Struck by a nun! As a child of seven or thereabouts, I was slapped soundly on my thigh as I sat ...

Remiforce comments on Aug 31, 2019:

I also went to a catholic parochial school in Paterson, N.J. run by The Sisters of Perpetual Punishment. I remember having my knuckles cracked by a ruler. I remember sisters teaching how whites were chased off the sidewalks by blacks during reconstruction in the South. I remember nuns telling us ...

BirdMan1 replies on Sep 2, 2019:

So many damned nuns were obsessed with sex!

The far side of the moon, illuminated by the sun, is seen as it crosses between our 'EPIC' camera on...

yvilletom comments on Aug 7, 2019:

Oh, that mid-1960s Playboy magazine cartoon. It portrayed the moon's far side as a stage prop. On one board was "Act 2 Scene 3". Perhaps I remember it cuz I was then employed in the Apollo program.

BirdMan1 replies on Sep 1, 2019:

Then there was the Playboy cartoon, by Gahan Wilson, who often did 'toons for them, in which some fellow is looking out from his window telling his wife that she REALLY needs to "come see the moon tonight," as it is close, and large, enough to virtually blot out the rest of the sky.

Dorian.

Mofo1953 comments on Aug 31, 2019:

That's the hypocrisy of believers, they say they are praying so others won't suffer, but the reality is they pray because it makes them feel good about themselves because they are doing something about it, never mind prayer won't do shit to the hurricane which at the end will go where it will go ...

BirdMan1 replies on Sep 1, 2019:

It is all circular thinking, devoid of logic, devoid of the possibility that they can recognize their idiocy for what it is. They were fed the crap along with breast milk, and very few can ever question it.

Nothing says "respect my religion" like child murder...

Geoffrey51 comments on Aug 27, 2019:

Bit of a Bronze Age thing though. The eldest son was always precious and so it’s a demonstration of adherence to the deity. To view these practices with a C21st lens is an anachronism. Lots of water passed under the bridge since then! The problem is not the act but that it is not explained...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 31, 2019:

Scary thought!

In response to Marionville's request that I comment on the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and ...

graceylou comments on Aug 31, 2019:

I am currently reading this book and I’m enjoying it (haven’t gotten too far yet). I love the movie and wanted to read the book. I want to visit Savannah as well. I was planning to do New Orleans and Savannah in one trip but the friend I was going with wanted a longer time in NOLA as she had ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 31, 2019:

Let us know what you think of it, when done. If you have not yet gotten far, it ought to become more enjoyable, I'll guess.

Where did you first learn about God?

BirdMan1 comments on Aug 30, 2019:

Somewhere in my early childhood, i had an illustrated book about the bible, or some such. I can recall seeing the color plate of a "God Sky," with the sun's rays pouring through clouds, and maybe there was a standard bearded old white man god illustration,as well. I do not know why I had that ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@GROG I do not understand the last sentence in your comment. Would you please explain what you meant there?

I find it strange how much believers push the idea that their god loves people.

KittensandSage comments on Aug 30, 2019:

I tire and worry about the number of criminals that have flocked to religion to buy their sins away. The victim is still raped, tortured, slandered, life ruined, whatever. The church rises in power with money supplied by criminals. And Christianity worships Martyrs, parents raise their kids to ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@nogod4me And, THIS is insane. How many lives will this SOB turn out to have ruined, by the time the virus has run its course, if its course ever finishes running. Not to mention the more immediate trauma of the molestations. Catholic Church...unreal, in several ways!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find it strange how much believers push the idea that their god loves people.

KittensandSage comments on Aug 30, 2019:

I tire and worry about the number of criminals that have flocked to religion to buy their sins away. The victim is still raped, tortured, slandered, life ruined, whatever. The church rises in power with money supplied by criminals. And Christianity worships Martyrs, parents raise their kids to ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@nogod4me The downtrodden are taught that THEIR reward will be in the next life, so they try to do whatever they think will assure them of the next life in their heaven.

When your 24 year old announces that she has ‘discovered ‘ Hemingway.

snytiger6 comments on Aug 27, 2019:

I didn't really care for Hemingway. The only one of his books I enjoyed ws "The Old Man and The Sea".

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 27, 2019:

"The Old Man and the Sea," was a marvelous read. I only recently read "A Farewell to Arms," and found it engrossing.

I recently responded to a question, by Lucyloohoo about Trump's chances to slip into a state of ...

MojoDave comments on Aug 24, 2019:

I've been posting this link and the description of Trumps illness for some time now. It's quite accurate. Harvard psychiatrist: Donald Trump's actions are signs of a "severe, continuous, mental disturbance" ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@silverotter11 I'm also glad you posted the rant. I do not watch more Trump than it takes me to turn around and walk out of the room, if he comes up on the news.

