INTENSITY²

Start here => What's your crime? Basic Discussion => Topic started by: vodz on December 05, 2007, 03:31:47 AM

Title: What's your Spokane?
Post by: vodz on December 05, 2007, 03:31:47 AM
Maybe this should go in introductions, but it can start here.

Just list your major obsessions with brief descriptions. If you have many try to lump them together and only go into detail for the BIG ones.

Some of yours we all know and love/hate you for it (as hinted in the thread title).
Others I don't personally know.

Mine changes every 3 to 6 months I think. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.
At the moment, I spend countless hours trawling the internet for guitar and bass gear, despite the fact I have no money.
I would be much better off putting that time into practice! But guitars are so pretty  :'(

Otherwise I think about psychedelic drugs and why I'm here (philosophy I guess) or music.

Before I educated myself about AS (and subsequently diagnosed myself) I used to rant about my obsessions to anyone.
Now I realise what I was doing I hold myself back somewhat. I understand not everyone is interested in how a particular street drug works, they just want to get high.
It was rather amusing when I decided I porbably have AS and was ranting about that to everyone I met! Or whenever Graig Nicholl's fuckwittery came up in conversation. "I have AS! But I take Zoloft now, it's ok!" Jesus. Poor people.

--------------=============----------------===========-----------=-=-=-=-------

edit: I decided it's way too much work to list poeple's shit for them.

Poeple is a common typo for me.

Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 03:35:16 AM
history (WWII, C19th british, soviet, local)
maps
postcards
music
cats
golden mantella frogs
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: SovaNu on December 05, 2007, 04:05:36 AM
i think Calandale's is love. heh.

my list:

TV & movies
music & art
spamming teh internet
aliens & paranormal
bones & skeletons
winter & snow
smoking & stargazing
drugs & booze
gothic stuff
gay guys, hot guys
archeology and language, anthropology, philosophy, psychology...

oh btw my Benny & Joon was Fight Club. :laugh: i still love it but i don't babble about it.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Mr Smith on December 05, 2007, 05:32:35 AM
Some of mine change, some always stay the same.

- Cats
My oldest obsession that's still going
- nintendo
Everything from games to merchandise, to drawing it, to sewing it, to talking about it
- bunches of grapes
- food with faces
- food things, like handbags with cupcakes on them, spoons with icecreams on the end
- my appearance. And this isn't a fun one
- pink things
- sparkly and lacy things
- tiny versions of regular sized things, and huge versions of regular sized things. I have baby and jumbo playing cards for example.
- Non fiction books on space and science.

I went through a gay guy obsession but i'm over that now.
Also people that look like people i've liked in the past.. but it's probably more of a taste thing.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Kosmonaut on December 05, 2007, 05:55:59 AM
Gambling - poker, blackjack, horses, tennis, golf, NFL, anything really
Music
Food, cooking, fish
Reading Nietzsche at the moment ( obviously been through many different phases)
Spam & trollery
piano
drinking red wine
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Fritz the Cat on December 05, 2007, 06:44:32 AM
-UE
'Cause its darn fun!
-Reality gaming
It's fun too, I'm in one right now.

The list goes on actually, I guess the only difference is that when I usually talk about my obsessions people are really intrigued and intrested. To some point though.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Pyraxis on December 05, 2007, 01:30:54 PM
current:
Ballastexistenz
Karn (neolithic fantasy world I created)
colors
dissociative disorders
texture reference photos (of the type used in 3d modeling)
Neverwinter Nights

old:
autism
Donna Williams
Nathaniel Branden
Ayn Rand
survival stories
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 01:32:44 PM
Quote
Calandale - cats

Are you fucking high?


milla's closer. The couple that
have been with me forever have
been my love of games, reading,
history, and fantasy.

Love only showed up later.

Anything that only lasts a couple
of years, I don't really even consider an
obsession. More just a habit. Dancing
seems to fit into that category. Programming
did.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Pyraxis on December 05, 2007, 01:33:47 PM
Vodzy - bass guitar, creating music (bands, electronica), mind expansion.

Define mind expansion.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 02:06:27 PM
How things work
history
radio&radios
old electronic equipment
Tools and machining
Antiques

Many others to many to mention
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: garmonbozia on December 05, 2007, 06:53:45 PM
Since you said, what's your Spokane, perhaps everyone should mention a city, if you've ever been obsessed with a city...

