It really irks me when I see so many people -- young and old -- standing around in busy public ...

BD66 comments on Jun 3, 2019:

A few months ago, I saw a woman pull into the middle of a 4 way stop, then stop her car there blocking traffic in all directions because she was so absorbed in her cell phone conversation.

wordywalt replies on Jun 3, 2019:

I believe it.

It really irks me when I see so many people -- young and old -- standing around in busy public ...

Burner comments on Jun 3, 2019:

You do you, but it sounds like youre in a lather most of the time. Wireless technology is here to stay, so either we figure out how to integrate it and make use of it, or we just have an even shittier life and do nothing.

wordywalt replies on Jun 3, 2019:

I constantly engage in real social interactions and in acquiring knowledge. But, texting is neither.

It really irks me when I see so many people -- young and old -- standing around in busy public ...

ProudMerrie comments on Jun 3, 2019:

I agree with you when it comes to driving or otherwise getting in the way of other people. As to the rest, do you feel the same way about folks who read books or newspapers in public?

wordywalt replies on Jun 3, 2019:

No. When one is reading newspapers or books in public they are, through their behavior, showing that they are choosing to engage in learning something. In texting, they are displaying that they are choosing distant and artificial connections over real ones.

It really irks me when I see so many people -- young and old -- standing around in busy public ...

powder comments on Jun 3, 2019:

Or use social media as you have here. If there is a major war the first thing you do is take out communications. I see satellites being blown out of the sky. Many in modern society will have major withdrawal symptoms.

wordywalt replies on Jun 3, 2019:

It would not hurt for them to come back to earth and establish real social connections again.

Anyone agree that its a bit hypocritical to protest about things like the plastic can holders and ...

wordywalt comments on Jun 1, 2019:

EVERYRHING we eat -- plant or animal-- is or was a living thing.

wordywalt replies on Jun 2, 2019:

@Zoohome It is no loss. I found his aggressiveness repulsive.

Anyone agree that its a bit hypocritical to protest about things like the plastic can holders and ...

wordywalt comments on Jun 1, 2019:

EVERYRHING we eat -- plant or animal-- is or was a living thing.

wordywalt replies on Jun 1, 2019:

@SamMcGlone No, simply a fact. If you choose to eat only plants, that is your choice. But, don't push your choices on others. We get too much of that from religious people and political demagogues.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

powder comments on May 29, 2019:

Thank you for accepting that Trump is Americas liability and not blaming Russia. A nice change. Is Russia autocrat? That is debatable. But is not engaging with all nations part of the job? Plus you missed a few autocrats he consorts with, a couple of glaring omissions. Trump could do nothing if no...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

@powder Again, you misportray almost everything. Putin is spending money on his own misadventures to create difficulties for the US and to create chaos in other countries which he might be able to exploit to further his and Russian advantages. He is shrewd, devious, and ruthless.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

powder comments on May 29, 2019:

Thank you for accepting that Trump is Americas liability and not blaming Russia. A nice change. Is Russia autocrat? That is debatable. But is not engaging with all nations part of the job? Plus you missed a few autocrats he consorts with, a couple of glaring omissions. Trump could do nothing if no...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

stern Europe. I do not believe that there is any real connection between Merkel and Putin. She was never a member of the Russian controlled East German SED (Sozial Einheits Partie). I have no idea where you are getting this bizarre stuff.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

powder comments on May 29, 2019:

Thank you for accepting that Trump is Americas liability and not blaming Russia. A nice change. Is Russia autocrat? That is debatable. But is not engaging with all nations part of the job? Plus you missed a few autocrats he consorts with, a couple of glaring omissions. Trump could do nothing if no...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

The problem is Trump is still being enabled by the culture of greed, big money, and the morally bankrupt Republican Party led by morally bankrupt men like McConnell, DeLay, Jordan, Lindsey Graham, and others. And, yes, Putin is a vicious autocrat heading a kleptocratic culture of corruption and greed in Russia.. I do believe that there is a link between Putin and "Trump.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

Happy_Killbot comments on May 29, 2019:

All this fetishism of trump by the left is the very soil in which trump plants his influence. Every time someone sees a tweet or a post forged from pure rage, it BENEFITS trump, because it makes honest people believe that anti-trumpers are insane, and they seek to avoid that insanity themselves ...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

I have no idea of what you are trying to say or why. I am not on the far left, but consider myself a patriotic moderate. Unlike the moral idiot Trump, I did not dodge the draft, but served my country faithfully and well. I studied political science while in graduate school and understand the topic damned well. I used to read a LOT before my eyes gave me problems -- an average of a book a week and lots of magazines and newspapers. I study issues and facts, and form my own independent decisi9ons. I would never be the gullible victim of propaganda machines like Fox "News." So, whatever you appear to be saying about me and what I think, you are dead wrong so far.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

TheMiddleWay comments on May 29, 2019:

So you mean he's done the same damage virtually every other president and politican has done upon this nation? He's not special you know. You make him special by making him out to be something he's not and giving him more credit as to how he's affecting our country than he deserves. ;)

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

@TheMiddleWay Harding was a raw amateur compared with Trump. In terms of corruption, Trump is almost on a planet of his own.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

Happy_Killbot comments on May 29, 2019:

All of those thing were already a problem.

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

@Happy_Killbot Your statements remind me of the old axiom, Never argue with a fool."

