If god were real, the god of the bible's death toll would be 3 to 20 million people and quite a few ...

Fernapple comments on Apr 21, 2021:

Small qualification. The plagues of Egypt, god sent a satan, (there may be more than one ) to do the job for him. So they both did it.

Fernapple replies on Apr 24, 2021:

@Triphid Perhaps not, that is actually, in part, the point, because the Jews did not have the same cultural tradition of only feeding the eldest that the native Egyptians did. It may even have been that tradition, and event, that more than anything started them off seeing themselves as a distinct people. It is only a theory I relate second hand, but it does work rather neatly.

This is an old film of K.

GeorgeRocheleau comments on Apr 23, 2021:

I loved his book, King Solomon’s Ring. He had some great stories in it about his studying rooks, very intelligent birds, related to crows. Since rooks are black, they would respond to anything else that was also black. He resorted to wearing a red devil suit to study the birds.What his neighbors ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 23, 2021:

Yes it was one of the first 'proper adult' books I read. The stories in it are the stories of my childhood. I was no doubt given fairy stories and other childrens lit. as a child like all others, but it is the stories of the naturalists, Lorenz, Fabre, and a very British one 'Romany' which stood out, somehow they were just so much better than the banal fictional lit we were fed by the schools especially. They helped you to understand the romance of reality, and when once you had fallen under the spell of that as a child, you would never be seduced by the banal fantasy of things like the buy-babble.

If god were real, the god of the bible's death toll would be 3 to 20 million people and quite a few ...

Fernapple comments on Apr 21, 2021:

Small qualification. The plagues of Egypt, god sent a satan, (there may be more than one ) to do the job for him. So they both did it.

Fernapple replies on Apr 23, 2021:

@Triphid I have heard a theory that the last plague, the killing of the first born, could have been Ergotism. Since the Egyptians of the time had a tradition that in times of famine, only the eldest child was fed with grain or bread. The others had to scavenge. And therefore if the grain was infected with the Ergot fungal poison, the eldest children would be the ones who died.

If god were real, the god of the bible's death toll would be 3 to 20 million people and quite a few ...

Fernapple comments on Apr 21, 2021:

Small qualification. The plagues of Egypt, god sent a satan, (there may be more than one ) to do the job for him. So they both did it.

Fernapple replies on Apr 22, 2021:

@Triphid Yes of course. I am mixing up the plagues of Egypt, with that of David. But it is still given as seventy thousand.

Saving the world one corndog at a time.

Fernapple comments on Apr 21, 2021:

World wide the commonest street/house number to include a letter is 12a. Wonder why?

Fernapple replies on Apr 21, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 To quote a lot of your former presidents. "I know nothing. I never met the owner of 12a. I do not recall any such conversation. You can have full access to my telephone records, as soon as you obtain the correct documents. I have no memory of this. There are no such tapes. Nothing like that ever crossed my desk. I am was kept in the dark as much as everyone else."

(Forewarning: This idea would only be good IF no one cared about the patterns of darkness and light.

Fernapple comments on Apr 20, 2021:

Yes but the problem is more basic than that. The real problem is that there are not an exact number of days, the time it takes the earth to rotate, in a year. So that if you make the seconds line up with the days, they will not line up with the year, and if you do make the seconds line up with the ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 21, 2021:

@EarnestEccentric Have you looked up the difference between a sidereal day and a solar day ? I think that would interest you.

Ockham’s razor, Russell’s teapot, and the lottery paradox.

p-nullifidian comments on Apr 20, 2021:

And as a nullifidian (one who is without faith or religious belief), I am amazed at how some find it important to make a strident distinction between the 'agnostic' and 'atheist' labels. If our beliefs are informed by our understanding of the facts (i.e., knowledge), then I see no reason why one ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 21, 2021:

That always make sense to me, and I have heard it said many times. Unfortunately of course careful thoughtful nuanced ideas do not make headlines, because of course there are a lot of people who have an interest in promoting misunderstanding.

Its an ill wind they say, and some even gain from Covid. [youtube.com]

Marionville comments on Apr 18, 2021:

Interesting....I live in Northern Ireland and only yesterday saw a fox run down my lane. I know there are foxes around because when we kept hens we’d regularly lose one or two to a raid. but I rarely see them in out in broad daylight. They’re beautiful creatures, especially the cubs and I ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 18, 2021:

We had a young one in our garden that would take food from you.

Scientists paint best portrait yet of closest known fast radio burst Two new studies paint a ...

Cast1es comments on Apr 18, 2021:

How can scientists come up with so much information , based so so little actual data ? They look at stars , billions of light years away and , because the color appears to be reddish instead of bluish they can say whether it's approaching or leaving us behind and at what speed , and what the basic ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 18, 2021:

@Robecology There is no proof that FRBs are not natural, in fact there are a couple of good hypothesis that would make them completely natural. While if you enter good conservative figures into the drake equation, you will find that it says we are almost certainly nearly alone, in the galaxy at least.

Only a 10-min.

