MigL

Maybe to you, but a certain percentage of the male population happens to find males more attractive, regardless of hair color 😃 . We must have dated the same women, Moon 😃 . I'm sorry, I just can't take these kinds of threads seriously ...

I know what you are trying to say, but to a lot of people, the example you are setting is that you can discriminate ( or sort/select ) according to skin color and gender. J Biden, making the exact same choice, but not announcing his selection criteria beforehand, would not produce the same bad optics.

Nice post Markus. After Icarus' first post, I had trouble following what he was saying also. Maybe if Icarus were to sum up his thoughts in a couple of paragraphs so we could understand where he is trying to go, then follow up with the mathematics, if required.

I'm sure everyone is waiting with baited breath for my opinion ... I'm sure KBJ will be an excellent Justice, and is extremely well quaified, but SCJustices are not supposed to represent specific groups of people; they are supposed to represent ALL people. And while a black woman is a welcome addition, why was there a need for J Biden, to announce beforehand, that the selection criteria would be based on skin tone ( not race ) and gender ? Bad optics. Unlike some of the others, I don't find it very offensive that this was a color/gender , for appearance, motivated selection. What is offensive, to me anyway, is the selection based on political leaning of the candidate. Whoever is in power tries to change the make-up of the SC, not necessarily for the good of the country, but for their own political party. As far as I'm concerned, the SC should not be politicized. Ken said it on the first page of this discussion ... Yes, of couse it's been done for a couple of hundred years, but tell me, how's that working out for you guys ? Maybe it's time to try a new approach ? And I'm still disappointed that some people choose to make their argument with demerit points, rather than reasoned thinking.

It has been my experience that most red-headed women have freckles on their boobs, which I personally don't find very attractive. But that's just a personal preference, and i'm known to be very shallow.

I find it sad that you have criticism for the actions of the Ukrainian President, US actions in the Middle East as well as WW1 and WW2, and even the French ( ? ), yet not one word of criticism for the idiot whose actions are the root cause of so many dead Ukrainians and Russians, V Putin. Blame anyone but the real culprit. Sad, and telling, that you and he think alike.

I don't think he'll ever understand, JC. NATO is a defensive military alliance which, through Article 5, helps prevent what is happening in the Ukraine. You don't see Russia invading Romania, Poland or the Baltic states do you ? They only invade or threaten non-NATO states like Ukraine and Finland. And then Mistermack, and Russia, wonder why those countries want to join a defensive alliance.

Another day, another fanatic wasting his time ( and ours ).

I would think the refugees from the Ukraine know very well who is committing the atrocities. A lot of them are feeing to Poland, and a forum member who I trust and respect, and who has had contact with the refugees, doesn't seem too impressed with the behaviour of the Russians. There is a very simple way to stop any atrocities committed by Russians, and Ukrainians, Serge. Get Russian forces the hell out of the sovereign country of the Ukraine.

The odds for the lottery are much much worse, yet people still play it. Hope is a very strong emotional motivator. Some people ( I don't currently, but you never know ) need that motivator; who am I to deny them that, when hope is all they have left. Don't make me quote The Shawshank Redemption again.

Russians have now stated that if Finland tries to join NATO there could be 'dire' consequences. Gee whiz! What could possibly make them want to join NATO ?

If Religion is defined as the belief in omnipotent supernatural beings, and other supernatural planes of existence, then NO, there is no rationality to that belief. And Beecee has provided the definition of rationality which makes this self-evident. Do you wish to alter the definition of 'rational' or 'religion' ? If, on the other hand, you are asking about the need, use, or function of Religion, then YES, at some stage of a society's evolution there could definitely be a rational reason for its existence, as it provides a moral compass for people who may not have developed one yet, and gives the leaders of that society a way to control those who may not be very sociably inclined.

Hello ! Yes I have a sense of humor. But Claiming that a defensive alliance like NATO, which has seen new members join of their own free will because they fear an expansionist Russia, is threatening the security of Russia, is akin to claiming women's shelters, where women go to escape abusive men, are a threat to men. Do you find that ironic and humorous also ?

... and Mistermack might have it backwards. The rich get the gravy and avoid incarceration; the poor get the blame and go to jail.

