Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Monday, December 18. 2023Monday morning linksQuarter of Americans stressed ‘all the time’ — but cooking might be key to calm Online dating’s long-term effects on marital outcomes explored in recent study Honest Conversations About Abortion - The case of Kate Cox and the importance of difficult discussions. ‘Transgenderism has become a youth subculture’ Canadian Medical Schools Asked to Shift From “Medical Expertise” to Anti-Racism and Social Justice Training A Victory against DEI in Wisconsin MacDonald: The Academy at the Crossroads, Part Two.Penn 2.0 and the larger ideological problem: universities are waging a war on the West. Anti-Semitism at Harvard VDH: We Are Well Beyond Hypocrisy. Have we again forgotten the subpoenaed Trump children? Arizona Governor Hobbs Calls Out National Guard to Deal With Crisis at Border REPARATIONS, GOODBYE Meet the Totally Badass Republican Mom of Seven Running for that Santos Seat Over 67K migrants are living in NYC shelters - more than triple the 2022 holiday season total - as Mayor Eric Adams calls Biden's lax immigration policies 'baffling' It’s time for a ‘broken windows’ policy for schools " Those of us who have been overeducated–and I include myself in this class–cringe when we hear Trump go off on one of his hyperbolic rants. “Why can’t he just state things clearly and without exaggeration?” The legacy of Volodymyr Zelensky "A majority of young Americans said they believe Israel should 'be ended and given to Hamas,' according to a shocking poll." Why No Shrieking About Egypt's Border Wall With Gaza, Which is Getting a BIG Upgrade Why is #MeToo Covering for Hamas? Bill Maher discusses Israel Trackbacks
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Israel is the last of the European colonial projects, on a par with Rhodesia, Belgian Congo, et al. After WW II, European Ashkenazi Jews, with the connivance of the European colonial powers, invaded Palestine, and displaced and murdered the native population. The ethnic cleansing and genocide continue to this day.
The horrors inflicted on the Ashkenazi's in Europe during the 30's and 40's do not justify their invasion and conquest of another people. And, an ancient book of fables cannot grant a land title to an alien race. If there is to be peace in the Middle East, the Israeli state must be dismantled, and the Ashkenazis must be sent back to their European homeland. When the Ashkenazi Jews migrated to Europe in the first centuries A.D., where did they migrate from, Bob? Why did they start the migration, Bob?
Hitler rounded up the Jews from every country he evaded. Even from Greece. Those European countries hardly protested. Is that what you want to happen again, Bob? You anti-semites are sick creatures. bob sykes: If there is to be peace in the Middle East, the Israeli state must be dismantled, and the Ashkenazis must be sent back to their European homeland.
The Jewish people have deep roots in historical Palestine, dating to the late Neolithic. "[T]he Israeli state must be dismantled, and the Ashkenazis must be sent back to their European homeland."
And with that remark, we have all the information we really need to know about the charming "bob sykes". "If there is to be peace in the Middle East,"
Yeah, dream on. If Israel wasn't there, there'd be desert in a few generations, with Palestinians trying to take over their neighbors again. Or the Houthis in Yemen trying to take over the neighboring states. Or someone in Iran trying to destabilize Saudi Arabia, or Iraq taking over Kuwait again, or... You can blame Israel for the instability - but there's a lot of bad actors in the area that aren't looking for any 'peace' but what they can piece out of their neighbor's territory. Honest Conversations About Abortion
60 million babies killed and they want to talk about the super rare case. What is honest about that? I am not in favor of abortion but I could willingly accept abortion up to 15 weeks. But if you remember back years ago that is ALL the pro-abortionists wanted and eventually they pushed and pushed and we ended up leaving health born babies on the operating table to simply die from neglect. THAT more than anything else is why there is so much anti-abortion sentiment. Partial birth abortions are disgusting. Late term abortions are murder. Anyone who disagrees should welcome putting videos of these on TV every night a 6:00PM. If late term and partial birth abortions are so great put them on TV! Spot on, OneGuy.
The super rare cases are always a way to pull at your heart strings. The sadder the case, the harder the pull. How could you possibly let this poor woman suffer? “A nine week old fetus is not the same as a baby.” Then what is it? Is it not human? Is it not life? The following is extremely hard. I fail at it all the time. 1Thes5:16 Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. Here’s a simple thought-experiment. There’s a fire at a fertility clinic, and there is precious little time before the entire building is engulfed in flames. Down one hallway, there’s the soft purring sound of an incubator with a thousand frozen embryos; down the other hallway, the cries of a newborn baby. Which do you choose to save?
