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Post by Bartbär on Nov 9, 2011 8:33:05 GMT 2
Happy belated birthday my dear friend! Words cannot express how much you deserve a wonderful birthday, and many many many more wonderful birthdays! Here's to you and all my best wishes!!!
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Post by Bartbär on Oct 29, 2011 17:08:46 GMT 2
I'm not really liking politics much anymore. Not that I loved them in the first place. It seems in the United States, if you are not one of the Democrats or Republicans parties, your opinion doesn't count. I'm finding this out more and more when I try to talk with people about who's running for President and such. Whatever happened to picking the right person just because of who they are and what they stand for? Becoming almost non-existent these days. Ahhh, how this concept frustrates the crap out of me as well! What bothers me and pisses me off is how these two "political parties" have such a HUGE impact on the way people think, and how they can completely dismiss an entire candidate, even in their OWN PARTY, if they do not agree with what they are saying. And how people LISTEN to the bullcrap these parties tell them and continue to just vote within these party lines and ONLY the 2 crappy candidates that are given on the ballot. It is really frustrating for me, as someone who has mostly libertarian views on politics. For those who are not familiar, as I'm sure not a lot are, Ron Paul is literally the only politician I've ever cared about. He is a libertarian based republican who is seeking the nomination of his own republican party. But guess what? He is anti-war, anti-government, anti-taxation, etc etc. and because he does not support Big Brother he is completely dismissed and silenced within his own party. He used to be leading in the polls when the debates and straw-polls first happened. But the media made no big deal about it pretending that "polls mean nothing". Then, worried of his impact on formulating a less-government=more-freedom mind-set they began to give him LESS time at the debates. MUCH MUCH less time, despite his huge wins previously. Then when their puppet candidates started winning the debates and gaining ground in straw-polls they covered it the entire day saying how "much these poll results mean". Quite the opposite tone they had with Ron Paul, and all because they disagreed with him. Like Ron Paul or not, this sort of game is the death of democracy. In democracy you are supposed to be able to hear all sides of a discussion, become enlightened, take on different viewpoints, and then select which view-point makes the most sense and set your voting record upon that. Instead we have a weak-minded public who can't apparently think for themselves enough to vote for WHO IS THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB rather than voting for "the lesser of two evils". That reminds me, is that a saying that you all have in other countries? Here virtually EVERY election, you will hear tons of people talking about how they aren't happy with either candidate so they are just going to have to vote for "the lesser of two evils." This concept astounds me. We are allowed to vote for WHOMEVER we wish in this country, and said person can win the election and become president so long as they meet the natural-born and age requirements established for presidency. If we wanted an actor to become president (please never happen, oh wait a minute, most presidents are very good actors! ) we could theoretically make it happen. But instead people just vote for who is on the ballot because to them, they are the only people that have a chance and so JUST because they are the only people that have a chance they are the only people worth voting for. I say vote on principles. NEVER change your vote just because the ballot fails to include your preferred candidate. Only once we start showing these puppet parties how foolish they are and how much we are tired of their B.S. will we be able to establish a more principle based society. Ironically the same people that vote for these two lousy candidates are the same people that deserve a swift kick in the face after their candidate becomes president or continues his presidency for the second and final term. They complain about how their candidate "betrayed" them by not "representing" them correctly and by failing their promises. But to me this is ridiculous. If you voted for someone who has obviously ALWAYS made votes against his values, and who has always played the political games of log-rolling and reciprocity then you do not have a right to feel betrayed by their empty promises. I may not be into politics as much as some people, but I believe EVERYONE should be in politics enough to understand what is going on, how government runs itself, and what we can do to change that machine to something much more efficient. Or in the very least people should study their candidates enough to know who exactly they are voting for. Sorry for hijacking your original post Crystiannia, but I'm in rant mode the past few days and what you brought up reminded me of one of the big things that has been bothering me lately.
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Post by Bartbär on Oct 28, 2011 21:17:41 GMT 2
Happy Birthday Maris and Wolferin!!! Hope your days were filled with plenty of happiness and Metal!!! Unlike Kuusuru who gets to wish birthdays practically half a day before they happen, I get to wish birthdays when they are almost over for the people who are celebrating them!
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Post by Bartbär on Oct 15, 2011 0:37:52 GMT 2
maris: I'd take unlimited Johnny Cash over unlimited cash any day! I am in another turn of listening to nothing but medieval folky German music: youtu.be/Cmiq89RZeoQyoutu.be/nSEHkZElQLEP.s. Sorry about the links. No matter how many ways I've tried I can't get youtube videos to be playable straight from the forum. Either I'm missing something or the old ways of me doing it in the past no longer apply.
