Verisoph

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Posts posted by Verisoph

  1. I've never had a Gibson......always wanted an SG cuz I play mostly slide guitar out of open G. I've been using a "strat" (warmoth neck, on an ash body). I say "strat" because that is what it started off as, but now it has two humbuckers.

    That's an interesting arrangement. Did you do the mods yourself?

    My first guess would be that you prefer the "round" sound of humbuckers, (along with the noise reduction), but wanted the increased sustain that you get from a solid body. Is that anywhere close to correct? If so, how well did it work?

    Classical guitar.......I wouldn't have guessed. How long have you been at it?

    I've been playing guitar for 34 years. I started playing classical after about 3 years, and played one exclusively for about 10. I still prefer my classical guitars to all my others., but I finally got over being a snob.

  2. Hi all,

    I was discussing Horror films with my students recently (they love them!) and several of them assured me that "they knew" that people had been frightened literally to death while watching horror.

    I wondered whether anyone could tell me of actual case where that has been proven?

    It happened to me when I was a kid. The Horror of Party Beach is the movie that did me in.

    I got better.

  3. The way I see it, a questioning mind should not be denied.

    I can't begin to tell you how many times I've flip-flopped, alway convinced that the new way was the right way. It's all kind of blended together for me now, and there are really only two things that I hold "sacred" (for lack of a better term); 1) this is a world of wonder in which nothing is more extraordinary than the ordinary, 2) everyone matters, so I should always try to approach life from a perspective of compassion. (I'll be the first to admit that I still need a lot of work, especially on #2)

    You seem to have both of these bases covered already.

    Good luck in your search, wherever it leads ... even if it's back to the fold of Christianity.

  4. I referred to myself as a scribe, a teacher and keeper of the Word of God. Well, my friends, I am no such thing.

    Humility is a wonderful quality. That said, I think that before you were right, and now you are wrong. You ARE such a thing. :thumbu:

    I'm just an old man who reads his bible and on occasion gets a little inspirational message to share.

    Same difference, huh?

  5. It's been a few years now, but I saw the results of a study done once across the various Christian sects on Education and Income levels. Catholics topped the list in income and education while Baptists and the more fundamentalists movements like Pentecostal, Assembly of God and deliverance type churches fell at the bottom of the list in both categories.

    My personal experiences also tell me that fundamentalist seem more extroverted than those at the top of the list. The Mass ceremonies themselves will help me make my point. Look at the Catholic mass and compare it to a Pentecostal one. One is like a Funeral and the other a Rave. (It's been years since I've been to either, but I doubt much has changed). I think the introverted type who likes a rigid system where they can feel some type of control, would be drawn to the Catholic Mass, while those who like action and excitement and just like to go with the flow would be drawn to the Pentecostal Mass.

    Add to that the extra burden of paying one's tithes that is pounded into one's brain in the Pentecostal sects and I think your perception of the more extroverted people who like to pray in public and tip poorly seems quite logical.

    In most cases they just wouldn't have the extra money to tip.

    Either that or they just sensed you were a non-believer.

    I considered the tithing bit, but always felt that if they could afford to eat at full service, or even fine dining, restaurants, then they should be able to afford a decent tip.

    Smokers and drinkers tend to spend a lot of money on alcohol and cigarettes, in many cases, I'm sure they spend at least 10% of their income on these things. The people who prayed when they got their food very seldom smoked or drank alcohol with their meals. It seems to me that smokers and drinkers should be as broke as the people who tithe, yet smokers and drinkers are usually the best tippers.

  6. What is your take away when you observe someone praying before a meal in a public restaurant?

    If people want to thank whatever God(s) they believe in for their food, that's their business, not mine. I've got no problem with it whatsoever, in public or in private.

    However, I worked as a waiter for many years, and my take on it then was considerably different. Nine times out of ten, if people prayed over their food when I delivered it to them, it was the kiss of death - it was a clear indication that if I was going to get a tip from them at all, it would be a very poor tip.

    I always wondered why the similar mindset between those who pray over their food, and those who are cheap tippers. I have to confess, I never did come up with any sort of an answer.

