Palestine and Israel

[Homer_Rice]

It's personally sickening to me, metaphorically.

 

I said metaphorically because the past year for me has been a real struggle for life. Hospitalized three times, ICU for a while, almost kicked the bucket on a couple of occasions, and had a heart valve operation on top of it all. Like most people in dire circumstances, I fought like the devil for those small victories which stack up to some semblance of a recovery. I'll never be the same as before, but I'm glad I made the fight. Only recently have I begun to resume life's tasks we tend to take for granted: driving again, taking an actually stand-up shower instead of Marine wash cloth baths. I'll probably always need to have a cane nearby, just in case I get a little wobbly.

 

Most importantly, my mind is coming back to what I consider normal, for me. Early on, there were moments when I was really confused, couldn't process information, could barely hold a conversation. A doctor would outline four things, and I'd still be struggling to understand the first.

 

I'm not looking for sympathy, that's not the point. Think of people like indianabengal, Onyx, and probably a few others who have come and gone just from this small Bengals community. People who have gone, like we are all going to go. Or people like Ryan or Bengalbacker and no doubt some others here who have had personal, up close, fights with mortality. Has anyone heard from Bunghole in recent times? I hope he is doing well.

 

The point is this, as cliche as it sounds: We are all going to go, and many of us will struggle through final illnesses and last moments. Speaking for myself, I'd like to go quietly in my sleep, or quickly from a heart attack. But that's not likely.

 

And while I was sick, two of my mentors passed away. This hit home even harder than some of the personal stuff I had to endure. The people we look up to, who help influence us and help shape our lives--well they are mortal, too. In these instances, both of them were in their 80s, so it was not a surprise, but it was a revelation.

 

The point is to be Good, to do Good, and to call out the people who are amoral, immoral, or just plain evil--lacking any sense of right and wrong. Most importantly, it means engaging in the wonderful pursuit of truth-seeking, despite all our personal flaws. Yes, I did a bad thing on February 24th, 1976, or whatever, but embrace the process. As we all know, the hunt is often more fun than the result. And if, in that hunt, we have to change a few of our closely held ideas, because we care, then all the more better.

[Homer_Rice]

That said, here are a few more bits and pieces to reflect upon, with respect to Gaza and the general conflagration in geopolitics today:

 

Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children

 

Egypt Is Playing an Extremely High-Stakes Game in Gaza That Could End in Genocide

 

“A Textbook Case of Genocide”

 

SCOTT RITTER: John Kirby v. Russian Military

 

The Jewish American Dilemma

 

Nasrallah’s Speech Confirms that “MAD” Has Been Reached Between Israel-US & the Resistance Axis

 

Israel’s Long-Held Plan to Drive Gaza’s People Into Sinai Is Now Within Reach

 

The Self-Isolation of the West

 

Pure madness

[Jamie_B]

4 hours ago, Homer_Rice said:

Up early and restless. I'll take another stab along the lines of what I wrote the other day.

 

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful."

--Seneca the Younger

 

All ideologies are pathological belief systems. And I mean all. Left, Right, Liberal, Conservative, Libertarian, Socialist, Communist, and all the varieties of religion are, at their core, belief systems that allow us to take shortcuts when we have discussions within and between communities. They are convenient, and most people overlook the myths that serve as premises for X ideology. Or even worse, they insist that those myths are truths--without being able to articulate just how one arrives at that specific truth. And that is ironic, because the only way to place ideologies in proper context is to have a rock-solid, methodologically sound, approach to pursuing the truth.

 

This notion, which is transitive, emphasizes the pursuit. It is an ongoing process, and process is ontologically superior to any isolated, frozen-moment, instantiation of the given process.

 

If one can keep this idea as a central part of one's approach to walking through life, then there is a better than decent chance that one can acquire some actual wisdom, instead of parroting something that someone told you, which may, or may not, be truthful or even on a glide-path to truth. That's why propaganda is so effective, especially now, when most of what is presented to people via our governments and mass media--including astroturf groups that are set up explicitly to mislead and misinform the populace-at-large-- is pure, unadulterated bullshit.

