Cynics, anyone?

[The Beep Goes On]

Beer?

j/k

 

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[Old Town]

Diggin, about ghosts. This falls into the earlier description I gave of ideas so stupid I can't even make myself think about them. Not even in this "just for fun" scenario. There is no such thing as ghosts. I can't even pretend there are for purposes of making a point.

I own several old bed and breakfast establishments in Key West. I'm not going to name them as I damn well don't want people finding me. I also have a period Victorian I live in. All of these places are either Victorian or Colonial Bahamian designs over 100 years old. On purchasing them, I was told all were haunted to some degree. This is pure chicken guano.

Never have I heard, seen, felt or even dreamed of a ghost in any of these buildings. The house I live in even had a double murder happen within during the 1920s. You should have heard the nonsense my neighbors labored me with in the first few years I lived there. One old bat even offered to have a priest brought in for a foolish exorcism. No kidding.

I've dealt with a phalanx of nut-job ghost chasers over the years. These dopes want to exam the properties. I send them all home - they make my eyes water. The problem is I employ some simple folk who live for ghosts. Almost 90% (guessing, it's a large majority) are of the Catholic faith. This makes sense as that religion is based on spirits and ghosts. It's what's expected so they see ghosts. To think in terms of ghosts is pre-ordained if you'll pardon a pun. These people do not find ghosts or the idea of ghost odd at all. So they see and hear them.

Of course they really don't see or hear anything. They only love and live the idea of experiencing such happenings and work to make it happen. Humans are funny animals.

I'm not suggestible and do not believe in such nonsense. So I miss the nightly ghost carnival going on in my buildings. Such is life for this simple-minded, non-thinker.

Old Town

 

[Old Town]

KKashe, you and most others keep assuming all person's wonder about how it all began and why we humans are different from the lower animals. I might bring this topic up in conversation for sake of killing time but I honestly never think about it or have any need to know the answers.

Man invents religion to answer these questions. I was raised in a family of non-believers who never, ever spoke of god or spirits or anything sentimental like that. So I was not indoctrinated young to think in terms of god. Now I do not worry or concern myself with "The Big Questions". The need to know this is not in me. Not one little bit. I don't turn to god for answers because I don't ask the questions in the first place.

There are probably many who feel as I do but are afraid to speak up on public forums and admit they do not believe in god. It does not bother me at all to make such statements because I have no such previous training that makes such statements (or even thoughts) shameful activities. I'm like the naked islander before the useless missionary showed up and told me to put some clothes on. God be watching and he does not approve of naked islanders.


OT

Mankind was created with a hunger. That includes you. Whether you know it or not, you seek to fill that hunger with something.

K2, I was placed here on earth to deflower young women and write this crap in my free time. No other reason I can think of.

OT

 

[DigginThePast]

Okay then. Now back to these drunken ladies from Duval street....

 

[Dano Sverige]

So...if you were 20 miles off the coast of somewhere that wasn't America and had no US air bases around....would you still believe the strange craft was some new fangled covert plane?
Not sarcasm...basically the US are world leaders in stealth and covert technology,and a craft of this type being from another country would cause palpitations and fits in US military circles!

 

[Old Town]

So...if you were 20 miles off the coast of somewhere that wasn't America and had no US air bases around....would you still believe the strange craft was some new fangled covert plane?
Not sarcasm...basically the US are world leaders in stealth and covert technology,and a craft of this type being from another country would cause palpitations and fits in US military circles!

Dano, if I saw such a craft off Antarctica, opposite South America, it would not matter to me. It's still a mere human invention. Country of origin would make no difference to me. We (mankind) can now fly anywhere around the globe.

