Razor

I think that some of the points being discussed here are irrelevant. Graeme pointed out that piracy and fraud are two totally different things. If I were a published author and someone downloaded an illegal copy of my book in ebook form, it would peeve me a bit. Y'know, a few bucks I lost and all. Fraud would make me sink my teeth in and rip out their spleen, big difference there. As for this talk about regulating websites, don't even think about it. The moment any politician tries touching that, they're gonna draw back a bloody stump. The crusade to censor the Internet has yet to work, and I don't think that one will get any further. Besides, peer to peer sharing kind of dodges that anyway. I also definitely agree with Hylas, and Graeme for that matter. Industrialized countries don't realize that the prices they demand are far too high in other countries. Also, like Graeme said, the price is just higher than the customers are usually willing to pay. One song is one dollar, yeah yeah yeah. That adds up REALLY fast, and some people are just not willing to fork over that kind of money, especially when the artist in question is exorbitantly wealthy. That said, if I was a fan of a smaller or local band, I would be much more likely to support them. Finally, I think it's sort of silly to expect that you can own ideas, so this ends up being a really good justifier for piracy... let me elaborate, lol. When you get a job, what do you provide? Well, you can offer goods or services in return. If you're hungry, you buy food. If you want a house, you buy it. If you want to make money then you get a job and do something or make something. With that in mind, what is a song (or a book for that matter)? Is it a service? Not exactly, nobody's actually doing anything for you directly (though if you were going to argue in opposition then you could definitely make a case for it). Is it a good then? Nah, not really, it's not tangible. If you had an eidetic memory and read a book, have you stolen the book? No, you haven't, but it's almost like you recorded it... CD's, concert tickets, t-shirts, books... those are all tangible, but they are tangible representations of an idea, something immaterial. I don't really think you CAN steal an idea exactly. CD's and tickets and whatever else, yeah, you can steal those. Then again, I'm all for the idea of the free exchange of ideas. And don't be confused, exchange of ideas is fine with me, but theft of ideas is not (like plagiarism).

I'm sorry, but if the people weren't so moneygrubbing to begin with, the world would be more hesitant to break copyright law. As it is, this is simply the inevitable backlash of greed. And sorry again, but quite frankly it doesn't really register on my give-a-sh... I mean.... sympathy-meter. Welcome to life with the rest of the world.

Drawing Blood, by Poppy Z. Brite I've been wanting to read that one for a loooooong time now, and it's great so far. I'm also reading the fourth book in the Wheel of Time series, The Shadow Rising.

That sums up my feelings quite nicely. And thank you Kevvers.

Happy birthday Nick.

Well the thing about this is that it shouldn't really be an issue other than charging parents with negligence for leaving a gun in a place where it's available to a minor. I don't agree with gun control, and I think that it's a provided right for a reason. If you look at history, that's one of the major steps in taking complete control of a state; disarming them. Yeah sounds paranoid, but that's what they thought, too. It's also a really screwy way of shirking responsibility off of the people who were involved and onto an inanimate object so nobody has to feel guilty about it.

I definitely want kids, no question. I'm going to adopt. I think I'd be a good father, and I know I'd love my kids, and I really want a family some day. So yeah, I don't know exactly at what point I'll decide to have them, but it will probably be for a long while yet. I'd wanna be in a stable relationship and financially established before I adopt.

I have wireless dial up. Haha, you ask how this is possible? Well, technically it is not wireless dial up, but.... I pay 65 dollars per semester for wireless internet on campus. It is terrible. I have no clue why, but it is soooooo weird. At one moment, I'll have 1.5 MBps, a download clipping along so fast it's insane. Then the next second it will be at 1.2 KBps. I am not even joking about that, lol. Sometimes it just refuses to let me have internet at all. My personal theory? The network they have set up is overloaded to the max, and they're too cheap to fix it. ~shrug~ It's better than nothing, but it's definitely annoying at times.

Wait wait wait... you're saying that won't happen? Straight guys are so weiiiiiird... okay, I'm making it my own personal mission to find at least ONE straight boy I like. I shall seek one out who I can tolerate and even enjoy as a friend! I have a sneaky suspicion that this will take a long, long time, though.

Mmmmm, twincest. Yummy.

