THOTH

Well...as our resident sociopath I feel I must comment (LOL...on a number of different levels)...yeah - Nairi - I agere - this thread has turned interesting (from the swill of a question/postualtion that began ir...sorry Arad - but thats just how I feel... And funny dream nairi...and while undersea may be the last (terrestial frontier...somehow I don't think that your vision of [future?] warfare there is/will be very accurate...(think robots [or some such...remote stuff], sensory/electronic warfare that sort of thing...and most all killing is likely to be on land for much time to come...of course air & space will increasing play a part... And Domino (nice posts) and Seaphan - to a large extent I disagree. Morality (and communication etc) are based upon biology. The extreme range of what is possible in this arena - and the likely differning wolrd conditions & eveolutionary paths - will - I think - lead to vastly divergent communication methods (for various Aliens...who in all likelyhood will or at least could be ver very alien from us)..etc. Domino I know (or at least I think I do) that you have read the Forge of God and Anvil of the Stars books by Greg Bear. Do you recall the Aliens who coperated with the earth children? The rope like/colony beings? Anyway - just an example (they used smell to communicate as i recall)...that communication is incredibly biologically dependent...and morality is an extreme variable 9though perhaps with certain constants...maybe...vastly different parafigms when you consider colony life forms etc (makes me also think of the Ender series...)...anyway...my point is that we cannot assume anything (isn't that always my point? LOL).... And yes - your point about digital (etc) communications is a good one....one of the great difficulties of such as SETI and such (though the movie "Contact" had an interesting take...(and Sip - perhaps this is somethign like the point you were getting at in your next to the last post...) And Domino - intelligent = mortal...well OK - (but maybe bnot) - even if so - no guarentee that their morality and ours converge enough to make it all good..etc for us...or them (sometimes who I worry about most...our ability to think so narrowly about who is human or worthwhile etc...and our xenophobia...again the Enger series - Orson Scott Card...etc.... Such worries...just shows how good we have it - eh?

Actually Azat - and I hope this doesn't cause me to fall off the pedestal you have put me up on - but thinking further about one particular (noteworthy) canoe adventure (and in fact there have been several/a number...of note...) I remebered that in fact we had (partially) tipped in (took on some water, nearly flipped in - but recovered...)...and I was not very happy about it...oh well - she certainly made up for her lack of boating capability/balance in other ways...most certainly...oh and after covering up and paddling away (from the crowds...that we seemed to have drifted out into...) - we did manage to find a secluded area - and actually this time got out of the boat (it was and we were a bit tipsy...and I seem to recall some concern about knee abrasion or some such)...anyway LOL & behold - we found this (old/dirty) mattress laying out in the woods - of all things...but still - some nosy fisherman managed to discover our cove - perhaps he had placed the matress there - like some lobster trap for horny teenagers...or at least he knew about it...(and It was giving me all kinds of trouble...I really didn't like the fact that my "privacy" was being violated)...thoguh eventually we just accepted the fact that we were going to have an audience (what is one to do? ...the situation was quite silly enough already I thought...)...sure made his day I assume....old geezer (I can remember thinking at the time...of course he is me now! LOL ...dear - I'm taking the boat out - goin fishing - the usual spot...won't be gone too long..."well you enjoy yourself dear" - well I'm certainly hoping to! - even if I never do catch any fish at that spot! - etc - LOL) I don't recall the beer we were drinking BTW (though she did like hineys as i recall...LOL)...and we were certainly drinking beer - adn lots of it (what is any sort oc canoeing without beer - I mean really! I've gone on trips with five of us and we took and drank 2 cases between us! ...and in one particualr instance I can recall an entire bottle of tequila along with...)

Yes Bruin - perhaps - but just why would you get that feeling? LOL. You know I've often said (now that I'm an old fart) - if I had it to do all over again - I'd have been wilder...and even taken things less seriously...thats really how I feel and have felt now for a number of years... "If I only had all the money I have spent over the years on drink...I'd spend it on drink!" - Vivian Stanshild - "Sir Henry at Rawlinsons End" - a classic BTW. And Sip - I think your onto something...were awaiting your fully worked out computer traking/simulation and models of the phenomenon however...to see if your hypothesis is indeed true...(likely I think) - LOL

