Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Tavis Smiley on Obama

Tavis Smiley and Black America: A Tale of Two Jilted Lovers

Billy Honor | Posted 11.17.2014 | Black Voices
Read More: Rev. Al Sharpton, Tavis Smiley Cornel West, President Obama and Blacks, Tavis Smiley, Tavis Smiley Debate, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Tavis Smiley Show, Black Voices News
Billy Honor
Tavis Smiley used to be the darling of black America. Once upon a time his keen critical commentary, ubiquitous media presence and undeniable charm brought delight to the hearts and minds of many black Americans. But things changed when Obama announced his candidacy for president.

Tavis Smiley: 'Black Americans Have Lost Ground Under Obama'

Huffington Post | Brennan Williams | Posted 09.12.2014 | Black Voices
Read More: The Backstory, Tavis Smiley Cornel West, Tavis Smiley, Cornel West, Video, Tavis Smiley Obama, Hpl,President Obama, Cornel West Obama, Media News, Tavis Smiley Poverty Tour, Barack Obama, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Black Voices News
Tavis Smiley’s relentless criticism aimed at President Barack Obama has made dozens of headlines throughout the commander-in-chief’s presidency. A...

Tavis Smiley: Hillary's 'My Friend' But Dems Shouldn't 'Coronate Her'

HuffPost Live | Emily Tess Katz | Posted 09.12.2014 | HuffPost Live 321
Read More: Tavis Smiley, Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign, Hillary Clinton, Tavis Smiley Hillary Clinton, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Hpl, HuffPost Live 321 News
Tavis Smiley is a fan of Hillary Clinton the person, but he thinks it's a little too soon for Hillary the presidential candidate. "I like Hilary. S...
Jessica Cumberbatch Anderson

Poverty Isn't A Racial Issue, It's An American Disaster

HuffingtonPost.com | Jessica Cumberbatch Anderson | Posted 09.05.2012 | Black Voices
Read More: Tavis Smiley, Cornel West, Poverty Tour, Bv-Life, Tavis Smiley Poverty, Shadow Conventions, Elections 2012, Poverty Tour 2.0, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Cornel West Poverty, Tavis Smiley Cornel West, Tavis Smiley Cornel West Poverty, Shadow Conventions 2012, Tavis Smiley Obama, Cornel West Occupy Wall Street, Cornel West Obama, Tavis Smiley Poverty Tour, Black Voices News
More than one-fourth of African Americans are living in poverty today. As devastating as that figure is, particularly for the 42 million Americans who...

Herman Cain, Tavis Smiley & Cornel West: Black Sheep or Wolves in Black Sheep's Clothing?

Frederick Butler | Posted 12.19.2011 | Black Voices
Read More: Barack Obama 2012, Tavis Smiley Cornel West, Tavis Smiley, Herman Cain 2012, Cornel West, Black Voters, Herman-Cain-Black-Voters, Cornel West Obama, Obama Black Voters, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Black Voices News
Frederick Butler
Regardless of what Cain, West and Smiley say, blacks in America will continue to be in President Obama's corner. Not because we are brainwashed, but because he offers the best chance for the advancement of the community.

Michael Moore on New Poverty Stats

Tavis Smiley | Posted 11.19.2011 | Politics
Read More: New Poverty Rate, Child Poverty in America, US Poverty, Poverty in America, Michael Moore, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Tavis Smiley, Politics News
Tavis Smiley
2011-09-20-Screenshot20110919at9.14.22PM.png During my conversation today with Michael Moore, I asked the Oscar-winning filmmaker about the alarming new numbers out last week regarding poverty in America.

In Defense of My President

Matthew Lynch, Ed.D. | Posted 11.08.2011 | Politics
Read More: Barack Obama Defense, President Obama Defense, President Obama, Barack Obama Criticism,Obama Criticism, President Barack Obama, Obama Defense, Cornel West Obama, Barack Obama, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Politics News
Matthew Lynch, Ed.D.
With frustrations high and solutions still a bit unclear, we should expect the pressure to become intensified in the coming months. However, it is crystal clear to me that there are unrealistic expectations of the president.

