^{August 22, 2025 - Topic 122}

^{Parapsychology and Psychics - What's Real}

Book you may want to explore:

• The Afterlife Experiments by Gary Schwartz (2003)

YouTube Videos:

• The Afterlife Experiments HBO Special (4 minutes)
• Dr Gary Schwartz on his book The Sacred Promise (3 minutes)
• Is Consciousness More Than the Brain (14 minutes)

^{August 8, 2025 - Topic 108}

^{Non-Agression Principle}

The Non-Aggression Principle is a synthesis of two ethical statements:

(1) It is illegitimate for a human being to use aggressive violence against the person and property of another human being, and

(2) It is legitimate for a human being to use defensive violence to protect a person and property.  

Do you agree?  If so, shouldn't governments be held to this principle?

^{July 25, 2025 - Topic 105}

^{Communicating Clearly}

Why do some people struggle to communicate clearly and effectively since the advent of cell phones, text messaging, and the internet? How and why does the intent of what we want to say get misunderstood? Why does spoken communication seem more effective? 

I'd also like to include ways we are taught to be polite and refrain from saying negative things. I think this has gone too far. People go out of their way to avoid confrontation or the truth. It drives me nuts. If there's a valid issue and it's important, we need to be able to discuss it. 

^{July 11, 2025 - Topic 104}

^{Getting What We Want} 

How do we determine what we want to happen, and how do we go about it?  An example would be problems and how we solve them.  Do we work through issues for profit or love?  Are we being creative or pragmatic?

^{June 13, 2025 - Topic 107}

^{Click here to watch: The Tax Collector}

Gangsters, banksters, and politicians.  Today on the show, how the hunt for Al Capone helped turn the IRS into one of the U.S. government's most powerful tools -- and most effective weapons. 

^{May 23, 2025 - Topic 106}

^{Ironic Freedom - In the Land of the Free}

The irony:  people who came to what was to become America to escape religious persecution.  And then: the Puritan witch hunts/burning/hysteria; American persecution of native Americans, hate campaigns toward minority groups, missionaries ruining native cultures in other countries because they were 'heathens' and had to become Christian.  The same thing was done in the Indian schools in this country in the 1800s.  Democracy is a tricky word.  Depending upon who has the power at any given time....it's still happening. 

^{May 9, 2025 - Topic 121}

^{April 25, 2025 - Topic 120}

^{You know it's important to take care of physical and mental health.  But what about social health? Social scientist Kasley Killam shows how feeling a sense of belonging and connection has concrete benefits for overall health—and explains why it may be the missing key to living a longer and happier life.}  

^{Why social health is key to happiness and longevity}

^{April 11, 2025 - Topic 119}

^{The more we read and watch online, the harder it becomes to tell the difference between what's real and what's fake.  It's as if we know more but understand less, says philosopher Michael Patrick Lynch.  In the talk, he dares us to take active steps to burst our filter bubbles and participate in the common reality that actually underpins everything.}  

^{How to see past your own perspective & find truth.}

^{March 28, 2025 - Topic 117}

^{Climate Change - A couple acronyms}

IPCC  - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Sponsored by United Nations & American Geophysical Union)

CMIP6 - Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (The most recent climate science model recommended by IPCC.)

^{The videos above come from a much longer list of climate-related videos from a YouTube channel created by Space Weather News.}

^{March 14, 2025 - Topic 117}

^{Information in attached documents was generated by artificial intelligence (AI).  The AI bot used is called Grok 3.  This bot is available for subscribers on X.  Multiple questions for each document were consolidated by AI into what became the first paragraph of each document.}

^{February 28, 2025 - Topic 116}

^{February 14, 2025 - Topic 115}

^{Friends, We Have Lost} 

I would like to discuss the friends we've lost from this group, who have died. 

I miss them: John, Robin, Rodney, Woody.  I want to talk about them and how much they meant to us.  A friend should not just be gone and that's it. 

^{January 24, 2025 - Topic 114}

^{Those Who Lose Everything - Jo}

^{January 18, 2025 - Topic 113}

^{The Scent of History} 

NPR article about our sense of smell.  Do smells, tastes, and other sensory feelings transport you to the past? The article date is February 8, 2024.

Click here ----> NPR - The Scent of History

The OMC meeting for January 10th has been postponed due to snow. The next meeting will be January 17th. 

^{December 13, 2024 - Topics 111 & 112}

How to Prevent War & Non-Agression Principle

The Non-Aggression Principle - A Synthesis of Two Ethical Statements:

(1) It is illegitimate for a human being to use aggressive violence against the person and property of another human being, and

(2) it is legitimate for a human being to use defensive violence to protect a person and property.  

Wes ---> Do you agree?  If so, shouldn't governments be held to this principle?

^{November 8, 2024 - Topic 110}

What's the difference between an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?  

^{October 25, 2024 - Topc 107}

Individuals on YouTube have recorded near-death experiences (NDE). Have you or someone you know had an NDE?  Here are multiple examples and links from myself, Dan, Penny, and Roger. October 25, 2024, continues the same topic as our last meeting on October 11.

^{October 11, 2024 - Topc 107}

Individuals on YouTube have recorded near-death experiences (NDE).  Have you or someone you know had an NDE?  Here are several examples. 

Example 1    Example 2     Example 3     Example 4     Example 5    Ref #1 TED Talk.   Ref #2 Audio Book Chapters 4&8    Ref #3 Audio Book Pg 27-28

Wes & Dan

Our September 25, 2024, meeting was canceled due to Hurricane Helene. 

^{September 13, 2024  - Topic 109}

What does 'Open Minds' mean to you?  

Link to PDF copy of quotes by Dan. 

Ron & Dan 

^{August 23, 2024 - Topic 103}

What does prejudice mean, and is there such a thing as a good prejudice?  Can a prejudice toward an idea or concept be a positive rather than a negative thing?  How does that affect our lives? 

^{August 9, 2024 - Topic 102}

Should we object when we see or hear something offensive?  Are all things offensive evil?

Edmund Burke (1729-1797) "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

^{July 26, 2024 - Topic 101}

Why do humans have house pets, such as dogs, cats, and sometimes ducks, chickens, goats, and birds? What need do they fill, and do both humans and animals benefit? Can livestock be pets?