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Durdle

Mugger Stats

  • Member Type: Mugger
  • Profile Views: 2,005 views
  • Friends: 13 friends
  • Last Update: October 25
  • Joined: April 11, 2016

Mugger Details

  • Screen Name* Durdle
  • Gender* Male
  • Where do you live? Southern England
  • About Me: Single, ov­er-60, SW ­England re­sident, wi­th fairly ­wide range­ of intere­sts & ­musical ta­stes - but­ I'd be no­ good in a­ pub quiz ­'cos I kno­w very lit­tle about ­TV, gadget­s called i­-something­, competit­ive sports­, many ent­ertainment­s & &q­uot;so-cal­led celebr­ities!

    Was on EP,­ but left ­it long be­fore it cl­osed. Won'­t touch Fa­cebook &am­p; its ilk­.

    "Adul­t" th­emes: quit­e broad-mi­nded, like­ nudity bu­t not porn­ography. A­gainst cru­elty, and ­consider s­panking as­ a game fo­r consenti­ng adults ­only.
  • Activity
    • About
    • Discussions (16)
    • Replies (1305)
    • Friends (13)
    • Joined Groups (7)
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  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to It's simply impossible to stop all individuals buying throw away plastic bottles,food containers or disposable implements.... :
    Thank you! Actually this matter was the subject of this evening's (25 October) edition of BBC R4's business-magazine programme, The Bottom Line, which said plastics are a British invention now over 100 years old, and among the points it made were:&nb...  moreThank you! Actually this matter was the subject of this evening's (25 October) edition of BBC R4's business-magazine programme, The Bottom Line, which said plastics are a British invention now over 100 years old, and among the points it made were:   - many of the non-plastic alternatives or predecessors are not necessarily better for the environment than plastic (one example given was using polythene for water mains, as it is far lighter than steel pipes so considerably reducing the transport and handling fuels),   -  but plastics are often used wastefully and unnecessarily, such as for drinking-straws and excess packaging,    - the littering is a problem of social behaviour, not of material; and  - whilst not all of the very many types of plastic are recoverable, many can be reduced to near their source material, oil. The programme seemed to focus only on the common thermoplastics like polyethylene (usually called just 'polythene'), not on th...    less
    • October 25
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Radio program or podcast? ~:
    Radio. I listen to the radio a lot (and have no television), but I don't listen to pod-casts, and I don't even know if and how I can.
    • October 25
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is artificial intelligence already dangerous with walking humanoids?:
    Thank you. I fear governments are already finding that problem, at least at an early staqe; and not only governments, too. It would be stretching the point to call the hidden programmes "Artificial Intelligence" - the intelligence is in the head...  moreThank you. I fear governments are already finding that problem, at least at an early staqe; and not only governments, too. It would be stretching the point to call the hidden programmes "Artificial Intelligence" - the intelligence is in the heads of the hackers who are simply making the tools they need to gain their intended results. Nor are all those people "hackers" in an aggressive political or criminal way from Russia or the Far East; as I would include the vast, shadowy but apparently-legal trade in personal data harvested by the huge American companies that now dominate the Internet.   Perhaps Asimov's robots will not need to be discrete, humanoid machines; and free social choice is already under attack as much by huge commercial enterprises as by political entities. Think about all those times some pundit or other tells us "Now we all ... on-line". Perhaps we do not always obey the "Now-we-all" drives, but they are definitely directed "choices".  ...    less
    • October 25
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do you do unto otters as you would have them do unto you?:
    Never met one, unfortunately, but I'd be kind to them. On the other hand, if they expect me to swim in order to catch and eat raw fish... I can't swim to start with!
    • October 25
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do bears actually sleep straight through winter, and if so, how do they keep from dehydrating?:
    I don't know if they are "asleep" the entire time (some hibernating animals do awaken occasionally to seek food), but SpunkySenior explains it. Further, most hibernating animals are in something more like a coma than normal sleep, and of course they are n...  moreI don't know if they are "asleep" the entire time (some hibernating animals do awaken occasionally to seek food), but SpunkySenior explains it. Further, most hibernating animals are in something more like a coma than normal sleep, and of course they are not expending energy that would otherwise warm them to the point of perspiring or exhaling water.  
    • October 25
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is artificial intelligence already dangerous with walking humanoids?:
    Excellently put, though I think the dystopian AI you suggest would more likely be software hidden in the World Wide Web's servers, capable of causing untold damage around the world, so far more dangerous than a mere machine however human-li...  moreExcellently put, though I think the dystopian AI you suggest would more likely be software hidden in the World Wide Web's servers, capable of causing untold damage around the world, so far more dangerous than a mere machine however human-like in appearance or "clever" in action.    
    • October 22
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What do you think about the iceberg breaking up in Antarctica?:
    It's not the iceberg breaking up that's the problem, but the source of the ice, and if terrestrial, whether it is in the sea as result of increased thawing. Melting sea-ice won't make any difference to sea-level. 
    • October 14
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Are you trained in technology?:
    Define "technology"....Try starting from its two root syllables.You will soon see how meaningless it is!
    • October 14
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is artificial intelligence already dangerous with walking humanoids?:
    I was tickled by the assessment of artificial "intelligence" I heard recently on the radio, by an expert on the matter. She said something like, "its present level is about that of the hedgehog's."A contributor on the BBC Radio Four's witty Museum of Curi...  moreI was tickled by the assessment of artificial "intelligence" I heard recently on the radio, by an expert on the matter. She said something like, "its present level is about that of the hedgehog's."A contributor on the BBC Radio Four's witty Museum of Curiosities show talked about the Deep Blue computer that beat Gary Kasparov in a game of chess, allegedly proving the computer was brighter than the human player. It wasn't of course - it approached the problem by being able to throw vast numbers of calculations at it in a relatively short time - but what the speaker pointed out was that the computer had "no sense of a job well done " afterwards.   Computers have a very long way to go before they can be said to be "intelligent". They can calculate vast numbers of probabilities and similar numerical problems very rapidly so can be programmed to follow rigidly-set protocols and processes such as arise in industrial settings; but they lack any sense of nuance so cannot decide on anything other than Bool...    less
    • October 14
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Land-line users, how many telemarketer calls do you get each day? I get at least ten, even on Sunday. They are relentless.:
    Not many at all. I've used little white lies in the past like, "A conservatory? Yes, I am interested - trouble is I'd have to ask my landlord", or "... I live in a third-floor flat".I've received far more scam calls than genuine sales attempts, such as fr...  moreNot many at all. I've used little white lies in the past like, "A conservatory? Yes, I am interested - trouble is I'd have to ask my landlord", or "... I live in a third-floor flat".I've received far more scam calls than genuine sales attempts, such as from "the Windows Corporation" and such-like. They soon hang up when they realise you know a bit more about IT than they hope you do, especially if you then say, "Oh, and I work in computer security". A friend told me recently of someone trying to pressure him into replacing his fibre-glass roof insulation on the supposed grounds of the material having now been banned. He said he replied with "Really? Well, I'm in the building trade, and I have never heard of that!" The caller rang off straight way. My friend had not lied: he is in the trade.The same man also related to me how some years ago now, he persuaded his daughter to hand over her 'phone when some persistent salesman tried yet again to sell her something. He said, "You are ringing a thirteen year...    less
    • October 14
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to It's simply impossible to stop all individuals buying throw away plastic bottles,food containers or disposable implements.... :
    It's not "plastic" per se that's the problem, but certain types and physical forms. The really bad ones for  marine life are polythene bags, which resemble food to some animals; netting and rope for their entanglement hazard; and "micro-beads". The l...  moreIt's not "plastic" per se that's the problem, but certain types and physical forms. The really bad ones for  marine life are polythene bags, which resemble food to some animals; netting and rope for their entanglement hazard; and "micro-beads". The last are microscopic plastic spheres used as abrasives and bulking media in products like cosmetics and toothpaste so end up flushed down the drain and if even treated effluent is discharged into the sea the beads become ingested by creatures like copepods. It does not poison them, simply obstructs their digestive systems - reduce the copepods and you reduce the food supply for other animals.The rest just end up creating a mess, but that's the fault of people not caring, not the fault of the materials.Yes, we certainly could move to repeat-use packing and containers, or plant-based materials provided the plants are properly cropped; but you still need fuel to make and transport them. I had noticed over the years, manufacturers of commercial equipme...    less
    • October 4
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION?:
    I was so trained too,  in a fairly light-handed manner - but I started to question the notion of supernatural deities before I was twelve, and once I realised Christianity has no monopoly on religious belief, realised the whole kit and caboodle ...  moreI was so trained too,  in a fairly light-handed manner - but I started to question the notion of supernatural deities before I was twelve, and once I realised Christianity has no monopoly on religious belief, realised the whole kit and caboodle was based on using something utterly improvable either way, an excuse for social control. I admit religious belief can bring comfort to people, and most religions ever known (and probably those long-dead and forgotten) have attempted to invent a belief in some sort of after-life as a form of what we would now call 'bereavement counselling'. I also have a number of friends who are church-goers, and recently I attended by invitation the ordination of one as an Anglican deacon! Nevertheless, I reject being told to believe in a god when a child means you have to as an adult, and indeed in that spirit I do agree with your observations on the control element, which religion seems to attract more than any other social norm or ide...    less
    • October 4
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION?:
    I'm not sure how you square that circle. I've no bother about people believing some supernatural being created and operates the universe, but religion and science ask two fundamentally different things.Religions try to ask By Whom, Why and For Whom -...  moreI'm not sure how you square that circle. I've no bother about people believing some supernatural being created and operates the universe, but religion and science ask two fundamentally different things.Religions try to ask By Whom, Why and For Whom - apart from the given faith's own deity satisfying itself of course. Religions have come and gone since time immemorial, the Three Abrahamic faiths have no monopoly on it despite them arguing that very point between themselves; but that first set of questions pretty much sums up all religions. Science works on debate, hypothesis, question, test, revision - all the while eliciting ever more closely the answers to the How? questions.They do not ask How, let alone such details as How Long It Took, etc.Science asks, How, including how long, from what materials and starting-points, and so son.Religion, or at least the blind-faith versions, and Science also work in opposite ways. Religion tries to stifle debate: if the idea is in the Bible / Talmud / Quran / Clas...    less
    • October 4
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do those of you who go fishing ever use worms for bait or are worms out of date and you all use those fancy colorful "flies"?:
    I had not noticed that decline to be honest, although I have heard various reports about particular groups of animals diminishing. Much of that in the UK at least is blamed on farming practices and building developments removing habitats - a common proble...  moreI had not noticed that decline to be honest, although I have heard various reports about particular groups of animals diminishing. Much of that in the UK at least is blamed on farming practices and building developments removing habitats - a common problem throughout the world though.All those creatures do play a part in life. Many insects, not just bees and butterflies, are pollinators. Wasps will eat fruit but also aphids, and on the whole are more beneficial than harmful. Ants help aerate the ground with their burrows, and are food for many other animals.Earthworms are vital to soil condition hence plant health.Many other little things like nematodes (tiny flat-worms) and woodlice help to break down dead organisms, returning their materials to the ground as nutrients for plants. Some nematodes prey on creatures that are pests to gardeners, and a lot of gardeners now buy nematode colonies rather than chemical slug-killers, which risk the health of larger animals who regards slugs and snails as tasty meals.  less
    • October 1
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION?:
    Thank you!
    • October 1
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do you see conspiracy everywhere? Is every question about partisan politics? What kind of brain sees EVERYTHING as being politically based?:
    I'd gathered you hate him! I don't like him either, but as I'm not American and don't live in America it's not really for me to judge his policies within your country although I do know he has a lot of support - which may say more about the supp...  moreI'd gathered you hate him! I don't like him either, but as I'm not American and don't live in America it's not really for me to judge his policies within your country although I do know he has a lot of support - which may say more about the supporters and the nation's domestic problems than about Mr. Trump. Nor do I know the full ins and outs of the election, or whether Hilary Clinton would have been a better choice, although I doubt if we will ever know fully and accurately, President Putin's hand in the election campaigning.I don't regard Trump as at all competent internationally, and I noticed he failed to impress many people at the United Nations then tried to claim the other countries' delegates were laughing with, not at, him. The impression he gives we foreigners is of a vain, deceitful egocentric surrounding himself with sycophants irrespective of ability, cheapening the office of Presidency, and doing more harm than good to the USA's reputation abroad.Large chunks of the wo...    less
    • October 1
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do you see conspiracy everywhere? Is every question about partisan politics? What kind of brain sees EVERYTHING as being politically based?:
    I certainly don't.I accept there are conspiracies and shady dealings but most so-called "conspiracies" are cock-ups instead, and the only conspiratorial activities there are in trying to cover it up.And it is very hard to discuss politics without becoming...  moreI certainly don't.I accept there are conspiracies and shady dealings but most so-called "conspiracies" are cock-ups instead, and the only conspiratorial activities there are in trying to cover it up.And it is very hard to discuss politics without becoming partisan. Not impossible but by no means easy - after all, Rosie, much of your "Corner" here appears nowadays to be devoted to disagreeing with your own country's President.What kind of brain? That of the cynic?  
    • September 30
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do those of you who go fishing ever use worms for bait or are worms out of date and you all use those fancy colorful "flies"?:
    I am not an angler but as I understand it, there is a significant difference, so one method does not replace the other. Fly-fishing is designed to catch fish that feed on insects flying just above the water, or just touching it.Worms and other such b...  moreI am not an angler but as I understand it, there is a significant difference, so one method does not replace the other. Fly-fishing is designed to catch fish that feed on insects flying just above the water, or just touching it.Worms and other such bait are for fish that feed under-water, on smaller fish or other animals, or organic fragments.    
    • September 30
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION?:
    There is no philosophical, logical or theological reason why it can't; although the more we learn about the Universe and all in it, the harder it is to credit to any supernatural deity without wanting to ask a very simple but very awkward question ab...  moreThere is no philosophical, logical or theological reason why it can't; although the more we learn about the Universe and all in it, the harder it is to credit to any supernatural deity without wanting to ask a very simple but very awkward question about that deity.Understanding the natural sciences requires thought and effort.Biblical literalism requires neither, and indeed suppresses both to such an extent that if I were religious I would accuse it of insulting not only my intelligence as audience, but even its own deity.There is no reason you can't believe in God but still learn and admire what science reveals, because religion tries to ask Why and By Whom, For Whom; whereas science asks How and When. Indeed, the more we learn of it, the more majestic and beautiful that creation and its processes - including evolution - become.  less
    • September 30
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Why would someone leave a voice mail for you to call back using an non working number?:
    Be very careful too about ringing some different number to their own - somehow the crooks have discovered a way to hold the line so it still gets back to them.I've called quite a few dodgy callers, "liar", and hung up immediately. I think w...  moreBe very careful too about ringing some different number to their own - somehow the crooks have discovered a way to hold the line so it still gets back to them.I've called quite a few dodgy callers, "liar", and hung up immediately. I think word must get round because if you let a few of these know you know they are fraudulent, you tend to be left alone for quite a while.  
    • September 30
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What unexpected disaster might befall a small village in rural England?:
    Oh, that gets everywhere!
    • September 30
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to what do you have on your desk right now:
    Clutter.
    • September 23
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to are you going to buy the new iPhone Xs or iPhone Xs Max:
    Definitely not! (I've nothing against them, I simply don't need or want one.)
    • September 18
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to We have streets now where people live a mile from The city of London where only Hybrid or electric cars are allowed to drive down .Have yo :
    As most of the posts above bear out, these decisions are taken with the best of intentions but very little real thought, and what worries me is that it will become worse. I fear the general level of any, even simple, understanding of science and engineeri...  moreAs most of the posts above bear out, these decisions are taken with the best of intentions but very little real thought, and what worries me is that it will become worse. I fear the general level of any, even simple, understanding of science and engineering among many politicians, journalists, environmental campaigners and the public at large is very low. Yes, people waffle about "we all" now being "technologically savvy" but this linguistic froth merely condenses to knowing how to use a TV remote-controller and a so-called "smart" phone.  I wonder how many of the politicians who want us all to drive battery cars, even understand the differences between fuel, energy and power? Or have considered the full practical difficulties and environmental "equation" of their intended policies?I think in Britain at least, huge numbers of people in future will be unable to own a battery-only car for simple practical reasons missed by Greenpeace and politicians; while as Nice Jugs and Don Barzini have poin...    less
