Iran

[Shadow]

With the rapidly deteriorating situation as regards Iran is anyone actually surprised ? Im not. Ever since the axis of evil speech ten or more years back it always seemed inevitable and now Im reading the same build up as before the Iraq invasion.Nuclear capability-the alleged weapon could reach us-we must act now.Am I alone in thinking that theres something dodgy going on here-reading the UK and US are sending subs over there to protect the oil supplies-nothing changes does it

[Banshee]

Hey we havent declared war on anyone for some time, so hey might as well be Iran. Oh I forgot, its not war anymore, its, "hostilities," or "conflict" but never war...no coz we would'nt be that stupid would we, to actually go to war with anyone would we? surely war is outdated now? isnt it?

[Ann1]

We are too dammed quick to stick our noses in where we don't belong! Syria is in the middle of a civil war........ the clue is in the name ........civil war! It's up to the Syrians to sort out their own country, not up to us to go in and tell them what to do! The whole of the Middle East is ruled by people who live in the stone age, but if that is the way they want to live then let them! If they threaten to invade us, then throw everything we have at them, until then, then we should mind our own business!

[Banshee]

Feb 4, 2012 23:12:10 GMT 1 Ann1 said:

We are too dammed quick to stick our noses in where we don't belong! Syria is in the middle of a civil war........ the clue is in the name ........civil war! It's up to the Syrians to sort out their own country, not up to us to go in and tell them what to do! The whole of the Middle East is ruled by people who live in the stone age, but if that is the way they want to live then let them! If they threaten to invade us, then throw everything we have at them, until then, then we should mind our own business!

Nobody is threatening to invade anybody, but if they were, we should surely try to sit down and talk, rather than start a war?

[Ann1]

I know they are not going to invade us!! I said IF they were threatening to invade us, then it's then that it will be our business, as they have no intention (I don't think anyway!! ) of doing that, then we need to keep our noses out of it! Yes, we could try and talk, but it depends who with, if they are extreme Islamists then we'd have no chance of talking, they wouldn't listen! How can you talk to someone who wants to blow Israel to kingdom come!!!

[Shadow]

From what Im reading it looks like its Israel wanting to blow Iran to Kingdom come-lets hope they dont have nuclear capability either

[Ann1]

I don't think Israel would instigate a war, but they would certainly hit back if attacked, and that nut job in Iran is just the sort of person to do that!!! The problem with all these Middle East places, that people are calling for regime change in, is what will replace them? It could be worse - from the West's point of view - than what is there now!!!

[skintagain]

it is believed that Israel does have nuclear weapons but will not admit to it, the problem is if Iran do develop a nuclear weapon they say they will use it, they have said all along if they had a nuclear weapon they would use it,
its so sad this little planet gives the human race so much to help it survive yet all we have wanted to do over the years is make bigger and better bombs to kill and blow the shit out of each other, it all comes down to the same thing in the end they have something i want it boom, will people on this planet ever be happy with what they have the simple answer is no, no matter what you have you always want more it's human nature.

[Banshee]

This is where my "world without borders" comes in. If we had no borders and saw ourselves as one people, then we would have no nationalism, no competing , no wars, no immigration issues, no racism, coz we would all be one people working for the good of all.
Yes, I realise that there is the probabilty that we would all naturally divide into tribes, but that was how it used to be, and there would be smaller conflicts, but not global planet detroying conflicts that we have now.

[Jazz]

Yes, I think the world would be a different place if we didn't have this globalization.....not necessarily better but simpler. We were just talking about the "primitive" Amazonian tribes, Bushmen of Australia, North American Indians etc.......they're satisfied with what they have until "civilization" comes along. However this modern world seems to be stuck in this cycle of conflicts and aggression fueled by greed, religion and politics. What is the answer.....I think what you say is a good idea......keep the conflicts small if we have to have them at all!

[Ann1]

Thing is though with no borders, unless everyone has exactly the same systems it won't work. Otherwise what would happen is that third world county populations would flood into this country for the health service and welfare benefits! Working for the good of all won't work either, they tried that in the USSR, it was called communism! They have it North Korea and look what a mess that place is! Even in so called "primitive tribes" there were problems i.e who had the best hunting grounds etc.

It sounds good in theory (I want to live in theory, everything is great there ! ;D) but in reality it would be unworkable. Human nature being what it is, there will never be total equality, and if there had have been, would a lot of the things we take for granted today, have ever been invented? No body would have been ar$ed to do anything as it would have been pointless! I think "oneupmanship" has accounted for a lot of inventions and other things i.e exploration of space etc, over the years, TBH I'd far rather get rid of religion, as that causes far more problems throughout the world - my sky fairy is better than your sky fairy!! There is too much inequality, and that needs tackling, but to do away with it altogether is I think, a tad unrealistic.

[Banshee]

Thats why there is a vast difference between Communism and socialism and capitalism.

Capitalism is about everyone for themselves no matter who you have to oppress to get here.

Communism is about everyone being equal -regardless, but ultimately leads to someone needing to be in charge, and as is human nature those in charge wil exploit others. And the equality is about keeping people down and controlled.

Socialism allows for people to do well and to even get rich, but with an awareness of offering a helping hand to those less fortunate. It allows for people helping others to "better" themselves, but allows the richer among us to offer assistance to those who do not have the recourses to help themselves. Its about allowing people to do well but recognignition of the responsibility to help others who are not doing well. Its about a feeling of responsibilty towards your fellow human kind without judgement.

[Jazz]

The Art of Nothing

Thomas J. Elpel

Westerners who first met the Shoshonean bands of Indians in the Great Basin Desert typically described them as being "wretched and lazy". Many observers remarked that they lived in a total wasteland and yet seemed to do nothing to improve their situation. They built no houses or villages; they had few tools or possessions, almost no art, and they stored little food. It seemed that all they did was sit around and do nothing.

The Shoshone were true hunter-gatherers. They spent their lives walking from one food source to another. The reason they did not build houses was because houses were useless to them in their nomadic lifestyle. Everything they owned they carried on their backs from place to place. They did not manufacture a lot of tools or possessions or art, because it would have been a burden to carry.

We often expect that such primitive cultures as the Shoshone must have worked all the time just to stay alive, but in actuality these were generally very leisured peoples. Anthropological studies in different parts of the world have indicated that nomadic hunter-gatherer type societies typically worked only two or three hours per day for their subsistence. Like the deer and other creatures of the wild, hunter-gatherer peoples have nothing more to do than to wander and eat.

The Shoshone had a lot of time on their hands only because they produced almost no material culture. They were not being lazy; they were just being economical. Sitting around doing nothing for hours on end helped them to conserve precious calories of energy, so they would not have to harvest so many calories each day to feed themselves.

Today many of us westerners find ourselves fascinated with these simple cultures, and a few of us really dive into it to reproduce or recreate the primitive lifestyle. In our typical western zeal we get right into it and produce, produce, produce. We work ambitiously to learn each primitive craft, and we produce all kinds of primitive clothing, tools, containers, and art, and just plain stuff. True hunter-gatherer cultures carried all their possessions on their backs, but us modern primitives soon find that we need a pickup truck just to move camp! In our effort to recreate the primitive lifestyle we find that we have ironically missed our mark completely-- that we have made many primitive things, but that we have not begun to grasp the true nature of a primitive culture. To truly grasp that essence requires that we let go, and begin to understand the art of doing nothing.

I'm pretty good at being a Shoshonean......as long as I can have a few pints, watch the telly, read a few books, use my computer, drive my car.........etc, etc! ;D