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Steely Dan
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Posts posted by Steely Dan
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Probably not quite right to compared it with a nazi concentration camp, but criticism of Israel must have nothing to do with anti-semtism.
That is the the same way of playing the nazi card, something you just said its not correct to do so.
Huh?!? Your words are vague, very vague. Sometimes criticism of Israel has nothing to do with antisemitism, and sometimes it has everything to do with antisemitism. Is that so hard to grasp? When someone calls Gaza a concentration camp, you know its the latter case.
What we are dealing with here is an insidious malignant feedback loop. It always returns to stock phrases such as Zionism supposedly being racism, or Gaza supposedly being a concentration camp (with it's own mall) - Israel may be far from perfect, but if you quantify the number of deaths Israel is responsible for when acting in self defence it pales into insignificance compared to the numbers killed by arab despots, medieval theocracies and terrorist groups, but if you count U.N declarations you get a completely misleading picture until you scratch below the surface. Perhaps that's why any mention of the U.N has some of us attempting to add some balance.
I do wish the French well with their arms sales and oil supply concerns, it remains to be seen how they word any declaration legitimising an organisation who routinely targets civilians with missiles and suicide bombers
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Have a read of full facts here, including all the legal quotes and documents http://www.sixdaywar...uk/timeline.htm
Also look at some maps and half of Palestine did not belong to Palestine but belonged to Egypt, Syria and Jordan
But it didn't belong to Israel.
And if you look back prior to Egypt, Syria, Jordan we had the British mandate, before that the Ottoman Turks, indeed show me a Palestinian flag pre-1948? The truth of the matter is that be it occupying Countries or absentee landlords the arab population in Palestine never had an independant state, it's simply the fact that Jews being seen as their oppressors is far less palatable to the arab world than any of the previous occupiers. Sure they can have a state provided their consitution explicitly recognises the right of their neighbor to exist.
But as I wrote before, this is just easy politicing to further their own interests from the French.
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what the Palestinians need is getting back the land which was stolen from them and stopping those who steal each and every day more land.
I'll take it as read that you also support the return of property taken from the estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 Jews who were forced to flee from arab Countries in the aftermath of the 1967 war.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_and_Muslim_lands
a quote from your source:
The assertion that Jewish emigrants from Arab lands should be considered refugees has received mixed reactions from various quarters.
Iraqi-born Ran Cohen, a former member of the Knesset, said: "I have this to say: I am not a refugee. I came at the behest of Zionism, due to the pull that this land exerts, and due to the idea of redemption. Nobody is going to define me as a refugee". Yemeni-born Yisrael Yeshayahu, former Knesset speaker, Labor Party, stated: "We are not refugees. [some of us] came to this country before the state was born. We had messianic aspirations". And Iraqi-born Shlomo Hillel, also a former speaker of the Knesset, Labor Party, claimed: "I do not regard the departure of Jews from Arab lands as that of refugees. They came here because they wanted to, as Zionists."
Historian Tom Segev stated: "Deciding to emigrate to Israel was often a very personal decision. It was based on the particular circumstances of the individual’s life. They were not all poor, or ‘dwellers in dark caves and smoking pits.’ Nor were they always subject to persecution, repression or discrimination in their native lands. They emigrated for a variety of reasons, depending on the country, the time, the community, and the person."
Btw. do you remember who started that 1967 war you mentioned?
Nice of you to selectively quote. I suppose you wish to infer that every Jew left arab lands due to ideological Zionism, many may, many were kicked out in the aftermath of the repeated drubbings arab armies took from Israel 1967 was one example and after 1973 most African Countries broke off diplomatic relations with Israel, many Jews left under juress and the confiscated property was estimated at $300 billion and a land area four times the size of Israel, but that would be selectively quoting.
As for who started the war in 1967, I suggest you look at the build up to it including Nasser blockading the Suez canal and the build up of armies ready to attack. In case it escaped your attention arab Countries started the 48 and 73 wars as well.
