NordicBearskin

Thank you! If I ever join I'll be sure to take you up on that offer! :) (If nothing else, I'll be a good distraction for the PK'ers)

Well... My computer's in the shop getting repairs, I'll see about upgrading it. And I was intending to get a summer job... And if I were to, accidently say, stop in at Game on the way home and inquire about a certain MMORPG, there'd be no harm in that... :)

Geordi La Forge. How can anyone resist him, the sexy babe magnet that he is! :)

Male!

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                  :)  :)  :P  :(

338616[/snapback]

I don't know whether to be relieved or scared, LoveMalePecs1... :)

Looking up at a nest under the eaves of my house, if I listen carefully I can hear baby birds chirping! :)

(My cat can hear them too, he's not getting anywhere near them though... :))

We haven't had one of these in a long while, tick off your gender fair and true! It would be interesting to see this forum's gender ratio... :)

I've been on the brink of getting this game a few times. On the one hand I love RPG's and MMORPG's, and from all accounts it's a very good game. But on the other hand, I'm wary of the monthly subscription and it appears that I'd have to upgrade my computer to be able to play it... :)

Sometimes yes, but not in a bad way, either. I adjusted my settings not to see avatars or signitures so I could see the text better. It's the only way I know who you are  :) .

I've just done the same thing... *weirds out on lack of avatars*

Is there any evidence of these sports being axed because of direct anti-US feelings? (I honestly don't know, I haven't been keeping tabs on this one)

If there is then it of course should be investigated and a re-vote should be taken at once (And it would be disgraceful if it turned out to be true), but if there isn't it seems premature to assume that just because these sports have American origins, their cancellation must be due to hostility towards the United States. After all, the IOC is designed explicitly to be an independent, non-partisan organisation, and it's not like these were the only two sports to be voted upon.

(Odie, I can be very hard to understand at times, and I was pretty vague in that post. I was just checking that I hadn't said something without meaning too :blink:)

A red T-shirt, blue-green jeans and brown socks. I look delicious! :blink:

I know that baseball is a global sport, I think/said that there aren't many nations that have a national baseball team and league that can realistically compete in the Olympics at a professional standard. Softball is in fact played here, in much the same way that rugby is played in the US. :)

EDIT* Odie, I still can't find where I said that roller hockey, ballroom dancing and squash should be included, I haven't even mentioned them until just now. :blink:

Looks like somebody doesn't know what they're talking about. 

....as usual. :)

Ad hominem (and borderline flamebait) attacks don't do anything for your arguements. :blink:

I doubt the reason for these sports being dropped is a zealous anti-US streak, and New York lost because there were better bids. No conspiracy there.

What rock have you been hiding under?Baseball and softball are played everywhere

Not enough nations play either sport at anywhere near a professional level to justify it being there

Baseball and softball are played in a lot of countries, but only in a very few countries are they played at a standard that can realistically compete in the Olympics.

As for historical context,if we look at that then 75% of all Olympic sports go out the window immediately.

If you look carefully, I said either large number of nations or historical context as discriminating factors, not both.

And when it is decided to drop a sport, have the intestinal fortitude to announce the numerical results of the vote.

The decision to axe both sports was the result of a democratic vote, the fact that the scores have not yet been made public doesn't detract from that in any way.

Congratulations and hearty pats on the back to all! (Especially SpaceTigger for that wonderful link) :blink:

Good. Neither sport deserved to be an Olympic event imo, and I'm glad that they will be dropped. Not enough nations play either sport at anywhere near a professional level to justify it being there (like... Table tennis, for example) nor is there a historical context for these sports within the Olympics. (Like the decathlon)

You Are Extremely Well Traveled in the United Kingdom (100%)

You Are Well Traveled in Western Europe (50%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in Eastern Europe (20%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in Scandinavia (20%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in the Southern United States (15%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in the Northeastern United States (14%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in Southern Europe (7%)

That's pretty much what I'd have said, though it seems to be a little arbitrary in which cities it includes and which it leaves out.

