Friday Open Thread
It’s Friday, talk to us!
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DEFCON COMMUNITY
During our stem cell campaign, DefCon America ran two full page ads in the New York Times in May and June. Click here to see the ad from May. Click here to see the ad from June.
We also released our first video on YouTube featuring DefCon advisory board member and former NARAL head Kate Michelman's incredible story and by doing all we could to empower the millions of Americans for whom we are fighting. Click here to view the video. To be sure, the fight for health and hope is not over. In the coming months, this fight will move to the states, where citizens are tired of waiting for a misguided President to do the right thing and have taken the issue into their own hands. Stay tuned to the DefCon Blog for updates. |
DefCon Blog
143 Responses to “Friday Open Thread” |
Five minutes of today are worth as much to me, as five minutes in the next millennium.
Let us be poised, and wise, and our own, today.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Life is a comedy to those whot think, but a tagedy to those who feel. — Waypole
Who think
Well, we’ve seen 4 subject threads this week, with one being today’s open thread and two covering essentially the same subject. What gives?
Don’t know, Tony.
I’ve been pursuing some other interests but wasn’t there one of those values voters rallys and stuff going on?
I thought that would have been a good topic.
I’m a bit behind on current events just now.
Dale,
Below is a link to an interesting article about the existence of parallel universes.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=paUniverse_sun14_parallel_universes&show_article=1&cat=0
Just think - in a another parallel universe you just might be a Baptist preacher.
I haven’t been around to post in a long time but I thought this might be an interesting conversation/debate:
Which presidential candidate will do the best job of protecting the constitution?
Which candidate is the biggest threat to the constitution?
John,
Which candidate will do the best job of protecting the Constitution? Thats easy - Ron Paul.
Which candidate is the biggest threat to the Constitution? Thats easy - Hilliary Clinton.
I propose that we hire a circus chimp to occupy the Oval Office. Give him a bag of darts and a decision board at 7:00 AM every morning. Come back in two hours and roll with whatever he has hit by 9:00 AM.
Mark,
Your last paragraph- That’s the way we are presently doing it.
Here is what they would ultimately lead us to.
Mark,
by the way, Paul is a neo-confederate of the Thomas DiLorenzo variety.
Here is a letter that was influential in Vitter’s (the cheating bastard) decision to recall the earmark to the fundy group. Enjoy!
Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader. By Rick Ross
Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
Followers feel they can never be “good enough”.
The group/leader is always right.
The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
OK, OK, just for 2 minutes of fun, try this, and I do mean fun only. I’m not hitching my philosophical wagon to this!
John Stossel (gimme a break) just did this piece on 20/20 where he made an attempt to inject doubt into the findings of the IPCC, Al Gore and the book/movie “An Inconvenient Truth” and, I suppose, to question the choice of IPCC/Gore for the Nobel prize.
Quacks like Stossel insist on sowing seeds of confusion by framing the debate on climate change as an either/or equation. Either it’s getting warmer SOLELY due to mankind (which is NOT the position the IPCC or Gore take), or it’s not getting warmer, or, if it is getting warmer, it’s normal natural cycles. The problem with this way of discussing the issue is it ignores the fact that the findings from AIT are based upon empirical evidence that the current cycle of warming is being increasingly sped up by the human activity that began with the industrialization revolution and is continuously escalating today.
How anyone in their right mind can not understand that dumping billions of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere has an devastating effect on the planet, is beyond me. And factor in the billions of tons of toxic chemicals dumped into our lakes, rivers and oceans annually — well, we’ve got a sure-fire recipe for disaster. I wonder how much the oil industry spends annually to refute the global warming argument.
dale, the Thomas DiLorenzo comparison with Ron Paul is interesting. On what do you base that and where can I read more? They hyped the hell out of the guy on World News tonight on NBC, talking about how people are flocking to him, yet, curiously, they never mentioned that he’s a Repukelican. My mom said he’s the new Ross Perot. I thinks she’s on point. If they can get moderate Demoncrats to vote Paul, they can take votes from Sillary.