I used to find Atlanta very interesting, and for the longest time tried to get a job there so I could move there.  The reasons for that were logical: big city, therefore lots of opportunity, but still in the southeastern US, so not much culture shock to worry about.  Ended up getting just a couple of phone interviews and one on-site interview at a little company in its suburbs.  I gave up on that after running too many times into "local candidates only", "travel/relocation not reimbursed", and the one every Aspie hates... [drumroll]... "excellent communication skills required".  I'll now be looking into what's near my current location.  (Currently employed, just not making as much as I think I could be.)

Other obsessions of mine include:

Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 06:59:35 PM
As for  city Saint John's Newfoundland I have never been but always wanted to go.  I used to listen to a shortwave CBC station from there and also on the net the local stations from there
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 07:01:31 PM
im kind of obsessed with manchester, especially the area i live in, and oxford road, and grosvenor square there. there was a chruch there called All Saints church, it got bombed by the Luftwaffe though and its not there anymore. i have photos of it though, some really cool ones. thats where i go to sit where my sophie tree is. you can see the outline of where the church used to be. and i have loads of old postcards of oxford road.

i used to be obsessed with the plague and fire of london 1665/6 when i was a kid, if that counts as a city obsession. and pompeii. i went there when i was 7. i really want to go back one day, but not in the summer, i hate hot weather.

sophie was obsessed with russia - moscow, st petersburg
and she liked cats and music and playing guitar and piano and horses and stuff
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: garmonbozia on December 05, 2007, 07:15:11 PM
That's interesting about the church, because I used to be curious about a long-destroyed building.  I started university at a campus that had been almost completely destroyed during the American Civil War, and then rebuilt.  Walking around its campus, you could see remnants of the former buildings.  The one I found most interesting was the one that stood where the library now stands.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 07:21:30 PM
i like things like that, i think it's really interesting. i'm doing a history degree, so i love things like that. i'm in a modern building, but there are several very old ones. the square where the church used to be is probably my favourite though. you can't see the building or anything, but you can see the outline of where it was. i like looking it up in some of the old books in the library.

i found it in some the other day:

(http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3668/ndtyncs2.png)

this is it in 1866:

(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/471/allsaintschurch1866ja2.jpg)

and this is it during the fire there in 1850:

(http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/3346/allsaintschurchfire1850wr0.jpg)

and this is an areil photo from 1932, it's not the church, but it's the area where i live. there's a cotton mill there and you can see Park Hospital where i was born. it's now called Trafford General and it was the first NHS hospital in England and Wales after 1948.

(http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9673/flixtoncottonmillparkhovs0.jpg)

i dont understand why hardly anyone finds these things as fascinating as the really are :laugh:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 07:25:18 PM
I'd love to see where the church was it's living history it would make all I have read about the bombings of WW2 seem so much more real and not just a writing in a book
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 07:27:39 PM
yeah thats what i like about it. i can walk through the exact bit where it was and think about it, and all the people buried underneath my feet lol
theres a tree there i go to sit at quite a lot, i was sat there about an hour before i found out sophie had died, and i picked up a leaf there for some reason and kept it ever since. i always think about her when i sit there now. althouhg i think about her almost 24/7 anyway now. it's a nice church as well, i found some good pictures of it from winter 1900 or 1910 which i like
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 07:33:22 PM
I love looking at old books with pictures of the own I live in then going to the places to see how much things changed.  In England you have so much more history to see I am jealous.  I also like collecting things from different times knowing they were handled by people so long ago
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 07:33:33 PM
I used to visit the Buffalo Historical Society
regularly. Not so much the Teddy Roosevelt
inaugural site, even though it was right around
the corner from me. It was just objects, but the
historical society had MAPS! I was lucky to have a
friend who worked at both.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 07:40:20 PM
i love old maps
i have two of manchester from 1880-90 (both have all saints church labeled on them :D) and a few others. maps are so awesome.

