My condolences. May your Uncle rest in peace.

No. You'll be the same immature little kid just sporting a mustache. Get an estate in Hawaii, a butler with a couple of cool Dobermans, and a best friend that owns a helicopter instead.

You would hope wrong. Flop those two percentages around and I'll suck happily on the pacifier.

The term self made implies that a person succeeded or failed solely because of their own efforts with little influence from society. So a self made billionaire started without money and attained it. A self made terrorist started out in a decent loving family and ended up killing people. A self made college student didn't have mommy and daddy footing the bill and instead struggled to work their way through college. These were the 3 examples given in the OP and my interpretation of them. Correct me if you disagree with this assessment.

The article seems to say that society contributes more than self when it comes to what someone can achieve. So according to their philosophy, using the first example from above, they believe that the guy that started with nothing would still have nothing if society didn't step in and help him make more of himself. Someone must have given the guy a leg up somewhere along the way or he wouldn't have been able to rise above, thus he must be society made. Sounds almost plausible.

The problem with this logic is that it's backwards if you really think about it. If society plays a larger role, than the individual would be most likely to conform to his surroundings rather than differ from them. If self plays a larger role, the individual would be most likely to differ from his surroundings rather than conform to them. If we look at the example of the billionaire that started out with nothing, did he conform or differ from his surroundings in the end? How about the terrorist that grew up in a loving family? If society (our environment) had been most influential, the billionaire would still be living in the slums and the terrorist would be Mr. Rogers. Such is not the case so the self must have been responsible for the unexpected outcome, or at least played a larger role.

We can't control our environment. The chaotic world revolves around us and we adapt based on our own drive and desire to achieve what we want, positive or negative. We can overcome difficulties, or throw away opportunities. Society can and does influence us, but not more so than self. We ARE the masters of our own destinies. I think Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best..."What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

I rest my case!

Guess who just won game 5 of the ALCS?

Way to go Red Sox!!

We need one more win against Detroit to advance to The Big Show. Took an early lead tonight with the bats, and our ace lefty John Lester got the job done on the mound. Detroit tried to mount a comeback but our outstanding closer Koji Uehara slammed the door, notching the final five outs for the save and a Sox 4-3 win. The boys head home to Fenway for game 6 Saturday with Clay Buchholz slated to toe the rubber for the Sox. Should be another great game, and you can bet I'll be glued to the TV.

So try to contain your enthusiasm. The posts here shall continue! Go Sox!!

How about them Bruins!

They won tonight just in case you were wonderin'.

I don't see nudges as offensive in any way, regardless of which nudge they pick. I just find them ineffective. I think I've been kissed, kicked, or hugged by every 24 yr old male from both Nigeria and Ghana.

I only respond to a nudge if it's from someone I recognize from the forums. Same for friend requests.

If you use this logic, that we are all a part of society and thus impacted by the environment, therefore we can't be just self made and must be society made, then couldn't you also use that same logic to say the reverse? That we are all 100% self made because regardless of the environment, we must rely on ourselves to deal with what life hands us and the only person who decides what to do is the individual. We may have to take into consideration what society will think, but ultimately we are responsible for our actions and the consequences of them, hence self made.

Seems to me like the old nature vs. nurture debate, just phrased differently. It's really not a debate anymore. Both play a role. The debate now is about which is more important, and that will go on forever. I like to think that nature, biology and genetics, gives us the raw material with which to work, and the environment molds us into what we become. Nobody is 100% self made or society made. I put a bit more emphasis on self than society, but that's just me because I've studied this stuff pretty extensively.

Good topic MsHarmony.

Drinking my coffee, the blues softly playing in the background, thinking about life. And death. Awed by the joy and madness betwixt the cradle and the grave.

Praying for him right now.

It's amazing how much it hurts to see one of our animals suffer or pass on. My black lab is only 7 but going blind (cataracts) and it's $6,000 for surgery to fix him. If I had the money, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but alas I do not. So all I can do is watch him bump into stuff and it breaks my heart! I will love him regardless, because how can I not?!? Dogs are the best, better than most people in my opinion actually...

Sorry to hear about your girl.

Figures that I post a topic about the great American pastime and the only person that visits is a flippin' Canadian! Perfect!

Nice to see ya John. Thanks for stopping in.

Okay, so baseball isn't hockey. Will it make ya feel better if I say "How 'bout them Bruins!?" once in awhile in here? 'Cause I can do that!

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Now to recap the Sox game tonight. We lost. It sucked. That should cover it.

Oh okay. I said I'd post about the Sox games and I'm a woman of my word so here goes...

