It's Packed I tell ya!!!!

Paul4747 comments on Feb 15, 2019:

I've been trying to find the name of the illness where you overestimate everything. So far, all I can find is "egotism".

Why America's Russia hysteria is dangerous | Russia | Al Jazeera

Paul4747 comments on Feb 15, 2019:

This article is disingenuous at best. It attempts to portray Putin as extending only a hand of friendship ("reviving relations"), when his real interest lies in having an America that will acquiesce in Russia's steamrolling its neighbors and regaining a sphere of influence from which other nations will be excluded. In fact, Putin is waging a new Cold War. This quote in particular gave me a grim smile: "This entire phenomenon stems from the stubborn denial by some Americans that we live in a highly globalised world, where the domestic politics of old sovereign nation-states are considerably less important than transnational political alliances that unite people on either side of the global political barricade." Except that Russia, under Putin, is not seeking to "unite" with anyone, but to dominate, just as he currently dominates the relationship with Trump. Trump is a convenient foil and a convenient fool. "Does this mean that when Jack Hanick - a founding producer of Fox News - set up the transnational media empire of the ultra-right, pro-Kremlin oligarch Konstantin Malofeev and helped to promote pro-Kremlin narratives in Russia and Europe, he was part of a conspiracy to keep Putin in power?" *Yes.* Yes, it does. It's not "collective hysteria" when state-sponsored Russian intelligence *actively attacked the DNC's cyber network for information they could pass on and leak.* It's not "hysteria" when 3 intelligence agencies can examine the evidence and each declare that *Russia took sides in the US election and set about tilting it toward Trump* because Putin had a grudge against Clinton. And it's not "hysteria" when we **know** they've already done it again during the midterm elections and are preparing more of the same, and on a larger scale, for 2020. This IS war. Putin has had his own citizens killed at home and abroad. He has attacked us in cyberspace. He has corrupted our election process. What disturbs me most is how many Americans just don't give a shit because they prefer to believe Russia's lies. After all, those lies sound so much like Trump's lies, and his lies are so *entertaining*. And nobody liked Hilary *anyway*. The hilarious thing is that the author's appeal for internationalism is one that neither Putin nor Trump would agree with, but I would... so long as we could get rid of leaders like Putin and Trump.

California rapper sleeping in car killed by police who opened fire Police said they saw a handgun in...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 14, 2019:

Sleeping while stupid, if you have a (stolen) .40 caliber handgun openly in your lap. What do you think would happen differently?

I have a friend who describes himself as a fiscal conservative and socially progressive.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 14, 2019:

I'm a fiscal "whatever". I'd rather have a balanced budget, but not at the cost of social programs and infrastructure. It's a funny thing; "conservatives" say tax cuts (for the rich, naturally) pay for themselves, when in fact, infrastructure improvements pay for themselves with a better economy.

Why are people so hostile towards President Donald Trump?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 14, 2019:

I think I'll copy/paste this so I can carry it in my wallet.

LAND MINES cannot be ruled out as something that can be placed at our border with Mexico according ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 14, 2019:

"Is he deranged?" Probably.

The Democrats want a national gun registry which is always the first step to confiscation.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 14, 2019:

Your "always" is a typical NRA/ far right scare tactic. Not impressed by your source, either. Reschenthaler opposed closing loopholes in background checks. https://www.wesa.fm/post/reschenthaler-opposes-bipartisan-background-check-legislation-house-judiciary-hearing That's the only legislation that's been proposed. Nobody has even proposed a national registry and in fact, such a registry is illegal.

Happy Valentine’s Day you bunch of Damn heathens!!!!!!!

Paul4747 comments on Feb 14, 2019:

That's *Saint* Valentine's Day, and *don't you forget it.*

Posted in Love & Relationships, a member recently asked the question, "Which sex tends to be more ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

Bigamy is defined as having one spouse too many. Monogamy is the same thing...

Trump will never change or admit he is wrong.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

I'm not expecting him to step down. There's an outside possibility of the (mainly Republican) Senate convicting him in an impeachment trial, if outright criminal wrongdoing is shown. But he'll deny it to the end.

