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What crimes deserve the death penalty? The death penalty is a weak punishment. Once the person is dead, the punishment ends.

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What crimes deserve the death penalty? Share your answer...

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Why doesn't the USA get a clue and close our borders? I agree. Large-scale conflict wasn't here until the whites arrived. Seriously though, where's the huge immigrant problems? If a Mexican comes to the US and is hired by an American, who's to blame for the hiring? If an Indian comes here and buys a gas station, who's to blame for selling it? If an African comes here and works for free shelter and lashes from dawn to dusk, who's to blame for...

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Is "CHRISTMAS" without Christ how we got "X-mas"? The X is the first part of the word Christ in Greek. It's been around since the 1500's.

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Is it smart for me to ask a girl out on FACEBOOK??????........PLS HELP............THX : You only live once. Besides, you can always just exchange phone numbers through email.

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Should Religious Symbols be Displayed on Public Property? Yes! I want tax dollars funneled into making a giant marble statue of the noble Ganesh. More than a billion Hindus can't be wrong. I can't think of a better place to put our money.

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If its Answerbag why is the logo a question mark in a suitcase? I thought the rectangle was a computer monitor, where all Q's and A's can be found. Perhaps the bag itself is phased out, like the Inter"net"'s original fishing net that caught stray electrons from back alleys and then stuffed them into copper wires. That's illegal now, by the way.

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Which do you think was worse, the way Michael Vick treated his dogs, or the way Tiger Woods treated his wife? Vick was worse. At least adultery doesn't involve profiting from sadism.

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What can we do when life isn't going the way we want it to? Realize that not everything is within our control. If that cannot be done, then shout and curse and swear and cry and destroy all you want, and the rest of us can feel better about our own situations.

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To address global warming, which strategy do you prefer? I tend to side with the mountain of evidence that supports the existence of global warming. I think we should start using the finite fossil fuels we have now to develop all kinds of alternate energy resources: geothermal, solar, wind, etc. Why assume the opinions of oil companies are more accurate than those of scientific organizations? Global warming deniers claim that the phenomenon is...

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What is your personally favorite youtube video? Too many to name, but this one does it for me every time.

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What is your personally favorite youtube video? Flag it.

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"Ultimately one loves one's desires and not that which is desired. "Friedrich Nietzsche What does Friedrich Nietzsche mean by this? It probably stems from the simple observation that people often speak highly of the things they want, but seldom of the things they have. A thing you desire to have has an unknown number of possibilities; a thing you have has a known number of possibilities. In other words, it's a downgrade. Once those things are yours, their limitations and utilities and consequences of having them are fully...

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Tips and tricks to catch a cheating spouse, without hiring a PI? Look up how to read someone's face to tell if they're lying. Memorize the techniques. Then spontaneously ask the spouse the questions you want to ask. Then do everything in your power to keep your head on your shoulders, because you may go berserk.

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When someone states that they "like to party"; what exactly is "partying"? "I like to party" equals "I like screaming over loud music to a person next to me." It is usually safe to assume that the person saying this also likes to get inebriated and celebrate others' inebriation.

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Can we defeat eco-fascists like Al Gore? Or will millions continue to starve to death because of insane agricultural policies? I hope we don't defeat people armed with armloads of facts and sensible arguments. That would be a downer for me.   Which insane agricultural policies in place now are keeping us from feeding people? Perhaps one is government payments to farmers to NOT raise crops? Yep. Which policies proposed by Gore would do the same? No idea, perhaps I'm ill-informed of those policies which work so...

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Do you think gay marriage should be legal? Why or why not? Half of US marriages fail, and the divorce rate for Christians is much higher than atheists and agnostics. So much for the "holy matrimony" and "sacred institution" talk. http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm

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Were the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki designed to defeat Japan only or also to intimidate Russia and stop them becoming a major military force? I think the bombing was something simple like, "OK, Mr. President, we have successfully developed the atomic bomb, and we know it will be more than destructive, but we'll only be able to tell to what extent until it is used. So if we want to end troop casualties we should employ the bomb immediately." The hard part, of course, was deciding whether to do it or not. I think the...

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Athiest: Can you PROVE you love your S/O? Can you, assuming theist? The burden of proof that atheists have no or some tenuous understanding of love or commitment seems to be on your shoulders. Click it! http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm

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I recently discovered a childrens show called "handy mandy". Its like dora the explorer, but instead of exploring he does manual labor for white people. Is disney not only sexual, but racist? Manny owns his own shop. He has no other human colleagues to share the workload. He earns the respect of his townspeople with hard work, reliability, and a friendly demeanor. And, if I say so myself, he does a damn good job of building a bridge. So I don't think we should hold it against him to work for The Man when he and everyone else is fully satisfied with his business. But other...

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As a new atheist, or at least agnostic concerning any atribute as to the cause of the universe, what reason do I have for not killing, stealing or raping at will, if I don't get caught, please dont say empathy, where is the empathy for the other animals. In my view, the golden rule is more natural than social; it isn't humans' warm and fuzzy idea, we just make it sound like it is. When we do wrong toward others, they will return the favor. In order to receive acceptable treatment, one must give it. Of course, with a wide range of personalities, circumstances, environments etc. there will be times when this rule is violated....

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What punishment fits the crime of 9/11? As usual, I'm perplexed by the support of execution. I just don't see how forcing someone to go to sleep is an acceptable punishment. Therefore I vote for life imprisonment, removed from society, free to continue living but without freedom. In a society like ours that constantly harps on about the greatness of freedom, you'd think that the lack of freedom would be a very bad...

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For those who celebrate Christmas: Would you please post a picture of your idea of a perfectly decorated Christmas tree? This is a battle my wife and I fight late in the year. She takes the traditional approach, with all the glitter and lights, while I prefer leaving trees outside, where they can, y'know, live. (A fake tree is, to me, completely self-defeating. Which is why I also don't eat veggie burgers.) So here's my ideal tree:

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How long has Obama been our president? I lost track. Obama has been Prez since eight years after our worst President was "elected." Let's keep things in perspective.

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Why would atheists have a problem killing people? They are going to die anyway! People have problems doing wrong toward one another regardless of their beliefs about the supernatural. I generally believe, as many others do I'm sure, that religious people are *more* likely to do wrong toward others than their less religious counterparts because they know they can always cure a bothersome conscience by apologizing to their god, asking for forgiveness, and assuming a...

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Do atheists use the term 'Thank god!' ? For example, if their son was finally home after being 3 hours late, do they say "Thank god!" or "Thank god,a being of supernatural powers or attributes,believed in and worshiped by a people,but who doesnt exist!"? I use it sometimes, but usually I like to say, "Thank gods" or "Thank [some god no one believes in like Thor or Odin or Ra]." I also say: "Damn!" Although I'm not really damning anything. "S**t!" Although there's never excrement lying around to comment on. "Son of a ---" Although I seldom actually refer to dog or gun...

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Athiest: why do you keep answering religious questions when religion doesn't adhear to you? That's like saying, "Why do you protest --- war? You won't be drafted, so what do you care?" Because we're concerned about the way things are going.

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What headline would you like to see in tomorrow's newspaper? Fun question. I need to write a few answers. "GOP Implodes, Replaced By Actual Elephant" "Area Man Searches For Keys, Finds Cure For AIDS" "New Study Finds Smoking Tobacco Safe If Followed By Snapping Fingers Twice"

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What make a major/minor key relative to another major/minor key? Relative scales share the same notes. The major scale's intervals between notes go W-W-H-W-W-W-H while the minor scale's intervals go W-H-W-W-H-W-W. So if you pick the sixth note of a major scale, that note's minor scale will have the same notes. Examples, with the convenience of brackets and parentheses to show each scale's start and end: C major and A minor: [C D E...

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Can you name something, that is nothing? Zero equals zero, and zero never equals non-zero. Therefore nothing can never be something.

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How did you become an atheist? Was it a slow process or very sudden enlightenment? How old were you? After a year of living recklessly at 18 (oh, the horror!), I thought that what I needed was a good ol' dose o' God. So I remained silent most of the day as I read my little Gideon's Bible. Me and God were like this [crossed index and middle finger symbol, whatever you call that]. But certain verses really threw me off, like cutting off your offending hand or poking out your...

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Imagine; a world without religion. No crusades, witch hunts, 9/11, Inquisition., etc. Would the world be a better place? Imagine: you're planning to move, so you pack up everything and rent the big truck and all that jazz. You have to move boxes, chairs, tables, TV's, everything you normally expect to transport when moving. Lots of stuff to move, sure. But after a little while of moving the items out of the house you keep falling over yourself, dropping the stuff, breaking some stuff you carry,...

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If you've been in the US Army recently, what’s your honest opinion of the beret and the gray / greenish "Universal CamouflagePattern" uniforms? The beret sucks. It doesn't keep the sun out of your eyes, it is often hard to shape it into something that looks decent, and the metal unit crests it bears (instead of the rank as it was on the soft cap) sometimes looks like officer rank, so preparing to salute requires your eagle-eyed attention. The ACU pattern, up close, looks kinda goofy to me, all those little squares. But at even...

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What is a catchy title for an essay on reincarnation and the soul? This Take, Try Harder

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Is it easy or difficult to read "tab" notation if you can already read music? (tablature notation for guitar). For the guitar player, reading music is much more difficult than reading tablature. Tab is direct: it tells you exactly what to play in plain "language" without any ambiguity. Music notation forces you to know every tone capable of being reproduced on the fretboard. Because tab is specifically for guitarists (although tab can be also used for other stringed instruments), it is more...

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Substracting 6 % of x from x is equivalent to multiplying x by how much? Put the words into math symbols: Subtracting 6% of x from x...: (x-0.06x) ...is equivalent: = ...to multiplying x by how much: xy (x-0.06x) = xy 1x-0.06x = xy etc. Remember, "is" means "=" and "of" means "multiply."

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I'm a beginner at guitar and I snapped one of my guitar strings. I plan on replacing all the strings, but I'm clueless about the different gauges and compositions. I have an Ovation Standard Elite, what kind is best for it? It doesn't make much difference. If you are a beginner, then get whatever pack of strings that has the high E string listed as .009 or .010. People prefer different kinds of strings, but I'm not one of them. I buy D'addario if I can, but only because they sent me free strings and a T-shirt after I wrote to their company telling them they were awesomeness. They earned my respect.

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What do conservatives stand for? What do liberals stand for? I think this video sums it all up very nicely. Day in the Life of Joe Middle-Class Republican

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Do you believe Marijuana is a gateway drug (that should be banned because of this)? Or do you believe Marijuana has been given this bad rap because of it's easy accesability and people with addictive personalities would end up the same anyways? The gateway theory is nonsense. You will hardly find anyone who has tried marijuana before the much more addictive and deadly (but legal) tobacco and/or alcohol. Furthermore, and more importantly, most people who try marijuana are *not* likely to try harder drugs later, even if those who do use harder drugs started with marijuana. The vast majority of people who have tried marijuana do not...

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What if every one on this earth convert to atheist? It would be a better world. One less thing to worry about.

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Why does a negative times a positive always equal a negative? Think of 3(4). It means you add 3 to itself 4 times total: 3(4)= 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12 Now think of -3(4): -3(4) = -3 + (-3) + (-3) + (-3) = -3-3-3-3 = -12

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Atheists, if you were dying of a terminal illness and therefore had a few days before you knew you were going to die, would you pick a religion because "what the hell"? I'd pick Mormonism because there are some pretty hot missionaries. Now that you mention it, sure. Just before I die I'll invent and follow a religion that allows the deceased to become infinitely powerful. But until that point of desperation I'll keep my thinking cap on and consider this religion as silly as the rest. I'm kinda excited now. I'm just decades away!

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Algebra help? i have tried over and over again and im confused i hate algebra could someone pls help sovle 5p+7=3(4-p) i need the workings out too!! and another one 2x+7=6(x+3) need workings out again I'll use this problem instead to show you how to do this: 10x + 4x + 6 = 20 - 3(x-1) Combine like terms on the left side, and get rid of the parentheses on the right side. Keep in mind how to multiply positives and negatives; if the signs (+ and -) are the same, the product is positive, but if the signs are different than the product is negative. For example, 3(4) = -3(-4) = 12....

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If the 9/12 protesters really believe Obama is a jackbooted thug, a "neo-Hitler", and a Stalin-style Communist who wanted to kill and enslave white people, why did they wander around in D.C., so casually, unarmed, showing their real faces? Because their aim is simply to let everyone know they're angry. With them, everything is a knee-jerk reaction. In my view, they just cannot stand having a relatively popular, intelligent, calm and collected black* man as their President. He's an exception to every prejudice they have toward blacks, and they don't want to acknowledge that they have a skewed understanding of...

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I NEED HELP ON THIS PROBLEM - 5X -Y =4 5X - 2Y = - 22 You have two equations, so you find y for each. Then remember that if y=a and y=b, then a=b. Once y is solved, just plug it into one of the original equations to find x. Different example: y+1=6z 5y=26-z so: y=6z-1 y=(26-z)/5 Therefore 6z-1=(26-z)/5 Get rid of the 5 in the denominator by multiplying both sides by 5: 5(6z-1)=(26-z) Then isolate z: 30z-5=26-z 31z=31...

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Are atheists the success of Satan? Hmmm, this is quite a conundrum. Does Satan try to get people to do evil generally? Or does he merely try to get people to do things that will make God angry? After all, since there is no indication that atheists are less moral than theists, Satan wouldn't be getting very far with his evil agenda by convincing people of God's nonexistence. On the other hand, God gets very angry...

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The black king was cornered and had no choice but to make an illegal move by moving into a check. In this situation, can the opponent take out the black king? If not, what is supposed to happen? In either case, the game is over. Illegal moves are not to be made. 1) If the black king is currently in check and cannot prevent staying in check with any move, then Black is checkmated, and he loses. 2) If the black king is currently *not* in check and cannot prevent going into check with any legal move, then the game is a stalemate, which is a draw. Neither player checkmated the other,...

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Why are Agnostics seen as "fence sitters?" What is wrong with saying, "I don't know, all the information isn't in yet?" Agnostics are seen as fence-sitters because agnosticism is not a third alternative to theism and atheism. Theism and atheism are concerned with the possession of the belief in god(s). Theists have that belief while atheists do not. Agnostics, too, must fit into one of these categories. "Do you believe in _____?" No matter what is placed in that blank, the answer can only be yes or no....

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John Marcotte, Author of the 2010 California Protection of Marriage Act wants to return to traditional values and ban divorce in California. What do you think of that? Technically, marriage is merely a social contract, making a one-person "company" into a two-person "company." In a nutshell, each person becomes the co-owner of the other's belongings, debts, earnings, etc. Obviously such a company will run most efficiently when its members have a healthy relationship, but the concept of love does not require validation from a third...

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Tax on soda pop... is it a choice of personal freedom vs social responsibility? I say bring it on. If something that we consume is so addictive and/or destructive to the point of significantly affecting the national average in overall health, then why not issue a tax to curb such consumption? Why not use the tax to mirror the claim that responsible use requires moderation? Why should tobacco receive a terrible stigma if it rivals in harm to junk food, which even...

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Just how many crimes are not reported in the USA what is our true Crime Rate? From my intro to sociology textbook (2000): "Most crimes are never reported to the police, principally because many people don't think their victimization is important enough to be worth reporting or because they doubt that the police can help them.... About 1/5 of all crimes reported to the police are actually solved by arrest." From the FAQ section of FBI.gov: ...

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Do soldiers learn how to sew? No. In my five years in the Army, I cannot recall ever seeing a soldier holding a needle. Every post has an alterations shop in which patches and whatnot can be sewn onto uniforms. It's perfectly fine for a soldier to do his own patchwork, but if it isn't done perfectly then it's guaranteed that he'd be ordered to redo it immediately. And of course, the current ACU (Army...

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Atheists : ultimately believers will think they are accountable for their behaviour to their God. How do you think you are accountable for your behaviour? And do you have a sense of an ultimate accountability? Thank you. Like Moongrim, I disagree with that premise, *if* it relates to how we live. True, some people believe that there exists some "ultimate" accountability after we die, and others do not. But if we are going to go further and claim that those who believe in it are more likely to be good in this life, then that is false. I've never seen evidence showing the non-religious to be...

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What are the benifits of practicing scales on guitar regularly? It depends on what style of music you want to play. Playing scales are helpful if you want to play serious lead guitar in any genre, whether it's jazz, classical, metal, or whatever. If your primary interest does not lie in showcasing your solo skills, then it is unnecessary to play those boring scales. A basic understanding of music theory (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/861567) plus...

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Why are people so bent out of shape about what is natural/unnatural when it comes to sexuality? Did I miss the meeting where we collectively decided to shackle ourselves to our primal past? I agree. And what is "natural"? We can find homosexuality in nature, so that's natural. Then again, we can find eating your mate after copulation in nature as well. So why do we humans concern ourselves with how animals have sex? Howzabout consenting adults do whatever they want? Sounds good to me. It's a shame that there are many people out there more concerned with...

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Are there any atheists out there at AB who are now serving or have served in the military? What is/was your experience? I qualify under those conditions. I didn't understand why any non-religious person would want to see a chaplain. Their role is essentially preacher/counselor, but I could never understand 1) why anyone with problems would rather see a chaplain instead of a mental health professional; and 2) why the Army would have it this way. In my experience, the leadership would very often ask...

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I want to be adept at guitar playing (specially in terms of soloing, riff, scales, tapping etc.) what should I do? Practice slowly. After you can perfectly play the song/riff/scale at a slow pace, then and only then should you gradually increase the tempo.

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How much harder is Algebra 2 than Algebra 1? All my friends in 2 complain all the time about it, but I find Algebra 1 almost quite easy. This is simply a matter of substituting words for math operations: How much = x is = equals So Algebra 2 is x harder than Algebra 1 means (Algebra 2) = (x)(Algebra 1) Divide by Algebra 1: (Algebra 2)/(Algebra 1) = x Cancel algebras: 2/1 = 2 = x So Algebra 2 is twice as hard as Algebra 1. No, seriously. It is.

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I need help with a conversion problem or dimensional analysis problem. Here is the problem. A cyclist is traveling downhill at 55km/hr. How fast is she moving in feet per second. Please show the steps and units( they should cancel except feet per second) Remember, when converting measurements all you're doing is changing the measurement unit, not the value. How does one avoid changing the value? By multiplying times 1, or more specifically, other forms of 1, always ensuring that the unit you want to change is on the opposite side of the fraction bar (eg, if km is in the numerator, km needs to be in the next number's denominator so...

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In how many different ways can the opening pair of moves be made in a game of chess-one white move followed by one black move? Each knight can move to two spots, and each pawn can move one or two squares forward. 2 knights, 4 moves. 8 pawns, 16 moves. 4+16=20 for each side. 20(20) = 400 possible positions for the first moves.

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Whats the funniest verse/sentence or part of the bible? Ricky Gervais points out some funny parts:

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What are the secret weapons, and how do I unlock them? I'll use dialogue from the great movie "I (Heart) Huckabees" to answer: Q: Have you ever transcended space and time? A: Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about.

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If I start killing the pieces of shit who have made me feel wronged... would the world be a better place??? or should I expect the outside sources to help get rid of them? You could also smash their car windows with a crowbar and run away. I'm certainly not advocating vandalism, but at least in this situation there is no killing, dying, mourning, arresting, etc. and you'd still feel satisfied with your revenge. Or even better, you could take SandraP's advice. Her answer is above mine. Well, at least it *should* be.

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Maybe there are no atheists in foxholes because they're too busy fighting? 1) You *do* fight from a foxhole. It's not shelter; it's using the ground as a shield to fire from. 2) The phrase "there are no atheists in foxholes" is flawed. On that: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/360992

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Is there an atheist movement on youtube? I don't know if you could really call it a movement if it amounts to little more than speaking their minds in the privacy of their own home to people that can freely come and go of their own accord. Yes, they are many atheists on Youtube that make videos relevant to their non-belief, but that's because they don't knock on doors, send out fliers, host public-access shows across...

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What do you think about people getting upset that Michelle Obama wore shorts while on vacation? Virtually no one is upset over this; this "controversy" is 100% fabricated by the media to boost ratings for a day. In the link provided, and in that link's own link, and in the same report told by NBC's "Today" show this morning (which I happened to catch), there is no mention of any specific people complaining about the shorts. In each example, it's merely...

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The expression 'the exception that proves the rule' is a contradiction in terms. Do you agree? That phrase is complete nonsense. Its premise: 1) X is true. 2) Because rules always have exceptions, X is sometimes not true. 3) Therefore, X is true. My brain just melted a little bit.

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When playing guitar, and I play a note on, say, the 5th fret, should I leave my finger on that fifth fret if I know I will have to play that note again soon? Or should I move my finger so it's easier to play other notes? Generally your finger should stay put. Let your index finger do its job and let the others do their job. Take this line for example: (any string) --5--7--8--7--5-- In this five note line, the index finger should stay on the fifth fret the whole time. The ring finger stays on the seventh fret from notes two to four. The pinky, obviously, only stays on for the third note. Each finger should...

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What has Obama done that you believe is bad for our country, and why is it bad? I can't comment on our economic problems because absolutely none of it makes sense to me. Because both sides are speaking gibberish, I have no idea who's right on what will fix the bubble or trading or market or any of that. However, it doesn't help the Republicans' side when on every other issue that I can actually understand they seem to have the worst intentions and...

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Who's philosophy do aetheists use to learn morality? There are countless factors that have a hand in creating our morality: our upbringing, our rationality, our genes, experiences we've had, fears we hold, stories we've heard, social norms, our individual understandings and interpretations of what have you, the list goes on and on. It should also be noted that our morality, just like everything else in our lives, changes as we age by...

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Mississippi spent $16 million in abstinence-only programs, yet the state ranked No. 1 in teen births in 2009 & gonorrhea & in the top five in STD infection numbers. Does abstinence education work? All the facts say no. So, moving on, let's look at some things that conservatives say: "Communism doesn't work because you can't trust the powerful to distribute things evenly. Gun control isn't a good idea because you can't trust a handful of people (the government) with all the guns. Legalizing drugs can't happen because you can't trust people to use...

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In blackjack, when do I split or double down? A chart for basic strategy (just an image, not spam): http://www.gambling-systems.com/gambling-a/Blackjack_Strategy_Chart.gif

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What role does senses play in Knowledge? With absolute certainty, the senses help in no way. French philosopher Rene Descrates ("day CART") asked this same question, thinking of how a candle can deceive the senses: once it's burning for a while, it becomes warm, it changes shape and color, its smell becomes somewhat smoky. In other words, every sense perceives an unlit candle differently than one that has been lit....

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I have just recently started doubting God (i was raised Catholic) & see myself more as an Atheist. My (&hubby's) family are disgusted by the way I have turned my back. Any suggestions of dealing w/ them? Lead by example. Now that you understand that you are finite, it would do you well to live accordingly. In other words, live a good life because the good is higher than the gods. Maybe we won't all agree that Jesus was divine or that he even existed at all, but surely we can agree that he was wise. Emulate him: be good, let bygones be bygones, make forgiveness a habit. (Of course,...

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[Please delete this q] The question was: "Does God believe in atheists?" According to the Old Testament, all he thinks about are unbelievers and heathens. "I am a jealous God. Who am I, you ask? I'll tell ya who I am! I AM WHO I AM! What now? How's that answer for ya? And here's some commandments for ya. See the first ones? Those are all about numero uno. That's me, y'know....

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Do You Agree That It's An Unrealistic Ideal To Be Perfect All The Time?* No, You Can Be Perfect All The Time. All You Have To Do Is Never Try To Do Anything And You'll Never Fail. And Then You'll Feel Great Because You Can Tell Everyone (Or Just Yourself) That You Are Perfect. Pretty Simple, Really.

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Atheist, why do you think people believe in the bible more than any other book in the world? Let's narrow down this number of books in question. How many books of the millions of books out there are claiming to be true? Only those not claiming to be fiction. So of those that are not claiming to be fiction, how many are backed by verifiable facts, thus earning the title "nonfiction"? We would like to think all of them, but for the sake of argument let's assume...

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Does everyone who joins the army have abnormal violent tendencies? Not even close. From my observations, the percentage of people that join the Army that are "out for blood" or just want to get into combat is very small. (Maybe it's different for the Marines. I don't know.) Most people are tempted by the free health care, food, and shelter, plus the (possible) sign-up bonus and guaranteed paycheck. Long story short, money.

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What are the main arguments for the existence of god? and what are the main arguments against the existence of god? (don't feel obliged to explain the arguments, the arguments names will suffice) :) X The First Cause argument's refutation is that it doesn't explain how the first cause is its own cause. The Argument from Design's refutation is that, if we accept the (erroneous) assumption that complex systems need designers, then the Big Designer, necessarily being more complex than his/its creation, also needs a designer. The Argument from Beauty is subjective. ...

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Anybody have guitar tips for someone who just started? Learn the chromatic scale (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/861567), wash your hands before you play, practice slowly, use a tuning fork instead of an electronic tuner (they needn't batteries and they don't break), try to learn a few whole songs instead of just parts of a thousand songs, practice slowly, don't buy cheap-o guitars, don't fix or work on your guitar unless you...

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Whats your favourite chess opening and do you vary it a lot? As White I like 1.c4, 1.e4, and 1.d4, in that order. I most prefer openings that are not incredibly familiar so as to throw off my opponent. I absolutely hate symmetrical games. In those games I trade pieces as much as possible. Clean the board, clean my thinking. As Black as a response to 1.e4 I especially like the Scandinavian Defence, which moves the black pawn to the first pawn's...

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What if every one on this earth convert to atheist? I'd love it. Rationality has never steered us wrong, and religion has been an enormous blockade to reason for centuries. We could concentrate on actual problems and look for actual solutions instead of trying to tirelessly justify religion's place in society. Of the negative consequences, the heaps of cash going to churches and preachers would go elsewhere. (Sorry, to...

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Why does the heading under the Atheism category say "Believe in Not Believing" - isn't that insulting? Like we disbelieve not because of logic, but just to be antagonistic? I'm not that offended by it because those subtitles/taglines are expected to be unfunny jokes (they're common in all media), but I can see how someone would be. Under the category "Theism" it merely says "Questions and answers about Theism," but with the Atheism category they felt fine to add a condescending, nonsensical, totally misleading label; I propose the...

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Where can you find the information to reduce making mistakes, by improving your consciousness? Read psychology, sociology, and history textbooks. Read Bertrand Russell. Listen to George Carlin. Recognize logical fallacies. Disagree. Agree. Ask, answer, think, learn, read, speak, listen. Observe ads, observe people, observe media, observe the news. Take note of actions and words, and compare them carefully. Examine your fears. Examine your body. Look at bugs, cats, dogs, and trees....

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When in your life do you think mistakes happen less? There are only two things that I can presently think of that will slow your rate of mistakes: doing less in general, or becoming wiser. From my observations, the vast majority of people conform to the former as they age. A random older person is no more wise than a random younger person. We aren't blessed with wisdom merely because the earth continues to orbit the sun; we bless ourselves...

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If you save your coins each day, do you put them in a dish, bowl, bank, box, what? How do you count them up or turn them in for paper money? I put pennies in a big jar and non-pennies in a smaller jar. I spend quarters often; therefore the smaller jar doesn't fill up that fast. Whenever I know I'll be near a soda machine, I take a whole bunch of nickels with me. Pennies can accumulate quickly, however, so often before I leave the house I put $0.04 in my pocket. When I make a purchase, I hand over pennies so that I only...

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Does your unbelief disprove what you do not believe? No, absence of proof is not proof of absence, although absence of proof is a perfectly fine reason to not believe a claim. We don't believe claims because they are absolutely certain to be true, and we don't disbelieve claims because they are absolutely certain to be false. Instead, we lean towards the reasonable indications of truth and falsity, which are normally supplemented by...

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Albert Einstein said, "The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe." Do you agree or disagree, and why? I completely agree. I assume he was referring to nukes. With science, we progress onward always. In physical and mechanical sciences, we can create powerful weapons. On the other hand, the sciences of psychology and sociology, for instance, also progress further and further, giving us explanations for how reality operates, but in those cases we hardly pay attention, probably because it...

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How long does it take to become a sergeant major in the army if you start out as an E3 Off the top of my head, I'd say about 18 years.

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Who has watched the youtube video of Neda, the Iranian bystander? it was heartbreaking... I saw it. Yes, it was incredible. I even saw it on a news channel a few hours ago but they cut away before the blood started flowing from her nose. Absolutely brutal. And all because a religious leader (the Ayatollah) wants his President to stay in place despite what the people want. Well done, theocracy. Well done.

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Do You think Dawkins answer to this question was childish or intelligent? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mmskXXetcg 100% on spot. Perfect answer to the question. For the readers out there, the Q to Dawkins was "This is probably going to be the most simplest one for you to answer, but... what if you're wrong [about being an atheist]?" This is Pascal's wager, which states that if you don't believe in God you have zero chance of going to...

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What is the first rule of politics? Get married and mention it as much as possible.

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Are your parents Atheist & how did they religiously school you: to believe / not to believe? My parents went in phases of strict and passive religiosity. They used common sense or scripture to justify their teachings to me, whichever was convenient for them for the situation. My questions were normally answered by "God works in mysterious ways" or "that's not for us to know." These appeals to authority and acknowledgments to my own human weakness were...

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Check mate with King and knight If a king has only one knight or only one bishop left to fight a lone king, the game is drawn by insufficient material (ie, checkmate is impossible). However, a king with two knights, two bishops, or one of each can find a win.

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What is the most difficult contradiction to explain if you interpret the Christian Bible literally? It's difficult to rationalize contradictions regarding the mind and personality of God, which is quite significant as it directly influences how Christians will act in their own lives. Some like the fire and brimstone version, some like the all-loving version. They each have their verses to back them up. For example: does God hold anger forever? Jeremiah 17:4 - Ye have kindled a fire in...

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Why do athiests seem to be so militant and determined to ridicule people of most faiths? I write most faiths, because I don't seem to see much ridiculing of muslims. I think it very likely that what you mean by "atheists" is "atheists on the Internet," but that's fine. The clarification is significant, however. In my experience, atheists in real life rarely make their position known unnecessarily; discussing religion makes people uncomfortable. However, on the Internet, atheists are much more open to discuss and argue their opinions...

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How did siciology begin as a true science? This answer may be incorrect, but it's what's in my memory. Emilie Durkheim was a French guy from a long time ago who wondered why Catholics committed suicide less often than Protestants. He studied these groups and found that because Catholics were more social than Protestants, they were less likely to kill themselves. Although his study has been criticized, it was among the...

