Just wondering...

POSTED BY: everyworldspinnin
UPDATED: Friday, June 3, 2005 06:14
VIEWED: 19669
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EVERYWORLDSPINNIN

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 2:42 AM (P)

Sitting out here on my deck dreading going back to work tommorow, I was just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a PC Tech. How bout you?

Wes

"I am a large, semi-muscular man..."

THATWEIRDGIRL

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 2:47 AM (P)

Living? What is this of which you speak?

*best Maynard voice* Work?

We have no lives outside of FFF...just ask our significant others.

I am weird.

Currently in retail...formerly a small software company...a long list of random jobs before that.

www.thatweirdgirl.com
---
Can we not revel in our cyber-love?

STARPILOTGRAINGER

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 2:50 AM (P)

I unload a delivery truck a couple days a week to pay my rent, and then slack off while making a bit of money on the side putting my computer science degree to use.

Star Pilot Grainger
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down."
LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/newnumber6 (real)
http://www.livejournal.com/users/alternaljournal (fictional, travelling through another world)
Unreachable Star: http://www.unreachablestar.net - Comics & SF News/Reviews/Opinions

SHINYMOM

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:03 AM (P)

I'm a teacher. Seventh grade, Language Arts. The weekend was a nice break and a cruel tease at the same time. So much to do!!! Friday's the last day of school with kids, and then all next week is training in the language arts book I've been using all year. I look forward to long days on the computer, reading those 30 chapter fanfics all the way through.

"Chow's in ten...no need to dress."

WHEDONESQUE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:25 AM (P)

I'm a critical care nurse - that means I work in an ICU (usually medical or cardiac) trying to convince patients that they really don't wanna die on my shift.

I have converted several of my coworkers, too. I think the dark humor in FF really appeals to ICU nurses.

We've done the impossible and that makes us mighty. Mal/Joss

DARKJESTER

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:29 AM (P)

I'm in Purchasing/Inventory Control for an RV company. I keep the parts set up in the computer correctly, audit on-hand inventory, etc. Not as boring as it sounds, really! But I may have to polish up the old resume' - gas prices are forcing more than a little slowdown across the industry.... Anyone looking for someone with 5+ years of JDE experience?

MAL "You only gotta scare him."
JAYNE "Pain is scary..."

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:36 AM (P)

everyworldspinning:

I'm an air traffic controller. I sit in a tower all day trying -- to paraphrase whedonesque -- to convince pilots that they really don't wanna die on my shift. If only my customers and I shared that core value...

I've converted 3 of my 4 coworkers. Number 4's the boss, and I don't envision him sitting in the break room watching eps with the guys. But, I'm formulating a plan...

Vocationally,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

JAKE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:47 AM (P)

Graduate student in astrophysics here. I sit around trying to convince others that the sky really is falling while I try to convince myself that I know physics and that this is the way to go to avoid getting a real job. ;)

Seriously though, I study galactic chemical evolution, which basically tries to reproduce the Milky Way galaxy we observe today through various theoretical formation models, as well as neutron capture nucleosynthesis, which essentially explains how elements heavier than iron are formed in stars and supernovae.

Yeah, I know, what I do is pretty damn boring. Mentioning it is one helluva conversation killer. Just listen to the crickets chirping now! hehe

OK, I'll be quiet now. ;)

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 4:09 AM (P)

Jake:

Actually, I think your job sounds pretty fascinating (if mostly dry; try moistening it with some ethanol). You also wrote:

Quote:
...I study galactic chemical evolution, which basically tries to reproduce the Milky Way galaxy we observe today through various theoretical formation models, as well as neutron capture nucleosynthesis, which essentially explains how elements heavier than iron are formed in stars and supernovae.

Just tell 'em, "God did it!" That ought to make you popular...

Cosmically,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"I study nuclear science. I love my classes. I got a crazy teacher; he wears dark glasses." -The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades, Timbuk3

WHITEFALL

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 4:31 AM (P)

I'm a... um.... a student....

"Some people juggle geese!" -Ancient Chinese proverb.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 4:33 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
Just tell 'em, "God did it!" That ought to make you popular...

The question is how she did it.

It’s an odd thing, but science really says that atheists are stupid, kind of rude I admit, but it’s science it can do what it likes.

The scientific method is, as I recall, observe, formulate a hypothesis, validate or reject hypothesis by predictions based on it and test of said predictions.

Atheism says screw the evidence I’ll believe what I damn well please, Agnosticism says the evidence is inconclusive so I have not decided yet, Theism says, “I’ve looked at the evidence, ignored some, emphasized other bits of it, and decided to believe.”

As there is no evidence supporting atheism, circumstantial evidence supporting theism and a total lack of concrete evidence on either side of the fence, the order from science to blind faith is as follows

1 Agnosticism: Scientific, the results are not yet in.
2 Theism: Semi-scientific, there is evidence but it is far from conclusive, sometimes produces accurate predictions.
3 Atheism: Blind faith, no evidence in support, some evidence against, yet to produce accurate predictions.

So the question isn’t really whether or not god did it, but rather how she did it, that is what science is about. After all:
-If there may be a god you try to find out how that hypothetical god created the universe, or how the universe was created without one
-If there is a god you figure out how that god created the universe
-If you honestly and deeply believe that there is no god you already rejected the scientific method so who gives a damn?

-

Sorry that was off topic, I have no job, I am a college student, I sometimes calculate the probability of verifiable miracles using classical physics, I compare bibles, I write novels (which I never seem to finish), and I generally do nothing that contributes to much of anything.

WHITEFALL

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 4:49 AM (P)

Ya know...i never thought of it that way... I consider myself an atheist.....

But I would like to point out that it can be viewed that there is no evidence for theism, just some unreliable texts that happen to be old unreliable texts that say what happened. That said, i dont deny that in a way atheism is blind faith in a sense... I dont believe in a god because i dont feel that I have prove that he/she/hem exists...

Having said that, i'd also like to apologize if i have offended anyone of a faith... i have a great respect for religion, and the faith that allows people to follow and be involved in a community, and feel loved by God. I unfortunately cant seem to find that faith, because I can't get my mind around the empirical side, that I can't see any proof of religion in action. On the flipside, science, as I quote myself and probably others as saying, 'is a religion with reliable miracles'.

But while I believe science can, given enough time/etc explain everything, you have a fair point that I don't use the scientific method or anything.... well, something to contemplate.
_______________________________________________
Sorry about the thread hijacking... um getting back on topic...

I'm a student... and I um.... do some amateur acting. Yeah. *shifty eyes*

"Some people juggle geese!" -Ancient Chinese proverb.

BATMARLOWE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:06 AM (P)

I'm a loser. Don't recommend it. The pay stinks.

KOFFEE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:09 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
1 Agnosticism: Scientific, the results are not yet in.
2 Theism: Semi-scientific, there is evidence but it is far from conclusive, sometimes produces accurate predictions.
3 Atheism: Blind faith, no evidence in support, some evidence against, yet to produce accurate predictions.

Where in the world did you get these definitions from because as an Atheist myself, I can tell you that you are 180 degrees off from what Atheism is about. The whole point of Atheism is that we DON'T subscribe to blind faith. You might want to check out http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/ for a better understanding of Atheists and Agnostics.

----------------------------------------------
“It's a real burden being right so often.”

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:02 AM (P)

christhecynic:

Oooohhh! Religious debate! Wait a tick... Isn't that antithetical? Ah, well! You'll get no complaints from me. Have at ye, varlet!

First, and this is just a guess, you're an agnostic, right? Know how I could tell? Whenever someone discusses their religion or (ulp!) their politics, they always spin their beliefs as being the most reasonable and sexy. Take for instance Catholicism: Very sexy. And it's all part of Rome's Master Plan for World Domination. (Ummm... That was a joke, folks...)

I am a Christian. I find no conflict between Christianity and Science. By 'Christianity', I mean a strict adherence to Christ's teachings, as opposed to, say, the Old Testament's "eye for an eye" doctrine; or some bible-thumper who preaches the Old Testament rather than the New Law as embodied by Christ, in order to foster hatred of homosexuals, women and tax collectors (the symbol of earthly governments).

I believe that God the Creator is neither man nor woman. Why would God need sexual organs? Why would God bother with sexual orientation?

I believe 'She' created the universe as a suitable test for the Human mind. By this, I mean that no matter how often Science peels the onion of Reality, there will always be more levels of reality beneath it. No matter how deeply physicists plumb the quantum realm, they will always find new depths, new puzzles, tantalizingly beyond their grasp. (NB: Though not beyond the 'reach' of one of God's greatest gifts to Humanity: Imagination.)

I also believe that God created the universe in six days -- not six 'ages' euphemistically referred to as 'days', six days. But when 'He' created it, 'She' created it with a past. God's act of creation unfolds in the past to a moment before the Big Bang and in the future to the Big Crunch or heat death, whichever applies. Of course, 'He' might decide to stop the holographic universe before it finishes iterating, too. God's Will, wot?

But I believe there is God. Why? Because I feel 'Her' all around me and in me. I see 'Him' in the animals and the stars; I feel 'Her' in the breeze. Don't you? I don't separate myself from God's creation, nor it from myself. We are all of one wholeness. At the implicate level, everything is one, and that One is part of God. (NB: For those who are wondering 'WTF is he rambling about?', try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Implicate_order for some hints on where to begin a reconciliation between science and religion. David Bohm was on the right track, by my estimation.)

