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bookworm

Mugger Stats

  • Member Type: Mugger
  • Profile Views: 950 views
  • Friends: 12 friends
  • Last Update: 10 hours ago
  • Joined: August 30, 2018

Mugger Details

  • Screen Name* bookworm
  • Gender* Female
  • About Me: Living on ­64 acres s­ubtropical­ hilly lan­d with hus­band, two ­horses, ca­t and nume­rous wildl­ife. Study­ing creati­ve writing­ at Southe­rn Cross U­niversity.­ Formerly ­a sculptor­ and art t­eacher, an­ Arabian h­orse breed­er and tra­iner, and ­an aged ca­re nurse.
    ­
    Atheist, B­uddhist, v­egetarian,­ small l-l­iberal, li­bertarian,­ green.
    Much invol­ved in poe­try, writi­ng and Lan­dcare (eco­logical re­pair of th­e local en­vironment.­) Diverse ­interests.­ Love crea­tivity,
    open-mind­edness, in­tellectual­ challenge­s and worl­d fusion c­ulture.
  • Activity
    • About
    • Discussions (97)
    • Replies (2327)
    • Blogs (8)
    • Friends (12)
    • Joined Groups (1)
    • Comment Wall
    • Gifts (3)
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  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to In the event that Donald 'art of the deal' Trump manages to buy Greenland do you think that his approval ratings would soar?:
    I'd be very surprised if the Greenlanders, or any people for that matter, would want their country to be bought by any other.Each nation likes to keep its sovereignty intact, no matter how desperate its plight with global warming becomes.
    • 10 hours ago
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Riddle me this: it’s 2019, so why does someone have go all the way downtown to police HQ for interrogation? :
    Because you can read much more from a person live - tone of voice, visual tells.The police can then ask questions on the spot - and the spontaneous responses are more telling than something composed with the time it takes to write an email.Sorry about the...  moreBecause you can read much more from a person live - tone of voice, visual tells.The police can then ask questions on the spot - and the spontaneous responses are more telling than something composed with the time it takes to write an email.Sorry about the lack of humour - but you know me...  
    • 10 hours ago
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Challenge: Can you post a picture of an anus without being offensive or in violation of anything? :
    Heartfire's what I am - will be till I die.  ;)  :)
    • 10 hours ago
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What are the first recorded historical references to humans expressing concern about preservation of the environment? ~:
    Although there have probably been clashes and wars to protect sacred environments since Neolithic times - the first I could find in recorded history concerned a village of farmers in Rajasthan, in 1731...
    After reading the scanty record and doing som...  more    Although there have probably been clashes and wars to protect sacred environments since Neolithic times - the first I could find in recorded history concerned a village of farmers in Rajasthan, in 1731...
    After reading the scanty record and doing some further cultural and geographic research, I wrote it as a short short story about the heroine, Amrita.Amrita Devi Bisnoi
    I’ve found the only cool spot on the knoll under a copse of khejri acacias. Bandhu, our huge black and tan shepherd, pants and watches the goats. He lets me lean against him for a pillow. The nannies chew their cuds while the kids play butty games. The dry heat seems nothing to them as they crash their skulls and tiny nubs of horns together. 
    All around our village of Jehnad, I can see the fields of wheat and barley, ash-gourds, rock-melons and brinjal, saijan patta greens, anise, coriander, cumin and onions struggle to grow in the pale ochre dirt. Small but ancient khejris line the edges of the fields. They draw damp from th...    less
    • 10 hours ago
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Challenge: Can you post a picture of an anus without being offensive or in violation of anything? :
    LOL!
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What is something crazy, eerie, funny, loopy, odd, silly or weird that has ever happened to you while you were preening?:
    thank you! :)

     
     ...  more    thank you! :)

     
     

     

       
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What is something crazy, eerie, funny, loopy, odd, silly or weird that has ever happened to you while you were preening?:
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Challenge: Can you post a picture of an anus without being offensive or in violation of anything? :
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What is something crazy, eerie, funny, loopy, odd, silly or weird that has ever happened to you while you were preening?:
    Back when I was forty, I dropped a hand mirror and the stand broke.I decided to lay the mirror flat on the floor and kneel over it to pluck my eyebrows.
    Suddenly I saw what gravity did to my face in that posture - I looked twenty years older.It made me re...  more    Back when I was forty, I dropped a hand mirror and the stand broke.I decided to lay the mirror flat on the floor and kneel over it to pluck my eyebrows.
    Suddenly I saw what gravity did to my face in that posture - I looked twenty years older.It made me realise what my husband saw when I was on top. :/  
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What is something crazy, eerie, funny, loopy, odd, silly or weird that has ever happened to you while you were preening?:
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Is there a point where things stop getting better and start getting worse? :
    Hooray!I feel so happy for you, Ele. :DDo you have to do anything special to prepare?
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to How likely do you think it is that someone can be right about some things but entirely, shockingly wrong about other things? :
    :P   :D
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to How likely do you think it is that someone can be right about some things but entirely, shockingly wrong about other things? :
    How likely? 100% likely.But no matter how far the sciences develop, it's not possible for any professional to be always right. Psychoanalysis, medicine and paediatrics are by their nature, imprecise fields.Psychology is an infant discipline...  moreHow likely? 100% likely.But no matter how far the sciences develop, it's not possible for any professional to be always right. Psychoanalysis, medicine and paediatrics are by their nature, imprecise fields.Psychology is an infant discipline compared to other sciences. Freud published his first theoretical work, Studies on Hysteria, in 1895. In it, he proposes the idea of the unconscious - which no one had dreamed of before that time.In the early days of psychoanalysis, cultural bias (patriarchal assumptions about women) played a significant role in creating false theories. The Oedipal theory was a deliberate fraud to hide the prevalence of incestuous rape in society - to protect men's interests.Consider the term hysteria: "1. exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement; 2. an old-fashioned term for a psychological disorder characterized by conversion of psychological stress into physical symptoms (somatization) or a change in self-awareness (such as a fugue state or sel...    less
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! :
     
     

     

     
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! :
     

     
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! :
    720 × 405


    ...  more    720 × 405







       
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! :
     

