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READ FIRST
Posted in Crime and Punishment, Discordian and Ek-sen-trik, Education and Learning, Family and Friends, Love and Sex, Media and News, Politics and War, Religion and Philosophy, Science and Technology
Tagged notice
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Science and COVID-19
COVID-19
I saw a Facebook post about how a certain doctor said that several people being treated for COVID-19 had been vaccinated. Another doctor questioned the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccinations. The poster presented this as evidence that groups such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were wrong.
I’ve seen a lot of that type of thinking. If every single person in a particular scientific field doesn’t agree with every single other person in that field on everything, then you can’t trust the vast majority. You should go by the few voices, or even lone voice, who disagree.
Below is my response.
This is how science works.
When AIDS was headline news, one researcher reported that they believed that AIDS/HIV, contrary to the standard scientific belief, was spread by casual contact. At the same time, another researcher reported that they believed AIDS/HIV was not communicable.
That’s science. Science is never absolute–if a belief becomes absolute, it’s no longer science, it’s religion. There should always be someone knowledgeable challenging the established thought–that’s how progress is made.
But when it comes to people’s lives, people in the medical field in various parts of the world are trained to follow the best and most supported medical information. They are trained to save lives. Thus even though someone purports to have evidence that drinking gasoline is good for you, doctors and nurses don’t tell their patients to drink gasoline. And even though it’s possible that a bullet shot through the cranium can help remove a cancerous tumor, they don’t start shooting patients in the head.
The overwhelming evidence is that vaccines save lives.
On a related note, after posting the above I created and added Alden’s Obscure Facts no.362 below.
Covid-19 face made by A.L.; feel free to use it if you want to.
Alden’s Obscure Facts no. 362 is under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
An opinion of an individual member of The Loveshade Family does not necessarily reflect the views of the whole family.
Posted in Crime and Punishment, Education and Learning, Family and Friends, Health and Medical, Media and News, Politics and War, Religion and Philosophy, Science and Technology
Tagged centers for disease control and prevention, covid-19, doctors, facebook, nurses, vaccine, world health organization
8 Comments
Creepy Joe Biden, God’s Man Donald Trump
Joe Biden with books, Donald Trump with the Bible. Public domain images.
FIVE POINTS that PROVE
JOE BIDEN is CREEPY
DONALD TRUMP is GOD’S MAN
1) Joe Biden was accused of sexual assault by a woman who was later verified to have been lying under oath. CREEPY!
Donald Trump was accused of paying off more than one woman, including a prostitute, to keep quiet about him having sex with them. He also bragged about kissing women without permission, and about grabbing women by the genitals. GOD’S MAN!
2) Joe Biden in the 1980s made a few exaggerated claims about his early life; he later admitted his past mistakes. CREEPY!
Donald Trump made almost 500 false or misleading statements in the first 100 days of his presidency alone. He didn’t admit lying or being deceptive on any of them. GOD’S MAN!
3) Joe Biden made a comment that an underage girl sat like a “little lady.” CREEPY!
Donald Trump was reported by several women and girls to have barged in unannounced while Miss Teen USA beauty pageant contestants, some underage, were undressing. Witnesses said he did not apologize, and his daughter Ivanka Trump said, “Yeah, he does that.” GOD’S MAN!
4) Joe Biden whispered when answering some questions in a news conference. CREEPY!
Donald Trump has often spoken incoherently in news conferences. GOD’S MAN!
5) Joe Biden often attends Mass. He said while he had doubts of faith when his first wife and daughter were killed, his Christian beliefs are very important to him. CREEPY!
Donald Trump said he doesn’t remember ever asking God for forgiveness for anything, even though that’s a fundamental tenant and even requirement of the Christian faith. But he’s been photographed several times holding a Bible. GOD’S MAN!
An opinion of an individual member of The Loveshade Family does not necessarily reflect the views of the whole family.
Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Indians
Chief Oghema Niagara Thunderwater (Cleveland Thunder was proposed as the new name for the Cleveland Indians by his great-great-great grandson.)
Which of these American sports teams is your favorite?
1) Cleveland Indians
2) Los Angeles Mexicans
3) Houston Negroes
4) New York White People
Only one of these names is real, but it’s not going to be real much longer. The Cleveland Indians is becoming the Cleveland Guardians after the end of the 2021 season.
The Washington Redskins has already changed its name to the Washington Football Team, so it’s about time for this. It’s long seemed weird (and insulting) to me to name a sports team after a racial/ethnic group. Hopefully the Minnesota Vikings will change their name next (yes, Virginia, Vikings are real).
Once we’re rid of racial/ethnic group team names, maybe we can then move on to other misleading ones. Do the Dallas Cowboys run to the field to herd cows? Do the Houston Astros play in the International Space Station? Do the Texas Rangers still arrest people and fondly miss their former member The Lone Ranger?
And how could the Baltimore Ravens down the New York Jets–by getting caught in their propeller? No, I don’t think jets have propellers. And where could the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins play each other–air, land, or sea? And when the Boston Red Sox go for a spin with the Chicago White Sox, why don’t they both become the Pink Sox?
