A solution for peace in the Middle East.... chat & forums.

Show ALL Forums

Posted In Forum:

Home

MyForums

Author

Thread: A solution for peace in the Middle East....

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 12 (view)

A solution for peace in the Middle East.... Posted: 10/9/2007 4:30:17 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the OP and some of the subsequent post work under the assumption that Israel was put in the middle of a bunch of Muslim states randomly and usurped the territory outright? If we are talking in terms of the Jews, and lands that were 'orignally' Muslim, then the proper ironic scenario for th OP to put forward might be that America should conquer all Muslim lands, and massacre the last Muslim city still standing, and force all surving Muslims to disperse across the globe. We can continue on like that for a few hundred years - ok, accounting for geo0politics and the advances of the communication age, make it 100 years; one of the Western powers can attempt total genocide of all the Muslims. If there are any left after we chastise our wayward genocidal friends by force of arms, maybe we can decide they have suffered enough and give them Mecca and a spit of land surrounding it. Of course, it would be a real shame if Mecca had since been populated by Jews or Christians who had to be forced out in the process. But I'm sure it would be worth it for the other Jews or Christians in the area to embroil us all in a wasteful global conflict in order to deny them a few thousand square kilometers of land in the middle of the desert 50 years after the fact. And I'm sure that after all that the Muslims would just love the opportunity to re-settle in, say, Tierra Del Fuego.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 5 (view)

50 cent or Kanye West. Who will win? Posted: 9/14/2007 1:15:02 PM
Feud eh? More like album - selling ploy. May their sales both crash and they end up bankrupt.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 35 (view)

The Reason Why Weed Is A Crime. Posted: 8/24/2007 10:37:28 AM
Can anyone who is a pot smoker actually admit to themselves that they are a criminal for using it? Yes. Here are some other crimes (assuming we arent making the distinction between crimes, felonies, and misdemeanours, since simple possession is just a misdemeanor in many places nowadays) Passing a vehicle on the road over a solid meridian Jaywalking Speeding Running a red or yellow light when you have a chance of stopping safely Not reporting an accident or crime Drinking (ANY amount of alcohol) and driving Failing to declare all the goods you bring back across the border Declaring ALL of your income to the government, including gambling winnings and work your might do for a buddy on the side. Physical abuse (of ANY kind for ANY reason) Destruction of property (of ANY kind for ANY reason) Picking up hitchikers I could go on for a while. So I guess strictly speaking, anyone who does any of these things is a criminal. Sure, it's true people who smoke pot technically are criminals (depending on where you live) - but to equate them with people like John Gacy, Clifford Olsen, or Kenneth Lay simply because they are pot smokers and therefore 'criminals' is an over-generalization. And for God's sake if people were any less ignorant than that while parking their cars we'd be well on the way to a better society. It is difficult for someone growing pot that uses his product to admit that they are not performing a public service, but are in it for the MONEY. 99% Indeed. You will find a lot of people who are against weed which is more of a concept to them than an actual problem, and would be up in arms if they found out a grow show was in their neighbourhood. Understandable. No one wants to live near a potential fire or shoot out. I wonder how many of these places would be around if marijauna were grown commercially over in the industrial park? Most of the people who advocate legalization are consumers who usually just want to watch the game and have a puff or two, or play some music, or whatever. The people who make money off of it are the Dealers, Growers, and importers. They don't want it legalized because they are making to much money off of it. Those people in the park sound like punk kids. I don't spit, am polite, and don't hang around in public parks with nothing better to do than smoke marijuana. This is they way the majority of pot smokers behave. These people are the poster children for decimalizing marijuana including past offenses, quickly followed by the reestablishment of the draft. Huh? Name one pot smoker that wants to re instate the draft and I'll sell you a bridge in New York. How those two have the slightest thing to do with one another, I don't know, but if next time there is a legalization demonstration I happen to see a placard reading "Let's get ripped and then Conscript!" I swear I will never touch weed again and join the army.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 90 (view)

Why do people eat meat? Posted: 8/23/2007 7:25:12 AM
Cats and dogs are genetically engineered for purposes other than harvesting their meat - cats for catching rodents and other vermin which spread disease, and dogs for tracking, and taking the animals we eat for meat, and protecting the herds we raise for meat. That's why there are so many breeds - they don't occur in nature, they were created by humans for select purposes. Horses are the same, and are generally bred for their strength, which makes for tough, stringy meat. Of course as mentioned, there is the cultural component which is huge - people do raise these animals as a food source in other countries. Hemp is edible, but it is way more profitable and efficient to grow it as and industrial crop (ie for ropen and textiles) than as a food crop. Just because we eat meat, it doesnt naturally follow that if it's meat, we should eat it. But asking why we eat meat at all is like asking why we still build with stone, or arm ourselves against the threat of foriegn hostility. It's just the way we are. That, and some creatures exist only to be part of the food chain.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 29 (view)

The Reason Why Weed Is A Crime. Posted: 8/22/2007 7:59:15 PM
^^^^^^^ Sounds like coffee. Dollars to donuts though, the guy who drink 5 cans of red bull in an hour is going to be way more of a gong show than a guy who smokes 5 joints in an hour. Especially if they are growing it in their back yard. Not to mention the obvious comparison of alcohol. Tobacco's alteration of your brain chemistry only manifests itself to the outside world when you are not getting any of it, but perpetuating and addiction is a way more harmful alteration of brain chemistry. You may argue that marijuana can be addictive - well I am a habitual weed smoker, who hasnt smoked any for a good 2 weeks - I can definitely say I wouldnt mind some right now - and I'm not without it because I lack the means, I'm simply choosing not too. I say that becasue I am also an ex-smoker, and I can honestly say that any desire I have to smoke a J right now is NOTHING compared to how I felt when breaking my nicotine addiction. Over the counter sleeping pills most assuredly alter your brain chemistry, and you CAN start to abuse them. Being that I do shift work, weed helps me get to sleep when I go to graveyards, helps me do it faster, and doesn't make me feel like a zombie if I sleep for less than 10 hours. Besides, for marijauna to cause those effects in any truly harmful magnitude, then I have to assume that thats person's problems are just a tad more deep seated than indulging in the herb. When I'm done a 12 hour day at work, and have some dinner and kick back, a beer or two is not going to make me obnoxious, abusive, and violent - and neither is a bowl going to make me paranoid, unstable, and irrational. Trying to deny responsible, rational people a commodity that exacerbates already present problems in a minority is, as I said before selfish and petty.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 38 (view)

