A Master Builder dies and goes to hell.

GuyKeith comments on Sep 14, 2018:

I really thought the joke was going to go in another direction

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

It was pretty unbelievable that even if there were such a thing as hell that a Master Builder could ever wind up there, even by accident. ;)

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

TheMiddleWay comments on Sep 13, 2018:

There are 4 ways to treat cancer: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy? Should we forcibly lobotomize anyone that has belief? Should we irradiate the believers with non-belief so as to burn out their belief? Should we chemically alter believers to vaccinate or eradicate their ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay Hate is a strong word when what we are talking about is mentally ill people and destructive people that need to be resisted and not enabled. Granted it is easier to just shrug and say what can you do? If you don't want to be part of the solution and don't have the courage to stand up for your convictions then at least have the common courtesy to get out of the way and let those of who really do care get on with job of fixing the problem, it's hard enough without loiterers getting in the way and gumming up the works.

This song has been on endless loop in the back of my mind for the past few days, maybe posting it ...

Sheannutt comments on Sep 14, 2018:

Wow I haven't heard that song in a long time, thank you for sharing.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

It's still in my head so my cunning plan isn't working out so well. :D

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

AnneWimsey comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Last I looked, I treasured my freedoms, and the best way to do that is to treasure everyone else's........

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@AnneWimsey I'm running for the deputy mayor's seat in my local election. Keep fighting the good fight. FYI - the position pays an annual rate that is what I used to make in a week and about half of what the greeter at Walmart makes. So I'm definitely not in it for the money.

Manafort plea deal! [reuters.com]

Freedompath comments on Sep 14, 2018:

Wish we knew all that is taking place...?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

Isn't it shocking that the majority of the American public no longer feel they have the right to know? Land of Liberty, Home of the Brave - that was a long time ago.

A Master Builder dies and goes to hell.

ugly comments on Sep 14, 2018:

God?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@ugly Agreed, fortunately I may have been around the block a time or two. The voting begins on October 15th and ends on October 22nd, voting is online but you can come into the township office and get assistance if you aren't comfortable with a computer or you can vote using the phone and a designated PIN # . Canadian voting is a bit more progressive than the system in the US which is pretty laughable even when compared with Developing Nations.

Chinese Colinisation [dailymaverick.co.za]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 14, 2018:

I worked for several years with a Chinese firm around the time of the repatriation of Hong Kong to the PRC and I can tell you that their perspective is general speaking a very different one from the West. They still see themselves as the only civilized culture on the planet, the Caucasians are ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@VAL3941 Neither gives you fair value and without the Western barbarians to keep the Chinese in check I have no doubt they would do away with mercantile colonialism and move to gunboat diplomacy in a heartbeat.

A Master Builder dies and goes to hell.

ugly comments on Sep 14, 2018:

God?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@ugly For an Atheist I would say I'm batting 1000 so far, lots of positive feedback to the point that I am getting worried that I might actually win, then I'd have to deal with this mess for the next 4 years. ;)

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

AnneWimsey comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Last I looked, I treasured my freedoms, and the best way to do that is to treasure everyone else's........

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@AnneWimsey That's quite a leap you made, you can enable these idiots without being for them. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” - Edmund Burke

A Master Builder dies and goes to hell.

ugly comments on Sep 14, 2018:

God?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

It's a joke, Master Builders are almost as rare as Unicorns these days so consider it all a bit of fantasy. :D

Chinese Colinisation [dailymaverick.co.za]

mcgeo52 comments on Sep 14, 2018:

I remember being surprised at how much the Chinese were building in Uganda when I was there 14 years ago. It was obvious even then that they were not doing it as a charitable gesture.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@VAL3941 The Chinese are quite busy in other developing areas of the planet, they were a force in South America when I was living there, particularly in Ecuador. The Chinese lent money to the Ecuadorean government when nobody else would after they defaulted on their debts to the World Bank, the Chinese are getting very favourable deals on mining concessions, oil exploration and infrastructure projects. Now the Ecuadorians are shifting back to the West in an effort to avoid paying the piper and all of it done with US greenbacks printed out of thin air and held as reserves by the Chinese.

Question: What Is The Best Candidate In Our Solar System (Apart from Earth) As An Abode For ...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

When you consider that humans have only just scratched the surface when it comes to exploring our solar system over the past century it seems unlikely that even if there were other life forms living on the other planets in our solar system that they would be in sync with humans technologically. ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 14, 2018:

@johnprytz Correct again, at least in theory, the only way to know for sure is if and when contact with an extraterrestrial species is made.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

NothinnXpreVails comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Who makes excuses for it?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@NothinnXpreVails Duly noted.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

TheMiddleWay comments on Sep 13, 2018:

There are 4 ways to treat cancer: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy? Should we forcibly lobotomize anyone that has belief? Should we irradiate the believers with non-belief so as to burn out their belief? Should we chemically alter believers to vaccinate or eradicate their ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay I'm trying to think of a single war where religion didn't play a roll, where one god or another wasn't invoked by at least one side to aid in victory and to justify atrocities. It doesn't have to be a crusade or a jihad for religion to be involved in a war but the pain and hatred and death go well beyond official wars, it happens everyday on a more personal level. So feel free to put that in your hyperbole and smoke it, denying a problem does not make it go away anymore than identifying a problem that is being denied makes that a hyperbole.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

242Foxtrot comments on Sep 13, 2018:

In the context of enabling and excuses, I get pretty tired of the local (Denver, CO, not exactly the bible belt) TV stations continuously running the feel good stories of "miracles" with all the solemn nodding by the field reporters and anchors, as the poor schlemiels detail their woes and praise ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

What could be more Xstian than thanking your imaginary friend for sparing your house from destruction by the same tornado that destroyed the other homes in your neighbourhood? I think that if an omnipotent being could ever exist then the last place you would find it would be in a church.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

KKGator comments on Sep 13, 2018:

I merely tolerate it, by law. I hold no respect for it. Constitutionally, people have the right to be delusional. When it comes to changing the Constitution, be careful what you wish for.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@KKGator Separation of church and state are also founding principles and yet they are changing those rules, if they open the door they have only themselves to thank for the blow back.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

TheMiddleWay comments on Sep 13, 2018:

There are 4 ways to treat cancer: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy? Should we forcibly lobotomize anyone that has belief? Should we irradiate the believers with non-belief so as to burn out their belief? Should we chemically alter believers to vaccinate or eradicate their ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay The obvious first step would be to identify the disease, the next step would be to inform the patient and then establish an acceptable program of treatment. That's what I would do but there are plenty who would stick their head in the sand and deny the existence of the disease and hope that it just clears up on its own. Get which route has the best prognosis for success.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

KKGator comments on Sep 13, 2018:

I merely tolerate it, by law. I hold no respect for it. Constitutionally, people have the right to be delusional. When it comes to changing the Constitution, be careful what you wish for.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

People don't have a constitutional right to be delusional when they become a threat to themselves or others, that's the acid test for involuntary commitment to a mental institution for observation and treatment.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

Betty comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Religion is a tool that is used to gain power, control, and wealth and that serves greed. If you could get rid of greed the problem would be solved. If anyone finds a way to get rid of greed they would be a hero in my book.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Maybe we don't need a silver bullet, maybe we just need to push back a bit, point out the obvious, stick with sanity and reject insanity.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

TiernanMcCann comments on Sep 13, 2018:

I think that the disease metaphor is almost part of the issue. yes to those outside the religious circle the symptoms look like a disease, unfortunetly those suffering from the "disease" are un-aware of the symptoms and experience no ill effects (for the most part) you want to kill religion, you ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

I hear you, my younger brother has schizophrenia and the classic symptom is complete denial of the mental illness. It doesn't stop him from having psychotic episodes from time to time that the sane members of the family have to step in an pick up the pieces after it passes. It doesn't justify ignoring the illness and treating it, although there are some in my family who are highly religious so they don't accept the reality of mental illness, instead they put it down to demonic possession, choose your cure.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

TheMiddleWay comments on Sep 13, 2018:

There are 4 ways to treat cancer: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy? Should we forcibly lobotomize anyone that has belief? Should we irradiate the believers with non-belief so as to burn out their belief? Should we chemically alter believers to vaccinate or eradicate their ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

You do realize that Cancer was used as a metaphor? Shall we say nothing? do nothing? Perhaps we could send thoughts and prayers because that's considered a treatment for cancer as well.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

AnneWimsey comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Last I looked, I treasured my freedoms, and the best way to do that is to treasure everyone else's........

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Well then treasure the Trumpettes, they're a bunch of religious kooks that have hijacked your country.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

Pralina1 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Thousands ok kids suffered bcz of catholic asshole priests . Where is the government response in r country ? What type of law protects these people and y ?how many parents knew and shut up ? R these parents going to be in front of a judge ? I don't understand .

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Pralina1 You're on the front lines of this shit, others get the luxury of pretending it doesn't happen, maybe one time in a thousand but it's a lie, a comforting lie but a terrible lie.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

Matias comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Any practical suggestions? How do we have to "treat" this cancer? Do we want to pass a law that makes it punishable to bring religious faith to children? Taking away toddlers from their religious parents and put the kids in "education camps"?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

That seems a bit high handed as well as illegal, although you may have found that such things would have been perpetrated against Atheists in the past. How about we just stop apologizing for the insane behavior that religious people exhibit and stop enabling them in their hate filled love, their bigotry and their delusions? I'd call that a good start.

Let’s get nekkid and run through a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses Sunday morning!!

educatedredneck comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Better things to do naked, let's dress up like angles and act like it's the rapture

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Or we could dress up as Saxons but Angles works too, bring a sword and a buckler, it may come in handy. :)

Let’s get nekkid and run through a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses Sunday morning!!