~dances into thread~ HELLO! Ahem, I was born in Covington, Louisiana and I've lived in Columbia, Mississippi all of my life until my senior year of highschool. That year, we moved to Saltillo, and then to Guntown, both suburbs (sorta) of Tupelo. I currently reside in Hattiesburg, which is the only oasis of normalcy in all of Mississippi. The presence of a serious, highly regarded university makes the town liveable. Actually, I find more and more often that I REALLY like it here. I can kiss a boy and nobody freaks. I held hands with a boy not too long ago, walking all around campus and down Hardy street, and no one looked twice. I made out (shamelessly, I admit, but hey, he was really sweet and really hot and we were dating... at least we started dating after that, haha) with that boy and NO ONE cared. It was delightfully happy. Of course, then I realized that we were making out in front of the theater building so I don't think that one really counts. ANYWAY, yes, MS is the Bible Belt. It blows to be in a small town anywhere within that region. However, I will say some things... In Columbia, I came out in my junior year. I had a great time from that point on, knowing that it wasn't really a big deal and even teachers were supportive. Now.... Then I moved to Tupelo. That place is HELL and I will never, ever recommend that anyone live there. I have never had the problems I had there. The sheer amount of methamphetamine and cocaine abusers was enough to scare me. Everyone there is so racist it's scary. I think I counted less than fifteen or so black people at Saltillo High, which had about 500ish students. I've never heard the N-bomb dropped so many times in my life. I got a good many funny looks, especially since I waltzed in the first day with blue hair and black nails. From that point on, though, I just didn't really care. Eventually I just faded into the background and rode out the year. Was called a fag a few times, but considering the people who said it, it was more of a compliment than an insult coming from them. Somehow that word loses its sting when the person using it is obviously a product of inbreeding trailer trash with half (literally) your own IQ. Hattiesburg is the best place, but this is a full spectrum of experience here. Hattiesburg is the most liberal, Columbia is in the middle, and Tupelo is deep in redneck freakazoid from hell territory. If you happen to be at the way, way, way, WAY freaky end, stay deep in the closet until you leave. It's just not worth the risk to your own personal safety (considering the fact that I was very serious about letting people know that I carried far more than just one sharp object and that if they hit me, they better do it hard and without me seeing them coming). If you live in the middle of the spectrum, I say it's better to come out, just for the peace of mind. Keep yourself safe above all else. If you really think you may run into physical harm, just keep low. Otherwise... f**K everybody and their opinions and be yourself.

I know it won't do anything, but I really want to write an angry letter. That or impale several of them with tent spikes.

A good friend of mine introduced this to me a while back. Every now and then I kinda stumble back across it cleaning my room/computer/journal/whatever and it makes me feel a lot better and kinda puts me back on the right track. I'm not much for prayer, but I do like good advice. Anyway, you can wiki this if you wanna know more about it, but it's entitled "Desiderata", translating from Latin to "desired things" in English. My favorite line is in bold: "With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world." Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for there will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Excercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. EDIT: This is a pretty massive edit because yesterday when I wrote this I was still pondering, which I still am, but I didn't feel like talking about it cause it was all so silly and odd. Well... Zach and I are not dating. There are good reasons, and the real reason is totally my fault. Nope, you're not privy to that one, it's a private private private private matter, lol, but yah, suffice to say that I expected it. I could have totally avoided it, by keeping my mouth shut, but I would've always felt guilty for keeping something to myself that I wouldn't want him to keep to himself if the situation was reversed. Damn my conscience. Turns out, that might actually have been my subconscious saving me yet again. It's gotten pretty good at bailing me out of boats before they sink. Now, it's almost embarassing for me to even tell this story because the way I feel is so deeply programmed into me that I feel like everyone should be that way, and anyone who isn't just isn't right, like they were raised wrong or something. Sooooo.... The other day, I got a call from Zach. We'd already broken up, but we both decided that the situation warranted time and patience instead of a hasty decision, so we've still been hanging out and talking from time to time. And before you say anything, yeah, it made me sad for a little while but now, well, you'll see. He said that he was really bored, and that he didn't have anyone to hang out with. Naturally, I said he would be welcome to come over here and chill with me and Drew for a while. I don't have any money to spend, or I'd have offered to go out and do something, but hell, I can pretty well keep myself occupied here in my lil room. Anyways, he says yes, and a little while later he came over. The night drew on, and roundabouts 11:45 or 12:00, we were playing around still. He had been doing some random annoying thing over and over, playing, like kicking me or something like that, so I grabbed one of my safety pin bracelets (yeah, I had an emo moment the other day and made them) and threatened to stab him. Evidently he has a ginormous sharp object phobia (like I do with needles), but I was just playing around with him anyway so I set my safety pin bracelet back on the thing. Later, I threatened to get it again, smiling and being a dork like I always do. Okay, this is when it gets stupid, so stay with me... He picks up my bracelet (made of those little tiny black safety pins that cost like 1.50 for 50 of them), and throws it out the window. At first, I assumed he'd been picking and that he hadn't actually thrown it, like something I would have done. However, I quickly realized that this was not the case. At this point, my Jamie brain processes took over and I was enraged. I decided that saying anything would be a bad idea because I might regret it. Thus, I simply put my shoes on, grabbed my cigarettes, key, wallet, and phone, and walked out after saying that I was going for a cigarette. Okay, you thought that part was stupid, just you wait. Me being me and all, I figured I'd go back up and we'd sort it out, or he'd probably just say sorry and it'd be okay, but.... I'm standing downstairs out front smoking, looking at the stars, spinning in circles, whistling the mario theme song... y'know, usual entertainment nonsense, and I see him walking across the street. I tried to get his attention, but he just kinda waved. Then, I texted him just in case there might be something weird going on and I took things the wrong way (which of course I never do, but I give people the benefit of the doubt), and basically he ignored me until he finally said some bullshit about how he just didn't feel like staying after that. THAT was what pissed me off. That stupid, overly dramatic, bullshit response to something infinitesimally important is the sort of DUMB SHIT that I refuse to put up with from anyone. I quickly informed him that I have the ability to create enough drama for myself, and that I don't have the time, energy, or desire to deal with anyone else's. The safety pin thing pissed me off because I'm big on frugality and respect for personal property. It doesn't matter what the hell it is, you don't f**K with it if it's not yours. It might have only been a quarter thrown out a window, but it was MY quarter, and it shows how little respect he has for me (which I sorta already suspected by a bunch of other things... it's really complicated and it all adds up to my insane Jamie intuition shit... like noticing the way he words certain things, when he teases the most, what he teases about, what he likes and dislikes... etc.). So, yesterday I get a text telling me he's sorry. That's nice and all, but unless he does a damn fine trick, he's out of the picture for good. I mean, I understand everybody f**ks up and does stupid shit sometimes (and oh yes, I do my fair share and then some), but I really have finally come to realize that I not only want, but I also DESERVE someone who respects and understands me, and I won't settle for anything less. So then, after all of this, which left me feeling so incredibly embarassed since a lot of it happened right in front of Drew, which means that he saw what an ass Zach was and how much it bothered me............ well, I found the Desiderata in my docs folder while cleaning my compy. I looked at it, read it, read it again, and smiled. The second paragraph especially just made me feel as if I really do have everything under control, and that I shouldn't worry, and I should be happy with the things that I have worked hard to accomplish. I shouldn't have to compromise beyond reason, or acquiesce to any standards or norms.

Straight guys freak me the f**K out, plain and simple. They're weird and they don't make any sense to me. In fact, gay guys freak me out a lot of the time. Pretty much anything with a penis kinda confuses me. I think I've pinpointed this down to a somewhat odd trait that many males in general seem to possess (though females do too, sometimes). They completely lack empathetic capacity. An example is that I was talking to Zach and Drew yesterday about some hostage situation thing I'd read about going on in Colombia. FARC has been holding these people, some of them Americans and some who worked for a security firm which did not advise them properly of the danger of their job, for SEVERAL years now. The U.S. refuses to negotiate with them on the grounds that they are considered terrorists. My reaction to this: what the HELL? You can't start spouting foreign policy and diplomatic drivel when people's lives are on the line, ESPECIALLY if they didn't ask for and had no part in the conflict. The first thing that pops into my mind is that I would immediately want to go and help if it was someone I cared deeply for, or if I had any power to do anything about it. Their reaction: that's stupid, it gives FARC power and lets them know that their tactics work. My further reaction: you are both insensitive, terrible, evil, vile, lowdown, dirty, soiled, shameless, unconscionable excuses of human beings. Anyway, it seems like a LOT of guys have absolutely no problem totally separating any and all emotion from their opinions, and I do not like that. Hysterics never help, but a good dose of empathy has always been a great thing. I find the attitude of males in general to be scathing, inconsiderate, and sometimes outright cruel. Oh, and no, I'm not going to attempt to meet them halfway on that. It's not a good attitude, and it's not the right way to go about things, and it's usually the cause of them hurting someone badly and then not comprehending why their actions had such a bad result. There are certain things that you don't tease about, there are certain things you don't tolerate or condone, and there are certain things that you need to be a good person (namely respect, empathy, and integrity). I realize that this is a broad generalization which doesn't apply to all guys. I've met one or two nice straight guys, but by and large they've all been total asses and I don't have the time, energy, or desire to put up with that sort of thing. I prefer to surround myself with people who are positive, accepting, empathetic, and share a common goal of promoting harmonic and productive relationships.

