Should we

[beam me up scottie]

Last edited Mon Oct 20, 2014, 12:37 AM - Edit history (1)

have another meet and greet in this group?

I was away from DU for a long time and there are lots of new faces.

I'll start:

I am a vegetarian nature lover who's into horses, photography and kayaking.

oh, and I'm a girl



EDIT: I have to wonder if it's a good idea for us to discuss our personal lives in this group anymore. I'm not going to go into meta but someone has used this thread to suggest some of our members are emotionally disturbed. If you want to delete your posts I understand. Fwiw, I'm sorry I brought this into the A/A group.

[Warpy]

1. I'm an introverted old broad

who prefers communing with fleece, spinning wheel, and loom.

[beam me up scottie]

9. And the company of spiders.

[kdmorris]

2. Nice to "meet" you (again) :)

My husband (tkmorris) found DU in 2001 while watching the Inauguration. I lurked on his account for a couple of years and then made my own in 2003. Usually people just see "morris" and decide we are the same person.

I love my family, reading, our 2 dogs and 2 cats, science (though Quantum Theory still makes my head explode) and politics.

Oh, and I'm a girl

[beam me up scottie]

10. I was a lurker too.

Couldn't take it anymore and joined after the 2004 election.

Du saved my sanity.

[onager]

3. Grumpy old white guy.

Found DU like the Morrises - right after the 2001 Coronation. So I've been lurking around here for a long time.

I was "forcibly retired" a few months ago, giving me even more time to annoy people on DU.

Raised in the Deep South by my parents, after the wolves gave up on me. Hitchhiked to Southern California as an infant and have lived here ever since, except the years I lived in the Middle East.(OK, I lied, the US Marine Corps sent me to Calif. and I stayed.) Atheistic for many years.

[beam me up scottie]

11. Hitchhiked as an infant!

Good thing you weren't eaten by atheists before you got to your destination.

[deucemagnet]

4. It's nice to see that I'm not the only vegetarian in the group!

Is it impolite to pass on the roast baby at an atheist meet-up? Anyway, I'm a male in my late 40s who teaches at a small university. I have a vague memory of hobbies. Maybe after the semester is over I'll have a better recollection.

[beam me up scottie]

12. I like the Boca Braised Brats.

If you let the staff know what type of food you require before the next meeting they'll try to accommodate you.

I have a vague memory of school.

[deucemagnet]

51. That reminds me of "hufu",

which, as I just found out, was a hoax. I guess Tofu Tots are off the menu.

[beam me up scottie]

88. LMAO!

Hufu was touted as "the healthy human flesh alternative" for "cannibals who want to quit", as well as a product for anthropology students studying cannibalism. According to its website, hufu is also "a great convenience food for cannibals. No more Friday night hunting raids! Stay home and enjoy the good healthy taste of hufu."

Mark Nuckols (founder and CEO of Hufu, LLC)—then a student at Tuck School of Business—claimed that the concept of Hufu occurred to him when he ate a tofurkey sandwich while reading "Good To Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture", a book on cannibalism by anthropologist Marvin Harris.[1] Nuckols is also an honors JD graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.

Samantha Bee of The Daily Show interviewed Nuckols. In the interview, he said "I think that a lot of the pleasure of eating the Hufu product, is imagining you're eating human flesh. For that moment, you can join the fraternity of cannibals... If you really want to come as close as possible to the experience of cannibalism, Hufu is your best option." Nuckols was also interviewed by a variety of radio and print media, including The Harvard Crimson[4] and The Stanford Daily. Stuff You Should Know, a podcast from HowStuffWorks.com, touched on Hufu during the introduction of the "How the Donner Party Worked" episode in March, 2012.

[Heddi]

5. Hello. I'm Heddi. And I'm an Atheist

I'm a girl, too.

I grew up in the South (SC), lived in Seattle & thereabouts from 2001-2013, did a few years in FL during that time, moved to Philadelphia in 2013 and probably won't stay here for the duration.

I'm a nomad. A gypsy. Bound to wander the earth.

2 kitties, no kiddies, big tiddies (hehe)

When I went to church as a young 'un, went to a Methodist church, never forced, wasn't very religious at home at all. I was an acolyte, in the choir, youth group, etc.

I enjoy fiber arts, crocheting (vaginal, even!). Used to knit but was only able to make squares and rectangles--scarves for everyone! Crochet has increased my creativity. Making a star-shaped afghan for mom.

I like camping. And pork, preferably pork that has been previously pulled.

[beam me up scottie]

13. I lived somewhere in between Philly and Allentown for 7 years.

Do you crochet vaginas from scratch or do they come in a kit?

[Warpy]

37. During one of the many flaps over old white guys knowing nothing about reproduction

and female anatomy except where to stick their dicks, a couple of designers over at Rav published free patterns for knitted and crocheted vaginas and uteri to send to them in an attempt to educate the poor things. It was marginally successful because it got the targets to shut the fuck up for a short time. We haven't heard from their wives as to any improvement in the sack, one gently speculates that those years might be over.

[Heddi]

40. It's, uh, not so much OF vaginas as much as of THE vagina

it's an art, you know. No need to mock me.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/17/vaginal-knitting-artist-defence

[beam me up scottie]

48. You know you are my hero.

No mocking here, just being a smart ass (I blame my parents).

Your first post sent me scurrying to google to find out what I was missing.

[Heddi]

67. That really isn't me. I just crochet from my vagina

I really don't. I find it chaffing and drying, especially when using acrylic yarn. Plus, the looks from the family when they find out the orgins of their scarf....

[beam me up scottie]

68. Christmas at Heddi's house must be festive.

I would love to bring you with me to one of our southern style Kristian Kountry Kristmas parties.

At my first Xmas dinner with my ex's family, my mil, after thanking Jay-zuss for her life of privilege, said "I wonder what the Jews are doing today."

My adorable bil answered "Probably eating a lot better than we are."

Mummy was a lousy cook.

[Heddi]

80. It's uh...crafty

I'm a fan of not buying things for people because that leaves less money for me buying things for me, so I make a lot of christmas things. LOTS.

Like the time I made cookies for everyone. That was a big hit. not. Apparently I didn't wrap each cookie individually in gossamer tears of virgin puppies so some of the cookies broke en-route and it was like the cookie holocaust OH MY GOD THE COOKIE HAS A CRACK IN IT DEAR CHRIST WHAT WILL WE EVER DO WITH A BROKEN COOKIE? It was like blood tears were streaming from everyone's eyes at the thought of broken cookies. I'm like "uh, yeah, anyone think of putting it on ice cream or just EATING A BROKEN COOKIE?"

too late. The damage had been done. The cookies were broken and so were the hearts and dreams of everyone I was related to by marriage.

So I said "fuck y'all muh'fuckers' and started knitting. And crocheting. An that means SCARVES FOR EVERYONE yes even you people who live in Florida.

