We all want Trump to be held accountable for his multiple crimes and heinous violations against ...

mcgeo52 comments on Jun 22, 2021:

Moving on without holding criminals accountable sends a message that future criminal actions will not have consequences.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 23, 2021:

@mcgeo52 It figures...

"None of these things are happening in any other developed nation.

WayneDalton comments on Jun 22, 2021:

As far as I am concerned, they are complicit,and are responsible as well

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 22, 2021:

I agree. On the things that affect centers of power, as Chris Hedges puts it, like war, taxes, corporate power, etc., the Dems and Repubs are two wings of the same duopoly party, the party of the rich, corporations, and the war machine.

We all want Trump to be held accountable for his multiple crimes and heinous violations against ...

mcgeo52 comments on Jun 22, 2021:

Moving on without holding criminals accountable sends a message that future criminal actions will not have consequences.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 22, 2021:

Exactly! Obama letting Bush, Cheney, and the other war criminals off the hook set the precedent that allowed Trump to commit his crimes.

Seven justices - including two appointed by Donald Trump - rejected, for the third time, a ...

UrsiMajor comments on Jun 22, 2021:

I'm actually one of them. As a consultant, I change contracts a lot. It's easier just to buy my health insurance directly myself. Employment should not be a mandatory requirement for healthcare.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 22, 2021:

Agreed, We need to join the rest of the civilized world, make health care a right, and have single payer healthcare thru the government paying for it thru taxes.

How dare we be so radical.

19dacar52 comments on Jun 22, 2021:

Well, all those points are the first step toward socialism... and you know what comes next. 😏

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 22, 2021:

People openly having sex in the streets and scaring the horses?

Unfortunately not surprised

BufftonBeotch comments on Jun 17, 2021:

And yet making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday was nearly unanimous except for 14 outliers.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 21, 2021:

@BufftonBeotch I grasp the importance of symbolism, but in the long term it is no substitute for real change, such as equalizing power or wealth equality in a society. Continually substituting symbolism for real change or revolution leads to a society of boiled frogs, who don't revolt or jump out of the hot water that keeps getting hotter because symbolism gives them false hope and comfort that they aren't being gradually boiled alive by the system and the ruling class. Right now we have a nation of very cooked frogs who I call sheeple...

Tell me honestly. You've all thought this, right???

TomMcGiverin comments on May 16, 2021:

I must confess I identify a lot with this feeling. It often comes down to hoping their eccentricities match up well with mine.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 21, 2021:

@TheoryNumber3 Yup, setting the bar low is sometimes a good trick...at least if you're just interested in something short term...

Unfortunately not surprised

BufftonBeotch comments on Jun 17, 2021:

And yet making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday was nearly unanimous except for 14 outliers.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 18, 2021:

@BufftonBeotch I respectfully disagree. Symbolic things function as a distraction and substitute for real change, reform, and progress. They lull people into thinking we still have a functioning democracy, that our voices matter, and give false hope about whether the system and the two major parties, as it is, will allow real change. It pacifies the sheeple.

Melania was 'nowhere to be found' as Trump celebrated 75th birthday with family and friends | ...

K9Kohle789 comments on Jun 18, 2021:

She probably had her head stuck up her ass and everyone knows it's really really hard to correct that situation esp. if you have a big head.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 18, 2021:

Good one! That is usually the main malfunction with most people that are assholes. And their problem is usually easily seen by others, but never by them.

Tell me honestly. You've all thought this, right???

Surfpirate comments on May 16, 2021:

So many unique and interesting people in the world, the boring mud people are pretty easy to spot and avoid but you have to be willing to bend a little for the sort of people that are weird like you but not exactly the same sort of weird. I can't imagine how horrible it would be to have a ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

@TheoryNumber3 Sounds a bit schizophrenic to me, like the old saying, "You're never alone with a schizophrenic"...

Tell me honestly. You've all thought this, right???

TomMcGiverin comments on May 16, 2021:

I must confess I identify a lot with this feeling. It often comes down to hoping their eccentricities match up well with mine.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

@TheoryNumber3 I've gone thru dry spells where I began to feel the same way. The best, and funniest line on that issue, was one I saw a video clip of a woman saying it on the late nite reality dating show, Blind Date, which I think was on Bravo or We TV network. She said, "I just want to meet and date someone I don't want to kill at the end of the day".....

Unfortunately not surprised

BufftonBeotch comments on Jun 17, 2021:

And yet making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday was nearly unanimous except for 14 outliers.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

I'm not saying that racial equality doesn't matter, but if passing a federal holiday of that type is all Biden and the Dems can come up with as a win or uniting the congressional Dems around a bill, then that's a pretty piss poor example of progress. Because it does nothing against the plutocracy or corporate rule of the country. It costs the rich and corporate America nothing to add another federal holiday. Identity politics at its worst, posing as real change or progress. And it sure as hell won't be enough to let the Dems win the congressional midterms in a year.

Covid: US death toll passes 600,000 as vaccination rate slows [bbc.com]

CuddyCruiser comments on Jun 17, 2021:

This will take more lives than the Spanish flu pandemic. When all this is said and done over the next year or two there will in all likelihood be over 1 million deaths or maybe more. I hope not, but I’m not hopeful about anything that isn’t in my control.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

@CuddyCruiser I wish states like that would just secede.

Covid: US death toll passes 600,000 as vaccination rate slows [bbc.com]

CuddyCruiser comments on Jun 17, 2021:

This will take more lives than the Spanish flu pandemic. When all this is said and done over the next year or two there will in all likelihood be over 1 million deaths or maybe more. I hope not, but I’m not hopeful about anything that isn’t in my control.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

@CuddyCruiser I hear you, and I live in a red state. The latest I heard, tho, is that Iowa is up to about 50 or 60% of adults vaxed. The case numbers are now so low that the state is shutting down its drive thru testing sites about a month from now.

