http://www.answerbag.com/profile/442371 New Answerbag answers from HasntBeen Tue, 29 May 2012 19:55:42 -0700 Tue, 29 May 2012 19:55:42 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12218005 If you could change one thing about the world and how it works, what would that thing be?<br /><br />I would make gravity about 0.3% stronger. I mean, it's good and all that, but just a little more would be nice. Sometimes things just feel too light, you know? Tue, 29 May 2012 07:09:41 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12218005 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217979 Trump is known for saying you're fired! Romney is known for saying I like to fire people! Isn't that special? Capitalistic Soulmates?<br /><br />Maybe they should team up with "chainsaw Al" (Al Dunlap, former CEO and lover-of-firing who managed to bring Sunbeam back from bloated near-death to the glory of corruption-driven bankruptcy.) They could form a band called "Kill the Workers Before They Kill Us", or "MittDonAl's Corp". I... Tue, 29 May 2012 07:01:54 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217979 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217957 Describe the teachings of the Bible in one word?<br /><br />Strange. Tue, 29 May 2012 06:57:14 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217957 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217936 Are those who know more happier than those who aren't curious and don't care? About whatever. Knowledge is power..is it also happiness?<br /><br />There's an idea that is sort of cliche, but not without value: "information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom". My opinion is that what distinguishes these "levels" of knowing is integration: knowledge is information that has been 'glued together' to some degree to form a model of some... Tue, 29 May 2012 06:54:04 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217936 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217882 Why does God demand, seek, or request that we worship Him?<br /><br />Religions which include this idea in their system are more likely to survive than those which do not. That's the best explanation for why so many religions include this idea: natural selection at the level of belief system. Memes. Tue, 29 May 2012 06:37:21 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217882 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217868 when was the last time you stopped in your tracks and felt that you were truly content with everything in your life?<br /><br />I wouldn't expect that to happen: I do "stop in my tracks" rather regularly (daily, actually) and take time to appreciate my life and reflect on things. But "truly content with everything" isn't something that I think is very realistic: life naturally produces problems, and that is never going... Tue, 29 May 2012 06:32:14 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217868 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217842 If God can prevent evil, then how do you explain the Star Wars prequels?<br /><br />God did prevent them from coming before the "middle three", so you should give him some credit. He allowed the series to open with the best one, slide steadily downhill from there, and die of its own bloated weight in a way which ensured the final 3 never got made. As in his guidance of... Tue, 29 May 2012 06:17:22 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12217842 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12216984 Why do people hate me? I try and try to please them, but.... you knpw what? this is exactly why I cut myself. :/<br /><br />Really, that's just not what matters. What matters is why you're not too fond of yourself. That's the only approval that makes a difference -- seeking approval from others is a dead end... even if you get it, it is never enough to make up for your own insecurity. So treat this as a journey:... Mon, 28 May 2012 21:18:43 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12216984 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214898 George Will, the Conservative columnist, says Donald Trump is a 'bloviating ignoramus'. Do you agree or dis? Why?<br /><br />I don't know Trump very well. But, I used to live in Baja California, and I know a fair amount about the real estate development on the coast down there that bears his name. He "licensed" his name to the developers, they pre-sold a bunch of units, the project collapsed from its own bloated... Mon, 28 May 2012 07:50:50 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214898 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214822 Should teachers be allowed to lead a school prayer in public schools? Why or why not?<br /><br />I think that would be OK in contexts where the students self-selected to participate, i.e. it wouldn't bother me if the school had, for example, an non-credit after-school prayer and Bible study on campus that students could attend freely with no consequences for not being interested. If schools... Mon, 28 May 2012 07:28:14 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214822 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214778 Are you a smart rich programmer who makes a lot of money and makes money with programming and are better than everyone else?<br /><br />Not just that, I'm smarter and richer than all the other programmers. Sometimes I let them kiss my ring. Mon, 28 May 2012 07:11:16 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214778 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214767 What will eventually replace religion?