| Saturday, November 7th, 2009 |
convert_me
[ vox_diabolica ]
|
10:20p |
Religion and Democracy
The United States of America have had a few examples recently of citizens using their democratic rights to mandate their (homophobic, prejudiced, and prejudiced) religious beliefs on a minority and lesser-privileged group. To what extent -- if any -- should we restrict the ability of the majority to inflict its religious views on the minority? |
atheism
[ fatpie42 ]
|
11:31a |
ZOMG Secularism is killing the planet! (Chief Rabbi's sanity abandons him)
Lord Sacks blamed Europe's falling birth rate on a culture of "consumerism and instant gratification". He said the continent was "dying" and accused its citizens of not being prepared for parenthood's "sacrifices".
The 61-year-old, who took his seat in the Lords last week, said: "Wherever you turn today - Jewish, Christian or Muslim - the more religious the community, the larger on average are their families.
"The major assault on religion today comes from the neo-Darwinians."( Read more... ) (Full article here)
This article seems like a combination of: "ZOMG religious people are turning into atheists/heathens/heartless materialists!/ Won't anyone think of the foetuses!""ZOMG the Muslim immigrants are taking over"and finally "ZOMG why aren't more Jews using my Beth Din court on which my whole status as Chief Rabbi depends. Is there no decent sense of morality in the world anymore?"
(Via ontd political) |
the_hot_geeks
[ naleri ]
|
3:15a |
Anyone ever used OpenRPG? I'm looking for a free program that I can use to play D&D with people over the internet. A friend recommended OpenRPG to me. I just downloaded it and will poke around with it tomorrow after sleep and work. I'm just wondering if anyone here has experience with it. It looks like it might be kinda confusing to learn. |
| Friday, November 6th, 2009 |
atheist
[ the1andonlycj ]
|
9:56p |
I'm not out to start a riot or anything, but I thought I'd bring this to the attention of my fellow non-believers (at least, the ones who haven't heard yet): The Conservative Bible Project. It's worse than you think, and as far as I can tell, it's not a joke. Just the fact that a "conservapedia" exists is enough to bother me, but seriously? A more conservative bible? Pardon? |
antitheism
[ mapdark ]
|
11:25p |
|
medicated_life
[ its_your_bed ]
|
10:30p |
just joined... just started effexor XR - worried about weigh gain
Hello I am a 21-year-old female who just started Effexor XR. I have suffered from depression since I was 11 or 12. It runs in the family. (history of depression, alcoholism, and suicide on both sides of my family, how nice). I was on and off meds in high school (prozac, paxil, zoloft, trazodone), but never took anything very long term. I hadn't taken anything in over 2 years, then I took Wellbutrin for one day in April, but the dumbass psychiatrist started me at 300mg and I felt horrible and manic so I never took it again. My depression has only seemed to continue to worsen, so I'm attempting meds again as a last resort. My family practice doctor just put me on 37.5mg of Effexor and i'm going to keep going up every week or so I guess. I'm extremely concerned about the weight gain I've been reading about online. Has anyone experienced weight gain with Effexor? Obviously I want to feel better, but if I gain 15lbs I will absolutely hate myself. I'm extremely weight conscious and terrified of gaining weight. Any advice? Please share any experience you have with Effexor. Thanks so much! (I've been on it for 4 days now and have had very minimal side effects. I'm a little bit tired and out of it, but other than that nothing horrible. My appetite seems a little less.) Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate it. |
antitheism
[ eidolonamorata ]
|
10:32p |
|
unico_love
|
8:25p |
5 Gratitudes
1. Feeling a little less depressed now 2. Doing an okay figure drawing 3. Watching the movie Happy Endings4. My mother buying me a turkey club sandwich 5. My Victoria's Secret sweater arriving (and fitting well) Current Mood:  calmCurrent Music: Glee - No Air |
ljtwincities
[ polyranger ]
|
3:36p |
Psychic Faire
The Wiccan Church of Minnesota is holding its annual Psychic Faire November 14th, 2009. It will be at the Sacred Paths Center at 777 Raymond Ave. in St. Paul from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. There will be: Live music Violinist Robin "Catgut" McDowell 1:00 - 2:00 Dunn County Clerics 4:00 - 6:00 Presentations Hastings Paranormal Team 11:00 - 12:00 Dr. Murphy Pizza, Anthropologist 2:00 - 3:00 And of course readers and vendors. Tarot Runes Astrologers Kirlian Photography Psychic Readings At 7:00 P.M. there will be an elders' recognition Ritual and a community potluck to follow. |
atheism
[ leirda ]
|
10:53a |
Existentialism