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Post by Bartbär on Oct 14, 2011 1:26:59 GMT 2
Good: I am making a post here after a looonnnnnnngggggggggg absence! Don't get too used to it, not that you would want to anyway. Good: The positive effects of moving to a new home (just down the street), it's always fun to have a new environment (errr, at least a new house environment). Although we have until december to move all of our things, thus making it a slow move, I have been moving over my books and bookshelves and trying to find ways to clean out all the things I've been slowly accumulating over the years. Which is great! Bad: Family members who get in the way of the enjoyment of moving and take advantage of my parents, whilst trying to make everyone in the entire family feel like they aren't doing anything wrong and that it is apparently okay to take advantage of people. I don't know how to post a "I'm completely f'ing frustrated!" emoticon, but if I did there would be about 50 of those right now.
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Post by Bartbär on Jul 19, 2011 22:42:28 GMT 2
Bad: I found out yesterday that payment for the upcoming semester is due by July 26th. I'm still in Pennsylvania, and my father has not finished his taxes for me to even apply for Financial Aid... The worst part about this is that I may have to leave my girlfriend 2 weeks sooner than planned in order to fill out the appropriate papers, and that's assuming that I am even going to get it completed in time. I could risk waiting until last minute registration, but since this is my last semester my classes are not at all flexible, so I can't risk out on losing the ones I'm currently signed up for... Good: After that news, it's hard to find much good. :/ I know one understands the risks being in a long distance relationship, but one also doesn't expect their parents to not do their taxes BEFORE leaving so that they don't have to worry about such things causing an unexpected departure back home...
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Post by Bartbär on Jul 18, 2011 16:17:57 GMT 2
Happy Birthday Socke!!!! Here's to hoping you have been having a wonderful day in celebration!
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Post by Bartbär on Jul 10, 2011 19:18:27 GMT 2
nordenstam: good luck!!! Whenever that thesis gets published, please do share! Such an interesting topic and I wish you much luck and success! Given the recently increased hours for which my girlfriend has been having to work, I have had that much more time to get some reading at the library done. Lately I've been reading quite intensively books on astronomy and physics. The one that has spellbound me the most is Carl Sagan's "Cosmos". I practically read half the book yesterday, and today I should be able to finish the last 100 pages in no time at all if I get the rest of my things done first. To those who have not read it, I highly recommend it. Carl Sagan has a way of saying things that really makes you think about your place within the universe. How insignificantly significant we are as intelligent beings. How we live on such a very very very miniscule part of the known universe, a tiny dot in space that has been home to every war, oppression, enslavement, yet also every remarkable revelation in science, literature, art, etc. As far as science has been able to tell, we are the only planet to house intelligent life (although that is not to dismiss the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere). So although we are indeed a part of the tiniest dot in the scheme of the universe, we should also feel profound in that in all these dots ours was one of the ones (so far, the ONLY known one) to evolve into a brilliant planet bursting with life, and that amongst this life, we are the ones who emerged intelligent. With an ability to use language and reason and critical thinking, which also means we have the ability to make gross mistakes, be blinded by perception, or engrossed in harmful ideologies or mind-sets. Aside from this aspect of our place in the universe, Sagan also gives a wonderful account of the history of science and its progression. He makes his case against the mystic pseudoscience of astrology, but in a manner that is not harmful or vindictive. He also brings in accounts of thinkers from thousands of years ago who also doubted the existence of any astrological truth, as well as those who even doubted the existence of a God, sometimes in a time where such a thought was heretical and punishable by death. His wonderful mix between history, astronomy, physics, and even biology really makes this such a fascinating book! The only problems I've had with it is that I'm not a physicist, nor a biologist, nor an astronomer, and whenever he introduces equations into the book he presents them in a way that makes me feel as if I should know them. That's not his fault though, I probably SHOULD know them, they seem simple enough, but my history of math study has been rare and unsatisfactory, so it is no wonder all those equations go over my head... On that note I also bought and started reading another one of his books: Dragons of Eden. This book is more focused on the evolution of human intelligence, at least as far as I have read. Great book as well, but I will have to discuss this one further when I actually finish it. The thing I admire most about Carl Sagan is that despite his staunch position in science over pseudoscience, he never attacks anything in a way that is malicious, and he never attacks anything just for the fun of it. Instead he has a good deal of understanding for both sides of the equation, and this clearly shows in his writing. Although I happen to agree with him on the absurdity of astrology, even someone who doesn't could easily be able to read his words without getting offended or feeling personally attacked. Just as one is supposed to, Sagan attacks the ideas, and not the persons who hold them. But enough ranting, if anyone else is interested in this book, please pick it up! Or if you have already read it by chance, let me know what you thought.
