Steerzing in a New Direction...

[free thoughtpolice]

If you were talking about with her that wouldn't be creepy. The fact that you posted that many details over the internet is what creeps me out.
You really have PZ sense of humor but instead of sticking rotting porcupines up other people's asses you ask other people to suck yours.At least PZ got tired of it at some point, you just can't stop talking about. Beyond boring.
Like PZ you also seem to think it's cute or funny to threaten to stab people. haha You 2 are real cards

[Brive1987]

Nb there is a world of difference between “and Germany’s jurisdiction would not shift 1 inch east” and what was actually said:

“And NATO’s jurisdiction … “

That expands the conversation well past a unified Germany.

The discussion was about NATO presence inside a unified Germany. Go argue with Gorbachev who says that the wider issue of NATO in the East was not discussed.

A more reasonable view would be that German and NATO eastwards expansion was synonymous back then. The concept of turning Warsaw Pact members into NATO buddies was an impossible concept to entertain. But the intent was clear. NATO, even with Germany, was not wanting to project an eastwards advance in its ‘defensive’ wall of steel into Soviet defensive areas of concern.

[John D]

Saw my 94 year old mom today.

She is in the memory care area of a nursing home. It costs a fortune to keep her there but my dad made pretty good money and invested well. Maybe their million dollars will be gone when this is done.

My dad died two years ago. On the way out he would mistake me for his brother and yell at me to help him. I would move him for one chair to the next... and in two minutes he would yell for help again. So I would move him back. Eventually they "made him comfortable". This is the code word for "We will give him enough morphine that he will stop breathing in a few days." There is no assisted suicide in the US, but there is "make them comfortable". My plan is to strangle myself with a tie-strap before I get this bad, but I might not be smart enough to kill myself once I get this bad.

My mom is slipping off. Maybe she has two years. She fell five days ago, went to the ER, and got 10 stiches in her head. She doesn't remember this. A trip to the ER five days ago does not stay in her head.

We did spend an hour with me playing guitar and singing old songs. She can still sing old songs that she knew. She was happy and sang with me. We laughed. Then I ran out of songs and it was time for her nap.

I struggle to visit her. I don't know why. I hesitate to take the few hours to see her. There is a kind of psychological barrier in me and I sometimes put it off. I need to see her more. I am disappointed in myself... but at least I saw her today.

[John D]

If you were talking about with her that wouldn't be creepy. The fact that you posted that many details over the internet is what creeps me out.
You really have PZ sense of humor but instead of sticking rotting porcupines up other people's asses you ask other people to suck yours.At least PZ got tired of it at some point, you just can't stop talking about. Beyond boring.
Like PZ you also seem to think it's cute or funny to threaten to stab people. haha You 2 are real cards

Pretty sure I didn't start this... but... if you stop lying about me spying on my daughter I will stop talking about your lips on my ass... deal?

[Steersman]

Nb there is a world of difference between “and Germany’s jurisdiction would not shift 1 inch east” and what was actually said:

“And NATO’s jurisdiction … “

That expands the conversation well past a unified Germany.

The discussion was about NATO presence inside a unified Germany. Go argue with Gorbachev who says that the wider issue of NATO in the East was not discussed.

A more reasonable view would be that German and NATO eastwards expansion was synonymous back then. The concept of turning Warsaw Pact members into NATO buddies was an impossible concept to entertain. But the intent was clear. NATO, even with Germany, was not wanting to project an eastwards advance in its ‘defensive’ wall of steel into Soviet defensive areas of concern.

Doesn't look like a particularly tenable argument.

You might take a gander at the "Timeline of countries becoming NATO members as of 2020. Dark blue marks countries that were already NATO members at the given time. Light blue marks new members" from the Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_NATO

Of particular note:

After the end of the Cold War, NATO added 14 more members from 1999 to 2020.

Many if not most of which seem to have been previously Soviet "client states".

As a quip of the "flower generation" had it, “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Russia is clearly something of a "failed state" - although Chomsky argues, with some justification, that the US likewise qualifies - with any number of black marks against it. But that doesn't mean that all of their arguments are null and void or beyond the pale.

[John D]

Chomsky is a special kind of idiot. Just sayin.

[Steersman]

Chomsky is a special kind of idiot. Just sayin.

Bravely spoken, even if with a surfeit of foolhardiness and a dearth of evidence:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky

Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He is a Laureate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona and an Institute Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and is the author of more than 150 books on topics such as linguistics, war, politics, and mass media. Ideologically, he aligns with anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism.

[John D]

Geeee wizzzz. Ivermectin works. Who knew?

[John D]

Steers... this is how I know you are also a special kind of idiot. You actually agree with Chomsky. He is a liar and some kind of space alien.

[Steersman]

Geeee wizzzz. Ivermectin works. Who knew?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfyOihhAD4A

:roll:

In November 2021, Campbell made false claims about the use of the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_(YouTuber)

Though many people - myself included - have acknowledge that ivermectin has *some* anti-viral effects. The point though is that evidence suggests that that is at levels that are far outside normal dosing for deworming, if not into toxic territory. You might actually try reading and thinking about countervailing evidence, as difficult as I expect that is for you - and no few others here.

For instance, see SBM:

The basic idea behind this conspiracy theory is simple. Both ivermectin and the Pfizer drug are protease inhibitors, but ivermectin is being “suppressed” because Pfizer wants to make huge profits from its drug Paxlovid and ivermectin is a cheap competitor. ....

As is the case with many COVID-19 conspiracy theories, there is a tiny grain of truth in the comparison of the drugs, but only a very tiny grain that conspiracy theorists seem to view as a whole field of wheat. ....

Spoiler alert: Ivermectin does inhibit the same protease that PF-07321332 does, but, as is the case for viral replication, it requires a concentration that is not achievable by oral dosing.

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pfizer ... vermectin/

And my earlier comment from last December:

However, those look to be rather minimal, although if one is on death's doorstep then it might qualify as a hail mary pass. Or it might boost a person's immune response by - maybe - 5% to 10%, sufficient to pull them back from it:

Ivermectin does, in fact, have some anti-viral effects. But those come from the fact that its target is "not a viral component, but a host protein important in intracellular transport". Entirely different chemistry from the Pfizer & Merck anti-virals under development.

But that kinda makes ivermectin somewhat toxic at the "half maximal inhibitory concentration" (IC50) level, and not particularly effective at the "highest regulatory approved dose of ivermectin" which is at least a thirtieth to a fiftieth of that IC50 concentration:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7172803/

Sure there may be, as the NCBI article suggests, some benefit in enhancing a person's immune system at those much lower levels. As it says, it may be "key to enabling the body's immune system to begin to mount the full antiviral response before the infection takes control." And that benefit may well contribute to some of the differences in the Ivmmeta studies - even apart from the effects of possible worm infections.

But those benefits look to be marginal at best - entirely consistent with the concentration levels of recommended doses - and likely only to manifest themselves when the patient is more or less on death's doorstep.

Further, you might note the tailend of that NCBI document which states:

Ivermectin's key direct target in mammalian cells is a not a viral component, but a host protein important in intracellular transport (Yang et al., 2020); the fact that it is a host-directed agent (HDA) is almost certainly the basis of its broad-spectrum activity against a number of different RNA viruses in vitro (Tay et al., 2013; Yang et al., 2020). The way a HDA can reduce viral load is by inhibiting a key cellular process that the virus hijacks to enhance infection by suppressing the host antiviral response. Reducing viral load by even a modest amount by using a HDA at low dose early in infection can be the key to enabling the body's immune system to begin to mount the full antiviral response before the infection takes control.

