QOD - Questions of the Day

Hey there my EQ buddies and friends, got a new game I’d like to play. Let’s see if anyone wants to play with me. It’s called ‘QOD – Questions of the Day’ and there will always be three questions, one of a serious nature, one of a moral dilemma (be it a funny predicament or true test of one's personal code), and one where we just get to know more about you. The answers will have either three or four answers to choose from, simply pick one and then elaborate if you feel so inclined. You can answer one, two, or all three if you’re feeling frisky. Every Friday there will be a new set of questions which should give everyone plenty of time to join in. So, with that said, let’s get this train rolling!

(Oh, did I forget to mention, let’s keep this polite and nice)

1. 1. (Serious question so think on it a bit) A Texas Republican lawmaker wants to make all forms of Abortion illegal, no exception for rape or incest. He states, and I quote, ‘life begins when the sperm hits the egg and after that any kind of procedure to remove the egg is murder’, unquote. When do you think life begins?
      a. At the moment the sperm ask the egg to go steady, as the lawmaker thinks.
      b. When mitosis happens (fancy word for when the cells begins to split)
      c. At the first distinct sound of a heartbeat
     d. When the egg is 16, shuffles into your bedroom, and states ‘me and the bros are going for Burger King, can I borrow the car...and 20 bucks?’
   
   2. (The moral dilemma) You get back from the laundry mat and start to fold up your clothes. Then you notice you grabbed the wrong basket and all the underwear and stuff in this basket is not yours. What do you do, eh Keanu, what do you do? (reference to ‘Speed’ if you missed it)
      a. Toss the clothes out in the trash and never go back to that laundry mat...ever
      b. Take the basket back, sneak in like a Ninja, and leave it hoping no one notices and screams out ‘Panty Thief!!’
      c. Walk in and call out ‘Hey, if you missing your underwear, I got em, come see me’
      d. Keep it all because you secretly have an underwear fetish
   
   3. (Get to know you better) In your honest opinion, what is the best Punk Rock album of all time? (This one has no choice, it’s purely subjective, so throw out any band that you currently or have rocked out too. Just make sure its Punk Rock, no Nickelback Allowed!)
   

Alright, that’s questions for this week my friends. Let's have some fun and see what falls out. I'll be posting my answers later on.

1.) Life begins when you get your first boyfriend/girlfriend, your first job, your own car, your first apartment, have your first real adventure, or just plain go out without your parents for the first time, and/or somehow effectively assert your independence as a sentient, self governing being. Until then, you are just waiting for life to begin.

2.) You return to the laundromat and loudly announce you accidentally took someone's clothes home. Do
They want them back? If no one answers, leave them with a note. If someone claims them, give them back. If the person is cute- chat em up and exchange contact info. Maybe accidentally drop a business card or an item of your own clothing in the pile as you return it-- if you want to be more subtle. A nice person will try to give whatever it is back to you. If they like you, they'll call.

Thank you for the participation Luna...the answers are very intriguing ...

(Shout out to all my sisters and brothers who marched today on our nation's capital!) In context of Elfquest, Elf life begins at the point of fertilization. That's all I am going to say, because I try to avoid political debate on this forum. (FWIW I voted for Castle. Not the Palace.)

My laundromat owner sets aside and numbers any load that goes unclaimed. So I would return immediately and explain the situation. I wouldn't call first because it is so close by.

1. A. But I would like to know what the lawmaker is doing to address poverty, support education, and protect women and children in his community. I'd also want to know if he supports the death penalty.

2. Ninja! I'd even probably try to time my visit at a slow time, wash a load of my own clothes, and just leave the others behind.

3. Bob Mould - Black Sheets of Rain. I also like Look Sharp by Joe Jackson and most Pretender songs, but I think Mould wins for sustained pissed-off-ness.

#3 I haven't a clue.

BTW I have a relative who spends several weekends a year raising funds for cancer research. No one ever asks what she is doing about heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or the drinking water in Michigan.

1. None of the above. Personally, I think the question is not when life begins, but when human life becomes fully human. I think it's at the point when the higher brain functions are present. This would be at about six months' gestation.

2.  This left me wondering what happened to the clothes I presumably brought to the laundromat myself. Are they still in a machine, or did someone else take them, thinking they were theirs?  But in either case, the logical thing to do seems to me to be to contact the laundromat owner and tell them what happened.The person whose laundry disappeared may have reported it missing.

3. Punk rock band? Uhh.... I can barely remember the names of bands that play music I actually listen to, so....

Fun game, WiseShaman! Can I also answer someone else's?