Greatest threat to mankind? Posted: 8/22/2007 5:12:10 PM
Well, I guess we are almost all agreed, since almost all the reasons given necessitate a lack of reason!

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 27 (view)

The Reason Why Weed Is A Crime. Posted: 8/22/2007 4:30:50 PM
Given some of the above statements, I have to think about Pierre Berton, a celebrated author and scholar in Canada, who taught at the military college and died at the ripe age of 84; and was a habitual pot smoker for over 40 years. Dumb people are generally always dumb, and smart people usually require serious head trauma to become dumb. I think more dumb people like marijuana because being dumb doesnt seem so bad when you are on it, since it does tend to make people apathetic. Thus, you have more people smoking marijuana who are dumb. There are thousands of products you can buy with no problem that alter you brain chemistry. Lots of them are food. The effect marijuana has on it is quite tame. The government DOES care about your health, but only insofar as how much it is going to cost them. This is why cigarettes are $10 a pack now in Canada. And as far as the idea that if it were were legal, everybody would be growing it - well, a lot more people would be, but there would still be a huge market for it; good quality weed takes time, care, and effort to produce. If supermarkets were going bankrupt, then I could see the logic in that argument - but they're not. Marijuana has many negative effects, but they are not extreme by any means. The arguments against its use are generally true, but in my opinion, way too petty and selfish to use them as grounds to deny people its use.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 2 (view)

Why not? Posted: 7/23/2007 4:08:46 PM
Who numbers most among the dead? Soldiers, their lives all washed in red? Men with all their hair trigger pride? Miniorities, they, among all who have died. Who are the ones who best know death? Victims of cocaine, speedballs and meth? Women, their hearts which so readily break? Finite victims of his numberless take. Does his calloused grasp favour the good? Or the malign as you may think he should? Few people fall into these absolutes For Death pulls out life straight from its roots. Though surely criminals deserve it most The world is filled with upright ghosts Legions die of advanced old age But youth is a far more deadly cage Some who are taken are merely conceived But a host of causes define the bereaved Of all of us wretches who meet our end Children by far are Deaths closest friend

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 1 (view)

Why not? Posted: 7/23/2007 4:08:10 PM
Well I think it's kind of masturbatory to start your own poetry thread, I'm doing it anyways, cause I'm bored and I have the lube so, here's a couple to start off with. :P You allow moral dilettantes to represent you to the world, and pretend it’s not your fault You allow their ethical deficit to define your justice Though you love being part of a nation where you are free to choose You believe everyone has a right to be free But not free to be governed by their own beliefs Not free to be dissimilar, or difficult to understand Nor to seek retaliation, nor reparation, nor recognition For the damage inflicted, by those you freely chose to lead you Nor free to be equal, if they were conceived beyond your arbitrary horizons You allow a race to be condemned for the actions of a few And turn away those who are truly not free You smear your face with whale fat And rail about problems which are abstract to you You could never imagine that you are the worlds biggest problem You think being born ‘free’ entitles you to judge To judge people for whom ‘freedom’ is as abstract an existence As poverty is to you What seeds have you sown, to deny them shade? What flags have you raised, to deny them sovereignty? What truths have you learned, to deny them their faith? What struggles have you known, to deny them peace? Who are you to mourn a soldier but not the people they have murdered? Who are you to seek vengeance for a friend, When you paid for the bomb that killed another’s family? When you changed the channel to Days Of Our Lives When you saw it explode on TV Your government is the embodiment of its people It’s grasping hands reached to far One curled into a fist, to hold a sword To butcher innocents, unprovoked And you really feel surprised That those who would have a role to play in their peoples destiny Instead of being apathetic and feeling entitled to all the world Would seek to dismember it? Of course you are; you feel betrayed Your back was turned Because the other hand was full of vehicles, cell phones, alcohol and money All just for you You attention was occupied How could you be expected to turn around and see The no longer loamy fields from which they were torn? How could you be expected to think You would anger those with nothing When you seize what little they have After all, their problems are only a concept for you Tears could not nourish the desert Rhetoric could not vindicate your soul Any atrocity done in your name is validated if you do nothing about it And since God has done nothing about those done in his He is just as despicable as you.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 7174 (view)

First Line, Last Line Posted: 7/23/2007 9:40:30 AM
Let the diva sing for her supper and her bowl of red and green M&M's only Let her wail for roomservice and cry for attention Let her catcalls be heard from the catwalk Just let her go

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 7 (view)

Gee Whiz Chef, right here might be a good place! Posted: 7/21/2007 10:14:36 AM
oh his name cough cough cough is BARRACK OBAMA ju st a beautiful american sounding name. Mr rrlarry his full name is BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA . I kid you not lmao . I am a democrat but if hes on ticket I hold my nose and vote republican If people who makes stamements like this represent any significant portion of the voting electorate, it just shows that actual politics are peripheral to the matter anyways, and therefore any new party to have a chance at winning an election would really be no different than the two you have now, ie, they are more concerned with running an effective advertising campaign and pleasing their sponsors than any actual political reform. "cor' Jed, we need us a pres-ee-dent with a good white mans name!!" I could be wrong though. I hope so anyways.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 7098 (view)

First Line, Last Line Posted: 7/18/2007 4:42:24 PM
I told you so 'you'd triple post' 2 attempts would do for most to realize with a thread this long you could sing a few top forty songs before your piece appends to it so watch some virals cook some grits eat some cake watch bamboo grow just a tip I give you, so I hope you don't think I'm not nice especially if you read this more than twice!