When Death Becomes a Distraction
I must admit that I am a bit distracted this evening. I didn’t want to be distracted, and I wouldn’t have been, except for my wife and the indirect consequenses of the demise of a family friend, Gary.
We recieved the news of Gary’s passing on Thursday, at dinner. What a shock! A gooder man is hard to find. He and Linda raised up three foster kids and got them through high school. The fourth they adopted at 7 years old and this kid had issues. My youngest boy was 10 at the time. I am honored that I was around to see a most positive outcome. Chris has become an inclusionist in his own right, and has great pupose in respect for his future endeavours.
So, because our home will become a quasi motel for Linda’s sister and family for one night, my wife has asked me if I would consider “organizing” my den (Trapper’s Shack, in her words, ) lest I leave the door ajar for a moment and some poor unsuspecting person would actually observe the scene, and instantly perish at the mere sight of it.
I guess some people just don’t feel safe when things are not stacked in “neat piles.”
But, against my grain, I pack. Then I stack, in the closets and the armoirs.
The one thing I know for sure is that all will be back to normal in a respectful period of time.
Respectfully submitted/ d
PS Tony and Mark and those who like engineering projects, Google: “The Burj Bubai,.” and let me know what you think. Thanks
dale - sorry for your loss.
CT,
I’m multitasking here, but, start here. Then a little Googling will satisfy your curiosity.
Thanks to all that send their condolences. It is well appreciated. Some here may remember the story about my son getting bit by the Copperhead. It was Gary that was with him. Lots of great memories, and most importantly, lessons, as administered by a very astute and honorable individual. Thans again.
CT,
Puullllleeeeze Albatross come back so CT has someone to talk with about politics! Please?
Shit, I hate polotics…..
CT,
Cleve v Bost
Good drama. Good baseball. I love the game.
dale - thanks for the link. I didn’t realize your distaste for politics, but I totally understand. Manny Ramirez said it best — “There’s always next year.” Joe Torre will be missed, but I’m grateful for the five championships.
nitey-nite
The diiference between rupublicans and democrats is like the differnce beteen a cold bucket of spit and a warm bucket of spit. Who said that?
Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde,
“To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.”
Say What???
NASA: Ozone hole returns to average size
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
WASHINGTON - The Antarctic ozone hole is back to an average size, shrinking about 16 percent from last year’s record high, NASA said Friday. But it’s still the size of North America.
The Irish novelist George Moore once wrote, “a man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
Dale,
I posted and then ran off to a Friday night concert. I look forward to reviewing all of your posts.
Dale,
Sorry about the loss of your friend, Gary.
just saw this morn that CREATIONIST JINDAL is leading LA.’s gubernatorial election!!
What the FLUCK!##!
Yahweh,
There is this crazy gal from New Orleans that has been writing about Jindal rather extensively.
Check out her blog here.
The Values Voter Conference is in session. Daily KOS has the story.
“The Un$poken Rea$on The Fundie$ Are Threatening to Bolt if Rudy Win$ the Nomination”
“The Family Research Council is hosting a Values Voters Summit this weekend in Washington DC. The results of the straw poll were just announced, and Romney eked out a narrow win over Mike Huckabee (among voters in attendance, Huckabee beat Romney by 40 percentage points). ”
http://www.dailykos.com/
Dale–sorry about the loss of your friend.
C.T.–is it just me or has Stossel changed over the years from being more progressive and/or democratic in his views to much more intolerant and/or republican in them? The thing that I dislike most about the mass media programs is that they don’t show both sides of the story. I’m tired of slanted news, so I don’t care to watch most shows anymore. However, I had it on but was busy doing other things but I did hear some of the things they said.
Before anyone asks..yes I believe that the majority of democrats are more progressive and that there are at least some republicans (fundamentalist types) who are intolerant. Of course, that does not mean that there cannot be some of both in either camp.
test
Carla,
I composed and sent a two paragraph comment about Stossel a few minutes ago, but i see it did not make it.
