference that 2 words were not there: '''"under God".'''

::I feel that CP needs a lot of new articles and improve many of old ones. I feel that we do not have enough time for guessing what users want to say. Is that a mistake?

::About "kindness", personally, I am in a city where this is important. But, don't worry, I can survive as far as now. Let see the future!

--[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 08:12, 21 November 2007 (EST)

:::The news item in question was entirely about how Lincoln inserted the phrase “under God” in his address. It was obvious to me what I was talking about and it appeared to be obvious to Schlafly what I was talking about. Yet to you for some reason, it was not. Maybe if you had read my entire comment without skipping over part of it you would have understood what I was talking about.

:::It’s ironic how you attach a lot of importance to kindness while at the same time starting your introduction to me with a snarky comment about my post.--Jimmy 20:51, 21 November 2007 (EST)
:::: Fine. Schlafly could knew what to do because it was him who wrote the news. But a normal human may not as happens to me. That is why I ask you again to be more specific.

::::: I am sure you can go to the beginning of the page and read how I started: WELCOME, WAS HE FIRST WORD... GO [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=User_talk:Jimmy&oldid=339685]--[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 23:41, 21 November 2007 (EST)

This was the Breaking news in question: ''On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln inserted "under God" into an already-prepared [[Gettysburg Address]] and declared, "That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, '''under God''', shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."'' --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 07:52, 22 November 2007 (EST)

==Your editing==
Yes that's right, the editors must provide documentation to back up what they write. The editors must also not be divisive. Since this encyclopedia is in the beginning stages, the editors must work together to build it up properly. Do you follow now? I looked at the majority of your edits which are mostly to the talk pages and you are walking a fine line between being devisive and being outright contemptuous, and it isn't just the talk page on public schools; its others as well, begining with your first edits regarding the Gettysburg Address back in November. Now if you want to make those valid contributions as you said, then you need to learn to work with the rest of us; if there's a lack of source material, then you need to swallow your pride and either respectfully ask the person involved or find it yourself. If you don't want to do any of the above, you know where the door is. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 16:55, 1 January 2008 (EST)

:Thank-you for finally admitting what is right. Following the rules and making suggestions for improvement is not being divisive or whining. Don't you get it? I'm the guy that's playing by the rules, making valid contributions, providing references, asking for references from unsupported assertions, etc. I'm doing all this to IMPROVE Conservapedia! What are you doing other than giving me grief for NOT violating any rules and insisting others follow them?

:My very first contribution to this website was to point out an error on the main page and the website founder thanked me for doing so. Yet all that has happened with that bit of helpful information was to be basically treated like crap by Joaquín Martínez.

:Why don't we talk about the majority of my edits, which don't violate the rules by the way.
:- First edit: talk page sugestion, thanked by founder
:- Next four edits: responding to syop that misinterpreted what I wrote and refused to admit his mistake.
:- Next eight edits: contributed to two articles on schools. One edit was on the talk page for clarification
:- Next three edits: quotes with references to the Atheism Quotes article and one talk comment on why my contributions were reverted without explanation.
:- Evolution talk page: trying to improve the content but my contributions are limited because the article is edited and locked by one person.

:See where this is going? I am working with others by making contributions. You are giving me a hard time when I insist that articles have a certain measure of quality and insist that people provide references. I'm working hard enough to provide my own references to the material I write without trying to find references to someone else's assertions that I think are incorrect. I'm treating people with respect, but if their opinions or assertions are lacking supporting documentation I will let them know, just as I have been doing. --Jimmy 17:29, 1 January 2008 (EST)

==Your block==
You were warned by an admin above about your editing. Today you removed Aschlafly's edits to the ACLU article while adding your own. This is NOT allowed. You do NOT decide if someone is violating Conservapedia guidelines.
When you return, if you argue with me or another admin or continue editing in a confrontational style, you will receive a permanent block. --[[User:Crocoite|Crocoite]] 15:03, 14 February 2008 (EST)

==No problem, Jimmy==

I calls em like I sees em. You were blocked unfairly. I'm only glad that someone listened. [[User:SSchultz|SSchultz]] 23:23, 3 March 2008 (EST)

== Thanks and sorry! ==

Your support after my block was much appreciated! I do apologize for getting you blocked, though. :( --[[User:DHayes|DHayes]] 22:22, 15 March 2008 (EDT)
: Not a problem. No need to apologize for my block, it wasn't your fault. I have the feeling I'll be blocked again shortly. Wish me luck. --Jimmy 00:46, 16 March 2008 (EDT)

== Humour ==

I like the humour on your user page. So true my friend, so true
[[User:AdenJ|AdenJ]] 00:23, 28 April 2008 (EDT)
:Thanks. At times, laughter is the best medicine.--[[User:Jimmy|Jimmy]] 00:26, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

Where laughter fails, whisky will prevail!
[[User:AdenJ|AdenJ]] 00:28, 28 April 2008 (EDT)

== Copying from Wikipedia ==

All you did was change or omit a few words. You used many of the same phrasings and almost exactly the same sentence-by-sentence layout.

Your first paragraph:
<blockquote>
Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District, et al., Case # 04cv2688, was a challenge brought in the United States federal court against a public school that required teachers to present intelligent design as an alternative to evolution as an explanation of the origins of life. The plaintiffs successfully argued that intelligent design is a form of creationism and the school's policy violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Lemon Test.
</blockquote>

From Wikipedia:
<blockquote>
Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District, et al., Case No. 04cv2688, was the first direct challenge brought in the United States federal courts against a public school district that required the presentation of "Intelligent Design" as an alternative to evolution as an "explanation of the origin of life." The plaintiffs successfully argued that intelligent design is a form of creationism, and that the school board policy thus violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
</blockquote>

Your second paragraph:
<blockquote>
The plaintiffs, eleven parents of students at the Dover Area School District, sued the school board over a statement in support of Intelligent design that was to be read aloud during science classes when evolution was taught. The parents were represented by American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Pepper Hamilton LLP. The defendants retained the services of the Thomas Moore Law Center.
</blockquote>

Wikipedia:
<blockquote>
Eleven parents of students in Dover, Pennsylvania, near York, sued the Dover Area School District over a statement that the school board required be read aloud in ninth-grade science classes when evolution was taught. The plaintiffs were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) and Pepper Hamilton LLP. The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) acted as consultants for the plaintiffs. The defendants were represented by the Thomas More Law Center
</blockquote>

Perhaps it's just a coincidence. Most likely it's [un]intelligent design.

As far as other edits you've made, yes, I have had a problem with some of them when they are obviously meant to undermine the purpose of Conservapedia. I replaced your quotes about atheism to fit the intended purpose of the article. [[User:Jinxmchue|Jinxmchue]] 22:07, 21 May 2008 (EDT)

== If you don't like it, leave ==

You're welcome to leave CP if you don't like it. Just a suggestion. You probably will find your edits under heavier scrutiny by myself and others from now on anyway and I doubt you'll enjoy that.

In any case, don't post to my talk page anymore. You and your rhetoric are not welcome there. [[User:Jinxmchue|Jinxmchue]] 11:45, 23 May 2008 (EDT)

==Comments deleted from Jinxmchue's talk page posted here for posterity==

Your reasoning for removing my edit is quite inane in my honest opinion. The only thing I remotely 'copied' from Wikipedia was the format of the article. It is plainly obvious you did not look at all of the references. If you did, then you would have discovered that every word I wrote was paraphrased from the references or written by myself. Replacing my article with the misleading, opinionated, and unreferenced factoids is doing this encyclopedia a disfavor.
Judges Jones never admitted being an activist judge. The reference in the original article was a glaring example of the authors misrepresenting Jones' actions and words. I even provided a reference saying that he denied being an activist judge. My edit even left in the solitary reference from the original article so I could reference the criticism Jones received.

The original article contained five items of fact and opinion and only one, the opinion, was backed up with a reference. Your revision resulted in a violation of the first commandment about everything in articles being 'true and verifiable'. So much for you making Conservapedia a 'reliable resource'.

I made a request for change over two months ago and nobody said a word. I made a change to an article and listed the required references then you come along and base your revision on something that was obviously not thought out. I'd like to think a responsible editor would ask questions instead of making wholesale deletions without any discussion. Since you claim to be the 'rightful leader of Conservapedia', maybe I shouldn't direct my opinions to another administrator and instead just try and reason out this disagreement between the two of us. --Jimmy 20:21, 21 May 2008 (EDT)

As an editor, you are not very impressive. I followed the Conservapedia Manual of Style almost to the letter. The fact that Wikipedia and Conservapedia have similar formats apparently did not cross your mind. My article contained information the WP article did not and vice versa. It also included references that mentioned every fact outlined in the first paragraph, something the WP article did not. Just because an article looks like it may have been copied from WP doesn't mean it has been.

Conservapedia's detractors call this 'trustworthy encyclopedia' Idiotopedia, and you are giving them plenty of ammunition. Your revision resulted in an article that is completely untrue and unverifiable; and in my honest opinion, a very stupid article at that. One of my main goals is to correct these dumb articles so Americans don't look bad. It looks like I am failing. If you insist on making the job of Conservapedia's critics that much easier, go right ahead, you are accomplishing plenty. --Jimmy 19:59, 22 May 2008 (EDT)

You seem to have a problem with my editing. Instead of removing my Atheism quotes and replacing them with your own, why don't you just add yours? Your opinion of 'better' leaves a bit to be desired I'm afraid. --Jimmy 20:26, 21 May 2008 (EDT)

==Kitzmiller edit==
I will take a look at it later tonight in the interest of fairness, though I have not been following the article controversy. I'm not promising anything, but I feel that it is only fair that your edit at least be reviewed rather than simply rejected on the basis of who you are. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 16:56, 24 May 2008 (EDT)
:Thanks --[[User:Jimmy|Jimmy]] 17:11, 24 May 2008 (EDT)
::I do think that the edits were close enough to Wikipedia's that a reversion was justified, but I find it unfair that Conservapedia claims to treat editors better than Wikipedia but will not provide reasons for reversions upon requests. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 02:15, 25 May 2008 (EDT)
:::Fair enough, and thanks for your consideration. What is to be done about the article now? The current article is basically a piece of junk that makes Conservapedia look bad. Would it be too much to ask that my edit be restored with changes? Almost anything would be better than what is there now. As far as unfair treatment is concerned, I am quite used to it by now; at least you are a sysop that will discuss the matter. I tried to engage DeanS about the article and Jinxmchue's comments towards me and his only response was to delete my request from his talk page. EdPoor didn't respond to my inquiry about my block over the article either. Thanks again. --[[User:Jimmy|Jimmy]] 10:25, 25 May 2008 (EDT)

== NASA ==

Which images do you want? --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 07:59, 5 June 2008 (EDT)
:Anythng suitable for the article, not very fussy. --[[User:Jimmy|Jimmy]] 19:39, 5 June 2008 (EDT)

==Tyrants behind keyboards?==
::The user that you chose to interfere in someone else's business was blocked because he chose to engage in an edit war with an admin involving personal attack. If he brought evidence which supported his claim and engaged in dialogue respectfully, the block would not have happened. And if certain users think they can throw their weight around here; if certain users think they can engage in edit conflicts on a whim; if certain users think they can demand to place whatever they want on this site, they have another thing coming to them. You were removed for three days for interfering in what was never your business as well as the above. If anyone is trying to play tyrant, it is you. You came to Conservapedia with an agenda to interfere with the conservatism on this site; you came here to push your own liberalism. It's stopping now. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 13:57, 15 June 2008 (EDT)

== RE ==

If you take a look at [[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia]] you will no doubt notice that a {{fact}} template makes something have much less force and seem untrue. If you wish to find a source, find a source and make this a better place. Don't make it seem untrue. The Clinton comment is incorrect as Clinton was not president when the data was given. --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:36, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

Talk:Liberal creep

2008-07-02T00:27:44Z

TrueValues:

==References==
Any chance the second example could be referenced? The commandments and trustworthiness of this encyclopedia demand a reference for such a sweeping claim.

When he left, Bill Clinton had never been president, therefore that claim is useless. --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:27, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

Liberal creep

2008-07-02T00:27:02Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 485533 by Jimmy (Talk) Use of liberal creep to downplay Reagan's presidency

'''Liberal creep''' is [[liberal bias]] that gradually creeps or distorts an entry, definition, explanation, description, or historical account.

Former Utah state Sen. Bill Wright may have been the first to coin this term in spring 2008 when he "warned of liberal creep — the 'education of indoctrination' — in which the media peddle “socialism and programs. We have been so dumbed-down, so indoctrinated with all this information we’re in a haze; we can’t see through it. We must find out for ourselves."<ref>http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=5450FFC0-14D1-13A2-9FC3560D929110B0</ref>

Examples of '''liberal creep''' include:
*[[Ronald Reagan]] left the [[White House]] with the best approval ratings of any president at the end of his term, yet the [[media]] and history books have since relentlessly tried to downplay and distort his political achievements.
*Many early scientists such as [[Isaac Newton]] and [[Galileo Galilei]] were heavily influenced by Christianity and would never have made their important discoveries without their faith in the [[Jesus Christ|Lord Almighty]], yet that faith has since been downplayed in [[liberal]] [[atheistic]] [[public school]] textbooks and [[Wikipedia]].

== References ==

<references/>

Liberal creep

2008-07-02T00:04:09Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 485526 by Jimmy (Talk) Liberal distortion of using a citation to make it seem untruthful.

User:TrueValues

2008-07-01T23:53:52Z

TrueValues:

There are some values that are more important than any other. These are truth, chastity, love, and hope among others. To abandon these values is to abandon the way our wonderful country has always been and the reasons the country is great. If you need to speak to me, you can do so [http://www.conservapedia.com/User_talk:TrueValues here]

{{userboxtop|The True Values}}
{{User straightforwardbiblereading}}
{{User Christian}}
{{User lordshipofchrist}}
{{User tolerancecompromisetruth}}
{{Userbox |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#acf |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=[[Image:flagmyk.jpg|45px]] |info=<center>This user is proud to live in the [[America|greatest best country God has ever given man on the face of the earth]].</center>}}
{{User progun}}
{{userboxbottom}}

Affirmative Action President

2008-07-01T23:51:43Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 485516 by Pluto (Talk) Repeating liberal edits

An '''Affirmative Action President''' is someone selected for that office based partly or entirely on the person's race or gender. Every U.S. President has been a white male. As of 2008, [[affirmative action]] has not yet been successfully used to fill the position of President of the [[United States]].

An Affirmative Action President is strongly supported by some [[liberals]] who favor [[affirmative action]]. As they support [[affirmative action]] for other positions, it is a logical extension for them to favor it for the presidency also.

These supporters of an Affirmative Action President are likely to support a candidate based in part on the candidate's race or gender in order to bring historical [[diversity]] to the position and promote broader acceptance of [[affirmative action]].

Under [[affirmative action]], a candidate's race or gender is as important as, and perhaps more important, than traditional criteria of qualifications and experience.

On Feb. 4, 2008, ten days after this entry appeared here, Michael Savage commented that, if elected, [[Barack Obama]] will be the first Affirmative Action President, as he has such a small amount of political (or military) experience.<ref>For example, popular radio commentator [[Michael Savage]] observed, "We have a woman and a multi-ethnic man running for office on the Democrat side. Is this not akin to a -- an affirmative action election? Isn't that why the libs are hysterical, tripping over themselves to say [[amen]] and yes to this affirmative election vote?" Savage added, "America's not ready for an affirmative action presidency." [http://mediamatters.org/items/200802040008]</ref>

On March 10, 2008, an article is posted on myMaineToday.com entitled, "Are We Ready For An Affirmative Action President?"<ref>http://my.mainetoday.com/story.html?ID=2110</ref>

On March 11, 2008, John Harwood published an article on CNBC's website entitled, "Obama: Affirmative Action Candidate?!"<ref>http://www.cnbc.com/id/23579121/</ref>

On March 12, 2008, Joseph Farah, founder of Worldnetdaily.com, published a column entitled, "The affirmative-action president."<ref>http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=58632</ref>

==See Also==
[[Nepotism President]]

== Reference ==

<references/>

[[category:politics]]

Kangaroo

2008-07-01T23:27:50Z

TrueValues: Unsupported liberal creep drivel

[[Image:Kangaroo-bree.png|right|Eastern Grey Kangaroo (''Macropus giganteus'')]]

'''Kangaroos''' are the largest [[marsupial]]s alive today. Excluding specimens sent overseas, they are only found on the continent of [[Australia]] apart from some species in some areas of [[Papua New Guinea]]<ref>[http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html Australia's kangaroos], Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.</ref>. There are at least sixty-nine [[species]] of kangaroo <ref name="kangbio">[http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/wild-harvest/kangaroo/biology.html "Kangaroo Biology"], Australian Government</ref>, which include [[wallabies]] and tree-kangaroos.

