just for clarification, re: water vapor, everyone should keep in mind that the greenhouse effect itself is absolutely a good thing - it's what allows the earth to support life, trapping the heat of the sun so that we're not just relying on geothermal heat (wthout it the planet wouldn't be much warmer than outer space).
The argument over global warming is about increasing the greenhouse effect, which will not necessarily make life in any form impossible, but which could be troubleseome for current forms of life. So what is important is not the greenhouse effect as a whole, but to what extent it is being altered by human populations.
The guy isn't siding with them that there is a reptilian race, he's just trying to explain the phenomenom of so many people believing something absurd.
no, he's saying it's a very reasonable position... he may not conclude it's definitely true, but he's not explaining how people reach crazy conclusions. He starts off so sensibly, too; it's really kind of amazing watching it spiral off into looney land.
If you have any questions about the guy's nuttiness, check out the rest of his site - lots of pieces on "the HoloHoax", the 9/11 scam, the faked moon landing, etc... it's actually quite frustrating to read.
how it's virtually impossible because once something is defined by the mainstream as "hip," it's hopelessly outdated to actual hip persons.
so so true. and if you live in new york, the cycle is even more impossible - by the time it's referenced in print (in anything less hip than maybe Paper magazine - though of course, by now Paper is probably no longer hip...) or anyone in connecticut has heard of it, it is ovah.
That's why it's a waste to even bother pretending to be hip. Just be cool instead.
although this is ancient even to me (and I'm pretty much clueless about rap music and nina gordon) I disagree that it's just a silly little joke. I mean, that may be what she meant, but the first time I listened to it, I found it almost transcendent. It took away all the anger and power, and all that was left was the empty, confused hurt behind it all that made the kid "crazy as fuck." It really seemed touching.
I'm not gonna listen to it again now & it's possible it wouldn't strike me that way today, but I put it on a cover song compilation I put together a few months ago because i thought it did what the best cover songs do, which is give the song a new angle.
that's why I don't make those promises, nor do I believe or accept them. (Though I did learn how not to answer women who volunteer them by blurting "Bullshit!" or laughing in her face.)
I'm totally into open relationships myself, but this comment is really, really, really, really, like, just fucking really, sad.
The reason to have an open relationship is not because "they're gonna sneak behind your back anyway." The reason to have an open relationship is because you honestly believe that your own love and commitment is not diminished by other sexual activity. But human beings are in fact perfectly capable of only having one sexual partner, and equally so of expressing their dissatisfaction with things before breaking trust if they find that they're dissatisfied in a monogamous relationship.
Also, I think bisexuality needs a better rep; why the insistence on calling yourself a Kinsey 10 when you're not?
The Kinsey scale only goes to 6, and the low end is "straight."
0=perfect hetero,
1=a lot hetero
2=a little hetero
3=perfect bisexual
4=a little homo
5=a lot homo
6=perfect homo
Jesus, you guys. You've decided to speculate that what a mother says as she tries to make sense of why her son would shoot himself in the head while she shopped for groceries, without even a note to explain why he may have done this, makes her 'a real flake'?
uh - it's what she says, not that she's responding, that, yes, I would say, do make her "a real flake."
"...maybe the physical, earthly world didn't offer him enough challenges and he felt it was time to move on and do something great," his mother, Patricia, said...
her comments are a little creepy, imo.
To respond to the initial question, I'll just note that my sister & her boyfriend have two dogs, a male purebred staffordshire terrier, and a female mix breed that they think may be part pit bull as she plays just as rough as the staffordshire, but who is built more elegantly, so might have some kind of hound in her... anyway, neither of the dogs is neutered, and they don't have problems.
However, they live in the country, and rarely see other dogs, and they crate the critters when nec. When the female is in heat they have to keep 'em separate, and they are also willing to deal with her menstruation, so they might put up with more than some. Still, I stayed with them for a week or two a couple years ago, and the dogs were great, not troublesome at all. Again, country living, no dog community, so it's wise to be very aware of the context. But just thought I'd give some anecdotal info for the other side.
I grew up in NYC and never said the pledge of allegiance or sang the anthem in school, so it's not a "national" thing. Different communities have different ideas about what will make their kids appreciate what they've got, yadda yadda. In my elementary school we sang "Imagine" (including the part about their being no heaven/hell etc) for our graduation song.
It actually is a free country in that respect. But schools are free to encourage patriotism as well, and some do.
This teacher just looked like a powerless idiot though, who couldn't control some jerky high schoolers, who were loving that their teacher had no control over them...
oh sorry, just realized you noted the seizures are a direct result of a vascular lesion. I don't know if hormone cycles will play a role when the cause is specific like that. My knowledge is all regarding the "cause unknown" variety of epilepsy.
I'm surprised they gave her dilantin; there are a lot of other meds out these days that have far fewer side effects (lamictal, keppra (sp?), even tegretol is often better than dilantin...).