I love looking at old books with pictures of the own I live in then going to the places to see how much things changed.  In England you have so much more history to see I am jealous.  I also like collecting things from different times knowing they were handled by people so long ago

i like doing that too. that's why i like old postcards. i have quite a lot with photos of the area i live in on them, and also were used and written on by people a hundred years ago etc. it's really interesting seeing what they wrote. that's why i like museums too. london has a lot of history. i'm going down there soon. i was obsessed with the seventeenth century and tudors when i was a kid. i even had a cat named after henry VIII  :laugh:
i'm glad i live somewhere with a lot of history, it's probably the only reason i really like it here lol
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 07:43:18 PM
Used to look at paintings in history books,
and drum (stimming essentially, with visual
component) myself into the scenes.  :laugh:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 07:48:12 PM
I have a penny from 1797 so worn it is almost flat all I can think about is who touched it.  Also some military collectibles a saber from 1863 and some German an American  WW2 items 
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 07:51:27 PM
i think my nana has some medals somewhere from my great great grandfather or something, but i havent been there for a while. i have a soviet one from the ukraine. its only from 1970 though so not that old, but it has lenin on it which i like. i have an old newspaper from during the war (1941 i think) - some of the adverts in it are interesting. most of the old stuff i have is maps and postcards. i like thinking about who owned it and who wrote it and what they did, where they lived, what they were like.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 07:57:24 PM
I have medals (mainly WWII and later),
a WWII Lugar (and holster), a bunch
of uniform jackets (mostly fairly modern,
but a WWII Eisenhower (army air corps!),
and also an old NYS militia jacket (from a general -
have his medals too). Then we get to swords.
A couple 19th century (my sword stick is one of
these), some ceremonial ones, and then a couple
of fairly old ones. Plus a decent handful of replicas.
Finally (and always on my finger) a seljuk ring that
my wife smuggled out of Turkey for me. All my life,
there was a ring waiting for me - this was it.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 07:58:27 PM
The town I live in was founded in 1639 so is pretty old for the US and from the 1890's it was a beach resort town.  So I have lots of post cards from then.   I want some ancient coins Greek or Roman  some aren't that expensive. 
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 08:01:02 PM
i was looking at swords in the museum shop today (not real old ones, replicas), i really want one  :laugh:
my brothers like playing with toy swords though so if they found it they'd probably injure themselves lol
it would go well with my pirate hat though :P
i tried to buy an old postcard with a picture of the church near my house once on ebay, but some bastard outbid me. i was really pissed off   :laugh:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 08:02:07 PM
Coins are fairly easy. But, they too have to
be smuggled. You live in Connecticut, right?
The house I grew up in was an old 18th century
salter (modified) in Portland CT.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 08:03:34 PM
i was looking at swords in the museum shop today (not real old ones, replicas), i really want one  :laugh:
my brothers like playing with toy swords though so if they found it they'd probably injure themselves lol
it would go well with my pirate hat though :P
i tried to buy an old postcard with a picture of the church near my house once on ebay, but some bastard outbid me. i was really pissed off   :laugh:

I love swords. Like I said before, I almost bought a
real bicorn, which looked like your hat. I wish I had.
Was only a few hundred. Hell, my wife spent that on
my (new) tophat.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 08:06:13 PM
I had more swords but business was slow part of the summer and had to let go of some :(  My grandmother's house had all kinds of old guns back to flint locks but my brothers got them all except for a flintlock pistol I have.  As for really old I have some fossil bones,wood and a dinosaur track
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 08:08:23 PM
I used to hunt fossils.
Have a really nice trilobite.
A bunch of old shark's teeth
too. My mom's got all the old
guns. Nothing back that far though.
Back at Ft. Niagara, we used to play
with replica muskets though - that was
fun.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 08:10:31 PM
Coins are fairly easy. But, they too have to
be smuggled. You live in Connecticut, right?
The house I grew up in was an old 18th century
salter (modified) in Portland CT.

I love old houses and have worked on many.  I live in Milford Ct which is along the shore near New Haven
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 08:12:57 PM
i want my own castle, with a drawbridge. and i can wear my hat and have a sword and go and fight some bad guys.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 08:13:28 PM
I used to love CT, but it seems so different
now. Like, all the old areas have become suburbs.
Pisses me off. There was a covered bridge within
walking distance of our house. Only one person
lived at all close by (an old man I used to visit -
weird coot, used to shoot his roosters, 'cause they'd
wake him up).
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 08:15:16 PM
i want my own castle, with a drawbridge. and i can wear my hat and have a sword and go and fight some bad guys.

Sometimes I think that I really belonged living at
Old Ft. Niagara. It was great to sleep in the commander's
quarters. Everyone else was afraid of the bed. It was
the most comfortable thing I slept in. Only a couple hours
of rest, and I was good to go.