OT

 

[spartacus53]

We in the USA have nothing to fear... We have been covertly training kids as soon as they could walk to be masters of the "Space Invaders" game. I say to the aliens, bring it; we'll still have the highest score when all is said and done

 

[Old Town]

Old Town
I feel sorry for you not believing in Bigfoot, UFOs and aliens, alternative universes, magic, miracles, divining rods, mediums, Davy Jones, the human race, crop circles or the government.
you must live in a boring world with no imagination, but you do write a good story

Actually, dld, I live a fairly woolly existence. I've sailed all over the globe and have met tons of interesting people. I've survived a pitch-poled sailboat in the Indian Ocean that killed a woman and severely injured her son and husband. Have kissed a coconut plantation owner's daughter in Fiji when I was only 15. I've been shot at. Have been punched into a dark place and knocked a few men out too. For an unimaginative bloke I've started my own business at 30 and have never had a bad financial moment in my life. I like to hunt sharks with a rifle on the surface and with a spear gun underneath the waves. I've shot a Japanese 75mm field piece that sat hidden in a cave off Guadalcanal for 27 years until a man showed it to me and my dad.

I've seen some stuff. But I do lack the slow-wit required to believe most of the nonsense you seem to think makes for a well-rounded fellow. I have no god but tons of friends. So many GD friends I have to hide from half of them down here on this tiny island. I like people. I like having fun. I've not enough time in my life to waste on made-up crap people use to fill their days. My days are already pretty well filled just living.

Thanks for the observation but you couldn't be more wrong if you worked at it.

OT

 

[The Beep Goes On]

My days are already pretty well filled just living.

I was waiting for that. Kudos. Looking at your writing and location I can't help but draw parallels. I imagine he is either someone you may be trying to emulate, or is someone you disdain, but I'm just guessing. I've read his books, but am not an officianado.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

--------------5th----------------- on Religion.

As for a supernatural factor, no way, there is no such animal. ALL are of a 'natural' occurrence and causative factor, we just don't understood them / it yet.

However, I am an atavist , I 'must' know the why and where , not necessarily from a Deity stand point, but just curiosity and the natural proclivity of the developing human brain. I try to learn something new each day, even if in my lifetime I will never use it. The 'Lord' only knows just how much useless or unused information is already stored in there , but , some day?.

Old Town, despite your declaration, you do also, or you wouldn't have learned celestial navigation, etc., etc., just gone off sailing in that direction. You wouldn't even have worried how to set your sail, or why one type of a rigging may be better under certain circumstances over another.

You love fine shipboard wood work, why? That isn't just the mechanical factor, but a sense of the harmony and beauty that it is capable of. The work becomes a part of you. It cannot exist without your imagination..

No way can you convince me that you are as you are trying to portray yourself in here. Your stories are 'not' the reaction or attitude of a flatly disinterested man, just existing.

My motto is "I exist to live, not live to exist"


Don Jose de La Mancha & Mule

 

[Old Town]

Don, I'm highly romantic at times and appreciate a setting of beauty, or the company of a girl, or how to tie a bowline that won't embarrass my father.

But god and believing in magic and spirits and crap is not in me. The only thing I "believe" in, is myself. That may sound horrible but so far it's worked out OK, because in the very end it's only me saving my own behind. I don't understand what learning simple math and geometry used for steering a boat has to do with anything. It makes sense to me, I do it, and it works. It's not magic, it's not religion, it's not sentiment, it's simple math. And it works. Big deal.

I've never cried at the death of a human. Not my parents, nobody. I have cried on losing a pet dog. I do this with each dog I lose. The people know they are finite. It hurts to lose them but they know it's coming. For some reason this is a comfort to me. At least they understood what was next.

But a pet is different. They only know pain and pleasure. They only know loyalty. When they go it touches something in me no human can. I'm not sure what this means and no longer really care. I have what sentiment serves me. And it does not include religion or anything like that.

Your heartless wanderer,

Old Town

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

G'afternoon my self depreciating (?) friend: You posted --->
The only thing I "believe" in, is myself. That may sound horrible but so far it's worked out OK, because in the very end it's only me saving my own behind.
**************
In the nitty gritty of pure survival, especially in a war, why put the burden of the outcome on a Deity? He has just as much empathy for your opponent as for you. The 'ole rose by any name' thingie.