So, chris', you can believe what you want. Skepticism is good. And it's not like you said, "I don't believe in God." You just don't know who (which sex' turn was it?) 'She' is. Just don't forget God altogether. You can feel it can't you? We're swimming in His omnipresence, Her creation. Don't forget that feeling.

Whether you're Hindu, Muslim, agnostic, Jew... or a worshipper of any of the other 'Infinite Names of God', it matters not one whit to me. Who am I to judge? As long as your God's prime directives are to 'love the other as you love yourself' and 'seek after Me', then our gods are the same, regardless their names. Since Science professes to serve Mankind and seek the deepest mysteries of the Universe, we are of the same God.

These are my beliefs. They do not make me popular with either side of this long-standing rivalry: Science versus God. But then again, the carpenter I've been following for some time now managed to piss off everybody, too (including His own disciples). He may have been on the losing side of His earthly battles; but, I'm certain in my bones it wasn't the wrong side.

Metaphysically,

zoid

P.S.
Can we do politics next? Please, please, please? I don't think we've alienated/aggravated enough people yet. It doesn't even get interesting until people start casting stones at one another. And mark my words: The stones will be wrapped in Reasoning. That's where 'righteousness' comes from, k

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:14 AM (P)

I don't need to look at a web site about what someone calls atheism because I meant the definition of the word not a new usage.

When I say, “Satanist,” I mean, “Person who worships Satan,” not, “Modern hedonist who chooses to rebel against what they see as arbitrary rules that society places on people who happens to use the Christian figure of Satan as a symbol of that rebellion.” So when I say, “Atheist,” I mean, “One who believes in the nonexistence of god.”

That blind belief in the nonexistence of god is very unscientific in all possible ways. If simply blindly believing in things was enough for a scientist we wouldn’t learn very much about the world now would we?

The website you have linked to has a rather odd overlap, agnosticism and “weak atheism” are the same by its definition. I define agnosticism as believing neither in god nor the non-existence of god. Your site agrees with me on this, however it also introduces the term, “weak atheism,” as “lacking belief in Gods” but not “actively believ[ing] that particular gods, or all gods, do not exist.”

In my mind this is Agnosticism as a member of this school of thought believes neither in god(s) nor the non existence of god(s).

-

If you want to argue the definition you win already. I'm not getting involved in that kind of thing.

If you want to argue that someone who believes in the nonexistence of god is scientific you’ll have a harder time. There isn’t any proof. Hell, half the things that have been pointed to as proof were known to be lies when they were cited.

For example for thousands of years (about two) atheists have been saying that virgin birth is impossible. It’s a nice target, there is no proof that it actually happened and not all theists believe in it anyway, but many didn’t just say it didn’t happen, they said it couldn’t happen. This of course goes against science as we’ve been able to prove that warm-blooded vertebrae reproduce by parthenogenesis for ages. For as long as people have had turkeys for one thing.

If you want to point to the gap between turkeys and humans that’s fine with me. However I have yet to see any paper in any respectable scientific forum comparing the occurrence of virgin birth in sexual animals to the complexity of the DNA of those animals and then extrapolating the odds of it happening in a human. Not one. We are just meant to take it on faith that it is impossible.

I don’t take things on faith.

On the side of religion you’ve got a lot of experiments, my favorite is the one in Poland, unfortunately I have not been able to get appropriate data on certain atmospheric and solar conditions. Ignoring the atmosphere and approximating on the solar it still comes out as theism 100% correct and atheism 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999777% incorrect.

But this is a pro-theist example and there is still a 00.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000223% chance that atheism is right, you’d have to take it on faith that this wasn’t just a series of coincidences like that small percent says is possible.

I don’t take things on faith, but for me this is close enough. For many (many, many, oh so very many) others it is not.

A theist looks at the world and says, “There are several a lot of verifiable highly improbable events occurring surrounding the thing known as religion. (And even more things that can’t be verified.) This is indicative of an outside factor; I’ll call that factor God.”

(Yes, it is hasty and unscientific, I never said theism was scientific, I just said it wasn’t blind faith.)

An agnostic looks at the world and says, “There is no actual proof of the existence of that factor, I reserve judgement.”

An atheist has never taken a statistics course.

-

How can you argue that? If you chose to believe in something then believe in it. If that belief is in the nonexistence of god go for it, I’ll support you on it and make sure people don't insult you, but admit the truth. To believe in the nonexistence of god is to believe w

WHITEFALL

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:36 AM (P)

Very interesting points, but I would like to point out that 'proof' of theism, at least in the physical kind, involving the bible n various cousins, could (and many believe are) just a bunch a books someone wrote somewhere to explain stuff they dont understand. Well, i dunno.

I would like to think that I am an open-minded atheist, and on that note, I should point out that if i am so open-minded, were i to encounter proof of god, i should welcome it. Frankly, i probably would. I'd question it, sure, but at some point, i think i could believe in God when looking at something tangible. The thing is, as it remains at the moment, I can explain, or remain confident that someone around can explain, everything around me, and for things really tiny and things really far away... well... we'll know someday.

I would like to offer that athiests believe in science without being scientists the same way thiests believe in religion without being a monk.

I'd also like to say, if anyone ever saw the movie Contact... (i'm afraid i didnt read the book) the main character gives, to me, a convincing atheistic ideal in the phrase "How can you be sure you aren't deluding yourself?"

Just some food for contemplation.

"Some people juggle geese!" -Ancient Chinese proverb.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:46 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
First, and this is just a guess, you're an agnostic, right?

Actually ... no.

I did seriously consider pretending to be one when the first to respond was an atheist though. It's only a belief in honesty over conflict avoidance that stopped me.

My skill is in math, not science. Lack of proof doesn’t hinder me so long as the process I use gets me to the right answer. If the statistics favor that process I’ll call it correct even without solid proof unless the potential results of being wrong are very bad or my gut tells me not to.

Neither of these is the case so I accept god.

Quote:
Take for instance Catholicism: Very sexy.

God I loved the last pope, “Prejudice and enmity have no place in true religion.” Almost makes me want to be a Catholic, unfortunately there are other doctrines too.

Quote:
But then again, the carpenter I've been following for some time now managed to piss off everybody, too (including His own disciples). He may have been on the losing side of His earthly battles; but, I'm certain in my bones it wasn't the wrong side.

An important distinction if ever there was one.

Quote:
Can we do politics next? Please, please, please? I don't think we've alienated/aggravated enough people yet.

Fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those given to change.
-Proverbs 24:21

Quote:
It doesn't even get interesting until people start casting stones at one another.

You shall stone him with stones until he dies because he tried to entice you away from the lord your god
-Deuteronomy 13:10

Quote:
And mark my words: The stones will be wrapped in Reasoning. That's where 'righteousness' comes from, killing people to save their souls...

Well we always burn down villages to save them, why not bludgeon people do death with rocks to save their souls?

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:53 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Whitefall:
I'd also like to say, if anyone ever saw the movie Contact... (i'm afraid i didnt read the book) the main character gives, to me, a convincing atheistic ideal in the phrase "How can you be sure you aren't deluding yourself?"

And then you have it bounced back at you. It works both ways. Delusion for god, delusion against god, either way is just as likely. I follow the statistics, you follow your eyes. You base your beliefs on what you see and deny that which you don’t, which is fine. Someone in Chicago has no need to believe that Bangor exists, why should someone need to believe in god?

I base my beliefs on what I understand, I can understand miracles as natural phenomena only if there is an unknown factor, and I see no reason not to call it god. If god is a part of nature or nature a part of god the result is the same to me, so why quibble whether there is an unknown factor that acts exactly like god is expected to, or a god that can be explained (incorrectly) as an unknown factor?

I don't.

-

I just wanted to add that it would very hard to prove that Bangor existed, it’s just something you do take on faith. There is nothing I can do to support it’s existence in any solid way and I’ve been there.

EMMA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 7:13 AM (P)

Christhecynic, you compare Bibles? Please explain

Whitefall, the Bible doesn't act as evidence for God. The Bible is only a collection of stories, myths, legends, and histories. Personal belief and the inability to explain 'things' such as the creation of the universe does that.

Zoid, how can you have a strict adherence to Christ' teachings when these teachings vary in different places and are open to different interpretations? Perhaps you mean that you have a strict adherence to your own specific understanding of his teachings, or that you follow a specific domination with regards to their teaching?

It is also inaccurate to consider the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) as presenting 'eye for an eye' teaching. There are many places in the Hebrew Bible where such teaching is proposed but also many other places where it is condemned. Plus, the New Testament has many violent and unacceptable elements - check out the Christ figure in Revelation for one.

The New Testament has just as much (and just as little) hatred of homosexuals, women and so on as the Hebrew Bible with the added addition of a copious amount of anti-Semitism (in addition to the xenophobic elements of the Hebrew Bible but in different forms).

I am a grad student studying the Bible with a specific emphasis on childrens Bibles (I am currently looking at retellings of Jonah) and the secular use of Biblical stories in culture - I am happily working on Christ figures in Buffy.

extremely dimensionally transcendental

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 7:47 AM (P)

christhecynic:

Heh-heh! Good getting 'stoned' with you, Old Testament School style!

So, New Testament style:
John 8:7
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone...

or

Luke 6:36
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

6:37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven...