<br /><br />Religion is a two-edged sword: the negatives and the positives are so deeply intertwined that almost any argument on the topic empowers entrenched opponents armed with nearly unlimited evidence for their positions. While I do think that individuals can "rise above" religion and develop their own... Mon, 28 May 2012 07:07:20 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214767 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214745 If I send my self and my sister an idea that ive had about a product, is it copy writen?<br /><br />Ideas about products are not subject to copyright law. You would only own a copyright on the specific text you had sent to your sister, not to the idea it represents. If you want exclusive ownership of a product idea, you need a patent -- that's an expensive and somewhat difficult thing to... Mon, 28 May 2012 06:59:52 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214745 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214735 What's God's name? (It isn't "God;" because that describes WHAT s/he is, not WHO.)<br /><br />A true monotheist can take the position that God does not need a name: names are how we disambiguate between multiple things in the same "name space": i.e. if there is more than one atmosphere, you can't just say "the atmosphere", you have to identify the specific one you're talking about. But... Mon, 28 May 2012 06:56:46 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12214735 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12213901 Can you name me a song that has very fast vocals?<br /><br />"One Week", by Barenaked Ladies: http://youtu.be/fC_q9KPczAg Sun, 27 May 2012 22:14:39 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12213901 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211780 Thoughts on Eurovision 2012 ?<br /><br />A routine outpouring of glitter and synthesizers which demonstrates how little soul money can buy. Sun, 27 May 2012 08:07:40 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211780 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211769 What is the greatest intellectual pursuit?<br /><br />Understanding or wisdom. "Understanding" is a kind of mastery of knowledge in some area, where you move beyond merely parroting the books and are able to contribute significant new insight. "Wisdom" is having a unified synthesis which is stable and deals gracefully with the paradoxes that... Sun, 27 May 2012 08:03:43 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211769 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211751 Is the culture of a company dictated by those at the top or by those who actually do the work? How so?<br /><br />It's 'dictated' by the ideas which manage to survive and gain dominance. Where those ideas come from varies by organization, but certainly management owns that responsibility in any reasonable theoretical model. The cases where it comes from below tend to cluster in smaller companies, where... Sun, 27 May 2012 07:56:06 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211751 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211739 Politeness appears to be increasingly marginalised in today's society. Do you believe it possible to redress this imbalance?<br /><br />This is not something that captures my passion: as often as politeness makes the world a nicer place, it provides the illusion of interaction which contributes to a sleepy complacency that something worthwhile is going on. Frankly, I'd rather have a sharp-edged exchange that breaks open a new... Sun, 27 May 2012 07:51:38 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211739 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211691 Is the universe an open or a closed system?<br /><br />From a thermodynamics standpoint, as far as we know, it's a closed system in which entropy must increase. But we don't understand things well enough to say for sure -- if our universe is part of a 'multiverse', there may be some way in which information 'leaks' into our universe, making it an... Sun, 27 May 2012 07:21:02 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211691 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211664 I'm tired of feuds. Aren't you? From now on, I promise to be nice. And if I fail, feel free to stuff my pockets with stinky posies. :)<br /><br />No, I'm not tired of feuds. Without feuds, nobody would ever be dislodged from a prior level of ignorance to land in a higher level of ignorance. Sun, 27 May 2012 07:10:31 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211664 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211658 Complete the sentence: The secret to life is ________.<br /><br />The secret to life cannot be summarized or expressed as a sentence-completion. The nature of deep understanding is that it crumbles when sliced up into the linear pieces required by conceptual representation, explanation, and verbal expression. That's why those who know don't tell, and those... Sun, 27 May 2012 07:08:36 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12211658 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12208860 Jesus is coming soon, we hear our grandmother And until now Jesus dont come. How do you explain that to a sinner?<br /><br />Oh my, you've broken the unintelligibility barrier in our time. Sat, 26 May 2012 08:58:36 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12208860 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12208692 is american citizenship forced on foreign nationals children born on american soil. Or can they opt out .<br /><br />You can't be a foreign national if you're born on American soil. What would that even mean? You can of course surrender your U.S. citizenship, if some other country has granted you citizenship. It's not a good idea to have no citizenship at all. Sat, 26 May 2012 07:38:48 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12208692 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12208368 Shout out to all the old timers still here!