Tavis Smiley: Doesn't Expect Obama Interview, Accused Of Being Obama "Hater"

MarketWatch | Jon Friedman | Posted 05.25.2011 | Media
Read More: Tavis Smiley, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Media News
Tavis Smiley doesn't expect presidential candidate Barack Obama to agree to come on his PBS late-night talk show before the election. "The odds are s...

Tavis Smiley Tackles Obama And Race

AP | KINNEY LITTLEFIELD | Posted 05.25.2011 | Media
Read More: Tavis Smiley, Tavis Smiley Barack Obama, Media News
LOS ANGELES — Tavis Smiley is all wound up. His voice is rough from too much vocalizing, but the host of public television's "Tavis Smiley" talk...
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Monday, January 11, 2016

Beautiful and simple "ab" routines.


No matter where I travel or the gym I visit, I'm always asked about my ab workout.
Note: I am not a pro.
Over the years I have developed 2 basic ab workouts: The first is an adaptation from martial arts.
Begin by contracting the abdominal muscle by breathing regularly -15 seconds then 30 seconds, next 1 min to 5 minutes, etc.
At some point in time you will be able to keep the abdominal muscles contracted for hours and even entire days during your waking hours. (This is not an intense muscle contraction, it's slight and gradual to be sustained over long periods of time)

Number 2
"Skull crunchers / flat bench pull over's"
(Note the cushion placed at the base, broken fingers are a pain in the ass)
Start placing an empty curl bar or flat bar at the head of the bench. Lay flat with your head at that end of the bench.
Reach for the bar above and below your head by arching the back. You should feel your stomach muscles being stretched. Pull the bar over the head to the chest. Repeat this movement "strictly" for 8 to 12 reps. Always breath out when exerting / contracting the muscles.

Hook your feet.
If you're like me and don't care for assistance or to be touched during a workout, hooking the feet will become a must as the weight on the bar increases. You can use the bench, the wall or a weight stand.
This is a multi purpose beautiful exercise because it works several muscle groups: 1 - triceps, 2 - lats, 3 - abdominal muscles.
You'll have to learn to concentrate on your primary target muscles or muscle groups during the routine.
You can actually diversify and have each rep target a specific area.

Lastly
Diet
I personally don't eat any butter, fast foods, processed foods, the skin off chicken or any types of vegetable oils.
I treat myself to 2 fried meals per year strictly prepared in peanut oil.
*If you care to know the quality of any cooking oil, place it in the freezer before bedtime. Pull it from the freezer in the morning, every particle that appears white is saturated fat. Peanut oil will be clear the next day.

There are many exercises, crunches, leg lifts, hyper extensions and a host of other abdominal routines. In my opinion, sit ups are the worst for a few reasons.

Everyone's physiology is different, use what's best for you. These 2 simple routines work best for me.

I have one person currently that I'm assisting at reaching his goals between 5:45 and 6:45am.
Need a little help? Whatsapp 7718 8957







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North American International Auto Show 2016'

ALL ROADS LEAD TO NAIAS

As the automotive industry drives into the future, Detroit remains in the driver’s seat and NAIAS is the destination where next-generation products and technologies continue to make their world debuts.

THE 2016 SHOW

Last January, the NAIAS 2015 featured 55 vehicle introductions, a majority of which were worldwide debuts. Over 5,000 journalists attended from 60 countries constituting 30 percent international media who reported the breaking news made at the NAIAS to the world.
NAIAS is matchless in presenting five shows in one, including: The Gallery, an ultra-luxury automotive event, a Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview, and a nine-day Public Show.

Show Floor Map

THE GALLERY - JANUARY 9, 2016

2016 marks the ninth year of the ultra-luxury automotive event, The Gallery. This event has now become the official kick-off to the North American International Auto Show. Once again, the event is hosted at the luxurious MGM Grand Detroit where a strolling dinner will be served by a world-renowned celebrity chef in the Ignite Lounge. Guests will then have the opportunity to stroll through the MGM Grand Ballroom and experience a nearly $7 million collection of the most amazing automobiles the world has to offer, including brands such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Rolls Royce. In addition, executives and designers responsible for the creation of these products will be on hand to discuss the brands.

PRESS PREVIEW - JANUARY 11-12, 2016

Join exhibiting automakers and tier one suppliers along with journalists on a global stage for two full days of reveals, debuts and memorable moments. Featuring over 750 vehicles and countless interactive displays, NAIAS is North America’s largest and most prestigious automotive showcase.
Please note: NAIAS-issued media credentials are required for admittance.

INDUSTRY PREVIEW - JANUARY 13-14, 2016

Connect and share insights with over 35,000 automotive professionals and analysts representing over 2,000 companies from around the world. This unique networking and professional development opportunity brings together the key individuals responsible for the leading-edge products, technologies and services on display at NAIAS.

CHARITY PREVIEW - JANUARY 15, 2016

Charity Preview is your opportunity to be part of one of the most exclusive, high-profile charitable fundraising events in the nation.
Proceeds directly benefit a wide range of children’s charities that are making a positive impact in southeastern Michigan. Since 1976, Charity Preview has raised more than $100 million, with over $45 million raised in the last 10 years alone.

PUBLIC SHOW - JANUARY 16-24, 2016

Experience an automotive event unlike any other. At NAIAS you have the opportunity to see up-close the vehicles and technologies that will shape the future automotive landscape. From muscle and electric cars, to high-performance supercars and full-size trucks, NAIAS has something for everyone to enjoy.

LOCATION

Cobo Center
1 Washington Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226

Must See







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Sunday, January 10, 2016

32. 20 Reasons Why I Say You Are Indoctrinated

If I give you an answer that says you are indoctrinated, I am not trying to demean you. I am also not trying to avoid a debate question.  I am not saying you are dumb in any way. I only say this when the facts of your answers show indoctrination. I was indoctrinated with this beguiling science as well, so I know  the mental games you must play on yourself to believe the fantasy of evolution.  And I am a very intelligent person.  Just fact, not bragging.  I fell for this science in a paleontology class in college. Evolution made so much sense to me, far more than the “Adam and Eve” story that I had given up years before, but never replaced.  I just didn’t know how things came about, but I was and still am incredibly fascinated with the subject. When I went to my first class, there was the bearded PHD instructor that my very religious father had warned me about, showing how evolution was the source of everything in nature. The first day he asked “Please raise your hand if you do not believe in Darwinian evolution.”  I raised mine, along with about half of the other students.  At the end of the first week, he asked for a raising of hands again.  There was nary a one.  He had us all. We were all convinced, and the indoctrination began.  In fact it was already successful.

About twenty years ago, when I was still a firm believer in evolution, I began thinking and having doubts about the notion that an entity with absolutely zero intelligence could put together all of the incredible bio-systems of nature. I picked up one of my texts on the subject, and turned to a page that showed how early primates and man have the same lower first molar configuration with five cusps. Apes have four.  Supposedly this showed that man is evolutionarily related those five cusped  early primates.  That ONE FACT satisfied me…….temporarily.  It convinced me that evolution was the way EVERYTHING happened.  That littlest of crumbs convinced me that natural selection et al formed all of nature. Astounding. How could I possibly been so fooled?  Why was I so gullible. I was! And I freely admit it. I was indoctrinated.  And that one example meant the indoctrination was working well.

These are the indicators to me that you are indoctrinated:

(1) When the answers you give have nothing to do with the questions I ask and you have no idea.  Here is a perfect example:

Re: the evolution of vision: (This is an actual YouTube answer): (eyes)”couldn’t assemble itself”…moron…do you know how snowflakes form? what’s your try to explain snowflakes? “fairies did it”? ”

This guy has no idea that there is no purpose or biological function to the design of snowflakes, and uses them as his answer anyway.

