Ask a forumer anything...

[Prophet42 1,501]

Can't say I really have a favorite but Changes is good (I do have a greatest hits CD of Bowies)

Are praying for rain (it is quite dry here)?

[MushyMushy 3,618]

Kinda. I like rain. Excuses to not go outside.

What's your favorite coin (any real life currency) and why?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

5 swedish kronor. They fit in the coffee machine at my school.

Favorite quote?

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Qui cherche trouve...

 

Favorite childhood read?

[philforhockey51 4,211]

The Little Engine That Could

Skimbo I like that you even know Henrique but I think he is a few years off from being Captain IMO

Have you ever eaten Eggs Benedict? Did you like it?

[matias93 7,535]

Never, that's a pretty strange preparation for eggs here in Chile (but I think peruvians use poached eggs in their chupe). The closest I've eaten is huevo a la copa, basically soft-boiled eggs with bread, salt and pepper. Not very interesting, though.

 

Following, Skimbo, lets go with a deeper question (and a llitle help to the postmodernism sociology essay I have to finish before tuesday): do you believe capitalism could end? How, maybe by revolution, maybe by obsolescense?

[MushyMushy 3,618]

Do I believe it could? Most likely (and to an extent I wish it would - at least certain parts of it). I believe it will end through revolution, much as the bloated dynasties of history ended. The oligarchies that head the capitalist systems in various countries will eventually be taken down by the general population by force, which will by then generally be very poor and have nothing to loose. They better hope their unreasonably massive wealth can build a really big wall, because they'll need it.

Weehoo deep questions. Do you think that "trickle down" economics is a sham, or at the very least not 100% true?

  Edited September 10, 2015 by MushyMushy  

[matias93 7,535]

Let me google the term... Ok, that's what we call informally teoría del chorreo. An horrible name, promoted by an horrible man.

In fact, it is not macroeconomically a complete non-sense. The "little" detail is that it doesen't matter where the extra money is put, it will enter the economy and dinamize it anyway (whereas there is real money, not just the speculative variety).

Of course, if the extra money is recieved by the upper quintile, they will surely spend it in suntuary goods (produced mainly by members of the same quintile), and it will down slowly in the economic ladder, losing a little part in each step, until it reaches the lower classes. While, if the money is invested directly in the poores people, they will invest it in basic necesities (food, urgent medicaments, basic services, etc.), usually provided by poor people too.

In macroeconomical terms, it is useful to compare money flow to trophic chains: energy is not created or destroyed, but some of it is wasted as heat; money (ideally) isn't destroyed or created too, but a lot of it is lost as "heat" (transaction costs).

 

Keeping the deeper tone: what you think about the UK bombing in ISIS objectives, that allegedly killed two of their citizens that were collaborating with the islamists?  

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Double posting?

To answer this: I won't write anything about this topic (IS) since I believe this is part of what they actually aim for. We should not give them a forum for what they do.

But while we're on serious topics: What do you think about sects? Would you consider any religion a sect?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

Here in my howetown we have some weird hyperchristian cult called Livets Ord (Word of Life). I don't know exactly what it's about, but here's an early 90's video showing the cult leader speaking in tongues:

Generally, cults are a little scary to me.

---

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag? 

 

[MushyMushy 3,618]

I'm not useful like plastic bags, but I do drift listlessly through life much like the way they get blown around by the wind.

 

Do you think antisocial behavior is genetic or is caused by external influences, such as upbringing and the way one is treated by others as a result of that upbringing... or both? Why?

  Edited September 10, 2015 by MushyMushy  

[Prophet42 1,501]

I think it is a combination of both.  You could bring up two children in exactly the same way and they could turn out totally different.  I think genetics gives us predispositions and our environment determines what genes get expressed. Of course, there is the whole other discussion of whether the mind can overcome both nature and nurture.

Do you think the mind is something that is just a matter of the functioning of the brain, or is it something less physical?

[Skimbo 304]

The mind might be caused by the function of the brain but it takes on quite different shapes to say it's only caused by that. Or better said: It envolves itself within it's physical and psychological limits. For example: It won't be able to imagine a 4th or 5th dimension. But it's able to create a unique shape within it's limits. So basically I think it's both.