Mooolah comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Was "naked" censored?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Lady-DebianLinux try nekked, see if that works, just be aware that the JW's are full of twisted sexual deviants and they would love to take you down in the basement so they could discuss Jehovah with you. ;)

Let’s get nekkid and run through a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses Sunday morning!!

zorialoki comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Don't they meet on Saturday?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Typically there is a Tuesday night book study, Thursday night meeting and a Sunday morning or afternoon meeting. Seventh Day Adventists, Jews and a few others meet on Saturday as their Sabbath. Always good to know your enemy.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

Pralina1 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Thousands ok kids suffered bcz of catholic asshole priests . Where is the government response in r country ? What type of law protects these people and y ?how many parents knew and shut up ? R these parents going to be in front of a judge ? I don't understand .

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

When people say there are no cover ups or conspiracies, these are the things I think about and wonder how can they be so blind? When you considered how much damage these people have done, how many lives have been ruined or even lost to suicide - it's disgusting. Yet still people say, 'Play Nice, respect the opinions of others even if you don't agree, don't make waves'. Well if you aren't part of the solution then you really are part of the problem.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

Lilac-JadeCanada comments on Sep 13, 2018:

First of all, get them off that bloody pedestal!

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Pass me a bottle of industrial strength pepper spray. ;)

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

snytiger6 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

All religions should have a warning label....

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Something like the symbol for bio-hazard.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

MichaelSpinler comments on Sep 13, 2018:

apathy certainly wont help. keeping the conversation going does.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

So long as we don't keep talking around in circles and keep allowing a Xstian prophetess to tell people to stay in place in the track of a hurricane because she is praying the devil's hurricane away or let the head of a religion that is rife with pedophiles to blame it on the Devil when it is clear that it is the priests that are buggering the little children and being sheltered by the church. etc. etc.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

NothinnXpreVails comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Who makes excuses for it?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Far too many Atheists and Agnostics in my experience.

We need to stop making excuses for religion, stop enabling this disease and start treating it like ...

Cutiebeauty comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Have patience, in a few thousand years, religion will be gone.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

How many million more dead? Billions?

Was anybody else raised in one of the Xstian Apocalyptic Death Cults where they talked about the ...

Stacey48 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Are you asking if anyone has experienced this?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Stacey48 I'm not sure anymore, could you repeat the question?? ;)

What the actual Fuck FB? I was looking at MEMES!

SukiSue comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Tell me more? I don't get it.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@GuyKeith Yes it really does. :D

Was anybody else raised in one of the Xstian Apocalyptic Death Cults where they talked about the ...

Stacey48 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Are you asking if anyone has experienced this?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Stacey48 Are you questioning my question with a question?

Was anybody else raised in one of the Xstian Apocalyptic Death Cults where they talked about the ...

Stacey48 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Are you asking if anyone has experienced this?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@Stacey48 Just asking for clarification, did you mean the text or the attached video?

Back to farm murders in South Africa ! [dailymaverick.co.za]

Umbral comments on Sep 13, 2018:

0.3% of all killings in South Africa in 2017. But the orange turd needs to get people on that.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Maybe Trump could get his people busy sorting out the killing of Americans by police forces in the US, a more pressing matter and closer to home.

Question: What Is The Best Candidate In Our Solar System (Apart from Earth) As An Abode For ...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

When you consider that humans have only just scratched the surface when it comes to exploring our solar system over the past century it seems unlikely that even if there were other life forms living on the other planets in our solar system that they would be in sync with humans technologically. ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@johnprytz The cultures inhabiting the Americas when Europeans 'discovered them' were only a few centuries apart but look at what became of those cultures in less than a century.

Was anybody else raised in one of the Xstian Apocalyptic Death Cults where they talked about the ...

Stacey48 comments on Sep 13, 2018:

Are you asking if anyone has experienced this?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

Do you mean has anyone kept their eyes tightly closed while crazy religious shit goes on all around them?

Was anybody else raised in one of the Xstian Apocalyptic Death Cults where they talked about the ...

ugly comments on Sep 13, 2018:

You sure have evil thoughts.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

I do when crazy xstians get that weird look in their eyes when they start talking about Revelations and legions of angels slaughtering millions with flaming swords so that only the few righteous that are left (funny how they always seem to be one of the righteous survivors) are standing knee deep in the blood and guts of the slaughtered sinners. Yeah, I get evil thoughts about people who would become ecstatic thinking those thought about their fellow man, little wonder religion can be used to justify any action no matter how cruel.

ever noticed that there's a unicorn on your Canadian passport? [narcity.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

As a Canadian I've always wanted to be a unicorn, especially when I am talking to Trump supporters. :D

Surfpirate replies on Sep 13, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow I grew up in Toronto which is Canada's largest city and except when we went on vacation for a week I don't remember us ever locking our doors, both my parents worked but I never had a house key because why would I need one? I now live on an island near the city of Kingston, I still don't lock my doors and I don't own a gun because I no longer hunt. I have never owned a handgun and don't know any Canadians who have owned one either, even a friend who is a private detective but he does have a small can of mace.

