Misanthrope

Geeez....is this some kind of joke? I hardly think it's necessary to say, "no offense" a dozen times in one post, let alone once. I've got an offbeat sense of humor so I did find this rather humorous. But really, as a member who reads a post thoroughly before posting a reply, I've always found it curious and just plain old annoying when an author disclaims his statements with, "no offense," or, "I don't mean to offend," or any number of saccharin euphemisms. Have we really become so fearful as a community that folks feel the need to grovel at every turn? On the other hand, enforcement of proper language usage should come as no surprise. I for one am glad to hear the board is being maintained as a literate place for those of us who still respect the beauty of the English language.

Yeeeeehawwww!! Where's the party? Wait a minute - I'm a misanthrope; I don't like parties where people are present (yes, that was redundant and nonsensical). Oh well, party on without me. And whatever you do, come back good and drunk! Ah heck, don't listen to me. I'm a silly person. Just try to forget about work and enjoy yourself, for godsakes. Oh, and lest I forget: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Excellent observations Saint Michael. I suppose I need to clarify that my article is aimed at forum posters who may have an interest in correct citing etiquette and the avoidance of copyright infringement - not students writing term papers. The first paragraph regarding college cheating was more an introduction. It was meant as a springboard to explain how the pestilence of plagiarism has spread to all venues of intellectual exchange - particularly the internet forum. I totally agree that a forum venue is much more casual (i.e. less "anal"l) than a scholarly environment, which is why I pointed out very simple methods for acknowledging sources. However, I think it would also be a mistake to downplay the serious nature of plagiarism. To that end, I felt it necessary to point out the "anal" details of literary vampirism...er, I mean, plagiarism.