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How do you tap on a guitar? I need to know if I'm doing it wrong. With a finger tap your pick-hand is executing a hammer-on to sound the first note and then pulling-off to ring the highest-pitch fretted note. Let's say you want to create a repeating, descending note sequence F-C-B-E on the high E string (respectively, frets 13-8-7-0). In preparation you fret the B and C notes normally. Then, with a pick-hand finger, tap (hammer-on) the F note and...

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It's my opinion that atheism is a type of religion? It's a belief in nothing. Probably a stronger than the Christian or Jewish religion, since they are steadfast in their non-belief. All religions are organized, have a belief structure, concern themselves with the supernatural, include rituals of some sort, make distinctions between special/serious ideas/things and non-special ones (ie, sacred and not sacred), and attempt to answer questions of "ultimate meaning." Atheism has none of these characteristics, so it in no way can be considered a religion. As for...

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Atheists, how does the belief in science make you less of a follower and less gullible, then a person who believes in a religion and/or god? Do theists not believe in science? How did we discover the laws of motion, Neptune, molecules, or tectonic plates? Where did we come up with ideas that created cell phones, sonar, or vaccines? Surely these weren't accidents or revelations from gods? We all believe scientists' claims to the extent that we allow ourselves to. Although today there are still a significant number of...

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What do you you think the best guitar solo ever is - not in terms of technical difficulty but in the way that it fits in with and compliments the rest of the song? To me that IS what defines a great solo. Anyone can practice for years to become technically proficient, but in the end all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. That's why so many amazing guitar shredders are forgettable. I've seen Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai, two examples, do stunts on guitar that I can hardly believe, but if you held a gun to my head I probably still...

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What positive and/or negative outcomes do you see deriving from the medieval cult of the Virgin? I didn't hear of the Cult of the Virgin before reading his question. I did some thorough investigation and read one paragraph of its description: "Eve was... responsible for the sinfulness of mankind, their sufferings and ultimately the death of Christ on the cross. Medieval Women of the Middle Ages were therefore viewed as the instrument of evil. This attitude towards women,...

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If God doesn't exist, what is the meaning of life? What is your perspective on the point of living as an unbeliever? Please, looking for answers from the unbelievers. Not here to criticise, just wondering what you believe. Let's pretend. Let's randomly take some large number of people that happen to be ________ and ask them what the meaning of life is. What could we put in that blank to receive the same or similar answers from everyone selected? The answer is nothing. In other words, not theists, atheists, Communists, Norwegians, short people, Hispanics, or any other group classification will be able to...

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Is the secondary goal after eliminating religion is to eliminate all concept of morality and ethics? Yes. Atheist priorities are to eliminate religion, then morality, then puppies, then children, and finally food. Perhaps you'd have an argument if I saw any indication whatsoever that atheists were less moral than their religious counterparts. Perhaps if the facts supported the idea that the most religious states or countries had lower crime than less religious ones, then this debate...

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If this life is all we get,no afterlife with either eternal damnation or eternal reward, on what do you base your morality? What keeps you inline? I'm surprised at other answers here, which tend to agree with the question's premise that fear of punishment, in this life or the next, is the motivation for not doing wrong. This implies that we lack any good intentions, and although I believe that our species could do much better, I don't think we are as selfish as that. You won't get a fine or jail time for not...

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What are your thoughts on this controversial video? Hmmm, many thoughts come to mind. I'll make a comprehensive list of what I see wrong here: You cannot be forced to believe something. You cannot be bribed to believe something. You shouldn't yell in a person's face over a difference of opinion. You shouldn't try to frighten your children by suggesting with your body that you are about to get physical. You...

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Atheists, pretend for a moment that you die, and you find out that there IS a Gawd, after all. What do you do or say to Him or Her or It? Would "I'm sorry!" be appropriate? I have many questions about this hypothetical situation. Why would I see God after I die? Am I supposed to also pretend there's an afterlife? Why would an apology be necessary? Am I supposed to also pretend that the Creator of the Universe desperately wants his creations to believe in him? Why do I need to explain myself to God? Does he know my mind or not? Is all of this because...

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Why do some people think it is wrong to call black people black? First, I think these people are in the tiny minority. The only reasons I can think of for their complaint is that (a) black is the "bad" color (eg, black magic, black soul), and/or (b) as Noldea831 said, we shouldn't be describing each other by our skin color. On the first reason, many things we consider harmful or scary are black: darkness, something rotten, charred remains,...

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If graduating Suma Cum Laude from an Ivy League school is dismissed as due only to reverse discrimination, what does a Hispanic have to do to be taken seriously? Those who don't take someone with these credentials seriously are the ones not to be taken seriously. As a side note, in Stephen Colbert's hilarious book "I Am America (And So Can You!)" he cleverly describes reverse discrimination as the opposite of how we normally discriminate. Good stuff.

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I'm currently a high school student, but when i get older i want to join special forces. How can i start preparing myself for selection right now? When I was in the Army I met four people who tried for SF selection. Two had to leave early because of injuries, one was rejected because he wasn't a "team player" and was an "adventurer," and the last -- the guy from my own squad, a good friend -- was selected. Later he modestly brushed it off like it was no big thing. I only vaguely recall the conversations I had with...

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Are atheists and theists the same in that they believe what cannot be known for sure? That there is or is not a God? In the literal sense of "knowing for sure," the claim in the question is accurate. However, absolute certainty is useless and is very rarely included in our usage of the word "know." We can only *certainly* know of our own existence: I think, therefore I am. Thanks to "The Matrix" films, everyone now easily understands Descartes's idea that our brains can be...

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If some righties are so suspicious of govt that they believe global warming is a scam, and some lefties so suspicious of govt that they believe that the Iraq war was for profit, why don't they believe the other theory, too? This question doesn't make any sense. Simply because someone is suspicious of the government doesn't mean that any and all conspiracy theories are to be believed. On global warming: it wasn't the government's idea to convince the world that global warming exists. The government has been paying attention to this issue because enormous numbers of scientists have been...

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In response to my question: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/460167, do you think atheists tend to be more open in disguise of internet? Yes, but there's much more to it than merely "disguising" themselves (ourselves, I should say) as if we were ashamed to have such opinions. As Magenta said, people don't normally go around starting conversations about religion. In my experiences, atheists rarely vocalize their positions in real life because they know it makes people uncomfortable, even more so than...

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Is the US Army the place to be? It's the place to be if: you want to kill people you want money for college you like shaving every single day you want some exercise you enjoy mind games you like a guaranteed paycheck you enjoy kissing ass constantly you dislike thought you adore legal drugs and abhor illegal ones you want free health care you like moving every few months/years you like extreme heat you...

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Why do so many people have horrible spelling on AB? I'm not pointing out everyone, just the one's who always do it. Your "one's" should be "ones," although even that word is a weak choice. "People" or "users" would be better. But on to the question, people who can't spell believe, in stark contrast to my own belief, that their language doesn't speak volumes about their characters. I contend that weak spelling indicates that the person either...

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I dont understand music theory can any one help me I NEED TIPS!!! http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/861567

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Why do veterans rant about how their sacrifices preserved our rights and freedoms and then get bent out of shape when folks use those freedoms in ways they don't approve of? Isn't exercising a right or freedom the best way that to show that you value it? It's not that the people you speak of are veterans, it's that they're normal conservative idiots. (Apologies to conservative intellectuals reading this. Both of you.) Like the vast majority of people I've met (speaking generally of everyone now*), they speak, think, and act in different ways. So with the vets in question, they're using their veteran status as leverage...

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Atheist if this life is all the hope you have,then what kind of hope is there?This life is miserable outside of hope for the next to come,for the Christian this life is but a sacrifice,our hope is in Jesus and the next life to come.What's your hope? I'm not sure what you mean, but I'll try anyhow. First, what are you trying to say with this "hope" talk? I've never heard anyone, theist or not, call this life "hope." What does it mean that this life is "miserable outside of hope for the next to come" or that atheists hold this life as "all the hope [we] have"? If this life is...

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Why is it that man blames God for all the evil that man does in this world?They need to look at themselves and quit blaming God Almighty for their evil ways.Does God make you kill your children,or molest them?Does He make you sin?Free will to sin right? From my observations, people don't blame God for the world's evils, but notice that he isn't doing much about it, which makes it harder to believe he exists. At least once God has made people kill their own children, but he added the bonus of making the parents EAT the children. My favorite verses, from Leviticus 26: 27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but...

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Will i fail a hair follicle test if i ate a brownie that had weed in it? i didnt know there was weed in it and i dont smoke weed or do any other type of drug Hair tests trace cannabis use up to 90 days, give or take depending on many factors. The test will not, however, confirm whether or not you knew you consumed the drug.

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Why do people say "to and from" if that's not in ABC odre like "apple and oranges"? Because the ABC order has nothing to do with anything. Do you think people say "apples and oranges" because of this? Seriously? In my observations, people say "to and from" only when they're describing how far a trip is. They start here, where the speaker and listener are, measure to "there," and then measure back to here. How would "from and to"...

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What bad things would happen if weed was legalized and treated the same as alcohol? I can think of nothing but advantages to legalizing cannabis. Instead of spending money to arrest, prosecute, and house cannabis consumers, we could collect money by taxing cannabis purchases. Some think that it's useless to tax something that you can grow yourself, so I assume those who think that way grow their own vegetables, raise and slaughter their own cattle, sew their own...

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Why does a government collect taxes from people? If we all didn't chip in, who would pay for the roads? the military? those on welfare? the police? the fire department? the government officials we elect (or don't elect)? the library? et cetera.

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Why atheist hate god?(i respect their view that they don't love god) As others have said, atheists don't hate the nonexistent. But to humor your question, how great should we consider this god to be after we consult his "Good Book"? From Leviticus 26: 27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; 28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins....

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Some have asserted Spinoza's philosophy of God is Atheism it is thought the he makes nature the real God, or lowers God to the level of nature…..What is your opinion? A weak answer: I know nothing of Spinoza, but I do adore Bertrand Russell, as his writings motivated my own free thought and consequent abandonment of theism, and he talked highly of Spinoza. If I remember correctly he even stated that it was Spinoza's writing that inspired him to relinquish theism. So as a friend of a friend I dig Spinoza.

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I play the guitar as a beginner at school and a part of our final is to find and learn how to play a song. are there any songs you know that are relatively easy and use basic chords? Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (A Little Night Music). Key of G, very simple tune. Even easier is Brahm's "Lullabye" tune. "Go to sleeeeeep, go to sleeeeeep..." or whatever the words were that supposedly went with it. [edited after comment] Try Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" or "Pigs on the Wing." Very simple...

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Do you agree with "spreading the wealth"? Yes. We cannot have the homeless, the hungry, the evicted, those who go bankrupt because of an unexpected illness, those who have their entire city destroyed by natural disasters, those who serve their country and then drink themselves to to the street because of their minds' horror in fulfilling Uncle Sam's wishes, the screwed-over by insurance companies, and STILL call ourselves a...

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I'm not the flashiest or most technical guitar player, but I really do LOVE the guitar. Is flashiness or technical ability all that matters nowadays, or can someone who lacks the ability to "shred" but who genuinely loves to play still be appreciated? I'll paraphrase Billy Corgan in a Guitar World article from the early 1990's: nobody gives a damn about guitar flashiness except for other guitar players. Technical virtuosity alone gets no one very far. Case in point: name one guitar player from Spain. There ya go. Guitarists from Spain, I've noticed, are technically skilled to no end. Skill is one thing, and it's cool...

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If hell is real, do you think being an Atheist your entire life was worth it? If we knew hell to be real, then no one would be an atheist. But since there's no indication that it is real, we have nothing to worry about.

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Who are you racist against? It blows my mind that so many other responders are misusing the term "racism," as if it equates to anything undesirable. Although they can certainly go hand in hand, they're not synonymous. It means to believe that one or more races are inherently superior to others. To claim to be racist toward rude people, idiots, or terrorists (as answers here say) is nonsensical, like saying...

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Could you please suggest a way to cut our monthly household expenses by 25%? Good answers here already. Also: Save gas by doing all your errands/shopping in town at once. Buy in bulk when appropriate. Open windows instead of using AC as much as possible. Use only those spiral energy-saving light bulbs; they last forever and use up very little wattage. Make your own laundry soap (very cheap and effective). Don't eat out. Use a clothesline instead of the dryer....

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If your mothers last request was for you to take care of your father when she is gone,even though he physically,verbally and tried to sexually abuse you all through your life,what would your reaction be? I'd say too bad, so sad. Just because someone is dying doesn't mean they get whatever they want, most especially if it's as outlandish as this. I find this request -- at least based on the given information alone -- as selfishness in its highest degree. Analogy: you want me to pass the salt? Of course I will. You need me to watch your kid for a while? Can do. You want me to...

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Is the concept of omnipotence inherently paradoxical? Two responses: 1) Yes, and 2) who the hell cares? 1) Yes, I believe so. God cannot experience firsthand the weaknesses that we animals do, so he cannot know exactly how we experience it. I assume (correct me if I'm wrong) that he cannot tire, sin, covet, sleep, generally be unconscious, feel pain, lust, et cetera, all things he lovingly bestowed upon us because we're just so darn...

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I find some people think patriotism is the same as having blind faith in your government. Please discuss. True, some people think that, but I don't think it's the majority. Political leanings, in my observations, have little influence on how likely someone is to complain about our government; although certainly the subject of complaint varies with the speaker's political stances. I believe patriotism on display is almost always a stupid thing as no one studies, let alone visits,...

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Is it just me or is Janeane Garofalo a racist bigot? [edited: grammar] I don't see it. She has strong views so of course those who are naturally inclined to HateHateHate (ie, the Right) will lash out at her with foaming mouths. I think she's being completely accurate in her statements; these are merely Obama-haters who think they've found some intelligent platform when actually their position is solely about venting their...

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Have any of you atheists ever tried to seek God or are you all too proud? I am not trying to attack so please don't take this question that way. Just curious. Also, how many of you are atheists because of christians and some of their hypocritical ways? Are you just too proud to read the Vedas (Hinduism's sacred text; older than the Bible) and become a Hindu? That's not an attack so please don't take it that way. No one decides to not believe in gods (that is, it's not a conscious choice), they just don't, whether it's in childhood or later in adulthood, just as it's not your choice to believe that 2+2=4;...

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What do you think accounts for the growing membership in fundamentalist churches in the United States? If this is true, I chock (chalk?) it up to fear mongering. After decades of experience, the media is nearing the perfection of the loathsome art of fear mongering. During fear we seek self-preservation. When you don't know what to do, you grab whatever's handy, and lots of people don't know what to do, so they grab what's handy: their ancient desert scribblings. That will...

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Atheists, if you were elected President/Premier of your country, what would you say in place of "so help me God"? Oath Administer: "Seriously?" Prez: "Seriously." With only a handful of great Presidents, and all of them reciting "So help me God," it appears that asking for God's help in conclusion of an oath isn't effective. Maybe just helping yourself without supernatural reliance would be a pleasant change.

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How much should you tip your barber? Nothing. I normally have to pay $13-15 for a haircut, and I find it appalling that someone who is getting a dollar per minute from me could expect a tip.

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What do you think is the best Bass line/riff in a song? I nominate "La Femme D'Argent" by Air Pink Floyd's "Money" has a catchy riff in 7/8 that sounds natural, which is challenging in an unusual time signature like this.

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Atheists look for answers, the faithful are certain they've already found them. Agree or disagree? I agree with the second part only. Atheism does not equal philosophy, the love of knowledge or wisdom. Just because some people don't believe in nonsense doesn't necessarily mean they have attained this view through intellectual inquiry. Philosophers look for answers no matter their beliefs about gods. Theists that hold faith as a virtue, however, are content believing things...

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How was someone able to survive being in concentration camps during WWII? ( So many people died, what was the difference from the ones who died and those who didn't?) In his book "Man's Search for Meaning," psychologist and Auschwitz survivor Viktor Frankl said something to the effect of "the best of us didn't make it out alive." He explained how the camp inmates behaved like animals because of their intense hunger, their weakened bodies, and of course the horrible treatment they endured, both physically and mentally. As it goes...

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What are some concerns anticipated to occur due to growing population of people with an Atheist belief system? I have no concerns, as there is no atheist belief system. If by belief system you mean lacking a belief -- a familiar analogy being that not collecting stamps can be a hobby -- then my concern is that it is not happening fast enough. The sooner we stop believing in things that have no evidence, the better we as a species will do. At the very least, we would do well to abandon the evils of our...

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When a love one dies, friend, relative, or spouse, how do you, as an atheist, view death? I grieve, like everyone else. If I honestly believed that my loved ones who passed on went to eternal bliss to be beside the creator of the universe, I would be ecstatic, as they are not gone at all, but somewhere much better. However, I've never seen a Christian act this way, and to me this is another indicator that religion is a grand delusion.

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"Hi there, I am quite confused about a specific aspect of scales. I understand the importance of chords and scales and I would really like to find more. The question that is troubling me is that generally there are twelve notes Inc sharps and flats. If I http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/861567

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Why are my guitar picks always magically disappearing? The pick fairy? The picks are in your pants pockets, jacket pockets, in your dryer, under the couch, under the couch's cushions, in your most-used desk/cabinet drawers, near your guitar's resting spot, and in your guitar. Whenever you have $20 lying around just use it all to buy picks. Then transfer them into a small jar and store them in a room you frequent when about the house. You'll lose the...

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Why do, statistically, the majority of atheists lead fulfilling lives without (a) god? I don't doubt this is true but I don't know it is either. So assuming it is true, atheists are happier than theists because they don't experience the unnecessary suffering accompanied by believing in God (at least the Christian god that America believes in). Examples of thoughtcrimes the former Christian me thought that made me regret questioning the ways of the Creator of...

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I am a beginer guitar player have played accoustic for a while and played around with electric ,ive noticed instuctors online playing with the normal tuning ,e,a,d,g,b,e, ive heard you can tune bottom e down to d to get a heaviersound is this common? Yes, it's an alternate tuning called Drop D tuning (DADGBe). It is very common in hard rock and fairly common in blues and classical guitar pieces. It makes low power chords (root-fifth) easier to play, it adds two notes to your available notes (low D and low D#), and, as with any alternate tuning, enables you to play chords that you would find difficult or impossible while playing in...

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How come Atheism isn't considered a religion? There are a few requirements to be considered a religion, a term we invented to describe an outline of thought with the following: 1) a relatively organized belief structure; 2) a distinction between the sacred (meaning very serious and very special) and the not-sacred; 3) a set of rituals to perform; and 4) a concern with life's big questions, such as, "Why are we...

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Why do so many AnswerBaggers give points to answers that DON'T in ANY WAY answer the question being asked. (Ex: snark, editorializing, smart arse comments, kudos for the question with no answer included, etc.) Because you view the point system differently than they do. If they like the response, they uprate. I use the up- and downrates as a way of moving around the answers so that the best answers stay at the top of the screen to be seen first. If this means downrating a non-answering response that I actually agree with, then so be it. Not that I up- or downrate everything I come across; sometimes...

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What is the most annoying song you know? The type of song that makes you want to do violent things to the person who wrote it! There are plenty to choose from, but there's one song that drives me completely insane because of one lyric: "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit. The lyric is something like, "Sorry about the things I said when I was drunk, didn't mean to call you that." I'm fuming right now. The vocal melody, and the voice timbre, and the words themselves are immensely horrible,...

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Do you need a piece of paper to prove your in a committed relationship? I think anyone who does is missing the point. The paper means nothing except that you will share your possessions and wealth. It is a government-approved contract that doesn't care whether you love or hate each other. Those who claim that marriage is beautiful and sacred are confusing love with marriage. Love, unlike a contract, is not concrete, it is not constant. The paper stays the...

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I had a really hard time getting my sideburns even this morning. Do you think it would be easy for people to tell if one was slightly shorter than the other? I've been totally paranoid about it all day. The worse they look, the more likely someone will notice. Here's what I do. I look in the mirror and bring the top of my razor to an identifiable place, like the bump in front of the ear hole. Shave down, then bring it right back to the same spot, and do it again. Repeat for the other side of the face.

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I have heard that if you are 20 and not a Democrat you don't have a heart. If you are 30 and not a Republican, you don't have a brain. What do you think? I've heard this too once before. It's nonsense. For one, the parties evolve, so the phrase cannot be applied to all times. For instance, Lincoln was a Republican, the liberal party of its day, although today that party is the conservative one. Second, age has nothing to do with it. I understand that age changes a person, but not necessarily for the better. Time does not bestow...

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Y is friendly fire down as friendly fire if u kill your own country men? It's called "friendly fire" because it deliberately obscures the word's meaning. "Friendly fire" doesn't make you as uncomfortable as would terms like "comrade killing," "accidental homicide," or "death by negligence." Hiding the mistake softens the blow. Out of sight, out of mind.

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I can't read music well, & i know little about music theory. Now i am in highschool & i have signed up for jazz band as a guitar player I have been playing for 4 years i played in gr. 9 jazz band What do i need to know & am i going to die of humiliation? You'll be fine. It's high school, not Madison Square Garden. This is the time for learning. I would recommend understanding the chromatic scale and major and minor scales first, which isn't very hard really. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/861567 Then just apply what you've learned to songs and chords you already know and get a feel for how they're constructed....

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There are many ways to live life.Can anybody name their favorite? I live life by the guide of rationality. Informally defined, it is the process of observing, thinking, choosing, and repeating. For me, this entails at least: Understanding one's self. Learning from the mistakes of others. Observing the contrast between one's words and actions. Suspending judgment when assertions are presented. Realizing that the noble mind is locked in...

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The headline reads, "Taxing pot could become a political toking point." Punny headline, but is this the answer to California's fiscal problems? See LINK: Sure, why not? Why should we continue throwing our money down the drain in times like these? By now it should be clear to anyone with their eyes open that cannabis is less detrimental to society and the human body than alcohol, tobacco, and maybe even prescription drugs in (almost?) every way. Some people say, "Oh, the government can't tax it if everyone can grow their own, so...

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Can anyone help me find a matrix or cheatsheet for when to hit and when not to in Blackjack? Search "blackjack basic strategy" for images on a search engine, such as: http://www.blackjackchamp.com/files/node/images/6-deck-blackjack-strategy.png

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I'm unmarried 67 decent looking.Have 2 unmarried 50+ woman friends who never get asked out.They don't know each other.If I have safe sex with them,separately, & we agree never to marry, or reveal our secret, what do you think God would think? Why should anyone's opinion matter but your own? It all depends on how you think God's mind works. Christians I've met are always quick to point out that other Christians who disagree with them aren't "real" Christians. Some say that the Bible is 100% accurate, some say it's all metaphor, some say you have to learn on your own how God works, et cetera. The...

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I'm stuck with this math question. Still new to this unit, so I need a bit help, especially since this is a fraction question. Please & thanks in advance! Solve the following systems of equations by any method: 1/3 x - 1/6 y = 1/2 x/5 - 3y/10 = 1/2 You just solve for x in both equations. You'll then have two equations that equal x, so then you make them equal each other. That'll tell you what number y is, so then you plug that number into either of the original equations to find what number x is: (1/3)x - (1/6)y = 1/2 Get rid of denominators by multiplying by a common denominator. Let's use 6: (6)(1/3)x - 6(1/6)y =...

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Who was the last person in the public eye to say something unpolitacally correct? Probably anyone on TV right now. Anyone who says anything both true and not related to politics is saying something unpolitically correct.

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What is ethically the difference between a prostitute and a model? They both make a living by selling their bodies. That there is sex in one activity seems to me not enough to morally despise a prostitute. Your views, please! I see no difference ethically either. I find it absurd for anyone to condemn what consenting adults do behind closed doors. It's often said that we should be able to do whatever we want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, and selling your body to willing buyers certainly fits in that category. Another answer implied that prostitution is wrong because it "involves"...

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21male LGBT is a SIN in the Christian Church, then why have I lived with a STRONGuhhh feeling to my friends all my life growing up? How can it be a sin if I was born that way, and NEVER put porn and ect into my head. the gay 'feeling' was always just ther If they don't want you, why should you be compelled to want them? You're gay, big deal. Ignore them, ignore the church, and do what you think is right. Live life on your terms, not the church's or Bible's. Try it, see how you like it. I'd bet you'd get along just fine without their nonsense. By the way, the devil is channeling his words through me. Just a heads...

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What is something that would make you think of "Alaska"? (Examples:Fairbanks, Rafting, Igloos) Strangely enough, when I think of the US making cannabis legal, I always think of Alaska. You can legally own and smoke bud there (I think there's a one-ounce limit, but whatever). At least they got one thing right. I was just thinking today that a great question for Sarah Palin during the 2008 VP debate would've been, "Governor Palin, would you like to see your Alaskan...

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I would like to understand why people of color like to refer to themselves as "African American", I am white and my ancestors came from Europe, but we do not call ourselves "European American". Does the African American have special meaning for you, why? I too am not crazy about the term "African-American." I prefer black because if you're describing what a person looks like it shouldn't matter where the hell their ancestors came from. Quit beating around the bush, just say "he's a black guy." There ya go, now we can move on with our lives. And of course, as someone else said, the vast majority of blacks...

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How can a high action on an acoustic guitar be lowered? I'm by no means a guitar tech, so look into it before doing this, but what I've done before is remove the saddle and sand its bottom side down a bit, which lowers the string height.

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What is a stalemate in chess? When a king is checked, the player must stop the checking, either by blocking the attack with another piece, capturing the attacking piece, or moving the king out of check. If none of these moves are possible, it is a checkmate and the player with the aforementioned king loses the game. However, if the king is unchecked but there are no legal moves available, it is a stalemate, a draw.

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Why does God consider a simple act like stealing as much a sin as a serious act like genocide? Let me put on my Christian hat for a sec. Okay, God sees all sin as equal because God makes the rules. Your human rationale is making everything more complicated. Either refrain from using it or read the Bible again to find the answer. Keep reading, you'll find it. Now, off goes the Christian hat. As an atheist, I gotta give you the impartial answer. People tell you that all sins...

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What is the easyest beginner acoustic guitar song to learn? I just started playing today, and i want to learn a basic song. First, take sixty seconds to learn how tablature works because it is of the utmost importance: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/738066 Got it? Okay then. Here are a few little pieces I learned during my first few days of guitar playing. Inputting the tab is a bit difficult in a formatted answer like this but if you disregard the sloppiness --- like the broken-up lines --- then it should...

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Looking only at the sheet music, how can you tell the difference between E major and C Sharp minor? They both have 4 sharps on the same notes. The root chord is likely to be the most common one and probably the first chord of the verse or chorus.

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Does anyone know some songs that are reminiscent of the joy and wonder of childhood? The style I'm seeking is rock, gothic rock, electronic, alternative, or anything compatible. Tonight tonight or Today by the Smashing Pumpkins are good examples. The only song that immediately comes to mind is The White Stripes' "I Think We Are Gonna Be Friends," but that's not the style you're shooting for; it's just voice plus clean-toned electric guitar. I'm a Pumpkins aficionado and I can't think of any tunes that are obvious choices for good thoughts during childhood. "Girl Named Sandoz" is an...

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If someone were smart enough to invent a way to brainwash terrorists into to being kind and honest, would Republicans be smart enough to subcontract the inventor? I think they would be dumb enough to do that. Really? Brainwashing the enemy? You think that's a smart move? Once that news got out it would make the human pyramids at Abu Ghraib look like a slumber party. One of the last things a fundamentalist wants is one of their own to do is leave Islam. How do you think they'd feel if they weren't even leaving Islam of their own...

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You mind your own business, keep up with the payments, planning on burgers and a movie later - and it turns out people hiding in caves in a country you never heard of for 90% of your life are planning to kill you so we have to go kill them first. WTF? It seems that way when you look around your living room, but when you pan out to the global scale it becomes more clear. Let's look at the facts. 1. Muslims read the Koran. 2. Many Muslims are fundamentalists, ie they take the Koran as the literal, infallible word of God. 3. The Koran states myriad times that infidels should be killed. 4. Israel, a Jewish state, is surrounded...

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In musical harmony, what are Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, and Aeolian modes? Ionian is simply the major scale. Let's say D major, or D Ionian. D E F# G A B C# (D) The Mixolydian mode, for instance, is the series of same notes but starting from the fifth. Here's A Mixolydian: A B C# D E F# G (A) The mnemonic I learned to remember which modes start where was "I Don't Punch Like Muhammad Ali" for 1-Ionian 2-Dorian 3-Phrygian ...

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What is "Hm" when looking at guitar chords? I found tabs that say "Hm". I thought it was only A-G.... The H is a B. I think it's a European thing. I don't know the details as to why it's that way, but while in Germany I was perusing through some sheet music in a guitar shop and I noticed that B's were written as H's (and if I remember correctly Bb was just Bb). I later asked a German girl why that was. She said, "I don't know, it's just the way it...

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Gah, I keep dropping my guitar pick into my guitar's sound hole! What's the best way to get it back out? (grumble) Yeah, I hear ya. If I'm in the mood to play and I drop a pick in there, I usually just grab another one (almost always in my pocket or in the dryer) and leave it until later. It's nice to store a backup pick in there, but getting it out takes a while. You can either shake the hell outta the thing, or you can try to align the pick directly under the hole, then flip the...

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Where do you learn new guitar riffs? When I first started playing, I learned riffs from friends. Then I moved to guitar magazines. Then I moved to guitar tablature web sites. Now I get everything from ultimate-guitar (dot) com.

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I want to make a small batch of cakes using cannabis. I have an 1/8th, can you give me a reicepe for cannabutter (with amounts) so i can make a small batch of cakes Big B gave a fine answer for making bud butter but from what I've read in several places, you need, as s/he said, one ounce of bud. One time I had a little less than an ounce, and figured what the hell, I don't have a whole ounce and I don't have a cheesecloth, so I just threw the bud into a cookie mixture, and it all worked out fine.

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Which talking heads among TV news commentators send you straight for the remote to shut them up? Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter (not really a news commentator I suppose), and anyone else on Fox, because they're evil right-wing millionaires. Ann Curry, because she is ridiculously over-the-top teary-eyed and sensitive. I know women are softer and gentler and more sensitive than men, and that's fine, but generally women aren't THAT bad. Good lord. And I'd have to...