I recently responded to a question, by Lucyloohoo about Trump's chances to slip into a state of ...

Our_existence comments on Aug 24, 2019:

Thoughtful question. In my Estimation, he was mentally disturbed when he came down the escalator. As time goes on have the enormous power that come with the illegitimate office he occupies, has enabled that illness to steadily progress. The long an illness goes untreated, the worse it gets. He is ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@MojoDave On the money!

I recently responded to a question, by Lucyloohoo about Trump's chances to slip into a state of ...

MojoDave comments on Aug 24, 2019:

I've been posting this link and the description of Trumps illness for some time now. It's quite accurate. Harvard psychiatrist: Donald Trump's actions are signs of a "severe, continuous, mental disturbance" ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 26, 2019:

Yes, "severe, continuous, mental disturbance," because it is a personality disorder, which is "ego-syntonic," is experienced as an integral part of who he is. It is like if one is simply heterosexual, one "knows" it, and feels totally comfortable with it. The same goes for someone who "knows" he/she is gay, and is comfortable with it. Personality disorders do not wax and wane, like depression may, it simply is. Trump's will be with him for all of his life, and he will experience no discomfort with it, as his perspective is that it is the world that is out of synch...with him!

I recently responded to a question, by Lucyloohoo about Trump's chances to slip into a state of ...

Our_existence comments on Aug 24, 2019:

Thoughtful question. In my Estimation, he was mentally disturbed when he came down the escalator. As time goes on have the enormous power that come with the illegitimate office he occupies, has enabled that illness to steadily progress. The long an illness goes untreated, the worse it gets. He is ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 26, 2019:

Generally, in mental health, yes, the longer an illness goes, such as a depressive episode, the worse it gets, but his is a personality disorder, and I do not believe these get worse in and of themselves, but he seems to be showing how deeply his disorder goes. And it goes to no bottom. And, at risk of repeating myself, he suffers from "Malignant Narcissism," as defined by Eric Fromm, who saw Hitler as suffering from this. I think Trump, as Hitler was, has been enabled, and even encouraged, by the lackeys who have latched onto him. Pharaoh Akhenaten, or archeologist Barry Kemp, has said: “The danger of being an absolute ruler is that no one dares tell you that what you have just decreed is not a good idea.” Trump is not an absolute ruler, though I'll bet he thinks of himself that way.

During one piece of coverage of the slaughter in El Paso,last night, a TV news reporter wondered ...

bobwjr comments on Aug 4, 2019:

Yup the orange Nazi is destroying the country

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 23, 2019:

@LucyLoohoo If you mean "Will he have a full blown psychotic episode?", wherein he is blatantly, visibly so bonzo that virtually anyone, even his supporters will recognize lunacy, I think that may not happen until he looses the presidency, and is, possibly, indicted. I do not believe that personality disordered people are prone to psychotic breaks. If one happens it will, I expect, be the result of his seeing all of his house of cards collapsing. Mania, by itself, is a state of vast mental and physical agitation that can overcome people with Bi-Polar disorder, and can include a psychotic break.

During one piece of coverage of the slaughter in El Paso,last night, a TV news reporter wondered ...

bobwjr comments on Aug 4, 2019:

Yup the orange Nazi is destroying the country

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 22, 2019:

@LucyLoohoo This POS is not even interested in that, only in his very own deluded self. Sadly, his deluded self and need to protect his sick self-image joins all to well with the GOP's agenda for more, and more power.

Report of infestation of racists!

daylily comments on Aug 22, 2019:

It's going to need a good fumigating.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 22, 2019:

And then some!

The chosen one?

OldGoat43 comments on Aug 22, 2019:

Yuck, it's that mouth that gives him away.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 22, 2019:

We should be glad that he has no filter, it allows us to see him for the sickness he is!

Imagine for a moment that the concept of god never existed, that no one had ever heard of such an ...

BirdMan1 comments on Aug 12, 2019:

I see religion as a "Culturally supported delusion," a phrase of my own devising. The concept of religion, in my perspective, came before the concept of using it to control people, as a tool of manipulation and control. But, as pointed out, clearly visible today, people seek patterns, people are...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 13, 2019:

@RussRAB Yes, I have a cousin who was into that for a while, many years ago. these days, she is into Trump. Is it the same wish for a savior? Probably.

Imagine for a moment that the concept of god never existed, that no one had ever heard of such an ...

nipoleon comments on Aug 12, 2019:

To begin with, God cannot be proven to exist. Nor, can God be proven not to exist. It is possible to prove that a specific God does not exist. It is not possible to prove that ANY God does not exist. No matter how hard they try, both the theists and the atheists are arguing about something which ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 13, 2019:

More interesting? Why, because we can have an endless debate?

