Jordan

[Rexr]

Last year at work we had a project that involved pairing up office workers with engineers so we could give them an insight into what life was like in the real world.  One day I got paired up with a guy who was well known as a God botherer of some description and I was warned that he might try to convert me.  The whole day passed with no mention at all until he turned round to me, out of the blue, and asked, "Are you religious?".  I told him I wasn't, had no interest in becoming religious and couldn't understand why anyone allowed themselves to be brainwashed into believing everything they are told without being able to prove it.  He then started to try to explain it so I stopped him and said, "Let's just suppose that I have an invisible monkey that sits on my shoulder, watches everything I do and whispers in my ear telling me what decisions I should make and how I should live my life.  He's completely invisible, only I can see or hear him and nobody else can.  You'd probably think I was a nutter right?  Now you tell me what the difference is between my invisible monkey and your God?"  He never said a word and religion wasn't mentioned to anyone for the whole month of the project.

Brilliant.......although I have used something like that in the past.......kids get rows off their mums n dads for having imaginary friends.....

[darrsi]

Last year at work we had a project that involved pairing up office workers with engineers so we could give them an insight into what life was like in the real world.  One day I got paired up with a guy who was well known as a God botherer of some description and I was warned that he might try to convert me.  The whole day passed with no mention at all until he turned round to me, out of the blue, and asked, "Are you religious?".  I told him I wasn't, had no interest in becoming religious and couldn't understand why anyone allowed themselves to be brainwashed into believing everything they are told without being able to prove it.  He then started to try to explain it so I stopped him and said, "Let's just suppose that I have an invisible monkey that sits on my shoulder, watches everything I do and whispers in my ear telling me what decisions I should make and how I should live my life.  He's completely invisible, only I can see or hear him and nobody else can.  You'd probably think I was a nutter right?  Now you tell me what the difference is between my invisible monkey and your God?"  He never said a word and religion wasn't mentioned to anyone for the whole month of the project.

You have an invisible monkey?


Coooooool. 

[positron]

So, vna, what would you suggest?

Usually I'm reasonably up to date on these things.

Just now I'm looking at my 5th week off sick with stress.  Got two parents with dementia, who have stubbornly refused help and as I knew would eventually happen - well the wheels have fallen off.  So since December my life has been pretty hellish to say the least.  Add in an incompetent solicitor, a until now silent sibling butting in, a crap POA document, both parents going down one after the other with a virus..... and well I could go on and on. 

So I'm behind the curve on this.

But I would say we are paying the price of arrogant and incompetent foreign policy spanning the last 60 years or so.

What we do have is huge influence over Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait and the other Wahhabist Sunni states.  We need to stop them and their buddies funding ISIS.  Follow the money that is what is happening. 

We also have to deal with the biggest evil first - ISIS.  We are correct about one thing - they are out of control. We made a mistake in not backing Assad, and a big mistake in supporting the ISIS influenced rebels that opposed him.  We need to open diplomatic channels with Iran (we can see that happening already).  We need to start talking to Putin.  Putin rightly backed Assad along with their ally Iran.

Israel.  It's about time we exercised our influence over Israel.  This seems impossible as the USA seems incapable of standing up to Israel.  But we have a moral obligation to limited our trade with Israel.  It's about time we refused to sell or maintain any Israeli military equipment for a start.  We can influence them without the USA, as the USA is Israel's only steadfast ally.

But sorry I haven't read a newspaper in about two months.  I'm way behind the curve now.

If you do want to understand what is happening you could do a lot worse than reading Robert Fisk's and Patrick Cockburn's reports (or books) - they are two of the foremost journalistic experts in the world on these matters.

I don't dare challenge the focers here, but this post is 100% true.


While ordinary western citizen feels no responsibility (rightly too) for what is going in Middle East, it would be disingenuous to think it has nothing with to do with the Governments and industries they supported and were benefiting from. It is NOT wrong to act in self interest - which is what most people do anyway, so Governments are just reflection of this - how it does not mean you can wash your hands off this and say "oh look at those crazies, why are they like that"!!

[lew600fazer]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152897401237931

On a lighter note , hahahhhahaa. Hope the link is available , bet these guys were not singing after the final whistle.
Bet there was no chance of getting a cup of tea and a pork pie at half time (Liverpool 3 v 2 Spurs)

[maddog04]

super Mario......worth every penny

[lew600fazer]

So far that has cost LFC £8 million per goal, and that is not including his wages , waste of space that clown.

[maddog04]

could be worse lew, we could have lukaku (£27M)

[lew600fazer]

could be worse lew, we could have lukaku (£27M)

Certainly not the player he was last season, him or Mirrelless. Even though I am a red I always like to see the blue half doing well. Thought they were going to sneak a point last night, did not deserve one but thought they defended well