A spoonful of cinnamon. I was foolish enough to let some friends pressure me into trying that stupid challenge. Needless to say, some of it went down the wrong tube. It felt like I couldn't breath, like I was choking to death. It must have taken me something like ten or fifteen minutes before I felt like I could breath properly. Of course, my friends thought it was hilarious and spent the whole time laughing their (expletive deleted) off. 



...... I really need new friends.  

Like just about everyone else, I do not feel calling bosons 'the god particle' is a very wide idea. First of all, it comes off very pretentious and presumptuous of the media (notice I say the media, not the scientific community. I highly doubt any scientist of reasonable standing would dare be so bold.) Second, it is almost as if skeptics of the existence of God are thumbing their nose at the religious community. That is just plain wrong on a moral level, if nothing else.

That said, I am excited, if not a little trepidacious about this discovery. While knowing more about bosons could definitely lead to a deeper understanding of the universe and how we came to be, I shudder to think of the potential military application. They theorize that these particles were what caused the Big Bang. If this is indeed the case, and further study allows them to recreate a 'Big Bang' on a smaller scale and then find a way to harness that force, the sheer destructive power of the ensuing weapon would be terrifying to say the least.

I know what is most desired by man: power and control. It is basic human nature to thirst for as much of each as one can get. Such a catastrophic weapon would be highly coveted by those wishing to gain more power and control. Putting that kind of potential into the hands of greedy men is easily the scariest idea I could ever think of.

Ladies and gentlemen, if the theories surrounding these boson particles are true, then we stand at a precipice of an new chapter, both exciting and terrifying, in the history of humanity. Truly the dawning of a new age.

I was curious if anyone on these boards had ever heard of or even played the MMORPG called Tibia. It was one of the oldest MMOs still active today, having been first released 1997, with a respectable fan base still playing and enjoying the game. I myself still play it from time to time, as it is far less engrossing than larger titles such as World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings Online, thus it has always worked well for me as a means of relaxations. If you've every heard of or played this game, I would to hear your opinions on it.

You know you play too much Zelda when you whistle the Overworld theme whenever you're walking around outside. (Guilty!)

You know you play too much Zelda when start thinking every shadow on the wall or floor is going to suddenly reach out, grab you, and drag you to another location in the house.

You know you play too much Zelda  when you can't help but get annoyed every time you see an owl.

You know you play too much Zelda when you jump into holes in the ground, expecting to find some hidden treasure.

You know you play too much Zelda when you go on an authentic Viking 'cruise' and strike up a conversation with the ornamental dragon's head at the front of the ship. (forget the term for what that is...)

You know you play too much Zelda when you can come up with half of dozen 'you know you play to much Zelda when...' remarks in less than thirty seconds. (Guilty!)

Matthew and pacman are absolutely correct. Sony's PlayStation was the most instrumental  in the downfall of Sony. That being said, there were a number of other factors as well. Nintendo played it's part. Microsoft throwing their hat into the 'console ring' was the final nail in Sega's coffin, I've always felt. They weren't even able to compete with Sony and Nintendo, they knew a third competitor would be too much of a burden to bare. In the end, Sega made the right move by ceasing production of video game consoles and focusing solely on software. Doing so saved the company and made it possible for their intellectual properties (such as Sonic) to continue to flourish on other formats. It still feels odd to see Sonic's mug on a Nintendo or Sony product, but at least he's still alive and kicking!

Warmaker has taken the words right out of my mouth. You cannot recite Bible scriptures as though they are facts, because the Bible is a work of man, not God. There may have been a time when the Bible was the Word of God, but man has had several thousand years to twist those words into something that justifies the means to their end. You cannot refute that man has tampered with the Bible. There is documented evidence they we have. The fact that there are numerous versions of the Bible further substantiates this fact. In the end, the Bible as it is cannot be counted as a valid source of factual data.

With that said, and more on topic, I do not believe dinosaurs and man walked this Earth at the same time. I believe the widely-accepted idea that dinosaurs walked this planet 60 million years ago is the truth. Carbon dating supports this theory and refutes any Biblical claims that state otherwise. As for the mention of 'Giant Beasts' in the Bible, the Leviathan and Behemoth, it is my understanding that the widely accepted theory is that Leviathans are whales and behemoths are elephants or hippos. If this has changed in recent years, please feel free to correct me.

Kefka : While science is not one of my stronger subjects, I do believe most of what you said regarding carbon dating is factual. However, I feel the need to point out that I am reasonably sure scientists take variables such as energy and pressure into consideration when applying carbon dating to fossils. It is a form a measurement that has been in use for quite a few decades, after all, I am sure they have had more than enough time to iron out all the kinks. (Note: I just looked it up. Carbon dating was developed at the University of Chicago in 1949. That means it was been in practice for roughly 63 years.)

Before I go, I just want to touch on one more topic. This relates to both my general feelings on science and religion as well as to one of the notion brought up in this discussion. When people speak of studies or theories and their role in obtaining a higher understanding, I always keep one thing in mind. When a person chooses to perform research on a topic, ninety-nine times out of one hundred, they go into their study with a pre-determined notion of what the outcome should be, based on what their opinions are going into said study. They can claim an unbiased attitude, but it is human nature to want to be proven right. Ergo, when I person performs a study, it is likely their personal views will reflect on their findings in some way, great or small.

