DocManhattan's Comments (111)

“Unfortunately, this review is pretty accurate. Shame, because the source material is fascinating ... Part of the problem is, we don't know what's based on fact and what is pure fantasy. The people that laughed in the showing I went to here in Vancouver were locals looking for another excuse to sneer at those crazy, war-mongering Americans. But, honestly, the movie failed to provide even that much ... Utterly pointless.”

“You say "religion cannot be proven or disproven" ... but elements of religious dogma can be. You can't prove or disprove that an immaterial God exists, but you can sure as hell prove that the Earth is more than 10,000 years old. I don't think you'd disagree with me on that point ...

The fact is that as time has gone by and science has helped us understand our surroundings better, religion has had to give way over and over again. If people want to hold on to belief in the immaterial then that's fine -- spirituality is very appealing in a lot of ways and brings out a lot of good in humanity. But to insist on a belief in something that is demonstrably false (creationism, that the world is flat, that the sun orbits the Earth) is irrational and demeaning to human intelligence.

My Catholic mother was adamant that man should never have gone to the moon - she said that if God had meant us to fly, He would've given us wings. My response was always that if God hadn't meant us to think, He wouldn't have given us brains. (Or, indeed, curiosity.­)”

“Thank you, Cara! There are times when I feel like beating my head against the wall as this false science-religion debate goes on. There should be no debate at all!

I guess I was lucky in that scientific method and thinking were explained to me pretty clearly at school (in England) when I was about nine or ten years old. Do people not learn this stuff any more? It should be as basic a foundation of education as arithmetic.”

“Not much of a guess really. I agree that women are woefully underrepresented in aviation and should be encouraged, but I'd really love to know what makes you think they're LESS likely than a man to make mistakes.”

“Strange, why do you assume it's just "right wingers" that think the award was wrong-headed? I do, too, and I think Obama's great -- he just hasn't delivered on his major promises yet.

The right-wingers haven't cared what the Nobel Committee thinks for years, in any case ...”

“Sorry, Johnny, I've read your article twice now, and I'm STILL trying to figure out what you're so steamed about. Are you ticked off that ESPN wanted to choose attractive models for its nude covers, and Gina meets that standard better than some other WMMA fighters that you consider better athletes? Is that it? Well, obviously they want to have the most appealing image they can on their covers -- so what?

Or do you think that the image cheapens MMA in some way (as if this particular sport ever worried too much about appearing classy, give me a break)? Serena Williams naked is not going to undermine the status of tennis as a sport, and Gina Carano looking amazing is certainly not going to make anyone think less of MMA.”

“So by "everything that we consider progressive and cool", Tim, you appear to in fact mean "everything that I consider progressive and cool". I don't mean to put Kraftwerk down -- they were certainly a tremendously innovative and influential bunch -- but there is more to what's "cool and modern" in popular music than just electronica.

You dismiss punk as "back-to-basics primitivism", which is probably true. But to say punk didn't carry music forward is a fallacy. Punk opened the door to musicians who previously felt excluded from making music because they didn't have training and technique. It proved that you can make appealing music with just basic skills and clever songwriting.

In fact, if you listen to what's going on in Kraftwerk's music, it, too, is primitive -- albeit in a different way. It makes clever use of technology, but the 'songs' they produced were barely songs at all. Harmonically crude, melodically repetitive and lyrically shallow -- though it could be argued that the themes they addressed were interesting, the lyrics themselves were not. "We are the robots" ... "I'm the operator of my pocket calculator" ... Not exactly Dylan, is it (neither Bob nor Thomas)?

Their music was desolate and mechanical­-sounding, with all soul and emotion excised from it -- probably deliberately. But, frankly, if that were really "all that is cool and modern" in popular music, then we would be living in a poor world indeed, and I would not feel anywhere near as passionately about music”

“I don't know whether it was actual rape. Her testimony suggests it was. But the charge he was convicted of was "unlawful sexual intercourse", not rape. I don't know what other evidence might have been presented.

All I know is he was convicted and skipped out, which makes him a criminal. More than that, I can't say with any certainty.

As to decency, self-respect and those other factors -- I'd argue that these are connected to our personal code of ethics and morals, which arise from social norms. So I stand by what I said: that social norms and the law are the only thing preventing more men (note that I didn't say 'all men') from following through on any attraction they may feel to adolescent girls.”

“That's just not true. Attraction to adolescent girls is not pedophilia, it is called ephebophilia -- and it's not even considered a disorder unless it is obsessive.

Men are hard-wired to be attracted to girls on the verge of womanhood and the law is the only thing preventing more men from following through on that attraction. People huff and splutter and foam at the mouth about this, but most of them are lying hypocrites. The truth is that it is social norms and the law that make sex with teens under the age of consent taboo.

Look at the number of societies out there where the age of consent is way lower than in the US ... in France it is 15. In Croatia, Chile, China, Colombia and many other countries, 14. In Japan and South Korea, it's as low as 13. In Mexico, 12.

And before the usual obscentities start flying my way, I am NOT defending rape. Certainly not the rape of underage girls or boys. I DO object to people misusing emotive terms like "pedophile" to make Polanski out to be, not just a criminal (which he is), but also a monster.”

“Had the pleasure of catching them in Vancouver last week, and they were amazing. True, the last album of theirs that I really loved was Vitalogy, but the new material sounds good and they do pull off a phenomenal live show.

Incidentally, that gig was a day after I saw the revitalised (and excellent) Alice in Chains in Seattle ... It was like the last 15 years never happened.”