Last year it was Afghans. By hand. TONS of them. Like 30 tons of yarn.

Mr. Heddi's like "yanno, you can, like, buy a blanket for less than this yarn costs...plus the time it takes" and I'm like SHUT UP as I hold a sharpened stitch holder to his throat and try to talk myself out of shanking him with my fancy handle bamboo croshay hooks.

[beam me up scottie]

87. I think I've told you this before...

You should write a column. I need to keep your posts handy the next time I have to endure happy time with mr bmus' family.

His mother reminds me of your patients in Florida, she's 75 and just got botox and lip injections. And even though she denies she had anything else done her butt is substantially larger than it was last month.

Mr b and his son were so busy staring at her they forgot to eat their pancakes.

The woman is beautiful, happily married, has had a lot of work done, spends two hours a day putting on her makeup and doesn't look a day over 60 so I have no idea why she would spend so much money going off the deep end.

Not to mention how much does it hurt to have the fat sucked out of one's stomach and injected into their booty?

[Mr.Bill]

6. I'm an old white guy

who grew up in a very racially diverse neighborhood in Silicon Valley in the 60s. Before it was Silicon Valley, of course. I went to Catholic school through the 6th grade when they threw me out. Not for being an Atheist, which I already was at that time, but because I got in a fight with a very rich kid whose parents gave lots of money to the church. The kid was a bully, and I wouldn't put up with it.

I'm retired now, as is my wife and we live about 100 miles north of San Francisco. I'm active in community affairs, do volunteer work and am a precinct inspector at the polls on election day.

I stopped believing in a god around the same time I stopped believing in Santa Claus. I have no grudge against the Catholic school, they did provide me with a good primary education and even taught evolution. They really didn't push religion all that much really.

[beam me up scottie]

15. I've always wanted to live in California.

Would you consider adoption?

[Mr.Bill]

18. Retirement budget is a little tight for that.

But I'm flattered nonetheless.

[greendog]

7. 56 year old white guy.

Trained to be a visual artist. Drive a truck OTR. Atheist for a few years, open minded agnostic before that. Raised catholic in the Midwest. Live in Montana. Like American roots music and the singer/songwriter stuff from the 60s and 70s. And I like the newer music that reminds me of the old music.

I've been here since 2001 but I don't post much.

[beam me up scottie]

16. You should post more.

Sounds like an interesting life.

[beam me up scottie]

8. Well if you're all going to make this personal

Last edited Sun Oct 19, 2014, 11:30 PM - Edit history (2)

I'll stifle my trust issues (bad experience in this group years ago, nice guy turned stalker)

I'm originally from the Champlain Islands in northwestern Vermont, my mom was Romanian w/German citizenship, dad is a native New Yorker who told the Catholic Church to stuff it when he was a kid, both raised me without religious influence of any kind. I guess you could say I was raised by wolves, they gave me a good education and then let me make up my own mind about everything.

I used to think I didn't care about religion until one day I realized how horribly fucked up it was that my friends thought that liking sex was something you had to be ashamed of. After learning about "sin", almost dying from a botched abortion and surviving a marriage to a doomed man with a Talibornagain mother in law, I decided I really did care. Nothing noble about that.

I'm a former Marine who likes flowers and Fangoria. I've had many jobs but have been employed in the metal working industry for the last 12 years. I followed a job to the Bible Belt where I'm miserable but unable to flee to my beloved Green Mountains.

I live on 5 acres in the boonies, share it with 2 horses, 2 dogs, 7 cats and 1 human male. I love to photograph spiders and snakes and recently purchased a waterproof camera so I can take pictures of the Alligator Gar that live in the river that runs through the property.

Last week I managed to save my kayak from a tornado and a flash flood only to lose it to a thief which is one of the reasons why I'm grumpier than usual.

[frogmarch]

14. I’m probably the oldest one here.

I was born in Karachi, Pakistan when Karachi was still in India. My Anglo-Indian mother, who’d had rheumatic fever as a child, died of heart disease when I was about three weeks old. I was about a year old when my father, an American soldier, arranged passage for my older half-sister and me aboard a troop transport ship bound for the States, and except for the few years afterward that I lived in Tokyo with my family, I’ve lived in America – specifically in northwestern Nebraska (where I live now), South Dakota and Wyoming. Dad had wanted us to grow up away from cities, and so we did.

My dad married the ARC worker assigned to care for my sister and me on the three-month ocean voyage, and she became the only mom I ever knew. She was a devout Presbyterian and made us girls attend Sunday School and church services every week, or else not be allowed to go the movies the next Saturday, but in every other way she was reasonable and wonderful. I think my dad was an agnostic, or maybe even an atheist. He read my two sisters (my half-sister and adoptive Japanese-American sister) and me children’s bible stories at bedtime when we were young, pausing often as he read so one of us could say, “That doesn’t make sense!” and we could discuss it. He told us to never be afraid to question things or to think. Whenever Mom popped in to see what bible story we were being read that night, Dad would start reading again. Sometimes, instead of continuing with a bible story, my sisters and I were able to talk him into performing “Tam o’Shanter” in his funny pretend-Scottish accent. It was fun and exciting and we never grew tired of it. In spite of herself, Mom liked it too.

I’m a vegetarian and my favorite foods are chocolate and potato chips. I’m still on the thin side even though I’ve lost 2” in height over the past few years because old people tend to shrink. I like to write short stories, and sometimes I home-record myself “singing” (oh, well, it’s fun) and playing one or other of my musical instruments – violin, cello, Celtic harp, hammer dulcimer, Irish whistles, mountain dulcimer (and maybe someday my didgeridoo, if I ever get the hang of it).

Oh, and I’m a woman. My girl days are spent. Sniffle.

[beam me up scottie]

49. My mother also had rheumatic fever and died from heart disease.

Dad met her in Bamberg when he was stationed there.

I would love to read some of your short stories.

[frogmarch]

54. It's very sad.

I’m glad that now there are antibiotics to cure many of those awful diseases.

I used to write more than I do now. My finished stories appeared at now defunct ezines and story sites. I’ve been working on a couple of new ones, but I can’t seem to get into the right frame of mind to finish them. Do you write?

[beam me up scottie]

56. If I had your talent I would.

I keep a journal of my mother's stories and I wish I'd had more time with her. She died before I could tell her how much I admired her as a woman of courage and conviction. She was so much more than just my mom.

[LostOne4Ever]

17. Hi, I am part-time University Student working on an Engineering/Math degree

The rest of the time I am a caretaker helping my family take care of my mom who has chronic progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

I live in West Texas, and have absolutely no sense of direction what-so-ever (ie my username).