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

RobertMartin comments on May 29, 2019:

When it comes to supreme court judges all presidents nominate like minded judges.

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

Not always true. Most presidents do try to nominate qualified judges who love and protect the law and constitution. That cannot be said for Trump.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

ArtemisDivine comments on May 29, 2019:

How about let's talk about what he has done that benefits America? Pulled out of the Paris agreement, imposed sanctions on companies in China, Singapore and Russia, he secured the release of 19 people from foreign captivity that included 16 Americans, he pulled out of the Iran deal Obama agreed ...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

He has not done a damned thing that really benefits America. Almost e everything he has done will come back to bite both him and us in the ass.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

m16566 comments on May 29, 2019:

Why Donald J Trump will win in 2020. his base is primarily made of one issue voters. his base is very loyal and regardless of his I will follow him to the ends of the Earth. although the one issue voter really only cares about one issue. they will except the rest all of the Republican / ...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

You are so full of it! Trump will not get 40 percent of the vote. More and more people are wising up to his stupidity, corruption, and sociopathy.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

linxminx comments on May 29, 2019:

I downloaded the Mueller Report, Volumes 1 and 2. I've only read a portion. It's over 600 pages, so it will take me a bit. In just the small amount I've read, it is shocking. Now, legally, there probably isn't any way to prove Trump's direct involvement because he hides behind other people. It ...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

True. As a retired educator, I condemn him for that.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

Happy_Killbot comments on May 29, 2019:

All of those thing were already a problem.

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

That is a deliberate misstatement on your part.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

m16566 comments on May 29, 2019:

United States gross national product Gross National Product in the United States is expected to be 17991.00 USD Billion by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Gross National Product in the United States...

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

So?

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

m16566 comments on May 29, 2019:

In 2017, the overall unemployment rate for the United States was 4.4 percent; https://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

That does not mean that all Americans are fully employed in a full-time job, that they all have decent wages and/or reasonable benefits. That current employment level is the result of actions prior to the idiot Trump.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

TheMiddleWay comments on May 29, 2019:

So you mean he's done the same damage virtually every other president and politican has done upon this nation? He's not special you know. You make him special by making him out to be something he's not and giving him more credit as to how he's affecting our country than he deserves. ;)

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

You asre right. He is not special -- he is a despicable excuse for a human being -- the most corrupt and venal politician in American history.

S anyone keeping score on the damage the Trump has already inflicted on us, the American people, and...

thinktwice comments on May 29, 2019:

He has separated children from their families, leaving our inadequate system to care for thousands of kids

wordywalt replies on May 29, 2019:

Yes.

Lots of flowers here... does anybody else grow food?

wordywalt comments on May 27, 2019:

I grow 3 vegetable gardens a year.

wordywalt replies on May 27, 2019:

@FrostyJim I totally agree. Even though I grew up in Florida, I have always disliked the summer heat and humidity here. By mid=June, I am already counting the days until the first cool-off in mid-October.

Central to Jerome Bruner’s theory, set out in his book Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, is the ...

wordywalt comments on May 25, 2019:

Jerome Bruner was a cognitive psychologist, in the same camp as, but differing greatly from Jean Piaget. -- a camp I agree with greatly. What Bruner is talking about is the difference between science and mental construction and creation. Science can test ideas and give us partial answers, but it ...

wordywalt replies on May 25, 2019:

What Wikipedia shows is that Piaget did not focus on STAGES of cognitive development, but on the processes of such development and of the mechanisms created and used in that development@cava

Central to Jerome Bruner’s theory, set out in his book Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, is the ...

wordywalt comments on May 25, 2019:

Jerome Bruner was a cognitive psychologist, in the same camp as, but differing greatly from Jean Piaget. -- a camp I agree with greatly. What Bruner is talking about is the difference between science and mental construction and creation. Science can test ideas and give us partial answers, but it ...

wordywalt replies on May 25, 2019:

@cava You have him mixed up with Erikson and others. His work was NOT on stages of development.

Central to Jerome Bruner’s theory, set out in his book Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, is the ...

wordywalt comments on May 25, 2019:

Jerome Bruner was a cognitive psychologist, in the same camp as, but differing greatly from Jean Piaget. -- a camp I agree with greatly. What Bruner is talking about is the difference between science and mental construction and creation. Science can test ideas and give us partial answers, but it ...

wordywalt replies on May 25, 2019:

@cava I believe that you are wrong. I studied Piaget in graduate level psychology courses. He was, first and foremost, a biologist. He transitioned into psychology and quickly saw how the biological nature of humans led them to construct cognitive structures and schema which forms most of what we call he mind. He was NEVER a behaviorist running rats through tasks and mazes.

Central to Jerome Bruner’s theory, set out in his book Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, is the ...

wordywalt comments on May 25, 2019:

Jerome Bruner was a cognitive psychologist, in the same camp as, but differing greatly from Jean Piaget. -- a camp I agree with greatly. What Bruner is talking about is the difference between science and mental construction and creation. Science can test ideas and give us partial answers, but it ...

wordywalt replies on May 25, 2019:

@cava I think you talking about B. F. Skinner, strict behaviorist who never even attempted to deal with cognition and its role.

Yesterday I noticed an IM from my cousin through messenger on FB.

wordywalt comments on May 25, 2019:

We all have some wierdos in our extended family. I have a cousin who is a right wing nut and evangelical minister.. I have seen some of his rants online, but have gone out of my way to avoid any contact with him.

wordywalt replies on May 25, 2019:

@HippieChick58 The number of scammers we have today is absurd -- enhanced by Trump's culture of greed and corruption.

After reading the interesting post on left-handedness, I have a question: I am a left-hander.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 11, 2019:

I am left-handed and share some of your traits, but not all. I have never felt conspired against by the world as a left hander or otherwise, because I have always seen myself as too small and insignificant to rate any conspiracies and see left-handedness as no different than my being tall, which is ...

wordywalt replies on May 11, 2019:

@TomMcGiverin I had a similar experience with golf (also with right-handed clubs). I had to give it up because it made as ill-tempered as "Terrible Tommie" Bolt.

After reading the interesting post on left-handedness, I have a question: I am a left-hander.

Reignmond comments on May 11, 2019:

I was born a Lefty. But since left handedness proves to be in league with the Devil, I was trained to be a righty. I am much like you. I have had a strange tendency to redefine jobs I have had to suite my abilities. I used to work as a NY State Park Naturalist with a bunch of others. It was a ...

wordywalt replies on May 11, 2019:

In graduate school, I took an advanced seminar in political theory in which the majority of students were left-handers.

After reading the interesting post on left-handedness, I have a question: I am a left-hander.

TomMcGiverin comments on May 11, 2019:

I am left-handed and share some of your traits, but not all. I have never felt conspired against by the world as a left hander or otherwise, because I have always seen myself as too small and insignificant to rate any conspiracies and see left-handedness as no different than my being tall, which is ...

wordywalt replies on May 11, 2019:

I agree. I just took it for granted that I lived in a world of right-handers and had to make adaptations.

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

callmedubious comments on May 10, 2019:

most dictators disarm their populations as hitler did. i can see things deteriorating in the US to the point that the same thing will happen there, eventually. although ppl with guns still won't have a chance against a standing army that will not hesitate to carry out their superior's orders I would...

wordywalt replies on May 10, 2019:

@callmedubious You implied that Hitler enacted broad gun control. While his act was vile, it was an act only against a group he was trying to defile. Similarly, his acts imposing gun control on conquered territory is exactly what one would expect from a conquering force. We imposed gun control on all Germans immediately following World War II. Sensible gun control simply stops and begins the proliferation of guns sponsored by the NRA, the gun industry, and the Republican party. I know for a fact of having lived through the times, NO ONE carried guns in public except for the police. The ONLY exceptions were people who handled expensive things and might be vulnerable to robbery. Concealed weapons only were allowed in such cases with a license. Through most of the 1960s, it was to own a functioning military assault weapon. Through 2000, I never saw on non-police person carrying a gun in public. Today I see people actually carrying weapons in public. Do I feel safer? Hell, no. It means that we have more and more potently violent, irrational, and unstable people who could get angry and shoot at any time. There is no way in hell that we need that.

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

callmedubious comments on May 10, 2019:

most dictators disarm their populations as hitler did. i can see things deteriorating in the US to the point that the same thing will happen there, eventually. although ppl with guns still won't have a chance against a standing army that will not hesitate to carry out their superior's orders I would...

wordywalt replies on May 10, 2019:

Your assertion is patently false. Hitler did NOT disarm the civilian population. Germany did that at the end of World War II in rejection of the militarism of Hitler. Stop proliferating outright lies.

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

EthanRogers comments on May 9, 2019:

Not here to argue but these were untrained kids who shot up the school. Imagine an invasion from trained militia. I will hold the side of it's better to be prepared than sorry. Just my 2 cents.

wordywalt replies on May 10, 2019:

Were it not for the absolutely evil proliferation of guns, armed lunatic militias would not be possible.

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

dahermit comments on May 9, 2019:

"I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these sociopathic mass shooters. They have shown us that we do not need to arm ourselves to the teeth to stop these vicious people. We just need a few people with courage to do what needs to be done -- unlike our ...

wordywalt replies on May 9, 2019:

@dahermit Are you claiming that a person has the right to own any weapon? A rank? A flamethrower? A claymore mine? A rocket launcher? A bazooka? If, so you are dead wrong. Laws prohibit the ownership of some weapons of war. If any weapons of war can and should be prohibited for private ownership, then all weapons of war can.

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

dahermit comments on May 9, 2019:

"I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these sociopathic mass shooters. They have shown us that we do not need to arm ourselves to the teeth to stop these vicious people. We just need a few people with courage to do what needs to be done -- unlike our ...

wordywalt replies on May 9, 2019:

@dahermit Shotguns and lever-action and bolt-action rifles are all that a person needs under normal circumstances -- for hunting, controlling critters, and protection. .

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

JesseBoren comments on May 9, 2019:

Young people are always the ones pushing society to progress and the older generations try to stop them at all costs. This pushes us forward while bringing stability but the older generations have the advantage of controlling society in very real ways the young have little chance against. This is ...

wordywalt replies on May 9, 2019:

Even as a former veteran and hunter, I support a complete ban of all automatic and semi-

Saw Trump on TV today.

gater comments on May 9, 2019:

He looks great for 72 - and he has so much energy!

wordywalt replies on May 9, 2019:

I am 82 and look a damned sight better that that haggard lout. The only energy he has is with his lying mouth. Watch him. When he is standing at a podium, he has to prop himself up. When he is moving around, he does so very, very slowly, as though he is constantly tired. And, you say he has so much energy? Surely you jest.

