But really, the monk used all the various ‘begats’ in the Old Testament to figure out the date. AFAIK it’s a pretty good estimate if you’re a Bible literalist.

That’s pretty much what peer review is for. The last bit of the Scientific Method is to test other people’s findings, of course. If anyone’s paying attention, they’re going to say that there’s never been a smartwatch found with dinosaurs (setting aside that there aren’t dinosaurs in La Brea; go with saber tooth tigers…

The axe was buried in a layer of soil mixed with charcoal. So, they know the date the wood was burned, and therefore the axe isn’t older than that. The axe could have been buried in the soil at a later date, but disturbed soil looks different than undisturbed, so I’d guess that this is all why the paper made it into a…

To be fair, not a lot of practice around for a person to throw a spear at a hovering object.

I’m honest with myself enough to know I’m capable of prejudice, but I did actually get a minor in Anthropology, therefore I have read a few books on the subject, and also hung out with Native American Club members in college. So, I don’t know, yikes?

I’ll own that to some extent. The logic I used is: “I’m NA and I’m not offended,” made me think (and still makes me think) they’re implying that all NA aren’t offended. So my mind went in that direction, and I tried to give a pithy answer.

This is a little reductive to say, but what if JK said “I don’t believe in all that shit, but imagine, just for a sec, that Moses, David, Jesus, and Mohammed were all wizards? The Bible and Quran are just muggle books about wizards! My next book will be Comparative ‘Religions’: A Wizard History In The Middle East”…

I was actually trying to say that although his opinion exists, other folks don’t agree, ancestry notwithstanding. I think my response suffered from trying to be pithy, which is a fault I have. Ah well, the internet rolls on.

It’s not the only place I try to end racism. I’m quite strident, actually. Is recognition that my life is easy a bad thing? Louis C.K. has a joke: “I’m not saying that white people are better, I’m saying that it’s clearly better to be white.” Am I weird for thinking that it’d be nice if more people could experience…

Yes I’ll be OK! Fuckin’ A! I’m white, male, straight, healthy, middle class, educated, taller than average, only addicted to caffeine... I’m riding the Privilege Train! I am playing life on Easy Mode!

It’s not like my opinion came out of nowhere. I’ve read a few books on cultural appropriation, known people of the relevant heritage, etc., and have seen people feel who have standing to be offended (more often it’s more like annoyed). It’s my perogative, and everyone else’s, to say, “Hey, fuck them, I’ll talk how I…

Well, I mean, I think the fact that Native Americans exist today means it was attempted and not successful? I’m not trying to say it was a happy fun time for all involved, or anything.

Well, ok, I agree with all that. Your first comment was too short for me to understand what you were going for. I took it to mean that we shouldn’t try to adjust/influence/possibly correct cultural norms.

I know, it’s kind of un-american to think that, right?

My first counter-example would result in breaking the Godwin seal, so I’ll let you imagine. How about: “It’s our custom that anyone with skin darker than a paper bag should drink out of those fountains over there.” I would say that culture cannot be controlled, but influencing it is something that happens every day.

‘Serve Cold’ /That’s/ what I’ve been doing wrong!

I agree with what you’re saying, but I’m mildly confused by your parenthetical at the end.

The sarcasm was because he said, “I am X and on behalf of all X, we are not offended, and your opinion on the subject doesn’t matter.” I get a little sarcastic when people say stuff like that.

Keep on keepin’ on, man.