I argue politics entirely too much. When I tear apart argument after argument I find that ...

dan325 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

I feel the same way. I'd be better off presenting my arguments to my dog. He may not understand what I'm saying but at least he listens, doesn't spew bullshit, and is way more pleasant to be around.

The utter HORROR of being THE BORG!

dan325 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

In addition to being immoral, our "nation building" has generally made things worse, not only for the residents of the affected countries but also for the rest of the world, including the US itself. So our government's actions have been both evil and stupid. Heck of a job, patriots.

[alternet.org] The Senate Russia investigation is becoming less bipartisan and could end with a ...

dan325 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

According to the article, Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat, explicitly rejected a conclusion that there was no "collusion" (i.e., conspiracy). He said that the Senate committee's findings were not conclusive and more information needed to be gathered. Remember that the GOP still controls this committee. The House committees (and Mueller) are likely to offer very different conclusions when the whole thing is over.

I'd say that it's working better than expected:

dan325 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

Unfortunately the plan didn't account for the fact that "stupid" is the native language of the party's base.

[haaretz.com] Ukranian City of Lviv commemmorates the 75th anniversary of the Holocaust. My ...

dan325 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

I know of at least one relative (my maternal grandmother's older sister) who came from Odessa, which is in the Ukraine if I'm not mistaken. My grandmother's ancestors may have lived there as well, but I don't really know. According to DNA analysis, I also have some Latvian ancestry on my mother's side.

[myjewishlearning.com] Tatoos - if you have them can you be buried in a Jewish cemetary if that ...

dan325 comments on Feb 12, 2019:

Apparently the answer is "yes." Personally, I intend to be cremated (which seems to be against some Jewish law in itself). It's kind of funny that you're not supposed to "violate" your body with a tattoo but males are required to violate their bodies through circumcision. So god gave males foreskins but then decided to recall them? Did he regard them as some sort of manufacturing defect?

[alternet.org] Garbage compromise - Fuhrer Trump's conservative allies like Sean Hanity and Anne ...

dan325 comments on Feb 12, 2019:

I suspect he'll either declare a bogus national emergency or create another shutdown, because he generally takes the dumbest and meanest course of action possible. He also affords great weight to the opinions of co-Presidents Hannity and Coulter.

[dailykos.com] Beto O Rourke in El Paso fighting for asylum seekers - this is what presidential ...

dan325 comments on Feb 12, 2019:

There are several people I'd rather see as the Democratic candidate. My personal favorite is Elizabeth Warren. O'Rourke certainly has the right to run, but I fear the infighting that will occur within the probable mob of Democratic candidates will harm the ultimate candidate and result in votes for Schultz.

[myjewishlearning.com] Rainbow in Jewish symbolism -never knew it existed.

dan325 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

Interesting history, but: the "god" references make me kind of nauseous. Here's this supposedly omnipotent, all-knowing being, who creates humans in his image and immediately punishes them (and the snake) for acting according to their "god-given" natures. Then, in a tantrum worthy of Trump, he decides to wipe out 99.9999% of the humans he created, along with similar percentages of nonhuman creatures who were guilty of nothing. After that he says, okay, sorry, I won't wipe you all out any more, probably. I prefer not to think about this mythological monster when I see a rainbow.

[alternet.org] Democratic governors withdraw National Guard troops from the southern border and ...

dan325 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

Well done!

[yahoo.com] NY School District is investigating 3 nooses reportedly displayed by 3 Middle School ...

dan325 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

This level of racist stupidity just boggles my mind. Did these idiots think it would go unnoticed?

[washingtonpost.com] Its all about benjamins baby Ihan Omar apologizes for accused Anti-Semitism ...

dan325 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

A large part of the reason "Zionism" creates controversy is that its definition varies from person to person. If it means that Israel has the right to exist, then I'm a Zionist. If it means Israel has the right to expand into Gaza and the West bank, or that Israel's current government deserves our support, or that it's okay to disenfranchise the Palestinians, then I'm an anti-Zionist. I wish we could ditch the damn term altogether. The furor over Omar's tweets is excessive. She could (and should) have been clearer in her wording, and she did need to clarify her meaning. The tweets did not, however, constitute outright antisemitism.