Suffice to say that Stossel is an enigma, and somewhat tilting towards the Ann Coulter genre of “jouralism.”
yes, Carla - I’d say that is a fair characterization of Stossel. He is beyond annoying.
dale - thanx for the heads up on the dailykos. the story led me to a link for http://www.ivotevalues.org/
and below are some excerpts. Enjoy.
Imagine the Impact that Americans of faith could have on the future of our nation, the character of its leadership and the moral health of its people if we all applied biblical principles to every aspect of our lives
— including our participation in the democratic process.
(of course that could be said of any religion/philosophy/political system - therefore…..zzzzzzzzzz)
…in 2002, the last non-presidential election year, only 43 percent of evangelical Christians actually bothered to vote. (Yay!)
When people of faith fail to vote, is it any wonder
that policies are enacted that are contrary to believers’
core values? (OMG — imagine that. without evangelicals, our country will plunge into chaos)
“If America is to survive, we must elect more God-centered men and women to public office – individuals who will seek Divine guidance in the affairs of state.”
–Billy Graham, Evangelist
(looks like we’re doomed)
dale - Indians got spanked tonite, huh!?!
I prescribe to certain values held by the self proclaimed libertrian, Stossel.
If I may, I would say that some of these pundits take on a cause, like some UFO proponents do, because they are good a perpetuating meager evidence, and they are great writers.
Leave it to you, CT, to rub it in.
It just makes tomorrow all the better.
Kentucky Erects Road Signs For Creation Museum
The states of Kentucky and Indiana have erected signs promoting the Answers in Genesis Creation museum along local highways and interstates.
Answers in Genesis paid for the four signs ($5,000 each), but state workers put the signs up, according to Transportation Cabinet spokesperson David Devers.
Kevin Eigelbach of the Cincinnati Post reports that, “Answers in Genesis simply took advantage of a benefit available to any other major Kentucky tourist attraction.”
http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071011/LIFE/710110341/1005
America is NOT a religion free zone. If Larry Flint’s speech is protected then Answers in Genesis must also be protected. The concept of free speech is that disagreeable speech, is the only speech, that needs to be protected.
Answers in Genesis has opened a highly visible tourist attraction, not allowing the signs would be unconstitutional.
CT,
Since I do have some ties with Cleveland, and they are starving for a ring, I think I may break my tradition and root for the first Am leag team ever. I just don’t have any emotional interest in the Rockies.
Go Cleveland
October 19th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Tony Says:
Well, we’ve seen 4 subject threads this week, with one being today’s open thread and two covering essentially the same subject. What gives?
What gives, is that this site has less then 20 regular posters and Elizabeth has a LOT of better thinks to do then waste time and energy on defcon.
goodbye tony.
http://www.earthsky.org/skywatching/orionid-radiant
20 X exponential influence = Major influence.
I would like to say that I have had some great communications here at this diminutive site.
Perfect for me.
minuscule may be a better word, Infinitesimal or maybe even teeny.
dale - I feel ya re: no emotional interest in the series, but you know, as a Yankee fan, I love watching the Sox squirm. (sorry alba, wherever you are).
Bill - It wasn’t my money that paid for them, so who cares if AIG paid for signs to promote their fakeseum. Fundies will go and rational beings won’t. Whatever. Some day AIG will join the Flat Earth Society on a broken-down porch where they can talk about the “good old daze.”
It is rather curious why someone would percieve DEFCON, with it’s 20 people, be such a threat that they would spend copious amounts of time trying to discredit the opinions of 20 people.
That is rather curious that we would see that type of over-reaction to 20 people.
Yeah right!
C.T. this is the open thread. I noticed something and I posted it here.
No prob, bill. I noticed you support AIG and I think they’re full of shit. what’s the big deal?
Somebody needs to investigate their internal motives.
Oct 21, 12:28 AM EDT
By MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press Writer
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal won the Louisiana governor’s race Saturday, becoming the nation’s youngest governor and the first non-white to hold the state’s post since Reconstruction.
CT,
Then we are united in our hate of the sox and, please, let the Indians prevail. !
CT,
I hate to admit it, but I will be rooting for Cleveland, if they make it, but against those miserable sox if they prevail.
