@darwinall on myLot

diutay @diutay (1327) • Philippines 7 Aug 08

I was saying something about black-outs when out of the blue, our secretary asked why they call it black-out when there's power failure. Furthermore, she asked what's the difference between a brown-out and a black-out. Not sure of...

electricity

light

power failure

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darwinall Because if you're looking at a city from the air (at night) the blocks/section without power ARE blacked out. I think it was first widely used during a big power outage in the 1960s, in the Northeast USA. , the first big one at night, at a time when satellite...

7 Aug 08

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beatrizguiselle @beatrizguiselle (1118) • Spain 7 Aug 08

Ok, so everyone (mostly) has seen an apple float! So why do you think this happeds?

apples

float

float on

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darwinall The same reason anything floats. It is less dense than water. Apples contain water, but also many other substances, and it is arranged in a kind of microscopic honeycomb of cells as the apple grew. This makes it less dense - also crunchy!

7 Aug 08

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1 comment

acutedisaster @acutedisaster (275) • United States 6 Aug 08

I'm doing a scavenger hunt on Boomertowne.com, and that is the clue and I don't know what it means! And once you figure out the answer, you have to try and find it in a particular section of the site! And the site is...

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darwinall It's an old saying (from before skydiving). It meant when you get out of bed in the morning hit the ground running (get a quick start on the day). "On wheels"....I'll say the obvious: rollerskates.

7 Aug 08

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nanciem @nanciem (1105) • United States 6 Aug 08

were alone, would you stop to ask what is wrong and try to console him or her?

human compassion

strangers

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darwinall Is she hot? OK,OK, I'm nicer than that. It would depend on how desperate they appeared. And frankly, on if I had the energy for it at the time. Sometimes there's so much going on on the streets of Brooklyn.

7 Aug 08

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nanciem @nanciem (1105) • United States 4 Aug 08

And guess what?... There is no intelligent life down here! Is it me.. or do alot of people feel this way.. I do not mean Mylot... just people in general.. What the heck do you do when someone just does something entirely out of...

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darwinall Ah, but it is not stupidity for you and I, intelligent, fortunate ones. When we do something like that, it is because our superior minds are powerfully multi-processing/parallel computing lofty ideas. And sometimes we get a bit distracted from the mundane...

4 Aug 08

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Turhamkey @Turhamkey (64) • United States 3 Aug 08

While i dont believe in them, i think telekinesis would be my superpower of choice because it allows you to move objects, including yourself=D What about you? What would be your superpower and why?

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darwinall Over the years it has changed. Then I came across (was reminded of) Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth. Anyone bound by it was bound to tell the truth. Ah, the politicians I'd like to use it on! The corporate heavyweights! And various bosses at work, and in city...

4 Aug 08

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Turhamkey @Turhamkey (64) • United States 3 Aug 08

I've developed a theory recently... It's less that i discovered it, but more than i've come to realize it. In this world we live in, it seems that those who are more intelligent, or those who question more than others, are often...

fairy tales

limited life religion faith tethered stupid less i

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darwinall Really good topic. And the train platform thing is a great analogy. I'd like to deny it, but I think intelligent people are less happy than the truly ignorant. But it's not divided simply by religion. Intelligent religious people, in my experience, are just as...

4 Aug 08

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soooobored @soooobored (1184) • United States 31 Jul 08

I have been trying to get information about the Creationist (versus Evolution) argument, but I haven't really gotten much information. I am hoping that someone here can help, I promise this is NOT an attack on anyone's beliefs....

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darwinall So what is "evolutionary psych"? Sounds right up my alley, but I don't actually know what it means. I do have an interest in evolutionary philosophy, as my "improvement" on Descartes shows, but I don't think there's actually a field like that.

3 Aug 08

soooobored @soooobored (1184) • United States 31 Jul 08

I have been trying to get information about the Creationist (versus Evolution) argument, but I haven't really gotten much information. I am hoping that someone here can help, I promise this is NOT an attack on anyone's beliefs....

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darwinall To be more precise: I would recommend the following from Michael Shermer. If you can get hold of a copy of Science Friction, the pertinent chapter is "The New New Creationism." It's a great summary in 27 pages, with lots of references. He is very readable....

3 Aug 08

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darwinall @darwinall (44) • United States 12 Jul 08

Descartes said "I think, therefore I am." (Cogito ergo sum) I would like to sum up my materialist worldview with a correct Latin translation of "I neurotransmit,therefore I am." I believe this would be "Neurotransmitto ergo sum."...

