Retribution

[quote name='Shinmaru' timestamp='1299013242' post='705408'] [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/Shinmaru/quagmire_abort.jpg[/img] [/quote] [IMG]http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/1205/originalbo.gif[/IMG] srsly

This entire thread is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

- OB's site redesign - Lowering signature image standards

What happened to this place? I leave you all for just a few months and [i]this[/i] is what happens? You burn the house down? C'mon family... gimme some explanations.

[font=Arial]Generally I prefer to refrain from necromancy, but I just can't resist. 4give me, y'all. [quote name='Sabre']The Bible was compiled by the council of Nicea around 325AD, about the time Christianity became the state religion of Rome under Constantine. While it is thousands of years old, it's content wasn't altered, either at the council of anytime since. The recently discovered "Dead Sea scrolls" pieces of the Old Testament found after being buried for thousands of years, are the same passages we have in the Bible today, give or take a few differences in punctuation.[/QUOTE] The Bible was compiled arbitrarily at Nicaea -- there were a bunch of books they tossed out because they were believed to hold heretical or unflattering teachings/accounts of Christ's life. What criteria of judgment were employed, and who determined these criteria in the first place? Were these the judgments of man, or of God -- and if of God, how can you determine this? Further, the synoptic gospels have parallel but [i]troublingly contradictory stories[/i] of Christ's life, persecution, and death. If these books are supposedly divinely inspired, how are there such glaring inconsistencies? Let's be honest, brother, the Bible is far from bulletproof. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synoptic_Gospels"][B][link][/B][/URL] [QUOTE]I guess having nothing but empty space to keep you company can be pretty lonely, I would think that God wanted companionship.[/QUOTE] If we hold that God is fully perfect [insofar as he needs nothing else to complete himself, as he is complete -- an attribute of perfection], why would he need or even desire to create something outside of himself? Indeed, through the very act of creation, God necessitated the suffering of humanity whereas without this act, there would simply be perfection. Which universe would you prefer? To be honest, I don't think we would get anywhere if I addressed other points made in your post. This is simply because we have such fundamentally different worldviews (and have a radically different set of axioms), it would be nigh impossible to even use the same vocabulary necessary for meaningful/intelligible dialogue. And questions of free will always get a bit sticky. :p[/font]

[FONT="Arial"][SIZE=30]WHAT???IS???THIS???THREAD???[/SIZE] Xx____(feel so alone in teh universe, yall)____xX -r37r1b|_|710/\/zzz[/FONT]

[quote name='Boo'][font=lucida fax]That's right. Stealing is bad. Especially if the product is ridiculous and stupid.[/font][/QUOTE] [font=Arial]Why do you download music/movies you believe to be bad? I'm smelling a troll... shame on you, Boo ;) For the record, I'm an unrepentant pirate. 50 GB of music and counting.[/font]

[quote name='chibi-master']Apparently, he aslo has only one tie, or else has many that are identical.:p[/QUOTE] [font=Arial]All these photos were taken at the same event. Also, an interesting counter-perspective: [B][url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=271d_lVwfrw[/url][/B][/font]

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]Slightly off topic, but throwing around various expletives goes a long way towards ruining any credibility you have in making an intelligent argument. I'd feel a whole lot more inclined to listen to what you have to say if the boards weren't autocensoring half your posts.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [font=Arial]Whoa there, Robocop. The censor is in place to protect your pristine eyes - if you still have a problem with asterisks, we're in trouble... Re: James, I'm looking for some sort of way to debate the following arguments usually leveled against public health care: - Longer waits due to more people "burdening" the system, dying in the waiting room, etc - Lower quality care - Leads to massive public debt[/font]

[font=Arial]James, is there any way you could post a link or two to sources describing the differences in health care between the US and nations with a public option? I hear quite a bit of anecdotal evidence in favor of public health care, but have yet to run across figures to substantiate these claims. To be honest, I want some talking points for my Republican friend. We always grill each other, and more information is always a plus.[/font]

[font=Arial]Longest I've gone 60 hours without sleep during finals week and tanked my last exam. Would highly advise against it. I wrote two papers and studied for three finals in that time, so I guess something had to give. I started hallucinating a bit, seeing phantom images, in addition to irregularly fluctuating body temperature and unquenchable thirst. How did I do it? Adderall.[/font]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Having just returned to the states from overseas I can safely say that banning bottled water would be the death of most travelers of foreign countries. I spent two weeks in the Philippines obliged to brush my teeth with bottled water so I wouldn't get the amoeba and other bacterial infections from the entirely non potable water that comes out of the taps. In the shower, I had to keep my mouth firmly shut so no water could get in that way. After washing my hands I had to make sure I didn't use them to convey anything to my mouth before they were dry. And the story is the exact same in China, where I spent another week. Banning bottled water however as part of an unnecessary taxpayer burden at government meetings is an entirely different enchilada. Plus, as someone from California I can safely say that there are times in which the tap water Tastes. Like. ***. The algae in the water supply blooms out of control in the summer time which radically alters the taste of the tap water, even if you DO filter it at home through a tank. And while some people prefer to be screwed by the Britta water filter company, I find it's a great deal more convenient to buy cases of smart water and pile them up in the trunk of my car.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [font=Arial]I don't think I've ever agreed with you on matters like these (i.e. the role of gov't). But this is certainly the first time I've agreed with 100% of your post. Can't really add much to it than "...yeah, what she said."[/font]

[quote name='taperson'][SIZE="1"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]But ya, we smoked some chronic, & it was the best high I've ever felt.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=Arial]How was it on the other side? I'm coming down from some good - bed seems so welcoming. [quote name='DeLarge'][SIZE=1]Now continuing to eat peanuts and drink lemonade in order to sober up - [B]have important things to do tomorrow and will not be able to function if hungover[/B]. [/SIZE][/QUOTE] Responsibility, lol[/font]

[font=Arial]Suburbia is a hellish wasteland. Nothing to do. Miss NYC dearly. (sry ya'll, just wanna vent)[/font]

[font=Arial]This song [B]Every Girl[/B] by [B]Lil Wayne[/B] is ridiculous. Quotes related. "And I'm about to get my Bill Clinton on And Hilary can Rodham too boy I gets my pimpin on" - Gudda Gudda "In about three years, holla at me Miley Cyrus" - Mack Maine[/font]

[font=Arial]Perhaps a more vivid description of the aforementioned photos: [b][url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5395830/Abu-Ghraib-abuse-photos-show-rape.html][link][/url][/b] Thoughts?[/font]

[font=Arial]The logic is that if people actually see what's going on, there will be public outcry against the methods. This will probably be the case, as it was with Abu Ghraib. And of course, Obama will push to eliminate these methods. Speaking of which - why do you question the legitimacy of the photos, Alla? It doesn't seem extraordinary after the disgusting and ridiculous photos from Abu Ghraib were released.[/font]

[font=Arial]In the spirit of fun (semi-related): [url]http://www.crazymonkeygames.com/Pandemic-2.html[/url][/font]

[quote name='Allamorph']So far, I have caught all my repliers by my word choice. It was not my statement that caused the reaction; it was the word I used.[/QUOTE] [font=Arial]The word you used was an integral part of your argument - suicide is bad because it is [i]cowardice[/i], and cowardice is bad. Yet you said you did not make a value judgment in calling the act cowardice... You cannot dislocate the word from the statement. Further, you have yet to answer the questions at the core of this thread. Is assisted suicide bad? (I would presume you'd say "yes") Why is suicide bad? (It is cowardice, it is the easy way out) Why is the easy way out a bad thing, and why is it cowardice? Don't we take the "easy way out" every day? If so, why should we isolate suicide as a "bad" instance of it? What moral imperative do we have to live? [QUOTe]I believe we can agree on the point that we [I]must[/I] work to prevent suicide, but who in here truly understand why we believe so?[/QUOTE] That's the thing - assisted suicide, especially when the person is thinking rationally and lucidly, is fine with me. Euthanasia is fine with me. There's no binary of good/evil or right/wrong. There are shades, there are circumstantial judgments. At least to me... [QUOTe]So while a lot of you will remain hung up on an ugly term and whether or not we have the right to "label", I instead desire to use such knowledge to help the people in question. I wish to focus on how to dissuade someone from becoming a coward because I do not want them remembered as one.[/QUOTE] This assumes the potential suicide wants, or even needs, your help. Simply because you believe suicide to be morally reprehensible does not give you the onus of prevention. PS: Sorry for being a snark last post... but honestly I wish you would've responded to my original questions/points.[/font]

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT=Arial]Why bother posting? Same logic.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [font=Arial]You know what, you're absolutely right. Your brilliance is blinding, your logic impeccable. Don't bother actually replying, you've won me over with your unparalleled powers of persuasion.[/font]

[quote name='Allamorph']I will not call it more or less than any other act; it is cowardice, and there are no degrees?because to imply degrees is to begin to despise, and while I cannot excuse cowardice, I will not look down on it.[/QUOTE] [font=Arial]But you already have - by calling it "cowardice" you are making a value judgment. If you were to not cast judgment, you would not call the act of suicide anything but "suicide." [QUOTE]It is the [I]act[/I] I find inexcusable, not the person.[/QUOTE] What obligation does the person have to remain alive? Why bother living? It's pointless after all. Hell, at least suicides go out on their own terms. I think the fundamental disconnect here is that you ascribe value to life based on higher power. I, on the other hand, believe life is only what you make it. Life in and of itself holds no transcendent, metaphysical value. It is simply life. I think John makes an excellent point with his [rhetorical] examples. Why not take the easy way out? Don't we do it all the time? And further, what's wrong with taking the easy way out?[/font]

[quote name='DeathKnight'][color=crimson]The tax doesn't affect shisha as far as I know, so. . . . . . my red hookah and I are open for business if you are in the San Antonio area.[/color][/QUOTE] [font=Arial]DK's the man. I'm seriously thinking about investing in a hookah for next year... As for price increases, cigarettes in NYC are hovering around $9 per pack. I'm pretty sure it's all due to New York State vice taxes, as well as a very aggressive anti-smoking campaign. Honestly, it's a great way to raise revenue in tough times while simultaneously increasing "public health." I'm not sure I agree with it, but what can you do?[/font]