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#1 Re: The Garden » Atheists - An Increasingly Outspoken Minority » 717 weeks ago
I would say i'm agonostic because to me the only people that can know the truth about what happens after you die, if anything, are those who have died.
Anything else is speculation. There is no way to 100% know there is NOT an afterlife, just as there is no way to know there 100% IS.
Many things cannot be 100 % proven. Actually, many things we are certain about has never been proven with 100 % accuracy. Proving something 100 % requires that it can somehow be manipulated mathematically or logically, and that is usually not the case.
It's like the 'flying spaghetti monster.' Few people claim to be agnostic when it comes to this ludicrous entity's existence -- we are certain that it is bullshit. But it hasn't been proven with 100 % certainty, and that is actually impossible. For me this is just like with most other gods. I find them more or less just as implausible and would never take the half-assed position to be agnostic about them. I am as outspoken atheistic about the christian god, or Ra, or Odin, as I am of the flying spaghetti monster.
When it comes to an afterlife there is absolutely no reason to assume it does exist. Actually, there are many reasons to assume it doesn't exist, including the fact that it would violate the laws of physics and the fact that an afterlife is the only way theisms could get away with offering something supernatural to believers (because if they promised something supernatural while you were still alive they would fail) and hence the idea of an afterlife is presumably designed to strengthen religions grip on their followers. Some scientific studies have also indicated that people's supernatural memories from near-death experiences are false.
So, the rational person, free of any belief baggage, would not believe in an afterlife but assume that life after death is just like life before birth: Nothingness because your body does not exist. This realization might suck, unfortunately, but that doesn't make it less rational and probable.
#2 Re: Guns N' Roses » 101 Document Titles From Axls Laptop (No Actual Documents Tho) » 718 weeks ago
tejastech08 wrote:JIP wrote:after one of the most successful tours in gn'r history...
lolwut?
it's my opinion and i'm sticking to it...i think the 2009-2010 tour did pretty well,great performances,sold-outs,interaction with the fans...i couldn't ask for more
Yes, it was a great tour. In 2010 they actually played more songs live than in any previous year (!). 2008-2010 has been a great year as a GN'R fan...and believe me, we old-timers are not spoiled. Too bad that a greedy man tries to ruin the momentum and potentially GN'R for ever by threathening to auction off personal emails.
#3 Re: Guns N' Roses » 101 Document Titles From Axls Laptop (No Actual Documents Tho) » 718 weeks ago
hmmmm maybe. at least i dont have 1,000 people calling me a fat liar every day anymore.
But he did lie about possessing all those songs, he did lie about releasing the info in early February if GN'R didn't follow through, he did lie about his intentions, and probably many more things. And he is...well, fat.
I see no reason to be gentle with that scheming bastard.
#4 Re: Guns N' Roses » 101 Document Titles From Axls Laptop (No Actual Documents Tho) » 718 weeks ago
I don't understand where this sense of entitlement comes from. He claims he needs to be paid for the shit he writes, but it's not like he went out like an actual journalist and uncovered some big story. Somebody supposedly gave him a memory card full of info out of the blue. Why does that deserve compensation?
He claims he is a a journalist, but he isn't, or at the best he is a lousy journalist. Because in the little essay about GN'R he posted on his forum he did not actually do any investigative journalism, he didn't add any citations or references to validate the claims (it reads like pure fiction) and he does not adhere to the journalistic principle of "limitation of harm" which says that you should not publish anything that is not of value to the public when it does great damage to individuals (which we must assume publication of Beta Lebeis' personal email correspondence does).
The Society of Professional Journalists' code of ethics offers the following advice, which is representative of the practical ideals of most professional journalists. Here are some quotes:
- Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.
- Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance.
- Recognize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone's privacy.
- Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.
So he is not really a journalist, just a leech that tries to increase interest in stolen material that he wants to fence off for monetary or material gain by typing up teasing essays.
#5 Re: Guns N' Roses » 101 Document Titles From Axls Laptop (No Actual Documents Tho) » 718 weeks ago
people can judge me all they want, but until you've walked a mile in my air max lebrons, you really don't know what makes me tick or why i act the way i act.
That was a lot of text but I couldn't really grasp what your plan is if it is not to auction away highly personal emails to the highest bidder like you've implicitly stated before?
I have no idea what you have gained so far from your scheme (new songs and additional information from trading, I suppose is plausible), but you have achieved to both piss off GN'R and the fan base (for only leaking snippets when you promised to reveal everything if GN'R didn't follow through with their plans/or for jeopardizing GN'R's plans by throwing a monkey wrench in the machinery).
I also find the idea of auctioning off the material to a magazine for 60k unlikely. For that price a magazine would demand exclusivity which you can not guarantee them since you have no control over who else got the documents. You claim you got it anonymously, well, then it is possible that same person has now sent the material to others as well who might be trying to sell it, too.