==Description==

Kangaroos have large ears on top of their small heads, a long snout, and short arms with clawed fingers. Their legs are strong, powerful, and are made for leaping. Their feet have four toes at the end of elongated metatarsi that they rest on when standing. They also have a powerful, thick tail that is used as support when standing, a third-leg when walking slowly, and for counterbalance while leaping. Like all Marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch on their stomachs in which they carry their young.

===Diet===

Kangaroos are [[herbivore]]s, eating grass, roots, and shrubs. They have a chambered stomach similar to [[sheep]] and [[cattle]]. They are able to regurgitate their food, chew it again as [[cud]], and then swallow it for digestion.

===Social Order===

Kangaroos travel in [[mob | mobs]] of about ten or more males and females. The leader of the mob, called a "boomer", is a male determined by age and size. The boomer has access to females in his mob for mating and will wander around the mob intimidating any other males who try to mate with his harem.

===Reproduction===

Female kangaroos usually only have one baby kangaroo (called a "joey") at a time. The newborn joey weighs as little as .03 ounces when first born, after which it crawls into its mothers pouch where it will nurse, grow, and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys will stay in their mothers pouch for about eight months and Grey Kangaroo joeys stay in there for about one year.

===Development of the Young in the Pouch===

Kangaroos have adapted to the varied conditions across Australia in many ways. One of the most unusual, is the way females of some species can delay the progress of pregnancy. In this way the female is ready to give birth to a replacement for the young in her pouch if it dies early, or within a week of when it permanently leaves the pouch. This ability to delay births means that there can be up to 12 months between a mating and the birth of the young one resulting from that mating (when the normal gestation period is less than 35 days). It also means that the species can best respond to periods of drought and plenty.

Species which have this unusual ability normally mate again soon after the female gives birth. The tiny newly born kangaroo (less than 25 mm long) moves unaided into its mother's pouch and attaches itself to one of four teats. During the early stages of pouch life the young is permanently attached to the teat, but as it matures and begins to grow hair it also develops the ability to release and reattach itself to the teat.

In the late stages of pouch life, once it has a thin covering of fur, the young one begins to explore the outside world for increasing lengths of time until eventually it is old enough to be excluded permanently from the pouch. Complete weaning may take a number of months more after the young has permanently left the pouch. If the mother gives birth during this time, the newborn young will attach itself to a different teat to that being used by the older young. It is remarkable that when this happens the mother produces two different kinds of milk for the two different-aged young<ref name="kangbio"/>.

==Origins==

===Creationism===
Consistent with their view that the fossil record as a whole does not support the evolutionary position<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/fossils.asp "Fossils Questions and Answers"], Answers In Genesis</ref><ref>[http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/fsslrcrd.html Creation/Evolution Quotes: Fossil Record]</ref>, creationists state that there is a lack of transitional fossils showing an evolutionary origin of kangaroos. Rebecca Driver writes:

{{QuoteBox|The Macropod family is alleged to have evolved from either the Phalangeridae (possums) or Burramyidae (pygmy-possums)...<br />However, there are no fossils of animals which appear to be intermediate between possums and kangaroos. ''Wabularoo naughtoni'', supposed ancestor of all the macropods, was clearly a kangaroo (it greatly resembles the potoroos which dwell in Victoria’s forests). If modern kangaroos really did come from it, all this shows is the same as we see happening today, namely that kangaroos come from kangaroos, "after their kind." <ref>Driver, Rebecca, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/755/ Kangaroos: God's amazing craftsmanship], ''Creation'' 20(3):28–31, June 1998.</ref>}}

According to the [[origins theory]] model used by [[young earth creation scientists]], modern kangaroos are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard [[Noah's Ark]] prior to the [[Great Flood]]. It has not yet been determined by [[baraminology | baraminologists]] whether kangaroos form a [[holobaramin]] with the [[wallaby]], [[tree-kangaroo]], [[wallaroo]], [[pademelon]] and [[quokka]], or if all these species are in fact [[Baraminology|apobaramin]]ic or [[Baraminology|polybaramin]]ic.

After the Flood, these kangaroos bred from the Ark passengers migrated to Australia. There is debate whether this migration happened over land<ref name="cab17">[http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter17.pdf "How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia"], Chapter 17 of ''The Creation Answers Book'', by Don Batten (Ed.)</ref> with lower sea levels during the post-flood [[ice age]], or before the super-continent of [[Pangea]] broke apart.<ref>[http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2808 "Pangea and the Flood"], Apologetics Press</ref>

The idea that God simply generated kangaroos into existence there is considered by most creation researchers to be contra-Biblical.

===Evolution===
The evolutionary view is that kangaroos and other marsupials evolved from a common marsupial ancestor which lived hundreds of millions of years ago.<ref>[http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1995/australia.html "Australian Mammals: Evolutionary Development as a Result of Geographic Isolation"]</ref>

===Dreamtime===
Some [[Australian Aborigines]] believe that kangaroos were sung into existence by their ancestors during the [[Dreamtime]].<ref>[http://www.painsley.org.uk/RE/signposts/y8/1-1creationandenvironment/c-abor.htm "An Aborigine Creation Story"]</ref>

== External Links ==
*[http://www.exzooberance.com/virtual%20zoo/they%20walk/kangaroo/kangaroo.htm Kangaroo facts]
*[http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/kangaroos.html Answers About Kangaroos]
*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/migration.asp How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia?]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Marsupials]]
[[Category:Australia]]

User talk:Rspeed

2008-07-01T23:21:59Z

TrueValues: New page: To be completely honest I have no idea. --~~~~

To be completely honest I have no idea. --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 19:21, 1 July 2008 (EDT)

Liberal creep

2008-07-01T23:12:26Z

TrueValues:

'''Liberal creep''' is [[liberal bias]] that gradually creeps or distorts an entry, definition, explanation, description, or historical account.

Former Utah state Sen. Bill Wright may have been the first to coin this term in spring 2008 when he "warned of liberal creep — the 'education of indoctrination' — in which the media peddle “socialism and programs. We have been so dumbed-down, so indoctrinated with all this information we’re in a haze; we can’t see through it. We must find out for ourselves."<ref>http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=5450FFC0-14D1-13A2-9FC3560D929110B0</ref>

An example of '''liberal creep''' is how [[Ronald Reagan]] left the [[White House]] with the best approval ratings of any president at the end of his term, yet the [[media]] and history books have since relentlessly tried to downplay and distort his political achievements. Another example is how many early scientists such as Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei were hevily influenced by Christianity and would never have made their important discoveries without their faith in the [[Jesus Christ|Lord Almighty]], yet that faith has since been downplayed in [[liberal]] [[atheistic]] [[public school]] textbooks and [[Wikipedia]].

== References ==

<references/>

Barry Goldwater

2008-07-01T22:49:52Z

TrueValues: Liberal drivel

[[Image:BarryGoldwater.jpg|right|thumb|Barry Goldwater]]

'''Barry Morris Goldwater''' (1909-1998) was a [[United States]] [[Senator]] and the [[Republican]] nominee for [[President]] in 1964.

==Biography==
Born in a [[Jewish]] family. Father of Barry Morris Goldwater, Jr., a [[U.S. Senator]] from [[Arizona]]; born in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz., January 1, 1909; attended the Phoenix public schools, Staunton Military Academy, and one year at the University of Arizona at Tucson in 1928; began business career in 1929 in family mercantile business; during the Second World War entered active service in August 1941 in the United States Army Air Corps, serving in the Asiatic Theater in India, and was discharged in November 1945 as a lieutenant colonel with rating as pilot; organized the Arizona National Guard 1945-1952; brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve in 1959 and promoted to major general in 1962; retired in 1967 after thirty-seven years service; member of advisory committee, Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior 1948-1950; member of the city council of Phoenix 1949-1952; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1952; reelected in 1958, and served from January 3, 1953, to January 3, 1965; did not seek reelection to the Senate in 1964; unsuccessful Republican nominee for President in 1964; elected to the United States Senate in 1968; reelected in 1974 and again in 1980, and served from January 3, 1969, to January 3, 1987; did not seek reelection in 1986; chairman, Select Committee on Intelligence (Ninety-seventh and Ninety-eighth Congresses), Committee on Armed Services (Ninety-ninth Congress); awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] on March 12, 1986; died May 29, 1998, at Paradise Valley, Ariz.

==1964 Presidential campaign==
Barry Goldwater entered the United States Senate in 1953. During the 1960 Presidential election there was a campaign among [[conservative]]s to draft Goldwater for President, a race in which [[Richard Nixon]] ultimately won the Republican nomination and [[John F. Kennedy]] narrowly defeated him for President. The campaign to draft Goldwater to run for President continued in the next election cycle. In 1964 Goldwater seriously sought the nomination, not running for re-election to the Senate that year, and was successful. He was defeated in the general election by incumbent [[Lyndon Johnson]]. After the election he ran successfully again for the Senate in 1968.

Lyndon Johnson was successful in part because of continued public sympathy over the [[John F. Kennedy assassination]], the use of [[negative advertising]] such as the notorious "daisy" TV ad which raised fears of [[nuclear war]] if Goldwater were elected, and negative media coverage of some of the conservative groups supporting Goldwater, such as the [[John Birch Society]]. Johnson ironically ran as a "peace candidate" but shortly after the election drastically escalated U.S. involvement in the [[Vietnam War]].

The 1964 Goldwater campaign helped usher in the modern conservative movement in the United States. The political careers of both [[Phyllis Schlafly]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] got a big boost during the campaign. Schlafly wrote a book, ''[[A Choice, Not An Echo]]'' during the campaign which was widely distributed and launched her career as a conservative political activist. ''A Choice, Not An Echo'' detailed the machinations of the [[moderate]] to [[liberal]] East Coast wing of the Republican Party to hand-pick Presidential candidates (Nixon, [[Wendell Willkie]], [[Dwight Eisenhower]], etc.) and called for conservatives in the party to organize to counter this wing of the party and their "kingmaker" approach to nominating candidates. The book was a rallying call for conservatives in the party and helped Goldwater win the nomination. Reagan gave a speech as part of a "TV for Goldwater-Miller" television ad campaign which made him an up and coming star among conservatives, eventually leading to his own series of Presidential campaigns in 1968, 1976. and 1980, the last of which successfully landed him in the [[White House]]. The 1964 Goldwater campaign was also followed by the rise of a growing conservative campus movement during the 1960s led by [[Young Americans for Freedom]], the rise of a small [[libertarian]] movement which also supported Goldwater but would later split with conservatism over the [[draft]] and [[drug]] policy, and modern conservative movement approaches such as [[direct mail]] organizing.

The 1964 Goldwater campaign also marked the first time since before the [[Civil War]] that the states of the Deep South, angered by the liberal Johnson's support for civil rights, broke from the [[Democratic Party]] and gave their electoral votes to the Republican nominee. The South has had a long tradition of [[conservative Democrat]]s and nearly always voted for the Democratic nominee in Presidential elections before 1964.
==Gay agenda==
Later in life, Mr. Conservative started supporting the gay agenda and even opposed banning gays from the military. However, he is most remembered for his positive contributions to American conservative thought and standing up to liberals who would rather "live on their knees than die on their feet" during the Cold War.

==References==
<references/>

== See also ==

*[[Conservative links]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldwater, Barry}}
[[Category:Politicians]]

Liberal tricks

2008-07-01T22:13:30Z

TrueValues:

Here are some common [[liberal]] tricks that many people fall for:

# insert a [[liberal]] assumption into a question, as illustrated by the classic "when did you stop beating your wife?!"
# distract and disrupt reasoned discussion, as in stating irrelevant claims, inconsequential tales of personal experience, or false outrage
# claim expertise beyond one's area of expertise, as in a "Dr." or professor implying that he is an expert in an area beyond his specialty
# make arguments that have superficial appeal to the dimwitted, but are actually nonsensical and probably not believed by the liberal himself<ref>For example, one might conclude that [[Michael Moore]] makes silly statements designed to appeal to the less intelligent.</ref>
# pretend that liberals do not have a political point of view, but are just being reasonable<ref>For example, people who insist on promoting [[abortion]] with mandatory taxpayer funding claim they are merely "pro-choice".</ref>
# exaggerate praise for fellow liberals;<ref>For example, liberal praise by law professors for [[Barack Obama]] borders on the absurd.</ref> pretend that atheism equals intelligence
# in court decisions, hold in favor of the [[conservative]] side by using [[liberal]] reasons that will be cited for liberal outcomes in ''future'' cases<ref>''See, e.g.'', ''[[Everson v. Board of Education|Everson v. Board of Ed.]]''</ref>
# [[liberal]]s [[liberal friendship|befriend]] you so you should become liberal (why don't they become [[conservative]]?)
# "live and let live!" except when it comes to praying aloud in school, keeping the money you earn, building on your own property, and every other liberal issue
# it doesn't hurt to try! (In reference to drugs, alcohol, and other immoral behaviors such as pre-marital sex, worshipping many gods/no gods, homosexuality, or abortion)
# everyone else supposedly believes in something so it must be right
# your [[parent]]s aren't cool; [[Hollywood values]] are cool; [[professor values]] are brilliant; blindly follow your government
# there is a shortage of everything we want
# [[prayer]] is for dummies, or is antiquated
# [[children|kids]] are getting smarter than old folks
# smear your adversary with a highly offensive accusation or insinuation
# call someone a [[racist]] if he criticizes a ''liberal'' having a different skin color
# demonize [[conservative]]s and pretend they don't care about regular people
# if you don't like it (something offensive on [[television]]), don't watch it (but they don't seem to go for ''if you don't like [[whale]]s being killed, don't watch them being killed'').
# the poor are blameless because they have nothing; the rich are to blame because they have everything.
# accusing conservatives of libel, but forgetting that truth is the perfect defense against libel.

(please add to list)

== Example ==

Here is an example of an actual attempt at [[liberal tricks]] that was posted on this very page:

{{QuoteBox|This article, and many others on a similar line, are a sad demonstration of incipient mental illness. Andrew Schlafly appears to be an educated man - after all, he edited a legal journal which was later edited by [[Barack Obama]] (I assume that Andy's tenure wasn't a result of [[affirmative action]] in favour of the narrow minded and the bigoted) - yet his denunciations of 'liberalism' get ever wilder and more paranoid as his definition of that beknighted state become ever more encompassing.}}

The above example (by a non-American) attempts to smear a [[conservative]] by implying that he has a mental illness, reflecting '''liberal trick''' #15 above. To someone unfamiliar with '''liberal tricks''', this can be upsetting and intimidating. But once one realizes that this is a basic trick from the [[liberal]] playbook, its silliness and ineffectiveness becomes obvious. The [[liberal]]'s foolish tactic is then revealed for what it really is.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{liberalism}}

ACLU

2008-07-01T22:05:40Z

TrueValues: /* Censoring God */ Roy Moore.