It would be very satisfying to see the Rockies knock off the Sox.
Yeah, it would be kinda fun to say to Alba, “hey I hear you got your sox knocked off by the rockies.”
It will be interesting to see what type of constitutional problems Jindal will get himself into. He is an egomaniac and will run afoul ofthe law in short order. This is predictable.
If he can do something for New Orleans, I’ll give him a pass. Let’s hope he’s got some balls.
Dale, my daughter and grandson live in the ATL and they only have 90 days of water left because the Army Corp of Engineers say that are mandated to release a billion gallons of water per day from Lake Lanier in order to protect to species of mussels in Florida. I am envirnomentally conscious, but where do you draw the line, if one has to be drawn?
CT,
Alba must be totally immersed in her new circumstances. She’ll be back!
Oct 20, 4:41 PM EDT
DENNIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — A second-grader’s drawing of a stick figure shooting a gun earned him a one-day school suspension.
Kyle Walker, 7, was suspended last week for violating Dennis Township Primary School’s zero-tolerance policy on guns, the boy’s mother, Shirley McDevitt, told The Press of Atlantic City.
Kyle gave the picture to another child on the school bus, and that child’s parents complained about it to school officials, McDevitt said. Her son told her the drawing was of a water gun, she said.
Kyle drew other pictures, including a skateboarder, King Tut, a ghost, a tree and a Cyclops, the newspaper reported.
_______________
I’m glad I’m not a kid today. Some of the things I did as a kid in the 50s and 50s would probably get me sent to juvi. I remember, in 6th grade, some kid set up a booby trap so that a party popper went off when this teacher opened the door to her car. Today, that kid would face terrorism charges. Back then, he got a days detention and never did it again.
CT,
The water problem is being ignored because of Las V.
will send more later.
The water problem has been hushed up for 17 years.
yeah, dale. After living in Cali for 30 years, I have an acute awareness of water issues.
I leave you tonight with a great baseball quote. E y’all later.
I never did say that you can’t be a nice guy and win. I said that if I was playing third base and my mother rounded third with the winning run, I’d trip her up.
-Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher …..is he dead yet?
My big hope is that the Yankees hire Francona away from the Red Sox, and the Red Sox hire Joe Torre.
Then, the Yankees fall on their asses, and the Steinbrenners beg Torre to return, and he tells them (tactfully and with his usual great class) to sove their money up their asses.
That would be a dream come true.
Where ever Torre lands, if he lands as a baseball manager, will become my favorite team.
We twenty regular posters must be pretty influential to draw so much attention and energy and time from our ‘lil buddy.
Only In America:
Can a child—whose ethnic culture embraced polytheism, multi-verses( multi -universes)wherein this universe is thought to be over 13 billion years old , reverence for all creatures— turn his back on that culture and adopt dogmas of triune dieties, an earth centered universe created less than 6000 years ago, dominion over other creatures by ma—and be elected governor of a poly-cultured, ethnically diverse state.
BOBBY JINDAL is Governor-elect of Louisiana!
ONLY in America!
…by man—
Jindal will be the religious right’s pick for president in 2012.
Remember, LA is the most backward, superstitious laden state in the Union.
…there will be a lot of journalistic digging, tempatations as great and widespread as Katrina in La. society and its politics, and frailties of human nature between now and then…
October 21st, 2007 at 12:57 am Unfortunately, ha ha made you look.
October 21st, 2007 at 1:04 am
C.T. Says:
I’m glad I’m not a kid today. Some of the things I did as a kid in the 50s and 50s would probably get me sent to juvi. I remember, in 6th grade, some kid set up a booby trap so that a party popper went off when this teacher opened the door to her car. Today, that kid would face terrorism charges. Back then, he got a days detention and never did it again.
*** CT you are beginning to sound like a conservative.
October 21st, 2007 at 6:34 am
In your dreams.
Associated Press
October 21, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max McGee, the unexpected hero of the first Super Bowl and a long-time challenge for Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, died Saturday after falling from the roof of his home, police confirmed. He was 75.