After watching clips of DJT's rally in El Paso (just couldn't stomach the entire thing), I've come ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

Gee.... maybe someone down the line will try for a Klingon Promotion. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KlingonPromotion

Has Modern Cosmology Really Become A Quasi Faith-Based ‘Religion’?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 13, 2019:

So, what filled space before the Bang, in your view? What was the Universe full of, if not the Universe? What reason do you have for thinking that the speed of light has changed over the millennia since the formation of the current universe, any more than assuming that the atomic weight of hydrogen has changed? "The alleged ‘fact’ that the speed of light has been constant over all of cosmic time"... how about the alleged fact that the Earth has been round through its entire history as a planet? Some things we are going to take as given, until we have a very good reason to do otherwise. That's not a faith position; it's scientific measurements. It's good to question assumptions, but that's not what you're doing. You're challenging the established model; where's your evidence for a better model?

Would someone please explain to me how being against Israel's actions somehow makes one an ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

Apparently the same way you can't criticize any action Israel takes without being against its entire existence... at least according to the country's most vociferous defenders. It's the same syndrome that leads to "America- Love It or Leave It" bumper stickers. Those with a mature understanding realize that it's quite possible to support a nation and at the same time, criticize the actions that nation takes. We who love America (and Israel) want the nation to not only do *well*, but to do *good*.

Men: Serious relationship or no?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

Absolutely. It shows that she's as passionate and fearless as I am. That's exactly the kind of person I would want a long-term relationship with. Not that I've been lucky enough to have the choice of saying yes or no, because first-date sex isn't something that's ever happened to me... but who knows what the future might bring.

Trump Supporters Form Human ‘Wall’ Along U.S.-Mexico Border | HuffPost

Paul4747 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

I support this wall. Leave 'em there for the next ten or twenty years. In fact, add some more, all the way along the border. I'll bet they could be stacked 15 feet high if they tried.

More on the atrocity known as American International gangsterism: [commondreams.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

And I suppose "American Gangsterism" forced Maduro to erect blockades to keep aid shipments out of the country. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/08/692698637/humanitarian-aid-arrives-for-venezuela-but-maduro-blocks-it The regime change is coming from within Venezuela. Maduro, a dictator, replaced Chavez, a dictator. Guaido has been recognized under the rules of Venezuela's own constitution as Maduro's legitimate successor. My advice; get over it. Nobody is proposing an invasion.

Hack your life with WD-40 ??? [giveitlove.com]

Paul4747 comments on Feb 11, 2019:

I wonder who came up with the phrase "hack your life" and how we can make them stop...

"The entire capital of our bankers, merchants, manufacturers and large landowners is nothing but the...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

Instinctively, I want to say there's something wrong with this statement as a whole. Merchants sell things. In order to buy things, somewhere along the way, *somebody *got paid for their labor. We can argue about whether that compensation was fair or not (and I frequently argue that it needs to be higher in our present age), but it *was* paid. Manufacturers make things and sell things; same principle. Landowners don't just produce money from thin air, they employ people and pay them. For all the considerable financial finagling that goes on (and it *is* considerable), we've found no better system than capitalism. What we need is a system of government, like those in the Scandinavian nations, that limits the excesses of the system and provides a safety net to protect people from the worst consequences of failure. Not a socialist government, but democratic socialism.

Take a picture of your face and post it below

Paul4747 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

Look to the left. That's as good as I get.

Who’s seen The Phantom of the Opera (2004)?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 10, 2019:

My daughter watched it quite a lot about 5 years ago. I found it too full of singing. Don't operas have any speaking parts in them? Anyone who wants to *really* know my feelings about the world of opera should read Terry Pratchett's *Maskerade*. It pokes holes relentlessly in all the cliches of opera. For instance, that big chandelier is just too dramatic for its own good....

ASK A QUESTION -- FOR A FRIEND - What's a fair price for a pair of Kim Kardashian's panties?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

I will pay you $20 to burn them, please, should they ever come near me.

did you ever have that feeling

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

I thought we were going into a York Peppermint Patty commercial... I was lucky enough to be raised as a generic, non-churched "Jesus loves you and be nice to kids, pets and old people" Christian, but nothing more than that. I escaped the heavy indoctrination of Sunday school or bible-thumping, and I was encouraged to read whatever I wanted. I credit Joseph Campbell for helping me see that all religions are equivalent, and science for helping me see that they're all pretty much equally impossible.

