Windy [youtu.be]

brentan comments on Nov 5, 2018:

And to think some people say women don't fart!

49 Bye-Byes. [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Nov 5, 2018:

Great! "You're just seeing things through a cat's eye".

I despise will ferrel , I have not ever thought he was the least bit humorous, and have not ...

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Wasn't he in Springtime For Hitler? I thought he was good in that. I don't think much of his other stuff.

"I think you need to punish the Republicans for taking these appalling positions, abusing ...

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

He's right, of course. But you elect the other crowd when you punish the current crowd. If the votes go to the Republicans, and assuming no shenanigans with the count, what can we make of it?

Curious or just one of many human paradoxes.

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

That's a hell of an expression 'vocabularic paradox'.

Wow! Just finished Nod by Adrian Barnes.

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Do you mean he uses the origin of words a lot in the story? How does that fit into the story?

That Jesus is abusive!

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them - Leonard Cohen's Suzanne

The story of the planet Earth is one of profound violence.

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

It seems to have been an integral part of the birth of the universe and the survival of the species on earth. We should be able to do better now.

I love cats! And you?

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

I'm not sure the taste is good enough to be worth the hassle skinning them.

I stopped by a cemetery this morning on my way to work and was greeted by this scene.

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Lovely photo. It reminds me of Gerard Manley Hopkins' Goldengrove poem (To Margaret).

[yahoo.

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

So we got Americans, as far as I can tell, wanting to kill all Jews and Pakistanis wanting to kill all blasphemers. I hope it's not a sign of a net tightening.

Some people are so ungrateful

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Proper order. That's out of line - airline, even.

[businessinsider.] Steve Bannon Warns that Oprah Women Will Take Charge of Society

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Cool. I'd love to live in a paradise ruled by women.

Absolutely.......

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Oh God.... the effort!

Nothing so absurd can be said, that some philosopher has not said it. Cicero.

brentan comments on Nov 4, 2018:

I suppose that's what you get for musing out loud.

Greetings and welcome to our new arrivals.

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Gosh, all sorts. Last one was 12 Rules For Life. Current one is Days Without End. Waiting to be read is The Master And His Emissary.

Are places of worship really places of God?

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Not if there is no god.

The rich get richer: 2017 was best year for billionaires in recorded history with u.

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Farewell middle class. I wonder what will be next? Feudalism maybe.

Do it!...........

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Bah. Humbug.

[middleeasteye.

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Pakistan really showed its colours recently. It's a terrifying place! Nothing in more important than their 'worship' of Muhammad. And they love it that way! Thank goodness it is several thousand miles away.

State three things you are optimistic about

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

I'm optimistic The Last Of Us 2 will be a terrific game! I'm optimistic the world will continue to give us great artists of every type. I'm optimistic that I will find a real friend.

Is It Wrong to Spank a Child? - The Jim Jefferies Show [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Wrong, no. Illegal, yes.

Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

I love the deep, husky voice! I like to think of it as a satanic invite to his version of the Garden of Eden.

Today's Inappropriate joke in bad taste

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Excellent!

In Buddhism, 'dharma' means 'cosmic law and order' (among other things).

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

I've been watching Jordon Peterson discuss this idea for some time now. I think that while order is used as the opposite of chaos, it's really about meaning. For me, the Buddhist idea is that the universe is a god and it's mind is the dharma. Perhaps the Western equivalent can't help giving this mind a character, a personality. On the other hand, studies in evolution show how the wondrous qualities of the universe and its inhabitants can come about over time. That might be the meaning of meaning - the ways (habits) of the universe that have ensured its continuance And the meaning of our lives? It might just be whatever meaning we put into them.

As a way of introducing myself to the group, I thought I would share a photo of me soaking outdoors ...

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Way to go! That looks very comfortable.

Pill taking 101

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Poor Mr. Wilson. I hear of increasing levels of elder abuse.

This is killer

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

That is chilling.

it's all about connection (this one dedicated to @zorialoki)

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Daniel Craig in a bad mood.

