Hey Man, Tommy Was Over Last Night and Played Tall Fiddler

Here it is.  (Actually, he played this in concert here in Cincinnati and afterwards gave a Lesson on how to play it, which resulted in everyone going home and duplicating the tune afterwards I'm sure)  Tommy puts on a great show and if you get a chance to see him.. tommyemmanuel.com tours

Musical Interlude

Is Islam a Religion or a Cult ?

Answer: Cult

I chose the definition of a cult from here because it was concise and to the point.

‪

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.	muslims will cut your head off if you dis their dead leader, and will kill its own members if they try to leave the cult.
‪ Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.	They will kill a muslim who tries to leave the cult
‪ Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).	5 prayer sessions a day. They're all watching you.
‪ The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).	See koran. See memri TV. See the women in strict dress coded attire.
‪ The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).	Muslims believe they are the master race above all others.
‪ The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.	Any non-muslim is an infidel to be killed, abused, robbed, raped or otherwise used in any way desired by the muslims.
‪ The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).	The Ayatollah, king or other monarchial leader is above all political leaders in a given country. islam first all else follows.
‪ The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).	Islam's middle name is lying and deceit. Any tactic, deemed to gain an advantage over a non-muslim group is not only sanctioned by the koran, it is encouraged.
‪ The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.	There is nothing subtle about muslims. Rape, torture, selling female children to old men as wives, clitorectomies - all in the course of normal activity.
‪ Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.	N/A.  Once a muslim, always a muslim. All in the family.  Deviate and it's honor killing time for you.
‪ The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.	But of course. Death to those who resist when they get to you.
‪ The group is preoccupied with making money.	One of the ISIS group's first goals was to take control of the oil output to sell on the black market, likely to 'civilized' countries like France and various other affiliations via the UN.
‪ Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.	Well Duh.
‪ Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.	Well Duh.
‪ The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.	Well Duh.

Bipolar Planetary Nebula? Is There a Drug for That ?

Our future, but when?

Click the picture to go to the site and read a description.  Clicking again gets a larger version.

Death Penalty and Death Penalty Opponents

Many who are against the death penalty point to people often enough to garner attention, who are found innocent through DNA evidence and are freed after 15-20 years.

The key here is the DNA evidence.  These folks being found innocent were convicted before DNA evidence was used or widely used.  So,  (1)If DNA evidence was used when these people were convicted, they may not have been convicted in the first place, and (2) people who are now convicted using DNA evidence are FAR less likely to be found innocent after 15-20 years.

In 20 years, we are not going to be hearing about many people at all released from death row because of new evidence.

Anticipating at least one argument:
Sure, DNA evidence Can be planted but how often is that going to happen..perfection is impossible.

I've had this thought recently, then noticed This Post over at Sig's place.