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Post by Bartbär on Jul 9, 2011 0:27:19 GMT 2
Thank you everyone greatly for the birthday wishes!!! My apologies for the belated reply, I'm still in Pennsylvania and without a constant internet access. :/ The birthday was well, although it was the first one I celebrated away from home... Odd not seeing my family on my birthday, although my family says they'll still celebrate my birthday when I get back in August.
Anyways, thank you all once again! I really appreciate it and wish I was on here more frequently. I miss you folks!
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Post by Bartbär on Jun 3, 2011 16:58:40 GMT 2
Kuusuru: Very true! I will be sure to do that! It's just that my girlfriends roommate, as well as a second roommate that will be staying with them this summer are both huge proponents against long-distance relationships. I don't like them bringing those things up in front of my lady, and I hate how at least in some cases it seems they already have a vendetta against me simply because of the distance factor. Now I don't care if people like me or what they feel about my relationship, but I don't want my beloved to have to put up with people talking about me negatively simply because of distance. so I have a lot of pressure to make a good impression this summer. :/ Again, I want to speak much more on long distance relationships, but I'll save that for the other thread. Perhaps I'll do that this summer when I'm waiting for my lady to get off work and have nothing to do. Bad: Not enough sleep. Woke up early from a text from my lady, then staid up because of how nervous I was. Have to drive roughly 4 hours tonight, crash at a friends or in my car, then wake up and drive the other 10, so I need all the sleep I can get right now. Good: I am hopeful that I'll get everything taken care of with my car and packing and be only a little delayed today. But wish me luck none-the-less!
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Post by Bartbär on Jun 3, 2011 7:56:20 GMT 2
Good: Back home from my sister-in-laws graduation from her army training! Bad: Due to a ridiculously shitty error, we got delayed 4+ hours after her graduation before she could actually leave. Which meant I didn't get home early enough to work on my car, which is important because: AWESOME: I get to visit my girlfriend in Pennsylvania Saturday! It's a 14 hour or so drive from here, so that will be interesting after already driving 14 hours the past few days to and from the graduation. 28 hours of driving in one week. I'm so excited for this though. I've known her for 3 years and this is the first time I get to meet her! Most people think I'm crazy for dating someone I've never met before, but that's a rebuttal I'll have to get at on the "Love and Friendship" thread when I have the time. I hope everyone is doing well? Long time since I've been on here on a regular basis! I miss seeing all of your guys' posts!
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Post by Bartbär on May 12, 2011 22:43:47 GMT 2
iarnvidia: Thank you! Ahhh, I have been lacking on both my tea and my honey consumption! Both of which sound like they'd do wonders for me actually! @tina: I did pretty great today indeed thankfully! My German instructor always tacks on tons of bonus questions at the end of every exam, most of which are easy vocab or memorization from the chapter, so even if I do bad on the test I usually make it all up and then some on the bonus. This time though she gave us more bonus questions than she did regular questions, so I am confidant I did well. Good: Headache is starting to subside and it feels as if the sinus infection has gone away... for now at least!
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Post by Bartbär on May 12, 2011 4:12:47 GMT 2
Good: Finals are finally here, only 2 more days and one paper left before the semester is officially over! Terrible: I've been sick for two weeks, what started off as a bad cold has developed into a terrible sinus infection. The past few days I've had the most terrible pain in my sinuses which has prevented me from getting any sleep, and most importantly, from getting any studying done! Thankfully I'm not too worried about my finals, but if I get anything less than an A thanks to my sinus infection I'll be extremely unhappy.
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Post by Bartbär on Apr 27, 2011 18:52:01 GMT 2
Korpialen: Thank you! I wish you luck in your inevitable school exams as well when they arive. Thankfully I was able to postpone my math placement exam, and can continue to postpone it as many times as I need to. I thought I'd be fairly ready, but as soon as I looked at those crazy advanced algebra equations my heart and mind both exploded. Good: Day by day school is getting closer to its end. Bad: Because of school I have barely played any music or done anything creative in a long time. I hope I can remedy that slightly this summer!
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Post by Bartbär on Apr 24, 2011 22:21:24 GMT 2
Bad: It's been a busy week, and another busy week is just up ahead. I've got one paper to type, including preparing for my final paper due a couple weeks after; I have a test to study for in my State and Local Government class; and, most importantly, I have to manage to learn the workings of basic through advanced algebra by Thursday in order to hopefully get a high enough score on my math placement retake in order to take my college level math class next semester and thus finish out my Associates without having to worry about taking one extra lousy class! Good: Everything else pretty much.
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