Plagiarism What it is and How to Avoid it Mention the word, “plagiarism” and thoughts of college students frantically copying and pasting copyrighted material for term papers readily comes to mind. Indeed, with the advent of Internet access for all, plagiarism has become a growing pestilence in the world of academia. So much so that the hallowed halls of knowledge are now doing everything from utilizing plagiarism detection software to appointing judicial boards to hear cases. Above all, clear policies are laid out explaining what plagiarism is, and the relatively easy steps one can take to avoid it. But academia isn’t the only venue suffering from this parasitic activity. From public forums to personal web sites, the Internet has made it possible for folks to gain access to a whole world of knowledge on a scale unthinkable to past generations. No one can deny the web’s benefits, but easy access has also opened the door to unscrupulous, vampiric types who have no qualms sucking the literary soul from their unsuspecting hosts. I’m afraid there’s more to plagiarism than the blatant copy and paste phenomena most of us are familiar with. So what exactly is plagiarism, you ask? The word plagiarism stems from the Latin root, “to steal,” I personally prefer using the words, “to suck,” as the non-academic plagiarizer is naught but an empty vessel who must feed off the genius of others to mask his own inferiority and lack of original thought. He is a vile, parasitic fiend who cares neither for his host or the public he so willingly deceives. Having said that, there are many ways of defining and detecting plagiarism, but it pretty much all comes down to this. In a fraudulent nutshell, you commit plagiarism when you suck the original mental juice from someone else and attempt to spew it forth as your own without so much as swallowing first. Or, for a less colorful description, the legal definition per Nolo.com is: A few words from the above paragraphs may have piqued your interest by now (at least I hope they have). Those words are original and creative, and they are key to recognizing and avoiding plagiarism. To fully understand the concept, you must first familiarize yourself with “common knowledge:” Example of common knowledge: Plagiarism is using the words, style, line of thought and/or ideas of someone else without giving them any acknowledgement. This is well known, general (common) knowledge based on facts known to a large number of people, and has become part of man’s collective consciousness, if you will. Therefore, there is no need to cite the source or use quotations unless you have lifted a direct, verbatim quote. Per the Chicago Manual of Style, there’s no need to use quotations on well-known biblical or literary expressions either. Contrast common knowledge with the same information interpreted in an original way: Example of Original work: The willful plagiarist is the psychic vampire of the literary world. He leaches off the creative spark of his victim, thereby extinguishing it. (Misanthrope) Here, the author has interpreted common knowledge in his own, original style. If you absolutely must use this author’s creative interpretation and metaphor in your own work –even if paraphrased, you must cite him if you want to avoid the scarlet letter of plagiarism. Better yet, why not develop your own creative style of writing? You'll find after reading enough sources and writing a good deal eventually you'll find you're own inner voice. Scholars have identified five different types of plagiarism. Per Dr. C Barnbaum of Valdosta State University, they are: For the sake of simplicity, I’m going to focus on three levels of plagiarism most likely to be recognized and encountered in Internet venues: outright, substantial, and minimal. Outright plagiarism would certainly encompass “copy and paste,” which is simply stealing part or all of someone else’s work, word for word (verbatim). The college student who buys a term paper from a literary house of prostitution, then submits it as his own work is a fine example. Included in this category would be the lifting of an artistic work in its entirety, say, an original Photoshop signature. Obviously, copy and paste is the easiest form of plagiarism to detect and prosecute, but most abusers avoid it for this very reason. Substantial plagiarizing would include word switch, or paraphrasing, and occurs when the plagiarizer moves and/or changes a word or two but maintains the original idea of the source. This is the most common trap folks fall into. The plagiarizer may have inserted a few words of his own, or moved around a few sentences, but isn’t fooling anyone – least of all the person whose original material was lifted, mutilated, and plagiarized. By now you’re probably wondering how the heck you’ll ever get hosting points at venues like internet forums if you have to put all your paraphrased material in quote tags. Fear not fellow Trapster, as there is a completely acceptable method of paraphrasing. First of all, remind yourself that much of what you'll come across is considered common knowledge, and therefore not something you need worry about quoting. But watch out for common knowledge an individual has interpreted in an original way (see example of original work above). Make sure you digest his source material completely, walk away from it, then regurgitate the material with your own distinct words, line of thought, and most importantly-style. Now you no longer have to use a quote tag because you’ve put the idea into your own words. HOWEVER, you still need to acknowledge the original source of the idea/interpretation by citing the author. Outside of the scholarly/professional setting this could be as simple as following your paraphrase with the author’s name in parenthesis, or at least acknowledging the source somewhere in your work. If you cite several works and prefer a cleaner appearance, you could do what the pros do, which looks something like this: Example: “The willful plagiarist is the psychic vampire of the literary world. He leaches off the creative spark of his victim, thereby extinguishing it.” (2) Then, at the bottom of your post/article/work, you would list your documentation: Notes: 2. The Enlightened Misanthrope, “Memoirs of an Enlightened Misanthrope.” Silly Person Publishing, 2005. Accessed online February 12, 2007. And lastly, we have minimal plagiarism (per westmont.edu), which is defined as the following, without citing the source: Within this category I would also include the imitation of metaphors, as previously noted per Dr.C Barnbaum. Now, when the plagiarist repeatedly engages in minimal plagiarism, it moves up a notch to the category of substantial. So, if you think you can pull one over with incremental lifts you assume no one will notice, think again. It’s of note that only 10% of an original work needs to be copied to be considered substantial, and thereby constitute copyright infringement. Now – down to the nitty gritty: plagiarism does not specifically appear in federal statutes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t file suit against the parasite who attempts to take credit for your creativity. Plagiarism is not only unethical, it is illegal, and you have every right to maintain control over how your ideas are used and presented. I will not go into the details of copyright and fair use here, as the subject appears to have been adequately covered by Rejected here: http://forums.xisto.com/topic/24076-copyright-protection-what-iscopyright-protection/ Suffice it to say, if it is decided the plagiarism falls within the realm of copyright infringement, your legal position is even stronger. In a venue where all we have are our words and images, these things, in essence - define who we are. To that end alone the plagiarist is worse than a blood-sucking parasite. He is soul-sucker; a virulent disease to be eradicated, lest he contaminate and compromise the integrity of all venues that claim to promote original thought and creativity. In closing, I'd like to stress that the above definitions of plagiarism are not my opinion. They are not intangible mysteries open to conjencture or debate. They are facts confirmed and accepted by professional and legal institutions, and for that reason I chose to open up the topic under, "What Is." Whether some feel the standards should not be enforced fairly across the board is irrelevant, as the standards exist with or without their approval. As a simple analogy, choosing to manipulate the law is akin to saying, "I won't stop for the red light because I'm in a small town....it really doesn't matter. Besides - I don't intend to hurt anyone." Ignorance, intent (or lack thereof) or refusal to follow common practice will not prevent a ticket being issued. Hopefully, some of you will walk away with a better understanding of what constitutes plagiarism, and how you can prevent becoming a victim and/or leaching off someone else's original work. Having said that, I'd now like to open up the topic to comments on your personal experiences with plagiarism. Where and how did it happen, what steps (if any), did you take to mitigate it, what sort of response did you receive, and how did the whole experience effect you?

