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I'm a 62 year old lifelong engineer happily married for 36 years to another techno-geek. My wife is more spiritual than I am but as the years have gone by we both have found less and less use for the Christian church. Living in AZ we don't get much direct exposure to other religions -- just what we read.

I've never been a fan of the supernatural. If something exists, it's natural.
But that said... The world is a huge, complicated place.

As George Polya wrote many years ago:
"Do not believe anything, but question only what is worth questioning".

Nobody has enough time to challenge every bit of information they come across. The game is to decide which bits are worth the time and effort to pursue.

Comments

Are you a brain game or puzzle aficionado?
RichCC comments on Nov 17, 2018:
Chess and Crosswords.
This is why Americans shouldn't be able to pro-create.
RichCC comments on Aug 7, 2021:
For the sake... This might be the link you were trying for. CNN’s Chris Cuomo Takes On Anti-Vaccine Restaurant Owner: ‘You Sound Like An Idiot’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2021/07/29/cnns-chris-cuomo-takes-on-anti-vaccine-restaurant-owner-you-sound-like-an-idiot/?sh=37c276db14a1
I hope to get some better pictures soon once she stops hogging my grand babies.
RichCC comments on Feb 6, 2020:
Are all the puppies dark and light? I don't know how many dogs you have -- the sire might be easy to identify. Lol. 😎 *** Additional: Wow. So if I'm reading the previous note correctly, you just noticed Meredith was expecting on 2/1 and now she has a litter. Wow again. It looks like everyone is ok. I hope I'm right about that too. Congratulations everybody. 🤗
The new "format" sucks.....
RichCC comments on Dec 12, 2020:
The amount of blank space on the, apparently line based, home page is annoying to me. This post, for instance, on the home page has 8 lines -- 4 of which are blank (50% blank). That takes up the screen space far too rapidly on my mobile device. The spacing above is much better. On the home page I have to scroll(wade) through far too much empty(wasted) space to read the list of posts. I realize that this is a comment from my one limited point of view. But there it is for what it's worth.
If the Supreme Court overturns Roe, conservative Christians may regret it
RichCC comments on May 4, 2022:
AZ already has a law on the books banning abortion -- it hasn't been enforced since Roe but it hasn't been repealed. Abortion will become illegal instantly if the SCOTUS ruling stands.🙁
Scott Lively: Christians Need an “Underground Railroad” to Escape Persecution | Beth Stoneburner...
RichCC comments on May 6, 2021:
Why would I want them to escape?
[youtu.be] The Smothers Brothers were great entertainers with a message...
RichCC comments on Dec 14, 2022:
I used to have (and loved) their yoyo video on VHS but I let it get too old and moved on from the player. We've always been a yoyo bunch. My father used to put on demonstrations for our small town grade school kids.🙂 Edit -- Smothers Brothers Yo Yo Man full video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8kI4LAbW18g
I guess the consequences of Trump hanging out with Hope Hicks is removing a lot of hope from a lot ...
RichCC comments on Oct 2, 2020:
I started to put a smiley on this post. But I couldn't bring myself to approve that pun. Ok. Just for you for the points. But remember, I'm watching you.
If the Supreme Court overturns Roe, conservative Christians may regret it
RichCC comments on May 4, 2022:
From the link *** It’s always easy to express concern about the unborn and the dead because doing so requires no actual responsibility, and it’s no surprise that many churches only ever seem to care about those groups in particular. They constantly talk about protecting fetuses and preparing for the afterlife while mostly neglecting the people who suffer as a result of their broken theology. It’s not just a talking point to say anti-abortion activists stop caring about those fetuses the moment they exit the womb. The “pro-life” crowd cares more about life that doesn’t exist, and their policy positions reflect it. They tend to oppose every piece of progressive legislation that would help people without resources. The late comedian George Carlin was on point when he summarized their position this way: “If you’re pre-born, you’re fine. If you’re preschool, you’re fucked.” ... It’s also likely that the people currently fighting to ban abortion will move to restrict access to contraception and birth control, which is a much more difficult argument to make. That’s not a slippery slope argument either, since this was always about imposing their “morality” on everybody else. That is where the path leads. And moving from accusations of “murder” to preventing other people from enjoying consensual sex is a leap that most Americans will not take.
Senate confirms Bedoya to FTC, establishing Democratic majority Vice President Kamala Harris ...
RichCC comments on May 12, 2022:
Senate confirms Biden's FTC nominee despite Republican opposition -- https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/11/senate-confirms-bedoya-to-ftc-00029128 From the link *** But Republicans threw up a solid bloc of opposition that held up Bedoya’s confirmation for months, citing both his history of barbed posts on Twitter and their own reservations about FTC Chair Lina Khan’s progressive agenda. ... With Bedoya in place, Khan will have the ability to advance her aggressive anti-monopoly and consumer protection policies, including a potential antitrust suit against Amazon and a crackdown on employers’ non-compete agreements. In the months since Chopra’s departure, the FTC’s two Republican commissioners have thwarted some of Khan’s plans, for example by opposing a proposed study of pharmacy benefit manufacturers, healthcare middlemen that some allege have led to higher drug prices. The Republicans have attacked Khan personally, alleging that she does not listen to the voices of career FTC staff.