I’m not sure I see your point. It doesn’t relate to OneGuy’s post and has only a tenuous connection to the abortion debate.
The debate is about life and under what circumstances it can be terminated. Pro choice people generally elevate the convenience of the mother in order to effect some sort of parity with men and so support tighter time limits. Pro abortion people want that choice past the point of viability and some even demand the right to choose up to full term meaning a baby is delivered and left to die or killed. How much is a life worth? Circumstances where the choice is between the life of the mother and the life of the baby are very rare but those and cases of rape or incest are the only valid choices in my opinion. All other circumstances can value life by delivering the child and putting him up for adoption. I would hope that adoption would be the solution in the cases of rape and incest too. That's because Zach-bot has no point.
Me: I'd save the baby. Zach-bot: Aha! You don't see the embryos as being alive! Me: I'd save the embryos. Zach-bot: Aha! You only care about babies before they are born! It's a pointless bit of Zach-bot's usual mental masturbation. RJP: Me: I'd save the baby. Me: I'd save the embryos.
None of your proposed answers are consistent with our views (even after at least a year of interactions between us). Embryos are very much alive. And you presumably do care about babies and embryos, so we wouldn't say otherwise. Which is your actual answer?
#2.2.1.1.1
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 13:59
(Reply)
That is my answer. What's yours?
#2.2.1.1.1.1
RJP
on
2023-12-18 14:55
(Reply)
RJP: That is my answer.
You didn't answer. Most people would be horrified if you left a baby behind to die in the flames while rolling out a vat of embryos. That includes the commenters on this forum who have avoided answering, because, well, it makes them uncomfortable to place a relative value on a baby versus an embryo. But people do, all the time.
#2.2.1.1.1.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 15:06
(Reply)
Yes, I did answer by pointing out this is a stupid, pointless scenario carted out by intellectually lazy people as a way to elicit a response based on emotion and feelings rather than logic and reasoning.
Further reading on the topic (It's a very well known scenario, Zach-bot did not come up with it on its own): Fire in fertility clinic scenario With that, I'm done.
#2.2.1.1.1.2.1
RJP
on
2023-12-18 15:51
(Reply)
RJP: Yes, I did answer by pointing out this is a stupid, pointless scenario . . . Further reading on the topic
From your link: “The answer, of course, is that you save the child.” See, that wasn’t so hard. Of course, then he makes a number of specious justifications, such as the child being able to feel the pain of the fire. But that can’t be the reason, because the answer would be the same even if the child was under anesthesia. Yet, he did answer.
#2.2.1.1.1.2.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 16:37
(Reply)
Yeah, I know I said I was done, but since Zach-bot thought it was scoring points by quoting the article, I'll add this quote from the same article that I think perfectly sums up Zach-bot:
QUOTE: Then there are the deeply, viciously stupid pro-abortion arguments, the ones so profoundly inept, vapid, and useless that they make you question the base mental competency of the people who advance them.
#2.2.1.1.1.2.2.1
RJP
on
2023-12-18 17:55
(Reply)
RJP: I'll add this quote
Which is not an actual argument. We already pointed out the specific problem with one of his justifications. The fact is that, while people value babies and embryos, they do not value them equally—nor should they. One situation concerns twins where one fetus has a fatal abnormality, and aborting the dying fetus gives the surviving fetus a better chance at a healthy birth. Most women who have abortions are already mothers, by the way. Ignoring these types of situations doesn’t make them go away. Consider the poor woman in the Texas case.
#2.2.1.1.1.2.2.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 18:15
(Reply)
mudbug: It doesn’t relate to OneGuy’s post and has only a tenuous connection to the abortion debate.
It's directly relevant to the abortion debate, which would be clear if any of the other commenters had attempted an answer. mudbug: Pro abortion people want that choice past the point of viability Very few people support elective abortion post-viability. However, as the case in Texas show, even when exceptions for the health of the mother or fetus are written into the law, it has the effect of restricting all abortions. Virtually no one support infanticide. Hmmm... well, there's at least one. Peter Singer. Professor at Princeton. He's been advocating for it for a long time. I doubt he's singluar. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1999/09/11/a-professor-who-argues-for-infanticide/cce7dc81-3775-4ef6-bfea-74cd795fc43f/
"Virtually no one support infanticide."
