the Ogre

Lawyers and insurance companies.My brother was an RN for nearly ten years when he decided he hated doctors and that most were crooks. He and his wife discussed it and decided to return to school to earn a BA in political science and then a JD. He lives in Oklahoma working for HMOs hunting down member doctors who rip-off the system or who do more harm than good. He knows lawyers make a lot of money sueing deep-pockets and many doctors have them. The insurance companies then have lobbied for laws that protect them from law-suits and allow them to exclude "problem customers;" the people who don't have insurance and thus have not signed non-litigation agreements. This has formed cycle of tit-for-tats to such a degree that now not only do hospitals refuse to help people, but they aer often afraid to.

On an LDS site, I think you are going to find more people who belive you then disbelieve you.

6pack,I do remember the entitlement-addiction brawl we had last week and I actually agree with your contention. My only disagreement has to do with the use of certain language (I bolded it above) that the partisans in this discussion like to use. The lack of a NHS in the US is because of National decision. I think that eventually we are going to have a type of NHS here, but that it will be so botched that we as Americans will be going to Canada for medical treatment instead of the other way around. I would love it if we were able to abandon a lot of the programs that are misapplied without hurting those that actually need it. The problem with that idea, is that those who suffer entitlement-addiction as opposed to those who need the government assistance are actually more involved in politics than the people who oppose it. A friend at work who hates the idea of a European welfare state here in the US refuses to get involved in politics or get involved in the dialogue surrounding it. He even refuses to vote. This is a big part of why a NHS is going to be put into place. Why did NAFTA get voted in? For much the same reason. I think the best thing people who oppose an American NHS can do is get involved in the dialogue without being insulting. Many political idealogues like Rush and Hannity are only making the opposition stronger by their own use of bigoted language. Remember as you get upset, I agree with what you are saying, but I hate name-calling. Aaron the Ogre

I'd like to know why the zipper in front of your pants is called a fly??? Granpa always used to call it a barn door. Don't ask me why, grandma would wack him everytime he did.

The problem is that a lot of people who form these policies are here in lucky old Utah, where they think people over thirty who are single are perverts or predators. My brother (the lawyer) thinks I need to move out of Utah to anywhere else inorder to find a spouse considering the blindness of the culture that has formed as stupid a policy as this.I've never been to the over thirties ward in Provo, but I know some people who have and they have mostly returned to their family/local wards after odd/weird experiences. I don't even go to the large singles activities (mostly because I want to wait till my youngest goes on his mission), but some of the stories I've heard scare the crud out of me. I think the age division is a product of culture instead of doctrine that needs to be reviewed and possibly revocked. I support my leadership and in fact investigating this site six weeks ago (I lurked for quite a while first) was in response to a challenge from my bishop to at least put a profile on a web-site like this. I don't think my posts were what they had in mind, but they haven't investigated it yet. Who knows, when they ask, I'll tell them of the naughty things I've been up to on this site instead of putting out the feelers for women who might think a fat, loud-mouthed, independent, opinionated, middle-aged freak like me might be even semi-interesting. Aaron the Ogre

I went ot Legoland as a kid, when my dad was stationed in Germany. I thought it was kool, but I now hate the little things. I got rid of the ones my kids had when I found out they were shooting them at each other and other kids at mutual during church parking lot wars instead of going to scouts or combined activities.Regarding the microwave bit, it smells horribly and makes everything taste funny afterwards. I didn't do it as an adult (no matter how much I wanted to), but when I was a kid torturing one of my little brothers. I know they are educational tools, but man they hurt horribly when stepped on. Aaron the Ogre

Except when I step on them in the middle of the night and then microwave everyone of them into a little blob of plastic (okay, that's a fantasy, but I hate those things).

Since the US is already a wel-fare state, shouldn't we just embrace it and just go bankrupt? You know, get it over with so we can also get everything for free. Medicine, food, housing, cars, education, guns. Everything.

That's pretty kool.:)

I was thinking that instead of arresting her, the city ought to have a system to help seniors and shut-ins set up lawns that would be easier to care for. There are other options to grass.

I can understand why people get upset when people do not water their lawns, but who would have thought it would be a crime.Aaron the Ogre

Well,I agree with your concern, but I was sondering if you talk like your mouth is filled with marbles, are covered in blue fur and are you currently in your Super-Grover red-cape. Aaron the Ogre

I was army at the end of the cold war. I believe what Mom says is accurate, however, I do know there are great number of very religious soldiers and marines (LDS or not). The best member of the church I have ever known was my platoon sergeant at Camp Humphrey's South Korea. He loved the church and was very happy when President Kimball opened the doors for him and his son to receive the proesthood.That said, I would not believe the recruiter regarding the generosity of the corp. Go on your mission and then enjoy a meaningful career in the Marines. You can do both, but put the L-rd first. I did not in my youth and because of some mistakes, I ended-up never going on a mission. I am not saying you will be a stupid as I was (and let me tell ya, I was dumb), but don't even give yourself the opportunity. Regarding the sprititual experience of basic and advanced courses, don't worry about it. It will be as spiritual an experience as you make it. Aaron the Ogre

Undrestood.Aaron the Ogre

There are air planes made out of Wood, they work fine. I belive th eplastic airplanes will do fine as well. They wont ment or break on landing as I know many of you would give a thought to. LOL B)

I know there are some stories regarding health care overseas that are often positive, but I have yet to receive satisfactory medical attention for myself in Korea or Japan. Their systems are mirrors of Britain’s system and the Japanese like to claim that theirs is the most advanced NHS in the world. The system in the US is nightmarish for those without medical insurance, but what I have seen is far superior to what I've experienced in Asia. When I've traveled to London and Edinburgh, I have always counted myself lucky to have never fallen ill or gotten injured. Britain's NHS is the primary reason I might deny University of Nottingham's letter of acceptance. If I did go, I would worry about my youngest son's continuing medical needs not being met in a calcified, weak, socialized medical system and my studies would suffer.