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 10 (view)

world in 25 years from now. Posted: 7/16/2007 3:29:20 PM
Eventually in the future, we could end up with these unions combining until one single government is controlling the world. Why is it that nothing seems to instill as much fear in people as the elimination of borders? Call me crazy, but isn't that what we need? One world government? If it were corrupt and oppressive, that would suck, but it always sucks when people bend over and wait for the shaft - I have trouble believeing that 7 billion people would all do so at once. Anyhow, it would have been really difficult to accurately predict ww2 on the dawn of ww1, and since the butterfly effect is totally applicable, and can manifest in thousands upon thousands of ways, I can't say what it will be like with any degree of certainty. I guess for me the three main variables are 1. How the power will shift (probably in China's favor, principally) 2. How many people will die, and who. 3. How human thought will change (this includes technological variables) I sincerely hope it all changes for the better though.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 60 (view)

The American Flag...Gotta Read!!! Posted: 7/14/2007 2:39:30 PM
IMHO, she should have flown the flag at half mast. It would probably be more to the point.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 49 (view)

The American Flag...Gotta Read!!! Posted: 7/13/2007 3:56:43 AM
As far as the jackboots are concerned, for anyone to be that concerned about how someone treats a colourful scrap of cloth is a little too nationalistic to be healthy for the global community. Nationalism is what allowed the Third Reich to happen, nothing more. I don't say it to be rhetorical, sensationalist, or hyperbolic, but that is the plain truth. If you choose to view the flag as a representation of a specific land mass and the people who live on it at the time, then I have no respect for what you think of it, and neither would any true poplulist (which believe it or not are what the world needs). If you choose to view it as a symbol of the ideals of freedom, equality, and peace, as some like to tout, then yeah, you had better believe there is call for distress, because it is being grossly misrepresented when flown right side up. PS - No one is firing salvos at this womans house, but some people who don't scarf down everything put in front of their face like to use things called metaphors once in a while.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 48 (view)

Purchased Music VS Ripping off MP3s Posted: 7/9/2007 5:25:56 AM
Here is the bottom line, which has basically been put forward already but a lot of people seem to ignore: The only people that downloading music as opposed to buying albums hurts are the record comapny execs, stockholders, and their cohorts. The people who download are still going to want to go to concerts which is where the artist make their money. As for the struggling artists, they should count the internet and widespread file sharing as a blessing. No one is going to pay 10 bucks a CD for every band or artist they come across; and struggling artists can hope to come close to getting as many people to hear it as potentially can via the internet using traditional distribution techniques. As for stealing intellectual property, well, I can only compare 'stealing' mp3's to taking a polaroid of the Mona Lisa. It's art - if you have a problem with people enjoying your art without paying money to do so, you are completely missing the point. Besides, the internet isnt the future of media, its the present, and trying to****block media distribution on it is backward plain and simple. Artists arent doing consumers a favour by charging 15 - 25 bucks a CD; consumers are doing the artists a favour merely by listening.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 51 (view)

What does everyone think of Avril Lavignes Girlfriend video? Posted: 6/27/2007 2:40:36 PM
I haven't seen it and I hate it. All I have to go on are the sound bites, which, frankly, offend me. that's the thing...she can actually sing...and write... 2 minutes on Allmusic guide reveals she hasn't 'written' a single song without a professional songwriter holding her hand.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 26 (view)

Modern bands are shocking live. Posted: 6/27/2007 10:10:44 AM
I've never been dissapointed by a big time band's performance at a show. I went to Heaven and Hell a couple months ago, and was pleasantly suprised by the clarity of tone, intensity of play, and of course the tightness of the bad; they played better than I've heard almost any other band play, and they had to play an extended set, as one of the openers couldnt play for some or other reason. I guess you gotta give bands like that who are touring months out of the the year a break once in awhile, but if they consistenly play bad, well, it's like any other job; they just ain't cut out for that line of work!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 351 (view)

IS it me or should HIP HOP be DEAD YET? Posted: 6/23/2007 9:15:19 PM
Last, I do know how to play an instrument, and I do understand what you mean, however, you and many others seemingly refuse to consider the potential hip hop holds as a musical art form, or even that this potential is fulfilled by many people - the problem is that most people allow the acts that sell posters at wal mart to represent the whole genre, which is pretty prejudiced. The term 'rap' is an acronym for 'rhythm and poetry'. Poetry has been an art form for a very long time, and no one would consider your little composition to be quality poetry. Shakespeare was one of the greatest artists in history, and he didn't even take the minimal effort to set his verse to a drum loop. I'm not going to insult anyone here by comparing mims, 50 cent or eminem to shakespeare, but the fact is, is that there are a great many artists out there who have much larger vocabularies than you or I, passion for and skill at crafting the written word into art, and the talent and creativity to make something valuable from it. There is a magic and understanding when you realize the power of the spoken word. If I were to judge all rock 'n roll by the sex pistols and the ramones, then I would be coming to very similar conclusions as the naysayers posting here. Don't judge a book by it's cover, no matter how distracted you get by how big and glossy it is; and don't offer critique if you haven't taken the time to flip through the pages even a little bit. And I'm only defending the literary portion of the genre; where learning turntables is just as difficult and rewarding as a conventional musical instrument. Furthermore, I have yet to see anyone expounding on the ease of creating a hip hop song actually create one and host it on myspace to prove it, and this thread has been here for awhile. And by the way, most rap artists tour with live musicians, and I havent seen a 15 page long thread about how rock n' roll or pop singer/songwriters who don't play any instruments aren't really musicians or artists.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 347 (view)

