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Need Help Forming an Important Libertarian Argument

I am attempting to prove, or at least show evidence indicating, the growth of corporate power as a result of governmental subsidization and central bank hegemony over the past century. In order to demonstrate this, I am developing a model to show the growth in global capital expenditures of government banking structures and federal governments in "The West," Japan, and the so-called 'corporate nations'. The plan is to understand and describe the various patterns that emerge from a macro-analysis of the relationship between corporate growth and consolidation and the rise of FIAT central banks and massive federal governments in the west. Special attention should be paid to Brittish corporatism in the 19th century, as a similar structure was in existance in the UK at this time before spreading to the US in the early 20th century, and globally during the Cold War. Who is smart enough to take on this challenge- it might be the greatest contribution to the libertarian movement, as liberals hit a wall with any movement toward libertarianism due to their inability to understand the connection between the growth of the federal government and the Fed and corporate power and political influence.

Libertarian

Peter Gabriel's new album covers Bon Iver's Flume. What do you think?

One of the most memorable songs from "For Emma, Forever Ago" is Flume. Peter Gabriel (or his people) landed on this brilliant tune for his new album of covers, cleverly called "Scratch My Back." For some reason, they're making it the free teaser from the album of covers by Radiohead, the Talking Heads, Randy Newman, Paul Simon, god I'm getting tired of those large names. You get the idea. Edit to add link to streaming Flume

reddit.com

anyone else have bdsm-inspired desires/tendencies from childhood that make sense now?

there was a post a while back about doms/subs playing kidnapping/tying up games as children, and I wanted to expand on that. I was curious to see if anyone else had any kind of childhood "hints" at what they were to become. I personally would get turned on/masturbate (before I even knew what those things were) while watching cartoons, specifically the parts where the good guy was at the mercy of the villain. and a rape or rough sex scene in a movie would always get me going, from when I was young enough to have to hide in the other room and peek in, to this very day. anyone else have any a-ha moments like that when they discovered bdsm?

BDSMcommunity

What are some great songs that no one remembers?

I'm tired of the music I've got and would like some suggestions for great songs that never get chosen for "Best of" lists and "Greatest Hits" collections. Any suggestions?

reddit.com

Cooking with beer continues!

Hi everyone, I intended to make weekly updates - but last week was a disaster. I attempted to make a honey-nut cheerio based rice-krispy treat variation, using JW Dundee Honey Brown. I won't tell you about the failure, rather, the success(es) of this week. **Honey Brown Beerio Treats** * 12 oz JW Dundee Honey Brown (reduced to ~3 oz on low heat) * ~4 cups mini-mallows * ~4 cups honey nut cheerios The 3 oz of reduced Honey Brown becomes the butter, basically. Treat the recipe as is on any given website or Rice Krispys box! **Young's Double Chocolate Mint Brownies** Let me begin by saying I managed to really impress myself with these. Way better than expected. * 12 oz Youngs Double Chocolate Stout * 1 Cup Cocoa Powder * 4 eggs * 2 Cups all purpose flour * 2 Cups sugar * 3/4 teaspoon salt * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract * 1/2 cup butter * 1.25 cup Andes Mint Baking Chips Whisk/Mix 12 oz Youngs, and Cocoa powder. Get this nice and smooth. Add sugar, make smooth. Add vanilla extract, butter and eggs. Make smooth. This is very important: resist eating it all at this point. Throw in the flour, mix; salt, mix. Throw .25 cups Andes in your mouth, and 1 cup Andes into the mix. Put in a pan at 350 (actually, next time I'll do 325) and bake for ~40 minutes or so.

food

Photographers of Reddit, please help out a noob.

I've been saving up my money for a while to get a new camera but don't know what I need for the quality I'm going for. An acquaintance of mine always puts up very good quality pictures and I was wondering if someone could tell me what kind of camera would suit me best to take pictures like his. Here are some of his pictures.

photography

Would you have a threesome with your partner and their time-travel-shifted self?

...this one goes out to the ones that wouldn't have a threesome under normal circumstances for whatever reason. I don't doubt that the rest of you would be fine with the idea... We've had all the other combinations, so may as well ask this one.

AskReddit

Reddit, what is currently the most reliable and affordable netbook out there?

Thinking of buying a 10" netbook for taking notes in class. I've been looking around the place and doing my research, but I have yet to find a netbook that has a balance between its price and its capabilities. Edit: It's probably important that I mention i'm located in Australia.

AskReddit

What brands are you loyal to?

I personally always get Adidas sneakers and tennis shoes. I just think they're more comfortable. I like Mac computers, though Windows 7 has really impressed me. I stick with Blublocker sunglasses and all of my casual jeans are Levi's (I just like the fit). I realize its a stupid mentality to have and I'm sure I'm just giving into marketing, even at a sub-conscience level, but I'm sure I'm not alone. What about you all?

AskReddit

I believe I am going to enjoy the hell out of myself.

Thank you for the invite. I'll most likely bring my hi-level toons over here as soon as I get a handle on PVP playing. Other than being flagged i disputed zones, I think it's the same. See y'all tomorrow night, Broadzilla

redditguild

I have an anger problem, and it may ruin my life.

I'm a 21 year old University student. I'm a normal guy, and I'm socially well-adjusted. But there's a part of me that I've known since I was young, just this strange part of me that craves provocation. In every conflict I find myself even tangentially associated with, I just poke and prod until it blows up and then I continue to blow it up. I really do not know when to stop. It's like I have no control over it - it's automatic. So far this hasn't gone beyond arguments with friends, and with parents. But I can see it become a serious problem in the future. I definitely can see it escalate into violence (although it hasn't ever in the past). To be perfectly frank, I can seriously see myself killing someone in blind fury. Luckily, I've never been in a long-term relationship so I have never felt the multitudes of emotions associated with that. I really do fear what I may become once I become involved in real relationships where emotions are always on the line. I recognize that I need help early, because I really do want to have control over this. I've thought about therapy and counseling, but I feel that they will just say that I am being a hypochondriac. I've been browsing reddit quite often the past couple of months, and I've learned a lot from the threads/posts here and I find that you guys can support each other well. I am wondering what your thoughts are regarding this.

AskReddit

DAE start taking apart stuff, especially electronic or mechanical things, at an early age?

...and make a reasonable attempt to put them back together? My earliest memory was taking apart a 'construx' type toy. It was this yellow plastic builder set that had a few battery operated pumps that I just had to take apart. The gears and pistons were all visible as they functioned so resistance was futile once I discovered how to properly apply a Phillips head screwdriver. (maybe 1981 - I can't remember the name of the toy at all) I recall trying to reassemble it...with no joy. The parts laid about the room for a few days before they would be put or thrown away; never to work again. I eventually graduated to "reverse engineering" a Beta MAX and Apple IIe among other things. The parents hit the ceiling with the Apple IIe incident; I assured them that I had it all figured out but they weren't buying it. We managed to get it replaced. Did anyone else ever try to take apart a VHS, TV, lawnmower (managed to put this back together at age 10), or other device when they were young?

DoesAnybodyElse

I crashed my motorcycle today...

I had my first spill on a motorcycle about 30 minutess ago. Coming down my street I hit a wet spot and my bike slid out from under me. I lost control and I had to lay it down. It crashed into the curb as I slid across the asphalt. I made it out alright but my bike took a lot of damage :( Does anyone else have similar stories to make me feel like less of a dumbass?

reddit.com

Im looking for a good scifi book reddit any suggestions?

One of my favorite movies growing up was Titan A.E. Im an avid Star Trek (the next generation) fan. Love star wars. I want to find some books that are similar to these kinds of scifi, more space oriented. Ive tried reading the starwars books and couldnt get into them. I love storys set on multiple planets and lots of space travel. Any recomendations would be appreciated. Ps sorry for my horrible grammar and sentence structure im drunk and tired

AskReddit

Question about wireless routers?