I was born and raised in Germany. While I am not of Jewish descent, my family was heavily affected ...

dan325 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

Thank you for sharing your fascinating story. It's important for all of us to remember that many German people were not antisemitic and did not support Nazi policies.

Congrats to Jewish Culture - we just hit a milestone of 90 members! Our membership is open to ...

dan325 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

Thank you, Lisa, for hosting this group and for representing our views so well.

Were they guilty? I don't know if anti-semitism had anything to do with their guilt and execution? ...

dan325 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

I never was clear about the facts in this case. At the time it was decided, the country was going through a stage of extreme paranoia about communism. From what I later read, Ethel Rosenberg's part in the underlying crime was relatively minor, but I'm not really sure about that, either. Their execution seemed extreme to me in any case. I suspect antisemitism might have played a part in the outcome, but given the country's insane fear of the "Red Menace," it could have just been one more anti-communist overreaction.

Who, what, why?

dan325 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

Epicurus had it right. He was amazingly ahead of his time.

Economic Reality check:

dan325 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Most of his MAGA fans live in the circumstances listed above (except the last one) but still buy into his lies about the economy. Strange, and annoyingly dumb.

[yahoo.com] Average tax refunds go down over 8%. People are pissed at Fuhrer Trump on Twitter.

dan325 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Trump and his fellow Republicrooks neither knew nor cared about their tax scam's effects on middle class and poor people. (The effects on those folks will probably average out to around zero.) Their only interest was in giving a huge gift to the wealthy (including themselves) and creating an enormous deficit, which they then planned to (and will) use as an excuse to try to cut social programs. They told their idiot MAGA mob that the changes would increase their tax refunds by about $4,000 each, a lie that should have been obvious to anyone with a measurable I.Q.

I sadly encountered anti-Semitism in my home in NH. I reported it to the police as a hate crime. One...

dan325 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

What disgusting behavior. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hope the police catch and prosecute the responsible vermin.

I’ve just started reading the book Semitism by Jonathan Weismann. It is about living as a Jew in ...

dan325 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Looking forward to reading your review.

I'm sure that we are all opposed to this:

dan325 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

Gulp. Excellent point.

When Badass Nature transcends gender roles...

dan325 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

My kind of woman. Character and guts.

I have gotten harsh criticism from various folks who do not like those who ask too many questions ...

dan325 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Some people feel threatened by those who ask questions and are open to change. I guess it gives them a headache if they're forced to think too much. (Religious people often fall into this category.) I believe that questioning and keeping an open mind is the hallmark of an intelligent and reasonable person. Ignore the rigid fools who believe otherwise.

How many 50+ Rock & Roll lovers??

dan325 comments on Feb 5, 2019:

I officially became a teenager in the mid-fifties, so I love all of the 50s stuff except bubblegum rock. Frankie Lymon, Buddy Holly, the Coasters (probably my favorite), the Diamonds, the Del Vikings, Mickey and Sylvia, Fats Domino, Elvis, the Everly Brothers. (I'll bet most of you guys never even heard of half these folks.)

Howard Schultz for president - not!

dan325 comments on Feb 4, 2019:

That cartoon sums it up nicely. Schultz needs to find a different diversion, like moving to Russia and running against Putin.

Just attended a mandatory company gathering where the first twenty minutes was basically a prayer...

dan325 comments on Feb 4, 2019:

You might consider contacting the Freedom From Religion Foundation. They can tell you what your options are, and then you can either proceed further or refrain from taking action. (If you plan to continue working for this company, consider that they'll probably make your life miserable if you protest.)

I see no one else answered him. Am I an idiot for engaging with this guy? [agnostic.com]

dan325 comments on Feb 4, 2019:

You can add me to the group that made the mistake of engaging with him. I eventually realized I was trying to argue with a fixated dolt and bowed out, but it took me longer than it should have. You're not an idiot - it's hard not to try to refute blatant stupidity.

Stay at home

dan325 comments on Feb 4, 2019:

Only when I go out.

Just a few of Trump's frauds, bankruptcies, frauds and scams.

dan325 comments on Feb 3, 2019:

And this guy got elected. It kills me that almost half the USA is that stupid and/or vicious.

[aish.] What's Jewish about adopting a pet apparently a lot?

dan325 comments on Feb 3, 2019:

Loving, respecting, and caring for animals is part of being a mensch. (To be clear, I'm including women in my definition here, since I don't know the word for the female equivalent.) Being a mensch, however, is not exclusive to us Jews.

[friendlyatheist.patheos.com] South Dakota resolution would prevent teachers from discussing ...

dan325 comments on Feb 3, 2019:

When will there be enough enlightened people in the world (America in particular) to band together and kick the deniers to the curb, in the dark disgrace they deserve? The deniers, their corporate sponsors, and their lapdog politicians are crapping on (and possibly canceling) the future of every living being on earth. Why aren't they being tarred, feathered, and run into the swamp where they belong?

[dailykos.com] Cartoon - Howard Schultz of Starbucks fame must be stopped running for a 3rd ...

dan325 comments on Feb 2, 2019:

Schultz running as a 3rd party or independent candidate is Trump's greatest hope for re-election. We don't need any more narcissistic billionaires trying to buy political offices as a reward to themselves for being "special."

[dailykos.com] Trump reportedly blaming Mick Mulvaney for bad press from shutdown.

dan325 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

Of course nothing is ever Trump's fault. This psychopath regularly shits all over his own appointees in order to divert attention from his own screw-ups. Why anyone would accept a job or appointment from him is a mystery to me.

[alternet.org] GOP resistance is reportedly preparing to take down Trump with or without Mueller....

dan325 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. A large number of GOP hacks will stick with Trump regardless. I'd almost rather see Trump become the candidate again, because I think he's beatable if the Democrats don't cannibalize themselves. It's all up in the air right now, which is pretty scary.

Best way to comprehend racism fully... [en.m.wikipedia.org]

dan325 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

I read "Black Like Me" when I was young. It gave me more insight into the discrimination faced by black people than any other single source of information.

[jta.org] Roma, a section of Mexico City, was the setting of Alfonso Cuaron's Oscar frontrunner ...

dan325 comments on Jan 31, 2019:

Once again, I've learned something new and interesting from one of your posts. Thanks!

[myjewishlearning.com] 5 Knishes you need for your Super Bowl party.

dan325 comments on Jan 31, 2019:

I'd rather stick thumb tacks in my forehead than host (or attend) a Super Bowl party, but I want those knishes!

This short film is about the 1939 fascist rally in Madison Square Garden attended by 20,000 members ...

dan325 comments on Jan 31, 2019:

It's almost as though our government was racist.

That Puke Roger Stone has enough nerve to complain to Trump about the FBI arresting him, searching ...

dan325 comments on Jan 31, 2019:

I'd love to see the red states secede. Let them go, and good riddance. We should, however, provide aid for the relatively few sane people in those states who want to move to blue country. None of that will happen, but we can dream.

[statesman.com]

dan325 comments on Jan 30, 2019:

This is outrageous judicial malpractice. Robison needs to be permanently removed from the bench and sanctioned by the state bar. (Of course this is Texas, so neither is likely to happen. He'll probably become the next governor.)

[yahoo.com] Trump boosts bills to teach his favorite right-winged followers book, the Bible in ...

dan325 comments on Jan 30, 2019:

Trump is too dumb to grasp the history and reasoning supporting the division of church and state. He's against it solely to keep his xtian right-wing base appeased.

How many people in your world seem shocked to find out you're an introvert? They all seem to have ...

dan325 comments on Jan 30, 2019:

I'm quite open about being an introvert, but people are always surprised to hear it. This baffles me, because I'm polite but not usually talkative. And I hate the "how are you" words. I always have to overcome my automatic compulsion to answer truthfully, which I don't want to do and nobody wants to hear.

