Yeah, if I had capital and lived in AZ, I'd look into a private energy generating scheme to build a subsidized array and sell it back to the utilities. Dunno how that would work in practice, but some people do it.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 21, 2018 at 12:01#1898350 likes
Yeah, if I had capital and lived in AZ, I'd look into a private energy generating scheme to build a subsidized array and sell it back to the utilities. Dunno how that would work in practice, but some people do it.
I want to say that for the first 5 years the solar panels were on my In Laws home he had to feed the extra power back to the electrical company for free. Now I believe he has some sort of storage box that feeds it back into power the home. It's an awesome deal if you have the capital.
There are very serious dangers associated with solar power.
:rofl: Truth be told the first year he had the solar panels they failed the first day the temperatures hit 105* but were fixed within 24 hrs AND they processed a second check for 12K after saying the first one didn't clear and that only took another week to straighten out. I don't know about you but if my bank ever got a check from me for 12k, the wouldn't even process the first one without laughing their asses off.
Reply to T Clark That's actually pretty nasty sounding. I like them with cocktail sauce with horseradish on saltines. I like to drink beer when I eat them and I pour Velveeta into the beer so that when it chills it sticks to my teeth. You can always tell when I've been drinking by the bright yellow smile.
It's been a while since someone mentionned Peterson here. Let's reset the clock!
"More troubling than misrepresenting Derrida’s personal politics, though, is Peterson’s utter neglect of the thinkers and topics the philosopher actually considered. Derrida published more than twenty books before Spectres de Marx (1993), covering an enormous range of thinkers such as Husserl, Hegel, Heidegger, Saussure, Nietzsche, Rousseau, and Plato. A quasi-sincere attempt to understand him on his actual topics?—?ranging from education, ethics, and justice to Judaism, animality, and the theory of the gift?—?is far more likely to produce a frustration with his style than the sort of seething moral outrage that grips Peterson when he discusses the “bloody” Derrida at a sub-Wikipedia level of abstraction. "
I also like this recent segment on the Jim Jefferies show where "leading conservative intellectual" Jordan Peterson admits he's wrong when presented with the simple fact that the Civil Rights Movement was a positive for society.
I really don't think it can be understated that a NYT and Amazon best selling author, who is arguably the most prominent conservative intellectual at the moment, was stupefied by arguably the most important, well-known moral victory of 20th century America.
A lot of people having been asking for TimeLine's details and she wishes to say that her behaviour was really wrong, but she really desired to leave the forums for sometime now but couldn't manage to pull herself way. Sometimes, when you want to break up with your partner but you just can't do it, you need to gloriously self-destruct. She was actually relieved when she was banned because she has wanted to leave for personal reasons, mostly because it was too time consuming. She says, "I like Baden and hopefully no one is being weird to him. Hanover can suck his big toe for all I care but I hope he finds someone to love him as he deserves. Agu is a diamond. StreetlightX is a genius. Tiff is my soul-sister. T-clark is my virtual uncle. Posty is a beautiful person that needs to stop hiding behind the safety of virtual reality and start applying himself in reality, because he has so much to offer. And others I just can't think of right now. It is time for me to move on.
The 16-year old white boys who bitched about their moms telling them to clean their rooms are now 23-year olds hailing Peterson as a genius for saying the same stuff.
I like raw oysters, but they are much better with melted Velveeta.
I hope you are jesting. No upright son of New England's rocky soil and fishy waters would defile an oyster -- raw or cooked -- with something as vile as Velveeta food-like factory ooze. What a repulsive, disgusting thought.
We now have cars driving around without a human controlling it. But somehow making a car that doesn’t get deadly and suffocatingly hot within minutes is an unsolvable riddle. How many children will die this summer because of it? Safety education and prevention is necessary, of course. But fix the darn vehicles. Are roof vents so complicated? We have the technology!
Reply to unenlightened
Oh, I hear ya. Unlimited ventilation! But my family and I get honks and dirty looks when we ride our bicycles on the freeway. Maybe it’s the training wheels? :chin:
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 22, 2018 at 13:20#1901780 likes
Well, I was wondering if I was going to pick up a ranch caring gig for this weekend and I fully expected to hear from one client who calls at the last minute and sure enough the call came.
What I didn't expect was that "John" the man I worked with when it came to the care of the animals, was in the hospital with a brain bleed. He is in Neuro ICU and they are going to try and relieve pressure off the brain by drilling a hole in his skull to drain it or to take off a piece of his skull and do some sort of surgery. I am stunned and sad because John is such a sweetheart and his furry family is amazing. I like caring for his ranch because it is a multi million dollar home and stable with equally expensive horses and dogs. My hope is that everything goes easy for him today, without any brain damage although he has serious short term memory loss since being admitted yesterday, like the last week of activities. Age is not on his side at 72 with just about every complication that comes with living to be 72. If everything goes as hoped, he will be in Nuero rehab for 4-6 weeks and I just cannot imagine him being able to be around steeds of this size without assistance through the summer. His other half is the bread winner, self employed so she will need to stay focused.
You never know what tomorrow will bring, stay safe my friends and, AND he was told a month ago to go have an MRI to track down where these stabbing severe headaches were being caused by. Listen to your body and if not your body, a flippin Doc that says you need to track this down... :pray:
Oh man, are we really going to do this right now? I thought this was gonna be fun. Life sucks pretty bad right now. Not a lot going right for me at the moment. But that happens; it's normal, I guess.
Reply to Noble Dust I'm drunk too, and we are both in NYC, but it's like 2:30am so I'll just ask this and pass out in bed: what is your favorite pizza place in NYC?
Bonus round: I hear increasingly rave reviews about Scarr's in the LES, and one of my closest friends is the wine buyer for that shop. I haven't been, but I'm heading there this sunday.
Cuz, I've positioned myself and the welfare of my mother on being able to receive benefits, I get SSI and my mom gets benefits for taking care of me from IHSS. It's not depressing and I'm trying to figure if it's morally wrong.
So, I'm in a dependency trap, as conservatives would say.
Hmm. These are things I'm relatively unfamiliar with, so I can't really offer much help. I guess, idealistically, if you're rightfully benefiting from government programs, then that's a good thing, right?
I guess, idealistically, if you're rightfully benefiting from government programs, then that's a good thing, right?
Well, I give all my money to my mother, so there's an element of selflessness in the whole picture. We live in a neighborhood where the average household income is something like 150k, so our neighbors must be thinking I sell drugs or something, haha.
So, I was playing League, and someone said after a bad match, upon being told "gg" (good game) at the end; "Don't sh*t on me and tell me it's raining."
I'm gonna remember that quote and think it's hilarious.
"In classical Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the death drive (German: Todestrieb) is the drive toward death and self-destruction. It was originally proposed by Sabina Spielrein in her paper "Destruction as the Cause of Coming Into Being"[1][2] (Die Destruktion als Ursache des Werdens)[3] in 1912, which was then taken up by Sigmund Freud in 1920 in Beyond the Pleasure Principle. This concept has been translated as "opposition between the ego or death instincts and the sexual or life instincts".[4] In Pleasure Principle, Freud used the plural "death drives" (Todestriebe) much more frequently than in the singular.[5]
The death drive opposes Eros, the tendency toward survival, propagation, sex, and other creative, life-producing drives. The death drive is sometimes referred to as "Thanatos" in post-Freudian thought, complementing "Eros"..."
"Fromm, Reich, and others championed sexual liberation as fulfillment of Freud’s legacy of opposing mental health to social repression. They and “ego psychoanalysts” of the 50s inverted Freud’s ideas about the death drive, simplifying it as a desire for death; instead, the death drive is about compulsion to return to an impossible-Real point of loss that must be fantasized in terms of a “detached virtuality” where recovery can be imagined (falsely) or where the gap is “paid for,” as in the case of Faust."
Yeah. I'm reminded of Berdyaev's concept of sexuality, which would definitely be found controversial. The idea of the androgyne being the spiritual person "before sex"...
That's up for grabs as well. You might like yourself some Lacan.
Desire for death is something that keeps me interested in life. I mean that in the least nihilistic way possible. Do I still stand for a Lacan reading? Are you sure you're NOT talking about laconicism?
Desire for death is something that keeps me interested in life. I mean that in the least nihilistic way possible. Do I still stand for a Lacan reading?
I'm not sure how that would fit in with Lacan, or which stage of Lacan, especially seeing as his ideas changed a lot over time (and I don't have a deep understanding of those ideas anyway).
We're in agreement about the death drive vs sex drive though.
"Another difference between Lacan's concept of the death drive and Freud's emerges in 1964. Freud opposed the death drive to the sexual drives, but now Lacan argues that the death drive is not a separate drive, but is in fact an aspect of every drive."
Why is everyone drunk all the time in the Shoutbox these days? Have I missed an instruction or something? Anyway give up drink, stop watching TV and read some Lacan and you'll be somewhere between Zarathustra and Iron Man by the end of the summer.
Reply to Noble Dust CNN is fairly conservative. But watch the R-wing conspiracy sphere and you'll see that, to them, CNN is the American version of Pravda.
I liked this death drive discussion. It places a nice label and description upon a mindset I find prevalent here and among many I consider left of me. It's a pessimism, sometimes a nihlism, and even an outright antagonism toward optimism. The happy are seen not only as naive simpletons, but as unsympathetic, immoral, and even sometimes evil. It's like if you're productive, you're part of the problem. The death drive seeks to kill not only your internal desire to kill your life producing force, but even more so in others who lack significant death drive restraints. They are the real dangers because they will actually produce and thrive without limitation, which is something someone with a well developed death drive will see as immoral.
That's that.
CNN, like Fox, and like whatever, are best described as products, packaged for consumption, and less concerned for objective truth than just selling their product.
It's like if you're productive, you're part of the problem.
What many on the left want is a redirection of the drive away from simple productivity and towards creativity. That is, an injection of imagination into the concept of productivity that goes beyond the presumption that being a simple function of a larger organization will be enough for them to have a fulfilled life. Those who don't want to be productive at all tend to be either lazy or depressed. Neither of those is a political position.
Nice stuff on the death drive btw. You should write a novel. I suggest "Atlas Farted" as a working title.
CNN, like Fox, and like whatever, are best described as products, packaged for consumption, and less concerned for objective truth than just selling their product.
This, I agree with. The only constraints are the willingness of the audience to believe the story being told. I think, as it pans out, CNN is probably more accurate than Fox News, but the principle of commercialized news is the same, which is why it's so crap.
Reply to Noble Dust Haven't been to Luigi's, although funnily enough I did have Joe's last night. My favorite is Di Fara, but I also love Emily's and Rubirosa.
Sure, but freedom is always freedom to...do something, right? And it's that something that can be either productive or not, creative or not etc. I presume even if you had a lot of money, you wouldn't spend all your days sitting around watching porn and eating ice-cream. You'd figure a way to make your mark somehow. Or I bet you'd eventually feel the need to whether you think you would or not now. Trying to avoid being presumptuous here. And probably failing. :)
Sure, but freedom is always freedom to...do something, right? And it's that something that can be either productive or not, creative or not etc. I presume even if you had a lot of money, you wouldn't spend all your days sitting around watching porn and eating ice-cream. You'd figure a way to make your mark somehow. Or I bet you'd feel the need to whether you think you would or not now. Trying to avoid being presumptuous here. And probably failing.
I'd probably just sleep all day and party all night. Also do a lot more fitness stuff (up to 4 nights a week and itching to do more, but the lack of time and money makes it difficult, especially when all the good stuff is on during work hours). Maybe travel again, which was when I last slept all day and partied all night. Good times.
I don't care much for achievements. I'm just a hedonist.
Being a hedonist is exactly why you should care about "achievements" in my view as they restore your ability to experience pleasure when you're not working to chase them. But I'm not going to labour the point, the real achievement is staying sane and being able to enjoy life. No matter what your material circumstances are, that will still be a challenge.
I suppose the best advice I can give you is "Don't listen to Hanover, or if you do do the opposite of everything he says". That'll get you at least half way to wherever you need to be.
I just want freedom. And for that I need money. But I'm not knowledgeable or talented or lucky enough to make enough of it. :worry:
Your frowny face made me happy. Thank you. I don't like suffering generally, just yours.
I'd recommend coming to America to fulfill your dreams. I told you that already, but you instead stay in the old country with a bad set of teeth in an overpriced "flat," which is British for cramped old room with bad plumbing.
I live in a 50 room palace for $5 a month. Everything is amazing here except I cry most of the time. It's a land of contradictions. Either that or I ran out of shit to say and just started stringing nonsense together.
I told you that already, but you instead stay in the old country with a bad set of teeth in an overpriced "flat," which is British for cramped old room with bad plumbing.
Reply to Michael So that's like $1,100 USD. In Atlanta, it's $1,798, less in the burbs where I live ($1,436). Have all the factories closed where you live or something?
So what exactly do you do when you go to Di Fara? Do you order, then leave for two hours? Or just stand in line for 2 hours? I want to go, but I'm too intimidated by the whole mythos. I did go to the new outpost at the North 3rd Market in Williamsburg, and it wasn't very good.
Monbiot's like reading popcorn if you come from a similar political perspective. A lot of the value in what he writes are ways of usefully condensing progressive ideas. It's pretty rare to see someone engage in meme to meme combat with the worst elements of corporate-derived ideology.
Whenever I go, it's when I have a free weekday, so I generally get there either when it first opens at 12pm, or around 3:30-4:30 when it's not too crowded. Typically only takes about 30 minutes to get the pizza. I honestly wouldn't recommend waiting in line for two hours, that's just too long.
I realize the emotion connected to the phrase so I ask do you believe it is something to be outraged over?
In the context of a European American speaking to an African American about the immigration of South Americans, the use of racialised terms of abuse is significant. 'Drapetomania' was the medical term for being out of one's cotton-picking mind. Happily, mechanical harvesters have made it an illness of historical interest only.
Reply to StreetlightX :up: I think it's on amazon now? Either way, planning on watching soon. (Also have a huge crush on Saoirse Ronan ever since Brooklyn)
I considered a psych thread, or a politics thread, or a flame thread, even a maths thread or a dread thread, but ended up here. This is my birthday present from my daughter in Australia, and unlike chocolate, I can share it with you whilst keeping it all for myself.
In the context of a European American speaking to an African American about the immigration of South Americans, the use of racialised terms of abuse is significant. 'Drapetomania' was the medical term for being out of one's cotton-picking mind. Happily, mechanical harvesters have made it an illness of historical interest only.
I had to look up "Drapetomania" as I had never heard the word but I do know the phrase "cotton pickin mind" which took me aback but emotions were running high in the discussion, not that it changes the words spoken but does it lend itself to the intent of the phrase said?
When I tried to equate it in my mind to something that I might blurt out before realizing what words I was saying, as I have been known to do without too much filter, I came up with the scenario of how it might go down;
My family was raised 100% Catholic until we were excommunicated from the church after my bio parents divorced. As years passed, my siblings remained Catholic, I became Episcopalian and my Dad who was Baptized Catholic, educated through College in the Catholic schools, who went to church everyday before work to light candles for those he loves, became Mormon.
There is a bit of light between the Catholics and the Mormons, not much, but enough to provide an internal debate within the family and it is then when my sister said in the heat of emotion "Jesus Christ Dad! What the hell is the matter with you?"
Now, I had to insert my "Sister" in this exact scenario :wink: because I was never had issue with his conversion but my siblings still do and refuse to let my Dad talk about the Mormon religion.
Would a level of anger be expected? Probably internally? But would the expression blurted cause outrage by my Dad? And would the expression blurted out cause outrage within the Mormon community?
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 25, 2018 at 12:54#1911240 likes
This is my birthday present from my daughter in Australia,
unenlightened, my mentor, my sage, please wish your daughter the best life has to offer in this next year and to Thank her for sharing you with us. :heart: :party:
This is a close-up of the Trumpsters face a few seconds after he told his black interlocutor he was out of his "cotton pickin" mind (when the interview got stopped).
Reply to Baden That is clearly the face of someone whose mother is a hamster, and whose father smells of elderberries.
Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Everyone is entitled to blurt out something highly inappropriate and offensive in the heat of the moment, and then they have about 10 - 15 seconds to retract and apologise before they get turned to stone, or sent to the salt-mines. That pope video of Baden's was really sweet; I want all our leaders to be that kind of generous. If God can love an atheist, He can probably love even a Mormon.
Everyone is entitled to blurt out something highly inappropriate and offensive in the heat of the moment, and then they have about 10 - 15 seconds to retract and apologise
That's the way I'd put it too. Waiting until Twitter later after consultation with your PR advisers is the action of the progeny of a hamster.
What many on the left want is a redirection of the drive away from simple productivity and towards creativity. That is, an injection of imagination into the concept of productivity that goes beyond the presumption that being a simple function of a larger organization will be enough for them to have a fulfilled life
That's not what the left wants. That's what every unappreciated, over-qualified employee wants. Since Henry Ford realized that human beings could be turned into parts of a machine on the assembly line and that products could be more efficiently produced that way, businesses have been using this model for higher and higher levels of job functions. A customer service representative who used to listen to problems and creatively find a resolution now follows a script and a protocol, making it easy for the company to hire and fire so that any moron can fill that role. They can also assure themselves of a certain level of customer service that doesn't vary from person to person.
And there are people completely content in those roles, feeling no ownership or care, but just earning their paycheck until they decide to quit and find another assembly line to work on.
It's the people who do care and feel they impart a part of themselves to their product who suffer. There are diminishing roles for those people. My thought, really my hope, is that those companies that refuse to submit to the assembly line model but who seek truly qualified employees who are trusted to make decisions will prevail and leave those mindless models in the dust. One can only hope.
I think it's funny how right-wingers (and some centrists) are pulling the hair off their heads when a small, family-run restaurant in Virginia refused to serve Sarah Sanders, a powerful, wealthy public-facing member of a US presidential administration, yet the Republicans lionized a baker six years ago for denying service to then VP, Joe Biden.
Hypocrisy aside, it's an odd thing in the US that people see such need to protect the rich and privileged. Apart from Roseanne and Sanders, it was the same with Manafort when he was denied bail. He was witness tampering, so it was a no-brainer yet even the judge was practically apologizing for doing what she needed to do saying she had "no appetite" for sending him to jail. These people have every advantage and act consistently and often ruthlessly in their own self-interest, so these calls for kid gloves I just don't get. It's similar here in Thailand though, and even worse in practice as being rich means you can brazenly buy your way out of the justice system. It's the same attitude though in principle, you are somehow a better and more worthwhile person if you have money and status, and even those who don't have those things seem to by and large accept that perverted view.
Reply to Baden It goes to show how some people are inclined, almost as a default mechanism, to defend the powerful at the expense of the poor, minorities, and dis-empowered, and if people were more cognizant of that then maybe the world wouldn't be so shitty.
Maybe in the US it can be traced back to Calvinism especially. Certainly didn't notice that attitude much in Ireland when I was growing up and I think it's less prevalent in Europe as a whole.
Yes, it's embarrassingly well thought through for the Shoutbox. Please don't do that again. :) I can make Hanover's comments and your responses so far into a new discussion if you want. What do you want to call it?
Reply to Baden I do think it has potential as a topic, (tho it might end very poorly). Buuut: 'the politics of outrage' is a good, straightforward title.
I'd love to visit the USA again but I'd never want to live there.
It will be interesting to see if my eldest and his girlfriend walk away from the Netherlands with the same feeling or if they move from the USA forever.
Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff What areas affecting living conditions do you think the USA is better than the Netherlands?
The only reason for me to visit the USA would be culture and natural sights (Grand Canyon and such) and maybe pack a gun and wait for a bad guy to shoot.
I like both, but I've seen more of the Netherlands and there's less to see. So, ideally I'd go for a month or two trip in the states next. Not sure about living.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 27, 2018 at 12:25#1914840 likes
What areas affecting living conditions do you think the USA is better than the Netherlands?
I would most likely choose Arizona as much as I would hate to admit it. Arizona has a reasonable cost of living, an excellent outlook on employment and what other state in the nation can you go snow skiing and water skiing in the same day? We are a resort based state outside of our 5C's Copper, Citrus, Cotton, Cattle and Climate and we are a very progressive state without being California. :up:
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 27, 2018 at 12:27#1914860 likes
The only reason for me to visit the USA would be culture and natural sights (Grand Canyon and such) and maybe pack a gun and wait for a bad guy to shoot.
From Australia to the Netherlands, any visitor from another country has shooting a gun on their USA bucket list. There is a range up the street, on the way to Lake Pleasant where we can fulfill all your desires. :ok:
I like both, but I've seen more of the Netherlands and there's less to see. So, ideally I'd go for a month or two trip in the states next. Not sure about living.
Reply to StreetlightX 4th time in last 5 tournaments that the defending champions are out at the group stage. 2 of the others also finished 4th. It's a curse.
You could try Thailand although job ops are limited to teaching. But yes, with the supreme court going full right-wing, you're in serious doo doo over there.
Reply to Michael I just got the call from Trump actually. I told him if he would honor my already paid for travel plans, I'd take the job. You have to clear these things upfront because they'll be like no, you can't go on vacation so soon, you just started and shit. Been there, done that, and it's not happening again.
Reply to Posty McPostface TBH I think ~5ish months is too early to tell. I think it's undeniable at this point that more Democrats/liberals will be more motivated to vote than in years past, but at the same time Kennedy's retirement will motivate a lot of conservatives now.
I think it's safe to say that Donald Trump's next nomination to the SC will be approved by Congress. If so, it should be noted that four out of nine Supreme Court Justices will have been picked by Presidents who initially entered office loosing the popular vote. Under Bush, Roberts and Alito; under Trump, Gorsuch and X.
The Court has too much unchecked power, but I do take great comfort in knowing that we will have a long conservative era where now young children will be able to live out most of their formative years without being subjected to liberal jurisprudence. The Trump legacy is now indelibly marked on a generation. The Republican blockade of Obama's attempt to select a justice is now appearing all the more brilliant and all the more important.
:love: :party: :100: :flower:
I felt fellow family members in Chicago's hair on fire! :fire:
But when you are mucking horse shit in 110* when the news comes across? WTF cares?
I have a strong feeling he will, privately, discuss "loyalty" with whomever he nominates.
What's wrong with discussing loyalty? Isn't loyalty an important quality in your friends, in people you associate with, people you do business with, etc.?
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 28, 2018 at 12:12#1917880 likes
Neil is so easy on the eyes [url=https://postimages.org/]
What's wrong with discussing loyalty? Isn't loyalty an important quality in your friends, in people you associate with, people you do business with, etc.?
A judge being "loyal" to the President, where this is to mean siding with matters that favour the President over what is constitutional/legal/just, is corruption.
Reply to Michael I agree with this, but I also think the concern over discussions about loyalty prior to a nomination are irrational. Once you're selected a Justice, you're there for life and there could be no repercussion for disloyalty, so it's not like it's enforceable in any way. There's also the problem of there being no evidence at all that such a conversation will take place, but just basic unsupportable distrust.
What is the United States? It doesn't include the office of the Presidency?
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 28, 2018 at 15:17#1918160 likes
Reply to Maw
You are correct in that I have two young gentleman as sons, who have been raised in a post 9/11 society, who are both AMAZING souls this world needs more of, if I may say for myself.
Maw, I don't know if you have children (though if I am correct you don't yet have them) but one thing all the parenting books will tell you as well as many spiritual/religious books is that "Children learn what they live".
Both of our sons have lived thru the depression (political folk say it was a "recession" ) seeing NicK as the sole breadwinner for a family of four, working on the all American dream of being your own boss and how far life can drop.
Now, I assure you that both my sons know right from wrong, are empathetic to a degree that many adults will never achieve, love their family and know that they are their brother's keeper.
But, BUT, both gentlemen, have independently made the decision to leave the USA for what they see as brighter shores, within socialist societies. Have I explained the concept of "Mowing Down the Tallest Poppy" to them both? Ad nauseum my friend, ad nauseum. My Great Grands came to America from Europe because of what they saw as possible, which is one of the reasons my gentlemen give me for leaving here.
What can I say to change their minds?
Not a damn thing because actions speak louder than words and the last 20 years of America's performance have been unstable at best.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJune 28, 2018 at 15:22#1918190 likes
Reply to Maw Btw
I will fight like no other to allow a woman to make any decisions in regards to her own body, including but not limited to, being responsible for another life or not.
So there has been some conversation around this press release from Homeland Security, and whether there is secret Nazi propaganda hidden in it. Commentators have pointed out that the starting phrase, "We must secure..." is also the start of the Nazi '14 Words' slogan, which goes, "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children". Additionally, there are 14 points in the document. Finally, there is an awkwardly constructed fraction mentioned, "On average, out of 88 claims that pass the credible fear screening, fewer than 13 will ultimately result in a grant of asylum." Why would you use "88" as the base for a fraction? 88 by the way, is a Nazi hate symbol, and is often combine with the number 14.
This can of course all be just extremely coincidental, but...still, it's nevertheless highbrow raising. What are your thoughts here...?
I wanted to change my username from LoneWolf to just Wolf, but that name has already been taken. Does anyone have a better idea? I can't think of anything now. :chin:
It's weird and it wouldn't surprise if some alt right troll in the admin helped put it together and spiked it for his own amusement. No American admin in living memory has been this friendly to anti-semites and racists. It also wouldn't surprise me if it's just a coincidence though.
No, you're not the only one. Either White Supremacists have infiltrated the DHS, or someone has decided to lose his job in the most spectacular way possible.
Reply to Lone Wolf Big bad Wolf, as in "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf..." as in the nemesis of the three juvenile swine, one of whom was a faggot, a second a hippie, and the third a petite bourgeois thug.
[@Mr Phil O'Sophy Haha, lots of crazy names! :joke: Philosowolf is cute haha. Reply to 0 thru 9 Do I look like Schnauzer? :chin: Reply to Bitter Crank :gasp: I am totally bad... :cool:
Thanks, everyone!
VagabondSpectreJune 29, 2018 at 03:31#1919690 likes
Reply to Baden It's hard to believe unlucky coincidence. The headline alone which mimics the 14 word shtick, and is itself 14 words, is too much to accept as accidental. The 88 reference ("...out of 88 people surveyed, fewer than 13...") convinces me that the author knew what they were doing. Originally I bet they wanted to write "out of 88, fewer than 14" but thought better of it because it's too obvious.
The article is itself calling for a wall and comes from a department that was born out of fear and anger. Xenophobia runs through its entirety, which makes the possibility that this was done intentionally all the more plausible.
Hmmm... Sensing the impending creation of the long anticipated Bro thread (with comments split from the Shoutbox). A virtual 24-hour imaginary frat party. Ladies welcome of course, otherwise it’s just a lame sausagefest. So in that spirit may I offer a (very dated and probably no longer funny) Whazzzzuuuuup!!!” :yum:
To clarify, I mean the person holding the Presidency. No, a member of the Supreme Court should not swear loyalty to the President.
