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  1. jayem

    Learning Foreign Languages

    The university where I live offers adult classes in conversational Spanish. I've thought about taking them. Not exactly cheap, but some Spanish fluency will likely be useful in the years to come. And I can watch Telemundo to maintain what I've learned. I'm reminded of a saying attributed to one...
  2. jayem

    And now Trump glitches out

    The evidence is crystal clear that Donald Trump has a malignant case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The man thinks he is far above ordinary people and is never in the wrong. When in fact he’s a demagogue, a bully, and a would-be dictator. He is totally unfit to be President. The only...
  3. jayem

    Singular Film Titles

    Lord of the Lies. (With apologies to Ralph and Piggy.) :oldthumbsup:
  4. jayem

    SCOTUS blocks Missouri gun law

    In 2021, Missouri passed the "Second Amendment Preservation Act" to make federal gun restrictions illegal in the state and bar officials from enforcing any law that would "infringe" upon the right to "bear arms." It also allows "any person" to sue state law-enforcement agencies who don't comply...
  5. jayem

    What if?

    My career was in health care. I've retired from active practice, but I keep my medical license up to date. I also keep a first aid kit in the car. Even if EMT service was miles away, I'd call for an ambulance on the cell phone, describe the seriousness of the injuries, and tell them to get here...
  6. jayem

    Abortion poll

    Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall in the BJPsych article any data re. the pre-pregnancy mental status of women who seek abortions. The overall incidence of post-partum depression is 1 in 7--slightly over 14%. That's a significant number of women. It's quite possible that women who terminate...
  7. jayem

    United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy

    The UMC isn't the first Christian denomination to end prejudiced and discriminatory doctrines regarding LGBTQ persons. As I recall, the Unitarian Universalists did the same in the early 70s. Though I know that traditionalists don't consider the UUs as Christian.
  8. jayem

    My Theory Challenge Poll

    And I stipulated that good science is tentative. When new scientific discoveries are made--especially in the medical realm--old ideas and practices will likely be invalidated.
  9. jayem

    Happy May Day

    In most countries worldwide, May 1 is a holiday to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of workers. But In the US and Canada,, it's called Labor Day, and is the 1st Monday in September. I suppose we just go our own way. A bit of unrelated trivia: The word "Mayday" is also a distress...
  10. jayem

    My Theory Challenge Poll

    My training and career was in medicine. If valid means a correct and accurate and explanation, then the answer is no. Example: For about 2000 years, medicine was based on the idea that there are 4 humors (fluid substances) in the human body--blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile (whatever...
  11. jayem

    Birthrates in the U.S. hit historic low in 2023, preliminary CDC data show

    Medicaid is means-based. It’s funded jointly by the states and the federal government and there is some variation in benefits in each state’s program. Re. SS: There is a maximum benefit no matter how much the recipient has paid in over the years. And up to 85% of SS payouts are taxable, and...
  12. jayem

    Birthrates in the U.S. hit historic low in 2023, preliminary CDC data show

    AI is in its childhood. As of now, we still need manual labor. Which our native born population eschews. BTW, try running for office on a platform of ending SS, or Medicare/Medicaid. See you how far you get.
  13. jayem

    Birthrates in the U.S. hit historic low in 2023, preliminary CDC data show

    A declining birthrate is an argument for immigration reform. I'm OK with improved border security, but we need people willing to work. Guest workers should be fully documented, treated humanely, and paid fairly. Sure, they'll send money to families in their home countries, but they'll also...
  14. jayem

    What are your thoughts on what is seriously (most) wrong in our country (USA) - poll

    Political and social divisiveness. Which has always existed, but is amplified by the news media and deceitful, dishonest internet postings.
  15. jayem

    Bidenomics - Are you personally better off financially today than you were four years ago?

    Bidets get the job done and can be very soothing, Modern bidets may also have a warm air drying function. Which eliminates the need for tissue paper or towels. But that's usually found just in the...uh...higher end models.:) Time to get back on topic.
  16. jayem

    Bidenomics - Are you personally better off financially today than you were four years ago?

    I’m retired. I collect my monthly pension, and SS, which are both indexed to inflation. And in the absence of any world-wide disaster—this will continue for the rest of my life. (I’m in my early 70s, and still in decently good health—I take no prescription meds at all.) My house and cars have...
  17. jayem

    Abortion poll

    Getting in a bit late here. This is poll choice #4: Yes to save a life/babys Not to be nitpicking, but without elaboration, terminating a pregnancy to save the life of a fetus is self-contradictory., Unless the situation is a multiple--especially high multiple pregnancy. Where it may not be...
  18. jayem

    Republicans Erupt Into Open Warfare (But check out these paragraphs)

    The list of crackpot conspiracy theories MTG believes is unending. At one time, she supported a "national divorce" that would separate red and blue states. She thought George Soros--always a right-wing whipping boy--was a Nazi.. (BTW, is there even such a thing as a Jewish Nazi?) She denied...
  19. jayem

    DNA

    True. Not to get off-topic, but for centuries, societies throughout the world believed the woman was responsible for the sex of a child. At least part of the reason Henry VIII had 6 wives was to father a son who'd be his successor. His first born son with his first wife died when just a few...
  20. jayem

    Massive black hole discovered close to Earth

    The Milky Way has a big newfound black hole, and it lurks close to Earth! This sleeping giant was discovered with the European space telescope Gaia, which tracks the motion of billions of stars in our galaxy. Stellar-mass black holes are created when a large star runs out of fuel and...