    • September 18
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Can you name some things you might do to cause it to rain?:
    Putting the washing out can be quite effective!On a grander scale, planning a garden fete can tempt Fate. 
    • September 15
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Where's The Sense In The Destruction? (iPhones &c):
    No, there isn't, but I had the impression those people thought it somehow clever.
    • September 15
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What are some activities that people postpone for other parts of the day or week due to weather? :
    Randy - could you not wax your car in the evening, when the sun has set enough to drop the temperature, and perhaps put the car in some shade?I did this recently for a somewhat similar reason.
    • September 15
  • Durdle
    Durdle started a discussion:
    Where's The Sense In The Destruction? (iPhones &c)
    A review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched on the tale of a woman who smashed her children's iPhones, with the result that their family became much happier, more cohesive and communicative.It also produced two other, conflicting thir...  moreA review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched on the tale of a woman who smashed her children's iPhones, with the result that their family became much happier, more cohesive and communicative.It also produced two other, conflicting third-party results; one promoting wanton waste, both sharing a theme of utter childishness and stupidity. One of these results was a (sadly predictable?) barrage of insults and abuse on social media. The other was confessions of similar actions, with some owners admitting to throwing their instruments under vehicle wheels (did they clear up the mess?) or into canals (more litter - a few prosecutions would not come amiss).By all means get rid of the device you felt apparently necessary to own in the first place, but wouldn't it far more constructive to sell it, or at least give it away, than wantonly destroy a costly, perfectly serviceable, instrument someone else could use, and perhaps use rather more sensibly?For the record, I have a basic port...    less
    • September 15
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is Sirius and other A.I mimicking platforms modern day ouija boards?:
    I don't happen to believe in Ouija-boards, spirits, telekinesis and the rest; but I did hear an interesting comment on so-called Artificial Intelligence the other day on the radio, from an IT professional, to the effect that its IQ so far developed i...  moreI don't happen to believe in Ouija-boards, spirits, telekinesis and the rest; but I did hear an interesting comment on so-called Artificial Intelligence the other day on the radio, from an IT professional, to the effect that its IQ so far developed is about that of a hedgehog!And some enthuse about applying our spiny little friend's IQ level to "driver-less" cars? Try driving in an efficient, time and fuel saving but safe, legal, defensive, courteous and considerate way through a couple of busy towns and intervening countryside, then think how many and what sort of on-the-spot observations, predictions, estimates and decisions you had to make during the journey, far beyond a simple "observe the speed limits and avoid striking anything in front" level.  less
    • September 15
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to I understand that counselling is considered more acceptable in the US? Is that right or do people still assume it's for people who are nuts?:
    Adaydreambeliever -    -  going back to your original question, your by-line is a good point, but as you say, things are changing, at least here in the UK.Mental illness of any sort used to be seen as somehow not respectable, or a...  moreAdaydreambeliever -    -  going back to your original question, your by-line is a good point, but as you say, things are changing, at least here in the UK.Mental illness of any sort used to be seen as somehow not respectable, or as a sign or failure or weakness - terms set by the critic's own definitions and criteria, of course. We have a come a long way, but perhaps the general problem is how mental illnesses present themselves: either invisible, or as strange, possibly antisocial or even psychotic, behaviour. I was diagnosed as mentally ill in some way when very young  - my NHS Records tantalisingly omit the symptoms and possible complaint - but given only sedatives, for a reason that these days looks very strange. The child-psychologist wrote that my "excitable mother" (his words!) seemed to blame herself, and he felt deterred from recommending the therapy he believed I needed. By the time I thought to obtain the records, my parents were both dead, so I could not c...    less
    • September 12
  • Durdle
    Durdle is now friends with Element 99.
    • September 12
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What is the strangest substance that scientists know about?:
    You are right - steam is the gaseous form of water, and in that state is actually transparent. If you look at the steam emerging form a safety-valve on something like a steam-locomotive, you may see a small gap between the valve outlet and the plume of va...  moreYou are right - steam is the gaseous form of water, and in that state is actually transparent. If you look at the steam emerging form a safety-valve on something like a steam-locomotive, you may see a small gap between the valve outlet and the plume of vapour. In this state the water exists as a gas: separate molecules. As it cools, the molecules start to coalesce into those micro-droplets that form haze, mist and fog, and of course the clouds. Sometimes you can just about see the droplets swirling around. In time, further coalescence raises the mass of each droplet until it loses its buoyancy in the air, and falls as, e.g., a rain-drop. An effect I have often noticed, is that on foggy days the air is slightly less misty under trees, because the leaves and twigs capture the tiny droplets and remove them from the air as films of water dripping off or trickling down.  less
    • September 10
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What is something that you should not allow to become overheated if you want to maintain it in its best condition? ~:
    Ice cubes.
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to what is the last thing you bought that you do not need :
    A so-called "smart" 'phone! An LG K8 2017, even. It says.At least I think this awkward, hefty lump of sophisticated materials is a telephone. I mean, I believe you really can use it as a private two-way radio, just like ordinary portable 'phones...  moreA so-called "smart" 'phone! An LG K8 2017, even. It says.At least I think this awkward, hefty lump of sophisticated materials is a telephone. I mean, I believe you really can use it as a private two-way radio, just like ordinary portable 'phones; but that seems an accessory to whatever is its main function - besides prodigious battery-flattening.I was talked into buying it as part of a two-year contract I'd misunderstood as PAYG, last November. I discovered the contract was not covered by the cooling-off regulations so was stuck with about £12/month with possible price rises, for that time - over twice my normal portable 'phone use. I have just paid off the remainder, and have had the beast unlocked - a rigmarole in itself that had even the splendid chaps working for EE puzzled, and cost another £7+.At least the splendid EE chaps genuinely were helpful, but it took some e-posts and two visits to the local EE shop to solve the difficulty. (LG keeps changing the unlocking codes...    less
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to I understand that counselling is considered more acceptable in the US? Is that right or do people still assume it's for people who are nuts?:
    It's not the counselling but the admission of needing it, that people fear may be seen as weakness.One of my employers made a great virtue of its Occupational Health schemes including a lot of information about work-place stress and advice to speak to&nbs...  moreIt's not the counselling but the admission of needing it, that people fear may be seen as weakness.One of my employers made a great virtue of its Occupational Health schemes including a lot of information about work-place stress and advice to speak to someone before it becomes a serious problem. It struck me that that is one area where sufferers may be afraid to admit struggling to cope with the stress lest it be seen as admitting inability to cope with the work. As it happens I had to receive clinical-psychologist's help for mental problems arising from an intense period of stress, on top of a life-long mental fragility with which I can normally live. The cause of the stress? A cascade of bullying from high-up management down to shop-floor types like me, arising, with supreme irony, from a Health & Safety pogrom!   less
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What about the opposite sex confuses you the most?:
    The old, 'Im: "What's wrong, darling?" Anxiously, thinking perhaps of something awful like her Aunt Tabitha's tabby-cat's demise.'Er:   "NOTHING!!!" Patently, something is. And the snappy tone warns him the wrong is closer to home than distant r...  moreThe old, 'Im: "What's wrong, darling?" Anxiously, thinking perhaps of something awful like her Aunt Tabitha's tabby-cat's demise.'Er:   "NOTHING!!!" Patently, something is. And the snappy tone warns him the wrong is closer to home than distant relative's moggies' fates. It can lead to:'Im:   "Yes there is. Tell me, please."'Er:   "You KNOW what's wrong!" Clearly he's in the wrong having been told nothing's wrong, but is expected to know what it is and it's his fault by default; even though just as clearly, he doesn't know or he wouldn't be trying to elicit this obviously Classified Information. And you think American politicians can get in a tangle with knowingly unknowable unknowns.      +++++++My local pub's toilets are in the far corners of the fairly long public bar room. A sign on the adjoining wall says,        "Men to the Left,       Women to the Right... because women are always ri...    less
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What about the opposite sex confuses you the most?:
    I find that disturbing too - but not just men. Some women can be violent or psychologically bullying too, but for some reason society seems to ignore that.
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What's one scientific fact about humans you know that few people are aware of?:
    I believe some biologists are now questioning if the human appendix is not quite the vestigial thing everyone thought, but does fulfil a definite role. One suggestion I have heard is that it acts as a sort of refuge for gut flora, but whether this is...  moreI believe some biologists are now questioning if the human appendix is not quite the vestigial thing everyone thought, but does fulfil a definite role. One suggestion I have heard is that it acts as a sort of refuge for gut flora, but whether this is by accident or if that is its purpose, I would not know.  
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What's one scientific fact about humans you know that few people are aware of?:
    Foy my money, among the most impressive attributes is the sensitivity of the fully-healthy human ear, by the lowest sound pressure level it can detect: a mere 20µPa (micro-Pascals).The ISO Standard unit of pressure called the Pascal = 1 X 10^(-...  moreFoy my money, among the most impressive attributes is the sensitivity of the fully-healthy human ear, by the lowest sound pressure level it can detect: a mere 20µPa (micro-Pascals).The ISO Standard unit of pressure called the Pascal = 1 X 10^(-5) Bar, or 1 / 100 000 Bar. A unit devised by bureaucrats with "ologies" in Obscure Sums, so useless for practical day-to-day things like car tyre pressures; but too big for acoustics by a factor of one million!So the 20µPa of the faintest of sweet nothings barely audible in the boudoir's darkness, =  5 X 10^(-9) Bar, or  1 / 5 000 000 000 Bari.e. just  five-thousand millionth of standard (sea-level) atmospheric pressure. This is the 0dB point on the usual scale of decibel measurements of sound levels in air. At that faint whisper, the ear-drum's vibration amplitude is about equal to the diameter of a hydrogen atom. The loudest? Theoretically, harmfully, and different sources seem to quote different levels, but the Threshold ...    less
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What's one scientific fact about humans you know that few people are aware of?:
    Not quite only: so do bonobos.
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do you think that a country ruled by the military can be a greater success than a democratic one?:
    Define "success"! Many military dictatorships have proven themselves economic wrecks because the men in charge have no proper experience in administering civilian services and economies; and their lust for power over-rides any national-level managerial an...  moreDefine "success"! Many military dictatorships have proven themselves economic wrecks because the men in charge have no proper experience in administering civilian services and economies; and their lust for power over-rides any national-level managerial and financial competence.  
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Do you know of any country that has a woman in command of the defence forces?:
    The Sovereign is the nominal Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces in Great Britain, but operationally and managerially, none of the very topmost staff officers is female as far as I know. This may well change though as the number of women commissioned o...  moreThe Sovereign is the nominal Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces in Great Britain, but operationally and managerially, none of the very topmost staff officers is female as far as I know. This may well change though as the number of women commissioned officers in the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy increases.As it happens the Queen did serve in WW2, when she was Princess Elizabeth; in one of the women's auxiliary (non-combatant) units. Among other things she learnt in that service, was how to drive and carry out basic vehicle maintenance.  less
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to I have always felt that the military should use the guns that they seized from terrorists and gangsters. Does any one else feel the same?:
    They would only be of any use to the military, if of types already standard issue anyway. Also,  - this is the case in the UK and probably the same in the USA - military supplies are subject to strict supplier-guarantee controls that mean all it...  moreThey would only be of any use to the military, if of types already standard issue anyway. Also,  - this is the case in the UK and probably the same in the USA - military supplies are subject to strict supplier-guarantee controls that mean all items are traceable individually to manufacturer, batch and date.  
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is "our" earth the only earth out there? ~:
    I agree it is very much a matter of chance, and that of life very similar to that on Earth perhaps even lower; but I don't rule out the chance of life of some sort, somewhere. As Pearl says though, we'll probably never know.
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is it a true phenomenon that a person who dwells in negative things can get swallowed up into a permanent abyss?:
    Probably not, but it's certainly not a good way to be, risking a vicious circle of poor self-esteem.
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is this unhealthy if done too much?:
    Well then, if we assume the term in the question is a euphemism for masturbation, then the answer is no except as Adaydreambeliever says, if it is allowed to interfere with ordinary daily life. Many decades ago, even doctors warned against it, claimi...  moreWell then, if we assume the term in the question is a euphemism for masturbation, then the answer is no except as Adaydreambeliever says, if it is allowed to interfere with ordinary daily life. Many decades ago, even doctors warned against it, claiming all manner of strange hazards for it. That though, was when human sexuality was something of a necessary evil foisted upon humans by Nature to make them breed; something whispered about in the dark bedroom or the back-street shop, and when condoms were sold very discreetly by men's barbers, allegedly offered with a quiet, "Anything for the weekend, Sir?" as the Brylcreem was rubbed into Sir's short-back-and-sides.So no - there are far worse things to worry about.   less
    • September 9
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is "our" earth the only earth out there? ~:
    I agree. We can only speculate on possibility.
    • September 8
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to What is the strangest substance that scientists know about?:
    Perhaps the postulated Dark Matter that is thought to pervade the Universe - from my admittedly-limited understanding of astro- and quantum- physics, I gather it seems to exist by theory that's chiefly mathematics, but no-one can pin-point what it actuall...  morePerhaps the postulated Dark Matter that is thought to pervade the Universe - from my admittedly-limited understanding of astro- and quantum- physics, I gather it seems to exist by theory that's chiefly mathematics, but no-one can pin-point what it actually is!I think otherwise the real mysteries are not the characteristics of individual substances, but of some natural processes... such as how our brains actually form our emotions, thoughts and memories. Knowing how a nerve cell and its connections works chemically is one thing, knowing how do they do what they do, is another matter! It's like trying to understand how a super-computer computes, from knowing only how a transistor works - only harder. Perhaps theoretical astrophysics is easier.Of single, accessible substances, water certainly must be up there with the oddities, but if it wasn't for its behaviour, life could not exist: It:- Melts from solid at a comparatively low temperature, exhibits peculiar density/temperature behaviour (...    less
    • September 8
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Is "our" earth the only earth out there? ~:
    There's only one "Earth" - anything anywhere else comparable would have its own-languages name for it! More to the point, we cannot and probably will never, know; but there is no reason to think other Earth-like planets cannot or do not exist.  ...  moreThere's only one "Earth" - anything anywhere else comparable would have its own-languages name for it! More to the point, we cannot and probably will never, know; but there is no reason to think other Earth-like planets cannot or do not exist.   We must be careful though, not to fall for the old science-fiction writers' self-deprecatory habit of imagining any other civilisation out there is vastly more advanced than our own.(Some might argue our own civilisation is not particularly civilised anyway... but we don't want our domestic arguments splashed around the galaxy, now, do we?)Any other society might be far more developed than ours... or it might be far behind. We won't know, because the sheer scale of Space and the simplest laws of the Physics that operate it, bar any sort of examination or communication.  less
    • September 8
  • Durdle
    Durdle replied to Dancing feels better than sitting still. Exercise energizes. Couch potatoing doesn't do anything. Is moving about one key to happiness?:
    Thank you Rosie!Seems to have been some bloke called Durdle who resuscitated it - as the first to answer, five weeks after you'd posted it! Was probably too busy exercising to answer promptly.I've been chatting for some time now with a young man on anothe...  moreThank you Rosie!Seems to have been some bloke called Durdle who resuscitated it - as the first to answer, five weeks after you'd posted it! Was probably too busy exercising to answer promptly.I've been chatting for some time now with a young man on another site, who reckons hardly any men continue playing at adult level the sports they enjoyed at school or college. He added that of those who do, most are not very fit, and often drunk before they play! He lives somewhere in rural USA, in Utah I think, and gives the impression this is common. Surely not in the States generally. In his town perhaps, which  appears to be in quite a poor area with little employment and that, poorly-paid. That came after I'd suggested he join a local-league team or sports-club.I've never been in those types of sports, nor do I use a gym, but my various hobbies are all quite physically active.  less
    • September 8
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  • Screen Name* Durdle
  • Gender* Male
  • Where do you live? Southern England
  • About Me: Single, ov­er-60, SW ­England re­sident, wi­th fairly ­wide range­ of intere­sts & ­musical ta­stes - but­ I'd be no­ good in a­ pub quiz ­'cos I kno­w very lit­tle about ­TV, gadget­s called i­-something­, competit­ive sports­, many ent­ertainment­s & &q­uot;so-cal­led celebr­ities!

