salamangkero

On a side note, I'd like to disagree with that and add that the problem with world hunger is not that we're not making enough. The problem is that there are too many of us. Interestingly, a lot of countries have been working on that using their latest technology called "war". So far, they have been successful, don't you think? A synthesizer (for lack of a better name) probably won't be used to create vegetables or any organism, for that matter. Imagine the possibilities of cloning, k? I do believe, though, that is such a synthesizer would be used, it would be for fashioning items that are quite rare or hard to acquire in this planet. For instance, we have lots of uranium and plutonium in the earth's mantle but we just can't dig past the crust, ne? I do admit, if they did that, they'd probably end up with unstable isotopes, though

Right on! My thoughts exactly It does seem that the American government is thinking of itself but claiming to be thinking of the world. For example, "We are worried that the world's(America's) satellites could be shot down, effectively crippling countries across the globe(America)" True, true. Power is not anything permanent. I think that's what the American government still has to learn. Au contraire, America, along with Russia, also has the ability to shoot down satellites. I do agree that they (the American government) are a typical display of crab mentality*. They don't like progress for anyone else but themselves. *Crab mentality - put a bunch of live crabs in a basket and watch them try to escape. Notice how each crab, in its ascent, pulls everyone else down.

Homonyms, dearie. Homonyms. Might I add I almost did a double-take as my speed-reading registered "homphobes" :lol True, some people (i.e. persons, humans) are like that. Why can't they understand that it's "e.g." they should use and not "i.e." It's almost like Internet Explorer or something OH YES! PeOpLe wHo WRITE LIKE THAT NeEd To Go To A WRITING SCHOOL OR SOMETHING!!!I also don't like people who use lots and lots of exclamation points!!! I tend to say, "Ack, how pathetic is that!!!" Then, there's |33+ (is that right?) I don't mind a few |33+ words every once in a while but !f $0m30n3 u$3$ +#3m @|| +#3 +!m3, well, things can get pretty irritating I'm in a jolly mood myself I believe I have also experienced this $#!+ from people who think seniority is an excuse to barricade the portals of a building. Honestly, I don't like old people who think that being old merits some sort of special treatment. In the same line, I also dislike girls who think chivalry is an obligation. Heck, I'm usually a gentleman but please, ladies, y'know, when I give my bus seat up to you, a simple thank you would be really great, but do you even mumble, "Thanks"? Sheesh. Also, if I've had only half an hour of sleep at home, it is rude to harumph and "clear" your throat to wake me up. It is far more rude, too, to point out to me, once I've woken up, that I, as someone unfortunate enough to be male, should give up my seat to you, you impolite, aggressive, barbaric Amazon of a female you... No. I'm not sexist. I also don't hate all females. Au contraire, I happen to be like the company of females, apart from a few exceptionally rude ones I happen to call 8!+(#3$

Mmmm, that's nasty. (I meant that as a compliment )Love the sneaky eyes, although I don't think I'd like to eat that M&M's. My esophagus is allergic to hair

I do think it's all about mint and carbonated water. We used to own a convenience store and, among others, we sell Coke, Sprite and Royal (it's an orange juice soda, by the same company). Among candies, we also sell Mentos (both mint and spearmint) and Polo (ze mint wiz ze hole).Anyway, it didn't work as well for the spearmint flavored Mentos. The original mint flavored Mentos took quite some time. See, Mentos has this candy coating that, well, coats the mint inside. Polo, on the other hand, is pure mint candy. It all mint inside out so I do think I like its "potency" more than that of Mentos :PI also like to use Coke (or Pepsi) more than any other soda 'coz it leaves stains more unsightly than the others.I wonder...

What really puzzles me is the validity of the "selection" process for a mass murder to qualify as a genocide. for example, if I were to think, "I'd kill everyone who's black," then I'm sure it would qualify for a genocide, right? I mean, I have (hypothetically, of course. No racism, just for the purpose of illustration) selected to kill black people. Now, what if, I thought, "I'd kill all harelips." Technically, I have selected but I do think some of you might not agree with each other whether killing harelips is a genocide or not. Lastly, for a most fuzzy boundary between genocide and just mass murder, what if I were to think, "I'd kill everyone who gets tails when they toss a coin"? I did select a particular (if not a bit unorthodox) group of people, right? So, by definition, it is genocide, right? However, everyone else is gonna say, "No, it's not genocide. Those people have nothing in common." See the blurred boundaries between genocide and just plain old mass murder? P.S. I am sure, though, that genocide is mass murder

