Wow. You unzip Trumpy Bear from the back, and out comes an American flag for adults to play dress-up with their new, ultra-patriotic stuffed toy.
Perhaps they could market a companion Trumpy Bear that comes, instead, with the flag of Niger. Because he's going to be wearing that one for a very long time.
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/trump-fake-renoir-parker-brothers-masterpiece-1122221
IF that game is real, I'd actually like to play.
Oh, the board game Masterpiece was fairly popular when I was a wee lad. Here's an ebay listing, which asks $30.99 and is described as:
"Vintage 1970 MASTERPIECE The Art Auction Board Game Parker Brothers 99% Complete"
I know, I know… you're wondering if the "1 percent missing" is the forgery of Renoir’s Two Sisters on the Terrace that our Prez so defiantly defends. But no, it's just a lost playing piece. For a moment, I thought I had found an out for him. :cheesy2:
Well, don't worry too much – apparently, there's a bountiful supply of the original. :crazy2:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/donald-trumps-fake-renoir
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/trump-fake-renoir-parker-brothers-masterpiece-1122221
Oh, Bobby Garcia! He must wait in the hedges, outside that Naval base in San Diego, lol. Love his models, wish that he had better cameras and lighting for his earlier work. And yes, he does seem to give the most skilled BJ's – what technique!
Anyway, surely you have an adult products store within your city/county? They will have enough flavors to make your head spin. Some of the lubes are also "tingly," which may enhance the receiver's pleasure -- but may give you some unwanted numbness on your lips.
Personally, I don't like any lube, flavored or not, when I'm sword-swallowing. My favorite flavor is skin, lol. But through trial and error you'll find a lube that tastes good to you.
Do you mean minoxidil? There's a lot you should research concerning minoxidil, finasteride and unwanted side effects like retrograde ejaculation.
However, many of the online "group chats" or seemingly independent health websites are manipulated by Big Pharma, and will downplay such risks. The best advice is standard: First consult your physician, and if s/he doesn't know, see a specialist.
I know the main focus (of arousal, lol) is on male actors, but I would be remiss in not mentioning Traci Lords, who was a porn superstar, and now turning in some well-received mainstream TV and film work; loved her as the mother in the edgy horror flick, Excision.
She certainly has a well-rounded… list of credits (gotcha!).
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000183/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
and the film I mentioned:
And as long as we're having fun in this mosh pit of manners, I'd rather have people encouraged to engage in intelligent, respectful debate without an aside that denigrates the trans (whether "vestite" or "gender") communities.
Thanks for responding, cteavin. Like you, I can't give an exact "moment of clarity" when I first moved at least as far as agnosticism, but perhaps in my late 20s.
These days, I sometimes consider my self an "agnethiest" – a bit of a nonsense term, or at best, an amalgam of agnostic and atheist, lol.
However, when I'm in a mixed group -- good friends and perhaps some I am meeting for the first time -- I generally use the term "secular humanist" if the occasion arises. SH seems to cause less consternation and knee-jerk fear than "atheist," most likely because half of them can't define it!
After 15 years of parochial (Lutheran and Presbyterian) kindergarten, elementary and high school indoctrination, I realized, a decade later, that I would benefit from reading books and essays to strengthen my critical thinking, though I won't leave a long list here -- perhaps that's another thread!
For anyone curious about the central non-religious voices of an era, the two-hour, 2007 roundtable by The Four Horsemen of Atheism -- Hitchens, Dawkins, Dennet and Harris -- will, at least, stir one's thoughts:
Recently, I joined the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), which could be of interest to people of belief and non-belief, as long as they value (here in U.S.) the constitutional separation between religion and government. One of their best-known members is former SNL regular Julia Sweeney, who has performed plays, written articles and made appearances that help show we are not a bunch of dour, self-defeating nay-sayers, and actually doing a lot of "good without god."
In a bit of foreshadowing, in 2012 she rallied against allowing employers to deny health coverage based solely on their own moral and religious beliefs…
…which are exactly the protections President Trump rescinded (along with LGBT protections) only a few days ago...
While the Tribune article is focused on birth control, a logical extension would be, if you worked for a Christian Scientist, they could conceivably rescind all your health coverage, as they don't "believe in doctors."
That's my novella for today, but again, welcoming anyone else with a related story to tell, real-life experiences and anecdotes, etc. …!
Surely it is a sign of the "end of times" that we agree on something!
Well, Frederick, whatever the future holds, please don't stop assigning me that Negative Reputation. While many of my real-world acquaintances know that I have a "long red one," I think a little Internet validation can only help. :cheesy2:
I don't think it's racist to point out that many crime syndicates are formed along ethnic, racial and/or religious lines. From that perspective, do Asians/Muslims represent a higher proportion of all known child-sex trafficking gangs? I'd like to see some research data (in this case, for England) to figure that out. Anyone?
(excerpted)…
Are there studies? I wonder. There's a lot of resistance in analyzing people by race and religion. To me, it's common sense and a good reason to limit immigration from these countries.
A study of the arrested should be public record and a good foundation for developing statistics – I would hate to think that such fact-finding would be scuttled by some PC nonsense. Knowing more about the perpetrators -- whether they are Norwegians, Bolivians, Muslim or Wiccan -- could be a valuable tool in shutting it down.
As far as limiting immigration, it reminds me of Trump's travel ban, which, no matter how it's organized, strikes me as very porous, and who's to say it's not inciting fanatics that live in the countries "next door?". Hmm.
People seem to think they need a gun for protection. I know of a lot of people who carry knives for protection. I would like to see people post examples where a gun or knife was ever used to PROTECT someone.