[[Image:Nghfuyr.png|right|thumb|Current logo of the ACLU.]]
The '''ACLU''' is the American Civil Liberties Union, a [[leftist]], [[secular]]-[[Progressivism|progressive]] organization. It was run for its first 30 years by an [[United States of America|American]] [[Socialism|socialist]] named [[Roger Baldwin]], who helped found it in 1920. This organization pursues a [[leftist]] agenda that includes [[censoring]] prayer and recognition of [[God]] from public institutions, such as [[public schools]].

[[Image:ACLU and Islam.jpg|right|400px|It All Depends On Whose Church Is Being Separated]]

==Illegal Immigration==

The [[ACLU]] demanded $2.3 million in fees for challenging a law against [[illegal immigration]]. This demand "illustrates the circus the ACLU brought to this case," the Mayor of Hazelton, Pennsylvania said. "They had 20 attorneys sitting in the courtroom at a time, 16 of them doing nothing but running up the bill."<ref>http://www.centredaily.com/news/state/story/194756.html]</ref>

In the Hazleton case the ACLU persuaded a [[federal]] [[court]] to declare a municipal ordinance to be unconstitutional, even though other federal courts have upheld similar laws since then. The Hazleton case is on appeal.

==Censoring God==
The ACLU often insists that the [[Establishment Clause]] of the [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution]] requires censorship of religious expression. In 2007, for example, the [[ACLU]] of [[Tennessee]] sought to stop prayer and prayer-related activities by the volunteer [[Praying Parents]]. ''Doe v. Wilson County Sch. Sys.'', 524 F. Supp. 2d 964 (M.D. Tenn. Nov. 9, 2007).

ACLU chapters frequently sue to compel removal displays of the [[Ten Commandments]] from public property. For example, in ''McCreary County v. ACLU'', 545 U.S. 844 (2005), the ACLU of Kentucky forced two counties to remove displays of the Ten Commandments from their courthouses. In another case ''Glassroth v. Moore'', 229 F. Supp. 2d 1290 (2002) the Alabama chapter sued [[Alabama]] [[Supreme Court]] [[Chief Justice]] Roy Moore to remove a Ten Commandments Monument, with Moore remarking "fearing that I would not obey his order, decided to threaten other state officials and force them to remove the monument if I did not do so". A threat of heavy fines was his way of coercing obedience to that order". In Utah, the ACLU even announced a scavenger hunt for anyone who could find a display of the Ten Commandments monument that the ACLU could demand be removed. The ACLU typically receives substantial legal fees from the government in each of these cases.

In 1994, the ACLU of New Jersey sued Jersey City, New Jersey to challenge a menorah and a Christmas tree at city hall. A federal district judge declared the display to be unconstitutional, but the appellate court, in a 2-1 opinion written by now-Justice [[Samuel Alito]], found a modified display to be constitutional. ''ACLU of New Jersey v. Schundler'' (1999). Then-Judge Alito wrote, "government may celebrate Christmas in some manner and form, but not in a way that endorses Christian doctrine."

In 2007, the ACLU Foundation of Texas filed an [[amicus brief]] for removal of a longstanding monument to William Mosher outside Harris County Civil Courthouse because the statute contained a depiction of an open Bible. ''Staley v. Harris County'', 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 9296 (5th Cir. 2007). The court ruled that Harris County must pay attorneys fees to the [[Americans United For Separation of Church & State]], which often appears along with the ACLU in demanding removal of religious symbols from government property and censoring criticism of evolution in public school.

The ACLU demanded that Los Angeles County remove a tiny cross from the Los Angeles County seal, even though the seal contained nearly a dozen symbols including the Greek goddess Pomona standing on the shore of the Pacific Ocean -- about which the ACLU did not complain. The seal also displayed other California motifs, including the Spanish galleon San Salvador, a tuna fish, a cow, stars representing the movie and television industries, the Hollywood Bowl, oil derricks, and a pair of engineering instruments to represent Los Angeles' contributions to industrial construction and space exploration. The cross was a tiny part of the seal. But Los Angeles County gave into the ACLU's demands and spent $700,000 to censor the cross and replace it on all official government documents, publications and signage.

The ACLU of Louisiana demanded that a school board stop allowing an invocation to be said at the beginning of its meetings. In ''[[Doe v. Tangipahoa Parish School Bd.]]'' (2007), an [[en banc]] [[Fifth Circuit]] dismissed the claim for lack of proof that anyone had been injured or even offended by hearing these invocations.

==Censoring [[Intelligent Design]]==
In 2004, the ACLU filed [[Selman v. Cobb County School District]].<ref>ACLU: Parents Challenge Evolution Disclaimer In Georgia Textbooks [http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/16381prs20041112.html]</ref> If the plaintiffs, five parents in the Georgia district, won the case, the school district would have to pay their lawyers. The ACLU argued <ref>ACLU Pretrial Brief in Selman et al v. Cobb County, 11/12/2004 [http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/ACFB940.pdf]</ref> that the district had violated the [[Establishment clause]] of the [[U.S. Constitution]] by putting stickers in biology textbooks that said, "This textbook contains material on [[evolution]]. Evolution is a [[theory]], not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."<ref>Judge's Decision, Selman v. Cobb County School District[http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/religion/selmancobb11305ord.pdf]</ref> The trial judge ruled in favor of the ACLU <ref>Judge's Decision, Selman v. Cobb County School District[http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/religion/selmancobb11305ord.pdf]</ref>, but his ruling was vacated on appeal.<ref>Appeal Decision, Selman v. Cobb County School District[http://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/ops/200510341.pdf]</ref> The case was eventually settled. The school district agreed to remove the stickers, to avoid altering science textbooks or making "any disclaimers regarding evolution", and to teach the state Board of Education's core curriculum, which includes evolution, although that wasn't under dispute in the original suit. In addition, they paid $166,669.12 to Atlanta law firm Bondurant, Mixon & Elmore.<ref>"Agreement Ends Textbook Sticker Case", press release from Cobb County School District including settlement agreement [http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/news/2006/20061219_StickerAgreement.pdf]</ref> <ref>ACLU: Georgia School Board Drops Defense of Anti-Evolution Stickers[http://www.aclu.org/religion/intelligentdesign/27745prs20061219.html]</ref>

Another example of ACLU litigation was ''[[Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District]].''<ref>Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District:
Decision of the Court, 400 F.Supp.2d 707 (M.D. Pa. 2005) [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/dover/kitzmiller_v_dover_decision.html]</ref>, also known as the [[Intelligent design]] case. The ACLU prevailed in prohibiting administrators from reading a short statement that mentions [[Intelligent Design]] to students, and forbade the school board from issuing a warning that Darwin's theory has gaps.<ref>''Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District,'' 400 F.Supp.2d 707.</ref> In his opinion, Judge [[John E. Jones III]] heavily relied on the later-vacated ruling in ''[[Selman v. Cobb County School District]]'', and on ACLU briefs.<ref>90% of the section on intelligent design was from the ACLU's briefs. A Comparison of Judge Jones’ Opinion in Kitzmiller v. Dover with Plaintiffs’ Proposed “Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law”, by David DeWolf & John West, Discovery Institute, December 12, 2006
[http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=3829&program=CSC - Views and News]</ref> He also cited the [[Establishment test]], the [[Lemon test]], and the [[reasonable student standard]].<ref>''Kitzmiller,'' 400 F. Supp. 2d at 725 (coming to the conclusion reached in ''Selman'' by the Court's own reasoning), ''compare'' Selman v. Cobb County Sch. Dist, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 13005 (11th Cir. May 25, 2006) at *pincite needed*.</ref> The judge also ordered fees paid to the ACLU and its lawyers, totaling $2,067,000.<ref>''See'' 42 U.S.C. s 1988 (describing relief afforded victorious plaintiff of a 1983 action as including attorney fees).</ref>

==Harming the Boy Scouts==

The ACLU filed a lawsuit to prohibit the federal government from continuing to allow the [[Boy Scouts]], a charitable organization for teenagers, to use an Army base in Virginia for a quadrennial gathering known as the Boy Scout Jamboree; in 2005, more than 40,000 Boy Scouts attended this event.

Although the Boy Scouts have been conducting this Jamboree on government property for 70 years, this lawsuit was not filed until 1999, after the Boy Scouts enforced its policy against having openly homosexual Scout leaders. The theory of the lawsuit was that because Scouts swear an oath of "duty to God," it violates the Establishment Clause for the government to allow this joint project.

A federal district court ruled for the ACLU, but the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturned the lower court ruling that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the suit which will allow the government to continue to sponsor this event for the Boy Scouts.<ref>See [[Essay:Boy Scouts Rout ACLU]]</ref>

== Pornography ==

In [[Ashcroft v. ACLU]] (2004), the ACLU challenged and invalidated the [[Child Online Protection Act]], which would have required pornographers to take reasonable steps to restrict access by minors to porn on the Internet. The Act, which the Supreme Court struck down at the request of the ACLU, did not censor a single word or picture. It merely required the pornographers to screen their websites from minors, which can be done by credit card or other verification.

The ACLU often argues in favor of pornography before courts and administrative boards. Charles Rust-Tierney was an executive for the ACLU of Virginia who argued against the use of Internet filters on the computers at the Loudoun County Library Board:<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55983</ref>

:"The ACLU of Virginia urges the board to carefully consider a new Internet Use Policy that allows for maximum Internet access ...."

Rust-Tierney, who served as the Virginia ACLU president until 2005, was serving on its board of directors when he was arrested in February 2007 for possession of child pornography that a U.S. magistrate described as "the most perverted and nauseating and sickening type of child pornography" she ever had seen. The former Virginia ACLU president later entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to eight years in jail.<ref>''Ibid.''</ref>

==Same-sex Marriage==
The ACLU of New Jersey filed an amicus curiae brief in favor of same-sex marriage in ''Lewis v. Harris'', 188 N.J. 415 (1006). The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in favor of civil unions, but by a 4-3 margin did not require same-sex marriage.

The ACLU sues schools when a student alleges encountering "anti-gay peer harassment and bullying based on his perceived sexual orientation." <ref>http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/28618prs20070221.html</ref> The ACLU holds the school (and hence the taxpayers) liable for actions based on conduct by some students towards others.

The ACLU of Minnesota sued to force the Osseo Area School District to grant equal access to the schools public address (PA) system, yearbook, fundraising and field trips by a pro-homosexual school club named the Straights and Gays for Equality (“SAGE”).<ref>''Straights & Gays for Equality v. Osseo Area Schs.'', 471 F.3d 908 (8th Cir. 2006).</ref> The school district already had a club entitled "Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Trans-gender, Questioning and Allies," and already had a SAGE club, but SAGE was designated as non-curricular and wanted the additional rights of communication.

The ACLU invoked the Equal Access Act to argue that as long as the school district granted these rights to other clubs, such as cheerleading and synchronized swimming, it must grant these rights to SAGE also. No, the school district argued in defending its action, cheerleading is related to physical education while SAGE is not, and thus SAGE should not have the same rights. However, there were other non phys-ed sports that got funding.

The district court ruled in favor of the ACLU, and the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit unanimously affirmed. The Court ordered the school district to give SAGE the same rights as the cheerleading club. The ACLU will be able to demand substantial attorneys' fees at taxpayer expense.

Similarly, the ACLU of Florida sued the Okeechobee School Board to force it to allow a Gay-Straight Alliance club at Okeechobee High School. Though the school objected to this club as a "sex-based" club, the ACLU persuaded a federal judge to rule in its favor, and it will likely recover substantial attorneys fees at taxpayer expense. See ''Gay-Straight Alliance of Okeechobee High Sch. v. School Board of Okeechobee County'', 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25729 (S.D. Fla. Apr. 6, 2007).

==Abortion==
The ACLU is generally against laws that restrict access to [[abortion]], such as parental notification when a minor seeks an abortion and informed consent for the woman herself. ACLU attorneys have argued several cases in support of abortion. For example, the woman called "Jane Doe" in the [[abortion]] case of ''[[Doe v. Bolton]]'' (1973) says "she was pressured by ACLU attorneys to opt for [[abortion]] and that the case was based on fraud."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52210</ref>

==Polygamy==
The ACLU has defended [[polygamy|polygamists]].<ref>During a question-and-answer session after a speech at Yale University, ACLU president Nadine Strossen stated that her organization has "defended the right of individuals to engage in polygamy," [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44977 World Net Daily] June 25, 2005</ref><ref>
The ACLU views freedom of religion and the establishment clause as inseparable: In order for people to have religious freedom, their government must neither endorse nor prohibit any religious position.[http://www.aclu.org/religion/frb/16163prs19990716.html ACLU press release July 16 1999].</ref>

==Free Speech==

The ACLU is the single biggest legal advocate for pornography (see above), claiming that it is a form of [[free speech]]. Less significantly, the ACLU has also helped -- or not helped -- in the following cases:

*The ACLU rarely defends Christian speech, and virtually never defends speech that is critical of homosexuality. The ACLU was silent with respect to the widely publicized censorship of a T-shirt critical of homosexuality that was worn by student Tyler Chase Harper at his public school. "It's hard to explain the ACLU's apparent equanimity about the violation of Mr. Harper's First Amendment rights -- unless you consider the content of his speech. This case does not appear to be anomalous. Despite its professed commitment to religious liberty, for example, the ACLU tends to absent itself from cases on college campuses involving the associational rights of Christian student groups to discriminate against gay students, in accordance with their religious beliefs."<ref>Wendy Kaminer, "The American Liberal Liberties Union," Wall Street Journal (May 23, 2007).</ref> Months ''after'' that stinging criticism, the ACLU filed a carefully worded [[amicus curiae]] brief in subsequent litigation in this case that defended Harper because he "neither substantially disrupted the school nor invaded the rights of other students."<ref>http://www.aclusandiego.org/article_downloads/000293/HarperAmicusDistrictCourtFinal.pdf . Buried in the brief near the end of an argument is the statement that "and because "to allow a Day of Silence one day while banning Mr. Harper's shirt the next day may give rise to an inference of viewpoint discrimination rather than justified regulation of student speech regardless of viewpoint" -- but note that it does not argue that inference of viewpoint discrimination would be correct.</ref>

*In 1978, the ACLU defended the right of the National Socialist Party of America (neo-Nazi) to march through Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago that is a community of a large number of Jewish people and Holocaust survivors. The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the village to issue a permit for demonstration to the Nazi Party, which was never used, that was later upheld by the Supreme Court. The ACLU experienced a severe backlash over this case when membership dropped by 25% and plunged the organization $500,000 in debt. <ref> http://openweb.tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/1978-2/1978-02-23-NBC-6.html </ref> <ref> http://www.acluprocon.org/ACLUHistory/HistoryTable.html</ref>

*On January 16, 2008, the ACLU issued a statement supporting Sen. Larry Craig(R-ID) to have his guilty plea to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct in a Minnesota airport restroom withdrawn on the basis that a closed bathroom stall is a private location. While not advocating sex in public bathrooms, the ACLU suggested the police have better means of enforcing laws instead of using entrapment. <ref>http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/33697prs20080116.html</ref>

*In September 2000, the ACLU represented the North American Man/Boy Love Association when the parents of Jeffrey Curley, who was raped, tortured and murdered by two men, filed a $200 million federal lawsuit for wrongful death. John Roberts, the executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU stated, ''It's not a real popular case, but the First Amendment issues are clear.'' The case was dismissed on a technicality. A subsequent lawsuit filed against the murderers, who were not represented by the ACLU, was successful. Jeffrey Curley's father, Robert Curley, was sympathetic to the ACLU's opposition to his lawsuit. "I really do have a lot of respect for them, they are very consistent in who they defend. It takes a lot of nerve to defend the groups they have over the years. They have a lot of courage." <ref>http://sidesplitters.catastrophe.net/arch/2002/www.ageofconsent.com/comments/numberfortytwo.htm</ref> <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE0D91530F932A3575AC0A9669C8B63</ref>