    Was on EP,­ but left ­it long be­fore it cl­osed. Won'­t touch Fa­cebook &am­p; its ilk­.

    "Adul­t" th­emes: quit­e broad-mi­nded, like­ nudity bu­t not porn­ography. A­gainst cru­elty, and ­consider s­panking as­ a game fo­r consenti­ng adults ­only.

  • Where's The Sense In The Destruction? (iPhones &c)

    A review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched...  moreA review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched on the tale of a woman who smashed her children's iPhones, with the result that their family became much happier, more cohesive and communicative.It also produced two other, conflicting third-party results; one promoting wanton waste, both sharing a theme of utter childishness and stupidity. One of these results was a (sadly predictable?) barrage of insults and abuse on social media. The other was confessions of similar actions, with some owners admitting to throwing their instruments under vehicle wheels (did they clear up the mess?) or into canals (more litter - a few prosecutions would not come amiss).By all means get rid of the device you felt apparently necessary to own in the first place, but wouldn't it far more constructive to sell it, or at least give it away, than wantonly destroy a costly, perfectly serviceable, instrument someone else could use, and perhaps use rather more sensibly?For the record, I have a basic port...    less
    Last post by Durdle - September 15
    42 views 0 likes
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  • Irresopnsible Or What - How To Put Mineral Oil In Sewers?

