Postvieww said:

Those are already tilted to the Democrats. My point is there is little left for them to change.

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That's more true of those vast tracts of red you mentioned.

You could fit nearly 100 Rhode Islands into Wyoming, but Wyoming only has one representative (and RI has 2). You can't gerrymander a state with only one district.

essentialsaltes said:

Colombian president says US military struck Colombian boat, killed his citizens​

White House called the allegation "baseless."

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To influence Trump on Colombia, Sen. Bernie Moreno brought a fake image of the country's president in a prison jumpsuit​

Two days before the lunch, Trump, at odds with Petro for months, posted on social media that Petro was “an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs” in Colombia. Trump said he was stopping all U.S. aid to the country and told reporters he would soon announce new tariffs on Colombia.

Moreno wanted to encourage Trump to take a more targeted approach — directly aimed at Petro. To do so, the senator brought along a document titled “The Trump Doctrine For Colombia and the Western Hemisphere.” In addition to five policy ideas, the one-page outline featured large images of Petro and Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, in orange prison jumpsuits.

Three days after the lunch with senators, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against Petro, his family and a government official over allegations of involvement in the global drug trade, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying in a statement that Petro “has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity.” Petro has strongly denied involvement with the drug trade and has said he will fight the sanctions in U.S. courts.

On Sunday, the publication Cambio Colombia first reported on the existence of the document when it discovered that the White House had posted a photo from the Oct. 21 event showing James Blair, a deputy chief of staff, holding Moreno’s memo.

Petro posted on X that he was recalling the Colombian ambassador to the U.S. for the second time in a month and demanding to know why he is being portrayed “as if I were a prisoner,” calling the print-out “a brutal disrespect” to his supporters and nation.

Speak loudly and carry a banger meme.

AI is increasingly being used for scams.

Fortunately there are some who are using AI to fight back, although it remains to be seen how effective they will be.

Apate.ai, a spin-out from Macquarie University, uses conversational, realistic, multilingual AI bots to keep scammers on long fake calls, diverting them away from the many victims who lose money to global cybercriminals every day.

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Hans Blaster said:

He also rejects mine as he obnoxiously ties science to his religion. I can't stand either Lennox or Peterson. (What's an Oxford Don? SOunds like a mafia boss.)

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It's just what they call their tenured faculty.

eclipsenow said:

I was with you until you projected past the New Testament era. The REALITY amongst theologians that matter is Daniel's 4 kingdoms are REALLY complex to interpret - but that it's past. It's either fulfilled by Rome or not - and the complicated apocalyptic symbolism around the end of this sequence is pointing to Jesus. Or not. It's very, very tricky.

I was lucky enough to have a Professor of Old Testament at my church for years - and even he says it's very, very tricky.
There are debates about how it might unfold around Antiochus - or up to Jesus. The years don't work as years either way - but might work as chunks - as rough fractions of time in a symbolic sense.

And Revelation borrows from this imagery, but John does his own thing with it. The 4 beasts are amalgamated into one - representing ALL God's enemies.

Trying to get literal with calendars just makes me yawn.
It's just. Not. True!

That's the way of endless disputes amongst various tribes of futurist - and is why I leave this forum for 6 months at a time.

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When were you “with me.” You just disputed everything I said. None of which was futurism.
It’s only complicated when people try to make the Bible’s prophecy about the end of the world.

Pommer said:

Suddenly, social-Darwinism is cool.

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Yeah, and it always did seem odd to me that religious groups most likely to reject biological evolution should be so aggressively social Darwinist.

Valletta said:

There's already an obvious Constitutional violation,

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Is there though? Prosecutors requested a subpoena, got one based on showing probable cause, and collected the information that the subpoena allowed them to. Your disagreement with the prosecution's argument doesn't make it unconstitutional.

Nithavela said:

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/10/trump-proposes-50-year-mortgage-but-homeowner-savings-could-be-minimal.html

I think this is a wonderful idea. You get to save some money per month, and when you die halfway into paying back your mortgage, your legacy lives on.

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I understand my kind of conservatism no longer exist today.

But back then when my kind of conservatism existed , we used to think should not intervene in matters between individual citizens and banks.

Stopped_lurking said:

None, I would say a little sloppily because I think I get what you mean. My only objection is that your example is underspecified (perhaps mine was too, I should have said when a fluid flows over an airfoil) Automobiles don't all have the property of motion, but if we add some conditions I'm sure we could identify that as an emergent property as well. To me it only means it sometimes is meaningful to talk about phenomena at different levels of granularity.

Perhaps I stepped into a discussion without a good grasp of what was discussed.