(2) When your answers are memorized dogma. Stuff that someone who taught you in school who doesn’t know, or a book you read written by a person who has no idea how nature came to be but nonetheless has fooled you into thinking they do.  One great example is that I ask the question about how bio-systems, such as a hepatic system, which had to evolve in a single species,  migrated from the original species to all of the other species that then and now have livers. I usually get this answer:

“Traits” change and those changes are caused by mutations, and are passed from generation to generation. Additional changes occur, and eventually, through tiny steps over millions of years……..” 

The writers obviously have no idea about the difference between “traits” which are items such as eye color, height, weight, hair color, and “biological systems”, which includes items such as hepatic systems, vision, auditory systems, musculo-skeletel,…..  The evo-responders are on auto pilot.  They just spout the answer, because that is what they were taught. There is no thought as to whether the question is answered or not. Push the button, out comes the dogma displaying  indoctrination. And this is common beyond my wildest expectations. Intelligent people who must know the difference between “traits” and “biological systems” write as if they don’t.

(3)  I pose a question, and instead of answering you choose to demean my education, which is extensive, my knowledge about evolution, which is also extensive, (remember, I was an evolutionaut, and an enthusiastic one at that) my IQ, my upbringing….you say ANYTHING but answer the question posed.

(4)  You play the religion card. Again, I am not religious. You bring up “the magic man in the sky”,  “sky fairies”, “bronze age books and goat-herders”,  anything to distract from the question you are showing you can’t answer.

(5)  You call me inane names. I have already been called everything you can think of and more.  IDiot,  fuckwit, moron, retard, Creotard. Again, by doing this you are avoiding answering a question you can’t deal with. So this is the way you choose to distract from that question.  It simply shows indoctrination.

(6) You refer me to another site, book, or video, made by someone who you worship and who you think knows all of the answers. They don’t. And if you believe they are somehow super-intelligent and know all, far more than you do, you are indoctrinated. You have fallen, just like I did.  If you think their stuff is so great,  learn it and discuss the information with me yourself. I have read “mountains” of pro-evolution peer reviewed papers (see page 5 on this blog), pro-evolution books. I have viewed many pro-evolution shows on Discovery, PBS, and the Science Channel.  I have viewed many of the “big” pro-evolution YouTube vids (CDK007, potholer54, on and on).  Many of these items are  reviewed, posted and playable, and reprinted on this blog.  So please, don’t rely on the thinking of others. Don’t refer me to a Google “look up”, or a YouTube video, or a book or paper  that requires no effort on your part.  If you do you have caved in to your indoctrination.

(7) When an astounding but sound fact is posed to you that may not quite fit into evolution’s origin of species and nature, your response is to demean the fact and above all defend evolution instead of discussing the fact with interest, and a desire to really dig down and understand our beginnings.

(8) You think you are 100% right about this subject that no person who ever lived has the answers for.  There are no 100%’s in the subject of the origin of nature and us.

(9) You are willing to accept that immense numbers of  the most preposterous events imaginable occurred without the slightest bit of skepticism or wonder, simply because someone told you they did.

(10) You can’t entertain even the slightest notion that you may have been fooled into accepting dogma that your teachers and books have taught you.

The following is a vid I made on the first ten reasons:



(11) When you refer to your field of interest, or to your own thoughts and feelings regarding evolution, using plural pronouns like “WE” and “US”. “WE” think….” “How can WE trust stevebee….””WE have evidence……”   You have placed yourself into a group.  A black hole of thought.  You are not an individual and you do not think like one.  No science discussion I have ever been in, be, it astronomy, biology, genetics, has the person I was discussing with used the term “WE”  to tell me what a group of scientists has, thinks, or feels, with the exception of evolution.  An exception is if  they are actually part of a small team of scientists working on a project.  Then “we” have found a new planet circling………” is not groupthink and is appropriate communication.  If you talk in “we” instead of “they”, or “the scientists”, you are identifying yourself inadvertently as a member of a groupthink process.

