http://randomname.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Random Name en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:48:38 GMT 2010-01-06T09:48:38Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977603301 A while back, I pessimistically wondered if Gather is a Ponzi Scheme. After finally collecting enough points to get a Borders Books coupon, I wondered if Gather would go out of business before I got . . . Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:40:26 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977603301 Random Name 2009-02-22T21:40:26Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977553073   My parents were mystical rather than religious. Their ancestors were Jewish, but they were confused about their identity. They sent me to study my religious traditions at an orthodox synagogue . . . Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:05:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977553073 Random Name 2009-01-04T20:05:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977551545 DBDDBS is supposedly a mnemonic for remembering the fates of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. This memorization trick is not that accurate; . . . Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:55:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977551545 Random Name 2009-01-02T23:55:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977547259   In the 20th Century, humans discovered sex. What people had done before that time is unclear, but scholars are studying the matter. Writers created works of fiction on the topic, such as . . . Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:54:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977547259 Random Name 2008-12-29T01:54:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977546673 Gather points are about as silly as you can get. I am a silly person, so I am paying attention to the process of gathering points. Also, I have never seen people talk about how many points they have . . . Sun, 28 Dec 2008 04:54:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977546673 Random Name 2008-12-28T04:54:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977544790 I just checked my profile. I have been on Gather for about two years. For about five minutes, I was excited when I learned that I could earn "rewards" by posting. Then I realized that it is . . . Thu, 25 Dec 2008 04:28:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977544790 Random Name 2008-12-25T04:28:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977544529 In honor of Christmas Eve, I will mention once again that I call myself a "radical agnostic." Atheists like to kick sand on agnostics, so I became a "radical agnostic" terrorists. . . . Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:09:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977544529 Random Name 2008-12-24T19:09:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977533836 My father and mother and their siblings grew up in the Great Depression. Their youthful experiences, not to mention their unwise decision to marry each other, left them both quite depressed. For several . . . Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:51:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977533836 Random Name 2008-12-12T22:51:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977082829 In my article on Cyberia as an agnosticracy, I wrote: If the new Cyberian citizen honestly says, "I don't know if there is a God," the audience breaks out in wild applause and the government . . . Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:19:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977082829 Random Name 2007-08-11T13:19:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977078376 As Cyberia was founded and controlled by Random Name, a radical agnostic, Cyberia is neither a theocracy nor an atheocracy. It's an agnosticracy. As the fundamental tenet of radical agnosticism is . . . Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:00:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977078376 Random Name 2007-08-07T12:00:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976906072 Buddhism is a religion. Random's first law of religious thermodynamics is: religions (like bananas) split. Thus, there are various Buddhisms, A to Zen. A Zen Buddhist leader asked his followers, . . . Thu, 08 Feb 2007 18:42:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976906072 Random Name 2007-02-08T18:42:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976904642 I better place some disclaimers first. First, I am quite sure no person reading this exceeds the posted speed limit. Second, I urge everyone to drive very carefully and safely. Trying to conduct one's . . . Wed, 07 Feb 2007 02:07:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976904642 Random Name 2007-02-07T02:07:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976902035 The Random Global Consortium (RGC) is pleased to introduce the newest member in their suspect organization: Dirty Rotten Organic Illegal Drugs Corp (DROID). Unlike ordinary drug dealers, DROID provides . . . Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:33:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976902035 Random Name 2007-02-03T15:33:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976901378 I recently browsed through a book on writing humor, containing articles by several humorists, on how to write in a funny manner. My first thought was that the existence of such a book is very funny. . . . Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:13:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976901378 Random Name 2007-02-02T19:13:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976899211   I came to the conclusion that as an investor, I could not contribute to solving social and medical problems of society (such as smoking) by choosing "socially responsible" investing. . . . Wed, 31 Jan 2007 01:56:56 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976899211 Random Name 2007-01-31T01:56:56Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976897912 For a long time, I have regarded socially responsible investing with mirth. (Just as some people are addicted to tobacco. I am addicted to mirthful regarding.)  As a maudlin, soft-minded person, . . . Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:38:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976897912 Random Name 2007-01-29T23:38:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976895281 Fourth of four articles on privacy and transparency in Cyberia The third level of information is the personal level. At this level you exchange personal ratings you have received from other employers, . . . Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:55:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976895281 Random Name 2007-01-26T19:55:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976895226 Part the second on gay marriage Before I get to gay marriage, I am going to go around the bend, so please bear with me for a little bit. He wasn’t an American because America hadn’t been created . . . Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:40:25 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976895226 Random Name 2007-01-26T18:40:25Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976894507 Third of four articles on privacy and transparency in Cyberia The second level of information is known as the Last Laugh Level, and includes information such as your credit rating and a business' . . . Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:57:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976894507 Random Name 2007-01-25T19:57:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893965   People love to get themselves excited. Some people get themselves excited about marriage. Sometimes they get so excited; they're downright gay about it. That may be more excitement then is . . . Thu, 25 Jan 2007 01:18:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893965 Random Name 2007-01-25T01:18:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893650   Second of four articles on privacy and transparency in Cyberia The Cyberian government keeps moderate amounts of public information on you. This is known as the Name, Rank, And Serial Number . . . Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:11:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893650 Random Name 2007-01-24T18:11:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893018 January 11 is perform sensible acts of randomness day. Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:50:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893018 Random Name 2007-01-23T23:50:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976892848 Key to Cyberian Society is the Personal Database (PB). At the age of 12, each Cyberian Citizen receives an implanted computer system which contains his or her or its personal information, updated throughout . . . Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:08:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976892848 Random Name 2007-01-23T21:08:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976890487 Every culture features certain skills and talents. One can detect signs of these aptitudes even in the play of small children. For example in societies with a flair for kidnapping and ransom, grandparents . . . Sat, 20 Jan 2007 22:31:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976890487 Random Name 2007-01-20T22:31:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976886346 Every four years, Ordinaria adds a "leap year," This has something to do with making the calendar come out even, or making people more jumpy then they are already, but is otherwise useless. . . . Tue, 16 Jan 2007 04:20:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976886346 Random Name 2007-01-16T04:20:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976881806   From time to time, visitors to Cyberia will notice plain beige bicycles parked on streets, in front of buildings, and at other locations. Sometimes, visitors are surprised to learn that these . . . Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:33:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976881806 Random Name 2007-01-10T21:33:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976881033   As long as they engage in active competition, athletes are exempt from Cyberia's drug farm requirements. At the beginning of a sporting event, athletes fill out a disclosure form revealing . . . Tue, 09 Jan 2007 23:57:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976881033 Random Name 2007-01-09T23:57:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976880660 Pay Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:58:46 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976880660 Random Name 2007-01-09T15:58:46Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976879126 Sit down in front of your mirror. Look yourself in the eye. It's time for a serious discussion. You've been living together for a long time. It's time to ask, Is this relationship going anywhere? . . . Sun, 07 Jan 2007 18:41:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976879126 Random Name 2007-01-07T18:41:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976878646 My granddaughter is a very bright, cute, and intelligent three year old child. Nevertheless, even I, as a very doting and indulgent grandfather, must admit that she is something of a drama queen. For . . . Sun, 07 Jan 2007 00:20:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976878646 Random Name 2007-01-07T00:20:05Z