Covid: US death toll passes 600,000 as vaccination rate slows [bbc.com]

CuddyCruiser comments on Jun 17, 2021:

This will take more lives than the Spanish flu pandemic. When all this is said and done over the next year or two there will in all likelihood be over 1 million deaths or maybe more. I hope not, but I’m not hopeful about anything that isn’t in my control.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

@CuddyCruiser Then I really do hope you're wrong.

Covid: US death toll passes 600,000 as vaccination rate slows [bbc.com]

CuddyCruiser comments on Jun 17, 2021:

This will take more lives than the Spanish flu pandemic. When all this is said and done over the next year or two there will in all likelihood be over 1 million deaths or maybe more. I hope not, but I’m not hopeful about anything that isn’t in my control.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 17, 2021:

You have pretty much spelled out my thinking as well regarding hopefulness, esp. concerning things that involve systems of power, which, as you, I, and Chris Hedges know are presently beyond the control of peons like us, short of some kind of revolution to right the power imbalances. Just curious, are you predicting over 1 Mil deaths in the US, or worldwide?

Covid: US death toll passes 600,000 as vaccination rate slows [bbc.com]

bobwjr comments on Jun 16, 2021:

Most cases now are in the unvaccinated

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 16, 2021:

Good, as long as the vaccinated are protected against these idiots, I say let them get sick and die. My only fear is if they produce variants that I am not protected against with my current vaccination or my future vaccinations.

What 'evidence of vaccination(s)' "nudges" do you favor ? Why/not ?

Deb57 comments on Jun 15, 2021:

I can recall a time when my sons would have been suspended from attending classes in their public elementary schools until they had their inoculations updated. It seems absurd to me right now that people are viewing their ability to infect others with the diseases du jour as some kind of "right."

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 15, 2021:

It is absurd to most of us, but not to conservatives and Libertarians, because, to them, their is no "us" or society, just their own individual selfishness, that matters. They have an alien mindset, as far as I'm concerned, and they are best avoided at the interpersonal level and fought ferociously at the ballot box and in the courts.

What we all know.

HippieChick58 comments on Jun 12, 2021:

Are you sure you mean midwest? That looks pretty southern to me.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 14, 2021:

@CuddyCruiser I live in the Midwest, and they both are Trump country, with the exception of Illinois and maybe Minnesota, but the South is probably more extreme in their Trump worship.

A sticker I would put on my car

Redheadedgammy comments on Jun 14, 2021:

I could probably get away with that here in California without getting my car keyed! 😉

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 14, 2021:

I know that in Iowa, esp. the city I live in, that sticker would be like a "Kick Me" sign. I don't need or want to spend the money on constant vandalism to my car.

A wise man

HippieChick58 comments on Jun 14, 2021:

That is so very true! I know some conservatives just like that.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 14, 2021:

Ditto. I won't waste my time or energy on them.

There is no christian persecution.

Matias comments on Jun 14, 2021:

Sociologists Campbell and Manning diagnosed a "culture of victimhood." It pays to present oneself as a victim. Of course, no one wants to be a real victim, but more and more people want to be perceived that way, because as a victim you have the moral authority.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 14, 2021:

I think that Repubs, as well as conservative Christians, like to claim victimhood.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

Deb57 comments on Jun 11, 2021:

When I was young and cute I once had a married man with an oil fortune offer to "keep" me - in exchange for sex, I'm sure, although that wasn't mentioned. I was a young, poor single mom, and it I won't pretend it wasn't tempting when I was looking at a lifetime of drudgery doing menial work. But I ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

@Deb57 Don't mention it. I can relate to the experience of being stuck in an endless series of menial jobs, despite my privilege, for a few different reasons in my case. But one of them was that I was never willing to play office politics, kiss up to superiors, or backstab anyone to get ahead. And those things in themselves usually condemn a worker in America to never moving up from menial or dead end jobs. Working hard and following the rules at work, even together, is never enough to get ahead or advance in most workplaces, at least not in my experience.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

racocn8 comments on Jun 11, 2021:

Everyone is a whore. People really need to get over themselves.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

@UrsiMajor I agree with you on the last sentence. If I really wanted to go on a trip and had no girlfriend to take with me, I would gladly pay the way for a friend, male or female, to go with me if they didn't have the money to pay. But I would not date someone where I had to continually pay for them to afford traveling with me or going to an expensive show or concert. The latter is what I call having to constantly "level up" with someone that is a lot poorer than me. That last sentence would clearly be a transaction of sex and companionship for money.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

racocn8 comments on Jun 11, 2021:

Everyone is a whore. People really need to get over themselves.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

@UrsiMajor Then I can see why a lot of women would be tempted...Maybe he would pay airfare or limo service for you to visit him, lol....

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

Tejas comments on Jun 11, 2021:

Some people would kill for the chance.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

I have no doubt of that. And I also am well aware that I have mostly lived a life with enough privilege that it was certainly easier for me to practice integrity than it would have been otherwise or than it is for most people who are born poor or aren't able to get a higher education.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

racocn8 comments on Jun 11, 2021:

Everyone is a whore. People really need to get over themselves.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

I'm not, at least by yours or most people's standards. But what others choose to do is not my business and does not bother me, at least if they are not part of my life. If someone chooses to "be a whore", as you say, they will not be my friend or be part of my life, as I choose only to be involved with people who have integrity. If they don't, I can't respect them enough to be friends with them.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

Deb57 comments on Jun 11, 2021:

When I was young and cute I once had a married man with an oil fortune offer to "keep" me - in exchange for sex, I'm sure, although that wasn't mentioned. I was a young, poor single mom, and it I won't pretend it wasn't tempting when I was looking at a lifetime of drudgery doing menial work. But I ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

I admire your decision, Deb, and it doesn't surprise me at all. You have beauty on the inside and the outside, along with integrity. Which is why if you lived near me, I would date you in a heartbeat.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

FearlessFly comments on Jun 11, 2021:

I like to think of myself as a feminist. I want an EQUAL partner.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

@UrsiMajor Melania and Trump are a transaction, as far as I'm concerned. Most healthy couples in a romantic or life relationship are partners, as far as I'm concerned.

