< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 738 OF 738 ·
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Jan-30-19
 | | Golden Executive: Thanks to the crew, <chessmoron>, <ocf> and <WinKing>, for another exciting contest and congratulations to all the medal winners, especially to <Penguincw> on his amazing triple-crown! Just 13 bonus points away from hitting another quadruple-crown See you folks next time! |
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Feb-10-19
 | | Fusilli: Dear <OCF> and other men and women of faith that visit your page: My oldest step-son, Tristan (16), was diagnosed brain cancer back in October. Since then, it's been an ordeal, involving so far two brain surgeries and one more to come soon. At this point, he has finished his 30-odd radiation sessions, has daily fevers, a weakened immune system, chemo lies ahead, and this year will be, well, tough. Really tough. When I pray, my go-to is Matthew 8:5-13. It moves me to tears. We know that God's plans are impossible to understand for us humans, but we know he listens. I pray so that he knows I am asking. I pray for strength for all of us. I just wanted to reach out and ask you if you could please include Tristan in your prayers now and then. Thank you. |
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Feb-10-19
 | | OhioChessFan: Certainly will <Fusilli>. |
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Feb-10-19
 | | Count Wedgemore: I too will include Tristan in my prayers, <Fusilli>. |
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Feb-11-19
 | | WinKing: Tristan is in my prayers <Fusilli>. |
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Feb-11-19
 | | juan31: Señor Fusilli, cuente con mis oraciones |
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Feb-14-19
 | | Fusilli: <OCF>, <Count W>, <WinKing>, <Juan>, thank you all. I really appreciate it. |
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Feb-16-19
 | | mckmac: <OCF> I posted this little story in the Cafe last night, where it seems to have sunk without a trace. No suprises there. Perhaps people thought I was making it up. But it really happened! And it was the darndest thing. <Funny thing happened to me the other night. I was out for a most pleasant walk, and was listening to the classical music station on my smartphone. Every now and then I would hear a beep, but thought nothing of it.
When I got home I pulled the phone out of my pocket and was surprised to see the screen showing a game on Lichess. I know all about 'pocket dialing', I've done it a few times, but pocket chessplaying? Because that's what I'd done.Somehow (I firstly must have left the screen on) my phone had loaded the chess site, sought out a rapid game, and blimmin played that game, all while I was blithely strolling along! (Phone was in my jeans' front pocket, fairly snug fit) White:NN
Black:Pocket Man
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 b5 3.Qxb5 Nb8 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.Ng5 Nb8 6.Nxf7 Nc6 7.Nxd8 d6! 8.Qf3 Nb8 9.Qf7+ Black timeout My poor opponent must have thought we'd entered the twilight zone. But he must have been into it. I mean he gave me an extra 15 seconds SEVEN times.> |
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Feb-16-19
 | | Fusilli: <mckmac> That's hilarious! These last couple of days, something very annoying is happening with my smartphone. Almost every time I text my wife, my phone also calls her. I couldn't figure out why this is happening yet, but I am trying the old "turn it off and on again" formula. We'll see if that works... |
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Feb-16-19
 | | mckmac: <Fusilli> Mucho gusto señor! Rebooting is my method for trying to fix phone problems too, but what you describe is indeed very strange. You might try to close the messaging app, then turn it back on, but other than that I just don't know. I wish you luck with it! |
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Feb-16-19
 | | Count Wedgemore: <mckmac> I think 7...d6 was an interesting (although desperate) attempt by the Pocket Man to free his king :) |
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Feb-16-19
 | | mckmac: <Count Wedgemore> Do you think so? I thought he was looking to develop his light-squared bishop.🤔;-) |
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Feb-16-19
 | | mckmac: Thank you <OhioChessFan> for putting up with me 'sitting on your front porch' for a minute. Must get myself one of these forum thingees again. :) |
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Feb-16-19
 | | offramp: The American phrase "sitting on the back porch" appears in the David Bowie version of Jonathan Richman's song <Andy Warhol>. |
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Feb-16-19
 | | offramp: The song Richman wrote was <Pablo Picasso>, not Andy Warhol; a different artist! |
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Feb-17-19
 | | OhioChessFan: <mckmac> I read the original on the Kibitzer's Café and got a big laugh out of that. |
