Barihawk

Oh good. I was hoping at least one of the parties would be shifting in it's politics soon. It might be the Democrats, but hey. Anything's better than what we've had for political ideologies of the Parties in the last decade. If you haven't noticed, I and many other moderates are pretty pissed with the Republicans post-Bush (I mean, he wasn't nearly this bad) and their recent surge of right-wing hiijinks. I think that while they need to represent the ideals of the Party, they also need to GET STUFF DONE and propose real legislation that benefits Americans instead of constantly trying to slander the Democrats. They don't need to. The polls show that Americans are not very satisfied with the President as was expected, and Congress' "out of control spending" seems to be the biggest comment given on lowering approval ratings for Congress. The Democrats don't need help routing themselves back into the so-called balance. What we do need is a new generation of Congressman who puts his country first and his party second. Unfortunately this may require Party reform which is...yeah, unlikely to happen. Oh, and the lady is not selling pills. I meant to mention in the post that we get that call every ten minutes. People earnestly just wait until the last minute and then freak out. We monitor length of Rx draw when filling orders, so if they come back too often we get suspicious. It's fairly easy to root out who's coming in just to get the "good stuff" and those who really need the medication. And that malpractice reform is exactly what I think we need. Caps on how much people can sue for. That alone will bring down medical bills by a hefty amount. Which is something that benefits every man, woman, and child (sans lawyer) in this nation.

If I may say so, the Democrats are equally opposed to reform in malpractice lawsuits. You also accuse the AMA of being greedy in the old system, when they are throwing their support behind the new proposed bill. I'm sorry magekllr, but I feel this is your personal views getting in the way of discussion. There are flaws with both conservative and liberal approaches to healthcare, and the two sides need to come to a consensus on how to deal with it instead of constantly trying to ramrod their party's agenda any time they have control of Congress. The Conservative plan is to educate people into being healthier and taking more control of their own lives. Unfortunately, people don't often like to learn (I took a phone call today for a woman asking to book an appointment to have her Rx refilled. I told her it would be three weeks when she frantically informed me that she only had one pill left). The Liberal argument is that the government should provide for the people, when this will lead to more lax behavior from patients ("oh, the government will take care of it") and they will less proactively care for their own health. A balance needs to be struck, and neither side seems to want to compromise. I, along with a sizeable part of the nation, think that we are rushing into a 1 trillion+ dollar mistake. Socialized medicine can work, but not like this. This just seems like a half-assed pork-filled bill that the Democrats want to ramrod through while they still have the majority before the lowering approval ratings for Congress lead to a more balanced representation in the next round of elections.

From experience, I had a man threaten to sue one of our doctors because his wife's MRI results were a day late. Now, we had transmitted those results four times already, so the third party clinic (private practitioner) was the faulty party, but things like that can mean a lot to a person.

I don't know where you guys get some of these ideas. Most private hospitals in the United States (and almost all hospital systems) are not-for-profit because they get tax breaks. They only make enough money to pay personnel and to upgrade equipment. Most private hospitals are owned or supervised by religious organizations (the hospital system I work for is run by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth) and provide FREE HEALTH CARE to anyone who can't pay for hospital bills. I mean seriously, they are generous. The doctors at private healthcare systems usually work for modest salaries (80-110k a year) and enjoy doing what they do, and providing the best care they can. At least the ones here do their best to prescribe generic prescriptions to save patients money, because a happy patient is one who comes back in the future. The evil "money grubbing greedy capitalist" doctors are those who have their own private practices, and these are not the guys who work at hospitals. They generally have their own clinics and specialize in something very specific, and therefore people pay extremely high prices. Any decent Hospital in the United States is going to offer free flu shots, free neonatal and prenatal care, trauma, and other essential care. Insurance companies will also insure almost anyone (and if they won't take you, another company will). The only people who can not find insurance are those who either do not pay the fees and get blacklisted, or people who simply neglect to pay the fees when their place of employance offers them medical benefits. People often speak about how the lower classes and those in poverty don't have enough money to get by. However, would you believe that the people who spend the most money on frivalous purchases (going to the movies, eating out at medium grade restaurants, cell phones, etc) are in these lower classes? You'll learn all about the phenomenon in psychology classes, but people with less income feel more inclined to spend on luxuries and the vast majority of advertising done by companies is directed at this demographic. There's plenty of money to go around in jobs to pay $150 a month to cover entire families with medical insurance. But many people simply choose to forgo these benefits in order to gain instant gratification. Cost of smoking cigarettes in one month (moderate use): $575 (that's being light, I've seen lower class people smoke a hell of a lot more). Cost of medical insurance for an entire family (regardless of size) from the Kroger chain of grocery stores: $180 a month. Tell me there's not enough money to get health insurance, I dare you. Let's put a 300% tax on cigs and use that to fund healthcare reform. And please (I just read the most recent post before this) do not demonize doctors because a handful of private practicioners charge high prices. The vast majority of medical professionals in this country (who work in hospitals and affiliated clinics) are some of the kindest and sweetest people I have ever met. They do what they are doing because they earnestly care in helping others and following their Oath. There is also a difference between privatized healthcare and private practicioners. Private healthcare is simply any non-local funded entity. For example, here in Tyler Texas, we have Trinity Mother Frances Hospital and Clinics and the East Texas Medical Center. The former is a privately owned hospital while the second is a locally funded public hospital. Both provide low-cost and free services to patients. In fact, the private hospital is more generous with free care than the public one. Also, any child under 18 is eligible for Medicaid and any adult over 60 Medicare. These greatly alleviate healthcare costs for the demographics that require the most need for medicine. I mean seriously guys, if you are going to demonize these institutions, you need to do your own research instead of listening to idiots with an agenda (ala Michael Moore). I'm not saying the healthcare industry in America is perfect (because dear God does it need help and some major infrastructure changes), but it is not a greedy system for the rich. I think that with reform to the existing system, laws regarding medicine (like malpractice laws), and reform in the insurance industry, we can provide healthcare to all without screwing over half the population and raising healthcare costs for those who would prefer private medicine.

Hence why America's healthcare system needs education rather than a very disruptive change that will raise taxes and the price of privatized healthcare. Seriously, a checkup is like 200 a year and many hospitals (especially those built on Christian principles) will offer free medication in the form of samples given by drug representatives. The doctors are also more than happy to recommend generic drugs to further save money. The problem is not only that Americans are unhealthy in many regards, but that they wait until the last minute to get things checked out. But again, this is something that can be solved without screwing over a lot of people who do have access to insurance and prefer private doctors.

[yt]1K7fL5s_1ac[/yt] I thought this one would be obvious :P. It's #3 on my workout mix.

OR, let the state provide free health care to the poor and you can pick a private doctor if you like. And don't provide the lame "too much taxes" excuse. We're wasting billions of dollars in weapons research and production, when we could use that money to aid, not harm, people. It's not quite a waste considering that out there there are people who have the express intent to cause harm to us. FYI, healthcare in America is not all that bad. A lot of uninsured people come from the fact that many people in lower-income groups would rather recieve a slightly larger paycheck than shell out a premium each month for their employer's health benefits. I saw it all the time when I worked in retail. If we really want to make healthcare accessable to all, we need to tackle malpractice reform. It's too easy to sue doctors for trivial things. Working in the medical field, I've seen three possible lawsuits in my first week on the job for very small things that cause little to no harm. Make it harder to bring suit to medicine, lower malpractice insurance costs, bring the cost of healthcare down. Why isn't this happening already? I think the fact that the majority of Congress and even our President are lawyers by trade and have many friends and supporters who helped them get into their positions who are also lawyers and attorneys. This isn't Crystalwingz type propaganda, it's a fair truth. It's not a conspiracy, it's simply "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" politics that has been going on for hundreds of years. As for taxes, we are talking about increasing taxes for middle and upper-class families from 18% average to 50-60%. That's extreme. And the people getting taxed are likely not going to see the need for free healthcare. The Democrats could find another way to pay for this bill, but they are too concerned with using their control over Congress before record-approval losses lead to a more balanced Congress in the next election. It's getting rammed through before it's ready. There's no way we should pass a trillion dollar legislation in less than a year. That's a hell of a lot of money. What that money could be better spent on? How about creating programs to provide tax incentives for healthy families? The reason that lower-classes pay so much on medicine is because they suffer from the most debilitating illnesses like cancer and diabetes simply because they do not take care of themselves. Excessive smoking and eating of unhealthy foods causes a lot of harm to health. How about providing incentives for fast food chains to make all of their food more healthy, or support Weight Watchers and provide nutritional information in all public restaurants? Educate people on how unhealthy habits (like eating expensive and unhealthy fast food, or smoking) can cost a lot of money not only to satisfy it's demand, but in treating it's consequences. You can provide a day's worth of food for a person (I mean a hearty satisfying meal that's fairly healthy and nutritious) for the cost of a combo meal at Wendy's. Two ways to prevent healthcare from causing bankruptcy: be healthier and spend less money (so you have more to spend on healthcare). What's awesome is that you CAN do both at the same time! If people would be smarter instead of relying on the government to babysit them, everyone can be happy.