ever noticed that there's a unicorn on your Canadian passport? [narcity.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

As a Canadian I've always wanted to be a unicorn, especially when I am talking to Trump supporters. :D

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow That's the difference in the Canadian vs the American mindset on handguns. We see them as something that nobody needs and should therefore be prohibited for the most part and Americans see them as a necessity that everybody needs and should be entitled too. I'm reminded of some American plumbers that I hired to work on a hotel I was building in Bermuda which has very restrictive gun laws, draconian would be a better description. The plumbers were appalled when they found out they couldn't bring their handguns to Bermuda for how could they ever be safe without them, so I explained to them that nobody else had a handgun either, even the police didn't carry them. These were big guys, 300 lbs on average and heavyset but muscular, nobody was going to mess with them but they had a hard time believing that there were no other guns on the island. A few years later a few guns were smuggled onto the island for gang violence over drugs but even now there are perhaps a half dozen illegal handguns on the island of Bermuda.

ever noticed that there's a unicorn on your Canadian passport? [narcity.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

As a Canadian I've always wanted to be a unicorn, especially when I am talking to Trump supporters. :D

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow We have lots of gun laws in Canada but they are focused around the safe use and storage of rifles and shotguns which are technically powder actuated tools. Pistols are a rather useless thing and are nothing but trouble, so they are heavily restricted as all useless things should be.

ever noticed that there's a unicorn on your Canadian passport? [narcity.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

As a Canadian I've always wanted to be a unicorn, especially when I am talking to Trump supporters. :D

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow I wonder how many Americans would come to Canada if they knew they would have to check their guns at the border with the Mounties? :)

ever noticed that there's a unicorn on your Canadian passport? [narcity.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

As a Canadian I've always wanted to be a unicorn, especially when I am talking to Trump supporters. :D

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow Actually, Canadians talk a lot of shit about Americans but at least we don't hate you for your freedoms like the rest of the world apparently does. :)

Who's an anxious vegetable?

ProudMary comments on Sep 12, 2018:

I'm an eggplant.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

I'm allergic to eggplant.

This needs to be heavily advertised.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

No chance of rain, thoughts and prayers will cause it to change direction and go back out to see, Lord Trump commands it.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@Freedompath Who could remember that many failures?

Wtf really invisible shield and like storm from the x-men just command it go the other way.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

This is what happens in a society that fails to provide medical treatment to it's members who are mentally retarded or have delusional mental illnesses.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@Freedompath I've lived in the developing world and the second world countries but there is no excuse for this in a country that bills itself as the last great superpower, it's obscene.

Wtf really invisible shield and like storm from the x-men just command it go the other way.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

This is what happens in a society that fails to provide medical treatment to it's members who are mentally retarded or have delusional mental illnesses.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@Freedompath Nothing funny about people being mentally deficient, America seems to have a society that promotes this.

Hello peeps.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

It is hard to be a feminist and an ally for women's rights when you receive the level of hatred that some militant feminists spew at male feminists. I expect that sort of behavior from the misogynists and the chauvinists because they are fearful idiots but it is surprising to see it in women who ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@Woodling There are still a lot of obstacles for women from misogynists and sexists, most of them are religious as well because most religions still teach the horrible dogma that women are the source of sin and must be subjugated to men.

Congrats to @SukiSue for Level 8

chalupacabre comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Way to go Suki! Oh, and on the nuptials, too!

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

Yes, nice Nuptials, SukiSue. (y) Congrats on the T-shirt as well.

Seems about right

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Ruination of Canada, good luck with that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVC677-YmfM

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@MiltsterD American History teachers don't tend to dwell on how the War 1812 went, basically the first Vietnam that also gave the White House it's name as it had to be whitewashed to cover the scorching from when the British forces torched it, back then Canada was British North America in much the same way as the US of A had been British colonies. There is the Battle of New Orleans song but rather than being an offensive action as described in the song the American forces under Jackson were a defensive force that was besieged by the British and the whole battle occurred after the war was officially over by the Treaty of Ghent but the news hadn't reached North America yet, once the British realized the war was over, hostilities ceased. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjXM6x_0KZk

Who's an anxious vegetable?

chalupacabre comments on Sep 12, 2018:

I'll be sure to remind the zombies of that during the apocalypse - I'm really just a cucumber. No brains here!

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

CUCUMBER! nom nom nom! :D

Men's equality vs machismo.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

I can understand why you would like opera or a good romantic comedy but why in the hell would anyone like sports enough to cry over the outcome of a silly game played by grown men? Cry if something touches your heart directly, something that has meaning to it but not over whether or not some guy ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@LenHazell53 GET IN! GET THE FUCK IN!! is the one I remember Mick saying the most. He was much more interesting on topics like books or Texas Hold'em Poker. Although I don't suppose he could be much less interesting when he was watching his Canaries, lol.

I grew up with friends in Little Italy in Toronto and this reminds me of some of their grandmas.

