I'm also against mid to late term abortions, and there I seem to be in the minority.
No, my lifestyle doesn't give me the right to judge others. I'd have to be judge in order to judge or persecute.
There are plenty of hetero sexual couples living together as lovers, yet aren't married, and note that California does not recognize common law marriage, regardless of the number of years.
I said no, I went off tangent and included some history of people that did justify it.
At a federal level, there is no same sex marriage status. Also most other states won't recognize those marriage licenses, and there's not much difference than the domestic partner laws already in place.
Where? I must have missed that one.
Yes I see your point, but for me it's an issue of privilege versus rights, versus the meaning of "marriage" in the USA. The feds have already made their case with defense of marriage act (DOMA), that defines "marriage". What's the issue of using another term like domestic partner?
Anyway, I was just trying to include some perspective here, but I'm no expert on this stuff, so here's a Wiki link.
It's accepted as virtual fact, at least in the USA. You can always do a web search on this if truly interested. The extremely rapid spread of aids in the gay male communities, along with other sexually transmitted diseases, is a well known fact, exploited by blood researchers as mentioned before.
It was in response to shooting anyone with a towel on their head.
It's a case of a right versus a privilige or benefit as I mentioned in my last post.
Both are alternative life style choices. I don't see a significant difference, and the polygamists would argue the same thing.
No, but look at history. The Jews of the old testament wiped out every man, woman, child, and even the livestock of other civilizations. In the middle ages, Christians and Muslims were killing each other, a tradition that somewhat continues today.
Being denied a benefit or privilege is different than being punished.
... and many feel that similarly, no one living an alternative lifestyle has a right to ask for the same benefits (versus rights) for behaviors that the government has decided to reward. Although a weak analogy, if I choose to buy a non-hybrid car, then I don't receive the same government benefit that those who do buy hybrid cars get.
I'm missing the point here. Morality is part of government, age of consent being the example I mentioned before.
This could be and is used as an excuse for a lot of behaviors, including some that most consider criminal. It's not a valid argument. Also, how can anyone truly know what is in their very nature, as opposed to how life experiences have affected them?
The point here is benefits versus rights. For example, although driving is a virtual necessity in most parts of the USA, it's considered a benefit (privilege) and not a right. There's a difference between being punished for choosing to live an alternative lifestyle, as opposed to not making choices that the government rewards with benefits (as opposed to rights), such as marriage, or driving a fuel saving car (allowed to use car pool lanes, tax credits), or subsidies for certain types of research at universities.
Race isn't a choice. Homosexual attraction is probably not a choice. Homosexual behavior is a choice. Alternate lifestyles are a choice.
Living an alternative lifestyle is a behavioral choice made by the people that choose to do so. This isn't an issue about rights, but an issue if USA society should treat alternate life choices the same a marriage, which in the USA, at the federal level, is defined as a relationship between one man and one woman. Currently, USA doesn't not recognize polygamy or homosexual relationships as marriage. Gay couples do get preferential treatment that polygamist don't, such as the domestic partner laws.
Also the reaction in California is mostly to the 4 judges that in effect changed the law, especially after the previous federal defnition, and the passage of a previous proposition. The federal government has already defined marriage as between a man and a woman, and regardless of what the states do, a federal tax filer will still be filing as single or head of household. Prop 8 doesn't look like it will pass, but it will be close.
It boils down to a moral issue and choices. Every society has some set of moral standards. The age of consent (sex, marriage, contracts) is a moral call that even atheist agree with (although the age varies).
So gays would be better off living in Muslim countries like Iran?
At least you understand. I wasn't just born in the USA, I was born in Texas which is worse, plus my parents named me Jeff, apparently parents who name their kids Jeff inflict some sort of genetic disease on their kids.
Regarding homosexuality or any behavior, how does one determine what is normal and what is abnormal? Outside of Europe, how does most of the world perceive homosexuality?
The USA also doesn't approve of polygamy, and the vocal activists for polygamy often find themselves in trouble with the law. Regarding homosexuality, it's tolerated and/or accepted in most of the non-rural USA, and many states have domestic partner laws giving similar right to gay couples as they do to married couples.
Anyway, getting back on topic. A previous proposition was overturned by 4 judges in a split desicion on gay marriage, a very "liberal" interperation of the constitution, clearly not what the writers had in mind when they wrote it. So now we have prop 8, an ammendment that restricts the term marriage, since we already have the term domestic partner along with laws that support this lifestyle.
As sexist as it may sound, it's because males in general are more promiscuous than females, so promiscuity is bound to be an issue in a gay male community. As far as the reality of the situation, blood researchers wouldn't target gay communties for sexually transmitted disease research if they weren't getting the results (a high rate of STD's) that they were looking for.
I never stated that you or any gay couple were causing harm. It was an example of the indirect harm caused by behavior of a "sub-culture" as you worded it, but note that this same "sub-culture" also has a valid claim to state that they were born that way. It's hard to ignore the fact that aids in the USA was greatly affected by this sub-culture.
These communities still exist, but much smaller now. Sexually transmitted diseases in gay male communities is still a much bigger issue than mainstream communties. People are individuals. I live near Laguna Beach, which has a significant gay community that is mostly monogamous. West Hollywood still has a bad reputation for promiscuity.
I have issues with homosexuality, but as long as it's doing no harm, then I'm not out to "cure" it. I also think polygamy is wrong. Even less tolerant, I also think it's wrong to trade in the old wife for a trophy wife or have affairs, just because most males are sexually attracted to nice looking younger women than their older wives. However, just because I think it's wrong, doesn't mean I'm out to punish those (with the exception that knowingly spreading a sexually transmitted disease is a crime in most states).
The point about the extreme case of pedaphiles is the concept, that it can't be helped because the person was born that way. "Born that way" is a philosophy could be used to justify any behavior, harmful or not. "Born that way" is the aspect that I most have issue with, regarding any behavior.
Most of the USA is not ready for same sex marriage. It's is a morality call, but so is the age of consent, which varies from state to state in the USA. Most considered it wrong for Jerry Lee Lewis to marry his 13 year old cousin, but it was legal in that state at the time. Polygamy still involves a lot of young teenage girls, but even polygamist with all legally consenting (depends on the state), don't get to legally call their relationships marriage.
Since marriage in the USA is classically defined as one man, one woman, then invent a new generic term for other relationships.
I'd deal with it, just as with any abnormality. There are far wose things that a kid could end up being, so it's a case of perspective.
What would you do if your kid was a promiscuous gay having unprotected sex with numerous partners? Where do you draw the line?
For those of you that don't realize the extremes, back in the 1970's, a guy at a local stereo and music store worked nights as a DJ at a west hollywood disco. Many of the male patrons, would meet at the disco, go across the street to a "bath house" to have sex, then return and repeat the cycle several times a night with different partners. Although not as bad as the 1970's, the current "defined" range for promiscuous is 20 to 100+ partners per year.
Getting back on topic, for gays there are "domestic partner" laws now in some states, but society (USA government) doesn't have any obligation to promote alternate lifestyles such as same sex marriage, or polygamy.
So far, few federal laws about this, so it's up to the states. Generally you need some type of license to own a fully automatic weapon, usually associated with gun collectors, or a gun related business (firing range). I recall on visist to my sister in Texas that quite a few firing ranges include free usage of automatic weapons (since you pay for the bullets).
I live in California, and automatic weapons can't be found at firing ranges, and many weapons, including automatics are simply outlawed. Holstered weapons, pistols, rifles and shotguns, used to be legal in California until the Black Panthers decided it would be cool to go around armed to the teeth with pistols, shotguns, and ammo belts, back in the 1960's to counter intimidation by the police. Showing up at the California state assembly armed this way, back in 1967 didn't help matters.
Scientist claim they can find differences in the brains of gays. Scientists also claim they can find differences in the brains of pedophiles. Similar causes, significantly different behaviors. One is tolerated, the other isn't.
There are lots of abnormal behaviors (like obsessiveness) that have little impact on functionality, so these are no longer described as illnesses. Assuming the reason for sexual attraction is nature's (evolution or creationism, take your pick) means of create a drive to pro-create, then homosexuality seems like a "flaw" in the biological programming of the brain. Being a programmer / engineer, I'm a bit obsessive, and I consider it a "flaw" in my brains biological programming. Another "flaw" I have is a lack of sensitivity, but I was born that way, so just deal with me.
I considered it an abnormal alternative. As far as "harm" goes, the high number of sexual partners per year of gays, in some USA communities, turned any sexually transmitted disease, such as aids, into an epidemic. Blood research companies were aware of this fact and targeted gay communities for blood donations for research on these sexual diseases, and not screening for the then unknown aids virus, made the situation even worse. The gay (mostly males) community in the USA still has a repupation for riskier sexual practices than "normal" society, so there is "harm" being done. Perhaps promiscuous gays should be classified differently than the ones that aren't.
Accepted but not promoted. Societies have moral based laws, such as the age of consent, which varies from 14 to 18 depending on when and where in the USA. In the USA at the federal level, marriage is one man, one woman. Utah had to make polygamy illegal in order to join the USA as a state, although it's still tolerated, in spite of the fact that it often involves young teenage girls.
A sexual preference that many suppress in order to maintain a stable marriage and family life.
Although homosexuality is tolerated, isn't it really a case of the brain being wired a bit wrong (or at least differently)? Almost all of the reasons used to explain why some people are homosexual also apply to pedaphiles (they were born that way). Pedaphile behavior isn't accepeted because most societies have passed moral laws based on the concept of age of consent. Homosexual behavior is now tolerated, but it doesn't need to be promoted as a normal alternative.
Even though I'm a 56 year old heterrosexual male, I'm still find 25 year old good looking girls visually attractive. Apparently I was just born that way and can't help myself, but I don't plan on trading in my wife for a new trophy wife.
In most states in the USA, this would violate the "right of first sale" consumer law. For the most, but not all courts, the right of first sale supercedes EULA's, partially because EULA's don't conform to standard legal contracts, and also because it's unusual to allow contracts where consumers give up their normal rights.