Fernapple comments on Apr 18, 2021:

I know what you mean. Though I am more of a woodland than coastal person, for my green fix..

Fernapple replies on Apr 18, 2021:

@Ryo1 I am in Lincolnshire, the wolds are lovely, the blackthorn is in flower and the hedges are greening, but I am just waiting for the cold north east wind to stop.

I got my second covid shot today.

Ryo1 comments on Apr 18, 2021:

Hi there. If your body is reacting to the vaccine as you describe, doesn't that mean that your body is working hard to build resistance, which is a good thing, no?

Fernapple replies on Apr 18, 2021:

Yep, I think that is true.

'Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right' - Ricky Gervois

altschmerz comments on Apr 17, 2021:

That quote offends me.

Fernapple replies on Apr 18, 2021:

Just because you make jokes, it does not mean you are funny. LOL

The wild Blackthorn, Prunus spinosa, is in flower in all our hedgerows at this time.

tinkercreek comments on Apr 17, 2021:

Sorry about that beautiful Arum - has there been any recovery?

Fernapple replies on Apr 17, 2021:

Not yet but I think it will, all summer is ahead.

The Epicurus Dilemma.

Fernapple comments on Apr 16, 2021:

I think that the last one is the weak one, since we do not know what the qualifications for godhood are, who is to say that willingness and ability are needed. But it works fairly well.

Fernapple replies on Apr 17, 2021:

@Basem Quite.

For all the theists out there posing as agnostics and calling me a Gnostic Atheist.

David1955 comments on Apr 16, 2021:

Oh I thought we got rid of DangerDave the primary theist here in agnostic sheep clothing crying out gnostic atheist all the time. Don't tell me he's back. Or are there more like him? Is it any wonder these days that when someone tells me they are an agnostic I am immediately wary until I feel ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 17, 2021:

@David1955 Sad to say, some people have a need to feel that they are somehow special. And if they lack social skills, have failed in relationships, can not make a worthwhile social contribution and are alone. (And needing to be someone special, will help you become all of those things.) Then one of the few things that will help you keep the delusion of being special, is thinking that you have some great knowledge and wisdom, not given to others. While to make you special it has to be, way out and extreme, and to keep your, way out, views safe, you have to shut yourself off completely from any form of critical thinking. So that, they will wriggle, squirm, shout, and offer any insult to others or the world at large rather than face admitting even the least vestage of critical thought, or the benefits of doubt into their world. I have just wasted a lot of time on one such, who I though could be redeemable to some degree, but, no chance.

The Epicurus Dilemma.

Fernapple comments on Apr 16, 2021:

I think that the last one is the weak one, since we do not know what the qualifications for godhood are, who is to say that willingness and ability are needed. But it works fairly well.

Fernapple replies on Apr 17, 2021:

@Basem Interesting, it was this argument that really got to the Christians as well. Since Epicurus then continued to conclude that, if God is good then, you have nothing to fear from god, since a good god will always respect any attempt to do good, and forgive human weakness if you fail to do good. How could he not, and still be good ? This made the Christians invent the doctrine of. "God fearing Christian." In which an irrational fear of god, was a needed qualification to be Christian. Rejecting rational thought in favour of irrational fear, was the best they could do.

For all the theists out there posing as agnostics and calling me a Gnostic Atheist.

David1955 comments on Apr 16, 2021:

Oh I thought we got rid of DangerDave the primary theist here in agnostic sheep clothing crying out gnostic atheist all the time. Don't tell me he's back. Or are there more like him? Is it any wonder these days that when someone tells me they are an agnostic I am immediately wary until I feel ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 17, 2021:

I always found the irony, that he managed to make a gnostic belief system out of agnostsism quite wild, and that he then went around accusing everyone else of being gnostic, despite pedaling the most extreme certainties of his own. Well wild aright , but he got boring in the end. He said when he left, that he was going, because he had gathered enough data on atheists from this site, for the book he was going to write. Wonder if anyone will ever read it ?

The Epicurus Dilemma.

Fernapple comments on Apr 16, 2021:

I think that the last one is the weak one, since we do not know what the qualifications for godhood are, who is to say that willingness and ability are needed. But it works fairly well.

Fernapple replies on Apr 17, 2021:

@LenHazell53 Well yes but only if you allow religions to define god. While not a deist, I would still respect that view, at least as much as religion.

If you go far enough into religion, you will find science.

Fernapple comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Relativist bullshit. If that was true, then why was science ever invented in the first place ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 16, 2021:

@skado Sadly I think that I am your only taker, at least here. But anyway had enough for now, bye.

If you go far enough into religion, you will find science.

Fernapple comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Relativist bullshit. If that was true, then why was science ever invented in the first place ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 16, 2021:

@skado So why bother to mention it at all ?

Someone mentioned how beautiful this garden was and I looked it up.

AnneWimsey comments on Apr 15, 2021:

I browsed Everything! So Amazing! & they did it all themselves while fully employed at first! Thank you for posting this, i just enjoyed the heck out of myself!

Fernapple replies on Apr 16, 2021:

@AnneWimsey I don't think so, it is a very common name in the UK.