Does the President not represent the office of Presidency? I'm pretty sure that Trump doesn't expect and never expected people like Comey to be loyal to him after he's no longer President. Therefore it's quite clear that Trump demands loyalty to him in his capacity as President, as representative of the office of the Presidency. And it's his right to.
the new conservative court may very well decide within the next 20 years to overturn Roe v. Wade, and either allow states to determine abortion rights or Federally ban abortion nation-wide
That sounds... great! :razz: People will behave differently if they know abortion is illegal. In some cases, abortion should be legal (medical issues, rape, etc.). But the idea of murdering a child-to-be because he/she doesn't fit your plans is an abomination. It is a hard decision to make, but if it happened to me, I don't think I could allow my partner to have an abortion - what would I then answer before God? I can sympathize, it would be hard. But life is hard. It's not easy.
Many people today aren't prepared for the difficulty of life, especially in many of the Western nations. It's not our duty as a society to create weaklings who shirk away at every challenge that comes their way, and look blankly at life, blinking. So then, why are we promoting values which encourage weakness and pettiness, instead of strength, courage, and virtue in the face of evil? I fully agree that we should support people in fighting against evil, but we shouldn't do so in a way that makes them weaker and takes away from their responsibility.
Therefore it's quite clear that Trump demands loyalty to him in his capacity as President, as representative of the office of the Presidency. And it's his right to.
No it isn't. There's a separation of powers between executive, judiciary, and legislature. Each serves only the people, the Constitution, and the country.
Judges ought only be loyal to the law, not to the President.
There's a separation of powers between executive, judiciary, and legislature. Each serves only the people, the Constitution, and the country.
In order to serve "the people", is it better if the three branches of power work together, or should they rather be at war and in conflict with each other? Which better serves the interest of "the people"? Is it better if your house is divided, you against the wife, the children against you, and so on so forth, or is it better to stand united?
It's not a Supreme Court Justice's job to work with Congress or the President, but to act as a check to their power, ensuring that no law is unconstitutional and that the government doesn't infringe on the rights of the people.
It's not a Supreme Court Justice's job to work with Congress or the President, but to act as a check to their power, ensuring that no law is unconstitutional and that the government doesn't infringe on the rights of the people.
So the SCJ is there in order to be in opposition to the President (keep him in check), and (obviously) the President is there be in opposition to the SCJ? If not, then how can this relationship work? And if yes, how can two divided bodies represent the will of a single people?
Shouldn't the President and the SCJ much rather work together to ensure that the people are adequately represented? Isn't that the better alternative?
So the SCJ is there in order to be in opposition to the President (keep him in check), and (obviously) the President is there be in opposition to the SCJ? If not, then how can this relationship work? And if yes, how can two divided bodies represent the will of a single people?
The opposition is intended to represent the will of the people. If the government introduces some order that infringes on the rights of the people then it would be unjust for the Supreme Court to simply be loyal to the President and accept what he's doing. The proper course of action is for the Supreme Court to rule the order unconstitutional and demand that the President stop.
The opposition is intended to represent the will of the people.
So the will of the people is divided against itself? How is it one will if it is divided against itself? A single will cannot be conceived which pulls in two different directions. That's what we actually call two different wills. So if "the will of the people" is not divided, how can that which represents it be divided?
If the government introduces some order that infringes on the rights of the people then it would be unjust for the Supreme Court to simply be loyal to the President and accept what he's doing.
The proper course of action is for the Supreme Court to rule the order unconstitutional and demand that the President stop.
Sure, but this is only the case because the President, presumably, is acting against his own interests. They are not actually acting against the President by stopping his actions, they are actually preventing a harm that would affect the President too.
So the will of the people is divided against itself? How is it one will if it is divided against itself? A single will cannot be conceived which pulls in two different directions. That's what we actually call two different wills. So if "the will of the people" is not divided, how can that which represents it be divided?
Do you honestly not understand the concept of checks and balances?
Sure, but this is only the case because the President, presumably, is acting against his own interests. They are not actually acting against the President by stopping his actions, they are actually preventing a harm that would affect the President too.
What are you talking about? It's quite simple; a Supreme Court justice shouldn't be asked to be loyal to Trump. That would be incredibly inappropriate, and bordering on corruption. They should only be asked to faithfully uphold the Constitution and the law.
It's quite simple; a Supreme Court justice shouldn't be asked to be loyal to Trump.
Yes, he should be asked to be loyal to the President. If the President is taking the country (and himself too) over a cliff, the SCJ is being loyal by stopping the President, since he is acting in the President's best interests. You are having a hard time understanding this.
Usually a shared fear and hatred of foreigners. There's nothing like an enemy for promoting unity.
Is it the enemy that promotes unity, or rather danger?
Is danger the only thing that the state can be united against (notice that we switched from united around, to united against)? And if so, why is it so? Mutual danger places both parties under threat - their conflicting interests suddenly align... temporarily. But is that sufficient to call it a unity? Or are we rather misconstruing from the very beginning? We started by asking what the state can be united around, and we've arrived at what the state can be united against.
And if so, why is it so? Mutual danger places both parties under threat - their conflicting interests suddenly align... temporarily. But is that sufficient to call it a unity?
To call unity requires only a flag. Yes, a shared fear overcomes conflicts of interest by externalising them. There can be no 'us' united without 'them' separated. The demand for unity is always polarising, and polarisation leads to war.
In a stable peaceful state, people are conflicted in their loyalties, liberal on some issues conservative on others, and so on, and not united with anyone about everything. Then one does not want to fight too hard on one issue because one would be fighting one's allies on another issue. As long as we are all conflicted in our loyalties, there is peace, it is unity as factions that lead to war.
In some countries unity is easy. Rule of law comes naturally. These people will mainly see the downside to unity because they aren't afflicted by all the terrible things that happen when unity is a problem.
Other countries struggle continuously with the threat of violent conflict. They resort to something close to monarchy because rule of law just isn't an option.
The two definitely shouldn't be giving each other advice.
Therefore it's quite clear that Trump demands loyalty to him in his capacity as President, as representative of the office of the Presidency. And it's his right to.
I honestly can't comprehend how deluded you are. Here is a good article on what loyalty means to Trump, and it has everything to do with protecting him, not even as a President but as Donald Trump.
According to people who know him well, Trump’s definition of loyalty is blunt. “Support Donald Trump in anything he says and does,” Roger Stone, the president’s longest-running political adviser, told me. “No matter what,” former Trump Organization executive Barbara Res said. “Or else,” added Louise Sunshine, a friend of Trump for nearly 50 years. “I think he defines it as allegiance,” biographer Tim O’Brien told me. “And it’s not allegiance to the flag or allegiance to the country—it’s allegiance to Trump.”
1. You talk as though women can’t hold the same view as Agu. But they do, it has nothing to do with mysogony and more to do with values.
Women can be misogynists too, and one not need expressly state "I hate women" in order to be a misogynist (few misogynists explicitly do that), but, rather, can hold values which themselves express an animosity and disdain towards women's agency and value, as a person.
2. By “people” he could also have meant...”people”. As Men would also have to deal with the consequences of dealing with the responsibilities of having children.
Surely you are intelligent enough that I don't need to explain to you why the consequences and responsibility of child-baring inextricably fall more so on the women than the man?
I understand that there are women out there who are "Pro-Life". This does not make it any less a misogynistic position.
And simply calling someone a mysogynist because they hold values which differ to your own does not in fact make them someone who express ‘disdain towards women’s agency and value, as a person’. How does it follow that valueing the life of unborn children and to want to instill consideration for this life in relation to personal responsibility means that someone does not value women? Again, fallacious reasoning akin to pro-life advocates claiming that you don’t value a babies agency or right to be a person because you are pro-abortion. Both of these claims are equally fallacious.
"Values" in this scenario aren't mere nuggets of abstraction devoid of ethical consequences. This isn't a case where I prefer affogato, while Agustino enjoys tiramisu more, and I unreasonably criticize him for holding a "value" that differs from my own. The philosophically distilling of the science is unambiguous on this issue: an "unborn child", is by definition, not a child. A potential is not an actual. An inchoate fetus that lacks consciousness, viability, a developed CNS, etc. is not isomorphic with a woman who can gestate the former, yet pro-lifers, such as Agustino, effectively reduce the latter to the state of the former by fallacious equivocation. It is the liquidation of a women's agency, of her reproductive and bodily rights - a deprivation that a man, qua man, can never experience. It is a misogynistic value. There is also the history of life for a young women before Roe v. Wade, in America. Or merely look at Ireland's recent history.
Surely you’re intelligent enough to understand that what I said never refuted that point, but simply emphasised the fact that although this may be the case, it does not follow that there are insignificant consequences or responsibilities on part of the man.
Surely you are intelligent to enough to see that I never claimed that there are never consequences or responsibilities for men, but rather that there is an asymmetry of consequences/responsibilities with scales tipping towards the woman, in particular "enforcing certain behaviors".
It also doesn’t make it more of a misogynistic position simply because you say it is so, and appear to be fond of throwing around these key words willy nilly.
No. There is nothing "willy nilly" about having moral clarity, calling a spade a spade, or in this case, a misogynistic value a misogynistic value.
Stating, "simply calling someone a misogynist because they hold values which differ to your own" diminishes what the content (and therefore concern) of what those values actually are, thereby dismissing my concern as a mere abstract disagreement.
An unbelievably obvious case of faulty reasoning. An unborn child is a child that has yet been born. That is why we refer to it as an ‘unborn child’.
Children can be born prematurely and survive to be healthy individuals. How does arbitrary specifics on the location result in it no longer being considered a Being anymore?
the potential is at the point before it is conceived. Once it is conceived and is growing, has a heart beat, brain activity etc, you can no longer refer to it as potential as it is in fact now an actuality. You can’t abort potentials, only actual tangible things.
1 year old you is not isomorphic from a 100 year old you. There are clear differences which distinguish the two as very different from one another. The latter may even have a less developed sense of consciousness due to old age and phebalness. It simply does not follow that because there are differences in how developed a thing is that one should have less rights to life than the other.
I've already countered these exact types of shallow, fallacious reasoning in a separate thread on abortion here and here and here, which are simply categorical mistakes, semantic jabberwocky, or simply ignores significant fetal development processes that occur during pregnancy, as well as the fact that a majority of abortions take place prior to these developments. You are also clearly ignorant on the failures of abstinence-only educational policies, and the harm that banning abortions does to women, as demonstrated by history, and it demonstrates a callous indifference to the lives and rights of women.
Your understanding of this entire issue is as developed as a gamete.
Reply to Maw It's not about my knowledge here, it's about the way you conceive of men. That's the problem. And I'm not even saying that the way you conceive of men is factually wrong, I'm saying that you are not even troubled that that is the case. You are not troubled by the fact that men would have sex with women without caring whether they will be pregnant or not if abortions are illegal. That underlies a problem with the morality of men, and you seem to be completely untroubled by it. You take it as "historical fact", and that's that.
I'm saying that you are not even troubled that that is the case. You are not troubled by the fact that men would have sex with women without caring whether they will be pregnant or not if abortions are illegal.
You have a talent, Agustino, of making perverse, unsubstantiated assumptions. As if I, a heterosexual man, would honestly be "untroubled" by an overturn of Roe v. Wade. Not only do I care deeply about that what I consider to be a fundamental, yet fragile right for woman, but I likewise worry how this will affect society at large, regardless of sex. That said, this notion that men and women will be commensurately affected by the return of a nation-wide abortion ban is ludicrous, and historically, without basis. That you continually 'pound the table' to argue otherwise, is just another demonstration of your indifference towards women, in addition to your historical illiteracy
[quote=BBC News]He was asked by reporters how the suspect was able to buy a 12-gauge shotgun despite having been found guilty of harassment.
[Anne Arundel County police chief Timothy Altomare] said only those convicted of serious crimes and certain misdemeanours were banned from buying guns in Maryland.[/quote]
a deprivation that a man, qua man, can never experience
A deprivation (in the negative sense you use) is supposed to be the removal of something that is good. So if I remove your ability to slaughter a man, are you going to tell me that I deprived you (again, in the negative sense) of the said ability?
Uhh, unless necessary, no (in the affirmative). I've been on forums long enough to see how flame wars start, and your thread weaponized the claims to start a flame war, IMHO.
Basically everyone is going to end up butthurt or with a lit of resentment. Again IMHO.
Eh, the line about criticising ideas and not people is a little bit over simplified. "People" are made up of a multitude of things, including their ideas, i.e. their beliefs. Belief is connected to identity. We'll never stop being offended when our ideas are criticised; it's part of being a person, sadly.
But I mean deeper than that; why is it good to "step aside from" one's beliefs, and not identify with them? More accurately, in my opinion, is this even possible? Again, our beliefs are part of our identity. Who are you without your beliefs?
I've been growing wary of challenging people in any manner or form. It's not my business to reform you or make you a better person, yeah? Although, hats off to people who do take their time to try and educate other people, at the detriment of being disliked or judged.
I'm just talking really fundamentally, here. Those things you just said; those are beliefs or yours. They make you who you are; I wouldn't have said that in that exact way, Posty wouldn't have said that, etc. These are beliefs of yours, and they're a part of you. That's the only thing I'm arguing here. I'm happy to hear a refutation of that particular argument.
As to anger being a master, it certainly can be; I can tell you that from experience. So, it looks like that belief of yours is corroborated by my belief as well.
How do you gain freedom? What kind of freedom are we talking about?
I've definitely made a fool of myself trying to do this. So I respect that approach.
But the other angle is the "dunce" angle, as I've been known to describe it. If I rail against a view that I see as wrong (something of which the likes of @Wayfarer has made an entire campaign), then I introduce the possibility of readers seeing my arguments, no matter how angry and passionate. Edit: Actually, the sole reason I'm a regular here is from reading @Wayfarer on the old forum, which just underlines my point. Exposure is key; minds don't change in an instant; that's analogous to a religious experience (although I don't fully discount that concept either). But generally, minds change over time with sustained exposure to opposing views. So I'll gladly rail against views I see as wrong while realizing I may very well lose the argument itself, when I know that I might be causing some needed exposure to someone else.
The point is hard to change prejudices or deep-seated beliefs about people or things. The Roman emperors example was just to illustrate, that people can believe their are free and happy as long as they have distractions or entertainment to entertain them endlessly. Think the gladiators or the shows in the Colosseum to keep the public entertained with bread and circuses.
Yet they aren't me anymore than my hair is me. Beliefs come and go. I take a grain of salt with them.
I disagree. Your beliefs are more you than your hair is you. But yes, beliefs do and should change. Just be sure not to shed beliefs as quickly as your head sheds its hair. There are justified beliefs, and then there are justified fashions.
Self mastery. Taking control of your emotions away from others and keeping it for yourself.
A noble goal. So, to ask you your own question: by what method do you gain freedom? Platitudes and wise aphorisms stimulate the imagination, but what's the exact approach you personally use to obtain this freedom?
What do you mean? We do live out our lives as slaves to the passions where reason is only instrumental to fulfilling those passions, so isn't your sentiment a tad bit too idealistic?
I just mean that willfully accepting the delusion that entertainment means freedom is, itself, slavery, in a sense. Or at the least, it's just delusional, which means it's not freedom. If that's idealistic, than I don't know what isn't.
Yet, we do it willingly. We spend a silly amount of time watching TV, checking our phones and posting on Instagram what we ate, and in front of this medium that is the philosophy forum insulated in our web of beliefs to some extent. What does that say about 'slavery'? Not much, I just think that it's a near hopeless quest.
A noble goal. So, to ask you your own question: by what method do you gain freedom? Platitudes and wise aphorisms stimulate the imagination, but what's the exact approach you personally use to obtain this freedom?
What does it say about slavery? You could reasonably say that we're slaves to technology. You don't think that would be a reasonable thing to say?
Yes, I do think it is a reasonable thing to say. I often think of this forum, as a place where super-egos collide, and if they do, then nasty things can happen.
You've said this before, and I don't fully understand. Is the concept too vague as it is? Why do I need to formalize it? What does that mean? Here's the concept:
I just mean that willfully accepting the delusion that entertainment means freedom is, itself, slavery, in a sense. Or at the least, it's just delusional, which means it's not freedom. If that's idealistic, than I don't know what isn't.
To treating entertainment as distractions as some form of freedom. I mean, make no mistake, people went to the Colosseum to see other people being chopped to bits. How many of us here, can honestly say we don't enjoy seeing people getting banned or pissed off at another person? That's the fear that I had hoped wouldn't happen to Mr Phil O'Sophy's thread about hypocrisy, yet in many ways it would have become inevitable.
Ok, got it. So that's exactly the thing with his thread; @Mr Phil O'Sophy's thread was literally the Colosseum. Obviously he didn't want it to be the Colosseum, but that's what it would have inevitably devolved into. That's human nature; the point I made in my initial post in this exchange.
Is there an alternative to the voyeuristic death wish? I think so, but I don't have the wisdom to sort it out. But I think there is one. It involves being so sensitive to the humanity of every person one comes into contact with, that seeing any form of suffering automatically triggers suffering in oneself. Which is basically...some Jesus shit.
But I think there is one. It involves being so sensitive to the humanity of every person one comes into contact with, that seeing any form of suffering automatically triggers suffering in oneself. Which is basically...some Jesus shit.
What's wrong with that? That's the attitude Mr Phil O'Sophy adopted, and felt like nobody appreciated it, I think.
There's nothing wrong with that; that attitude is at the base of my own philosophy, I'm just not good at maintaining it. For Mr. P, he had good intensions, but, as I said, a thread like that will always divulge into a blood bath, and that's because of human nature.
So going back to what I said earlier, maybe that thread served a positive purpose in that anyone who might have seen it was exposed to this philosophy. The thread itself failed and was deleted, but the message may have gotten through. It certainly seems to have gotten through to you.
Dunno, just the vacuous and trite and mundane aspect of living in such a hypocrtical land that is the US. I'm also half Polish and lived there for a while and dearly miss the brother and sisterhood instilled in the majority of the population there that I felt.
Dunno, just the vacuous and trite and mundane aspect of living in such a hypocrtical land that is the US. I'm also half Polish and lived there for a while and dearly miss the brother and sisterhood instilled in the majority of the population there that I felt.
I feel that. I live a pretty isolated, consumeristic life right now, and it's killing me. I'm visiting my family soon, and it will take a lot of willpower to not feel the urge to move back "home". But I know I would be miserable there too. What both of us need is an internal change, not an external one. I've learned that the hard way.
Post a topic some time. I'm still waiting to see what your view on Christianity is...
Hahaha. A topic wouldn't be enough to encapsulate my view on Christianity. There is so much. There's so much that's misunderstood, so much ignorance, both within and without the church, and so much hubris, on both sides. So much tragedy and so much beauty. Anyway...I'm slowly working my way up to starting a new thread. I've started too many lame ones; I need to fully research my next topic.
Local news again... Australians and Californians/Texans will be unimpressed by these fires round Manchester, but consider that Manchester is a notoriously miserable wet place, and these are peat bogs, places so fucking sodden that stuff can't even rot properly. Normally, you'd have more chance setting fire to your bath. Strange days have found us.
I mentioned earlier that assets and liabilities always balance – that’s the way they are designed, as accounting equalities. But when we come to global wealth, this isn’t true. Studies of the global balance sheet consistently show more liabilities than assets. The only way that would make sense is if the world were in debt to some external agency, such as Venusians or the Emperor Palpatine. Since it isn’t, a simple question arises: where’s all the fucking money? Piketty’s student Gabriel Zucman wrote a powerful book, The Hidden Wealth of Nations (2015), which supplies the answer: it’s hidden by rich people in tax havens. According to calculations that Zucman himself says are conservative, the missing money amounts to $8.7 trillion, a significant fraction of all planetary wealth. It is as if, when it comes to the question of paying their taxes, the rich have seceded from the rest of humanity.
Yes, if anyone wants to change their name they can do so by sending a PM to me or jamalrob. In TPF land, you can call yourself whatever you want...within reason.
I might start a poll in the feedback section about whether I should make the switch to Crass Dirt. I’ll probably throw in a bonus question about why the latest spam bot was banned.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 04, 2018 at 12:02#1937560 likes
Did I miss something? :gasp:
Who left all these glasses scattered about the forum? :chin:
Did you all have a party while I was out mucking in hell? :brow:
So, there seems to be a common theme in these new tech noir movies of virtual reality. Just saw Ready Player One. Tron Legacy was pretty good if not better...
Anyway, an extreme sense of solipsism surrounding the creator, ginormous wealth, and a father figure is all you need folks to make a good virtual reality movie nowadays folks... Also lump in there some sense of rebellion from some sense of imposed order and you're set.
Some sense of self negating escapism is also warranted, or a cathartic return to that which is trying to be escaped from...
Reply to Posty McPostface
:rofl: hahahahah! Dear lord, Posty. You made me spit out my coffee! If had been eating something, I would have needed the Heimlich maneuver. :sweat:
Thomas Jefferson actually finished the first draft of the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd. It was then edited by some Founding Fathers who finished and signed it on July 4th.
Heh, we'll I did like the sense of authority entailed in Catholicism. One can go about trusting someone about their interpretation about the word of God. Anywhere else and it just seems like an infinite regress.
My experience... Well, I felt that Catholicism brought with it a sense of home. Catholicism is after all the majority of beliefs enshrined by Eastern European countries and South American countries. I really liked that sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in Catholicism.
So, yea, I just like Catholicism as it entails the beliefs of the populations of Eastern Europe (Think the Solidarity movement, and how anti-communist John Paul II was towards communism in Poland). And so on and so on...
Heh, we'll I did like the sense of authority entailed in Catholicism. One can go about trusting someone about their interpretation about the word of God.
A sense of an authority figure passing down a beautiful truth? Let me know if that's not an accurate description. I'm probably projecting.
I felt the thing I described above, and then I felt the fallout when I saw the failures of that authority figure. But this didn't turn me into an atheist, oddly enough. It's a weird world out there...
My experience... Well, I felt that Catholicism brought with it a sense of home. Catholicism is after all the majority of beliefs enshrined by Easter European countries and South American countries. I really liked that sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in Catholicism.
Are those geographic locations specific to you personally? (you asked for an AMA, remember? :razz: )
For me, I resonate with Christianity representing a feeling of home. It's home in the sense that it's my focal point for thinking about philosophy and the world. But more than that, it remains an emotional focal point, whether I'd like it to or not. It's a..."thorn in the side", if you'll accept the irony.
So, yea, I just like Catholicism as it entails the beliefs of the populations of Eastern Europe (Think the Solidarity movement, and how anti-communist John Paul II was towards communism in Poland). And so on and so on...
A sense of an authority figure passing down a beautiful truth? Let me know if that's not an accurate description. I'm probably projecting.
No, it seems pretty accurate. I do feel a sense of belonging to that authority imposed by the catholic church. I do welcome it to some degree, instead of the bickering of the offshoots of Christianity.
I felt the thing I described above, and then I felt the fallout when I saw the failures of that authority figure. But this didn't turn me into an atheist, oddly enough. It's a weird world out there...
What failures? I always felt as though Christianity compensated for whatever failures of humanity for the goals it entailed in teaching to the people.
Are those geographic locations specific to you personally? (you asked for an AMA, remember? :razz: )
Uhh, yes. I lived on Poland for a while, and was well aquainted with the customs and beliefs of the nation. I sometimes wonder about going back and living on a farm or next to a lake... ehh....
For me, I resonate with Christianity representing a feeling of home. It's home in the sense that it's my focal point for thinking about philosophy and the world. But more than that, it remains an emotional focal point, whether I'd like to or not. It's a..."thorn in the side", if you'll accept the irony.
I dont go as far as that. I do cherish the 'homey' feeling I derive from Catholicism; but, I've learned to distance myself from the feeling, as not to imbue my whole worldview around it. Dunno if that makes any sense.
No, it seems pretty accurate. I do feel a sense of belonging to that authority imposed by the catholic church. I do welcome it to some degree, instead of the bickering of the offshoots of Christianity.
What is that feeling like for you? Does it feel primordial? "before sense", in a way? Again, I'm just projecting my own ideas here; I trust you to be strong enough to say "no" if you feel that way.
What failures? I always felt as though Christianity compensated for whatever failures of humanity for the goals it entailed in teaching to the people.
I was referencing personal failures; the high school sunday school teacher who was the platonic ideal of Christianity, who I then found out, during college, was suicidal and totally mentally unstable, along with a family of wife and kids. He left the church and the word is now that no one really knows what he's up to.
On top of that, there was the Sunday school helper who was a super awesome dude older than me who I spent some really quality time with, doing "climbing" (indoor climbing) and getting burgers and whatnot, only to find that one day he woke up and apparently didn't take his meds, cussed out the preacher in church, and turned into a different person. And I met with him several times after to try to figure out what was happening. A shock to the faith "system" is an understatement.
Sobornost is an idea cultivated by a few very un-famous Russian Christians that involves the "spiritual community of many jointly living people". It's an idea that certainly calls to mind the "early church" as described in The Bible; sharing of possessions; a truly "communist" society, without Marx himself.
What is that feeling like for you? Does it feel primordial? "before sense", in a way? Again, I'm just projecting my own ideas here; I trust you to be strong enough to say "no" if you feel that way.
It's pre-linguistic in a sense. People are driven by things other than other than linguistic notions. My neighbors wife has cancer, I walked up to his front yard and rang his bell to inform him of any knowledge I had on the matter which he befitted from. (Weed is legal in our state (CBD:THC 1:1 ratio is ideal, I've researched the topic to exhaustion, no worries). He benefited from it somewhat from what I gather. He's dear to me.
I was referencing personal failures; the high school sunday school teacher who was the platonic ideal of Christianity, who I then found out, during college, was suicidal and totally mentally unstable, along with a family of wife and kids. He left the church and the word is now that no one really knows what he's u[ to.
Please, let's not judge these noble ideas by the shortcoming of the people. Please....
These are all good and noble people, driven to Catholicism by their own shortcomings. It really is too much to ask from them to be idea.. Puh-leeze.
Please, let's not judge these noble ideas by the shortcoming of the people. Please....
But that's the rub, isn't it? I have no desire to meet with xxxx any time soon, in order to discuss our differences of theology, and to also discuss his suicidal traits. I literally don't want to talk about it with him; I'm sickened by the notion of talking about it with him personally. Of course, that's because of religious emotional manipulation which is his fault. (Now I'm rambling, sorry)
But that's the rub, isn't it? I have no desire to meet with xxxx any time soon, in order to discuss our differences of theology, and to also discuss his suicidal traits.
Why are you so pretentious? People have problems they have to grapple with. Why not help them also?!!!
Why are yu so pretentious? People have problems they have to grapple with. Why not help them also?!!!
Well, I'm very pretentious, especially when it comes to music in general, and sci-fi/fantasy in literature. Otherwise, I can't see how I'm that pretentious. The personal situation I referenced was one of an authority figure breaking down; but not one, but actually two different authority figures, within the church, breaking down, and utterly failing at being authority figures. Complete failure. Leaving me, the bushy-eyed cluesless one, to figure out what was happening.
Well, I'm very pretentious, especially when it comes to music in general, and sci-fi/fantasy in literature. Otherwise, I can't see how I'm that pretentious. The personal situation I referenced was one of an authority figure breaking down; but not one, but actually two different authority figures, within the church, breaking down, and utterly failing at being authority figures. Complete failure. Leaving me, the bushy-eyed cluesless one, to figure out what was happening
Oh you've full of shit, *saying as a friend*. Let's thing be.
Anyway, I still eagerly await your prognostications; partially because I'm eagerly awaiting your fresh ideas, and partially because I'm eagerly awaiting the further use of the word "prognostications within the shoutbox.