<br /><br />Glen Blaylock is still here. My unofficial research suggests that he's the oldest old-timer still active. Sat, 26 May 2012 05:38:19 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12208368 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12207693 What would it take to stop you from believing in your current religion or philosophical belief system?<br /><br />Oh, I give it up and try different ones all the time: nothing is more boorish than a zealot for some belief system. I think next week I'm going to be a Rosicrucian. Haven't tried that yet. Fri, 25 May 2012 20:18:49 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12207693 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12205097 Jesus Christ isreal everything else is a lie.<br /><br />We really gotta schedule a time to work on your critical thinking skills. Fri, 25 May 2012 06:36:55 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12205097 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12205075 What is the difference between an artist and a scientist?<br /><br />The scientist's goal is to understand a reality that is presumed to pre-exist before he starts searching for its mechanisms. The artist's goal is to create a reality that cannot be found anywhere at the start of his efforts. Fri, 25 May 2012 06:31:02 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12205075 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12205062 God is not a human being. So why do people keep projecting THEIR Humanity into their God?<br /><br />God is an idea invented by the human mind, so of course it is a projection of our humanity... why would we cook up a 3-headed alien with bug eyes? Ick. Fri, 25 May 2012 06:26:45 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12205062 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12204540 How come when you say budda or muhammad or any other god people are cool with it but when you say Jesus Christ their face distorts??<br /><br />Buddha was not a "god person", so you should leave that one out. Mohammed was supposedly a prophet, and he raises plenty of blood pressure around the world. In a culture dominated by Christians, it is natural that the anti-Christian sentiment would be stronger than the anti-other-religions... Thu, 24 May 2012 23:32:19 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12204540 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12204537 There is an unwanted speed limit sign on our property, how can I get it removed?<br /><br />Hit it with the car at double whatever number it says. That's called "using the Force". Thu, 24 May 2012 23:29:40 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12204537 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12204528 When's the last time you changed a baby's diaper?<br /><br />Oh, quite regularly I do that. But its not enough to just "change the diaper", one must really make an art form out of it: firstly, its important to understand that the baby is a tube -- food goes in one end, poop and pee come out the other. When the baby is upset, 90% of the time one or the... Thu, 24 May 2012 23:21:29 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12204528 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12201147 What is the opposite of an artist?<br /><br />ʇsıʇɹɐ uɐ Wed, 23 May 2012 22:57:35 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12201147 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12201137 Who can explain the Trinity?<br /><br />Oh, no problem at all: God is complicated. Parts of him are actually Jesus, who sort of protrudes into the physical and historical realm and operates as if separate. Other parts of him are the holy spirit, who makes people handle snakes and talk gibberish during church -- and that doesn't... Wed, 23 May 2012 22:54:05 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12201137 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12201122 How can I set my Windows 7 pc to always use internal IP 192.168.1.100? It sometimes does and sometimes grabs another one.<br /><br />What you're looking for is a static IP, not a dynamic one. To make that work smoothly, you need to either pick an address which your router isn't going to assign to another computer (which involves knowing the "DHCP pool range" of your router) or tell your router to associate your computer's... Wed, 23 May 2012 22:46:25 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12201122 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200988 can my ex boyfriend use the rental property that he owns but our son and i live there rent free for the last 10 years, as child support?<br /><br />This is absolutely a question for a lawyer, not a bunch of amateurs on the Internet. Wed, 23 May 2012 21:36:10 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200988 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200984 When you were a kid, did your parents ever take you to something unsuitable for children?<br /><br />Oh yes -- but as I got older, I would sneak out of Sunday School and run over to the supermarket, where they had a good stock of comic books. Wed, 23 May 2012 21:30:47 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200984 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200908 Should Hitler have gone into motivational speaking?<br /><br />Whaddya' mean? He invented the genre and the core technology. And like those who followed in his shadow, he sometimes had trouble sorting out exactly what a 'motivated' person should use their motivation for. Wed, 23 May 2012 20:45:41 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200908 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200900 What's the deal with Dr. Quest and Race Bannon?