Hello there Yalpa - remember me? Its been awile - though I have been meaning to contact you. I have recently come accross someone who very much shares many of your interests/passions (and if anything greater knowledge...at least that is my perception...regarding certain things) and he is very interested in discussing some of this with you (her? don't know - but on your "forum" I would think yes...how can we arrange for this. And believe me - i think you will want to tallk with this guy. I am also interested in restablishing some contact with you - interested in your future plans - if you have acted on any that you were talking of a year or so ago (or longer0...sailing & such...anyway we should catch up - perhaps Domino knows your email and can pass it along...don't know if i still have it handy...or perhaps you can PM it to me or such... And welcome back to Hye forum...as usual - your posts are thought provoking - and I can agree with much of what you have said (did I tell you I have recently returned froma few weeks in [Eastern] Turkey? I'll have to tell you a bit about the (very nice) trip at some point...

Agree very much with your post here Alexx 9and I have liked others of yours that I have read) - welcome to our forum! As for moving out of the house at 18...well I couldn't get out fast enough...I certainly love/loved my parents...but my mother was a typical Armenian mother (on steroids) and i just couldn't handle the control factor that she seemed to think went with the parent-child relationship (and she still thinks - LOL) and in fact even though I am married with a wife and children I'm sure she would still want me to move back in under her roof! LOL And I'm not at all exaggerating...you wouldn't believe how - after I moved out - then later away to another city - she kept trying to reel me back in (and no cahance at all for that - i love her - but no way could I ever handle [all] that [love] again....LOL)

This is such a silly question. Obviously human societies (and even as we can see non-human/primate etc) have evolved morality because it is the right thing for the survival/perpetuation/getting along best etc of the group. As an individual you don't want to be mistreated/taken advantage of or what not - and this extends to your family and others of your group that you care about - thus certain moral codes of behavior are manifested. Many societies who do not have this concept of a moral law giver per se still do have codes of conduct (laws of you will) - and even other primates exhibit these type of behaviors. I recently came accross this article (OK - I shoudl credit my wife who brought it to my attention..and funny - it directly related to a situation of hers at her work...anyway...) that is perhaps (at least) tangental to this issue (don't know - maybe not...at least it is interesting - and scientific...unlike the speculation fo this question - IMO) - and for whatever reason this question of yours made me think of it...anyway... http://www.emory.edu/LIVING_LINKS/capuchin...osnanNature.htm

I know that I am unusual for an American (and have been told that by many people for a variety of reasons - LOL) but in fact I am still extremely close with a group of about a dozen (or more) of my friends - dating from High School (some I have even know since even the first grade and grade school). Many of us still live (or have come back) to the local area (though in fact I am in a different city) - but even those of us who live away (some even overseas) have kept up our (close) friendhips (some through emails/telephone calls etc - but also with visits & such) - and when we do get together its almost as if we have never been apart. Many of us are like brothers/sisters - and I certainly feel that way about them - very very close. Others always comment that we were/are a special group (and I certainly feel that way)...I've also done much to continue these ties (as have others). Just another reason for you to worship me Azat! (as you do - eh?...LOL). Seriously though - these bonds are very special to me - they are, will be, and have been lifelong....and I feel particularly blessed for them...

Another Onion classic! LOL ...and likely not far from the truth for many (shame)... And for more of similar: http://www.theonion.com/archive/archive_re...lationships.php Too bad I couldn't find the one I was looking for...very much the opposite of the one Stormy posted (wonder if you know the one I might be referring to? LOL)...Something like "man just loves to ____ his wife" or some such...LOL (here here to that!)

Sasun - you are definatly onto something there...its absolutly confounding at times... And Bruin....Grrrrr....LOL - seriously though...your point is a good one too...and its definatly understood (and BTW - You go girl! LOL) but I've certainly seen this (with gals I've been friends with) who go head over heels for some guy - for the reason you state - and he turns out to be a real shit...and then I (the friend) an left consoling them - etc (not always a bad thing...but I'm talking platonic freidship here)

LOL would be at that I imagine....(you as a last resort...sort of a desert Island selection as it were...I imagine)...still otherwise I agree with your sentiment (I think Azat is cute...LOL)

Hey sex in a canoe ain't so bad (knowing this from experience...though one has to watch tipping over/in [luckily avoided that...] or drifting out into the open water and attracting an audience - LOL [this did happen once....turned her on - but I didn't much enjoy that part of it...]...the trick is (now I know) to tie to a tree on shore or at least on something anchored down in the water somewhere...or to just be where other folks aren't...though thats not always for 100% certainly...)...(unlike bud swill...and such - for which there is little or no saving)...