I usually slow down when some idiot decides to tailgate me. Then he usually gets so frustrated he finally passes me in a tizzy. I've noticed they're usually not interested in passing though - they simply like to bully you into driving faster or enjoy the feeling of making someone else uncomfortable. People who tailgate are bullies who don't feel any authority in their own useless, miserable lives, but when they get behind the wheel they suddenly feel powerful. I always find it interesting how the weak choose to express themselves. Bullies need to be put in their place by the strong who won't be intimidated by ego-maniacal losers. Bullies don't respond well to normal, civilized behavior - they perceive it as license to continue being bullies. That's why a tailgate light is such a wonderful idea. If you were to patent and sell this thing there's no way you could keep up with the demand.

That's the spirit, JSPICE85! I can't think of a better birthday gift to yourself than an adoring creature who will love you unconditionally. Might I suggest visiting a local shelter and getting your future doggie there, as opposed to buying one from a breeder or pet store? Pet stores, generally speaking, have dubious reputations, and breeders - well, they're often in it for the money. I figure if you're going to acquire a pet, may as well be from a source that actually cares about animals. At the same time, you're saving an innocent life that might otherwise meet an untimely end. If you're looking for a purebred, your shelter can help you out there as well. I'm not sure where you're located, but the U.S. Humane Society has a wonderful program that allows you to put in a request for a specific breed, sex, or age of dog. When one comes in, they call you. I did that once when I was looking for a British Shorthair cat. Within a few months I received a call and adopted my precious Merlin. There are also rescue groups operated by kind-hearted folks that you might look into as well.

Geez - I think we at the Trap should start the FolkRockFan Puppy Fund to help him out with his altruistic endeavors . Speaking as a fellow cat person, I can only imagine how difficult it must be to care for all those puppies. No - I can't even imagine it. They're not exactly low maintenance like kitty-cats. I remember how difficult it was for me trying to raise just ONE puppy. Seems all they do is eat, urinate and deficate. Oh yeah, they like to chew on stuff too, especially hazardous wiring. What's the status on the puppies now? You might have already thought of this, but are there any fostering groups in your area? Maybe you could spread the "puppy love" (and associated excrement) with like-minded folks. Let us know what happens...

This has GOT to be the most entertaining thread/poll I've ever seen on the board, hands down! Perhaps I should start a poll on which thread members find most entertaining. Those of you said you're completely sober while writing on the forum may want to revisit your response. I believe sugar water (usually in the form of soda), caffeine and pharmaceuticals can also contribute to a state of "high-dom," or at the very least, alter cognitive function. I think I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I'm frequently writing under the auspices of caffeine, usually in the form of strong black coffee. And inspiration truly comes into play after a glass of cabernet or a shot of my favorite tequila, Don Julio (downed by a bottle of beer). This particular brand of tequila has no worm (thank the gods), but I'd venture to guess there's something else in there contributing to it's "magical" quality. It may be worth noting that many fine works of the 19th and 20th century were created by European and American Artisits/Writers under the influence of a peculiar green spirit called, "Absinthe." Among it's aficiondos were the likes of Vincent Van Gough, Picasso, Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. Personally, I always wondered if my favorite artist, Salvador Dali wasn't also an Absinthe benefactor. Perhaps he was simply insane (as opposed to.... ). Demonized for some time in Europe and the States, this elixir of the gods has experienced a recent revival of sorts. Let's just hope the prohibition nazis don't regain their tyrannical foothold. One prohibition per age is enough for the Enlightened Misanthrope.

Thank you for the maintenance warning . Pardon my ignorance, but is the hard drive change responsible for the new look of the CPanel? Just curious .......

If memory serves, this thread is a pole based on a very specific question: "Is homosexuality right or wrong?" Watermonkey was simply casting his vote and backing it up with his opinion, as has everyone who voted on this thread. If he had judged homosexuality as "correct," would he still be chastised? He would, after all, be making a judgment call - albeit to the opposite end. Without the ability to make judgment calls we would soon perish. The homicidal maniac uses his free will to commit atrocities, and weather he feels he is right or wrong as he takes an innocent life is beside the point as far as I'm concerned. This isn't the best analogy but I'm simply trying to illuminate the fallacy of the author's argument. The point is a civilized, free society has the right to JUDGE certain actions as right or wrong for the collective good of it's citizens. And as a microcosm of said society, the individual has the right to do the same for his own benefit.