AncientNight comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Were those Grandmothers from the Little Italy in Toronto? I think that the Grandmothers from the Little Italy in NYC wouldn't just talk about how terrible the food was, they would throw the dishes as far away as they could. In the New York Metropolitan area there's a store called Pastoza's. All ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

Those were definitely not Toronto Italian Grandmas, I would have guessed NYC or New Jersey.

Men's equality vs machismo.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 12, 2018:

I can understand why you would like opera or a good romantic comedy but why in the hell would anyone like sports enough to cry over the outcome of a silly game played by grown men? Cry if something touches your heart directly, something that has meaning to it but not over whether or not some guy ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

@LenHazell53 Yes some men and women for that matter do attach themselves to sports teams with an almost religious fanaticism, it's true. I have a friend in Ecuador who is a British Expat, an intelligent man, an atheist and an anarchist, very well ready and I enjoy his company but not when his Footy is on the Telly when he reverts to boyhood fandom for his beloved Norwich Canaries. I live him to his passion and quietly close the door on him for those periods, like I would with anyone in a state of hysteria. To each their own I suppose.

Xstian Scammers spouting their BS will likely get a bunch of fundamentalist Xstians killed by ...

chalupacabre comments on Sep 12, 2018:

Maybe somebody could sacrifice her to, I don't know, the weather god or something. Or would she not be considered valuable enough and the being would just be like, "Why are you trying to offload that piece of shit on me? You know, I've got 2 systems behind Florence. Think I'll build them up a bit ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

Considering the Xstian god Yahweh or Jehovah started off as a minor deity that worked his way up to Storm God and then Omnipotent Creator of Life, the Universe and Everything - it would be best to burn her at the stake so that the pleasing aroma of burnt flesh can be given as an offering, old testament style. ;)

Xstian Scammers spouting their BS will likely get a bunch of fundamentalist Xstians killed by ...

Umbral comments on Sep 11, 2018:

Kinda gets you angry, but ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 12, 2018:

It is upsetting that emergency responders will be risking their lives trying to save some of these idiots who listen to this delusional hogwash and the Xstian who spouted these lies will be protected under freedom of religion laws.

Xstian Scammers spouting their BS will likely get a bunch of fundamentalist Xstians killed by ...

dede18 comments on Sep 11, 2018:

Oh, I’m so glad you posted this! i just read on a FB page some comments by abovementioned kind of people and copied it, thinking ... Jeepers i wish i can find a place to share this, it is soo f***ing outrageous! this is what some religious freak wrote, addressing the hurricane: “In the name ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 11, 2018:

Turn north and head out to sea would mean a direct hit on Bermuda, I guess she doesn't like those Seventh Day Adventists very much, Bermuda has lots of them. :D

Spoiled brat with a participation trophy...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 11, 2018:

He thinks that the US government should file for Chapter 11 protection the way he always did when he got in over his head. It doesn't work that way for countries, especially the country that has the world's reserve currency. Total Fucktard.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 11, 2018:

@Jorgumander Iceland could never claim to have the world's reserve currency, their Krona is worth less than a US penny. Bankers have a problem with being cheated out of their pound of flesh but I salute the Icelanders for their grit.

Little has changed with Hurricane Florence.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 11, 2018:

Remember to watch for these indicators as the storm approaches. Cats are reliable indicators of natural disasters. ;)

Surfpirate replies on Sep 11, 2018:

@GuyKeith Absolutely, I've lived through 4 hurricanes over the years and three of them were on islands where there was no place to go. You either get out or you hunker down if you must, this one is definitely a get out kind of hurricane but it may change direction at the last minute, maybe scour Washington DC clean. The US is a first world country so there is no reason for people not to evacuate except indifference by government services or stupidity on the part of the people. Most fatalities would be avoidable under proper circumstances but if it is as bad as predicted then expect there to be thoughts and prayers for the dead.

So you want one of these as a pet !!! HeraldLIVE: Elderly man survives deadly crocodile attack.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 10, 2018:

So monkey boy steps on a croc's back and gets a near death experience for his trouble, I don't go poking polar bears with a stick because I realize they see me as part of their food chain. Nice pic of an alligator in the article btw.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 11, 2018:

@VAL3941 Everybody has to take their chances, 24/7.

Does anybody else grow tired of this think from the stomach mentality?

McVinegar comments on Sep 10, 2018:

I thought the hokey-pokey was what it's all about.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

You may be onto something. ;)

yay Canada for being second, wait, what?

Surfpirate comments on Sep 10, 2018:

So you really just have to survive until the winter and then they become zombie popsicles to brain at your leisure.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Simmer51 I just have to do with a few people on the island I live on, zombies aren't known for being good swimmers. You have to deal with the whole GTA so I doubt you'll make it to January.

Since we're the fortunate ones who can sleep in on Sunday and not attend church services.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

I got up, had breakfast, played a couple of crossword puzzles to get my mind going and then I fired up my backhoe and helped a neighbour by moving a bunch of pallets full of heavy landscaping blocks from his front yard where they were delivered to his back yard where he needs them.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Varn Komatsu WB-150 Extendahoe, I used it to build my house by myself, except for the plumbing, I really hate plumbing. Surprising what one man and a mechanical sidekick can do.

