Agnostic.com
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I have a brand new granddaughter and want to make sure her parents get the totality of the parenting...
MrBeelzeebubbles comments on Dec 27, 2018:
Bagpipes, drums, violin. The most torturous instruments.
jerry99 replies on Dec 27, 2018:
That's why you get it for GRANDchildren -- payback's a bitch!
For our Chowderhead-in-Chief, you Mad bro?
Seeker3CO comments on Dec 27, 2018:
Is this authentic? Amazing how the demagogues don't change over the years.
jerry99 replies on Dec 27, 2018:
It looks legit, but I couldn't find an authoritative source. I did find this though: "A cartoon about Donald Trump was published in a 1992 issue of Mad Magazine." https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/did-mad-magazine-publish-a-trump-cartoon-in-1992/
Broiled Plum Tomatoes with Parmesan Cheese
Wangobango3 comments on Dec 26, 2018:
That's a great reminder. I have tomatoes that are past their prime. I use my toaster oven a lot when I'm just cooking for one.
jerry99 replies on Dec 26, 2018:
What aren't we supposed to put tomatoes in the fridge?
Dan Rather on Twitter: "Just a thought: Which should be considered more “marginal” - believing ...
Mikeb56 comments on Dec 26, 2018:
IMHO Climate change deniers have zero grasp of basic physics.
jerry99 replies on Dec 26, 2018:
Cognitive dissonance is not accepting facts when they disagree with one’s preconceived opinions.
Daughters of foot doctor say he made Trump bone spurs diagnosis as 'favor' to Fred Trump: New York ...
dahermit comments on Dec 26, 2018:
As much as I despise Trump, I cannot fault anyone for avoiding the Vietnam war. We had no business being the invader there, supporting a corrupt South Vietnam regime in a war (according to presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon), we could not win. Watch Ken Burn's documentary on the ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 26, 2018:
No problem with avoiding the draft and the insane war, but bragging about your military credentials afterwards reveals your total hypocrisy and cowardice!
I’m wondering about the sponsors of agnostic.
John_Tyrrell comments on Dec 25, 2018:
"Our funding comes from private individuals who want to promote a positive image of atheists, agnostics, humanists and other secular views." I think that's all the site operator wants you to know. :-)
jerry99 replies on Dec 26, 2018:
@tsallinia It’s the lack of transparency that concerns me
I’m wondering about the sponsors of agnostic.
John_Tyrrell comments on Dec 25, 2018:
"Our funding comes from private individuals who want to promote a positive image of atheists, agnostics, humanists and other secular views." I think that's all the site operator wants you to know. :-)
jerry99 replies on Dec 25, 2018:
I think the total cost is fairly significant. Besides the server/storage/bandwidth, there's a huge amount of work in developing and maintaining the software, regardless of whether it's homegrown, open source or a commercial product - some combination would be my guess. Then they've indicated that they spend a fair amount on advertising and promotion. Further the ongoing administration requires a lot of work. I'd imagine a fair amount is volunteer-based, but it seems reasonable that some of it is paid staff. And yes, I'd be willing to contribute if it meant that my info was private.
I’m wondering about the sponsors of agnostic.
tsallinia comments on Dec 25, 2018:
That is a very good question indeed. So is it individuals? Organisations? What will happen to the server if they stop contributing?
jerry99 replies on Dec 25, 2018:
Something, something, gift horse, ... I guess
I’m wondering about the sponsors of agnostic.
Admin comments on Dec 25, 2018:
Merry Netwonday! :)
jerry99 replies on Dec 25, 2018:
So it's a present in honor of Ikie?
Donald J.
John_Tyrrell comments on Dec 24, 2018:
You are misinterpreting what Trump said. The contract - with all the legalize amounting to nothing - is 115 miles long. It's for putting a single symbolic cinder block on the border
jerry99 replies on Dec 25, 2018:
Humor? Whoosh!
Color changing octopus!
jerry99 comments on Dec 24, 2018:
Octopuses are amazing and seem to have a different type of intelligence. I'm not sure we should be eating them.
jerry99 replies on Dec 24, 2018:
@Qualia Yeah, me too. Reading about veal put me off them for good.
My son just told me to post this to you to let you see the difference in the understanding of ...
djs64 comments on Dec 24, 2018:
I still don't understand why people voted for that guy thinking he would be a good world leader.
jerry99 replies on Dec 24, 2018:
The hate I’ve heard for Hillary is beyond my comprehension. About 13% of Bernie supporters voted for Trump. When I’ve asked seemingly intelligent people why they voted for Trump all I got back was that Hillary was evil, crooked, warmonger, and such. Vague accusations spread by Fox News and the Republican propaganda machine without any specifics or actual crimes.
Just wondering, is it possible to be too nice.
jondspen comments on Dec 23, 2018:
I don't think it is. I hope people are not as stupid, ignorant, and close minded as they seem to be, and while they use underhanded tactics in an argument, I cling to the belief deep down they realize they were not fair or honest. If I'm right, your behavior will win out, even if you don't see it....
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
dishonorable thing?
Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist explains why there is something rather than nothing.
WilliamFleming comments on Dec 23, 2018:
In other words, nobody knows and we can not understand the scope of the question in human terms. It’s eerie. There is this Nature that created itself and decreed immutable laws, brought life into existence, and seems to be awash in intelligent, conscious awareness. For God’s sake, for all the...