Actually, the TNG dress uniforms were based on the uniforms worn by eighteenth-century British naval officers. They weren't dresses, though they didn't look particularly masculine... :blink:

:blink:

Either that, or they all suddenly have a terrible vision of their next match when they watch the video. They blindly wonder out of the topic and into the forum... Lost... Dazed... Confused...

i thought london was ready for this kind of attack,they have had years of expeirance with kind of thing after years of bomb threats by the IRA

I think the emergency services were prepared, or at least as prepared as possible, for these kind of attacks, judging by their reaction speed. They were able to airlift medical staff onto the scene within minutes of a bomb going off, and cordon off large areas of city very quickly.

3 points, evidently I'm sub-standard.

Enterprise was for me the weakest Trek, both in regards to the quality of the show itself and the way it dealt with the ideals and expectations of Star Trek. Though I do think it's a good series with many virtues, so perhaps 'least strong' is a better term, even if it's rather torturous english.

I can totally emphasise with what Medusa is saying, it's exactly the same for me and DS9. Voyager comes a close second, and was a very strong series with very few weak points.

TUH, I don't think you'd be classed as a Libertarian, you're pretty close to the centre...

(I should really have put more poll options, oh well )

I put myself as a progressive/social liberal, which essentially means that I strongly believe in the main ideals of liberalism, but that I also lean to the left. (There are also many right-wing variants of liberalism) I espouse the usual liberal ideals, strong social freedoms, tolerance of all others et all, but I also believe in things like equality of opportunity, where in a fair and free society everyone should have equal opportunities to succeed or fail.

I also believe in a government-regulated economy, minimum wage, and a progressive tax system, where the amount of income effects the percentage of income tax paid, all of which are leftist ideals.

Incidentally, equality of opportunity is not the same as equality of income, which is a socialist belief.

How Orwellian.

I was in College when I heard the news. This is a horrific tragedy, and my heart really goes out to all those who have been affected by these (unconfirmed) terrorist attacks.

It's important that while the emergency services try to rescue those who are trapped, treat the injured and restore order, the issue of any long term counter-measures be put to one side. While it may be difficult, any new counter-terrorism policies shouldn't be decided upon until more facts are known, and we as a nation and our government are in a more rational frame of mind. After all, knee-jerk reactions are exactly what these types of attacks are trying to inspire, that's why it's called terrorism.

I strongly hope that our politicians refrain from trying to make political capital following these attacks, at least for a short while. (From the looks of things right now it looks like my hopes will be fulfilled)

And what is the difference between "left" and "liberal" or "right and "conservative"

I think this diagram shows is best:

The liberal - authoritarian (or whatever you want to call it) axis is based on the social scale, whether you believe in generally promoting or limiting social freedoms. The left - right axis is based on the economic scale, whether you believe in a planned/regulated economy or a free market. (That's a very rough outline, but the gist is there)

The use of the word authoritarian in this context imo makes the most sense, since when we really break things down we're talking about promoting or limiting civil liberties, imposing authority or taking it away.

EDIT* Sweet title. If you have the time I'd recommend checking out this site, it's good, accurate and pretty famous. Well, as famous as a website can be!

I've just realised that this reply actually makes some sense, which is more then can be said for my previous one...

I'm an equal opportunity cynic when it comes to the main political parties in the US.

The options have got nothing to do with political parties, and certainly not ones in the United States. Nor does the term 'Socially liberal' and 'Socially authoritarian' ask whether you are a liberal or conservative, they ask if you generally put yourself on the left or the right, i.e. for or against, on social issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, *edit* etc. (If you put yourself directly in the middle, tick 'Other' )

This poll is about personal ideologies, not party affiliations.

EDITED EDIT* Just realised the last example doesn't work at all... It's a rather complicated concept and I'm rather tired. Anyhow, I hope I've shed a little bit more light...

I'd put myself as a liberal-leftie, as can be seen by my sig. Feel free to expand and debate your political stance, and if anyone isn't sure where they roughly stand I know a few good political questionnaires.

Bid high, bid often!