The popular DNA ancestry kits/results aren't supported by the science.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Everybody's DNA ancestry winds up in Africa, eventually. What more do you need to know? These companies are capitalizing on our more rootless culture, in a time when families have split up and spread across the country and sometimes around the world, as opposed to decades ago when several generations of an extended family might live in the same town and have family history and lore at their fingertips. They also (in their ads) appeal those who want to "trace" their DNA back across the ocean to families broken up by the slave trade. Since DNA has at best a tenuous connection to national origin, all this strikes me as promising much more than they can deliver.

What are you doing this Saturday night?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Hosting my daughter for Movie Night

Due to the overwhelming hatred of Trump on this site, would you vote for the genius Ocasio Cortez ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Your biased poll is biased.

Republicans , the super-wealthy, and those aspiring to be super-wealthy are screaming bloody murder ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

You don't have to be that old to know history. Republicans have always said that raising the top rate stifles growth, and cutting taxes stimulates the economy. The top individual rate in the '50s was 91% and corporate profits were taxed at over 40%, yet we had average GDP growth around 5%. The Bush tax cuts were followed by more recession. Am I suggesting a causal relationship between raising the top tax rate and economic growth? No, of course not. But Republicans suggest a direct relationship between lowering the top rate and economic growth, when there is no such correlation. It's merely an article of faith for them. Their disdain for any taxes, period, makes them grasp at this straw. Atheist Republicans, in particular, should be more clear-minded than to follow the Prosperity Gospel of the religious right. The wealthy are not "better", they're just rich. The super-wealthy are not "entitled" to avoid taxes through legal tricks like capital gains avoidance, write-offs, and other means to which the middle class don't have access because they live paycheck to paycheck.

Prior to World War One, it was thought that the machine gun was such an awful and powerful weapon ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

All we can say is that it's worked so far. Fools believe that a nuclear war could be winnable. The truth is, everyone would lose.

Democratic House Chair Purposely Omits “So Help Me God” When Administering Oath | Hemant Mehta |...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Good for her, good for our country. I deliberately omitted "So help me God" when I testified at my divorce hearing...

Just saying

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

I'll give you agreement on this one.

The absolute truth

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

64% of Americans own their own homes... Capitalism is the worst economic system in the world, apart from all the others.

This zoo will name a cockroach after your ex, then feed it to a meerkat on Valentine's Day?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre?

"I'm not afraid of Artificial Intelligence. I'm afraid of Artificial Stupidity" Eric Idle.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

I never wanted to read this post in the first place. I always wanted to be... *a LUMBERJACK!!!!!*

My philosophy homework disappeared.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Is there a "one person per sunset" rule where you live?

While certain people were joyed at her clap at trump I wonder how y’all feel about her clapping at...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

Your source for this is Rio Slade. Who in the festering frak is Rio Slade and what does she know about Speaker Pelosi's plans for the future? I join the majority here in throwing the yellow flag of BS.

Liam Neeson: Us and them.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

But, as Ryan Reynolds notes in *Deadpool*, Liam Neeson let his family get kidnapped like three times now, he's a horrible father. Just a bad example all around. :D

A Facebook friend of mine put up a Bowie fan page and invited me to join.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

None of what follows excuses the above; but it is a matter of historical truth that the elites get away with behavior that would make us mere commoners shrivel with shame to even contemplate. It's been that way since Ancient Greece at least. Probably even in the earliest human tribal arrangements, the chief and his family got to do whatever they wanted, but the average hunter would get his ass beat for looking at the wrong gatherer. Look at mythology; the Gods of every religion carry on the way most human beings wish they could in the matter of smiting enemies and appearing as bulls, golden showers, etc. It's not surprising that humans at a godlike level of influence and power comport themselves just as shamelessly. The ride usually goes on until the public catches wind of something *really* over the top, at which point the story becomes, "How the mighty have fallen". And the more entertaining the individual is perceived to be, the more grievous the infraction necessary to bring them down. Just look at "Grab them by the pussy" Trump. That his own party did not disown him at that point says horrible things about their hierarchy; that 46.1% of voters cast their vote for him says even worse things about America. Just my opinion. I guess.

How do I get out of jury duty?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 9, 2019:

You could always try robbing a liquor store if nothing else works for you. Not that it would get you out of court, but it would get you out of the *jury* box.

