fulltimestudent

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Posts by fulltimestudent

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  194

  Is Being a “Manly Man” a Bad Thing?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so much is said regarding men , in a negative way.

  shaving commercials are now lecturing us as to how bad we really are.

  men should be less masculine.

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  fulltimestudent

  Too many posts to catch up,,,,!!!

  First it's likely worth reading this article by Jenny Graves, who is a Distinguished Professor of Genetics at Victoria's La Trove University, and also the 2017 recipient of the Prime Ministers Prize for Sciene.

  The article was titled: "What makes you a man or a woman? Geneticist Jenny Graves explains.

  Link: https://theconversation.com/what-makes-you-a-man-or-a-woman-geneticist-jenny-graves-explains-102983

  The Conversation is a semi-academic web journal, that discusses serious issues, especially for those who want to live an evidence based life.

  There's also another article by Graves, in another issue of The Conversation.

  This article explains how key genes active early in life transform the embryo into a woman or a man, and that genes active later control how sex is expressed in physiology and behaviour.

  Quote: "But in embryos destined to be boys, the genital ridge receives a signal called the “testis determining factor” at ten weeks after conception. This signal kick-starts development of testes and suppresses ovarian development.

  If it doesn’t get the testis signal, the genital ridge waits a few more weeks, and becomes an ovary."

  Link: https://theconversation.com/how-genes-and-evolution-shape-gender-and-transgender-identity-108911

  Before that process, all embryos are more or less the same from a biological gender perspective. (But may still have different outcomes, a process that is highly dependent on the potential influence of that embryo's genes.
  

  Once we fully understand this process we can more easily appreciate the wide variety of possibilities in what constitutes both maleness and femaleness. If we do not understand that process, then we may hold some of the "strong" (but incorrect) opinions we find expressed on this topic.
  
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  10

  When Israel was living under a Theocracy ,was it a Paradise ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the bible books that speak of a time when the israelite`s were enjoying jehovah`s blessings , isnt it true they were still dying from old age ,sickness , and death ?

  didn`t they have a leper colony in their midst ?....yes.

  didn`t they still have the poor among them ?

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  fulltimestudent

  Half banana,

  Having seen those informative sights, I know that you at least will enjoy this romp through this religio- political background to old YHWH's excitement (wetting himself !!) at the thought of having his very own garden.

  (Please excuse my own light-hearted comments - I just had some wonderful, happifying (a word I learnt from the WT) news)

  A semi-academic web publication that calls itself The Conversation published this review of the ancient religious use of gardens in West Asia.

  Here's the link: https://theconversation.com/heaven-on-earth-the-ancient-roots-of-your-backyard-garden-108682?fbclid=IwAR0gq9Hm-0_OUQQujoa41TfVqY7mshp2m4yJY2yo7RtV_UCJk7ozj0Eh_70

  Macquarie University's Associate Professor Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides writes about this connection.
  
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  23

  Old Goat

  by vienne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  some of you may remember old goat who used to post here.

  he died last night in his sleep.

  he was 92 years old.

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  fulltimestudent

  I join in the regretful refrain, knowing full well that I'm also nearing the end of an allotted time span. though god knows who in the hell bothered yo allot me a 'span.'

  Will miss Old Goat, he was one poster, who somewhat rare posts I read consistently.
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  2

  Pseudoscience, Superstition and Sexual Abuse versus Real Science in India

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  often billed as the world's largest democracy, that description hides huge problems that many in india refuse to face up to.. let's start with the problem of sexual abuse.

  the fact that rape is likely more common in india than any other society is reasonably well known, and while other problems may compound this (as i once was metaphorically stoned to death for saying) violent rape is a huge problem.

  but few other societies would tolerate this:.

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  fulltimestudent

  Often billed as the World's largest democracy, that description hides huge problems that many in India refuse to face up to.

  Let's start with the problem of sexual abuse. The fact that rape is likely more common in India than any other society is reasonably well known, and while other problems may compound this (as I once was metaphorically stoned to death for saying) violent rape is a huge problem

  But few other societies would tolerate this:

  A headline in the UK Guardian:

  Modern-day slavery in focus

  India

  The Indian village where child sexual exploitation is the norm

  Poverty and caste discrimination mean that children in Sagar Gram are being groomed by their own families for abuse

  Link to a terrible story: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jan/14/indian-village-where-child-sexual-exploitation-is-the-norm-sagar-gram-jan-sahas?CMP=soc_567&fbclid=IwAR3Ge49gJUl1FmgSRx4Ok5jhpqsT3ZR5Di8uqoGdgW-DSsBy555b_l51Ue4
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  10

  When Israel was living under a Theocracy ,was it a Paradise ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the bible books that speak of a time when the israelite`s were enjoying jehovah`s blessings , isnt it true they were still dying from old age ,sickness , and death ?

  didn`t they have a leper colony in their midst ?....yes.

  didn`t they still have the poor among them ?

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  fulltimestudent

  Nice thread Smiddy! We can explore some concepts here, Associated with the concept of Paradise is the concept of the tree of life. Chrisstian seldom talk about the memes that neighbouring societies (to Israel) also had.

  A meme is _ "an element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means."

  Once you realise that, its easy to understand how these 'memes' got talked about among the Israelites. Now a close by human society that we know a lot about is Egypt. IN FACT,.though the bible doesn't talk about it, the Egyptians ruled over the Palestine area for a few hundred years.

  Even the Israelite hero Moses, it seems knew all about Egyptian culture ) Acts 7:22 - "And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," (English Standard Version)

  Now think about this image:

  
  

  It portrays the Egyptian concept of the 'Tree of Life." Was this Egyptian meme transferred into Israelite culture? Two dollars say it was!

  But even if you want to argue that Moses wouldn't do that, lets's go to another nearby culture that also held Israel in subjection for a time.