Go join another troop? I mean, it's not like they require you to stick to one. If there are multiple groups in the area, go to division and ask to switch. It's fairly easy. And to anyone who disses the Boy Scouts, having Eagle Scout on a resume kicks [wagon].

I'll update it a bit just to clarify the wording.

To be honest, I'm simply curious. It will also help me to see who's being hostile as a result of ignorance rather than the sake of their education/maturity. And third, I think it will stir some good conversation. This is getting to be a problem and we need to get it into the open before it simply becomes the next bigotry (which we have in good supply if you take a look at the slavery topic). On that chime, maturity in discussion is hard to come by these days. And feel free to N/A anything you don't feel comfortable answering, l0rd. The questions were taken from a survey a professor gave us some time in my college experience, probably for a psychology or religious studies class. I found it when moving and thought this might be an interesting topic. Might as well do mine now: [hide=]Forum Username: Barihawk Age: 23 State (US only, do not give a city): Texas Nation (do not give a city): United States Educational level: -if secondary or below, what level? -If at a university/college, what level and what is your major/minor course of study? Some graduate studies, History/Secondary Education 1. Have you ever attended a worship of any religion? Yes -by choice? Yes and no. At first I was kind of forced to go by virtue of not being alone at home. -What kind of worship? Christian Protestant (several different denominations), Jewish, Hindu, Islam, Catholic -Did you regularly attend this worship, by choice or parental guidance? I choose to regularly attend a Methodist church 2. Do you consider yourself religious? Yes I do. I have committed much thought and I personally have come to the conclusion that their is more logic and rationality that there is a God than there is to disprove such a notion. -Please explain in two or three sentences. 3. Is there a god, gods, or a supreme deity? See #2 -Did said god, gods, or supreme being create the Universe, according to your belief? 4. Is there an afterlife? Yes 5. How do you believe that existence came about? (in a nutshell) It was created by a supreme being 6. Have you ever attended a worship of any religion that you do not consider yourself a part of? Yes -What? Jewish, Catholic, Islam, Hindu -Your thoughts on the experience? I thought it was interesting to see how other religions worked. I found the Hindu worship to be particularly beautiful and a very spiritual experience. 7. What are your thoughts on non Judeo-Christian Western religions? Remember that religion is a broad term so please be specific. I haven't given much thought to these. 8. What are your thoughts on Judeo-Christian religions? Remember that religion is a broad term and that both of these groups have many subdivisions that have radically different beliefs and practices. I could write enough that Firefox would lag and die. 9. What are your thoughts on Asian religions? Remember that religion is a broad term so please be specific. I find both Hindu and Bhuddism to be very interesting religions with very devout followers who care for others despite any personal convictions. I think all religions could learn to do like this. Islam (traditional) is a nice faith. I do not care for Daoism or Shinto. 10. What are your thoughts on African religions? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. I've studied a few of these religions in courses on Africa, and they are very interesting. However, there are an incredible number and it's hard to describe them without resorting to lumping them all together. 11. What are your thoughts on South American religions? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. I have not enough experience in studying these. 12. What are your thoughts on Aboriginal religions (any native group that was displaced, such as Native Americans, Maori, Aborigines, etc)? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. I don't have the experience to make a statement. 13. What are your thoughts on pagan religions (Wiccan, alternative, Satanic, and other non-traditional forms of worship)? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. Also note that many alternative and pagan practices are not affiliated with Satanic worship. I think some of the Celtic religions are fairly interesting and I enjoy reading about them. Wiccan is a little weird to me, mostly because of the people I've met that practice it. Satanic worship for me, being Christian, is a little uncomfortable to deal with. 14. What are your thoughts on atheism, the belief that there is no supreme being(s)? Please remember that there are degrees to this belief, and that not all share the same thoughts. To each his own, but many I meet and talk with seem to close their minds to any thought other than their own, which I guess is to be expected by the definition. 