*The ACLU has been involved with lawsuits filed against Attorney Generals Reno, Ashcroft and Gonzales when fighting the enforcement of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA). Federal courts have consistently ruled COPA violates the constitutional protection of free speech and have forbidden enforcement by the federal government. The most current ruling on March 22, 2007 is being appealed.<ref> http://www.mediacoalition.org/legal/copa/index.htm </ref>

*In 1949, the ACLU defended Father Arthur Terminiello, an ex-Catholic priest, who gave a speech at a rally in Chicago that was laced with racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist comments. Father Terminiello was fined $100 for violating Chicago's breach of peace ordinance. This fine was later reversed by the Supreme Court. <ref> http://www.comm.unt.edu/faculty/terminiello_v.htm</ref> <ref> http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12808pub19941231.html</ref>

*The ACLU of Nevada successfully defended the right of a street preacher, Jim Webber, to proselytize his pro-Jesus, anti-sin, and occasional anti-homosexual messages on the Las Vegas strip. The unsuccessful campaign conducted by the casinos failed and allowed Webber and others to stay. Webber is quoted as saying, "the ACLU has been my guardian angel. They have been the ones that have provided the ability for me to stand on the street and talk with people about Jesus Christ." <ref>http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=548951&page=1</ref> <ref>http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-05-Sun-2006/news/6197557.html</ref>

==Free Exercise Clause==
The ACLU at times defends the religious rights of American citizens and residents. See 'ACLU Defense of Freedom of Religious Practice and Expression' at the ACLU's website for 60 examples of Christians and 45 examples of non-Christians represented by the ACLU to protect their religious rights. <ref> http://www.aclu.org/religion/govtfunding/26526res20060824.html </ref>

On March 14, 2008, the ACLU sent a letter to the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy of Inver Grove Heights Minnesota expressing their disapproval of alleged school sponsored prayer during school hours. Concerns were raised about alleged violations of the establishment clause and the 'Lemon Test' because '… the school is improperly involved in promoting and facilitating after-school religious studies conducted under the auspices of the Mosque that is housed in the same building as the school.' Further inquiries are on-going. <ref> http://www.aclu-mn.org/downloads/LettertoTarekAcademy.pdf </ref> <ref> http://www.aclu-mn.org/home/news/aclumnopensinvestigationof.htm </ref>

==Prisoner and student rights==

In the 2007 case ''Spratt v. Rhode Island Department of Corrections'', the ACLU brought suit against the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute following the prison's decision to bar Christian prisoner and lay minister Wesley Spratt from preaching to other inmates during weekly services. The ACLU won the case on appeal, securing the right for Spratt to hold religious services for other inmates so long as these do not conflict with prison security.<ref>ACLU: Appeals Court Overturns Ban on Christian Preacher in Rhode Island Prison (4/9/2007)[http://www.aclu.org/religion/frb/29578prs20070409.html]</ref>

In 2004, student Abbey Moler selected a bible verse to accompany her picture in a school yearbook. The school subsequently removed this text before publication. The ACLU filed suit against the Utica Community School District, on the grounds that this censorship violated Moler's first-amendment rights to free expression and freedom of religion. The case was settled out of court, with the school district agreeing to replace the verse in following prints of the yearbook and correct it by means of a sticker in copies still in its possession.<ref>ACLU: After ACLU Intervention on Behalf of Christian Valedictorian, Michigan High School Agrees to Stop Censoring Religious Yearbook Entries (5/11/2004)
[http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12845prs20040511.html]</ref><ref> The settlement between the ALCU and the school district stated:
* The district will place a sticker with Moler's original entry in the copies of the yearbook on file with the school.
* The district has instructed the Stevenson High School yearbook staff not to censor students' yearbook entries solely because they contain religious or political speech that others might find offensive.
* The district recently provided and will continue to provide in-service training and advice to school staff on free speech and religious freedom issues that arise in school.
* The district will write a letter of regret to Moler apologizing for the failure to include her entry in the yearbook.</ref>

==Medical Records==

The ACLU filed a friend-of-the-court brief in favor of the privacy of Rush Limbaugh in his medical records when he was under investigation for 'doctor shopping.' The ACLU argued that the privacy rights of a patient were being violated.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,108140,00.html</ref>

== Terrorism ==

The ACLU has challenged the authority of the President to authorize wireless wiretaps of overseas communications without submitting to judicial oversight. In ''[[ACLU v. NSA]]'', the Court of Appeals for the [[Sixth Circuit]] rejected the ACLU's challenge.

==Views of the ACLU Founder==

Roger Baldwin, a co-founder of the ACLU and its first leader, was born and raised in Massachusetts. He said that his "social work began in my mind in the Unitarian Church when I was ten or twelve years old, and I started to do things that I thought would help other people.”

In the 1920 and 1930s he was sympathetic to the social goals and aspirations of the emerging communist nations. In 1934, Balwin published his goals in Soviet Russia Today:<ref>The Volokh Conspiracy (blog entry), Eugene Volokh, September 7, 2005 [http://volokh.com/posts/1126138099.shtml]</ref>

:I believe in non-violent methods of struggle as most effective in the long run for building up successful working class power. Where they cannot be followed or where they are not even permitted by the ruling class, obviously only violent tactics remain. I champion civil liberty as the best of the non-violent means of building the power on which workers rule must be based. If I aid the reactionaries to get free speech now and then, if I go outside the class struggle to fight against censorship, it is only because those liberties help to create a more hospitable atmosphere for working class liberties. The class struggle is the central conflict of the world; all others are incidental.

:Proletarian Liberty in Practice

:When that power of the working class is once achieved, as it has been only in the Soviet Union, I am for maintaining it by any means whatever. Dictatorship is the obvious means in a world of enemies at home and abroad. I dislike it in principle as dangerous to its own objects. But the Soviet Union has already created liberties far greater than exist elsewhere in the world. They are liberties that most closely affect the lives of the people — power in the trade unions, in peasant organizations, in the cultural life of nationalities, freedom of women in public and private life, and a tremendous development of education for adults and children. . . .

In 1940 he successfully fought to revise the ACLU charter to prohibit those affiliated with totalitarian organizations from serving on the ACLU board. The immediate target was the former-Wobbly and present Communist Party member, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.

In 1947 General Douglas MacArthur arranged for Baldwin to serve as a civil liberties consultant in Japan.

==See Also==

*[[NAMBLA]]
*[[Fred Phelps]]
*[[Previous Breaking News/ACLU|Articles about the '''ACLU''' from previous "Breaking News" ]]
{{liberalism}}
==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External Links==
*[http://www.law.ucla.edu/volokh/blog/baldwin.pdf Baldwin speaks in defense of communism from 1934]
*http://www.aclu.org
*Anti-ACLU sites:
**http://www.stoptheaclu.com/
**http://www.aclj.org

[[category:politics]]
[[Category:Liberal Organizations]]

Sean Hannity

2008-07-01T21:54:50Z

TrueValues: Hannity has no middle name, as shown in an episode of Hannity & Colmes.

[[Image:SHannity.jpg|right|thumb|230px]]
'''Sean Hannity''' (born December 30, 1961) is a [[conservative]] talk show host and [[television]] co-host of [[Fox News]]'s ''Hannity and Colmes'' show, as well as host of ''Hannity's America''. The youngest of four children, Hannity was born in [[New York City]] to Irish immigrants. He dropped out of college to embark on a [[radio]] career, and in 1988 was at a small-town station of WVNN in [[Huntsville, Alabama]]. He later broke into a Top 10 market in Atlanta at 640 AM WGST. His national recognition came as an occasional substitute host of the #1 radio show of all-time - ''The [[Rush Limbaugh]] Show''.{{fact|date=January 2008}} Allegedly on his first guest show, he dropped the golden EIB microphone because of a case of high nerves. The attention gained from substitute-hosting the show paved his way to national syndication.

==Television==
Sean Hannity was asked to join the newly formed Fox News Channel (FNC) in September 1996<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1242,00.html</ref>.
He accepted the offer and became co-host with Alan Colmes of ''Hannity and Colmes'', a prime time one-hour debate-driven talk show focusing on the controversial issues and newsmakers of the day.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1242,00.html</ref> Today ''Hannity and Colmes'' ranks among the leading cable TV news show (just behind ''Larry King Live'' and the ''O'Reilly Factor''). Critics contend that the conservative Hannity is given more time to talk than the liberal Colmes. Hannity also has a Sunday show on Fox News, entitled ''Hannity's America''.

==Controversy==
Hannity angered traditional [[Catholics]] with his antagonistic treatment of Father Thomas Euteneuer on March 9, 2007, during which Hannity criticized Fr. Euteneuer for prominent sex scandals in the Catholic Church.<ref>http://thebadguy.wordpress.com/2007/03/15/video-of-the-hannity-euteneuer-squabble</ref> After heated remarks by Hannity during the interview, he finally asked the priest, "Wait, would you deny me Communion?" To which Fr. Euteneuer responded, "I would."<ref>http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/abbott/070320</ref>

==Books==
Hannity's books use patriotic rhetoric as a main theme. His first book, in 2002, was entitled ''Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism''. The book remained on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list for 17 weeks.<ref>http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/24930/Sean_Hannity/index.aspx</ref>
In 2004 he wrote ''Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism''. In this book he "reveals how the disgraceful history of appeasement has reached forward from the days of [[Neville Chamberlain]] and [[Jimmy Carter]] to corrupt the unrepentant leftists of the modern [[Democratic Party]] from [[Howard Dean]] and [[John Kerry]] to [[Bill Clinton|Bill]] and [[Hillary Clinton]]."

==Radio==
Hannity reaches approximately 12.5 million radio listeners each day, second only behind Rush Limbaugh.<ref>''Newsweek'', April 27, 2007, p. 29</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== See also ==

*[[Conservative Links]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.hannity.com/ Sean Hannity's Official Website]
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1242,00.html Biography] at Fox News

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hannity, Sean}}
[[Category:Conservative Commentators]]
[[Category:Broadcasters]]

User:TrueValues

2008-07-01T20:45:00Z

TrueValues:

There are some values that are more important than any other. These are truth, chastity, love, and hope among others. To abandon these values is to abandon the way our wonderful country has always been and the reasons the country is great.

{{userboxtop|The True Values}}
{{User straightforwardbiblereading}}
{{User Christian}}
{{User lordshipofchrist}}
{{User tolerancecompromisetruth}}
{{Userbox |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#acf |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=[[Image:flagmyk.jpg|45px]] |info=<center>This user is proud to live in the [[America|greatest best country God has ever given man on the face of the earth]].</center>}}
{{User progun}}
{{userboxbottom}}

Kangaroo

2008-07-01T20:24:19Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 485296 by Rspeed (Talk) Liberal drivel.

[[Image:Kangaroo-bree.png|right|Eastern Grey Kangaroo (''Macropus giganteus'')]]

'''Kangaroos''' are the largest [[marsupial]]s alive today. Excluding specimens sent overseas, they are only found on the continent of [[Australia]] apart from some species in some areas of [[Papua New Guinea]]<ref>[http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html Australia's kangaroos], Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.</ref>. There are at least sixty-nine [[species]] of kangaroo <ref name="kangbio">[http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/wild-harvest/kangaroo/biology.html "Kangaroo Biology"], Australian Government</ref>, which include [[wallabies]] and tree-kangaroos.

==Description==

Kangaroos have large ears on top of their small heads, a long snout, and short arms with clawed fingers. Their legs are strong, powerful, and are made for leaping. Their feet have four toes at the end of elongated metatarsi that they rest on when standing. They also have a powerful, thick tail that is used as support when standing, a third-leg when walking slowly, and for counterbalance while leaping. Like all Marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch on their stomachs in which they carry their young.

===Diet===

Kangaroos are [[herbivore]]s, eating grass, roots, and shrubs. They have a chambered stomach similar to [[sheep]] and [[cattle]]. They are able to regurgitate their food, chew it again as [[cud]], and then swallow it for digestion.

===Social Order===

Kangaroos travel in [[mob | mobs]] of about ten or more males and females. The leader of the mob, called a "boomer", is a male determined by age and size. The boomer has access to females in his mob for mating and will wander around the mob intimidating any other males who try to mate with his harem.

===Reproduction===

Female kangaroos usually only have one baby kangaroo (called a "joey") at a time. The newborn joey weighs as little as .03 ounces when first born, after which it crawls into its mothers pouch where it will nurse, grow, and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys will stay in their mothers pouch for about eight months and Grey Kangaroo joeys stay in there for about one year.

===Development of the Young in the Pouch===

Kangaroos have adapted to the varied conditions across Australia in many ways. One of the most unusual, is the way females of some species can delay the progress of pregnancy. In this way the female is ready to give birth to a replacement for the young in her pouch if it dies early, or within a week of when it permanently leaves the pouch. This ability to delay births means that there can be up to 12 months between a mating and the birth of the young one resulting from that mating (when the normal gestation period is less than 35 days). It also means that the species can best respond to periods of drought and plenty.

Species which have this unusual ability normally mate again soon after the female gives birth. The tiny newly born kangaroo (less than 25 mm long) moves unaided into its mother's pouch and attaches itself to one of four teats. During the early stages of pouch life the young is permanently attached to the teat, but as it matures and begins to grow hair it also develops the ability to release and reattach itself to the teat.

In the late stages of pouch life, once it has a thin covering of fur, the young one begins to explore the outside world for increasing lengths of time until eventually it is old enough to be excluded permanently from the pouch. Complete weaning may take a number of months more after the young has permanently left the pouch. If the mother gives birth during this time, the newborn young will attach itself to a different teat to that being used by the older young. It is remarkable that when this happens the mother produces two different kinds of milk for the two different-aged young<ref name="kangbio"/>.

==Origins==

Consistent with their view that the fossil record as a whole does not support the evolutionary position<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/fossils.asp "Fossils Questions and Answers"], Answers In Genesis</ref><ref>[http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/fsslrcrd.html Creation/Evolution Quotes: Fossil Record]</ref>, creationists state that there is a lack of transitional fossils showing an evolutionary origin of kangaroos. Rebecca Driver writes:

{{QuoteBox|The Macropod family is alleged to have evolved from either the Phalangeridae (possums) or Burramyidae (pygmy-possums)...<br />However, there are no fossils of animals which appear to be intermediate between possums and kangaroos. ''Wabularoo naughtoni'', supposed ancestor of all the macropods, was clearly a kangaroo (it greatly resembles the potoroos which dwell in Victoria’s forests). If modern kangaroos really did come from it, all this shows is the same as we see happening today, namely that kangaroos come from kangaroos, "after their kind." <ref>Driver, Rebecca, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/755/ Kangaroos: God's amazing craftsmanship], ''Creation'' 20(3):28–31, June 1998.</ref>}}

According to the [[origins theory]] model used by young earth [[creation science | creation scientists]], modern kangaroos are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard [[Noah's Ark]] prior to the [[Great Flood]]. It has not yet been determined by [[baraminology | baraminologists]] whether kangaroos form a [[holobaramin]] with the [[wallaby]], [[tree-kangaroo]], [[wallaroo]], [[pademelon]] and [[quokka]], or if all these species are in fact [[Baraminology|apobaramin]]ic or [[Baraminology|polybaramin]]ic.

After the Flood, these kangaroos bred from the Ark passengers migrated to Australia. There is debate whether this migration happened over land<ref name="cab17">[http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter17.pdf "How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia"], Chapter 17 of ''The Creation Answers Book'', by Don Batten (Ed.)</ref> with lower sea levels during the post-flood [[ice age]], or before the super-continent of [[Pangea]] broke apart<ref>[http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2808 "Pangea and the Flood"], Apologetics Press</ref>
The idea that God simply generated kangaroos into existence there is considered by most creation researchers to be contra-Biblical.

