Heaven's Cloud

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Hells Fire [/i] [B][COLOR=darkred] When you are a athelete schools will be more gracious and kinder to you then some musical and academic people late comers. Yes I did start sending in letters late but people listen when you are as good as me.*Head gets really big and then explodes*[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=indigo]My little sister is a senior in High School. She has been all conference three years in Volleyball and all state the past two years. She also was all State two years a row in basketball and she has won various awards from AAU camps and Hoops and Dreams tournaments. Needless to say, her situation has made me quite familiar with how athletes are selected for large universities. You may be getting countless catalogues, brochures, and letters, but heck, I got those. If you were offered scholarships or even a position on one of the teams you mentioned you already should have signed a commitment, if not then you aren't guarenteed a apot on a team, you are only offered a chance to walk on. Despite what you think you know, coaches only care how good you are up to a point. They want a commitment early so they can plan out their team, especially at division one schools where athletics provides the school with quite a bit funding. So, if you go to one of those schools, good luck with your walk on try outs, because that is the best shot you have. [/color]

[color=indigo]I am going to call you out on this one. You are either full of ?explicative deleted? or you have procrastinated so long that any realistic chance for a scholarship has long passed you by. Every school you mentioned was a division one school, and the date that you can officially sign letters of intent is in early November. However, it is almost unheard of receiving a sports scholarship after November, mainly because the scholarships have already been allocated or reserved by people that have, AT THE VERY LEAST, used an official visit at a college. You do get five official visits, but usually those are taken in early fall (September or October) after the candidate has had an initial visitation. This should have been clearly stated in the thousands upon thousands of letters of interest that you received from various colleges (and it would be in the thousands if said division one schools were truly interested in you). Like I said bro, either you are full of ?explicative deleted? or you have procrastinated so long that you?ll be lucky if you are able to be a walk on at any of those schools. I wouldn't be counting on an athletic scholarship unless you are an indecisive All-American.[/color]

[color=indigo]I have a couple things on my list this year, and I think I have been good enough that if Santa decides to cheat me out of anything I?ll give him the finger and buy it myself :) Final Fantasy X-2: I really wasn?t all that excited about this sequel, but one of my friends said it was pretty good so I broke down Nightmare Before Christmas: I have it on VHS, I want it on DVD?simple enough Grave of Fireflies: I think this title will complete my anime collection for a while, anyway, it is a really incredible movie Clothes: I am fixated on some of the sweaters that Polo and Tommy Hilfiger have designed this year, so I asked for quite a bit of clothes. The biggest problem that I have with clothes is that I am between sizes. Large shirts tend to be a bit tight through my chest and shoulders, XL is too big everywhere else?anyway, sweaters at least seem to fit Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men: I feel that if I leave without asking for some kid of unobtainable ideology I would be just another selfish Scrooge or Grinch![/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by lea2385 [/i] [B][COLOR=blue] In school, kids would always harrass me about my religion and other stuff..... What I never understood is why they never ever picked on my brother, who is a year younger than me (and seems to be popular 0.o) [/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=indigo]I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most of the time kids pick on other kids for general harassment. Sure they might tease you about your religion or your skin color, but they would probably tease you the same if you had different religious views, skin colors, ect. People just tend to harass other people, and if they find a particular subject or difference about their target that tends to tick off said person, they are going to focus on it. As far as hate crimes go, I guess (like James) I really don?t see where this topic is headed. Crime sucks, hate sucks, so obviously crime that involves hate sucks. If you get into the legislative side of it I guess you could argue that hate crimes are worse than plain crimes, however you could also argue that most crimes are based on the hatred of some principle or another? [/color]

[color=indigo]I think that RAW is getting better slowly. I?d like to see some more face time for Y2J, Booker T, and Matt Hardy and less time from Eric Bishoff and Mark Henry (whose only saving attribute is Teddy Long). The story lines seem to be progressing fair enough, I am glad the belts are changing hands and that Evolution is finally getting some good spotlight. Randy Orton has progressed into quite a wrestler and I really enjoy watching Jindrak and Cade. I do think they misuse some of their talent like Goldberg and Matt Hardy, but I think there has been a vast improvement over the past four weeks or so. I don?t get to watch Smackdown! all that frequently but when I do I really enjoy the wrestling aspects of the show; they defiantly have RAW beat talent wise. I?m glad they are giving Cena and Benoit some face time, Cena is such a great mic man and Benoit is such an incredible athlete that it is nice to see they are getting recognition. The only complaint I have about Smackdown is that they aren?t making good use of Sean O?Haire, who could be an incredible talent if given the chance.[/color]