I describe myself as a Free Thinker and also as eccentric. Does anyone else take the label of ...

dan325 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

I never much thought about it, but I'm sure I qualify. Among other things, I guess I'm an atheistic eccentric curmudgeon.

It has just come to my attention that the 26th of January is not only the date Australia celebrates ...

dan325 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

I'm saddened to learn that Piers Morgan still has a public venue anywhere. You can always count on him to support the most deplorable position available.

[jta.org] A wave of anti-Semitism is bringing secular UK Jews closer to their roots? ...

dan325 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

I agree with respect to the US. I can't speak to the UK, but it seems logical that it would apply there as well. It also applies directly to me.

[alternet.org] These are Mitch McConnell's nefarious links to Putin and Russian oligarch Oleg ...

dan325 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

It would be great if the Mueller investigation produced enough hard evidence to indict McConnell along with Trump. And Pence. And Trump's verminous offspring and offspring-in-law.

[act.credoaction.com] Please sign to stop Trump Administration from selling ancient Native ...

dan325 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

Did it.

[jta.org] 5 Things to Watch in a Bernie Sanders Campaign - He is showing his connection to ...

dan325 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

If he were even five years younger, he'd probably be my first choice for president. But his age entails a legitimate possibility that he'll become infirm (or even die) while in office. At this point, I'm pulling for Elizabeth Warren.

[jta.org] Lily Widner, 97, survived the Holocaust and much more - Why does Poland say she's ...

dan325 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

I think there's an underlying shame in Poland that creates denial of the awful things their country was complicit in during the Holocaust.

Who was that

dan325 comments on Jan 27, 2019:

I have the same problem. Could it be an introvert thing? (I prefer that option to senility.) And I think that character is the pink panther.

[nytimes.] The billion dollar business of migrant children for profit centers. Just this week on ...

dan325 comments on Jan 27, 2019:

This is capitalism on meth, a mindlessly evil manifestation of an unregulated system, enabled by a man with the moral character of a tapeworm.

[alternet.org] RNC makes unprecedented move of pledging 2020 support to Donald Trump. Are they ...

dan325 comments on Jan 27, 2019:

We can only hope, although it would be more like stupicide.

[nytimes.com] Trump's campaign had over 100 contacts with Russians before his inauguration - ...

dan325 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

Why? Because they like him. (Apologies to the Mickey Mouse Club.)

[aol.com] Report is Trump considers Joe Biden to be his most dangerous potential opponent.

dan325 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

We must remember, however, that Trump is an idiot.

[yahoo.com] Family accuses airline of anti-Semitism after being removed from airplane for body ...

dan325 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

I could be wrong, but I'd bet they actually had B.O. The family claimed they showered every day, but what else would they have said? I can't see American Airlines being stupid enough to overtly discriminate against Jewish passengers.

[myjewishlearning.com] The day 400 Rabbis marched on Washington, DC in 1943 against the ...

dan325 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

Another story I'd never heard. The State Department's behavior was contemptible, as was FDR's foot-dragging.

This blog is written by an atheist philosophy professor. He shredded “God’s Not Dead” to ...

dan325 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

This particular post shows that just because someone's an atheistic philosophy professor (someone I'd expect to more or less agree with) doesn't mean he automatically has much sense about political or economic issues. Most of his statements are meaningless generalities about reasoning with and being polite to people who just want us to shut up and submit (or worse). I don't like those people, and I'm not inclined to smile and be nice as they try to roll over the rest of us.

Several terrorist attacks in the usa commited in 2018. all by right wing white extremist

dan325 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

Makes you wonder why the "authorities" aren't allocating serious resources toward eliminating real, homegrown terrorist groups like the American Nazis and the KKK instead of terrorizing refugee families.

Happy Friday!

dan325 comments on Jan 25, 2019:

Another nightmare in two words: expected visitors.