Note the "host-directed agent"; ivermectin works by screwing with "key cellular processes" which is why it tends to be toxic at anything above the recommended dosages which are some 30 to 50 times less than what is required to really "kill" virus particles. Which that NCBI article goes into some detail on.

https://slymepit.com/phpbb/viewtopic.ph ... 50#p507050

[free thoughtpolice]

If you were talking about with her that wouldn't be creepy. The fact that you posted that many details over the internet is what creeps me out.
You really have PZ sense of humor but instead of sticking rotting porcupines up other people's asses you ask other people to suck yours.At least PZ got tired of it at some point, you just can't stop talking about. Beyond boring.
Like PZ you also seem to think it's cute or funny to threaten to stab people. haha You 2 are real cards

Pretty sure I didn't start this... but... if you stop lying about me spying on my daughter I will stop talking about your lips on my ass... deal?

If you stick to it OK.
I might even share some of my birdwatching trip where, along 6 miles of shoreline I was able to observe approx 100,000 gulls, Glaucous, Glaucous Wing, California, Ring billed, Herring Gull, and others, many thousands of small ducks, Surf Scoters, White winged Scoters, Harlequins, Goldeneye, Buffleheads and others. I only saw about 50 Eagles but I didn't look that hard for them, there were herons, and flocks of Brewers and Redwinged Black birds.
I have photos, not sure it is worthwhile taking the effort to format them.

[Service Dog]

You can't read? Im' not the one that is talking about the girl's sex life. That was your Dickless pal that was doing that. I was pointing out how creepy he was to do that.
You are an idiot that apparently can't comprehend the English language.

I can read! And I won't-fall for your little pronoun game:

You say you were "pointing out" how creepy "he was to do that".

EXCEPT: the thing you were "pointing out" was you do-ing it, in your pedo incest FICTION.

Only you imagined creeping-up to an underage girl's door & listening to her masturbate.
You named the fictional father 'John', but that character is your creation.

Also note-- that you have invoked the term "projection" and the term "slander"...

I can only imagine if Abbie tried to post again at the site she actually started. If she made an unpopular remarks about vaccines, facemasks, or the origins of the coronavirus pandemic the dog and pony show would probably tell her that as a virus researcher she isn't qualified because she is funded by the CDC, or is probably a criminal that engages in dangerous gain of function research on possible bioweapons, Dickless would accuse her of working for the Communist Chinese, tell her to suck his asshole and then run away crying like a little girl.

fiction.

zero self-awareness.

what happens next in your fantasy?

Is there an audiobook?

https://www.audible.com/pd/Bending-Audiobook/B00E3XPP0A

[Steersman]

Steers... this is how I know you are also a special kind of idiot. You actually agree with Chomsky. He is a liar and some kind of space alien.

:roll:
You're really not covering yourself with much if any glory, particularly when it comes to unevidenced claims about Chomsky & ivermectin.

Relative to Chomsky, all I said was that was some justification for his charge of "failed state" against the US. Hardly a categorical agreement with all of his positions - I expect that I would agree with many, though not all, of his arguments about linguistics and "cognitive science", but may well part company on his views on "anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism". Your level of analysis seems to be little more than "4 legs good, 2 legs bad", than judging a book by its cover.

As for ivermectin, your "position" and arguments seem rather surprising at best given your otherwise credible touting of Winsberg's YouTube video on "causal inference". That there may well be some minor "statistically significant" effects with ivermectin is hardly proof that it is particularly useful against Covid, much less that it is the magic bullet that too many anti-vaxxers seem to claim is the case.

But, en passant, I was kind of amused to see that Winsberg is apparently supported by the "John Templeton Foundation" which seems to be motivated by something of an evangelical Christian perspective. Not that that by itself is entirely beyond the pale.

[Steersman]

You can't read? Im' not the one that is talking about the girl's sex life. That was your Dickless pal that was doing that. I was pointing out how creepy he was to do that.
You are an idiot that apparently can't comprehend the English language.

<snip>

I can only imagine if Abbie tried to post again at the site she actually started. If she made an unpopular remarks about vaccines, facemasks, or the origins of the coronavirus pandemic the dog and pony show would probably tell her that as a virus researcher she isn't qualified because she is funded by the CDC, or is probably a criminal that engages in dangerous gain of function research on possible bioweapons, Dickless would accuse her of working for the Communist Chinese, tell her to suck his asshole and then run away crying like a little girl.

fiction.

zero self-awareness.

what happens next in your fantasy?

Is there an audiobook?

https://www.audible.com/pd/Bending-Audiobook/B00E3XPP0A

:roll:

FTP's statement was a hypothetical, a set of "counterfactuals": "IF Abbie tried ..."; "IF she made unpopular remarks ..."

Counterfactual conditionals (also subjunctive or X-marked) are conditional sentences which discuss what would have been true under different circumstances, e.g. "If Peter believed in ghosts, he would be afraid to be here."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterfa ... onditional

[John D]

If you were talking about with her that wouldn't be creepy. The fact that you posted that many details over the internet is what creeps me out.
You really have PZ sense of humor but instead of sticking rotting porcupines up other people's asses you ask other people to suck yours.At least PZ got tired of it at some point, you just can't stop talking about. Beyond boring.
Like PZ you also seem to think it's cute or funny to threaten to stab people. haha You 2 are real cards

Pretty sure I didn't start this... but... if you stop lying about me spying on my daughter I will stop talking about your lips on my ass... deal?

If you stick to it OK.
I might even share some of my birdwatching trip where, along 6 miles of shoreline I was able to observe approx 100,000 gulls, Glaucous, Glaucous Wing, California, Ring billed, Herring Gull, and others, many thousands of small ducks, Surf Scoters, White winged Scoters, Harlequins, Goldeneye, Buffleheads and others. I only saw about 50 Eagles but I didn't look that hard for them, there were herons, and flocks of Brewers and Redwinged Black birds.
I have photos, not sure it is worthwhile taking the effort to format them.

Okay. Cool.
Sounds like you live on the East Coast. Lots of migrant birds for sure. I live in south east Michigan so we have some really interesting bird stuff here...but not the large number of migrants found on the coast. Good for you. I would like you to share your birding and let me know where you are. I will not dox you. I have a lot of trouble with gulls. They can be so hard to identify... especially when they are young. We actually have a big mix of gulls along the Great Lakes. Nothing like it in all the mid-west.

You can post pictures if you want... but I trust your report... and I mostly know what the birds look like... haha. I don't take pictures. Not my thing. I just enjoy seeing what is happening. Photos take away from the living experience. Sometimes it is the little things... some Starlings were doing a mating flight yesterday. They grab each other and tumble down. Sure... they are just starlings... but it was cool to watch.

I can see that swearing sets you off. When I disagree with you I will simple say that I disagree with you... as long as you don't defend that idiot Chomsky I will be okay.

[John D]

Steers... this is how I know you are also a special kind of idiot. You actually agree with Chomsky. He is a liar and some kind of space alien.