[color=indigo]If you analyze this father?s introduction you realize he is a whacko right off the bat. [/color] [quote][size=1]As an enlightened, modern parent, I try to be as involved as possible in the lives of my six children. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]Obviously ?modern? is a loose term. I don?t know too many ?modern? parents that have six children. Usually a traditional mindset helps encourage large families. All ready the guy is making himself out to be something he isn?t. [/color] [quote][size=1] I encourage them to join team sports. I attend their teen parties with them to ensure no drinking or alcohol is on the premises. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]He only encourages team sports, not individual sports, no free thinkers in his family. And he attends his children?s teen parties, in other words he is the embarrassing parent. I wonder if he was one of those dads that owned a child leash?sure sounds like it. [/color] [quote][size=1]I keep a fatherly eye on the CDs they listen to and the shows they watch, the company they keep and the books they read. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]Again, he doesn?t trust his kids to make the right decisions, even in the books that they read! His kids are reading; that would be good enough for most parents?but no! No copies of Catcher in the Rye for his six children. [quote][size=1]You could say I'm a model parent. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]I could, but I won?t. I would rather say that you are a neurotic, over protective moron that will be lucky if one of his children doesn?t try to do a Columbine repeat. [/color] [quote][size=1]My children have never failed to make me proud, and I can say without the slightest embellishment that I have the finest family in the USA. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]That is a broad statement, but I guess between going to all of his children?s social functions and censoring there choice in media he has examined every family in the USA. [/color] [quote][size=1]Two years ago, my wife Carol and I decided that our children's education would not be complete without some grounding in modern computers. To this end, we bought our children a brand new Compaq to learn with. The kids had a lot of fun using the handful of application programs we'd bought, such as Adobe's Photoshop and Microsoft's Word, and my wife and I were pleased that our gift was received so well. Our son Peter was most entranced by the device, and became quite a pro at surfing the net. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]A pro-net surfer, sounds like what I do when I should be doing work. Obviously Peter is going to be fascinated by the web; it is the only medium that this guy hasn?t restricted. I would be craving stimulation as well. [/color] [quote][size=1]When Peter began to spend whole days on the machine, I became concerned, but Carol advised me to calm down, and that it was only a passing phase. I was content to bow to her experience as a mother, until our youngest daughter, Cindy, charged into the living room one night to blurt out: "Peter is a computer hacker!" Wow. Peter a computer hacker! I wonder if Peter was Thimoc? Does the father bother to tell you what his son hacked? No? That is because he probably never hacked anything, he just saw that movie with Angelina Jolie (not Tomb Raider, the early movie) and thought he maybe able to impress some chicks if he could hack a computer. As you can imagine, I was amazed. A computer hacker in my own house! I began to monitor my son's habits, to make certain that Cindy wasn't just telling stories, as she is prone to doing at times. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]Because censoring his music and following his son to parties wasn?t really ?monitoring?. Oh and by the way, if Cindy is prone to tell stories, it means she is a liar, fine family indeed. [/color] [quote][size=1]After a few days of investigation, and some research into computer hacking, I confronted Peter with the evidence. I'm afraid to say, this was the only time I have ever been truly disappointed in one of my children. We raised them to be honest and to have integrity, and Peter betrayed the principles we tried to encourage in him, when he refused point blank to admit to his activities. His denials continued for hours, and in the end, I was left with no choice but to ban him from using the computer until he is old enough to be responsible for his actions. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]So his kid said he wasn?t a hacker (which he more than likely wasn?t) but he was punished anyway. It doesn?t seem like the kid even had a computer long enough to become computer literate and be able to hack, another typical parental exaggeration. [/color] [quote][size=1]After going through this ordeal with my own family, I was left pondering how I could best help others in similar situations. I'd gained a lot of knowledge over those few days regarding hackers. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]Please tell me that he decided to commit suicide, or at the very least OD on Advil and ginger ale. [/color] [quote][size=1] It's only right that I provide that information to other parents, in the hope that they will be able to tell if their children are being drawn into the world of hacking. Perhaps other parents will be able to steer their sons back onto the straight and narrow before extreme measures need to be employed. To this end, I have decided to publish the top ten signs that your son is a hacker. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]Well suicide is one extreme, but I guess I?ll have to settle for his insane, asinine ramblings. Why couldn?t he have just gouged his eyes out with a spoon or something? [/color] [quote][size=1]I advise any parents to read this list carefully and if their son matches the profile, they should take action. A smart parent will first try to reason with their son, before resorting to groundings, or even spanking. I pride myself that I have never had to spank a child, and I hope this guide will help other parents to put a halt to their son's misbehaviour before a spanking becomes necessary. [/quote][/size] [color=indigo]He has never had to spank a child before, which means his children don?t fear his anger and they think he is a pansy. If your dad hasn?t given you at least one swat on the rear, than he is a pansy, and deserves no respect. The rest of this guy?s post is so absurd I don?t feel that any ridicule is necessary, nor would it heighten is hilarity? [/color]

