I was thrilled and surprised to hear from you...and have handily managed procrastination to the extent of belying my sentiment.

I concur on the "discussions" and celebrate your aspirations. Good luck on that.

I have been scarce as well but due to less lofty distractions.

As to the season greetings...thank you. (I will be using that. )

No. Let me help:

1) Not 2012 but 1994-1997.
2) There's no "AWD" with Audi, it's simply "Quattro".
3) It's not an A4, it's based on an A6. The first one by the way, successor to Audi's "100" series.
4) It's not a 2.0T, it's a naturally aspirated V8.
5) Above is also the reason why i wrote "based on an A6" because it's an S6 to be precise. The little badge on the trunk is a giveaway.

... and most of them use naturally aspirated engines, just like the F1 cars (at least for another season).

Who is man to think he has all the answers in a simple convenient package called "God"?

What arrogance to assume that we know the universe and all there is to it.

What stupidity to not aspire to learn the intricacies of reality.

What viciousness to force others to abandon their search for light in the void of space.

We should strive to be the best we can be, but the chains of faith are keeping us down in the mud.

I'm confused. How is that supposed to address my point? I'm saying I've seen many more girls ridiculed and shamed for "dressing slutty" on halloween than I have seen girls shamed for wearing something more modest. It's frustrating that there is this assumption about the motivations of girls that choose to dress in a particular way. I don't understand how assuming they are dressing to please men is any different from the logic that leads rapists to assume women have implicitly consented based on their dress. The video implicitly makes that assumption. That is, it assumes girls are doing this for externally motivated reasons rather than intrinsically motivated reasons. I've never found that to be the case. Most often the girls enjoy "looking cute" and all of the attention that brings with it. The snarky tone of this video suggests that those somehow aren't valid motivations, and instead self-respecting girls should aspire to some higher set of values. In other words, the video seems to have the agenda of slut shaming. I think that's bogus. Your link is dumb because the girl I was talking about didn't buy her costume. She put it together from her wardrobe, painting the mask and everything. I think the prevalence of "sexy _____" costumes has more to do with market driven realities (i.e. how women like to look) than by some externally imposed patriarchal agenda.

>> ^bareboards2:

http://fucknosexisthalloweencostumes.tumblr.com/
@bmac27

>> ^Sagemind:

America is supposed to be that wonderland that everyone aspires to become - only it isn't.
The people around the world still hold on to that idea. By asking them to vote - they would project their vision of the ideal country upon the USA, instead of having the already jaded and defeated population do the voting.
It's always easier to see something from the outside.


The "jaded and defeated population" don't vote.

I can get a BBQ meatball sandwich delivered to my house if'n I don't feel like bothering with putting my shoes on. Just about any kind of food I desire is available to me. When I'm feeling olympic and must forage for food, I have my choice of 6 large chain grocery stores within three miles of my home. I have a car. I can go anywhere I please in this country without fear. I have 240 channels (60 HD) on my television. There's a convenience store two minutes in every direction from just about every square foot of this country (seemingly). I can hike in the wilderness far from "civilization" and not have to worry about bandits or terrorists, and because I have the entire fricking world in the palm of my hand, I'll never get lost. I don't have a computer. I have four computers with high speed access. I have running water; hot water on tap, a microwave, and more goddamn dishes and silverware and towels and t-shirts than any one person should ever need. I can go see the Blazers play, watch live jazz, a choice of music festivals during the spring and summer, live theater, short trip west to the beautiful Oregon coast, or trip south for the Timber Festival or one of several plays in Ashland at the Shakespearean Festival. When I opt to go see a movie over reading any damn book in the world on my Kindle, there's seven movie theaters in my area, and I can even afford the insane prices for soda and Raisenets. Education opportunities abound here, regardless of your age or income. You can learn how to fly a plane at several local small airports, or jump out of one. I have a "headphone drawer".

I make less money than the average American, and I'm RICH, and thankful that I was so damn lucky to be born in the United States of Wonderland.

