Enter social programs. While it may not apply to the folks mentioned, it certianly applies to some areas. The gov't writing checks each month to the aforementioned lazy folks in the post above.

Yes, it is sad that programs which were meant to actually do some good end up getting hijacked by what I like to call "welfare worms". My own brother in law is one of these prime specimens. He's all of 21 and just now feels that he "needs to live his life for himself" already. He's totalled two cars, which he never paid for, received HUD housing at some ridiculous rate of like 82.00 a month for his rent AND utilities, in a nice apartment to boot I might add. Oh, and food stamps too. All of this I pay for in some form, so he can lay around, whine to mom that he needs internet access and a cell phone, which she will have to pay for, and yet he finds the money to buy dope. Hmmmm?
Oh, and where is he now? In Ft. Lauderdale partying and living with his older brother, while mom sends money Western Union to support their "endless summer".
P.S.: He went to Florida to escape his fines which encompass two states up here. Maybe he figures if he puts his head in the sand long enough, they won't find him.

Just rambling now... see what you do to me Quixen.

Oh sure... blame me.

I realize they add more eggs to make sure at least one takes, but then what?

I know a little about this subject due to research reasons and with being artificially inseminated there was nothing they could do about having sextuplets. I am sure they really didn't plan on having 6, think about it. I have heard of people wanting twins but I never heard anyone say... "I want quadruplets, and I will name them Terry, Jerry, Larry, and Harry!!!"

There are too many lazy folks who don't care to better their lot in life by taking action. They would rather sit around and blame someone else for it while collecting my taxpayer dollars for doing nothing.

Damn Straight!

That seemed to do the trick... Now it gets all interesting...

Is it considered Greed to reach for something you do not have but would make your life better?

Not at all. Probably the line would be drawn somewhere around quality vs. quantity, I'd imagine. If I have a TV set that works and satisfies me, why do I crave another? (and I do) Is it because my neighbor has 3? Is it because my buddy has a plasma screen that rocks in his basement home theater and I want some of that fun myself? In choosing to have my second or third TV, what have I chosen not to do? I am reminded of the final scene in Schindler's List (not to be too pop-culture on this forum -- but Oprah has already been mentioned!  ), when at the end of the war, Schindler realizes how many more Jews he could have saved, if only he had sold his car or wife's jewelry, etc... Because he didn't sell these things, is he a bad person? Does it minimize the good he has done?

What, do you think that what Billy boy Gates did with his "foundation" is really going to help people? Do you think anyone who runs a Fortune 500 company has true ethics in mind....

Certainly not. And what, might I ask, does Billy Gates have to do with success? Oh, I see, you've bought into the fallacy that we're only in this game once and the one who grabs the most stuff before they dies, wins? Very short-sighted of you, if this is the case.

I am happy with what I have, and find no contempt for anyone who "has more" than me, especially in the material.

This is a good thing, for envy will always destroy those who indulge it, even for just a whisper.

It is when I see such a gross negligence on the part of people who could do so much to help those less fortunate.

Yes, that reflects very poorly on them, but does it justify a right on your part to compel "good" behavior on them by overt force (such as by government law)?
Evil S, you have justification to be angry at how others (your brother-in-law) abuse some folks good natures (his mom), but you must be careful not to let this indignation blind you to the innate humanity in each of us, and our duty to respond to it. Do not harden your heart against the fool who refuses to help themselves, but instead, in a spirit of charity, humility and compassion, seek to help them still. Sometimes with "tough love", but with love nonetheless. You do yourself no credit to love those who love you. It is how you treat those who don't like you that will measure your success.
It is sad that the only examples of "successful" people held up in this context were Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey (both modern Robber Barons). No mention of Mother Teresa or John Paul II, who arguably have had (and will continue to have) a far greater impact on the lives of many more people than anyone on any Four Hundred list. These two come immediately to mind, due to their fame, but how many others are there, equally "successful" but without the fame?
I am no saint. Merely another (hopefully humble) sinner trying to find my way.

And to change topics to one mentioned earlier that got my goat:

Think about it, when someone says "nazi" you think holocaust. I mean, nobody gets mad when you talk about Austrio-hungary doing all the things that lead up to the first world war. It's simply that the nazis did something waaaaaaaay over the top and now we act like they're the spawns of the devil. Now this isn't to say I support them, not at all, but simply how we react to certain words(i.e. "terrorist").

First, it is debatable whether A-H was solely responsible for WWI. It seems to me there was this little Serbian question and some Russian ambitions too... Not to mention a foolish German blank check given to the reckless Austrians... But these actions and the evil they spawned are different in scope/scale and aspect from what the Nazis did to the untermensch in their grasp (and the Ottoman Turks to the Armenians in theirs). Genocide is not foreign policy, regardless of how many sound bites you may have listened to on Air America or CNN.

Well, so much for lurking...
Cheers!

You do yourself no credit to love those who love you. It is how you treat those who don't like you that will measure your success.

Were you recently watching the Passion of the Christ? Same line, same tone...

Oh, I see, you've bought into the fallacy that we're only in this game once and the one who grabs the most stuff before they dies, wins?