Other views on kangaroo origins include the belief of some [[Australian Aborigines]] that kangaroos were sung into existence by their ancestors during the "[[Dreamtime]]" <ref>[http://www.painsley.org.uk/RE/signposts/y8/1-1creationandenvironment/c-abor.htm "An Aborigine Creation Story"]</ref> and the evolutionary view that kangaroos and the other marsupials evolved from a common marsupial ancestor which lived hundreds of millions of years ago.<ref>[http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1995/australia.html "Australian Mammals: Evolutionary Development as a Result of Geographic Isolation"]</ref>

According to their interpretation of claimed genetic and paleontological evidence, a majority of biologists regard [[Theory of evolution|evolution]] as the most likely explanation for the origin of species including the kangaroo.

== External Links ==
*[http://www.exzooberance.com/virtual%20zoo/they%20walk/kangaroo/kangaroo.htm Kangaroo facts]
*[http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/kangaroos.html Answers About Kangaroos]
*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/migration.asp How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia?]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Marsupials]]
[[Category:Australia]]

Affirmative Action President

2008-07-01T01:53:03Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 484895 by Mobilepope (Talk) The comments are pro-aa. AA is a liberal ideal.

Kangaroo

2008-07-01T01:43:37Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 484890 by Creationdefender (Talk) Vandal

[[Image:Kangaroo-bree.png|right|Eastern Grey Kangaroo (''Macropus giganteus'')]]

'''Kangaroos''' are the largest [[marsupial]]s alive today. Excluding specimens sent overseas, they are only found on the continent of [[Australia]] apart from some species in some areas of [[Papua New Guinea]]<ref>[http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html Australia's kangaroos], Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.</ref>. There are at least sixty-nine [[species]] of kangaroo <ref name="kangbio">[http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/wild-harvest/kangaroo/biology.html "Kangaroo Biology"], Australian Government</ref>, which include [[wallabies]] and tree-kangaroos.

==Description==

Kangaroos have large ears on top of their small heads, a long snout, and short arms with clawed fingers. Their legs are strong, powerful, and are made for leaping. Their feet have four toes at the end of elongated metatarsi that they rest on when standing. They also have a powerful, thick tail that is used as support when standing, a third-leg when walking slowly, and for counterbalance while leaping. Like all Marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch on their stomachs in which they carry their young.

===Diet===

Kangaroos are [[herbivore]]s, eating grass, roots, and shrubs. They have a chambered stomach similar to [[sheep]] and [[cattle]]. They are able to regurgitate their food, chew it again as [[cud]], and then swallow it for digestion.

===Social Order===

Kangaroos travel in [[mob | mobs]] of about ten or more males and females. The leader of the mob, called a "boomer", is a male determined by age and size. The boomer has access to females in his mob for mating and will wander around the mob intimidating any other males who try to mate with his harem.

===Reproduction===

Female kangaroos usually only have one baby kangaroo (called a "joey") at a time. The newborn joey weighs as little as .03 ounces when first born, after which it crawls into its mothers pouch where it will nurse, grow, and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys will stay in their mothers pouch for about eight months and Grey Kangaroo joeys stay in there for about one year.

===Development of the Young in the Pouch===

Kangaroos have adapted to the varied conditions across Australia in many ways. One of the most unusual, is the way females of some species can delay the progress of pregnancy. In this way the female is ready to give birth to a replacement for the young in her pouch if it dies early, or within a week of when it permanently leaves the pouch. This ability to delay births means that there can be up to 12 months between a mating and the birth of the young one resulting from that mating (when the normal gestation period is less than 35 days). It also means that the species can best respond to periods of drought and plenty.

Species which have this unusual ability normally mate again soon after the female gives birth. The tiny newly born kangaroo (less than 25 mm long) moves unaided into its mother's pouch and attaches itself to one of four teats. During the early stages of pouch life the young is permanently attached to the teat, but as it matures and begins to grow hair it also develops the ability to release and reattach itself to the teat.

In the late stages of pouch life, once it has a thin covering of fur, the young one begins to explore the outside world for increasing lengths of time until eventually it is old enough to be excluded permanently from the pouch. Complete weaning may take a number of months more after the young has permanently left the pouch. If the mother gives birth during this time, the newborn young will attach itself to a different teat to that being used by the older young. It is remarkable that when this happens the mother produces two different kinds of milk for the two different-aged young<ref name="kangbio"/>.

==Origins==

Consistent with their view that the fossil record as a whole does not support the evolutionary position<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/fossils.asp "Fossils Questions and Answers"], Answers In Genesis</ref><ref>[http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/fsslrcrd.html Creation/Evolution Quotes: Fossil Record]</ref>, creationists state that there is a lack of transitional fossils showing an evolutionary origin of kangaroos. Rebecca Driver writes:

{{QuoteBox|The Macropod family is alleged to have evolved from either the Phalangeridae (possums) or Burramyidae (pygmy-possums)...<br />However, there are no fossils of animals which appear to be intermediate between possums and kangaroos. ''Wabularoo naughtoni'', supposed ancestor of all the macropods, was clearly a kangaroo (it greatly resembles the potoroos which dwell in Victoria’s forests). If modern kangaroos really did come from it, all this shows is the same as we see happening today, namely that kangaroos come from kangaroos, "after their kind." <ref>Driver, Rebecca, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/755/ Kangaroos: God's amazing craftsmanship], ''Creation'' 20(3):28–31, June 1998.</ref>}}

According to the [[origins theory]] model used by young earth [[creation science | creation scientists]], modern kangaroos are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard [[Noah's Ark]] prior to the [[Great Flood]]. It has not yet been determined by [[baraminology | baraminologists]] whether kangaroos form a [[holobaramin]] with the [[wallaby]], [[tree-kangaroo]], [[wallaroo]], [[pademelon]] and [[quokka]], or if all these species are in fact [[Baraminology|apobaramin]]ic or [[Baraminology|polybaramin]]ic.

After the Flood, these kangaroos bred from the Ark passengers migrated to Australia. There is debate whether this migration happened over land<ref name="cab17">[http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter17.pdf "How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia"], Chapter 17 of ''The Creation Answers Book'', by Don Batten (Ed.)</ref> with lower sea levels during the post-flood [[ice age]], or before the super-continent of [[Pangea]] broke apart<ref>[http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2808 "Pangea and the Flood"], Apologetics Press</ref>
The idea that God simply generated kangaroos into existence there is considered by most creation researchers to be contra-Biblical.

Other views on kangaroo origins include the belief of some [[Australian Aborigines]] that kangaroos were sung into existence by their ancestors during the "[[Dreamtime]]" <ref>[http://www.painsley.org.uk/RE/signposts/y8/1-1creationandenvironment/c-abor.htm "An Aborigine Creation Story"]</ref> and the evolutionary view that kangaroos and the other marsupials evolved from a common marsupial ancestor which lived hundreds of millions of years ago.<ref>[http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1995/australia.html "Australian Mammals: Evolutionary Development as a Result of Geographic Isolation"]</ref>

According to their interpretation of claimed genetic and paleontological evidence, a majority of biologists regard [[Theory of evolution|evolution]] as the most likely explanation for the origin of species including the kangaroo.

== External Links ==
*[http://www.exzooberance.com/virtual%20zoo/they%20walk/kangaroo/kangaroo.htm Kangaroo facts]
*[http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/kangaroos.html Answers About Kangaroos]
*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/migration.asp How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia?]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Marsupials]]
[[Category:Australia]]

Richard Lenski

2008-07-01T01:26:43Z

TrueValues: I believe Henry said no.

'''Richard Lenski''' is a professor of microbial [[ecology]] at Michigan State [[University]]. He holds a [[doctorate]] from the [[University of North Carolina]] and a B.A. from Oberlin College but does not disclose his fields for those degrees on his own biographical sketch. For his past work studying microbial evolution he received a MacArthur Fellowship and in 2006 was elected into the United States National Academy of Sciences.<ref>https://www.msu.edu/~lenski/</ref>

Lenski is best known for his claim to have observed [[evolution]] of [[E. coli]] in a long-term laboratory study, insisting that it was not due to contamination. His 2008 paper asserting his claims was [[peer review]]ed in a mere 14 days, sparking questions from the [[user:Aschlafly|owner]] of this site<ref>See [[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]].</ref> about the thoroughness of the review.

When challenged, Lenski displayed several examples of irrational [[Professor values|behavior]], thrice referring to the challenges as [[slander]], yet has filed no [[lawsuit]] charging that (or [[libel]]). [[Truth]] offers total legal protection from accusations of libel. He has also displayed annoyance and [[elitism]] when asked to release the information.<ref>See [[Conservapedia:Lenski_dialog#Second_reply|Lenski's second reply to Andrew Schlafly]]</ref>

When Lenski received a public request for the [[data]] underlying for his published claims, he did not provide the actual data even though his study was taxpayer-funded.

Undisclosed data from the central claims in Lenski's 2008 paper are noted below (pp. 2-3 from paper, superscripts omitted):<ref>For those wishing to review the paper personally it may be found at [http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2008,%20PNAS,%20Blount%20et%20al.pdf this link] from Lenski's website.</ref>

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__NOTOC__
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10 cellpadding=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#003366 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Undisclosed Data</font>
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#000000 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Our Questions about the missing data</font></TD></TR></table>

===Visual inspection===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Evolution of Cit Function in Population Ara-3. The LTEE populations are transferred daily into fresh medium, and the turbidity of each is checked visually at that time. ...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data on these observations?

</TD></TR></table>

===Turbidity===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...the cultures are only slightly turbid when transferred. Occasional contaminants that grow on citrate have been seen over the 20 years of this experiment.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data? When and how many?
</TD></TR></table>

===Contaminants???===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
These contaminated cultures reach much higher turbidity owing to the high concentration of citrate in the medium, which allows the contaminants to reach high density. (When contamination occurs, the affected population is restarted from the latest frozen sample.)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data for when that occurred, and how often?

A Lenski defender says, "If interested in a thorough review, contact the group directly, with a legitimate request for data. Otherwise, the disclaimer is a more than adequate description of the sample handling process."

In fact, two requests were made directly to Lenski for data, without success. His second response was rude and insulting.
</TD></TR></table>

===The Numbers Please?===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
After 33,127 generations, one population, designated Ara-3, displayed significantly elevated turbidity that continued to rise for several days (Fig. 1).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Higher resolution data underlying figure not provided despite request.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing Numbers===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
A number...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data? How many? Statistically significant?
</TD></TR></table>

===We're Professional Scientists===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
of Cit clones were isolated from the population and checked for phenotypic markers characteristic of the ancestral E. coli strain used to start the LTEE: all
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data? How many? Statistically significant?
</TD></TR></table>

===Missing Characteristics===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...were Ara, T5-sensitive, and T6-resistant, as expected (2)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data about these and other characteristics?

A Lenski defender says, "Interested parties should consult the literature on these topics. It is not within the scope of this paper to address the significance of these markers."

What is missing from disclosure are the data that the markers were actually observed in a reliable and conclusive manner in this study.
</TD></TR></table>

===DNA===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
DNA sequencing also showed...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA??

A Lenski defender says, "The inclusion of this data would be considerably more extensive than appropriate for the inclusion in this paper."

No one asked for the data to be printed in the paper. What is missing is disclosure of the data on the website, or upon public request.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...that Cit clones have the same mutations in the pykF and nadR genes as do clones from earlier generations of the Ara-3 population, ...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data about these and other characteristics?

A Lenski defender cites to general information unrelated to this study: Available in other publications,
pykF <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/gs/519955.html "IHOP-pykF"]</ref> and
nadR <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/mgi/447129.html "IHOP-nadR"]</ref>.

A Lenski defender also cites an earlier claim (perhaps also unsupported by public release of the data) by Lenski's group: See also the reference for the sequence identification which Blount ''et al.'' list as reference #30 in their paper: Woods, R., D. Schneider, C. L. Winkworth, M. A. Riley, and R. E. Lenski. 2006. Tests of parallel molecular evolution in a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli. PNAS, USA 103:9107-9112.<ref>http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0602917103v1</ref>.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...and each of these mutations distinguishes this population from all the others (30).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
Data distinguishing "This population from all the others"?
</TD></TR></table>

===Fast Tracked===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Therefore, the Cit variant arose within the LTEE and is not a contaminant.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
The astoundingly short 14-day [[peer review | PEER REVIEW]] period, measured from the day the paper was sent out for review to the day of formal contribution by Lenski after acceptance, raises questions as to whether there was any meaningful peer review of this at all.
</TD></TR></table>

== ==
Lenski's paper was published in the Proceedings of the [[National Academy of Sciences]], a professional society of scientists with a strong bias towards atheism and evolutionism. <ref>http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/news/file002.html</ref> <ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/3506.asp</ref>

Lenski's work has been criticized in the past also. In a paper Lenski published in ''Nature'' in May 8, 2003 entitled "The Evolutionary Origin of Complex Features," he described a computer simulation that contained no actual biology. In fact, the discussion section of the paper stated:

:"Some readers might suggest that we 'stacked the deck' by studying the evolution of a complex feature that could be built on simpler functions that were also useful. However, that is precisely what evolutionary theory requires ...."

Dr. William Dembski explained, "In other words, the computer programmers built into the simulation what they thought evolution needed to make it work. The validity of this study therefore depends on whether the simulation faithfully models biological reality."<ref>http://www.designinference.com/documents/2003.09.UncDiss_Intro_Contribs.pdf</ref>

The importance of the simulation is to show that complex patterns can grow from simple inputs, which was demonstrated by the results of this simulation. Although Lenski freely disclaims the use of true biology in the simulation, his result is nevertheless quite important. The validity is not contigent, as is claimed above, upon the specific biological system.

==See Also==

*[[Conservapedia:Lenski dialog]] (letters requesting data, and Lenski's responses)
*[[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]] (discussion of Lenski controversy<ref>See [[Liberal style]] point 1</ref>)
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenski, Richard}}

HPV vaccine

2008-07-01T01:17:46Z

TrueValues: removing liberal support.

The '''HPV vaccine''' is a product developed by [[Merck]] under the brand name Gardasil, and it protects against a few strains of a sexually transmitted disease. Specifically, this vaccine protects against types 6, 11, 16 and 18 of the human papillomavirus
(HPV), which is transmitted only by sexual contact with a partner.

Only about 3% of women are infected in their lifetime by these four types of HPV (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) targeted by the vaccine.<ref>This was confirmed by a study published February 28, 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA 297(8):813-819, February 28, 2007.</ref>

There have been 3,461 adverse reactions, including eleven deaths, reportedly due to the HPV vaccine since the FDA approval in June 2006.<ref>http://www.judicialwatch.org/6428.shtml</ref>

The HPV vaccine does not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, syphilis, [[HIV]], [[AIDS]], etc.), and the vaccine is not recommended for use in pregnant women or girls.<ref>http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/g/gardasil/gardasil_pi.pdf</ref>

The HPV vaccine is being promoted as protection against cervical cancer, but Merck itself does not ensure protection in its package insert.<ref>http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/g/gardasil/gardasil_pi.pdf</ref> Rather, this claim is based on research showing that 70% of cervical cancer cases also have prevalence of these four strains of HPV, but correlation is not necessarily causation.<ref>http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV</ref> Cervical cancer has already been quickly declining in the United States ''without'' the vaccine.

The FDA approved this HPV vaccine without reviewing any epidemiological studies, and after monitoring for only a brief period elevated [[antibody]] levels in recipients of the vaccine.<ref> http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5602a1.htm</ref> No tests were done, for example, to see if the vaccine causes cancer or birth defects in rats, though such tests would be easy for the FDA to require, if it weren't for the possibility that it might cause disapproval of the vaccine.<ref>http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/g/gardasil/gardasil_pi.pdf</ref>

The long-term consequences of the HPV vaccine are not known. Children in the 9-year-old age group have been monitored for only 18 months, and there have been no studies of possible longer-term risks of the vaccine, such as infertility or cancer.

Merck sells Gardasil for $360 ($120 per shot in a three-shot series). Adding administrative costs, the overall cost to the public is $400-500 per child vaccinated. Doing the math, the cost of vaccinating 100 children will be at least $40,000, but only 3 out of that 100 will ever be exposed to the HPV types targeted by the vaccine.