I currently have a Netgear WNR2000. I would be about equally satisfied with any other Wireless-N router with equivalent wireless strength. This is a relatively new problem for me - I never encountered it with older routers, but I had to upgrade to this one because I need the wireless. So...the question: How the hell can I disable the built-in DoS protection OR does anybody know of an OpenWRT or similar build that will solve the problem on this router while otherwise keeping features intact (without too complex of setup / plugin / whatever stuff) OR, as a last resort, an equivalent-functionality router for under $100 without DoS protection? It's fucking *killing* me trying to play online games like Call of Duty or Counter Strike when the damned fucking thing decides that "Refresh Server List" = "ZOMG I'm being DoS'd; I'll just stop working completely for the next 5 minutes". I've tried adjusting QoS settings, which does nothing. I've changed connection speed settings to stupid-low numbers, which helps a bit for Valve games, but does nothing for other stuff. I'm at my wits' end. I'm a home PC user - *I am not at risk of a real DoS attack*, or at the most, no more at risk than I am of getting shot while walking down the street. What retard decided that it would be useful to not only add that protection to an off-the-shelf home user router in the first place, but to also leave no way (or at least none that I can find) of turning it off, when it so obviously conflicts with very common usage scenarios? ARGH.

AskReddit

When he was in 3rd Grade, my father punched a Nun...anyone else have a bad-ass story of a parent or relative?

The story goes, my father went to a Catholic school in Littletown, IL. One day he was messing around in class and the teacher(the nun) pulled him out of the room. Outside, she pushed him against the wall and started yelling at him like only a nun can do. Needless to say, he didn't like that. Mind you, this was decades ago when corporal punishment happened frequently. After the shock wore off he sucker punched her, checked his work, and proceeded to the Principal's office. Asked to use the phone, called his father, and told him to pick him up at school. When asked why, he told his father, "you'll find out when you get here" and hung up. Sat on the bench outside the office until my grandfather showed up. Encore: A couple years ago the whole family went to visit my brother and his new family in Hawaii. He complained his knee hurt while at my brother's apartment. When asked, he told this story, in a calm-as-you-like voice. An hour ago he went down the block to pick up beer. On the way back, less than a block away, he gets hit in the back of the knee by some college-age hippy who was trying to take the beer. He never dropped the beer. Turning on the hipster(hobo?) he pulled his pocket knife from his boot. The guy turns and runs and my father walks into the apartment without saying a word along with a slight limp. To be fair, he was almost 50 at the time. Hand to God, every word true. If I'm ever half the man he is, I'd die happy.

funny

[6] How do you like to take your Bong hits ?

Do you just pack a fat bowl or do you like to grind up your bud and pack snaps?

trees

Holding things with your left hand will cause satan to rejoice. How stupid can people be?

The translation is quite bad, the original article is in Dutch. Eight people convert to islam during a festive day. One of the ladies attending (who was raised as a muslim and "otherwise would sit at home all day", so that's why she showed up) tells another lady that "anything you do with your left hand, goes to satan" . Even holding a bottle of apple juice. How moronic can you be? I don't think this is anywhere in the quran, does anyone know for certain? EDIT: Here's the link... [Translated article in Dutch newspaper]( )

atheism

Hey Bozos (I'm calling everybody "bozo" now), how many of you use Reddit's "hide" feature?

How many of you use the "hide" feature to better enjoy your reddit experience? I've been using it for a little while now; it took me three months to find it. How long did it take you to find? Oh, and let the "I'm hiding this thread" jokes commence. *(Also, who knows which tv show the "bozo" statement is from?)*

AskReddit

Is it worth the unlocked price?

I am strongly considering purchasing an N1, but I am not eligible for an upgrade with T-Mobile. What I'm wondering is if it is worth shelling out $529 for the unlocked phone? I have reached the absolute edge of my tolerance for my Dash and its power suckitude, so I will be getting some form of Android phone, it's just a matter of which one. **Edit** To clarify, this isn't an issue of the unlocked price being too high; I would be buying this on tax refund money and then finagling a plan with t-mobile that allows me to use it without raping my wallet every month. My question is more whether the phone really is all that and a bag of chips. The phone I have now is basically a My First (tm) Smartphone and I would never shell out full price on it, ever. But because it had a good deal with a contract extension, I went ahead and got it. If the N1 really is that good, I'll go ahead and get it unlocked. Otherwise, I'll probably get a used G1 or Mytouch. From what I'm hearing though, the initial problems with the N1 have been more or less resolved, so I will most likely be buying one once I have funds available for it.

NexusOne

IAmA 4th Generation Asian-American and a "Banana" AMA

For those who are unaware, a banana is "yellow on the outside, white on the inside."

IAmA

Guys of reddit: A question about premature ejaculation.

I'm a guy. I'm a virgin. I watch porn pretty often and when I do, I cum pretty fast, usually within a few minutes. My questions are: Does watching porn affect how long I last? Am I going to be just as fast when I finally have sex? Is there anything I should change or do?

AskReddit

My recap of LA X. Enjoy, discuss, I'm going to bed :)

Loved the episode, and I write a small blog about LOST that I thought maybe you all would enjoy reading through. I didn't want to karma whore it (and I don't make money off this thing, it's really just for fun), so here's the link: The Dharma Blog

lost

I can't make my boyfriend see I'm not a liar.

Dear Reddit, My boyfriend doesn't trust me. Not in the least. No, I have not cheated on him (physically or emotionally) and other than intentionally leaving information out(which I have ceased doing), no real lying has occurred. There is no reason for which he should be so skeptical. Example: when I plug my phone into its charger, it goes silent. Despite knowing this, in the past, I've missed a call from him and upon calling back- frantic- "Honey! I'm so sorry, I didn't see that my phone was ringing because it was plugged in", he's replied with, "bullshit, who were you talking to?" That's the standard accusation. Have you ever had when someone will ask you a question and you'll answer it with the first obvious thing that pops into your head, only to realize hours, days or maybe weeks later that there was a far more appropriate/fitting answer? Okay, that happens to me frequently. My boyfriend had asked me a long time ago if anything significant had happened to me in my childhood that could explain my personality now. I thought about it, gave a few useless thoughts but ultimately said no. Recently, I told him about a really significant event in my youth and he was furious that I hadn't thought to tell him before. In his mind, I wasn't comfortable telling him about it earlier and now I was lying about that and saying I simply forgot to tell him. I can understand where he's coming from, Reddit, *I always can*, but it's just so goddamn far-fetched. There's also the paranoia. For instance, it'll happen pretty often that he "hears things" on the phone. Last night it sounded like a ring tone to him. He never comes right out and says it; he'll never tell me what it is he thinks I'm hiding. I live with my family and we talk at 12:00am or later when this happens so the house is completely dead.. Reddit, I don't know what to do. I've spoken to him about this before and the last thing he said to me about it was "If I made it simple [for you to lie], you'd slip. You need a tight leash imo." That's his reason for questioning the legitimacy of everything I say or do. I feel like I'm being punished in advance for things that, in his mind, could happen. I love my boyfriend very much, and breaking up or any of that crap is not in my mind as an option, all I want is more comfort. He's uneasy and it makes me uneasy. And mostly, it just makes me plain tired. He may think he's protecting himself (and our relationship) by keeping me "on a tight leash", but I'm exhausted and although I can persevere the accusations it would be nice to just lay back and enjoy the beauty that is our love- without the worry. Reddit, I need him to trust me. What do I do :( ? tl;dr- I love my boyfriend but his paranoia, constant questioning of my truthfulness and accusations make me feel lost, tired and frustrated. How do I gain his trust and make our relationship more relaxed? Edit: We've been together for about 7 months. Edit: It should be noted that I want to *work through* this, not escape from it. I know that my relationship with my boyfriend is strong enough to resolve this issue. I just need to work out how. A little more about me: I have cheated on one boyfriend in the past. I was in grade 9 and yes, my current boyfriend knows of this (has from the beginning of the relationship). I have also been told I'm unknowingly "flirtatious", but I honestly have no interest in anybody but my boyfriend, and have made a conscious effort to lower how friendly I am with men specifically. A little more about him: He has been cheated on before (also when he was younger) and it had a huge impact on him.

relationship_advice

Your best "hit on in public" story

A recent post by thefuckingpope (fantastic name!) made me wonder about everybody's "hit on in public" stories. I'd prefer happy stories that made you feel awesome and desirable, not creepy stories that made you want to take a shower (unless the creep gets his comeuppance in the end).