We went into tonight's game with the 2-1 lead in the best of 7 series against the Tigers. The first 3 games highlighted pitching with each team edging out the other in 1-0 squeakers, Detroit taking game one and the Sox getting the W in game 3. Game 2 featured some Big Papi late inning heroics, with our clutch slugger smacking a grand slam to tie it at 5 in the 8th, before a walkoff hit by Saltalamacchia in the 9th gave the Sox the victory to tie up the series. And yes, that's his real name, he's our catcher, a big dude that whiffs a lot but gets the job done behind the dish and did it at the plate in this particular game. It's been a hard fought series thus far and I'm sure the road won't get any easier.

Tonight we sent Jake Peavy to the mound, a veteran guy but one that's never been at this level before now. Nerves must have gotten to him in his first ALCS game as he was pretty shaky throughout, giving up plenty of hits to the potent Detroit offense and more than a handful of runs. Boston bats couldn't solve their guy Fister, at least not with any consistency, and the boys fell in game 4 7-3. Win some, lose some, and tonight the Sox end up on the wrong side of the coin.

So we'll do it again tomorrow for the final game in Detroit before heading back to Boston afterwards. It's basically down to a best of 3 now and I still have complete confidence in my team. We have home field advantage and the best team in baseball this year. Gotta feel good about our chances. Ever confident and always loyal...

Go Sox!!

If you settle for less than you expect, you will get less than you deserve.

Bypass those empty profiles. Ignore the enticing photos that lack substance if you're seeking substance. Reach out to the rare profile you find interesting, and do so with more than a common generic email or sending just a nudge. Be yourself and express your desire to those that intrigue you, whether found surfing through profiles or here in the forums.

My advice? Don't worry about what you will get and when you will get it, rather concentrate on what you have to give and being the best you that you can be. Put up a profile that shows who you are and what you want and take it from there. If it's going to happen, it'll happen. I know that's an overused cliche, but it's the truth. We forget to enjoy the journey because we're too focused on getting to the destination. Kick back and enjoy the ride, have some fun, and maybe you'll meet that special someone along the way.

Or send out a generic email to every female on here saying "ur hot" and hope for the best. Good luck man, whatever you decide.

I don't blame Obamacare. I blame Obama! For getting on TV and looking the American people in the eye and telling them and I that this farce is going to help all those people out there that can't afford insurance, everybody has the right to health coverage he said. Medicaid, VA benefits, Social Security disability are not affected...you'll still get that coverage free if you've had it he said. No income, you won't pay, he said. Low income, you'll get reduced rates he said. Rates MAY go up for higher incomes but you'll have a choice of plans that are comparable to your current plans he said. And if you like your current plan and doctor, don't worry he said, you can keep them. Did I not watch the same live speech everyone else saw??

So here we are with it in effect and you say this is a good thing? Tell that to everyone that's losing their current coverage through no fault of their own, or seeing their premiums go through the roof! And then to top it all off, he has the audacity to say you can choose not to participate, and we'll only fine you X about of dollars for not abiding by the law I laid down, against the majority's will by the way, mandating that you get govt approved health insurance! That's what I take offense to, that's why I'm pissed, not that I'm not going to get free health care!I will protest personally by not enrolling and not paying the fine at the end of the year. I hope every person that disagrees with Obamacare does the same.

Is our current system good? No. It's flawed as hell, ripe with fraud, corruption, and greed, but this Obamacare is NOT solving anything. It's making matters so much worse. Look around MsHarmony. We are on the brink of civil war. Our government is shut down. People are in an uproar over this, just look at this thread. See the protests everywhere across the country. This was forced down our throats and you're surprised we're choking on it?




Which others? Others like me who couldn't afford it before and still can't and get fined too because of it just to make matters worse? Where are all these others? They're signing up in droves enthusiastically, right? Nope. They're professing how much lower their rates have dropped, right? Nope. They're pouring out in record numbers to show approval of this awesome new ACA thing and for our president and we're on the road to redemption, right? Again, not even close! And Obama and the politicians have exempted who? Themselves? I wonder why???? This is all just crazy!!!!

I explained my situation above. If you didn't read it, and yet still felt the need to comment, I'm not surprised. Works perfectly with the Obamacare topic.

Baseball is known as the great American pastime. A sport loved dearly by myself and millions of others. Yet there's no recent topic in these here forums?! A gazillion topics about what you'd do to the person above ya, but not ONE topic on baseball???

Am I the only one that's a baseball fan here?

I don't care. I'm starting this topic 'cause I'm not JUST a fan, I am THE fan, as in the epitome of the fanatical fan that lives and dies for her team. Take one look at my profile if ya need evidence. My dog is named Trot, cats were Nixon and Sox. I have more Sox shirts than skirts in my closet. Saying I'm an avid Sox fan is a huge understatement, kinda like saying the pope is religious. So y'all will have to deal with this topic popping up 162-181 times a year, give or take depending how deep we go into the post season. This year we're deep...it's playoff baseball folks!