I am a former Catholic and former Deist, and I am interested in art, animation, games, math, mythology, fantasy, and just about any type of geeky hobby you can imagine

[beam me up scottie]

50. I noticed you right away.

Your posts remind me why I came back to DU.

[LostOne4Ever]

64. Thank you

Since your return, I have found your posts to be some of the best posts on the site!

That said, sorry to hear about your kayak

[Cartoonist]

19. North of San Francisco

Not as far north as Mr Bill. I hope I make it to retirement in 5 years. Don't bet on it. White male from the midwest, my health improved when I moved here 30 years ago, I would have been dead by now if I had stayed.

I'm not always glum. I try to be humorous. I did a lot of political cartoons during the Bush admin, but have layed off Obama because I like him. You might have seen some of them, they appeared on blogs listed on the home page of DU. I never got famous enough to get published or picked up by the mainstream media, but I did have a few shows here in the Bay Area, including one at a prestigious gallery in Union Square, though I was only one in a group show.

I prefer to remain anonymous, so I won't show you any.

[beam me up scottie]

52. Not glum at all.

Passionate people make this group the best one on DU, imnsho.

I gave out too much info about where I live on DU2 and regretted it; I had a scare when someone who was banned came after me personally.

If you could show your work without jeopardizing your anonymity, I'd love to see it.

And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[Cartoonist]

55. Maybe someday

I like to think that my style is so unique that it would be recognized even without my name, at least by those who have seen them before. One of my favorite things about doing them was the reaction I got from teabaggers. A common remark was, "Your cartoons are funny, but you're still a communist."

[beam me up scottie]

57. Those idiots think Bernie Sanders is a communist too.

Their inability to understand the difference between socialism and communism is just one of the things that makes them more dangerous than proponents of either.

I'm surprised the geniuses haven't resurrected the 'Kill A Commie For Christ' slogan, if they used it to target other boogiemen (like muslims or liburls) they would make a fortune.

[Rainforestgoddess]

20. I'm an atheist

Self identified for probably a decade, but longer than that in actuality. I was raised in a non practicing Anglican family. Born waaaaaaay the hell up north in the yukon , lived here and there in Canada for my childhood, and settled on Vancouver island when I got married.

I have 4 kids, from 21 to 13, one dog, two cats and two turtles. And a husband. He's a veterinarian. I help run the business and paint on the side.

That's about it!

Oh, the handle is not woo related. I was trying to make the best of a particularly dreary winter.

[beam me up scottie]

53. LOL! I always wondered about your user name.

Canada was in my backyard growing up and Montreal is still my favourite city. Bitterly cold winters that keep people isolated in other areas of the world inspired its inhabitants to find ways to use the Metro to travel, shop and play without having to step outside.

Someday I may join the Mole People of Montreal.

[Rainforestgoddess]

72. There's a reason I live on the wet coast

And that is the bitter cold. I guess I would have ended up "frostbitegoddess" instead. :-D

[bvf]

21. Another 56-year-old white guy here.

Born and raised in Cleveland, OH.

Brought up working-class Catholic through high school and credit my Jesuit education for my arrival at atheism shortly after that.

Worked in IT in one capacity or another most of my adult life before being shuffled out the door a while back. I'm a geek for word games, especially cryptic crosswords (which in my experience are also enjoyed by approximately three dozen other people across the country).

Voted for a Republican once. A youthful indiscretion that by definition I won't repeat, ever.

[beam me up scottie]

59. I almost moved to Cleveland.

I fell for a guy from your hometown but it didn't work out.

I'll bet your love of cryptic crosswords makes you glad Al Gore invented the internet.

[bvf]

75. Sounds like you landed on your feet

and I'm glad you're back here. Stay vocal and please heed the advice wrt not apologizing for the assholery of others.

Great thread!



P.S.

I'm still waiting for a response from Gore since I e-mailed him a router support question a while back. Too busy resting on his laurels, I imagine.

[onager]

22. Emotionally disturbed? WTF?

After reading the whole thread twice, I just see a bunch of relatively normal people. Some with very interesting backgrounds.

I'm sitting here trying not to APPEAR emotionally disturbed, I guess. I did spend a tour as a Marine drill instructor, and I'm trying not to verbally go all Full Metal Jacket on whatever !@#$####!1! thinks any of us is "emotionally disturbed." Oh well, they cared enough to spy on us, I guess...

Shameless movie plug that doesn't fit anywhere else. Unlike that Baby Jesus Bu...uh, never mind. Some amateur shrink will diagnose me as emo-disturbed or some shit.

Just watched a documentary about a single Mom in her 30s who was working a full-time job, raising 2 kids, fighting an ex-husband for custody of her daughter, and fighting a bank to keep her house out of foreclosure. She grew up dirt-poor, so having her own house was a very big deal.

Then there's her SECOND job - she's an MMA cage fighter. Which requires several hours of training a day, travel, etc. And getting the crap beat out of you literally, not online.

I hate people like this. They make me realize what a lazy underachiever I really am.

Her name is Glena Avila, and she started cage fighting at an age when most people in that sport are ending their careers and retiring.

The documentary about her is called "Glena" and was partly financed by a Kickstarter campaign. Now showing on the Showtime cable channel, but worth a watch if you can catch it.

IMdB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3226290/

[beam me up scottie]

60. Everyone should be as wonderfully disturbed as you.

I see what you're doing.

I love your movie recs, if we ever get high speed internet access I have a lot of catching up to do. One tech told me to try Exede and we're looking into it. I'm just happy mr bmus has basic Direct TV service since I killed my tv long before I moved in with him.

Being an evul atheist and all October is my favourite month for movies.

[DetlefK]

23. Very well then:

German, male, in his thirties, scientist, agnostic.

Environmentally conscious, sci-fi-fan (dabbling into fantasy and steampunk a bit), hobby-cook (right now: arabic cuisine), dabbling into ballroom-dance.

And I'm a bit of an inventor: I invented a board-game that I'm trying to sell to a company right now. And I came up with a new(?) method for seawater-desalination last week and I'm currently trying to find out if anybody has ever attempted something similar and to make some calculations and find out if it would work.

[beam me up scottie]

61. Damn.

When do you have time for DU?

My dad was an inventor w/several patents. I hope your desalination method works out, many millions would benefit.

[DetlefK]

93. I'm not at the experimental stage yet.

My method would work, no doubt about that. It would be cheap (apart from a custom-made piping-part) and require little energy. The problem is, I estimate the efficiency to be way too small to warrant a practical use. That's why I'm currently trying to find out if someone has ever constructed or worked on something similar.

[Warren Stupidity]

24. I'm a relic from the 60's with religiosity intolerance disorder.

Oh and I'm a vegetarian. And a left-libertarian.

