Do you still believe in Capitalism?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 24, 2018:

It seems pretty clear that to inspire people to work hard they have to be free to profit from their own talents, creativity, and energy. Lack of such freedom led to the downfall of the Soviet Union. It is also clear that in unregulated capitalism big fish eat up little fish and multiple rounds of consolidation eliminates competition and creates monopolies. Without competition the quality of goods and services declines. And without regulation corporations run rough shod over the environment, realizing profits for investors but leaving the public holding the liabilities. That's what is happening right now as Trump denies climate science in order to allow the fossil fuel industry to rake in massive profits. Meanwhile, fires, floods, and asthma devastate average Americans. That's without regulation. With regulation, the system can reach high efficiency and productivity, improving life for billions. The highly regulated model is not pure capitalism however. It is a mixture of capitalism and socialism. In his zeal to do away with financial and environmental regulations, Trump tilts the scale towards pure capitalism. His policies produce short-term gains that really only benefit an elite minority. In the long run they erode the foundations of our economy. To answer the original question, I have to say no, I don't still believe in pure capitalism. I don't think I ever did. But I think a dash of capitalism is necessary to keep people interested in producing and innovating.

Why is the left lacking the personality mouthpieces to offset the right mouthpieces?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 24, 2018:

One thing about the "conservatives" is that they have a very well-oiled propaganda machine. They have been working on it for a long time, and it really hums! They also have their hot-button religious/social issues and capitalist ideology to rally around. They have been so successful at casting doubt on established science that liberals have been hesitant to bring up environmental issues. Global warming was barely mentioned in 2016, and in 2018 the Dems ran on healthcare (specifically, coverage for people with pre-existing conditions). You can wheel out all the mouthpieces in the world, but if they don't have a platform what are they going to say? The liberals have got to get better at framing the discussion. We need to seize the initiative, take the high ground, and establish the terms of the debate. For every catchy phrase the right comes up with the left has to have a better one to counter it. Above all the left has to be careful not to over-reach. We need to clearly repudiate wild, non-starter ideas like dissolving ICE. that kind of stuff is red meat for the "conservatives." One place we could start is stop calling them conservatives. Their ideas about pure capitalism are actually radical. Even Adam Smith said that some regulation was needed or the system would collapse. And the idea that you can go on despoiling the Earth without consequences is anything but conservative. Just sayin'.

How do i get to level three...? ? i thought i did everything it asked. lol

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 25, 2018:

Just keep interacting with others here. You'll get there. Hey, wait a minute. Your profile says you are already at level three! Well, to get to level 4, the same advice applies.

U.S. Healthcare Ranked Worst In The Developed World - The Intellectualist

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 25, 2018:

In terms of healthcare the US has lagged behind other developed countries for a long time. What we do well here is buy in to false premises and flawed ideologies like the ridiculous idea that the unregulated marketplace will always produce the best outcome.

Michael Flynn asks federal judge to spare him from prison time in response to government sentencing ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 12, 2018:

Apparently Mr. Mueller valued highly Flynn's cooperation. In matter of Flynn's sentencing, I think the judge should give Mueller's recommendation due consideration. This would also tend to strengthen the prosecutor's hand in negotiations with other potential witnesses.

Evangelical Christians Helped Elect Donald Trump, but Their Time as a Major Political Force Is ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 15, 2018:

Gawd I hope so!

Someone needs to listen to Comey very carefully in this interview.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 17, 2018:

To paraphrase what syndicated columnist Mark Shields recently said on the PBS Newshour, there is no Republican Party. There is a Party of Donald J. Trump.

Happy Solstice Everyone! [timeanddate.com]

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 21, 2018:

The REAL reason for the season! Yay!!!?

General Motors CEO Collects $22 Million Salary While Cutting 15,000 Jobs

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 23, 2018:

Isn't that just DANDY? The workers get pink slips, the investors get their dividends and the CEO gets a golden parachute. I love capitalism!