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
The path to madness begins with ascribing to god that which is unexplained or unexplainable. Just sayin'
Why is the map not showing many members?
Triphid comments on Dec 23, 2018:
So, how does one find this map anyway?
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
What map?
[yahoo.
SageDave comments on Dec 23, 2018:
She is not the first to propose Congress go without salary during a shutdown. However, our members of congress still have other means of "raising funds" for personal use during the holidays, like speaking fees and book sales.
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
In other words, getting paid off by lobbyists.
Everybody's leaving. Trump's feeling alone now. Awwww ... [msn.com]
godef comments on Dec 23, 2018:
His Twumpiness is falling apart. I just hope he doesn't do any earth-scorching on his way out.
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
@aintmisbehaven Tell that to the people who aren't getting paid over the holidays because of his temper tantrum!
Everybody's leaving. Trump's feeling alone now. Awwww ... [msn.com]
godef comments on Dec 23, 2018:
His Twumpiness is falling apart. I just hope he doesn't do any earth-scorching on his way out.
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
@godef No, he is a total moron who can't help but do something dangerous!
Donald J.
ADKSparky comments on Dec 23, 2018:
At this point, the military would rebel against tRump if he tried to start a phony war-Wag the Dog style.
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
I hope you're right, but not so sure.
An interesting 20 Question BBC quiz - which tells me I am Korean. What are you?
Count_Viceroy comments on Dec 22, 2018:
Bangladeshi
jerry99 replies on Dec 23, 2018:
That's what I got - very weird
As the new year approaches.
jrobertson comments on Dec 22, 2018:
I love the basic inspiration felt by the quote above, H.G. Wells, however, "... each moment of life is a [phenomenonal] mystery." Moreover, common usage of the word, "miracle" implies "God" and I really think that ... I'm gonna let you make it this time and shut up.
jerry99 replies on Dec 22, 2018:
Going by our unsuccessful (so far) but extensive SETI efforts, it looks like the likelihood of life is pretty low probability, so it's okay with me if people call that a miracle or a mystery, or perhaps a statistical anomaly.
Ruth Bader Ginburg has 2 cancerous tumors remove from her lungs.
jerry99 comments on Dec 22, 2018:
Sometimes it looks like he does stupid shit just to piss people off. Other times he just does stupid shit.
jerry99 replies on Dec 22, 2018:
Replacing RBG with another chowderhead like Kavanaugh would be more Trumpian stupid shit. Seems pretty obvious to me.
Just feeling cranky today -- could we ask people to stop posting links without any explanation or ...
AnneWimsey comments on Dec 22, 2018:
Every post earns you points!
jerry99 replies on Dec 22, 2018:
Then something wrong with the system.
Trumps Taking The Blame For Government Shut Down
Jolanta comments on Dec 22, 2018:
He is not taking the blame. He is boasting about it.
jerry99 replies on Dec 22, 2018:
No, as usual he back-tracked and now blames the Dems.
The sex 'binary'. [sapiens.org]
Beowulfsfriend comments on Dec 22, 2018:
As Trump pushes the US back to the dark ages, the Olympics have made "some" progress. One female sprinter, with a differing genetic "defect" showing her more male has been allowed to continue to compete. Side note for trivia night: only person since testing was first done, first by sight and ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 22, 2018:
This is puzzling to me. If it makes sense to have separate competitions based on gender, then how do you assign gender roles for those who don’t fit into the binary pattern?
When I hear people criticizing Trump for withdrawing from Syria and Afghanistan, I have to think - ...
jerry99 comments on Dec 21, 2018:
I don’t support unilateral US troops in the Mideast but as usual Trump’s impulsiveness causes enormous harm. Mattis was rightfully concerned about turning our back on our allies and breaking our promises which for a Trump is just business as usual. It’s funny that the guy they call Maddog was ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 21, 2018:
@THHA I don't know if you're a paid troll or just another loudmouthed jerk but I've seen enough of your posts to know you have nothing useful to contribute to any discussion. So consider yourself blocked.
Tom Nichols on Twitter: "Today is the day that Never Trumpers warned was coming.
Petter comments on Dec 21, 2018:
To misquote Shakespeare. " Now is the winter of the US people's discontent".
jerry99 replies on Dec 21, 2018:
From https://literarydevices.net/the-winter-of-our-discontent/ William Shakespeare has used this phrase in his popular play, Richard III, where King Richard is expressing his feelings of discontent regarding living in the world that hates him. He begins his soliloquy by stating, “Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this son of York…” (Act-I, Scene-I). Apparently he seems to be protesting his family’s repression, and his own discontent; however, actually he is celebrating the upturn of fortunes of his family, as his brother becomes the king. In this case, we get the idea that he is not happy with his current state of affairs. We can say he starts grumbling about his brother becoming king, and broods over his deformity — having been born disfigured, and a hunchbacked. Sounds right!
When I hear people criticizing Trump for withdrawing from Syria and Afghanistan, I have to think - ...
jerry99 comments on Dec 21, 2018:
I don’t support unilateral US troops in the Mideast but as usual Trump’s impulsiveness causes enormous harm. Mattis was rightfully concerned about turning our back on our allies and breaking our promises which for a Trump is just business as usual. It’s funny that the guy they call Maddog was ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 21, 2018:
Steve Collett ‏@3bricksshy Replying to @RadioFreeTom @edwardlucas Shorter version: I believe in standing strong with our allies and standing up to despots and dictators. But you don’t and that’s cool. I’m outta here.