Imagine for a moment that the concept of god never existed, that no one had ever heard of such an ...

Larry-new comments on Aug 12, 2019:

Given our level of ignorance of the natural world, it is difficult to imagine what amounts to a reverse evolution. The second part aside, it's still difficult, as our curiosity is and was a vital part of our survival mechanism. However, I can see the refreshing possibility of a world not grounded...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 13, 2019:

What is this thing about "reverse evolution," is it somebody's dystopian fantasy?

Imagine for a moment that the concept of god never existed, that no one had ever heard of such an ...

callmedubious comments on Aug 12, 2019:

in this world if ppl don't believe in god then they need a pretty good alternative/drug. b/c otherwise there is no point whatsoever of existing.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 13, 2019:

I would agree, that there is no "point" to existing, but since we do, apparently as a random fluctuation, if you will, of the laws of physics and chemistry, we might as well be kind, and caring, for all the other "accidents" of life, humans included.

Not that he has one, but if he did....

BirdMan1 comments on Aug 11, 2019:

Maybe, someday, on autopsy, it will be seen.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

@Freedompath THAT is why he is "The Empty Orange!'

Please share your reaction to this photo.

Cutiebeauty comments on Aug 11, 2019:

I don't understand this photo... What's going on here?

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

@Freedompath And, next week, if not sooner, the baby will be declared person non grata, will have exposed for the coming campaign photo...for free.

Please share your reaction to this photo.

Sticks48 comments on Aug 11, 2019:

When you think the President and the First Whore can't go any lower they pull out a shovel and dig deeper.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

He has no bottom, simple.

Not that he has one, but if he did....

OldGoat43 comments on Aug 11, 2019:

It isn't funny, but all of his followers have the same brain characteristics. I know, because some of my family is infected with the same disease.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

Yeah, I've got some of them, too.

Just my early thoughts and I would appreciate responses.

WonderWartHog99 comments on Aug 11, 2019:

Umm. . . . maybe it's because I haven't had my espresso yet -- Clinton murders? He hammered someone to death with claw hammer? How many decades will failed Clinton investigations go on?

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

As long as Dumpy can fed energy into it.

Just my early thoughts and I would appreciate responses.

Our_existence comments on Aug 11, 2019:

Echoes of a certain jail scene in Godfather part 2. Actually, I think it was the case where the powers that be knew Epstein was suicidal, and they simply arranged it so nature could take it's course.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

@CommonHuman I understand your point, but am willing to entertain the idea that as he may well have anticipated seeing his facade of a personna crumbling, as I hope Dumpy's will, he may just have to leave before that happened.

Just my early thoughts and I would appreciate responses.

Mofo1953 comments on Aug 11, 2019:

Clinton murders, Clinton Killing machine???? Where do you get this crap???

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 11, 2019:

Yes, it is crap! But crap is what Dumpy thrives on, and I don't mean just his diet. He re-tweeted the BS, and in the eyes of his followers, sadly, that is all the "evidence" they need. Part of his success, in '16 was brought on by the "Hillary" thing and now, he has another shot at reinvigorating it. Of course, just the other day I commented that he did not have her to kick round anymore. Now, he will make the most of it that he can, and his sheep will buy into it with vigor! As Freedompath says, it is evidence that we need, but, to some extent, evidence is in the eye of the beholder.

Yes, Epstein "found unresponsive in his cell." So, how many questions will this raise?

Our_existence comments on Aug 10, 2019:

Oh yeah, he was on suicide watch.. . Watch him commit suicide

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

I did not know that he was on suicide watch, or are you being wonderfully facetious? If he was, that may raise still more questions.

What are your honest thoughts on astrology?

Piece2YourPuzzle comments on Aug 4, 2019:

I think it's a bunch of bull. There's a lot of generality in astrology so of course there will be some people who it affects as being "real". If you throw enough mud at the wall then some of it will stick. I had a friend do a reading for me based on my birthday and time of birth and most of it ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

Exactly, with a large enough audience (as in 350,000,000 Americans, a "One in a million" event happens at least every day.

What are your honest thoughts on astrology?

Edu_0 comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Socially accepted insanity.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

Exactly what religion is, culturally/socially supported delusion.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

ReadyforaChange comments on Aug 7, 2019:

#fuckOldWhiteGuys

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@ReadyforaChange Now, you are talking!!!

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

vjohnson51 comments on Aug 8, 2019:

It's very scary how stupid some people are. They like weird (flat earth theorists) and they like to be radical. It may me more about that than them being uneducated. And people deny global warming because it's an easy way out. Just like religion. Also, America is very Christian still, just pray and ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@Holysocks With videos! "Send up the drones, let's se what it looks like on the other side! Oh, man, it's The Twilight Zone!"

