1

Arts & Entertainment / World War Z

« on: June 22, 2013, 12:14:56 PM »

The movie was pretty good though, after reading the book, I don't think I could get past the glaring differences in order to appreciate fully. 

If you didn't read the book, what did you think of the movie?  And if you did read the book, did you find the movie difficult to enjoy?

2

Philosophy, Religion & Society / The Gays and SCOTUS

« on: March 26, 2013, 12:30:38 PM »

For those who aren't aware, California's Prop. 8 and DOMA are being challenged in the Supreme Court today and tomorrow.  This article gave a brief summary of some possibilities.  Hopefully, the court will make a broad ruling when it comes to federal recognition of gay marriage but I doubt that they will.

http://news.msn.com/politics/what-do-supreme-court-cases-mean-for-gay-marriage

3

Arts & Entertainment / Planetary Annihilation

« on: March 25, 2013, 02:51:29 PM »

#ws" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">Planetary Annihilation Kickstarter Trailer

For those who played Total Annihilation, I hope you will appreciate this as much as I do/will.  Looks rather impressive.

4

Technology, Science & Alt Science / 10 Dimensions Explained in 11 Minutes

« on: February 16, 2013, 06:39:49 PM »

" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">

Definitely the best description I've ever heard. 

5

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Justice

« on: January 08, 2013, 10:57:22 PM »

Courts ruled that torture is bad in other foreign countries too!  I'm sure that there are better links somewhere.

http://news.msn.com/world/dollar5-million-paid-to-abu-ghraib-abuse-victims

6

The Lounge / Ireland

« on: December 23, 2012, 08:38:09 PM »

I'm going there for Christmas!  What should I do?

7

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Gay Marriage to the Supreme Court

« on: December 07, 2012, 01:12:25 PM »

http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/07/15756101-us-supreme-court-to-take-up-same-sex-marriage-issue?lite

I'm calling 5-4, ruling Prop. 8 is unconstitutional and along with DOMA.

8

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Students get paid

« on: September 26, 2012, 11:59:08 AM »

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/26/14112860-university-of-california-to-pay-nearly-1-million-in-deal-with-21-pepper-sprayed-uc-davis-occupy-protesters?lite

I know there is a thread somewhere about this but I'm to lazy to find it.  It does seem like those damn hippies were kinda being assholes.

9

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Islamic Protests

« on: September 16, 2012, 08:47:49 PM »

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/16/13898619-hezbollah-leader-calls-for-anti-islam-film-protests-in-lebanon?lite&ocid=msnhp

Come on Islam, I'm willing to work with you but you have to meet me half way.

10

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Paul Ryan for VP?

« on: August 11, 2012, 06:07:26 PM »

http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/11/13232236-romney-introduces-paul-ryan-as-his-running-mate?

I definitely was not expecting Paul Ryan for Romney's VP choice, but maybe since Ryan is actually consistent on his positions and is way farther to the right it will be beneficial. 

Obama still wins, 55% of popular vote.

11

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Mandatory Pregnancy Tests for Teens

« on: August 08, 2012, 12:21:37 AM »

http://now.msn.com/louisiana-public-school-under-fire-for-pregnant-students-policy?ocid=xnetr3-3

Seriously, what the fuck Louisiana?

12

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Most harmful drugs

« on: August 06, 2012, 01:43:45 PM »

http://neurobonkers.com/2012/08/06/the-largest-ever-study-in-to-drug-harms-places-alcohol-in-the-top-four/

Interesting study one of my friends pointed me too.  I haven't looked to deeply into the study but I will do some more research.  I do wonder why cigarettes/tobacco weren't included in the study.  Do they not count as drugs?

13

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Love Affair With Israel

« on: July 29, 2012, 06:27:42 PM »

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/29/13020629-romney-us-has-solemn-duty-to-prevent-iranian-threat-to-israel?

What? I guess I can understand the fear of Iran with nuclear weapons but what 'moral duty' does America have to Israel?  What am I missing 'Murica?

14

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Justification of terrorist groups

« on: July 27, 2012, 04:36:21 PM »

For my last paper for my Modern Ethics Philosophy class I have picked the topic of terrorism.  The argument I am trying to make (stress trying) is that such groups can be morally justified. 

I largely picked this topic do to the fact that my family and myself have been researching our family genealogy and have determined that, to some extent, distant family members were engaged in the Irish Civil War.  This led to me researching the IRA (later PIRA and RIRA) and The Troubles in Northern Ireland. 

I have discovered that though it is easy to find reasons to empathize with such "freedom fighters", they are mostly emotional responses which don't really count.  I am having a surprisingly difficult time putting these arguments in a "logical" form.  It should be noted that the paper itself is largely focused on the IRA groups and Palestinian groups.  Any input would be helpful cause I would like to pass this class.

15

Technology, Science & Alt Science / Ice Science Challenge!

« on: June 27, 2012, 10:31:37 AM »

http://now.msn.com/now/0627-research-contest-ice.aspx

Well get it on it smart people!

16

The Lounge / Camp Ben McCulloch

« on: June 14, 2012, 10:25:07 AM »

I'm off to the 116th Camp Ben McCulloch Confederate Reunion with my girlfriend and her family.

What should I bring/do?