America is supposed to be that wonderland that everyone aspires to become - only it isn't.
The people around the world still hold on to that idea. By asking them to vote - they would project their vision of the ideal country upon the USA, instead of having the already jaded and defeated population do the voting.

It's always easier to see something from the outside.

>> ^Velocity5:

@SDGundamX
The connection between your comment and my response is: People in her position would indeed be happier with what I'm suggesting. Excel at useful skills, contribute to society, and reap more satisfying career outcomes.
Don't glorify wastes of time.
You're making accusations of trolling and non sequiturs as a reaction to being exposed to intellectualism different from your own.


I'm making an accusation of non sequitur because that's exactly what your response was. My original comment was sarcastic for brevity's sake and basically said she should be more like you, a person who surfs the Internet and judges people based on YouTube clips. Your response was nonsensical--it basically said yes, she'd be much happier with that career. In fact, my initial reply to your comment was going to be something along the lines of: "Your career is to surf the Internet and judge the worth of people's lives? How much does that pay?"

Since you've clearly missed the illocutionary force of my sarcasm, let me break down the original comment for you a bit more bluntly.

You don't know jack shit about this girl aside from what you've seen of her in a 3 minute local news clip. You don't her goals and aspirations, her grades, whether or not she volunteers, has a part-time job already etc. and yet somehow you feel qualified to judge her life as a waste of time. You protest that she should be doing something for humanity without seeing the irony of the fact that by surfing the Net and commenting on videos you yourself are doing absolutely less for humanity than she is (at least she entertained thousands of people... can't say the same about your comments, sadly).

I didn't think anyone was ignorant or self-absorbed enough to NOT see the irony in your comments and thus concluded you were a troll. My sincerest apologies if I was wrong about that.

I still think you're trolling. In fact, I hope you are. Because the alternative is pretty sad.

>> ^scannex:

>> ^Jinx:

Nobody is suggesting that there is not a problem with obesity in America (or really most of the 1st world tbh). The solution is not to write rude emails pointing out the obvious though. Even though she decided to "go public" I still don't really see why its my business. Consider walking up to somebody in the street and making the same comments. Would you not expect to get slapped? and a poor role model? Please, as if some 6 yr old is gonna see her on TV and aspire to be fat. Get real.

So what is the solution? Ignore it? That tactic was working great for her and her health so far I'm sure.
You don't get it. It isn't about aspiring to be fat. That's a hyperbolic conclusion you are drawing to further your point. Normalization and idolization are not synonyms.
Oh, and consider walking up to a woman smoking while pregnant on the street, or hey, a little less extreme, in a playground to give them a piece of your mind. Happens every day. People voicing their opinion is a pretty common thing, hence our stupid discussion under a video.

Oh, I'm making hyperbolic conclusions and then you equate smoking to being overweight? Being fat in a playground doesn't make the kids more at risk of heart disease.


so I guess you're right then. I dont get it. I don't get why her weight is your business if its not some wrong headed belief that she is a poor role model (that at least seemed to be the point of the email no?)

There is no easy solution. I'm not suggesting we ignore obesity or its health risks but there are right ways of tackling problems and there are the futile ways. If it was as fucking easy and emailing fat people to point out that they are fat and oh, here are the health risks then, err, why are people still overweight? So stop pretending that this email is in any way helpful. At best its tactless, at worst its cruel. Now, if I had a family member with weight problems I would consider it my place and indeed my duty to not just confront them about it, but also help them maintain a healthier lifestyle. I'd hope they'd do the same for me, but a stranger who is unwilling to invest any assistance to me beyond their critique? Fuck that. Mind your business.

>> ^Jinx:


Nobody is suggesting that there is not a problem with obesity in America (or really most of the 1st world tbh). The solution is not to write rude emails pointing out the obvious though. Even though she decided to "go public" I still don't really see why its my business. Consider walking up to somebody in the street and making the same comments. Would you not expect to get slapped? and a poor role model? Please, as if some 6 yr old is gonna see her on TV and aspire to be fat. Get real.


