caroljane

Factual inaccuracy. I am indeed presumptuous, ignorant of many things, and more foolish than you can imagine, but banality has never been proven or even alleged against me.

No, but you sure are being presumptuous. Shayne With justification. I asked you a conversational question, which you obviously do not want to answer, so as I am interested in the question, I can only presume, assume and speculate on the answer myself. Oh no, the presumptuous, ignorant, foolish woman is going to presume some more! What am I going to do! I guess I'd better say some more things so she can further decorate my statements with her banal presumptions, yes? Actually, no. Shayne English translation: "I don't want to answer her silly question, and she can't make me, so there!"

No, but you sure are being presumptuous. Shayne With justification. I asked you a conversational question, which you obviously do not want to answer, so as I am interested in the question, I can only presume, assume and speculate on the answer myself.

No, it's not a yes. I'm not saying they won't report when they hit a gate. I'm saying that a good fraction are generally immoral, irrational, vicious on a much larger and more destructive scale such that I don't care whether they report when they hit a gate; they will do much worse on a routine basis e.g. when they go to the voting booth. Shayne OK. What I'm asking is,what "good fraction" of people are immoral, irrational and vicious by your standards? 51%?,ie the majority? I haven't gone door to door, I can't give you an exact figure, but here are rough estimates as to our general cultural barbarity at this point in history: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/legalize-pot-poll-shows-m_n_543952.html http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-05-28/opinion/29593307_1_scientific-poll-weekly-poll-circumcision Shayne Shayne, you are being evasive. I am not askiing for statistical evidence of how the world is going to hell in a handbasket. I am asking for your personal, subjective sense of the people you know, know slightly, have heard about...I exclude your family and friends as I am sure they are good people. But "most people" -- is it your impression that there is an Us & Them, the moral, rational and peaceable, and the immoral, irrational and vicious? Your posts have implied that the Them is the majority- I am just asking, is this what you think and is this how you feel?

No, it's not a yes. I'm not saying they won't report when they hit a gate. I'm saying that a good fraction are generally immoral, irrational, vicious on a much larger and more destructive scale such that I don't care whether they report when they hit a gate; they will do much worse on a routine basis e.g. when they go to the voting booth. Shayne OK. What I'm asking is,what "good fraction" of people are immoral, irrational and vicious by your standards? 51%?,ie the majority?

Shayne, underlying your statement here seems to be a belief that "the majority of people are dishonest about things like this" - or maybe dishonest in general, when they can get away with it. Is my inference correct? Well, my frame of mind is that I don't want to talk about the idea that people are generally moral when they (for example) are just fine with sending SWAT teams in to hunt for growing plants. People are generally immoral, irrational, and unjust, and that's reflected through our political process in the kinds of things government does. Shayne So I guess that's a yes.

Shayne, underlying your statement here seems to be a belief that "the majority of people are dishonest about things like this" - or maybe dishonest in general, when they can get away with it. Is my inference correct?

When I think about some other things people have shared here on OL, what Chris wrote is comparatively mild. ;) Amen, X! Part of the fascination of OL. You and I have a similar take on Chris's feelings which he has shared and their root causes. Of course the comparative wealth and freedom we have is something to be deeply grateful for, when we think of those who don't have it. But when you're depressed, as Chris seems to be, the misery of others just makes you feel worse. ("I have all this, and I'm feeling sorry for myself? I can't take the simplest steps to make things better...I'm a pathetic useless human being"...etc) The worst of depression is that the sufferer is so entirely selfish, in the sense of feeling helpless to connect with the world in any rational way, and of being entirely alone with insoluble problems. It could be that low testosterone levels contribute to depression in men...might be an easily righted condition.

Chris, you did post this as a rant, and I hope you feel better. You are an intelligent man who cannot really be angry at your own good qualities, such as honesty. Your anger seems to be at the world and at dishonest people who sideswipe people's cars without reparation, yet might have families and jobs they like. The undeserved happiness of others is hard to bear; and the prevalence of hit-and-run, and of people with kids who appear to like their jobs, has led you to think that there's a correlation there, but when you cool down you know that isn't so. There's no way for me to know, of course, but don't think you have missed out on children or career satisfaction because you are honest. You would probably be even unhappier if you were dishonest. I know good people who are in your situation, and the reason for them is, , bad luck. Pure, simple, stupid blind bad luck.

Smack, drool, quels beaux ingredients! We await the potentianlite to advance our unique cuisine with elan!

Love the duel. You can tell the Secret Service that if they get in a light saber fight with me, they better cross themselves! Furthermore I will make mincemeat out of them and put them in a tourtiere. They wouldn't like that!

Why watch reruns of that? You can watch his shows on YouTube, and not be stuck sitting through commercials. I vote for a The Ascent of Man marathon. This episode has material on Beaumarchais and Franklin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC29cMM74Aw&feature=related Is that the Bronowski one? Wonderful, but I don't see it on my Pbs menu here. I would send them some money, really, if I had any!

