Out of the Blue

Took the Gunnar-man on a walk to the local famer's market yesterday which turned out to be ill-advised due to the heat, even though he's sporting his cool new haircut. We were taking a break in a shady spot when a young girl with her parents took an interest in our hot dog, eventually working up the nerve to pet him. Then this little doll, who could not have been more than two, leaned in and gave him a kiss on the mouth, which was about the cutest thing I've even seen. After making best friends she gave him another kiss to say goodbye when it was time to go, though I was too enchanted by it all to get a photo.

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50 Replies. 3 pages. Viewing page 1.
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50.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 16:35
Quboid
 
50.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 16:35
Aug 18, 2015, 16:35
 Quboid
 
Sorry to hear that Creston, pets are the best.
Avatar 10439
49.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 11:55
Kxmode
 
49.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 11:55
Aug 18, 2015, 11:55
 Kxmode
 
Creston wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 23:51:
My wife and I had to put our cat to sleep today. She'd had a stroke over the weekend, and when we came home today, we found her lying on the ground, seemingly paralyzed in her hind legs.

She was 13 years old.

Bye Tabby. We will miss you.

Painful Crest. Hopefully you have lots of photos and videos to relive those wonderful experiences with Tabby.
"...and in stonks, Fizzy Squeezy Stocklebocks leaped over Droopy Whoopy Bondfluffs, hitting 300-gigglebits to their 150-snorebucks. Meanwhile, in Whimsyland's market, the pancakes reached parity with pogo sticks."
Avatar 18786
48.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 11:01
48.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 11:01
Aug 18, 2015, 11:01
 
I'm so sorry for your loss.
"The trouble with quotes on the internet is that it's difficult to discern weather or not they are genuine"-Abraham Lincoln
Avatar 13436
47.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 09:50
47.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 09:50
Aug 18, 2015, 09:50
 
Thank you guys.
Avatar 15604
46.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 08:44
46.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 08:44
Aug 18, 2015, 08:44
 
Creston wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 23:51:
My wife and I had to put our cat to sleep today. She'd had a stroke over the weekend, and when we came home today, we found her lying on the ground, seemingly paralyzed in her hind legs.

She was 13 years old.

Bye Tabby. We will miss you.

Sorry for your loss bud
Avatar 51617
45.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 08:42
45.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 08:42
Aug 18, 2015, 08:42
 
Creston wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 23:51:
My wife and I had to put our cat to sleep today. She'd had a stroke over the weekend, and when we came home today, we found her lying on the ground, seemingly paralyzed in her hind legs.

She was 13 years old.

Bye Tabby. We will miss you.

R.I.P. Tabby. My heart goes out to you and your wife.
Stephen "Blue" Heaslip
Blue's News Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, El Presidente for Life
Avatar 2
44.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 08:33
nin
44.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 08:33
Aug 18, 2015, 08:33
nin
 
Creston wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 23:51:
My wife and I had to put our cat to sleep today. She'd had a stroke over the weekend, and when we came home today, we found her lying on the ground, seemingly paralyzed in her hind legs.

She was 13 years old.

Bye Tabby. We will miss you.

I'm so sorry, Creston.

43.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 06:28
43.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 06:28
Aug 18, 2015, 06:28
 
I'm a very skeptical person about most things. I think the scientific method works and I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories. Hit me with a popular 'meme' though, and none of that even registers. Taboo and memes like that one are precisely the reason why no one in the scientific community will ever even attempt to tackle this subject.
I have a nifty blue line!
Avatar 46994
42.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 04:29
42.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 04:29
Aug 18, 2015, 04:29
 
InBlack wrote on Aug 18, 2015, 03:42:

Now I'm not saying that UFO phenomena == aliens, but ...

I'm not saying you should choose different wording, BUT YOU SHOULD CHOOSE DIFFERENT WORDING.