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What are you doing to cut back on expenses? Welcome to the world of frugality, not to mention the waste management hierarchy (1-->reduce 2-->reuse 3-->recycle). Henry David Thoreau, an inspiration to MLK and Gandhi, once said about living life, simply enough, "Simplify, simplify, simplify." I put my dirty laundry water into my toilet bowl via jugs and hoses. I use coffee filters for three days before throwing...

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Me and my friends are planning on smoking weed for the first time this weekend...and we were wondering if it is just like smoking a ciggeratte. Okay, listen, here's the best answer you can get. You know how you suck a soda from a straw? You suck with your cheeks, not your lungs, right? That's how you puff a cigarette too; first the puff, then the inhale (or swallow as in the soda). Well, with the ganj you inhale with your lungs as if you were taking a deep breath. And you suck slowly until you reach the point where it...

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I saw a bumper sticker today that said" If I knew it would come to this, I would of picked my own damn cotton." What kind of message does a person like this give to everyone around them? I would assume that the car's owner is a vulgar, racist, Southern idiot that craves attention. Not to say all vulgar people are racists, and not all racists are Southern, and so on; but that's what I got out of the sticker's message.

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I have not smoked weed in exactly 90 days i am 29 6'0 350lbs i took niacin for 5 days(1000mg a day) and have drank tons of water and took a home drug test today and still failed for weed...can any1 tell me what the hell is goin on Even though you're 350 pounds I would doubt you're still carrying around THC 90 days later. Perhaps you took another medicine that gave a false positive? Here's a list of medicines that can give false positives: http://www.askdocweb.com/falsepositives.html Hold Ctrl and press F to use the Find function, and type THC to find it throughout the document.

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Are Stymie, Buckwheat and Farina deragatory names? Definitely. Well, I don't know if the names themselves are actually official, often-used insults, but calling a black person by another black person's name is certainly derogatory, if the only obvious characteristic shared by the two is their skin color. Example: You see a black guy wearing a derby. In a friendly setting, calling him Stymie would probably be okay, just as calling a...

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If you are an atheist, what made you become one? A life event/change? Were you just brought up that way? Or do you just not see a reason to believe without proof? I feel like I've told this story a hundred times, and I never get tired of telling it. So the story of how I was born again: At 17-18 I was interested in the meaning of it all. Jesus was, for obvious reasons in the US Midwest, a good starting point. I read up on the guy, and was thoroughly impressed with what he had to say. Well, I thought, obviously this is all true. Just look at how...

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Why should I believe in luck when luck has never helped me win the lotto? Be patient. Keep hope alive. If you keep playing, you will win. These so-called "mathematicians" with their fancy observations and calculations say that to win the Powerball jackpot, for instance, you must buy more than 195 million tickets before you expect to win --- and yet I've heard all sorts of stories of people winning. So yes, luck is very real. So continue shelling...

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What video on youtube has been watched the most? (November Rain Guns N' Roses 24,586, 008 is the most watched one I've found) As of this writing, the "Novemeber Rain" video has about 28.6 million hits. I searched Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and it had almost 31 million. C'mon, it's on the biggest-selling album ever.

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I ask someone "How are you?" He said "I am 2 good" Is it correct? Not 2, too. Not good, well. "Too" good? Is too good a bad thing? Why the "too"? So maybe that's a philosophical aspect, not technically incorrect grammatically. I dunno.

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Why is one allowed to say, "I haven't a computer" instead of "I don't have a computer"? Because "have" is a verb, and it's all you need. This is a good example showing how the word "do" is almost like a vestigial word. I know a tiny bit of Spanish and German, and neither uses the word "do" like we do. eg, "Do you have a beer?" is in Spanish "?Tienes una cerveza?" (Word for word, "Have (you) a beer?") and...

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Are you superstitious and what of? No, and I find most people are not superstitious --- except when it comes to jinxes. Y'know, sometime you might wonder aloud that something might go wrong, and someone will reply, "Don't say that! Don't jinx it!" I hear this all the time. That is an indication that superstition is more prevalent than I want to believe. So, what do you mean, don't jinx it? First,...

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I'm an Agnostic person. I used to be Christain. My dad seems to be very angered by this. Is it so wrong, to be an Agnostic person? Well, yes it's wrong, because agnosticism is an illogical position. (A friendly atheist-to-agnostic jab.) (ahem) But seriously, there are worse things you could do. Be a street ho, a backstabber, a greedy tax collector... y'know, the kind of people Jesus hung around and loved nonetheless. BLAMMO! How ya like that, Dad? (double ahem) Uhhhh, so no, there's nothing ethically...

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O.K. I am tired of hearing about the plane in the Hudson. Anybody else with me? Yeah. Okay, yes, we get it, a plane landing in a river is a big story. Yes, it happened it New York City, we get it, we remember the last story about planes and NYC. And they're going to investigate the matter? Didn't they already say it was a flock of birds that was responsible? Okay then, case closed. No need to round up every bird in the country and send them to Gitmo without...

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What are some other sentences of when youre gonna smoke weed? Like instead of using, "i'm gonna go smoke some weed", what's some other terms of saying it? like ex. scrap some bowl, fly paper plaes, etc.. Hmmm. Well, I'm boring and old school: "Let's smoke a doob." "Let's burn one." "Let's do this thang." "Let's toke it up." "Let's smoke some drugs." "Let's get high on life." "Let's put smoke in our lungs." "It's Friday. You ain't got no job..." (ahh, you...

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What is your favourite Neil Young album? As a Neil Young fanatic, I thought about this for a long time. Here's my top album, followed by the rest of my favorites. This isn't a full list of Neil Young albums, just the ones I own and care to call good albums. No live albums or compilations are included. The perfect album (10/10): Tonight's the Night The ridiculously awesome albums (around 9.5/10): After the Gold...

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I love documentary films, could you recommend any? My very favorite is Grizzly Man, the story of passionate but strange animal lover Timothy Treadwell, who was eventually killed by a grizzly bear. Some more: For the Bible Tells Me So - How the anti-gay movement misuses the Bible to justify their hate This Film is Not Yet Rated - about the secretive MPAA ratings system and board of reviewers Zeitgeist - a doc in three parts,...

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Can you name a movie that does not have one single female character? I just watched "The Thing" for the first time and noticed that there is not one female in the movie at all. "Reservoir Dogs." I can recall only one scene with a woman at all --- the one who shot Mr. Orange --- and she might have shrieked or yelled an obscenity. But she had no dialogue. Oh, and I think "Glengarry Glenross" had no women characters either.

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How do i work out 22% of 411.90? In math, "of" means multiply. "Y per cent" means Y per 100, or Y/100. (eg, 1.3% = 1.3/100 = 0.013) So, to use a problem similar to your own: 20% of 13.7 means (20/100)(13.7) = (0.2)(13.7) = 2.74

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Does vnegar help dilute thc No. There's no "trick" to flush out THC. THC leaves the body anywhere from 3-30 days, depending primarily on the smoker's metabolic rate and how much he or she smoked in a given amount of time.

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Fix global warming then find it was a false fear.OR ignore it and find out it was quite real. What's the worst that could happen either way? I'm thinking that this is directly lifted from the video below in which a high school science teacher explains the logic in acting versus not acting to slow or stop global climate change (GCC). As he shows, the worst thing that could happen by doing nothing is economic catastrophe. The worst that could happen if we do nothing is "a world straight out of science fiction," a...

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What did you think of Bush's farewell address? It was the same speech he always gives in formal settings: he's saved us from all the evils in the world, America inspires everyone, terrorism is nearly extinct, God is on our side, et cetera. His always-maudlin sentiment and endless mentioning of abstract concepts (eg, freedom, liberty, evil) wear me out. As transparent as this all seems to me, I'm sure there are thousands of...

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In one sentence, what is the main reason you are an athiest? If I was forced to ignore the complete absence of evidence of gods' existence, I'd go with the fact that no moral or logical argument for theism holds water.

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How do I calculate a percentage of something (i.e. 700 is 37.5% of what number)? It makes things infinitely easier if you understand what is being asked before you answer, and math is no exception. In mathspeak, "of" means multiply and "is" means "equals." (Equal, the same. Four is Four, and 4 = 4 = (3+1) = (16/4) etc.) (Example A) half of those ten pears = 5 pears because (50%)(10) = 5 (Example B) 60 is a quarter of what number?...

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What does "judgemental" mean to you? Is it judgemental if I make a judge of character based on what someone does? Thank you so much for calling out this pesky word "judgmental," a word that gets thrown around way too often because people want to be immune to criticism. Anywho, to me the word means "very quick to ascertain the value of a person's character before a reasonable amount of observation." Judging should be done objectively rather than subjectively; ie, before...

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What is the best fabric to wear in the bitter cold weather?On a cold day what will you be wearing? please include all attire. I don't know what's absolutely best, but I know polypropylene keeps in heat very well. A long-sleeved shirt and a polypro top over it often work perfectly well for me. But even if you have nothing but rags, just bundle up in as many layers as you need and keep your head covered. Also get a neck gaiter if possible. In just a baseball cap and a neck gaiter I shovel my snow (almost...

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Anyone have a clever, cheap, attractive idea for shoe storage? I've got a door-hanging shoe rack that works well. It just hangs from the top of the inside of my closet door and holds maybe 12 pairs of shoes. I don't remember buying it so it couldn't have been that expensive. It's an eyesore, but (1) I take practicality over beauty all the time, and (2) I don't concern myself too much over the attractiveness of the inside of my closet.

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Do you believe in sience? It could be just as wrong as the religions... or has anyone of you ever seen an atom? No, I do not believe in science. I can't see atoms or molecules, and as a result I seriously doubt that they exist. Why are these scientists going on and on about it? And why did I have to learn all about them in high school? Why did I have to learn about their atomic mass, and where they went on the periodic table, and what their properties were when they fused into molecules? Oh, the...

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Do people focus on being politically correct too much? Political correctness. Now there's a topic that has more than meets the eye. Let me explain. First, the "enemy" of political correctness (PC) is an imaginary threat, concocted by the right. Do you think there's this large number of people, somewhere out "there", that agree with all this PC nonsense? You can't get very many people to say that it is a good...

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Do you feel that a soldier, who freely joined an all volunteer army needs additional thanks for doing their job? This is a pretty good question. Others have made analogies and I'd like to throw one in here too. Christmas time: You voluntarily give someone a gift. Does the person need to say thanks? After all, you were the one who chose to give it. Perhaps you say, "The person is thanking me because they received the gift." The soldier, too, is giving you something, namely doing a job...

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Im a guitarist for 3 years now and feel like im always playing the same stuff.. i got like 6 months lessons in the beginning but they didn't do much help so i stopped going and learnt myself.i want to explore my guitar further.any tips or ideas? I know how you feel, I've been playing for ten years and I go through these sorts of phases all the time. Sometimes I put the guitar down for days at a time, but this is risky. Even though it certainly removes the frustration in playing the same thing over and over, it also gets you used to not playing. Often when I'm burned out playing rock, I'll take the time to learn some...

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Do you think what makes an atheist is a whole lot of unfortunate things that happen in a particular persons life? I'd say the connection is tenuous and insignificant, but not the other way around. In other words, if you took all the people that have always had it rough, you'd find that as a result waaaaaay more became more religious than those who became less religious. It seems to me that when things go wrong people step up their religious convictions, not abandon them. After a natural...

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I see hate speech directed towards Christians and conservatives being almost universally accepted everywhere. This is either fantastically hypocritical or I am off my rocker. Which is it? I don't hear anyone talking about Christianity in a negative light. I do, however, hear many people speaking ill of conservatives and religious fundamentalists from all three Abrahamic religions. Most people that I observe are moderates who aren't deeply passionate about their religious beliefs and they have disdain for the overly-negative, divisive attacks coming from the right....

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It looks like a third Intifada may be brewing on the Gaza and beyond. What realistic suggestions can you offer to help Palestinians and Israelis find a lasting peace in our time? My advice: abandon your gods, violence, and grudges. Start from square one. I wish my answer could be more realistic but I find reality itself to sometimes be absurd, and the never-ending violence is always good evidence of that. Perhaps absurd times call for absurd measures.

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What are easy solos for a beginning lead guitarist? Pink Floyd - "Time," the opening solo in "Wish You Were Here." and the first solo in "Comfortably Numb" Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "About a Girl," and "Come as You Are" Hendrix - "Little Wing," "Hey Joe" might be easy enough for you Led Zeppelin - "Tangerine"

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How does one learn to count cards in a blackjack game? First, you have to know basic strategy (BS), which is the best possible way to play each time for each possible circumstance when you are not counting cards. In other words, you have to play how an odds-calculating non-counting robot would play each hand. There are diagrams online that show you how to play with basic strategy. If I remember correctly, if you play perfect BS for millions of...

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When it comes to Atheist and Jesus, do they believe that He never existed, or do they believe He was a real person, just not Lord? I don't think he ever existed. I think if he had existed then there would have been more contemporary writers mentioning him rather than others writing about him (ie, the New Testament) decades after his supposed ascension.

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Why do secular progessives spend so much effort denying the U.S. was founded upon the principles of God? It's very easy to research and see the truth. You're right. When you research it you can see clearly that there is no evidence showing that they had principles of God in mind when creating this new secular government. I don't think the secular progressives actually spend much time or effort denying this, but when confronted they use the facts to back them up with as much conviction as their opposition. The latter haven't...

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I want to broaden my musical horizons. Anyone wanna share with me some awesome bands I should get listening to? I'll just name a few bands I never hear anyone talk about and describe them by using way too many hyphens: Underrated 60's psychedelic blues-rock: The Animals Artsy, spacey low-key new-wave rock: Joy Division Notoriously under-appreciated rock pioneer: Chuck Berry Desert/stoner rock (laid-back metal, like old-school Black Sabbath): Kyuss Heavy blues-rock in its most...

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Atheists: What was kind of funny the first fifty times you heard it but now just makes you want to beat people with their Bibles? Anything from Revelations. Many Christians are always so quick to watch the news and turn to the person next to them and pretend they're Biblical scholars, horribly retelling some completely vague story from Revelations. I don't know how many times I've heard someone casually tell me that these were the end of days, how it's all right there in the Bible, as if the previous...

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Do you think radical changes could fix the United States? By radical I mean building the wall on the borders, deporting illegals, bolstering the death penalty, building more prisons, revamping the government and the tax system, etc... I think radical change would help tremendously, but those you mention I think would be the wrong choices. Save taxpayer money and abolish the death penalty. Make pot legal so we don't fill up prisons for people who use or sell a benign drug, and so we don't have to pay to house them, and so we don't have to pay cops to spend their time arresting and processing these vile,...

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What have you got to lose that is so precious that you refuse to believe in God and risk spending eternity in a toturous hell Do you really think that people choose to believe things? Say a true statement that starts with "I believe that..." and then imagine yourself trying to choose the opposite: "I believe that cherry pie is tasty." "I believe that pens contain ink." "I believe that two and two make four." Would you say that you have a choice in believing these...

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How do you stay motivated with playing guitar? If you are an advanced player, what got you through the beginning stages and on to more rewarding phases of learning? I've been playing for ten years, and I think back on my early days as the times I had the most fun playing guitar. Sitting there for an hour, laboring over the same ten seconds of a CD track over and over trying to get it right, throwing the guitar down in frustration, coming back to it an hour later and doing it all over again. And then I'd come back the next day and give it another...

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I received an old Les Paul as a gift, and in my answer below is a picture of the bridge. I know little about guitar maintenance, not to mention I've never seen a set-up like this. How do you correctly attach the bridge and put on strings? Here's the pic. And now I'll go to great lengths to explain myself without really knowing how: The big screws on the upper left and right are at an angle: they appear to force the bridge to be angled rather than perfectly perpendicular to the guitar's length. From the side, the screws look like a capital T with an extra cross horizontally through the middle, like a T and +...

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How can atheists pretend to be good people when they have no true basis for morals? Aren't they are just copying the Judeo-Christian ones and claiming moral relativity? We all get our morals from society and our conscience, not from God. And as far as the Judeo-Christian morality, do you really think societies that are mostly Buddhist or Hindu, for instance, have no morals? Let's look at a list of homicides by country in the attached pic. How many countries are primarily Christian? (Hint: it's more than zero.)

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OK Atheists, I have seen at least 3 questions today about when will you believe in God, blah blah blah. Can I PLEASE tell you guys that we're not all like that & to some of us Christians, those questions just piss us off too. Will u not hate us all? Christians are everywhere, how can we hate them? Who can go around avoiding or arguing with everyone? (In America at least where most people are Christian.) There are at least two factors here. First, this atheist is aware that the god discussions on AB are not even close to resembling how the two sides interact in real life. I may discuss the issues in person to someone maybe twice a year....

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Do you know that the Community Reinvestment Act, thanks to Jimmy Carter, and supercharged by Bill Clinton is the reason for today's financial meltdown? I did not know that, and I'll look into it very soon. I am, however, skeptical of the claim. You say two Democrats with three terms among them are the cause of the economic crisis, but from Carter until now we've had five Republican terms --- not to mention that Clinton was the only one that left office with a surplus. The claim is intellectually dishonest.

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Why do pepole think they can take what versus from the bible and leave out the rest,who gave them that right? People think it's okay to pick and choose from the Bible because being logically consistent is less important to them than pleasing God by only displaying his good side. They probably think that God doesn't want his followers to go around telling others how he killed countless people in the good ol' days, or how he is a jealous, wrathful god, et cetera. Again, this isn't...

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What should be the right frame of reference for ethics and morals in society at large? Religion? Civil laws? Nature? Our leaders? Conscience? For society at large, I believe the conscience should be the government of morals. We should constantly have the golden rule in mind, and what we do morally we should in our minds hold as the law for all to act by. So in other words, we should ask ourselves, "If everyone always thought or acted in this way, would this create an acceptable society?" Religion, as I've said on AB...

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Why do Islamic terrorist’s mostly target Muslims? Because Muslims live near Muslims. It's like how they kill American GI's. I never understood the "they'll follow us home if we leave too soon" argument. What's stopping them now? However, if US forces stay there they'll kill us there. Similarly, you don't see Sunnis in Iraq bombing Shiites in America. Each attack is a statement, and if you can...

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Do you consider us winning the war on terrorism if no acts happen where you live? No, something simply not happening is not an indicator of success for one side. Terrorism starts with an idea, one of frustration and anger toward another group; it doesn't lose when you wage a war against it, it simply comes and goes with the attitudes of the times. You can do your best to keep it at bay, but you won't annihilate it, just as you won't annihilate intolerance. ...

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Is 17 too late an age to learn how to play the guitar? Yep. Too late, don't bother. Seventeen is the cutoff. I was weeks away from sixteen when I started and I was glad I made the due date. Seriously though, age has nothing to do with learning guitar. The only thing that makes you good at something is practice.

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Whats a republican and whats a democrat i have no idea what the difference is? These are political parties, which means teams. To understand each party you have to look at what they say and what they actually do. And first off, let's be clear: these parties have evolved over time. They weren't always as I am about to describe them. Republicans claim to want smaller government even though they never shrink it. They claim to be fiscally conservative ---...

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If America & our capitalist system is so damaging to the earths environment, why is communist China leading us in emitting general pollutants? Is the global warming hoax another back door attempt by the international socialists to erode USA sovereignty? These questions make no sense. 1) No one is saying communism is better for the environment than capitalism. 2) Global warming is not a hoax. 3) "International socialists" --- whatever that means --- did not create the idea of global warming.

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What exactly are conservatives conserving? Bigotry? War? Financial ruin? Give everyone's money away to a select group of billionaire thieves? Criminalizing abortion? Criminalizing homosexuals? What? We should always pay much more attention to actions than words. And although we say we do, we don't. Conservatives say they're for small government, but now they can spy on you for any reason they draw from a hat. They say they're fiscally conservative, but Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, and G.W. Bush left with large deficits. They say they're for low taxes, but it's...

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I told my parents that I'm an Atheist today. Now I'm not sure if I should continue saying grace and celebrating Christmas with them. I don't think I should if I'm not a Christian, but I dont want to hurt their feelings. What would/did you do? I would think, in your parents eyes, for you to say grace would at worst be as if you were thanking Zeus and at best be as if you were thanking the toaster. In other words, it ranges from blasphemy to futility. Either way, you saying grace is a bad idea. Remaining silent while they pray is the best choice. Closing your eyes and bowing your head is going a bit far in my opinion as it is part of...

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I've decided to learn how to play guitar. Jimi Hendrix is my inspiration. I was just wondering if it would be a good idea to switch to left handed playing(I'm right handed). Would this help me to do better, quicker, more efficient fret work like Jimi? You should use whatever hand feels most comfortable to you. Hendrix wasn't great because he was left-handed, it had nothing to do with it. (You could make the case that lefties are more artistically inclined, but that's another matter.) Hendrix was technically proficient because he practiced his ass off, and his music was stylistically good because he was original. You don't use...

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Hi there,i would like to know the meaning of the following: Secularist, Communist, Dictatorship, & Socialist . Secularism - (1.) secular spirit or tendency, esp. a system of political or social philosophy that rejects all forms of religious faith and worship. (2.) the view that public education and other matters of civil policy should be conducted without the introduction of a religious element. Communism - a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common,...

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What do two dots on top of a half note mean? Are they played like 4 eighth notes? Hmm, well a dot above a note is a staccato, meaning a quick stab of a note and then immediate silence. But being a half-note it lasts two beats. So the only reason I can think of is that the beats per minute is VERY high, ie. the song is very fast.

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What is the best guitar solo ever? Welp, in my opinion the solo must say no more than what it means to say and say it perfectly. Of course, that is completely up for the listener to determine. Some like the fast pentatonic solos of metal bands because of the technical virtuosity but that never seemed to say anything to me except, "Stop listening to the solo and look at me play it!" They should take a cue from...

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"Pro-Choice" and "Pro-Life" are political buzzwords, but are they necessarily inconsistent? Can't you be both pro-life and pro-choice? No, you can't be both. The terms are only used with the standard definitions even though if taken literally they can probably be used to say a number of things, such as pro-life meaning pacifism and pro-choice meaning anti-totalitarianism. However, as others have said, you can be against having an abortion for yourself or partner, and at the same time be supportive of the freedom of...

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Most interesting sociological/psychological experiment you've ever heard of? A few years ago some group did an experiment to see if prayer from one group of people had any observable effect on ill groups of people in one or more hospitals. There was no correlation found between prayer and the patients getting better. How surprising. <sarcasm> If I remember correctly (which I may not), there was a group of sick people who were told they were being prayed for by...

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Do you think we'll know who the President of the U.S. is by this time tomorrow? Yes, we'll know who it is. It'll still be Bush. We will also know by that time who the President-elect will be, on late November 4th. (I couldn't resist the joke.)

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Finish this sentence : Sarah Palin.... Sarah Palin is getting a lot of mileage out of just being attractive.

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Kid came home from school and said teacher has new test policies. from now on every kid who studies and works,makes an A will give up five points and have those points given to kids that made F's and D's. would you agree with that? would it be right,fair? Does the kid get 250,000 A's per year? So many A's that he doesn't ever need to worry about not having A's? If so, I'm all for the redistribution, especially if the teacher made a big mistake and accidentally gave everyone in the class an F.

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We are all born Atheist why change that? Freud said we will never be rid of religion until we overcome our fear of death, and he was right. Therefore the earth will become a cloud of poisonous gas before we abandon gods. "We are all born Atheist why change that?" It seems because what is real and apparent isn't good enough. Death is just too horrible and mysterious, and living forever in a fantasy land sounds much...

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Atheists who once were Christians with strong faith, how did you feel when you realized that you believe that there most certainly is no god? For me it was a very gradual process. Not to say it was quick, but to say that it wasn't sudden. I felt kinda lost when I was 19 or so (who isn't at 19?), and thought it only natural to turn to the Bible. I read some Jesus and was in immediate ecstasy. Unfortunately for Christianity, it and Jesus were at obvious odds. I thought, Jesus is destroying the Old Testament left and right!...

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Is fox news promoting conservative views or is it just me? Yes, and it is no secret. The most laughable example I've seen is below. I must also note that I strongly disagree with the other answers here: the media has a conservative bias. Just because a report is released that says a Democrat is ahead in the polls or says that what a Republican says is easily debunked with a quick fact-checking doesn't mean that they have a liberal bias. If...

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Do you consider your country the greatest on Earth? Please explain why or why not and include a definition of "greatest country on Earth." Well, it's been several hours without an answer so I'll shamelessly throw an answer out there. I live in the US and I see no reason to believe it's the best country out there. We have only two assets, albeit weak ones in the practical sense: we have probably the most powerful military, and we have bright shining moments in our history such as the founding of the country and...

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Why in America are couples usually married by a religious leader, such as a minister or priest, but divorced by an attorney? Does this reveal anything about their culture? Excellent observation! I wish more people would recognize this because it just goes to show that marriage is a contract and nothing more. You can add love and religion and commitment if you really want to, and that's all fine and dandy, but they have no bearing on what the marriage contract actually is: a contract tying two people into one unit, making them accountable for one...

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Do you believe in one god, more than one god, or no god? NOTE: I am agnostic. Your answers will not affect me in any way, shape, or form. Please answer truthfully and feel free to explain yourself. I am interested to know what motivates the beliefs I believe in no gods, yet I coyly entertain the idea of the deistic god. My problem with deism --- the idea of an incomprehensible entity that created (and/or embodies) the universe but doesn't participate in it --- is that if we're to define god as everything, then what's the point of even calling it god? Why not just say what is, is? On the other hand, with time and space...

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Hi folks i have a thought in my mind.do u think during the presidental election on this coming novemebr,osama bin laden will releases a video and this will increase the number of votes on mccian side. From what I've heard Al Qaeda supports a McCain presidency because he's a hothead that they can drag into another costly war (seriously: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/22/al-qaeda-supporters-endor_n_136779.html). So if they release a video to goad us into taking McCain I wouldn't be surprised. However, will it actually increase McCain votes? I doubt it. McCain...

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Does this Republican division of who and where is "real American" smack of McCarthyism? Of course, but they won't show us how this "real" America is different from some "other" America. Nor will they say that Obama isn't a "real" American, but sidestep it and ASK "Is Obama a real American?" so they can always distance themselves from the McCarthy label, even though it's futile. They won't say "Here's evidence of...

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I'm 18 & don't know a lot about politics. I listen to the news everyday, but the stuff about politics don't mean anything to me. Where should I start? What can I do to "prepare" for when I grow up? How do I know if I'm conservative or liberal? Last question first: Don't get in a hurry to attach a label to yourself, especially if you're not very familiar with the issues. I'd recommend crawling before you walk, maybe watching episodes of political comedy like The Daily Show or Fox News (ba dum PSH!) so you aren't drowned by all of the blah-blah-blahness of politics. When you hear a word or phrase, look it up....

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Can i tune my acoustic to drop d with a capo? if thats what it is called I'm not exactly sure what you're asking so let's try a few different angles. First, let's define Drop D tuning. It's when you tune down your low E string one whole step to D. The guitar tuning then becomes (low to high) DADGBE. So do you mean can you go to Drop D and then attach a capo to any fret? The answer is yes. Do you mean can you tune down to D with...

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What is it called when You do a power chord but mute the middle note? Instead of 1-3-3 for a power chord it would be 1-x-3. It's just called an octave. For example, (low to high) x2x4xx is a B octave, containing two B notes an octave apart.

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People often say that the downfall of mankind will be mankind, but what specific flaw of humans do you think will ultimately lead to this? Fear is my addition to the irresponsibility that others have noted. I think many people entertain the idea of revamping our government (I'm talking USA now), but we can't get together as one enormous mass without fearing that our now-fascist government will suppress us in any number of ways. A government without bounds, a media that is ridiculous, money being lost, stolen, spent,...

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I've been wanting to play guitar when I pick it up it feels like my left hand moves better and holds the strings better then my right even tho I'm righty. Is this odd or am I doing something wrong? If the "wrong" way feels right, then stick with it. In fact, I remember seeing a Youtube video a long time ago featuring two old grizzled guitar veterans that suggested that people picking up the guitar for the first time should use their dominant hands for fretting, that way the early stages of guitar playing go much easier. Your stronger hand will be doing all the hard work. ...

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I've always wondered why Christians harp on evolution. To me, there are better places in science to hang god's hat - like all the constants that seem fine tuned for us. And thoughts? What does "fine tuned for us" mean? This sounds like creationist talk. As if God made earth habitable for us. This planet is habitable for life, so why is it surprising when we find life here? Though coming from a science ignoramus, I see that Earth just so happens to have the right temperature, gases, et cetera for life to thrive, and humans themselves just happened to not die out...

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What does the bottom number in a timing bar mean, e.g. 6/8 top number = 6 crotchets in a bar, whats the bottom number mean. The bottom number tells you what kind of note gets the beat. 6/8 means there are six eighth-notes to each measure, 4/4 means there are four quarter-notes to each measure, et cetera.

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For you keen philosophers, can you try thephilosophygeeks.freeforums.org? its a website i made and just started. Thanks This is a great-looking site. However, why do I have to wait for an email from you before I can log in as myself? I can't even post anything, so what's the incentive for me to come back when my enthusiasm has worn off?

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Will you post a random youtube video? For those of you who haven't seen it, the car passes a hill and then appears to be driving backward. Comment sparingly.

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What are your thoughts on 'Atheism as a religion'? It seems to me that anyone who tries to make the argument that atheism is a religion is just trying, albeit desperately and unsuccessfully, to force atheists' arguments against religion back onto themselves: "I know you are but what am I?" There is no similarity between atheism and religion, just as there is no similarity between believing in the tooth fairy and not believing...

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Is the death penalty justice? I don't understand how it's justice to punish someone by letting them go to sleep. Why not keep them in prison so they have the rest of their lives to regret their actions? If the years pass and they show that they're no longer a threat to society, why not release them? Is that not also justice?

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Why do they refer to Black people as African American, and to people from Asia as Asian American, but they never call the white European Americans ? It doesn't mean the first two come from somewhere else, but the White are the Native, right ? You clearly understand that some of those terms have not been used in years, so why are you asking? The term "African-American" is used with little to no fuss by anyone. As usual, I must point out the other two answers here (as of this writing) do not answer your question. You're clearly talking about groups, whereas they're talking about directly addressing individuals.

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Can you tell me a little about the super-important chromatic, major, and minor scales? I shamelessly copied and pasted this from another answer of mine. ---------------------- Here's a little thing called the chromatic scale. It's simply all twelve notes used in music. The slashes indicate alternate names for those notes (notes are also called tones): A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A (and so on...) Memorize this and...

