NorrinRadd

Nope. Religion was how it was sold to the masses. Religion was not the goal. Religion was how they recruited soldiers, collected money for the campaigns, and acquired loyalty. But the real purpose behind every war.. EVERY war.. strategic advantage and amassing of resources and wealth. Edit: Of course not. Look up war on terror and war for freedom instead. Every war needs its sugar to make the people swallow it. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

I have a couple female friends who have traveled there by themselves with no issues, just lots of fun stories. But just as with anywhere you travel, they should always remain alert. Westerners can be a greater target for thieves... so excess money and electronics should be kept out of sight. Police will usually side with locals, so try to avoid trouble. If she finds a good taxi driver, get his card. If she tips reasonably well, he can be a good resource not simply for transportation, but also for useful info. Travel, as with so many things, is safe so long as you keep your head on your shoulders and take due precautions. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Just to clarify (you have already clarified the spelling error :) ) platonic does not mean there is no sexual attraction. It simply means that there is a love which is purely emotional, uninfluenced by the sexual attraction. It refers to the Platonic ideal. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

It doesn't bother me and I do it myself most of the time. It makes it far more obvious on who or what you're replying to then just randomly pressing Reply on someone's post. Can't say it bugs me either :) Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

My first jump didn't leave me euphoric, delirious with joy, or any such thing. I had a bit of a tremble in my knees, which I know to be a sign of adrenaline come-down. But mostly it just felt very fun. A completely unique experience. I am not the kind of person who whoops and hollers at things, though. I just enjoyed the sky, the feeling of being immersed in air. I did a little asking around and found out that the air pressure changes are something you get used to after a while. Actually, I got myself used to them by doing bottom dives at the deep end of our local swimming pool... about 14 feet deep. The pressure change is in fact greater in the pool than in the air, and after about 10 dives I was not feeling any more pain. My second jump was outstanding. I knew what to expect, I was ready for opening shock and landing, and I was able to enjoy the jump more, especially since this time I was practicing what I had been taught. Best of luck in the AFF! You and I are both going through it :D Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

War.. what is it good for? Well, we often get confused into thinking that wars are fought over religion, or value systems. But the reality is wars are fought to gain control over land and its natural and human resources, and to make money. Cut away all the rest of the ways wars are sold to folks, and you always wind up with those two. Strategic control and amassing wealth. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

So...as a student at crunch time, do you think you would have been confused or delayed in action by having different ways to handle different mals? I cannot answer that with confidence, though standing on the ground it seems reasonably unconfusing. I am a student, but I have not had to deal with the situation. That said, my instructor has deeply impressed upon us the importance of doing dirt dive practices with all the malfunction procedures until it IS a muscle memory kinda thing. He also said that this practice should continue not just as a student, but throughout the time we are involved with the sport. Edit: It also seems to me that part of instruction should include the proper recognition and identification of the various malfunctions that can occur, and knowing what is the best procedure to use for them. I personally prefer being given all the tools I need to make good decisions, especially life-saving decisions. Does that make it a little more complicated? Initially, yes it does. But over the long-run I think it also creates a much sounder basis for decision-making. This is the way I feel about most things in life. Human brains are for the most part adequately equipped to learn and react in fairly complex situations, and I am not sure this qualifies as a complex situation. Pilot chute in tow, from what I have seen (without experiencing them myself), seem pretty easy to identify. And the decision on which handle to pull... left, or right then left... seems fairly straightforward too. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

During my ground class I was taught to deploy the reserve chute without cutting away. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

This is an aspect of religion that many anti-religion people overlook: good deeds. Of course the answer is very clearly NO! You do not have to be Christian OR religious in any way to do good deeds. But oftentimes religious communities promote good deeds. For a time, when I was younger, living in Vancouver and having a hard time finding work, I would occasionally visit the Sikh temple. Not because I am Sikh, but because they have a tradition of feeding people who are down on their luck. There was no attempt to convert or make us pray or anything. All that was asked was we washed our hands before and after and that the men cover their heads. Great north Indian food, too. prepared for members of the community with food donated by members of the community. I sent their temple a donation once I was back on my feet again. I was once asked by an evangelical christian the question "What if we are right and there is a God that you will have to stand before, in judgment?" My reply was "Then I will tell God that I lived my life the best I could, and I did it without the fear of judgment." I make mistakes, but I try my best. I am no Christian. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Absolutely . . . it's called the government. Obama is a member of that too. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

oi vey... firstly yeah.. parents, come on. Messiah? But whatever... I agree.. the judge should not be interfering. Will he stop people from naming their kids after the apostles next? Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Actually, the plaintiffs admitted that they suffered no ill effects. It's in the settlement, or the defendant companies wouldn't have signed off on it. So do you think the plaintiffs told the truth to the court and never suffered ill effects, or that they lied to get the money? Guess we'll never know for sure. Not, at least, until the kids grow up and possibly try to talk about. Or wrangle more money out of the settlement. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