[A HERETIC I AM]

30. And apparently, completely succinct! n/t

[beam me up scottie]

62. You bigot.

Last edited Tue Oct 21, 2014, 05:47 PM - Edit history (1)

I get a lot of shit from mr bmus' family for being a vegetarian. Because, you know, instead of being a deeply personal decision it's really just my way of making everyone else feel guilty.

[JNelson6563]

25. Ok, I'll join in...

I am 51, come from an Irish family & raised just east of the Motor City. I moved north in '88, raised a family, got divorced and so here I am. I grew up in the confection business and am a baker.

For shits and giggles I study medival history, hang out with my 20-something kids and enjoy the woods and water all around me. I used to be heavily involved in politics but I have to work for filthy lucre now so those days are behind me.

I always enjoy the discussions here with you guys. I learn and laugh so much in this group, youse guys are some of my favorite people!

Julie

[beam me up scottie]

63. The only lake around here that's not man-made is Reelfoot.

Playing in water without having to bol for water moccasins is something I still miss.


I love A/A, it's by far the most active R&S sub-group and the most diverse.

[NeoGreen]

26. Hi,

I am, male, ~75 days from completing my 50th circle around the sun, come from Scots/English/NY Dutch/Native American families & raised in rural bedroom community outside of the most rusted of rust-belt cities (Buffalo). I joined the Air Force in '84, did 4-years active (North Dakota/Korea) and did well (early promotion, medals of commendation/achievement). After the active stint I did a “try-one” in the NY Air Guard, went to school (geology) earned my BA/MA, got a job, got married, bought some land (13 acres), built a house, raised a family, paid off the loans, and now have a kid in high school, a kid in college and am starting the process of a divorce (amicable). So here I am as I plod on.

I read, canoe, camp, hunt (a little), maintain the homestead (no furnace, so lots of time in the woods), work (cause’ I have too) and take care of my kids (because I love em for they are better persons than I). Both my kids are well inoculated against the dreaded faith virus.

I am active in my son’s scout troop and try to teach them/show them how to enjoy the woods and water all around. I love water and canoeing and (after many years watching yard sales) am the proud owner of 5-canoes. With these I have being trying to (patiently) teach the scouts (and their parents) the right way to hold a paddle, sit in a canoe properly and get from point A to point B without drowning. It is funny how frustrating it can be when you try to teach something that is as easy as breathing air to you and as foreign as breathing water to your student (but I endure).

I know that as an atheist, being active in scouting is counter-intuitive, but I have always held the thought that you are more effective at changing a system from within, than from without. Plus, to me, Scouting (in of its-self) has value and is more than the BSA.

I used to dabble in politics, Society of Creative Anachronism and a number of other hobbies but I also “have to work for filthy lucre now” and spend much time on scouting so those days are behind me

I have been an atheist since at least the age of 8, heck I think I believed in Santa longer than god. On every birthday that I can remember since at least age 5 (while I was young enough to still have a cake) I wished for one thing, and one thing only, “peace and understanding for all of humanity”. And, every following year I was disappointed and had to make the same wish again (I have never shared that insight before with anyone, ever). I quickly realized that it was just that, wishful thinking, and that if it were ever to come to pass, it must be done by us, humanity. There is no magic or sky daddy who will make it all better.

I have (philosophically) run the gambit from fence-sitting agnostic (child-hood), to vague transcendentalism (teens/early 20’s), to druidism (mid 20’s), to weak atheism (late 20’s) to strong atheism (30’s) and now (damn it) to Realism (40+).

I too, always enjoy reading the discussions here. I have learned more, here in A&A (and in the active sparring in Religion) about Atheism and the active defense of Atheism than in all the books I have ever read.

Seeing the practical application of logic is edifying.

For my part too, youse guys are some of my favorite people!

[beam me up scottie]

65. My island dwelling days made me more comfortable in water than out.

Paddling is slowly becoming more popular where I live, although many fisherman (like mr bmus) still prefer to sit in flat bottomed boats wearing jeans and heavy boots. I think it's awesome you're introducing scouts to the sport.

Small canoes and kayaks are becoming more affordable every year, hopefully I'll get another one for my birthday in December. The 'Barefoot Girl' was of great sentimental value, though, and I hope whoever stole her is plagued by toe biters.


Thank you for sharing, your post and the others are just what I needed today.

[NeoGreen]

98. I don't know what it is...

... but the peace I experience while paddling cannot be found elsewhere.

The first time I was in a canoe I almost drowned, but since then I have found it to be quite relaxing.

As far as cheap goes, I have been able to find good/basic/functional coleman canoes on craigslist for ~$150.

Between the ones I have bought for myself, for the Troop and their previous acquisitions I have organized canoe trips for up to 30 scouts & parents.

[theHandpuppet]

27. Crabby old lesbian

Most of my info is already in my DU profile. Finally married my partner a couple of weeks ago in celebration of our 24th anniversary. I'm a Luddite (hopelessly so) of mixed heritage and my wife, bless her, is a long-suffering computer nerd and Latina.

On DU I'm the host of Appalachia Group and would invite y'all to drop in from time to time.

[beam me up scottie]

66. Congratulations!

Your posts about DU's love affair with the liberal Pope Francis inspired me when I returned to DU, and the information and resources you cite are invaluable.

Thank you for speaking up for the impoverished in the US and butting heads with the clueless who don't know or care about the forgotten ones in Appalachia.

[theHandpuppet]

73. Thankee kindly

You're one of the fearless and fightin' ones who keep me hanging around just when I think I'm about to blow my cork once and for all. I like your spirit!

Edited to add: I'm sure we're not the only ones who've noticed that some of the same folk who cheerlead for the Pope for his kindness towards the poor and homeless never seem to miss an opportunity to deride these same people in DU's class wars. To quote Loretta Lynn, "I may be ignorant but I ain't stupid".

[AlbertCat]

28. MY goodness.... lots of old white guys in their 50's.....

.... like me!

I thought we were supposed to be Teabaggers!

Let's see... Born and lived in NC most my life....only because the movie industry came here (not anymore!) I have BA in "costume design" if you can imagine. But I spent most my working time making clothes for film and TV.
Before you ask.... my big claims to fame are:

"Last of the Mohicans" (stuff I made is all over the film. The leads I made clothes for die horribly in the film )
" Interview With the Vampire" (not union so I didn't get to go to Paris... but my stuff is on Brad and Tom in NOLA)
I've made tons of clothes for Halley Berry!(36-24-36) 2 miniseries: "Queen" and "The Wedding". For "Queen" I made a gown for Ann Margret too.... how cool is that!??!!

Anyhoo... I consider these message boards as a kinda e-cocktail party. I try to not get TOO serious and mainly post lame jokes. I do love it when we discuss music and art and science.

[beam me up scottie]

69. Albertcat the pic in your sigline says it all.

My laptop was glitchy one day and that damn cat suddenly appeared larger than life on my screen. I thought I was having an acid flashback.