He scored the first touchdown in Super Bowl history?
Dale: if you think La is bad, you ought to spend some time in Mississippi–the anus of the nation!
October 21st, 2007 at 2:08 pm
dale Says:
Jindal will be the religious right’s pick for president in 2012.
dale - God willing (he-he) the RR will be a fringe group at best by 2012 and definitely not a part of the GOP or any other main-stream organization. Hopefully the secularly correct will be the dominant force in American politics by then.
Giuliani told the “values voters” that old cliche, “Freedom of religion doesn’t mean freedom FROM religion” yesterday and they all applauded. Personally, I think the whole concept of separation of church and state means exactly “freedom FROM religion” in the political process and the making of laws for governing our reprublic, i.e., believe what you want, but keep it in the private sector, e.g. in churches and out of the public sector, e.g., our schools and government.
Amen to that, CT.
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Bush’s new appointment to the Federal Family Planning Program at HHS.
She is Dr. Susan Orr, a fundy and graduate of Regent U.
She worked for the Family Research Council- Tony Perkins. Of course she is an abstinence only nutwad and believes aids is god’s punishment, etc.
Susan Orr overseeing family planning programs is like the Flat Earth Society being put in charge of NASA.”
“– In a 2000 Weekly Standard article, Orr railed against requiring health insurance plans to cover contraceptives. “It’s not about choice,” said Orr. “It’s not about health care. It’s about making everyone collaborators with the culture of death.” She’s not even talking about abortion here…What the…?
We just got rid of Keroac and now this. Totally irrational.
Trying to govern people using the bible will bring nothing but trouble.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/17/susan-orr/
Most Regent graduates have a hard time finding a job but the admin has hired over 150 of them.
“Today, Regent University, founded by the televangelist Pat Robertson to provide “Christian leadership to change the world,” boasts that it has 150 graduates working in the Bush administration.”
“Unfortunately for the image of the school, where Mr. Robertson is chancellor and president, the most famous of those graduates is Monica Goodling, a product of the university’s law school. She’s the former top aide to Alberto Gonzales who appears central to the scandal of the fired U.S. attorneys and has declared that she will take the Fifth rather than testify to Congress on the matter.”
“The infiltration of the federal government by large numbers of people seeking to impose a religious agenda - which is very different from simply being people of faith - is one of the most important stories of the last six years. It’s also a story that tends to go underreported, perhaps because journalists are afraid of sounding like conspiracy theorists.”
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/041307D.shtml
Another Regent U bizzaro.
‘Regent University (founder: Pat Robertson) isn’t exactly what you might call a pillar of educational excellence. Unless you’re specializing in Medieval Studies, that is. Herbert O. Chadbourne, a Gulf War veteran, just settled a lawsuit with the university (he sued Regent, Pat Robertson, and two administrators last year) after being suspended for developing an unfortunate facial tic. Chadbourne claimed that the tic may have been the result of exposure to chemical or biological agents during Desert Storm, but that wasn’t good enough for Regent University, who came up with the much more likely explanation that he was - wait for it - possessed by demons. Chadbourne said in court papers that, “It was the sudden onset of this disability that caused at least one, if not several, of the plaintiff’s religiously fervent classmates to inform the plaintiff that he ‘had a demon and had therefore been cursed by God for being sinful.’” Apparently an associate dean told Chadbourne that nine students had “expressed concern” about him (but refused to identify the students, naturally) before suspending him and barring him from returning to campus. Perhaps in light of this incident Regent University should rethink their curriculum - courses such as Practical Witch Dunking and Flat Earth Science could bring them kicking and screaming into the fourteenth century.”–Democratic Underground
It would be funny if they weren’t so darn serious about taking over. Thankfully, all 150 will be out of a job along with Bush, a little over a year from today. Of course, there employment in the WH is just a primer for the undercover work they will undertake within corporate America after their “tour of duty” in D.C. I’m glad there are now organizations that track all these fundies, because after they lose the WH, they are going to be mad as hell and they will direct that anger at the state and local level….so watch out for insane laws trying to impede women’s free access to a safe abortion - trying to mandate creationism in school curriculums - anti-gay rights measures - mandatory time for “silent meditation” (code for prayer in schools) - singing of God Bless America at school events - pledging allegiance to the flag at work, etc, etc. They are going to try unceasingly, to chip away at the secular democracy so many have fought and died for.
