Some pretty salty comments from some pretty salty people. What’s the point. The US should celebrate it’s ownership of aircraft carriers. They ain’t no third world sh*thole. They’re a third world sh*thole WITH CARRIERS. YEAH!

The velocity of an S-200 type SAM is said to be 2500m/s, and the range 300km. That works out at just over 120s of flight time if you include that it takes time to get to that velocity. In that time the Israeli pilot/plane notices the missile, confirms that the missiles’ radar has locked on to it. All they have to do then (under somewhat stressful circumstances) is notice another, larger target, confirm the ID of the larger target, calculate whether they can actually make it to an area of safety behind that target, set their course, and then get to that area. To suggest it was all an unfortunate accident or fateful circumstance does stretch ones credulity a little. More likely is that the whereabouts of the russian plane was known, and in fact used as a means of providing the Israeli planes with an amount of ‘immunity’ as they calculated the Syrians would not launch in that direction. When they did lauch, the Israeli pilot(s) probably did exactly as they were briefed to do before taking off.
The incident also furthers Israeli aims in that it is an obvious trigger for, shall we say, harsh words from Russia toward Syria, a possible split in their unity, and maybe in the unity of other parties to the conflict there.
The public actions of Putin have been unusually muted, even troublingly so, but I won’t join in any chorus proclaiming his treachery and status as an ‘appeaser’. For starters, the haste with which the Israelis made their way to Moscow indicates that they know that not to be the case. Secondly, if those calling ‘appeaser’ are so historically astute, why do they not see the lack of real parallels between Germany in 1939 and the Middle East now? Israel has expansionist ambitions, that’s true. The possibility of those ambitions being realised fades by the day. Israel and their allies are in a powerful position, but not becoming more so, their power is (comparitively) on the wane. Time is on the side of the rest of those they seek to dominate, the only challenge is to see the guard changed without (further) massive bloodshed. With that in mind why would anyone join in beating the drums for a war in which neither they, nor anyone they care about most, would have to make any sacrifice? It’s troubling to see so many, whom, if they sided with Israel/US/Nato could accurately be described as Neo-cons and Warmongers. They still want to see blood (not theirs) the only difference is a different team flag.

If the christian God is a trinity, then why is the God of Abraham not? Does it make sense to have an old testament with a singular God and a new testament with a trinitarian God.?

Heh, maybe she has a point.
I remember one time I got married. My wife would buy presents for every married female she'd ever met at Christmas time, thinking I couldn't work out that in essence, she was buying HERSELF dozens and dozens of presents, and that every wife she knew of participated in the same scam, whilst simultaneously making sure to point out to all and sundry the length and breadth of their magnanimity in such a time.
If I hadn't got divorced I'm sure I would have progressed to buying my brother a motorcycle while he got me a boat on such occasions…

Mass shootings seem to be notable in that it may be the one type of crime in which white males are actually close to being represented in proportion to their number, as opposed to all other types of offence. Hence the predictable, and rather odious comments of Linda and her ilk…

If you add in all the times we get told we're all a little bit gay on some kind of spectrum, we can then appreciate the full logic and beauty of what gay advocates have been trying to tell us for so long – to wit – everyone's gay, except if they are gay and do something naughty – then they're straight.