[Event "Challenge from Eric"]
[Site "SchemingMind.com"]
[Date "2018.09.30"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Alan Whitham"]
[Black "Eric111"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A28"]
[WhiteCountry "ENG"]
[BlackCountry "USA"]
[WhiteElo "1518"]
[WhiteRD "75"]
[BlackElo "1639"]
[BlackRD "83"]
[GameID "433107"]

{
Eric111: Let me think. 
}
{
Eric111: But I won't give up the psychological reasons for things. And the fact that I'm leaving this situation where I have to deal with a close family member that is both homophobic and racist.
}
{
Eric111: He's the working class white majority.
}
{
Alan Whitham: Gay , liberal , white , fascist .Enemies of the constitution , enemies of free speech , enemies of democracy . A bunch of self-righteous wankers .
}
{
Alan Whitham: Thanks for showing me the true meaning of the word libtard .
}
1. c4
{
Eric111: Sorry that I called you homophobic and racist, I don't know why I said that, because you're not. Anyway, the only other thing I have to say is why did that clip from a comedy show and an article about the Supreme Court set you off? I thought the video was funny, and the article was just meant to be informational. I guess it was just your reaction that caught me by surprise. And then in response, I reacted badly. And by the way, right now I AM embarrassed to be an American.
}
1... e5 2. Nc3
{
Alan Whitham: I was distracted by the clips , which I had no interest in in the first place , and because of that I blundered and ruined what had been a good game . I like satire , but it's often very biased . Storm in a tea cup Eric .
}
{
Alan Whitham: And your not obnoxious , a bit irritating sometimes , my skin is too thin .
}
{
Alan Whitham: You're not obnoxious Eric and not a hypocrite .
}
{
Eric111: Yeah, that was a good game. Too bad how it ended. Would have been interesting to play out. 
}
2... Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6
{
Alan Whitham: Never mind it's of no consequence .
}
4. e4 d6 5. d4 Bg4 6. Be2 Bxf3 7. Bxf3
{
Alan Whitham: I think , instead of d4 , h3 would have been better .
}
{
Eric111: Probably. 
}
7... exd4 8. Ne2 Ne5
{
Eric111: We can take a break after this game. 
}
9. Nxd4 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3 Be7
{
Alan Whitham: Why ? I know I'm gonna lose , doesn't matter , you played well , I made a mistake you made the most of it .
}
11. O-O
{
Eric111: No, the game still seems open to me. You made a slight positional error but recovered nicely. It could go either way.
}
11... O-O 12. Qd3
{
Alan Whitham: It's not as bad as I thought .
}
12... Re8
{
Eric111: Indeed
}
13. Nf3 Nd7 14. Be3
{
Alan Whitham: A very interesting item om BBC news last night . It was reported that astronomers had observed an unknown dwarf planet in our solar system , the news reader went on to say that it was also believed that a giant planet  may be close by . This is mainstream news , not youtube . I don't believe all the Sitchen stuff  , but you must admit this is really intriguing .
}
{
Eric111: I read about this last night. The outer solar system is vast and far away. Even a large body would be very dim and hard to find. What is Sitchen? 
}
14... Ne5
{
Alan Whitham: Zacharia Sitchen , ancient astronauts , Sumerian tablets etc .  The theory goes that our sun is a binary star , it's twin being Wormwood , or Nemesis , a brown dwarf with 13 planets orbiting it . The most distant planet is like our Pluto . Wormwood is supposed to orbit our sun in a huge elliptical orbit , passing through our solar system every 3,600 years , Nibiru is said to be the home planet of the Anunnaki . Last time Wormwood passed through it's supposed to have created the asteroid belt , as two planets collided , and also Noah's flood . I'm not saying I believe it and I'm not saying I don't , but for BBC news to say a giant planet could be near by seems like some kind of a hint . It's just something I find intriguing , and if Nibiru is a hoax , it's an extremely elaborate one , but it could well be hoax. It does seem odd that they could overlook a giant planet , unless it has a huge orbit . 
}
15. Nxe5
{
Eric111: I didn't know about that. They said this new planet is about 2.5 times further from the sun than Neptune and that it would take about 40,000 years to make one orbit around the sun. Compare that to just 365 days for the earth! None of this is confirmed yet though. 