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I f make an E chord on a guitar then bar it on the 2nd fret, is the chord still E or does it change to F# (or another note)? Robinbird is correct, a barre on the second fret is F#. Here's a little thing called the chromatic scale. It's simply all twelve notes: A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A (and so on...) Memorize this and you'll find music theory much easier to understand. The letters used are A to G; all the letters have a sharp except B and E. Read...

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Why are (or aren't) you agnostic? Since I don't believe in gods, I'm an atheist. The problem with agnosticism is what 23Skidoo mentioned: all non-existent beings, because they are not in our frame of knowable reality, are unknowable (insert "Duh" here.). Its a rendundant position, really. It's like saying, "X doesn't appear real because we have no proof that it exists, so we can't...

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I have to pass a drug test in 20 days from weed. how do i cleanse my system between now and the date? will running and drinking water do that? would a sauna help? Listen closely because as of this writing this is the only damn answer on here that is helpful. You have twenty days so you should be fine. You need to do some aerobic exercise such as jogging, walking a good deal or jumping jacks; anything to get your heart going for about fifteen minutes, about every other day. The more fat you have on your body the more exercise you should be doing. This...

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Atheists believe GOD isn't real because He is not tangible nor measurable YET believe in other things like dreams. Since dreams cannot be proven, why disbelief in the reality of GOD (and the evidence)? Why not have an atheist view on dreams being fake? To answer your last question, atheists and theists believe that dreams exist so it doesn't matter who you ask regarding the existence of dreams. I can only wonder what percent of the world's population believes in the existence of dreams. A modest estimate would probably be very close to 100% among sane humans, would that be about right? "Thank you for participating in...

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I just saw the movie, "Stop Loss," about our troops being re-enlisted against their will for a second duty in Iraq. They called it the "back door draft." What's your opinion on this policy and have you seen the movie? First, I have not seen the movie. My opinion, in my limited knowledge, is that it has been recently used completely recklessly, but that it can be used if need be in dire situations. I was stop-lossed in 2004, so I know what it's like to be told you're leaving at such-and-such time and then told you're staying longer. And when I got out of active duty, I resumed civilian...

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Im in the national guard and i am 7 months pregnant.my boyfriend will be deployed in march09 to iraq. i am supposed to be deployed in jan.i want out.will i have to pay back any benefits if i do a pregnancy hardship discharge?would be dishon. I hope a better answer comes along but all I have to say is that I strongly believe that you will not get anything under a discharge under honorable conditions. Meaning no bad conduct discharge and definitely no dishonorable discharge.

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What are your thoughts on materialism? I think it's very much like a drug: addictive and destructive. I am normally very cautious to use a word like "addiction" in a context such as this as it gets used too often informally, thus taking away from its well-deserved claim to power. But it applies here. In the West, we are materialistic as can be. We seldom ask ourselves, "Do I really need this? Perhaps my money...

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Whats the most beautiful and melodic guitar tab and also quite simple to play, for the acoustic guitar you can find? "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young is a pretty good one. http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/n/neil_young/harvest_moon_ver2_tab.htm

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Why every Muslim had become terrorist in every bodies eyes? I don't know how prevalent anti-Muslim prejudice is, but it doesn't help that "on almost every page, the Koran instructs observant Muslims to despise nonbelievers." That's quoted from Sam Harris' book "The End of Faith." Here are some gems from the Koran, taken from Sam Harris at this link: truthdig.com/images/diguploads/verses.html --> (Close the...

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Whats the funniest thing you have seen on youtube? This is probably the best video I've ever seen on youtube:

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Isn't Atheism simply the belief in random lucky chances (accidental formation of life, lucky mutations that evolve life etc etc)? Because it is more illogical to assume (that's the key word here) that an incomprehensible entity did it. By assuming that you then have the question, "So where did that entity come from?" And so on forever. Your assumption raises an infinite number of questions, whereas an athiest like myself is satisfied with not knowing for sure and not creating arbitrary explanations. And...

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Can anybody explain to me how to play the card game shown in the movie 21? It's called Blackjack. You sit at the table with other players and everyone plays separately against the dealer. You place your bet (meaning your chips) on the table and wait to be dealt to. The dealer deals everyone (including himself) two cards, with one of his cards face-down, and you must beat the dealer, meaning your card total must be higher than his. If your total goes over 21,...

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What were you doing this time last year? Re-learning how to fix night vision goggles at Fort Gordon, Georgia after being recalled to the Army. I was "taught" by two of the worst NCO's I've ever seen. After school I would drink myself to death, trying to get it all in before being shipped off for another year in the desert. And by the way, I didn't get to fix night vision goggles out there. Civilian contractors...

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How can a person have a personal relationship with God if he follows a prepackaged religion? Wouldn't he be following someone else's beliefs? You would be following another person's beliefs if you believe that the holy book wasn't divinely inspired by God. So do you trust that they were? If you do, then it follows logically that you would trust the scripture. It wouldn't be someone else that you trust, it would be god. If you doubt that god guided the authors' hands, then you are using the mind that god gave...

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Which best describes this statement: From one politician about another: He's a two-faced,liberal,anti-family,anti-values idealist!choose from the following:(a)Ad hominem/genetic(b)Wishful thinking(c)Argument from popularity (d) Hasty generalizing It's an ad hominem attack: argument against the man. The accuser attempts to discredit the argument of another by revealing shortcomings of that other person. Guy X: "You don't know anything about ethics, you're an alcoholic!" Lady Y: "What does being an alcoholic have to do with what I've said about ethics?"

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What was your first impression of the video "Heart shaped box" when it first came out in 1993 ? do you still see the video for what it was and what it is today knowing that the only thing about the video that has changed is you?and how you see it, agree? I was a teenager when I first saw that video, and I was a little disturbed. It's got Jesus wearing a Santa cap crucifying himself, the band within a heart-shaped box, fetuses on trees, and a little girl in what looks like a KKK cap and robe. Trippy. (Although to be fair, I remember seeing a video in high-school Spanish class showing some Latino country having a festival, and they wore...

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Can the non-believers please suggest a good website to me? It may be obvious but put . where the (dots) are and close the spaces. Articles and essays: positiveatheism (dot) org For "proofs" of God's existence: godlessgeeks (dot) com/LINKS/GodProof (dot) htm Logical fallacies: etymonline (dot) com/columns/fallacy (dot) htm More atheism stuff: godisimaginary (dot) com

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What superHERO can defeat Superman in a fight?OR is Superman just too powerful to be beaten? Off the top of my head, some equals to Superman, not exclusive to the DC comics universe: Captian Marvel (as mentioned by O-uknow), Martian Manhunter, The Hulk, Silver Surfer, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Thor, and maybe Iron Man. It all depends really on the writer of the comic, though. In one famous DC comic book, 1986's "The Dark Knight Returns," Batman beat Superman down pretty...

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Insane Clown Posse is the worst band ever....agree/disagree? ICP is the worst band in the known cosmos. I'll listen to anything before this garbage. Backsreet Boys? They rock. New Kids? Awesome. Menudo? I'm on board. I can't find one single iota of anything remotely good about this band. PS - ICP sucks. PPS - See above.

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In layman's terms, when using a search engine, what do the different symbols + - _ . * | do? Any others? I'll use examples to explain myself. Let's say you want to find a great cake recipe. If you type "+cake recipe" (without quotes) into the search engine, you'll get links that definitely have "cake" in them, and probably but not necessarily "recipe." If you type "cake recipe -band" (without quotes) you will get links that probably have...

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Was there ever a word that you were surprised at the definition? I always thought "compel" meant to tempt, as in compelling someone to do something. But it actually means to force or coerce. Also, the word "sanction" means to allow and it also means to not allow. It is its own opposite. I generally avoid using the word.

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Is it possible for a thing to be and not-be at the same time and in the same way? Why or why not? Explain in detail. No. I assert this as an armchair philosopher, with only my logic as a tool. Comments and arguing are welcome here. Just keep it in the box and don't hit below the belt. And no ear-biting. Although I'd win in that case. Okay, I'm off-track. A thing cannot be and not be in the same manner (as described in your question). Many things can merely appear to be paradoxes, but being...

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What is a loaded question? Is this question loaded? This question isn't loaded because it doesn't assume inaccurate information that would directly influence the answer. A question is usually labelled as loaded when the answer doesn't satisfy the question's terms. If it does, it may still be considered loaded but it's not brought up. Here are a few loaded questions: Do you live in Brooklyn or do you live in Queens?...

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The evolutionary process view multiple sex partners as a plus because it increases chances of offspring and continuation of genes. Then why would any atheist consider adultery (a religious concept) wrong? And isn't that hypocritical? This question is loaded to the fullest capacity, meaning it assumes certain information in order to try to influence the answers. This question attempts to tie the moral and social characteristics of deception in adultery to the blind process of evolution and survival. The question itself is highly deceptive, which I find both amusing and disgusting. That's just me. Adultery is wrong...

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Earlier i asked a question about names of music notes or how to read them, for a tattoo i want, but now i found the song i just dont know how to turn the tabs into music notes.. Can anyone help? Post the tab or provide a link for the tab and I'll edit this answer into the music notes.

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Isn't Atheism simply the belief in random lucky chances (accidental formation of life, lucky mutations that evolve life etc etc)? No, as explained in at least seven thousand other answers on AB, atheism is not what you would LIKE it to be, not a formation of nifty, cute phrases that sum it up in ways you'd like to think of it; it is what it is: the lack of belief in the existence of gods. That's it. These lucky mutations you speak of aren't lucky at all. They evolved over time, meaning billions of years....

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Can atheists suggest a good book for me to read? I am reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins as of now. What should I read next? Anything about science or atheism. I liked Christopher Hitchens' "God is Not Great," which primarily looks at religion's sociological characteristics. Sam Harris' "The End of Faith" touches a great deal upon neurology, so that may interest you. Those are the only books of this nature that I've read recently.

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What's the note of the 7th string on a 7 string guitar? The seventh (and thickest) string on a 7-string guitar is B.

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What are the best videos on the Internet? Links/video answers appreciated. Some of my youtube favorites, all links preceded by "youtube.com": The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See: /watch?v=bDsIFspVzfI Mike Tyson being an idiot: /watch?v=CwFW834Mrcc A drunk punk: /watch?v=b7ElRBUak2g Steve Carrell: /watch?v=4_XzHz8uNwg Matrix Ping-pong: /watch?v=-dcmDscwEcI And search "George Bush drunk" for another funny one.

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How Come that, there are the same amount of natural numbers and real numbers ? it doesn't make any sense ! Because it's not a finite amount we're talking about here. If you could count them all you'd end up with a definitive answer, but there's no end to them. They're just ideas that we use. Matter is finite. There is a finite number of particles in the universe, so they could be counted, that is if you were omnipotent and wanted to kill time. But whatever that number...

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I would like to know how a casino can gain an advantage on a blackjack table when using autoshuffelers and a 6 shoe deck These measures give the casino an edge when it comes to card-counting. You can't count cards that are being shuffled continously and although you can count multiple-deck shoes, it is much more difficult to count through six decks than it is to count through one. So all in all this edge concerns only the card-counters. Your normal joe gets a slight advantage with fewer decks but because...

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What will be the sum of these natural numbers? 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------99. [The answer Foocubus submitted is way better than this one because he uses the simple formula (n)(n+1)/2 to find the sum of 1 to n. My answer is just using common sense in case you forget the equation.] Just add the ends together, eg 1+99=100 and 2+98=100 etc. rather than 1+2+3... and count the number of 100's you end up with. And if you're taking pairs at a time, how many pairs...

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What's your favorite logical argument? Descrates' "I think therefore I am." I can't think of a statement besides this that is 100% undeniable, given the scenario in which you doubt every belief you have. If I were to go with a logical argument that was less recognized, I'd say that I very much admire the logic in the argument featured in the youtube video "The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever...

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How often should guitar strings be changed? It all depends on how often and agressively you play but as a general guideline you should change them out three or four times a year.

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Why does Scientology get so much bad press? I think it's because on television we can see the ridiculous nature of the religion all at once, in just a few minutes, as adults. We use reason to make sense of things, and this doesn't make sense to most of us. Perhaps you've heard this passage that's popular on the Internet: "Christianity is the belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can...

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Does anyone else like coming on here drunk to answer questions :) I do it all the time. But I must say that I'm not much different drunk than when I'm sober, except that I speak more loudly and more often. And since I'm not actually speaking, it's all fair game. Out of all the time I've spent commenting and answering on here I've seldom regretted things I've said, but even sober people say things they later regret. I...

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Atheist. A--without. Theist--with god. Atheist--without a god. That's the only similarity between atheists. We don't believe in a god. After that, the differences are vast. That wasn't a question. But I'd love your opinion. [This was originally supposed to be a comment to teddy van geemen's answer but the comment box isn't working for me, so I molded it into a long answer to this question.] Ashley126: You are correct. Technically atheism, theism, and agnosticism are all words for beliefs in gods' existence and nothing more. Religion doesn't even factor into them. However, it is rare for...

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What is a way that i can get my pitch harmonics to sound louder? [effects, pickups, etc] Because pinch harmonics aren't that loud, the squeal will be greatly amplified when your amp is loud and distorted. If you work on actually picking pinch harmonics, you'll find that you get different volumes for the different areas of the string that you pick and the way you arc the pick when you pick. (That's a lotta "picks." Actually, I'll call the guitar pick a...

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I have just started reading the book "the god delusion" by Richard Dawkins, and i find it fascinating. hae you read or heard of it, and what did you think? I've read it and I wasn't taken with it. Here and there he captures my attention but there is too much jargon in his language for me to follow what he's saying. I'm lost in a sea of memes and genes and Darwinian macroevolution whatever. I skipped several passages in the book because I don't have the heart to pretend to understand it. I do enjoy the way Dawkins...

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I am planning to quit smoking today, after almost 20 years, I am feeling a little nervous. Can anyone offer any words of encouragement? The first day is pretty rough but halfway through it you'll feel a a little better. The second day is slightly better than the first, and the third day on it gets a lot easier (not easy, but easier). You will be successful. There are two things you should not do under any circumstances: don't drink alcohol and do not reward yourself with "just one smoke." Just be done....

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Neil Young recently said "you can't change the world by writing songs". Do you agree with this? Why? I also read that or something similar to it in a Rolling Stone magazine. I think he was getting at how music's role has changed from when he was starting out in the 1960's to what music has become, which is a drop in the sea in this expanded world with the Internet, three billion 24-hour television channels, and a much larger and better-connected population.

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I detest conservatism and I think it is a bloody chapter in the history of ideologies. Does anyone share my hatred of conservatism? Yes I too detest conservatism. From my perspective they have pretty much everything wrong. To use as broad a brush as possible, let me give you a generalization of what I perceive to be their positions, with my responses: America used to be a great place. (It's always had its problems, some of the biggest injustices being race-related.) America should fight terrorism overseas so...

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Uni question.. When they say 'discuss critically' instead of just 'discuss', does it mean something different to just 'discuss'? Or, isn't 'discuss' to 'discuss critically', anyway? Is there a difference? I don't think there is a difference. If you aren't discussing critically when it just says "Discuss" will you get penalized? It sounds like the questioner isn't happy with just "Discuss" so they add a fancy-sounding adjective. But that's the paradox with college. You're expected to be beyond the youngster days of high school but if you sound too...

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"Music changes, musicians don't." Considering examples like Mozart, Jimi Hendrix, and Layne Staley, is this statement true? Why or why not? This statement is absolutely false. In fact, a big red flag should be raised when any phrase pleases the ear before it gets to the brain. Write that down, it'll save you a lotta heartache. Very few musicians can do the same thing over and over and actually be worth a damn over the years. AC/DC and Layne Staley with Alice in Chains (you got me there) come to mind. But I can rattle...

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I want to get a tattoo of music notes, but i dont want it to just be something i dont understand, can anyone help me learn the names of music notes or something helpful. maybe even how to read them? please? On the treble clef, notes on the lines are, in down-to-up order, E, G, B, D, and F (Every Good Boy Does Fine), while the spaces are F,A,C, and E (uhh, face). D is the note that hangs from the lowest line, G is the note that rests on the top line, and middle C is the note in the middle of the bass clef and the treble clef. Oh hell, here you go: g ----------f------------ ...

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What do you HATE and LOVE about the military? Having been in the Army (rubs fingernails on shirt), I'll say that it sucks. Don't get me wrong, though. From my experience alone, (this being completely from what I've seen, totally my observation) a handful of soldiers love it, a great number find it tolerable to say the least, and probably an equal amount generally dislike it and can't wait for their ETS (end of time in...

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Is there still a rule against enlisted/officer fraternazation of ranks within the military? Yes. Officers and enlisted are not supposed to have relationships beyond what the mission requires, as the same with soldiers within the same chain of command (eg, a platoon sergeant and his/her subordinate). I should have looked it up first, but here's an additional "I think it's true" fact: the fraternization rule is void if the two were married before one of them attained...

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Why does singwell always comment on my posts and then usubscribe without giving me the chance to answer to his wrong claims? Although I can't speak for another person, I can speculate as to why she would do that. In the comments I have been a part of with her she often, as you say, states her position, listens to the reply, and responds again a time or two and then leaves the conversation. That's just the way she rolls, I'm not being mean or anything but it makes her look bad so let her do it without...

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Can discrimination occur if there is no prejudice? Prejudice is personal whereas discrimination is institutional. So it's like saying what's the difference between a bad thought and a crime. A prejudice is literally a pre-judgment. You judge something before you get to know anything about it. To discriminate is to show favor to one thing over another. So in line with your question, why would someone who is not prejudiced...

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Who is most responsible for the prevalence of illigetimate drug use, the user or the pusher? Qualify your response with a bit of argument. I say the pusher. But before I jump into the argument let's define "illegitimate drug." Do you mean illegitimate as in misusing prescription painkillers? In that case the pushers are doctors and medicine companies, "legitimately" making millions off of users (that is, people who are hooked). Rich white people get richer from this scenario, so obviously that's...

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Why is everyone ignoring global warming? As other answers have correctly noted, people ignore global warming because of one big reason and lots of little reasons. The big reason is that it is inconvenient, just as Al Gore has said. Because we have such a high standard of living these days everyone wants to turn a deaf ear to all of the evidence coming from countless respected scientists and science organizations that indicates we may...

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How many questions are mis-categorized? In satelitte radio?! Probably all of them. Here, I would say about 60% are miscategorized.

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What do you say if you've run out of subjects to talk about with your friends and there is an awkward silence? Look around and say, "Well, this is awkward." I use it with acquaintances and it immediately refreshes the room.

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Why is it important to protect the rights granted to us in the Constitution? If you don't protect them someone will eventually steal them, just as with anything else. The Founding Fathers saw the evils of previous governments and sought to make a great country from scratch. Consequently, we have freedom of the press, religion, and speech (and that's just the First Amendment). I doubt many people in the States want to live in a country where the news is...

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What exactly is the correct way to play Thunderstruck by AC/DC on guitar? Here's the correct tab for the main riff, all on the second string. Pick the first note at the twelfth fret and hammer-on and pull-off the rest (writing all the h's and p's will make the tab look like a mess): b--12-0-10-0-9-0-10-0-9-0-7-0-9-0-5-0-7-0-4-0-5-0-4-0-5-0-4-0-5-0-4-0 end

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What is a guitar tab? Guitar tablature is a notation that uses numbers (indicating frets) instead of musical notes to indicate what note should be played. So it tells you where to play the note instead of what note it actually is. For example: --0----0-------------------- --0--------0---------------- --1------------1----------- --2------------------------- --2------------------------- ...

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For guittar players: what kind of tunning do you have and why? Standard and drop-D are musts when playing rock. I tried fooling around with open G (low string to high, DGDGBD) for a while but I couldn't get into it. Open D (DADF#AD), however, worked out a little better. I found chords easier to discover and the lowest three strings still sounded a power chord.

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What documentaries should be required viewing(post a trailer)? I adore "Grizzly Man," a doc about Timothy Treadwell, a lunatic who spent thirteen summers with grizzly bears and then was mauled to death.

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Since you do not believe in God, why do you live by Christian standards. Other answers have correctly pointed out that Christian standards do not necessarily mean good standards. I want to beat this dead horse and ask what these standards are of which you speak. There are many examples of non-Christian countries with much lower crime rates than of "Christian" America. Go to google and type "crime rate China" or whatever non-Christian country you...

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When do I know that I need to change my guitar strings? Change them whenever they don't sound good to you anymore. If you look closely at an old set of strings (on a guitar that has been played semi-regularly) you can see the marks on them where they meet the frets. Obviously the darker the marks are the closer they are to breaking and by that point they will have sounded sub-par for a while. I change my acoustic strings about every four...

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Whats a short, cool sounding guitar lick? it doesnt have to be a song at all, just a flashy little lick. could you tab one out for me? thanks e-------------12------------------------------------------------------ b----------12----15p12------------------------------------------------- g-----14b------------------14-14p12-------13p12h13----------------------- d-------------------------------------------14------------------14v---- a--------------------------------------------------------------------- ...

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Hello fellow guitarists. I am stumped. I have tried to look this chord up but cannot find it. Say I was to put my finger on the G string/2nd fret and strum playing the rest as open strings....what would that chord be? Let's see, you got the tab of (low to high) 000200, making the notes EADABE. (An ugly chord.) I'd go with Asus4(add9)/E. The "sus" means that the third is suspended (ie, replaced) by the fourth, the "add9" means the ninth is added, and the "/E" means that although the chord sounds mostly A maj/min, the lowest note is that hanger-on E, there for some...

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Say I was to put one finger on the d-string on the second fret and one finger on the g-string on the third fret....what would this chord be called? D string, second fret is a whole step to E. G string, third fret is a step and a half to A#/Bb. So you got E and Bb. So the chord would be labeled E(b5)no3rd or maybe just E(b5). That's a flatted fifth, once known as "diablo in musica" (or something very close to that) because its dissonance sounds like pure evil. Consequently, this is used frequently in heavy metal, among other...

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How much marijuana must be consumed to test positive on a drug test? One hit will probably test you positive if you take the test the next day. However, here are many factors that come into play when talking about testing positive: how much you smoked, how much time between the last smoke and the test, what kind of test, how much fat you have, your metabolism, how much you exercise or generally burn up calories, what you diet is like, et cetera. So as you can...

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On the album 'The Who Sell Out', do all the products in the 'commercials' really exist? I always wondered about selling 'string' via radio commercial. Heinz Baked Beans is a real product, as is Rotosound Strings ("Hold your band together with Rotosound Strings!"). Odorono deodorant sounded fake but it still made a great song. There was a brief, forgettable song in their somewhere about Atlas strong-man solution or something to that effect, and I don't know if it was real or not. So all in all at least some of the products were...

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Do you have do know how to swim to join the army No. I've known soldiers who don't know how to swim and in the five years I was in I nor anyone I'd heard of was ever required to get into water that wasn't a shower.

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Where are women sent for basic training in the ARMY? I know that not all basic training bases train women. Now that I think about it, I cannot recall ever hearing of a woman being trained anywhere other than Fort Jackson, South Carolina (that's where I went, too) although I don't honestly think Jackson is the only place they train. I don't think Fort Benning trains females because that's primarily where they train recruits who are to be in the infantry. Also, I may be...

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What are power chords and why do I always hear of rock groups using them? Power chords are two-note chords consisting of the root and the fifth only. Because there is no third the power chord is considered neither major nor minor. The reason why rock music is filled with power chords is because they sound great through distortion. A major or minor chord sounds a little chaotic and ugly when distorted.

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Has anyone ever actually lost an eye, or close to it, from their guitar string snapping? I've never heard of this. In fact, yesterday was the first time in my ten years of playing guitar that a snapped string hurt me, and it was only because of how I was holding the neck. And it hurt for just a second. A snapped string rarely will hurt you. Although strings are taut, they won't put out your eye. While I'm on the subject, I have never seen a nylon string break on...

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In a chord, what is the difference between adding a note and suspending a note? Would the guitar chord 022102 be Emaj(add9) or would it be Emaj(sus9)? A suspended chord means that the third is suspended by another note. The third is what determines if it is major or minor: An E major chord is E-G#-B, which on the guitar could be (low to high) 022100 (EBEG#BE). Esus2 contains the second (or ninth, whichever you want to call it) which suspends (ie, replaces) the third, making it neither major nor minor. So an example of Esus9 on the guitar...

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As an atheist, do you ever get tempted to start believing in God? I get mild temptations every now and then to believe in god but I believe it's simply part of human curiosity. For example, I also get mild temptations to do wholly secular things that I know to be unreasonable: drive faster, play the lottery, always go with the first choice, et cetera. It's Freud's id, if you will, trying to do what the inner animal wants to do. In the case...

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Why is it so difficult for some people to understand that atheism is not a belief system but the non-acceptance of one? Is not believing in the Tooth Fairy a belief system? It is difficult for people to believe that atheism is simply a non-accepting stance because (now listen) people must believe in something. As an atheist, in the rare circumstances when I get into religious discussions (I avoid them when possible), the first questions that arise are those like, "What is good and evil if there is no god?" or "What's the point of life...

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My 5 yr. old twins asked my mom what happens when we die, she told them about heaven and God,etc. I am atheist. I want them to make their own decisions about religion. What can I do or say when they ask me stuff like this? I don't wanna confuse them. I would say that you should raise your kids in the way that you want them to be raised. In other words, they are your kids, not your mother's. Do you want them to grow up in your mother's mold, or your own? Were you not your mother's mold, and not your grandmother's? Even suppose in the off-chance that you were raised by your grandmother and not your mom. In that case, were...

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What does socrates mean in not less than three pages " Man know thyself" "Know thyself." What a great one. It means that for you to understand anything about metaphysics (a fancy word for philosophy, really), you must first understand how you think. You must be your own psychiatrist and find out what drives you. When you think about what you believe, ask yourself "but why?" Under no circumstances should you be satisfied with "well...

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Whenever they pick the 50 most good-looking people shouldn't they pick some people who aren't celebrities? It is implied that the 50 most good-looking people are famous. It's a ploy to keep you interested in famous people, which means you'll always be inclined to buy their products (ie, movies usually). Obviously if there were to be a "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" article there wouldn't even be one celebrity because of the ratio of hot-non-famous people to...

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When people gather in the same place at the same time but lack oraganization or lasting patterns of interaction,they form a They form what sociologists call an aggregate. Strangers that happen to be in the same setting for no or insignifcant reasons, like people in an elevator.

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Tell me about Bush's 'abstinence only' programmes in schools? (I'm in the UK) The abstinence-only programs correctly teach that abstinence is the best way to avoid unwanted pregnancy and STD's. However, they do not inform kids as to other ways of avoiding pregnancy and STD's. Therefore, kids are just told not to have sex; why tell them how to have sex safely if we've already told them not have sex? The problem, obviously, is that kids are still going...

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Can you list as many jobs as you can with which you work with animals? Vet, marine biologist, entomologist, farmer, butcher, dog catcher, pest control guy, cowboy, pet trainer, snake charmer, police officer, racoon hunter, zoo manager, circus performer, anthropologist.

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Which movie did Reese Witherspoon win an Oscar for? The Johhny Cash biopic "Walk the Line."

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Exactly how does the order of the terms affect the meaning in an "x is like y" sentence -- e.g, how is "Your eyes are like the stars" different from "The stars are like your eyes"? I think that the thing that is being described should be the newer or younger of the two. For instance, If you say "your eyes look like stars" you are assuming that you and the person you're talking to already know what stars look like, therefore they are the point of reference that you both understand. If you were to say that "the stars are like your eyes," I would...

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Do you think Barack Obama could be the Antichrist? My thoughts are that some people are idiots. If you can't recognize a good thing when you see it and then go so far as to say that it's an evil thing in disguise, then you aren't someone who I want associate with. Whoever says this is just using hyperbole to spread fear to listeners even dumber and more impressionable than they are.

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Why are people so offended by "bad language" (or "profanity")? I have no problem with anyone describing something as "f"ing awesome, for example (abbreviated here, I wouldn't in real life :P). Do you? Why or why not? People are offended by profanity because it so often represents sexual ideas. Often people demean others by calling them by the vulgar terms for the genitalia they possess. Someone who curses in unfamiliar enviroments either doesn't know how to speak without being vulgar or doesn't care, which shows that he is either socially inept or hostile. The speaker appears to have no...

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Why the heck is the Chord change from the C to the D in the second bar of "Stairway To Heaven" so dang difficult? Was Jimmy Paige trying to torture me? After playing the last note of the C chord, just bring your middle finger to the F# on the high E string. The tempo is slow enough so that you can position your ring and index fingers on the rest of the D chord when you pluck the first notes of that D chord, the open D string and the high F#. If it's still too fast, then play it slowly until you got it and then gradually build up speed....

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Why do people say that there are no atheists in FoxHoles? It implies that an athiest in a foxhole (during combat) would pray to God because of the extreme fear of death. So generally, it means that athiests believe in God, or at least want to deep down. The problem with this, of course, is that the aforementioned atheist is in an understandably unbalanced state of mind, to say the least. When someone is put into an insane situation, he is very...

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Does military training and lifestyle change a person's character? I thought about this question for a while. So here goes. No, it doesn't change who you are. Some people enter when they're teens and come out "mature," (as Rince said) and that makes sense to a degree. But in my experiences those people were already mature but just never got the proverbial kick in the ass to get them going, if you take my meaning. I am one such example. I...

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What does the abbreviation "i.e." mean? It means "that is," not "for example" as it is commonly thought (that would be eg). Examples: Clinton was impeached, unlike a certain other President earlier in the century (ie, Richard Nixon). Make a sauce hearty by adding vegetables (eg, carrots or celery).

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Is using marijuana recreationaly immorale or just? I would say that it is separate from morailty. In other words, it's no different than tying your shoe. It has no relation to right or wrong. Some would claim that it does harm to your body, so it is immoral. You would think that this rationale would mean that it's also immoral to eat cheeseburgers, drink wine, sit with poor posture, or get a sunburn. However, this is never argued....

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Why do the poor treat procreation as recreation? From how the question is stated I'm assuming that you are specifically referring to the poor who actually desire to have large families. In primitive agricultural societies, people have many kids because the work that they produce exceeds or matches the money it costs to have them. Therefore, having many children strengthens the family's ability to survive. So that explains why...

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What is one saying you hear all the time and you cannot stand it? In the Army it was "Stay in your lane," which means, "Stop disagreeing with me because I am higher-ranking than you." Once this was said, the conversation normally stopped. Gotta love that forced obedience.