So you want one of these as a pet !!! HeraldLIVE: Elderly man survives deadly crocodile attack.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 10, 2018:

So monkey boy steps on a croc's back and gets a near death experience for his trouble, I don't go poking polar bears with a stick because I realize they see me as part of their food chain. Nice pic of an alligator in the article btw.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@VAL3941 I certainly hope not, the crocs would be ineffective at those temps, being cold blooded and all.

Does anybody else grow tired of this think from the stomach mentality?

Simon1 comments on Sep 10, 2018:

It's our short lives when we/if live longer then hopefully the human race will start think long-term

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@Simon1 I hope Elon Musk survives, he has managed to get a lot further than Nikolai Tesla did against the same types of people that don't want change.

So you want one of these as a pet !!! HeraldLIVE: Elderly man survives deadly crocodile attack.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 10, 2018:

So monkey boy steps on a croc's back and gets a near death experience for his trouble, I don't go poking polar bears with a stick because I realize they see me as part of their food chain. Nice pic of an alligator in the article btw.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

@VAL3941 polar bears are the same way, in the snow they can be practically invisible and they eat people. I think it is nicer to put the aged on ice floes and hope they freeze to death before the polar bears get them than to let them wander around in a river until they step on a croc. ;)

Does anybody else grow tired of this think from the stomach mentality?

Simon1 comments on Sep 10, 2018:

It's our short lives when we/if live longer then hopefully the human race will start think long-term

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

A bit of a Catch-22 situation isn't it? How do we live long enough to get deep when we are too shallow to focus on living longer and more full lives?

Does anybody else grow tired of this think from the stomach mentality?

pepperjones comments on Sep 10, 2018:

not everyone *can* be deep.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

True enough but the shallow end of the gene pool seems to be the most crowded section.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Actually, you should just stop biting hands.

nikkir comments on Sep 10, 2018:

Are you kink shaming me...lol. For the record I had permission to bite...sort of...kind of...okay no. ?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 10, 2018:

Always get it in writing. ;)

This group has been a good place to vent.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

I don't talk on the phone with mother very often, she can't speak freely because her new husband hovers near her and wants to listen in on the conversation so there's no point, ditto if he sees an email from any of her kids. Fortunately, my mother and I play scrabble together online so we use the...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@minhmeister Maybe Scrabble? My mother is in her 80's and she still plays for keeps, so do I because that's exactly how she taught me to play, no quarter asked or given. I usually win 3 out of 4 but she is loving this reversal lately because it improves her overall standing and since she usually kicks everybody's ass but mine she is thrilled to bits. I'm not letting her win, that would be unethical.

Russian navy has permanent presence in Mediterranean as US influence diminishes. [m.dailykos.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Why is the US always shocked and concerned whenever anyone but the US has military assets overseas? Does it ever occur to Americans that their decades of hegemony and gunboat diplomacy has caused other nations to try to secure their own borders from American aggression? US military might has never...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@kmdskit3 As I mentioned earlier it depends which side of the power balance you are on and the Western Europeans are on the American side so of course they are concerned.

It's been a while since I've had one of these dreams, tell us your nightmares as well as your ...

bubaj50 comments on Sep 9, 2018:

I rarely ( hardly ever) have unpleasant haunting dreams . I have always dreamt ! When I was very young I would have recurring dreams and nightmares... Maybe because my repertoire of experiences was limited .

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

Did you find that your reached a stage as you got older and more experienced with your dreaming that you could handle those nightmare creatures by controlling your dreams. I did that as I started to approach my teen years.

I have extremely vivid and detailed dreams : Nuts, bolts , rivets, colour, peoples faces that I have...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

That's an active dream cycle and it's terrific that you can remember most of them, that seems to be the big hurdle for most people in this group. Welcome to the group, I hope you will share some of your dream experiences with the rest of us. Some people find it easier to understand their dreams by ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@bubaj50 I used to do the same thing, everything from complex logistical problems to engineering problems on large construction projects I used to run before I retired. I find it helps if you don't spring out of bed as soon as you wake up but try to stay in the same position and recap the dream(s) in your mind, sometimes even going back into that position will help, even if you got up and went to the washroom.

Russian navy has permanent presence in Mediterranean as US influence diminishes. [m.dailykos.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Why is the US always shocked and concerned whenever anyone but the US has military assets overseas? Does it ever occur to Americans that their decades of hegemony and gunboat diplomacy has caused other nations to try to secure their own borders from American aggression? US military might has never...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@kmdskit3 Do we really? Go live in South America or other parts of the world that have been systemically dominated and exploited by the American hegemony for more than a century and then rethink your position. It becomes a case of lesser evils all over again and we saw how that played out in the last election cycle.

I don't believe that America has a monopoly on racism, they just have a higher level of denial.

