chuck kottke

Well, every war is a fire with only minimal control; and it sometimes unleashes flammables unseen or unexpected, which burn everyone in the end.. I would have to say that being truly an honest broker, and boosting respect for and economic help to other nations and towards all people is the answer. Fires can smolder only when there's dry kindling; water it, and peace will flourish. Water it long enough, and peace will take root and lasting stability will build a forest of trust. Extremists, such as the NAZIS, could only have gained real power in the economic crash of the late 20's, and the lingering resentments over how one people were treated at the hands of another (at the end of WWI) were the hot embers. Governments and investor ineptness aided the ascent of the extremists. But it was different when compared to today's radical terrorist. Not all terrorists are the same, nor are they really all strictly terrorists; labels are not always as they seem to be, and often demagoguery paints a false coat on a given group or person.. What "O-REALLY?" says is just pure propaganda and sensationalism most of the time; he's just looking to whip people into a frenzy, and sell more air time to an audience that likes to hear a good rant.. The answer to terrorism is long-term support and respect for both the people and the moderates in any nation; stability and checks and balances to ensure win-win economics and improvements - real investment in infrastructure and basic food, water, housing; support for local economies to grow, and systems that check graft in both government and business, so the best of human nature succeeds over the lesser of our nature.

Coco message board..:P

Mellow, but not tired... The Next Poster knows total truth at a subconscious level, but cannot say everything at a conscious level..

If we try and peg an understanding of a person just on someone's religion, especially in the modern world, it's a lot like trying to say only yellow light comes from the sun. In reality, yellow is there, but so is everything else - a whole spectrum hidden beneath what appears to be only bright yellow... I think the same is true when someone asks someone else, "what's your religion?".. that's only one facet of who that person is; and it may not even be the most significant facet of who they are.. Anyhow, just thinking, so many different ways of seeing things, if we could see the lighter and darker shades of all colors, and the depth of depth, in a sense of what it feels to perceive depth; what is grandeur, if not a sense of awe, awakening, and discovery?

Hmm.. Coldplay could go back to (and this is terrible - I forget - who was their original manager?? I'm drawing a blank..:thinking:). Anyhow, all groups try new musical styles to stay fresh and interesting, and so Coldplay is really no exception... If the Beatles had stuck with "she loves you, Yea, Yea, Yea..." it might have got a bit old and outdated fast. Maybe Coldplay needs to get back to more introspective qualitites they had before; dreamland twilight stuff? Poetic incoherent half-comotose drifting in-and-out of consciousness stuff?:P

You know, that is true - Eno does "modernize" everyone in his style, but perhaps they all need some growth experiences.. maybe more avenues would be helpful, so more than one creative set of ideas is at work at the same time...:thinking: It's a channel, and I suppose Eno has been the choice because of the guarantee of success; sort of a prize-fighter's coach for musicians.. Since I'm not in the know, who else is out there, as a source for musical inspiration? Bernie, who was Elton John's inspiration? Joan Baez who was Dylan's inspiration? How about Dylan himself?? Arlo Guthrie? And what happened to the Beatles' Billy Shears? ;) (Aha, or Bunnymen?)

YES! I have to agree - quite uplifting, and inspiring.. As Pooh Bear said, thinking what was the best moment.. the moment just before you ate the honey; that was the best moment..

:stunned::shocked2::stunned::shocked2: Food is in the eye and tongue of the beholder!:P I made chicken tonight, with home-made stuffing (like cracker dumplings, only as stuffing..) Also a chocolate cake-spice pudding - YUM!

Hmm.. Since gold is causing so many troubles, maybe there's a way to get people interested in switching to diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and titanium? Wish there was a better way forward on so many fronts.. The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind, the answers are blowing in the wind...

Cool !!:):cool: We are all the best outcomes of what experiences we have as individuals, and as a collective; the best of what will be, and a build from past lessons, from the blue firmament of all times.. Have a magical time on the 18th, and say HI to Bono from me!!

It's a bailout of the porn industry thread! (although, most of the people involved are hardly wearing a stitch of clothing; so technically, people who haven't a thread on can't really have a thread!:P)

Morocco.. Where the music is beautiful, the people are nice, and the berbers are making fine carpets and rugs.. I know many famous musicians go to Morocco to get inspiration with the music and people playing music in Morocco. The land is arid, but the coast is lively with cities and towns, and there are some hills, as I recall.. Wasn't Morocco formerly called Spanish Sahara before they gained their independence?

