Despite how it may seem from these daily posts, I don’t spend that much time looking at tweets, or on Twitter. There was a time when I did spend a lot of time there engaging with other users, but that’s not the case anymore. Mostly, I got sick of all the nastiness there.
I got very little attention from the bad ones personally. However, being an outspoken atheist means personal attacks are an occupational hazard. It doesn’t worry me when I get those attacks though. I’m confident in my opinions and don’t argue issues unless I’m sure of my facts.
After a couple of years I found Jerry Coyne’s site, Why Evolution is True (WEIT), which I know many of you also enjoy. It was like a breath of fresh air after the frequent hostility of Twitter as the commenters generally debate on the issues and don’t get personal. There are rules of conduct, and Jerry enforces them. As a result, it’s WEIT that’s my first port of call each morning. Now, I look at tweets, but rarely get into discussions.
WEIT is quite good at getting me going on certain subjects though, and that happened again this morning. Jerry’s post: ‘Examples of government-funded Islamic whitewashing in public schools‘ was the cause. I’ve got no problem with people pointing out the good things about their religion, as long as they’re honest about it. The PBS Access Islam module on ‘Women in Islam’ is anything but. Those of you who’ve read it will know exactly what I mean.
Anyway, knowing the effect it would have on me, Jerry sent me a link to a separate article about Feminism in Islam. So I’m all riled up! You’ll be seeing a post about that later today (or maybe tomorrow)!
Cat Tweets
Bing translation from Japanese: Floral tributes, not dead yet.
献花、、、まだ死んでないよ pic.twitter.com/eIVUkAhcEo
— 野良猫散歩????StrayCatWalk (@nekosanpo_xxx) September 4, 2017
Bing translation: “Cat assortment.”
ねこ盛り合わせ pic.twitter.com/kE7J8Rv61R
— 野良猫散歩????StrayCatWalk (@nekosanpo_xxx) September 2, 2017
This isn’t a tweet, it’s from Facebook. Ann German sent it to me, but it’s so wonderful I had to include it!
She gave birth to all of these! The mind boggles!
Mum surrounded by her kittens pic.twitter.com/QSGTxBR8tz
— Life on Earth (@planetepics) September 7, 2017
This is genius! (I’m one of those grammar Nazis. If I see a sign outside a store with a misspelled sign, I can’t buy from it!)
(Via Ann German.)
— sam atman (@djinnius) September 7, 2017
Dog Tweets
Well, that’s a new way of taking the dog for a walk!
little doggo teams up with big doggo pic.twitter.com/Ou5aSDDc2r
— Cutest Animals Ever (@CUTEST_ANlMALS) September 7, 2017
It’s a wonder he didn’t suffocate in there!
Dog getting out of bed pic.twitter.com/DeL2tRQDjS
— Life on Earth (@planetepics) September 8, 2017
Other Animals Tweets
Another hedgehog rescue by the special people at SWCC.
This little girl was trapped in netting on playing field. Brought in by finders! Now maggot free, warm, hungry! Small wound but will be ok ???? pic.twitter.com/mNaI7oSJIO
— SWCC Hedgehogs (@SWCCHedgehogs) September 7, 2017
The nut thief was fooled twice!
Squirrel Tricks Nut Thief:#Nature #RatedAwww
–https://t.co/RB8r4UZQm2— Amy Carparelli (@AmyAmylou1993) September 7, 2017
Tasmanian Devils, Beavers, and a Squirrel.
Cute News 47:#Nature #RatedAwww
–https://t.co/3YWdJ5KHSY— Amy Carparelli (@AmyAmylou1993) September 7, 2017
Political Tweets
It was inevitable – multiple state attorneys-general are going to court to try to stop DACA being rescinded. If I was sure of their case, I would have put this in the “Human Rights Tweets” section. That’s where it should be, but I don’t know enough about the legal basis of their claim. It seems to me that too many cases in the US are judged on a political rather than a legal basis.
Here’s why 15 states are suing President Trump over killing DACA pic.twitter.com/R1RdXtcli2
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 7, 2017
I’ve written about Mike Pence in the past. In his own way, he’s just as bad as Trump. If Trump resigns or is impeached, this is who the US gets as president, and it’s not pretty.
Anti-Mulan, anti-evolution, pro-cigarettes — and one heartbeat away from the presidency.
This is the story of Mike Pence pic.twitter.com/MIP5MzX6b5
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 7, 2017
The best way to hit Trump where it hurts most!
Barack Obama: Twitter’s Undefeated King https://t.co/jqor6Yq8Iy via @egbertowillies
— Heather’s Homilies (@HeatherHastie) September 8, 2017
This kid knows her stuff! InfoWars is, of course, the channel of Alex Jones.
Kids telling Infowars they’re fucking idiots is my favorite kind of content pic.twitter.com/dRneam1BWm
— Wild Geerters (@classiclib3ral) September 7, 2017
Here’s one of the occasions where the brilliant John Oliver takes on Alex Jones to show you the kid is right on the money.
Human Rights Tweets
An Iranian man standing up for equality for the women in his country. This is the Bing translation from Persian:
It is a shame I go astadiumi that my family are the same behind closed lids at the stadium in تحقيرِ
شرم آور است كه من بروم در استاديومي كه خانواده ام را دارند پشتِ درهاي بسته ي همان استاديوم تحقيرِ مي كنن#بدون_زنان_به_استادیوم_نمیرم pic.twitter.com/LzSsk9bazl
— My Stealthy Freedom (@masihpooyan) September 7, 2017
Space Tweets
I wish this was more than just a GIF, but it’s cool anyway.