<br /><br />In those days it just wasn't talked about, of course. Two guys spending a lot of time together, no women around, often on a boat. One's a doctor, wise in the ways of the body. The other is a hunk, with a dashing name like 'Race', and an admiration for intellectuals he knows he can't be like. ... Wed, 23 May 2012 20:42:41 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200900 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200568 My sister's new boyfriend from university is visiting for the weekend. What is a really good practical joke I can do on him meanwhile?<br /><br />Leave a folded note in the hallway where your sister will find it, as if it had fallen out of his backpack. Make sure it suggests that you and the boyfriend had a past affair -- the note should tell him that it is definitely over and he shouldn't get any ideas. Then watch the storm of denial... Wed, 23 May 2012 18:26:02 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12200568 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195594 Do you ever worry about the condition of your soul?<br /><br />Having been over this topic six ways to Sunday for many, many years, it seems quite obvious to me that the idea of 'souls' was invented out of a confused matrix of misconceptions that are sort of the default malfunction of human thinking. I focus my attention on correcting malfunctions, not on... Tue, 22 May 2012 07:58:52 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195594 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195586 Who are you Really? Really who are you? Please describe who you Really are.<br /><br />Sorry, there's nothing I can say which would be an adequate response to the question. And it's not because I'm confused or suffering from some sort of identity crisis. Rather, the problem is with the question itself: the question presumes a model of individuality in which there are... Tue, 22 May 2012 07:55:02 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195586 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195414 The NAACP now supports same-sex marriage. It's a matter of civil rights. They don't want to legalize prejudice. Is it civil rights to you?<br /><br />It's a good thing, although a bit late (where were they when the Mormons and Catholics were buying the CA referendum in 2008?) Still, that's how progress happens in social systems: little by little, one group or individual after another wakes up and realizes the folly of their previous bigotry. Tue, 22 May 2012 06:57:53 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195414 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195284 If Xeroxing a book is not illegal, why should downloading a movie or a song be?<br /><br />Xeroxing a whole book is illegal -- small fragments can be copied for non-commercial uses, but that's it. To understand copyright law, you have to start by imagining yourself as the author, artist, or publisher. Tue, 22 May 2012 05:56:40 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195284 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195277 Would you rather be alive or free?<br /><br />I would say that those are basically synonyms. Tue, 22 May 2012 05:53:13 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12195277 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12194660 Hey, I wanna tell my parents that I'm gay, but I just don't know how, I need help<br /><br />When you say "I don't know how", can we presume that you really mean "I'm afraid to tell them?" One thing that helps sort this kind of stuff out is to focus on talking straight: you do know how, you are just afraid of the reaction and/or consequences. Nothing wrong with being afraid, just be... Tue, 22 May 2012 00:19:00 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12194660 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12194640 Can you envision a world without governments?<br /><br />Sure -- just take Somalia and multiply it by 100,000. Hang on... don't hit the button until I'm done refueling my spaceship :) Tue, 22 May 2012 00:08:36 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12194640 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12191728 Is it scary going through customs in america??? I am going there and I am so worried about the interrogation part :(<br /><br />It can be intimidating, yes. But like most scary things, the best way to calm yourself is to have as much correct information as you can get. The US Customs and Border Patrol officers are trained to be vigilant, they're not trying to be anybody's friend. But they're generally not a... Mon, 21 May 2012 05:46:18 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12191728 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12188876 Are Birthers really that dumb or are Modern American Conservatives just so desperate that they make up anything to smear Obama with?<br /><br />Yeah, I saw that article too. I think the bottom line on these things is always the tunnelvision which comes from having your ego wrapped around your politics: the birthers have done that, as have so many -- every perception, every piece of information is interpreted through a filter which has a... Sun, 20 May 2012 08:18:58 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12188876 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12187476 What's it like in a parallel universe?<br /><br />There is nothing whatsoever that is perpendicular -- everything lines up. At first, that's disorienting, because people try to turn right or left and find that it doesn't work. But after a while, when you see everyone going in the same direction, you just want to fit in. Sat, 19 May 2012 18:40:05 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12187476 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185688 This woman I like, told me she has a boyfriend- how should I act around her now?<br /><br />You're being too timid. Nobody can tell you what you ought to do, but that mode of operating and thinking will produce nothing of interest either way. Sat, 19 May 2012 08:11:44 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185688 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185682 Many folks think 'balance' is best. When isn't it?