Misanthrope

Hi Cinnamoroll, thank you for clarifying your thoughts. And to clarify my stance, I believe there are powerful influences behind the industry in question, namely the pharmaceutical industry, that controls and corrupts the overall climate of the psychiatric profession. These powerful forces have a very bad habit of corrupting otherwise well-meaning people. You may be interested in boning up on the subject, and intellectually arming yourself with information upon taking up the profession: http://www.antipsychiatry.org/mosher.loren.1.htm Point well taken. Ahh, that certainly makes sense now. Sorry for being so thick! I bet you'll make an excellent psychiatrist, but please consider checking into the above link. Forewarned is forearmed.

Ellen! I love your signature regarding mountains, they truly are a fortress from man and his conquering spirit (speaks to my heart) and you're image of them is absolutely beautiful. Where did you get that cool mountain image? Speaking of - I bet climbing mountains is an excellent way to up the heart rate and control metabolism/weight issues. Yes? I'm not an expert like you, but it would seem to make sense. I live in a mountainous environment and it certainly does seem to build the stamina over time, as well as keep a check on weight and metabolism. After you get used to breathing the thin air, descending to the lowlands is a walk in the park, as it were. I see you're from Hungary, and I imagine you get snow in the winter like I do at 49 degrees North. As a fitness instructor, I think it would be awesome if you started a thread on the subject of staying fit and maintaining a healthy metabolic rate in the dead of winter. That can sometimes be a challenge for folks who don't own treadmills or have access to gyms....like me. And sometimes it's so cold outside, it's all I can do to drag myself out there for a morning walk. In January, I usually have to rub my face down with lotion so my skin won't crack, but I can't stop my eyes from watering from the cold. So something that would address those of us living in remote, cold settings would be very much appreciated. Speaking of, do you instruct in gyms or freelance? Anyway, look forward to hearing more from an expert in the field of fitness. I for one would love to see some tutorials from you!

Excellent points, KuBi. As young as you are, you often surprise me with your level of maturity. Anyway, in addition to your well rounded list of subjects: heaven, hell and such, I might also add the subjects of Vegetarianism and Veganism, as I've noticed folks occasionally come unglued when these two topics are raised as well. It seems to threaten some in unspeakable ways I've never imagined possible....until now. Provocative as topics like religion and the like can be, this topic was started in the Debate forum, so a certain amount of heated exchange shouldnt be too surprising, nor discouraged in my humble opinion. Heeheeeeeethats some good stuff there. Maybe that's because it sounds an awful lot like something I wrote for my website. Wait a minute .. the Enlightened Misanthrope does not take kindly to being imitated. At any rate, I enjoyed the intelligent (and humorous) use of satire as it appeals to the higher faculties of good humor and forces the reader to think. Now, I know thinking has become a bit of a lost art form in our current culture of mediocrity, but its one well worth reviving for all our sakes. We should be applauding, not admonishing those who have the ware withal to convey information in such entertaining and enlightening ways. And really, a little levity thrown in to the mix is a very healthy thing. People are more likely to visit and stick around at the Trap if they are entertained, as well as educated. On the subject of God, I have to admit I'm still stuck at square one, despite a lifetime pouring over books on a myriad of metaphysical topics. Every time I think I've stumbled upon THE answer, I either hit a roadblock or find conflicting evidence that sends me scurrying in the opposite direction in that eternal quest for the truth. It seems the more I think I know, the more I realize I don't know didley. Perhaps that would make me an agnostic? Nah - the jury's still out on that one too. I can't provide any conclusive answers on this, and I wouldn't pretend to know all there is about the unknowable anyway. But I do think the more time we put in trying to know God, the more chance we have of becoming godlike ourselves...if that makes any sense. Looking for some meaning in life sure beats the heck out of watching football. I wanted to revisit this post an ad the following: I DO believe in God. It simply makes no sense to believe otherwise (does that make me a fanatic? Oh no - there's that stifling, freedom-smothering word again). As Spring unfolds her bounty, I am at once in awe of the majesty and wonder before me, and I realize it can't be the result of some random act or anything man, in his limited knowledge, can even begin to fathom. Einstein, at the end of his illustrious career, had to admit as much. If God is good enough for Einstein, he's certainly good enough for the likes of me. 'Nuff said.