If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
Avatar 22024
41.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 04:23
41.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 04:23
Aug 18, 2015, 04:23
 
Creston wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 23:51:
My wife and I had to put our cat to sleep today. She'd had a stroke over the weekend, and when we came home today, we found her lying on the ground, seemingly paralyzed in her hind legs.

She was 13 years old.

Bye Tabby. We will miss you.

Oh no! So sorry. Cry
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
Avatar 22024
40.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 18, 2015, 03:42
40.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 18, 2015, 03:42
Aug 18, 2015, 03:42
 
The Fermi paradox (or Fermi's paradox) is the apparent contradiction between high estimates, such as in Drake equation, of the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial life civilizations and the lack of contact with, or evidence for, such civilizations.

Statistically about 5% of UFO sightings can not be explained by any known phenomena or dismissed out of hand as hoaxes.

Now I'm not saying that UFO phenomena == aliens, but it's something that needs to be studies and explained. It never has been so far, due to very simple social conditioning and taboo. Even project Blue book was a half-assed attempt to discredit the entire thing, yet it's result are anything but. In the sea of conspiracy theories, and UFOlogist fantasies, there are a few good books that can be found on the subject. I can recommend this one to anyone with an open mind, it's a pretty serious study by the only 'regular' journalist to ever approach the subject in this way:

"UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record" - Leslie Kean.

I have a nifty blue line!
Avatar 46994
39.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 23:51
39.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 23:51
Aug 17, 2015, 23:51
 
My wife and I had to put our cat to sleep today. She'd had a stroke over the weekend, and when we came home today, we found her lying on the ground, seemingly paralyzed in her hind legs.

She was 13 years old.

Bye Tabby. We will miss you.
Avatar 15604
38.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 22:06
38.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 22:06
Aug 17, 2015, 22:06
 
As for aliens...

Why would they care if we would blow ourselves up some? IMO it only makes sense if there were parallel worlds and it would invade on theirs. Not that I believe that, but our bombs are strong vs a small area on Earth, but in a cosmic sense they would be closer to a fart than threatening systems.

Space is so far spread out that unless we can go near speed of light it might just as well be a dream. We will be on this planted for 50,000 years if lucky? Which is a spec of time of the planet, which that is a spec of time to the universe. So imo we do have life elsewhere, but they all get their 50,000 years at various times over billions and billions of years, add in distance, its a real shot in the dark, even finding evidence let alone making contact. We just really weren't meant to...

Wasn't there some classified docs released that said the gov't started going along with UFO stuff to a point, as a cover for their own top secret projects. In was a good way to muddy waters.
Avatar 17232
37.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 21:58
37.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 21:58
Aug 17, 2015, 21:58
 
Cutter wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 18:07:
HorrorScope wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 11:27:
Cutter wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 11:10:
Nuclear war not occurring is not a forgone conclusion. My money is that it's still on and sooner rather than later. Probably before 2050. All signs show that as the tipping point for humanity.

So says man since the begging of time.... All signs point to the end of the world. Current Prophecy Win/Loss record: 0 - 100000000000

Deep down, man must want to see themselves expire.

My favorite is the 40-70 year old crowd talking down about their off-spring, lazy etc. News flash your grandfathers said the same thing about you and their grandfathers said the same thing about them. We do the same shit over and over. It's what we do.

No, this is different because the doomsday scenarios you're talking about were based solely on superstition/religious ferver. Basically everything good or bad is somehow attributable to the invisible sky wizard - and still is, sadly, for most people on this planet.

What I'm talking about is predicated on scientific fact. We can quantify a likely doomsday scenario based on the facts. Things have been getting worse since the industrial age began when you look at the totality of the net benefits and detriments of that age unfolding until right now. More recently we've seen things getting demonstrably worse on just about in every way imaginable. Economic inequality, overpopulation,exploitation, the environment, religious ferver and political extremism, international conflict, and most importantly, dwindling natural resources.