15. What are your thoughts on agnosticism, the belief that a supreme being(s) exists, but the individual chooses not to worship it/them? I know several agnostics and I like the fact that they at least try to be open minded about things they are unsure about. One of my close friends from high school tried out half of the world's major religions in his own spiritual quest and concluded that he was unsure as to the existence of a higher being, but certainly did not rule out the possibility. In my mind, this is how everyone should approach religion or lack thereof. By personal observation and choice. 16. Have you ever publicly chastised someone who believes in a religion/school of thought different than yours? Yes. -elaborate. I feel that some groups both religious and not go too far in their attempts to convert the other to their side. -what group were they? what group were you? Mostly Baptists and atheists. I considered myself an annoyed observer. 17. If you belong to a religion or non-religion, please identify. Christianity - Methodist -Did you consciously choose to follow this belief? Yes. -Did you belong to another belief, by choice or force, before following this belief? No. -Did you personally research (as in personally in the first person) options before coming to this belief? Yes. 18. Is intelligence (not IQ, but actual intelligence) correlated to one's belief in a religion or non-religion? Keep in mind that intelligence can not be measured by any science, this is simply your judgment call. Absolutely not. However, ignorance can lead to people following or not following religion for the wrong reasons (ie because my parents did it) 19. Does religion, in your observation, do good in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. Most certainly. Many religious groups are devoted to putting others first and bettering the lives of countless millions. 20. Does non-religion, in your observation, do good in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. A certain amount of speculation and rational thought is always healthy. It moves knowledge forward and forces people to rethink what they believe in. 21. Does religion, in your observation, do bad in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. Religion can be abused by individuals to further their goals, as it is such a powerful medium. This is not limited to terrorism. Some groups of churches preach hatred and attempt to gather followers by the threat of a terrible fate, causing followers to spend time worrying about their own selfish desires in the next life than the betterment of others (ie not being Christlike, for example) 22. Does non-religion, in your observation, do bad in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. Sometimes it does lead to ignorance and bigotry, but like religion, it is not the norm. 23. Please list your experience with sexual education, including but not limited to: lectures by parents, schools, religion, or non-education. Please do not list your sexual experiences. I got sexual education in school first, which was terribly inadequate. I also got sex education at church which to be honest did a much better job about explaining things. 24. Have you engaged in sexual intercourse of any kind? Please do not list your sexual experiences. A yes or no will suffice. Yes. 25. What, in your opinion, defines "love?" A bond between two people that brings them together in a relationship. It goes beyond chemical impulses. 26. Have you ever been in, or are now in, a relationship? Yes, have been. -Is sex involved? Not in the relationship. 27. Are you single/committed relationship/married? Single 28. What, in your opinion, is sex's place in a relationship (or lack of relationship)? It is the ultimate level of a relationship, uniting the partners in body and spirit. A truly spiritual experience. 29. Have you ever partaken in an illicit substance (excluding alcohol or marijuana)? No. -if so, what? -Have you ever lost control of your actions while under the influence of an illicit substance? 30. Have you ever partaken in marijuana? No. -Do you habitually use this substance? -Have you ever been "stoned?" -Have you ever lost control of your actions while under the influence of marijuana? 31. Have you ever partaken in the consumption of alcohol? Yes. -Do you drink socially or alone? Or both? Socially only. -Have you ever been drunk? No. I rarely drink more than a serving. -Have you ever lost control of your actions while under the influence of alcohol? No. 32. Have you ever regretted a sexual encounter? Yes. 33. Have you ever regretted using an illicit substance? (excluding hangovers) No. 34. Have you ever regretted using alcohol? (excluding hangovers) No. 35. Have you ever given serious thought (longer than 30 minutes in a year) to the existence of a supreme being(s)? Yes.[/hide] Edit: Thanks Laura, fixing now.

As long as you posted honestly, it's satisfactory.

Falling. It's really my greatest fear in life. I was going through my old archives in my library when I found a TIME magazine from just after 9/11 with pictures of people jumping from the buildings. That would be the most terrible choice to make in the world: whether to burn alive or to jump eighty floors to your death. Neither sound better than the other, if you ask me.

