Vance Booker

Enco, straw man argument. I did not say that children would never have to fear anything.

In the USA, the sale of children’s Kevlar lined backpacks to prevent bullets is quite common.

Recently, in Texas I believe, there has been an issuance of DNA kits to parents so they can file their children’s DNA, in case shooting dismemberments render it har…[Read more]

Enco, you’re missing the vital step. All this talk of successfully or unsuccessfully defending children doesn’t even pause for a second to contemplate not having an attack on them in the first place.

It probably doesn’t seem like wriggling and twisting if it’s something one is used to doing.

The last scenario (not entering a house in America where there is a firearm making them feel less safe) is far more understandable (though still, extreme). Having a gun in your house in America statistically makes you more likely to die (under any circumstances) and more likely to get hurt in the case of an incident.

This is not the case in other…[Read more]

Ah yes. More guns. Of course. Not just the police and military.

It always amazes me how twisty and wriggly the gun-owning American has to be to present a ‘rational’ argument for keeping guns available to all.

Still, as obviously no lesson whatsoever can be learned from ALL the other first world countries attitudes to guns, it’s probably a good…[Read more]

Congratulations to Atheist Ireland for getting front-row seats at The Let’s-Hate-America-Israel-and-The-West-In-General-Club.

Could we try and tone down the hyperbole in 2023? The UN, despite its many faults, is an enormous organisation that does more than squabble and (often justly) criticise the unspeakable self-service atrocious things d…[Read more]

Thanks, Reg!!  Happy new year to you!

I would recommend trying them both with and without coconut (I much prefer without the coconut). I was told they were once available in a cafe in Edinburgh but no longer. I was actually shocked to discover a Canadian restaurant in Edinburgh. Was wondering “what the hell is a Canadian restaurant”??? They serve poutine, smoked meat sandwhiches,…[Read more]

LOL I had the exact same experience. I rented a car years ago with my grandmother and we drove along the Vancouver Island (insanely beautiful). Saw the huge trees, Tofino etc and the incredible murals of Nanaimo. But, I guess we were expecting there to be some central cafe with 20 different kinds of nanaimo bars or some special shop or bakery. We…[Read more]

I actually visited Canada in May (my mother was Canadian and I lived there when I was younger) and I tried to sample some old Canadian treats. Apart from the poutine, the things I enjoyed most were the sweets: beavertails, coffeecrisp, tim hortons vanilla dip and kriller, turtles (chocolate with caramel and nuts), peanut butter cookies and North…[Read more]

Thanks all for your kind replies re: Christmas greetings 🙂

As per exercise, indeed slow and steady is important. In fact, I’ve only in the last year been able to start running again (and eventually got back into sports) after my whole kidney thing. I ran 500m one day, then 750 the next time (a few days later), 1km the next and by the 5th time I…[Read more]

You’re thoughtful, Jake. I’m quite lucky in that I have ten acres abutting an unmanned wildlife park with maybe five of my acres being woodland.
Loads of trees have been felled and chopped to about two or three feet logs. My ambition for the spring is to get a small power saw, chop them up and haul them into the log rack. There are chunks of the…[Read more]

The answer is to exercise. It’s the question of how, and of choosing motivation smartly.
For me, yes Jake I don’t think revulsion is too strong a word to describe my relationship with exercise for its own sake. Whereas for me again, I recognise my delight at creating something I want. Not need, really. Want. And I don’t seem to care how much energ…[Read more]

We had a cord of wood delivered outside, and I have hand carried it up 13 steps, through the house and on to the deck to stack, over a period of two weeks.   A cord of wood weighs between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds.
I love our log fire enough for that not to have felt even slightly inconvenient.

I tried a 20 minute daily workout on a cross trainer…[Read more]

Davis  You are one of my favourite members. You post thoughtful, well researched views and carry an inherent kindness that underpins your writing. I consider it a privilege to share this site with you. Thank you for enabling me to let you know how I value you 🙂

Wishing you all a wonderful secular holiday season enjoying Christmas (if you celebrate it) and any other holiday as well as New Years. I’m truly fond of all of you (even those I frequently disagree with) and enjoy chatting and exploring topics with all of you! Enjoy very much your precious time off.

This is my first Christmas without my mother,…[Read more]

Thanks Reg!