I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these ...

dahermit comments on May 9, 2019:

"I stand in awe of these young people who have stood up and be counted in the face of these sociopathic mass shooters. They have shown us that we do not need to arm ourselves to the teeth to stop these vicious people. We just need a few people with courage to do what needs to be done -- unlike our ...

wordywalt replies on May 9, 2019:

There will always be casualties when people show the courage to act in dangerous situations. Those young people knew the risks and chose to act. They are to be depicted as the heroes that they were. Republicans and the NRA are to be condemned for acting to enable and allow the proliferation of weapons of war in a civilian population.

I’ve been shot in combat.

wordywalt comments on Sep 2, 2018:

As a vet, a gun oner and former hunter, and a retired educator, I totally agree. Only a fool would recommend the arming of teachers.

wordywalt replies on May 8, 2019:

@Trajan61 Can you not write anything without using made up derogatory terms? Reason and civility are simply not your strong suits.

I’ve been shot in combat.

wordywalt comments on Sep 2, 2018:

As a vet, a gun oner and former hunter, and a retired educator, I totally agree. Only a fool would recommend the arming of teachers.

wordywalt replies on May 7, 2019:

@Trajan61 I am a veteran who fired "expert" with the M-1 rifle and a gun owner. Count me among those rational people you maliciously label "gun control nuts."

Jerry Falwell suggests Trump is owed two more years as president due to Mueller "witch hunt.

davknight comments on May 7, 2019:

Trumpy is owed 2 years, plus 2020 years, raking leaves in National Forests!

wordywalt replies on May 7, 2019:

That would be far too kind to the reprobate.

I’ve been shot in combat.

wordywalt comments on Sep 2, 2018:

As a vet, a gun oner and former hunter, and a retired educator, I totally agree. Only a fool would recommend the arming of teachers.

wordywalt replies on May 7, 2019:

That is not what we are saying. Do not try to argue against a position with a falsehood. @Trajan61

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

racocn8 comments on May 3, 2019:

It is the age old debate between direct honesty and politically correct diplomacy. The problem with direct honesty is that it tends to be brutal and insensitive. You may offend someone worth knowing, but then it's too late. (Men only get a second chance in the movies; Women feel so embattled that ...

wordywalt replies on May 6, 2019:

@AnggelloDlivio If my wife had become overweight, I would tell her that, for her health, public image, and self-concept, she needs to loose weight and that I would help her to do so.

Civility evokes respect and civility in return.

Sticks48 comments on May 5, 2019:

Sometimes being civil just doesn't get it done. I can live with the anger, resentment, and the condemnation. Not a problem.

wordywalt replies on May 5, 2019:

You are right. There are times when the degree of incivility is such that it merits righteous indignation.

Civility evokes respect and civility in return.

Paul4747 comments on May 4, 2019:

Not necessarily. I am always civil (if slightly sarcastic) and yet, for example, yesterday I was called a "whiny fuck" and told to "grow the fuck up", along with several similar remarks; just because someone here disagreed with my comments on his post. People in today's culture are used to ...

wordywalt replies on May 4, 2019:

Stay with your civility. Those people are simply showing their lack of character and intelligence.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

LiterateHiker comments on May 4, 2019:

That's your opinion. Enjoying your judgmental position? To grow and mature, I don't need to ask your list of questions. **The Marks of Maturity** (Psychology Today) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/artificial-maturity/201211/the-marks-maturity

wordywalt replies on May 4, 2019:

The important thing is not the specific questions, but the serious and sustained attempt.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

racocn8 comments on May 3, 2019:

It is the age old debate between direct honesty and politically correct diplomacy. The problem with direct honesty is that it tends to be brutal and insensitive. You may offend someone worth knowing, but then it's too late. (Men only get a second chance in the movies; Women feel so embattled that ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

@racocn8 No way. As an example, my eldest daughter had not been a serious student in high school. When she finally did go to college she was taking her first English course. She wrote per first paper. My wife showed it to me , and it was very poorly written. I told my daughter that the paper was very poor, but that if she would work with me, we could make it good. Then I went over the problems with the paper one by one, asking her, "Now, what can be do to improve this> I used the paper to teach her the basic principles of writing and had her use the principles on the spot. She got an "A" on the paper and became a good r She credits my direct and honest feedback and help for teaching her to write. She was not angry or hurt. There are times when a direct speech is the most kind and helpful. Y If you say otherwise, you are dead wrong.

Exclusive: Foreign government leases at Trump World Tower stir more emoluments concerns ...

wordywalt comments on May 3, 2019:

Trump has ben laundering money from Russian oligarchs for almost 30 years.

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

@Freedompath Agreed.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

Deb57 comments on May 3, 2019:

Most of us would probably reply by asking why it is that you feel entitled to ask such a question or to get an answer to it. Such an approach might have been effective on a woman in the 1950s or 60s, who lacked enough self esteem, but present day women tend to understand that their primary purpose ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

As I think about it, if I had invited a lady to dinner in a sincere effort to determine if there were sufficient mutual grounds for pursuing the possibility of an ongoing relationship, and that lady threw a glass of wine my face for asking the sincere question I stated above, she would regret having shown such crudely uncivil and disrespectful behavior. I Without thinking, would have dumped her place of food into her lap and walked out, leaving her to pay the bill.

