No wonder the lefties are distrusted.

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
acad

Who are you trying to convince of your vastly superior intellect, us or yourself.

I would not say my intellect was vastly superior but I thank you for the compliment.

Yes, he's right. Not one speck of good has ever come from any religion except for acad's form of Buddhism.
David

Plenty of good has come from religion (as I have often said ) and plenty of bad. Most of the bad has come from the God Believers. This is easily demonstrated. My form of Buddhism is no better than any of the others and I have never said otherwise and you can't show that I have.

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:

In other words, [Sarkozy] is promoting the Thatcherite maxim of "if you don't work, you don't eat and then you will die" ethic.

As opposed to the Jesus maxim: to help the poor and the sick, to help those who can't help themselves.

All best,
Fred

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:

I have repeatedly said over the years that the Americans on the cruises were just ordinary chaps. Therefore their views are probably mainstream.

Those who can afford Caribbean cruises are, by definition, not "ordinary chaps." Even in America. You were in the company of ugly Americans ... not all Americans are ugly.

quote:

America is an emormously wealthy country and it could rebuild the city 100 times over if it really wanted to.

Absolutely, if BushCo had allocated the funds for it instead of squandering more than half a trillion dollars on the tragic folly in Iraq.

quote:

These people genuinely resented their money being spent on people who never had the foresight to insure themselves.

Then "these people" are despicable. Not to mention incredibly short-sighted on their own behalf ... doing well for the neediest in society makes for a stronger society for everyone, including these idiots.

You need to see the documentary When the Levees Broke. The vast majority of people hardest hit by Katrina and the government's massive failure to act were in no financial position to buy insurance. It's about eating, water, electricity, shelter.

All best,
Fred

Fred,

Well said.

Let me add that it behooves all of us to remember 'there but for the grace of God go I', although atheists - who may be right, after all - may prefer 'there but for random chance go I.'

Mick seems to write in these pages as if he thinks he's entitled wealth and its accoutrements, and he seems contemptuous of those who are not as well-favored as he is. I don't know if that's what he really thinks, but it's what I read - and I'm pretty perceptive as a reader.

Mick and his partisans are happy to remain blissfully ignorant of things like the special privileges and costs people of color enjoy in the US - and probably in the UK and Europe as well. 'DWB' (Driving while Black), for example, gets many people stopped by police in the US, and people of color pay more for autos, auto loans, mortgages, and insurance of all types in the US. I'd love to hear Mick's comments if he got stopped for DWW.

And I'm sure Mick is uninterested in teh corruption in Louisiana politics which stacks the decks still further against individuals, expecially individuals with few resources.

I wonder if Mick and his cruise-mates are aware that every state in the US with offshore oil industries get royalties from the companies - that is, every state except Louisiana. That revenue could have increased prevention and response capabilities of the state - thought to be sure, the 'best people' of LA probably would have siphoned royalty income into there own pockets.

Rising Tide, by my kid brother John, should be available in the UK, as is his Great Influenza - both relate some of the results of Thatcherite smugness.

Regards.

Phil Barry

I'd much rather be a 'have not' than a rich, bitter, smug, arrogant, self satisfied, socially reprehensible, tosspot, spending my days on an internet forum where everyone despises me.

Jonathan

quote:

Originally posted by Shayman:
I'd much rather be a 'have not' than a rich, bitter, smug, arrogant, self satisfied, socially reprehensible, tosspot, spending my days on an internet forum where everyone despises me.

Jonathan

You forgot 'buffoon'.

quote:

Originally posted by Shayman:
I'd much rather be a 'have not' than a rich, bitter, smug, arrogant, self satisfied, socially reprehensible, tosspot, spending my days on an internet forum where everyone despises me.

I don't know of a single person on this forum that fits that description, but I bet we could more or less cover it among all of us.
Oh...you forgot "ignorant".

and illiterate

and envious and jealous...

and smelly

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:

quote:

Originally posted by Shayman:
I'd much rather be a 'have not' than a rich, bitter, smug, arrogant, self satisfied, socially reprehensible, tosspot, spending my days on an internet forum where everyone despises me.

I don't know of a single person on this forum that fits that description, but I bet we could more or less cover it among all of us.
Oh...you forgot "ignorant".

You mean he isn't rich?

and he probably throws like a girl!

Rich

Oh dear Acad, yet again your response follows your usual tedious pattern:-

Hurl a gratuitous personal insult
Ignore the point at hand
Set an exam question on a different subject
Insult the addressee yet again
Insult one or two others for good measure

Christianity is doing far more good in the world today than you or your kind can ever come to terms with - and no, I won't bore you, or others, with pointless examples or endless lists of web links.

Buddhism on the other hand, has done sod-all that is actually useful or practical.

However you personally, need to try a lot harder if you ever want to succeed at something in your life, i.e. become a true Buddhist. Your insults, personal abuse towards members of this forum, persistent sniping and spiteful misrepresentation of much of today's Christian (and other's) efforts to bring comfort, hope and practical opportunity to the world's poor, leaves you well short of the mark. But please, do keep trying, perhaps one day you might succeed???

Cheers

Don

Don,

You are an ill-informed half wit who copies brain teasers out of a book in order to make yourself look intelligent. It is not surprising to me that you started your brain teasing thread after you had made yourself look like a fool after I proved you spectacularly wrong in a debate.

I always back my comments up with reasoned argument and evidence - you do not. You are a hypocrite. If I say anything you do not understand ask for clarification.

Your ignorance is staggering. The fact is I have challenged you on a few occasions and you have failed to rise to the challenge and all you can do is squeal like a little girl.

Back up everyone of your infantile comments with examples and evidence or apologize like a man.

Jeeeez-us guys, I'm not that bad am I?

Most bases covered, just the exam question to go then.

quote:

Most bases covered, just the exam question to go then.

He really is tedious, but his old thesauras must be well thumbed!!

ill-informed
half-wit
hypocrite
ignorance
squeal
infantile

Keep going Eric, there must be a few more big words in there that sound important to you.

Cheers

Don

Erik

One may well be the best read, most articulate and erudite man in this universe, but an utter lack of feeling for the thoughts of ones fellow man coupled with a sneering arrogance and dismissive attitude makes one appear vile.

Chaps

I have been away from the pc for a while and have just read this pile of drivel.

I merely repeated what I heard and have never expressed an opinion one way or another. The Katrina thing has nothing to do with me but the Americans on my table were certainly not keen on shelling out welfare. I am not an American and their welfare system is not my concern.

acad for someone who claims to embrace to philosophy of Buddism, you are coming across as a self centered and arrogant individual who regards anyone who disagrees with you as a fool. Not a good advert for your new found belief.

Regards

Mick

quote:

you are coming across as a self centered and arrogant individual who regards anyone who disagrees with you as a fool.

Kettle and pot again.

For the record I do not regard anyone as a fool just because they disagree with me. Often I regard people as fools even when they disagree with someone else!

As usual Don fails to develop a serious argument or back his comments up with support from other sources or evidence of any kind and Parry and Mike jump on board for the ride.

Does my face look bovverd?

quote:

Originally posted by mike lacey:
Erik

One may well be the best read, most articulate and erudite man in this universe, but an utter lack of feeling for the thoughts of ones fellow man coupled with a sneering arrogance and dismissive attitude makes one appear vile.

Strange words from you who think that "some form of violence" can be justified or is appropriate (your previous distant post). Those living in glass houses should not throw stones.

Oh by the way, how is your small arms interest going? Only good for one thing and you know what it is.

Never thought you held any regard for your fellow human being either.

boys, boys! you'll have to all sit in the corner now until dad gets home ....