     
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Is there a point where things stop getting better and start getting worse? :
    To find the answer, I'd have to research industrial design across a wide field over a span of about 60 years.Not a project that takes my fancy right now.With just a scan of my memory, I think most things have generally improved in design.I know what you m...  moreTo find the answer, I'd have to research industrial design across a wide field over a span of about 60 years.Not a project that takes my fancy right now.With just a scan of my memory, I think most things have generally improved in design.I know what you mean about vacuum cleaners. I no longer use them at all. Our place is very small. I get down on my knees to do the Baluchistan carpet with a stiff brush and pan.Less use of electricity, more exercise.  
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Is there a point where things stop getting better and start getting worse? :
    Is the surgery for joints?If so, yippee ayay! Soon you will be free of pain and free. :D
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year?:
    It heartens me when I hear good stories of people who have done well in their lives. Thank you for that. :)I rang my broker about a week ago to discuss whether any adjustments were needed. He suggested that perhaps I should move into some managed funds. I...  moreIt heartens me when I hear good stories of people who have done well in their lives. Thank you for that. :)I rang my broker about a week ago to discuss whether any adjustments were needed. He suggested that perhaps I should move into some managed funds. I decided to say put where I am. Recently there's been a spate of serious mismanagement of such funds - too many are up to it in superannuation and banking. A recent Royal Commission found that it was deliberate: fees for no services, selling packages to people with obvious intellectual disabilities, and so on. Twenty legal reforms were recommended. The government slapped them on the cheek with a white cotton glove, told them they were naughty boys and to go behave themselves properly. No one believes they will. So people have been deserting the banks for credit unions in droves. And those who could exit their super funds have.  less
    • August 18
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year?:
    I have only a small portfolio - a second inheritance after Mum died.It's safely invested for long-term stability, low-yield but minimal risk.I have zero debts and prefer to keep it that way.The downside is that our income is very small, barely enough to m...  moreI have only a small portfolio - a second inheritance after Mum died.It's safely invested for long-term stability, low-yield but minimal risk.I have zero debts and prefer to keep it that way.The downside is that our income is very small, barely enough to make ends meet.The upside is, being too old for anyone to consider us employable,we don't need to work. I can't overstate how wonderful that freedom feels.You sound like you have yourself in a good position, Don - well able to take care of your family's needs. :)  less
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Somehow, you wake up tomorrow having traveled back almost 2 decades, to the year 2000. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you see?:
    Thanks for the clarification. :)I'm making this one long because it will ensure that most people won't read it.But I think you love confidences, Twinkle, and will understand with your heart.2000 was a pivotal year for me. It was when I married my long-tim...  moreThanks for the clarification. :)I'm making this one long because it will ensure that most people won't read it.But I think you love confidences, Twinkle, and will understand with your heart.2000 was a pivotal year for me. It was when I married my long-time best friend, Ari.It was when I decided to leave my life making and teaching sculpture in an old wool warehouse in the inner city of Sydney.At the time, I had a young, black Arabian stallion, Sadhu, whom I kept agisted in a semi-rural area on the edge of the city, and visited every day to care for him and ride. I'd decided to buy him some mares and move to the country to breed and train Arabian horses for endurance and trail riding. But it would take a further two years before I found a property Ari liked in an area he liked.At the time, I had been on anti-depressants for two years non-stop. I did not know that I had developed Serotonin Syndrome - meaning, I had no fear or caution. My attempts to research the financial viability of breeding were cursory. I aske...    less
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm started a discussion:
    What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year?
    An inverted bond yield has proved a predictor of the last six recessions in the USA.
    Right now the US bond market is staring investors straight in the eye and saying, "there's a recession on the way".
    When the yield on 10-year US government bonds finally ...  more    An inverted bond yield has proved a predictor of the last six recessions in the USA.
    Right now the US bond market is staring investors straight in the eye and saying, "there's a recession on the way".
    When the yield on 10-year US government bonds finally slipped below 2-year yields overnight, equity markets dropped, around $1.2 trillion on the S&P500. Yield curve inversions are seen as solid predictors of recessions over the next one to two years.Equity markets often enjoy a last gasp rally after a bond inversion, but on average fall 30pc once recession bites.Rising trade tensions, crumbling manufacturing data, low inflation and weaker US profits are key drivers of the collapse of short term bond yields below the 10-year rate  less
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to TRUMP is working to destroy the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. 1 million species at the risk of extinction and TRUMP wants to NEUTER the rules.:
    I disagree with that view, Thrifty.1. The media are commercial entities driven by the demand of their consumers.While people have always selected the news which reflects their prefered bias, this tendency is being magnified by the effects of social media....  moreI disagree with that view, Thrifty.1. The media are commercial entities driven by the demand of their consumers.While people have always selected the news which reflects their prefered bias, this tendency is being magnified by the effects of social media. This means it is we ourselves who are creating this effect - not Fox, News Com, etc.2. One of the seven criteria for newsworthiness is conflict. The media does not create but must report on it. If citizens don't understand the conflicts in the world they are not able to make informed votes and decisions about their lives. Some people might argue that world events are none of their business, but we are no longer isolated countries. Our behaviours have powerful ripple effects around the world.  less
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to TRUMP is working to destroy the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. 1 million species at the risk of extinction and TRUMP wants to NEUTER the rules.:
    Commiserations. :(
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Somehow, you wake up tomorrow having traveled back almost 2 decades, to the year 2000. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you see?:
    I'm not clear whether your question is asking for a snapshot of my life at that time,or what changes I would make if I had that time over, knowing what I now know.
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Is it time re-examine Stephen Hawking's status as a genius with some real world ratings?:
    I'm not sure that physicists would agree with that.No two minds work alike - the greater the genius, the more so.What one person achieves can only be relative to the state of collective knowledge during the time of his or her life. Leonardo Da Vinci's ach...  moreI'm not sure that physicists would agree with that.No two minds work alike - the greater the genius, the more so.What one person achieves can only be relative to the state of collective knowledge during the time of his or her life. Leonardo Da Vinci's achievements today would be considered those of a backyard amateur.The more knowledge we have, the greater the originality required to discover new principles and phenomena.  
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to TRUMP is working to destroy the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. 1 million species at the risk of extinction and TRUMP wants to NEUTER the rules.:
    Strip logging provides only short-term benefit to the harvesters and their customers, but long term damage to the environment, with knock-on damages to local people and global warming.The old fashioned method of selective logging is more costly but it is ...  moreStrip logging provides only short-term benefit to the harvesters and their customers, but long term damage to the environment, with knock-on damages to local people and global warming.The old fashioned method of selective logging is more costly but it is sustainable and does no damage.The Scandinavian countries are the leaders in research in this area. It's worth having a look at their evidence.Further, I believe it's a mistake to undervalue species such as insects and spiders. We already know the web of ecology is so complex that one can't remove one species without affecting others. We also know that some of these species contain clues to knowledge we may one day need. Trump can't have control over logging outside US territories, but any US President could help have a positive impact on global warming.
     