I couldn't have said it more accurately We tend to place too much confidence in our technologies that, sometimes, we are led to believe, simply by observing a small part of the whole, that anything is possible. While it is true that we can do nuclear fission and fusion, we still have a long way to go. For one, the energy we need to split and recombine atoms with accuracy far exceeds those that we could get from those atoms. Also, we can't just take a tank of pee and turn it into a crate of cabbages. For one, we can never be sure what exactly pee is comprised of and what constitutes a "real" cabbage. While, in theory, creating single atoms could probably be child's play, the enormity of the process of creating billions of atoms become quickly apparent when you realize how many atoms you have to split, fuse and reconfigure in a tank of pee. I do believe it is possible, though, it probably won't happen in your lifetime... or your kid's lifetime... or your grandkid's lifetime. Y'know what, suffice to say that it won't happen anytime soon P.S. I don't think we can play god so easily... P.P.S. ...because I don't believe in a god

Wah doh yu mean yu donno wah nacho, nacho en pacho meens? I know yu are no intending to be but just becose we asian do not mean we donno how plain Engrish to speak, yah? And if yu ad too nachos end-to-end then yu get something pacho like, "I am not not Asian," and so yu have "I am Asian." Yes? Just kidding My chemistry days were kinda, well, boring. Our teacher made us memorize the entire periodic table of elements and, up 'til now, I still have no idea how I could have benefited from that. If anything, it's probably the sort of thing I'd say when a hot guy tells me, "I love nerds who know a lot of things," but, really, is there no other (pedestrian) use for that? I know the periodic table is not usually the stuff that crops up in perfectly normal and healthy conversations

I think it is part of the human ego to consider ourselves the peak of the evolutionary line. It's like were the ceiling of the evolutionary ladder and, when it comes to building civilizations and creating technologies, organisms should have to be human or, at least, have human-like features. Just because we have been successful in propagating our specie throughout the planet does not mean we are the end. If anything, all it would take is some major seismic upheavals, creating sheer rocky terrain to put humans, or bipeds for that matter, at a disadvantage. Only then will a lot of us probably realize that there still is a lot to be left desired with our anatomy. Yes, a very admirable attitude you have there. Those are hardly original ideas and I'm not just talking about previous posts. Things like that have always been the content of cheap and cheesy science fiction flicks. Anyway, just why do a lot of people also assume that alien lifeforms have special "powers", with telekinesis and telepathy pretty near the top of people's minds. Just because they have mastered space travel does not mean they have to be green-skinned humanoid creatures able to affect the physical world with their minds, right? This is all very refreshing but I would like to leave the realms of cheap sci-fi horror flicks now and contemplate on what aliens more probably (and more logically) look like. Heck, scratch that; let's not focus on outward appearances; it's what is inside that counts. Yuck, another cliche

Might I ask how many browsers have you used for you to come to that conclusion? If it were just IE and Firefox, I'm pretty sure Firefox beats IE, hands-down. However, might I add that malware developers are now also beginning to recognize the popularity of Firefox? Also, it was only just fairly recently that Firefox released an update that fixes a vulnerability: specially crafted GIF images can be used to give remote users root access to certain operating systems. Firefox is really great, mind you. However, I would not go about how secure it is, 'coz, really, it's the Internet. Almost any browser's security is nothing if you don't use a firewall, a good anti-virus, an anti-adware and, most important of all, that gray matter between your ears. No, not that one; the other one. There

Science Explained. It's a nice hardbound book that attempts to explain science at a pedestrian level. It's got pretty pictures too I believe that the struggle for domination or this drive to pursue perfection is hardly something exclusively human. For instance, it has been said that were it not for their extinction years ago, velociraptors would be ruling the planet now instead of us. The ferocious white shark, with its perfectly amiable nature (if you're into suicide) is also an animal that refuses to be controlled by anything. Well, only problem was that they had terrible social skills, which were, might I add, more than made up for by their voracious appetite. Well, let's face it, almost every organism strives to better itself. Geese fly south because they do not want to be ruled by the harsh northern winters. Plants develop tendrils and "move" them using auxins so they can reach the light better. Whales evolved tails because they "believe" (if they are sentient) that life is better underwater. So this drive to be god-like is not an entirely human thing at all. We were just lucky to have had the resources and breaks in the history of evolution to arrive at where we are now

