What have you learned in life?

Sticks48 comments on Jul 31, 2022:

That you can't throw a potato chip far! That is it. I have learned nothing else.

TomMcGiverin replies on Aug 1, 2022:

Better a potato chip that a cow chip, lol! At our annual state fair, they still have a cow chip throwing contest.... To me, hater of country music and most country culture, that rates right up there with tractor pulls, for non-stop excitement.... and don't forget NASCAR, favorite fan sport of mouth breathers....

What have you learned in life?

Sticks48 comments on Jul 31, 2022:

That you can't throw a potato chip far! That is it. I have learned nothing else.

TomMcGiverin replies on Aug 1, 2022:

@Sticks48 Nuthin' but the truth. How is the music biz going these days?

What have you learned in life?

glennlab comments on Jul 31, 2022:

I've learned that being an optimist means that I will get disappointed often, I've also learned to not let little disappoints disillusion me and I'll still be happy.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

I've learned that being a socialist, at least in the US, means that my side will almost always lose and constantly be discredited in the mass media and the political system, but it will also allow me to see truths and be able to make sense of things that other Americans are baffled and confused about. So I may usually be frustrated, but at the same time, I get the satisfaction of being better informed and more often right than most citizens about what's going on.... for what that's worth.... It also gives me a sense of moral and intellectual superiority, I suppose, because I truly want equality and fairness in all things, instead of just the bullshit identity politics and culture war stuff that most liberals will gladly settle for...

What have you learned in life?

Silver1wun comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Civilization, hence life, in varying degrees and ways, is comprised of competing, sometimes over-lapping protection and salvation rackets. They are called many things and those many names are the only substantial differences between each brand and what it promises. Promises promises are the ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

I learned that long ago, beware the protector. They are often self-serving, rather than truly interested in your welfare. In the end, we all need to be our own leaders and protectors, and think for ourselves, rather than blindly putting all our trust and faith in mortals who promise to take care of our interests. Because if things go bad, it will always be you who has to live with the consequences of your misplaced trust, not them....

What have you learned in life?

Sticks48 comments on Jul 31, 2022:

That you can't throw a potato chip far! That is it. I have learned nothing else.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

You are far too modest, sir!

My kids and I have been fishing. We just cooked our quip on the grill.

glennlab comments on Jul 31, 2022:

what kind of fish?

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

@azzow2 Some folks around here, where there are plenty of them in water, don't like to eat them, but I always have. Just not my favorite type of fish tho...

You know your god is man-made ...

RussRAB comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Research has been conducted to support this concept. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18216-dear-god-please-confirm-what-i-already-believe/ ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

@RussRAB In the end, it's all belief in bullshit anyway...

In rare move for Supreme Court justice, Samuel Alito mocks foreign critics of abortion reversal

KKGator comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Alito can go fuck himself.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

He really needs to, and so sorry he can't get pregnant from it..

Our alphabet used to have over 30 letters; like Eth; ð, Thorn; þ,Wynn; ƿ, Yogh; ȝ, Ash; æ, and ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Sounds like a lot of sucking..... that really sucks, lol!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

@Dyl1983 I do, I was just playing with it a bit and being a smartass...

You know your god is man-made ...

RussRAB comments on Jul 31, 2022:

Research has been conducted to support this concept. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18216-dear-god-please-confirm-what-i-already-believe/ ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 31, 2022:

Sounds the same to me as confirmation bias.

I have no idea who this Smith fellow is but I have long held his logical argument to be true in my ...

skado comments on Jul 30, 2022:

George Smith died this year at the age of 73. He was a Libertarian, associated with the Cato Institute. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._Smith

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

I despise most Libertarian political thought, but this guy's thoughts, on this subject at least, seem spot on... About the only things I agree with Libertarians on politically, is ending the war on drugs, not intervening in foreign affairs, for the most part, supporting civil liberties, including abortion rights, gay rights, etc., and severely cutting back the military spending and size of the military.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

SpikeTalon comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Is such a scenario really any more childish than say blocking someone who posted on topics/issues that of which you disagreed on? I'd say not, neither scenario is childish per se, and when it comes to groups on here the hosts and mods make the rules, and they are no more wrong for banning someone ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@SpikeTalon In the case of me and HippieChick48, I never blocked her or said I was going to block her, we simply got into an argument in another forum on Agnostic, not in the Trump Pinata group, which she moderates, and it was about some issues between the genders. She blocked me personally and then banned me from her group, so my situation differs some from Redheadedgammy. And when I compare it to hers, my banning from the group seems even more unjustified and unfair. It was surprising and refreshing to see Krish show up here, apologize to her, and work it out. I'm not holding my breath that HippieChick48 will be big enough to do the same...

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

KateOahu comments on Jul 30, 2022:

I believe we have the right to choose those with whom we wish to associate. The rules here allow one to prevent those with whom we prefer to not communicate from doing so. It is a good rule. It’s not childish; it is self care. More people should practice it. There is no point in engaging in ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@MsKathleen Yes, the group owner or mod is permitted to be irrational, petty, and abusive of their power, but that does not make it right or that we should be happy with it. So you can stuff your opinion, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm glad you and I are blocked from each other outside of here.

Back in the mid '70s, around the time that the first Star Wars movie came out, there was a popular ...

Garban comments on Jul 30, 2022:

You need help.😉

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Flyingsaucesir You're still an alright guy, in my book...

Hi i need atheist girl. It's been difficult to find one in my country.

Diaco comments on Jul 30, 2022:

Oh, It's Your Lucky Day! Here you go : https://agnostic.com/discussion/679003/am-looking-for-love-and-supporting-man Although both of your accounts are odd to me :D

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

They both say they live in NYC, and have the same broken English, and neither one has written a bio...What a match! Except her profile says she is just "here for community". Could be trouble... or they may just both be scammers..

Hi i need atheist girl. It's been difficult to find one in my country.