:roll:
You're really not covering yourself with much if any glory, particularly when it comes to unevidenced claims about Chomsky & ivermectin.

Relative to Chomsky, all I said was that was some justification for his charge of "failed state" against the US. Hardly a categorical agreement with all of his positions - I expect that I would agree with many, though not all, of his arguments about linguistics and "cognitive science", but may well part company on his views on "anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism". Your level of analysis seems to be little more than "4 legs good, 2 legs bad", than judging a book by its cover.

As for ivermectin, your "position" and arguments seem rather surprising at best given your otherwise credible touting of Winsberg's YouTube video on "causal inference". That there may well be some minor "statistically significant" effects with ivermectin is hardly proof that it is particularly useful against Covid, much less that it is the magic bullet that too many anti-vaxxers seem to claim is the case.

But, en passant, I was kind of amused to see that Winsberg is apparently supported by the "John Templeton Foundation" which seems to be motivated by something of an evangelical Christian perspective. Not that that by itself is entirely beyond the pale.

Yeah. haha. I have spent a good 30 hours listening to Chomsky's speeches and such. I always come away with a very negative view of his analysis of human behavior. I think... well.. why would I ask an autistic alien for political advice? Yeah. his political analysis is like listening to an autistic alien.

Regarding the Ivermectin study... you do understand that the study described has a very large sample and a very high signal... right? You do know what this means... right? Some studies are better than others. I am not claiming this study is perfect... or even makes 100% proof... but... understanding the politics of big pharma... well... it makes you wonder... right?

[Brive1987]

Nb there is a world of difference between “and Germany’s jurisdiction would not shift 1 inch east” and what was actually said:

“And NATO’s jurisdiction … “

That expands the conversation well past a unified Germany.

The discussion was about NATO presence inside a unified Germany. Go argue with Gorbachev who says that the wider issue of NATO in the East was not discussed.

A more reasonable view would be that German and NATO eastwards expansion was synonymous back then. The concept of turning Warsaw Pact members into NATO buddies was an impossible concept to entertain. But the intent was clear. NATO, even with Germany, was not wanting to project an eastwards advance in its ‘defensive’ wall of steel into Soviet defensive areas of concern.

Doesn't look like a particularly tenable argument.

You might take a gander at the "Timeline of countries becoming NATO members as of 2020. Dark blue marks countries that were already NATO members at the given time. Light blue marks new members" from the Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_NATO

Of particular note:

After the end of the Cold War, NATO added 14 more members from 1999 to 2020.

Many if not most of which seem to have been previously Soviet "client states".

As a quip of the "flower generation" had it, “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Russia is clearly something of a "failed state" - although Chomsky argues, with some justification, that the US likewise qualifies - with any number of black marks against it. But that doesn't mean that all of their arguments are null and void or beyond the pale.

My history book says German (re)unification was 1990. What happened in 1999 was in the distant future.

[Keating]

I just had to kill a bunch of paper wasps. They were near my back gate, which is close to where people park when visiting me. They completely ignored me, even no matter how close I came to them, but they immediately attacked my father when he came to visit, so they had to go. Had a pretty beautiful nest, and were doing good insect population control, so a bit sad.

[free thoughtpolice]

If you were talking about with her that wouldn't be creepy. The fact that you posted that many details over the internet is what creeps me out.
You really have PZ sense of humor but instead of sticking rotting porcupines up other people's asses you ask other people to suck yours.At least PZ got tired of it at some point, you just can't stop talking about. Beyond boring.
Like PZ you also seem to think it's cute or funny to threaten to stab people. haha You 2 are real cards

Pretty sure I didn't start this... but... if you stop lying about me spying on my daughter I will stop talking about your lips on my ass... deal?

If you stick to it OK.
I might even share some of my birdwatching trip where, along 6 miles of shoreline I was able to observe approx 100,000 gulls, Glaucous, Glaucous Wing, California, Ring billed, Herring Gull, and others, many thousands of small ducks, Surf Scoters, White winged Scoters, Harlequins, Goldeneye, Buffleheads and others. I only saw about 50 Eagles but I didn't look that hard for them, there were herons, and flocks of Brewers and Redwinged Black birds.
I have photos, not sure it is worthwhile taking the effort to format them.

Okay. Cool.
Sounds like you live on the East Coast. Lots of migrant birds for sure. I live in south east Michigan so we have some really interesting bird stuff here...but not the large number of migrants found on the coast. Good for you. I would like you to share your birding and let me know where you are. I will not dox you. I have a lot of trouble with gulls. They can be so hard to identify... especially when they are young. We actually have a big mix of gulls along the Great Lakes. Nothing like it in all the mid-west.

You can post pictures if you want... but I trust your report... and I mostly know what the birds look like... haha. I don't take pictures. Not my thing. I just enjoy seeing what is happening. Photos take away from the living experience. Sometimes it is the little things... some Starlings were doing a mating flight yesterday. They grab each other and tumble down. Sure... they are just starlings... but it was cool to watch.

I can see that swearing sets you off. When I disagree with you I will simple say that I disagree with you... as long as you don't defend that idiot Chomsky I will be okay.

I live on the Pacific coast of Canada, Vancouver Island to be more specific. It is a pain to post pictures here because you have to reformat size, you lose picture quality. and I'm not sure it would be appreciated here enough to make it the effort worthwhile. There are so many birds, and thousands of sealions etc. are here because of the herring spawn. Estimated 62,000 tons, approx 8 billion fish within 15 miles of here.
https://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns- ... 005&ID=all
There are plenty of non sea birds here. Pretty easy to count a thousand Trumpeter Swans in a 20 mile radius of here. And more than a hundred resident and wintering species.

[Steersman]

I just had to kill a bunch of paper wasps. They were near my back gate, which is close to where people park when visiting me. They completely ignored me, even no matter how close I came to them, but they immediately attacked my father when he came to visit, so they had to go. Had a pretty beautiful nest, and were doing good insect population control, so a bit sad.

You cad .... Particularly as paper wasps have apparently mastered the "skill of transitive inference":

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/scie ... -test.html

Which is probably more than can be said for far too many humans ....

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

Nb there is a world of difference between “and Germany’s jurisdiction would not shift 1 inch east” and what was actually said:

“And NATO’s jurisdiction … “

That expands the conversation well past a unified Germany.

The discussion was about NATO presence inside a unified Germany. Go argue with Gorbachev who says that the wider issue of NATO in the East was not discussed.

A more reasonable view would be that German and NATO eastwards expansion was synonymous back then. The concept of turning Warsaw Pact members into NATO buddies was an impossible concept to entertain. But the intent was clear. NATO, even with Germany, was not wanting to project an eastwards advance in its ‘defensive’ wall of steel into Soviet defensive areas of concern.

The fact remains that NATO made no commitments limiting extension of protection eastward. The agreement they did make allowed for the eventual presence of German NATO troops in East Germany. Given that NATO has not been in the habit of moving foreign NATO troops into Eastern European member countries I'd say that they didn't violate the spirit of any unsaid assumptions. All that aside, the claim that NATO violated a promise is a factual lie.

[Service Dog]

free thoughtpolice speculating about spying on a 13 year old girl in her bedroom-- is Counterfactual.

free thoughtpolice extending that speculation into a false accusation of actual incestous gratificiation-- is Counterfactual Fallacy.