    It's clear to see that if the USA chose to get on board and make a difference, it would benefit the entire planet. If it does not, the planet has no hope.Only China could equal the USA in the magnitu...    less
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Is it time re-examine Stephen Hawking's status as a genius with some real world ratings?:
    The C+ is the one that astonishes me.I can't help wondering, how?
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? :
    Yep.And the oddest thing about it is the way some sects think the notion of Hell in the afterlife is a necessary deterrent.For me, it seems obvious that the consequences of harmful behaviours create their own hell directly in this life.There is something ...  moreYep.And the oddest thing about it is the way some sects think the notion of Hell in the afterlife is a necessary deterrent.For me, it seems obvious that the consequences of harmful behaviours create their own hell directly in this life.There is something askew in human thinking: we seem far too apt to get our wires crossed and unaware of it.  
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead.:
    Maybe one day you might let me write your story -unless you decide to write yourself of course. :)
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead.:
    And I by you, dear one.Or if we get reincarnated, maybe it could be as twin brother and sister in the same womb - spend a whole life together as best of friends.Our differences of belief, age and orientation don't matter to mebecause I see your whole foun...  moreAnd I by you, dear one.Or if we get reincarnated, maybe it could be as twin brother and sister in the same womb - spend a whole life together as best of friends.Our differences of belief, age and orientation don't matter to mebecause I see your whole foundation as build on love - which is all that ever counts in the end.  
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? :
    There's a saying in the Ten Principal Upanishads (circa 600BC):This is perfect. That is perfect.Take perfect from perfect, and the remainder is perfect.Meant to be repeated endlessly and contemplated like a mantra.Its amazing how many permutations of mean...  moreThere's a saying in the Ten Principal Upanishads (circa 600BC):This is perfect. That is perfect.Take perfect from perfect, and the remainder is perfect.Meant to be repeated endlessly and contemplated like a mantra.Its amazing how many permutations of meaning can be found in it.  
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? :
    Don Barzini nailed it.I love Randy's answer too.If outer conditions meet our needs they can help us feel happy to a degree,but ultimately it also depends on how we accept and deal with the hand we have.With all the depression I lived through, including th...  moreDon Barzini nailed it.I love Randy's answer too.If outer conditions meet our needs they can help us feel happy to a degree,but ultimately it also depends on how we accept and deal with the hand we have.With all the depression I lived through, including the recent one,I've had to learn how to create happiness.  
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? :
    Oh boy, what can I say? You nailed it. :)
    • August 17
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to How does a woman of this class and stature become the WIFE of HARVEY WEINSTEIN? I wonder what her story is. :
    I acknowledge that's a strong possibility - entirely consistent with narcissistic control-freak types. They can maintain certain roles by self-control while acting out in others.I agree - she matches the profile for the typical trophy wife.But a woman has...  moreI acknowledge that's a strong possibility - entirely consistent with narcissistic control-freak types. They can maintain certain roles by self-control while acting out in others.I agree - she matches the profile for the typical trophy wife.But a woman has to take responsibility for herself.In psychology, it's well known that when a spouse didn't know what was going on, 98% of the time it was because they chose not to know. Denial.They turned a blind eye to obvious evidence going on over a long period of time. Conversely, when a spouse suspects an affair, 80% of the time it turns out to be true.She may say she didn't know - but I don't buy it.She may have thought he was having affairs and not aware of the harassment and rapes.But even that, I doubt.We now know the women behind the scenes were warning each other for scores of years.And with that many women involved, my guess is that at least one would have ratted on him to her.  less
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead.:
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead.:
    I disagree.There are hundreds of different views and beliefs about life and death in various cultures across this planet.Many people fear death because they believe in an afterlife - and are certain that they will go to hell, become a hungry ghost, be rei...  moreI disagree.There are hundreds of different views and beliefs about life and death in various cultures across this planet.Many people fear death because they believe in an afterlife - and are certain that they will go to hell, become a hungry ghost, be reincarnated into some circumstance where what they've done in this life will be revisited on them in the next. Many are certain that there is no way that God could forgive them for their mortal sins no matter how much they repent.I'm an atheist and do not see individual lives as having any continuity past death.I have no fear of my own death.I mostly enjoy my life now and will not take my life until I'm very close to the natural end.When I do take that step it will be most welcome.I don't get the chance to meet many atheists - they're rare in my part of the world.But none of those I have met have no  fear of death.I am also a Buddhist.People sometimes ask, "so why don't you believe in reincarnation?"Because, while sitting in meditation and observing, I have s...    less
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing?:
    You're back! :)I haven't seen you here for a while.What's been happening for you, Pearl?
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing?:
    Good on you for spreading the word. (Keep your evidence, because this is very much in the public interest.)The hospitality industry is notorious for its rorts - esp. taking advantage of the inexperienced and foreigners.But they should also be well aware o...  moreGood on you for spreading the word. (Keep your evidence, because this is very much in the public interest.)The hospitality industry is notorious for its rorts - esp. taking advantage of the inexperienced and foreigners.But they should also be well aware of the first principle. Word of mouth can make you or break the business. Every dissatisfied customer will cost at least 11 possible customers who will never visit.  
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing?:
    Ah - but it doesn't define what "good" means...
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing?:
    Looks like you have your baby billy goat well in hand. ;)
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing?:
    In my view, every ad, without exception, is misleading.Naturally, they leave out what's bad about the product.But often the angle or image they spin is designed to counteract all the experiences of the exact opposite - they know they've already got a nega...  moreIn my view, every ad, without exception, is misleading.Naturally, they leave out what's bad about the product.But often the angle or image they spin is designed to counteract all the experiences of the exact opposite - they know they've already got a negative reputation (market research) and a problem that's affecting their business. So instead of trying to fix the problem (because that would be too costly) they aim to counteract the negative messages that run the grapevine in communities. Long gone are the days of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" (by means of integrity).You can read what's wrong with the product by what's not said or by the choice of words."Freedom, freedom, freedom!" spruiks one aged care company. It has combination locks on every door of its nursing homes. Its timetable is so regimented that not one resident has any choice about anything. And of course the food, "eat what you're given or go hungry; it's your choice." Typical examples are three aged care corporati...    less
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to How does a woman of this class and stature become the WIFE of HARVEY WEINSTEIN? I wonder what her story is. :
    Most people leave their "choice" of a life-partner to chance - unless they're really smart and proactive.I was one of the dumb ones. Didn't learn this lesson 'til forty years too late.I can only guess about Chapman. It seems from her early choices of a ca...  moreMost people leave their "choice" of a life-partner to chance - unless they're really smart and proactive.I was one of the dumb ones. Didn't learn this lesson 'til forty years too late.I can only guess about Chapman. It seems from her early choices of a career in fashion and modelling that appearances were important to her. I know the Chelsea School of Art. It's one of the top art schools in the UK, very competitive to get in, has a famous textiles department.With her interest in high fashion, it was natural that she'd probably move in celebrity circles - especially after winning a prestigious prize - often the first rung on a successful career in the arts.She claimed to find Weinstein charming. That alone should have been a warning to her that he may be a sociopath. But then, she might be one herself. Apparently, about 1 in 26 people are - though that says nothing about the degree of severity.He was also a successful alpha male. Since humans are a variety of ape, alpha females often prefer alpha males.Being crea...    less
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead.:
    I don't think it's morbid.Though I wonder if you're bearing in mind that some Muggers may be as young as 13.63 seems a bit young to assume death by natural causes.Leaving out the effects of climate change and assuming the deaths are natural...My experienc...  moreI don't think it's morbid.Though I wonder if you're bearing in mind that some Muggers may be as young as 13.63 seems a bit young to assume death by natural causes.Leaving out the effects of climate change and assuming the deaths are natural...My experience of working in aged care residences taught me that most oldies reach a stage when they are genuinely happy to die.For some, 2-5% by their own evaluation, it's very sad - there is no pain killer capable of relieving the pain of their particular conditions.For most, their ailments are relieved well enough to be bearable, but a point comes when they just feel too tired to keep on going.Butif you are thinking that by then we will ALL be dead - because of climate change - then I still don't see that as morbid.I would see it as a necessary first step before realising the necessity to take action on climate change.
    We can adjust our lifestyles to reduce our carbon footprint in every way possible.we can donate a few hours a week to a local green organisation or communi...    less
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What do you really suck at doing?:
    It's rare to meet an American who sometimes votes for a party other than the Dems or Reps.If a significant number got in and the balance of power was weak, they could easily swing the vote on many issues.I looked up the Libertarians and found their polici...  moreIt's rare to meet an American who sometimes votes for a party other than the Dems or Reps.If a significant number got in and the balance of power was weak, they could easily swing the vote on many issues.I looked up the Libertarians and found their policies are in the middle between the two majors.And they support gay rights.I'm guessing you would like to see Trump out at the next election, yes?What's your view of the policies of the Greens?  
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to This is my cat. His name is Bixby. Isn't he cute? How much do you love him? No matter what "Gris" says, my cat does not stink. LOL! :
    Wild cats in nature don't **** in their own dens.The mother cat (yes, it's yukky) cleans up her kittens with her tongue.When they're old enough to move around of their own accord, they follow her outside. She digs a hole to wee and poo and burie...  moreWild cats in nature don't **** in their own dens.The mother cat (yes, it's yukky) cleans up her kittens with her tongue.When they're old enough to move around of their own accord, they follow her outside. She digs a hole to wee and poo and buries it; this prevents the smells that would attract predators to find and eat her babies while she's out hunting. They learn by copying everything she does.With cats raised by commercial breeders, the queen or mother cat teaches the kittens to use the litter tray in the cage.So bought kittens automatically have clean habits.A cat will only dirty its own environment if left locked inside for long hours and the human has not cleaned out the litter tray properly.Properly means all faeces and soaked litter removed every day, and the tray washed and litter replaced as soon as it gets a bit wiffy.In other words, it has to be desperate.We keep our cat's tray on the verandah, well out of the reach of rain.She will push through the cat door to go out and use it even i...    less
    • August 16
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Trump is considering an Executive Order to regulate social media for political bias. How would this effect answerMug, its members, and JA?:
    :(1984 came and went - but it's here with us still in these insidious internet forms - the good and the bad almost inextricably mixed.Many of us are oblivious to how much data is collected about us and how it is used.Govts around the world are trying to c...  more:(1984 came and went - but it's here with us still in these insidious internet forms - the good and the bad almost inextricably mixed.Many of us are oblivious to how much data is collected about us and how it is used.Govts around the world are trying to create filters, blocks, protections of various sorts,but hackers will always be ahead of them and find ways around within seconds.  
    • August 15
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to Will you sign the petition to rename Fifth Avenue to Obama Avenue?:
    If I were a US citizen I certainly would.Most of the world has immense respect for Obama.I think tourists would continue to love window shopping along the luxurious street,and would see the re-naming as an appropriate honour for what he tried to achieve.T...  moreIf I were a US citizen I certainly would.Most of the world has immense respect for Obama.I think tourists would continue to love window shopping along the luxurious street,and would see the re-naming as an appropriate honour for what he tried to achieve.Though actually, I would have thought naming hospitals after him as a better legacy.  
    • August 15
  • bookworm
    bookworm replied to What's up?...Not even the the drunks are here.?:
    Bad cold.Feeling awful in heart and body.Likely to not be around much till I recover.Mind feels fried.
    • August 14
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  • Screen Name* bookworm
  • Gender* Female
  • About Me: Living on ­64 acres s­ubtropical­ hilly lan­d with hus­band, two ­horses, ca­t and nume­rous wildl­ife. Study­ing creati­ve writing­ at Southe­rn Cross U­niversity.­ Formerly ­a sculptor­ and art t­eacher, an­ Arabian h­orse breed­er and tra­iner, and ­an aged ca­re nurse.
    ­
    Atheist, B­uddhist, v­egetarian,­ small l-l­iberal, li­bertarian,­ green.
    Much invol­ved in poe­try, writi­ng and Lan­dcare (eco­logical re­pair of th­e local en­vironment.­) Diverse ­interests.­ Love crea­tivity,
    open-mind­edness, in­tellectual­ challenge­s and worl­d fusion c­ulture.