[color=indigo]Although I have no real inclination towards the martial art (other than I think it looks really cool) I thought I would relate an experience I had over the weekend. As many of you know I spend a quite a bit of time in the gym. About a month ago the owner told me that he hired a couple guys to teach a Mui Thai (at least that is what I think it is called, I am not a martial arts aficionado) and they were going to run an open gym on Saturdays. I really have no idea why he told me this, I don?t look like someone that enjoys physical combat, and I haven?t taken martial arts since I was little. On Saturday, I found myself in the gym at the same time they were running the open gym, so after I lifted I decided to sit through some of the class. It was more like an open spar than a class, actually it was more like an open ?try and fight me? class. It was actually kind of fun, I?ve been wrestling long enough to know how to hold my own and I did take boxing for several months. The guy that taught the class was an ex-ranger, and he put me on the ground in roughly thirty seconds (by kneeing me quite hard in the stomach), but he didn?t know how to apply the figure four. Being the good Samaritan I am I demonstrated how to lock it on (sure it is a slow and pointless move, but it does hurt) Anyway, it more or less aided my theory that some people are just naturally better at fighting than others, and martial art only helps to heighten that aptitude. Regardless, it was fun and I can see why so many people enjoy it? [/color]

[color=indigo]I guess I have odd sleeping patterns. I rarely go to sleep before two or three AM but I usually wake up by seven or eight. I have tried falling asleep earlier but I guess my internal clock doesn?t work that way?usually I do sleep in on the weekends though?[/color]

[color=indigo]Growing up we used to have a pretty family oriented Christmas. We would wake up Christmas morning and open our presents. After a light breakfast, we would make our way to my Grandparent?s house on my father?s side for brunch. All of my aunts and uncles and cousins from my father?s side would come and we?d exchange gifts, play football, and eat an incredible brunch (my Grandpa bakes the best rolls!). At three or so we?d leave and head over to my other Grandparents and repeat the process for dinner. Usually most of my dad?s family would wonder over at some point or another, and my Grandparent?s brothers and sisters would come. There was always a full house and, one year we had five generations at my Grandparents, looking back it was really cool. Unfortunately, all of the family has gradually moved away from the Washington DC area, so large family gatherings are reserved for weddings and funerals. They are fond memories though, hopefully memories that I can recreate for my kids (when I have them :)). [/color]

[color=indigo]Heh, two minutes ago or so I was telling a coworker how I always received the crappiest gifts from girlfriends. Last year, for Valentines day, I received a silver key chain engraved with my initials. [sarcasm]It was a wonderful present, and I honestly don?t know how I ever recognized my car keys before I had an engraved key chain [/sarcasm], I guess it is because I leave my keys in my pocket! I never even bothered putting it on my key ring, I actually think it is in a box at my parents house in NC. I have also received three nice watches from girlfriends over the years. They were all really nice watches, but they were also very thoughtless gifts. I have never worn a watch, I hate wearing them and I usually have a general idea of what time it is. Anyway, so not to go to waste, I donated these watches to my dad and two of my friends?I know my dad wears his every day?[/color]

[color=indigo][B]A[/b]lcohol-for all of the inane and asinine stories you have provided me with [B]B[/b]utchers-for adding just the right amounts of meat and spice in those hot Italian sausages [B]C[/b]ondoms-because I can?t afford children [B]D[/b]ogs Playing Poker-It is a painting of Dogs playing poker! If that isn?t hilarious it just isn?t hilarious! [B]E[/b]T-where would I be without all of your unofficial documentaries describing how much better celebrities live than I do [B]F[/b]***-for being such a versatile and stimulating word [B]G[/b]uitar-for never sounding as good as I want you to [B]H[/b]eaven?s Cloud-for being a good pseudonym these past two years [B]I[/b]gloo coolers-for storing my alcohol when I am traveling (see above) [B]J[/b]ourney-for boosting my confidence, although I know I?ll never be famous, at least I won?t suck as much as Steve Perry [B]K[/b]iller bees-just because their name starts with the word ?killer? [B]L[/b]ycanthropy-where would the world be without werewolves? [B]M[/b]iscellaneous computer files-hey, it?s where I keep the porn [B]N[/b]ostradomous-for being dead [B]O[/b]PP-cause I?m down with the OPP, yeah you know me [B]P[/b]igeons-for designating my car as the ultimate bulls-eye [B]Q[/b]uiet-because some people need to learn when to shut the hell up [B]R[/b]ic Flair-Whooo! [B]S[/b]ex-cause it is good, clean fun [B]T[/b]ic-Tacs-for being the least minty of all the mints [B]U[/b]FO?s-thanks for all the free anal probes fellas [B]V[/b]asectomy-for keeping all those old people sterile [B]W[/b]restling (pro)-the greatest sport that isn?t a sport ever [B]X[/b]erox-for making flattering copies of my rear [B]Z[/b]ephyr-cause you are one cool balloon [/color]