When I was in my speech class some weeks ago I was talking to a girl sitting next to me about our speech topics. Her list consisted of The Proper Way To Apply Eyeshadow and Why Gay Marriage Is Against God. I made a crack about her topics coming from Cosmo and she said, "Well what's on your list?" My list had The "Real Man" Complex and Why Transgenderism Should Be Removed From The DSM5 and Why Existentialism Works. She said, "Ewwwww, existentialism? People are going to think you're an existentialist!" I said, "I am an existentialist." She said, "But existentialists are atheists. People will think you're an atheist!" (She seemed honestly concerned about this). I replied, "I am an atheist." She looked at me funny and turned away mumbling something about getting back to her work. It was hilarious. I wanted to share this for two reasons, so I could rant (and so rant over), and so I could ask a question. This conversation got me thinking about atheism and how it can relate to existentialism. Just because your an atheist that doesn't make you an existentialist, and vice versa. So how many atheists here are also existentialists? Why or why not? Current Mood:  curious |
unico_love
|
11:41a |
Sleeping with a Celebrity
I would be really upset. It wouldn't matter if it was a celebrity I did "respect." I wouldn't want my significant other cheating. The reverse situation would likely never happen, especially if I were a relationship. First, I tend to look at people artistically and distantly when observing their appearance and analyzing their attractiveness. If I decided that someone was very attractive that doesn't mean at all I'd want to be physical with them. I don't put much emphasis on physical appearance in my relationships or loving feelings. I doubt Michael would be much more pleased than me if I said I would cheat with a celebrity:-/ Current Mood:  okayCurrent Music: Glee - Take a Bow |
twin_cities
[ posir ]
|
11:22a |
polaroid 600 film?
Anyone know of a place that still sells Polaroid 600 film in the cities? I've heard they still sell it at the Wal-Mart in Hudson, WI... but hoping to find something a bit closer than that. Thanks y'all. |
ljtwincities
[ posir ]
|
11:18a |
polaroid 600 film?
Anyone know of a place that still sells Polaroid 600 film in the cities? I've heard they still sell it at the Wal-Mart in Hudson, WI... but hoping to find something a bit closer than that. Thanks y'all. |
atheism
[ chron_job ]
|
10:02a |
|
_scientists_
[ pigfish ]
|
8:55a |
IHC
Hey all - I have a sorta odd question regarding IHC. In the past, I've always done IHC on tissue on slides. My new lab's protocol (on 40um sections) involves doing all the staining on tissue sections floating in a 24 well plate, with little mesh screens under them that you can lift out, the tissues comes with it, and change from washes to primary antibody, and so on. The tissue is then mounted AFTER development, allowed to dry in the the hood, and then dehydrated through alcohol to xylene. This afternoon we're developing with DAB, and I'm accustomed to doing a hematoxylin stain after DAB. Think I should do the hematoxylin in the 24 well plate like everything else? I think if I were to try it after we mount on slides but before we dry them, the tissue would just fall right off the slides, but I also doubt that I could do it after we dry the tissue... Any suggestions? |
antitheism
[ btripp ]
|
7:42a |
|
revolution_grrl
|
7:25a |
Writer's Block: Green-eyed monster
This is kind of funny. When we had only been dating about a year and a half, he was spending the night one night, and I had a dream that we were living together and Penelope Cruz came to the door and said she wanted him to go away with her, and he did. I woke up and told him this story, and he said, "Well, no offense, but if Penelope Cruz comes for me, I have to go!" Yeah, wrong thing to say, buddy. This is, what, 6 years later, and I still tease him about it, and when I see Penelope Cruz on something, and he's with me, I'll hiss something about, "Husband-stealing hussy!" It's funny, and yet, to be honest, I do actually have a tiny bit of actual resentment towards her, just out of habit, I guess. |
peak_oil
[ darksumomo ]
|
1:26a |
End of Suburbia as a class assignment
Tuesday night and tonight, I showed my students "The End of Suburbia." The most memorable reactions were "I never understood how anyone was going to make hydrogen work for running cars," "What a shame Americans are so spoiled. The end of oil is going to take away their toys and they'll all cry.", and "Should we really bankrupt ourselves fighting a war we can't win?" The second student wasn't born here, as you could probably tell. Following is the worksheet I gave them. If you have the time, see how many you can answer. ( Tonight's worksheet ) Current Mood: nerdy |
| Thursday, November 5th, 2009 |
ruderod
|
9:22p |
guns don't kill people, people kill people right?