  • What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year?

    An inverted bond yield has proved a predictor of the last six re...  moreAn inverted bond yield has proved a predictor of the last six recessions in the USA.
    Right now the US bond market is staring investors straight in the eye and saying, "there's a recession on the way".
    When the yield on 10-year US government bonds finally slipped below 2-year yields overnight, equity markets dropped, around $1.2 trillion on the S&P500. Yield curve inversions are seen as solid predictors of recessions over the next one to two years.Equity markets often enjoy a last gasp rally after a bond inversion, but on average fall 30pc once recession bites.Rising trade tensions, crumbling manufacturing data, low inflation and weaker US profits are key drivers of the collapse of short term bond yields below the 10-year rate  less
    Last post by Don Barzini - August 18
    54 views 3 likes
    10

  • Have you read any of Toni Morrison's novels? If so, which one and what were your thoughts?

    I guess you will all have heard that Toni Morrison died today, a...  moreI guess you will all have heard that Toni Morrison died today, aged 81.I loved her novel, Béloved, a brilliant fusion of magical realism and history.Morrison makes Christianity and African beliefs work in the novel as though they were as tangible as the laws of physics. The ghost of a murdered baby haunts a family who has escaped the horrific cruelties inflicted on them while they were slaves. The ghost has grown and appears the same age as she would have been had she lived. She lives and acts within the household like a living person, eating, drinking, occupying a bed, and having an affair with a man, but she has the emotions of a jealous and tantrum-prone three-year-old. The tensions build as the unresolved traumas spread to affect some members of the town until finally an act of extraordinary spiritual courage and wisdom brings the story to its climax.
    Reading this story gives a powerful sense of how intergenerational trauma works and why it should never be dismissed. Morrison used newspaper clippings ...    less
    Last post by bookworm - August 7
    36 views 4 likes
    5

  • U.S. designates China a currency manipulator, escalating trade war. How do you think China might react?

    Last post by CallMeIshmael - August 6
    49 views 0 likes
    5

  • What if some terrorist took out all electricity stations? How would you cope without computers and the internet?

    Last post by Don Barzini - August 6
    62 views 2 likes
    7

  • In your view, what is the best way to express your opinion honestly without offending others?

    Last post by SpunkySenior - August 7
    105 views 3 likes
    16

  • Which celebrities do you think best use success to do good? Please describe the good he or she does.

    Last post by CallMeIshmael - August 6
    50 views 1 like
    5

  • If you were brave enough to start a new business, what would it be? What would you hope to achieve?

    Last post by Randy D - August 7
    100 views 3 likes
    12

  • Of the novels you studied at school, which one stands out? What are the lasting impressions? Did the story affect the way you view life?

    Last post by Ritesh - August 10
    35 views 2 likes
    2

  • How does your beauty or (self-perceived) lack of it affect the way you relate to others?

    Last post by Element 99 - August 6
    22 views 1 like
    1

  • What was your worst parenting experience?

    Last post by Nice Jugs - August 11
    55 views 1 like
    8

  • Do you have an art or craft that you particularly enjoy? As consumer, or as practitioner? What is it? What do you most love about it?

    Last post by Nice Jugs - August 11
    153 views 1 like
    27

  • Is there someone among your acquaintances in real life whom you'd love to invite to join answerMug?

    Last post by Jane S - August 6
    32 views 3 likes
    2

  • What did you secretly hope for when you joined answerMug?

    Last post by Stu Spelling Bee - August 8
    475 views 7 likes
    61

  • What is your pet's most inconvenient habit?

    Last post by Slartibartfast - August 6
    102 views 3 likes
    21

  • Have you ever rescued or befriended a wild animal? Care to share the story?

    Last post by Walt O'Reagun - August 6
    21 views 1 like
    1

  • Let's think laterally. What are some totally way out impossible solutions to climate change?

    Last post by Don Barzini - August 6
    126 views 2 likes
    18

  • Do you think a few rockets could propel Earth into a slightly larger orbit round the Sun, to cool the atmosphere & oceans a few degrees?

    Last post by Durdle - August 7
    194 views 2 likes
    29

  • What's your view on proportional representation in your country - are you for or against?

    What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages?
    Last post by bookworm - July 25
    45 views 0 likes
    4

  • What are the things you would love to know more about? What is your favourite way to learn?

    Last post by SavvyAnsley - July 18
    190 views 3 likes
    22

  • If I stood on my head to undo the effects of an over-serious mind would you like me better?

    Last post by ProdigalSon - July 15
    86 views 4 likes
    8

  • What are some commonly mistaken beliefs about living an environmentally sustainable lifestyle?

    Last post by Gris-gris McMuffin - July 15
    74 views 2 likes
    7

  • Who's thinking of leaving this site due to the recent spate of puerile and trollish questions?

    Last post by Twinkie McNumbnoggin - July 15
    208 views 3 likes
    17

  • What are a few of the things that you know you don't know but would love to learn?

    Last post by Benedict Arnold - July 24
    118 views 3 likes
    8

  • How do you know what you think you know?

    Is it intuition?Did you learn it from direct experience?Did you ...  moreIs it intuition?Did you learn it from direct experience?Did you learn and forget so it sunk into your unconscious?Is what was true then still true now?Is it what you were taught when young?Did you read it in a book, see it on You-Tube or a documentary?Did you ever check to see if it was really true?Did you experiment to find out?Or did you never need to because it always seemed to work reliably?  
    Last post by Twinkie McNumbnoggin - July 6
    97 views 1 like
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  • How much hogwash is there about Native American traditions?

    Have they been so bastardised by New Age subcultures that it is ...  moreHave they been so bastardised by New Age subcultures that it is now hard to find the truth of what was authentic before whites arrived?Are there elders who still carry and teach the old traditions?Has any of it been recorded for posterity, not by white academics, but by Native Americans?How varied or similar are the customs and rites in each tribe?What wisdom from Native American cultures could the world benefit from now?  
    Last post by bookworm - July 4
    180 views 2 likes
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  • Hey, yogis and gay guys - this man is exquisite. Please check him out and say what you think... :)

    highlight and copy:YouTube - Simon Borg-Olivia - "advanced spina...  morehighlight and copy:YouTube - Simon Borg-Olivia - "advanced spinal yoga sequence demonstration" - this shows just how beautiful the human body can be.At the end of this clip, he incorporates tai chi, nauli and pranayama.He is 65, was born in Malta, is an Australian citizen and resident, has a DSc in Anatomy and Physiology, trained as a yogi in India under Iyengar and Ashtanga.He was not born hyper-flexible. I've witnessed him doing this stuff since he reached this standard at about 26.He is now one of the world's top teachers of yoga.And yes, like Patanjali, for him the training of the body is only the preparation for meditation.His key message is, "don't stretch. Relax! It's the key to flexibility.  less
    Last post by bookworm - June 29
    83 views 1 like
    9

  • Can you think of a practical application for quantum physics?