So, I'm used to some indecent proposals on pof, but today I was offered a "sugar daddy who will ...

FearlessFly comments on Jun 11, 2021:

I like to think of myself as a feminist. I want an EQUAL partner.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 11, 2021:

I think of myself as a pro-feminist male, and I too want an equal partner in all things. Because I had one in my one marriage, which was my only LTR. I am not willing to settle for less than that in my next LTR, if I get one.

Online dating profile.

HippieChick58 comments on Jun 7, 2021:

There are men like this, and that's just part of the reason I'm not on any dating sites. I don't think I ever will be again, however... I have been wrong before. But... I live in Nebraska and I am such a fish out of water here. The average Nebraska 60ish male is conservative, xian, gun loving, and ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 8, 2021:

@HippieChick58 Glad you enjoy it. Those discussions wouldn't interest me, but they do interest my friend.

The real reason for some of our problems

Gator comments on Jun 8, 2021:

Illegal immigration is a very real problem. I live in Texas and it's very obvious that many of the people working in industries such as restaurants, landscaping, and construction are not citizens. There is an underground railroad in which they use other legal social security numbers. They sleep 4-5 ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 8, 2021:

@Gator Thanks, I try to be accurate.

Online dating profile.

HippieChick58 comments on Jun 7, 2021:

There are men like this, and that's just part of the reason I'm not on any dating sites. I don't think I ever will be again, however... I have been wrong before. But... I live in Nebraska and I am such a fish out of water here. The average Nebraska 60ish male is conservative, xian, gun loving, and ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 8, 2021:

@HippieChick58 I am aware of them and a friend of mine attends them regularly, because, even tho he is happily married, he loves to socialize and discuss things with others, even if it's usually just a repeat of the same old same old. I am not inclined that way and also don't find most discussions of atheism, humanism, or religion very interesting at all. He also has confirmed that I would find few opportunities at the meetings of those groups to meet single women in my age group. So I will stick with Batch, for better or worse.

The real reason for some of our problems

Gator comments on Jun 8, 2021:

Illegal immigration is a very real problem. I live in Texas and it's very obvious that many of the people working in industries such as restaurants, landscaping, and construction are not citizens. There is an underground railroad in which they use other legal social security numbers. They sleep 4-5 ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 8, 2021:

As long as there are jobs here for immigrants to work at, documented or not, "legally" here or not, they will continue to come here. And they will continue to be hired here, to work for less money than citizens who are already here, because employers are greedy and exploitive. Our government supports those employers, not American workers who have been displaced from their jobs by immigrants, so nothing will change for the better with our jobs that are being given to immigrants over native citizens and the wages for those jobs continue to stay low or even drop lower. It's a gradual turn towards restoring slavery thru the interim process of feudalism.

No! Jesus, save me please!

Leelu comments on Jun 7, 2021:

And "axe" for ask.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 7, 2021:

Wait a second, isn't that an acceptable spelling under Ebonics? Cue the PC Police coming to accuse you of being racist.....

Online dating profile.

HippieChick58 comments on Jun 7, 2021:

There are men like this, and that's just part of the reason I'm not on any dating sites. I don't think I ever will be again, however... I have been wrong before. But... I live in Nebraska and I am such a fish out of water here. The average Nebraska 60ish male is conservative, xian, gun loving, and ...

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 7, 2021:

So maybe you seem to be saying that Nebraska might be her "conservative state" she is wanting to move to, and that there are plenty of matches for her there? What a gruesome thought.....Sheesh, and I thought Iowa was the pits for dating, at least for folks like us....

Online dating profile.

RonWilliam53 comments on Jun 7, 2021:

"I am common sense" And looking for "suiters". Home schooled orphan? Sadly for her-she's looking for goobers who'll only post pictures of themselves in wife-beaters and holding the carp they caught for dinner.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 7, 2021:

She does sound pretty pathetic, at least by my standards...Maybe she will be found appealing by some members of the conservative Atheists group here, depending on if they can overlook her religious belief...

Online dating profile.

itsmedammit comments on Jun 7, 2021:

Well, they say there is someone for everyone.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 7, 2021:

Exactly my philosophy. I am sure she will find her match eventually, and they'll both get who they deserve. Like Angela and Dwight on The Office, there is always a match even for the most loathsome, toxic, dysfunctional people. I'm glad to steer clear of her type in my searching.

Does anybody say "bless you or God bless you" when someone sneezes? Personally I say gesundheit.

Gohan comments on Jun 6, 2021:

I don't say anything. It's a normal bodily function and doesn't require someone's well wishes.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 6, 2021:

I feel the same about farting. Why don't people say something after that, lol?

[youtube.com] Just because it's beautiful.

TomMcGiverin comments on Jun 5, 2021:

I generally like Neil Young and his music, but I hate country music and redneck culture, and this song is just too country for me. No coincidence that here in Iowa, this is his one song that all the redneck, country music-loving folks know and like, so that just leaves me out of it.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 6, 2021:

@Organist1 Glad the song works for you and that it inspired such a nice experience for you and him.

It seems that I am in the unenviable position of possibly not ever havong another relationship, and ...

mischl comments on Jun 4, 2021:

I started a wonderful new relationship at age 70. Now, 11 years later, it's going very well.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 6, 2021:

@mischl Your info is about what I expected, but it's nice to hear confirmation of what most of us men have to look forward to when we hit 70, or possibly earlier in our lives as seniors. Glad you kept finding things that worked for you. Since I have heart issues, I'm guessing that none of these meds would be safe for me anyway, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, no pun intended....

