BS: What are you skeptical about?

Subject: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 08:57 PM

Some people are skeptical about global warming. Some people are holocaust-deniers. Some people think it was a bad idea to go off the gold standard.

What popular ideas do you consider probably or mostly bullshit? (You need not be 100% convinced of anything to report here.)

Please don't go into a lot of detail about why you disbelieve in something. A word or phrase naming the thing you disbelieve in should be sufficient.

Please don't dispute anything here, but feel free to do that in other threads, and post links to those threads if you like.

I'll start. Here are some things I am skeptical about:

Astrology
Chiropractic
Feng shui
Ghosts or any kind of disembodied spirits
Handwriting analysis
Homeopathy
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Psychics
Psychoanalysis
Reincarnation, or any other kind of life after death
That ancient civilizations knew anything important that we don't know
That "organic" food is significantly different from other food
That common vaccines are significantly dangerous (apart from allergies)
That there is a secret organization that is controlling civilization
That vitamin C has any effect on the common cold
That we already have credible evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence
That torture (including water-boarding, stress positions, etc.) does any good
That the death penalty does any good
That long prison sentences do any more good than short ones

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 08:57 PM

The truth be told, almost everything.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 09:01 PM

Sure... them and a dozen more.

The list of stuff I DO accept & trust is shorter. (like, I DO accept that they do weird stuff in Area 51, I just am skeptical they have any alien spacecraft.)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 09:04 PM

People who are skeptic

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 09:23 PM

and why didn't Desi ever let Lucy in the show? I am pretty skeptical about that. All she wanted to be is one of the chorus girls but NOOOOOO
he would let her ... I think he was gettin it on with one of the other chorus cuties maybe ... what do ya think?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 09:46 PM

I'm skeptical about...

what the government says
what the mass media says
what the church(es) say
what the schools say
what the doctors and the AMA say
what the drug companies say
what the corporate advertisors say
what NASA says
what the military say
and what a lot of other authoritative people say

The standard authoritative stuff in other words. ;-)

I'm uninterested in astrology, not exactly skeptical, just completely not interested.

I have a good deal of confidence in things like...

organic food
vegetarianism
reincarnation
spirit beings of various types (I won't elaborate)
life after death
psychic abilities
chiropractic
Feng Shui
homeopathy
naturopathy
acupuncture
traditional Chinese medicine
Ayurvedic medicine
that some ancient civilizations knew some stuff we don't know
that vaccines are significantly dangerous
that we have much evidence of extraterrestrial visitors, etc.
that the current cancer industry promotes cancer, doesn't cure it.

It is clear, Jim Dixon, that you and I are playing on very different teams! ;-D (although we agree on a few points here and there, specially when it comes to the justice system)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 10:34 PM

I'm skeptical about most things that Little Hawk is confident about.
I have confidence in almost everything government employees say.
I am skeptical about promises form politicians.

I faith in teachers and most ministers.

I think that if you believe in non medicine you still have a chance of cure through placebo. Also if your doctor is bad or you pray, placebo is right there for you, doing its magic.

I am skeptical that the cancer industry would bother to give you cancer when there is PCBs and smoking and ultraviolet sunlight and a myriad of other carcinogens out there, especially if you eat red meat and non-organic food. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:07 AM

Jack: "I'm skeptical about most things that Little Hawk is confident about.
I have confidence in almost everything government employees say."

Holy shit...that explains it all!!

"I am skeptical about promises from politicians."

....but then aren't politicians government employees??

Just a thought. You should try it!

GfS

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 01:34 AM

but then aren't politicians government employees?

No they are not they are either elected officials or wannabes. Cops, teachers, Park Rangers, FBI Agents, Postal Clerks and NOAA weather forecasters are government employees.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 01:55 AM

Other than summing up the shilling factors and divisional points of hatred used by Glen Beck, whats yer point?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 02:10 AM

I'm skeptical of those big, multicolored stacks of expensive dietary supplement pills that people take. Broccoli and sweet potatoes and beer (breakfast in a bottle) work a whole lot better, and they're cheaper.