    Australian of the Year awards: Quantum physicist Michelle Yvonne...  moreAustralian of the Year awards: Quantum physicist Michelle Yvonne Simmons receives 2018 honour
     
    Last year, Michelle Yvonne Simons received the award of Australian of the Year for her contributions to quantum physics and its practical applications.She has launched Australia into "the space race of the computing era".
    Simons, a Brit, formerly professor physics at Cambridge in England, said she emigrated to Australia and became a citizen because the country accepts young leaders in science, has public funds available to fund research, and its scientists have a culture of cooperative team spirit.
    Since arriving in Australia from Britain in 1999, Professor Simmons' work at the University of NSW quantum physics department has helped develop leading technology on a global scale.
    Five years ago, Professor Simmons and her team developed the world's first transistor made from a single atom, as well as the world's thinnest wire.
    Now she is looking to build a quantum computer capable of solving problems in minutes, whi...    less
    Last post by tom jackson - June 21
    181 views 2 likes
    12

  • Now that Trump is starting his campaign for the next election, how do you read the mood of the nation?

    Are enough of the electorate sick of Trump yet?Are the Republica...  moreAre enough of the electorate sick of Trump yet?Are the Republicans satisfied with the direction in which Trump is leading the nation?If a significant number were dissatisfied, what options would be open to them to put forward and alternative?Will the Democrats put forward really good candidates?Will the Dems put the right tactics and effort into their campaign?And will more Democrats not take the outcome for granted and come out to vote?  
    Last post by SpunkySenior - June 20
    191 views 1 like
    16

  • What does it mean to be a "Good Samaritan" in today's society?

    How might the government have a more humane approach to asylum s...  moreHow might the government have a more humane approach to asylum seekers in dire straights?How would you react if you saw a person unconscious and bleeding in the street?
    What is the value and meaning of charity?  
    Last post by Element 99 - June 15
    70 views 2 likes
    2

  • If you don't enjoy preparing and cooking healthy food, what kinds of food do you eat, and where do you get it from?

    Do you experience pleasure in eating?Or is food as fuel just a n...  moreDo you experience pleasure in eating?Or is food as fuel just a necessary chore in order to live?Is it easily accessible?Is it cheap?Would professional nutritionists consider it healthy as a long term staple diet?How long have you been eating in this way?How is your weight and health right now?Do you have dietary special needs, such as allergies or food intolerances, which make a healthy diet difficult to organise and sustain?  
    Last post by Natasha Saphique - July 12
    99 views 2 likes
    6

  • What is your definition of human physical beauty?

     


    ...  more     





    What I notice is the "I am beautiful, joyously confident in how I look" expressions on their faces. Proof that perceptions of beauty are two-faced; one way is the reflection from the culture around the woman from birth, the other is her self-perception - each working upon the other in a reciprocal feedback loop.
    Doesn't it demonstrate that our fashion and beauty industries damage self-confidence more often than they enhance it? It's all about making people feel inadequate so they will buy products and plastic surgeries. And now they're working on men to start making them feel just as vulnerable. Isn't it high time we rebelled?  less
    Last post by Merlin - June 11
    209 views 3 likes
    22

  • If you could start a cult, what would be it's main characteristics?

    What would it believe?What would its ethical principles be?What ...  moreWhat would it believe?What would its ethical principles be?What rituals would it have?What symbols would it use?  
    Last post by Kittigate - April 19
    312 views 3 likes
    24

  • What would be the hat to end all hats?

    What could you wear on your head that would make people stop wha...  moreWhat could you wear on your head that would make people stop what they are doing and stare in awe and amazement?  
    Last post by Nice Jugs - April 17
    93 views 2 likes
    4

  • If your five-year-old self suddenly found themselves inhabiting your current body, what would your five-year-old self do first?

    Last post by Randy D - June 15
    166 views 3 likes
    9

  • Slow here the last few days. Has everyone gone away for an Easter break, or is this site slowly dying?

    Last post by Kittigate - April 15
    298 views 6 likes
    18

  • What might cause a chemist to wonder whether a physicist and a botanist were dissolvable in water?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    204 views 5 likes
    17

  • Would you ever call you cat Schrodinger? Why / why not? What would be his caracteristics? What might his nick-name be?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    113 views 2 likes
    5

  • Could you invent a poem using scientific terms &/or concepts? Please let us read it here and now.

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    137 views 2 likes
    4

  • WOuld you ever call your cat Schrondinger? Why/why not?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    85 views 2 likes
    2

  • What is the dichotomy paradox?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    125 views 2 likes
    5

  • Can you explain the aerodynamics of a kite?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    114 views 1 like
    5

  • What do you think is the most enjoyable and effective way to learn maths?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    159 views 6 likes
    11

  • Are there places where adults can learn high-school level chemistry? Where?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    134 views 2 likes
    7

  • What kinds of illnesses might be healable by stem cell therapy sometime within the next ten years?

    Last post by Pearl - March 8
    108 views 2 likes
    3

  • If time ceases just over the event horizon of a black hole, does that mean that three-dimensional space also disappears there?

    Last post by TRUMP/ANGRY/SCARED/FAT/UGLY - April 6
    222 views 2 likes
    17

  • Anyone know where Whitehair and Merlin disappeared to? Why they left? Whether they'll be back?

    Last post by Thriftymaid - February 26
    112 views 2 likes
    5

  • What are you doing to prepare a special day or event for your Belovéd on Valentine's Day?

    Last post by Livvie - February 7
    135 views 5 likes
    9

  • What are you doing to prepare a special day or event for your Belovéd on Valentine's Day?

    Last post by Nice Jugs - February 7
    85 views 1 like
    1

  • If you could choose the kind of afterlife you would most like, what would it be like?

    Last post by bookworm - February 12
    385 views 7 likes
    32

  • What would you want buried with you so you could use it in the afterlife?

    Throughout the millenia, different cultures have believed in dif...  moreThroughout the millenia, different cultures have believed in different kinds of afterlives. Some would ensure their relatives were buried with all the items they would need.  
    Last post by SavvyAnsley - February 4
    242 views 3 likes
    17
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Next
  • I'd be very surprised if the Greenlanders, or any people for tha...  moreI'd be very surprised if the Greenlanders, or any people for that matter, would want their country to be bought by any other.Each nation likes to keep its sovereignty intact, no matter how desperate its plight with global warming becomes.  
    in In the event that Donald 'art of the deal' Trump manages to buy Greenland do you think that his approval ratings would soar? August 19, 2019 11:10 AM MDT 2
  • Because you can read much more from a person live - tone of voic...  moreBecause you can read much more from a person live - tone of voice, visual tells.The police can then ask questions on the spot - and the spontaneous responses are more telling than something composed with the time it takes to write an email.Sorry about the lack of humour - but you know me...  
    in Riddle me this: it’s 2019, so why does someone have go all the way downtown to police HQ for interrogation? August 19, 2019 11:05 AM MDT 0
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 19, 2019 11:05 AM MDT
  • Heartfire's what I am - will be till I die.  ;)  :)
    in Challenge: Can you post a picture of an anus without being offensive or in violation of anything? August 19, 2019 11:00 AM MDT 0
  • Although there have probably been clashes and wars to protect sa...  moreAlthough there have probably been clashes and wars to protect sacred environments since Neolithic times - the first I could find in recorded history concerned a village of farmers in Rajasthan, in 1731...
    After reading the scanty record and doing some further cultural and geographic research, I wrote it as a short short story about the heroine, Amrita.Amrita Devi Bisnoi
    I’ve found the only cool spot on the knoll under a copse of khejri acacias. Bandhu, our huge black and tan shepherd, pants and watches the goats. He lets me lean against him for a pillow. The nannies chew their cuds while the kids play butty games. The dry heat seems nothing to them as they crash their skulls and tiny nubs of horns together. 
    All around our village of Jehnad, I can see the fields of wheat and barley, ash-gourds, rock-melons and brinjal, saijan patta greens, anise, coriander, cumin and onions struggle to grow in the pale ochre dirt. Small but ancient khejris line the edges of the fields. They draw damp from th...    less
    in What are the first recorded historical references to humans expressing concern about preservation of the environment? ~ August 19, 2019 10:56 AM MDT 1
  • LOL!
    in Challenge: Can you post a picture of an anus without being offensive or in violation of anything? August 18, 2019 9:54 PM MDT 3
  • thank you! :)

     
     ...  more    thank you! :)