<br /><br />I'm suspicious of most "X is best" philosophies. Each one has the potential to produce tunnel-vision. I prefer to treat all ideas as tools: something one uses and tries to develop skill and understanding about. With a full toolbox, and a mind that is not imprisoned by any fixed philosophical... Sat, 19 May 2012 08:08:53 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185682 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185336 The emerging theme as an alternative to the 2012 doom is the Conscience shift. Who shares in this sentiment?<br /><br />Huh? Sat, 19 May 2012 05:20:51 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185336 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185317 How could an adult believe in an imaginary God after reading the book of fairy tales in the Bible?<br /><br />I'm an atheist... so in theory we're on the same side. But your question "dumbs down" the topic to such an extreme degree that I have to take exception to it. It's not clear whether you're just being condescending and thick as a tactic, or whether you truly have no understanding whatsoever... Sat, 19 May 2012 05:15:08 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12185317 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12182766 Detachment is more empowering than attachment -Agree or disagree ?<br /><br />They're two different tools: Detachment allows you to see the whole. When you are attached, a "cognitive tunnel" forms that distorts and restricts perception -- that focus limits your ability to see things that might be relevant but aren't in the tunnel. Attachment is focus: by concentrating... Fri, 18 May 2012 09:10:20 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12182766 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12182200 Every thing else on the planet evolves and all the man made things are victims of Entropy. True False?<br /><br />"Victims of entropy" is a bit misleading: life itself, while evolving, is nevertheless participating in the overall increase in entropy. Entropy is a one-way arrow. Life has the distinctive property of being able to reduce entropy in limited contexts in exchange for a larger increase in the... Fri, 18 May 2012 05:13:17 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12182200 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12181724 Can anyone, and please know what you're saying,give me a basic list of instructions to be able to understand politics in a larger scale?<br /><br />Ok, here's the most important things to know: We used to live in caves. In those days, there was no government. Whoever could swing the biggest rock into the head of the other guy was in charge, and got to mate with the most women. Then, someone invented the gods -- fancy stories about how... Thu, 17 May 2012 23:03:58 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12181724 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12179004 Science tell us, that without the sun, plant life wouldn't exist. If plant life didn't exist, animals would have nothing to eat.<br /><br />So... then they would eat us? Scary. Thu, 17 May 2012 05:32:58 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12179004 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12178368 Wouldn't it be wonderful news, to learn that snipers had shot/killed the funeral picketers from the Westboro Baptist Church?<br /><br />Sorry, I'm still a fan of free speech and free thought. It is true that this allows all sorts of ridiculous things to be said, but I trust that in the marketplace of ideas, the truly shitty ones will sell for very low prices. Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:12 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12178368 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12176301 How can I have an estimated IQ of 112 yet have graduated with a 3.94 in Electrical Engineering?<br /><br />IQ is too coarse a measurement for most useful applications -- the mind is not a simple gauge which goes from 0 to 200, it's a complex set of subsystems with a wide variety of different levels of ability in different areas. For example, my wife is very intelligent: her verbal skills and logical... Wed, 16 May 2012 07:09:16 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12176301 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12172253 Elvis, Rolling Stones or The Beatles? Which do you prefer?<br /><br />Beatles: 100 points Stones: 85 points Elvis: 11 points, 3 of them for hair. This guy just never did anything for me. Mon, 14 May 2012 22:21:42 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12172253 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169644 Java method calculations problems.<br /><br />The best place to post this kind of question is www.stackoverflow.com -- Answerbag is a general-purpose QA site, and while there are programmers here who can help you, this site does not have the intensity of focus or depth of help available on a programming site. Next topic: don't post your... Mon, 14 May 2012 06:31:18 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169644 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169629 How Can I Ask A Girl To Sex With Me Or Turn Her On?<br /><br />Drop the caps. Chicks hate oversized under-delivery. Mon, 14 May 2012 06:23:55 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169629 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169625 Henry Ford paid his workers a lot so they could buy his cars ... Mathematically, does that work?