...If the debt won't catch Iceland, the volcanoes might!:P (Pouring cold water on both could help) As far as a bailout goes, we're already bailing out the banks, and since their lobbyists are about the same as prostitutes (or vice versa), what's the difference? 5 billion is paltry change compared to 700 billion for Wall Street's beauties, or the 1 or 2 Trillion wasted in the idiotic Iraq war effort.

I like the older YES, which really was new once.. Umm.. today, I'm thinking strawberry swing!:)

:laugh3:I haven't looked yet, but with a song like "couch potato" one can only guess... Hmm... If I had just one moment, would I let it slip away... Oh sure, I do that all the time!:P Life's too short for jumpy behavior.. mellow is better.:mellow:

Hi There! I'm an Apteryx! A wingless, hairy flightless bird!!:P Happy you could join us, Eleonora.!:)

Perhaps not all is right with the Israeli military? Please explain this:UN rights chief wants investigation of Gaza abuses - Yahoo! News I think the broad majority of Gaza's residents are good, honest individuals, and just like anywhere, just want to have good lives. The same is true for Israelis - but unfortunately people in power can make callous decisions..

YAY!!! Go Dawkins!!! Go Michigan State!:cool:

To me, it's not a wager; we're given great minds to unravel the mysteries! The way I see it, we're all in this complex process of interactions, but within our own minds and between minds this interaction goes on, as well as in all sorts of physical realms. As a 'flux' of sorts, the living fluid of ideas, emotions, neural connections, physical being, and our interactions with other living beings, life itself, and the universe.. So, if we understand better ourselves and our interactions, we can and do create a better civilization, which improves the well being of both ourselves & others, present and future. Wisdom leads to the better choices, but we do choose, with a variety of results. Choosing a more humane, just, compassionate, and fairly motivated world bears out better fruits on average.. To believe in evolution is not to be "free to choose to live immorally", as immoral behavior weakens society and thus diminishes our capacity to achieve a greater understanding of things such as evolution. Without equity, true greatness cannot be achieve. With equity comes stability and cooperation, and then evolutionary study can proceed to a greater level of understanding.

I tend to disagree about socialism, but it may depend more on how it is applied. Anyhow, thanks for the great conversation!;)

Well, somehow you will probably need to encourage improved economics in Palestine, or the past and present will be the future. Even when a bad government takes power, I've never see sanctions or closed borders do any good - and the US tried this as well with Iraq in the 90's, with disastrous results. I can understand what happens when bad governments take power; hopefully that will change as well! Keep safe & sound you and your family, and thanks for the chat!

They is us, and we is them. Anywhere unemployment soars, and people are frustrated with time on their hands, plus looking for a reason and a cause to vent their frustrations, extremists find recruits and safe haven. Now that goes just the same in any country (except maybe Argentina, where they dance the Tango when unemployment goes up.. keeps them busy - they've got the right ideas!) But I think when modern military equipment is used, it might be pinpoint, but dependent on coordination with ground spotters or it's a real gamble, and from what I'm seeing on Free Speech TV and Link's mosaic, it looks like a lot of really sad mistakes - yes, leaflets were dropped, but the bombs followed before many could escape in at least one case, and hitting houses, apartments, schools.? Looks like the wrong targets to me. Not enough intelligence directing the air strikes, and way too much power in the blasts, killing and maiming a lot of innocent citizens there. I wish it weren't so.. The rockets the Hamas militants are using do damage roofs and buildings.. Still, they have killed and injured innocent citizens in Israel, so both are bad. I just wish the Israeli army's response would have been much more careful to say the least, and no closing down of the Palestinian economy in essence, if that was the case. Frustrated and out of work, anyone might turn to the extreme, or tolerate militants in their midst - it's basic human nature. Unfortunately, I think air power is used in close quarters, and terrible mistakes result from it. The weapons being used are simply too powerful, and when in close quarters, a police action might be called for with mobile ground units, but airstrikes are too hard.. It's not the sort of military action that I think will lead to a cessation of violence and a lasting peace..

So I can date 19-year-old chicks? Cool!:cool::P (That's funny - I usually wind up dating gals who are 4 or more years older than I am..)

Well I hope you're right about all that.. I'm sure Hamas does use these buildings for just that reason, but what was their motivation in your mind? Were they just not thinking and acting on impulse, or were they planning the rocket attacks to intentionally cause a response?? But it does seem like the Palestinians are 'used' in the region as a football of sorts. They're often the labor force in many well-off Arab countries, as well as employed by contractors building the wall.. I just feel bad when a group of people gets used as cheap labor and misled so much; it's not making life any better, and then they might keep going more radical, which only worsens things. What do you think, green eyes?

That's it!! Imagination is more important than Knowledge!! Uncle Albert said that!:inquisitive: