"Fun" Chat!

Ben wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

Ben wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

School is STILL screwing me over... but, fortunately, once I graduate in May, I'm going to take a gap year and as such I'll have an ENTIRE YEAR FREE to do many things, including LEGOs. It's gonna be awesome!

Cool!

I hope so! I'm really looking forward to it.

What about you? What are your plans for the next.... I dunno. Few years. Have you decided on a career direction yet?

...I haven't. :/

Well, I'll be going to the army soon. In a couple years. Or less. And afterwards I'm thinking about pursuing a career in programming.

are you getting drafted or going in by choice?

Arnas wrote:

are you getting drafted or going in by choice?

Everyone from age 18 is drafted into the army. For boys, 3 years, for girls, 2 years. So I don't have much choice. But anyways, not everything is fighting, there are scientific divisions and intelligence... Honestly I do want to join. Although not really into fighting.

Ben wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

Ben wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

School is STILL screwing me over... but, fortunately, once I graduate in May, I'm going to take a gap year and as such I'll have an ENTIRE YEAR FREE to do many things, including LEGOs. It's gonna be awesome!

Cool!

I hope so! I'm really looking forward to it.

What about you? What are your plans for the next.... I dunno. Few years. Have you decided on a career direction yet?

...I haven't. :/

Well, I'll be going to the army soon. In a couple years. Or less. And afterwards I'm thinking about pursuing a career in programming.

Dude same here! Well minus the army part.

crash703 wrote:

Dude same here! Well minus the army part.

Cool. You understand recursion? (according to your title ) It hurts my head to think about it, since once I tried to follow what happens on paper for a simple recursion problem, except it got slightly confusing

Ben wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Dude same here! Well minus the army part.

Cool. You understand recursion? (according to your title ) It hurts my head to think about it, since once I tried to follow what happens on paper for a simple recursion problem, except it got slightly confusing

Well I kinda have an advantage because it would seem that I naturally think recursively. So an example that still happens all the time is that instead of counting how many blocks wide my minecraft house is I simply place torches all along one side and run back and forth taking a torch off each side at a time until I reach the middle. That's probably the best example of recursion you're going to get Although in real recursion you could take a torch off both sides at once.

crash703 wrote:

Dude same here! Well minus the army part.

Lucky. In Greece, the military sucks, and we eat disgusting food, are forced to do all kinds of boring, useless exercises, and are hardly every allowed out. Fortunately, however, since I'm the oldest in a large family, (we're four siblings, in all), I only have to spend like 6 - 9 months in the army. Which is bad, but still.

Anyway, why are you taking the year off? Anything in particular, or you just haven't decided on a career choice? If so, I understand... No experience = no idea. Unless you REALLY know what you want to do from, like, a young age or something. But still.

EDIT: Oh, and please excuse my atrocious syntax. I sound like some kind of teenage girl or something... "And he was, like, SO cool, and I was like "Oh my God," and then he was all like..."

Yeah... you get the idea. Sorry 'bout that.

Athanasios wrote:

Lucky. In Greece, the military sucks, and we eat disgusting food, are forced to do all kinds of boring, useless exercises, and are hardly every allowed out. Fortunately, however, since I'm the oldest in a large family, (we're four siblings, in all), I only have to spend like 6 - 9 months in the army. Which is bad, but still.

Anyway, why are you taking the year off? Anything in particular, or you just haven't decided on a career choice? If so, I understand... No experience = no idea. Unless you REALLY know what you want to do from, like, a young age or something. But still.

Bummer. Israeli army rocks.

Ben wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

Lucky. In Greece, the military sucks, and we eat disgusting food, are forced to do all kinds of boring, useless exercises, and are hardly every allowed out. Fortunately, however, since I'm the oldest in a large family, (we're four siblings, in all), I only have to spend like 6 - 9 months in the army. Which is bad, but still.

Anyway, why are you taking the year off? Anything in particular, or you just haven't decided on a career choice? If so, I understand... No experience = no idea. Unless you REALLY know what you want to do from, like, a young age or something. But still.

