Heh.

You get so many links from Allah, I'm starting to think this is an Islamic web site.

I mean, ending every post with "Thanks to Allah," and all.

Just sayin'....

Maybe he should end posts like that with "Praise be to Allah," instead.

I think both you and Sullivan are slightly off on this one.

Altruism is a term used in biology, psychology, and other sciences to describe behaviors detrimental to the individual but beneficial to the group. It actually is a clinical, morally neutral term used pretty often in study.

I think the psychologist is probably guilty of a lack of common sense here, not realizing how his scientific terminology was going to go over with a layman who views the word differently.

In science, especially when studying the animal kingdom, altruism is seen as neither good nor bad.

I do understand your point, though. They definitely could've thought it through more. If not them, then someone around them who's a little more in touch with the average citizen.

Wasn't Sully against Miers just the other day? Ahh, the joys of complete spinelessness.

Andrianna Sullington --- an endless font of material.

Genius Ace, Pure Genius--- Connecting Miers scotus nomination issues to the the war on terror. I knew you could do this kind of gestalt analysis because really the Miers scotus issues apply to all issues!!!!!!! It's amazing how applicable the Miers issues are to the entire universe. I bet you could figure out how to use the Miers issues to help analyze calculus problems. And thinking of the possible scientific breakthroughs is simply mind boggling. Don't you think that should patent this revolutionary Miers gestalt analysis system before anyone else notices and steals it?

So if a solider sees the bomber in time and shoots him would that be "altruistic suicide prevention?"

Wow Robbie, you nmight be on to something here!
I think the psychologist is probably guilty of a lack of common sense here
Chuck, you must be spot on with this one!

The term "suicide bombing" has always rubbed me the wrong way.

Attrocity-loving muslim terrorists who blow up themselves should be thought of only as simple mass murderers.

To me it the suicide is a curious sideshow. Their islamic religion teaches them that dying during "jihad" sends them straight to heaven. I don't care what their monstrously sick and evil beliefs are, they just butchered dozens of innocents, that is the issue.

When islamic terrorists tried to kill as many little schoolchildren as they could in Beslan, that was not "altruistic". As far as they are concerned, everyone who isn't a headchopping muslim like they are is fair game, the more of us they massacre the better.

Seriously wake up, these fuckers are far more of a threat to civilization than the Nazis ever were. Hundreds of schoolchildren dying in Beslan is nothing, wait until Iran gives these people nuclear weapons and our cities start going up.

Sorry, Ace. Sully may love Miers but you and your sycophants are the ones who needs the Freak-Out Advisory these days.

Courtesy of Beldar: Fisking NRO's latest anti-Miers manifesto

Can I get you and Beldar a flashlight?

It must be pretty dark in there with your heads stuck so far up Miers ass.

Yep, exactly the type of answer I would expect from a sycophant.

Ple*se make up a stupid fake name.
All we need is one more of you anonymous folks and nobody will know who is talking to who.

The filter wouldn't let me post before because the word 'p l e a s e' is now questionable content.

But that would make sense on this stupid moronblog.

The funny part about the Beldar post is after he finishes name-calling and insulting people at NRO for voicing their criticisms, he ends it with a plea for civility.

Granted, it's the "Shut up and trust the president, you sexist, elitist morons" kind of civility those of us who question the Miers nom have come to expect from the other side.

Sullivan is for Miers?

That tears it. The Anti-Meir side has won me over completely. Invertebrate Andy is one queen I never want on my side in a fight.

What name calling, V the K? I read through it, and didn't see anyone called any names. Well, he did name some of them (eg: "Ramesh Punnuru" -- that's a real name, by the way), and he did use the term "guys." Ouch!

Just for the record, I always thought "name calling" meant things like "You're an asshole!" etc. Has the definition of "name-calling" been changed too, to something like "disagrees with me"?

PS: that post was by a "George Turner," not Beldar, and I may have missed what you are all talking about, as Beldar editing something "too personal."

"As Beldar edited out" -- for Christ's sake, I'm going for a walk.

Perhaps in Andrea's world, calling your critic's arguments "panic and hysteria" and making comments like "Nothing short of electrodes running from the next Associate Justice's knickers to a car battery at NRO's offices will satisfy these guys" and " neither can one find much inside NRO to suggest that its editors' and most of its contributors' minds were ever receptive to contrary evidence or argument" to be the height of intellectual debate. To me, it's pretty much equivalent to name-calling.

Technically, the term should be Non-altruistic suicide. After all, those of us who have read the Selfish Gene know there is no altruism in nature, and the bomber is just removing those competing individuals with whom he shares no genetic or memetic kinship.

This is not hard:

Suicide = killing yourself

Homicide = killing someone else

Use accordingly, in combination if needed.

Not hard.

Yeah, Robbie's right. They use the word "altruism" to explain why behaviors that, for example, get the individual animal killed might still confer an evolutionary advantage by benefiting the greater herd. Greater herd. I like the sound of that.

And I still say someone ought to jigger the software to blurt out the IP of anyone not bothering to fill in the name slot. I'm big on anonymity, down on random, unidentifiable voices cluttering up the conversation. Pleeeez use a fake name, even if it's a fake fake name used to protect your real fake name.

What does "pull a Cheney" mean?

Yes, V the K, I already said what "in my world" constitutes "name-calling." Nothing that you quoted falls under that category by the way. But then, I guess I'm talking to a hysteric. Oops! I called you a name. Oh deal with it, you big sissy. Oops! I called you another. Was that a twinge of remorse I felt? Nah -- just some gas.

We already have a term - Murder-Suicide. Been used for years.
Chuck - The soldier in your scenario would have been, in this psycho-psychologist's terminology an "Altruistic/Non-altruistic suicide assistant".

Altruisitic as he saved others' lives; non-altruisitic as he prevented the sucider (whatever) from getting his 72 what-nots.)

I think "pull a Cheney" refers to Dick's confrontation with Senator Pat Leahy, during which the Vice President invited the good Senator to perform an anatomically impossible maneuver upon his Senatorial self.