Can evil be good, or good be evil?

Fernapple comments on Apr 15, 2021:

Good and evil are absolutes. And like the vast majority of absolutes, they do not exist, ( Or at least not absolutely. This being a nuance.) when people talk about an absolute, they are saying. "I do not accept nuance or qualification in this mater." But accepting nuance and qualification are ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 16, 2021:

@Word Then that is a nuanced use of evil, which is fine.

Someone mentioned how beautiful this garden was and I looked it up.

AnneWimsey comments on Apr 15, 2021:

I browsed Everything! So Amazing! & they did it all themselves while fully employed at first! Thank you for posting this, i just enjoyed the heck out of myself!

Fernapple replies on Apr 15, 2021:

Try this as well. https://perennial.org.uk/garden/york-gate-garden/

If you go far enough into religion, you will find science.

Fernapple comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Relativist bullshit. If that was true, then why was science ever invented in the first place ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 15, 2021:

@skado Oh, that again. LOL

When is it a plant, when a wildflower and when a weed ?

Heidi68 comments on Apr 13, 2021:

I guess most would call my front yard a giant weed bed but I love it. Clover, tiny little white flowers, adorable tiny purple flowers, dandelion and a tiny bit of grass.

Fernapple replies on Apr 14, 2021:

That's my sort of garden.

When is it a plant, when a wildflower and when a weed ?

tinkercreek comments on Apr 14, 2021:

They look like beautiful and happy companions!

Fernapple replies on Apr 14, 2021:

That was my thought exactly.

If you go far enough into religion, you will find science.

Fernapple comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Relativist bullshit. If that was true, then why was science ever invented in the first place ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 14, 2021:

@skado Very good. Bring forth your science then.

When is it a plant, when a wildflower and when a weed ?

Robecology comments on Apr 13, 2021:

The definition of weed is any flowering plant (dicot or monocot) that reproduces by itself and appears to grow in exces". How womeone please explain to me how Cannabis aka Marijuana aka "weed" got the name "weed"?

Fernapple replies on Apr 13, 2021:

@Robecology Thank you. That was interesting, metaphorical for the way the culture associated with it spread.

Something to keep cosmology fans out of mischief for a while.

Fernapple comments on Apr 13, 2021:

No, not quite. I think that most of what the author says about the failings of modern culture, the arts and the rise of relativism is very true, and the article is well worth reading for that alone. But I think that it is a little narrow and limited a view, to pin it all on Albert and ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 13, 2021:

@yvilletom Yes that is true. It also occured to me, that one reason why the writer does not mention Freud is probably just a mater of age. She is very young, (relative to me,) and perhaps does not remember Freud's huge direct effect on Western culture quite so well. Since while Einstein is still very current in cosmology, so that his name is up there to be attached to his legacy. Freud seems now like a distant memory, perhaps because his work was even more fake, and is therefore no longer at the heart of any science even medicine, to keep it current. Yet of course his indirect legacy is still strong even though it is nameless. Only an old man like me perhaps, remembers when Freudian was used as an actually byword for phoney intellectualism and pseudo-science.

When is it a plant, when a wildflower and when a weed ?

Robecology comments on Apr 13, 2021:

The definition of weed is any flowering plant (dicot or monocot) that reproduces by itself and appears to grow in exces". How womeone please explain to me how Cannabis aka Marijuana aka "weed" got the name "weed"?

Fernapple replies on Apr 13, 2021:

The popular definition used over here in the UK is. "A weed is any plant in the wrong place." But we do use the term, common weed, by which we mean any plant which is often found in the wrong place. It is very judgemental, and the plants don't get a fair hearing by any means. LOL I do not know how Cannabis got the name, "weed" I would love to know.

When is it a plant, when a wildflower and when a weed ?

Buttercup comments on Apr 13, 2021:

It's all in your mind, I keep a bee friendly yard so dandelions have moved from weed to desirable volunteers. Like my cilantro, arugula, mint, oregano, daffodils, and potatoes which come back on their own every year. I once had some very persistent kale which I suppose was a weed because I only ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 13, 2021:

Sounds lovely, Do share photos if you can.

I posted this in the gardens group but think it has a conservation value too.

AmyTheBruce comments on Apr 13, 2021:

This strikes me as more a question of philosophy than of gardening or conservation. But do you really want to wax philosophical about this, or would you rather hear stories of rogue gardeners, embracing a wild aesthetic? We have tired of our front lawn. Perfect green, mowed grass is ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 13, 2021:

I love it, that sort of waxing lyrical is exacty what I like. I hope it all goes well for you and the wildlife. Do share photos if you can.

If you go far enough into religion, you will find science.

Fernapple comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Relativist bullshit. If that was true, then why was science ever invented in the first place ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 12, 2021:

@skado I regret to say that Western civilization seems to be the place where we live, unless you have a bunker on an offshore island somewhere ?

I'm certain this is not the first time a human has noticed this, especially during the era before TV...