I've been living with epilepsy for closing in on 20 years. I had a bad patch my second year of college, when I was about 19, and I've had my life interrupted in minor ways here and there (I still get partial seizures about once a month these days), but all in all, it's really not that big a deal. Your mom might want to note whether her episodes coincide with her menstrual cycle, as that is quite common for women (then she could just be a little more prepared for possibilities during that time-).
It's a pretty mysterious disorder, really, since they don't quite know what causes it or what about the meds stop it. Pot as medicine is a common claim, although personally it does not help me (I think it tires me out a bit and maybe makes things worse-). Seizures also can range from weird hallucinations to blanking out to full on grand-mal... I have had all three kinds (usu. "partial complex" which is hallucinations and momentary loss of consciousness without full seizure). Other people are more freaked out than I am - I think it's worse to watch than to undergo. From my end, it's mildly interesting (sometimes); a pain in the ass (it's tiring, causes headaches, and can interrupt/forestall whatever you're trying to do); and generally in the background these days (I'm used to it as a fact of life).
Feel free to email me if you have specific q's (my email's in my mefi profile, same username).
The article made it sound like the guy was reasonably asking for respect, but the video makes the teacher looked like a powerless frustrated asshole who just yells at kids all the time, which only makes the kids take him less seriously, which only makes him yell more... one of those positive feedback loop scenarios.
Weight gain is a function of calorie intake and exercise. Doesn't matter where the calories come from.
even if this is the case (if the type of food has no impact on digestion, or energy level, etc) I doubt people who run into mcD's for a quick bite are always fully conscious of just how many calories a normal meal there has. A burger and fries is something like 1200 calories. That woman was mostly eating yogurt parfaits for dinner. That does not seem like a meal. While it's entirely possible that the super size me guy overate, the point is that he was just eating normal meals from a mcdonald's point of view. The number of calories in their servings is surprising.
Supposedly, no two countries have ever gone to war with each other since they have both had a McDonald's in them.
Maybe mcdonald's doesn't go into a country until it's sufficiently stable and unlikely to provoke war.
just for clarification, re: water vapor, everyone should keep in mind that the greenhouse effect itself is absolutely a good thing - it's what allows the earth to support life, trapping the heat of the sun so that we're not just relying on geothermal heat (wthout it the planet wouldn't be much warmer than outer space). The argument over global warming is about increasing the greenhouse effect, which will not necessarily make life in any form impossible, but which could be troubleseome for current forms of life. So what is important is not the greenhouse effect as a whole, but to what extent it is being altered by human populations.
posted by mdn 18 years ago
In "Is Bill Watterson working undercover?"
I'm embarassed that anyone imagines that strip is anything but a lame rip-off. totally different league.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Logical explanations become conspiracy theory"
The guy isn't siding with them that there is a reptilian race, he's just trying to explain the phenomenom of so many people believing something absurd. no, he's saying it's a very reasonable position... he may not conclude it's definitely true, but he's not explaining how people reach crazy conclusions. He starts off so sensibly, too; it's really kind of amazing watching it spiral off into looney land. If you have any questions about the guy's nuttiness, check out the rest of his site - lots of pieces on "the HoloHoax", the 9/11 scam, the faked moon landing, etc... it's actually quite frustrating to read.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Wanna Be Hip?"
how it's virtually impossible because once something is defined by the mainstream as "hip," it's hopelessly outdated to actual hip persons. so so true. and if you live in new york, the cycle is even more impossible - by the time it's referenced in print (in anything less hip than maybe Paper magazine - though of course, by now Paper is probably no longer hip...) or anyone in connecticut has heard of it, it is ovah. That's why it's a waste to even bother pretending to be hip. Just be cool instead.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Cameron Diaz at the Reebok Human Rights Awards:"
ha. we are so fucked.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Straight Outta Compton"
although this is ancient even to me (and I'm pretty much clueless about rap music and nina gordon) I disagree that it's just a silly little joke. I mean, that may be what she meant, but the first time I listened to it, I found it almost transcendent. It took away all the anger and power, and all that was left was the empty, confused hurt behind it all that made the kid "crazy as fuck." It really seemed touching. I'm not gonna listen to it again now & it's possible it wouldn't strike me that way today, but I put it on a cover song compilation I put together a few months ago because i thought it did what the best cover songs do, which is give the song a new angle.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Married woman does her own PI work on craigslist.org"
that's why I don't make those promises, nor do I believe or accept them. (Though I did learn how not to answer women who volunteer them by blurting "Bullshit!" or laughing in her face.) I'm totally into open relationships myself, but this comment is really, really, really, really, like, just fucking really, sad. The reason to have an open relationship is not because "they're gonna sneak behind your back anyway." The reason to have an open relationship is because you honestly believe that your own love and commitment is not diminished by other sexual activity. But human beings are in fact perfectly capable of only having one sexual partner, and equally so of expressing their dissatisfaction with things before breaking trust if they find that they're dissatisfied in a monogamous relationship.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks"
Also, I think bisexuality needs a better rep; why the insistence on calling yourself a Kinsey 10 when you're not? The Kinsey scale only goes to 6, and the low end is "straight." 0=perfect hetero, 1=a lot hetero 2=a little hetero 3=perfect bisexual 4=a little homo 5=a lot homo 6=perfect homo
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Perhaps he could truly see no hope in the world."