It seems that I am in the unenviable position of possibly not ever havong another relationship, and ...

mischl comments on Jun 4, 2021:

I started a wonderful new relationship at age 70. Now, 11 years later, it's going very well.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 5, 2021:

@mischl Can you elaborate or be more specific about the type or types of chemicals and what kind of practice?

It seems that I am in the unenviable position of possibly not ever havong another relationship, and ...

mischl comments on Jun 4, 2021:

I started a wonderful new relationship at age 70. Now, 11 years later, it's going very well.

TomMcGiverin replies on Jun 4, 2021:

You are living proof that it's never too late...

Am I missing something here? I know they are

silverotter11 comments on May 30, 2021:

trump supporters for sure.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 31, 2021:

@silverotter11 You are right on the money about that movie and I don't blame you a bit. Banjo music now makes me run for the hills.

Am I missing something here? I know they are

silverotter11 comments on May 30, 2021:

trump supporters for sure.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 31, 2021:

True that, but I was also thinking of a couple characters in the movie Deliverance..... Cue the banjo music, which always gives me the creeps after seeing that film..

Am I missing something here? I know they are

TomMcGiverin comments on May 30, 2021:

Just goes to prove that there's a match out there for everybody, lol!.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 31, 2021:

@TheoryNumber3 For all we know, they are...

Am I missing something here? I know they are

Marcie1974 comments on May 30, 2021:

Always great to make fun of the way people look. I’m a middle aged overweight woman..want to make fun of me too? I’ll even include a picture. Have at it.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 31, 2021:

I think you look fine, Marcie. If I lived in your area and you weren't young enough to be my daughter, I would be interested in dating you.

Yes please think hurting people because they are different is wrong

Tejas comments on May 31, 2021:

I don't know anyone in an ska band.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 31, 2021:

@HippieChick58 Ska music is a hybrid form of music that is a cross between reggae and rock music. It began in Jamaica in the early sixties and then in the late 70s it was revived in the UK by young bands, often with a mix of white and black musicians.

Lip service, platitudes, tokenism, performative gestures, empty promises, and let downs, that is ...

Leetx comments on May 28, 2021:

Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid ???

TomMcGiverin replies on May 29, 2021:

@Leetx Overall tho, he was still way to the left of today's Dem Party on economics affecting the working class and middle class. He had to be, in order to beat McGovern in 1972.

I Need a true and sincere relationship.text me

Cyklone comments on May 24, 2021:

Buy a dog.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 29, 2021:

I think Bob Dole, the greatest wit in modern politics, once said that "If you want a friend in Washington, DC, get a dog"...

Lip service, platitudes, tokenism, performative gestures, empty promises, and let downs, that is ...

Leetx comments on May 28, 2021:

Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid ???

TomMcGiverin replies on May 29, 2021:

@RoboGraham Exactly! They have done nothing significant since I was a child and LBJ was prez. He was the last progressive prez we had, at least on economic policies, unless you count Nixon, who was way to the left of the modern Dems on economic policy.

Lip service, platitudes, tokenism, performative gestures, empty promises, and let downs, that is ...

Leetx comments on May 28, 2021:

Civil rights act of 1964. Are you pretending there are viable options ?

TomMcGiverin replies on May 29, 2021:

That was in 1964. What have they done since LBJ that was substantial and meaningful? Candy ass stuff like unpaid family leave doesn't count, at least in my book, and neither does gay rights or Obamacare. Why? Because none of those cost the rich or corporations any real amounts of money or power. Even Obamacare was a profitable gift to the health insurance and drug companies, as well as hospital systems.

Let's form a viable Third Party. We need it!

Druvius comments on May 26, 2021:

Unfortunately after Shirley Chisolm's surprisingly strong showing in the seventies, the GOP/Dems set it up so that the chances of a viable third party are almost nonexistent. A healthy democracy has multiple parties reflecting multiple POVs, as many European and other democracies show. The US is a ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 26, 2021:

As Jimmy Carter himself said recently, the US no longer has a functioning democracy...

If someone has already posted this, sorry for the repeated info.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 25, 2021:

No surprise here. Religious people tend to cover up or put on a front of being more nice, moral, etc. because they want to impress their religious peers and also to convince themselves they are getting to go to heaven.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 25, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 I agree, people's bad intentions matter the most, because they say everything about their character.

If someone has already posted this, sorry for the repeated info.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 25, 2021:

No surprise here. Religious people tend to cover up or put on a front of being more nice, moral, etc. because they want to impress their religious peers and also to convince themselves they are getting to go to heaven.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 25, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 Not sure that it's mostly the leaders who are into fooling people. I have met way too many rank and file Christians who are hypocrites and phonies, that are into fooling those around them about their real character. As to whether believing lies makes you a liar, I'm not sure about that. Depends on the individual.

If someone has already posted this, sorry for the repeated info.

bobwjr comments on May 25, 2021:

The religious beliefs are a main source of hate and prejudice

TomMcGiverin replies on May 25, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 Religion is used to make their hate and prejudice respectable.

If someone has already posted this, sorry for the repeated info.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 25, 2021:

No surprise here. Religious people tend to cover up or put on a front of being more nice, moral, etc. because they want to impress their religious peers and also to convince themselves they are getting to go to heaven.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 25, 2021:

@Gwendolyn2018 True, but their primary mission is fooling others, like their neighbors and fellow citizens, that they are righteous people.

Talk me through this?