<br /><br />I suspect that if we could get a complete "brain dump" of his decision-making about worker pay, we might find that there was more to it than this popular story. Were they really paid more than the average factory worker? What other ideas did Ford have about worker pay? Might he have been of... Mon, 14 May 2012 06:22:13 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169625 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169550 Is there a psychological term or name for people who have to have the last word?<br /><br />Ex-wife. Mon, 14 May 2012 05:31:07 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12169550 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12161017 15 and pregnant? (PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION.)<br /><br />Yep, it sounds like you might be pregnant. That's a tough situation. What's your plan? Fri, 11 May 2012 05:46:47 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12161017 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12155502 Do radical Christians not understand that THEIR OWN SAVIOR was tortured and killed in an act of mob violence fueled by religious zealots?<br /><br />Zealots rarely see themselves as zealots. Typically its framed as "we are standing up for what is right, because nobody else will", or because God wills it. The moment you look in the mirror and see a zealot, you're cured. Wed, 09 May 2012 08:41:05 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12155502 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12153898 Can you explain what happens when you pop a balloon with a sharp object?<br /><br />Yes -- The loud bang causes the cat to jump off the stove quickly. In her haste, she knocks off the pan of boiling water, which spills onto the floor. The recently-applied caulk sealing the hole in the floor submits to the hot water, which drips down to the bedroom below, where a terrorist is... Tue, 08 May 2012 18:22:49 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12153898 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12152032 Is it easier to talk AT or listen AT someone reather than having a discussion? Is that how the world is anymore?<br /><br />I think that true discussion has always been difficult. When we look at history and think that it was better back then, we see a distorted world -- the stuff that got written down was the exceptional, not the ordinary. Out on the street in Roman times, if you disagreed or bucked the... Tue, 08 May 2012 07:13:16 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12152032 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148579 What does it mean to be created in the 'image of God'?<br /><br />It means we're all invisible and undetectable, self-contradictory and prone to outbursts of vengeful behavior, and love nothing more than to be worshiped but can't find a suitably devoted following. Mon, 07 May 2012 06:45:14 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148579 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148556 Does anyone believe that "deja vu" moments have anything to do with quantum mechanics or the quantum theory?<br /><br />Yes, some people believe all sorts of things, and it's fashionable in New Age circles these days to mis-characterize Quantum Mechanics as supporting those pet ideas. It's an abuse of science, and a misunderstanding of QM. Mon, 07 May 2012 06:40:12 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148556 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148549 Just how dangerous is Idealistic Thinking?<br /><br />I don't think idealistic thinking in and of itself is dangerous. What's dangerous is unearned certainty about those ideas. Religions and philosophies (both of which embody idealism) abound. Typically what happens is that some small set of ideas become the core of a framework, and then... Mon, 07 May 2012 06:38:14 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148549 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148350 Is Obama a peacenik??<br /><br />Uh... you mean like how he shut down the Iraq and Afghanistan wars so thoroughly and quickly upon taking office in 2008? Mon, 07 May 2012 05:22:37 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12148350 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12138586 im a female toilet, and i love it! is it weird that my boyfriend takes me everywere with him to use me, and lets his friends use me to?<br /><br />Somewhere in this big, wide world there's someone who wants to hear about this. But not here. Fri, 04 May 2012 07:08:41 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12138586 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12136044 Should children be forced to do things they don't want to do in the name of 'education'?<br /><br />Can we assume you have never had children? Their judgment is poor, their impulse control is poor, their understanding of the world is poor, their attention span is limited, their interest in developing their potential is erratic and often dominated by fantasy-thinking. "Force" is kind of a... Thu, 03 May 2012 12:20:30 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12136044 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12134881 If USA decided to sell one of its States to help pay off the national debt -which State do you think should be sold?<br /><br />Well, Mississippi comes to mind: backward, overweight, uneducated, and poor. On the other hand, New York would surely draw a better price, and we could shed useless drains like the Knicks and parasites like the Yankees. Still, the one that edges out both of those has to be Florida ("the Chad... Thu, 03 May 2012 05:54:37 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12134881 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12127633 How do atheists get 'forgiven' of their sins?<br /><br />The concept of 'sin' is distinctly religious, so that doesn't quite apply. Also, atheists have a wide variety of ethical belief systems, so there's no general answer to the question even if we grant that 'sin' is meaningful outside of the whole mythological cosmic struggle described by... Tue, 01 May 2012 05:43:16 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12127633 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12127471 How do you manage your money?