The average age of diagnosis of cervical cancer is 48 years old. Accordingly, the effective cost is $13,000 per child to possibly protect her against a cancer over 30 years in the future. But the vaccine is not known to be effective for more than five years; most new vaccines are not effective any longer than that.

A 100% effective means of protection against the same disease is freely available, and it is [[abstinence]]. Moreover, pap smears are an inexpensive and easy way to detect, manage and treat cervical cancer without allowing it to become fatal.

The [[Association of American Physicians and Surgeons]], the Texas Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have not supported making this vaccine mandatory.

Dr. Jon Abramson, a member of the [[CDC]]'s advisory committee on immunization practices, said to the Washington Times that "I told Merck my personal opinion that it shouldn't be mandated. And they heard it from other committee members."<ref>http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=21151</ref>

In addition to the above referenced injuries and deaths, many girls who receive the HPV vaccine say that it is the most painful of all injections they get, and that the vaccine itself burns, unlike the "other shots [that] tend to hurt only at the moment of the needle stick, and not after the vaccine plunges in." Many girls have been known to pass out from the pain.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22492557/</ref>

Parents can best decide whether to give this unproven vaccine to their own children, most of whom are never likely to benefit from it.

----
<references/>

[[category:pharmaceuticals]]
[[Category:vaccines]]

User talk:Argon

2008-07-01T00:55:36Z

TrueValues:

Ha well. Looks like actual information about Lenski represents "meaningless clutter" on the Lenski page. Who would have thought it?--[[User:British_cons|British_cons]] [[User_talk:British_cons|(talk)]] 14:04, 30 June 2008 (EDT)
:The fact that he was elected into one of the most prestigious scientific organizations appears to matter little. He's just a professor who 'oddly' didn't include the field of his degrees in his 'about me' web page. One can lead a horse to water but one can't make him read the paper.--[[User:Argon|Argon]] 17:39, 30 June 2008 (EDT)
::Forgive me for the edits. --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:55, 30 June 2008 (EDT)

User talk:HenryS

2008-07-01T00:51:32Z

TrueValues: /* RE: Lenski */ new section

<center>''Complain below, please''</center>

I have noticed how often you have gone around and helpfully added category or whatnot to articles after I have fuddled them up. Just wanted to thank you. :) --[[user:TomMoore|<font color="#000066" >Tom Moore</font>]]<sup>[[User talk:TomMoore|fiat justitia ruat coelum]]</sup> 17:43, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
:There's not much going on right now. Recent changes is flooded with deletions. Thanks for creating the article, its always nice to get new content. Btw, are you going to start up a discussion for [[Liberal Style]]? Since we both know deletion is unlikely, perhaps request moving it out of the encyclopedia namespace? [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 17:44, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
::I try not to pick fights over any of the honeypot articles. I mean, if I were to go after Liberal Style I'd have to go after the literally thirty similar pages, and probably the forty-odd pages with nothing but quotes about homosexuality. I'd rather edit on issues of clear fact, rather than on things deemed "obvious" and get myself condemned as "clueless."--[[user:TomMoore|<font color="#000066" >Tom Moore</font>]]<sup>[[User talk:TomMoore|fiat justitia ruat coelum]]</sup> 17:55, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
:::I know that these thirty Liberal _____ articles will always exist on this site. But that is no reason to create even more of them (Conservative ______). The problem is that they are inherently unencyclopedic, though I am sure you know that already. A massive cross-namespace move isn't too difficult, why not pursue that? Perhaps to the "conservapedia" namespace? Or how about requesting adding all of them into a single "list of liberal characteristics" article, so that way there aren't so many of them? [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 18:04, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
::::That's a good point. If I write a petition to this effect, will you sign it?--[[user:TomMoore|<font color="#000066" >Tom Moore</font>]]<sup>[[User talk:TomMoore|fiat justitia ruat coelum]]</sup> 18:10, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
:::::Most likely. Also ask CPAdmin1. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 18:12, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
::::::[[User:TomMoore/Petition_Regarding_Ideological_Articles]] :) --[[user:TomMoore|<font color="#000066" >Tom Moore</font>]]<sup>[[User talk:TomMoore|fiat justitia ruat coelum]]</sup> 18:23, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
:::::::I already signed. I would wait a few days then present it to ASchalfly. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 18:24, 18 June 2008 (EDT)
::::::::Alrighty.--[[user:TomMoore|<font color="#000066" >Tom Moore</font>]]<sup>[[User talk:TomMoore|fiat justitia ruat coelum]]</sup> 18:26, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

Could you explain what was nonsensical about the article? The content was calculated from an actual page on Conservapedia, so I'm unsure about what exactly the issue was. --[[User:IlTrovatore|IlTrovatore]] 23:24, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

The article was not witty, it was factual. I would say that any material that is supported with factual evidence and makes claims that do not seek to further an argument is appropriate for an encyclopedia. In fact, I believe that an encyclopedia is strengthened when it acknowledges and addresses its own editorial practices. --[[User:IlTrovatore|IlTrovatore]] 23:34, 18 June 2008 (EDT)

On that note, can the article be reinstated? --[[User:IlTrovatore|IlTrovatore]] 20:23, 19 June 2008 (EDT)
:No. Please be serious about this project. We would all appreciate if you write about notable things. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 20:28, 19 June 2008 (EDT)

But what counts as "notable"? Why are all the "liberal _____" articles "notable," but an article detailing Conservapedia's editorial practices are not? Please do not dismiss this as a joke; I am asking you a serious question about what determines whether or not a topic is worthy of inclusion. --[[User:IlTrovatore|IlTrovatore]] 23:37, 19 June 2008 (EDT)
:The "Liberal ______" articles are not encyclopedic, I agree. If you want, go sign that petition. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 23:59, 19 June 2008 (EDT)

In an effort to appease your desire for "encyclopedic content" while at the same time filling what I believe to be a valid need for commentary on Conservapedia's own editorial practices, I would like to create a page about the more general topic of Conservapedia's features and how they are used. I would like to work with you to accomplish this in a way that is agreeable to everyone, yet still portrays the truth. --[[User:IlTrovatore|IlTrovatore]] 23:21, 24 June 2008 (EDT)

== A lesson in irony (Guard Dog) ==

Second autoblock in just a few hours... XD Thanks for reverting it, and I'm sure that vandal got a good laugh out of it, too :P --[[User:KevinM|KevinM]] 18:10, 23 June 2008 (EDT)

== RE: Lenski ==

Alright, thank you for the tip --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:51, 30 June 2008 (EDT)

Affirmative Action President

2008-07-01T00:50:33Z

TrueValues: Liberal bias

Affirmative Action President

2008-07-01T00:48:41Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 484841 by Reaganright (Talk) Vandal

An '''Affirmative Action President''' is someone selected for that office based partly or entirely on the person's race or gender. Every U.S. President has been a white male. As of 2008, [[affirmative action]] has not yet been successfully used to fill the position of President of the [[United States]].
However, in the past blacks and women couldn't vote or run for President, and white males did benefit from their race and gender.

An Affirmative Action President is strongly supported by some [[liberals]] who favor [[affirmative action]]. As they support [[affirmative action]] for other positions, it is a logical extension for them to favor it for the presidency also.

These supporters of an Affirmative Action President are likely to support a candidate based in part on the candidate's race or gender in order to bring historical [[diversity]] to the position and promote broader acceptance of [[affirmative action]].

Under [[affirmative action]], a candidate's race or gender is as important as, and perhaps more important, than traditional criteria of qualifications and experience.

On Feb. 4, 2008, ten days after this entry appeared here, Michael Savage commented that, if elected, [[Barack Obama]] will be the first Affirmative Action President, as he has such a small amount of political (or military) experience.<ref>For example, popular radio commentator [[Michael Savage]] observed, "We have a woman and a multi-ethnic man running for office on the Democrat side. Is this not akin to a -- an affirmative action election? Isn't that why the libs are hysterical, tripping over themselves to say [[amen]] and yes to this affirmative election vote?" Savage added, "America's not ready for an affirmative action presidency." [http://mediamatters.org/items/200802040008]</ref>

On March 10, 2008, an article is posted on myMaineToday.com entitled, "Are We Ready For An Affirmative Action President?"<ref>http://my.mainetoday.com/story.html?ID=2110</ref>

On March 11, 2008, John Harwood published an article on CNBC's website entitled, "Obama: Affirmative Action Candidate?!"<ref>http://www.cnbc.com/id/23579121/</ref>

On March 12, 2008, Joseph Farah, founder of Worldnetdaily.com, published a column entitled, "The affirmative-action president."<ref>http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=58632</ref>

==See Also==
[[Nepotism President]]

== Reference ==

<references/>

[[category:politics]]

User talk:Argon

2008-07-01T00:48:15Z

TrueValues:

Ha well. Looks like actual information about Lenski represents "meaningless clutter" on the Lenski page. Who would have thought it?--[[User:British_cons|British_cons]] [[User_talk:British_cons|(talk)]] 14:04, 30 June 2008 (EDT)
:The fact that he was elected into one of the most prestigious scientific organizations appears to matter little. He's just a professor who 'oddly' didn't include the field of his degrees in his 'about me' web page. One can lead a horse to water but one can't make him read the paper.--[[User:Argon|Argon]] 17:39, 30 June 2008 (EDT)
::Adding every little thing liberals have praised him for makes an article seem weighed with clutter. --[[User:TrueValues|TrueValues]] 20:48, 30 June 2008 (EDT)

Richard Lenski

2008-07-01T00:39:18Z

TrueValues: More liberal drivel

'''Richard Lenski''' is a professor of microbial [[ecology]] at Michigan State [[University]]. He holds a [[doctorate]] from the [[University of North Carolina]] and a B.A. from Oberlin College but does not disclose his fields for those degrees on his own biographical sketch.

Lenski is best known for his claim to have observed [[evolution]] of [[E. coli]] in a long-term laboratory study, insisting that it was not due to contamination. His 2008 paper asserting his claims was [[peer review]]ed in a mere 14 days, sparking questions from the [[user:Aschlafly|owner]] of this site<ref>See [[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]].</ref> about the thoroughness of the review.

When challenged, Lenski displayed several examples of irrational [[Professor values|behavior]], thrice referring to the challenges as [[slander]], yet has filed no [[lawsuit]] charging that (or [[libel]]). [[Truth]] offers total legal protection from accusations of libel. He has also displayed annoyance and [[elitism]] when asked to release the information.<ref>See [[Conservapedia:Lenski_dialog#Second_reply|Lenski's second reply to Andrew Schlafly]]</ref>

When Lenski received a public request for the [[data]] underlying for his published claims, he did not provide the actual data even though his study was taxpayer-funded.

Undisclosed data from the central claims in Lenski's 2008 paper are noted below (pp. 2-3 from paper, superscripts omitted):<ref>For those wishing to review the paper personally it may be found at [http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2008,%20PNAS,%20Blount%20et%20al.pdf this link] from Lenski's website.</ref>

<includeonly>
{{DEFAULTSORT:{{PAGENAME}}}}
</includeonly>
__NOTOC__
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10 cellpadding=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#003366 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Undisclosed Data</font>
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#000000 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Our Questions about the missing data</font></TD></TR></table>

===Visual inspection===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Evolution of Cit Function in Population Ara-3. The LTEE populations are transferred daily into fresh medium, and the turbidity of each is checked visually at that time. ...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ON THESE OBSERVATIONS?

</TD></TR></table>

===Turbidity===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...the cultures are only slightly turbid when transferred. Occasional contaminants that grow on citrate have been seen over the 20 years of this experiment.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? WHEN AND HOW MANY?
</TD></TR></table>

===Contaminants???===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
These contaminated cultures reach much higher turbidity owing to the high concentration of citrate in the medium, which allows the contaminants to reach high density. (When contamination occurs, the affected population is restarted from the latest frozen sample.)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA FOR WHEN THAT OCCURRED, AND HOW OFTEN?

A Lenski defender says, "If interested in a thorough review, contact the group directly, with a legitimate request for data. Otherwise, the disclaimer is a more than adequate description of the sample handling process."

IN FACT, TWO REQUESTS WERE MADE DIRECTLY TO LENSKI FOR DATA, WITHOUT SUCCESS. HIS [[Conservapedia:Lenski_dialog#Second_reply|SECOND RESPONSE]] WAS RUDE AND INSULTING.
</TD></TR></table>

===The Numbers Please?===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
After 33,127 generations, one population, designated Ara-3, displayed significantly elevated turbidity that continued to rise for several days (Fig. 1).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
HIGHER RESOLUTION DATA UNDERLYING FIGURE NOT PROVIDED DESPITE REQUEST
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing Numbers===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
A number...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? HOW MANY? STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT?
</TD></TR></table>

===We're Professional Scientists===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
of Cit clones were isolated from the population and checked for phenotypic markers characteristic of the ancestral E. coli strain used to start the LTEE: all
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? HOW MANY? STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT?
</TD></TR></table>

===Missing Characteristics===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...were Ara, T5-sensitive, and T6-resistant, as expected (2)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ABOUT THESE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS?

A Lenski defender says, "Interested parties should consult the literature on these topics. It is not within the scope of this paper to address the significance of these markers."

WHAT IS MISSING FROM DISCLOSURE ARE THE DATA THAT THE MARKERS WERE ACTUALLY OBSERVED IN A RELIABLE AND CONCLUSIVE MANNER IN THIS STUDY.
</TD></TR></table>

===DNA===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
DNA sequencing also showed...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA??

A Lenski defender says, "The inclusion of this data would be considerably more extensive than appropriate for the inclusion in this paper."

NO ONE ASKED FOR THE DATA TO BE PRINTED IN THE PAPER. WHAT IS MISSING IS DISCLOSURE OF THE DATA ON THE WEBSITE, OR UPON PUBLIC REQUEST.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...that Cit clones have the same mutations in the pykF and nadR genes as do clones from earlier generations of the Ara-3 population, ...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ABOUT THESE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS?

A Lenski defender cites to general information unrelated to this study: Available in other publications,
pykF <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/gs/519955.html "IHOP-pykF"]</ref> and
nadR <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/mgi/447129.html "IHOP-nadR"]</ref>.

A Lenski defender also cites an earlier claim (perhaps also unsupported by public release of the data) by Lenski's group: See also the reference for the sequence identification which Blount ''et al.'' list as reference #30 in their paper: Woods, R., D. Schneider, C. L. Winkworth, M. A. Riley, and R. E. Lenski. 2006. Tests of parallel molecular evolution in a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli. PNAS, USA 103:9107-9112.<ref>http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0602917103v1</ref>.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...and each of these mutations distinguishes this population from all the others (30).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA DISTINGUISHING "THIS POPULATION FROM ALL THE OTHERS"?

</TD></TR></table>

===Fast Tracked===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Therefore, the Cit variant arose within the LTEE and is not a contaminant.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
THE ASTOUNDINGLY SHORT 14-DAY [[peer review | PEER REVIEW]] PERIOD, MEASURED FROM THE DAY THE PAPER WAS SENT OUT FOR REVIEW TO THE DAY OF FORMAL CONTRIBUTION BY LENSKI AFTER ACCEPTANCE, RAISES QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ANY MEANINGFUL PEER REVIEW OF THIS AT ALL.
</TD></TR></table>

== ==
Lenski's paper was published in the Proceedings of the [[National Academy of Sciences]], an atheist lobbying organization masquerading as a professional society. <ref>http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/news/file002.html</ref> <ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/3506.asp</ref>

Lenski's work has been criticized in the past also. In a paper Lenski published in ''Nature'' in May 8, 2003 entitled "The Evolutionary Origin of Complex Features," he described a computer simulation that contained no actual biology. In fact, the discussion section of the paper stated:

:"Some readers might suggest that we 'stacked the deck' by studying the evolution of a complex feature that could be built on simpler functions that were also useful. However, that is precisely what evolutionary theory requires ...."

