the random thought thread

[Hooahguy]

if people from Poland are called Poles, why arent people from Holland called Holes?

why do people who are going bald insist on headbanging, even though it looks insanely ridiculous?

why does beer taste horrible when warm?

why is the answer to life 42?

[Vuk]

if people from Poland are called Poles, why arent people from Holland called Holes?

Ever met a Polish dance performer?

[Hooahguy]

why are laptops called laptops when if putting it on your lap (if ur a guy) is harmful to your health?

[Jolt]

Why do you frown, little owl?

[Hax]

if people from Poland are called Poles, why arent people from Holland called Holes?

Because it's the Netherlands.

[Reverend Joe]

Can't you smell that smell?

[Vuk]

Because it's the Netherlands.

Then how does Noles sound?

[Hooahguy]

why are people such 's sometimes?

[Vuk]

why are people such 's sometimes?

Such daisys? That is a funny thing to ask...

[seireikhaan]

Why do people insist on opposition and differences than on cooperation and similarities?

[Vuk]

Why do people insist on opposition and differences than on cooperation and similarities?

Because it is our differences that divide us, not our similarities. I have never known two different people learn to get along who have no confronted their differences headon and worked something out. If people would stop pretending that differences didn't exist and just confront them headon I think we would soon have a world free of nearly all conflict. People are too eager to just brush their differences under the rug now adays, and then they come back to bite them in later. I agree that most differences are small enough that they should not divide people (race, ethnicity, etc) and should not be a focus, but there are some differences that WILL cause divides if they are NOT confronted. (and probably even if they are, but at least then you are being honest with yourself and others, and can at least agree to live seperately and in peace)

[rajpoot]

Why is it that the games we are most looking forward to are the ones that come with the most number of bugs?

[seireikhaan]

Because it is our differences that divide us, not our similarities. I have never known two different people learn to get along who have no confronted their differences headon and worked something out. If people would stop pretending that differences didn't exist and just confront them headon I think we would soon have a world free of nearly all conflict. People are too eager to just brush their differences under the rug now adays, and then they come back to bite them in later. I agree that most differences are small enough that they should not divide people (race, ethnicity, etc) and should not be a focus, but there are some differences that WILL cause divides if they are NOT confronted. (and probably even if they are, but at least then you are being honest with yourself and others, and can at least agree to live seperately and in peace)

I frankly must reject the idea that a world where everybody confronts each other over every difference could possibly be world free of conflict.

[Vuk]

I frankly must reject the idea that a world where everybody confronts each other over every difference could possibly be world free of conflict.

I did not say every difference though, I said the important ones that divide us. And I did not say confront each other, I said confront the differences.
Let me give you an example. A mate of mine and I where I worked found out that we had big differences. He loved to play loud (and frankly, obnoxious) music when we worked, and it drove me crazy, but he could not work without it. I decided to be positive and not say anything, but it got so bad that one day when it was really hot out and I was ed because of something that had happened to me earlier in the day, I snapped at him and asked him to turn his music down. He turned it off and we went on working. For the next few days we worked side-by-side and he did not play his music at all, but there was a lot of tension in the air. I finally got up the nerve to apologize, and this time he snapped at me. :P Finally one day we sat down and talked about it, and I explained to him why it aggrevated me so much, and that I did not mean to make him angry. In the end we ended up making a CD with a mix of songs that each of us liked. :P

(I know it may sound silly getting that angry over music, but when you are out there digging in 90 degree weather all day offensive music can really work on you, esp after you have been subjected to it for days)

EDIT: and I think you are missing another point that some differences are such that they are impossible to ignore, because as long as they exist, they will keep driving people apart. Think of it this way, I am a really nice guy to be around, and really friendly, but I got this belief that everyone is destine to die and it is my job to make sure it happens. You could ignore that and focus on the positive, but seriously, as long as I am alive/still hold that belief, I am gonna kill people/try to kill people, and make peaceful living impossible.

[seireikhaan]

I did not say every difference though, I said the important ones that divide us. And I did not say confront each other, I said confront the differences.
Let me give you an example. A mate of mine and I where I worked found out that we had big differences. He loved to play loud (and frankly, obnoxious) music when we worked, and it drove me crazy, but he could not work without it. I decided to be positive and not say anything, but it got so bad that one day when it was really hot out and I was ed because of something that had happened to me earlier in the day, I snapped at him and asked him to turn his music down. He turned it off and we went on working. For the next few days we worked side-by-side and he did not play his music at all, but there was a lot of tension in the air. I finally got up the nerve to apologize, and this time he snapped at me. :P Finally one day we sat down and talked about it, and I explained to him why it aggrevated me so much, and that I did not mean to make him angry. In the end we ended up making a CD with a mix of songs that each of us liked. :P

(I know it may sound silly getting that angry over music, but when you are out there digging in 90 degree weather all day offensive music can really work on you, esp after you have been subjected to it for days)

EDIT: and I think you are missing another point that some differences are such that they are impossible to ignore, because as long as they exist, they will keep driving people apart. Think of it this way, I am a really nice guy to be around, and really friendly, but I got this belief that everyone is destine to die and it is my job to make sure it happens. You could ignore that and focus on the positive, but seriously, as long as I am alive/still hold that belief, I am gonna kill people/try to kill people, and make peaceful living impossible.

