Messages

151

Not at the Dinner Table / Re: Sharron Angle

« on: July 17, 2010, 07:00:22 PM »

Pretty much.

I'm not demonizing homeschool just for kicks or to jump on any bandwagon. I'm just saying that life is a lot bigger than your living room and your mom and pop, and that the sooner you discover that sad fact, the better. CrossEyed keeps dancing around the issue by bringing up cases that are the exception, not the rule. I've known so, so many people in school that had terrible-ass parents; now imagine if the vast majority of their social circle consisted of those parents and a handful of parent-approved friends.

And even having entirely nice and well-meaning parents isn't enough. My parents are awesome people, but they sure as hell didn't teach me how to make friends, talk to girls, or defend myself in a fight. Those are things you need to learn on your own.

152

Forum Games / Re: You Get Amazed, You Lose

« on: July 17, 2010, 06:51:03 PM »

I can't wait for today's advertisements to become hilariously offensive 40 years from now.

153

General Chat / Re: What Is Up With These Ads?

« on: July 17, 2010, 06:48:41 PM »

What's wrong with that?

154

General Chat / Re: The HOPEFUL thread: Be happy here!

« on: July 17, 2010, 06:47:06 PM »

Lucky for me, I'm only a fanboy for a handful of video games so I get to just avoid mediocre live-action anime adaptations anyway and head straight for whatever has a Pharrell Williams theme song.

SCORE ONE FOR AMERICA

155

Not at the Dinner Table / Re: Sharron Angle

« on: July 17, 2010, 12:05:10 PM »

I'm afraid, CrossEyed, that those are not good arguments. If you don't want your kid to "suck ass" at math and grammar, chances are cooping him up in your house isn't going to help him that much. And while you may know two or three people who are merely charmingly bizarre as a result of homeschool, by and large, 100%-homeschooled emerge socially crippled and enquipped to deal with other people in the long run. And I don't mean in a wacky, TV-weird way, I mean they are just weirdos, as a result of being conditioned to assume everyone else is going to see them the same way as their own family does. There's nothing cute or funny or unique about that, and the world definitely doesn't need anyone else like that.

156

Forum Games / Re: You Laugh, You Lose

« on: July 17, 2010, 10:12:47 AM »

157

Forum Games / Re: You Laugh, You Lose

« on: July 17, 2010, 09:57:08 AM »

158

General Chat / Re: What song are you listening to right now?

« on: July 17, 2010, 09:00:56 AM »

Oh man, that album is the [dukar]!

159

Not at the Dinner Table / Re: Sharron Angle

« on: July 17, 2010, 08:59:06 AM »

Look, we can argue about this all day and all night, but here is the simple truth: If you go to public school, it will condition you to be a human being in ways that homeschool never will. You will meet people and make friends. Not just parent-approved friends, but actual friends. You build relationships, you socialize. You get awkward, you get in fights, you get into situations that you hate but will help you learn from your mistakes. You get none of that when the people you see most often is your immediate family.

I'm not saying that you will literally end up fundamentalist Christian (your family could be any religion or lack thereof), or a permanent virgin (though that one is extremely likely). I'm saying that you will, in the long run, end up lacking important social skills that you won't ever get to regain.

Why is anyone even taking pro-homeschool stances here, anyway? Aside from the nebulously defined "You will learn more" argument (especially since your parents could just decide to...I dunno, not teach you)?

160

General Chat / Re: The ANGST thread: Complain here!

« on: July 17, 2010, 08:51:04 AM »

Exactly. I already disabled what's new and popular on my Youtube homepage to prevent further brain damage from our mindless culture. Did I go too far?

[wtd]? You go on Youtube and fully expect to not get brain damage or find something brainless? Are you new to the Internet?

But for reals guys, you guys need to get more tolerant. Every day I look at YouTube videos I see at least 600 comments devoted to saying whatever I'm watching is better than Lady Gaga. If, apparently, everyone hates her, then why is she our yardstick for quality on everything all of a sudden?

161

General Chat / Re: The HOPEFUL thread: Be happy here!

« on: July 17, 2010, 08:47:13 AM »

I want to go see Despicable Me just for the theme song. Pharrell Williams getting mainstream attention ftw.

162

Video Game Chat / Re: Anyone else play Team Fortress?

« on: July 16, 2010, 11:30:46 AM »

Gah! I gotta get my ish together.

163

General Chat / Re: The ANGST thread: Complain here!

« on: July 16, 2010, 11:28:31 AM »

Not liking Katy Perry I understand, but Lady Gaga is simply this generation's Britney or Madonna, and she's also legitimately good. I don't understand why people like to ***** and moan about pop on the radio; if you don't like it, just buy an iPod or play your CDs. If you're thin-skinned enough to get upset at a musical artist's exposure then maybe you shouldn't be listening to music.

I mean, look at me; I listen to inaccessable underground hip-hop and industrial, but I've learned to like other stuff like radio fluff and classic rock simply because it's everywhere. And learning to like new music is never a bad thing.

164

Forum Games / Re: You Nostalgia, You Lose

« on: July 14, 2010, 03:19:48 PM »

I won. **** the 80s, 90s is where it's at.

165

Not at the Dinner Table / Re: Blizzard forums to require real names

« on: July 13, 2010, 08:45:27 PM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=surPojf8Dj4&feature=related