I'm married to a chiropractor and she does take care of a lot of my aches and pains, but I'm very skeptical of many of the things chiropractors claim to be able to do (my wife is skeptical of those, too).

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 02:43 AM

I am sceptical about our UK spelling of scepticism &c because your skepticism as in thread title is much nearer to original Greek 'σκέπτομαι' skeptomai.

I generally prefer to use our spellings [despite the efforts of my 's spellcheck [about which I am also sc/keptical, as it will underline words like honour or colour even when set to tha Union Flag in the menu ~ so why bother with a notional British-spelling option if it doesn't even work? FYI those 2 words above have a dotted-red-line underneath even as I type!]; but I give u-guize best over skeptical

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: andrew e
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 03:08 AM

skeptic |ˈskɛptɪk| ( Brit. sceptic)
noun
a person inclined to question or doubt all accepted opinions.
• a person who doubts the truth of Christianity and other religions; an atheist or agnostic.

From the dictionary on my Mac.

Whose "accepted opinions"? Who accepted them? Not me!

So I wouldn't call myself a skeptic,others might, but I'm pretty much with Little Hawk and his list.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 04:26 AM

That "organic" food is significantly different from other food

Organic options are almost always priced higher than the non-organic alternative. I consider that significant when making my choice, even if it's only by a penny.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:03 PM

Such lists are really quite instructive. They make it immediately clear why certain individual tend to disagree with each other about a great many things that come up in conversation here. It's simply a matter of which general sources and things they trust the most.

**************

Now, for example...Japanese soldiers and Allied soldiers didn't trust each other much during WWII! ;-) To put it mildly...

And that was because they had put their trust in completely divergent sources and authority figures to tell them what was right, what was going on in the world, and why it was happening.

The average Japanese soldier, like the average Allied soldier, was under the impression that he was defending his country! He was also under the impression that the war was started by China, the Chinese supposedly having viciously attacked the Japanese at the Marco Polo Bridge in...1937? (Actually it was the Japanese forces who launched that attack on the Chinese, but that's not what the Japanese public was told, nor what the rank and file of their soldiers were told.) So....he believed the Japanese war in China was justified. Furthermore, he was told that America had fielded its own pilots to help the Chinese (true...the American Volunteer Group was in China, fighting against the Japanese)....so it was quite evident to him that Americans were now the enemies of Japan. He was further told that the Americans were embargoing vital supplies of steel and oil that Japan needed. True. Roosevelt had put that embargo in place. Therefore he saw that the USA must be confronted militarily to break the embargo. Thus he felt that the attacks made by Japan in December '41 on Pearl Harbour and other targets were totally justified.

He was fooled by his leaders, his mass media, and his commanders, and his peer group into participating in a long series of aggressions against other countries. Virtually the entire Japanese public was also fooled by that same propaganda.

In more modern times, you have an American public who were mostly fooled into thinking that a war against Afghanistan is a rational response to a terrorist attack by a tiny secret group of Saudis and other Arabs from the Middle East, and that a pre-emptive invasion of Iraq is justified by the presence of fictional WMDs that Iraq supposedly has.

Everybody believes whom they trust. Our lists make it very clear whom we trust. The only question is, is our trust predicated on faith alone? Or is it predicated on actual experience? Sometimes it's a mixture of the two, but actual experience is what you can really depend on.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:06 PM

Ya but what about Desi and Lucy ?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: kendall
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:39 PM

Anything that appears on the internet.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:47 PM

That had to be one of the most annoying shows of all time. It was astounding to me that anyone would enjoy watching it. How could any man stay married to that woman?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:49 PM

LH ... I am dashed !! Talking smack about my Lucy ... you commie LOL

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:58 PM

Possibly everything. Or do I mean I am just questioning?

