K-Mac

I've always thought Houston had a great skyline, but maybe I'm biased since I'm a native? http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/imag...h-mailc&b=1 Now that I live in Colorado, I think it surely must be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountains And Maui wasn't shabby either, LaszloWalrus

I haven't seen Idiocracy, but I have seen Office Space, Beevis and Butthead and King of the Hill and that's some funny stuff. I think anyone who has ever worked for any length of time in a corporate office environment can relate to Office Space. Especially the scene where they destroy the printer. And Beevis and Butthead just remind me of the stoners who lived in my neighborhood. (I wonder what ever became of those guys?) I'll be sure to check out Idiocracy...thanks for letting me know it's out there.

I thought of a few others... Star Wars (but I assume that's a given) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy O' Brother Where Art Thou? Pulp Fiction Purple Rain Also, how could I have forgotten Saturday Night Fever??? Here's what the Academy thought, for whatever that's worth... http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awa...e=1185478067913

Thanks for all the insight, DW, BD and KJ. I think your comments have gone a long way in helping me see the situation with more clarity. I plan to change from Republican to Independent, but now what? All of this being said, who do you think will be the least harmful, least religious candidate? I heard a good comment about Giuliani possibly fracturing the Republicans from the religious right and that sure would be nice, and I know Hillary is not the Christian she claims to be, but is there anyone else out there that you're eyeballing and why?

I think this is a good point and makes a lot of sense to me. My next question then is, do you think a mix of both situations is no more dangerous than the first situation since the first situation leads to the second? And frankly, I'm still concerned about sustaining my lifestyle in the present rather than what Christian conservatives may lead us to 20, 30 or 50 years from now. Aren't the Democrats threatening to do it here and now? Shouldn't we take care of the most immediate threat first? And if Democrats are not the immediate threat, please tell me why you think that.

They may not be quoting these individuals directly, but are they not already suggesting programs and saying things that are, in essence, the same? And what's worse is that most, if not all, Democrats I know are Christians. So wouldn't we be getting the worst of both worlds by voting Democrat? “ Capitalism is the way of the devil and exploitation. If you really want to look at things through the eyes of Jesus Christ — who I think was the first socialist — only socialism can really create a genuine society. ” —Hugo Chávez Then there's the following from http://www.religioussocialism.com/vision.html ... "The vision we share teaches us: * That power should be used not to maintain power and privilege, but to promote individual and communal growth and development, to teach and to heal, and not to do harm. * That individually and collectively we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, heal the sick, teach the young and care for the helpless. * That spiritual renewal must come to whole societies as well as to individuals and families, that only in community can we find wholeness. * That all our actions must be rooted in respect for truth and justice. * That the three curses-the subjugation of men to exhausting toil, the subjugation of women to men, and the subjugation of the earth to human arrogance-are not our inevitable lot, but aspects of brokenness for which we seek wholeness, and can win it. * That nations must beat their swords into plowshares and study war no more." If that's not scarier than the Christian Right in this country, who in large numbers still believe in low taxes, less government and personal responsibility, I don't know what is.

I love the soundtrack for The Wedding Singer. Takes me back to the good ol' days of the 80s. Pretty Woman and Dead Presidents also have excellent soundtracks with a good variety of music.

All I have to say is that I'm really glad I don't live in New York city. Ick!

I went to a Front Range Objectivist Group (FROG) meeting for the first time last night (Diana Hsieh's group) and they said, if I am remembering correctly, that Objectivism Through Induction would be going away and replaced w/ DIM. Some of them seemed a little confused by that. (Since I am so new to Objectivism and have not dealt with those two subjects yet, it was all a bit over my head, but I thought I would tell you that for whatever it may be worth to you.) He gave lectures at OCON about DIM, so maybe they're getting ready to release those recordings?? Someone will probably post with more info for you, but in the meantime, maybe this will help.

I really don't know what I'm going to do come election time. I've never even considered voting anything other than Republican before joining this forum, but now I see reasons to vote Democrat too. Thank goodness I've got some more time to hear both sides of the argument and hash it out. I have rarely ever thought with my heart, almost always with my head, but the thought of voting for a Democrat, particularly if it's Hillary with her grating voice and various pandering dialects, literally makes my chest hurt. Besides this gut reaction, I seriously don't think I could sustain my current lifestyle should there be a tax increase. I'm just now at the point in my career where I am enjoying the fruits of my labor and it's very difficult for me to imagine giving it up after all my hard work. So speak up! I need more input, more input! edited for grammar

Agreed! (From http://pewresearch.org/pubs/543/florida-is...icaid-overhaul) "Florida's new, nationally acclaimed Medicaid pilot program is supposed to put patients like 60-year-old Marie Antoine in charge of their own health care to save money. Instead, she landed in the hospital. Antoine, who is legally blind and suffers from high blood pressure caused by diabetes, was admitted for a day in February because she couldn't refill her blood-pressure medicine quickly enough under the new system, said her daughter, Betty Antoine."