Trump has some of the dumbest solutions to things that aren't really a problem.

RobertNappi2 comments on Aug 9, 2019:

I can hear him already...Fake election!!! I'm not leaving

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@WonderWartHog99 THAT is sad! But, it is not president, directly, who pays them, still, you might've a point there.I don't know, but is it not the Pentagon that is their ultimate, direct, source of pay? Would not the various Generals, who, of course, know much less than Dumpy (LOL!) recognize some commitment to the larger society, and the constitution, whose protection is supposed to be their final reason to exist? Or, am I being super naive?

Trump has succeeded, beyond his wildest dreams! Both Venezuela and Uruguay have issued warnings to...

LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 8, 2019:

And it didn't even take two terms! He's a success!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@LucyLoohoo You inspire me! I can just see him loosing the election, Melania leaving him, taking their son, and Dumpster finding safety and solace in Moscow, Russia, living in Putin's subasement.

If anyone has the slightest inclination that all this BS will end on 01/20/21.

wordywalt comments on Aug 9, 2019:

You are dead wrong! We WILL beat the sociopath Trump!!!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@Appleriver Were he to loose the election, and refuse to leave the W.H., it would be the job of the armed forces to oust him, bodily if need be. In any case, if/when he looses, i would want to have someone count the silverware before he's actually removed.

Trump has some of the dumbest solutions to things that aren't really a problem.

Freedompath comments on Aug 9, 2019:

This man trump, purposely developed his brain in a twisted manner! Or, his very influential father as well as his mother planted all this distorted logic into his brain! He never seem to have a lot of childhood friends, so they must not have, contributed much to his way of thinking! Trump may ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 10, 2019:

@Freedompath Gotcha. I have a tendency to take things too literally, sorry. Parental limits, or "inadvertent" failures would certainly play into it.

If anyone has the slightest inclination that all this BS will end on 01/20/21.

Freedompath comments on Aug 9, 2019:

With all that is in me, I know that another 4 years would turn this Country into an insane asylum! The ones not supporting trump are suffering...and my bet is, most of the people that support him are being undermined as we speak, by the greatest con-in-history! It will not bode well for ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 9, 2019:

You speak to one of my hopes, that those he is undermining will at least not vote for him, if the can not stomach voting for a Democrat.

Trump has some of the dumbest solutions to things that aren't really a problem.

Freedompath comments on Aug 9, 2019:

This man trump, purposely developed his brain in a twisted manner! Or, his very influential father as well as his mother planted all this distorted logic into his brain! He never seem to have a lot of childhood friends, so they must not have, contributed much to his way of thinking! Trump may ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 9, 2019:

Sorry, but no one "planted" distorted logic in him (I apologize if I am taking you too literally). I will grant, however, that their parenting style may have fed his illness, but his brain was miswired from his beginning. His paternal family's history shows a trend towards the narcissism that enveloped him completely. His lack of friends at an early age may have been an early sign that the was already showing anti-social tendencies. Your friend from S. Africa apparently picked up on clues that many may have missed, or ignored. His friends were money and the power they provided him, and he's stuck close to them all through his life. Yes, no one I know of has ever claimed to have been his friend from childhood.

“The President of the United States Says It’s Okay”: The Rise of the Trump Defense ...

bobwjr comments on Aug 9, 2019:

Yeah the penguin or joker evil people like him

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 9, 2019:

Exactly!

This is chillng! And unfortunately very accurate

Freedompath comments on Aug 6, 2019:

It should be clear to anyone with any extended knowledge of trump! He displays these traits on a daily basis!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 9, 2019:

@Freedompath You have nailed it! This is his one talent, conning anyone dumb enough to give him a second thought. From the beginning of his primary campaign, he spoke in partial sentences, allowing the fools to finish them in their own heads, in whatever twisted way they might; and then convince themselves that he had read their minds. Alternatively, he would say "You know," again leading them to plug in their most odious thoughts. Thusly, they came to believe that they had found their very own messiah!

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

BirdMan1 comments on Aug 7, 2019:

If this continues long enough, Mr. Ronald Reagan, the earliest traitor in the W.H. that I know of, he of the line in a speech, calling facts "...just annoyances.," and evolution "just a theory," a comment inseretd into a speech by a believer in fairy tales on his staff, will rise up and be "Born ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 9, 2019:

@greyeyed123 I expect that you are 100% correct about that

Trump has succeeded, beyond his wildest dreams! Both Venezuela and Uruguay have issued warnings to...

LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 8, 2019:

And it didn't even take two terms! He's a success!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

The man is just some sort of magic, eh?

Trump has succeeded, beyond his wildest dreams! Both Venezuela and Uruguay have issued warnings to...

silverotter11 comments on Aug 8, 2019:

Every avenue of economic development is being closed down in this country. Tourism is a *major* economic influence in many parts of the country and like farmers is being shut down. Good post and comments.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

Thanks.