I suppose outside the obvious like capitalism and communism, I could say medical science. I am not saying it can not put a physical health back but I think there is a spiritual (rather than mental) side to us it does not recognise.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 01:02 PM

Only things to trust are old dogs and children, and watermellon wine.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 01:10 PM

I am skeptical about US foreign policy, Obama's motivation (he's a Wall Streeter),
the Tea Party who have been hoodwinked by corporatists, the military "intelligence"
(again an oxymoron), anything on mainstream news media, most politicians, and anything to do with religion or its offshoots such as ancillary cults, new age crap, and the use of the word "spirituality". Whenever one uses that word, I check to see if my wallet is still there.

I am skeptical about what some skeptics are skeptical about such as whether this US country can return to democracy. I am skeptical about those who bash others without any sense of legitimate arguments but offering personal opinions that border on ignorance.

I am skeptical of anyone that thinks that solutions to social issues can be solved by war or killing.

I am skeptical of those who are in leadership or pundit positions and make a claim for
their "brilliance".

I am skeptical of recent autobiographies particularly of a former president.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 01:46 PM

Listen carefully, Stringsinger...

Spirituality!

;-D

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 02:04 PM

perhaps this?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 03:24 PM

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: kendall - PM
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 12:39 PM

Anything that appears on the internet.

Hmmmm... are you sure about that?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Joe_F
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 09:43 PM

The economic importance of the stock market
Economics as a field of study
Love
The fine arts
God
The importance of high officials in business & government
Promotion
Psychiatry
The value of life

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Bobert
Date: 14 Nov 10 - 10:04 PM

*the Washington Redskins ever winning another championship...

*the 100 mph carburetor...

*George Bush ever having to pay for his war crimes...

*tooth paste that really will reduce cavities...

*Sarah Plain actually shooting as moose...

*the benefits of half the stuff that the health food stores sell as supplements...

*that Amos will bring me a bigass bag of weed next year at the Getaway...

*the impartiality of the US Supreme Court...

*Volvos...

*Reagan-omics...

*the 60's assassinations of US leaders being a coincidence...

*anything that is "new 'n improved...

*that Taylor guitars sound as good as Martins...

*jello...

*anything that Mitch McConell says as being true...

*the Corvair being unsafe at any speed...

*that LH will ever end up with Wyona...

Nuff fir now...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 01:01 AM

Bobert - There are some Taylors that do sound as good as Martins, in my opinion. Certainly not all Taylors! But then, there are some Martins that don't sound as good as Martins... ;-)

I am also skeptical about my ending up with Winona, but it's fun to dream. ;-) Besides, she serves well as a creative muse for songs and other stuff, so why should I complain if I can't have the real thing?

Joe-F - You are skeptical about Love???? That can only make me wonder...What the heck do you even mean when you use the word "Love"? And you're skeptical about the value of life too???? Holy shit, man, you got troubles I wouldn't want! What has kept you here this long?

I'm also somewhat skeptical about psychiatry...although...I think it depends entirely on the abilities of the specific practitioner. I've had friends who wasted their time with psychiatrists, but I also have a friend who was greatly helped by one who gave him very sound advice when he was feeling depressed and suicidal, and that advice helped him turn his life around. Knowing this, I cannot group ALL psychiatrists under a single judgement.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 04:34 AM

I am sceptical about those who reckon they have the answer, and that the answer always seems to fit in with their view of how the world should be rather than how it is.



yes, you dozy bugger, I mean you....

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 04:57 AM

Sometimes I feel skeptical about why the heck we are here at all. Why do we bother?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 06:42 AM

"*the 100 mph carburetor..."

Any carburetor will do 100 mph if the vehicle it is fitted to is capable of 100 mph - but only carburetors fitted to small light vehicles traveling well below 50 mph stand a chance of achieving 100 mpg...


:-P

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Bobert
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 07:22 AM

Guess you have not been privileged to the "100 mpg carburetor" conspiracy theories, f-troupe... They are a hoot and a matter of legend/folk lore in some US population circles...

