The ***OFFICIAL*** Weekend Singles' Thread -- Easter Weekend (April 14-16)

April 14, 2006 | Victoria Delsoul and Army Air Corps

[Victoria Delsoul]

The True Meaning of Easter

By: Paul Arinaga

There's a lot of controversy about the true meaning of Easter. Some claim that it's actually a pagan celebration in origin. Others lament that retailers, greeting card companies and television are changing Christianity's greatest feast into something with meaning "the size of a jelly bean."

In any case, the most common view about the real meaning of Easter is that it's a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that through this act, sin and death are conquered. Easter also can be seen as a season of joy. The time of sorrow is over. Lent's penitential forty days have passed, and the fifty days of the Easter season have begun. Winter is over and spring is in the air. In times past, it's said that priests would regale their parishioners with funny stories. Easter was truly a time to rejoice. To rejoice that Our Lord has Risen and that one day we too shall pass through death (which has lost its sting) and rise to New Life!

While I am certainly not erudite enough to give you the definitive answer on what Easter means. I believe that it offers many valuable insights about life, no matter what your religious beliefs. In fact, the Easter story is so powerful that it probably offers something even to an open-minded atheist!

One of the biggest lessons from the Easter story, I believe, is the power of forgiveness. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about what forgiveness actually is. In my opinion, it doesn't mean condoning the wrong that has been committed or allowing it to happen again. Moreover, the act of forgiving is not necessarily something you do for the transgressor (although it can be), although its power can transform the transgressor, too. It is something you may do for yourself.

When you can forgive, you can finally be free of the burden of guilt, anger, hatred or resentment. The healing process can begin or finally conclude. You can also let go of the person who hurt you. This makes you stronger and removes the power that person has over you. It's somehow ironic that by not forgiving we allow the person who has harmed us to continue to harm us, even if they themselves are unaware of the long-term damage that is being inflicted. Of course, ultimately, we are responsible. By taking responsibility now for our own interpretation of what happened in the past, we become much stronger - I think that's what people mean when they talk about "self-empowerment".

I'm not sure whether forgiveness is the main lesson of the Easter story or even a primary message from it. But I am sure that it is a valuable one. And I'm also certain that if we can learn how to forgive, we will be more productive - and happier - human beings.

Hi everybody. The themes for today are sports and movies:

1- Strange sports stories where you either participated or were a spectator. (Anything that seemed out of the ordinary and made you laugh.)

2- Favorite romantic films. Tell us about your most memorable tv/movie romances, or romantic moments.

3- Tell us about your favorite romantic movie dance scene: actors, actress, songs, soundtrack... which particular scene you thought was the best, famous quotes, etc.

And as you all well know, “in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes” and since it is also a tax weekend, we'd like to add some tax trivia, too.

Make sure to read this great essay regarding the history of taxes in the U.S. written by Army Air Corps. Outstanding job, AAC. Thanks.

Tax Trivia:

1. In 1913, the Sixteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution was passed. What did it do?

2. About how much did the U. S. government collect in Income Taxes in the year 2001?

3. Which country does NOT have an income tax?

4. Why was the first U. S. Income Tax implemented?

5. Which U. S. President was responsible for the largest Federal Income Tax cut in the 20th century?

6. Which President implemented the very first Income Tax in the United States?

7. As a percent of income, which country has the highest tax rate?

8. As of the year 2000, the U. S. Internal Revenue Code (or tax code for short) is how many pages long?

9. Who writes the Income Tax laws in the United States?

10. What does the Internal Revenue Service call their electronic method of filing Income Taxes?

Please, join us for some fun.

