Freedom at work.

More FTA:

"People, then, have often been a dynamic element in their own environment, but in the present state of historical scholarship we usually do not know exactly when, where, or with what effects man-induced changes came. As we enter the last third of the 20th century, however, concern for the problem of ecologic backlash is mounting feverishly. Natural science, conceived as the effort to understand the nature of things, had flourished in several eras and among several peoples. Similarly there had been an age-old accumulation of technological skills, sometimes growing rapidly, sometimes slowly. But it was not until about four generations ago that Western Europe and North America arranged a marriage between science and technology, a union of the theoretical and the empirical approaches to our natural environment."

You either take the whole thing, cross and all, or admit you're just using Christianity to push a political agenda.

#5 | Posted by BillJohnson

The New Testament promotes great actions and attitudes people should take relating to migrants, poverty, equality for all, and helping the least of these.

These aren't interpretations or pushing a political agenda.

Acts of the Apostles discusses the earliest Christian communities as practicing communalists, pooling their wealth for the common good, and some present denominations are trying to return to many aspects of first-century Christianity.

Your thoughts?

"back-to-back sleepless sessions for both the House and Senate"

Great conditions for rational decision-making.

From the president on down, people will find a way to make Independence Day about them, petty little attention whores.

I'm glad your North Carolina border is secure, Boaz, because South Carolinians are f-in crazy.

Happy Fourth to all. Kids and grandkids coming over today. Hot and sunny. Need to mow the lawn before they get here.

Many Tesla drivers where I live, about a quarter of them with apologetic bumper stickers. I want to say, "He was a Nazi before he was a Trumper, fool."

12: "The snowball became an avalanche, Doc, and we're at the bottom."

Don't count on it.

Steve Forbes. Someone Republicans could previously hold in their tent.

They're gonna have to rename the party after Trump gets done with it.

I think RFK Jr. needs some old-fashioned Mayan (or was it Incan?) trepination. The Europeans didn't catch up for centuries.

"I truly care for that individual and she knows it, or should know it."

I've seen your comments on Laura, Boaz, both those that show care and concern and those that don't.

Someone who "truly cares" would exercise some restraint in some of the more vengeful attempts you make at deriding her, which are more than occasional. Restraint isn't hard for someone you care for. Lack of restraint does make the Retort more fun, but don't try to run from your words.

Are Americans having fun now, Boaz?

"I hear ya gracie...
#15 | Posted by boaz"

Doesn't take much more than signing on to a Gacy dogwhistle as a proxy for your level of empathy.

But I get it. You can claim a trans online friend, so you're an expert on trans issues. Or posting about them anyway. First thing in the morning.

I frankly don't give a rat's @ss about your other posting behavior and can't figure out what difference it makes. STD, from his own postings, appears coherent when he posts elsewhere. Gives you an idea of how stupid he has to present himself to get conservatives' attention here.

Db,
"I've got two kids in their 30s. Their political memories start around 9/11. They and many of their peers are turning into democratic socialists. Capitalism sucks, and they are seeing it."
You appear to be saying that economic opinions are the only defining differences between liberals and conservatives.

--BillJohnson

I didn't say anything of the sort.

In an editorial comment I returned to a publisher one time, I offered, "This book would benefit from fewer of the author's own thoughts."

Same applies to you and the Retort.

13, 15: Y'all are pathetic. Really. Person's in a nursing home. You want to reveal your medical histories here, much less your real names? If everyone on the Retort could be found as easily as Laura, this place would get quiet quickly.

FWIW, I'm not counting on any blue wave in 2026, and I'm amazed Corky, Danforth, etc. have every two years touted the possibility of a Roe-mentum moment at the polls, or whatever it is this cycle. At least TonyRoma has the sense to stay away for months at a time.

I've got two kids in their 30s. Their political memories start around 9/11. They and many of their peers are turning into democratic socialists. Capitalism sucks, and they are seeing it.

All the voters in their late 20s and younger have grown up thinking that Gingrich-Bush II-Trump (especially the latter) are normal for US politics. (And Obama, Biden, ...) They don't have any frame of reference, and recent history is never taught in schools.

A lot of those immigrants whom Gracie and Boaz love to hate on are from patriarchal, autocratic countries who gladly vote Trump.

Yeah, and there are plenty of American citizens I wish smelled a little less natural.

We heard from spouses, friends, children, and parents looking on in alarm, instances of what's led to the breakup of marriages and families, the loss of jobs, and slides into homelessness.
And that's not all.

As we've continued reporting, we've heard numerous troubling stories about people's loved ones being involuntarily committed to psychiatric care facilities ... or even ending up in jail.

---- 21st Amendment.

The administration doesn't have a funny side, except in some weird parallel reality scenario.

Mel?

Somehow I feel that the US arms industry won't take long to reap extensive, US taxpayer-subsidized profits from this ... peace.

Can we get it all out in the open?

The US generally has no problems with childless white lesbians. As Jack Lemmon said in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, "Lesbians? Yummy."

All other lgbtqia++, ick.

Except for people who really have a problem with them.

They end up with wide stances and reshapen jaws, and are strangely interested in trans sports stories.

Crisis actors.

KD Lang's performances of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" are so over the top as to be ridiculous.

That's just me.

The beginning of rock and roll (and fusion?) guitar. Didn't sound anything like this beforehand.

Paul Butterfield Blues Band, "East/West":

For flat-out soullessness, nothing can replace his father.

And those were actual assassination attempts.

"Somebody Should Do Something About All The Problems."

-- Onion editorial headline from last century.

From STD's New York Post link:

"At the same time, the Trump administration faces a looming July deadline as its 90-day pause on tariffs with several global trading partners nears expiration.

"Talks are ongoing with 18 nations, including the European Union, Japan, India, Vietnam and Malaysia. Some progress has been reported, such as a framework deal with the UK and early-stage agreements with Vietnam and India, though most deals are not finalized.

"If negotiations fall through, the US is prepared to reimpose or raise tariffs. Analysts are skeptical that meaningful deals can be completed on such an aggressive timeline, warning that most trade pacts typically require years of negotiation."

12. Close. It's the fact that AI was created by the most pathetic creatures on the planet.