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I agree that things emerge, but simply saying that doesn't explain anything. If my young son asked me "Daddy, how does a car move?", I could give him an actual explanation - all about the engine, the transmission, the axle, etc., etc. But if I just say to him "the car's motion is an emergent property", I'd be telling the truth, but not really telling him anything worth saying.

It's the same with the video that brought this topic up. The fellow says that human free will is an emergent property, but doesn't actually explain how it emerged.

Hans Blaster said:

Did you emerge from a jar of honey, or are you a regular human like the rest of us. Your confusion on the topic of where humans come from is baffling.

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Do you not understand the meaning of the word "ultimately"?

Hans Blaster said:

Why should morality depend on what a god is made of?

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What better option do you have?

Hans Blaster said:

I must conclude that there is no discussion available with you. You have made it clear that you hold that morality is a brute fact of reality because your god exists and because that is why morality exists, morality must be objective (as your god has no apparent mind to which morality is subject) and perhaps absolute. You will not even discuss with in any other possible framework or consider even a divinely imposed subjective (to the god) morality.

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Sure, but you hold that morality is sheer subjective opinion and expect that to be taken seriously. So what hope was there for discussion to begin with?

A2SG said:

That's all I asked at the outset. I simply found it curious when you stopped short of criticizing Abbott for his actions, but not Newsom, when the latter at least allowed the voters to weigh in before taking action.


Understood. I don't live in either state myself. But if the issue is the act of gerrymandering, surely one isn't required to be a resident of a particular state to voice an opinion.

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I suppose, but it's more of an issue if you actually live in one of the gerrymandered districts since it's directly affecting your representation.

A2SG said:

What did he spend those "outlandish sums" on, exactly?

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Ads where he claimed it was about having fair elections.

A2SG said:

Yeah, yeah, I've heard that bit before. Another pithy quote: "Democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." (Winston Churchill)

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I'm not as sold as Churchill. I don't see the value in letting people who have no idea what the issues are hold popularity contests.

A2SG said:

But, if you don't like democracy as practiced in this country, you do realize that you're free to find a preferable form of governance if you so choose, right? Just a friendly reminder, nothing more.

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I've never found this argument very compelling..."If you don't like the government, move!"

A2SG said:

Well, morality is a subjective thing, while laws are objective. You can view his actions as immoral if you so choose, but that's only according to your personal moral framework. Others may view the morality differently, and their views are no less valid than your own. Given that, Newsom reacted to an unfair attempt to increase GOP representation in Texas, at the behest of Donald Trump, and asked the voters if they agreed with his plan to counter that. They did. Whether or not that shows integrity or a lack of it depends on individual opinion, I guess.

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I disagree about morality being subjective. And he didn't exactly tell the truth to the voters in the ad campaign he ran, so I wouldn't exactly call it asking the voters to approve of his plan. And that is, of course, not even dealing with the whole vote was asking voters to take away the voting efficacy of a group of voters which is literally one of the main complaints against democracy(where 51% of the voters get to take away the rights of the 49%).

A2SG said:

Actually, California voters do agree with his actions, as evidenced by the measure passing. Sure, not everyone voted for it, but that's how democracy works. You don't have to like that, but I'd suggest it's a better, more fair way to govern than by fiat, as evidenced by Abbott in Texas.

-- A2SG, and Donald Trump, let's not forget he gave the marching orders....

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A portion of voters who were lied to with extensive ad campaigns were convinced to take away the efficacy of another group of voters votes...that's literally one of the biggest knocks on democracy, and here you're holding it up as if it is in the favor of the system.

Couldn't help but think of these two songs:

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Phil G said:

Once again, please give me a rational explanation for where satellite tv signals come from if not from satellites in geostationary orbit over the earth. And explain to me clearly in a way that fits the facts why it is so.

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If Tartaria could receive signals from the Ionosphere, why couldn't we do today, after all the Elite knew all about Tartaria and it's free energy from the Ionosphere.

What they have done is just use Tesla's knowledge on the subject & have just put a cash meter on it.

HARK! said:

None of them were. Most were directed at the Ger Toshav.

They all are

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Nonsense. None of them were. As I stated and posted most of the epistles are addressed at Christian churches NOT at Jewish congregations.

HARK! said:

Irrelevant.

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How so? It is totally relevant.

HARK! said:

Mistranslation. The word translates to assembly. I have already proven that. Repeating the mistranslation again, does not legitimize it.

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Nope, You can’t just hone on one possible translation. The context is against you. I doubt that Paul would address those at a Jewish congregation as saints and then proceed to exhort the gospel and Christ work on the cross. Israel in general rejected the messiah do they are not even in the equation until they accept Christ. There is only one way to the Father and Israel us yet to repent.

HARK! said:

Again

And again

and again

and again

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Nope.

HARK! said:

Yes, the Greek word is ekklesia; and as I have proven, it means assembly.

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You have not proven that at all. Assembly is only one possible definition but the context negates your assertion.

ἐκκλησία ekklēsía, ek-klay-see'-ah; from a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564; a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):—assembly, church.

While it could be an assembly it could just as well be a Christian community or church. In the context of the epistles the context is clearly that of a church.

“to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Glory in the church and in Christ. This could never apply to a Jewish congregation since the Jews in general rejected Christ.

HARK! said:

The believers in Yahshua are the assembly of Israel.

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Nope. Accept Jesus as the Messiah first until then they have no way to the Father. They need to repent because the kingdom of Gd is indeed imminent.

HARK! said:

Again Yahshua was commissioned for none but Israel. That is what Yahshua said himself.

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And then they sent Him to be crucified. In fact they chose the thief over Him.

““Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭37‬-‭39‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Israel will see Him no more until they come to Jesus. They have to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

HARK! said:

The renewed covenant is with Israel. That is what YHWH himself said himself.

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The old covenant is dead. There is no renewal.

HARK! said:

I'll thrust them over you unsubstantiated opinion.

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I proved it many times over. Your opinion does not count.

HARK! said:

All of Israel accepts Messiah. If they don't accept Messiah; they are not part of Israel, no matter what they claim.

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“Jesus *said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘A stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief cornerstone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭42‬-‭44‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Israel rejected the stone that became the cornerstone and the Kingdom of God was taken away from them.

You have no way to prove your assertion.

HARK! said:

Again, the renewed covenant is with Israel.

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Again, nope.

It would have been pointless trying to teach it the bagpipes - it would have thought it was another octopus.

Kjelete said:

Poeple been violent a couple of times also because I don`t travel, I think, I find that a little unfair also, even though I find the violence exciting.

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I want to see if you meant this - people have been violent - against you? Because you don't travel?

This extract on Habakkuk is from "The Collegeville Bible Commentary" which is a Catholic publication.

Date

The prophecy is to be dated sometime after the Babylonians became an active threat against Judah but before their destruction of the city of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. Habukkuk's serious complaints about violent injustice among the people in Judah suggests sometimes in the reign of Jehoiakim (609-597 BCE), a king despised by Jeremiah for his abuse of power at the cost of much suffering by the poor and defenseless. Jeremiah declares that he will be given the "burial of an ass" (Jer 22:12-19); (see also 2 Kgs 23:37). Certainly chapter 3 qualifies Habbukuk to be numbered among the "cult prophets", who functioned at the temple; chapters 1-2 may leave some clues for a liturgical ceremony.

Themes

Several major religious motifs thread their way through the prophecy: God's absolute trustworthiness; God's control of the universe; our inability to understand adequately the mysterious ways of God; our failure to fathom the mysteries fo the universe and the colossal struggles of nature and politics; God's detemination not to tolerate violence, begotten by pride

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I've highlighted "our inability to understand ... " since more trouble was to come. Habbukuk expressed his faith in God's overall justice, but not long after he gave his prophecy, he would most likely have witnessed the sack of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the beginning of the 70 years of captivity. His faith would have been put to the test.

Phil G said:

Don't tell me to either believe it or don't when you are telling me irrational explanations which don't fit the facts.

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Well I reckon they do.

eclipsenow said:

You haven't answered the above issues.
John clearly said the events were starting soon, in 4 different ways.
"near", "soon", he "Shared in their tribulation" - and he wanted them to obey his message.
That's NOT possible for THEM if we narcissistically assume it's all about US

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And there are seven kings, five are fallen and one is, and one is not yet come, and when he comes he must continue a short while. And the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven, and goes into perdition. Revelation 17:10-11

In your view who are those five kings, and who is the one that was at the time of the writing of Revelation?

Did you know that five popes had come and gone, not including Peter, by the time John was writing Revelation?

When did Jesus ascend and sit at the right hand of the Father? Acts 1:9-11, Revelation 5:5 says Jesus prevailed to open the scroll that is at the right hand of the Father. Therefore the opening of the scroll began at that time when Jesus ascended and sat down, that is why the Bible is telling us He is at the right hand, connecting Hebrews 12:2 with Revelation 5 beautifully.

