THERE has always been a way of getting round things in this country or simply ignoring them altogether.
On the fifth anniversary of the war with Iraq there has been increased coverage of an occupation of another country.
The Chinese have occupied Tibet for more than 50 years and it wasn't surprising how the recent uprising has been handled by Western governments. The very idea of saying anything remotely against the Chineses regime was out of the question.
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It could be that with the Olympics coming up and all the sponsors on board we don't all want to look like we ignore the human rights of a bunch of monks.
Or it could be the fact that most of the goods we use and buy at knock-down prices are being made in China and upsetting the host might mean we have pay a couple of extra pounds on our next designer trainers.
Words such as freedom', democracy' and 'axis of evil' seemed to have been stricken from the vocabulary altogether. You would think when it is blatantly obvious when a Government is doing something wrong we would make some sort of statement?
But it seems as if we are in fact returning the favour in case the Chinese brought up that mess we made in the Middle-East.
There seems to be some unwritten rule between nations wanting to occupy smaller countries for strategic gain. As long you don't make a song and dance about it, neither will we' seems to be best way of dealing with things.
And who on earth would not want to meet the Dalai Lama? Our Prime Minister has now agreed to see him but to show that we do all care about the pound shops, the PM will only meet the Dalai Lama at Lambeth Palace and not at 10 Downing Street.
It's our little way of saying that we do really care.
Similarly there has been a level of embarrassment from many governments who took part in the occupation of Iraq in case people begin to make comparisons.
It was strange how the Chinese government essentially was using the same terminology as we used when we invaded Iraq.
That the uprising was being conducted by terrorists' wanting to derail freedom' and the situation had deteriorated due to outside interference'.
Funny how no matter what language we speak, we can from time to time mean exactly the same things.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 3:23pm Sat 22 Mar 08
Language causes a lot of confusion. It has to be interpretated. This leaves a lot of room possible for mis-interpretation.
A Simple thing like a Breath could mean everything or nothing to a person. A Breath connot be spoken, it cannot be written, it cannot be drawn, sculpted, painted.
Yet it keeps us all Alive. It's the difference between birth and death. But we don't call it Life. We call Life everything else that happens. We add no meaning at all to a Breath. shed-loads to this cause or that cause.
A [bold]Breath[/bold] it is a meaning-less word, a meaning-less thing to most People.
So there is a word that means the same thing.
Nothing.
Language causes a lot of confusion. It has to be interpretated. This leaves a lot of room possible for mis-interpretation.
A Simple thing like a Breath could mean everything or nothing to a person. A Breath connot be spoken, it cannot be written, it cannot be drawn, sculpted, painted.
Yet it keeps us all Alive. It's the difference between birth and death. But we don't call it Life. We call Life everything else that happens. We add no meaning at all to a Breath. shed-loads to this cause or that cause.
A Breath it is a meaning-less word, a meaning-less thing to most People.
Posted by: David Worsley, Super Secret Secret Bunker on 5:07pm Tue 25 Mar 08
[quote][bold]simplysimon[/bold] wrote:
hahaha! neither mental nor sane. I am Free!
To most People, their pets are more valuable than their next Breath![/quote] I think you'll find if most people are given a choice between, "we're either going to put a bullet in your head, or in your <insert pet here>", 100% of people are let their pet get gunned down.
I love coming out with baseless facts on the Internet. Did you know on average you eat 8 spiders a year in your sleep?
simplysimon wrote:
hahaha! neither mental nor sane. I am Free!
To most People, their pets are more valuable than their next Breath!
I think you'll find if most people are given a choice between, "we're either going to put a bullet in your head, or in your <insert pet here>", 100% of people are let their pet get gunned down.
I love coming out with baseless facts on the Internet. Did you know on average you eat 8 spiders a year in your sleep?
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:32pm Tue 25 Mar 08
Dear David,
People are given a choice. Every Breath they take they have a choice. If they didn't take a Breath they wouldn't be able to make any choice about anything.
They value their pets and their pets problems more than another Breath.
As far as spiders are concerned I'm sure it must be more than eight a year. Where do you get such information from. Do you rely on everything you are told to rely on.