}
15... dxe5
{
Alan Whitham: Let's put it this way , they claim they can detect earth size planets many light years distant yet they can't detect a planet 2.5 times the size of Neptune orbiting our own sun , I'm so glad I'm a sceptic . The Nibiru argument makes far more sense . I think they're either making it up , or they've been covering it up . We'll see if there are further developments . 
}
16. Qc3
{
Eric111: I did a little research. This new object in the distance solar system, or Kuiper belt, is a dwarf planet. That is what Pluto was reclassified as. These objects can be quite small, Pluto is actually smaller than our moon. As for why we have not been able to directly see the proposed Planet X, which could be several times the size of the Earth, would be because of its great distance. Distant stars are detectable because of the tremendous light and radiation that they give off, including red-shifted gamma rays that also indicate their distance, direction, and speed. Planets that we have detected orbiting other stars have not been directly observed as they are too small and too distant. Their existence is inferred because of the reduction in light that is emitted from their host star as it orbits in front. I know that sounds simple, but it's not. Astronomers make direct observations of the star and use complicated algorithms to infer their existence. However, in the not-too-distant future we may be able to observe these planets directly through the soon-to-be-launched James Webb Telescope, or extremely large earth-based telescopes. Very distant planet on the outer edges of our own solar system, which may be up to a light year away, would give off no such light (Alpha Centauri, the closest star to us, is 4.5 light years away). Here is a quote from an astronomer from a scientific article which explains the difficulty, "Out there, space gets dark alarmingly fast. Planets twice as far away look 16 times dimmer — the intensity of the sunlight weakens by a factor of four going out, and then four times again coming back. At an orbital distance of 600 astronomical units (1 AU is the distance between Earth and the sun), Planet Nine would be 160,000 times dimmer than Neptune is at 30 AU. At 1,000 AU, it would appear more than 1 million times weaker. “There’s really a brick wall, basically, at 1,000 AU,” said Kevin Luhman, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University". Anyway, I think that these different astronomical phenomena need to be put in proper perspective and context to understand the difficulties in their detection.
}
16... Bf6
{
Eric111: Here's a short but good article on this and the possible ninth planet.
https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/278026-new-discovery-strengthens-the-case-for-elusive-planet-9
It's funny because the very first person to comment on this article writes "Nibiru?", and he puts a smiley face after it.
}
{
Alan Whitham: It's not the dwarf planet I was talking about , the BBC news said there may be a giant planet nearby , they didn't elaborate . I am aware of the official model of the solar system . I know distant planets are detected by wobble and also a slight dimming of a star's light as the planet passes between it's star and the earth , but that's not relevant to what we're talking about ,  and the average person can't verify any of it , with or without a telescope . You say , " we " have detected , but there is no we involved here . None of this is relevant Eric , our discussion is about whether a hitherto unknown large planet exists in our solar system . personal I can't wait for disclosure , if the BBC or the government , or NASA announce something , then you know it's a hoax . Actually I'm pretty sure the whole Nibiru Anunnaki thing is a complete fabrication . An alien threat is politically useful as is an external terrestrial threat , a boogeyman , if one doesn't exist , it's necessary to invent one .
}
17. a4
{
Alan Whitham: There are still plenty of mysteries about our solar system , in fact all is mystery , yes they come up with endless theories of how the material universe came into being , but they are just theories . The asteroid belt is a typical example of their  theorising , the Titus-Bode law suggests there may be other explanations . If it can't be verified by empirical means it's a matter of belief , not fact . 
}
{
Eric111: So then, in your view, how do we come to know anything? 
}
{
Eric111: In other words, are you an epistemological nihilist? Look it up. 

}
17... a6
{
Eric111: If it's only what each person perceives and experiences on a direct and personal level, and that there is no aggregate base of knowledge amongst all human beings, then that means that everyone is an island unto himself and that the only reality that exist is our own personal reality. Do you believe that is true?
}
{
Eric111: And speaking of that Alan, why does every conversation that we have end up being a discussion about the very nature of reality? Jeesh. 