Yeah you two - don't be to smug just yet...and i'm doing the best i can with a (not really so bad) team - that in fact I didn't draft (would have been a much different story if I was able to game that draft - like I do)...oh well - I think my team ain't so bad...and I'll manage pretty well with the waivers i think - so watch out! and don't crow to soon....

Agree 100% Bruin...though I must say - having kids (boys!) really makes it tough...I don't scream per se...but sometimes its tough not too...and yeah - I do yell at them on occasion/frequently...seems like when/if I don't I sometimes can't get through to them - not just my seriousness/concern...but for them to realize that I'm even saying anything to them at all...LOL I never yell at my wife BTW (maybe sanp at her...once or twise a year at most...and only when really pushed...) - she does most all the yelling (at me!) LOL - sad ...but to some degree true....not to bad though...

Funny - I don't even have to try to write like that (Sepahns first post)...LOL...I'm both an inept speller and sloppy on the keyboard (much better/more precise (?) with my fingers in other areas though...LOL)..and like others here I had no problem at all reading the text - but I tend to read in blocks and not necessarily each individual word. A number of years back I had some damage to my retina in one eye - right in the center (had a hole...still do - but my mind has basically corrected for it)...but for a while I would have problems reading certain words - that were like grayed out...and the more I tried to read the word - focus/concentrate on it etc - the less i could see it...very frustrating...and I'm very glad I've compensated (surgery was not an option that I looked gladly at...). And yeah - very funnny Sip - Susan/Sasun etc.....LOL

Bruin - I would seriously consider what Nairi and Btac are saying. I doub't that you will find what your looking for in Armenian...but I guess one never knows...still there is much to be said for a relationship with someone (local/iwith common culture...American & not just Armenian) etc - that you have more convergence of values, interests and familiarity...plus finding someone for a long distance romance or such - well its frought with problems...hope this helps (?)

Gams - i apreciate your pain - but not (all of) your facts & sentiments. The Turks of today are a racially mixed lot (incredibly much so) - and ists so evident from looking at them. They have at least as much Greek, Slav and other stuff mixed in as they do the original Turkick (and even there a mix...) - now I don't discount what you are saying about their tearing down/destroying/neglecting/misapropriating Armenian structures and cultural symbols etc - and that they have done such out of hate/fear/guilt etc and their overiding (pseudo-ethnic based) nationalism and xenophobia. You may consider me a defender of Turks (and against certain [racist & generalizing] accusations this is true - but I like you am disgusted and upset over these practices and behavior and equally condemn them. This doesn't mean I am in favor of fostering additional hatred and call for the extirmination of an entire group of people - I think these type of attitudes say more about those holding them (and not in a good way) then they are any accurate or useful commentary regarding the people whom such as you hold these attitudes against.

Yes very good - interesting post. This Howletts character (certainly an Azeri posing) has been posting (this same crap) on various sites for the last few years (I'm sure Domino can specifically enlighten us and provide some details)... It's very funny this claim of Armenains as recent arrivals in the Caucuses - am I not mistake but are there still existing some church/churches (with Armenian writing in/on them) etc dating from as early as the 600s? I think I saw this recently on a program titled "Armenian Identity" or some such (though I'm no expert on these things & have never claimed to be...)

Hmm "Grumpy" & "Happy" - just whom could you be referring to? ...I think I've been just about all of the above (all 7 I mean) at one time or another...but at this point in my life - I'm probably just "Doc" ...need to grow my beard out a bit though ...funny - back when I was about 22-23 - but working in a professional position that often put me in a position where I was interrogating (literally) folks who were my dads age or older - my manner & approach (and the fact that I had a beard [that made me look older perhaps?] and used a cane! - but not out of any need - only for effect - LOL...) caused these oldsters to call me either Doc or Proffesor - LOL