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 07:43 AM

I am skeptical about the belief that to travel from one place to another it is necessary to traverse all the intermediate locations.
Why shouldn't we have Star Trek style transporters?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 07:45 AM

black belt you are english .please please use sceptical.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Boho
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 09:24 AM

Dinosaurs.

Aeroplanes.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Greg F.
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 09:29 AM

Doug R's sanity.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 09:45 AM

Spaw's sense of proportion. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 10:08 AM

I am sceptical about anything I hear, read or am told. Like bad dreams I reverse it and then I think I am closer to the truth.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 10:29 AM

Quite possibly, Patsy. The only way you can be sure about anything is by having direct personal experience of it. That's what I normally try to go on, and the rest remains hypothetical or theoretical.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 10:39 AM

guys who use after shave!

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 10:44 AM

I've never used that stuff. Couldn't see any point in it.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 12:25 PM

I am sceptical about cholesterol and statins. My parents ate tons of butter, cheese and cream etc and lived to a ripe old age. Goodness knows what their cholesterol 'number' was. Load of rubbish, all that. And SKY TV's motto "Believe in Better" when they can TWICE a year put their prices up in spite of your contract. And, until it actually arrives, I'm sceptical about my Winter Fuel Payment. Hurry up will you, winter is here and I need to buy some oil!

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Zen
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 12:38 PM

I've never used that stuff. Couldn't see any point in it

Eureka! (;>)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 01:28 PM

I am skeptical about people who are skeptical about darn near everything. To my mind, all it proves is that the person doesn't trust him/herself at all.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 01:36 PM

Women with handguns

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: akenaton
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 01:41 PM

I see Ebbie's been back to the woodshed to fetch her stiletto! :0)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: olddude
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 02:00 PM

ACCORDION Music

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ebbie
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 02:02 PM

Ake, see, I don't think of my comment as being an attack. It is more in the line of "Nothing common to the human condition can be alien to me."

To my mind, that is indisputably true. If I cannot trust anyone, it stands to reason that I cannot trust myself.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 03:04 PM

Whay do you ask?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 03:05 PM

grrr... why?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 03:12 PM

I was skeptical about how I could typo an "a" into "why" when the "a" is so far from the "h" and the "y".

However, I have come up with a theory. I belive that there are dirty satellites upon which letters stick when people post on the internut. Some of the letters get stuck and sometimes letters that come loose get included in new posts, appearing out of nowhere such as the "a" in my post above.

Oh... you laugh and scoff at my theory now, but as soon as I build my big ladder and make millions cleaning satellites so that letters don't stick to them, who'll be laughing then eh?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 03:22 PM

It is precisely because I trust myself that I do not trust most of the ruling authority figures in this society, Ebbie. I trust myself for good reason, given long acquaintance with my basic trustworthiness. I also trust a number of personal friends, again, due to long acquaintence and a proven track record. I also trust the powers of Nature and the powers of life itself. Same basic deal.

I trust other people who tend to go on that same kind of basis...they trust themselves, proven friends, and the powers of Nature and life itself.

The ruling authority figures in this society are mostly tied to various established hierarchies which are bent on securing and maintaining their old routines, maintaining the pecking order, and securing power, property, and money. That's why I don't trust them. Their motives have not remained pure nor is their thinking unclouded, in most cases. ;-) I grant there are a few exceptions. You can find an occasional gem hidden in a field of clay.

In public school, for instance, I had at least 2 teachers who were absolutely exceptional at their job, highly motivated, and of high ideals. They brought the best out in anyone they taught. I trusted them.

"By their fruits you shall know them."