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Like it or lump it. Hamas were and still are an elected government. That speaks for itself. Look at what is happening to unelected dictatorships and puppet regimes right throughout the Middle East as we speak. Western powers have forever been trying to push their concept of/ version of democracy around the world, mostly in the Middle East. And it maybe this very policy that will turn and bite them on the balls like so many other failed objectives such as supporting Saddam Hussain against Iran, Osama Bin Laden and the Mujahadin against the Soviets etc etc.The people of the Middle East are all now speaking freely. And it has the west pissing in its pants.
I take it you missed the link earlier in the page stating Hamas had refused elections in Gaza, no doubt afraid they would lose their mandate, so let's not delude ourselves about Hamas having diplomatic credentials. They have a long history of murdering both Israelis and any Palestinians who oppose them. They are funded by the oh so democratic Iran and it is their explicit aim to wipe Israel off the map. In light of all this Israel can't negotiate or recognise a Palestinian state which is represented in any part by Hamas, I expect the U.S to block any silly U.N motion if it attempts to include Gaza or Hamas in any recognition motion.
P.S I guess the French are very worried about the supply of oil to Europe.
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Well, they didn't ask her to bring in proof like an electric bill to show she lives there..... Whatever the hassle, it has to be better than trying to deal with American immigration.
From reputation the gloves are on with U.S immigration as oppose to off.
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what the Palestinians need is getting back the land which was stolen from them and stopping those who steal each and every day more land.
I'll take it as read that you also support the return of property taken from the estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 Jews who were forced to flee from arab Countries in the aftermath of the 1967 war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_and_Muslim_lands
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Peace Process? With a bunch of terrorists? What a laugh.
If one looks at it from the otherside of the fence, they will notice that they are known as freedom fighters in Palestine. They are fighting for and on thier own land. Unlike Al qaeda [terrorists] who do not distinguish and conduct their operations abroad.
Freedom fighters, makes it sound almost romantic? Wanting freedom for whom? Not Fatah supporters that's for certain.
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Interesting headline: "Nirvana".
Being sent on your way via cremation or any other ceremony doesn't imply nirvana, which is an unconditioned state accessible only to those who have become completely unattached to the craving that leads to greed, anger, delusion and all their secondary effects.
It is said by many that Luangta Maha Bua had in fact attained this level of non-attachment, but no one in fact knows this.
And if Luangta Maha Bua had reached this stage of freedom from craving he would have attained nirvana before he died. On his death, his passing would be parinirvana, or parinibbana, the term used in Thai Buddhism.
I know this is slightly OT but based on the definition of Nirvana you gave I would be doubtful as to whether the well known Monk who arrived at the Thai-Cambodia border in a Rolls Royce would qualify.
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The Palestinians need to get it together, LITERALLY, then there is a coherent entity to deal with.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110217/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_palestinians_elections_6
Quite. I would be interested to know precisely which Palestinian entity the French intend to recognise, is it the West bank one or Hamas who violently took over Gaza refuse to have fresh elections and are listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S and U.K.
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I await the French recognising Kurdistan as an independent state seeing as it has a discrete separate identity and it's population are oppressed by Iran, Iraq and Turkey, who between them have carved up the Kurdish homeland between them.
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Commander: How many guns do we have? Accountant: Well that depends on how many you want us to have.
Of course it was an inventory error as that's the easiest way to bury the story, next case.
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I would like to think the internet could become a catalyst for change, but I'm not so hopeful. From the evidence I can see Thai children seem to be more inclined to play video games on a computer than to connect with the world around them. Language is one problem as by definition a large proportion of web based content will be in English and what is available in Thai may suffer from the same cultural constraints that hold traditional education back. The spark which seems to be missing is that of curiousity, it is almost as if this has been actively discouraged through various methods of control - it's less overt than Chinese indoctrination but still seems to be a concious strategy to maintain the status quo perfected over many years. English teachers in China are told explicitly what subjects are not to be discussed, I've never taught here but would be curious as to whether similar restrictions are placed on foreign teachers here?