TwoXChromosomes

How many of you have actually played the first Bad Company? What do you think of BC2 Demo/Beta in comparison to BC1?

I see way to many comparisons to battlefield 2 on /r/gaming, it's like PC gamers forget that it's not supposed to be BF3. I feel that it's a pretty decent upgrade. Leveling weapons is good, as the original game really lacked in the weapon department. It was depressing to see all these super sweet weapons on the unlock screen, only to notice that 3 of those were already available, and 1 of them was the max rank unlock, leaving 2 weapons and a gadget to actually unlock. However, besides some obvious exceptions, most of the weapons in the game were already in the first Bad Company... As with the original game, my main gripes are with the players, not the game itself. The only thing "game" wise that drove me off the wall was the fucking UAV. Holy crap, missiles, machine guns and it can fly super fast? It's like the second coming of Christ!

badcompany2

Is Modern Warfare 2 decent enough on PC to buy it?

I'm not a big fan of the campaigns, so it's the multiplayer that matters to me. This being said, I don't delve into mods either. Though I do see how such constrictions (non-dedicated servers) are a slippery slope for major PC gamers, I just want a good MP shooter (also: not a fan of the Battlefield series so the new one isn't really an option). So I was wondering, is the IWnet system decent enough (and fast enough) to play straight up MW2? tl;dr: Is the multiplayer on MW2 for PC good enough to buy?

AskReddit

My girlfriend doesn't believe I'm bipolar...

I was diagnosed a little over a year ago. With my family history, I'm lucky to have found the right perscription at such a young age. However, my current gf is a health nut, a real ingredients-checking, soy-milk-drinking self-proclaimed "diet nazi"... and she thinks that I don't need the prescription. Not because she thinks I can manage it with diet and exercise, oh no, she thinks there's absolutely nothing wrong with me, and that I need to "suck it up" and "deal with shit like a man". Help, Reddit! I have no idea how to explain this any differently...

relationship_advice

By Request: I used meth near-daily for 15 months. Am 8 years clean. Bonus: what I wrote about it in the height of being on it. AMA.

Somebody did an AMA request for somebody who used meth a whole bunch. I would've put off answering it till i found my paper copy, but I was baffled to see what I emailed some friends many many years ago posted to Erowid after the fact. I was addicted for 15 months from October 2000 - January 2002. It took the fear of God from my brother who had had enough of it one night and started a fight/threatened to kill me. I escaped the house, came back several hours later and revealed the secret I had been keeping to everyone. In reality, I was lucky, most people don't have this built in support structure. AMA.

IAmA

Reddit, Who here has taken DMT before and can you post your experience? Thanks!

I've only smoked leftover resin once before. It was pretty amazing as I saw the TV screen pop out towards me and the room turn into a black and orange striped box that kept rotating in a circle. Then it wore off.

AskReddit

A question about porn and premature ejaculation.

I'm a guy. I'm a virgin. I watch porn pretty often and when I do, I cum pretty fast, usually within a few minutes. My questions are: Does watching porn affect how long I last? Am I going to be just as fast when I finally have sex? Is there anything I should change or do?

sex

Are you actually happy with your life?

Im not talking about getting by or being content. I mean are you actually happy with your life? Are you doing what you always wanted to do or are in-line to do what you have always wanted? Im really interested in this? As I am content, Im provided for and taken care of, I am also incredibly grateful for what I have but happy, not as much as I could be.

AskReddit

i need a new phone and i'm on verizon. reddit, please help me decide.

here's my situation: * i've been with verizon for nearly 12 years now (well, first was with airtouch wireless who verizon later acquired, but i digress) * my entire family and many of my friends are on verizon, and the coverage where i live (south eastern ohio) is second to none. so basically my motivation for jumping ship to at&t, sprint, t-mobile, etc. is pretty much zero. * and i'm able to upgrade my phone at the end of this week without having to pay an unsubsidized price for a new one. * further complicating the issue is that i **need** a new phone now. my current verizon-branded HTC touch has a non-functional touchscreen, and has generally been a piece of shit from day one. so that means i can't wait around for the nexus one to come sometime this spring. the problem i'm struggling with is i can't decide what smart phone to go with. i've been leaning towards the motorola droid, should i go with it? i'm not a fan of getting a blackberry because their browsers suck. i'm also hesitant to give HTC another go with the imagio/droid eris/touch pro 2 due to my previous troubles. is there something i'm totally ignoring? tl;dr: i'm in need of a new verizon smartphone and need help picking it out.

gadgets

IAmA total failure at life, AMA

I am 24 years old, currently going to school for 1 course (I failed last semester and on academic probation). I have no job, live with my parents, I have a few friends (don't hang out with them much), never had a girlfriend or kissed a girl on the lips, I take a high dose of antidepressants..I'm not fat or anything and would consider my looks average I guess..I'm probably socially awkward, nothing anyone says ever really interests me..I got a nice car and some money though (thanks parents..). I took out a loan though and in 5 months I have to start paying it back somehow. I hope I'll get a job by then. My life pretty much sucks and I don't really care at the moment. This is the life of a failure. Ask away.

IAmA

"People like Sprigg are helping to drive the Republican[s] right over the cliff." Is this true?

The quote is from a Reddit comment re: the Chris Matthews/Paul Sprigg interview where Sprigg states that homosexual actions should be outlawed. I frequently see and hear this same sentiment about the Republicans being the authors of their own demise. My question is this: Is there any evidence for or against this? It seems like their extreme rhetoric is the only thing keeping them in the game, and they're doing quite well for it.

politics

I want to purchase a gaming-capable laptop, I could really use some advice...

I am selling my MacBook Pro so I can buy a laptop that will run modern PC games with optimal graphics... Please advise :)

gaming

I just had my ass saved by a time machine. Anyone else had the same experience?

After a bizarre and bothersome panic attack, I awoke to find history was corrupted. Not too keen on Marty McFly's song and dance about restoring from the card catalog, I realized that my library was probably backed up on my time capsule. Lo, and behold, it was--a three hour and fifteen minute-old backup. I restored that, the Mad Scientist, and library files. Now Hill Valley is grooving again, and I can finish listening to my David Bowie album. I didn't lose a thing. Anyone else have their ass saved by a time machine?

circlejerk

Hey Sexxit, how to last longer with her on top?

I can do it continuously for around half an hour when i'm on top (b/c i can control the tempo and depth), but when she rides me I have to throw her off me in less than a couple minutes. Any advice on how to last longer without taking the lead?

sex

DAE Hate the taco bell commercial when the guy asks for the hot girl to get the deal on tacos?

I just saw the post about the Mcdonalds spot, but this one angers me just as much. Hot girls don't work at Taco Bell. I have no idea what alternative reality they're living in, but it will NEVER happen

DoesAnybodyElse

ILiveIn Vienna, Austria; one of the world's most livable cities.

I've been living here for 18 years now. I finished school and I'm currently fulfilling my national service, doing community service (Zivildienst). Ask away, I'll try to answer.

ILiveIn

Good Eats episode "Amber Waves"

Has anyone seen this episode of Good Eats? (If not Anyway, has anyone tried making this recipe? How was it? What kind of ale is it, he never specified.

Homebrewing

What is the best way to get students motivated to learn in a classroom?

Everything the current school system does is completely hopeless for motivating students. Are there any creative ideas for motivating students to learn and want to learn on their own? My idea would be to throw money at the problem. Give students who are struggling, money to show up to class, show up to after school programs and complete homework and do well on tests and enough money to make it worth while. If students fail in school there much more likely to go to prison where we spend $40,000 a year just to keep them alive and not participate in an economy. If we can get every kid into the classroom and then get them into a college system through crazy motivation schemes, then we wont have to spend more money on the prison system.