Dr. William Dembski explained, "In other words, the computer programmers built into the simulation what they thought evolution needed to make it work. The validity of this study therefore depends on whether the simulation faithfully models biological reality."<ref>http://www.designinference.com/documents/2003.09.UncDiss_Intro_Contribs.pdf</ref>

The importance of the simulation is to show that complex patterns can grow from simple inputs, which was demonstrated by the results of this simulation. Although Lenski freely disclaims the use of true biology in the simulation, his result is nevertheless quite important. The validity is not contigent, as is claimed above, upon the specific biological system.

==See Also==

*[[Conservapedia:Lenski dialog]] (letters requesting data, and Lenski's responses)
*[[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]] (discussion of Lenski controversy<ref>See [[Liberal style]] point 1</ref>)
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenski, Richard}}

Richard Lenski

2008-07-01T00:38:43Z

TrueValues: Undo revision 484824 by Argon (Talk) Removing liberal drivel

'''Richard Lenski''' is a professor of microbial [[ecology]] at Michigan State [[University]]. He holds a [[doctorate]] from the [[University of North Carolina]] and a B.A. from Oberlin College but does not disclose his fields for those degrees on his own biographical sketch. For his past work he received a MacArthur Fellowship and in 2006 was elected into the United States National Academy of Sciences.<ref>https://www.msu.edu/~lenski/</ref>

Lenski is best known for his claim to have observed [[evolution]] of [[E. coli]] in a long-term laboratory study, insisting that it was not due to contamination. His 2008 paper asserting his claims was [[peer review]]ed in a mere 14 days, sparking questions from the [[user:Aschlafly|owner]] of this site<ref>See [[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]].</ref> about the thoroughness of the review.

When challenged, Lenski displayed several examples of irrational [[Professor values|behavior]], thrice referring to the challenges as [[slander]], yet has filed no [[lawsuit]] charging that (or [[libel]]). [[Truth]] offers total legal protection from accusations of libel. He has also displayed annoyance and [[elitism]] when asked to release the information.<ref>See [[Conservapedia:Lenski_dialog#Second_reply|Lenski's second reply to Andrew Schlafly]]</ref>

When Lenski received a public request for the [[data]] underlying for his published claims, he did not provide the actual data even though his study was taxpayer-funded.

Undisclosed data from the central claims in Lenski's 2008 paper are noted below (pp. 2-3 from paper, superscripts omitted):<ref>For those wishing to review the paper personally it may be found at [http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2008,%20PNAS,%20Blount%20et%20al.pdf this link] from Lenski's website.</ref>

<includeonly>
{{DEFAULTSORT:{{PAGENAME}}}}
</includeonly>
__NOTOC__
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10 cellpadding=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#003366 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Undisclosed Data</font>
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#000000 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Our Questions about the missing data</font></TD></TR></table>

===Visual inspection===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Evolution of Cit Function in Population Ara-3. The LTEE populations are transferred daily into fresh medium, and the turbidity of each is checked visually at that time. ...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ON THESE OBSERVATIONS?

</TD></TR></table>

===Turbidity===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...the cultures are only slightly turbid when transferred. Occasional contaminants that grow on citrate have been seen over the 20 years of this experiment.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? WHEN AND HOW MANY?
</TD></TR></table>

===Contaminants???===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
These contaminated cultures reach much higher turbidity owing to the high concentration of citrate in the medium, which allows the contaminants to reach high density. (When contamination occurs, the affected population is restarted from the latest frozen sample.)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA FOR WHEN THAT OCCURRED, AND HOW OFTEN?

A Lenski defender says, "If interested in a thorough review, contact the group directly, with a legitimate request for data. Otherwise, the disclaimer is a more than adequate description of the sample handling process."

IN FACT, TWO REQUESTS WERE MADE DIRECTLY TO LENSKI FOR DATA, WITHOUT SUCCESS. HIS [[Conservapedia:Lenski_dialog#Second_reply|SECOND RESPONSE]] WAS RUDE AND INSULTING.
</TD></TR></table>

===The Numbers Please?===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
After 33,127 generations, one population, designated Ara-3, displayed significantly elevated turbidity that continued to rise for several days (Fig. 1).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
HIGHER RESOLUTION DATA UNDERLYING FIGURE NOT PROVIDED DESPITE REQUEST
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing Numbers===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
A number...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? HOW MANY? STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT?
</TD></TR></table>

===We're Professional Scientists===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
of Cit clones were isolated from the population and checked for phenotypic markers characteristic of the ancestral E. coli strain used to start the LTEE: all
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? HOW MANY? STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT?
</TD></TR></table>

===Missing Characteristics===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...were Ara, T5-sensitive, and T6-resistant, as expected (2)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ABOUT THESE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS?

A Lenski defender says, "Interested parties should consult the literature on these topics. It is not within the scope of this paper to address the significance of these markers."

WHAT IS MISSING FROM DISCLOSURE ARE THE DATA THAT THE MARKERS WERE ACTUALLY OBSERVED IN A RELIABLE AND CONCLUSIVE MANNER IN THIS STUDY.
</TD></TR></table>

===DNA===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
DNA sequencing also showed...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA??

A Lenski defender says, "The inclusion of this data would be considerably more extensive than appropriate for the inclusion in this paper."

NO ONE ASKED FOR THE DATA TO BE PRINTED IN THE PAPER. WHAT IS MISSING IS DISCLOSURE OF THE DATA ON THE WEBSITE, OR UPON PUBLIC REQUEST.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...that Cit clones have the same mutations in the pykF and nadR genes as do clones from earlier generations of the Ara-3 population, ...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ABOUT THESE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS?

A Lenski defender cites to general information unrelated to this study: Available in other publications,
pykF <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/gs/519955.html "IHOP-pykF"]</ref> and
nadR <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/mgi/447129.html "IHOP-nadR"]</ref>.

A Lenski defender also cites an earlier claim (perhaps also unsupported by public release of the data) by Lenski's group: See also the reference for the sequence identification which Blount ''et al.'' list as reference #30 in their paper: Woods, R., D. Schneider, C. L. Winkworth, M. A. Riley, and R. E. Lenski. 2006. Tests of parallel molecular evolution in a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli. PNAS, USA 103:9107-9112.<ref>http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0602917103v1</ref>.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...and each of these mutations distinguishes this population from all the others (30).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA DISTINGUISHING "THIS POPULATION FROM ALL THE OTHERS"?

</TD></TR></table>

===Fast Tracked===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Therefore, the Cit variant arose within the LTEE and is not a contaminant.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
THE ASTOUNDINGLY SHORT 14-DAY [[peer review | PEER REVIEW]] PERIOD, MEASURED FROM THE DAY THE PAPER WAS SENT OUT FOR REVIEW TO THE DAY OF FORMAL CONTRIBUTION BY LENSKI AFTER ACCEPTANCE, RAISES QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ANY MEANINGFUL PEER REVIEW OF THIS AT ALL.
</TD></TR></table>

== ==
Lenski's paper was published in the Proceedings of the [[National Academy of Sciences]], an atheist lobbying organization masquerading as a professional society. <ref>http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/news/file002.html</ref> <ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/3506.asp</ref>

Lenski's work has been criticized in the past also. In a paper Lenski published in ''Nature'' in May 8, 2003 entitled "The Evolutionary Origin of Complex Features," he described a computer simulation that contained no actual biology. In fact, the discussion section of the paper stated:

:"Some readers might suggest that we 'stacked the deck' by studying the evolution of a complex feature that could be built on simpler functions that were also useful. However, that is precisely what evolutionary theory requires ...."

Dr. William Dembski explained, "In other words, the computer programmers built into the simulation what they thought evolution needed to make it work. The validity of this study therefore depends on whether the simulation faithfully models biological reality."<ref>http://www.designinference.com/documents/2003.09.UncDiss_Intro_Contribs.pdf</ref>

The importance of the simulation is to show that complex patterns can grow from simple inputs, which was demonstrated by the results of this simulation. Although Lenski freely disclaims the use of true biology in the simulation, his result is nevertheless quite important. The validity is not contigent, as is claimed above, upon the specific biological system.

==See Also==

*[[Conservapedia:Lenski dialog]] (letters requesting data, and Lenski's responses)
*[[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]] (discussion of Lenski controversy<ref>See [[Liberal style]] point 1</ref>)
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenski, Richard}}

Female genital mutilation

2008-07-01T00:19:28Z

TrueValues: Removal of liberal bias against Christianity.

'''Female Genital Mutilation''' (FGM) is a practice common in certain parts of the world, especially where communist and totalitarian governements exist. It is seen especially in parts of [[Asia]], the [[Middle East]], and East [[Africa]]. There are many types of FGM, but most share the common characteristics of involuntary mutilation of the clitoris. There are many potential genito-urinary complications, including infection, increase in danger of childbirth, and urinary incontinence.

==References==
<references/>
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/
[[Category:culture]]

Ben Stein

2008-06-30T23:21:07Z

TrueValues:

[[Image:Image554836x.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Benjamin Jeremy Stein''' (born November 25, 1944 in Washington, DC) is a [[conservative]] writer, speaker and social activist. His father was [[Herbert Stein]], a famous Economist. Stein earned a law degree from [[Yale]]. Having been a speech writer and lawyer for former United States Presidents [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Gerald Ford]] as well as a publisher of conservative thought in newspapers, Stein unexpectedly turned up with a new career on television after getting his start in the movie ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' as the most boring high school teacher on the planet due to his monotone voice. Most of the scene was unscripted. In a sense Ben showed a key knowledge for understated humor.

Stein has been married for {{years ago|1968}} years - having married, divorced, and remarried the same woman. His son Tommy is "the only Jewish kid [at] a Presbyterian college".<ref>Paraphrased from YouTube clip of Jimmy Kimmel Show - Feb. 15, 2008 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8N0Du7p_o&NR=1] </ref>

== TV ==
A man of considerable intellect, Stein starred in his own gameshow, ''Win Ben Stein's Money'', which would culminate in Stein taking on the winning contestant in a ten-question round to see who could answer more of the questions correctly. Most of the time Stein would emerge victorious. Stein had a subtle form of comedy playing the mostly straight man to Jimmy Kimbell as the joking cohost.

Stein went on to host his own talk show ''Turn Ben Stein On''.

Today Stein can still be seen on television with his "dry humor" such as in the "dry eyes" commercial.

Stein has never lost his conservative roots or his desire to engage in intelligent dialogue. He has appeared many times on [[Fox News]] discussing politics and finance. Ben Stein also writes his "Diary" in every issue of ''[[The American Spectator]]'', and is a regular weekly contributor to the Business Section of the [[New York Times]].

Stein was on ''The Weakest Link''' along with seven other celebrities in 2002. Although he was the strongest link before voting was to take place for the final two, he was voted off by the other contestants who said they didn't want to face him head to head.

== Evolution and Intelligent Design ==
Stein co-wrote and appears as the narrator<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1091617/fullcredits#writers IMDB listing] for ''Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed''</ref> in a movie (''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]''), released in the US in April 2008 which portrays "Big Science" as suppressing [[Intelligent design]] from being discussed and considered in academic settings.

Appearing on [[ABC]]'s Jimmy Kimmel show, Stein said:
* We made a documentary about the struggle between [[intelligent design and Darwinism]]. It's a big thing in the schools and universities, and we were concerned because we think [[Darwinism]] is a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant theory - beyond words brilliant - but it only takes you part of the way. It's like the New Jersey Turnpike only takes you part of the way between Washington, D.C., and New York.
*... and anyway who built the roads in the first place? Where did [[gravity]] come from, and where did the [[planets]] come from, and where did [[thermodynamics]] come from, where did the [[laws of physics]] come from?
*So we just asked a whole bunch of questions: asked why academics are fired for asking those questions, and, believe me, none of us has anything but respect for [[Darwin]]. We just think a lot of questions should be asked that aren't being asked. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8N0Du7p_o&NR=1 Jimmy Kimmel Live 2-15-08]</ref>

== Quotes ==
:"I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat."<ref>http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp</ref>

:"I'm a rebel to my core ... and happy to be in an uphill struggle, as long as the cause is right."<ref>[http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?id=27761 Intelligent Design foes no match for Stein in 'Expelled' ] </ref>

== Works ==

====Voice-overs====
*''Dukeman''
*''Fairly Odd Parents''
*''Loony Toon''

====Movies====
*''The Mask''
*''Ferris Bueller's Day Off''
*''Expelled'' (due for release in April 2008)

====Books====
*''Yes, You Can Become a Successful Income Investor!''
*''The Gift Of Peace: Guideposts on the Road to Serenity''
*''How to Ruin Your Life''
*''How to Ruin Your Love Life''
*''How to Ruin Your Financial Life''

====Articles====
''American Spectator'':
*[http://spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=11280 "Sharpton in the Morning"]
*[http://spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=11392 "Bush Much Greater"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10928 "The Lynching of the President"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10434 "Hypocrisy, Democrat Style"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10160 "How to Lose to Terrorists"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10007 "Why I Am a Republican"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10092 "Eretz Israel"]

''Yahoo! Finance'':
*[http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/24513 "To Get Rich, Just Follow the Instructions"]
*[http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/34125 "Playing Politics at the Pump"]

''CBS Sunday Morning Commentary'':
*[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/28/sunday/main2405061.shtml "Bush Is Not All Bad"]
*[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/31/sunday/main2318344.shtml "Ben Stein Remembers President Ford"]

''New York Times''
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/business/13every.html "Dear Watchdogs: Rein In Wall Street"]

==Further Readings==
*[http://www.benstein.com/ Ben Stein's personal site]
*[http://www.expelledthemovie.com/home.php The movie ''Expelled'']

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stein,Ben}}

[[Category:Jewish Conservatives]]
[[category:Authors]]
[[Category:Actors]]

Ben Stein

2008-06-30T23:20:39Z

TrueValues: I saw it as being ridiculous to open with that.

[[Image:Image554836x.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Benjamin Jeremy Stein''' (born November 25, 1944 in Washington, DC) is a [[conservative]] writer, speaker and social activist. His father was [[Herbert Stein]], a famous Economist, Stein earned a law degree from [[Yale]]. Having been a speech writer and lawyer for former United States Presidents [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Gerald Ford]] as well as a publisher of conservative thought in newspapers, Stein unexpectedly turned up with a new career on television after getting his start in the movie ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' as the most boring high school teacher on the planet due to his monotone voice. Most of the scene was unscripted. In a sense Ben showed a key knowledge for understated humor.

Stein has been married for {{years ago|1968}} years - having married, divorced, and remarried the same woman. His son Tommy is "the only Jewish kid [at] a Presbyterian college".<ref>Paraphrased from YouTube clip of Jimmy Kimmel Show - Feb. 15, 2008 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8N0Du7p_o&NR=1] </ref>

== TV ==
A man of considerable intellect, Stein starred in his own gameshow, ''Win Ben Stein's Money'', which would culminate in Stein taking on the winning contestant in a ten-question round to see who could answer more of the questions correctly. Most of the time Stein would emerge victorious. Stein had a subtle form of comedy playing the mostly straight man to Jimmy Kimbell as the joking cohost.

Stein went on to host his own talk show ''Turn Ben Stein On''.

Today Stein can still be seen on television with his "dry humor" such as in the "dry eyes" commercial.

Stein has never lost his conservative roots or his desire to engage in intelligent dialogue. He has appeared many times on [[Fox News]] discussing politics and finance. Ben Stein also writes his "Diary" in every issue of ''[[The American Spectator]]'', and is a regular weekly contributor to the Business Section of the [[New York Times]].

Stein was on ''The Weakest Link''' along with seven other celebrities in 2002. Although he was the strongest link before voting was to take place for the final two, he was voted off by the other contestants who said they didn't want to face him head to head.

== Evolution and Intelligent Design ==
Stein co-wrote and appears as the narrator<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1091617/fullcredits#writers IMDB listing] for ''Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed''</ref> in a movie (''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]''), released in the US in April 2008 which portrays "Big Science" as suppressing [[Intelligent design]] from being discussed and considered in academic settings.