Ever notice how Christians are always crying persecution, but are the main ones damning people to ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

There are three times as many churches as public schools in the United States, and yet they have the gall to claim they're being persecuted... :|

What's the one line that made red flags pop up and your brain say... "deal breaker"?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

When she mentioned how her ex was going through a tough time and so was staying at her place for now. Along with her alcoholic father-in-law. This was on the second date...

I asked a couple people, both genders, about some sextual .

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

Your standards of proof are abysmal. From someone saying "I don't want to see a nude picture of you, thanks anyway", you've deduced the existence of an entire "rape culture"?

We should be having sex. [newsweek.com]

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

I think the link in there about female dragonflies faking their own deaths to avoid males is a little over the top on their part. Although, wasn't there a Seinfeld episode where someone did basically the same thing to avoid George...

We should be having sex. [newsweek.com]

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

Okay. Oh, there was a news link there too....

John Dingell you will be well remembered.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

Read his name so many times in the old Detroit Free Press. And now the Freep is gone too. (Merged with the News, but still.)

This site is sooooo cool.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

Welcome to our corner of the Internets... we are an odd, yet friendly people, and not at all timid about welcoming strangers.

What was your most absurd first date?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

I think, when she stated up front that we were getting separate checks, I knew that she wasn't interested in me. As if she thought that I was the kind who believed paying for a meal would entitle me to something afterward. Maybe she thinks all men believe that? But anyway, I got to hear about her previous dates, as I recall, and that was nice, and she quizzed me about why I still wore a college ring at my age (why not? it's my Master's degree, the only ring I ever got myself) and I got to watch her drink, she went outside for a cigarette a couple times during dinner... and then we parted with a hearty "I'll call".... knowing neither of us would call. And guess what? We never did.

What was your most absurd first date?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

So, from "very liberal" to just "liberal"... :D

I keep thinking this has to have a punch line. Any takers?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

.... and the Ephesian ducks under it

Neuroscientist Sam Harris on Our Misconceptions About Free Will and How Acknowledging Its ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

"Without free will, sinners and criminals would be nothing more than poorly calibrated clockwork, and any conception of justice that emphasized punishing them (rather than deterring, rehabilitating, or merely containing them) would appear utterly incongruous. And those of us who work hard and follow the rules would not 'deserve' our success in any deep sense. It is not an accident that most people find these conclusions abhorrent. " Yes, that's correct. It is abhorrent. Take the bit about "sinners" out of there (since there's nobody to sin against) and I agree completely. He's saying a murderer had no choice but to commit murder, a rapist had no choice but to rape, a thief had no choice but to steal. That is (I cannot emphasize enough) **utterly ridiculous**. Under what circumstances is a criminal forced to commit a crime? Deter, rehabilitate, absolutely. By "contain" does he mean (Gasp!) "imprison"? Well, that's a punishment by any standards. Let's not beat about the bush; taking away someone's freedom is a punishment. And is he also saying that it is by some biochemical device that a person works 80 hour weeks, kisses the ass of the boss for ten years, and rises through the ranks rather than go home at the end of 8 hours and watch the telly? That there's no choice involved? That's very convenient for people like me, I'm not a lazy unmotivated bastard who hates the clowns in the front office, it's just that I have no free will! I *had to *go home at quitting time! I can't volunteer for overtime, I have no free will!! What school did this guy go to, anybody?

This is a clear sign of delusion and the host gets uncomfortable with his crazy talk.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

Is that thing on his head tinfoil?

So, I have a question on which I would like to hear other's thoughts.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 8, 2019:

This is a very difficult question for me personally, as I work in the criminal justice system. But I have to say there are gradations and nuances to this. As pointed out somewhere below, "age of consent" is something that varies from nation to nation and from century to century, even currently from state to state in the US. I think the more age difference between the individuals, the less we get to call it a "Romeo and Juliet" case and the more it has to be called a consent violation. A 16 year old and a 14 year old are really not that different emotionally. There's no firm line we can point to and say, "You are now an adult". A 20-year-old with that same person? Now we're talking about a different case. That's a difference of almost half the younger person's life. I found it squick-inducing when the 50+ Hugh Hefner slept with 18-year-old Playmates. Were those girls emotionally mature enough to make the decision to sleep with a man older than their fathers? Was he a pedophile who just waited for girls to turn 18? At a certain point it becomes moot, and yet we still look at a man of my age in a funny way if he dates a woman half his age, or a woman dating a younger man. There's a stigma to having a relationship with someone too far away from your own age, even when that person is "of age". There are genetic and evolutionary reasons for humans (and all animals) to avoid incest; the gene pool suffers when inbreeding takes place. It's also true that incest is practiced throughout the animal kingdom, regardless. It's evident that there is some combination of genetic programming and cultural pressures that are present in the majority of the population, and absent in a small minority, that results in a fairly consistent level of incest occurring. I think the same is probably true of pedophilia. We'll almost certainly never have the kind of study that would clarify this, due to the social stigma that's attached to the issue... and if we have no true idea of the cause, we'll never have a true idea of how to prevent more young people from becoming victims.

Obscure TV series that should get more attention.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

*Firefly*... oh, wait, crap, FOX killed it off way back when. I'm STILL hoping for a revival in some form or another. I'm a fool, I know, but anything's possible

Meeting with my lover this morning, he tells me how he feels about women.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

Good for you... I'm happy to know you're happy. And good for him too! He's a lucky fella.

Who has had a positive relationship with a father/mother-in-law?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

My in-laws were just right, even after the divorce. I went to my ex-MIL's bedside in the hospital when she was dying, along with the rest of the family. I still love them.

This goes for romantic relationships, but it also applies to family members, I have regretfully ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

Yeah.... it seems to go for my ex-wife. I mean, good for her that the divorce didn't tear her up or anything, but it says it all about the marriage, doesn't it?

Lets just put it out there and own it... Pro-Choice or Anti-Choice

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

Yep... because everyone is pro-life. It's about choice, not about "life".

How do you have sex with someone without sexualizing them?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

Um.... that's a tricky one I'll get back to you after I've had some sex with someone. I can't remember how it goes right now.

I'd love to hear from single adults who live alone by choice.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 7, 2019:

There are certain people on internet forums that I could not tolerate for over ten seconds in person... and they know who they are... :D

The Book of Revelation

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Well now I'm scared...

Trump Has Nothing Left to Say

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Not only do we have more women in the workforce, we have more *everybody* in the workforce. Because of a bigger population. Which apparently Trump's trying to take credit for too. Thanks, President Obama! Now that your recovery is over, it's time for the Trump recession....

l don't know.... is there a point where the people just say ''stop'' to gov. overreach? [bbc.com]

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Just so you know, gov.overreach is not a website. I think this, **right now**, is the point where people (starting with me) just say **stop writing every phrase with a hash tag or pound sign or as if it's a web address. It doesn't give it any added significance, it just means you can't write in standard English.**

The Republican Party

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Shouldn't that read "Since 1980"? (said the historian)

Don't ever eat a clock. It's too time consuming. :P

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Oh, *clock*. Don't eat a *clock*. At first I thought it said... Right. Clock. Got it. Never mind...

Marked Safe! Avoided all 1980's blackface parties in Virginia.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Things like this are the reason I basically have avoided the South as much as I could all my life. I mean, I don't want to stereotype an entire region, but... I've never heard of a "blackface party" anywhere BUT the South since, like, the 1800s. I don't get it.

All Hail Nancy...RAWR Share your Nancy(L) memes here! ? worth the click -> [twitter.com]

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

I wish I'd seen it live, so I could tell if that was a slow clap...

Supernatural VS Atheist

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

I *want* to believe in an afterlife where we get to be with the people we love, love the people we never got to be with, have all the second chances we needed, and be our perfect selves... in other words, Heaven but without the heavy religious overtones. Since I want to believe in it so much, I'm certain it isn't there, except in dreams. The best I can do is work toward being my best right now.

I read LaVey's Satanic Bible recently.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

I'm sorry, I can't get behind the Satanist stuff either. It's too often an excuse for people who like to do creepy shit to stray cats. And since there's no God, how can there be a Satan? Come on.

What do you do for 'self' care?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

I see my massage therapist every other week. Plus there's masturbating, I guess...

The Donald himself said that an innocent person wouldn't have to spend so much time defending ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

If my Dick looked like that...