Bummer. Israeli army rocks.

So are you actually obligated to fight? As in, you are forced to participate in any current wars, which would mean killing people? Because that would be NOTHING to get excited about.

If, on the other hand, you actually learn useful things, and are able to avoid the tragedy that is combat, then by all means, go enjoy yourself.

Athanasios wrote:

Ben wrote:

Bummer. Israeli army rocks.

So are you actually obligated to fight? As in, you are forced to participate in any current wars, which would mean killing people? Because that would be NOTHING to get excited about.

If, on the other hand, you actually learn useful things, and are able to avoid the tragedy that is combat, then by all means, go enjoy yourself.

1. We rock in the sense that we have high standards and technology. I don't have to worry about doing pointless antique drills, or eating slush that might be made out of cow brains or chicken gizzards for dinner.

2. Not all of the army is fighting. As I said earlier, there are technology, information, and intelligence based divisions that are part of the army. Not everything is just fighting.

3. There is no current war.

4. A very small amount of soldiers are actually killed, so the chance of me being killed because I'm a soldier is almost as small as me being killed as a civilian.

Ben wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

Ben wrote:

Bummer. Israeli army rocks.

So are you actually obligated to fight? As in, you are forced to participate in any current wars, which would mean killing people? Because that would be NOTHING to get excited about.

If, on the other hand, you actually learn useful things, and are able to avoid the tragedy that is combat, then by all means, go enjoy yourself.

1. We rock in the sense that we have high standards and technology. I don't have to worry about doing pointless antique drills, or eating slush that might be made out of cow brains or chicken gizzards for dinner.

2. Not all of the army is fighting. As I said earlier, there are technology, information, and intelligence based divisions that are part of the army. Not everything is just fighting.

3. There is no current war.

4. A very small amount of soldiers are actually killed, so the chance of me being killed because I'm a soldier is almost as small as me being killed as a civilian.

1_ Totally agree, and as a result envy you. A friend of mine was describing his experience with meals... horrific.

2_ I understand that not all army is fighting. That is not what I said.

3_ Good.

4_ The problem is less surviving the war... the bigger issue here is killing someone else. Not as if such a thing would not matter to me; on the contrary, should such a situation arise I would probably be lying if I said I wouldn't do all I could to survive. On the other hand, I find it difficult to imagine pulling the trigger and ending someone's life. War isn't a game, nor is it something to be glorified; modern combat is not about saving one's country from terrorists, or invaders, or some such thing; to be honest, I doubt it ever was.

But this would start a long discussion about ethics, politics, and everything in between. So forget about it. Just focus on enjoying learning cool stuff in the military, since you'll be forced to go. And maybe save me some of that food you were talking about. Maybe if Greece and Israel ever become allies, you could send me some. Hehe.

Hehe. No. My food is mine.

Ben wrote:

Hehe. No. My food is mine.

Why does everyone have to be so mean? Humphf.

Athanasios wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Dude same here! Well minus the army part.

Lucky. In Greece, the military sucks, and we eat disgusting food, are forced to do all kinds of boring, useless exercises, and are hardly every allowed out. Fortunately, however, since I'm the oldest in a large family, (we're four siblings, in all), I only have to spend like 6 - 9 months in the army. Which is bad, but still.

Anyway, why are you taking the year off? Anything in particular, or you just haven't decided on a career choice? If so, I understand... No experience = no idea. Unless you REALLY know what you want to do from, like, a young age or something. But still.

EDIT: Oh, and please excuse my atrocious syntax. I sound like some kind of teenage girl or something... "And he was, like, SO cool, and I was like "Oh my God," and then he was all like..."

Yeah... you get the idea. Sorry 'bout that.

Sorry I meant that I'm planning on going into a programming career too. The only reason I would take off school for a year between highschool and college would be to save up for it. Although I'm starting an extremely well paying job next month and as I'm only a sophomore I should have enough time to save up a decent amount of money.

crash703 wrote:

Sorry I meant that I'm planning on going into a programming career too. The only reason I would take off school for a year between highschool and college would be to save up for it. Although I'm starting an extremely well paying job next month and as I'm only a sophomore I should have enough time to save up a decent amount of money.