Sounds like there's a lot more to your dream job than I realized. Way cool.

[Act_of_Reparation]

29. Salutations,

I am a middle-aged white guy at the tail end of his 31st year.

I was born in Ohio, but moved to Connecticut at a very young age. I spent six years or so tooling around San Diego after college, before eventually settling in Michigan with my wife and my two cats. We both work in academics.

In the sense that my immediate family was nominally Catholic and that I was sent to Catholic school for a number of years, I guess I was raised Catholic. But I don't really like this term; unlike my extended family, my parents were never enthusiastically religious. I wasn't raised to believe anything, really.

I can't remember a time when any of the church's teachings made sense to me, even in my youngest and most credulous years, so I didn't experience a "deconversion" like many others have. I never felt duped, lied to, or used. Mostly, I felt like a cigarette smoker at an American Lung Society fundraiser.

In my off hours, I write and compose. I am also an avid gamer. I discovered DU in the mid-2000s or so, but while I came here often for the articles, videos, and Conservative Idiots of the Week, I was loathe to participate until recently (I had other haunts at the time).

[A HERETIC I AM]

31. Sorry sonny, but 31 ain't middle aged!

May you have many happy years ahead of you before you get to REAL middle age!

Oh...and boff till you can't anymore!

[Act_of_Reparation]

32. It is if you don't plan to live past 62

The way I live, I prefer to be conservative in my estimates.

[RebelOne]

33. Well, I am 75 and well past middle age.

And I plan to be an octogenarian way into my 80s.

[A HERETIC I AM]

35. Dad passed in 2000 from a stroke....

and mom in August from the same.

If I live to be 70 it will be a surprise, plus 35 years of smoking have given me COPD, so ......


But hey...we both might surprise ourselves, right?

[Act_of_Reparation]

36. Oh, don't get me wrong

I'll be pleased if I make it further than that (or at least I think I will... kind of depends on the circumstances), but between my eating, my smoking, and my aversion to moving too far in any direction by my own will, I choose to play it safe with the numbers

[beam me up scottie]

90. I'm glad you decided to join us.

I'm a big fan of your posts.

I was surprised to find out that so many others have also never undergone a "deconversion". I always felt left out when belief was discussed. None of my catholic friends ever tried to convert or even influence me when I was growing up. My bestie in grade school was a mormon who brought me with her on Sundays after a sleepover.

[A HERETIC I AM]

34. Fine. OK...Fine, dammit.

Currently 1/3rd of the way around my 56th lap around Sol (makes me 55), Atheist liberal schmuck.

Complete underachiever. I've found that I am almost always smarter than the people I have worked for, and because I am a bit of a dickhead, somehow that comes through! That is to say, the smaller companies and the jobs that I have loved have not ended well because the boss saw it too, and no one likes a smart ass, knowitall.

Ah well.

I'm an over the road trucker. I've driven a truck in all the lower 48 except Vermont (Hey...I just never had to go there as a trucker, but I have been there as a youngster!) and 3 Canadian Provinces and have driven all but about 1500 miles of the US Interstate system. By now I have over 2 million miles accident free. Visited Alaska as an infant via stopover on the way to Saipan and have been to 2 Hawaiian islands. I've been a truck driver for most of the last 27 years, with a brief stint as a Stock Broker/Financial Advisor (duly licensed, though the licenses have since expired) for 3 years perfectly timed for the biggest bear market in 70 years! Needless to say, I didn't last long, but I learned a shitload. Got a question about how Mutual funds work? I'm your Atheist. I spent 13 of the 25 years I've been in the profession in the Motorsports industry, driving 'Brand Awareness' displays and technical support vehicles involved in IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, NHRA and Sports Car racing. Those gigs took me to Canada twice a year on average, Australia 4 times, England 5 times and coast to coast several dozen times. I spent 6 consecutive years in the 90's at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the month of May, as a credentialed participant in the Indy 500. I wear an Indy 500 winning team ring on my right hand (I should have 5, but that's another story). I managed well over 1500 single and multi-day displays tied to just about every major racing event in the US. Those were my "Good Old Days". If I had spent all those years driving commercially I would have well over 3 million miles under my belt by now. I've hauled cars on open-rack transporters for ten years and 'lift-gate' transporters for a further 3. I've hauled everything from a Kia Sephia to a multi-million dollar factory concept vehicle/prototype as well as vintage, exotics, race cars, show cars and your average family car. Most of my experience is with new cars, however. Got a question about shipping a car? I'm your Atheist. I currently haul US Mail and am a Teamster.

My dad was CIA and as such, we moved around a fair amount when I was younger. Averaged a move every 2 years until I was 15. The longest time I ever lived in one place was 5 years until I was in Miami for 6, after dad retired in 74.

Born in Arlington, VA, lived in Saipan, in the Marianna's Islands, Outside DC in Falls Church, VA., Miami, FL. (moved within 30 days of Kennedy getting shot), Athens, Greece, Outside DC in Gaithersburg, MD, Alice Springs Australia and back to Miami, where I graduated HS in 77

Religious skeptic all my life, but raised in an Episcopalian family, baptized and confirmed 11 years later in the National Cathedral in Washington DC. I realized the story of Noah was bollocks when I was about 8 or so, about the time I was told Santa wasn't real, and it was all downhill from there! I started refusing to go to church when I was a senior in HS. LOTS of arguments with dad in those days.

Claimed the Atheist moniker only about 17 years ago, after a long and desperate search for truth in the Christan faith. There isn't any, I came to realize, nor in any of the Abrahamic faiths. A bullshit story writ large, but still a bullshit story.

Never married, though I came close 3 times. Luckily however, as I probably would have been divorced 3 times by now as well. No kids.

I never attended college but I am well read and have a fine command of the English language. I am a member of an industry overwhelmingly populate by morons, so it tries my patience on a daily basis. I just don't suffer idiots too well.

I don't post that much in this forum or the Religion forum because...well....I've had all the arguments before and I find them tedious anymore. They think I'm wrong, I KNOW they're wrong and that's as far as I care to take it. Occasionally I'll put up something in Religion, but it isn't often. I just can't be bothered, really. They bore the shit out of me. I find most of those people unoriginal and banal.

Oh yeah...I'm an asshole, too.

[beam me up scottie]

70. I find you charming.

But I'm weird and disturbed.

My ex drove a modified sprint car on dirt tracks in Pennsylvania and New York; we always looked like coal miners after leaving the pit. I was lucky enough to drive his car on two separate occasions and I'll never forget the feeling, what a rush.

A trucker once saved my keister by preventing me from being pulled into a car at a rest stop after my pickup broke down. I may have been a Marine but at 5'4" and 110 lbs there's no way I could've fought off three guys. He went after them (I can only imagine what he would have done had he caught them), called for help and kept me in his truck until it arrived.