When I hear people criticizing Trump for withdrawing from Syria and Afghanistan, I have to think - ...
242Foxtrot comments on Dec 21, 2018:
I agree with pulling troops out of Syria. And they need to come out of Iraq and Afghanistan. We don't need 700 military bases around the world with a construction cost of $1B each. That said, Trump's reasoning is all in support of Putin's wishes. Let the corrupt congressional representatives ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 21, 2018:
And the fact that we’re in debt up to our eyeballs to pay for all this shit!
Mars Probe...
Beowulfsfriend comments on Dec 21, 2018:
Musk's colony will have food. Just need to find water, heat, etc. And take care of that pesky radiation thingy.
jerry99 replies on Dec 21, 2018:
Oxygen would also be nice.
Happy Holidays!
Bierbasstard comments on Dec 20, 2018:
Just think how different the world would be had he succeeded.
jerry99 replies on Dec 20, 2018:
I think there were a lot of wannabe messiahs running around at the time, so if not this one, then probably another. At least according to my primary source on this, "The Life Of Brian."
Makes sense to me/
jerry99 comments on Dec 20, 2018:
It’s not even good fiction, just a bunch of creepy morality fables. Aesop does a better job.
jerry99 replies on Dec 20, 2018:
I happily yield to your superior bible knowledge, though a quick scan seems to say this is what happens when people decide right from wrong by themselves without the benefit of a hardass god or king to guide them.
[aish.
jerry99 comments on Dec 19, 2018:
No idea what that was and had to look it (him) up. Creepy!
jerry99 replies on Dec 19, 2018:
Easy enough to search.
Nasa's New Horizons probe on course for historic flyby [bbc.co.uk]
Druvius comments on Dec 18, 2018:
Sadly it will be awhile before we get to see the images, but too cool for words.
jerry99 replies on Dec 18, 2018:
Jan 2-3, not bad.
"Trump is a dumb man's idea of a smart man, a poor man's idea of a rich man, and a weak man's idea ...
ADKSparky comments on Dec 18, 2018:
Summed up in one word: Ignoranus
jerry99 replies on Dec 18, 2018:
Is that a Freudian typo? :)
[yahoo.
Ktcyan comments on Dec 18, 2018:
It should be given to the person who actually won and this electoral college thing be amended. No one's vote should count more than someone else's especially based on where you live.
jerry99 replies on Dec 18, 2018:
Along with the very undemocratic US Senate.
[yahoo.
bigpawbullets comments on Dec 18, 2018:
Interesting stuff! But what can we really believe? I'm to the point where I don't trust any news source. I've no doubt that technically, and psychologically, the premise put forth in the article is doable.
jerry99 replies on Dec 18, 2018:
See for yourself! https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/310695-trump-thanks-black-voters-who-didnt-come-out-to-vote-for
[yahoo.
bigpawbullets comments on Dec 18, 2018:
Interesting stuff! But what can we really believe? I'm to the point where I don't trust any news source. I've no doubt that technically, and psychologically, the premise put forth in the article is doable.
jerry99 replies on Dec 18, 2018:
Makes sense to be skeptical of all news media who are mainly interested in getting more viewers/clicks, but in this case I saw the video where Trump said exactly that!
5 Things People Get Wrong About Homelessness | HuffPost
jerry99 comments on Dec 16, 2018:
It's really quite a bit more complicated than the article describes. Like most decent sized cities, homelessness has become a serious problem here and I'm not aware of any simple solutions. Here are a few things to consider: - There isn't a single type of homeless person or homelessness ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 17, 2018:
@DaphneDarling Yes, I've talked with homeless people and more importantly listened to what they had to say. People looking for simple solutions are destined for severe disappointment. You may complain that I'm stereotyping the homeless but I think you're the one who paints me as a bigot for trying to rationally analyze the situation. No, I don't have a simple solution, probably because there are no simple solutions, probably because the problem is not simple but very complicated. The approach for dealing with someone who is temporarily down on their luck has to be a lot different than how you deal with someone who just wants a free ride or who wants to be left alone to cause whatever harm he likes. You have not really offered any solutions only the wishful thinking that the government, i.e. our taxes, should deal with it.
[nytimes.
chilehead9 comments on Dec 17, 2018:
They're going to have to build a whole new prison for all the guilty people associated with Trump - but hopefully he and his whole family can join them.
jerry99 replies on Dec 17, 2018:
Trump Tower will take on a whole new meaning!
5 Things People Get Wrong About Homelessness | HuffPost
jerry99 comments on Dec 16, 2018:
It's really quite a bit more complicated than the article describes. Like most decent sized cities, homelessness has become a serious problem here and I'm not aware of any simple solutions. Here are a few things to consider: - There isn't a single type of homeless person or homelessness ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 17, 2018:
Wow, you really don't understand what my comments have to do with the article about homelessness? Suggest you read it again and maybe try to understand why the problem isn't quite so simple as getting government to provide good wages, housing, education etc. If it were that simple it would have been done years ago.