Paul Manafort indicted in New York moments after sentencing in D.C. case

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 14, 2019:

If these are completely separate offenses then double jeopardy should not apply. And since they are State charges he would not be able to skate on a pardon from Trump. So maybe the dirty SOB will get what he deserves. Fingers crossed!

Atheism is just another religion.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 21, 2019:

Uh, no. Atheism is not a religion. The poster has made several assumptions that are not valid. For instance, atheists do not necessarily spend a lot of time thinking about the non-existence of god(s). Once one has come to this (correct) conclusion, we are free to spend our finite mental energy on other, more important matters. And we do. Neither do most atheists go around trying to convince others of their position vis-a-vis the human invention known as a deity. And we don't go out of our way to ridicule people who believe in god(s). However, an atheist may occasionally find it necessary to rebut the ridiculous assertions made by a believer. The rebuttal may seem like ridicule to the believing person who has made a ridiculous statement (e.g. "the Earth and all it life forms were created in six days"). Do atheists hold meetings? Yes, occasionally. So do bird watchers and motorcycle enthusiasts. A meeting does not make a religion. Finally, atheism is not so much a reaction as a conclusion. After being bombarded for years or decades with ridiculous assertions for which no legitimate, independently verifiable evidence was ever offered, an intelligent person can finally say "Enough!"

Hi I'm thinking of get a tattoo.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2019:

You might consider this: 9:3:3:1 It is the phenotypic ratio that Gregor Mendel observed in the F2 generation of his dihybrid cross experiments. It is significant in that it reveals that sexual reproduction produces diversity. And this diversity, which is the raw material upon which natural selection acts, has been the driver of our evolution. And it is all that stands between any sexual species and extinction. Sex, diversity, evolution, resilience; pretty evocative for just four little digits, no?

Is anyone else as scared as I am about global warming?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jun 24, 2019:

I am sorry to say that your fears are well-founded. It appears that we have about ten years in which to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep global temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius. Beyond 2 degrees, feedbacks in the natural system kick in and temperatures spiral upward uncontrollably. Feedback mechanisms include things like decrease on Earth's albedo (reflectivity) due to disappearance of ice cover, and massive increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations (and consequent temperature increase) due to melting permafrost. If proposals to add sulphur dioxide to the atmosphere to counteract the loss of albedo sound crazy, you are right. The acid rain resulting from such so-called geoengineering would devastate our agriculture (and forests). Technologies that can suck CO2 out of the atmosphere are in development, but they will be expensive and will have to be implemented on a massive scale. Bottom line: tough times ahead.

WARNING! WARNING! DANGER WILL ROBINSON DANGER! So I had a desperate thought today.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 1, 2019:

I know where you are coming from sister. You and I and LOTS of other people are feeling isolated and lonely. I heard talk (on NPR [National Public Radio]) of a recent study that gave some big numbers (which I did not write down because I was driving) but apparently it (lonliness) is a VERY common element in modern life. Congratulations for not giving in to the temptation to attend church! As a free thinker among believers you would probably have felt your isolation even more acutely. And there is nothing quite so sad as feeling alone in a crowd. I wish I had a silver bullet to offer you, but alas all I can say is hang in there kid!

To any educators in the group.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 7, 2019:

I have been teaching high school science for 20 years. Evolution is one of my favorite subjects. I very matter-of-factly lay out the theory, present the evidence, and let the chips fall where they may. Some people cannot accept it, and that's a shame but it does not change the facts. And who knows? Some day an acorn I planted years before may grow into a mighty oak. One can hope. Meanwhile, some others get a lift from an awakening freedom to think for themselves. Ineviablt someone will ask me if I believe in god. My standard reply is, "In science, belief is irrelevant. Next question."

