pontification is addictive.
On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 11:02 AM, Clogtowner <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi y'all - if you are not prepared to discuss your articles, I'm not > either. > > On Dec 23, 10:34 am, Morpheal <[email protected]> wrote: > > STRANGLING ONE'S CUSTOMERS DOES NOT MAKE GOOD ALLIES: > > > > The end of GECF is definitely a positive note. It is long past time > > for a more credible and less political organization of gas exporters, > > with a more open. In the long term a sense of responsibility needs to > > evolve in energy pricing that considers real costs of production and > > sets prices based on those costs, ending natural resources being used > > as an aggressive political weapon. Allies are won by means of a true > > spirit of responsible community not by arm twisting and strangling to > > death, in the manipulation of pipeline valves. We might hope that Mr. > > Putin, the Russian Federation, and others, have learned that > > strangling one's customers does not make for good allies in anything, > > and that improved alliances, for mutual cooperation and progressive > > purpose are more necessary for all sides in any bargain, than ever > > before. We might hope for real progress, rather than arm twisting, and > > valve twisting, manipulation, which is ultimately extremely counter > > productive when it comes to all issues of human progress, in > > solidarity as a world community with common goals and ideals. > > Nevertheless, we can see how the traditional, more conservative, > > American viewpoint, would favor Mr. Putin using strong arm tactics on > > gas and oil valves to create and increase conditions of distrust, and > > even enmity, blocking solidarity and cooperation. That divide and > > conquer is very Americanist, and Mr. Putin would then be merely a pawn > > in the traditional American game of American superpower politics. If > > Mr. Putin is sufficiently the fool to continue with his valve twisting > > strangling of his customers and potential friends, he surely will end > > up wearing an American dunce cap on his head, as his most significant > > reward for the sake of history. > > > > TINKERING WITH INFECTION RISKS TOTAL DEFEAT: > > > > The BBC said today: "Sir Richard Branson, who is vice-president of the > > Patients Association, has accused politicians of "tinkering" with > > infection control in hospitals." > > > > What will hospitals do to fight infection when eventually confronted > > with bioterrorism or biological warfare ? We live in the biotechnical > > age where probability of that type of aggression increases every day. > > If we cannot learn to defeat MRSA we cannot fight deliberate bio > > attack. We must learn to defeat MRSA, treating it as a preparatory > > defense drill, learning from the experience, how to fight more > > dangerous foes. It will mean changed protocols and considerable > > redesigning and re-engineering. > > > > We must recognize that the nuclear age ended around the turn of the > > millenium. Those who are too backward looking and conservative still > > dwell in the massive power of the nuclear explosion as their fixation > > and obsession. In fact that threat is so diminished since as of the > > culmination of the Cold War that it is very small in comparison to the > > rapidly growing threat of biowar. The world has chosen to make > > biotechnologies for genetic manipulation readily available to any, and > > biotechnologies can, in theory, be utilized in any basement, in any > > nation, anywhere in the world, to potentially produce new weapons of > > mass destruction. There are no means for detecting the manufacture or > > the "launch" of such weapons against their targets. There are limited, > > if any, defenses, in almost all parts of the world, to detect an > > attack, and the technologies for doing so, even though they do exist > > in principle, have not been adequately developed and deployed to make > > any real difference as the delivery systems of such invisible weapons > > cross national borders. A basic knowledge of the spread of infectious > > diseases, and of the inadequacies of our most advanced data bases and > > early warning systems, should invoke a feeling of terror in anyone who > > is even marginally knowledgeable. A feeling of terror far greater than > > the terror of the mutually assured destruction, MAD, that was seen as > > a real possibility between the USSR and the USA in the playing out of > > Cold War mentalities. Biowar is not limited to superpowers. It can be > > utilized by any organized group, any nation, any extremist > > organization. > > > > ENDING BLOOD AS THE CURRENCY TO PAY FOR PROGRESS: > > > > The BBC reports: "Lansana Conte, president of Guinea since 1984, died > > last night. The army says it has taken control of the country, its > > spokesman declaring that Guinea is in a state of 'deep despair', and > > that the institutions of the Republic are incapable of resolving the > > crises which confront the country." > > > > If the world community, is to end the belief, which gained prominence > > in the 20th century, that blood spilling violent revolution is > > necessary for progressive change in any oppressed nation, then we must > > take action to liberate nations such as Guinea. Pressure must be > > applied to bring about positive changes, facilitating human freedoms > > and vital economic improvement. Otherwise the world community risks a > > return to that false paradigm of bloodshed and civil chaos as being > > definitive of progress. > > > > When nations such as Guinea are abandoned to resolve their own > > difficulties, and abandoned to oppression under the gun, it leaves > > them with no option but to prove and reaffirm eventual violent and > > bloody uprising. People will not be forever chained, and oppressed, is > > a fact that history has repeatedly affirmed. We know that fact. Then > > why do we keep insisting, by means of our inadequate actions as a > > world community, that the price of any progress in human lives, in > > terms of establishing basic human freedoms and economic means for > > maintaining and improving human lives, must always be paid using blood > > as the currency ? That must change. That paradigm must necessarily be > > abandoned, in favor of more appropriate political means and > > international political attention and intervention. > > > > Robert Morpheal > > > > This article maybe be copied, reproduced, distributed in any form, by > > any means, anywhere by anyone and in fact anyone is encouraged to do > > so. > > > -- gnothe se auton --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