Aaron70 comments on Jul 30, 2022:

Good luck, I’ve been looking for nearly 15 years now….🤷🏻‍♂️

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Buck I hear you, Buck, and can understand why you only want an Atheist woman. Personally, I am ok with even a woman who is moderately religious, as long as they are accepting and tolerant of me being an Agnostic. Another part of it, is that living where I am, it is also not realistic for me to be that narrow about who I would date, since there are so few non-believer women in my area who are single and looking to date. That kind of dealbreaker would surely cause me to be alone the rest of my life, and I don't want that. You are free to decide and feel differently me about this. I hope you find what you are looking for where you live, because where I live, with my level of looks and how much I don't fit in with the local dating pool on other issues besides religion, it just wouldn't be a realistic requirement for ever finding a partner. BTW, I have messaged plenty of women in the last three years on Match that were atheists or agnostics, as there are some of them that come along from time to time, but most of them have never replied to me and very few have ever ended up meeting me, because even if we were the same on religion, there have been other issues where we differed and either did not seem compatible, like kids situation, drinking habits, or politics, or else my looks weren't attractive to them.

Hi i need atheist girl. It's been difficult to find one in my country.

Aaron70 comments on Jul 30, 2022:

Good luck, I’ve been looking for nearly 15 years now….🤷🏻‍♂️

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

That seems totally believeable to me, because once a man reaches your age, the dating pool really starts to shrink, as many women 50 or over who are divorced, decide to go it alone the rest of their life, not wanting to have take care of a man again. Even tho many or even most men don't want a woman to take care of them in a marriage or relationship, many women do experience that and it makes them so bitter and resentful, that they decide to swear off relationships for good. So after age 50, the competition men have in the dating game gets worse and worse, until the late 60s, when enough men have died off, then the gender ratios of singles starts to even out more. I have tested my local dating pool on Match by doing a search at the library, and using a different e-mail address, to see how many men there were in my local dating pool for my age group, and there were almost three men for every woman in the pool. Too much competition at my age right now.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 29, 2022:

I agree. I had a personal spat with Hippie Chick48 somewhere on this site, in a forum, so she blocked me from her personally, but also kicked me out of the Trump Pinata group(which she moderates), which I really enjoyed reading the posts and commenting in. I had never had any problems or arguments ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Redheadedgammy I was never that selfish about things when I was young, and I see people our age doing the same thing these days, so they have no excuse about youth being the reason they do it. And that is not selective memory on my part, it is the truth. I just have always been way more moral and serious than most people.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 29, 2022:

I agree. I had a personal spat with Hippie Chick48 somewhere on this site, in a forum, so she blocked me from her personally, but also kicked me out of the Trump Pinata group(which she moderates), which I really enjoyed reading the posts and commenting in. I had never had any problems or arguments ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Redheadedgammy It really is. There is so much context missing. That is why I continue to tilt at windmills, I suppose, by refusing to get a smartphone or learn to text, because I really prefer to limit my personal communication as much as possible to in person, voice phone calls or video chat, because anything else is so prone to miscommunication. Voice and non-verbal communication do so much to improve clear communication. I don't know why anyone would prefer the convenience of texting to having the most clear communication possible. With me, I want quality over convenience or quantity, regarding communication, at least. But nowadays, everybody seems to want convenience and self over all else. That's why nobody, esp. younger people, will ever make plans very far in advance and then hold to them. Because they are too damn selfish and self-centered to commit to any plans, and possibly miss out on something better. Same thing with committing to face to face communication in person. All about doing what is comfortable and convenient for THEMSELVES.... not what nurtures real connection and relationship... And then people wonder why so many are lonely and our society is so atomized....

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 29, 2022:

I agree. I had a personal spat with Hippie Chick48 somewhere on this site, in a forum, so she blocked me from her personally, but also kicked me out of the Trump Pinata group(which she moderates), which I really enjoyed reading the posts and commenting in. I had never had any problems or arguments ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Redheadedgammy Maybe I misunderstood you. It seemed like you were minimizing what she had done, but your followup makes it clear that you weren't. I appreciate the explanation and elaboration.

Imagine claiming that people being given a freedom previously denied to them is somehow "oppressing"...

Garban comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Why are the most dysfunctional of people so threatened by other people having happy successful relationships. 🙁

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Betty So true.. That is why there should be some taxes on them as well as large churches, at least. Esp. if those churches choose to be politically active.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 29, 2022:

I agree. I had a personal spat with Hippie Chick48 somewhere on this site, in a forum, so she blocked me from her personally, but also kicked me out of the Trump Pinata group(which she moderates), which I really enjoyed reading the posts and commenting in. I had never had any problems or arguments ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 30, 2022:

@Redheadedgammy One can self distract and de-focus all they want, it stinks when someone abuses their power and acts like an asshole.. Are you defending her or apologizing for her? What she did was no more right or justified than what Krish did to you...

Imagine claiming that people being given a freedom previously denied to them is somehow "oppressing"...

Garban comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Why are the most dysfunctional of people so threatened by other people having happy successful relationships. 🙁

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@Betty Agreed. I have always felt they are very emotionally immature, selfish people who care only about serving themselves and those they use to get what they want. They have no appreciation for altruism, generosity or compassion, as they see those qualities as only for losers, weak people, and suckers.. They do sometimes engage in philanthropy, but that is only for social standing, reputation, and maybe to ease whatever little conscience they may have about their greed.

Imagine claiming that people being given a freedom previously denied to them is somehow "oppressing"...

Garban comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Why are the most dysfunctional of people so threatened by other people having happy successful relationships. 🙁

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

It is also about resentment. Unhappy conservatives resent people who they feel are inferior or immoral compared to them having equal rights. Feeling superior AND having greater rights and status than others different from them, kind of comforts and softens the blow of life not going happily for conservatives...