So coming up to Christmas please tell me Athiests what you think of the Holiday season since you ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 20, 2019:

Christmas is as much about consumerism as it is about religion. While I am not a big fan of either, it is apparent that the two things are linked by a cause-and-effect relationship. Arguably the religious belief in man's God-given dominion over nature has given rise to the false and dangerous attitude that Earth's resources are boundless and inexhaustible. Which is why collectively we continue to trash the planet's land, air, and water. And why, if we do not act with resolve and alacrity, we will soon drive the climate into an unstoppable feedback loop of catastrophic warming. This would have the effect of ending civilization and of driving mass extinction, thus drawing the curtains on our consumerism. If there is a silver lining to this menacing storm cloud it is that there is a certain balance, a certain symmetry in all this: the belief carries the seeds of its own destruction. Nature heals itself.

Between 1419 and 1712 Europe went through 42 significant Wars (there were many more small ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 29, 2019:

The violent, murderous, genocidal streak in the Christian psyche is not something restricted to a dark and distant past. It was only a few decades ago that Serbian Christians committed mass murder on Bosnian Moslems. Beware your Christian neighbors!

Name one good thing that comes from the Christian beliefs.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 4, 2020:

I give up.

Pastor: Planes Don’t Crash If There’s a Christian “On That Airplane Praying” | Hemant Mehta ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 13, 2020:

From people who have lived through close calls where it looked like the plane was going down, we know that lots of passengers pray to God the plane does not crash. Now this pastor wants us believe that the people on planes that actually do crash were not praying? Ha! They were praying their asses off!

DeSantis Ad Implies He Was Chosen By God | Twitter Bans Users For Impersonating Elon Musk - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 8, 2022:

In all fairness, DiSantis IS a sanctimonious turd.

Not quite sure how to react to this .

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 16, 2022:

I have heard of these mites before. They especially like to live around the bases of our eyebrow hairs. 😂 It's a type symbiosis called commensalism: one organism benefits from living on or in another without doing its host any harm.

Monologue: The Chrismas Surprise | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 20, 2022:

"Six American flags, and Trump didn't try to hump any of them." Bwahahaha! 😂

Here's why vandals sprayed graffiti at Focus on the Family headquarters

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 28, 2022:

Much as I agree with the underlying sentiment, I don't see this solving anything. The Christians will just claim they are being persecuted. They will not look inward to see what they did to offend (even though that is at the heart of what Jesus taught).

I choose to stay on Twitter.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Nov 30, 2022:

I'm afraid if I get on Twitter I will spend too much time arguing with idiots, trying to set them straight. I'm just too busy with other things right now.

When does life begin?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 3, 2022:

When does life begin? Constantly. You your body creats millions of new cells every second. With the exception of viruses, all living things are made of cells. The first life on Earth began about 3.5 billion years ago, and was unicellular. Other characteristics of living things include response to stimuli, reproduction, metabolism, homeostasis, DNA, energy transformations, and death. An equally important question is when does a human embryo or fetus become a person? IMHO, definitely not at conception. Not during the embryonic stage. Not for most of the fetal stage. Certainly not before viability. Probably not until birth.

Commentary from Jeff Childers - 'Coffee & Covid' on an WSJ op-ed.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 5, 2022:

Over 200 million Americans have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccines have worked so well at protecting people that they're already getting complacent.

WNBA star Brittney GRINER freed, in swap for Russian arms dealer.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 8, 2022:

Glad she's out. I hope no one else stupidly hands Putin a valuable bargaining chip.

Catholic church paid Maryland lobbyists more than $200K to help limit, prevent abuse lawsuits ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 8, 2022:

I am not at all surprised. 😐

Man in Clearwater Has Sex With Dog In Front Of Child

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 12, 2022:

Was the moron high on meth? 🤮

Twitter Suspends Journalists Covering Elon Musk and the Company - NBC

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 15, 2022:

Musk is such a turd. 💩

I just came across this, it shows a church near where I live, which is now disused due to falling ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 17, 2022:

I love that there's no voice over. Just let the land speak for itself. 😎👍

Neil deGrasse Tyson: DO THIS Every Morning To Find Happiness & Meaning In Your Life

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 20, 2022:

Alway enjoy NDGT 😎👍

Commentary from Jeff Childers 'Coffee & Covid' New readers probably don’t know that I completed...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 28, 2022:

What a stinking pile of 🐂💩. It's another in a long line of pathetic attempts to whip up fear of RNA vaccines. Fortunately, we don't have to concern ourselves with the Florida governor's opinion, or that of his round table of experts, or the media's coverage of them. None of that is relevant. It's just a distraction. What matters is that all the data show that the vaccines are safe and effective. People who are unvaccinated are much more likely to become seriously ill and die of SARS CoV-2 than people who have been vaccinated. And evidence that the vaccines have caused harm to many people is scant, notwithstanding a great volume of emotionally-charged, scientifically bankrupt anti-vax propaganda.