}
{
Alan Whitham: I suppose you feel it necessary to give everyone  a label , I'll get back to you on that . Yes I think is the answer to your question , we're back to Descartes . The nature of reality is surely the ultimate question . You insist you know what is real and what isn't , I insist that you know nothing . Jeesh , an exclamation of exasperation or frustration . We all want others to confirm our opinions , it makes us feel less lonely . In your world of purely physical reality , we are alone , like it or not .
}
18. b4
{
Eric111: Okay
}
18... b6
{
Eric111: I knew you would make that pawn move.
}
{
Alan Whitham: No I don't believe I'm an epistemological nihilist , we're back to definitions again , I accept empirical scientific facts . I believe we are being deceived on a massive scale , recent history  proves that to anyone with an open mind .I accept nothing that I can't verify for myself , and I can't understand anyone that does . 
}
19. b5
{
Alan Whitham: I'm so predictable .
}
19... axb5
{
Eric111: Maybe it's impossible for you to verify everything yourself as you don't have the requisite knowledge and or tools.
}
20. cxb5
{
Alan Whitham: There you go again , what you think is knowledge is really belief .  For an atheist you seem to lack a clear understanding of the difference between a fact and a belief . The big bang and evolution for instance , are beliefs not facts . Beliefs that support a materialist / atheist agenda .
}
{
Eric111: What do you base your beliefs on then? I mean your most basic and personal beliefs?
}
{
Alan Whitham: But of course a belief could be true even though it is not a proven scientific fact .
}
20... Bg5
{
Alan Whitham: Intuition , reason , and common sense , and of course a basic understanding of physics , science , mathematics , and human nature .
}
21. Bxg5
{
Eric111: What do you believe on your death bed then? 
}
21... Qxg5 22. Qxc7
{
Eric111: What do you believe at your deathbed then?
}
22... Rab8
{
Eric111: What do you truly believe on your deathbed then?
}
{
Eric111: ? 
}
{
Alan Whitham: If I believed what you believe I'd have ended my existence years ago . I do base my beliefs on evidence , whatever you might  think . I'm not alone in believing that the physical realm is just a small part of reality , Tesla did , and less importantly Darwin did , although efforts have been made to erase the fact that Darwin was a spiritualist .
}
23. Rfd1
{
Eric111: Okay, if you believe what I believe, why would you have entered your life years ago?
}
{
Eric111: Are you telling me that I should end my life?
}
{
Alan Whitham:  Newton  believed in God , can't say I do , not in a conventional sense .
}
23... Rec8
{
Alan Whitham: No Eric , at least not til we've finished the game :-)  Of course I'm not , I was speaking from my own perspective .
}
{
Eric111: Okay, thank you for being honest. It's always like pulling a tooth to get that out of you, and maybe it shouldn't be. You believe what you believe, spiritually, so just say it. I would respect you better for it.
}
24. Qd6
{
Alan Whitham: I believe that suffering is for a reason and is temporary , if I didn't believe that there would be little point in living . 
}
{
Alan Whitham: I don't know what you're talking about , pulling teeth , I have never denied my belief that our true nature is immortal spirit . Do you ever listen ?
}
{
Alan Whitham: If you want to know what I believe read the Gospel of Thomas .
}
{
Eric111: Yes I listen, but you skirt around the issue just the same. I don't believe suffering has a reason, I believe it's just random. And in spite of that, I still see a reason in living, it's slight, but it's there.
}
24... h6
{
Eric111: Doubting Thomas is it? Yes, I need to get around to reading that book, the Christian New Testament. Alas.
}
{
Alan Whitham: The Gospel of Thomas isn't in the Bible , and it isn't Christianity as you would understand it , it's more like Buddhism . And I have never skirted around the issue . This is a standard tactic of yours , creating a false argument , a straw man . Give me one example of me skirting around the issue .
}
25. Qb4
{
Eric111: Okay Alan Whitham, let me give you this one last link, again, to the well-known astronomer Carl Sagan. I knew him when I was growing up. He was a Doctor astronomy from Cornell University, and participated in the first mariner and Voyager missions into the solar system. He was also a great documentarian. This is what he had to say. I might have sent you this link before,  please watch again, it's short. He had a great voice  for narration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIANk7zQ05w
}
{
Eric111: I don't create straw men. Stop saying that please. I simply create counter arguments, which sometimes involves absurdist to reflect the absurdity of the counter argument. That's a perfectly fine way to argue a point. Anyway, I sent you a link above.
