jerryskids

Thanks, and yeah, that sucks. I was sitting in the vet's office on Friday, looking at a chart of cat vs. human age. I thought 14 was kinda middle aged; ends up it maps to about 72 for us. It actually helped me reconcile the decision that made the most sense.

I hear ya. I've gone through a similar path, which I think I've outlined here, but to briefly recount: raised Catholic, fell out of it in college, got back in when I got engaged and my fiancee wanted to join the church, raised our 3 kids through the sacraments, then fell out again. Rejoined in the past year or two, looking for spirituality and community as much as anything. I've confessed to @weepawsthat I'm still on my search, which he thinks makes me damned. I prefer to follow the prophet Miley Cyrus, who once said, "it's the climb." We too chose our house because it is right on South Mountain which provides a large variety of hiking experiences through which to experience the wonders of God. I went to church this morning, alone, to pray about my cat who passed yesterday (see other thread for details). I'm not great about seeking out companionship, but I thought it good to get out of the house and be with other people. I wasn't "asking" for anything when I prayed; more reflecting on his life and the joy he brought our family. I thanked God for bringing him into our life. In the words of Mother Teresa: The communion song was "Make Me a Channel of your Peace." It is from a poem from St Francis of Assisi. I learned this morning, before mass, that St. Francis is the patron saint of animals. I had been largely meditative during the mass, but I cried some at what seemed a sign (or coincidence) given my situation. I rarely cry. It's good when I do. I don't know that evangelical services give you this same opportunity. Perhaps they do, I don't know, and I'm not judging. I say this merely to say that there is value in the Catholic mass.

Good one, although Starship was even worse. At least they changed their name! A lot of bands went to shiot coming out of the 70s into the 80s. Styx Mr. Roboto was my single most disappointing music release in the history of evah. This seems like a good sperm-off thread.

Amen. I can't think of another band that went from so great to so shmaltzy. Probably because of the death of Terry Kath, who was an incredibly powerful singer and guitar player. Totally overshadows Cetera here, although Cetera is still in his rocking bassist days. Hard to believe this is the same band:

I've been doing this to @MDCfor 3 responses, he hasn't gotten it yet. Maybe he is too young to know classic Chicago songs? Just another Saturday in the Park Does anybody really care? (OK, that's a lyric from Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?, but if fit perfectly) 25 or 6 to 4. I'm running out of songs to keep this up with. Oh well, It's Hard to Say I'm Sorry.

Quickly scanning the OP, it's hard to tell how much of the decline is from truancy vs. kids being home educated or going to charter/private schools. But I agree that if truancy is up, that is a problem that should be addressed. I don't know exactly the answer, but society is not better off with underprivileged kids NOT going to school. @Strike and others have a good point that many of us said in 2020 that closing schools, and subsequently for so long, was a ginormous tragedy of a decision, with long-lasting, probably irretrievable consequences. Unfortunately, we continue to be proven correct. Putting on my conservative hat, I'll say that we've created a hedonistic society where people do whatever feels good, which for parents is taking the easy road of not pushing kids into school, and for kids is, of course, not going to school. There are increasingly fewer ramifications for bad behavior, reference most pro-terrorist riots these days. And the Left is more than happy to give out more and more entitlements, so why work to not get them? Our society is morally broken, and no increase in truant officers is going to address that.

There were probably only 25 or 6 to 4 such Chicago posts.

Without knowing what "massive tactical voting" means, it sounds like France has decided to continue to let their country be overrun by violent, radical Muslims. You see that as a win, we can agree to disagree.

This is why I didn't want to get into it with you. Your "goalpost" move includes two statements I never made; even so, they are barely different, yet to you it is a big deal. I said it wasn't an insurrection, and that most people just took selfies. I didn't say it wasn't an insurrection BECAUSE most people took selfies. Hopefully you see the difference. And I have no idea why you posted that bolded part. It doesn't define insurrection, it says such people can't hold office. Trump is not charged with insurrection. What is the point? Clearly it was important to you, since you bolded it. Finally, I made my initial comment to see if you considered the folks who just took selfies as not an insurrection, the same as the idiot who hates hostages and loves terrorists. You said you did. In my mind we were done, but you got into that mode, and here we are. If you feel the need to argue this more, just give yourself the W, congrats. I'm moving on.