Did anyone notice that ICE is writing numbers on children's forearms just like when the Nazis did ...
powder comments on Dec 16, 2018:
Israel does the same to Palestinian's when they round them up which is truely ironic and sad.
jerry99 replies on Dec 16, 2018:
I find this extremely troubling if true. I did a few searches and could not find any support for your statement. Can you provide a cite or is this just an urban legend?
I’m reluctant to overtly call someone a moron or a jerk, but it’d be nice to be able to click on...
Jolanta comments on Dec 16, 2018:
You can always look up synonyms to those words and use them until there is an appropriate emoji, but in the end I would just call them morons, jerks, assholes, etc, etc.
jerry99 replies on Dec 16, 2018:
@The-Krzyz Hmm...did you think I was talking about you? :)
I’m reluctant to overtly call someone a moron or a jerk, but it’d be nice to be able to click on...
Jolanta comments on Dec 16, 2018:
You can always look up synonyms to those words and use them until there is an appropriate emoji, but in the end I would just call them morons, jerks, assholes, etc, etc.
jerry99 replies on Dec 16, 2018:
Oh I know the words, just not looking to start a fight.
Use your brain to think and figure things out.
Dwight comments on Dec 15, 2018:
Anybody who says, I'll be honest with you..
jerry99 replies on Dec 16, 2018:
Anyway you look at it, they're liars!
Happening in my area at the moment.
jerry99 comments on Dec 13, 2018:
Makes me think I need to support the Freedom From Religion Foundation!
jerry99 replies on Dec 16, 2018:
@Allikat I did, I’m a member. Thanks.
Use your brain to think and figure things out.
Dwight comments on Dec 15, 2018:
Anybody who says, I'll be honest with you..
jerry99 replies on Dec 15, 2018:
I always thought that meant that previously they weren't being honest.
Texas Federal Judge says Obamacare is unconstitutional.
RobertMartin comments on Dec 14, 2018:
Obamacare is not unconstitutional. I think the Republicans are against Obamacare because they didn't think of it first.
jerry99 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
Well, they did! Wikipedia: "In April 1970, Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) introduced a bill to extend Medicare to all—retaining existing Medicare cost sharing and coverage limits" Also, even Nixon supported a limited form of national health insurance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_health_care_reform_in_the_United_States We've really been moving in the wrong direction!
The Jew With The Soul of a Nazi - POS or what?
Skeptic66 comments on Dec 14, 2018:
A horrid person, but not a Nazi. The term is overused.
jerry99 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
Yes, I agree that the references to Nazism are way overused and misused, but there are too many similarities between Trump's racism and the early days of the Nazi movement. Miller reminds me most of Heinrich Himmler, about whom Wikipedia says, "he developed the SS from a mere 290-man battalion into a million-strong paramilitary group, and, following Hitler's orders, set up and controlled the Nazi concentration camps. He was known for good organisational skills and for selecting highly competent subordinates."
The Jew With The Soul of a Nazi - POS or what?
Skeptic66 comments on Dec 14, 2018:
A horrid person, but not a Nazi. The term is overused.
jerry99 replies on Dec 14, 2018:
He wasn’t just following orders; he was giving orders!
The Year of the Woman just roared in Trump's Oval Office - CNNPolitics
thinktwice comments on Dec 12, 2018:
I just wish Schumer had acted better...she definitely was the adult in the room...the men were all sorts of terrible, including the VP...
jerry99 replies on Dec 12, 2018:
Pretty sure VP is not even close to being the 2nd most powerful. And I think Schumer did okay in standing up to Trump, just nowhere near as effectively as Pelosi.
The Year of the Woman just roared in Trump's Oval Office - CNNPolitics
thinktwice comments on Dec 12, 2018:
I just wish Schumer had acted better...she definitely was the adult in the room...the men were all sorts of terrible, including the VP...
jerry99 replies on Dec 12, 2018:
How can you object to someone who was trying his very best to blend in with the woodwork?
Trump tries to change the story but Russia cloud darkens - CNNPolitics
Remowill comments on Dec 9, 2018:
He and Pence should resign.
jerry99 replies on Dec 9, 2018:
Let's see, if he and Pence both resign then the new president will be Speaker of the House. Gosh, I wonder who that will be? :)
I don't agree with the god part of the story but of all the Holocaust stories of survival this is ...
PalacinkyPDX comments on Dec 7, 2018:
According to the article, it's easy for gawd to create miracles (individual ones I suppose?), but he decided to have 6 million jews, and millions more Poles, Soviets, Roma and gay men murdered? Give me a break. Anyone mentioning gawd in relationship to the holocaust has a real nerve.
jerry99 replies on Dec 7, 2018:
So much for being the chosen people!
[yahoo.com] Michigan GOP Guts Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Sick Leave - WTF!!!!
Jolanta comments on Dec 6, 2018:
Just another nail in the coffin and still they worship Donald.
jerry99 replies on Dec 6, 2018:
They're fine as long as it's not their wages and health care getting cut. And then when it is, too late!
This is just unreal to me.
OCJoe comments on Dec 5, 2018:
That's crass. I did not support Bush's political ideology but he was a decent and honest man. Determining that it is acceptable to hate and disparage people you don't agree with puts you in league with Trump.
jerry99 replies on Dec 5, 2018:
When asked by journalist Robert Sherman about the equal citizenship and patriotism of American atheists, Sherman reported that Bush answered, "No, I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God." Fuck him!