These kids were included in a gag order as part of a settlement: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/aug/05/children-ban-talking-about-fracking Not sure how I feel about this. I do not think that the kids can be held to a decision they did not voluntarily participate in that limits their freedom of expression. I kinda feel like both their parents failed in this, as well as the Range Resource, for insisting that they be part of it. Feels rather dodgy, but that's just me. Edit: Sets a really strange precedent, and I think this may actually fall under constitutional law, if they chose to fight it, when they gain their age of majority. Damn corporations will try to get away with just about anything they can... Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Prevent good, honest science, stop treatments from reaching people who need them. Give the business to criminals, prosecute people needlessly. How does that not make sense? (sarcasm) Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Neither of you have a crack-using mayor. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/08/04/toronto_mayor_rob_ford_remains_shadowed_by_crack_video_scandal_editorial.html In another thread you accused a long time member of this site of being a troll and here you are only two months being here and making references to Red Star stories as if they run credible news stories. Look in the mirror, if there is anyone who is a troll around here, it will be the dude looking back at you in that reflection. They are a credible news source. They are also a Toronto news source. Sorry if you dont think so, but they are a respected newspaper. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Umm... can you PLEASE give a spoiler alert? Or are you just TRYING to be a jerk? Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

I would judge the movie on its own merits :) You never know! Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

So now you are simply trolling :) I know people in their 70's who are occasional drinkers and who are occasional pot-smokers too. Oh and good job on the insults. Keep it up! I can't wait to hear more! Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

There were aspects of District 9 that I enjoyed a great deal, but I found that work to be not simply heavy-handed, but disproportionately representing the negative qualities of humanity. That said, I think that that may have been the point... to highlight these aspects in an effort to comment on them. I think I was perhaps not so prepared on how heavy it was going to be. I am looking forward to Elysium, though. This time I think I will be in a better head-space for it. I also see some similarities between it and the story of Neuromancer, by William Gibson. World going to hell, while the rich live it up in a space station. Perhaps Matt Damon's character is a combination of Molly Millions and Case. GOOD sci fi is totally a platform for social commentary. This was driven home to me once, when I was much younger, after having read Dune. A friend said to me "replace 'Spice' with 'oil', and 'Arrakis' with 'Middle East'. A light went off in my head, and suddenly my standards for sci fi rose a great deal. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

I have no such sympathy for terrorists....ooh wait. Have to change that to enemy combatants. Yep. May as well act like them too, right? Can't recall any terrorist force feeding US prisoners. I have to believe they'd probably leave them to starve. Saves sharpening the blades after they cut their heads off. Torturing their prisoners. Techniques may vary. Incidentally, how do you know what techniques they use? Anyways, time to sign off this thread, I feel like I am just feeding a troll. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Neither of you have a crack-using mayor. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/08/04/toronto_mayor_rob_ford_remains_shadowed_by_crack_video_scandal_editorial.html Hey, we *invented* that, way back in 1990! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Barry heh heh maybe they can get together and have big ole crack BBQ! Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

I have no such sympathy for terrorists....ooh wait. Have to change that to enemy combatants. Yep. May as well act like them too, right? Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

Neither of you have a crack-using mayor. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/08/04/toronto_mayor_rob_ford_remains_shadowed_by_crack_video_scandal_editorial.html Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

What? Patients are force-fed? Tubes stuffed down their throats. Only way it could have been more effective is to have Morgan Freeman doing the voice-over. Patients get tubes stuffed down their throats against their will in non- emergency situations? Dude... you are over simplifying a situation just so you can create a sound-bite that proves some point you are fabricating. Patients also have parts of their bodies removed during amputations and other surgical procedures... are you gonna tell people who are getting tortured by having parts cut off that they should suck it up like all those patients? Torture is torture. You can't dress it up any other way. If you are fine with torture, then just say so. Don't try and sell it to us with this rhetoric. Not that naive. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

It should be pointed out that in some people (like my lady) pot will actually CAUSE anxiety. She is normally a very level-headed, chill person, but this can make her feel completely stressed out. It is not the most common response, but it does happen. So if you are considering pot to help with these symptoms, I strongly suggest getting your research done first. Especially find a doctor who is knowledgeable with medicinal marijuana, its uses and benefits, and its side-effects. Not all doctors are amenable or friendly towards pot-use (it is a grey area most of them don't want to deal with) but there are some who will view it the same way they view any treatment: with objectivity, and with a desire to heal and help. Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?