AskReddit

Does anyone here just solo?

I primarily play solo. I have 3 80's and am working on a 4th. I solo everything, no instances. Does anyone else do this?

wow

I thought of an interesting rebuttal to the 'free will' response to the problem of evil.

Has anyone thought of this before? Are there any problems with it? Any other comments? * * * A common answer to the question of why a omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent God would allow evil to occur is that he has endowed us with free will, thus giving us the ability to stray from him and choose to do evil. If this is true, I would wonder why, in addition to creating commandments that we're supposed to follow but can choose not to, God also created a separate set of rules — the laws of nature — that we can't choose to violate. Instead of giving us the Second Law of Thermodynamics, why not give us free will on the matter, just have the 11th Commandment be "Thou shalt not make unto me any machines of perpetual motion", and punish us for violations like he does with his other laws? Instead of giving us the Law of Gravity, why not add yet another line to the Commandments — "Thou shalt not levitate" — and let the wicked pay the price for their sinful disobedience? (That would have made for some interesting Bible stories. Imagine Sodom, not a city full of abominable homosexuals, but a city where everyone spits in God's face by floating around all the time.) Going in the other direction, if we do not object to the inviolability of the laws of nature, why doesn't God make "Thou shalt not kill" into a law of nature that we *can't* violate, instead of one we *shouldn't* violate? Sure, the mathematical description would be vastly more complicated than any of the other laws of physics, but that shouldn't be a problem for him; he's God, after all. (Surely he doesn't make these decisions based on what would be most convenient for our physicists to reverse-engineer?) In short: why has God given us some laws that can be violated (at our own peril), and others that we cannot possibly break? If he wants us to have "free will" and that is the reason he allows evil — where "evil" is defined in the first place as violation of his laws — why has he given us certain laws that we *cannot* choose, by our own free will, whether or not to follow?

atheism

TIL that you can survive on alcohol alone for more than three months.

I recently got a job behind the nursing desk at a drug and alcohol rehab. One of my duties is to do the initial intake paperwork which includes a lot of diet information and one of the patients I was admitting said he hadn't had anything to eat in over three months. I was initially skeptical because he was overweight, although he did look deathly. I talked to my nurse coworkers who said that extreme alcoholics are able to get their daily calorie intake from the alcohol alone and they have seen people last longer than that.

todayilearned

I switched from English (Language) to English (Literature) and lost all my teachers, they're all new and they're all boring.

Not to mention there's classes on the third floor of the year 7 block (gimps) and it was stiflingly hot all maths. 2 Hours. OH and for the first time in years I have a maths teacher who despises people leaning on chairs, which is ok if it wasn't such a damned habit, especially in summer.

Jimmick

Hey Reddit, I would love to learn a new language, German specifically. Is there a website/program where I can learn to speak it online, or perhaps a book I can buy on Amazon to learn it?

Hi guys and gals, I would love to learn a new language, I'm sick of only being able to speak one. I eventually plan on learning Spanish and at least one other language at some point, but for now I am interested in learning German. Can you help me? I am looking for something that you have experienced first hand or at least heard good things about, I have doubts of just using google for this because I don't want to end up speaking some broken language. I would love to learn it myself, rather than going and taking a class at a local community college, but if there are no online resources then I will as a last resort. Thanks.

AskReddit

I want to write a paper about the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, but it has to incorporate legal theory and philosophy. Any ideas?

I have to write a 50 page paper. It's for a class that goes over all the different theories and philosophies of law. I'm very interested in the recent decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Any ideas on a narrow topic or question that incoporates legal philosophy and that case? Thanks for the help.

law

Dear Wise Reddit, What are some awesome gift ideas for my girlfriend's birthday?

I need to find a really awesome gift(s) for my girlfriend for her birthday. Something a graduate student can afford. She is intellectual, athletic and awesome. She loves to cook but is really healthy about it. She paints and is a semi-professional belly dancer, she does yoga and strippercise classes. She meditates and enjoys the mysticism of Asian philosophy and art, enjoying the nature and questions of Buddhism but considering herself a strong agnostic/atheist. She also hunts, fishes, plays videogames and snowboards. I was thinking of getting her a sweet singing bowl with a diameter of 9" or more (since she likes the big ones...have fun with THAT ya sickos!) but cannot find any that are reasonably priced. What other stuff do you wonderful people think would be good ideas? Any help, insight or guidance would be MOST appreciated. EDIT: You guys are awesome! Thank you SO much for the creative ideas!

AskReddit

What is the most 'asshole-ish' thing anyone has ever done to you?

In 2000, I was very lucky to be able to afford (for the first time in my life) to buy a car that didn't suck balls. I bought what was my dream car. Two days later I am (with g/f in tow & her horrid mother squished into the absurdly tiny seat in the back - *that bit was ok*:) sitting at a red light waiting for it to change. A bus driver wants to get into the turning lane beside me but can't because there is no room for either of us to move forward, gets impatient and tries to *gently* sneak past. He failed. Miserably. I get out of the car and start yelling (while inside my soul was crying FUCKER!!! YOU FUCKED MY SHIT!!! ) to please stop (I was very calm and controlled) and informed him that he hit me. I walked over to his window and told him he has hit me and that he should stop around the corner. We stop, I have a big dent/scratch all down the side of my car. So far, all very grown up and sensible. He refuses to give me his name, he will not show his license, or provide me with any details what so ever. He just shrugs, turns around, and starts the bus us again. (oh btw - the bus is empty). My Girlfriend and I jump on before he can shut the doors. I jump off to call the police because he won't give me his name/insurance/*anything*. He shuts the doors and takes off down the road. With my girlfriend still on board. A few hundred feet down the road, he opens the door and lets her off. So I get home, and call my insurance company. Fucking bus company were fuckers; first they denied it. Then they confirmed that it happened, but said that it was "my fault" (I was completely stationary at the time). Then they claimed that my two witnesses (g/f and freakshow mother) didn't count, I needed *independant witnesses*... bugger. Eventually they tied it up so long that my insurance tripled because of the unresolved claim, meanwhile was being forced to drive around with it still damaged (it only superficial damage, nothing serious) because the insurance company would not authorize repair until the claim was resolved. It ended up costing me six months of shit and a couple of grand to fix it. Thanks mystery asshole. Thanks a bunch. To this day I always make sure to stop when I witness an minor accident , and make sure at least one side has my contact details.

AskReddit

I'm breaking up with my first boyfriend tomorrow. Can someone please help give me the strength to fully do this?

My heart hurts so badly. I don't know why. I didn't love him, and I'm positive he didn't love me. But the guilt is swallowing me up inside. I'm so afraid of doing this, but I know I have to. It just hurts. :( Edit: Thanks everybody. I did it. It was really hard, but I did it. I'm very sad but I think this is the best thing I could do for myself.

relationship_advice

I was wondering if there was a subreddit for LI

And sure enough there is. I wonder what we could do to make this more visible? Frankly, I think we could do better than Newsday. /Massapequa

longisland

Sigmund Freud called the death of his father "the most poignant loss" of his life. Gen. MacArthur still carried [his father's] photo wherever he went. "My whole world changed that night"... "Never have I been able to heal the wound in my heart". (intro to Chethik's book Father Loss)

Actor Sean Connery termed it "a shattering" blow. Michael Jordan quit his basketball career. Mencken launched his legendary career. Ford dedicated himself to building an affordable automobile. And the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, witnessing his father's losing bout with cancer, composed one of the most oft-quoted couplets of the past century: "Do not go gentle into that good night./ Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

psychology

Dear Reddit, help me find a book, "The One".

Hello, My girlfriend is trying to find a book she remembers from her high school library. She says the title of the book was "The One" and the cover had a giant forest on it but focused on one tree in particular. If anyone knows of it any help would be appreciated! Note: It might be a little kids book, she isn't sure. She just remembers being very curious what it was about. EDIT:: Says title MIGHT have been "The Old One".