I'd wander the battlements at night (in full uniform),
and scare the kids staying there. :laugh:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 05, 2007, 08:15:59 PM
Things have changed greatly I'd like to go further North were there are less people
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 08:17:03 PM
when my friend slept at my house once when i was younger we moved the beds into the middle to make trenches so we could have a war lol
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 08:26:35 PM
my high school in 1932:
urmston grammar. full of bastards.

(http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/3209/urmstongrammarschool193by4.jpg)

and urmston train station in 1910:

(http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5294/urmstonstation1910hp3.jpg)
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 05, 2007, 09:00:16 PM
where is everybody?

(http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9052/androaf4.png)
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 05, 2007, 09:47:14 PM
when my friend slept at my house once when i was younger we moved the beds into the middle to make trenches so we could have a war lol

We had snow trenches, on one of
my friend's streets. One family (across
the street) built a fort, and we outdid them,
by digging a trenchline. Armor plated it with
big slabs of ice that we made every night.
And this was in April.  :o

where is everybody?


Sorry, had to go play a porn game.  :laugh:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: GalileoAce on December 05, 2007, 10:31:43 PM
Since you said, what's your Spokane, perhaps everyone should mention a city, if you've ever been obsessed with a city...

Geelong?
(http://www.geelongbusiness.com.au/sitephotos/large/1107836701.jpg)

Though my actual obsessions are as follows:

Star Trek, as is indicated by the large number of images pertaining to it on my PC. And images I make...
(http://galileoace.com/Posters/STVindicator_old.jpg)
and
(http://galileoace.com/Misc/SuzanneTrek.jpg)

Science Fiction.
Like Stargate:
(http://spyhunter007.com/Images/stargate.jpg)
and Farscape
(http://www.treksf.com/podcast/farscape_sm.jpg)
and SciFi novels like the Miles Vorkosigan saga
(http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/vorkosigan/img/vorkosigan_bust.jpg)

I also love video games...of many and varied sorts
(http://card.mygamercard.net/mini/GalileoAce.png)

And various other exploits and pursuits...
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: SovaNu on December 05, 2007, 11:36:58 PM
when my friend slept at my house once when i was younger we moved the beds into the middle to make trenches so we could have a war lol

i played in the nearby trenches with my friends all the time, there were lots of them where i grew up. we would jump over them and play in them pretending it was a house with rooms, there were little rooms, one christmas eve we found a pine tree and dragged it into the little room in the trenches and it was our christmas tree. it was so fun.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Dexter Morgan on December 06, 2007, 08:11:28 PM
maps
climate
stuff on wikipedia
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: richard on December 09, 2007, 12:31:46 PM
rocks & sportscards
music
meteorites
sleeping
masturbating
watching a haunted
ichiro suzuki
yao ming
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Teejay on December 23, 2007, 11:25:23 PM
Star Trek from age 12 I think to 14
Politics and Current Affairs from 15-19
The Sims and The Sims 2 from 19-22
These days I get obsessed with something for a little while and then get bored with it.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Natalia Evans on December 24, 2007, 02:25:32 AM
My major obsessions:


Spokane
Benny & Joon
Aspergers and autism



Oh I like old maps too. I like looking at old maps of places and comparing them to newer maps but I'm not obsessed about it.


Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Gluey on December 27, 2007, 02:30:28 AM
Ringo
The Beatles
Computers
Video game emulation on PC and DS
Nintendo DS
Atheism and being a religious skeptical
My pet rat
Drawing and Painting


 

Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 27, 2007, 09:34:57 AM
lol I didn't even see this.   Sometimes these vary and concentration goes from one to the other to make others interests and others move to obsession status.

- Video/PC games (from NES to current its an obsession that has been the most constant).
- Guitar and music in general (play some bass and keyboards/synth as well). Started listening seriously at age 7, began playing guitar at 15 (29 now).
- Drawing, art in general and architecture (actually went to Junior university in 6th grade doing architecture).
- The end of existence and/or humanity.  Death and misanthropy.  Thomas Malthus and population expansion.
- RPGs (moreso 6 years ago).   Dungeons and Dragons mostly with some GURPS (Robotech/Mech game), Marvel Superheroes pen and paper RPG.
- Sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, FIFA up until I was 15).   When I began playing music I stopped following and playing all sports other than the NFL and College Football.   That is mostly due to being a Jaguars season ticket holder since the team's inception.  I was on my highschool's Junior varsity soccer/football team in 9th grade, then I quit playing sports to play music.  Sports in general now are only an interest other than the Jaguars.
- Marajuana from age 15 or so onward (one year break from all drugs/booze age 25-26).   Drugs in general were obsession from age 17 to 25.  Now its just back to good old marajuana with some alcohol.
- Transformers from age 4 to whenever the first movie came out and Hot Rod became Rodimus Prime (said fuck you to the series after that).
- Movies (mostly Martial Arts, Action, Sci-Fi/Fantasy).
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 27, 2007, 09:41:53 AM
Vodzy - bass guitar, creating music (bands, electronica), mind expansion.