Were the 60s Leftists Correct? [counterpunch.org]

dan325 comments on Jan 23, 2019:

I was a young man during the sixties, honorably discharged from the Air Force in mid-1963. Most of the leftists of those times were angry about the juxtaposition of the draft and the Vietnam war, not about economic theory; without the draft and the war, the protests would have been reduced to grumbling. The only economic inequity they really noticed was that the poor and minorities were the ones most likely to end up fighting in that asinine war. Even back then it was clear (to me, anyway) that the whole rationale for the war was wrong and stupid. We were fighting to uphold a corrupt puppet government that was as bad as the communists on the other side, and at the end we (and the people of Vietnam) would at best have gained nothing. Of course it turned out even worse than imagined. But those in the USA who spouted Marxist doctrine were mostly in thrall to the Soviet model, which consisted of nothing more than an autocracy of thugs falsely claiming to be socialists. By and large the hippies were silly kids playing at being wise grownups. The best thing to come out of the sixties was the civil rights movement; there, honorable people gave up parts of their lives (sometimes all of their lives) trying to achieve fairness and justice for all. MLK was probably the greatest man of the time - if any leftist of the sixties was correct, it was he. (Malcolm X might have come close, had he not been murdered just as he was coming to a full awakening. Bobby Kennedy was starting to show real growth and promise when he, too was murdered.)

Seems reasonable to me

dan325 comments on Jan 23, 2019:

Meow.

Hello- I took a test at the suggestion of a friend-- Seems I am on the spectrum for Asperger's.

dan325 comments on Jan 23, 2019:

Welcome to the club!

The shutdown from the perspective of the poor:. [detroitnews.com]

dan325 comments on Jan 22, 2019:

The term "compassionate conservative" is an oxymoron. The rich start out with the game grotesquely rigged in their favor; for the poor (and increasingly for some of the middle class), it's exactly the opposite.

CNBC Left Trump Off 2014 List of Top Businessmen, So Cohen Threatened to Sue [nymag.com]

dan325 comments on Jan 21, 2019:

Poor baby. Someone should give him a pacifier.

Hi my fellow introverts!? nice to meet you all im jenna i just litterally joined the site about an ...

dan325 comments on Jan 21, 2019:

Glad to have you with us.

[alternet.org] Anti- Zionism (anti Israeli settlements) and Anti-Semetism (anti Jews/Moslems) are...

dan325 comments on Jan 21, 2019:

Excellent article. It could, however, have been a little more explicit about the conflicting definitions of "Zionism." Originally the term was used to describe the Jewish claim to a right to have a homeland. I'm in complete agreement with this version, as was the United Nations when it established Israel. Unfortunately, the term is now used to justify Israel's expansion into territory outside its borders and its continual violation of the rights of the Palestinian people. Under this definition, I am anti-Zionist. To call me or any other Jew who holds this opinion an "antisemitic Jew" demonstrates either the absence of critical thought or the existence of ulterior motives.

Reframe your way of thinking

dan325 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

Works for me.

[aish.com] Muslims were heroes of the Holocaust -their stories should be told.

dan325 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

Another example showing that people should be judged as individuals, not according to stereotypes.

[aol.com] Now Trump is Threatening the United States with "Impeach me if you Want to See a Stock ...

dan325 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

He's full of crap, as usual. Nobody knows what the market would do, but I suspect it would fluctuate for a few days and then go back to where it was.

Tax brackets

dan325 comments on Jan 19, 2019:

We need to lower the age limit, substitute an IQ requirement, and run that fifth-grader for Congress.

How Capitalism and Imperialism creates Shithole Countries: [l.facebook.com]

dan325 comments on Jan 18, 2019:

US imperialism has been crapping up other countries for decades. Look at Iran, where the CIA helped overthrow a democratic government in 1954 (or thereabouts) to install the shah, a brutal dictator whose subsequent overthrow gave the country an equally brutal Islamic theocracy. Good job, America.

[buzzfeednews.com] Israel about to be major foreign policy debate topic in Democratic Party for ...

dan325 comments on Jan 18, 2019:

I hope so. It should be.

I wonder about this.

dan325 comments on Jan 18, 2019:

This is why I take out my hearing aids. They're a pain in the ass, but they do provide a certain flexibility.

On the lasting impact of Jewish 'Momisms'... Before dawn I'm bundling up to work outdoors, grab ...

dan325 comments on Jan 18, 2019:

Mom was right. Some nut might try to take you home and decorate you!