<br /><br />I'm very much a "God first" person: when I get paid, I throw it all up in the air and he takes whatever he wants. If there's anything left, I spend it on booze and women. Tue, 01 May 2012 04:34:30 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12127471 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12126836 Will you be happier to know if someone worse than Adolf Hitler was aborted before it can create trouble for the world than what Hitler did?<br /><br />Sure. The trouble is you don't know it's Hitler until its too late to abort. That's why God created cruise missiles. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:05:31 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12126836 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12123703 If there is only one true religion why do so many people of different faiths have such strong testimonies that what they believe is true?<br /><br />Religions are a mixture of superstition and folk wisdom. The latter is like a tree -- it provides the structure and the value. The former is like a parasitic vine wrapped around the tree: it survives only because the tree bears all the weight. So they're all "true" in the sense that the folk... Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:22:38 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12123703 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12121144 Why do libs always take the side of clemency and leniency for violent criminals over justice for their innocent victims?<br /><br />Why do you always take the most extreme view of any topic you find? I can assure you that plenty of liberals do not do what you're claiming. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:24:54 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12121144 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12119785 I have a floor model stereo with a record player that does not work, how do i replace it?<br /><br />By purchasing an iPod and using the old cabinet to store your collection of Coca-Cola bottle caps from the 60's. Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:02:32 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12119785 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12114429 What is the meaning to Life, the Universe, and Everything?<br /><br />Reality has no meaning. Meaning is a part of reality, not the other way around. Meaning is content, reality is the container. Therefore, it is impossible for reality to have meaning, in much the same way that it is impossible for a bag which holds oranges to be an orange itself. Further,... Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:25:28 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12114429 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12111791 Can a person have their own opinions when everything we have learnt & believed comes from the influence of that which surrounds us?<br /><br />It's not true that "everything we have learnt and believed comes from the influence of that which surrounds us". It is true that we all have experiences, and are influenced by those experiences. But we also synthesize and abstract from those experiences in ways that are unpredictable, as well... Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:18:34 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12111791 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12109413 How can I become more comfortable complimenting people I care about in person?<br /><br />What do you think the discomfort is about? Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:05:26 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12109413 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12105880 Why do I get something when I don't want/need it and then when I do want/need it then it's nowhere to be found?<br /><br />I think you should go to the interviews -- an interview is a long way from being offered a job, it's good to get more options to choose from in planning your future and interviewing is itself a skill that improves with practice. Whether or not you take one of those jobs if offered is another... Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:15:55 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12105880 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12102180 Do you think Romney's out-of-touchness with ordinary folks can ever be cured or is it going to stalk him eternally? Does/should he care?<br /><br />I'm not sure how much it matters that the President be in touch with ordinary folk. I think the most important thing is how they make decisions -- i.e. what sort of things get considered or rejected, how thorough the process is, and how appropriate are the weights they give to different aspects... Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:52:23 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12102180 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12101617 Agree Or Disagree? Don't discuss your problems with anyone - 80% just don't care about them, 20% will be happy that you are having them.<br /><br />There's something to that, but it's too simplistic. People are not wooden sticks painted red or green -- sometimes you can get their attention and care, sometimes you can't. They care about some kinds of problems but not others. If I had to formulate an aphorism here, I'd say "notice whether... Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:26:45 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12101617 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12098369 I see many Cons ranting on about Ted Nugent's right to free speech being limited by "libs". How is that exactly?