This is chillng! And unfortunately very accurate

silverotter11 comments on Aug 6, 2019:

And the electoral college managed to place him in the WH. The very thing I thought that body was designed to avoid happening.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@silverotter11 No, I do not believe they were anywhere nearly like that. Not crazy, not cruel (slavery was considered normal), but, apparently, they did want to hold onto their political leverage.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

DavidLaDeau comments on Aug 7, 2019:

No worries the internet will overcome this garbage. We in the U.S. are simply slower the the rest of the world. I will hopefully see the change that Hitch did not live to see.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@DavidLaDeau Well, Happy Birthday, then. I'll be 77 in September. What I suggested might still be valid,if you live a long life. Now, there's some motivation to practice a healthy life style.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

JacarC comments on Aug 7, 2019:

The left-pole regressives are in as much denial as any one else:::: The ice is melting: part of this is NATURAL (250k cycle, 1 million years of ice core evidence) AND human activities. But the LEFT denies any of it is natural. So, we are restricted to reacting to the shit the rightees spew. The ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@Jacar Some ice melt is natural, sure, but the rate at which it is happening, in apparent response the human caused rising of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, is not natural. I have no idea where you got the idea that the LEFT denies that any of it is natural.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

powder comments on Aug 7, 2019:

The Iranian's I've met have been very well educated.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@mooredolezal "They" were Persia, indeed!

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

DavidLaDeau comments on Aug 7, 2019:

No worries the internet will overcome this garbage. We in the U.S. are simply slower the the rest of the world. I will hopefully see the change that Hitch did not live to see.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

I hope you are right. If your photo is current, you are a lot younger than I, and I may not live to see it.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

vjohnson51 comments on Aug 8, 2019:

It's very scary how stupid some people are. They like weird (flat earth theorists) and they like to be radical. It may me more about that than them being uneducated. And people deny global warming because it's an easy way out. Just like religion. Also, America is very Christian still, just pray and ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

The aFlat Earth Society is planning a cruise to the edge of the planet, for 2020, to "see" the ice barrier that supposedly keeps the oceans from spilling off the edge (https://www.livescience.com/65053-flat-earther-cruise-antarctica-ice-wall.html). Maybe they will go in November, and miss the election, I hope.

This is chillng! And unfortunately very accurate

MojoDave comments on Aug 6, 2019:

Harvard psychiatrist: Donald Trump's actions are signs of a "severe, continuous, mental disturbance" | Salon.com https://www.salon.com/2019/03/04/harvard-psychiatrist-donald-trumps-actions-are-signs-of-a-severe-continuous-mental-disturbance_partner/

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

Harvard psychiatrist, too. Dr.Brandy Lee, of Yale, was the lead author of the original letter, co-signed by 89 mental health professionals, to call out his illness.

This is chillng! And unfortunately very accurate

silverotter11 comments on Aug 6, 2019:

And the electoral college managed to place him in the WH. The very thing I thought that body was designed to avoid happening.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

Actually.the Electoral College was set up for just the opposite reason, to give extra clout to the already empowered, sadly, our founders.

This is chillng! And unfortunately very accurate

Freedompath comments on Aug 6, 2019:

It should be clear to anyone with any extended knowledge of trump! He displays these traits on a daily basis!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 8, 2019:

@RobertNappi2 I was born and raised in New York, as well,. I lived in N.J. for 36years until this past June, and met a fellow who knew of his business dealings from other business entrepreneurs, having been one himself. Trump, the supposed real estate developer, developed nothing but a reputation for cheating people, and threatening court action if they blustered about it.

How long do seeds last? Here is a handy reference.

Cast1es comments on Aug 2, 2019:

Heard some years back that , among all the treasures , they also found seeds inside the pyramids of ancient Egypt , they also found preserved seeds , which , when planted did product vegetables .

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

Yes, I read about that, as well.

Trump has succeeded, beyond his wildest dreams! Both Venezuela and Uruguay have issued warnings to...

Charlene comments on Aug 7, 2019:

Well, it's what the Kock bros decree after all..a country full of uneducated slaves to insufficient wages, living in substandard housing, subsisting on substandard foods. Where only those willing to bend to their rules, make just enough to survive just above the proletariat.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

@Charlene You are so right about the Koch Boys. They have been working at this elitist program for decades, especially Charles!

What is Nothingness, does nothingness exists?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 18, 2019:

If total nothingness existed, we wouldn't be able to ask the question.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

@Bungaloebob No one said that there is/was sense in it, but what was an old, fairly discarded concept has found some new adherents, physicists who are trying to see whether, or not, they can find some evidence for it. Einstein believed that quantum physics, which he helped develop, made no sense, but it is a solid part of the Standard Model of physics, today.