Ad hominem is fallacious when the personal criticism has no bearing on the argument at hand. (e.g. zou3gou3 responding to the Canadian trucker protest-- by claiming the truckers' theme song was a homosexual, pornographic tune called "Ram Ranch".)

Which is very different than: free thoughtpolice posting a false accusation of incestuous pedophilia--
and me responding-- by me explaining that ftp's own evidence actually incriminated the accuser-- free thoughtpolice.

In that regard, free thoughtpolice is guilty of Hypocrisy (aka the Fallacy of using a Double Standard).

Another example of a Double Standard: is Steersman presuming to hold-others to a high-standard non-fallacious logic, which Steersman demonstrably does not meet.

[Steersman]

<snip>

A more reasonable view would be that German and NATO eastwards expansion was synonymous back then. The concept of turning Warsaw Pact members into NATO buddies was an impossible concept to entertain. But the intent was clear. NATO, even with Germany, was not wanting to project an eastwards advance in its ‘defensive’ wall of steel into Soviet defensive areas of concern.

Doesn't look like a particularly tenable argument.

You might take a gander at the "Timeline of countries becoming NATO members as of 2020. Dark blue marks countries that were already NATO members at the given time. Light blue marks new members" from the Wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_NATO

Of particular note:

After the end of the Cold War, NATO added 14 more members from 1999 to 2020.

Many if not most of which seem to have been previously Soviet "client states".

As a quip of the "flower generation" had it, “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Russia is clearly something of a "failed state" - although Chomsky argues, with some justification, that the US likewise qualifies - with any number of black marks against it. But that doesn't mean that all of their arguments are null and void or beyond the pale.

My history book says German (re)unification was 1990. What happened in 1999 was in the distant future.

:roll: You're now entered in the contest for the "motivated reasoning", and "red herring" award for 2022.

A minor difference of some 9 years hardly refutes any apprehension that Putin might have, apparently does have, about NATO projecting "an eastward advance of its 'defensive' wall of steel into Soviet defensive areas of concern". Even if many NATO countries, particularly those who were part of the Warsaw pact group, have some justifiable objections and concerns about Russia's less than exemplary human rights record. Even if many of the NATO countries are not all that much better - pots and kettles.

But not sure what sort of compromise is possible in the current "contretemps" to resolve those concerns - on both sides - though they seem the crux of the matter.

[Steersman]

free thoughtpolice speculating about spying on a 13 year old girl in her bedroom-- is Counterfactual.

free thoughtpolice extending that speculation into a false accusation of actual incestous gratificiation-- is Counterfactual Fallacy.

Ad hominem is fallacious when the personal criticism has no bearing on the argument at hand. (e.g. zou3gou3 responding to the Canadian trucker protest-- by claiming the truckers' theme song was a homosexual, pornographic tune called "Ram Ranch".)

Which is very different than: free thoughtpolice posting a false accusation of incestuous pedophilia--
and me responding-- by me explaining that ftp's own evidence actually incriminated the accuser-- free thoughtpolice.

In that regard, free thoughtpolice is guilty of Hypocrisy (aka the Fallacy of using a Double Standard).

Another example of a Double Standard: is Steersman presuming to hold-others to a high-standard non-fallacious logic, which Steersman demonstrably does not meet.

Red herrings, a whole boatload of them strewn about on the field to hide the moving of goalposts.

The counterfactual in question was FTP's comments about Abbie. You may well have a point about "a false accusation of incestuous pedophilia" but your comments directly followed his comments about Abbie. Which one might reasonably infer were about that, not about "incestuous pedophilia".

You seem rather sloppy about your scatter-gun accusations and arguments - apparently too much expectation that readers can somehow divine what is happening inside your head, too much "then a miracle happens":

And_then_a_miracle_happens_cartoon.jpg

(44.2 KiB) Downloaded 157 times

Try showing your work, try providing some explicit justifications for your often bogus claims - e.g., "which Steersman demonstrably does not meet".

[Steersman]

Steers... this is how I know you are also a special kind of idiot. You actually agree with Chomsky. He is a liar and some kind of space alien.

:roll:
You're really not covering yourself with much if any glory, particularly when it comes to unevidenced claims about Chomsky & ivermectin.

Relative to Chomsky, all I said was that was some justification for his charge of "failed state" against the US. Hardly a categorical agreement with all of his positions - I expect that I would agree with many, though not all, of his arguments about linguistics and "cognitive science", but may well part company on his views on "anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism". Your level of analysis seems to be little more than "4 legs good, 2 legs bad", than judging a book by its cover.

As for ivermectin, your "position" and arguments seem rather surprising at best given your otherwise credible touting of Winsberg's YouTube video on "causal inference". That there may well be some minor "statistically significant" effects with ivermectin is hardly proof that it is particularly useful against Covid, much less that it is the magic bullet that too many anti-vaxxers seem to claim is the case.

But, en passant, I was kind of amused to see that Winsberg is apparently supported by the "John Templeton Foundation" which seems to be motivated by something of an evangelical Christian perspective. Not that that by itself is entirely beyond the pale.

Yeah. haha. I have spent a good 30 hours listening to Chomsky's speeches and such. I always come away with a very negative view of his analysis of human behavior. I think... well.. why would I ask an autistic alien for political advice? Yeah. his political analysis is like listening to an autistic alien.

As Bhurzum recently suggested, autistic people often have useful insights and perspectives that aren't readily accessible to we lesser mortals:

https://slymepit.com/phpbb/viewtopic.ph ... 50#p508950

Regarding the Ivermectin study... you do understand that the study described has a very large sample and a very high signal... right? You do know what this means... right? Some studies are better than others. I am not claiming this study is perfect... or even makes 100% proof... but... understanding the politics of big pharma... well... it makes you wonder... right?

Which study? How do you know there's a "high signal"?

And what does that "high signal" supposedly consist of? That ivermectin may reduce the number of unvaccinated dying from Covid from, say 9% to 8.9% ? GMAFB.

Because that latter is precisely what SBM and the NCBI articles I've quoted are saying - some slight anti-viral activity, but hardly anything to write home about. You really might want to try getting your head out of your arse and read - and think about - those articles and links.

As for "the politics of big pharma" - sure, many of them might justifiably wind up in the docket for any number of "high crimes and misdemeanors". Both I and Gorski in that article of his have acknowledged as much:

No one, least of all I, denies that large pharmaceutical companies have done some pretty shady things, but “suppressing” ivermectin in favor of the Pfizer and Merck drugs does not appear to be one of them.

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pfizer ... vermectin/

Hardly justification for throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

[Service Dog]

too much expectation that readers can somehow divine what is happening inside your head

....

Try showing your work, try providing some explicit justifications for your often bogus claims - e.g., "which Steersman demonstrably does not meet".

Oh, but I did show my work. My post contained citations. Next-to free_thoughtpolice's name, in each quotebox, there's a little magical blue arrow symbol. The arrows are magical, because-- you can click them: "and then a miracle happens". Namely:

Those arrows lead directly-to... 2 back-to-back posts... by free_thoughtpolice. Posted today, 38 minutes apart.

And-- it's plain-to-see-- that everything I said was true. 2 works of accusatory fiction, authored by ftp, and garnished-nearby... with ftp hypocritically accusing others of 'projection' and 'slander' ...accusations which, applied fairly all-around, surely ensnare ftp himself.

