Hot Button Topics (religion, politics, sports)

[Alex S]

I use a flashblocker instead of an adblocker.  It still allows text and image based ads, and pre/post video ads, but it keeps random flash from bogging down my computer.

If a site is using resource-hogging Flash ads that inconvenience the user/customer, they don't deserve the revenue from that ad.

[Chocofreak13]

HOLY SHIT IT'S AN ALEX GET THE CAR

aw man, if i ever get off my butt enough to install a blocker, i'm going for that. :0

[Nichi]

That seems like it would have been a good option. I stick with Adblock Plus for Firefox, due to familiarity (I know how to easily disable it when I need to, or set it up to not block ads on certain sites (examples: Hulu, TGWTG)

[alfonso_rd_30]

Adblock Plus for Firefox and chrome and flashblock for firefox... it's easy and fast to install

[NejinOniwa]

Yeah, ABP is pretty much the king of the hill for me as well. That, and I'm a selfish bastard who doesn't turn it off for anything, so yeah.

[Chocofreak13]

not even for my (future!) site...? ;^;

[Pitkin]

I'm like Nejin in this case, I never turn off the AdBlocker. I'd even say, if the only way for a site to stay alive is by putting ads on it... well, their business model is not something I support.

As for the cloud, it's very handy for easy data access, and a tiny personal cloud is my cup of tea. Wouldn't put my data on Google's cloud, mostly because the more I'd concentrate my internet activity to them, the bigger the damage will be if one day they get a massive leak. At the same time, I don't believe that the clouds are going to be a passing fad but a permanent addition to the storage.

[Chocofreak13]

in the event we start having personal clouds (provided we're not paying for full-blown servers, idk if i could afford that), i might be more likely to adopt the model. tbh though i could never completely devote myself to it. it'd be like having a pet cloud rather than living on one's back.

[Pitkin]

Pet cloud is already as a mental image so cute that it must become the norm.

[Chocofreak13]

isn't it? i just picture a little cloud with a collar and leash tied to a post next to the home PC. >w<

[Chocofreak13]

i just read a dear abby letter where a woman's friend overheard her coworkers in the break room saying that if they won the lottery, the first thing they'd do is divorce. abby encouraged her readers to write in with their thoughts on marriage, so i did.

"Dear Abby,
I just read your column calling for readers to weigh in on their perspective on marriage.
While I might be young (21 in less than a month!), I shake my heads and wonder just what has got into people my age. Young though I may be, I've always had a bit of an 'old soul' and can't fathom how casually younger folks take relationships these days. Instead of actually giving dating a try, most people seem to be content with casual hookups and meetings. It only makes it worse that most of these people apply the same school of thought to marriage! Marriage is something that should be taken seriously, when two people love each other with a passion that cannot be matched by another. When there is a physical longing in ones' heart for a significant other, that is a sign of a good marriage. Marrying for money, power, or any other sort of gain (other than happiness) is another terrible reason for one to go into a partnership such as this. Just as important is the need to realize when to call it a day. While casual divorce is as common as casual marriage, if the love is real it should be saved at any cost, rather than being cast aside like a passing trend. However, holding out "for the kids" or "for the money" is almost as bad as marrying for those reasons in the first place. It saddens me how much some of the relationships I've seen have deteriorated, from ones of love, to ones of convenience, to ones of mutual financial obligation. that this person I'm thinking of has wasted so much time in a relationship running hot, cold, and stale hurts my heart.
Abby, I sincerely hope your readers agree with me, that marriage, whether between a man and a woman, a man and a man, or a woman and a woman, is not something that should be taken as casually as most do. you can't summon love the way you order a pizza. forcing it doesn't work; wait for something real and it will pay off for a lifetime."

OSC, what are your thoughts on relationships and marriage? something casual or not to be taken lightly?

[alfonso_rd_30]

My ultimate dream is to marry a Japanese woman, doing it right (Assuming she is practitioner of Shinto) by marrying both the shinto traditions and a christian wedding, if possible... after at least a year of relationship

[Chocofreak13]

i wouldn't mind marrying a japanese guy. provided he'd even have me, i'm kind of a badass and i won't take shit from anyone wanting me to "know my place" or whatever. xD
(my place is doing whatever the fuck i choose.)

that sort of answers my question. kind of.

[Nichi]

To me, relationships are not to be taken lightly; especially not marriage. I mean, I take my friendship seriously; I trust my closest friends deeply, and couldn't bear the thought of losing any of them.

While I have no experience in relationships (Hell, I've never been on a date), I can tell you from observations from when my sister was dating that so many of the guys she dated just didn't take it seriously at all; the first two just didn't seem interested in her (The latter of which was an ass toward her but she was ignorant of this. Also, there was the whole hating my very existence simply because I liked things he hates, but that's beside the point), and the 3rd guy she dated seemed serious, as they were engaged and planning a wedding for when he got out of boot camp (Which he was following his dream of joining the military)...and then he broke up with her not too long after he finished his training; only coming back to see her just to get the stuff he had her store away. Then she got with the guy whom she's married to now, and honestly I think she's better off with him; as he's actually a good guy.

Since this somehow got onto the subject of "the kind of person we'd like to marry" while I was working on this post, I'll just say that a Japanese lady would be quite nice; especially if she was like a real-life version of Konata :3

[Pitkin]

As for relationships and marriage/whatever union, I'd just say whatever floats their boat. It doesn't sadden me one bit if a person wants to hook up every night of the week just to get a free shower in the morning, as long as his or her hookups are like-minded and everything works in agreement. Same goes for any marriage for benefits or any other reason, it's none of my business to judge others' reasons for it, but if it's an arranged wedding, count me out of the supporters.

What saddens me about marriage:
1) While at the moment the kind of express weddings are allowed for a majority of population, at the same time a lot of people who've been with the same loved one for XX years are not allowed to call their union "marriage".
2) Some religious communities attempt to hijack of the concept of a marriage and to claim the sole right to define it.
3) Many couples stay together only for the children, in an unhealthy or already-failed relationship, which most probably won't end up nicely for anyone.
4) Many people are building a romantic ideal of marriage and then being surprised that not every day is a walk on a warm beach at the time of the sunset with a hurricane of pink cherry petals in the air to the extent of nearly suffocating the couple with pure romance. Sometimes the trees simply need to refill their petals. The first disagreement is not yet a casus belli, it's just normal.
5) It is still seen as some kind of "life goal" for the majority of population and especially women, while for a lot of people it's not important or even something they want - the stigmatisation of older singles.
6) A lot of the married couples in Europe have recently been buying and eating prepared lasagna meals made of not beef, as stated in the ingredients, but horse. This is gravely undermining the value of marriage, and the butcheries will require a stern talking-to from whoever the next pope will be.

That's for starters. Also, while I'm at it, correct me if I'm wrong, but it feels like applying racial/national stereotypes of looks and behaviour on a person and marrying them for that is a form of objectification, as if considering them some kind of a fetishistic prize. I understand a Korean person wishing for a Korean spouse as it'd basically mean having no language barriers and coming from similar cultural background, which might reduce the risks of misunderstandings/conflicts/add your own(s), but for someone not Korean, not residing in Korea, not speaking Korean and probably not having even met Koreans, that kind of preference statement sounds like an idealised stereotype at best.

I'd also like to make it clear that I understand the defence that'll follow: "it's not the only qualification" and all that which goes along with it, but since it's the HBT, I take this opportunity to express my bemusement.