Can't you answer that in fact that you demanded weaves of why:
I'm reminded about a story I had with a friend who went with me on a trip to go scour a trip of still of strip dry leaves of tobacco leavings to dry our for our own harvest.
Hello, I'm looking for topnotch code gusy who liike also taking PHP beraks wo like being very obsevant and on point...most self staters of all, email at [email protected], sorry
Reply to Noble DustReply to Posty McPostface Beer is gone, the fireworks are over, finally; everybody should be in bed because rest is important for clear thought. I was in bed, but then, DING woke up wide awake at 4:45. Annoying.
The Catholic Church would seem like home if it was home; so would any other -- Lutheran, Methodist, Mormon, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, et al. I've been busy for decades taking apart and uprooting my "home" (Methodist), but it remains a "home" despite all the demolition and removal work.
I've had run-ins with authoritarians from several faith traditions. I suppose the worst was some demented conservative Catholics in Kansas City. Protestants are quite capable of producing authoritarians as well. I do not like authoritarians. I like the current Pope better than JPII.
All the beer is gone,
And the sky is gray,
I'm going for a walk
On a summer's day
I'd be stewed and cool
If I'd had more today
Alcoholic dreamin'
On a summer's day
Stop in to a bar I pass along the way
Well I get down on my knees
And I begin to pray
This preacher likes a cold one
And will surely stay
Alcoholic dreamin'
On a summer's day
Birds jab on Pence? I think that app might be left leaning.
Not really. They were tiny cute hummingbirds. Much smaller than the vultures that were feeding on his boss’s bloated carcass. :scream: :vomit: :monkey:
Reply to frank
Strangely enough, the vultures got food poisoning after only a minute and had to fly weakly away. The Boss was totally unhurt, and actually felt better for losing a couple pounds. And we all lived happily ever after. The End. :yawn:
At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! had I the ability, and could I reach the nation’s ear, I would, to-day, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.
Yes, but who needs the words of this humble freed slave when we can listen to the great big-handed billionaire deal-maker and diplomat extraordinaire Donald Trump's speech mocking Elizabeth Warren/Pocahontas and the MeToo movement, and again calling reporters "very bad people" (except the ones that were murdered in the recent hate crime in Annapolis who being dead are no longer people and presumably just "very bad"). Have you no class?
Reply to unenlightened Douglass had an abiding faith in American ideals and the potential of the US to do what's right, so it's fitting congratulations, two days late.
Reply to unenlightened Ok. Still, your post was a cool reminder if what the US is made of. I had the privilege to meet a concentration camp survivor today, also a believer.
It's double reverse to force the Sweden win. When you do a simple jinx, someone like @Erik comes along and screws it up with a reverse jinx. The only way to combat that is with a reverse reverse jinx.
Harry McGuire (i think) with the header goal! My wife wishes that I half that that skilled with my head. I mean when I’m playing [s]soccer[/s] football... of course. :sweat:
Also asking as a clueless Yank, when (besides halftime) am I supposed to take a bathroom break? The potted palm tree by the TV set is starting to turn a sickly yellow! :monkey:
BTW, if I miss seeing a goal being scored in live time due to typing these inane comments... a phone might end up smashed.
If you want to be helpful, answer me this: Do you know anyone at the match who would be willing on the basis of a financial incentive to throw solid objects in the direction of members of the England team? They need only have a good aim and at least have a few coins in their pocket. I await your positive response.
Caddyshack>
So... about those Swedish cheerleaders... would they actually... uhh... be the team running around on the field scoring and stuff? Because, ya know, that might help the ratings in the US of A, which is still struggling to dig this crazy sport. Ya know, it ain’t no golf! Just askin’! :joke:
If you want to be helpful, answer me this: Do you know anyone at the match who would be willing on the basis of a financial incentive to throw solid objects in the direction of members of the England team? They need only have a good aim and at least have a few coins in their pocket. I await your positive response.
If I may volunteer... but can I borrow a couple coins first? Don’t really have any solid money, ATM. (Pun intended). I got some 10,000 Dogecoins... (about $1.26 USD)
Reply to Baden
Awesome! One question: is England the team wearing the red pajamas with the drawing of three kittens on it?
Or are they the team with the dark blue shorts that makes everyone’s butt look huge? Oy vey!
It's double reverse to force the Sweden win. When you do a simple jinx, someone like Erik comes along and screws it up with a reverse jinx. The only way to combat that is with a reverse reverse jinx.
:lol:
I jinxed Sweden after the last game by picking them to reach the final.
Do you guys or gals think there's such a concept as "psychoevolution"? Ive never read about it before.
It's not the same as development theory in psychology. It seems like some people whom we can both mention are more evolved psychologically than others. Or maybe not?
Random thought: Questions like 'what is real?' or 'what is meaning?' come off as though asked by someone who isn't very good at English. Like some Eastern European or Russian asking: 'what is name?', or 'what is address?'. If you ask the former questions in a vaguely Russian accent, you can kinda hear it.
So I like to think that some of these apparently 'profound' questions are just the result of not-so-bright English speakers mistaking the bad grammar of Russian speakers for legitimate questions.
I just read a no-confidence vote is unlikely. Anyway her AI-style personage is the last remaining cognitive programming standing between the Tory party and a hard Brexit policy. May she continue to emit human sounding noises from her position as PM until JC decommisions her at the next election
Random thought: Questions like 'what is real?' or 'what is meaning?' come off as though asked by someone who isn't very good at English. Like some Eastern European or Russian asking: 'what is name?', or 'what is address?'. If you ask the former questions in a vaguely Russian accent, you can kinda hear it.
So I like to think that some of these apparently 'profound' questions are just the result of not-so-bright English speakers mistaking the bad grammar of Russian speakers for legitimate questions.
I shared a similar thought once before. A few people got butthurt.
Reply to StreetlightX but it is easy what is real. real is when lady and, how do you say, [gestures confusingly] real is when lady and very big horse and she is kissing horse and then there comes in man and he is - it is like he is mountain man. and he is saying 'no no', you know, 'no no' like child in leaky boat. real is like that, like, how do you say, dream of cabbage girl
Reply to StreetlightX I've generally assumed when such topics are created here, that it's being asked by undergrads who are two weeks into their entry-level philosophy class.
Just read a shit-ton about Brett (yes, his name is fucking Brett) Kavanaugh, Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, and some of his background is...surreal.
In 2009 he wrote in the Minnesota Law Review that based on his five-and-a-half years of working in the Bush Administration he realized that, "the decisions a President must make are hard and often life-or-death,the pressure is relentless, the problems arise from all directions, the criticism is unremitting and personal, and at the end of the day only one person is responsible, and being so, Kavanaugh believes that it is "vital that the President be able to focus on his never-ending tasks with as few distractions as possible," therefore, "the President should be excused from some of the burdens of ordinary citizenship while serving in office," including the suggestion that, "Congress might consider a law exempting a President—while in office—from criminal prosecution and investigation, including from questioning by criminal prosecutors defense counsel."
Not surprising that he is Trump's nominee.
But, it goes even further - Kavanaugh was a primary author of the 1998 Starr Report, the investigative account of Bill Clinton, and argued for "broad grounds" for impeachment. Kavanaugh rejected this idea, based on his aforementioned experience with the Bush Administration, as stated his article for the Minnesota Law Review, "but in retrospect, that seems a mistake. Looking back to the late 1990s, for example, the nation certainly would have been better off if President Clinton could have focused on Osama bin Laden without being distracted by the Paula Jones sexual harassment case and its criminal investigation offshoots."
So what intrigues me is that this extreme change of heart was based simply on experience. So I have to wonder what other forms of experience does Kavanaugh not have (or will never have), that will never shape his judicial opinion (e.g. abortion rights, voter ID restriction, etc.).
So what intrigues me is that this extreme change of heart was based simply on experience. So I have to wonder what other forms of experience does Kavanaugh not have (or will never have), that will never shape his judicial opinion (e.g. abortion rights, voter ID restriction, etc.).
From what I’ve read he believes that Roe v Wade is a settled matter.
Reply to Michael It's possible. Although Trump has signaled to his voracious Pro-Life base, which I think is a fairly sizable, if not one of the most outspoken constituents that form his base, that his aim is to overturn Roe v. Wade one way or another. Many conservatives have been clamoring for this for decades and I don't think they are going to waste this window of opportunity.
Here's a shout to all those cave divers rescuing kids. And whoever coordinated everything. And amidst the celebrations, one family mourns the diver who died.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 10, 2018 at 15:13#1956490 likes
Here's a shout to all those cave divers rescuing kids. And whoever coordinated everything. And amidst the celebrations, one family mourns the diver who died
He did and as a first responder, he would have had it no other way and is celebrating in Heaven right now as he gives a ^5 to God for keeping God's wife, Mother Nature, busy while they got those kids out of harms way.
It restores my faith in humanity when "we" are "people" and are able to rise above our own self beliefs for the sake of others.
Meanwhile, the bastards who are preventing these rescuers from doing their job want dragging into that cave and leaving there til they change their attitude.
There's nothing more disturbing than a fundamentalist when you get right down to it.
What about a person who eats his own feces? That would be more disturbing than a fundamentalist. Need more examples of more disturbing things than fundamentalists, or do you concede the point?
Alright people! I will ask for some predictions in the soon to commence battle of French Toast vs. Belgian Waffles. (Aka the Battle of Breakfast). Either way, I feel there will be Earl Grey tea served at the Final meal. Though the plucky Croatia team is very spirited and charismatic.
Today, I’ll go with the underdog Belgium. Goodness knows why. :yum:
Apart from looking in on how the match is going, I'll be reading, The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth. It's about a Nazi sympathizer (Charles Lindbergh, who really was one incidentally) who manages to gain power and what happens from the perspective of a Jewish protagonist. Instructive...
I may be made to eat my words but Belgium are making France look like a bunch of amateurs (with the exception of Lloris who is characteristically killing it).
Ahh, forgot about the time zone thing... Nothing like some World Cup in the middle of the night!
I hope it’s Belgium and England in the Final, so both teams can wear all red uniforms. It’ll look like a blood clot under a microscope. :mask:
thought i had, deep-cleaning my apartment. I was thinking about how I only really pay attention to the nooks and crannies when I'm cleaning, whereas kids, mini-size and without adult things they have to attend to are in contact with themm all the time. The world they live in is built for adults, not them. So they dramatize their unzoned in-between space in play.
Pretty much everything I do now fits snugly in a symbolic world allowing me to go about doing what I have to. When I leave that symbolic space, its usually in the mode of cleaning - i.e treating it as an other-space I have to take care of so it doesnt impinge on the workings of the symbolic space. Very german-idealism approach.
But kids live in those spaces, to an extent, and build whole imaginative worlds out of them. Adult german-idealists are obsessed with mountains and all that, things that are out there and resist out attempts at integration, always in the mode of : something out there.
Adult german-idealists are obsessed with mountains and all that, things that are out there and resist out attempts at integration, always in the mode of : something out there.
The shortest path through a mountain is tunneling through it...
Young friend has a dead-end job. I would like for him to know that he isn't growing more employable, but less as time goes by.
On the other hand it's really none of my business. I dont think he would have some great epiphany if I dwelt on the topic. I think its a 'to each his own' situation.
What bugs me is that I actually am a little gratified because he's such a rude know-it-all.
Hmm. There are two separate bets for "Croatia to Win" and "Croatia to Qualify for Final". So I assume that means that if England lose on penalties I don't win the bet? Dammit.
Edit: Croatia need to win in 90 minutes for the bet to count. Double dammit.
Based on the odds, this might be England’s feast. But if they look past (yet undefeated) Croatia in the slightest, a hungry dog might sneak up and grab England’s chop off the table with lightning speed...
Either way, should be a great match!
Holy shit. I just got an email from Neil Trotter telling me that he and his wife have decided to donate "five Million Great Britain Pounds" to me. All he wants in return is my personal details.
OK actual real prediction is 2:1 Croatia. Croatia to score first 30-40th minute. England to equalize 50th-60th minute. Croatia to finish them off 65th to 75th minute. This is my chance for Delphian glory.
I would have been bummed if it was an evenly played game and England lost in PKs, but Croatia was easily the better team - esp after the first half - and deserved to win. I don't think England had a single shot on target in 120 mins outside of their goal.
Croatian women are some of the warmest people I know. Their laughs are contagious so is their wine~ Last weekend we had a celebration of life for the husband of our Croatian woman friend and if you didn't know better, you would think you had stumbled upon a party. :heart:
An epic struggle in the World Cup yesterday. And a smaller personal struggle to avoid hearing of the score until I could watch the whole recorded contest early this morning. Darn clock radio nearly ruined the surprise!
So the pitch black Crows have taken the Lions’ own meal... The kingly predator outdone by a scavenger’s zeal. (hmm... what rhymes with FIFA?)
Reply to 0 thru 9 Did you know that Earl Grey tea was named after Donald Trump? Some people say that it was named after Earl Grey, but that's fake news.
I was playing [i]Jackbox Party Pack 3[/I] with friends the night before last. You get to name yourself. One of the names that I came up with was Queef LaQueefa.
Did you know that Earl Grey tea was named after Donald Trump? Some people say that it was named after Earl Grey, but that's fake news.
Our Fearless Leader? Yes, now all our beverages are named after the Most Benevolent One and his healthy and exuberant family. All your soft drinks are belong to us. Right now, I’m sipping an diet Ivanksi soda. :starstruck:
"There is no reason, therefore, to believe that classical liberalism can serve as a substitute for religion in the political domain. The same goes for Jordan Peterson’s maverick blend of Jungianism, quasi-Christianity and self-help, however desperate Western men may now be for direction and guidance amid the West’s abysmal descent."
The awkwardly named 'Intellectual Dark Web' reminds me of Ray Brassier's condemnation of Speculative Realism as a "cohesive intellectual movement", the existence of which, according to proponent Graham Harman is bound merely by the common rejection of correlationism. Brassier, however, argues that this is not a sufficient condition to form a unified movement, as this would require the inclusion of an exceptional range of otherwise highly diverse and anathema thinkers. It is flimsy criteria with which to fly a unified banner.
Likewise, the Intellectual Dark Web, which sounds like an evil organization from a cheesy 1980s children's cartoon, includes an assorted list of characters such as Ben Shapiro (a conservative Orthodox Jew), Sam Harris (Atheist), Michael Shermer (Skeptic), James Damore (fired from Google), Jordan Peterson (Jungian Psychologist), Steven Pinker (Linguist), Dave Rubin (Talk Show Host), Lindsey Shepard (a fired TA), and many others, whose only major commonality is a rejection of far-left politics, in particular "identity politics" and "political correctness". Otherwise, they hold many ideas which are at variance with one another.
Brassier denounces the purported existence of the Speculative Realism movement as nothing more than a "brand" in a specific consumerist sense - "philosophy-marketing". Similarly, the Intellectual Dark Web "movement" seems like nothing more than an opportunity to "sell" anti-leftism sentiment in the form of books, monetized YouTube videos, webinars, College lecture tours, and op-eds in the New York Times or The Wall Street Journal.
Anyone seen this new movie yet? It’s called Sorry to Bother You. I was unhopefully checking the showtimes at the local movie theater, and this interesting thing showed up. Funny trailer, but that never guarantees much TBH. Looks like it has some sharp social satire, which is difficult to pull off successfully. Reminds me a little of Spike Lee’s underrated yet biting Bamboozled. Or more generally, like a different approach to the dark satire of Fight Club. I just might have to go see a movie not called Star Wars. Crazy! :sweat:
That's 1 hour from here and even closer to tobias.
Yeah... well... I didn't have Tobi's contact number to give them in the event they need an attorney while in the Netherlands.
Oh, by the way, if a number comes up with a USA prefix, please take the call.
Thanks bunches :flower:
Octupi will be the next big thing. Our limbs come out of our torsos with our heads dangling as a bulby appendage. Octupi are the opposite. Eight limbs come out of the head and the torso dangles, although it can be used like the nose of a missile.
Any particular examples? In my completely subjective opinion, some of it holds up quite well. I could probably listen to “Shock the Monkey” by Peter Gabriel, “Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran, and “Cars” by Gary Numan on a 10 hour loop. The synth stuff from the 70’s might be less “pop”, but is still great. Like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, JM Jarre, and certain Pink Floyd songs. “Welcome to the Machine” is a perfect Orwellian Monday-morning-getting-ready-for-work theme song. :blush:
Croatia got jobbed on that penalty call. And France took full advantage. But Croatia bouces back like a solid rubber ball. Good stuff so far! You gotta admire Croatia’s team unity, with every players’ name ending in “c”. :sweat:
You may have already seen this. And these kind of click-bait photo gallery things are usually stupid, but this one about silly fathers with their kids made me laff several times... For whatever it is worth. :grin:
VagabondSpectreJuly 15, 2018 at 21:03#1971420 likes
Croatia played better through the majority of the game, but got wrecked by a bad penalty call, and some other stupid plays that heavily cost them.
True.
France is a very strong team. But I'm happy for both Croatia and France reaching the finals. Fans of Croatia should still be celebrating. I'm impressed with them during extra time (pre-final) -- they were tough.
Yes, should be fun. Disturbing too, he takes a microscope to human craziness and magnifies it to epic proportions.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 16, 2018 at 15:44#1973160 likes
My Indian and his girlfriend happen to be staying in France the last two nights and happened to fall into one hell of a street party! I asked if it rivaled the Cubbies winning and he answered with MOMMMMM!!! Before the game was over, we were walking on the streets and there would be an uproar of hoots and hollering from the local establishments!
Good times, Good times! :party:
VagabondSpectreJuly 16, 2018 at 16:52#1973320 likes
Yes, should be fun. Disturbing too, he takes a microscope to human craziness and magnifies it to epic proportions.
I watched the first episode, and while at times I felt like gouging my eyes and ears out of sympathetic embarrassment, it's painfully amusing. And yes, craziness is the takeaway.
He created a slew of new characters designed to fit (or foil) the unique blind-spots of various American political stereotypes. An Israeli gun-lover for the NRA, an ex-con looking for a second chance for the progressives, an over-the-top progressive "cuck" for the republicans and a southern confederate wing-nut for the democrats.
Reply to Baden
There's a variety of home-grown American conspiracy theorist who would see a connection between our joint condemnation of Trump's fumbling maneuvers with Putin and that spew of weapons.
When a talking head on CNN says the threat of nuclear war with Russia has returned (which was broadcast), there's an arms manufacturer who's grinning.
I'm thinking of a particular person I know who affirms this view: the establishment was arranged to calmly continue that spew of arms and other kinds of harm. Some who condemn Trump are not the good guys. They're establishmentarians who have a financial stake in the status quo.
So the meme that's travelling about is a Trump twitter commenting on his meeting with Putin:
"I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace, than to risk peace in pursuit of politics."
I have no idea who fed him that line, but it's genius. That was my attempt to convey some of the comlexities that Trump supporters might share with each other, but not with a lefty who's crying "idiot!"
I have no idea who fed him that line, but it's genius
I agree with some of what you said, but to me the line is just an obvious false dichotomy that's very easy to see through. You're not on the verge of war with Russia, and his selling out his own country was unnecessary and not done in the pursuit of peace but for the sake of his own ego. It's arguable too that emboldening Russia makes us all less safe. As a bit of rhetoric, it might be effective with strong partisans, but they're easy to please and a bit desperate at the moment. That's not to cry idiot, the idea that peace with Russia is desirable is by no means idiotic. But the how is important. You only show weakness and tempt your enemies into testing you by fighting with your own side in front of them. Fluffy rhetoric like this isn't going to obscure that fact.
Reply to Baden I appreciate your perspective. I'm just more inclined to do anthropology, especially since I'm out here with the natives eating their food and laughing at their jokes.
Oh, much more! In the top tax bracket that I’m in, I have to keep most of my assests off-shore. My three accountants (who when they aren’t working are also my cats) are doing the paperwork as we speak. :yum:
"The conception of time pre-thinks a series of stages, past leading into present, and present into future. And then it spins about my ankle, like a silvery music that needs your kisses and warmth." - Alcuin
But maybe Texans want no abortions in their communities.
Maybe tough shit. Texas doesn't have the most reputable track record with this kind of thing. (You know, doing the right thing, progress...). They're known for digging their heels in.
VagabondSpectreJuly 17, 2018 at 23:05#1977720 likes
Oh, much more! In the top tax bracket that I’m in, I have to keep most of my assests off-shore. My three accountants (who when they aren’t working are also my cats) are doing the paperwork as we speak. :yum:
Cats are well known as utterly scrupulous and frugal accountants. Although if you're not careful, they'll deftly bury their own toxic assets in your local real-estate.
The default way to order a hot dog is with mustard and sauerkraut. Additional accouterments can be acceptable, but only on occasion. Ketchup is never a justifiable choice for anyone over 11-years old.
Saw that today. If only the Muslims would commit 9 times less terrorist attacks, things would balance out! They never learn...
Metaphysician UndercoverJuly 21, 2018 at 00:46#1987010 likes
Reply to Baden
I don't know about that, the article says that white and rightwing terrorists already carried out nearly twice as many attacks as Muslim extremists in that time period.
Yup. Well, that made me chuckle really loud, and then put me in the position where I had to explain to my boss what was so funny, and clearly I shouldn't be reading comics with this kind of language while in a corporate office...
Don't you just love that the "mentions" page allows you to see the original, unedited version of a comment? It can be quite amusing to discover that, say, someone originally said that you remind them of themselves in many ways, but then decided to edit that part out. :grin:
Reply to Michael I am still in recovery from number six, but if I don't do seven then six might just go in circles. However, even though I feel six moved a bit out of the context of the OP, it nonetheless has developed into some interesting discussion.
VagabondSpectreJuly 23, 2018 at 16:27#1994330 likes
Question: Is this type of thing more evidence of human suggestibility and gullibility or actual political viewpoints?
Good question.
I'm fairly certain that the statements Sacha is able to tease out of his victims do on many levels reflect their genuine attitudes/beliefs/worldviews/etc...
While he does use confidence tricks to put people off their guard, and while he does push people toward extreme versions of themselves and their ideas, he can only work with what is already there (or not there) in the first place. Sacha's main strategy is to exploit existing bias: the simpleton from the video above is putty in Sacha's hands: loves guns, hates terrorism, loves Israel, hates Muslims; 100% ready to thrust his exposed anus toward Sacha as part of an anti-Muslim-terrorist staining exercise.
In the back of his mind I'm sure he knows that sneaking up-burka photos with a selfie stick is ridiculous, but Sacha's character is already a bit ridiculous, and maybe Israeli [s]mossad agents[/s] tough guys do things a bit differently in the land of god's chosen. As long as they agree on political ends, means are trivial and unimportant.
Later in the episode, Sacha uses his self-hating white male character to suprise-foist "the largest mosque outside of the middle-east" onto a small town of unsuspecting Arazonians. He begins by asking them if they want to see huge economic growth in Kingsman (they all raise their hands and clap), if they want 380 million dollars of direct investment (they all applaud once more), and then suddenly reveals his plan for a ridiculously large (and obviously misplaced) mosque. The all white and elderly attendees of the town-hall meeting immediately erupt in discontent and objection, and the scene descends into a level of racism that seems quite difficult to find these days...
Sacha's character was a stereotype of the left that the town-hall attendees bought hook, line, and sinker (and despised). Before long the whole room was screaming in explanation that the people of Kingsman equate "mosque" with "terrorism", are proudly racist against muslims, and "tolerate the few blacks" that they do have. It would obviously be retarded to install a large mosque in an all white town with zero Muslims, but the people at the town hall were so overcome with fear and emotion (their worst delusional fears being confirmed) that they could not make reasonable points or see through the ridiculous charade that Sacha was miming.
It's not just the intellectually lame that are vulnerable though. Sacha got Cheney to physically put his signature on a water-bottle and towel that he was told was used for water-boarding (amidst a flood of additional cheek)...
This is by far my new favorite non-fictional T.V show...
Reply to Baden He's from south Georgia as I understand it (far away from chez Hanover and outside my district) and in the state house, but had already lost the primary and was leaving office anyway. His unfitness is obvious, but he may be a true simpleton and not a dangerous guy.
At the Grand Canyon right now in Tiff Country. Flew in to Phoenix (118 F), but at the higher elevation it's cooler here. My observation so far is that Europeans apparently love to visit out here and the current style in Europe must be really tight spandex shorts.
All the things I said about Europe I take back. Keep doing what you're doing. Long live free health care, gun bans, and atheism!
That's a reasonable analysis. And it's backed up by the contrast shown when Sacha takes on the left as he does in the Bernie Sanders' scene. There's much less in the way of raw material and there's concomitanty less shock value. Sanders is actually a reasonable guy and his views make sense (not saying everyone on the left is reasonable, but just that I haven't seen him really catch a left-winger saying anything very ridiculous or embarrassing, and that that is at least partly because there's less ridiculous and embarrassing raw material on the left). So, yes, you need those extreme views ready and revving just underneath the surface to make these kinds of situations work. I also think the right is more tribal, so when they find someone who credits and encourages the crazy, they have more of a tendency to jump right in. Like, wow, fellow traveler, instant BFF. I guess that's where the suggestibility comes in. And probably loads of other stuff Sacha has perfected over the years to get people to play along.
Another interesting dichotomy I noticed is with regard to the media reaction. I saw John Walsh (one of the gun nuts) on American Media (CNN) talking about how he was punked by Sacha and his line was basically, "Sorry, I know it's all crazy, I don't believe any of that. I was tricked. The end". And the guy who was interviewing him just ate it up. No pushback at all. It was almost like the debate was over the ethics of Sacha's behaviour in exposing Walsh and Walsh was graciously agreeing not to criticize Sacha too harshly and to just laugh the whole thing off rather than have to deal with his own behaviour, which is the only salient ethical point.
The same John Walsh when he went on British TV to do his mea culpa though was met with major objections to his line (which he tried to peddle exactly the same (almost word for word) as he did on CNN). Like he had to deal with obvious rejoinder of "If you thought it was all crazy, why did you keep reading the script right the way to the end (where the words were "Happy shooting kids" ) and then walk out of there with no protest, and in fact accept an award afterwards for your 'services to Israel' on the basis of what you said ,and then Tweet proudly about that award later?" And he couldn't deal with that at all. Because it's clear he didn't actually think it was all that crazy to encourage giving guns to three and four year olds, or if he did—possibly even worse—he didn't care because in his world that kind of self-serving politics is perfectly acceptable behaviour with zero consequences for anyone except the victims. And I guess he's probably been paid by the NRA to do that sort of thing all his political life, and has only benefited from it.
I have to say though I find the Mosque one which I haven't seen yet the most interesting and potentially disturbing. Because it may be (and I don't know yet) a representative sample of small town white America. And if so, it would explain a lot about the appeal of Trump and why he's doing so well, not despite, but seemingly because of his extreme views.
And it will be equally entertaining to embarrass the left?
He tried with Sanders. And failed. It was mildly amusing though. Fact is you won't find a video out there of a left-wing politician in state or federal government doing anything as crazy or objectionable as pulling his pants down and chasing Muslims with his bare ass or running around shouting "N....!" or suggesting we put guns in teddy bears to make them more acceptable to three year old kids. Not going to happen. Because the left is not insane.