Imagine claiming that people being given a freedom previously denied to them is somehow "oppressing"...

p-nullifidian comments on Jul 29, 2022:

I came to realize some years ago that in the mind of a conservative, extending rights that they enjoy to others is actually seen as a threat. Conservatives don’t fully accept the concept of equality.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

Well duh, conservatives have never believed in any kind of equality, it's always about preserving the privilege, wealth and power that they either already have and enjoy, or what they have delusions about eventually getting, once their time comes, according to the myths they believe in regarding opportunity and upward mobility....

I Dream of Jesus – The Dead Milkmen [youtube.com]

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Hey it's just as plausible as any number of other wacko Christian stories. 😂

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

It's also probably not that uncommon for kids to have parents who are batshit-crazy religious fanatics..

So, in other words, this group is an alternative for those who grew tired of what the Progressives, ...

glennlab comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Rather than an alternative, I would say that it is a group for liberals and progressives, welcome.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

Tomato, tomato..

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

SpikeTalon comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Is such a scenario really any more childish than say blocking someone who posted on topics/issues that of which you disagreed on? I'd say not, neither scenario is childish per se, and when it comes to groups on here the hosts and mods make the rules, and they are no more wrong for banning someone ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

I have to disagree, in that I DO find such behavior childish and petty, as well as spiteful. As to your comments on progressives being no different than conservatives, at least in how they treat their fellow members, you are spot on. HippieChick48 is a fellow progressive, which is why we were both in the Trump Pinata group, where we always agreed on politics. But we clashed on another forum here, regarding gender issues, if I remember right, and she was not big enough to let that go and allow me to remain in the Trump Pinata group.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

Diaco comments on Jul 28, 2022:

Oh, boy, Krish55 !!! :D leave that guy and that group alone, you lose nothing! He's Just and Just an Anti-West person! Who apparently lives in the USA! I wonder why still lives there and doesn't move to that damn Utopia ( Russia or China ) Arguing with these kinds of people is pointless, they ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@glennlab Glad that it's thriving.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

Diaco comments on Jul 28, 2022:

Oh, boy, Krish55 !!! :D leave that guy and that group alone, you lose nothing! He's Just and Just an Anti-West person! Who apparently lives in the USA! I wonder why still lives there and doesn't move to that damn Utopia ( Russia or China ) Arguing with these kinds of people is pointless, they ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@glennlab, @Marionville That is exactly what the new group, Liberal/Progressive group, has done.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

Diaco comments on Jul 28, 2022:

Oh, boy, Krish55 !!! :D leave that guy and that group alone, you lose nothing! He's Just and Just an Anti-West person! Who apparently lives in the USA! I wonder why still lives there and doesn't move to that damn Utopia ( Russia or China ) Arguing with these kinds of people is pointless, they ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@glennlab I figured that was going on when I saw the new group pop up, it's clearly a lateral move to get around Krish55, and I support that. I have enjoyed the new group so far.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

glennlab comments on Jul 28, 2022:

He is starting to act like Big Bird did several years ago, She and others wanted all blocks to be removed in the senate, Admin worked that out. Once that happened, she got her panties in a bunch and demanded we hold a vote to put blocks in the senate back in, we held a vote and she lost. She then ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

Sounds like a small-minded, insecure person, who went on a power trip. Kind of like Jo Slaight did to me on a FB Agnostics group and Hippie Chick48 did to me here.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

TheMiddleWay comments on Jul 28, 2022:

You run your group any way you want, as silly as it may seem to him. He runs his group any way he wants, as silly as it may seem to you. Not sure what more there is to think about. 🤷

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@Redheadedgammy The Middle Way is too much of a thick-headed idiot to get your point. I blocked him a long time ago.

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Jul 28, 2022:

I think that there are times when it is appropriate to block a person from a group, but if a moderator blocks someone simply over a disagreement, I wouldn't want to be in the group anyway. People disagree with me and I disagree with them, but I don't block someone unless he/she is insulting or...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@Gwendolyn2018 That was me, Gwen, and here I see you still talking shit about me. Let it go and get over yourself....

I would like to address the issues of moderators who block people from groups.

racocn8 comments on Jul 28, 2022:

It is really telling that so many posters will still post in Krish55's group even after they've been told that Krish55 is an asshole that blocks everyone. Shame on the posters and sucks to be Krish55. Please, everyone. Do NOT post to "PROGRESSIVES, SOCIALISTS, BLACK LIVES MATTER.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

That used to be a really good group before he took it over and made it his personal soapbox. I still visit the group from time to time, but it usually never has any new posts that are interesting, and nowadays there are so few comments that it's not worth much attention for that either.

The Dawn of the Apocalypse Chris Hedges “The powerlessness many will feel in the face of ...

David1955 comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Yes, maybe, but there's also an interpretation that says that while societies generally are becoming more secular and abandoning religion, the dwindling religious are becoming more toxic and fundamentalist and authoritarian inclined. The difference between now and the past is that science is now ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

@Scott321 So true, if they can restrict the voting enough and gerrymander enough to dilute the voting of the majority, they can still hold onto power even if they are not the popular majority of the citizens.

Republicans are being cruel towards veterans?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 29, 2022:

Not only do they (Republican senators) not care about veterans, they also don't care about the rest of us. They only care about themselves. Look at how they allow the fossil fuel industry to keep its stranglehold on the energy sector, while the thermometer inches ever higher and the floods, fires, ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 29, 2022:

They don't even care about their own children and grandchildren, who will inherit a planet that is uninhabitable, but by then the Repub senators will all be dead. They only care about their now, the money and power, not about anything that will happen after they die. They will not be able to take any of it with them after they die, but it doesn't matter to them. They just care about their personal status quo from now till death. They are truly soulless people..

Islam allows a man to have four wives. Why does Islam not allow a woman to have four husbands?

wildgarden comments on Jul 27, 2022:

Why would a woman want four husbands? Seriously though, the Q'uran says that if a man gets pleasure or children from a woman, he is supposed to take care of her forever. So, in theory, when a man tires of his first wife, he does not toss her into the street to fend for herself in a male-dominated ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 28, 2022:

@Julie808 You forgot to say that one of them should be a licensed massage therapist....