A book I've read said that what separates humans from the rest of the living organisms on Earth is their ability to abstract ideas. For example, give a human a map and he'd instantly be able to distinguish that a square with a cross symbolizes a church. A couple of cusped squiggles stand for a body of water. Other primates could also be able to communicate but I think, in the known world, only humans are able to think in terms of symbols.Simply put, the alphabet and language makes us humans. By alphabet, I mean any set of predefined symbols, not necessarily part of the English alphabet. By language, I mean any set of combinations of the symbols of an alphabet bearing a predefined meaning (Those who know state machines and computer will probably be able to phrase it better than me)I was, at first, though, tempted to say that the ability to use technology makes us human. It is only true to a certain degree for some technologies, like fire and computers, are completely beyond the capability of most, if not all, species. However, some primates, like chimpanzees, use twigs very much in the same way humans use forks to eat. Bees are also able to create very efficient housing, whose strength could probably rival those of our own edifices.I also considered if culture makes us human but, as it is, some animals are also capable of inhabiting culture. Bees have their own society and their own culture. A bee from another swarm that tries to enter the wrong colony is immediately killed, on account of its different "scent". Macau monkeys have also taken to washing sweet potatoes in saltwater instead of just eating them right away. Even the majestic whales have their own music culture and the songs of one herd (or school?) can be quite different from that of another of the same specie.Again, I do agree with my book that the abstraction of ideas makes us human.

I think your views on dating and romantic relationships are a bit kinda too altruistic.See, no matter where in the world you are, the first thing people see is your looks. Now I know not all people are superficial like that but there's still a significant percentage who are pretty judgmental on a person's look.Then there is also intellect. I, for one, wouldn't want to marry anyone who can't even understand what I'm saying and simply nods and smiles. Really, that's pretty much one-sided and both sides will feel like $#!+ after some time. Not that I'd ever marry, anyway, unless they legalized homosexual marriages here.There is also sex. True, we may claim to be totally head over heels when it comes to our partner. However, many was a disappointed woman who silently (and politely, might I add) cried out in anguish upon discovering that their partner's equipment did not have sufficient length to pleasure them.Money is also an issue. I won't marry someone whose financial output is waaay below mine. What's to assure me he's not ripping me off? That sort of thing happens to a lot of gays in our country.Lastly, there are also the finer details that do not show themselves up in the dating phase. For example, some women shave their legs, exercise their bellies or pluck their armpits only when their dating. Within a month after marriage, you'd wake up to find a hairy Amazon beside you. It's not exactly my idea of waking up to a good day.Or, for another example, shortly after marriage, you discover that your husband takes a bath only once a week, if at all. Of course, you would have no idea because the self-conscious part of him made sure he took a bath before every date with you. Now that you're in the bag, so to speak, some people think, "Why bother prettying myself up? He/she is already mine and she'll have to accept me for who I am," which is kinda unfair since dating a person rarely shows his/her true personality and the little, but significant, details of his/her existence.If a person sees through all that and loves someone purely for the sake of love, then I believe that person is an infant who has not had the benefit of learning from experience how cruel, superficial and judgmental everyone in the world must be in order to survive and, hopefully, propagate their blood line

Perhaps it is this "skewed" perspective that makes deja vu practically untraceable. You'll think you've never been to a place before but it's vaguely familiar. It could be because you have, indeed, been there, only, not as a human but, say, a parrot or a parakeet. It's like not remembering walking into a room because you flew in. If it were so, it'd be something our human minds might have difficulty grasping, hence, the vagueness (I'm really to have used your counter-argument to prove what you were trying to disprove. It was nothing personal; 'twas nothing more than a spark of an idea)

Cheapskate That, by the way, is the pot calling the kettle black I am a cheapskate myself but I don't rely on the soup faerie. There are lots of other means for you to feed your pet for free. For example, if you don't mind cholesterol poisoning, you can always get a free omelette at Tyrrania everyday. If you don't mind sweets, there are also free jellies at jelly world. If you were talking about the Battledome, I totally agree The early neopets site had web-based games but they now have flash-based games. I do admit that a lot of times, some of their artwork suck. I do think these lousy artwork are remnants of an earlier Neopet age. I must concede that they probably have better artists now for their new flash games are quite nice, graphics-wise. There are some exceptions, of course. The recent Advent Calendar had a few terrible entries. They have nice sounds (music) but when it comes to giving voice to neopets, I'd say it's downright pathetic. All you get are a few yeeps, yows and yelps. I know many people might scoff me for even being a member of neopets. However, what I do like about it is that, first, it immerses me in a virtual world where I can pretty much do anything I want. True, I can do the same with any other online RPG; there are a lot that are free too. That's where the second part comes in: Neopets doesn't pull me in too much. With games like Ragnarok Online, O2Jam or even the pathetic Runescape, there is always the "I can't leave my character like this" pull disabling me from, well, leaving the game. With Neopets, I can leave whenever I want to. It's pretty much repetitive but it's what rocks my world. Plus, it's also nice to see my virtual bank acount growing fatter each day (One day, I'll rule the virtual stock market)

This is a very strong statement and, might I add, a dangerous generalization. Like the posts before me outlined, it is perfectly possible that if NASA did kill some Martian lifeforms, then there are other lifeforms in the planet as well. I mean, consider it more thoroughly, what are the odds that NASA crafts would land on the only oasis of life on Mars? Even more, not all alien life could prove to be valuable. For all we know, there could be devastating pathogens out there that no Earthian being has any immunity against. If it proves virulent, it could very well be the end of life, as we know it. I think there was a post before me that said it might be wiser if Martian samples were studied on a Martian outpost or on the Moon instead of on Earth. I completely agree.