After all the crap that's come out after 'slap-gate', I have come to almost feel sorry for Will Smith. I recently saw a clip from a Red Table ( Jada P Smith's show ) episode, where she and Will calmly discuss her infidelity while Will does his best to keep smiling. On TV, mind ou. Is there no end to this woman's self-centered narcissism ? And his idiot son ( Jayden, named after his mother , how appropriate ) commenting on social media "And that's how we do it". Best course of action for Will, is to be like the 'stereotypical black American father' and abandon his family. ( just kidding; I'm with Chris Rock, and believe we should be able to laugh at our shortcomings and challenges ) And then I remember I don't really care about Hollywood types ...

Most batteries ( of this century, anyway ) are sealed types, with only a breather. It is impossible to add distilled water ( unless you're willing to cut a hole and subsequently, silicone it closed ), and may only have a 'cat's eye' to check level. And most new cars have always on systems ( like clocks, temp gauges, etc ) that draw current even when the engine is off. A good battery will last 5-7 years. Keep in mind that batteries charge very little, if at all, when engine is idling, and the more often you deep discharge the battery, the more you shorten its life.

Somewhat off topic, but ... Makes one wonder why you complain about politics and politicians, when you can't be bothered to help weed-out the bad ones, and encourage the good ones, with your vote.

To add to Mistermack's excellent advice ... Lead-acid cells have a potential of 2.1 volts. so six cells in a car battery will give you 12.6 volts ( slightly more, like 12.8 V , due to 'surface charge on a fully charged battery. If your voltmeter reads 10.5 V , one of your cells is shot and you need to replace the battery. If the engine is running, the alternator will supply about 10% higher voltage to charge the battery, so you should see about 14 C on your voltmeter. If you only see about 12.6 V , you are seeing just battery voltage as the alternator is not supplying any, and you need to replace the alternator ( typical failure mode is shorted diodes ).

Speaking of Star Trek .... Back when it was a little more realistic, and all aliens weren't a variation of bipedal humans with differing 'bumps' applied to their foreheads, they had the Horta, a silicon cycle based life form from the planet Janus VI, that could tunnel through solid rock ( ST:OS, Devil in the Dark, season 1 episode 25 ). They had immaterial beings that could control energy, and lizard aliens, like the Metron and the Gorn ( ST:OS, Arena, season 1 episode 18 ) And even Data was self aware, intelligent and could reproduce ( ST:TNG, the Offspring, season 3 episode 16 )

I guess Swansont was right; this is the strategy you come up with when you learn your tactics from video games. The Russians can't even re-supply the forces they have barely inside Ukraine's eastern and southern borders, how would they re-supply their forces on the other side of the country, without having control of the areas in between ? I don't think you need a better news source; I think you need more critical thinking.

Are you guys really claiming Chris Rock'c comparison of Jada P Smith to G I Jane ( Demi Moore ) was a put down ? Have any of you seen the movie ? She was one of the hottest women of the 90s, and really rocked that shaved head. The only other womaan that even came close was Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2, especially when she handled guns.

I wonder if Jada P Smith rolled her eyes when she saw this clip Or this one mocking gay people Or is his comedy not subject to the same standards he holds other comics to ? Remember the childhood saying ... " Sticks, stones, AND SLAPS, will break my bones, but words will never hurt me" ? When did we become so sensitive ?

Whether it was a good joke, or not, or even whether it was funny or offensive is not the issue here. There have been plenty of bad jokes made by comedians, and plenty of insensitive ones; those are all subjective for the audience. What is not subjective is Will Smith's response; there is no argument that can be made to justify it. Does this really warrant further discussion ?

A very good explanation of the Big Bang theory ( for those who might need it ), and some of the 'problems' that are encountered on the way back to t=0

We have a very limited definition of what 'life' is. Our carbon based life that needs liquid water, is not the only way to build complexity. Sulphur and Silicon provide large numbers of compounds also, but would require other liquid solvents than water, at much higher temperatures, for interesting chemical reactions. And, who is to say, that once our civilization ends ( for whatever reason ), we don't leave behind an electro-mechanical civilization that evolves from AI that we developed. The possibilities are endless.