I used a pee-wee baseball bat and took out the dude's kidney and he went to jail (he was the one with the gun).

I wonder how the research on all-paper airplanes is going.

Bingo - an intelligent answer. Well done and thank you. In scripture, we are able to read scripture two ways (at a minimum, there are of course many other methods of interpretation) allegory/parable and literal/historical.If this is the case it is possible to say that the biblical account is parable and that a moral can be lifted from it and so the story is worth reading in Genesis. The next is that the story is literal; that it happened just as the bible reports. Many would see this as a paradox that cannot exist beside itself and yet I think it can. There are some weaknesses in Snow's initial scenario: 1) We do not know the exact number of children alive/killed during the flood. This of course might not be that important a point but is worth noting. Ultimately, there is no way of knowing exactly what happened to these children. 2) We do not know the prophesies of Noah. We have no idea what the L-rd was saying to humanity at that time other then what is included in scripture and what is included is sparse. Other people can poke other holes into what was said, but I would like to say: we simply do not know the rest of the story. I have personal theory: I do not think the destruction Moroni describes in Ether and in his own book are the only time near-complete genocide happened on the earth. What if those alive at Noah's time had already nearly killed everyone off? Children are the easiest to kill, why is it that G-d has to be the only person who could have done it? We just do not know. Any type of implication of The L-rd is reckless speculation considering the weakness of the historical record and considering the other examples of absolute destructiveness humanity is capable of. I believe it more likely that G-d was just killing off the final groups of wicked who survived possible (and oft repeated) global slaughter.

My youngest brother is also addicted to meth. He has chaged so much over the years of his addiction. It is hard to recognize who is by both physical appearance and behavior.When we get together as a family we lock everything of value away. We want him to feel welcom, but we don't want him to steal from us. Still, that does not stop him. We have learned that DVDs, CDs, used tools, used kitchen utensils and small appliances, picture frames, and knick-knacks have monetary value. My mom has gotten so tired of this petty theft, that most of our family activities are held at my brother's toddler-proof house (he has twin red-headed boys and a re-headed daughter all under four years old). We learned the hard way after he stole my sister-in-law's purse during a Christmas visit while my brother was serving with the SF in Aphganistan. He liquified her checking account and sold her credit-card that night. He spent time in jail for it, but as soon as he got out, he was back at his old tricks. It is hard to visit with him, but we try--he is family and we hope he will return to church activity one day. We seriously thought about never allowing him to visit us, shunning him in a kind of a way, but we thought that would only make things worse. I saw him on the forth for a while. I think he was sober, but he left as soon as my SF-brother showed up with his family. Aaron the Ogre

A friend of mine and I planned a trip in 1993 that would start in Seoul, South Korea and end in Jerusalem. We decided the trip would focus on architecture and religious centers, basically following the Silk Road's southern route. There would be variances because I would love to visit the Hagia Sophia and the great architecture scattered throughout Turkey. Unfortunately, I only speak English and a smattering of Korean and German and Mike, my best friend, can only add a smattering of French to his fluent Korean. Other things happened to get in the way (children, wives, no money and the fact that many of the nations along the route are hostile to Americans) so the trip has been put off, but who knows what'll happen in the future. Aaron the Ogre BTW, after Israel, we would spent two weeks in Italy and Southern France going on a culinary tour trying the best country-side restaurants along the Mediterranean.

Exactly and through grace and the atonement, we may find forgiveness.

Sorry,I can't be more complete then what I said above. I sit with Snow regarding his questions, but with Emma regarding how people are treated when they are questioning their testimonies. Complicated or maybe just indecisive, that is just how I feel. I don't like it when the inactive or apostatizing are attacked by people (not the nice people I have met on this board in the last two weeks), but I also do not like it when they attack those who are working to build their faith or testimonies (like that goofy thread about dinosaurs and the descendants of Cain). Blue has the right to be angry at the church if she wants to be, but I also agree with Emma that she most likely is an angry-person trolling for zealots to fume about or quote on her blog or something. I dislike the attitudes of most people with an axe to grind with the church, but I cannot deny them the opportunity to grind away. Aaron the Ogre

Emma,Boyd Peterson (is he the Great White Buffalo you are referring to, he does have a whitish beard), Beck's brother-in-law (he married Zina, her sister), is a personal friend of mine. He and Zina are great people who have suffered in many ways after "Leaving the Saints" came out. Boyd is also the guy who wrote Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life (Kofford Books, 2002). I can not comment on the accuracy of the statements Beck makes. I also think child molestation is a horrible thing to suffer through, but the family thinks she is misguided. I hope it did not happen, but this I will say: child molestation happens way to often in the church and in Utah and in society in general. It is a crime that needs to be punished in stronger ways then it is now. I don't know if you are wrong nor am I concerned, it just seems Beck is more interested in hurting her family then she is about exposing a crime or expunging it from society (I only gave her book a light reading at Sam Wellers and did not buy it, so I am not one to offer authoritive reviews of her book). Personally, I am not a fan of Nibley's or apologetics in general, I do not think there is much value in their work for LDS society or theology. I do know Boyd and Zina and I think the world of them. I hope Beck's allegations are false, but the crime happens way too often and that is what really deserves more attention instead of being swept under the rug. That (child molestation and the shroud covering it in Utah) is what is worth combatting. Aaron the Ogre

Dude,And some those guys (like the evil sounding Utah-raptor) just looked like they would be naughty. Aaron the Ogre