I honestly hope that once he’s out office that there’s not a mass catastrophe of people dying of...
KKGator comments on Dec 5, 2018:
I can't speak for anyone else, but once 45 is gone, I'm sure I'll have plenty of other things to fill the void. Life is like that. He is taking up so much time and energy because he is doing incredible damage. It would be nice to starve him of the attention he craves, and have him wither up and ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 5, 2018:
Yes, I remember very well Ford saying "Our long national nightmare is over," and I keep hoping I'll be able to hear a new Democratic president (or even a real moderate Republican, if any still exists) one day say those same words.
Am I the only one that doesn't pay any attention to points or levels
jerry99 comments on Dec 4, 2018:
I’m pretty tired of the point whores who just put up one worthless post after another. I have plenty of t-shirts and couldn’t care less about getting one more. Besides, I see they’re for sale here if I really wanted one. My suggestion would be that points should be allocated to quality posts, ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 4, 2018:
@ATDayHiker I do that sometimes, but it's for an afterthought or to expand on something I said in the main post.
David Attenborough: 'The collapse of our civilizations is on the horizon' - CNN
Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 4, 2018:
I was not in the tv room but the volume was up and I knew Sir David's voice immediately as he delivered his dire warning. As usual, he was spot on. If we don't act quickly human civilization as we know it will end. Unfortunately, the Paris accord may not go far enough. We are probably going to ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 4, 2018:
I still hold out some hope that, thanks to visionaries like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, there is still some chance that we’ll move to renewable energies in time to salvage our clean water and clean air. Obviously it all depends on getting rid of the environmentally destructive forces in the world like our current administration, along with getting our population under control, and eliminating repressive religious institutions.
David Attenborough: 'The collapse of our civilizations is on the horizon' - CNN
Daz1981 comments on Dec 4, 2018:
It's like this us as human beings are the most destructive on this planet the rate we are going extinction will come .
jerry99 replies on Dec 4, 2018:
I think our problem is that the survival skills that served as well in our pre-industrial past no longer make sense and we have failed to adapt. "According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself. Applying this theoretical concept to us as individuals, we can state that the civilization that is able to survive is the one that is able to adapt to the changing physical, social, political, moral, and spiritual environment in which it finds itself." -- Leon C. Megginson
Fake science: Here's the alarming pseudoscience ecosystem that's threatening our nation's health | ...
jerry99 comments on Dec 3, 2018:
I think this misses the point -- people don't want facts; they want stories, true or false, that provide comforting confirmation to their existing biases. I vaguely recall a Doonesbury series on people buying up whatever "facts" they needed to confirm their beliefs. It was maybe a bit too much on ...
jerry99 replies on Dec 3, 2018:
Doonesbury gets it.
Our whole universe is in a hot dense state, then nearly 14 billion years ago expansion started, ...
darien75 comments on Dec 1, 2018:
What is it with you humourless killjoys that have to comment on a post and be arseholes about it. I can have a laugh with the best but start to pass judgment or be arsey about it and your nothing but thon stupid uncle that turns up pished to a party and falls asleep in the punch bowl.
jerry99 replies on Dec 1, 2018:
Sensitive much?
Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are Atheists?
RPardoe comments on Dec 1, 2018:
To give some context - this was stated in 1987 when then-Vice President Bush was running for President.
jerry99 replies on Dec 1, 2018:
Nah, it started with Nixon and has gone downhill with the Repubs since.
Is the Universe Anthropic?
John_Tyrrell comments on Nov 30, 2018:
If we were made for the universe, why are we still incapable of visiting over 99.9999% of it?
jerry99 replies on Nov 30, 2018:
@Piece2YourPuzzle Yeah, but so's most of the Earth. Most of it is water or too hot or too cold (though the cold part is rapidly changing). Btw, that's always puzzled me -- I'm all for building Lunar or Martian habitats but shouldn't we first see if we can survive on oceanic biospheres?
Is the Universe Anthropic?
JackPedigo comments on Nov 30, 2018:
Interesting post. The problem I see is, as the article starts: *"There is debate whether the “anthropic principle” is a scientific or a philosophical concept – or primarily a religious one."* The religions have taken this idea to create gods who, in turn, have created us. Even many of the ...
jerry99 replies on Nov 30, 2018:
@JackPedigo "those numbers can be so vast as to approach infinity" Uh, no. They're no closer to infinity than is the number 1. Also, since there is still no real explanation of consciousness then your statement is, as I said above, wild speculation. My best guess is that consciousness is a wave of electrical impulses, i.e. neuron firings, and as such, requires a whole bunch of neurons which does take up space.
Is the Universe Anthropic?
John_Tyrrell comments on Nov 30, 2018:
If we were made for the universe, why are we still incapable of visiting over 99.9999% of it?
jerry99 replies on Nov 30, 2018:
I'm counting on people like Elon Musk to get us there!
Is the Universe Anthropic?
