Random Thoughts...or...What's on Your Mind?

[Australis]

You know what I think is the height of civilisation?

Commercial jets.

Every day, tens of thousands of flight go all over the world, conveying people in short time to millions of destinations, in relative safety. I flew over the weekend, and was thinking a lot about this.

They are the epitome of science, engineering, logistics, art, training and talents.

Jets are cool.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

You know what I think is the height of civilisation?

Commercial jets.

Every day, tens of thousands of flight go all over the world, conveying people in short time to millions of destinations, in relative safety. I flew over the weekend, and was thinking a lot about this.

They are the epitome of science, engineering, logistics, art, training and talents.

Jets are cool.

Unfortunately, they're also contributing significantly to climate change.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/sep/09/carbon-emissions-planes-shipping
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/c...-change-basics/air-travel-and-climate-change/

 

[Jayson1]

Somebody in the world right now is living their last moments on earth. It's a kind of morbid thought I admit and I don't know what it says about humanity or anything like that but the idea that a person's entire existence is coming to a end while I might be watching a old tv rerun seems to be 2 things that don't mix well together. Seems like the world should pause for a moment when a human dies but it of course it doesn't do that.

Jason

 

[Australis]

And by the same token, someone is drawing their first breath, and for good or ill they are here. I hope, really genuinely hope, that the face that looks down on them is smiling and hopelessly bonding to them, filled with love and hope.

Life, eh?

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Under certain circumstances, doxxing someone is acceptable.

For example, an anti-vaxxer who happens to be a nurse makes a FB post to an anti-vax cult group about how she intends to circumvent her hospital's rules regarding mandatory vaccination for employees who interact with infants and children.

And I take a screenshot of that post and send a copy to the hospital she works at.

 

[DimesDan]

Under certain circumstances, doxxing someone is acceptable.

For example, an anti-vaxxer who happens to be a nurse makes a FB post to an anti-vax cult group about how she intends to circumvent her hospital's rules regarding mandatory vaccination for employees who interact with infants and children.

And I take a screenshot of that post and send a copy to the hospital she works at.

That's acceptable, I guess.

 

[publiusr]

Who mourns for Adonis...
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/new...n-found-dead-kilauea-crater-left-suicide-note

 

[Doom Shepherd]

I'm in a grouchy mood today, so have this:

An eye for an eye actually leaves...
A number of one-eyed victims,
A number of one-eyed criminals who learned their lesson the first time and did not repeat,
A smaller bunch of totally blind recidivists,
A very small group of exceedingly unlucky victims,...
And plenty of people who were neither victims not perpetrators, not at least because the recidivists are now too blind to repeat their actions a third time.

"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" is actually an exceedingly cynical statement, because we already know that really it's a tiny fraction of people who are responsible for most of the victimization.

Do your math.

 

[publiusr]

John McCain's cancer.

I kid about fighter-jocks..but always respected him. He pushed for airports when neighborhood associations were trying to kill them. . He should retire and be with his family. He was not really a space fan..in some ways, he was aviation's Bull Halsey. Time to let go. Time to axe Ford Class carriers and the F-35. Time for a Space Force.

Some other thoughts on that.

Many say the military should be for social engineering. But that is what it does well--ahead of the curve. The military is looking at climate change more so than congress. Coyote Smith--a good USAF man--wants space-based solar power. Good for DE-STAR. Space-Based Radar dishes can also be used for in-orbit radio telescopes that can be moved outward.

Though it might be easy for folks to look at the formation of a new branch of the military--I would submit that it might actually be a way to pump military money into projects that congress would not approve of otherwise. Korolov style.

That's my thought for the day.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

We shouldn't have a new branch of the military. We should do what Canada did back in '68: Unify all branches into one. Simple, logical, efficient.

 

[publiusr]

Anything to get rid of the Air Force

 

[Jayson1]

The last few days I have felt the desire to crossdress. Haven't done it in years but sometimes when I feel lots of stress I get those feelings. Not sure what it all means.

Jason

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The last few days I have felt the desire to crossdress. Haven't done it in years but sometimes when I feel lots of stress I get those feelings. Not sure what it all means.

Maybe your testicles need a freer flow of air. How about some Scots dressing?

However, nothing should be worn under the kilt.

 

[Jayson1]

Maybe your testicles need a freer flow of air. How about some Scots dressing?

No I just feel this way sometimes. I kind of get tired of being a guy. Even my imaginary friend I was having when I really bad with my OCD was a girl.

Jason

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

All humans start off as female in the womb.
http://www.menshealth.com/health/3-signs-you-started-as-a-girl
Playing the macho game is a tedious chore. Personally, I prefer to be asexual - much less complicated but many people don't understand that point of view either.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

You know what I think is the height of civilisation?

Commercial jets.

Every day, tens of thousands of flight go all over the world, conveying people in short time to millions of destinations, in relative safety. I flew over the weekend, and was thinking a lot about this.

They are the epitome of science, engineering, logistics, art, training and talents.

Jets are cool.

Unfortunately, they're also contributing significantly to climate change.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/sep/09/carbon-emissions-planes-shipping
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/c...-change-basics/air-travel-and-climate-change/

Jets are awesome! Just flew on four in the last couple of weeks. But I've got that same concern about what they're doing to the climate, so I fly only when that's the only reasonable option. It would be kind of hard to drive from the US to Israel.

As for what is on my mind... Jerusalem. I'd never been there before. Figured it couldn't possibly live up to all the hype. Oh, but it did! It's a fascinating city. I didn't want to leave. If only the various groups to whom it is a holy city could share it peacefully! I was there -- literally, like a couple blocks away -- for the beginning of the current violence. Heard all the gunshots when the two Israeli police officers were killed.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

@Tora Ziyal, when you came back from Israel...at which airport did you go through US Customs?

I only ask because my parents went to Israel a few years ago (with a church group) and when they came back, they went through customs at Newark airport. My dad says it was one of the worst experiences of his life. I can see the steam rise from his head when he talks about it.

I hope your experience wasn't quite that bad.

Side note: This is one of the many reasons I love Canada so much: Most of their major airports have US border preclearance. Meaning, when you fly from Canada into the US, you go through US customs while you're still in Canada (before your flight leaves). Far as I'm concerned, it's one of the greatest inventions of modern commercial aviation.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

@Tora Ziyal, when you came back from Israel...at which airport did you go through US Customs?

I only ask because my parents went to Israel a few years ago (with a church group) and when they came back, they went through customs at Newark airport. My dad says it was one of the worst experiences of his life. I can see the steam rise from his head when he talks about it.

I hope your experience wasn't quite that bad.

Side note: This is one of the many reasons I love Canada so much: Most of their major airports have US border preclearance. Meaning, when you fly from Canada into the US, you go through US customs while you're still in Canada (before your flight leaves). Far as I'm concerned, it's one of the greatest inventions of modern commercial aviation.

I'm sorry your parents went through that. With all the US-border horror stories I'd heard recently, I was terrified that they would do something to kick in my PTSD. But we flew from BWI to Tel Aviv with a stopover in Toronto (just because it was the cheapest option at the right time), so we ended up going through US Customs in Toronto. It was as awesome as you say. Took about five painless minutes. I will soooo do Air Canada and Toronto again next time I travel abroad! (Not that I'm going to be able to afford to do it again for a few years. )

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Ah, Toronto! No wonder your trip went so smoothly.

So did you go through Toronto again when you returned from Israel?

 

[Tora Ziyal]

US citizens go through US Customs only our way back into the country, so yeah, of course. But, sorry, I should've said it more clearly.