Recently on these boards, I've noticed a large amount of hostility towards religion of any type, and many of the statements alarm me as all religion seems to be lumped together as if it were a singular unit. I am curious as to why this is happening and I just thought I'd host a little survey/discussion. Please answer the questions honestly. If you feel the need to comment on another user's post, please wait until at least five other users have posted (whether they post survey responses or discussion). This is a hot topic on these boards (I mean that in the sense that it is controversial) and I hope that we can have at least a moderately mature discussion. I ask that in discussion, we are neither seeking to prove or disprove any idea or belief. This is a discussion on hostility towards religion, not who is right or what's what. I hope that we can stay on topic. Feel free to N/A any question you do not feel comfortable answering. I would prefer to get the age and level of education, however, as well as at least your nation of residence. Polling: Forum Username: Age: State (US only, do not give a city): Nation (do not give a city): Educational level: -if secondary or below, what level? -If at a university/college, what level and what is your major/minor course of study? 1. Have you ever attended a worship of any religion? -by choice? -What kind of worship? -Did you regularly attend this worship, by choice or parental guidance? 2. Do you consider yourself religious? -Please explain in two or three sentences. 3. Is there a god, gods, or a supreme deity? -Did said god, gods, or supreme being create the Universe, according to your belief? 4. Is there an afterlife? 5. How do you believe that existence came about? (in a nutshell) 6. Have you ever attended a worship of any religion that you do not consider yourself a part of? -What? -Your thoughts on the experience 7. What are your thoughts on non Judeo-Christian Western religions? Remember that religion is a broad term so please be specific. 8. What are your thoughts on Judeo-Christian religions? Remember that religion is a broad term and that both of these groups have many subdivisions that have radically different beliefs and practices. 9. What are your thoughts on Asian religions? Remember that religion is a broad term so please be specific. 10. What are your thoughts on African religions? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. 11. What are your thoughts on South American religions? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. 12. What are your thoughts on Aboriginal religions (any native group that was displaced, such as Native Americans, Maori, Aborigines, etc)? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. 13. What are your thoughts on pagan religions (Wiccan, alternative, Satanic, and other non-traditional forms of worship)? Remember that religion is a broad term, so please be specific. Also note that many alternative and pagan practices are not affiliated with Satanic worship. 14. What are your thoughts on atheism, the belief that there is no supreme being(s)? Please remember that there are degrees to this belief, and that not all share the same thoughts. 15. What are your thoughts on agnosticism, the belief that a supreme being(s) exists, but the individual chooses not to worship it/them (or if one is unsure if a supreme being exists, but does not outright deny its existence)? 16. Have you ever publicly chastised someone who believes in a religion/school of thought different than yours? -elaborate -what group were they? what group were you? 17. If you belong to a religion or non-religion, please identify. -Did you consciously choose to follow this belief? -Did you belong to another belief, by choice or force, before following this belief? -Did you personally research (as in personally in the first person) options before coming to this belief? 18. Is intelligence (not IQ, but actual intelligence) correlated to one's belief in a religion or non-religion? Keep in mind that intelligence can not be measured by any science, this is simply your judgment call. 19. Does religion, in your observation, do good in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. 20. Does non-religion, in your observation, do good in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. 21. Does religion, in your observation, do bad in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. 22. Does non-religion, in your observation, do bad in the world? Please cite specific groups or denominations. 23. Please list your experience with sexual education, including but not limited to: lectures by parents, schools, religion, or non-education. Please do not list your sexual experiences. 24. Have you engaged in sexual intercourse of any kind? Please do not list your sexual experiences. A yes or no will suffice. 25. What, in your opinion, defines "love?" 26. Have you ever been in, or are now in, a relationship? -Is sex involved? 27. Are you single/committed relationship/married? 28. What, in your opinion, is sex's place in a relationship (or lack of relationship)? 29. Have you ever partaken in an illicit substance (excluding alcohol or marijuana)? -if so, what? -Have you ever lost control of your actions while under the influence of an illicit substance? 30. Have you ever partaken in marijuana? -Do you habitually use this substance? -Have you ever been "stoned?" -Have you ever lost control of your actions while under the influence of marijuana? 31. Have you ever partaken in the consumption of alcohol? -Do you drink socially or alone? Or both? -Have you ever been drunk? -Have you ever lost control of your actions while under the influence of alcohol? 32. Have you ever regretted a sexual encounter? 33. Have you ever regretted using an illicit substance? (excluding hangovers) 34. Have you ever regretted using alcohol? (excluding hangovers) 35. Have you ever given serious thought (longer than 30 minutes in a year) to the existence of a supreme being(s)? Edit: I was asked to change the quotes to codes, should make this cleaner :)