[color=indigo]I haven?t been on in a few days so I missed out on most of this stellar debate, although I really don?t understand what is being debated. Regardless, I shall put in my two cents. I think that Saddam?s capture will definatly help to bring this war to a halt. The remaining resistance was comprised of Iraqi?s that were long time supporters of Saddam (the few that fed off the toils of the many) and those that believed Saddam was a larger than life figure that defeated the US once and would do it again. Now that he is captured I think that the resistance will fizzle out and die. I am glad that Saddam allowed himself to be captured instead of shooting a solider and getting himself killed, and I would absolutely love it if the Iraqi people tried him and sentenced him to life without a chance of parole. That way he will never get to be a martyr, he?ll just die a sad, pathetic old man. I feel that Saddam needs to be tried in Iraq, but I also think he needs to be tried by the UN regardless of Iraq?s outcome. Obviously if the Iraqi people convict him (which will more than likely occur, then again OJ got off, lol) this will be a formality. However, even formalities can be necessary, especially since the UN has been in a bit of disarray lately. Well, those are my thoughts. I really didn?t add anything to the discussion I guess, but sometimes that is just how it goes :). [/color]

[COLOR=firebrick]A sleek, dark woman sat patiently on a stained, cushioned bench. She sat motionless with her hands clasped delicately on her lap and her legs crossed elegantly in front of a slim black attaché case. At first glance a passerby may have confused her for an Armani mannequin, an error which would have been mistaken on so many accounts, least being her perfectly tailored Prada suit. If they caught her gaze, however, the empty calculating stare would send them scurrying towards their train. Three giant men in pinstriped power suits sat close to the woman. Although they were her body guards they feared their employer more than any other possible threat. When they arrived at the hotel last evening, there were four guards. Unfortunately, one of them spoke without being spoken to breaking the woman?s ?seen not heard rule? and wound up getting his throat cut by the dark woman?s rapier. The remaining three guards had not uttered a word since the incident. Sitting silently still Jeanette Marie Diaz began to grow impatient. The initial humor and irony of the Angel nicknamed Santa Muerte waiting amidst the frequent arrivals and departures at the busy terminal had worn thin, and she began to wonder why her contact was nearly a half hour late. She glanced down at the demure time piece on her left wrist. ?Fuck,? she swore softly under her breath. It was nearly noon and she had accomplished next to nothing. She reached behind her legs and grabbed the attaché case. Pulling out a tiny cell phone she began to dial her Pamplona office. She was entering the seventh digit when the body guard to her left fell onto the linoleum tile. Reacting instantly, the remaining two guards pushed Jeanette to the ground and drew their pistols to protect her. ?You incompetent fucks!? the angel spat. ?You are making me a stationary target. You are not the secret fucking service! Get the hell off of me.? Jeanette pushed the body guards off of her with uncanny strength. Grabbing the attaché case she bolted to the door, knowing that there was no use attempting to fight attackers she couldn?t identify. When she reached the exit Jeanette heard loud thud and assumed that another of her body guards had fallen. She didn?t look back to check. Sprinting through the revolving doors Jeanette pulled a keychain from her pocket. Mashing down on soft plastic buttons, her key chain remote clicked and the engine of her black BMW roared to life across the parking lot. She dashed through the parking lot and flung open her car door. Throwing the automobile into reverse she felt a sudden jolt on the passenger side of her car. The third and (she assumed) final body guard slumped against the tinted passenger window smearing black blood on the black paint. As she reversed, the lumbering body spilled onto the hard, cold asphalt. Putting the car in drive, she barreled over her former employee, unmoved by his death. ?Fuck,? she screamed, ?fuck, fuck, FUCK!? She picked up her cell phone and hit number nine on the speed dial. The phone was answered on the second ring by a man with a smooth and resonating voice. ?This is Adam.? ?Yeah, no shit. I called you, I know who the fuck you are,? Jeanette replied curtly. On the other end Adam chuckled pleasantly. ?My do you have a gutter mouth today Jeanette, did Luigi out maneuver you at the train station? Or did he just keep you waiting too long?? ?Luigi never made the damn meeting. The greasy little Italian is either dead or about to be dead. Either way I could give a shit,? Jeanette spat. Adam replied in a harsh, slow manner, exaggerating every syllable, ?What the fuck happened, Jeanette!? Jeanette winced; Adam rarely spoke in an ill manner. She decided she better choose her words carefully. ?It was a setup, very professional, very stealth. They killed off my body guards without revealing themselves, shit I don?t even know how many there were.? ?Shit, you don?t even know how many there are Jeanette! You are a fucking pro, your call name is fucking Saint Death, how can you not know how many there are!? Adam bellowed. ?I was in a fucking train station Adam, a noisy fucking train station. They were either attacking us with a silenced pistol or throwing knives, I didn?t stay around to find out wh?? Jeanette?s sentence was cut short as a grey SUV slammed into the rear of her BMW, catapulting her forward into traffic. Fortunately, she maintained control of the BMW. ?Shit, Adam they are right on my ass, I have to go?, Jeanette said frantically. ?Jeanette, don?t come back until those fuckers are dead. Do you understand me? Don?t come back until they are dead!? Adam screamed. Jeanette threw her cell phone on the passenger seat and grabbed the wheel with both hands. The grey SUV was closing the distance between it and the Beamer. Jeanette cut the wheel hard to the right and entered the Autostrada. [/COLOR]