Fernapple comments on Apr 12, 2021:

Would not work in the U K since we write the dates differently, day, month, year, from the small unit to the largest. It always seemed strange that America jumps around.

Fernapple replies on Apr 12, 2021:

@EarnestEccentric Yes I usually use US, but I put America this time, because I did not know if the habit of printing dates like that was continent wide or not. But of course Canada probably follows Europe at least.

Have you ever noticed how Spring even makes a rainy day look good?

Fernapple comments on Apr 12, 2021:

I envy you. Here in the UK we are starting to suffer a drought, and yet have had more frosts this last week than all winter, a truly horrible spring, bring on summer.

Fernapple replies on Apr 12, 2021:

@EarnestEccentric Thanks.

Oh for when we can travel again, you don't have to go far, other peoples gardens are good enough, ...

Robecology comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry; I get this; Video unavailable This video contains content from LDS, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry all, I will try again another day, and try to find some videos that are available in the US.

Oh for when we can travel again, you don't have to go far, other peoples gardens are good enough, ...

RussRAB comments on Apr 11, 2021:

The videos are still unavailable. I can't say there is anything terribly exotic in my neighborhood, but I have enjoyed driving around looking at see what anyone else might have blooming in their yard. The irises (my favorite) are beginning to bloom.

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry all, I will try again another day, and try to find some videos that are available in the US.

Oh for when we can travel again, you don't have to go far, other peoples gardens are good enough, ...

MikeInBatonRouge comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Apparently Americans are even barred from traveling virtually abroad, lol. No video feed.

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry all, I will try again another day, and try to find some videos that are available in the US.

Oh for when we can travel again, you don't have to go far, other peoples gardens are good enough, ...

Robecology comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry; I get this; Video unavailable This video contains content from LDS, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

@Robecology No, they are both from Utube.

Oh for when we can travel again, you don't have to go far, other peoples gardens are good enough, ...

FrayedBear comments on Apr 11, 2021:

They tell me that it's bloody in Yarkshire! So even with climate change, how do those tropical plants survive winter?

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

That's the gardeners skill. I suspect that a lot are lifted in, some are covered in winter, and a lot are grown anew each year. A lot of work.

Oh for when we can travel again, you don't have to go far, other peoples gardens are good enough, ...

Robecology comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry; I get this; Video unavailable This video contains content from LDS, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

Sorry, which one ?

Been hearing about this technology since forever so be good if they have finally done it.

EarnestEccentric comments on Apr 10, 2021:

The funny thing about discovery is you can't really know when you're going to get there till you actually arrive. This is like back in 1462, when all the sailors and captains were sailing ships out on the oceans with actual sails and no backup motors. All the navigators were saying that a new...

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

And C. Columbus spent his whole later life, trying to prove to everyone, that America was really India ! Makes you wonder how he ever got the credit.

If you go far enough into religion, you will find science.

Fernapple comments on Apr 11, 2021:

Relativist bullshit. If that was true, then why was science ever invented in the first place ?

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

@skado No, the analogy does not work that well. Some parents abuse and exploit their children, abuse their authority, are truly ignorant, and claim too much, a child who escapes such, should be helped and praised. And if no child rebelled, then there would be no progress, only endless deference to received authority, however wrong that authority was. The ultimate excuse for absolute conservatism and progress denial, which is indeed the spirit at the dark heart of relativism. Nor is Science the child of religion, that is just another of religions false claims. (Its good at making those, since it recognizes no criticism which does not come form its own self assumed authority, making it the ideal venue for those who want to make false claims.) Science is the child of philosophy, (First called Natural Philosophy.) which was created to address the difficulty that received authority, from religion, had obviously failed to answer many problems, at the time when people first had the education and resources to spare for questioning. Science and religion are polar opposites, on a much more fundamental level than simply issues about the scientific method, experiment, pier review, belief in the supernatural, sin, or absolute morality. At the bottom the fundamental belief of religion, is the belief in received wisdom as a gift, given to the privileged, without any requirements for justification. While science is the belief that truth is not a given, and that you can only get close to it, by making real effort , and putting in the work, including the effort required to overturn your most fundamental views if the method requires, to challenge received wisdom and invest in the search. To accept therefore religion as an equal to science, is to deny the value of work, effort, courage, time expended, honesty, investment, diligence and progress.

So I just watched the commercial where they're trying to convert people and you had to say a prayer ...

resserts comments on Apr 11, 2021:

I think Romans 3:21–24 is generally used to assign sin to everyone — which is an effective way to scare people into falling in line and devoting themselves to the Church: “But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

There is also of course the Christian interpretation of the "fall" of Adam and Eve as well.

So I just watched the commercial where they're trying to convert people and you had to say a prayer ...

p-nullifidian comments on Apr 10, 2021:

According to Christian doctrine, all are sinners (with the exception of Christ), and only through the acceptance of Jesus Christ may one's sins be cleansed. The immorality of Christianity is laid bare in this doctrine. All a mass murderer must do is confess, even at their deathbed, and all may be ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 11, 2021:

@lerlo That of couse is the point of it, if only Jesus can forgive, then those who have a monopoly on him, the churches, can market him for any price they like.