I recently posted a similar topic here in the "Health and Fitness" forum, and all I can say is, pity the poor soul who dares start a topic on the subject of veganism or vegetarianism. Especially in the health and fitness section - oh the irony. That is why I think it would be a good idea to put health in it's own section separate from Fitness, because folks interested in the later aren't necessarily interested in lifestyles that have spiritual underpinnings. The same goes for meditation and philosophy. They really need to be in a forum separate from Fitness. Although spirituality is obviously inter-related to all aspects of life, including fitness, for forum purposes it would be better served in it's own section where it would attract intelligent posts from folks who already have an interest in the topic, as opposed to, say, body builders who may not provide quality responses to such material. You might just as well put religion under the "gaming" forum, for that matter. But back to this thread and others like it, it appears the very mention of the words, "vegan" or "vegetarian" seem to send the unenlightened into a defensive, unabashed tizzy. I've noticed specific "code" words used at this forum to flame individuals who choose different lifestyles, but the folks who use such terminology to limit the free speech and rights of others are perhaps the most intolerant of all. As much as you may disagree with "Juice," you have no right to squelch his opinion because it may offend your limited sensibilities or challenge your subjective biases. This IS a forum on Health and Fitness, is it not? Why then, can't people start threads on perfectly viable, healthy lifestyle choices without some of you reacting in an immature and needlessly defensive manner? There are few things that disturb me more than witnessing the "herd" gang up on one individual who happens to hold a different viewpoint from the willfully ignorant masses. This is bully-like behavior that should not be tolerated in a forum that values individual freedom of thought. The Internet remains one of the last bastions of free speech, and I for one would like to see it stay that way.

I've noticed it for the last week or so. I'll go ahead and submit the report per your instructions. Thanks Jlhaslip!

I'm seeing some weird warning message show up at the top of my page when I go into "my controls," then load my topic subscriptions page. At the top of the page, the following code appears several times:IPB WARNING [2] in_array() [function.in-array]: Wrong datatype for second argument (Line: 2711 of /sources/action_public/usercp.php)I'm guessing maybe that has something to do with the fact I'm having problems subscribing to my topics and posts? Thanks in advance for your help.

This one will probably be a no-brainer for most of you talented folks out there, but I'm still not there yet. I just installed Cutenews and want to do a simple color change to the text within the "default" template. All I want to do is change the color on the title and comment text. I wouldn't mind changing the font size either. I tried inserting html code but that didn't work, so either I'm inserting it the wrong place or I'm using the wrong code. What's the easiest way to do this? Thanks in advance for your help.

I eat, therefore, I cook. Not that I necessarily enjoy this laborious, monotonous, time-consuming activity. Spilling tears over chopped onions isn't my idea of a good time. I'd rather be sitting on my butt, computer or book in tow. In fact, I'd just assume have a feast for a king miraculously appear at my table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and have some horrible little troll clear the table for me so I can get back to the task of sitting on my butt. The reality is, cooking is simply the best thing to do if one wants to avoid going broke and maintain some semblance of good health. Why, just the other day I was reminded why I must cook, why I need to cook, why I HAVE to cook. In celebration of my mum's birthday, I took her to a health food cafe, where I proceeded to pay outrageous prices for something a monkey could have throw together. Granted, the food was healthy, but seven dollars for a frickin' sandwich? Geeez. The following day I almost (I said...almost) enjoyed throwing together my own sandwich for much less cost, and a nice ale to wash it down with to boot. They wanted $3.50 for one beer. It's not unusual for me to wash down my meal with two beers or a hefty glass of wine. So, we're looking at $14 for one lunch? I don't think so. It's back to that damn kitchen for me. Lesser of two evils and all.....Lately, I've gotten into the habit of what I refer to as "marathon cooking," where I cook up huge batches of soup, lasagna or enchiladas, then bag 'em up and freeze 'em. That way, I only have to slave away in the kitchen one day a week as opposed to seven. Plus, I, not some unknown entity, gets to choose what goes into my food. That's very important for us control freaks! I've perfected a lentil soup recipe that incorporates Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Zuchinni, Balsamic Vinegar, Carrots, Garlic, Onions, Celery, Parmesan Cheese and a dash of red wine, of course. Once you start eating real, home-cooked meals it's hard to go back that junk food trash. In fact, it's downright disgusting (god I love that word).

