(http://i.somethingawful.com//sasbi/2006/08/elpintogrande/21-alod.gif)
That's taking that waaay too far.
So what, is this just a guideline or do we post the actual news here?
o___O That kid's face is really creepy.
Picture deleted due to unnecessary and disruptive repetition of large graphics. ~ Lord J
That's taking that waaay too far.
It feels silly & awkward if you let your sons & daughters wear something like that! You'll be the laughing stock of the neighborhood.
Good News:yey for pandas
PANDAS BORN! http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/09/12/china.pandas.ap/index.html
We're always hearing how pandas are getting the shaft. Finally, some good news about captive breeding.
Bad News:
JESUS CAMP! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UWIb4FwHPg
Branson rocks. At his sons party, which was a Mad Hatter one, Paris Hilton asked if she could be Alice, so she could be "the star of the show". Branson, hearing about this, ordered all the waitresses to be dressed as Alice, and even gave Paris some drinks to serve after she entered.
Good News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/5372458.stm It's out. If you have time to burn, read the comments to see what the Britons are thinking.
Bad News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5400570.stm , obviously. Another worthless coward has gone out with a bang.
We just need some kind of mobile windmills that we can put in the paths of hurricanes (on and off land) or something...>_>
Doubleshot: Coke is coming out with Enviga, a tea designed to raise metabolism. Studies show that drinking three can reduce 100 calories daily. Studies also show that getting your ass out on the street and walking can get the job done free. It costs $35 worth of the juice to offset a Big Mac or Sirloin Steak. Why pay for an expensive energy drink when you can burn a freaking hell of a lot more than 100 calories and shape your body by real execise? This kind of catering to lazy people is not good for humanity. People need to take responsibility for their physical well-being and stop looking for short cuts. I'm not condemning scientific applications for metabolism, but the populace should not be afraid of a little American dream hard work. Fessing up to mounting tasks at hand and declaring Rock Lee on them is the way to success. Evading them and paying out the ass for it isn't.
The Wikipedia article is horribleI'll pretend I didn't hear that!
Upset by the war in Iraq, Julia Wilson vented her frustrations with President Bush last spring on her Web page on MySpace.com. She posted a picture of the president, scrawled "Kill Bush" across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. She later replaced her page on the social-networking site after learning in her eighth-grade history class that such threats are a federal offense.
It was too late.
Federal authorities had found the page and placed Wilson on their checklist. They finally reached her this week in her molecular biology class.
The 14-year-old freshman was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents...
The Wikipedia article is horribleI'll pretend I didn't hear that!
Also, to all you Wikipediaens, do you have a "this user is the handsome devil of the hidden leaf village known as Rock Lee!" Userbox?QuoteUpset by the war in Iraq, Julia Wilson vented her frustrations with President Bush last spring on her Web page on MySpace.com. She posted a picture of the president, scrawled "Kill Bush" across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. She later replaced her page on the social-networking site after learning in her eighth-grade history class that such threats are a federal offense.
It was too late.
Federal authorities had found the page and placed Wilson on their checklist. They finally reached her this week in her molecular biology class.
The 14-year-old freshman was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents...
Heh. People make jokes like that all the time here too, about Bush and Howard. I wonder why they can't take jokes from 8th graders...But I guess it can be seen as "incitation of violence". Of course, the news is nowhere near as humorous as the time some kid hugged Howard on his birthday...while holding a screwdriver. And no one noticed.
I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
yeah that sounded pretty stupid to me too.I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
Unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong (and it's late, so that may be the case) you are suggesting that we shouldn't punish criminals if they think that their actions should go unpunished. Please clarify your position.
It just seems unfair to punish someone for something they didn't mean to commit. The end does no justify the means, or something like that.I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
Unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong (and it's late, so that may be the case) you are suggesting that we shouldn't punish criminals if they think that their actions should go unpunished. Please clarify your position.
You're one to talk.yeah that sounded pretty stupid to me too.I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
Unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong (and it's late, so that may be the case) you are suggesting that we shouldn't punish criminals if they think that their actions should go unpunished. Please clarify your position.
yes. yes I am one to talk. I was born with this unique ablity to speak in aduible language from my throat. Its kinda common place really.It just seems unfair to punish someone for something they didn't mean to commit. The end does no justify the means, or something like that.I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
Unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong (and it's late, so that may be the case) you are suggesting that we shouldn't punish criminals if they think that their actions should go unpunished. Please clarify your position.
But then another part of me says that they should get punished for murder, for the same reasons you said.You're one to talk.yeah that sounded pretty stupid to me too.I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
Unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong (and it's late, so that may be the case) you are suggesting that we shouldn't punish criminals if they think that their actions should go unpunished. Please clarify your position.
EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mens_rea May be helpful.
It just seems unfair to punish someone for something they didn't mean to commit. The end does no justify the means, or something like that.I've also thought that, but now I'm reconsidering my view on DWI. That should of only been murder considering the circumstances; 3 people were killed. But there is no point punishing someone for a crime they commited if they can't even accept that they deserved it.
Unless I'm reading what you're saying wrong (and it's late, so that may be the case) you are suggesting that we shouldn't punish criminals if they think that their actions should go unpunished. Please clarify your position.
But then another part of me says that they should get punished for murder, for the same reasons you said.
Well, we pretty much assume that people who die would rather live, so...(http://www.freewebs.com/kurtcobaindds/ry3rkbdq.jpg)
Well, we pretty much assume that people who die would rather live, so...(http://www.freewebs.com/kurtcobaindds/ry3rkbdq.jpg)
GASP! ZeaLitY speaks to us! *grovel* *fawn* O, great and beneficent leader, lead us! *adulate* *extol* We are not worthy! *bow*
Yes, and Cobain's a bad example, considering Courtney Love offed him.Haha, classic.
Err, where did that come from?QuoteGASP! ZeaLitY speaks to us! *grovel* *fawn* O, great and beneficent leader, lead us! *adulate* *extol* We are not worthy! *bow*
Yes, and Cobain's a bad example, considering Courtney Love offed him.Haha, classic.Err, where did that come from?QuoteGASP! ZeaLitY speaks to us! *grovel* *fawn* O, great and beneficent leader, lead us! *adulate* *extol* We are not worthy! *bow*
Bad News: Apparently, women without scarves are uncovered meat: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/26/australia.cleric.ap/index.html
"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside ... and the cats come to eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat's?"
The root of the problem is there notwithstanding extremism. Women must wear scarves and be treated differently. Each time I see scarve-wearing women at Wal-Mart, it gets me down. Sexism needs to be a shameful relic of our history. Keywords: shameful and history.Damn this world and the freedom of clothing :roll:. Women can wear whatever they want. The right to cover yourself up and wear a scarf should be freely enjoyed as the right to wear a miniskirt and a tubetop. A woman on the news the other day said she wore a scarf as a symbol of her faith, not to protect herself from sexual harrasment.
The root of the problem is there notwithstanding extremism. Women must wear scarves and be treated differently. Each time I see scarve-wearing women at Wal-Mart, it gets me down. Sexism needs to be a shameful relic of our history. Keywords: shameful and history.Damn this world and the freedom of clothing :roll:. Women can wear whatever they want. The right to cover yourself up and wear a scarf should be freely enjoyed as the right to wear a miniskirt and a tubetop. A woman on the news the other day said she wore a scarf as a symbol of her faith, not to protect herself from sexual harrasment.
The root of the problem is there notwithstanding extremism. Women must wear scarves and be treated differently. Each time I see scarve-wearing women at Wal-Mart, it gets me down. Sexism needs to be a shameful relic of our history. Keywords: shameful and history.Damn this world and the freedom of clothing :roll:. Women can wear whatever they want. The right to cover yourself up and wear a scarf should be freely enjoyed as the right to wear a miniskirt and a tubetop. A woman on the news the other day said she wore a scarf as a symbol of her faith, not to protect herself from sexual harrasment.
Fair enough, but I was specifically talking about the Western world. In a theocracy, it is a whole different story, as a country deserves to rule how it pleases.The root of the problem is there notwithstanding extremism. Women must wear scarves and be treated differently. Each time I see scarve-wearing women at Wal-Mart, it gets me down. Sexism needs to be a shameful relic of our history. Keywords: shameful and history.Damn this world and the freedom of clothing :roll:. Women can wear whatever they want. The right to cover yourself up and wear a scarf should be freely enjoyed as the right to wear a miniskirt and a tubetop. A woman on the news the other day said she wore a scarf as a symbol of her faith, not to protect herself from sexual harrasment.
In the civilized world, a woman is free to wear (almost) as little or as much as she pleases. It is in theocracies that this choice doesn't exist. The problem isn't that some women would chose to cover up in the absence of government or social enforcement. It's that there are parts of the world where such enforcements exist. This is unforgivable. To advocate institutionalized dehumanization of half of the population is treason against man kind.
Fair enough, but I was specifically talking about the Western world. In a theocracy, it is a whole different story, as a country deserves to rule how it pleases.The root of the problem is there notwithstanding extremism. Women must wear scarves and be treated differently. Each time I see scarve-wearing women at Wal-Mart, it gets me down. Sexism needs to be a shameful relic of our history. Keywords: shameful and history.Damn this world and the freedom of clothing :roll:. Women can wear whatever they want. The right to cover yourself up and wear a scarf should be freely enjoyed as the right to wear a miniskirt and a tubetop. A woman on the news the other day said she wore a scarf as a symbol of her faith, not to protect herself from sexual harrasment.
In the civilized world, a woman is free to wear (almost) as little or as much as she pleases. It is in theocracies that this choice doesn't exist. The problem isn't that some women would chose to cover up in the absence of government or social enforcement. It's that there are parts of the world where such enforcements exist. This is unforgivable. To advocate institutionalized dehumanization of half of the population is treason against man kind.
I'm not picked sides or anything, but who says the UN should have the ultimate say in rights?Fair enough, but I was specifically talking about the Western world. In a theocracy, it is a whole different story, as a country deserves to rule how it pleases.The root of the problem is there notwithstanding extremism. Women must wear scarves and be treated differently. Each time I see scarve-wearing women at Wal-Mart, it gets me down. Sexism needs to be a shameful relic of our history. Keywords: shameful and history.Damn this world and the freedom of clothing :roll:. Women can wear whatever they want. The right to cover yourself up and wear a scarf should be freely enjoyed as the right to wear a miniskirt and a tubetop. A woman on the news the other day said she wore a scarf as a symbol of her faith, not to protect herself from sexual harrasment.
In the civilized world, a woman is free to wear (almost) as little or as much as she pleases. It is in theocracies that this choice doesn't exist. The problem isn't that some women would chose to cover up in the absence of government or social enforcement. It's that there are parts of the world where such enforcements exist. This is unforgivable. To advocate institutionalized dehumanization of half of the population is treason against man kind.
Err...no. It doesn't. The rights of people are always more important than the rights of governments.
For reference:
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
Bad News: Apparently, women without scarves are uncovered meat: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/10/26/australia.cleric.ap/index.html
Here's another account of the story, with a heavier focus on how the cleric blames women for being raped if they don't hide their humanity underneath a mountain of veils:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/290165_australia27.html
Here is the quote in question:Quote from: Islamolf al Hitler"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside ... and the cats come to eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat's?"
This is unforgivable and intolerable. I'll put it to you people straight: Islam promotes crimes against humanity. Islam itself is a crime, legitimized by fact of numbers, zeal, and an obsequious liberal multiculturalism in the West that permits these atrocities to persist despite superior power. Tolerance of the intolerant is appeasement, plain and simple, and it is worse than dishonorable--it too is criminal.
If anybody who professes a shred of sympathy for that fucked up religion wants so much as as a microbe's prayer of redeeming Islam as something more to humanity than a confederation of criminals, act now. Act now, or you are complicit in all of this.
I've had it, I have absolutely had it with these miscreants. If the Republicans and other conservatives around the globe want to start bombing Islamic countries and arresting Muslim leaders, I am not going to argue with their fascist logic. I have better things to spend my time doing, like helping human beings who are declared no more valuable than raw meat by the doctrine of a billion fanatics. This is no longer the Dark Ages but the 21st century, and no Western country should ever put up with this kind of religious bullshit.
Christians, you're on notice too. You know who you are. But Muslims, you're at the edge of the cliff. The goodwill of advanced nations is exhausted.
Bad News: This planet is getting its ass kicked. I've read these "how many planets does a country use" reports before, and this seems to be a new one. And congratulations; we'll need two Earths to make it to 2050. This is a strong argument against overuse of natural resources and by extension an argument again population growth. http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/10/24/humans.planet.reut/index.html
I'm not picked sides or anything, but who says the UN should have the ultimate say in rights?
Man, that happened ages ago.
And funnily enough, how almost every single Muslim in the entire country disagreed with him, and condemned him, and asked him to step down. Oh, but let's listen to this one person!
For the last three decades, the public face of Islam in Australia has been the Federation of Islamic Councils, or AFIC. In 1988, AFIC appointed an honorary mufti who became the titular head of the Islamic community in this country. Egyptian-born Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, has himself become a source of friction within the community.
“If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden, or in the park, or in the backyard without cover, and the cats come to eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats’ or the uncovered meat’s,” The Australian quoted Hilali as saying.
“The uncovered meat is the problem,” he was quoted as saying. “If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no problem would have occurred.”
He said women were "weapons" used by "Satan" to control men.
"It is said in the state of zina (adultery), the responsibility falls 90 per cent of the time on the woman. Why? Because she possesses the weapon of enticement (igraa)."
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward said Al-Hilali, who has the title Mufti of Australia, had a history of making such comments and should be thrown out of the country.
"It is incitement to a crime. Young Muslim men who now rape women can cite this in court, can quote this man, their leader in court," she told Australian television.
On the fourth of the month of Ramadan, while we were in this blessed mosque, and after the nightly prayer, the sheik read from the Sura of al-Maida, and I was commenting on the verse, "The man thief and the woman thief, cut off the hands of both..."
God put forward man before woman in theft and woman before man in adultery. And then I started to present the seductive means, and how the man should control his urges.
I am guiding my daughters, my women. I call for chastity. And if this country is going to forbid us from protecting our honour, and preserve our dignity, I preserve my honour with money that I do not spend, may God not bless money after the honour is lost.
Australia is a multicultural society. Whoever wants to, let them take their clothes off. Whoever wants to go naked, let them go naked. Whoever wants to get drunk, let them get drunk. Whoever wants to smoke hashish, let them smoke hashish.
It's a free country; it's none of our business. But it is our right to tell our women the text of the verse 59 of the Sura of al-Nour (The Light) ... of the Sura of al-Ahzab (The Clans).
Verse 59 of the Sura of al-Ahzab: "Oh, Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble." This is the word of God.
Some of our women who are Westernised say that the religious hijab does not accord respect. The religious hijab, they say, does not increase respect for the woman or protect her.
We order the wearing of the religious hijab that God has ordered us to wear. There is nothing to this ... when we condemn debauchery, shamelessness ...
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that every six minutes in Australia there is an assault against a male minor or female minor. This is rape, and it is present in the Western societies. We are fighting this rape. We are fighting this.
We want to protect the honour of all the people. And we do not encourage our sons to rape. A Muslim man is ordered to refrain from looking. Rape, to us, is a crime worse than adultery. It borders on murder.
We have said it and declared it 100,000 times, that Islam is against rape. Islam does not instruct to rape. Islam prohibits rape. In Islam, the crime of rape borders on the crime of murder.
And still, those who are sick in the heart ... only when the cow is brought down on the ground, you see a lot of knives ...
Everybody is issuing a statement to look good in the eyes of the Government.
I say: By God, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand ... the sun, the moon, Australia, America and the Western world, in order to give up the principle of the Islamic, moderate, Koranic calling, then I swear to God that I will remain all by myself until God makes me a martyr!
Crowd: Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar!
Hilali: It's not about cowardice. I order according to my Koran. And I adhere to the principles of my Koran. And I know that this is a democratic society, and it allows me to speak the word of truth. I don't care ...
It's not about that. We are building the Australian society. And when we order chastity, when we preserve our honour, when we preserve our daughters, it doesn't mean that we are fanatics and extremists ... and we describe the woman as so and so, as meat ... We were comparing.
When you leave a piece of meat in the yard without supervision, when you put a piece of meat on the footpath, the voracious wolves will snap at it. That is our comparison.
But he said he had no intention of stepping down. Instead, al-Hilali will not give sermons for two or three months, though he will not face censure for his comments, a spokesman for the governing association of his mosque said.
The decision prompted further condemnation.
I could lay out the numerous moral and political problems inherent in actually banning a religion, and why, short of systematic genocide, it's completely unenforceable, but why bother? Analysis would pale in terms of potency to the fact that these people have actually gotten J this mad at them.
Man, that happened ages ago.
And funnily enough, how almost every single Muslim in the entire country disagreed with him, and condemned him, and asked him to step down. Oh, but let's listen to this one person!
You are either oblivious to the events in your own country or deliberately twisting the facts. Not surprising. Okay, here's the truth:
This guy:
(http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2006/10/26/2003325451.jpg)
Who is no less a figure than the titular (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1233723.htm) "Grand Mufti of Australia":QuoteFor the last three decades, the public face of Islam in Australia has been the Federation of Islamic Councils, or AFIC. In 1988, AFIC appointed an honorary mufti who became the titular head of the Islamic community in this country. Egyptian-born Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, has himself become a source of friction within the community.
Said in a Sydney sermon (http://news.bostonherald.com/international/view.bg?articleid=164227) in September 2006, at the beginning of Ramadan:Quote from: Grand Moff al-Hilali“If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden, or in the park, or in the backyard without cover, and the cats come to eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats’ or the uncovered meat’s,” The Australian quoted Hilali as saying.
“The uncovered meat is the problem,” he was quoted as saying. “If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no problem would have occurred.”Quote from: But wait, there's more!He said women were "weapons" used by "Satan" to control men.
"It is said in the state of zina (adultery), the responsibility falls 90 per cent of the time on the woman. Why? Because she possesses the weapon of enticement (igraa)."
Which can be used in court as a legal defense (http://news.yahoo.com.au/061026/19/11297.html) of sexual assault:QuoteSex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward said Al-Hilali, who has the title Mufti of Australia, had a history of making such comments and should be thrown out of the country.
"It is incitement to a crime. Young Muslim men who now rape women can cite this in court, can quote this man, their leader in court," she told Australian television.
Yet he thinks nothing of it (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20658460-601,00.html), claiming to have only been protecting the honor of women, and he even repeats his initial comment comparing women to meat:Quote from: Islamolf al-HitlerOn the fourth of the month of Ramadan, while we were in this blessed mosque, and after the nightly prayer, the sheik read from the Sura of al-Maida, and I was commenting on the verse, "The man thief and the woman thief, cut off the hands of both..."
God put forward man before woman in theft and woman before man in adultery. And then I started to present the seductive means, and how the man should control his urges.
I am guiding my daughters, my women. I call for chastity. And if this country is going to forbid us from protecting our honour, and preserve our dignity, I preserve my honour with money that I do not spend, may God not bless money after the honour is lost.
Australia is a multicultural society. Whoever wants to, let them take their clothes off. Whoever wants to go naked, let them go naked. Whoever wants to get drunk, let them get drunk. Whoever wants to smoke hashish, let them smoke hashish.
It's a free country; it's none of our business. But it is our right to tell our women the text of the verse 59 of the Sura of al-Nour (The Light) ... of the Sura of al-Ahzab (The Clans).
Verse 59 of the Sura of al-Ahzab: "Oh, Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble." This is the word of God.
Some of our women who are Westernised say that the religious hijab does not accord respect. The religious hijab, they say, does not increase respect for the woman or protect her.
We order the wearing of the religious hijab that God has ordered us to wear. There is nothing to this ... when we condemn debauchery, shamelessness ...
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that every six minutes in Australia there is an assault against a male minor or female minor. This is rape, and it is present in the Western societies. We are fighting this rape. We are fighting this.
We want to protect the honour of all the people. And we do not encourage our sons to rape. A Muslim man is ordered to refrain from looking. Rape, to us, is a crime worse than adultery. It borders on murder.
We have said it and declared it 100,000 times, that Islam is against rape. Islam does not instruct to rape. Islam prohibits rape. In Islam, the crime of rape borders on the crime of murder.