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 03:25 PM

As for all those people I haven't met or dealt with yet....I neither trust nor distrust them. I have no reason to either trust or distrust them at present, do I? I make no assumptions about them one way or the other. They have nothing to fear from me, and I probably have nothing to fear from most of them either.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 03:52 PM

Trust yourself
Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best
Trust yourself
Trust yourself to do what's right and not be second-guessed
Don't trust me to show you beauty
When beauty may only turn to rust
If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself

Trust yourself
Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end
Trust yourself
Trust yourself to find the path where there is no if and when
Don't trust me to show you the truth
When the truth may only be ashes and dust
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself

Well, you're on your own, you always were
In a land of wolves and thieves
Don't put your hope in ungodly man
Or be a slave to what somebody else believes

Trust yourself
And you won't be disappointed when vain people let you down
Trust yourself
And look not for answers where no answers can be found
Don't trust me to show you love
When my love may be only lust
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself

- Bob Dylan


That's Bob's take on it, and that's the way I see it too. Trust yourself.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: The Sandman
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 05:18 PM

i am sceptical about the existence of chingo chomp

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Chongo Chimp
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 05:39 PM

And with good reason!

- Chongo

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 15 Nov 10 - 06:29 PM

Republicans

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 16 Nov 10 - 06:15 AM

Following the latest gimicky fashion trends which also includes Widescreen Plasma tvs, X-Boxes, Wii Boards, Computers, latest Gadgetry etc. knowing that another one will follow behind with more hype, charging even sillier money.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 25 Dec 12 - 06:09 PM

Does this experiment mean anything to you?

Does homeopathy make scientific sense?

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 25 Dec 12 - 06:13 PM

CBC Marketplace-Homeopathy

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: ollaimh
Date: 25 Dec 12 - 07:21 PM

what exactly is a plie of steaming willie?

i'm skeptical of there being much ethical thought on mudcat. with the notable exception of little hawk.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: kendall
Date: 25 Dec 12 - 07:39 PM

Petitions. I'm told they are just scams to collect e mail addresses.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Dec 12 - 07:41 PM

Let's see??? Since my last list a couple years ago I'd have to add:

*Johnny Boehner's ability to herd cats, i.e. the Republican caucus

*The Redskins, should they make the playoffs, getting past the 1st round

*The American political system surviving itself

*In that same vein, majority rule

*Subaru entering NASCAR

*Wyona even sending LH a Christmas card

*Chongz entering the Betty Ford to deal with his poo obsession

*Sane gun control laws

*Michelle Bauckmann and/or Sara Palin doing a Tea Party shoot for Playboy

*Obama trying out for the Washington Wizards after his 2nd term

That's nuff for now...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 03:48 AM

I am skeptical about anything that says it's been 'improved'.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 12:24 PM

Any explanation of or solution to a problem that fits on a bumper sticker.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 12:29 PM

*Subaru entering NASCAR

Why should they? They kick ass in the off road distance races!

I think that President Obama could play for the Washington Generals.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: John P
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 01:44 PM

I'm skeptical of anything of which I can't make logical sense and of which I can't confirm the facts using sources I'm not skeptical of. That includes most of the items in most of the lists posted here.

I'm not skeptical of math.

I'm not skeptical of about half of our scientific knowledge. The rest is still speculation.

I'm not skeptical that playing music is good for me emotionally.

I'm very skeptical of anyone who is a member of a religion or a political party.

I'm skeptical of anything anyone says if there's the slightest chance that they will gain money or power by saying it.

Although I am filled with hope on a variety of topics, I am skeptical of it. Interesting how the emotions and the mind can often have different sets of standards.

There are things that are knowable and things that aren't. There are things that are deducible and things that aren't. I'm skeptical of anyone who claims to know or deduce anything that's in the second set. Speculation can be fun and can be good for the mind, as long as we remember that it doesn't provide answers.

There are things, like organic food being better for us, that I'm willing to go along with just in case. I am more skeptical of people who say that adding untried chemicals to our food isn't bad for us. Life is often a choice between things I'm skeptical of and things I'm less skeptical of.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 04:17 PM

Cheese food. Either it's cheese or it's not. Cheese food is not food.