If he didn't realize he was being played after the selfie stick "test" for terrorists then he's a total idiot. If Sacha's bad disguise, his exaggerated accent, his acknowledging and then immediately retracting personal involvement with the Mossad (twice!) weren't enough to cause suspicion, then that should have been the clincher. And then, after all that, to engage in the ass counter-attack thing? How can you not realize this "anti-terror expert" is a complete caricature who's trying to make you look like a fool?
It's hard to fathom how this wasn't even suspected until after the fact. Perhaps some time was spent in more "serious" discussion as a means of gaining credibility before getting this clown to say and do such stupid things? That must have been part of it.
Something else which may mitigate the idiocy of this particular guy, even if just a little bit, involves those rare situations where you're talking to someone who seems kinda crazy, but you're not 100% certain. You go along with them in order to avoid the even more awkward scenario of laughing at (or dismissing) what they're saying only to find out they were actually being serious.
If an embarrassing episode like that has ever happened to you then you're much more likely to take the things that strangers say seriously, I think, or at least play it safe by pretending to believe them. We know the selfie stick test is ridiculous, of course, but what if there's a small possibility that it's not? Much easier to pass judgement on these sorts of things in hindsight, I suppose, than when you're right there in the mix without time for adequate reflection.
There's definitely some showmanship. Like he uses no doubt all sorts of psychological tricks and could probably make somewhat of a fool out of most people. Sometimes with these things there's a step by step 'commitment' and each step justifies the last. Like if you're already willing to take an upskirt picture with a selfie stick then hell, why not attack a Muslim with your bare ass? As VS said though you'd never get these types of results if there wasn't already some very weird stuff going on in these people's heads, and my sympathy is with anyone who has the misfortune to be Muslim in, at least certain parts of, the US.
True. That's a great point about drawing out the latent or preexisting insanity of these types. I've lived in areas before that are clearly Trump territory, and there are definitely some strange and disturbing ideas floating around in those places - hostility to a religion you know nothing about, uncritical patriotism, (what I find to be) really shallow conceptions of God and religion more generally, etc. Plenty of stuff worthy of being exposed for the stupidity that it is.
Oh, let's see if the left can embarrass itself without anyone's help. Not a firm grasp in reality I'd say. Also from Georgia, this time a US Congressman, not just a part time member of the Georgia general assembly.
Yeah, that's a good one. Saw that before actually. Don't know if he's left though, just a regular Dem far as I know and this has no relation to any left wing position that I know of (those commies fighting on Guam's behalf against the sea!). He says he was using a "facetious metaphor" here but I don't buy it, it really does look as if he's drunk or brainless or both. OK, I agree then, your government is full of idiots on both sides. Why? Because it's not a meritocracy. It's about marketing and connections. Anyone can qualify to run the U.S.
Reply to Baden Got the gist of what he said, but I can't fully understand the accent, which is cool to listen to. I'd vote for anyone who talks that way.
He said "Bejaysus in the twelfth century we were roasted out of it and in the fifteenth century sure'n weren't we drowned out of it an' all this was before the combustible engine."
Reply to Baden There is actually evidence that the internal combustion engine cleaned up our communities by removing horses and their waste from our streets, which perhaps the good man was alluding too.
In case you're wondering who Hank Johnson beat to win office:
OK, I agree then, your government is full of idiots on both sides. Why? Because it's not a meritocracy. It's about marketing and connections. Anyone can qualify to run the U.S.
What must you do to qualify in Ireland? Can't anyone run? Don't you think marketing would determine elections in Ireland as well, even though it might be marketing targeted to persuading a different demographic?
I should have said get elected rather than run, I suppose. Although to run for a political party (and have a much better chance of being elected) you need to be selected and usually there's a degree of merit involved. It's not so much about money although anyone can run as an independent and having some money does help with that. But we have strict rules on campaign finance and you can't use dirty tricks like when Cruz sent out that flyer that told voters if they didn't vote they'd be knocked off the register etc. Also, individual politicians can't afford TV ads and advertising needs to be balanced and factual. And people are generally quite cynical, so if a politician is a bit of a dumbass, they'll usually become an object of ridicule and unelectable. Having said all that, our politicians did screw us into the 2008 financial crisis, so there's still a significant amount of corruption and stupidity allowed for. More money and less regulation makes it worse though simply because you can buy public opinion and therefore votes with advertising, not 100% obviously, but to a large degree. The techniques are out there and on sale. So, if you don't control the money flow then the advantage goes to those who can acquire more funding. The problem with that is that funding is paid for in policy and the policy then becomes defined to a large degree by the special interest groups that do the funding. It's just common sense that that tends to lead to worse outcomes for the public as their interests are often not aligned with those of special interests.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 24, 2018 at 13:16#1997310 likes
At the Grand Canyon right now in Tiff Country. Flew in to Phoenix (118 F), but at the higher elevation it's cooler here. My observation so far is that Europeans apparently love to visit out here and the current style in Europe must be really tight spandex shorts.
Welcome to Arizona! Tiff country is pretty once you get out of the desert and into the Pine trees and gorgeous elevation. Are you in a tent or at a hotel? My guess is your glamping since you have Internet connection and are having a good time! [/quote]
Welcome to Arizona! Tiff country is pretty once you get out of the desert and into the Pine trees and gorgeous elevation. Are you in a tent or at a hotel? My guess is your glamping since you have Internet connection and are having a good time!
We're way off the beaten path in a rental house in a town called Parks near Williams, which is a cheesy but cool old west town on Route 66. The elevation makes it pretty cool up here, probably better than back home in humidity.Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff
Curious...have you seen anyone in a public place with a sidearm?
Actually I did. It seems the farther away from the city and crime, the more guns. Arizona is an interesting place - brutally hot in the south, vast, desolate grazing land as you go north, and maybe some really great places to live in the temperate areas near Flagstaff.
VagabondSpectreJuly 24, 2018 at 17:45#1997640 likes
Here's a skit where as his aspiring artist ex-convict character, he manages to convince an upscale Californian art dealer to take his "prison art" seriously. Naturally, his art pieces are made from feces, piss, blood, and semen, which the art dealer instantaneously begins consuming/interpreting...
He did attempt to fool Bernie Sanders, but it just so happened he's not enough of an idiot to fall for Sacha's shtick. "Corinne Olympios" (some reality T.V moron I was hitherto unaware of) however, under the guise of receiving a 'reality T.V star of the year award" was easily maneuvered into telling outlandish lies about humanitarian work she never did, and also to film a commercial begging for donations to "adopt a child soldier" (and explicitly fund their training and arming).
For whatever reason the right wing of the political spectrum may offer up more juicy targets, but Sacha's ridicule seems to extend in all directions. Although, getting a clutch of conservative swamp foul to advocate for giving guns to toddlers to stop terrorism is so hilarious that it wouldn't matter either way.
VagabondSpectreJuly 24, 2018 at 19:11#1997720 likes
Another interesting dichotomy I noticed is with regard to the media reaction. I saw John Walsh (one of the gun nuts) on American Media (CNN) talking about how he was punked by Sacha and his line was basically, "Sorry, I know it's all crazy, I don't believe any of that. I was tricked. The end". And the guy who was interviewing him just ate it up. No pushback at all. It was almost like the debate was over the ethics of Sacha's behaviour in exposing Walsh and Walsh was graciously agreeing not to criticize Sacha too harshly and to just laugh the whole thing off rather than have to deal with his own behaviour, which is the only salient ethical point.
The same John Walsh when he went on British TV to do his mea culpa though was met with major objections to his line (which he tried to peddle exactly the same (almost word for word) as he did on CNN). Like he had to deal with obvious rejoinder of "If you thought it was all crazy, why did you keep reading the script right the way to the end (where the words were "Happy shooting kids" ) and then walk out of there with no protest, and in fact accept an award afterwards for your 'services to Israel' on the basis of what you said ,and then Tweet proudly about that award later?" And he couldn't deal with that at all. Because it's clear he didn't actually think it was all that crazy to encourage giving guns to three and four year olds, or if he did—possibly even worse—he didn't care because in his world that kind of self-serving politics is perfectly acceptable behaviour with zero consequences for anyone except the victims. And I guess he's probably been paid by the NRA to do that sort of thing all his political life, and has only benefited from it.
Many of his recent victims are taking to the news and social media to defend themselves. Corinne "adopt-a-child-soldier" Olympios said she was thoroughly pranked and hopes nobody is offended (not able to acknowledge her ignorance). The butt-skin wielding anti-terrorist claimed that Sacha took advantage of his "crippling fear" resulting from death threats received over his proposed burka ban.
Palin wrote a face-book post about her experience:
Yup - we were duped. Ya’ got me, Sacha. Feel better now?
I join a long list of American public personalities who have fallen victim to the evil, exploitive, sick "humor" of the British "comedian" Sacha Baron Cohen, enabled and sponsored by CBS/Showtime.
This "legit opportunity" to honor American Vets and contribute to a “legit Showtime historical documentary” was requested of me via a speakers bureau.
For my interview, my daughter and I were asked to travel across the country where Cohen (I presume) had heavily disguised himself as a disabled US Veteran, fake wheelchair and all. Out of respect for what I was led to believe would be a thoughtful discussion with someone who had served in uniform, I sat through a long "interview" full of Hollywoodism’s disrespect and sarcasm - but finally had enough and literally, physically removed my mic and walked out, much to Cohen’s chagrin. The disrespect of our US military and middle-class Americans via Cohen’s foreign commentaries under the guise of interview questions was perverse.
Here is my challenge, shallow Sacha boy: go ahead - air the footage. Experience tells us it will be heavily edited, not pretty, and intended to humiliate.
The challenge is to Cohen, CBS and Showtime: donate all proceeds to a charitable group that actually respects and supports American Vets. Mock politicians and innocent public personalities all you want, if that lets you sleep at night, but HOW DARE YOU mock those who have fought and served our country.
Truly sick.
And as an aside, for further insight into the wealthy corporate enablers of this kind of “joke”, I’ll add that after great costs on our part in time and resources to contribute to their “documentary” the Cohen/CBS/Showtime production team purposefully dropped my daughter and me off at the wrong Washington, DC airport after the fake interview, knowing we’d miss all flights back home to Alaska. After refusing to take our calls to help get us out of the bind they’d put us in for three days, I wrote this off as yet another example of the sick nature that is media-slash-entertainment today.
Feel good and manly about your M.O., Sacha?
By the way, my daughter thinks you’re a piece of ****, Sacha. Every honorable American Vet should feel the same.
I have to say though I find the Mosque one which I haven't seen yet the most interesting and potentially disturbing. Because it may be (and I don't know yet) a representative sample of small town white America. And if so, it would explain a lot about the appeal of Trump and why he's doing so well, not despite, but seemingly because of his extreme views.
I went back and re-watched this segment, and I'm not convinced that it's necessarily representative. Apparently it was actually a focus group that they paid people to attend (100-150$), and so they might have have a fairly biased sample depending on how they went about soliciting offers (i.e: did they hand out flyers at a particular church?). Additionally, Sacha handles the crowd very skillfully, using intentional (and comedic) misinterpretation of what the audience members are saying to frustrate and eventually infuriate them further and further. Many of the audience members seem mostly silent (not objecting to the others speaking on their behalf), but by the end a few of the individuals are so angry and disturbed that they say violence would be their final response...
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Sacha claims that the show is actually a search for truth (perhaps as a legal precaution), but there is definitely some merit in finding out just how unstable and malleable the beliefs and statements of public figures can really be (turns out most of them are jackanapes...).
I might not call it truth, but Sacha is definitely teaching people a valuable lesson in humility and bull-shit. After an encounter with Sacha, maybe we won't be so eager to pander and warp our beliefs and actions merely to conform to what is in front of us.
If Sacha isn't searching for truth, he's definitely searching for bull-shit to destroy (which in the end serves the same purpose).
Good to see he did some balanced treatment on the left. Every side needs to learn a little humility as you said, and wherever there is dumb, let it be exposed (though the lefties do seem rather less sinister than some of the right wingers). Sarah Palin's response trying to make it out like it's an attack on the military and US values instead of her ignorance is rich. Stupidity is not a 'value' of any country. It must be pretty bad for her to say that though. Looking forward to it.
The British government will ensure that there are adequate food supplies in case the country is unable to secure an exit deal with the European Union, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said on Tuesday.
“We will look at this issue in the round and make sure that there’s adequate food supplies,” Raab told a parliamentary committee when asked about his preparations for a so-called ‘no deal’ scenario.
Jesus Christ. If this even has to be discussed then how is it not a red light on Brexit? Cancel this idiocy, and fuck the will of the people @Sapientia.
Pity. You were getting a (relatively) soft Brexit until Boorish, Rice Smog and the DUP put the kibosh on it. Enjoy your rations. I'll send you over some contraband German sausage for your birthday. :party:
Actually I did. It seems the farther away from the city and crime, the more guns. Arizona is an interesting place - brutally hot in the south, vast, desolate grazing land as you go north, and maybe some really great places to live in the temperate areas near Flagstaff.
Doesn't that come across as odd that the further away from the city you go the more firearms you see? I could never make sense of it until we moved out of town and things change. The first thing I saw when I met my new neighbor was her sign in her window that says "You can take my bullets first". Pretty clear sign. Little did I know that not having a firearm out here is being the odd man out.
There is a fundamental core of self preservation when you live in a place that is so unforgiving weather wise and seeing that there is wild life out there and here that can be a danger if you become disabled in any way.
Hint: if shit goes down anywhere, hit the deck and remain there until the bullets stop. Whatever fool started the shit will be neutralized without you ever having to get involved or wait for the posse to arrive.
Yeah, but that can be interpreted both ways. You're thinking in terms of best interest, but the government gave the country a choice, and the country made its decision.
If there is no deal then I'm coming over to your house and stealing your food.
You can try.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 25, 2018 at 14:23#1999440 likes
My Indian and his girl friend leave Amsterdam today to head home :halo:
Now, @Benkei how long do you think they are going to talk about moving to the Netherlands?
I think they might actually do it. Have you ever head of VJ'ing? Visual Jockey like a Disc Jockey?
They went to Tomorrowland in Belgium and my understanding is that the Netherlands are the top of the top in the industry that my eldest is doing here in the states. He is self employed and does all the work himself, is self employment possible and profitable?
Yeah, but that can be interpreted both ways. You're thinking in terms of best interest, but the government gave the country a choice, and the country made its decision.
And I'm saying that it's the wrong decision, and so the government should overturn it. It might lose them support, as you implied, but what's best for the country is more important than what's best for the party.
Food shortages aren't a price worth paying just to satisfy some abstract principle of "the will of the people", which is actually the will of a 4-point majority.
Food shortages aren't a price worth paying just to satisfy some abstract principle of "the will of the people", which is actually the will of a 4-point majority.
There'll be plenty of food, relax. If you're worried, stock up food and weapons like all the alarmists over here do.
I take comfort in the bottomless greed of capitalism, knowing that if my community were ever in need of food or fuel, there'd be people dodging bullets to stock the shelves to make a buck.
And I'm saying that it's the wrong decision, and so the government should overturn it. It might lose them support, as you implied, but what's best for the country is more important than what's best for the party.
And I'm saying that it's the wrong decision, but the government overturning it would also be the wrong decision. What's best for the country is a government which respects the results of a democratic vote. Just imagine if Remain had won, and then the government overturned the decision. It's wrong in principle, not just in light of the economic consequences.
Food shortages aren't a price worth paying just to satisfy some abstract principle of "the will of the people", which is actually the will of a 4-point majority.
There won't be food shortages as a result of a "no deal", because there won't be a "no deal".
And I'm saying that it's the wrong decision, but the government overturning it would also be the wrong decision.
The first wrong decision is a worse decision than the second wrong decision.
What's best for the country is a government which respects the results of a democratic vote.
Not if the consequences of accepting that democratic vote are worse than ignoring that vote. If the people voted to restore slavery then it's best for the country if the government ignores it because slavery is worse than ignoring the vote in favour of slavery.
The first wrong decision is a worse decision than the second wrong decision.
That's a matter of opinion. The the second wrong decision would trigger a backlash and degrade public trust in the government. Although, in partisan terms, that might be a good thing if it hurts the Tory government to the advantage of the Opposition, who I support.
Not if the consequences of accepting that democratic vote are worse than ignoring that vote.
I agree with that, given the "if". But I don't agree that the consequences of accepting the democratic vote would be worse than the consequences of disregarding it.
If the people voted to restore slavery then it's best for the country if the government ignores it because slavery is worse than ignoring the vote in favour of slavery.
Yes, again, I agree. I have no problem with that kind of reasoning or with the example of slavery. But here's the difference: slavery warrants an exception, whereas Brexit does not.
VagabondSpectreJuly 25, 2018 at 15:22#1999560 likes
Probably for the best wouldn't you say? Something tells me the state of Georgia can do better...
"Sacha Baron Cohen and his associates took advantage of my paralyzing fear that my family would be attacked," Spencer said in a statement. He said he was told that the tactics would deter "what I believed was an inevitable attack."...
It's really not so much worse than a reality T.V star pleading for donations to buy grenade launchers for child soldiers, or an upscale art gallery owner/manager offering some of her pubic hair toward the completion of a method art prison-pube paint brush.
But... This guy happened to hold an actual political office... And though he lost a recent election and would have been done in November anyway (he has been a republican rep for 4 terms) isn't it at least the tiniest bit reassuring that when public officials are outed as mentally incompetent jackanapes we can apply sufficient pressure to have them step down?
Granted, when skilled professionals set their mind to it they can make just about anyone look stupid, but to make someone look THAT stupid requires a certain "il ne sais quoi" to begin with...
Yes, again, I agree. I have no problem with that kind of reasoning or with the example of slavery. But here's the difference: slavery warrants an exception, Brexit does not.
Let's see how you feel after the no deal Brexit, the foot shortages, and then having what little food you have stolen by me.
Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff If he can make money off of it in the States, he could here as well (Europe). Market isn't huge though. Any other skills? Is this the bmx'er?
What? Are they going to start cutting off their own citizens feet if they leave without a deal?
We have to eat something.
VagabondSpectreJuly 25, 2018 at 15:55#1999690 likes
Reply to Baden Overspending by 10% is a big deal given how close the referendum was.
What seemed to me an even bigger scandal was that infamous lie on the Brexit bus which promised 350 million euros per week to the NHS thanks to Brexit...
It's pretty evident that a majority of the UK no longer wants to leave the EU, (if they ever did), but anyone who calls for a re-do on the referendum now would look like a complete jackass (political suicide?) to everyone still wishing to leave the EU. There's also some kind of democratic duty that suggests the government must endeavor to carry out the amorphous advice of the people as a matter of principle (even when it becomes clear it's a terrible idea); if you tell your friends that you're gonna do a swan dive off a cliff, you'll look like a pussy if you chicken out.
Reply to Baden Hasn't campaign overspending happened before? And isn't it the case that the guilty party usually just receives a fine? Where's the precedent for declaring the result null and void?
Does this mean that the Tory government is null and void?
Reply to Baden Consistency, I say. If campaign overspending renders a result null and void, then the Tories didn't win the general election in 2015, and some form of compensation is due for the two years that they were in power from 2015 to 2017. Perhaps a two year free pass in government for the Opposition. Once that matter has been settled, then maybe we can rerun the referendum.
Alternatively, just fine Vote Leave. Oh wait, they already have been. On 17 July 2018, Vote Leave was fined £61,000 and referred to police for breaking electoral law.
Probably for the best wouldn't you say? Something tells me the state of Georgia can do better...
He was already voted out, although I'm not sure why. I have no idea who gets elected or why from backwoods Georgia. Georgia is fairly moderate and is economically driven, meaning it cares about its image and fears losing large businesses. That representative would have been run out by his own party if he weren't leaving already.
Got that new job. Hurray for no longer working under a borderline-psychotic, emotionally manipulative negative nancy. Maybe I'll regain my taste for philosophy.
Brodo Baggins, there's no brotherhood where brontology, semibrotics, bro-modernism, bronalytic philosophy, and brotophysics are alive, well, and talking to each other. There's just Teilhard de Chardin's broosphere. Pure bro. And of course there's no gender distinctions in the broosphere. Just total brobsorption into The All.
Reply to VagabondSpectre We have a term for it in Dutch "plaatsvervangende schaamte" which translates closely to "vicarious shame" and means feeling shame on behalf of someone else. Toe-cringing. "N****R! N****R! N****R!" :gasp:
Just basic bigotry of the kind atheists have come to expect from less developed religious believers. It's a view not shared by the Pope, for example, or other major strands of Christianity in Western Europe.
I never saw the false FB post actually. I was thinking of a variety of statements including the recent video I posted although the webpage seems to back up what I said. According to it, the Pope said:
"We need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: We will meet one another there.”
The main point of the (somewhat confused) Snopes page seems to be that the FB post was false, which is fair enough.
Also, never heard of Father Harmonica and I'm not too interested in his opinion relative to what the Pope says himself although even his statement does not say in order to be good or ethical you have to be Christian, but rather in order to be saved (go to heaven) you need to be. Though that is something the Pope also directly contradicted in the video I posted a few weeks back. Again, I'm going directly with what the Pope says not FB posts or amusingly named priests.
Depends upon who you ask. There's not a single entity who speaks for the Jews, so there are actually formally atheist Jews ( Recontructionist Judaism).
Even the Orthodox view is that all religions and faiths can go to heaven, so long as they follow a moral life by following the 7 Noahite commandments.
Adherence to all Jewish law is required only of Jews, so perhaps it's harder for a Jew to get to heaven than a gentile, although this obsession with heaven and hell is silly goy talk anyway.
As to the general question of whether Jews consider themselves more righteous than their neighbors, egotistically maybe, but formally not, but they are taught they have a special burden to do right. But all people can be good and all can be bad regardless of faith or lack thereof.
That's Rabbi Hanover's understanding at least, but to those who know better, I defer.
(That's your compliment for the year. Make the most of it.)
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 26, 2018 at 14:58#2003060 likes
Reply to Benkei Yes Sir, he is my BMX rider. I know he is really wanting to go to see Austria where Mayor is but he hasn't had his feet on USA soil for more than 12 hrs now. It will be interesting to see where America fits in to the trajectory of his journey and what influence 2.5 weeks has.
My Simulated Science Indian is heading over to New Zealand to study as an Ambassador for Embry-Riddle in February for 6 months and the Spring Term at Auckland University. Living somewhere for 6 months will give him a really good feel (over 2.5 weeks) for the society and where he wants to live in this world.
I have a really strong sense that I am going to be needing a Passport in the NEXT ten years of my life. :wink:
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 26, 2018 at 15:13#2003130 likes
Can you see why one might want to be armed in that vast desert? Based upon the fence line that goes on forever, it is/was grazing land and someone owns that shit! It takes 5 acres of that land to support one cow (if they are lucky). Now think back to the cows in Wisconsin or Iowa? I think they can get 5 head to an acre.
The 5 C's of Arizona that are critical to our state's existence are: Cattle, Climate, Cotton, Copper and Citrus. The Citrus, Cotton and Climate are all still rocking but the Cattle and the Copper are on their last leg as the mines dry up and the drought has gone on too long to support the cattle like it once did.
Being up North where you are is the place to be at this time of year. Embry where my son attends is in Prescott and you might/or have travelled through the city. It is gorgeous and our NEXT destination for our B&B. Like all good B&B's, we are wanting to be out in the Valleys of the forests up there and in doing so we need to wait for the connectivity for NicK to be able to work out of the B&B, retaining his clients remotely as he has for the last 5 yrs. There is a need for him to be on site maybe once every two weeks? Yeah, so we are both here at the ranch, 24/7/365.
I have now. That was brilliant. Thanks. Whoopi is confused, Joy comes off the best, and at least this embarrassing Meghan lady kept interspersing her poorly argued tirade with apologies. Quoting Thatcher? :vomit:
An alternative title is 'Trust-fund Baby Whose Mother Is A Wealthy Beer Heiress Melts Down At The Thought Of Having Her Inheritance Taxed And Spent On Public Healthcare, Education, Infrastructure."
Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff I'd have a gun if I lived out here. I haven't seen a county police officer once, just state highway patrols. I'd think violent crime is low out here, but you are sort of on your own without much law enforcement nearby. You'd be nuts to try to hold up a store or invade a home here.
I'd have a gun if I lived out here. I haven't seen a county police officer once, just state highway patrols. I'd think violent crime is low out here, but you are sort of on your own without much law enforcement nearby. You'd be nuts to try to hold up a store or invade a home here.
Hanover, how could you possess a firearm? What's the freakin matter with you? Have you no faith in your fellow man's moral consciousness? Have you no faith in sleeping with your front door unlocked?
It's a circle of sorts, that was here when I arrived and I imagine for most non Native Americans that first placed claim on this land was here, when they arrived. Which is that in this God forsaken desert, you are almost always your first form and often your only form of self preservation against the elements, animals and people that are out to do you harm.
As you said, the crime rate is ridiculously low out in the desert and after having lived in Chicago where you literally can run 100 yards and have an officer of the law, many times on horseback within shouting distance to call for help from and the crime rate there? Out of control. It makes no sense.
The crime rate is low out here because of exactly what you said: "You'd be nuts to try to hold up a store or invade a home here." Because the likelihood of the store owner or the ranch owner being armed is almost guaranteed and not many people find anything of value in life worth dying over but the deterrent factor is what keeps that alive.
I don't plan to host thread number seven, any time soon. I can only handle public forums for so long then I need a break. If @Michael or @Srap Tasmaner want to host the next one feel free. I was reviewing the Two Child Problem for number seven.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 28, 2018 at 13:36#2008720 likes
@Hanover
I do hope you are still alive up there in Northern country!
You, my friend, are fortunate enough to be here to experience the heat of Phoenix along with our Monsoons which are likely the average humidity of Atlanta. You will no longer 'feel the burn' of the 110* (cold streak) heat but the air will be significantly harder and heavier to breathe.
You really gotta wonder why the hell we live here, eh?
I'll remind you in February. :wink:
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 28, 2018 at 13:53#2008730 likes
@Benkei
So here is the score:
The Netherlands take first place for the following reasons: the people are very nice. The town, the streets, the drop cloths that fake the façade of a building while it is being worked on or in blithe condition, they summed it up that "Mom, Amsterdam, the Netherlands in general is like Disney Land clean! The streets are spotless, their is no trash and the grass, the grass is real that you can lay on and watch the clouds". It's supportive of the biking community in a way like they have never seen, BIG plus. Down fall was all the American food everywhere, like a hot dog vendor on every corner, like Chicago.
They love the ferry's and the 72* and always sunny was a nice touch. Their favorite town was Norwick (sp?) and I want to say there was an issue with the smell of Pigeon until they got into the unit. They were able to get around with no issue using only English but did notice when the older Dutch speaking in Dutch but they sounded like a mix version on Dutch and English. Here we call that mix between Spanish and English, 'Spanglish' so maybe it was a version of that. They said it felt very inclusive in that there were people of all ages, families, elderly all mingling together. They said that they did notice that the average was 1 on 10 Dutch being overweight as opposed to here. They noticed the significant decrease in dogs and were going through pet withdrawal but did say the recreational marijuana was readily available and as far as the USA has come, the Netherlands are light years ahead of in social acceptance.
