Thank Goodness Indeed! Yes it is true, I don't mince words when leftists hereabouts repeatedly reveal themselves as anti-Americans, OR, try to foist off BS as fact, as you most of all, elFib, should surely know! With regard to recently landed "continent hopper" known locally as 'uchiita', I expect she'll do well with your lil 'mutual admiration group' -- maybe ya'll can ponder the Oriental influence on the punctuation of ee cummings; why the chinese let their kids crap with the chickens & pigs; or even try to tackle the big question of the day: Why are all those Ms-informationists celebrating their VAGINAs at Madison Square Garden? Yes, I wish her and your groupies well Sid -- I hope too that you & her will tickle yourselves silly discussing 'stuff' more relevant to your areas of expertise! But for mankind's sake stay away from history, politics and reality! As always, Lovingly, On Watch -- Let's Roll

Perhaps I should have made it clear that the law of "how you gone say that with your tongue in my hand" despite nuanced notions of "international law" is how things are done in much of the world (see Saddam's Iraq, current Sudan). You pointed out that the left uses "international law" to bash those trying to uphold it to defend those breaking it. I agree. But is an international law truly international if it isn't internationally applied?

>>Perhaps I should have made it clear that the law of "how you gone say that with your tongue in my hand" despite nuanced notions of "international law" is how things are done in much of the world...--AK<< Well Mr. Am Kafir, it was certainly clear to me, without any embellishment! I've noticed though, that some of our resident lefties don't care too much about the facts, or the relevant context of a discussion. Although, they sure do get their tails in an upsweep if you don't blow in their ears! On Watch -- Let's Roll

>>Perhaps I should have made it clear that the law of "how you gone say that with your tongue in my hand" despite nuanced notions of "international law" is how things are done in much of the world...--AK<< >>Well Mr. Am Kafir, it was certainly clear to me, without any embellishment! I've noticed though, that some of our resident lefties don't care too much about the facts, or the relevant context of a discussion. Although, they sure do get their tails in an upsweep if you don't blow in their ears!<< I prefer giving an encouraging slap upside the helmet.

Thanks. Any substantive revisions would be happily accepted..

There are other possibilities - if you study Indian practice. Apparently some people can go to a state where the heart beats only every few minutes - and can program how long (in days) they remain in that state. See yoga.

This is true. But the view that the great religions (none of whom invented that term) are called great for sound reasons. There is a great deal less evil in them than you seem to believe. There is a reason that respect for religion is required in our (and many other countries) laws, and (theoretically only) by this forum. I think the attitude that the great religions which mainly oppose the same things you and I oppose are not diserving of respect is one dimension of ignorance. I probably go to more denominations of churches than any dozen people you know - including synagogue and mosque - mainly as a singer - sometimes as a guest or speaker. I must admit only once in my long life did I ever feel the place was dangerous, and that place was a cult later driven out of town for illegal and immoral practices. Jim Jones (of Jonestown fame) was probably the only person excommunicated from a moderate main line Protestant denomination in the 20th century, but the Deciples of Christ detected him and threw him out. I think even the liberal denominations do police their own most of the time - if the person is radical enough to warrant it.

Interesting point, elcid. ...but I am seriously doubting that Lazarus was in a state of deep meditation (as in yoga). If so, then technincally, when Christ called him from the tomb to "come forth", one could almost say it was all staged..

You might wish to adjust your detection instrumentation. Calling me a leftist will surly offend any leftist who knows me. Maybe, on matters of race and religious tolerance, just maybe I am pretty close to the left - kind of necessary as I have a multi-cultural family. But in economics, politics, history and administration, I strike almost everyone as conservative. But the honest kind - not the paranoid kind unable and unwilling to be self critical. I certainly do not attack people as you do - trying to cow them or even get them denied access to a discussion. I regard that as proof you lack the capacity to win an argument in an intellectually honest way. I think hell will freeze over before you say "mia culpa" and apologize for your many sins of disrespect - but if you ever do that I will happily engage you in an intellectual dual. I doubt you can win a fair fight, but I, at least, am still willing to be shown the errors of my ways. But only in civil discourse. For one thing, it is a formal rule of this board. Why you don't honor it I am unsure? But my hope for you is pretty dim: I may know you are getting almost everything you assume wrong, but you are not able to hear anything suggesting you are less than perfect. So I will end where I began: if you think I am leftist, you have it wrong. When I said you classify even those on our side as enemies, I was dead on target. You don't seem to know that ours is a democratic system that does not require everyone agree with any particular opinion. That does not make us all equally enemies of those who attack skyscrapers and kill thousands at one blow. We are all in the same boat, wether or not we like it. It might be more clever not to fight among ourselves so much.

Is there no place you know of where the laws of your state are not routinely enforced? Just because there are buildings or streets where the normal rules of your state are not often meaningful does not mean there is no law in your state. In my state (which is vast, and has many places without any police at all) there are many places where people get away with things you would never see in yours. [There is a man who refuses to stop for school busses in a town I know of. In many places poor people go hunting or fishing without paying the licence fees - which can be thousands of dollars - when their kids are hungary.] But in a bad enough situation we send a team to investigate and enforce the law. I see the community of nations as similar. If there is agreement on rules, and they apply in many places, they are the law. If need be, it can be imposed on other places, when the issue is bad enough. At the moment I wish to impose a solution on North Korea, and maybe also on Iran, in re certain nuclear agreements both entered, but didn't honor.