He opened the first seal around 30 ~ 50 ad. And what happened? Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 ad. Then again in 1090 it was surrounded by enemies and occupied, and again, and again, the ai will let you know that Jerusalem has been captured at least 41 times since Christ. Daniel tells us it would happen 70 times, "70 captivities are determined upon thy people......" Captivities, not weeks. "And after seven captivities and 62 weeks shall Messiah suffer the death penalty but not for Himself.". Daniel 9:1-2,24,26 plainly 490 years and 62 weeks. Some scribe took liberty and changed it all to weeks, but the context makes clear it is about captivity, Daniel was told that the captivity he was in would happen seventy times.

In 1948, May 15th 1948, armies once again surrounded Jerusalem, this time with tanks and such. Until 1967 half of Jerusalem was desolated and uninhabited. Then began a military 'defense' ( to be blunt it is a captivity, a military occupation, all the sincere in Israel have been in captivity since 1967, checkpoints at crossroads being one of the main agents of it ) that continues to this day, 2037 will mark 70 years.

And the office of the Pope is still with us, it was here during the writing of Revelation, laws that the popes have made are still in place today, January, Sunday, that we call the year 2000 is if the popes as well.

I tell you plainly dear one, for the times are upon us, one day a person in that office will seam to die, and then..... An alien mother ship will come beam him up, it will be big world wide news. The ship may linger for a while or what have you, and then... It beams him back down, alive! Ohhh ahhh, all the world will marvel, whose names are not in the book of life, when they see him. Half his face cyborg, ( the blinded by science card ) and speaking much about what is outside of the sky, supposed beings from other planets, humanoid aliens. Wow everyone will say, 'finally the Bible is explained, it's all about beings on other planets...' But dear one, it's all a grand deception, just as the Bible says Revelation 13:6

As we examine Scripture carefully and note what has happened as is happening, it is clear that Revelation is ongoing, it started when Christ ascended and will end when He returns.

Stopped_lurking said:

What is the problem with emergence in the scientific sense? Aerodynamic lift is an good example by a property of fluids and airfoils together that is not a property of the constituent parts, is it not?

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I don't know much of anything about aerodynamics, but how would that be different from an automobile having the property of motion, when the constituent parts of it don't?

timewerx said:

The safety protocols in place are not 100% reliable.

And once I debated chatgpt if there are situations, killing people is good. It might decide that killing humans is good if it saves other humans, especially good humans but only as last resort. That was roughly the reply.

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When it comes to morality, I've found I always get the standard early 21st century zeitgeist kind of answer, which leans left (unless I use wording which makes it think I might want to hear something else. Then it might modify slightly).

I asked it if it's acceptable to call someone a Brit, a Swede, a P_ki, a Pole or a Finn. They were all perfectly fine to use, except Pa_i of course. Then when I try to delve into a reason for the double-standard, I get the same nonsense I get from liberals in real life.

essentialsaltes said:

Trump Says US ‘Lacks Talent' For Critical Jobs, Defends H-1B Visa For Foreign Workers

US President Donald Trump defended the H-1B visa programme, saying the United States “doesn’t have the talent" needed to fill critical jobs domestically. In an interview with Fox News, Donald Trump was asked if his administration planned to cut back on H-1B visas amid concerns that the programme depresses wages for American workers.

“I agree- but you also do have to bring in talent," Donald Trump said, rejecting the notion that the US already has enough skilled people.

When host Laura Ingraham countered, “We have plenty of talented people here," Donald Trump interjected, “No, you don’t, no you don’t … You don’t have certain talents, and people have to learn. You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles.’"

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I'm glad President Trump is finally expressing what conservatives, liberals, Republicans, and Democrats have been saying for the past 50 years.

Thank you, Mr. President. Please simplify the H-1B visa process, pursue comprehensive immigration reform, and make America great again.

linux.poet said:

Given the amount of times that Israelites are rebuked for being “stiff-necked”, I tend to think that it’s a liability. My “stubbornness” was something my adult companions tended to rebuke me for as child.

Over and over, I’ve been told that being open to new ideas and giving careful consideration to them before rejecting them is a good idea. That way I have a logical or Scriptural basis for what I reject that I can defend in the court of public opinion. In addition, I have also been conditioned to just ignore any hard disagreements where the person will not change and just walk away rather than continuing to get frustrated and angry. I work around and accommodate the disagreement or just act in accordance with my viewpoint to heap negative consequences on them (this only works IRL).

But: is this type of morality Biblical/Scriptural? Or is it just secular programming from the American state that works for adults’ convenience to insert knowledge into kids’ heads and keep them under control?

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The word "stubborn" is generally used as a pejorative. It implies an unreasonable or willful refusal to change one's mind. Fortunately it has underlying positive meanings relating to the valuable strength of determination, steadfastness and resolve. It's Interesting that these are descriptors of strong Christians in scripture.
Be blessed.

1 Corinthians 15:58
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."