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Thairath reports that some of the autopsies have been completed.
The elderly English couple - the contents of their stomachs were analysed and no evidence of drugs or poisons found.
However, both were found to be suffering from enlarged hearts and blocked arteries and the doctor believes they died from coronary heart disease. [what, both at the same time?]
The 47 year-old female Thai tour guide who died had a stomach upset before she died and they're still analysing some food from her room.
The New Zealand girl - they're still waiting for results from food taken from her stomach.
Mr Thanyathep Bunkaeo, the hotel manager, is quoted as saying that since the news story broke in the foreign media, several tour groups had phoned up to cancel bookings at the hotel.
From the garbled google translation I gather Thais are going round with bags of garlic to protect themselves and that Monks have been called in to bless the place, so all should be well soon.
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What is really sad is Cambodia was the only country in the area that could effect Thailand and their growth and ability to maintain a strong baht and it appeared they were willing to let Thailand go ahead and make their strong play for economic power in Asia. Thailand has now with the help of some recent rallies that are related to the Cambodia issue placed itself in a position where economic growth will slow and the baht is about to take a beating. To bad I was hoping for saner minds to keep prosperity in place. Looks like India will do well from all this though.
The only part that I personally wish that would materialize, out off everything you rambled on, is...
the baht is about to take a beating....
Contrary to your hope and prayer....
numerous others would welcome.... the beating of the baht.... to perhaps 75 baht to 1 euro.... :jap:
In all seriousness.... it requires the changing of the guards--the current Thai govt.... to bring the fraudsters, the PM, the ministers, the heads of all govt divisions and all others involved in deceptive and fraudulent practices.... to face justices UNDER THE LAWS....
then if found guilty.... confiscation of all properties involved.... and imposition of long prison terms.... for every guilty individual.... starting from the PM on down....
This is a measure to bring Thailand to guaranteed future of prosperity for all farmers and working classes alike, reds or yellows or blues....
May it come to pass soon.... and let the bath strengthens itself.... which it will.... whence then Thailand will more equally distribute its wealth among all categories of her citizen.... A Walter Mitty long shot dream.... perhaps.... :jap:
You really ought to turn ASTV off and look at other news sources. As for clearing out the current government to get rid of corruption, I think we've been here before as 18 coups suggest, and when does it ever lead to clean government? I almost wish the PAD leadership was in charge so they could be shot at from all angles whilst trying to clear the streets of protesters.
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I am not Thai, but I find this thread of comments quite offensive. Nobody of any nationality (what's country got to do with it anyway?) has a monopoly on brains, or stupidity. without a firsthand account of the investigation process (news sources don't count) we cannot know what is going on, and the idle, insulting speculation that is going on in this thread is just more hot air. And pretty poisonous hot air at that.
I guess it's a good job T.V threads aren't pumped through the aircon system.
Sure, we don't know how the (ahem) investigation process is being handled, but I suspect that anyone who has been here a few years can detect a pattern emerging. I'm no mathematics expert, but I do have a strong suspicion that if you got an actuary to make an estimate for the probability of four deaths in the same hotel as being coincidence the odds would be pretty low, so in the meantime surely it would be prudent to close the hotel pending resolution of the investigation. Put it this way would you recommend any of your relatives stay there unless perhaps they were very old and very rich?
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The problem is nothing to do with the remuneration of teachers. You could double their pay overnight and it would not make one iota of difference because unless you have teachers who are culturally prepared to teach children how to think and not what to think there can be no real progress, and teachers whose experience is limited to Thailand alone will suffer from cultural constraints which prevent this. Sadly, education also happens in the home and the same mindset is reinforced with obedience and rote learning trumping individuality and critical thinking.
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Military attaches from 13 countries visited the Preah Vihear temple. They dared the thai army to shoot them. And, nothing happened.... wonder if the Cambodian soldiers will ever take any threats from the Thai army seriously.