I need mercy and forgiveness. I can't withstand judgment against the standard of perfection. Heck, I don't even reckon I can be judged against my fellow humans, let alone Jesus' example.

Are you sure we can't just do politics? At some point, I suspect a 'Stepford Christian' will chime in saying, "Jesus was speaking metaphorically," or some such, because his judgmental pastor told him so verbatim, and the whole flock just fell into lock-step with a plastered-on grin. I believe Christ's every word. I'm a literalist. When He told parables -- making metaphors -- Jesus always prefaced them with a disclaimer. He challenged His disciples perceptions; but, He was pretty straight with everyone else.

Dangerously,

zoid

EMMA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 8:12 AM (P)

Quote:
I believe Christ's every word.

You see, there is my difficulty with this line of reasoning. The Gospels (bearing in mind there are many more than the canonical 4) all say different things.

Let us take the last-words of Jesus as an example:

Matthew 27:46 & Mark 16:34, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me'

Luke 23:46, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit'

John 19:30, 'It is finished'

Now, bearing in mind these are translations (how people read the Bible depends on which translation they read, each is different to the others, not to mention the original texts - of which there are many versions) how can they all be the last words of Jesus?

The Gospel-writers were telling their own version of events for their own reasons, hence they tell different stories. It is unlikely that any of them knew Jesus (one may have done - but it is unlikely) so they are working on rumours and whispers. It is impossible to know what Jesus said, only interpret what the Gospel writers claimed that he said.

Also, dangerously, perhaps even 'asking for it'

extremely dimensionally transcendental

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 8:39 AM (P)

Emma:

I hear you. Depending on what version of the Bible one reads (King James, New King James, New International Version, Amplified Version, et cetera), there are subtle -- or not so subtle -- differences in the different translations. Some, like the late Reggie White for example, have gone so far as to learn the languages of the earliest texts. I haven't. I'm a King James Version guy.

But, I also don't cotton much to interpretations. In the KJV I grew up with, Jesus' utterances were writ in red. This makes 'strict adherence' to His words easier. However, my use of 'strict adherence' may itself be misinterpreted. What I mean is this: I try with all my might to live in strict adherence to His words; but, it is an attempt I fail at miserably. I look at females a little too appreciatively. I lose my temper and use profanity with little provocation. I sometimes say hurtful and unkind things to my loved ones... That's just the preamble. To make it short, I'm a shambling wreck of a cheap knockoff of Christ's example.

But, I'm still here battling, and I will be 'til I go into the great unknowable mystery that awaits every living creature. Because I have faith. Because I can feel it.

You can't, hmmm? I wish you did. I hope you may.

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
Yes, the OT contains many messages of tolerance and forgiveness. But when a Christian preacher wants to encourage intolerance for women, gays, persons who engage in alternative lifestyles -- and to punish them for it -- he cracks open the old book.

Tell you what, though. You're the Bible scholar. Find me an example of Jesus -- in his own words -- saying, "Kill the sinner. Keep the woman under your heel. Shun the outsider." Get back to me when you find one of those. Take as much time as you need. (NB: I do believe that a woman was His most trusted confidante, and that she was envied by some of Jesus' disciples. That He kissed her on the mouth not only further inflamed them, but may be indicative of an even deeper relationship.)

P.P.S.
Since someone else mentioned "Contact", one of my favorite exchanges from the movie was when Matthew was challenged by Jodie to prove the existence of God, he in reply asked Jodie if she loved her deceased father. She welled with emotion and said she certainly did; he softly replied, "Prove it." Sorry I can't find the direct quote.
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

EMMA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:28 AM (P)

Try this lot for dubious statements, there are many more:

Matt. 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it. (This literally means - particurly in Greek - that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven people need to act violently, see also Luke 16:16)

Luke 16:18 "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Jesus to 'the Jews' who accept him: John 8:44. You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.

Plus, I imagine that if someone today demonstrated against something they believed in (however good the cause) by throwing their strength about in the same way Jesus did with the money lenders most of us, would object and be disgusted. The turning over of the tables in the temple is one of Jesus' most famous acts and yet many people forget it is violent and would be completely unacceptable in today's society - as it was then.

Jesus is an ambigous character (don't get me wrong, I think he is great, true political revolutionary) who, in my opinion, needs to be understood within the context of the Gospel writers. I do not believe it is possible to take his words literally as though he said them because the Gospels are political documents and as such manipulate things for the advantage of the community they were written in/for.

Also, you say that you don't go for interpretations but you interpret Jesus. You choose what chapters and verses to remember and adhere to, you choose how you understand them. This in itself is an act of interpretation, just as you interpret posts on this board (adding your own 'voice', 'appearance', 'tone' to the writing) you do the same when you read the words of Jesus.

-------
As an aside, I find the New Revised Standard Version a more accurate translation than the KJV.

Here are two very useful websites:
http://www.bible.org/netbible2/
http://www.biblegateway.com/

extremely dimensionally transcendental

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:35 AM (P)

everyworldspinnin wrote:

Quote:
Sitting out here on my deck dreading going back to work tommorow, I was just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a PC Tech. How bout you?

I'm a freelance cartoonist.

Presently I'm working on a two page comic strip that runs monthly until september.

It's kinda fun.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

KOFFEE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:14 AM (P)

Dang, almost forgot why I came to this thread for in the first place....

I am a Quality Control Laboratory Technition.

I'll get back to the debate tomorrow. Right now I have lab tests to do....

----------------------------------------------
“It's a real burden being right so often.”

GAVIDA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:56 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
everyworldspinning:

I'm an air traffic controller. I sit in a tower all day trying -- to paraphrase whedonesque -- to convince pilots that they really don't wanna die on my shift. If only my customers and I shared that core value...

I've converted 3 of my 4 coworkers. Number 4's the boss, and I don't envision him sitting in the break room watching eps with the guys. But, I'm formulating a plan...

Vocationally,

zoid

Hmm, I wonder how much more people you could convert if you tell the pilots of the planes you are directing "I will give you a flight path and tell you where to land if you promise me to watch Firefly asap!"

OT:
I am a civil servant (hope this is the right term I remembered and not something offensive, although some people find civil servants offensive, hehe).

See you,
Gavida

REZLEOG2

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 11:32 AM (P)

Excellent! Back to topic!
While I am a follower of Christ, but don't think of myself as a very good Christian, I mean no disrespect to those that what to debate religion. But I AM here because I am interested in the vocations of other Browncoats.

I myself am the chief navigator of an offshore petroleum research crew. We do seismic surveys in the Gulf of Mexico (and other places) to collect data for geophysicists to decide (guess) where to drill for the oil that ends up in the tanks of everyones cars. It is my job to convince the vessels involved in the survey to be in the right place at the right time in order for the survey to provide correct information. It's an interesting job that has taken me to many interesting places in the world. One nice thing about it is that the vessels have computer networks that allow me to place all the Firefly episodes on the server, for everyone to see! I have made many converts!

Rezleog

MANWITHPEZ

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 11:36 AM (P)

Hey I live in fame, or go down in flames...

That's right, nothing can stop the US Air Force...

I was trained in 1993 to be a computer operator. I got divorced, and left the Air Force in 1997...For four years, I wandered the earth like Kaine in Kung-Fu...okay, I kinda went to college, and tried to survive, but I didn't do all that great at it...I got remarried in 2000, and we welcomed our first child in 2001. So, while I had worked for the postal service for three years, they offered no benefits to speak of. I had to leave and find insurance...And guess where I found it in abundance. That's right. Now, the truly funny thing about the Air Force is that once you leave, and try to come back, they don't like you anymore. So, my cushy computer job was taken away, and I was given an Aircraft Maintenance job...Fuels. I work on the fuel systems in the planes. I stop leaks...etc, etc. However, twice, after people found out how fast I could type, I was offered flight jobs...basically as a secretary. Hey, I don't mind, as long as my bosses realize that I'm not Maggie Gyllenhal.

Word.

Why did I tell you guys all that? I don't know...Oh wait, here's the answer...another sodium pentothal dart...right in the neck...

Kaylee: "What's so damn important about being proper? It don't mean nothing out here in the black."
Simon: "It means more out here. It's all I have..."

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 12:04 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
everyworldspinning:

I'm an air traffic controller. I sit in a tower all day trying -- to paraphrase whedonesque -- to convince pilots that they really don't wanna die on my shift.

Zoid good buddy.

I've travelled quite a fair bit in my time, and chances are I've wondered across your air space on more than one occaision.... and even if I haven't may I just say; thanks to you and your fellow controllers for bringing me down safely. I have a love/hate thing going on with air travel and it's easy to overlook the guys n' gals behind the scenes......So Cheers Bud.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

BROWNCOAT1

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 1:37 PM (P)

I'm a marketing director who longs to be a swashbuckling adventurer.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/richmondbrowncoats/

STARPILOTGRAINGER

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 1:45 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by BrownCoat1:
I'm a marketing director who longs to be a swashbuckling adventurer.

I've always said my life's ambition was to be a noble drifter in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

But swashbuckling adventurer's probably in my top 10.

Star Pilot Grainger
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down."
LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/newnumber6 (real)
http://www.livejournal.com/users/alternaljournal (fictional, travelling through another world)
Unreachable Star: http://www.unreachablestar.net - Comics & SF News/Reviews/Opinions

WHITEFALL

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 2:06 PM (P)

Lol, has any of you swashbucklers played Monkey Island?