Ultimately they wanted to return to the Netherlands. :party:
Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff Arizona offers the best proof of creation theory, proving God created the world in 6 days, and on the 7th, rested and created Arizona.
No, that is not right. On the seventh day he said "Fuck it, man I am tired". Then he walked off the job to get a few beers and forgot to go back and finish Arizona.
Ooh, just found out that "later" might be sooner than expected. Here's to good company, cheap gin, and nitrous oxide! :party:
Whip It! Whip it good!
Such an odd thing when I was working at a bar when the bartender would say: "The Nitrous canisters they sent out for the whip cream were empty." :chin:
Bored, sitting here in Noordwijk with a prostitute I rented in Amsterdam. She passed out face down in my lap from too much heroin, revivable only momentarily by forcing NO2 into her lungs, but even then she's limited to incoherent mutterings.
I see from the window a young boy on a horse, forming very different memories from me in this quaint little town.
I see from the window a young boy on a horse, forming very different memories from me in this quaint little town.
"I'm exhausted. I've been on this street a thousand times! It's never looked so strange! The faces... so cold! In the distance, a child is crying. Fatherless... a bastard child, perhaps. My back aches... my heart aches... but my feet... my feet are resilient! Thank God I took off my heels, and put on my... HIMALAYAN WALKING SHOES!"
The fact that 651,972 Alabamians voted for a pedophile is still disturbing.
VagabondSpectreJuly 30, 2018 at 04:03#2013110 likes
Reply to Maw I like how Sacha kept it simple. There's no way for Moore to spin the "interview" as fake news without juxtaposing himself with pedophilia.
Pretty sure Moore is still a judge though... :vomit:
Bravo! Well done :clap:
Despite what logic would dictate, as we discontinue food and water for the body, the mind goes into a Euphoric state. The patient is not thirsty, nor hungry, just on a really good high that continues until living ceases.
The USA should follow suit nationwide. IMO it is far overdue.
ArguingWAristotleTiffJuly 30, 2018 at 12:24#2013830 likes
When she tells you to "get out" you might want to think twice about staying
Reply to Noble Dust Not necessarily - it's simply an emotional reaction to a reification fallacy, and I've seen it done on articles, tv interviews, etc.
Koch:Mr. Koch denounced a “rise in protectionism” in which countries, organizations and individuals are “doing whatever they can to close themselves off from the new, hold on to the past, and prevent change.”
What? Trump is turning Koch into a progressive? Opportunistic fuck, that's what he is.
If you have 100% confidence in the security of our technological advances of the last 50 years, then feel good about the likelihood of printed newspapers becoming obsolete by maybe 2030?
However, if you have even a 1% hesitancy of the technological advances of the last 50 years, then it is best to keep a few of those pesky printed news paper companies around.
When, not if, but when the technological vulnerabilities are fully exposed and exploited it is possible that our only secure and reliable communication will be to return to the printing and delivering news papers to physical address days, including the News Paper stands in our major cities.
Reply to ArguingWAristotleTiff I wonder if it might be both: one portion of the species will abandon advanced technology and the other part will hold onto it and continue advancing.
But just in case it all come crashing down tomorrow, it was nice meeting you!
ArguingWAristotleTiffAugust 01, 2018 at 13:45#2018680 likes
I wonder if it might be both: one portion of the species will abandon advanced technology and the other part will hold onto it and continue advancing.
You could very well be right. There is a generation gap that already suggests that is happening. I have often wondered if my Grands came back into our society today and trying to do something as simple as washing their hands in a public bathroom with no knobs to turn to make the water come on and what they would think of it and the society we have morphed into.
But just in case it all come crashing down tomorrow, it was nice meeting you!
frank, it has been a pleasure reading you and watching you grow as you share your wisdom with us and read the wisdom shared with you. You seat at the table of 'thinkers' is reserved solidly to welcome you. :flower:
Okay so I am confused. In the Southwestern Desert we have these birds called Quail. Not the smartest birds in the flock. They walk everywhere as they can only fly a short distance, like 4 feet and only so high, like 6 feet and they make this noise that is not very bird like and, AND, they are lead around by a HUGE question mark over their head. What I would call a Quail's 'Qualia' is that idiotic question mark that bobbles over their head as they peck for grain in my Zen garden.
Not the same "qualia" you are speaking of is my guess. What exactly is "qualia'? and yes I know how to work Google but I am wanting your definition please. :up:
Don't get me started. I got all the way to the Domino's pizza online checkout the other day before I finally managed to overcome myself and go to the supermarket instead. Takeaways, fatty foods, sugary drinks, expensive lunches... all are on the banned list now.
Not the same "qualia" you are speaking of is my guess. What exactly is "qualia'? and yes I know how to work Google but I am wanting your definition please. :up:
My YouTube feed seems to be under the impression that I'd want to watch Tucker Carlson. Did Google let a bunch of drunken colobus monkeys rewrite its algorithms?
Reply to Arkady Youtube's algorithm is designed to show you more radical videos https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/opinion/sunday/youtube-politics-radical.html
Reply to Maw Yea, in all fairness to Google, now that I think about it, I believe I did watch a brief clip of Tucker Carlson about a week ago pertaining to Guiliani's comments on the Russian collusion allegations (mostly to confirm what I'd heard, namely that Carlson said that collusion ain't no big thang because there's no specific law against getting intel on political opponents from foreign sources, and DNC staffers met with a Ukrainian national to blah blah blah - the usual excuses and whataboutism from Trump apologists).
So, Google, I am sorry that I suggested that drunken colobus monkeys tinkered with your YouTube algorithms. Though, for the record, Tucker Carlson is a giant shitbag, and I've no wish to see him plastered on my YouTube feed ever again.
Reply to Arkady I am pretty much ignorant about what all goes on over much of the Internet these days. I occasionally feel slight twinges of guilt for being out the loop, but Arkady, the stuff you linked to is just too weird/stupid/insular ... something. Straight up white supremacy, dedicated psychopathic murderers, How to Survive the Apocalypse, Islamic death threats, psychotic word salad, goose-stepping nazi wannabes--all that I can understand. But what is this Q business? Is this some sort of strange right-wing POMO kabuki political rigamarole?
QAnon is a conspiracy mouvement based around the mythic person of Q, a US CIA analyst who decided to go rogue and tell the world the real truth. Which happens to be rehashing Elder of Zion conspiracy antisemitic bullcrap and adapting it to current Rep standards.
Of course, there is no Q, or more precisely, since this all comes out of chan-type anonymous boards, anyone and everyone posting there could be Q.
There are some innovative stuff in this crap, tho. For example, Mueller is actually really a total bro to Trump and is just leading the left wing media to believe that he is after Trump, but in reality, he is totally planning to indict Obama and Clinton and will totally drain the swamp. All part of Trumps big masterplan.
You have to expect this stuff. Even before the internet. But now, since cryptomedia have such a large reach, its getting to the point that it will make sense for politicians to go after their votes. And it doesnt matter (although it should) that they are crazy, if they are energised and thus will show up at the poll. Which is why you now have pictures of Trump shaking hands with them.
Reply to Baden Some QAnon people have accused liberal opponents of posing as Q members on message boards and whatnot and saying crazy shit to discredit Q people. Which, if one thinks about it, seems at least a tacit admission by the Q that at least some of the stuff which goes on in their groups is nuts.
I am pretty much ignorant about what all goes on over much of the Internet these days. I occasionally feel slight twinges of guilt for being out the loop, but Arkady, the stuff you linked to is just too weird/stupid/insular ... something.
Well, they're not that insular any more: they're pretty much letting their freak flag fly in public with the prominently-displayed signs at Trump rallies and elsewhere.
This is what a near-collapse of critical thinking (and the cultivation of such tendencies and deficiencies by certain politicians, especially those who "love the poorly-educated") looks like in American life. Yes, there have always been nutjobs, but online venues give nutjobs who formerly would have just cranked out the occasional newsletter which might have been read by a dozen people or so at most a place to meet others who share and reinforce their delusions.
Telling the authentic Q-crazy from the inauthentic lib-crazy must be like trying to sift semi-digested peanuts from the excretions of diarhhoea-stricken monkeys. I wish them well in their endeavors and hope they wash their hands afterwards.
unenlightenedAugust 04, 2018 at 14:17#2028060 likes
Comments (61561)
Yeah, if I had capital and lived in AZ, I'd look into a private energy generating scheme to build a subsidized array and sell it back to the utilities. Dunno how that would work in practice, but some people do it.
I want to say that for the first 5 years the solar panels were on my In Laws home he had to feed the extra power back to the electrical company for free. Now I believe he has some sort of storage box that feeds it back into power the home. It's an awesome deal if you have the capital.
Is there anything anyone ever says that The Simpsons doesn't say best?
:rofl: Truth be told the first year he had the solar panels they failed the first day the temperatures hit 105* but were fixed within 24 hrs AND they processed a second check for 12K after saying the first one didn't clear and that only took another week to straighten out. I don't know about you but if my bank ever got a check from me for 12k, the wouldn't even process the first one without laughing their asses off.
And: you want to fill the bird bath with water but you would have to destroy a spider web (in use) to do it. What do you do?
Apply Clark's Razor - when trying to decide what to do next, pick the path that requires you to do nothing.
I spend that much on lunch.
Which is reasonable; the question is how much do you tip on a bill of 12k? :chin:
Yet you will eat raw Oysters from those that serve you but you don't tip? :rofl:
I like raw oysters, but they are much better with melted Velveeta.
"More troubling than misrepresenting Derrida’s personal politics, though, is Peterson’s utter neglect of the thinkers and topics the philosopher actually considered. Derrida published more than twenty books before Spectres de Marx (1993), covering an enormous range of thinkers such as Husserl, Hegel, Heidegger, Saussure, Nietzsche, Rousseau, and Plato. A quasi-sincere attempt to understand him on his actual topics?—?ranging from education, ethics, and justice to Judaism, animality, and the theory of the gift?—?is far more likely to produce a frustration with his style than the sort of seething moral outrage that grips Peterson when he discusses the “bloody” Derrida at a sub-Wikipedia level of abstraction. "
https://medium.com/s/story/peterson-historian-aide-m%C3%A9moire-9aa3b6b3de04
I also like this recent segment on the Jim Jefferies show where "leading conservative intellectual" Jordan Peterson admits he's wrong when presented with the simple fact that the Civil Rights Movement was a positive for society.
100 million youtube views later...
:cry:
The 16-year old white boys who bitched about their moms telling them to clean their rooms are now 23-year olds hailing Peterson as a genius for saying the same stuff.
Quoting T Clark
I hope you are jesting. No upright son of New England's rocky soil and fishy waters would defile an oyster -- raw or cooked -- with something as vile as Velveeta food-like factory ooze. What a repulsive, disgusting thought.
He hates those damn SJWs too, so he must be my friend, and I will do everything he tells me because I am a strong independent person. :meh:
Glad she's OK and I wish her the best. :up:
It's called a 'bike'.
Oh, I hear ya. Unlimited ventilation! But my family and I get honks and dirty looks when we ride our bicycles on the freeway. Maybe it’s the training wheels? :chin:
What I didn't expect was that "John" the man I worked with when it came to the care of the animals, was in the hospital with a brain bleed. He is in Neuro ICU and they are going to try and relieve pressure off the brain by drilling a hole in his skull to drain it or to take off a piece of his skull and do some sort of surgery. I am stunned and sad because John is such a sweetheart and his furry family is amazing. I like caring for his ranch because it is a multi million dollar home and stable with equally expensive horses and dogs. My hope is that everything goes easy for him today, without any brain damage although he has serious short term memory loss since being admitted yesterday, like the last week of activities. Age is not on his side at 72 with just about every complication that comes with living to be 72. If everything goes as hoped, he will be in Nuero rehab for 4-6 weeks and I just cannot imagine him being able to be around steeds of this size without assistance through the summer. His other half is the bread winner, self employed so she will need to stay focused.
You never know what tomorrow will bring, stay safe my friends and, AND he was told a month ago to go have an MRI to track down where these stabbing severe headaches were being caused by. Listen to your body and if not your body, a flippin Doc that says you need to track this down... :pray:
You got cucked by Mary. :gasp:
We have been deprived of the single most common and effective objection to every Philo of Language anthropocentrism ever. :groan:
At least poor Koko has now been reunited with her baby kitten. :cry:
Not that I'm complaining...
Now I'm somewhat drunk or buzzed; ask me anything?
How's life going for you?
Idk if it's gone more liberal, just saying that that has been a very normal thing for right wing propogandists, according to my twitter feed.
Oh man, are we really going to do this right now? I thought this was gonna be fun. Life sucks pretty bad right now. Not a lot going right for me at the moment. But that happens; it's normal, I guess.
According to my twitter feed, CNN is going more conservative...
Don't fall into the same hole I'm in mate. I can't even change my mind now.
Why is that?
Hard to say because of the shear range of style.
Slice joint: Luigi's in Park Slope (winning over Joe's, yes).
I haven't been to the new Una Pizza yet, but at this moment, psuedo-neopolitan goes to: O.P.S. in Bushwick. Unleavened crust takes the cake.
Bonus round: I hear increasingly rave reviews about Scarr's in the LES, and one of my closest friends is the wine buyer for that shop. I haven't been, but I'm heading there this sunday.
Cuz, I've positioned myself and the welfare of my mother on being able to receive benefits, I get SSI and my mom gets benefits for taking care of me from IHSS. It's not depressing and I'm trying to figure if it's morally wrong.
So, I'm in a dependency trap, as conservatives would say.
What about you?
Hmm. These are things I'm relatively unfamiliar with, so I can't really offer much help. I guess, idealistically, if you're rightfully benefiting from government programs, then that's a good thing, right?
Well, I give all my money to my mother, so there's an element of selflessness in the whole picture. We live in a neighborhood where the average household income is something like 150k, so our neighbors must be thinking I sell drugs or something, haha.
It sounds to me like you're doing the right thing. I waste a lot of my money on things I don't need; it becomes a coping mechanism.
A dog birds like that me to look.
Yeah, I think it's the right thing to do, thanks.
Sure. :up:
I'm gonna remember that quote and think it's hilarious.
Hehe
Probably just your death drive messing with you. Stop watching TV. Your life will perfect itself within 1 month.
D'fuck is my death drive? My desire to die? Bruh
My self-generated content is the best; My dreams are fucking insane.
Ooo, do go on...
I thought it was time for bed? It involves sleep paralysis. If you're trying to get to sleep, then this isn't the best time (seriously)..
OK, then bed it is.
:yawn:
Kind of, but it's a bit more complicated...
"In classical Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the death drive (German: Todestrieb) is the drive toward death and self-destruction. It was originally proposed by Sabina Spielrein in her paper "Destruction as the Cause of Coming Into Being"[1][2] (Die Destruktion als Ursache des Werdens)[3] in 1912, which was then taken up by Sigmund Freud in 1920 in Beyond the Pleasure Principle. This concept has been translated as "opposition between the ego or death instincts and the sexual or life instincts".[4] In Pleasure Principle, Freud used the plural "death drives" (Todestriebe) much more frequently than in the singular.[5]
The death drive opposes Eros, the tendency toward survival, propagation, sex, and other creative, life-producing drives. The death drive is sometimes referred to as "Thanatos" in post-Freudian thought, complementing "Eros"..."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_drive
The "death drive" is interesting. It's part of addiction. It's definitely real.
But I think of it as being actual desire for "death". I meant to say that, but I hit "send".
The bit I don't buy in particular is the opposition of the sexual drive to the death drive but there's plenty in there worth mulling.
That's up for grabs as well. You might like yourself some Lacan.
http://art3idea.psu.edu/metalepsis/pages/deathdrive.pdf
Yeah. I'm reminded of Berdyaev's concept of sexuality, which would definitely be found controversial. The idea of the androgyne being the spiritual person "before sex"...
Quoting Baden
Desire for death is something that keeps me interested in life. I mean that in the least nihilistic way possible. Do I still stand for a Lacan reading? Are you sure you're NOT talking about laconicism?
I'm not sure how that would fit in with Lacan, or which stage of Lacan, especially seeing as his ideas changed a lot over time (and I don't have a deep understanding of those ideas anyway).
We're in agreement about the death drive vs sex drive though.
"Another difference between Lacan's concept of the death drive and Freud's emerges in 1964. Freud opposed the death drive to the sexual drives, but now Lacan argues that the death drive is not a separate drive, but is in fact an aspect of every drive."
http://nosubject.com/Death_drive
Quoting Noble Dust
Insofar as I understand what you mean by that, yes.
Fair.
Quoting Baden
Interesting. I'm just working off of dumb intuition here.
Quoting Baden
I'm fairly drunk at this point, so... But everything I just said is chill.
Why is everyone drunk all the time in the Shoutbox these days? Have I missed an instruction or something? Anyway give up drink, stop watching TV and read some Lacan and you'll be somewhere between Zarathustra and Iron Man by the end of the summer.
'Humans are born free but find themselves in chain stores'.
--
Also, the death drive is the mark of humanity. It's only because of our compulsions indifferent to satisfactions of life that we are human.
That's that.
CNN, like Fox, and like whatever, are best described as products, packaged for consumption, and less concerned for objective truth than just selling their product.
What many on the left want is a redirection of the drive away from simple productivity and towards creativity. That is, an injection of imagination into the concept of productivity that goes beyond the presumption that being a simple function of a larger organization will be enough for them to have a fulfilled life. Those who don't want to be productive at all tend to be either lazy or depressed. Neither of those is a political position.
Nice stuff on the death drive btw. You should write a novel. I suggest "Atlas Farted" as a working title.
Quoting Hanover
This, I agree with. The only constraints are the willingness of the audience to believe the story being told. I think, as it pans out, CNN is probably more accurate than Fox News, but the principle of commercialized news is the same, which is why it's so crap.
Just saw the result. Wow.
I just want freedom. And for that I need money. But I'm not knowledgeable or talented or lucky enough to make enough of it. :worry:
Sure, but freedom is always freedom to...do something, right? And it's that something that can be either productive or not, creative or not etc. I presume even if you had a lot of money, you wouldn't spend all your days sitting around watching porn and eating ice-cream. You'd figure a way to make your mark somehow. Or I bet you'd eventually feel the need to whether you think you would or not now. Trying to avoid being presumptuous here. And probably failing. :)
I'd probably just sleep all day and party all night. Also do a lot more fitness stuff (up to 4 nights a week and itching to do more, but the lack of time and money makes it difficult, especially when all the good stuff is on during work hours). Maybe travel again, which was when I last slept all day and partied all night. Good times.
I don't care much for achievements. I'm just a hedonist.
Being a hedonist is exactly why you should care about "achievements" in my view as they restore your ability to experience pleasure when you're not working to chase them. But I'm not going to labour the point, the real achievement is staying sane and being able to enjoy life. No matter what your material circumstances are, that will still be a challenge.
I suppose the best advice I can give you is "Don't listen to Hanover, or if you do do the opposite of everything he says". That'll get you at least half way to wherever you need to be.
Your frowny face made me happy. Thank you. I don't like suffering generally, just yours.
I'd recommend coming to America to fulfill your dreams. I told you that already, but you instead stay in the old country with a bad set of teeth in an overpriced "flat," which is British for cramped old room with bad plumbing.
I live in a 50 room palace for $5 a month. Everything is amazing here except I cry most of the time. It's a land of contradictions. Either that or I ran out of shit to say and just started stringing nonsense together.
Two bedrooms, actually.
It's actually worth the price.
According to this, £830, which is more than I'm paying.
So the rent in Atlanta is 37% of salary and in Exeter is 41% of salary.
No TV I've got down, although Twin Peaks doesn't count.
Sarcasm, brah...
So what exactly do you do when you go to Di Fara? Do you order, then leave for two hours? Or just stand in line for 2 hours? I want to go, but I'm too intimidated by the whole mythos. I did go to the new outpost at the North 3rd Market in Williamsburg, and it wasn't very good.
Sometimes hard to hear that in text. My bad.
All good! Dumb joke anyway. The joke was "according to my twitter feed"...anyways.
Monbiot's like reading popcorn if you come from a similar political perspective. A lot of the value in what he writes are ways of usefully condensing progressive ideas. It's pretty rare to see someone engage in meme to meme combat with the worst elements of corporate-derived ideology.
In other news, England is currently in the process of demolishing Panama.
(That's how you ought to treat kids, Trump supporters).
Panama for the comeback. 6:5. You read it here first. :fire:
Whenever I go, it's when I have a free weekday, so I generally get there either when it first opens at 12pm, or around 3:30-4:30 when it's not too crowded. Typically only takes about 30 minutes to get the pizza. I honestly wouldn't recommend waiting in line for two hours, that's just too long.
Just another victim of wishful thinking. :cry:
In the context of a European American speaking to an African American about the immigration of South Americans, the use of racialised terms of abuse is significant. 'Drapetomania' was the medical term for being out of one's cotton-picking mind. Happily, mechanical harvesters have made it an illness of historical interest only.
Happy birthday Bob.
I had to look up "Drapetomania" as I had never heard the word but I do know the phrase "cotton pickin mind" which took me aback but emotions were running high in the discussion, not that it changes the words spoken but does it lend itself to the intent of the phrase said?
When I tried to equate it in my mind to something that I might blurt out before realizing what words I was saying, as I have been known to do without too much filter, I came up with the scenario of how it might go down;
My family was raised 100% Catholic until we were excommunicated from the church after my bio parents divorced. As years passed, my siblings remained Catholic, I became Episcopalian and my Dad who was Baptized Catholic, educated through College in the Catholic schools, who went to church everyday before work to light candles for those he loves, became Mormon.
There is a bit of light between the Catholics and the Mormons, not much, but enough to provide an internal debate within the family and it is then when my sister said in the heat of emotion "Jesus Christ Dad! What the hell is the matter with you?"
Now, I had to insert my "Sister" in this exact scenario :wink: because I was never had issue with his conversion but my siblings still do and refuse to let my Dad talk about the Mormon religion.
Would a level of anger be expected? Probably internally? But would the expression blurted cause outrage by my Dad? And would the expression blurted out cause outrage within the Mormon community?
unenlightened, my mentor, my sage, please wish your daughter the best life has to offer in this next year and to Thank her for sharing you with us. :heart: :party:
Everyone is entitled to blurt out something highly inappropriate and offensive in the heat of the moment, and then they have about 10 - 15 seconds to retract and apologise before they get turned to stone, or sent to the salt-mines. That pope video of Baden's was really sweet; I want all our leaders to be that kind of generous. If God can love an atheist, He can probably love even a Mormon.
Stop. I like elderberries.
Quoting unenlightened
That's the way I'd put it too. Waiting until Twitter later after consultation with your PR advisers is the action of the progeny of a hamster.
Quoting unenlightened
That was the most uplifting thing I've seen in a long time.
That's not what the left wants. That's what every unappreciated, over-qualified employee wants. Since Henry Ford realized that human beings could be turned into parts of a machine on the assembly line and that products could be more efficiently produced that way, businesses have been using this model for higher and higher levels of job functions. A customer service representative who used to listen to problems and creatively find a resolution now follows a script and a protocol, making it easy for the company to hire and fire so that any moron can fill that role. They can also assure themselves of a certain level of customer service that doesn't vary from person to person.
And there are people completely content in those roles, feeling no ownership or care, but just earning their paycheck until they decide to quit and find another assembly line to work on.
It's the people who do care and feel they impart a part of themselves to their product who suffer. There are diminishing roles for those people. My thought, really my hope, is that those companies that refuse to submit to the assembly line model but who seek truly qualified employees who are trusted to make decisions will prevail and leave those mindless models in the dust. One can only hope.
Hypocrisy aside, it's an odd thing in the US that people see such need to protect the rich and privileged. Apart from Roseanne and Sanders, it was the same with Manafort when he was denied bail. He was witness tampering, so it was a no-brainer yet even the judge was practically apologizing for doing what she needed to do saying she had "no appetite" for sending him to jail. These people have every advantage and act consistently and often ruthlessly in their own self-interest, so these calls for kid gloves I just don't get. It's similar here in Thailand though, and even worse in practice as being rich means you can brazenly buy your way out of the justice system. It's the same attitude though in principle, you are somehow a better and more worthwhile person if you have money and status, and even those who don't have those things seem to by and large accept that perverted view.
Maybe in the US it can be traced back to Calvinism especially. Certainly didn't notice that attitude much in Ireland when I was growing up and I think it's less prevalent in Europe as a whole.
I get it now; I don't get it.
Yes, it's embarrassingly well thought through for the Shoutbox. Please don't do that again. :) I can make Hanover's comments and your responses so far into a new discussion if you want. What do you want to call it?
OK, done that.
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/3656/the-politics-of-outrage
Hmm. Not quite as impressive as some of his other quotes.
From the speech "I have an affirmative".
With your incarceration rates I actually believe you.
I'd love to visit the USA again but I'd never want to live there.
It will be interesting to see if my eldest and his girlfriend walk away from the Netherlands with the same feeling or if they move from the USA forever.
The only reason for me to visit the USA would be culture and natural sights (Grand Canyon and such) and maybe pack a gun and wait for a bad guy to shoot.
I would most likely choose Arizona as much as I would hate to admit it. Arizona has a reasonable cost of living, an excellent outlook on employment and what other state in the nation can you go snow skiing and water skiing in the same day? We are a resort based state outside of our 5C's Copper, Citrus, Cotton, Cattle and Climate and we are a very progressive state without being California. :up:
From Australia to the Netherlands, any visitor from another country has shooting a gun on their USA bucket list. There is a range up the street, on the way to Lake Pleasant where we can fulfill all your desires. :ok:
But how will our economy survive without an additional Dutch smart ass on our rolls?
A two month trip. Do Europeans work?
Money work? I just did a three year (fractional) contract. Now, I'm on a 2 year break. But, yes, I work. I work here, for example.. :grimace:
But like a swan, staying graceful on the surface while padding away underneath. :flower: :ok:
(Being sincere here... so am not responsible for the sarcasm any man, woman, or Hanover might add. :snicker: )
Yes, I am exactly like a swan. Thank you. :halo:
Holy F... Rushes to YouTube with face full of schadenfreude inspired glee.
How do you even?
I'm still in shock.
You could try Thailand although job ops are limited to teaching. But yes, with the supreme court going full right-wing, you're in serious doo doo over there.
Don Jr. just used "lit" in a tweet. That's it, we live in hell. No other explanation.
Too humid.
Denmark. Go social democrats! Then move there. Low humidity/fascism level guaranteed.
More bad news.
Mmm Neil Gorsuch~ So dreamy~ :heart:
Weekend pass worthy? Hmmmm…….
:love: :party: :100: :flower:
I felt fellow family members in Chicago's hair on fire! :fire:
But when you are mucking horse shit in 110* when the news comes across? WTF cares?
What's wrong with discussing loyalty? Isn't loyalty an important quality in your friends, in people you associate with, people you do business with, etc.?
A judge being "loyal" to the President, where this is to mean siding with matters that favour the President over what is constitutional/legal/just, is corruption.
Read my links.
What is the United States? It doesn't include the office of the Presidency?
You are correct in that I have two young gentleman as sons, who have been raised in a post 9/11 society, who are both AMAZING souls this world needs more of, if I may say for myself.