    Generally I ignore the side-bar ads though I know they pay ...  moreGenerally I ignore the side-bar ads though I know they pay for the site. However I couldn't let this go without comment.It was a list of assorted suggested uses for the well-known water-repellent, WD-40, shown by its Material Safety Data Sheet to be a mineral-oil based mixture.As wells as the ingenious and the blindingly obvious ideas, the advertising feature suggested using it as an adjunct to toilet cleaners, and for cleaning shower-heads. In other words, squirt mineral-oils down the drain, despite consistent, highly publicised warnings not to do so at all from chemical manufacturers, regulatory bodies and water companies!Come on AnswerMug, get that nonsense off the site and advise WD-40's manufacturers that some ignorant advertising company is promulgating a highly irresponsible (and in some countries possibly illegal) misuse of their chemicals.   less
    Last post by Not Sure - June 18
    138 views 2 likes
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  • Why Are Inbstruments Designed To Make Life Easy, Becoming Ever Harder To Use?

    Such as portable telephones? Bounced into buying a brand new por...  moreSuch as portable telephones? Bounced into buying a brand new portable telephone - I need only to make voice calls and text messages, and then briefly and infrequently; I am not one of those teenage girls who spend all day acquiring RSI by tap-tap-tappety-tap on little blocks of plastic. Nor do I believe in walking round supermarkets and into pedestrians by concentrating on shouting at a block of plastic glued to the ear. - I ended up with a nightmarish contraption, an LG something-or-other: the model label is inside, found only by taking the back off and removing the battery.Its text feature is better than the old multi-letter press-buttons, but that's about it....It took me a while to find instructions (see above on identifying it, as I'd lost the packaging), but these revealed the telephone aspect is only peripheral. LG  lists it as an application rather than main function.It's also bulky, so less portable than the previous generation, at about twice the area; and surpri...    less
    Last post by Durdle - April 17
    126 views 0 likes
    8

  • Anyone Seriously Believe This Rhubarb? (The message, not numbers.)

    I quote from an item on the BT Internet's news service:"Accordin...  moreI quote from an item on the BT Internet's news service:"According to NetMarketShare, Windows 7 remains the most popular operating system on PC, with 44.81% of the market share in February 2018. WIndows 10 is slowly increasing but still comes in second with 28.19%. "I do not question the statistics, but does anyone else see the flaw? You will if you are not so taken in by advertising blurb that you fail to realise what is carefully concealed.  
    Last post by Benedict Arnold - March 3
    110 views 0 likes
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  • A Board Game Problem - How Many Possible Playing Routes?

    A typical board track-game has a single, rigid route of numbered...  moreA typical board track-game has a single, rigid route of numbered squares, controlled by die throws, with certain actions given in some squares - e.g. "Snakes & Ladders". One track from start to end even if you must return somewhere, miss a turn or advance N squares, etc. as ordained when landing on those given pointsNow set the game on THREE separate, identically-sized, rectangular boards of 3:2 proportions; EACH marked off into 6 squares by a longitudinal centre-line and two cross-lines at thirds length. Label the boards (for this question on the game's geometry) A, B and C. Label each meeting-point of line and edge, 1 - 6, consistently on all 3 boards so every "port" is unique, A1 to C6.Do that with the individual board in landscape mode; 1 on the left-hand end, number clockwise so the RH end is 4, round to 6 at bottom left.  All 3 boards the same apart from identity-letter. The track is drawn on these lines such that when one board is set against the othe...    less
    Last post by Durdle - January 8
    73 views 0 likes
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  • Has Microsoft Dropped A Clanger With WIN-10?

    I've known MS operating systems since Microsoft-DOS  (Disc ...  moreI've known MS operating systems since Microsoft-DOS  (Disc Operating System) days: I've used DOS, 3.1, 5, NT, XP (I think MS' best), now 7, and have had an unfortunate brush with 10.Also used briefly, a SUN computer giving a half-way house between command-line and windows (not "Windows TM") screens;  and my first PC was an Amstrad with CP/M O.S. BTW the windows "graphical user interface" as it was pretentiously called, was IBM's invention, not µSoft's Has MS lost its way with WIN-10 though?   -- The home-page of my ISP, BTInternet, always has links to sets of instructions to deal with all sorts of obviously common WIN-10 problems that should be minimal or non-existent if the system was designed, written and tested properly before publication.   --  A correspondent on another forum tells me his computer often freezes with the floods of WIN-10 automatic "up-dates" over which the user has no control - to be fair he also said the Internet speed is ver...    less
    Last post by Durdle - December 27, 2017
    149 views 1 like
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  • The Internet - Developed To Allow Companies To Refuse Enquiries?

    Unless of course you want to buy something!However... Unless&nbs...  moreUnless of course you want to buy something!However... Unless the company is Hewlett-Packard and you want to buy their printer cartridges because the blighters have programmed their printers to reject refills and third-party ones. I've tried their sales web-site - it does not work.Definitely though if the printer has suddenly decided to crop randomly, images put into documents; and you'd like the manufacturers' help in putting it right.  (This is what inspired me here - I found the HP Printer sites b++++y useless and very patronising, so marked its customer-satisfaction questions one-star only and told 'em so in the 'Comments' box.)Definitely if you wish to solve a service problem with an ISP (BT in my case).Or need help with specialist software that does work, but you can't understand how to use particular features because the officially-written pdf manual doesn't tell you, and the supposed training CD contains curious errors that result in you deleting the exercise it's had yo...    less
    Last post by Durdle - December 14, 2017
    48 views 0 likes
    0

  • Why Does Mickeysoft Insist on Making Life Difficult?

    As a club committee-member preparing for the AGM I took every ca...  moreAs a club committee-member preparing for the AGM I took every care to save my Report as a Word document (.doc) so the Secretary and others can collate it with other Officers' Reports. So what did M-Soft do? Only converted it automatically to a b++++y docx image! I can't even edit it, if I wanted to, on my own PC because it's now read-only and in only WordPad. It took me ages to find it because Windows had saved it as a so-called "down-load" even though on the originating PC, and not in my chosen directory and folder. If I want to convert a docx file to a doc format for further editing or collating, I'd have to pay an expensive subscription to Adobe for the converter - I don't trust Adobe anyway because its Flashplayer for a start, never loads properly. Over £30 a month I think, for something I'd need only a few times a year. This was never previously necessary - saved files stayed as you chose, in the folder you chose. It's a scam!    less
    Last post by Durdle - November 10, 2017
    69 views 0 likes
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  • What's The Daftest Side-Bar Ad You've Seen When Using AnswerMug?

    Answering another question just now, I scrolled down to the ramm...  moreAnswering another question just now, I scrolled down to the rammel that infests the bottom of the screen below the AnswerMug window. Among the usual collection of insignificant rhubarb necessary only to fund AM, was this gem I quote as accurately as I can. Below a portrait of a smiling, attractive woman was the caption:      "Top Ten Dating Sites In Abbotsbury"Abbotsbury is a village in West Dorset (England), famous for its Swannery; but whether it is the dating capital of Britain, I cannot say.Who the Hell designs these advertisements?  less
    Last post by Durdle - August 8, 2017
    134 views 1 like
    3

  • Who Owns Breitbart and What Are Its Aims?

    I'd not heard Breitbart (sounds German) until a guest on today's...  moreI'd not heard Breitbart (sounds German) until a guest on today's BBC Radio 3's Private Passions briefly mentioned being viciously attacked by this "outfit" he called it, after he had given a lecture by invitation on the International Law aspects of climate-change, to the UK's Supreme Court.Our Supreme Court is the UK's top appeals court. It is not the same as the US one although misleadingly copying the name, and until recently was The Law Lords, judges also sitting in an advisory capacity in the House of Lords, but separated fairly recently for clearer separation between Parliament and Judiciary. Cases that reach that high, beyond Appeal Court level, may well test the Statute Law as well as the facts of the individual case. Further of course, these lawyers may have to advise Parliament on international law: the UK is a signatory to and active in, an enormous number and range of treaties, organisations and agreements. The guest was the British barrister Philippe Sands, a leading expert o...    less
    Last post by Durdle - February 7, 2017
    279 views 0 likes
    6

  • Why Are Software Publishers So Shy?

    I need to establish if one particular UK agent for a particular ...  moreI need to establish if one particular UK agent for a particular software company, is still trading.I tried to e-post to him a simple sales question, but it bounced, and I can't determine if that means the address no longer exists.I need only to ask the software firm itself two basic questions: "Is ...... still one of your UK agents; if so is the e-post address I'd used, current?"You'd think they be pleased to help what might mean another sale, but no... Customers do not matter to the IT trade beyond the purchases. After that you're on your own and if you have problems with the quality of the goods or services, or you need technical advice ... tough.I have tried the publisher's own web-site but it carries no contact details whatsoever. Lots of product ads; but no phone number, no e-mail address, no postal address. Instead, as with so many other IT and telecomms firms, it fobs you off with a list of set technical questions and a supposed "users' forum" (these admit...    less
    Last post by Durdle - January 5, 2017
    214 views 2 likes
    4

  • What are Microsoft and Adobe Up To?

    I've had problems with e-posted 'Word' and 'Excel' files being c...  moreI've had problems with e-posted 'Word' and 'Excel' files being converted to a strange default file-type signified by an 'x' after the normal suffix. These are locked, un-useable images.I need occasionally to collate reports etc to help me at a club's committee meetings. These arrive as e-post attachments from different people so in a mixture of styles, software editions and files, but I want to put them in one neat style in one document I can print and archive properly. Today I tried to save two, both .pdf files so images unreliable to print, and difficult or impossible to edit, place in or render compatible with, proper documents.However, whatever handles pdf files offers saving them in several other forms including ".doc", even offering British rather than US English, though that would not have mattered there. Only, the "Convert" button merely opens a sales page expecting me to pay £££/month to subscribe to an outfit called Adobe for what should be a basic MS-"Wi...    less
    Last post by Durdle - January 2, 2017
    340 views 0 likes
    7

  • Heading Cartoon: Am I Missing The Joke??

    Come on someone, put me out of my misery! Well, all right, ...  moreCome on someone, put me out of my misery! Well, all right, it's not that dramatic and certainly not serious. I'm just intrigued, in a totally light-hearted way.So:What on Earth is that Sandra & Woo cartoon at the head of the page about?We see a young woman who, to use the correct, modern Claire in the Community lingo, seems to suffer from Acute Species Dysphoria; and her boyfriend, a nut-cake addict who believes he can cast magic spells with ordinary cutlery. I hope the so-called "religious right" don't get him - you know, the supposedly-grown-ups who had severe attacks of the vapours over the children's Harry Potter stories. Go on - I don't get the joke! Does it refer to an American children's game or something?:-)))PS: Claire in the Community: a BBC Radio Four situation-comedy that started as, and still is, a newspaper cartoon strip, about a team of urban social-workers and their own personal problems, sorry, "issues". Claire is the team-leader who prissily spouts all the rig...    less
    Last post by Just Asking - December 3, 2016
    291 views 0 likes
    7

  • Scams Masquerading as Genuine Advertisements?

    Like many sites this is partly supported by companies placing ad...  moreLike many sites this is partly supported by companies placing advertisements in the margins of the Home and other pages. Some are eerily local to you as user: one waffles about " Opticians... " apparently threatened by some technical development in their trade. I saw one regularly on EP, telling me things like "Sarah lives four miles from you" - it was a lie of course, but it opened a dating-site that showed it knew roughly I live, within perhaps 50 miles anyway. The advertising-agencies use your approximate location bought or gleaned from the web-site. One though, advertised a "Simple trick to see if you've ever had PPI" (Payment Protection Insurance, usually for mortgages.) I know I do not, and when I did I was not a victim of a miss-selling racket the banks ran for a while, but I selected it out of curiosity. My security software 'Bulldog' promptly leapt up, snarled at it as dangerous, and blocked it.Possibly, Bulldog is very wary of anything mentioning money on non-https web-sites ev...    less
    Last post by Durdle - October 15, 2016
    466 views 0 likes
    11

  • Locations?