I believe you are a scheming fraud. Unfortunately I do believe you have got your greedy hands on stolen property and that you are trying to make everyone believe it is much more interesting that it really is, so as to fence it off to a higher price. What astonishes me is that the GN'R fan community hasn't collectively turned its back to you. There's is nothing in your actions that benefits GN'R and thus ultimately the fans. And those who back you in your actions and claim you actually force GN'R to continue, do it because they greedy need for instant gratification and gossip has overshadowed their rationality and morality. I hope you go down in flames.
#6 Re: Guns N' Roses » 101 Document Titles From Axls Laptop (No Actual Documents Tho) » 718 weeks ago
my board is hosted by proboards. i do not receive any of the ad revenue. hits on my forum are of no consequence to me. if anything, all the GNR chatter has scared away my regular users.
If you are such an intelligent business man, why do you lower yourself to auctioning off private email correspondence and documents just to get some money?
#7 Guns N' Roses » Q&A with Brain from Appetite for Discussion - August 18, 2010 » 744 weeks ago
- Agathos
- Replies: 13
Q: First off, thanks for taking the time to talk with Appetite for Discussion. It is highly appreciated.
A: Your welcome
Q: You have quite an impressive resume already, which contemporary artists/bands would you like to play with in the future?
A: PRINCE
Q: If you were to travel back in time and play with any historical bands/artists, who would that be?
A: OL' Dirty Bastard
Q: Are there any well-known songs where you would really love to add your own drum parts because you feel it would improve the songs a lot?
A: Yeah 'Gin and Juice' By Snoop Dogg
Q: What contemporary drummer raises the bar for the rest of you?
A: Dennis Chambers! He's a bad mother fucker!!!!!!!!!!!
Q: As a professional session musician, what makes you stand out among your colleagues?
A: I can read music like it's no bodies business!!!!!!
Q: Could you tell us how you got in contact with Cookie Marenco and how The Valence Project came to be?
A: Cookies been a long time friend... She's one of the best producers/engineers I've ever had the pleasure to work with!!! She came to me with an idea her and this guitar player gregory james had. They wanted to make an experimental beat heavy album!!! Being a drummer how could I refuse... The rest is history Smile .
Q: If there were certain aspects of your drumming you'd like to improve, what would that be?
A: Double bass drumming
Q: If you could give one helpful suggestion to our aspiring drummers, what would that be?
A:Learn everything you can... Then forget it all!!!!!!!!!!
Q: Last year you collaborated with Travis Dickerson for his début record Iconography, what are your next projects?
A: Look out for 'Best Regards' It's the new record I made with Buckethead!
Q: Great news! Do you know when the record is coming out?
A: its out... u can get it on travis dickerson website
Q: What music are you currently listening to?
A: BACH
Q: What do you prefer in a drummer or musician in general, technical prowess or feel?
A: Don't think FEEL
Q: Have becoming a father been restrictive for touring?
A: Naw not really... I just don't dig touring that much!
Q: Many were disappointed when you didn't tour with GN'R this time, but people are generally pleased with how Frank's been doing. Is it hard to let other people fill your shoes or is GN'R such a collective effort now that this is not a problem?
A: no it's not hard... it is a collective now!
Q: What hobbies do you have outside of music?
A: Buying Shoes. Check out Golden Goose!
Q: If you were to pick a single concert from history, which would you have paid most to attend?
A: Pink floyd The Wall
Q: Which concert did you attend last as part of the audience?
A: DEVO
Q: "Wars do not determine who is right or wrong, only who is left", do you agree with this quote from Bertrand Russell?
A: I agree... It's all EGO
Q: Is Wittgenstein really your favourite philosopher?
A: Who... Ha ha ha
Q: What's your status with Guns N' Roses now?
A: Gettin paid and gettin laid!!!!!
Q: Do you know if you will be featured on upcoming GN'R releases?
A: I know I'll be on some songs!
Q: That's good to hear. I think I speak for the huge majority of GN'R fans when I add that I hope Bucket's parts will be kept as well. What songs will you be on?
A: CAN'T GIVE THAT UP!!!
Q: Can you tell us any amusing anecdotes from your time with GN'R?
A: At one point I ate a whole bowl of spaghetti while playing November Rain
Q: What's your favorite released and unreleased GN'R song?
A: TWAT and SEVEN
Q: TWAT is my favorite GN'R song hands down -- and I've been a huge fan since 1988 -- so now I am very excited about Seven. Can you tell us anything about this song? Is it a rocker?
A: ITS AN TIMELESS BALLAD WITH A BLOW YOUR FACE OFF CHORUS AND A SUCK YOUR BALL SACK BRIDGE!!!!!
Q: How would you characterize the unreleased GN'R material? Is it similar to Chinese Democracy or does it differ in any way?
A: It'll part your hair!!!!!!
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about other upcoming Brain projects?
A: Yeah check out "Best Regards" its the newest freak out I've done with Buckethead!!!
#8 Guns N' Roses » Q&A with Michael Monroe - talking about Axl, Richard and GN'R » 751 weeks ago
- Agathos
- Replies: 2
I recently did a Q&A with Michael Monroe. Here are the parts that concern GN'R, but please read the whole thing at Appetite for Discussion:
Q: Being in the music business for quite some time now you must be familiar with many legendary musicians and biz guys. For us GNR fans your connection with GNR is of course of interest. When did you first get in contact with GNR?
