Assume Nothing

You seem to be a little too literal here. There's many definitions of 'up'; in the context of to 'bring up', it would mean to bring to the top of one's attention, which seems completely logical. In other instances, it typically means to 'raise the magnitude' or to 'amplify'. I can't see many notable exemptions to the rule... which is most illogical? EDIT - Wait, that looks like a viral email. Congratulations on accepting a fallacious argument...

This thread makes me all nostalgic. Although this seems relatively off-topic, could you guys think of any reasons to debunk the most commonly cited superpowers which comic books love to use and abuse.

Do you have an elaborate plan for that? Surely they would resist.

I partly agree with that - if the referred term is difficult to understand for the sake of using a different word, then it ought to be substituted. However, if it's the only effective way to convey the magnitude and the gravity of a situation, or only word/phrase pertinent to the particular context, then by no means should it be substituted for anything lesser. A good vocabulary could bring out and enhance any article. An overly complex vocabulary can obscure it.

I think it'll actually work - tell her how much she's changed your perspective for the better. Confession of the day: I've told some 'dark' jokes in school and got punished for it :s

I'm quoting this here for the same reason that I've quoted the interracial marriage post. I don't see why one must so hasty to refuse to accept the idea and notion that an abortion may be a better choice than to allow a fetus to continue developing. Would you care to explain your line of reasoning?

Why does this seem awfully familiar... "My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy it might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I feel about whiskey: If when you say whiskey you mean the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it. But, if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life's great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it. This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise."

Omission is betrayal, isn't it? I was in a similar situation a few months ago. I was dating a girl that was conservative christian. I'm atheist. It did cause problems after a while because she kept asking me to go to church with her and sooner or later you start running out of excuses why you can't go with her. Better get it out in the open now, before things get serious and unnecessary heartbreak is caused. I agree that you should make known your religious beliefs right off the bat. Because it could definitely be problematic in the future. If a serious relationship evolves, religious beliefs (or lack thereof) are bound to play a huge role. For me, I don't think I could ever marry an atheist, not because I don't like atheists. Just because so many problems would come up (private or public school, going to mass as a family, teaching kids how to say prayer, differences in how to raise a family, etc). Nor would I want someone to pretend to not care about it, because that puts them in a difficult position where they're weighing you and their own beliefs. I'm quoting this here because it serves as a better platform to discuss the issues of inter-religious marriages. I don't personally see an issue with most of it - religious beliefs are not mandatory to be a good (moral) person, to live a good life, to love and be loved. Why would the idea of dating an atheist put you off? You may even find yourself in a position where you could persuade an atheist to follow Christian teachings - to me, that would feel like an accomplishment. This isn't to say that you should force it into the relationship, but I know that I wouldn't personally put that as an obstacle. Being open to new ideas is still rather important in today's society, why shouldn't we be accepting of people with different religious beliefs? I guess it's a little different in America though, given that a vast majority believe in some kind of deity as opposed to not.

In response to the first post - it appears that you're confusing 'race' with 'colour'. The social stigma against interracial relationships exists primarily because of the racial prejudices inherited in each and every one of us, expressed in a subtle form. I don't see anything wrong with it, as long as the relationship works and both parties consent to it. I don't see why a parent should intervene with such a personal issue - it would go against the basic right to choice (unless there were a good reason, i.e. girlfriend is a drug addict, although this is irrelevant to the point of interracial relationships). If it goes against a religious set of rules, then maybe it's time to question whether that's the right religion for you - why should it dictate what you should/shouldn't do? I've seen many functional relationships between different races, social classes, etc. It's up to you to make it prosper. EDIT - In response to the thing about children: I guess it may be necessary to give them an early lesson in the birds and the bees, and the concept of 'love'. I fully agree with Serpent's point in this regard. Oh... and Typical white boy.

I still believe that the mother's right to choice, and the right to good health (including mental health) outweighs the undeveloped fetus' 'right to life'. Admittedly, it does get much harder to draw the line when it starts developing brain waves - when is it 'human' (for a lack of a better term), and why?

This seemed thought provoking. Also - If you accept the existence of God, would you also accept the concept of destiny/fate? (I'm not sure if they're interlinked, correct me if I'm wrong) The problem with accepting the concept of fate/destiny would be that it goes against the concept of free will, that everything starts with a choice.

@above - did you know that water molecules are only one atom away from the very dangerous Hydrogen? That must mean you could die from drinking it! To be less sarcastic: When people refuse help when it's evident that they're failing miserably. Of course, this may be absolutely fine in most situations, but considering that it was a young adult who's incapable of holding a knife correctly who were trying to dice onions (thus almost hurting himself), it's clearly not appropriate to refuse help. Why is cooking such an overlooked and undervalued skill? You're guaranteed to need it at some point in life... EDIT - Way to intercept me. I ought to have said '@lastpostonpage349'

I could see that scenario going wrong in many different ways. Today, I cannot get to sleep. I hope I don't have to pull an all-nighter :|

That's the point of debate - in order to persuade. It's also why the right for a free press is such a problem - they can bend the rules by manipulating people in subtle ways.

Not sure how relevant this quote is, but it's food for thought anyways: 'The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?"

I'll have to say this: inb4virginityjoke On topic: I've found similar amounts of money before. I remember finding a 50 pound note, I was well pleased back in the day (was very young).

I'd say it was a confession, secret and regret. What has been seen cannot be unseen

I just spent the last twenty minutes clicking on random links on youtube. I went from watching a movie, to something about pranks, to something about zit popping. That was.... an interesting experience.

Sometimes, it just seems depressing to observe the way some people view life. It's almost as though they think the world revolves around them, and their 'needs' of drinking, clubbing, smoking pot and sex. There's more to life than getting drunk every day, why won't people realise that?

That does seem pretty badass. Does anyone in that group have a gun/katana?

Surprising as it may seem, but it's surprisingly difficult to define what a 'word' is without looking up a dictionary.

What cut of steak was it? When I splurge, I get porterhouse/filet mignon with a lobster baked with cheese too. Linguine Carbonara with extra cheese is good too. Medium rare makes the steak a little warmer with a more subtle texture, whereas rare just tastes like raw meat.

I really don't know why it's a prerequisite - my judgement was based on what I was told by alleged 'experts' (which I've forgotten who they are, which really doesn't help). Your post is a little too long to write a brief response to, I'll have to come back later.

is probably superior to

I think it's less 'I want to get drunk' than it's 'I want my freedom to do whatever I want'. Today I'm actually doing something about my personal statement. I'm going to write a piece so impressive that it'll make Shakespeare look like he was writing stories in the 8th grade. I will do this!!