Define mind expansion.
IMO he meant mind exploration while under the influence of hallucinogens.   My mind is the size of my brain, it is the active or part that I have used.  When I trip sometimes I think about things I normally wouldn't think about, or see things a different way.  That is more a change of perception.  Mind expansion could also mean learning, but I would just say that outright.  My brain itself which is where my mind really is, physically doesn't really change in size and couldn't be defined as an obsession if it did.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Peter on December 27, 2007, 09:51:21 AM
I love looking at old books with pictures of the own I live in then going to the places to see how much things changed.  In England you have so much more history to see I am jealous.  I also like collecting things from different times knowing they were handled by people so long ago

Some people have gotten burned by the history here, like people who've bought country houses and then gotten a bill from the local church and discovered there's an ancient law or land deed or something that makes them liable for it's upkeep.  Some people make money out of exploiting ancient feudal laws by buying properties that give them titles to local commons areas and stuff.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Peter on December 27, 2007, 09:54:10 AM
Vodzy - bass guitar, creating music (bands, electronica), mind expansion.

Define mind expansion.
IMO he meant mind exploration while under the influence of hallucinogens.   My mind is the size of my brain, it is the active or part that I have used.  When I trip sometimes I think about things I normally wouldn't think about, or see things a different way.  That is more a change of perception.  Mind expansion could also mean learning, but I would just say that outright.  My brain itself which is where my mind really is, physically doesn't really change in size and couldn't be defined as an obsession if it did.

I want cybernetic implants to expand my mind.  Some RAM chips would be really good, since my working memory is completely shit.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 27, 2007, 10:00:09 AM
I love looking at old books with pictures of the own I live in then going to the places to see how much things changed.  In England you have so much more history to see I am jealous.  I also like collecting things from different times knowing they were handled by people so long ago

Some people have gotten burned by the history here, like people who've bought country houses and then gotten a bill from the local church and discovered there's an ancient law or land deed or something that makes them liable for it's upkeep.  Some people make money out of exploiting ancient feudal laws by buying properties that give them titles to local commons areas and stuff.
Why do the ancient fuedal laws like that still exist?   Whoever owns the land owns the land here, they have to pay property taxes to the government.   We do have some silly old laws though that don't make sense.   There are neighborhood fees, but that is for gated neighborhoods with common areas and working security guards usually.   We have to pay a neighborhood association so they fix fences, common area landscaping, etc.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Peter on December 27, 2007, 10:05:52 AM
-UE
'Cause its darn fun!
-Reality gaming
It's fun too, I'm in one right now.

The list goes on actually, I guess the only difference is that when I usually talk about my obsessions people are really intrigued and intrested. To some point though.

What reality game are you in?  What do you do for it?
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 27, 2007, 10:08:28 AM
Vodzy - bass guitar, creating music (bands, electronica), mind expansion.

Define mind expansion.
IMO he meant mind exploration while under the influence of hallucinogens.   My mind is the size of my brain, it is the active or part that I have used.  When I trip sometimes I think about things I normally wouldn't think about, or see things a different way.  That is more a change of perception.  Mind expansion could also mean learning, but I would just say that outright.  My brain itself which is where my mind really is, physically doesn't really change in size and couldn't be defined as an obsession if it did.