WilliamFleming comments on Nov 30, 2018:
“For one, if such tuning has happened, what’s the basis for assuming that it happened with us “in mind”? Before delving into such a question I think we should try to find out what or who we ourselves are, and the nature of conscious awareness which frames our every experience. Please ...
jerry99 replies on Nov 30, 2018:
Yeah, we're not even close to scientism. What we have is a large number of people with no understanding of science principles -- people who think that the Theory of Evolution is just a theory or that astrology is another valid science. There are far more people who are too lazy to do the work to understand math or science then the ones who actually get things done. These are the dummies who accept vague promises and wishful thinking from our politicians without question. The most recent PISA (Program for International Student Assessment ) results, from 2015, placed the U.S. an unimpressive 38th out of 71 countries in math and 24th in science. Among the 35 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which sponsors the PISA initiative, the U.S. ranked 30th in math and 19th in science.
Is the Universe Anthropic?
JackPedigo comments on Nov 30, 2018:
Interesting post. The problem I see is, as the article starts: *"There is debate whether the “anthropic principle” is a scientific or a philosophical concept – or primarily a religious one."* The religions have taken this idea to create gods who, in turn, have created us. Even many of the ...
jerry99 replies on Nov 30, 2018:
If you accept that there must be some material substance for a consciousness to inhabit, then the number of consciousnesses can never be infinite. Even if you allow one atom's worth of space per consciousness throughout the entire universe, then the number is still finite - very large but finite. Otherwise, you're in the land of wild speculation.
Lisa suggested we write bios for the group.
jerry99 comments on Nov 24, 2018:
Mine is in my profile. BMG
jerry99 replies on Nov 26, 2018:
Not much else to say -- all the grandparents were from Poland and Russia and immigrated to NY in the late 19th century. Raised in the orthodox tradition and bar-mitzvah'd, but never believed in god and thought the religious stuff was stupid for as long as I can remember. I was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Cleveland, moved to DC after graduation, and had my family in Colorado.
Every year around this time we get inundated with requests for charitable contributions, mostly from...
sfvpool comments on Nov 24, 2018:
It looks like you have solved the problem: research the organization before donating. Personally, I would much rather donate to a charity that I can research, decide if I want to donate, and decide how much to donate, than have money taken from me without my consent by the government.
jerry99 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
I'm not going to defend our cocked-up system where Trump (and Bush Jr.) lost the popular vote by a significant amount and still got to be president. And when I said everyone pays taxes, I obviously didn't mean to include Trump or his crime family and their corrupt charity. Even so, that's the deal we got by living here and I'd sure like to see it change, but I believe we can elect more people of good will who will do what's right rather than what's profitable for them and their cronies.
Every year around this time we get inundated with requests for charitable contributions, mostly from...
sfvpool comments on Nov 24, 2018:
It looks like you have solved the problem: research the organization before donating. Personally, I would much rather donate to a charity that I can research, decide if I want to donate, and decide how much to donate, than have money taken from me without my consent by the government.
jerry99 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
Well we all pay taxes, but it's not really without our consent since our elected representatives have approved it. And a small percentage of our taxes does go to these causes. I'd just prefer that more of it went there than to pay for our bloated military and to pay interest on our national debt.
Every year around this time we get inundated with requests for charitable contributions, mostly from...
shockwaverider comments on Nov 24, 2018:
Looking for some particular response or just venting? Giving Tuesday is a day when donations are matched by corporations, private donors, etc. So the impact of donating on that day is bigger than most days. CEO salaries seem high but not compared to the private sector for a similarly sized ...
jerry99 replies on Nov 24, 2018:
Yeah, just venting. I was pissed at the St. Joseph's mailer because it made me feel guilty about throwing away their crap, which I guess was their objective. https://www.cnn.com/2014/11/17/us/south-dakota-indian-school-fundraising-investigation/index.html I make a significant-for-me number of donations and I get really annoyed when I see that money being wasted on asking me for more. I get especially annoyed when I see that they've sold my name and address to other charities (I'm looking at you NRDC) and I never donate to them again.
I heard the idea here about starting our own political party?
davknight comments on Nov 17, 2018:
I agree that we desperately need a Third Party. However, the system is set up in favor of the two-party variety. And the electorate has been brainwashed into thinking that voting for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote.
jerry99 replies on Nov 17, 2018:
@Shouldbefishing I'm pretty sure that 6% of the vote won't win any elections, so yes, I'd say they (and presumably you) wasted your vote and may have given us Trump instead.
I heard the idea here about starting our own political party?
davknight comments on Nov 17, 2018:
I agree that we desperately need a Third Party. However, the system is set up in favor of the two-party variety. And the electorate has been brainwashed into thinking that voting for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote.
jerry99 replies on Nov 17, 2018:
I'm not sure that systems with multiple political parties work any better than our awful two-party system. Your idea that voters have been "brainwashed into thinking that voting for a third-party candidate is a wasted vote" makes little sense when you consider that third-party candidates never win, though their votes along with the non-votes may cost someone else the election. I wonder if the Green and Libertarian party voters along with the non-voters are happy with Trump?
White House threatens to revoke more press passes - CNN
jerry99 comments on Nov 9, 2018:
I think this started when he found he could get away with calling out the press as "fake news" during his rallies. The White House and the press has always had an adversarial relationship, as they should, but this is the first president who couldn't take it and has tried to blame them for reporting ...
jerry99 replies on Nov 9, 2018:
I'd like to see the citation for that. I recall Clinton and Obama occasionally debating reporters, but never insulting them.