AskReddit

IS there an upper limit to the size, scope and reach of government that liberals/progressives would be comfortable with?

This is a serious question. I'd like to know if there is some point at which the left would be happy with the size and power of the government and that to add any more would increase the potential for ill beyond the potential for good? Is it just open ended with the final solution being that everyone works for the government and is taken care of by the government? Is there some middle ground? What's the real GOAL? Right now, during the worst financial times imaginable, liberals seem to want to spend as much as possible and expand government into a Golioth benevolent force. I sit and wonder - Didn't you learn anything from the Bush years? It took the neocons 7 years to build a framework which is one step away from tyranny. What would have happened if they came in with that framework already in place? What if this was the first year of a Bush/Cheney administration who inherited a security industrial complex waiting and ready to do their bidding rather than having to create one from scratch themselves? What lies in the future when some charismatic but ill intentioned buffoon takes charge again? I would be quite comfortable with an expansive government if say it was populated by 536 Dennis Kuciniches... but we all know it's not. In fact, his kind can barely made their voice heard in the cacophony of corruption. Isn't it time we stopped depending on the politicians to be the good guys and the voters doing the right thing and instead assuming the worst and taking action to prevent or at least minimize the damage the Dick Cheney's of the word can do?

politics

Reddit, what are your favorite online PC games?

Hey guys, Lately, I've been getting a bit tired of all the single player games I've been trucking through. I played competitive CS and Quake3 for many years when I was younger, so I've been looking for something fresh as I am a bit burned out on those style games. I was hoping to get into the BC2 beta, but the key I was sent was in use. :'( I'm looking for something with a great community that requires skill. MW2 is a bit too noob friendly for me. Tell me your favorite games!

gaming

What time of day do you like to work out?

Me personally, I like to do it at the end of the day when all is said and done. Then once all the endorphins are gone, I can sleep like a baby.

AskReddit

Favorite Philosopher? Why?

New or old, doesn't matter. And which work of theirs should I read?

philosophy

Statisticians: Why hasn't anyone used porn site stats to give a reasonably accurate percentage of gay vs. straight men?

Obvious answers I can think of is one sexual preference may watch more porn, and the fact that this would only be accurate for people that watch porn on the internet. It would also be hard to exclude women watching gay porn. Also, finding a set of data that presumably had a good sample of the population (ie: a real-world ratio of straight / gay viewers) But it keeps bugging me that all we have to work with are a number of studies that involve questionnaires asking people to admit to sexual experience that could be "morally wrong," which makes me think the data is skewed by people directly lying or lying to themselves. It's 2010, we have insane brilliance at the hands of amazing tools, and we understand numbers and demographics better than ever. Equal rights for LGBT is being called the next civil rights movement, but we can't even state with accuracy the percentage of gays in the country? </rant> tl;dr: A large porn site should mine their traffic stats to give a reasonable idea of who's watching dude on dude action. This number could help LGBT causes.

AskReddit

Dear Reddit, let me tell you about the hardest thing I had to do in a long time.

I just threw away my old TV. Now before you deride my overreaction to this seemingly insignificant act, let me tell you a story. The TV I just threw out was a 25" Sony, and it was 22 years old; I'm 23. I didn't actually watch that much TV when I was young. Watching the tube was a basically a reward my parents granted me and my sister for doing chores, completing homework, etc. Given all the "Power Rangers" and "Doug" that's pour through that screen, a significant part of our childhood was shaped with that TV. I remember the wonderful feeling of accomplishment in figuring out how to connect all the ports to different accessories, like a VCR or a cable box, and making everything work. I'm a computer engineer now. At some point our family did get a new TV, and this Sony was pushed into the garage. When I learned how to drive, I would use it as a gauge for my parking distance. It collected dust there for some years. I grew up, went to college and decided I wanted a TV in my dorm. So I wiped the dust off, strapped it into the back seat of my car and drove down California. There, my Sony provided some great movie nights, and a backdrop for many make-out sessions. I've since graduated, found a job, and moved again. This TV has adorned my apartment living room for the last two years providing solace after a long day's work. But it started showing signs of it's age; it developed a very slight whine, I couldn't read the font on some XBOX games, and I had to replace the speakers. Finally, I yet again had to move and decided that this old box of bolts had to be retired. Tonight, I carried it down to the dumpsters, and was struck with this sentiment. I ponder: how many memories has my oldest possession witnessed? To think of all the home movies, Disney classics and world news that had been projected within that dark gray frame. There are still stickers stuck to the side that my little sister had placed there years ago. But life goes on. Old TV: I will miss your familiarity, and I appreciate your steadfastness all these years.

reddit.com

About a week ago I asked for 20 tips on my 20th birthday, here is the list for those interested, condensed.

Open Doc Link Original post I tried to get 20 tips for those topics, but alas there not enough for all (Cooking in particular). I mostly fixed spelling and punctuation, nothing was changed from it's original context. I'm working on fitting all of this onto 2 pages, but it has to be columned and size 9 font for it to be feasible, which looks horrid on a wall, so I think I'll just leave it like that. I'm sure some of you will enjoy this, I know I most certainly did. If you have any more, please add them. Knowledge is priceless after all. Thanks again Reddit! Edit: I'm glad a lot of you found this useful, and it has sparked a lot of discussion. I'll be updating this later tonight again with a few revisions, for a bit of clarity, and to get rid of contradictions. Every point was copied from the original thread, so don't burn me at the stake for advice you don't agree with!

AskReddit

Wow... I had a scary experience in my 2010 Toyota Prius today! If you drive one, I urge you to read this for your safety.

I been following the news about toyota cars and their acceleration problems, however, I really haven't care much for it, since I drive a 2010 Prius, and figured it really does not affect me, but little did I know. Today I was driving down my road heading out, now my road leads to a very busy main road, which is located in a industrial area, as a result, there are a lot more big rigs on that road than the average road. Due to the way I drive my car--thank goodness--I always try to drive with the least amount of gas usage, so as I was approaching the intersection, which I have a stop sign, I applied my brakes. At the time I was probably going 15 MPH. I started slowing down to a halt, when all the sudden, the car fucking started accelerated forward! I am telling you my heart skipped a beat, and I thought that I was going to get killed by one of these trucks doing 45-50MPH. The acceleration lasted only for a fraction of a second, and then disappeared and the car came to a halt with my nose just barely over into the intersection. I want to point out, I know for a fact that I did not hit the accelerated, because my foot never changed positions, just in case some one might suggest that. Also one more thing I think might have saved my life, is my driving style, If I was one of those drivers that waits till the last second to push their break, and that same thing would have happened, I am sure the results would have been tragically worse. I plan on calling my dealer tomorrow, and tell them what happened, is there anything else I should do? Also in the mean while, if you do drive a Prius, please be careful when approaching intersections!

reddit.com

Do the women on Reddit really have more bisexual desires than the men?

I have been asking around and nearly all females I hang out with seem very open about having sexual fantasies and desires towards other women. The men all look at me like I suggested something ridiculous. And more women seem interested in looking at a beautiful naked woman than men are in watching a naked man. Is that just a cultural phenomenon and are men too macho to admit to it, or are women really more attracted to the same sex? What do you think, Sexxit?

sex

A Libertarian society on the High Seas coalesces into a State Afloat - do you join them?

Not talking about a libertarian utopia with all the kinks worked out but something in its infancy. Far from shore (any shore), some mooring stations are put down and work has begun on artificial islands along the lines of what Dubai is doing only on a much smaller scale and using people power to make up for a lack in wealth and technology. Boats are the mainstay and many large, older one are being towed into place to provide a stable environment. Would you consider giving up your current life, perhaps renouncing citizenship and moving to such a place? Would you support such an endeavor from afar? Or would you just laugh at the futility of it?

Libertarian

Why do wares groups etc still RAR/ZIP up movies into tiny parts?