 

 

This is so important. I truly believe we have lost our critical thinking skills as a society. 

[claptonrocks]

9 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

 

This is so important. I truly believe we have lost our critical thinking skills as a society. 

When you have to think liberal teachings 

you get a this.

Slanted views.

[Jamie_B]

55 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Wh n you have think liberal teachings 

you get a this.

Slanted views.

 

Exactly what you're doing right now

[claptonrocks]

52 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

Exactly what you're doing right now

Your entitled to your opinion.

 

[claptonrocks]

On 11/5/2023 at 5:27 AM, Homer_Rice said:

It's personally sickening to me, metaphorically.

 

I said metaphorically because the past year for me has been a real struggle for life. Hospitalized three times, ICU for a while, almost kicked the bucket on a couple of occasions, and had a heart valve operation on top of it all. Like most people in dire circumstances, I fought like the devil for those small victories which stack up to some semblance of a recovery. I'll never be the same as before, but I'm glad I made the fight. Only recently have I begun to resume life's tasks we tend to take for granted: driving again, taking an actually stand-up shower instead of Marine wash cloth baths. I'll probably always need to have a cane nearby, just in case I get a little wobbly.

 

Most importantly, my mind is coming back to what I consider normal, for me. Early on, there were moments when I was really confused, couldn't process information, could barely hold a conversation. A doctor would outline four things, and I'd still be struggling to understand the first.

 

I'm not looking for sympathy, that's not the point. Think of people like indianabengal, Onyx, and probably a few others who have come and gone just from this small Bengals community. People who have gone, like we are all going to go. Or people like Ryan or Bengalbacker and no doubt some others here who have had personal, up close, fights with mortality. Has anyone heard from Bunghole in recent times? I hope he is doing well.

 

The point is this, as cliche as it sounds: We are all going to go, and many of us will struggle through final illnesses and last moments. Speaking for myself, I'd like to go quietly in my sleep, or quickly from a heart attack. But that's not likely.

 

And while I was sick, two of my mentors passed away. This hit home even harder than some of the personal stuff I had to endure. The people we look up to, who help influence us and help shape our lives--well they are mortal, too. In these instances, both of them were in their 80s, so it was not a surprise, but it was a revelation.

 

The point is to be Good, to do Good, and to call out the people who are amoral, immoral, or just plain evil--lacking any sense of right and wrong. Most importantly, it means engaging in the wonderful pursuit of truth-seeking, despite all our personal flaws. Yes, I did a bad thing on February 24th, 1976, or whatever, but embrace the process. As we all know, the hunt is often more fun than the result. And if, in that hunt, we have to change a few of our closely held ideas, because we care, then all the more better.

That was beautifully said sir.

Our bodies will fail but the spirit will stay strong if you will it.

Hopefully you may come back to the board with any comments you like

 

Your a warrior ..

Much respect..

[Jamie_B]

On 11/5/2023 at 5:27 AM, Homer_Rice said:

It's personally sickening to me, metaphorically.

 

I said metaphorically because the past year for me has been a real struggle for life. Hospitalized three times, ICU for a while, almost kicked the bucket on a couple of occasions, and had a heart valve operation on top of it all. Like most people in dire circumstances, I fought like the devil for those small victories which stack up to some semblance of a recovery. I'll never be the same as before, but I'm glad I made the fight. Only recently have I begun to resume life's tasks we tend to take for granted: driving again, taking an actually stand-up shower instead of Marine wash cloth baths. I'll probably always need to have a cane nearby, just in case I get a little wobbly.

 

Most importantly, my mind is coming back to what I consider normal, for me. Early on, there were moments when I was really confused, couldn't process information, could barely hold a conversation. A doctor would outline four things, and I'd still be struggling to understand the first.

 

I'm not looking for sympathy, that's not the point. Think of people like indianabengal, Onyx, and probably a few others who have come and gone just from this small Bengals community. People who have gone, like we are all going to go. Or people like Ryan or Bengalbacker and no doubt some others here who have had personal, up close, fights with mortality. Has anyone heard from Bunghole in recent times? I hope he is doing well.

 

The point is this, as cliche as it sounds: We are all going to go, and many of us will struggle through final illnesses and last moments. Speaking for myself, I'd like to go quietly in my sleep, or quickly from a heart attack. But that's not likely.

 

And while I was sick, two of my mentors passed away. This hit home even harder than some of the personal stuff I had to endure. The people we look up to, who help influence us and help shape our lives--well they are mortal, too. In these instances, both of them were in their 80s, so it was not a surprise, but it was a revelation.

 

The point is to be Good, to do Good, and to call out the people who are amoral, immoral, or just plain evil--lacking any sense of right and wrong. Most importantly, it means engaging in the wonderful pursuit of truth-seeking, despite all our personal flaws. Yes, I did a bad thing on February 24th, 1976, or whatever, but embrace the process. As we all know, the hunt is often more fun than the result. And if, in that hunt, we have to change a few of our closely held ideas, because we care, then all the more better.

 

 

 

Don't go too soon, we got to share a beer.

 

I miss Onyx every day. A few of us have made it a point to visit his grave as a group once a year around the time of his passing.  He and I were nothing alike other than our shared love of the Bengals, but our humor and silliness bound us. I'll still speak to him every so often in the metaphysical sense. I've been lucky enough to store away a good chunk of change since starting my job at Microsoft almost 2 years ago, at the time we made the superbowl I didn't have the money to go, and there was a campaign done by some locals for "no fan left behind" that they put fans who left us on t-shirts, I got his on one but never saw if he made it in the stadium with someone. If we make it again, Ill be sure to go myself and be sure he gets there with me.

 

Bunghole is on my Facebook friends list, he's around but not as much.

[Go Skins]

On 11/7/2023 at 9:26 PM, Jamie_B said:

 

 

 

Don't go too soon, we got to share a beer.

 

I miss Onyx every day. A few of us have made it a point to visit his grave as a group once a year around the time of his passing.  He and I were nothing alike other than our shared love of the Bengals, but our humor and silliness bound us. I'll still speak to him every so often in the metaphysical sense. I've been lucky enough to store away a good chunk of change since starting my job at Microsoft almost 2 years ago, at the time we made the superbowl I didn't have the money to go, and there was a campaign done by some locals for "no fan left behind" that they put fans who left us on t-shirts, I got his on one but never saw if he made it in the stadium with someone. If we make it again, Ill be sure to go myself and be sure he gets there with me.

 

Bunghole is on my Facebook friends list, he's around but not as much.

 

Damn, it's been nearly 2 years at Microsoft?  It certainly doesn't feel like it!

[T-Dub]

On 10/30/2023 at 9:54 AM, claptonrocks said:

It  was more than 24 hrs

The Hamas wants shields.

They build their headqtrd under hospitals .

Savage animals who attacked and lkilled Israeles to start  this war.

I suppose you believe  George Soros is a great guy too.

 

 

 

 

 

You realize the Irgun used terrorist tactics to drive the British out of Palestine, right? This recent violence is a continuation of a fight for Jerusalem that's been going on for over two thousand years. Literally thousands of years of back & forth religious violence.

 

The idea that this is some recent singular event is entirely ignorant of history.

[claptonrocks]

1 hour ago, T-Dub said:

 

You realize the Irgun used terrorist tactics to drive the British out of Palestine, right? This recent violence is a continuation of a fight for Jerusalem that's been going on for over two thousand years. Literally thousands of years of back & forth religious violence.

 

The idea that this is some recent singular event is entirely ignorant of history.

Yes...

Israel hasn't felt this threaten in years.

Most severe of late.

 

They have no choice but to respond to the Iranian led savages some call resistance fighters  until they're

anniliated in Gaza.

 

Harsh? Yes...

Theyre in survivor mode and all hands are on deck for their lives.

[Homer_Rice]

Don't look away.

[Jamie_B]

8 hours ago, Homer_Rice said:

Don't look away.

 

Ugh so heartbreaking 

[T-Dub]

18 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

Yes...

Israel hasn't felt this threaten in years.

Most severe of late.

 

They have no choice but to respond to the Iranian led savages some call resistance fighters  until they're

anniliated in Gaza.

 

Harsh? Yes...

Theyre in survivor mode and all hands are on deck for their lives.

 

Trying to maintain an apartheid state is dangerous, yes. I'm sure bombing the shit out of the problem will fix it though.🤔

Also your insistence on using dehumanizing language like "animals" and "savages" reveals that this is in fact genocide. 

[claptonrocks]

24 minutes ago, T-Dub said:

 

Trying to maintain an apartheid state is dangerous, yes. I'm sure bombing the shit out of the problem will fix it though.🤔

Also your insistence on using dehumanizing language like "animals" and "savages" reveals that this is in fact genocide. 

What Hamas had done is a animalistic.

Beheading a young woman is savagry.

Believe what you want.

 

[PatternMaster]

19 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

Yes...

Israel hasn't felt this threaten in years.

Most severe of late.

 

They have no choice but to respond to the Iranian led savages some call resistance fighters  until they're

anniliated in Gaza.

 

Harsh? Yes...

Theyre in survivor mode and all hands are on deck for their lives.

 

Just now, claptonrocks said:

What Hamas had done is a animalistic.

Beheading a young woman is savagry.

Believe what you want.

 

 

So has the IDF done anything that would constitute savagery in your perspective?

[claptonrocks]

7 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

 

 

So has the IDF done anything that would constitute savagery in your perspective?

I'm not in the trenches with them so I wont speculate...

IDFs mission is to rid all Hamas out of 

Gaza.

 

You never seen to mention the atrocities that started this with the Savages attacking innocent concert goers by killing kidnapping and beheading innocent souls.

[Jamie_B]

15 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

I'm not in the trenches with the so I wont speculate...

IDFs mission is to rid all Hamas out of 

Gaza.

 

You never seen to mention the atrocities that started this with the Savages attacking innocent concert goers by killing kidnapping and beheading innocent souls.

 

This stuff didnt just start recently, this conflict has been decades long.

[claptonrocks]

40 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

This stuff didnt just start recently, this conflict has been decades long.

Yes..

Muslim world in middle east agenda has been to anialate Jews by any means.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jamie_B]

4 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Yes..

Muslim world in middle east agenda has been to anialate Jews by any means.

 

 

I would suggest not reading propaganda, the animation of Jews is not a goal of the larger Muslim community.

 

There is alot to support that but you have to go deep and this topic is incredibly nuanced. 

[claptonrocks]

23 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

 

I would suggest not reading propaganda, the animation of Jews is not a goal of the larger Muslim community.

 

There is alot to support that but you have to go deep and this topic is incredibly nuanced. 

The powers in the Muslim mideast 

don't reflect your opinion about what goals you seem to perceive..

[PatternMaster]

2 hours ago, claptonrocks said:

I'm not in the trenches with the so I wont speculate...

IDFs mission is to rid all Hamas out of 

Gaza.

 

You never seen to mention the atrocities that started this with the Savages attacking innocent concert goers by killing kidnapping and beheading innocent souls.

 

Wow....interesting 

[T-Dub]

22 hours ago, Jamie_B said:

 

This stuff didnt just start recently, this conflict has been decades long.

Literally thousands of years. Thousands. The violent conquest of Jerusalem has been the goal of all 3 Abrahamic religions.

[Jamie_B]

 

[T-Dub]

On 11/11/2023 at 4:53 PM, claptonrocks said:

What Hamas had done is a animalistic.

Beheading a young woman is savagry.

Believe what you want.

 

 

 

The person who beheaded that woman did it because he thought she was an "animal" or "savage".

 

Every time you repeat that sort of talk you're helping to perpetuate the mutual hatred that causes that kind of horrible shit. I'd like to believe that's not your intention.