The Lounge

I've been thinking (it does happen!), Since I was like say 9, I've always had this desire to seek out the truth in things, and live by the code of "the more I know the more I am free". Maybe I didn't exactly realize it at the time, but regardless I as I grew up the more I wanted to know things. Now I come to a point where I realize I won't ever know everything. I've come at an impass. I would love to be a physicist, but can really do it at my age and my position? no. Other hand is this something I want or need to be free? to be truely happy? I would have to sacrifice a lot. With no chance that I actually make it. I find everything pretty interesting as well, I…

Is it just me, or is it a dismally pathetic reflection on the rest of you guys that apparently the most enjoyable and interesting member of 2008-9 hadn't even posted since 2007? *Please tell me that newsletter is some sorta typo*

I just found out that SFN has a Facebook page, and judging by the number of fans, I probably wasn't the only one who was unaware of it's existence, since it's so niftily hidden away in Forum Announcements. So I thought I would do a little advertising; for those of you who didn't know and want to join (which should be every single member with Facebook)...

I don't want to live a day past 65. I want to see my kids do well to a point I know they can function for themselves but beyond that...put me in a grave. Why is everyone so hung up about being alive.... It's fun and all....I don't see the appeal. I am 25 that's 40 years from now, that's like 10 off double my lifetime...It's been a long 25 years. Is this just me or are others out there that share the same sentiment?

This is a question I've never really resolved in my own mind, and I was hoping to get some external commentary. I was reminded yesterday about the issue when a friend and I were talking about PETA's reaction to the Obama fly-swatting video. Apparently they were upset at the actions of the president for unnecessarily ending the life of the poor fly. This is the stupidest thing I have ever head; there is no such thing as animal cruelty to animals which cannot feel. Further, our conception of what is "pain" is only comparable to what other conscious animals feel. This is because the pain we feel is an experience, and experiences are only meaningful to things with conscio…

I'm sure it's not just an Aussie thing, having retired sportsmen and women advertise everything from holiday destinations to cars. The Aussie comedy program "Thank God You're Here" decided to try something a little different. What happens when a medium pace bowler talks about a synchrotron? PS. How do you get the embedding thingy to work?

Anyone on Twitter? It's a cool idea.

A bit of fun...

Right so theres a lot of discussion around this so i gotta ask: Do we really eat spiders in our sleep and is there a chance of dying from this? Some links that say we do..Mostly: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhnmjdGKRdSenvt7Y3aqqLYjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070808190746AAgqC3K http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/35592 http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-23997,00.html

How important is training and development in an organization? Given the competition today how often should the employees undergo such activities?

Can someone highlight the nature of the Networking & Hardware industry. Is it true that this field is recession proof?

I am an eighteen-year-old American who lives in New Jersey. I have been interested in linguistics for quite some time, and have studied various languages on my own, as well as plan to major in linguistics in college. Besides foreign languages, however, I have also been interested in accents for quite some time. What I found most intriguing was how learning to speak (one's native tongue) with an accent is of comparable difficulty of learning to speak an entirely new language. I figured this was because learning a new language is a completely new skill, while learning an accent is simultaneously "over-writing" a skill and learning a changed one. I thought of the analogy of …

So claims the always-correct Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel They cite a Washington Post story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303907.html Sounds doable...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6501472.html He was more god than man........like 6 Chuck Norrises and a Vin Diesel rolled into one.

In the classic dialogue between Achilles and the Tortoise by Lewis Carroll, it is shown that that logic works is a premise that cannot ever be demonstrated or proven because proofs require the use of logic; such proofs might be internally consistent, but would invariably be circular. Now, it's clear that logic is necessary to function sanely in the world. It is also so deeply ingrained that you're probably trying to think of a reason why logic is inescapable, but must stop yourself because you've already begun a process of logical deduction without even realising. So the best we can come up with is internal consistency in the form of: 1) In order to live sanel…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCYafqq9ljk I don't know if it looks good or not. The glimpse of the pigeons cheered me. Darwin's work with pigeons was an important part of how he formulated his model of selection, which is usually under-appreciated. I'll have to see it. Incidentally, do you English posters buy American actors doing English accents generally? Jennifer Connelly is the only American in the trailer, and she sounds ok, I think, but I can't really tell.

