sees_all1

We need to create a bot to thwart other bots!!! Winner!

So this thread won't fall too far off the top (and become forgotten), I'm thinking about changing the rules regarding changing the item - I propose that if no one responds to this thread with a new review for more than 48 hours, you can change the item. I'll also do my best to keep the current item in the subtitle. :thumbup:

Some laws exist to keep order, others exist because they benefit reach people. None are based on morals, if anything it's the other way around. Why is prostitution illegal? Is it not sex between two consenting adults where payment is exchanged at the end? Surely prostitution came before religion, yet it is still outlawed? Most laws are based on morality, and its ludicrous to say otherwise. EDIT: Which side of the debate will you be on?

So, what, am I supposed to agree with you on the brain dead part? Well, I'm not. That's just silly. Here's what separates me from a brain dead person: thought and awareness of existence. Unfortunately, all I can do is argue what I am about to argue, but in the end the brain dead argument is based off of personal thought. So hear me out. ... Think for a moment. If they are stripped of the very thing that makes us human, especially the ability of awareness and thought, how can you still call a human being a human being? In my opinion, no. Take a long hard look at the social/mental fringes of society - people who aren't quite brain dead, but have IQs well below whats considered mental [developmentally delayed]ation. Say, one step up from persistent vegetative state, but an IQ below 20 - profound mental [developmentally delayed]ation, requiring pervasive support. Are these not human? One could make the argument that a dog or a cat have more capacity to think than them; they aren't capable of thought as we know it. They are still guaranteed the same rights by law. If you say they're not human, then at what level is someone human? Where is that arbitrary line, and how can we know who is and who isn't human? Going by genetics, it is much simpler. 23 or 23.5 pairs of chromosomes make the most basic of humans, which is why a sperm cell or an egg cell is not human. The ability to grow and mature as an organism makes a human. A sperm or an egg cell will not grow or mature on its own, it is not human. As soon as the two combine though, they fulfill the most basic requirements, and they complete their set of DNA, they begin to grow and mature. That's not parasitic, they aren't forcing something else against their will to live. One cannot force a ventilator to make another live, it is built with the function to help that person live. There's a difference between dependency and parasitism. The difference between this and a fetus is the fetus is forcefully using the womans body to survive, whether or not that seems cruel to say. The women is not willingly allowing the fetus to absorb nutrients, this is all done within biological and uncontrollable boundaries, just like facial expressions. One could argue that a women can allow the fetus to live in her body, sure, but she's technically not controlling what is happening biologically. A paralyzed person isn't acting like a tick and living off of something else as a fetus must. They are using machines, which are unfeeling, mechanical objects. Also, the person is still an individual, they still have thoughts, feelings, and interpersonal relationships (unless they are completely alone). An awesome example of someone who is paralyzed but is an utter genius is Stephen Hawking, someone who depends on others to live, but doesn't force them (or maybe he does, but the likelihood?) Again, demonstrate to me that the fetus has thoughts, feelings, etc. and also doesn't act like a parasite and I will grant this to you. People on mechanical ventilators, people that need dialysis, people that require constant medical care are very much requiring other people to live, whether its a relative, friend, health care professional, or a state appointed caretaker. You can be cruel and call the relationship parasitic, as they are "draining" everyone else, but technically that isn't correct. And the people on the ventilator or dialysis do not necessarily have thoughts, feelings, or interpersonal relationships, but they're still people. Alternative definition of PARASITE, which scientifically speaking is more accurate: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/parasite That's not what I wholly asked. That was the main part of my question. The second part you answered. And so what? You aren't making a very strong case, the question is, are you killing something? Complete DNA or not, are you not killing something through masturbation? Do they not have potential? The main reason this is a weak argument is that the sperm that makes it and the egg that unites with the said sperm are BOTH unique to begin with, and in that union become a zygote, and will divide to create the new human. Put a sperm or an egg cell in a Petri dish and tell me if it starts dividing. No, it isn't human, because it will not grow. As soon as a sperm cell and an egg cell come together, they combine DNA and undergo mitosis immediately. Sperm cells and egg cells cannot do this after they undergo meiosis, they are not human. ... In conclusion to this argument, I didn't know empathy was the only feeling we had. And, if meaning the other definition, then we would be dealing in sociopathic studies, which in the end has nothing to do with feelings, just antisocial behavior. And I apologize if I didn't see your argument as you envisioned it, and would be happy to revise my argument if you meant something else. If so, be a tad more specific so I don't create a strawman. The point of that rhetorical question and all the questions I asked is that there are humans without morals, humans unable to have emotion (feel happy, sad, or angry), humans unable to see, humans unable to hear, humans unable to taste, feel, smell. There are also humans unable to think or reason, remember, or unable to communicate. Lacking any or all of these senses, feelings, or "properties" doesn't make one less human, and the only difference between someone lacking all these properties and a baby in the womb is location and age. Legally, are we allowed to kill the former? Abuse them? Harm them in any way? They won't know what happened, right? The other point I was trying to make is DNA and the ability to grow and develop are the lowest common denominators for all live humans. Biologically, I've already shown that. No biologist or other honest studied person would disagree, so why be so stubborn about it? If law is not based on morality, on what is it be based? None of the things you talked about make someone human, and going to an argument that it is impossible to know when the life of a new individual begins because we haven't taken into account your unscientific beliefs is absurd.

