toonkee

On 5/14/2024 at 8:04 PM, thelawlorfaithful said:

Apparently not in an election year.

On 5/14/2024 at 5:35 PM, thelawlorfaithful said:

Lol guess supporting antisemites wasn’t as popular as they thought.

Biden put tarrifs on China, too. Maybe it really doesn't matter who the president is.

On 5/14/2024 at 7:29 AM, thelawlorfaithful said:

There’s a Far Side cartoon in here. It’s palpable.

It's this one.

Story time about young toonkee.  I once bought my mom a far side book for mother's day because I wanted it. She don't know no far side. I was like 10. 

On 5/13/2024 at 5:22 PM, bornontheblue said:

Glaciers have been retracting for the last 10,000 years since the last ice age ended. 
 

Have they been retreating at an accelerated rate recently? 

Yeah.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2023/11/greenlands-glacier-retreat-rate-has-doubled-over-past-two-decades/

On 5/13/2024 at 2:31 AM, bornontheblue said:

They said the ice caps would be gone many years ago… They still there 

Glaciers aren't doing so good.

Another way to put it. 

On 5/7/2024 at 9:49 PM, grandjean87 said:

Nikki Haley getting ≈ 22% of the primary in Indiana tonight. She dropped out quite a ways back.  Not a good sign for Trump although haven't caught the details or final tallies. 

Still? 

Oof.

Biden needs to swap Harris for Haley. That would be hilarious.

On 2/26/2024 at 4:05 PM, Nevada Convert said:

Well, the implication is obviously that Mexico sucks because of the cartels. 

Americans suck for creating the demand that causes the cartels.

On 5/6/2024 at 10:40 AM, SalinasSpartan said:

And to the bystanders, the point of all this is that the fact that there even COULD be a “Leahy” violation is a significant differentiation between the potential withholding of funds to Israel from Trump threatening to withhold funds from Ukraine re: whether the former is an “impeachable offense”. Anybody claiming there is “No DiFfErEnCe” between the two is either just dishonest as hell, doesn’t know what they are talking about, or both.

And of course that’s not even bringing up how impeachment is, per SCOTUS, a POLITICAL process. It’s not a criminal case or a lawsuit where elements need to be proven and there is a burden of proof and so on. Its not and never has been a black and white thing, no matter how much people pretend it is.

When Trump was impeached the argument was that no crime was committed. Now their argument is the president is immune from commiting crimes. Getting super weird out there.  

On 5/6/2024 at 10:25 AM, renoskier said:

if we're agreeing that one side will never quit how do we convince the other side to do so?

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Guys, he's not THE LAW lor FAITHFUL for nothing. 

On 5/5/2024 at 5:23 AM, Akkula said:

"Banging a porn star" is not the issue.  That is what the right-wing talking point. 

Donald Trump had all the time in the world to pay her off if it was for his family.  Instead he only rushed to consummate the deal right after the "October Surprise" Access Hollywood tape.  It was a political decision to make the payoff to help his campaign.  This payoff may have been the only reason we are even still talking about this lunatic.  He very well could have lost in 2016 had this information been diclosed to voters.

He created an elaborate ruse to have Michael Cohen basically launder the money for him so nobody could tie it back to him.  All of this isn't necessarily a crime had he paid the money personally. 

David Pecker, on the other hand was just paying off all these women on behalf of Donal Trump and not reporting it at all as a campaign contribution. 

Instead because Donald Trump regularly commits tax fraud, non-profit fraud, and business fraud he decided to do his modus operandi and wanted to EXPENSE this personal payment and campaign contribution as a business expense.  All of this was done to conceal and layer a ton of complexity on the transaction to fool the public and the federal election overseers.  His normal fraudulent ways of doing business is what caught him with this charge.  Remember Donald Trump is "smarter" than the rest of us so that is why he pays zero taxes...right...and he does illegal things like calling a personal campaign contribution to a port star a business expense to lower his taxable income.   

Every election Donal Trump has participated in he has tried to steal.  In 2016, it came in the form of colluding with the Russians and making illegal laundered illegal campaign contributions at the 11th hour to keep information from the public.   