    What's happened to the location in the profiles? The profile for...  moreWhat's happened to the location in the profiles? The profile form asks for it but it no longer appears on the public information part. Or have I missed something?  
    Last post by Durdle - October 10, 2016
    209 views 0 likes
    2

  • Lost Features

    E-posted notifications. These used to have direct links to AM - ...  moreE-posted notifications. These used to have direct links to AM - you still had to sign in but at least the links worked. They no longer work. The most recent was from Just Asking, and reads "Click here to reply / profile / 145." It is not a link, and I have not been able to find the message on Am itself.The message does not tell me how to find "/profile/145". It does not tell me whose profile.  Why have those links been cut and why do notifications still carry an instruction to use them?Member IndexThe list is and always was purely random by default, but offered Aphabetical and Recent sorting options. You could find individuals on the Membership list by choosing "Alphabetical", estimating which page number carrying the name, then homing in from there by the page-number arrows. Why have these index options been removed? 
    X  less
    Last post by Just Asking - October 4, 2016
    366 views 0 likes
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  • Thank you! Actually this matter was the subject of this evening'...  moreThank you! Actually this matter was the subject of this evening's (25 October) edition of BBC R4's business-magazine programme, The Bottom Line, which said plastics are a British invention now over 100 years old, and among the points it made were:   - many of the non-plastic alternatives or predecessors are not necessarily better for the environment than plastic (one example given was using polythene for water mains, as it is far lighter than steel pipes so considerably reducing the transport and handling fuels),   -  but plastics are often used wastefully and unnecessarily, such as for drinking-straws and excess packaging,    - the littering is a problem of social behaviour, not of material; and  - whilst not all of the very many types of plastic are recoverable, many can be reduced to near their source material, oil. The programme seemed to focus only on the common thermoplastics like polyethylene (usually called just 'polythene'), not on th...    less
    in It's simply impossible to stop all individuals buying throw away plastic bottles,food containers or disposable implements.... October 25, 2018 4:01 PM MDT 1
    This post was edited by Durdle at October 25, 2018 4:01 PM MDT
  • Radio. I listen to the radio a lot (and have no television), but...  moreRadio. I listen to the radio a lot (and have no television), but I don't listen to pod-casts, and I don't even know if and how I can.  
    in Radio program or podcast? ~ October 25, 2018 3:32 PM MDT 4
  • Thank you. I fear governments are already finding that problem, ...  moreThank you. I fear governments are already finding that problem, at least at an early staqe; and not only governments, too. It would be stretching the point to call the hidden programmes "Artificial Intelligence" - the intelligence is in the heads of the hackers who are simply making the tools they need to gain their intended results. Nor are all those people "hackers" in an aggressive political or criminal way from Russia or the Far East; as I would include the vast, shadowy but apparently-legal trade in personal data harvested by the huge American companies that now dominate the Internet.   Perhaps Asimov's robots will not need to be discrete, humanoid machines; and free social choice is already under attack as much by huge commercial enterprises as by political entities. Think about all those times some pundit or other tells us "Now we all ... on-line". Perhaps we do not always obey the "Now-we-all" drives, but they are definitely directed "choices".  ...    less
    in Is artificial intelligence already dangerous with walking humanoids? October 25, 2018 3:27 PM MDT 1
  • Never met one, unfortunately, but I'd be kind to them. On the ot...  moreNever met one, unfortunately, but I'd be kind to them. On the other hand, if they expect me to swim in order to catch and eat raw fish... I can't swim to start with!  
    in Do you do unto otters as you would have them do unto you? October 25, 2018 3:09 PM MDT 0
  • I don't know if they are "asleep" the entire time (some hibernat...  moreI don't know if they are "asleep" the entire time (some hibernating animals do awaken occasionally to seek food), but SpunkySenior explains it. Further, most hibernating animals are in something more like a coma than normal sleep, and of course they are not expending energy that would otherwise warm them to the point of perspiring or exhaling water.  
    in Do bears actually sleep straight through winter, and if so, how do they keep from dehydrating? October 25, 2018 3:07 PM MDT 1
  • Excellently put, though I think the dystopian AI you suggest wou...  moreExcellently put, though I think the dystopian AI you suggest would more likely be software hidden in the World Wide Web's servers, capable of causing untold damage around the world, so far more dangerous than a mere machine however human-like in appearance or "clever" in action.    
    in Is artificial intelligence already dangerous with walking humanoids? October 22, 2018 3:59 PM MDT 2
  • It's not the iceberg breaking up that's the problem, but the sou...  moreIt's not the iceberg breaking up that's the problem, but the source of the ice, and if terrestrial, whether it is in the sea as result of increased thawing. Melting sea-ice won't make any difference to sea-level.   
    in What do you think about the iceberg breaking up in Antarctica? October 14, 2018 6:39 PM MDT 0
  • Define "technology"....Try starting from its two root syllables....  moreDefine "technology"....Try starting from its two root syllables.You will soon see how meaningless it is!  
    in Are you trained in technology? October 14, 2018 6:34 PM MDT 0
  • I was tickled by the assessment of artificial "intelligence" I h...  moreI was tickled by the assessment of artificial "intelligence" I heard recently on the radio, by an expert on the matter. She said something like, "its present level is about that of the hedgehog's."A contributor on the BBC Radio Four's witty Museum of Curiosities show talked about the Deep Blue computer that beat Gary Kasparov in a game of chess, allegedly proving the computer was brighter than the human player. It wasn't of course - it approached the problem by being able to throw vast numbers of calculations at it in a relatively short time - but what the speaker pointed out was that the computer had "no sense of a job well done " afterwards.   Computers have a very long way to go before they can be said to be "intelligent". They can calculate vast numbers of probabilities and similar numerical problems very rapidly so can be programmed to follow rigidly-set protocols and processes such as arise in industrial settings; but they lack any sense of nuance so cannot decide on anything other than Bool...    less
    in Is artificial intelligence already dangerous with walking humanoids? October 14, 2018 6:30 PM MDT 2
  • Not many at all. I've used little white lies in the past like, "...  moreNot many at all. I've used little white lies in the past like, "A conservatory? Yes, I am interested - trouble is I'd have to ask my landlord", or "... I live in a third-floor flat".I've received far more scam calls than genuine sales attempts, such as from "the Windows Corporation" and such-like. They soon hang up when they realise you know a bit more about IT than they hope you do, especially if you then say, "Oh, and I work in computer security". A friend told me recently of someone trying to pressure him into replacing his fibre-glass roof insulation on the supposed grounds of the material having now been banned. He said he replied with "Really? Well, I'm in the building trade, and I have never heard of that!" The caller rang off straight way. My friend had not lied: he is in the trade.The same man also related to me how some years ago now, he persuaded his daughter to hand over her 'phone when some persistent salesman tried yet again to sell her something. He said, "You are ringing a thirteen year...    less
    in Land-line users, how many telemarketer calls do you get each day? I get at least ten, even on Sunday. They are relentless. October 14, 2018 6:12 PM MDT 2
  • It's not "plastic" per se that's the problem, but certain types ...  moreIt's not "plastic" per se that's the problem, but certain types and physical forms. The really bad ones for  marine life are polythene bags, which resemble food to some animals; netting and rope for their entanglement hazard; and "micro-beads". The last are microscopic plastic spheres used as abrasives and bulking media in products like cosmetics and toothpaste so end up flushed down the drain and if even treated effluent is discharged into the sea the beads become ingested by creatures like copepods. It does not poison them, simply obstructs their digestive systems - reduce the copepods and you reduce the food supply for other animals.The rest just end up creating a mess, but that's the fault of people not caring, not the fault of the materials.Yes, we certainly could move to repeat-use packing and containers, or plant-based materials provided the plants are properly cropped; but you still need fuel to make and transport them. I had noticed over the years, manufacturers of commercial equipme...    less
    in It's simply impossible to stop all individuals buying throw away plastic bottles,food containers or disposable implements.... October 4, 2018 6:14 PM MDT 1
  • I was so trained too,  in a fairly light-handed manner - bu...  moreI was so trained too,  in a fairly light-handed manner - but I started to question the notion of supernatural deities before I was twelve, and once I realised Christianity has no monopoly on religious belief, realised the whole kit and caboodle was based on using something utterly improvable either way, an excuse for social control. I admit religious belief can bring comfort to people, and most religions ever known (and probably those long-dead and forgotten) have attempted to invent a belief in some sort of after-life as a form of what we would now call 'bereavement counselling'. I also have a number of friends who are church-goers, and recently I attended by invitation the ordination of one as an Anglican deacon! Nevertheless, I reject being told to believe in a god when a child means you have to as an adult, and indeed in that spirit I do agree with your observations on the control element, which religion seems to attract more than any other social norm or ide...    less
    in If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION? October 4, 2018 5:32 PM MDT 1
  • I'm not sure how you square that circle. I've no bother about pe...  moreI'm not sure how you square that circle. I've no bother about people believing some supernatural being created and operates the universe, but religion and science ask two fundamentally different things.Religions try to ask By Whom, Why and For Whom - apart from the given faith's own deity satisfying itself of course. Religions have come and gone since time immemorial, the Three Abrahamic faiths have no monopoly on it despite them arguing that very point between themselves; but that first set of questions pretty much sums up all religions. Science works on debate, hypothesis, question, test, revision - all the while eliciting ever more closely the answers to the How? questions.They do not ask How, let alone such details as How Long It Took, etc.Science asks, How, including how long, from what materials and starting-points, and so son.Religion, or at least the blind-faith versions, and Science also work in opposite ways. Religion tries to stifle debate: if the idea is in the Bible / Talmud / Quran / Clas...    less
    in If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION? October 4, 2018 5:18 PM MDT 2
  • I had not noticed that decline to be honest, although I have hea...  moreI had not noticed that decline to be honest, although I have heard various reports about particular groups of animals diminishing. Much of that in the UK at least is blamed on farming practices and building developments removing habitats - a common problem throughout the world though.All those creatures do play a part in life. Many insects, not just bees and butterflies, are pollinators. Wasps will eat fruit but also aphids, and on the whole are more beneficial than harmful. Ants help aerate the ground with their burrows, and are food for many other animals.Earthworms are vital to soil condition hence plant health.Many other little things like nematodes (tiny flat-worms) and woodlice help to break down dead organisms, returning their materials to the ground as nutrients for plants. Some nematodes prey on creatures that are pests to gardeners, and a lot of gardeners now buy nematode colonies rather than chemical slug-killers, which risk the health of larger animals who regards slugs and snails as tasty meals.  less
    in Do those of you who go fishing ever use worms for bait or are worms out of date and you all use those fancy colorful "flies"? October 1, 2018 8:09 AM MDT 0
  • Thank you!
    in If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION? October 1, 2018 8:01 AM MDT 0
  • I'd gathered you hate him! I don't like him either, but as I'm n...  moreI'd gathered you hate him! I don't like him either, but as I'm not American and don't live in America it's not really for me to judge his policies within your country although I do know he has a lot of support - which may say more about the supporters and the nation's domestic problems than about Mr. Trump. Nor do I know the full ins and outs of the election, or whether Hilary Clinton would have been a better choice, although I doubt if we will ever know fully and accurately, President Putin's hand in the election campaigning.I don't regard Trump as at all competent internationally, and I noticed he failed to impress many people at the United Nations then tried to claim the other countries' delegates were laughing with, not at, him. The impression he gives we foreigners is of a vain, deceitful egocentric surrounding himself with sycophants irrespective of ability, cheapening the office of Presidency, and doing more harm than good to the USA's reputation abroad.Large chunks of the wo...    less
    in Do you see conspiracy everywhere? Is every question about partisan politics? What kind of brain sees EVERYTHING as being politically based? October 1, 2018 8:00 AM MDT 1
  • I certainly don't.I accept there are conspiracies and shady deal...  moreI certainly don't.I accept there are conspiracies and shady dealings but most so-called "conspiracies" are cock-ups instead, and the only conspiratorial activities there are in trying to cover it up.And it is very hard to discuss politics without becoming partisan. Not impossible but by no means easy - after all, Rosie, much of your "Corner" here appears nowadays to be devoted to disagreeing with your own country's President.What kind of brain? That of the cynic?  
    in Do you see conspiracy everywhere? Is every question about partisan politics? What kind of brain sees EVERYTHING as being politically based? September 30, 2018 6:55 PM MDT 1
  • I am not an angler but as I understand it, there is a significan...  moreI am not an angler but as I understand it, there is a significant difference, so one method does not replace the other. Fly-fishing is designed to catch fish that feed on insects flying just above the water, or just touching it.Worms and other such bait are for fish that feed under-water, on smaller fish or other animals, or organic fragments.    
    in Do those of you who go fishing ever use worms for bait or are worms out of date and you all use those fancy colorful "flies"? September 30, 2018 6:48 PM MDT 1
  • There is no philosophical, logical or theological reason wh...  moreThere is no philosophical, logical or theological reason why it can't; although the more we learn about the Universe and all in it, the harder it is to credit to any supernatural deity without wanting to ask a very simple but very awkward question about that deity.Understanding the natural sciences requires thought and effort.Biblical literalism requires neither, and indeed suppresses both to such an extent that if I were religious I would accuse it of insulting not only my intelligence as audience, but even its own deity.There is no reason you can't believe in God but still learn and admire what science reveals, because religion tries to ask Why and By Whom, For Whom; whereas science asks How and When. Indeed, the more we learn of it, the more majestic and beautiful that creation and its processes - including evolution - become.  less
    in If God in fact is the source of all creation why wouldn't that include EVOLUTION? September 30, 2018 6:44 PM MDT 3
  • Be very careful too about ringing some different number to ...  moreBe very careful too about ringing some different number to their own - somehow the crooks have discovered a way to hold the line so it still gets back to them.I've called quite a few dodgy callers, "liar", and hung up immediately. I think word must get round because if you let a few of these know you know they are fraudulent, you tend to be left alone for quite a while.  
    in Why would someone leave a voice mail for you to call back using an non working number? September 30, 2018 6:28 PM MDT 1
  • Oh, that gets everywhere!
    in What unexpected disaster might befall a small village in rural England? September 30, 2018 6:21 PM MDT 0
  • Clutter.
    in what do you have on your desk right now September 23, 2018 3:46 PM MDT 0
  • Definitely not! (I've nothing against them, I simply don't need ...  moreDefinitely not! (I've nothing against them, I simply don't need or want one.)  
    in are you going to buy the new iPhone Xs or iPhone Xs Max September 18, 2018 2:32 PM MDT 0
  • As most of the posts above bear out, these decisions are taken w...  moreAs most of the posts above bear out, these decisions are taken with the best of intentions but very little real thought, and what worries me is that it will become worse. I fear the general level of any, even simple, understanding of science and engineering among many politicians, journalists, environmental campaigners and the public at large is very low. Yes, people waffle about "we all" now being "technologically savvy" but this linguistic froth merely condenses to knowing how to use a TV remote-controller and a so-called "smart" phone.  I wonder how many of the politicians who want us all to drive battery cars, even understand the differences between fuel, energy and power? Or have considered the full practical difficulties and environmental "equation" of their intended policies?I think in Britain at least, huge numbers of people in future will be unable to own a battery-only car for simple practical reasons missed by Greenpeace and politicians; while as Nice Jugs and Don Barzini have poin...    less