All cats can be jerks.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 30, 2022:

Big kitty.

Kirk Cameron is still telling lies to boost sales of his new Christian book

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2022:

What did you expect? That he was suddenly going to clean up his act? Hahaha 😂😂😂

Bills Announce Damar Hamlin Showing "Remarkable Improvement" Appears To Be "Neurologically Intact" ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 5, 2023:

Good news!

Bills Announce Damar Hamlin Showing "Remarkable Improvement" Appears To Be "Neurologically Intact" ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 5, 2023:

Now let's see if the NFL makes any meaningful changes to protect players from this inherently violent sport.

Bolsonaro supporters invade Brazil presidential palace, Congress, Supreme Court | Reuters

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 8, 2023:

Is this Brazil's fascists copying the U.S' fascists, or a preview of coming attractions in Washington D.C.?

The Christians behind that 'Eye of the Tiger' cover know you think it's cringy

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 10, 2023:

Until this post I was blissfully unaware of any Christian re-working of the eye of the tiger song. I'm not even sure who does the original. Is it Journey? I did hear that some Christians got sued for ripping off the musical play Hamilton. Serves them right. Whoever the "eye" copyright holders are, they should do the same.

All Flights Across US Grounded Due To FAA Computer System Glitch - US Sky News

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 11, 2023:

Good! Per passenger mile, air travel has, by far, the biggest carbon footprint. Until clean aircraft are developed, nobody should ever fly, except in the most dire emergency. A single passenger on a Boeing 747 produces substantially more CO2 in 60 hours of flight than the average American automobile driver does in a full year! Every ton of CO2 emitted only worsens the climate crisis. The annual cost of climate related disasters in the USA alone has risen from about 20 billion dollars per year in the 1980s to over 150 billion dollars per year in 2022. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/billions/

'Japan has launched an official investigation into the unprecedented numbers of people dying after ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 14, 2023:

So BDair posts another crock of 🐂💩. What's new?

If Iowa passes a voucher bill, this guy says he'll open up a Satanic school

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 19, 2023:

That's it: drop a spanner in their gearbox! 😂

I think a part of the appeal of religion is from nostalgia.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 19, 2023:

If you really look at it, the good old days were never that good. But time heals all wounds.

Right wing evangelicals and other right wing conservative religious sects want to outright destroy ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 20, 2023:

Christian nationalists pose an existential threat to our democracy.

[abcnews.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 21, 2023:

Why was a non-student allowed to live in student housing?

[youtu.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 22, 2023:

"Lame" science? So I guess you haven't seen the images from the Hubble and Web space telescopes, haven't heard of nuclear power plants or the recent breakthrough in fusion technology, don't see a doctor when you're sick, haven't ever ridden in a car, boat, train, or plane, haven't been in a grocery store, don't own a TV or a refrigerator,...How exactly are you communicating with us? Telepathy? 😂😂😂

Christians are now a minority in England [theguardian.com]

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 28, 2023:

Yay!!! Now if we can only convert to remaining religious believers into free thinkers, what a beautiful world it would be.

55% of adults think Jesus will return to Earth (this includes 1% of atheists. [allisrael.com]

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 31, 2023:

One thing I agree with Jewish people on: Jesus is not the Messiah, and is not coming back.

Letters From An American 02/01/2023

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 2, 2023:

Thanks for the history lesson. I never knew that background on Battle Hymn Of The Republic. It's timely, too, as I am currently reading Jon Meacham's new book.