Maw, I don't know if you have children (though if I am correct you don't yet have them) but one thing all the parenting books will tell you as well as many spiritual/religious books is that "Children learn what they live".
Both of our sons have lived thru the depression (political folk say it was a "recession" ) seeing NicK as the sole breadwinner for a family of four, working on the all American dream of being your own boss and how far life can drop.
Now, I assure you that both my sons know right from wrong, are empathetic to a degree that many adults will never achieve, love their family and know that they are their brother's keeper.
But, BUT, both gentlemen, have independently made the decision to leave the USA for what they see as brighter shores, within socialist societies. Have I explained the concept of "Mowing Down the Tallest Poppy" to them both? Ad nauseum my friend, ad nauseum. My Great Grands came to America from Europe because of what they saw as possible, which is one of the reasons my gentlemen give me for leaving here.
What can I say to change their minds?
Not a damn thing because actions speak louder than words and the last 20 years of America's performance have been unstable at best.
I will fight like no other to allow a woman to make any decisions in regards to her own body, including but not limited to, being responsible for another life or not.
This can of course all be just extremely coincidental, but...still, it's nevertheless highbrow raising. What are your thoughts here...?
Get the meme value.
It's weird and it wouldn't surprise if some alt right troll in the admin helped put it together and spiked it for his own amusement. No American admin in living memory has been this friendly to anti-semites and racists. It also wouldn't surprise me if it's just a coincidence though.
No, you're not the only one. Either White Supremacists have infiltrated the DHS, or someone has decided to lose his job in the most spectacular way possible.
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/twitter-explodes-after-homeland-security-headline-appears-to-mimic-14-words-neo-nazi-slogan/
This article which says DHS refused to comment on the record is telling.
And then I found this article from 2011 about Neo Nazi codes:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/blogs/upshot/disturbing-trend-neo-nazi-codes-203345626.html
So, yes, pretty clear now Neo Nazis are playing around in official levels. Unsurprising as Trump has given them so much love.
I'm not much of a conspiracist, but I really think this is way too weird to be a conspiracy. And 13/88 is .14 (rounded down). Like come on...
Quoting Akanthinos
More like get a promotion amiright
After researching it online, see post above, I agree that yes, it's no coincidence.
Do I look like Schnauzer? :chin:
:gasp: I am totally bad... :cool:
Thanks, everyone!
Let me know when you decide. :)
Perhaps I want to see this? :eyes:
Thank you. :shade:
The article is itself calling for a wall and comes from a department that was born out of fear and anger. Xenophobia runs through its entirety, which makes the possibility that this was done intentionally all the more plausible.
no?
Ok, I'll sit in my corner. :sad:
This one is pretty cool.
:D
Wolfy Dust?
:yawn:
:fear: So ignoble.
Hmm. :mask:
What, am I a disease? Are you saying my name is too idealistic? :cry:
No, you're not a disease, lol. :sweat:
:sweat: Close call!
It is what it is. To each their own. :rofl:
What would you like to change your Nick to?
Oh, I see. You've been harboring judgement for these long years (months?). You've been trying oh so hard to figure out how to bring it up. :yikes:
Yes, it's a deep-seated resentment, which is prelinguistic and can't be expressed authentically in words. It's deep, maan. :joke:
In all seriousness, I'm happy with it. It's the name of an album I put out back in 2011. It wasn't a great album, but the concept has stuck.
If I changed my name...it would probably be something stupid; some kind of dumb joke that I would later regret. :rofl: But maybe LynchBaby?
Pendulum is coming back, yeah man that's what's up.
Broooo. Nobility? the futility of dust? Just express it, maaaan. It's there somewhere, in your inner child maaaan.
Wait, where is it swinging to exactly? I'm in the dark maaaan
I don't know how to, maybe an emoticon will help: :flower:
The flower expresses everything.
The Noble flower blooming through the harsh journey through Dust, man. Broooooo
Broo you gots it!
:flower: No name-change required.
:flower:
Bruh, the flower is life.
Bruuuuuuuhh
No comments broseph. No comments.
Bruuuuuhhhh no comments necessary, brahhhh. BROOOOHHH
Broseidon, Lord of the Broseph.
:pray:
Brosophicus the brosophicor. Brosophiny the last true bro.
Sorry, that should have read "Broseidon, Lord of the Brocean." Jesus, sorry. Rookie mistake.
Best, Brohannes Jahms.
Nice Jahms. He was understood poorly.
A flower for him: :flower:
He just wanted to jahm. Like the rest of us. :flower:
Heading to sleep. Night. Jahms will be listened to tomorrow in tribute of the almighty flower:
:flower:
To Jahms. Cheers. :flower:
Sup all the Bros! It’s 7 am here. Must be time for cold pizza and an even colder brewski. The Bro-fast of Champions! :vomit:
Does the President not represent the office of Presidency? I'm pretty sure that Trump doesn't expect and never expected people like Comey to be loyal to him after he's no longer President. Therefore it's quite clear that Trump demands loyalty to him in his capacity as President, as representative of the office of the Presidency. And it's his right to.
Quoting Maw
That sounds... great! :razz: People will behave differently if they know abortion is illegal. In some cases, abortion should be legal (medical issues, rape, etc.). But the idea of murdering a child-to-be because he/she doesn't fit your plans is an abomination. It is a hard decision to make, but if it happened to me, I don't think I could allow my partner to have an abortion - what would I then answer before God? I can sympathize, it would be hard. But life is hard. It's not easy.
Many people today aren't prepared for the difficulty of life, especially in many of the Western nations. It's not our duty as a society to create weaklings who shirk away at every challenge that comes their way, and look blankly at life, blinking. So then, why are we promoting values which encourage weakness and pettiness, instead of strength, courage, and virtue in the face of evil? I fully agree that we should support people in fighting against evil, but we shouldn't do so in a way that makes them weaker and takes away from their responsibility.
No it isn't. There's a separation of powers between executive, judiciary, and legislature. Each serves only the people, the Constitution, and the country.
Judges ought only be loyal to the law, not to the President.
In order to serve "the people", is it better if the three branches of power work together, or should they rather be at war and in conflict with each other? Which better serves the interest of "the people"? Is it better if your house is divided, you against the wife, the children against you, and so on so forth, or is it better to stand united?
It's not a Supreme Court Justice's job to work with Congress or the President, but to act as a check to their power, ensuring that no law is unconstitutional and that the government doesn't infringe on the rights of the people.
It rather depends what it is united around, I'd say. Some klans better disunited.
So the SCJ is there in order to be in opposition to the President (keep him in check), and (obviously) the President is there be in opposition to the SCJ? If not, then how can this relationship work? And if yes, how can two divided bodies represent the will of a single people?
Shouldn't the President and the SCJ much rather work together to ensure that the people are adequately represented? Isn't that the better alternative?
What is a state united around?
The opposition is intended to represent the will of the people. If the government introduces some order that infringes on the rights of the people then it would be unjust for the Supreme Court to simply be loyal to the President and accept what he's doing. The proper course of action is for the Supreme Court to rule the order unconstitutional and demand that the President stop.
So the will of the people is divided against itself? How is it one will if it is divided against itself? A single will cannot be conceived which pulls in two different directions. That's what we actually call two different wills. So if "the will of the people" is not divided, how can that which represents it be divided?
Quoting Michael
The President is not the government.
Quoting Michael
Sure, but this is only the case because the President, presumably, is acting against his own interests. They are not actually acting against the President by stopping his actions, they are actually preventing a harm that would affect the President too.
Do you honestly not understand the concept of checks and balances?
What are you talking about? It's quite simple; a Supreme Court justice shouldn't be asked to be loyal to Trump. That would be incredibly inappropriate, and bordering on corruption. They should only be asked to faithfully uphold the Constitution and the law.
Red herring. Answer my questions.
Quoting Michael
Yes, he should be asked to be loyal to the President. If the President is taking the country (and himself too) over a cliff, the SCJ is being loyal by stopping the President, since he is acting in the President's best interests. You are having a hard time understanding this.
Usually a shared fear and hatred of foreigners. There's nothing like an enemy for promoting unity.
Is it the enemy that promotes unity, or rather danger?
Is danger the only thing that the state can be united against (notice that we switched from united around, to united against)? And if so, why is it so? Mutual danger places both parties under threat - their conflicting interests suddenly align... temporarily. But is that sufficient to call it a unity? Or are we rather misconstruing from the very beginning? We started by asking what the state can be united around, and we've arrived at what the state can be united against.
To call unity requires only a flag. Yes, a shared fear overcomes conflicts of interest by externalising them. There can be no 'us' united without 'them' separated. The demand for unity is always polarising, and polarisation leads to war.
In a stable peaceful state, people are conflicted in their loyalties, liberal on some issues conservative on others, and so on, and not united with anyone about everything. Then one does not want to fight too hard on one issue because one would be fighting one's allies on another issue. As long as we are all conflicted in our loyalties, there is peace, it is unity as factions that lead to war.
Other countries struggle continuously with the threat of violent conflict. They resort to something close to monarchy because rule of law just isn't an option.
The two definitely shouldn't be giving each other advice.
I honestly can't comprehend how deluded you are. Here is a good article on what loyalty means to Trump, and it has everything to do with protecting him, not even as a President but as Donald Trump.
Quoting Agustino
If by "people" you mean "women" then yes, banning abortion is an obvious way to enforce certain behaviors. I get it Agustino, you're a misogynist.
Women can be misogynists too, and one not need expressly state "I hate women" in order to be a misogynist (few misogynists explicitly do that), but, rather, can hold values which themselves express an animosity and disdain towards women's agency and value, as a person.
Quoting Mr Phil O'Sophy
Surely you are intelligent enough that I don't need to explain to you why the consequences and responsibility of child-baring inextricably fall more so on the women than the man?
I understand that there are women out there who are "Pro-Life". This does not make it any less a misogynistic position.
"Values" in this scenario aren't mere nuggets of abstraction devoid of ethical consequences. This isn't a case where I prefer affogato, while Agustino enjoys tiramisu more, and I unreasonably criticize him for holding a "value" that differs from my own. The philosophically distilling of the science is unambiguous on this issue: an "unborn child", is by definition, not a child. A potential is not an actual. An inchoate fetus that lacks consciousness, viability, a developed CNS, etc. is not isomorphic with a woman who can gestate the former, yet pro-lifers, such as Agustino, effectively reduce the latter to the state of the former by fallacious equivocation. It is the liquidation of a women's agency, of her reproductive and bodily rights - a deprivation that a man, qua man, can never experience. It is a misogynistic value. There is also the history of life for a young women before Roe v. Wade, in America. Or merely look at Ireland's recent history.
Quoting Mr Phil O'Sophy
Surely you are intelligent to enough to see that I never claimed that there are never consequences or responsibilities for men, but rather that there is an asymmetry of consequences/responsibilities with scales tipping towards the woman, in particular "enforcing certain behaviors".
Quoting Mr Phil O'Sophy
No. There is nothing "willy nilly" about having moral clarity, calling a spade a spade, or in this case, a misogynistic value a misogynistic value.
Stating, "simply calling someone a misogynist because they hold values which differ to your own" diminishes what the content (and therefore concern) of what those values actually are, thereby dismissing my concern as a mere abstract disagreement.
Quoting Mr Phil O'Sophy
Quoting Mr Phil O'Sophy
Quoting Mr Phil O'Sophy
I've already countered these exact types of shallow, fallacious reasoning in a separate thread on abortion here and here and here, which are simply categorical mistakes, semantic jabberwocky, or simply ignores significant fetal development processes that occur during pregnancy, as well as the fact that a majority of abortions take place prior to these developments. You are also clearly ignorant on the failures of abstinence-only educational policies, and the harm that banning abortions does to women, as demonstrated by history, and it demonstrates a callous indifference to the lives and rights of women.
Your understanding of this entire issue is as developed as a gamete.
So men will not behave differently if they know abortion is illegal? I get it Maw, you don't give a damn about women ;)
Oh oh oh, I can't make up my mind what I am!!! :groan:
You have a talent, Agustino, of making perverse, unsubstantiated assumptions. As if I, a heterosexual man, would honestly be "untroubled" by an overturn of Roe v. Wade. Not only do I care deeply about that what I consider to be a fundamental, yet fragile right for woman, but I likewise worry how this will affect society at large, regardless of sex. That said, this notion that men and women will be commensurately affected by the return of a nation-wide abortion ban is ludicrous, and historically, without basis. That you continually 'pound the table' to argue otherwise, is just another demonstration of your indifference towards women, in addition to your historical illiteracy
[Anne Arundel County police chief Timothy Altomare] said only those convicted of serious crimes and certain misdemeanours were banned from buying guns in Maryland.[/quote]
Well that's stupid and wrong.
There was a little menace in his voice. But its true: what goes around comes around.
:rofl:
A deprivation (in the negative sense you use) is supposed to be the removal of something that is good. So if I remove your ability to slaughter a man, are you going to tell me that I deprived you (again, in the negative sense) of the said ability?
It's :fire:
It's just a very hot and spicy thread. Not sure...
:rage:
Uhh, unless necessary, no (in the affirmative). I've been on forums long enough to see how flame wars start, and your thread weaponized the claims to start a flame war, IMHO.
Basically everyone is going to end up butthurt or with a lit of resentment. Again IMHO.
Hey, as long we don't forsake sincereness and charitable attitudes, then by all means.
I know, right? :halo:
The truth hasth been spoken!
Why do you want to do that?...
Well, you will be missed from me.
All the best to you.
:worry:
Damn, what's life like as a person who's not hypocritical?
But what's the motivation for that action?
But I mean deeper than that; why is it good to "step aside from" one's beliefs, and not identify with them? More accurately, in my opinion, is this even possible? Again, our beliefs are part of our identity. Who are you without your beliefs?
By what method do you gain freedom? Or do you even want that?
Yeah, that's Gandhi level awareness there. Not for everyone.
I'm just talking really fundamentally, here. Those things you just said; those are beliefs or yours. They make you who you are; I wouldn't have said that in that exact way, Posty wouldn't have said that, etc. These are beliefs of yours, and they're a part of you. That's the only thing I'm arguing here. I'm happy to hear a refutation of that particular argument.
As to anger being a master, it certainly can be; I can tell you that from experience. So, it looks like that belief of yours is corroborated by my belief as well.
How do you gain freedom? What kind of freedom are we talking about?
As hopeless as this sounds, by distracting ourselves. The Roman emperors knew this best, I think.
I've definitely made a fool of myself trying to do this. So I respect that approach.
But the other angle is the "dunce" angle, as I've been known to describe it. If I rail against a view that I see as wrong (something of which the likes of @Wayfarer has made an entire campaign), then I introduce the possibility of readers seeing my arguments, no matter how angry and passionate. Edit: Actually, the sole reason I'm a regular here is from reading @Wayfarer on the old forum, which just underlines my point. Exposure is key; minds don't change in an instant; that's analogous to a religious experience (although I don't fully discount that concept either). But generally, minds change over time with sustained exposure to opposing views. So I'll gladly rail against views I see as wrong while realizing I may very well lose the argument itself, when I know that I might be causing some needed exposure to someone else.
Can you elaborate?
Yet they aren't me anymore than my hair is me. Beliefs come and go. I take a grain of salt with them.
Quoting Noble Dust
Self mastery. Taking control of your emotions away from others and keeping it for yourself.
The point is hard to change prejudices or deep-seated beliefs about people or things. The Roman emperors example was just to illustrate, that people can believe their are free and happy as long as they have distractions or entertainment to entertain them endlessly. Think the gladiators or the shows in the Colosseum to keep the public entertained with bread and circuses.
I disagree. Your beliefs are more you than your hair is you. But yes, beliefs do and should change. Just be sure not to shed beliefs as quickly as your head sheds its hair. There are justified beliefs, and then there are justified fashions.
Quoting frank
A noble goal. So, to ask you your own question: by what method do you gain freedom? Platitudes and wise aphorisms stimulate the imagination, but what's the exact approach you personally use to obtain this freedom?
But surely that's slavery, not freedom.
What do you mean? We do live out our lives as slaves to the passions where reason is only instrumental to fulfilling those passions, so isn't your sentiment a tad bit too idealistic?
I just mean that willfully accepting the delusion that entertainment means freedom is, itself, slavery, in a sense. Or at the least, it's just delusional, which means it's not freedom. If that's idealistic, than I don't know what isn't.
Yet, we do it willingly. We spend a silly amount of time watching TV, checking our phones and posting on Instagram what we ate, and in front of this medium that is the philosophy forum insulated in our web of beliefs to some extent. What does that say about 'slavery'? Not much, I just think that it's a near hopeless quest.
What does it say about slavery? You could reasonably say that we're slaves to technology. You don't think that would be a reasonable thing to say?
I asked you first.
Yes, I do think it is a reasonable thing to say. I often think of this forum, as a place where super-egos collide, and if they do, then nasty things can happen.
Playing the "you first" game is childish, which doesn't seem to align with self mastery much.
Hmmm agreed. But you still think my concept is a tad bit too idealistic? I'm failing to see that, but I could be missing it.
Formalize your concept please so I can better address it, thanks.
You've said this before, and I don't fully understand. Is the concept too vague as it is? Why do I need to formalize it? What does that mean? Here's the concept:
Quoting Noble Dust
I guess, I'm asking for some alternative. Since, there is none, then the whole argument seems moot. No?
Wait, an alternative to what?
To treating entertainment as distractions as some form of freedom. I mean, make no mistake, people went to the Colosseum to see other people being chopped to bits. How many of us here, can honestly say we don't enjoy seeing people getting banned or pissed off at another person? That's the fear that I had hoped wouldn't happen to Mr Phil O'Sophy's thread about hypocrisy, yet in many ways it would have become inevitable.
Ok, got it. So that's exactly the thing with his thread; @Mr Phil O'Sophy's thread was literally the Colosseum. Obviously he didn't want it to be the Colosseum, but that's what it would have inevitably devolved into. That's human nature; the point I made in my initial post in this exchange.
Is there an alternative to the voyeuristic death wish? I think so, but I don't have the wisdom to sort it out. But I think there is one. It involves being so sensitive to the humanity of every person one comes into contact with, that seeing any form of suffering automatically triggers suffering in oneself. Which is basically...some Jesus shit.
What's wrong with that? That's the attitude Mr Phil O'Sophy adopted, and felt like nobody appreciated it, I think.
There's nothing wrong with that; that attitude is at the base of my own philosophy, I'm just not good at maintaining it. For Mr. P, he had good intensions, but, as I said, a thread like that will always divulge into a blood bath, and that's because of human nature.
So going back to what I said earlier, maybe that thread served a positive purpose in that anyone who might have seen it was exposed to this philosophy. The thread itself failed and was deleted, but the message may have gotten through. It certainly seems to have gotten through to you.
Yeah. Tu quoque, all around.
I guess so.
So, I've been having a feeling like I might return to Christianity. Catholicism specifically...
Yeah...
Yeah? What lead to that? This whole conversation is clearly couched in pseudo-Christian concepts.
I for one have never not been a theist. The thing that I've found the most affinity with recently has been Christian mysticism.
Dunno, just the vacuous and trite and mundane aspect of living in such a hypocrtical land that is the US. I'm also half Polish and lived there for a while and dearly miss the brother and sisterhood instilled in the majority of the population there that I felt.
Quoting Noble Dust
Post a topic some time. I'm still waiting to see what your view on Christianity is...
I feel that. I live a pretty isolated, consumeristic life right now, and it's killing me. I'm visiting my family soon, and it will take a lot of willpower to not feel the urge to move back "home". But I know I would be miserable there too. What both of us need is an internal change, not an external one. I've learned that the hard way.
Quoting Posty McPostface
Hahaha. A topic wouldn't be enough to encapsulate my view on Christianity. There is so much. There's so much that's misunderstood, so much ignorance, both within and without the church, and so much hubris, on both sides. So much tragedy and so much beauty. Anyway...I'm slowly working my way up to starting a new thread. I've started too many lame ones; I need to fully research my next topic.
Yeah. This is problematic.
Yeah, lot's of carbon.
Quoting Baden
Why have you done this to me?
Shit. That was close. Social democracy's taking a beating these days. Trump will be laughing into his Starbucks fascistocano. :(
[tweet]https://twitter.com/PatBlanchfield/status/1013808908027219968[/tweet]
https://www.lrb.co.uk/v40/n13/john-lanchester/after-the-fall
No, no, no. You just don't have the openness required to understand these bat-shit crazy ravings of a lunatic.
Ummmm....
I picked out Waya because it means Wolf in Cherokee, at least as close as possible with the English alphabet. :joke:
Gareth Southgate.
I've got the Liveblog on while I do other stuff. I have a feeling this will go to extra time, but England will shade it.
Yes, if anyone wants to change their name they can do so by sending a PM to me or jamalrob. In TPF land, you can call yourself whatever you want...within reason.
I might start a poll in the feedback section about whether I should make the switch to Crass Dirt. I’ll probably throw in a bonus question about why the latest spam bot was banned.
Crass Dirt - 0
Meh Soil - 1
Btw Maw, you have 666 posts. Don’t reply..
Beats 'Night Soil' I guess.
Haha. I knew I'd successfully jinx it. :)
When might you release your name so that others might have a chance to use it?
It's Aye McKock. Feel free to grab it. :up:
I'm only following a blog. I don't know about Maw. It's on Satellite guess.
We know England's going to lose if it goes to penalties. :fear:
England are genuinely the worst at penalties.
Reality Check: Are England terrible at penalty shootouts?.
You jinxed it. :(
That was the intention! Had to counteract your earlier jinx.
:rage:
ADD? :razz:
*Screeches*
ADD... :rage:
Quoting Maw
Quoting Erik
Quoting Baden
Best conversation ever.
Who left all these glasses scattered about the forum? :chin:
Did you all have a party while I was out mucking in hell? :brow:
Anyway, an extreme sense of solipsism surrounding the creator, ginormous wealth, and a father figure is all you need folks to make a good virtual reality movie nowadays folks... Also lump in there some sense of rebellion from some sense of imposed order and you're set.
Some sense of self negating escapism is also warranted, or a cathartic return to that which is trying to be escaped from...
:rofl: hahahahah! Dear lord, Posty. You made me spit out my coffee! If had been eating something, I would have needed the Heimlich maneuver. :sweat:
:lol:
What's your religious background, or lack thereof?
Eh, sorry :confused:
Uhh, not sure. The Lord, wants us to be happy. We must not deny our nature. The evil of the world is always tempting us to do otherwise.
Raised as a Catholic, that's pretty much to it.
What was your experience of Catholicism like? (you asked AMA :P )
Heh, we'll I did like the sense of authority entailed in Catholicism. One can go about trusting someone about their interpretation about the word of God. Anywhere else and it just seems like an infinite regress.
My experience... Well, I felt that Catholicism brought with it a sense of home. Catholicism is after all the majority of beliefs enshrined by Eastern European countries and South American countries. I really liked that sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in Catholicism.
So, yea, I just like Catholicism as it entails the beliefs of the populations of Eastern Europe (Think the Solidarity movement, and how anti-communist John Paul II was towards communism in Poland). And so on and so on...
A sense of an authority figure passing down a beautiful truth? Let me know if that's not an accurate description. I'm probably projecting.
I felt the thing I described above, and then I felt the fallout when I saw the failures of that authority figure. But this didn't turn me into an atheist, oddly enough. It's a weird world out there...
Quoting Posty McPostface
Are those geographic locations specific to you personally? (you asked for an AMA, remember? :razz: )
For me, I resonate with Christianity representing a feeling of home. It's home in the sense that it's my focal point for thinking about philosophy and the world. But more than that, it remains an emotional focal point, whether I'd like it to or not. It's a..."thorn in the side", if you'll accept the irony.
Quoting Posty McPostface
Are you familiar with Sobornost?
No, it seems pretty accurate. I do feel a sense of belonging to that authority imposed by the catholic church. I do welcome it to some degree, instead of the bickering of the offshoots of Christianity.
Quoting Noble Dust
What failures? I always felt as though Christianity compensated for whatever failures of humanity for the goals it entailed in teaching to the people.
Quoting Noble Dust
Uhh, yes. I lived on Poland for a while, and was well aquainted with the customs and beliefs of the nation. I sometimes wonder about going back and living on a farm or next to a lake... ehh....
Quoting Noble Dust
I dont go as far as that. I do cherish the 'homey' feeling I derive from Catholicism; but, I've learned to distance myself from the feeling, as not to imbue my whole worldview around it. Dunno if that makes any sense.
Never heard much about it from personal experience, care to tell me about it?
What is that feeling like for you? Does it feel primordial? "before sense", in a way? Again, I'm just projecting my own ideas here; I trust you to be strong enough to say "no" if you feel that way.
Quoting Posty McPostface
I was referencing personal failures; the high school sunday school teacher who was the platonic ideal of Christianity, who I then found out, during college, was suicidal and totally mentally unstable, along with a family of wife and kids. He left the church and the word is now that no one really knows what he's up to.
On top of that, there was the Sunday school helper who was a super awesome dude older than me who I spent some really quality time with, doing "climbing" (indoor climbing) and getting burgers and whatnot, only to find that one day he woke up and apparently didn't take his meds, cussed out the preacher in church, and turned into a different person. And I met with him several times after to try to figure out what was happening. A shock to the faith "system" is an understatement.
Sobornost is an idea cultivated by a few very un-famous Russian Christians that involves the "spiritual community of many jointly living people". It's an idea that certainly calls to mind the "early church" as described in The Bible; sharing of possessions; a truly "communist" society, without Marx himself.
It's pre-linguistic in a sense. People are driven by things other than other than linguistic notions. My neighbors wife has cancer, I walked up to his front yard and rang his bell to inform him of any knowledge I had on the matter which he befitted from. (Weed is legal in our state (CBD:THC 1:1 ratio is ideal, I've researched the topic to exhaustion, no worries). He benefited from it somewhat from what I gather. He's dear to me.
Quoting Noble Dust
Please, let's not judge these noble ideas by the shortcoming of the people. Please....
These are all good and noble people, driven to Catholicism by their own shortcomings. It really is too much to ask from them to be idea.. Puh-leeze.
How so?
Quoting Posty McPostface
But that's the rub, isn't it? I have no desire to meet with xxxx any time soon, in order to discuss our differences of theology, and to also discuss his suicidal traits. I literally don't want to talk about it with him; I'm sickened by the notion of talking about it with him personally. Of course, that's because of religious emotional manipulation which is his fault. (Now I'm rambling, sorry)
Quoting Posty McPostface
No, they're not all Catholic; the people I'm referencing, including myself, were protestant.
Well, the desire to do good does not originate from good intents. It's prelinguistic.
Quoting Noble Dust
Why are you so pretentious? People have problems they have to grapple with. Why not help them also?!!!
Quoting Noble Dust
Don;t be that way. Catholicism allows for such shortcomings. We should be happy that it does.
EDIT: I'm on my last beer, so about 30 min and I'm off to sleep.
I would need to hear more about that before I make a claim.
Quoting Posty McPostface
Well, I'm very pretentious, especially when it comes to music in general, and sci-fi/fantasy in literature. Otherwise, I can't see how I'm that pretentious. The personal situation I referenced was one of an authority figure breaking down; but not one, but actually two different authority figures, within the church, breaking down, and utterly failing at being authority figures. Complete failure. Leaving me, the bushy-eyed cluesless one, to figure out what was happening.