A friend once told me I should marry a long distance trucker since I'm a loner by nature. Not being forced to work and live with other people every day sounds ideal.

[A HERETIC I AM]

89. I'm extraodinarily charming.....

But you're married, so there you go!

As an OTR driver ("Long distance trucker" carries too much baggage for me) I always figured I would make the perfect BF for a strong woman, and I had one, but I screwed it up.

All that was back in the 90's.

Ah well.

They say there is someone for everyone. Well......since I lost her, the only thing I can think is the one for me is a Yak herder in Mongolia, so I'll just sit here.


BTW, I find weird and disturbed very attractive!

[beam me up scottie]

91. She is absolutely gorgeous.

And you're no slouch either.

I'm not married, btw. I just use 'mr bmus' because saying my boyfriend this and my boyfriend that reminds me too much of high school.

I was married for 7 years, he was the love of my life who just wouldn't grow up. Had to leave him 3 times and move hundreds of miles away before I stayed away for good. We would have destroyed each other eventually.

The current mr b is a good man but he's slowly going over to the dark side. Years of exposure to tea party types (the worst in his own family) have taken their toll.

Life really isn't funny.

[A HERETIC I AM]

92. life isn't funny unless you're hanging around me.

Then it's frickin hilarious.

[BlueJazz]

38. I wondered what happened to you. I took 7 months away from DU and when I came back ..

...you..and many others were gone.
But..Welcome back!

[beam me up scottie]

71. Why thank you!

It's nice to both miss you guys and be missed.

[mr blur]

39. Well I wasn't going to but I have no will power...

59-year-old English chap.
First half of my teens in the most beautiful part of the UK, the Lake District, for the Swinging '60s, second half in London for those hazy, guitar-driven early '70s.

Was raised by Labour-voting parents who had the usual British attitude to religion - they went to church occasionally because, well, people did. (You may think that you've experienced mind- and arse-numbing tedium at some point in your life but until you've sat through a Sunday morning CofE service you have no idea...). Nobody believed it. I never did. Nobody cared, or cares. So I've been a Socialist and atheist for as long as I can remember. And now a Humanist, too.

Was a student, then a post-graduate, then worked at rock concerts in London, then an English Lit. college teacher, then a writer, guitar player and singer in a band, then jobs in advertising and marketing in the Awful 'Eighties (The Decade That Taste Forgot), then I started my own design business at the end of the '80s and was forced to 'retire' on the cusp of the millenium when diagnosed with MS.

ms blur and I live in rural bliss at the edge of the South Downs between Chichester and Brighton, with three cats, two small dogs, three ducks, six chickens and a number of fish and frogs. And a family of hedgehogs who live under the duck house.

Three boys, two off at universities.

Can't drive any more 'cos my legs don't work but my wheelchair does. Read voraciously (3 novels I have to read at least once a year: "Grendel" by John Gardner, "Riddley Walker" by Russell Hoban and "The Deptford Trilogy" by Robertson Davies); listen to music obsessively (can't play now 'cos my right hand doesn't work too well); write and design (mostly web) and devour films, as always.

I know I'm one the people in this group that isn't welcome in a couple of other groups here. Know what? I couldn't care less. 'They' think some of us hate religious people; I don't, I don't hate anybody and I'm not going to start with a few self-important anonymous strangers on an internet forum. I despise religion for what it does to believers and to all of us. I feel sorry for religious people because I feel they are trapped by wilful ignorance and bigotry. They only seem to live half a life. The people here who hate us (and they do) don't hate us because we don't share their beliefs but because we refuse to pay deference to their ridiculous fantasy when they seem to feel that they're entitled to it. And we don't apologise for that. And that really pisses them off. I like to quote Bertrand Russell on this:

[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#deedfc; color:#00000 0; margin-left:1em; border:1px dashed #7a7b7d ; border-radius:1em; box-shadow:4px 4px 4px #999999;"] “There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting. But he dares not face this thought!

Moreover, since he is aware, however dimly, that his opinions are not rational, he becomes furious when they are disputed.".
And I think they're mostly banal and tiresome and rather sad and, frankly, boring. But they can be very funny when they feel defensive.

[beam me up scottie]

74. Chicken fan here.

I've always loved chickens and visit my neighbour's often. Our Belgian/QH gelding Jack(aka Moose) also loves them, he'll stand for hours gazing at the birds like a lovesick... well, moose.

I don't know any atheists here who hate religious people. Lying about that on DU is sleazy but effective.




If Bertrand Russell was still alive, he would be called a New Atheist™ and slimed by the apologist crowd.

[mr blur]

95. ...or condemned for being sexist.

Yeah, chickens are cool, if not very bright.

[AlbertCat]

96. If Bertrand Russell was still alive, he would be called a New Atheist™

Hell!


If Epicurus was alive, he would be called a New Atheist™

[kdmorris]

41. Re: your edit

It's not your fault...it's a tactic

A nasty, condescending tactic. YOU should not apologize for someone else being a condescending jackass.

Sadly, I've already learned my lesson when I posted something here that was personal and someone else used it to be my "Faux Friend", in a kind of scary, creepy way - hostility then, in the same post "how are your kids?".

I asked her politely to cease and desist. If that fails, I'll report her to the admins.

[beam me up scottie]

77. A good friend who used to post here

Last edited Tue Oct 21, 2014, 10:25 PM - Edit history (1)

was stalked in the addiction recovery group. Some of the things he said there were used against him in R/T.

I will never forget how my blood ran cold when I read that. I've often been tempted to post in one of the support groups but never have thanks to that disgusting pos. Unfortunately it wasn't a bannable offense.


It was stupid of me to forget that lesson, I should have issued a warning when I first posted the op.





edit: the stalker does not post in R&S now, afaik.

[kdmorris]

79. I know of a woman who's mental health group posts

were used against her in the same way. It's fairly horrific to see people go after you for something that is out of your control and something that carries such a stigma in society.

I feel that being my faux friend and being hostile in the same post as asking how my twin boys are was mild compared to that.

Besides, having twins (16 months old) isn't a mental illness, though some days it feels pretty frenetic.

[beam me up scottie]

83. Again, how do you people find time to post on DU?

I live a life of leisure compared to you and Heddi.

When do you guys sleep?

[kdmorris]

84. For about a year, I didn't find time to post on DU

Now that they are toddlers, I do it when they are asleep (like now)

[beam me up scottie]

86. My best friend in Vermont has twin boys.

When they were young she always apologized for not being able to chat on the phone like the good old days.

I was like RU KIDDING?

Take a bath, do your nails, get drunk and run around nekkid. Don't worry about me.

[Heddi]

81. yeah that's real Christ-like

nothing like holding someone's struggles against them to make a point. OH! but that's not "quote mining" or something...It's only quote mining when WE do it. When THEY do it, it's um something else that's not quote mining. So stop saying that.