"Some people juggle geese!" -Ancient Chinese proverb.

PHAEDRA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:12 PM (P)

I'm a Teaching Fellow at one of them uppity law schools. There I co-teach Constitutional Law. I finish my one year tenure in about two months. Then I'm gonna sit back and do noting but watch TV and write fanfic for a while. I start working at one of them upity firms in October. So long story short, my life sux.

As for the fascenating religion strain. I'm a part-time non-practicing Catholic: none of the church going, lots of the sin [when I have time to fit it in], and 110% of the guilt [I know that I'm responsible for all the bad in the world]. But really what I aim to be in a fully practicing agnostic. Like Socrates I take comfort in believing that I'm wise, since I know that I know noting (at least regarding the nature of god). Though I buy into the theory of a higher being, I hypothesise that its very nature is more than my little mind could understand let alone comprehend. So mainly I don't think about it at all, unless I'm in the mood for some really deep mental masterbation.

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

STEVETHEPIRATE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:23 PM (P)

I'm an editor at a mid-sized publishing company. I do marketing, editing (as the title might suggest) and an unfortunately small bit of design. I long to find an employer that will allow me to become a Japanese-style window-sitter - one who has been with the company for a while but no longer works, yet has no threat of ever being fired. That would rock.

Either that, or something that will get me back into sports. I used to be a sports writer.

----------------------------------------------
"MY APOCALYPTIC TENOR HAS NOT BEEN DISPELLED!" - T-Rex ( www.qwantz.com)

WILDHEAVENFARM

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 3:30 PM (P)

I raise dairy goats and make goat milk soaps and assorted toiletries on our family farm outside of Richmond, VA. ( http://www.vagoatsoap.com)

Top that, y'all!

Mary
Always a beast, never a burden.

JADEHAND

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:11 PM (P)

I currently work at a hotel, which I like, but not my current job. Looking to change positions somehow.

Quote:
Originally posted by Phaedra:
As for the fascenating religion strain. I'm a part-time non-practicing Catholic: none of the church going, lots of the sin [when I have time to fit it in], and 110% of the guilt [I know that I'm responsible for all the bad in the world]. But really what I aim to be in a fully practicing agnostic. Like Socrates I take comfort in believing that I'm wise, since I know that I know noting (at least regarding the nature of god). Though I buy into the theory of a higher being, I hypothesise that its very nature is more than my little mind could understand let alone comprehend. So mainly I don't think about it at all, unless I'm in the mood for some really deep mental masterbation.

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

This about sums up my take on it too, 'cept for the Catholic part, which gets rid of the guilt part. Socrates was the man. "I drank what?"

The following from Marillion:
When I Meet God

Lyrics: Hogarth
Music: Hogarth/Kelly/Mosley/Rothery/Trewavas

And if the bottle's no solution
Why does it feel so warm
And if that girl is no solution
Why did she feel so warm
And if to feel is no solution
Why do I feel
Why do I feel so tired
Why do I feel so broken
Why do I feel so outside
Why do I seem so blind
I'm so sick of feeling
It's ruined my life
If living rough is no solution
Why does it ease my mind
If looking back is no solution
Why are we all
Nothing but children
Children inside

Why do the Gods
Sit back and watch
So many lost
What kind of mother
Leaves a child in the traffic
Turning tricks in the dark
What kind of God?

I crawled around inside myself
It was a long way down
It was a mine and it was mine
And in the darkness
I saw a perfect mirror
Floating in space

When I meet God
I'm going to ask her
What makes her cry
What makes her laugh
Is she just stars and indigo gas
Does she know why
Love has no end
But it's dark-angel friend
Tearing women and men
Slowly apart

Stain
Don't do that
Scream
Don't do that
Fail
Never do that
Never do that
I want to go out
Don't do that
I want an adventure
Just stay..
I want
Just stay in
I want to make love

And if the bottle's no solution
Why does it feel so warm
And if looking back is no solution
Why are we all just children inside
And if to feel is no solution
Why does the whole damn world feel so broken
So outside and out-of-sorts

A perfect mirror
Floating in space
Waves and numbers
But oh, such beautiful numbers
And oh, such waves..

Visit WWW.Marillion.Com for a better way to live

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:11 PM (P)

Somno:

Thanks for the thanks. Mine really is a strange job. I don't suppose there's another exactly like it, although it does have a lot in common with just about every other career listed here. We have a saying that defines air traffic control (ATC), which may put it in perspective: "ATC is hours of routine boredom, punctuated by moments of stark terror."

I'm pretty sure firemen can understand that. And maybe ICU nurses (like whedonesque). Policemen probably get more stark terror than I'd be able to stand and keep my sanity.

But retail sales... The horror... The horror...

Comparatively,

zoid

P.S.
I'll bet you are a fine pilot, who modulates his speech rate, can read his own instruments and uses an attention-getting step rather than overloading the controller on initial call. You know, "Someplace Tower, Malibu FOW-er, Fife, Tree, Keh-BECK, Pah-PAH." As opposed to SomeplaceTowerFurFye(sounds like 'two' but it might be 'three')KewPop, (takes half a breath) twentyfivemilessoutheastatfourthousanddescendingtotwentyfive (takes a quarter breath) inboundtoyourairportformulitpletouchandgoes."
Standard response: "Last aircraft calling Someplace Tower, say again."

Vocal communication is the only tool I have (no radar), but it's a two-way street. The gobbledegook I regularly get on frequency is worse than nothing: It's a 10-second block of interference through which none of my other customers can be served, and all of which will have to be repeated in chunks anyway, in order to be refined into 'information'.

But anybody who sees air travel as a necessity, as opposed to a cool way to meet new friends (i.e. mid-air), is a man after my own heart. Keep safe, stay vigilant. You never know who you're sharing the skies with; but, I do. ...Be very afraid.
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:36 PM (P)

Emma:

All of Matthew 11, the King James Version, since it really should be taken in context: http://tinyurl.com/5a3zj . (NB: Direct links don't work on the site. You'll have to use the 'Go to Scripture' tool at the left, sorry. Make sure you get 'King James Ver' in the 'Translation' dialog.) I don't think it's really that ambiguous, and I don't think Jesus was saying that the kingdom of heaven must be taken by force. So, I'm calling 'foul'.

We all -- all humans -- interpret the world and everything in it. There's no shame in that. But I reserve the right to disagree with the 'interpretations' of others; I take the words of Jesus (later Christ) as the law.

Heck, we all interpret Firefly differently, and I'd call the show 'divinely inspired' without a hint of disingenuity. But, if I disagree with someone else's interpretation, say, that Mal really wants to be the King of Londinium, I'll tell 'em so, even if they're a Shepherd or Whedonverse expert. Even tho' I agree Mal did say, "And I'd like to be king of all Londinium and wear a shiny hat."

This has gone on too long. This is not something I'm comfortable with in a public forum, because many will find it offensive. Luckily, the exchange has remained respectful of the differing opinions of others. That is what I meant by "Dangerously". If you'd like to continue the discussion, please Message Me from my profile page, and I'll discuss it with you 'til the cows come home. Perhaps you'd find the viewpoint of a common Christian educational, from a purely academic standpoint?

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
Luke 17 continues on the topic of 'trespass' or sin, and forgiveness. Use http://tinyurl.com/5a3zj, 'Go to Scripture' dialog box on the left hand side. Make sure you get 'King James Ver' in the 'Translation' dialog.

My favorite quote from that chapter is:
"The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." -Jesus (who became the Christ), Luke 17:20-21

KELLAINA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:39 PM (P)

I work in retail and I've got one year left to go on my political science degree.

Sitting on the deck sounds good...

If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do. -"Angel"

Browncoat? Canadian? Join us:
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/canadianbrowncoats/

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:39 PM (P)

Zoid wrote:

Quote:
ATC is hours of routine boredom, punctuated by moments of stark terror.

Ohhh.... I hear ya! Part of why I love my job so much is there's little to zero 'stark terror' involved - unless I knock the ink pot over a months worth of work, and my deadline is the next morning.... Although terror is really too strong a word for such a predicament.

On a serious note though I'm amazed by peoples almost superhuman like ability to undertake certain jobs. Yours is one of them, as are many of the occupations you previously mentioned also.

Quote:
Vocal communication is the only tool I have (no radar), but it's a two-way street. The gobbledegook I regularly get on frequency is worse than nothing: It's a 10-second block of interference through which none of my other customers can be served, and all of which will have to be repeated in chunks anyway, in order to be refined into 'information'.

Wow! It's this kinda detail that I find fascinating.

Quote:
But anybody who sees air travel as a necessity, as opposed to a cool way to meet new friends (i.e. mid-air), is a man after my own heart. Keep safe, stay vigilant.

I'm incredibly solitary when it comes to flying. I just love looking out the window too much :)

Quote:
You never know who you're sharing the skies with; but, I do. ...Be very afraid.

Nice.... Way to make a guy rest easy

I've flown over some very interesting places so I can believe what you're saying... When I was a kid I flew with my mother all over South America and on one occasion we had a fighter following us almost all the way. I swear something was up but nothing was ever said to us ( the passengers) but I remember my mum having an extremely anxious face through-out the journey. Me.... I thought it was cool, but I was eight years old and blissfully unaware of the implications of a Bolivian Jet flying around a 747.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

SHINYGODDESS

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:48 PM (P)

[qoute] I raise dairy goats and make goat milk soaps and assorted toiletries on our family farm outside of Richmond, VA. [/unqoute]

I am from Louisiana. I almost took a job here for the "fun" of it that involved herding goats 5-6 days a week. I thought it could give me a different perspective on life. But instead I landed this cushy job as a Regional Admin to a communications company. There are times, though, I sit back and wonder at what adventures being the " goat girl" would have brought about. *sigh*

Lots of Love,

ShinyGoddess

" Have Good Sex!"