Final post for tonight. dale, sorry if this gets you riled, but I hope you will get a laugh at Dinesh instead.
Why Atheists are Not Very Bright
Posted Oct 19th 2007 6:10AM by Dinesh D’Souza
Filed under: Christianity, Philosophy, Atheism
The following is adapted from my new book What’s So Great About Christianity. For more information about the book, see my website dineshdsouza.com.
http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2007/10/19/why-atheists-are-not-very-bright/
Dale, the proliferation of fundamentalist dominionist revisionist born-again arm-waving floor-rolling tounge-speaking mouth-foaming “christians” who “graduated” from Regent “university” and are now working in the admin of President Shitforbrains is only one reason why I say we are right now, this minute, living in a theocracy.
Those nutcases working in numerous federal agencies will NOT all be out of a job when Shitforbrains is drummed out of office. Many will stay employed right where they are. They are “professional” workers. They will stay.
And they will continue to undermine what the USA stands for.
Here is an article about how NASA is withholding the results of a study showing commercial and private aviation to be far more dangerous than the public thinks.
NASA even admits that they are withholding the results of the study simply because release of the results to the public would cause great financial harm to airlines.
And they think that’s a valid reason to withhold the results from the public.
President Shitforbrains is responsible for what NASA does. This is another example of his total disregard for people.
Read all about it here…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071022/ap_on_re_us/air_safety_secrets
The election victory of Bobby Jindal is very scary.
The news media talking heads have no idea what a nutcase he is. They are all just cooing over the asshole.
CT,
Dinesh. Oh boy. Where to start. I won’t start because metaphysics has no merit, evidence, or testability. It is purely more snake oil crackpottery. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was classified as the fiction that it is.
The commenters below the article did a good job at pointing out all the weaknesses with the Kantean phylosophy, but the main flaw is that they tke great pains to say there are all these senses that we do not posess, yet they can never tell us what they might be, while using logical fallacies and outright preposterous claims as “evidence.”
In my journal I classify Dinesh with Pseudo-science, bigfoot, aliens, mystics, etc.
Don,
I agree, some people refuse to see the “handwriting on the wall.”
Don - on second thought, I realize you’re correct that some of the Regent grads will still be in certain positions within the gov’t even after Bush is done fu*king us. Definitely not cool. The creepy part is that thy are spys for an unknown, unseen mythical diety society and are subversively attempting to impose their bigoted ideology on the rest of us because they BELIEVE they have been ordered by Jesus to do so.
I was at the values voter summit in Washington this weekend. I write a bit about it here:
http://schmitzblitz.wordpress.com/2007/10/23/my-weekend-with-the-christianists/
Elizabeth - you said in your post about the Values Summit, “The conversations I’ve had with these Christian activists provided great insight into the deeply held religious beliefs that these individuals hold (and are trying to spread).”
Thank you for that. It addresses my biggest beef with these types. I don’t care WHAT they believe, but I am sick and tired of their insistence on spreading their manure everywhere.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Oral Roberts returned to his namesake university Monday and denied the lurid accusations that have threatened to engulf the school, telling students and employees in a chapel service that “the devil is not going to steal ORU.”
Ha-ha. Oral Roberts called his son the devil. I wonder if next he’ll call him a son of a bitch.
October 22nd, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Eliza Schmitz Says:
*** Hi Eliza.
Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;
to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The LORD is the Maker of them all.
3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.
5 In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares,
but he who guards his soul stays far from them.
6 Train [a] a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He who sows wickedness reaps trouble,
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
9 A generous man will himself be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.
10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.
11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious
will have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge,
but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!”
or, “I will be murdered in the streets!”
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
he who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17 Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD,
I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty [b] sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you true and reliable words,
so that you can give sound answers
to him who sent you?