No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. --Aiistotle

Fernapple comments on Apr 9, 2021:

And very few were without an 'R' in their name. LOL

Fernapple replies on Apr 10, 2021:

@MizJ It was indeed, you count very well. LOL

Monkey Bidnez [youtu.be]

hankster comments on Apr 9, 2021:

wow...but is it sugar free?

Fernapple replies on Apr 10, 2021:

Sadly, no. Some zoos have stopped feeding animal banana, because of the high rates of diabetes found in those animals given them.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

bbyrd009 comments on Apr 9, 2021:

i think the problem might be that you only start talking about forgery once you have insisted upon a literal reading, and looking for facts, like the (other kind) of believers do? So you end up being a believer yourself, of an opposite sort/fact, right? So, if you can examine why you prefer to ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

It is fine to regard it as metaphore, but is it fine to not be truthful about how you regard it.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

ToakReon comments on Apr 9, 2021:

If your intention is that someone should believe that which is untrue, and your actions are intended to bring that about, then you are being dishonest. How, fundamentally, can "I want him to believe X even though it's not true - so I will tell him X is true" be inherently different to "I want him...

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

Yep, that is how I see it.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

Kbdank71 comments on Apr 9, 2021:

Morality is subjective. What one person finds immoral, another may not. As for the bible, people believe what they want to believe. I'm almost certain that most people in the pews wouldn't care if they were told the gospels were anonymous.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

No probably not. Perhaps the priesthood underestimate just how completely they have hoodwinked their flocks. Though it would be nice to think that the flock had the chance to choose for themselves, in the full light of available knowledge.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Apr 9, 2021:

I was recently told, quite vehemently, that there are no "lies of omission." But does this not apply here?

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

Omissions of course may not be lies, but they may still be deception and immorally motivated.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

ASTRALMAX comments on Apr 9, 2021:

It seems to me to equate with the zero-sum (winning and losing ) game and by omitting information it is ensured that the other party are losers. The ancient Egyptian priests were able to observe the rising water levels in underground wells and thereby they could predict a flooding of the Nile and ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

Brilliant.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

editor20 comments on Apr 9, 2021:

If they conceded that, they would be forced to also concede that there is precious little historical evidence for Jesus. So they have chosen the path of fantasy history.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

Which they then present as real history, to the victims sitting in the pews.

Is not telling the whole truth, morally the same as lying ?

barjoe comments on Apr 9, 2021:

The whole Christian religion is based on a lie. I think priest believe it. They've been indoctrinated since birth.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

Yes, but do they, they are in many ways the best informed people about religions history. They must surely to some degree be doing a tapdance around the truth they do not want out in the open.

It is interesting to think about the commonality of our senses, and how much similar animals, ...

waitingforgodo comments on Apr 9, 2021:

Inexplicably, later that same day they found the piano smashed and the pianist crushed to death. Police are on the look out for a large trumpet player with an ear for music.

Fernapple replies on Apr 9, 2021:

It is I think an old piano, expossed to a tropical climate. I don't think he claims to make great music, but it is the only music the elephants get.

Questions to religious people

linxminx comments on Apr 8, 2021:

I've been listening to Ricky Gervais lately, who has stated that throughout history there have been just under 3,000 deities documented that humans have believed in and worshipped. He goes on to say that christians believe in 1 deity, so therefore they are atheists to the other 2,999. Then he ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 8, 2021:

An old one but a good one.

My walk last Sunday ( 4th of April) at the Zoological and botanical garden in Central, Hong Kong.✨

glennlab comments on Apr 7, 2021:

are the last two gingers?

Fernapple replies on Apr 8, 2021:

Not something I know much about, but I think they may be Bromeliads.

I hate it when I'm close enough to be proselytized to, so I have a solution.

barjoe comments on Apr 6, 2021:

If they don't preach to me, I won't tell them to go fuck themselves.

Fernapple replies on Apr 6, 2021:

@barjoe Yes but we are only doing it physically not intellectually.

I hate it when I'm close enough to be proselytized to, so I have a solution.

barjoe comments on Apr 6, 2021:

If they don't preach to me, I won't tell them to go fuck themselves.

Fernapple replies on Apr 6, 2021:

They are doing that already.

My born again Christian younger brother made me promise I'd watch a film called Atheist Delusion by ...

Fernapple comments on Apr 5, 2021:

Link would be helpful. But having seen R.C. before I don't think I will bother.

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2021:

@BufftonBeotch I don't know. But I am pretty sure that I know the sort of stuff that features in it.

5th April 1895.

AnneWimsey comments on Apr 5, 2021:

Why oh why would anyone want to go back to treating anyone like this? Oscar did serious jail time In abysmal conditions for this "crime"

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2021:

@altschmerz It inspired his poem "The Ballad of Reading Jail."

Religion is a driving force behind the gender wage gap, study finds

mischl comments on Apr 4, 2021:

Religion is a driving force behind numerous societal ills. (But on this site, I'd be preaching to the choir.) Mostly, I just want religion out of my government and back into their churches.