Never forget rule 1

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

If it looks too good to be true.........

Herman's Hermits - Mrs Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Nov 3, 2018:

I couldn't help thinking of Gordon Is A Moron while listening to this song.

Okay, I'm going to admit, I really need to catch up on this stuff but I know many of you will enjoy ...

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

What’s the man saying? The pull of gravity is too weak to correlate with the 3 +1 dimension universe? What do you do then? Multiply the existing pull of gravity to make it equal to the necessary pull of gravity. That will give us the correct amount of matter in the universe. It won’t tell us anything about dimensions. But light works in a different way. Light will diffuse faster in proportion to the number of dimensions that exist. In the 3 + 1 universe, the 3 dimensions gradually extend into the 4th dimension. What happens to light when the 3 dimensions extend into the 4th? What happens to light if there are 11 or even 25 dimensions? Is light the key to demonstrating 11 or more dimensions?

Link to member profile not to post: [agnostic.

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

I guess linking to Loudon Wainwright's Dead Skunk In the Middle of the Road is out of the question.

The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter (Live) [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

That was a treat! The backing singer was terrific too.

Please share far and wide:

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Be patient, it will trickle down eventually!

Hello I am new so not sure what I am doing.

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Welcome to the forum, my child.

Me Too-Women's Rights Group has just reached a milestone!!!! 100 Members Male and Female.

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Bah. Humbug.

I knew the feeling once

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Not even a van to live in!

You Thought We Were Angry Before

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

OfTrump!

John Cedars - Do Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses Have Anger Issues? [youtu.be]

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Yes, they do, and it can be a real downer listening to them go on and on about how badly they were treated. And that's not to say they're not entitled to vent but it gets very repetitive and tedious. Some seem to want to want to stay in a permanent state of victimhood and go on to live in hierarchies quite similar to the one they left.

Link to member profile not to post: [agnostic.

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

...and to think he did it in the Truly Offensive Group, that was very devious!

World’s longest sea bridge opens between Hong Kong and mainland China 23 October 2018 ...

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Gosh, that's awesome but it looks very narrow.

Het·er·o·dox /ˈhedərəˌdäks/ adjective adjective: heterodox not conforming with ...

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

I think the basic idea is 'different beliefs'. Maybe it suggests a kind of a la carte set of beliefs. That is probably also the idea behind the word heretic.

The Final Sermon I Should Have Preached

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

I watched the online lectures on the Old and New Testaments from Yale University. It's very hard to believe after such a great investigation into what was happening in those times.

Went to a VERY religious charity event tonight.

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Oh, you, you....traitor you! You must be very careful with the ones who don't try to convert you. They're the most dangerous!

Billions of god-believers have had thousands for years to come up with valid reasons for believing ...

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

The reason for belief in god at this time in history may well be the aspiration toward virtue in religion that has held society in some kind of order up to now.

Stay special

brentan comments on Nov 2, 2018:

I remember when special was a nice word.

EMBOLDEN: em·bold·en: VERB 1.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

This might be interesting in light of the danger of Trump's words. It is about gossip and slander among the early Christian congregations but it can be adapted to the issue today. Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell - James 3:4-6.

I am feeling mighty hungry

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Something fishy about that!

@Snickers77 or anyone else that wants to comment: I just read the group's About section.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Not to my thinking. Progressive rock came to the fore and then all hell broke loose with punk rock fighting back against what they felt were abominable expressions of rock music. I suppose prog rock was classical rock, not classic rock. I loved Yes, still do.

Bernie forever.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

That's how red Bernie is.

FUCK OFF HILLARY! [medium.com]

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Bring back Bernie!

What's the meaning of "hookups" in the following sentence?

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Good quality clothes-hangers?

No longer are we push overs, Me Too.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Oops, I think I'll go my own way.

Portraits Parade [youtu.be]

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Such a clever idea and well executed!

Castigate

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Interesting - they don't include punish in the definitions.

Always reminds me of my first love. [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

That's a gem!