And still, those who are sick in the heart ... only when the cow is brought down on the ground, you see a lot of knives ...
Everybody is issuing a statement to look good in the eyes of the Government.
I say: By God, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand ... the sun, the moon, Australia, America and the Western world, in order to give up the principle of the Islamic, moderate, Koranic calling, then I swear to God that I will remain all by myself until God makes me a martyr!
Crowd: Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar!
Hilali: It's not about cowardice. I order according to my Koran. And I adhere to the principles of my Koran. And I know that this is a democratic society, and it allows me to speak the word of truth. I don't care ...
It's not about that. We are building the Australian society. And when we order chastity, when we preserve our honour, when we preserve our daughters, it doesn't mean that we are fanatics and extremists ... and we describe the woman as so and so, as meat ... We were comparing.
When you leave a piece of meat in the yard without supervision, when you put a piece of meat on the footpath, the voracious wolves will snap at it. That is our comparison.
And yet, despite global condemnation, he will not face censure (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/190394.cms):QuoteBut he said he had no intention of stepping down. Instead, al-Hilali will not give sermons for two or three months, though he will not face censure for his comments, a spokesman for the governing association of his mosque said.
The decision prompted further condemnation.
So you see, Burning Z, that this is not just "one person" as you so cavalierly put it, nor is this one person facing any real retribution from his sponsors. This is the face of Islam in a developed and advanced country: Australia. And you, as an Australian Muslim, are personally responsible for it. Unless you stop apologizing for this man by trying to write him off as "one person" who made a comment "ages ago," and actually start making an effort to get scum like this removed from their pedestals of power--be they official or popular--you are liable, culpable, and guilty for his remarks. This is as surely as United States citizens are personally responsible for having elected this idiot president of ours to power, and are guilty of propping him up unless we work to rectify our grave blunder.
But you don't want to hear about that. You want to pretend it isn't a problem. Maybe that's because you yourself advocated physically abusing women in another thread on this Compendium. Maybe it's not that you don't want to see a problem. Maybe you really don't see a problem with the Mufti's remarks.
So a hearty fuck you to your bullshit religion and your inexcusable defense of its most fanatical leaders, Zeppy. You are a part of the problem.
Here's something Hadriel said:I could lay out the numerous moral and political problems inherent in actually banning a religion, and why, short of systematic genocide, it's completely unenforceable, but why bother? Analysis would pale in terms of potency to the fact that these people have actually gotten J this mad at them.
"This mad" is right. But it's not just me. I would like to think that all civilized people who got wind of this disgraceful story would be "this mad" about it. And I would like to think that such people would reject this fucked up religion not by the fiat declarations that Hadriel describes, but by universal revulsion. Nonetheless, if anybody in power wants to make any fiat declarations against Islam, I'm not going to argue with them. I'd rather spend my breath where it's needed.
Edit: Here is the face of the scandal now:
(http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/4308/weekendaustraliannewspavc8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
Honestly, I couldn't give a rat's ass about being the "lesser sex," because I don't see myself as being such.
Honestly, I couldn't give a rat's ass about being the "lesser sex," because I don't see myself as being such.
You might not care about the issue of sexism, but your life as you know it would have been almost impossible were it not for the radicals and feather-rufflers. That makes any defiant nonchalance (a contradiction in terms?) on your part especially shortsighted. And in the broader sense, all people--female or not--would suffer were we to exist in such a society where women were valued somewhere between an underclass and chattel. History shows us only the most inconceivable echo of what we lost by societies' treatment of women as slaves, all over the world, for thousands of years.
He might have influence over certain groups, but as far as I know, he has no influence over anyone close to me.Honestly, I couldn't give a rat's ass about being the "lesser sex," because I don't see myself as being such.
You might not care about the issue of sexism, but your life as you know it would have been almost impossible were it not for the radicals and feather-rufflers. That makes any defiant nonchalance (a contradiction in terms?) on your part especially shortsighted. And in the broader sense, all people--female or not--would suffer were we to exist in such a society where women were valued somewhere between an underclass and chattel. History shows us only the most inconceivable echo of what we lost by societies' treatment of women as slaves, all over the world, for thousands of years.
Your opinion that I cut with the hullabaloo is nullified on grounds of absurdity. You don't have to listen to me; that's what the X is for in the top corner of your browser. But you'd be a fool to ignore the influence of powerful people like Mr. Grand Mufti over in Aussie Land. I cannot in good conscience ignore his sort of evil.
You don't have to listen to me; that's what the X is for in the top corner of your browserBut that would close all my pr0n!
And if Mr. Grand Mufti is so influential in Australia, why's he getting assraped by the press and the citizens
One should not be critcized over ones sexual fetishes
If you can't deal with others having their own opinions, how on earth have you all been able to remain on any/all message boards without the banwagon coming your way?
pen and teller couldn't out debate the 9/11 conspicrist.QuoteIf you can't deal with others having their own opinions, how on earth have you all been able to remain on any/all message boards without the banwagon coming your way?
A whole lot of flaming, mostly.
Penn & Teller have done episodes of Bullshit! about religion in general. It's not hard to conceive of one specifically devoted to Islam.
It doesn't have to be live debate. It just has to be right.... uh... *looks at president bush's debates.* ... I'm sorry wha?
Next at 11: Fire chief sacked for suggesting that firefighters should be strong enough to carry a limp adult out of a burning building in a timely fashion.my cousin's a firefighter. He says, you have to be able to lift at least 110 lbs. with your equipment on.... which is 100 lbs by itself.
Next at 11: Fire chief sacked for suggesting that firefighters should be strong enough to carry a limp adult out of a burning building in a timely fashion.my cousin's a firefighter. He says, you have to be able to lift at least 110 lbs. with your equipment on.... which is 100 lbs by itself.
why? Issac can bench 250.Next at 11: Fire chief sacked for suggesting that firefighters should be strong enough to carry a limp adult out of a burning building in a timely fashion.my cousin's a firefighter. He says, you have to be able to lift at least 110 lbs. with your equipment on.... which is 100 lbs by itself.
Note to self: Don't pass out in a burning building.
why? Issac can bench 250.Next at 11: Fire chief sacked for suggesting that firefighters should be strong enough to carry a limp adult out of a burning building in a timely fashion.my cousin's a firefighter. He says, you have to be able to lift at least 110 lbs. with your equipment on.... which is 100 lbs by itself.
Note to self: Don't pass out in a burning building.
not really, when consider the fact they all pretty much have to lift 210 lbs.why? Issac can bench 250.Next at 11: Fire chief sacked for suggesting that firefighters should be strong enough to carry a limp adult out of a burning building in a timely fashion.my cousin's a firefighter. He says, you have to be able to lift at least 110 lbs. with your equipment on.... which is 100 lbs by itself.
Note to self: Don't pass out in a burning building.
Great. So that's one firefighter that could save me. If the requirements are really as lax as you say, there could be a lot of firefighters out there who couldn't carry my passed out self.
Bad News: The same elections resulted in same-sex marriage getting banned in seven out of eight states (Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, with Arizona voting against the proposition). Welcome to the Stone Age of America, where love between two sentient beings is still only officially possible through religious institutions and their restrictive legacies and where theocrats impose their will upon all.
BONUS ROUNDI loved this line: Haggard has acknowledged that he paid Mike Jones of Denver for a massage and for methamphetamine, but said he didn't have sex with Jones and didn't take the drug.
Good News: Jesus Camp is closed. http://www.torontodailynews.com/index.php/WorldNews/2006110814Kids-Camp
Bad News: Bush's push for wiretapping is open. http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/09/election.main/index.html
AWESOME NEWS: The Sonic 2 Alpha has been found! Less complete than the beta, it illustrates how Sonic 2 was built off the original Sonic and proves that the Hidden Palace Zone was developed early on and therefore wasn't cut as a late development. http://www.hidden-palace.org/?news/c/9
Well, that whole 'Jesus Camp' thing was bloody weird anyway.
"Isn't it intuitively reasonable to suppose that with some reduction of the greenhouse gases, there will be some reduction of the ensuing damage or the ensuing climate change which causes the damage?" asked Justice David Souter. "Isn't that fair?"
"There's something of a consensus on warming, but not a consensus on how much is attributable to human activity," countered Justice Antonin Scalia.
...
ZeaLitY's Exercise Corner:
Want to lose the holiday pounds? Plan on making a resolution to join the gym? Then you'd better not fall into the new gym member "all or nothing" mentality. Too often do exercise newbies believe they have to absolutely kill themselves in the gym. They bite off more they can chew and sacrifice more than they have, leading to burnout and health problems like shin splints. Read this for more:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/diet.fitness/12/22/fitness.overtraining.ap/index.html
Take it slow and build up. Bruce Lee could sustain exercise for hours at a time, but he got there by climbing the mountain like everyone else and slowly changing his lifestyle.
Good NewsWonderful news, these two bits are. My dad's greatest fear--and one of mine as well--is contracting Alzheimer's...he's sworn he wishes to be euthanized if he ever contracted the disease. The sooner this awful illness is finally cured the better.
Researcher Jordan Tang is making a stride in understanding and combating Alzheimer's.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/784773/people_to_watch_in_2007_jordan_tang/index.html
A method of deflecting cosmic radiation is being explored with comparisons to Star Trek in plenty. Hell, they used the original Enterprise in the illustrative graphic!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6567709.stm[/b]
Bad NewsAt first I wasn't about to complain about the Partial-Birth Abortion Act...while I am firmly in favour of women's reproductive rights, I do personally feel that by the third trimester a fetus has developed sufficiently to live outside the womb, and as such we may actually be killing a sentient being at this point, which I never believe is acceptable.
The Partial-Birth Abortion Act has been upheld. My main man JP Stevens and his dissenting friends were sadly edged out.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/18/scotus.abortion/index.html
Well, there's a lot of news stories to cover this, but Robert Mugabe is really letting Zimbabwe go to hell. The country is Africa's worst financial performer as rated April 5, 2007. This sucks! Africa is an interesting place and Zimbabwe has an awesome historical and legendary heritage (see here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Zimbabwe)) to capitalize on.
http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=2785
Cool NewsThat's not a good thing, Zeality...though an admittedly interesting escape method, the escape of such criminals is not something to relish(unless of course they were wrongfuly convicted, but even in such a case by escaping they are committing a criminal act and thus are guilty of at least that and thus deserving of imprisonment.)
Lupin the III escaped prison with the aid of Jigen and Goemon XIII, though the job was a little sloppy.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18126046/
That said, this act also takes away one of the key exceptions to third-trimester abortion banning: threatening the health of the mother. It only allows for such an abortion if there is direct, immediate danger to the mother's life, and usually by that point it is too late to undo the damage. Pregnancy is not the safest thing in the world, even with our current medicine.
No way for the Russians to poison it.I dunno, they have their ways. You wanna know the true story behind Sputnik?
The pregnancy termination method pejoratively labeled "partial birth" abortion is a method of abortion--not an indication of the point in the timeline of a pregnancy at which an abortion occurs. There are other, still-legal methods of abortion for late-stage pregnancies, and "partial birth" abortions are not exclusively a late-stage pregnancy termination method.I know...after doing a lot more research on the subject after I posted that post yesterday I've come to realize this...it's sickening. I find the idea of a partial-birth abortion disturbing because I know what happens in it, but it's a necessary procedure for the health of the mother in so many instances.
The problem with banning "partial birth" abortions is that the procedure is generally only used when it is in the specific health interests of the mother. For that reason, this ban will definitely maim and probably kill women, plain and simple.
Good News: U.S. Government Likely to Approve Creation of Wild Sky Wilderness Area (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/312053_wildsky18.html)
With the Democrats back in control of Congress, this long-stalled initiative finally passed the House, where Republicans had obstructed its progress. It should enjoy smooth sailing in the Senate, and President Bush has indicated he will sign it. This will give maximum-level wildland protections to about 100,000 acres of land—the first new wilderness area created in Washington in nearly the span of my lifetime.
Bad News: Supreme Court Places Major Ban on Abortion (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/312183_abortionside19.html)Hundreds or thousands in Washington state alone?! That's enough to make me want to say "Jesus Christ!" Ridiculous...purely ridiculous...
ZeaLitY already brought this up, but I mean to bring it up again. This article in the P-I indicates that hundreds or even thousands of women in Washington State alone will be impacted by this ban, each year. This ban is a direct assault on women’s rights, dismisses good science in the face of religious fundamentalism, and emboldens anti-abortion activists to press for further bans on abortion. This is a taste of what George Bush’s Supreme Court plans for America. The ban is altogether evil.
WTF News: Russia Plans Siberia-Alaska Tunnel (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003671674_webtunnel18.html)I'm going to have to smack Zeality for the Soviet Russia joke because I've heard far too many of those about this bit of news already and it's beginning to piss me off. Still, the actual news is quite interesting. I just hope it pays off...the sheer usefulness of a tunnel from North America to Asia should not be underestimated. With this tunnel one could concievably drive or walk from New York City to Moscow, or Beijing, or Dubai, or Cairo, or any other city in Asia, Europe, or Africa. Now if only we had a tunnel stretching to Australia...
The tunnel, part of a larger $65 billion transportation corridor, will include pipes, rails, roads, and wires. It will be twice as long as the Chunnel. I’m not actually convinced this is good news, because for one thing the project is highly likely to fail, and for another thing the environmental consequences of opening this transportation link may be very dire. But this tunnel has been talked about for a long time, and it is exciting to think it might finally happen. My admiration at the engineering marvel that such a project would produce, and my optimism toward progress is general, is enough for me to view this project positively. It’ll be a monster undertaking, and already has attracted the interest of multiple countries on both sides of the ocean.
Balance EditionAnd if I lived in Oklahoma he would have my full support. As it is I do have friends there and they are behind him all the way. With luck, some others of the populace are as well.
Good News
Governor Brad Henry has vetoed a state bill that would have made it illegal to get an abortion in Oklahoma except under circumstance of physical injury or death. This guy is fighting a gargantuan pitched battle with the entire Oklahoma state government right now to keep trash like this out of the legislation. He's already kicked two budgets to the curb; those plans, like this abortion bill, were "overwhelmingly approved" by the legislators of the state.
Bad NewsSad...so sad...but not unexpected in the least. Mugabe has been nothing but disasterous to Zimbabwe.
Well, I said it before, and now CNN is shouting it from the rooftops:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/04/19/btsc.koinange.zimbabwe/index.html
Robert Mugabe destroyed Zimbabwe.
I'm going to have to smack Zeality for the Soviet Russia joke because I've heard far too many of those about this bit of news already and it's beginning to piss me off. Still, the actual news is quite interesting. I just hope it pays off...the sheer usefulness of a tunnel from North America to Asia should not be underestimated. With this tunnel one could concievably drive or walk from New York City to Moscow, or Beijing, or Dubai, or Cairo, or any other city in Asia, Europe, or Africa. Now if only we had a tunnel stretching to Australia...Oh no you don't!
Might be beneficial, you know...maybe you guys'll finally stop worshipping your sports heroes.
Oh no you don't!
Good NewsI'd be amazed the Australian government allowed us to detain Hicks in the first place, but given John Howard's ability to worship our President...
If you haven't heard, David Hicks has been brought back home after five years in Guantanamo Bay without charge. He is only doing seven months jail time though, after pleading guilty to charges of material support to terrorists; though almost everyone thinks he did it just to get back to Australia.
Bad NewsI would say negligence...oftentimes you have people working in nursing homes who simply don't care...they simply see it as some job they do just to get by and as such pay no attention to the elderly they are caring for. It often results in poor treatment. Quite frankly I never want to end up in a nursing home and I don't want my parents in a nursing home either.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/four-die-in-gastro-outbreak/2007/04/14/1175971416763.html
Five people (the article is a couple of days old) die in a gastro outbreak in a nursing home. Why? People say contaminated water, some say negligence, but it can all go down to beaurecracy gone wrong. State government blames the federal, the federal blames the state. I say: get rid of the state governments constitutional rights. The state usually screws us all over, and I think a more federalised process is needed.
The problem of stuffed, slothful bureaucracy can go either way. From one perspective, a central state allows centralized decision making, planning, and information sharing. On the other hand, state governments are more prepared and positioned to govern regions than a far-off capital, and are staffed with local citizens with experience in the region. Each form has its issues. I personally like states because they offer such beautiful empirical testing and checks against the government. Programs, law, policy, etc. can all be tested or implemented on the state-level as a test of value, and really good ideas could emerge in some enterprising states that would not have a chance in a stuffed-up parliament representing the country at large.While I agree with you, but our states are frankly, well, shit. Ok, I can't speak on behalf of all states. Queensland is a political crisis. But New South Wales, oh boy. The thing is, no one really cares about the government. Why? Both parties are hated. Labor has screwed up far too long, and the Liberals ad campaign was so horrible, the only votes they got were sympathy votes. Greens didn't even try to become a 3rd party candidate, and the Australian Democrats, usually held as the 4th big party, didn't even get any seats! So what we got instead was a whole lot of Christian Democrats, and, er- The Shooters Party, with preferences from The Fishing Party & the Unity Party.
Perhaps it is a difference of opinion brought about by the difference in how our countries came to power, but I still feel that the decentralization via the states is worthwhile. I am confused as to what constiutional rights you speak of, however...if you'll forgive me, I've never read the Australian constitution.You should. It was the New York Time's Read of the Month. States basically have complete power unless they are inconsistent with the Federal Government (but some things can not be changed by the Federal government). The clash between Federal and State go far deeper though, and I don't really feel like going in depth about it. For example, a certain dam was ready to be sold by the Federal Government, buyers were ready, contracts were being made. But at the last minute, the States pulled out, since they had a share of the dam. The funny thing is, that there is a real contradiction; every state is Labor, while the Federal government is Liberal.
I should clarify on Zeppy's behalf that "Liberal" in most countries indicates a right-wing ideology, especially on economic issues.Why thank you Lord J =)
I should clarify on Zeppy's behalf that "Liberal" in most countries indicates a right-wing ideology, especially on economic issues. America is the only country I know of where the word refers to a left-wing ideology.Obviously....or at least it was obvious to me. But then, I spend lots of time on a political forum so I'm well versed in that kind of stuff.
You should. It was the New York Time's Read of the Month. States basically have complete power unless they are inconsistent with the Federal Government (but some things can not be changed by the Federal government). The clash between Federal and State go far deeper though, and I don't really feel like going in depth about it. For example, a certain dam was ready to be sold by the Federal Government, buyers were ready, contracts were being made. But at the last minute, the States pulled out, since they had a share of the dam. The funny thing is, that there is a real contradiction; every state is Labor, while the Federal government is Liberal.So, in essence, similiar to our own Constitution when it comes to our states, except we have more cooporation. Interesting.
Oh, and an unrelated tidbit about the Australian constitution: Unlike the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights and such, hardly any rights are protected in the constitution- most rights are determined by Common Law.Common Law pisses me off because I tend to prefer something like rights set down in stone--or at least plaster--so we have them clearly defined.
The issue is that you get bloated law ledgers. It helps to have English common law filling in certain gaps. Treasure trove law is pretty interesting, for example.Well, I suppose you've got a point there. I was speaking specifically of basic civil rights, such as free speech, freedom from discrimination, lack of cruel and unusual punishment, that sort of thing. Certain gaps can be filled in by common law, certainly. Basic civil rights ought to be codified, though.
> If you find gold, silver, bullion, or currency on someone's property, as long as you were not trespassing the treasure is yours.
> If you find anything else -- dinosaur bones, lost manuscripts -- it is the property of the owner unless you were specifically and legally agreed to be on his premises to hunt treasure.
Well, I was watching a mock trial against the Constitution in Commerce, but we didn't get to finish it, so we didn't see the argument to and for having a Bill of Rights.QuoteOh, and an unrelated tidbit about the Australian constitution: Unlike the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights and such, hardly any rights are protected in the constitution- most rights are determined by Common Law.Common Law pisses me off because I tend to prefer something like rights set down in stone--or at least plaster--so we have them clearly defined.
So basically, the Congress is allowed to let the troops starve into conceding defeat? :PThat's not exactly what they're trying to do. They're trying to end the war by whatever means they have at their disposal. Either Bush agrees to end the war via withdrawel, or Congress will end it through a lack of funding. Either way, the war ends, but this way Bush looks worse because no one will buy anything he has to say about what Congress is doing.