I met Axl at the video shoot for my song "Dead, Jail Or Rock'n'Roll" in New York City back in 1989. He just happened to be stopping by and came to introduce himself. We got along quite nicely.
Q: You were featured on both 'Use Your Illusion I' and 'The Spaghetti Incident!?'. How did this come to be?
They asked me to play some blues harp and saxophone on the song "Bad Obsession", which turned out really cool. I had made a compilation tape of the "Dead Boys" for Axl, since he had told me that he wasn't that familiar with the band. While I was in LA for the session, we were driving around Hollywood with Axl one night, listening to the Dead Boys tape. When "Ain't It Fun" came on, Axl lit up and said "We gotta record this song! Let's do it as a duet in Stiv Bators' memory!". They had been working on the "Spaghetti Incident?" album then and this would be a perfect track for it. He called Slash and the guys right away and got everyone together in the studio for it over the next few days. I was thrilled about this, since Stiv Bators was a dear friend of mine and one of my favorite frontmen/singers of all time. We did the song and it turned out magical. Against my manager's wishes - all I asked them for doing the song, was to have a dedication "In memory of Stiv Bators" and to spell my name right on the album cover. I'm still quite proud about that.
Q: Was it obvious when collaborating with GNR on material for Use Your Illusion I that the band was in big trouble? Could you foresee that a crisis in the band was imminent?
I didn't notice anything like that. There seemed to be a good vibe in the studio.
Q: Any comments on the current conflict between Axl and Slash?
No.
Q: Richard Fortus recently mentioned that he has been writing songs with you for an upcoming record. How did you get in contact with Richard and how has the collaboration been?
Yeah, I hooked up with Richard last fall in LA and we did collaborate on a couple of songs. He's a cool guy and a great guitar player. I really enjoyed working with him.
Cheers.
#9 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dj Ashba and Dizzy Reed: "We're working on a new album" » 753 weeks ago
So yes when CD came in stores, the magic was simply gone.
Yes, the magic was gone because we got it when we first heard the new songs, either from live recordings or from leaks. The amount of magic we got was the same, we just didn't get it in one big lump when listening to the record, we got it in small portions through the years before. I don't see the problem.
I remember when the Illusions records came out I was thrilled and couldn't wait to hear the new music. Well in CD there was NO NEW MUSIC.
I just don't get it. Should I be disappointed when listening to a new record for the second time because I listened to it the first time and ruined the magic? Whenever we hear something for the first time, and like it, that's the magic moment. And whenever we choose to listen to something good for the first time, we know -- it goes without saying -- that the magic of listening to this music for the first time will be consumed and probably never -- unless we suffer from severe amnesia -- return.
When I chose to listen to the leaks I knew this. It was obvious. But I got exactly the same amount of joy from listening to the music for the first time, even if it came from leaks, that I would had I waited until the official release. Actually, waiting for something to be official carries the danger of you becoming uninterested in the music in the mean time, and hence postponing the joy can be unwise.
And maybe I had my life wrapped around it, either way the mystery is still gone.
The mystery would have been gone seconds after hearing the released music, too, if you had waited. So today you would still be in the same exact situation. The mystery of CD is forever lost. Get over it. Or hang onto the mystery of CDII.
Actually, I am starting to fear that people are more fans of the mystery of CD than the actual music. Perhaps the whole long-winding CD farce summoned fans that just got hung up in the myth of what the record would be. And now that it has come out and it is just 'a good record' they are disillusioned because what they were really fans of has gone. Too bad.
#10 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dj Ashba and Dizzy Reed: "We're working on a new album" » 753 weeks ago
yes but if diehard fans dont give a shit anymore then why should joe-average?
Good question. If die-hard fans stop caring one would expect the same for everyone else. I completely agree. But I don't see why die-hard fans should care less about new music because they downloaded the leaks for CD; I just don't see a plausible mechanism here. The die-hard fans did not get less, they got the same, albeit from a different source. The music has in no way been devalued because of the leaking. The music remains the same. If they were fans of GN'R's music before they should still be (given that the music is good).
If "die-hard" fans stop caring about GN'R and their music now, I think the mechanism is that these so-called "die-hard" fans just grow up and care less about music in general (we all tend to do), or because they are fed up with other aspects of being GN'R (there are many to choose from), rather than how they obtained the music, and mistakenly, perhaps even knowingly, attribute this novel lack of interest to the leaking.
I just find the notion that getting the music through leaks rather than official releases should turn away die-hard fans a bit absurd, perhaps because I don't see a plausible mechanism and because I personally, as a die-hard fan, couldn't give two shits where the music came from.
99 % of the so-called "die-hard" fans are adolescent and their music taste is vicarious and their dedication transient. No wonder they get bored. Being a die-hard fan requires stamina. New kids will take their place (if GN'R do the right things). The real die-hard fans don't get so easily turned away.