     
     

     

       
    in What is something crazy, eerie, funny, loopy, odd, silly or weird that has ever happened to you while you were preening? August 18, 2019 4:58 PM MDT 2
  • in Challenge: Can you post a picture of an anus without being offensive or in violation of anything? August 18, 2019 4:37 PM MDT 6
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 18, 2019 4:37 PM MDT
  • Back when I was forty, I dropped a hand mirror and the stand bro...  moreBack when I was forty, I dropped a hand mirror and the stand broke.I decided to lay the mirror flat on the floor and kneel over it to pluck my eyebrows.
    Suddenly I saw what gravity did to my face in that posture - I looked twenty years older.It made me realise what my husband saw when I was on top. :/  
    in What is something crazy, eerie, funny, loopy, odd, silly or weird that has ever happened to you while you were preening? August 18, 2019 4:33 PM MDT 3
  • Hooray!I feel so happy for you, Ele. :DDo you have to do anythin...  moreHooray!I feel so happy for you, Ele. :DDo you have to do anything special to prepare?  
    in Is there a point where things stop getting better and start getting worse? August 18, 2019 4:23 PM MDT 1
  • :P   :D
    in How likely do you think it is that someone can be right about some things but entirely, shockingly wrong about other things? August 18, 2019 4:20 PM MDT 1
  • How likely? 100% likely.But no matter how far the sciences devel...  moreHow likely? 100% likely.But no matter how far the sciences develop, it's not possible for any professional to be always right. Psychoanalysis, medicine and paediatrics are by their nature, imprecise fields.Psychology is an infant discipline compared to other sciences. Freud published his first theoretical work, Studies on Hysteria, in 1895. In it, he proposes the idea of the unconscious - which no one had dreamed of before that time.In the early days of psychoanalysis, cultural bias (patriarchal assumptions about women) played a significant role in creating false theories. The Oedipal theory was a deliberate fraud to hide the prevalence of incestuous rape in society - to protect men's interests.Consider the term hysteria: "1. exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement; 2. an old-fashioned term for a psychological disorder characterized by conversion of psychological stress into physical symptoms (somatization) or a change in self-awareness (such as a fugue state or sel...    less
    in How likely do you think it is that someone can be right about some things but entirely, shockingly wrong about other things? August 18, 2019 3:36 PM MDT 5
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 18, 2019 3:36 PM MDT
  •  
     

     

     
    in Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! August 18, 2019 2:49 PM MDT 0
  •  

     
    in Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! August 18, 2019 2:48 PM MDT 0
  • 720 × 405


    ...  more    720 × 405







       
    in Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! August 18, 2019 2:23 PM MDT 1
  •  

     
    in Do you have a really cool picture that recently caught your eye? Please share it with the rest of us! August 18, 2019 2:20 PM MDT 2
  • To find the answer, I'd have to research industrial design acros...  moreTo find the answer, I'd have to research industrial design across a wide field over a span of about 60 years.Not a project that takes my fancy right now.With just a scan of my memory, I think most things have generally improved in design.I know what you mean about vacuum cleaners. I no longer use them at all. Our place is very small. I get down on my knees to do the Baluchistan carpet with a stiff brush and pan.Less use of electricity, more exercise.  
    in Is there a point where things stop getting better and start getting worse? August 18, 2019 1:55 PM MDT 1
  • Is the surgery for joints?If so, yippee ayay! Soon you will be f...  moreIs the surgery for joints?If so, yippee ayay! Soon you will be free of pain and free. :D  
    in Is there a point where things stop getting better and start getting worse? August 18, 2019 1:45 PM MDT 2
  • It heartens me when I hear good stories of people who have done ...  moreIt heartens me when I hear good stories of people who have done well in their lives. Thank you for that. :)I rang my broker about a week ago to discuss whether any adjustments were needed. He suggested that perhaps I should move into some managed funds. I decided to say put where I am. Recently there's been a spate of serious mismanagement of such funds - too many are up to it in superannuation and banking. A recent Royal Commission found that it was deliberate: fees for no services, selling packages to people with obvious intellectual disabilities, and so on. Twenty legal reforms were recommended. The government slapped them on the cheek with a white cotton glove, told them they were naughty boys and to go behave themselves properly. No one believes they will. So people have been deserting the banks for credit unions in droves. And those who could exit their super funds have.  less
    in What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year? August 18, 2019 1:36 PM MDT 1
  • I have only a small portfolio - a second inheritance after Mum d...  moreI have only a small portfolio - a second inheritance after Mum died.It's safely invested for long-term stability, low-yield but minimal risk.I have zero debts and prefer to keep it that way.The downside is that our income is very small, barely enough to make ends meet.The upside is, being too old for anyone to consider us employable,we don't need to work. I can't overstate how wonderful that freedom feels.You sound like you have yourself in a good position, Don - well able to take care of your family's needs. :)  less
    in What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year? August 17, 2019 7:32 PM MDT 2
  • Thanks for the clarification. :)I'm making this one long because...  moreThanks for the clarification. :)I'm making this one long because it will ensure that most people won't read it.But I think you love confidences, Twinkle, and will understand with your heart.2000 was a pivotal year for me. It was when I married my long-time best friend, Ari.It was when I decided to leave my life making and teaching sculpture in an old wool warehouse in the inner city of Sydney.At the time, I had a young, black Arabian stallion, Sadhu, whom I kept agisted in a semi-rural area on the edge of the city, and visited every day to care for him and ride. I'd decided to buy him some mares and move to the country to breed and train Arabian horses for endurance and trail riding. But it would take a further two years before I found a property Ari liked in an area he liked.At the time, I had been on anti-depressants for two years non-stop. I did not know that I had developed Serotonin Syndrome - meaning, I had no fear or caution. My attempts to research the financial viability of breeding were cursory. I aske...    less
    in Somehow, you wake up tomorrow having traveled back almost 2 decades, to the year 2000. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you see? August 17, 2019 6:46 PM MDT 3
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 17, 2019 6:46 PM MDT
  • An inverted bond yield has proved a predictor of the last six re...  moreAn inverted bond yield has proved a predictor of the last six recessions in the USA.
    Right now the US bond market is staring investors straight in the eye and saying, "there's a recession on the way".
    When the yield on 10-year US government bonds finally slipped below 2-year yields overnight, equity markets dropped, around $1.2 trillion on the S&P500. Yield curve inversions are seen as solid predictors of recessions over the next one to two years.Equity markets often enjoy a last gasp rally after a bond inversion, but on average fall 30pc once recession bites.Rising trade tensions, crumbling manufacturing data, low inflation and weaker US profits are key drivers of the collapse of short term bond yields below the 10-year rate  less
    in What will you do to help yourself survive if we get another GFC this year? August 17, 2019 5:56 PM MDT 0
  • I disagree with that view, Thrifty.1. The media are commercial e...  moreI disagree with that view, Thrifty.1. The media are commercial entities driven by the demand of their consumers.While people have always selected the news which reflects their prefered bias, this tendency is being magnified by the effects of social media. This means it is we ourselves who are creating this effect - not Fox, News Com, etc.2. One of the seven criteria for newsworthiness is conflict. The media does not create but must report on it. If citizens don't understand the conflicts in the world they are not able to make informed votes and decisions about their lives. Some people might argue that world events are none of their business, but we are no longer isolated countries. Our behaviours have powerful ripple effects around the world.  less
    in TRUMP is working to destroy the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. 1 million species at the risk of extinction and TRUMP wants to NEUTER the rules. August 17, 2019 5:36 PM MDT 1
  • Commiserations. :(
    in TRUMP is working to destroy the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. 1 million species at the risk of extinction and TRUMP wants to NEUTER the rules. August 17, 2019 5:25 PM MDT 1
  • I'm not clear whether your question is asking for a snapshot of ...  moreI'm not clear whether your question is asking for a snapshot of my life at that time,or what changes I would make if I had that time over, knowing what I now know.  
    in Somehow, you wake up tomorrow having traveled back almost 2 decades, to the year 2000. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you see? August 17, 2019 5:24 PM MDT 2
  • I'm not sure that physicists would agree with that.No two minds ...  moreI'm not sure that physicists would agree with that.No two minds work alike - the greater the genius, the more so.What one person achieves can only be relative to the state of collective knowledge during the time of his or her life. Leonardo Da Vinci's achievements today would be considered those of a backyard amateur.The more knowledge we have, the greater the originality required to discover new principles and phenomena.  
    in Is it time re-examine Stephen Hawking's status as a genius with some real world ratings? August 17, 2019 3:24 PM MDT 2
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 17, 2019 3:24 PM MDT
  • Strip logging provides only short-term benefit to the harvesters...  moreStrip logging provides only short-term benefit to the harvesters and their customers, but long term damage to the environment, with knock-on damages to local people and global warming.The old fashioned method of selective logging is more costly but it is sustainable and does no damage.The Scandinavian countries are the leaders in research in this area. It's worth having a look at their evidence.Further, I believe it's a mistake to undervalue species such as insects and spiders. We already know the web of ecology is so complex that one can't remove one species without affecting others. We also know that some of these species contain clues to knowledge we may one day need. Trump can't have control over logging outside US territories, but any US President could help have a positive impact on global warming.
     