The Thai army, after realizing that the Cambodian gvt ignored their objection over the visit, sent a letter to the cambodian army asking to have five of their military personnels to walk with the foreign military attaches. The letter was also ignored. Hence, enjoy...
It's difficult to go off in a huff taking your ball with you if the ball doesn't belong to you. The reality as seen from outside Thailand is evidently completely invisible to some of the Trumans who live here, but the amount of politically motivated hot air they have generated make it almost impossible for Thailand to wind it's neck back in without losing face - It's like watching a car crash in slow motion this.
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Just supposing hypothetically that we have a serial killer responsible for the deaths, I wonder how many more deaths would be needed before we got a proper investigation instead of a cover up.
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UPDATE
Missing Weapons Case Blamed on Misunderstanding
I see the problem was one of accountancy not accountability. Looks like the whistle blower was outranked or outgunned by the racketeer.
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The good thing is that I haven't heard the "Abhisit is a Yellow Shirt puppet" strawman for some time.
I'm of the oppinion that Abhisit must be doing something right as he seems to be annoying both the red and yellow shirts in equal measure, it is my suspicion that the Thai people as a whole may see it the same way come the next election.
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I'm not sure how this 'issue' metamorphosised itself into a bad government vs by implication good opposition one. The Thai government is trying to position itself on the fence between the ultra-natinalist PAD loons and the political opportunist reds, whose leader would no doubt sell his granny for a fiver and no doubt horse traded the temple area for personally favourable recompence when in office.
You can't negotiate with Thailand on a national basis as there is no consensus of position within Thailand itself, I don't suppose an election will change this but we will at least change the subject to debate when the election pantomime is out of the way.
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Accountability is the main problem here. The military controls the government, not the other way round, and the military is just as corrupt, inept and useless as any other branch of Thai society with few exceptions.
The military reflect Thai society as do the police, this was always so regardless of who appears to be sitting at the top of the pyramid, to blame the leader is as futile as blaming the head cell of a Portuguese man of war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Man_o'_War
'Despite its outward appearance, the man-of-war is not a true jellyfish but a siphonophore, which differ from jellyfish in that they are not actually a single creature, but a colonial organism made up of many minute individuals called zooids.[1] Each of these zooids is highly-specialized and, although structurally similar to other solitary animals, are attached to each other and physiologically integrated to the extent that they are incapable of independent survival.'
Remove one cell and one identical in form and function takes it's place.
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Well it just goes to show that living in the midst of a middle eastern civil war is less dangerous than holidaying in Chiangmai.
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How the hell can the weapons go missing, surely they have an Armoury?
They do, you wouldn't want any common thief to steal them, without paying first of course. Of course we are in March already and no doubt loads of poor unarmed redshirts will be planning their traditional peaceful trip to Bangkok soon.
France to recognize Palestine in September, Palestinian official says
in World News
Posted
Thankyou for illustrating my point, perfectly too I might add. Where was the U.N report considering the massacres in the Sudan, or recently Libya? Where is the ringing U.N condemnation of Iran or Saudi's disgusting human rights record? The U.N is nothing more than a proxy for the Arab league with the block vote they can muster aided and abetted by the Liberal left and the self interest of governments who should know better cow towing to their oil and arms industry lobby groups, the U.S know this which is why they veto the countless biased politically motivated motions.
To illustate this systematic bias I'll give you an example. Google Sabra and Shatila massacre, this is when the Israelis are accused of guilt by association in the killing of around 170 Palestinians by Lebanese Christian militia. It took place in 1982. In the same year president Assad of Syria ordered the levelling of Hama, Syria's fourth largest city killing an estimated 17,000 to 40,000 people.
The number of google references to each are as follows: Sabra and Shatila massacre 98,000 links, Hama massacre 111,000 so a similar number of links for 100 times more arabs killed by arabs than arabs killed by Jews by proxy. Yorr beloved Goldstone report is yet another example of this bias.
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2010/03/24/the-dangerous-bias-of-the-united-nations-goldstone-report
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2010/03/24/the-dangerous-bias-of-the-united-nations-goldstone-report