}
25... Rc2
{
Alan Whitham: Answer the question then 
}
26. Qe1
{
Alan Whitham: What on earth does religion have to do with me ? All you do with these links  is prove you understand nothing of what I've said . And you delude yourself constantly that you're smart .
}
{
Alan Whitham: Science itself has become a religion , and you can't even see it . Real science is an academic discipline  , not a set of dogmas that must be defended at all costs . What you call science is a body of institutions and individuals that serve corporate capitalism . They have given us , toxic air , food and water , a medical system that keeps people chronically sick for profit ,and they actively suppress   real scientific progress , that is any innovation that impacts corporate profits . So let's stop confusing the religion  you call  science with real science . 
}
{
Alan Whitham: The Sagan video for me is slightly nauseating . Firstly , I think scientists should do science , it is not the job of scientists to ridicule the beliefs of others .Secondly many of the problems we face are a direct result of bad science , not religion . Thirdly , freedom of worship is written into your constitution , I take it you know what that means , freedom from ridicule , for a start , and that's what Sagan is doing here , however eloquently . And , there are plenty of scientists who are theists who would give him a run for his money .
}
{
Alan Whitham: Despite the pretentious arrogance of many atheist scientists like Sagan and Dawkins the existence of a universal consciousness that brought all things into existence has never , and never will be refuted . Every intelligent open-minded person knows that the big bang and biological evolution can be just as easily ridiculed  , beliefs should never masquerade as scientific facts , that's fraud , pure and simple .
}
{
Alan Whitham: I haven't forgotten that you once tried to claim that science had created life in the laboratory , or that dog breeds proved that macro-evolution is fact . This is typical of the bollocks they fill children's heads with , fill their little heads with fake  facts sir , leave no room for critical thought or imagination , see to to it that they never wonder  :-)  Ok I'm paraphrasing , but that's what Dickens saw as bad education .
}
{
Alan Whitham: And please , speak for yourself and stop expecting me to watch your propaganda videos .  Unless of course you're prepared to listen to David Berlinski or Stephen C. Meyer .
}
{
Eric111: I'm back. That conversation went on for too long and it's partly my fault. No more links. 
}
26... Qf6 27. Rd2
{
Alan Whitham: Fine .
}
27... Rc5 28. Rd3 Rd8 29. Rxd8+ Qxd8 30. Qe3 Qc7
{
Eric111: Alan. Okay, I do have a link for you, but don't worry, it's classical music and it's wonderful and beautiful! I just discovered this and I find it very moving and joyous. There is a world renowned English conductor, pianist, and professor named Benjamin Zander. I've only very recently become acquainted with him. He gives master classes in music interpretation for instrumentalists of every kind. In this absolutely beautiful clip he helps a young cellist from the Boston Conservatory interpret the well-known 1st movement of Bach's first cello suite. The amazing thing about this entire encounter is the way that it evolves, and how he takes this young cellist (and us) on a journey to a sublimely felt conclusion. Just look at the faces of the audience members  at the end. Also,  notice what the maestro does to the young man's hair (whilst he is playing!) and the smile that the young man gets on his face as if he is finally completely opened up to the music! And in particular for you, notice what he says about how  performing such a piece for an audience  relates  to the experience  that a person desires to have from a vicar when entering a chapel. I think that you shall very much like the analogy that the professor gives here! I shall save this clip forever as personal inspiration as it is so lovely in nature. I think the young cellist is rather cute too, if I might add:-) And may I suggest to you, please watch this clip from beginning to end without pause, and in quiet if possible. Perhaps this will make up a little for the recent aggravation :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2S-OjTb4nU
}
31. h3
{
Eric111: Let me know what you think of the video, perhaps after watching it a second time. I've watched it several.