Just got a corrupt dragon scimitar as a drop... wheeeeeeee

In context either works. Just important for people to know its not very nice. :shades: I'm going to start writing more parts of the mid level guide pretty soon....

You could PM one of us that info and the new item.... and we'll pretend it never happened :mrgreen: I had a pair of those, got it at a local electronics store for cheap. Sound wasn't terrible, but it didn't fit my ears. Finally the outer case broke and the "speaker" was exposed. Didn't hold up too well :angry: .

You guys are nuts...

Every week there will be a different item. Just post what you own, and rate it. You can also change the item once the next times is released. .... I own two pairs of Sony MDR-ED12LP / SLV. One at home, one at work. These things fit in my ears great, and sound awesome, 5/5. My favorite pair, hands down. Links: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665370685 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Mdr-Ed12Lp-Budstyle-Headphones-Silver/dp/B0015AM38Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1289799638&sr=8-1 $12.15

Starting this thread because I think it'd be a good discussion about random junk. [hide=How this thread works] There will be an item category in the subtitle of this thread, and listed under "current item." Please post the make/model of the item that you own or use. If you do not own that item, post what the closest person to you owns (for instance, I do not own a hair straightening iron, but if that's the current item I would post what my younger sister owns/uses) Rate that item, supply a link to a website that sells it or an image of that item. Also share anything you want about that item (when you got it, others you've had in the past, etc.) Also, if you're posting in this thread for the first time / you missed previous items, you can include those in your posts (just put them in hide tags) [hide=How to change the item] Two days after the thread goes dormant (no new posts on the most recent item for more than 24 hours), the next person to post can change the item to whatever they want. If you change the item, you must post what you own. Unless you're a mod (or special like me), you're not allowed to modify this thread's subtitle or post :sad: . However, don't let that discourage you! Post the new item clearly at the top of a new post, and feel free to PM me or another active moderator to get the subtitle and current item changed. That way, this thread will stay active. If the thread doesn't update in 30 minutes, don't panic! I'm not on this forum 24/7, and this is a pretty low priority thread to moderators. :razz: If you're picking an item please keep a few things in mind- -Keep it G rated. (if you mind talking to your parents, grand parents, younger siblings, and three random strangers about it, chances are it doesn't belong as a category) -Make sure people will own it or have purchased it (can't be obscure like toe ring or expensive like helicopter) -No repeats, please (there are literally hundreds of thousands of things you can post... be creative!) -keep it generic (bad:iPod. good: portable music player) [/hide] [/hide] [hide=History of Items:] Earbuds, Headphones. Automobile Cell/Mobile Phone Television Desk toy Razor blade, Shaving cream Writing Utensil Laptop/Computer Alarm Clock MP3 Player [/hide] Current Item: Shoes/Sandals

That's not what I said... and certainly not what I meant. Sure, someone in America could put up a building that quickly, but it'd never be worth the cost. Scratch that - I don't know of anyone who prides America enough to plan far enough in advance and organize, then hire a few hundred people to put up a building in a short amount of time.