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:52 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Emma:
Christhecynic, you compare Bibles? Please explain

Just compare the translations on occasion really. Nothing too interesting. Oddly enough I’ve never gotten my hands on a Catholic bible, the only one remaining that contains an entire book the others do not.

Truth be told I mostly just collect them.

Quote:
The New Testament has just as much (and just as little) hatred of homosexuals, women and so on as the Hebrew Bible with the added addition of a copious amount of anti-Semitism (in addition to the xenophobic elements of the Hebrew Bible but in different forms).

I must have missed that, the only anti homosexual part I picked up on was Paul’s bit in one of the Corinthians letters. I never liked Paul anyway, not the time to explain though.

Same with other religions, the Old Testament take on people like Samaritans is
“You shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it, all that is in it and it’s livestock-with the edge of the sword.
“And you shall gather all its plunder into the middle of the street and completely burn with the fire the city and all its plunder, for the LORD your God . It shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again.”
New King James Deuteronomy 13:15-16

Jesus says that a Samaritan can be a good person.

The difference is incredible. A Samaritan, not just a member of another religion but a member of another religion that was once part of Judaism, the Old Testament was very clear that such a person should be killed.

CANTON

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:53 PM (P)

I'm a computer programmer in the USAF. . .soon to be a full time student again, thinking about going Pre-Med or something.

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 5:56 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by ShinyGoddess:
[qoute]There are times, though, I sit back and wonder at what adventures being the " goat girl" would have brought about. *sigh*

Wow! Kinda like "Manon" from Jean De Flourette and Manon De Source Two of my favourite films :)

Also:

Quote:
" Have Good Sex!"

Is there such a thing as bad sex?..... Or am I just too keen, that I make no distinction?

pensively.....TheSomnambulist.....

www.cirqus.com

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:00 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Whitefall:
Lol, has any of you swashbucklers played Monkey Island?

Of course.

SHINYGODDESS

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:02 PM (P)

Now that you have given me that question, I thought about it and I think that yes, there can be bad sex. *sigh* unfortunately. But mostly ( mostly) there is good sex. lol

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:03 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Jadehand:
This about sums up my take on it too, 'cept for the Catholic part, which gets rid of the guilt part. Socrates was the man. "I drank what?"

You have to get even with FOX, it's a moral imperative.

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:12 PM (P)

Somno wrote:

Quote:
Ohhh.... I hear ya! Part of why I love my job so much is there's little to zero 'stark terror' involved - unless I knock the ink pot over a months worth of work, and my deadline is the next morning.... Although terror is really too strong a word for such a predicament...

That's probably because your work doesn't tend to fall flaming from several miles above the surface of the earth, accompanied by a chorus of human voices straight from Dante's Inferno. Black box recordings, ugh...

There, that should make you feel better.

Seriously though, airplane travel is the safest form of mass transit, ya-da, ya-da... Much safer than your car. And don't forget how dangerous the radiation from your cell phone is: brain cancer. And everyone should really wash their hands at least 20 times a day (more than that if you actually touch things)...

Reassuringly,

zoid

P.S.
I thought you were implying you were a pilot.

I didn't intend to scare the 'straights'. If you only fly on commercial flights, you should know that your pilots are the most rigorously trained and best-equipped professionals in the industry. I'd come a lot closer to blithely trusting a commercial pilot with my life than a doctor.
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

PHAEDRA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:29 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:

Wow! Kinda like "Manon" from Jean De Flourette and Manon De Source Two of my favourite films :)

Wow them be some fancy movies yer talkin' about there. Does that mean your screen name is a reference to that opera?

Oh and keep the Real Genius shout outs coming. Is it possible to build a space laser large enough to destory the evil that is fox?

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:29 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
That's probably because your work doesn't tend to fall flaming from several miles above the surface of the earth, accompanied by a chorus of human voices straight from Dante's Inferno. Black box recordings, ugh...

There, that should make you feel better.

Well while I have my critics, I must admit none have seen it necessary to sling my work out of a moving aircraft.... Yet. Or me for that matter.

Quote:
P.S.
I thought you were implying you were a pilot. I didn't intend to scare the 'straights'. If you only fly on commercial flights, you should know that your pilots are the most rigorously trained and best-equipped professionals in the industry. I'd come a lot closer to blithely trusting a commercial pilot with my life than a doctor.

Oh no sorry if that came across. I wanted to be a pilot though. Me and my dad were this close to buying a light aircraft together and taking lessons, but he was asked to work overseas and that thwarted our plans. Maybe one day though, when I have enough filthy lucka!... And I'm not afraid of flying....I'm afraid of hitting the ground at severe speed! No my love/hate thing is from being in the terminal - it just drags on. Plus you have to be at the check in so long before you take off. I know it doesn't seem like much but when you frequently travel by air it really pains you. At least it does me!

Cheers for the imagery though Zoid. Nice :)

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:35 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Phaedra:
Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:

Wow! Kinda like "Manon" from Jean De Flourette and Manon De Source Two of my favourite films :)

Wow them be some fancy movies yer talkin' about there. Does that mean your screen name is a reference to that opera?

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

Why thank you.... My screen name is from "The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari" A German silent film, epitomising the term German Expressionism. It may well have been made into an opera that I'm not aware of....But the central character called Caligari uses a Somnambulist to terrorise a small town. If you have the chance give it a whirl. It's visually stunning.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:47 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by ShinyGoddess:
Now that you have given me that question, I thought about it and I think that yes, there can be bad sex. *sigh* unfortunately. But mostly ( mostly) there is good sex. lol

....there's just so many ways to go with this It's so difficult to focus on one point.
LOL
...No I think I can safely say, I've never had bad sex... I may have played a big part in someone else feeling like they've had bad sex - but to my mind it's always been great!

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

PHAEDRA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 6:52 PM (P)

Ok you have really good taste in film and here I thought you were refering to La Sombulana(sp?). My bad. I really liked The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, but I'm cheesey and have to rate Nosferatu above it. Does that make me a bad person?

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 7:03 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Phaedra:
Ok you have really good taste in film and here I thought you were refering to La Sombulana(sp?). My bad. I really liked The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, but I'm cheesey and have to rate Nosferatu above it. Does that make me a bad person?

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

Such a bad person!

He, he. Of course not. Nosferatu is a beautiful silent film. I think The Cabinet of Dr Caligari just edges it for me because of the whole 'German Expressionist' thing. It's just something I'm into.

La Sombulana I'm not aware of, but I must confess I'm not very well versed in Opera. Of course I'm aware of the more popular ones, but I hadn't heard or seem that one. Is it good? Are you into Opera? For my A Level art exam I did an illustration for 'La Boheme' but otherwise my exposure to that has been minimal.

Although I love A Night at the Opera!!!! Go Marx Brothers!!!!

Oh by the way thanks for saying I have good taste in films.

*blushes*

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 7:33 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Phaedra:
Oh and keep the Real Genius shout outs coming. Is it possible to build a space laser large enough to destory the evil that is fox?

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

Look, right now we have a tracking system, a large spinning mirror, and we’re trying to freeze something. It’s not going well.

ASTRAGYNIA

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 7:38 PM (P)

I'm a religion student.
Really.
And no, I'm not joining the above discussion. Not at the moment, anyway.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 7:57 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Astragynia:
I'm a religion student.
Really.
And no, I'm not joining the above discussion. Not at the moment, anyway.

Good.

No offence but the last thing you need in a discussion of the existence of god is religion. It just clouds the issue so much. I’ve already screwed that up in this thread and we don’t need anyone compounding it.

COZEN

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 8:30 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
...just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a.... How bout you?

Fearlessly -- ironically

-- I endeavour to venture back to the topic by lettin' y'all know that by way of vocation I do (colour) timing.

Partially explains many things, such as the eyeglass prescriptions, the poor tan, or the refusal to post spoilers.

Though I suppose my reaction the first time I saw my name in a flick's credits could sorta count as a religious experience.

Then again, nah.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/ldnemeth/images/blackjacksilver.GIF

MANIACNUMBERONE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 8:46 PM (P)

Glad we wandered back to the topic. I didn't really want to argue about religion at the moment.

By the way, I'm your friendly neighborhood Taxman.

-------------------------------------------
Inara: Who's winning?
Simon: I can't really tell, they don't seem to be playing by any civilized rules that I know.
-------------------------------------------

EVERYWORLDSPINNIN

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 8:47 PM (P)

I can't remember the last time I read a topic that jumped around so much, much less started one that did. It's all good though. Posts should be conversations anyway.

Wes

"I am a large, semi-muscular man..."

EVERYWORLDSPINNIN

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 8:57 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Jake:
Graduate student in astrophysics here. I sit around trying to convince others that the sky really is falling while I try to convince myself that I know physics and that this is the way to go to avoid getting a real job. ;)

Seriously though, I study galactic chemical evolution, which basically tries to reproduce the Milky Way galaxy we observe today through various theoretical formation models, as well as neutron capture nucleosynthesis, which essentially explains how elements heavier than iron are formed in stars and supernovae.