IS it me or should HIP HOP be DEAD YET? Posted: 6/22/2007 12:13:10 PM
So much for any hopes of a polite disagreement.... Cavalier, I'm going to make an assumption of my own and guess you have never listened to Del, Aesop Rock or El-P (and I'm sure some might not even consider them true underground hip hop), or any other hip hop that doesn't make airplay . That being the (assumed) case, your last post was definately a cavalier one. If you actually listen to a rap ARTIST, it won't take very long to realize that a lot of actual effort, planning, intelligence, and knowledge goes into their work. I would think someone who appreciates and enjoys FZ's music would have more intelligence and affinity for music than to dismiss an entire musical style because of a bunch of highly paid delinquants who misrepresent their hastily written lifestyle descriptions as said musical style. Even if you do listen the real artists and don't like what they create, you have to recognize that there is infinitely more to the genre than poorly written and overly offensive limericks put to a drum beat. Of course I'm only assuming that you haven't taken the time to listen to a second of any hip - hop that you didnt hear on the radio or on tv, and then only by mistake. As for your personal attack on me, I am a huge metalhead, but I dont have long hair, I wear khakis as often as jeans, I and listen to many other forms of music with just as much enthusiasm. I listen to FZ because I love his music, not so I can go waving my****around saying how musically advanced my ear is or how 'nonconformist' I am or what have you. I say this because scenes and and chart ratings mean NOTHING to me - I listen to music for music, and I really can't help it if most of the music that makes money does so because THE SOLE PURPOSE IT'S BEING MADE IS TO MAKE MONEY. Neither can I help it that most of the formulas for making money in the industry revolve around catch phrases, visual stimulation, dancing, or gratuitous sexual overtones. That doesn't mean that I wont listen to anything that generates sales or makes airplay, but neither does it mean that I find most mainstream music any more digestible for that. There is a difference between trying something and finding it wanting, and not trying it and condemning it all the same. And no I can't smell the sarcasm, the hypocrisy is overpowering it.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 344 (view)

IS it me or should HIP HOP be DEAD YET? Posted: 6/22/2007 10:33:40 AM
Since the thread is full of such comments, and in fact there is one right above my post, I'm kind of unclear on what you mean by 'assumptions'. I'm not what you would call a hip hop fan, and I have never given a red cent to 50 cent, Jay-Z, Chamillionaire, Wu-tang clan (even though they do have dome half decent cuts), MiMs, Eminem, or any of their ilk; I enjoy artists that I consider to be artists, that are thoughtful and impressive in how they put together words to for a rap - general public's opinion of rap notwithstanding, they were around before the current trend and have no need to answer for it, because it has nothing to do with them. I listen to metal more than anything, and would probably go crazy without it, but I loathe just about every band that makes it to the charts or gets any sort of airplay on the music channels, and public opinion has never significantly influenced my opinion of the artists I like, be it metal, rap, opera, accapella, or any style you can think of. Why would a Frank Zappa fan give a shit? Because I'd like to think that most fans of his, like myself appreciate truly aritistic music that conforms to, answers to, and apologizes for nothing and no-one; because the artists are too busy being artists and creating beautiful music to bother with trends. Besides, if you've ever heard 'Dumb All Over', then you already know Zappa had flow!

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 342 (view)

IS it me or should HIP HOP be DEAD YET? Posted: 6/22/2007 9:20:29 AM
I'm trluy amazed that you can have a thread 14 pages long of people who post, (refusing to actually read the many posts of people who appreciate true artists who dont appear on the billboard) having never listened to anything remotely resembling underground rap, to insult the entire genre based on 50 cent and Ja Rule videos.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 17 (view)

Evolution vs Innovation Posted: 6/21/2007 9:29:11 PM
Sometimes its easy to feel a little bit despaired and to think that most rational people believe we are spiralling towards extinction, cataclysm, or what have you. Whether or not thats the case, there are a whole lot of shameful, tragic, lamentable and completely unnecessary things going on in the world. Enormous amounts of energy is being put into hurting people, exploiting them, or just preventing anyone else from helping them; while at the same time, world population is mushrooming. Any way you look at, if all that time and effort was spent with the interests of everyone who lives here as the main priority, then a great many things that are wrong will be right, and a great many people will be happier. Anyway you look at it, it will take a massive collective change for this to happen. The reason I asked Evolution vs Innovation, because after observing all the many political systems and ideologies we have cycled through, the people who adhere to them, and how revolutionaries often overturn a government in some ideological crusade only to have their administration betray its original purpose, I came to the belief that no system is going to create any sort of utopian society on its own; that the will to make it happen would likely be a genetic change which would render almost all political systems equally effective. Since I don't have a science degree or anything of the like, I wanted to ask that question were a lot of people could see it and give their thoughts, because maybe some of them do have an informed scientific opinion. Sorry if I wrote it in such a way that made people think I was grandstanding or expostulating on how we are leading ourselves on a path to an orgy of blood and fire, but if I meant it that way, I probably would have titled the thread 'wake up! what is it going to take to prevent our demise?' or something equally rhetorical.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 10 (view)