    It's clear to see that if the USA chose to get on board and make a difference, it would benefit the entire planet. If it does not, the planet has no hope.Only China could equal the USA in the magnitu...    less
    in TRUMP is working to destroy the ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. 1 million species at the risk of extinction and TRUMP wants to NEUTER the rules. August 17, 2019 3:17 PM MDT 1
  • The C+ is the one that astonishes me.I can't help wondering, how?
    in Is it time re-examine Stephen Hawking's status as a genius with some real world ratings? August 17, 2019 2:59 PM MDT 4
  • Yep.And the oddest thing about it is the way some sects think th...  moreYep.And the oddest thing about it is the way some sects think the notion of Hell in the afterlife is a necessary deterrent.For me, it seems obvious that the consequences of harmful behaviours create their own hell directly in this life.There is something askew in human thinking: we seem far too apt to get our wires crossed and unaware of it.  
    in If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? August 17, 2019 2:50 PM MDT 1
  • Maybe one day you might let me write your story -unless you deci...  moreMaybe one day you might let me write your story -unless you decide to write yourself of course. :)  
    in A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead. August 17, 2019 3:14 AM MDT 3
  • And I by you, dear one.Or if we get reincarnated, maybe it could...  moreAnd I by you, dear one.Or if we get reincarnated, maybe it could be as twin brother and sister in the same womb - spend a whole life together as best of friends.Our differences of belief, age and orientation don't matter to mebecause I see your whole foundation as build on love - which is all that ever counts in the end.  
    in A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead. August 17, 2019 3:12 AM MDT 1
  • There's a saying in the Ten Principal Upanishads (circa 600BC):T...  moreThere's a saying in the Ten Principal Upanishads (circa 600BC):This is perfect. That is perfect.Take perfect from perfect, and the remainder is perfect.Meant to be repeated endlessly and contemplated like a mantra.Its amazing how many permutations of meaning can be found in it.  
    in If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? August 17, 2019 3:08 AM MDT 2
  • Don Barzini nailed it.I love Randy's answer too.If outer conditi...  moreDon Barzini nailed it.I love Randy's answer too.If outer conditions meet our needs they can help us feel happy to a degree,but ultimately it also depends on how we accept and deal with the hand we have.With all the depression I lived through, including the recent one,I've had to learn how to create happiness.  
    in If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? August 17, 2019 3:05 AM MDT 3
  • Oh boy, what can I say? You nailed it. :)
    in If this was heaven where everything is perfect, what would there be to discuss? August 17, 2019 2:54 AM MDT 1
  • I acknowledge that's a strong possibility - entirely consistent ...  moreI acknowledge that's a strong possibility - entirely consistent with narcissistic control-freak types. They can maintain certain roles by self-control while acting out in others.I agree - she matches the profile for the typical trophy wife.But a woman has to take responsibility for herself.In psychology, it's well known that when a spouse didn't know what was going on, 98% of the time it was because they chose not to know. Denial.They turned a blind eye to obvious evidence going on over a long period of time. Conversely, when a spouse suspects an affair, 80% of the time it turns out to be true.She may say she didn't know - but I don't buy it.She may have thought he was having affairs and not aware of the harassment and rapes.But even that, I doubt.We now know the women behind the scenes were warning each other for scores of years.And with that many women involved, my guess is that at least one would have ratted on him to her.  less
    in How does a woman of this class and stature become the WIFE of HARVEY WEINSTEIN? I wonder what her story is. August 16, 2019 9:05 PM MDT 0
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 16, 2019 9:05 PM MDT
  • I disagree.There are hundreds of different views and beliefs abo...  moreI disagree.There are hundreds of different views and beliefs about life and death in various cultures across this planet.Many people fear death because they believe in an afterlife - and are certain that they will go to hell, become a hungry ghost, be reincarnated into some circumstance where what they've done in this life will be revisited on them in the next. Many are certain that there is no way that God could forgive them for their mortal sins no matter how much they repent.I'm an atheist and do not see individual lives as having any continuity past death.I have no fear of my own death.I mostly enjoy my life now and will not take my life until I'm very close to the natural end.When I do take that step it will be most welcome.I don't get the chance to meet many atheists - they're rare in my part of the world.But none of those I have met have no  fear of death.I am also a Buddhist.People sometimes ask, "so why don't you believe in reincarnation?"Because, while sitting in meditation and observing, I have s...    less
    in A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead. August 16, 2019 8:43 PM MDT 3
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 16, 2019 8:43 PM MDT
  • You're back! :)I haven't seen you here for a while.What's been h...  moreYou're back! :)I haven't seen you here for a while.What's been happening for you, Pearl?  
    in Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing? August 16, 2019 7:16 PM MDT 1
  • Good on you for spreading the word. (Keep your evidence, because...  moreGood on you for spreading the word. (Keep your evidence, because this is very much in the public interest.)The hospitality industry is notorious for its rorts - esp. taking advantage of the inexperienced and foreigners.But they should also be well aware of the first principle. Word of mouth can make you or break the business. Every dissatisfied customer will cost at least 11 possible customers who will never visit.  
    in Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing? August 16, 2019 7:15 PM MDT 1
  • Ah - but it doesn't define what "good" means...
    in Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing? August 16, 2019 7:10 PM MDT 2
  • Looks like you have your baby billy goat well in hand. ;)
    in Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing? August 16, 2019 7:08 PM MDT 2
  • In my view, every ad, without exception, is misleading.Naturally...  moreIn my view, every ad, without exception, is misleading.Naturally, they leave out what's bad about the product.But often the angle or image they spin is designed to counteract all the experiences of the exact opposite - they know they've already got a negative reputation (market research) and a problem that's affecting their business. So instead of trying to fix the problem (because that would be too costly) they aim to counteract the negative messages that run the grapevine in communities. Long gone are the days of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People" (by means of integrity).You can read what's wrong with the product by what's not said or by the choice of words."Freedom, freedom, freedom!" spruiks one aged care company. It has combination locks on every door of its nursing homes. Its timetable is so regimented that not one resident has any choice about anything. And of course the food, "eat what you're given or go hungry; it's your choice." Typical examples are three aged care corporati...    less
    in Can you post an example of misleading marketing/advertizing? August 16, 2019 6:55 PM MDT 3
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 16, 2019 6:55 PM MDT
  • Most people leave their "choice" of a life-partner to chance - u...  moreMost people leave their "choice" of a life-partner to chance - unless they're really smart and proactive.I was one of the dumb ones. Didn't learn this lesson 'til forty years too late.I can only guess about Chapman. It seems from her early choices of a career in fashion and modelling that appearances were important to her. I know the Chelsea School of Art. It's one of the top art schools in the UK, very competitive to get in, has a famous textiles department.With her interest in high fashion, it was natural that she'd probably move in celebrity circles - especially after winning a prestigious prize - often the first rung on a successful career in the arts.She claimed to find Weinstein charming. That alone should have been a warning to her that he may be a sociopath. But then, she might be one herself. Apparently, about 1 in 26 people are - though that says nothing about the degree of severity.He was also a successful alpha male. Since humans are a variety of ape, alpha females often prefer alpha males.Being crea...    less
    in How does a woman of this class and stature become the WIFE of HARVEY WEINSTEIN? I wonder what her story is. August 16, 2019 5:45 PM MDT 0
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 16, 2019 5:45 PM MDT
  • I don't think it's morbid.Though I wonder if you're bearing in m...  moreI don't think it's morbid.Though I wonder if you're bearing in mind that some Muggers may be as young as 13.63 seems a bit young to assume death by natural causes.Leaving out the effects of climate change and assuming the deaths are natural...My experience of working in aged care residences taught me that most oldies reach a stage when they are genuinely happy to die.For some, 2-5% by their own evaluation, it's very sad - there is no pain killer capable of relieving the pain of their particular conditions.For most, their ailments are relieved well enough to be bearable, but a point comes when they just feel too tired to keep on going.Butif you are thinking that by then we will ALL be dead - because of climate change - then I still don't see that as morbid.I would see it as a necessary first step before realising the necessity to take action on climate change.
    We can adjust our lifestyles to reduce our carbon footprint in every way possible.we can donate a few hours a week to a local green organisation or communi...    less
    in A morbid thought: In fifty years almost everyone here will be dead. August 16, 2019 3:52 PM MDT 3
  • It's rare to meet an American who sometimes votes for a party ot...  moreIt's rare to meet an American who sometimes votes for a party other than the Dems or Reps.If a significant number got in and the balance of power was weak, they could easily swing the vote on many issues.I looked up the Libertarians and found their policies are in the middle between the two majors.And they support gay rights.I'm guessing you would like to see Trump out at the next election, yes?What's your view of the policies of the Greens?  
    in What do you really suck at doing? August 16, 2019 3:36 PM MDT 0
  • Wild cats in nature don't **** in their own dens.The mother cat ...  moreWild cats in nature don't **** in their own dens.The mother cat (yes, it's yukky) cleans up her kittens with her tongue.When they're old enough to move around of their own accord, they follow her outside. She digs a hole to wee and poo and buries it; this prevents the smells that would attract predators to find and eat her babies while she's out hunting. They learn by copying everything she does.With cats raised by commercial breeders, the queen or mother cat teaches the kittens to use the litter tray in the cage.So bought kittens automatically have clean habits.A cat will only dirty its own environment if left locked inside for long hours and the human has not cleaned out the litter tray properly.Properly means all faeces and soaked litter removed every day, and the tray washed and litter replaced as soon as it gets a bit wiffy.In other words, it has to be desperate.We keep our cat's tray on the verandah, well out of the reach of rain.She will push through the cat door to go out and use it even i...    less
    in This is my cat. His name is Bixby. Isn't he cute? How much do you love him? No matter what "Gris" says, my cat does not stink. LOL! August 16, 2019 2:56 PM MDT 2
    This post was edited by my2cents at August 16, 2019 2:56 PM MDT
  • :(1984 came and went - but it's here with us still in these insi...  more:(1984 came and went - but it's here with us still in these insidious internet forms - the good and the bad almost inextricably mixed.Many of us are oblivious to how much data is collected about us and how it is used.Govts around the world are trying to create filters, blocks, protections of various sorts,but hackers will always be ahead of them and find ways around within seconds.  
    in Trump is considering an Executive Order to regulate social media for political bias. How would this effect answerMug, its members, and JA? August 15, 2019 1:54 AM MDT 1
  • If I were a US citizen I certainly would.Most of the world has i...  moreIf I were a US citizen I certainly would.Most of the world has immense respect for Obama.I think tourists would continue to love window shopping along the luxurious street,and would see the re-naming as an appropriate honour for what he tried to achieve.Though actually, I would have thought naming hospitals after him as a better legacy.  
    in Will you sign the petition to rename Fifth Avenue to Obama Avenue? August 15, 2019 1:26 AM MDT 4
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 15, 2019 1:26 AM MDT
  • Bad cold.Feeling awful in heart and body.Likely to not be around...  moreBad cold.Feeling awful in heart and body.Likely to not be around much till I recover.Mind feels fried.  
    in What's up?...Not even the the drunks are here.? August 14, 2019 11:21 AM MDT 1
  • First AmmendmentCongress shall make no law respecting an es...  moreFirst AmmendmentCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.If Trump tried it, many groups would coalesce to mount a historic court challenge - and they'd win.Trump can't bear the way the anti-Trumpers can freely converse and organise - but that's a necessary part of a democracy.But then, there have been phases when the Republicans had the louder voice on this board - and those were times when I tended to dip out. If I voiced my opinions back then, one or two members were apt to take verbal pot-shots at me. Not a pleasant experience.This is one reason why I think it's better to have civil discourse about issues.  less
    in Trump is considering an Executive Order to regulate social media for political bias. How would this effect answerMug, its members, and JA? August 14, 2019 12:54 AM MDT 3
    This post was edited by bookworm at August 14, 2019 12:54 AM MDT
  • We have screens on all our windows and doors to keep out the moz...  moreWe have screens on all our windows and doors to keep out the mozzies and flies.But nevertheless, indoors, we have a whole ecosystem of critters.Ants, moths, silverfish and the various species of spiders that prey on them.Once in a while, I clear out the spiderwebs before guests arrive. They're re-woven in the same places by the next morning.  
    in do you kill bugs or you throw them out of the house ? August 13, 2019 1:35 PM MDT 0
  • I've been a vegetarian since I was 21 - (Switched sometime after...  moreI've been a vegetarian since I was 21 - (Switched sometime after the Hari Krishna experience and not for the same reasons as theirs.)Agree on furs being cruel and unnecessary when we now have great doona like jackets that do such a good job.I'd feel differently about peoples like the Inuit - their traditional lifestyle was interdependent with their environment.Love your story of the souvenirs - can imagine you combing out your lover's hair or hairbrushes. Or rescuing skericks from drains in showers.I once had a T-shirt of a former lover. He'd left it behind after the break-up. It contained the fragrance of his armpit. I kept it for many years in a plastic bag - which did an astonishingly good job of keeping the scent fresh.  less
    in Do you have any articles of clothing made from animal fur? August 13, 2019 1:30 PM MDT 2
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  • Lotus