Don't know if this is up your alley or not, but what's your take on string theory?

"I am a large, semi-muscular man..."

STARPILOTGRAINGER

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:11 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by ManiacNumberOne:
Glad we wandered back to the topic. I didn't really want to argue about religion at the moment.

By the way, I'm your friendly neighborhood Taxman.

"Oh, you're the tax man."
"No! I'm a taxman, not the taxman! A taxman!"

Sorry, couldn't resist (and wondering if anyone else will even get the reference)

Star Pilot Grainger
"Remember, the enemy's gate is down."
LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/newnumber6 (real)
http://www.livejournal.com/users/alternaljournal (fictional, travelling through another world)
Unreachable Star: http://www.unreachablestar.net - Comics & SF News/Reviews/Opinions

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:21 PM (P)

Laywer (well, solicitor - we Brits take our division of labour very seriously).

For those unfamiliar from the other side of the pond, I became a lawyer because I thought it was all jousting in court, jousting in the boardroom and on your desk and drinking fresh coffee all day. LA Law lied to me.

What it means is I don't get to wear the wig and cloak in court - though I'm working on it in the next year or so (still won't get the wig though, those damn barristers get mighty protective).

"I threw up on your bed"

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:29 PM (P)

TheSomnambulist wrote:

Quote:
...No I think I can safely say, I've never had bad sex... I may have played a big part in someone else feeling like they've had bad sex - but to my mind it's always been great!

I've had bad sex. While most assume that females are so talented (or at least so unobtrusive) that they can always provide 'good enough sex' for a male, it's not universally true. I'm not talking about unsatisfying sex, either. I'm talking about a sexual train wreck.

Really horrible. On the positive side, the females involved seemed to be having a fantastic time, though I couldn't figure how. It only served to prolong the agony. I'm sure females have many more of these experiences on average than men do: sorta just lying there thinking, "What's he on about?" It's not fun having the shoe on the other foot.

Count yourself lucky if it's never happened to you...

Regretfully,

zoid

P.S.
Kiss enough princesses and you're bound to get the occasional toad.
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:40 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
I'm talking about a sexual train wreck.

You tried to pull an Ivan, didn't you?

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 9:55 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
Don't know if this is up your alley or not, but what's your take on string theory?

I know I’m not the one asked, but I thought I’d stick my change in as I have everywhere else. It’s my understanding that string theory is a mathematical theory, in spite of what people will tell you. It produces the right answer, but not necessarily through the correct means.

If you ask Steven Hawking, the guy in the wheelchair, he’ll say that if something gets the right answer he’ll accept it. (I know because he says that about many things in his books.) On the other hand many of the anti-string theorists say that the important part is not to get the right answer, it is to understand the elements contributing to the process that results in that answer.

-

This is not my field of expertise, but I think it helps to have someone make the distinction right up front. To be true it needs to be more than simply perfect, it needs to accurately describe the universe, and that is where people get into fights. Years ago they did the math needed to prove it was perfect, but there are many perfect things that don’t even make accurate predictions.

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
I can't remember the last time I read a topic that jumped around so much, much less started one that did. It's all good though. Posts should be conversations anyway.

I’m glad you approve, you were the only one I was worried about pissing off.

Quote:
Originally posted by ManiacNumberOne:
I didn't really want to argue about religion at the moment.

We weren’t really arguing about religion so much, though there was a bit of that (sorry), more about physics.

Whether or not there is a god is not a matter for religion, and indeed religion stays out of the debate (but obviously not the tangents to the debate.) Religion only comes in after you’ve made up your mind on god.

The existence of god, or lack there of, is a question of the interaction of matter and energy as well as their natures. This falls under physics.

JAKE

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:24 PM (P)

You're right, it's not really up my alley. ;)

However, I like it in that it attempts to explain the universe as we see it. It's human nature to inquire about the world we live in, and to attempt to explain our perception of it on an extremely fundamental level (possibly *the* most fundamental level) with formulated concepts developed from observations and mathematics is, to me, just...beautiful. We take what we think we know about this universe and apply it to explain various phenomena. It doesn't mean what we think we know is actually what is occurring, but rather that what we think we know agrees fairly well with what we see. For all we know, we could be in left field and have not one clue of what's actually going on. ;)

On the other hand, despite some recent rumblings from a Dutch (?) research group studying Bose-Einstein condensates, it's kinda hard to really verify this theory. As it is, string theory is just that: a theory, albeit an attractive one. :) Regardless of whether or not it completely explains reality as we experience it is just a minor hindrance in furthering our understanding of our universe. ;)

As you can probably tell, I can't really say anything specific about string theory as I haven't had much "edumication" in it. I certainly am intrigued by it, but unfortunately I don't really have much time to dedicate to it. (I thought the life of a grad student wouldn't be much different than the life of an undergrad - I was *dead* wrong about that.) Nonetheless, I do intend to learn more about it, even if we don't know the degree of its validity. Afterall, where's the fun if you can't look at the world in a different way?

SUBGUY

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:31 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
Sitting out here on my deck dreading going back to work tommorow, I was just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a PC Tech. How bout you?

Up until last November I was a member of the Navigation Division aboard the Fast Attack submarine USS Providence SSN-719.

Now I work for Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, a company that builds Ion Implanters.

For those who wonder what an Ion Implanter is, it is a very large (room-sized) machine that bombards silicon wafers with ionized particles, making them semiconductors, which are in turn used to make computer chips. Anything you own with a chip in it, from your computer to your cell phone to your car likely has a chip made with a Varian tool.

Captain Pete

ZOID

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:32 PM (P)

christhecynic queried:

Quote:
You tried to pull an Ivan, didn't you?

While I'm not really sure what you're driving at ("Oooh, er, that sounds a bit rude!"), I can assure you there was nothing particularly extraordinary about the maneuver ("More of a 'gesture' than a 'maneuver', really.").

And no, there wasn't anything physically wrong with either the girl or myself, either. We just weren't in the same ballpark psychically for some reason. The more she enjoyed it, the more bemused I became. For whatever reason, the experience lacked a certain mutual joie de vivre and sense of union that I generally consider characteristic of 'good sex', or even marginally acceptable sex. While I've had sex with any number of females who lacked technique or suffered from image issues, et cetera, the sex was always rewarding because of physical union and communion of spirits. I'd like to think not worse a verdict would be rendered of me.

It definitely gave me a different perspective on things though. Coupled with being present for two of my wife's childbirths, I realized that I'll never fully comprehend why women put up with such shenanigans...

Women -- all of them -- are truly miraculous.

v/r,
-zed

SUBGUY

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:38 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Rezleog2:
I myself am the chief navigator of an offshore petroleum research crew. We do seismic surveys in the Gulf of Mexico (and other places) to collect data for geophysicists to decide (guess) where to drill for the oil that ends up in the tanks of everyones cars. It is my job to convince the vessels involved in the survey to be in the right place at the right time in order for the survey to provide correct information. It's an interesting job that has taken me to many interesting places in the world. One nice thing about it is that the vessels have computer networks that allow me to place all the Firefly episodes on the server, for everyone to see! I have made many converts!

I would love to talk to you some time and compare methods of navigation. I'm sure you rely heavily on GPS, where when I was stuck underwater our best bet was inertial.

Captain Pete

CHRISTHECYNIC

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 11:26 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
While I'm not really sure what you're driving at ("Oooh, er, that sounds a bit rude!"), I can assure you there was nothing particularly extraordinary about the maneuver

There was some talk about the Crazy Ivan sexual position a while ago. That’s all.

Quote:
("More of a 'gesture' than a 'maneuver', really.").

Do I detect a hint of Eddie Izzard?

-

Regardless, this conversation is out of my depth.

JADEHAND

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 11:38 PM (P)

christhecynic wrote:
Wednesday, June 01, 2005 09:33

Quote:
:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Phaedra:
Oh and keep the Real Genius shout outs coming. Is it possible to build a space laser large enough to destory the evil that is fox?

Phaedra (a bad luck name)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Look, right now we have a tracking system, a large spinning mirror, and we’re trying to freeze something. It’s not going well.

FOX will rue the day!
Who says rue?

How could you build that mirror?!?

ohhh...popcorn.....................

Visit WWW.Marillion.Com for a better way to live

FORRESTWOLF

Thursday, June 2, 2005 12:36 AM (P)

I guess you'd call me a physicist. I work on R&D in space-related technologies. Right now, that means I'm working on microwave plasmas for a rather incredible Air Force application as well as microfabricated speakers for active noise reduction for Air Force flight crews.

In the past, it's meant I've worked on: plasma-based thrusters, small-scale fusion, microfabricated optics, plasma aerodynamics, and more. I have a lot of fun, when I'm not busy writing a report or proposal...

Subguy - I LOVE Varian's little leak detector ion sources - and we're about to get our very own extremely used mask aligner! Jake - I don't understand string theory, either - but I'd bet you'd have a MUCH better chance at it than me :) Oh, and Zoid - I'm learning lots about microwave antennas - but I'd bet you deal with them a lot more?

AS for religion - one agnostic convert to Judaism here (former Unitarian). Fascinating religious discussion, folks - I'm not getting involved except to say that I fully understand where both atheists and more nebulous deists are coming from. OH - and one more thing - I LOVE the 'space Jew' in The Message.