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If i stopped smoking on May 20, and i have a drug test on June 17th, will i be able to pass the test, even though i have been around pot smoking, but havent done it since then? Being around pot smoke will not affect the results of a urinalysis, so you're good in that aspect. For a daily smoker, urine will come clean in 1-3 weeks, depending on many factors. For an occasional smoker, urine will come clean in a few days. In your case, don't worry about it. Seriously.

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Can breathing in light second-hand marijuana smoke result in a positive drug test? NO! NO! NO I say to an age-old question (uhh, well as old as drug testing)! Unless you inhale the secondhand smoke directly from the mouth of someone who is exhaling it, you have a very small chance of failing a drug test. Go to erowid.com for more reliable info.

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What needs to be invented that hasn't been yet? The flying car! C'mon people, the TV has been telling us that the future has flying cars, and it hasn't happened despite all of these prophecies. I think the only reasonable explanation is that they will debut minutes before the rapture. It just makes sense.

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How do you remove the pegs holding in the guitar strings on an acoustic guitar? (the ones on the bridge, to replace a broken string) After loosening the strings, you grasp the pegs with needlenose pliers and pull them straight out. You want to be very careful with the pliers so you don't scratch the hell out of the bridge. If the peg looks like it won't come out easily, then reach into the sound hole with your hand and push the pegs outward. Always keep a few extras pegs around in case you break the heads off of...

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How come everyone thinks Scientologists are weird? (Not that I am one) [edit] Uhh, just flag this for some easy points, as it was supposed to be a comment on another answer. Sorry about that.

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Whats the silliest rule of table etiquette you have ever come across? Although the unwritten "no arm wrestling at the table" rule makes sense, I hate the related "no elbows on the table" rule. Sitting with your arms to the side may be physically uncomfortable, as well as making you appear overly timid.

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What do you think about this statement.."It is smarter to bet that God exists and to believe in him because if it turns out he is real, you win everything; if he is not, you lose nothing. So why not take the leap of faith?" Other answers here have done a horrible job of looking at this in an unbiased way. They have also spun it so that the quote seems to have originated with you. Because I learned the functions of quotation marks in elementary school, I won't make the same mistake. As noted elsewhere, this is known as Pascal's wager. The argument is that you have a chance of being eternally rewarded...

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Have you ever been so bored that you have found yourself standing pointlessly in the middle of your bedroom/living room? haha, yes I have done that many times. Sometimes it's the only thing worth doing. It's like, "Well, if I'm going to be hopelessly bored then I'll stand, that way whenever I figure out what I want to do then I'll be one step closer to doing it."

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How is it that people are stupid, but a person is smart? Let's assume that you're using these descriptions just to make the question simple, which is completely understandable. Since this answer has more room to breathe, we can assume that you don't mean actually stupid and smart per se, but generally conforming and reasonable, respectively. An individual has all the power, will, and choice over matters in his life (generally...

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Why do we often get offended by the truth or jump to the most negative conclusion about the motive, without first being informed? Is protection of ego & ignorance more important that truth and positive progression? It should come as no surprise that we cannot go around saying only the truth all the time, because life would become too cold and calculated to bear. However, most people do not regard it as a neccesary part of understanding the world, and even when they do, they have no desire to better understand the world in the first place. Perhaps these people have no interest in the ways of the world,...

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Why are people afriad to answer and ask realistic topics that exsist in this world? Especially since racism, sexism, agism, segregation still exist. I asked someone this very same question recently. I was wholly sincere by asking the question, as I suspect you are, because nothing is more confusing to me than living in a very complicated world and noticing that only a tiny fraction of people are interested in that complexity. My strongest reason explaining why people are uninterested in these affairs is that we are so easily tempted by...

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The difference between a flower and a weed is a... What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Which chord is the most suitable for expressing anguish and grief? I'm going with a lightly strummed F6(no 5) (low to high: 100xxx), preferably after Fm(aug) (low to high: 110xxx). I'm not sure if those are the correct names for those chords, though.

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What is sociology? Great question! In pursuit of maintaining order in the chaos, I will answer this with the hope that this category will not be cluttered with matters unrelated to sociology. And yes, I know this is a pointless endeavor. But I gotta try. And let it be known that I am an armchair sociologist, not a professional. Anyone more knowledgable than myself in this area who finds errors in my answer is...

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Why do Christians get upset when you deny the existence of their deity, when they deny the existence of all deities except their own? In my experiences, Christians take the age-old arguments for the existence of God, such as the argument to design or first cause, which not surprisingly have been refuted by philosophers and thinkers nearly since their conception. In a nutshell, the former substitutes emotion for logic, whereas the second begs the question of who created the Creator. I find these to be strong arguments for a...

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What chord, if any is this - C (low) G C (high) played in left hand and EbDC played in right hand - not together but as a sequence? I would call this Cm7.

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Who is the artist that sings (the long version) of John Lee Hooker's 'Renter's Blues' and 'One Burbon, One Scotch, One Beer'? George Thorogood covers these songs (although the first is called "House Rent Boogie") in his consolidated version of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." A great song by the way. He can emulate Hooker's style very well.

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Who do you think is the biggest jerk on T.V? Bill O'Reilly is easily the most bullying, comical, one-sided, manipulative jerk on television. Anyone who takes him seriously has no comprehension of reality, and that's no joke.

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What can I do if I need to pass a drug test ,my boyfield smokes pot around me all the time I am scared that I won't pass b/c of his habit what can I do? If it's a urinalysis that you're taking then you shouldn't have any concern. Unless you're inhaling his exhalations directly from his mouth, the THC level in your urine will not be high enough to fail a drug test.

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Heard about the new planet that is so similar to earth scientists think it may be inhabitable? Would you be willing to be a "colonist" there? Considering that if I travelled there at the speed of light it would take over twenty years to get there, I don't think the ride would be very much fun. Especially if I rode in the aisle seat. Put me down for a "no."

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Would you consider the action and fighting in movies as 'making fun of violence?' No, millions of people do not pay to see action movies for the satire of violence. That would be self-defeating. People see action films because they like violence. They like seeing a single person defeat hundreds of bad guys. It's kind of a vicarious power trip to see Mel Gibson run down the street barefoot with a gun in his hand, and then beat the hell out of Gary Busey in the rain. Oh,...

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For musicians, how did you get over the initial learning to play struggle (the hurdle is high)? I started playing guitar when I saw a friend of mine play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on an old acoustic. I ws immediately infatuated. I learned the riff right then, although not surprisingly it took about thirty minutes and my fingers were very uncomfortable from playing the power chords. When I started learning more songs, my enthusiasm continued increasing, even as I would...

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Are the open chords realy that important to learn? The open chords are absolutely essential, as they're used in every form of guitar music. The only possible exception I can think of would be die-hard metal or punk, but that music is by definition very limited.

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If answerbag was divided into classes, what would they be? The No-Nonsense Serious - This consists of those people who have a question that has one correct answer. There should only be one or two legitimate answers for these questions, period. But duplicate answers are ever-present for reasons unknown to me, as if to say, "Yeah, I coulda told you that too!" Examples: "How much oil should I put into my car? It's a...

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Is 1.9999999 forever equal to 2.0? I'm pretty sure that there's some way to prove that they are, but I don't know it. My rationale is that if 1/9 = .1111 repeating 2/9 = .2222 repeating 3/9 = 1/3 = .3333 repeating et cetera, then 9/9 would be .9999 repeating, although it's "actually" 1. So I'm not sure where the flaw is in this; they appear equal.

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Does anyone have a personal example of how flawed our legal system is? A while back my family and I wanted to move into a house. It needed some wallpaper removed and the walls needed painting. It also had a broken septic tank pipe in the front yard that needed repair, as well as a jury-rigged broken window. Because of these problems, the owner of the house, "Mr. Jones," said that it wasn't ready for renting. However, he said that the problems would...

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Steven Colbert speaks about gays in a negative tone, does he not upset anyone? Stephen Colbert is a satirist. That means he is using irony and sarcasm in a funny way. The personality he presents 99% of the time he's on TV is of an ultra-conservative, cluelessly ignorant super-patriot. In other words, he is making fun of the rationale he presents.

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What is pi? Pi (about 3.14) is the irrational number you get when you divide the circumference of any circle by its diameter. The circumference is the length of the circle's outer edge, and the diameter is the length of a straight line that passes completely through the circle and its center. So if Pi (3.14) = C/D, then C = (3.14)(D) and D = C/(3.14)

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Does smoking lower your IQ? I've never heard any such link between lowered IQ and smoking. However, nicotine does reduce your risk of Alzheimer's, dementia, and memory loss. So does that mean it actually raises your IQ?

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Do people who overuse the word 'officially' annoy you? Of course. A few years ago my wife got me hooked on "Gilmore Girls," which goes out of its way to feature the word in each episode. I now can't stand the show, but for many other reasons altogether. haha

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Do you wish for the shooter of the Virginia Tech shootings to rest in peace or rot in hell? I'm an atheist, so I think that he rests now as easily as Gandhi. That being said, wishing to have someone rot in hell does nothing to the deceased and only adds to the intolerance and hatred of the person thinking it.

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If we were to pull out of Iraq without finishing what we went in there for, wouldn't our soldiers lives have been lost in vein? Once the soldiers are dead, it doesn't matter whether they died in vain, out of vain, or beside vain. They took the risk that comes with the job. Soldiers overwhelmingly join for their own reasons, not to conquer terrorism. That's not an inhumane observation; I knew when I was there that I wasn't fighting for right or wrong necessarily, but to hold up my end of the bargain (ie,...

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I tend to Dislike people in general but i don't know why.So much that i try to avoid contact am i mentally unstable? I too am like this. I go out of my way to be social and kind, but I find that the majority of people are either rude, unintelligent, or overly conforming. Although I am a judgemental person, I still give people the benefit of the doubt, yet I remain unimpressed with the common man. I sincerely believe that the main reason everyone sucks is that they strive to be likable; they're too...

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Why would you need your own gun? ... Only if you are a farmer, law enforcement officer, in the army/navy/aire force or professional bank robber ... Why els? The arguments for owning a gun, followed by my own replies: 1) I hunt. Fine. To paraphrase Michael Moore, if you need a semi-automatic weapon or a handgun to hunt, try another sport. Keep your long, conspicuous rifles for hunting. 2) I don't feel safe without a gun in my home. You are 47 times more likely to kill a member of your family than an assailant if someone enters your...

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Stop and think of someone funny....who was the first person you thought of? No need to think about it: Ricky Gervais.

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Who are the greatest harmonizers of all time? Off the top of my head, here are some excellent harmonizers: Malcolm Young of AC/DC, Pete Townshend's vocals on The Who albums, Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones (seriously, how often did the guitar shine brighter than the keyboard or drums?), everyone in The Strokes, and Jimmy Page's overdubs on Zeppelin albums.

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When did Average become viewed as bad? A student who makes all C's is actually an *average* student..but now they are viewed as sub-par. I'm don't think that C's were ever considered anything other than sub-par. When a C is described as "average," as on a report card, the word isn't referring to a mathematical mean. In this sense, "average" just means "so-so," like how you reply when someone asks you how good a drummer Ringo Starr is.

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What do u think is a good name for a newspaper? I like "Red All Over," alluding to an old joke and the phrase, "If it bleeds, it leads."

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With the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, is gun control still a dirty word in the USA? It seems that it's not that important to Americans right now. Here's an April 2007 link showing moderate poll results for support for the National Rifle Association and gun control: http://tinyurl.com/yothne On the one hand, we Americans love our freedom because we're always told to do so. On the other, we are frightened of crime. You may have heard that Texas passed a law...

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What happened to the simple Republicans and Democrats and the occassional Independents? When did we begin having liberal, conservative, extreme, radical, left wing, right wing, how far will it go and how do you define these 'new' catagories? The latter terms are just descriptions of political character, not political affiliation per se. Liberalism focuses on the freedoms of the individual. Conservatism focuses on maitaining social order by strongly preserving time-tested institutions like family, religion, and the local community. "Independent" just means that the person is not affiliated with the Democrats or...

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Is AB dominated by spineless liberals? No, there are quite a few of them but they are not overwhelmingly dominant. Personally, I think "die-hard" would be a better term than "spineless." Off the top of my head, I would break it down like this: Die-Hard Liberals: 34% Indifferent Jokesters: 22% Seemingly Unknowledgable and Inconsistent Users: 21% Staunchly Religious Bullying Conservatives: 12% Moderates:...

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Do you ever look at the fret positions for some guitar chords and wonder just how the hell some guitarists manage to get their fingers in that position? Definitely. Classical guitarists use these kinds of chords very often. An example is the common first-position C major shape transposed further up the neck, forcing your pinky on the fifth-fret root, your ring finger on the third, your middle finger on the octave, and your index on the barre. It's a workout.

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What truly disturbs you about society today? As others have said, apathy irks me to death. The environment: I work at a place that wastes paper to no end and doesn't recycle. I know people that don't like recycling because it takes a little longer than throwing everything into one wastebasket. The government: If you actually took the time to look into all of what the Bush administration has done to scar the reputation of...

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What is that micheal jackson film called with the two kids in it and the robots? I think you're talking about "Captain EO," which was executive-produced by George Lucas (wha?!) and directed by Francis Ford Coppola of "Godfather" fame (double-wha?!).

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Atheists: Against suicide or don't care? You don't believe in sin, so who cares, right? That's right. For that matter, atheists don't care about cold-blooded murder either. Yes, that's sarcasm. So yet again, let's consider the positions of these godless atheists. The only attribute that can be applied to all of them is that they have no belief in gods. That's it. An atheist's morals do not extend to any other atheist any more than his love of ham...

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When did daredevil change his costume from yellow to red? The red costume made its first appearance in Daredevil #7 (April 1965). Artist Wally Wood didn't like the idea of the Man Without Fear wearing yellow, the color of fear, so he changed it.

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Monopoly: Fun or Painful? I have yet to understand what's so fun about this game. Rolling dice and flipping cards over? The only choices you ever make are deciding whether to buy properties or not. And the only strategy in the game is screwing people over. "So you give me Illinois, Indiana, and Park Place, and I'll give you Pennsylvania so you can have all the greens." Whaaat? That's fun?

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Do you know any card tricks? If so, what are they and how do you perform them successfully? I'm not sure how much of a "trick" this is, but I like it. Take a deck of cards and quickly glance at the bottom card. Let's say it's the Queen of Hearts. You say to the observer, "I'm going to use a little math and a little magic for this one." Take eight cards from the top of the deck and transfer them to the bottom. Then take four cards from...

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There's an ad on this page for State Farm that says "We believe in a diverse workforce." Is that supposed to impress me or something? It sounds to me that they're simply informing us that they are an Equal Opportunity workplace. I see it as being no different then slogans like "Light years ahead of the competition" or "Raising the bar for the new century."

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Discuss the three schools of MACRO SOCIOLOGY. How do they differ? Which, in your informed opinion, comes closest to understanding the true nature of how society operates? As far as I know, functionalism and conflict theory are the only two macrosociological paradigms. (Symbolic interactionism is a microsociological paradigm, focusing less on the big issues themselves and more on how those issues affect everyday life.) Functionalism is essentially sociological optimism. It tends to look toward the beneficial functions of a given topic, such as claiming that...

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Ex-Service Men/Women - Do you still wear your dogtags? Haha, no sir. I would find that to be too showy. I hated wearing them even when I was in, as the bead chain would pull on my chest hair. Although technically it wasn't authorized, I normally kept mine in my breast pocket. [edit: Oh, and dog tags aren't medals, they're simply identification tags.]

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What is a Comp? "Comp" is short for "compensation." Casinos may offer a Players' Card to a player. He presents this card when he plays a card game and then "earns" points simply by playing (though likely losing money, of course). The points that he earns depends on how long he plays and what size his bets are. The points can be redeemed for free meals, hotel accomodations, or...

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What is your favorite Soundgarden song? Looking back on it, Soundgarden really banked on a handful of decent songs, possibly rivaling Alice in Chains in grunge prestige, although not deserving it. "Black Hole Sun" is undeniably a great song, but the others are nothing to write home about.

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How likely is it to get pregnant? A vague answer to a vague question: I read years ago that the average chance of getting pregnant without using a contraceptive is 60-80 per cent.

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What's your favorite flag? I'm kinda surprised no one said Mozambique's flag.

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From a structural functionalist viewpoint, what is the purpose of the societal institution of marriage? Conflict theorists and functionalists agree that the family is the most important of the social institutions. Functionalists maintain that strong marriages promote strong families, which in turn promote a stronger society. Social harmony is disrupted when the family is disrupted, such as when a couple is divorced or members of the family have multiple roles (like a bread-winning mother). As is...

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Is homophobia a form of racism in your eyes? No, these are two different things. Racism is the belief that one or more races are inherently inferior or superior to one or more other races. Homophobia is simply a fear of homosexuality, normally involving contempt for it. Both, however, include disdain for a group of people unlike ourselves. If anything, these are both forms of prejudice (a pre-judgement).

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An event billed as "Porn and Pancakes" is being hosted by a church in rural upstate New York. (The breakfast discussion is on the pornography industry in America) Good marketting or bad move? It's both. Interest is gained, but for the wrong reasons. It's shameless.

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What are you really sick of having shoved down your throat by television and media? I'm sick of their overblown assertions: "Everyone has a disease. But it's treatable with our product..." "Women aren't objects to be acquired! But here's a hundred products designed to make you look more attractive." "You shouldn't judge people by their personalities, actions, statements, looks, mannerisms, or any other ways that help...

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Do you think that American ignorance of other countries cultures is a major problem? If yes why? I believe so. Having little knowledge of a group of people makes it easier to show indifference toward them or their problems. It encourages the "I-got-mine" attitude. I certainly don't expect everyone to research the sociology of Zimbabwe on a Friday evening, but at least paying attention when the information is in front of them wouldn't hurt. I think not having (or,...

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Were there clocks in Julius Caesar's time? I think I know what you are getting at. And if I'm wrong, then disregard this. In Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," a clock chimes in the background, although it hadn't been invented yet. That's a literary tool called an anachronism. The clock is used simply as a tool for moving the story along, although it is impossible to have happened. For all I know, the...

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What is the best way to teach oneself to play the guitar? IN THIS ORDER: 1) Memorize and fully understand the chromatic scale. 2) Memorize the open-string names (e-1st, B-2nd, etc.). Then apply your chromatic scale knowledge to the fretboard; you don't need to memorize every possible fretted tone yet, but it is important to be able to figure it out when the need arises. 3) Memorize the major and minor scale intervals, then practice...

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I watched a movie the other night, Vertical Limit. This team of climbers, climb Mount everest, and the guys take ice up with them up the mountain to melt for water. Why can't they just use the ice/snow on the mountain? Maybe I'm missing something here, but why would they want to drink snow-water from the ground? Who wants to drink dirty water?

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Is it just me or was the movie The Village horrible? Yep, it stunk. The set-up to make the ending "work" was heavily flawed. It was quite a reach. The movie was Scooby Doo on a larger scale.

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In a society where everyone is "entitled to their opinion", what place is there for Right and Wrong? People without firm beliefs looove to argue that everyone is entitled to their opinions, so as to point to that disclaimer whenever anyone disagrees with them. I find it to be a wishy-washy cop-out by those who, while claiming to be unique individuals, are actually the same sheeple that they think they're condemning. Indeed, asserting that we're all entitled to our opinions never...

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What's your favorite Smashing Pumpkins song? Well, I'm an SP fanatic, so it's hard to pin one down. I suppose I'd say "The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)" is the one. It's only one riff repeated over and over, but it's given the clean-then-distorted treatment to a beautifully violent extent. And the solo really isn't anything special melodically, but its tone and simplicity keep me...

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Who is Neil Young referring to in this lyric from Rockin' In The Free World: Got a man of the people says "Keep Hope Alive"? He was referring to Rev. Jesse Jackson.

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This one is for you women out there. Is penis envy real, or is it all in our heads? Is the size important to you? You're misunderstanding what penis envy is. It's not envying a man's penis for your pleasure, it's a subconscious jealousy of men for having them. Whether it's true or not is beyond me. I don't know to what degree contemporary psychologists regard Freud's works as being credible.

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What is a Hammer? I think you are referring to a "hammer-on," which is when you fret a string with your finger, sound the note with your other hand's finger (or bow, or plectrum, or what have you), and then sound a note higher up the instrument's neck by using only another fret-hand finger. Because the second note is not sounded with your playing hand, it has a slightly softer sound, which is...

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What are circles of fifths? The circle of fifths is simply the twelve notes of the chromatic scale written in a circle so that each note has a neighbor of its fourth or fifth. Here is the circle of fifths in line form: C G D A E B F# C# G# Eb Bb F (C) Imagine the C at the twelve position of a clock and the G at the one position. Starting on C, the fifth note of the C major (and minor) scale is G. The fifth note of...

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What is a mode? A mode is simply another name for a scale, although the term is normally designated for more obscure scales. Let's look at A major. The A major scale has these notes: A B C# D E F# G# Another scale would be the one below, but because it's a scale that is based upon another scale, it is called a "mode." Here's the "B Dorian mode": B C# D E F# G# A ...

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What is a minor triad? A minor triad is a three-note chord consisting of the root note, the third note, and the fifth note (normally in that order) of the minor scale. Its third is one half-step lower than the major triad's third. The third is the integral note that differentiates the major and minor scales.

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Is music theory worth anything at all? Learning music theory is fundamental in enhancing your musical skills. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a fool or one of those rare prodigies who has a perfect ear. Like any science, knowing absolutely everything about it doesn't mean that you'll become a genius, but having a firm grasp on the basic concepts will get you far in your endeavors.

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What is the funniest TV commercial you've ever seen? I really liked this one.

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What's your opinion of the Harvard (or Oxford) comma? I saw this question a while back but didn't have any strong feelings for it, so I left it alone. But now I do. I took a typing test a few days ago. Although I'm a fast hunt-and-pecker (insert cheap laugh here), I can't type without looking at my hands. The test involved typing a paragraph that was shown on the screen. My method is to read and comprehend about seven words, then...

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Why on Answerbag do some people ask questions, then fail to rate the answers to those questions? Possible reasons why a questioner does not rate the answers: - No answers were satisfactory - He's interested in answers, not distributing points - He hasn't checked on the answers yet

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Does playing giutar make your fingers thicker? Is there any way to replicate this? How? I'm not sure what you're asking. The width and length of your fingers do not increase, but your fret-hand fingertips will develop thin callouses. As for replicating it? I haven't the slightest clue how or why someone would do this. I think "replicate" isn't the word you want here.

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I am the FREE HUGS guy ... you do not know me ... do you take a hug or pass on by? ... why? I wouldn't because who knows what you're up to? I can't tell by looking at you. Though I would probably watch you for a while, and if you then seemed to be legit, then I'd take a hug. Here's the reference:

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I'm attending a destination wedding in wine country in northern california. Does etiquette require that I still get a gift for the couple, or is my spending the money on my flight/accommodations considered "gift" enough? I agree, why buy a gift? You're going to all that trouble, why should you have to go yet another extra mile?

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If a child who thinks and understands as a child can ask why, then "why" is Socratic Method a method, shouldn't it be called childlike reasoning? On the one hand, I wouldn't go so far as to say that because a child asks "why" in order to learn, whereas Socrates did it in order for the answerer to learn about their own beliefs. Also, Socrates would hold the answerer accountable for their answers whereas a child doesn't normally have the reasoning abilities to do such a thing. On the other hand, it would be accurate...

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Does being confined to one word piss you off? Absolutely. Why limit ourselves to one word? Is it all really that simple? Everyone's against judging people (though I'm not) but everyone's all for making a statement in a single word (again, though I'm not). Strange.

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The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun, beating its legs trying to turn itself over, but it can’t, not without your help. But you’re not helping. Why is that? Here's a shameless report on my bleeding heart this previous summer: I lived in the country then, and while driving down those empty roads, it was common to see turtles crossing. And in that summer, I stopped and helped nine turtles cross the road. I accidentally ran over one, but nine for one is a good trade-off. So don't tell me 'bout no stinkin' tortoises! I'm...

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Do any of you have a problem with me not understanding all english? because some people are typing like they are mad at me for putting the wrong word in. I very briefly went through your questions, and I'll tell you that based on that, you're English is better than MOST users here. So forget about it.

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Is your model of reality effective? Oh, very much so. A gallon of skepticism, a pint of thought, and a pinch of optimism (for flavor) has done me well.

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I am an athiest. I LOVE getting into religious discussions and minor arguments with people but have found VERY few people that can do this without getting so worked up they want to scream or vomit. Why do you think this is? Why do you get a kick out of this? Because you like to get a rise out of people. It's that same old domination complex that humans have always had. Why do they get mad? Because they can't win the argument. I've always wondered why some Chrisitians would even enter such a debate. Why not just say, "I live by faith alone"? If a Christian enters into such an argument,...

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How do I earn points and level up? Yes, this site is cool. If you think of a question to ask, then do a search in the upper-right hand corner of the screen to see if it has already been asked. If you don't find your question on the first one or two pages, then it's likely that your question hasn't been asked, and it's fair game to ask it. This is not such a question. But don't worry, you'll catch...

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What do you think about purple and yellow together? I don't think we have any business telling purple who it should be with. Whoever it wants to be with is no concern of ours. And why is everyone so uptight about it? This is the 21st century, folks! It's perfectly natural and we need to recognize it.

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Why is October the 10th month of the year when oct means 8? (Sept means 7 as well) It came from the Roman calendar, where October was the eighth month. It goes for all the ending months, from September (7) to December (10).

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Post the most random picture here. This is random, unless the casino is crooked. "Let's go, Green! Let's go, Green!"

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Why do you still smoke cigarettes after you've claimed that you'll quit? Easier said than done. And when you quit, you mourn. In all honesty, one shouldn't slam it until you've been hooked.

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Is it dangerous to constantly be sniffing vanilla extract - because iv'e sort of become a little adicted to the stuff ?? Unless you get a headache after you've been away from it for a while, you're not addicted. You like the smell and after some times passes you won't think twice about it.

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Do you think Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama have a shot at winning the presidential elections? What are some of your reasons why or why not? I don't think either of them have a shot unless they change their ways. As Cowtipper said, Clinton is too radical. She's shown that she's headstrong and stubborn, and that's not working for her very well. Obama has little experience and hasn't taken a strong position on anything (that I'm aware of). I think people are concentrating on race just because...

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What do the little 'x's on guitar tabs mean? How do you mute chords on the acoustic guitar? The X's are called "muted" or "scratched" strings. As KevinW42 said, you simply place your fret hand on the strings just enough to keep them from ringing. A single X on a line normally indicates an incidental note that was mistakenly struck, while several bunched together in a semi-organized manner normally indicates to scratch the strings for a percussive effect.

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What is a "noob"? I've heard people say that to others before but I don't know what it means. "Noob" is short for "newbie," which means "newcomer."

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How can the wwe call itself family programing with so much sex and violence? Because it's lying.

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Which is your favourite Martin Scorsese movie? I saw "The Departed" recently and was completely blown away. I'm also partial to "Raging Bull" and "Casino." The latter has De Niro as the the "good" guy and Joe Pesci as the twisted guy. In the former, their roles are reversed.

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How are you going to describe a blind person the shape of a circle? Why not just define it? A line in which all of its points are equidistant from one other point, its center. Or just make a circle in his palm.

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Why are single mothers so demonised in our society, when the problem appears to be absent fathers? Fear campaigns are successful because they target current cultural anxieties. Because it is common for an urban youth to only have a mother, we link crime with absent fathers. Consequently, single mothers who have more than they can handle are considered the "bad guys." It all comes back to our need as humans to find reasons for the way things are. If we cannot find a certain answer,...

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Do you believe that the only reason why the government wont let marijuana be legal is because they cannot tax the product? if not.. please state a reason why you think the government wont legalize pot? The government hasn't legalized pot because voters haven't raised hell. They are the ones who matter. Pot smokers aren't likely to vote [<--- I disown this claim. July 2009]. It has nothing to do with the health effects whatsoever. There has NEVER been a recorded death from pot use. Cigarettes and alcohol, although legal, are far more deadly than pot. And the "gateway...

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What are your opinions of Pink Floyd's Roger Waters? Misrepresented genius or nasty man? Definitely both. I would consider the time between "Meddle" and "Animals" to be Floyd's height of creativity. Although Waters' themes shine through the brightest, it would not have been even remotely possible without the others. And he never realized that. From "The Wall" to his solo work, Waters placed an overly-heavy emphasis on his lyrics over the...

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How has your understanding of "God" changed through your life? In my earlier days, I was like many who thought that God would let any good person into heaven, regardless of how often they went to church or prayed. Then in college I spent most of my time inebriated and abandoned all responsibility. Consequently, I became bankrupt. Partying then seemed to be a waste of time. I turned to the New Testament. Then I learned that God wasn't to be taken...

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Does anybody knbow any good websites that has good videos. I would recommend this link for tons of great videos, mainly concentrating on political and global issues. Don't worry, it has its share of comedy also. http://tinyurl.com/2pf88e link that tinyurl directs to: http://www.throwawayyourtv.com/TayTVforum/index.php

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Some people profess to be athiest, yet they are the first to pray when times get tough, why? its been said there are no athiests in times of distress. The question is loaded, as everyone had noted, as it presupposes that atheists are the first to pray in distress. First, I have also heard this phrase, but not all phrases are accurate just because they're well-known. Second, where are you that you have seen (a) several atheists (b) in distress and (c) praying to God? That's a lot of qualifiers. As for an atheist praying...

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When they make a film about the life of Anna Nicole Smith, which actress would you like to see portray Anna? It won't be any time soon, so the actress is probably still in high school right now. But if I had to choose from current actresses, I think Scarlett Johanssen has the goods to pull it off. She doesn't have the high-profile actress recognition yet, but maybe in a few years she'll have a decent résumé.

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Other than Answerbag, what are some really helpful or innovative Web sites that you think everyone should know about? For general how-to info, About.com For music theory, dolmetsch.com For computer spyware help, forums.spybot.info For comprehensive music reviews, rateyourmusic.com For making tiny url's, tinyurl.com (nod to nevets) For a beginner's guide to famous philosophers, btinternet.com/~glynhughes/squashed/

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What is a flux-capacitor? The fictional flux capacitor is primarily what makes time travel possible, according to "Doc" Emmet Brown in the movie "Back to the Future."