    Posted August 10

        My roots suck nutrients  from the rot in the mud.   Water is my world; its skin, my cloak.  I thirst for light.   When young my bud strove to open  in the gloaming of pre-dawn, but shrunk in fear and closed  at the blinding bright zenith ...

  • Letter in reply to a friend - Credo - Explaining myself

    Posted August 7

    Beloved Twinkle Dink asked a question on the main board last week, "would you explain yourself?"I'm sure it was one of those delightfully enigmatic and playful questions that he knew would be difficult to answer.The following letter, part of an exchange with my friend Elspeth, goes part way to expla...

  • Impermanence

    Posted July 31

    Impermanence   As they have for millions of years, these trees tower.  Softly they are dressed in damp velvet mosses, liverworts,  festooned with stag-horn epiphytes, studded with orange slivers of fungi.  Drunken fragrances commingle,  damp earth, leaf litter, f...

  • Her gold-plated grappling hooks

    Posted July 30

    Her gold-plated grappling hooks    Titanium light and tungsten strong, her gold-plated grappling hooks streamline back into her undercarriage, as she, surveillance master,  sours the thermals. The flecks of her grey breast  blend with the flecks of cirrus clouds; at one ...

  • Mercurial Man

    Posted July 29

    Oh, Mercurial Man,   We are the land — its water — its heated air. We are the land alive, unique in semi-arid life. Call us Bimblebox of Galilee.  In this shred of wild you can hear us,  in fitful fighting, hissing, spitting chorus, amid the windy grasses’ sus...

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  • Private gift
  • Merlin
    sent you this Public gift
    Sent: June 17
    We would be GREAT neighbors :) You are a wonderful person & friend. Thanks for being here & being you! Love ya! Love, Merlin
  • Merlin
    sent you this Public gift
    Sent: September 27, 2018
    Hi~ :) For you because you make me smile. Thanks for being a cool person and contributing here. You're great .Love, Merlin :)

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