The GOP have a decision to make: allegiance to Putin or to America.

Druvius comments on Nov 22, 2019:

Right, relations with Russia and sanctions on them are worse than ever, and we are arming Ukraine to the teeth. How is Russia benefiting from this?

Druvius replies on Nov 22, 2019:

@racocn8 Paranoid McCarthyism nonsense.

Donald Trump Is the Result of White Rage, Not Economics | Time

Druvius comments on Nov 18, 2019:

Brilliant "us against them" propaganda piece. Oh no, the mind numbing rise in inequality that has left the average American in the dust for 50 years while the rich got ever richer isn't the problem, it's racist white people! The "put america's national security at risk" is pretty much a neon sign ...

Druvius replies on Nov 20, 2019:

@altschmerz Absolutely.

I remember telling them about Jesus one time and they said....

Druvius comments on Nov 18, 2019:

He was NOT a Christian missionary, he is an anthropologist. Yes, studying the Piraha did lead to him questioning and then abandoning his faith, a remarkable man and a remarkable story, but portraying him as a missionary is BS.

Druvius replies on Nov 18, 2019:

@Davesnothere OK, I stand corrected, linguist. My point remains, he wasn't a missionary who went there to try and convert them.

'Every Child Born Today Will Be Profoundly Affected by Climate Change' - EcoWatch

Druvius comments on Nov 18, 2019:

Every person living today is already profoundly affected by climate change.

Druvius replies on Nov 18, 2019:

@HippieChick58 Well, Elon Musk does, but that doesn't help the rest of us. ;)

Girl stoned by her own Muslim father for refusing to marry her Muslim uncle

FearlessFly comments on Nov 18, 2019:

. . . FB again shows that it is **not** a reliable source for news. speach-point.com, according to : https://www.newsguardtech.com/ One in a network of anti-Muslim blogs that regularly distorts information and does not disclose who owns, runs, or writes for the site. (failed 7/9 criteria)

Druvius replies on Nov 18, 2019:

Yeah, Muslim bashing is all too common in the west.

'Every Child Born Today Will Be Profoundly Affected by Climate Change' - EcoWatch

Druvius comments on Nov 18, 2019:

Every person living today is already profoundly affected by climate change.

Druvius replies on Nov 18, 2019:

@HippieChick58 No kidding, but people need to understand that things happening NOW are the result of global warming, like the fires in California and Australia.

Joe Biden claims marijuana might be gateway drug, despite research - Business Insider

EdEarl comments on Nov 17, 2019:

Yes, he would not be good for the people; he takes PAC money, and would be almost as bad as Trump.

Druvius replies on Nov 17, 2019:

Ever president since Reagan sold out the US people and served the rich, the Pentagon, the bankers, and the big corporations. Biden will absolutely be one of those, and Trump has lowered the bar so much that Biden will have to do almost nothing to undo Trump's service to the rich and the Dems will fall all over themselves praising him. So yes, he would be almost as bad, and in the ways that matter, just as bad.

Trump intervenes in military justice cases, granting three pardons

Cutiebeauty comments on Nov 16, 2019:

😲😱 he's probably going to hire them!

Druvius replies on Nov 16, 2019:

@KittensandSage

On the future - of capitalism, inequality, the planet and many other things... [mobile.abc.net.au]

WilliamFleming comments on Nov 13, 2019:

It’s an interesting article, but any number of things could happen that would throw off the rather pessimistic predictions of the analysts. Humans are intelligent and resourceful and will deal with problems as they arise.

Druvius replies on Nov 13, 2019:

So far they have been dealing with global warming by ignoring it, coal burning has basically doubled since 2,000. This supposed resourcefulness better kick in real soon.

Mural of Greta Thunberg Goes Up In San Francisco

Druvius comments on Nov 9, 2019:

A mixed blessing.

Druvius replies on Nov 11, 2019:

@GreenAtheist He's still around? Sheesh.

The Curiosity Rover Just Took a Very Emo Photo of Its Rocky Martian Prison | Live Science

Druvius comments on Nov 9, 2019:

Yeah, Venus might be the best option long term.

Druvius replies on Nov 10, 2019:

@ToolGuy Yes, I have. Google terraforming or colonizing Venus. It's the only body in the Solar System with 1g, that's the one thing that can't be fixed on Mars or elsewhere. Granted in the near future it's beyond our abilities, but in the long run it's Earth's twin.

The Curiosity Rover Just Took a Very Emo Photo of Its Rocky Martian Prison | Live Science

Druvius comments on Nov 9, 2019:

Yeah, Venus might be the best option long term.

Druvius replies on Nov 9, 2019:

@ToolGuy There are ways to fix that. It's 1G, that alone makes it our best bet for human colonization.

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Druvius comments on Nov 5, 2019:

The fine tuning argument is based on the premise that there's something special about us, so it's essentially circular reasoning. If the constants of the Universe were different, the Universe would be different than this one. So what?

Druvius replies on Nov 5, 2019:

@Matias So? There's nothing special about any of those, and there are likely an infinite amount of other possibilities.

I've been a member of Agnostic.

Druvius comments on Nov 1, 2019:

America was founded by religious extremists too extreme for late medieval Europe. I rest my case.

Druvius replies on Nov 2, 2019:

@Allamanda I just meant that the Pilgrims were not exactly paragons of tolerance for their era. :)

A NEW BOOK ON CLIMATE SCIENCE The book: The Rise and Fall of the Carbon Dioxide Theory of ...

Deiter comments on Oct 27, 2019:

According to NASA, there’s a 97% scholarly consensus on human caused climate damage. But THIS GUY is the only one we should believe! One day you’re going to surprise us all, Southern reactionary William Fleming. Today is not that day.

