The Back Room

Josh Gray wrote: But how much of a drop are you willing to accept? Well, obviously it's more of a thought experiment, because it would be hard to make it happen. I'm not sure how I'd quantify it, except to say that in general, I'd prefer to make choices for the common good, than exploit others for my own benefit. Josh Gray wrote: How about if that drop affects your family? Well, it plainly would. I am thinking more of having less access to 'stuff', than I am thinking of actually having to go hungry, or not have a place to stay. Josh Gray wrote: Would you give up your savings and return to 9~5 work? Would you sell your house and live in a rented flat? Both of those things are a short term, one off step that would have little impact on the world as a whole. I mean, I'm not exactly rich, the cost of selling my home wouldn't buy that much rice. I was thinking more that I'd accept less pay, if it meant people elsewhere who do the same work to the same standard, got paid closer to what I do, and that I'd pay more for basic goods, if the money went to the primary producers. For example, I only buy fair trade coffee for my coffee machine. Josh Gray wrote: Would you eat nothing but mince meat? Actually, I am working towards being able to feed myself as much as I can from my own land. I didn't really mean that I'm willing to live in poverty, although I see how it came out that way. I more meant that a pure capitalistic system would strive to give me goods as cheap as possible, in order to compete in the market, and gives no thought to the people who make the goods, move the goods, and sell me the goods. I would prefer to pay higher prices for goods, than for those people to not be fairly paid. That's why I am trying to find sources of meat ( for example ) where I deal direct with the farmer, get antibiotic free meat, and pay a fair price to the person producing it. While I think welfare in Australia is out of control, I have no problems with paying a medicare levy and then paying for private health, so that my family takes strain off the public system, but supports it for the benefit of those who have no other options. I am quite happy for my taxes to be used to help support people who cannot support themselves, although where possible, I would like that supp

"I'm disgusted and repulsed and I... can't look away." -- Rosario Dawson in "Clerks 2" (If you've seen it, you'll remember why this is funny) Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in? Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels)

I've driven past one in Columbus and laughed my ass off. Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Eh? I love Rock music, English rock music anyway. Its just the bland plastic American kind I cant stomach. One band came close, Mountain. They almost got there. Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

I want to know if you at least have the sense to feel stupid after an episode like this, where you ignorance is made plain for all to see. Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

So, hang on, let me get this... In order to stop women being molested by strangers they have to wear a veil unless they let the stranger suck their tits 5 times? Any wonder these people never got out of the middle ages. Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

What you say is reasonable, but not bourne out by my experience. The gays I have met, and I am talking about when I wasnt interested, have been without exception intelligent, humourous, gentle people. Perhaps I didnt meet the other kind who you think exit, but as far as I know, they arent as you think. As for your second statement its too dualistic. Its not about 'being gay' as much as life is not about 'being one thing or another'. Its not a decision, its an openness to experience. Its called living freely. Free to act as one wants without the cumbersome load of social mores. The very last thing one wants to do in life is to pidgeon-hole oneself by satating 'I am such and such', to do so limits your self expression, and this is where the film fell down. It was dualistic. It was extreme. And it isnt like that. To have or to be as From said. Or as Zen tells us, spontaneous expression is the closest we can come to expressing the inner Self. But that isnt a religion you will probably give credence too despite its obvious relevance to the human state. Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

Do you think they should do a 'circumcision' check of all girls coming into the country? Prosecuting abortions did such a good job of stopping them, right? Who is better off if you drive it underground? Opacity, the new Transparency.

This is really something to waste band width over??? Ian Shlasko wrote: Which reminds me to quote St. George (Carlin) Didn't he also say, "Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about things. Small people talk about other people?" Constitutionalism: the principle that the authority of government derives from and is limited by a body of fundamental law. Ergo, a government that ignores that law is illegitimate.

What does better mean? :laugh: I would rather deal with a truthful [anything] than a lying [anything]. The problem is in the knowing. I have enough questions about my own faith, 24/7, that I don't question others'. But it gets pretty obvious when someone is using their 'faith', even if it is true. I look for people who are honest, the rest is between them and God. I'm not trying to convert people when I argue here. Winning an argument is the worst way to convert someone. I just enjoy arguing, and when I see something wrong, I jump on it. That's how I ended up marrying my ex. :-O Opacity, the new Transparency.

A fetus can feel pain. Don't believe me? Watch the silent scream. Invisible Empire: A New World Order Defined (High Quality 2:14:01)[^] Watch the Fall of the Republic (High Quality 2:24:19)[^] The Truthbox[^]

fat_boy wrote: Yeah, that sound is burned into my conscious. That clattering sound high up, with each clatter getting further and further apart ... That, or that half-second of the sound of gravel sliding and rocks grinding. Followed by a second or two of silence, followed by another half-second of things moving. Followed by that unforgettable instant where you wonder if that was it, or if the whole mountain is about to fall on your head. :laugh: fat_boy wrote: My mate cant do it though. He totally mashed his leg up in the pyranees. Bummer... fat_boy wrote: Mind you before that he did get to 24,000 Awesome. fat_boy wrote: puts me in mund of heading up into tha alps to find a nice 10,000 footer. Do it! Bring back lots of pictures. :-D L u n a t i c F r i n g e

fat_boy wrote: Anyway, I must be a man, because I love chain saws. Seriously, they are the dogs! Yes, I need to get mine out to chop up some logs left over from some work done while I was away. Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Since reading this joke yesterday I have had the 'We buy any car, any make any model ....etc tune going round and round and round im my head and I am losing the will to live. I have even tried singing the shake and vac ditty to remove it but it hasn't worked. 'We buy any car' has got to be the worst jingle of all time!

Yeah, I think we deserve a cold one. Or two. Or ten. :-D L u n a t i c F r i n g e

:laugh: :laugh: Best zinger of the day so far. :-D L u n a t i c F r i n g e

are they invading america too? Marc Clifton wrote: That has nothing to do with VB. - Oh crap. I just defended VB!

What would be funny is if you started a joke website. CSS would find it and link to it here, in time. Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. Read my blog to find out how I've worked around bugs in Microsoft tools and frameworks.

Ian Shlasko wrote: complaining about how it's all a big conspiracy to stop the Teabaggers from getting any power. Well it is... You weren't supposed to tell anyone, btw. The plan was to raise their hopes and dash them on the rocks at the last second. It was going to be a masterful killing blow to them now that their friend the Gormogon is dead. If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.

Who told you my middle name??? me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven