Does anyone else find it a bit condescending that some people can have no interest in you because ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 13, 2018:

I must admit I have several degrees. From all the schooling that I've had, I've come to the conclusion that most people in grad schools or perhaps even post-grads are book-smart but have no common sense and very few real-life experiences. I like to tell people that some of the dumbest people I met in grad school. So, in my experience, formal schooling has no reflection on what someone's potential is.

From the BBC two American religions Guns and Baptists [bbc.co.uk]

AstralSmoke comments on May 13, 2018:

I didn't want to listen to how they justify things, but thanks anyway.

OK I think we probably all dislike mosquitos but what is it with them flying in front of a computer ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 13, 2018:

Here is a list of plants that help repel mosquitos and other flying kamikazes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pest-repelling_plants Keep up the good taste.

Telling children Santa Claus is real? Are you against it or for it?

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

You can raise kids to be creative, witty, fun loving, and striving to be their best. Why destroy their respect for you by lying to them?

Smoke? At all

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

I like it. Have any?

Ten million houses vacant in the United States?

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

I know they aren't in Chattanooga. They're building them as fast as they can here. It totally depends on where these houses supposedly are.

The different time theories are the hardest to discuss like loop theory, branch theory etc.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

In my simple mind, time does not really exist. It's a man-made measurement to record movement. Without movement, there would be no time. I know, probably sounds a bit silly to a trained head.

Aristotle - was a Greek philosopher, making contributions to logic, metaphysics, mathematics, ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

Aristotle was my hero in high school.

If you were a fly on any wall, which room would you like to be in ? Past or present.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

Bathroom. Past or present.

It seems to me that many of the problems in the world occur due to corrupt leadership.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

We need more knowledgeable voters and voter responsibility. How can we have a democracy if less than 1/3 of the people vote?

Is it possible to have too much empathy?

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

Definitely. People show empathy (exaggerated) to serial killers, mass murderers, Hitler, etc.

A purple rose grown in a friend's garden.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

Beautiful and a nice photo as well.

It is the greatest feeling when that happens.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

Ok, I’ll concentrate on the unknown and strange circumstances.

What would you do if you suddenly and unexpectedly learned that you were someone's genetic clone?

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

I’m sure I would.

The photo on the left depicts an olla that I pulled out of the ground at the end of the growing ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

That's really cool. I might have to try them.

[youtube.com] Have you met the waterbear yet? I've even got my own giant sized version.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

They've just discovered a new species of waterbear. Don't have the link.

Movie night! What is your favorite drama?

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

One of my favorites, which is a silent film, is Metropolis.

Do you care if you are remembered when you die?

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

By my family would be nice. I’m not going to be around so it doesn’t really matter.

Remember you are the only one you can ever count on sageadvice

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

I don’t think so. Almost everyone can be counted on sometime. Figuring out when is an algorithm that has yet to be written.

Language is corrupted

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

Expressions corrupt language, but languages are organic in nature and always changing. Are you comfortable with Shakespearean English? I’m not. We wouldn’t be able to understand English if we were alive 200 years in the future.

Finished a while ago.

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

The fern ads another dimension. Well done.

I found some ova in cold storage that I forgot I collected last year! Egg rings, on scrub oak, from...

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

A dumb question for an expert: Do most insects start in the ova stage?

Americans - How corrupt is your government? If at all!

AstralSmoke comments on May 12, 2018:

It's extremely corrupt, thanks to capitalism. What am I doing about it? Nothing. I don't know what I can do about it.

Dicromantispa Interrupta! What a name.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Does it have preying mantes types of arms (legs)?

Is the era of men "wooing" or "Pursuing" over?

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

I had to vote nudes. It was the only one with a ?

I make clay 'ollas' to bury in the garden for subsurface irrigation.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

That's a great idea. I haven't heard about these before.

Happy Friday, here's Scooters version of, The Logical Song to celebrate :) [youtube.com]

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Does Scooters also go by the name of techno-chipmunks?

Catfishing?

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

That is bizarre behavior that only he can explain (or not).

Show me your furry child who melts your heart! This is my little buddy.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Wow, you have a regular zoo.

Anyone else fond of the Mr. Deity videos? [youtube.com]

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

All those things are natural, that's why he left them in.

BuzzVideo [topbuzz.com]

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

OK. BucketBob, you're going through a phase, right?

Innocent laughter... when did we loose it? Hmmm..

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

I was just waiting for them to bend over at the same time and bonk their heads. They did! and kept on laughing like nothing had changed. Life is simple.

It is still too early to see wild monarchs in central Illinois, but the black Eastern swallowtails ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Do you find chrysalises or do you purchase them?

This is a poem written during our "sabbatical" in southern Oregon many years ago.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Oblivion was a way of coping with the mundane?

Fill in the blanks My __________ Is a _________ who can't wait for time to tell __________ ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Guess I should be more specific. It's a fill-in-the-blank. Be creative. Have some fun.

Just spent 2 hours weeding my raised beds.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Industrious.

My bumper stickers

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Love 'em.

Just for fun: I wrote this for a Rant contest in Toastmasters.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

I don’t wait for the ‘met’ When I can use the Internet.

How did your faith (if you were a believer) affect your love life?

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

It was great. Church was a great place to meet girls.

Group Administration

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Normally, I have found that if a mistake has occurred it is my mistake. If I can’t find a solution, I contact @admin.

@Admin as I cannot message Site Admin atm I will express my thanks and horror at the receipt of my ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Nice idea and a more economical way of doing the exact same thing. Allows more options as far as color of shirt as well.

I found a , , wild cecropia moth cocoon while salamander hunting in early March.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

:-(

Just finishing planting my planters .

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Try some cotton balls.

The first one I've seen this year and my neighbor's nosy cat.

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

The tree frogs singing in the backyard a few days ago was pretty remarkable as well.

I’m planning an East to West and back road trip next year, hitting as many national parks and ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 11, 2018:

Smokey Mountains, TN & NC

photograph & commentary by skado .

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

Is that looking down on a small waterfall?

My landlord wouldn't allow me to till the backyard for a garden, but he did allow me to build a ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

My beds are 4' wide and about right for me. I have to work from both sides though. And I'm beginning to get lazier. 4' high and 1' wide garden beds sound about right to me now.

These are a SCREAM!!! [facebook.com]

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

Chicken Little does a lot.

...

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

A little forlorn?

Happy Birthday! JustJan Angola, Indiana Here May 10 Thomas89506 Reno , Nevada Here May ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

There's a bunch of 'em! Happy Birthday all ya'll.

Your job do away with drinking parties?

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

Or at least some colors that one normally keeps hidden.

Ever been startled by someone's vehement religion-inspired opposition to something you regarded as ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

Yea, there was a lot of reading, but I finally made it.

Does anyone else wish there was a way to turn off notifications for posts or comments?

AstralSmoke comments on May 10, 2018:

I got tired of notifications as well. I ended my membership to photos for that reason. I'm still able to post though.

Big Sid the rebel.

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

Does he eat moths?

photograph by skado “selfie”

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

Very nice! Do you feel like you're looking through a mask?

Can anyone decipher this?

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

Was there an understandable sentence in there?

Taken from a 1940's Justice Society Of America comic before "Under God" was added to the pledge.

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

has a better ring to it

What three words best describe you?

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

Creative, essential, astral

Mom goals. :D

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

I'm laughing really hard.

Replace one word in a movie title with bacon and go...

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

In the Realm of the Bacon

This is a great picture.

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

Lavender isn't native here, but it's beautiful. Fantastic photo.

Yoo hoo...can I come in?

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

Yes, it's the biggest shin-dig of the entire day! Please come in, pull up a toadstool and find yourself a corner. Would you like a drink?

Sunrise at the insect sheet. Lights are shut down and it's time to send the moths on their way.

AstralSmoke comments on May 9, 2018:

I'm not sure what I'm looking at. Is the sheet just used for viewing?

Jim Jefferies - Atheism - YouTube

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

wicky-wacky agnostics

Yelp interpretations of a man using the compliment "sweet" LOL [yelp.

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

I'm not a girl, so I've never had this experience before. Here in the south, if one goes to a family restaurant, s/he/they get called sweetie or darling for about an hour.

Should I get rid of facebook?

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

Just don't use it, if you don't want. Don't burn any bridges unless you know carpentry.

Limited Time SallyMc

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

I like it. Can you tell me more about it?

Last evening I took part in a thread here in the Senate regarding what I will call the shiny 7s, and...