Oh you've full of shit, *saying as a friend*. Let's thing be.
God has a plan for us all.
Wait, I can't tell if you're joking. :confused:
I'm re-reading through.
As someone who has said dumb shit while drunk on this forum...don't do that, Posty.
I can't help it. I'm sorry Noble Dust.
Hurry your philosophical topics.
No, don't be sorry. I've said way dumber shit than you while drunk.
Cheers Posty, and till next time. I eagerly await your prognostications. :sparkle:
I'm still here, no worries.
18 min a counting.
Damn, why didn't I get a notification?
Anyway, I still eagerly await your prognostications; partially because I'm eagerly awaiting your fresh ideas, and partially because I'm eagerly awaiting the further use of the word "prognostications within the shoutbox.
Quickly, what do you want to know?
Finally! Do it! If you need to say "finally", then you need to do it, posty!!1
But Wittgenstein is God. I dare not compete.
I'm too confused to remember what I wanted to know.
Uh, why do you like Christianity, Posty???? WHY??????
I want to belong broseph... My family is broken... hopelessly.
:fear: Me too, broseidon. How do we do this?
In yourself, I think.
In what?
In yourself.
Hmmm. Not sure. Happy to wait till tomorrow. G'night.
Not are you not sure of? Im going an extension...
The beers sound like they're taking over? I'm a little tipsy myself. You mean What am I not sure of? I'm not sure about believing in myself.
Ok, *takes the hats off*... what are you unsure of?
I'm unsure of believing in myself.
Why is that? I'm growing impertinent about this sentiment...
I'd have to tell you my whole life's story in order to answer that!
Can't you answer that in fact that you demanded weaves of why:
I'm reminded about a story I had with a friend who went with me on a trip to go scour a trip of still of strip dry leaves of tobacco leavings to dry our for our own harvest.
Can't you agree that such a thing wold be fun?
Brah...check your grammar. :sweat:
I'm gone. Sorry,
Hello, I'm looking for topnotch code gusy who liike also taking PHP beraks wo like being very obsevant and on point...most self staters of all, email at [email protected], sorry
What is this aesthetic of yours? I've seen it before.
Gundam wing aesthetic. Best that bro.
The Catholic Church would seem like home if it was home; so would any other -- Lutheran, Methodist, Mormon, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, et al. I've been busy for decades taking apart and uprooting my "home" (Methodist), but it remains a "home" despite all the demolition and removal work.
I've had run-ins with authoritarians from several faith traditions. I suppose the worst was some demented conservative Catholics in Kansas City. Protestants are quite capable of producing authoritarians as well. I do not like authoritarians. I like the current Pope better than JPII.
:cry:
All the beer is gone,
And the sky is gray,
I'm going for a walk
On a summer's day
I'd be stewed and cool
If I'd had more today
Alcoholic dreamin'
On a summer's day
Stop in to a bar I pass along the way
Well I get down on my knees
And I begin to pray
This preacher likes a cold one
And will surely stay
Alcoholic dreamin'
On a summer's day
Oh... Anagrams? That could be fun! Ok, let's see...
Narc jobber sect expected my nip?
Prance my birds, expect en object!
Expect mercy. Birds jab on Pence.
Mecca expert birds pen job entry.
Men jab bitterer coccyx. Send pep?
Ex-cop jambs bittern, per decency.
My net jobber expected narc pics!
Men expected job pact. Re-sync rib.
Ok, i cheated and used an app! (Anagram Machine on iOS)
Tricky. You can't enjoy freedom without safety, so both!
Risky...
Not really. They were tiny cute hummingbirds. Much smaller than the vultures that were feeding on his boss’s bloated carcass. :scream: :vomit: :monkey:
Strangely enough, the vultures got food poisoning after only a minute and had to fly weakly away. The Boss was totally unhurt, and actually felt better for losing a couple pounds. And we all lived happily ever after. The End. :yawn:
Happy Independence day an stuff.
Yes, but who needs the words of this humble freed slave when we can listen to the great big-handed billionaire deal-maker and diplomat extraordinaire Donald Trump's speech mocking Elizabeth Warren/Pocahontas and the MeToo movement, and again calling reporters "very bad people" (except the ones that were murdered in the recent hate crime in Annapolis who being dead are no longer people and presumably just "very bad"). Have you no class?
Oh, yes...
(Russia better be in there, if the ref wants to have a very happy and healthy future! :halo: :yum: )
Me.
As a clueless Yank, I’m gonna guess it’s the skinny guy wearing shorts! :chin:
Sweden for the win 2:1. You heard it here first.
It's double reverse to force the Sweden win. When you do a simple jinx, someone like @Erik comes along and screws it up with a reverse jinx. The only way to combat that is with a reverse reverse jinx.
If you can’t influence the gods, then confuse the hell outta them!
I like this. I can say stupid shit through the whole match and no one can shut me up. Finally!
You're watching it on channel 42...I take it... :chin:
Why with every passing second is there more time on the clock? This game is going to last forever!
Also asking as a clueless Yank, when (besides halftime) am I supposed to take a bathroom break? The potted palm tree by the TV set is starting to turn a sickly yellow! :monkey:
BTW, if I miss seeing a goal being scored in live time due to typing these inane comments... a phone might end up smashed.
If you want to be helpful, answer me this: Do you know anyone at the match who would be willing on the basis of a financial incentive to throw solid objects in the direction of members of the England team? They need only have a good aim and at least have a few coins in their pocket. I await your positive response.
Agreed. Only please provide them helmets. We must adhere to FIFA safety regulations.
Oh, I’m with you all the way.
So... about those Swedish cheerleaders... would they actually... uhh... be the team running around on the field scoring and stuff? Because, ya know, that might help the ratings in the US of A, which is still struggling to dig this crazy sport. Ya know, it ain’t no golf! Just askin’! :joke:
If I may volunteer... but can I borrow a couple coins first? Don’t really have any solid money, ATM. (Pun intended). I got some 10,000 Dogecoins... (about $1.26 USD)
The situation is approaching critical. I will provide whatever resources you need. Go, go and may Thor be with you!
Awesome! One question: is England the team wearing the red pajamas with the drawing of three kittens on it?
Or are they the team with the dark blue shorts that makes everyone’s butt look huge? Oy vey!
:lol:
I jinxed Sweden after the last game by picking them to reach the final.
I will mourn this loss by burning down the local IKEA and making a meatball of myself in the resulting flames. :fire:
:lol:
Some Swedish gin seems appropriate:
Yep.
I think President Trump has already done that.
Or might make them play even better. :chin:
Come on Russia!
Russia 1 - 1 Croatia
Dammit.
It's not the same as development theory in psychology. It seems like some people whom we can both mention are more evolved psychologically than others. Or maybe not?
Thoughts?
Edit: Goodnight then or goodmorning.
So I like to think that some of these apparently 'profound' questions are just the result of not-so-bright English speakers mistaking the bad grammar of Russian speakers for legitimate questions.
Or playing Jeopardy!.
How many more resignations today?
Oh, no shit... Not good for May. We need the Maybot now. She's a playa.
I just read a no-confidence vote is unlikely. Anyway her AI-style personage is the last remaining cognitive programming standing between the Tory party and a hard Brexit policy. May she continue to emit human sounding noises from her position as PM until JC decommisions her at the next election
I shared a similar thought once before. A few people got butthurt.
In 2009 he wrote in the Minnesota Law Review that based on his five-and-a-half years of working in the Bush Administration he realized that, "the decisions a President must make are hard and often life-or-death,the pressure is relentless, the problems arise from all directions, the criticism is unremitting and personal, and at the end of the day only one person is responsible, and being so, Kavanaugh believes that it is "vital that the President be able to focus on his never-ending tasks with as few distractions as possible," therefore, "the President should be excused from some of the burdens of ordinary citizenship while serving in office," including the suggestion that, "Congress might consider a law exempting a President—while in office—from criminal prosecution and investigation, including from questioning by criminal prosecutors defense counsel."
Not surprising that he is Trump's nominee.
But, it goes even further - Kavanaugh was a primary author of the 1998 Starr Report, the investigative account of Bill Clinton, and argued for "broad grounds" for impeachment. Kavanaugh rejected this idea, based on his aforementioned experience with the Bush Administration, as stated his article for the Minnesota Law Review, "but in retrospect, that seems a mistake. Looking back to the late 1990s, for example, the nation certainly would have been better off if President Clinton could have focused on Osama bin Laden without being distracted by the Paula Jones sexual harassment case and its criminal investigation offshoots."
So what intrigues me is that this extreme change of heart was based simply on experience. So I have to wonder what other forms of experience does Kavanaugh not have (or will never have), that will never shape his judicial opinion (e.g. abortion rights, voter ID restriction, etc.).
From what I’ve read he believes that Roe v Wade is a settled matter.
Hmm, what makes you say that. I was thinking more along the lines of Batman, Superman, Iron Man(?), and others.
Not at all. A lot of virtue ethicists in there though. Most are quite happy to mix it up when needed. Watch any recent Batman movie.
Yeah, but the Joker keeps on getting out of prison while Batman keeps on trying to lock him up. Illogical?
Yeah, that too.
Depends what level of logic you're following, In terms of making a movie, of creating a compelling narrative, it's not only logical but necessary.
So, I guess people just really like Kantians more than Utilitarians for example, like Ozymandias from Watchmen?
So, the follow up question is why so?
Nobody likes Kantians, they're less superhero, more alien. There's nothing more disturbing than a fundamentalist when you get right down to it.
Fundamentalists? Oh, we got plenty of those types in America.
I recall Trump telling a kid he was like Batman. Pfft.
More like Lex Luthor without the intelligence.
BatTrump. Could be the basis of an interesting comedy skit. :)
He did and as a first responder, he would have had it no other way and is celebrating in Heaven right now as he gives a ^5 to God for keeping God's wife, Mother Nature, busy while they got those kids out of harms way.
It restores my faith in humanity when "we" are "people" and are able to rise above our own self beliefs for the sake of others.
Meanwhile, the bastards who are preventing these rescuers from doing their job want dragging into that cave and leaving there til they change their attitude.
Trump? Shot in the dark. Am I warm?
Today, I’ll go with the underdog Belgium. Goodness knows why. :yum:
2:1 Belgium. 1am here... But I usually don't sleep til 3 so we're good.
I hope it’s Belgium and England in the Final, so both teams can wear all red uniforms. It’ll look like a blood clot under a microscope. :mask:
Pretty much everything I do now fits snugly in a symbolic world allowing me to go about doing what I have to. When I leave that symbolic space, its usually in the mode of cleaning - i.e treating it as an other-space I have to take care of so it doesnt impinge on the workings of the symbolic space. Very german-idealism approach.
But kids live in those spaces, to an extent, and build whole imaginative worlds out of them. Adult german-idealists are obsessed with mountains and all that, things that are out there and resist out attempts at integration, always in the mode of : something out there.
The shortest path through a mountain is tunneling through it...
*eats words*
Thanks.
England to win 2:1
Hm, that should do it.
Sounds too familiar to those abandoned in the desert by the coyotes. :fear:
On the other hand it's really none of my business. I dont think he would have some great epiphany if I dwelt on the topic. I think its a 'to each his own' situation.
What bugs me is that I actually am a little gratified because he's such a rude know-it-all.
Concern/apathy/unseemly gratification mash-up.
Edit: Joke's on me. I'd much rather have the money. Come on Croatia!
Odds are quite good, 5/1. Makes for a good betting opportunity, and realistically speaking, Croatia could win the WC.
Where'd you find that? The best I could find was 69/25.
Edit: Croatia need to win in 90 minutes for the bet to count. Double dammit.
Ladbrokes. And the bet is for Croatia to win the WC.
Either way, should be a great match!
Logical space! Everything is in logical space!
:halo:
Suck it, peasants. I'm gonna be rich.
On an unrelated note, did you hear about Mayweather scamming some Nigerians?
I got one of those too but he only gave me four million quid. Bit of a con job.
What a time to be right...
Must be horrible to care about football. Damn.
I would have been bummed if it was an evenly played game and England lost in PKs, but Croatia was easily the better team - esp after the first half - and deserved to win. I don't think England had a single shot on target in 120 mins outside of their goal.
No, it's like the American Revolutionary War where the worse side wins.
Croatian women are some of the warmest people I know. Their laughs are contagious so is their wine~ Last weekend we had a celebration of life for the husband of our Croatian woman friend and if you didn't know better, you would think you had stumbled upon a party. :heart:
That's nice racism.
:razz: Your cold blooded aren't ya?
So the pitch black Crows have taken the Lions’ own meal... The kingly predator outdone by a scavenger’s zeal. (hmm... what rhymes with FIFA?)
Queefer.
Unfortunately, I looked that up. There were obvious alternatives, damn you. e.g. Reefer.
Excellenté! Any explanatory photos perhaps? :yum:
True.
I was with you up until then.
Our Fearless Leader? Yes, now all our beverages are named after the Most Benevolent One and his healthy and exuberant family. All your soft drinks are belong to us. Right now, I’m sipping an diet Ivanksi soda. :starstruck:
https://jacobitemag.com/2018/07/10/jordan-peterson-agent-of-chaos/
"There is no reason, therefore, to believe that classical liberalism can serve as a substitute for religion in the political domain. The same goes for Jordan Peterson’s maverick blend of Jungianism, quasi-Christianity and self-help, however desperate Western men may now be for direction and guidance amid the West’s abysmal descent."
Likewise, the Intellectual Dark Web, which sounds like an evil organization from a cheesy 1980s children's cartoon, includes an assorted list of characters such as Ben Shapiro (a conservative Orthodox Jew), Sam Harris (Atheist), Michael Shermer (Skeptic), James Damore (fired from Google), Jordan Peterson (Jungian Psychologist), Steven Pinker (Linguist), Dave Rubin (Talk Show Host), Lindsey Shepard (a fired TA), and many others, whose only major commonality is a rejection of far-left politics, in particular "identity politics" and "political correctness". Otherwise, they hold many ideas which are at variance with one another.
Brassier denounces the purported existence of the Speculative Realism movement as nothing more than a "brand" in a specific consumerist sense - "philosophy-marketing". Similarly, the Intellectual Dark Web "movement" seems like nothing more than an opportunity to "sell" anti-leftism sentiment in the form of books, monetized YouTube videos, webinars, College lecture tours, and op-eds in the New York Times or The Wall Street Journal.
Dave Rubin holds ideas? I thought his function, on his show at least, was purely decorative?
With the last $5 in my wallet. :up:
=[ :cry:
Thanks, not tonight though. Just waiting for my paycheck to hit so I can buy cigarettes.
[Sorry for the emo posts]
Good, I'm waiting for my liquid nicotine (vape juice) to arrive tomorrow morning so I can vape some more. The emo posts are fine too.
:yum:
https://www.truthbrary.org/
I already knew that, his conversion started happening long ago!
True, new one should be good though. Starting this weekend. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCh2SuInQZ8
He should be ashamed of himself, alas, poor lad, all this money and luxury took his mind away.
Seems like one of those things you do in a sense of absolute hopelessness in regards to a situation. Just drink your way out of a problem.
:rofl: I didn't think of that :lol:
:vomit:
You don't know what you're missing out on!
When I was a young un' I useta play the ol' residen everl, so I thinks I knows.
My offspring are within 300 miles of you, probably more like 30 miles but they are in LOVE with Amsterdam :party:
Goal set: Goal Achieved!
The "NEXT" generation has 'got this' :clap:
I've got number seven, but haven't started it yet.
This game was really good:
Yeah... well... I didn't have Tobi's contact number to give them in the event they need an attorney while in the Netherlands.
Oh, by the way, if a number comes up with a USA prefix, please take the call.
Thanks bunches :flower:
Thanks, @mcdoodle sent his regards too. Hehe.
And they have some weird control over their DNA.
Any particular examples? In my completely subjective opinion, some of it holds up quite well. I could probably listen to “Shock the Monkey” by Peter Gabriel, “Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran, and “Cars” by Gary Numan on a 10 hour loop. The synth stuff from the 70’s might be less “pop”, but is still great. Like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, JM Jarre, and certain Pink Floyd songs. “Welcome to the Machine” is a perfect Orwellian Monday-morning-getting-ready-for-work theme song. :blush:
:D
You realize they are giving you a discount on not charging you the 'ream me prices' they normally do. :lol:
So what did Fred eat this time that inspired you to indulge him in some real toys. Not that data cables aren't fun to chew on :joke:
The NRA in a NUTshell.
Actual real members of the US government advocating giving guns to three year olds. Amazing what NRA money can buy.
Life?
There was a camera shot of Putin at the end of the game. Didn’t know he could dance like that! The full Cossack jumping splits and everything. :sweat:
Quoting Hanover
I thought that might be you! The weather is lovely this time of year in Siberia. In December, not so much... :yum:
Sacha is one of the very best performance artists of our time. I can't wait for the full feature!
:up:
FIRE!!!
EDIT: I see it's actually a series, and the first episode is already out!
True.
France is a very strong team. But I'm happy for both Croatia and France reaching the finals. Fans of Croatia should still be celebrating. I'm impressed with them during extra time (pre-final) -- they were tough.
Yes, should be fun. Disturbing too, he takes a microscope to human craziness and magnifies it to epic proportions.
Good times, Good times! :party:
I watched the first episode, and while at times I felt like gouging my eyes and ears out of sympathetic embarrassment, it's painfully amusing. And yes, craziness is the takeaway.
He created a slew of new characters designed to fit (or foil) the unique blind-spots of various American political stereotypes. An Israeli gun-lover for the NRA, an ex-con looking for a second chance for the progressives, an over-the-top progressive "cuck" for the republicans and a southern confederate wing-nut for the democrats.
It's painfully entertaining: weapons grade satire.
Interesting graphic, highlights strikingly the most significant change as a transfer of volume from Europe to the Middle East.
Yes, quite a few interesting patterns there. Beats looking at a 100 row table for sure.
There's a variety of home-grown American conspiracy theorist who would see a connection between our joint condemnation of Trump's fumbling maneuvers with Putin and that spew of weapons.
When a talking head on CNN says the threat of nuclear war with Russia has returned (which was broadcast), there's an arms manufacturer who's grinning.
I'm thinking of a particular person I know who affirms this view: the establishment was arranged to calmly continue that spew of arms and other kinds of harm. Some who condemn Trump are not the good guys. They're establishmentarians who have a financial stake in the status quo.
So the meme that's travelling about is a Trump twitter commenting on his meeting with Putin:
"I would rather take a political risk in pursuit of peace, than to risk peace in pursuit of politics."
I have no idea who fed him that line, but it's genius. That was my attempt to convey some of the comlexities that Trump supporters might share with each other, but not with a lefty who's crying "idiot!"
I agree with some of what you said, but to me the line is just an obvious false dichotomy that's very easy to see through. You're not on the verge of war with Russia, and his selling out his own country was unnecessary and not done in the pursuit of peace but for the sake of his own ego. It's arguable too that emboldening Russia makes us all less safe. As a bit of rhetoric, it might be effective with strong partisans, but they're easy to please and a bit desperate at the moment. That's not to cry idiot, the idea that peace with Russia is desirable is by no means idiotic. But the how is important. You only show weakness and tempt your enemies into testing you by fighting with your own side in front of them. Fluffy rhetoric like this isn't going to obscure that fact.
I would, at least in the sense of democratic socialism. And I'm open to considering more radical forms.
It's a broad ill-defined term unfortunately but I'd answer along much the same lines as Sap.
31.5? :smile:
Without - some - socialism we would have laissez-faire capitalism, which is a strategy few of us would find desirable.
Quoting 0 thru 9
Is that the rate of taxation where you live?
Oh, much more! In the top tax bracket that I’m in, I have to keep most of my assests off-shore. My three accountants (who when they aren’t working are also my cats) are doing the paperwork as we speak. :yum:
Lol. Is this guy trolling or what?
Maybe tough shit. Texas doesn't have the most reputable track record with this kind of thing. (You know, doing the right thing, progress...). They're known for digging their heels in.
Cats are well known as utterly scrupulous and frugal accountants. Although if you're not careful, they'll deftly bury their own toxic assets in your local real-estate.
Everyone wish him well.
I had no idea you are from Chicago! :yum:
National transportation strike. No buses, taxis, heavy trucks. Just wonderful. No schools open, lots of businesses without workers.
SNAFU
I hope they fix it for Monday.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/20/muslim-terror-attacks-press-coverage-study?CMP=fb_gu
Almost as if that kind of reporting is serving an agenda!
Saw that today. If only the Muslims would commit 9 times less terrorist attacks, things would balance out! They never learn...
I don't know about that, the article says that white and rightwing terrorists already carried out nearly twice as many attacks as Muslim extremists in that time period.
Yup. Well, that made me chuckle really loud, and then put me in the position where I had to explain to my boss what was so funny, and clearly I shouldn't be reading comics with this kind of language while in a corporate office...
:angry:
You missed the ironic point.
Jog to the pizza joint?
With whose money?
Jogging is free brah.
Yah, brosophicus...
Brudda, I have no money for beer. The butthurtness is unbelievable!
Brohannes Jahms, you're butthurt because you can't brocure some bromented brews? Bro
Bro, that was brosophiny brolequent. I bronot compare.
Bro, I am so bummed right now. I don't know what to say. The poverty is so unbrotherly right now...
Sorry to hear brah. Waiting to hear back about a new job interview myself. Poverty is indeed quite unbrotherly...
What job bro? Hope a good one, brosophicus.
Just another wine shop. Friend of a good friend owns it, so I'm hopeful.
That's sick bro. Hope it works out for ya. Bro, free wine included also?
Usually wine at cost. Pretty good deal.
Awesome deal. Bru.
:fear: :cry:
Aye, seniorita.
Umm, just problems. Don't feel like spilling my guts. Nothing that doing so would help by doing so either.
Good question.
I'm fairly certain that the statements Sacha is able to tease out of his victims do on many levels reflect their genuine attitudes/beliefs/worldviews/etc...
While he does use confidence tricks to put people off their guard, and while he does push people toward extreme versions of themselves and their ideas, he can only work with what is already there (or not there) in the first place. Sacha's main strategy is to exploit existing bias: the simpleton from the video above is putty in Sacha's hands: loves guns, hates terrorism, loves Israel, hates Muslims; 100% ready to thrust his exposed anus toward Sacha as part of an anti-Muslim-terrorist staining exercise.
In the back of his mind I'm sure he knows that sneaking up-burka photos with a selfie stick is ridiculous, but Sacha's character is already a bit ridiculous, and maybe Israeli [s]mossad agents[/s] tough guys do things a bit differently in the land of god's chosen. As long as they agree on political ends, means are trivial and unimportant.
Later in the episode, Sacha uses his self-hating white male character to suprise-foist "the largest mosque outside of the middle-east" onto a small town of unsuspecting Arazonians. He begins by asking them if they want to see huge economic growth in Kingsman (they all raise their hands and clap), if they want 380 million dollars of direct investment (they all applaud once more), and then suddenly reveals his plan for a ridiculously large (and obviously misplaced) mosque. The all white and elderly attendees of the town-hall meeting immediately erupt in discontent and objection, and the scene descends into a level of racism that seems quite difficult to find these days...
Sacha's character was a stereotype of the left that the town-hall attendees bought hook, line, and sinker (and despised). Before long the whole room was screaming in explanation that the people of Kingsman equate "mosque" with "terrorism", are proudly racist against muslims, and "tolerate the few blacks" that they do have. It would obviously be retarded to install a large mosque in an all white town with zero Muslims, but the people at the town hall were so overcome with fear and emotion (their worst delusional fears being confirmed) that they could not make reasonable points or see through the ridiculous charade that Sacha was miming.
It's not just the intellectually lame that are vulnerable though. Sacha got Cheney to physically put his signature on a water-bottle and towel that he was told was used for water-boarding (amidst a flood of additional cheek)...
This is by far my new favorite non-fictional T.V show...
I’m conflicted. I’m a fan of beer but not cannabis. What should I do when it’s eventually for sale?
Next image for an avatar? Thoughts?
He seems happy with that McBabyface.
:rofl:
All the things I said about Europe I take back. Keep doing what you're doing. Long live free health care, gun bans, and atheism!
What do trolls taste like?
That's a reasonable analysis. And it's backed up by the contrast shown when Sacha takes on the left as he does in the Bernie Sanders' scene. There's much less in the way of raw material and there's concomitanty less shock value. Sanders is actually a reasonable guy and his views make sense (not saying everyone on the left is reasonable, but just that I haven't seen him really catch a left-winger saying anything very ridiculous or embarrassing, and that that is at least partly because there's less ridiculous and embarrassing raw material on the left). So, yes, you need those extreme views ready and revving just underneath the surface to make these kinds of situations work. I also think the right is more tribal, so when they find someone who credits and encourages the crazy, they have more of a tendency to jump right in. Like, wow, fellow traveler, instant BFF. I guess that's where the suggestibility comes in. And probably loads of other stuff Sacha has perfected over the years to get people to play along.
Another interesting dichotomy I noticed is with regard to the media reaction. I saw John Walsh (one of the gun nuts) on American Media (CNN) talking about how he was punked by Sacha and his line was basically, "Sorry, I know it's all crazy, I don't believe any of that. I was tricked. The end". And the guy who was interviewing him just ate it up. No pushback at all. It was almost like the debate was over the ethics of Sacha's behaviour in exposing Walsh and Walsh was graciously agreeing not to criticize Sacha too harshly and to just laugh the whole thing off rather than have to deal with his own behaviour, which is the only salient ethical point.
The same John Walsh when he went on British TV to do his mea culpa though was met with major objections to his line (which he tried to peddle exactly the same (almost word for word) as he did on CNN). Like he had to deal with obvious rejoinder of "If you thought it was all crazy, why did you keep reading the script right the way to the end (where the words were "Happy shooting kids" ) and then walk out of there with no protest, and in fact accept an award afterwards for your 'services to Israel' on the basis of what you said ,and then Tweet proudly about that award later?" And he couldn't deal with that at all. Because it's clear he didn't actually think it was all that crazy to encourage giving guns to three and four year olds, or if he did—possibly even worse—he didn't care because in his world that kind of self-serving politics is perfectly acceptable behaviour with zero consequences for anyone except the victims. And I guess he's probably been paid by the NRA to do that sort of thing all his political life, and has only benefited from it.
I have to say though I find the Mosque one which I haven't seen yet the most interesting and potentially disturbing. Because it may be (and I don't know yet) a representative sample of small town white America. And if so, it would explain a lot about the appeal of Trump and why he's doing so well, not despite, but seemingly because of his extreme views.
Quoting Hanover
OK, enough said. Thanks.
Quoting Hanover
Please don't fall in. That would be awful.
Quoting Hanover
:cheer:
He tried with Sanders. And failed. It was mildly amusing though. Fact is you won't find a video out there of a left-wing politician in state or federal government doing anything as crazy or objectionable as pulling his pants down and chasing Muslims with his bare ass or running around shouting "N....!" or suggesting we put guns in teddy bears to make them more acceptable to three year old kids. Not going to happen. Because the left is not insane.
If it's Jeremy Corbyn, then yes.