Jesus, you guys. You've decided to speculate that what a mother says as she tries to make sense of why her son would shoot himself in the head while she shopped for groceries, without even a note to explain why he may have done this, makes her 'a real flake'? uh - it's what she says, not that she's responding, that, yes, I would say, do make her "a real flake." "...maybe the physical, earthly world didn't offer him enough challenges and he felt it was time to move on and do something great," his mother, Patricia, said... her comments are a little creepy, imo.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Curious George: To Neuter or Not To Neuter"
To respond to the initial question, I'll just note that my sister & her boyfriend have two dogs, a male purebred staffordshire terrier, and a female mix breed that they think may be part pit bull as she plays just as rough as the staffordshire, but who is built more elegantly, so might have some kind of hound in her... anyway, neither of the dogs is neutered, and they don't have problems. However, they live in the country, and rarely see other dogs, and they crate the critters when nec. When the female is in heat they have to keep 'em separate, and they are also willing to deal with her menstruation, so they might put up with more than some. Still, I stayed with them for a week or two a couple years ago, and the dogs were great, not troublesome at all. Again, country living, no dog community, so it's wise to be very aware of the context. But just thought I'd give some anecdotal info for the other side.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Teacher Gone Wild!! (wmv File)"
I grew up in NYC and never said the pledge of allegiance or sang the anthem in school, so it's not a "national" thing. Different communities have different ideas about what will make their kids appreciate what they've got, yadda yadda. In my elementary school we sang "Imagine" (including the part about their being no heaven/hell etc) for our graduation song. It actually is a free country in that respect. But schools are free to encourage patriotism as well, and some do. This teacher just looked like a powerless idiot though, who couldn't control some jerky high schoolers, who were loving that their teacher had no control over them...
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Curious George: Living with Epilepsy."
oh sorry, just realized you noted the seizures are a direct result of a vascular lesion. I don't know if hormone cycles will play a role when the cause is specific like that. My knowledge is all regarding the "cause unknown" variety of epilepsy.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
I'm surprised they gave her dilantin; there are a lot of other meds out these days that have far fewer side effects (lamictal, keppra (sp?), even tegretol is often better than dilantin...). I've been living with epilepsy for closing in on 20 years. I had a bad patch my second year of college, when I was about 19, and I've had my life interrupted in minor ways here and there (I still get partial seizures about once a month these days), but all in all, it's really not that big a deal. Your mom might want to note whether her episodes coincide with her menstrual cycle, as that is quite common for women (then she could just be a little more prepared for possibilities during that time-). It's a pretty mysterious disorder, really, since they don't quite know what causes it or what about the meds stop it. Pot as medicine is a common claim, although personally it does not help me (I think it tires me out a bit and maybe makes things worse-). Seizures also can range from weird hallucinations to blanking out to full on grand-mal... I have had all three kinds (usu. "partial complex" which is hallucinations and momentary loss of consciousness without full seizure). Other people are more freaked out than I am - I think it's worse to watch than to undergo. From my end, it's mildly interesting (sometimes); a pain in the ass (it's tiring, causes headaches, and can interrupt/forestall whatever you're trying to do); and generally in the background these days (I'm used to it as a fact of life). Feel free to email me if you have specific q's (my email's in my mefi profile, same username).
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Teacher Gone Wild!! (wmv File)"
The article made it sound like the guy was reasonably asking for respect, but the video makes the teacher looked like a powerless frustrated asshole who just yells at kids all the time, which only makes the kids take him less seriously, which only makes him yell more... one of those positive feedback loop scenarios.
posted by mdn 19 years ago
In "Debunking the hype, or missing the point?"
Weight gain is a function of calorie intake and exercise. Doesn't matter where the calories come from. even if this is the case (if the type of food has no impact on digestion, or energy level, etc) I doubt people who run into mcD's for a quick bite are always fully conscious of just how many calories a normal meal there has. A burger and fries is something like 1200 calories. That woman was mostly eating yogurt parfaits for dinner. That does not seem like a meal. While it's entirely possible that the super size me guy overate, the point is that he was just eating normal meals from a mcdonald's point of view. The number of calories in their servings is surprising. Supposedly, no two countries have ever gone to war with each other since they have both had a McDonald's in them. Maybe mcdonald's doesn't go into a country until it's sufficiently stable and unlikely to provoke war.
posted by mdn 20 years ago
(limited to the most recent 20 comments)