Police are getting too militarized military equipment they are too ready to play soldier, scary. ...

dan325 comments on Jan 18, 2019:

It used to be that the primary weapon used by police was the nightstick. A well trained cop could take down even a knife wielder with this primitive but effective weapon. It was brutish, but it almost never killed anyone. Of course it wasn't effective against a gun, and as guns began to proliferate, most departments cut back or cut out training in use of the nightstick (or stopped issuing the sticks entirely). So now cops just tend to shoot anyone who looks remotely threatening, whether or not the "threat" has a gun. As firearms continue to get more sophisticated (and lethal), the "cops vs. the enemy" mentality will continue to spread. I hate to say this (as a gun owner) but mass confiscation of firearms accompanied by subsequent limitation of police armament may be the only way to stop the escalation. And this will never happen in the USA. Zero chance.

This hit home...

dan325 comments on Jan 18, 2019:

My life in a nutshell.

[news.yahoo.com] Fuhrer Trump cancels Nancy Pelosi's trip to Middle East - Acting like a toddler?...

dan325 comments on Jan 17, 2019:

Acting like a toddler. As usual. Next he'll spit his MacDonald's baby food at her.

...

dan325 comments on Jan 17, 2019:

This was an astounding example of technology's application to unspeakable evil.

Oh the Horror

dan325 comments on Jan 17, 2019:

I actually left a conference I'd paid for when they announced we'd be doing stuff like that.

[jta.org] 5 Jewish Things to know about Kamala Harris.

dan325 comments on Jan 16, 2019:

I like her in general, although I disagree with her on some issues, such as her acceptance of the expanded Israeli settlements.

Somebody should lance that boil.

dan325 comments on Jan 16, 2019:

Definitely needs to be lanced.

[alternet.org] 10 Disturbing moments from Trump's attorney general nominee hearings. I've been ...

dan325 comments on Jan 15, 2019:

An additional issue that wasn't addressed is his right-wing religious fundamentalism. He will do whatever he can to harm church-state separation and promote Christian privilege.

Help! My high functioning autistic son is afraid of stairs. We never really encountered many stairs ...

dan325 comments on Jan 15, 2019:

This is a tough one. Unless someone here has successfully dealt with a similar situation, I think you need to find a professional who specializes in autism.

[myjewishlearning.] Tu bishvat - an environmentalism holiday for Jews?

dan325 comments on Jan 15, 2019:

Sounds good to me. Environmentalism is a fine justification for a holiday, and it's not even based on superstition.

[heyalma.com] How 4 couples with conflicting Jewish backgrounds make it work? Are these types of ...

dan325 comments on Jan 14, 2019:

I very much enjoy your posts and hope you'll keep them coming. If I were looking for a partner, I'd definitely want her to be nonreligious. A secular Jew would be ideal, but the Jewish part would be a preference rather than a requirement.

Assuming that most who take this poll are atheists and/or agnostics, and so do not say there is for ...

dan325 comments on Jan 14, 2019:

The following secular characteristics are what I value about Jewish culture. (Some were taken from "Dear Zealots," by Amos Oz.) - Viewing life as an end in itself rather than just a means to achieve an end. - Recognition of different levels of evil, i.e., realizing some evils are worse than others. - Appreciation and encouragement of curiosity, imagination, originality, and humor. - A feeling of obligation to cause no pain or harm. - The belief that conformity is not a desirable objective; that everyone has the right to be different, to disagree with anyone, to question anything, and to have and express their own opinion, as long as they do no harm. - The belief that the majority generally should rule, as long as it does not oppress and/or silence the minority. - A feeling of obligation to support and protect the defenseless, the poor, the oppressed, and the stranger. - A feeling of obligation to speak and argue for the truth, especially to power, and to defer to no one. - The expectation of charity and justice for all, from all. - The recognition that in the face of disagreement, it’s best to negotiate and compromise. - A rejection of blind obedience. - Love of and respect for learning. On the negative side, I believe the religion (like all religions) is a ridiculous conglomerate of superstition and mythology.