In my experience, no weapon would have improved my situation in any altercation. A weapon would only have exacerbated it. One must assume that the attacker has a better weapon, and is better skilled at using it, and would be more prone to using it. Shit happens.. having a weapon is not likely to avoid the shit.
I wonder how many people who insist they need a gun or knife for protection when they are out on the streets at night wear a bullet proof vest? or carry a flashlight? i bet almost NONE. Yet they have their gun or knife!
Frederick, you're speaking truth to power (which, appropriately enough, is a term of early use by the peace-loving Quakers).
http://www.quaker.org/sttp.html
The push to allow guns into stores (!), churches (!!), and bars (triple !!!), etc., in the guise of people feeling "safer," is madness.
At 19, I was a junior (3rd year) in Engineering at my University.
I think it's time for Malia to get out of her diapers and pop the pacifier out of her mouth.Seems that Malia is plenty old enough to be a boozer and stoner.
I applaud your rapid path in education. I honestly do.
But it's a far, far stretch to file Malia's skirt length in Politics & Debate. And as raphjd explained yesterday, just because we are going back and forth on a topic, that doesn't make it a debate that's part of P&D.
I'm as appalled by Weinstein as anyone. I also found the length of silence from the Obamas and Clintons very troubling. So go ahead and take on Weinstein, that hideous human potato, that lumpy, oversexed spud. Call out the Democratic fundraising machine on returning his soiled donations.
And let girls be girls, or at least vent on this teenager, if you must, in General News, or, ideally, Rants and Raves.
She's 19, for heaven's sake, and heading to Harvard, and you're calling her a "dumb b."
If you want to troll on Weinstein, surely there are better and fairer targets than Malia.
You enjoy clothing reviews? Get a hosting gig on E! network's Fashion Police. :twg:
In WeHo and SanFran the gays live in close proximity to the Jews. Is that the same in Fl? It always struck me as a funny happenstance.
You ever go to those churches?
We are speaking synagogues? No, don't think I ever stepped inside one. Nothing against them. I keep clear of all houses of worship. 
As for Jews and gays living in the same 'hood, I would say, not so much. Speaking in generalities, the Fort Lauderdale gayborhood is really centered in nearby Wilton Manors and Oakland Park. Jewish neighborhoods tend to be in beach condos, and other planned (55+) communities inland.
Our tribes are two of the majority "blue" voting blocks, so from where I stand on social/political issues, a positive force. :hug2:
So, to return to cteavin's original question, what's the dominant religion where you (yes, you!) live? Is it a positive or negative force for your gay community?
Looking at the 18 photos, described as 17 men and ONE woman, I had to search a minute to find that butch one, bottom right corner. And the only Anglo. I wonder if she played a special role in their "supply chain model." Sickening, in any event.
I don't think it's racist to point out that many crime syndicates are formed along ethnic, racial and/or religious lines. From that perspective, do Asians/Muslims represent a higher proportion of all known child-sex trafficking gangs? I'd like to see some research data (in this case, for England) to figure that out. Anyone?
Living most of the year in South Florida, I'd say there's no "dominant religion." Perhaps of note, we have a sizable Jewish population, and they are very supportive of gay issues.
Broward is one of the more liberal counties in Florida, and there's a whole lot of "us" here. We have an abundance of gay churches and synagogues, for those interested. Still, we do run up against religious fundamentalists in our (largely successful) efforts to put laws on the books banning conversion therapy for teens, establishing equal benefits for municipal workers, etc.
It's a challenge to tackle the entirety of biblical illogic, but you've certainly addressed many of the core issues with your post, Frederick.
To further your point on biblical veracity, I'm reminded of a friend who used to say, "If it's a feat that's even remotely plausible, it's a miracle. If it's bat-shit crazy, it's a parable. How can they lose?".
I think this thread is really more for Religion & Philosophy, but you did manage to extrapolate biblical canon to ensnare Mrs. Clinton. (Perhaps I'll venture to the Kitchen & Cooking sub-board one day, and find your spaghetti and meatballs recipe with a final instruction, "Don't add Hillary.")
Osteen – what a self-interested snake. Were you also disgusted when his megachurch was caught with doors closed, ignoring the victims of Hurricane Harvey? A sad but telling tale of priorities.
Am I understanding you correctly, you're now in your thirties and your parents are deceased, so you're now trying to define yourself in terms of your non-religious beliefs?
I may not have articulated the passage above clearly in my drowsy state on NYC time. I didn't mean to convey that my parents' death "triggered" a reevaluation of my religious non-belief. Rather, when I began to dig deeper into my non-belief, reading good authors and speaking with friends, it just occurred, chronologically, after my folks had passed, and therefore no coming out.
Your response is full of yummy thought nuggets, hope to revisit some when I'm not so zonked! And I have seen other members touch upon non-belief in different threads, perhaps they will jump in as well… :hug:
Thanks for the insightful response, cteavin. My own journey to secular humanism has had some interesting stops along the way.
I went to a high school affiliated with Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale, one of the earliest U.S. megachurches that still supports a global television ministry infamous for its anti-gay agenda:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/gay-south-florida/article169159302.html
Of course, glad to escape that mind-fuck. Jumping forward, I really didn’t seek to define my non-belief until my 30s, after parents were deceased, so no coming out in that sense. Friends are cool with it – none of them attend church, I would call many of them “questioning.”
With the number of non-religious increasing each year…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-number-of-americans-who-spurn-religion-hits-record-high/
… I wish this GT Board had a more inclusive name, perhaps along the lines of “Religion and Secular Issues." Any thoughts or suggestions in that last regard?
And, of course, anyone else with an experience to share?