I'm curious-- Lunakat, don't you think a child has a life, even if it's not adult life? Being a child felt like having a full life to me, in its own particular terms.  Waiting for Santa and the Easter Bunny, believing my stuffed animals really talked to me, playing long games of pretend with neighbor kids, taking baths with toys in the tub.... And there was learning to read, getting interested in science stuff, taking vacations.  And getting bullied, and crying over small tragedies, and hating P.E.  I wasn't just waiting to live, I really lived!

This is pretty wonderful, Wiseshaman and I like what you're doing!

My answers might be wiggly :

1) - Jeez, not a hard question or anything LOL! I don't know. I think C was the closest I got but to be honest, it still feels like it would be later for me than 6 weeks in, which is when heartbeat registers. I feel like life starts when the mother acknowledges it. Period. I know that might in some cases be considered tragic or whatever, but I really do not see any separation between mother and child. The two are inexplicably tied. I don't like thinking of these cases where some dude just happens to decide things also for rape and incest. It's really gross and I always feel things need to be taken on a case by case basis. We don't have women running around just dying to get an abortion all happy n shit. Abortion isn't some random part time hobby. I don't think women are out there getting knocked up and then being like oh man, I need to call Planned Parenthood, Omg LOL I had a crazy weekend. I mean good lord, it's a hard decision. And a lot of the time the same people who are SO hard line about abortion are the same people that literally want nothing to do with the kid once it's born. Oh you want welfare? Go to hell. Oh you want government help? Lazy. Oh you need some help? Irresponsible whore.
Maybe the question is when these people who are voting about the sanctity of life actually see life themselves stopping. Not starting. But stopping. Because a lot of the time it feels like life starts at conception for them but then stops as soon as it's out of the womb.

2- C. Go back in and start yelling. YO! Anyone lose some panties? Yes, this has happened before. When nobody shows, I leave a note and take the basket back to place. You say nothing for a week, your crap is mine (if I want it).

3- Mmmm. Not a punk person, sorry. I was something of a punk ass in my early 20s though

1 - When the unborn consciously registers mother's voice, her preferred foods, her stress level and such, usually at about seven months of pregnancy. However, in case of some eggs abortion should be allowed till 25th birthday.
2 - I never used a laundry mat nor will I ever, so I can't answer that.  I'd rather scrub my rags in the bathtub than bring them to a public place!
3 - The Stranglers' "No More Heroes"! Though there are several Ramones' recordings coming pretty close.

1 when egg meets sperm.

2 ninja, I'd be incredibly embarrassed.I even leave stuff I couldn't it there wasn't anything I truly loved in there.

to #1 ... depends

In case the question is whether it is life at all - sure it is. It's organic, it can grow and it is able to develop into a complex life form. In case 'Curiosity' would find anything similar to a) on Mars there would be an incredible exitement about the confirmation of alien life.

When it's the question whether it is life that should equal the mother's life - her physical, mental and emotional wellfare - then my answer is different.
Neither a) nor b) ... that's not more than a plant seed or a fertilized bird egg for me. Possibilies which may or may not happen.
Not c) as well - heartbeat is a rather technical function, not suitable to define human life. Admittedly it can have a huge emotional impact on the woman and other concerned people. It is a rather easy illustration that the "something" in the belly rapidly developes into a living being.
d) seriously? Well ... I get the possibility of a very brief thought. XD

In my opinion human life begins with the awakening of conciousness - hen brain is developed enough. @Wordgazer and @Stormcatcher have put it similar. They mentioned the 6th/7th month for this developement ... I know they read enough to know about evidence. I don't - so I'll go with their time frame. But - the day of conception is not always so clear and the developement seems to be not as regulary as a clockwork what I've read about. I'd put it two or four weeks earlier just to be sure.

And I'll give another, very personal anwser, in addition. What I've said bove is the view of my reasonable mind on this. The emotional part sais: Life starts when your emotions connect to it, when you see the child that will be instead of the cluster of cells that is. If the woman is aware of her pregnancy and bonds to this child-to-be and pregnancy fails after four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks ... then the mother has lost a child. Then the father has lost a child. Then the family has lost a child. And they have the right to mourn ... and no one should say: Get over it. It was just a ball of cells.


to #2

Where's the dilemma? Return the basket, ask if someone is missing it, leave it with a note and apology in case no one claims it . And inform the owner or whoever is in charge in case you think it makes sense.
It's highly embarrassing - make sure to identify your stuff better next time.


to #3

I have a heard to to come up with the names of at least one or two punk bands ... and I know punk wasn't my at the time punk was big. Point me to songs that are music instead of foul-mouthed screams and I might give it a try.