By the way, for evolutionauts that want to rag on my “we’s”: I do use “we” in describing mankind.  For example: “How lucky “we” are to live in time that “we” know what black holes are.”  Those “we’s” are describing mankind, not a group that all thinks and acts exactly alike.

(12) When you give me lists that I am supposed to believe, and probably look up, to answer a rational question. “Oh, Birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs. Proof is Ornithodira, Dinosaurs, Saurischian dinosaurs, Therapods, Tetanurae, Coelesaurs, Manirapterans.”

A guy named Calilasseia on www.rationalskepticism.org gave me this answer to my very basic easy to understand question on my population paradox page and at their site regarding time for doubling averages:

“So, already, the authors inform us that they have analysed no less than seven different population dynamic models, namely:

[1] The Ricker model;
[2] The Hassell model;
[3] The tent map model;
[4] The Beverton-Holt model;
[5] The Skellam model;
[6] The quadratic model;
[7] The theta-Ricker model.”

Full article > http://evoillusion.org/why-i-say-you-are-indoctrinated/


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Saturday, January 9, 2016

When Sports and Tech Collide

Over the past two decades communication devices and the age of computers have transformed the way we view and study sports, and it's not stopping any time soon.
If you're an avid NFL fan like myself, you've probably come to take for granted technologies such as the well-known 1st & Ten system, which has been in use since 1998 (and got its first go with a game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens). It's the tech that lets us see the locations of the line of scrimmage and first down marker by projecting it on television feeds. More recently, you might have heard about some communications issues (conspiracy!) at Gilette Stadium, where opposing teams routinely claim to hear the Patriots' radio broadcast through the headsets and helmets they'd otherwise use to gameplan against their opponents. So to what extent does the advancement of electronics (and wireless technology in particular) find its way into American football, and sports in general? I'll cover a handful of examples here, mostly from football, but also hockey.

American Football - Wireless/RF Technology

In the NFL there is one particularly iconic use of radio electronics to support the game (in contrast to the reported communications issues mentioned earlier). One player on offense and one on defense are allowed to wear helmets outfitted with radios, which allow them to receive voice from the coaching staff on the sidelines. This is usually assigned to the players on the field who call audibles and pre-snap adjustments - always the quarterback on offense, and usually (but not always) one of the middle linebackers on defense. These helmets are clearly marked with a green circle on the back:
Perhaps more impressive than a radio for a player or two to hear from the coach is a development fromZebra Technologies allowing real-time tracking of players via RFID chips implanted into shoulderpads. These chips allow the NFL to track player movement and provide us stats on speed and distance travelled over the course of a game. Now that the system is installed in every NFL stadium, you can expect that more advanced metrics on situational and overall player performance will become available soon.

9 High-Tech Shoes Step Into the Future: Photos

Nike Designer Tim Hatfield recently announced that self-tightening power laces, like the ones seen on Marty McFly’s Air Mag shoes in "Back To The Future Part II," could be arriving as soon as next year. The revelation sent sneaker aficionados into a frenzy, but it also hinted that a radical shift in shoe design is just around the corner.
D'Wayne Edwards, a former shoe design director for Nike’s Jordan Brand and founder of Pensole, a footwear design academy for youth, told DNews he expects big innovations in the coming years. While some shoe companies may capitalize on the "cool factor" of emerging technologies to create gimmicky products, he said "if technology is used in it’s pure form -- to make the human body better or to make the person more in tune with their body, feet or footwear -- then it will only be an enhancement."

'Back To The Future' Power Laces Coming Soon

While there's no shortage of fitness tracking applications for shoes, Edwards foresees even greater advancements coming down the design pipeline -- from 3D-printed shoes and sneakers that tell runners if they over pronate, to soles that stimulate muscles and alert wearers if their back needs adjusting.
But tomorrow's shoe innovations are already starting to appear in today’s high-tech footwear. So click through, try on a pair and see if any are a good fit.