[John D]

Fuck off Steers. Really… are you human? What the fuck is wrong with you? All I posted was good evidence that ivermectin have good results in treatment and prevention of the Coof… and you start claiming I am some kind of anti vaxer. I don’t even know what you are bitching about most of the time. Just take the post at face value. It is becoming obviously clear that ivermectin is a useful drug in treatment of the coof

[Steersman]

Fuck off Steers. Really… are you human? What the fuck is wrong with you? All I posted was good evidence that ivermectin have good results in treatment and prevention of the Coof… and you start claiming I am some kind of anti vaxer. I don’t even know what you are bitching about most of the time. Just take the post at face value. It is becoming obviously clear that ivermectin is a useful drug in treatment of the coof

After you Alphonse. But what unmitigated and self-serving horse shit.

Where's your actual evidence of that "good results"? Did you bother to read any of the links I posted? Capable of it? Rather doubt it.

You might try reading this article for some details:

https://doyourownresearch.substack.com/ ... isions?s=r

And, linked in the above, this one by Scott Alexander:

https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/i ... wanted?s=r

Of particular note from the latter, something I've more or less argued for some time - a marginal improvement in the time to recovery, consistent with some anti-viral effects due to ivermectin. Still hardly a magic bullet:

https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_ ... 00x469.gif

In addition, there's nothing that I saw about what levels of ivermectin are required to get those effects, although some suggestion that they're some 10 or 20 times the maximum recommended dose for deworming - unlikely to be all that healthy as an ongoing preventative prior to contracting the disease.

Maybe you're no "anti-vaxxer", but you sure don't look all that knowledgeable, or willing to learn, about the relevant biology and biochemistry.

[Steersman]

too much expectation that readers can somehow divine what is happening inside your head

....

Try showing your work, try providing some explicit justifications for your often bogus claims - e.g., "which Steersman demonstrably does not meet".

Oh, but I did show my work. My post contained citations. Next-to free_thoughtpolice's name, in each quotebox, there's a little magical blue arrow symbol. The arrows are magical, because-- you can click them: "and then a miracle happens". Namely:

Those arrows lead directly-to... 2 back-to-back posts... by free_thoughtpolice. Posted today, 38 minutes apart.

And-- it's plain-to-see-- that everything I said was true. 2 works of accusatory fiction, authored by ftp, and garnished-nearby... with ftp hypocritically accusing others of 'projection' and 'slander' ...accusations which, applied fairly all-around, surely ensnare ftp himself.

https://i.imgur.com/NP9dAFk.png

https://i.imgur.com/3EbwCWI.png

What unmitigated horse shit; what an idiot you are.

Those "magic arrows" only go to FTP's comments that you quoted. And it was your response to his comments about Abbie that I was in turn responding to with the "counterfactual" quote.

This fits you to a T:

Memes_Data_Conspiracy_1A.jpg

(78.51 KiB) Downloaded 147 times

You insist on throwing a whole bunch of red herrings on the field, and then insist on making a bunch of connections that, more often than not, don't hold any water at all. This also seems to fit you to a T, though you sadly have far too much company in that particular backwater:

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/901965 ... we-mistake

[Bhurzum]

Well, speaking of the dreaded 'rona...

Four days ago, I came down with a bad chest, hot/cold sweats, gut-churning nausea and a headache that could kill a rhino. So, being a basic bastard, I prepared my sick-room, took the phone off the hook and embarked upon a fever-fuelled voyage through the heart of horror-land.

Too weak to move, I lay wrapped in blankets and a quilt (all of which were on/off faster that a $5 hooker's knickers when the navy are on shore leave) and attempted to sweat-out the bacterial vandals who were trashing my lymphatic (sp?) system. Jesus Christ - I was having actual audio/visual halucinations (Parrots! Seriously, jet-black parrots with bloody beaks, preening and primping themselves on any surface they could land upon), I think I lost about a quarter of my body mass through my sweat glands. I'm also pretty sure the contents of my skull came to the boil on more than a few occasions.

Thankfully there were no puking sessions and two days ago, I managed to eat (and keep down) two oranges and a 'nana. Oh, from start-to-finish, I was guzzling bottled water, popping vitamins, iron supplements and numerous other "squaddie cures" (placebos).

The worst part of this ordeal?

I'd manage to get into a condition close to comfortable - not too hot, not too cold, headache retreating to a distant drum-beat, stomach settled down...ah, bliss!

BAM! I need to piss...now!

The act of getting to my feet, wrapping a sweat-soaked blanket around my carcass and staggering through to the toilet would cause all of my aches, pains and symptoms to return with a vengeance! Even the simple act of urinating became a hellish ordeal in my currently depleted state. I wonder, is this what it's like to be old?

Anyway, true to form, I came out the other end this morning - I still have a temperature (mild), my lungs rattle when I breathe deeply and my joints ache like buggery but other than that, the Devil rides again!

Note: less sympathetic 'pitters might point out that I probably had a bad "man flu" (or common cold) and need to man-the-fuck-up.

[Bhurzum]

Just googled it - "Black parrots" are actual things and not the invention of my fevered brain.

https://bou.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2 ... atured.jpg

They look much less sinister when they're not sat at the foot of your bed with blood dripping from their beaks...

[fuzzy]

Nb there is a world of difference between “and Germany’s jurisdiction would not shift 1 inch east” and what was actually said:

“And NATO’s jurisdiction … “

That expands the conversation well past a unified Germany.

The discussion was about NATO presence inside a unified Germany. Go argue with Gorbachev who says that the wider issue of NATO in the East was not discussed.

Citation needed, I find it difficult to believe that this thought never crossed Gorbachev's mind. Your mind, I doubt it crossed you don't need to convince me of that.

[fuzzy]

[/quote="John D"]Do you really not remember faces? I forget people's names quite a bit... I really work at this. But I remember faces pretty wel/. ..... It is sometimes hard to remember the face or name of someone we met. [/quote]
I took a spill today that has resulted in me
reading your reply while in a hospital bed under the influence of some nice dilaudid, but thank you for asking because this is something I've been wanting to expand on, and I have been following along in recent months as you've brought up the obliquely relevent topic of people-over-medicalizing and adding-grammatical-dashes to everything. Cheers.

[fuzzy]

I now understand why our South African pitizen is extra concerned; I hadn't known until now that they along with India and some others announced intentions to not sanction Russia, and I understand the USA is talking about slapping around the anti-sanctioners a bit until they understand who are the good guys.

[fuzzy]

I'm also going to start logging in more often so that my ancient ignore list is activated. I'm going to take a wild guess that this old list looks a lot like John D's.

[Service Dog]

the dreaded 'rona...

Very similar to my experience.

After that-- trivial symptoms lingered for 2 more weeks.

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

Your level of analysis seems to be little more than "4 legs good, 2 legs bad", than judging a book by its cover.

I take this personally Your excesses are making us users of cliched, stilted prose look bad.

Yeah. haha. I have spent a good 30 hours listening to Chomsky's speeches and such. I always come away with a very negative view of his analysis of human behavior. I think... well.. why would I ask an autistic alien for political advice? Yeah. his political analysis is like listening to an autistic alien.

