Carolyn,

Have met Professor Shortell at Brooklyn College; he is in the Department of Sociology, I believe? I just read an article by him, and thought, perhaps, you were aware of his work and could comment on it from point of view.

Here is the article, by the way:http://www.anti-naturals.org/15cst/no19/p1.htm

Ah so not a day's excursion on the train then? ;-)

Perhaps you a best advised to wait in that case: I'm certain the Hitch will come to NY eventually

Uk flats = Us apartments.

Two peoples divided by a common language!

Re: the conference, I'm going to be a pest

Will one day really make all the difference in flats?  Really?   :-P

Yup.

http://www.facebook.com/Zacrates66/posts/1708756691679

It started early in the morning.  Zac posted a blog essentially about his plane being struck by lightning and how he'd clutched his copy of The God Delusion for comfort and offered up a prayer to Richard Dawkins. 

Obviously sarcastic, right?

Well this brought out one Theist - Erika who messaged Zac direct to his page saying how she was mightily offended that he would compare a man Dawkins to her god, and then we were joined in the fray by Eric Ziegler (apparently I learnt later a friend of Zac's whose recently been 'turned to the dark side of Fundie Catholicism.

So I make a quick comment somethgin about how Christians are so credullous they though Zac was serious and this initiates an unholy row - however where they were it was 1.30am where I was it was 7am and I was getting ready to leave the house so with much terse exchanges already said (involve amongst other things evolution, creationism, the devil and Hell) I said we'd reconvene that evening.

So I get back from college post a few posts dismantling (especially Eric's) posts and he appers offering up a 'watchmaker analogy' - and I school him on that as well.

And then thigns turn Nasty.  Already Erics said Atheists talk shit and been generally rude and unpleasent but now were back to insults threats of Hell (you will burn unbelievers!!!) , I don't play nice either now I've had enough of this - and that's when it comes: the 'if I ever see you I'll beat you up' (I'm paraphrasing) but he was livid.

So there you go.  Push a theists buttons and the mask slips - threats of torture and violence is all they have.

I'm 5' 9' too! :-)  I'd say it was his nose to my chin, not a great difference but just noticeable 'cos he's such a giant to me, it was just a startling moment to realise I was the taller between us.