~sidles up to Menzo and cuddles him mercilessly~ Meh, condoms are important. I do have to say that, on the list of sexual activities, oral sex is by far the safest. The odds of you getting HIV from oral sex are so out there that I really don't have much of an issue with not using a condom for that. Now, of course, this changes if I have any cuts/lacerations/ouchy spots in my mouth, or if I have any reason to suspect anything odd, but generally it's kinda difficult to catch HIV from oral. I mean unless you bite your cheek till it bleeds and swish Listerine-style with their semen, it's not that likely. Vaginal sex is also safer than anal, but it does carry an increased risk. I can't remember the exact statistic, but it was surprisingly unlikely to get HIV from a single incident of unprotected vaginal sex. Anal is by far the most dangerous, simply by nature. For this one, I would probably slap a person for not using a condom unless they were absolutely sure of the other person's HIV status. For other things, the odds of you getting HIV from one time doing it are relatively low; for anal, the odds of you NOT getting HIV from one time doing it are low. All in all I'd just say that you should be really careful. Unprotected sex in a relationship should wait about six months after you trust the person, then go to the health department together and get tested. Yes, nowadays it's usually detectable in a lil over a month, almost definitely by three months, and astronomically rarely after six months. Oh, one more thing. We all know how tempting it is sometimes to just lay there and cuddle and whatnot afterward, but the sensible thing to do is wash up immediately after sex. Hop in the shower (take him with you if you like), and soap up. Plus, for those of us who happen to be a bit hairy, especially in certain places, it's not fun if we wait. It's like glue, and if it dries, it's taking hair with it.

Menzo pretty much said it all for me. I might not be insanely confident or perfectly at ease around certain people, but if a boy is afraid to hold my hand or kiss me just because someone's around, then it's not going to work out well. I voted no on this one, even though there might be some crazy situation in which I would date a closeted guy. Even then, I couldn't deal with it long term.

Kevvers, first we must take Russia. With their vast amounts of barely tapped resources, we will have a support system for our campaign to take Asia. Japan and China's manufacturing and technological superiority will refine these resources into the tools of war; lead based paint and Aquadots. After we have successfully subdued the developed world's children with chemicals that turn to GHB when metabolized, we may then use subliminal messages to indoctrinate them as devoted soldiers. We have nothing to fear but fear itself, and perhaps Michael Jackson if he finds out the GHB and kids. Oh, and condoms are not optional until I go to the health department with boyfriend in tow. I don't care how much they dislike them, they save lives. Also, until I trust them to never ever cheat on me, I don't think I'd be losing the condoms. Also, I'd probably wait six months after I trust them completely anyway just to be safe. It's rare, but sometimes HIV takes six months to be detectable. Kevvers, the big issue is if the hygiene is in place... as long as certain things are taken care of, it's not an issue. Haha, well, let's just say that usually when I pull out the spoon trick it's only good for a fun time. ~yawn~ I'm sleepy, so bye bye for now.