I noticed two of you say "laundry mat." My mother was from Rochester, NY, and that is what she said. I say "laundromat." Might be a regionalism.

In any case, not everyone has a laundromat like the one in our neighborhood. It's a couple of years old, with new high-efficiency washers. It has WiFi and four TVs, two in English and two in Spanish.

The owner not only cleans and maintains it constantly, but he offers to push laundry carts out to your car. If it's not too busy, he meets you in the parking lot with an empty cart. He offers to help fold long items, like the four or five yards of cloth I sometimes bring in.

From the easier to the hard:

3. I'm not really good at sorting music into boxes. Some transcends anyway.
Besides: I am too much metal to really judge something outside that area.

2. I wash at home.
In case I wouldn't wash at home:
Go back and be like "um, err... I think I took the wrong box, um, is someone missing, err, something?" And maybe leave it with a note. I'd sure hope I still have my own stuff with me.

1. Hard one.
It is already there. It does not begin. The sperm and the egg ARE alive / life already.
The question is of human morale values: Where do we draw the line?
We step on cells every day and maybe damage them. We wash an apple, kill possible bacteria with it and then eat and digest all the apple cells. We throw away the core to rot and grow new life from it.
We always leave footprints and change or damage or even kill parts of our environment, as long as we live.

So the cells are already alive. And we harm cells daily without further thinking. But now we have eaten that biblical apple, we gaines consciousness. And now we wonder. Where to draw the line, is there good, is there bad? Can we keep, slaughter and eat animals? Even plants?

One could say, bare of emotion, it's a collection of cells and with abortion the mass is removed from another complex organism and the first part stops the processes it used to have and chemically changes. But then we attribute life to it. Maybe even consciousness. We add feelings, our own feelings. Empathy. And we wonder if this is a good thing or not. And still we have to draw a line - but that line is different in anyone's view.

I personally would ask questions first. Check the circumstances: Is the mother's life is endangered? Was it an act of rape (though the child can't be blamed for that)? Is the fetus severly damaged? (Though then it would be a choice we do for or against it, and that could in later generations be blamed to be "euthanasia".) How far is it already developed? Does it already move? Are you vegetarian, vegan, frutarian? Dou you eat meat (why do you then complain so loud when you eat/kill animals daily?*)?
Do you maybe have an alternate choice like giving birth but then giving the child to adoption (e.g. for childless pairs that would like to have one)?

Then, find your individual line.


*thousands of male, little chicken hatchlings are being shredded industrially daily (because they are considered to be useless). The daily consumed eggs are without number. Animals are kept in areas that remind of concentration camps.

Wow, thanks for all the participation guys. I’m glad we all had some fun with the questions. I like the fact we ran the gambit on the laundry mat question, from the ninja sneaking back in to those who just plain up and scream out come get your stuff. The Life question evoked some nice answers too, very compelling. So, I promised my answers, and here they are:

1. For me, life doesn’t start at conception or the heartbeat, at least not what I would call life. Like most here, I have a very personal definition. See, I can only remark from a Father’s point of view and when it comes to my own child, ‘life’ didn’t begin till the first scream when she entered the world. For the proceeding nine months, while my wife carried her, I was just along for the ride it seemed. I showed up for OBG/YN appointments, watched the sonograms, and all that stuff and strangely I felt a disconnect. I just couldn’t see my way to being attached to the being growing in my ex-wife’s belly, till the day in the surgery room when she came into my life. The moment the nurse handed her to me, the second she was in my arms, I felt an instant bond and a purpose for being here. Life, I think it’s so much more than mitosis and a heartbeat, because let’s face it, some of us don’t really live till we’re given a reason too.

2. Yeah, I’m like Zadzi, I’d just walk in and yell out ‘Anyone missing your s*@T? Cause if you are I might have it’. I was born without the gene that causes embarrassment I think.

3. Oh, it would have to be Black Flag – Damaged for me. I was never part of the ‘Pretty and Popular’ crowd in High School. I was the kid most everyone (including the teachers) wanted nothing to do with, which is why when I got home I would crank up that album. I’d hear Henry scream out the lyrics against a raucous guitar rift, his anger at the world seemingly akin to mine, and I feel just a little bit better.

Well, there’s mine. Tune in tomorrow for the next three and as always, keep it between the ditches people.

Nice twist, Shaman.

Yes people, it's Friday and that means it's an all new QOD. So, strap on your thinking caps and let's do this thing!!

And remember, you can answer all three or just one, it's up to you and please elaborate.