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Many rock bands had incorporated a flute in their performances in the 60s & 70s. Can you rember any titles of the songs? what are they? msFortunate took my "California Dreamin." Grrr... Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a flute in the main melody in The Moody Blues "Nights in White Satin"? How about the during the interlude in Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush"?

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Do you know of natural cures(exercises) for TMJ, not including a mouth guard? Well, this may sound too simple, but simply practicing opening and closing your mouth correctly will help. Also try atlantadentist.com.

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If you were to put out a hit record, what section would it appear in at the record store? The "New Releases" section.

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What famous piece of art would you like to hang in your home? If I had that opportunity, then I'd knock down a wall to fit Raphael's "The School of Athens" on a wall. It measures nearly 16x23 feet. That's Plato (left) and Aristotle in the center.

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What race in America has the largest population? Whites are the largest, with 226,861,000 of the total population of 276,059,000 as of 1 Nov 2000. http://tinyurl.com/35nnwz

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Which Bush administration official said this last month? "The Constitution doesn't say every individual in the United States or every citizen is granted or assured the right to habeas [corpus]. It doesn't say that." It was Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. I would explain more, but my head is spinning after reading the link below. Discuss it with other answerers here or check out another discussion at this link. http://tinyurl.com/34atvr

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How often in an ethical debate do you secretly just feel like quitting "respecting their opinion" and just telling them they're an idiot? Secretly? I do that often when the person uses fallacious arguments and outrageous comparisons and actually believes that these are valid points. I normally hold out as long as I can and then just leave the argument. If a person isn't intellectually honest, then why bother?

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What kind of guitar do you have? How much was it? I'm horribly sorry that you didn't get this answered two days ago. The injustice is beyond comprehension. You shouldn't post duplicate questions, especially ones that tell everyone that it's a duplicate. Original question: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/144389 [edit: all answers to the second question have been moved here to the original question. My answer to the...

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What the longest you can go without blinking your eyes? I can go without blinking an easy eight hours per night.

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What CD do you wish was not in your collection? The Mars Volta- Frances the Mute I read reviews that praised this band to high heaven, and then I bought the disc. Huge mistake. Spanish chants, thundering dissonance, relentless chaos? (sigh) I should've bought "Thriller" while I had the chance.

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What's your IQ and do you care? This cannot possibly be accurate as it took me ten minutes to find out where to find my results. It claimed I've got a 149 [sic, see edit below] It then said that I got an arithmetic score of 160 [sic], which is better than 99.99% of those who took the test. Although I'm flattered, I'm not taking these results seriosuly. Not only did I guess on several of those questions, but...

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What are the top ten questions that you would ask any Answerbagger? 1) Did you know that Nobel Prize-winner Frances Crick discovered the nature of DNA when he was on a low-dose LSD trip? 2) Do you know that Karl Marx once said, "I am not a Marxist"? 3) Did you know that "God" wasn't inserted into the pledge of allegiance until 1954? 4) Did you know that in 1972 the Supreme Court determined that the death penalty was cruel and...

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Will Anna Nicole be allowed to be buried next to her son in the Bahamas? Yep. The court has ruled it so as of this writing.

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What's your favourite George Dubya Bush quote? http://tinyurl.com/3rmz6 It was funny when Bush said he recently "read three Shakespeare's."

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Do you believe the media creates an unrealistic standard of beauty? Other answers have mentioned that celebrities have lots of help in attaining their unnatural beauty. Here's a photo of some regular women who got the works, showing that the only difference between real women and fake women is lots of money.

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Who is the vocalist who used to be called The Black Beetle? one of his songs has something like "it goes round in circles....."in the chorus. can you help me out? You're thinking of Billy Preston, who jammed with the Beatles later in their career. He was featured on a few tracks, including Lennon's guitar-drenched "I Want You (She's so Heavy)."

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What is your favorite style of beer? (not brand) German hefeweisen. Thicker, smoother, and more flavorful than American brews.

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If you could make a band out of anyone at all, dead or alive, who would be in it? For a classic rock supergroup: Experience-era Jimi Hendrix: Guitar and principle songwriter Pre-megalomaniac Roger Waters: Bass and primary lyric writer Late Beatles Days-era Ringo Starr: Drums (They'd all take turns singing, like Waters and Gilmour typically did in Pink Floyd)

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If you could look up any word in the dictionary, what would you choose? I'd like to look up "gullible," but it's impossible. Dictionaries don't list that word, carrying on the tradition started by Daniel Webster.

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Can you ever tire of being -5'd without comment, or is it always new and exhilarating? I don't like negative ratings without comment just like everyone else. But to be fair to the hit-and-runners, whenever I explain why I downrated an answer (which is very frequently), the answerer gives me a lot of grief. I think that's why most people claim they want to know who did it, so they can harbor revenge. For instance, FLYxNIGHT, you gave me a hard time yesterday, which I...

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Should Buddha be considered a god, when Buddhism is inherently an athiestic religion? Although he is revered, Buddha is not considered a god by Buddhists. As for Buddhists being atheistic, I would agree because they don't believe in a god per se. I won't say more because I don't know enough about it to comment.

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What's a good example of economic exploitation in society today? Using the poor for soldiers, playing on fear through advertising, charging hundreds of dollars per ticket for top-bill rock star concerts, only issuing auto-recalls when it costs less than paying for court settlements from crash victims, operating sweatshops, paying waitresses less than minimum wage because they get tips, and paying for justice.

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Everybody knows the detrimental effects of smoking, but are there ANY beneficial effects? To supplement Quirkie's answer, nicotine also may improve memory and reduce the risk of getting dementia. Obviously the cons far outweigh the pros, but the truth should still be out there that every cloud of smoke has a silver lining. Sources: http://tinyurl.com/2hg73r http://tinyurl.com/yqkdcx

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What is pollen? What does it do? Pollen- the fertilizing element of flowering plants, consisting of fine, powdery, yellowish grains or spores, sometimes in masses. Pollination- the process by which plant pollen is transferred from the male reproductive organs to the female reproductive organs to form seeds. In flowering plants, pollen is transferred from the anther to the stigma, often by the wind or by insects. In...

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What do you think of the recent Gallup poll regarding presidential elections in America? Here's the link: http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=26611 Brief version of the link: 1,006 Americans were asked: "If your party nominated a generally well-qualified person for president who happened to be____, would you vote for that person?" (Numbers indicate the percent that said yes, they would vote for some one who was____) Catholic 95 Black 94 Jewish 92 A woman 88 Hispanic 87 Mormon 72 Married for 3rd time 67 ...

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Who is the most underrated actor or actress in your opinion? Don Cheadle always gives top-notch performances and I never hear much about him. Johnny Depp is all hype but for the wrong reasons; I can't think of a more versatile actor. To me he always seems completely in tune with his characters, as diverse as they may be. Examples are "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," "Edward Scissorhands," and "Blow."

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Whats the trippiest thing you have ever seen? This teacher draws a large perfect circle in less than a second. Trippy. He starts at about T-minus 18.

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Is anyone else having a lot of trouble accessing AB today ? I keep writing answers then getting time out pages . Yes, it was down. I know nothing about how sites are run, but you're right. For the last few days it has been down and up, slow and fast again. Earlier when I logged on, the AB screen came up with a completely different format. Then I clicked "Refresh" and it came back to normal. As I type this, the "Add Video" button looks differently. What's going on around here?

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Is it true that you cant make a perfectly straight line or is this BS? I've heard that it's impossible because of the curvature of Earth. I would suppose that line of reasoning is technically true, but not practical. Or perhaps you mean that when you draw a line, it technically has depth because the pencil line you made technically has width and length (just very small), giving it two dimensions. So in regards to that, when you make a line with a...

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What do you think that best tasting beer in the Universe is and where are you from? Germany's Schoferhofer Hefeweisen is da greatest. Schneide Weise and Franziskaner are also dee-lish. But since I'm from the US Mid-West, I stick to ol' reliable Miller High Life. Tastes like garbage compared to the others, but it's the cream of the crap. (Excuse the vulgarity, I'm pounding my chest and talkin bout beer.)

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What was the first really great cd you ever bought? The first great CD I bought was The Smashing Pumpkins' "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness." But the first CD that I bought that I was completely and utterly blown away when I heard it was The Hives' "Veni Vidi Vicious." I had no clue that music could get that raw and powerful. Mmmmmmmmmm....music.

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Would you or have you ever called french fries "Freedom Fries"? Why Good Lord, no. I'd say it's a sad person who would call them "freedom fries" just because France didn't want to join us on our Middle-Eastern excursion.

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The Greatest Love Song of all time? I'm biased, but I'd say "Take Me Down" by James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins. An excerpt: I held you once, a love that once, and life had just begun And you're all I see... And trumpets blew, and angels flew on the other side, dear And you're all I see, and you're all I'll need There's a love that God puts in your heart

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Do you hitchhike? when was the last time? is it really as dangerous as they say? I've never hitchiked, but my dad said that when he was younger people used to hitchike very often. I don't think it's nearly as dangerous as people make it out to be, but it still carries some risk. I would never want to pick up a ride from a trucker, for instance. I would guess that being the hitchiker is less safe than being the one who picks the hitchiker up, but I...

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Love is a fictitious illusion of............? Sometimes lust, sometimes security, sometimes power. I find it's best when viewed as a cooperative partnership. A team, if you will.

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What kind of guitar do you have? How much was it? My first guitar was a 1960-ish Gibson acoustic that I bought off a friend's dad for sixty bucks. It's got a small fretboard and body for reasons unknown to me. The sound is pretty good, but I cherish it for obvious first-guitar sentimental reasons. I acquired a few more (COUGH...seven) over the years that were decent but not too much to brag about. The only electric I've...

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What's the longest you've gone without showering? [honest!] Join the military and you'll get more than enough chances not to shower. I probably went two weeks without a shower in field training exercises, using baby wipes and water from a canteen to occasionally wash. Of course, you always had to be shaven! That was way more important. Ironically, I only went about a week without a shower when we first got to Baghdad in mid-2003. Luckily we had...

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Why is it that it is alright to have violence and suggestive sex on TV for all to see,but a little innocent swearing,possibly using the four letter word, not allowed? Here's my take on it: Showing violence on television reinforces the "dominator culture" of the West. People like seeing violence against other people. And since it's fake, it's okay. This is an unspoken but subliminally promoted virtue. The powers-that-be profit from it. Showing sex keeps people watching, plain and simple. Cursing, however, is a different...

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Have any memebers of Pink Floyd ever physically attacked each other? I read the Floyd biography "Saucerful of Secrets" and such fights were not mentioned. They squabbled quite a bit as the years went on, but from what I understand they're all pretty humble. Except Waters of course, but he's not the physical type. After all, they were artists.

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Why does mustard often come in see-through packet (on one side) while ketchup almost always comes in a solid opaque packet? Maybe it's because mustards tend to be stronger when they are darker. That way you get an idea of how it will taste. Ketchup, however, is always the same.

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What songs do you think were better by other performers other than the original version? It's a rarity, but here are a few: All Along the Watchtower (Hendrix over Dylan) Sweet Dreams (Manson over Eurthymics) Landslide (Smashing Pumpkins over Fleetwood Mac) With a Little Help from My Friends (Joe Cocker over the Beatles)

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If you were to put a coin into an empty bottle and then insert a cork into the neck, how could you remove the coin without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle? This is similar to Someguy's, but could you force the cork into the bottle (or chip it into bits with a knife) and then retrieve the coin? I don't want to go too far outside of the box... I'll try again if this isn't the best answer.

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Does Answerbag have a myspace account? Yep. http://www.myspace.com/answerbag

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How can infinity of anything exist in reality? It wouldn't fit in the universe, would it? The crazy thing about infinity is that it is unfathomable, but we still try desperately to understand it. Seriously, though, this raises the similar question: On a number line, are there more counting numbers (one and above) or integers (any whole number, negative or positive)? Or, is there a greater amount of real numbers between 1 and 5 trillion than say, 1 and 2? Likewise, space is...

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I believe that today we can actually elect directly more efficiently in American Elections. I would like to know what others think and what options people may have given thought to. We could elect more efficiently if we cared more about the elections. Obvious? Yes, but why aren't we interested? Here are some words from my trusty sociology book: "Structural factors play a part in explaining low voter turnout. Laws that remove people that have moved or who have not voted in recent elections from the voting rolls contribute to low turnouts, as does the US...

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I am a Veteran, I would like to ask other veterans if they feel like we are still fighting for freedom with all the rights and freedoms that we have lost. Or is there some agenda besides freedom on the horizon? We are told we are fighting for freedom, but where's the evidence? The government used to say that "if we fight 'em there, we won't have to fight 'em here." How does this make sense? And how has our freedom been enhanced since 9/11? Americans are led to believe that they are the only people in the world who have freedom. This is absolutely ridiculous. Freedom...

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Does the Electoral College still serve a valid and useful purpose, or is it outdated and needing to be eliminated? It needs to go. The electoral college can buck the popular vote, which disgruntles voters and voters-to-be. That's no way to handle democracy, especially when government spokespersons publicly praise it so often.

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What piece of advice would you give someone that just had their first baby? Don't freak out over everything. There are going to be times when the baby cries for crying's sake. If you get stressed out, breathe deeply and count to ten slowly. Don't buy every baby-accessory under the sun, because there is a giant marketing campaign designed just for eager new mothers. Whenever you buy diapers, baby food, and the like, just buy all you possibly can...

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Anyone know when the new smashing pumpkins cd is going to be released? It's going to rooooock! The Smashing Pumpkins 6th album 'Zeitgeist' Release date as of now: 07.07.07

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Let's play the slogan game. What's the best slogan you can think of for Answerbag? "You know what they say about opinions, and Answerbag has thousands of them." BTW, this is a duplicate question. I would flag this but it would make my flux capacitor explode. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/141563

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Do you frown upon cursing even in proper context? (don't reference or quote bibles or religions) I curse very often when discussing current events with my wife because many issues fire me up. Although it feels like I'm being charasmatic at the time, later it just seems over-the-top and needless. I find cursing very easy to control in the public of others, as I find it to be off-putting and a sign of inarticulate ignorance. However, I don't consider that hypocritical, as some...

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WHY IT SO EASY TO DO WRONG, AND SO HARD TO DO RIGHT? Because greed is natural. If broken down long enough (ie, debunked), an act of greed can be shown to be an act of survival. So we're not unlike every other living thing that does what it must in order to survive. However, doing what's right is unnatural. That's why the Good is revered. It separates us from beasts.

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How many left-handed rock musicians can you name? Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Billy Corgan, ummm, that's it.

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What is your favourite building? It doesn't have to be famous. The Dom Cathedral in Koln, Germany. It is massive and ornately decorated. There's a narrow spiral staircase leading to the top that will wear you out and make you dizzy, but the view from above is worth it.

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Is the evolution of conscousness an imperative needed to satisfy observer phenomena? Your question is too vague for me to fully understand. However, here is how I'll interpret it: "Does Man reduce his anxieties about the universe more effectively by creating his own explanations or through gaining knowledge little by little from the scientific method?" If that is an accurate translation, then my answer to your original question is "no." If man...

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Do you think that everything is relative ? then what is absolute? I believe everything is relative. Nothing whatsoever is inherently evil or good. Cultures create their own mores and consequently define deviance. Within a given culture at a specific time you can find what some would call absolutes, but even this is a very limited condition when you consider the entire world for thousands of years. For example, in ancient wars, everything was fair game....

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Why are "Spam" and "Offensive" on the same flag? Aren't they two different things? They are different things entirely, and ideally it wouldn't matter if they were on the same flag or not because spam and offensive material should be easy to identify and immediately removed. Therefore having them on the same flag would yield the same result for both. However, because the moderators often disgaree with users' flaggings of offensive material, I don't know why...

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Whats your favourite Coke or Coke Zero? Coke Zero is the low-calorie soda that tastes most like the original--- but it still tastes like a diet soda. Classic Coke for me.

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Should boosting the sound level of commercials be illegal? Yeah, I wish. There are countless things that I'd say should be illegal according to obvious ethical principles, but will never happen. Commercials ARE television. The programming is simply a means to get you to the commercials. That's how it pays for itself. So since ads are the means by which TV survives, they are free to do pretty much whatever they please within reason. They...

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What's your favorite movie that you think I've never seen? 12 Angry Men, followed by: The Elephant Man, Election, Kramer v. Kramer, Dr. Strangelove, Human Nature, The Deer Hunter.

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What is your favorite website? For news: truthdig.com For the "hidden" news and conspiracy theories: blackjackinfo.com/bb (see The Zen Zone) http://www.throwawayyourtv.com/TayTVforum/index.php For comprehensive music reviews: rateyourmusic.com For comprehensive film reviews: filmsite.org rogerebert.com For my ever-changing desktop wallpaper: guggenheimcollection.org ...

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What is your favorite older comedy (not too old but like late 80's back) National Lampoon's Vacation, Clifford, Young Frankenstein, Big, Beverly Hills Cop, and maybe even Dr. Strangelove.

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Why doesn't the US adopt the metric system? America tried to convert to the metric system in the 70's but to no avail. Why? I'd say because American sentiment forcefully perpetuates its uniqueness and superiority over everyone else. We're always told that America is #1, the land of the free, the home of the brave, the land of opportunity, the only superpower, the most powerful country in the world. So why should WE be the...

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What lyrics from what song describe you best? "Comes a time when you're driftin' Comes a time when you settle down Comes a light, feelin's liftin' Lift that baby right up off the ground This old world keeps spinning round. It's a wonder tall trees ain't layin' down." Neil Young, "Comes a Time"

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How come in year 2007 there is still so many religious people, I mean we know where lighting and rain comes from, we know now why there is day and night, aren't we bit old to still have imaginery friends. Hope nobody gets offended. The year has nothing to do with it. Just like always, there is evil in the world, so people still find consolation in religion. From a sociological standpoint, religion has several functions: 1) It brings people together. 2) It brings people comfort and consolation. 3) It addresses "big" questions like "Why do we exist?" and "How should we live?" Thus, our...

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Why are so many cartoon characters allowed to smoke,and does this send a message to children that smoking is something to forward to? The smoking scenes have been nearly completely removed from kids' programming, even to the extent that TV doesn't very often show those 1940's cartoons that more frequently depicted smoking. I think smoking in cartoons has little to no effect on kids. And why worry about smoking when the characters are hurting each other with guns, mallets, or laser beams? You mentioned...

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Why has it become a waste of time asking questions ?, people rarely rate them, all the points go to the answers I've got problems with this question. 1) This question is loaded because within it is an assertion that directly influences the answers. 2) Said assertion was ridiculous. 3) You know just by asking this that you will get loads of points. It's begging in a poor disguise. As a sage (as of this writing), you also know that the ratings are "Helpful" and "Not...

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Has anyone heard that new Beatles Album, Love. What do you think? It's great. It was produced by George Martin and his son, so obviously the true Beatles spirit was revered. The entire album, except for one string section, was composed of the Beatles' own recordings. The Martins slowed down, sped up, cut up, rearranged, and looped those recordings to give the songs a fresh perspective. There are a few parts where the songs weren't changed...

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Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Yesterday Colonel Mustard killed Mr. Boddy with the candlestick in the conservatory. Why? He's crazy, of course.

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What's your favorite single line from a poem or song lyric? Here's my favorite because it makes me smile every time I hear it: "One night I was layin down. I heard Mama n Papa talkin. I heard Papa tell Mama, 'Let that boy boy boogie-woogie. It's in 'im, and it's got to come out.' and I felt so good!" John Lee Hooker - "Boogie Chillun"

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Are there any businesses that you refuse to do business with? Why? I never go to Marathon gas stations. One close to where I used to live kept their gas prices about fifteen cents higher than everywhere near them. And I bought a soda there once that expired 18 months beforehand. And its employees were dirty, incompetent hicks who didn't know the meaning of "satisfied customer."

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Was our government so blinded by the shock of the impact of the planes they were binded by the demolition explosives that actually brought the WTC towers down? I don't think that they didn't know about the bombs. I think it went like this: 1) Terrorists planned the attack. 2) US intelligence found out and created a report for the White House. 3) The government planted the bombs in the buildings. 4) The planes hit, the bombs were detonated, and the buildings came down. Evidence for the explosion-theory are abounding. Here are a few...

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Does starbucks put more caffeine in their coffe so people will get addicted? I think so. I'm not too anti-Starbucks because they tend to treat their employees well (for now at least). However, they serve expensive, highly-caffienated coffee. A 16-ounce coffee at Starbucks has the same amount of caffiene as 5 1/2 regular-strength No-Doz pills. I've always thought that their success came from the fact that they promote this strange new "contemporary...

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Why does everyone care so much about Anna Nicole Smith so much right now? Nobody did before... she just had commercials for weightloss and starred in porno mags. Weird The media created her celebrity, so they had to deal with it when she died. She tried to be Marilyn Monroe and succeeded, although in a completely different way. Monroe was a sex symbol, with famous, respected husbands. I'd venture to say that she was an accurate icon of post-war American sentiment, full of pep and American pride. Smith, however, embodied our current sentiment, or maybe...

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What is the scientific method? Here's a simple graph that explains it. Just click on the image.

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How do "please keep off the grass" signs get there? Well, the rule isn't applied until the sign is placed. So walking onto the grass is okay, but then once you put the sign in the ground, you're dead wrong, pal!

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President Bush referred to the 911 terrorists as "cowards", do you agree with his use of this word or would you have used a different word? Why? I don't understand why it would be cowardly. They didn't aim to fight the US military, they wanted to make a statement. And it was very successful, as 9/11 is referred to daily. And the current insurgents aren't cowardly either. The "nobility" of standing out in the open with brightly decorated uniforms and shooting each other has been over for a while now. The goal...

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Do you think that Answerbag is starting to convert from usefull questions to silly and non-productive questions like this one? I agree. I'm finally used to the opinion questions, but some are ridiculous. I would like to see the elimination of or at least the separation between the "Crazy Thoughts/Pondering Time" categories and all the other questions. BTW, this question isn't silly.

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Let's play the slogan game. What's the best slogan you can think of for Answerbag? "You know what the say about opinions---and Answerbag has thousands of them!"

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Did you like the movie Cast Away? One of my favorites. You get to see this impatient, always-moving guy turn into something else entirely, and you share his isolation as the movie turns almost silent. I thought Cast Away did a great job of making you experience what he was going through.

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1 person has won both a Nobel and an Oscar. Who is that person? (provide linking docs if possible) George Bernard Shaw. Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/2u7ws5

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Do you know any foreign swear words? If so, which ones? A very common German swear word is "Scheisse!" which means "shit." Its frequency and vulgarity is like our "damn."

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If you had to compare yourself to an inanimate object, what would it be and why? A clock. Patiently waiting for the battery to die, sometimes frustrating, blank stare, very predictable, right at least twice a day even when it's dead wrong, hated when ahead but loved when behind, has a different face every minute of the day, sometimes at 10:10 and sometimes at 4:40, moving in circles and always coming back to the same place.

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What's your favourite album cover art? The story is that somebody within the Pink Floyd menagrie (producers, executives, etc.) wanted their next album cover to be (paraphrasing) "the least trippy thing imaginable," for reasons that Floyd fans may or may not understand. (That's something to think about while stoned.) Here is the cover to Atom Heart Mother, a great album with a few typical Floydian flaws. [edit: I...

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What is your favourite comment discussion on Answerbag? My favorite was the one where nevets, janacide and I argued over Descartes' arguments that he existed. For the record, nevets lost horribly. It was a good try, though. (haha)

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What are your thoughts on the astoundingly prevalent anti-American sentiment permeating across the world? It makes perfect sense. We're everywhere. Like everyone else, we're ethnocentric, but we feel the need to "prove" how we're the best, although such arguments normally have to do with money. I personally believe it all started when we jumped so vehemently into WWII. Morale was extraordinary and the post-war economy (and the industries boosting it) went through the roof...

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If you smoke,do you smoke in your home? I have a designated room to smoke-- upstairs near the window. I air it out often as I hate the stench of smoke when it lingers. If I can smell it then it smells twice as bad to my non-smoking wife. It gets cold sometimes, but still not as cold as outside.

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What is your favorite Aesop's fable? Why? Aesop: my absolute favorite and probably the most practical of moralists. I love "The Fox and the Grapes" fable and have used it throughout my life as a mediator between my lofty ambitions and my crash back to acceptance of reality. Short story even shorter: A fox sees some grapes hanging from a vine high above the ground. He jumps several times toward them but never comes...

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Are you a veteran? Do you have any stories you'd like to share? Baghdad, Mid-2003 My future wife and I were playing Two-Man Spades as we watched the local Iraqi men work in our makeshift bathroom. It was standard procedure at that time to monitor the workers as they performed whatever duties they had come to our base to do. Essentially that just meant that you had to have your weapon with you with your magazine in your pocket as you made sure they...

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If you could win the favor of any greek god, who would it be? Apollo or Dionysis, that way I'd either be eternally rockin or drinkin. Makes for a good time either way.

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As the Moon has no atmosphere, were the astronauts who landed on it in far greater danger of being struck by meteorites? I'd say yes, but we're still talking about very slim chances because of the vastness of space. I would compare it to shooting a gun into the air over a desert with the intention of having the bullet land on a cactus.

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How many comments to one answer are too many? For example an interchange between a commentor and an answerer that spans both answers... Did you ever rate the answer up because of the comments more than the answer itself? Comments are the only way we can discuss the issue, so I am a big advocate of the comment function. I'm not a big fan of people jumping in with fallacious arguments, but that's the nature of the beast with any discussion among strangers. And since the ratings only affect the answerer, I rate based only the answerer's input, primarily the answer. I sometimes rate up if he...

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Who would win in a fight The Ghost Rider, Spiderman, Thor,Hulk,or Captain America. I suppose it depends on the mood of who is writing the comic. Many of us have seen Spider-Man, Captain America, and Batman defeat the Juggernaut, Thor, and Superman, respectively. But for the sake of the fantasy, Spider-Man and Captain America don't have any business in this kind of brawl. Ghost Rider doesn't do much unless he pulls some serious hellfire stuff. So it's either...

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What is a chord with the intervals 1, b3, 5, 7 called? The plusses and circles and b3's confuse me, so I just stick with what everyone knows. If I want a major seventh, I call it "maj7." I would call your intervals a minor chord with a major seventh, such as Cm(maj7): 1-C b3-Eb 5-G 7-B A 1-b3-5-b7 would be Cm7: 1-C b3-Eb 5-G b7-Bb The numbers refer to major tones, so a 3 is a major third and a b3 is a minor third....

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Why do so many band names start with the word "the"? It's the most logical way to name a band, just like a group of anything would be so named. If there are a group of teachers and a group of students standing over there, you'd say this group consists of the teachers and that group the students. So that was what the first rock groups tended to name themselves. Obviously, since not all of them could call themselves "The...

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How many degrees removed are you from the actor Kevin Bacon? My cousin met Dustin Hoffman once, who was in "Outbreak" with Kevin Bacon. I thought it would take a lot longer than that to find the separation. Trippy.

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What is the best way for a woman to get a man to want to have sex with her, or to at least fantasize about her. Something not sexual though...like maybe a certain look or something....I don't know... As you're walking away or standing facing away from the man, turn only your head and shoulders toward him with a smile, and then turn back. Any similar movement where the woman is clearly going out of the way to look at the man is a clear sign of attraction. As for specifically making the man wanting to have sex with the woman, well, that's a given anyways.

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What are your thoughts on the American Government today (in general)? do you think politicians are doing their jobs? I'm no history expert, but throughout the times American policies haven't seemed to change much. We're still sticking our noses into everyone's business, wasting Congress' time with trivial matters, beating dead horses with sex scandals. We're still all over the world trying to act like some great mediator while we have innumerable problems at home. As for...

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Does the military have a paricular order for drafting people(e.g. people with military experience get drafted first)? I'm guessing here, but I'd say yes. When a soldier-to-be signs his initial contract, he signs for a MINIMUM of eight years. So if he does a standard four-year enlistment and then gets out, recruiters hound him for an additional four years to rejoin and intimidate him into thinking he'll be recalled any minute anyway because of (fill in the blank with a contemporary threat to US...

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Should the US government legalize prostitution? It should be legal. But what are the pros and cons? I'll throw them out there as educated guesses, then find evidence to support them. (Working backwards, eh?) Pros: 1) Less STD's. 2) More money for the government. 3) More work opportunities for financially desperate women (and sometimes men). 4) Less jail space/court time spent on everyone involved in this victimless...

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Why is there no Euro sign on my keyboard? I hold Alt then press 0128 to get the Euro sign (€).

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What's your favorite drum solo in a rock song? The Who's "Cobwebs abd Strange."

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Do u find it difficul to understand the news sometimes?.....sometimes u thin 'wht r they goin on abt'? Television news is not unlike other programs in that they are specifically designed to keep you watching. The stations often send reporters to the scene as fast as possible, but then end up only giving us maybe two sentences of actual information with loads of irrelevancies and filler. Also note the visual aspect of TV news. Again, like most shows the camera cuts away every few seconds so...

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The centre section of a theater holds 10 seats in a row.The left section holds 3 seats in a row.right section holds 4 seats in a row.The centre has 5 more rows than each of the side sections. The total no.of seats is 390.How many rows are in each section. Let x be the number of rows on the L and R sides, because they have the same amount. 3x + 4x + 10(x+5) = 390 Explained: 3 seats times x rows will give you the number of seats in the L side. 4 seats times x rows will give you the number of seats in the R side. To get the center, you take 10 seats times the amount of rows it has, which is x+5 (Five more than the L or R side). ...

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What's the secret to awesome, delicious Spaghetti Sauce? If you don't want to spill your secret, what are some things that really makes the sauce great? Add lots of mushrooms, black olives, and basil. Some thinly sliced carrots are also a great addition. Add a conservative amount of tobasco sauce and garlic.

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Whats the worst food you have ever tasted? No one's said "liver" yet? Try it and then edit your answer!

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How much of a jump is it for a minor who is drinking and getting high off sharpies to go to things like pot and crack? In the grand scheme of things, the order of those you have listed are like this: Smoking lots of pot: bad Drinking too much: very bad Sniffing Sharpies: very bad and utterly pathetic Crack: enter your worst nightmare This is a VERY serious problem. In moderation, alcohol and pot use are insignificant. Without moderation, pot can make you careless and lazy, whereas alcohol can destroy...