With the global population set to double by 2050 and things going the way they are it's not rocket surgery to see something has to give. Either we need global political change for the positive on all those fronts - unlikely. Or it will come to war - the more likely scenario. Why? Because war never changes.

We can mangle ourselves, we cannot wipe ourselves out. That will come from mother nature in time and no one knows when that will be at this time so no reason to be a doomsayer there.

I reckon people thought having 8 billion on earth at one point would be a huge problem, perhaps even a breaking point. We have solutions, it's just that they aren't great monetized ones, yet. I suspect in time if/when that happens, surviving over the dollar will be chosen. But we aren't close to that yet.

You cannot state scientific fact, well unless you can direct me to some links written by various scientists to the point of convincing me.
Avatar 17232
36.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 21:54
36.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 21:54
Aug 17, 2015, 21:54
 
ForgedReality wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 15:33:
nin wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 14:37:
ForgedReality wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 14:33:
Gross. I don't get how people can kiss their animals on the mouth. It's disgusting. It's even worse when people let their nasty dogs lick them all over the face and shit. EUCH! I don't even like my own spit on me, but some mangy mutt that sits around licking its asshole and eating its own shit all day? I'll pass, thanks. I hope that kid didn't come away with scurvy or tuberculosis or some shit. XD

Sounds like you don't need to be a pet owner then.


Oh, I love all my pets. I also don't let them lick my fucking face. They also don't belong on the couch or the bed unless they're a cat, because they're way cleaner. When's the last time you had to give a cat a bath because it was too stinky?

It sounds like you need to groom your dog(s) more. Cats actually pass disease over to humans more frequently than dogs. Cats shed. Depending on dog species a dog may not. Dog size is how I determine if they are allows on furniture or not.

Your responses though are so absolute. As there can't be any other opinion on the matter. FWIW I've had a lot of both over my day and don't agree with you from my experiences.
Avatar 17232
35.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 18:07
35.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 18:07
Aug 17, 2015, 18:07
 
HorrorScope wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 11:27:
Cutter wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 11:10:
Nuclear war not occurring is not a forgone conclusion. My money is that it's still on and sooner rather than later. Probably before 2050. All signs show that as the tipping point for humanity.

So says man since the begging of time.... All signs point to the end of the world. Current Prophecy Win/Loss record: 0 - 100000000000

Deep down, man must want to see themselves expire.

My favorite is the 40-70 year old crowd talking down about their off-spring, lazy etc. News flash your grandfathers said the same thing about you and their grandfathers said the same thing about them. We do the same shit over and over. It's what we do.

No, this is different because the doomsday scenarios you're talking about were based solely on superstition/religious ferver. Basically everything good or bad is somehow attributable to the invisible sky wizard - and still is, sadly, for most people on this planet.

What I'm talking about is predicated on scientific fact. We can quantify a likely doomsday scenario based on the facts. Things have been getting worse since the industrial age began when you look at the totality of the net benefits and detriments of that age unfolding until right now. More recently we've seen things getting demonstrably worse on just about in every way imaginable. Economic inequality, overpopulation,exploitation, the environment, religious ferver and political extremism, international conflict, and most importantly, dwindling natural resources.

With the global population set to double by 2050 and things going the way they are it's not rocket surgery to see something has to give. Either we need global political change for the positive on all those fronts - unlikely. Or it will come to war - the more likely scenario. Why? Because war never changes.
"The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip." - Henny Youngman
34.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 17:47
34.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 17:47
Aug 17, 2015, 17:47
 
The Great Filter in relation to The Fermi Paradox is how i explain away the vast size and vast age of the universe with no real contact thus far. I'm sure there's a ridiculous amount of bacteria and microbes and probably some single celled organisms out there. Maybe even a few multi cellular organisms too. However i dont think any of them have ever survived long enough to be able to spread. Which makes it all the more important that we, as a species do just this.
Avatar 46370
33.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 17:09
33.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 17:09
Aug 17, 2015, 17:09
 
jdreyer wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 15:49:
RedEye9 wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 14:00:
this is plagiarized from the hardforum, user kbrickley;
quote
Is there life in the rest of the Universe ... probably ... it is impossible to prove, but statistically you can argue for the presence of extraterrestrial life