I've noticed people often fall into either the "red" or "blue" category. Or what interior designers would refer to as the cool or warm colors. I've always had an affinity for black and blue..heehee. Must have something to do with all those lovely black eyes I gave my little sister growing up. Oh, if only. I can dream, can't I? I absolutely detest the warm colors of red, orange and yellow; especially yellow. I once remember a study citing that people subjected to yellow colored walls for any length of time actually become ill. Colors vibrate at certain frequencies which affect humans. It's no secret that car insurance companies charge higher rates for drivers of red vehicles, as this color is more likely to incite anger in other drivers. And the fact folks who choose red as a car color tend to be more "passionate" drivers. If you think I'm just throwing around rabid generalizations, feel free to call your insurance broker.In some philosophies, colors are associated with specific energy vortexes on the human body, sometimes referred to as "chakras." The lower, base energy centers associated with the passions, namely reproduction and digestion, radiate the warm colors of red and orange. As one ascends the green chakra appears at the heart, followed by the higher hues of blue and purple. And finally, the crown chakra radiates a brilliant light, often referred to as the halo effect associated with The Christ. Each color radiates a specific frequency that also correlates to the musical scale. Just as we are unconsciously attracted to people who vibrate on the same frequency level as we do, so we are to certain colors and forms of music. So, my personal theory is that people experience affinities for colors, other people, and music based on this principle, which also happens to coincide with their current spiritual level of evolution.

For the most part, I'm usually disappointed by the big screen interpretation of the written word, especially from book format. As an example, I found Ann Rice's, "Interview with a Vampire" failed miserably as a film, though I totally devoured it as a book. I do own this DVD and enjoy it on it's own merit; I just don't expect it accurately represent the book. There are, however, a few exceptions. Most notably JR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Somehow, this previously unknown production team managed to beautifully execute the spirit of Tolkien's work in one of the most incredible visual spectacles I've ever witnessed. It's one of the few films I can watch repeatedley for the imagery alone. But generally, I guess you could say I feel the same way about books made to film as I do about musical pieces put to video. Who is the monster that created MTV? There is something so diabolical about removing the individual's own musical imaging and replacing it with the vile content usually so prevalent on MTV.