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If you could choose a song to die to, which would it be? The only way to go is with The Beatles' "A Day in the Life." The intro, appropriately enough, is simple and calm. Then you get your first crescendo as a trial run for the end. Your heart will race and your mind won't stop. Then it gets peppy. You can just picture Ringo boppin' his head to the beat. "Woke up, got outta bed, dragged a comb across my head......

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What day does lent start this year? Found on the Internet: Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent begins on 21 February 2007 and ends on 7 April 2007, which is the day before Easter. In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on 5 April (Holy Thursday), with the beginning of the...

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Do you know how to properly dispose of the American flag. If so, when did you learn it? In the Army I learned that you're supposed to cut the Union (blue rectangle) to separate it from the stripes, then burn both in a "respectful" manner. As an educated guess, I would assume that means you must be in uniform and in an isloated area. BTW, fun facts: If a flag touches the ground, it should be destroyed. [edit] ...and most US flags are made in Taiwan.

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I see a lot of creative symbols from people,so how can I replace my stupid looking bag with question mark in it to something else? Go to any site on the Internet. Find a bunch of pictures you'd like as your avatar-candidates. Right-click on each one and click "Save Picture as..." and save it to somewhere on your computer that you will remember it. Go to AB's "Profile and Activity" and select "Change Avatar." Click Browse and find your picture. If it doesn't work, keep trying...

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The Simpsons have made fun of Bill Clinton numerous times. Has George W. Bush received the same treatment? In the 2006 Treehouse of Horror special, aliens come to Springfield and almost completely destroy the place, although unintentionally. One frustrated alien says to the other, "And you said we'd be greeted as liberators!"

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What is the population of your hometown? I moved from my hometown of 2,000 to my now-permanent hometown of 100,000 and not much feels different.

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What are some sayings you use? eg well if the cap fits...... Ehhh, whaddya gonna do? Hate it for ya. S'not my prob, Bob. What's the quandary, Robert? Gah. Chuh. Calm it down, meteorite.

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Can you write a 10 word sentence without using the letter "e"? (a guy did a book like that once) You must start this task by ignoring all that burrows its way into your mind.

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What's your favorite mnemonic? Every Body Gets Down At Ed's. (Guitar strings, high tones to low) Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing (referring to hill, valley, ridge, saddle, and depression as the major features on a military map) All Cows Eat Grass (Bass clef spaces, low to high)

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Bruce Lee vs Muhammad Ali: In their prime who would win? and why? I'd say Bruce Lee. He trained to use his whole body to fight, whereas Ali trained his upper body to box. Certainly Ali never learned the most effective way to finish an opponent while on the ground. And as for Skip-2-my-Lou saying that Bruce Lee said that he would lose to Ali... Well, neither of the two was the most humble of men, but I'd say Lee was just trying to be affable....

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Do you have any predictions for 2007? Explain. Bush will start his futile legacy preservation and tone it down a bit. (Just a bit.) Congress will act like the Terminator for the whole year, but not so much after that. Although there will be no troop surge, the numbers that are already there won't leave until the end of the year or later. If he takes a strong stance on just a few more causes, Al Gore will pull the Democrats into the...

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What was your favorite song growing up? George Thorogood's version of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer." I had no idea what bourbon was, I thought Scotch was liquid butterscotch, and I only knew what beer looked like. So I had no idea why he would order so many drinks. Because he spoke through most of the song, it was easy to remember. But again I had no idea what "lovey-dovey" or "and then she was...

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Does Bob Saccamano have the manliest name ever? Of course, it fits him. After all, this is a guy that made condoms and ate horses.

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I want to become an author someday, and I couple days ago I asked what you all looked for in a fiction novel. Many of you said "depth of characters", so I am working on that. What are some very effective ways I could do that? Your ideas are very helpful! I like to learn about fictional characters slowly, just as we do in real life. Have you seen "Sideways" or "About Schmidt"? I love those movies as they don't bombard you with the character, but let you into their psyche slowly. I find that this creates an intimacy between you and the character and you genuinely root for them, even if they are flawed. And for the...

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Has anyone else had dreams where something happens in it and later not neccasarily soon after the occurence actually happens? Many times, but then again I'm misleading you. Needhelpbadly's answer talked about deja vu, and here's a recent AB conversation on the matter: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/117398

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Did you have a good 2006 or are you glad to see it go? 2006 didn't do it for me. Nothing special. Let's see something interesting happen this go-around. (If anyone can make that happen without climbing a tower with a rifle in hand, then do us all a favor.)

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What societies practice, or have practiced, polyandry? From my trusty sociology book: "It exists today in among the small (about 500) Toda tribe in southern India, among some isolated Tibetan peoples, and among the Marquesan Islanders. To maintain a surplus of males, polyandry is associated with female infanticide and such a high degree of female insubordination that an unsurmountable chasm separates the genders in status."

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Is today groundhog day? When is it? How does it work? Groundhog Day is always the 33rd day of the year. And your best bet is to expect the opposite of what the groundhog tells you. Statistically, he is wrong more often then he's right.

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Should the US increase the number of American troops in Iraq to stabilize the country? Most Americans think not, and that includes the Congress, the military, and regular Joes like you and me. So should the Commander-In-Chief ignore what the majority of Americans think? If this same scenario `(as described above) was instead occurring in South America, for instance, Americans would be calling the leader a "dictator."

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Why is American food so very sweet? I'm thinking of things like bread, baked beans etc, which aren't sweet at all anywhere else I have been in the world. I link it to our pride and heritage in being big consumers. Here's the way it appears to be going to me: (1) Sugar is put into all food, and people love it for years. Products sell well. (2) We realize that people are getting fat, so companies start the health craze so people will now buy the "healthy" food. These products sell well. For those who are stubborn and...

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What do you regret not doing the most? I most regret regretting, so I most regret not doing less regretting. The mind is a funny thing because when thoughts come in they are difficult to stop. The past is gone, but the memory remains. (You won this time, Metallica, but I will be back. Oh yes. I will be back.)

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When you first joined, did you find the existing answerbaggers welcoming or not? We never talked to each other.

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What is a good name for a band? (that hasn't been used as far as you know) The One Hundreds, The Hydrophosphates, Predicate, and A Decent Band.

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If a troll is someone who rates you down... Then what is someone called if they rate you up? A person that rates up an AB post is: Normally, a person that agrees with you. So that would be a "friend." (At least by appearances.) Ideally, a person that believes your answer was helpful to those who sought the answer to the question at hand. So an "advocate." But you must spitefully downrate many questions at once to be considered a troll. So the opposite of...

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Do you think black people are being cheated because February as "Black History Month" is the shortest month of the year? First, here's one of wikipedia.org's first sentences on the matter: "Mary Church Terrell began the practice of honoring Frederick Douglass on his February 14th birthday in 1900, according to her autobiography, in Washington DC." Okay, so on to more important matters: I am utterly amazed from reading these answers. Some time ago when I defended affirmative action in a...

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Fourteen more days.... Until Valentine's Day! Is this an extra special day to you OR Just another day? (grumble) I'm forced to recognize it. I have this curse (or blessing, depending on how you look at it) where every significant celebration-of-any-sort in my life comes in winter. During this season my bank's employees have to work overtime each night. I'm a strong believer in making each day special for your partner, as opposed to being forced to spend money arbitrarily on...

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Who's an artist that everybody loves that you just don't appreciate very much? For me, Dylan and Neil Young. I wish I was in your environment for a day! I know no one that likes Neil Young and I adore him. The big ones: The Clash, Metallica, Elton John Some more: Any emo whatsoever, Soundgarden, any bubblegum punk, Bob Dylan, Nine Inch Nails, Nickelback

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What kind of people do you absolutely hate or are against? (not stereo-types, I mean like ex: presidents, singers, gay, rich, bums, etc.) I generally loathe: Those who are famous that deserve only a mere fraction of their celebrity status (Paris Hilton, Katie Couric, Tommy Lee, anyone on American Idol) Drunken, screaming eighteen to twentysomethings Beligerent old people with perma-scowls who reply to anything you say with an old saying and a change of subject (come on, give me wisdom!) and anyone who defends their...

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If only one book existed, which book would you like it to be? "How to Make Your Own Printing Press" by Joe Schmoe or seriously: The Dictionary.

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Do you ever do favours for others,and inside yourself expect these people to return a favour,possibly equal to the favour you gave to them? I do that. Although my endeavor may be altruistic, I expect it to be, at the very least, recognized. At the time, only a thanks is in order. When I need a favor, I'll expect that the person will do the same for me. I don't consider this selfish because I don't grant favors to people who I believe are just going to take advantage of me. I do favors for people that I know will...

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What can I do to overcome my shyness? The best way to get over shyness is to force yourself to be social. It's one of those things that must be initiated without thought. There are many reasons for shyness, but you'll find that just forcing out some conversation is hard at first and, after about ten seconds, you can feel it boiling away.

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How did 'black ice' get its name? Because it is actually clear, it blends in with the pavement. And it's eeeevil.

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ACDC or Van Halen? This is like comparing CCR with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Both are great bands, each with a long list of excellent songs, with one band being more technically proficient than the other. I would go with AC/DC because of the consistency. VH has some very high points in addition to many mediocre ones. One could say the same of AC/DC, but because they intentionally create songs with only slightly varying...

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Do you have any conceivable reason for even getting up in the morning? I like to get the daily news...

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What is the most overused phrase yet underpracticed philosophy to date? Never look a gift horse in the mouth. It is better to keep silent and appear a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. The best revenge is living well.

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In the Tom Cruise movie "Vanilla Sky: How long was he "dreaming"? He finally awoke to a time where they could heal him. He started the dream when the English guy (a representative from that Lucid Company, later to be Cruise's Tech Support) found him lying in the street. It was the morning after he had a squabble with Penelope Cruz. He woke up in the last two seconds of the film. Everything in between was his dream, and the weird stuff was Lucid's technical problems. Ideally, he should have lived the...

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Can you explain the plot and time line of the movie Mulholland Drive? This movie was waaaay too confusing. So I suppose director David Lynch considered this a success. A friend and I watched it once, and we were transfixed... but then it ended and we were perplexed. We talked about it for a while, then started it again. We thought we would only watch it until the pieces fell together... but we watched the whole damn thing again! GRRRR... Well, I looked it up...

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In your opinion, which is U2's best album and why? I want to buy one of their albums but I don't know which one. This is only a half-answer, unfortunately. I'm not crazy for them and I own none of their albums, but I hear that The Joshua Tree is supposed to be one of their best. I highly recommend this excellent site for similar questions in the future: rateyourmusic.com

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How many onces in 1.75 liters? I got 58.09 fluid ounces to 1.75 liters.

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Do you do anything that you know is bad for you? I smoke a lot, occasionally eat fatty/sweet food, cross my legs when sitting a lot, sometimes sit or walk with a bad posture, and stay in the sun for too long in the summertime. But life should be lived and not feared. That's my motto.

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Do you see organized religion as a way of controlling the masses? Absolutely. Also be careful to note that you're asking if it is A way to control the masses. It is much easier for the powerful in the society to keep the weak (ie, lower classes)* under control by convincing them that they will eventually be rewarded, albeit not in this life. The Sermon on the Mount, for instance, advises society's weak to be comfortable in this life despite...

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For the atheists: A large star positioned perfectly to give our planet warmth and light,the pleasure of food, music,sports,love,hate,forgiveness,friends,family,a baby's smile,water to drink, bathe, swim in. "All one big accident"? This is the argument to design and its validity has been created and destroyed and recreated as long as it has been around. Here are only a few arguments against it: Just because the universe seems complex doesn't mean that we can assume that a supernatural being created it. In nearly all other matters, what we commonly regard as true are those things which have been proven or very...

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Is it true that the word "Rythm" is the only word in the english language that has no vowels? Y is a vowel when it functions as a vowel. Y is a consonant when it functions as a consonant. In the word "yearly," the first y is a consonant and the second y is a vowel. Every word has a vowel.

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What exactly made "Lost in Translation" a great film- what point did I miss? [SPOILER ALERT for those who haven't seen it] The idea was that these two people have problems with their significant others, but since those problems are unsaid in each relationship, there isn't an acknowledgement, let alone closure. Murray's and O'Hara's characters, therefore, have become sullenly apathetic. Later they meet and find some comfort in one another. ...

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What movie is the cheesiest in your opnion? Vanilla Sky. Why does the script keep forcing us to recognize that the quotes in this movie are supposed to be memorable and touching? "I'll meet you in another life when we're both cats." "I'm a pleasure-delayer." What the hell? And the jerking around of who's who? and what is this? and blah blah. No thanks. There are more entertaining...

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What annoys you more than anything? People that mishear you with a surprised look, then you repeat what you said, and then they sigh with relief and say, "Ohhh! I was gonna say!..." Yeah, I get it. You were amazed for one second. I don't care what you were gonna say. Grocers who ask if I want my soda or gum in a bag or not. Just give me my merchandise so I can go. Fine print and asterisks.

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Which astronomer 1st said that the sun was the center of the universe Copernicus. Galileo was later.

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Do you think the benefits you receive for joining the army are worth it? It depends on the values that you admire. The benefits that come with enlisting are great, both in quality and quantity. Sometimes you have to fight to get those benefits and go through miles of red tape, but that's beside the point. Unless you desperately need to get out of the hole financially, the issue of joining for the benefits should be mostly irrelevant; there's no question...

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John Calvin seems to have separated his people from the world. How does Calvinism play a role in dividing Calvinist from everyone else? The idea of predestination had enormous impact on the West, one example being that followers maintained a very strong work ethic in order to prove that they were likely to be among the pre-ordained elect. Because God doesn't want you to desire material objects, these hard-working followers tended to accumulate large savings. So in effect, those that appeared to be "chosen" were...

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How many times should a deck of cards be shuffled before dealing them? It depends on the game you're playing and who you're playing with. For instance, you could imagine that players who are playing poker for money want a more thorough shuffle than a group of friends playing Hearts. When I play cards I tend to shuffle as long as other players can stand it, maybe for 45 seconds or so; I riffle them, then remove about 1/4 deck from the center and put...

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If you could change any ending to any movie, which would it be? The Elephant Man. If you've seen it, you know that the film's first and last thirty seconds or so show John Merrick's mother in a dream, but we learn as we watch the film that these sequences are out of place and wholly unnecessary. The ending sequence with John in his bedroom are enough to break a man down, and the film should have faded out with that alone.

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Which is the best bumper sticker you have come across? "Honk if you voted for Bush---it's the big button in the middle of your steering wheel"

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The ratio one to ten (1:10) means "one for every ten." Isn't that the same as "one in eleven"? I wasn't satisfied with any answer. I checked some math sites and wikipedia. Here is my claim. From wikipedia.org upon searching "ratio": "If a school has a 20:1 student-teacher ratio, there are twenty times as many students as teachers." Okay, so 20:1 means "20 to 1" or "20 for every 1." So if you take a group of 21 people from that school,...

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Marvel or DC? Marvel completely burned me out from reading comics years ago during the Onslaught/"Heroes Reborn" saga. It was a complete waste of time. Then X-Men got simply ridiculous with the trillions of characters and then they revamped everything and started from scratch...ARRRRGH! And it sucked because Marvel has so many great characters. At that same time, DC had a few but great comics...

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The famous quote "To be or not to be" what does it mean? Hamlet is debating whether or not to commit suicide, rationalizing the pros and cons of living in this crazy world.

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I am looking for a specific skit from Seinfeld. The one I wanted is where someone's blood sugar had dropped and Kramer is cramming cookies in their mouth. I am looking for funning skits to show to nursing students. Any suggestions? This is from the episode entitled "The Alternate Side" from Season 3. As for more skits, I can't think of any. Sorry.

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What unique and original chords can't you live without? (I'll also answer.) Great question! Here are a few of mine in standard tuning. I hope I named them correctly. (low to high) - Eadd6(no 3rd)--- (0476xx) - Amaj7 --- (x07999) - Gadd2 --- (3x020x) - Bm --- (7x0787)

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Who has the best avatar on AB? This is a duplicate question. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/68453

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Define wilting cofficient The wilting coefficient is the soil water content below which plants wilt and do not recover when placed in a humid atmosphere.

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Are people being EXTRA trolly today?, I've been rated down a lot, and noticed a lot of perfectly good answers getting negative points. It must be due to mathematical variance. But then again, I haven't seen any trolls today, and I've even poked my head under a bridge or two.

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When? On three!

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My girlfriend recently found a guy that she enjoys hanging out with. She stayed at his house last night with a bunch of people. She just told me that she slept in his bed and snuggled him cause they were cold. Oh, and she was tipsy... Is this cheating? One form or another of this question seems to pop up on here hourly. Here is an answer that will stifle this barrage forever (well, maybe thirty seconds): If your partner did the same thing, would you be okay with it? What is this "is it cheating or not?" question about, anyway? The distinction between cheating or not is so debated that it easily fits the "to each their...

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I have a religion exam tomorrow and i was wondering if anybody knoes the seven positions of prayer in Islam and also how many times Islams wash themselves during ritual cleansing? please if u could answer ASAP thanksss The seven positions in Islamic prayer are... uhhh wait... I forgot. My mistake. Disregard. BTW, on your test tomorrow call them "Muslims" instead of "Islams." There, I helped you cheat a little.

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My friend believs in God, but gets mad at things like the nine eleven and the titanic she thinks God shouldn't let that happen what should I tell her? God works in mysteeeeeerious ways. or Everything happens for a reason. Like the Inquisition.

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What is 'deja vu' exactly, and what explanations are out there that account for why people experience it? I HEARD by a skeptic like myself say that deja vu occurs when your brain mistakenly sends a current to your long-term memory instead of to the short-term as is intended. Sort of an accidental "short-circuit" of neurons. Made sense to me. [edited: corrected awkward wording]

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How do you smoke a pipe? Hold it in your mouth and light the tobacco. Once the tobacco is lit, suck on it. Use your cheeks, not your lungs; this means suck like you would from the straw inside of a full glass of soda, as opposed to how you suck on an empty glass of soda to get that last bit. Lastly, ignore the pipe and inhale the smoke that's in your mouth. Repeat as desired. If the product in the pipe is a...

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Are you content with your life right now? elaborate? My life could be much better, but I am more than content. I tend to compare my life with those below me. For example, I didn't die at birth. I've never spent an entire day without food. I've never been beaten with a club. Like most of us I've had some despicable people take advantage of me. I've had lots of money stolen and lots of lies told to my face, but that...

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What is the difference between an agnostic and an atheist? To be as comprehensive as I can: the prefix "a" means "without" and "theism" means "belief in god(s)." There is a distinction between "believing there are not any gods" and "not believing in gods." The former is a positive statment (ie, an assertion) wheres the latter is a negative statement (ie, absence of assertion). For example,...

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What is the best reference book you have ever used? (Not including dictionaries or encyclopedias) My college Intro-to-Sociology book. Instead of selling it back to the bookstore for a fraction of the original price, I kept mine and it's easily the book that I've opened the most. I call it the Book of Truth. Want to know a universal taboo? Want to know the flaws in the US government? Want to know why we have laws or fashion or religion? Check out sociology.

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Where is the best place to sit at a blackjack table? This answer interprets "best" to mean "most profitable," as several other answerers have done. It doesn't matter where you sit. Noting only the cards that are currently on the table does not influence your play whatsoever. The majority of the games you will find are 6 or 8 deck shoes, so watching the table is useless unless you count cards. And if you want to play...

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What is the longest word without useing the same letters twice? It sounded like an amusing question, so I looked it up. "Dermatoglyphics" and "uncopyrightable" each have fifteen letters.

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What is the objectave of this site? When AB was young it concentrated on legitamate Q's and A's and had very strong moderation. Now that AB offers badges, people constantly ask and answer in order to raise their point levels. One-word answers, while likely being accurate from the answerer's point of view, are often rated highly (Helpful) although in real life one-word answers would rarely be called...

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What is your favorite song and why? "The peculiar thing is that the song we played on that fateful night... it didn't sound anything like this song! This is just a Tribute!"

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What's your favorite Nirvana song? "Tourette's" because of the indecipherable screaming and catchy little chorus. "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" because the intro rocks.

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What quote, saying, or piece of advice has made the biggest impact on your life? Haste makes waste. Catch a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life. And the best: The lazy man works twice as hard.

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What are some really good books that you think I would like if I said that I liked pretty much anything? - And please be serious, I mean it. Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of Its Enemies - (forget authors) - The title says it all. Night (Elie Weisel, already mentioned) - About a man's experience in a concentration camp; unable to put down. Amusing Ourselves to Death (Neil Postman) - 1984 book about how society is being transformed by television; talks less about its content and more about HOW it sends messages and...

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If you could tell me to read any book of the bible...what would it be and why? I like Ecclisastes because it's so pessimistic. It's a simple read and its morals are straight-forward. The first time I read it (back when I was spiritual), I thought, "Man, why did they even put this in here? This is going to drive some people away!" Of course, I doubt it ever did.

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Why is such importance placed on marriage in our society? Marriage encourages families, and families are universally acknowledged as the most effective way to raise a child.

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Are females really worst drivers that men? Why? Loads of studies have shown that women have fewer accidents than men. In my experiences, however, I think most people think they're better drivers than they actually are.

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Is there a commercial out there that you cringe to when it comes on? If so, what is it? Rich, chocolate Ovaltine! The over-acting has got to be deliberate. After all, I always remember it.

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How to improve sight reading? Concentrate on recognizing what notes go where. For instance, the G sits on top on the treble clef, so stare at the sheet music playing a G. Continue learning the notes ONE BY ONE from middle C to the G (or whatever range you use most often). This enables you to play the note as soon as you see it instead of constantly saying, "hmmm, every good boy does... OK that's an F!" And...

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What is the safest way to consume tobacco to avoid cancer? Do brand names make a difference? I don't know the safest way, but it's true that it's [edit] 2.28 times more likely for you to get oral cancer from cigarettes than snuff. And I agree with you: You asked a clear question, but everyone wanted to sneak around it to preach to you, as if you didn't already know that tobacco isn't good for you. BTW, nicotine use decreases the chance of getting...

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Does classical music really increase brain activity? Doubtful. This rumor started with one study conducted years ago that showed people who listened to Mozart before taking a test did better than those who didn't listen. The media blew this one out of proportion.

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Is there any way to get high off of regular drugs found at home, and which ones would they be?....excluding alcohol, and paint thinner. Every drug, regardless of legal status, is created with a specific dosage in mind. After all, if the desired effect isn't achieved, you wouldn't buy more of it later; that would be a horrible business practice for both legitimate drug companies and illicit drug dealers. Anything you find around the house will NOT be designed for drug use, therefore very likely extremely dangerous.

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On average, which ethnic race in the US is the poorest? Native Americans.

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What are you doing in slowing down the polluting of our environment—land, sea, and air? I recycle as much as I can. I take wastefullness as a personal fault and I'm very surprised more people don't. Reusing things is up there too, and reducing comes with that. And whenever I finish a cigarette in a car, I tear the last bit of tobacco off and throw it out of the window and keep the butt to discard later into a trash can.

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You're walking down a dark alley when someone puts a gun to your back and says, "Yankees or Red Sox?" What do you do? My logic tells me that if I was in New York, then everyone I see would be Yankees fans, so if someone was crazy enough to do this, it would mean he's a demented Red Sox fanatic who has gone crazy from being taunted his whole life. So in New York, I'd say, "Red Sox." Vice versa for Boston. Anywhere else, I'd hope for the best and cry like a schoolgirl.

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Can you name three guitarists who played for the band, the Yardbirds? Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page.

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I just saw a clip of Rosie O'Donnell ragging on the American Idol judges for making fun of potential contestants appearance. After her Trump comb over impersonation, do you think she is credible? Or do you think she is a hypocrite? I don't know how credible she is in general, but in this instance I don't think she's a hypocrite. I think she was implying that she's opposed to making fun of people who have no control over what they look like, as in this case, the guy with the big eyes on American Idol. Trump chooses to have an unusual hairstyle, so she thinks it's fair game. However,...

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Is 15 mins good to engine idle at the start of the day? I've read that an engine shouldn't be in idle when started for more than 15 seconds. After that, you drive very slowly without sudden acceleration. This is the ideal method as it not only reduces engine wear and gas consumption, but will warm the engine fastest.

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What do you do or think/say to yourself that makes time feel like it's passing by faster? I say, "Don't look at the clock! Resist the urge..."

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The burgar barn sells 3 hambugars for every 2 cheeseburgars. a total of 60 burgars was sold this afternoon. how many of them were cheeseburgars? For every five burgers, 3 are hamburgers. For 60, burgers, 36 are hamburgers and 24 are cheeseburgers.

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Are fast food companies responsible for the damage their products do to people's health? Especially the children they target agressively with their advertising? Should fast food marketing to children be made illegal? The other answers point out some obvious and reasonable answers to the first two questions. I won't repeat those answers. My two cents on the third question: Marketing to children is deplorable. It's true that adults have the ultimate decision in buying the product, but ask yourself one question: Why hasn't it stopped? Because it WORKS! Not only are kids going to influence...

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What is your favorite letter in the English alphabet and why? I like W. 1) It's always written as VV but it's still called "double-u." 2) In German, it has a "v" sound, so it has versatility. 3) Who, what, where, when, and why. It's almost got a monopoly! But since that's illegal, we have "how." 4) It's "Whiskey" in the military's phonetic alphabet, showing that it knows how to...

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Whats the best or worst pick up line ever? I was the world's worst pick-up line guy when I was single. I'm not the kind of person to have a cutesy one or a funny one, and I don't care for them in general. But in a loud bar with the music blaring I'd sometimes lean in toward a girl, smile and say, "exabuh dannomite." Obviously, the response was always, "What?" But during that "What?"...

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Why did I have to learn algebra in high school, or shakespeare for that matter? What about how to invest for your future, or balance a chequebook? If any branch of math beyond arithmetic is helpful, it's algebra! I can't tell you how many times I've used it when I knew several variables except one and then used algebra to find the answer. However, I have yet to use slope-intercept form in my daily activities, so you got me there. Some of those subjects you learned in school weren't necessary for real-life. They were...

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Why is it so much more illegal to kill/harm an "officer of the law" rather than a mother or a teacher or a church official? Because killing a cop is perceived as an attack on the government. Naturally the government will defend itself with laws that carry especially heavier punishments for those that threaten it.

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What was the easiest "Final Jeopardy" clue you've seen? The easiest one I've seen was something to the effect of, "What is the fourth-largest US state?" (In answer form, of course)

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I get the feeling all these "whats this pill" questions are from kids for a pharm party.What do you think? Great answers. My logic would tell me that if the questioner is on medication and doesn't recognize the pill he has in his hand, then he should ask his physician/pharmacist and take more caution with his pills. If the questioner is someone looking to get high, then we're helping them out by answering the question (and that's up to you if it's right or not). I don't care...

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If you could scream one word out in public and no one would care, what would it be? QUIET!

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What do you think of the fact that during his State of the Union speech, President Bush made no mention of the Gulf Coast's Hurricane Katrina victims, or of plans and ideas to aid that area and it's residents? I saw that report on CBS also. They said that 13,000 people are still in those FEMA trailers. I would've thought that bringing light back on this subject would have helped his approval rating, at least a little. He's wasting everyone's time with this lost cause in Iraq. His legacy isn't looking good so far (obvious understatement).

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What would you do if you found out your wife was a distant relative(2nd cousin or something along those lines) after being married for a while? It would be quite surprising, but we'd get over it. Most people don't realize that even first cousins have only a slightly greater risk of having children with genetic disorders as compared to non-cousins.

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What wouldn't you wish to your worst enemy? The second-worst painful disease you can imagine. I'd rather him have the first. "One bad turn deserves another." Aesop

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What do you think about the UK prison crisis? (if you don't know, the UK government has issued a memo to judges to only use jail as a last resort for the worst offenders as there is a shortage of prison places) Well, obviously this is a practical solution. A similar situation happened is Cincinnati, OH, about a year ago (and maybe even now.) Unfortunately, there are a lot of pot-smokers/dealers/growers in jail that are taking up tax-paid space, food, and money that could be used for the search and detainment of violent offenders. Too bad. Is the UK also failing to prioritize crime?

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What was/is/will be your college major? Why did you pick it? Would you ever reconsider? I originally majored in Classical Guitar. I was so stupid in college that I should have majored in Naiveté. I was a decent guitar player, and I stuck with practicing (homework), but I never developed the interest in classical guitar that I thought I would. About midway through my freshman year I switched my major to Irresponsibility, and drinking became my homework. It was a costly...

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Smoking cigarettes: From a smoker's point of view is there a true positive side to smoking? Not really. We know we're hooked so we just keep on truckin'. It's satisfying to indulge the habit: to have something in your hand, to inhale the smoke, etc. Yes, we know it's bad for us. We don't quit because we always think we can quit some other time. It takes so long for smoking to be seriously harmful that we don't pay much attention to what's happening...

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Have you ever had questions that were rejected? why? Yes, I had three legitimate questions rejected in mid-2005. This was long before AB's moderation dropped into obscurity. My questions were what they---at the time--- deemed "unclear" or "subjective." I could find 3,000 questions asked in the last month (maybe week?) that would have failed by the old rules. Now I can ask a question like, "What color am I thinking...

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Survey/Poll: Would you like to see Answerbag require anonymous comments for all "Not Helpful" ratings? I'll turn the results in to Answerbag HQ, so the more votes, the better. Yes, but it should go both ways; if you rate up (an answer at least), you should comment also. I don't like the downrating without justification, but I also hate seeing irrelevant questions getting more points than they deserve. I also don't like seeing a "cutesy" answer to a serious question get points either. That's just as senseless. While we're at it, how...

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Are you watching Bush's State Of The Union Address now? Just to listen to nothing new and people giving standing ovations after every sentence? No thanks. I'll catch the highlights on the news tomorrow.

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How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat? My take on it: It's a sly mispronunciation (and lewd metaphor) of the nouns and the second verb. Get it? No? Oh well.

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If you had name your child after an object, what would it be? If I was forced, then Rick (as in logs) for a boy and Jewel for a girl.

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Does spanking your child cause him to hit other children? Here are a few links to get you started if you have a serious interest in this debate. Feel free to explore on your own. (But that should go without saying.) http://people.biola.edu/faculty/paulp/sweden.html http://www.childprotectionreform.org/policy/spanking/spare_the_rod.htm http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/defense_of_spanking/but_the_experts_say.html ...

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Why does it seem like good ol' Christian morals are going down the toilet? People, listen: ethics and religion are not synonomous terms. Rape, war, and abuse in every form are way down as compared to long ago. Yes, in many ways things are getting worse, but it's not because of atheists--- it's because kids are passively watching too much TV! As much as we like to believe otherwise, TV programming does influence us. No, we don't know fiction from...