[color=indigo]Ha, this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Only over sensitive parents would be worried that there teenager was feeling pressured to have sex by a bracelet. Teenagers get stressed out and feel pressured by everything; it is part of the natural teenage process. Sure, a couple of kids may have used them as a sex game, just like kids use empty beer bottles in make out games, big deal. The pathetic thing is that people think this is a big deal. Obviously the concerned parents and teachers don?t clearly recall their own high-school years?[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Manic [/i] [B]I recently started reading the No Man's Land arc of Batman. Crazy stuff. I know it's old and everything, but I'm really enjoying it. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=indigo]It is interesting that you mention ?No Man?s Land?; I actually just re-read this mini-series about two or three weeks ago. I really think that is one of the most enthralling Batman series written in the past dozen years (with the exception of the first Grendel story line). They did an excellent job portraying all of the Dark Knights fascinating characteristics, especially his ability to formulate a specific plan with contingencies layered upon contingencies (which the writers pull off marvelously). They also do an excellent job showing how Batman has trained his ?disciples? (Nightwing, Robin, ect). The premise for the comic was fairly original, which seems to be among the most challenging aspects for long lived characters. I really enjoyed the addition of Superman into the story and showing how he was incapable of solving the crisis.[/color] [quote]If you like X-Men at all, I really think you owe it to yourself to read New X-Men. I think it has one issue left in the current arc, so if you want to try it out either wait for the new arc or grab a few older issues. [/quote] [COLOR=INDIGO]I really enjoy the present story that is occurring in New X-Men. [spoiler]If you have been following X-Men over the years you understand how big of a leap it was to make Magneto a hop-head, split personality megalomaniac.[/spoiler] Although I think that all of the ?X? series (even Ultimate after last issue) have been pretty interesting as of late, New X-Men seems to have something that the others are lacking. [/color]

[color=indigo]Well, I am at work right now and everyone is more or less getting into the holiday spirit. Needless to say Christmas carols have been playing constantly on people?s clock radios (I don?t listen to music at work because my taste is obviously worlds different than the middle aged people I am surrounded by). Anyway, Bing Crosby?s version of ?White Christmas? just ended on my work neighbor?s radio. It is an incredible song and Crosby has such a smooth voice. I really enjoy the old crooners of yesteryear sing traditional Christmas songs, guys like Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby (and even the newer style crooners like Tony Bennet and Harry Connick Jr.) just seem to help set the Christmas mood.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Shinmaru [/i] [B]Knowing Comedy Central, though, they'll probably rerun it a million times (at least, that's what I'm hoping). Based on your positive comments, I know I have to catch The Hebrew Hammer the next time it comes on, heh. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=indigo]I missed it as well, which really pisses me off because I am a big fan of Adam Goldberg (who is the movies star) and I knew this movie would be a riot. Unfortuantly Comedy Central is not going to air the movie again according to their website. From what I gathered during Adam Goldberg's interview on the Daily Show, the movie was aired on Monday but will be released in the theaters shortly. I guess that, with all of the big budget movies being released this holiday season, the producers felt that they best way to raise intrest was to air it and get publicity through word of mouth.[/color]

