Swimmin' Salmon

Originally Posted By: Synergy We have a belief around "human nature" that says, "We just don't/can't get along based on our nature." And as should be amply clear, I'm asserting that it is our belief that this is true that makes it true for us. If we held a different belief, we'd find we did and could get along. This is the power of consciousness and choice. It should be evident that this is a chicken and egg argument. Which came first, the "nature" or the belief? All we can look to (so far) are those smaller scale examples around us of how people live and "get along" who hold a different belief. Monks in a monastery, as just one example. I see evidence that belief overrules the devil that makes us do it. The belief is the devil. -S- Originally Posted By: Ephesos *headdesk* QFT

Originally Posted By: jlsgaladriel Quote: Personally I find it to be more respectful to have discussions on Thuryl's dilemma over AIM. ...So, those of us who rarely IM, who don't know Lilith's AIM name, should have ignored a clearly important statement (s)he chose to make in the forums? My heavens, don't make troubles where there aren't any. Dude, you even quoted the part where I said "Personally," so don't make this about people other than me. I can offer a different perspective to E, right? I don't just have to do that via /clan chat, do I?

I wonder how still beating baby harp seal heart tastes. Both fresh, and cooked.

E - Personally I find it to be more respectful to have discussions on Thuryl's dilemma over AIM. It certainly leads to fewer public manglings of thoughts, and allows for the flow in conversation which is most suited to this type of situation. Since threads are styled after pen-pal type letter writing, with the expectation of time-passage between posts, it seems more distant to me. AIM is more like a phone call, but without the awkward "wow, you sure sound funny." Synergy - I respectfully disagree with your assertion that Quote: Overall, as human beings, we say we are for peace, freedom, and equality in the world. Would we not agree that the majority of human beings want the same basic things? I'd actually argue that at our deepest core we all do desire the same things, whether aware of them or not. We have all kinds of laws, beliefs, customs, institutions, and so forth in place, which presumably should reflect who we claim we are trying to be in the world. The only real thing to measure is, how's it working? If it's not working, why not? I'm saying there are underlying beliefs hosting all those other things I just listed, which are not resulting in the kind of peace and freedom in the world we claim we value and believe in because you are describing society, and not human beings. We have discovered that we don't, as individuals, play well with others. We just don't. So, we make up rules to govern our actions, and with our swelled heads are capable of remembering (for the most part) those rules and living within their proscribed bondaries throughout our lives. Individual human beings are NOT inclined toward peace, harmony, and love. They are inclined toward survival and procreation. Just, avoiding word-play, and making sure the discussion is as specific as possible. Call it rule-making, if you will. VCH - I agree with your assertion, except that other species will also form societies and exhibit one behavior with members of the home-group, and a different set of behaviors with non-members. Dikiyoba - I applaud your counting ability.

Steve Colbert did a passable job at selling the iPad last night. Too bad his monologue was stilted and ... not really stupid enough for his audience.

Originally Posted By: Dintiradan Missing option for both questions: Don't take prescription drugs and don't lead an active and healthy lifestyle. If the answers don't fit you, then you are too fat and shouldn't be answering polls anyway, you should be climbing them. Originally Posted By: Niemand stuff Assume that any phrases I am using are in the exact same context as the article to which I linked.

Wait. Did you folks actually conquer Russia already? Because until that is over, you have something to do. Demand a warm water port!!!

This article is actually meaningful to me, as a parent. I'm certain I can make the parenting decisions necessary to keep my son drug free throughout adolescence, but it seems that is not the norm. What has been your experience, either as a parent or a child, with prescription drugs, especially as they relate to your health and lifestyle? Where do you fit into the game? Are you sitting on the sidelines, on the bench, or are you in the game? Is it your choice?

vegans are a bunch of space cadets

Hey slarty way to be very cavalier most of the time except when it is time to criticize someone publicly when it would have been more politic to do it in private. Yay you.