Nice. I need to find for myself a good-paying job...

Ben wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Sorry I meant that I'm planning on going into a programming career too. The only reason I would take off school for a year between highschool and college would be to save up for it. Although I'm starting an extremely well paying job next month and as I'm only a sophomore I should have enough time to save up a decent amount of money.

Nice. I need to find for myself a good-paying job...

Learn any programming language and then look for a programming job. From what I've heard companies think the younger the better with programmers (although I'm not sure about highschool, God was awesome and threw an all highschool intern hiring company at me though) And either way there's a high demand for programmers. And if worst comes to worst you can always go freelance and make flash games or sumthin'

Athanasios wrote:

...The problem is less surviving the war... the bigger issue here is killing someone else. Not as if such a thing would not matter to me; on the contrary, should such a situation arise I would probably be lying if I said I wouldn't do all I could to survive. On the other hand, I find it difficult to imagine pulling the trigger and ending someone's life. War isn't a game, nor is it something to be glorified; modern combat is not about saving one's country from terrorists, or invaders, or some such thing; to be honest, I doubt it ever was...

He's Israeli. Chances are pretty good that anyone he could end up killing had it coming.

Unless he's in an artillery unit, but collateral damage doesn't really count when the enemy is using their civvies as shields.

Aree't'sa wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

...The problem is less surviving the war... the bigger issue here is killing someone else. Not as if such a thing would not matter to me; on the contrary, should such a situation arise I would probably be lying if I said I wouldn't do all I could to survive. On the other hand, I find it difficult to imagine pulling the trigger and ending someone's life. War isn't a game, nor is it something to be glorified; modern combat is not about saving one's country from terrorists, or invaders, or some such thing; to be honest, I doubt it ever was...

He's Israeli. Chances are pretty good that anyone he could end up killing had it coming.

Unless he's in an artillery unit, but collateral damage doesn't really count when the enemy is using their civvies as shields.

Had it coming? Who's to be the judge of that? Moreover, who's to say that he gets to be the one to carry out the punishment? Why should he decide whether or not to take someone's life? Did someone give him that right?

And since when does "accidentally" killing an innocent person, who's being used a meat shield, not "count"? The hell is that supposed to mean? "Oh, he was being used as a shield by the enemy... I killed him, but that doesn't really count as an innocent's or civilian's death..."

Are you kidding me?

Athanasios wrote:

Aree't'sa wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

...The problem is less surviving the war... the bigger issue here is killing someone else. Not as if such a thing would not matter to me; on the contrary, should such a situation arise I would probably be lying if I said I wouldn't do all I could to survive. On the other hand, I find it difficult to imagine pulling the trigger and ending someone's life. War isn't a game, nor is it something to be glorified; modern combat is not about saving one's country from terrorists, or invaders, or some such thing; to be honest, I doubt it ever was...

He's Israeli. Chances are pretty good that anyone he could end up killing had it coming.

Unless he's in an artillery unit, but collateral damage doesn't really count when the enemy is using their civvies as shields.

Had it coming? Who's to be the judge of that? Moreover, who's to say that he gets to be the one to carry out the punishment? Why should he decide whether or not to take someone's life? Did someone give him that right?

And since when does "accidentally" killing an innocent person, who's being used a meat shield, not "count"? The hell is that supposed to mean? "Oh, he was being used as a shield by the enemy... I killed him, but that doesn't really count as an innocent's or civilian's death..."

Are you kidding me?

I think he meant that no one is going to go after him for accidentally killing enemy civilians when their "soldiers" are using them as meat shields.

Athanasios wrote:

Aree't'sa wrote:

Athanasios wrote:

...The problem is less surviving the war... the bigger issue here is killing someone else. Not as if such a thing would not matter to me; on the contrary, should such a situation arise I would probably be lying if I said I wouldn't do all I could to survive. On the other hand, I find it difficult to imagine pulling the trigger and ending someone's life. War isn't a game, nor is it something to be glorified; modern combat is not about saving one's country from terrorists, or invaders, or some such thing; to be honest, I doubt it ever was...