And for that matter any margerine that says no trans fats and then has it in small print on the label.

And now we have to be skeptical of fish. I know personally I've paid 12 a pound for flounder that didn't taste like flounder, and while we're on the subject :what the h*** is tilapia??? I never heard of it when I was young. I have a feeling it's really nothing minced crab, breadcrumbs and soap.

Most mewscasters. I tuned in one night to see two ABC TV anchorman doing the polka. I mean, I know Walter Cronchite is long gone, but HONESTLY, is this how far down we've dome?

Atheists - I have no problem with anyone's faith or lack their of,
but some avowed atheists are awfully...strident. I was in a room full of them last month and when someone sneezed, they couldn't even say Godblessyou. I mean, Really.

Those folkies (oh Im gonna get in trouble for this one) who swear they know exactly how a song was sung 500 years ago.

Mega vitamins. Just eat some fruit for goshsakes.

That pompous poseur Gary Null

Anyone who says they know everything.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 10:21 PM

LG: This might enlighten you about tilapia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilapia

I just hope you're not too skeptical about Wikipedia to read it.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 11:16 PM

I'm skeptical of humanity's ability to discriminate between meaningful technological innovation and meaningless technological distraction.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 26 Dec 12 - 11:26 PM

Yeah BWL... kinda makes ya wonder, don't it? And not just tech... just being human and caring about each other. It seems to "blend" these days and the meaning gets gone all to fast. It's sad.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 10:39 AM

The latest health trend - many of 'em promoted by Dr. OZ.

Who cares if a goat herder from a remote community in Nepal ate goat shit (from one goat that ate a specific berry) and lived to 150 - your life span is mostly locked up in your genes folks - and you can't "turn the clock back" by swallowing a bottle of expensive and trendy dried berries (or goat shit).

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 01:44 PM

I am skeptical regarding the further use of this thread and a host of others like unto it.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 03:18 PM

I am skeptical about the further use of "Chongo" threads and others like unto it ;)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 04:07 PM

Your skepticism complements mine admirably. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 05:35 PM

Ed... yer gonna get in shit with the Goat Shit Marketing Board.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 05:37 PM

Thanks you Jim (Dixon) but this only confirms my suspiciouns about tilapia. It can be any one of 100 species!!??!!! So how do ya know what species you're getting.And the fish at wiki looks more like it belongs in a home aquarium than on a dinner plate. Hmmmm. Maybe we're really eating guppy.

Don't trust tilapia, no no not one bit. (but thanks for the send)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 05:41 PM

I am skeptical about marketing boards, and even more so with those that "supply market" goat shit;)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 06:55 PM

I've been skeptical of tilapia for about 50 years. The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission stocked them in a number of lakes back in the 1960s. They were touted as gamefish, but the geniuses at the FG&FWFC neglected to consider that tilapia eat algae, not worms, not crickets, not artificial lures. They successfully grew a bunch of big-assed "game" fish that couldn't be legally caught by recreational fishermen. The only way to catch them was by net, which required a commercial license, and the commercial fishermen didn't want the things because there was no market for them. The FG&FWFC wound up poisoning the tilapia-stocked lakes and, later, restocking them with native gamefish.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 08:21 PM

Anything posted by Guest from Sanity, Akenaton, Keith A of Hertford, Bearded Bruce and PDQ.

And that includes their Mudcat Monikers.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Ed T
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 09:09 PM

Internet petitions

Bobert's predictions

:)

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: gnu
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 09:13 PM

Don... that's a personal attack(s). Well justified, but... it is just that.

Subject: RE: BS: What are you skeptical about?
From: Amos
Date: 27 Dec 12 - 09:40 PM

I think a lot of the skepticism listed on this thread is unfounded and probably reactionary. I am skeptical that it is genuine skepticism, and if it is, I think it is probably misplaced or misguided.

And I wish you all a prosperous and adventurous 2013.



A