Dear David,
People are given a choice. Every Breath they take they have a choice. If they didn't take a Breath they wouldn't be able to make any choice about anything.
They value their pets and their pets problems more than another Breath.
As far as spiders are concerned I'm sure it must be more than eight a year. Where do you get such information from. Do you rely on everything you are told to rely on.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:42pm Tue 25 Mar 08
Some People treat their car as if it were a pet. Even though the car never pets them back.
And they are the sane ones. They have good jobs and get respect and everything.:)
Some People treat their car as if it were a pet. Even though the car never pets them back.
And they are the sane ones. They have good jobs and get respect and everything.:)
Posted by: David Worsley, Super Secret Secret Bunker on 8:33pm Tue 25 Mar 08
Simple Simon,
I think you totally missed my point. You are preaching on about everything being a choice like you have a degree in Philosophy. And yet you completely failed to miss the irony in my post.
You either must be a brilliantly clever Internet Troll, whose sole purpose is to completly throw any discussion off-topic as soon as possible, or very very dense.
Shuiab Khan's article was about the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and the way the world is turning an eye to their massive human rights abuse, and yet we haven't seemed to mentioned that at all.
Simple Simon,
I think you totally missed my point. You are preaching on about everything being a choice like you have a degree in Philosophy. And yet you completely failed to miss the irony in my post.
You either must be a brilliantly clever Internet Troll, whose sole purpose is to completly throw any discussion off-topic as soon as possible, or very very dense.
Shuiab Khan's article was about the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and the way the world is turning an eye to their massive human rights abuse, and yet we haven't seemed to mentioned that at all.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 1:27pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Human rights have been an Issue for a long time. Human rights is a Human Issue.
The only reason Shuiab is mentioning it is because it has recently become a news worthy issue. Tibetans have been having problems with regard to the chinese government for a very long time.
Just because we see the pictures on the news we are all engrossed in conversation about Tibet and Human rights.
Nobody gave much of a toss until it became a hot news issue. Tibetans were suffering just as much the day before the news issue. But the world didn't regard it as much of an Issue.
I understand People like to talk about stuff. But I happen to think there is more going on than just talk, talk, talk.
This situation will get worse. If China does not find itself crippled by unrest The West will suffer, People at the top know that. The growth in China needs to slow down. Otherwise the Tibetan People will be getting arms from western governments amongst others.
Hows that for a familiar story.
Human rights have been an Issue for a long time. Human rights is a Human Issue.
The only reason Shuiab is mentioning it is because it has recently become a news worthy issue. Tibetans have been having problems with regard to the chinese government for a very long time.
Just because we see the pictures on the news we are all engrossed in conversation about Tibet and Human rights.
Nobody gave much of a toss until it became a hot news issue. Tibetans were suffering just as much the day before the news issue. But the world didn't regard it as much of an Issue.
I understand People like to talk about stuff. But I happen to think there is more going on than just talk, talk, talk.
This situation will get worse. If China does not find itself crippled by unrest The West will suffer, People at the top know that. The growth in China needs to slow down. Otherwise the Tibetan People will be getting arms from western governments amongst others.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 2:38pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Dear Richard,
The difference between a Breath and a breath is that the latter is oxygen and the former is A Powerful GIFT!
Caps or no caps ......... Life really is a Gas!
Dear Richard,
The difference between a Breath and a breath is that the latter is oxygen and the former is A Powerful GIFT!
Posted by: girl next door, Blackburn on 4:10pm Wed 26 Mar 08
I don't really care about the Tibetans. If you're going to care about any particular group of people surely it would do more good to concentrate on your own family, or town, or country. I'm not saying we should abandon our foreign neighbours at all, people who go abroad to do charity work and all that are amazing selfless people that most of the rest of society should take a leaf out of their books, but maybe its the socialist in me that thinks we should take responsibility for what's happening right on our doorsteps first and foremost. If you already do as much as you can for your family and the people you walk past in town every day who are homeless, drug addicts or whatever, then maybe it is time to look further afield. Sometimes a lot of people fai lto see the smaller picture. We can all do a little bit to help, and that can effect big changes.
I don't really care about the Tibetans. If you're going to care about any particular group of people surely it would do more good to concentrate on your own family, or town, or country. I'm not saying we should abandon our foreign neighbours at all, people who go abroad to do charity work and all that are amazing selfless people that most of the rest of society should take a leaf out of their books, but maybe its the socialist in me that thinks we should take responsibility for what's happening right on our doorsteps first and foremost. If you already do as much as you can for your family and the people you walk past in town every day who are homeless, drug addicts or whatever, then maybe it is time to look further afield. Sometimes a lot of people fai lto see the smaller picture. We can all do a little bit to help, and that can effect big changes.
Posted by: David Worsley, Super Secret Secret Bunker on 4:16pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Girl Next Door,
That's a rather narrow world view. There is no reason why I should or care about a certain group of people more than anyone else, excluding my family.
I don't owe any loyalty to another person from the U.K. and when you realise exactly how much more well off we are compared to people in places like Tibet, Sri Lanka, Dafur etc, it depresses you to see people abusing our socialistic benifits system.
I'd much rather help those that can't help themselves, than help some of the people we have sponging off our benefits system.
Girl Next Door,
That's a rather narrow world view. There is no reason why I should or care about a certain group of people more than anyone else, excluding my family.
I don't owe any loyalty to another person from the U.K. and when you realise exactly how much more well off we are compared to people in places like Tibet, Sri Lanka, Dafur etc, it depresses you to see people abusing our socialistic benifits system.
I'd much rather help those that can't help themselves, than help some of the people we have sponging off our benefits system.
Posted by: girl next door, Blackburn on 4:25pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Maybe my rant wasn't aimed at you. It just annoys me the number of stupid rough people who spend all their money on beer, live in a subsidised council flat, don't do anything to help themslves, but then moan about how bad the situation is in Tibet, without ever thinking of doing anything to help that. Its a case of get your own house in order before you worry about anything further afield. I think we may be singing from a similar hymn sheet here David, but I love a good debate on a Wednesday afternoon.
Maybe my rant wasn't aimed at you. It just annoys me the number of stupid rough people who spend all their money on beer, live in a subsidised council flat, don't do anything to help themslves, but then moan about how bad the situation is in Tibet, without ever thinking of doing anything to help that. Its a case of get your own house in order before you worry about anything further afield. I think we may be singing from a similar hymn sheet here David, but I love a good debate on a Wednesday afternoon.
Posted by: girl next door, Blackburn on 4:30pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Richard Carr[/bold] wrote:
Returning to Breathing Pets: how about Pets that grieve the loss of fellow Pets? Do they not have a sense of Breath?[/quote] Of course pets have breath and Breath. But we don't know what the Breath of a pet is all about because we're not animal psychologists. It's hard enough to attempt to figure out the human mind, let alone that of an animal. And while we're on the subject of animals, how annoying is it that people give to donkey charities when people; children and adults are dying of cancer? That doesn't make any sense to me.
Richard Carr wrote:
Returning to Breathing Pets: how about Pets that grieve the loss of fellow Pets? Do they not have a sense of Breath?
Of course pets have breath and Breath. But we don't know what the Breath of a pet is all about because we're not animal psychologists. It's hard enough to attempt to figure out the human mind, let alone that of an animal. And while we're on the subject of animals, how annoying is it that people give to donkey charities when people; children and adults are dying of cancer? That doesn't make any sense to me.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 4:43pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Richard,
Congratulations for not getting distracted. It's best to keep focused on what really counts. Some things are just optional. A Breath is something vital, and something much undervalued by Mankind.
Pets don't have any ability to appreciate a Breath. They are subjects of it, they are very attuned to it. But they have not got what it takes to objectively appreciate, admire or adore it for what it is. Your Life! Unfolding one Breath at a time.
Because Pets cannot admire it or value it, they are unable to miss it. Human Beings however, do have the ability to appreciate it.
Man has this ability so that he can fully appreciate the Power of this Gift. That is what makes Man wiser than animals, using that ability to appreciate that which no other creature can appreciate.
When Man does not use the ability he has, it could be said that Man is dumber than his Pets.