TomMcGiverin comments on May 23, 2021:

Have you ever watched the WE TV show Love After Lockup? What it confirms is that the people who end up dating inmates after forming connections online before the inmate's release are very dysfunctional people who are very desperate for a relationship, much more so than most other people on dating ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 23, 2021:

@carlyhorton I think that people who readily date inmates or recently released cons are usually people who are very needy and dysfunctional, similar to people who choose to become a nurse with a purse for some old sick guy. They desperately want a relationship with anybody so they will latch onto whoever will take them. Being choosy is a sign of better mental health. Sometimes being alone, at least for a while, is healthier than pairing up with the first person who will take them.

I can only imagine the righteous ire and indignation of people if they saw on the news that, from ...

Druvius comments on May 23, 2021:

Yes, living in a country where whites are advantaged in every way is infuriating. Claiming this is the equivalent is both ignorant and offensive, white fragility and distressed privilege illustrated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_mRaIHb-M

TomMcGiverin replies on May 23, 2021:

Very telling and insightful.

Quite possibly the only thing worse than not having your spouse be interested in you, is finally ...

Silver1wun comments on May 19, 2021:

If YOU aren't interested in you, nobody else will be; spouse or otherwise.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 20, 2021:

@Silver1wun Your explanation makes sense. Thanks for elaborating.

Quite possibly the only thing worse than not having your spouse be interested in you, is finally ...

Silver1wun comments on May 19, 2021:

If YOU aren't interested in you, nobody else will be; spouse or otherwise.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 20, 2021:

Isn't that kind of hard to define?

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

HeAdAkE comments on May 18, 2021:

you're going to be seeking for a long time, women dont care about that shit, they only care about what u can provide for them, truth hurts!

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez I keep looking because I know, from my one LTR and marriage, that I am way happier when I am in a positive relationship than when I am alone, so I won't give up looking. As far as all that happy, fairy tale stuff about how you always find the right one once you stop looking, I think it is exactly that, garbage... I don't buy it, at least not at my age. It just doesn't happen that way. I have never said or felt that it was pointless, as I did find someone fairly compatible after two years of active, constant searching on Batch, even tho in the end it didn't work out. It was enjoyable and I was happier when I was dating that woman for six months. I have recently also met another woman on Batch that I have had three dates with. She seems pretty compatible and is attractive to me and vice versa, so in no way does it seem "pointless", just an uphill battle against long odds that usually involves a lot of waiting between times that the few compatible women for me come onto the market and the dating site with each round of deaths and divorces among coupled people. As for complaining, I have to respectfully disagree with you. I find it is helpful to both complain AND continue showing up and taking my shots at finding someone. Complaining helps with venting and getting the negative emotions out, while at the same time continuing to do the footwork necessary to use the opportunities on Batch and reach out to those who seem compatible.

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

kiramea comments on May 18, 2021:

please delete five of these. You posted this six times which is very unnecessary.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@Sgt_Spanky That has happened to me before, but I was conscientious enough to notice soon after and delete the extra posts. Some people just post away and never even come back to read or check on the comments about their post.

Holy fuck, if I weren’t already atheist, I’d be asking where to sign up! 10 Rules of Sex for...

Leelu comments on May 19, 2021:

And yet, if you told these people that they are prize winning Fetish Life Participants they'd be offended. I haven't seen anything like this except in Fet Life Dom/Sub lifestyle guides. IMO, these women are indoctrinated into abusive life choices because most of these women have been programmed from...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@Leelu Agreed. Like you, I am always skeptical of how little their consent is coerced.

Holy fuck, if I weren’t already atheist, I’d be asking where to sign up! 10 Rules of Sex for...

Leelu comments on May 19, 2021:

And yet, if you told these people that they are prize winning Fetish Life Participants they'd be offended. I haven't seen anything like this except in Fet Life Dom/Sub lifestyle guides. IMO, these women are indoctrinated into abusive life choices because most of these women have been programmed from...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

Well said. I agree that few, if any women would choose this if they already had an open and free mind. And those would probably would be people in the Fetish crowd, which is fine with me.

Holy fuck, if I weren’t already atheist, I’d be asking where to sign up! 10 Rules of Sex for...

TomMcGiverin comments on May 19, 2021:

So much of what I would call "Happy Horseshit". The last couple rules are really telling, saying that the woman is the husband's trophy to be on full display for everyone to see and the final rule that confirms that the wife is no more than a pet, like a dog or cat to obey and please the man. Makes ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@Apunzelle You would be correct. I would bet the house on it!

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

HeAdAkE comments on May 18, 2021:

you're going to be seeking for a long time, women dont care about that shit, they only care about what u can provide for them, truth hurts!

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez I never said they all are, it just appears that most of them in my local dating pool, or puddle, appear to be. And yes, geo is a dealbreaker for me. I need the emotional support of my local longtime friends too much to risk moving away and then hoping the relationship works out. Same thing with LD dating, too much time, money, and emotional rollercoaster for my tastes. In my local area, the dating pool is more like a puddle or wading pool, at least for people like me who are not part of the cultural mainstream, which I have defined for my local area on these boards ad nauseum. I am not going to change to fit into that dating pool of having to be religious, be very family-oriented, into college sports bigtime, into country music, conservative politics, and having social drinking as the center of one's social life. Not for me. So I have to settle for seeking a partner from the 2-3% of the local dating pool that are compatible for me. You also underestimate my intelligence and self control. On Agnostic here, I can vent and bluntly state my feelings and opinions about the dating game, as does everyone else here. On Batch or actual dating sites, where few or more likely, none, of the single women in my local area from dating sites are likely to ever venture, much less read anything I post here on Agnostic, I am more than careful to keep my opinions to myself about the dating game and such. In fact, when women from Batch try to engage me in a game of sharing war stories about the dating game and dating sites, I politely decline and say I would rather focus on the positive and learn more about them. Seems to work every time. So, in a nutshell, I effectively manage my messaging on dating sites, as well as offline interactions with women from dating sites, not here, to avoid tipping my hand on the things you feel I am too negative about. Nice try at pegging me for self sabotaging with women I connect with on Batch, but you're wrong about me on that. I am willing to date within 55 miles of where I live. I think most people are like that. If that's too limited for your standards, too bad.