I'm not usually into funbags that big, because they generally are part of a big body. She seems to be something of a unicorn in that regard tho. I wonder if she'll balloon out some day. Until then, I'll just enjoy it.

Does anybody really care?

Just another Saturday in the Park

Found a link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/07/exit-poll-shows-surprise-win-for-left-wing-alliance-in-french-election Sounds like it could be a shiot show there, with no party in control. Anyone know what "massive tactical voting" means?

No, I don't think the OP is an insurrection. But I don't think 1/6 was an insurrection, that was my point, and I believe the point of the title of this thread. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/25/us/what-is-seditious-conspiracy-insurrection-treason.html#:~:text=Is sedition the same thing,aimed at overthrowing the government. Digging more into seditious conspiracy, from the US Code: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/238 For the bolded, a small number of people appear to have plotted to delay the certification -- they should and are being investigated. Same for those who assaulted police. The majority of folks in there though just followed the mob mentality, much like most of the mobsters during the Summer of Love were following the lead of Antifa at scores of events. I have tried to make the case here in the past that the virtual lack of enforcement during the Summer of Love taught everyone that such behavior is not only acceptable, but socially desired. The response inevitably was "but... but... this was an INSURRECTION$#@!" It wasn't an insurrection. Nobody tried to take over the United States with flag poles and fake guillotines.

The page cannot be found. But I'm confident you found some that did something so egregious that there was no choice but to charge them. It's the same!

I feel like we are entering semanticville with you again... All I said to you was: which is not what you just said. Carry on.

The more "culty" the evangelical, the more likely they are to have a Napoleonic complex about the Catholic Church. Weepers is Exhibit A. I, and most Catholics that I know, don't have anything against other Christian denominations. I personally believe that it is good to have different ways of worship. Evangelicals prefer to yell "PRAISE JESUS!" at the top of their lungs and speak in tongues. Catholicism is more contemplative, meditative, ritualistic. Different strokes for different folks, as they say.

People who assaulted police should be prosecuted; I'm confident you are consistent with that belief for other, mostly peaceful protests. The people who got in were like "holy ish, we actually got in!" Then for the most part they walked around, took selfies, then left. Did they attempt to hold the Capitol, using their flag poles and fire extinguishers that they brought to take over the US? Those who vandalized, like our Hamas terrorist loving, hostage hating comrade above, should also be prosecuted. I'm confident you are consistent with that belief for other, mostly peaceful protests. Like all of those pro-terrorist protesters who vandalize statues, take over college buildings, etc. Wait, none of those were charged. Anyway, you Lefties have turned the word "insurrection" into meaning "a protest that got out of hand. But it was the other side, the bad guys, so that's OK!"

Oh, I know. The gaslighting has already begun: "It was just an episode! He was tired, he had only rested for 6 days! Look how good he looked in the carefully edited and curated Snuffalupagus interview!" Once they decide they are sticking with Biden, the gaslighting will be at 11.

Yeah, I remember that rule about doubles. Also IIRC, at a bar in Park City anyway, you needed to be at the table to order or receive the drink. That is, I remember going to the bathroom and telling my friends to order me another, and they wouldn't do it, or something like that. Anyway, your trip sounds fantastic. In Moab, did you hike the entirety of the trails you listed? That seems like quite a bit for one afternoon.

To my knowledge I've never done it. Honestly, I never really wanted to. Most of my single, fornicating years were in college and shortly thereafter. I was by and large not looking for commitment, but a fun slut for a one-night stand. If a girl told me she was a virgin and wanted me to be her first, I very well might have passed.

Does walking around the Capitol taking selfies qualify as an insurrection?

'Sup Rusty?! Did your Pimpadeaux alias get banned, or are you just in shock from the realization of 4 more Trump years?

I said married, not happy.

The only dangerous parts of Philly are West Philly, North Philly, and South Philly. There is no East Philly; that's Camden, NJ. Also dangerous.