This is chillng! And unfortunately very accurate

Freedompath comments on Aug 6, 2019:

It should be clear to anyone with any extended knowledge of trump! He displays these traits on a daily basis!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

And has done so for decades!

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

t1nick comments on Aug 7, 2019:

Regression. You are right about the significance and pre-eminence of Iran and Persia in the historical advancement of science, math, and navigation. When the catholic church chased science, math, and intellectual pursuit out of Europe (known as the Dark Ages) it was about 500 years before ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

Both St. Augustine and Martin Luther, have been quoted as saying it is not good to educate the people. This is directly connected to Nominee Trump's claim, possibly thefts time he did not publicly lie, that "I love the uneducated."

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

zeuser comments on Aug 7, 2019:

Arguably a larger and more harmful trend than our current surge of white nationalism. The place on the Venn diagram where they intersect is labeled "We are good and truly fucked."

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

@zeuser One of my favorite Voltaire quotes!! We see it acted out regularly, damn!

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

TBWNJ01 comments on Aug 7, 2019:

We are witnessing the violent thrashing death throes of Christianity in the US. With each new generation the percentage of Christian believers falls. Conservative evangelical leaders see the writing on the wall (to borrow a metaphor from their book of bronze age fairy tales) and are trying ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

Exactly what happened in a Pennsylvania town, some years ago. I can't recall its name at the moment, but when people voted the deluded ones from the BOE, is when Pat Roberson (can we bring back tarring and feathering?) said that the town had better not ever have need of god's help, because it would not be forthcoming. This is, of course, the wise one who knew the answer to "Why does God let a 3 year old die of cancer?" Live, on his blasphemous T.V.show, (if blasphemy is valid in any context), he said that God does that because He knows that if that child were to live, "...he'd become another Hitler." Of course, the obvious follow-up question, "Then if God is omnipotent, why did he not give cancer to young Adolph?" was not forthcoming. Sheep do not know how to think.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

wordywalt comments on Aug 7, 2019:

Evolution is not just a "theory". It is established scientific fact. To assert otherwise is to embrace irrationality, superstition, and ignorance. We must make that more than abundantly clear.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

@Athena I do not recall who voiced it, but the concept is "Biology can not be understood" absent evolution.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

Barnie2years comments on Aug 7, 2019:

Every great civilization has fallen to the scrap heap of time. I have a video series put out by Time/Life year’s ago (yes, they are video tapes) that shows the rise and fall of human civilization in various areas of the world over the span of human existence. From the Babylonians to the Romans, ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

Check out Jared Diamond's newest book, "Upheaval, Turning Points for Nations in Crisis." The U.S.has something of starring role, therein.

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

jerry99 comments on Aug 7, 2019:

They're destined for the dustbin of history (hopefully) just like: ** The Native American Party, renamed the American Party in 1855 and commonly known as the Know Nothing movement ** Founded 1844 Dissolved 1860 Preceded by Whig Party Succeeded by Constitutional Union Party Headquarters New...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

At least their name was honest!

There is a surge of scientific denial in America.

Agnieszka comments on Aug 7, 2019:

In Poland, politicians who are in charge deny climate change and treat it as a conspiracy theory...Overall, I notice an intellectual regression among people, that's an alarming situation :(

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 7, 2019:

@Heathenman Wow, you mean that we're not THAT exceptionally dumb?

Looking back at the intro.

Marionville comments on Aug 5, 2019:

I read The Lady Of The Lake at school. Being from Edinburgh, Scott and Stevenson figured highly on the curriculum....along with Burns of course. It was first published in 1810 and was an immediate success, selling 25,000 copies, quite a feat in those days. Obviously it’s still in print today,...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Marionville That is so cool! Who would have thought?

What is Nothingness, does nothingness exists?

Bungaloebob comments on Apr 18, 2019:

NO...I DON'T BELIEVE TOTAL nothingness exists...inside or outside!!! OR...Within you, and Without you!!!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 6, 2019:

@Bungaloebob Your "Bungaloeob is so like "Bungalow Bill," and the "Within you, without you" comment. Cool!

What is Nothingness, does nothingness exists?

Mitch07102 comments on Apr 18, 2019:

I think this question is not answerable. It requires the ability to be certain, which we lack.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@ Mitch07102 Physicists "know" that the nothingness/emptiness of space is not empty, but is constantly experiencing the spontaneous popping in, an popping out, of virtual particles. So, perhaps a literal nothingness, anywhere, is impossible.

What is Nothingness, does nothingness exists?