OK, so logical team names ain’t likely. I’ll stick with being happy getting rid of the racist ones.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cleveland-indians-guardians-name-change/
An opinion of an individual member of The Loveshade Family does not necessarily reflect the views of the whole family.
GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves–Interview
As the cover for GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves has yet to be decided, this is the cover of Steve Jackson Games Third Edition GURPS Fantasy Folk. Copyright by Steve Jackson Games.
I and one of my characters from GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves are being interviewed!
We’re among several being interviewed by Titania, Queen of Fairies. It was a fun experience (I did it last year too). While the book is primarily written for Steve Jackson Games’ GURPS roleplaying system, much of the elf material can fit virtually anything elven. It touches on elvish things from over 1,000 years ago to the future (literally, as the not-yet-published book contains material never seen before!)
Comments on this particular post are turned off here, so please comment there!
No Pledge of Allegiance
I do not recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
It is not that I don’t respect the American flag. I do.
I was trained to respect it both as a young child and in Boy Scouts. I display it on Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, Independence Day, Flag Day, and other days. I’m careful to not let it touch the ground. I try to put it up quicker than I take it down. I don’t fly it at night unless there’s a light shining on it.
I wouldn’t fly it upside down (unless there was an emergency, for then that’s proper). I don’t wear it as clothing, don’t spit on it, and don’t carry things in it. I store it where it can stay dry and safe and not get torn.
I have never burned an American flag. I would not do so unless it was no longer in a condition to be displayed with honor, and then I would either give it for proper disposal by burning by a group like the American Legion or the VFW, or burn it properly in a private ceremony.
But I will no longer recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
While it existed in some form earlier, the Pledge was not officially adopted by Congress until after America got involved in World War II. The phrase “under God” wasn’t added until 1954.
Currently, it reads: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,”
The “under God” portion to me violates the principle of Freedom of Religion/Separation of Church and State. So does the motto “In God We Trust” which wasn’t made official until 1956 when it replaced E pluribus unum which had been the de facto motto since 1776. Those phrases gained favor in the 1950s with its “America is God’s country” and thus “America is the greatest nation on Earth (i.e. we’re better than you)” philosophy. America then meaning, of course, non-Hispanic White America.
But beyond that, I will not pledge allegiance to an object. To me, that speaks of idolatry. Allegiance to a group, a cause, a philosophy, a nation; those I can understand. But not allegiance to a rectangular piece of colored cloth. If I had a choice between saving an American flag or saving a human being, I would not chose the flag. I would choose the person.
An opinion of an individual member of The Loveshade Family does not necessarily reflect the views of the whole family.
Queen Titania’s Court
(Guest post by Deby Fredericks of http://www.wyrmflight.wordpress.com These interviews of authors and one of their characters are scheduled to appear there in June 2021.)
You heard your name in the singing of the birds, and when you looked up, a robin flitted to you with a single, silver page.
You saw your name in the ripples on the river, and when you looked down, a brilliant green frog hopped up to present you a small lily pad laced with glittering golden letters.
You felt the wind tug you at your hand, and when you looked forward, a sidewinder drew your name upon the shining sands.
You scented aether, and when you looked behind, a darting bat delivered a message of cobwebs sketched upon velvety moss.
The swirling wings of butterflies, the whisper of leaves at dusk. In such ways does Titania, Queen of all Fairies, reach out to her favored kinfolk. Join us, on Midsummer Night, when every elf and sprite, fantastic beast and worker of wonders, is welcomed to Queen Titania’s Court!
Scheduled Books
June 5th, Lunar Boogie (C. S. Boyack)
June 7th, Fractured Fairy Tales (Alma Alexander)
June 9th, Investigation in Nottingham (Astrid Brandon)
June 12th, Owl Dance (David Lee Summers)
June 14th, A Gap in the Veil (Sam Schenk)
June 16th, War of Nytefall: Savagery (Charles E. Yallowitz)
June 19th, Winterlight (Sanan Kolva)
June 21st, Clan Elves of the Bitterroot (Barbara Mountjoy)
June 23rd, GURPS Fantasy Folk: Elves (Alden Loveshade)
June 25th, Chaos Wolf (Sheryl Hayes)
June 27th, Peavley Manor (Robert Dahlen)
June 29th, Overdues and Occultism (Jamie Sands)
June 30th, The Grand Finale (Deby Fredericks)
Painting is Sir Joseph Noel Paton’s “The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania.”
Posted in Family and Friends, Games and Conventions, Gaming, Media and News
Tagged alden loveshade, Alma Alexander, Astrid Brandon, Barbara Mountjoy, C. S. Boyack, Charles E. Yallowitz, david lee summers, deby fredericks, Jamie Sands, queen titania's court, Robert Dahlen, Sam Schenk, Sanan Kolva, Sheryl Hayes
14 Comments
The Gathering at the Grove 2021
Yes, this year the Gathering at the Grove is on! Last year’s gathering, which was to be called “The Slack Gathering,” was cancelled. This was due to a certain contagious disease that rhymes with “OVID mine-mean.” We were concerned that this year’s event would be cancelled as well–but fortunately “vaccine” beats “mine-mean.”