What is the silliest profile comment you've seen on a singles dating site?

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 28, 2022:

Another thing that is really grating, in women's profiles, or men's for that matter, is when they write something like " I don't know quite what I am looking for in a partner, but I will know it when I see it" or some other conceited type of statement. What they fail to recognize, or even care ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 28, 2022:

@TheoryNumber3 I get that, either extreme is bad and self-defeating, I think. I really have only two dealbreakers, no country music lovers and no conservatives, otherwise, I'm pretty open-minded about potential partners, tho I wouldn't date a daily smoker. But I think that's just a common given in the dating game, smokers only want fellow smokers and non-smokers only want their kind on that too. Of course, like everyone else here on Agnostic, I want someone who's intelligent, has some common interests with me, is not strongly religious, and is physically attractive to me. I would not say that any of that is too rigid or overly demanding.... Howard's (racocn8) comment below covers the overly rigid template pretty well, I'd say... And while physical attraction isn't always instant, it's pretty clear that with most people, both men and women, the looks in profile photos, as well as the first in person impression, are very important in who people choose to even reply to first messages sent to them, much less who they will agree to meet in person. Women on Agnostic can say all they want to about how they are different than other women on the dating sites regarding that, but I know damn well from my online dating efforts that my looks play a huge role in who even bothers to read my first messages or view my profile after I message them. Your looks either measure up to the woman's standards of attractiveness or they don't, and if they don't, it won't matter at all what is in your first message or your profile. The looks are where everybody begins their sorting process, whether they admit it or not.....

What is the silliest profile comment you've seen on a singles dating site?

racocn8 comments on Jul 4, 2022:

Going back into my archives: "One can always see precisely why these women are single: 1. The women are altogether full of themselves, and they’ve written a small book singing their own praises for a profile. Their book list is either 40 lines long, or double-spaced to impress(?). 2. They have ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 28, 2022:

You forgot to add that the man has to have a full head of hair, even if he and the woman are both in their 60s or older, besides him having to be over 6 feet tall, etc......

She's right, you know.

rainmanjr comments on Jul 27, 2022:

I blame the American people, who were warned with graphs and many, many, facts which they ignored, and laugh at every report of weather-caused damage to their homes/cities/states. I think Americans are a cancer upon Earth and deserve what is coming. Politicians were merely playing to their demands ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 28, 2022:

@rainmanjr You're right, the public is too lazy and selfish to support green policies. It makes them apathetic to how the pols sell them out on energy policy.

GOP Senate Candidate J.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Violent marriage ages violent children

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 27, 2022:

@Organist1 No, I was the second oldest, the oldest son, out of two boys, two girls.

GOP Senate Candidate J.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Violent marriage ages violent children

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 27, 2022:

@Organist1 Sounds like we grew up in the same family. My siblings value status and career success, achievements, over relationships, and I just can't bridge that kind of difference in values between us. Like you, my friends became my real family in my adult life, replacing my family and giving me people I could trust, who also accepted me as I am and valued me, instead of, like my siblings, judging me negatively and feeling embarrassed about me. My siblings sort of replaced my parents, who are now dead, as being my critical, emotionally unsupportive parents..

GOP Senate Candidate J.

Leetx comments on Jul 26, 2022:

J.D. Vance is an ass clown. trauma and never any sense of safety. screw that guy.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 27, 2022:

@Leetx Anyone who seriously interprets the Bible that way can shove it up their ass...

GOP Senate Candidate J.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Violent marriage ages violent children

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 27, 2022:

@Organist1 Same here. Never been in an abusive relationship and it's also why I chose to never have kids or be a parent. Probably also why I married late in life and had only one long term relationship so far, my marriage to my late wife. Probably also explains why I am estranged from my siblings, for the most part, because our lives growing up together involved so many negative memories at home, so when we get together there is so much tension to only talk about happy stuff outside of our home or just surface, superficial impersonal stuff. Frankly, that kind of censorship just makes me feel that contact with them is not worth the stress or effort.

“If I had my life to live over.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Sounds a lot like Emily's " Return To Earth" speech in Our Town. Few people actually fully realize and experience life while they are living it, except, as The Stage Manager character says in reply to her speech, " The saints and poets, they do some.....".

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 26, 2022:

@TheoryNumber3 The quote is from a John Lennon song. His actual lyrics were, "Life is what happens, while you're busy making other plans"...

GOP Senate Candidate J.

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jul 26, 2022:

Violent marriage ages violent children

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 26, 2022:

@Beowulfsfriend True for me. I have never been a violent person, but it did raise me to have an intense, nasty, temper, like my father. Unlike him, I never physically acted on it.

“If I had my life to live over.

jlynn37 comments on Jul 26, 2022:

I have few regrets, but I would do many things differently if I could do it over, knowing what I know now about myself and life in general.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 26, 2022:

I'm probably like most people, I would do some things over differently. The main one that comes to mind is, I would have taken better care of my teeth, because the older I get, the more discomfort I have with getting fillings and crowns...

I don't think this will get anyone's motor running

SnowyOwl comments on Jul 25, 2022:

I don't have a vagina but it certainly triggered a bit of a gag reflex but fortunately no spit up of bile in the back of my throat. Probably because most of them should be in jail already and most of them will be before too long.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

I hope you're right, but I'm too cynical about our system to believe the rich and connected will end up in jail.

I don't think this will get anyone's motor running

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

Who's the prick between Tucker and Alex Jones? Is that first son-in-law Jared? I assume the third one is an old pic of Matt Gaetz..

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@Garban Who's he? Never mind, I looked him up online. An elite educated, rich frat boy type, yup, typical pedigree for a right wing commentator...