Bungaloebob comments on Apr 18, 2019:

NO...I DON'T BELIEVE TOTAL nothingness exists...inside or outside!!! OR...Within you, and Without you!!!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@Bungaloebob I presume you are a Beatles fan, yes?

What is Nothingness, does nothingness exists?

Heraclitus comments on Apr 18, 2019:

If total nothingness existed, we wouldn't be able to ask the question.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@Bungaloebob That would fit into the newly revived idea of a "Big Bang-"Big crunch," infinitely repeated series of universes.

Thoughts and prayers for MoscowMitch. He done fell and broke his shoulder. :(( [politico.com]

EMC2 comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Just had my fifth shoulder surgery and with experience, Feel the pain you son a bitch american traitor. There is no physical pain that is good enough for Mitchy baby, He is a true to life fucking traitor. He and his wife and their ties to Russian shipping is just ridiculous.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@EMC2 I had a rt. shoulder reverse replacement, in mid-June just past. I expect a fifth must be a bitch, hope all goes well.

Forget impeachment! Its time we gather at the White House and make a citizen's arrest of tRump as ...

Mofo1953 comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Trump blames everybody except the real culprit, himself! Mentions social media, video games, mental health but nothing about the over 350 million guns in the hands of Americans nor the NRA nor the hate rethoric that he has been spewing since the 80s. Of course he condemned the white nationalists, ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 5, 2019:

Typical narcissistic behavior/perspective!

Looking back at the intro.

Marionville comments on Aug 5, 2019:

I read The Lady Of The Lake at school. Being from Edinburgh, Scott and Stevenson figured highly on the curriculum....along with Burns of course. It was first published in 1810 and was an immediate success, selling 25,000 copies, quite a feat in those days. Obviously it’s still in print today,...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 5, 2019:

I just finished it, this afternoon; nice!

Wonder why the white supremacists are so fired up about immigration?

LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 4, 2019:

Because it fuels their righteous tribal flames?

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 4, 2019:

There was some discussion about the Dunning-Kreuger effect, in the Philosophy group, I just saw, going back to January of 2018, I think. And, someone posted a meme, in regard to it: “The forest was shrinking but the trees kept voting for the ax because its handle was made of wood and they thought it was one of them.”

During one piece of coverage of the slaughter in El Paso,last night, a TV news reporter wondered ...

bobwjr comments on Aug 4, 2019:

Yup the orange Nazi is destroying the country

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 4, 2019:

Possibly his intention, for why else would he be consistently making such egregious cabinet picks, starting with Bannon-manure? In each pick he has named someone who had a wish to destroy that particular part of the government. Well, maybe not with H.U.D., Carson is just his token black, and a supremely dumb one at that.

During one piece of coverage of the slaughter in El Paso,last night, a TV news reporter wondered ...

Our_existence comments on Aug 4, 2019:

tRump is accessory to murder.. Period!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 4, 2019:

Exactly my thought!

As we mature most of us come to believe that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” or more ...

gearl comments on Aug 1, 2019:

Me, I see beauty in most things natural but to tell you the truth I just don't need woo to feel it or to express it.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 3, 2019:

@Allamanda Yes, that's the rub! People may experience awe, and a feeling being carried away by a subjective experience, but if they interpret it as a "sign," or a "visit," they will say they've had a religious experience and take it a "proof" of their version of a god.

As we mature most of us come to believe that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” or more ...

MarkiusMahamius comments on Aug 2, 2019:

So this means?? If religious people are honestly deluded, that better than fake deluded?

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 3, 2019:

@1of5 For those mentally ill, who experience delusions, they are not fake. For those of the religiously deluded, I believe, they have been taught the fairy tale, and are caught up in a culturally supported delusional system.

I am excited at finding a community garden in the part of Florida to which we just moved.

Alvinsmama comments on Aug 2, 2019:

Could it be Oxalis?

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@Aalvinsmama It turns out that my plant was identified as an Ixora, but thanks for the suggestion.

I am excited at finding a community garden in the part of Florida to which we just moved.

Allamanda comments on Aug 2, 2019:

No picture, but maybe Ixora? and welcome to the sub-tropics!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@allamanda I think you nailed it, thanks. Mine would be a dwarf Ixora

Ky Miners Stranded Without Pay, Block Train Demanding Money From Bankrupt Company Jake Tapper CNN.

KKGator comments on Aug 1, 2019:

They believed 45 when he said he was going to bring the jobs back to coal country. I have to wonder if they still believe that two-bit con man?

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@KKGator President Eisenhower was surprised, I've read, to learn that one half of the american public was below average in intelligence! It seems that we've gone beyond that.

Ky Miners Stranded Without Pay, Block Train Demanding Money From Bankrupt Company Jake Tapper CNN.