A solution [youtu.be]

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

That's a hoot! Well done to all involved.

Good morning all. It's a new day.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Bah.Humbug.

Disney on Ice.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

Move on. It's time to see the egress.

article on the war in Yemen: [nytimes.

brentan comments on Nov 1, 2018:

This is how I see it - an unwinnable proxy war against Iran. Here's the context from the article: The Obama administration agreed to support what the Saudis called Operation Decisive Storm with considerable reluctance, seeing it as an unwinnable proxy war against Iran.

Hello fellow freethinkers!!

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Happy Scary Day. We are going out for tea.

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

That's a very English response to terror, like playing bowls as the Spanish Armada approaches.

Sorry about the posting I put up prior.

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Gosh, that was sad! The point I got from it was that having a meaning in your life is central to your reason for living. Victor Frankl talked a lot about it in his book The Search For Meaning. It can be difficult to find meaning in any society, I think. The only pointer we get is to search for happiness, which I think is a false lead. The men want to be useful more than anything else and also want status, not social privilege, but the status of an ordinary man pulling his weight in society.

Fwiw: Pittsburgh Killing Aftermath Bares Jewish Rifts in Israel and America By David M.

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

I expected the article to manufacture issues for clickbait but that was an education.

It's he-e-e-ere!

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Oh Mummy!

The Beatles - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) [youtu.be]

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

I needed to be much older than I was at the time before the lyrics stopped going way over my head.

Sex, pizza, and pets... I mean, not my first choices, but not bad.

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Should I use my landline or my cell number?

When that moment is enough...

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

If he's right, it might mean that happiness is something better enjoyed when it happens rather than a condition we try to manufacture.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. - Abraham Lincoln

brentan comments on Oct 31, 2018:

He was a very smart man, a prophet even.

This is what our lawmakers and leadership at levels should implement: [npr.org]

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Gosh, I don't understand how it has come to this.

Is death something to be scared of?

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

I'm a bit miffed about permanent death too. That was a nice feature of religion.

So what is it that these people have in common?

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Were they all categorised as mentally ill?

Trump deploys military to confront “immigrant invasion” - World Socialist Web Site

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

I think Trump is shooting himself in the foot in this situation. How many people can you arrest, or heaven forbid, shoot? The article claims he is using this to further incite fear and the us-and-them-mentality. I'm not sure how long voting goes on for. I believe it started today but is it a one-day affair or continue for a few days. If it's the latter, maybe he take whatever extra votes he can scare up from this situation and then take a light touch when the immigrants arrive.

Rest in Peace.

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Yes indeed. What a stupid, low-down, cowardly, ignorant, empty-spirited thing to do.

[aish.com] Remembering the 11 Victims of the Pittburgh Massacre-Real Americans - Real Lives

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

The silence is speaking. RIP, poor innocent people.

[nypost.com] I feel bad for the woman.

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

The judge wants to manifest social repulsion for what she did after killing him. I would bet she won't serve much of the sentence.

So so misunderstood. Support groups are part of the healing process.

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

The problem is that mentally ill people are such a drag!

PROFLIGATE.

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

I've read a little bit about the new film Peterloo and that word probably describes Tim McInnerny's portrayal of the Crown Prince very well.

I couldn't resist this one

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Oh, that's harsh!

My contribution today is not so much an unusual word as it is a usage note.

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

I came across this in Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene. The focus there was on the possibility of morals without religion. Dawkins believes that the source of morality was transactional, reciprocal so to speak. Reciprocity was approved because it held out better chance of survival for a tribe than just one person. It was as if an act of goodness was an investment in the future that allowed two people or more to survive their individual calamities. Then this was conceptualised as a moral good and put in a code with other useful ideas.

Spud whacker

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

That's a gnarly knob.

Haha, they fooled me!

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Yeah, I guess.

There's a few quotes I live by: Every man is my better in that I might learn from him.

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

I blame over-population. People have lost their utility value.