Morality is not contingent on knowing right from wrong.

wordywalt comments on May 3, 2019:

The only reasonable morality is based on the concept of minimal violation of the dignity and respect of others. That is a reasonable basis for a moral code. We may know that something is wrong, yet not be able to bring ourselves to deal with that fact. We are all fallible, and our lives are a ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

@friendlycatlady if your choice gives you significant discomfort, you really know that you should have acted differently.

A word of advice to men who feel the need to impress women: Try impressing them withyour ...

davknight comments on May 3, 2019:

That depends on their age. Younger women tend to be attracted to older men. After they hit forty, they start desiring younger men. Keep in mind also, that 75% of the US population have the intellects of 12 yr olds. That means that 3 out of every four adults you meet are airheads. This type isn't ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

Factually and realistically, you are statistically wrong and disrespectful of others in your assessment of their intellectual ability. If that were true, the median level of intelligence would be in the zone of mental retardation.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

racocn8 comments on May 3, 2019:

It is the age old debate between direct honesty and politically correct diplomacy. The problem with direct honesty is that it tends to be brutal and insensitive. You may offend someone worth knowing, but then it's too late. (Men only get a second chance in the movies; Women feel so embattled that ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

I strongly disagree that direct honesty is or tends to be brutal. It does not have to be and should not be. Give a person credit for possible good judgment and civility.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

thinktwice comments on May 3, 2019:

Anyone with a brain could easily lie to you then...wouldn't it be better to discover this for yourself through observing and paying attention to how this person treats others, engages socially, holds conversations, etc? I am guessing that many would simply answer, "Yes"...and probably mean it in ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

At the very least, it would alert to woman as to what I would be looking for in a woman and relationship. If that is not what she wanted, all well and good. I would also be observing her behavior if we saw each other again and making my assessments.

A word of advice to men who feel the need to impress women: Try impressing them withyour ...

Matias comments on May 3, 2019:

The sad thing for us softies is that a lot of women are attracted by macho men. Just look at all those females who adore Trump or Putin ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

Those are the women we should not waste our time on.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

Deb57 comments on May 3, 2019:

Most of us would probably reply by asking why it is that you feel entitled to ask such a question or to get an answer to it. Such an approach might have been effective on a woman in the 1950s or 60s, who lacked enough self esteem, but present day women tend to understand that their primary purpose ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

A women who acted in such a manner would be betraying her lack of civility and character.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

Deb57 comments on May 3, 2019:

Most of us would probably reply by asking why it is that you feel entitled to ask such a question or to get an answer to it. Such an approach might have been effective on a woman in the 1950s or 60s, who lacked enough self esteem, but present day women tend to understand that their primary purpose ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

I beg to differ. It would take a woman with great character and inner strength to address that question without getting bent out of shape. I learned from my first marriage the difference between shallow, self-absorbed pretty women and women of strength and character. I have never made that mistake again.

I am an old, married man intending to stay married.

Cutiebeauty comments on May 3, 2019:

That's funny... I don't think that would go over too well..

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

Good. I would want to waste my time with that person, anyway.

A word of advice to men who feel the need to impress women: Try impressing them withyour ...

bobwjr comments on May 3, 2019:

That is my way but most woman want the bad boys

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

Those women are not worth wasting your time on.

A word of advice to men who feel the need to impress women: Try impressing them withyour ...

thinktwice comments on May 3, 2019:

Not all women want or need to be impressed at all...I prefer genuine and simple...we can all relate to some very common things, like those you listed... I do think a man can still be a man when he has good manners, is protective (physically), and enjoys "traditional" manly things...I sometimes ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

I agree.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

Jolanta comments on May 2, 2019:

That is total rubbish. What is important to you is not to anyone else. There are many ways to ponder about the world and yours is just yours, that does not mean that mine or anyone else ways are wrong. Where does all this come from telling people that they don't know themselves if they don't ask ...

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

@Quarm You are right. People have to feel the need to do it. No they don't have to just to exist. But, they will live much fuller and richer lives if they do.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

Count_Viceroy comments on May 3, 2019:

I don't think about any of that stuff. Call me adrift.

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

Okay.

When i stated that people who have not taken the time and effort to ask and answer the basic ...

1of5 comments on May 3, 2019:

Sounds to me like you just decided to do what you wanted instead of what others wanted. Perhaps this was covered in your original post (as to why this is here instead of there shall remain a mystery, I guess), but what question(s) did you force yourself to answer, philosophically?

wordywalt replies on May 3, 2019:

Questions like these" What to I believe and value, why, and what are the consequences for me and others of holding those. What kind of a person do I want to be, and why? What do I want to achieve and why? What goals do I want to pursue and why? What are the costs (to me and to others) of pursuing and attaining those goals. What do I need to learn to achieve what I want and to become the person I want to be? Where will I find that knowledge?

I urge everybody to watch this video on the Sixties from PBS on YouTube.

wordywalt comments on May 2, 2019:

Like you, I hoped that more persistent positive things would result from the 60s. I was in grad school at the time.