[beam me up scottie]

85. It was horrible.

If I ever scold you for being a smart ass PLEASE dig up everything I've ever said on DU and rub my nose in it (because I'm fairly certain that I've never gone more than two hours without being sarcastic).

There's a difference between pointing out hypocrisy and abject cruelty.

[AlbertCat]

97. When THEY do it, it's um something else that's not quote mining.

Another way of knowing?

[Heddi]

42. DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR THE ASSHOLERY OF OTHERS

You know, I think you may have been on hiatus when this big fucking bruhaha fake outrage nonsense was being bandied about because !gasp! Someone used the word "delusion" when referring to religious beliefs. And the fucking psychologists (armchair and otherwise) just came out and omg you are so bigoted against the mentally ill, you can't use the word "delusional" without realizing that's a clinical term, are you calling believers mentally ill blah blah blah.

It was a total manufactured outrage dujour about OMG THE ATHEISTS HATE THE MENTALLY ILL LOOK HERE I'LL SHOW YOU WHY WITH SOME TORTURED LOGIC AND NONSENSE.

So I find it really fucking offensive when someone wants to be at total SHIT and be like "oh, you poor atheists, I understand you're all butthurt because God didn't give you a pony, so I'll give you a creepy hug and still be nasty to you when I post in your group. I understand depression when I read it from an anonymous poster on an internet message board..."

Fuck
You

Seriously. It's disgusting when done by Dr Frist and it's equally disgusting to have someone who isn't even a mental health professional DIAGNOSING THE MEMBERS OF A PROTECTED GROUP as being, wholesale and without exception, being sad, being hopeless, needing professional help, and being equated to institutionalized youth with severe emotional and mental health problems.

Yeah, but DON'T USE DELUSION WITHOUT PUTTING THE WHOLE DSM IV DEFINITION OF DELUSION AND REALIZING YOU"RE NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL OR AT LEAST NO SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTH SO YOU CAN'T USE THAT WORD WITHOUT BEING A BIGOT...but you can infer that the posters of the A/A group are profoundly mentally ill. That's perfectly fine. As long as you end your post with a creepy group-hug smiley or equally dismissive icon.

Don't apologize for that shit. NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR THAT SHIT

[onager]

45. Oh crap, that's probably my fault...

TRIGGER WARNING: when I use the term "batshit crazy," I am not making a qualified medical diagnosis IAW the DSM-whatever.

But we all know what this obsessive language nit-picking really is - just another attempt to derail any criticism.

It reminds me of those people who attack famous atheists by flinging words like "white, educated, privileged," etc.

Has anyone else noticed that the very people flinging those words usually share the exact same qualities as the people they criticize? I sure have. Check your own frigging privilege.

Reminds me of something I read about the Russian revolution. The Bolshevik newspaper ran a helpful article on "How To Recognize A Reactionary" - comfortable bourgeois upbringing, college educated, etc.

A non-Bolshevik paper (before they were all closed) made the obvious wisecrack in print: according to the Bolsheviks' own rules from that article, the first person they should put in front of a firing squad was one Mr. Lenin.

[trotsky]

43. Don't apologize, bmus.

We are hated and despised because we won't defer to religious belief. We speak our minds, and that frightens some. Especially those who need to control others.

[LostOne4Ever]

44. You have nothing to apologize for!

I appreciate the outreach and attempt at community!

[mr blur]

46. No apologies necessary. And remember -

the more they bluster, posture and whine the more they reveal their own insecurities, shortcomings and delusions.

[RussBLib]

47. Next! Last?

Surely I'm not the last atheist around here. I've noticed that when there is a religious-type thread in GD, the atheists seem to come out of the woodwork. Maybe they don't know about this group? I didn't, until about 6 months ago, and I have really enjoyed reading many of the comments here. This place is full of brilliant and snarky freethinkers and I love it.

Oh yeah, I'm a 58-year-old Caucasian male married for 32 years to a 59-year-old Hispanic female. No kids (yea!!), one cat, no dogs at the moment. We have saved so much money from not having kids (no college, no teenage auto insurance, etc) that we are just a few months away from retirement. We are currently plotting our "Retirement Tour 2015" where we plan on taking about 6 months to travel from Houston (where we currently live) and criss-cross the continent with about 20 stops in between. Colorado and Washington State will figure heavily in our plans.

I was raised in East Texas, a deeply religious region (Louis Gohmert is the current Rep!) but my parents didn't really like going to church, so they never forced me or my 3 siblings to either. I wasn't what you would call atheist, however, until I attended college at Southwest Texas State University, now called Texas State at San Marcos. I was awakened and radicalized by some bearded hippy professors (thank God!).

I got a degree in Psychology and so naturally upon graduation started a career in television. I moved up the corporate ladder into management of advertising sales. If there are any soul-killing professions, advertising sales is surely one of the top candidates. Mere nanoseconds before I would have killed a couple of advertising executives, my wife got a job offer in Baltimore, so we left Texas for a few years. She saved my life and I became a kept man for awhile. I am now on my second career, this one in the oil and gas industry. Fortunately I work with highly-educated, liberal, atheist attorneys.

My wife, who is not on DU, got thrown out of Catholic school at age 8 for asking too many questions and never looked back. She's a hoot.

We love gardening, studying history, reading, making pottery, painting, and most types of music (except rap, opera and country), and poking at the Christians in our midst. Most of them have never even read the Bible and don't believe some of the stuff we tell them about it. It's my contention that, the more you read the Bible, the greater likelihood you have of becoming an atheist. That thing is fucking radioactive! It's no wonder the clergy didn't want the common man to read that thing for centuries.

In our retirement we plan on getting much more politically active. I would run for office if it wasn't for all of the drug and sex skeletons rattling around in my closet. Same "problem" with my wife. I am glad to know (of) all of you.

[beam me up scottie]

76. I remember when my doctor refused to tie my tubes.

I never wanted kids and decided to have the procedure at age 28 and be done with it. I was informed that he wouldn't help me because I was too young to know what I wanted and in his opinion women always change their minds about such things.

He also wouldn't refer me to another doc.




Living in the bible belt sucks, there is just no escape. I'm to the point where I'd rather take up residence in a cardboard box in a blue state than live in the McMansion communities near Baptidomes.


"I got a degree in Psychology and so naturally upon graduation started a career in television."

You're a hoot too!

[JDDavis]

58. Don't usually post here, but read almost daily

Retired guy with 68 full revolutions around the sun by this time in my life.

Interests include good books, classical music, playing and listening, social betterment efforts in my community, trips to Europe, California for a week or two for each, every year, if I can afford it on my retirement pensions and the little money I make in a small consulting part-time business advising all sorts of public employees on labor-related contracting issues, (union and non-union).