22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor
and do not crush the needy in court,
23 for the LORD will take up their case
and will plunder those who plunder them.
24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn his ways
and get yourself ensnared.
26 Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge
or puts up security for debts;
27 if you lack the means to pay,
your very bed will be snatched from under you.
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
set up by your forefathers.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings;
he will not serve before obscure men.
C.T., you are correct…these fundie nutcases now working in federal agencies do intend to implement their instructions from the Baby Jesus. And they are in every agency.
1 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
have the wisdom to show restraint.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
6 Do not eat the food of a stingy man,
do not crave his delicacies;
7 for he is the kind of man
who is always thinking about the cost.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.
9 Do not speak to a fool,
for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
14 Punish him with the rod
and save his soul from death.
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
and keep your heart on the right path.
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it;
get wisdom, discipline and understanding.
24 The father of a righteous man has great joy;
he who has a wise son delights in him.
25 May your father and mother be glad;
may she who gave you birth rejoice!
26 My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes keep to my ways,
27 for a prostitute is a deep pit
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait,
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights
and your mind imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”
Confucius said,
“Clever talk and pretentious manner are seldom compatible with the benevolent.”
Those so called fundie nutcases are MAIN STREAM AMERICA.
- Bill_from_defcon
That, sir, is a bald faced lie, and I can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The only main stream in America is the Mississippi River.
CNN’s Glenn Beck says, quote, “We’re all one America. Just because I disagree with you doesn’t mean you hate America, and I love America. We all love America. We just disagree on how we should function, what we should do, big government, small government. It doesn’t mean you hate America.” Next sentence: “I think there’s a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.”
Oddly enough, CT, is the fact that the area where the California wildfires are the worst are areas that are pretty much conservative enclaves. I have to wonder if Beck realized that, or, because the fires are in California, he automatically assumed that the areas in question were predominately liberal. Either way, Beck’s comment was idiotic at best, and hate-filled at worst. Personally, I believe his comment was really hateful, regardless of the political leanings of those people, because I wouldn’t wish being trapped by wildfire on my worst enemy.
Lynne - I agree
I can’t decide if Beck is a bad comedian or a bad news commentator.
Either way he is obnoxious.
Dale, why don’t we just put it simply…Beck is BAD!
glenn beck, ROCKS
The Glenn Beck Program, is syndicated by 267 radio stations and on XM Satellite Radio channel 165 talk radio, which airs from 9 am to 12 pm(ET). The Glenn Beck Program is the 3rd highest-ranked national radio talk show among adults of ages 25 to 54, according to Premiere Research/Arbitron. He is fifth for overall listeners with 4 million a week.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Beck
267 radio stations ,
The Program is the 3rd highest-ranked national radio talk show among adults of ages 25 to 54,
He is fifth for overall listeners with 4 million a week.
How many people are listening to AL franklin on AirAmerica????????
it’s okay, i understand why you won’t answers.
MAIN STREAM AMERICA are the ones listening to Glen Beck
Glenn Beck Program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •
The Glenn Beck Program is a nationally syndicated radio program based out of Radio City, NY. Glenn Beck and his show are often compared to talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage. Beck’s show differs in that it contains less discussion about politics, and more social commentary and humor.[citation needed] Beck frequently says that he hates politics, and claims that his show contains “half the politics and twice the comedy” and “is not about Left and Right, it’s about right and wrong.” The Glenn Beck Program can be heard live on weekdays from 9 am–noon ET (with a “best of” weekend program airing on some affiliates). During this time, listeners may call into the show to voice their opinions.
bill, Beck is not half as smart as Limbaugh, who is a complete ass. These pussies will say ANYTHING to get ratings. The fact that you like them, coupled with the mythological drool you spew on this site says all that needs to be said pertaining to Beck’s credibility. Just because a lot of idiots listen to him means nothing. Nearly a whole nation listened to Hitler….does that mean Adolf rocked??