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2021:

Then can we nail the doors shut ?

Easter! I would say that Easter is one of the most misunderstood holidays, but in reality, most ...

davknight comments on Apr 4, 2021:

One thing I can never understand is that eating the flesh of animals with cloven hooves is forbidden in the Old Testament. So why do American Christians eat tens of millions of sacrificial pigs every Easter Sunday? Is eating pork representative of eating Jeezus meat?

Fernapple replies on Apr 5, 2021:

The revelation of St Paul gave Christiians permission to ignore the diet laws.

Avakas Gorge in Cyprus, a great hike, with a chance to duck under the overhanging rock.

Heidi68 comments on Apr 4, 2021:

Goodness these are beautiful. Looks like a wonderful place to visit

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2021:

Hard walking at the end, the gorge is blocked by huge rock falls at its upper end, but it is very beautiful and you can of course turn back half way.

Sometimes I'm not an atheist, people are so annoying I become an Apatheist.

LovinLarge comments on Apr 3, 2021:

The fueling of division and war by religion makes religious apathy irresponsible.

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2021:

Yes but you can be apathetic to religion in the pure sense, without being apathetic to its social, and political aims or effects.

So.

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Apr 3, 2021:

Osiris died and resurrected long before Jesus came on the scene. His death and resurrection gave hope to humans that they, too, could be resurrected. Likewise, Inanna died and resurrected. Not only that, but she was dead for three days and three nights, just like Jesus. I am writing a paper ...

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2021:

Though to run with Sgt-Spanky's point, Osiris did have to do it every year.

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Apr 4, 2021:

@Petter As far as I know, a computer has no interest in how, easy, difficult, or silly the task it is asked to do is. It will go happily from New York to Boston via Australia if asked.

I have eaten and cooked with Medlar and it is very tasty, have any other members tried it ?

phxbillcee comments on Apr 3, 2021:

I might try a jam from this fruit, & maybe even the gin, but I honestly can't see going through the whole 'bletting' process.

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2021:

You don't have to work very hard at bletting them, in fact I found that with the ones my friend gives me of their tree, getting them used before they went too far was the problem. A bit like bananas they are perfect only for a short while.

I have eaten and cooked with Medlar and it is very tasty, have any other members tried it ?

Charlene comments on Apr 3, 2021:

Sounds yummy..wonder if I could find it over here..

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2021:

A friend of mine has and old tree, they used to be common across the western world.

Is that a metric adjustable hammer or SAE adjustable hammer?

girlwithsmiles comments on Apr 2, 2021:

That was confusing for a moment reading hammer and seeing spanner, tools eh? 😂

Fernapple replies on Apr 3, 2021:

@dalefvictor Yes but it is nice when you stop.

Is that a metric adjustable hammer or SAE adjustable hammer?

girlwithsmiles comments on Apr 2, 2021:

That was confusing for a moment reading hammer and seeing spanner, tools eh? 😂

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2021:

@GeorgeRocheleau That's interesting to know, I did not know the initials. I know that your pints are different, being a pound of water as opposed to our pound and a quarter. I wonder if there are any others ?

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2021:

@barjoe The add forty and double etc. does work in reverse if you reverse it, but my point was that you have to think about and reverse it just the same as you do with the divide by five, multiply by nine and add thirty two method.

Is that a metric adjustable hammer or SAE adjustable hammer?

girlwithsmiles comments on Apr 2, 2021:

That was confusing for a moment reading hammer and seeing spanner, tools eh? 😂

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2021:

I think that may be intended as part of the joke, if not we will find out how honest George is prepared to be about mistakes. LOL

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2021:

@barjoe I know, ammended see above.

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Apr 2, 2021:

@Petter Yes but your method does not work in reverse, going from F to C, if just apllied mindlessly, you still have to make choices therefore, and it is much less clear why you do so. Besides which multiply by 1.8 as opposed to double, divide by ten, deduct result, involves a multiplication by a multiple of nine, which is what you were mainly presumable trying to avoid in the first place.

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Apr 1, 2021:

@Petter 169.376 Yes I needed a bit of paper for that, but in pratice I never really need temps to fractions of degrees, and if I did it would be in a technical working situation where i would have pen and paper to hand at least. But that one is far from easy using your method, anyway, and doing five calculations, be they easier ones, when I only need three, seems an extra burden most of the time. Moreover the conventional method promotes understanding of the problem, and is easier therefore to check for errors and reverse.

I once had a coworker come up to me and say.

Fernapple comments on Mar 30, 2021:

A wise teacher once said. "You should make a habit of looking up at the sky for ten mins every day, it is good to keep grounded in what is really happening." But I don't think that, 'wise teachers' are found in bible class.

Fernapple replies on Mar 30, 2021:

@BufftonBeotch I know that knocked me sideways too, even a horse with blinkers on surely sees more of what is arround it.

Surely the silliest thing that humans can do is to think they can know the future, see the future, ...

AmmaRE007 comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Science can be really simple if you believe in it. Isn't this a bit contradictory?