Congress EditionGood...any anti-discriminatory act that will prohibit a workplace from using such discrimination to prevent a potential employee from joining is fine by me.
Good News
Genetic discrimination is preempted through legislation:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/01/genetic-discrimination-ban-edges-closer-to-reality/
Bad NewsOh joy...but luckily without Congress at his beck and call he won't be able to do much to exactly put into place more such laws.
Bush submits an ambitious bill to allow even more eavesdropping:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/opinion/02wed1.html?ex=1335758400&en=3f401cc1e04c6609&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
GRAND ADMIRAL THRAWN PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE PUT HIM IN PUT HIM IN
http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/05/09/george-lucas-announces-two-more-star-wars-movies/
Tha bBCNeat stuff, that. I'm always happy to hear about advancements in medical technology.
Good News
New health experimental program could save tons of pounds sterling in this case.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6687967.stm
Bad NewsGrah. It irks me to no end to see people hating other people for stupid reasons like homosexuality. OHNOES THEY ARE T3H GAYZORS! Who the fuck cares? They're not hurting you nor are they going to use gaydiation to turn you gay or anything. Leave the homosexuals be, and give them the same rights as everyone else!
Hateful haters in Russia physically beat gay rights activists, including a member of the British pop group Right Said Fred. I'm, too sexy for my, bloody nose!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6696329.stm
Bad News
Hateful haters in Russia physically beat gay rights activists, including a member of the British pop group Right Said Fred. I'm, too sexy for my, bloody nose!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6696329.stm
A member of our Parlament was also imprisoned because he took part in this demonstration or whatever they did there.
A member of our Parlament was also imprisoned because he took part in this demonstration or whatever they did there.
That must be creating some tensions between you and the Russians. What was the response of the German government to that?
Indeed. I was actually mainly speaking of the German government when I said you, but I suppose that was easily confused.
In any case, the Russians have been doing one thing after another to raise tensions everywhere and it's beginning to piss me off. It's almost as if they want to regain their Cold War status and become the world's enemy again or something.
Indeed. He's the last sort of person we need in contol of Russia right now...but c'est la vie. We can't exactly go in their and change their government around...they are a sovereign country after all, and tensions or not I think everyone would be in an uproar if the U.S. pulled a stupid stunt like that.
Blame Putin. He's a Russian mob knockoff with a chip on his shoulder and an axe to grind with the rest of the world.
The Human FundI have mixed feelings about this. On one hand it could be incredibly useful for so many aspects of medical technology...and on the other hand it could hand the extremists a victory of some sort they will crow over.
Good News
Scientists threaten to completely sidestep the moral quandary over stem cells and extend a big fat Nelson "ha-ha" to challengers -- if they can reproduce this effect in humans.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/06/06/stem.cells.ap/index.html
The Lebonese have my sympathy. I'd offer them more but I can't.
Bad News
No link. Lebanon is back to the dumps. Oh, how simplified my view on the Middle East would have been all these years if my elementary teachers would have been bold enough to say that yes, religion truly is the cause of unrest in the Middle East! We were taught that it was a vague, shapeless problem. Time to fire up "The Lebanon" by the Human League, a popular 1984 New Wave song which discusses the tragedy.
...Not Again NewsWhen will they ever learn they cannot shut down The Pirate Bay? 'Course I prefer using Demonoid and Mininova, but The Pirate Bay is useful and it's a beacon for those who like file-sharing.
Swedish police have confiscated the owner of the Pirate Bay's computers. He welcomes them to a bevy of legally bought Commodore 64 games.
http://www.anakata.hack.se/
Doubt halving it would work. Israel would need to expand it's land to support its growing population, and Palestine would just try and take it again. Wait, Palestine? Palestine isn't even a state, so we would need to sort that out as well. And Israel is a terrorist state, so that too. And anyway, when has halving a country ever worked before? Vietnam? Korea? *insert that annoying hello from myspace emoticon ads*
I don't really mean terrorist state as in a state that does terrorist acts; rather, a state that was created used terror, or something. I dunno, I heard it somewhere.Even that wouldn't be quite accurate, unless you consider Gr eat Britain circa 1947 to be a terrorist organization.
We'd make them abide :twisted:How? Israel has one of the most powerful militaries in the world, is one of the few nations with nuclear weaponry, has a huge number of scientists working in all sorts of important industries, and is generally really tough to beat. After all, they've been set upon by all of the neighboring countries more than once, and they've not only held their ground, but gained some.
"hI KATHY i am sending u the assignmnet again," one student wrote to her recently. "i had sent you the assignment earlier but i didnt get a respond. If u get this assgnment could u please respond . thanking u for ur cooperation."
"People think that throwing multiple exclamation points into a business letter will make their point forcefully," Ms. Andrews said. "I tell them they're allowed two exclamation points in their whole life."
You-you...broke your own rules!
If I was an American citizen, I would wholeheartedly support that.
I am also a passionate warrior against self-hunger. Sometimes I eat twelve meals a day!
And that Brazilian judge is an asshole.
Oh.
He's the saint here for banning the runway due to safety concerns. TAM are the bad guys for appealing it and getting it reopened, then slacking instead of outfitting it against hydroplaning as they said they would.
For the record, I'm only a Democrat because there are no left-wing parties that aren't either incoherent, fucked up, or hopelessly below the radar. If and when this country moves back toward the left, it'll be through people in the Democratic party, because they're the only ones besides the Republicans with access to power.Sadly, point.
WARNING: SCIENCE CONTENT EditionAlright! Now I've got a nice random number generator to help with a whole bunch stuff.
Good News
True random number generator goes online!
http://random.irb.hr/
Bad News
Teach evolution in Colorado? Sleep with a gun under the pillow, cause death threats are rollin' in!
http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wired/topheadlines/~3/134753701/professors-in-c.html
Sort of Good, then Really Bad EditionOh goodie. Maybe we'll start seeing a full turn-around on this issue. I tell you, the first company that finally uses file-sharing programs to distribute stuff is going to make millions.
Good News
European court takes the heat off ISPs threatened with file sharing subpoenas:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070718-eus-top-court-deals-blow-to-music-industrys-fight-against-file-sharing.html
Bad News...
Dubya authorizes a bold step forward to dictatorship! "The Fifth Amendment? Nah, that's not important."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-3.html
Good News:That's incredible!
Speed of light supposedly broken through quantum tunneling:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/08/16/scispeed116.xml
Burma. As much as I dislike the collectivist, self-negating religion of Buddhism, it's unacceptable to treat people that way, let alone guaranteed-passive-resistance monks.
Good Newshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc
The kids are finally in good hands!
LINK LINKY! (http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=2007-10-02T185120Z_01_N02392130_RTRIDST_0_ENTERTAINMENT-SPEARS-COL.XML)
That lesser known poll was...I dunno...I mean, I've never heard of Snatcher...But to see neither Manic Mansion or River City Ransom take the lead is absurd.Snatcher is VERY good. It deserved first place.
And Parasite Eve on DS??? Yeah right...*eye roll emoticon*
I totally agree with Kyronea. CKY>Jackass
;)
I totally agree with Kyronea. CKY>Jackass
;)
As if the mad crapper Raab is somehow less gross than Jackass...
Obama just doesn't have the experience.
We have to do whatever it takes to get Bill back in the White House.
Obama just doesn't have the experience.Reminds me of how during our federal election, peopled said Kevin Rudd (the opposition leader) doesn't have enough experience has a Prime Minister. No shit Sherlock.
Yeah, a stupid appeal to dynastic politics and just typical of partisan escalation. Clinton was retaliation for Bush; W was retaliation for Clinton; now Hillary wants to have the Clinton Restoration and bring back the scandalous, inept 90s. The cycle needs to be broken. George Washington would punch himself in the crotch a la Johnny Knoxville if he knew the presidential post had been hijacked like this, or that a nepotee is threatening to win a party's nomination. America is not a nation of kings and queens.I completely agree with you. Bangladesh has been ruined completely due to Nepotism, and the same trend will destroy America, though to be fair I heard that Hillary was the power behind the throne, so to speak, during the Clinton Administration.
Perikles' democracy wasn't too great either.
Women are a minority eh? But I think I see what you mean; women are the minority in the political scene.
And not as a critique on what you said, but: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=your_stupid_ideas
What I think you were getting at is that he was black, so on that premise, why not just say it?
Though the Chinese economic boom is doing hell for Australian jobs, it isn't fair to say that China is doing less for the scientific development of the world than America.
Didn't the Chinese develop gunpowder? But maybe that's not the best example for human "advancement." I imagine they're doing all sorts of stem cell research and such, but can't find an article to prove it.
Edison did not invent light bulb.
QuoteEdison did not invent light bulb.
I'm gonna expand on that for some of you out there, because on a Chrono Trigger board, this should come of particular interest.
The light bulb was invented by two french brothers with the last name Luminaire. They were essentially called the Luminaire Bros. It is from their last name that we get words like illuminate, luminous, bioluminescence, and of course,
Crono and Serge's "Luminaire"
Many countries have great inventions, but in American schools, not much is said about non-American things or what is said is erroneous.That is very true. Most schools in the "West" only teach of Western contributions to science.
Zeppelin, I'm actually kind of reassured to know that Australia is losing its jobs too. It's not just the US; maybe Germany, Japan, and the UK are going down the tubes too. Should've taken that comparative econ class...My dad almost lost his job, since they decided to move heavy maintenance for Qantas to Singapore and China. Is it a coincidence that the quality of the maintenance of the aircrafts suddenly dropped? I mean, a Qantas jet lost all its power midflight once!
QuoteEdison did not invent light bulb.
I'm gonna expand on that for some of you out there, because on a Chrono Trigger board, this should come of particular interest.
The light bulb was invented by two french brothers with the last name Luminaire. They were essentially called the Luminaire Bros. It is from their last name that we get words like illuminate, luminous, bioluminescence, and of course,
Crono and Serge's "Luminaire"
Another one that I've heard that I'm rather skeptical of (but, I don't know, might be true) is that the toilet was invented by someone with the last name 'Crapper', hence that term comes into our language. But again, that might just be an urban legend of history. (I looked it up and... the myth is that he invented the flush toilet, which he didn't... but he was a plumber, heh. Poor guy.)
It isn't a matter of opinion. It was the Luminaire Bros. If you heard differently, I'd search deeper, and this time don't use Wikipedia, the encyclopedia anyone can write in.
Where did you hear it?
Last names do not change or should not change with the language. If your last name is Lumière, it is Lumière in France, Italy, US etc. Might get a little tricky in Russia, China or other parts of the world where there is a completely different alphabet.I think its more of a interpretation thing (e.g. names phonetically spelled out). A lot of the immigrants moving to the United States had their last names mangled because they couldn't speak English, the common tongue.
No, he said its Lumiere in french, but called Luminaire in English.I wouldn't want my name "translated" when I move from country to country.
You wouldn't, provided you could communicate with the locals. (via knowing the common tongue or having an interpreter)No, he said its Lumiere in french, but called Luminaire in English.I wouldn't want my name "translated" when I move from country to country.
You still don't need to translate the name, whether knowing the language or not. Just try to pronounce it as the person says it. Sure it may not be exact, but it is respectful if you try to say it proper. Luminaire vs Lumière is a pretty big and lazy difference. There is no need to butcher it.Again, no one is perfect, and phoneticism only goes so far... :roll:
Copyright laws are nigh on fascist.
Bad News:
Eugh.
Bad News:
Eugh.
I'd say. Humanity sucks, quite often.
Two weeks after the murder, Leila left Ali. She could no longer bear to live under the same roof as her daughter's killer and asked for a divorce. 'I was beaten and had my arm broken by him,' she said. 'No man can accept being left by a woman in Iraq. But I would prefer to be killed than sleep in the same bed with a man who was able to do what he did to his own daughter, who, over the years, had only given him unconditional love.'A fine example that the mindset isn't in everybody. Amen Leila, keep on fighting.
Bad News
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/14/beck.collegeendowment/index.html
Good news... hmmm, good news, good news... well crap. Does this count?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/15/robotic.soldier.ap/index.html
This development comes not a moment too soon. Now that we have the exo-frames, they just need to start working on those assault weapon systems. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Centurions_%28TV_series%29)
Bad News
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/14/beck.collegeendowment/index.html
Good news... hmmm, good news, good news... well crap. Does this count?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/15/robotic.soldier.ap/index.html
This development comes not a moment too soon. Now that we have the exo-frames, they just need to start working on those assault weapon systems. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Centurions_%28TV_series%29)
I got dibs on the air assault package!
(http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/images/2008/07/08/gw_2.jpg)
Good News:
Large Hadron Collider "could shed light on creation of universe"
Bad News:
People are taking it too seriously
You forgot part of the good news:The was actually really good.
It will help meld Science and the Arts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM
(http://i.somethingawful.com//sasbi/2006/08/elpintogrande/21-alod.gif)
That's taking that waaay too far.
Seriously, how can people buy into that shit?
I saw the Bush shoe thing....have to give him credit for only saying "It was a size 10" because if that was me I'd of gone apeshit. Also...where the HELL was Secret Service. Look, I know the guy is unpopular, MOST (but not ALL) deservedly so...but he is our leader...for another month at least....ANYWEAY what I'm really getting at here is that the guy was able to get a SECCOND shoe thrown before anyone was around Bush. Only shoes, yea, but what if it was something more serious?
But overall, it's kind of lame.
The fuck?
I was thinking the same thing...I won't even let myself play GTA. :)
Why not, Faust? You scared Jack Thompson will show up and gun you down for mentally Jack-ing off?
I'm not generally offended by video games but I understand how some people are.
along with many other things that I think should be legalized as well.
The Swiss recently set up a legalized heroin program, providing those who are addicted with a safe and secure environment to get their fix and then carry on with their day. Not a bad way to go about it, rather than a costly, never ending "war on drugs".
A Mutt is any animal that is a cross of two or more different breeds or varieties.
You don't want to adopt from a shelter because most of those dogs are mutts and your daughter has allergies (totally unrelated, but okay), so instead of adopting a mutt from a shelter you are going to buy a mutt from a *ahem" breeder. Brilliant! A clever ruse and your daughter's allergies will never suspect a thing :roll:
Hopefully if they go with the mutt they'll at least get a 3rd or 4th generation mix. At least then there are some predictable traits (but still not enough to be considered a breed).
That is genetic cruelty, and it is wrong and should be stopped.And here is where I just say...so what >_>
Why would "predictable traits" be a pre-requisite for getting a good dog?
And here is where I just say...so what >_>
People want a purebred dog, so breeders breed them without any thought as to what recessive alleles they may carry. As such their lifespan is drastically shortened.
You forgot to qualify the statement. It took a while, but with the advent of genetic testing, there are some responsible breeders who are specifically trying to breed out genetic defects. Indeed, for breeds that are supposed to have docked tails and clipped ears, some breeders are trying to breed those traits into them. Better to be born with a short tail than to have it cut off (course, better if neither, but you can't have everything all the time).
And even if you could test for them all, it wouldn't matter - because continued linebreeding eventually always results in novel and unpredicted congenital defects.
For example, at some point a random mutation occurs in a gene that controls the cell cycle. This pup becomes a carrier, unbeknownst to the breeder.
My point is that inbreeding inevitably perpetuates maladaptive genotypes regardless of the precautions that responsible breeders take.
Inbreeding and linebreeding do not themselves create new genetic disorders, they just help rare genetic disorders come to the surface when they would have overwise been unnoticable, potentially indefinately.
And even if you could test for them all, it wouldn't matter - because continued linebreeding eventually always results in novel and unpredicted congenital defects.
You are so horrendously overestimating the rate at which noteworthy genetic variance enters a species that I assumed you must have been trying to say that inbreeding caused the mutation (a much more plausible, if ill informed, position).
That is why I brought up biomedical science.
Line- and inbreeding are so incredibly stable, producing so few unexpected genetic variants, that mice have undergone such treatment so that they may be used for scientific purposes. They are so stable that you can be quite assured that a scientist using a particular strain of mice in Florida will have the same mice - genetically speaking -- as a scientist in Cambodia using the same strain.
Now if the occurrence of potentially harmful genetic mutations in inbred stock is so low as to be scientifically negligible, why should the average individual worry about it? Why should a responsible breeder worry?
Indeed, mice reproduce and reach maturity at a much faster rate than dogs. As such, the problems of inbreeding and genetic mutation would be more of a concern for scientists than breeders.
The same protein can be produced from a variety of sequences, so a different sequence that produces the same protein has no effect.
Some mutations occur in junk DNA.
Then of course there are monogentic mutations that the animal can survive. A gene gets switched off and the dog suffers hyperphagia, for example.
To sum-up, you are making a big deal about something that is as harmful to a dog as the solar radiation it receives when taken for a walk (actually, significantly less harmful, but I'm being generous).
Hmm, let's see - because the breeders are condemning countless innocent animals to a life of suffering and death because of an aesthetic quality that can easily be changed? All it would take to eliminate the practice is to not allow any boxers with any white fur to breed. Problem solved.Man that sounds pretty bad, but the thing I am trying to say is I really don't care. This is a huge disaster, this isn't personally interesting. I don't want to be one of those ass' on the internet but something really don't concern me and this is one of them.
An analogous example is the number of purepred dogs that have an enormous predisposition to certain types of cancer because of inbreeding practices. People want a purebred dog, so breeders breed them without any thought as to what recessive alleles they may carry. As such their lifespan is drastically shortened.
Are you saying that is a moral practice? Or that the lives of animals are not worth caring about because they are unimportant compared to us big, powerful, cosmically important human beings?
How are they going to make Spy Kids 4 NOW?!? >_>
Thought, do you happen to have a formal biology education by chance? You and I seem to be much more informed about biology and genetics than the average Compendiumite. I went to school for biochem, and worked in a genetics lab for a couple years doing research on recombination genetics. If you perhaps are into something similar, I would love to have some discussions with you via PM.
Yes, the line and inbreeding are incredibly stable - in the genes of interest. The probability that a mutation will arise within the gene that is being studied by the mice is astronomical, but the probability of a mutation arising in any other genes is not. Linebred laboratory mice do indeed suffer from frequent congenital defects and a shortened lifespan, it's just that they aren't considered relevant for the purpose of studying a single gene.
This is the point on which we seem to fundamentally disagree. If the practice of inbreeding to produce purebred dogs did not occur, there would be limited perpetuation. I consider this to be a more ideal situation, you seem to not consider it to be.
Nope. However, I am married to a geneticist who is currently working with mouse models (that might change to a cheaper model in the future; NIH funding isn't so hot right now).
Anyways, a lot of what we seem to be doing at this point is going back on forth on something that probably doesn't really matter.
Irresponsible inbreeding certainly should be curtailed. For example, some friends of mine own a purebred Rottweiler; when they were looking to purchase him they found a breeder who was selecting for head size. That was it. That was a bit of a WTF moment; head-size? Really? That is what someone cares about? That person shouldn't have been allowed to own dogs, much less breed them. Needless to say, they did not buy from that person.
To offer an example of "not ideal in general," the topic of tail docking I noted earlier. As the practice is falling out of favor in many countries and legislation is being passed against it, breeders have turned to attempting to produce dogs with naturally docked tails. While leaving dogs as is might be best, a dog born with a nub is better than a dog born with a tail that is then docked. Insofar as demand for such dogs continues, we'll never get what is best. Therefore line-and-inbreeding are desirable practices so that we can at least have the "better" when what is "best" is unobtainable.
A new mouse mutant, tail short variable (Tsv) produces a reduction deformity of the tail, growth retardation, and, in adults, a mild anemia. Genetic and embryological studies show that on all genetic backgrounds there is variable viability of Tsv/Tsv and Tsv/+ and phenotypic overlap within these and with +/+. A modifier is located to a short segment of chromosome 7, which alters the tail length of Tsv/+ mice up to 15%. The modifier, Tsv, and a coat texture mutant come from the same wild Peru mouse. The tail deformity is associated with, and may be caused by, a vascular disruption of the caudal aorta starting on day 11 of gestation. Thus Tsv appears to be different from each of the thirty known mouse mutants involving the tail. It is suggested that Tsv could be a mouse model for human conditions involving transverse terminal limb defects such as Moebius and de Lange syndromes.
