neriana

Ditto.

I'd like to point out that the scientists who push "Intelligent Design" (ugh) are few and far between. The vast majority of reputable scientists won't go anywhere near religion, except when they're forced into it by the weirdoes who think that if we teach our children the truth of evolution, they'll lose their religious beliefs. Anyone whose religious beliefs can be destroyed by scientific fact doesn't have much faith to begin with. Imagine teaching physics without gravity or relativity - that's what teaching biology without evolution is like, if not more so. As for "the moral foundation of the universe", um, there isn't one. We know in America that it's totally, utterly, completely wrong to murder a woman because she was "shamed" by being raped. In India and the Middle East, that is not so. We know that slavery is wrong - that hasn't been true throughout most of humanity's written history. Many of us know that killing animals for their fur, attempting to control reproductive rights, not allowing homosexuals to marry, and leaving your turn signal on while driving in the left lane 5 miles under the speed limit are all reprehensible. Everyone doesn't agree. Even incest, that "universal taboo", has had its adherents throughout history in the upper classes. "Pure blood" and all that rot. C.S. Lewis was a wonderful author and quite a good philosopher, but that's all. God, or Nirvana, or the spirit world, or whatever, is neither provable nor disprovable. I like Pascal's theory: he decided that he'd get in very big trouble if he didn't believe in God but s/he turned out to exist. If there wasn't a god, no big deal. But if there was and he had no faith, he'd be in trouble after he died. Covered his bases quite well B)

Boxers are just better, that's all. Of course wear what you're most comfortable in - except tighty whities. I must insist that those not be worn. Yes, I forbid it. I'm totally serious here

I wonder how much overlap there is between RPGers and Rocky Horror lovers? I would guess "very large". (No double entendre there. Nope. None.)

Er... Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are actually quite easy to disprove, just stay up all night. On the other hand, have you ever read "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus"? If you haven't, look it up. I didn't say what I felt was God. If you read my entire post, you would have seen that I said I did not know what it was. Maybe it was a chemical reaction. You don't know that. You can't know that. Which is my point. None of this can be either proved or disproved - it's a question for religion and philosophy, not science. Pray tell, when did I "get in your face" and scream "believe or burn in hell"? Hell is one thing I adamantly don't believe in because it's logically inconsistent (God must exist for there to be a hell, God is good, God sentences people to torment for eternity - nope.) Screaming at people that they're stupid for having beliefs in that which cannot be proven is just as bad as screaming at people to believe that which cannot be proven. Two wrongs don't make a right. And Rhombus, I don't care if you believe I'll burn in hell. That's your right - just don't try to force it on the rest of us through government. You don't seem likely to do that, so I will also turn the other cheek. Judge not lest ye be judged.

I agree, Falcon Northwest all the way. They have "bargain" units at around $1300, which is what I got. You may think it's not a bargain until you compare their features with other manufacturers'. As for the system, it is phenomenal. It seems bug-proof; even when it should run into bugs (like the ATI Radeon 9600 problems with Knights of the Old Republic) it has none. It boots up very fast, runs like lightning (faster than computers with better specs) and is easy to upgrade. Very highly recommended.

Well, I'M more interested in the men. And I can say that in my totally scientific poll of my female friends and relations, we STRONGLY recommend boxers.

My grandparents are VERY religious people, and also incredible free-thinkers who would never force their positions on anyone else. They visited Russia yearly from about 1980 on until their health failed. They introduced me to many Quakers, Mennonites and others in Virginia (Bible Belt! Shudder!) who are/were highly educated environmentalists, peace and civil rights activists, and so on, and had senses of humor to boot. You can't shove everyone into Dubya's tent, no matter how much he'd like it. And you know that there is no God, Hades_One? Wow. Can I join your cult, since you know everything? Seriously, this isn't something we can possibly know. I believe there is SOMETHING because I've felt it. It may be the Goddess, or gods; hell, it might be The Force for all I know. But don't degrade people who find comfort in the idea that their loved ones are in heaven, and don't scoff at things which the mind of humans cannot know. There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. I also think that poking fun at people isn't necessarily bigotry. It's a necessary part of a free and open society to be able to satirize the powerful, and the religious right is VERY powerful in this country today.

The Bible also says we should stone disobedient children, it condones slavery, and equates coveting livestock with coveting women. It also says judge not lest ye be judged. Homophobes (and many others) love to selectively read the Bible to support their bigoted obsessions. What's with that, anyway? They seem to think about homosexual sex ALL THE TIME. Not that they'd ever want to do it! No! Of course not!

Sounds like me, I moved from New York City to Florida. I can't wait to get back, though I'm enjoying a break from the winter, especially THIS winter. My grandparents live in Virginia, and Virginia's much less right-wing. Not so many Confederate flags in VA, though their schools are named after Civil War generals.

I clicked on that "time cube" link and now I think I'm blind. That'll teach me to indulge my curiosity.

Oh joy, I get to pay $50 to be advertised at. No, bad idea. Very bad idea. Very very very... you get my drift. We get enough brain invasion just driving to work.

I had to PLAY it to review it!!! I ran out and bought KOTOR the next day to ease my terrible wracking convulsions. However, the girl in the game store said her boyfriend and his friends really enjoyed it. I guess the black screen and vibrating controller really did it for them. Inbred morons. (I'm just a tad scarred for life by the game.) By the way, KOTOR has a homosexual character. Not a male one, but things are slowly starting to get better. Hopefully. Oh, and brothels are boring. Except for the one in Ps:T, which incidentally was for the mind, not the body. Romances with at least implied sexual contact would be nice though, seem more realistic. For the gals as well, please! And a choice of characters to romance too. I'm still bitter about that stupid Anomen, though Carth ALMOST makes up for him.

See no Jedi, hear no Jedi, speak no Jedi.

Women over 40 have nothing to do?! Actually, with the jobs and the kids and the housework and all, they are more busy than ANYONE else except maybe women from age 25-40. At least women over 40 usually don't have YOUNG children. Great escape though. I can just see my mom smiting orcs instead of her co-workers and her husband and, um, me. "If you leave the dishes in the sink ONE MORE TIME, I'll filet you with my Sword of Sharp Pointy Motherly Righteousness!!! What are you, handicapped?! You are now! HAHAHAHA!"