Is there extraterrestrial life on Earth ... highly unlikely:

1. We are in a fairly isolated part of our Galaxy with no nearby Star Systems that seem to have anything approximating a habitable planet
2. We have only been announcing our presence here for less than a century and our Galaxy is big (the Universe even bigger) so it would be unlikely that someone (or many someones) would just stumble across us
3. There is no indication that faster than light travel is possible ... without that ability there is nobody going anywhere beyond the 10-20 year spheroid around their solar system
4. UFO sightings seem to have rocketed in the atomic age ... is that because Aliens care about our nuclear technology ... OR, much more likely, is it that governments started developing new spy technologies that they used the disguise of UFOs to hide behind and also that the paranoia of people faced with weapons of unthinkable power (with the capability to destroy their planet) channeled that paranoia into visions of alien spacecraft ...
end quote

MY Take, the best part is All of this was said civilly, w/out calling anyone stupid or the inevitable "we do the same thing over and over again" comments.

RE: 1-3: This study on a technological society that traveled to other stars at a tenth the speed of light, then spent 500 years there to prepare for the next jump to the next system would spend about 50M years to colonize the milky way (assumes no technological improvements). Sounds like a long time, but the milky way is 13B years old so 50M years is only 0.3% of the existence of the galaxy. An alien civilization that developed sublight starflight on the far side of the galaxy during Earth's Paleocene epoch would be here already.

RE: 4: I would argue neither? Most UFO sightings were during the 40s, 50s, and 60s when there was less knowledge about aircraft flights and natural weather phenomenon. As we've understood more about flight, natural phenomenon, issues that can occur during flight, etc. the number of UFO sightings has drastically dropped off.

That was a good read, and can be summed up with the last line of the Economist article. "All this suggests, Dr Hair and Mr Hedman fear, that humans really do have the Milky Way to themselves. Either that or the neighbours are a particularly timid bunch."
"I expect death to be nothingness and by removing from me all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism." Isaac Asimov
Avatar 58135
32.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 16:55
32.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 16:55
Aug 17, 2015, 16:55
 
There's always those moments immediately after you see your dog lick their own ass or whatever where you don't want their tongue anywhere near you, which is perfectly understandable, but in general no harm will come from a dog's mouth. It's a myth that their mouth is cleaner than a human's (some dog nuts love to spout that nonsense), but studies have shown they're not significantly "dirtier" than the typical human mouth, either. Plus most of the bacteria you'll find in either is non-transmittable between species, so you're probably not going to get sick from your dog licking you or vice versa.
31.
 
Re: Out of the Blue
Aug 17, 2015, 16:06
31.
Re: Out of the Blue Aug 17, 2015, 16:06
Aug 17, 2015, 16:06
 
ForgedReality wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 15:33:
nin wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 14:37:
ForgedReality wrote on Aug 17, 2015, 14:33:
Gross. I don't get how people can kiss their animals on the mouth. It's disgusting. It's even worse when people let their nasty dogs lick them all over the face and shit. EUCH! I don't even like my own spit on me, but some mangy mutt that sits around licking its asshole and eating its own shit all day? I'll pass, thanks. I hope that kid didn't come away with scurvy or tuberculosis or some shit. XD

Sounds like you don't need to be a pet owner then.


Oh, I love all my pets. I also don't let them lick my fucking face. They also don't belong on the couch or the bed unless they're a cat, because they're way cleaner. When's the last time you had to give a cat a bath because it was too stinky?

Meh, you can get TB from a cat too. I hope Sauron stops by. He's a vet and can speak to this.
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
Avatar 22024
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