JJ Husker

I got state of confusion, so I retook the test. Then I got state of denial. Actually I got Tennessee. My description was halfway reasonable. Been to TN, it was ok but I'm pretty sure I would be happier right here in CO or maybe the pacific northwest.

I can't remember if it was my fathers funeral or my father-in-laws but the volunteer color guard (or whatever you call it) was not very sharp. One of the two guys who folded the flag didn't know how to do it. Yep, it was the guy who was actually folding the triangles. The other was trying to direct him how to do it silently by nodding and tossing his head back and forth. There were more than a few wide eyed looks and snickers in the crowd. Both the guys were in uniform....?

I grew up attending a non denominational church that would hold lectures about the earth being 8,000 years old and how dinosaurs and men walked it at the same time. That's scary. How did you escape?

Well said. +1

I have actually experienced something like downhill. First time I ever skied, took the morning class, skied some greens until lunch, was feeling ok about it even though I couldn't really turn or stop, so thought it was time to hit a blue slope. It was fairly icy spring conditions.....got going so fast I was afraid to even try to turn, know I was doing 50an mph for sure.....skis are just chattering. Well there was a family stopped right in my line on the run, I had to try to turn , ended up spectacularly wiping out, cartwheeled-rolled-finished spinning flat on my stomach. The family comes over to see if I'm ok and they tell me they've been skiing for fifteen years and have never aeen anything like that. I look back up the hill and both my skis are sticking up vertically out of the snow, one back end up and about twenty yards further down the other front end up. I had snow packed in my nose and mouth. Felt like a moron. But I got up and went back up for more. Yeah, I know downhillers are going much faster and turning and dealing with some jumps, but this was my first day ever skiing. I think hittin 50 in a straight line run probably provided some of the same sensation. Except I was scared shitless and new I was totally out of control.

Curling or bobsled. I used to be damn good at the bar on shuffleboard. Curling is just bigger, right? And bobsled? Push a fancy sled, jump in, and hang on. Piece of cake.

Unfortunately there is a segment of our population that tries to make a living through deceit, lying, trickery, and preying on anyone they may be able to sucker. Unsolicited emails, cold calling phone sales....if a person finds themselves engaging in these things for a paycheck, they really should just drive themselves off a steep cliff.

Finally picked up a sixer of Great Divides Claymore Scotch Ale. Sort of a valentines day gift to myself I guess. This stuff is really good and it packs a bit of a punch too. I don't know what I did to deserve this. Thanks to sd'sker and carl for the recommendation.

Sounds good & simple too.......but won't be very effective, if any part of the goal is to eliminate discrimination, bigotry, oppression, or segregation. Probably would only set things back about 50 years and reinforce some peoples bigotry plus would require most everyone to choose a team. Personally I don't want to have to consider if my dry cleaner is gay friendly or gay hostile and I sure don't want them to have to post a sign on the door telling me their position on the issue.

Even these polls I take with a huge grain of salt. I have people call me all the time wanting me to take a survey. I just hang up. What kind of people sit there and listen to the actual question? Did the caller say...."Hello, would you like to take a survey on if you believe in creationism?" If something like that is said, then the people who are emotional about the topic and are out to prove their belief that the world was created 3000 years ago and science is hogwash are going to say....HELL YES I"LL TAKE IT..... I find it hard to believe that there are that high of percentage of people in America that believe the world is only 10,000 years old. This ^^^ plus you must factor in that at least 50% of our citizens are complete idiots. They're out there folks. Be afraid, be very afraid.

BRB- As you know, business owners make these business decisions all the time. If it's a job you really don't want to do or feel there would be problems collecting when it's done, then we logically jack up the price or refuse to bid it to begin with. I understand that the wrong party may misinterpret that as discriminating against whatever status (gay, transvestite, race, etc....) they may wish to claim. I view that as just another risk of being in business. Personally I don't think we, as business owners, can worry about those rare cases as long as we are making sound business decisions and not really hiding some prejudice. I have increased my bid price and/or changed payment terms on certain projects for various reasons. It was always done in a manner to help reduce my exposure when I felt they were a higher risk. If I don't feel the person/entity can/will eventually pay, then the terms go to 50% or 75% down or even 100% up front. Likewise, I have refused to even give a bid on quite a few projects for all sorts of reasons. The customer seems flaky or is just plain too stupid to be involved with what they are trying to have me do, if I've had bad business experiences with them before, etc. are some examples. I usually tell them we are just too busy to be able to handle it or that their job doesn't meet our capabilities. On two occasions I have really burned the bridge and told them my business would never do business with theirs and proceeded to tell them why. One specific situation comes to mind; we had built some equipment for a systems integrator based on their specs and we were very clear to stipulate what we would not be responsible for. The guy I was dealing with was dishonest (read lying f'ing scumbag) and made arbitrary deductions and withheld final payment. It was pretty much a sh#t sandwich. Well the same company, and guy, call me to do another project with them. I told that guy directly I wouldn't piss in his mouth if his stomach was on fire. He still sent the project over for us to bid. I sent him a quote....I made up a number that was ridiculously high and put the words "f#*k you" in the payment terms. Haha- now that's how you burn a bridge. But, it needed to be burnt. Anyway, we can't worry about what some idiots may dream up to file a lawsuit over. Heck, McDonalds wouldn't even be able to sell coffee.

Wow! I find it unbelievable that anyone today would think this is the direction to go. After reading the linked article, I followed an additional link to the actual law, thinking that someone must have overstated or "spun" what the law actually stated. Nope. It is built for blatant discrimination based on sexual orientation. Unbelievable. I may have to rethink my position that things are getting better in this regard. But, having admitted that, this may help expedite a federal ruling that these types of things are not ok. So, from that view, this may be a good thing.