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It's not too girlish of a young teen boy like me to dream about marriage with a nice pretty girl, a family, etc.. is it? (People tell me it is). Almost any thought that enters your head as a teenager is normal. Your hormones are so chaotic that you won't even know what the hell to do with yourself. And that's how it's always been. But why would you want us to tell you that it IS too girlish to think of getting married? ... Maybe you need to reread your question...

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IF there was a hole that went directly through the Earth, through the center, and out the opposite side, and you fell in it, would you stop in the center? This question was asked not long ago: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/89511

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Who is the most over rated actor or actress? For a while there Cuba Gooding Jr. was a hot commodity, but I always thought he overdid his lines. And I can't think of a movie I've liked that starred the over-hyped Julia Roberts, but then again, I'm a guy.

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Do you have true empathy for other people? I most definitely do. I'm always putting myself into other people's shoes so as to have a better understanding of them. However, once that more accurate understanding is reached, my opinion of the person normally changes to a slight degree. Empathy yields different results from situation to situation, and therefore is a lifelong process of observing others. I mention this only to show...

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What do you think is the best use of the cowbell in a Rock and Roll song? Cowbell adds spice to any song. I love the gradual build-up and eventual use of cowbell in Marilyn Manson's "Mr. Superstar." And speaking of the SNL sketch, do you notice that we hardly ever use an article ("the" in this case) with "cowbell" anymore? It's subtle but hilarious.

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Why are tall, dark and handsome guys so irresistible? Because you've been told they are.

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Who is your favorite bassist? mine is flea of RHCP *EDIT* and from what band? I like Pink Floyd's Roger Waters. Not too much, not too little, right notes at the right time, and a nice, clean tone.

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In a job interview, when they ask what you think is your biggest fault or weakness, what do you give as an answer? I was asked this a few weeks ago and I was unprepared for it. I just paused, shook my head, looked at the wall as I thought, and said, "Well, I have no faults." Of course then I had to follow that up with disclaimers about how I'm not egotistical. I didn't get the job. lol

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Who is the best drummer of all time? No one even gave an honorable mention to Keith Moon (at time of my post). You should all be ashamed. For anyone familiar with drumming, you know what I'm talking about. After I heard for the first time someone claim Neil Peart was The Greatest, I always paid extra attention to Rush, but I never picked up on the supposedly-great drumming except occasionally. So unless he's WAY more...

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Do we really need a Vice President? Ha! Well, if I remember correctly FDR's VP John Garner (OK, I had to look up his name) said that the VP wasn't "worth a bucket of warm spit." And when asked what VP Richard Nixon had accomplished during the term, President Eisenhower said something like, "Give me a week and I'll think about it." So let's just say that even the White House agrees...

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Who's your favorite philosopher? Socrates! He always showed his opponents that they didn't have a firm understanding of their own beliefs. He had so much respect for reason that he reasoned aloud before a massive jury even after he was sentenced to death.

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Which is the fastest growing religion in the world? Well, although I got this from my college sociology book (2000), I'd bet it's still accurate. Islam is the fastest growing religion and the world's second largest (after Christianity). Bonus Fact: Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion, and they don't proselytize.

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What is the lamest joke you know? A termite walks into a bar and says, "Hey! Where's the bar tender?" Ohhhh one more: A priest, a rabbi, and an elephant walk into a bar and the bartender says, "What is this, a joke?"

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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."...Do you agree/disagree? I absolutely agree. Attaining power reveals the innermost desire of mankind, which is to be immortal. If you break down a person's given action long enough--- that is, continue, asking why?---you'll find this to be true. This is the normally-hidden axiom in every form of philosophy.

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You are the President, what new holiday will you declare? Memorial Day, which I'd put on November 11. The "new" part is that I'd put Memorial Day (which is normally is May) in place of Veterans' Day. Also, it would recognize ALL dead people and not just veterans, a la Mexico's Day of the Dead. Veterans can get their celebration with Independence Day or by seeing the trillion ribbon car-magnets or by watching any segment...

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Say a word which can change the world Reason.

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Can you prove that you exist with reasoned argument? Do you mean can I prove to myself that I exist? Descartes covered this a few years ago. "I think therefore I am." Makes sense to me. However, I cannot prove TO YOU that I exist, because even if I touched you, you could say that your brain is only telling you that your nerves have been stimulated. (Think "The Matrix")This is one of those things that philosophers have...

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Would stepping on an ant hill be considered genocide? No, because it's not people we're talking about. Is eating an IHOP omelette considered infanticide/abortion? (Seriously, they're huge!)

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This may be an obvious question. I've noticed when a TV news program goes on a commercial and I switch around to other TV news programs, they ALL seem to go to commercials at the same time. Is this planned so people won't surf? It's VERY ANNOYING! I would guess that the networks and advertisers have done research that shows what the most effective times are for the viewers to be receptive to ads; then all the advertisers use that same effective time scheduling. It seemed that many years ago shows would roll the opening credits and then go straight to a commercial. Now they seem to go right into the show's first scene and save the...

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SHould convicts be sent for psychatric treatment and not to prisons? (Assuming you're talking about the US...) Of course not. If a person needs psychiatric treatment, then that's all well and good. But to say that they don't need to be in prison is just crazy talk. Prison has four functions: to punish criminals, to protect society through criminal isolation, to deter others from committing crime, and to rehabilitate the criminals. However,...

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In multiple choice questions, if you do not know any answer at all and randomly tick the answers, what is the percentage of probabilities of getting correct answers? The other answers hint at this, but the all-purpose formula theoretically is for x number of choices, the chance of getting it right is 1/x. Practically, however, if the last answer is "None/All of the above" or "A and C" or something like that, then you're better off going with that answer. Simply put, if you're going for only one answer all the way through,...

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If the devil collects souls, what could he possibly want with 'em? Interesting answers, but I didn't buy any of them except for perhaps zazzy_one's. I think Satan only likes collecting souls because it spites God. Each soul is one more child that God isn't reunited with. This is one respect in which Satan can hurt God. Satan has quite the vendetta against God. The problem I think with the other answers is the asumption that the devil likes...

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Can some of you aetheists explain your viewpoint towards God and life? I wasn't taught anything about aetheists while growing up. Here's my second answer, after you clarified your stance in my first answer's comment box. So here are my own beliefs. On gods' existence: There aren't any arguments that are strong enough to justify believing in a god. Just because the universe seems infinitely complex and mysterious does not warrant arbitrarily attributing that to an invisible, intangible being,...

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What is your favorite scripture in the Bible? Psalm 14:1, which is a laughable, extraordinary deception.

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Can some of you aetheists explain your viewpoint towards God and life? I wasn't taught anything about aetheists while growing up. There's really nothing to learn. Atheism is simply the absence of a belief in god(s). There is no way to consolidate the beliefs of a group of people with this one trivial characteristic. Just look at Boredasmustard's response. She immediately noted that she couldn't speak for anyone except herself.

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When you take the time to read answers and rate the answer, do you take the time to comment on why you rated it as such? if not, then why not? If I rate up, I only comment to supplement a good answer. If I rate down a genuinely stupid answer without a comment, it's because the answer is so completely wrong that I would waste all of my energy just to receive a response like, "You're just assuming that!" or "Don't judge me!" or "Prove I'm wrong!" I am wholly guilty of sometimes...

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What is your favourite Beatles song? This is an evil question, trying to get us to pin down just one. But... I'd go with "Happiness is a Warm Gun." It twists and turns and jerks you around. It's wonderful chaos.

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What was the first album you ever bought? Artist and title , please. Alanis Morisette's Jagged Little Pill, probably when I was fourteen. Great album, by the way. Kind of awkward singing along with her since I'm a guy.

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Who's your favourite movie director, and which of their movies do you like? Alexander Payne, who directed "About Schmidt", "Sideways", and "Election". The first two I loved because not a sentence was spoken unneccesarily as every sequence gave you another subtle glimpse of the characters' problems. However, "Election" wasn't deep at all; it was just a great comedy with a great story.

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Where were you on Sept. 11 when the 2001 terrorist attacks were commited? I was in military training after being in for less than four months. Someone who briefly heard someone else talk about it said, "I heard a plane hit a building in New York," and my initial mental image was a two-person cessna hitting one of those skyscraper poles. I thought, "Doesn't that happen all the time?" Obviously I had no grasp of the real situation. We were on...

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What is so fascinating about Van Gogh's "Starry Night?" I can't seem to pin it down... I've always liked it because it seems bright and dark at the same time. Although nothing is happening, the swirls give it a lively feel.

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If you could ask President Bush any one question and get a full and complete answer, what would you ask? In that classroom on September 11, you were told that "the nation is under attack" but then just sat there. What would you have done if you were instead told, "Your daughters have been attacked"?

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My friend told me 2 do this. where do babies come from Normally hospitals or somewhere where there are plenty of birds, bees, and storks around.

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If every country was to go to war, which country would dominant? AR and ChrisDG posted excellent answers. I'd like to point out that Antarctica would remain virtually unscathed, so any scientists who happen to be there doing experiments and the like would have to repopulate the earth. :)

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Do you think that religious people on here shouldn't answer questions about topics that offend or go against what their religion says? ex: sex Everyone should be able to answer any question regardless of their beliefs. However, an answer should address the question and not tangent into a diatribe. An answer should be rated up if it is helpful, down if unhelpful, and not rated if the rater has no serious opinion. All of this should go without saying.

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Do you TRUST the major TV/Cable/Radio network personalities to report the news without any personal bias? Who do you trust the most/least? I generally trust the Big Three, but I also am a very skeptical person and I'm always listening for the "catch" in the news story; that is, after watching a news story, I ask what pertinent questions are still left unanswered and then decide who would have most benefited from leaving said questions unanswered. If it's the network that most benefits, then that leaves a bad...

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Do you think Americans are open minded enough to vote in a Black President? If you surveyed every able voter, you would probably find that most are. But if you surveyed only those who WILL vote, then it's a toss-up. The older and richer you are, the more likely you are to vote. That means old white people have the strongest say in the matter. It's extraordinarily hard to get the young and the poor to vote, and they're the ones who are likely to be...

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If atheists dont believe in god, or anything to do with god... then what do they think of time? example... it is 2007 AD... (after the death of christ) do they think that we should change how we view years on earth? instead of it being BC and AD? Fireballish's answer is the easiest. What you propose is completely impractical for anyone, regardless of religious belief. To express a neutral stance in writing, athiests or overly-unbiased authors use BCE and CE (before common era and common era) instead of BC and AD. And for the record, AD doesn't stand for "after death." It's Latin (?) for something for...

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As a social, political commentator, HOW highly would you rate RUSH LIMBAUGH, 1=low, 10=high? My rating would be three. I listened to his show for about a month and he would just cast outright any arguments that pushed against his views. Thus, he would use terms like "junk science" and "drive-by media." He claims to be "America's Truth Detector," although Al Franken points out Limbaugh's erroneous and deceptive claims in his book, "Rush...

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How many countries have you been to? How many states? Countries: (5) I've been to the US, Germany, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq. States I've actually "experienced": (10) Oregon, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Maryland (DC), Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, South Carolina. I've been to more states, but only at airports or driving through them, so I won't inflate my ego by saying I'm a bona-fide traveller.

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What is the stupidest question you have ever heard at school? In junior high a girl asked, "Why do other people's languages sound so weird?"

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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: To read or not to read? I saw the film before reading the book and was utterly amazed at how perfect the crossover was executed. However, I liked the book much better for one reason, which may not have been Hunter S. Thompson's intent. Although the book desribed the trips and highs very well, it made me still take an outsider's perspective; it was as if I were watching someone else trip whereas the movie...

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Why doesn't everybody love Led Zeppelin? The only reason I could think of is that, at least where I live, they are played ad nauseum on the radio. For those who have never liked Zeppelin, they can't get burned out on something they've never heard a thousand times. So for that group I'd recommend Led Zeppelin I and wish them Merry Rocking and a swell road to recovery. lol

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Is there really a difference between you kissing someone and them kissing you if you are already taken? Uhhh, I'd say yes by a margin. The "taken" person who is being kissed may not fully take an opinion on the cheating subject until after the kiss. To me, that isn't such a bad thing. For instance, take two people in another situation, regardless of the specific nature of that situation, who must decide if they will do Action X or NOT do Action X. The first person decides...

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If the universe is infinite then there is an infinite amount of planets right? so there is an infinite amount of planets with people on them, and with no people. but then if there is infinitly no people, is the population of the universe 0? The universe is infinite insomuch as there's an infinite amount of empty space out there--- not that there's an infinite amount of matter. So the infinite planets thing is out the window. And even if there were infinite matter, I don't think there would be infinite planets. To me, that would be the same as saying that there are infinite rubber bands out there. Someone...

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What song have you heard that is the most offensive to Christians in particular? Nine Inch Nails' "Heresy" talks of "dreaming a god up and calling it Christianity" and asserting that "god is dead and no one cares, if there is a hell I'll see you there." Smashing Pumpkins' "Zero" says that "emptiness is lonliness and lonliness is cleanliness and cleanliness is godliness and god is empty just like me." Gotta...

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Which painting do you like the best of the two pictured below and why? I like the one on the left better. The nature painting I've seen a thousand times before in one form or another. With abstract art you can see multiple images every time you look at it. For the record, I see a person thinking on the left side of the abstract piece and on its right side a blackjack table as seen from above. It makes me think that the person who's playing is torn...

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Would you enlist into the army? Been there, done that, got the dinar collectibles. Super-duper oversimplified opinion: If you like thought and reason and individuality, then I'd advise against enlisting.

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Where have all of the good questions gone? When this site was young you had to ask a question in a very specific manner or else you would get an email saying that it was rejected because of being too vague or too specific! Now people can put "What's in your pocket?" or "1969 PONTIAC LEMANS NEEED INFO 4 CRBRATER" and that kind of thing. I've given up railing against the informal tone these days, but it...

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What is your favourite riddle? Or the best one you have heard.Tell it to us. Here's a classic: I have two standard US coins in my pocket. They total exactly 35 cents. One of the coins is not a quarter. What are the two coins?

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Is Dwight being written off of the Office? because he quit on tonights episode! Do you really think that Rainn Wilson would leave this ultra-successful sitcom so early in its run? Do you think NBC would sacrifice arguably the show's funniest character? Do you think that they'd just drop the Angela-romance story altogether? Don't worry. He'll be back. It was a great episode though!

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It's all gonna be worth it in the end right? There are two ways to answer this question, both answers being correct although being complete opposites: 1) No, it won't be okay because reality doesn't care whether you're happy or not. It goes on without praise or mercy. It crushes some of us into powder and it fashions some of us into gods. 2) Yes, it will be okay because you're alive and at least you're on...

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What are the main things Bush's new strategy implies? Could / will the democrats not allow the plan to take place? I do not see how this strategy will work. Readers, do me a favor. Just sit back and relax, and picture this scenario: Bush orders 20,000 more troops to Iraq. blah, blah, blah, then there's success. Iraq is stable. It is a respected country as the bombings take a sharp decline. Do you really think this could happen? This is yet another effort to give away lives for the impossible...

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When driving along and you slip the car into neutral does this save petrol or does it in fact use more? I read a book once that was called something like "How to Reduce Engine Wear and Gas Consumption" which said that when you're at a long stoplight, you should give your engine a short rest by putting it in neutral. It also mentioned that by shutting the car off at that same stoplight (ie, 30 seconds at the stop or longer), you'd save engine wear and gas consumption over the...

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What word dont you understand why it has the meaning it does? "Sanction"- In its verb form, it means "to allow." In its noun form it means "a bar or limitation imposed upon." The word is its own opposite!

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Pink floyd's greatest song ever. Jugband Blues- Syd's last Floyd song, complete with changing time signatures, a loud middle section, and the ironic ending line. A great song that highlighted the all-too-trippy second album.

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What's the point of even going on now? I have nothing now, no real friends, no life, no job, no future, no love, so why not just crawl off and kill myself? The question you ask on this site is the question you should be asking yourself. Why don't you kill yourself? That's what Viktor Frankl would ask you. He was a psychiatrist who was sent to Auschwitz and emerged with a radical new concept, logotherapy, which stated that man lives on in order to find out why he SHOULD live. I suggest picking up his book "Man's Search for...

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How would an Atheist answer this question: "Who or what started the Big Bang?" It's strange that a religious person who is confronted with a question like this just leans back and says with a smile, "Well, it was just God's will." But for an athiest to deliver his point, he is expected to come up with all of this crazy stuff like science and evidence and well-supported theories. Yep, these atheists are fools.

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How do i find easy sex with no strings. tried alsorts of things on the net and non satisfactory The only no-strings-attached sex you'll ever find is the kind that you pay for. Your next best bet is to completely forfeit your personality, and become a "player." Although the way to do this is beyond my comprehension, I know it involves lots of lying, misleading, deceiving, and other deplorable actions. To be fair, my tone is not meant to be condescending or bitter, because...

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What do you think is the most controversial movie ever made and why? There are countless underground or obscure films that tackle very controversial subjects. But one "big" film that comes to mind was the ridiculously controversial "Birth of a Nation." It was hailed as one of the best movies ever, but its glorification of the KKK often invited protestors outside the theatre when it showed. Because it was considered so great for so long,...

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My hubby and i just bought a house and will be moving soon does anyone have any good moving tips? Pack as much as humanly possible long beforehand, because even a modest collection of stuff takes all day. Donate all of the undesirables you run across to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, so there's less to pack and later unpack. "One man's trash..." Take your time while you rearrange your new house. It's stressful enough as it is.

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Finish the following saying with your own words- "those who live by the sword.... ...will probably die by the pen.

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Do you want "under God" out of our pledge? I'd like it out, just as it was originally. Although we're not certain who wrote the pledge, it is believed to have been an American journalist who was a Socialist [edit: it was Francis Bellamy]. The God reference was not included in the original version, as it was added by Congress in an Anti-Communist 1954. Look it up, maybe someone can give more info. [edited again to get...

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I am a Beck fan, does anyone care to explain any of his lyrics...ANY, they all puzzle me? I believe that most of Beck's lyrics are intentionally meaningless rather than vague or mysterious, like "spraypaint the vegetables" or "she's got a cigarette on each arm." He likes to give you a strange visual, so I would guess that he's inspired by surrealism. Sometimes his lyrics are consistent in order to set the song's mood without losing the...

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Atheists: What if you're wrong? Have you ever thought about that? This sounds like Pascal's wager, which says that if you don't believe in God and you're right, then you'll lose nothing when you die. However, if you're wrong, you have much to lose. Therefore, it's a "better bet" to believe in God so as to have a chance in the afterlife. However, that has nothing to do with reason and everything to do with selfishness.

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What is the worst sound you have ever heard? Anything by ICP, because of its intentional childishness, over-the-top crudeness, and horrible sound. But another song I've heard a thousand times that I hate is "Desperado" by the Eagles. Too slow, not their style, over-dramatic. This is one band that I can genuinely say that I only like one song in their catalogue.

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If you could be known in history books for one thing, what would it be? To quote Woody Allen, "As the man who never died."

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What is your favorite Doors song? 20th Century Fox- great bluesy intro, powerful chorus, and a nod to their label.

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What are some good and bad stereotypes? Negative, mostly untrue stereotype: People on welfare don't want to work. Negative, mostly true steroetype: Blacks love chicken. ("Negative" refers to the expressed stereotype, not the act itself.) Good, mostly untrue stereotype: Christian fundamentalists are devoutly ethical people. (This is NOT a flame comment!) Good, mostly true stereotype: Asians are good at math. ...

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Do you believe in affirmative action? I like it. No matter how hard you try to make things equal, minorities will still get the shorter end of the stick because of latent prejudice. The opposition definitely has a strong argument, but I like the idea of giving minorities an edge. Think of it as society "taking a hit for the team." And of course, this policy doesn't mean that any minority who is wholly unqualified for...

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Am I crazy for thinking that Steve Carell is attractive? No. He's the Hottest in the Office.

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How do I know how fast or slow to strum when the sheet music just has the chord box above the melody, but makes no reference to the rhythm? Strum at your own discretion. Don't let that sheet music boss you around. Your discretion should be based upon your reverence to the piece.

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What is the best brand strings to use on a acoustic guitar? It's a matter of taste really. Personally, I don't care one way or the other. But for the record, I once wrote a letter of compliment to D'addario, and they sent me a pack of strings, a booklet of helpful guitar tips, and a T-shirt. I very much appreciated it and now, as a thoroughly satisfied customer, I buy them whenever I see them.

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Which sort of TV shows is the funniest? British or American? With the exception of a few shows (Scrubs, Frasier and Becker) I find US TV comedy quite insipid and trite. It's probably a personal taste thing. Well, as an American, I'm not crazy about our shows either. I find that The Office is the only show worth watching that's on now, which you probably don't find surprising as its based upon the British version. But I cannot understand the English accent. I always have to put the closed captions on when I watch anything British. If I could understand more I'd probably...

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What's your favorite kind of cheese? Colby! Great taste and looks like a cheese dalmatian!

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How can i determine if my friends are true friends(female and male)? Cus i have many, but i want to find the ones i know that i can trust. i have a friend who i say hi to at school, most of our conversations are through emails. We hung out once,wefriends? You are confusing acquaintances and "buddies" with friends. Friends will keep your secrets and generally understand who you are. If you don't know if Jim-Bob is your friend, then he's not.

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What is the best to do oral sex on a man? Firstly, I have NO idea why a reasonable adult would rate down a simple, straight-forward question like this. But seriously, you just have to ask how he wants it. He'll tell you. But if really you don't want to ask, then go with the old answer: Just don't touch his penis with your teeth.

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Help! Wife stranded 3 hrsaway.Grand cherokee V6 Laredo 1999. Car heated up suddenly,back to normal,and shot up again. Mechanics trying to rip her off quoted $160 to change thermostat. Step by step to replace a thermostat would be a savior!!!!Help!!!! As of this writing, you asked this 26 minutes ago. You could probably spend the night in a hotel for cheaper and ask someone locally how to do it. I don't remember how to do it, but I did it once when I was sixteen and it was pretty easy. Sorry about the situation, though. Go get your wife, damn it!

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Why does my cell phone have more usable symbols and characters than my computer does? I doubt that's true. Although it depends on what program you are using, you can probably go to "Insert" (I think) at the top and select from a large number of symbols.

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I weigh 266, can i lose 80 pounds in 5 months? Expect a better answer than this to come up, but I'd say no. Eighty pounds in 5 months equals 4 pounds per week, which is quite a lot. With a rigorous daily exercise routine that lasts 45 minutes, a very-low calorie intake, and lots of vegetables and water consumed, you'd still lose considerable fat. Of course, motivation and consistency are mandatory for every day of your challenge.

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What's your favourite song by The Who? A Quick One While He's Away. I like its quirkiness. It's an admirable start in a series of rock operas. And let me throw in "Blue, Red and Grey" from Who by Numbers. Although the production was unfinished, it's easily strong enough to earn its spot in the album. With Pete Townshend singing and strumming a ukelele, you can't go wrong.

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Recently I've been trying to calm down when I'm mad, but I'm worried it might not be good for me in the long run. Is there anyway I can suppress my anger without it building up over time? I'm the same way. It's probably a genetic trait (you know, Personality types A and B), although one cannot ignore environmental causes. Anyway, this isn't a problem that just goes away. Whenever you get irritated or angry, it's best to keep your mind on the issues at hand. Will it help anyone, including yourself, to lose your cool? Or will it simply keep you frustrated?...

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If I'm driving and start to skid so that the rear wheels swing left (so I start swinging right), common advice is to turn *into* the skid. Which way is that? Left or right? You turn in the direction that the rear of the car is going. In other words, always turn your front wheels so that they are parallel to the road. You want the front wheels to guide you as straight as possible.

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Does anyone here know the guitar tabs for the NBC tv network theme? I'm not exactly sure what the theme you mention is, but the "ding DING! ding" that they normally play with chimes (?) is simple on guitar. Using 12th-fret natural harmonics on the open strings, it's D-B-G.

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What songs have really made you cry? Well, even though I haven't literally cried from it, the power of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" made me pretty sad the first time I heard it (in The Elephant Man), long before I learned that it was already recognized as being profoundly sad-sounding.

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What particular rationale did Steven Spielburg have for filming Schindler's List in black and white? For Spielberg himself, I don't know for sure. But a high school teacher once told our class that the B&W indicated the bleak times whereas the sparse color scenes indicated hope. This is shown through the Jewish rituals in the beginning and the innocent girl in the red dress in the middle of the film.

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Recently I cheated on my boyfriend of two years who I'm in love with. I HAVE NO IDEA why I did, except that we were fighting earlier that night. I can't tell him because I KNOW it will destroy our relationship, which I don't want to happen. What do I do? I would say that you should say nothing. If you truly love him, then the truth, however noble it is, will hurt him more than help your conscience. However, because you cheated on him because of revenge (which I suspect), you should seriously consider that you (a) may not be mature enough for a long-term relationship or (b) may do something else equally hurtful out of revenge again. This is a...

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What is the one thing your mother-in-law does that drives you up the wall. (If you have several, rate them) Uhhh, well mine is living in the psuedo "good ole days" of 1950's TV. So I'd say I can't stand her ridiculous, conservative, possibly-medieval values and utter disregard of empathy. But on the other hand, you can't win arguments with her kind so I smile and say "ma'am" so as to avoid a possible cardiac arrest on my part.

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What are some good exercises to increase speed/agility (for both hands and feet) I'd say an ever-increasing love for technical proficiency with a musical instrument. Or maybe martial arts.

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Why must we grieve in order to move on from painful events in our lives? Cleaning out your closet indeed... Grief is the self acknowledging sadness, which in itself acknolwedges the loss, which in itself acknowledges the reality of the whole sad situation. After grief comes acceptance of reality after the grief, or in other words, that life goes on. Without grief there is no acceptance of reality, and without that there is no honorable or meaningful direction...

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How can I learn more about music theory? This link will give you so much info that you'll drown: http://www.dolmetsch.com/introduction.htm There are tons of books in nearly any bookstore, music store, guitar shop, etc. that concentrate solely on music theory.

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What is your favorite chord progression? D-G-Bb-C (lowest chord to highest:G-Bb-C-D)gives a pleasant build-up with a wonderful resolve when returning to D. The Ramones-esque C#-E-A-B (lowest to highest: A-B-C#-E) is similar. Dee-lish.

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What is your favorite Simpsons quote? Homer, acting as if he is Mr. Burns with a high pitched voice: Hello, I'm Mr. Burns. Guy: Okay Mr. Burns, what's your first name? Homer, still with high voice: I... don't know.

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I have the meaning to a word, but I need the word. The meaning is to mean getting frustrated for not knowing something. Or frustrated becuase you don't understand another's open flauting of one's vocabulary There isn't a word for this particular feeling. In your second sentence you allude to envy or plain-ol' frustration. Sorry, but no language has a meaning to every feeling. If they did then we'd spend much less time talking.

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Do you think dropping the atomic bomb on Japan in 1945 was justified? Truman himself was torn about the decision to drop the bomb. The creators of the bomb knew very little about the after-effects of radiation poisoning. The Powers-That-Be knew that a) we had a powerful weapon and b) our men were dying even after the Germans surrendered. It was confusing for everyone. Einstein wrote that fateful letter to FDR about the power of the atomic bomb and then later...

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What was the original name of The Who? They were also known as The Detours in their early days.

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If you were Bill Gates, what would you do with your money? I would donate all but $200,000 to charity. But Bill Gates donates so much that no matter what he keeps he's still spending his money ethically better than most of us. After all, he's given more to charity than any other person on record. It's surprising to me, but nonetheless a good thing.

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If you were to drill a hole all the way through the earth, and drop something through it, (Discounting the molten core.) what would happen? In high school, I remember my calculus (and physics and algebra) teacher remarking that the object would take 87 minutes to fall from end to end, and it would continue "falling" past the center of the earth to the opposite end forever. I suppose the time mentioned would vary because the earth isn't a perfect circle, so it would depend where you drilled the hole.

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If you ask a an undercover if he is a cop, does he have to tell you? Absolutely not. Stop trying to learn about real life from movies. If he had to tell you who he was, then the whole idea of being undercover would be useless. In movies, this is often described as '"entrapment," but I'm pretty sure that it's used in real life to describe a situation in which a cop causes a person to commit a crime that the person WOULD NOT have...

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What is the difference between an acoustic and a classical guitar? Another difference is that the fretboards on classical guitars almost always meet the body at the 12th fret, allowing for a convenient three octave spread; the open 6th string (E) up to the 12th fret, 1st string (E, three octaves above). "Regular" acoustics often have fretboards that meet the body at the 15th fret.

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How do you forgive a rapist or molester? The decision to forgive is by the "forgiver." This means that that person is willing to let go of his anger in order to achieve peace. Therefore, the forgiver forgives not so much because the wrong-doer is sorry (or not, possibly), but because the forgiver realizes that the anger that he holds hurts no one except him. In other words, what we conceive as forgiveness is mostly the...

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What is the safest way to gamble besides freestyle gambling? You have to enter the casino knowing the EXACT answers to a few questions: Am I here to have fun or win money? How much do I want to win? How much can I afford to lose? And if you are a fool, you will eventually ask yourself these questions: Even though I've won some money, how long should I stretch my luck? How can the casino afford to pay for all of this elaborate decor? Should I...

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Why do you have to wait for love? Why can't it come to you when you're ready for it? Although I think this is a vague question, I think that you perceive Love as the personified Cupid, and that he will fire an arrow at you whenever he feels that "the time is right." On the contrary, the process of love is highly patterned. Love is not some dreamy intoxicant that immediately changes your life; that's why we have the word "infatuation." Love is something that forms gradually....

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Do Batman and Robin share a romantic relationship? The "real" explanation: To my knowledge, there has never been any effort from DC Comics to potray the two as romantically involved. Robin was created so that readers (almost exclusively children at this time) could have someone with whom to identify. Therefore, they were basically colleagues. The literary explanation: Bruce Wayne took on a superficial father-figure role, although...

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What is the meaning of life? The psychologist Viktor Frankl said in "Man's Search for Meaning" that we shouldn't ask what we expect from life but what life expects from us. The more famous Greek philosophers pretty much agreed that happiness was what we were to look for. The movie "City Slickers" tells us that life is all about ONE thing; Billy Crystal's character struggles to find out...

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