It is an absolute +++++ing tragedy that Merrick the meek decided to take a pass on this federal election interference charge, especially after listening to David Pecker.  David Pecker and Donald Trump basically had an ongoing scheme to violate federal campaign finance laws.  Pecker was making all these payoffs in violation of Federal Law and nobody got in trouble except for Michael Cohen!

This is a case about a conspiracy to illegally make payments to keep information from voters on the cusp of an election and to make, receive, and cover-up illicit, secret campaign contributions.  It is about election fraud.  "Banging a porn star" is not illegal and that is not why he is being charged.  The cover up is the crime.  

Evergreen

Game 7 today. Go Knights go.

On 5/2/2024 at 8:01 PM, NorthWestCowboy said:

Shades of 2023 as the Bruins squander yet another 3 games to 1 first round series lead and are pushed to a game 7.  This is the 4th consecutive (2013, 18, 19 and now 2024) time the Leafs and Bruins are going to a game 7.  Game 7 back in Beantown this Saturday is going to be a battle!

It sure was. 

Leafs, man. 

On 5/1/2024 at 7:55 PM, thelawlorfaithful said:

These nutsacks. No coffee, Bagels, or sunscreen. Say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism but at least it’s an ethos.

Wait is sunscreen Jewish? 

On 5/1/2024 at 11:30 PM, CPslograd said:

Putin is a terrible guy and the world will be a better place when he is gone.

What this article made me think of was actually something @IanforHeisman pointed out regarding our treatment of Iran in the early and mid cold war.  We justified that at the time for the same type of reasons, and that came back to haunt us.  This conflict is more complicated than Russia is bad and Ukraine is good.  I'm ambivalent whether our perpetual "just enough" arms to keep the war going and bleed Russia dry is the strategic way to go, or even of the morality of it.  If I was a congressman, I probably would have voted for the most recent aid package, but my doubts are growing.  I'm not sure it's in the best interest of the people who live in Ukraine.

I have no illusions regarding the US giving a crap about Ukrainian people or Ukrainian democracy for the sake of good old democracy. This is geopolitics and the US will do what is in it's best interests. Ukrainians be damned. 

Ukrainians aren't children, though. They can decide when they've lost enough of their own men and women. 

On 4/30/2024 at 2:05 PM, grandjean87 said:

This thread went 90° as is the norm here so don't hesitate if you have things you want to say.  

Dogs, cats, Nazis.  Maybe not Kristi Noem, but almost all. 

On 5/1/2024 at 7:30 AM, CPslograd said:

https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2024/04/30/what_10_years_of_us_meddling_in_ukraine_have_wrought_spoiler_alert_it_wasnt_democracy_1027411.html
 

The author obviously has an agenda, but there does appear to be quite a bit of actual reporting in the article, and he makes some valid points.  From what I can find on the internet he seems to be some sort of pro Russia, pro china, anti Israel lefty.

Ukraine is complicated and our hands aren’t completely clean.  It’s past time for the West to start urging a diplomatic end to the war.

 

The lives lost in the meat grinders are sad and such a waste, but this is shades of the Rhineland all over again. It is in the world's interest to drain that puke of every resource he has.

On 4/30/2024 at 12:06 PM, grandjean87 said:

I thought about these questions again as I think they are very important ones.  I tried to find an archived video/podcast of my former pastor doing a homily or teaching class where he tells the story of this old man named Willy.  If I find one, I may send you a pm w/link.  It's not directly on the topic of humility and secular strife.  Yet, there is a lot of toxicity in humanity. Religion is not immune from that scourge.  I think stories like the following are a good counterpoint to the fear/coercion in religion that you find objectionable (and to which I agree). 

That priest (Catholic), also a gifted homilist and teacher, on occasion over time weaved the story of Willy into different teachings.  He called him one of holiest people he has even known.  Top five, iirc.  Willy wasn't Catholic. I don't think he was necessarily a Christian.  I kind of inferred he was a deist, but really even unsure about that. 

Willy grew up in Nazi Germany.  As a young man in the German Army, at one point he even drove Rommel's tank during the war.  He was a dedicated Nazi. 

Some time after the war, Willy ended up immigrating to the U.S.  He married a devout German Catholic.  She saved him from his anger and other struggles.  Late in the prior century, he lived in Eastern Idaho where he attended mass, often daily, with his wife.  Willy became close friends with another parishioner who as a young, timid looking girl was part of the French Underground during the war.  Two war enemies now friends.