:lol:
If he didn't realize he was being played after the selfie stick "test" for terrorists then he's a total idiot. If Sacha's bad disguise, his exaggerated accent, his acknowledging and then immediately retracting personal involvement with the Mossad (twice!) weren't enough to cause suspicion, then that should have been the clincher. And then, after all that, to engage in the ass counter-attack thing? How can you not realize this "anti-terror expert" is a complete caricature who's trying to make you look like a fool?
It's hard to fathom how this wasn't even suspected until after the fact. Perhaps some time was spent in more "serious" discussion as a means of gaining credibility before getting this clown to say and do such stupid things? That must have been part of it.
Something else which may mitigate the idiocy of this particular guy, even if just a little bit, involves those rare situations where you're talking to someone who seems kinda crazy, but you're not 100% certain. You go along with them in order to avoid the even more awkward scenario of laughing at (or dismissing) what they're saying only to find out they were actually being serious.
If an embarrassing episode like that has ever happened to you then you're much more likely to take the things that strangers say seriously, I think, or at least play it safe by pretending to believe them. We know the selfie stick test is ridiculous, of course, but what if there's a small possibility that it's not? Much easier to pass judgement on these sorts of things in hindsight, I suppose, than when you're right there in the mix without time for adequate reflection.
There's definitely some showmanship. Like he uses no doubt all sorts of psychological tricks and could probably make somewhat of a fool out of most people. Sometimes with these things there's a step by step 'commitment' and each step justifies the last. Like if you're already willing to take an upskirt picture with a selfie stick then hell, why not attack a Muslim with your bare ass? As VS said though you'd never get these types of results if there wasn't already some very weird stuff going on in these people's heads, and my sympathy is with anyone who has the misfortune to be Muslim in, at least certain parts of, the US.
True. That's a great point about drawing out the latent or preexisting insanity of these types. I've lived in areas before that are clearly Trump territory, and there are definitely some strange and disturbing ideas floating around in those places - hostility to a religion you know nothing about, uncritical patriotism, (what I find to be) really shallow conceptions of God and religion more generally, etc. Plenty of stuff worthy of being exposed for the stupidity that it is.
Oh, let's see if the left can embarrass itself without anyone's help. Not a firm grasp in reality I'd say. Also from Georgia, this time a US Congressman, not just a part time member of the Georgia general assembly.
Yeah, that's a good one. Saw that before actually. Don't know if he's left though, just a regular Dem far as I know and this has no relation to any left wing position that I know of (those commies fighting on Guam's behalf against the sea!). He says he was using a "facetious metaphor" here but I don't buy it, it really does look as if he's drunk or brainless or both. OK, I agree then, your government is full of idiots on both sides. Why? Because it's not a meritocracy. It's about marketing and connections. Anyone can qualify to run the U.S.
Trollish. Have to cook 'em first.
He said "Bejaysus in the twelfth century we were roasted out of it and in the fifteenth century sure'n weren't we drowned out of it an' all this was before the combustible engine."
Case closed really. Bring on the fossil fuels.
In case you're wondering who Hank Johnson beat to win office:
What must you do to qualify in Ireland? Can't anyone run? Don't you think marketing would determine elections in Ireland as well, even though it might be marketing targeted to persuading a different demographic?
Don't think much of her singing voice but she doesn't look like the type to mistake islands for ships...
I should have said get elected rather than run, I suppose. Although to run for a political party (and have a much better chance of being elected) you need to be selected and usually there's a degree of merit involved. It's not so much about money although anyone can run as an independent and having some money does help with that. But we have strict rules on campaign finance and you can't use dirty tricks like when Cruz sent out that flyer that told voters if they didn't vote they'd be knocked off the register etc. Also, individual politicians can't afford TV ads and advertising needs to be balanced and factual. And people are generally quite cynical, so if a politician is a bit of a dumbass, they'll usually become an object of ridicule and unelectable. Having said all that, our politicians did screw us into the 2008 financial crisis, so there's still a significant amount of corruption and stupidity allowed for. More money and less regulation makes it worse though simply because you can buy public opinion and therefore votes with advertising, not 100% obviously, but to a large degree. The techniques are out there and on sale. So, if you don't control the money flow then the advantage goes to those who can acquire more funding. The problem with that is that funding is paid for in policy and the policy then becomes defined to a large degree by the special interest groups that do the funding. It's just common sense that that tends to lead to worse outcomes for the public as their interests are often not aligned with those of special interests.
Welcome to Arizona! Tiff country is pretty once you get out of the desert and into the Pine trees and gorgeous elevation. Are you in a tent or at a hotel? My guess is your glamping since you have Internet connection and are having a good time! [/quote]
Quoting Hanover
Curious...have you seen anyone in a public place with a sidearm?
Most people I see in public have two side arms.
:smirk:
We're way off the beaten path in a rental house in a town called Parks near Williams, which is a cheesy but cool old west town on Route 66. The elevation makes it pretty cool up here, probably better than back home in humidity.Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff
Actually I did. It seems the farther away from the city and crime, the more guns. Arizona is an interesting place - brutally hot in the south, vast, desolate grazing land as you go north, and maybe some really great places to live in the temperate areas near Flagstaff.
Here's a skit where as his aspiring artist ex-convict character, he manages to convince an upscale Californian art dealer to take his "prison art" seriously. Naturally, his art pieces are made from feces, piss, blood, and semen, which the art dealer instantaneously begins consuming/interpreting...
[hide="Reveal"]
He did attempt to fool Bernie Sanders, but it just so happened he's not enough of an idiot to fall for Sacha's shtick. "Corinne Olympios" (some reality T.V moron I was hitherto unaware of) however, under the guise of receiving a 'reality T.V star of the year award" was easily maneuvered into telling outlandish lies about humanitarian work she never did, and also to film a commercial begging for donations to "adopt a child soldier" (and explicitly fund their training and arming).
[hide]
For whatever reason the right wing of the political spectrum may offer up more juicy targets, but Sacha's ridicule seems to extend in all directions. Although, getting a clutch of conservative swamp foul to advocate for giving guns to toddlers to stop terrorism is so hilarious that it wouldn't matter either way.
Many of his recent victims are taking to the news and social media to defend themselves. Corinne "adopt-a-child-soldier" Olympios said she was thoroughly pranked and hopes nobody is offended (not able to acknowledge her ignorance). The butt-skin wielding anti-terrorist claimed that Sacha took advantage of his "crippling fear" resulting from death threats received over his proposed burka ban.
Palin wrote a face-book post about her experience:
Sacha in-character tweet-responded:
Quoting Baden
I went back and re-watched this segment, and I'm not convinced that it's necessarily representative. Apparently it was actually a focus group that they paid people to attend (100-150$), and so they might have have a fairly biased sample depending on how they went about soliciting offers (i.e: did they hand out flyers at a particular church?). Additionally, Sacha handles the crowd very skillfully, using intentional (and comedic) misinterpretation of what the audience members are saying to frustrate and eventually infuriate them further and further. Many of the audience members seem mostly silent (not objecting to the others speaking on their behalf), but by the end a few of the individuals are so angry and disturbed that they say violence would be their final response...
------
Sacha claims that the show is actually a search for truth (perhaps as a legal precaution), but there is definitely some merit in finding out just how unstable and malleable the beliefs and statements of public figures can really be (turns out most of them are jackanapes...).
I might not call it truth, but Sacha is definitely teaching people a valuable lesson in humility and bull-shit. After an encounter with Sacha, maybe we won't be so eager to pander and warp our beliefs and actions merely to conform to what is in front of us.
If Sacha isn't searching for truth, he's definitely searching for bull-shit to destroy (which in the end serves the same purpose).
Good to see he did some balanced treatment on the left. Every side needs to learn a little humility as you said, and wherever there is dumb, let it be exposed (though the lefties do seem rather less sinister than some of the right wingers). Sarah Palin's response trying to make it out like it's an attack on the military and US values instead of her ignorance is rich. Stupidity is not a 'value' of any country. It must be pretty bad for her to say that though. Looking forward to it.
Jesus Christ. If this even has to be discussed then how is it not a red light on Brexit? Cancel this idiocy, and fuck the will of the people @Sapientia.
Pity. You were getting a (relatively) soft Brexit until Boorish, Rice Smog and the DUP put the kibosh on it. Enjoy your rations. I'll send you over some contraband German sausage for your birthday. :party:
Yeah, don't worry. Huel be ok.
Hm, you noticed the lack of contraction, but not the presence of ellipsis:
[quote=Beleaguered Tory]The British government will ensure that there are adequate food supplies [for the royal family]... [/quote]
Long eat the Queen!
Country over party.
Quoting Sapientia
If there is no deal then I'm coming over to your house and stealing your food.
Why not?
Ah OK. I've always made use of them when in the UK or Ireland. Good dairy.
Doesn't that come across as odd that the further away from the city you go the more firearms you see? I could never make sense of it until we moved out of town and things change. The first thing I saw when I met my new neighbor was her sign in her window that says "You can take my bullets first". Pretty clear sign. Little did I know that not having a firearm out here is being the odd man out.
There is a fundamental core of self preservation when you live in a place that is so unforgiving weather wise and seeing that there is wild life out there and here that can be a danger if you become disabled in any way.
Hint: if shit goes down anywhere, hit the deck and remain there until the bullets stop. Whatever fool started the shit will be neutralized without you ever having to get involved or wait for the posse to arrive.
Yeah, but that can be interpreted both ways. You're thinking in terms of best interest, but the government gave the country a choice, and the country made its decision.
Quoting Michael
You can try.
Now, @Benkei how long do you think they are going to talk about moving to the Netherlands?
I think they might actually do it. Have you ever head of VJ'ing? Visual Jockey like a Disc Jockey?
They went to Tomorrowland in Belgium and my understanding is that the Netherlands are the top of the top in the industry that my eldest is doing here in the states. He is self employed and does all the work himself, is self employment possible and profitable?
And I'm saying that it's the wrong decision, and so the government should overturn it. It might lose them support, as you implied, but what's best for the country is more important than what's best for the party.
Food shortages aren't a price worth paying just to satisfy some abstract principle of "the will of the people", which is actually the will of a 4-point majority.
www.yahoo.com/gma/georgia-congressman-resign-using-racial-slurs-sacha-baron-075905674--abc-news-topstories.html
There'll be plenty of food, relax. If you're worried, stock up food and weapons like all the alarmists over here do.
I take comfort in the bottomless greed of capitalism, knowing that if my community were ever in need of food or fuel, there'd be people dodging bullets to stock the shelves to make a buck.
And I'm saying that it's the wrong decision, but the government overturning it would also be the wrong decision. What's best for the country is a government which respects the results of a democratic vote. Just imagine if Remain had won, and then the government overturned the decision. It's wrong in principle, not just in light of the economic consequences.
Quoting Michael
There won't be food shortages as a result of a "no deal", because there won't be a "no deal".
The first wrong decision is a worse decision than the second wrong decision.
Not if the consequences of accepting that democratic vote are worse than ignoring that vote. If the people voted to restore slavery then it's best for the country if the government ignores it because slavery is worse than ignoring the vote in favour of slavery.
That's a matter of opinion. The the second wrong decision would trigger a backlash and degrade public trust in the government. Although, in partisan terms, that might be a good thing if it hurts the Tory government to the advantage of the Opposition, who I support.
Quoting Michael
I agree with that, given the "if". But I don't agree that the consequences of accepting the democratic vote would be worse than the consequences of disregarding it.
Quoting Michael
Yes, again, I agree. I have no problem with that kind of reasoning or with the example of slavery. But here's the difference: slavery warrants an exception, whereas Brexit does not.
Probably for the best wouldn't you say? Something tells me the state of Georgia can do better...
It's really not so much worse than a reality T.V star pleading for donations to buy grenade launchers for child soldiers, or an upscale art gallery owner/manager offering some of her pubic hair toward the completion of a method art prison-pube paint brush.
But... This guy happened to hold an actual political office... And though he lost a recent election and would have been done in November anyway (he has been a republican rep for 4 terms) isn't it at least the tiniest bit reassuring that when public officials are outed as mentally incompetent jackanapes we can apply sufficient pressure to have them step down?
Granted, when skilled professionals set their mind to it they can make just about anyone look stupid, but to make someone look THAT stupid requires a certain "il ne sais quoi" to begin with...
Let's see how you feel after the no deal Brexit, the foot shortages, and then having what little food you have stolen by me.
If it's proven, as it seems to have been, that Vote Leave cheated then the referendum is null and void, if not legally, at least ethically, right?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/its-official-the-brexit-campaign-cheated-its-way-to-victory
What? Are they going to start cutting off their own citizens feet if they leave without a deal?
We have to eat something.
What seemed to me an even bigger scandal was that infamous lie on the Brexit bus which promised 350 million euros per week to the NHS thanks to Brexit...
It's pretty evident that a majority of the UK no longer wants to leave the EU, (if they ever did), but anyone who calls for a re-do on the referendum now would look like a complete jackass (political suicide?) to everyone still wishing to leave the EU. There's also some kind of democratic duty that suggests the government must endeavor to carry out the amorphous advice of the people as a matter of principle (even when it becomes clear it's a terrible idea); if you tell your friends that you're gonna do a swan dive off a cliff, you'll look like a pussy if you chicken out.
Isn't Google going to be giving you 40% of last year's profits? That should help. If not, eat marshmallows.
Does this mean that the Tory government is null and void?
When the result is this close that's the obvious ethical implication. If there's no precedent, set one I say.
Alternatively, just fine Vote Leave. Oh wait, they already have been. On 17 July 2018, Vote Leave was fined £61,000 and referred to police for breaking electoral law.
Is that little cube a building?
Bloody christ life must get lonely.
He was already voted out, although I'm not sure why. I have no idea who gets elected or why from backwoods Georgia. Georgia is fairly moderate and is economically driven, meaning it cares about its image and fears losing large businesses. That representative would have been run out by his own party if he weren't leaving already.
:cheer:
:strong: :clap:
:flower:
Aww yea, almighty flower!
Does this mean I can call you Broseph. :grin:
Almighty flower, nice. I like that juxtaposition. You probably said it before, I just never noticed.
Yeah sure, Broseidon, Lord of the Brocean.
:nerd: :up:
Brodo Baggins, there's no brotherhood where brontology, semibrotics, bro-modernism, bronalytic philosophy, and brotophysics are alive, well, and talking to each other. There's just Teilhard de Chardin's broosphere. Pure bro. And of course there's no gender distinctions in the broosphere. Just total brobsorption into The All.
:sparkle:
:flower:
Oh! I thought that that was his comment on recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the US embassy.
Conscript reporting.
Quoting Agustino
Quoting Agustino
Man, you've got some messed up beliefs.
Just basic bigotry of the kind atheists have come to expect from less developed religious believers. It's a view not shared by the Pope, for example, or other major strands of Christianity in Western Europe.
www.snopes.com/fact-check/pope-francis-belief-in-god/
I never saw the false FB post actually. I was thinking of a variety of statements including the recent video I posted although the webpage seems to back up what I said. According to it, the Pope said:
"We need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: We will meet one another there.”
The main point of the (somewhat confused) Snopes page seems to be that the FB post was false, which is fair enough.
Also, never heard of Father Harmonica and I'm not too interested in his opinion relative to what the Pope says himself although even his statement does not say in order to be good or ethical you have to be Christian, but rather in order to be saved (go to heaven) you need to be. Though that is something the Pope also directly contradicted in the video I posted a few weeks back. Again, I'm going directly with what the Pope says not FB posts or amusingly named priests.
What's the Jewish take?
I'll keep an eye out. :cool:
Depends upon who you ask. There's not a single entity who speaks for the Jews, so there are actually formally atheist Jews ( Recontructionist Judaism).
Even the Orthodox view is that all religions and faiths can go to heaven, so long as they follow a moral life by following the 7 Noahite commandments.
Adherence to all Jewish law is required only of Jews, so perhaps it's harder for a Jew to get to heaven than a gentile, although this obsession with heaven and hell is silly goy talk anyway.
As to the general question of whether Jews consider themselves more righteous than their neighbors, egotistically maybe, but formally not, but they are taught they have a special burden to do right. But all people can be good and all can be bad regardless of faith or lack thereof.
That's Rabbi Hanover's understanding at least, but to those who know better, I defer.
Maybe this will cheer you up a bit:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/26/facebook-market-cap-falls-109bn-dollars-after-growth-shock
Rabbi Hanover 1: Holier-than-thou Agustino 0.
(That's your compliment for the year. Make the most of it.)
My Simulated Science Indian is heading over to New Zealand to study as an Ambassador for Embry-Riddle in February for 6 months and the Spring Term at Auckland University. Living somewhere for 6 months will give him a really good feel (over 2.5 weeks) for the society and where he wants to live in this world.
I have a really strong sense that I am going to be needing a Passport in the NEXT ten years of my life. :wink:
Can you see why one might want to be armed in that vast desert? Based upon the fence line that goes on forever, it is/was grazing land and someone owns that shit! It takes 5 acres of that land to support one cow (if they are lucky). Now think back to the cows in Wisconsin or Iowa? I think they can get 5 head to an acre.
The 5 C's of Arizona that are critical to our state's existence are: Cattle, Climate, Cotton, Copper and Citrus. The Citrus, Cotton and Climate are all still rocking but the Cattle and the Copper are on their last leg as the mines dry up and the drought has gone on too long to support the cattle like it once did.
Being up North where you are is the place to be at this time of year. Embry where my son attends is in Prescott and you might/or have travelled through the city. It is gorgeous and our NEXT destination for our B&B. Like all good B&B's, we are wanting to be out in the Valleys of the forests up there and in doing so we need to wait for the connectivity for NicK to be able to work out of the B&B, retaining his clients remotely as he has for the last 5 yrs. There is a need for him to be on site maybe once every two weeks? Yeah, so we are both here at the ranch, 24/7/365.
To protect yourself from the occasional tumbleweed? :chin:
You nailed it! :razz:
:party: :smile:
I have now. That was brilliant. Thanks. Whoopi is confused, Joy comes off the best, and at least this embarrassing Meghan lady kept interspersing her poorly argued tirade with apologies. Quoting Thatcher? :vomit:
And you can play a pretty intense drinking game whenever a conservative mentions Venezuela.
:brow:
:chin:
:roll:
How often have you de-escalated a home invasion by making a phone call to the local law enforcement agency? Regardless of the State you are in?
Hanover, how could you possess a firearm? What's the freakin matter with you? Have you no faith in your fellow man's moral consciousness? Have you no faith in sleeping with your front door unlocked?
It's a circle of sorts, that was here when I arrived and I imagine for most non Native Americans that first placed claim on this land was here, when they arrived. Which is that in this God forsaken desert, you are almost always your first form and often your only form of self preservation against the elements, animals and people that are out to do you harm.
As you said, the crime rate is ridiculously low out in the desert and after having lived in Chicago where you literally can run 100 yards and have an officer of the law, many times on horseback within shouting distance to call for help from and the crime rate there? Out of control. It makes no sense.
The crime rate is low out here because of exactly what you said: "You'd be nuts to try to hold up a store or invade a home here." Because the likelihood of the store owner or the ranch owner being armed is almost guaranteed and not many people find anything of value in life worth dying over but the deterrent factor is what keeps that alive.
I don't plan to host thread number seven, any time soon. I can only handle public forums for so long then I need a break. If @Michael or @Srap Tasmaner want to host the next one feel free. I was reviewing the Two Child Problem for number seven.
All right, man.
I do hope you are still alive up there in Northern country!
You, my friend, are fortunate enough to be here to experience the heat of Phoenix along with our Monsoons which are likely the average humidity of Atlanta. You will no longer 'feel the burn' of the 110* (cold streak) heat but the air will be significantly harder and heavier to breathe.
You really gotta wonder why the hell we live here, eh?
I'll remind you in February. :wink:
So here is the score:
The Netherlands take first place for the following reasons: the people are very nice. The town, the streets, the drop cloths that fake the façade of a building while it is being worked on or in blithe condition, they summed it up that "Mom, Amsterdam, the Netherlands in general is like Disney Land clean! The streets are spotless, their is no trash and the grass, the grass is real that you can lay on and watch the clouds". It's supportive of the biking community in a way like they have never seen, BIG plus. Down fall was all the American food everywhere, like a hot dog vendor on every corner, like Chicago.
They love the ferry's and the 72* and always sunny was a nice touch. Their favorite town was Norwick (sp?) and I want to say there was an issue with the smell of Pigeon until they got into the unit. They were able to get around with no issue using only English but did notice when the older Dutch speaking in Dutch but they sounded like a mix version on Dutch and English. Here we call that mix between Spanish and English, 'Spanglish' so maybe it was a version of that. They said it felt very inclusive in that there were people of all ages, families, elderly all mingling together. They said that they did notice that the average was 1 on 10 Dutch being overweight as opposed to here. They noticed the significant decrease in dogs and were going through pet withdrawal but did say the recreational marijuana was readily available and as far as the USA has come, the Netherlands are light years ahead of in social acceptance.
Ultimately they wanted to return to the Netherlands. :party:
Noordwijk probably. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noordwijk .Nice spot.
Thank you! That is exactly where they fell in love with~ :heart: How can I blame them?
Pretty sure I went horse-riding along the beach there when I was a kid. Brings back memories. :)
You'll get there sometime, I'm sure. Try to keep the marijuana and horse riding separate though. :razz:
No, that is not right. On the seventh day he said "Fuck it, man I am tired". Then he walked off the job to get a few beers and forgot to go back and finish Arizona.
Edit: Ooh, just found out that "later" might be sooner than expected. Here's to good company, cheap gin, and nitrous oxide! :party:
OMG that is just going to kill them! You are living the life they wish to live~ :starstruck:
You nailed it! :up:
Whip It! Whip it good!
Such an odd thing when I was working at a bar when the bartender would say: "The Nitrous canisters they sent out for the whip cream were empty." :chin:
Bored. Sitting here eating an apple, watching Honest Trailers, and typing this. I will be bored later.
The Iron Giant.
I see from the window a young boy on a horse, forming very different memories from me in this quaint little town.
"I'm exhausted. I've been on this street a thousand times! It's never looked so strange! The faces... so cold! In the distance, a child is crying. Fatherless... a bastard child, perhaps. My back aches... my heart aches... but my feet... my feet are resilient! Thank God I took off my heels, and put on my... HIMALAYAN WALKING SHOES!"
It's becoming clear that aside from comedy, the show actually is in pursuit of some kind of truth:
Who are Americans? Who are their leaders? Just how gullible/malleable/stupid are they?
Pretty sure Moore is still a judge though... :vomit:
Good news.
Bravo! Well done :clap:
Despite what logic would dictate, as we discontinue food and water for the body, the mind goes into a Euphoric state. The patient is not thirsty, nor hungry, just on a really good high that continues until living ceases.
The USA should follow suit nationwide. IMO it is far overdue.
Honestly, I'm glad I never had access to a gun. I'm seriously concerned I would have shot someone by now. Not over pornography though. Damn...
I created it for you Here
:fear:
Oh dear, it's the twilight zone!
You mean "thought experiment" threads on TPF, right?
There's Politics and Current Affairs?
Yeah, I forgot about that. :sweat:
?
:grimace:
:cluck:
:runs away from clucking baby:
:lol:
Ah, sarcasm...
What? Trump is turning Koch into a progressive? Opportunistic fuck, that's what he is.
If you have 100% confidence in the security of our technological advances of the last 50 years, then feel good about the likelihood of printed newspapers becoming obsolete by maybe 2030?
However, if you have even a 1% hesitancy of the technological advances of the last 50 years, then it is best to keep a few of those pesky printed news paper companies around.
When, not if, but when the technological vulnerabilities are fully exposed and exploited it is possible that our only secure and reliable communication will be to return to the printing and delivering news papers to physical address days, including the News Paper stands in our major cities.
But just in case it all come crashing down tomorrow, it was nice meeting you!
You could very well be right. There is a generation gap that already suggests that is happening. I have often wondered if my Grands came back into our society today and trying to do something as simple as washing their hands in a public bathroom with no knobs to turn to make the water come on and what they would think of it and the society we have morphed into.
Quoting frank
frank, it has been a pleasure reading you and watching you grow as you share your wisdom with us and read the wisdom shared with you. You seat at the table of 'thinkers' is reserved solidly to welcome you. :flower:
Take that life.
Post McPostface: 1, Life: 0
Not long from now, so many kids today can't read properly and newspaper don't have touch page flipping.
I was..anyway..
Of course it does, it is just expressible.
Okay so I am confused. In the Southwestern Desert we have these birds called Quail. Not the smartest birds in the flock. They walk everywhere as they can only fly a short distance, like 4 feet and only so high, like 6 feet and they make this noise that is not very bird like and, AND, they are lead around by a HUGE question mark over their head. What I would call a Quail's 'Qualia' is that idiotic question mark that bobbles over their head as they peck for grain in my Zen garden.
Not the same "qualia" you are speaking of is my guess. What exactly is "qualia'? and yes I know how to work Google but I am wanting your definition please. :up:
Don't get me started. I got all the way to the Domino's pizza online checkout the other day before I finally managed to overcome myself and go to the supermarket instead. Takeaways, fatty foods, sugary drinks, expensive lunches... all are on the banned list now.
It's a type of cheese.
Sooo, liberals are really nazi scumbags? :razz:
Must be a conspiracy. That Q anon shiet I'm reading about is off the rails loony.
So, Google, I am sorry that I suggested that drunken colobus monkeys tinkered with your YouTube algorithms. Though, for the record, Tucker Carlson is a giant shitbag, and I've no wish to see him plastered on my YouTube feed ever again.
I don't know if you're American, but even if not, the shit going on in this sub Reddit alone should scare you.
"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities". -Voltaire.
https://www.reddit.com/r/greatawakening/
Of course, there is no Q, or more precisely, since this all comes out of chan-type anonymous boards, anyone and everyone posting there could be Q.
There are some innovative stuff in this crap, tho. For example, Mueller is actually really a total bro to Trump and is just leading the left wing media to believe that he is after Trump, but in reality, he is totally planning to indict Obama and Clinton and will totally drain the swamp. All part of Trumps big masterplan.
You have to expect this stuff. Even before the internet. But now, since cryptomedia have such a large reach, its getting to the point that it will make sense for politicians to go after their votes. And it doesnt matter (although it should) that they are crazy, if they are energised and thus will show up at the poll. Which is why you now have pictures of Trump shaking hands with them.
Q-anon sounds like the perfect liberal plot to expose stupidity on the right. Hopefully Sacha Baron Cohen started it. :cheer:
Well, they're not that insular any more: they're pretty much letting their freak flag fly in public with the prominently-displayed signs at Trump rallies and elsewhere.
This is what a near-collapse of critical thinking (and the cultivation of such tendencies and deficiencies by certain politicians, especially those who "love the poorly-educated") looks like in American life. Yes, there have always been nutjobs, but online venues give nutjobs who formerly would have just cranked out the occasional newsletter which might have been read by a dozen people or so at most a place to meet others who share and reinforce their delusions.
Telling the authentic Q-crazy from the inauthentic lib-crazy must be like trying to sift semi-digested peanuts from the excretions of diarhhoea-stricken monkeys. I wish them well in their endeavors and hope they wash their hands afterwards.
That's how they get that expensive coffee that @Hanover drinks all the time, but surely no one does it for peanuts?