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darwinall Well, why bother messing with a bad thing? I also was very impressed with Descartes' quote when I was in college, and for the many years since. So when I wanted to sum up my materialistic worldview, I modestly decided to improve on the best! Thanks for looking...

3 Aug 08

thefreemind @thefreemind (45) 28 Jul 08

The scale: 1: Strong theist. 100% certainty and belief in God. "I do not believe, I know." 2: De-facto theist. I cannot be certain of God's existence, but I strongly believe and live my life on the assumption that it is...

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darwinall I'm a 7 and a 6. I know 6 is the only logically defensible choice, but I'm an illogical human. I want a clearcut answer on this most important question. Also, I find very religious people annoying, so I want to be very atheist. Interestingly, I find very...

2 Aug 08

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1 person

soooobored @soooobored (1184) • United States 31 Jul 08

I have been trying to get information about the Creationist (versus Evolution) argument, but I haven't really gotten much information. I am hoping that someone here can help, I promise this is NOT an attack on anyone's beliefs....

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darwinall Oh! Underlying this is the biggest question you could ask: How do I form a worldview? You are wise in wanting a firm base for your worldview...you want to find good knowledge to base it on. Of course, it'll take more than a MyLot discussion. But...here it...

2 Aug 08

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3 comments

James72 @James72 (26790) • Australia 31 Jul 08

I travel a LOT for my job; and have been living and working outside of my home country for around three years now. I am currently in Egypt and before this was in India; and before that was based out of Manila. My work has taken me...

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darwinall Well, sorry about the airport. The trouble is, it's not run by the city or the state or the US gov't. What could be called a premier gateway to the USA is an odd stepchild of politics. Oh, and I was trying to be poetically descriptive, and ended up being...

2 Aug 08

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1 person

James72 @James72 (26790) • Australia 31 Jul 08

I travel a LOT for my job; and have been living and working outside of my home country for around three years now. I am currently in Egypt and before this was in India; and before that was based out of Manila. My work has taken me...

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2 people

darwinall I live in NYC, and we all hate being in JFK (well, who does like to be in an airport?) I wish you could come to NYC and see the tall building/hectic streets part of it, and also see the many little cities, small towns, and even villages that make up The Big...

1 Aug 08

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AnnaB7 @AnnaB7 (756) • United States 26 Jul 08

I have been posting discussions all day long today, posting and responding and no one seems to be around to respond back to me.... I am trying to see if I can make pay out by the end of the month, I suspect I won't be able to...

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darwinall My problem isn't so much my typing speed (slowed by teh many corrections) as by the time it takes to ponder upon and bring forth the wisdom of the universe from the vast expanses of my brain (did I just say I had a big head?) If I were all-knowing I would know...

26 Jul 08

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2 people

ruby222 @ruby222 (4847) 26 Jul 08

When family go on holiday its customary to send a postcard to your nearest and dearest.When you send a postcard are you a scenery person,or do you like a saucy one,or just a downright filthy one??????....

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darwinall I want to RECEIVE the racy or downright filthy ones, but oddly enough am hesitant about sending them.

26 Jul 08

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AnnaB7 @AnnaB7 (756) • United States 26 Jul 08

I have been posting discussions all day long today, posting and responding and no one seems to be around to respond back to me.... I am trying to see if I can make pay out by the end of the month, I suspect I won't be able to...

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darwinall I also wish I got more responses. I post some long responses, and get little feedback. (Are they too long, or intimidating?) I'm new on MyLot, and I've noticed also that a lot of posts and discussions don't get responses if they are a day old....everyone's...

26 Jul 08

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solankiankit16 @solankiankit16 (126) • India 26 Jul 08

people say that one should listen patiently to any one. It sometime surprises me that , is it true even when one is just telling some crap?

crap

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darwinall Well, begin by listening patiently. The other person may say something worthwhile, or it may turn out to be crap. Sometimes crap is worth listening to for HOW it is said, or so you can learn what's wrong with this particular crap. (This will save you time the...

26 Jul 08

alpha7 @alpha7 (1910) • France 26 Jul 08

THis is mixture of so many languages,do you think it can become a common language as English is. I understand that so many Countries speak the language today,where are we going?

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darwinall Esperanto was an attempt to build and spread a language by the use of logic. Its structure is more logical and easier to learn then a normal language. As with most appeals to logic, this hasn't made a big impact on the human race overall. If the Council of...

26 Jul 08

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