However, to qualify all of the above, this would certainly not be the first time I’ve overestimated what is actually possible of applied science.
Bad News
(http://i.somethingawful.com//sasbi/2006/08/elpintogrande/21-alod.gif)
That's taking that waaay too far.
What do you think about more strictly regulating inbreeding and linebreeding? For example, would it be a good idea to make it necessary for breeders and sellers to apply for, hold and renew licences to breed and sell inbred and linebred dogs (or, really, any such animal in general) to make sure it's done for legitimate purposes and for buyers to apply for a permit to verify that they require specifically an inbred or linebred animal (as opposed to one that isn't either of those) for legitimate purposes?Took me a sec to realize you weren't talking about people :shock:
Good News:
PANDAS BORN! http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/09/12/china.pandas.ap/index.html
We're always hearing how pandas are getting the shaft. Finally, some good news about captive breeding.
Bad News:
JESUS CAMP! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UWIb4FwHPg
Well, you are missing mass baptizing with a small bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, which I found a little funny when I watched it. Aside from that, though, it is pretty scary. Seeing six or seven year olds cry (really cry!) while repenting for their lives full of sin... For personal reasons I don't like chastising everything to do with religion outright, but I've thought differently in the past because of seeing things like that.
Good news
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/
Good news
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/
So, they get a month and nothing else?
I'm a bit cynical about such things; unless celebrations grow up among the people naturally, they always seem to be artificial and ineffective. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Caesar Chavez Day come to mind as two examples. To me this smacks of political maneuvering, not social justice.
Well the justification goes that every other month is "white history month."
That is, the norm is white/straight, so it is the disenfranchised that need to be given token recognition so that the mainstream can sleep easier.
Though a general rights movement month, that honors the struggle to achive universal suffrage, isn't such a bad idea. That would include the struggle of white men who weren't land owners to get the vote.
Man, I've been told that before. Not trying to knock your credibility, but I still don't believe that.
Besides, I'd rather have 1 month than 11 or 10 or something.
Man, I've been told that before. Not trying to knock your credibility, but I still don't believe that.
Besides, I'd rather have 1 month than 11 or 10 or something.
Feel free to knock away; I didn't mean that such a statement was what I thought, just that such is the explanation I've generally heard.
I agree with you, it's a bit dubious. It is sort of like saying that since we dedicate one day a year to love, every other day of the year is dedicated to platonic relationships.
Man, I've been told that before. Not trying to knock your credibility, but I still don't believe that.
This is a bit off-topic, but the best current-event example of the lingering prejudice in our society is the shape of the debate over Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court.
Fuck Religion News:Hahahaha =D
'Virgin Mary seen in tree', people carve out the shape of McDonald's mascot Grimace (http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=148035088&ocid=today)
Bah, I'll match your tree stump (http://cbs13.com/local/michael.jackson.tree.2.1072797.html) and raise you a dirty pan (http://noticias.terra.com.br/popular/interna/0,,OI3851955-EI1141,00-Imagem+de+Michael+Jackson+aparece+em+forma+de+carne+assada.html).
Michael Jackson beats Mary, right?
However, 105 days is not nearly long enough to get to Mars and back.
So next year another group of volunteers will enter the same cramped capsule and be sealed inside for a daunting 520 days - nearly a year and a half.
…there is a more important principle at stake. "We have laws, we have a discipline, we have a doctrine of the faith," the official says. "This is not just theory. And you can't start backpedaling just because the real-life situation carries a certain human weight." Benedict makes it ever more clear that his strict approach to doctrine will remain a central pillar to his papacy, bad publicity be damned.
Everyone should simply leave that evil institution — tell them they can keep their bricks and their real estate, their gold chalices and their gilt robes, their layered assemblage of celibate perverts, meddling old men, and fearful brides of Christ, and let that human element walk away, free of their superstitions. The church doesn't want that human weight, anyway.
SPAAAAAAAACE Neeeewwws: Jupiter hit by comet
http://news.uk.msn.com/science/article.aspx?cp-documentid=148688058
SPAAAAAAAACE Neeeewwws: Jupiter hit by comet
http://news.uk.msn.com/science/article.aspx?cp-documentid=148688058
"If I go to the doctor, I am putting the doctor before God," Neumann testified. "I am not believing what he said he would do."
As was said in this case: The freedoms on religious belief may be absolute, but the freedoms on religious conduct are not.
But here's a question for you: If parents decide to try using homeopathic remedies rather than medicine, should they be locked up if their children still die?
Yeah, except this time it was an innocent kid who died for the idiocy of others.Aye, and tis sad...
As was said in this case: The freedoms on religious belief may be absolute, but the freedoms on religious conduct are not.Quoted for truth.
But here's a question for you: If parents decide to try using homeopathic remedies rather than medicine, should they be locked up if their children still die?
Good News: Neanderthals may not have been subject to (as much) sexism in their societies (http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2007/11/10/stone_age_feminism/) as our ancestors may have been.
Bad News: ...and contrary to what that article suggests about evolutionary advantages to a division of labor among the sexes, the Neanderthals may have survived just fine if our ancestors didn't kill them with projectile weapons. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090722-human-neanderthal-murder.html)
In good news, Bill Clinton just totally redeemed himself (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090804/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_journalists_held) after that whole Monica Lewinsky thing.
Sexuality is a basic part of humanity, and they're being told to repress it and feel guilty over its expression (it's tied in to sin, after all). Several things about religion are anti-human; the prevailing attitude in the Dark Ages was that the human body was inherently sinful, and we've still got concepts like original sin and "fallen" man popular even today. Hell, at one point in the history of Ireland, having sex consisted of man and woman, clothed, doing it only to conceive in a dark room, both full of shame.
Money should instead go to responsible sexuality, such as the use of contraceptives, family planning, and relationship education.
Sexuality is a basic part of humanity, and they're being told to repress it and feel guilty over its expression (it's tied in to sin, after all). Several things about religion are anti-human; the prevailing attitude in the Dark Ages was that the human body was inherently sinful, and we've still got concepts like original sin and "fallen" man popular even today. Hell, at one point in the history of Ireland, having sex consisted of man and woman, clothed, doing it only to conceive in a dark room, both full of shame.
Money should instead go to responsible sexuality, such as the use of contraceptives, family planning, and relationship education.
Third, while repressing one's sex drive out of shame (a concept that we can find root of in Greek philosophy) is indeed antihumanistic, the concept that humans can't suppress their sexual drives is likewise so. To say that kids having sex is inevitable seems to be akin to saying that men are controlled by sex (see the Fuck Sexism thread).
Unless I missed something, ZeaLitY...
Rather, the major aim is to teach kids about safe sexual practices, so that when most of them inevitably do make the decision to have sex, they won't do so in total ignorance.
You know...it can be as simple as a mom and dad going out for the weekend leaving their teenage kid behind knowing full well that he or she is going to have their girlfriend or boyfriend over for the weekend.
But to get to my original point, the supposition that any human is so base as to be unable to control their own urges is inherently antihumanistic. I am not talking about suppression or repression, rather I am rejecting the notion that sex before a certain age is inevitable. I reject it on the grounds that it is ageist.
And that, as they say, is that. I dunno, has the pro-condom, non-abstinence-only sex ed in public schools gotten any better since my day? I'm becoming an old man, after all.
I was also a little surprised to hear you call it "androcentric" since we were separated into different classes based on our gender, which justifies that side effect.Fascinating point. Where I grew up during the 90s sex ed seemed to take place in two phases: one at the end of elementary school (sixth grade), in which we were indeed separated by gender into different classes, and one in jr high (eighth grade) in which the class was coed. Regardless, it was the exact same focus on these things:
I don't really think there is too much wrong with sex ed.. Then again, I was never really interested in sex until maybe I was 18. I practiced abstinence not because of some fear, but only because I really wasn't interested in having a boyfriend or having sex. I could have if I wanted to, but boys just really bothered me at that age and I was not mature enough to be in a relationship.
So there is nothing wrong with abstinence, but teaching kids that abstinence is the only way is also not practcal. Anyway, who even does this anymore? Kids should be taught that at their age, honestly abstinence is best, but if you chose not to go the abstinence path, there are a lot of options you will need to consider. Kids need to be taught better about safe sex, and really, even doing that isn't enough. Teens are at an age where they don't want to listen to authority, no matter how much you preach to them. They make decisions on their own and you can only hope that they will make smart decisions, but you gotta realize that many won't no matter WHAT you do. Now, I'm not saying that there is ANY right way to teach kids sex ed. If it were up to me, I would teach abstinence, but I would also let kids know that if they don't go down that path, there are a lot of people who can help them make safe decisions.
Besides, the age of consent in many, many states is still 18. Why on earth should we be NOT be teaching abstinence as the best method of birth control to teens considering it is illegal for most of them to even HAVE sex? I know in practice very few teens get "arrested" for having sex, however it is the law, and as "law-abiding citizens" we should obey the law.
Have the class watch a porno, explain what's going on and that it's perfectly natural.
http://news.aol.com/article/daniela-earnest-lemonade-stand-shut-down/607903?icid=main|main|dl1|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fdaniela-earnest-lemonade-stand-shut-down%2F607903
Little girl's Lemonade stand is shut down. But she makes enough money to go to Disneyland anyway.
Bad News:
Captain McCrazypants officially sworn in again as "President" of Iran (http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/08/05/iran.ahmadinejad.inauguration/index.html)
The sad thing is that Saturn's ring system will eventually break down (unless new material is added). I learned in astronomy class that huge, elaborate ring systems quickly break down to a more sustainable size, like the rings we see around the other giant planets.
Even sadder is that we're living in the last age of total solar eclipses on Earth. The moon has been steadily moving away from the Earth with time: Today, the moon at its closest is only slightly larger, in apparent terms, than the sun, and at farther orbits it is already slightly smaller (which is where annular solar eclipses come from). It's quite a remarkable coincidence that at this moment in history the moon and the sun are almost exactly the same relative size in the sky. (It's also at least somewhat fortuitous that the plane of the moon's orbit is so similar to the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun, which increases the frequency of solar eclipses drastically. However, unlike the identical relative size thing, this happenstance is only partially coincidental.)
Are there any solar eclipses visible from California? Those lists aren't clear enough on visibility range.
She was awarded ... £6,800 for hurt feelings...
QuoteShe was awarded ... £6,800 for hurt feelings...
Not to comment on anything else about the case, but that is so ridiculous that it sounds like it would fit in with Weird Al's song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfO9JUNXN7U).
Bad News:
Residents of Northern California won't see an eclipse until May 2012 (http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse/2012-05-20/)
Good News:
Everyone with a TV can see a solar eclipse next month. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_(tv_show)#Season_four)
I guess I'm frustrated at the level of outrage that came, weird as that sounds. I absolutely expected a lot of public destruction so to speak against Vick, but it hit me in a strange way.
That's a shame. I actually liked the Cash for Clunkers idea. It seems like it would've been something that conservatives would have loved though, as its essentially the same as a tax refund for old cars.
Ah well, I suppose I was wrong for this one. Doesn't seem to be capable of maintaining itself without a steady stream of taxpayer dollars.
You know, on the subject of the government failing to continue monetary support to programs (though in the case of C4C, they're only running out, not failing to provide) they're also dipping into social security funds. I call foul on that one...
QuoteYou know, on the subject of the government failing to continue monetary support to programs (though in the case of C4C, they're only running out, not failing to provide) they're also dipping into social security funds. I call foul on that one...
That's news to me. Where'd you see that?
When asked what they would do if scientists were to disprove a particular religious belief, nearly two-thirds (64%) of people say they would continue to hold to what their religion teaches rather than accept the contrary scientific finding, according to the results of an October 2006 Time magazine poll.
I found it very unbelievable at that one statistic that was found. Something like 80 or was it *90* percent of people in the US are religious. Is that really true? I know that statistics can have a huge margin of error. No one I know is religious, and no one I have ever talked to feels very devoted to their religion.
I never want to leave the east or west coast. Seems like the rest of the country is more into god than those two regions.
QuoteWhen asked what they would do if scientists were to disprove a particular religious belief, nearly two-thirds (64%) of people say they would continue to hold to what their religion teaches rather than accept the contrary scientific finding, according to the results of an October 2006 Time magazine poll.
Nearly two-thirds of people are fucking retarded.
Bad News
http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=243QuoteWhen asked what they would do if scientists were to disprove a particular religious belief, nearly two-thirds (64%) of people say they would continue to hold to what their religion teaches rather than accept the contrary scientific finding, according to the results of an October 2006 Time magazine poll.
Nearly two-thirds of people are fucking retarded.
"...although life has evolved, these changes were guided by a supreme being."
That's my take; it's called "theistic evolutionism," I believe.
...BioLogos states that “once life arose, the process of evolution and natural selection permitted the development of biological diversity and complexity," and “humans are part of this process.” Moreover, “once evolution got under way, no special supernatural intervention was required.
Myyeehh, that sounds more like Intelligent Design to me, but Theistic Evolution isn't a unified belief system either.
Washington's law specifies that a person treated through faith healing "by a duly accredited Christian Science practitioner in lieu of medical care is not considered deprived of medically necessary health care or abandoned." Other religions are not mentioned.
Bad News:
Looks like Marvel Comics just got slipped a Mickey. (http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20090901/tts-entertainment-us-company-disney-marv-972e412.html)
I do think I'm more violent because of it, though.
I'm not sure how I'll raise my kids.
parents should have an absolute right to raise their children how they want to.
I do think I'm more violent because of it, though.
Your userpic is King DeDeDe with a mallet bigger than his head!I'm not sure how I'll raise my kids.
Your userpic is King DeDeDe with a mallet bigger than his head!
The child has grown with them, they more so then any other know the child. The aunt and uncle could to if they raised the child, or others if adopted.
parents should have an absolute right to raise their children how they want to.
But why?
If a child's physical wellbeing and the quality of their development are the determining factors, then parental authority as it presently exists is a hypocrisy. You can't leave your child alone in the house for more than a couple hours at a time, but you can force them to go to some backwater church that permanently impairs their critical thinking skills and indoctrinates them to be dysfunctional antisocial misfits? That's messed up.From now on there is a Godwin's Law: Chrono Compendium Edition.
Bah, you and your eugenics. I'm surprised a community so strongly based around humanism would endorse sterilization of people.
There should be child-rearing licenses. Based on economical, psychological and mental evaluations at least. You don't pass, you don't procreate. You fail horribly enough, you get castrated because some genes just shouldn't be passed on and the rest of the world shouldn't have to suffer them.
I don't know what you mean. Aren't most of those guys already dead (I forget if Hawking is yet or not)...? :P
I don't know what you mean. Aren't most of those guys already dead (I forget if Hawking is yet or not)...? :P
Well, if these kinds of laws had been implemented when they were first thought about in the 1600's, these people would have never been around.
Look out, businesses! Walmart's about to kick your ass!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090909/us_time/08599192069800
Thus, the company is in the beginning stages of a massive store and strategy remodeling effort, which it has dubbed Project Impact. One goal of Project Impact is cleaner, less cluttered stores that will improve the shopping experience. Another is friendlier customer service. A third: home in on categories where the competition can be killed. "They've got Kmart ready to take a standing eight-count next year," says retail consultant Burt Flickinger III, managing director for Strategic Resources Group and a veteran Walmart watcher. "Same with Rite Aid. They've knocked out four of the top five toy retailers, and are now going after the last one standing, Toys "R" Us. Project Impact will be the catalyst to wipe out a second round of national and regional retailers." (See 10 things to buy during the recession.)
Though that's bad news for many smaller businesses that can't compete, Walmart investors have clamored for this push. Despite the company's consistently strong financial performance, Wall Street hasn't cheered Walmart's growth rates. During the 1990s, the company's stock price jumped 1,173%. In this decade, it's down around 24% (Walmart's stock closed at $51.74 per share on Sept. 3). "Walmart is under excruciating pressure from employees and frustrated institutional investors to get the stock up," says Flickinger.
shall we boycott walmart?
Good News: Images Show Hubble's New Powers
http://news.aol.com/article/hubble-space-telescopes-new-images/662675
GORGEOUS
Obama: Kanye is a "Jackass"
Good News: Jay Leno is back on. Oh, thank goodness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPMjC9mq5Y&feature=player_embeddedIf you think this is limited to "conservatives" then your greatly mistaken. I've seen it all over the spectrum.
Did anyone check this out? This is that protest several days ago. That "Boston Tea Party" against Obama and the healthcare bill. God what a bunch of redneck idiots. I cannot believe how stupid these "conservatives" are. They give conservatives an even nastier image. You have to check that out just to see how ignorant these people are. When asked questions about how they feel about the health care proposal and why they're against it- what their logic is, most of them can't even answer somewhat sanely, if at all. The only thing they can make an extremely valid argument about is how Obama is the anti-christ and how that is writtenin the bible... yeah.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPMjC9mq5Y&feature=player_embeddedIf you think this is limited to "conservatives" then your greatly mistaken. I've seen it all over the spectrum.
Did anyone check this out? This is that protest several days ago. That "Boston Tea Party" against Obama and the healthcare bill. God what a bunch of redneck idiots. I cannot believe how stupid these "conservatives" are. They give conservatives an even nastier image. You have to check that out just to see how ignorant these people are. When asked questions about how they feel about the health care proposal and why they're against it- what their logic is, most of them can't even answer somewhat sanely, if at all. The only thing they can make an extremely valid argument about is how Obama is the anti-christ and how that is writtenin the bible... yeah.
The "Bush didn't react to Katrina in time because he hates black people, and not because he and FEMA screwed up royal" people. There was one special on either National Geographic, Discover or the History channel, in which people were talking about being able to control the movements of hurricanes. One of the headlines was, "Did NASA scientists control the path of Katrina," or something to that effect.
The important thing is that you don't get these people confused with the mainstream conservative or liberal.
The channel name NewLeftMedia, should've given you an idea of what you were going to get.
1) Kill the "free rider" provision. Kill it now. The employer mandate in the HELP bill raises more money and hurts fewer people. If that's too onerous, then you can lower the penalties. But whatever you do, do not let this provision survive. It's one thing to see a policy spin off the rails because of unintended consequences. It's a whole other thing to build in a time bomb that will inflict completely foreseeable damage.
2) Increase the subsidies, and in particular, put more money toward out-of-pocket caps. The bill does a lot for the truly poor, and quite a bit for the nearly poor, but it doesn't do enough to protect working families from the costs of illness. This costs money, of course. But that's money you can get from implementing fail-safe policies like those advocated by David Cutler and Judy Feder. And it's money that will prevent a massive backlash when struggling, sympathetic families are told they have to buy insurance they can't really afford to use.
3) Phase in Ron Wyden's Free Choice amendment. This has three effects. The first is that it makes the bill better for the currently insured, as it gives them a clear benefit: the freedom to change their health-care coverage if they don't like it. Second, the Lewin Group estimates that it raises more than $300 billion over 10 years, as workers choose more affordable plans and the government loses less tax revenue through the employer tax deduction. Third, it makes the system better by building out the alternative to the employer-based system. What's not to love?
Speaking of the Health Insurance Exchanges, the Baucus plan deserves plaudits for opening the exchanges to businesses of all sizes. But it takes too long to do so. Rather than starting the five-year process in 2017, either shorten the process to three years or start the process in 2015.
4) Create real competition in the insurance industry. Baucus's plan doesn't include a public option, doesn't include a public option trigger, and even neuters the co-op option. I'm among the few who think there's a real possibility that the new regulations will lead to a much more efficient and humane private insurance industry, but it is, after all, only a possibility. It's much likelier to happen, however, if they're protecting themselves against real competition in the market. And if it doesn't happen even in that scenario, then at last people will actually have somewhere to go.
5) Create incentives for bipartisanship. This bill was built amid a long, bipartisan promise. Baucus made real concessions to attract votes from his Republican colleagues. He made the bill cheaper, and eliminated the public option, and strengthened the protections against federal funding of abortions and benefits for illegal immigrants, and built in hard funding mechanisms that actually improve the deficit. Everything Republicans originally wanted is in this bill. It is, in fact, a moderate Republican bill. It looks like nothing so much as the bill Republican Senator John Chafee Sr. proposed in 1994.