Is that why they stood and applauded, in New York, at the signing of the latest abortion bill? The bill that lets you kill the baby all the way up to birth. A few hours, a few minutes before birth...I can't even complete the sentence. They stood and applauded. They were very happy. If I recall they also lit up New York City with bright pink lights, in celebration. But virtually no one supports infanticide. We just lie to ourselves as to what we are doing. In Virginia, they tried to pass a bill that allowed the new born to be murdered up to a month after birth. Again, virtually no one supports infanticide. Betsy: well, there's at least one.
"Virtually no one" does not mean no one. B. Hammer: Is that why they stood and applauded, in New York, at the signing of the latest abortion bill? The bill that lets you kill the baby all the way up to birth. Infanticide is not allowed in any state. Elective abortion is only legal in New York until viability. B. Hammer: In Virginia, they tried to pass a bill that allowed the new born to be murdered up to a month after birth. You can surely provide a reference to the text of the proposed bill. Pretending you don't remember?
QUOTE: "If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother," Northam said, alluding to the physician and mother discussing whether the born infant should live or die. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D.) commenting on a bill proposed by Delegate Kathy Tran (D.). Nearly half the democratic caucus supported the bill. Zachrial: "Virtually no one support infanticide" Until viability. Health. There's two well defined terms. Not. Just find a Dr. Kermit Gosnell. Killing babies and lack of ethics, goes hand in hand.
#2.2.2.3.1
B. Hammer
on
2023-12-18 17:12
(Reply)
B. Hammer: Pretending you don't remember?
You didn’t cite the text of proposed legislation. It’s linked below, and there is nothing in the proposed law about infanticide. As for Northam’s comment, he was referring to a baby born with a fatal abnormality. QUOTE: Meme Misquotes Virginia Governor on Abortion Bill “When we talk about third trimester abortions … it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus that is non-viable,” Northam said. “If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.” Northam is a physician, and the discussion concerned a not uncommon situation. The mother can hold her dying child after birth, comforting both mother and child.
#2.2.2.3.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 18:08
(Reply)
You keep telling yourself whatever lets you sleep at night.
#2.2.2.3.2.1
B. Hammer
on
2023-12-18 18:24
(Reply)
B. Hammer: You keep telling yourself whatever lets you sleep at night.
Misrepresenting Northam’s comment is not an argument as is clear from the context. More particularly, the text of the bill contradicts your claim.
#2.2.2.3.2.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 20:30
(Reply)
LMAO that you think restating the trolley problem makes you look clever.
" the Totally Badass Republican Mom of Seven Running for that Santos Seat"
When I read the first article on her it was good right up until she said about Israel "this is my country". Here issue was legit, don't get me wrong she is Israeli and that's where 100% of her allegiance is which is her right. BUT, THAT is exactly what is wrong with immigration AND more specifically electing immigrants to power. They cannot help themselves, their allegiance is to their mother country and NOT to the U.S.A. IMHO she should go home. She should have never immigrated here. I don't care how bad ass she is leave and go back to "your country" and help "your people". "Mazi Melesa Pilip is not your typical Long Island Republican."
Why, no, she's not - in fact she is still a registered Democrat, the way I read it. The Republican Party keeps doing this to us, over and over. I can keep an open mind about a candidate's unique qualifications, but the fact that the Republican Party has not mentioned that their candidate is a registered Democrat, and has made no effort to change or address that fact to inform their voters, tells me that this is the same old tired playbook. This is true in Canada too. Their form of government means that the people don't pick their leader. The parliament picks the leader of Canada and go on line and look at the picture and name of every member of parliament and you will see why Canadians are unhappy with Trudeau but can't do a thing about it and why there will be endless immigration displacing Canadian citizens. Within 10 years the Chinese and Indians will totally rule Canada.
"Their form of government means that the people don't pick their leader."