I don't think this will get anyone's motor running

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

Who's the prick between Tucker and Alex Jones? Is that first son-in-law Jared? I assume the third one is an old pic of Matt Gaetz..

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@Garban And number three in the lineup?

Negotiation in a Nutshell: Joe Manchin - YouTube

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

If anybody deserves assassination, besides Trump, it's this prick!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@Redneckliberal I hope you're right and that it happens someday, but I doubt it. It seems that too many good ole boys will vote for anyone that seems to share their hatred for others who are different from them, no matter how much the politician robs them blind or keeps them poor...

Negotiation in a Nutshell: Joe Manchin - YouTube

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

If anybody deserves assassination, besides Trump, it's this prick!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@Redneckliberal You would think, but I have no doubt that, like most rich fucks, he gets around with a detail of bodyguards, besides any Secret Service he might have as a US senator.

First Nations should not accept the Pope’s apology.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

At least in America, the Catholic Church has done two positive things for a long time that the Protestant churches have not. One is being on the side of the poor and against poverty and economic inequality. Second is their opposition to the death penalty. Outside of those things, not much good I can...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@puff I grew up Catholic and know way more than you about how it works in the US. Most American Catholics, including a lot of the priests, pay mostly lip service to the Vatican, as well as the American Catholic heirarchy, on its policies that are strongly conservative, anti gay, misogynistic and harmful to other countries.

Trump Says 'Americans Kneel to God' As Christian Nationalism Grows in GOP

freedom41 comments on Jul 25, 2022:

I believe he meant kneel to him. Since, he believes he is a deity.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

I think you meant to say deity...

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

Barnie2years comments on Jul 25, 2022:

No one can explain complicated subject with more humor and insight than John Oliver. He should be required viewing for all college students and politicians.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

He was one of the best parts of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart..

First Nations should not accept the Pope’s apology.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

At least in America, the Catholic Church has done two positive things for a long time that the Protestant churches have not. One is being on the side of the poor and against poverty and economic inequality. Second is their opposition to the death penalty. Outside of those things, not much good I can...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@OldMetalHead Then why is it the mega churches and most evangelical churches don't help the poor as much as the Catholics seem too?

First Nations should not accept the Pope’s apology.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 25, 2022:

At least in America, the Catholic Church has done two positive things for a long time that the Protestant churches have not. One is being on the side of the poor and against poverty and economic inequality. Second is their opposition to the death penalty. Outside of those things, not much good I can...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 25, 2022:

@puff As I said, I was talking specifically about the American Catholic church. Do you have a reading problem, or are you just thick?

Best Apocalypse Ever!!! Trudeau has had covid four times, Biden twice and Fauci.

Garban comments on Jul 24, 2022:

They’re alive. Unlike many who rejected the science in favor of conspiracy theories.😢

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 24, 2022:

@Castlepaloma You're really an ass. You continue to dodge the other guy's points about all the people dying from not getting vaxed. You really are like all the conservatives on here, in that you either run away or refuse to address the other side's point or points in a debate. Get bent....

Would you go to the convince store in you`re PJs?

glennlab comments on Jul 24, 2022:

#4 WTF are PJs?

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 24, 2022:

@glennlab Probably the only time I would ever wear mine...

Perfectly describes my soon to be ex. The Female Covert Narcissist. [youtube.com]

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 24, 2022:

Well, the video certainly explained at least some of why I have never been hooked by this type of woman. I don't have the first two traits she talked about, the Protector trait and Helper. Hero trait. The reason for this is that I learned long ago to quit being co-dependent, and thus don't need or ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 24, 2022:

@FvckY0u Glad it's helping you. I know it sounds cliche, but knowledge is power, at least some of the time...

Perfectly describes my soon to be ex. The Female Covert Narcissist. [youtube.com]

Organist1 comments on Jul 24, 2022:

Wow! That applies to male covert narcissists too. :'(

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 24, 2022:

Like everything, it goes both ways...

Today is kind of meme rich.

Redheadedgammy comments on Jul 22, 2022:

Love the first one! 🤣 Hawley has no spine, that’s for sure!!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 22, 2022:

@glennlab I'll bet he hits like one, too. Somebody so needs to kick his ass.

Republicans increasingly viewed by Americans as the party of violence

silverotter11 comments on Jul 22, 2022:

I have thought for a long time that the right wing folks were more prone to lashing out than those leaning left. I watched the hearing last evening on c-span live. During the break the host said that after the hearing they would take calls, they have separate phone lines for dems, indies and ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 22, 2022:

The phone callers, while not a scientific sample, does seem to prove that the Repub supporters tend to be ignorant, narrow-minded assholes. It's not hard to have party unity when all you need to organize around is hate, fascism, and fake patriotism. Way more narrow than the Dem Party's platform.

Republicans increasingly viewed by Americans as the party of violence

racocn8 comments on Jul 22, 2022:

That is only the latest emphasis on a long list. Add to that: Bigoty, prejudice and hatred of minorities Theocracy Fascism Indifferent to corruption Hypocrisy of claimed values Subhuman: lacking any sense of humor, empathy, integrity, loyalty to truth or reality, etc. Utterly fake patriotism ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 22, 2022:

@rainmanjr "I am serious, and stop calling me Shirley"- Leslie Neilson

Armed Citizen Shoots And Kills Suspect Who Assaulted Multiple People And Tried Running Another Over ...

silverotter11 comments on Jul 21, 2022:

Of course it's posted on a sight called Concealed Nation.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 21, 2022:

@racocn8 Unfortunately, they are right about that. And that's why after it becomes clear that the shit is about to hit the fan, I will buy and learn to shoot my own gun, so I don't have to depend on the cops to give me protection from these assholes, which I know will never come from the cops. And, yes, I'm afraid the crazies will become able to shoot whoever they believe is a lefty, on sight, without any consequences, from the cops or the courts...