At this time, Baucus has no Republican votes for his legislation. Olympia Snowe is a maybe, and Enzi and Grassley are pretty certain to vote against it. Conceding so much in return for so little isn't just bad politics -- it's bad precedent. Why should Republicans sign onto Baucus's proposals in the future if they can simply adjust the bill to their liking and then withhold their support at the end?
If Baucus's Republican colleagues want to support this bill and give him some cover, their presence should be welcomed. But if not, Baucus should loudly and publicly allow the Democrats on his committee to strengthen the bill, as it will be a Democratic majority that passes the bill. A bipartisan group should shape a bipartisan bill. But a bipartisan group should not get to shape a partisan bill, particularly if that bill becomes partisan because they have abandoned it.
In 2001, Baucus helped shape the president's tax cuts, and he voted for them. In 2003, he helped shape the Medicare Modernization Act, and he voted for it. He has upheld his end of the bargain of bipartisanship. Now is his moment to demand the same of his Republican colleagues.
ZOMG, President Obama should spar with Patrick Stewart using lightsabers. Someday, when there are really holodecks, somebody will think of this and make it happen.
ZOMG, President Obama should spar with Patrick Stewart using lightsabers. Someday, when there are really holodecks, somebody will think of this and make it happen.
This flu will not be deadly for 99.9 percent of those it infects, and that's a good thing not only for infected individuals like me but for the world as a whole. Why? Because we have utterly failed the globalization test in our response to H1N1.
...
If this were a 1918-type influenza, the first test of disease globalization would not just be a failure—it would be a catastrophic one.
To be fair, this could be easily solved by chopping off the administration in most school districts above the level of principle, but I doubt that will happen.
Random bit of trivia: I’ve been studying Latin and an interesting thing came up. The word that we get “study” from, “studere,” does mean “to study,” but it also means “to be zealous for.” It is interesting that the Romans perceived studying as a passionate activity.
In Ohio, a recent college graduate has died from the swine flu after delaying medical treatment because she didn’t have health insurance. Friends and family members say twenty-two-year-old Kimberly Young fell ill two weeks ago. She put off medical care out of concern she wouldn’t be able to afford it as an uninsured patient. Classmates say Young was passionate about social justice while enrolled at Ohio’s Miami University, where she earned two degrees and was involved in the groups Students for Peace and Justice and the Association of Latin American Students. She had worked two jobs since graduating last year.
Young lived in an off-campus apartment and had been working at least two jobs — four years at the Kofenya coffee shop and nearly three years at the Bagel & Deli, both on High Street in uptown Oxford.
Generous ghost angers pub landlady
http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=150017043&ocid=today
Random bit of trivia: I’ve been studying Latin and an interesting thing came up. The word that we get “study” from, “studere,” does mean “to study,” but it also means “to be zealous for.” It is interesting that the Romans perceived studying as a passionate activity.
I am certain they had their full share of discontented schoolboys.
I am certain they had their full share of discontented schoolboys.
In Joshalonia, we call those people fish food. The Joshalonian Empire has some of the biggest, tastiest fish in the world.
...and not too many people to deplete the supply.
I just feed them my grandmothers ham gravy.I am certain they had their full share of discontented schoolboys.
In Joshalonia, we call those people fish food. The Joshalonian Empire has some of the biggest, tastiest fish in the world.
...and not too many people to deplete the supply.
Indeed? In my state (which is far too elite to admit a thing so trite as a nation name... at least to your empire, for certainly there is a name in itself), those who exhibit disregard for schooling are put into the keeping of our chief torturers, Thucydides and Demosthenes, who compell them to translate their works from Greek until their minds are properly honed or they simply go mad (in practice, it has always with only one exception been the latter that has occurred.) Those that go mad are given recitations of Seneca's tragedies, thereby inspiring a bloodlust and penchant for melodramatic violence that is employed in our more unsavoury military divisions. Understandably, schooling is not something to be taken lightly. However, such a military bred on the darkest pages of Seneca, armed with the thunderbolt and marching under the dreaded aegis, are a feared force, fiercer than any troop of sylvan Bacchantes, and responsible for some victories even against your empire, I believe... not that you would ever admit to such an occurrance, of course. How long do your people think your empire's been undefeated? Since inception?
(Note, as we speak, my crack troops have taken, in a raid, some of your fish-food.)
Bad News for Humanity
A certain warlord by the name of Atreus, whose wife was seduced by his brother Thyestes, takes his brother's children, slaughters them, and serves them to him in a feast. Apparently, this was so terrible that even the sun went into an eclipse. Surely not humanity's best hour.
However, such a military bred on the darkest pages of Seneca, armed with the thunderbolt and marching under the dreaded aegis, are a feared force, fiercer than any troop of sylvan Bacchantes, and responsible for some victories even against your empire, I believe... not that you would ever admit to such an occurrance, of course. How long do your people think your empire's been undefeated? Since inception?
(Note, as we speak, my crack troops have taken, in a raid, some of your fish-food.)
No Greeks have long withstood the terrific might of our Commercial Merchandising Machine!
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas.
Thankfully, many English words are Latin-based or have a Latin-based synonym...
As for Latin, the reason I hold it a pity that it has been lost is because, as a declined language, it is invaluable to the understanding of grammar, even English grammar.
The point that Psycology hasn't reached yet, is part of what is about to happen on the end of days. Babies begin life born into the heavenly mind and as parents it is our job to raise them to be able to survive then strive within our earthly mind. The heavenly mind is the part of the brain that is aware of the 7 other dimensions in string theory. Babies are born into this mind and react to vibratons in the strings as they are altered by the energy of the people around them. This means they detect Gods moral fiber. At the end of days this is what will happen, when the gravitons from the black hole in the center of the galaxy flips, the gravitational pole of earth will too, causing our eathly brain to be once again linked with our heavenly mind, make us aware of the 7 other dimensions as we were as a child. It is only those that have been brainwashed as children into an A > B mentality and that causes them to forget and/or distroy that childhood understanding, that will be given the mark of the beast. Going to the 9 hells or the 7 heavens, or in another D & D thing, the Son of God was Lawful Good the Son of Man is Choatic Good, the conservative movement is causing as much choas as they can so that they can keep the argument about Law vs. Chaos instead of Good vs Evil. That is what they are doing with the bible, that and the evengalical church is the 7 headed beast in revelation, and that the free market system is the Whore of Babylon. They need to alter the bible to be able to keep believing in it.
Maybe the prize will give him more power, new muscles to haul unruly nations in line. But peacemaking is more about ingenuity than inspiration, about reading other nations' selfish interests and cynically, strategically exploiting them for the common good. Will it help if fewer countries come to the table hating us? To a point. But it's a starting point, not an end in itself.
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/319047856_dbf1ef3e92.jpg)
:!: :D :lol: :D :P :D 8) 8) :D :o :D :) :P :!: :wink: :D :D :lol: :D :P :D 8)
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
8) :D :o :idea: :D :) :P :D :!:
:franky :lee: :lee: :lee: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10nobel.html :lee: :lee: :lee: :franky
8) :D :o :idea: :D :) :P :D :!:
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
:!: :D :lol: :D :P :D 8) 8) :D :o :D :) :P :!: :wink: :D :D :lol: :D :P :D 8)
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
There giving to him because he was better then Bush?
There were many candidates for president. Only one candidate inspired a grassroots movement so powerful that Obama got more of his money from small donations than large ones. Only one candidate was able to win the votes of ideological opponents in geographic areas completely ill-suited to his platform. Only one candidate succeeded in taking buzzwords like "hope" and "change" and building a credible, sincere message around them. And, of course, only one candidate was black, in a country with a permanent black mark in its history.This makes it sound like he deserves just for becoming our President. If you read the actual text here (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html). They sound pretty obvious that they awarded it based on what Obama wants to accomplish more then his accomplishments thusfar, which is bull shit. Hell Facebook has an ongoing poll, not the most well funded or any thing but its still the people, right now there are only 71605 vote but out of those 78% say he doesn't diverse it.
This makes it sound like he deserves just for becoming our President. If you read the actual text here (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html). They sound pretty obvious that they awarded it based on what Obama wants to accomplish more then his accomplishments thusfar, which is bull shit. Hell Facebook has an ongoing poll, not the most well funded or any thing but its still the people, right now there are only 71605 vote but out of those 78% say he doesn't diverse it.
I'll also toss this in, former President Kennedy wasn't that great of a president.
This makes it sound like he deserves just for becoming our President. If you read the actual text here. They sound pretty obvious that they awarded it based on what Obama wants to accomplish more then his accomplishments thusfar, which is bull shit. Hell Facebook has an ongoing poll, not the most well funded or any thing but its still the people, right now there are only 71605 vote but out of those 78% say he doesn't diverse it.
I'll also toss this in, former President Kennedy wasn't that great of a president.
Josephine Quintavalle of the pro-life Comment on Reproductive Ethics said stopping women falling pregnant in the first place was an area where minds could meet.
"Abortion - back street or front street - is not the answer. Ensuring women have the means to end their pregnancies is not liberating them - they should be able to make real choices before they fall pregnant in the first place," she said.
"But that shouldn't necessarily mean taking pills everyday. There will always be problems with access and cost, particularly in countries where people struggle just to buy food.
"What we need is to better understand our fertility - if there are just 24 fertile hours in a month, we need to work out a cheap, effective way for women to know when they can fall pregnant. That would be freedom, and that's what we should aim for."
Bad News: Explorers predict arctic ice will be obliterated during each summer season within ten years.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091014/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_arctic_expedition
What exactly happened in 35 years that made us change our minds?
Pah. How could I have forgotten the trillions of tons of added greenhouse gas emissions? Those are of particularly no consequence!
Even so, climate change poses no real threat to our planet, says a consensus of reputable scientists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvLt3nU14W4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvLt3nU14W4)
The convention mentioned in this video may be past, but the message still remains. You especially need to see this. Very informative.
Lord J, I must ask. How do you view climate change?
Update: As it turns out, trees are the biggest contributor to climate change and the greenhouse gas it emits that makes up 99% of the atmosphere...
Water vapor.Pah. How could I have forgotten the trillions of tons of added greenhouse gas emissions? Those are of particularly no consequence!
You're right. They are of particularly no consequence.
Humans produce a negligible < 1%, also of no particular consequence.
Say the others are right. If we act hastily, we pose the threat of crippling an already weakened economy.
Good news:: link (http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=504).
This could, of course, also be seen as bad news--considering the heinous background behind the article, but ultimately I'm blown away by Sina Vann's courage and compassion. People like her give me some small faith in humanity.
Well to be fair, from the article, he isn't treating black people differently from white people. A black man can't marry a white woman, but presumably a white man can't marry a black woman either. It's equal, just equally racist.
Well to be fair, from the article, he isn't treating black people differently from white people. A black man can't marry a white woman, but presumably a white man can't marry a black woman either. It's equal, just equally racist.
Excellent news! Left-handed genius perfects "Happiness Hat":
http://gizmodo.com/5391968/the-happiness-hat-will-spike-your-skull
My only regret is that I didn't think of it first!
Well, she's ... fat ...
A gang in Peru has been killing people for their fat, allegedly to sell for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8369674.stm
I do not approve.
A gang in Peru has been killing people for their fat, allegedly to sell for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes.WHOA there J, You don't talk about Fight Club!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8369674.stm
I do not approve.
WHOA there J, You don't talk about Fight Club!
That's awesome, Faf. Everybody should click that link!
In another news, the Boeing 787 is making its first flight today. In just a few minutes, actually:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010512675_webboeingdispatches.html
Update: And, it's off!
There is a dangerous proposal that threatens the human rights of LGBT people in Uganda.
If passed, Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill would start a witch-hunt for homosexuals in the country. Its punishments include:
* A 7 year jail sentence for consenting adults who have LGBT sex
* A life sentence for people in same-sex marriages
* Extradition and prosecution of LGBT Ugandans living abroad
* The death penalty for adults who have LGBT sex with minors or who communicate HIV via LGBT sex, regardless of condom usage
* Jail for anyone who doesn't report suspected LGBT activity within 24 hours
The bill also endangers HIV/AIDS programs, and may be exploited by those wanting to abolish these programs.
With condemnations flying in from the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom and threats of a cessation of aid from Sweden, many outsiders are wondering just how this proposed bill can be passed.
They are desperate to break this president. They have ardent supporters who are nearly hysterical at the very election of President Barack Obama. The birthers, the fanatics, the people running around in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups, it is unbearable to them that President Barack Obama should exist. That is one powerful reason. It is not the only one.
Israel is one of the good nations of the world, yet they are treated by many as one of the world's worst villains.
Reddit's search function is constantly down, but when it comes back up, I'll post a screenshot of worldnews search results for "Israel" descending from highest upvotes over the last year.
It is not hard to make a case against Israel. It reneges agreements, claims antisemitism when criticized, commits crimes against human rights and the Geneva Convention, undertakes programs like that organ donor preferential treatment, and even publicly funds a special religious bus fleet that sends women to the back. It's a pissed off little country and virtually a theocracy with nukes. Sure, the countries around it are no better, but Israel is far, far from being some kind of saint.
When it comes to Israel's new law to encourage organ donor by offering preferential treatment to those who agree to donate their organs when they die, I find your criticism baffling. Anyone can choose to opt in. It's a good policy, and all the better given Israel's unusually low organ donor rate. I fully endorse it. People die from organ shortages all the time. Increasing the donor rate will reduce that death statistic. The few ethical quibbles I might have are addressed by the fact that the most urgent cases are granted an exception, so it's not as if a non-donor individual who needs an organ transplant will perpetually end up next in line behind a constantly replenished stream of donor individuals.
For you, Z, to accuse Israel of “crimes against human rights” is beyond stupid. It is more than simply irresponsible. It is, itself, a crime. It is a crime against all decency, and a crime against your personal integrity. It is the ugliest thing I have ever seen you write on the Compendium. I'm aware of your anti-military attitudes, which stem from the military population in your area as well as your awakening liberalism, but I've never seen you cross the line from picking on a few “jarheads” to slandering a just nation's last and in some ways only means of self-defense. If our country is ever faced with an attack, and you find yourself grateful for our ability to defend ourselves, you will be a hypocrite for the rest of your life.
I wasn't specific. There was some unethical activity: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/21/israeli-pathologists-harvested-organs
I remain unconvinced that anyone can call Israel one of the better nations of the world without qualifying the statement in lieu of these tit-for-tat abuses.
It is no mistake that the article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Israel is so massive.
Your argument seems to be that Israel is justified in some deviation from ethical behavior because of the extraordinary adversity it faces.
Haven't we heard that before, in other applications? It's a damnable, slippery path to walk, and when an attitude like that prevails and becomes internalized by Israelis and their allies, it might as well provide carte blanche for evil.
It also snugly fits into religious apocrypha about the persecution of Jews, the end times, and Christian sentiments.
Haven't we heard that before, in other applications? It's a damnable, slippery path to walk, and when an attitude like that prevails and becomes internalized by Israelis and their allies, it might as well provide carte blanche for evil. It also snugly fits into religious apocrypha about the persecution of Jews, the end times, and Christian sentiments.
I remain unconvinced that anyone can call Israel one of the better nations of the world without qualifying the statement in lieu of these tit-for-tat abuses.
What are you talking about?
It is no mistake that the article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Israel is so massive.
The reason for the size of the article is Israel obsession here in the West, not because of actual abuses--as you would have seen by actually reading the article, which is decidedly neutral for an anti-Israeli critique and in many instances is even favorable to Israel, placing it firmly in line with other developed nations.
Your argument seems to be that Israel is justified in some deviation from ethical behavior because of the extraordinary adversity it faces.
That is not my argument at all, and for you to make such a construction in response to what I wrote is simply dense--be it unintentionally or otherwise. The closest I came to that whole area of thought was to point out the dilemmas of urban warfare against guerrillas and terrorists, and what I said bears no resemblance to what you say I said. In this kind of strategic situation, it is impossible to both preserve the safety of the Israeli public and avoid taking military action against the enemy. Thus civilian casualties are inevitable. That is not an excuse; that is a reality. In reality--which is where we live--if some destruction is unavoidable then the priority then becomes minimizing the destruction caused in the act of self-defense. The IDF's performance in terms of preserving human life has been nothing short of remarkable. Compare the death tolls among Palestinians to those of comparable conflicts elsewhere, and be amazed. Also: There are no statistics on it, but if you were to divide up the Palestinian civilian deaths caused directly by Israelis, and those caused by the Palestinian resistance, the numbers would be even more amazing.
That's some reasoning process! Due to abuses which never happened, the groundwork is laid for even worse abuses to come! Hah! Speaking of slippery paths, Z, not only is your statement here a slippery slope fallacy at best, but even that bit of acknowledgment would only be possible if your underlying assertion were true, which it isn't!
You admitted that Israel commits some crimes and abuses. I'd rather not read appeals about how great Israel is without a concession that these are commonplace.
Yes, and by Israelis and many citizens of the United States, this reality is framed as some kind of idealistic war for freedom and religious superiority. It has become a social offense among many people in the West to criticize Israel for any of its abuses. This is tiresome, and your appeal for it to be considered one of the best nations sounded as if it originated from that same doting voice.
Ah, so you concede that Israel does commit some abuses in your first post, and then claim that this isn't true with this.
The rest of your post is still framed as a rant against me. If you knew me as well as you claim to have, then you'd know that I don't like debating matters of opinion or broad strokes. I find the scientific fact and then advocate.
These two realities—Israel's abuses and the disposition to overlook them in the West—are unfortunate, and mean that where Israel is so boldly praised as in your message, it's educational to have to a disclaimer, which I provided.
Is it a mistake that Bob Saggett and another commenter at your journal also sought to clarify that Israel commits abuses, given the whitewashing tone of your comment? My post was the same as theirs, but you've turned it into another criticism of my character.
Asked if he regretted what he did, Roeder said, "No, I don't." Upon learning that Tiller's clinic was shut down after his death, he said he felt "a sense of relief."
Roeder said that through the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue he learned that Tiller took measures to protect himself -- traveling in an armored car, using a security escort, wearing a bulletproof vest and living in a gated community.
Man builds a hidden castle in secret on his own property; court says he has to take it down. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/lawreports/7147769/Hidden-castle-must-be-demolished-court-rules.html)
From Britain, with love.
...like Paperboy 2 where the owner with the castle has working cannons to keep himself from getting a subscription...
In 2007, top model Natalia Vodianova said that when she weighed 115 pounds at 5' 9" clients called her management to complain about her size.
In 2008, model Coco Rocha said that when she weighed as little as 108 pounds at 5' 10", she was told, "You need to lose more weight," and that she even took diuretics. "The look this year is anorexic," Rocha recalled hearing. "We don't want you to be anorexic, we just want you to look it," they reasoned.
What is so attractive about skeletons? I've never understood this attitude in the modeling industry; it's just...creepy and inhuman, let alone inhumane.
And yet you're probably still attracted to it. Kind of a mind%*&^, huh.
The real truth of it is that I am attracted to women in general, which is the same for every man if they only would learn to push their insecurities out of the way; the insecurities that tell them they must do this and that to be considered a real man.
This is something I've thought about a lot (why is impossibly thin seen as beautiful?), since I'm currently in recovery from anorexia nervosa. Although to be fair, for me it was all about control, ownership of my body, punishment, and maybe subconsciously craving to look like I did before I was 9 years old, before I was ever abused. It was never about being beautiful.
That is interesting, because I at one point realized that my ED had much to do with escaping being a full grown female.
The real truth of it is that I am attracted to women in general, which is the same for every man if they only would learn to push their insecurities out of the way; the insecurities that tell them they must do this and that to be considered a real man.
But to be a real man, a male must be attracted to females?
The real truth of it is that I am attracted to women in general, which is the same for every man if they only would learn to push their insecurities out of the way; the insecurities that tell them they must do this and that to be considered a real man.
But to be a real man, a male must be attracted to females?
That is another misconception entirely, but one I'm glad to see brought up, as it is cause for yet another male insecurity which forces them to womanize. I did not mean to exclude that with what I said.
The good news is made even better by the fact that circumcision seems to be one method of fighting HIV(the other obvious one would be condoms and whatnot) that even Benedictus can get behind.