I disagree. One of man's endearing qualities is that we are above the natural instincts of the planet's lesser species. We are sentient and act on our own will, not on patterned traits. Anyone and everyone should have the choice and ability to decide if they want to have sex, or not. And whatever decision they make, it needs to be on their own terms. Reducing the STD rate will not happen by saying "this is bad and this is why." We need to reduce the amount of frivolous sex between teenagers (anyone remember the high school sex map?) and do things like make blood testing and physical inspections of the sexual organs mandatory in yearly health checkups (if people have diseases, they need to know about it). A balance needs to be struck between the right and the left on this issue, along with many others geared towards youth. You can not blame the skyrocketing of STD's and teen pregnancies solely on abstinence education in the last 20 years, because the past twenty years have seen the most progressive attitudes in school towards sex education. However, it's not enough. We've essentially encouraged kids to have sex, but not eliminated the root causes of negative issues regarding sex. In essence, we've taken one step forward and two back.

I managed to find a classic 1979 Centurion LeMans at a bike shop near the local university last year. It's a pain to keep maintained, but it's a very nice ride and incredibly fast for a road bike (I cruise on the streets at around 20 miles an hour on level and 30 coming down inclines). It practically cuts through concrete, and is quite a rush to ride. I've installed a rack on the rear tire, and both a high-powered headlight (it's as strong as a car's low beams) and a tail light. [hide=][/hide] Mine is blue and doesn't have a little bow thingie :P. I'd add the mud guards but it would be a pain and I just moved to a beautiful downtown area with brick streets, so they would be hitting all the time.

A bowl of condoms isn't going to help young teens with sex. A very strong lesson to women that they are in control of their bits and that sex is not "the next level" of a relationship, along with a healthy dose of "you have sex because you want to, not because you have to" is sorely needed. As it stands now, young men are forced into the belief that if they are virgins then there is something wrong with them. Young women are led to believe that if they really love their boyfriends, they will submit to them. This isn't good for relationships. Instead, you have kids doing it like rabbits and lots of unwanted pregnancies and diseases because even with that free bowl of condoms, the stigma of having to go get one is too much for the kids to handle. We do not need to tell kids not to have sex, nor do we need to just throw contraceptives out there and say "have fun!" What we do need to do is drastically change the way sex is perceived by the youth culture. Kids should not be shy to ask about it but they should also realize what it is so that it does not become a social stigma. You should never "need" to have sex, you should want it and your partner should want to want it equally...with you. I find it strange that here in "God-fearing, Hellfire-burnin', Abstinence Only" Texas that many CHURCHES here have sexual education seminars for teens. And they are secularly minded. The main goals are to identify ways in which sex is abused in culture, promote body image for both males and females, and to learn to be safe when having sex. Granted this was a Methodist thing (I'm sure Baptists would faint at the notion), but it is a step forward. Speaking as a Christian, sex described in the Bible is not the "next level" of a relationship, but the ultimate level. Reading through the Song of Solomon (an entire book of the Bible devoted to God's vision of sex), throughout a relationship the man and woman should grow together in their love for one another, learning more about each other, building their relationship as closely as it can go, and then unite and become one in the act of sex (which was designed not only for the "natural instinct of reproduction" but for pleasure between lovers). Of course most people who criticize Christians don't read the Bible, nor do a great deal of Christians for that matter (as evidenced by some hardliner far-right groups out there). Sex is reserved after marriage in the Bible as that is considered a major step in commitment to your partner. Sex in Judeo-Christianity is the "nirvana" of any relationship, and as such requires great effort and sacrifice to fully appreciate. It's like building a house. Building a relationship on a foundation of trust and openness is like building on rock. Building it on sex, chemical impulses (what many young people call "love" :P), or convenience is like building on sand. It works great for a while but eventually that building is going to topple as more levels are added onto it. For evidence of this, see the divorce rate approaching 50%. Building that building on a strong foundation, however, allows more and more to be built on it. It's good advice not only for Christian relationships, but for many. It's not just a religious thing, it's good advice. However, that's just me preaching. I've seen firsthand how abstinence-only and "here's some condoms" approaches to sex education have thoroughly and utterly failed. Just analyze the ways school districts in the top 10 highest STD and pregnancy cities in the US handle things. Lubbock, Texas is number one in both regards, I went to college there. Depending on if you go to a public (here's some condoms) or private (if you have sex you will get pregnant and die), the rates for diseases and pregnancies are staggering. Why? Because both programs fail to address the issues of sex properly. What do we need? Better sex education programs that do more than just throw condoms at kids. They need to emphasize relationships and break down the stigmas that sex is "the cool thing to do" and empower students to take control of their own bodies and not feel obligated to do things just because it's "supposed to happen."