So welcome to the fan attic, where the strange Sox addict lives. She sits around and talks Sox to herself and her loyal dog Trot. If ya wanna know how the Sox did, this is the place to come!

Or if ya just wanna say something about baseball, feel free.

(And yes I know the season is almost over but inspiration wears no watch...did I mention it's playoff baseball folks?! What BETTER time?!?)

I'll start! Go Sox!!!

Wondering why I can't sleep more than 2-3 hrs at a time.

So I'm up before the sun, drinking sugar with some coffee in it for good measure, and listening to music of course. Always Pandora, the Golden Oldies station this early morning, beboppin' to Little Bitty Pretty One currently.

And smoking. Always smoking. And thinking. Thinking and smoking. I swear it's all I do!

Toss up between intelligence and compassion.

And nakedness! When my man loses his clothes...

What do I like most about Obamacare? Hmmmm...

I'm thinking it must be that I'm finally going to get health insurance. You see the Prez said that nobody should go without insurance so he's instituted this great new plan that might raise the rates for the rich folks but us poor folks would be able to get coverage now. While I despise the idea, I figured maybe it'll benefit me as I'm in the poor folk category since I've been hurt and unable to work all year.

I should lay the foundation and explain my situation a little. I've worked hard most of my life to support myself and my son who is grown now. This past year I got hurt. Blew out discs in my neck/back and damaged nerves, live in pain everyday now. I had a job and insurance at the time. Went to doc after injury, needed tests done to diagnose, x-rays, MRIs, and nerve testing. Tests cost thousands of dollars, but insurance reimbursed after the fact, had to have cash up front. I didn't have it, no tests, couldn't work, couldn't pay premiums, lost insurance. After 30 days of no work, lost job. Applied for medicaid. Denied. Gotta have kids under 18 or be pregnant. If hurt, they advise to apply for disability. I did. Denied. Need to prove injury. Can't get tests done that prove it without cash or insurance. So they sent me to their doc. He didn't look at my neck. Tested my eyesight and watched me walk. Sent me on my way. Been out of work for 9 months now, still hurt, still can't go to docs, still no help from the govt. Mind ya I paid taxes for years and years and years and insurance for my son and I that whole time. Matters not. I don't qualify for assistance now, either through medicaid or social security disability. Sucks to be me.

Fast forward to Obamacare. Do ya think this will help me? Guess again, not one damn bit! Ya see, they said that uninsured people will get insurance. If you have no income, you won't pay they said. But they tell you to apply for medicaid if you have no income. Hurt and can't work, they tell you to apply for disability. Or I can buy a plan based on my income and get reduced rates. The plans even with reduced rates still cost money that I don't have since I'm hurt and been out of work for most of this year. So where does that leave me? The same place I've been. Up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

You dems think that you're helping those that need it by raising the rates for the 'rich' folk, but it's a crock of crap. Working folk are the ones getting shafted here. Rich folks can afford to pay more. Working folk can't. They're barely scraping by as it is and we wanna double or triple what they pay? For what? I'm not going to get help. I couldn't afford insurance before, I still won't be able to under this plan, plus now I'm going to get fined on top of it!!! You gotta be kidding me! Kick a girl when she's down why don'tcha!

What do I like about Obamacare? Probably the same thing I like about Obama. Nothing. Not one damn thing!!! They're both complete and utter failures, and they're both gonna destroy this country. The Affordable Care Act is nonsense. There's nothing affordable or caring about it!!

My heart screams yes. My brain denies it adamantly.

Evidence points to the latter since I've never made a lasting commitment to anyone, hence I must not have been willing to do anything to keep it, if I had it, which apparently I didn't. Sure felt like love at the time though ...until it didn't anymore.

Disclaimer: Romantic love only. I have felt real familial love of course, would do anything for my immediate family, but that's a different kind of love.

Exactly! Well said.

It also varies by age, gender, and race as well as region. Genetics is a major factor so to judge all people by one set standard seems pointless. We come in all different shapes and sizes and we all have worth. It's okay to have preferences but we shouldn't pass judgement on those who don't fit that mold.

Thanks for a voice of reason in the madness.

Absolutely agree. Wouldn't want their job ever! There are still some players that play for the love of the game, regardless what game we're talking about, and I think the managers do it for them. They still have to put up with a lot of crap from the ones that are in it for the money only though, especially considering the constant barage of media coverage now following the antics of these morons that give athletes a bad name. Used to be what happened in the clubhouse was between manager and team. Those days are gone.