I have to point out that the one thing I hate the most about Trump is how he keeps attempting to ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

That people actually take him seriously...

Colorado runner killed mountain lion with his bare hands

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Without reading the story, I'm thinking, Chuck Norris on vacation?

Lest we forget the Cold War Those of us who lived through the Cold War remember what it was like ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 6, 2019:

Our present CinC is not intellectually prepared for a stiff game of Risk. An opposing head of state flatters him, gives a convincing imitation of sincerity and a firm handshake, and Trump "knows what's in his soul". A year later and we have Russia violating the INF treaty because Putin knows Trump won't call him out on it.

It just baffles me that so many of the liberals think Trump pulling out of the that idiot Obama’s ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 5, 2019:

Number one: you use the word "idiot" of our former President. Barack Obama graduated from Occidental College, Columbia University, and Harvard Law School, then was Lecturer and Senior Lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School before being elected Senator and President. None of those are consistent with the characterization "idiot". (Trump has a BSc in Economics from Wharton and ran a telemarketing "university".) Number two: the deal with Iran to give them back their own money was actually working. Now that the US has withdrawn, Iran is threatening to resume weapons-grade uranium enrichment. Who's the idiot in this scenario?

That bobbing, groveling, ignorant side of the room terrifies me, disgusts me.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 5, 2019:

Appeal to people's fear, greed, and stupidity. Keep repeating a loud, simple lie, instead of telling a complicated truth. Above all, give them someone else to blame and tell them you have a simple solution- punish the bad guys.

Lot of positive things from SOTU tonight

Paul4747 comments on Feb 5, 2019:

Name three.

My response when I'm told I can't understand the Bible.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2019:

It's hard to understand unless your disbelief is suspended about, let's say, up at ceiling level. Also, put your critical thinking on hold and take your brain off the hook; if reality wants you, it will call back.

Trump disapproval nears 60% in some polls--mid 50's in the rest [realclearpolitics.com]

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2019:

And yet, somehow, in the Iowa poll, Trump beats every Democrat but Joe Biden in a theoretical race for President. This just goes to show how fucking Red and how far out of touch Iowa is. At this point, ANY Democrat is preferable to Trump. You could name 50 percent of *Republicans* and *they* would be preferable to Trump. The main qualifications for President right now are, 1) not a convicted felon, 2) not adjudicated mentally ill, 3) not Donald Trump.

“That's when you know you've found somebody really special.

Paul4747 comments on Feb 2, 2019:

There's a difference between sharing a silence and having nothing to say.

Miriam Adelson was awarded Medal of Freedom after donating $500k to Trump aides’ legal expenses ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 2, 2019:

How much to get my picture on the $1 bill?

I have always said that all Muslims are dangerous if they are given the opportunity,something close ...

Paul4747 comments on Feb 2, 2019:

Okay, you've done it. You've made me join your group just to reply to a single post. Have any of you actually read the Christian Bible or the OT? They're no less exclusionary than the Q'uran. They call for no more or less than the destruction of those who don't believe, especially in the books of the Torah. Anyone who thinks Christians and the West have the moral high ground are mistaken. Let's look at G.W. Bush, who called the war against Al Qaeda a "crusade". Let's look at that fine Xian Ann Coulter, who said we should "invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity". Let's look at all those who want to make Christianity the official state religion here in America, regardless of what the Constitution says. *Every single religion* in the modern world (with the exception of the Unitarian Universalists and possibly one or two of which I'm not aware) proclaims itself as the *sole truth* and predicts fire and death for infidels. They also go about trying to provide this fire and death in the current world, not being satisfied with waiting for the afterlife. It was Lebanese Christian Phalangist militia who massacred up to 3500 civilians under the eyes of their Israeli allies in 1982 (the Sabra and Shatila massacre). An anonymous inflammatory anecdote cut and paste from somewhere on the internet proves only that idiots post shit on the internet. Thanks for proving that once again.

US stops all aid to Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza - BBC News

Paul4747 comments on Feb 2, 2019:

All as a consequence of a politically-motivated act of the last (Republican) Congress, who are normally as anti-lawyer as you can get, but wanted to make it possible for Americans to sue foreign governments for alleged complicity in terrorist acts. Now the Palestinian Authority doesn't want our aid because it would make them eligible to be dragged into court in a lawsuit. And yet the Republicans don't want to participate in the International Criminal Courts because our commanders could be charged with war crimes...

Would you pay extra taxes so that all can get health care?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 2, 2019:

I'm betting it would cost less than my for-profit insurance premiums right now. A lot less.

Why do men save badly worn-out clothes?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 1, 2019:

1) They're so comfortable. 2) Now that my local K Mart is out of business, it's hard to find pants in my size without driving an hour round trip to the Big & Tall shop, where I would pay a premium price. So I wear khakis that are 12 years old. I know, I need to get on that diet...

Donald Trump's Spiritual Adviser Paula White Suggests People Send Her Their January Salary or Face ...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 31, 2019:

So, she says she's making a 1 month donation of her own... to- who exactly? Herself??? How is this a sacrifice for her??

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

Paul4747 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

So what's your opinion of Neville "Peace In Our Time" Chamberlain?

Are all things either objective or subjective?

Paul4747 comments on Jan 29, 2019:

I'm commenting only because I deserve the point for reading through that mess.

Noted religious scholar thinks we need more bible study.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

Best part of that feed is: "The President who openly admitted to having never asked God for forgiveness for anything, who called a book of the Bible "Two Corinthians," and who had an affair with a porn star and a playmate while his third wife nursed his fifth child....is excited about Bible literacy"

"Black Panther" Wins Top Prize at SAG Awards

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

"A huge win for diversity" maybe. Not a huge win for great filmmaking. It was no better than many other comic book movies this year, certainly no better than *Infinity War*.

Pentagon documents the military's growing domestic drone use! The Pentagon recorded 11 domestic...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

That's a very misleading stock photo. I'm dead certain that the missions requested by California and Oregon were not carrying 1000 lb GPS-guided bombs. I'm sure they were for reconnaissance purposes only.

Noted religious scholar thinks we need more bible study.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

Funny thing... the same people who urge Bible study are those who would slit your throat for a nickel. Have they ever read the thing themselves? Or are they just paying lip service? (Hint: the answer is "B: lip service")

American Heart Association Is Silent On Heart Cancer And Irregular Heart Rate Risks From Cell ...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

I'm sorry, I'm paralyzed by not caring very much.

CENSORSHIP Wins! This Round As YouTube Now Deems Conspiracy Videos “BORDERLINE CONTENT” By...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

First off, that's not censorship. The government censors. It's a private company and everyone who subscribes or posts agrees to the terms of service. Second, it's not a bad thing that fantasy videos about Obama and Hillary being pawns of George Soros to sell us all to Israel are getting a closer look. Or videos about vaccinations causing Downe syndrome. Or you name the conspiracy.

If someone states they hate the ballet, or video games, or art, or any number of other things no one...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

I hate sport...

[yahoo.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

He also claimed to have a 50% job approval rating with Hispanic voters, which rang alarm bells with me. Turns out (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-trumps-claim-that-he-has-a-50-percent-approval-rating-among-latinos) this came from a poll including only 153 Latinos, with an almost 10% margin of error.

It's public holiday here today.

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

Alas, as an historian, I would be one of the "salt in the wound" brigade. You don't go around forgetting history because people don't like it. Tell the whole story, instead.

Evangelical Christians Helped Elect Donald Trump, but Their Time as a Major Political Force Is ...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

They're going to hell for it, too (except, y'know, for the fact that there is no such place...). (Well, there's Hell Michigan, but I don't want to encourage them to come up here...)

Cruel Christians Leave Fake $20 Tips Promoting Jesus | Michael Stone

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

Christians- Doing "good deeds" whether or not we want them

Pirate humor

Paul4747 comments on Jan 28, 2019:

Most people think a pirate's favorite letter of the alphabet is "R" Actually, 'tis the "C"

IF YOU CHOOSE TO LOVE AN AWAKENED WOMAN If you choose to love an awakened woman, understand that ...

Paul4747 comments on Jan 27, 2019:

Well, that was fun

do you believe in destiny

Paul4747 comments on Jan 27, 2019:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0WapDCR9fg

What is it?

Paul4747 comments on Jan 26, 2019:

This picture of cougar tracks next to a boot was on Google. Similar? Edit: Very similar to my eye. I think cougar.