It is quite true that we do not directly vote for the head of government i.e. the prime minister. However, in voting for our particular member of parliament (MP), we do determine which party will govern the country and the leader of the winning party generally becomes the prime minister. Of course, if your MP happens to be that party leader and is re-elected, you've effectively voted for the head of government. "Canadians are unhappy with Trudeau but can't do a thing about it"
False. Canadians can choose to vote for another party which, should it win a majority, would become the governing party - meaning the current prime minister would be out of a job. Indeed, he would be out of two jobs if he also lost his seat to another candidate: prime minister and MP. "Canadians are unhappy with Trudeau but can't do a thing about it"
False." I get it! You are Canadian and don't really want to here some person from another country say anything about your country even if they are correct. But here is what is wrong about your reply. Technically you are absolutely correct that Canadians "could" just vote for another party and that would end Trudeau's tyrannical reign. But 99% of this decision is determined by the people who live in less than 1% of Canada. It is quite "democratic" in the same way that two wolves and one sheep vote to see what is for dinner. If you live in Alberta you have zero control over who is your leader. In fact if you live anywhere in the 99% of Canada that doesn't get to decide who rules them you have zero control over who your master is. If you live in Wyoming, you have zero control over who will lead the US, unless voters in states like California, Texas and New York are like-minded in their preferences.
#3.2.2.1.1
JJM
on
2023-12-18 14:11
(Reply)
Except the smallest population state has exactly the same number of Senators as the largest population state. AND everyone gets to vote for the president AND their vote isn't simply counted in a single large pool which would favor large cities and large states. But rather counted only within that state and the result counted as a proportional value rather than lost in a huge pool of votes. Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver decide who holds the majority in Canada's parliament. If you live anywhere else it makes zero difference who you vote for. The entire province of Alberta could stay home on election night and nothing would change. In 10 years the Indian immigrants will be in total control, or I could be wrong and it will be the Chinese immigrants. But either way the "Canadians" (those born in Canada and descendants of Europeans) will be a minority and will have no say in the government. You can see this happening right now in England and Ireland too. You can disagree around the edges but it won't change the facts on the ground.
#3.2.2.1.1.1
JustMe
on
2023-12-18 17:15
(Reply)
This is why Trudeau took their guns. This is why the Democrats desperately want to take American's guns. It is extremely difficult to oppress and genocide a large segment of the population if they are all armed especially if they are armed with rifles. The value of an armed population was dramatically illustrated in the Oct 7th Hamas attack on Israel.
#3.2.2.1.1.1.1
Anon
on
2023-12-18 19:25
(Reply)
JustMe: Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver decide who holds the majority in Canada's parliament.
Those cities don’t come close representing a majority of parliament. Elections to the Commons are not proportional, but plurality single-seat districts. Ottawa and Montreal are 60% white.
#3.2.2.1.1.1.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 20:56
(Reply)
"Canadians are unhappy with Trudeau but can't do a thing about it"
False." I get it! You are Canadian and don't really want to here some person from another country say anything about your country even if they are correct. But here is what is wrong about your reply. Technically you are absolutely correct that Canadians "could" just vote for another party and that would end Trudeau's tyrannical reign. But 99% of this decision is determined by the people who live in less than 1% of Canada. It is quite "democratic" in the same way that two wolves and one sheep vote to see what is for dinner. If you live in Alberta you have zero control over who is your leader. In fact if you live anywhere in the 99% of Canada that doesn't get to decide who rules them you have zero control over who your master is. So are you happy to be ruled by the liberal folks from Ottawa most of whom were born somewhere else??? JustMe: But 99% of this decision is determined by the people who live in less than 1% of Canada.
Huh? Trudeau's Liberal Party does not have a majority in Paliament. They entered into an agreement with the New Democratic Party. The New Democratic Party could pull out of the agreement (though they have committed to 2025). The Liberals could elect a new leader. Or the next election in 2025 could shuffle the political situation. It won't take much for the Conservative Party to take control. JustMe: If you live in Alberta you have zero control over who is your leader. Albertans generally support the Conservative Party. The last Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was all of eight years ago. Even today, the Conservative Party could ally with other parties to form a majority. They just don't have the support to do so. As noted, the New Democratic Party is in an agreement with Trudeau's Liberal Party.
Conservative Party, 119 Bloc Québécois, 32 New Democratic Party, 25 Green Party, 2 Not getting your way does not mean not having a say.