Evolution vs Innovation Posted: 6/21/2007 10:24:18 AM
Sheik_Yerbouti , your original post reeks of arrogance. You claim to know that global warming will be the extinction of humanity. It only reeks of arrogance is you grossly misinterpret the post. I claimed nothing; and merely presented global warming as one of the myriad possible reasons for a disaster to befall us. Global warming is peripheral to the point of my post at best. Here, I'll present a few more possiblities - nanotech warfare, the failure of antibiotics, a gigantic solar flare - whatever - I believe that or our priorities are collectively ass backwards as a species, and if we continue as such we are doomed. It may take thousands of years, whether we eliminate ourselves or nature does it for us; but if you don't believe it will happen at all or you think this thread is a supposed to be a debate on global warming, then posting on this thread was completely redundant. Seriously NCSG, did you read my post? I have personally given a lot of thought to the matter as to whether it will simply be matter of us all 'acting like adults' or us reaching some evolutionary milestone that will cause us all to cooperate as a species. Which is why I asked the question; in retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have included the threat of annihilation - because global cooperation for its own sake is good enough! Anyways, my personal supposition is that, given enough time, it would have to be a genetic change, whether it eliminates the need to be violent, or greedy, or just makes it easier for us to suppress instincts we know are harmful, etc. And I can only hope people will believe there is no 'woe is me' factor involved when I say that I have kind of lost faith in humanity's ability to deal with things rationally, as a whole.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 36 (view)

Paris Hilton vs Real World News. Posted: 6/20/2007 7:19:08 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^ Book deal? Come on, the people who pour money into this travesty of mass media don't care to read anything that isn't bigger than font size 36, printed on glossy paper (or extremely poor quality paper which is usually used as bedding for domesticated rodents), and accompanied by colour photography. What possible use could a book deal be? Paris in jail the movie? E! true hollywood story? A new TV series? That I believe!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 31 (view)

Possibly 66 million immigrants will come to the US in the next 20 years! Posted: 6/20/2007 7:12:31 PM
The thought of 66 million immigrants freeloading off our wages in the next 20 years scares the living crap out of me! It's scary enough for many decent Americans to be thinking about one color, red, the same as the Mounties uniform. And to be humming or whistling 'O' Canada' down the street. Just make sure you go through the proper channels first.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 1 (view)

Evolution vs Innovation Posted: 6/20/2007 6:53:29 PM
Assuming we don't, as a species nuke each other into extinction, destroy the earths capacity to sustain us, or just stay off the path of cooperation long enough for the earth or some cosmic event to wipe us out naturally I pose this question: What is it that WILL take us off the entropic path we follow? Some innovation, whether it be political ie the 'perfect government' finally realized, indisputable proof of global warning with a concrete timeline for our extinction, a new renaissance, or the whole Star Trek idea of first contact and the realization that 'wow there are a pant load of aliens out there with the technology to vaporize our planet so we ought to get our junk together' OR Will it be a hypothetical next evolutionary step where the gene for violent behavior is bred out (assuming one exists), or for whatever reason, the only stipulation being that it is a physiological change. Peripherally, would the non - belief of some people in evolution be a hindrance to any progress towards global unity? By this I mean the lack of belief in evolution in and of itself, and not any other religious consideration; and also, is further evolution as an ENTIRE species even possible. I ask the latter because of the sheer volume of people, our genetic diversity, and the trends of the past couple of hundred years which have seen reproduction polar to natural selection on an enormous scale. Oh, and to simplify things, please put all possibilities messianic in nature under the category of innovation!! Other than that, could it be something else entirely that causes us to work together for a change?

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 17 (view)

Sounds painful Posted: 6/20/2007 5:07:32 PM
As mentioned above, you can name homosexuality as a sin without attaching hatred to it. I believe a cornerstone of Christian faith is to reconcile with and forgive sinners, try to bring them back to God, but not force them. I could be wrong though; but in any case I would say that it is pretty important to prevent religious leaders from leading their flocks to violence; because I don't think Americans as a whole are any less susceptible to religious fanaticism than Middle Easterners. That being the case, based on the information given in post 10, the bill seems like a good idea. It's those who interpret a religious creed for violent ends who create violent fanatics, and not the creeds themselves, after all. I guess what I mean to say is that no religion that I know of specifically tells people to hate homosexuals or any other sort of social 'deviant' whether it be sinful or not; and as such to defend spreading slogans like 'god hates gays', or any sort of anti - anything behaviour under religious rights or freedom is a fallacy; and therefore taking steps to prevent such is correct.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 100 (view)

May all the immigrants accept my apologies for americas Posted: 6/18/2007 4:16:45 PM
I really have to mention here that in th OP it was put forward that You succesfully created a new disease called cancer Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine wrote about cancer, he died 500 years before Christs crucifixion. It's only that cancer was pretty hard to identify prior to the advent of diagnostic imaging and other 20th century advents. With that out of the way; I find it sad that as soon as someone uses a humanist argument on this issue, then next post is invariably along the lines of 'reality check'. Yeah, our society works a certain way, yeah there are haves and have nots, and that is total herd mentality. To take that line of thinking is to defy the very reason your nation was founded, and to willingly and knowingly cast aside what it is that seraprates us from animals. Yes, animals in that, you have no desire, drive, or faith in youself to change anything; in fact, it not even occurring to you that you could, and even if that were the case, you wouldn't because it doesnt improve your own comfort level or survival prospect. Animals in that what is in your heart, or what has been programmed into you by living as a member of a herd, immediatly becomes your opinion and speech without considering other options or defying the pull of those marionette strings and thus showing HUMANITY to people who, believe it or not, have other things in mind besides eroding you economy, stealing your jobs, and darkening the skin of your descendants. I believe that 99 percent of all people (myself included) need to concentrate on what makes us sapient and free willed, rather than contiually relying on our survival instincts, by letting them decide things for us as soon as we see a news headline or hear foreign music. After all, thats what we have bicycle helmets and shopping bags with warning labels for; the other great cornerstone of American life, the civil suit has pretty much precluded the need for a survival instinct anyways. The order and exclusive system of society CAN be changed, and lets face it, I don't know anyone who is truly happy with it, do you?