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

@FrostyJim I'm 18 years older than you. By the time of the late sixties, I had already served 2 years in West Berlin during the hottest of the Cold War years, and was proud to do so. In contrast, I saw no reason for our being in Vietnam.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

Jolanta comments on May 2, 2019:

That is total rubbish. What is important to you is not to anyone else. There are many ways to ponder about the world and yours is just yours, that does not mean that mine or anyone else ways are wrong. Where does all this come from telling people that they don't know themselves if they don't ask ...

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

Do not put words into my mouth. What I said in different words is that we all need to ponder who we are, what our purpose is in life, and what impacts we have on others. Too many people do not do that.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

powder comments on May 2, 2019:

I tend to revert to Maslow's needs ie I need food, shelter and security. Everything else is wants and not essential. So many day to day stresses don't really matter.

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

I also studied Maslow. What he said goes a lot deeper than you portray. What you portray is a biological creature without intellect or conscience.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

CeliaVL comments on May 2, 2019:

This is your personal view and it seems to me to be a bit dogmatic to apply it to everyone. We all have our own philosophy of life, whether we put it into words or not, but it doesn't have to be a compulsory Philosophy 101

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

What I am swaying is that we all need to be reflective about who we are, what makes us whawe are, and what effects we have on others. Do not put word in my mouth. t

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

Cutiebeauty comments on May 2, 2019:

That's your opinion... 😂😂😪

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

That is right. And, I will live by it.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

Matias comments on May 2, 2019:

The question is: What good is it to "know myself"? Where is the benefit? Maybe it is as useful as a clubfoot... Just look around: the world is run by , and belongs to, people - mostly men - who never asked themselves one of the questions above. That philosophers should rule was a quaint ...

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

The benefit is to me and to those who make the real effort to understand themselves. That, in and of itself, is sufficient. It also benefits those with whom I deal, as it enables me to treat them with dignity and respect, and to be truthful with them.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

Geoffrey51 comments on May 2, 2019:

Most people don’t give a shit one way or the other. So long as it’s possible to eat, drink and be with Mary, there’s no need to consider the deeper activities of our world. Food, football and frolics and all it’s right with the world.

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

That is why so many lives simply do not make a difference.

The person who has never really attempted to ask himself or herself the basic questions of ...

AnneWimsey comments on May 2, 2019:

Well, how nice for you...my big questions at 19 were, will my husband d beat me & our child to death today, or perhaps wonder if I will be able to redeem the furniture (all of it) from the pawnshop he the got money to drink more from. In my second marriage, it was, which strange woman will call the...

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

I did not say that you did it all wrong. Circumstances can bear so heavily on us that we sometimes do not have the time or energy to focus on these questions. But, when times improve ...?

I had always wondered how the German people had fallen under Hitler’s spell !?

wordywalt comments on May 2, 2019:

The Situation for the German people was very different from that of ours in the U.S. At the end of World War I, Germany was economically destitute and their political system was in a shambles. The reparations imposed on Germany at the end of the war bled the country dry and caused a hyperinflation...

wordywalt replies on May 2, 2019:

@EMC2 I am a student of both American and European history, lived in Germany for almost 3 years, and do not see the parallels you aver. The circumstances are not the same. Yes, Trump and his ilk use fear and appeal to white European ethnocentrism. But the overall social, political, and economic circumstances are vastly different.

Death arrangement

PontifexMarximus comments on Apr 28, 2019:

Why would you care about the ashes?

wordywalt replies on Apr 29, 2019:

@Katydid I considered donating my body to science, but was told that I would still have to pay to have my body embalmed. That turned me off. I felt that if they were to benefit, they should pay the cost.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene Again, you make a false assertion. I did read it, and I believe that you have misinterpreted its real content. On the other hand, I have seen no attempt on your part to respond to the points that I made. You do not know how to disagree without being disagreeable. This is my final comment.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene I tried. You did not even make any attempt.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene I was wrong. You are not better than that. For your information, when I taught at the college level, I was ranked by women students among the 3 least sexist member of the faculty. Your statements about me have no connection with reality, but only in your mind. I tried to be civil. I guess that is too much to expect of you. I don't give a damn what; your sex is. What I care about in a person is his or her willingness to treat all others with full dignity and respect, and to be civil. Whether you are a male or a female, you are fialing my standards.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene Your malicious labeling to discourage real conversation is both offensive and immoral. I am not a Clinton fan. I have believed in social democracy since spending almost 3 years in Germany over 50 years ago. Biden may be more to the center than you like, but he is willing and able to work with those left of him to get things done for the benefit of all. He can and would beat Trump. Working with Warren, the most progressive program of action could be mounted that this country has ever seen. I think that is what you want, as do I. You are simply backing the wrong horses-- at this time -- to get the job done. "If piecemeal change or revolution is not working, it is simply because you have not changed enough pieces." Lose the aggressive labeling habit. I think you are better than that.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene By the way, Biden and Warren are my favority candidates. They would make a great combination ticket.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene I find your use of "Joeboy" offensive. Who are you to talk about him in such a way?

Here in Florida, we will have our first 90 degree day this week.

HippieChick58 comments on Apr 28, 2019:

I feel your pain. The house we lived in when I grew up did not have AC. June through August can be hot and humid in the Great Plains. When I was little it didn't matter. Now, I can't sleep if it is too hot. Gotta have my AC.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

Growing up in north Florida, we did not have A/C either. There were a lot of summer nights that I lay in bed sweating until I finally got to sleep around midnight.