I think I'm misreading you here, but the Pope is hugely against condoms. Regardless of that, I doubt he'll get behind this contraption, because I don't think he's sincerely against the spread of AIDS.
I put the bit in about condoms because its such an obvious, relatively inexpensive and effective means to reduce the spread of HIV, but the Pope seems to want to have none of that.
I put the bit in about condoms because its such an obvious, relatively inexpensive and effective means to reduce the spread of HIV, but the Pope seems to want to have none of that.
Don't you know? Every sperm is sacred, every sperm is great. If a sperm is wasted, God gets quite irate.
It's only a time before "social justice" either fades out of use or becomes another right-wing one-word bludgeon.
Cao Cao's army of 170,000 needed daily a considerable quantity of grains; and as the nearby countries had been famine-stricken for several years, there is nothing to eat. So Cao Cao hastened the military attacks and wanted to capture the city as soon as possible. But Li Feng and other defenders simply didn’t show themselves. After a month’s deadlock, the grains were running out. Cao Cao sent plea to Sun Ce, who sent 10,000 hu grains. When the usual distribution became impossible, the Chief of the Commissariat, Ren Jun, and the Controller of the Granaries, Wang Hou, presented themselves before Cao Cao and asking what was to be done. “Distribute less rations,” Cao Cao said to them, “to tide us over.” “And if they complain?” asked Wang Hou. “I have provided for that,” Cao assured him. The officer gave out reduced rations as ordered.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao sent his men around to the camps to gather the feed-back of this new measure. From them he learned that soldiers were accusing him of cheating them. Cao Cao then summoned Wang Hou and said, “You have something I would like to borrow to calm the soldiers. I hope you will not begrudge it.” “What do I have,” Wang Hou answered, “of use to Your Excellency?” “Your head,” Cao replied, “to display before the men.” “But I have done nothing wrong!” the officer cried in fright. “I know that,” Cao said, “I must act, or the army will revolt. I will take care of your family personally, so have no concern on their account.” Before Wang Hou could say more, the executioners were called in and pushing him out. The poor officer was behead and was hung on a pole with a signboard reading, “Wang Hou: Duly punished by Military Law for purposefully assigning reduced rations and stealing from the granary.” This measure has resolved the troops’ grudges.
President of Poland killed in plane crash in Russia. (http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n216099)
BTW, worst grammar for a piece of news.
Authors of the paper, published in Nature, say the research does not mean that producing livestock to eat is good for the environment in all countries. However in certain circumstances, it can be better for global warming to let animals graze on grassland.
The research will reignite the argument over whether to eat red meat after other studies suggested that grass fed cattle in the UK and US can also be good for the environment as long as the animals are free range.
But Dr Butterbach-Bahl pointed out that the study did not take into account the methane produced by the livestock or the carbon dioxide produced if soil erodes. He also pointed out that much of the red meat eaten in the western world if from intensively farmed animals in southern countries.
He said the study does not overturn the case for cutting down on red meat but shows grazing livestock is not always bad for global warming.
It wasn't right when the right wing did it, but at least they didn't stop anyone from getting their message across.
Now, all of this constant propaganda by the right-wing media and fundamentalist religion has crystallized into a purer form of the evil that has been festering inside the Republican Party. This "Tea Party," despite the cute-sounding, vaguely historically-minded name, is literally a modern-day analog to Nazism.
This is it. The Tea Party is a suitable vessel for Nazism in our time. (Less severely, but still catastrophically, it is also a suitable vessel for a terrorist movement.)
The situation is very bad and very dangerous, right now, this hour. This is the DEFCON 3 stuff. We have, in our midst, a vibrant and growing political movement that would destroy life as we know it.
"Is it scary? It sure is," said tea party leader Al Gerhart of Oklahoma City, who heads an umbrella group of tea party factions called the Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance. "But when do the states stop rolling over for the federal government?"
Do you think “the right circumstances” are improbable to the point of being implausible?
J, one thing you said perplexes me still: you said that the Tea Partiers are dangerous because they're more influential and more organized. If this is true for the Tea Party movement, why isn't it true for any political reform movement that becomes influential enough? Why bother fighting for anything if you'll just be equated with terrorists when your cause gets enough support? Is it just because they are mostly conservative, and therefore have an ideology that you disagree with?
God fucking damnit.Righto. Injecting religion into daily eduction = bad. Politicians focusing on manipulating education, using children, for their own agendas = the world really has gone insane.
Edit: And he won the Nobel Peace Prize, but I don't want to rub it in...too much. =)W00t! We need more leaders like him (not necessarily Nobel Prize winners, but hey, he rocks!)
Well, I just don't understand why did they have to commit suicide. Why not just find another job if they feel too much pressure?Could have, unless they've got no choice (like weren't able to). The company's in a real jeopardy now.
"it’s not about a disabled man’s fight against disability. It’s a disabled man’s fight against the disability that exists in the world — terrorism, hatred, fighting ... My Name is Khan is also about Islam and the way the world looks at Islam but we are not taking any sides. We are only trying to say that there are only good people and bad people. There are no good Hindus, bad Hindus, good Christians, bad Christians. Either you are a good person or a bad person. Religion is not the criterion, humanity is."[16]
Bad News: They STILL haven't plugged that damn oil spill. Even when they do manage to plug it, it will cost millions of dollars and have a heavy cost on the ecosystem to repair the damage : (....... Fuck humanity and its self-centered natural disregard, still considering monetary value is more important than environmental health....
Bad News: They STILL haven't plugged that damn oil spill. Even when they do manage to plug it, it will cost millions of dollars and have a heavy cost on the ecosystem to repair the damage : (.
Bad News: They STILL haven't plugged that damn oil spill. Even when they do manage to plug it, it will cost millions of dollars and have a heavy cost on the ecosystem to repair the damage : (.
Potentially on the plus side, something this craptacular might be the Three Mile Island of the oil industry. As in, it might turn public support away from that particular source of energy, freeing society to develop hopefully more ecologically sound sources.
I'm not holding my breath, but as someone once sang, "always look on the bright side of death."
"The killing of Jews was not good, but everybody has a positive and negative side."My ass! It's like saying, "You murdered your own family and poisoned the innocent orphans while inflicting pain upon cute and harmless animals, but you're still a nice guy once we get to know ya."
Not good or bad; just sad:
Sad News:
Additional Evidence Supports Theory That Universe Will Expand Forever (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11030889)
The question was already fairly settled, by my understanding. This is simply another piece of corroborating evidence.
I don't think the ultimate fate of the universe has truly been proven. We still barely understand dark matter and dark energy, which are highly important. It is possible that dark matter and energy oscillate or change in relation to each other and the universe, so there are still many possibilities.
Whatever happens, we've got plenty of time to work with.
It was more along the lines of speculation and skepticism. I certainly won't dismiss a theory out of hand because it hasn't been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, and/or over personal feelings. An ever-expanding universe does have lots of findings and evidence to support it.. however, this this is not conclusive. While it is the most likely theory to be correct, it seems to me that studying the universe is like going further down the rabbit hole - you keep finding stranger things and more surprises. While our science has enlightened us to a great extent, there are questions and debates that remain unsolved. We need to gain a better understanding of dark matter/energy, as well as black holes, string theory, and the possible "entropy gap" in order to be more conclusive. These questions, among others, definitely bring up different possibilities than the current views of the big freeze.I don't think the ultimate fate of the universe has truly been proven. We still barely understand dark matter and dark energy, which are highly important. It is possible that dark matter and energy oscillate or change in relation to each other and the universe, so there are still many possibilities.
Is your objection speculative or substantive? I would suspect the former. You can't look at compelling evidence and simply discard its conclusions because it is not perfect evidence. You can use that gap to retain some skepticism, but that's all. If you dislike the implications of an ever-expanding universe, that's understandable, but if you disagree with the likely reality of an ever-expanding universe then you need to mount a stronger defense. Otherwise, you must withdraw your objection, for the laws which shape the universe do not answer to the preferences of Terrans.
Whatever happens, we've got plenty of time to work with.
It would seem we do!Yes, which is an optimistic note. It may be that we can survive distant eons with the help of black holes.. but thats getting into speculation again.
Skepticism is always an admirable trait, but only if it is used for doubt rather than denial. My complaint, I suppose, is that you have styled your position to downplay the strong likelihood that we live in an indefinitely expanding universe. It may or may not be "The Truth," but it is our best theorization, at least for now, and to admit its potential inaccuracy also requires that we acknowledge its plausible accuracy.
I do acknowledge its plausibility and supporting evidence. I'm not running from the implications of an expanding universe, it may well be true. But I don't think the course of cosmological events has been settled or completely determined just yet. Indefinite expansion is currently the most plausible model, but there's still room for questions... that's what I've been trying to say.
I do acknowledge its plausibility and supporting evidence. I'm not running from the implications of an expanding universe, it may well be true. But I don't think the course of cosmological events has been settled or completely determined just yet. Indefinite expansion is currently the most plausible model, but there's still room for questions... that's what I've been trying to say.
You have used the word "acknowledge" in regards to the evidence, but you have not really acknowledged it. Indeed, you are insisting quite strongly that your opinion is superior to what the evidence thus far suggests, which implies you do not acknowledge it at all. You're saying, if I may paraphrase, "Oh, well, there's the so-called evidence, but who really knows what the truth is?"
That's not skepticism. It's faith. A faith-based rejection of a premise. I am reminded of creationists who try to discredit evolution by saying "We don't have all the answers yet." True enough, we don't, but it is a logical fallacy to use the perfection of the unknown to imply that the best-supported theory surrounding a given phenomenon is inaccurate or even incorrect.
It is agreeable that you do not take it on faith that we live in an endlessly expanding universe when presented that claim by the media via a post here at the Compendium, but you've gone too far in the other direction. When presented with a well-supported scientific theory, the only tenable response for a layperson, in the absence of further information, is tentative acknowledgment. "As best I understand it, we live in an endlessly expanding universe, unless further discovery should reveal otherwise." Or, at the most, "I do not understand the subject well enough to tender a position." I would hazard to presume that you have a limited understanding of cosmology, which makes you a layperson and raises the question of what ground you think you're standing on when you press your doubts to the brink of active objection. Unless you are considerably more knowledgeable in the subject than I realize, you could not possibly begin to substantiate such an objection.
Maybe this is all a breakdown in communication, a case of you not wording yourself clearly and unintentionally conveying a position you did not mean to convey. But I'm likelier to suspect that you are in need of reevaluating the rigor of your scientific mindset. A friendly criticism.
Scally: Whatever it is you're disagreeing with me about, is not something I'm disagreeing with you about. My point is that your position's style, or your position itself, or both, are unscientific. You are invoking the language of skepticism, but your actual statements have indicated supposition. I invite you to reconsider whether you actually have a point worth making that I haven't already conceded to you, and, if so, to revisit your posts and restate your objection to the news item. I would also suggest you reconsider your competence to make that objection. How much do you really know about all this?Wrong, my position and style are not unscientific. My arguments have followed current scientific understanding of cosmology as well as scientific processes. As it stands now, we are not 100% certain about the universe. We have a grasp of some things, and some strong theories, but there are still varying possibilities which have not been narrowed down.
Tush: If you were not aware that the universe is expanding, indeed that much is well-established by observation of objects throughout visible space. I get the impression that you are dismissive even of that verifiable claim, in which case you should not be conversing with me but looking into an astronomy primer or perhaps setting up your own telescope. As for the last part of your post, I should tell you that I have a tendency to outright dismiss anyone who commits the trolling action of dismissing scientific "theories" because they are not "facts." Given that you are in India, you may not be aware that that tactic is used by Western Christians to make straw man arguments against pretty much any scientific theory which displeases them. In science, theory follows from facts. Theory is comprised of the objective interpretation of facts under the tenets of falsifiability and reproducibility. Finally, as I cautioned xcalibur, I will caution you: You are almost certainly not qualified to discuss cosmology with such casual familiarity. You would honor yourself and your conversation mates to approach the subject with less supposition and more inquisition.Although this was directed at him, some of this may be directed towards me as well, so I will reply accordingly. First of all, redshift clearly indicates expansion of the universe. Second, I do not dismiss scientific theories because they haven't been proven as absolute fact. Nor did I dismiss any theories in this discussion. And third, I do have enough of a grasp on these issues to discuss them.
And third, I do have enough of a grasp on these issues to discuss them.
Tush: If you were not aware that the universe is expanding, indeed that much is well-established by observation of objects throughout visible space. I get the impression that you are dismissive even of that verifiable claim, in which case you should not be conversing with me but looking into an astronomy primer or perhaps setting up your own telescope. As for the last part of your post, I should tell you that I have a tendency to outright dismiss anyone who commits the trolling action of dismissing scientific "theories" because they are not "facts." Given that you are in India, you may not be aware that that tactic is used by Western Christians to make straw man arguments against pretty much any scientific theory which displeases them. In science, theory follows from facts. Theory is comprised of the objective interpretation of facts under the tenets of falsifiability and reproducibility. Finally, as I cautioned xcalibur, I will caution you: You are almost certainly not qualified to discuss cosmology with such casual familiarity. You would honor yourself and your conversation mates to approach the subject with less supposition and more inquisition.Firstly, don't get religion involved in this; this is purely a scientific discussion.
And third, I do have enough of a grasp on these issues to discuss them.
You've demonstrated your ability to discuss them...just not intelligently. I'm not sorry to frown on somebody else's pseudo-scientific attitude toward scientific subject matter. You had several opportunities to correct yourself. You passed them all by.
Your addendum itself, taken literally, is perfectly valid and appropriate. It is the way you delivered it that makes it illegitimate. To say more would only be repetitive.
Last thing before i finish this topic, i recommend to all teachers to go for linux (ubuntu will be a good choice to start) and his softwares packages. Noway to stay under Win because the world is manifesting the beginning of a new generation, the "open" one ! And we must prepare those kids to influence that future !
Thanks to programmers that make it accessible to anyone, even the poorest, and to make it free and legal tu use ! the commercial bring down our civilisation, the virtual open our mind to share and learn more...the future is beautifull, isn't it ?
I am someone who used Word on Windows 98. Not just for trivial stuff, either. I've done a lot of writing on that particular combination. Granted, it was not the best setup I have ever used, but at the time it was well up there, and even today I can look back and say "Hey, that worked pretty well!" What was your experience such that you would speak so badly of it?XD To be frank, I'm not prejudiced against MS Office suites (even though I highly support OpenOffice). What I AM angry at is the refusal of knowledge unless a person pays the highest amount available. I like Office suites, but I DON'T like people teaching kids MS Word/Paint for 6 years (yeah, same thing over and over and over again). If there's no resources, why teach the same thing again anyway?
It's true, each person is endowed with a wing, and when two people work together they can overcome each other's weaknesses, enhance their strengths, and are capable of tearing the heavens apart.You haven't been playing Xenogears by any chance, have you...?
You haven't been playing Xenogears by any chance, have you...?LMFAO I haven't played that game (yet). :lol: That's a philosophical statement I heard somewhere 5 years ago, probably while studying eastern mythology. "The Bird with one wing", perhaps?
organs have been taken without consent.Hmm, they used that picture again -- guessed before I opened the link.
tom Said,
October 25th, 2010 @2:24 pm
The moderator for this post really should do something about these posts of people asking to sell there organs. I understand this is a very hard topic and situation. But this post has become a black market in the comments. Those that feel the need to have to sell your organs, I hope you know what your doing. And i honestly wish you all the best, if you are in a situation that you see you have to sell parts of your own body. Please take care and remember people are there to try and help, this should be a very last resort at best. I would urge those who really need help to exhaust more options, talk to some social workers or the local charity/organisation that can help your situation. Be careful, remember this is your own body. An illegal operation will not be of high standard. People DO die from it.
Also the Philippines should be added to that list, Very high up it. There was so much illegal trade in organs that in 2004 they even made it legal so as to control it better, but later they changed it back to illegal. Worth mentioning. There is a big documentary on it as well. Very enlightening.
Peace and Take care
Yeah...I'm going to break my hiatus for a bit to post this.
http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=45427
...Yeah...that's just...a thing. I'm somewhat torn on being offended to laughing my ass off. one "sister" on there had a link to Jacking Off for Jesus. I about lost it.
That is... special. It is rather sad that I couldn't tell if it was satirical or not without investigating.
Yeah, that site's satirical, lot of effort put into it considering. They have a dude who walks around at atheist conventions posing as one of their "priests" I read somewhere.
Maybe I'm not just getting it, but how is this different than, say, the police shutting down a crack house?It's more subtle than that. To use your analogy, it's like the police building a wall around a crack house in another country. The US isn't the only country that won't be able to view the sites (that are in another country, btw). Legally, the US can do this as the sites need physical components like the DNS servers (as long as one doesn't know the IP address) within US borders. But, it's still international censorship, and not something I can ethically stand behind, even if I don't advocate the sites themselves. It is a dangerous precedent, especially in a world that increasingly is trying to remove the walls of censorship and secrecy put up by governments.
Bad News: Humanity might not survive to eat all that turkey if this keeps up. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101123/ap_on_re_as/as_koreas_clash)
But the results are interesting because nothing like this has ever been done before. All life as we know it depends on six key ingredients — carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus. This bacteria can switch from phosphorus to arsenic — usually a deadly toxin — and not only survive, but thrive. It can swap arsenic for phosphorus so completely that arsenic is incorporated into its DNA and other biomolecules like ATP, according to the study. This is a first, and it upends our assumptions about how life works.
"People at Everest base camp often wear ventilators, simply because there is so much dust," Langley-Turnbaugh says.
Air pollution from Asian industry is probably to blame. Concentrations of both arsenic and cadmium were higher in the soil further up the mountain, as would be expected if high-altitude winds were depositing them.
Bad News: US Government censors 70 websites for whole world. (http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/ecgup/us_government_censors_70_websites_for_whole_world/) :( Not one for slippery slopes, but this might start a dangerous trend with sites like wikileaks and other sites that our government doesn't 'agree' with.http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-knocked-off-net-dns-everydns (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-knocked-off-net-dns-everydns)
Whether or not we understand the full ramifications of the latest leak, we can examine the legalities of prosecuting Wikileaks and the publishers. In the United States, generally publishing classified information is not a crime, though news organizations can be prosecuted for publishing the identities of covert agents, nuclear secrets, and certain communications intelligence such as cryptography, signals communication intelligence, or interception of foreign governments’ communications. The blog Legal As She Is Spoke does a good job of analyzing the applicability of the Espionage Act and its various sections, namely section 793(e), 794(b) and 798, which cover the punishments for those who communicate or fail to communicate confidential information, publish confidential information with the intent to deliver it to an enemy, or publish specific categories of information. You can find a good definition of espionage at the Looper Reed & McGraw Law Blog.
The government can prosecute whoever leaked the classified information, since that was an illegal act. However, it’s harder to prosecute Wikileaks: since it’s not based on the United States, it would probably not be subject to a court order from a U.S. district court. On the other hand, while the ruling from the Pentagon Papers case stops the Government from preventing publication, it does allow the Government to hold those who publish information accountable after publication if laws were broken. There may also be issues with prosecuting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, since he is not a US national. In the mean time, there has been talk of shutting down the WikiLeaks site or limiting its access within the US.
One thing, before you go off for too long. Maybe it's going a little bit over my head. But, I'm unsure what your intention with the phrase "the law" is. Are you being creative with the whole power and law analog? Because in a literal sense, the US's law does not apply to wikileaks's situation.
Other than that, please take your time. I'm in no rush, and I'd like to see what you'll have to say on this.
Wikileaks came along because we did wrong. We're going to launch an internal review of the entire practice of secret-keeping in the federal government, and we will forcibly correct abusive practices. We will apprise you of our findings, and of the scope of sensitive information moving forward.
As for Wikileaks, we are not pleased at their actions, but we understand that the ultimate failure is our own. We will, however, hold Wikileak up to a rigorous legal standard, and if their actions are found to have violated the principles of our laws, we shall prosecute their leaders as best we are able—because we shall have earned your trust to be able to do so, by virtue of holding ourselves up to the scrutiny of reviewing our own practices from the vantage point of what is in the public good. What we shall not do is work outside the law, nor exploit our power over the law, to change the legal environment so that we may punish Wikileaks for causing us this great embarrassment, and with it the many setbacks in international relations and national security which we have suffered.