I counted 7 cranes operating on that building at once - I might have missed one or two, the time lapse goes so quickly. Considering most construction projects in the US don't go for 24 hours a day, don't operate 7 cranes at once, and don't have hundreds of people finishing the structure (electrical, insulation, floors, etc) as the frame is still being completed, I'm not impressed watching it a second time. Only in a communist country...

Gotta wonder how many people did that - if they're really more efficient, or if they're able to pack in more man-hours from their higher and denser population. I'm guessing its a little bit of both. Prefabrication goes a long way - I remember watching a documentary about ships the US built for WWII to take supplies over to Europe, one ship was completed in just one day. I'll search for that in a little bit. EDIT: They're called liberty ships. They produced an average of one a day. The fastest ship was produced in 4 days, 15 hours, and 29 minutes. http://www.usmm.org/peary.html

Bloody hell. I thought you'd given up on that. Rank up, check later. Hmm. The second challenge ought to be rush-keying doors open to the point of near-death, not being able to eat unless your hp is below 111. All I want is a banana...

Careful with the language- it already is a human being. A sperm or egg cell isn't a human being because of its DNA - it doesn't have a complete set. DNA is also what separates humans from animals on the most basic level.

Completed the heim crab challenge for dragoons... now I get a banana rank! :shades:

1. Does someone with Asperger syndrome have any interpersonal connections emotionally? Are they not human? Are they not guaranteed basic rights? 2. So whats your point, because we don't know if it thinks or not, it isn't human? Are brain dead people not human? 3. Are paralyzed people with mechanical ventilators not humans because they cannot live without their ventilator? 4. An embryo already is a unique individual. Its different than an egg cell or a sperm cell because it has a complete set of DNA, not a half set. 5. Do Psychopaths have feelings? 6. Do you enjoy stripping the most basic right to life? Also, people use crack even though its illegal. Do we need to make it legal so we know some dealer isn't cutting it with bleach? 7. Give your own definition of human, or when a baby "becomes" human. Even if a baby can't think, why is it immoral to drown a newborn in a toilet? Baby in the womb = parasite, baby out of the womb = full legal protections (unless it was born after a botched abortion, then they drown it anyway). 8. Some of the most vocal pro-life people are women... Anyhow, its not about "who has more say", its about protecting the very right to live. 9. Considering that all laws are based on morality, isn't this a ridiculous question? Why is slavery immoral, and now illegal? Why is murder immoral, and illegal? If you actually free yourself from "this cultural bond", you'll likely find yourself in jail. No religion in this argument: A new Human being forms when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell (with a set of 46 or 47 chromosomes). A new Human being forms when the nucleus of an egg is sucked out and replaced by an existing set of 46 or 47 chromosomes (cloning). Human beings are protected under law, because they have basic rights. The most basic right is the right to life - without it all other rights are worthless. A (embryo/fetus/baby) should be given its basic rights and protected under law because it is human. EDIT: Nothing against sperm, but sperm isn't human because it has 23 chromosomes. Same with an egg. When the two combine, it forms a new individual, different than the mother and different than the father. :thumbup:

No, factually it is a baby.

Still working in ActionScript 3.0 - which IMHO is 100x better than JavaScript. Have to come up with a simple application that's eye candy - I don't want to do the planets thing again that I posted above, and I'm having a hard time coming up with an app. I thought about doing electric charges and magnets, but it'd end up being too similar to the planets. I think I'll do a falling free body through a bunch of fixed spheres. Enough bounce and collision logic to be interesting, and enough flexibility in the end graphics to be interesting.