1. You decide one night to stop in and see what's that creepy old store you pass by on the way home from work every night is all about. The cryptic older man with the silver goatee behind the counter smiles as you walk up, and strangely enough, you two begin to talk, about the past and the present and the future. He smiles and says he would like to give a special gift, for stopping in tonight. I can send you back in time, he offers, if you are so willing to make the trip. He lays out three cards on the counter you are standing at, three very old hand painted and lacquered cards, each hand painted with a symbolic figure and a title underneath, and continues. But, as with all things mystic he whispers, you may only choose one of three paths before you. I am afraid there is not enough power to do all three he says, so choose wisely and know, there is a chance that changing history may not be the best of decisions. Some paths, and some lives, were never meant to be changed.

1. The Hero - You can stop one catastrophic event from occurring (the Titanic sinking, the Hindenburg crashing, 9/11 as such)
2. The Priest - You can meet and talk for one hour with any one you wish (Famous person, old flame, as such)
3. The Thief - You can stop, or commit, one assassination of a historical figure (save JFK or take out Hitler, as such)
4. The Fool - You say 'Thank you, but no' and run out of the shop like the Flash, never to return

2. While at work, an email hits your inbox titled 'Yearly Bonus for Execs' and you notice there's an attachment. As you stare at the monitor screen pondering on the how and why you received this electronic correspondence another email comes in asking you to immediately delete the previous one and the attachment. It says the email was sent in error and please do not open the attachment. What do you do?

1. Look around quickly, nervously, and then open the attachment. You just have to know who got the biggest bonus you big old busybody!
2. Open the attachment as quick as your mouse can click, no burden on your conscience at all. You need to know who just made your sh!t list.
3. Delete the email and attachment. It's the right and moral thing to do.
4. Delete the email and attachment. You could give two sh!t's less about these people and how much they make.

3. OK, an easy one for the last one. Which season do you prefer?

1. Spring
2. Fall
3. Summer
4. Winter

And that's it. Let's have some fun and let loose!

From easiest to less easier.

> 3rd: Which season do you prefer?

Hard to say.
Winter is nice when there is snow (without snow it sucks, just dark and cold).
Fall can have nice colours, but also be all gloomy, rainy and cold. Still does have an atmosphere to it.
Summer can be nice and reminds me of a youth with holiday, swimming, forests. But then due to the climatic change the heat became unbearable, there is often lost of wild weather and if you have to work and can't be lazy at a beach of a lake or something...
Spring. If I really had to name one it is spring. European springtime is wonderful. Not too cold, not too hot. Life is coming back into my veins. Colours everywhere, greening trees. Birds. All the good things.


> 2nd: mis-sent email - what would you do?

That depends. Probably I'd delete it according to 3. moral thing.
On the other hand... well. There is curiosity. But that would only be strong enough if I really suspect execs to be assholes. Probably the result would demotivate me. In case I'd actually look, I'd make sure to be on the safe side... by technical means. (read receipts, webbugs, malware, MRUs)

> 1st: Mysterious old man in a mysterious shop...

First think a lot.
2 (meet a person from history and talk to it for 1h) sounds nice - because you could ask someone like Jesus for advice why the world is so fucked up these days and what to do.
1 does sound intriguing, too. But then - which event to prevent in the past? There are so many. And what would be if you changed the "time-cone"? What else would be affected?
3 is similar to 1. Consequences? It might make things even worse sometimes. There is a lot of what-if.
4. Maybe not even the worst choice.

I'd probably go with 2, ask for advice and then work in the present for the future.

for 1 - #4. The Fool - too much affraid to change the timeline (and not the hero/killer type either) and no idea who to meet and what to ask. And I'd feel like being in one of my nightmares ... "get out of here before something bad will happen!"

for 2 - #4. Delete it. Most probably I won't give a sh!t ... my curiosity in this field is underdevelopped. And I'd be afraid of malware - with little knowledge how to protect my comp.

for 3 - #1 and #2 equally ... Spring and Fall is my comfort zone.

I'm boring this time. ^^

1.) I would stop George W Bush from becoming president and have Al Gore win that election instead.

2.) I drop the email in the trash. How is this my concern?

3.) Fall.

I'd open it if my computer were not being monitored.

Really? THAT'S the election you would reverse, Lunakat? For all I cracked at the time about "fleeing the Bush administration," it's Trump I'd erase as fast as a shot.

Yes. Because I believe it was a domino effect. Without Bush and Cheney conducting themselves the way they did, we wouldn't have Trump.

When Bill Clinton left office, we had a surging economy, a balanced budget, money put away for social security, we were on the verge of signing the Kyoto Treaty to address global warming, we had invested in progressive technology, and we had the good will of the rest of the world. The one bad thing he did, in the end of his term, was deregulate the banks.