Druvius replies on Oct 27, 2019:

@WilliamFleming No, you're promoting science denial and fossil fuel industry propaganda. might as well post about books claiming creationism is a science.

[thevintagenews.com] I guess, but wouldn't evolution have addressed this?

Geoffrey51 comments on Oct 22, 2019:

Three words are problem in the headline Scientists, believe and know. Which is it?

Druvius replies on Oct 22, 2019:

Yes, typically bad science reporting. It's an interesting study, and hints at one possible factor in the demise of the Neanderthal, but that's about it. It's unlikely there is any one single factor accounting for their extinction, but people have been primed to expect simplistic "Eureka" type scientific discoveries.Not complexity and nuance, so that's what the media does with science news.

[thevintagenews.com] I guess, but wouldn't evolution have addressed this?

bobwjr comments on Oct 22, 2019:

Wow who knew

Druvius replies on Oct 22, 2019:

I know, a species wiped out by earaches. Who would have guessed? Of course humans nearly did themselves in with hair spray, so anything is possible.

So now the Kurds, in a desperate self-preservation move, have joined forces with the Syrian ...

Marionville comments on Oct 14, 2019:

Fuck Trump and his whim to pull out US troops last week. He has unleashed a new conflagration which has just added a new layer of conflict to this already beleaguered part of the world. The poor refugees and Kurdish people are the ones who will suffer yet again, and already Islamic State has ...

Druvius replies on Oct 14, 2019:

This would have happened with or without our withdrawal, he unleashed nothing. in fact it's Obama that got us into this insane war in the first place, and the horse we backed has lost. Long past time to pull out.

U.

Druvius comments on Sep 19, 2019:

Trump went to war with Iran a year ago when he imposed a crippling embargo and presented them with Pompeo's 12 demands. Not sure if he is willing to risk a shooting war, we'll see.

Druvius replies on Sep 19, 2019:

@Charliesey I don't have a Trump crystal ball, and doubt his rich oil buddies want a big war in the Persian Gulf. We'll see.

OH COOME OON... You know it's funny.. 😁

Druvius comments on Sep 18, 2019:

I guess if you're 13 it's funny. :/

Druvius replies on Sep 18, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood Sorry, 13 and white.

There may NOT be life on other planets

Druvius comments on Sep 13, 2019:

Dunno about the specifics of that, but I have always favored the Rare Earth Hypothesis. Our evolution might well be so unlikely that it even happening once was unusual. We simply don't know what the odds are. And Fermi's Paradox just keeps getting more annoying as SETI keeps coming up with buttkiss....

Druvius replies on Sep 14, 2019:

@Triphid I don't discount any possibilities, science deals in probabilities, not certainties. There may well be life all over the Universe, modern thinking in abiogenesis is that life may be inevitable under the right conditions. The laws or rules of the Universe, or whatever you want to call them, likely are a natural consequence of the situation that existed when the Universe came into existence. No need for supernatural explanations. As for aliens, both ancient and contemporary, so far the evidence for them remains at zip. And some very smart people have devoted decades of their life trying to find it. The problem with the Ancient Aliens hypothesis is that said aliens managed to visit without leaving a shred of physical/biological evidence, nor did they impart any clearly of alien origins information to our ancestors. Nor are there any mysteries about the rise of human civilization that require aliens to explain. Maybe beings such as ourselves exist, but right now the evidence says they are rare to nonexistent. Doesn't mean we shouldn't keep looking, I am a big proponent of SETI, there are numerous promising avenues still to be explored.

There may NOT be life on other planets

Joanne comments on Sep 13, 2019:

Well, there is the possibility of panspermia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia

Druvius replies on Sep 13, 2019:

I suspect we will find DNA based life elsewhere in the Solar System. And we know enough now that we will be able to tell if it's related to Earth life. Hopefully in the next few decades we will get better answers with Mars and maybe other probes. Good times.

There may NOT be life on other planets

Druvius comments on Sep 13, 2019:

Dunno about the specifics of that, but I have always favored the Rare Earth Hypothesis. Our evolution might well be so unlikely that it even happening once was unusual. We simply don't know what the odds are. And Fermi's Paradox just keeps getting more annoying as SETI keeps coming up with buttkiss....

Druvius replies on Sep 13, 2019:

@Larry-new, @Triphid Yes, mind boggling. Also quite doable by perfectly feasible applications of current technology, we just haven't made it a priority. As for them trying to contact us by exotic means, that's special pleading. It's a mystery, but right now the "we're alone" argument is difficult to refute.

There may NOT be life on other planets

Druvius comments on Sep 13, 2019:

Dunno about the specifics of that, but I have always favored the Rare Earth Hypothesis. Our evolution might well be so unlikely that it even happening once was unusual. We simply don't know what the odds are. And Fermi's Paradox just keeps getting more annoying as SETI keeps coming up with buttkiss....

Druvius replies on Sep 13, 2019:

@Larry-new SETI has examined all sorts of promising avenues, including scanning 100,000 nearby galaxies for sign of technological infrastructure. If they're out there, they are very rare or laying low.

Republican's Burn AOC's Picture in Disgusting New Ad [youtube.com]

Druvius comments on Sep 13, 2019:

The mindless rage and hostility directed towards her from the right is quite something. She must be hitting below the waterline to get that kind of reaction.

Druvius replies on Sep 13, 2019:

@Happy_Killbot So he calls himself a populist, so what. Like every president since Reagan he's only helping the rich. A shame, I had some hope for him.

Republican's Burn AOC's Picture in Disgusting New Ad [youtube.com]

Druvius comments on Sep 13, 2019:

The mindless rage and hostility directed towards her from the right is quite something. She must be hitting below the waterline to get that kind of reaction.