I was a vanilla Congregationalist who actually thought of going into the ministry before I went to college. Then I actually read about half the Bible and gave up the idea of finishing reading it; there were so many OTHER good fiction books and interesting factual history to spend the rest of my life reading.

Recent health issues have me reading DU almost daily instead of watching sensationalist news on any and all TV news channels, local and national cable.

I have a fondness for Rachel Maddow, (she should be the host of Meet The Press by now, except she's a woman with a doctorate, and Chuck Todd never even finished college...fact)

Keep up the good work. Some of the snarky defensiveness I find on the OTHER Religion forum just makes me browse that place once or twice a month; they simply keep re-hashing their same (non)-arguments over and over. This is the best forum for fresh thoughts about the silliness and lack of logical thought that all religions continue to represent and apologize-for and push.

[beam me up scottie]

78. WELCOME JDDavis!

I actually read about half the Bible and gave up the idea of finishing reading it; there were so many OTHER good fiction books and interesting factual history to spend the rest of my life reading.

You hit the nail on the head, why would anyone want to keep slogging through the bible searching for some tiny grain of wisdom or truth?

A curious mind can find wonder and beauty almost anywhere.

[JDDavis]

82. Yes, agreed. So many minds spend too much of their lives...

trying to defend the indefensible.

I bet most parents of those silly priests, ( of the tens of thousands over the course of human history), just hoped their child found the cure for AIDS, or the secret to genetics, or just wanted their child, (of-course mostly male), did something well in life.

Then again, how many scholarly men and women didn't get to reveal their lifelong truths, because...a religion did not allow it?

[Cartoonist]

103. The Gene Krupa Story

I bet most parents of those silly priests, ( of the tens of thousands over the course of human history), just hoped their child . . . did something well in life.

Gene was one of those kids whose parents wanted him to become a priest. Gene just wanted to bang on his drums all day. He even joined the ministry but had to confess to his teacher that he couldn't even listen to Ave Maria without wanting to hammer out a beat. He eventually joined Benny Goodman's band. His parents practically disowned him, while America embraced him. This rejection by his parents certainly messed with his life. Religion strikes again, and a big FU to those who claim religion is a force for good.

[mr blur]

94. Welcome to the Evil Atheist Hangout!

Baby eating is optional.

[onager]

99. That must be the Asian delicacy, Sushi-Baby

Looks like he's eating it raw. I prefer mine cooked...



And since the Thanksgiving holiday is coming soon in the USA...

[Gelliebeans]

100. Finally phone is working

I'm a divorced mom of an adult son in the medical field.
I'm not that interesting I like movies and anything without commercials. I am a big hockey fan. I am a third generation Californian. I make jewelry (when my hands cooperate)
I came back to DU after a long absence. I have two health issues (I say issue cause they just piss me off and get in the way of life sometimes) I have lupus and Crohn's disease so I haven't been able to travel as much as I did before.

I love to take photographs of old buildings and castle ruins.
Been an atheist forever.

[beam me up scottie]

101. Our new mascot 'Batcat' is awesome.

I should have linked to your Welcome thread

Rubber chickens all around!

[Heather MC]

102. I am Black Female Vegan Married Atheist. I..

Have two Children
Reese 12
Devon 9
Hubby is Active Duty Military
His in one of the Bands so No Wars ever

I Teach Zumba, PiYo, and Tabata in government buildings, Corporate Offices, and School

I accidently released a god belief, by reading the bible.
And researching my mother's religion Jehovah's Witness.

My hubby is a weak theist, my oldest son expressed his non god belief to me a full year before I realized I was atheist.

We live in a very Blue county so we are fortunate to not be surrounded by bible thumpers.

And we like to have a lot of fun, Church for us is Six flags on Sunday.

And satuday volunteering at the foodbank.
That's about it hi all

[beam me up scottie]

105. Hi Heather MC!

You have a very interesting family. Your Saturday volunteering reminded me of how my mom used to bring me with her when she checked in on the elderly shut ins on the island. And the churchists who preach about morality one day of the week.

[Heather MC]

111. we discovered we had more time to volunteer once we stopped

Hanging around people who claimed to care, but spent all there time in a multimillion dollar church

[rexcat]

104. Old white guy here...

62 rotations around the sun. Have twin boys who started their first year of college this fall, one at Ohio University and the other at McGill University (Montréal). I work in the pharmaceutical industry so that makes me doubly evil, the atheist thing being the first evil. Started off as a clinical microbiologist but now work on clinical trials (mostly infectious diseases). Wife has her PhD in toxicology. Photography is my main hobby. Just had three of my photos picked for a non-profit raptor rehab group calendar for their 2015 calendar. I did serve in the military because of a low drat number but did not have to go to Vietnam. I was stationed in FL and was part of medical operations for manned space, Apollo 17, Skylar missions and Apollo/Soyuz mission. To this day I dislike the military. I was too vocal. Lifers in the military can be such big dicks. What I saw was a lot of kiss up kick down types. I don't think that has changed much. I don't understand the current cult of the military going on in this country.

[beam me up scottie]

106. I don't understand it either.

Do people really believe everyone who serves in the military is a hero? Those who sign up to go to other countries to kill seem to be more worthy of admiration and respect than civilians who risk their lives to save poor villagers from ebola.

I would love to see one of your photos, a local wildlife rehab took in a Red Tail hawk I rescued on the highway last year. They released him a few miles from here.

[rexcat]

107. Here are the pictures...

Barred Owl



Great Horned Owl



Eastern Red Screech Owl

[beam me up scottie]

108. Those are breathtaking.

I'm going to see if our local wl rehab has a calendar, I don't think it does but it seems like a wonderful way to raise money and reward amateur photographers who spend countless hours trying to capture the perfect pose.

I was just listening to the GHO family that hunts around here, it's a perfect night for them.

I'll never forget my first up close and personal experience with a barn owl, I climbed up to the top of our barn and came face to face with one. I lost my footing and nearly crashed to my death.

[rexcat]

109. The group here...

in the Cincinnati Metro area is Raptors, Inc. in Milford, OH. They picked the Great Horned Owl picture for the cover. Because I got the cover photo for the calendar I get to take pictures of a raptor release or get to release a rehabilitated bird to the wild. I picked to release a bird back to the wild!

[LostOne4Ever]

110. This seems to be the best thread to express this sentiment to all my fellow infidels

Happy Extort Complete Strangers for Junk Food with Random Threats of Vandalism Day!!!



Whether you are going to a party, taking some kiddos trick or treating, Driving fundies crazy, or simply staying home watching scary movies may your activities tonight be fun filled and most importantly safe!

[NeoGreen]

112. Traditionally in my household, after the juvenile sugar extortion event…

…we would sit down back at home and my little “enforcers” would sort and trade their “donations” and make appropriate offerings to their “benefactors”, all the while watching:



Happy Halloween everyone