A topic for discussion... Opinions? Thoughts?

dan325 comments on Jan 14, 2019:

War is murder unless it's undertaken in self-defense or defense of the innocent. Taxation is fair payment for government protection and services; it's only theft when the money is used for unjust purposes, such as launching unnecessary wars or solely benefiting the privileged. Technological advances can be used to avoid a potential doomsday scenario or to cause one, depending on the intent of those who apply them. None of these questions has a simple, black and white answer.

"So left that I love Jane Fonda!" is my usual reply to conservatives, which has caused more than one...

dan325 comments on Jan 14, 2019:

At our age, can anybody even hit those targets?

[dailykos.com] Under counterintelligence rules FBI could tap Trump's phone and bug the oval ...

dan325 comments on Jan 13, 2019:

The hell of it is that even if the House brings articles of impeachment against him (which they should), he'll never be convicted by the Senate.

[friendlyatheist.patheos.com] Jewish people are sharing their first anti-semitic experiences on ...

dan325 comments on Jan 13, 2019:

My first was when I was very young, at a neighborhood butcher shop in Queens. My family had shopped there for a long time, and the butcher, a recent arrival from Germany, had always been very nice to us. (This was only a couple of years after the end of WWII.) He obviously didn't know we were Jews, and one day he just went off on an antisemitic rant. My mother didn't confront him (she never confronted anyone outside the immediate family), but we never went back there again. I was too young to understand it fully at the time, but it left a very bad taste.

[yahoo.com] Despite govt shutdown almost 200 attend TSA hiring event Saturday, yesterday for jobs...

dan325 comments on Jan 13, 2019:

This just shows that the "jobs boom" isn't what the Republicans (and a lot of the media) would have us believe.

[yahoo.com] A third tunnel from Mexican border to Arizona is found within a month. What the f-ck ...

dan325 comments on Jan 12, 2019:

Answer: the wall will provide much-needed shade for the laborers building the drug smuggling tunnels.

"I felt like I had to speak to Trump in a language he understands." [texastribune.org]

dan325 comments on Jan 12, 2019:

I like the article's recommendation, but he can't shove the wall up his ass because his head's in the way.

Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii announces that she is running for president in 2020 ...

dan325 comments on Jan 12, 2019:

You mean unicorns don't shit rainbows? Anyhow, I fear the Dems will wind up with a couple dozen candidates who will form a circular firing squad and blow themselves away. I hope I'm wrong, but they do have a history of thwarting themselves.

[yahoo.com] Roseanne Barr now claims ABC fired her because she's Jewish in large part to ...

dan325 comments on Jan 12, 2019:

I doubt her bipolar status is the cause of her bigotry. She seems to be a a seething cauldron of rage and self-hatred (witness the pictures in @palacinkyPDX's post, below). She's like a demented rattlesnake that strikes out at anything that catches her focus, with no rational reason required.

[yahoo.com] Veteran Ends "Go Fund Me" Campaign for Border Wall - Collected $19 Million - Vowing ...

dan325 comments on Jan 11, 2019:

It's either a con or the guy is a nut job. Either way, no good can come of it.

Covert British Military-Smear Machine Moving into US [consortiumnews.com]

dan325 comments on Jan 10, 2019:

This is propaganda and misinformation coming from a foreign source - kind of a flip side of Russia's program, on a smaller and less organized scale. It should be exposed and thwarted.

[biologicaldiversity.org] Trump Administration auctioning off 900,000 acres of land in Nevada for...

dan325 comments on Jan 10, 2019:

These "people" are disgusting.

On White Privilege

dan325 comments on Jan 10, 2019:

Not really the whole system - mostly the Republicans, who have way too much power due to gerrymandering, voter suppression, and their constituent basket of deplorables. White privilege is an unspoken but obvious pillar of their platform.

[reformjudaism.org] Einstein's changing views of atheism, god and judaism.

dan325 comments on Jan 10, 2019:

I really wish Einstein had been more forceful about separating himself from the various god delusions throughout his life.