Holy fuck, if I weren’t already atheist, I’d be asking where to sign up! 10 Rules of Sex for...

TomMcGiverin comments on May 19, 2021:

So much of what I would call "Happy Horseshit". The last couple rules are really telling, saying that the woman is the husband's trophy to be on full display for everyone to see and the final rule that confirms that the wife is no more than a pet, like a dog or cat to obey and please the man. Makes ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@Apunzelle In other words, you not only need to diet, work out, etc., to keep your body looking beautiful, you also need to agree to any cosmetic surgery, such as boob jobs, that your hubby recommends. And in the meantime, I bet, hubby is free and entitled to have as large a beer gut as he wishes, etc.

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

HeAdAkE comments on May 18, 2021:

you're going to be seeking for a long time, women dont care about that shit, they only care about what u can provide for them, truth hurts!

TomMcGiverin replies on May 19, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez I have humor and intellect, but have remained pretty much untaken for a few years now in the dating game. Unfortunately, SGE, the women in my local dating pool my age are pretty much very different than you, as in they are hung up on only dating men that are the newest shiny toy, ie. handsome, wealthy, and with kids. I do not fall into any of those categories, as I am average-looking, financially comfortable but far from having sugar daddy money, and childless by choice. I simply don't fit their shopping list. Too bad all the women like you live hundreds or more miles away.

Tell me honestly. You've all thought this, right???

TomMcGiverin comments on May 16, 2021:

I must confess I identify a lot with this feeling. It often comes down to hoping their eccentricities match up well with mine.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 18, 2021:

@StarvingArtist I'm willing to settle for someone who is reasonably physically attractive to me, has some common interests, and matching neuroses for mine, lol!

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

Sgt_Spanky comments on May 18, 2021:

Someone should tell you that while this site claims to be a possible dating resource, it mostly isn't. We mostly just chat here without a whole lotta dating going on. You're probably better off at one of the sites designed specifically for dating. That being said, I do enjoy the Saturday night ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 18, 2021:

I am here for the community and discussion, even tho it ain't what it used to be before we lost a lot of members, I'm on Batch for the dating...

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

HeAdAkE comments on May 18, 2021:

you're going to be seeking for a long time, women dont care about that shit, they only care about what u can provide for them, truth hurts!

TomMcGiverin replies on May 18, 2021:

@Sgt_Spanky I'll take "What is Yes?" for $500, Alex....

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

kiramea comments on May 18, 2021:

please delete five of these. You posted this six times which is very unnecessary.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 18, 2021:

No fucking shit!

I am seeking an intelligent woman who chooses knowledge over belief.

MrDragon comments on May 18, 2021:

Just how many times are you going to post this???

TomMcGiverin replies on May 18, 2021:

No shit! It either makes him look retarded or desperate, probably both.... And even if he only posted it once, posting what is essentially a personals ad on the forum looks really desperate and tacky... As Sweeney Todd would say, "He will learn."....

One fact stands out.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 14, 2021:

This guy needs criminal charges against him and civil lawsuits against him by the injured officers and the families of the dead officers.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 16, 2021:

@BirdMan1 No loss, unless it prevented testimony that without which Trump could not be convicted.

It takes a fool to hope that the Israeli/Hamas conflict will end any time soon. Discuss.

RoboGraham comments on May 15, 2021:

It will not end until Israel ceases it's colonization of Palestine. The Israelis will not stop with their aggression until they lose the backing of the United States, their patron and weapons provider. We Americans have the power to bring the conflict to an end.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 16, 2021:

But our government never will. Between the support of evangelicals who support Israel so the time of Armageddon will come, to the rich Jews in the US who support Israel's aggression, our government will never stop supporting whatever Israel does in that region.

Who can use a chuckle? :) [youtube.com]

HippieChick58 comments on May 15, 2021:

That's a bold little kitty slapping on someone much bigger than her/him.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 15, 2021:

There seem to be lots of cats that are not afraid of slapping dogs and other animals much larger than them. I think most cats have no idea of their size relative to other creatures.

One fact stands out.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 14, 2021:

This guy needs criminal charges against him and civil lawsuits against him by the injured officers and the families of the dead officers.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 15, 2021:

@mcgeo52 That approach might work, but there's always the risk that Trump's minions might arrange a convenient "suicide" for that person who flips on Trump, like what happened with Jeffrey Epstein, so that he is never able to testify against Trump.

Fauci Suggests ‘Some Senators’ Wear a Mask to Hide from Punchy Neighbors ...

HippieChick58 comments on May 14, 2021:

I'd get in line to punch "some senators."

TomMcGiverin replies on May 14, 2021:

@PondartIncbendog I would too, as long as there were no chance for criminal charges or civil lawsuits against me. It would be like spending money on a vacation, and just as satisfying.

We need paid family and medical leave -- and a new bill in Congress would give it to us — Ask a ...

Jewelee65 comments on May 14, 2021:

We do have paid family medical, I’m confused about rios post. Do you believe it’s not enough? Then how much do you think is reasonable? Just asking?

TomMcGiverin replies on May 14, 2021:

The federal govt. in the US, under the Family Leave Act, one of Bill Clinton's few accomplishments intended to help working class people, requires employers to allow a number of weeks of time off for qualifying situations, but it requires nothing in the way of employers to pay for that time off. As far as I know, there are also no states here that require the employer to provide paid time off. In fact, about half of the employers in the US no longer provide any real or meaningful benefits to employees. They don't need to, at least not until Covid, because they had plenty of desperate slaves they could exploit by underpaying them and not providing benefits.