17

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Falkand Islands

« on: June 12, 2012, 07:11:01 PM »

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/12/12185386-falkland-islands-to-hold-referendum-on-rule-by-britain-or-argentina?lite

UK vs Argentina.  Democracy smackdown!

18

Philosophy, Religion & Society / The Way We Get By

« on: February 29, 2012, 11:31:09 AM »

This is by far one of the most powerful documentaries I have ever watched.  It's about a group of people, mostly elderly veterans and family, who great troops coming home through Bangor airport in Maine.  Whether you support the war or not these men and women are the definition of caring individuals.  I recommend everyone watch it who can, it's on Netflix if that helps.

19

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Israel training Iranian Dissidents

« on: February 09, 2012, 10:39:42 AM »

http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/08/10354553-israel-teams-with-terror-group-to-kill-irans-nuclear-scientists-us-officials-tell-nbc-news

Would this be tolerated by any other country other than Israel or is it just that everyone thinks Iran is full of douchebags?

20

Philosophy, Religion & Society / My God Analogy

« on: January 28, 2012, 11:16:34 AM »

I'm writing a paper for one of my PHIL classes about the "necessity of God/Religion in society" and I created a bit of an analogy that I think sounds pretty cool.

Imagine there is a person, lets call him Jim, walking down a sidewalk alone at night.  Jim passes a corner where there is a police officer standing watch when suddenly an attacker rushes the person with the intent on murdering him.  Jim looks up in hope to see the officer running to help him but, instead, the officer just stands there and watches the attacker murder Jim.  Obviously, the officer failed to perform the duties that he is commanded to execute and can/will be taken to court for his inaction.  He should be jailed or levied some other punishment and his consequences would be supported by the law and public. The officer would be ostracized for allowing a man to be killed right in front of him.  Now, repeat the analogy in your head, except replace God or the almighty, or whoever, in the position of the officer. Instead of ostracizing God, he is worshiped. God allows his believers to killed every day without an action to stop their murders but unlike the man with finite power who suffers the consequences of his actions, God receives only praise and adoration.

The paper goes on from there.  Thoughts, critiques, etc?

21

The Lounge / Me

« on: September 15, 2011, 08:10:24 PM »

Been here for 4 years and have less than 1000 posts...winning?

22

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Queen visits Ireland

« on: May 17, 2011, 06:01:36 PM »

So for the first time in a century, the English Monarchy visited the Republic of Ireland.  Is the situation in Ireland still a violent 20 years after the troubles and why did it take so long for her or another member to visit Ireland?

23

Arts & Entertainment / The Wind That Shakes the Barley

« on: May 13, 2011, 03:25:24 PM »

Is a good movie in every way.

24

Technology, Science & Alt Science / hackthissite.org

« on: May 08, 2011, 12:35:03 PM »

I stumbled upon this site earlier in the week and it has now engulfed my spare time.  It is fairly fun even though some of us are computer illiterate and I was just wondering if anyone else played around on it.

25

The Lounge / What do you miss about old FES?

« on: February 24, 2011, 07:06:10 PM »

And I'm talking about 06-07 FES.  I miss narcberry and the constant irrelevant threads regardless of forum.

26

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Concealed Carry on Campus

« on: February 22, 2011, 04:57:37 PM »

Texas A&M University, the college I attend, has lobbied the State congress to write a bill allowing for students, with the correct licenses, to carry concealed weapons while on campus grounds.  This was in response to a a student at the University of Texas firing a weapon on campus before committing suicide.

Discuss.

27

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Constitutional Question

« on: August 20, 2010, 10:38:46 PM »

I am writing a paper on strict constitutionalism and I ran across an interesting situation.

Say, for example, Saddam Hussein bludgeoned Parsifal to death with a tire iron.  Then, Saddam Hussein hides the tire iron in his good friend's, Space Cowgirl, house, knowing that she wouldn't wake up from her acid induced coma for 36 hours.  (It can never be for certain if Space Cowgirl knew about the above information).  The police begin looking into the murder and illegally search Space Cowgirl's house and find the murder weapon.

Now, have Saddam Hussein's 4th Amendment Rights been violated and more importantly, can the recovery of the murder weapon be used in court?  I think, in the strictest sense, Saddam's right's were violated in no way but, obviously, Space Cowgirl's were.  However, the infringement on Space Cowgirl's civil rights should have no bearing on the case against Saddam.  Thoughts?

28

Philosophy, Religion & Society / ANSWER CR90

« on: June 29, 2010, 10:33:14 AM »

Obama is obviously a Nazi Socialist Communist Muslim Kenyan.

fix'd

Give three examples please.

29

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Compulsory Organ Donation

« on: May 13, 2010, 02:22:07 PM »

There has been talk of passing a bill in Australia allowing for compulsory organ donation upon death.  Instead of the current system, where upon death there must be evidence that you wanted your organs donated, it would be assumed that you wanted them donated.  Proof must be offered, such as a orange stamp on you license, that says you don't want you organs donated and there would be religious exceptions.  What is your stance on the issue?

30

Philosophy, Religion & Society / Torture

« on: March 31, 2010, 10:58:12 PM »

Though torture has been debated multiple times on this forums, I don't believe a single issue as been directly discussed.  That is, does the Constitution outlaw torture through the 8th Amendment "nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted" or, as Justice Scalia said, torture is not a punishment but a means to acquire information.  Word for word definition, is torture unconstitutional or should it be read within a moral context?