How do you wash your hair in space? NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg is on hand to show you exactly how it’s done pic.twitter.com/vX5O7O863y
— Science (@scienmag) September 8, 2017
Scenic Tweets
Outside, Japan: Wow! Absolutely gorgeous!
Kyoto, Japan pic.twitter.com/XFJUGeV7jW
— Life on Earth (@planetepics) September 8, 2017
Inside, Italy: Wow! Absolutely gorgeous!
St Peters Basilica, Rome, Italy pic.twitter.com/QuGfP2SohG
— Architecture (@archpics) September 8, 2017
Spain is another country full of things and places I’d love to experience.
Zaragoza, Spain pic.twitter.com/nMua51VWkj
— Architecture (@archpics) September 7, 2017
Lovely spot.
The Sea Door. Taken at the Druidstone a fantastic pub in Wales overlooking the beautiful Welsh coast line. pic.twitter.com/M91hbzupQg
— Architecture (@archpics) September 7, 2017
Art Tweets
Everyone changes.
Picasso’s Self Portrait Evolution From Age 15 To Age 90 https://t.co/66apDUELUC
— Mood:Vintage (@moodvintage) September 8, 2017
Architecture Tweets
These staircases should perhaps be in the above section!
Amazing Staircases photograph by Christian Richter pic.twitter.com/ouuF2f4o0O
— Architecture (@archpics) September 7, 2017
Bizarre Tweets
Just what you always wanted …
These vomit- and beer-proof shoes can withstand any festival pic.twitter.com/CGIe7IGZWK
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 7, 2017
Weather Tweets
Irma from space.
Tonight, far too many people in #Irma’s path and in its wake. pic.twitter.com/bWQMxae9GV
— Randy Bresnik (@AstroKomrade) September 8, 2017
And more of Irma from space.
The last 4 days of Hurricane #Irma‘s eye as seen by the #GOES16 Advanced Baseline Imager. pic.twitter.com/ppht5XoiSe
— NASA SPoRT (@NASA_SPoRT) September 7, 2017
One more …
.@NASAEarth-observing satellites show different sides of Hurricane #Irma heading for the Turks & Caicos Islands: https://t.co/K4jOmUfyoy pic.twitter.com/5Wt3JVnHYA
— NASA (@NASA) September 8, 2017
Whatever you think of their politics, all these men understand what it means to be presidential. Here, they’re doing just that.
Hurricane Harvey shattered homes and lives. Irma is just as dangerous. Americans lift each other up. Join us to help. #OneAmericaAppeal pic.twitter.com/31tqAoZJkn
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) September 7, 2017
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Good show.
Looking forward to your “all riled up” post. 😎
Soo good Heather – so interesting
Cheers Martin! 🙂
Nearly eighty years ago, living on the other side of the world – in an Asian country but with a European upbringing – the first thing we were taught about America was: “This, children, is the country of unlimited possibilities”.
Meant in the positive sense, it is still true. Later on however, I learned the dark side of that saying, and today I’m seeing Mike Pence as another sad example – joining his political Master making America great (?) again.
Yeah, it’s true, and still is, but for many USians there’s a sense of entitlement that goes with that. They believe they have the right to do things to and in other countries they would never accept themselves.
Know what you mean about Twitter. I only check with those I know. Thanks for including the Tweet about AG’s suing over DACA. Luckily we have Schneiderman as our AG in Ny.
Cheers Lee. 🙂
I’ve been to Munich during a couple Oktoberfests. Both times I ended up visiting Munich’s famous Hofbräuhaus am Platzl. Those shoes would come in handy; it’s no joke. The floor is sticky and slippery with beer, there is sawdust all over soaking up vomit and the smells are downright disgusting. You have to be drunk to enjoy it I guess. I wasn’t drunk either time, but had a nice buzz. Either way, it’s fun to revel with those in wild abandon, and those Germans know how to party!
Good on Schneiderman…and Trump hates his guts. Hip, hip hooray. Personally earning Trump’s ire is a badge of honor and usually means you’re doing good work.
I don’t fear Pence because he’s really the bottom of the barrel politically (and personally for that matter). He’s one of the few running mates that would stoop low enough to yoke destinies with Trump. He would have lost his re-election bid for Indiana’s governor and he really has nothing to show in the way of meaningful political accomplishments. (And no, becoming Trump’s VP is not a meaningful accomplishment.) I doubt he’ll have anything to show as VP either, as the VP is pretty useless. His main job is sycophant to Trump; not a very endearing job to say the least. Historically, only 14 VPs have become president, and 8 of those were because of the sitting president’s death. Assuming that Trump is either disgraced or blunders along for 4-years, his approval ratings have little chance of ever hitting even 50%. They’ll probably hover in the 30’s. This does not bode well for any VP seeking to replace his boss; the wise VP wouldn’t try to run in this situation. Also, I think Trump’s base would look at Pence taking over Trump as tantamount to treason. He’s way too goody-two-shoes for Trump’s base of trolls. Either way, if not Pence there are always other horrible people to choose from: you got your dominionist Cruz, your Ayn Rand-henchman Ryan…perhaps Kasich is the only sane / main-stream republican on offer. Kasich is definitely the lesser of many republican evils…I’d take him over Pence or Trump in a heartbeat. That’s how sad American politics have become.
I don’t know why my responses to your tweets get so damn long. I’ll start working on brevity. 🙂
No worries. I find it interesting to read what others think. I agree about Kasich (and other things you wrote too of course), though it seems a lot of Republicans find him far too reasonable. Compromise has become a dirty word in US politics, when really compromise is what it should be all about.
“I wish this was more than just a GIF…”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOIj7AgonHM
And here are a couple of other videos that may be of interest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrqcwH8LhDU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOIW6IgTN6U
Very cool! Thanks Dennis. 🙂