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Are you having a virtual relationship?

Psychology of Online Virtual Relationships:

Or, My Best Friend's Name is pal@company.com




Instructions for this Report



The first section discusses the depth of emotions that can be expressed. Generally, there is a perception that deep, emotional relationships cannot exist via an online interaction and that online relationships are restricted by ideas that can be typed, but not expressed otherwise.
The author feels that this notion of a lack of emotional depth in an online relationships is not necessarily true for everyone. He says that with some of his own online relationships, he feels the kind of warmth and caring that he would normally expect from a "real" relationship.


I agree that sometimes, the most fulfilling friendships aren't the face to face kind. I had an unusual experience where I got to see what one of my friendships is like in the online world. I've got a friend, Kevin, whom I knew from high school. We weren't really tight as friends, but we got along really well. Lately, I started emailing him, telling him my guy problems. It's amazing how our friendship has deepened in the last few weeks. We really opened up to each other- he's now telling me his own personal problems. When we actually do see each other, it's like we were always close friends. It all would not have been possible had I not started this online aspect of our friendship.


He also addresses the issue of adopting a false online identity and why he believes they are healthy. Within us, he says are a variety of aspects that ordinarily are not expressed. By adopting online identities that contradict with our true gender, age, and so on, we are just letting those other aspects out.
In addition, there also seems to be a system online which gives more favor to females. Females are more likely to be helped out, or felt sorry for, or taken in and protected than are males. This may only serve to encourage men to adopt female online identities.
Later in the piece, the topic shifts to the importance of proximity in relationships. The author felt that physical closeness to the person they were relating to was very important. It seems that being there, where the person can be seen, touched, and observed, conveys that the person is more genuine, sincere, and adds a physical dimension to one otherwise restricted to words on a screen.


I'm okay with the idea of inventing a false identity for online relationships. What you see isn't always what you get, and in an arena where it is so easy to create an identity, the Internet will be filled with people pretending to be someone else. It's a good way of putting yourself at a distance from the relationship, which gives a person a sense of control over the relationship.


The next topic in this issue is of expectations. In order to totally understand a situation, you must first have an idea of what is expected of the situation. These expectations need to be realistic and based on something real.
The example of the two women who would go to bars and tell made-up stories about themselves is a good example. Other people who would hear their stories had the expectation that the women were telling them the truth. This is a realistic expectation, as people don't usually believe that they are being misled in these situations.
This discussion of expectations is extended into the topic of chat rooms which use avatars. Initially, the author felt that his online persona was a fictional character, someone who ceased to exist when the computer was turned off. He quickly realized, though, that others did not always share his approach to the online experience when another person fell in love with his online persona. The other person expected that his personality and approach to the online environment was what he presented and similar to her own, that he took it as seriously as she did.


I would never expect that what I'm being told is the truth. Maybe some people are hurt by the idea that someone who doesn't know them would lie to them, but not me. I might lie about a few things myself. Of course, when an online relationship progresses to the point that you find yourself falling in love, I think the parties involved should take a step back and think, "What do I really know about this person?" If the answer is nothing, then I think that the relationship should not enter reality and should stay virtual.


This leads to the problem of what really lies behind online identities. We all have heard many stories where a man will leave his wife and family for an online love, only to discover that she is really very different from what she led him to believe. Tied up in these scenarios are issues of honesty, acceptance, deceit, and feelings of betrayal. Often, reality disappoints fantasy.
The following section is statistics about the growth and usage of the Internet. What they add up to is that the number of people getting online is increasing every year and the growth is expected to rise. Also, as time goes by, "nettiquette" will be widespread, and phenomena such as flaming and "inappropriate" romance s will decrease.
lhooker@sirius.com wrote that people with different expectations of online relationships will behave in ways that show their differing expectations. For example, those who prefer to keep virtual relationships in the fantasy world may just frequent MOOs or MUDs, while those who want to meet someone in real life may visit sites specifically designed to get people together.
Still, he wrote, common sense is important when it comes to online relationships. It's important that people remember that people they meet online aren't always sincere and genuine. An indicator to the kind of person you're dealing with could be where you met them. If the environment makes you suspicious or wary of them, it's a good idea to pay attention to that sense of caution. Of course, not everyone has bad intentions, but personal safety should be a prime consideration when forging online relationships.
He also believes that as the younger generations gets online, they will become more savvy about online relationships and they won't have the kinds of problems that we are experiencing. He believes that they will be able to discern the good people (with good intentions) from those who have bad intentions.