Al Gore would have continued Bill Clinton's policies, mostly. He was avidly in support of green technology. He was very progressive when it came to social issues. He was adamantly concerned about global warming at a time at which we could have halted the progression of it (by the time Bush left office, it was actually too late). He did not advocate war. He was interested in investing in technology (and no, he didn't invent the internet-- but he did make sure the invention of it was funded). I don't believe we would have had the Iraq war-- because he no interest in invading Iraq. I don't even think we would have had 9/11 occur-- because I would bet you anything Gore would have heeded the warnings he got about it. But if it had, I doubt he would have seized on it as an opportunity to destabilize the middle east. Consequently, our economy would have probably either remained in a positive upswing or leveled out. We surely wouldn't have trashed it the way we did. But even more importantly, we wouldn't have the war on terror we are now fighting forever, and probably Syria would not have been destroyed, displacing all the people who are flooding Europe and currently destabilizing Europe.

Even though Clinton deregulated the banks-- that level of economic crisis required everyone in office to turn a deliberate blind eye to what was happening. I don't believe Gore would have allowed that. Which means we wouldn't have had the bank bail out-- that left taxpayers footing the bill for bad bank loans (for many generations to come). Gore was big on education-- and I believe he would have pushed to invest in schools-- which means we would probably have a better educated populace now.

And because he is generally an honest man with a sound education-- he wouldn't have blatantly lied to the public, the press and the U.N. the way Bush did. Which means, we wouldn't have gotten used to that in a way that has inured us to someone like Trump.

Lastly, we would still have Habeas Corpus. And the Supreme Court wouldn't be filled with conservative judges-- because would never have appointed those people.

He would probably have continued Hillary Clinton's work toward better health care options.

And ultimately, Trump would never have happened.

3. Autumn/fall for reasons I've stated before in the "Seasons"-thread.

2. Will get deleted as spam like "Congratulashonz dear Relatif! Your Grate-Uncel Mr Abebe Lumumbu of Nigeria has passed away and maid You Dear Sir His only heir! Pulease submit Your bank account number to recief Your inheritidge!"

1. The Priest. My mother died 5 years and 7 hours ago and all I want is another hour with her. I can't get over the circumstances of her death and if this could give me peace, I'd try.

I'm sorry to hear that, Stormcatcher.

The first question regards magic.  This is an easy question for a traditional Troll, as I have conservative views about the use of magic.

Many of us feel Greymung and Guttlekraw sealed their respective dooms when they enslaved Elf rockshapers.

Not all Trolls believe slavery is a bad idea in every way, as I do.  Nor would I hesistate to march into battle alongside magic-wielding Elves, by means of an Elf-formed tunnel.  Should I be wounded, I would also beg the assistance of an Elf healer.

But for a Troll to use Elfin magic for profit, or for self-indulgence, and especially to rely upon it as a means of production, is to seal one's own doom. So I avoid magic as much as possible.

Sure, I would like to have seen Castle elected President. But he'll have other chances.

Politely refusing the offer, I would then ask the shopkeeper, "Tell me about your business."  Time allowing, I would listen to him talk all about his childhood in  Transylvania, his membership in the Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, his BBB rating, his daughter's swimming and diving medals, and his arthritis.

This would be the beginning of an ongoing relationship, in which I might stop by to pick up a five-kilo sack of imported brown rice, a rubber gasket for a vintage bread machine, a cold Diet Coke with Lime, suet block birdseed, a funny birthday card for my sister-in-law, or a refurbished Kenmore steel sewing machine with the case or cabinet missing, depending upon what sort of creepy old stock he had in his creepy old store.  What is it, anyway?  Bait and tackle, halal groceries, bicycle repair?  Does he even have a website?

Finally, at some point at which we had established a good relationship, I would tell him that I am a copy writer by trade, and ask if he would like me to write any advertising material to help promote his business.  If not, I will continue the relationship in hopes of finding how I may help him get more customers, or how he might help other people I know.

2.  Delete nothing.  Touch nothing.  Alert your boss immediately.  It's his or her call, not yours.  (I assume it's the company's computer as well.)

This could be a test from your employer.  It could be an outside threat to information security.  It could also be an honest mistake, in which case a co-worker might be disciplined if it's not resolved quickly.

If you're not comfortable discussing this with your boss, or if no superior is immediately available, call the HR department or the person in charge of cyber-security.

3.  Hard to say for me as well.  I grew up with spring and summer.  No fall, no winter.  Winter is hardest on my old Troll bones, but it's necessary to replenish the ground water.  It's also useful in controlling annual weeds.