Our_existence comments on Aug 1, 2019:

Workers YES! tRump, HELL NO! tRump digs coal? Let's watch as he does it with no pay! Vote NO against lyin' tryant tRump!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@Our_existence She did indeed!

Ky Miners Stranded Without Pay, Block Train Demanding Money From Bankrupt Company Jake Tapper CNN.

altschmerz comments on Aug 1, 2019:

I think some farmers are turning on him, so maybe the miners will too.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@freeofgod Imbeciles!

Ky Miners Stranded Without Pay, Block Train Demanding Money From Bankrupt Company Jake Tapper CNN.

LucyLoohoo comments on Aug 1, 2019:

They'd have to admit they were wrong. THAT takes BALLS!

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@LucyLooHoo Hey, Lucy, guess who's here?

What gives your life meaning? Why keep going? (just curious)

Athena comments on Jul 28, 2019:

Other than chocolate? Hmm....

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

Got me laughing, as well.

What gives your life meaning? Why keep going? (just curious)

zeuser comments on Jul 29, 2019:

Personally, I don't want to miss anything good. I may not be able to read all of the books I want to read, but I'm going to give it a shot.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@zeuser Funny you should mention that. I am hugely fond of reading, and have been known to say that as much as I read, daily, my book list grows faster than I can read. LOL!

What gives your life meaning? Why keep going? (just curious)

Casey07 comments on Jul 31, 2019:

As unlikely as it may seem at times, something amazing might happen.

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 2, 2019:

Like meeting my 2nd wife, 36 years ago? Oh, yes!

Is it correct that Nietzsche was Hitler's inspiration?

Heraclitus comments on Jul 9, 2019:

Much of the alleged inspiration came from The Will to Power, which was not actually written by Nietzche, but is a book of notes drawn from the literary remains of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche by his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and Peter Gast in order to generate some income after ...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 1, 2019:

Yes, as I've read, she took advantage of his reputation, after his death for simply selfish purposes.

Why Evolution Is True … I never realised that there was still so much opposition to science.

Kodiamus comments on Jul 29, 2019:

What has evolution proved? All I am aware of is that it posits that life changes/evolves. It hasn’t shown how life began that I am aware of. Then there is the materialistic problem of explaining the hard problem in consciousness as well. I don’t think evolution should be undersold but neither do...

BirdMan1 replies on Aug 1, 2019:

@Heraclitus Thanks for the suggestion, I have put it at the top of my book list.

Anyone have book recommendations?

Matias comments on Jun 2, 2019:

If you have not read it yet: "SAPIENS" by Yuval Harari. A true eye-opener

BirdMan1 replies on Jul 31, 2019:

"Sapiens," is on my list!

Anyone have book recommendations?

NR92 comments on Jun 3, 2019:

1.Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind 2.Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

BirdMan1 replies on Jul 31, 2019:

From Homo Deus, an excellent book: "Was this, then the knowledge of the gods- how to make things, crops, and domesticated animals grow? And, was the Bible the story, and/or history, of the transition, perhaps difficult transition, from bands of hunter-gatherers to settled agriculturalists, creating newly needed social, and cultural norms and mores in order to live in one place, in some form of harmony?" Probably, in my opinion.

Why Evolution Is True … I never realised that there was still so much opposition to science.

Kodiamus comments on Jul 29, 2019:

What has evolution proved? All I am aware of is that it posits that life changes/evolves. It hasn’t shown how life began that I am aware of. Then there is the materialistic problem of explaining the hard problem in consciousness as well. I don’t think evolution should be undersold but neither do...

BirdMan1 replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@Heraclitus If you read Antonio Damasio's "The Feeling of What Happens," which was a bit ahead of its time, you will find some serious investigation into the question of consciousness. An old definition, that i read some years ago, is that consciousness is the interplay between the thalamus and the pre-frontal cortex, as i recall it. Much work is still being done to study the idea. Something I read, fairly recently, referred to Damasio's work as foundational in the study of consciouness.

Why Evolution Is True … I never realised that there was still so much opposition to science.

Kodiamus comments on Jul 29, 2019:

What has evolution proved? All I am aware of is that it posits that life changes/evolves. It hasn’t shown how life began that I am aware of. Then there is the materialistic problem of explaining the hard problem in consciousness as well. I don’t think evolution should be undersold but neither do...

BirdMan1 replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@kodiamus The current perspective is that al biology makes no sense without the perspective of evolution.

Yes, I just joined.

Marionville comments on Jul 31, 2019:

Not familiar with these authors....will take a look at what they write.

BirdMan1 replies on Jul 31, 2019:

Let me know what you think, please.

Please say hello to @BirdMan1 who has just joined the group.

ZantiMisfit comments on Jul 30, 2019:

Welcome Aboard :)

BirdMan1 replies on Jul 30, 2019:

Thank you.