Meso

Mmmmm... Where do I send my CV?!

It's Friday, I leave the office in 8 minutes... Feel free to cause havoc after that! ;)

-Narrows Eyes-

Must.... Resist.... Troll.... Bait....

I'm not sure on the automated methods, but I will say that we have adjusted the system a bit to allow us to track malicious flagging. I will now be able to see whom flagged an ad. There was a 'scam review' yesterday stating 'They do not operate a Porter'. I think this was directed at your ad. The next time it is flagged as spam (if someone continues to try), we will receive the flaggers username, and proceed to take action from there. But it appears that this was in fact not an automated flagging.

I disagree, I haven't forgotten travel and communication. These are things that have evolved with time, there wasn't a period where all of them just sprang up. For example, your argument could have been the same a hundred years ago, just changed where appropriate. Hypothetically back then one could also argue "But before travel was far less evolved". And on the front of technology and communication, it remains almost meaningless in this discussion. I fail to see how internet comes into play with regards to violence within a religion, at least historically. The violence in Christianity for the most part ended long before the internet, most of it even before modern transport. Making it impossible to suggest that an increase in the availability of data through technology results in a religion's separation from extremist behaviour. I'm the last person you need to convince about coercion into ignorance within a religion. Though again, look back to Christianity when it was in the same age as Islam is now- it was almost identical. Promoting the end to 'science' and choosing ignorance over fact. It is all part of a religion's life cycle it seems. As stated before, I think it's definitely not accurate to praise technology for the ending of religious militia within Christianity when it seemed to happen long before that. And if you choose to list just an increase in basic education for the cause, then again that becomes relative as education levels is something that is forever changing. I think what makes a religion or even a civilization more 'humane' is time. It seems to take centuries for religious sects to see that they are going about it the wrong way. I agree that the militant Islamic teachings are disgusting, sexist and oppressive for the most part- but I won't say that other religious teachings weren't also at some stage. Islam will evolve with time, I know everyone wishes it were now but it will happen when it happens sadly- all religions seem to have those few hundred years of violence.

The explanation has to do with time zones. The team who deal with such incidents are located in South Africa, typically it would be me or PsMarais who'd tend to such a request. And it was the first thing on my plate this morning, it was an issue that was being looked into when the old ad was actually deleted (which confused us for a bit wondering where it disappeared to). But granted, there is possibly a flaw in the system that allows malicious users to flag ads as spam when they are not, though I think we are able to trace the person if the ad isn't deleted. So in short, your issue wasn't overlooked or ignored- but rather acted upon as soon as physically possible, as I'm sure you understand we can't have an administrator in every time zone.

I fail to see how a timeline is relevant? Did we at some point just evolve into more moral people (Who decides that point)? Can one place a number on when religious atrocities transferred from being forgiveable to wrong? You say how many in the past 30 years, I'll say how many in the past 500 years. Remember that Islam is the younger religion, and at this time in Christianity's lifespan there were equally as disgusting acts committed in the name of that God. You can't pick a period and use it as an example of one being better than the other. Maybe if I join some other religion, then go out and perform a spree killing one can use a 2 week period to define that religion as the most violent.

+1 Must be a mohawk thing. Oh no wait, it's just a male thing.

Just for what it's worth- Boobs and Man-Tackle are totally not on the same level. Not hinting at anything... Just throwing that out there.

Squirrel are fucking awesome. Just saying...

All prisoners can vote down at this end of the world.

By drinking just a few shots you run the risk of impairing your judgement and driving drunk. And the way I see it, I don't give a fuck about someone causing harm to their own body, that's their issue. And who is anyone to tell someone they must stop doing coke because they may harm themselves. I only care when children or the innocent are effected by others actions. And this happens in many cases of drunk driving, yet very rarely in cases of cocaine usage. (And since we're on a skydiving forum, one can't use the 'the put themselves in an increased risk of death, which leaves kids parentless' argument). I know a lot of drug users, yet funnily enough all the deaths of people I know have been alcohol related.

I would vote yes on it, but I live in South Africa. And don't you try tell me that one has to personally do something to have an opinion on it. I have enough stories and experience through friends using to know exactly how each drug plays out, and it leads me to the conclusion that meth fucks up lives, heroin fucks up lives, BUT alcohol also fucks up lives. But clearly the current approach isn't working. And prohibition showed that the same approach on alcohol didn't work too. People are going to fuck up their lives and those around theirs whether you make it legal or not. Putting the cookie car on top of the fridge isn't going to stop a kid from dipping his hand in. There is no easy quick fix (excuse the pun) to the problem. But as I said, clearly the current approach isn't working. And one can deny it as much as they like, alcohol kills and harms plenty people- whether it be the drunks on the road or the domestic abuse. I know I'd rather run paths with a crack head in the streets than a drunk on the road.