YES. I am opposed to any law that restricts a human being to have full control of what that person is doing to his or her own body. The laws are not restricting you from things that you do to your own body. It is restricting what you do to other's bodies. I've never heard any major case of people getting arrested for sitting in their own home drinking until they pass out. It's kind of pathetic when they do, and they need help, but it's not illegal. In behavioral psychology you learn that most humans do not fully develop their reasoning and logical skills until their twenties. The brain is fully developed at anywhere from 17-28, with the average being at 22 and heavily weighted in that upward range. Under twenty for this is very rare. Despite how "grown up" or well read someone is, they still may lack these skills. Latinoking, he worded his sentence correctly. The only improvement I see to it would have been to say "...drive home only to get a hangover." However, it made perfect sense to me on the first read through.

That Rank 200 costume looks amazing. I'd be willing to play just for that. I just hope this game is fairly popular once I come back next year. It certainly looks fun!

Slavery already happens in numerous nations. Particularly in the west and southern coasts of the US where illegal immigrant Asians and Mexicans are essentially enslaved in the form of indentured servitude. I've seen it first-hand. I would never own one. Human life is precious and something to be cherished, not squandered. And define "inferior" to me, as that term is a label applied by an ignorant onlooker. If these people are human, albeit culturally undeveloped, we should protect them like similar tribes found in remote regions of the world.

So let's be generous and say that 10% of the things you do while drunk being "positive" outweigh all the dumb things people do while inebriated. Sounds right to me.

That's exactly the problem. You are "not" you in behavior. Unfortunately when you sober up, all the things you did while "not you" still happened...to you.

Handing out condoms, no. Providing easier access to them with few to no questions asked? Definitely. I'd actually like a program where if you sat down and discussed your liaison privately with a counselor, they would allow you access to free condoms. Hell, require that both parties be there to requisition them :P.

Because being drunk can also cause you to do good things you would not normally not do, such as getting over fights, being more generous, being more open and confident, or coming up with new ideas - all of which I have witnessed before. ...really? So instead of putting aside issues as a mature person, you have to force yourself to involuntarily forgive someone. Granted, that's weak. Being more generous? One could make the claim that a fool and his money are soon parted if this is done wrong. Being open and confident as a result of alcohol simply leads to a lack of social development that should be achieved while sober. I used to be very shy and unable to function in groups. By facing my inadequacies head on, I overcame them and became a very social creature. And the entire time I had full control over my actions. As for creativity, I have to give that one to you. The muse may lead to some weird ideas, many bad, but some might turn out ok.

Of course you act differently with alcohol but that's not always necessarily a bad thing. People can get over fights while they're in the drunk state of mind, so the argument can work both ways. How is it a good thing, exactly?

Well, by sheer definition abstinence is the more successful way to prevent pregnancies and STD's. The only problem is that it only works on people who are willing to practice it. While I support abstinence, I do not support it as a form of birth control. I fully support the teaching of the use of condoms, as they are the only way to both prevent pregnancies and STDs. There are other forms of birth control, but what you end up getting is one party in the couple relying on the other to control it. This is often a problem as for some reason young teen boys feel like condoms are robbing them of their masculinity, and it is up to the girl to use the pill in order to prevent pregnancy. Asides from this being fairly sexist, it does not prevent diseases. Abstinence itself? It's great if you want to do it. There's an entire book in the Bible regarding God's vision of ideal sex and to be honest it sounds great. If you don't want to practice it, leave it alone. It's not as if people saving their passions for the person they plan to spend a lifetime with is going to destroy your lifestyle.