Incidentally, I have no doubt that if you saw someone drowning, or a ship in distress, that you would be the first to jump in, or respond...
,
I have had confrontations since I generally operated in lawless areas in the past - the d--- world is becoming too civilized and crowded, you of all, understand just what I am referring to - I have never had any regrets, other than how did I miss him and let him get away? He'll probably be back soon for another attempt, . and he generally was.
==================================================

You posted --> I don't understand what learning simple math and geometry used for steering a boat has to do with anything. It makes sense to me, I do it, and it works. It's not magic, it's not religion, it's not sentiment, it's simple math. And it works. Big deal.

***********
Agreed, but it has nothing to do with your remark about not being interrested in learning. The Polynesians did quite well without it, so it wasn't necessary to learn basic navigation, yet ??.
=================================================

On animals we agree, it is because they are so completely dependent upon us that we feel that we have betrayed that trust, to an extent it is a self purifying process to cry. We cry more for ourselves than them.

As for things unknown my poopie still occasionally rattles her food dish or delights in pulling the bed sheet down, my wife has seen this. I suppose that it could be chalked up to a latent Physic ability on my part, partly to compensate for her loss rather than what it simply appears to be.,

Incidentally we communicated, she knew over 40 commands in English, Spanish, and hand signals. Many time I tried a new gesture and she instantly understood what I wished or intended ?? The locals always said that she was smarter than any of them. snicker.
===========================================

Regarding the need for a Deity, our world would fall apart without one or many. .We need to have to be accountable to someone above a human. Witness our present state of governments, they only believe in having to account for what they 'can't' get away with in business, Politics, and yes, assassinations, With a Deity who supposedly knows all, and punishes accordingly, they cannot get away with this psychologically and tend to behave. . .

As for a religion, I myself haven't the slightest idea of a yes or no on any, except that one is necessary for accountability.

Back to business -------------------

Don Jose de La Mancha & Lovely mule -- keep yer cottin pickin hooks off of her, she is not hamburger materiel.

 

[vibes]

I don't believe the Bible

 

[Old Town]

I love you, Don, but you're guilty of imposing your beliefs or superstitions on a person who really doesn't know what the hell you're talking about. I mean that lovingly.

All this talk of Deity and crap. Words and ideas like that don't spin in my head unless someone brings it up. I'm untouched by such nonsense even if you accept it. I don't know any way to veil or couch such comments and not have them sound mean. I don't mean to be mean.

You should always remember some people (me) were raised with no religious training at all. Both of my parents never spoke of god at any time. Both parents were non-believers but not militant about it. I was not exposed to crosses and religious holidays. Not even Christmas. That's right. We did not observe Christmas or even talk about that day. No gifts, no nothing. What the hell for?

So I was not pre-loaded as a kid to believe in nonsense. My sister Cheryl is the same way. Her 31-year-old daughter (my only living heir other than Cheryl) is the exact same way. No Christmas, no nothing. She is very bright and happy in her ignorance. This is how she was trained as was Cheryl and me. It's all training. You do as an adult what you see as a kid. I can't be touched now.

One very nice thing about kids who are raised like this. We never have a period where we are afraid of the dark or the boogie man. Without an ability to accept spirits and stuff, a kid will not make them up. I never did and neither did Cheryl or her daughter. I've never been afraid while alone as a child. Never made up ghosts in the closet. I only mention this because it was explained to me by a social worker I knew years ago when we got talking about kids and kids being afraid of the dark and stuff. It's their religious training that allows them to accept the idea of ghosts.

Interesting I think.

Old Town

 

[Old Town]

Hunter, love you avatar photo. Now lets save the dowsing talk for the dowsing forum. We actually have one. If I get into dowsing talk I'm apt to end up grabbing a knife and spilling my own guts right here on the keyboard.

OT

 

[packerbacker]

All 3 of my sons have used divining rods successfully for work and personal uses. They have used them to find not only water but water pipes and underground electrical cables and phone lines. I have witnessed this first hand. I don't know how but it DOES work. They use bent welding rods.
That's 2 things I can't explain but I know are fact; divining rods and endless space. Could there be more I wonder??
For your sake I hope you can continue enjoying your material belongings and never having financial woes. Maybe your parents left you too much material wealth when they died that you weren't concerned with their passing. I miss my Mom's spaghetti and chocolate cake. I miss her meatball sandwhiches and homemade punch on Christmas Eve. I miss not being able to do little home repairs for her anymore to make her happy. I'm sorry she missed seeing most of her great grandchildren.
Did you bury your parents or just feed them to the sharks? Cruel question but you seem to be above the belief in something as ficticious as honor or respect. Those aren't REAL things, they are just words with imaginative descriptions made up to make us feel less than human if we don't use them to temper our lives. I hope your dog is doing ok, I'd hate to have your day go bad on you.