I wonder if this soldier who killed the 12 people had been to combat before? If he was a Major, my guess is that he may have been to Iraq or Afganistan before? This is sad. I have read about people who during combat (or afterwards) snap and just go crazy. I remember a story about a sniper in Vietnam who just started to shoot his own troops. . .now and then he would just pick off one of his own comrades. Took them a while to figure out why they where losing troops. They say the sniper just stopped caring about who he shot. War is a hell and people don't realize the emotional and mental anguish it causes people. I can only imagine as I have never been shot at in war. This was a sick thing that this guy did. Odd that media was reporting the shooter was killed. .. .yet wasn't. Well really not that odd, military incidents are never opaque to the media. All I can say is that combat takes it's toll. Maybe this officer just saw too many battle worn young men, men whose minds had been twisted with death and destruction. If that is the case, the battle came home via our own troops, not some terrorist that is visiting with a green card. The battle came home people, think about that next time you see a veteran or see our troops going off to war. The mind doesn't shut things out so quickly. You can't just send a young man to war then believe he will come home and be a fine young citizen. It doesn't always work that way. It's sick how fast you can kill people with bullets. Whether it is a freaked out officer killing his own peers or a machine gun in the battlefield, flying lead is incredible killer and it's really sick how fast you can die from a bullet wound. I am sure the families of the twelve dead are thinking about that right now. All of a sudden their loved ones are gone. Officials: Fort Hood shootings suspect alive; 12 dead http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/05/texas.fort.hood.shootings/index.html |
unico_love
|
10:41p |
5 Gratitudes
1. Hearing from Amber 2. Clearing up a misunderstanding 3. My mother not being mad at me for not going to the meeting 4. Having a chocolate-banana milkshake 5. Rereading Into the Dreamlands Current Mood:  sadCurrent Music: Glee - Keep Holding On |
atheism
[ jimi45 ]
|
9:29p |
|
antitheism
[ eidolonamorata ]
|
9:09p |
|
convert_me
[ mrnaglfar ]
|
8:08p |
|
mock_the_stupid
[ opalcat ]
|
7:56p |
|
| Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 |
mock_the_stupid
[ elementallove ]
|
10:39p |
Just...stop opening your mouth, please.
My Calculus teacher is pretty cool, and if you say something stupid in his class, he'll let you know. There are only eight people in class, and you would think it wouldn't be very interesting, but it is. Today, he was telling us about Frank Lloyd Wright, a famous architect. One girl didn't know who he was (and I didn't either) so she asked him. Before he could respond, another girl, who is kind of stupid, said, "Don't you know, he's the flying brothers." And she made little 'wing' motions with her hands. I burst out laughing at her, and so did the teacher. Eventually, he calmed down enough to inform her that, no, he wasn't one of the Wright brothers. Their names are Orville and Weber. I've known that since fifth or sixth grade. And let's not comment on the grammar fail of 'he' also being 'brothers'. Current Mood:  aggravatedCurrent Music: Battlefield by Jordin Sparks |
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