Leaderboard

Actually @Cynique our mansplaining debate was not a draw. Given the fact that mansplaining is in the Oxford Dictionary, I'm forced to accept it as a word. Now I don't have to like it, and I'm really not a fan of it, but if the English say it is a word, it is a word.

Well I saw Black Panther last night. I was definitely a step above the typical action flick, the plot was a bit deeper. Sure it had all the requisite battles, explosions, fast cars, and attractive women and muscular men engaging in death defying feats aided by super powers -- all of which gives it its universal mass appeal. I thought it was an excellent film. I was not the greatest film ever, but for a superhero action fick it was as good as they come. Certainly better than any that I can recall seeing in the last decade. The audience I watched the move with, in Tampa Florida, which was virtually all white applauded at the end of the film.

@Delano I must agree with Del – science could be the new religion – especially if we’re to view religion as a sum of its parts and not necessarily its tenets. A little before I began working in broadcast journalism, I was reading scriptures. I remember saying I want to tell YOUR story like the disciples did in the bible. Long story short – a few weeks later I found myself sitting at the anchor desk of our local television station. The current weekend anchor and the news director set me up to do a demo reel. I got the news reporter job. I was already employed so it was part-time, one day a week – Sunday. I had NEVER even studied broadcast journalism. I was a writer who was curious and that’s it. My second news story (a package) was a Catholic church closing. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston diocese was consolidating churches in a cost saving measure. I laughed out loud thinking THE ALL has a wonderful sense of humor. It was a story I didn’t want to do for two reasons – I despised Catholicism and I despised Catholicism. Still, it was my job that I asked for and I didn’t want to add to the parishioners’ pain. To this day – I believe it was my best story ever…and I really sucked at broadcast news reporting in the beginning. But in interviewing the congregants, learning the history of the church and what it meant to those people -allowed me to lose the hate – and look at this religion through their eyes. I learned the people, their love for each other and the Supernatural was the religion …Some men made up some shit and told folks to worship their ideas but, in the end, religion is its believers - So yes, science could be the new religion because all it needs are strong believers that the answers they seek will come if they exercise faith. @Delano "The AD first meant “Anni Diocletiani” which related to the beginning of his reign at 284 AD. Diocletian’s laws, persecutions and punishments against the Christian community were severe. "

@Delano @Mel Hopkins I have to agree with Mel. That your example using priest is flawed. You could have argued that by invoking their religious background they are represent a religious view and hence a representative of the church. However by definition they are not religion they are a facet of religion. And the part is not a proxy of the whole. The only instance that is true is for holograms. Mel it's your turn.

This cartoon was apparently in Michael Moore's 2010 movie Bowling for Columbine. It would be hilarious if it were not so sad.

The numerical value of the year. I am familiar with the calculation of the month the naming and order of days of the week, the adjustment of the calendar, civilizations that used a non 7 day week. Since this is mostly astronomical. As are Easter Passover Chinese New Year, the Kumbh Mela and other holydays. @Mel Hopkins @Pioneer1

Is Astrology a religion? Aren't the Summer Solstice, the Vernal Equinox, etc, Paganistic in origin, preceding Christianity?

OMG!!! That's it! That's why I reached for the duct tape! Pioneer's statement lacks context! "I USED TO believe the knowledge was just information and facts... unless that information and facts comes with a proper understanding then it's still not knowing." Thank you, @Cynique you've cleared up the mystery! "knowledge is the basis of understanding" but you have to do the work. You can't just slap a fact up in this forum and think you're going to get a sticker! Nope , not gonna happen LOL...

@Pioneer1 the only thing Mel was wrong about was dignifying your half-witted response. I happened to be writing when I saw your bc/ad as being part of science. My head was about to explode because that was the furthest thing from truth. Saying AD/BC is used in science is about as bright as saying English is a scientific language because the universal language is for scientific studies is English. None of it has anything to do with Christianity - it's a damn standard! The only way scientists can keep tract of their discoveries is by using standards. Is the demarcation of the Gregorian calendar determined by the birth of jesus - KINDA -but only the ignorant would stop there. Is science governed by christianity -I guess if you're one of four people who believes the sun revolves around the earth. Right. i just noticed that myself while skimming over the thread. Pioneer's "pretty sure" statement of "fact" was a prime example of having "knowledge" but not "comprehension".

How about that? Someone who admits he was in error. I'm sure Del could parse Troy's reasoning ad infinitum, and Pioneer would have little empathy for him, but "in my opinion" Troy's admission was a sign of good character.

@Pioneer1 the only thing Mel was wrong about was dignifying your half-witted response. I happened to be writing when I saw your bc/ad as being part of science. My head was about to explode because that was the furthest thing from truth. Saying AD/BC is used in science is about as bright as saying English is a scientific language because the universal language is for scientific studies is English. None of it has anything to do with Christianity - it's a damn standard! The only way scientists can keep tract of their discoveries is by using standards. Is the demarcation of the Gregorian calendar determined by the birth of jesus - KINDA -but only the ignorant would stop there. Is science governed by christianity -I guess if you're one of four people who believes the sun revolves around the earth.

Greetings, Here is a partial list of up-coming book fairs/festivals/personal appearances I will be attending in the next few months. If you're in the area, please stop by and say "Hello". Peace ......... Wednesday - February 28, 2018 - Terraces of Bonita Springs, Florida - 3:00 PM - Meet/Greet The Authors Thursday - March 1, 2018 - Somerset at Plantations - Fort Myers, Florida - 4 PM - Readers/Writers Event Sunday - April 29, 2018 - Commerce Club - Tampa, Florida - 9 AM - Oxford Exchange Book Fair Saturday - May 19, 2018 - Schultz Center - Jacksonville, Florida - 10 AM - Florida Writers Association Sat./Sun. - July 14-15, 2018 - Le Meridien Tampa Hotel - Tampa, Florida - Indie Author Book Convention Thur.-Sat. - August 9-11, 2018 - Hilton Inn Lake Mary, Florida - 6 PM - Indie Book Fest 2018 Saturday - September 15, 2018 - On Point Executive Center - 10 AM - Tampa, Florida - On Point Book Fair Thurs.-Sun. - October 18-21, 2018 - Hilton/Altamonte Springs, Florida - 10 AM - 17th Florida Writers Conference Thurs.-Sat. - November 1-3, 2018 - Lexington Hotel - Jacksonville, Florida - 9 AM - IABPFF S.E. Region Conference

Alternative thoughts when everything about the confines of this disgusting country stifles and disgusts, thanks to Trump and his ilk. When the "Black Panther" orgy morphs into a bizarre worship of the ancestors who supplied bodies for the slave trade. Time for the sanctuary of introspection.

@Pioneer1Mel put you in your place. Let you know that your obnoxiousness undermines everything else. Get it, Dummy? LMAO

@Pioneer1Yada, yada, yada. Go think up some more non sequitur metaphors until Mel can put you in your place. Again.

OK. i don't find it necesssary to elucidate on what are my opinions because we do agree that everyone is entitled to their opinions, providing they don't try to pass them off as facts.