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[Jul. 22nd, 2008|06:12 pm]

mind_fuch
Nothing is real without pain.

Thoughts?
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Would you rather... [Jul. 21st, 2008|11:50 pm]

7pinkangels
Would you rather be single and wonderfully wealthy never having to work for the rest of your life or happily married with a family but having to work to support them? Why did you choose whatever option you decided?
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[Jul. 21st, 2008|11:22 am]

hooray4bunnies
How do you account for things that evolution does not explain, such as women who go after unavailable men ("love them and leave them") or animals killing their own children?
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When choosing a mate to settle with [Jul. 19th, 2008|01:24 am]

gorgeousjoey
Are you hung up on superficiality?. Or do you consider things like pedigree, Education, IQ?

My perception of something attractive is specific, and ingrained based on my ideals, and beliefs. I could see a scantily clad woman in a nightclub and feel revulsion, where most men are feeding her compliments.

When choosing a mate I think about procreation first; because 1) once you fucked up your blood-lines, there's no way to fix that, and 2) When you read Biographies of important people, the way a grandparent looked doesn't matter compared to their occupation and status in the world. Important people procreate leaders. Mediocrity procreates mediocrity for the most part, Etc., I truly think you follow a path in life based on what two people choose when they decided to breed.

Anyway, this turned into a ramble, but I want to hear other peoples opinion on what they consider attractive in the opposite sex.
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Jimmy Carter. Visionary? [Jul. 18th, 2008|11:04 am]

root_fu
I don't feel like saying anything but thought some of you might find this interesting.

Policies Jimmy Carter sought during his term(1977 to 1981):

  • Sought to raise the fleet auto mileage standard to 48 miles per gallon by 1995. (Even U.S. automakers admitted at the time that they could easily achieve 30 mpg by 1985.)
  • Exhorted Americans to turn down their thermostats, even if he did look nerdy in a cardigan while urging us to do so.
  • Encouraged fuel conservation by proposing a 50-cents-per-gallon tax on gasoline and a fee on imported oil —- in effect, a floor for fuel prices.
  • Invoking the pioneering spirit of the 1960s moon mission, he recommended a tax on windfall oil profits to finance a crash program to develop affordable synthetic fuels.
  • Carter set a goal of obtaining 20 percent of our energy from solar power by the year 2000.
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    The "United States of Obesity" [Jul. 10th, 2008|10:11 pm]

    root_fu
    [feeling |indescribable]



    Courtesy of: http://calorielab.com/news/2008/07/02/fattest-states-2008/

    Now we have people running around keeping track of how fat people are in each state.

    What is wrong with you, world?!
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    I love you [Jul. 10th, 2008|11:45 pm]

    aj_reloaded
    I know it’s hard out there on the streets.

    That’s why I want you to know that I love you.
    link13 comments|post comment

    I'm okay, you're too fat? [Jul. 9th, 2008|12:38 am]

    fizzyland
    Australia is currently beating America for the "fattest country" title, are we really going to let a commonwealth beat us at the American tradition of being obese?
    The latest comprehensive obesity study has shown that 26% of adult Australians - almost four million - are now obese, one million more than the last calculation in 1999.

    The findings give Australia top spot as the world's most overweight nation, ahead of the notoriously super-sized Americans, who have a 25% obesity rate.
    Can anyone explain this? I often hear defensive claims about "genetics" or "glandular problems", which either represents a sudden massive mutation of humanity over the last 25 years or a b.s. excuse washed down with a lot of high-fructose corn syrup.

    Still not convinced? Less than 1/3 of Texas third-graders and less than 1/10 of high school seniors pass standardized physical fitness tests.. Maybe it's the result of all the Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers.

    So how can we address this as a society? Asking the government to fix it won't work and the last thing we need is more government intrusion. Food corporations will sell what people buy so I wouldn't suggest a War on Food, since those other wars of a similar nature are utter FAIL. Something about treating the symptom and ignoring the cause.

    I think this is where teasing and ridicule come in - the sort of conformist peer pressure that would enforce a new norm. Fat people thrive because they are tolerated. If instead the obese indulging themselves were treated the way we'd respond to someone smoking crack in public, those habits would shift or at least be driven underground. Rejecting excuses that amount to an avoidance of personal responsibility would encourage people to own up to their choices. And people with actual health problems affecting their weight could be more easily identified and treated.

    For as the Good Doctor would say, you can't change what you don't acknowledge.
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    [Jul. 6th, 2008|01:29 pm]

    robiewiliamsfan
    So I'm reading this article and it asks the question, "How far should we educate people to be alike, and how far dare we educate people to be different?"