  7. Great links Veri - gosh they were busy bunnies in the 16th century, weren't they?

    I'm tickled to find there is an Institute of Millenial Studies - presumably with 902 years before they next have to report. :)

    I rather liked the first one: the declining morality of society being a sign of the end in 2800 BC. That rational still gets touted quite a lot.

    As far as I can find out, the argument in favour of 2012 as the end of the world is because that's how far the written Mayan Calendar goes.

    Yes, the Mayan calender thingy. It is finite, it had to end somewhere. If they were really able to predict the future, it seems to me that they would have ended it around the time that the use of that calender itself ended. Why waste so much time and material making a calender with all those extra days that no one would be marking off or writing important memos on?

    I have a written calendar in my kitchen which only goes up to 31st December 2008.

    :fear:

    Do us all a favor and burn the thing on December 30th. :thumbu:

  8. I guess what I meant was what do you guys think? Will it happen or is it just hype? As a person of an earth based religion, what do you think? The history channel is showing alot of this type stuff. I am not sure what to think, they have some good arguments on their side. But as a pagan, I guess I am not sure what to think?????????? Will we have natural disasters of course, global warming, of course, but I think we are the cause of this.

    I think it's a bunch of baloney, just like all of these turned out to be.

  9. After a good nights sleep, I look a lot like Britney Spears!

    The old Britney Spears, that is.

    Actually, not really the "old" Britney Spears but the younger Britney Spears.

    I never look like the new, chunky, pimply Britney Spears. I guess that would be the "old" Britney Spears.

    If I've been on a three day binge, or for any other reason I haven't had a good nights sleep, then if you look at me from the right angle, I'm identical to Steve Buscemi.

    Here, this is the angle you have to look at me from:

    In all honesty, I prefer looking like the old, young Britney Spears.

    That's why I take so many sleeping pills.

  10. I have a confession. As of until about 2 weeks ago, I had never knowingly been to or seen a YouTube video. OK, maybe I spend too much time at work or on the golf course. Fine. :coffee:

    Then, a couple of week ago Phil and Stormy posted "mood music threads" in which folks posted music vids. So, I followed suite. Well, that was like opening an amazing door for me.

    Unbelievable....no matter what you like to listen to, you can find it there. I now have it tabbed under most of my web browsing and forum posting. :mike:

    After playing around with YouTube for a little while, I came across this little ditty....while likely not the best or most well-known performance on the planet, it surely comes very close in describing my idea of a great concert:

    :sere::russian: (I apologize if this is not for everyone......)

    What is your favorite YouTube thing?

    Wow! That's some tasty blues! I've been a Robben Ford fan for many years.

    Here are a few of my favorites:

    Pepe Habichuela - Solea

  11. "Opus Magnificent of my Inner and Outer Workings"

    Oh devious crowel phrum

    of my siphoning spleen

    splashing strange chemicals

    keeping my insides clean

    Loads of little movements

    gurgling shabtoo sounds

    bizarre echolocation

    of my lunch making rounds

    Creeping shingles itching

    requiring a scratch an hour

    reminding lacktorn quobime

    to avoid cheese so sour

    mysteriously found odors

    wafting from below

    caressing nostril hairs

    tangled in waushel ploe

    © LeRoy James McKitrick, All rights reserved

    My Ode To Douglas Adams.....a special prize goes to the one who identifies this wonderful style of poetry!

    Next time you post Vogon poetry, could you be so kind as to soften us up with some cudgels beforehand?

  12. There's a scene in the movie "Soylent Green" that always stuck in my mind...

    Edward G. Robinson ("Sol Roth") elects euthanasia during the film and during the process watches an AV presentation which includes:

    • Symphony No. 6 ("Pathétique") by Tchaikovsky
    • Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral") by Beethoven
    • "Morning Mood" and "Åse's Death" from the Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg

    While his choices are a bit..refined...for my own tastes, I can appreciate the role of music during our lives and, presumably, at the end of them.

    Just from the top of my head, I think I'd like:

    • "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan
    • "Who Wants To Live Forever" by Queen
    • "Fields of Gold" by Sting

    What music would you like to listen to when your time has come?

    Edward G. Robinson had the right idea, I think. However, my choices would be a bit more dramatic:

    Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries and Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla

    Although, rev.daniel's suggestion, Don't Fear the Reaper, would be nice as a prelude.