A.Mercer

I have noticed quite a few people in this section going on anti-science rants. Quite often the people here are not experts in science. We may understand a lot of different subjects but we are not experts. So we tell these anti-science people to ask the question in the science section.

I think there is another option. Take their question and ask it in the science section for them and provide the link in your answer. Someone asked a question about the Cambrian Explosion earlier and I did this. I had 3 answers on there that would have been a good starting point for research. Now, I changed the question to remove the anti-science/creationist element from it and just make it a general "tell me about the Cambrian Explosion" type question so I did not get jaded responses that might not actually give scientific answers.

There are many people here in the Religion/Spirituality section trying to use science as evidence for religion or the existence of gods when it is not or they are trying to attack science. I think redirecting these questions to the science section is an appropriate response. I know there are many hardcore people who will refuse to check the science but just re-posting the question is a good response to anti-science.

Here is the original question I answered with my re-post:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Au3cB...

Is there a lack of fossilized precursors to the new life forms from this event? Did all of these life forms come about at the same time?

I like this guy. Each day I read more about this guy and the more I like him. Sure, there are some reporters trying to dig up dirt on him but I have not paid attention to those guys.

Now, I ask this in the R&S section because of this:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/ramsey.asp

I am an atheist and this guy is a christian but I wish there were more guys like him. From what I gather, he has a "We are all in this together" attitude. I think if more of us thought like this and did not try to push our beliefs on each other that the world would be a much better place.

On June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates took her five children and drowned them in a bathtub at her house. It was discovered that she been diagnosed with postpartum psychosis but had stopped taking the meds so she could have the fifth child. There is also quite a few questions about how her husband ignored her problems and pushed her to have more children. He had also been instructed by the doctors to not leave her alone. Originally the prosecutor wanted the death penalty (it was Texas after all) but she was convicted and sentenced to life. However, it was shown that an "expert" who testified had claimed her crime was based on an episode of "Law and Order". That episode was later determined to not exist. It was felt this testimony may have influenced the jury so she was given a new trial. Andrea Yates plead not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury agreed and she was committed to a mental hospital. Since then she has shown improvement.

Today there was an article about her getting a pass to leave the hospital to attend church.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/loc...

I am curious about the Yahoo Answers R/S crowd and how they would react to this story.

I have read many people in the Religion and Spirituality section write that entropy means that evolution cannot happen. They claim that something cannot go from an unordered state to an ordered state and base this on the laws of thermodynamics.

However, you can go and buy a crystal growing kit and witness an unordered solution go to an ordered state of crystals.

http://www.amazon.com/Smithsonian-Crystal-Growing-...

Obviously the laws of thermodynamics are not prohibiting crystals growing from an unordered solution. Why do some people believe that the laws of thermodynamics would prevent organisms from evolving? With added energy it is very possible for order to come from an unordered state.

Today on the radio I heard a DJ say that the song "The Little Drummer Boy" was the most popular Christmas song of all time. So I figured I would come to Yahoo Answers and ask which is your favorite Christmas song?

For instance, the bible speaks of unicorns, dragons, cockatrices, and giants. There are also references to talking animals. How many other references are there to fantasy creatures?

For those who say Santa Claus does not exist, give me evidence that this is true. If you say he does not exist then the burden of proof is on you. Either you give me proof that he does not exist or accept his existence!!!

I was talking to a person who was a real estate agent. She told me that if I were ever in the market to give her a call. I told her that if I did I would want her to only be a buyers agent and not try to represent both the buyer and seller simultaneously. I am very leery of people who work for commission. I have worked with too many of them in other fields and I have learned that some will say anything in order to get that sale. She told me no problem and that Texas law prohibited an agent from representing both the buyer and the seller. I went home and tried to research this and could not find any reference to it on the web.

So the question is, does anyone know of a law in Texas that prohibits real estate agents from being both a seller's agent and a buyer's agent for the same transaction? Is this person lying to me or is this the truth? I would appreciate a webpage to back this up as well.

You pick up a rock and smash a window in and pull the heat exhausted child out. The police and paramedics are summoned and half an hour later the child's parent is finally found. The person is upset about forgetting the kid in the car but is also upset that you damaged the window.

Here is the question: Could the person file charges against you for destruction of private property or of vandalism? Or could the person successfully sue you for the damage done to the car? Perhaps even try to sue you for trauma done to the kid who had to witness a stranger smashing in the window to pull him out?

Personally, I would not hesitate a moment to save the kid even if these situations were possible but I was thinking about it this morning. Sometimes, wacky stuff happens in court. What do you think chances are that the parent/car owner would try this and what chances do you think they have of succeeding?

Get this. They are closing because of "unforeseen circumstances".

http://www.astrologicalmagazine.com/

I guess the astrology thing could not help them figure out these circumstances.

Why not put the reported questions into a separate category and the users on here can go there and vote whether or not we believe the reported question (or answer) to be a violation? If there are enough votes saying that it is a violation, then it would be pulled. Give out a point per vote, just like is done on voting for best answer. Let is be like a two thirds majority or something like that to decide if it is a violation. If the reported question does not get the two thirds vote in favor of it being a violation, then it is restored. If the question was still open when it was pulled, then it is put back like it was just asked.

The benefits to this is that it would put the violation decisions in the hands of humans who actually read the reported questions.

The downside is that you would still have people just say violation for the fun of it.

However, this would be better than what Yahoo Answers has now. I would go and vote on reported violations if I had the chance.