Armed Citizen Shoots And Kills Suspect Who Assaulted Multiple People And Tried Running Another Over ...

silverotter11 comments on Jul 21, 2022:

Of course it's posted on a sight called Concealed Nation.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 21, 2022:

@SeaGreenEyez I'm outnumbered by them too, where I live. And I am learning all the time about more and more libs like us who are starting to buy guns and learn to shoot them, simply out of the fear we will need to do that eventually to survive, against the right wing thugs and crazies. I will probably follow suit on that trend, because I don't trust the cops to side with us and against them. I think they will turn a blind eye to them and we will have to protect ourselves, just like in the old Wild West. We will be on our own.

Minnesota Republican Matt Birk Warns Abortion Leads to Women Having Careers, Claims Pro-choice ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 20, 2022:

Makes sense he would say that. He sounds like such a typical macho asshole jock. In The Handmaid's Tale, the first thing the fascist theocratic government did was throw all the women out of their jobs.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 20, 2022:

@linxminx Atwood's novel is becoming non fiction more and more each day.

Lauren Boebert Doesn’t Want Dr.

racocn8 comments on Jul 20, 2022:

Thanks for not posting in that other group.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 20, 2022:

Which one would that be? If you mean Trump Pinata, I'd agree, since I can't see things in that one. But I'm assuming you meant the Progressive Socialist group. This is getting a bit like Monty Python's Life of Brian, with the Judean People's Front and other similar splinter groups, lol!

Bill Maher's False Flag Supply | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube

DenoPenno comments on Jul 20, 2022:

Not too much of an exaggeration for my area. Throw in a man I went to school with who liked Trump because he "does not need your money and has plenty of his own." Now let's jump to a recent Trump statement where he claims he needs to be president again so he will not be subject to prosecution. He ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 20, 2022:

As far as the logic of the thinking of the man you went to school with, he could just as easily voted for one of the Kennedy brothers, John, Bobby, or Ted Kennedy, all liberals, since they had their own money and didn't need that of the peasants like him. What an idiotic basis for who to support!

There is a mutual no contact order between my ex and I.

SeaGreenEyez comments on Jul 19, 2022:

Is your dog ill? Tell her to take it to the vet and you'll pay the bill. My ex trolled me for cash. I never paid him direct. I'd pay for his bullshit all too often, but I paid it to a business/vendor/etc. He actually decided to get a job. Funny how that worked. 👍

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 20, 2022:

@SeaGreenEyez After hearing what you and the OP have been thru, now I can see why so many of the divorced women I run across on Match seem so bitter and ambivalent about dating again. I have never had either of your two experiences, having been lucky enough to have had only my long term relationship with my late wife, and no other, esp. negative, long term relationships. I can only imagine what a bad LTR would be like.

From Washington, MO - my atheist mobile will always blaspheme.

DharmaBum50 comments on Jul 18, 2022:

Has your Atheist Mobile been keyed or egged yet?

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 19, 2022:

@DharmaBum50 You would think even a fundy or conservative would still see enough of the humor in that title to leave it alone. I guess they are even more humorless than I thought. Who doesn't love The Dude from The Big Lebowski? But Kentucky is probably even more redneck that my state, Iowa...

From Washington, MO - my atheist mobile will always blaspheme.

DharmaBum50 comments on Jul 18, 2022:

Has your Atheist Mobile been keyed or egged yet?

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 19, 2022:

I assure you that even one of those stickers on a car in my town would get it vandalized quickly..

Missouri Law Makes It a Felony for Homeless to Sleep on State-Owned Land

dalefvictor comments on Jul 19, 2022:

Fuck up the economy so there are little to no good paying work, then have the cost of housing go off the roof and then throw people into jail and fine them for not having a home and a job. Good way to treat your people, vote these bastards out of office. Allow them to become homeless, oh wait that ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 19, 2022:

@Barnie2years The Repubs treat the homeless just like they treated blacks during the Jim Crow days, when lots of towns had sundown laws for blacks, as in "get out of town before sundown", along with other laws against the homeless, where they would be "Warned out" or told to leave town because they had no money. This was something that began during the Great Depression, when lots of white drifters came across the country looking for work.

Missouri Law Makes It a Felony for Homeless to Sleep on State-Owned Land

davknight comments on Jul 18, 2022:

The Sans-logis will only continue to grow in numbers. As will their rage swell, until it explodes!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 19, 2022:

@snytiger6 You're right. They know the lower classes have every reason to hate them, but the corporate media that the rich own does a great job of teaching the lower classes to scapegoat, fight among themselves over race and identity politics issues and wedge issues like abortion, so that the lower classes never focus on the class war and who their real enemy is. The corporate media also plays along with the two major parties to make voters think the solution is only within voting for the two major parties as the only choice and that the duopoly will somehow solve the economic inequality and improve the economic lives of the peasants. And like Lucy and Charlie Brown, both major parties will pull the football away on economic reform for the masses, no matter what they promise in the election season.

GOP's Armed Wing Takes Aim At Democracy - YouTube

Barnie2years comments on Jul 18, 2022:

I found this segment just as interesting, or should I say frightening, as the one above https://youtu.be/3KSpXom9to4

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 18, 2022:

I agree completely with the analysis. This is how it would play out here.

Missouri Law Makes It a Felony for Homeless to Sleep on State-Owned Land

davknight comments on Jul 18, 2022:

The Sans-logis will only continue to grow in numbers. As will their rage swell, until it explodes!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 18, 2022:

And when it does, I hope they kill a few smug, upper class Repub supporters who still feel invincible out on the streets without bodyguards.

In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace | Pew Research Center

jlynn37 comments on Jul 18, 2022:

In my opinion, while this may be true, the Christian Nationalists in the Conservative, Evangelical GOP is working much faster to make this country a Christian Theocracy. I'm glad I'm old.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 18, 2022:

@wildgarden There is a lot of violence, natural for the subject matter, but I would say it is actually less gross than the violence in most action movies.