[color=indigo]When I was a junior in high school (which was seven years ago, so please excuse me if I use approximate numbers) I had to write a paper debating the death penalty. I approached the paper hell bent on writing why the death penalty was a just, efficient institution and deterrent. However, I ended up being swayed by research and developed an entirely different opinion than I originally began with. There are obvious reasons why the death penalty should be abolished in the United States; perhaps most notable is its blatant hypocrisy. There are not so obvious reasons as well. It is roughly the same cost to imprison a person for life as it is to put them to death, and if we were to reform prisons and make them even more base (which I think needs to be done to help deter crime) it could be cheaper. Another reason that seems to shield itself from so many peoples? eyes is a true life sentence is a death sentence in the most horrible fashion, leaving the guilty with no hope and only basic routine. What really changed my mind was the amount of people that were sentenced to death then later found to be innocent. At the time I wrote my paper between 1900 and 1996 approximately eighty people had been released from death row because evidence of their innocence (not a legal technicality) was found. During that same time period over twenty people have been found to be innocent after they were put to death ([i]edit:[/i]I think Baron Samedi has more accurate statistics in his post). At least life imprisonment gives the innocent a glimmer of hope. Although I don?t remember the exact quote I always thought that Ben Franklin had the right idea so many years ago ?it is better to se a hundred guilty men free than to convict one man for crimes he did not commit?. [/color]

[COLOR=INDIGO]I guess I am not quite up to snuff on my metric conversions so used the awesome power of Yahoo to find a conversion chart. It looks like one mile equals 1.6 kilometers, so if any of you fellow Americans were as befuddled as I was the originator ran a mile and a half or so in a little under twelve minutes. Sorry Unsung Hero I have you beat, although I don?t claim to keep up with Charles precise stats or CHW?s husband?s insane times (running a mile under five minutes is ridiculously fast?I bet he ran with the rabbit group during basic), I run three miles a few times a week and my average time is roughly between 18:09 to 18:30 or so (I haven?t been able to surpass 18:09 yet) or roughly 6:10 a mile. I am a little bit of a gym rat though, I probably spend between eight to ten hours working out a week?I still can?t get rid of my slight tummy though :(.[/color]

[color=indigo][b]Marilyn Manson - Golden Age of the Grotesque[/b] I actually didn?t buy this CD right away because I loathe mOBSCENE, which was the first song that I heard from this CD. I worried that Manson ran out of good music and was just prepackaging an image (which is more of less how I feel about mOBSCENE). After hesitating and waiting to hear reviews from a couple of my friends (Tony included) I picked up the CD. Obviously I don?t find all of the tracks stellar, but the CD in its entirety is incredible. I agree that the lyrics (whether or not you agree with the message) are some of the most creative yet, and the instrumentals on most of the tracks (I am infatuated with the percussion on ?Use Your Fist and not Your Mouth?) compliments the lyrics in the typical MM eerie style. Again, to agree with Tony, it isn?t there best release but it is head over heels better than nearly everything else that has been released lately, at least everything in similar surrounding genres that I have heard (which is limited). [b]David Bowie ? Reality[/b] I am quite a Bowie fan, and I really do enjoy this album. It seems a bit more light-hearted than some of his other recent works (namely Heathen), but it just further proves that David Bowie can create nearly any type of music and pull it off in an exquisitely beautiful manner. Songs like ?New Killer Star? and ?Looking for Water? seem to me to be a mix of both classic David Bowie and the Retro Garage Scene (or at least that is what I call it, bands like the Strokes and White Stripes) pulled together with extremely unique lyrics. My favorite song on Reality, ?The Loneliest Guy? reminds me more of Bowie?s more grandiose songs like ?Life on Mars?. It is a very solid album, and I was very impressed with it from the moment I bought it. [b]John Mayer ? Heavier Things[/b] Although I didn?t think it was quite the album ?Room for Squares? was I thought that Mayer?s newest release still had enough catchy tunes to earn a spot on my list. Although his sound has been referred to as ?an asthmatic trying to copy Dave Matthews? I really think he stepped out of the cliché with this album. His addition of a permanent band (obviously due to his fame) allowed him to back away from the predominant use of the acoustic guitar (which was actually the aspect I preferred about ?Room for Squares?) and allow the instrumentals to blend a bit more. He still does a superb job painting a picture with obvious phrase mingled in a phenomenal way (for example the bridge in ?Clarity?). It is an excellent album if you enjoy melodic pop-rock. [b]Ben Harper ? Diamonds on the Inside[/b] In my mind Ben Harper is the most versatile musician on the planet, and ?Diamonds on the Inside? just reaffirms my conviction that he can play anything. Although there is little if any uniformity within this album, the jumps from folk to funk to alternative to blues doesn?t seem at all disconcerting. His voice is incredibly versatile and he is able to lend sincere well thought lyrics to all of his songs, which is an astounding feat. Although I wouldn?t suggest this album over ?Live from Mars? I would say that it may be his greatest studio album to date. The only real fault I can find with the album is ?When she Believes? which just seems like a terribly substandard track on this album. That is pretty much all that I can think of off the top of my head, maybe I?ll come up with others over the next few days.[/color]