Umbral comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Yes, and the racists are sure trying hard to discredit Nike now, because suddenly they care where their clothes are made ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

Apparently the share price took a hit for a few days at least, however online sales are up 30%. I wonder how many angry old white men wear Nikes?

Russian navy has permanent presence in Mediterranean as US influence diminishes. [m.dailykos.com]

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Why is the US always shocked and concerned whenever anyone but the US has military assets overseas? Does it ever occur to Americans that their decades of hegemony and gunboat diplomacy has caused other nations to try to secure their own borders from American aggression? US military might has never...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@kmdskit3 I would agree that the balance of power is constantly shifting, empires rise and fall. Is one any better than another? I suppose it depends which side of the power balance you are on and what point it is in the life cycle of the empire. In the West we are programmed to accept that the Russians are the evil empire and we are on the side of the angels, somehow I think the roles are reversed in Russia.

It's been a while since I've had one of these dreams, tell us your nightmares as well as your ...

pixiedust comments on Sep 9, 2018:

I haven't been having any nightmares lately.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

Although isn't it funny how people will remember a nightmare long after they have forgotten a really nice dream.

Animated interactive of the history of the Atlantic slave trade.

fidla comments on Sep 9, 2018:

When we talk about slaves, we should also mention the white Irish women and girls who were sold as slaves during the Penal years. Read the book "White Cargo" https://www.amazon.com/White-Cargo-Forgotten-History-Britains/dp/0814742963/. "White Cargo is the forgotten story of the thousands of ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@Lukian White guilt over black slavery? We did it to our own so doesn't that make it okay that we did it to the blacks too? 10 million blacks versus 300k whites.

Russian navy has permanent presence in Mediterranean as US influence diminishes. [m.dailykos.com]

Secretguy comments on Sep 9, 2018:

Make Russia Great Again.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

Bring back the Czar?

What are you grateful for?

Surfpirate comments on Sep 9, 2018:

I'm not comfortable with being thankful or grateful in a generic way, who would I be thankful or grateful too? An indifferent Universe? I do appreciate that I have had good luck in being able to pursue my dreams and make most of them a reality but grateful? I think not.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

@Simmer51 I suppose I could be grateful to my parents and teachers who promoted a strong work ethic that led to my becoming a workaholic for 3 decades of my life but also provided me the resources to retire at 48. I could thank those who helped me along the way and those who made me stronger by trying to tear me down and rob me of everything I have built over the years but maybe they were just being true to their own desires and needs, the impact on me being merely a knock on effect.

Has anybody else used a pressure cooker? I never have but not for the reason shown.

FrayedBear comments on Sep 9, 2018:

The pressure is only supposed to be about 5-8 psi.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 9, 2018:

The problem is when the pressure relief valve becomes stuck and the pressure continues to build, a catastrophic failure is rare but impressive when it occurs.

Sept. 8th: Dream Diary

pixiedust comments on Sep 8, 2018:

Another busy, productive night for me. This time, I was a plumber fixing faulty, leaky pipes in a very old women only apartment and rooming complex in Halifax. Other than the plumbing, the building and grounds were in great shape. The whole plumbing team and I would take our lunch and snack breaks ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

@pixiedust Well you've got experience now, go for it! (y)

So...This weekend we have a fair. What's offensive about this?

Surfpirate comments on Sep 8, 2018:

Aww, it's so cute and nostalgic. <3

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

@SukiSue Or the biggest caveman, I hope they only throw them over their shoulder and don't drag them by their hair, maybe at the Republican fair. ;)

I've been thinking a lot about mr.

LEPeff comments on Sep 8, 2018:

A classic TV star that isn't associated with a scandal yet.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

Didn't the Pillsbury Doughboy come out and accuse Mr. Bill of buggering him on the casting couch. Not sure myself, so many people coming forward these days that it is hard to keep track of them.

Are we living in Chaos and just deluding ourselves into believing that there is an overriding Law ...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 8, 2018:

Of course there is order in the universe, there are fundamental rules that determine how matter and energy work, gravity produces a sort of order in the orbits of planets and stars, tides make their regular progression but there is also chaos in the universe too because things happen in seemingly ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

@SukiSue In the past I have had employees suggest that I might be a bit of a control freak. I fired their fucking asses on the spot. ;) No just kidding but they are right and I need the occasional reminder of that.

Sept. 8th: Dream Diary

pixiedust comments on Sep 8, 2018:

Another busy, productive night for me. This time, I was a plumber fixing faulty, leaky pipes in a very old women only apartment and rooming complex in Halifax. Other than the plumbing, the building and grounds were in great shape. The whole plumbing team and I would take our lunch and snack breaks ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

Who knew you were so handy. :)

I took a break from this group for a week because the constant Trump retarded rhetoric was getting ...

Our_existence comments on Sep 8, 2018:

One problem....the Borg are NOT insane. tRump is insane. tRump in a Liar. tRump is amoral. tRump is a CRIMINAL!

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

The Borg Queen was insane and a narcissist and a liar as well, she was the core of the Borg so while they may appear to be normal in their drone behavior the hive mind was quite mad indeed and amoral as well.