Druvius replies on Sep 13, 2019:

@Happy_Killbot Trump is not a populist, he has broken all his populist promises, often doing the opposite. Granted TDS is annoying and unhelpful.

We have a visitor! Woohoo! [en.wikipedia.org]

starwatcher-al comments on Sep 12, 2019:

With a distance of about 30,000,000 miles at it's closest to the Earth, it probably will not be visible to the eye and not very bright even in binos. Lets hope it outbursts for a nice show. We are really overdue for a naked eye comet, so few in the last 5 years. Last time around (1986) Halley's ...

Druvius replies on Sep 12, 2019:

I've only seen one comet with the naked eye in my life, another would be a treat. :)

Do religious people really believe what they say?

Druvius comments on Sep 8, 2019:

Some do, but it's a scale. Some literally believe the Bible and every word in it, on the other hand I know people who are very active in their church but privately admit that no, they don't believe in God or any supernatural nonsense. Hell, the church I sometimes go to openly welcomes atheists. I ...

Druvius replies on Sep 12, 2019:

@Grecio There're numerous denominations of all faiths that are "live and let live" about religion. Sadly though in my lifetime there's been a big rise in extremism among the Abrahamaaic faiths. I regard this unpleasant development more as a symptom of underlying problems in our global civilization than a cause. It's not good in any case.

Do religious people really believe what they say?

Druvius comments on Sep 8, 2019:

Some do, but it's a scale. Some literally believe the Bible and every word in it, on the other hand I know people who are very active in their church but privately admit that no, they don't believe in God or any supernatural nonsense. Hell, the church I sometimes go to openly welcomes atheists. I ...

Druvius replies on Sep 12, 2019:

@Biblebeltskeptic It definitely sounds cultish, I am leery of all extreme ideologies. They usually end badly. Makes me think I grew up benefiting from "religious privilege" in a way. Going to ponder this.

Do religious people really believe what they say?

Druvius comments on Sep 8, 2019:

Some do, but it's a scale. Some literally believe the Bible and every word in it, on the other hand I know people who are very active in their church but privately admit that no, they don't believe in God or any supernatural nonsense. Hell, the church I sometimes go to openly welcomes atheists. I ...

Druvius replies on Sep 12, 2019:

@Biblebeltskeptic That sounds appalling, words fail me.

Good question!

Druvius comments on Sep 8, 2019:

Doesn't matter, DC vs Heller (2008,) the constitutional question is resolved. People have an individual right to own guns. Continuing a pointless debate is just a distraction. Doesn't mean things like the AR can't be banned, there's no such thing as an unfettered right.

Druvius replies on Sep 9, 2019:

@jerry99 The only reason to overturn DC vs Heller is if you wanted to completely ban guns. Good luck with that.

Due to the fact that my grandfather had Alzheimer's disease, I attach great importance to my brain's...

Druvius comments on Sep 8, 2019:

He's a quack selling snake oil, I wouldn't put any faith in it.

Druvius replies on Sep 8, 2019:

@Agnieszka You're welcome. I commend you on your healthy living exercise. If I'd known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.

Due to the fact that my grandfather had Alzheimer's disease, I attach great importance to my brain's...

Druvius comments on Sep 8, 2019:

He's a quack selling snake oil, I wouldn't put any faith in it.

Druvius replies on Sep 8, 2019:

@Agnieszka https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/dr-amens-love-affair-with-spect-scans/

Scientists identify the genes linked to left-handedness

Happy_Killbot comments on Sep 5, 2019:

Took them long enough. I guess it shouldn't be surprising though, because it was linked to brain development rather than physical development. Now the next question to ask is why are there so many more right handed people, since it implies some sort of evolutionary advantage. What is it about having...

Druvius replies on Sep 5, 2019:

There's an evolutionary advantage to having language, which as a side effect created a predilection for right handedness. Being mostly right handed is like Sickle Cell Anemia, an unfortunate genetic side effect to the huge genetic advantage of being resistant to malaria. Fortunately, most of us being right handed is mostly irrelevant.

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) Widely Claimed as Evidence for the Big Bang If there...

Druvius comments on Sep 2, 2019:

God, the Electric Universe people are still pumping out their nonsense I see. Like YECers, it's a religion to them, so no point trying to debate.

Druvius replies on Sep 2, 2019:

@yvilletom I don't need to show evidence, it's the pseudoscientists making claims that need to show evidence. The Electric Universe theory has been experimentally dead for decades, that some keep beating a dead horse is their problem. https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Electric_Universe

If true, this could put a fork in Trump.

Druvius comments on Aug 28, 2019:

Following the Russiagate silliness is just like the old X-Files show. Every episode preceded with the teaser that "this is the episode where the truth comes out!" And nothing is ever revealed. Not only will this not lead to his impeachment, the Russiagate nonsense is helping distract from his ...

Druvius replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@Rob1948 I'm not the one claiming there is evidence. It's the Russiagaters that need to come up with evidence, and so far what they has produced is laughable. James Clapper claims there is evidence, but he doesn't produce it. The old folks called that lying.

Despite us both being atheists, my roommate and I had a disagreement on the usage of the word ...

Druvius comments on Aug 29, 2019:

Babies are atheists the same way rocks and kittens are atheists. Even if one technically wants to call it atheism, it's a meaningless label.

Druvius replies on Aug 30, 2019:

@benhmiller But atheism is not "not aware of Gods," an atheist is someone who doesn't believe in Gods. If you broaden the definition to include rocks and kittens, it's a meaningless description.

Despite us both being atheists, my roommate and I had a disagreement on the usage of the word ...

CapriKious comments on Aug 29, 2019:

I do not think it genuine to label infants to any philosophical, religious, political or aesthetic school of thought. Even were we to accept any such label it would be inconsequential.