[color=indigo]Besides the random piece of occasional blackened toast, I have only once burned food. When I was a freshman in college I bought my first George Foreman grill for my dorm room (if you are young and you cook for yourself buy a George Foreman grill, they are soooo awesome for quick food). When I brought it home I threw on a piece of raw chicken. I then left my room for about ten minutes while it was cooking. Needless to say I returned to a piece of charcoal?George Foreman doesn?t play around.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B]My first name is George. Everyone calls me Tony. I guess that suffices for a nickname. Lazy people just say "tone" instead of "Tony", which is weird considering it's already short for Anthony in the first place. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=indigo]C?mon Semjaza, don?t be shy! You have one of the greatest nicknames of all time?Peach head ([i]wonders when Tony is going to put his foot down and say ?dude, it just isn?t funny anymore?[/i]). Like many, my name (or at least the name which I go by) is a nickname. Charlie is a modified version of my middle name Charles. Occasionally people call me Chuck or Chaz but neither have really stuck. My family tends to refer to me as ?Charlie mah boy? quite frequently and my sister calls me ?Choo? quite frequently?so I guess those are my nicknames?[/color]

[color=indigo]I haven?t done one of these question/answer threads for a little while so here it goes if anyone is in the least bit interested. What is your name? [b]If you don?t know it yet, then guess. It is about as hard to figure out as it is finding Waldo fully garbed on a nude beach[/b] Spell your name backwards. [b]eilrahc, oh look! Its Waldo![/b] Date of birth: [b]06/16/1980[/b] Male or female? [b]Alpha Male Baby![/b] Astrological sign: [b]Gemini[/b] Nicknames: [b]I get called a jackass quite frequently[/b] Occupation? [b]yep, I am employed?actually I am typing this at work[/b] Height: [b]6?1?[/b] Weight: [b]195[/b] Hair color: [b]Brown[/b] Eye color: [b]Brown[/b] Where were you born? [b]Washington DC[/b] Where do you reside now? [b]North East Ohio[/b] Age: [b]23[/b] Screen names: [b]NA[/b] What does your screen name stand for? [b]I no longer remember[/b] What is your gangsta name? [b]Notorious I.D.I.O.T[/b] What does your diary name stand for? [b]huh?[/b] Pets: [b]yep, I like ?em[/b] Number of candles you blew out on your last birthday cake? [b]I had pie[/b] Piercings? [b]free from self mutilation[/b] Tattoos? [b]see above[/b] Shoe size: [b]12[/b] Righty or lefty? [b]righty[/b] Wearing right now: [b]Black and white checked dress shirt, a solid black tie, and a three button black wool suit[/b] Hearing: [b]ringing phones[/b] Feeling: [b] bored with a mixture of indegestion[/b] Eating/drinking: [b]water[/b] ~Guys/Love/Kissing/And Other Stuff~ Have you ever been in love? [b]no[/b] How many people have you told "I love you"? [b]what kind of question is that?at least my entire immediate family I guess[/b] How many people have you been in love with? [b]none[/b] How many people have you kissed? [b]romantically? Quite a few[/b] Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex? [b]no[/b] How many people have you dated? [b]seriously, six?otherwise, four or five dozen at least[/b] What do you look for in a guy/girl? [b]lack of filth[/b] What's the first thing you notice about the opposite/same sex? [b]how hot they are according to my standards[/b] What type of guy/girl do you usually go for? [b]whatever is available[/b] Do you have a bf/gf? [b]no[/b] What do you like most about your bf/gf? [b]that they don?t exist[/b] Do you have a crush right now? [b]well, I guess[/b] If so who is it? [b]why? It isn?t like you KNOW them[/b] Do you believe in love at first sight? [b]yes and no, I believe that an immediate reaction can lead to love[/b] Do you remember your first love? [b]can?t remember what isn?t there[/b] Who is the first person you kissed? [b]my best friend?s (at the time) sister[/b] Do you believe in fate? [b]nah, it would undermine my belief in free will[/b] Do you believe in soul mates? [b]yes[/b] If so do you believe you'll ever find yours? [b]who knows?[/b] ~Family Stuff~ How many siblings do you have? [b]one[/b] What are your parents names? [b]I was hesitant to give my name, what makes you think I?ll share my parents?[/b] What are your siblings names? [b]ditto[/b] How many siblings does your mother have? [b]two[/b] How many siblings does your father have? [b]two[/b] Where are your parents from? [b]DC[/b] Is your family close? [b]yes, but we are dysfunctional in our closeness[/b] Does your family get together for holidays? [b]it isn?t a holiday without family[/b] Do you have a drunk uncle? [b]I have alcoholic uncles, unfortunately they sobered up before I could witness their splendor[/b] Any medical problems run through your family? [b]easy annoyance[/b] Does someone in your family wear a toupee? [b]no, we all have our original hair[/b] Do you have any nieces or nephews? [b]not yet[/b] Are your parents divorced? [b]nope[/b] Do you have step parents? [b]not that I know of?boy, that would be strange?