Rant by Uncle Bill: Pennies from Heaven and other considerations.

It's sad that we don't seem to be able to do anything. I was thinking maybe we could try to help just a few and that would at least be something, but I guess that's easier said than done.:( It's just sad how a few self-centered and short-sighted people can make things worse on so many others.
 
It's trying to figure out who needs and deserves the help most and then getting the help to them that's the problem.
 
Uncle that is sad news. I didn't even think about countries like Nepal in all this mess. I feel guilty with a full belly and a roof over my head and a healthy family, worrying about my mail being infected, while the sherpas are going without shoes in the snow and their families don't eat:( :mad:

God Damn Osama Bin Laden and all those like him to hell forever.

And Yvsa, as usual you and I agree. They need to be killed and slow. and yes, there are folks here in this country that need to go with em.

We had a lady here sending white powdered envelopes to people to scare them with anthrax threat. They caught her and the judge did NOTHING. Now I ask, who do you take out first? WOmen like her, or judges like that!?:mad: :mad: :barf:

I wish I could get my hands on just one terrorist, or just one person who dares to send envelopes filled with white powder to scare their fellow americans. I won't say what I would do here, and I don't want to get into any debates with our pacifist contingent. Let's just say that I would take them up to a deserted cabin in the maine woods with Plenty of blood in their type and IVs, all my knives, pliers, and blowtorches and we'd stay a good, long, while.:mad:

and, yes you'd better believe I could do it.
 
This war has hurt everybody everywhere one way or the other and one of the nasty things it's done is bring the crazies right here in the US into play -- just like the woman you mentioned. She should be locked up for good and all like her, too.
 
I'll bet HI could move dokas in the US market. They could ship nested.

The impacts of the terrorist murders are being felt all over. I work for a company that makes airplanes, and I am watching many of my colleagues go out the door.

The World Health Organization is beginning to realize the impact of its "eradication" of smallpox. Vaccination has been terminated for over 20 years, and there appears to be evidence that unauthorized samples of live virus have survived. Now that we have concrete evidence that evil people who would kill civilians exist, the possibility that they would unleash this scourge on an unprotected world has to be considered.

We aint seen nothing yet.
 
I don't hate mad dogs. I'll pull the trigger on one- because it's necessary- without the least bit of animosity.

I think torture should only be used as a last resort (IE, I catch someone who knows where my kidnapped friend is, but who won't give up the location). Otherwise, even with the most horrible criminal acts, I believe in merely consigning the guilty to the afterlife, and whatever judgement might await there...or, if you're a Buddhist, the hope that the offender comes back as something nicer, next time.

We gain nothing by becoming what we hate. We should be dispassionate in the pursuit of our duty. (At least, that's MY belief! :)) Our emotion may ebb and flow, but we should do the right thing because it's right, not because it's easy, or because we are filled with enthusiasm at that instant in time.
 
I read in the British internet media that there is a possibility of Britain sending Gorkha troops into Afghanistan. Ayo Gorkhali!
Perhaps this will provide some measure of payback for the people of Nepal.
I don't think there would be any better troops in the world for operations in the mountains of Afganistan.


--Mike L.
 
Spectre,

I respect your opinion and find wisdom in it. However, equating these terrorists with "mad dogs" is not accurate. Mad dogs are mindless and ill with no free will or capacity to reason. These "men" that did this are educated, religious, and intelligent people. Capable of choosing right from wrong. Torture is a truly horrible thing, and I honestly don't think the lady I spoke of deserves it (she deserves some heavy jail time), however, the evil scum that rob my family of its enjoyment of life--and indeed seek to deprive them of life itself, well--they deserve it in spades. Anyone here who has kids can understand how I feel. What kind of world does my daughter have to live in because of these men? I will never decide a fate less than a slow and painful one for anyone who tries to take the life (much less succeeds in taking) of a member of my family. Would I regret it? Maybe. Would I do it. Yes.
 
Rob,

Peace and protection, always, to you and yours. I mean that.

Anyone who harms my family will face consequences so long as I'm around, but I love myself, too. I may- and do- believe that certain murdering bastards need to be removed from the gene pool, but I love myself too much to wish their slow torture on me. Ultimately, it is futile to search for "justice" through retribution: nothing you could do would bring back a lost family. Since nothing can undo what has already been done, one can only act in ways likely to ensure future peace. If you believe that deconstructing a terroristic individual is likely to serve peace in the long term, I can certainly understand your decision.

I understand your point about the spiritual difference between a rabid animal and deliberate evil by men, but I do not feel hate has to be part of the equation.

I suppose, to some, that absence of emotion that I subscribe to in some circumstances may be more frightening than the most ardent passion. I know myself, though. There will be emotion- fear, anger, joy- in the "moment of truth", but I do not have to carry that baggage with me to the conflict, or drag it with me when I am done. Carrying it will wear you sorely, bro, and that's the truth. :)
 
Originally posted by Spectre

I suppose, to some, that absence of emotion that I subscribe to in some circumstances may be more frightening than the most ardent passion. I know myself, though. There will be emotion- fear, anger, joy- in the "moment of truth", but I do not have to carry that baggage with me to the conflict, or drag it with me when I am done. Carrying it will wear you sorely, bro, and that's the truth. :)
Click to expand...