Apparently, Willy took on a life of quiet service to others. Continually in many ways. His wife died of Alzheimer's yet he continued to visit her care facility treating the caregivers upon arrival.  Other anecdotes include how Willy would often drive down to the bus terminal at 2 a.m. just to make sure no one was stranded.  One time a young migrant worker got separated from his family.  Unable to understand Spanish, Willy drove the kid around to various farms before  finally reuniting him w/family.  

There's more to the story and the presence of that aging, still powerful man, but I trust my old pastor's insights into Willy's holiness.  So, back to that original question, self-professing belief in Christ is not required for salvation.  We don't even know what that really is/will be, but being Christ-like is of the higher order.  If it's open to Nazis, it's open to all. 

I, too, have been re reading this thread. I've written a couple paragraphs here and there and deleted them. I'm resisting the urge to debate and just trying to listen. 

Anyways, I have never believed that an omni-you choose the suffix God would be petty and into technicalities, and in turn I believe that all dogs go to heaven.  

On 4/30/2024 at 9:45 AM, mugtang said:

I think there's a lot of anti-Semitism built into these protests without the protestors realizing it.  The only reason people care about the plight of the Palestinians is because it's the evil Jews "oppressing" them.  I don't see these kids out there protesting about the:

1. Civil war going on in Yemen

2. The genocide going on in Darfur

3. The oppression & exploitation of the Uyghurs in China

4. The bombing of civilians by Russia in the Ukraine

5. The conflict in Myanmar

and so on.

Hamas is a pro at the propaganda game and people eat it up.  Hamas started this war.  Israel is going to fight until Hamas is defeated.  If these protestors really want the war to end they should be demanding Hamas surrender.

 

Yes, college kids have selective outrage and I'm not on team college protest, but, also there's this tricky thing of US dollars aiding in the pummeling of these people.  These college kids are protesting to get their universities to divest.

On 4/29/2024 at 10:22 AM, grandjean87 said:

Ok, electric guys finished early.  Other guys an hour or two away.  

Why Catholicism?  I'm going to bypass that question for now, reflecting on my prior answer, because since salvation exists outside the church the answer(s) would become polemics on specific theologies -- liturgy, worship, and teachings.  Another time. 

Why Jesus?   I think one can go in a number of places.   I'll start with faith.  If you have the gift of faith in the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of Christ it self evident.  This historical person from antiquity was both human and divine.  Christ reveals the essence of God and reveals to humanity what it means to be human.  He is the Way.  That's why. 

Now, I don't think that is particularly helpful to those w/o the faith.  For that I would say, Jesus in his teachings, his examples, and in his great sacrifice represent the highest expression of love. We have one word (love) to refer to many different things.  Ancient Greeks had a few with agape the highest ordered.  Even that language is inadequate.  We can only see the shadows of the ultimate good.  The story of Christ is of pure, self-sacrificing love without criteria.  The ultimate good.  Christ's humble origins in the infancy narratives, the humble working life unrecorded, the emergence of his ministry, and how Jesus broke down barriers of humanity (class, gender, tribe, etc).  The true ways are shown.  Ultimately, there is the passion and sacrifice where Jesus empties of all desire, preservation, ego for the love of others.  It seems that if God wanted to reveal true essence to humanity in a way mortal, temporal humans can comprehend, the story of Jesus does that.  

There's a lot of mystery in Christianity.  That should never be forgotten.  The "why" questions are numerous.  Their answers unclear or incomplete.  I think it is forgotten that doubt is often not completely absent in faith and trust.  

Back to why Jesus?  I would say the transcendentals (good, truth, beauty, love) are experienced through the story of Christ.  They are readily experienced in this concept of God.  When we experience the good, the true, and beautiful we experience God. They are held within the perfect loving relationship of the Trinity.  The lover, the beloved, and love itself.  Unity.  We are one.  "Imagine" that. lol. 

Yes, this all involves a trust of faith that our brushes with the transcendentals have true meaning.  I have a hard time with an existence w/o meaning.  Probably enough for now. 

Whatever gets you through the night, it's alright.