[/b] Has your family ever disowned another member of your family? [b]Just Harvey, my imaginary rabbit friend?he killed our pet gerbil[/b] Did some of your family come to America from another country? [b]at one point they did[/b] ~Music Stuff~ What song do you swear was written about you or your life? [b]I hope that no one is writing songs about me?if they are I demand royalties[/b] What's the most embarrasing cd you own? [b]Ace of Base, but in my defense it was a birthday gift[/b] What's the best CD you own? [b]Most of my CD?s kick most of your CD?s *****[/b] What song do you absolutely hate? [b]anything by written by Fred Durst (with the exception of My Way, that song is okay[/b] Do you sing in the shower? [B]yep, really loudly[/b] What song reminds you of that special someone? [b]Why Don?t We Get Drunk and Screw by Jimmy Buffet?what? You thought I would be serious?[/b][/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Drix D'Zanth [/i] [B]It's not so much about what the practice involves, Cheebs, that Justin and Dan are probably trying to contrast, but it's morality. How can you define bestiality as morally wrong if you say same sex marriages are right? The fact is, you cannot. Love and sex rarely accomodate eachother, and it's evident in bestiality that some animals DO and WILL have sex with humans. They obviously want it, humans want it, the human loves the animal; so it should be right, no? The point they are making is that both of them are unnatural, and morally wrong. It's a difference in opinions. We found ours on an absolute truth: religion. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=indigo]It is very easy to define bestiality as morally wrong and same sex marriages as right, as long as you don?t view it from a religious point of view. You wrote that love and sex rarely accommodate each other, and I couldn?t agree more. Those disgusting enough to practice bestiality may find a willing animal, but obviously a man or woman cannot knowingly infer that the animal they are screwing reciprocates their ?love? (hey, some sickos may love screwing a goat, but I really doubt that they love the goat). Obviously homosexual marriage encompasses reciprocated love between two people that want to spend the rest of their lives together. Since both members that wish to engage in a union of love (not of sex, again I do agree that the two aren?t necessarily accommodating) are human should they not be allowed to do so under US law, which is supposed to be void of all religious elements. I do understand that your religious beliefs affect your opinion on this subject, and I respect it, however, Christianity and America, although once bedfellows, parted ways quite some time ago. Therefore, we cannot define the government?s recognition of marriage, and the benefits and responsibilities they entitle, as a sacred, religious union. We have to be broader in its definition. Right now I would say that the government views marriage as a union between a man and a woman, nothing more and nothing less. The government does not entitle marriage to encompass children, an absolute permanent commitment, or even for both members to reside in the same residency. The US government has made so many allowances for marriage recognition and tax laws that not allowing homosexuals to marry should b considered nothing less than blatant segregation. That being said, I don?t think that religious institutions should be required or influenced in any way to provide for gay marriages if they are legalized in America. I know this point is moot to most (I tend to think that most homosexuals just want government recognition), but it needs to be blatantly stated in the law. After all, if we are separating church and state, the separation needs to be apparent and absolute.[/color]

[color=indigo]Some of the supposed generalizations posted in this thread have to among the stupidest I have ever read. Broadly comparing the capabilities between women and men is like debating the pronunciation of the word ?potato? (or, in case Dan Quayle is reading, ?potatoe?). The only real differences between men and women are reproductive and base physicality. Women obviously have the ability to give birth to children, and the female body has been created (for lack of a better term, I guess evolved or molded would have also sufficed) for that purpose. Because of this the average women does not possess the maximum physical potential that a man does. Any other difference, as far as abilities or capacity (such as the ability to excel in language arts and mathematics) can be chalked up to a person?s social and environmental interaction. I think that today?s world (or rather today?s America) treats men and women as equally as can be expected, though chauvinistic members reside on both sides of the coin. With the exceptions of some base generalizations, I don?t really expect any specific characteristics from members of the either sex without interacting with them.[/color]