Appearing on [[ABC]]'s Jimmy Kimmel show, Stein said:
* We made a documentary about the struggle between [[intelligent design and Darwinism]]. It's a big thing in the schools and universities, and we were concerned because we think [[Darwinism]] is a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant theory - beyond words brilliant - but it only takes you part of the way. It's like the New Jersey Turnpike only takes you part of the way between Washington, D.C., and New York.
*... and anyway who built the roads in the first place? Where did [[gravity]] come from, and where did the [[planets]] come from, and where did [[thermodynamics]] come from, where did the [[laws of physics]] come from?
*So we just asked a whole bunch of questions: asked why academics are fired for asking those questions, and, believe me, none of us has anything but respect for [[Darwin]]. We just think a lot of questions should be asked that aren't being asked. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8N0Du7p_o&NR=1 Jimmy Kimmel Live 2-15-08]</ref>

== Quotes ==
:"I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat."<ref>http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp</ref>

:"I'm a rebel to my core ... and happy to be in an uphill struggle, as long as the cause is right."<ref>[http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?id=27761 Intelligent Design foes no match for Stein in 'Expelled' ] </ref>

== Works ==

====Voice-overs====
*''Dukeman''
*''Fairly Odd Parents''
*''Loony Toon''

====Movies====
*''The Mask''
*''Ferris Bueller's Day Off''
*''Expelled'' (due for release in April 2008)

====Books====
*''Yes, You Can Become a Successful Income Investor!''
*''The Gift Of Peace: Guideposts on the Road to Serenity''
*''How to Ruin Your Life''
*''How to Ruin Your Love Life''
*''How to Ruin Your Financial Life''

====Articles====
''American Spectator'':
*[http://spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=11280 "Sharpton in the Morning"]
*[http://spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=11392 "Bush Much Greater"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10928 "The Lynching of the President"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10434 "Hypocrisy, Democrat Style"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10160 "How to Lose to Terrorists"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10007 "Why I Am a Republican"]
*[http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10092 "Eretz Israel"]

''Yahoo! Finance'':
*[http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/24513 "To Get Rich, Just Follow the Instructions"]
*[http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/34125 "Playing Politics at the Pump"]

''CBS Sunday Morning Commentary'':
*[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/28/sunday/main2405061.shtml "Bush Is Not All Bad"]
*[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/31/sunday/main2318344.shtml "Ben Stein Remembers President Ford"]

''New York Times''
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/business/13every.html "Dear Watchdogs: Rein In Wall Street"]

==Further Readings==
*[http://www.benstein.com/ Ben Stein's personal site]
*[http://www.expelledthemovie.com/home.php The movie ''Expelled'']

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stein,Ben}}

[[Category:Jewish Conservatives]]
[[category:Authors]]
[[Category:Actors]]

User:TrueValues

2008-06-30T23:00:24Z

TrueValues:

There are some values that are more important than any other. These are truth, chastity, love, and hope among others. To abandon these values is to abandon the way our wonderful country has always been and the reasons the country is great.

{{userboxtop|The True Values}}
{{User straightforwardbiblereading}}
{{User Christian}}
{{User lordshipofchrist}}
{{User tolerancecompromisetruth}}
{{Userbox |border-c=#000 |border-s=1 |id-c=#fff |id-s=12 |id-fc=#000 |info-c=#acf |info-s=8 |info-fc=#fff |id=[[Image:flagmyk.jpg|45px]] |info=<center>This user is proud to live in the [[America|greatest country God has put on the face of this earth]].</center>}}
{{User progun}}
{{userboxbottom}}

Truth

2008-06-30T22:58:28Z

TrueValues:

'''Truth''' is one of the fundamental building blocks of reality. One could probably say that without truth, nothing could exist. In fact, not only is truth a fundamental building block of reality, but it is also a central character trait and attribute of the one who is in control of all things, namely [[God]] himself. Jesus Christ, the second Person of the [[Trinity|triune God]], proclaimed about himself in John 14:6, "...I am the way, and the <u>truth</u>, and the life...". From that verse and others, we can conclude that truth is not something external to God himself, but is rather something that is inextricably joined and a part of His Being.

== Difficulties ==
When considering truth, certain difficulties arise. For example, one person might consider certain facts and values to be the truth, based on what they see and hear, but these same facts might be considered or indeed known to be [[false]] by others. Other problems include the concept of "Absolute Truth", insofar as people will naturally disagree as to what truths are absolute. [http://www.christianity.co.nz/truth1.htm]

== Truth as a Value ==
Truth can be considered to be a morally desirable trait in a person, since it the antithesis of "undesirable" traits such as deceit or corruption. Christians in particular uphold Truth as a desirable value, since it is something taught by the Bible, and Jesus himself.

==Opponents==
Several opponents of truth exist, such as [[communist]] [[China]] and [[Adolph Hitler]]s [[Nazi Germany]], both of which advocates the wide use of [[censorship]]. Incidentaly, many [[liberals]] also advocate the use of [[censorship]] in the form of [[political correctness]]. Former [[Vice President]] and notorious [[liberal]] [[Al Gore]] made several untruthful claims in his documentary [[An Inconvenient Truth]].

==See also==
*[[God]]
*[[Jesus Christ]]
*[[Holy Spirit]]
*[[Postmodernism]]
*[[Relativism]]

==External links==
*http://www.iep.utm.edu/t/truth.htm
*http://www.christianity.co.nz/truth1.htm
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/truth/ What Liberals Say - Category: Truth], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Attributes of God]]

Domestic partnership

2008-06-30T22:50:29Z

TrueValues: Removed liberal biases, cleaned up a bit, it shouldn't be likened to the civil rights movement.

A '''domestic partnership''' is a legally recognized union between two people, similar to [[same sex marriage]]. Many have critisized it as a form of [[deceit]], being a way to give the [[homosexual agenda]] a wide acceptance into American life through the use of removing the facts such as domestic partnerships are usually between two people of the same gender and while it is possible to have an opposite gender domestic partnership, it is pointless, being that it is essentially the same thing. Many also argue that couples in a domestic partnership miss many of the benefits of legal marriage, and are being forced into a 'separate but equal' status. As of 2007, the states of [[California]], [[Maine]], [[New Jersey]], [[Washington]], and [[Oregon]] offer domestic partnership status, as does [[Washington, D.C.]]. Several other countries, such as [[France]], [[Germany]], and the [[United Kingdom]], and regions offer partnerships as well.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3736/is_200101/ai_n8947451 Domestic Partnership Laws in the United States: A Review and Critique]</ref><ref>[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-03/05/content_311998.htm Countries worldwide address gay marriage]</ref>

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]

User:TrueValues

2008-06-30T22:33:23Z

TrueValues:

There are some values that are more important than any other. These are truth, chastity, love, and hope among others. To abandon these values is to abandon the way our wonderful country has always been and the reasons the country is great.

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Richard Lenski

2008-06-30T22:28:41Z

TrueValues: A few more details, hope it works well.

'''Richard Lenski''' is a professor of microbial [[ecology]] at Michigan State [[University]]. He holds a [[doctorate]] from the [[University of North Carolina]] and a B.A. from Oberlin College but, oddly, does not disclose his fields for those degrees on his own biographical sketch. <ref>https://www.msu.edu/~lenski/</ref>

Lenski is best known for his claim to have observed [[evolution]] of [[E. coli]] in a long-term laboratory study, insisting that it was not due to contamination. His 2008 paper asserting his claims was [[peer review]]ed in a mere 14 days, sparking questions from the [[user:Aschlafly|owner]] of this site<ref>See [[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]].</ref> about the thoroughness of the review.

When challenged, Lenski displayed several examples of irrational [[Professor values|behavior]], thrice referring to the challenges as [[slander]], yet has filed no [[lawsuit]] charging that (or [[libel]]). [[Truth]] offers total legal protection from accusations of libel. He has also displayed annoyance and [[elitism]] when asked to release the information.<ref>See [[Conservapedia:Lenski_dialog#Second_reply|Lenski's second reply to Andrew Schlafly]]</ref>

When Lenski received a public request for the [[data]] underlying for his published claims, he did not provide the actual data even though his study was taxpayer-funded.

Undisclosed data from the central claims in Lenski's 2008 paper are noted below (pp. 2-3 from paper, superscripts omitted):

For those wishing to review the paper personally it may be found at [http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/pdf/2008,%20PNAS,%20Blount%20et%20al.pdf this link] from the Professor's site.

<includeonly>
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__NOTOC__
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10 cellpadding=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#003366 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Undisclosed Data</font>
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top bgcolor=#000000 align=center><font color="#f6f7ff" size="+2">Our Questions about the missing data</font></TD></TR></table>

===Visual inspection===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Evolution of Cit Function in Population Ara-3. The LTEE populations are transferred daily into fresh medium, and the turbidity of each is checked visually at that time.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ON THESE OBSERVATIONS?

</TD></TR></table>

===Study Omissions===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
Owing to the low concentration of glucose in DM25 medium...
<br>
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ON SPECIFIC CONCENTRATIONS USED?<br>

A Lenski defender says: From the first page of the paper in question (Blount, Z. D., C. Z. Borland, and R. E. Lenski. 2008. Historical contingency and the evolution of a key innovation in an experimental population of Escherichia coli. PNAS, USA 105:7899-7906):
<br>"To
address the repeatability of evolutionary trajectories and outcomes,
the long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia
coli was started in 1988 with the founding of 12 populations
from the same clone (2). These populations were initially
identical except for a neutral marker that distinguished six lines
from six others. They have since been propagated by daily 1:100
serial transfer in DM25, a minimal medium containing <b>25
mg/liter glucose</b> as the limiting resource (2, 22)."--[[User:Argon|Argon]] 11:42, 30 June 2008 (EDT)

WHERE IS THE DATA MEASURING OR CONFIRMING THE 25 MG/LITER GLUCOSE? DID THAT CONCENTRATION EVER CHANGE?
<br>
A weighed amount of glucose is mixed into the medium. The paper states that the concentration listed was used in the media throughout the continuous subculturing experiment.
</TD></TR></table>

===Turbidity===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...the cultures are only slightly turbid when transferred. Occasional contaminants that grow on citrate have been seen over the 20 years of this experiment.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? WHEN AND HOW MANY?
</TD></TR></table>

===Contaminants???===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
These contaminated cultures reach much higher turbidity owing to the high concentration of citrate in the medium, which allows the contaminants to reach high density. (When contamination occurs, the affected population is restarted from the latest frozen sample.)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA FOR WHEN THAT OCCURRED, AND HOW OFTEN?

A Lenski defender says, "If interested in a thorough review, contact the group directly, with a legitimate request for data. Otherwise, the disclaimer is a more than adequate description of the sample handling process."

IN FACT, TWO REQUESTS WERE MADE DIRECTLY TO LENSKI FOR DATA, WITHOUT SUCCESS. HIS SECOND RESPONSE WAS RUDE AND INSULTING.
</TD></TR></table>

===The Numbers Please?===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
After 33,127 generations, one population, designated Ara-3, displayed significantly elevated turbidity that continued to rise for several days (Fig. 1).
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
HIGHER RESOLUTION DATA UNDERLYING FIGURE NOT PROVIDED DESPITE REQUEST
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing Numbers===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
A number...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? HOW MANY? STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT?
</TD></TR></table>

===We're Professional Scientists===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
of Cit clones were isolated from the population and checked for phenotypic markers characteristic of the ancestral E. coli strain used to start the LTEE: all
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA? HOW MANY? STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT?
</TD></TR></table>

===Missing Characteristics===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...were Ara, T5-sensitive, and T6-resistant, as expected (2)
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ABOUT THESE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS?

A Lenski defender says, "Interested parties should consult the literature on these topics. It is not within the scope of this paper to address the significance of these markers."

WHAT IS MISSING FROM DISCLOSURE ARE THE DATA THAT THE MARKERS WERE ACTUALLY OBSERVED IN A RELIABLE AND CONCLUSIVE MANNER IN THIS STUDY.
</TD></TR></table>

===DNA===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
DNA sequencing also showed...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA??

A Lenski defender says, "The inclusion of this data would be considerably more extensive than appropriate for the inclusion in this paper."

NO ONE ASKED FOR THE DATA TO BE PRINTED IN THE PAPER. WHAT IS MISSING IS DISCLOSURE OF THE DATA ON THE WEBSITE, OR UPON PUBLIC REQUEST.
</TD></TR></table>

===More missing data===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...that Cit clones have the same mutations in the pykF and nadR genes as do clones from earlier generations of the Ara-3 population, and each of these mutations distinguishes this population from all...
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
DATA ABOUT THESE AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS?

Available in other publications,
pykF <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/gs/519955.html "IHOP-pykF"]</ref> and
nadR <ref>[http://www.ihop-net.org/UniPub/iHOP/mgi/447129.html "IHOP-nadR"]</ref>.

See also the reference for the sequence identification which Blount ''et al.'' list as reference #30 in their paper: Woods, R., D. Schneider, C. L. Winkworth, M. A. Riley, and R. E. Lenski. 2006. Tests of parallel molecular evolution in a long-term experiment with Escherichia coli. PNAS, USA 103:9107-9112.<ref>http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0602917103v1</ref>. The supplementary information containing the reference sequences are also available on the PNAS web pages.
</TD></TR></table>

===Fast Tracked===
<TABLE width=100% cellspacing=10>
<TR><TD width=50% valign=top>
...of the others (30). Therefore, the Cit variant arose within the LTEE and is not a contaminant.
</TD><TD width=50% valign=top>
THE ASTOUNDINGLY SHORT 14-DAY PEER REVIEW PERIOD, MEASURED FROM THE DAY THE PAPER WAS SENT OUT FOR REVIEW TO THE DAY IT WAS ACCEPTED, RAISES QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER THERE WAS ANY MEANINGFUL PEER REVIEW OF THIS AT ALL.
</TD></TR></table>

== ==
Lenski's paper was published in the Proceedings of the [[National Academy of Sciences]].

Lenski's work has been criticized in the past also. In a paper Lenski published in ''Nature'' in May 8, 2003 entitled "The Evolutionary Origin of Complex Features," he described a computer simulation that contained no actual biology. In fact, the discussion section of the paper stated:

:"Some readers might suggest that we 'stacked the deck' by studying the evolution of a complex feature that could be built on simpler functions that were also useful. However, that is precisely what evolutionary theory requires ...."

Dr. William Dembski explained, "In other words, the computer programmers built into the simulation what they thought evolution needed to make it work. The validity of this study therefore depends on whether the simulation faithfully models biological reality."<ref>http://www.designinference.com/documents/2003.09.UncDiss_Intro_Contribs.pdf</ref>

The importance of the simulation is to show that complex patterns can grow from simple inputs, which was demonstrated by the results of this simulation. Although Lenski freely disclaims the use of true biology in the simulation, his result is nevertheless quite important. The validity is not contigent, as is claimed above, upon the specific biological system.

==See Also==

*[[Conservapedia:Lenski dialog]] (letters requesting data, and Lenski's responses)
*[[Conservapedia talk:Lenski dialog]] (discussion of Lenski controversy<ref>See [[Liberal style]] point 1</ref>)
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenski, Richard}}

User:TrueValues

2008-06-30T22:15:24Z

TrueValues:

There are some values that are more important than any other. These are truth, chastity, love, and hope among others. To abandon these values is to abandon the way our wonderful country has always been and the reasons the country is great.

{{userboxtop|The True Values}}
{{User straightforwardbiblereading}}
{{User Christian}}
{{User lordshipofchrist}}
{{User tolerancecompromisetruth}}
{{userboxbottom}}

User:TrueValues

2008-06-30T22:11:28Z

TrueValues: New page: There are some values that are more important than any other. These are truth, chastity, love, and hope among others. To abandon these values is to abandon the way our wonderful country ha...