There was a New York Times article published in 1989 that cited 1% as well. Wiki cites an article as recent as 2000. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/13/us/rape-and-incest-just-1-of-all-abortions.html This reputable enough for you? I'm arguing a biological fact, you're arguing a personal belief. I've done my best to keep religion out of my arguments because you'd criticize it just because it was based in "faith". You're arguing a position contrary to biology without providing a legitimate alternative, a position I could only assume is based on "faith". If you were to say humans got their rights three months after conception, I'd argue that point in time is arbitrary and unclear. Whats the difference between day 89 and day 90 in a process that is seamless? For all your concern about the world's population, I'd think you would have thought that AIDS was a miracle... guess not. Prove it - More abortion means less teenage mothers on welfare, More abortion means more people finishing high school and getting higher education. No wikipedia, no huffington post, no liberal bloggers. Owning a gun for recreational purposes, like skeet shooting, harms no one. Abortion ends the life of an innocent individual. That's why abortion is deemed an intrinsic evil, and a gun is not. I've spent a very long time understanding and researching this issue, so that I can articulate a clear position. I've learned the rhetoric from both sides, cut through the crap, and formed my own opinion. I've found that one side can base itself in honesty, morality, science and truth, while the other side is filled with scandals and fluff - touchy-feely compassion with little substance.

No, I was beginning to feel like I was talking to a brick wall because the same arguments are used over and over. In the case of rape and incest, there are definite, legitimate concerns about long term abuse which abortion allows to go unchecked. For the estimated 1.1 million abortions that occur every year, it is estimated that only 1% are because of rape or incest. Although its a difficult position to hear - abortion kills an innocent human being. That's why there can't be exceptions, because you can't marginalize or trample on the most basic of rights for the least of us. Abortion also kills human beings. You buying a firearm does not necessarily affect another person, but abortion ends the life of a human being.

ha, no I enter first and tank for him.

Did a couple medium dungeons last night with some random noob. Floors 31 and 32, I think? First one had a members door about halfway through that blocked off 75% of the bonus doors (at least a third of the map couldn't be accessed). Got 13K XP for that. Next floor had 4 spots that couldn't be accessed, 18k XP for that. It really helps speed things along when you have a lower level use magic to pick off guys in armour.

What kind of question is that? Are you sidestepping the issue that there are many documented cases of forced abortion covering up rape? Or that abortion is regularly used to cover up statutory rape? I wish the stories I posted were isolated incidents, but they're not. I just grabbed a couple results from a google search. You keep asking about abortion for incest and rape, and I've shown you how that can lead to continued incest and rape. Abortion doesn't solve that problem. I've also pointed out that abortion is used to cover up extramarital affairs. Are you sidestepping that issue too? No, I don't want to define your morality, but you have to recognize that there are socially accepted terms on morality. You don't sleep around once you're in a relationship. Because you're better off dead than unwanted. The right to life trumps the right to bear arms. I believe the right to life trumps the inconvenience a woman has for about 8 months. I also believe that abortion is intrinsically evil, because the intent of abortion is to take the life of an innocent human being. Owning a firearm isn't intrinsically evil - there can be good purposes for owning a gun. Also, the examples I've provided here were gleaned off the top results in a google search, and I limited the cases to Ohio (I was already aware of the local news there). I can give you more than a handful if I wanted to put some effort into it. I do remember off the top of my head an undercover investigation into 700? more than 800 U.S. abortion facilities, where more than 90% broke the law requiring medical facilities to report suspected abuse of minors to authorities. That isn't a handful, at all. Check it out yourself: http://www.childpredator.com/CoverUp.cfm liveaction.org/monalisa/

As it is right now, there are MANY cases where statutory rape is covered up with abortions. Sometimes it was "consensual", where the girl is covering it up herself, but other times its flat out rape where it isn't consensual and she's forced into having an abortion so the abuse is able to continue because no one reports it. The worst part about it is that abortion clinics are all too willing to help cover it up - that's their business. Someone goes through their doors because they have a "problem", and they're able to take care of that "problem". Abortion is also used to cover up affairs - people cheating on the boyfriends or girlfriends, or their husbands and wives. Might not be as big of a deal as rape, but its still helps feed immorality in general.