THE ZOMBIES! [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Great song! I think I heard Santana's version first so that's my favourite.

You are your only hindrance

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

.... and then fall.

EU Court Upholds Prosecution Of Woman For Comparing Muhammad's Marriage To A Six-Year-Old Girl To ...

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

It's not paedophelia as we understand it. It's a primitive custom that prevailed in many places through history and relatively recent examples of it can be found in America up to the 1930s. Nonetheless, the freedom to express an opinion (no matter whether it's right or wrong) in public is at stake here. The court, if I understand correctly (I haven't read this article, I watched Gad Saad's YouTube video) wanted to balance freedom with hurt feelings. Gaad was incensed at the attack on freedom of speech and I wondered if the principle was really the only thing that mattered.

Hello. Brand new here. Hoping to find some like minded people to talk to. :)

brentan comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Welcome aboard. You will meet like-minded people but other people will give you a chance to defend your opinions and listen to theirs and that's a good thing too.

Have we substituted religious activities and believes to political polarization?

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

Yes, you're definitely on to something there. The other side is evil. Nothing the other side has to say could have merit. Excommunicate them from the discussion etc.

Contradictions in the Bible? CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! - BionicDance [youtube.com]

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

Sometimes you need to put yourself in the mindset of the person writing the story. It might still be stupid but maybe not contradictory.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies.

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

I wonder. I think wisdom hurts. That's not the same thing though, I guess.

What makes a human being valuable?

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

The old idea was that every human was made in the image of God so that every person has a huge intrinsic value. We still have the law to carry through on this notion to some extent by protecting the rights of the human even to the detriment of justice. What makes a human valuable in the modern world? I think it is fair to say it is only the value of an asset - human resources, we might say. And most of us, sadly, are assets of little value. Even university students are ten-a-penny. I think society has reverted to the more crude expression of the survival of the fittest. Secular humanism doesn't seem to have caught up with the change in order to offer a viable substitute value system, or at least one that that society cares about. I think that what makes a human valuable now will be the value that human places on him/herself and enforces it despite the odds.

Hi. Real new here. Sometimes chatty, sometimes not.

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

You'll fit in fine. Welcome to the forum!

Was the evangelical Christian in the red shirt banned?

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

I didn't want him blocked. The place might turn into an echo chamber (God forbid and yeah I said it). But I'd like a conversation, not just these inane one-liner clickbaits.

SANCTIMONIOUS: sanc-ti-mo-ni-ous.

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

It makes me think of hand-wringing Anglicans.

I'm sure that we all agree with this:

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

Oh, you silly, ignorant folk. Money is what will save America and if you can just be patient and let rich folk increase their wealth a little more, it's gonna trickle down through your fingers like the proverbial manna from heaven. You gotta have faith. Don't think about the middle-class anymore; that's gone with the dinosaurs. They weren't much use to society with all their holy-god values and no money. Didn't you read about the Good Samaritan? He could help the poor because he was rich. And what will help the rich keep that money the poor so badly need? Guns, guns and more guns. And a bit more faith in money. What's education gonna do for you except turn your sons into faggots! Equality, ditto! Like we didn't believe in evolution. So stop all this mamby-pamby 'we need to vote' nonsense and stay home on Tuesday. Heck, stay home every day. That money's coming up as sure as sores on Stormy's vagina, you wait.

My sister played on a collegiate soccer team that used this motto.

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

I think of it as a way of expressing how skill is now replaced by bluster and blagging.

My Halloween Parties Suck

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

We gotta fight, for the right, to party!

The first step of Freedom is the realization that everything is open to question. Do you agree?

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

I think yes to freedom of thought and the freedom of speech that allows people to engage in discussions so as to be able to think better. Where action is concerned, I agree with the religious thinkers who feel freedom is the ability to chose what is right and do it.

Just really wanted to say how much I enjoy this site. Whomever got it goin ....I say bravo!

brentan comments on Oct 29, 2018:

Now this sort of positivity, never mind a sense of gratitude, has got to stop!