Fernapple replies on Mar 30, 2021:

To a degree yes it is simple. Religion says. "We have been given all the truth we need as a privilege, because we are chosen." And science says. "We are not given truth, therefore we need to work hard and carefully to get anywhere near it." At the bottom, simple really.

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2021:

@Petter Nah. 17 divided by five is 3.4 times 9 equals 30.6 while adding 32 is no problem at all 62.6. Just did that in my head no problem at all. As with all maths there is a load of ways, you just pick one you like.

Autumn is slowly descending even though the temperatures is still in the 20sC, 70s in F for those ...

barjoe comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Australians hate those damn lazy Americans. Cx1.8+32=F.

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2021:

@Petter Or divide by five and multiply by nine, then add 32.

Conservative Christians are driving more Americans away from religion altogether A new book ...

Daco2007 comments on Mar 29, 2021:

Fixed the link

Fernapple replies on Mar 29, 2021:

Thanks, got it now.

The wonderful things, which emerge from that apparently simple process of natural selection, make ...

Theresa_N comments on Mar 28, 2021:

Learned something while enjoying the beautiful birds and video.

Fernapple replies on Mar 28, 2021:

Great, just what this group is meant to be about.

Don’t ask, “Is it an option to be happy?

Fernapple comments on Mar 28, 2021:

Only two things. Freedom from that which makes you unhappy, and then the power of appreciation. The first is actually a lot harder than it seems and quite rare, the second is easiest found through education, so that is very rare.

Fernapple replies on Mar 28, 2021:

@Julie808 That's Ok although the appreciation that I was thinking of, was your own powers of appreciation. The equivalent of your. "Being happy with what you've got " But I would agree that being able to make a contribution and recieve appreciation in return is a good thing, which really helps, though perhaps not absolutely needed, since knowing you have made others happy, even if they do not show it to you, is perhaps enough. But I think that appreciation, as a personal quality, is a slight improvement on, "Being happy with what you've got" since it is more general, and especially, not possessive in quite the same way.

Grunge Here's What It Was Really Like To Pioneer On The Oregon Trail [youtube.com]

Fernapple comments on Mar 28, 2021:

How long did it generally take ?

Fernapple replies on Mar 28, 2021:

@phxbillcee Thank you. About 12 -14 miles per day that is fairy good going for a large group, burdened with waggons and off road. I would think they would want to get it all done before winter.

"People don't want to hear the truth, because they don't want to see their illusions destroyed.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2021:

Almost a tautology.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2021:

@MizJ No , but maths logic yes, though I am not very good at them.

Hair of the dog tail.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2021:

OK, so I think, from the maths alone, that the letter which he addressed to himself was " i ", but am at a loss as to the name of the dog, unless it was "me" or Holmes, since " instruction to rotate ninety degrees ", would be a strange name for a dog.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2021:

@waitingforgodo You got me there, I did not notice the - for +.

Hair of the dog tail.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2021:

OK, so I think, from the maths alone, that the letter which he addressed to himself was " i ", but am at a loss as to the name of the dog, unless it was "me" or Holmes, since " instruction to rotate ninety degrees ", would be a strange name for a dog.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2021:

@waitingforgodo I'm no good at it either, but I do find it interesting. And sometimes beautiful.

Hair of the dog tail.

Fernapple comments on Mar 27, 2021:

OK, so I think, from the maths alone, that the letter which he addressed to himself was " i ", but am at a loss as to the name of the dog, unless it was "me" or Holmes, since " instruction to rotate ninety degrees ", would be a strange name for a dog.

Fernapple replies on Mar 27, 2021:

@waitingforgodo A lot of people think that maths is boring sadly, I blame the education system.

Oh dear, how sad, too bad, never mind 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😝 "Religious disaffiliation ...

Petter comments on Mar 25, 2021:

He gives all sorts of reasons, but not the real one. With the widespread use of mass communication and improving education, there has been an increase in people's ability to **independently** reason. Hence, from only 1.8% of people saying there is no god 20 years ago, now there is 6% - that is a ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2021:

@LenHazell53 That's it perfectly. I left it at that, because I could not think of a way of putting it quite so neatly. My other thought was about how similar they are to political figures like Putin, and the orange thing. Declaring that they want and are going to make their countries great again, without ever realizing that it is people like them and their policies that are stopping it becoming great again. Actually I like your line so much, that I think I will quote you in the quotes group. Hoping you don't mind.

Hair of the dog tail.

Fernapple comments on Mar 26, 2021:

The name of the dog was god, because that is dog backwards and the whole leads backwards, and the letter said nothing.

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2021:

@waitingforgodo Will look at it again tonight when I have more time.

In alphabetic order, there is a religious method and a scientific method to acquire knowledge.

Fernapple comments on Mar 22, 2021:

I have always thought that there is a scale of knowledge. First is science, which is first hand personally obtained evidence, filtered by the experimental method and the review of others. Next is personal first hand experience, keeping close to the experimental method, but without the filters....