Druvius replies on Aug 29, 2019:

LOL Read your comment after posting mine, GMTA.

You are comletely alone in the Universe.

Druvius comments on Aug 26, 2019:

It get worse. You will die. Life has no meaning. And just for fun, you have free will! Existential psychology. Fun stuff.

Druvius replies on Aug 29, 2019:

@Rodatheist Yes, there's plenty of ways to navigate past these in a healthy way.

If true, this could put a fork in Trump.

Druvius comments on Aug 28, 2019:

Following the Russiagate silliness is just like the old X-Files show. Every episode preceded with the teaser that "this is the episode where the truth comes out!" And nothing is ever revealed. Not only will this not lead to his impeachment, the Russiagate nonsense is helping distract from his ...

Druvius replies on Aug 28, 2019:

@Rob1948 Yes, the "Putin is an idiot" scenario. His chances of successfully interfering in the election were zero, he wouldn't try something so stupid. When actual evidence of it, like evidence for 9/11 demolitions, comes to light; I will revisit the issue. And when did progressives start trusting the FBI anyhow?

The nature of Philosophy is ambiguous, though basically it is merely the thoughts and reflections on...

dare2dream comments on Aug 28, 2019:

False on all accounts.

Druvius replies on Aug 28, 2019:

I was gobsmacked, lol.

If true, this could put a fork in Trump.

Druvius comments on Aug 28, 2019:

Following the Russiagate silliness is just like the old X-Files show. Every episode preceded with the teaser that "this is the episode where the truth comes out!" And nothing is ever revealed. Not only will this not lead to his impeachment, the Russiagate nonsense is helping distract from his ...

Druvius replies on Aug 28, 2019:

@Rob1948 The first indictments showed there was nothing to it, the second round showed it was purely political. So far there is no evidence of Russian interference in the election, and even less of collusion with Trump. Dems can't admit that Trump won because Hillary ran an arrogant less-than-inspiring campaign, so, Russia's fault! It would be funny except for the fact they seem to have learned nothing from Hillary's loss and are well on track to lose in 2020.

Trump blames Obama, not Putin, for Russia seizing Crimea

Druvius comments on Aug 27, 2019:

Russia didn't "seize" Crimea. The legislature and people of Crimea voted overwhelmingly to join Russia after a western backed Nazi coup shot their way into power in Ukraine ... and made it their first order of business to pass laws making Russian speakers second class citizens. Democracy and ...

Druvius replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@rogueflyer LOL

Trump blames Obama, not Putin, for Russia seizing Crimea

Druvius comments on Aug 27, 2019:

Russia didn't "seize" Crimea. The legislature and people of Crimea voted overwhelmingly to join Russia after a western backed Nazi coup shot their way into power in Ukraine ... and made it their first order of business to pass laws making Russian speakers second class citizens. Democracy and ...

Druvius replies on Aug 27, 2019:

@rogueflyer No, but he does protect Russia's people and interests against western encroachment. What part of "The people of Crimea overwhelmingly voted to join Russia" is a problem for you?

You are comletely alone in the Universe.

Deb57 comments on Aug 26, 2019:

The more you understand that being alone is not a terrible thing, the better off you will be.

Druvius replies on Aug 26, 2019:

"Never less alone than when alone."

Well, just saw an old friend interact with a contractor.

oldFloyd comments on Aug 26, 2019:

Charge her the same amount as the other contractors and treat her the same as other contractors. In other words act like a contractor.

Druvius replies on Aug 26, 2019:

Yes, I think you're onto something here. Thanks.

Well, just saw an old friend interact with a contractor.

StarvingArtist comments on Aug 26, 2019:

Why spend time pondering the issue? Seems the easiest thing to do is,,,Just ask her?

Druvius replies on Aug 26, 2019:

I will at some point, but suspect I won't get a straight answer. And I've reached a point in my life where I don't put a lot of stock in what people say, words are easy, actions speak for themselves. So I'm going to ponder a bit.

Well, just saw an old friend interact with a contractor.

LiterateHiker comments on Aug 26, 2019:

**Why** is she treating you differently? In the past, did you do something that made her lose trust in you?

Druvius replies on Aug 26, 2019:

Good question. Not that I'm aware of. Will give both some thought.

[motherjones.

Druvius comments on Aug 24, 2019:

To call that a biased article is being generous.

Druvius replies on Aug 24, 2019:

@citronella Russia did not "invade and annex" Crimea. After the western backed Nazi coup shot their way into power in Ukraine, they made it their first order of business to pass laws making ethnic Russians second class citizens, sprinkled with at least one horrible massacre so that they got the point. The government and people of Crimea voted overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and join the Russian federation. They never wanted to be in Ukraine in the first place, Crimea was given to Ukraine by Stalin.

[friendlyatheist.

Druvius comments on Aug 8, 2019:

One of the things that's just nucking futz about this is that decades ago a solution to the problem was at hand. A friend's troop I know implemented it. It's an unbreakable rule that there must always be two adults present, boys must never be alone with a single scout leader. Frankly there's a lot ...

Druvius replies on Aug 23, 2019:

@BBJong We're not really an intelligent species.

Are you a "Noah denier" If you recognize that the great flood story is just a myth?

Druvius comments on Aug 22, 2019:

Most historians share this "trouble." Though the only facts we know about him is his baptism and execution. Why a lot of atheists have trouble with this, and go to fabulous lengths to "prove" Jesus didn't exist, is a mystery to me. Even if one could prove he didn't exist, the only people who would ...

Druvius replies on Aug 22, 2019:

@Beowulfsfriend I am familiar with the topic at great length. I didn't try to claim anything other than what mainstream historians think, everything added after that is almost certainly mythical.