LMAO! Menzo, you dirty dirty dirty boy! That's actually one reason I'm really glad I don't have any straight guy friends... I dunno if I could keep my hands off them if something weird happened (like me imbibing much too much tequila and deciding after the fourth one that they're the floor... 1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, grope every boy within a mile radius just doesn't have the same ring to it). And pfft, Will, you're not allowed to have a bubble. And besides, hugs don't really count as bubble violation. Bubble violation only occurs when malicious intent, or disastrously accidental oddness, is present. You know, I think I'll make today a hug everyone day. I'm kind of in a foul mood, especially if I start the day in this mood, so I shall counteract it! HUGS TO YOU ALL, BWAHA!

Menzo, I heart you. When I rule the world, both you and Kevvers shall be made into keychains so that I might have the benefit of your presence wherever I lose my keys. Yeah... so maybe it makes me sound kinda slutty but sex is sex. The truly important part is whether or not my boyfriend knows that my favorite color is tied between black and blue, that my one and only true motivation in life is helping those I love, that I want my hand to be held whenever possible, that when I'm feeling insecure or afraid a kiss will usually fix it... it's not important if he knows that I happen to be able to swallow a spoon while holding the handle between my teeth. As a sidenote, definitely not the best way to get noticed if you ever want to hang on to them. Now, there's not a lot I won't do with the right guy. I prefer committed, honest, monogamous relationships for obvious reasons. To start, they're far safer, and I delight in being HIV negative. The better reason is that they're far more emotionally satisfying, even if I do end up wanting to kill the boy I'm dating at least half the time. The couple times they do something so right and so perfectly that I never would have seen it coming totally make up for the other ninety percent of the time. Another huge thing is that I don't know how people get into a relationship and then expect sex to be wonderful the very first time they ever do anything. Sorry, but sex is like pretty much everything else in life; before it gets really good it generally requires a bit of know how and practice. I remember that my first time, while incredibly exciting, absolutely sucked, lol. He was terrible, I was terrible, it was all terrible. Since then, I have realized that there are so many different types of guys that it's really possible to like one that is totally sexually incompatible with you, which is a real bummer sometimes. For instance, I was interested in one boy who couldn't kiss to save his life. I don't normally mind it if they're not GREAT, but damn, this boy really had no idea what in the world I wanted and it never got much better. And then there was another boy who sometimes kissed wonderfully, then other times it was like he was trying to eat my face. I don't care how turned on I am, you never, ever, EVER are allowed to go all the way to the tonsils with your tongue. Funny thought, hehe, the absolute best kissers have been girls. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. Now hmmm.... well... I dunno, but sex is just separate from love for me. It's best with someone you love, of course, but yeah sex is sex. ~shrug~

Randian objectivism isn't actually ethical objectivism, but a different critter. Quite frankly, I really liked that chick until she kept talking, hehe. Too bad Rand is especially unpopular in most philosophical instruction. And that might be for good reason, too. I really agree with her as far as Kant goes, but maybe I wouldn't call him a "monster", but he's damn sure incorrect about a lot of things. Rand also doesn't really acknowledge practicality so much. And Kevvers, I think we're totally on the same page. That's my issue with deontology and utilitarianism both, that they're too constricted and deal in preset rules. Utilitarianism is more flexible than deontology, but I think that they sort of complete each other. Not in the sense that there's nothing else that should be added to them, but more that they actually compliment each other rather well if one is careful to develop criteria for selecting which one to use at a given time. Menzo, I think we diverge at this point. "The fact that we bestow meaning on something, for the sake of our happiness, does not imply in any way that these things actually do, in the broader sense, have any meaning." I believe sincerely that the fact that we bestow meaning on something makes it meaningful, and that the meaning we assign it is complete. I don't think there is any "greater" or "broader" meaning than that we may assign. Oh and Bob, you totally get points for posting that poem.

I just wish this one would get covered by someone who's a stronger vocalist. While this singer is great for soft, pretty, happy things, he doesn't have the voice I want for this song. I don't even know who would work better, but still... oh, and also it should be "boy" instead of "girl" just to gay it up a bit. It's a really beautiful song, even if it is extremely emo. Someday You Will Be Loved, by Death Cab for Cutie I once knew a girl in the years of my youth With eyes like the summer, all beauty and truth. In the morning I fled, left a note and it read: "Someday, you will be loved". I cannot pretend that I felt any regret 'Cause each broken heart will eventually mend, And as the blood runs red down the needle and thread, Someday, you will be loved. You'll be loved, You'll be loved, Like you never have known. Then the memories of me will seem more like bad dreams. Just a series of blurs like I never occurred. Someday, you will be loved. You may feel alone when you're falling asleep, And every time tears roll down your cheeks, But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet. Someday, you will be loved. You'll be loved, You'll be loved, Like you never have known, And the memories of me will seem more like bad dreams. Just a series of blurs like I never occurred. Someday, you will be loved. You'll be loved, You'll be loved, Like you never have known, And the memories of me will seem more like bad dreams. Just a series of blurs like I never occurred. Someday, you will be loved. Someday, you will be loved.