Chomsky has idealistic expectations, about one country. America is hypocritical and deeply flawed. Show me a country that isn't. It has also done more than a few extraordinarily good things, the Marshall Plan for instance. He may see himself as the conscience of America, which wouldn't be such a bad thing if it weren't for his record of whitewashing foreign atrocities.

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

Nb there is a world of difference between “and Germany’s jurisdiction would not shift 1 inch east” and what was actually said:

“And NATO’s jurisdiction … “

That expands the conversation well past a unified Germany.

The discussion was about NATO presence inside a unified Germany. Go argue with Gorbachev who says that the wider issue of NATO in the East was not discussed.

Citation needed, I find it difficult to believe that this thought never crossed Gorbachev's mind. Your mind, I doubt it crossed you don't need to convince me of that.

Wouldn't want to present you with any difficulties so I won't ask you to believe that. I wasn't involved in the negotiations so I can't say anything related crossed my mind at the time and I don't really care what great insights you imagine you have into my mind. The thought may have crossed his mind so frequently that it burned channels, however it didn't motivate him to ask for or codify any assurances. There are those involved who claim otherwise, as you'd expect, but they have nothing solid to prove those claims. I would suggest not taking excerpts of speeches and conversations at face value because a lot of claims made rely on limited context. There is also the fact of exactly who said what because it's important to understand what authority they carry WRT to NATO policy.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front ... v-says-no/

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

I now understand why our South African pitizen is extra concerned; I hadn't known until now that they along with India and some others announced intentions to not sanction Russia, and I understand the USA is talking about slapping around the anti-sanctioners a bit until they understand who are the good guys.

Sad to say that our leaders are quite fond of Russia having received their educations and relatively ineffective military training in the Soviet Union. South Africa is a member of BRICS, so no surprise that they are not backing sanctions. Personally couldn't care less about what our govt has to say on the issue beyond the opportunity for a laugh at their belief that anyone cares. I'm more concerned about not being knifed walking to the shops. This country is so dysfunctional and our own government has demonstrated such skill at social and economic destruction that outside forces couldn't make things much worse.

[MarcusAu]

Just googled it - "Black parrots" are actual things and not the invention of my fevered brain.

https://bou.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2 ... atured.jpg

They look much less sinister when they're not sat at the foot of your bed with blood dripping from their beaks...

I shouldn't worry too much about it - it's the ravens you have to watch out for - if thought and memory serve correctly...

Perhaps even if they don't.

[Steersman]

Your level of analysis seems to be little more than "4 legs good, 2 legs bad", than judging a book by its cover.

I take this personally Your excesses are making us users of cliched, stilted prose look bad.

Sorry about that .... 🙄

JD was rather categorical in his entirely unevidenced accusations against Chomsky. Which I thought justified a few cliches - speaking of which, often the biggest bang for the buck.

Yeah. haha. I have spent a good 30 hours listening to Chomsky's speeches and such. I always come away with a very negative view of his analysis of human behavior. I think... well.. why would I ask an autistic alien for political advice? Yeah. his political analysis is like listening to an autistic alien.

Chomsky has idealistic expectations, about one country. America is hypocritical and deeply flawed. Show me a country that isn't. It has also done more than a few extraordinarily good things, the Marshall Plan for instance. He may see himself as the conscience of America, which wouldn't be such a bad thing if it weren't for his record of whitewashing foreign atrocities.

Agree on both the "deeply flawed" and "good things", though of course some countries more so than others on both accounts. But seem to recollect that Lincoln had argued or suggested that the US was more or less the last best hope for humanity - some justification for that.

As for Chomsky, a recent interview with him where he calls Russia's invasion another war crime:

https://truthout.org/articles/noam-chom ... o-victors/

But I was somewhat disconcerted to see the Wikipedia article on him talk about his "anarcho-syndicalist sentiments" - talk about "wonderful theory, wrong species".

[Steersman]

Just googled it - "Black parrots" are actual things and not the invention of my fevered brain.

https://bou.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2 ... atured.jpg

They look much less sinister when they're not sat at the foot of your bed with blood dripping from their beaks...

I shouldn't worry too much about it - it's the ravens you have to watch out for - if thought and memory serve correctly...

Perhaps even if they don't.

🙂 "Nevermore" ...

[fuzzy]

Hey Javis thanks, I was of course zonked out of my mind with dilaudid got snippy in the one post but the second post was rooted in being genuinely horrified that someone I feel like I know is being caught up in a choose-your-sides situation, viewed from the other side, and your elucidation on the subject is exactly what I was asking for so thanks

[ThreeFlangedJavis]

Hey Javis thanks, I was of course zonked out of my mind with dilaudid got snippy in the one post but the second post was rooted in being genuinely horrified that someone I feel like I know is being caught up in a choose-your-sides situation, viewed from the other side, and your elucidation on the subject is exactly what I was asking for so thanks

Now you've made me feel like a real shit, thanks! I knew you were on zonking meds and I didn't allow for that. I probably deserve to get snipped at sometimes. Is diludid a preoperative med? Some of my best memories are of being on a gurney watching the ceiling pass overhead. I love preop meds. It's a bit like the intensely relaxed and almost deliriously pleasurable initial fever when coming down with flu, or is that unique to me.

[Service Dog]

This Thunderf00t meme was posted today-- at the Trump-subreddit-in-exile.

Somethin' like a 1000 upvotes, >100 comments... with strings-of Replies & upvotes... under many Comments.


Quite a few "oh, yeah, I remember that guy" comments.

And "he was from the SJWs pwnd era".

"... but then he got TDS and cucked-out"

I was pleasantly-surprised at the number of mentions-- of Atheism+

and, at the time I was reading:

"I preferred Mykeru" had 8 upvotes

____________________



Would be nice... to know those Trump-fans' trajectories. How many started-out as snarky atheist libertines & now are keyboard-protectors of the trad-West vs. godless degeneracy? Or maybe they're still snarky atheist libertines... for Trump.


The following cartoon has been on-my-mind lately. So, running-across-it again today... I woulda posted it-- regardless of this Thunderf00t stuff.

But it resonates a little bit with this post... so I'll put it here.

[fuzzy]

Hey Javis thanks, I was of course zonked out of my mind with dilaudid got snippy in the one post but the second post was rooted in being genuinely horrified that someone I feel like I know is being caught up in a choose-your-sides situation, viewed from the other side, and your elucidation on the subject is exactly what I was asking for so thanks

Now you've made me feel like a real shit, thanks! I knew you were on zonking meds and I didn't allow for that. I probably deserve to get snipped at sometimes. Is diludid a preoperative med? Some of my best memories are of being on a gurney watching the ceiling pass overhead. I love preop meds. It's a bit like the intensely relaxed and almost deliriously pleasurable initial fever when coming down with flu, or is that unique to me.

It's like I've forgotten how to write, and only get moved to perform the activity is when I get pissed off enough to expend effort. I feel like it was prudent to stay quiet while I was in my legal hoo-ha. I hadn't read up to where breve had offered that perhaps in context talk of Germany not moving the border of NATO ... Oh wait and legally is it's not really a border is it they move it in 97 and an 04 and then again in 2014, no negotiation can stop it. What's a Putin to do?