Why do wares groups etc still RAR/ZIP up movies into tiny parts? Bittorrent already: *Resumes *Checks hashes *Allows partial downloads *Can group multiple files into one torrent. Why do some wares groups feel the need to zip all their stuff into chunks? Are they still passing their goods around via 1.44megabyte floppies? why?? WHYYYYY??? Is there any good reason at all?

AskReddit

Pro Reason vs. Pro Atheism

I've seen a lot of anti-religion and Pro Atheism on this subreddit but very little Pro Reason. I think that promoting reason might be more effective than a direct attack on the beliefs of believers (i.e. ridicule) Do you know any websites that promote reason in systematic way? with categories and with exercises for those categories, with dilemmas explained, etc.

atheism

Reddit I'm starting to think my house is haunted, what ghost stories do you have to share?

I've always thought of myself to be rational thinker; always thinking of every possible solution before making my conclusion. I've also never believed in ghosts until recently but as of late I'm starting to change my stance on ghosts as I'm getting more and more convinced that there is one in my house. A few months ago (and possibly even before then) I've started to hear things while laying in bed, such as; distinct footsteps upstairs (my room is in the basement), I've heard a cup fall on the floor in my bathroom, also tapping and and light knocking in the walls. My sister has also said she has felt something get on her bed while she was sleeping. The scariest thing to date for me by far occurred about 30 minutes ago while laying in bed, I heard someone running up the stairs very loud and fast and then proceed to run down the upstairs hallway, needless to say it scared the fucking shit out of me. I got up to see if anyone was up and everyone in my family is sound asleep. My mom seems to think the ghost is our dog who passed about 3 years ago but I'm not entirely sure. Anyways I'd love to hear any ghost stories you guys have to share.

AskReddit

Hey tailgaters! Why do you do it?

Dear tailgaters, especially the ones who drive right behind me: Why do you do it? You are about 10-15 feet ahead of where you would be if you weren't tailgating, so you can't be doing it because you want to go faster. You're more likely to get into a crash, and if/when you do, you're much more likely to be found at fault and get your insurance rates jacked up. Is it to intimidate the person in front of you? If it is, I don't understand it because if you hit me, your insurance is out money, not mine. I'm also less likely to get hurt than you are. What happened to the "two second rule?" If I am driving at a reasonable speed, not in the left-hand lane, on the highway, I don't understand any sort of need to tailgate.

AskReddit

Tell us about the one that got away...

In my case, the one that got away was living a few hours away at the time. On Monday, we made plans to be together for a big chunk of alone time in just under two weeks (far too long a wait, but thats another story). Tuesday morning, I get some bad news; I end up telling him about it over the phone that night and, I admit, crying hysterically throughout the entire conversation. Wednesday morning, I get an email that says 'We need to talk." He is at work, so I figure he's too busy to chat online or call me and I dont think much of it. That evening, he comes home, calls me, and says "Something is broken between us after yesterday and I cant deal with it. I spent the whole day today upset about last night...and I decided this morning that this isnt working. I love you, I hope you know I'll always love you. And I'm so sorry." I was so shocked, I didnt argue. Words failed me. I had been in love! And we had *just* made plans. Its been four years and the hurt is still so horrible that it can make me hate myself sometimes. I think about it a lot...what went wrong. Most days I have a deep feeling of guilt. Until the fog clears, that is, and I remember that I didnt do anything to him to cause this. Then I'm angry. I feel cheated. Robbed. I lost my love and my best friend that day and I still dont understand why. I think, "What did I do to deserve this?!' I'm repulsed by the guilt and angst I still carry to this day and I'm not sure its a wound which will ever heal. This scares me...because I want to kill the ghost of him that haunts my heart and maybe make some room for someone else in there at some point. Which is healthy, true, but the very thought of doing that makes me hurt and angry and confused all over again. What say you, Reddit? How have you had your heart stomped on in a sneak attack?

reddit.com

I Am A 21 year old girl with a brain tumour. AMA

A few months ago I was diagnosed as having a craniopharyngioma, a tumour of the pituitary gland, which has grown and spread into the edge of my thalamus. The symptoms have been increasing since I was 13 but I was diagnosed with everything from depression to diabetes to various immunodeficiency disorders until they did a new MRI late last year. EDIT: Thank you so much for all the well wishes and suggestions. I really really appreciate it.

IAmA

Reddit, how can I make myself WANT to work?

Background: Diagnosed with depression, although it has supposedly gone away, history of mental illness in family, etc. I graduated from high school last year 1 credit too short to be able to attend university, so now I have to get a job. I have no motivation to work. I simply don't want to. I don't care that I need money to survive, to eat and everything. I just don't care at all. What can I do to feel more motivated to work?

AskReddit

What's up with Global Warming Deniers?

Let's pull back the veil and peer through the fog of bullshit and get down to the nitty gritty of the matter here. Basically we've got a faction of people who are demanding the right to poison everyone else via the environment - wtf kind of stance is that? If someone is shitting into your water supply and refuses to stop, and you have no other recourse, you shoot them.

politics

What handheld devices do you target?

We're in the early stages of designing a mobile site / Web app for our client, as part of a global site redesign. The client originally wanted an iPhone app. Nothing against native apps, I think they can be great. As a Web designer, however, I thought it best to encourage them down a road that would allow their product to be accessed from multiple devices, not just one. Regardless, I'm "optimizing" the design of the site for an iPhone, with the intention of it working across multiple devices. My office purchased an HTC Droid, and an HTC running Windows. A few iPhones (3G and 3Gs), and the Blackberry Storm. Do you think I need to talk them into getting a Nexus One or a Palm Pre? Any others? The site is a commerce site - our target audience are industry professionals, not the kiddies.

web_design

How do you act when you dial the wrong number?

Today someone called me and on discovering I wasn't who they wanted, they just hung up on me. It went along the lines of: Me: "Sorry, this is the wrong number." Him: *click* Personally, I apologise to the person as it's generally my fault and I've likely annoyed them and then say goodbye to them. He sounded like a bit of a drone, which made me wonder. Is how we react in this situation any indication of what kind of person we are (emotional or other intelligence, maturity etc)?

AskReddit

AskMath: Is "Mathematical Go" by Elwyn R. Berlekamp and David Wolfe good? Any book of similar theme you may recommend?

The link in amazon.com There are only three reviews, so I would like to see if anyone has any opinion on the work. My goal is to have a deeper insight into the game of go.

math

Hey Reddit: What's your first Internet memory?

I'll start: hitting on "girls" on ISCA BBS]( from an ancient Apollo DN3500 at my school's [Open Computing Facility in 1992.

AskReddit

How do you record your PS3 gaming binges?

So I have my PS3 hooked up to my TV via HDMI, how would you record an HD video of your session? Would I need to pass it through a PC based recording card with both HDMI in and out?

gaming

Avatar is at a disadvantage in the "All-Time Adjusted for Inflation" race.

I see all these post about Avatar being the Box-Office king and people always bring up Gone with the Wind as a counter. I loved both of these movies I'll admit it and while its true GWTW made $1.5 Billion domestic adjusted is was also in the theater a freakishly long time. You have to remember that even more so than Avatar in 1939 GWTW wasn't just a movie, it was a huge event, a spectacle. It stayed in the theater for over a year, it was re-released at least 6 additional times in '47 '54 '61 '67 '71 and '89. If adjust GWTW's ticket prices are $12-21 in todays money each. Even Titanic was in the theater for 10 months, E.T. for a year and the Disney films were released many many times. Avatar has only been out 6-7 weeks... what it has accomplished is staggering in that time frame, nothing in history even compares. I think that if Avatar is given the same 10mos. that Titanic was given it could easily challenge GWTW, maybe even top $2 billion domestic, but in the digital age it isn't likely to happen. This is just my opinion guys :)

reddit.com

How do we know that all they wanted to do was listen to calls?

Recently four men were arrested trying to "bug" Senator Mary L. Landrieu's office. How do we know that this was a simple bugging? For instance, how do we know that they weren't testing the security around the Senator for a possible assassination? Maybe they were planting the bug as a "bonus" to learn her future movements? How come the suspects are free? If this had been four Muslim men arrested trying to tap a Senators phoneline we'd be bombing someone as we'd speak, but these guys are on Fox the next day? Something isn't adding up here. Discuss.

conspiracy

DAE ever wonder if you're the only person in the world doing what you're doing right now?