Kevvers has a version of relativism which is not philosophical ethical relativism. Objectivism would mean that there are truths which are true in all situations and cases and some things are always morally good and some always morally bad, that there is some system or frame which places actions in a good or bad standing. Subjectivism would be the set including relativism, meaning that each action is wrong or right according to the person judging it. Relativism in ethics means that the person/culture/criteria are what make the action bad or good, not the action in and of itself. Kevvers, you seem to be more using a modified version of utilitarianism. Deontology is actually much simpler than it seems. Kant developed the categorical imperative because he thought that those things made it clear how one could develop a sturdy moral system. If you say "it's okay to lie", that's not gonna work because you wouldn't want other people lying; therefore it couldn't work as a universal maxim, and so you couldn't use it to justify your own lying. The other is pretty simple. You can't use people, or treat them as means to an end, only as ends in themselves. These are nice, but they have too many problems for me to like them. Unlike Menzo, I don't reject them out of the fact that they disregard any recognition of the self. I think they promote a selflessness on the surface, but actually promote selfishness MUCH more than they do selflessness because they're based in making a system that would allow you to create personal laws which are infallible and not susceptible to changes in real world situations. You could introduce the concept of exceptions to maxims, willed as a maxim themselves, but this is still incomplete. If you combine utilitarianism with a light version of this, you get both motivation and flexibility. It's practical, and sensible. Moral nihilism makes me want to vomit. It is the culmination of laziness, of hatred, of negativity, of every terrible thing the human race has ever produced. It reduces us all to insignificance, destorys the greatest works of the most admirable people, and seduces the minds of those intelligent enough to understand it but too shortsighted to realize they must rise above it. People who defend it usually attempt to box you into it. I maintain, however, that the reason it is untrue is because I refuse to accept that everything must have no significance. Just because there is no God, because there is no lasting reason for what we do, because we will all eventually die and all our works be forgotten, does not change the fact that we may assign significance to things. The very fact that we give things importance, that we believe they are significant, that we see something as worthy of time and effort, destroys nihilism utterly; we are beings who, by our very nature in its simplest form, seek happiness. That is not something you can ask "why" to. It is because it is, it is a necessary statement, it explains itself simply in being. Thus, nihilism is a flawed and incomplete concept. While I do agree with some of the premises and ideas supporting it, I think that the real challenge lies in rising above it to create meaning in a meaningless world as opposed to being lazy and accepting that as an excuse and benzocaine for your conscience. Plus I just plain think that philosophy is silly. Knowledge is a good thing, and it's wonderful, but ask any philosopher why they do what they do and they'll never give you a good answer. Sure, they'll run you into the ground with the knowledge for the sake of knowledge thing, but does that really help anyone? The important concepts of philosophy are learning to question yourself, learning that wisdom is realizing that you might not know what you think you know; the point is to use it in a constructive manner, and after a point philosophy abandons this.

Sorry, but anyone who pays eighty dollars or more for a pair of jeans should be fed to hungry Ethiopians. ~nods~

Ahem, overpriced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm too cheap, bwaha! I can be cute in walmart clothes just as easily. Snoopy shirt ftw! And that's just silly, lol. Whatever floats their boats, but personally I think that attempting to cut out everything that might be objectionable from kids' access is stupid. It's a damn good way to make your kids be absolutely insane, or get that way later. I don't think parents have enough faith in their children's ability to understand the world, and make good choices after being informed. ~shrugs~ End of rant, hehe.

I must interject that it really depends on where that film is being produced. Even in countries where there are regulations, for every regulation there's a way around it. Considering the nature of the work and that it'll take three weeks (or as little as twelve days), for testing to be accurate... still ain't worth risking it.