[fuzzy]

So yeah I can't finish a thought, without hitting press send before I chicken out and delete the whole thing. Well when I also wanted to say is that maybe it's an old fart thing because people that like live their whole life with the Cold war up until they were in their early thirties before the Berlin Wall fell kind of maybe had a different idea of what it meant when all those guys were talking about whether NATO was going to continue pushing over that way. So maybe people that weren't alive and paying attention for their whole life before then might get an impression that what they've heard on the trustworthy news is really what happened, boomers have seen things.

[fuzzy]

So the whole thing where if it's a different country than it doesn't really matter if NATO still exists because NATO existed to be against the Soviet Union but it kind of really didn't so you guys give up your Soviet Union and we give up our NATO except no he didn't give up our NATO what about that.

[Service Dog]

fuzzy-- I can understand your loose writing just fine. And an added bonus is that-- you now truly 'sound' like a slug struming cowboy tunes

[Service Dog]

Here's a 5-year price chart. What do you think it is?



a.) oil
b.) JJV: the javelin missile joint-venture between raytheon [RTN] and lockheed martin [LMT]
c.) wheat
d.) OnlyFans stock (including recent NFT collaboration with Ethereum[ETH] cryptocurrency)
e.) none of the above

► Show Spoiler

c'mon. stop & really take your best guess.

► Show Spoiler

It's fucking wheat.

[Service Dog]

► Show Spoiler

This image Jan 2021 to present. Prior image is 5 years. https://media.patriots.win/post/VyHL0M7voBcR.png

[Matt Cavanaugh]

When I get attacked I may or may not retaliate

Oh that's right -- this all started after I wrote "real men stick the flounce," which was a toss-away, stock comment as I figured you'd stayed away after mocking everyone for believing the 'conspiracy theory' of a lab origin.

But obviously you're very sensitive about your manhood being questioned, so that set you off. Which is why you 'retaliated' with vulgar, vicious, albeit laughable, homophobic slurs.

Then you internet stalked me and doxxed me.

Then you went completely apeshit and below-the-belt on John, attacking his family.

Then you felt the need to tout your 'real man' bone fides -- how you once worked in a mill and still kill animals. So desperate.

So, yeah, you're a sick individual, putting on a pathetic, embarrassing public display of bile, frustration, and impotent rage. Thanks for the PZ impression, but we really didn't need one.

[Matt Cavanaugh]

I managed to eat (and keep down) two oranges and a 'nana.

Great that your appetite is back!

Yes I do the cooking
Yes I do the cleaning
Plus I keep the na-na real sweet for your eating

[Really?]

Saw my 94 year old mom today.

She is in the memory care area of a nursing home. It costs a fortune to keep her there but my dad made pretty good money and invested well. Maybe their million dollars will be gone when this is done.

My dad died two years ago. On the way out he would mistake me for his brother and yell at me to help him. I would move him for one chair to the next... and in two minutes he would yell for help again. So I would move him back. Eventually they "made him comfortable". This is the code word for "We will give him enough morphine that he will stop breathing in a few days." There is no assisted suicide in the US, but there is "make them comfortable". My plan is to strangle myself with a tie-strap before I get this bad, but I might not be smart enough to kill myself once I get this bad.

My mom is slipping off. Maybe she has two years. She fell five days ago, went to the ER, and got 10 stiches in her head. She doesn't remember this. A trip to the ER five days ago does not stay in her head.

We did spend an hour with me playing guitar and singing old songs. She can still sing old songs that she knew. She was happy and sang with me. We laughed. Then I ran out of songs and it was time for her nap.

I struggle to visit her. I don't know why. I hesitate to take the few hours to see her. There is a kind of psychological barrier in me and I sometimes put it off. I need to see her more. I am disappointed in myself... but at least I saw her today.

Sorry about your mother. I hope you are comforted by having her for as long as you have. (Aside from the slipping off.) You're doing the right thing.

Take comfort.

Without looking back through the past several months of the Pit that I've missed...you always take the right side,

[Really?]

Well, speaking of the dreaded 'rona...

Four days ago, I came down with a bad chest, hot/cold sweats, gut-churning nausea and a headache that could kill a rhino. So, being a basic bastard, I prepared my sick-room, took the phone off the hook and embarked upon a fever-fuelled voyage through the heart of horror-land.

Too weak to move, I lay wrapped in blankets and a quilt (all of which were on/off faster that a $5 hooker's knickers when the navy are on shore leave) and attempted to sweat-out the bacterial vandals who were trashing my lymphatic (sp?) system. Jesus Christ - I was having actual audio/visual halucinations (Parrots! Seriously, jet-black parrots with bloody beaks, preening and primping themselves on any surface they could land upon), I think I lost about a quarter of my body mass through my sweat glands. I'm also pretty sure the contents of my skull came to the boil on more than a few occasions.

Thankfully there were no puking sessions and two days ago, I managed to eat (and keep down) two oranges and a 'nana. Oh, from start-to-finish, I was guzzling bottled water, popping vitamins, iron supplements and numerous other "squaddie cures" (placebos).

The worst part of this ordeal?

I'd manage to get into a condition close to comfortable - not too hot, not too cold, headache retreating to a distant drum-beat, stomach settled down...ah, bliss!

BAM! I need to piss...now!

The act of getting to my feet, wrapping a sweat-soaked blanket around my carcass and staggering through to the toilet would cause all of my aches, pains and symptoms to return with a vengeance! Even the simple act of urinating became a hellish ordeal in my currently depleted state. I wonder, is this what it's like to be old?

Anyway, true to form, I came out the other end this morning - I still have a temperature (mild), my lungs rattle when I breathe deeply and my joints ache like buggery but other than that, the Devil rides again!

Note: less sympathetic 'pitters might point out that I probably had a bad "man flu" (or common cold) and need to man-the-fuck-up.

Serious skeptics would be loathe to decide what ailed you until certain agencies admitted which kinds of new viruses they were making, paid for by the US government.

[Service Dog]

You 3 assholes have driven off most of the intelligent commenters that used to post here and have tried your best turn it into an echochamber where only a few are allowed comment.

Go kill yourself you slumrat loser.

My day began with a nursing home visit-- to see GF's father-- with a young Texas couple; immigrants from Taiwan. The young husband is GF's cousin. And her father helped their father get-started in the US, decades-ago. They brought an 8-year old son. The old man was happy to see a new generation.

We walked with them thru Chinatown & little Italy. Bought dumplings at a tiny place... which I lived-above, back in 1994. Same people run it now. I hoped they'd still recognize me, but I couldn't tell if they did. Today is officially the end of NYC's ridiculous mask and show-your-papers vaccine mandate. I made some political comments-- about Covid, about an old Dominican woman who used-to bravely festoon her shopping-cart with many Trump flags (but now just wears aviator glasses with flags on the lenses) I asked where her Trump stuff went-- she said "They'll kill you for that now."
The young husband was mostly tight-lipped about politics. His parents retired back to Taiwan 3 years ago... and their family's long history of fighting against Mao... would put them in great danger, if China invades Taiwan. To anyone who already understands this predicament-- not-much need be said about politics. Anyone who doesn't understand it-- isn't worth trying to educate.

One funny moment-- was walking-down a typical shoddy block-- when the young husband lit-up with excitement... and recognized the apartment stoop... used as the home of the lead character on Mr. Robot. It's one thing for me to see the show & think-- 'I know that corner, that's a few blocks from my apartment'. Quite-another for him to see the show... months or years ago... and then instantly recognize an unfamiliar location.