What happens after death, you ask? Quite simply, a process of vile physiological changes ensue after a man is finished polluting the ether with his very presence; some of which are so unspeakably horrific even the Enlightened Misanthrope dare not mention them in mixed company. One might even refer to such discussion as the last taboo. Ah, and I had such fond memories of flatulence holding this esteemed title. Nowadays, the subject of gaseous anomalies and their lingering odors are all but passé on major television networks and other forms of guttural bombardment. But I digress. I think the English alchemist and magician, Aleister Crowley summed up mans fate quite nicely with the following truism: Heeheeethat one never fails to illicit demented, twisted smiles from this normally sullen face. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and all that warm and fuzzy stuff never fail to peak my morbid curiosity in all things, well, morbid. Oh, did I mention I dont discuss the vile details of decomposition in mixed company? I lied. Since some brave soul had the nerve to start a thread on one of my favorite topics, I may as well honor it with a detailed answer. But I warn you, Im no more a forensic scientist than Bush is a conservative president. My only credentials are a macabre fascination with dead things and a keen interest in the process of human decomposition. The following is not for the faint of heart, so leave now if easily disturbed at natures natural process of decay. If you decide to stay, I will not be held responsible for any resulting nausea or vomiting. So then boys and girls, lets get into it (or six feet under it), shall we? You may be appalled to learn how ghoulishly active the human body remains after physical death. When the heart stops beating and the lungs stop breathing, the cells are deprived of oxygen. Thus commences a gruesome chain of events, beginning with a gradual cellular death that starts in the brain and ends with the skin. Brain cells will usually start dying if deprived of oxygen for three minutes, but skin and bone cells can stay alive for several days. This is why youll see (if youre lucky..hehe), the nails continue to grow on a stiff some time after death. Rigor Mortis, which is a stiffening of the muscles, sets in after three hours and can linger up to 72 hours after death, or, until the muscle proteins begin to decompose. What causes Rigor Mortis you say? You say you dont want to know? Too bad Im going to tell you anyway (wicked laughterheeheeeeeheeeee). At death, the corpse relaxes completely into a state known as, primary flaccidity. But after a few hours, changes in muscle energy containers (ATP-ADP) shift into that dreadful condition otherwise known as Rigor Mortis. Exact onset can depend on a number of factors, including the persons age, musculature, gender, and so forth. A child, for example, may not exhibit any discernable signs of this condition. It is ventured this has something to do with their smaller muscle mass. I happen to think its because children are not real people to begin with, so why should they decompose as such? Dogs certainly dont seem to think theyre human. They see children as just another animal, and treat them and eat them (if given half a chance) accordingly. But even some adults do not show signs of the grand state of stiffdom. In some cultures these limber dead are said to possess superhuman powers. I wonder what they do with these limber dead, anyway? Are they worshiped, or left to rot like any common cadaver? They say Rigor Mortis onset and duration is also dependent on the ambient air temperature, so, try not to die someplace hot., for godsake. All muscles are affected, beginning with the eyelids, jaw, and neck. It then moves on to other muscles tissue, including those of the heart. Geez, is nothing sacred? Now, after the body has been in this stiffened state for anywhere from one to two days, the muscles once again relax into a second sort of flaccidity, and the corpse begins to cool to a state called, Algor Mortis. Uhh, is that how Al Gores parents came up with his infernal name? That would certainly explain his stiff demeanor. Anyway, if the body is not embalmed at this point, a very, very stinky process known as putrefaction sets in, and you probably dont want to be around when this happens. That is, unless you happen to be the stiff in question. Theres nothing quite as vile as a rotting human. Still, for the sake of education and the betterment of society, I will elaborate on its grislier details.hehe. Your first sign that a corpse is beginning to putrefy is the appearance of a ghastly green hue on the lower right abdomen. This hideous discoloration then spreads over the remainder of the abdomen before moving on to the chest and thighs. Green skin accompanied by foul odors is a pretty good signed that someone has passed on, moved on, shipped out, bit the bullet, bit the dust, signed off, kicked the bucketwell, you get the drift. In this case, the drift is a rank mixture of sulphur-ridden stomach gasses and the breakdown of red blood cells. Now, if they can send a man to the moon, why cant they bottle this lovely stench? What a lovely elixir it would make. This gaseous concoction is not only responsible for the unmistakable putrid marker that says, smells like someone died., but the bloating of the corpse as it turns from ghastly green, to putrid purple, and finally, the bleakest of blacks. Witness also, protrusion of the intestines through the anal and vaginal orifices. If that visual wasnt gruesome enough, bloodstained fluid spews forth in copious quantities from said orifices, as well as the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. After about a week of this activity, the skin begins to form large, bloody blisters as the skin loosens and gradually slips away in what is referred to as, skin slip. And the stink isnt over yet. Far from it. The internal organs havent yet had their say in this ghastly spectacle, and they too produce rank odors as their swollen state causes them to rupture and leak. After a few weeks, the nails, teeth, and hair loosen. Oddly enough, the corpses respective prostate and uterus can stay intact up to a year. Curious. Its certainly no wonder embalming, cremation, mummification and the like have such a strong tradition in most cultures. There is truly nothing nastier than a rotting, human cadaver. Now then, boys and girls. I hope weve all learned something today. Tune in next time, when well discuss the glorious host of fauna and parasitic creatures that enjoy feeding on human cadavers. They include an entourage of bacteria, flies, beetles, moths, and my personal favorite, the maggot.

I believe that there are politicians who don't do their job properly, and you better believe I'll "criticize that profession in general" too. I think they refer to this attitude as "free speech." When an institution is inherently corrupt to begin with, the unfortunate consequence is a trickling down of that mentality to those who choose to work within it's parameters. I believe your goal is to help others, and that's an honorable aspiration. Just be aware of the medical industry's moral pitfalls, and strive to avoid being swallowed up by them - if not for yourself than for your hypothetical patients. Either this statement is completely incoherent, or I'm just not getting it. Someone, anyone, feel free to jump in and decipher this.