Your hosts for the weekend are:

Victoria Delsoul                             Army Air Corps

This weekend's Music

Sergio Mendes & Black Eyed Peas - Mas Que Nada

Shakira - Whenever, Whatever

Los Lonely Boys - Heaven

Los Lonely Boys – Heaven (Spanish Version)

Etta James – At Last

Charlie Rich – The Most Beautiful Girl

The Cardigans – Lovefool

Maroon 5 - This Love

Frank Sinatra – I've Got You Under My Skin

Smokey Robinson – Just To See Her

Mariah Carey - Emotions

Barry Manilow – Copacabana

Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders - The Game Of Love

Andy Williams – Moon River

Louie Prima – Jump Jive And Wail

Shania Twain - You're Still The One

Smokey Robinson – Cruisin'

The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin'

Ricky Martin – Livin' The Vida Loca

Goo Goo Dolls – Give A Little Bit

Neil Diamond - America

Lou Bega – Mambo No. 5

Bobby Darin – Mack The Knife

Wayne Newton – Danke Schoen

Neil Diamond – I Am I Said

Bobby Darin – Beyond The Sea

The Marcels – Blue Moon

Sam Cooke – Another Saturday Night

Elvis Presley – My Way

Patti Labelle – Lady Marmalade

The Pretenders – Back On The Chain Gang

Bobby Darin - More

Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now

Roy Orbison – Pretty Woman

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Sheryl Crow – All I Want To Do

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Darn. Now we have to stop talking about him. ;-)

[Hoodlum91]

AH HAH!!!!!

[RockinRight]

I think I heard him try to sneak in...

[snugs]

Deep Purple bit loud for me.

Pink Floyd - Division Bell is my favourite Album

Rod Stewart - Maggie and Sailing are my favourite.

In the early seventies the BBC did a program (one of the first fly on the wall reality shows) on the British Navy they used the Rod Steward song as the theme tune.

[pcottraux]

Yes, I had a great time, although today going home was a little brutal.

[DollyCali]

what was brutal about going home? weather? I noted my son in NC has had a lot of thunderstorm warnings etc. I have my cast & get any "severe" updates for his area & my brother's in Oklahoma

[pcottraux]

BUSTED!!!! Run!!!!

[pcottraux]

Well, first I had insomnia last night and only slept for about an hour and a half last night. Getting up and getting ready to go was a nightmare for some reason. I got a few more hours on the way home. But it was just a tough ride. The rest of the vacation (before last night) was good.

[rzeznikj at stout]

That's ok--I didn't notice ;)

[tuliptree76]

Class went fine today. Nothing eventful happened - which is a good thing. LOL!

[rzeznikj at stout]

Same here--classes were rather boring today.

Synthesized ferrofluids in Chem today--my lab station was right next to where the Bio dept was keeping their partially-dissected fetal pigs. And nothing was blown up...;)

[pcottraux]

*Phew*

[tuliptree76]

Um... ew!

[Rca2000]

I have been getting some junk ready for the upcoming AK fest this Weekend I will be there Saturday.

(So, someone MAY have to begin the thread Saturday evening, I am not sure when I will be home that evening. )

When I say "junk", I mean stuff that I just have lying around here, and some of it is indeed valuable, and I am not using any of it. (an audio scope, several receivers, cassette decks, a couple of turntables, amps, and so on)

I hope to make a bit this weekend, as I could use it!! I have about 12 items lined up to sell and about 4 "freebies" that i will be taking there.

[rzeznikj at stout]

Well, I was in lab--see #1251...;)

[Rca2000]

Isn't ferrofluid the fluid that has magnetic properties?? (IOW-- has "attraction" to a magnetic force, like ferrous metals would??)

[tuliptree76]

Good luck with that. :-)

[Rca2000]

BTW-- have you ever "played" with any "good stuff" like magnesium ribbon, stuck in a gas flame, or Hydrochloric acid, (and seeing what you can dissolve in it, such as aluminum bolts and pop cans), or sulfur or flash powder or things like that??

(not that I would have ANY first hand knowledge of those things>>>)

[rzeznikj at stout]

Truth be told, I couldn't smell the formaldehyde--just the smell of aqueous ammonium solution mixing with both ferric chloride (FeCl₃ or iron (III) chloride) and ferrous chloride (FeCl₂ or iron (II) chloride)

When mixed with the ammonium solution, magnetite formed--and when this gooey mess was mixed with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (and drained), the black solution spiked when held above a magnet.

Of course, the station where all my labware is stored is right next to the fume hoods, and the Bio classes were doing their dissections in the fume hoods (thankfully, were closed).

Normally, this isn't a problem ;)

[Maximus_Ridiculousness]

PHIL!!!!!!