Hmmn, I am suddenly made aware that I have used some pretty strong words back there. By genocide, I meant mass murder. I think a quick peek at this forum thread will show how confused I am about the word genocide. Anyway, back to business, I wouldn't mind the deaths of a million or so people if their elimination will prove to be beneficial to the country. About protesters, I don't hate all of them. I personally know some activists who know very well what they're fighting for and I even admire them for the courage of their conviction. The type of protesters I do hate is everyone else. See, it is a fact that in any massive rally held in my beloved country, there exist, in the crowd, the following types of people: 1. Activists who know what they're fighting for. 2. Activists who were fed propaganda, knowing only the "good" side of what they're fighting for while completely ignoring, or even not knowing, the disadvantages. 3. Spineless people who are simply paid to be there, to participate in a cause unknown to them, to chant mantras and slogans (In their defense, I'd say a lot of these people are impoverished and I suppose I should kill them to end their suffering and not because they're spineless dudes) 4. Media persons (I have nothing against them, most of the time) 5. Celebrities and politicians hoping to catch attention by joining the "people's cause" 6. Cam-whores who stick close to aforementioned celebrities/politicians, in hopes that a TV camera might focus on her face or that a news anchor might interview her. Well, there are a lot more but it does really pain me whenever I see common housewives or even people from the province joining a cause they don't completely know.

I heard Vista's gonna have these voice-operated commands. Might any kind soul in here verify?

I do agree. It might be best for everyone is suicide were discouraged, but not forbidden. Interestingly, that is quite what's happening in the world right now so the good news probably is that we'd have to make no major adjustments in adopting this... ideology. Let's have a show of hands, who agrees with Jimmy?

True, true. Not to mention that being continually assaulted by the odor of meat can sometimes make you feel nauseous. I'd have to disagree with this one, respectfully, of course. And tactful as well. Not cooking meat is very dangerous 'coz a lot of dangerous pathogens can reside even in a single slab of well-washed meat. I would also like to point out that, comparing ourselves to herbivores, we can also see our teeth are not as well-suited for grazing. The way I see it, we probably have evolved to eat both. After all, a creature that has a varied food source can more easily adapt to food-related events like famine, animal and plant diseases, crop failure and, sometimes, crop circles No, strike that last one out. Sometimes, though, I regret that we have lost the ability to digest cellulose because of evolution. Heck, I still wish we humans can photosynthesize! Imagine the advantage of a photosynthetic, sentient being capable of locomotion and digesting plants, animals, everything!

I can so relate XDWhen I first began, I was appalled to discover that an advert in my "About Me" page showed a couple of unsightly images promising a cure for eczema. I didn't even have the word eczema anywhere in my HTML code! I remember being so outraged I blurted out, "Where's the sense in AdSense?!?"However, it does seem to sort itself out sooner or later

Umm, I know it really is news to me but I hardly see how this has any impact on my life. As a matter of fact, I fail to observe how helpful this will be to all the others who might be reading this post. There is nothing even spectacular about a three-day coma and, let's face it, accidents like that happen all the time.I've also read your other posts, which, might I comment, seem to have been culled from a news site or paper. While I have nothing against that, let's properly quote our sources and offer information more relevant to the good people in this forum than a three-day coma of a 16-year old stranger, hm?I know this is gonna sound atrocious after all I said but, believe me, I have nothing but good intentions when I say, "Welcome to Xisto"

Now, to business (which implies a post that is, at the very least, relevant to the thread and not a confrontation to another poster's response) might anyone else (expect for some people we know) tell me why people adopt vegan diets? I am aware of animal-rights and all similar reasons but don't plants also feel "pain"? Just a thought

A notification I received (and the the foresight to save) from my local ISP on the first few days of the disruption in services By the way, only two cable ships have been deployed, so far. So yes, they are repairing, not re-routing. ISP's have already been re-routing since this all began, which is why the connection is so slow.

I'd be first to admit I was not acquainted with that technology. However, I must concede that it will work if its energy was dependent on cosmic rays. After all, we are constantly bombarded by near light-speed particles from somewhere in the cosmos, even more so at daytime. The tiniest bit of these particles could generate substantial energy, when properly harnessed and converted. Then there is also the constant, soft glow in the sky called the microwave background radiation. Anyone have any idea whether microwaves can power anything?