“Well of course -- that's what 'specific' means.

This case is not typical. Therefore to say I have my doubts about pursuing it in no way means that I think rapists in general should not be pursued -- which is what starflux was accusing me of in his/her comment.”

“Don't be ridiculous. You know perfectly well I don't mean "every admitted rapist", I just mean Polanski, because of the specific circumstances of the case. Nobody benefits from pursuing this, least of all the victim.

But you are a good example of why I felt so relieved to find Stefano's comment -- finally someone I could respectfully disagree with! Most of the anti-Polanski crowd here just seems to think shrill self-righteousness, childish sarcasm or name-calling are all they need to prove their point, refusing to acknowledge in any way that the case isn't completely clear-cut. Feels like high school ...”

“Nice to see some people here acknowledge the complexities of the case. Thank you.

Personally, I see no good coming from pursuing this case -- quite the contrary, I think it can only be harmful to his victim. But I do recognize that the act cannot be excused. What's really right? I don't know, I just know what I would do if it were my choice: I would let him be.”

“Terrific article. I am right there with you, Jane.”

“It's just happened to me, thanks. It falls into the latter of the two examples I've mentioned.

I'm working -- less than I could, because I'm also studying and doing unpaid work. I'm still earning enough to pay all our bills and live adequately, but it's about half of what I have earned in the past. Three months ago, she became financially independent in her career (which she established after I'd supported her through her studies).T­hree weeks ago, she left me.

So, yes, it does happen. Most of our too-many fights were about money, and here we stand.”

“"In spite of legalization, brothels are still staffed by women held in slavery."

Care to elaborate on this? Where does the info come from and what do you mean by "held in slavery"?”

“I'd really like to know where you get your information from, because it seems completely counterintuitive. Why would the illegal industry flourish behind legalization? The demand is served -- legally. What does the illegal industry still have to offer?

If you could explain, with statistics and sources, I'd be grateful. Or at least tell me where to look to find the data myself.”

“You work, as does your husband, and as long as you both bring in enough money, then money is not an issue.

Picture then, your husband unemployed for a long period. Or deliberately cutting back his salary in order to complete a course of study that will allow him to pursue a personal dream. Consider -- honestly -- how you would feel.

I have seen women - who would be perfectly capable of shouldering the financial burden themselves, on the couple's behalf, as men have traditionally done - walk out on marriages under such circumstances. It happens, no matter how much you might deny it.”

“Goldblum - yeah, that could work. But I say again: not Colbert.”

“No. Hell no! No way!!

If we were talking a remake of the campy 60s Batman, then yes, Colbert would be perfect. He's funny and clever. But Chris Nolan has taken Batman to a dramatic place that I like far more than the yucks I get from watching Adam West in the 60s show. Colbert does not fit in that world, any more than a Joker played for laughs, Cesar Romero style. Not after Heath Ledger.

Casting Colbert would take the franchise back into Joel Schumacher territory. How could anyone think that was a good idea?”

“I'm astonished at how vehemently you dismiss the NYT article, when it only speaks the uncomfortable truth. "Sexist and degrading"? Where? Are we talking about the same piece?

Or do you assume that any writing about the sex trade that doesn't come from a place of outrage is therefore an endorsement of sex slavery? If so, that's an extreme perspective. Some prostitutes are indeed forced into the sex trade, and that is evil. However, some choose it for themselves -- and that is not.

I submit that if George Sodini, who was so twisted up by years of sexual rejection that he turned to murder, had started to see sex workers instead of buying idiotic books about how to seduce younger women, then his victims might be alive today. Sex workers can provide an approximation of intimacy to the lonely and the rejected, without which outcasts are more likely to become rapists and killers.

Protect sex workers from abuse by licensing prostitution. Then there will be less slavery, less stigma and, I would argue, less misery in the world.”

“"Sexist assumption" that men must wine and dine their partners? I'll bet it's been a long time since the author has dated. There have been posts on this very web site (a while ago) where young, "post-feminist", gainfully employed women have expressed outrage that a man who had drinks with them in a bar didn't offer to pay their entire bill (and their girlfriends', as I recall).

In the end, money is a crucial element of any "romantic" relationship and for a substantial number of women that I have encountered, money and status are the only things they consistently look for in a prospective partner, especially as they get older. If the man happens to have any other appealing traits, then that's just icing on the material cake.

Mr Etzioni's point about exploitation is a valid one, but fails to take into account that some girls DO choose prostitution without any pressure from anyone else, and the point is in any case not relevant to the argument that sexual relationships - romantic or otherwise - are almost always, on some level, financial transactions.

If Mr Etzioni really sees no merit in the NYT's arguments and really feels there's nothing to discuss, then clearly he has lived a charmed, stable, prosperous life. All of us should be so lucky.”

“Shockingly, if you research the subject, you might discover that many of the people that appear in advertising are actors.

Dr Weil, it's a pity that you decided to use the flimsy "entertainers shouldn't talk about anything but entertainment" stance as the hook for what is, in fact, an important topic. You may well be right that modern medicine recklessly overuses drugs -- I have some personal experience of that, with antidepressants -- but if it does, then that is not Sally Field's fault.”

“No, this country is stupid, because comedians seem to be among the few that remember what news is supposed to be for.”

“Bill, your final paragraph sums up my biggest beef with modern culture, which does a pretty good job of teaching the ignorant a baseless sense of entitlement and of their own infallibility. I'm glad America at least still produces thinkers like yourself.

Still, it's a real shame that comedians seem to be the ones left doing the job that teachers and journalists were once expected to ...”