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Feb-17-19
 | | OhioChessFan: <Fusilli> I prayed for Tristan at church today. Concidentally, before that, the speaker got around to the point of why people pray but also appeal to doctors. |
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Feb-17-19
 | | Fusilli: Thank you <OCF>, and interesting. Any particular insight from the speaker? |
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Feb-18-19
 | | Fusilli: Do you think the decline in religiosity is a consequence of our extended lifespans? When people lived on average 27-28 years (most of human history, up until the industrial revolution, when lifespans began to slowly increase), mortality was more of an everyday event. It must have been in their minds a lot more often than now. And therefore, the thought of meeting their maker anytime must have been common. This thought would have encouraged spiritual awareness, I speculate. Today we feel immortal, as exemplified by the common saying "life is too short..." (followed by whatever the point is.) To me that's absurd. Human life is way too long, extending way beyond "necessary" (i.e. beyond the end of our reproductive years. Few species can claim that.) (Demographic note: during most of human history, at least a quarter of newborns didn't make it to their first birthday. An average lifespan of 27 takes that into account. If you made it to age 5, you were more likely than not to reach 40.) |
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Feb-18-19
 | | OhioChessFan: <Thank you <OCF>, and interesting. Any particular insight from the speaker?> I texted the guy who spoke and asked him to give me a quick review of what he said. It really was an eye opener for me and I want to do it justice. If I don't hear back, I'll do my best to recreate the point. <Do you think the decline in religiosity is a consequence of our extended lifespans?> I think that is a contributing factor. I can't prove this, but I strongly believe a large number of people who grow up in religious households sincrely think they'll spend their growing up years sowing their wild oats, and then come back to the approrpriate Godly lifestyle they've been taught. In my college years, I often heard people say, "College is all about sowing your wild oats, or having a good time before you get out in the rat race, or your last time to have some fun and freedom, etc." The sad fact is, when you decide to become a prodigal, you often don't come back. <When people lived on average 27-28 years (most of human history, up until the industrial revolution, when lifespans began to slowly increase), mortality was more of an everyday event. It must have been in their minds a lot more often than now.> I agree there, and think my previous comment enters into it also. I had a friend who was in the church in his college years and struggling with it. He admittedly wanted to live the wild lifestyle you might associate with college and think inappropriate for a Christian. He got a job one summer as a grave digger. He told me what an impact it had on him to realize that one day it'd be someone else digging his own grave. <And therefore, the thought of meeting their maker anytime must have been common. This thought would have encouraged spiritual awareness, I speculate.> I think part of it is they simply didn't have the income and accompanying toys to distract them from the bigger picture/philosophical side of life. I continue to be stunned at the thought many people live their entire life with no underlying philosophical viewpoint other than accumulating as many toys as possible. I kind of get Thoreau in a big way. <Today we feel immortal, as exemplified by the common saying "life is too short..." (followed by whatever the point is.)> Agreed, and that is encouraged by medical life lengthening developments. I think a very large proportion of people really do think "I'll have to get back to God/Church/Christianity some day"..........and just never get around to it. <To me that's absurd. Human life is way too long, extending way beyond "necessary" (i.e. beyond the end of our reproductive years. Few species can claim that.) > The Bible seems to suggest 80 years, which doesn't seem all that long to me! But in sheer animal species consuming earth's resources terms, yes, we live too long. |
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Feb-18-19
 | | OhioChessFan: <Do you think the decline in religiosity is a consequence of our extended lifespans?> I will note that I was addressing that in American terms, as I assumed you were. As an interesting counterpoint, Russia strongly encourages religious expression, as they <know> from sad experience what happens when you remove it from the populace. |
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Feb-18-19