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

I don’t like reunions.

CRYING! What has made you cry as an adult?

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

When I had to decide to put my dog down.

No pic but there is a busy beaver doing a lot of work at night in the river by the hot spring I ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

Beavers are fascinating to watch.

Pictures of (1) new gulf fritillary, (2) my butterfly garden this year (3) Butterflies inside the ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

Amazing!

Trolling and mental health

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

They might be mentally ill, but clever enough to often slip by my detection. That probably says more about me than them though.

Roberto Montenegro (Mexican, 1885-1968 ) Pescador de Mallorca c. 1915

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

He studied in Europe frequently and for extended periods of time. Knew Picasso and Braque. He evidently had a difficult time making it as a mural painter, so he illustrated and did portraitures, etc.

Adding this to my bucket list.

AstralSmoke comments on May 8, 2018:

Looks like they had fun with this exhibition. Klimt had basically two styles, one for portraitures and another (pointillist) for landscapes.

My 1st Armature Rose.

AstralSmoke comments on May 7, 2018:

I like the shower curtain effect. I know, it's not part of the painting. Presentation is everything.

If the "you" that you perceive is your true self image, but exists no where else in the universe ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 7, 2018:

That’s life. It keeps changing.

I have black holes for eyes.

AstralSmoke comments on May 7, 2018:

There is no escape.

Testifying Under Oath

AstralSmoke comments on May 7, 2018:

If I have to I have to.

Left handed shears I just returned indoors to rest my cramped hand from trimming the rose bushes, ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 7, 2018:

I use my right-handed pruners in either/both hands. You have to change the pressure on the grips but works just fine. I switch hands often.

Do you ever have moments when you experience the feeling that in some way 'everything is all right'?

AstralSmoke comments on May 7, 2018:

I have felt moments of exuberation/ecstasy (no drugs) but never because I felt 'everything was ok'.

Agnostic is atheist! "Agnostic" (Huxley) may have been coined to separate honourable American ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

Yeah! When did the meaning soften to noncommittal?

How do you feel about Yes/No voting buttons on comments from lower level members?

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

I've never voted no, but if I did, I suppose it would not allow her/his reply to be visible.

Proposal for new category.

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

That's a great idea!

Colorful world

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

Let's go!

Morality, our achilles heel.

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

I didn't vote because all three are true.

Church of the Confused Chicken

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

I know you're busy.

Does anyone keep a worm box?

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

I'm preparing one. My daughter would like to begin a worm farm.

I am wondering if this group would be good for me.

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

There's no safety from reality, but another voice is certainly welcomed.

I was too tired to spend much time looking at the insect sheet last night, but here are a few of the...

AstralSmoke comments on May 6, 2018:

You must be super observant.

Natural weeding tip! Notice when a species blooms, and then focus on removing that one type for a ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

I take this approach with several types of 'weeds'. It's the only logical way.

I am so pleased right now.

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

Maybe my dandelions are different, but I don't see them attracting bees.

Alfred Kubin (1877-1959) is not a widely-known artist, though he was highly respected in both the ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

It must have been a difficult time for a lot of artists.

I grow several types of berries for the birds and I.

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

Asters are some of my favorites as well.

Happy Naked Gardening Day!

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

I missed it.

DATING SITES! Have you ever had a happy and successful relationship following a meeting on a dating ...

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

No

When did confront become offense?

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

I believe a lot of barriers are raised when one begins categorizing people and then applying generalizations to each group.

Everybody Lies - Seth Stephens-Davidowitz - Hardcover

AstralSmoke comments on May 5, 2018:

I agree, everyone lies, just to varying degrees. I think of myself as a very honest person, but catch myself telling ‘little white lies’ sometimes out of convenience (?).

BEING ACCEPTABLE! How hard do you try?

AstralSmoke comments on May 4, 2018:

My kids swing between two houses and they have to put up with different rules for different people, etc. My kids try to be 'acceptable', but it's an impossible request.

Frits Thaulow (Norwegian 1847-1906) La Dordogne, 1903

AstralSmoke comments on May 4, 2018:

I'm not familiar with the artist, but I like this piece a lot. Thanks.

And now I'm having chatroom withdrawal. lol

AstralSmoke comments on May 4, 2018:

Take your meds and a deep breath @bingst, it'll be ok.