News Stories

[ganbaru]

NSA chief defends surveillance programs at hacking conference
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...96U1A920130731

U.S. intelligence official says no one fired over Snowden
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...96U0P920130731

[Urzu 7]

Another right that homosexual couples aren't getting is visitation rights for their partners who are hospitalized. With gay couples, if one of the members of the couple is sick or injured and bedridden in a hospital, even if they are seriously sick or injured or on their death bed, their partner can't be by the side of their loved one. Heterosexual couples who are married are granted this right. Even with states that allow gay marriage, gay couples are still not getting full rights. I don't know if this has changed in some of the states. I don't know if any states give full rights to gay couples who marry, but back in 2008 I heard that gay couples that marry in Massachusetts didn't have full rights, including the visitation rights I just mentioned.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

Another right that homosexual couples aren't getting is visitation rights for their partners who are hospitalized. With gay couples, if one of the members of the couple is sick or injured and bedridden in a hospital, even if they are seriously sick or injured or on their death bed, their partner can't be by the side of their loved one. Heterosexual couples who are married are granted this right. Even with states that allow gay marriage, gay couples are still not getting full rights. I don't know if this has changed in some of the states. I don't know if any states give full rights to gay couples who marry, but back in 2008 I heard that gay couples that marry in Massachusetts didn't have full rights, including the visitation rights I just mentioned.

I know the US military did change the rules recently in visitations. Apparently they wanted to for years, but only recent law changes permitted them to follow through.

[aohige]

Seeing such derogatory attitudes by some towards gays, even in a relatively progressive forum such as this, it's quite apparent that we have a LONG way to go.

[GreyZone]

Originally Posted by aohige

Seeing such derogatory attitudes by some towards gays, even in a relatively progressive forum such as this, it's quite apparent that we have a LONG way to go.

I think aside from the religious aspect and people finding it "unnatural", the only reason I can think of is that they are scared that a person of the same sex could confess to them. How would the person have to respond? "No, sorry, I am not like that."? I guess that is something very uncomfortable.

Well I guess for a homosexual person it must feel the same when someone of the opposite sex asks them out.

In that case the ones who got it best are Bi-sexuals


Well whatever... I still prefer being hetero myself.

[MeoTwister5]

Once had a gay guy try to hit on me for some reason back in college. Told them I don't swing that way, and was called a homophobe by said guy and his friend.

No idea why.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by GreyZone

I think aside from the religious aspect and people finding it "unnatural", the only reason I can think of is that they are scared that a person of the same sex could confess to them. How would the person have to respond? "No, sorry, I am not like that."? I guess that is something very uncomfortable.

Well I guess for a homosexual person it must feel the same when someone of the opposite sex asks them out.

In that case the ones who got it best are Bi-sexuals


Well whatever... I still prefer being hetero myself.

Is that not one of the greatest compliment that you can receive? That you are so attractive that other guys would confess to you.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Is that not one of the greatest compliment that you can receive? That you are so attractive that other guys would confess to you.

The way I see it, yeah. I remember there was a sitcom gag where someone was worried he might be hit on by a gay man, to which his friend who was actually gay, say "dream on, that guy is out of your league".
Gay people aren't desperate, they aren't going to go around trying to seduce random people.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

The way I see it, yeah. I remember there was a sitcom gag where someone was worried he might be hit on by a gay man, to which his friend who was actually gay, say "dream on, that guy is out of your league".
Gay people aren't desperate, they aren't going to go around trying to seduce random people.

Yeah, but what if I'm really hot?

Originally Posted by GreyZone

About that "homosexual marriage" discussion:
It is sad how people's brains switch off when they start talking about this topic.

The "homosexual marriage supporters" try to push the discussion toward "equality and personal freedom" (but you cannot force someone who is intent on preventing homosexual marriage to accept it. Everyone has the freedom of speech after all), but more often than not try to evade the problem that the economic benefits that marriage includes are supposed to make it more "family friendly", but unless the homosexual couple actually adopts children, that economic boost is pointless. The present low birthrates (in europe for example) also are not helping their case (though a lot of heterosexual couples don't want to "make kids" either, while of course still wanting to "make love"). A lot of supporters also seem to like straw man arguments and double standards.

The "homosexual marriage opposition" has the problem that a lot of them only use religious arguments, which makes a discussion at best "difficult", at worst impossible. Even if they want to force homosexuals to not be homosexuals... they cannot (at least not those homosexuals that have lived their whole life with their sexuality and have come into terms with it). Also their approch is very unproductive for their own cause. If you say "you are forbidden to be homosexual", then people with a rebellious personality, or "hipsters" may become homosexual, just to go against the rules. I really don't understand why they don't use a more subtle approch, trying to use carefully applied conditioning, be it by advertisment, works of fiction, or other means.