So, there's over 6.6 billion people in the world. DAE ever wonder if you're ever performing some totally unique action that no one else is doing at that given moment? What sorts of things do you imagine are currently unique to you? Obscure or not, I just wonder if I'm the only person who ever thinks this.

DAE

Chase N Status - Saxon, Beautiful and Dirty

I was introduced to dub with this track and have to stop liking it. I surfed through here and couldn't find it! thought I'd let you all give it a listen!

dubstep

Has anyone ever been caught cheating on an important exam?

I just read an article that 4,400 people cheated on exams in the UK (minus Scotland) last year. If you've ever been caught what were the consequences, what are you doing now?

AskReddit

DAE think Conductors (in music) are useless?

I just don't get it. Not like if you remove the conductor, everyone will freeze in place...

DoesAnybodyElse

A few questions about becoming an F1 Engineer

Hey I visit this community fairly regularly and this post has finally made me make an account. I want to be in the world of F1. I've only decided on following this life long passion recently though I'm a little worried about the degree I'm undertaking. I'm currently doing a dual degree at one of the top Universities in Australia for Engineering and Science. This seems okay however my University doesn't offer Aeronautics so I'm majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Physics for the Science part. I really just ask you guys for as much information as you can supply me with. I know most sites say there are a lot of routes in given people like Gordan Murray wasn't originally in the world of racing, though I'm inclined to believe that these days it's a lot more competitive. So, most people going into F1 Eng now, do they solely have undergraduate degrees, do they have both an undergraduate and a postgraduate or do some even have doctorates as well? I was thinking of doing a post grad degree at Cambridge for Aeronautics if possible. I don't mind whether I do Aeronautics or Mechanical - I love both, I really love F1 though so being there is what I want most of all. So I ask you guys for as much information as you can give me. Being in Australia nobody really knows about F1 so connections aren't as easily made. Thank you! . Would it be advised to move to a University which offers Aeronautics? Thanks again guys.

formula1

Hey Reddit! Whats The Best/Funniest Comebacks You Have Heard?

Her - Why does everything have to be your way? Him - It Doesnt Her - It Does, Its either your way or no way. Him - Its either my way or the lame way. Post Em Up Guys!

AskReddit

Wasting time on "Hello, world"; programmers want user-friendly software too.

I've wanted to learn Clojure for some time now, and I finally got around to it today. Here's how I wasted my last hour: 1. Look around the internet for how to install Clojure. Apparently there is no installer, no downloadable packages, no nothing easy. The installation methods generally describe downloading a jar, downloading a java command line tool, writing a bash script to clean up calling Clojure. WTF! I want to install Clojure, not complete a twelve step program! None of the installation methods look particularly hard, but if I have to write code to install your program, you've done something wrong. I'm considering choosing a method of installing when it hits me: `sudo apt-get install clojure`. Viola! It works! It would be nice if this was anywhere in your installation instructions... 2. So now I want to write hello-world.clj. To Google! "clojure tutorial" turns up a bunch of stuff using the REPL. REPLs are great for trying stuff out, but they aren't great for tutorials: if I have a thorough understanding of your type system but can't write a program that outputs "Hello, world" to the screen, my knowledge is useless. Back to Google! "hello world clojure" turns up some nonsense about installing a whole build system to create a simple application. No, I don't want Maven, I want to run hello-world.clj! But this gives me the basic idea of code at least: (defn main [args] (println "Hello, world")) 3. Or does it? `clojure hello-world.clj` does absolutely nothing. No error, no nothing. I try a few things out, including writing up the Java harness the author of that tutorial mentioned. Nothing works. 4. Beaten, I finally turn to Stack Overflow. I write out a question about running Hello World in Clojure and get a hit off the duplicate detector. The question mentions a simple program: (println "Hello, world") 5. Could it be that simple? I edit my `hello-world.clj` and run `clojure hello-world.clj`. It works. FML. Lessons: 1. Have an easy method of installation if your program is anything more than a single file. On Linux, that means at the very least having a .deb available; ideally users should be able to run `apt-get install` to get your package. On Windows that means having an .msi or similar. These things aren't hard to make and should be doable for any mature product. (I am not mentioning Mac because I haven't used Mac since 2005 and don't really know what the state of the art in Mac installers is). 2. Tell people what's available. Even if your installer has advanced to the point that people can install it simply by willing it to be installed, nobody will do that if you don't tell them they can. 3. Don't start with the REPL. REPL's are an excellent learning tool, but they aren't why people want to use your language (with exceptions for shell scripting languages like bash). People want to use your language to run programs. So at least show them how to run a simple "Hello, world" from a file before moving on to the REPL. Personally, once I know enough Clojure to not make an idiot of myself, I'm going to try to fix the Clojure tutorial situation and make a decent installer for Windows (hooray open source!). But Clojure isn't the first programming language I've run into that had these problems. So please: if you're writing a language, make it easier to get started with! Programmers are smart and can get around this stuff, but we appreciate when you make our lives easier.

programming

Was anyone else watching the channel 10 late news coverage of groundhog day? Maybe someone in SA, NT or WA could record it for me?

I just want to be sure it's not just me - I'm pretty sure that the newsreader coughed, then told the story of the groundhog, and then the footage was repeated a bunch of times. After that the news went on like usual. SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME IT ISN'T JUST ME

australia

Things you didn't know about World of Warcraft!

Idea taken from the official wow forums. Post things you didn't know until recently! Here's some to start with: I didn't know that when your action bars are locked, you could still move buttons while holding shift. I didn't know you could lvl cooking by making campfires. I didn't know that engineers can use the Robot Guy for Auctions in Dalaran (the engineers shop). I didn't know you can just type "/i" in stead of "/invite" to invite someone. I didn´t know that if a warlock /kissed his/her succubus, they fall in love (hearts appear). Didnt know that there was a log-flume ride from the Blue Sky Logging Grounds to Venture Bay. When playing as a Blood Elf paladin, the guards in Silvermoon emote back to you. If you wave at the last two guards in Stormwind Harbour going to Northrend, they wave back at you. We all know left clicking on an NPC causes them to say Hello to you. Did you know, if you keep left clicking on them they get increasingly annoyed with you. I didn't know offspec talent tree abilities do not update when it's not the active tree when buying new skills. If you type /mountspecial when in druid flying form you will do a little loop... I didnt know you could just right click items to instantly add them to your mail / auction /bank / guildbank / tradewindow. I didnt know that you can shift right click mails to loot the items inside. I didn't know that as a warrior, you can change from zerker/def stance to battle stance while dead, but not the other way around. I didn't know that TAUREN is an anagram for NATURE. I didn't know that you can still buy the pvp enchants in wintergrasp if your faction doesnt control WG. I didnt know that /ginfo shows something cool about your guild. Did you know that if you go into the threads of fate in dalaran, sit on the chair on the first floor the cobbler will shine your shoes? I didn't know that you can fight Uther Lighbringer after Culling of Stratholm. I didn't know that there is a "Loch Ness monster" inbetween IF and SW in the deeprun tram somwhere in the water called Nessy. I didn't know that when you look up in (the round part where you enter) the Hall of Explorers in Ironforge there's a map of Azeroth on the ceiling. On the floor in Thrall's Chamber is an incomplete map of Kalimdor. It took me quite a few visits to Utgarde Keep, before I noticed that the Terminator's arm from Terminator 2 is in it, right at the beginning to one side.

wow

So I'm thinking about going to school to be an architect. Talk me either in or out of it.