  Here's another image.

  
  

  This is an Assyrian 'Tree of life,' and look whose guarding it? Heard that before? Yup, If you want to think about this, read Genesis 3:22 and wonder how the scribe heard this meme.

  Again, we have a powerful empire, Assyria and later Babylon, ruling over the Israelites and their memes being transferred into the subject state of Israel.
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  10

  When Israel was living under a Theocracy ,was it a Paradise ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the bible books that speak of a time when the israelite`s were enjoying jehovah`s blessings , isnt it true they were still dying from old age ,sickness , and death ?

  didn`t they have a leper colony in their midst ?....yes.

  didn`t they still have the poor among them ?

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  fulltimestudent

  eyeuse2badub : "Yea but-----the men got to have multiple wives! Isn't that Paradise?"

  You mean - all together at once? Often wondered about that!
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  41

  "This system will probably be over in about 5 years"

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't think i shared this story yet, it's strange and although i did a little detective work trying to figure out who said what and when i never found out much, big surprise, jehovah's witnesses love their secrets as we all know... but i thought other posters might find this interesting both in and of itself, because of what an elder told me one sunday back in 2011, and because of what it could imply as to high-ranking jehovah's witnesses prophesying the date of armageddon.

  specific dates went out the window in 1975, although governing body helper ken flodin hinted at 2040 in a talk uploaded to jw.org a couple years back, and the governing body hinted at 2034 in a watchtower back in the 90s.

  but it might be, just might, that more specific date-setting still goes on behind closed doors in certain circuits.... so after i went to "meetings" and talked to witnesses for a couple years at a rural congregation in the eastern united states an elder pulled me aside one service into the vestibule at the hall, in other words, into a private area where no one would overhear us.

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  fulltimestudent

  A funny co-incidence here .... in the long, long ago (about 1952) when I was young and everything in the world seemed young and fresh (not old and faded as they seem now-grin). I asked the father of the young man who studied with me, " How long before Armageddon and the New World?" (NW was the JW jargon at the time). Norm (his name) answered, "Well we don't know the day or hour, but it seems to me that the Old World (more jargon) cant last more than another five years."

  Well, of course it did! And, it didn't seem too long before I went to old Norm's funeral - just another human who did not see the fulfillment of the promise (Hebrews 11:39). Now his son (my teacher) is in his 80's and cant last much longer.

  But reading this thread, I suddenly thought, where did old Norm get his idea of 5 years from? Cannot confirm any source with certainty, but I do know that Ted Jaracz (then the Branch Servant - more jargon - at the nearby Strathfield Betherl) was a frequent visitor at their home. Was Ted J. the source of the five years concept? Guess I'll never know, but it's possible.. Doesn't matter anyway, its all bullshii !!!!!
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  16

  Artificial Intelligence and 2019

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was intrigued by a forecast made by damo academy, the in-house technology and science research arm of china's, huge e-commerce business,, alibaba.. they seem to be predicting the following technology trends for 2019 and that artificial intelligence would continue to be the ho area of progress.. so what do any techies hanging out here think?

  safe predictions?

  wild guesses?

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  fulltimestudent

  AI is also becoming pervasive even in such unlikely fields of study as History.

  I first saw this news story on Histroy News Network, but since it was re-posted from Forbes magazine, I will use that link:

  https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/01/10/using-big-data-and-ai-to-understand-the-patterns-of-our-history-and-tell-us-about-our-future/#27af02ee6142

  As the author notes: Quote - "In short, we have both the data and the computational tools today to visualize and understand human history in ways we could never before imagine."

  The article is worth is worth reading for that thought alone.

  Maybe. someday, an enterprising young historian may attempt a similar analysis on the history of Judaism and Christianity'
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  16

  Artificial Intelligence and 2019

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was intrigued by a forecast made by damo academy, the in-house technology and science research arm of china's, huge e-commerce business,, alibaba.. they seem to be predicting the following technology trends for 2019 and that artificial intelligence would continue to be the ho area of progress.. so what do any techies hanging out here think?

  safe predictions?

  wild guesses?

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  fulltimestudent

  Here's a video on this topic that's a bit upbeat (depending on your viewpoint).

  It'a titled, "Robots and AI: The Future is Automated and every Job is at Risk."

  
  

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnBAdnNIIXk

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  There's a part 2 also, titled, "A Tale of Two Cities: How Smart Robots and AI Will Transform America."

  The blurb states. "Automation is already reshaping cities, just as the manufacturing collapse hollowed out America's heartland. This is a tale of two cities, comparing the Rust Belt to Las Vegas, the city that is expected to be hit the hardest by job displacement due to robotics, artificial intelligence, 3D printing and other technologies in this fourth industrial revolution.

  AJ+'s documentary series on automation explores how advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning and automated vehicles will affect jobs, cities and inequality. From trucking to radiology, new technology is already changing white collar and blue collar occupations, reshaping cities and concentrating wealth in the hands of the few. Robots are taking over the world as companies like Tesla, Amazon, Uber and Google are using robots to automate."

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS2J71U5MGg
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  16

  Artificial Intelligence and 2019

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was intrigued by a forecast made by damo academy, the in-house technology and science research arm of china's, huge e-commerce business,, alibaba.. they seem to be predicting the following technology trends for 2019 and that artificial intelligence would continue to be the ho area of progress.. so what do any techies hanging out here think?

  safe predictions?

  wild guesses?

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  fulltimestudent

  On a positive note, (dated 4th Jan. 2019) the same web-site reported that, AI detected Alzheimer's disease in brain scans 6 years before a diagnosis..

  Read this coverage at: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/artificial-intelligence-can-detect-alzheimer-s-disease-brain-scans-6-years-diagnosis