Judge orders Dakota Access pipeline shut down pending review
RichCC comments on Jul 7, 2020:
A very big victory for the way things are supposed to work if nothing else. From what little I've read... The U.S Army Corps of Engineers is expected to finish a full court-ordered Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the pipeline by mid-2021. That's yet another underscore for the importance of this fall's elections. And the judge didn't leave any question. The order was that the pipeline was '**...to be shut down and emptied of oil by Aug. 5**'. I hope that pushes the actual effective decision until next year when presumably someone much more competent than our current Orangareeto can make it (and hopefully permanently restore the pipeline's denied status).
Greece Makes Covid Vaccine For People Over 60 Mandatory,
RichCC comments on Nov 30, 2021:
100 euros a month taken from an average 730 euro monthly pension? Sounds like they're serious. Good. You said it well -- 'Let's go all out to end this pandemic!'.
I made this veggie Egg Foo Yung with Mushroom Gravy a while back.
RichCC comments on May 10, 2021:
Thanks for the link. I'll enjoy exploring Nom Nom Paleo.🙂
Have you ever been told you look like someone famous?
RichCC comments on Jan 31, 2018:
I don't know about famous but many years ago in Tucson I was told by more than one person that there was someone else in town who could have been my twin. I never happened to meet them and I never figured out if my 'twin' should have felt insulted by the idea or I should. HaHa.
I love Halloween.
RichCC comments on Aug 3, 2021:
I once met a lady who ran a hair salon in a suburb of Seattle. Her full size white poodles started out as pumpkins for Halloween but it wasn't long before they branched out into other holidays -- Christmas, St. Valentine's Day and so forth. You just never knew what they'd do next. I never got a chance to ask the dogs what they thought of the whole thing but I suspect they enjoyed the attention. Ha, ha.🙂
This is one smart horse! Click the video. It works fine. [youtube.com]
RichCC comments on Jan 4, 2022:
We used to family camp at a trail ride near the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The horses knew they had tourists riding and they knew every trick. They would scrape riders off on trees and they vastly preferred going downhill or back to the corral. One time a rider didn't come back. They found him still on the back of the horse about half way around the trail in the middle of a meadow. He couldn't get the horse to move and he was afraid to get off because he didn't think he'd be able to get back on. Ha, ha. The horse decided to end the day and spend time in the meadow eating grass. Horses definitely aren't dumb (with a few exceptions of course. Like people.)🙂
Trump Threatens To Stop Michigan’s Funding If All Voters Receive Mail-In Ballots
RichCC comments on May 20, 2020:
So just like he tried to extort Ukraine to influence the election, now he's trying to extort Americans. What a crook. It's a tragedy that R's live that way so much that they're enabling him -- and he them.
Florida Atheist Petitions to Ban the Bible in Miami-Dade and Broward Schools - [miaminewtimes.com]
RichCC comments on Apr 25, 2022:
A 'political stunt activist'? Ugh.🙄 No wait, make that Eww.😞 From the link *** With that in mind, local political stunt activist Chaz Stevens of Deerfield Beach has taken it upon himself to add another book to the lengthy list: the Bible.
Anyone else care to join me?
RichCC comments on May 28, 2020:
Why only 10 months of the year? I opened a bottle of Shiraz a couple of nights ago. I'm not a heavy drinker so the bottle will last a couple of weeks. But it's always nice to have a treat handy on the shelf. Ha, ha.😋
Certainly troubling, hope they are able to find some.
RichCC comments on Sep 4, 2021:
I copied and pasted the link here -- https://www.microsoftnewskids.com/en-us/kids/animals/bumblebee-not-seen-since-2006-listed-as-endangered/ar-AAO5i1u?ocid=msedgntp
I have not yet mastered this art and I doubt I ever shall.
RichCC comments on May 24, 2022:
My brother decided he wanted a Jeep (I'm guessing it makes him feel more macho.🙂). But he didn't consider that Jeeps tend to have more vertical windshields. I'm pretty sure he got the first rock chip on the way home from picking it up. I don't know how much effort he's gone to since to maintain it.😂
I have been trying to do a crossword puzzle and am totally stuck on "What Moses parted.
RichCC comments on Apr 23, 2021:
Israelites (fools) from their money and later the Xtians.
Cartoon voice people... WHO?
RichCC comments on May 9, 2021:
I miss those cartoons. Even as a kid you had to be marginally an adult to get some of the jokes. I was a huge fan of the late 60s *George Of The Jungle* among others.
Pfizer, BioNTech say their COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective
RichCC comments on Nov 9, 2020:
I hope it means the incidence of COVID-19 in the vaccinated test group was reduced by 90% compared to the unvaccinated(actually placebo receiving) group. They said that 94 people got the virus of the 44,000 some odd study subjects. So of the 94 virus cases seen, ~80 were unvaccinated against ~8 that got the vaccine but then got sick anyway? That's a pretty good efficacy rate. Assuming it's true, I hope it holds against the mutation rate of the virus. And they are apparently collecting two months of safety data on around half of the study's roughly 44,000 participants -- expected in late November. Better numbers sooner than I would have expected -- here's hoping.🙂
Yeah thats him
RichCC comments on May 17, 2020:
Is that a Super Duper missle?
Donald Trump said "Bad things happen in Philadelphia".
RichCC comments on Nov 6, 2020:
He's still trying to coopt Rocky pictures, huh? At least he's getting more accurate. I saw him called a 'political dead man walking' this morning.