}
31... Rc3
{
Alan Whitham: Thanks , a beautiful piece . I think I known what he means when he likens the musician to a priest , a conduit perhaps between man and something sublime which is beyond our understanding , although for me the musician is far essential than the priest . What the clip brought into my mind was a connection with our last conversation , not that I want to continue it ,  I was thinking of mentioning Wallace's problem , if you're familiar with that , for me your clip is a perfect illustration of that problem , just something to ponder . Btw the only vicar I've spoken to in the last 20 years is a chess-playing vicar from Salford . As Organ Morgan said in Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood , you can't beat a bit of Bach . It is good to know that there are still  such highly talented young people around . 
}
32. Qd2
{
Eric111: Glad you enjoyed it . You said "although for me the musician is far essential than the priest". Did you miss type that sentence? What do you mean for essential? Can you rephrase that? Thanks. In the video I like how the older man is giving the Young man not only music lessons, but if you life lessons as well. What did you think when he took his hair bun out while he was playing?
}
32... Rb3
{
Eric111: Yes, the Great classical musician is indeed giving a sermon common at least I believe that. And I don't think that the vast majority of the world understands or gets that.
}
{
Eric111: I like how the older Maestro says that Jonathan is it a kid, he's not really even a student, he's a fully formed artist with his own point of view. At the same time, I like how that kid did not say a single word through that entire lesson, he just listened and learned from the older. I think that classical music is like a sermon, the closest I get to it.
}
33. Qa2
{
Alan Whitham: I missed out the word more ,  everyone does that . I meant musicians are of use to me , priests are not . .There you go , you've done it straight away , "but if you life lessons as well " , I think you missed out , like .  The older guy might be gay , but the act of letting his hair free might have been symbolic , I don't think it's something a straight man would have done .I don't see music  as a sermon , which is verbal , although sermons do tend to have a tranquillising effect , they have been known to send people to sleep .I see it as a communion , an experience beyond words , something which can't be expressed in any other way . Music only exists when it's performed , it's hard to express in words just what it is , I'm not sure it's necessary to even try , there's certainly a je ne c'est quoi in there .
}
{
Eric111: You don't think that conductor maestro might have let the young man's hair down? Perhaps even if he is straight? I'm dealing with this issue right now with my cousin. Because he's said to me in very obvious ways recently, there is such a thing as manly talk. His words, not mine.
}
{
Eric111: Let me clarify here, I think the old Maestro is probably completely straight, it's just old confused men of a certain generation that get that idea mixed up with how they were brought up. The fact of letting him and his hair down had everything to do with expression in art and nothing to do with sexuality, I am my own singular thoughts, saw it as something is different. But I see it essentially is something much greater than that, the expression of Art and nuance. My cousin lacks that and so do many of the people around me in this world. Maybe I was not born appropriately.
}
{
Eric111: Sorry for my convoluted words. I take back half of that.
}
{
Eric111: Nevermind, really never mind. I'm trying to deal with my old crusty angry 1950s cousin that I live with. Do you think I want to be here no.
}
33... Qc4
{
Alan Whitham: I'm a homophobe , what do you expect me to say ? You don't need to deal with anything . I think  you have a persecution complex Eric .  I'm trying my best , my dear old daddy would have had you all shot . Only a few short years ago , here in England homosexuality was a criminal offence ,now I'm sure the government are trying to make it compulsory , so please give your cousin  and me a break , we've come a very long way in a very short time , he's given you a home , just how homophobic can he be ? You expect us to understand you , yet you can't or won't understand us . The world doesn't revolve around you and your sensitivities . If you read what I said properly , you'd have seen that I said it may have been symbolic . I think you're more fascinated by the fact that he let his hair down than anything else . Do you think he'd  have done that to a female ? Get a grip of yourself Eric , I'm sure the neanderthal is trying his best . I meant that to be funny so don't be offended , it is also true .
}
34. f3
{
Eric111: Cool
}
34... Rc3 35. Qb2
{
Alan Whitham: I can't understand why an intelligent man like you doesn't have a career or a profession , America is supposed to be the land of opportunity , none of my business really , just wondered .
}
{
Eric111: I agree.
}
35... Qd4+ 36. Kh2
{
Alan Whitham: Well that's a first .