    TO READ MORE CLICK
    ( HERE )


    I was wondering what other people thought about this? I know my own views and will probably touch upon them if others comment and make my thoughts relevant.
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    A follow up on religious education [Jul. 3rd, 2008|02:04 pm]

    face_now
    After [info]lovelylivluv post on Should Religious Studies be taught at school? I have been thinking about the question, for approximately two days if the truth must be told, and have a slight off shoot of the discussion. I see knowledge of major religions as essencial to an understanding of life and world politics and without it the world would be a much duller place. In my journal I have written about the importance of religion today, without going into why the subject should be studied for its own sake. It is pretty long, so I didn’t just want to copy into into here, but I would love to hear other peoples thoughts and comments.
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    Should Religious Studies be taught at school? [Jul. 1st, 2008|04:47 pm]

    lovelylivluv
    Asking religious and philosophical questions is a central part of the human condition. The lesson would encourage all students to develop a sympathetic, critical appreciation of religion. The teaching is non-confessional and neither assumes, nor seeks to promote, any one religious position. Students would begin by exploring the beliefs and practices of the major faith traditions of the world. They would be introduced increasingly to philosophical and ethical issues revolving around religion. This does not infringe on the separation of church and state issue.

    I believe that religious studies should be mandatory only on the fundamental beliefs of different religious systems, If it is about the spiritual education of students, that has no place in the school. I think a world religion course would help prevent some people from being ignorant about different religions. On the contrary, I believe religious schools should be banned, as it means children will only interact with people of the same faith, hence closing them off from the rest of the world.

    What do you believe; Reasons for and reasons against?
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    Is lie always bad? [Jun. 29th, 2008|09:01 pm]

    calcifer13

    Hello hello! my friends in the world! 
    Today's question is so simple..

    Is a lie always bad?
    Why or why not.  Please enlighten me!  Thanks!

    link65 comments|post comment

    This is the end... [Jun. 24th, 2008|07:40 am]

    vnsplshr
    Many Dutch prepare for 2012 apocalypse

    The end of the world requires emergency supplies?

    link14 comments|post comment

    Nick Noble, You're Late [Jun. 23rd, 2008|02:52 pm]

    typewriterking
    George Carlin really died this time. Or, as South Park calls him, Aging hippy liberal douche. "Dey Turk errr jerrrbs!"
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    Direct To Video: Has It Lost It's Stigma? [Jun. 22nd, 2008|10:27 am]

    typewriterking
    [feeling | good]

    For a long time, direct-to-video releases have been considered second-rate in comparison to theater releases. "Major Motion Pictures" run on the big screen, have red carpet walks, and, if they're high-budget action films, receive the honor of being labeled "blockbusters," after the 12-ton bombs. The Imax theaters raised the bar even more, creating an even greater prestige to some releases. Direct-to-video was reserved for tacked-on continuances of story arcs that everyone know was over. Lion King 2, Police Academy 10, or whatever.

    But as the VHS tape ceded to the DVD, maybe that changed, and maybe blueray and direct to download options have also contributed to eroding the status of the first-tier release.

    I've been looking at web reactions to the Stargate Continuum release, straight to DVD and blueray, and not once have I seen dismay that it didn't make a big theatrical release. I recall as far back as when the Olsen Twins were pre-teens and teens, releasing direct-to-video movies as often as Elvis's awful big-screen shows, and no one snickered or disparaged that they were washed up. Perhaps far more important has been the rise of anime to American audiences. OVAs (anime features released to video) never carried negative connotations in Japan, and perhaps Americans and the rest of the West are picking up on that.

    So, is the stigma vanishing? New releases, to my eyes, are looking better than cable shows, and I'm not terribly impressed by the current crop of major motion pictures. What say you?
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    Obama uses race to stoke... unity? change? hope? [Jun. 22nd, 2008|02:16 am]

    vnsplshr
    Obama says Republicans will use race to stoke fear

    Race card, anybody?

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    New word: Karoshi = Death by Overwork [Jun. 21st, 2008|07:41 pm]

    root_fu
    http://www.nlcnet.org/article.php?id=562

    The best reason ever to dislike the Toyota Prius. Even if it's common practice in some countries.