 

Do you think the universe is part of a self contained system?

  Edited September 12, 2015 by Skimbo  

[piercing_arrow 76]

Yes?

Do you think the Universe will eventually end in the Big Crunch or keep expanding indefinitely?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

I never gave it a thought. I guess at some point it has to stop, but I don't know how.

What's your favorite 90s movie?

[Prophet42 1,501]

Terminator 2

When was the last time you have a nearly perfect day?

[Skimbo 304]

last thursday. I met a friend I just knew over the internet before, we went out for trainspotting and got all the engines we where after:P

 

 

What's your opinion about NASA's funding: Should there be some money shifted from the totally overfunded us military towards Nasa's science?

[airman15 4,111]

I believe so. Personally, I would advocate keeping our current numbers (without adding anything else) but one thing I would love to see is the F-35 program killed. The military would save so much if they did that, and then take a modernizing approach by upgrading existing units. If it works, don't throw it away. The F-35 program alone has cost the American people $398B, going by a source dated June of this year. That kind of money is more than enough to not only go into NASA, but it can go into many other projects like infrastructure.

Do you consider yourself to be a passive person?

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Yes. I'm pretty passive. In case I was not there had to be something very very bad before...

Do you consider yourself calm?

[Fantozzi 4,067]

Extremely. Even when I hate I hate with calm.

 

 

When you recognize you were wrong the other day, do you say it or do just go ahead?

[MushyMushy 3,618]

I just go ahead and hope nobody notices. No need to attract attention to myself...

What do you think of space exploration?

[+Guest]

Even though I don't keep up with NASA or anything related to space exploration I think its quiet an interesting subject to bring up! The idea of exploring in such a remote place way beyond the world we call home that seems to go on and on is mind boggling. Who knows what can be found.

 Have you ever been on a roller coaster, if not would you like to?

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Yes I have

So Luke Shaw broke his leg yesterday. Have you ever broken you leg, arm or any other part of your body?

[Skimbo 304]

i somehow didn't manage to do that yet.... And I'm pleased with that!

 

 

which of the following two is the bigger problem and why?

> smuggling of drugs

> smuggling of weapons

[piercing_arrow 76]

Smuggling of drugs, at least where I live. Even though border patrol is supposed to catch these things they somehow manage to cross the river into the country... Besides, there's gun stores everywhere so I wouldn't be too worried about weapons smuggling. I guess not in any sense.

Do you believe that the United States is too big of a global policeman? As in it dictates pretty much what happens in the world? (P.S. YES)

[Odainsaker 2,135]

No.  While the U.S. has great influence and assertively embraces it's bully pulpit, in many areas it is more hamstrung, powerless, clueless, or removed than popularly or conspiratorially believed.  Indeed, the U.S. as the dominant global power gets criticized both when it is involved as well as when it is not involved, because people within the U.S. and around the world all have their own stakes in the utilization or non-utilization of that global power regardless of who holds it, and the vast spectrum of those particular interests are not necessarily the interests or even in the capabilities of the U.S.  This is the perception trap of blame for any most-influential actor.  If the U.S. could actually dictate pretty much what happens in the world, the world would not look like the way it does now.

Invade Syria?

If so, who is going to have to do it and how will they be recruited to do so?  If not, what is the alternative strategy?

 

[Skimbo 304]

Invading would most likeley turn the aggressions of both sides towards the invader. I'm sure the only country crazy enough to sting into this wasp nest would be U.S.A. Still I'd prefeir on using the money that would have been needed for that war for humanitarian help for thoose who managed to flee. (including political things like makeing Turkey think about their partially quite stupid actions)

A Invasion has to take one side. It can't be neutral from the very beginning. They do acts of aggression against one or the other grup, that's not neutral. They help this group's foes automatically. Takeing sides in a conflict that actually lines up to the conflict between the 2 main groups of islam (Sunni and Shia) is a very bad idea.

 

 

 

What do you think about that? ^^

 

 

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Quagmire...

 

 

Doyou use your powers (whatever they may be) for good or evil?

[philforhockey51 4,211]

My powers though humble are always used for good.

What are your powers?

[Skimbo 304]

Transform into a dragon

 

 

 

what's your favorite yoghurt?