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 24 (view)

When the Levy Breaks By: Led Zepplin thought to be related to hurricain Katrina??????????? Posted: 6/18/2007 3:42:31 PM
Yeah, I went to fill a bucket with water the other day, but there was a hole in it. I guess whoever wrote 'there's a hole in my bucket dear liza, dear liza' was predicting what the day would be like for me yesterday. Or then again maybe New Orleans is a city by the sea, built on a swamp, in hurricane central.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 13 (view)

Attack Iran.... Posted: 6/15/2007 2:23:11 PM
gee, you make it sound like Iran should be the next contestant on the Price Is Right...haven't killed enough Moslems yet for your appetite? Hey, it's not like anyone is just pulling Iran out of their hat - there has been talk of an invasion of Iran for awhile now. Iraq's proven to any doubters that you can spend billions on military equipment, and you can be held to a bloody draw by a small group of dedicated fighters using inexpensive equipment. So did Vietnam! Again we see the legendary American attention span in action. Otherwise, I agree, the ONLY things holding back an invasion of Iran is lack of soldiers, money and domestic support, otherwise Bush would be there in a pinch I think.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 4 (view)

song for a young budding guitar player Posted: 6/2/2007 10:48:26 AM
Just about anything by Black Sabbath or the Beatles!!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 31 (view)

12-20 Million Illegal Aliens....from a 'VISUAL' perspective Posted: 5/31/2007 3:33:18 PM
Get over it. Whites are being mistreated by all colors also. Go live in certain cities right now in Present Day. The point >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>you. I was just pointing out that 'preserving' 'white america' is a backward and racist notion, trying to illustrate it was as much a racial issue as anything, and demonstrating the blatant hypocrisy in msg 25. The guy in msg 24 didn't have a problem with illegal aliens, he had a problem with Mexicans. Also, I fail to see what wasn't factual about the quote that retort was meant for. I think just the opposite is true. If it was geographically easy for folks to illegally immigrate to Canada or other Countries, YOU...the Citizens would most assuredly become upset. I'd place good money on that bet. We have to shut them out for them to be illegal. Besides, Canada is underpopulated; and as already stated, we are more welcoming of other cultures up here. Also, as already stated, we are actually bringing to work here some of the people you are trying so hard to keep out. Whose fault is that? Plus, when battles are done, land is acquired. If they want to do open battle with the US and rightfully regain the land via that mode, bring it on. That I would respect. The point of that was to try to put anyone reading that in the shoes of a Mexican migrant. The idea that any American would sit there and accept their lot in life if the situation were reversed is laughable. So is the notion that the Serbs living under the Ottoman empire had no right to emigrate to Austrian controlled Serbia. I guess it boils down to whether you blindy agree with your governmental masters, or if you have any human compassion. It's also nice to know you respect mass murder as an alternative to charity. Substance can be empty calories (half baked biased bs) or full of nutrients (true facts). Your post 'substance', imho, falls into the first category. Thats as may be, but polemicist tripe is completely inedible, and you furthered the argument in no way.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 15 (view)

Neocons in Star Fleet? Posted: 5/31/2007 12:02:30 PM
Hmm It occurs to me now that the whole United Federation of Planets thing is an analogue for the United Nations under American Hegemony. It also occurred to me that I've never heard any kind of racial slur used in Star Trek, but if they did, I'm sure it would be almost as amusing as the fracas here.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 27 (view)

How can you not know what's going on in your own country? Posted: 5/31/2007 9:53:38 AM
Its easy for you to say when you don't have a severe problem with illegal aliens in your own country Canada is one of the easiest countries to migrate to in the world. It's hard to be illegal when its so easy to get citizenship. Go live in california for awhile Since they are really feeling the sting of illegal immigration and have their finger on the pulse of California in Bowling Green and Frankfort. telling white people to go back to europe saying with glee that white people are dying off the last gasp of white America to which the reply came: I applaud your knowledge of the subject matter What the American people are dealing with....has nothing to do with a Raciest attitude Im going to avoid making the obvious retort to having my head up my arse, etc So let's talk about White America. White America, who bought and sold people as slaves, forcibly relocated 5 tribes of natives with nothing but what they could carry and left the weak to die, decimated (and I use the word in its proper term here, which means to kill 10% of the population in a given area) the population of Philipenes, forcibly confined American citizens during ww2 for having yellow skin, and continued to treat blacks like animals 100 years after emancipation. If this is White America's last gasp, let it choke. As far as my country is concerned, you may be interested to know that the city I live in has such a labour shortage that companies are actually going to Mexico and bringing workers here, where they are paid more money (and thus pay more taxes) than their counterparts in California. In fact, the only problem we would have here with mass immigration is having the infastructure keep up. I'm sure a lot of them would come here were it geographically feasabale, but I think your goverment might start to get a little uneasy if Canada's population started to get around the 100 million mark. Oh, heres another good reason you have lots of illegal aliens in california, as well as texas, arizona, and new mexico. They all used to be part of Mexico!! You see, Texas decided to secede from Mexico, who were having none of that, so they took steps to deal with it. Texas joined the union, and America, never one to turn down land, annexed texas and went to war with Mexico. In fact, one of the major motivations for going to war was to annex Mexico and thus increase the amount of slave states. Almost 60% of Mexicans see California as rightfully theirs. Country GNP Population Density PC Income USA 13 Trillion 80/sq M 43,500 Mexico 1.3 Trillion 142/sq M 8,066 So you see, at 100 million people, Mexico has a population 1/3 that of the USA, A Gross National product 1/10 that of the USA and a per capita incoma of less than 1/5 that of USA. On top of that, It is nearly twice as crowded. So if you are someone from Mexico, and you notice that people living across this precious line of yours in a region that is ethnically and historically yours are making five times the money you are, and the government has three times as much money per person to spend on social progrems and infastructure, and it shows by the standard of living; are you really going to spare half a second thinking about how it affects ignorant white people living in Kansas, Ohio and Kentucky? Why don't you ask the Iraqi's, Iranians, Palestinians, Phillipinos, Vietnamese, Mexicans, Panamanians, Cubans, etc etc what they think of the famous American Generosity? And Speaking of which, the 2004 Tsunami - where Canada pledged 344 Million USD to the relief effort, USA's initial pledge was 15 million USD. Due to media criticism, it was bumped by 20 million, and eventually ended up giving 950 Million. We Canadians Contributed over 3 times as much as USA per person, who only paid what they did out of shame, rather than generosity. Did any of your spend half a second thinking about how your great nation and you as individuals have impacted the countries and their citizens you seem to disdain so much? I hope there was enought substance in that post E Pluribus Unum.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 23 (view)

How can you not know what's going on in your own country? Posted: 5/30/2007 4:29:56 PM
My question is, why all the fuss on the economic impact? It's not like any is being spent on social programs, or would if there was less of a strain on the economy. It's all going to Iraq, where you have your precious legal citizens killing legal citizens of their own country for no good reason. I wonder if US soldiers in Iraq calssify as 'illegal aliens', since they are earning wages in a foreign country. The entire US economy is based on exploiting people with brown eyes, is the problem that you don't want your sensibilities offended by having to witness it firsthand, from a VISUAL perspective? Or is the whole reason you are getting pissy about it because after the amnesty the national pension will dwindle? What about equality and helping your fellow man? The struggle to bring peace and freedom to the world? Does that end at the 49th parallel and the Rio Grande? What about Christian charity? Do you think all these people are border hopping for the weather? You, as a nation, exploit the world and turn the other way when they look for help. If you truly believe that you deserve a better standard of living because of where you were born, you are no better than the Germans who looked the other way during ww2, your plantation owners of the 18th and 19th centuries, or anyone else who thought they had a god given right to treat people like animals. I'm sorry for the lack of citations and hard facts, but lets face it, if your real problem is with illegals, but the opposition is to making them legal, then I don't need any citations to demonstrate that your attitude is selfish, destructive, vindictive, cruel, and utterly shameful. Of course I'm sure most Americans would do everything in their power to help the state of the world and the plight of illegal aliens, as long as they didn't have to make a sacrifice in any way. As Petrarch said "It is more honourable to be raised to a throne than to be born to one. Fortune bestows the one, merit obtains the other" They have done more to deserve the American lifestyle than almost every born citizen, and you would do the same if you were them.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 50 (view)

Theories in Islam Posted: 5/28/2007 10:00:20 AM
Technically speaking, using the creed of one religion to discredit or 'disprove' the creed of another is totally redundant. Also I have yet to see a monotheistic religion that states that it's god started existing when its prophet started teaching. The God of Judaism, Xtianity, and Islam are the same god, and Muhammed makes no bones about this. Not to mention, calling the Abrahamic faiths 'cults' is a little juvenile, and only invalidates your remarks as being centric of the beliefs you hold, which you didn't name. Also, in regards to the hijab and muslim sexuality, well here is a nice little demographical map for you all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:HIV_Epidem.png Interesting eh? Something else I find interesting is all the philandering, masturbating Catholics who supposedly believe that the human seed is for procreation only and any other spilling of it is one of the worst blasphemies you can commit, not to mention the priest who take their pleasure on altar boys. But then again maybe that more of an American cultural thing. You can't blame all Catholics for that.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 11 (view)

Pandora Posted: 5/28/2007 9:31:54 AM
ok it's a server that you basically kind of hide behind to screen your real ip. Just do a google search for 'free proxy server' find a site with a proxy server in the US, and then you will want to go tools ----> internet options -----> connections -----> LAN settings in Internet Explorer, check the box that says 'use a proxy server' and then put in the IP address you found on the site. Voila! Any site you go to will think you are accessing it from the US. Yeah, and as far as setting and forgetting, my personal view is, you still only get what they give you; the content you listen to comes through someone else. Sure, researching takes longer, but it pays off ultimately, and for me, I like music that takes a bit of effort to understand, so in my case it kind of seems a little too easy. That and I like many genres, but usually only the very best of them, which equals a broad base of listening, and too many bands or acts that I wouldn't like that I would have to sift through.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 8 (view)

Pandora Posted: 5/27/2007 4:50:01 PM
psssst... use a proxy server! (whispered)

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 41 (view)

Theories in Islam Posted: 5/26/2007 9:53:59 AM
Got news for you all...after the Jewish religion the second oldest religion is Catholic. I know repsonding to this strays from the OP but I can't resist. Judaism predates the birth of Christ by 2000 years. Hinduism by 1500. Buddhism by 500. The Greek Pantheon by 800. Zoroastrism by at least 500. Taoism by 400. I could go on. Bringing us to the birth of Christ. From this point, except for Nestorians and oriental orthodox, you basically just had 'vanilla Christianity' up until the 11th century when the eastern orthodox and roman catholic churches separated. So you see, Catholicism is far from the second oldest religion. Anyways, the idea of 'reversion' is definately inriguing, I don't know alot about the Islamic faith, but from what I do know I find it interesting, and Islam certainly has a more tolerant history than Christianity does, especially Catholicism!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 10 (view)