Now we will answer questions from the press.
The mother of a 9-year-old girl gunned down in Saturday’s shooting rampage outside an Arizona grocery store described her grief as “beyond words,” saying her daughter was a beautiful and intelligent child who was interested in government.
Christina-Taylor Green had just been elected to the student council at her elementary school and went to the "Congress on Your Corner" event outside a Tucson Safeway on Saturday to meet Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. The meet-and-greet turned tragic when the third-grader -- along with five others -- was killed in a spray of bullets.
I hate that an insane man gunning down innocent people has to become fuel for the petty political machine.HE WANTS THE KICK IN THE FUCKING CURB!!
I hate that an insane man gunning down innocent people has to become fuel for the petty political machine.
I hate that an insane man gunning down innocent people has to become fuel for the petty political machine.
Yeah...you don't know what you're talking about. Have you followed this story at all?
But the perpetrator, one Jared Lee Loughner, appears to be a garden-variety American crazy: paranoid, alienated, and with schizophrenic tendencies. While there were political overtones in some of his writings and videos, I don’t see any smoking gun connecting him to the Tea Party; and there’s no evidence yet that he was motivated more by right-wing politics than simple lunacy.
So before we start pinning all this on the Tea Party, let’s get the facts. I hate the Tea Party and their platform as much as anyone, and I despise their “let’s-get-them” rhetoric that uses the language of shooting and targets when referring to liberals. But they may not be much of a causal factor in this case.
My Winter Term professor sent us all an original article on the event, and I've been following it since then. The news seems to point to lunacy as the culprit rather than any political stance. Rather than spend an amount of time debating this, I'll leave one of the blog/articles here: http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/the-violence-in-arizona/QuoteBut the perpetrator, one Jared Lee Loughner, appears to be a garden-variety American crazy: paranoid, alienated, and with schizophrenic tendencies. While there were political overtones in some of his writings and videos, I don’t see any smoking gun connecting him to the Tea Party; and there’s no evidence yet that he was motivated more by right-wing politics than simple lunacy.
I believe Trebuchet is disgruntled at people using this to bash the Tea Party, despite them having no part in this. I believe their rhetoric will tone down a bit after this, though, which is good.
I am curious; if the shooter had been playing Call of Duty non-stop for the past few years, rather than being exposed to violent political rhetoric, would you be likewise willing to primarily blame video game makers? Admittedly, I have been unable to follow this story closely, but the general circumstances that surround Loughner seem, likewise, generally similar to other such shooters with the exact form of media in question being switched.
WTF News:
Glock Gun Sales Surge After Tuscon Rampage (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-11/glock-pistol-sales-surge-in-aftermath-of-shooting-of-arizona-s-giffords.html)
I really have to tilt my head and wonder at news like this.
Not to mention that they seem to forget that kind-of famous Bible verse everyone knows that says that God so loved the world (y'know. Meaning everyone) that He gave His only Son, etc. etc. everyone can quote that verse in at least three languages. Or maybe there was a massive mistranslation and only Phelps has the correct version, which says something like "For God so loved the world (and dead soldiers, and definitely not Sweden or gay people)..."
It's funny how law is designed to protect us, and yet if it fucks up at times those who pay the price are always the innocent.
Bad News: No matter how civilized and intelligent you are, you will almost always rely on your primal instincts.
That's when something hit me, and quite a philosophical idea: the bee, dangerous though it was, couldn't have come here on its own. It was past evening, and I couldn't think why this bee would have been stranded at this time. Plus, the closest hive was about two blocks away, on a tree, and there was a lot of darkness in between. For any animal or insect that are not nocturnal, it isn't often wise for them to approach human territory alone for, despite their lack of sufficient intelligence, it would have been either brave or stupid.
What did the bee do so wrong?
And what was the worth of the bee's life to me, anyway?
This was my big decision. Should I try to heal it, or just kill it? Would killing a bee make me a murderer? Nevertheless, insects are annoying. Or shall I join the better half of humanity, the kindness, and heal the bee? Or shall I simply analyse it?
But it had been long since I've abandoned my medical equipments, and I had none at the moment.
Humans are imperfect, and despite their gifts they rely on primal instincts. Anything that disgusts them will be placed in a critical/fatal place, and anything adorable or useful will be placed in their utmost protection.
P.S: Another observation made me see something else. Although grand, noble dreams are worth risking your life for, don't mistake it for desires (or temptations, I'd like to call it).
Some would easily get confused with these two terms, but temptations are not worth achieving, for it deceives you from achieving your dreams. There is nothing wrong with listening to your heart, but weigh your decisions wisely. Procrastination, craving, monetary-lust, etc. temptations have ruined many in the past...
All that being said, and I'm not condoning anything here, but if someone were to say, ride the curb a bit and run over all of them when they're out protesting, you couldn't find a jury in the US who would convict them.there be a shitload of lawyers in tha WBC
I would also distinguish between thoughts and actions; our instincts have considerable access to shape our thoughts (including our emotions, as you later point out), but have much less freedom to shape our actions, as they will encounter the sentient will.When you mentioned "significantly less than almost always", I couldn't help but agree. But recent neuroscience studies show that despite our considerations between two or more decisions, our minds decides our next action a couple of seconds before it happens. Even if we were to disregard that, majority of humans would still prefer to rely on basic instincts and experiences, rather than have a productive lifestyle. And our current standards of living, though better than the past, aren't helping in any way.
First of all, that's awesome that you keep knowledge of the nearest beehive.:lol: Actually, I don't. I merely deduced with what I do know: mainly, I observed the nature and patterns of certain nearby bees a couple of weeks ago, and that hives are found several blocks away in a nearby garden, just besides the building some of my friends live. The only hospitable environment for the bees would have been just in between where an old guy lives (what's his name), but even then traveling as far would have been out of their daily patterns and potentially threatening. Plus, we've got plenty of pigeons and ravens (stupid pigeons constantly keep coming into our flat).
Were you in medical school at some point? Or did you simply keep them on hand to cultivate your own interests, knowledge, and powers?Nah, I was never in medical school, but I did keep some lab apparatus at home during high school for my love for physics and chemistry. Let's just say I loved taking things apart and fixing them back. Unfortunately, I abandoned those practices in order to dedicate myself to art.
The bee did nothing wrong. "Wrong" is an irrelevant word. To apply, the bee would have to have been deliberative and self-aware. Its irregular behavior, leading to a collision with the fan, occurred as a natural event. Our perception of its suffering is the result of anthropomorphization.Haha by "wrong" I was implying whether the Bee deserved the consequence of its decision or temptation, but true about the anthropomorphization. Nevertheless, insects and animals do feel pain even if they have no way of expressing linguistically, and most would defend via biting or, in case of the bee, stinging, which brings another thing in mind.
-- Tsunami alert along the Pacific Coast; Hawaii experiences a 4.9 magnitude quake; Taiwan, Russia, Chile still on high alert
Not just South America...Quote from: Yahoo News-- Tsunami alert along the Pacific Coast; Hawaii experiences a 4.9 magnitude quake; Taiwan, Russia, Chile still on high alert
It's a sad day. We're attached to Japan (no matter how crazy the culture is), and we're grateful and proud of all the science and art it provides for the rest of humanity. They do the impossible, and we merely stand in awe. And when tragedy strikes there, it kicks all of humanity in the balls.
Follow-Up News: Volcano Eruption in Japan. (http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/japan-volcano-eruption-2011-shinmoedake-volcano-erupts-march-13-2766505.html)Aww come on! >< First an earthquake, then a tsunami, then oil refinery blasts, THEN meltdowns, and now Volcano? What's next, a portable ice age? What, God's having a grudge or something?! I'm really starting to worry about the poor folks there. I really want to help them somehow, worried that Red Cross may not be enough.
Poor Japan can't get a break... :(
Phrancis: Hey Jones, I'm now gonna use your finger to poke this rabid dog because I wanna prove that he will go ape-shit! I wonder if those poor UN staffers even knew why they were being killed... Now I'm not defending the actions of the extremist islamic mob, but just like a rabid dog, they are known for extreme violence. It's not right, but it is a FACT of life. Jones knowingly enraged them just to make his point and innocents died as a result. Freedom of speech also means using it wisely. He needs to go over there himself and convert the unbelievers if he feels that strongly about his faith...Excellent. He tried, found guilty and executed a FUCKING book! Terry Jones, I hope you feel satisfied with this; you indirectly murdered innocent UN members.
Bolivia gives Nature rights: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/10/bolivia-enshrines-natural-worlds-rights (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/10/bolivia-enshrines-natural-worlds-rights)Awww, yeah! :D Just the other day I kept telling my friends that despite the growth of industrialization, commerce and technology, mankind is starting to slip away from the basic ideas that are actually needed today: Large-scale agriculture and Domestic Forestation.
I think this is amazing.
The wording is a bit unfortunate, as many Americans are going to look at "Mother Earth" and come to all kinds of conclusions, and I'm skeptical about totally condemning genetic modification for various reasons, but still, I think this is a step forward.
They include: the right to life and to exist; the right to continue vital cycles and processes free from human alteration; the right to pure water and clean air; the right to balance; the right not to be polluted; and the right to not have cellular structure modified or genetically altered.
Poor abandoned pets (http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.goo.ne.jp%2F3711kiki%2Fe%2F6e3a1ec267b413bca5164e4c25e76fe0). :(:picardno
(Warning, link contains pictures might make people comfortable)
There's one thing that online schooling can't yet replicate: the scholarly environment of academia, and more generally the positive social environment of a place where people have come together to advance the boundaries of human knowledge and get ahead for themselves in life.That's the only thing I like about em. But for academics in general? No... just no...
But for academics in general? No... just no...
Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.
The one real object of education is to have a man in the condition of continually asking questions.
Ding Dong Osama's dead
Shot through the head
With burning hot lead.
Congrats to Obama and the US Military.
On a darker side of the news, the Jihad is bigger than Laden. He was merely a messenger. And you know what they say: defeat the greatest evil in the world, and the universe bestows upon us an even stronger foe.
Bad News::picardno
Cheerleader in Texas Loses Final Court Challenge for Refusing to Cheer for Basketball Player Who Raped Her; Must Pay School District $45,000 in Court Costs (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cheerleader-must-compensate-school-that-told-her-to-clap-rapist-2278522.html)
Stories this disgusting usually have more in the background that we don't know about, but whatever other circumstances may be in play here, it is ethically inexcusable for a court to saddle a young person, who has been sexually assaulted, with tens of thousands of dollars in court costs for a "frivolous" lawsuit against her school district. This tells young people and poor people not to challenge the crimes committed against them. That's deplorable.
First, even under the best circumstances, it isn't a "cure" for cancer but a treatment.
Second, since the drug is already developed one doesn't really need pharmaceutical companies, one just needs human trials.
Three, it looks like at least in some instances, DCA actually promotes tumor growth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichloroacetic_acid
Bad News: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/05/15/guatemala.violence/index.html :?
Good news: A cure for procrastination has finally been found and shared among Authors!:?
Bad news: Ah, I'll tell you later.
WHAT. THE. FORK. (http://www.vhemt.org/)
http://www.valleynewslive.com/story/15221464/us-troops-in-afghan-chopper-crash-from-navy-seals-unit-that-killed-bin-laden
:shock: :(
I realize these men were trained to kill, but it's these guys that risk their lives in the battlefield just so us civilians can leave peacefully and freely. Just when we thought the mofo was dead, insurgents strike and kill over 20 Navy SEALS.
I wish this war would just end. I wish these Taliban fuckers would simply come to their senses!
The only cure for that kind of stupidity is death. It's just that nobody wants to admit it. All to maintain some cheap illusion of higher morality.Of course! Battlefield is the abode of death, and once the cogs of war turn it is impossible to stop until something or someone breaks. Problem is that when these cogs turn it is no longer about "who is right", and more about the survival of you and the folks you care for. When you lose someone close you become a war cog in the name of vengeance and cause further casualties that might turn others into the same monster you've become.
On a side note, I saw an article one time where an undercover reporter pretended to be homeless and worked a street in New York City. I can't recall where exactly he set up to beg, but I know it was close to but off the track of a major tourism path. At the end of the day he had made nearly $1,000. On a cold day in winter. Which means that homelessness and begging can be quite lucrative if handled properly.
I'm torn by the judgmentalism that comes with saying "I'll give you money" to a homeless person, "but only if you're going to use it the way I want you to." Essentially, then, what you're doing is not charity but investment, and homeless people are a lousy investment. There's also a lot of ethical self-righteousness attached to the strings that people attach to the money or aid they "freely" give.That's an interesting angle of vision. Unfortunately most homeless folks here speak in Marathi here (and I don't know Marathi) and their language expertise is minimal.
Oh, of course. I'm honestly not even against them buying alcohol with the money I give, on premise, personally speaking. I would just like to have reason to believe my contribution would actually improve their circumstances and opportunities for fulfillment, and my friends assured me that it would not. :(Exactly; they're trapped in an abyss not knowing which way is up unless an angel from a well educated sector descends and helps them get enlightened. But on the contrary, most of them don't want our help, just money. Unlike you, I despise the poor for using people's money for alcohol and cigarettes, an attitude I'm hoping to improve on for the sake of their sake, but usually a penny donated helps them live through the day. They don't even know what productivity and investment is because nobody taught them.
That's a dilemma I've personally had. I used to give them money; I don't now. Although I sincerely believe that there are simply people who will never be gainfully employed (through no fault of their own) and that it would be good to give to such people, I have a couple of friends who have worked with the homeless very closely, and they advised me not to give. They said the chance that my money would be used to feed their addictions was too great. I'm not sure what to do...
That's why you offer to buy them a hot meal first, haha. As I said, half of the homeless I've dealt with have turned down a free meal. Those turning down such an offer will probably be the type more likely to feed themselves with spirits and substances.
That's why you offer to buy them a hot meal first, haha. As I said, half of the homeless I've dealt with have turned down a free meal.XD It's not always because they're greedy for money, though. When it was Mom's birthday I bicycled a few kilometers to discretely find a neat present, and found a shop that sells brilliant Bengali sweets (note: these sweets are heavenly; get addicted and you get fat). While I purchased some a poor family that looked like travelers from a village spoke in an alien language (resembling Rajhastani) which I couldn't understand. I thought they wanted cash, but because I was in a good mood I thought I'd give them something even better and spent 20 bucks to buy em samosas (parceled). When I handed them the parcel and warmly wished them well, hoping they'd enjoy the delicious treat with their kids, they simply looked at me confused and went away, staring at the bag.
So, tush... are they insistent on remaining in their poverty or do they not know which end is up?Both; think of it this way. Despite curiosity being a natural thing, the majority of folks in the world wouldn't dabble with the unknown if they think it could be bad for them. You fear shadows because you can't see beyond it; you always fear the unknown, especially since you don't know from which way they will come and devour you.
(First of all, it may be helpful to separate "the poor" from "the destitute" or homeless. Obviously, poor people can have high standards for productivity.)Ah, forgive me... It's ironic I'd forget that difference. But then again, till now, I never knew what destitute meant, let alone differentiate between them.
I also tend to agree that poor people are not aware of all the opportunities available to them. Their lack of resources is usually not just material -- it's informational as well. They don't have the social and cultural network that can inform them of opportunities. So of course they want money; education is intangible, and their priorities are probably closer to survival than ours are -- closer than we can understand. They also may not understand the significance of education in the long term, or, just as likely, are not sure whether education will actually improve their station or not. Given the time and expense involved, and the fact that doing well in education often has as much to do with cultural factors as intelligence, they would have reason to be wary.Hah, that's something I can't argue with. I just wish agriculture became a dignified occupation / career of choice so the world wouldn't be so poor and hungry. Agricultural education isn't quite as intangible as general education, but that's the only solution I have in mind (an easy solution wouldn't be worth it). Institutions can also be formed where volunteers could inspire the destitute about the miracles of education and provide them with it with the help of charity.
But generally my bias is that I think people should be aiming for a well-lived, fulfilling life, not chasing after some illusory standard of endless productivity (which I honestly think is problematic because it is a value attached to a system of unlimited growth).*smiles* Since you point it that way, I have a story for you. Despite my youth, I believe I've already lived a life of great happiness, and I found happiness beneath my very feet long ago (and you need neither money, nor intelligence, nor productivity for that). But the reason I still live and strive because, this time, I want to be the bowl that feeds humanity; I want to show my family worlds beyond their vision, and better the world towards thoughts they could never grasp. I want to see smile bloom even in the most hopeless worlds, where villains and heroes put down their arms and sing along with the melody of life; this I will most certainly help achieve. Happiness is easy to find even in the most tragic times, but if you want to live a fulfilled life then set your aim higher than the apex of your imagination and race towards it like there's no tomorrow.
Sipping coconut water and honey, a self-styled Gandhian anti-corruption reformer ended a hunger strike on its 13th day on Sunday, a protest that had sparked huge rallies across the country, exposed a weak government and ushered in a new middle-class political force.
(http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqh0aytfbm1r1dqsbo1_500.png)
Whoa, so it worked? Congrats to the people of India on a job well done. Maybe we should try that here!Yeah! :D The reason it worked because the People's voice is greater than the Government, and we approached with love rather than spread hate. Most protests and mobs are mindless, either spreading hatred and accusations or destroying things here and there. But our revolution was a peaceful, sincere demand to end corruption once and for all, to bring change and glory. For that time, we were one outrageously huge family, and we enjoyed every moment of it.
Judging by the banned book list, it's easy to say that this is one of those fundamentalist conservative Christian private schools. As cool as this story is, people at schools like that are pretty sorely outmatched. Even a black market library wouldn't make a difference to most of the pupils who participated in it. As for the bookrunner herself, I hope she went on to enjoy a satisfying college life and career...but even she may not have escaped the black vortex of radical Christian fascism. Hopefully, by having all those books in the first place, she has slightly less insane parents than your average pair of idiots who would subject their child to such a nightmare.XD
Whenever I see stories about people like this, I just want to hug them and say "There's a better place for people like you. Come tonight. We'll take the airship!" Then, a few years down the line, we'd liberate the town by force and close that "school" forever.
The fallout for her is going to be crazy if someone finds out. As Lord J said, she must have supportive parents, but that school's anything like what I'm familiar with she'll become a pariah. What an amazing thing to do.I'll ask her permission then. So what if she's (probably) younger than me? I want to honor and bow to individuals so daring and benevolent as them, and humbly offer my undying respect.
They report to the State Administration for Religious Affairs. They are forbidden to take part in any religious activity outside their places of worship and sign up to the slogan, "Love the country - love your religion."
In return the Party promotes atheism in schools but undertakes "to protect and respect religion until such time as religion itself will disappear".
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/10/17/111017fa_fact_gopnik (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/10/17/111017fa_fact_gopnik)
It's the 50th anniversary of The Phantom Tollbooth!
Everyone should read this book. It is especially in the spirit of the Compendium, I think. And if you have kids, get them to read it!
"Mr Abdul Jalil said the new Libya would take Islamic law as its foundation. Interest for bank loans would be capped, he said, and restrictions on the number of wives Libyan men could take would be lifted."
:picardno
There's a new government in Libya:Oh, no! Not again! Please, no! Please, please move on already!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15422262
And it's priorities could use some work:
"Mr Abdul Jalil said the new Libya would take Islamic law as its foundation. Interest for bank loans would be capped, he said, and restrictions on the number of wives Libyan men could take would be lifted."
:picardno
"Today we are one flesh, one national flesh. We have become united brothers as we have not been in the past," he said.
"I call on everyone for forgiveness, tolerance and reconciliation. We must get rid of hatred and envy from our souls. This is a necessary matter for the success of the revolution and the success of the future Libya."
Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen also welcomed the declaration of liberation, but added that Nato would retain its "capacity to respond to threats to civilians, if needed".
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague greeted Libya's "historic victory", and urged the country to avoid "retribution and reprisals".
In China, sympathy for Gadhafi remained on Internet forums, including the popular Weibo microblogging site where ordinary Chinese feel freer to express personal views. "Deeply mourn Libya's former leader Gadhafi, friend of the Chinese people. He died a heroic death," read one comment, signed "Yuan Jun."Hehe, finally I understood why MFA of China claimed G was NOT China's friend.