If it was me this matter could be easily solved: Legalize homosexual marriage, but also reform the marriage laws, so that any economic benefits from marriage only applies if you have children.
That way the homosexual people who just want to marry for symbolism would be happy, while the amount of homosexual marriages wouldn't be too high as those homosexual couples who only wanted to earn the economic benefit would lose their interest in marriage. The reform would also motivate heterosexual couples to get kids. Families without kids usually can concentrate on their career, which should balance out theeir missing benefits for not having kids.

But it seems the thoughts of governments are not even close to this.... which is sad... really, really sad...

I am of course not talking about the people on THIS forum here, as most people here seem to be very resonable, but the ocean of the internet? yea...

I wouldn't really mind pushing some of the tax benefits of matrimony toward child rearing, but the problem is that you trivialize the gay marriage when you say it's purely about money.

I saw a report once on whether being married really cost less in taxes. The answer is that it depends. Unless we're talking about a couple of fiscalists, most people don't really know for sure if they'll play less in taxes when they marry.

Being married is about a lot of other things, like child custody, visitation right...

It's also a matter of principle. Even though the back of the bus goes to the same places as the front, is it alright to tell Black people, or whatever minority, where they can or cannot sit?

[Sumeragi]

As long as laws related to marriage are "biased" (for lack of a better word) towards heterosexual marriages and childbirth, it will take some time for homosexual marriage to be fully accepted within the realm of the law.

[Eragon]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Is that not one of the greatest compliment that you can receive? That you are so attractive that other guys would confess to you.

Well, that partly depends on the social environment you were brought up in. Like, one of my friends roommate is gay. When he told my friend that he was gay, he almost immediately wanted to be allocated a different room (Of course, he didn't say as much in that person's face). His, and admittedly of quite a few people I know, misconception is that being gay somehow means that they are incredibly promiscuous, which scares them. Yes, my country is pretty much 3rd world in terms of social structure and behavior but, its an example worth considering nonetheless.

[aohige]

Well, shared living space is an entirely different issue.
Many girls feel uncomfortable living with non-family male, even if they are good friends.
It happens with heterosexual people too, if there is a possibility of roommate becoming a relationship partner.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Is that not one of the greatest compliment that you can receive? That you are so attractive that other guys would confess to you.

No, that is a total nightmare if both parties are male, you little twat.

Don't ever mention it again.

[Zakoo]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Is that not one of the greatest compliment that you can receive? That you are so attractive that other guys would confess to you.

Hmm dunno, last time when I was doing a part time job there was that old man that said to me :

"Your window display is really delicous, but above all you are the most delicious".

The dood was like ... 70 years old, believe me, it didn't please me the slightest. Just remembering how maintaining a proper face was hard hurts my jaw.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Zakoo

Hmm dunno, last time when I was doing a part time job there was that old man that said to me :

"Your window display is really delicous, but above all you are the most delicious".

The dood was like ... 70 years old, believe me, it didn't please me the slightest. Just remembering how maintaining a proper face was hard hurts my jaw.

You should take pride in being an authentic French shota with trap potential.

But yeah, being the reciepient of such a compliment or confession seems...unpleasant and out of place.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

No, that is a total nightmare if both parties are male, you little twat.

Don't ever mention it again.

Bah, I consider it as a huge compliment, just sad that it never happened to me. But I am amused by that double standard. Girls calling other girls cute or beautiful is fine (which I understand as girls are just so much better to look at ), but guys doing that? All hell breaks loose.

Originally Posted by Zakoo

Hmm dunno, last time when I was doing a part time job there was that old man that said to me :

"Your window display is really delicous, but above all you are the most delicious".

The dood was like ... 70 years old, believe me, it didn't please me the slightest. Just remembering how maintaining a proper face was hard hurts my jaw.

Two possibilities, he was a cannibal or you were really delicious.
Still, that case is bit different as his statement seems to be very creepy.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Bah, I consider it as a huge compliment, just sad that it never happened to me. But I am amused by that double standard. Girls calling other girls cute or beautiful is fine (which I understand as girls are just so much better to look at ), but guys doing that? All hell breaks loose.

Pfft noobs, that's because you forgot to put the tagline

"No Homo."

[ganbaru]

Activity picks up at big China factories, smaller firms struggle
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...97004W20130801

[GDB]

Originally Posted by aohige

Well, shared living space is an entirely different issue.
Many girls feel uncomfortable living with non-family male, even if they are good friends.
It happens with heterosexual people too, if there is a possibility of roommate becoming a relationship partner.

This. Especially if it's college, where the likelihood of alcohol and doing stupid things is high.

Originally Posted by Zakoo

Hmm dunno, last time when I was doing a part time job there was that old man that said to me :

"Your window display is really delicous, but above all you are the most delicious".

The dood was like ... 70 years old, believe me, it didn't please me the slightest. Just remembering how maintaining a proper face was hard hurts my jaw.

I doubt you'd have much of a different reaction if it had been a 70 year old woman.

[Eragon]

The difference being that he went one whole year without any kind of incident (the gay guy wasn't into alcohol and stuff, as far as I know). He stayed with him for a whole year and suddenly he becomes paranoid that his roomie will do something.