I?ll embellish further on the previous post by stating there?s a fine line between saccharin sweet brown-nosing and utter contempt. The silver tongued devil who flatters his mark at the drop of hat would just as easily stab him in the back if the conditions were right. Thankfully, most of us know when we?re being lied to. But insecure egos readily gobble up the praise, thus perpetuating a ridiculous cycle.I find something intrinsically wrong with a culture that hides behind a fa?ade of ?niceness,? as means of restricting free exchange of idea and opinions. Obviously I?m not condoning uncivilized behavior, but when you present a work of art to the world, you open yourself to potential criticism. That just goes with the territory.

Start Your Garden Inside A Seed Starting Primer for Northern Climes If you?re itching to get your hands dirty, there?s no need to wait for the snow to melt. You can get started right now on this year?s garden by getting a head start indoors. Now?s the time to get organized and figure out what you want to grow, especially if you?re located in a northern, short-season climate. Some folks spend the winter pouring over seed catalogs, but most of us don?t have time for such luxuries. I usually pick whatever?s available from Walmart, as the prices are reasonable and the selection fair. Don?t let anyone tell you seeds can?t be saved for several years. You?ll often have seeds leftover, and they will store quite nicely if kept in a dry, dark place. I usually stuff all the leftover seed bags into jar and store in the basement until the following year. In order to time your indoor starts correctly, you?ll need to figure out which USDA gardening ?zone? you are located in. I am in zone 5, which means winters can get down to 20 below (I?ve seen them get lower). It also means my average last frost date happens around May 28. Because my frost date is so late, I have to start some of my plants inside several weeks before planting time. Otherwise, the plants will not produce fruit in time for harvest season. I have to factor in elevation and a unique micro-climate as well. I?m in a mountainous area some 1500 feet higher than the surrounding valleys, but my garden gets southwestern exposure, mitigating some of the elevation difference. Oddly enough, the valleys are often colder in the winter, as cold air travels down the mountainside and settles in the valleys many cold pockets. It?s not unusual for those of us at the higher elevations to experience sunshine while the valleys are covered in thick fog. But being at this elevation means my last frost comes a good two weeks later. Finding your zone is important, but check with local gardeners for the best information on frost dates. If you haven?t done so already, get those peppers in the dirt right now. The general order of seed starting goes something like this: 10 weeks before your last frost: Peppers, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts 6 weeks before last frost: Tomatoes, Eggplant 4 weeks before last frost: Melon You?ll notice a lot of vegetables are left out of this list. That?s because they can be direct seeded in your garden, and there?s no need to go through the hassle of starting them indoors. Most hardware and garden stores sell seed starter trays at a minimal cost, or you can use whatever you have laying around that happens to be 2? deep. Cream cheese containers, old milk cartons, tupperware ? they?ll all do the trick. Just make sure you poke a couple holes in the bottom for drainage. I personally like the plastic trays I bought at a local feed and seed, and have re-used them year after year. While you?re there, pick up some seed starter dirt. It?s a little pricier than regular potting soil, but you?ll get a higher germination rate and healthier starts. If you plan to make gardening a regular hobby, consider building yourself a plant stand. Similar in appearance to a bookshelf, this stand will allow you to hang lights on each shelf. No need to spend a fortune on fancy grow lights. The cheap fluorescent lights sold at hardware stores are your best bet. A small investment in a grow stand will pay off dividends year after year. Once you have your tools, it?s time to get started. Get a large bowl to put your seed starter soil in, then wet it down with some water. Not enough to where the soil is saturated, but well moistened. Transfer the soil to your desired containers. If you?re using commercial trays, you?ll plant one seed per small cell. If using a larger container, plant seeds about two inches apart. Make a small indentation in the soil with a pencil about ?? deep, then drop in the seed. Tap down lightly, covering the seed with soil while not compacting it. Now mist with warm water and label the container. Next, cover the container with clear plastic to keep the environment moist. If the soil is allowed to dry up, the seeds won?t germinate. Commercial seed starting trays often come with plastic lids, but in lieu of that, simply wrap in a clear plastic bag, but leave a small air gap to prevent mold growth. I use a heating blanket to increase germination rates and keep sun-loving plants happy. Lay the blanket on your growing surface, then place the plant container on top of it. You may want to lay a sheet of plastic on top of the blanket just to protect it from dirt and spills. Once the seeds germinate and raise their little heads out of the dirt, you can turn off the blanket and turn on the fluorescent light (the lights will now provide the heat). Use a timer and set the light to stay on about 18 hours a day. The lights should hang just two or three inches above the seedlings, and be raised little by little as they grow. It?s important to keep those lights hovering just above the plants. If hung too high, the plants will grow tall, spindly and weak as they strain to seek out the light. A short, stocky plant is a healthy plant. Once the seedlings have sprouted their second set of true leaves (the first one doesn?t count), it?s time to pot those babies up to bigger containers. You could waste money on expensive store pots, but why bother when cheap styrofoam cups work just as well. Poke a couple holes in the bottom and fill with regular potting soil, then gently transplant the babies into their new homes. Then water with a weak solution of fertilizer. Keep them under the fluorescent lights until ready for their final transplant: the garden. But before you get too excited, there?s a short transition your young plants should go through before being subjected to the harsh realities of outdoor life. Until now, they?ve had it easy with the protected environment you?ve given them. No wind, rain, cold, or direct sun. They will need a short period of adjustment before being thrown to Mother Nature. This time is referred to in gardening vernacular as the ?hardening off? phase. Set the little guys out on your deck a short time each day, exposing them in larger and larger increments to the elements. Make sure you bring them back inside each time, and don?t set them out if it?s too windy or rainy. After they?ve adjusted to your porch (or other protected area), set them out on a less protected area in increments. After about a week of ?hardening off,? they are finally ready to transplant to your garden, and hopefully, provide you with a bounty of produce! If you have any questions fire away....I've been doing this the past four years and can probably answer most of your questions right here. If not, I can certainly point you in the right direction. Or maybe you want to share your own seed starting experience. All the better, as gardening is an ongoing information-gathering process and we can all learn from eachother....