Bidens voting record..

wordywalt comments on Apr 28, 2019:

A biased depiction. Yes, over along and distinguished record in public service, he has made mistakes that he has learned from. We all do stupid things in our ill-informed youth. Wise people learn from their mistakes. Biden certainly has.

wordywalt replies on Apr 28, 2019:

@Charlene I would dare to say that you have no proof of that outrageous assertion. People like you would deprive us of the services of great men who had to overcome the limitations of their culture, upbringing, and youth. Harry Truman was a Kansas City, Missouri machine politician whose record was not that of distinction. Yet, he went on to become one of our greatest presidents Similarly, Judge Hugo Black started out in r4ecist and conservative Alabama culture, but went on to become a great judge who voted against segregation in Brown vs. Board of Education, and who also made many other truly democratic decisions. Don't be so crudely judgmental, lest your motives be questioned.

Gallup Poll: US Global Approval Rating Plunges but Americans Believe the Opposite

wordywalt comments on Apr 22, 2019:

I disagree with the results of that poll. I genuinely believe that only "Trump's base high on hate, racism, ethnocentrism, an aggressive nationalism believes that international approval of the US has gone up. But, their intoxication on the fumes of fetid moral putrescence makes them delusional.

wordywalt replies on Apr 22, 2019:

@Cast1es Trump is a damned sight more than a sellout. He is an egomaniacal, stupid, morally bankrupt. totally corrupt sociopath and a traitor..

Gallup Poll: US Global Approval Rating Plunges but Americans Believe the Opposite

wordywalt comments on Apr 22, 2019:

I disagree with the results of that poll. I genuinely believe that only "Trump's base high on hate, racism, ethnocentrism, an aggressive nationalism believes that international approval of the US has gone up. But, their intoxication on the fumes of fetid moral putrescence makes them delusional.

wordywalt replies on Apr 22, 2019:

@powder You fail to recognize that the pentagon did not initiate those actions on their own. They did it at the behest of politicians of questionable intelligence and morality. Those politicians bear most of the blame.

I've been tasked to teach Social Studies in Summer School this year.

wordywalt comments on Apr 21, 2019:

I also wove true stories into history which no textbooks show, pointing out that two major factors in our winning the Revolutionary Ware were a madman and a fungus. The madman turned the battle of Saratoga, and the fungus profoundly influenced the behavior of Cornwallis at Yorktown. If you are ...

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

@t1nick Revolutionary War. He actually won the Battle of Saratoga for the Americans before he later became a traitor.

I've been tasked to teach Social Studies in Summer School this year.

wordywalt comments on Apr 21, 2019:

I also wove true stories into history which no textbooks show, pointing out that two major factors in our winning the Revolutionary Ware were a madman and a fungus. The madman turned the battle of Saratoga, and the fungus profoundly influenced the behavior of Cornwallis at Yorktown. If you are ...

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

@t1nick The second story came from a prominent botanist who specialized in economic botany. I already knew that that Cornwallis had been conducting a campaign in the south, but was being besieged by constant hit-and-run attacks which were both irksome and damaging. Cornwallis decided to abandon his very wagon train of supplies so that he could be more mobile and deal with the ambushes more effectively. As winter was approaching when Cornwallis reached his base at Yorktown, he knew that he did not even have sufficient supplies to last through the winter, so he took his force into winter quarters, expecting a resupply before winter. A British Fleet left England in plenty of time to reach Yorktown with the fresh supplies. On the way to America, the fleet hit a bad storm. But, a fungus had crept into the timbers of the British fleet an had greatly weakened those timbers -- and had gone undetected. During the storm, many of the ships suffered broken timbers and the entire fleet was forced to limp into New York harbor for repairs. That delay proved terribly costly while the British ships were undergoing repairs, a French fleet (our allies) sailed into Yorktown harbor and blocked access of the British fleet to Yorktown. Cornwallis knew that he did not even have enough supplies to last through the winter, surrendered -- ending the Revolutionary War. (In a class I had with the botany professor, he told of personally examining the remains of the British fleet and finding unmistakable evidence that the damage had been caused by a fungus).

I've been tasked to teach Social Studies in Summer School this year.

wordywalt comments on Apr 21, 2019:

I also wove true stories into history which no textbooks show, pointing out that two major factors in our winning the Revolutionary Ware were a madman and a fungus. The madman turned the battle of Saratoga, and the fungus profoundly influenced the behavior of Cornwallis at Yorktown. If you are ...

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

@t1nick Meanwhile, Burgoyne, a very cautious general, delayed in leaving New York City. The force from the south and met Arnold's force at Saratoga and was defeated by Arnold. That is a true story that most history books do not tell you.

I've been tasked to teach Social Studies in Summer School this year.

wordywalt comments on Apr 21, 2019:

I also wove true stories into history which no textbooks show, pointing out that two major factors in our winning the Revolutionary Ware were a madman and a fungus. The madman turned the battle of Saratoga, and the fungus profoundly influenced the behavior of Cornwallis at Yorktown. If you are ...