}
36... Qc4 37. a5 bxa5
{
Eric111: About the professor, quote, "Benjamin and Patricia Zander were married in 1966 and their daughter Jessica was born a few years later. Jessica and her husband David Tomaszewski have two daughters, Maya, born in April 2001 and Vivian-Rose, born in April 2003." End Quote. And Alan you said, Quote, "The older guy might be gay , but the act of letting his hair free might have been symbolic , I don't think it's something a straight man would have done". No Alan! The older man is indeed straight, he did that because of reasons of inspiration and feeling and it was indeed symbolic! I myself never thought that the conductor was gay. It's simply my own personal opinion that I think the young cellust is cute. Let me give you another example, shortly after moving in with my older and grumpy cousin Gary, we were watching TV. They showed a commercial with a cute little tiny white fluffy dog. I said, "that's a cute dog". My cousin instinctively said, guys don't talk that way. I suppose he meant using the word cute was a word that straight guys don't use. Need I say more. Let me give you another example, I went into a fast food restaurant the other day and I mentioned that a young man at the counter was probably flirting with me.Now, perhaps I didn't mean to say that, I stand corrected. But what he said in reply was, quote, I wouldn't know I just get up there and talk "manly talk". What is manly talk? Let me give you another example. We were discussing the sexual assault allegations against Brent Kavanaugh, who was just confirmed by the way, and I mentioned that if I were a young straight man in college, I would probably ask a young girl that I'm dating to sign a release form before I have sex with her.  He then said, "you are [straight] but you just don't know what yet". Later I asked him what he meant, and he said you're straight but you just don't know it yet. I said, Gary, I'm 48 years old, I'm almost 50. I think I know who I am by now. I then said to him in a little bit of a more challenging manner "maybe there's a lot of straight guys in the world that don't know who they are yet". Look Alan, he grew up in the 1950s when everyone was straight and white and lived behind a picket fence in a perfectly mowed lawn. If I asked him if he was racist he would say no, because I'm sure he doesn't think he is. But when I asked him about the local swiming beach near our house, he said it was ruined after "all the blacks got there". He also said he wonders why "all the blacks have to protest all the time". He's not a mean racist or a mean homophobe, he just grew up in a particular place and time and that is "normal" for him, that's what he grew up with. 
}
{
Eric111: And by the way, I think the great musicians, mostly classical in my case, are absolutely like priest. I'll tell you a story, when I was in jail I mentioned to a older black guy that had been in prison that I looked at Bach as like God. His first response was, Bach is not God. I suppose God for him was what he learned in his church. I didn't argue the point further, you don't do that in jail. I think what the conductor was saying was that a classical performer has to communicate something deeply personal to The Listener, something that goes to their very Soul, so to speak.
}
{
Eric111: Look, I need to say a little bit more. My cousin Gary is older and he's lived most of his life alone. He was married but his wife died. He has crippling rheumatoid arthritis with complicating long factors which will probably cause him to die earlier than most. He's live life mostly alone and he's never really had anyone around him to present him with a different ideas or challenges ideas or anything like that. When I moved in, even the neighbor said, he's lived a long time by himself. I don't blame him for being bitter and grumpy. He walks with a cane and his legs bent out from underneath him and his hands are all lumpy and crippled and his spine is bent. I certainly don't want to give him any grief, I'm thankful that he lets me live here. And I do pay him rent, and I am as kind and peaceful towards him as I can be. But he is very set in his ways, he does not like change, and he constantly feels threatened by the world around him. He's probably never known personally a single black person or gay person in his entire life. He grew up down the road and went to school there and everything was just peaches and cream. His dad served in World War II and he's very proud of that, and America is the greatest. What do you want me to do? Look, as soon as I get through this thing I'm going through, I'll start working and find my own place, okay
}
38. Rxa5 Rb3
{
Eric111: Fuck, this is why I sleep so much.
}
{
Alan Whitham: Seems to me your cousin has been very brave to give you a home , can't have been easy for him after being alone for so long , even so he might be better keeping some of his opinions to himself .
}
39. Qxe5 Qe2 40. Ra8+
{
Eric111: Good game. We'll played. Taking a break here. 
}
{
Alan Whitham: Ok thanks .
}
1-0

