Ilunga

As far as I am concerned nobody on this Planet really owns the land they dwell on. As I stated, we are merely custodians of the land/ planet we live on. The last few generations have done a sh!tty job of looking after the planet we are passing on to the next generations.

You have just made my point. We don't really own the land we live on. As I stated we are merely custodians. As for the history of the middle east I am very conversant with it. For a detailed, while somewhat personal account of the Arabian revolt against the Ottoman Empire try reading the Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E Lawrence. It gives one an insight into the birth of Arabian nationhood.

I am at that age where my friends are dropping like flys. Lost 2 friends to cancer and heart problems this year, another one was just diagnosed with cancer a month or so ago. At 20- 30 life seems endless, coming up on 60, the days go by like hours.

This is something I disagree with brother. Even with the current conditions, Isreali settlers are still taking land illegally, imagine if they had less than they ended up with back then. They would still be taking land illegally, very probably more of it. This concept of owning land, as a farmer I am totally aware that I am simply a custodian of the land I dwell on. I didn't buy it, my parents did. I feel the responsibility to care for it as best as I can and pass it on to the next generation, my son. That's how my parents felt. If we are lucky we have 7 - 10 decades at best. This planet is nearly 4billion years old.

That's the Wired article Pete ? I was checking that out. No matter how you cut it, as that article stated the old testament god was a blood thirsty fellow. He mellowed a bit in the second testament.

I try to " like " a post and it doesn't happen sometimes. I try and post and it doesn't happen sometimes. This doesn't happen anywhere else on the website. I am totally computer illiterate and only post on my phone. Thanks for the reply brother.

Having trouble with posting and using the reactions to posts in topics in White noise. Post from an Android phone, anyone have any tips ?

I love BC brother, spent a lot of time there. If I was gonna live in Vancouver it would be on the North Shore, there are epic MTB trails around the joint. I actually prefer the interior, as you would know, the snow gets lighter and drier as you go inland. There are three places in the world like here, the other 2 are L.A and Biarritz in France. Wake up at 6am, drive an hour, go surfing, drive 3 hours go skiing, drive 2 and half hours back to Melbs and go skating.

I am really lucky. I could have ended up anywhere with who knows what sort of parents, maybe no parents at all. I ended up with the 2 best people I have ever met. My father was the kindest, most gentle man I have ever met. I also ended up on a ten acre farm in Monbulk, on the edge of Melbourne. I have travelled the world skiing and this one of the best places to live IMO. It's paradise.

My parents were among the first to grow Proteas for cut flower production here in Aus. They actually " created " a few varieties by cross pollinating, long process. Most varieties of proteas come from South Africa. One, the Waratah, is from here in Aus, it the " state " flower of NSW. Before they bought the farm, dad was an aircraft design engineer, mum was a draughts/drafts woman in the aircraft industry, that's how they met. After screwing up after I left school, I wanted to make mum and dad proud of me so I took over the farm to continue their legacy. I have grown to love what I do.

Seriously Tom Cruises best work ever

A compilation

The Infernal Affairs trilogy is brilliant. Scorsese based The Departed off that series of movies.

I have seen The Corporation twice, have a flyer on my wall. I have also watched The New Corporation The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel Must see viewing IMO.

Hey Pete, I am a one person operation, flower farmer. Here in Aus, I operate as a sole trader. Tax rates like every one else has to pay. Tax free threshold 18k, 19cents in the dollar up to 45k, 32.5 cents up to 120k. There is a Medicare levy. I am not conversant with the Canadian system however being a sole trader sounds like a better option for you under our system. Love your last comment by the way.

When we heard that @Mike Vanderhoek had taken over the GM position of the Canadiens we knew our Conference just got a lot harder to compete in. Mike will have this team playing some great hockey sooner, rather than later.

You don't believe the tone of your post was angry/ outraged ? That's the feeling I got from you reading it, correct me if I am wrong. I show kindness and respect to people, not institutions. I have stated numerous times that religion at a hierarchical level has had many negative impacts for humanity. And yes you do reap what you sow. Do you believe mocking others will change people, help them evolve, or do you do it just to engender certain feelings in yourself. Personally I have found using reason and respect better tools for helping others change their views. As- salaam alaikum

You are one angry person. And so we are clear, I have never championed religion, I have stated it has its benefits at a congregational level. I have witnessed these benefits. I have also pointed out it's flaws, I am an actual victim of some of those flaws. The white stolen generation here in Aus. Religion is like anything else man has invented, it has its good points and it has its negative points. You focus on the negative. I totally acknowledge that religion has caused a lot of harm in the world, it has also caused a lot of good both at an individual level and organisational level. You should stop hating mate, hatred only hurts those who experience that emotion. That's not a bad Zappa song, one of my all time favourite albums is Joe's Garage. Really like the Man from Utopia as well. You reap what you sow brother. I prefer to try and sow kindness and respect. Shalom......

I had this idea after I started to read science fiction. At the moment all we have to compare ourselves with is each other, different nations/ ethnicities/ societies. If we discovered other life forms, or they discovered us we would have something/ another species to compare ourselves to, that I believe would unite us all, well at least the potential to. We are all human beings. However if you were an actual intelligent species and you observed us, would you contact us ?

Animal cruelty, especially to dogs makes my blood boil. Messed up story. One of my friends is raising his grandkids, two boys, his son is in jail, their mother is an ICE addict. Not only is he raising his grandsons he has also taken on 3 bull Mastiffs that were his sons and his grandkids. A few weeks ago the cops shot one of the dogs for no reason, he did get out of the property but wasn't threatening them, they just don't like his son. On top of that they came around a week later and were bragging about it front of my friend and the actual owner of the dog, his eight year old grandson, who was by my friends side. My friend has been breeding dogs all his adult life, they are almost like his kids to him. My friend, who has mellowed with age was still so f#ckin mad he told the cop, take your uniform off, let's go up the street and sort this out. Cop sh!t himself. My last dog, Tusk, I got from him, big mastiff cross. She nearly made 17 before she died. Best dog that ever owned me. I was so gutted I have not been able to get a dog since.

Sorry Brother, I missed this, really distracted, I believe you know why. Been 8 weeks now. Thanks for posting, not a bad summary IMO.

I have criticized your use of memes, big difference. I have never attacked anyone on this forum, I don't call people muppets or morons. You raise no uncomfortable feelings in me, I just don't believe in mocking others is all. My butterfly comment was in relation to chaos theory, the second law of thermodynamics states that the universe tends towards disorder, and chaos is a necessary part of this process. Edward Lorenz coined the term the butterfly effect in an effort to describe chaos theory. Universe " ruled " by chaos. What's with your bee comment ?

So you do actually believe in a goddess, the Greek goddess of Chaos Eris ? Or is it Apophis, the Egyptian god of Chaos ? Or is it Tiamat, the Mesopotamian goddess of Chaos ? Or is it Balor, the Celtic god of Chaos ? Or is it Yam, the Canaanite god of Chaos ? Actually some estimate there are over 4000 religions, so you do admit the possibility, however remote, that one, or more may indeed contain some element of truth ? As for your last statement, respecting others spiritual journey, over the years you have been posting on this board, I have seen you post memes that mock people for wasting their lives believing in a god. Many of those people don't force their beliefs on others, or want to make rules for others based on their beliefs. I would hardly call that respect. Flap, flap, flap, of butterfly wings.