What does "TM sorry!" mean? I guess it's the "TM" part that doesn't compute. Peter messaged me offlist asking if I'd gone to some Catholic school in California that I gather has a bad reputation, which led me to reply including a link to my school's website. From there I found that my philosophy teacher has his own website, what a hoot! I've had the experience, and I consider it a formative one, of hearing "for those who are aware, no explanation is necessary, for those who are not aware, no explanation is possible" related to faith in God, etc. delivered with utter sincerity by a highly educated adult. He was into Teilhard de Chardin's nonsense, leadadianiing me to read The Phenomenon of Man[z/i] the summer after graduating. My first semester of college I had a professor who assigned The Fountainhead, imagine the shock. BTW he wasn't one of the pervs, at least not that I ever saw. Here's the site: http://www.anoblemind.com/ TM sorry is just a canadianism, we are reflectively collectively sorry about everthing. Sorry for the confusion.

For all the joking we do here, collectively TM sorry! always hit the truth mark. Your catholic-schoolboy story says very many things to me, from things I was told from men I loved. What you've mentioned about Stephen Fry shows that this is something you have thought about; what male adolescence is, who owns it. Becoming a man is tough enough, without the men in your life interfering with you, or the women in your life manipulating you, or either of them meddling with your sexuality which is yours alone.

One of the best things about July 4 is that the SyFy channel has a marathon of the original Twilight Zone episodes. Ghs Also a day long Firefly marathon. Ba'al Chatzaf Firefly is Ok, but is there anything worth watching until Game of thrones starts up again?

Topping day. Kate and I both got wet and cold, but frankly delighted to be wet and cold instead of wet and hot as in that dreadful Ottawa which seems to be the hottest place in the world. Someday we will visit even hotter places I am told, I pray that day will not be soon. Good fun flying the Sea King, and jolly glad no German lobbyists were found in the cargo hold. Pilot a very good sort. Laughed like a drain when I perused the instruments and queried, "Who am I? What day is this?" Thoroughly solid fellow. Harry has texted me for the phone number of the third stepdancer from the right. Sometimes he just has no sense of proportion. Two-plus "tries" today,but today is not over. They've assured me, there are not buttons on the dragon boat suit, just easy zips. Ich dien, William P

ND, Well, he's earnest. Got to give him that. Yes, he must have been "punked" - an Objectivist would never ask such a question ... surely? And did you spot the double entendre: "What is the relevance that your penis size should come up at birthdays, and weddings..." What? - say again? Oh, my also. I have not even checked out LPs answers, I'm sure he did the best he could, as the actress said of the bishop. But you are right 9th, the question itself is so hilarious there can be only one answer: Yes of course it's immoral! Stop thinking about it and go do something productive, and don't read those evil advertisements on the Internet.

Plato was a fine wrestler and highly-touted Olympic contender.

TO: Mr. B. Gaede Tumbleweed Villas, AZ Dear Mr. Gaede, Greetings! Best wishes on your national Independence Day, or as we think of it up here, the Vain Mutiny. We have got our eye on you. You may have fooled the neighbours with that story about your newfangled high-tech still, but you cannot fool us. Infrared aerial technology and our secret informant your grocery delivery boy do not lie. Watch your step pal. You have been warned. Cordially/aimablement, Gord McGordon III Head Spy CSIS

The easiest way to begin, is, as Ba'al suggested, to say a bit more about your own interests. Which of Ayn Rand's books have you read? Did anything strike you as particularly brilliant or wrongheaded? Interactions here are pretty much like tending a garden. If you put some effort into it, the blossoms come out. Occasional worms and snakes also come out,as is their right, but they are very professionally handled.

Love the duel. You can tell the Secret Service that if they get in a light saber fight with me, they better cross themselves!

"Sail on O Nation, strong and great." Though a slight tinge of pessimism can be noticed occasionally here on OL in topics like "The Final Nail in America's coffin," and such; though Adam will never cease to stalk the Commander-in-Chief with his light-sabre; though Brant is building a suspicious device pointed northward in his garage;though there now appear to be even more Kardashians than we thought possible --you are, you know. You're strong, and you're great. I wish you the joy of the Fourth. That star-spangled banner yet waves, and the whole world can see it. Carol

To my gracious North American hosts: Ahem! It is indeed, as they say, a tough job but somebody has got to do it, and with the help and support of you all I am that somebody. The number of buttons on some of those dresses, honestly you would not believe. William P

Michael !with great respect for your experiences and perspectives, this is the biggest context I have ever known you to drop, and the broadest unwarranted assumption I have ever known you to make. I do appreciate that you are talking about Brazilian and American lawyers, working within their respective "justice systems." I am not an especial lawyer fan, but my experiences and contra examples are from stories that are not really mine to tell, though being the blabbermouth that I am, probably I will eventually tell them. I'll just say from my Canadian perspective, if you want justice and courage, do not, repeat do not, call the police. Do not assume that because you are innocent, you will not go to jail. Lawyer up, sooner rather than later.

Much has been made of the Duchess's decision not to bring a personal dresser to Canada, although the schedule requires her to change outfits several times a day. Insiders say however that they are not surprised. Kate has confided that it is William who is "incredibly helpful" to his bride in getting dressed, and undressed, and dressed again, and undressed, sometimes five or six times a day. Indeed , friends share that she sometimes wishes that "darling Will would not be quite so helpful. We're having a super amazing time of course, but to be honest, there is only so much lying back and thinking of England that one can take."