Re-branding Jesus?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 5, 2023:

He gets us? If Jesus ever existed at all (a proposition that is highly debatable), he has been dead for 2,000 years. He doesn't get us. Your project sounds like a worthy endeavor. Best of luck! 🙂

How long you used to believed in God?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 5, 2023:

Never, really. I was open to the idea for a while. Then I discovered science.

Former Memphis officer charged in Tyre Nichols death allegedly beat jail inmate years earlier

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 14, 2023:

The fact that the officers who beat Nichols are black just goes to show that there are enforcers of the (invented, arbitrary) caste hierarchy from all levels of that hierarchy.

The problem is neither faith nor atheism; it's the desire to have power and control over others.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 19, 2023:

Yup, any human institution can be corrupted, and all of them have been at one time or another. The people who run them have feet of clay.

I'm thinking that having hot, wild sex with that crazy, young woman was still a great thing but ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 1, 2023:

I heard this phrase for the first time only a few weeks ago, in a Lincoln Project podcast. I forget the specific context, but it had to do with signing on to any part of Republican Party ideology. Words to live by.

Ron DeSantis: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 8, 2023:

The most comprehensive (and funny) analysis of Ron DeSerpentisss that I have heard to date. 😂

Surprisingly, I kind of thought this seemed like a workable idea at the time! 😂 Our obsession ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 10, 2023:

I never considered the movie much more than light entertainment, albeit a little on the dark side. What is most interesting to me is the increasingly ridiculous arc of Charelton Heston's career, moving from his portrayal of the "prophet" Moses to the time traveler of Planet of the Apes, and culminating in his role as the face of the NRA; a downward spiral if ever there was one.

For reasons of my own, to do with science I like to look for patterns in my own behavior as well as ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 19, 2023:

What we have here is a marketplace of ideas. To the extent that progressive ideas flourish and spread, the site is progressive. In the main, I think this is the case. However, there are members who are persistently resistant to progressive ideas. On them, the best evidence and argumentation are wasted. By ignorant trolls, the best ideas are dismissed with a wave of the hand.

What do you think of this idea: Any "ideology" (in the broadest sense) that fulfills the following...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 19, 2023:

Sure, why not? Religion, after all, does not necessarily have to be about belief in supernatural forces or beings. The word "religion" comes from the Italian "religgio," meaning re-linking, as in finding the (lost) connection between one's self and his/her/their cosmic origins. In this sense, science can be considered a form of religion.

This Christian claims her three amputated toes were regrown during a prayer service

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 21, 2023:

She lies.

Imagine that, with regards to a given question / problem, two kinds of reality are on a collision ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 21, 2023:

Objective reality should take precedence, except where personal conviction (if it diverges from objective reality) gives comfort and cannot possibly do any harm [as in a person with no influence lying on their death bed].

After Utah lawmakers allowed book banning, one parent went after the Bible

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 24, 2023:

It's about damn time! 😂

Canada Muslim told not to pray at Canadian train station

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 24, 2023:

As long as they are not blocking a thoroughfare, I say leave them alone. Strong-arm tactics are not the way to counter superstitions.

Remember you heard it here first (from me) that covid escaped from the Chinese lab.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 24, 2023:

The true origin of SARS CoV-2 has not been determined, but it most likely came from an animal.

U.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 28, 2023:

What an asshole.

Yet another school mass shooting YLE 03/28/2023

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 29, 2023:

"She" (the shooter) had both X and Y chromosomes...like most of the other AR15-wielding mass murderers.

Donald trump indicted‼️‼️

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 30, 2023:

This is a great for for the rule of law in America! 🙂

Yesterday Victoria's highest court upheld a ruling that the Catholic Church is vicariously liable ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 4, 2023:

Good. Hold their feet to the fire.

Religious jurors punish defendants who don't swear to God to tell the truth

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 5, 2023:

A fool and his/her money are soon parted. The religious juror who punishes a defendant for not swearing to God is also likely to believe the most outlandish and incredible lies from some sanctimonious grifter (e.g. televangelist) with designs on their bank account. So at least there may be a little karmic justice in the end. But still this is no way to run a legal system. It's time to expurgate religion from the courtroom!

Bizarre Philadelphia Theft A Million DIMES - Worth $100K Stolen From Back of Truck | Daily Mail

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 14, 2023:

To launder a million dimes you sell them to a casino owner.

World’s first ‘smart gun’ is launched with fingerprint and facial recognition | Evening ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 15, 2023:

First we have to get past minority rule. Then we can move forward.

Robert F.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2023:

Old Joe has a good record to run on, and he is going to kick the Done Cheato's orange ass AGAIN.

So SpaceX had another "R.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 20, 2023:

I'm not a fan of Elon Musk, and I think the stated long term goal of SpaceX to colonize Mars is an unhelpful distraction which gives some people reason to think that we can fuck up this planet and move on to another. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This Earth is the only home we are ever going to have.

People all over Twitter "celebrating" Adolf Hitler's birthday.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 20, 2023:

So one can freely post shit idolizing Hitler on Twitter, but you can't suggest that a traitor to the USA face justice? WTF? Elon Musk, eat my shorts, you fucking wackadoodle!

Only in Washington State

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 20, 2023:

I love the volcanoes of Washington state! While I attended college there, I hiked and skied on Mount Rainier (up as high as Camp Muir) and Mount Baker, and summited Mt. Saint Helens right before it blew its top. Some friends tried the same thing a few weeks before me and were not so lucky. A storm came up from the side opposite to where they were climbing, and high winds literally blew them off the mountain. One fell (slid) over 900 feet, hit a patch of rocks on the way, and got pretty banged up. After he got out of the hospital, he was in a wheelchair for many months.

New Rule: The Cojones Awards | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 22, 2023:

Hey Bill, on behalf of all your award winners, thanks, but you can keep your little brass balls. We don't want people thinking they should expect a prize for simply maintaining perspective, not jumping on the latest outrage bandwagon, and speaking logically and honestly.

Real Jesus or Euro Jesus?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 29, 2023:

If he ever existed, he most likely would have looked more like the guy on the right. The other thing is just an invention; propaganda.

Peace Through All People - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 2, 2023:

Reminds me of "we are the 🌎." 🙂

Letters From An American 05/01/2023

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 2, 2023:

Even if there is no default, McCarthy's brinksmanship will harm our economy. Even if the SCOTUS says it's policing itself, they should answer Congress's questions.

Hostage shot 9 times by the police; SCOTUS rules it's perfectly fine/legal for the police to ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 3, 2023:

That's...so...wrong... I'm....practically... speechless 😶

Supreme Court to consider overruling Chevron ruling that allowed more environmental oversight, etc.

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 3, 2023:

If we don't protect the environment, we won't have anything.

The idea according to which social facts do not come first, but are explainable from individuals ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 5, 2023:

What's your point?

For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered.

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 7, 2023:

An atheist is a person with no invisible means of support. 😂 -- author unknown

Farmworkers: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 10, 2023:

Isn't it amazing how people who produce nothing (e.g. professional athletes, politicians, right-wing demagogues, religious blowhards, Supreme Court justices, etc.) can be showered with money while the people who produce the food without which we literally would die are treated like shit?

Carl Lentz's Wife on Finding Him in 'Compromising Position' with Nanny -- People

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 16, 2023:

I guess there's money in airing your dirty laundry in public.

More biblical B.

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 18, 2023:

Numerology has a long history in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Of course, it's all BS...

Hate-preacher: Parents who let trans kids get surgery should be "shot in the back of the head"

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 18, 2023:

I doubt that Jesus would approve.

Mental health and social media among teens YLE 05/18/2023

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 19, 2023:

I'm betting that the dark future posed by climate change is a huge factor. Maybe the biggest factor.

Catholic priests in France will be assigned a scannable QR code on their identity card to signal if...

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 19, 2023:

Sounds too good to be true.

Anyone want to edit Wikipedia?