The weather was muggy but warmish. People looked out-of-shape, but I glimpsed attempts to look like fashionable urbanites, again. After breaking the habit of putting-in effort & give-a-fuck, I wonder how-much longstanding traditions have been severed. (Similar to how men wore brimmed hats, and then they didn't.) I saw the actor Michael Rappaport on the sidewalk-- and heckled him by saying his name in a high, taunting, new york-ish voice... a bit like his own. Knuckleheads kids who knew him from-the-old-neighborhood used-to tease him that-way, when he got some fame. Fang was one of those kids-- so I called him & told him & we had a quick laugh.

The fishing boat captain texted, checking-in, said he'd be fishing again soon, making sure we're still available to sell the fish at the market. I was relieved that walking-around more-than-usual didn't wear me out (much). So I'll be ok on my feet at the market.

GF made a version of meatloaf for dinner. We talked-about how she didn't grow-up knowing about The Bible... so she's fascinated when she discovers Jesus once swung a whip around-- and knocked-over tables. Or that Palm Sunday refers to jews greeting Jesus by waving palms (a greeting reserved for a king)... and that's what got-him crucified. (And the whip-swinging occurred later the same day.) But she did know the letters INRI... from a piece of gold crucifix jewelry-- a family member once owned.

We considered watching a bible movie. Something with Charlton Heston, or the Mel Gibson one.

Instead we watched a documentary, "Burden", about the guy I usually call "my favorite artist"... Chris Burden. Most people who've heard of him-- know he's the guy who had himself shot in the arm-- by a rifle-- in a gallery in 1973... as a performance art piece/ commentary on the Viet Nam war.

I feel lucky that my knowledge of Chris Burden has been-- until watching this documentary... pretty-much 'un-curated'. At the end of my teenage years I was in the 'Art' section of a public library... and I pulled a slim catalogue called "Chris Burden 71-73" from a shelf... consisting of a series of 2-page spreads... each with a photo & a short paragraph... describing his early performances. Such as standing on the beach next to LAX airport... and emptying a .22 revolver pointed at a jet airliner taking-off above him.

The documentary emphasized his most harrowing & shocking stunts... contrasted-against the grand-scale elegance of his later-career sculptures. With a Taxi Driver-esque middle-period of being an asshole on cocaine with a loaded Uzi in his car trunk. His more lighthearted pieces were glimpsed in the film-- but often without explanation. I think the film-maker didn't want him to be easily dismissed... as nothing-more than stunts you'd see on JACKASS, or YouTube. I've always seen in him-- a kindred Bart-Simpson-Meets-Joan-Didion satirical nihilism. But also I figured he was a 'never meet your heroes' asshole.

the movie is free & legal to watch at this link: https://tubitv.com/movies/552514/burden?start=true


I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who watches it-- or has an opinion about him. Especially if you have a distaste for conceptual & performance art. Or pretentious art-school hipsters... young & old. To me... he's different from (obvious comparison) Marina Abromović. She fits all-too-snugly & smugly into the Regime. Burden is more-like 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'.

[zou3gou3]

Putin has managed to do the impossible.
One of my friends is a church women's committee lets-pray-for-peace all-war-is-bad pacifist. But now she wants to upgrade the Bundeswehr asap cos who knows who the mad bastard will invade next.

[Brive1987]

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/1 ... 0553170852

[fuzzy]

So yeah, dilaudid is the name of the strong opiate elixir available in the United States for extreme pain. Wild E. Fuzzy, Super Genius, had successfully replaced an upstairs toilet, and with my ladyfriend gone doing chores in town, did not properly secure said heavy porcelain item, which fell and cracked and I fell on top, sustaining a long deep slice to the forearm. I didn't feel a thing apparently in the immediate shock and the gash was in the unseen side of my arm, so I spent some dozens of seconds just thinking I needed to right myself and clean up the porcelain, gradually noticing the wetness and pooling blood, had the presence of mind to call 911, and in the aftermath spent an evening in a hospital room how to prudent since I was low on blood and they get a little nervous about people with obstructive sleep apnea, so while spending the night with this nice machine pumping the good stuff for the only time in my life I've experienced it, and it was nice having access to the pyt.

For what it's worth, I'm triple-waxed with moderna, my older lady friend is double-waxed with a moderna, had my flu shot, nobody tested me for covid or asked me if I ever had covid the nurses weren't wearing masks but I did have to find one put one on while they wheeled me through the downstairs Lobby as is the standard exit procedure.

And I'm a cranky old bastard and I appreciate you guys putting up with me.

[John D]

So yeah, dilaudid is the name of the strong opiate elixir available in the United States for extreme pain. Wild E. Fuzzy, Super Genius, had successfully replaced an upstairs toilet, and with my ladyfriend gone doing chores in town, did not properly secure said heavy porcelain item, which fell and cracked and I fell on top, sustaining a long deep slice to the forearm. I didn't feel a thing apparently in the immediate shock and the gash was in the unseen side of my arm, so I spent some dozens of seconds just thinking I needed to right myself and clean up the porcelain, gradually noticing the wetness and pooling blood, had the presence of mind to call 911, and in the aftermath spent an evening in a hospital room how to prudent since I was low on blood and they get a little nervous about people with obstructive sleep apnea, so while spending the night with this nice machine pumping the good stuff for the only time in my life I've experienced it, and it was nice having access to the pyt.

For what it's worth, I'm triple-waxed with moderna, my older lady friend is double-waxed with a moderna, had my flu shot, nobody tested me for covid or asked me if I ever had covid the nurses weren't wearing masks but I did have to find one put one on while they wheeled me through the downstairs Lobby as is the standard exit procedure.

And I'm a cranky old bastard and I appreciate you guys putting up with me.

Ahhhh... my personal experience with my favorite drug... dilaudid. My rough understanding is that this drug is a kind of synthetic morphine.

It was the first day of school for my two daughters. I think they were in 4th and 7th grade... something like that. I took the morning off work to enjoy the experience of launching my girls into their school year. Out of nowhere I felt the worst pain I have ever experienced. I was in our basement half bathroom. I just sank to the floor and screamed. My wife can down to see me laying on the floor with my pants down. I couldn't move. The pain was so strong that I could barely see. I had this tiny area of vision. I was covered with sweat. I thought I was very very seriously ill.

I honestly don't remember how the kids got to school. In any case... my wife was able to convince me to stand up and walk to the car. She drove me to the ER which was only three miles away. They rolled me in to the ER and the nurse immediately said... "Kidney Stone!" She was right. Somehow kidney stones are a special kind of pain. One of the nurses told me that she has had a baby and a kidney stone... and the kidney stone was more painful. For some reason, once the stone goes from the kidney to the bladder there is terrible pain in the ureter.

So... they take me in for an ultrasound to look for the little fucking rock in my tube. A male nurse tells me he will start an IV and that it might hurt. And I say something like... no man... the IV will not hurt. He shot dilaudid directly into my arm. Oh my GOD! It was the best thing in my life... ever. He laughed at me and said he could see the change in my face as the drug shut off my pain. Fabulous!

The stone passed in a day. I have only had one small stone since... thank god. My praise for the wonder drug dilaudid... it is responsible for the greatest drug induced transformation I have ever felt. Absolute painful agony transformed into total comfort in 10 seconds.