pirana

Maybe they are going to move it back due to the recent uptick in pirates. " . . . 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

Maybe they're adopting Doomsday Savings Time. They'll move the clock back 1 hour until global temperatures start going back down. " . . . 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

That, in a nutshell, is insurance. You pay for it, use it or not, and actually hope you don't need it. When you don't need it, you're paying for care for others. When you do need it, others are paying for your care. In the long run, on average, everyone has paid for their own care. How actuarial. " . . . 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

"meant to survive" implies some sort of plan put in place prior to existence or at time of deployment. If you buy into a Creator, then maybe that is a believable implication. However, being as there is no evidence of such a plan it is probably more accurate to say we will survive, or not - without it really meaning anything. Think of it this way; if we kill ourselves off, the world goes on (might even be a better place for the creatures we don't take down with us). If we survive for the entire duration of the time the Earth remains habitable, then we just get offed as the Sun expands to it's red giant phase. Even if we somehow manage to mobilize and migrate to another star by then; we'll almost certainly get wiped out when the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies collide. Actual collisions between stars will be rare, but the relatively steady state needed for solar systems to harbor and hang on to planets is gonna get thoroughly tweaked. And even if we survive that and manage to colonize multiple galaxies; what appears to be the inevitable heat death of the Universe is gonna take us down in something like 10 to the 230 years. It's so depressing - and yet comforting. " . . . 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

Two things will happen 1 - for this case - The government will quickly pass a law that it is illegal for Mayo to do this. 2 - for your scenario - the government will pass a law that it is illegal for medical companies to go out of business that should fix it Sounds like a great solution. It's not too far from the truth. Basically, Medicare reimburses at fixed rates well below even average charges (and way way below what Mayo charges). If we are all forced into a government plan, and that plan simply decides to reimburse at half the current going rate, then it simply amounts to a government imposed pay cut for all health care professionals. Without directly (and politically incorrectly) getting to the crux of the matter (that health care is simply ridiculously expensive due to the outrageous amounts charged) they have gotten to the crux of the matter. From what I've read, it is pretty much what Japan did. " . . . 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

Ain't gonna happen; bureacracies that big don't even share well within, forget about sharing with another bureacracy. " . . . 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

Bye bye, now go worship Lush, unfortunately he will be alive and well to spread his hatred around. Rush hardly has a monopoly on hating. But he does it for market share and a paycheck. What's your excuse? " . . . 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

You may feel differently someday. The soul is a very deep thing. It becomes increasingly difficult to satisfy it with objects of the flesh. Eat, fuck, skydive all you want, but at least stay open to the deeper desires of the soul as they begin to hunger more and more. What are the other deeper desires of the soul? I wanna eat, I wanna Fuck, and I wanna skydive... If I could do that everyday I would be in heaven. In the mean time Im happy knowing once this life is over I can finally get some fucking sleep! Additional desires will surface; but in the meantime - I like your attitude. Good approach, and good humor. " . . . 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

How bizarre. You think there are people who rely on the scientific method as a means to happiness? Science is a means to aquiring information. Once again, the biggest problem in many of these debates, and the emotions that run thru them, is the inability of people to recognize that science and religion only conflict when either one steps outside it's realm of discovery. Science has nothing to do with individuals finding happiness or the meaning of their life; and religion has very little to do with objective aquisition and analysis of information. Unfortunately, when spirituality got institutionalized and turned into the political entity that is organized religion - the distinction was lost. " . . . 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

Nothing to do with fashion. It has to do with relevance. Organized religions, as a means to protect their authority, decided on a path of dogma long ago. It was a very poor choice because dogma in the long run is a dead end. Their shortsightedness and provincialism has cost them the ability to grow with knowledge. They are already nearly as bad as reading horoscopes and attending seances. Another century or two and they'll big just as big a joke to about the same percentage of population. " . . . 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

Is everyone who uses it, to any degree, someone you consider as all fucked up? Do you feel the same about alcohol? Is anyone who uses it, even in moderation, all fucked up? Agreed, someone stumbling around in a stupor is all fucked up. I move in circles of drinkers and smokers. Strictly anecdotal, but I see a lot more all-fucked-upness from alcohol than pot. You begin your post by stating "This is exactly where I'm at" then state a position quite contrary to the post you quoted. Who's all fucked up? " . . . 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

Don't be so sure about that. Cannabis intoxication does not impair driving ability like alcohol intoxication does. I've posted on the topic previously here and here with links to sources. You need some qualifiers to that broad brush. I guarantee a person can smoke enough pot to pass right fucking out at the wheel - much less impair their driving. True, the two substances impair in a different way, (interesting to note however that both are depressants - alcohol and canabinol), but at sufficient intake - they both impair. " . . . 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

There is no question that more people need to just think out of their bubbles in general. The same sort of things you've said about marijuana could be said of a number of other common place things that we consume. Ever purchase a diamond? That angle could be spun off into a fierce debate on just about anything consumed in the US; since we consume so much more per person of just about every commodity the world has to offer. The impact of our overall gluttony and the historical methods for feeding our appetite at the expense of others is, just my personal opinion, unfortunately what our culture is probably going to be most remembered for. Growing or producing your own, of any commodity, is the most honorable and respectful approach. Wax on, wax off. " . . . 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

Very funny. " . . . 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

Gosh - I hope I don't have to stand in line to do that. Could you possible sell me a gift certificate that I could redeem for this activity? No insult intended to Billy; but they'd probably try to upsell you to bigger nuts. " . . . 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

Oh jeez, what kind of puke drivel is that? Let me guess. You are a "life coach" right? " . . . 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

Why would anyone with any scruples want to walk in their shoes? Are you saying a person has to go out and deceive people before they can criticize someone that does? " . . . 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

I got a funny SpongeBob type cartoon vision of a boat loosing power over land. " . . . 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

You need to smoke much less. The potentcy of many modern strains is at least 4 to 5 times that of the standard stuff available back say, in the early 70's. it was only two hits of shake... The shake at the bottom can be the strongest part of a bag, especially after it has been handled a bunch. That yellow dust-like stuff is as pure as it gets without going all the way to chemically refining. And 2 hits is a lot if the pot is good and a person's tolerance is low. I'm not advocating anybody in particular smoke it. Like most everything else, it's not for everyone. " . . . 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

Financially, rough calculations show it to be pretty close to a wash (measuring from a consumer buying power perspective). It's simply a matter of doseage. The reason people rolled big doobies back then was because you needed a monster spliff to get half a dozen people high. You smoke that much North Slope Sao Paulo Trip Weed and you absolutely are going nighty-night lickety-split. " . . . 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

You need to smoke much less. The potentcy of many modern strains is at least 4 to 5 times that of the standard stuff available back say, in the early 70's. " . . . 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

It is not against the law to remove the tags from your mattress. Just thought I'd point that out in case any matress tag removers were about to take flight for fear of being prosecuted. " . . . 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

They don't. " . . . 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

Contrary to Persian belief, there's plenty of other cultures that have celebrated midwinter, and many of them claim to be first to do so. If you do, in fact, have some proof that the Persian people were, in fact, the first to do so, then by all means provide it. Well said. Ceremonial celebration of solstice and equinox predate recorded history; which is to say we know it was important to people before they had the ability to document why. The early purveyors and brokers of organized religions capitalized on the accepted but ignorant recognition of importance; then invented reasons for that importance that supported their views. " . . . 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

Discuss.