Sept. 8th: Dream Diary

Surfpirate comments on Sep 8, 2018:

I woke up looking for a scrap with my hands balled into fists. Last night's dream had me at a small cottage that was right at the edge of the water with an elevated deck cantilevered over the water on stilts. I pull up to this little box of a cottage and I am with my wife and my electrical project...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 8, 2018:

Whenever I say BLINK in a dream it means that time and/or space have shifted, imagine hitting the skip button on your remote and popping to a different point in the story line of a movie. I do this sometimes in a dream, sometimes I will do it intentionally if it is a vivid dream and I am in control or if it is a recurring dream so I know where the dream is going and I want to leap over boring bits or parts I don't like but sometimes it just happens like it did in last night's dream.

Some good advice from dreamtribe.

Electro68 comments on Sep 7, 2018:

Thanks surfpirate! Really useful information. I wake a couple of times and remember, only for that to be a feeling in the morning so, I'm going to apply these methods.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@Electro68 Are you over tired? That can be a big problem and certainly prescription drugs and alcohol can be negatives for remembering your dreams.

While we are basking in the glow of Karma and Schadenfreude, how about this woman calling out her ...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 5, 2018:

Disrespectful?? What is a decent person's level of respect for a rapist? Zero? Less than Zero? Where is the Xstian Love and Support for this woman who has been assaulted?

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@SKH78 Like that Catholic priest who tried to tell the judge how his teenage victim had seduced him, judge threw the book at him.

I was prompted by a comment the other day to write this post, a person I had just met asked me what ...

fauxname11 comments on Sep 7, 2018:

I have plenty of practice living my days outside of work because I have summers off. I too wonder about people who have so little imagination that they can never find a life outside of a job.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@Condor5 I found I spent a lot of time keeping the Sparkies and the plumbers pulling wrench from killing each other when I was managing construction projects, mainly hotels. The electricians are always the prima donas on the job site, they love to show off their clean hands at the end of the day. I'm a framing carpenter by trade but a construction manager by profession.

Some good advice from dreamtribe.

Electro68 comments on Sep 7, 2018:

Thanks surfpirate! Really useful information. I wake a couple of times and remember, only for that to be a feeling in the morning so, I'm going to apply these methods.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

Intent is so important when you are first learning to remember, if your conscious mind doesn't make remembering your dreams a priority then the subconscious mind just files them circular in the waste bin.

I see we have gotten quite a few new members in the last couple of weeks so I wanted to send out a ...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 7, 2018:

If you have questions then just throw them out there, nobody can answer them if they aren't asked. Share what you got, it can't be any weirder than being an Ant or floating in the void and being attacked by giant metallic spiders? or maybe it can be and we'd love to hear your dream experiences, old...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@Iam4MY You're very welcome but I notice that it's still just the two of us posting most of the time. :D

I'm moving all my shit today! New apartment.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 6, 2018:

My wife and I lived in Bermuda for 7 years until 2010 and because it is such an isolated spot the shipping costs to move all of our stuff back to Canada was ridiculously expensive. We had decided to go traveling for a few years at that point so we sold everything that wouldn't fit into a suit case ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@StrongHappySilly We went cold turkey and I have to admit that it felt a bit naked without all that shit to drag around.

I was prompted by a comment the other day to write this post, a person I had just met asked me what ...

mordant comments on Sep 7, 2018:

It's the leftover influence of the Protestant Work Ethic. Idle hands are the devil's playground, and all that sort of nonsense. It's also sour grapes because you pulled it off early.

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

The holy roller types do convey a sense of sinfulness if one doesn't drop dead working for the benefit of the lord, that's true and they are generally miserable types in any case so seeing someone happy just pisses them off no end.

I'm moving all my shit today! New apartment.

Surfpirate comments on Sep 6, 2018:

My wife and I lived in Bermuda for 7 years until 2010 and because it is such an isolated spot the shipping costs to move all of our stuff back to Canada was ridiculously expensive. We had decided to go traveling for a few years at that point so we sold everything that wouldn't fit into a suit case ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@StrongHappySilly What you can do is sort through your stuff and anything that you haven't used in the past 2 years, sell it on Craigslist or donate to the needy. Then clean up the rest of your stuff and see how that feels for a bit, if it feels good then minimize more until you stop seeing improvement. At the very least you get some more money and make room for new stuff.

I was prompted by a comment the other day to write this post, a person I had just met asked me what ...

Surfpirate comments on Sep 7, 2018:

Another favourite response to my telling people that I am retired is their disbelief, that since I retired at the young age of 48 that I must somehow be lying to them. 'You're too young to retire' is a comment I used to get a lot of, less so now but people either felt that I was lying to them to ...

Surfpirate replies on Sep 7, 2018:

@thinktwice I have a baby face under my goatee, when I shave it off and tell people I am retired you would be surprised at how many people are offended. Some people seem to feel I retired early to make them look bad, like life was a race or something, I think they are free to pass me and get to the finish line before me, no skin off my nose.