I agree. The next generation will learn a lot from our mistakes, or at least I hope they will.


Among the G7 responses, it seemed that it was agreed that while virtual relationships are acceptable and even cool, they should not progress past a certain point. Most prefer to keep online relationships online, for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the whole idea is just more entertaining if it is kept online, or maybe because the uncertainty of what the person is really like. Most were also reluctant to invest too much emotional commitment to virtual relationships.
The next topic is Internet dependency. People have gotten so involved in their online life that it causes them a great deal of distress when an online relationship experiences a falling out, or if the online acquaintance does not participate in online activities anymore. Many of these people experience along with their online dependency, such as bipolar disorder, and OCD.
The last sections detailed how personal some online relationships became for some users. One guy had a friend who met his girlfriend online. Another experienced a great spiritual connection with a group of people online. Others wrestled with the Asian ideas of shame and embarrassment, and why their fears of looking foolish prevented them from being themselves online.


Chat Rooms
In my research, I found and was able to participate in only chat rooms. This is what I found.
People log in to different chat rooms, each different in its topic of discussion. Some talk about sports, others, music, and so on. They give themselves a name. I used my middle name. As soon as I joined in the General chat room, I was bombarded with questions as to what I looked like, my age, where I was from, what kinds of things I liked, etc. If my likes corresponded with someone else's, we talked about those things.
People in that chat room I visited were very friendly. I felt some of their questions were a bit nosy, and there were some obnoxious people who made suggestive remarks, but aside from that, there were no negatives about this experience. I think people who go to chat rooms just like talking to and meeting new people. Maybe they're expanding their horizons by meeting people online, or maybe they just prefer to meet people in this kind of environment, rather than real life. And when they find someone who has things in common with them, it just gives them incentive to come back again. I started to feel as though this approach to meeting people had a few good benefits. In what other situation can you gracefully exit quickly if you don't like the people there? I also liked that you could invent yourself to others, and that you weren't really judged based on a physical appearance.


Conclusion
I see the future of human online relationships as a microcosm of society today. Online, people with similar interests and philosophies gather, and by discussion, or other forms of communication, they basically further their interests and philosophies. They may extend that to keep in touch regularly, or decide to meet face to face. In enough people are involved, they may even form virtual communities. But on the downside, there are still the same weirdos and nutties that haunt the offline world. I see the people online as a slice of the general population, diverse as ever. It's this diversity that makes the Internet so interesting.
I do think, though, that some people had expectations that the Internet could be a place where the negatives of society (racism, porn, etc.) could be barred from entering. To me, this is an unrealistic expectation. With access to the web as free as it is, and as easy as it is to put up web pages of one's own, there is no way we can totally filter the contents of the web. It would only be possible if there were some form of control over the web. But to many people, this smells of censorship, and it makes the web less appealing. The web could be sanitized, but at the expense of people's interest in it. It is not a worthwhile trade.

For future generations, I advise that expectations of what you find on the web be kept in check. Don't enter virtual relationships unless you're sure its what you want. This advice applies to platonic as well as romantic relationships. Don't be completely naive to the online world. But on the flip side, it's a good idea to forge online relationships with optimism. To make this a little simpler, I guess you can say that virtual relationships should be handled the way you would a real world relationship: careful of weird people, but still open to the experience.

 ***Personal comment, "You might just be out to lunch"?
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