He's Israeli. Chances are pretty good that anyone he could end up killing had it coming.

Unless he's in an artillery unit, but collateral damage doesn't really count when the enemy is using their civvies as shields.

Had it coming? Who's to be the judge of that? Moreover, who's to say that he gets to be the one to carry out the punishment? Why should he decide whether or not to take someone's life? Did someone give him that right?

And since when does "accidentally" killing an innocent person, who's being used a meat shield, not "count"? The hell is that supposed to mean? "Oh, he was being used as a shield by the enemy... I killed him, but that doesn't really count as an innocent's or civilian's death..."

Are you kidding me?

The terrorists like Hamas put rockets in schoolyards, and they're killing Israeli civilians. What can you really do besides destroy them?

I believe this discussion belongs in the debate thread.


On another subject, I finally finished my MOCathalon judging. That was an interesting experience.

Ru wrote:

I believe this discussion belongs in the debate thread.


On another subject, I finally finished my MOCathalon judging. That was an interesting experience.

How was it? Was it somewhat stressful?

Ru wrote:

I believe this discussion belongs in the debate thread.


On another subject, I finally finished my MOCathalon judging. That was an interesting experience.

How did they choose you?

Ben wrote:

Ru wrote:

I believe this discussion belongs in the debate thread.


On another subject, I finally finished my MOCathalon judging. That was an interesting experience.

How did they choose you?

Chris was looking for judges and I volunteered.

Arnas wrote:

Ru wrote:

I believe this discussion belongs in the debate thread.


On another subject, I finally finished my MOCathalon judging. That was an interesting experience.

How was it? Was it somewhat stressful?

Not really. It was mostly just tedious.

Guys come on this forum can't die again!

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Ben wrote:

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Hey c'mon man don't get depressed on us. I'm sure once the school year is over it'll get more active.

Ben wrote:

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Not interested? More like not able to be on the computer. I could do a lot for the group if I had more online time.

crash703 wrote:

Ben wrote:

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Hey c'mon man don't get depressed on us. I'm sure once the school year is over it'll get more active.

It will not. Trust me, everybody goes touristing around and stuff.

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Ben wrote:

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Hey c'mon man don't get depressed on us. I'm sure once the school year is over it'll get more active.

It will not. Trust me, everybody goes touristing around and stuff.

Really? So I'm the only one here without a life who has free time in the summer?

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Ben wrote:

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Hey c'mon man don't get depressed on us. I'm sure once the school year is over it'll get more active.

It will not. Trust me, everybody goes touristing around and stuff.

Really? So I'm the only one here without a life who has free time in the summer?

No, there is one more.

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Ben wrote:

I think it has. It might be my time to retire. I don't have time to keep the group active, and no one else is interested.

Hey c'mon man don't get depressed on us. I'm sure once the school year is over it'll get more active.

It will not. Trust me, everybody goes touristing around and stuff.

Really? So I'm the only one here without a life who has free time in the summer?

No, there is one more.

You?

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Hey c'mon man don't get depressed on us. I'm sure once the school year is over it'll get more active.

It will not. Trust me, everybody goes touristing around and stuff.

Really? So I'm the only one here without a life who has free time in the summer?

No, there is one more.

You?

Yes.

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

It will not. Trust me, everybody goes touristing around and stuff.

Really? So I'm the only one here without a life who has free time in the summer?

No, there is one more.

You?

Yes.

add a thir... wait... Nope Im gone for around 4 or 7 weeks this summer

Arnas wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Deus Otiosus wrote:

crash703 wrote:

Really? So I'm the only one here without a life who has free time in the summer?

No, there is one more.

You?

Yes.

add a thir... wait... Nope Im gone for around 4 or 7 weeks this summer

So will I be, but I will still stay in touch. Being a T(A)FOL comes first, then life.