This has been one of my favorite (not taken by me) photos of dogs
RichCC comments on Oct 29, 2019:
Great picture. There's a lot to unpack -- the small customs dogs, the particular country flags, the intrusive (by human standards) check, and so on. From the size of the paws, I'm guessing young dogs. You could go on speculating for hours. Lol. 😊
I do not believe the actual person named Jesus in the Christian religion ever existed.
RichCC comments on Jun 8, 2018:
I agree. I keep coming back to all the things that were written about him within at least 60 or so years of when he supposedly lived -- that is to say exactly *nothing*. This guy was supposed to be the son of God and was supposed to be going around performing miracles but no one (in or out of the wholly babble) documented it. All we have is very questionable *memories* that were written decades or centuries after the events they try to describe in a time before printing presses let alone cameras. And it all happened when people were far more ignorant than they are today (if that's possible).
Australian Christians may even be crazier than ours.
RichCC comments on Apr 12, 2022:
Boy. They're not kidding. Just look at the cloud of mostly trash we've surrounded our planet with. 🙂🤔 Stuff in Space http://www.stuffin.space Sometimes I wonder how things like the ISS survive. I guess space is a big place.😅
Anyone here using a metal detector for fun…and maybe profit?
RichCC comments on Jul 29, 2021:
I haven't used one in many years but we had one when I was a teenager. We used to search old homesites in extreme northern AZ looking for artifacts. We never found anything valuable but it was fun. We found a few household items -- the biggest was an old broken rope maker. And we found small things like old wire and railroad spikes. Lol. It was never an attempt to get rich but it was a good excuse to go out and explore in the hills. I admit that we always checked the chicken coops where people might have buried their valuables (as if everyone else hadn't thought of that and checked too. Ha, ha.) The old home trash piles were more productive.
I have lived in the NW Florida area for many years, Navy, job, etc and have know idea how any one ...
RichCC comments on Jul 21, 2020:
We stayed with my father in Mesa, AZ several years when he could not live alone. And one time the A/C went out for a couple of days. Don't let anyone tell you it's a dry heat -- at some point, Hot is Hot. Lol.🙂 We're back in our house now in the hills at 5000 ft where it's a lot more comfortable. My grandmother lived in Ft. Lauderdale for a long time. She didn't even risk it. She played snowbird and ran to the cooler north every summer. I feel for you -- especially for your animals. Make sure everyone gets plenty of water.🤗
‘Orange Man Bad’: Enough | National Review
RichCC comments on Sep 19, 2020:
I agree with @resserts. I was unfamiliar with the phrase “Orange Man Bad". Whatever, I guess. One thing I do see a lot of from the NR commenters is the idea they don't consider replacing Ginsburg immediately to be hypocrisy. They say the party in power should exercise that power. After all that's what they did with Garland nomination -- irrespective of all the hand waving "not in an election year" excuses the Republicans put out. NR opinions of course always fall on the conservative side of the fence.
Codex Alimentarius - Lecture by Dr. Rima Laibow
RichCC comments on Jul 22, 2021:
Good info that we all pretty much take for granted. Thank you. My mother's family is has been from the AZ/UT border 'Strip Country' for almost 100 years and we've watched what locals call 'Jack Mormons' abuse and ignore food safety rules for pretty much all that time. That is the thing I hate(I intensely dislike that word but sometimes it applies) about Ammon Bundy and his group. They call themselves ranchers but they treat their animals so poorly that no one who knows the least little bit about them would touch anything they produce. We're vegetarian(not entirely vegan) but we see the way some people act and are completely disgusted. The Codex is one of the mainstays of our society nationally and internationally. It deserves much more appreciation than we give it.
I was going to write something about apathy. but then I thought. Meh,.....
RichCC comments on Jun 14, 2021:
Like I care...😋
How does it happen?
RichCC comments on Oct 25, 2021:
As a lifelong atheist, I am confused how anyone could be an informed believer anyway. What's that old saying? 'No one can sincerely go to seminary school and come out believing in god.' I don't see it as any bigger jump to becoming a believer no matter what they were before -- much as I think they're making a mistake. If that's how they now want to spend their life, that's their choice to make. Their potential problem is the same as with all theists -- they're not allowed to impose their choice on others.
Ever see a dog like this
RichCC comments on Aug 4, 2019:
Love it. We have one smaller dog who was almost that muscular when she was younger. We're not sure what she is (the adoption place had her as 'chihuahua mix' -- ha, ha). There is obviously some Pit in there but she's never been aggressive. She's the most athletic dog we've ever had. At the dog park she won't retrieve balls but she races others to the spot. Then she waits for the other dog to come get it. Lol.😊
What's the best breed of dog for a pet?
RichCC comments on Dec 7, 2018:
Is 'Mishka' Serbian for mouse? That's an intriguing name. Update: Thinking about it, I should have said 'bear' rather than mouse. Sorry. I'm another vote for a rescue dog that matches your energy level.
As a non theist, what are your top 3 political issues you would like to see addressed in the ...
RichCC comments on Aug 13, 2018:
1. The environment 2. Gun laws 3. Removal of irrational politicians -- anyone who disagrees with me
Trump suggests delaying 2020 election, [youtube.com]
RichCC comments on Jul 31, 2020:
Maybe we should move it forward instead (hat tip *Tom Toles* cartoon).
Can somebody, anybody, please explain to me what it is with the mental defectives who are convinced ...
RichCC comments on Sep 18, 2021:
I don't know outside the obvious tribalism, racism, sexism and naked capitalism that characterize his supporters. But (and I know I'm distracting from my cause here) I hope he splits the vote in '22 and '24 enough to make the Republicans lose.
Actual cooks: If you had developed the perfect pasta sauce, who would you share it with?
RichCC comments on Feb 28, 2021:
My wife is the only current choice for sharing food these days (for me) including pasta. 🙂 Simplicity is generally the trend for us. We don't get too excited about pasta sauce -- olive oil plus whatever else is in the kitchen -- garlic, onions, peas, tomatoes, cheese, cream, herbs, nuts (especially pine nuts), whatever.😋 What's more important is good fresh pasta. Again, these days, we lean towards flavored whole wheat linguini shapes because they keep their shapes and the sauce well and cook quickly. We have a small extruder rather than rolling things out. Tip: Use some flavored baby food as part of the liquid when making the pasta dough. It's easier and more consistent than dealing with chopped or crushed veggies and it makes good color and flavor.
Rick Santorum said there was nobody here when civilized Christians from Europe arrived....
RichCC comments on May 12, 2022:
‘Embarrassing Racist’: Native American Orgs Rip Santorum For Claiming There Was ‘Nothing’ Before Colonizers Arrived - https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/embarrassing-racist-native-american-orgs-rip-santorum-for-claiming-there-was-nothing-before-colonizers-arrived From the link *** The leaders of organizations for Native Americans are raking CNN commentator Rick Santorum over the coals after he claimed that white European colonizers “birthed a nation from nothing” in America and that “there isn’t much Native American culture in American culture.”
Well now we know (like we didn't from the tweets) that Donald Trump watched Elon Musk on Joe Rogan:...
RichCC comments on May 15, 2020:
I saw a similar post -- here is what I said: He's relentless in his quest to game the system. A quality person, with integrity, would likely try to use the numbers that most clearly expressed the situation. Dishonest tRump only wants to use numbers that best bamboozle his audience. It's disgusting.
"All those immoral people, Where do they all come from?
RichCC comments on May 2, 2022:
I'd add Kyrsten Sinema, Joe Manchin, Louis DeJoy, Paul Gosar and Betsy DeVos, among others, to that list. Although in general I don't really care much where they belong *or go* -- as long as it's *away*.
I had never heard of this until tonight.
RichCC comments on Mar 24, 2022:
Thanks. I didn't know that. *Hush* is from DP's *Shades of Deep Purple* album from the late 60s. I like Thin Lizzy but I don't have any of their music. I guess I'll have to correct that. The cover is a credible job -- thanks again.
Is anyone else familiar with Caitlin Doughty and her Youtube channel, "Ask a Mortician"?
RichCC comments on May 20, 2020:
I hadn't seen that. My step-grandfather ran a mortuary in rural Nebraska. It might just be my impression, but it seemed to me that there was a lot more freedom than a lot of people realize. One guy I heard of specified in his will that he not be buried until a couple years after he died. I saw a picture of a backroom of the business during that period and there he was standing in a corner. Whatever, I guess. People who deal with it get kind of inured. My grandfather kept his aquarium fish when they died and embalmed them and glued them into pictures for display. Eww.
[sciencedirect.com] early crocodilian had dinosaur parts in stomach before fossilization!
RichCC comments on Feb 19, 2022:
I'll bet it tasted like chicken.😋
Arizona School Cancels Controversial Bible Class Due to Lack of Interest | Hemant Mehta | Friendly ...
RichCC comments on Jul 26, 2020:
I hadn't heard that but I love it. 😍 Camp Verde is a little over 40 miles from where we live. I hope that indicates that the residents of CV and their kids are more sophisticated than I realized. They apparently have better things to do with their lives than getting proselytized at. From the link: *** But here’s the kicker: After all that controversy, the course will not be offered this coming school year because — wait for it — *almost nobody wants to take it*. According to the Verde News, Principal Mark Showers of Camp Verde High School said that only two students said in a survey they would be interested in the elective class. With such low interest, the district can’t justify offering the class, much less finding a teacher for it.
These are never reported in the news.
RichCC comments on Feb 9, 2019:
With only a couple of minutes Googling I found several references to the 2013 story. For what it's worth, this was the most credible looking to me. (I'm not sure how it relates to tRump though.). The two men seem to have been lauded somewhat (deservedly) (after their efforts). https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/when-the-home-closed/383075/
Compilation Of Biden’s Public Lies & Plagiarism - YouTube
RichCC comments on May 25, 2020:
There's an old saying -- *Rush* used it in a famous song lyric -- '*If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice*'. You can throw your vote away by sitting out the election or making a protest vote for someone without a chance of winning. I can't stop you. But that's how we'll get another 4 years of tRump.
Do you know who you are?
RichCC comments on May 15, 2020:
namaste back.
Does evil exist? As non-believers do we still accept the concept of evil in its pure form?
RichCC comments on Oct 7, 2018:
Nobody sees themselves as evil. Everybody thinks they are doing what is necessary when they act against others. Save the country from sh~hole migrants, behave as a compassionate conservative, round up those minorities, whatever.
Telling lies has become the norm for today's Republicans - CNNPolitics
RichCC comments on May 2, 2022:
True is true.🤔 Good link.
What I would like to see.
RichCC comments on Nov 3, 2018:
He tries... you just have to believe him... cough, cough. "Well, I try. I do try ... When I can, I tell the truth. And sometimes it turns out to be where something happens that’s different or there’s a change, but I always like to be truthful." — President Trump to ABC News Seriously. Trump isn't the disease. He's just the biggest symptom. Tuesday I hope we start removing all the conservative trash infesting our country -- starting with the current government.
We still have 500 children without their parents.
RichCC comments on Sep 25, 2018:
I have a serious question. Could anyone tell me what consequences there are for defying court decisions? I keep seeing court statements worded as absolutes -- 'The children will be reunited with their parents by this specified date.' But when the date passes without compliance, no actions are taken. Are the courts simply powerless here? I don't see any punishments being administered at all. From the behavior of this executive branch, they seem to see slaps on the wrists as rewards -- 'We really upset those liberals this time.' I wish I were less discouraged by our situation.
[diversityinc.com] The fascinating story behind a new treatment for bladder cancer.
RichCC comments on Apr 20, 2019:
Thank you. That was an interesting read. *“This was groundbreaking for us on many levels—this was the first Janssen Oncology compound developed from discovery all the way to approval; our first drug using pharmacodynamically guided treatment dosing, which means a patient’s dose is adjusted based on their phosphate levels; and our first drug developed with a companion diagnostic,” Patel says.* I hope it pans out. Because of its nature and its expedited treatment, the sample size is kind of low. But it looks like they are trying to address what they found.
What is the most sacreligious thing you have ever done?
RichCC comments on Jan 29, 2020:
This doesn't qualify as sacrilegious per se. And I was only indirectly involved. But long ago I had a roommate and separately a friend who were both LDS . The roommate's girlfriend would spend nights in his bedroom but the rule was they would always keep one foot on the floor. Lol. (I never pressed for an explanation.) They would go to Wed. night dances at the local church. One time a couple of girls we knew were curious and wanted to see it and to find out what Mormon girls were like. They practiced for days to be able to talk without accidentally shocking the sensibilities of the poor pristine Mormon girls. Everything was fine (but understandably slow) until they went to the girls' room for a break. They came back red-faced. They couldn't believe how dirty the religious girls talked when guys weren't listening. It was a huge eye-opening experience for both of them. 😎 I figure people, especially kids, are pretty much the same everywhere. The problems mostly come up when people try to apply their own expectations on others.
Has anyone here a National Park Ranger or has worked with the National Park Service?
RichCC comments on Aug 28, 2018:
I waited to reply to see if anyone with firsthand experience spoke up. The closest I've been is an uncle who recently retired after ~30 years. My personal input for what it's worth is that I have yet to ever meet a Ranger I didn't immediately like. My uncle worked hard to get on. If I got the story correctly, he worked 6 volunteer seasons before he got on full time. He also had a degree in forestry with a minor in anthropology. Then one of his first tries for a particular position involved finishing 6th out of 1500 applicants and not getting the job. He obviously didn't quit and it turned out extremely well for him (and his wife -- he was enforcement, she was an interpreter). As I said above, I don't have firsthand knowledge but from what I've seen: *Stick with it, the personal rewards make it worth the while*.
God is everywhere.....it seems!
RichCC comments on Apr 24, 2019:
Well, day before yesterday was Easter after all. But also, at least America seems to be disintegrating. Half of the sheep are being told that their racism will be supported and the other half are being told it is the end of our country. And none of them know where to turn. There's a lot of unconfident, desperate, people grasping even for lame answers these days. I hope we all survive it.
- How do you drink your whiskey? - I take a sip in my mouth and then swallow.
RichCC comments on May 8, 2021:
I agree with @Fernapple below. But I have to admit I'm much more about brandy than whiskey -- personal taste I guess. I don't go for the old expensive stuff. Over the years I've been given a couple of gifts that cost more than I'd ever pay myself and was disappointed. It turns out that I prefer what they tout as good -- what they call VSOP tends to match up to bar cognac at fraction of the price. I'm not a social drinker and I don't drink to get drunk but I enjoy the taste and scent of two or three small snifters a month.
It's still "religious", but it's encouraging.
RichCC comments on Nov 18, 2018:
8,000 to 340,000 in 18 years? Wow. A 40:1 increase. I'm not sure whether to accept that on its face or quite what to do with it. Wow, again.
I know just the spot.
RichCC comments on Mar 26, 2021:
We haven't seen any skeletons but a contractor friend of my father gave him an 1897 silver dollar he said he found inside a wall on a job. He knew my dad was a serious coin collector. *** My step grandfather was a mortician in NE. One of his weirder stories was about a guy whose will (supposedly) for some reason specified that he not be buried until two years after he died. They embalmed him and kept him in a storeroom corner until the time ran out. Ew. I never had any way to tell if the story was true or not but it's pretty creepy.
I need to verify this but it looks cool
RichCC comments on Apr 6, 2022:
Is there such a thing as a patent in Italy? I assume that is the Palermo they are referring to. So someone has to daily reload the cannon? And presumably adjust for the suns' motion in the sky. Interesting, and cool. 'What do you do for a living?' 'I'm the Palermo sundial gundial guy.'
Those who didn't evacuate before Hurricane Laura should put their name in a ziploc bag in their ...
RichCC comments on Aug 27, 2020:
To start with, you're exactly right. This is a dangerous situation and people should not take *any* chances. **Everybody be safe!** Also, why does anybody ever go anywhere without ID? It doesn't have to be official ID like a passport or driver's license or anything. But things can happen at any time -- lightning strikes, people get heart attacks and strokes. It's a lot easier to help someone(or their families) if you know who they are. I realize that many women only carry purses, but purses get mislaid. Surely(why are you all Shirley?) a small tag can be managed. My wife came across an older woman in a coffee shop about 20 years ago who had somehow wandered all the way into the next town from where she lived. Again, somehow, they figured out who she was(she may have had ID) so they called her son and my wife stayed with her until he could come get her. It's not like we all have dementia, but we should all remember **NOBODY PLANS ACCIDENTS**. All we can do is be as ready as we can be when they inevitably eventually come.
A simple question
RichCC comments on Sep 12, 2021:
How can he say that? Ha, ha.🙂 Everyone knows Geesus was white and spoke English.🙂
Questions.
RichCC comments on Jun 9, 2019:
I don't have anything about the philosophical aspects of religion per se. I do disrespect when they try to add supernatural stuff. And I really, really, hate it when they impose their views on others (read us). I see little difference between Jesus dogma and pretty much any other supernatural belief except where I live I see a lot more of Christianity than the others.
Trump's Tax Returns Prove He Is Just Another Moocher - The Atlantic
RichCC comments on Sep 29, 2020:
One minor quibble -- I always believed that a moochers only abused the generosity of others. It's reprehensible, but not entirely dishonest. (BTW, I note it's their word, not yours.) tRump is a con man and a thief. He has made a career out of illegally defrauding people, fraudulently selling scams, stiffing contractors and evading taxes, etc. He and a lot of his Republican enablers deserve prison after they are voted out. Ok -- rant done for now.😐
Do you believe in the butterfly effect?
RichCC comments on Apr 30, 2018:
It's like when NOAA does daily weather forecasts. Even with their massive data collection and computer mode!ing efforts they can't make completely detailed predictions. So what they do is run multiple tries dithering the starting states slightly and choose the results that come up the most. They've found that the butterfly effect makes it so that even the tiniest variations in the starting conditions can have dramatic effects on the results. The simple truth is that there are a lot of (I'd argue most) systems in our world that we don't understand well enough to predict except in the coarsest way.
The COVID-19 mRNA inoculation. [nature.com] IMHO not a true vaccine.
RichCC comments on Sep 22, 2021:
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.". -- Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass
And, in the Us. LOL
RichCC comments on Nov 3, 2021:
Many years ago I learned how to make a shed rattlesnake rattle sound just like the real thing. Ha, ha. 🤔 It won't sound right if you just hold the rattle and shake it.🙂 Make a loop of thread a foot or so long and tie on a shed rattle. Then firmly stretch the thread between your hands so that when you rotate your hands the thread doesn't go around like a pulley but rather rubs against your thumbs. The vibration will make the rattle sound exactly like a live snake. It will scare the pants off anyone who's heard the sound of a nearby rattlesnake. Ha, ha.🙂
We need thousands of these in the UK.
RichCC comments on Dec 25, 2021:
I used to work for a company that made animal RF tracking collars. And one person I talked to was a wild bear researcher. He said we are nearing creating a new species because two black bear populations he studied had been cut off by roads from each other and no longer inter-bred. He wondered how long it would be before they genetically drifted apart until they** *couldn't* ** Inter-breed and became in fact different species.🤔
Wouldn't surprise me one bit.
RichCC comments on Sep 5, 2021:
I'm afraid of the state of the Supreme Court just now. I'm not sure we have enough safeguards in place to prevent the huge societal damage they could do. An article at Salonhttps://www.salon.com/2021/09/04/why-satanists-may-be-the-last-best-hope-to-save-abortion-rights-in-texas/ noted in passing... *** It's unclear whether the Satanic Temple's strategy of appealing to the Biden Administration will work. Last year, the group tried to overturn abortion restrictions enacted in the state of Missouri, but the Supreme Court declined to hear their case.
Slowing the Coronavirus Is Speeding the Spread of Other Diseases Many mass immunization efforts ...
RichCC comments on Jun 16, 2020:
Ugh. That's disappointing -- but maybe not entirely avoidable.
Why Do We Forget? New Theory Says “Forgetting” Is Actually a Form of Learning
RichCC comments on Jan 17, 2022:
Not a bad idea. Sherlock Holmes believed in it. In "A Study in Scarlet," Dr. Watson expresses surprise that Holmes is ignorant of Copernican theory and the composition of the solar system. Holmes explains that he does his best to forget any information that is not relevant to his existence. Now, is it good that I remember that trivia -- or should it have been eliminated as clutter?😏
Here in Texas it’s like winter is mad and keeps storming out, then coming back yelling….
RichCC comments on Feb 25, 2022:
Here in Northern semi-high altitude(5000 ft) AZ we had what I hope may have been the *last* storm of this winter. Two days ago we got 8 inches of snow but today and by the forecast until at least the middle/end of next week it is/will be sunny. Again by the forecast it's not even supposed to freeze at night starting next week. Insert normal 'it's still dry' whine here but it looks like we may actually have a pleasant spring for a change. Knock on wood(tm). Woo, hoo.
'Jesus Shoes' with holy water in soles sell for up to $3,000
RichCC comments on Oct 10, 2019:
I don't know what to say -- I'm appalled. They aren't even seriously developing a product. From a different link: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/3g-jesus-shoes-holy-water-sell-out. *head of commerce Daniel Greenberg tells the New York Post. “So we wanted to make a statement about how absurd collab culture has gotten.”.* Do people really have money to throw away like this? I wonder what they will come out with next. Even by American culture standards, I'm shocked.
What new tasks have you learned during the shutdown?
RichCC comments on Jun 19, 2020:
I cut my own hair a few weeks ago (both of them. Lol). It wasn't that much of a huge feat. I've been thinning on top since I was in my 20s and I normally wear it short anyway. My father 'inherited' a fairly nice set of clippers when my mother died ~10yrs ago and we 'inherited' them when he passed ~5yrs ago. It's easier to avoid stressing my wife for mistakes if she doesn't risk it -- ha, ha. I just cut the hair out on the porch, felt for missed spots, and she coached. 😎 I imagine there could have been more trauma, but we figured it wasn't worth the effort. 😎
Just found this cool website 😎 and it explains about atheist/ agnostic/ theist/ nostic.
RichCC comments on Nov 10, 2019:
That looks pretty good. I'm too tired to go through it in detail tonight but so far I like it. BTW... I hadn't noticed your picture-quote before. I like that too. Thank you.
5 clever ways to use up that leftover pickle juice in the jar
RichCC comments on Jun 26, 2021:
I'm not much for cucumber pickles but pickled jalapenos and their juice is/are one of the joys of my life -- especially the sweet version. The juice goes great in pasta sauce or on cooked potatoes and the chopped peppers go with just about anything, even pizza.🙂
GOOD NEWS!!!!!! My 6 year Leukemia Checkup was Excellent! Healthy as a Horse!!!!!! Just wanted to...
RichCC comments on Oct 10, 2019:
Outstanding!!! Congratulations!😀
This. 😉😁
RichCC comments on Jun 17, 2020:
Dear religious folk, It's much like *Freedom of Speech*(tm). You aren't necessarily allowed to do anything you want to. You're just allowed to expect** *no American government* **interference. Your religion isn't immune from other citizens' criticism or ridicule -- just the government's. And you're not allowed to do criminal acts in the name of your religion. You still have to behave like a responsible member of society. From the interweb (they said it clearly)(talking about the government): *** The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment prohibits government from encouraging or promoting ("establishing") religion in any way. In 1971, the Supreme Court decided Lemon v. Kurtzman which created three tests for determining whether a particular government act or policy unconstitutionally promotes religion. The Lemon test says that in order to be constitutional, a policy must: 1. Have a non-religious purpose; 2. Not end up promoting or favoring any set of religious beliefs; and 3. Not overly involve the government with religion.
Ahhhhhhhh, so it's the lockdowns that are causing all the deaths (Don't mention the elephant in the ...
RichCC comments on Jan 21, 2023:
The link says the virus causes heart problems -- lockdowns just make some people slow to get treatment for heart problems. A former close friend of my father died from COVID. He spent about a month in the hospital (some on a respirator) and thought he was over it. Then he went home and died from a heart attack a week later. From the link [italics added] *** Doctors say the effects of the pandemic increased pre-existing risk factors with some people having a heightened risk of disease after recovering from the virus. *While heart disease has been a leading cause of deaths for several years, experts say lockdowns meant many patients presented much later with progressive symptoms.* Experts haven't had to look far to find links between coronavirus and cardiovascular issues, with one study finding hospitalisations had ballooned after the pandemic.
Amnesty International to halt India operations [bbc.com]
RichCC comments on Sep 29, 2020:
Wow. I was unaware that the Indian government was taking those sorts of positions. Thanks for the link. I'll pay attention. From the link: *** Amnesty's announcement comes amid growing concern over the state of free speech in India. The development, activists say, could dent India's long-standing reputation of being a thriving democracy.
Bob is a Theist.
RichCC comments on Jan 23, 2019:
Ghosts are perpetual motion machines in action. They don't eat but somewhere they get the energy to do all the stuff they do -- even being seen needs energy. If they were solar powered, why would they always seem to hang out in the shadows. Lol. ??
An interesting mushroom salad that I threw together to go with my lettuce salad today.
RichCC comments on Dec 9, 2022:
Sounds great.
Is the grass green?
RichCC comments on May 8, 2021:
I've been a Vangelis fan a long time -- even before he was as famous and when some of the songs are a little depressing if you listen to the lyrics.🤔 The Grass Is No Green -- Aphrodite's Child. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4jYX5aZIqBc
I often find it extremely mind-boggling just how many "Christians" have never read the Bible.
RichCC comments on Oct 3, 2019:
I think partly it's that the Wholly Babble doesn't bear scrutiny very well. They know they don't like what it looks like -- so they don't look. What's that old saying? -- '*No one can sincerely go to seminary school and come out believing in God*.' Apparently once you learn the details and the origins of those 'divine' stories, it's very difficult to take them seriously any more -- at least honestly. And for a lot of the lay folks I think it's mostly laziness. They've always lived their lives that way so they just go along without thinking about things. How did Carlin describe it? -- A church is a building where people gather once a week to compare clothing. There is so much ignorance and lazy inertia in our society that the churches are still thriving after millennia of exaggerated claims and false promises (Carlin again). And I'm afraid they'll be with us for a while -- we're stuck.😥
I paid off my corona hair clippers today (third haircut)
RichCC comments on Oct 4, 2020:
Fortunately for years I've worn my hair short -- not quite shaved, but close (it sort of matches my thin hair these days.Lol). When my father died a few years ago I inherited my mother's old good clippers (she'd been passed a while ago too). I set them on 1/4 inch and just go all over (partially by feel Ha, ha.). I have to admit, having a good set of clippers makes a difference -- I haven't lost any ears yet. Your hair looks better than mine but that could have to do with other factors than just a better haircut.😎 Good job.
Today I learned about the Gish Gallop Description: Overwhelming an interlocutor with as many ...
RichCC comments on Jul 2, 2021:
I'm nosy . Was there some event that brought the Gallop to your attention? Or did you just happen across or think of it? It feels like there might be some simple story to be told. Ha, ha.🙂
Friday and im ready for lightning to strike
RichCC comments on Aug 21, 2020:
Research is important. We should all volunteer to experiment together.😎
Hairy, pot-bellied men posing as mermaids are a hoot!
RichCC comments on Jan 25, 2020:
Years ago I spoke to a woman working at a bead shop ('The Bead Shoppe' ) in Ketchikan Alaska and she said that in the winter they spend a lot of time inside beading at night because the days outside are so short. I wonder if this is the Newfie equivalent. The link says their calendars raised $300,000 in the first year. I have to admit that beats sitting around killing time after dark. Ha, ha.😊
From today's Daily Stoic.
RichCC comments on May 21, 2020:
I'm a big fan of Stoicism. As a first step for anyone interested in looking, [Edit -- It's proved harder to find a working link than I expected. Here is a link to the Project Gutenberg page: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45109 ] It's only about 12 pages and I find it very interesting.
Do you agree that if wasn't for the Dark Ages and religious prosecution, our civilization would so ...
RichCC comments on Apr 13, 2018:
I recommend: *Lest Darkness Fall* by L. Sprague de Camp and *Against the Fall Of Darkness* by Arthur C. Clarke. Truth to tell, it's been so long since I read them that I don't remember many details but I do remember enjoying the 'alternate history' concept very much.
SPIRITUAL.
RichCC comments on Nov 7, 2019:
And of course the word lends itself to a range interpretation. Lol. "I'm not very spiritual." . - or - "I'm so spiritual that my feet don't touch the ground when I walk." Sorry but I doubt you're going to find a useful definition let alone connotation. The word just has too many interpretations -- you'd end up repeating '*your*' choice in every conversation you have.
Defying Theories, This Ghostly Galaxy Has Almost No Dark Matter
RichCC comments on Mar 28, 2018:
Thanks. That's an interesting link even if it mostly says 'we don't know yet'. I love their inference that the absence of dark matter implies its existence.
Not to be nit-picky, but, hmm, maybe “god” could have not let the accident happen to begin with?
RichCC comments on Sep 6, 2019:
I don't know the specifics of the accident, but it looks like Jules should credit a lot of his good fortune to the skills of the creators of his previous car -- whether Dog is involved or not. 🤔
Good afternoon all non-conservatives.
RichCC comments on Feb 8, 2023:
My father was a serious coin collector among other things when I was younger. He was also a high/grade school athletic director which meant that for every football, basketball, whatever game he had to collect the gate receipts at the ends of the nights. It was amazing especially what the native Americans might bring in from the reservations to pay for watching a game. Some of my fondest memories were from Saturday mornings at the kitchen table pouring over gate monies looking for 'rare' coins to buy before we turned the money in. Unfortunately we/he fell on hard times money wise about the time I entered high school so he sold almost all his collection. Several boxes of coin books disappeared. He had complete sets of dimes, pennies and nickels back to the 30s. Years later I gave him a Christmas present of an 1895 silver dollar that a friend in Phoenix found inside a wall when he was renovating his house. It becomes part of your life. None of our coins were 'new' condition. But most of them were 'good'. Ah, memories.🙂
Baptisms invalid - priest used wrong words.
RichCC comments on Feb 8, 2022:
My wife and I attended a coming of age ceremony for my youngest nephew at an LDS church in Florence AZ because we happened to be in town. As the rite was finishing, an onlooker criticized my brother for using the wrong words about his son. After it ended another person came and said 'no, no. You were right.' Wow, what a farce. My wife especially was so irritated she said she'd never go to another LDS church again -- as if we likely would anyway. Ha, ha.
The Human Connectome Project
RichCC comments on Feb 8, 2018:
Many years ago I worked with intraocular lenses for cataract patients. One of our scientists in a previous life had done work trying to figure out how eyes encoded information. They were very surprised to discover that the images weren't just digital or analog in the brain but the signals were frequency modulated somehow. They were stopped there -- they could not even begin to decode the information. I wish I weren't so pessimistic but I'm seriously afraid that there are many levels of complexity that we haven't even begun to imagine -- that evolved dynamically over eons.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me.
RichCC comments on Dec 1, 2019:
Most adoption mechanisms I'm familiar with are pretty much first-come-first-serve so I'd guess you have the advantage. Good luck.🤗

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Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, Secularist, Skeptic, Freethinker
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