So we can stop washing our hands too, right? (Not that I ever have...)

godlessinal comments on May 14, 2021:

Problem solved! I just got through sanitizing my genitals.... Ouch!

TomMcGiverin replies on May 14, 2021:

@godlessinal Hard pass....I'm also not interested in manscaping. I try to avoid pain and risk to my body.

So we can stop washing our hands too, right? (Not that I ever have...)

godlessinal comments on May 14, 2021:

Problem solved! I just got through sanitizing my genitals.... Ouch!

TomMcGiverin replies on May 14, 2021:

TMI.

How do you feel about unvaccinated people singing (maskless) along with every song at a concert, ...

Fernapple comments on May 14, 2021:

PS. Is it not an contradiction in terms anyway. Surely if you sing at dinner tables, you wont have any friends.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 14, 2021:

@Julie808 If I were in your shoes and shared your attitude towards those who refuse to get vaxed and who show no concern for infecting others, I simply wouldn't get together with her anymore, at least not indoors.

Live video of man hitting on teen girl offers a glimpse of what young women experience daily - ...

TomMcGiverin comments on May 11, 2021:

It might help some people get it if the video had the man in the frame, but even just listening to his talk it was pretty obvious he was being a creep and ignoring her boundaries and reaction to him.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 12, 2021:

@Deb57 Agreed. I'm just saying some people might find it easier to accept him as being inappropriate if they had the additional data of watching his facial expressions, body language, etc.

Yes, they are actually trying to use this instead of an actual vaccination card -

Charles1971 comments on May 11, 2021:

Are you sure that isn't meant as humor?

TomMcGiverin replies on May 12, 2021:

@Charles1971 It'll cure you of being alive...

Sean Hannity Threatens Jimmy Kimmel: 'Don’t Talk About My Show Anymore' | HuffPost

Davekp comments on May 11, 2021:

Is there a middle finger big enough?😂😂

TomMcGiverin replies on May 11, 2021:

You mean we now need a middle finger emoji?

Capitalism Is A Misanthropic, Dystopian Religion

linxminx comments on May 9, 2021:

My viewpoint is one that believes humans are greedy, self-centered, and competitive. However, I caution myself in being too negative by wondering...are Americans truly greedy, self-centered, and competitive, or are these attributes a manifestation of surviving within a capitalistic society that ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 9, 2021:

I think the culture, esp. the mass media propaganda, drives us, at least most of us.

Oregon’s People Church tied to covid-19 outbreak of at least 74 people, authorities say - The ...

CuddyCruiser comments on May 8, 2021:

I don’t give a rats ass if all these motherfuckers drop dead.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 8, 2021:

If they didn't always end up infecting innocent, intelligent people they encounter at the grocery store or the hospital, etc., I would agree with you..

Just an FYI.

nicknotes comments on May 6, 2021:

I got a personal message from a woman who raved about how handsome I am. I was flattered but then she disappeared.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 7, 2021:

Same things happened to me a couple times recently. Scammers come and go all the time.

While I don't agree with her politically she has ethics

Davekp comments on May 6, 2021:

When someone like Liz Chaney is the longed for face of the "Old Guard" Republican you know massive upheavals are imminent. But I think Biden is mistaken in opining for the beloved 2 party system. It is what abetted the American political scene to become so polarized. Now is the time to advocate for ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 6, 2021:

Exactly, as long as both major parties support endless war and empire, economic inequality, trading away our jobs thru trade agreements that only benefit corporations, and letting the planet die thru climate change, we will continue to get endless ping ponging between the parties for control of the White House and congress as neither party represents average people, only the rich and corporations, when it comes to economics and the class war of the 1 % against the 99%.

Christians worry me.

racocn8 comments on May 5, 2021:

Don't worry. Christians have developed work-around's so that they can cheat, molest and murder to their hearts content. And they do...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

In their minds, all they have to do is ask dog's forgiveness, and they are off the hook and no longer guilty of any wrongdoing.

Just an FYI.

SeaGreenEyez comments on May 4, 2021:

They've been here since I've been here. I'm not certain how long that's been ... at least 2 years. You only made it 18 months? I started online dating in 2000 when Kiss.com was the only pay site out there. I dabbled in the online dating cess-pool on and off for about 20 years (mostly off.) ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez I don't doubt that. In a culture that serves so much trash and anti-intellectual content, as well as trashing intellectuals, no wonder that wicked smart is hard to find. That's why I still appreciate this site, because there are still some wicked smart people here, men and women, and they are appreciated here, at least more than in our society in general.

Just an FYI.

SeaGreenEyez comments on May 4, 2021:

They've been here since I've been here. I'm not certain how long that's been ... at least 2 years. You only made it 18 months? I started online dating in 2000 when Kiss.com was the only pay site out there. I dabbled in the online dating cess-pool on and off for about 20 years (mostly off.) ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez It is rough. I may watch the TV show you mentioned on You Tube, just for the stories of the two average looking people. No doubt I would relate. I 've said it a ton of times here on these forum boards, and it often seems like no one hears me, but the dating game is a totally different reality for people who are average or below average-looking, compared to those who are 7s or above on the looks scale. It usually feels, at least to me, that those who are 7s or above either don't see this or want to admit how much better they've got it than folks like me. If they're frustrated with the dating scene, it's either because they have too many choices or because they are looking to end up with a 10 in looks, money etc. With those of us lower on the scale, it's usually more a matter of not enough choices, as most people of the opposite sex, even those at our level of looks or below, are still chasing after people who are better looking than us, so we end up with more limited choices.

Just an FYI.