Man is omnivorous! Whilst a predominantly vegan lifestyle is acceptable for adults, don't force it ...

GreatNani comments on Aug 22, 2019:

And if there other children were healthy on a vegan diet there was something else going on here.

Druvius replies on Aug 22, 2019:

@GreatNani It's not in the article, the article is pretty fact lite. I dug around and read other articles about the case. I have no issue with veganism per se, it's pretty clear since the parents rejected modern medicine that they were almost certainly ignorant of basic nutrition as well. The harm they did to their kids speaks for itself.

Man is omnivorous! Whilst a predominantly vegan lifestyle is acceptable for adults, don't force it ...

GreatNani comments on Aug 22, 2019:

And if there other children were healthy on a vegan diet there was something else going on here.

Druvius replies on Aug 22, 2019:

They weren't healthy, they were also malnourished and taken away from the parents. The mother had just gotten more extreme in the case of this child.

And people wonder why most conservative don’t like Obama.

Captain_Feelgood comments on Aug 21, 2019:

Sad but true... Obama is a sorry excuse for a human being.

Druvius replies on Aug 21, 2019:

True, but not because of this, because it didn't happen.

Oh boy oh boy, I've eaten a TON of Nature Valley granola bars over the past few years.

Druvius comments on Aug 21, 2019:

On the plus side, Roundup is harmless to humans. https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4676

Druvius replies on Aug 21, 2019:

@EdEarl Who is they? Yes, their have been historical cases where that was true. None of them were even remotely comparable to the history and science of Glyphosate, so your argument is a false analogy.

“ Have a blessed day”.

Druvius comments on Aug 18, 2019:

no. Why would someone wishing me well irritate me?

Druvius replies on Aug 18, 2019:

@Shake I stand corrected. No, the phrase doesn't bother me.

Definitive, crushing argument against Creationism.

MoonTigerII comments on Aug 18, 2019:

Sorry for laughing at your comment, @Druvius, but that rather huge bit of hubris is hilarious. We can only wish it was true. Yes, for a handful of scholars it was over then. But many idiots are still debating the Evolution issue here in America with its joke of an education system. We are ...

Druvius replies on Aug 18, 2019:

Pointing out facts is not hubris, it's pointing out facts. The people in denial about Evolution will not be swayed by evidence or logic, since they aren't debating. Takes two sides to have a debate.

Gun control perspective

Druvius comments on Aug 15, 2019:

The first sentence is a steaming pile of straw man hooey on several levels. Sadly this is passes for "logic" in some circles these days.

Druvius replies on Aug 15, 2019:

@Renickulous You're correct, it speaks of disarming people, an even deeper layer of pure, unadulterated BS.

Gun control perspective

Druvius comments on Aug 15, 2019:

The first sentence is a steaming pile of straw man hooey on several levels. Sadly this is passes for "logic" in some circles these days.

Druvius replies on Aug 15, 2019:

@Renickulous No feelings involved, only a tiny percentage of radicals want wholesale gun confiscation. The rest of us just want sensible gun laws. When you predicate an argument on garbage, everything that follows is garbage and can be safely ignored. That's how logical argument works, so the author of this piece is either utterly ignorant about the people for gun control, or worse, he is being deliberately disingenuous.

Do you think sociopaths and psychopaths can't really help their actions since they didn't really ...

Druvius comments on Aug 14, 2019:

Yes, by middle age about a third of true sociopaths/psychopaths are living more or less normal lives. Some of them even study psychology to learn how to mimic normal emotions. All because they figured out that having friends/family/career in the long run is a much better deal than screwing over ...

Druvius replies on Aug 14, 2019:

@vjohnson51 Some do, but talking about true psychopaths, pretty rare. Treating people right and obeying the law is a logical thing to do absent God or a conscience. Leads to far fewer problems.

The biblical "god" is merely a manifestation of the violent, male-dominant, hunter-killer left ...

Druvius comments on Aug 11, 2019:

The overwhelming majority of human on human violence is by males. There are no female Ted Bundys. Virtually all of history's "Hitlers" have been male. This doesn't mean all men are evil, it means all men should acknowledge this and try to be part of the solution. Because not acknowledging it is part...

Druvius replies on Aug 12, 2019:

@codycody False equivalency.

The biblical "god" is merely a manifestation of the violent, male-dominant, hunter-killer left ...

Druvius comments on Aug 11, 2019:

The overwhelming majority of human on human violence is by males. There are no female Ted Bundys. Virtually all of history's "Hitlers" have been male. This doesn't mean all men are evil, it means all men should acknowledge this and try to be part of the solution. Because not acknowledging it is part...

Druvius replies on Aug 12, 2019:

@codycody Very very very very few of them. My point was that the overwhelming majority of violence on the planet is committed by men.

The biblical "god" is merely a manifestation of the violent, male-dominant, hunter-killer left ...

Druvius comments on Aug 11, 2019:

The overwhelming majority of human on human violence is by males. There are no female Ted Bundys. Virtually all of history's "Hitlers" have been male. This doesn't mean all men are evil, it means all men should acknowledge this and try to be part of the solution. Because not acknowledging it is part...

Druvius replies on Aug 12, 2019:

@codycody I said Ted Bundy's, not female serial killers. The guys who hunt and kill for psycho-sexual reasons. Guys who get off on rape and murder. The female serial killers are all black widow types, doing it for financial gain.

This is how Terrorism works.

John-Paul comments on Aug 9, 2019:

Just think if he were black and selling loosies on a street corner.

Druvius replies on Aug 9, 2019:

If he were black, he'd be dead.

Words from a wise man

Druvius comments on Jul 20, 2019:

The last president we had who was trying to do the right thing for all. Hope we get another, but at this point, seems unlikely.

