Open Thread – Thurs 15 Aug 2024


Piazza San Marco, Looking East, Canaletto, 1760

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Arky
August 16, 2024 9:10 pm

If one were to look at it rationally and objectively and without ANY preconceived notions of morality, Absent notions of God. Mao is the supreme and ultimate outcome of human evolution.
He probably father a dozen children whose descendants are alive and well today and in favourable social positions in the society which is the most populous on the planet and is within reach of becoming its most powerful.
Mao utterly destroyed a civilisation that had lasted 3000 years and replaced it with his own preferred model.
Atheists: behold the ultimate expression and most powerful affirmation of your ideas.

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
August 16, 2024 9:16 pm

Serious skills on show.

BEST BREAKING HIGHLIGHTS of Red Bull BC One 2023 World Final Paris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TtY-FN2htE

Salvatore - Iron Publican
August 16, 2024 9:18 pm

I have a memory of West Germany paying the equivalent of $10 Billion in 1956 for the rest of their soldiers in the Russian work camps – about 15,000 still alive.

IIRC circa 3 million German servicemen were taken p.o.w. by the Soviets, circa one million of whom died in captivity.

IIRC, at war’s end 270,000 German civilians were taken by the Soviets as forced labour, as reparation for Germany’s war sins, of which circa One in Four died in captivity.
(Rochus Misch, in his book, mentions fleeting contact with some of these)
AFAIK most of the civilian forced labour survivors were repatriated by 1950.

I’ve no idea if this was due to money changing hands, as German finances & German control of Germany were very different in 1949 than in 1956.

This is a topic which is difficult to find much about in the English language.

Became interested in it when one of the regulars in the pub (a German immigrant) mentioned that his father was taken p.o.w. by the Russkis & did not return home until 10 years after the war ended.

Until he turned up one day out of the blue, his family had no idea what had happened to him.

MatrixTransform
August 16, 2024 9:21 pm

For humans there is no such thing as a natural environment

what bilge

you’re actually typing in it right now mate

termites build mounds to nurture their young

bees build hives for the same reason

humans are the only species where politics trumps biology

the thing is … nurturing morons who turn toxic necessitates a purge from time to time

who’s to say it isn’t natural?

Indolent
Indolent
August 16, 2024 9:26 pm
Indolent
Indolent
August 16, 2024 9:28 pm

@KylieJaneKremer

BREAKING NEWS UPDATE

Not only is Crook’s body GONE – cremated, poof, no longer exists.

It turns out the FBI cleaned up biological evidence from the crime scene, which is unheard of…

“The FBI released the crime scene after just 3 days, much to everyone’s surprise,” according to @RepClayHiggins

“Cops don’t do that, ever”

Last edited 3 months ago by Indolent
Indolent
Indolent
August 16, 2024 9:33 pm

I can’t tolerate statins.

@VigilantFox

First, they scammed you on skin cancer when the sun is good for you.

Now, they’re scamming you again on cholesterol to sell you a lifetime medication.

This entire narrative of cholesterol being the villain in heart disease was built on a lie.

What doctors fail to tell you is that the sugar industry bribed scientists to shift the blame of heart disease from sugar to cholesterol. This has been revealed by internal documents that have surfaced.

The result? A massive push for statins, now taken by 35% of Americans over 40, with devastating consequences.

Studies now show that after five years of daily use, the average person gains only three to four extra days of life—just a few days for a lifetime of potential harm.

Even more alarming, 20% of statin users suffer serious injuries like muscle deterioration, liver damage, and nerve dysfunction. For nearly half of all patients, the side effects are so unbearable that they quit within a year.

The evidence is clear: statins are not the life-saving drugs we’ve been told they are.

If you don’t believe me, watch Jimmy Dore break down this article by @MidwesternDoc and be prepared to have your mind blown.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 9:34 pm

If one were to look at it rationally and objectively and without ANY preconceived notions of morality,

Why would anyone do that?

Christianity founds its morality on God. The reason you shouldn’t be an arsehole is that God doesn’t like arseholes and won’t let them join Him in heaven when they die.

Buddhism founds its morality on the observation that nobody likes arseholes, not even the arseholes, and that being one makes you despise yourself, which precludes a happy and contented life.

I simplify so as to make it easier for you to grasp the principle.

Mao was a colossal arsehole. Not to be emulated.

Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
Zulu Kilo Two Alpha
August 16, 2024 9:37 pm

NT bases key for US: Deterrence starts at the Top (End)Ben Packham
1 minutes ago

0 comments
Australia has become “the central base of operations” for America’s military to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, the chair of the US House of Representatives’ powerful foreign affairs committee has declared.
Republican congressman ­Michael McCaul told The Weekend Australian a recently announced boost to US bomber deployments to Australia’s Top End bases would enable America to project power across the region to prevent future wars.
Mr McCaul also hailed an AUKUS breakthrough on Friday allowing licence-free technology transfers. He declared the partnership vital to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping that an invasion of Taiwan was a “not a good idea”.
He said the security pact would survive a Trump presidency, arguing that the AUKUS concept predated the Biden administration and had “very, very strong bipartisan support”.
Speaking in Sydney after a 10-day visit, Mr McCaul said Australia’s geography offered key advantages to the US as it sought to deter Chinese aggression.
“It is the central base of operations in the Indo-Pacific to ­counter the threat,” he said.
“If you really look at the concentric ­circles emanating from Darwin – that is the base of operations, and the rotating (US) forces there are providing the projection of power and force that we’re seeing in the region.”
Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong signed off last week on more frequent rotations of nuclear-capable US bombers and fighter jets through Northern Territory bases, amid growing American concerns over the vulnerability of its bases in Guam, Japan and The Philippines to Chinese missiles. The move prompted a fierce backlash from Labor elder Paul Keating, who warned Australia was being turned into “the 51st state of the US”, and would be dragged into conflicts by its “aggressive ally”.
Mr McCaul said closer military ties between the nations would “provide more deterrence in the region and project power and strength so we don’t have a war” He said rotational deployments of US nuclear submarines from Perth from 2027, along with AUKUS’s Pillar II ­technology-sharing partnership, would strengthen the allies’ deterrence against Chinese threats.
“Time is really of the essence right now, as Chairman Xi has ­announced his 2027 project,” Mr McCaul said, referring to Mr Xi’s call for Chinese forces to be ready to invade Taiwan within three years.

Indolent
Indolent
August 16, 2024 9:41 pm

@GVDBossche

Yes, I agree. Back in 2022, when we saw significantly increased spread of avian flu and monkey pox, I explained how C-19 vaccine-mediated immune dysregulation facilitates asymptomatic transmission of these bugs by vaccinees. As this leads to increased infectious pressure, the incidence of symptomatic disease would increase too (which is what we see today). Host-pathogen ecosystems are linked by population-level immunity. When nature will put an end to the C-19 pandemic (which it will do!), a sound balance of these ecosystems will be restored, but it will come at a substantial price in terms of human lives. In the meantime, vaccination against collateral damages (including but not limited to the spread of avian flu and monkeypox) will only make things much worse. Blind vaccination strategies that ignore the complex immune dysregulation caused by the insane C-19 mass vaccination program are like flushing the toilet with manure…

Steve trickler
Steve trickler
August 16, 2024 9:43 pm

Raygun, after her joke of a performance has made millions look up real break dancing.

Indolent
Indolent
August 16, 2024 9:46 pm
DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 10:04 pm

By what standard?
Yours?

Everybody’s. Unlike you I think morality is an objective fact. Not everyone is moral, of course.

Arky
August 16, 2024 10:12 pm

Mao was a colossal arsehole. Not to be emulated.

Mao was a winner.
In evolutionary terms that is all that matters.

Unless you have some other standard than your worthless (in evolutionary terms) subjective judgement of who is and who isn’t an arsehole.

Arky
August 16, 2024 10:19 pm

DrBeauGan

 August 16, 2024 10:04 pm

By what standard?

Yours?

Everybody’s. Unlike you I think morality is an objective fact. Not everyone is moral, of course

See if you can spot the inconsistency in your argument above.
Hint:

Everybody’s.

Not everyone.

Arky
August 16, 2024 10:24 pm

I think morality is an objective fact.

Objective facts can be objectively proved.
Without banging on like an idiot, simply and precisely point to the best evidence you have that there is an objective morality that most every human subscribes to.

Last edited 3 months ago by Arky
DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 10:31 pm

Mao was a winner.
In evolutionary terms that is all that matters.