Richard,
Congratulations for not getting distracted. It's best to keep focused on what really counts. Some things are just optional. A Breath is something vital, and something much undervalued by Mankind.
Pets don't have any ability to appreciate a Breath. They are subjects of it, they are very attuned to it. But they have not got what it takes to objectively appreciate, admire or adore it for what it is. Your Life! Unfolding one Breath at a time.
Because Pets cannot admire it or value it, they are unable to miss it. Human Beings however, do have the ability to appreciate it.
Man has this ability so that he can fully appreciate the Power of this Gift. That is what makes Man wiser than animals, using that ability to appreciate that which no other creature can appreciate.
When Man does not use the ability he has, it could be said that Man is dumber than his Pets.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 4:49pm Wed 26 Mar 08
People die without a Breath. It has nothing to do with cancer. People can live with cancer. Nobody can live without a Breath.
Anyway Girl next door, What have you got against Donkeys.? or should I not ask.:)
People die without a Breath. It has nothing to do with cancer. People can live with cancer. Nobody can live without a Breath.
Anyway Girl next door, What have you got against Donkeys.? or should I not ask.:)
Posted by: Richard Carr, Blackburn on 4:54pm Wed 26 Mar 08
When you refer to it as a Gift do you mean it in some kind of religious sense ie. a gift from a god or higher place?
There are many animals that are aware of death and if you accept evolution then logically it's only a matter of time before another species besides ourselves becomes aware of their own mortality. Would they then Breathe or would Breath have to be "Gifted" to them...?
When you refer to it as a Gift do you mean it in some kind of religious sense ie. a gift from a god or higher place?
There are many animals that are aware of death and if you accept evolution then logically it's only a matter of time before another species besides ourselves becomes aware of their own mortality. Would they then Breathe or would Breath have to be "Gifted" to them...?
Posted by: David Worsley, Super Secret Secret Bunker on 5:04pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Simple Simon,
Your concept is "Breath" is yours and yours alone. It is an unfounded believe system that you are arguing about over the Internet.
No one else here cares about it, and you seemed to have failed to spot the fact that everyone else is mocking your entire notion.
We are biological machines, nothing more. We work when we are working within operational parameters. When these parameters are broken we stop functioning properly and eventually fail, permantely.
Simple Simon,
Your concept is "Breath" is yours and yours alone. It is an unfounded believe system that you are arguing about over the Internet.
No one else here cares about it, and you seemed to have failed to spot the fact that everyone else is mocking your entire notion.
We are biological machines, nothing more. We work when we are working within operational parameters. When these parameters are broken we stop functioning properly and eventually fail, permantely.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:05pm Wed 26 Mar 08
A Breath is not your Mortality. Birth and Death are your Mortality. A Breath is your Immortality.
You can only receive the Gift. It can only be appreciated. It comes, you have it, appreciate what you have. You dont stop and wonder where this Breath comes from before you Breathe in do you?
If you can appreciate this as a Gift. This Gift will begin to 'open' for you. If you cannot appreciate this Gift of Breath.
You will still get one until the day you exhale for the last time.
A Breath is not your Mortality. Birth and Death are your Mortality. A Breath is your Immortality.
You can only receive the Gift. It can only be appreciated. It comes, you have it, appreciate what you have. You dont stop and wonder where this Breath comes from before you Breathe in do you?
If you can appreciate this as a Gift. This Gift will begin to 'open' for you. If you cannot appreciate this Gift of Breath.
You will still get one until the day you exhale for the last time.
Posted by: Richard Carr, Blackburn on 5:06pm Wed 26 Mar 08
So would you call Life being aware of and appreciating our existence? Or are you implying something more spiritual with the use of "Breath" and "Alive"? You are as ambiguous as Shoiab Khan squared to the power infinity plus one.
So would you call Life being aware of and appreciating our existence? Or are you implying something more spiritual with the use of "Breath" and "Alive"? You are as ambiguous as Shoiab Khan squared to the power infinity plus one.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:09pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Dear David,
If you Die and STOP BREATHING. and I come and pump up your lungs with oxygen. you should come back to life immediately.