Druvius replies on Aug 7, 2019:

@Trajan61 Both faithfully serve the rich, the big corporations, the bankers, and the Pentagon. The only idiots are people who are still fooled by their respective schticks.

All there is to say really about guns in the US. [nytimes.com]

GreatNani comments on Aug 7, 2019:

This is a never ending discussion. And I am not hopeful for any real change. I have stopped having the discussion anymore.

Druvius replies on Aug 7, 2019:

Exactly, America the Paralyzed. It's disheartening to say the least.

Presented this to Christians many times only answers i get are god works in mysterious ways or all ...

Druvius comments on Aug 5, 2019:

This is an argument against Biblical literalism, not Christianity. In the US only about 30% of Christians are Biblical literalists.

Druvius replies on Aug 5, 2019:

@FrayedBear Do you have a point you are trying to make?

This is a two-part post.

Robecology comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Thanks for your focus on this issue. For those who like videos...I found a gem....I'd appreciate your feedback on it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR9NHjDi4EA=youtu.be=IwAR2sqGg8RpJwMp5KbLl2KpOJv18JkqZdshPyIj1A1rB-0MW8o5B2f0QDJZU

Druvius replies on Aug 5, 2019:

It's preaching to the converted. I'm a former NRA member, it once was a responsible organization. Now it's just a shill for the gun industry. At least the video gets some factual talking points out, but its not going to convert anyone.

Can a one off act be called terrorism?

Druvius comments on Aug 5, 2019:

Terrorism is deliberately targeting civilians for political purposes, the El Paso shooter's manifesto makes it a slam dunk that this was an act of terrorism.

Druvius replies on Aug 5, 2019:

There's really no such thing as a terrorist, it's a propaganda label used to demonize people who you want to dehumanize and whose cause you want to de-legitimize. So it doesn't really matter, the act is terrorism, good enough for me.

Why should agnostics/atheists hide this about themselves?

Storm1752 comments on Aug 3, 2019:

I just never make an issue out of it, like my vegetarianism. They eat they eat, I eat what I eat. Same thing. If they say something like, "Have a blessed day," I say, "Thanks." If they, "Jesus loves you," as if expecting me to reply in kind, as if to return the 'secret handshake,' I might say, ...

Druvius replies on Aug 3, 2019:

Exactly, the topic almost never comes up. I have no interest in religion, theology, etc, so I see no reason to bring it up.

This is what you call hypocrites: Google summit on climate change attended by stars in private ...

Druvius comments on Aug 2, 2019:

What does this have to do with climate change? Nothing, so it's an ad hominem attack on global warming. Tiresome really, the deniers been harping on this forever, as if it were relevant to the issue.

Druvius replies on Aug 2, 2019:

@Trajan61 Not true, and name calling is the first and last refuge of those who can't construct a logical argument.

Do you believe Russian interference aided Donald Trump in winning the 2016 presidential election?

LiterateHiker comments on Aug 1, 2019:

Russia hacked voting systems in 39 states during the 2016 presidential election. "Russia’s efforts to hack the 2016 presidential election were much more widespread than originally thought. The Russian campaign hit 39 states — twice as many as originally reported — and in one case hackers ...

Druvius replies on Aug 1, 2019:

LOLROFL

How would humanity react to aliens?

Hicks66 comments on Jul 30, 2019:

Look up the Drake equation. Imagine the tremendous effort it would take to get here after bridging all the hurdles from abiogenesis to surviving long enough to wrestle with forces that might wipe out your species. Fission for example. Now you see the Blue Marble on the horizon. You had better make ...

Druvius replies on Aug 1, 2019:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4jWAwUb63c

Ancient Bones And Teeth Found In A Philippine Cave May Rewrite Human History [npr.org]

Druvius comments on Jul 31, 2019:

Assinine clickbait title aside, a sign of the times, interesting find. We live in a golden age of such discoveries, curious to see if we will ever make sense of it all. I suspect until underwater archeology is far beyond where we are today, we won't ever get a full picture. Because migrating humans ...

Druvius replies on Jul 31, 2019:

@Allamanda Looks interesting, unfortunately my local libraries don't have it. One of the few downsides to living in rural Iowa.

Waiter slammed for secretly serving virgin drinks to possibly pregnant woman who wanted alcohol...

Druvius comments on Jul 26, 2019:

Some mens' entitlement to womens' bodies knows no bounds. He has a future in the GOP.

Druvius replies on Jul 27, 2019:

@Renickulous We're not talking about a robbery, and the whole movement to turn women into breeding stock with no control over their bodies is a male driven movement. And the server wasn't protecting anyone, they were denying a woman agency over her own body.

Waiter slammed for secretly serving virgin drinks to possibly pregnant woman who wanted alcohol...

Druvius comments on Jul 26, 2019:

Some mens' entitlement to womens' bodies knows no bounds. He has a future in the GOP.

Druvius replies on Jul 26, 2019:

@Kojaksmom Or worse. :(

QUESTION RE GOBECKLI TEPE: The 14 12,000 year-old temples at Gobeckli Tepe in Turkey have smaller,...

Druvius comments on Jul 24, 2019:

I made it through part of the National Geo video. Surprise, surprise, it claims it's a slam dunk it's temples, depictions of Gods, etc. Basically BS. https://drmsh.com/the-myth-of-gobekli-tepe-what-the-archaeological-fringe-isnt-telling-you/ It's a shame, National Geo was once a great organization, ...

Druvius replies on Jul 26, 2019:

@MoonTigerII Nothing supports the "temple" claims other than it's a big structure with decorations. And apparently modern people really want to think pf them as temples.

QUESTION RE GOBECKLI TEPE: The 14 12,000 year-old temples at Gobeckli Tepe in Turkey have smaller,...

