Parsad

Deductions are an incentive. You want incentives to be in line with long-term goals of a nation and its citizens. Donations to institutions aren't solely for education, but R&D grants, which help keep the U.S. at the forefront of tech, development, medicine, etc. A lot of countries may have subsidized education, but they aren't propelling the world forward. It's the "teach a man to fish" parable...governments generally just give the fish to a group...targeted donations by high net worth/businesses tend to teach a group to fish. Cheers!

Great episode of Bill Maher today that covers exactly what all of us were talking about...frankly, I agreed with Piers Morgan and Bill Maher. Really, the world is looking for a centrist politician that makes rational decisions. I think all of us can get behind that type of politician. But can we find one?! Cheers!

A lot of people are saying that now. Everyone I know has told me to go to Spain first instead of the UK. Especially more remote towns and beaches. Cheers!

Sorry is this Vish Ram or Aaron Rodgers?! Cheers!

I would like to spend a month at a time in Europe over the next 10 years. I'm planning a trip to see England, Scotland and Ireland in September...my first trip to Europe! Cheers!

Very eclectic set of destinations...like a bucket list of places to hit. Have a great time! Cheers!

I would not want them making that decision unless they were at least 16 and understood all of the ramifications clearly. Cheers!

+1! Yeah, I think this is the first time I've agreed with Castanza. When it comes to God, Rk is all "I'm in!" Cheers!

Did you just mention guns! Fuck, here we go again! Cheers!

Are you sure about that...we're talkin' New York! I think we're coming to the end Spek...there seems to be some common ground appearing here...who woulda thunk it! Cheers!

Agree with this, but at the same time, the hardcore activists probably do take it too far. No different than political activists, abortion/pro-life activists, you name it. There are extremists on both sides of every argument. Cheers!

Just to be clear..."sex" and "gender" are not fluid...I agree. "Sexuality" is fluid. "Transgenderism" does exist...whether by nature or mental health issues...but it certainly exists. Cheers!

Except that Kid seemed to enjoy a Bud Light next to a drag queen in the past. Maybe he's posturing about his extreme conservatism now because he has a huge base. Cheers!

+1! Cheers!

Doctors, scientists and even the Catholic Church and Christianity have done horrendous things for centuries to try and understand the human body and progress medicine...that's a non-starter. The question is if there is validity to a link between transgenderism and mental health. Without a doubt there is. That being said, I think psychology is probably the area of medicine that has probably progressed the least in understanding the human brain, body and how it functions. Endocrinology has massive effects on mental health that we don't understand very well and is light years behind other areas of medicine. Experiences also have a massive effect on mental health and that differs from patient to patient. Thus why I agree to protect children/minors from life-changing decisions...but conservatives are going nuts with regulation...some 450 trans/gender/LGTBQ related legislation/bills attempted to pass through different levels of government in the U.S. over the last couple of years...278 in 2022 alone! That's just fucked up and targeting a wide swath of a very tiny group with only part of that aimed at protecting children. Let's really just say what it is...restricting LGTBQ rights. We know that...liberals know that...conservatives know that...let's not pretend it's something else. The ex-President goes around with porn stars and Jeffrey Epstein grabbing women's vaginas, and I don't hear one single MAGA supporter saying that's fucked up...but they all want RuPaul to stay away from their kids! Cheers!

Most of you know how I rip the right for many of their stupid policies and moves, but here's one that the left is equally culpable of. What a stupid article! I'm sure the left would prefer if the rich just passed the money on to their irresponsible children and nepo-babies! Cheers! https://finance.yahoo.com/news/column-300-million-donation-harvard-120002899.html

Max, I'm incredibly jealous! Looks like an amazing 2 weeks. Cheers!

+1! Cheers!

What percentage of people that your children interact with are pedophiles? A pedophile is a pedophile...straight, gay, transgender or otherwise. It's irrelevant. I'm guessing a lot of your church-going friends or colleagues at work may have particular predilections sexually...doesn't mean they would or would not hurt your children. Make sure your kids are dealing with adults you trust, and that you are there...simple. But selecting a specific demographic and targeting it for no reason through legislation, the courts, etc...that's bullshit. Cheers!

I can't find your comment...which riots are you talking about? Cheers!

I said 14 states have banned abortions, not gender reassignment surgery. By the way, I'm against gender reassignment surgery for anyone under 16...so if that was across the U.S., I'm ok with that. But banning abortions for women or even Mefipristone on the false pretense it is dangerous for women (less dangerous than Tylenol)...c'mon! Cheers!

You think 20% of GenZ is gay?! The number is skewed because GenZ made up a smaller proportion of the adults over 18 that were surveyed. You also have more young people who aren't afraid to identify themselves as gay, whereas in the past the stigma and fear kept them from identifying. The real number is around 1 in 10 people and transgender make up less than 0.5% of the population. Conservatives think every drag queen in America is coming for their children and their guns...RuPaul on a rampage..."bitch watch out, I'm comin' for your guns and kids!" Cheers! https://news.gallup.com/poll/389792/lgbt-identification-ticks-up.aspx

They aren't just trying to stop access at the school level...but in adulthood by some of the policies they are putting out there. Just like abortion...they've essentially stopped women (adult women) from having them in 14 states. I completely understand protecting children, and I fully agree with that, but we all know conservatives aren't just pushing that agenda. They are trying to stop any sort of recognition of homosexuals at a level on par with every other heterosexual. Cheers!

I can't speak to specific shows, but drag/homosexuality has been around as long as human beings. Hijras have around in India for 2000 years plus. I'm sure this has existed in most cultures for millennia. Are there those that push an agenda that might not be prudent for society...for sure! That is done by both sides. And while certain things may seem worse, for the most part, the world is becoming a better place to live for all...including those that are disenfranchised, suffering from centuries of economic disparity and lack of poor healthcare. The world just got through a global pandemic relatively intact! Not sure that would have been as successful 100 years ago. What intrigues me is why drag or transgenderism is such a hot topic among conservatives. They account for less than half of 1% of the population, yet conservatives feel that their spouse, kids and pets will all be converted in some way! If the Mormons and Jehovah's Witness haven't had such success, why would transgenders? Thirty years ago, I would have been like most young people and been uncomfortable around homosexuality, drag queens or transgendered people. A real twat! I'm glad that thirty years later that discomfort and unintentional bigotry is gone. Mainly due to one of my brother's close friends coming out as gay after high school, and I watched my brother go to gay bars to support his friend as a wing man, who for years went to straight bars to support my brother as his wing man...how enlightened my brother is! Another family friend had struggled for years with his gender and it showed up in mental issues because of the ambiguity...a destroyed and sad life because it was not diagnosed until his 40's. I'm glad I'm no longer an ignorant twat! All I can say is Castanza...don't be an ignorant twat! History will not be on your side. Cheers!

Actually, homicide rates by gun violence in Canada is about 0.6...2.0 includes suicides as well. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/canada-gun-facts-crime-accidental-shootings-suicides-1.4803378 In New Hampshire, homicide rates by gun violence is about 1.1 excluding suicides. https://everystat.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Gun-Violence-in-New-Hampshire-1.pdf Anyway you slice it, looser gun regulations means more deaths by gun homicide. Cheers!