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2021:

@Coffeo You have been lucky then. But it can be fun.

Oh dear, how sad, too bad, never mind 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😝 "Religious disaffiliation ...

Petter comments on Mar 25, 2021:

He gives all sorts of reasons, but not the real one. With the widespread use of mass communication and improving education, there has been an increase in people's ability to **independently** reason. Hence, from only 1.8% of people saying there is no god 20 years ago, now there is 6% - that is a ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 26, 2021:

I have seen a lot of these, Christians reporting on their own decline articles over the years, and they never do get it right.

When one journey ends a bigger one begins.

FearlessFly comments on Mar 25, 2021:

. . . a very good read : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41750870-the-wolf

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2021:

Oh, thanks my next order from the bookstore.

Speak for yourself! I like my babies bar-b-qued & marinated in green vomit!

Willow_Wisp comments on Mar 25, 2021:

I'll take this argument further if pressed. I deem the Abrahamic God to be a preposterous impossibility. The "perfect" word of God is a collection of short stories that contradict each other and makes mythical claims that violates the internal consistency of the Abrahamic God in a way that proves ...

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2021:

That's very good. But I bet you could not say that to a theist, without getting interupted fifty times. LOL

Even tho Atheism & Evolution are two different things (tho most Theists don't get that)...

Paul4747 comments on Mar 25, 2021:

You don't have to be an atheist to accept science, but it helps....

Fernapple replies on Mar 25, 2021:

You don't have to be a theist to reject science, but..........LOL

"It must be stressed that there is nothing insulting about looking at people as animals.

Fernapple comments on Mar 24, 2021:

To think that we are better than animals, is firstly to make the assumption that there is something you can be, which is better than being an animal.

Fernapple replies on Mar 24, 2021:

@girlwithsmiles Im not a teacup. I could be a cat, but certain I am not a teacup.

In alphabetic order, there is a religious method and a scientific method to acquire knowledge.

Fernapple comments on Mar 22, 2021:

I have always thought that there is a scale of knowledge. First is science, which is first hand personally obtained evidence, filtered by the experimental method and the review of others. Next is personal first hand experience, keeping close to the experimental method, but without the filters....

Fernapple replies on Mar 24, 2021:

@Coffeo I perhaps over qualify, but you have to be wary, especially if debating with theists. Since they will regard any evidence they can come up with, that you use faith in however small and periferal a way, as a way to score what is to them a major victory, and a clear proof that all sceptical views are invalid.

In alphabetic order, there is a religious method and a scientific method to acquire knowledge.

Fernapple comments on Mar 22, 2021:

I have always thought that there is a scale of knowledge. First is science, which is first hand personally obtained evidence, filtered by the experimental method and the review of others. Next is personal first hand experience, keeping close to the experimental method, but without the filters....

Fernapple replies on Mar 24, 2021:

@Coffeo Good points. On the fourth, accepted authority, is of course a well known fallacy, but then it is well down the list, next to ad populum ( Can be fallacy.) of which it is a sub-set. Because 'accepted' is itself, proof by democracy. Yet with the extra point that, though accepted authority is only proved mainly by ad populum, it has the further filtre that you may use your own previous experience with each authority as well, to evaluate its quality, so that it is just that little better, than popular judgement alone would make it. Since you, unfortunately, do not have a choice but to use accepted authority, because it simply would not be possible for any single individual to prove every single thing by performing an experiment, and/or collecting your own data. When I use a set-square to mark out a piece of wood in intend to cut, I accept the authority of the tool maker that it will give me a right angle, though I could test it. Neither did I take my new car to pieces, and measure all the parts, since I accept the authority of the car makers, and the national standards agency that any new car sold will be safe. Foolish perhaps, but if I checked everything, it would soon use up so much time, that I should starve. ( Also accept the authority of the food makers, and government, that the foodstuffs are not poisons. Though that at least, is questionable, as history proves. ) On the sixth, it is important to note my, "keep this to a minimum," statement and the fact that I have never in practice needed to go that far down the list, for anything important or debatable. Yet, I do take it on faith that, my senses provide a 'nearly' accurate model of the world, that I am not insane, not seeing visions, and that the basic rules of logic really do work. Which is what I mean by nothing debatable, since I do not know of any of any other set of senses that I may have in another world, or any other rules of logic. And nothing important, since if I am insane, then no one has offered to introduce me to sanity and until they do, then any alternate sanity has no meaning for me.

I just got banned from FB because this info that I posted, below, is allegedly false/fake.

Theresa_N comments on Mar 24, 2021:

Anybody with more than average intelligence still using FB is willfully ignorant.

Fernapple replies on Mar 24, 2021:

@altschmerz There are other platforms, but if people never experiment with them, it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.

“The chain of marriage is so heavy that it takes two to bear it; sometimes three.

whiskywoman comments on Mar 24, 2021:

testosterone makes men think they can handle more than one woman most cant handle one

Fernapple replies on Mar 24, 2021:

@whiskywoman Well I overstate my case a bit. My late wife for one, used to love a h##d j#b, but those times are sadly long gone.