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#281 |
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Guest
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,238
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Rwalsh: Nostrdsamus is nonsense. You know it is, really. But you are not the first to find him interesting and you certainly won't be the last
You have already found the only true use for his writing: it leads you to learn about things you have not come across before. May I suggest you recogmise this benefit and use it? For example, you now know for certain that Narbonne and Carcassonne exist and where they are. Carcassonne has led you to the Cathars. The history of the Cathars is really interesting and well worth spending some time on. Forget Nostradamus and read about that instead. You will learn a lot about theology and about persecution: and if you find that interesting you will be lead to other periods of history; other persecutions and wars and stuff: other heresies if that is what captures your imagination. It doesn't much matter what you choose to study: it might be art you were led to because you stumbled on the painting of lady godiva, for example. Any and all of these can be rich fields and you don't need the woo. You can become very special just by really mastering one area of study: it is more work than being special cos of imaginary experiences, but it is a lot more solid. Or you can become a dilletante: that doesn't make you so special but it is still worth while: if you dip into different stuff that crosses your path and gain a little knowledge about a lot of stuff it enriches your life: and eventually you start to make wee connections out of the ragbag and that lets you widen your outlook beyond what you were brought up to believe. But whatever you do recognise this: knowledge does not come easy: it does not fall into your head from the sky or from dreams: it takes effort and it is worth effort. There are generations of really smart people who went before you whatever you try to learn: it is very unlikely you are going to come up with anything really original: and the more you learn the more you realise that: and those bastards said that too But you can spend a lifetime in the pursuit and you will lose nothing.
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#282 |
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Illuminator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,094
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#283 |
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Mostly harmless
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Nor Flanden
Posts: 22,091
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"You got to use your brain." - McKinley Morganfield "The poor mystic homeopaths feel like petted house-cats thrown at high flood on the breaking ice." - Leon Trotsky |
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#284 |
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Mostly harmless
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Nor Flanden
Posts: 22,091
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"You got to use your brain." - McKinley Morganfield "The poor mystic homeopaths feel like petted house-cats thrown at high flood on the breaking ice." - Leon Trotsky |
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#285 | ||
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Decoy
Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: A magical land full of pink fluffy sheeps and bunnies
Posts: 16,591
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I am not a little teapot. |
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#286 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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I'll bet he never saw that coming.
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#287 |
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Goddess of the Glowing Sunsets
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 493
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Epiphanette (a very small epiphany): that kind of tingly, excited feeling of realizing that you were wrong, and that you have to change your world view accordingly. - With thanks to Weak Kitten and Blue Sock Monkey. I am 100% confident all psychics and mediums are frauds. If you agree add this to your sig. |
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#288 |
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Schrödinger's cat
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 4,241
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Originally Posted by Akenhaten
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#289 |
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Schrödinger's cat
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 4,241
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I assumed it was a quotation. I just googled it, and guess what:
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/nost...tertojean.html |
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#290 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#291 |
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Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Belgium (Flatland)
Posts: 31,480
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The gullible teenager
Will flood a forum Shoe-horning and retro-fitting Teeth will gnash and hissy fits will ensue. |
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#292 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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Nostradafydd!
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#293 |
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Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Belgium (Flatland)
Posts: 31,480
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I spared you from the original medieval Welsh quatrain.I can sum up all the quatrains for you.
"Sometime,somewhere,something might happen.It is up to future generations to shoe-horn events into the garbage that I have set down.Watch out for me in your dreams.Over and out." Wise words from the great seer Nostradafydd. |
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#294 |
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imperfecto del subjuntivo
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Posts: 1,742
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si razona el caballO ¡se acabó la equitacióN! - césaR brutO [English student. Plees, forgibb my misteakes!] -Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. "Ego sum cucurbita magna" -Guyus Qualunque |
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#295 |
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Nitpicking dilettante
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Berkshire, mostly
Posts: 24,588
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__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand Russell Zooterkin is correct Darat Nerd! Hokulele Join the JREF Folders ! Team 13232 |
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#296 |
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Observer of Phenomena
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The other side of your screen
Posts: 43,024
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Agreed. The forum is hosted and paid for by the James Randi Educational Foundation, but Randi himself doesn't post here very much.
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Jadey (in RvB game thread): I just want to take a moment to commend Arth on his role as Parasitic Alien Tumor. I think he really connected with the character and there were times when I forgot that he was just acting. That's the kind of talent that you can't teach. |
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#297 |
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Cool cat
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Trondheim, Norway
Posts: 2,063
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Engineer by day, scientist by night. |
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#298 |
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Graduate Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,861
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__________________
The Australian Family Association's John Morrissey was aghast when he learned Jessica Watson was bidding to become the youngest person to sail round the world alone, unaided and without stopping. |
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#299 |
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Reader's of the Boden Codex
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,580
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Originally Posted by Nostradamus
Originally Posted by Google Translate
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__________________
"When I began to talk with him, I could not help thinking that he was not really wise, although he was thought wise by many, and wiser still by himself; and I went and tried to explain to him that he thought himself wise, but was not really wise; and the consequence was that he hated me, and his enmity was shared by several who were present and heard me." - Plato, Apology "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan |
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#300 |
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Graduate Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Right about... here.
