pirana

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Everything posted by pirana

  1. pirana
    Do you mean the last, or the most recent? And explain coming. And why the grouping of two peaceniks, a couple mass murderers, and dubya? And how do I make my voice do this? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  2. pirana
    I just realized that the threads I like best in Bonfire usually redirect me back here. Trying to leave Speakers Corner is like taking a ride on some sort of Mobius Transport. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  3. pirana
    An FA with an ego problem? Noooooooooo! Paid my fare, gonna wanna complain, You get to me you're always out of Champagne, Treat me like a bum cause I don't wear a tie, You ain't nothin but a waitress in the sky, You ain't nothin but a waitiress in the sky. Sanitation expert and a maintenance engineer, Garbage man & janitor is what you are my dear, A real union flight attendant my oh my, You ain't nothin' but a waitress in the sky, You ain't nothin' but a waitress in the sky. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  4. pirana
    I just meant that selection can occur without any evolution, or with evolution lagging far behind. My favorite example is Sagan's discussion of the crab carapace that looked like the face of a Samurai warrior. But then that was selection against a trait by humans, maybe not seen as altogether "natural." But hey, humans are part of nature right? Speaking of the discarding of mutations; why don't diseases that kill before reproductive age disappear? Is it because they can be carried by certain individuals without wreaking their havoc? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  5. pirana
    Political euphemisms drive me nuts. I wonder what "studying the statement" really means? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  6. pirana
    Only if there are pressures to do so. Random mutations are mostly junk, but can "take" if there is an outside factor causing pressure and giving an advantage to an inheritable mutation. Nice that they kind of mention it, but they should make it more clear that selection can take place quickly, evolution takes a much longer time. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  7. pirana
    I have no problem with it. They should however be placed securely enough that they stay up, and collected before dark. Just as a matter of respect and good citizenship, regardless of laws or formal rules. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  8. pirana
    Yeah, true, and I am not totally comfortable saying a little is OK, and a lot is bad - but this administration has gone over the top when it comes to shaping facts to fit their agenda when it comes to science. In that realm Mr. Bush is overly influenced by his faith - which is no surprise. I totally gave up on him when he made the comment that the jury is still out on evolution versus creation. He needs to go back and retake all his science classes from 8th Grade on up. And not in the districts where the fundamentalists put disclaimer stickers in the biology texts. Now if I could have worked guns into the conversation we'd be complete. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  9. pirana
    Never mix guns and religion. Guns and politics, religion and politics - fine. But guns and religion = wars without end. And orgies are best sober - unless there are a lot of fat people in the mix. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  10. pirana
    Pretty typical. My neck fusion surgery bill was $44K. The amount determined to be "allowed" by Mother Blue was nearly exactly half. On top of that, for my $2K deductible, I was going to make payments, and out of the blue the billing office called and said if I was willing to pay it off quickly they would discount it 40%! So I put it on VISA and saved $800. There is still a lot of fat that can be squeezed out of the health care business without doing any harm. That process will slow to a snails pace (if not grind to a halt) if we remove the competitive elements of how it is financed. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  11. pirana
    That is sweet man, very good on you. You appear about as relaxed in the door as any tandem can be. I got the go ahead a couple days ago to build the formation on my brother's tandem. I'll have to try to post the video to a public site. Chicagoland heh? Tell Nathan Dexter that Farmer Don from Baldwin says "Hey!" " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  12. pirana
    No big deal. I am for all practical purposes blind in one eye. (Can't eve read the big E on the top of the chart). I have a natural compensation in that I typically hold my head at a slight angle most of the time. Nobody notices, and it keeps my good eye nearly centered. The only problem I have is depth perception of unfamiliar objects. (Because one-eyed folks use size of object to perceive distance, strange objects pose a problem). " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  13. pirana
    Insurance is largely regulated at the state level. Find a professional agent who can navigate for you and research all your options. Some state pools are downright cheap, some are outrageous - and I believe there are states without any. Pre-X rules, continuous coverage requirements, waiting periods, underwriting guidelines, eligibility rules - damn near everything - varies by state. Find a local agent and see what is available. Worst case scenario: buy a high risk, carrier of last resort type plan and keep it just long enough to get the ID card - most do not have expiration or termination dates on them. Then cancel the coverage. I doubt if any DZ calls the carrier to see if coverage is in force. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  14. pirana
    Really surprised they did not just fuse those vertabrae, especially since it sounds like the contraption they put in probably causes the same reduction in mobility as a fusion would. I had C5-C6 fused and plated and got the are-you-nuts look when I asked when I could jump again. After further conversation he said he wouldn't, but that it was my choice. I was back in the sky 6 weeks after surgery, and had an oversized slider put on my Sabre. (Should have done that 2 years ago!) My only advice would be to find a soft opening canopy. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  15. pirana
    What timing! My little brother has CP, had made a tandem last summer, and very badly wants to jump more. We are going to take him up tandem again and build a small formation on him because he wants so badly to be a part of one. Taking up the sport though seems to me to be out of the question for him. I suppose it depends on how severe the case. He has an awful lot of muscle rigidity, and his fine motor skills restrict him from many activities. I'd like to hear how it goes for you. As a humorous aside - he has to use an electric shaver because of the fine motor skills thing. He visitied once and forgot it, so he gave the blade a try. When he came out of the bathroom he had at least 2 dozen relatively minor cuts and scrapes, with tissue plastered everywhere. We had a great laugh on that one. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  16. pirana
    And the recipes. Don't forget about the recipes. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  17. pirana
    Limited by opacity. The Universe was opaque for, IIRC, about the first 100,000 years. Even if we could see thru that opacity, we could never see the very beginning. At a certain scale, I believe called the Planck Limit, the concepts of distance, size, speed completely break down. Prior to that it will always be a matter of faith. NOW I'VE DONE IT, HEH!? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  18. pirana
    Buttered popcorn is bad for you. You should send all of it to me. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  19. pirana
    Are you advocating the building and use of the B ark? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  20. pirana
    I'm game; I love the study of Those Darn Humans. I'll PM you with an email address. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  21. pirana
    I don't get the POT reference. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  22. pirana
    Absolutely yes, unless our approach changes radically. A limited effort, severely hampered by the region's politics, taking place in an extremely challenging physical environment. The half-hearted effort is a waste of time and lives. War needs to be (as much as it needs to be at all) a full commitment, or stay at home. If we do not finish it properly, the place will self-destruct upon exit. Look at how powerless the locals are. The Taliban guns down schoolchildren in broad daylight (just to intimidate girls and women from going to school). A crime about as atrocious as it gets, being commited at will and going unpunished. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  23. pirana
    There's also the factor of feeling like a person is in on something special, as well as other reasons. A great read on this stuff is Michael Shermer's (sp?) Why People Believe Wierd Things. Lots of good insights as well as documented research. Highly recommended. " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  24. pirana
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_us/flying_lawn_chair BEND, Ore. - Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks — and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons. ADVERTISEMENT Destination: Idaho. The article says he wore a parachute in case of emergency. Wonder if he was trained to use it? Anybody know this name? Is he a skydiver? " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley
  25. pirana
    Organized religion (of all types) have become just additional political entities that believe they know what is right for everybody. What else do you expect from the GDB's (Great Dogmatic Beliefisms?) " . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley