Is Naim dying?

Sorry, I am missing something. Hi fi forum?

Back on topic, is there any humour left in Naim ? (OMG, what have I done here ?)

Yes, £500/meter for new speaker cable  - they are having a laugh 

Its probably like the emperor's new clothes - Transparant.......

I bet you can't wait for the Conservative/UKIP coalition government this coming May.

Actually Kevin - that "assumption": came because you explicitly stated that Putin was worse than Cameron and Bush, and my post was merely the tip of the iceberg to show they are all cut from the same cloth.  I agree with you 100% that denigrating one side does not even imply support for the other.

During the Bush era I was on the attack about him all the time, which automatically got me branded a "liberal/progressive democrat."

Now when I attack the current regime, I am accused to being a Fox News watching Neanderthal.  This is because in the USA everything has become so politicized (and even more so, polarized) that no one looks at what is happening.  The things that Obama has done that progressives would have screamed about Bush doing are OK, because, well, because "Obama!"  By the same token troglodytes like McCain (and now even Hillary for crissake) lambast him for "not being forceful enough" - how many non-combatants does he have to kill to make the grade?  Both these guys hands are literally covered in innocent blood.  (How many people can you kill and still keep your Nobel Peace Prize?)

My concern is the lack of statesmanship these clowns have - they strictly do the bidding of the US' "shadow government."  And they do not seem to be concerned that starting WW III is a real possibility following the path they are on.  THAT is my concern. 

 
I really have a difficult time envisioning a world without a major, WW III type event within the next 10 years.  American politicians and the American public seem to want it - and whoever starts losing will likely take it nuclear.  If we think pushing around Iraq and Afghanistan is going to be the same as taking on a the second most powerful nation in the world just because their leader won't play by our economic rules...and it's the kind of bogus anti-Russian rhetoric that led to this discussion that foments an acceptance of such an event.

I am sure in a "regular" war the USA can defeat Russia, let alone with the help of the EU.  Putin knows this.  He is showing more restraint than the USA/NATO/EU crowd is.  A war with Russia is a really stupid thing to provoke - so we "win", but at what price?  Remember, a lot of you guys live on the European continent - even if the West wins, very many of you will pay dearly.

I guess because war has become such an abstraction to US citizens, inculcated & conditioned as we are to it...it's something that happens far away while we watch TV and buy stuff we don't need with money we don't have to "stimulate the economy."  Americans seem to think their military is invincible, and it is the best out there, but the funny part is, the strongest defense we have is still those 2 huge bodies of water on both coasts.

I just don't see anyone out there in positions of "leadership" who acts smart enough to not take this down a path none of us common folk want to go.  America wants war, and primarily for financial reasons...God help us all if smarter behavior doesn't soon take hold.