 

[ivan salis]

do you believe sounds and images can be sent thru time and space? ---sounds and images from the past to be seen in the future?


before tv and radio became common items --what would you have said about the "existance" of radio waves ? -- you can not "detect" it via the normal old fashioned greek classical " via the 6 senses" === does it exist method ---as follows can you #1 see it? #2 smell it? #3 hear it? #4 touch it #5 feel it #6 taste it -- if in the old greek world school of thought you can not detect it via one of those 6 ways --it did not exist

yet clearly their way of learning is very flawed * since -- radio waves DO exist --we know that as a fact these days yet --by the "rules of existance" of the greeks of old they did not since #1 you can not see them #2 you can not smell them #3 you can not hear them #4 you can not touch them #5 you can not feel them #6 you can not taste them

only when one opens ones mind past the "old greek style school "thoughts on existance"can one grasp the ideal of radio waves existing * and if their thoughts on ""existance" is wrong as has been proven * what else were they wrong about as well?

 

[packerbacker]

Oh oh OT, I didn't see your dowsing post until after I posted my last message. I hope you don't look around for a knife if you're confronted with proof of a God.

 

[ivan salis]

well via radio and tv you see and hear sounds and images sent from the past to the future everyday !!!!! granted it only a few milli seconds but there is a time lag between it being sent and it being recieved * thus those sounds and images are traveling across space and time! ---so its a fact that sounds and images can travel thru space and time * now we all know that "rust" is all about and that on tapes"iron oxide" (rust) is used as a recording meduim -- its it possible images ans sounds we call ghost are some how naturally recorded images "playing back " thru time and space?

 

[Old Town]

All 3 of my sons have used divining rods successfully for work and personal uses. They have used them to find not only water but water pipes and underground electrical cables and phone lines. I have witnessed this first hand. I don't know how but it DOES work. They use bent welding rods.
That's 2 things I can't explain but I know are fact; divining rods and endless space. Could there be more I wonder??
For your sake I hope you can continue enjoying your material belongings and never having financial woes. Maybe your parents left you too much material wealth when they died that you weren't concerned with their passing. I miss my Mom's spaghetti and chocolate cake. I miss her meatball sandwhiches and homemade punch on Christmas Eve. I miss not being able to do little home repairs for her anymore to make her happy. I'm sorry she missed seeing most of her great grandchildren.
Did you bury your parents or just feed them to the sharks? Cruel question but you seem to be above the belief in something as ficticious as honor or respect. Those aren't REAL things, they are just words with imaginative descriptions made up to make us feel less than human if we don't use them to temper our lives. I hope your dog is doing ok, I'd hate to have your day go bad on you.

Just for the record. My parents had no money on their passing. They did own a house my sister has now and 22 acres of scrub out on a key worth next to nothing when my dad picked it up years ago. Today it is where I build boats and is not for sale at any price. I took the land, and Cheryl has the house.

My parents were cremated without ceremony. Neither wanted any nonsense mumbled over their dead bodies by a phony who did not know them. (priest, rabbi, minister, pick your witch doctor) You should not worry about my parent's eternal souls. They never had one to begin with.

Everything I ever accumulated on earth was the result of hard work unfettered or influenced by voodoo or any such silliness.

Packerbacker, you being the Christian soldier should know better than to invoke somebody's dead parents to make your pathetic point. Isn't it sweet irony that pagan dog, me, would have more sensibility about such touchy issues than the god-fearing cornball? I act more like Jesus than you do. This IS amusing.

And I have two dogs, not one. They are without religion and do not know the diff. Just like me.

OT