Posts: 1,552
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Are you standing on the back of a train, speeding off to the horizon as you shake your fist at Randi who stands, dusty and worn, but still ready for the fight, watching you receed in the distance as he chuckles softly to himself? Because that's the mental image I'm getting here.
I watch too many westerns. |
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"So, they laugh at my boner, will they? I'll show them! I'll show them how many boners the Joker can make!" -- The Joker, Batman #66 |
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#301 |
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 5,532
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Playing with the quatrains of Nostradamus can be great fun. Take Apology's pop-culture deciphers for example. Great stuff right there. The quatrains can even inspire one to brush up on history (I had to look up Edward VIII, I thought he was a Charles.) I totally understand the interest.
What I don't understand is wrapping one's ego around it. In the 450 years since they came out, at least a gazillion people have tried their hand at breaking the code and, in their time, they all came up with the "right" answer. Rwalsh, why are you so invested in your deciphers that you are unwilling to examine them critically? Why is maintaining your answer more important than learning something? |
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No more cupcakes for me, thanks. |
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#302 |
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Philosopher
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Bay of Islands NZ
Posts: 5,846
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#303 |
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Critical Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: West Coast - BC
Posts: 372
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Ah yes, but now we have mighty Nostradafydd. Hail great one ! Bearer of much truths! His first prophecy (or history or comment or drunken poetry)
"Sometime,somewhere,something might happen. It is up to future generations to shoe-horn events into the garbage that I have set down.Watch out for me in your dreams.Over and out." - Nostradafydd |
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#304 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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Mae'n brydgell ac mae'r brochgim stwd
Yn gimblo a gyrian yn y mhello: Pob cólomrws yn féddabwd, A'r hoch oma'n chwibruo. - Nostradafydd? |
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#305 |
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Zygoticly Phased
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Arkham City
Posts: 3,168
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#306 |
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Winking at the Moon
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,226
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__________________
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... timey wimey... stuff. |
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#307 |
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Schrödinger's cat
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 4,241
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Rwalsh has just re-appeared in the MDC subforum to declare that "There is no million dollars". So it seems there was more than one thing left to say after all.
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#308 |
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A rigidly defined area of doubt and uncertainty
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Two feet to the left, in accordance with the theory of indeterminacy
Posts: 566
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Please forgive a brief OT question; the OP has powerfully reminded me of a thread which I have a whim to revisit, but can not, for the life of me, actually find.
Could someone PM me (or just post here) a link to the ETcorngod thread? Thanks in advance; a cuddle and a cookie are offered to those who can help*! *: This is a genuine offer, although I do require you to collect them from me. |
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What Would The Doctor Do? Some creative lies. "No. Liars aren't creative." - Justinian2 |
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#309 |
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Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Belgium (Flatland)
Posts: 31,480
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#310 |
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dedicated aphilatelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 21,674
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Quote:
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__________________
AGW is a fact, including the A, face it |
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#311 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#312 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#313 |
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A rigidly defined area of doubt and uncertainty
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Two feet to the left, in accordance with the theory of indeterminacy
Posts: 566
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__________________
What Would The Doctor Do? Some creative lies. "No. Liars aren't creative." - Justinian2 |
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#314 |
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Heretic Pharaoh
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Pi-Broadford, Australia
Posts: 24,680
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Just remember my cookie.
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__________________
![]() Life is mostly Froth and Bubble - Adam Lindsay Gordon The Australasian Skeptics Forum
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#315 |
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A rigidly defined area of doubt and uncertainty
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Two feet to the left, in accordance with the theory of indeterminacy
Posts: 566
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__________________
What Would The Doctor Do? Some creative lies. "No. Liars aren't creative." - Justinian2 |
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#316 |
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Grammar Resistance Leader
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Pattaya, Thailand
Posts: 20,520
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__________________
Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i] |
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#317 |
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Reader's of the Boden Codex
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,580
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__________________
"When I began to talk with him, I could not help thinking that he was not really wise, although he was thought wise by many, and wiser still by himself; and I went and tried to explain to him that he thought himself wise, but was not really wise; and the consequence was that he hated me, and his enmity was shared by several who were present and heard me." - Plato, Apology "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan |
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#318 |
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Beauf
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Pays de Gex
Posts: 2,094
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There's a quatrain that's being puzzling me for years but I think it suddenly makes sense. With modernised spelling, it runs:
"Un nouveau débarque à la toile sans araignée Raconte n'importe quoi et puis se sauve Laissant derrière, dans le royaume du Chaud Vieillard Des habitués morts de rire" With hindsight it's all so simple. |
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"But Master! Does not the fire need water too? Does not the mountain need the storm? Does not your scrotum need kicking?" |
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#319 |
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Reader's of the Boden Codex
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,580
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__________________
"When I began to talk with him, I could not help thinking that he was not really wise, although he was thought wise by many, and wiser still by himself; and I went and tried to explain to him that he thought himself wise, but was not really wise; and the consequence was that he hated me, and his enmity was shared by several who were present and heard me." - Plato, Apology "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan |
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#320 |
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Winking at the Moon
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,226
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__________________
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... timey wimey... stuff. |
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