Druvius comments on Jul 24, 2019:

I made it through part of the National Geo video. Surprise, surprise, it claims it's a slam dunk it's temples, depictions of Gods, etc. Basically BS. https://drmsh.com/the-myth-of-gobekli-tepe-what-the-archaeological-fringe-isnt-telling-you/ It's a shame, National Geo was once a great organization, ...

Druvius replies on Jul 24, 2019:

@MoonTigerII I prefer to read papers by actual archeologists, not watch nonsense produced by religion apologists. I know how false arguments work, the video was peppered with them from the beginning, no need to watch further.

QUESTION RE GOBECKLI TEPE: The 14 12,000 year-old temples at Gobeckli Tepe in Turkey have smaller,...

Druvius comments on Jul 24, 2019:

I made it through part of the National Geo video. Surprise, surprise, it claims it's a slam dunk it's temples, depictions of Gods, etc. Basically BS. https://drmsh.com/the-myth-of-gobekli-tepe-what-the-archaeological-fringe-isnt-telling-you/ It's a shame, National Geo was once a great organization, ...

Druvius replies on Jul 24, 2019:

@Rob1948 I'm not the one making the wild unsupported claim. We do not have a freaking clue what the structures at Gobecki Tepe are, they predate cities and actual temples by thousands of years. That's a FACT. They predate Stonehenge by thousands of years, and we don't know what its purpose was. To speculate they are temples is simply projecting our current religious culture on a culture that predated civilization. To claim those speculations are fact just shows how religion has insinuated itself into modern thought. The worst thing about assuming they are temples is that it closes down other avenues of speculation and investigation. Amazing discovery, throws a lot of our assumptions out the window. I hope someday we get more insight into the site, but right now any conclusions about what it was are premature. And why, exactly, are you using a Creationist argument?

QUESTION RE GOBECKLI TEPE: The 14 12,000 year-old temples at Gobeckli Tepe in Turkey have smaller,...

Heathenman comments on Jul 24, 2019:

Unlike with Egyptian works none of the animals seem to mix with humans. I have only read a little about this site and find it fascinating.

Druvius replies on Jul 24, 2019:

@MoonTigerII The new National Geo, run by evangelicals? I guess I can risk it, lol.

Who knows anything about cable companies, their program offers, or their outrageous prices?

Merseyman1 comments on Jul 23, 2019:

All cable providers cost too much and give you a lot of trash. I had the solution: finished my suscription three years ago! I have ROKU TV with Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube, TED, etc. I choose what I see!

Druvius replies on Jul 23, 2019:

Exactly, pay a bunch of money to get hundreds of channels that will never be watched, or get a few basic subscriptions and watch network stuff on the Internet the next day. I gave up cable over a decade ago and haven't missed it. And I LIKED DirectTV, it's just an expensive luxury at my income levels.

Body found in grocery store after 10 years.

Druvius comments on Jul 23, 2019:

Skinny guy, cool dry space, intact body. Might well have mummified with minimal smell.

Druvius replies on Jul 23, 2019:

@Captain_Feelgood My point is that are conditions under which a body could mummify without much odor being produced.

Last call finds us all

Marionville comments on Jul 22, 2019:

I’m not sure this is true....do you have any stats?

Druvius replies on Jul 22, 2019:

Exactly, it's widely believed and promoted, but that doesn't mean it's any more real that God.

Religion has been credited with creating trust in our prehistoric human societies, eventually ...

GinaMaria comments on Jul 21, 2019:

Evolutionary theory supports the basic premise of ethics. Humans have to rely on others to survive and propagate, so cooperation, that resulted in a better quality of life and extended life span, doesn't require divine inspiration.

Druvius replies on Jul 21, 2019:

Neither does religion.

A number of times, now, I have posted or commented on the movement to make the US a Christian ...

darthfaja comments on Jul 21, 2019:

I’ll pop up and say it’s ridiculous because it is. They can push for it all they want, but it’s unconstitutional. It can’t happen and it won’t happen.

Druvius replies on Jul 21, 2019:

@darthfaja Every war since WW2 has been unconstitutional, and the Evangelical Right doesn't give a hoot about the Constitution anyhow. I agree the US turning into a theocracy is unlikely, but it's not impossible, and the Constitution certainly isn't much of an obstacle at this point.

Star Trek: Picard Trailer Reveals Data, Seven of Nine Will Return [msn.

Druvius comments on Jul 21, 2019:

Trailer looks good, got a kick out of the fact they filmed at the Vasques Rocks, lol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasquez_Rocks

Druvius replies on Jul 21, 2019:

@William_Mary A proud tradition. :)

115,000-Year-Old Engraved Bones Found in China [sci-news.com]

Allamanda comments on Jul 20, 2019:

Incredible isn't it, when they only just 'discovered' the Denisovans at all!

Druvius replies on Jul 20, 2019:

Yerp, human prehistory is really messy. Nice to live in an age where we are getting insight into it.

These Democrats are as deplorable as Republicans.

Druvius comments on Jul 18, 2019:

Yes, but unlike some of the horrible stuff the GOP passes, this is both constitutional and a good idea. So I don't see it as particularly comparable to some of the nightmare bills passed by the GOP.

Druvius replies on Jul 18, 2019:

@SeaGreenEyez Almost everything about American politics is disingenuous. At least it's disingenuous for a good cause.

House orders Pentagon to review if it exposed Americans to weaponised ticks | US news | The Guardian

Druvius comments on Jul 17, 2019:

Maybe. I'll go with conspiracy theory until evidence shows up.

