The annual selection of the top 500 lawyers in America has begun at LawDragon. You can vote for your favorite colleagues, teachers, or counsel.
While I am happy to be on the ballot, I am more happy to see others not on the ballot. Notably, John Ashcroft is no longer on the list. Nor is John Yoo or most other Bush lawyers. Also missing is Alberto Gonzales this year.
What is interesting is the absence of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Clarence Thomas and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are also off the list, even though the rest of the Court makes it on the ballot. Judiciary Chairman John Conyers and other members of Congress are also not on the list.
To vote: click here.
Wayne, why didn’t you answer my post on knowledge?
You are nothing but a provocateur and have no interest in explaining the gospels of the RCC to anyone and I even bought ‘Father Smith Instructs Jackson’.
Bob,
Apparently the whatever source I learned the “No True Scotsman” fallacy from is the only one that used cream instead of sugar.
Who knew?
Gyges,
Honestly, you lost me on the oats and cream segue. Note how I didn’t lean on an argument from personal incredulity though.
Speaking of Argument from personal incredulity, if you look at it closely while reflecting back on the most heated political arguments, doesn’t it just knock the wind out of your sails as you realize that mankind has not evolved an inch from the slime that spawned him?
How’s that segue?
Bob,
That’s not an example of a true argument from ignorance, it eats it’s oats with cream.
Unlike Prof. Turley who only eats oats that have never even heard of cream. Which is why he should get your vote for “favorite lawyer.”
How’s that for a Segue?
And here’s today’s Informal Fallacy tip, brought to you by the folks at ‘Spin Alley’….
Argument from ignorance
The two most common forms of the argument from ignorance, both fallacious, can be reduced to the following form:
* Something is currently unexplained or insufficiently understood or explained, so it is not (or must not be) true.
* Because there appears to be a lack of evidence for one hypothesis, another chosen hypothesis is therefore considered proven.
Argument from personal incredulity
Two common versions of the argument from personal incredulity are:
* “I can’t believe this is possible, so it can’t be true.” (The person is asserting that a proposition must be wrong because he or she is [or claims to be] unable or unwilling to fully consider that it might be true, or is unwilling to believe evidence which does not support her or his preferred view.)
* “That’s not what people say about this; people instead agree with what I am saying.” (Here the person is asserting that a proposition must be inaccurate because the opinion of “people in general” is claimed to agree with the speaker’s opinion, without offering specific evidence in support of the alternative view.) This is also called argumentum ad populum.
An argument from personal incredulity is the same as an argument from ignorance only if the person making the argument has solely their particular personal belief in the impossibility of the one scenario as “evidence” that the alternative scenario is true (i.e., the person lacks relevant evidence specifically for the alternative scenario).
Quite commonly, the argument from personal incredulity is used in combination with some evidence in an attempt to sway opinion towards a preferred conclusion. Here too, it is a logical fallacy to the degree that the personal incredulity is offered as further “evidence.” In such an instance, the person making the argument has inserted a personal bias in an attempt to strengthen the argument for acceptance of her or his preferred conclusion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_ignorance
N.B.
Not even in a Greek Tragedy of the Commons should anyone taunt Happy Fun Ball.
I have stated my position and will act accordingly as future situations dictate. By your leave, I now drop this thread. I do sincerely hope I won’t have to pick it up again.
And we come to the Rubicon . . .
I’ve stated how I’ll conduct myself and it’s based entirely upon her behavior towards me. Social interactions are reciprocal. If you’d rather have someone here that now four regulars (myself, AY, gyges, FFLEO) have requested you remove for being a perpetual irritant, that’s your choice Professor. Sweet Jumping Jebus, even that troll IS said she’d gone too far. That’s telling in and of itself. Like I said, I’m sympathetic to your reasoning vis a vis free speech and supervision. I have always complied in the past with your requests for me to play nice, but really you’ve only asked the once. I try to be a good guest. But I’m not her doormat any more than I am for trolls. If you expect me to act as such, you haven’t gotten to know me as well as you might have.
Simply ask me to leave. It’ll calm her down for a little while until she re-targets. I’ll do it if you like. This is a hobby. I can take my toys and go elsewhere to play by your leave. Your party, your guest list. Just ask. No problem. I’ll never darken your door again. I can use the bits and scraps of time for lots of things.
I do have an issue though that may influence your decision on asking me to leave.
As far as I’m concerned, I’m not taking any crap off Patty without exposing her as the serial aggressor she is. Sorry. It’s just that simple. We’ve all had to endure her hateful and often nonsensical personal onslaughts against Jill and AY. I went out of my to let her back down when she decided to open a third front on me. I’ve been more than reasonable. I’ve even asked nicely before unsheathing my claws. I’m fresh out of compassion for her and her actions. She talks bad about me, not about my arguments or statement – me, as in ad hominem babble that has become her trademark – and I’ll turn it back on her every time. Not because it hurts me, but because she’s acting like an ass. For every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction. I gave every quarter possible possible before changing to “an eye for an eye”. I yield this far and no further. I also went a long, long time before unsheathing the claws. I did so out of respect for the forum and her regular status. But quite simply, I’m starting to see why FFLEO characterized this situation in terms of bias. How many cautions are enough? Seriously, did Bron get this many? Where’s the line between free speech and shit disturber? It seems like she doesn’t have one. Surely no one would allow a physical guest to act like her, would they? I know she’d be on the lawn at my house or possibly in the back of squad car. It’s almost like there are two sets of rules. I’ll be glad to leave if my only option is to quietly be whipping boy for Ms. Bad Manners.