What Is Everyone Reading?
GeorgeRocheleau comments on Nov 4, 2018:
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson, 400 pages in, almost 800 to go.
jerry99 replies on Nov 5, 2018:
I love Neal Stephenson, but really had to force myself through all those books.
What is/are your favourite Christmas song/s?
WilliamFleming comments on Nov 5, 2018:
It seems phony to celebrate Christmas if you are not a Christian. I’m calling it Yule.
jerry99 replies on Nov 5, 2018:
I really enjoy a lot of the jazzed up versions of christmas songs.
Are there novels that changed the way you think?
Bosshaus comments on Oct 30, 2018:
So, maybe The Good Delusion is obvious but it took me from agnostic to atheist. Revival by Stephen King had some very good things as well.
jerry99 replies on Oct 30, 2018:
God Delusion
Are there novels that changed the way you think?
WV-Mark comments on Oct 30, 2018:
Atlas Shrugged Helped me realize that many people have no clue how bad a book itnreally is.
jerry99 replies on Oct 30, 2018:
Actually it messed me up for a while until I got my moral compass back in order. Too bad clowns like Paul Ryan and Rand Paul never got over it.
The Fermi Paradox Where is everybody?
jerry99 comments on Oct 26, 2018:
I’ve been hoping we’d stumble across radio signals from alien civilizations my whole life but it’s not looking promising. My best guess is that civilizations have a limited life expectancy before they destroy themselves with war, disease, pollution, whatever. Civilized (more or less) humans ...
jerry99 replies on Oct 27, 2018:
Yeah, but it’s not looking great for us at the moment.
God’s Intelligent Design?
jerry99 comments on Oct 25, 2018:
Seems pointless, like blaming god for all the disasters and diseases.
jerry99 replies on Oct 26, 2018:
Exactly!
If your pet could talk, what would it say to you?
KKGator comments on Oct 17, 2018:
"Did I hear ham? I thought I heard ham. I could have sworn I heard ham. See? Now I can smell it. I smell ham. Do you have ham for me?" Btw, the pic is titled "Laci ham face". I was making a sandwich and looked over to find her there, staring at me.
jerry99 replies on Oct 17, 2018:
Sounds like we have the same dog!
Fellow Whovians I just have seen the new tardis and I am impressed (it takes a lot to impress me).
jerry99 comments on Oct 16, 2018:
TARDIS looks pretty good to me and I’m impressed with Jodie Whittaker as the new doctor. At times it seems like she’s channeling a David Tennant. Her accent is a bit difficult though.
jerry99 replies on Oct 17, 2018:
It’s shown on BBC America the same day as in the U.K.
The primary operating principle of the US constitution and government was to prevent tyrannical ...
jlynn37 comments on Oct 7, 2018:
Unless and until the majority of citizens vote, this country will be, and continue to be, what the minority wants it to be.
jerry99 replies on Oct 7, 2018:
And then there's the insane imbalance in the Senate where a voter in Wyoming counts as much as 67 voters in California. And then there's the criminal gerrymandering!
Do you love where you live?
jerry99 comments on Oct 3, 2018:
Colorado is terrible. Don't come here. Tell your friends! :)
jerry99 replies on Oct 3, 2018:
Shhhhh!
Men who never learned to cook
jerry99 comments on Sep 22, 2018:
After my divorce, I hired a cook to come in and prepare meals once a week. It was fun chatting and watching her cook and eventually I learned enough to feed myself reasonably well. Later, I learned quite a lot more from doing Blue Apron meals and I now am able to enjoy cooking for myself and ...
jerry99 replies on Sep 23, 2018:
@thinkr Craigslist
Why do young guys think sarcasm is positive?
Deiter comments on Sep 20, 2018:
Not all sarcasm is hostile or bitter. Not all men are sarcastic. Not all sarcasm issues from males. (I've seen a fair share launched from women on this site.) I don't think sarcasm is used as a *positive.* It's defensive and reactionary. Sarcasm *is* often very passive-aggressive. It's also ...
jerry99 replies on Sep 20, 2018:
Yeah, right.
Religions: More harm then good?
jerry99 comments on Sep 2, 2018:
I believe that all fundamentalist religions are harmful to the ideal of peaceful coexistence and good citizenship in general. Their moderate and reform cousins seem to me to be mostly harmless, except when they provide a safe haven for their extremists.
jerry99 replies on Sep 2, 2018:
@intrepid65 There's all sorts of faith. I'd suggest we distinguish between unreasoning faith that drives religions, political movements, any other unfounded social activities vs. the faith we all have that we can trust people, ideas, and things that have been shown to be valid and useful..
Advantage of religions It occurs to me that one big advantage of religions is that it allows me to ...
birdingnut comments on Jul 25, 2018:
I dislike any of the Christianity type religions, but I like Thai Buddhism. By the way, I noticed you haven't written a profile yet. This website has a bit of a learning curve. For members who are open to dating, you will see that certain thumbnails and profiles have a heart symbol on them ...
jerry99 replies on Jul 26, 2018:
Thanks for the helpful response. About the bio — I’m not actively looking for a relationship at the moment, but will add one if that changes. About the points — i Understand the desire to get people more involved, but this leads to postings like, what’s your favorite color? Who would you like to have dinner with? How do I break up with my boyfriend? And more junk like that. All for a t-shirt? Thanks, but I already have lots of t-shirts.