MALICIOUS

Thursday, June 2, 2005 1:11 AM (P)

Zoid,

I am shocked and disappointed that this thread has degraded to a point where EVERYONE got to say something interesting! What has happened to the wild-eyed, anal-retentive, maniacally controlling "keep to the topic"-ness of this site?? Oh, wait! It's never been that way!

Sorry, I've just spent the past two days getting harrangued, in my personal email no less, by "he-who-shall-remain-nameless-for-now" for going off-topic in his thread. Sociopath. Ooops, did I type that out loud?

Anyway, I just want to say how refreshing this thread was to read. Extremely interesting, HUMAN, with varying opinions and ways of expressing them, very divergent and yet funny and kind. The way conversations (and life?) should be. Non-stagnant, non-linear, non-boring is what I mean.

Love,

Your Lishy.....The BANKER. (Hey! The original topic! How'd that get in there??)

Mal-licious

"Let's go be bad guys."

CHRISTHECYNIC

Thursday, June 2, 2005 2:25 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Malicious:
Anyway, I just want to say how refreshing this thread was to read. Extremely interesting, HUMAN, with varying opinions and ways of expressing them, very divergent and yet funny and kind. The way conversations (and life?) should be. Non-stagnant, non-linear, non-boring is what I mean.

Like all important things in life it is more like a spider web than a rope. No one stares at a rope and comments on its beauty (do they?)

EVERYWORLDSPINNIN

Thursday, June 2, 2005 3:25 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by Malicious:

Anyway, I just want to say how refreshing this thread was to read. Extremely interesting, HUMAN, with varying opinions and ways of expressing them, very divergent and yet funny and kind. The way conversations (and life?) should be. Non-stagnant, non-linear, non-boring is what I mean.

I agree, this thread actually unfolds like a good book. So let's recap what we've learned so far....

We have a Banker and a teacher.
We have people who deliver goods, and people who sell them.
We have those who keep the sky from falling, and those who keep others from falling out of the sky.
Those who keep track of things, and those who fix things.
Students, Atheists, Agnostics, Theists, and a self professed loser (doubt that one).
Those who tell us where we're going, those who tell us where we've been, and those who make sure we don't get lost along the way.
We have those who make us laugh, who make us safe, and who make us feel better.

I guess what I've learned here, is that it's not so much what you do for a living, it's what you do with your life that matters.

I look forward to reading more of what you all have to say.

Wes

"I am a large, semi-muscular man..."

CHOLLETT

Thursday, June 2, 2005 4:00 AM (P)

Ahem. Um, yeah. To follow all that really deep thoughtful stuff up, I'm a Grade 11 student at Seycove S. in North Vancouver.

Yeah.

And um, yeah, i go to church.

And i DO actually happen to be a kind of large (5'11) semi-muscular man.

Seriously, wow, this whole thread has been real food for thought. Many kudos. I'm pretty sure i can't say anything that hasn't already been said.

Or maybe i can........

PURPLE CHEESE-GRATING NINJAS!!!!!!!!
Thank you.

"When your miracle gets here, you just pound this button once." -Alan Tudyk, in a message to Joss with the packaged button, about the Firefly movie

CHRISTHECYNIC

Thursday, June 2, 2005 4:23 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
I agree, this thread actually unfolds like a good book. So let's recap what we've learned so far....

We have a Banker and a teacher.
We have people who deliver goods, and people who sell them.
We have those who keep the sky from falling, and those who keep others from falling out of the sky.
Those who keep track of things, and those who fix things.
Students, Atheists, Agnostics, Theists, and a self professed loser (doubt that one).
Those who tell us where we're going, those who tell us where we've been, and those who make sure we don't get lost along the way.
We have those who make us laugh, who make us safe, and who make us feel better.

I guess what I've learned here, is that it's not so much what you do for a living, it's what you do with your life that matters.

My god you can't top that post.
Unless you don't believe in god.
Your ... lack of god I can't top that post.

ZOID

Thursday, June 2, 2005 5:10 AM (P)

'Lish:

So Wutzisname The Topic Nazi is repeatedly emailing you? He wrote me once -- very blue-nosed -- and was met with thunderous silence on my part. I figured, "He doesn't want me to post on 'his' thread? Fine. No problem." I can't even remember his name.

But I have to agree with you, christhecynic and everyworldspinnin: Conversations are non-linear and unconstrained, or else they're not conversations. They're kindergarten classes ruled by a martinet. God forbid you should color outside the lines...

Sorry you're being harrassed by this schmuck. Want me to kneecap him for you? Officious pricks are copious bleeders. Anybody remember Jerry Quarry? Same concept. (NB: The greatest danger fighting Mr. Quarry was slipping in his blood and twisting an ankle.)

I know you can take care of yourself; but it would be unchivalrous of me not to offer assistance to a lady...

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
On a personal note, the sword has been lifted from my neck. Hooray! The kids get to eat for another year! Can't you tell how much friendlier and more carefree I am?

-zed

P.P.S.
I just remembered his name. You've seen pictures of him, right? Ah, to be the nattily attired captain of one's own ship ("made from old cereal packets")! I've got a special problem with pencil-necked limp noodles who like to browbeat girls. How about if I have his mum suspend his television privileges? That oughtta teach him.
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

ELWOODMOM

Thursday, June 2, 2005 5:32 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
Sitting out here on my deck dreading going back to work tommorow, I was just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a PC Tech. How bout you?

Wes

"I am a large, semi-muscular man..."

I used to have a job at a television station. It was a great and rewarding job, even though the pay wasn't the best. Then...I had kids. Now I have a job without a lunch break, or any other kind of break for that matter. The pay is worse, too. But you know, I wouldn't trade these past few years for anything! Where we live, it's rare that one parent stays at home. Now that my youngest will enter kindergarten in the fall, it'll be back to the workforce I go!

TUDYKRAWKS

Thursday, June 2, 2005 6:29 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
Sitting out here on my deck dreading going back to work tommorow, I was just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a PC Tech. How bout you?

Wes

"I am a large, semi-muscular man..."

no joke i work at a porn store, and the funny thing is that i don't like porn hehe

"never bring a wooden battering ram to a flaming arrow fight"

CHRISTHECYNIC

Thursday, June 2, 2005 6:34 AM (P)

To Elwoodmom

Glad to hear you didn't take my cousin's way out, leave the work to other people. Her kid has strong and diverse genetics, but other than that her mother, my cousin, has given her nothing but nine months lodging and the pain of labor. I just hope she turns out ok, she’s such a beautiful little one. All children are.

REZLEOG2

Thursday, June 2, 2005 6:35 AM (P)

Quote:
I would love to talk to you some time and compare methods of navigation. I'm sure you rely heavily on GPS, where when I was stuck underwater our best bet was inertial.

Captain Pete

Well, Captain, the truth of it is that I don't rely heavily on GPS, I rely SOLELY on it. Back in the old days we used many different and varied nav systems, but now GPS and a large software package to do all the work is all there is.

Rezleog

ELWOODMOM

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:09 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
To Elwoodmom

Glad to hear you didn't take my cousin's way out, leave the work to other people. Her kid has strong and diverse genetics, but other than that her mother, my cousin, has given her nothing but nine months lodging and the pain of labor. I just hope she turns out ok, she’s such a beautiful little one. All children are.

That breaks my heart. I too hope she turns out okay!

KOFFEE

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:24 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
When you believe something without proof I call it, “Blind faith,” maybe you call it something else.

I call that blind faith as well. I have never seen proof of a god, therefore I do not blindly believe in one.

That is the last I am going to say on the topic because I know that I am never going to change you mind, and you will never change mine. All that continuing this discussion will do is lead to arguing and hard feelings.

----------------------------------------------
78% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

HANITRADER

Thursday, June 2, 2005 8:09 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:
Sitting out here on my deck dreading going back to work tommorow, I was just wondering, what do other FF/Serenity fans do for a living? Me, I'm a PC Tech. How bout you?

Wes

Hmmmmmmm...

It's rather nice to see a thread like this come up- provides a rather interesting if not myopic view beyond screen-names.

At any rate, here is some more fixins' for the Stew-Pot yanked from my profile... Do mind though, the followings just an encapsulation of the last 380 days of "making a living"; for me not just those things that bring in cash- but those things that rake in meaning to life beyond Wife, Son, and Cat.

Registered Nurse (retired out of), to
Volunteer at local University in Language Arts as Teaching Assistant and tutor with English-as-a-second language students. to
Barista (yep- one shift-a-week), to
Ordained Minister (Really not too religous- just spiritual-OK- Not Religious at all, but Spiritual... Can Wed ya and your partner legally if given enough prep time for the particulars of your chosen Religion/Service...) to
Science Instructor in College (part-time),and
Around the bend is... Ah, now that's part of the mystery.

Life is a Ripe Fruit, and I savor it's sweetness.

PURPLEYIN

Thursday, June 2, 2005 10:29 AM (P)

im a student..boo!
but of genetics...yey!

SUBGUY

Thursday, June 2, 2005 11:55 AM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by TudykRawks:
no joke i work at a porn store, and the funny thing is that i don't like porn hehe

Isn't that like a pacifist joining the Army. Or to touch a little on previous posts in this thread, an Athiest joining a holy order?