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 20, 2023:

Nice comparison, except that in religion the hoped-for payback is not monetary, but spiritual (psychological). It's an important difference. Otherwise they're very similar. Better leave the Wiki page alone.

What makes you think human beings are sentient and aware?

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 22, 2023:

"You have to leave now and never come back here. Have you ever heard of insect politics? Neither have I. Insects don’t have politics. They’re very brutal. No compassion, no compromise. We can’t trust the insect. I’d like to become the first insect politician. You see, I’d like to, but, I’m afraid, uh… I’m saying… I’m saying, I’m an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it. But now the dream is over and the insect is awake. I’m saying: ‘I’ll hurt you if you stay.’" -- David Cronenburg, The Fly

More than 450 Catholic clergymen abused nearly 2,000 children in Illinois, state report says ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 24, 2023:

Yikes! What a disgraceful, broken institution is the Catholic Church. We have been hearing about such scandals in the Church for decades, generations, and nothing ever seems to change. 😐

[cnn.com] Tina Turner dead at 83. Rest in power, Tina :'(

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 24, 2023:

She was a force of nature, and a hell of a river tour guide! 😍

Pastor charged with four counts of child cruelty announces bid for Louisiana House John Raymond, a ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 27, 2023:

With MAGA, cruelty is the whole point. That's what separating immigrant families at the border, putting kids in cages was all about. That's what the "right" of any angry loser to own an AR-15 is all about. That's what forcing a 10-year-old girl to have her rapist's baby is all about, and what the mass shootings in Buffalo and Charleston and Poway and so many other places were all about. That's what the denigration and violence against LGBTQ people is all about. Cruelty is every MAGAt's middle name.

Bertrand Russell “Why I Am Not A Christian” full audio: [youtube.com]

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 28, 2023:

BR makes many excellent points, the best of which he saves for last: that Christianity is based on fear. This helps explain why so many Christians are also acolytes of the Trump cult, which is also based on fear.

Catholic Church in California grapples with more than 3,000 lawsuits, alleging child sex abuse ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 30, 2023:

I am continually amazed that such a corrupt institution could survive for so long. Especially since the foundation upon which it stands is an irrational fear of death. It's a testament to the power of superstition to make people act stupidly.

There's no reason why an old pagan atheist quilter cannot indulge in the whimsical and fantastical.

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 31, 2023:

It's got a nice, a bucolic vibe. And is it just me, or is there also a phallic theme here? 😂

One must state it plainly.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Aug 23, 2023:

Yup, thousands of years before modern science. 😎👍

Dawk Richard Dawkins finds a circumstance for which he can recommend Christianity, and speaks ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Aug 29, 2023:

The thing about religion, or conspiracy theory, or tribal affiliation to a political ideology, is that these things provide easy answers to difficult questions. You don't really have to think, or work hard for your answers. Science, on the other hand, requires years of arduous study, after which the answers you seek may still elude you. Generally, people like easy. They also want to remain in their tribes. Hence the popularity of absurd religions, conspiracy theories, and political ideologies.

Sorry for my ignorance, but I'd never heard of Burning Man festival until I read this article with ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Sep 6, 2023:

Yeah, it doesn't sound like my cup of tea. If it's not dusty, it's muddy. And too many rules! 😂

Researcher Meredith Whittaker says AI’s biggest risk isn’t ‘consciousness’—it’s the ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Sep 18, 2023:

The corporations are always going to try and maximize and privatize profits while shifting the liabilities (cleanup costs) on the public. That is a given. And there is always a cleanup cost, or some kind of negative consequence that they (the corporations) both precipitate and avoid responsibility for. With AI, the consequence could be something that no corporation, no nation, no species can remediate. The danger here is an existential one. We are opening Pandora's box with AI. A village full of irate citizens armed with pitchforks could take down Frankenstein's monster. AI could make the villagers armed with AR-15s take themselves down. We already have climate change threatening human civilization. It will take cooperation and ingenuity to get past that. Kind of tough if everybody is shooting at each other, blowing up infrastructure, and generally burning down the house.