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

The Saratoga story " While doing some personal research on the Revolutionary War I ran across a story about Benedict Arnold (before he turned coat), a half-wrt named Hon Yost, and the Battle of Saratoga. The British had a three pronged plan to entrap American forces at Saratoga and destroy the force. Burgoyne was to come over from New York City. A second force was to come up from the south. A third force composed a small British group and several thousand Indian allies was to come south from Canada. Before coming on th Saratoga, the latter group was to stop at a small American fort, besiege and take it. The large Indian force had the fort under siege and it was close to falling. Benedict Arnold learned of the force besieging the fort, but knew that he did not have a force of sufficient strength to mount an attack. He came up with a brilliant plan. He knew of a local British sympathsizer, a half wit named Hon Yost. Arnold had Yost taken into custody. . Arnold stripped the clothes off Yost, shot his clothes full of holes, ranted and raved to Yost about how was going to go over to the fort and absolutely destroy the force from Canada. Then he gave Yost back his clothes and let him go. . Yost did exactly what Arnold wanted him to do. He ran all the way to the fort to warn the British. He broke into the British and Indian camp late at night completely panicked and with the air of a madman. . The Indians were highly superstitious about crazy people and were terrified by Yost. When dawn broke the next morning, the entire Indian force was gone. The small British unit could not even take the fort and went back to Canada.

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

callmedubious comments on Apr 21, 2019:

millions of ppl daily make their livelihood the same way she does e.g wall st.,the entire financial industry, the MSM & it goes on & on. the US was conceived & built on lies. they just keep getting amplified.

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

I find your cynicism repulsive.

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

zesty comments on Apr 21, 2019:

Very brave! Why don't you ask the same from Putin or Kim? It is easy to fuck with a fragile woman?

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

@zesty Excellent!

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

zesty comments on Apr 21, 2019:

Very brave! Why don't you ask the same from Putin or Kim? It is easy to fuck with a fragile woman?

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

@zesty A mindless retort that you have no real answer to my remarks.

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

zesty comments on Apr 21, 2019:

Very brave! Why don't you ask the same from Putin or Kim? It is easy to fuck with a fragile woman?

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

I am sorry, but your remark is so inane that I can't avoid saying that. Putin and Kim are known enemies of our nation. Sanders is an employee of our nation, supposedly serving our nation. And, there is nothing fragile about Sanders. She is an aggressive, disrespectful, uncivil, and untruthful women who is a traitor to her sex.

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

BD66 comments on Apr 21, 2019:

You could ask that to every White House spokesperson as far back as I can remember.

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

Yes, all of them have put spin on issues, and even occasionally lied. But, Sanders knowingly and willfully lies multiple times a day, every day. Most have tried to be honest. Sanders makes no attempt.

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

Marionville comments on Apr 21, 2019:

I’d say she is quite comfortable with it...she may even be a true believer...who knows what goes on in the minds of the Trumpinistas!

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

No doubt about it. But, as many people as possible need to confront her about the truth of her own despicable behavior.

Oh, how I would love to be able to ask Sarah Huckabee Sanders the following question to her face: ...

Beowulfsfriend comments on Apr 21, 2019:

"Oh, like, you again. You atheistic thingy, I need avert my eyes. I've no response to you or others of your ilk. And that includes reporters who ask such questions as well. Look at all the great things this administration does, and not just for white nationalists who don't exit anyway (wink). ...

wordywalt replies on Apr 21, 2019:

You are too easily dismissive of others who do not agree with you. You would be much better off trying sincerely to be objective.

We need to get Congress to pass 2 laws to clean up some of the Trumpian corruption: 1.

1of5 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

You do realize that the pres has to sign things for them to become law, and have you seen what some members of Congress do?

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

@1of5 When a message is repeated often enough without refutation, even some dolts get it.

We need a new amendment to the U.

BD66 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

Terrible idea. I put more trust in our elected representatives in the House and the Senate than in 5 Supreme Court justices. The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing.

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

@BD66 I do not let any me3dia control my thinking. I did graduate work in political science and American intellectual hisroy as a part of my graduate program. I operate from knowledge and reasoning. Stop trying to label and detract. That is an irksome habit.

We need to get Congress to pass 2 laws to clean up some of the Trumpian corruption: 1.

1of5 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

You do realize that the pres has to sign things for them to become law, and have you seen what some members of Congress do?

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

@1of5 The more we expose them the better. Eventually more and more people will get the message.

We need a new amendment to the U.

BD66 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

Terrible idea. I put more trust in our elected representatives in the House and the Senate than in 5 Supreme Court justices. The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing.

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

@BD66 We need to get rid of all such politicians -- now and forever. That is not anarchy, but democracy and ethics in government. You seem to be defending corruption.

We need a new amendment to the U.

BD66 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

Terrible idea. I put more trust in our elected representatives in the House and the Senate than in 5 Supreme Court justices. The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing.

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

@BD66 My reasoning is not terrible. You simply label it as that because you disagree with it. That is unethical.

We need to get Congress to pass 2 laws to clean up some of the Trumpian corruption: 1.

1of5 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

You do realize that the pres has to sign things for them to become law, and have you seen what some members of Congress do?

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

@1of5 So? It will still expose some of the ones who grease the tacks of corruption.

We need to get Congress to pass 2 laws to clean up some of the Trumpian corruption: 1.

1of5 comments on Apr 19, 2019:

You do realize that the pres has to sign things for them to become law, and have you seen what some members of Congress do?

wordywalt replies on Apr 19, 2019:

Nevertheless, the attempt is worth it. Besides, it would show who really stands againsty corruption and who does not.