 | | Fusilli: <OCF> <...texted the guy...> Thank you. I'll look forward for the input. About "sowing one's wild oats" (I didn't know the expression!)... Now that I have had plenty of exposure to Judaism (my wife is Jewish, I was raised Catholic), I have to say that I quite admire (and feel comfortable with, though I am not converting) Judaism's emphasis on how we are supposed to live (all those rules included!) with no concern whatsoever for the afterlife. My understanding is that the idea of hell and heaven was introduced by Jesus. Concern with the afterlife can lead to calculations such as the sowing your wild oats thing. The Christian salvation may feel like a cost-benefit analysis and, because we live long lives now, there is always time to catch up (or so it seems). I also believe that the emphasis on how we are supposed to live rather than how to "invest" (in salvation credits) leads to stronger communities. Tighter-knit, stronger communities (religious or not) tend to have more (and more stringent) rules, explicit or not. (This explains unfortunate outcomes too, like the appeal of cults.) Perhaps the widespread attrition from Christianity during people's young years is because Christian teaching unwisely emphasizes the afterlife story, encouraging an individualistic approach ("what do I have to do to save myself?") For most of human history, this may have made sense (again, because death was much more menacing, real and present), so that individual interest would lead to an orderly, civil society. But teaching people to be good "or else..." is a weak approach to morality, IMHO. P.S. I am not particularly religious, but I am fascinated by religion. When people ask me if I believe in God, I answer "I don't know if God exists, but I talk to him." |
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Feb-23-19
 | | thegoodanarchist: <OhioChessFan: "You Rang?"> Congrats on another GOTD pun! |
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Feb-23-19
 | | OhioChessFan: Sorry so late <Fusilli> he finally got back to me. Rather detailed answer, too. I'll try to narrow it down a touch. He referenced Isa. 53:4-5 <Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.> Matthew interprets that verse as meaning physical healing. <When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases."> Peter interpreted it as spiritual healing:
<“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”> I'll let you ponder that a little and finish up the thought. |
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Feb-23-19
 | | OhioChessFan: <Fusi: Now that I have had plenty of exposure to Judaism (my wife is Jewish, I was raised Catholic), I have to say that I quite admire (and feel comfortable with, though I am not converting) Judaism's emphasis on how we are supposed to live (all those rules included!) with no concern whatsoever for the afterlife. > I read an interesting article on that, written by an unbeliever, but with respect shown to both sides. He got to much the same point as you do, that is, doing good for the sake of doing good and not in anticipation of a reward seems a bit more admirable or truly indicative of love, or something similar. <My understanding is that the idea of hell and heaven was introduced by Jesus.> No, but he focused on them to a far larger degree than the Old Testament writers did. Even among the major Jewish groups of Jesus' day, there was much disagreement on the matter. I just finished a book on the historical period between the Old and New Testaments, and it was fascinating to see the various belief systems. < Concern with the afterlife can lead to calculations such as the sowing your wild oats thing.> Yep, yep.
<The Christian salvation may feel like a cost-benefit analysis and, because we live long lives now, there is always time to catch up (or so it seems).> Yep, yep.
<I also believe that the emphasis on how we are supposed to live rather than how to "invest" (in salvation credits) leads to stronger communities. > Ummmmm. Yep, maybe, maybe not. I get your point though. < Tighter-knit, stronger communities (religious or not) tend to have more (and more stringent) rules, explicit or not. (This explains unfortunate outcomes too, like the appeal of cults.)> Mostly agreed.
<Perhaps the widespread attrition from Christianity during people's young years is because Christian teaching unwisely emphasizes the afterlife story, encouraging an individualistic approach ("what do I have to do to save myself?")> I would hesitate to call what God has ordained something done "unwisely". As one direct example,
Romans 2:7 says <To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.> <For most of human history, this may have made sense (again, because death was much more menacing, real and present), so that individual interest would lead to an orderly, civil society. But teaching people to be good "or else..." is a weak approach to morality, IMHO.> I'll stick with what God has revealed on that one. <P.S. I am not particularly religious, but I am fascinated by religion. When people ask me if I believe in God, I answer "I don't know if God exists, but I talk to him."> I'm fascinated by, and seek truth, wherever that may lead me. |
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