I want cybernetic implants to expand my mind.  Some RAM chips would be really good, since my working memory is completely shit.
The equivalent of and external firewire hard drive might be nice.  It will be interesting once we understand the science of the human brain and animal brains in general to a greater degree.   Learning like in the Matrix is fucking crazy though.   Physical temporary memory would be harder to replace since it is most likely closer to the cognitive functions imo.  A defrag tool or something to reorganize and reprioritize the mind would be nice.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Peter on December 27, 2007, 10:10:28 AM
I love looking at old books with pictures of the own I live in then going to the places to see how much things changed.  In England you have so much more history to see I am jealous.  I also like collecting things from different times knowing they were handled by people so long ago

Some people have gotten burned by the history here, like people who've bought country houses and then gotten a bill from the local church and discovered there's an ancient law or land deed or something that makes them liable for it's upkeep.  Some people make money out of exploiting ancient feudal laws by buying properties that give them titles to local commons areas and stuff.
Why do the ancient fuedal laws like that still exist?   Whoever owns the land owns the land here, they have to pay property taxes to the government.   We do have some silly old laws though that don't make sense.   There are neighborhood fees, but that is for gated neighborhoods with common areas and working security guards usually.   We have to pay a neighborhood association so they fix fences, common area landscaping, etc.

We have council tax that covers the upkeep of common areas, along with all the roads and waste collection and things.  Scotland recently abolished (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2004/11/26163736) all the feudal property laws, but there are still a bunch of them in effect in England.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Peter on December 27, 2007, 10:11:49 AM
My interests are all pretty fleeting.  I don't get interested in things the same way I did as a kid.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 27, 2007, 10:16:46 AM
Why do the ancient fuedal laws like that still exist?   Whoever owns the land owns the land here, they have to pay property taxes to the government.   We do have some silly old laws though that don't make sense.   There are neighborhood fees, but that is for gated neighborhoods with common areas and working security guards usually.   We have to pay a neighborhood association so they fix fences, common area landscaping, etc.

Don't denigrate feudalism. Land isn't really 'owned' under
pure feudalism. And there sure the hell wasn't property tax.  :laugh:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 27, 2007, 10:23:11 AM
Why do the ancient fuedal laws like that still exist?   Whoever owns the land owns the land here, they have to pay property taxes to the government.   We do have some silly old laws though that don't make sense.   There are neighborhood fees, but that is for gated neighborhoods with common areas and working security guards usually.   We have to pay a neighborhood association so they fix fences, common area landscaping, etc.

Don't denigrate feudalism. Land isn't really 'owned' under
pure feudalism. And there sure the hell wasn't property tax.  :laugh:
Exactly, I would rather own my land.   If I am not in a neighborhood here, I can do whatever the fuck I want with my land for the most part.   Our neighborhood will bitch about certain things, but they aren't really a problem imo.   Feudalism the Lord or King owns all the land and you only are allowed to live on it.  That is worse than paying rent in my opinion.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 27, 2007, 10:37:05 AM
Ah. I don't much believe that a person
should own land, but rather serve it.
Such a shift would do a lot of good,
for the environment.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Soph on December 27, 2007, 11:01:28 AM
no human owns the land. they just think they do.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 27, 2007, 11:06:16 AM
That's the thing with feudalism, it's really just
a small step away from the totally communal
idea. But, with clearly defined hierarchies, making
it work for a larger group.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 27, 2007, 01:32:57 PM
If you "own" the land yourself, you should take greater pride of ownership.   Feudalism you have a lord/king/whatever protecting you and doing everying and you work for that government in return.   The Feudal lords get way more than their fair share.    You have to grow what you are told on your land, and you get a certain plot.   You don't serve the land in feudalism, you serve your lord in return for allowing you to live on his/her land.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 27, 2007, 05:49:10 PM
'Fair share' is hard to judge.
At the low end of the nobility,
often one couldn't afford the
tools necessary for protection.
Nor was there a great amount of
cash, even for the higher nobles.

Anyhow, I'm not suggesting an all
out return to the feudal structure
that we had, in Europe. There, divine
right eventually became the purpose,
and as you noted, protection was the
original. I'm suggesting a similar faith,
but in proper stewardship.

Those who own land, and can pass it
on, at will, tend to abuse it, from what
recent history tells us.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Parts on December 27, 2007, 06:15:20 PM
Metal working,  I got a set of books on making a machine shop at home with scrap and am going to try some of the projects this coming year
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Alex179 on December 28, 2007, 10:02:08 AM
Those who own land, and can pass it
on, at will, tend to abuse it, from what
recent history tells us.
Some develop it and use it themselves only.   Others sell lots or build neighborhoods.   Abuse isn't certain.   My great grandparents didn't abuse their land, although they had a small farm on it.   It is now a small neighborhood.  Of course you pass stuff onto your children lol.   I wouldn't just give people I don't know the stuff I earned from my work when I die.   I am an organ donor though, thats a different thing though haha.   I wouldn't abuse my parent's house if I inherited it at all.   I would probably just sell it and move into something smaller and be more depressed.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Silk on December 28, 2007, 12:40:55 PM
Purple
Japan
Books
Architecture
Fashion - Evening dresses from 1890's-1930's.
Anime
Kickboxing
Food
Music
Planes
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Calandale on December 28, 2007, 03:04:32 PM

Some develop it and use it themselves only.   Others sell lots or build neighborhoods.   Abuse isn't certain.