Exactly. The lack of a definitive answer does not mean God exists or that God doesn't exist. I can admit it may be no more than a burning desire for that answer that causes me to believe as I do. But, often times, it really does seem like so much more than that and it has gotten to the point where I'm convinced. That is not to say I am not open to further evidence, just that I am pretty darn certain that further evidence will not be forthcoming before I take a dirt nap.

I was trying to refer to the big philosophical questions . . . but it's likely that I didn't express that clearly. I think I took it the way you intended carl.

Have a good one AR. Happy Bday.

X and tschu- I'm not using a creator as a substitute for science. I do not hold the position that because science doesn't have an answer, it "must" be a creator. I have arrived at that belief with 50 years of personal research and observation. It may not seem logical to you and apparantly you have made a different determination about how things came to be. I'm fine with that. Where I start to get concerned is when statements are made that it's "a waste of time and oxygen". Science is a great thing that can and has answered many things for us. I cannot help it or control that it is totally incapable of dealing with a supernatural all powerful creator. It may very well be illogical, in that sense, for a person to go beyond science and hold supernatural beliefs. That however does not make those beliefs impossible or a waste of effort. It just is what it is. And husker x, yes I may state my faith and beliefs as absolute convictions but that does not mean I am closed minded or not willing to look at further evidence. Particularly in these types of discussions, I am always looking for an explanation that would cause me to rethink my position. I cannot help the fact that information which would change my mind has not yet been provided from any source. I am not focusing on this one issue to avoid having to defend the myriad of problems of defending the larger issues of "religions" and all that entails. It just happens to be the magic bullet that would indicate there is more at work here and science, quite frankly, is not equipped to deal with that realm. Sorry, I wish it were. It sure would free up some time for me if I didn't feel the need to tend to spiritual matters. I'd love to sleep in on Sundays. Edit- changed the term "smoking gun" to the more appropriate "magic bullet".

Butterfinger (or Snickers) A tick right of center. High. Not high like weed is now legal here high but I didn't miss any national elections. So, I guess the chart could be right on or possibly quite a ways off.

Did we just become best friends? As long as I can have the top bunk. You guys should do some activities together. I think shark week is coming up soon?

Well sure but one is for pinko commie treehugging pansies and the other is for rightwing nazi loving bible beating nutjobs. Duh.

HB RR from JJ.

Sure... love the sinner, but try to change them. Seems so... welcoming. Seems you chose to gloss over and ignore the direct statement Ron made (that I bolded) Yeah, it's the second half of the statement, the part you want to ignore, where things get a little tricky. Keeping in mind that Ron Brown made most of these statements while giving public testimony opposing the legality of gay marriage. Similar arguments were once made by people who truly believed in the mortal sin of a black man marrying a white woman. So in the spirit of the Bible, one might counsel Ron Brown to walk a mile in his brother's shoes. Actually I am not and do not ignore the second half at all. I have absolutely no problem with it whatsoever. He believes it is a sin and basically stated it is no different than other sins that may be prevalent in the locker room. Basically, in Ron's view, it is no different than any other sin you or I may engage in. That seems to be a pretty fair position to hold on sin IMO. It only bothers some people because they may not want to accept that others view it as sin. There is a difference, rather substantial in some cases, between what is societally acceptable and what a religion, a person, or God himself may view as sinful behavior. The thing I do know is that neither Ron nor you or I are God. We can have our ideas about what is or isn't sin but we are not where the buck stops. I am plenty satisfied to leave those determinations up to God and not worry too much what particular views some people may have about them. That is why I'm not running around talking about it being a sin or about any need to try to steer them in a different direction. But, I also have no problem with Ron saying what he believes. If he had a record that spoke differently about his character, I may feel differently about what he says. He doesn't so I don't.

I think all in all it runs fairly smoothly and doesn't need to have some huge overhaul. I would defer most of how and what to do to make it better to the guy who has actually been doing it, knapp. But I will offer my ideas since they were requested. 1- I said to not have nominations and voting running concurrently and also to not allow people to be considered for multiple positions at the same time. I think this might simplify the choice and prevent the problem Mavric talked about in post #7. I think to help make up the additional length of time required, you could have a few more categories being voted on simultaneously but with each person only eligible to be voted on in one category at a time. 2- Since it sounds like there will be a campaigning thread, I think the punishment for doing it anywhere else should have some teeth. I wouldn't be opposed to the CU avatar, ineligible for the current category, and thrown from the rock. Plus we could toss in belittlement and tickling until they pee their pants. But, I would be perfectly satisfied if nothing changed too. It's a fun activity to burn some time in the off season. No need to get overly technical about it.

Actually, I explained this much better (below) than you restated it. Come on, can you imagine feeling comfortable around Ron Brown if you were gay? After he said this: Sure... love the sinner, but try to change them. Seems so... welcoming. Seems you chose to gloss over and ignore the direct statement Ron made (that I bolded) and instead are content reading implications into his examples of other sin and what that must mean he thinks about gays. Yes, Ron thinks homosexuality is a sin. If you can't accept that at face value without assuming it must mean more, then I don't know what to tell you. As an example; Many people believe a man and woman living together and having sex out of wedlock is a sin. Does that necessarily mean those people make these sinners feel uncomfortable? Does it mean that they are hateful, unwelcoming people? It sure doesn't mean those things in my book. I see absolutely no difference between the people who believe sex outside of marriage is a sin and a person like Ron Brown who has stated he believes homosexuality is a sin. You can't pick and choose which parts of his positions you choose to listen to. Well, you can but it is counter-productive if the goal is to figure out how he would actually treat such a person in a one on one or team environment.