Anonymous takes down a kiddie porn site. (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2395171,00.asp#fbid=A9Mwr4sGTCr)Anonymous are my favorite modern Anarchists. :D They're like The Laughing Man!
I realize that Lord J doesn't have a very high opinion of Anonymous, but even he should be able to give the devil its due in this case.
Beware people, and particularly organizations, that who do things you agree with for reasons you don't agree with. Relying on evil to fight evil is a desperate act.Except I don't really see how they're "evil", at least for now anyway (I'm simply musing at the "excitement"; lol).
@Sajainta: If I were to take your word for it then let me clarify that nobody in this world, aside innocent children still in developing ages, is any spotless. Even the greatest amongst us have an ugly mark from the past where we've fallen before, and that fall was crucial for our development. Even I, who dreams heavenly dreams to make the world better and raise awareness for all things, have been an incarnation of the devil (in one case, I broke a poor guy's leg). Chances are, most of you have that mark on you too.
The urge to fall takes everyone easily and there is no exception, be it Buddha, Jesus, Augustus, etc. It is whether the being is capable of rising from that pit that counts. You can't learn to ride a bike without bruising yourself once in a while.
Just curious, though. How do you define them as evil?
They undertake destructive acts without a firm grasp of (let alone consensus on) what they are doing or what their justification for doing so is, causing harm and loss along the way with only the barest pretense of rectifying social ills.Yeah, I wouldn't argue with that either; vandalism, be it real life or the internet, by definition defines malicious, criminal and destructive intentions (even if I say that, I'm still a huge fan of Banksy; hah!). Agreed, these people are ones you'd least trust, but at the same time (looking from worldly perspective) they also offer elements and hurdles for perfecting self-preservation attributes and security. You must have heard a similar quote? "If a capable hacker manages intrusion, it only goes to show that the defensive security is inferior". Take Sony, for instance; they spend billions in trying to offer services and accept storage of personal information, but all that data is hardly secure: one prank and the whole consumer-base had to pay their recklessness. (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/06/sony-hacked-yet-again-plaintext-passwords-posted.ars) And we begin to question whether we really should rely on corporate trust. Imagine if it wasn't LULZSec; imagine if it was Osama Bin Laden.
Dave Johnson · Works at Joe's Homeless Shack
Please convince me this lady doesn't need to be beaten with a stick and thrown in prison.......No wonder there's no mention of a father. Imagine being married to THIS broad.
Eddy Renato Cigarroa
THIS JUST MAKES ME SICK, NO WONDER NEW GENERATIONS ARE ALL MESSED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Occupy Earth: Some are rich, some are sick -- http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/11/2011116132856199157.html
Nature is 99% too.
Find it hard to swallow that 0 in 500 people are willing to helpIt indeed is. Goes to show how our so called "Officials" are anything but vigilant these days. I realize Suicide Pranks are common, but "making sure that the citizens are safe" is worth the effort regardless of whether the call is legit or not.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread774507/pg1
Find it hard to swallow that 0 in 500 people are willing to help
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread774507/pg1
Paypal steals money from underprivileged children. (http://www.regretsy.com/2011/12/05/cats-1-kids-0/#comments)What. The. Shit.
[TRIGGER WARNING ~FW]Well, well. Looks like we're all assholes. Let's see what I get on the scores. Though I must admit (despite being a reader of Mr Mafioso at Ask Men mag) that's incredibly dark.
Can you tell the difference between a men's magazine and a rapist? (http://jezebel.com/5866602/can-you-tell-the-difference-between-a-mens-magazine-and-a-rapist)
EDIT: Sheesh, well, scores don't matter here, but what strikes me is that most of my wrong answers were ones where I thought a criminal was the speaker, and it turned out to be the men's magazine. So...yikes?Took the test, and got almost the same here. I guess there's a context disconnection here based on emotional attachment towards concepts as whole. It's not about "whom we agree with" but simply trying to recognize who said what, and being in the position we are we usually don't give much benefit of doubt to even magazines that objectify women.
Is the dream of Zeal within our grasp?
Brooke hasn't developed past age 1, is 18 years old (http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/a-725798.html)
Is the dream of Zeal within our grasp?
Brooke hasn't developed past age 1, is 18 years old (http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/a-725798.html)
As interesting as that is, it makes me wonder. Is she really aging slowly, or her body just doesn't change, and will die once she hits an average age or something? Hmm...
Analyze ALL the genes!XD I'll never get tired of that.
You lot really shouldn't become too taken with these nonsensical pseudo scientific articles I've often seen floating about here, if your intention is to advance your understanding of these topics.It's the source and insight that incites me. XD Just so you know, I don't take information from such articles for granted, but they do give us a direction to research at.
The problem with scientists is... fill-in-the-blank.
Interesting metaphor Tushantin, that kind of thinking is rarely useful in science though.Then Science probably hasn't even found its significance yet. 8)
Science doesn't need any other fields.And how sure are you?
Silly scientists... One day they'll realize that certain things must remain unsolved to be solved.
Your argument is extremely broad and vague, and I don't disagree with your overall idea necessarily, but it seems some of your points need clarification.
For one thing, antimatter and dark matter are not the same. This is a common misconception. This should clear it up: http://www.science20.com/quantum_gravity/blog/difference_between_matter_antimatter_dark_matter_and_negative_matter
The Higgs-Boson particle link you posted seems to be rather sarcastic in tone, and doesn't provide much credibility to the theory that it could destroy the universe. Until there's a scientific basis behind the theory, it's best to attribute that kind of "what if" mentality to pseudo-science. The person making that claim is no more credible than the guy who claims ancient aliens populated the world for us and made us worship them as gods before dipping out and going home with no trace.
Yes, that particular man-made computer simulation of how the universe might look if it were all pink and shiny instead of black and empty looks similar to that particular type of cell found in the human body, but that doesn't mean much. If anything take it as a warning that things are not so simple or necessarily connected. I don't know how many times I've seen brown bread and expected cake, but that's basically the same thing. Just because they look similar doesn't mean there's any correlation or significance.
I'm not sure where you're going with the questioning yourself metaphor. How many times do you think you're right when you're wrong? I don't know, because I think I'm right. Right?
Your chicken joke example doesn't make much sense either. Most people get caught up thinking that "the other side" means the road. Do you think it means the other side of the chicken? I just don't know what you're getting at. I'm not being sarcastic. I literally don't know what you mean.
Scientists don't try to force answers. People who fund science try to force answers. Religious people try to force answers. Scientists try to find answers. "Doing science" can be compared to looking for one puzzle piece out of a collection of a million different puzzles mixed together. When they find one that might fit, they examine it, test it, simulate the fitting procedure, and finally after deciding there's no reason to worry about safety, they place the piece in the puzzle. Then they're free to look at the puzzle as a more complete picture and see what else might be missing. On VERY sporadic occasions, they might find later on that an earlier puzzle piece didn't fit and they've been trying to complete the wrong picture, but that's usually pretty evident before they get too far in, and once surpassed, it's called a breakthrough.
Science is time-consuming, expensive, and usually faulty. If they did everything right and knew the answers the first try then there'd be no reason to test anything.
Yes in some cases science can be destructive. Take "the bomb" (A bomb, H bomb, N bomb, take your pick). Disastrous. But was that really a product of scientific achievement? Or were the principles behind it the real achievement, with the source of the money pushing it into the destructive territory? It was the money. The US wanted a weapon. Science said "we don't really do that but we figured out this cool thing about the amount of energy in a tiny atom!". The US said "make it a weapon and we'll pay for you to study it".
My point is science itself is not unethical or dangerous. Those are inherently unrelated to the very concept of science. It's always people in power who do the real damage.
The solution to too much knowledge is more knowledge.Actually, the solution to too much knowledge is creative means of thought, ethos and development, which makes "too much knowledge" more of a strength than a weakness.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319151155.htm models of universe challenged with newer, accurate methodsThose are AWESOME!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319135245.htm cosmic radiation changing ice water into carbon chains, possible source of life
"Eighty-six percent of working Indians earn less than 20 rupees or half a dollar a day, untouched by the country's blistering economic growth, a government-backed study said recently."
Dear friends,
The pictures from Al Houla, Syria, last Friday are almost too brutal to look at. I have a 5 year old daughter and I know it's only luck of birth that separates her from this horror. But my shock led me to write this today as I know there is something we can all do together to stop this.
Dozens of children lie covered with blood, their faces show the fear they felt before death, and their innocent lifeless bodies reveal an unspeakable massacre. These children were slaughtered by men under strict orders to sow terror. Yet all the diplomats have come up with so far is a few UN monitors 'observing' the violence. Now, governments across the world are expelling Syrian ambassadors, but unless we demand strong action on the ground, they will settle for these diplomatic half-measures.
The UN is discussing what to do right now. If there were a large international presence across Syria with a mandate to protect civilians, we could prevent the worst massacres while leaders engage in political efforts to resolve the conflict. I cannot see more images like these without shouting from the rooftops. But to stop the violence, it is going to take all of us, with one voice, demanding protection for these kids and their families. Click to call for UN action now and send this to everyone:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/syria_will_the_world_look_away_c/?vl
A child's death is tragic in any circumstance. The UN says 108 people were killed in the onslaught, 49 of them children under the age of 10, and the youngest was a 2 year old girl. 90% of the population of Al Houla has now fled their homes. As I put my daughter to bed last night, I tried to consider what the mothers and fathers and grandparents of these children feel. The sheer pain and desperation is unimaginable, but there will also be deep anger and hate for those that did this. Until all of us stop these attacks on the people of Syria, the cycle of violence will not end.
Let's not forget -- this bloodbath began over a year ago with thousands of people peacefully protesting on the streets -- calling, like their brothers and sisters across the region, for freedom and democracy. But the regime responded with brutality and violence -- murdering, torturing, abducting and laying siege to entire cities. The international community did not intervene, letting geopolitical concerns obstruct our responsibility to protect. Then, in desperation to protect their families and fight back against the repression, some took up arms. Now it is an armed conflict -- and if the world continues to do nothing it will become a full blown sectarian war that may last for generations and breed the kind of terrorist attacks we have yet to imagine in our worst nightmares.
When dozens of children are murdered in cold blood by the army and their militias -- it is time for serious action. Assad, his henchmen and his murderous army must be held to account and the people of Syria protected. Nothing the international community has done yet has pried Assad from his murderous grip on power. The few UN monitors on the ground were powerless to stop the Al Houla killings -- they only served to count the tiny bodies. But if we sent in hundreds of monitors to each of the fourteen regions of Syria, Assad's assassins would think twice.
The world looked away with Srebrenica, and with Rwanda. If all of us respond today -- we can make sure that these children's tragic deaths act as the tipping point for all of us everywhere to say NO MORE! But if we turn away, so will our leaders. Let's join voices from every corner of the earth and make it impossible for our leaders to ignore our cry. In respect for these dear children and their families, click to join the global call to demand a massive UN presence on the ground now!
http://www.avaaz.org/en/syria_will_the_world_look_away_c/?vl
The Avaaz community has stood with the people of Syria for fifteen months, denouncing the Syrian regime, calling for sanctions, supporting communities across the country with aid, and giving equipment to citizen journalists to get the word out about the violence. Let's today make the Al Houla massacre the watershed moment for change and insist that our governments no longer stand by shaking their heads and turning their backs.
With deep sadness and determination,
Alice and the whole Avaaz team
I mean, all you have to do is realize that teachers like Jesus never said one word about killing people who disagreed with you.
That's what actually made me question my faith recently. I mean, if Jesus and God are one and the same, why the 180? I've never understood that. Of course, nowadays I don't even know what I really believe. :?I mean, all you have to do is realize that teachers like Jesus never said one word about killing people who disagreed with you.
Alright, Jesus may not have said anything about killing people who disagreed with him, but God did, and they're the same person. God telling his followers to kill people is all over the Old Testament.
I think that the essence of Christianity pertains to Jesus and his teachings, just as Sajainta once explained, as the religion itself begins from him -- this would mean that the truer essence of Christianity remains in the New Testament. But the Old Testament still is a crucial study in hindsight, which seems to me more of a Prequel to a truer novel (just like how Prometheus is to Aliens).That's what actually made me question my faith recently. I mean, if Jesus and God are one and the same, why the 180? I've never understood that. Of course, nowadays I don't even know what I really believe. :?I mean, all you have to do is realize that teachers like Jesus never said one word about killing people who disagreed with you.
Alright, Jesus may not have said anything about killing people who disagreed with him, but God did, and they're the same person. God telling his followers to kill people is all over the Old Testament.
Tushantin, thank you. I'll come right out and say it, I hold myself to VERY high moral standards. I don't like to hurt others, and even if I had to, I don't think I could. I have always held Jesus' "turn the other cheek" rule as something we need to do more of. Sadly, that's not going to happen anytime soon. :( I could never take every rule that's in the bible, because many of them contradict eachother. I just take what I feel is morally right, and ignore the rest. Tushantin, I'll say it again. Thanks. :D Now I think we'd better get back on topic, before the thread gets shut down. :wink:I think that the essence of Christianity pertains to Jesus and his teachings, just as Sajainta once explained, as the religion itself begins from him -- this would mean that the truer essence of Christianity remains in the New Testament. But the Old Testament still is a crucial study in hindsight, which seems to me more of a Prequel to a truer novel (just like how Prometheus is to Aliens).That's what actually made me question my faith recently. I mean, if Jesus and God are one and the same, why the 180? I've never understood that. Of course, nowadays I don't even know what I really believe. :?I mean, all you have to do is realize that teachers like Jesus never said one word about killing people who disagreed with you.
Alright, Jesus may not have said anything about killing people who disagreed with him, but God did, and they're the same person. God telling his followers to kill people is all over the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is itself a reminiscent of former art (aka, the Orthodox Judaism) known as the Torah, and the conflicts between these values escalated against those of the Romans at the time. The appearance of Jesus eventually updated these ideologies and all was well and coolio.
...until the Dominionists returned. Politics and Religion intermingled, the core ideologies stagnated, and blah blah. Several things happened all at once: Islam was created at one place, Christianity was used a force in another, it was suppressed in another, etc. In places like India, Christianity went through a purification process at the time of its independence and became more benign than it was before (if not entirely). In places like America, well... let's just say the complaints are still ongoing.
One thing I'd advise to any reader: read the sacred texts like you'd read any fiction / non-fiction -- take what you find valid, leave the rest. Reading them is pretty enlightening (and while there are a thousand others that are more awesome than the Christian bible, it's still pretty awesome in its own right), and you get to have interesting insights about the imagination and culture left by in the past. Historical readings as such are important in many cases, and inspiration is bound to have you. Faith is always a good thing, but it has to be enforced by reason and curiosity; if you're following blindly then you wouldn't know if you're about to step into a ditch.
I've known quite a lot of Christians in my life -- yes, some are pretty restricted by their traditional background, but others are brilliant! (Hell, my Christian boss is a living Sherlock Holmes)
Speaking of personal faith, I've never really been religious nor an atheist (and often found myself constantly mocking their ongoing conflicts with each other) because I never found myself belonging to such categories. The kind of person I am, it's hard to place them in a certain group, even though I might go out of my way to defend one provided I feel that something is unjust. Despite that, I don't think I've every been wrong about my own faith; yes, I had doubts in between, once or twice, questioning my identity, but when that happened...
...everything and everyone -- reason, art, ecstasy, dreams, sensation and people -- just simultaneously embraced me, telling me that I was never wrong. It's not that I refused to be (rather, being a poet, I often question and contradict myself), but everything I come across simply builds upon the essence that I once was; it's a venture of self-exploration. Everything simply becomes clearer to me when I look deep within, because therein I find limitless winds, seeking where to push the dark clouds and transforming it into a rain of inspiration upon barren droughts.
The question isn't "What religion you belong to"; rather, the question is, "Are you human? If so, what defines you as a human?" Here's hoping that the rains in my current post would inspire you somehow, James. :)
http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-patent-prevents-students-from-sharing-books-120610/ (http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-patent-prevents-students-from-sharing-books-120610/)
No, not even :picardno may express just how this is...
http://www.kitguru.net/channel/lopan/government-to-introduce-pay-to-prove-innocence/ (http://www.kitguru.net/channel/lopan/government-to-introduce-pay-to-prove-innocence/)I didn't even click the link. And from what I read from the URL, I say: BURN IT DOWN TO HELL!
Milking from anything they can get money from. What is the world coming to these last years...
I didn't even click the link. And from what I read from the URL, I say: BURN IT DOWN TO HELL!
http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-patent-prevents-students-from-sharing-books-120610/ (http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-patent-prevents-students-from-sharing-books-120610/)
No, not even :picardno may express just how this is...
http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-patent-prevents-students-from-sharing-books-120610/ (http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-patent-prevents-students-from-sharing-books-120610/)
No, not even :picardno may express just how this is...
I know I haven't been here in probably more than 2 years... but... I feel like something happened when I left, because now that I'm back, this great majestic forum seems dead or dying... I've been back for around 3 days or so and I've only seen a few new posts that aren't the same as the ones I just haven't read in two years... In three days there should be like 50 new posts... in each forum section! Why... where is everyone?I know, right? I think everyone's just hit that period in life where we're hugely busy. Kids, jobs, moves, transitions -- holy crap! I'm actually impressed the community has been able to carry on as much as it has lately; I know I certainly haven't been able to stop in for ages. With people suddenly returning out of the blue now, perhaps we'll have a Summer of Resurgence! Or something...!
Its reached sigma 5 certainty - there is some newly discovered particle at about 125-6 giga electron volts. they need to do analyses, but this will either way change physics forever......the standard model will either have to be thrown out or changed. the heaviest boson yet discovered, just might be the higgs.Hah, read that a day or two ago (and I have been going around screaming "CONSISTENT BOSON FOUND" enthusiastically, while others glared quizzically at me, pondering, "Who the heck cares?") I love the fact that they're willing to pour so much effort towards a slightest possibility found due to a theoretical imbalance, and their research is paying off -- slowly, but surely.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120704112237.htm
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/07/cisco-backpedals-after-uproar-drops-cloud-from-default-router-setting/ (http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/07/cisco-backpedals-after-uproar-drops-cloud-from-default-router-setting/)
Well that was quick.
True to form, Smith is trying to cram his law onto the books without any substantive debate or scrutiny, just as he tried with SOPA. When you're serving corporate masters instead of the public interest, the less debate, the better.
QuoteTrue to form, Smith is trying to cram his law onto the books without any substantive debate or scrutiny, just as he tried with SOPA. When you're serving corporate masters instead of the public interest, the less debate, the better.
Doesn't... that sound too supervillainy to ya?
Offtopic, but @milkjamjuice...
I thought your username looked familiar and clicked on your YouTube channel... Lo and behold I've watched quite a few of your videos in the past! You're one of the Japan-based video bloggers I've watched (SoftyPapa, Gimmeaflakeman, to name a few). Anyway, welcome to the forum and hope you're enjoying your stay!
Once upon a time the Chrono Compendium was a vibrant and extremely active place. It's fallen on hard times over the years, so please forgive the lack of posts in these parts. :)
I am assuming you're also a Redditor (based on the tl;dr tag), so I'll keep my eye out for ya! :)
... They will lose, but they will fight (and probably level Seoul in the process).
I'm dubious that they'd level Seoul. It serves no military goal, and they'd have to get through a lot of military leaders aware of this in order to enact the plan. Rats abandon a sinking ship: if a military leader follows through on that order, they either have to fight to the death, or they'll have an appointment with Nuremberg. The only way for them to win is to not play the game. That is, refuse orders to completely level Seoul.
Yeah, I actually used to be a member here when I was a senior in uni back in 2005-2006 but after I moved to Japan again I kinda just....disappeared.
"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing," he said.
I find it remarkable how people's notions of good and evil get twisted. I suppose "good men" are those who maim and kill innocent people to make a point, and "evil" are those who stand in their way?
I feel sorry for those people who favorited his comment, having no idea what he really meant by it.
I am very pleased that Kickstarter apologized for not removing that godawful "seduction guide" (http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/we-were-wrong) (read: thinly-veiled "how to get away with sexual assault" how-to book) after being alerted of how disgusting it was. I'm even more happy that they donated money to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), stating it's "an excellent organization that combats exactly the sort of problems our inaction may have encouraged." Major kudos, Kickstarter.I wish I could "Like" this post.