Those two SOUND like abuse to me.

Quote
Of course you pass stuff onto your children lol.


Yeah. It's pretty ingrained in our society. This concept that
one OWNS the land. Used to be able to own people too,
in the US. That was pretty natural. So, even ingrained stuff
CAN be unlearned.

Quote
I wouldn't just give people I don't know the stuff I earned from my work when I die.

This is a different matter. But brings to mind the whole
idea of inherited wealth. One could argue that someone
like Rockefeller, or Gates, got wealthy off of their work
(it would be a stretch, but let's assume it). At the very
least, their talents for abusing the system somehow earned
them this huge wealth, and we reward them, as a society,
for being 'clever' enough to do so. But, why do we reward
their spawn, in such a manner? What evils have they inflicted
on their fellow man, to deserve such wealth?

Quote
  I wouldn't abuse my parent's house if I inherited it at all.

NOT what I was saying. A house ain't land.
But, I'd guess that a lot of abuse was inflicted
on the land, in order to make such a structure.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: garmonbozia on March 10, 2008, 07:30:15 PM
Since you said, what's your Spokane, perhaps everyone should mention a city, if you've ever been obsessed with a city...

I used to find Atlanta very interesting, and for the longest time tried to get a job there so I could move there...


I'm still subscribed to the e-mail digest of its newspaper's business section.  Saw this today and found it rather interesting:

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/03/08/futurecity_0309_1.html?cxntnid=biz031008e

Basically, an architecture firm was tasked with laying out a vision for what the city should look like in a hundred years.  What they came up with was cool but I found this rather disturbing:

Quote
Some of the storm runoff that now disappears into underground pipes would be captured and cleansed in wetlands. Today's sewer tunnels would be used to store drinking water, making the city drought resistant.

Uhh... I take it they mean storm sewers and not sanitary sewers, right?
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Yuri Bezmenov on February 10, 2018, 05:00:48 AM
Airplanes
Motorcycles
American V-8's
Guns
Jordan Peterson, Steven Pinker and Johnathan Haidt
Dank assed weed and top shelf alcohol.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: renaeden on February 10, 2018, 07:13:53 AM
Jordan Peterson the psychologist? Don't know why, but I've seen his name in a few places on the net lately. I don't know much about him though.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Lestat on February 10, 2018, 10:30:54 AM
The  sciences-the typical biology/biochemistry, and organic/inorganic chemistry, as well as (pretty much exclusively non-Newtonian physics-condensed matter physics, seeing as such things are lower energy level and more accessible to a household with its power supply, not that I'd turn my nose up at a buggering great big supercollider of course, assuming accompanying power sourcing capability.), pharmacology, medicine, drugs both used in medicine and those not (at least, conventional medicine).

Mycology, botany and a whole lot of other stuff in between. Its less a question of what I'm interested in, as to what I am NOT interested in. Always have been a polymath. Ironically as hell, a dyscalculic polymath, and mathematics is..well...I'd sooner wipe my arse with a sack-full of rabid ferrets.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Jack on February 10, 2018, 04:40:21 PM
Violent crime and related subjects; criminal justice, criminal psychology, crime statistics
Architecture, and the white room
Fear and revulsion, horror and gore
Intensity Squared
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Genesis on February 10, 2018, 05:54:52 PM
Chicago Cubs
Cinema
Traveling
Osaka
Conspiracy Theories (Valid that is)
Art
Booka Shade
Science Fiction
Anime
Parakeets
Brown Tabby Cats
Tumblr
Star Trek
Old TV Shows
French Films
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Fun With Matches on February 10, 2018, 06:03:05 PM
Fear and revulsion,

What about them do you find interesting?
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Jack on February 10, 2018, 06:58:45 PM
Fear and revulsion,

What about them do you find interesting?
It's not so much interesting, but more of a seemingly lifelong hate/love obsession with the emotions, going hand-in-hand with the horror and gore. While a removed perspective is very interesting, actual tolerance for real life experiences is almost non-existent. The same could be said for violent criminals; they're interesting but probably wouldn't deal well with actually knowing one.