Exxon-Mobil is the largest company in the world - does that make them good? The Bible is the most widely published book….does that make it true? What’s wrong with you? You come to a site that champions the separation of church and state and spend the vast majority of your time spitting Bible verses. What the fu*k are you trying to prove?
I’m spending the precious little time I have left reading bullshit from a sociopath who calls himself Bill_from_Defcon. Somebody shoot me….please.
C.T., just scroll by his shit. That’s what most of us do.
He spends most of his time here spewing his crap because DefCon is effective at informing people about what the fundamentalist “christian” theocrats are up to, and he has devoted himself to trying to prevent us from doing that by filling this site’s threads with so much nonsense that people will turn away from it.
That has been his goal from the beginning.
I take great pleasure in scrolling by his crap, not reading any of it. My doing that means he has wasted many hours of his own time.
And none of mine.
Yeah, Don, but when he goes on one of his “how many consecutive posts can I make today” kicks, scrolling on by is a real pain in the posterior.
The thing is, I actually had a decent (I thought) debate with him the other day about abortion. Bill is perfectly capable of presenting an argument rationally. That’s why I am so damn frustrated with him. Rather than limit his posts to rational arguments or posting links of pertinent value, he disrupts in the name of defending Christianity. This site doesn’t exist to condemn Christianity (or any other religion per se) but rather, to point out and discuss those Christian fanatics that think this country would be better served by being a Christian theocracy.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NEWBORN_BLOOD_TESTS?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
This couple had their baby taken away against their will, blood was drawn and then the baby was returned. The people didn’t want to have blood drawn beause of religious beliefs, but they live in one of four states that doesn’t allow a religious exemption. The state took the baby for testing anyway saying they only did it for the sake of the baby. But the parents religion says that drawing the blood could be dangerous for the baby.
Despite the quackery involved, I feel a natural outrage at taking the baby and performing a medical proceedure on it against the beliefs of the parents. Obviously they should live in a different state, but it still stinks.
OK prove it.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Bill_from_defcon Says:
Those so called fundie nutcases are MAIN STREAM AMERICA.
- Bill_from_defcon
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:11 pm
dale Says:
That, sir, is a bald faced lie, and I can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
OK prove it.
OK prove it.
OK prove it.
OK prove it.
OK prove it.
October 24th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Bill_from_defcon Says:
October 24th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Bill_from_defcon Says:
October 25th, 2007 at 8:50 am
Lynne Says:
Yeah, Don, but when he goes on one of his “how many consecutive posts can I make today” kicks, scrolling on by is a real pain in the posterior.
Hi Lynne, I only mage 2 post on the 24th.
How many people are listening to AL Franklin on AirAmerica????????
it’s okay, i understand why you won’t answers. he he he
C.T., I understand what you were trying to do by engaging ‘lil buddy in debate.
However, although he is capable of posting rationally, he does not want to do that. He only wants to be disruptive.
My scrolling past his crap means he has wasted his time, and not mine.
I know Don. I’m just trying to channel my frustration constructively. Besides, my thumb gets tired from scrolling so much.
I just thought about it. It’s not may thumb at all. It’s my right index finger.
I switch fingers, C.T. When one finger cramps from scrolling by ‘lil buddy’s crap, I switch to the other.
lol
I am responding to all this by saying that I am typing this sentence and never once will my fingers leave my hand.
dale, thanks for link
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e10543891fd2e7277d15
smug turd
it is still a great link.
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e10543891fd2e7277d15
piss off, bill
Ct is popeaphobic and CHRISTIPHOBIC. how sad.
Piss off, little bill.
Ct are you trying to be the last one to post on each thread. ha ha
only so you don’t.
bill is like a rodent leaving his droppings everywhere he can.
bill is a canker sore on the mouth of reason
Proverbs 16
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
Act like a buffoon (like bill) and your plans will fail.
I commit to the Lord that bill will gain sanity.
Don - that’s the kindest thing anyone has said about bill. You’ve set an Christ-like example for bill and ironically, you didn’t have to become a Christian to do so. Hmmm…..I wonder what kind of a signal that sends to hypocrites like……well — like bill?