That's what I've been saying all along. It can be done and you don't have to drag it home either.
The deed when done is done totally detached.........
But only certain people have reached this understanding in their life.
 
Spectre,

Thanks very much for the well thought out and considerate reply:)

You're right about hate eating away at whoever bears it in their hearts. I do not carry this hatred of terrorists and their deeds with me all the time. You are seeing me in a time of anger, when the overload of media reporting, and my own fears for my family are at their greatest. I Basically, I'm venting some pent-up anger.
agree with Yvsa that a warrior can do what he needs to do on the field of battle, and then come home and be a father and a husband---leaving war where war belongs.

And you are right that nothing you do will bring back a family member. I also realize that torturing someone would probably harm me greatly, but honestly if my family is gone I would most likely follow close behind anyway. Knowing what the right thing to do is, and doing it under the most horrible of circumstances are often two different things. I don't know if any of us truly know what we would do if someone harmed our loved ones---and I damn sure don't want to find out.

I honestly respect your opinions and I appreciate the genuine and respectful way that you responded to my (differing) views:) The fact that our discussion did not turn into an emotional mudslinging contest says alot about this forum, and folks like you. I also respect you for your decision to go into the military and protect my family and millions like them from these people. We thank you and everyone else who serves(ed). It is because of the folks in the military that I can sit here at home and talk about taking out terrorists, while it is done for me.
 
Thank you, Rob. That's very humbling.

I carried a killing hatred for years, until I was able to let it go. Yeah, I was determined to kill the man who had "wronged" me, but I was killing myself, too. Now, I find that love gives me all the motivation I need, while being a healthful emotion. I love my country, and- even though I have met only a few forum members, like Spark, in person- I love y'all, and what you represent, which is the best of America (and other countries).

My father, who used to be a Sunday School teacher (he's also an ordained Baptist minister, incidentally), taught a lesson I still remember. He mentioned Daniel in the lion's den, and Shadrach, Meschak, and Abadnigo (it's been years, so I probably mangled those names). The Bible tells of sudden calamity that befell these folk. The point my father made, was that there was no time to "get right with God" when being confronted by hungry lions, or while being dropped into a blast furnace. I think he basically said we should be "prayed up", or somesuch. :)

While my belief system has changed, I believe strongly in the principle he was teaching, which I think comes down to this: we should always be at peace with our concept of the universe. If we have inner turmoil, we can surely only lose when we face an enemy, for we will be fighting ourselves, too.
 
Spectre,

You may wish to take a look at the Bhagavad-Gita one of these days, if you haven't already. This is a part of the hindu epic, The Mahabharata. Prince Arjuna faces a battle, and God manifests in the form of his charioteer to give him instructions. It is a classic of spiritual literature.

There are numerous translations online. A quick search shows an introduction at http://members.aol.com/heraklit1/gita.htm , and a translation at http://www.rajiv.org/iu/gita.html . You may be able to find other translations you like better. I like Edwin Arnold's old translation, possible because it was the one I studied first. There are other good ones too.
 
Many thanks for good help, Howard. I used to watch the Mahabharata on Nepal television!!!! Somewhere I have a copy of the Bhagavad-Gita. It may be time to read it again!!!
 
Uncle:

My knowlege of over there is small. The food there is I take it, of the same sort that has been grown for years.

Is there any possibility that the Universities have studied other hardy plants likely to do well and that these seeds could be sent to fill in inbetween harvests of other crops?

Different varieties of peas, lentils, beans, corn and potatoes, root vegetables, fruit, squash, ( I dont know ). At least different varieties that may come ripe at different times?

Oh hell, would they even let the seeds in?
 
We have PC volunteers who do just that, Rusty. In most of Sherpa land at the high altitude the growing season is very short and it's cool enough even in summer that many plants don't fare well.

What all of Nepal really needs is some work. The combined under and unemployment figure stands at about 80% and I suspect that is even higher now with the great loss of the tourists.
 
>>>I saw somewhere -- CNN or some other news program -- that the MREs we are dropping in Afghanistan are showing up for sale at the bazaars. Not a bit surprised. I saw the same thing in Nepal -- the olive drab cans of vegetable oil clearly stating "gift from the USA" and everything else we gave as "gifts" from rice to beans being sold in pasals located in the shadow of the US Embassy in Kathmandu and every other pasal one might happen by. My complaints to the embassy and Washington fell on deaf ears. Unless an honest and dedicated worker hands the gift to the intended recipient it seldom reaches him -- a lesson we have not yet learned it seems.

unfortunately, that's pretty standard behavior of receiving end, and I suspect US encourages it,
when US want to support corrupt gov somewhere but couldn't give money directly because US public or media, then US gives free food(US agricultural surplus bought by US taxpayer money) to that 3rd world gov, then that gov sells that free food to its own people to raise money to support their dictator system whatever,
I am not sure about other country, but surely that was the way how south korean dictator made his own money since 1950's, :(
 
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