A little background: I am currently bored out of my mind at my current job. I realize that going to school won't immediately change that but it is a start, right? As a personal task I decided to write down the things that I love/loved to do. Drafting in high school was among the things I came up with and research into drafting led me to gain interest in architecture. I am in my late twenties. Am I starting too late? Is it going to be worth it? I have seen some estimates in regards to salary, but in reality, I'd take being happy over being rich. edit: Thanks for the replies. You all bring up great points. It looks like I have to do a little bit more research to see if this is what I really want to do.

architecture

Semiconductor diodes - making your own LED's, or more specifically PED's - can we make LED's that give off photons in the radio frequency? Is that already done?

LED's are cool, do they have any other uses other than visible light? Can we give off radio photons with them? Or like XRAY shit? I am reading around, but I thought I'd disturb your thoughts with this one too.

science

I'm teaching a class next quarter. What did you guys like or dislike about your professors in college?

I'm a fourth year Math major in the College of Creative Studies at UCSB. Next quarter I will be teaching a seminar on Combinatorial Game Theory, the course listing is here A few days ago I posted this on the math sub-reddit asking for ideas on what material I should cover. The responses were very helpful so I thought I would try something more general on askreddit. This is only a two unit class, more for fun than anything else. My goal is to keep it both entertaining and informative. I would love it if you could share your positive and negative classroom experiences so I can get some ideas on how to present information. I have control over what material is covered, as well as how much is expected from the students (whether or not there are any assignments, etc.). So if any of you have ideas on what I should do with this I am excited to hear your perspectives. Also, feel free to ask me any questions if you have any =] Edit: I should add some things, The College of Creative Studies operates on a variable unit system instead of a grade system. I won't be giving out grades and there won't be any exams (CCS policy). Also there will be less than 20 people in the class for sure, probably closer to 10.

AskReddit

Lost season premiere last night. Thoughts?

Anyone else think it was excellent? Island underwater? Wha?? Dharma Shark! Juliet doing a Desmond flashes thing... Desmond's on a Plane! (Snakes sequel). Locke's definately MIB then. Richard in shakles? On the Black Rock perhaps? "you??". Seems Hugo really isn't crazy and really is seeing dead people. "It worked". Where's the coffin? Murky spring water pool mystery... Sayid comes back from the dead, just as Locke did? Just as Jacob dies? Hmmm.... What if the 'alternative' timeline from LA-X was actually the 'original' timeline. What if Jacob changed everything - engineered the whole thing so the losties would go back in time and set the bomb off creating the time-line we have been seeing from the start?

scifi

Hey Reddit, what's your favorite accent in the opposite sex?

I've got a bit of a gruff New Zealand accent going on, but of course it's not very exotic (if you could call it that) to the next door neighbours. But the foreigners I talk to online seem to enjoy it enough, and it got me thinking: What's everyone's favorite accent to hear in a man/woman?

AskReddit

Mary Oliver's First Requirement for Writing Poetry

From "A Poetry Handbook": If Romeo and Juliet had made appointments to meet, in the moonlight-swept orchard, in all the peril and sweetness of conspiracy, and then more often than not failed to meet — one of the other lagging, or afraid, or busy elsewhere — there would have been no romance, no passion, none of the drama for which we remember and celebrate them. Writing a poem is not so different — it is a kind of possible love affair between something like the heart (that courageous but also shy factory of emotion) and the learned skills of the conscious mind. They make appointments with each other, and keep them, and something begins to happen. Or, they make appointments with each other but are casual and often fail to keep them: count on it, nothing happens. The part of the psyche that works in concert with consciousness and supplies a necessary part of the poem — a heart of a star as opposed to the shape of a star, let us say — exists in a mysterious, unmapped zone: no unconscious, not conscious, but cautious. It learns quickly what sort of courtship it is going to be. Say you promise to be at your desk in the evenings, from seven to nine. It waits, it watches. If you are reliably there, it begins to show itself — soon it begins to arrive when you do. But if you are only there sometimes and are frequently late or inattentive, it will appear fleetingly, or it will not appear at all. Why should it? It can wait. It can stay silent a lifetime. Who know anyway what it is, that wild, silky part of ourselves without which no poem can live? But we do know this: if it is going to enter into a passionate relationship and speak what is in its own portion of your mind, the other responsible and purposeful part of you had better be a Romeo. It doesn’t matter if risk is somewhere close by — risk is always hovering somewhere. But it won’t involve itself with anything less than a perfect seriousness. Various ambitions -- to complete the poem, to see it in print, to enjoy the gratification of someone's comment about it -- serve in some measure as incentives to the writer's work. Though each of these is reasonable, each is a threat to that other ambition of the poet, which is to write as well as Keats, or Yeats, or Williams -- or whoever it was who scribbled onto a page a few lines whose force the reader once felt and has never forgotten. Every poet's ambition should be to write as well. Anything else is only a flirtation. And, never before have there been so many opportunities to be a publicly and quickly, thus achieving earlier goals. Magazines are everywhere, and there are literally hundreds of poetry workshops. There is, as never before, company for those who like to talk about and write poems. None of this is bad. But very little of it can do more than start you on your way to the real, unimaginably difficult goal of writing *memorably*. *That* work is done slowly and in solitude, and it is as improbable as carrying water in a sieve.

Poetry

Share with us your worst random PUG story.

The LFG tool has made getting into instances a breeze but along with that ease comes a fair share of r-tards. I'll start: The other day I got into a random PUG and found myself in heroic Halls Of Lightning. The first thing the tank does is post his "Level 80" achievement in party chat so we can all see that he just hit lvl80 an hour ago. Literally an hour ago. We made it to the last pull before the first boss and he runs in and starts the pull on the trash, without pulling them away from the boss's patrol path. As I watch the boss patrolling towards him I start saying "back up, boss" and he just stands there and pulls the boss along with his two adds. He died almost immediately and I left the group before they could all come one-shot me. So, my fellow Reddit-WoW'ers, let's hear it.

wow

What T.V. character are you in love with?

I have a six year old sister and Arthur is on everyday while I drink my tea. As a result I have developed a "omgg crush" on The Brain. ...I'm not even joking.

TwoXChromosomes

Smart redditors, do you pity people who fail in debating you and insist they are more intelligent?

This guy is a real class-act]( He seems to think that [insulting people]( is an effective way to win an argument. He makes [ad hominem accusations]( and proceeds to attempt to [challenge the definition of "ad hominem" by referring to clear cases of just plain insultation]( He then has the audacity to create a [thread about how much more intelligent he is than I.

AskReddit

Has anybody else wanted to give Dawkins/Hitchens books to a religious friend, but didn't for fear of being proselitic?

I have some open-minded religious and agnostic friends that'd like to give copies of the God Delusion, for example, but i feel like when doing so, i'm being just like an evangelist giving bibles away or a mormon knocking at someone's door. Has anyone else felt the same?

atheism

Dear Reddit, I'm scared I might be turning racist. Please help. Are black people generally ruder then the rest of the population?

Ok so here is my story.. About a year ago I moved to London for a job offer a found hard to refuse. For whose who have never experienced it London is a very chaotic place, especially during rush hour and people tend to push shove and generally barge all over the place - this would happen to me several times daily. After a while I began to notice that it was mainly black people that would be pushing / barging past me. I was horrified that I thought this as I consider myself very liberal, and put it down to confirmation bias or some such once I had gotten then idea in my head. So I decided to carry a notebook around and tally all the instances of rudeness (convinced it would show an even spread of races). I even developed specific criteria for "rudeness" - all non verbal. The results showed about 70% of my rude "interactions" came from Black people. I am now utterly utterly terrified that I am turning into a racist. Please help!!! Has anyone else experienced a similar thing? Do black people tend to find White people ruder to them?? Perhaps it is something to do with where I live, how I act? I'm so ashamed of myself.

AskReddit

Calling all MD Pirates! ARRRR

Wanna meet up? DC/NoVa has something going on here: We could merge with them for the first meeting (tentatively the 21st in Old Town Alexandria, a place I've never been... I was hoping they'd change the location to central-ish D.C. for us) or do something ourselves. Even if we don't meet with them, the 21st still works for me. What do you all think? edit: it'd be nice to go somewhere with wifi edit2: no? nobody? okay... bye bye :-(

americanpirateparty