SargeantSarcasm

Available at 7:30 EST today to potentially do our real7alk podcast?

I dunno, I guess I hadn't really thought about it either way.

I've seen quite a few as well, on FH anyway. I tend not to get involved since I see so many people getting angry and stupid when people don't come round to their point of view (mostly the atheists/agnostics, its a sad fact that a lack of religion seems to so often engender a complete lack of reasoning and logic on such matters). So many of the arguments go that way here, with people missing the point and failing to recognise that the two sides come at the argument from completely different angles. They seem to think that religious people have never heard of science and, upon being presented with it, have no option other than to go "Oh, I see what you mean". This is generally the extent of my comments on such matters, to show people my perspective that, whilst I may have come to my own conclusions based on what I perceive in my own life, I would never presume to put that view forward as some how intrinsically better or more informed than their own, since I'm just one person with an infinitely limited perspective on the universe and cannot escape the inherent subjectivity of my own perspective. People don't listen though, and the bashing seems to go on in both directions just the same. Some people will never be happy I guess.

I'm afraid I have to cut our ranting short once again though, the sunrise is peeking at me over the tree tops and reminding me just how screwed up my body clock is. Night man.

I must say that I wouldn't have expected that, but on reflection its not a surprise. I've often found that religious people are the most open to debate on the matter and have some interesting views to put forward. I've had some of my favourite arguments and gained some of the highest respect for people who hold such beliefs yet think about them in detail and actually have some coherent views on the matter. I may disagree with a passion, but it always makes me smile.
I see all too many people assume that religion = a lack of thought, and I'm sorry to include myself in them in some of my more rash moments, but I'm always ready to eat my words when people come back with some well thought out and reasoned arguments and make me look the fool.

I can see a whole new facet emerging in our discussions, hmm..

and I'll agree, well thought out satire with a point to make always has its place. I loves it, even when it takes a dig at me or what I think.

Pretty much what my brother said about it, he's always keen on a good religious satire, something I'll happily admit to as well.

Ouch, maybe not then. Still, if I come across it some day I'll remember to take the opportunity and have a loookie.

I was talking about Good Omens when I said I'll pick it up, and I assumed your 1203x comment was with regard to Sandman, something I'll also look into if I get a chance and such a mood takes me.

Lol, 1203x eh? Specific. I'll try to revoke my former ways and actually pick it up sometime then, I'm counting on you to badger and harangue me into it mind.

I've never read that one, it was a co-author with Stephen Briggs if I'm not mistaken. My brother recommended it to me as well, but I'm always lazy on what people recommend to me.

He's a british fantasy writer, its seriously nothing of substance and he just pumps them out, but he's got a quick wit which I like to read in the evenings to relax.

I haven't read that one, but I shall look it up when I get a chance.

I'm somewhat the same, I read when forced and that's pretty much it (excepting trashy/casual reading for pleasure, Pratchett and Keillor). That's why I was so surprised, especially after not really liking anything else by her that I've read.

A novel by Virginia Woolf, I'm reading it for my modernism module and was quite surprised by how strong a chord it struck with me. The style was a bit thick and unwieldy for my taste at times, but what she was actually saying seemed so profound, at least with respect to myself.

I've just finished reading Orlando, and reading that last comment was an experience in disillusioned poetry befitting to follow such a work.

In short: True, true...

I know not either. But don't think you're alone on this one, the UK is similarly obsessed with the lives of certain celebrated people (celebrated for what exactly, I again know not) things that really have no more bearing upon the country than what I did when I got up this morning. Its a sad state of affairs, and one I'll join you in not wanting to be a part of. Way to miss the point everyone in the whole world...

Dude, I couldn't agree more, put very well also. Palin genuinely scares me, that's all I can really say. Its a tenacity that would never survive, possibly never even occur (but I know too little of the inner workings to make such suppositions) in British politics. This is, in part, to our detriment as it shows a certain lack of feeling within the system and its people. But the practical incarnation of it in her is, as I say, scary.

Your country is something of a contradiction to me in terms of how I feel about it. I'll admit to being enamored with alot of your culture, not sure whether this is down to sentimentalism or the outside view. But I'd have to reconcile myself to certain things to which I'm not sure I'd be able to do so. I'm not sure you'll forgive me this, but the current election is another case in point, the way its so personal, so intertwined with personality and appeal as opposed to substance, and the frankly sickening way in which the candidates parade their own families and particulars of their personal lives in front of the whole country, and the way so many people lap it up. Personality is of course integral to feeling comfortable with your leader, it gives an invaluable insight into how they will react in circumstances that we can't guess. I just feel that its too easy to get lost in it, and forget that substance and policy are equally important. Not to mention the fact that an agreeable personal image is all too easy to construct and maintain until it comes to the crunch.

I dunno, its a love hate thing, but I feel I have to at least go there, visit, and experience it for myself. Love it or hate it, the way America has developed in such a short time is a wonder of the modern world, and I just feel that I have to see it for myself.

Dude, I think I may have found the coolest shopping website ever. Here it is. I have known about it for a while but I never really looked on it. I know what I want for Christmas!

Don't get me wrong, there are many reasons why I love the UK, and certain aspects of our government really enforce that. Tbh, many such decisions have little effect on regular people, only really affecting those stupid bodies that make the decisions and causing some in fighting. My main gripe is that such instances show deeper problems within the attitudes of many officials and, to a certain extent, the populous as a whole. The press have a little to much power IMO (not freedom, I'm all for press freedom, its how much people listen to them that bugs me) and other things.

I dunno, I love living here, but I can also see myself moving to the US at some point, at least for a couple of years, probably to Francisco, but that's just a guess. Funny that, we could swap :P

Hmm, so it works both ways, interesting. I quite like that system.

Britain's just like that, as soon as anyone in any position of governmental or non-corporate power (and even in corporations to a certain extent) tries to show any kind of personal, emotional or non PC kind of attitude or decision they're set upon by the press and PC pressure groups alike, its sickening. There are some clear positives to it, no real idolisation of officials or anything and a down to earth approach to running most things, but the PC and bureaucratic obsessions do so much damage its not true.

Case in point: Some local council in England (can't remember which one it was exactly) decided that it was no longer correct to use the term "brainstorm" in any meetings, documents etc because it was "offensive to mentally disabled people". I mean seriously, what the **** kinda retarded decision is that? And how the hell did whoever came up with it not get fired? Let alone receive the support of those around them? There are some great things about Britain, but many of the things we do boggle the mind....

I've actually heard of that college (I'm seriously uninformed when it comes to such stuff outside England, so that's a big thing..) Good luck dude, although it sounds like you'll be k.

I'd heard that legacy is pretty important as well, something very foreign to me. In the UK its all about bureaucracy, no one would ever accept decisions made on a personal aspect like that calling it unfair (although I gather that Colleges have a lot more independence as bodies over there). Its kinda stupid infact, we take it so far as to reason that you're parents going to Uni actually counts against you to a certain degree as the government want to encourage non Degree families to take up further education. I can see their point, but it seems like a damn stupid way of going about it...

Btw, apologies if my comments are very intermittent from now on, I'm finally getting back to my book which I have to have read by tomorrow.

So they're pretty much what determines if you get into the college you want then? They sound pretty much like our A-Levels (also separated into A levels and A-2 levels), also sounds like you got it covered. What college are you looking to get into?