Wow - sure seems like Notepad is popular. I have to admit I've never used it, though I might have to give it a go since it seems so popular. I really liked Coffee Cup, but my free trial ran out so I've since switched over to the totally free, "html kit." Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. Keep it simple, I say. As one who's technically challenged, I don't imagine I'd do very well with something as complex as Dreamweaver. So many bells and whistles in that giant I'd probably end up pulling my hair out (and that's a lot of hair). I used an open source web theme anyway, so most of the hard stuff was out of the way. Speaking of, check out this site for tons of open source themes: http://www.oswd.org/

Watermonkey - as per usual, your comments hit straight to the heart while retaining a certain eloquence I haven't seen for awhile, and I really appreciate your feedback on this provocative thread I started . I always contend that if more people had to go out and actually kill an animal with their own two hands, there would be a lot less meat-eating going on. Of that I have absolutely no doubt. But hey - if you have to eat it, at least know your source. Heck, even Safeway is carrying organic, grass fed Buffalo meat these days. Trader Joe's carries a wide variety of products from sources OTHER than factory farms. Times...they are a changing. Let's hope for the better of all beings.

I use Mozilla's Firefox because it has a cool Mac skin, allowing me to wallow in a sort of superficial Mac-induced haze that overshadows my lowly Windows-user status. You see, I'm one of those sick, twisted, pathetic Mac wannabees who's still stuck on a slimy, worthless, piece of sh*t windows machine. I've vowed to myself that when Mac fixes it's current screen issue on the Powerbook 15", I'm switching over to a truly worthy machine and giving Bill (the antichrist) Gates a swift kick in the keister with enough vigor to send him hurling off his private dock into the depths of obscurity. He and his evil minions would be better served providing fodder for Lake Washington's famed Loch Ness monster lookalike. Microsoft sucks! There - I said it. How's that for stirring up a can of worms? But seriously, Firefox has some really cool add-ons like "web-developer," which is a great tool for checking out other people's code and what not. Thanks to Saint Michael for that great tip. I especially like "View Color Information" which displays the color code of any given site. Great for us lazy folks who'd rather not decipher CSS. But I hold allegiance to no particular browser. If Opera (which runs faster I hear) can provide the same benefits as Firefox, I'll gladly give it a go.

Hey Ya'll - thanks for your excellent input and instructions. I tried out Cutenews (thanks for the help, BuffaloHELP!), and guess what? It actually works! Not only that, but it didn't change the look of my existing site at all. Wordpress is nice too but I hear it's a little harder to integrate it into an existing site. They sure have some cool looking themes, though. If I had to start from scratch I would probably go the Wordpress route, but for people who already have a site up, it doesn't look like Cutenews can be beat. Feel free to chime in if you disagree...

I'm afraid a two word post doesn't accomplish anything, unless of course, your aim is something other than providing useful information. With all due respect, I don't consider this a legitimate response to a perfectly valid query. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't even think it falls within Xisto posting guidelines of typing so many characters per post. Please revisit my original question and focus on my request for detailed information a non-geek can comprehend. I can only assume that you, Rval, know what you're talking about. At least I hope you do. If that's the case, either 1.) provide something more than a two word response, or 2.), consider posting a tutorial on the subject. I for one would be most grateful.

Garbage, would you mind clarifying that? I'm an idiot when it comes to this stuff and need point by point directions. Thanks!

Don't interpret generalizations as anything but what they are, Ghostrider. And the fact there are "some good people left in the world" has absolutely nothin' to do with nothin,' and hardly diminishes the feasibility of my point. That is, the medical industry as a whole is not necessarily concerned with the well being, emotional or otherwise, of the individual. Sadly, it often comes down to the almighty dollar, and the individual (doctor and patient) gets swept up in the tail wind. Ssssswishhhh........ Geeeeeez, can we all stop being on the defensive here? I'm getting a bit tired of walking on eggshells around fragile egos. Who said anything to question your creativity or ability to think? This is supposed to be a forum for intelligent debate, learning and conversation. I'm sure you're very creative, but I'm not here to build up egos, nor am I particularly interested in psychoanalyzing personal issues. Please refrain from demeaning my personal opinion. I have as much right to my viewpoint as you do yours. Please refrain from hurling personal attacks against me because you feel I don't share your opinion. I will continue to voice my viewpoint on this topic, and others like it. The fact is, fraud and abuse run rampant in the psychiatric industry, and you would be well advised to research the matter further, especially if you are currently undergoing "treatment." If you don't believe me, which you obviously don't, please consider visiting this site: http://www.freedommag.org/