In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace | Pew Research Center

jlynn37 comments on Jul 18, 2022:

In my opinion, while this may be true, the Christian Nationalists in the Conservative, Evangelical GOP is working much faster to make this country a Christian Theocracy. I'm glad I'm old.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 18, 2022:

@Beowulfsfriend I know, I've seen them in redneck bars, or at least bars that are low class enough to get rednecks in there from time to time. The last two guys that bullied me at karaoke shows were that type, the kind that are into redneck culture and country music, as well as right wing politics, but probably never inside a church for services in recent years. They don't like sissy lib types like me, and I'm sure they also don't like, and would bully, colored or queer people as well, esp. if they were there alone.

In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace | Pew Research Center

jlynn37 comments on Jul 18, 2022:

In my opinion, while this may be true, the Christian Nationalists in the Conservative, Evangelical GOP is working much faster to make this country a Christian Theocracy. I'm glad I'm old.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 18, 2022:

You're so right, and what happens with the Christian Nationalists matters way more than how religion goes or doesn't, with the rest of the public. If they get a theocracy, it won't matter if most Americans don't share their beliefs, they will have all the power, there won't be any elections, and they will rule over everyone else, believers or non-believers.... And if, like the Nazis, they come to power, we will have no choice but to fight them in the streets, for our own survival, instead of being like the Jews in Nazi Germany, of just waiting to be slaughtered or imprisoned. The US is looking more and more like the Purge movies every day, where the rich and the racist thugs grow more brutal and emboldened every day to just treat us like animals or worse, like garbage...

Edmonton church fined $80,000 for obstructing COVID health inspections

anglophone comments on Jul 17, 2022:

"God saves those who believe in God."

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 17, 2022:

That seems to be their belief, but from what I've read in the news about superspreader events at evangelical churches, it appears that science and medicine have a better track record than religious faith in helping people avoid illness and death from Covid.....

Edmonton church fined $80,000 for obstructing COVID health inspections

Castlepaloma comments on Jul 17, 2022:

There is alot of things I disagree with from churches. Yet the right to gather or constitutional assembly I do agree with for all groups of people . Covid has completely destroyed my sculpture business and one third of Canadian small businesses that have been destroyed by covid. It's the greatest...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 17, 2022:

@jlynn37 He seems to have overlooked all the deaths in Italy during the early days of Covid when the government failed to act soon enough to close businesses and require masking, people sheltering at home, etc..

County Republicans Delete Facebook Page After Blaming ‘Jewish Junta’ for Biden’s ATF Pick ...

BitFlipper comments on Jul 16, 2022:

Damn! They sure do hate Jews!

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 16, 2022:

The only thing they like about Jews is the idea of the Israeli Jews rebuilding the temple in Jeruselum, so the end times will come and Jesus will return. To them, those Jews are bit players in history that will bring about what the evangelicals want. American Jews, to them, are not important or of any value, if anything they are suspect and not to be trusted.

Religion asks too much of people like me.

skado comments on Jul 16, 2022:

I don’t think it’s actually “religion” that asks that of people - it’s fundamentalism. I know plenty of devout Christians who don’t believe in a magical being. And I understand most Buddhists don’t. One of the most influential Christian theologians of the twentieth century, Paul ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 16, 2022:

@Garban Unitarians are like that. They are solely there just for community and to have a place for their kids to learn about world religions or find a peer group outside of school, because membership in a Unitarian church is usually not much of a community standing builder in Christian America. If anything, it would raise suspicion about a person...

Religion asks too much of people like me.

skado comments on Jul 16, 2022:

I don’t think it’s actually “religion” that asks that of people - it’s fundamentalism. I know plenty of devout Christians who don’t believe in a magical being. And I understand most Buddhists don’t. One of the most influential Christian theologians of the twentieth century, Paul ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 16, 2022:

@Garban Frankly, I think most non-evangelical Christians, as well as most Catholics, are what you call Sunday Christians. And if you scratch them deep enough, they are just there for community and social standing. Probably the same with a lot of Jews, at least the more liberally religious ones.

Capitol Officer Injured in January 6 Riot Says Republicans 'Avoid' Him

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jul 15, 2022:

The party of "law and order" and the blue stripe flag are the most lawless shits out there.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 16, 2022:

@Barnie2years True, they only support cops who are racist and abuse colored people, because those cops are keeping the minorities in their place, which is the role the Repubs see for law enforcement, which is keeping poor people and minorities in their place and protecting the lives and property of the rich and other "worthy" white people like them.

I saw this as a post in the Conservative Atheist group which I see but I am not a member of and they...

silverotter11 comments on Jul 15, 2022:

I see this in many areas with the Movement Conservatives aka trumpers or what ever they refer to themselves. Just anti religion but not humanist or even secular if the religious serve their purpose. NO clue that this actually makes them look extremely ignorant and trans phobic all at the same ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

Most of them also either have no clue or simply don't care, regarding how selfish they look.

I saw this as a post in the Conservative Atheist group which I see but I am not a member of and they...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 15, 2022:

I stay out of viewing the posts from the Conservative Atheists group, as I have no interest in hearing their bullshit, however, I am unable to avoid running into them often on the Politics forum and sometimes other non-political groups (at least in theory), like the two dating groups, and the ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

@silverotter11 Thanks.

Commentary from Jeff Childers at 'Coffee & Covid' - Remember how Moderna and Pfizer always said ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 15, 2022:

I've had Covid twice, the last time very recently, so it had to be one of the new Omicron variants, and this time it was much milder than last time overall, so I am glad I have had the vaccines and boosters. If not, I assume it would have been much worse for me this time.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

@Castlepaloma You are really an asshole, anti-vaxer! Don't be surprised if we all have a laugh at you someday should you get really sick or die from Covid. I will have no sympathy for you, since you feel good about people who get vaxed dying, from whatever causes it may actually be.

Commentary from Jeff Childers at 'Coffee & Covid' - Remember how Moderna and Pfizer always said ...

