GeorgeStGeorge

I've used Intelius to find old friends. The $8 tab for a single search isn't a great deal, but $20 for an all-day pass is. These don't count criminal record or divorce searches, though. That requires the big bucks ($50, per search, I believe). George

The only time the Bible tells you not to pray for someone is if he's committed the "sin unto death." The "clergyman" in question is a schmuck. George

Well, if this thread wasn't derailed before, it sure is NOW! --> George

Having not experienced major abuses firsthand, my reaction is shock and compassion for those so abused. I honestly don't feel sick about it, though. George

Well, Gee Steve!, I didn't expect it to be the last word! George

Perhaps it's because male homosexuals try to look nice and lesbians try not to? Again this is a personal observation, and in no way should be considered to cover ALL homosexuals. In the genre of erotic films, lesbian encounters are widespread, but male encounters are almost non-existent. This may be due to the fact that the viewership is predominantly male. In the examples I've seen, the women involved in the encounter are usually gorgeous. I remember a "Saturday Night Live" skit where some guys are given one wish, and they want to see two lesbians go at it. Unfortunately, the lesbians they get are a lot more like the ones I've seen than the Playboy-video kind, totally creeping the guys out. My personal feeling: two beautiful women together is a waste of two beautiful women. --> George

If you can't say something nice about someone, you're probably talking about LCM! :D--> :D--> George

I wonder how many of the other George St. Georges made the same mistakes I did? (Or wise choices, for that matter.) George P.S.: That was one of my favorite ST/TNG episodes!

Are you still on meds from the extraction?! George

One of my favorite cartoons when I was quite young was "Bat-Fink." Along with his stereotypical sidekick, Karate, he would cruise in his Battilac (thermonuclear, and plutonium-insulated, no less) righting wrongs. The reason this (incredibly obscure, I'm sure) hero comes to mind is that he had steel wings, made for him by Karate's dad. While deflecting various projectiles, he would say, "Your bullets (or whatever) cannot harm me; my wings are like shield of steel!" (That is, except for the time an amnesia ray was shot at him. Then it was, "Your whatchamacallit cannot harm me; my things here are like a something or other of, well, you know." :D--> Not exactly a Christmas wish, but it was a fun memory! (Now don't get me started on "Clutch Cargo"...) George

I have no idea what your thesis is about, but as for your question: I was attracted to The Way because the Word was presented to me in a logical way that showed me how important I was to God. (Quite different from my Roman Catholic upbringing!) I also enjoyed the fellowship of people who cared for me and God. I stayed for the same reasons. I was eventually driven out by legalism. George

Something that might qualify for Belle's "start from scratch" home buying could be borrowing from one's 401K and paying it back. You've earned all the money in there, to begin with; and you pay YOURSELF back, with interest. I paid cash for my first home. I wasn't "rich," but I had a decent inheritance from my grandmother. And, I live on the Texas coast, where it's possible to buy decent houses for less than the national debt! When I married, we needed a larger home for when my wife's four kids would come to visit. Unfortunately, my house didn't sell before we had to move, so I rented the house and took a > mortgage. And was I pleased to see that I'd probably knocked about $100 off the principal after a year! My tenant's loan was finally approved, so when he bought my old house, I took the proceeds, added a 401K loan to cover the difference, and paid off the mortgage. I paid myself 8% for five years, which was actually a better return than the funds my 401K was in, anyway. Now I'm all paid up. Company stock purchases have allowed me to buy new cars every few years, too. :)--> All you folks living in Chicago and New York and San Francisco, MOVE HERE! George

In that case, please send my regards! George

After a month of kindergarten, I was moved up to the first grade. I did fine. In fact, my teacher suggested that I skip grades 2 and 3. This was vetoed by my parents, and I'm glad. The social aspects won't really kick in until high school. Being about the only junior not to have a driver's license was a bit of a drag, but imagine being twelve or thirteen while all your friend are driving, dating, etc. And sports would probably be out, too. One year age difference -- not a big problem. But I wouldn't accelerate a child more than that. George

Well, put glasses and a moustache on my avatar, and it's a pretty good likeness. George Oh, are TheEvan, Eagle, and Mr. Hammeroni triplets?

Unfortunately, the only mental images I have of most Greasespotters are their avatars. (Radar O' Reilly take note!) So I always think of Excathedra as a saucy redhead. Maybe someday she'll post a picture in that forum. George

I had my wisdom teeth pulled several years ago. The dentist did a fine job, so there was almost no pain after the initial meds wore off. I did make the mistake of going to see "The Addams Family" the next day. In the scene where Wednesday and Pugsley are performing a skit on stage, I laughed so hard I almost pulled the sutures loose! George

Comedian Larry Miller once remarked that if women could read our minds, they'd never stop slapping us! :D--> Honestly, it's not like that. My wife and I are almost 50, and we still have our "moments"; but it's the rest of the time we share that keeps us together. Which reminds me...time to get off the computer! George

Yes, WordWolf, "all with distinction" and "all without distinction" should mean different things. Unfortunately, the latter phrase was stolen from Bullinger and confused people, because it carried the idea of "all without distinction in a certain class." (As BiblefanDave points out.) Since a distinction is made between classes, however, it was easier to understand if re-phrased as "all with distinction." There really wasn't a change in doctrine; the "with distinction" terminology just more clearly represents the concept. George

I got that. I just wanted to point out that there is a lot of truth in the idea, and the irony of how it related to TWI leadership. George

Or, I guess, one could knowingly continue to sin without repentance. This is known as a reprobate mind. George

I believe the point was that if someone knowingly sins, he'll develop a doctrinal "cover" to explain it away. For example, a "man of God" commits adultery. If he can twist an OT reference where a king commits adultery along with the medieval practice of "droit de seigneur," and then somehow contrive that a religious leader equals the "king" of our day, then BOOM! It's okay for him to be an adulterer. Practical error has led to doctrinal error. Does this mean that it ALWAYS happens? No. The sinner could simple recognize his sin and repent. Or, it could be pointed out to him (as Nathan did to David in the OT record alluded to above); and he could repent. Without godly sorrow, though, doctrinal error is almost sure to follow. George

Many of the early copies of Ephesians omit the words "at Ephesus." This could mean that it was addressed to all who are saints, or that the letter was circulated to several cities. Either way, a broader group than just the Christians at Ephesus are addressed. On the other hand, all the manuscripts of the other epistles contain the names of the cities they were sent to. George

P.S.: Chlorine bleach will kill the bacteria that make a septic tank work. If you use chlonie bleach in your laundry, however, it's not a problem, especially in hot water washes, because the bleach is all decomposed by the time the wash is done. George

I was going to make a cautionary comment about mixing bleach with other cleansers, but it seems to have already come up a few times. For the uninitiate, chlorine bleach products react with amines (especially ammonia) to make chloramine, a highly toxic gas. Many a housewife has been hospitalized (or worse) by mixing her two best cleansers to make a "super-cleanser." Peroxide cleansers (Oxy-Clean, etc.)won't react the way chlorine bleaches do, but I still wouldn't recommend mixing them with other cleansers. (Interestingly, if you mix chlorine bleach with a peroxide bleach, oxygen fizzes out, and you get no cleanser at all!) Leave chemistry to us professionals! George