Captain Pete

SHINYHAPPYKLIN

Thursday, June 2, 2005 3:43 PM (P)

College instructor in "media arts" (web design, graphic design, interactive media...whatever they decide to throw on my plate this year)

Graduate student in Instructional Technology (first choice was Digital Visual Art, but I didn't get accepted to it, and doing IT was a cheaper, easier way to get my degree I needed to keep teaching)

Considering going on to a Ph.D. in Mass Communication, studying fan behavior and virtual communities...guess who will be my first guinea pigs...

"We gotta go to that crappy town where I'M a hero..."
Shiny stuff for Browncoats at: http://www.cafepress.com/outtotheblack

THESOMNAMBULIST

Thursday, June 2, 2005 4:00 PM (P)

zoid wrote:

Quote:
Count yourself lucky if it's never happened to you...
Regretfully,
zoid
P.S.
Kiss enough princesses and you're bound to get the occasional toad.

....Could be the answer. I do take my time over these things. A string of awful relationships in my younger days has caused me to be very cautious about who I spend time with and why.

However, even in those awful relationships the sex was always great.....

Smug to a certain degree....
The Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

ZOID

Thursday, June 2, 2005 5:02 PM (P)

TheSomnambulist:

Yeah, we're talking apples and oranges here. Would you call a romance that occurs in its entirety in a bus, a dressing room, or one time in a lighting loft directly above the band during a long guitar solo a 'relationship'? Neither would I.

Occupational hazard/benefit. I saw it as a benefit.

Really,

zoid

P.S.
The audience couldn't see us, but the band could. They were not amused; but, I felt much better.
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

MALICIOUS

Thursday, June 2, 2005 6:59 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by zoid:
'Lish:

So Wutzisname The Topic Nazi is repeatedly emailing you? He wrote me once -- very blue-nosed -- and was met with thunderous silence on my part. I figured, "He doesn't want me to post on 'his' thread? Fine. No problem." I can't even remember his name.

But I have to agree with you, christhecynic and everyworldspinnin: Conversations are non-linear and unconstrained, or else they're not conversations. They're kindergarten classes ruled by a martinet. God forbid you should color outside the lines...

Sorry you're being harrassed by this schmuck. Want me to kneecap him for you? Officious pricks are copious bleeders. Anybody remember Jerry Quarry? Same concept. (NB: The greatest danger fighting Mr. Quarry was slipping in his blood and twisting an ankle.)

I know you can take care of yourself; but it would be unchivalrous of me not to offer assistance to a lady...

Respectfully,

zoid

P.S.
On a personal note, the sword has been lifted from my neck. Hooray! The kids get to eat for another year! Can't you tell how much friendlier and more carefree I am?

-zed

P.P.S.
I just remembered his name. You've seen pictures of him, right? Ah, to be the nattily attired captain of one's own ship ("made from old cereal packets")! I've got a special problem with pencil-necked limp noodles who like to browbeat girls. How about if I have his mum suspend his television privileges? That oughtta teach him.

Zoid,

As long as he stays on his side of the pond, I'm fine. If he crosses over, I will then turn to you for assistance. Not the kind where his plane has a........mishap.....or anything of course. Just your usual gallant protection.

I'm extremely glad the sword (guillotine?) is no longer threatening. There was a distinct lack of humor in your posts--when you posted--during that time.

Methinks you should invest in some protein bars for next year, though.

Mal-licious

"Let's go be bad guys."

THESOMNAMBULIST

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:01 PM (P)

zoid wrote:

Quote:

TheSomnambulist:

Yeah, we're talking apples and oranges here. Would you call a romance that occurs in its entirety in a bus, a dressing room, or one time in a lighting loft directly above the band during a long guitar solo a 'relationship'? Neither would I.

No, I'm not sure I'd call it a romance either, but I'd call it a damn fine story!!!!

Quote:
The audience couldn't see us, but the band could. They were not amused; but, I felt much better.

Kudos to you Sir.

Having not done the one night-stand thing, for want of a better word, I'm unfit to comment.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

MALICIOUS

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:02 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by everyworldspinnin:

We have a Banker and a teacher.
We have people who deliver goods, and people who sell them.
We have those who keep the sky from falling, and those who keep others from falling out of the sky.
Those who keep track of things, and those who fix things.
Students, Atheists, Agnostics, Theists, and a self professed loser (doubt that one).
Those who tell us where we're going, those who tell us where we've been, and those who make sure we don't get lost along the way.
We have those who make us laugh, who make us safe, and who make us feel better.

I guess what I've learned here, is that it's not so much what you do for a living, it's what you do with your life that matters.

I look forward to reading more of what you all have to say.

EWS/Wes,

That was beautiful!! Where's StillShiny? That deserves to be on a T-shirt.

Mal-licious

"Let's go be bad guys."

ZOID

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:09 PM (P)

Thanks, 'Lish for the kind regards. Nothing wrong with my hA1c scores. It's just the process that tends to be a little fickle and timing-insensitive. Just ponder the phrase 'the Federal bureaucracy' for a while, and I'm sure you'll see the root of my anxiety.

Are you home from work already? BANKER's hours, huh? (Back on topic, and just in the nick of time, I'll wager.)

Squishy hugs,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

SUBGUY

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:15 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by shinyhappyklin:
Considering going on to a Ph.D. in Mass Communication, studying fan behavior and virtual communities...guess who will be my first guinea pigs...

This is just a guess, but... uh... the Star Wars fans?

Captain Pete

CHRISTHECYNIC

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:36 PM (P)

I know I write long posts, I know I tend to go on longer than I should, but would it be so hard to actually read all of what I said?

Quote:
Originally posted by Koffee:
Quote:
Originally posted by christhecynic:
When you believe something without proof I call it, “Blind faith,” maybe you call it something else.

I call that blind faith as well. I have never seen proof of a god, therefore I do not blindly believe in one.

Then, provided you don’t blindly believe in the lack of one you are an Agnostic. Not just by my definition but also by the one you gave to me. (The one from that site.)

I said that you are the type of person who most closely follows science in their theistic views. I also said, quite clearly I thought, that Agnostics such as yourself are closer to science than I am.

Quote:
That is the last I am going to say on the topic because I know that I am never going to change you mind, and you will never change mine. All that continuing this discussion will do is lead to arguing and hard feelings.

Actually you’ll find that it’s very easy to change my mind, all you need to do is offer proof or something strong enough to counter current indicators. Besides, it’s not like we’re arguing religion, it’s a question of the scientific method:
1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed.
3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation.
And semantics:
Is an Agnostic a type of Atheist or not?

-

There was a time before you could prove whether or not the earth was round, during this time there were three schools of thought: The earth is round, the earth isn’t round, the earth may or may not be round.

Due to the lack of actual proof the way they lined up was as such:
1 The earth may or may not be round, most scientific
2 The earth is round, semi-scientific, the conclusion was based on evidence, but not conclusive evidence.
3 The earth is not round, blind faith, there was a no evidence to support it and circumstantial evidence against it.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:40 PM (P)

Quote:
Originally posted by SubGuy:
Quote:
Originally posted by TudykRawks:
no joke i work at a porn store, and the funny thing is that i don't like porn hehe

Isn't that like a pacifist joining the Army. Or to touch a little on previous posts in this thread, an Athiest joining a holy order?

The second one happens all the time. If memory serves the one and only female pope was an atheist.

ZOID

Thursday, June 2, 2005 7:54 PM (P)

Somno:

This occurred at the Austin Cardi's, a converted dinner theatre, capacity approx. 1500 people, circa 1984. I ran off-stage (stage right) as the infamous 10-minute solo began and there was an attractive young woman standing in the wings. I noticed an elevator that ran up to the lighting loft and stepped inside. She jumped in after me. We got into the loft and walked center stage and waved to the band. Next thing I know... Well, I'll just say she had a great head for dramatic timing and I wasn't late for my cue.

The thing that puzzles me to this day is why the band were so upset. I mean it seemed like a lark (and a great adventure) to me; but they were totally mad, even though I got back on time. And I seriously doubt it had anything to do with jealousy. Nobody was hurting for unsolicited feminine attention. They just ranted that it was 'unprofessional', in answer to which charge I pointed at our second-lead who was wearing a tartan flannel bathrobe (with nothing on underneath) and a pair of fluffy women's house slippers and said, "Yeah?! So what's your point?" The argument fizzled, but they remained pretty sullen about it.

As to the girl: I can't remember her name, but we spent the next couple of days 'co-habiting', until the band limped on down the road. I remember she had light brown hair that smelled really good, was smart, followed her own bliss and cooked a damfine steak. She showed me a diary that contained the names and details of all the (well-known) rockers she had slept with over the course of about 8 years (since the age of sixteen, said she). She showed me what she wrote about me: It was very sweet and flattering, personally and professionally.

She was a lovely person and I hope she's happy wherever she may be today. I never met another girl who kept notes; but, I do think I once had a couple of encounters with the actual girl who inspired ZZ Top's "Pearl Necklace" (they were from my neck of the woods, no pun intended, after all)...

Reminiscently,

zoid

P.S.
Know the lyrics to Springsteen's "Glory Days"? That song gets scarier to me every year. Still, I had a helluva lot of fun, and I don't think it's sooo bad to recall the joys in one's life, do you? Why should I only be stuck with the memories of all the times I mistreated someone or made a bone-headed mistake, and feel bad about "talkin' about the old times"?
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"Sure as I know anything, I know this: I aim to misbehave." -Capt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity, a.k.a. 'the BDM'

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