Zenister

that is the point though, science never said the earth was flat, religion did, and persecuted anyone (scientists) who contradicted them, until governmental systems evolved to the point that it could not any longer (separation of church and state) Humans do make mistakes, Churches are founded by humans, dogma is written by humans, very little of it has anything at all to do with God (purple or no) and yet religion often claims it's direct authority from God (from God to them to you) prevents such mistakes, and that those who disagree despite evidence to support their disagreement are confused, or worse yet, blinded by satan.... how can a religion be divinely inspired, its leader in direct communication with God and yet be so blind to facts, so completely wrong (and unwilling to admit its mistakes) for a thousand years?? Could it be that they aren't really getting the truth straight from the source? Maybe the make it up to keep themselves in power? hmmm...after all why would God insist (and have his church insist) the world is flat when he clearly created it round?? Actually i've been to mass more often than i'd like, it's a nice social ritual, so Catholic churches still realize the power, majesty and awe that can be stirred in ritual and perform regularly to help increase faith. I'm referring more to the social support of the church members, it's certainly more prevalent in baptist and protestant variants of christianity, but that support is responsible for the attraction and retention of far more members than dogma and theological differences. Are you trying to say you have had a personal experience with God and he pointed you towards the Catholic church? no i'm not trying to tell you that you cannot believe anything/anyway you wish. I am trying to tell you that your belief alone is not proof or evidence. Faith is only 'good enough' for you, and when that faith is (mis)placed more in the dogma of a church (who has been proven to be continually incorrect about the nature of the universe) rather than a belief in God and a direct relation to her/him (take your pick the concept of gender is meaningless to God, but the Church cares quite a lot about it as it undermines their authority to view God in any manner not approved by canon.) Where you put your faith and your belief is entirely up to you, but I’d be careful about buying my gear from a rigger who has been proven to be completely mistaken about a number of basic facts about physics, so I’d certainly be wary of a church that still clings to some obvious misconceptions about the universe as well….seems if you had a direct line to “the source” you wouldn’t be wrong about the basic facts (like the shape of the earth)……ever ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

dude if you think brocclis screams badly you have to hear carrots...steamed carrots let out such a wail... but they are really tasty with a honey glaze so i dont mind so much... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

i like the Fisher-Price voting device for Floridians some of the Rocky and Bullwinkle joes were pretty good too.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

well i am really really bored, and not likely to get any airtime in the next month or so..... gotta amuse myself someway maybe a side hobby like 'sport fucking' eh? looks like the Japanesee have a head start...think it will ever be an olympic event? ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

no really, this (NSFW btw) looked far more interesting, but i'd need the aforementioned woman to train... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

here are 12 ways you can do it yourself... some people have far to much time on their hands, but this isnt what i meant when i searched for "things to do when your bored" ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

yup, looks like a tracking dive, just a bit steep with everyone in their slots oh wait 45 deg of angle and we need a new name right? ... i guess i've need to change the word 'tracking' to 'atmonauti' in my log book.... do i owe 5$ for each entry that could get expensive the way we track at eloy... wish i could come play but i'm still healing...do you have to call it atmonauti to get on the dive? a rose by any other name and all... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

it isnt a witch hunt, there is never any persecution implied in questioning, but until you can back your belief with evidence or proof, you cant claim "I'm right and everyone else who believes differently is wrong" (and therefore "of the devil's party" and in need of burning according to your church in the past, since you brought up witch hunts....) the Catholic church has been proven wrong about its conception and assumptions about the universe multiple times, yet you still believe it is correct on the nature of divinity and what 'God' expects of you? or is it that you still feel most comfortable in the social environment offered by the church? ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

buy the man some tunnel time... it's my plan for a couple of ground bound river rats i'm trying to get to stop by Eloy.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

They had as much influence over the Emperor as he does over him, something that is often misunderstood. The Emperor (who is divine but its not worth getting into the differences in 'god' and 'divinity' in the Japanese culture here) understands the implications of giving such an order to his soldiers and so would never do so, until it was generally agreed that fighting was useless. It took two bombs to convince them, and many still took their own lives in shame for their failure the targets for the bombs certainly could have been different, but the demonstration of the futility of fighting was still necessary to convince their warrior class and the people as a whole. Notice the wording carefully writting to omit 'defeat'. without citing the quotes your references on 'lower casualties' for invasion are useless. All studies and evaluations I have seem from the same institutions concluded an invasion to be a much more costly option... only about 'where' not 'if'. Politicians usually get it wrong in one way or another…. ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

so do you believe those opinions to be militarily or politically derived? there is a difference it is possible political concessions could have alleviated the needs of military necessity. But the Japanese political system is not simply a matter of appeasing the emperor. Without those concessions from the part of the politicians the military alternative to a second bombing was invasion. have you researched the price of invasion yet? the second bomb was much cheaper in total loses than an invasion. btw... go find a few quotes from the remaining Japanese generals or members of their army to see how 'ready' they really were to surrender? My sensei was personally ready to die in defense of his homeland, why should i believe the rest of the country was not? You mistake a great deal of the Japanese culture and warrior class if you think the single instance was enough to convince their entire culture as was necessary, not just the Emperor you do understand that at the time the Japanese considered themselves the only 'human' civilization? it took two bombs for them to realize there was nothing they could do to prevent it from happening again.... hindsight is a wonderful thing, particularly when your wishing you had not killed as many people as you did, and perhaps regretting decisions made in the moment, but that doesn’t make them any less necessary. We can certainly quibble over target, there were several alternative military targets that could have been used instead to demonstrate the futility in fighting, I'd certainly regret intentionally targeting a city when a military port would have served as well, but then who's decision was that i wonder?? Could it be the politicians? ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

i've seen some really young packers... i think the youngest that i've ever let pack for me was 15, but it is your life, risk it in any way you chose.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

you know Kennedy himself might not, and i cant say i'm interested enough to do the 'real' post numbers, but i observe alot more propaganda, here at least, from the Bush camp than the Kerry camp... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

most of my teachers in while in DOD schools in Germany held doctorates or were working towards them. By 8th grade science classes (actually divided into Geology, Biology, Physical Science etc at that grade) we were conducting experiments and being graded on our conclusions and methods. The difference in education levels when i moved back to the US (to Alabama ranked 47th in public education at the time) after 11 years in the DOD schools was shocking... I actually had to take a summer class in AL history to be able to graduate High School (its required in Jr high I missed it) but things like World Wars were covered in "History" class in under a week. Its a good thing I like to read.. for the most part the books were pretty good and the information is always there in the library, it is just helpful when school forces you to look for it as part of the planned learning process, instead of reading it because you were bored anyway..... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

i think we have some fundamental issues relating to 'proof' and 'evidence'. What proofs/evidence do you have that the Catholic view of the universe is the one true way? "authority to keep you in line"??? God needs such?? or does man and his political systems need them? maybe we should attempt to agree on a definition of 'God' first. I cant see how God would need any outside structure to do anything at all..isnt she the prime mover? the power and energy behind all creation? God needs the institutions of Man to enforce his will??? simply because you are comfortable with, and chose to accept any particular interpretation of creation, does not make it the ONLY interpretation, or make the one you believe any better or more valid than anyone else's... again if you dispute this, PROVE IT. "i picked this one, it makes sense to me, it's what I’ve been taught/believed my whole life" is not evidence or proof.. ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

No, I just need to understand the American bubble mindset of "Let's blow stuff up! It only matters if US civilians die! Who cares about other civilians?" Yes, and that's what really matters...military successes. I'm really surprised to see people actually think that second bomb was necessary..... In War, all that matters is military success and combat efficiency. It is the nature of war, concern for other matters not relating to those generally causes unnecessary losses. Perhaps you'd like to try storming a beach with 1 million women and children (mind you your male from a culture with a bit more respect for both than we have now) trying to kill you with anything and everything they have at hand. You cant sit, cant stop, cant eat, cant drink from anything you didn’t bring with you because it could be trapped, poisoned etc... You are not a member of a 'liberating army' being greeted by cheering locals, you are an INVADER on an island of people who believe death in the service of a noble cause is the highest honor, and who have for the most part been indoctrinated with the belief that you are inhuman monsters with little regard for life at all.. there are no military experts who dispute it, perhaps you should spend some time at a military command school such as the Air War/Air Command and Staff College/ Army Command and Staff and study the plans for the invasion of Japan and the captured plans and post war interviews of Japanese officers who prepared for it's defense. the only people who still dispute it are liberal art humanitarian scholars who have never seen War at all, and do not understand military necessity or the Bushido mindset...believe me i've had this argument with many of them throughout college. All their arguments crumble when faced with documented facts and post war interviews from the military institutions that make a point to study warfare and learn lessons from past conflicts. are you going to participate in your funeral and get into a plane loaded with explosives? If you answer 'no' and cant imagine why anyone would, don’t pretend you understand the mindset or resolve of a culture that has no problem with it... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Rainier Beer is just a purer form of skunk-water!!! It's freakin' NASTY!!!! yea some people drink busch light by the truckload too.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

true, the "God squad" of christianity has been converting heathens (often at sword and gun point ) for some two thousand years now... socialization of a religion does not change it's nature. You'd think God could reach humanity directly without them (and many more would if religion didnt get in the way first) but then the tithes wouldnt make it into the right coffers now would they? ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Budhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Jainism, Shinto, Sikhism, and Taoism each have a different creator. You CHOOSE to follow Christianity. You only believe in alternate beginnings if you are not truly religious. Either God started this whole beautiful thing or he didn't, dude. There is no grey area. I don't personally chastise others for their beliefs, but YES, I absolutely know that they are misguided. If I had doubts, then I wouldn't truly be religious now, would I? -Hold up, but if you are saying the nature in which I choose to honor God is through my set religious ceremonies and tasks, then yes. That is how I choose to honor my creator. But picking another creator would be like trying to say that Geena Davis is my real mother...sorry, no matter how much anyone might like to think different, your biological mom is your biological mom no matter what you do in your life. That's the point that I was making. But I think I see where you were trying to go with that. And yeah, if Catholics suddenly made a new doctrine that said we had to kill all green-eyed people for God, then I'd choose to honor my father in another way. if you'd never met, had no physical evidence, proof of your mother’s existence, picking Geena Davis as your mother would be just as valuable as picking your religion. The difference is we can prove who your mother is. Your belief in a particular vision of creation and therefore a particular concept of “God” given through the filter of your church is just that, a chosen belief. You can change your beliefs; you cannot change your mother or the color of your skin. Equating them is ludicrous. The phrase you are looking for isn’t 'truly religious' it is "refuses to believe in any other option" your not 'picking another creator" your "picking another interpretation of creation" there is a huge difference. God doesn’t have to change for the Catholics (or anyone else for that matter) to be wrong in their dogma or means of worship. God may have certainly created you and everything else, but that in no way means that ANY church's interpretation or vision of that creation is any more valid than any others. Believe so? prove it. If you chose to be a member of a church you are accepting its dogma, accomplishments and it's failings. Dont complain when outsiders group you with the church you have chosen, or find it strange that you support so many archaic and divisive beliefs that have little to do with God and everything to do with your Church. the world would be a better place if more people would attempt to separate the interests of Man and the religions he creates, from the nature of God...... but few ever do, once your relationship is solely between you and God, the religions of Man have no control over you, and so lose their usefulness to other Men, thus religion always includes dogma that only exists to separate and control. ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

you really need to understand the Japanese warrior mindset (taught even to women and children at an early age) to understand, yes, it means exactly that. It is very difficult (and costly in terms of lives on all sides) to invade a country who's core belief is that it is better to die with honor than live in shame. When it came to defending their home, every man woman and child would have fought, and their women were highly trained. US WW II era soldiers would have had a very difficult time dealing with that kind of resistance, and the Japanese military had stockpiled weapons and explosives for just such an event. Thousands of suicide submarines (human guided torpedoes) lined the docks..the death toll on both sides would have been staggering, and much of it would have been simple (but unavoidable) slaughter…Have you actually looked at the numbers for the small island invasions that have been performed in the past?? sure, some history books may call it a ‘mistake’, we probably could have ‘laid siege’ and waited them out…..at what cost? It is ridiculous to call the second bomb a ‘mistake’ from anything other than a humanitarian view. Militarily it was a stunning success. ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Ludicrous, you chose (or had that choice made for you by your parents and have never questioned/ or at least never changed that initial decision) to be Catholic, to associate your self with an institution with a thousand year history of murder and religious oppression in the name of your God., you might not like what the church has done in the past (or currently for that matter) but you chose to associate yourself with it. Dark skin is NOT A CHOICE. If I chose to join the KKK, but never burn a cross, i can hardly complain when someone else 'lumps me in' with all the cross burning members who do/did perform those acts. When you chose to join the church, you accepted it's rules, and it's history. ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

You are not serious...you think Catholicism is being influenced by...who? Wheat farmers? And vineyards? Oh yeah, EVERYBODY knows that's where all the money is!!! has it always been that way? for a very long time monasteries had the lock on wine productions... you have to remember the Catholic church is a very large, fairly old institution, the forces that shaped its initial rituals have changed... At one time the church controlled a lot more than it does today, and its 'opinion' was Law. Giving certain industries 'sanction by God' though validating them in your rituals is a political/economic move.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

Rainer Beer is a Tacoma microbrew.. its actually very comparable to Shiner iirc... which while good isnt very original for a microbrew... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

your missing the point. we cant even talk about 5 beers at all until we have predefined what 5 is. if >5 doesnt exist (ie we have no name for it) then you taking anything that is greater than 5 is meaningless. there is no objective reality, only a perceived and agreed apon subjective reality. you are so used to dealing with concepts you take for granted (an established common numerical system for example, what an ounce is..etc..) you cant see you have no way of perceiving and discussing anything without them. there are questions that are designed to make you think about the differences, the problem is that people get so caught up in the question they miss the point in contemplating the answer.... here are two commonly repeated ones you have likely heard before...think about them before you try to 'answer' either, think about the point in asking them, then think about what you need to 'know' to be able to 'answer' them the 'sub-questions' that remain unanswered and in some cases unanswerable... If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Western philosophy and religion very often misses the reason for seeking in the first place, but your starting to get closer to why man seeks religion for such answers.... ____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

yes i know several people who can. Dont most people do multiple docks in tracking dives? Atmonauti is a steep and threfore higher skill level track, but your still tracking. Most end up as really high speed tracking dives at break of anyway as you gradually transition to horizontal with the additional speed... the air feels the same from every angle