stumped even Plato — Shawn

That’s not how I recall the interaction with Socrates.

This verdict is a bad thing. It does not matter what you think of Donald Trump. It's a blatantly political case: a sitting president using a state judicial system — fishfry

Nope. Total bullshit.

It’s a good thing when a criminal gets convicted of crimes. This one isn’t too important — there are others. But you crying about it because you’ve bought into Sean Hannity’s analysis of political persecution by Biden— where there’s no evidence whatsoever — is a joke.

Spare us.

whereas religion (mythos) begins with answers we are "commanded" not to question and proceeds by faith in obeying such unquestioned answers — 180 Proof

It can be that, yeah. But then, so can philosophy — and science. Dogmatism can creep in anywhere. The point for me is a broad one: what’s called philosophy and religion often overlap in what they’re interested in, what they’re questioning. A set of beliefs with rites and rituals and social gatherings is on average perhaps less flexible and open minded than simply struggling with a question and not yet believing anything firmly, but only by averages (have you been to many philosophy departments? :vomit: ).

I take your point. Mine is an outlier view and so broad as to make the everyday meaning (which is useful) empty. But still there is something to it.

Cope.

This is the least he deserves. Would have been hung for treason back in the day. Oh well.

Loving the Trumper tears though. When he loses in November, I’m perfectly happy to hear them cry about it all for the next 4 years. Otherwise some two-bit con man getting what he deserves isn’t that interesting.

Lol, good.

Raping and dismembering and killing civilians doesn't disqualify them? — schopenhauer1

Who, Israel? Clarify.

actual movement bent on PURPOSEFULLY using disgusting tactics — schopenhauer1

Again, Israel.

Oh wait, it’s only disgusting when it’s intentional. And as usual, we’re back to intention. Of course we are — since Israel has killed and dismembered, brutally and disgustingly, more people than Hamas, it must be because they do so with high tech weaponry and nothing but DEFENSE in their hearts and souls, it’s totally fine.

Never mind that they PURPOSEFULLY want the Palestinians gone, and have said so. But I suppose that’s just them blowing off steam — Hamas has a CHARTER that says so!

immanently threatening your existence as a country. — schopenhauer1

It was argued that the spread of communism did indeed threaten the very existence of our country — and immanently. But that was just the pretext for that particular war. Plenty of people bought it, plenty who said it might have even believed it.

Israel is occupying lands, illegally and against the wishes of an entire people. They know very well the Palestinians aren’t going to stop fighting. So they keep pushing settlements in the West Bank, they make Gaza a hellhole, they mow the lawn, they promote Hamas (as Hamas— like Likud— doesn’t want a two state solution, as the PA does), and now they turn Gaza into rubble and displaced a million people.

The hope is to get rid of the Palestinian problem under the guise of “defense,” hoping the world believes history began on October 7th. So far, not working. Except with you and a handful of others with vast Wikipedia research.

decades upon decades of UN Security Council resolutions.
— Tzeentch

Already addressed this, — schopenhauer1

Yeah, already addressed it: “Sorry, biased.”
Why?
“Look at all the countries we can disregard like China and Russia and all of Africa and the Arab ones…”
And what of the ones that remain, even after these bullshit eliminations?
“Well the UN is biased.”

Another masterclass in logic by resident apartheid/ethnic cleansing / genocide apologists.

Illegal action to defend themselves? Nah not buying that argument. — schopenhauer1

There you have it folks.

Yeah, the state we happen to like for whatever reason did it, so it must be defensive. The US didn’t invade Vietnam— it was defending Vietnam. Israel is committing a genocide — it’s defending itself.

I guess Hamas too was just taking “defensive actions” on October 7th. They have a right to defend themselves against Israeli occupation, after all.

What a stupid, ahistorical rationalization.

I find in most or all of the discussions about religion that while willing to go into an issue, the is a general lack of interest to ask the basic questions that would lead to an understanding of what religion IS, that is, what there is in the world that warrants interest in the first place. — Constance

Already muddled.

You talk about where you think religion comes from — but not about what it is. That would be helpful before discussing where it “rises out of.” What is doing the rising, exactly?

Religion is amorphous, so it’s worth stating what you think it means before discussing your ideas about its origins or essence.

For my part, I see little difference between religion and philosophy— both ask very universal, difficult, extra-ordinary questions about existence. That being said, your proposition seems a little out of left field.

And since no Palestinian leaders have really taken the hard(er) route of getting past absolutist terms for peace — schopenhauer1

I don't think much of the UN.. They are a biased body. — schopenhauer1

I wonder why those with basically no historical understanding whatsoever keep displaying these tired, stale, vapid observations.

It’s Israel and the United States that have blocked any peaceful agreement, and have done so for decades. But let’s blame the people we’re stealing land from and literally fencing in. How brave.