    in We have streets now where people live a mile from The city of London where only Hybrid or electric cars are allowed to drive down .Have yo September 18, 2018 2:26 PM MDT 0
  • Putting the washing out can be quite effective!On a grander scal...  morePutting the washing out can be quite effective!On a grander scale, planning a garden fete can tempt Fate.   
    in Can you name some things you might do to cause it to rain? September 15, 2018 3:29 PM MDT 1
  • No, there isn't, but I had the impression those people thought i...  moreNo, there isn't, but I had the impression those people thought it somehow clever.  
    in Where's The Sense In The Destruction? (iPhones &c) September 15, 2018 3:26 PM MDT 0
  • Randy - could you not wax your car in the evening, when the sun ...  moreRandy - could you not wax your car in the evening, when the sun has set enough to drop the temperature, and perhaps put the car in some shade?I did this recently for a somewhat similar reason.  
    in What are some activities that people postpone for other parts of the day or week due to weather? September 15, 2018 3:24 PM MDT 3
  • A review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched...  moreA review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched on the tale of a woman who smashed her children's iPhones, with the result that their family became much happier, more cohesive and communicative.It also produced two other, conflicting third-party results; one promoting wanton waste, both sharing a theme of utter childishness and stupidity. One of these results was a (sadly predictable?) barrage of insults and abuse on social media. The other was confessions of similar actions, with some owners admitting to throwing their instruments under vehicle wheels (did they clear up the mess?) or into canals (more litter - a few prosecutions would not come amiss).By all means get rid of the device you felt apparently necessary to own in the first place, but wouldn't it far more constructive to sell it, or at least give it away, than wantonly destroy a costly, perfectly serviceable, instrument someone else could use, and perhaps use rather more sensibly?For the record, I have a basic port...    less
    in Where's The Sense In The Destruction? (iPhones &c) September 15, 2018 3:22 PM MDT 0
  • I don't happen to believe in Ouija-boards, spirits, telekinesis ...  moreI don't happen to believe in Ouija-boards, spirits, telekinesis and the rest; but I did hear an interesting comment on so-called Artificial Intelligence the other day on the radio, from an IT professional, to the effect that its IQ so far developed is about that of a hedgehog!And some enthuse about applying our spiny little friend's IQ level to "driver-less" cars? Try driving in an efficient, time and fuel saving but safe, legal, defensive, courteous and considerate way through a couple of busy towns and intervening countryside, then think how many and what sort of on-the-spot observations, predictions, estimates and decisions you had to make during the journey, far beyond a simple "observe the speed limits and avoid striking anything in front" level.  less
    in Is Sirius and other A.I mimicking platforms modern day ouija boards? September 15, 2018 3:00 PM MDT 0
  • Adaydreambeliever -    -  going back to your orig...  moreAdaydreambeliever -    -  going back to your original question, your by-line is a good point, but as you say, things are changing, at least here in the UK.Mental illness of any sort used to be seen as somehow not respectable, or as a sign or failure or weakness - terms set by the critic's own definitions and criteria, of course. We have a come a long way, but perhaps the general problem is how mental illnesses present themselves: either invisible, or as strange, possibly antisocial or even psychotic, behaviour. I was diagnosed as mentally ill in some way when very young  - my NHS Records tantalisingly omit the symptoms and possible complaint - but given only sedatives, for a reason that these days looks very strange. The child-psychologist wrote that my "excitable mother" (his words!) seemed to blame herself, and he felt deterred from recommending the therapy he believed I needed. By the time I thought to obtain the records, my parents were both dead, so I could not c...    less
    in I understand that counselling is considered more acceptable in the US? Is that right or do people still assume it's for people who are nuts? September 12, 2018 5:49 AM MDT 1
  • You are right - steam is the gaseous form of water, and in that ...  moreYou are right - steam is the gaseous form of water, and in that state is actually transparent. If you look at the steam emerging form a safety-valve on something like a steam-locomotive, you may see a small gap between the valve outlet and the plume of vapour. In this state the water exists as a gas: separate molecules. As it cools, the molecules start to coalesce into those micro-droplets that form haze, mist and fog, and of course the clouds. Sometimes you can just about see the droplets swirling around. In time, further coalescence raises the mass of each droplet until it loses its buoyancy in the air, and falls as, e.g., a rain-drop. An effect I have often noticed, is that on foggy days the air is slightly less misty under trees, because the leaves and twigs capture the tiny droplets and remove them from the air as films of water dripping off or trickling down.  less
    in What is the strangest substance that scientists know about? September 10, 2018 5:55 AM MDT 5
  • Ice cubes.
    in What is something that you should not allow to become overheated if you want to maintain it in its best condition? ~ September 9, 2018 5:42 PM MDT 3
  • A so-called "smart" 'phone! An LG K8 2017, even. It says.At leas...  moreA so-called "smart" 'phone! An LG K8 2017, even. It says.At least I think this awkward, hefty lump of sophisticated materials is a telephone. I mean, I believe you really can use it as a private two-way radio, just like ordinary portable 'phones; but that seems an accessory to whatever is its main function - besides prodigious battery-flattening.I was talked into buying it as part of a two-year contract I'd misunderstood as PAYG, last November. I discovered the contract was not covered by the cooling-off regulations so was stuck with about £12/month with possible price rises, for that time - over twice my normal portable 'phone use. I have just paid off the remainder, and have had the beast unlocked - a rigmarole in itself that had even the splendid chaps working for EE puzzled, and cost another £7+.At least the splendid EE chaps genuinely were helpful, but it took some e-posts and two visits to the local EE shop to solve the difficulty. (LG keeps changing the unlocking codes...    less
    in what is the last thing you bought that you do not need September 9, 2018 5:36 PM MDT 2
  • It's not the counselling but the admission of needing it, that p...  moreIt's not the counselling but the admission of needing it, that people fear may be seen as weakness.One of my employers made a great virtue of its Occupational Health schemes including a lot of information about work-place stress and advice to speak to someone before it becomes a serious problem. It struck me that that is one area where sufferers may be afraid to admit struggling to cope with the stress lest it be seen as admitting inability to cope with the work. As it happens I had to receive clinical-psychologist's help for mental problems arising from an intense period of stress, on top of a life-long mental fragility with which I can normally live. The cause of the stress? A cascade of bullying from high-up management down to shop-floor types like me, arising, with supreme irony, from a Health & Safety pogrom!   less
    in I understand that counselling is considered more acceptable in the US? Is that right or do people still assume it's for people who are nuts? September 9, 2018 5:15 PM MDT 0
  • The old, 'Im: "What's wrong, darling?" Anxiously, thinking perha...  moreThe old, 'Im: "What's wrong, darling?" Anxiously, thinking perhaps of something awful like her Aunt Tabitha's tabby-cat's demise.'Er:   "NOTHING!!!" Patently, something is. And the snappy tone warns him the wrong is closer to home than distant relative's moggies' fates. It can lead to:'Im:   "Yes there is. Tell me, please."'Er:   "You KNOW what's wrong!" Clearly he's in the wrong having been told nothing's wrong, but is expected to know what it is and it's his fault by default; even though just as clearly, he doesn't know or he wouldn't be trying to elicit this obviously Classified Information. And you think American politicians can get in a tangle with knowingly unknowable unknowns.      +++++++My local pub's toilets are in the far corners of the fairly long public bar room. A sign on the adjoining wall says,        "Men to the Left,       Women to the Right... because women are always ri...    less
    in What about the opposite sex confuses you the most? September 9, 2018 5:02 PM MDT 0
  • I find that disturbing too - but not just men. Some women can be...  moreI find that disturbing too - but not just men. Some women can be violent or psychologically bullying too, but for some reason society seems to ignore that.  
    in What about the opposite sex confuses you the most? September 9, 2018 4:50 PM MDT 1
  • I believe some biologists are now questioning if the human appen...  moreI believe some biologists are now questioning if the human appendix is not quite the vestigial thing everyone thought, but does fulfil a definite role. One suggestion I have heard is that it acts as a sort of refuge for gut flora, but whether this is by accident or if that is its purpose, I would not know.  
    in What's one scientific fact about humans you know that few people are aware of? September 9, 2018 4:46 PM MDT 0
  • Foy my money, among the most impressive attributes is the sensit...  moreFoy my money, among the most impressive attributes is the sensitivity of the fully-healthy human ear, by the lowest sound pressure level it can detect: a mere 20µPa (micro-Pascals).The ISO Standard unit of pressure called the Pascal = 1 X 10^(-5) Bar, or 1 / 100 000 Bar. A unit devised by bureaucrats with "ologies" in Obscure Sums, so useless for practical day-to-day things like car tyre pressures; but too big for acoustics by a factor of one million!So the 20µPa of the faintest of sweet nothings barely audible in the boudoir's darkness, =  5 X 10^(-9) Bar, or  1 / 5 000 000 000 Bari.e. just  five-thousand millionth of standard (sea-level) atmospheric pressure. This is the 0dB point on the usual scale of decibel measurements of sound levels in air. At that faint whisper, the ear-drum's vibration amplitude is about equal to the diameter of a hydrogen atom. The loudest? Theoretically, harmfully, and different sources seem to quote different levels, but the Threshold ...    less
    in What's one scientific fact about humans you know that few people are aware of? September 9, 2018 4:42 PM MDT 0
  • Not quite only: so do bonobos.
    in What's one scientific fact about humans you know that few people are aware of? September 9, 2018 4:16 PM MDT 0
  • Define "success"! Many military dictatorships have proven themse...  moreDefine "success"! Many military dictatorships have proven themselves economic wrecks because the men in charge have no proper experience in administering civilian services and economies; and their lust for power over-rides any national-level managerial and financial competence.  
    in Do you think that a country ruled by the military can be a greater success than a democratic one? September 9, 2018 4:09 PM MDT 0
  • The Sovereign is the nominal Commander-in-Chief of the Armed for...  moreThe Sovereign is the nominal Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces in Great Britain, but operationally and managerially, none of the very topmost staff officers is female as far as I know. This may well change though as the number of women commissioned officers in the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy increases.As it happens the Queen did serve in WW2, when she was Princess Elizabeth; in one of the women's auxiliary (non-combatant) units. Among other things she learnt in that service, was how to drive and carry out basic vehicle maintenance.  less
    in Do you know of any country that has a woman in command of the defence forces? September 9, 2018 4:04 PM MDT 0
  • They would only be of any use to the military, if of types alrea...  moreThey would only be of any use to the military, if of types already standard issue anyway. Also,  - this is the case in the UK and probably the same in the USA - military supplies are subject to strict supplier-guarantee controls that mean all items are traceable individually to manufacturer, batch and date.  
    in I have always felt that the military should use the guns that they seized from terrorists and gangsters. Does any one else feel the same? September 9, 2018 3:54 PM MDT 0
  • I agree it is very much a matter of chance, and that o...  moreI agree it is very much a matter of chance, and that of life very similar to that on Earth perhaps even lower; but I don't rule out the chance of life of some sort, somewhere. As Pearl says though, we'll probably never know.  
    in Is "our" earth the only earth out there? ~ September 9, 2018 11:53 AM MDT 1
  • Probably not, but it's certainly not a good way to be, risking a...  moreProbably not, but it's certainly not a good way to be, risking a vicious circle of poor self-esteem.  
    in Is it a true phenomenon that a person who dwells in negative things can get swallowed up into a permanent abyss? September 9, 2018 1:58 AM MDT 1
  • Well then, if we assume the term in the question is a euphemism ...  moreWell then, if we assume the term in the question is a euphemism for masturbation, then the answer is no except as Adaydreambeliever says, if it is allowed to interfere with ordinary daily life. Many decades ago, even doctors warned against it, claiming all manner of strange hazards for it. That though, was when human sexuality was something of a necessary evil foisted upon humans by Nature to make them breed; something whispered about in the dark bedroom or the back-street shop, and when condoms were sold very discreetly by men's barbers, allegedly offered with a quiet, "Anything for the weekend, Sir?" as the Brylcreem was rubbed into Sir's short-back-and-sides.So no - there are far worse things to worry about.   less
    in Is this unhealthy if done too much? September 9, 2018 1:56 AM MDT 0
  • I agree. We can only speculate on possibility.
    in Is "our" earth the only earth out there? ~ September 8, 2018 4:30 PM MDT 0
  • Perhaps the postulated Dark Matter that is thought to pervade th...  morePerhaps the postulated Dark Matter that is thought to pervade the Universe - from my admittedly-limited understanding of astro- and quantum- physics, I gather it seems to exist by theory that's chiefly mathematics, but no-one can pin-point what it actually is!I think otherwise the real mysteries are not the characteristics of individual substances, but of some natural processes... such as how our brains actually form our emotions, thoughts and memories. Knowing how a nerve cell and its connections works chemically is one thing, knowing how do they do what they do, is another matter! It's like trying to understand how a super-computer computes, from knowing only how a transistor works - only harder. Perhaps theoretical astrophysics is easier.Of single, accessible substances, water certainly must be up there with the oddities, but if it wasn't for its behaviour, life could not exist: It:- Melts from solid at a comparatively low temperature, exhibits peculiar density/temperature behaviour (...    less
    in What is the strangest substance that scientists know about? September 8, 2018 4:29 PM MDT 4
  • There's only one "Earth" - anything anywhere else comparabl...  moreThere's only one "Earth" - anything anywhere else comparable would have its own-languages name for it! More to the point, we cannot and probably will never, know; but there is no reason to think other Earth-like planets cannot or do not exist.   We must be careful though, not to fall for the old science-fiction writers' self-deprecatory habit of imagining any other civilisation out there is vastly more advanced than our own.(Some might argue our own civilisation is not particularly civilised anyway... but we don't want our domestic arguments splashed around the galaxy, now, do we?)Any other society might be far more developed than ours... or it might be far behind. We won't know, because the sheer scale of Space and the simplest laws of the Physics that operate it, bar any sort of examination or communication.  less
    in Is "our" earth the only earth out there? ~ September 8, 2018 3:59 PM MDT 1
  • Thank you Rosie!Seems to have been some bloke called Durdle who ...  moreThank you Rosie!Seems to have been some bloke called Durdle who resuscitated it - as the first to answer, five weeks after you'd posted it! Was probably too busy exercising to answer promptly.I've been chatting for some time now with a young man on another site, who reckons hardly any men continue playing at adult level the sports they enjoyed at school or college. He added that of those who do, most are not very fit, and often drunk before they play! He lives somewhere in rural USA, in Utah I think, and gives the impression this is common. Surely not in the States generally. In his town perhaps, which  appears to be in quite a poor area with little employment and that, poorly-paid. That came after I'd suggested he join a local-league team or sports-club.I've never been in those types of sports, nor do I use a gym, but my various hobbies are all quite physically active.  less
    in Dancing feels better than sitting still. Exercise energizes. Couch potatoing doesn't do anything. Is moving about one key to happiness? September 8, 2018 3:48 PM MDT 0
  • Does he genuinely not understand how rivers work?The sad thing i...  moreDoes he genuinely not understand how rivers work?The sad thing is that Donald Trump risks making himself the laughing-stock of the world - or at least of those nations that don't despise the USA anyway - and by extension, dragging his country down with him. On BBC Radio Four today, one of its America correspondents was describing the work of the political analyst and writer Bob Woodward, and played part of a recorded phone conversation in which Mr. Trump claims brightly and without a trace of irony or self-consciousness, to be the best president America has had! I didn't catch the reply, but I think it was diplomatically non-committal.Prior to his running for election, Donald Trump was known in Britain just as a property speculator who finds sensitive landscape areas in (to him) foreign countries, and turns them into golf-courses.  less
    in Did you hear that the wildfires in California are being magnified because water is being "diverted" into the Pacific Ocean? September 5, 2018 4:29 PM MDT 0
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  • StrictChristianParenting
    StrictChristianParenting
    Why does correcting have to be by violence? And if that's a quote, no, I don't accept the say-so of unknown Late Bronze Age tribal elders! :-)
    September 1, 2016