So what is the solution? Ignore it? That tactic was working great for her and her health so far I'm sure.

You don't get it. It isn't about aspiring to be fat. That's a hyperbolic conclusion you are drawing to further your point. Normalization and idolization are not synonyms.

Oh, and consider walking up to a woman smoking while pregnant on the street, or hey, a little less extreme, in a playground to give them a piece of your mind. Happens every day. People voicing their opinion is a pretty common thing, hence our stupid discussion under a video.

Ahh women. Our culture reminds them on every magazine cover, advert and movie that if they aren't thin they're a nobody. However the obese must have not got this plainly obvious message. They must not know that a)they are fat and/or b)being fat is not necessarily healthy or even c)they know but just don't care.

It is most certainly my duty, as a random stranger, to notify and remind(a)(b) the obese that they are indeed fat and they should consider not being fat. In the case of (c) I will shame them by implying they are a poor role model and I will assume their obesity is caused by laziness unless they reveal all personal details pertaining to their overweight condition.

Nobody is suggesting that there is not a problem with obesity in America (or really most of the 1st world tbh). The solution is not to write rude emails pointing out the obvious though. Even though she decided to "go public" I still don't really see why its my business. Consider walking up to somebody in the street and making the same comments. Would you not expect to get slapped? and a poor role model? Please, as if some 6 yr old is gonna see her on TV and aspire to be fat. Get real.

"I did not ever think I could get on the U.S.A. team.." Oh man, it's impressive and all but I'm seriously...What has and will become of all manner of diversion and aspiration to similar heights of greatness and achievement??? What does the fu-rni-ture hold for the hairless apes of the circle?

The cop all other cops should aspire to be.
This should be training footage in police academies everywhere.

While there are a LOT of things I want to comment on, I'd like to point out one thing that I very vehemently agree with. While I can't say that I believe that Jesus was the 'ideal' man, I can say that he's someone that a vast majority of people I know could aspire to emulating.

I'm glad that we can agree on Jesus. I highly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Christianity-Changed-World-Alvin-Schmidt/dp/0310264499

It's not Jesus that is the problem, as awesome of a guy as he was (allegedly). Christianity teaches that it is not the actions that grant you access to Heaven, it is God's Grace. Whether it's Grace because you've acknowledged Jesus as your Lord, or Grace through TULIP-style pre-destination... All of an individual Christian's actions (except for the 'I Believe' action) are, in fact, meaningless. If the speaker thought more about his own Christian Philosophy, rather than de-contextualizing Atheists' quotes, he'd have realized this already.

That isn't true though. Although, you cannot earn your salvation, there are rewards in Heaven based on what you did here on Earth. Neither is it meaningless to follow the two greatest commandments:

Love the Lord thy God with all of your heart, and all of your soul, and all of your mind, and with all of your strength.

and

Love thy neighbor as yourself

Unless you count loving God and your fellow man as meaningless, they are both a reward onto themselves and filled with meaning.

If Christian 'Judgement' were based on actions and not belief in God (hence, their actions and lives had meaning), as many of my non-Christian friends would make it into Heaven as my Christian friends...

The judgment is about sin. Your friends, along with every Christian, have transgressed Gods laws, and the wages of sin is death. The difference is, Christians have received Gods pardon for their transgressions, whereas unbelievers have rejected it and thus have to face God on their own merits.

One specific data point is violence. Every one of my non-christian friends is non-violent. They oppose violence, both offensive and defensive. Never once did Jesus EVER advocate any form of violence. And, if you take his life as a blueprint, he proved his mettle by submitting to being crucified, even stopping the people who would have defended him.

Jesus said this:

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

There are some Christians who are non-violent (Mostly Mennonites/Amish)... I respect them. Others, not-so-much. Any branch of Christianity that doesn't take a hard stance against violence is twisting the Bible to their own selfish ends... which is, unfortunately, most of them.