<br /><br />He's got a little cat scratch fever. It sometimes resembles Tourettes' symptoms. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:55:27 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12098369 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12098367 Is everything everything actually?<br /><br />It's entirely a semantic matter, depending on the definition of "everything". So if you own the dictionary (or at least your own version of it), you get to decide! :) Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:54:06 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12098367 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12097359 Just who the hell is in charge here? I have a gut feeling this website is out in CA. So why don't they pay any attention to what goes on?<br /><br />Answerbag headquarters is in Santa Monica, CA. They don't pay attention because the whole range of possible weirdnesses that can happen on AB has happened so many times that any sane person would have no choice but to tune out the drama to save their own sanity. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:32:18 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12097359 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12097356 "If you love someone, let them go. If they come back they're yours forever, if they don't return, they weren't yours to begin with."<br /><br />Well, it's sort of silly, romantic, and cliche. The version I prefer is "If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back, hunt it down and show no mercy whatsoever". A little spicier. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:30:06 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12097356 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12095217 Planned parenthood..access to birth control...abortion. That's what the good old GOP focuses on. What about jobs? What about the economy?<br /><br />Simple: more babies equals more low-wage workers, who are an essential resource for large impersonal multinational corporations. By supplying them with more babies, they can churn out even more cheap goods that can then be purchased by the rich to provide profits for the corporations, who in... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:00:35 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12095217 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094881 Is a "spiritual atheist" a contradiction in terms since atheists do not believe in spirits/ souls?<br /><br />Much depends on what one means by "spiritual". If you've limited the definition to "belief in magical things", then yes, it makes no sense for someone who rejects the magical idea of God to accept other magical ideas. But "spiritual" can cover other territory as well, such as concerns about... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:05:59 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094881 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094856 Many steretypes are way off the mark and untrue. However are there any which are true often enough to make them valid? Which and why?<br /><br />A topic fraught with complexity. A "stereotype" is a category -- an abstract definition into which we sort people. The category is generally meaningful in some way, and often does have some kind of validity in terms of being observed in the real world. The two primary mistakes in this area... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:57:26 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094856 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094812 Do you think Christian fundamentalists tend to be well intentioned but misguided by their evangelical leaders?<br /><br />Yeah, misguided -- excluding the ones who are actively and awaredly con men (and con-women?) of course. Humans are a storytelling species: it's a side effect of the big brain. Other animals don't seem to have narratives filled with meaning, but we do. But many of our stories don't really hold... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 07:38:22 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094812 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094050 Angelina Jolie is getting married to Brad Pitt. What color dress should she wear to match his Blue eyes?<br /><br />Angelina who? Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:29:42 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094050 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094046 Why do some people type "I should of done it" but at the same time they never type "I of done it"? Does that seem logical to you?<br /><br />Well clearly the people saying this haven't thought deeply about what they're saying. So, if you're asking "why don't people think very deeply?", I guess that could be a fairly long discussion. Or we could just stipulate that humanity is a generally fairly dim species, despite having invented... Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:28:17 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094046 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094039 Is it legal for an employee to ask another employee how much money they are a making per hour?<br /><br />There's definitely no law against this. Employers do try to discourage people from discovering the pay of others, because that ignorance helps them to preserve a more powerful position in rate negotiations. But there's no way you'd see a law forbidding this in a modern democracy. Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:24:07 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094039 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094030 What is it like to live near a cemetery?<br /><br />Just like living in one, except nobody brings you flowers. Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:21:52 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/12094030