  • tate99
    tate99
    Greetings Tate99 from a fellow Briton (S> Dorset) and nudist! Best Wishes, Durdle.
    July 29, 2016

  • MistyGoddess
    MistyGoddess
    Welcome to AM - and to a goodly number of us interested in spanking whether we advocate or oppose it in reality or think it best kept as a game for consenting adults! Best Wishes, Durdle (also in UK) 
    July 29, 2016

  • timothy in London
    timothy in London
    Thank you for the compliment, Timothys Knickers. I should say I am not a full cross-dresser but like occasionally to wear a nightdress or miniskirt, at home only. Much of the time, if warm enough, I like to be nude or nearly so.  Best Wishes, Durdle.
    May 17, 2016

  • Capes
    Capes
    Hello Capes. Welcome to Answer Mug! Durdle here: 64 nearly, also a Briton (in Dorset), here similarly. My profile groups list gives you some idea of me but I am happy to chat on many other topics too if they interest me and I feel I know enough about the topic. I will add that despite the implications I don't like the idea of spanking children, especially with any weapon, but feel the traditional spanking has a place for adults, as long as it's consensual! Best Wishes, Durdle. 
    July 30, 2016

  • VPLUK
    VPLUK
    I don't even try to look convincing - I don't cross-dress often and than only partly, in the home. liking the feel of the garments. Sometimes sleep in a nightie.
    July 29, 2016

  • Marc
    Marc
    Not so much a comment as a question, Marc. I am uneasy to say the least about spanking children but what of adults feeling they need similar punishments in a therapeutic way?
    July 29, 2016

  • harbourboy
    harbourboy
    Hi Harbourboy. Welcome... come on then, elucidate on your specialist subjects! Best Wishes, Durdle.
    July 30, 2016

  • Steve Tomms
    Steve Tomms
    Hello Steve. UK too - Dorset in fact. And like to be nude or, occasionally, in panties. As for human behaviour - yes, I agree it is fascinating... and bewildering at times, frustrating at others, but never the same twice! Best Wishes, Durdle.
    September 16, 2016

  • Uncle UK
    Uncle UK
    Welcome to AM, Dominic, as one of the rather few fellow-Britons on here (I live in South of England). I am not sure about the spanking of children, though I've nothing against adults being spanked if they wish, erotically or as therapeutic punishment. Regards, Durdle.
    September 6, 2016

  • NudiSuzie
    NudiSuzie
    Hello NudieSuzie. Thankyou - would love to be your friend! Best Wishes, Durdle.
    August 31, 2016

  • Tawser22
    Tawser22
    What's your take on adult, consensual, spanking?
    September 9, 2016

