selkirk

I think you're confusing "Priests" or ordained ministers from other denominational relgions with the "send in a coupon from a matchbook and become a minister" variety that seems to be predominate in a lot of fundamentalist non-denominational churches. The path to being an ordained minister is up there close to being a doctor. Not sure what that says about either career path... Big difference between a minister and a catholic priest. There are lots of people preaching with nothing but charisma and few bible versus. Though there are also some extremely thoughtful well educated ones as well. Likey anything else there's a spectrum. As for catholic priests, I just googled it and came up with this "Preparation generally requires 8 years of study beyond high school, usually including a college degree followed by 4 or more years of theology study at a seminary." Nope, these guys aren't trained in anything what so ever. (This is the same amount of schooling it takes to get an MD, or for some a PhD. Though the MD's still have a residency to go through once they graduate.)

Most religions are this way. A lot of people seem awfully lazy though, and are happy to let other people think for them.

Yep, people really should be actively trying to understand and develop their understanding of any belief set they ascribe to. Catholic priests kind of play the role of counselors and teachers as much as anything else. If all people do is go to mass, sleep through the sermons, and take communion, I guess it's probably better than nothing, but still leaves a lot to be desired.

What in the hell is that!

The whole abstinance only education track is blowing up. Teaches kids to be fearful and ashamed. It does end up increasing how long teenagers wait to have sex slightly (1-2 years?) But when they do, they're so misinformed and afraid to ask questions that they don't, resulting in higher pregnancy and std transmission rates because they end up engaging in risky behaviour out of ignorance.

Well, that's assuming you have a good reasoning thoughtful religion. I'm a slightly wayward Catholic myself, and most of things that they espouse have extremely well thought out arguments and reasons based not only on scripture but on ideal morals etc. If you've ever read the catechism, every last aspect of everything the church as a whole believes in is extremely well thought out. That doesn't bother me so much, it's at least been well thought out, even if I disagree on some points. Seems like when there is a social problem a lot of religions or sub-groups within the religions resort to "Lets trust the individual who lectures to us about how to think every week (or whomever is in charge) interpret the scriptures for us, and tell us what to do." That scares the piss out of me. Far too much power in the hands of 1, fundamentally flawed individual. It gives some people bully pulpits to spout whatever BS they want, and back it up with whatever portion of the scripture they like, while ignore the rest. So we end up with the occasional pogrom or vitriole against homosexuality while damn near ignoring poverty.

Democrats like to understand, talk, explain, and influence thorugh productive discussion. This works great if your a reasoning, forward thinking individual. Republicans seem to just want to tell people what to think, and that they should be afraid. Which is perfect for people who don't like to think for themselves. and fits well with the whole, people are sheep idea.

religion in and of itself isn't inherently bad. The ideas are typically pretty good. It's the tendency of a lot of people to give up their decision making power, and put all of their faith and loyalty to a single person in a possision of power who may or may not be moral, but is usually charismatic. That spooks me. I wonder which religions he looked at? Would be interesting to see how that applies to things like Buddhism, Shinto, Hinduism etc, or if he focused on the western religions?

I don't know about pathetic. They may be slimy, but they're damn good at it.

I can't believe this! They tore an arm of one of Squid's cousins!

I ran into a poor guy trying to return his "North Face" jacket to the store in downtown seattle a few years ago, with complaints that it wasn't waterproofed, and that the seems leaked. The guy at the counter picked up felt a seems and realize none of them were taped or sealed, which is why it leaked like sieve. Poor guy paid someone way too much for nylon jacket with a north face logo.

I dont' know that i'll be there but i'll spring for oil if someone posts pictures!

Not that I'd want to live down there, but wait till a volcanoe blows or big earthquake and people will be asking why we live here in the rain. Well, how often do we get a bad erruption? Every few hundred years? Not to mention they usually come with a good amount of warning. Throw in a reasonably bad earthquake, every what 20 years? And we get smoke, oh once every 21 years? How many hurricanes and tropical storms have hit Florida and the gulf coast? Lets see, were up to "R" this year so 17? Lets see, lots of damage every 21 years, or lots of damage every 3 weeks (averaged over a year), not to mention one of the worst earthquakes in recorded history was in New Madrid Missouri.... you do the math!

somewhat similar physics at work I imagine, just driven by local pressure instead of gravity though. Starting to evacuate Houston now

Someone is having way too much fun.

How much for the shrikes?

dude, no one needs more ABBA

As far as longevity you can't throw out KISS and Rush, I think they are tied for the most consecutive gold records.

Was it wrong of me to hope that this thread would just get eatin in the LA power blink? No such luck I guess. So can we all hug and play naked twister now?

Hell, the last "liberal/democrat" government didn't have a balanced budget either, they ran a fucking surplus!!!!! And actually left the country in the black. But we all know that trickle down economics is 100% effective and that corporations and wealthy people like to look out for the interests of other people because it's socially conscious. Oh, and of course free market forces are capable of regulating the environmental impact of industry because people as a whole actually think through the long term impact of each and every purchase they make

Dude the guy should be nailed. He wasn't an activist, he's a mail order drug dealer, who's been commiting mail fraud, tax-evasion, distribution of an illegal substance on a huge scale, and who the hell knows what else. And know i'm not anti pot. I think there are a lot of vices that are only marginally dangerous, and the criminal society that's gorwn up around them due to their being illegal is likely worse than their effects. So i'd rather see them legalized, regulated, and taxed to hell. (pot and prostitution for starters)

Saw a cool one of these in some climbing rag. The guy had built it so it was horizontal instead of vertical to mimic crack climbing under a roof. The frame was close enough to the ground that he was never more than a couple of feet off the ground. Of course he was also capable of climbing pure cracks under horizontal roofs

So I am making shit up again! Damn. Does anyone know how often the electors have cast their votes in opposition to the popular vote in a state? or if a state has ever fractured it's electoral vote?

It is the electoral college who decides for you. Except in 2000, in that case it was, ultimately, the very judges who are supposed to be impartial. But doesn't the electoral college vote according to the popular vote on a state by state basis as opposed to a simple national popular majority? In order to somewhat balance the influence of extremely large states over smaller states, the number of electoral votes is equal to the number of senators+congressmen? So your vote goest directly toward determining which candidate recieve the electoral college votes from your own state? Or am I making shit up again? I hate it when I do that