SeaGreenEyez comments on May 4, 2021:

They've been here since I've been here. I'm not certain how long that's been ... at least 2 years. You only made it 18 months? I started online dating in 2000 when Kiss.com was the only pay site out there. I dabbled in the online dating cess-pool on and off for about 20 years (mostly off.) ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez I am way too sensitive to do hookups or FWB, so Tinder would not be for me. All the dating sites now require you to pay for any real chance of meeting anyone. A free membership doesn't even allow you to see all of someone's profile or even their main pic if they send you a Like or a real message, so how can you ever make a connection with anyone? Batch allows a free member to send a free message each week to someone, who is a paid member only, whose profile and pics you've seen, then after that you and them can message for free for a few months as much as you want, even video chat, but only if they choose to reply back to you in the first place. So in the end, it's just a teaser come-on to get you to buy a membership so you can make connections more often than with the free membership. I don't agree with you about Meetup groups, I tried them along with Batch, and I never met any women to date from them. I did meet one good male friend from a Meetup group, that was it. I found that the same women who were at those groups were also on dating sites, so I dropped the groups as a waste of time and a duplication of the dating site. I didn't want to put up with the games of sorting out who was interested in dating and who wasn't among the Meetup group women or deal with approaching them in the groups. I am not confident about approaching women in person, so that doesn't play to my strong suit, which is being a good writer. So I stick with the dating site. More efficient and less wasted time and effort. I know some women, maybe most women, prefer meeting men thru activity groups, but that's easy for them to do when it's usually the men who have to make the first move and approach them. I think most women, esp. ones who are not above average-looking, unlike you, might see it differently if they had to usually make the first move in the Meetup groups. Personally, I find it much easier, tho never easy, to take rejection on a dating site, esp. before meeting in person, than to get shot down repeatedly to my face in a group setting. That experience is no different than the old days when I was young and would approach women at bars with live music or without music. It was not fun then and it's still no fun now when I try it at a live music show in a bar, asking them to dance. Approaching women in person at a bar, live music show, or even in a Meetup group, all hinges way too much on one's looks, and I have never been that confident about my looks towards doing that. I know that nowadays most women who are average or above average are probably going to reject me if all the have to go on initially is my looks. The same way that the vast majority of my first messages to women on Batch don't even get read, because the women see my main profile pic in ...

Just an FYI.

SeaGreenEyez comments on May 4, 2021:

They've been here since I've been here. I'm not certain how long that's been ... at least 2 years. You only made it 18 months? I started online dating in 2000 when Kiss.com was the only pay site out there. I dabbled in the online dating cess-pool on and off for about 20 years (mostly off.) ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

@SeaGreenEyez I'm not surprised to hear any of that. It seems to me that, esp. now that all the dating sites and services are all owned by a few conglomerates, same as the mass media companies in TV, radio and newspapers, that the dating sites and services get worse and more expensive each year. I predict it won't be long until all of them, except maybe E-Harmony, will be just profile pics and/or short interview videos, and very little info about the site or service members. As it is already, someone has to really beat the odds to meet anyone who turns out to be a longtime compatible friend or partner like what you have described. Because the real goal or priority of the dating sites and services is money, nothing else. They only need to have just enough success to seem credible to the public as a service that works for some, along with the fact that the companies are now so monopolized they have no real competition or anyone regulating them from the government to force them to improve any of their services. I also agree with you about what is realistically possible for most of us and how you define success in finding good relationships. Our movies and TV shows give us a very fantasized view of what is realistic in finding longtime partners and such. Sometimes the best we can expect is someone who continues to share sex with us, enjoys spending most, but not all, of their free time with us, and that never feels like killing us at the end of some days.....

Just an FYI.

SeaGreenEyez comments on May 4, 2021:

They've been here since I've been here. I'm not certain how long that's been ... at least 2 years. You only made it 18 months? I started online dating in 2000 when Kiss.com was the only pay site out there. I dabbled in the online dating cess-pool on and off for about 20 years (mostly off.) ...

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

That must have been a fascinating experience to see how online dating has changed over two decades. Please PM me and give me a lengthy report on what you have seen and experienced. My guess is that online dating sites have, if anything, gotten worse since 2000, providing less info in the profiles with which to use in seeing who might or might not be a match for someone. And I'm sure the prices have also gone up as the sites have consolidated and are now owned by just a few conglomerates. Please tell me, either here or in a PM, how much success have you had with dating sites in actually finding men you really liked, were compatible, and actually dated for any length of time. In almost three years on Match, I only met one woman who was compatible enough to date a while, six months in that case.

Just an FYI.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 4, 2021:

I have three years of online dating experience with Batch, and the scammers have been here on Agnostic since the beginning, as far as I can tell. They should be obvious to spot.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 5, 2021:

@Mooolah Thanks. I think she is very reasonable about religion and respects my difference with her. I dated a practicing Catholic for six months before Covid and that was not part of why that ended, was never really an issue in that relationship either.

Just an FYI.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 4, 2021:

I have three years of online dating experience with Batch, and the scammers have been here on Agnostic since the beginning, as far as I can tell. They should be obvious to spot.

TomMcGiverin replies on May 4, 2021:

@Larry68Feminist She is a moderate Episcopal believer, not an always attender of church either. She was a clergy wife in her last marriage before being widowed, but she believes we should all think for ourselves rather than blindly believe.

Just an FYI.

bobwjr comments on May 4, 2021:

Excessive compliments, very attractive , if they want to contact off site . We have a scammer site report them

TomMcGiverin replies on May 4, 2021:

@Holysocks Whatever you want, you just keep telling yourself that, lol...

Just an FYI.

bobwjr comments on May 4, 2021:

Excessive compliments, very attractive , if they want to contact off site . We have a scammer site report them

TomMcGiverin replies on May 4, 2021:

I've gotten more of those than I can count here on Agnostic. And like Holysocks says, they are always very young, attractive, wearing tight clothes.