    Warning: It's not funny or entertaining. Sorry...
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    Brain Chemistry [Jun. 18th, 2008|05:11 pm]

    bellisaurius
    Some recent studies are hinting that homosexual tendencies might be chemical, occurring during fetal development, as opposed to genetic. If this turned out to be the case, and a test were possible, would you consider it ethically permissible for a parent to chemically alter the brain of a potential fetus to increase the odds of it growing up straight ? (Original story http://www.slate.com/id/2193841/ )

    On a separate, but related topic, do you think it would be permissible for a parent to change a fetus' brain chemistry during its development, assuming a test could show a high probability that a child would grow up to have bouts of depression or mania based on it's in vitro brain chemistry, if it would give the child greater satisfaction from it's life (like, say it could reduce the likelihood of depression, without reducing the essential functions of normal sadness and hopelessness)?
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    Who was the person you liked the least so far this year? [Jun. 16th, 2008|11:56 am]

    calcifer13
     

    Hello hello I am here again from Far East.  It is not the end of the year but it is June, half of the year has passed.  So it’s good to sum up what have happened until now in 2008, Of course the top issue is Obama vs Clinton, right? It was always fun to hear the news related to the race but let's talk about another issue here. 

    Who was the person you liked the least so far this year?

     

    Sorry, I am pissed off on one guy.  This guy is the most hateful person of the year for me. 

    Inoue Kousei, a famous Judo wrestler in Japan.

     http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=ezk06z8r74o

    Unfortunately, he recently expressed his retirement from Judo and won’t go to Beijing at the age of 29.  He was very very strong and he always won the matches.  He was a gold medalist in Sydney Olympic in 2000 and was a Triple Crown winner at the age of 23.  He was like a never-beaten warrior for a long time. He is also cute and had a sense of humor (at the press conferences) so he was very popular among women too. He was like my hero for a long time so it was disappointed to hear his retirement.   He was very strong until year 2007, but suddenly he started to lose the matches.  His rank  were 3rd, 5th and hardly every got １st after year 2007.  Why? the reason is.....This is only my assumption but I can say the reason is  because of a woman.  He met one woman and actually he got married with her recently. The woman is not a bright girl and “gravure idle”.  (Equivalent to a playmate of the Play Boy magazine in U.S)  She has big boobs and cute face, lack-of-brain type girl.  No wonder he was infatuated with a sexy girl like her and lost his fighting spirits. The time when he became weak and the time he met the girl matches.  So it is apparent that she ruined him or should I say he ruined himself.  He lost his fighting spirits after having a gf.   It is ok one become happy and takes his private life more important than his profession….

     

    But who does he think he is….that’s what I want to say.  If he was just one ordianary anybody, it's none of our business but he is one special worrier!!! He is a treasure of Japan.  So his body is not owned only by himself or his spouse but everybody’s.  He should appreciate how he was born and how he trained himself until now and he should continue Judo that he devoted his life. 

     

     He really ruined my aesthetic feeling.  Watching his recent flabby face makes me irritated.

     

    Some athletes sometimes ruin and fail by meeting inappropriate woman/man. 

     

    How do you think about this type of athletes?

    Also, tell me who is the most hateful person of the year for you.

    linkReply
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    The fascists lose 5 to 4 [Jun. 12th, 2008|03:39 pm]

    mayorbrotherdan
    New York Times article marking the victory

    Today the Supreme Court ruled against Bush's courts of terror, which had loopholes that allowed for no judicial oversight in civilian courts.  The laws that were overturned in this case amounted to a complete suspension of habeas corpus at the sole discretion of the executive branch.  Scalia and the so-called, "strict constructionist" judges of the right  tried to defend their support for the obviously unconstitutional laws that they sought to uphold with statements that were clearly not rooted in the law.  Scalia argued that the United States was “at war with radical Islamists,” and that the ruling “will almost certainly cause more Americans to get killed.”  There is a possibility that he is right, but that certainly doesn't mean that his arguments have any legal merit at all.  In any event, though, the fact that he could even make such an argument with a straight face shows how detached from reality the rhetoric of the right has become.  To think that Americans are going to be killed as a direct result of judicial oversight of legal cases is absolutely absurd.

    So the main purpose of this post is to gloat over the fact that this is clearly a defeat for the neocon fascists and a victory for the concept of human rights.  You can discuss if you like, but I mainly just want to wave this in the face of pellucid, vnsplshr, and all the other people in this community that defended congress when they voted to create military tribunals outside of the jurisdiction of the US court system and to suspend habeas corpus for all people that are designated as suspected terrorists by the executive branch of the US government.  So ha!

    It's also interesting that this ruling comes right on the heels of the passage of an extension of the time that terrorism suspects are allowed to be held without charge in the British legal system, which was an obvious attempt by Gordon Brown to pander to public sentiment by fear-mongering, in order to boost his dismal polling numbers. 

    I generally prefer British and continental style parliamentary systems to the American Presidential system of government, but in these cases, it is refreshing to see how effective the checks and balances of the American system can be to curb power grabs and erosions of constitutional protections, even if the ruling has been long in coming.

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