And it's the fact that they do welcome anyone to their communities that makes NOT a cult in the manner that our deranged friends wants to claim them to be. On the other hand, I'm sure he thinks that anyone who doesn't worship that state as 99% of leftists do is a cultist, not realizing he's in an enormous cult.

You said "The fact that the Amish refuse modern technology, doesn't by itself make them a cult." Indeed. I make my living writing software. But in my personal life? I have zero internet connected appliances or other doo-dads like that. I do have a mobile phone because I need for work. I do use electricity - but as I'm sure you're aware, but other other friends in this thread are not, the Amish use a lot of power in various ways - many of their homes and farms have solar power. I have seen harvesting done on Amish farms using a horse and wagon and the wagon was carrying gasoline powered equipment to do the cutting. Simply because you don't want to be tied to the grid doesn't mean you don't use power in the form of electricity or other means. I'm not Amish or Mennonite and don't want to be grid tied everywhere - though I do use propane fuel as well. (FWIW my kitchen range is made by Unique Off Grid and doesn't use electricity. My furnace is made by someone else and doesn't use electricity). As for being more off grid than me as I do use an electric non computerized washing machine, gasoline powered engines on washing machines were sold to the Amish for many years in the USA. I don't know if they still are but probably.

Yes, but dyed in the wool leftists can't see anything except their own bigotry. I think of an Anabaptist family I know, not Amish but "on the spectrum" to Menonite. They have 11 children. I'm sure that our friend would say 'oh she's being kept barefoot and pregnant" but 13 years ago when my wife and I first met them, she said "I want to a dozen children" - and they're close. They are an incredible, loving family. And I believe the decision making is pretty joint in their home. Some members of an organization I'm in are Mennonite. Hard working, pleasant, clean, wonderful people. Three happy children. Imagine a life where your kids aren't on ADHD meds from when they are six months old because mommy and daddy are on Xanax and can't deal with them.

Indeed. I have the pleasure of knowing a number of anabaptists of various flavors, Amish, Menonites, and talking to them. They are great people and not a cult.

Oh wait, you mean the dictator couldn't do it because it requires congress critters to pass a law? That rather belies the term 'dictator,' correct? Just as well, standard time forever.

Well, since you're most likely a CCP agent, you know this.

That's what I wondered...I went to a state university back in the dark ages that had the CS department grow out of math - we did a lot of programming but a lot of computer science theory. Did a lot of deep dives into theory - actually more than in my MS.

This! I'm approaching retirement and this has been the norm throughout my entire career. Why would anyone, anymore, think of anything else? Silly. "Don't think just shove it at AI and if they completely screw it, then have it redo it." Sheesh.

Agreed. Heck I feel that way about most 'internet enabled' things.

No, we can't stop eating meat, we might end up like you.

Entirely likely that handwashing is making a difference. Additionally, there are government and non government programs working to reduce c.diff infections in hospitals - here's some data https://odphp.health.gov/healt... . Having a relatively who got C.Diff in a hospital setting, the other thing is recognition that treatments with things like Saccharomyces boulardii (look here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/b...) and antiparasitics rather than antibiotics (look here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...) as well some macrolide antibiotics such as fidaxomicin that do a much better job of treating it without a relapse. The things we found that were best for banishing it for good was this: Fidaxomicin, regular supplementation with Saccharomyces boulardii (available as an OTC probiotic called Florastor in the US and other countries), and regular consumption of fiber in the form of beans and food probiotics in terms of sauerkraut with live cultures. The final three things are good for your health in any case.

This list is one of bacteria and fungi, not virii.

What do you think repatriation of manufacturing is for? I'd LOVE to be able to buy high quality Amercan made products. Imagine, having a 1960s house with high quality items in them rather than the utter piles of trash we have now.

China is so much stronger their export based economy is totally under threat because they can't sell useless crap to the USA.

Yes, but the TDS crowd can't imagine not blaming trump for everything - rather as bad as this piece of insanity: https://hms.harvard.edu/news/c...