We have evolved a moral sensibility which also matters. Maybe if the arseholes win the evolutionary game, we’ll lose it, but atm it still makes a big difference.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 10:34 pm

See if you can spot the inconsistency in your argument above.

There isn’t one.
I used to think you were moderately intelligent, but I’m starting to have doubts.

Barry
Barry
August 16, 2024 10:37 pm

How’s morality turning out in Nigeria?

Old Lefty
Old Lefty
August 16, 2024 10:43 pm

Another set of charges against this piece of work for having it off with a pupil:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-16/nsw-sydney-teacher-charged-sexual-offences-child-abuse/104236154

The evil Seven network have reported that she is a state school teacher posted to Lurnea High. Do why haven’t the ABC and the Herald? If it was a religious school you could bet your bottom dollar that they’d be all over it.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 10:48 pm

Objective facts can be objectively proved.
Without banging on like an idiot, simply and precisely point to the best evidence you have that there is an objective morality that most every human subscribes to.

‘Subscribes to’ is a category error. I’ve observed human beans over some time, and I have come to the conclusion that all of them I’ve studied have developed some sort of moral sensibility. A bit primitive in some cases, but they have a sense of some actions being shitty and contemptible, others not.
I’ve also noticed that most human beans have a sense of humour. Also an aesthetic sense. There is a fair amount of agreement on what is funny and what is ugly. It’s not by any means unanimous, there are large numbers of foreigners who laugh at Mr. Bean. That makes a sense of humour and an aesthetic sense real and not just my opinion. They are objectively real.

Havent you noticed these things?

Arky
August 16, 2024 10:49 pm

We have evolved a moral sensibility which also matters.

Where is this moral sensibility located?
Is it encoded in genes?
Is it chemical, socially constructed or inherent in the material basis of the universe?
Do other animals share this moral sensibility? Or have they evolved a range of moralities to suit their niche, seperate and different from human morality?
How far back in evolutionary human development must we go that the morality is no longer the human one we accept?
If we breed a human in total isolation from existing humans, would he exhibit this moral faculty?
Is the rat morality wherein the mother rat eats her young if she feels like it superior or inferior to human morality? Or just different?
If it evolved, presumably we can evolve past it?
What right do you have to stand in the way of the evolutionary development of a new and superior man?
How can you know that Mao and his type aren’t simply an evolutionary progression? Other than his success or failure to pass on his genes, by what standard do you judge the utility of the morality, other than the survival and multiplication of those who hold it?
Or is it that everything you have written so far tonight is equivalent to “There are things I like and I’m going to call that morality and refuse to admit the consequences of my atheism”.
If someone is successful in completely hiding their “arsehole” behaviour, even from themselves, such that they get away with doing all sorts of “immoral” things at even greater benefit to them than if they had conformed to morality, can’t we say this is an evolved form of camouflage, and therefore both good and successful? Isn’t this precisely how that works in a universe devoid of God or any other standard seperate from what Dr BG likes?

Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
August 16, 2024 10:50 pm

Kim Dotcom @KimDotcom

15h

The Kursk suicide incursion with thousands of Ukrainian soldiers condemned to die has a single objective: Delay a Russian victory until after the US election. Zelenskyy went along with the Pentagon plan because he needs safe haven in the US soon and must please his future host.

This is a reach. Pentagon and Ukies don’t know this incursion will cause a delay as long as 3 months. It could be dealt with more swiftly.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 10:54 pm

How’s morality turning out in Nigeria?

There’s nothing like religion for selling people on doing shitty things.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 10:57 pm

If someone is successful in completely hiding their “arsehole” behaviour, even from themselves,

Kidding yourself is widespread but not very successful. Deep down you know you’re doing it.

Arky
August 16, 2024 11:02 pm

Let us imagine a tribe of head hunting cannibals who have a society bound together by predatory sexual bastardisation of the younger tribe members.
Let’s imagine that the tribe has existed for centuries and successfully survived and even conquered surrounding tribes.
Whose morality would triumph if we dropped BG in their midst?
The tribes, or BGs pissweak, shiftless bastardisation of Christianity.

Zatara
Zatara
August 16, 2024 11:07 pm

While the left continue to desperately dig to find dirt on VP candidate Vance guess what pops up?

In 1995, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, then a resident of Nebraska, was stopped while driving 96 mph in a 55 mph zone. He failed a sobriety test and was charged with speeding and drunk driving. Walz has been lying about the incident ever since, as CNN rather surprisingly admits.