Sorry for not keeping all of this in one reply but work has called and you know how that is. Anyhow, in reference to your comment which I've quoted, it seems then that you would believe in reincarnation, correct? I myself have given up on that philosophical tidbit, merely because it has been a no winner of sorts. I believe that I myself was probably someone very wealthy, very powerful perhaps, who abused the hell out of their position. Hence the reason why I have come back around this time with much less of a position in the world, but with the thoughts and knowledge of someone who should be "higher" on the ladder in life. It is during reflection that I arrive at the reincarnation conclusion, and in my case it just might be so. Maybe what I will learn in this life will carry over so that if I must do it again, I may somehow "know" what path to choose based on some unknown little voice inside me that keeps nudging me towards whatever end. On the whole however, I can't really say that I totally buy in to the reincarnation. Not yet anyway.

Again, I do not see the point in demonizing success, if this success is gained with humility, charity and love for others.

It is sad that the only examples of "successful" people held up in this context were Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey

I know when I mentioned Oprah I was trying to think of someone who reached Monetary success and still had / or used humility, charity and love as a vehicle to both achieve and maintain their success.

Mother Theresa and the Pope did not qualify, not because they were not successful, but because they had "Gods Money", not more money than God... ( Just having a little fun to get my point across. ) Because I own a humble home, an older car, have decent food on my table, have a dog, a job that pays well enough to have these things, a wife and kids that love me, and morals, I classify myself as being successful, where others may not.

To be successful you do not need to acquire wealth, fame, fortune, and power, but those 4 things, whether by themselves or together, do tend to, more times than not, generate greater success.

Again, success is how we, as individuals, define it for ourselves.

Again, success is how we, as individuals, define it for ourselves.

This is true. However, there is a chilling undertone to this...
Psych research students did a study on human "relations" so to speak where they tried to determine what factors make people in general gravitate towards or away from other people. It was designed to show how we look at others with relation to ourselves. One of the main things that the students found interesting was how most people, upon greeting each other for the first time, asked the all important question, "what do you do for a living?". What they were trying to show is how we are "programmed" in our society to judge who is worthy or not based on things like, what they do for a living. More to come...

EDIT: Er... whoops... wrong thread.

What, do you think that what Billy boy Gates did with his "foundation" is really going to help people?

Ready as I am to question the hagiography of the PC and the fact that we have not moved one serious step beyond the notion that a precious few own almost everything, the Gates (guilt) money will absolutely help a very large number of people.

I've been a devout critic of the rise of MS since shortly after the originl PC deal with IBM. I'm also an unrepentant Marx-Engels fan and former philosophical anarchist who must admit that his Southeren roots force him to admire Warren Buffet. The billions in question have *tremendous* potential to help change the world for the better.

Just doing a quick relapse on the OT.
[link="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060801-7395.html"]OMG IM SPEAK NOT BAD 4 GRAMMAR LOL/link]

Just doing a quick relapse on the OT.
OMG IM SPEAK NOT BAD 4 GRAMMAR LOL

Hm.
Somehow I doubt the Edit fuction where ment to deal with this.

BP... The article you linked was somewhat educational and down right entertaining.

This is a question that I have to ask.

What purpose does it serve to...

translated the entire Bible into SMS-speak.

Would it be because it would make the Bible easier to read? Probably not for my generation. I have to believe there could be only three reasons why this was done.

The first is obvious enough. We as Humans (most) want to accomplish something in our life time that has never been done. Second, most of us want to be remembered for something we have done in our life times, and third... The "want it now" generation seems try to make everything faster. Simply put, the Bible can now be read twice as fast for someone who can read this form of language. ( I personally find it very hard to understand myself.)

The last few replies to this thread talk about success and how we, as individuals define it. Let us take the examples that I have given above and apply this.

We as Humans (most) want to accomplish something in our life time that has never been done. (This gives us a sense of power over our life and the world, and can lead to fame and possibly fortune.)

Second, most of us want to be remembered for something we have done in our life time. (This gives us notoriety... or fame which also in turn can lead to fortune and wealth.)

Lastly, to make obtaining information faster... (A sense of Power.)

There... I tied them together.

I am sure there is much more that goes into this, I just do not have the time or the patience right now to go into it... and as some people have pointed out... I can be rather long winded at times...

Also, for clarification purposes... I define wealth and fortune as two different things. Just wanted to say this because some people feel they are one and the same.

However, there is a huge gap between quantity, and quality.

Something this generation seems to be in ignorance of.



Twice as fast does not equate, necessarily, to twice as good.

The "want it now" generation seems try to make everything faster. Simply put, the Bible can now be read twice as fast for someone who can read this form of language. ( I personally find it very hard to understand myself.)

I think one thing that is lost in this is the ability to allow your mind to reflect upon what you have read. The Bible is not a book to be skimmed through or read without preparing your mind to embrace what is being told. To speed through the passages doesn't seem right since I don't believe that a person can begin the thought process to grasp what is being told by reading this way. Actually, I would think any holy book should be read with passion and a proper mindset, not randomly scanned and vaguely remembered.