mmmm...makes me think DEVO (Are we not men? - 1979) - some classics (really) Mongloid mongoloid he was a mongoloid happier than you and me mongoloid he was a mongoloid and it determined what he could see mongoloid he was a mongoloid one chromosome too many mongoloid he was a mongoloid and it determined what he could see and he wore a hat and he had a job and he brought home the bacon so that no one knew mongoloid he was a mongoloid his friends were unaware mongoloid he was a mongoloid nobody even cared Jocko Homo they tell us that we lost our tails evolving up from little snails i say it's all just wind in sails are we not men? we are DEVO! we're pinheads now we are not whole we're pinheads all jocko homo are we not men? D-E-V-O monkey men all in business suit teachers and critics all dance the poot are we not men? we are DEVO! are we not men? D-E-V-O we must repeat o.k. let's go! And of course Uncontrolable Urge (even though perhaps slightly off topic...) got an urge got a surge and it's out of control got an urge i wanna purge 'cause i'm losing control uncontrollable urge i wanna tell you all about it uncontrollable urge makes me scream and shout it it's got style it's got class so strong i can’t let it pass i gotta tell you all about it i gotta scream and shout it and i say yeah Saw them (front row!) - back in 1979...and after which we certainly devolved - LOL...bunch of us went to McDonalds...a friend of mine (thin guy actually) managed to chow down 8 big macs in one sitting...well two sittings..he ate 4 - then went back for 4 more! (all I could manage were my original 4! LOL)...Sip are you listening? LOL And par for the course: (suddenly on topic...LOL) Too Much paranoias think i got your dial tone think i got billy baxter's bone think i got a bubble-sac think i got a big mack attack hold the pickles hold the lettuce special orders dont upset us all we ask is that you let us serve it your way too much paranoias my momma's afraid to tell me the things she's afraid of i been dipped in double meaning i been stuck with static cling think i got a rupto-pac think i got a big mac attack http://www.freedomofchoice.com/devo/lyrics.asp (I'm not affiliated with this site BTW - in case any are concerned...)

Canned Efes is pi**water, but bottled Efes is very, very good. Does anyone know about "smoked beer" - I had a bottle of such stuff in Germany, don't know the particular brand. Must have been at least 10 years ago, but I still remember how amazing it tasted. But have never been able to find it or similar again. Steve Never had canned Efes - only bottles (but that statement is perhaps a truism for beer...rarely is it as good in a can) And I recently drank a "smoked" Porter from Stone (a Microbrew from San Diego California - quite good)...but have never had nor heard of one before.

Well Sip - yes - I know much that you and others here don't (lots of stuff...) - just as you and others here know much that I don't (equally so I'm sure...) - but no - I don't have any specific knowledge concerning JustMe's age - (so perhaps you are correct in your additional comment...about her being 50...) - somehow though I suspect that she not to far from 17-18, so my comment (admiration concerning her maturity on some of these issues) stands. I do think, however, that she should perhaps temper her generalizations concerning us as a group and specific jabs against one other here in particular for a single comment that apears to have been slightly misinterpreted. No matter - why would you assume I knew something that you didn't in this case anyway? LOL

phantom - again the voice of reason/rationality...here here! (please stay awhile & post some more...)

Spare us the crocodile tears. LOL - very good one! And justme - some excellent points. You seem very together for your age - best of luck to you!

Its not bad - but not my fave... And Efes Pilsen drinks rather well on a hot day i think...sure its not world calss or anything (as many Turks would have you believe) - but quite pleasent really IMO...

Yeah Boghos - agree - you have good taste... Hmm Belgian Lambics - can be very nice...and Anchor Steam (in its various permutations - very good stuff...if you like it yeasty of course...) And Fischer is about the only French beer that I've liked - used to drink it quite a bit...not familiar with your Quebec or Swiss beers though...(but always interested in trying out something new..) And Sam Smith (various...Oatmeal Stout - yummy!) & Youngs. (How about Mcewans?)...used to like Newcastle (brown) more then I do now...but compared to the hoppy stuff I'm inot now it is much like route beer (or just too bland in general)...and i find most Sam Adams's a bit too sweet - but OK drinking I guess - just nothing special... And of course the Belguims - Chimay & Delerium Tremens (have some of both in the house right now..thoguh I have all sorts of beer down in teh cellar - many micros and practicaly the whol Stone line including some of the "vertical" line - meant to be aged & such)...and a whole bunch of stuff I can't even remember right now....(you'll just have to check it out when/if you are ever in town...of course I think you'll be more glued to/interested in the wine thats in my cellar! LOL)