  • RB1954
    RB1954
    May I ask, what is your take on adult, consensual spanking, e.g. in a "DD" relationship or as a sort of punitive therapy?
    September 9, 2016

  • harry
    harry
    Hello Harry. Greetings from Dorset! Lubrication by Beer - definitely. Naturism - Oh yes. Spanking - well, I don't support genuine CP but have been fascinated by it since boyhood, and later by the adult-fun variety. Chatting - I can be chatty! Best Wishes, Durdle  
    July 28, 2016

  • french_delph
    french_delph
    Hello French_Delph. I don't favour spanking children but if it must be done I think it must be by hand only, and only enough to make the point. Am interested in spanking generally and think it has a place for adults who feel they need a little discipline and punishment. Best Wishes, Durdle.
    July 30, 2016

  • fatherfigure
    fatherfigure
    I'm probably of similar age to you then, my fascination with spanking goes back to boyhood but no I don't think the world would be better for beating children! And yet... Adult, consensual spanking - fine, and it's odd that now I feel I ought receive the occasional, belated spanking, firm hand not weapon, I did not receive and would not have wanted in boyhood, for immature failings I believe originated at that time! Best Wishes, Durdle
    July 29, 2016

  • Legion
    Legion
    Hi Legion! I reckon your Miss Hamilton might have done me some good! :-) (Doubtless others too!) Cheers, Durdle 
    July 30, 2016

  • Michael
    Michael
    18 and 20. Adults, with the full choice of protection from assault by law.
    September 1, 2016

  • Stonehenge43
    Stonehenge43
    Hello Stonehenge. Welcome! I'm 64 and an ex-EP user but left it when parts of it started to become really sleazy or stupid. My profile gives a fir idea but I'm happy to chat about a wide range of subjects in which I am interested or can give reasonably knowledgeable facts or opinions. You mention Adultmug. I know what you mean. I ignore the worst, some of which I find unpleasant, but do dip into some of the other threads on it. I'm slightly bi and interested in nudity and adult-consensual spanking, so am not quite a shrinking violet. I did make one or two penfriendships (e-mail) from EP but they've fizzled out, thanks to losses in house moves, changes of computer and perhaps laziness by me! How about you? Your interests, music etc? Best Wishes, Durdle. (after Durdle Door).
    July 30, 2016

  • Eva amirhom
    Eva amirhom
    A sad story, Eva. Yes, you were wrong to do what you did but you have realised that, not everyone in the world will hate you, and I hope you will find forgiveness and happiness. Durdle.
    July 29, 2016

  • Stonehenge43
    Stonehenge43
    I would be very happy to chat about whatever we find of mutual interest, but I can't send a private message unless I add you as a friend first. may I do so, please? regards, Durdle 
    September 9, 2016

  • sjf47
    sjf47
    welcome to AM and its Naturist section! AM Male, 63 and live in Dorset. Cheers, Durdle
    July 28, 2016

  • Pofan1201
    Pofan1201
    That's not "spanking" , that's whipping, and cruel! What effect did it have on you in adult life?
    August 14, 2016

  • Pofan1201
    Pofan1201
    Hi Pofan. Interesting: many people who admit they were beaten severely as children become adults either wanting to give or receive similar in games between consenting adults, or are turned off spanking and CP entirely. You evidently became sexually submissive, but were you aroused by either the whipping or the submission at the time or in remembering it later? Sorry, I'm not quite clear by what you mean as a "switcher" - switching between what? I appreciate bare bottoms including my own as well, but unfortunately mine has aged with me and is now a bit soft and sagging.   Regards, Durdle
    August 15, 2016

  • Pofan1201
    Pofan1201
    Thank you very much Pofan. Would love to be friends with you! Best Wishes, Durdle.
    August 15, 2016

  • Elshara Silverheart
    Elshara Silverheart
    Thank you for the compliment Elashara. I'm not sure what it means, but please do tell me what in particular influenced you. Best Wishes, Durdle.
    June 9, 2016

  • sp4sp4
    sp4sp4
    Hello Sp4sp4. I too was on EP, though I left it well before it folded. "Drawn too deeply." I know the feeling. I think I was tempted too far into some EP fora, so am becoming fairly selective on what I view on here and chosen "stop following" on some already.  Is this why you've not listed any groups? You have a point, using private e-mails. Best Wishes, Durdle.
    September 16, 2016

  • Stuart
    Stuart
    Hi Stuart. Thank you very much for your greetings, and have mine to you! I oppose real CP but have been interested in spanking since boyhood, and have enjoyed quite a few gentle, erotic, spanking games. Best Wishes, Durdle.
    September 16, 2016

  • Aaron
    Aaron
    I couldn't agree more about being naked, Aaron!
    September 9, 2016

  • Solopleasure
    Solopleasure
    Hi Solopleasure. Best Wishes, Durdle
    July 30, 2016

  • Sophronius Pupoid
    Sophronius Pupoid
    I hope you didn't damage the jerboa embryos....
    September 21, 2016

  • Joanne1966
    Joanne1966
    Love to be in a night-dress or nude. I like Sharon1717's comment too!
    September 9, 2016

  • Sophronius Pupoid
    Sophronius Pupoid
    Thank you very much for your comment! Sophronius. Yes, my nickname is from Durdle Door. One of my sisters held her wedding-reception at Pennsylvania Castle, well before it reverted to a private house. The new owners have hosted garden fetes there though. 'Moonfleet' was one of our set books at school, and I remember the passage about the two leading characters escaping from Ringstead (I can't remember if that name was used in the book) by using a very steep cliff path. That path, or an equivalent, exists, up White Nothe, some 400 feet high, and someone showed it me a few years ago. I was glad to have climbed it, but I found it frightening and would not care to try it again! The normal path from the car-park to that area of beach is gentler and not at all exposed. I suppose I'm nearly local! Our family moved to Weymouth in 1959, when I was 7, when Dad's work was moved.
    September 22, 2016

  • Nudistdad
    Nudistdad
    Hello and Welcome, Nudistdad. I'm single but not a father (seem to be collecting quite a tribe of first and grand nephews & nieces though!); but like you enjoy being nude around the home. There is a naturist beach not far from me, and I used to visit it fairly often, but I have leg problems now that make the long, steep path to it a bit too much. Can still be undressed at home, as I am now, though!   Best Wishes, Durdle
    August 14, 2016

  • Donny
    Donny
    I oppose using CP on children - especially the sort of gratuitous violence with assorted weapons described on the site - but what is your take on adult-only, consensual spanking, be it erotic, for some sort of punitive therapy or stress-relieving, curiosity or indeed to reprise personal or vicarious past experiences? Regards, Durdle. 
    September 9, 2016

  • caned4doz
    caned4doz
    Hello Caned4doz. Overlapping (!) interests. I'm not as educated as you. Don't smoke, but do drink (moderately) and not religious. Am interested in science and have a wide range of musical tastes though can't play an instrument. Fitness more by walking and manual work and play than by speed! I too am interested in discipline and do have regressive tendencies and sometimes feel I ought to be spanked for my immature faults.
    July 29, 2016

  • caned4doz
    caned4doz
    Hello Caned4Dozen. Thank you for the Friend request - certainly! This site is confusing - I've not managed to work out how the Friends and Messages parts work! Anyway I think this part is public. For example I can see the messages between you and Forever shorts, on this page. AM does not seem to have a private-message system, at least not obviously so. All it does it let you separate individual conversations from the forum section. I will say I oppose genuine CP - some of the accounts on this site are of frankly appalling cruelty. Yet it was seeing one or two real instances at school, and finding descriptions and images in history-books, that nurtured my interest. The regressive streak I said I have surfaced really quite recently, in my 50s I think, although I had experimented with self-spanking since "discovering" it in my teens - when no doubt I had a rather more smackable bottom than now, had the right circumstances to introduce me to spanking fun, come along!
    August 1, 2016

  • caned4doz
    caned4doz
    I advocate discipline - a system of behaviour - but not in its euphemistic malapropism for corporal punishment of children. However I believe for a consenting adult, there need be no bar beyond sensible, individual boundaries to being spanked ( or slippered or caned) appropriately in a therapeutic or punitive sense, as well obviously as purely erotically. In the last situation it might even be a foreplay activity. Similarly, some adults find release in being under regressive discipline, with or without physical punishment. (Discipline and punishment are NOT synonyms: the latter is for wilful breaking of the former.) 
    September 7, 2016

  • Cravingyourtouch
    Cravingyourtouch
    Welcome Cravingyourtouch. Mot only the women of the household who would benefit from a little suitable discipline at times! Regards, Durdle (in Dorset) 
    July 29, 2016

  • spanko28
    spanko28
    Do you like adult (consensual) spanking too?
    September 9, 2016

  • NaughtyNicola
    NaughtyNicola
    About You: sexiest lingerie a gurl can find - indeed, and very nice too!  
    September 1, 2016

  • NaughtyNicola
    NaughtyNicola
    A pleasure Nicola - and I like your profile picture too!
    September 7, 2016

  • NaughtyNicola
    NaughtyNicola
    Not a full cross-dresser myself and I've few femme clothes, but I like to sleep in a nightie now and then, or wear something at least like a loose-fitting miniskirt. Love to be nude, too! The long-legged lass in that Timothy's Knickers pic fg5 you've commented on, looks as if she's about to be spanked!
    September 7, 2016

  • Killkenny11
    Killkenny11
    That's two of us from Dorset , then, Kilkenny! Welcome to AnswerMug! Cheers, Durdle - and I won't need to explain my inspiration for that nick-name.
    July 29, 2016

  • SJS
    SJS
    Hello SJS I'm uneasy about the idea of spanking children - discipline yes, punishment or at least a reprimand if they break that discipline yes, but need it be physical punishment? If it does I would hope it be by hand only, not weapons as some parents seem to think clever, and only enough to make the point. What of adult, consensual spanking though! I can see that as therapeutic or stress-relief, and eminently suitable for someone who is of middle-age upwards but rather immature or regressive. Regards, Durdle (Dorset - as the nickname may have suggested!)  
    July 30, 2016

  • tonyparker1
    tonyparker1
    Hello Tonyparker1  Thank you for the invitation. I too was on EP but abandoned it a few years ago. I'm a little older at nearly 64, also short and slim, well, nearly slim. Slightly bi, and enjoy being nude though knee troubles limit my excursions such as to an unofficial naturist beach not far from my South Dorset home. Also interested in spanking fun. Various interests and fair range of musical tastes. Best Wishes, Durdle (my nickname is from a feature on the Dorset coast.)
    July 29, 2016

  • tonyparker1
    tonyparker1
    Hello Tonyparker. I thought I'd left a message but it doesn't appear here so perhaps I didn't. Anyway your Profile Information describes me too, almost exactly - I am 64, and with a  slight tummy. I live in S.Dorset - hence my nick-name (from famous coastal feature). Welcome to AM!   Best Wishes, Durdle
    July 30, 2016

  • softlywaking
    softlywaking
    Thank you for the compliment, Softlywaking. Regards, Durdle.
    June 14, 2016

  • missspanking
    missspanking
    Welcome to AmswerMug, Missspanking. No shortage of people here interested in spanking, whether approving or not of beating children, or are like me, approving only of adult consensual spanking. Best Wishes, Durdle
    July 29, 2016

  • 2Pink1s
    2Pink1s
    Thank you for that brief private chat this afternoon. It was unexpected and I enjoyed it though I don't really understand how to use it. Best Wishes, Durdle.
    September 20, 2016

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