Hypothetical...and no talk about whether they exists (I personally don't, but pretend with me) Say an alien race did exist, and they came down from "where ever". They tell you (somehow) that you are choosen to rule the planet. They are sick of all the BS (yeah movie-esque) that goes on and they feel you have the ability to get the world on track for the best suitable advancement and best possible life for every single human being and animal. These crazy aliens, they have the firepower to back you up. I mean they can take out a continent within 3 seconds. 1) Do you accept the mission. 2) How do you plan to make the world as perfect as humanly possible? e…

[13:27] <mib_4q9dhe> so you yall believe in free will or not [13:27] <mib_4q9dhe> do you all* [13:28] <ydoaPs> that depends on what you mean by free will [13:28] <ydoaPs> [13:28] <mib_4q9dhe> so whats your answer [13:28] <ydoaPs> sure [13:28] <ydoaPs> how 'bout you? [13:28] <mib_4q9dhe> yeah [13:29] <mib_4q9dhe> but you only believe in one time dimension [13:29] <ydoaPs> o.O [13:29] <ydoaPs> explain? [13:30] <mib_4q9dhe> if you have free will you have a choice to choose between to possible outcomes [13:30] <mib_4q9dhe> but if time is a line then there will only be one p…

It's articles like these that remind of me of just why I love science so much. 7 Man-Made Substances that Laugh in the Face of Physics. Yay science!

So I was thinking last night; If some alien species were to discover earth but not realize that it was inhabited by "Life" what would they think. If they were to look at a human the same way we look at a lifeless rock. The current model for how lifeless particles move about could not be used to explain the apparent random movements of organic matter on earth from an aliens point of view. You need an extra set of variables or extra dimensions to explain consciousness. What is your take on this?

Two months ago the wife and I been to Isreal, Egypt and Ammon Jordan on a 23 day tour. The muslim world out there all Love our new President Barack Obama. I was told that he has the same color of skin like thiers. He is very popular in the Arab world and they told me that he is Gods Messanger and a solution to our world of finance and oil. I asked 30 teens in egypt if I can take a picture of them so they said sure go ahead. They asked where I'm from so I said the USA and then they all lined up to shake my hand. One Arab came up to shake my hand and said ( Welcome Mr. Obama ) and I'm a white guy. Can you figure why they love us all of a sudden ?? Money ?. …

This Forum is missing an off topic thread so ill be the first to start it! Here you can submit stupid pics and talk about anything you desires (within good reason, keep it clean folks!)

So, my mom has most of the floor covered waist deep in stuff she doesn't need or use. She won't throw stuff out, but would be slightly less dis-inclined if she could sell it. A large proportion of the clutter is clothes, though there is plenty of other stuff. She needs to get rid of it (it's not her house), and I was wondering if there is any place that will buy large quantities of used clothes and stuff. I was wondering if anyone knows of such a place. She lives in Dunkirk, NY.

http://www.peta.org/sea_kittens/index.asp "Bitter and insane, she spends her days plotting revenge against the Land Kittens who live such happy lives in comfortable homes, free from the terror of being eaten." ROFL! Obviously some sort of children campaign, but I don't think The Onion could have written a funnier parody of PETA. Hilarious.

which type of dolphin do you like most? Hector's dolphin black dolphin Commerson's dolphin heaviside's dolphin bottlenose dolphin spotted dolphin striped dolphin spinner dolphin clymene dolphin white beak dolphin dusky dolphin hourglass dolphin peales dolphin frasers dolphin rissos dolphin tucuxi or orca?