Biological speaking.
Dear David,
If you Die and STOP BREATHING. and I come and pump up your lungs with oxygen. you should come back to life immediately.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:13pm Wed 26 Mar 08
A Breath is the Life. The rest is what happens because you have a Breath. What man has named, is calling 'his' Life is just a consequence of a Breath.
Not everyone can see the distinction.
Not much happens when you don't have a Breath. Ask any corpse.
A Breath is the Life. The rest is what happens because you have a Breath. What man has named, is calling 'his' Life is just a consequence of a Breath.
Not everyone can see the distinction.
Not much happens when you don't have a Breath. Ask any corpse.
Posted by: David Worsley, Super Secret Secret Location on 5:23pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Dear Simon,
There is no immortality, if my brain dies, no matter how much oxygen you pump into my lungs, or how much blood you circulate around my body, I will never become alive again.
And please don't reply with people in coma's. They aren't brain dead.
Dear Simon,
There is no immortality, if my brain dies, no matter how much oxygen you pump into my lungs, or how much blood you circulate around my body, I will never become alive again.
And please don't reply with people in coma's. They aren't brain dead.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:39pm Wed 26 Mar 08
If there is mortality then there is Immortality. If there is finite then there is Infinite. If there is temporary, then there is Eternal.
Nothing can exist without it's counterpart.
You will never, ever, become Immortal again. Alive might be possible, but Immortal again is never going to be possible.
Once you attain the Immortal it's Eternal. It's Forever. There is no crawling back to mortality.
You can never become this dirt again.
If there is mortality then there is Immortality. If there is finite then there is Infinite. If there is temporary, then there is Eternal.
Nothing can exist without it's counterpart.
You will never, ever, become Immortal again. Alive might be possible, but Immortal again is never going to be possible.
Once you attain the Immortal it's Eternal. It's Forever. There is no crawling back to mortality.
Posted by: simplysimon, burnley on 5:47pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Once you are asleep. How Alive are you ? You don't even know if you are alive or not alive.?
Conciousness can wipe away this world as easy as wiping away a dream. Once the dream has gone it's gone. No going back to the dream.
People don't have to be fast asleep to participate in a dream. They can be fully awake.
There are some who deem themselves to be asleep when they are awake. And there are some who deem themselves to be awake when actually they are fast asleep.
Consciousness is awesome!
Once you are asleep. How Alive are you ? You don't even know if you are alive or not alive.?
Conciousness can wipe away this world as easy as wiping away a dream. Once the dream has gone it's gone. No going back to the dream.
People don't have to be fast asleep to participate in a dream. They can be fully awake.
There are some who deem themselves to be asleep when they are awake. And there are some who deem themselves to be awake when actually they are fast asleep.
Posted by: girl next door, Blackburn on 1:25pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]simplysimon[/bold] wrote:
People die without a Breath. It has nothing to do with cancer. People can live with cancer. Nobody can live without a Breath.
Anyway Girl next door, What have you got against Donkeys.? or should I not ask.:)[/quote] I don't mind donkeys, apart from the fact that they smell. I prefer humans as a rule though mainly. Or should that be manely!
simplysimon wrote:
People die without a Breath. It has nothing to do with cancer. People can live with cancer. Nobody can live without a Breath.
Anyway Girl next door, What have you got against Donkeys.? or should I not ask.:)
I don't mind donkeys, apart from the fact that they smell. I prefer humans as a rule though mainly. Or should that be manely!
Posted by: girl next door, Blackburn on 1:27pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Richard Carr[/bold] wrote:
So would you call Life being aware of and appreciating our existence? Or are you implying something more spiritual with the use of "Breath" and "Alive"? You are as ambiguous as Shoiab Khan squared to the power infinity plus one.[/quote] I can't believe you can't spell his name correctly. It's at the top of the page!
Richard Carr wrote:
So would you call Life being aware of and appreciating our existence? Or are you implying something more spiritual with the use of "Breath" and "Alive"? You are as ambiguous as Shoiab Khan squared to the power infinity plus one.
I can't believe you can't spell his name correctly. It's at the top of the page!
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