Simply ask. I’ll go with no fuss. Say ‘ciao’ and be gone.
Just don’t ask me not to defend after so many chances were offered for an aggressor to walk away.
I won’t do it. It’s not in my nature.
BIL:
I have deleted entries in the past from Patty and others when they have strayed into personal attacks. Many have gotten by under the radar. I was barred of the more vicious trolls and bad citizens but I have done that with reluctance. i still believe that the least regulation of free speech is the best. However, this situation shows that we need to eliminate the personal stuff. I sincerely hope that you will remain and continue to contribute to the site. However, I am asking everyone to end this thread and resume our scrutiny of the world outside.
Obviously, I push your buttons, BILe
Everytime you respond as you do, for me, it’s child’s play.
Since you’re slow on the uptake, perhaps what you really need to do is grow up, eh? It may ‘help’.
Hah! 😛 😉
Once again, please everyone drop the taunting and personal attacks. There is no reason to attack people on a personal level or question their motivations for comments. This type of sniping is ruining this forum in a blog version of the tragedy of the commons. Everyone who discusses these topics in a civil manner is welcome. Those who cannot will find an endless supply of blogs that seem to relish name calling and personal attacks. This is just not one of those sites. I deeply value our regulars and it would be a shame for any to be run off. At the same time, I have worked hard not to banish people on a blog committed to free speech. Once again, I do not want to supply adult supervision or authoritarian control. Please please forego further personal attacks and let’s get back to ridiculing life in general.
Nice to see you keep proving how completely mentally ill you are, Patty. Keep on giving us more evidence of your compulsion.
Exactly right, BILe – Colon-Blo, because you are full of it…
Hah!!!!!!!!! ;P
🙂 🙂 🙂
since you brought it up, do you live together?
I told you couldn’t stop yourself, Patty.
Thanks for proving me right once again.
Please. Attack some more. Show you have no self control and are obsessed.
It’s funny.
Oh Happy Fun Ball! I thought I’d never see you again! lol
Thanks, Bob. It’s a classic, right up there with my faves “Bass-O-Matic ’76” and “Colon Blow/Super Colon Blow Cereal”.
Buddha & Gyges,
Lest we forget one of the most famous disclaimers of all…
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/happy-fun-ball/229058/
‘… Does your hubby get jealous about how much time you obviously spend thinking about me and how much you “hate” me? Surely he must notice . . . assuming he’s not made up too, Ms. “I’m a medical researcher/doctor/insurance claims adjuster”. Or does he spend all his time out of the house because you’re there?
–
My SO is NOT my ‘hubby’ and you are completely irrelevant in our scheme of things…
He and I were both married and lived with others before we met and see no reason to legalize our relationship. I have several diamond rings for every ooccasion. I can marry any time I please, however, I like our relationship exactly as it is. I don’t need the license to know our love is complete
– thank you.
Besides, our way is much sexier … 😉
What you are, Patty, is totally full of crap and suffering from the delusion anyone other than yourself cares what you say about anything other than perhaps food since other than talking about food and one instance of health care, all you’ve done for a month now is attack-attack-attack. And people are laughing at you, although some have shown great annoyance. Other regulars. Not just people you’ve attacked. I tried to warn you, but noooooo. The harder you attack, the more petty and ridiculous you’ll continue to look. Or hasn’t that sunk in just yet? Or do you want to attack some more? Proclaim your victory and piss in the corners, Ms. Boss? How about a victory lap?
Since the only thing you’ve spoken with value in the last month is food related, why not go be a pain in the ass over at FoodTV?
Oh, that’s right. Because you’re the “chosen” leader and this your site. Well, there’s only one “leader” here and you ain’t it, Clown Girl. Because if you were, you could do more to stop me from retaliating against your perpetual aggression besides digging a deeper hole. I haven’t been banished either, sweetie, so put that in your “I’m Special” pipe and smoke it. It’ll help you with that blatant insecurity. Or not.
But really . . .
Start taking your meds. Or would you like a cross to hang from while you preen about how special you are? Whatever is wrong with your ego is not attractive nor conducive to polite social interactions you feel are even the slightest bit out of your control.
Bad news. I’m totally out of your control. I’m out of most people’s control because, duh, I can think for myself. But you can influence me to leave you alone. Or didn’t you notice I don’t talk about or to you when you don’t talk about or to me? See, unlike you, I capable of keeping my word. And my word was “an eye for an eye”.
Every time you mention me, I’m going to point out that all you do anymore is kiss ass and attack people like a bi-polar drunk pit bull on crank.
Enjoy, Princess.
You asked for it.
And the beauty of it is that you’re predictable. You’ll ask for it again. With your very next attack that you just can’t stop yourself from making.
Can you?
You just can’t stop.
See, that’s the biggest difference. My actions are based in choice. A rational decision based on your irrational attacks after many attempts to get you to stop acting like seeing you next Tuesday. Your actions? Not so much logic based, are they?
You have no restraint or impulse control when it comes to me.
Does your hubby get jealous about how much time you obviously spend thinking about me and how much you “hate” me? Surely he must notice . . . assuming he’s not made up too, Ms. “I’m a medical researcher/doctor/insurance claims adjuster”. Or does he spend all his time out of the house because you’re there?
But please . . .
Attack me again, Princess. Covered in gasoline as you are, I’ll gladly keep handing you matches.