Now apply this understanding to the theory of dragons being mentioned in the Bible. Many people wish to believe that creatures of fantasy may have once existed on this planet. The reasons for this vary, but I think it largely boils down to man's desire to believe that the world we live in is  or was a far more exciting place than it actually is. The idea that there are things on this planet that we have yet to discover entices us and makes us feel a sense of anticipation for future findings. However, in the end, all this amounts to is man's refusal to believe that the largely bland reality that we know is all that there is here. It is fun to surmise, but it is best not to get one's hopes up. I do not believe that magic was ever are real force wielded by man. I do not believe in ghosts or the supernatural. I do not believe in the existence of mythical creatures, such as dragons. These are all just works of fantasy. If you think you have found proof in the Bible or in any other source, you are likely tricking yourself into seeing what isn't there, because you wish it was true.

There is a book called 'Wizard's First Rule'. A fantasy novel written by a man named Terry Goodkind. In it, he relates a very poignant message:

"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People's heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."

These words, I feel, ring true in any aspect of life, and they have found their way to the very core of my own belief structure. A sort of gentle reminder that even I can be stupid from time to time, if you will. Please do not take offense. I am not calling anyone stupid, I simply felt the quote appropriate to the topic.

In the end, I doubt that anyone will truly ever be able to solve the great mysteries of life. In the end, all we can do is just live this life as we will and see what lies at the end of the road.

This is censorship at its worst, folks. Plain and simple. And this also sets a very dangerous precedent which can lead down a very slippery slope. Now that one city has infringed on it's citizen's right to speak freely, more cities will attempt to follow. Pretty soon, the federal government might decide to impose a nation-wide ban on 'profane speech' and dress it up as being 'for the children'. Next thing you know, they will be adding words they don;t want you to say to this list of 'profane speech'. Soon, they could pass a bill outlawing the discussion of certain topics in public, all the while citing this original case as 'proof of just cause'. Pretty, soon, we;re basically living in China, where citizens have to watch what they say for feat of incurring the wrath of their government. And that, my friends, is not a country, or a world, in which I wish to live.

Words are words and they have their uses. I regularly use swear words as expletives or as an expression of anger or frustration. I'll also use those words as they were intended. You know, for instance, if I needed to go to the restroom, I typically don't say 'I need to make poopies', if you catch my meaning. Although, I have uttered those exact words in my adult life, I am ashamed to say.

I also have an array of non-swear expletives that I can use when more vulgar words would be inappropriate. Such as the word 'Bollocks' instead of the F-word or the term 'jackhole' instead of A-hole or a certain word relating to a female dog. A lot of my friends find it hilarious when I start tossing out my alternate expletives. I don't know why. o.o

That picture makes him look like Don Knotts pressing his face against a pane glass window. LOL

Leggy was all like 'Bwahahahahaha! I shall claim all four jerseys this day!" And then I was all like "YOINK! :3" And then Leggy was all like "o.,,O" ................ And then we all had cake! The End!

Sadly, I don't know if I'll be able to but up as good a showing as I have the last few days. I'm just not feeling in all that post-y of a mood today. :/ Although, the are a few I intend to make. Perhaps they will be enough?

Atheism cannot be considered a religion in of itself because it is dealing with only a singular subject; whether or not any giver person believes in a god or other such deity. A whole religion, while it can be built upon a singular belief, requires far more than just that initial belief. Most people that call themselves Atheistic stop at the fact that they do not believe in a god or deity, and do not pursue the subject of religion any farther. This is not the case for all, however. I know a number of people who are steadfastly Atheistic and yet also have a structured belief system, usually strongly Buddhist or Hindu in nature as mentioned by others.

Ergo, in answer to the question posed by the original poster, Atheism itself is not a religion, but Atheists can be religious. Belief in a god or deity is not mandatory in order to be considered religious, despite the fact that such is widely accepted as the case.

As a note, I am Agnostic myself. I am convinced that God as religions such as Christianity see Him cannot logically exist, however I feel there is sufficient logical proof to substantiate that a higher being of some form or another could exist.  This is how I feel, at any rate. I know it isn't a popular notion among people of faith.

If you don't eat me, chain chop, I will take you for a walk in the swamp so you can pick flowers and eat little fishies!


HAHA! Obscure video game references FTW! XD

A good game is good, regardless of it's date of release.

Conversely, a bad game is bad, regardless of it's date of release.

When it comes to retro versus modern games, I have no preference. If I think a game is good, I'll play it. If not, I'll avoid it. Flashy graphics don't but my affections when it comes to a game, though that doesn't exclude graphics when I consider what games to play. Were I to post a list of my all-time favorite games, one would find just as many older games as they would newer. That said, I must confess a predilection toward older games. Call it nostalgia, if you will. Sometimes, I just like to take that little trip down memory lane.

My favorites would be a toss-up between Legend of Zelda and Elder Scrolls. These are the two nearest and dearest to my heart, anyway.

Other video game series that I thoroughly enjoy are:
Final Fantasy
Grand Theft Auto
Super Mario RPG/ Paper Mario
Wild Arms
Pokémon
Xenogears/ Xenosaga
 
And many others...

I might only be saying this because I just recently beat this game, but I would have to say Blumiere and Timpani from Super Paper Mario. I won't spoil it for those that have yet to play the game, but their story really tugs at your heart string. Being a man, it takes something truly special to make my admit that I actually teared up a little. I did so with Wall-E and Eve, as with Kith-Kanan and Anaya from Dragonlance's Elven Nations Trilogy. Now I can add Blumiere and Timpani to this list.

Another couple that deserve mention on this list is Anju and Kafei from Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

Both. Seriously, both of these games were amazing. They both had a huge impact on me personally and on gaming as a whole. While Majora's Mast is my personal favorite, I love both these and would be thrilled to see them both re-released.