#3.2.2.2.1
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 14:23
(Reply)
"The last Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was all of eight years ago"
Emphasis on "the last". It's over. The political landscape has changed that quickly. 8 years ago you could elect a white conservative to prime minister today you cannot. In another 8-10 years a Indian/Chinese majority will be passing racist laws to discriminate against white Canadians. Hey! Hate the message all you want but you are wasting your time hating the messenger.
#3.2.2.2.1.1
JustMe
on
2023-12-18 17:19
(Reply)
JustMe: The political landscape has changed that quickly.
What has changed that quickly. If most people don’t support the conservatives, what is wrong with that? JustMe: 8 years ago you could elect a white conservative to prime minister today you cannot. Huh? Only whites can be conservative? You do realize that Canada is 70% white?
#3.2.2.2.1.2
Zachriel
on
2023-12-18 20:38
(Reply)
US Military Faces 'Mutiny' Of Enlisted Gen-Zers As TikTok Virus Spreads
It's not so much a mutiny as social media commenting on how bad life is in the military for the grunts. In this case it is nothing to do with CRT, DIE, vaccines or trannies. The article suggests that since this is happening on TikTok, the ChiComs are behind it to weaken our military and destroy morale. https://www.zerohedge.com/military/us-military-faces-mutiny-enlisted-gen-zers-tiktok-virus-spreads related U.S. enters 2024 with its smallest military in over 80 years QUOTE: The defense says the Army will have 445,000 active-duty soldiers, down more than 40,000 - 8.4 percent - over the last three years. Meanwhile, the Navy will have 10,000 fewer sailors, down 3 percent, and the Air Force will have 13,475 fewer airmen, down 4 per cent. The Marine Corps will have 8,900 fewer active-duty service members than in 2021, down nearly 5 per cent in three years. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12869575/pentagon-biden-army-navy-marines-space-force-military-recruit-gen-z.html "Why is #MeToo Covering for Hamas?"
It's one of the 10 Marxist Commandments: when it comes to crime, they're alright if they ain't White. "Quarter of Americans stressed ‘all the time’ — but cooking might be key to calm"
Gardening's better than cooking. I might on occasion want to put a bucket over my husband's head (why is it that men can't follow complicated, contradictory instructions?), but that's better than mac and cheese around his ears. Kipling knew: "The cure for this ill is not to sit still, Or frowst with a book by the fire; But to take a large hoe and a shovel also, And dig till you gently perspire..." I must disagree, at least from a man's viewpoint. Gardening seldom offers an opportunity to combine fire, large slabs of meat, knives, and beer, all to one constructive goal.
Well, outdoors, yes. But I can't use a flamethrower in my kitchen.
The pine paneling couldn't take it. REPARATIONS, GOODBYE
It was only ever a grandstanding scam, designed to rile up low-information BIPOCx voters and (mostly peaceful) demonstrators. ‘Transgenderism has become a youth subculture’
"Gender medicine, Hakeem tells me, has ‘been captured by trans lobby groups like Mermaids and Stonewall’. Consequently, for the past few years, the clinicians who have chosen to work at specialist services have taken an ‘affirmative approach’ to trans identities." A very lucrative approach, he forgot to mention. The Katie Cox case isn't getting reported honestly. It appears to be a straight-up argument for euthanasia of a baby that has a high chance of being born very ill and with a very short life expectancy, though some babies with that condition can live reasonable lives for a reasonable span, and the diagnosis is not absolutely reliable.
The mother and doctor also appear to be exaggerating the risk to the mother's health and fertility from continuing the pregnancy. The baby's diagnosis has no obvious impact on either--it's more a case of carrying any pregnancy to term for a woman who's experiencing some gestational difficulties and has had previous C-sections. It would be more accurate to say she'd like to try again and would not like this likely-damaged baby to use up any of her remaining capacity. If pro-choice activists, including doctors, worked harder on their reputation for honesty instead of shading the facts to make a political point, we'd have better policy discussions and less anger and confusion. Texan99: It appears to be a straight-up argument for euthanasia of a baby that has a high chance of being born very ill and with a very short life expectancy
Her baby was dying. Cox had four emergency room visits and risked a uterine rupture. Since leaving the state, the embryo has ceased to have cardiac activity. It would have been safer to end the pregnancy sooner rather than later. It shows that the exceptions in the law are only for show. It's hard to imagine that Texans are so cruel. Surely not all of them. |