DenoPenno comments on Jul 15, 2022:

I'm waiting to see how it goes in wintertime where I live. If Covid variants increase in my area the boosters and masks start again. I work for a very large corporation who keeps on top of all this and tells us what to do.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

The positive case numbers have been going up a lot lately in my area, and are now the highest since March of this year. So I am back to masking when I go to stores and other indoor settings. In outdoor settings with crowds, I intend to distance myself.

Commentary from Jeff Childers at 'Coffee & Covid' - Remember how Moderna and Pfizer always said ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 15, 2022:

I've had Covid twice, the last time very recently, so it had to be one of the new Omicron variants, and this time it was much milder than last time overall, so I am glad I have had the vaccines and boosters. If not, I assume it would have been much worse for me this time.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

@BDair Fine, be a smartass. Any more and I will block you.. I joke about a lot of dark things, but I don't joke about the deaths and serious illnesses of innocent people... Apparently you think that stuff is funny....

Commentary from Jeff Childers at 'Coffee & Covid' - Remember how Moderna and Pfizer always said ...

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 15, 2022:

I've had Covid twice, the last time very recently, so it had to be one of the new Omicron variants, and this time it was much milder than last time overall, so I am glad I have had the vaccines and boosters. If not, I assume it would have been much worse for me this time.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

@BDair Suit yourself. I believe otherwise and trust my doctors. I have a good friend whose brother in law refused to get vaxed or mask, got Covid, developed pneumonia, was hospitalized and died from it. His health before that was very average, so there's that... He was the same age as me.

Capitol Officer Injured in January 6 Riot Says Republicans 'Avoid' Him

Beowulfsfriend comments on Jul 15, 2022:

The party of "law and order" and the blue stripe flag are the most lawless shits out there.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 15, 2022:

Yup, the whole Repub law and order, along with Back The Blue, are just empty campaign rhetoric.

“Why We Did It:” Fmr. RNC Spokesman on GOP’s Descent Into Trumpism

Organist1 comments on Jul 13, 2022:

Absolutely disgusting. Winning at all costs is more important to these characters than any sense of decency. :-(

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

They're no different than the soulless yuppie scum on Wall Street that have destroyed companies and lives with their greed and ruthlessness. People who only care about winning at any cost, including cheating and breaking the law, just like their boss Trump. The only things or times they ever feel sorry for anything is for when they get caught doing it and punished. They don't feel shame for their deeds, only anger about getting caught or punished. Otherwise, they would have felt perfectly okay about their deeds.

Lauren Boebert Denies Her Husband Exposed His Penis in a Bowling Alley: Book

Garban comments on Jul 13, 2022:

Sound like a crazy right wing reality series.🤔🤮🥴

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

I bet there's always an audience for it... Ever since the Clintons in the 90s, there have always been Americans that see politics as entertainment first....

Two sides of the pond

TomMcGiverin comments on Jul 13, 2022:

Maybe it's because the British have a parlimentary system for their federal government, maybe not, but it does appear that their Conservative Party, which is their counterpart to our Repub Party, does appear to have a majority that are sane and honest enough to stand up to their leader, unlike our ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

@273kelvin You've got it. For every federal office, the candidates are already pre-vetted by the donors, except for the rare cases like Bernie Sanders, in which case the major parties make sure those candidates never get their nomination. Even before the Citizens United ruling by the SC, this was the case with legalized bribery being openly allowed in our politics.

It’s not really about whether you consider yourself an atheist or a theist.

Leetx comments on Jul 13, 2022:

Which of those groups of people, (...both equally resistant to any and all scientific evidence contrary to their beliefs...) do you think could change their mind when presented with new evidence ? As an atheist, I would change my view if confronted by reasons to believe in god. Soooo.... I call ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

@skado Toodles...

It’s not really about whether you consider yourself an atheist or a theist.

Leetx comments on Jul 13, 2022:

Which of those groups of people, (...both equally resistant to any and all scientific evidence contrary to their beliefs...) do you think could change their mind when presented with new evidence ? As an atheist, I would change my view if confronted by reasons to believe in god. Soooo.... I call ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

@skado Maybe we just enjoy humoring you or screwing with you a bit, mentally, skado....... I do enjoy arguing a bit, mainly just for sport. Like I said before, I grew up in a family of lawyers...

It’s not really about whether you consider yourself an atheist or a theist.

Leetx comments on Jul 13, 2022:

Which of those groups of people, (...both equally resistant to any and all scientific evidence contrary to their beliefs...) do you think could change their mind when presented with new evidence ? As an atheist, I would change my view if confronted by reasons to believe in god. Soooo.... I call ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

@Leetx Mental masturbation, one of my favorite terms, lol! It was first introduced to me many years ago by an old friend that was a schoolteacher and fellow community theater person. In the years since, it has appeared to be an apt description for the favorite hobby of many intellectual men. Personally, skado, I do notice how you seem to be making or bringing up the same issue or argument over and over on these boards, and frankly, I just don't give a fuck about this ? of what or why atheists and agnostics see things the way they do. All I know is that I don't believe anymore in there being any deities or supernatural things, and that I want to be left alone by those who do believe in such things. Your issues that you keep harping on and bringing up just don't matter to me and I honestly don't spend any of my time thinking about them. They just seem irrelevant to my life. It's the same with analyzing why believers think or believe as they do. I pretty much just don't care and all I want from them is to be left alone. I can think of better things to do with my time and mental energy than analyzing and trying to figure out how and what others think regarding religion and spiritual things, as I feel no need to know that stuff in order to live my life. So you two have called BS on each other, looks like a draw to me. Move along, nothing to see here, lol........

An all too accurate meme.

Garban comments on Jul 13, 2022:

The SCOTUS is evolving into the sharia law tribunal.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jul 13, 2022:

Yup, the Repbs have become the American Taliban, and yet they are oblivious to the irony...