Perhaps we could take this discussion to the science forum, since that's apparently where philosophy is supposed to be discussed? I'm afraid we're going to be drifting off topic here.

[Vuk]

Perhaps we could take this discussion to the science forum, since that's apparently where philosophy is supposed to be discussed? I'm afraid we're going to be drifting off topic here.

I AM INSULTED SIR! How dare you insiuate that I am in anyway related to that devious and dark art of philosophy?! lol, or PM would be fine if you are interested in discussing it. I am involved in too many debates on this and other forums right now to devote a lot of time and research to this one. (I am spread too thin, I gotta pull back and regroup a little :P)

[Strike For The South]

Why I have a bruised Sternum?

Why is everything so exspensive?

Why are PB M&Ms so good?

When am I going to Europe?

[Vuk]

lol, stay where you are Strike. Europe is not all it is made out to be. :P They dress differently from us and talk differently from us...they must be evil. Sometimes I can see these sneaky little Hungarians plotting in the corners when they think I am not looking. pfff...foreigners

[InsaneApache]

Why is my hovercraft full of eels?

[Vuk]

Why is my hovercraft full of eels?

Are the eels what ails your hovercraft?

[Hooahguy]

Perhaps we could take this discussion to the science forum, since that's apparently where philosophy is supposed to be discussed? I'm afraid we're going to be drifting off topic here.

no sir. this is the random thoughts thread. if you have a random thought, as long as it does not have to do with the backroom, it goes in here.

[Fragony]

Can native americans grow a beard?

[Rhyfelwyr]

Are we living in the Matrix?

[Aemilius Paulus]

why are laptops called laptops when if putting it on your lap (if ur a guy) is harmful to your health?

Not so much harmful as it is an impediment to reproduction. The heat lowers your sperm count. Since most of us are not planning to conceive babies any-time soon, I daresay it is a positive thing. Who gave the idea it is harmful?

Be vary of common health knowledge. 90% of it is false. Cough syrup does not work, and neither do most vitamin supplements (depends on the vitamin), calcium supplements, and not to mention, nothing, not even Airborne(tm), can prevent cold (most commonly rhinovirus). Oh, and did I mention that getting cold and wet, sitting on cold cement or metal, or catching a draft is not at all harmful?? It has nothing to do with us getting sick.

[LittleGrizzly]

Whoever decided you need to write lots of crap to prove your smart.. im smart just let me learn something rather than labour away at another damn essay!!

thinking on it this probably works better in the vent thread... ohh well

*post*

[desert]

Oh, and did I mention that getting cold and wet, sitting on cold cement or metal, or catching a draft is not at all harmful?? It has nothing to do with us getting sick.

Being cold weakens the immune system, so getting exposed to a disease while cold can make it more likely for symptoms to arise.

Vitamin supplements are useful, it's just that they don't come in all the hundreds of different forms that one finds in nature.

[Hooahguy]

why are meatballs so... not meat-like...

[Aemilius Paulus]

Being cold weakens the immune system, so getting exposed to a disease while cold can make it more likely for symptoms to arise.

No, you are mistaken. That is what I used to think long time ago, but it is not true. There is absolutely NO link whatsoever between cold temperatures and sickness. If anything, being exposed to cold actually strengthens you, as studies show. How the heck do you think soldiers in WWII and I went wet for days in trenches in freezing temperatures? Especially on the Eastern Front during autumn and spring. it was not resistance, believe me. The soldiers were common conscripts.

Even my biology teacher knows this, and she has a doctorate. It is common knowledge for anyone fairly educated she says, which is quite startling considering the incidence of this misconception. And heck, she is the most intelligent person I have met in my life. She is also my academic team (QuizBowl) coach, and it seems as if there is nothing that she does not know. Her previous academic teams had won at the US nationals twice and placed second thrice (!!). Not bad for such a relatively small town as Pensacola, FL (54,000 people).

Vitamin supplements are useful, it's just that they don't come in all the hundreds of different forms that one finds in nature.

It is not so much about the forms as it is the compounds the vitamins are found alongside in nature. Just as Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of Calcium, same happens with other vitamins and more complex organic compounds that act akin in a manner similar to enzymes (although the way they facilitate the absorption of vitamins could not be more different from enzymes)

[Hooahguy]

guys, take your discussion of vitamins other places. not here.

[Strike For The South]

No, you are mistaken. That is what I used to think long time ago, but it is not true. There is absolutely NO link whatsoever between cold temperatures and sickness. If anything, being exposed to cold actually strengthens you, as studies show. How the heck do you think soldiers in WWII and I went wet for days in trenches in freezing temperatures? Especially on the Eastern Front during autumn and spring. it was not resistance, believe me. The soldiers were common conscripts.

Even my biology teacher knows this, and she has a doctorate. It is common knowledge for anyone fairly educated she says, which is quite startling considering the incidence of this misconception. And heck, she is the most intelligent person I have met in my life. She is also my academic team (QuizBowl) coach, and it seems as if there is nothing that she does not know. Her previous academic teams had won at the US nationals twice and placed second thrice (!!). Not bad for such a relatively small town as Pensacola, FL (54,000 people).


It is not so much about the forms as it is the compounds the vitamins are found alongside in nature. Just as Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of Calcium, same happens with other vitamins and more complex organic compounds that act akin in a manner similar to enzymes (although the way they facilitate the absorption of vitamins could not be more different from enzymes)

Links?