Once again the lesson that lying about the act is often worse than the act itself is taught.

But in 2006, his campaign repeatedly told the press that he had not been drinking that night, claiming that his failed field sobriety test was due to a misunderstanding related to hearing loss from his time in the National Guard.

“Hearing loss” caused his .128 blood alcohol content when tested by the cops. Righto, you lying sacks of rodent excrement.

DrBeauGan
DrBeauGan
August 16, 2024 11:11 pm

Let’s imagine that the tribe has existed for centuries and successfully survived and even conquered surrounding tribes.
Whose morality would triumph if we dropped BG in their midst?
The tribes, or BGs pissweak, shiftless bastardisation of Christianity.

I’ve never felt tempted to convert the heathen, but some have done so rather effectively. Maybe the missionaries appealed to an innate moral sense?

Wally Dalí
Wally Dalí
August 16, 2024 11:12 pm

having it off
The word is “raping”.

Arky
August 16, 2024 11:12 pm

Rome was the first Christian state. Violent.

When Europe was dominated by Christianity. Violent

..

As compared to what?

Last edited 3 months ago by Arky
Colonel Crispin Berka
Colonel Crispin Berka
August 16, 2024 11:13 pm

https://www.malone.news/p/monkey-pox

Over time, DNA virus genomes are relatively stable. This means that, unlike SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) or influenza, Monkeypox is unlikely to rapidly evolve to escape either naturally acquired or vaccine induced immunity.

In my opinion, based on currently available information, Monkeypox is a virus and disease which is endemic in Africa, emerges sporadically after transmission into humans from animal hosts, and is typically spread by close human contact. It is readily controlled by classical public health measures. It does not have a high mortality rate. Unless there has been some genetic alteration, either through evolution or intentional genetic manipulation, it is not a significant biothreat, and has never been considered a high threat pathogen in the past.

Arky
August 16, 2024 11:15 pm

Maybe the missionaries appealed to an innate moral sense?

If they hadn’t manisfested all the things that BG likes in the centuries prior, it couldn’t have been very fukking innate, could it?

Zatara
Zatara
August 16, 2024 11:18 pm

The Second Largest Economy in the World Is Sick, and the Communists Can’t Figure Out How to Cure It

The Chinese go-go economy of the early years of this century has taken a tumble. The 8% growth from 2010-20 is about half that today at 4.75%. The pandemic was part of the problem. China kept opening and closing sectors of its economy in different regions, which brought the economy to its knees. By the time it gave up on the “zero-COVID” model, investment and consumer spending had tanked, and housing was in free fall.

China initiated a massive stimulus effort starting in March looking to jumpstart the economy. But the effect has been uneven and in some ways hardly made a ripple.

May they live in interesting times.

Arky
August 17, 2024 12:20 am

To summarise:

  1. Your fellow atheists, Mao, Stalin etc understood that absent God, there was only pure power and the use of violence that mattered.
  2. Your own scientific alternative to God, evolution is rooted in the belief that the only thing that matters is the survival of the fittest. Indeed, that is the very mechanism posited as the creator of all the diversity of life.
  3. You are unable to point to any basis for morality other than that it is somehow inherent to human nature. Which reduces to “whatever people think is moral, is”. Which is both circuitous and reductionist. And absurd.
  4. All your stated observations as to what you consider moral are exactly those that follow on from Judeo- Christian teaching. You would be completely unable to discover any of it had you not been raised in a time and place where that still partly held sway.
  5. As and if the memory of those Christian teachings fades, so too will the practice of that morality which you recognise and feel comfort in. Increasingly you will find yourself in the world I describe, the one in which only power and violence matter.
  6. There is no socialist or communist utopia in the offing, human development is not a linear progression to a kinder and gentler more moral existence.
thefrollickingmole
thefrollickingmole
August 17, 2024 7:36 am

Whose morality would triumph if we dropped BG in their midst?
The tribes, or BGs pissweak, shiftless bastardisation of Christianity.

That depends, how purty is his mouth?
?

giphy
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  2. Shirley you jest. Without that money, civilisation in Australia wouldn’t exist. Just ask them, they’ll tell you.

  3. Sydney student banned from year 12 formal for wearing Palestinian scarfBy Kate AubussonNovember 22, 2024 — 4.12pm Listen to this…

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