I'd say what I always do in these kind of situations, that is, let her go be indecisive somewhere else and get on with your own life - for godsakes! Sounds like she's on the young and immature side (and most of us are pretty immature at that age). Really, who needs the headache of a "relationship" when just starting out in life? Wait till you're established in a career and bringing in enough income to support a family before going after a woman. Remember, education and income first, then the relationship. Folks often screw themselves up pretty bad in life when they do things backward. Or maybe you don't want anything serious right now? I think that's what lots of folks think before they end up saddled with debt and children before they're ready.

Speaking of the healing properties of cats (yet another reason I prefer them over dogs), have ya'll ever noticed that kneading action they do with their paws when they're getting ready to sleep on your lap, or curl up by your feet? Better than any massage you could possible pay for. I find it totally relaxing. And coupled with that wonderful purr, it's a little bit of heaven on earth. Compare that with the dog, who's usually too darned big to sit on your lap to start with. But even if he could, he'd sit there and start scratching fleas right before emitting noxious fumes from his back side. Thank the gods for cats!

You can call it what you like: faith, dogma, belief, worship.....the list goes on. But since ancient times, empires and great leaders have risen to power based on an "allegiance" to a particular god with the belief that power(s) aided in their rise to fortune. And the powerful continue charting the world's path with firm belief in powers unseen and/or unknown to the profane. The need to align ourselves with the supernatural is an integral part of mankind's genetic makeup, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. "There are no atheists in the foxhole," said a very wise man. Indeed, something I've often noticed with atheists I've come across is not so much an outright denial of the existence of God, per se, as a refusal to buy into what they feel is a system of corruption and ignorance based on "mere" faith. As much as the Atheist would like to bemoan the abuses carried out in the name of religion, these crimes pale in comparison to the evils spawned by Marxist-Atheist Communism, whose recent tyrannical exploits are responsible for the death some 140 million people (this may be a conservative estimate), and whose history of human enslavement continues unchecked by our "caring" United Nations and globalist elite. My money says that when the Atheist finds himself in that proverbial foxhole, even he breaks down and reaches out to his maker.

It appears Watermonkey's perfectly valid point has escaped some. I interpret his statement as follows: Why shouldn't the worthy topic of Music (considered the highest of all arts), be awarded host points? If members can get points discussing the virtues of women's makeup, then the discipline of music should certainly be deemed worthy. If not under Entertainment, then perhaps under it's own forum? I know plans are in the works for a "tree-like" forum structure, so perhaps OpaQue will consider incorporating topics like music, philosophy and religion as either forums or subforums at some point I for one look forward to it.