Originally Posted By: Synergy I also see the exceptions in the mix, pointing to another way. What do we make of the anomalies, if we even have eyes to see them? If you believe accounts of figures like Jesus or Buddha being at all as described, do they represent human nature, because they didn't behave according to what you describe as human nature. What do we make of altruism, of the seeming human instinct for many people to react before they even have time to think to risk their life to save that of a stranger? Is that human nature? Pol Pot. Jack the Ripper. generic serial killer. If you are going to seriously look at the behavior of Jesus, Mohammed, or any other prophet as being a preferable extreme of human behavior, you are projecting your own desires for the human race. There is no reason to think that their actions are (as an absolute) more preferable than those of the folks I mentioned. Heck, there are probably hundreds like Pol Pot throughout history.

Early adopters beware. Remember the iphone.

Originally Posted By: Randomizer Steve Jobs doesn't think he's richer than God, yet, so he's sucking up as much money as possible while he still has time. FYT.

Originally Posted By: Extravehicular Activities —Alorael, who finds Sporefrog's post well-reasoned and apt. It's also likely to turn into the same morass that has resulted in Synergy being dismissed as whipping out New Age buzzwords. I've already berated him for this aptitude. He assures me, he has no control over it. It's Tourette's, after a fashion.

geologically, yes, on the verge. individually, yes, we are now closer to death. When did this thread start sucking so badly?

I'm sorry, but I don't attend services there.

Yeah, like we need a religion for all us non-church-going areligious types.

I'm just here to regain my spot on the list. Damn that mote!

For example, Bob Loblaw's Law Blog.

For the past 15 years, at least, advertisers have had deals with television shows to place their gear on set, so that even with Tivo and DVD releases, you are still seeing advertising.

Fine, fine, you're right. Here's my Amex number. 366217520022389, expires Jan '10

Welcome to Spiderweb. Leave your sanity at the door.

Originally Posted By: VCH The last time I checked Canadians are pretty much required to drive long distances to get around, and this is not likely to change soon. But we as Canadians are not required to sit idling in our cars waiting for a Big Mac, or use a 50 horse ride on lawn mower to cut a tiny patch of suburban lawn, or use a gas powered leaf blower when a rake would suffice, or put up enough Christmas lights to be seen from space. Folks in Cananada and the states have freedom of choice. The folks in the states which you are describing have freedom of common sense as well. I know for a fact that there are people like this in your country, so watch for broken glass. The only way to force behavior, absent common sense, is to legislate. Sad, but true. Now, if ad time of the telly was devoted to promoting common sense, rather than squeezing the last of it from our brains, we would be a better people.

Originally Posted By: Master1 I'm all for protecting animals. After all, we're animals too. However, PETA can (or so I've heard) go too far. Treating animals as superior to humans is ridiculous. We're both animals. Now, putting animals down is hard, and I have trouble seeing it as much better than putting down a human, but I suppose it's better than letting them die slowly and painfully if there is nothing that can be done to help. That said, I also support PETA (People for the Eating of Tasty Animals). I like my bacon. PETA doesn't run shelters, to the best of my knowledge. The only shelter run by the US Humane Society is one for horses. If you want to do something positive for neglected or unwanted pets, donate DIRECTLY to your local animal shelter or the state humane society. PETA and the USHS are by and large only fund raising political action committees, existing solely so that their contributors can feel better about themselves, acting through propaganda and occasionally by channeling funds into subsidiary organizations that take action, such as Sea Shepherds.

Some well meaning young man lit himself on fire earlier this week in front of a fur store in Portland Oregon because he was mad that people wore fur. Fortunately, he was too stupid (I mean, he was already a little stupid to have thought up this stunt) to check if the door was locked first, otherwise he would have run into the store to burn up the furs. Some people have too much wealth, and too little regard for the free will of others. I'm against cruelty to any animal, as defined by me. Even Nikki, an avowed vegetarian, is on board with my omnivorous status.