Brian

Just noticed this thread, Dwai -- I will join your mailing list, buy your book, read it and post a review!

I take better care of my copy.....;)

Walker, you broke the Internet with that post (well, it wouldn't let me reply to it, anyhow), but... Don't you be telling the Dao what to do.

I have a pillow to hold across my abdomen when I laugh or cough. (I laughed... )

My abdominal cavity has been cleaned out and I have been on broad-spectrum IV antibiotics for about 60 hours now -- I suspect I am in far better shape than the message forum... <grin>

What a truly fascinating thread, esp for an old member who abandoned the the forum as a lost cause a couple years ago and who only returned in response to an invitation to "say a few words" about the passing of a dear friend. Several other friends encouraged me to stick around and explore the site to get a feel for how it has changed while I was away. In the meantime time, my appendix burst and I am in a hospital after four hours of surgery two nights ago (your comments about a surgeon's use of a scalpel was an interesting bit of timing, TaoMeow!). I will be here several more days so I will participate in the little luau tomorrow (since it is a a virtual luau, that it -- I am not eating or drinking yet...) This thread is truly fascinating! -smdh-

Wise man.

My friend, Jim, has left this mortal coil. His passage is a loss for me, and for all who had the opportunity to come to know him, but I am not -- and have not been -- sad for him because it was not a loss for HIM. Jim completed one section of the trail and moved on to the next section. I would like to think he reflects with fondness upon his memories of us as we do upon our memories of him but I suspect he is "in the moment." I usually am. A warrior, a philosopher, my friend. Fare thee well, Marblehead. Light, Brian P.S. If anyone feels up to it, fill me in on major changes here in the last two years (via PM...)

I must give credit where credit is due. It takes considerable dedication to create a forum account under false pretenses and then lurk for more than a year, checking almost constantly for the appearance of a target thread, not posting a single time since your obligatory introductory post until someone posts on the special topic -- and to be ready to respond in less than twenty minutes??? Most impressive! (Unless the whole thing was staged, I suppose -- perhaps after waiting for more than a year impatience finally gets the best of you and you create a sock puppet account or have an associate create an account to get the ball rolling? It's a possibility, I guess -- create your own stimulus if the devil doesn't provide one himself?) I prefer the persistence idea! It seems less sad.

https://stopsoros.mk https://www.usaid.gov http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=977

~~~ SPLIT BY STAFF ~~~ Food for thought... https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/i-used-to-think-gun-control-was-the-answer-my-research-told-me-otherwise/2017/10/03/d33edca6-a851-11e7-92d1-58c702d2d975_story.html

I followed a link someone e-mailed me to a post in a completely different thread, found several PMs from many months ago which I have now answered, and figured I'd poke around the forum for a bit to see if things had improved here. <sigh> Perhaps I'll check in again in six months (or a year or whatever...)

The Constitution has been legally amended 27 times. Some were good choices and some were not so good but they were done according to rule of law. Our biggest crises have arisen because of failure to adhere to rule of law. Eventually, perhaps thousands of years from now, it would be nice if we get to the point of education and awareness and kindness as a species where laws are no longer necessary (not simply where society breaks down and laws are abruptly interrupted) but, for now, rule of law is important.

I know this has been mentioned, referenced & discussed to some extent in other threads, primarily in zerotao's "climate chaos" thread (thank you!), but the protest/standoff in North Dakota is growing in both size and intensity and I think it probably warrants its own thread. Here's a link from earlier today which provides a starting point for those who might not be familiar with the situation (which is probably most people since it is getting virtually no attention from mainstream news corporations: "Police from 5 states escalate violence -- shoot horses to clear 1851 treaty camp"

Don't know if this out-the-window smartphone photo will show up but... Here's a double-rainbow I saw on my way home this evening: Please feel free to join me in posting photos YOU TAKE of rainbows you see. (No Internet pictures, please?)

Petticoat Junction

Mr. Ed

Welcome back!

How curious -- I was thinking about GrandmasterP earlier today.

I think it is "very odd" to believe that one's belief system is not profoundly informed by one's "philosophical view about the nature of man or truth or nature." Perhaps I am just odd. Or perhaps Rorty was seeking to rationalize holding political beliefs at odds with his own philosophical positions? My question would be, "what force?" My statement would be, "we can shape our beliefs or be shaped by our beliefs but the former depends upon recognizing those beliefs and being willing to dissolve our attachments to them."

Running bare.

Saw four running bears yesterday.

Hear, hear!

Sounds good! Which of those three things would have prevented the Vegas mass murders?

The rabbit on the moon is a Native American thing, too (which shouldn't be surprising...)