As posted in the RAS group, I doubt iRacing will survive 3 years as a sub-scription service, at least with it's current pricing scheme. The current economic situation in the USA may hasten a change. Last I read (I don't rent iRacing myself), the total number of members just past 6,000, and that includes members that have already dropped their accounts. By my guess, in order to turn profit, iRacing would need about 40,000 players online, not a good sign with the current count of 6,000 players. Currently the content is quite limited (not very many cars), and the fees for cars and tracks add to the pain, which will get worse once the car list gets bigger.
In terms of development costs, it's about the same as most other top games, or at least the ones that run on multi-platforms such as consoles and PCs. The NFS series spends close to $10 million or so per year, but with sales at 5 to 9 million per game (one released per year), it's making money.
I'm interested in radio control (gliders currently), and I can now buy a ready to fly, somewhat aerobatic, radio control helicopter for $200 (USA), which I would find more enjoyable, and easier to schedule time wise, than iRacing's current format.
The Pontiac Soltice has been criticized quite often as a car that most renters of iRacing want to avoid as soon as possilbe. However here's proof in video that the Soltice can be fun:
I heard that this may have been related to the fact that in an older version of LFS, cars could be made to go faster by pitching the nose higher than the rear so that the downforce would also propel the car forwards.
Note, the numbers stated here are real. Although landsailers claim they can achieve a net downwind speed 2 1/2 times the wind, I'm not sure of the actual heading or speeds involved to do this.
I have my doubts on this one. although others have tried making similar devices.
While you guys are trolling the forums waiting for the next release of LFS, I thought I'd contribute to the noise.
A landsail is similar to a sailboat but uses wheels. An icesail is similar to a sailboat but uses skates.
It is stated that either of these can sail downwind faster than the wind if they are also moving crosswind fast enough. For example, if the wind is 10mph, and the landsail is moving 38 degrees to the side and down wind, with a "beta" of 14, it's speed will be 32.57 mph, with a cross wind speed of 20.05 mph and a downwind speed of 25.67 mph, over 2 1/2 times the actual wind speed. Myth or truth?
Then there is the Jack Goodman DWFTTW (downwind faster than the wind) cart:
NFS a wannabe sim? Maybe the first 2 might have claimed "realistic" like driving, but since NFS3 (Hot Pursuit), EA self catagorizes the NFS series as arcade games.
OK, so sometimes the hype from the advertisers doesn't quite match up with what the developers created. I made an alternate intro for NFS Underground 1 to separate hype from fact:
A bit off topic, but I agree with you here, not a fan of FWD either. I am a fan of RWD oversteer, but tires are expensive in the real world, so that leaves the racing games.
I never claimed to be a fan of realism. I am interested in realistic physics. The only "simulator" that I use as a learning tool as well as a game, is RealFlight, a radio control aircraft similator, mostly for the radio control helicopters (orientation of the model relative to you is the main issue, for example, upsidedown and sideways flight crosses up the control inputs pretty good). Unlike Tristan and others here, I don't race in real life, so racing games aren't learning tools for me. I've done a few auto-cross runs and and played with indoor go-karts, but that's not racing.
It's one type of controller used for radio control cars, which is a better analogy since you're not really in a car when playing a racing game. (The other type of controller for rc cars has a side wheel and thumb trigger, but the twin stick setup is common to cars and aircraft so I use that). I also have a concern that if I used a wheel and pedals, I might develop a bad panic reaction that I might carry over to my real world driving (eg, driver induced understeer versus counsteering, in games versus real life).
I just did.
In order to setup the wheel, I have to remove the center drawer from my computer desk, clamp on the wheel, and hook everything up. The other issue is that the momo racing wheel quit working. I'd like to get a G25, but it's clamps don't seem like they'll work with my desk.
I'm lazy, and the sticks are good enough for me (a few single stick players have a GPL rank of -50 or better, so it can't be that bad). I'll buy another wheel and pedals when I'm motivated.
They're both racing games, LFS is a lot more realistic, NFS has pursuits. I also like the Tomb Raider series, and although arcadish, they recently improved the realism with the addition of "jiggle".
I understand the point of LFS is realism, but there are compromises made, such as allowing players to use a keyboard as a controller. If keyboards are OK, then why not shared axis controllers, like joysticks or cheap wheel and pedal sets? I'd actually like to get a G25 wheel and pedal set, but the G25 clamping system seems to be incompatable with my computer desk.
I'm not wanting anything here. As Tristan pointed out, I use twin joysticks with scripted auto-blip, auto-cut, none of this stuff has ever affected my gameplay. Heck, I was using auto-cut for no-damage hot laps with Grand Prix Legends just because it sounded more realistic, even though there was no issue with flat shifting for GPL hot laps (always damage off). Maybe someday I'll make a script to run an entire hot lap at Blackwood.
Actually there is a point to this. Regarding realism why does LFS support keyboard play? iRacing states that a wheel and pedals are required (as opposed to recommended). Why not bump the LFS requirement to only allow wheel and pedal sets with a clutch, that's more realistic. What's a happy medium here?