Fear and revulsion; they are both my nemeses and my best friends.

Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Icequeen on February 10, 2018, 07:23:54 PM
Old things...vacuum cleaners, my beehive blender, old clocks, jewelry, coins...etc.

Electronics.
Video games.

Classic cars, old trucks, still have a special love for air-cooled VW's.

Metal detecting, junk picking, all-around treasure hunting.

Cats.
Bohemian style decor and fashion.
Flower gardening.
People watching.

Sunsets, nature photography, abandoned buildings, and cars left to rot.

Horror movies, serial killers, and the unexplained.

Red wine, cheesecake, and good chocolate.
Beaches and hot summer days.




 
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Yuri Bezmenov on February 10, 2018, 07:41:33 PM
Jordan Peterson the psychologist? Don't know why, but I've seen his name in a few places on the net lately. I don't know much about him though.

Yes, Pinker and Haidt are psychologists too.

You've probably seen Jordan Peterson all over the net after his "debate" with Cathy Newman on BBC's Channel 4.

She tried her best to trap him but he ended up cleaning her clock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMcjxSThD54&t=99s


Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Yuri Bezmenov on February 10, 2018, 07:44:29 PM
Violent crime and related subjects

Me too.

I love to watch Forensic Files and Lt. Joe Kenda Homicide Hunter.
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Gopher Gary on February 13, 2018, 03:57:51 AM
Sugarbutt
Hockey tickets
Cherry Coke
Toilet paper
Bottled water

 :zoinks:
Title: Re: What's your Spokane?
Post by: Lestat on February 13, 2018, 01:07:52 PM
New lab glassware.
Packages of funny looking bottles and jars and tubs of various powders, liquids, metals and colorful crystals, solvents to make use of same.
(someone I miss, terribly, my ex fiancee, when we were together, it was like..as if things were meant to be, absolute perfection, a warm fuzzy blanket for the soul, she was. I'd give anything to be back by her side again. We were to have been married as soon as I'd not have gotten arrested for being with her if it were known. Had the ring ready and waiting too. Now..ever since. I ache inside. And I know I always will do, away from my soulmate)

New electronics and the like for the lab, like vacuum pumps, my rotavap.
Books. Lots and lots of books. Especially OLD books, I like antique scientific and medical books especially, the pride of my collection being 'the household physician' in two volumes, from the 1700s, big heavy leatherbound books they are, a matched set, complete with ink-marbled edges to the paper you can only see when the books are closed, and also the first page is marbled on the paper.

A pair of old medical treatises, from the 1700s, from back when they were still freely using mercury, lead, arsenic, cyanide, phosphorus, antimony, silver compounds and all manner of other nasty heavy metal based medical practices etc., even on babies. Really interesting reading they are.

They hadn't much in those days. No antibiotics, although they had chloroform and ether and various preparations of opium, and they could enact some surgery, although extremely risky. Just at the very beginning of discovery of germ theory, in the days of Lister, Pasteur, Koch. Beginning to understand about the malaria parasite, and transmission of sickness from person to person, the theory of contagion was taking shape. Beginning, to understand that bleeding people was not the answer to everything.

A really fascinating snapshot into the dawn of modern medicine during its very birth pangs. And they come complete with, tucked in between the pages, in an old, flowing cursive script, thats hard to read, and in a rather old fashioned way of speech, recipes of a former owner for various compounded medicines. I bet that the full set as I have them, with those extras, is pretty valuable. Although I've no valuation managed to get done on them.

What else...seeing a lab project take shape, and watching it grow, stage by stage, refinement by refinement, taking down my notes as it does, and making various tweaks, once a project step becomes something I've got down and working, experimenting with tuning the reaction conditions like a car fanatic with their prize car's motor, transmission etc. until its not just working well, but tweaking and poking around and modifying steps to perfect it, and squeeze every last percent of yield out of it.

Or, if I am with a partner, although I haven't been for a long, long time, going out of my way to make them happy, do the little things for them, to bring a big smile of pure delight and joy to her face. Knowing  that it was something I can do, to bring wonder into a loved one's world, and looking forward to doing it again.