Well, it sounds like it's dead, for now... http://pewresearch.org/pubs/546/fairness-doctrine

You know, I have thought that before too. Thanks for reminding me, KendallJ! The person I consider to be my closest friend, claims to be the most liberal, yet she does not live her life as such. Her and her husband own several gas-guzzling hot rods that they tinker with all of the time, yet they're environmentalists. She wants people and corporations to pay as much taxes as are required to fund all kinds of special programs, etc., yet she hates paying her own taxes and wants less government. The hypocrisy drives me crazy, but at least she's a great sport about it when I point it out to her during one of her liberal rants. I think there could be an Objectivist in her just dying to get out. I lent her AS once I finished it, so we'll see how it goes...

I suppose it's just opinion, but I find this scenario to be classy and romantic. The two performers are dancing, not grinding, and seem to be full of passion, grace and elegance. It's a carefully choreographed and rehearsed, athletic routine. The people in the photo we've been discussing are not performing for an audience in some sort of scheduled event. (I guess technically they are, but I doubt anyone would pay to see it.) They are not full of passion, grace or elegance, but rather full of crudeness, booze and lust.

Maybe the value I find in my liberal friends is the fact that they are liberal. Maybe I see them as a challenge? And if nothing else, maybe I stick around so I can more clearly see the enemy's tactics and motives? Could it be a case of keep your friends close and your enemies closer?

As much as I hate to wish misery on any man, I hope they self-destruct into a pile of revolutionary rubble. So many liberals like to use them as a poster child for how socialism succeeds, so I would love to rub it in their faces and say, "See? I told you so!" Why is is that the masses seem to love to learn the hard way?

This is something I have been tormented with for many years now, and even more so since discovering Ayn Rand and reading AS earlier this year. The vast majority of my friends are liberals. (I am not sure why, but that's a whole other point to ponder.) Sometimes, I look at one of my liberal friends and think, "This person is completely against me and everything that is important to me. They are literally trying to destroy me and the way of life I believe in. Why am I here with them now? Why am I a good friend when they are, in reality, not a good friend to me in return?" But I love my friends and care about them deeply. I sincerely want them to succeed in life. Maybe that's why I stick around? Can I really make a difference? I guess I have made some peace with the fact that I don't let them off the hook. When they start talking or emailing me their liberal bilge, I strike back until they are so tired of hearing from me and my logic that they either agree to disagree or simply give up. (I have yet to convert any of them, but that is my ultimate goal, although probably just wishful thinking.) Frankly, it stresses me out.

I think so.

Maybe that's what bothers me most about the photo. More and more people seem to be abusing alcohol. If not drinking every day like the traditional alcoholic, then binge drinking on weekends which may be worse and is probably what caused the behavior in the photo. Throughout my high school days up until now, Generation Xers (and younger) seem to like to use, "oh, I was just drunk" as an excuse for their bad behavior. If this binge drinking is causing bad behavior each weekend, is it worthy of being excused? And where do we draw the line? I guess my point is, the fact that they are abusing alcohol is the problem. Why is abusing alcohol a problem? Because it makes you look and act like something you may not really be, a degenerate. I guess another underlying question is, what is it about today's society that makes our younger generations feel the need to escape it all by getting so blitzed on alcohol and/or drugs that they temporarily turn into degenerates a few days each week? Is their quality of life that bad?

They're just now frustrated?! And the last sentence of the article has blood shooting out of my eyes. http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1891543.ece

Precisely why I called it trash.

First of all, I might suggest you get a second opinion. If the first doctor's advice isn't working, what could be the harm in another opinion? I do not have the exact same injury that you do, broke my tib/fib in January, but my doctor recommended a recumbent exercise bike to rebuild the muscles in my leg. Since the insertion of the titanium rod in my leg required the doctor to remove then replace my knee cap, I am pretty much working on everything from my knee down. Perhaps this type of low impact, resistance workout would be beneficial to you too? I found a nearly new recumbent bike on Craigslist.com for only $40 and it seems to be working out quite well for me. Swimming is also a great, low-impact work out. Finally, my uncle used some sort of electronic stimulator device on his back due to some muscle spasms and I think he had moderately successful results. He's an ear, nose and throat surgeon, so I assume he must know something about that kind of device to have given it a try. Not sure if any of this helps, but I hope you start feeling better soon. Pain sucks. Edited for spelling.

From what I've read, I agree. Doctors have told me that towards the late 20s, the quality of a woman's eggs has significantly decreased. (And of course, everyone is different.) I have paid attention to this sort of information because I am 34 and have yet to decide whether or not I want children. (Do not plan to have them unless I know for sure that I want them, but I still remain curious about the "quality" of my eggs.) eudaemonist, I don't think you should take the comments so personally. It sounds as though Moebius is just speaking from personal experiences, and I think the personal experiences of others certainly can have some value in any discussion. And Moebius, as you will find soon enough, mid-30s is not old.

I stand corrected.