Lateralus

Anything from the Stone Roses self titled. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ1smoOin7Y -- Sugar Coated Iceberg by the Lightning Seeds. I haven't thought about this song for years, just popped into my head.

6 or so of my favourite albums on there. Nice to see Blood on the Tracks ranking so highly.

Care to explain? Also, tax revenue from smoking pays for the strain on the health care system many times over (in the UK at least, though I would imagine it's the same in most places).

I buy almost all of my clothes online. It's generally cheaper and the selection is much wider. I've got a Royal Navy trenchcoat from World War 2, and recently I got a leather jacket for 99p + shipping. Ebay is the way to go.

Menthols are absolutely disgusting. Some people swear by them though.

I've seen them twice. First time they opened with Rosetta Stoned, like Daan said. Second time they opened with Stinkfist and then went into Swamp Song, which was a nice treat. I don't listen to Tool anything like as much as I used to, but I'd still go see them again. Lateralus live is something special.

Yum.

My crack habit doesn't go down too well.

Agreed. Also, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson are two of my heroes. I love New York. Living in Manhattan is a little Bohemian dream of mine.

Things will get much better after high school.

This is actually a massive generalisation. Little tidbits of popular psychology like this are rarely correct (using 10% of brain etc). I can't explain much further, but I'm sure Dusqi or Goddess would be able to.

It's really not all that great in Scotland. It's nice that everyone loves us, makes going abroad fairly pleasant. The people who have the biggest problem with Scots tend to be Scottish themselves. Groundskeeper Willie sums it up nicely by saying "Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!". I do still love rural Scotland, but the cities are so bleak and grey and wet. Our history is something to look fondly upon; modern Scotland... Not so much.

I don't get it. One could just say: If God is able but not willing to stop good, God is good. The quote makes a bit more sense in its original form. Epicurus said: Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

When carving up a bird you must always ask the men if they're leg or breast men, and ask the women if they want stuffing.

I managed to quit for around two weeks cold turkey, for monetary reasons. I missed them like hell. I never really get bad cravings, but I couldn't sleep, couldn't write and just really wanted to smoke. I cracked at the two week mark because I really associated smoking with literature, and just wanted to sit and read and write and smoke furiously. I put an elastic band round my wrist and pinged it hard whenever I thought about smoking.

EDIT: The Hemingway and Ballard are both great, too.

I think the first four are true for most people. Anyone who doesn't like Natalie Portman is wrong. I cut my own hair now. There's things I'd much rather do with my money. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone though - My hair is a total mess and so requires very little skill or accuracy to cut.

I'd be happy to do a list.

My grandpa has been working on a family tree lately, so he's uncovered some interesting stuff about the family. Mental health is a big issue apparently, which is something no one had ever told me. Lot of depression, a few schizophrenics and more suicides than I'm comfortable with. All I was ever warned about was back problems.

Day to day I don't think it does matter, and the absurdity of it does very little other than make me smile from time to time. I was only arguing the point that a universe where humans are created for a reason assigns value to them and gives them purpose, whether or not the situation is desirable.

How does god existing make life any more meaningful? Because you believe you'll get a reward in an afterlife? Because you need some cosmic father figure to feel significant? If god doesn't exist then we still have something to live for, and that's life in the here and now. Life should be reward enough, especially so if it's the only one we have. We all have hopes and dreams to make something of ourselves, to be surrounded with good people and to enjoy all that life has to offer. We all have things that are meaningful to us and dreams that drive us. Life is not meaningless without god. Life has no purpose without a God. We're here - That's all. I fully appreciate what you're saying, and I agree that we can assign value and significance to things, but without a God humans are just a burp on a useless little planet in a indifferent universe. I know that non-believers can and do live just as enjoyable and worthwhile lives as believers, but ultimately we're toiling in futility. The nihilistic problem can only be escaped through some kind of God. EDIT: I should add that Nietzsche viewed Christianity as nihilistic as well because it devalues the importance of life on earth.

O Baterista and Der Trommler by Neil Peart are great solos.

I managed to use the word 'seraphic' yesterday, which made me quite proud.

Are you kidding? There's no reason to respect the law simply because it's the law. If the machine is working unjustly, a conscientious citizen has a duty to be part the friction that grinds it to a halt (to paraphrase Henry David Thoreau). I can't say I'm a fan of Walden, but Civil Disobedience is something everyone should read.

The SS and SA were stylish as hell.