Advantage of religions It occurs to me that one big advantage of religions is that it allows me to ...
Akfishlady comments on Jul 25, 2018:
Is that a good thing? I try not to lunp people into one category, except trump supporters. I know many good people who are religious. They might have bought into the story and maybe that makes them less aware but based solely on that then 3/4 of the world is a wreck. I can't do that.
jerry99 replies on Jul 26, 2018:
3/4? You’re an optimist! ?
Advantage of religions It occurs to me that one big advantage of religions is that it allows me to ...
Matias comments on Jul 26, 2018:
The same applies to the label "atheists". it allows believers to lump us together in order to better despise us. But that is a part of the social game we humans have been playing since the dawn of times. We are groupish animals and we obsessively divide the world into "us" and "them". Any label ...
jerry99 replies on Jul 26, 2018:
They already do that!
Social Gender Roles?
jerry99 comments on Jul 21, 2018:
There’s theory and practice. In theory, I think men and women should behave and be treated as equals. In practice, I really, really like women who are easy on the eyes. Of course, both should receive equal pay for equal work, but in my work life I really preferred working with attractive women. ...
jerry99 replies on Jul 22, 2018:
@HippieChick58 of course!
So why isn't Satanism listed in the profile questions alsong with the other options to believe in ...
jerry99 comments on Jul 10, 2018:
I don’t understand this. Isn’t Satan just another deity? Seems to me that devil worship is just another deistic/theistic religion. How can you be a Satanist and reject the supernatural? P.s. Lucifer is one of my favorite TV shows.
jerry99 replies on Jul 10, 2018:
Seems like they just want to piss off the Christians.
What philosophical positions do you take and why?
Ellatynemouth comments on Jun 24, 2018:
Antinatalism.
jerry99 replies on Jun 24, 2018:
You’re against birth? Wow!
The difference between the three mayor religions: Christians: Talk to the sky.
DZhukovin comments on Jun 23, 2018:
The Jewish religion is necessarily observationally based, scientific, logical, etc. It is necessarily a belief system rooted in necessary truth but ignorant people from the low-intelligence religions don't read jewish scripture, and think it's all mythos, like the Bible.
jerry99 replies on Jun 23, 2018:
Gnostical = mystical, belief in god, etc. So, fantasy BS Good luck using the kaballah to find the truth about anything.
GOP Congressional Candidate Wants Mandatory Prayer In Public School
jerry99 comments on Jun 20, 2018:
Might be nice to have time allocated for meditation breaks. No one cares what goes on in your head when you’re sitting quietly. Of course, that’s as opposed to mandatory prayer of a specific religion.
jerry99 replies on Jun 20, 2018:
https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/04/health/meditation-in-schools-baltimore/index.htmlHi
I’m so upset with this recent illegal immigrant separation of children from their families.
jerry99 comments on Jun 15, 2018:
When everyone’s done venting about the outrageousness of these acts, all I can say is get out and vote and stop throwing your vote away on extremists and third-party candidates with no hope of winning!
jerry99 replies on Jun 16, 2018:
Yes, it’s clever thinking like that that gave us Donald Trump. Congrats, good work!
The US Supreme Court has sided with the baker who refused, on religious grounds, to make a wedding ...
jerry99 comments on Jun 4, 2018:
I'm also of the school of thought that says screw the bigots, just take your business elsewhere. EXCEPT, this establishes a precedent for all sorts of prejudice where LGBTQ can be denied access to housing, jobs, education, medical care, etc. And if you can discriminate against LGBTQ, then why not ...
jerry99 replies on Jun 4, 2018:
I hate to drag this out but "The justices, in a 7-2 decision, said the Colorado Civil Rights Commission showed an impermissible hostility toward religion when it found that baker Jack Phillips violated the state’s anti-discrimination law by rebuffing gay couple David Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2012. The state law bars businesses from refusing service based on race, sex, marital status or sexual orientation." I understand that this was supposedly a "narrow" ruling, not supporting blatant bigotry, but it sure looks to me that this undercuts our state law banning discrimination.
The US Supreme Court has sided with the baker who refused, on religious grounds, to make a wedding ...
jerry99 comments on Jun 4, 2018:
I'm also of the school of thought that says screw the bigots, just take your business elsewhere. EXCEPT, this establishes a precedent for all sorts of prejudice where LGBTQ can be denied access to housing, jobs, education, medical care, etc. And if you can discriminate against LGBTQ, then why not ...
jerry99 replies on Jun 4, 2018:
Except that’s not what the ruling said. They determined that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was anti-religion in its decision. So it looks to me like the theocracy is gaining more support. Something, something, .. establishment of religion...
Is Buddhsim a religion, philosphy, way of life or all three?
pixiedust comments on Jun 3, 2018:
Buddhism has misogynistic and violent practitioners that many people ignore. https://qz.com/586192/theres-a-misogynist-aspect-of-buddhism-that-nobody-talks-about/ ...
jerry99 replies on Jun 3, 2018:
Yes, as do all religions. So?

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Agnostic, Atheist, Humanist, Secularist, Skeptic, Freethinker, Spiritual
Open to meeting women
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