There are plenty alcoholics out there who commit crime to support their habit. More time is spent trying to address the problem and not enough is spent on fixing the cause of the problem. Drugs aren't the problem, ignorance and fucked up lives are the problem. Wipe crack, meth, heroin away and you'll find that new drugs will be used/found. Or they`ll just go back to using glue and methelated spirits. (which is what some still do anyway).

Anti-depressants also cause a change in personality traits too (and no not just changing ones mood)? As well as many other prescription medicine. I have a few friends who do meth, heroin, cocaine and I've known them from before they used (over 5 years ago) and they haven't changed when they aren't high. The most prevalent changes you will see is the change in priorities, which I've seen happen in people who turn to alcoholics too. Again this is mostly an issue caused by the persons prior criminal history or upbringing, not a result of the drug. There are many fiends who don't turn to crime. Look at the crimes committed to obtain alcohol as well during prohibition. I don't deny the problems in meth and coke. I had a girlfriend who's father was a successful architect, but he became a meth addict. While he never resorted to any crime, he did destroy his child's life. But I've seen alcohol ruin much more families.

How so? The reason why alcohol seems so 'safe' is because it's legal. And the reason why most other drugs seem to dangerous is because they are... illegal. Look back at prohibition to see what alcohol does to society when it's put in the same environment as other drugs are. I'm straight edge, I will not touch any substances... And I support the legalization of substances. One of the reasons why alcohol is such common place is because people think that because something is legal it must naturally be a lot better for you than the illegal substances. Now that's not to say I'd want to have someone I know on heroin rather than alcohol, that's definitely not the case (and I`m not going to say I can say that alcohol is worse than heroin). But as for neighbours... Crack, Alcohol- what's the difference... The only reason to worry about crackhead neighbours would be because what they're doing is illegal and as such they are 'criminals'. Think about it, you're far more likely to have pre-existing criminals doing crack and meth as opposed to just alcohol. So I'm sure much of their personality traits and actions are determined on that pre-existing criminal behaviour and not on the crack or meth.

Pretty awesome listen. Was actually really really good.

Morals come from God? Here I was being ignorant and thinking that morals came from the idea that we share and relate to feelings and through that which is empathy, we choose to generally not pursue actions which cause others pain. But now I'm just confused, as you're obviously right. I wonder why it is then that damage to parts of the brain can cause one to lack empathy and turn into a so-called monster. Maybe they just get the God knocked out of their brains. Or why dogs and other animals have been witnessed to save other dogs from potential death and display forms of empathy which could be indicative of morals. Maybe that's just the results of all their Sunday school teachings. Yep, that's it without God it's free for all. Which is why Godless societies all butcher each other and have a history of public murders- oh wait... That's the religious societies... my bad.

Oh for Christ's sake... Even after my lengthy reasoning on why Agnosticism is flawed and the semantics within the labels people are still wanting to be called Agnostics. Fat Mike would be very disappointed in you Rhys ;) You don't need to be 100% sure that there is no God to be Atheist, no one can be 100% on anything, you just need to look at the evidence and see that it is the most logical conclusion. As mentioned befoooore, you can't say that there is no trolls, unicorns etc- but logic will allow you to accept that there is no such thing, and through this you will accept that it is so unlikely you will not believe in it. Someone asks you if you believe in unicorns or trolls you don't say "well... there could be.. I don't want to say there isn't because there just may be...". Well if you do say that, you're a very special person. God is just another one of these mythical creatures, no need to create a special 'unsure' zone just for him. Most 'Agnostics' could choose to be Atheist at any time without really changing the way they think. But Agnostic is just a much more cushioned term, less hate from the Christians for it, more socially acceptable. I called myself Agnostic for a number of years, until I realized that my beliefs were exactly the same as an Atheist. Not to mention the flaws in true Agnostic thinking, if one is unsure of God- surely with the written tales of what would happen to you if God does exist and you don't believe you will take your risk and just go Christian. I know that if I thought there was even a 10% chance of God being real I would rock into a religion pretty quickly, because it would be stupid not to. 90% you're right on believing he isn't real, nothing happens. 10% you're right that he is real, you burn in hell for eternity. No loss if you fuck up on the one side- I'd go Christian and worship the shit out of that God than rather take a 1/10 gamble on eternal torture.

I managed to get a 6ct diamond ring the other day for the equivalent of $1 US (originally asked for $50, but when I said I only had change he said I must just empty it into his hands)... I won't ask where he got it, but as far as I'm concerned, he happened to find it... Moral of the story, best place to buy diamond rings are dodgy street lurkers.

I saw NOFX down here in South Africa in... 2007 I think it was :) Was a rad show.