Druvius replies on Jul 17, 2019:

@altschmerz No, it's not. That's why I said "Maybe." Still, ticks? Countermeasures against ticks are cheap and effective though, and ticks don't exactly seek out hosts. It seems like a poor choice of vector for a biological agent, your infection rate would be low to begin with, and almost nil if defended against. And it's neither a contagious nor debilitating disease, again an odd choice for a bioweapon. And before 1969 was long before DNA was fully understood, where did they even come up with this basically almost useless biowarfare disease? the more one thinks about it, the more unlikely it seems.

Voynich manuscript deciphered!?!

Druvius comments on Jul 17, 2019:

We'll see. I still think it's a hoax.

Druvius replies on Jul 17, 2019:

@JeffMesser There's no proof the Voynich manuscript is real, the historical record certainly leans heavily toward scam.

I didn't fact check this. But it sounds legitimate:

Druvius comments on Jul 15, 2019:

Then move to Mexico if you like it so much, this is AMERICA.

Druvius replies on Jul 15, 2019:

@Trajan61 Wanting America to make its own laws instead of looking to corrupt poverty stricken nations for examples makes me a liberal? OK then.

I didn't fact check this. But it sounds legitimate:

Druvius comments on Jul 15, 2019:

Then move to Mexico if you like it so much, this is AMERICA.

Druvius replies on Jul 15, 2019:

@DUCHESSA So what? You are saying Mexico's laws are better than the US Constitution? You're welcome to leave, I served to defend your freedom to do so.

There are basically two types of agnosticism: the first one takes place and participates in the ...

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 13, 2019:

I try to stay out of the debate but it is not because of laziness. I sincerely think that it is futile to debate about a higher level of reality that can not be understood or known. The debate is over existence, right? Our human concept of existence involves sustenance over time, but time is ...

Druvius replies on Jul 13, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay Exactly, "Do you believe in God?" is no different that "Do you believe in Fod?" say what?

Here’s a huffpost article on a study about religion and war: [google.

Druvius comments on Jul 10, 2019:

Yes, historically less than 10% of wars are primarily about religion. And very few in the past couple of hundred years. It's complicated though, the European conquest of the world (Discovery and colonization for the apologists) destroyed entire civilizations, but wasn't technically a religious war. ...

Druvius replies on Jul 10, 2019:

@K9Kohle789 Politics too. And human nature.

Here’s a huffpost article on a study about religion and war: [google.

KKGator comments on Jul 10, 2019:

Humans are an inherently violent species. We've never really needed much of a reason to make war on ourselves. Power, territory, money, some other king's wife, etc. Religion is still responsible for an awful lot of violence that's been done in it's name.

Druvius replies on Jul 10, 2019:

@KKGator Yeah, I think intelligence like ours is an evolutionary dead end. If mass stupidity like Climate Change Denial doesn't do us in, in a few decades at the current pace of technological development, it will be possible for a lone nut to build a doomsday device in their garage. The end won't be far behind.

Here’s a huffpost article on a study about religion and war: [google.

KKGator comments on Jul 10, 2019:

Humans are an inherently violent species. We've never really needed much of a reason to make war on ourselves. Power, territory, money, some other king's wife, etc. Religion is still responsible for an awful lot of violence that's been done in it's name.

Druvius replies on Jul 10, 2019:

@KKGator They do far more often than we here about. I go by the 10-80-10 rule. 10% of people are inherently evil, violent, etc. 80% can be easily induced into accepting, if not actually participating in evil, and 10% pretty much are good people. There were freaking Nazis who saved as many Jews as they could, Japan had a few war resistors in WW2, people like that give me hope.

Here’s a huffpost article on a study about religion and war: [google.

Allamanda comments on Jul 10, 2019:

This has a different view to some extent: http://www.religioustolerance.org/curr_war.htm But, it's always going to depend on how you define the words: religion, war and cause.

Druvius replies on Jul 10, 2019:

Exactly, I'm an ignostic Episcopalian, so technically I'm religious. I don't believe in any woo though, and struggle mightily to let logic and science dictate my world view. I don't think my religion is part of any problems, but I'm horrified by the Biblical Literalist and such Christians.

Here’s a huffpost article on a study about religion and war: [google.

KKGator comments on Jul 10, 2019:

Humans are an inherently violent species. We've never really needed much of a reason to make war on ourselves. Power, territory, money, some other king's wife, etc. Religion is still responsible for an awful lot of violence that's been done in it's name.

Druvius replies on Jul 10, 2019:

Well, yes, but there are peoples, cultures, and civilizations that weren't warlike at all. And the "Imperial Disease" as I call it, nations that are into conquering their neighbors, is actually very rare. So I would say humans are easily incited to violence, but aren't inherently violent. The fact that throughout history huge numbers of soldiers had to be FORCED to fight certainly argues against humans being inherently violent. I've often thought if the draft age was 30 most wars would end quickly because people with spouses, kids, and lives are far more likely to say "Eff this, I'm going home."

Do we have religious members in this website?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 8, 2019:

This is from a site called Crossexamined.org, and even though it's a Christian apologist site, this is the best way of answering that I have come across. (Please note that this debate has been around since the Middle Ages...) (Any misspellings in the original, for which I make no apologies. I ...

Druvius replies on Jul 8, 2019:

Yes, basically the question is a rhetorical question.

Space Archeologist Sarah Parcak Unearths Ancient Mysteries ...

Druvius comments on Jul 6, 2019:

The fact that looting archaeological sites is endemic is sadly a symptom of just how dysfunctional our global civilization is. That being said, glad peeps are doing their best to prevent same, gives me hope for the species.

Druvius replies on Jul 7, 2019:

@Carin Yes .... but desperate poverty is one of the symptoms of how sick/dysfunctional/warped our global civilization is ... because we easily could provide everyone on Earth with a decent standard of living.