Like I suggested to Mr Bee: since climate change denial and spamming this thread with stupid bullshit doesn’t warrant a banning, the ignore list feature works brilliantly.

The posts have already been established as worthless, so there’s nothing to miss.

There are some who argue that pregnancy should be classified as a disease. — Jussi Tennilä

And I think the “some” people who argue this should be classified as diseases.

So it could be an electrician, a lawyer, a dentist. — ssu

So anything at all, provided you work for yourself. In Other words, small business owners. I don’t see anything innovative about that, and if all those people are “entrepreneurs,” then the term is useless or redundant.

Soviet Union with it's central planning wasn't this paradise of innovation. — ssu

Sputnik?

Anyway— the US is centrally planned too.

If the real argument here is the tired line that capitalism — free markets and privatization and the profit motive — somehow leads to greater outcomes, then fine — I have no desire to debate religion.

ordinary entrepreneurship — ssu

So you are talking about the Miracle Mop and the like. What are your examples of all this small, everyday entrepreneurship? The Pet Rock?

We were discussing computers and the Internet. But by all means give some instances…

:up:

All the more reason to take him seriously on Ukraine.

So great to watch Bibi and his ilk squirm and cry over being left behind by… basically the entire world.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/24/world/middleeast/icj-israel-gaza-rafah-ruling.html

No one should really be defending a terrorist organization that murders innocent people, but also shouldn’t treat this organization as equal to the people they supposedly represent.

I’m referring of course to Likud, who is responsible for murdering tens of thousands of innocent people not only over the last 7 months but for many years. They’re not the Jews and they’re not even the Israelis— even if many Israelis support them.

Hamas shouldn’t be defended either, but they kill far fewer people and have been promoted by Bibi and his party, so…

Again, the Nat Turner Rebellion is relevant.

Yet when I refer to entrepreneurs, I do talk about the actual masses of ordinary people. — ssu

It wasn’t the masses of people that created computers and the Internet. That was the point. It comes out of government spending, mostly the department of defense. Ditto for drugs and medical research— often funded by the taxpayers, like from public research universities and research hospitals. The work is the taken and packaged nicely, privatized, and makes a few people rich. That’s what is called “entrepreneurship” in the United States.

Whatever you’re talking about, I don’t know. Maybe something like the Miracle Mop.

Hey— I like most of those people. I originally titled it “bizarre and fantastic,” but then I remembered Kissinger was on there. Not so fantastic.

It’s like arguing world hunger is a hoax because some nonprofits funnel money to rich people. That is to say: stupid.

Added one: people who write “you see.” Ugh.

Man the excuses for not doing anything on the climate are starting to get silly even by denialist standards. — Mr Bee

:up:

Just ignore climate deniers. See ignore list extension thread. I promise you won’t be missing anything.

The occupation has cultivated a longstanding disregard among Israeli soldiers for Palestinian lives, and similar impulses in the words and actions of commanders can be seen to lie behind the horrors of what we are witnessing today.

Israel has governed a people denied basic human rights and the rule of law through constant coercion, threats and intimidation. The idea that the only answer to Palestinian resistance, both violent and nonviolent, is greater — and more indiscriminate — force has shown signs of becoming entrenched in the Israel Defense Forces and in Israeli politics.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/20/opinion/israel-gaza-idf-palestinians-human-rights.html

Always fun to watch the topic immediately switch to “mom and pop stores” and other small businesses when the parasitic, greedy, pathetic behavior of “entrepreneurs” that we’re all supposed to worship is pointed out. Politicians do this all the time with taxes (“You want to tax small businesses to death!”)

Also, your take on what’s “leftist” or not is worthless. You have no clue what my views are, or where they fall on some conventional spectrum they blather about on cable news.

The guy knee deep in the Trump cult talks about how everyone else is propagandized. Not him though — he’s original. (As he repeats, verbatim, Trump’s tweets.)

:rofl:

Don’t let me interrupt. Please continue your boring one man display of sycophancy.

The genocide apologist tries satire again. Hilarious.

:yawn:

Why would anyone expect the pro-Hamas crew to be civil? — Moses

Yeah, like the civil pro-genocide crowd:

STFU moron. — Moses

:up:

See my prior comments regarding your ilk.

Unions should extend to everyone — and they basically do.
— Mikie

No, they do not extend to everyone. — javi2541997

Unions should extend to everyone— and basically do.

My point is, some class workers (prostitutes) will not have the same back-up from a union as others — javi2541997

Of course. Prostitution is illegal in many countries. But unions basically extend to everyone else. The degree of power varies.

Unions should extend to everyone — and they basically do. They’re susceptible to corruption and laziness like any other institution. The last 40 years or so, until recently, has shown what happens when you play it safe.