A Christian is simply someone who has been born again, and has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and the true church is the body of Christ. Regardless of what a denomination might say, a Christian should consult the word of God:

Matthew 26:52

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Lest you think I'm cherry-picking, read the Beatitudes... You'll read about being meek, righteous, merciful, peacemakers and persecuted... But you won't see anything that could have justified the Crusades, Slavery or Gay-Hate.

I agree with everything you're saying here. Christians are to love their enemies, bless those who curse them, and pray for those who despitefully use them. We are to unconditionally love everyone, because they are in the image of God, and because God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. That is the model of behavior He has given us.

So, as an Atheist, let me go on the Record... I don't dis-believe in God... I dis-believe in the God that is worshiped by Christians. I also have very specific issues with other Religions, but that can wait for another time. Given that I've found all of the Religions that I've encountered to be as 'bad' as any others... My position is that God may or may not exist, but if He DOES exist, He won't be found in any current religious textbooks...

I'll just say that God deeply loves you, and wants you to know Him personally.

(FYI, I'm one of the "life is meaningless" people that the speaker seems to think can't exist. I can stare into the Abyss and take pleasure walking the line, knowing one day I'll fall in and vanish utterly. It does not, in any way, depress me.)

I don't think he said they don't exist, I think he said that on one hand you may believe it, but on the other hand, you don't live as if everything is meaningless.

>> ^hatsix

While there are a LOT of things I want to comment on, I'd like to point out one thing that I very vehemently agree with. While I can't say that I believe that Jesus was the 'ideal' man, I can say that he's someone that a vast majority of people I know could aspire to emulating.

It's not Jesus that is the problem, as awesome of a guy as he was (allegedly). Christianity teaches that it is not the actions that grant you access to Heaven, it is God's Grace. Whether it's Grace because you've acknowledged Jesus as your Lord, or Grace through TULIP-style pre-destination... All of an individual Christian's actions (except for the 'I Believe' action) are, in fact, meaningless. If the speaker thought more about his own Christian Philosophy, rather than de-contextualizing Atheists' quotes, he'd have realized this already.

If Christian 'Judgement' were based on actions and not belief in God (hence, their actions and lives had meaning), as many of my non-Christian friends would make it into Heaven as my Christian friends... One specific data point is violence. Every one of my non-christian friends is non-violent. They oppose violence, both offensive and defensive. Never once did Jesus EVER advocate any form of violence. And, if you take his life as a blueprint, he proved his mettle by submitting to being crucified, even stopping the people who would have defended him.

There are some Christians who are non-violent (Mostly Mennonites/Amish)... I respect them. Others, not-so-much. Any branch of Christianity that doesn't take a hard stance against violence is twisting the Bible to their own selfish ends... which is, unfortunately, most of them.

Lest you think I'm cherry-picking, read the Beatitudes... You'll read about being meek, righteous, merciful, peacemakers and persecuted... But you won't see anything that could have justified the Crusades, Slavery or Gay-Hate.

So, as an Atheist, let me go on the Record... I don't dis-believe in God... I dis-believe in the God that is worshiped by Christians. I also have very specific issues with other Religions, but that can wait for another time. Given that I've found all of the Religions that I've encountered to be as 'bad' as any others... My position is that God may or may not exist, but if He DOES exist, He won't be found in any current religious textbooks...

(FYI, I'm one of the "life is meaningless" people that the speaker seems to think can't exist. I can stare into the Abyss and take pleasure walking the line, knowing one day I'll fall in and vanish utterly. It does not, in any way, depress me.)


>> ^shinyblurry:

Genji,
I appreciate your words, Ezra, thank you. Let's say that you're right, that my life is meaningless, and that I am the one who determines what is true. Do you know what I would determine to do? What I would determine to do is to do the same things I am doing right now. Even if I knew Jesus Christ was not God, I would still determine to follow His blueprint for the ideal person, because following that blueprint has radically transformed my life for the better.