Progressive? Alternative? What's the Difference? Posted: 5/25/2007 3:24:50 PM
The difference is performer age . lol If Frank Zappa was a kid playing the same progressive stuff ..it would be called Alternative. I think that's unlikely considering that Zappa 1)Did not confine himself to any 1, or even 2 or 3 or 4 musical styles 2) Purposefully defied convention 3) Was far too advanced of a muisician to be associated with alternative music The term Alternative was first used to describe post - punk bands without major label support, and that is essentially what it is, even though in the 90's and especially nowadays it is way more formulaic and mainstream, even though the term extends to current 'indie' acts. For the most part, true progressive rock is highly advanced musically, while Alternative, generally speaking, is musically inferior from a technical and practical standpoint. That in itself is a pretty large and discernable difference. But basically, progressive music tends to destroy convention when and wherever it can, whereas alternative simply found a new convention which is still fairly fresh in the collective mind. Sure you can pull exceptions out of your hat, but the labels are there to identify these types of music as such. And before it becomes an argument about labels - just because they are called that does not mean they are stickers you put on a box where all musical acts have to fit neatly into one of them - they are words used to describe a gelatinous mass of similar artists!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 2 (view)

Pandora Posted: 5/25/2007 2:56:11 PM
Google, Metal Archives, wikipedia, allmusic.com - throw in a blender, add research to taste, add ice, enjoy.

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 38 (view)

Define Art Posted: 5/25/2007 2:51:25 PM
Since whether or not art should be offensive was brought up, I have to say - suppression of art for any reason denigrades it, and those who think it should be suppressed don't appreciate it enough to have a valid opinion. The inoffensive provokes NOTHING. and also - ART = Ain't Rhetorical Terminology!!!!!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 34 (view)

Define Art Posted: 5/24/2007 2:59:38 PM
Myself, I consider art as being any thing that is not made to achieve a specific purpose in the the physical world, or that is made to achieve a purpose just by being. As far as determining the value of art, well some interpretations of art are in the gray area, in most cases, the quality of a work of art is obvious. Of course, art becomes interesting when the quality of the work is high, but not necessarily obvious!

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 1 (view)

Toolgressive bands Posted: 5/22/2007 4:43:40 AM
Am I the only person that whoever I meet that has or wants to start a 'progressive' rock or metal band that 'doesn't sound like anything else' ends up sounding like stand ins for Tool? Not to slag on Tool (even though I'm not really a fan), but how is music progressive or unique if it sounds just like a band that has been around for nearly 20 years? Anyone else get that? Or am I just jinxed in this regard?

Sheik_Yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 5 (view)

The classical music conductor Posted: 5/22/2007 4:38:55 AM
Not to mention conducting brings flexibility to any musical performance. Listen to any rock band nowadays, they have their songs which they play the exact same way every time, maybe they have a couple changed tempo versions or live shenanigans or covers that they do on the road, but otherwise its exactly the same every time. Now you have a band like any of the various incarnations of Frank Zappa's, they knew all the songs to a T like any orchestra, and he would conduct them and change the way they played on a nightly basis. He would change any of his classic songs into a reggae or a country tune on a whim. So, for a composer, having skilled musicians and the facility to conduct them, is an enourmous benifit to the overall performance, as they can evoke it not only the way they originally intended it, but any other way they choose. Of course it really doesnt make a difference if you just like to hear every band scratch out the exact same riff in the exact same tempo with the exact same instruments without deviation.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 44 (view)

Black metal... Posted: 4/12/2007 5:43:05 PM
Black Metal is like any other genre. You have people who are involved in it for the scene, and you have people who are involved in it for the music. For scenesters, you have the novelty hounds who will move on to something else one they realize it is not making them liked or respected (or feared or whatever), or they get bored with it, and then you have the people who are truly into it, and will never stop being into it. And for that reason, Black Metal as a scene will never die. Then you have the people who just listen to x number of Black Metal bands because the music makes all their synapses fire, but are not really concerned with how they are labeled. Generally, these people will will experiment and branch out with the music, and often earn derision from the true scenesters. This is basically the dynamic of any genre. Thats why you keep hearing 'Hip Hop is dead' when it's not, 'rock 'n roll is dead' when its not, etc, etc. This also why you will have purists calling anyone who isn't a purist a poser, musicians who put their heart and soul into making the music scoff and juvenile purists, and ignorants fools who will judge people by the music they listen to. Black Metal is dead? Whatever, who cares, I'm going to go listen to some Enslaved. Keep music and trends separate ffs.

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 1 (view)

CANZAC nation Posted: 2/13/2007 4:09:01 PM
I always though it would be interesting and possibly beneficial if Canada, New Zealand and Australia were to enter some sort of federal union. I always thought we had a a lot in common and would make an interesting national identity. Not to mention one nation being on both sides of the Pacific, it is my uneducated opinion that it would be a large economical advantage. If we were lucky maybe it would contribute to a gradual erosion of borders globally. Anyone have thoughts on this?

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 8 (view)

Article from the UK Sunday Telegraph - TRIBUTE TO CANADA Posted: 2/12/2007 4:07:05 PM
Indeed, the lack of recognition or appreciation only compound our nobility as a nation. We act be because we know something is RIGHT. Not because we want to flex our muscles, not because we want to inflict our ideals on anyone else, and not to serve any selfish gains. What we do, as a nation, we do in the name of peace and humanity. It is a great irony that we set an example for how all nations would act in a utopian world, but that this example is overlooked. I say we as Canadians should be satisfied and take pride in that, because as soon as we go about demanding recognition for our actions, then we cheapen their righteousness. In any case, long live Canada!

sheik_yerbouti

Joined: 11/7/2006

Msg: 19 (view)

Eastern Separatism Posted: 2/7/2007 5:32:51 PM
My thought on the matter is that the overall cultural landscape of Canada is in such a constant flux, that separating on cultural grounds is totally redundant, and would probably be self perpetuating.

Show ALL Forums