I’m glad to see unions on the rise again. Despite what the numbers may say, they’re gaining power.

Trump fucked a porn star and tried covering it up before the election.

Trump also tried to overthrow an election he lost.

There — I just saved everyone the time of reading countless words of apologetic gymnastics. Both are facts; both are obvious.

I can’t help myself sometimes. But no worries— I blocked him. So I’m done. Feel free to delete my comments.

You see, without the entrepreneurs these technologies would be just like computers were in the 1970's and 1960's — ssu

The “entrepreneurs.” Yeah, those valuable parasites who know how to take technology they don’t create, put it in a pretty box, and advertise the shit out of it. So let’s worship Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk. Brilliant billionaire geniuses.

What a bunch of bullshit.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/17/business/mercedes-benz-uaw-alabama-vote.html

Too bad. Alabama needs unions.

“Unions are the most powerful tool to fix the most important problem in this country.” — Hamilton Nolan

He’s speaking of wealth inequality, which underlies so many other problems. And he’s right. It’s not voting, it’s not government (although local government is a bit different). It’s really unions, and in particular their ability to strike, that serves a counterbalance to the power of corporate America and K street.

Israel is unlikely to eradicate Hamas, any more than the United States eradicated the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Vietcong in Vietnam or violent militias in Iraq.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/18/opinion/rafah-gaza-israel.html

Funny this even makes it to The NY Times. But of course he’s right. It’s a stupid decision, apart from being genocidal and morally disgusting. But it may get Bibi another few months of power. (Although even that is looking uncertain now, given his thin alliance is getting restless.)

@180 Proof

Just watched the Mearsheimer video in full, BTW. Crystal clear, as always— but the Q&A was especially interesting.

Two dead threads from years ago — Lionino

That don’t exist. Oh wait, they exist but they’re from years ago. Oh wait, not from years ago but 7 months ago.

I really shouldn’t engage with imbeciles. My bad. You’re going on the ignore list. Have fun talking to yourself. Bye.

Interesting…

America’s energy system has a problem: Solar and wind developers want to build renewable energy at a breakneck pace — and historic climate legislation has fueled their charge with financial incentives worth billions of dollars. But too often the power that these projects can produce has nowhere to go. That’s because the high-voltage lines that move energy across the country don’t have the capacity to handle what these panels and turbines generate. At the same time, electric vehicles, data centers, and new factories are pushing electricity demand well beyond what was expected just a few years ago.

As a result, the U.S. is poised to generate more energy — and, crucially, more carbon-free energy — than ever before, but the nation’s patchwork system of electrical grids doesn’t have enough transmission infrastructure to deliver all that renewable energy to the homes and businesses that could use it. Indeed, this transmission gap could negate up to half of the climate benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, according to one analysis.

On Monday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, approved a new rule that could help complete this circuit. The agency, which has jurisdiction over interstate power issues, is essentially trying to prod the country’s many electricity providers to improve their planning processes and coordinate with each other in a way that encourages investment in this infrastructure. The hope is that this new regulation will not only address the outstanding interconnection challenge and growing demand but also fortify the grid in the face of extreme weather, given that more transmission will make it easier to shift electricity from one grid to another when there are disaster-driven outages.

However…

However, the reality of the rulemaking process means that the action might not come as quickly as the moment seems to demand. Though the rule was approved on Monday, it doesn’t take effect until 60 days after its publication, and then grid operators and transmission planners will have 10 to 12 months to outline how they intend to comply with the new rule. Only then will the actual planning begin.

[…]

Of course, these new requirements could be delayed or derailed by lawsuits — a likely prospect given the history of legal challenges faced by major FERC rules in the past. Both Powell and Phillips said that they believe that the new policy is durable enough to withstand those challenges. Powell told Grist that the rule went through a lengthy review process that involved extensive public comment. FERC went through 15,000 pages of those comments and ensured that the arguments and issues raised in each were weighed and considered before the final rule was completed.

https://grist.org/energy/ferc-transmission-rule-electricity-grid/

I’m sure it’ll be challenged— and who knows with this Trump-stacked judiciary what will happen.

Reconductoring is included and that’s a good thing too.

Funny how I don’t see them creating threads about the topics they seem to care so much about.

Even though they exist already. But no matter.

I really shouldn’t even take imbeciles seriously.

Yeah, racist genocide promoters love to divert attention from the topic of the thread. Anything to defend the Nazi regime.

Hey look! Suffering in Bangladesh! :lol: — idiocy knows no bounds.

Dabney Coleman. So strange that he popped into my thoughts yesterday while cutting the lawn. My mind wandered to "Cloak and Dagger," an old 80s movie -- and I wondered if he was still alive. At that moment, he was. 24 hours late...not. So strange.

I used to always get him confused with the Dad from A Christmas Story.