Heeeheee! I used to contribute to a group called NPG (Negative Population Growth), so you'll get no argument from me regarding human infestation. But then I realized NPG is in league with the UN and other proponents of eugenics and human enslavement. Though I find the physical practice of homosexuality an abomination, it's not so much it's practitioners that bother me, but the puppeteers pulling the strings. Left to it's own devices and instincts, societies will keep homosexuals in check as a matter of course. But the power brokers, as usual, use man's instincts against him.

Sexual preference is an intensely private matter, and should remain, well?private. The American military?s ?Don?t ask, don?t tell? policy worked fine until someone figured out it actually worked too well. I frankly don?t care what manner of depravity goes on behind the closed doors of Joe Blow, as I?m bombarded with enough sexual content every time I make the mistake of turning on the television. If Mr. Blow chooses to engage in physical ?relations? with another man, I suppose that?s his business - I certainly won't tell if he doesn't. But when the Powers that Be start shoving the political correctness of homosexuality down the collective throat of the populace, that?s a different story entirely. A war is being waged against the traditional, nuclear family in an effort to leave the population more vulnerable to Elitist agendas. Not that I've ever cared to participate fully in the family structure myself. The mere thought of procreating brings forth vomitous emanations. Still, I respect those who responsibly engage in carrying forth the species. The current bombardment of all things ?gay? is yet another assault on an institution which forms the very backbone of American society. The Elites are well aware how provocative homosexuality is and understand that forcing it on the public will create division, as advocacy groups from both sides focus animosity toward each other rather than look at the source of the conflict. Divide and conquer has been the mantra of the power brokers for many ages. They create problems, then move in with ?solutions? that inevitably lead to further loss of freedoms and sovereignty. Understand, a good percentage of the population finds the very thought of a man inserting his member into another man?s willing orifice an absolutely horrifying thought, at best. Somehow, I think the innate disgust many of us feel when forced to visualize such behavior goes well beyond the confines of right or wrong, ?ok or not ok,? to that nameless place within us that cries out, ?Dear God man!! That just ain?t natural!? Next time you feel that cringe of disgust, resist the urge to sink into political correctness with fears of being labeled "homophobic." Trust your instincts.

Do I have to choose just one meal? Oh, alright. I'd go with something I hardly get enough of since it's such a pain to prepare from scratch. One of my favorite meals is a Middle Eastern dish consisting of Falafel, lettuce, onions and tomato in a pita with Greek olives and nice hummus to dip my pita in. For those who haven't experienced the sublime pleasures of Falafel, it's simply a garbanzo bean concoction deep-fried to heavenly perfection. Don't forget the Tobasco. Lots of protein, nutrition, crunch and flavor. Best part is, no critters had to die for me to stuff my face. Oh, and a Heinekin (or two?) to wash it all down with. Yummmmy!

The term, "youth is wasted on the young" might be appropriate here. I would agree with True Fusion in as much as "true love never dies." However, when relationships are engaged in too early in life, true love is often not recognized for what it is, and thus discarded in favor of other flights of fancy. But regardless of age, what I've noticed in untimely breakups are expectations that have been set far too high. People often interpret what they see on television and other media as some sort of moral and/or cultural guide post, reflecting what some faceless entity says is "cool" onto their own spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend. This is a dreadful mistake, as tv is generally designed to illicit feelings of inadecuacy and insecurity among viewers. No man or woman can live up to the unrealistic figures as presented in the media. When the initial thrill has died, shallow partners move on to greener pastures. What once was the "seven year itch" has degraded to the five year itch. Now, it's more like the one-year itch as America continues it's moral decline into oblivion.

A tree-like structure sounds like a very good idea! After raising this suggestion, it was again suggested by another member that spirituality and the like should be posted under the Health and Fitness forum. I would personally find it strange discussing, say - the book of Revelations, Plato, or Ghosts under Health and Fitness. I imagine others might agree.

This is one of the best topics I've seen in a while, and it concerns me that more members haven't chimed in yet. Can you say, "apathy"? Turn off the mainstream lies and turn on the youtube videos Kraizii88z has brought to your attention, for God sakes. While you're at it, check out radio truth guru, Alex Jones for further enlightenment. This is not the time to stick your head in the sand with video games and shallow diversions. "911 WAS AN INSIDE JOB", says Alex Jones (and a host of experts). It simply could not have happened without our own government pulling the strings of international puppets. If anyone can explain why the most powerful nation on earth ordered it's military to stand down while one of it's largest city's was attacked, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts.