The answer to Andrew's question

Comedian Andrew "Dice" Clay once asked in his routine "So you can smoke the baloney pony, but not a fuckin' Marlboro?", and at the time it seemed so absurd as to elicit roars of laughter from the crowd.

Given the absolutely usurous taxes on tobacco products in New York, and the recent vote on gay marriage, the answer seems to be:

Well, yes. Apparently.

Just a "theory"...

I was recently reading the comments section of a news item dealing with the teaching of creationism in publically-funded schools. On The Huffington Post, no less, that virtual garbage scow that passes itself off as a news site. Yes, I am a masochist.

Predictably, the debate turns to creationism vs evolution itself, rather than the actual subject of the news story and I am astounded to see no fewer than five separate individuals whose argument for creationism/intelligent design ("creationism dressed up in a cheap tuxedo") runs something like this: "There's a reason why it's called a "theory"! It's only a "theory"!

I've run across this before, which really makes me wonder after the level of basic science instruction in the United States. These people obviously don't know that the meaning of "theory", as it pertains to science, is very different from the meaning of the word as used in common parlance.

Since at least 4 of these people didn't bother reading the rest of the thread where the meaning of "theory" was explained already I can hardly expect them to happen across this pokey little page and bother reading my post. But, for anyone that doesn't know, a "Theory" is not a "hypothesis". It is not a guess, it is not mere conjecture. It is the Gold Standard in science, peer reviewed and found to have no demonstrable flaws that would permit any better explanation. Know what else is a "Theory"?

Gravity. That you will not walk out of your front door and float into the sky is only a "theory".

That we, and all other living matter, are made of cells. Even though these cells can be seen through a microscope, it is a Theory. Because there is no higher appellation to give it.

That germs cause disease.

Plate tectonics.

Nuclear energy.

There's scores of them. Learn what things mean before you attempt to debate them. Someone in the same thread asked why proponents of evolution always wind up getting irritable when "discussing the issue". For the same reason that atheists do when discussing the validity or probablity of a supreme being: because it's like pounding your freaking head against a wall.