This year’s event is Slack Grove, and is planned for 18 – 20 June 2021. That includes both the Northern Hemisphere Summer Solstice and the American Father’s Day.
Due to COVID-19 and the availability of vaccines, all adult participants must be vaccinated for COVID-19 and show proof of vaccination before the event; please try to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The same applies to all child participants in categories that are at risk for a severe COVID-19 reaction according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/…/daily…/children/symptoms.html…). We will follow the current CDC guidelines.
Fortunately, the even is held outdoors, which makes safety easier.
Calling All Authors
This originally appeared on Deby Fredericks blog at https://wyrmflight.wordpress.com/2021/04/21/calling-all-authors/ This is reprinted with permission of the author. Image is Bottom and Titania, 1919 – Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale
Submissions are now open for my summer book event, Queen Titania’s Court!
Coming up in June, this humble blog will host Queen Titania’s Court, a celebration of fantasy books. Titania, Queen of all Faeries, summons magical people and beasts from every corner of the fantastic world to join her for a grand ball on Midsummer Night.
This invitation is for any and all fantasy writers, especially independent authors. Each day in the month of June, I’ll feature one author’s book. Pick ONE character from ONE of your books to attend the Midsummer Ball.
This is the second year I’m hosting this event. It was really fun to do, and hopefully helped some fellow authors draw attention to their work. There was room for more guests, so here’s where I appeal for your help. If you are a fantasy author, you are welcome to participate. Or if you know some fantasy authors, I hope you’ll suggest it to them.
***IMPORTANT! You have to e-mail me in order to take part. You can’t just comment on a blog post! ***
Check out this page if you want all the details. My e-mail is there, too. To see some of last year’s gala, start here.
Posted in Family and Friends, Media and News
Tagged deby fredericks, fantasy authors, interview, queen titania's court, writers
13 Comments
Greg Abbott: Don’t Wait for Help
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ended the mask mandate in Texas effective today, 10 March 2021. All businesses can open 100%.
That’s in spite of the fact health professionals say the risk is not over, and that it might be two or three months before COVID-19 vaccines are widely available.
The Expansive Futures Sci-Fi Bundle
Guest Blog by David Lee Summers
“Since the early days of science fiction, authors have explored the future of humanity and what other life might be out there among the stars. From cybernetics to spaceships to alien contact, future-focused sci-fi lets us explore complex issues while escaping from everyday life. Eighteen diverse visions of Expansive Futures have been gathered in a special collection curated by SFWA members, now available in a limited-time bundle,” says Nebula nominated and USA Today Bestselling author, Amy DuBoff.
Learn more about the Expansive Futures Sci-Fi Bundle at: https://storybundle.com/scifi
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is an organization dedicated to promoting and supporting science fiction and fantasy writer in the United States and Worldwide. I have been a member since 2001 and they have helped me with legal and contract questions as well as providing me some great networking opportunities. The Expansive Futures StoryBundle is a collection of science fiction novels featuring award-winning authors along with fresh new voices. I’m excited that my novel The Solar Sea was chosen to be part of this collection which is sure to please fans of futuristic sci-fi and space opera. The Solar Sea imagines humanity’s first voyage through the solar system aboard a solar sail space vessel.
In addition to my novel, this bundle includes the Nebula Award finalist novel Eternity’s End by Jeffrey A. Carver; When You Had Power, the first novel in a new hopepunk series by bestselling author Susan Kaye Quinn; and Starship Hope: Exodus by rising star author T.S. Valmond, among many others. The Expansive Futures bundle will run for three weeks only, so grab this fantastic deal while you can and discover great new writers!
For StoryBundle, you decide what price you want to pay. For $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous), you’ll get the basic bundle of five books in any ebook format—WORLDWIDE.
- Ganymede by Jason Taylor
- The Stark Divide by J. Scott Coatsworth
- Raptor by John G. Hartness
- The Chiral Conspiracy by L.L. Richman
- Exodus by T.S. Valmond
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all four of the regular books, plus THIRTEEN more! That’s 18 books total!
- The Cost of Survival by J.L. Stowers
- Two Suns at Sunset by Gene Doucette
- Claiming T-Mo by Eugen Bacon
- The Solar Sea by David Lee Summers
- Eternity’s End by Jeffrey A. Carver
- A Fall in Autumn by Michael G. Williams
- Knight Errant by Paul Barrett and Steve Murphy
- Warrior Wench by Marie Andreas
- Annihilation Aria by Michael R. Underwood
- Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet by Philip Harris
- Iron Truth by S.A. Tholin
- When You Had Power by Susan Kaye Quinn
- The Hammer Falls by Travis Heermann
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub, .mobi) for all books!
It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to their gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.
- Get quality reads: They’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.
- Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.
- Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM.
- Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America!
- Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you’ll get the bonus books!
StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, Founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.
David Lee Summers Web Journal at https://davidleesummers.wordpress.com
An opinion of a guest poster to The Loveshade Family Blog does not necessarily reflect the views of the whole family.
