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What's on your mind today?

Started by Steve Reason, August 25, 2007, 08:15:06 PM

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Tank

Quote from: billy rubin on December 04, 2021, 04:59:27 AM
i have just looked up "center parcs."

it seems to be some sort of extended . . . resort?

i d never heard of them. what will you do there?

That's a good description. They started because of the variable UK weather. They have a large tropical greenhouse with a water park in it. There are sports areas and parkland as well. They are mostly aimed at families with kids from 5 to 15 'ish. This time of year there is a Santa Land with anamatronic reindeer, snowmen and elves etc. What will we do there? Spend time with the grand children and enjoy them enjoying themselves :)
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

Mags, Bitcoin is not doing well. Hope you didn't invest.

Magdalena


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Tom62

We've got a new government here in Germany. It is a coalition between the social democrats (SPD), Liberal (FDP) and Green Party (Die Grünen). What I like a lot is that half of them are women.
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Ecurb Noselrub

What, if anything, do you expect to be different?

Tom62

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on December 10, 2021, 06:43:59 PM
What, if anything, do you expect to be different?

Germany is well-known for being a country with a million different laws, rules and regulations about everything from signing forms to building houses. I do hope that the new government will make life easier by reducing the enormous mountains of bureaucracy. I also hope that they'll solve the infrastructural problems that Germany have. Many roads, bridges, schools and cities have not been maintained for many years. Things are really falling apart and actions must be taken. Angela Merkel had been in office for more that 16 years. This meant al least 12-14 years of standstill and even regression. I expect finally some progress.
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

billy rubin

why is german culture so partial to rules and social order?

the japanese are similar.


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Tom62

Quote from: billy rubin on December 10, 2021, 11:03:49 PM
why is german culture so partial to rules and social order?

the japanese are similar.

A very good question. I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks. In general they are very conservative. They don't like chances and every necessary chance takes therefore place at an enormous slow pace. Everything has to be planned, structured, documented, triple checked and organised in the greatest details. It is difficult to find any kind of pragmatic approach or flexibility that can be found elsewhere.
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Tank

Quote from: Tom62 on December 11, 2021, 08:44:53 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on December 10, 2021, 11:03:49 PM
why is german culture so partial to rules and social order?

the japanese are similar.

A very good question. I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks. In general they are very conservative. They don't like chances and every necessary chance takes therefore place at an enormous slow pace. Everything has to be planned, structured, documented, triple checked and organised in the greatest details. It is difficult to find any kind of pragmatic approach or flexibility that can be found elsewhere.

"I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks." So they did learn something from two world wars!  ;D
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Tank on December 11, 2021, 08:59:07 PM
Quote from: Tom62 on December 11, 2021, 08:44:53 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on December 10, 2021, 11:03:49 PM
why is german culture so partial to rules and social order?

the japanese are similar.

A very good question. I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks. In general they are very conservative. They don't like chances and every necessary chance takes therefore place at an enormous slow pace. Everything has to be planned, structured, documented, triple checked and organised in the greatest details. It is difficult to find any kind of pragmatic approach or flexibility that can be found elsewhere.

"I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks." So they did learn something from two world wars!  ;D

I imagine they did learn. Hitler took outrageous risks and paid the price.

billy rubin



"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Dark Lightning

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on December 11, 2021, 11:47:29 PM
Quote from: Tank on December 11, 2021, 08:59:07 PM
Quote from: Tom62 on December 11, 2021, 08:44:53 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on December 10, 2021, 11:03:49 PM
why is german culture so partial to rules and social order?

the japanese are similar.

A very good question. I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks. In general they are very conservative. They don't like chances and every necessary chance takes therefore place at an enormous slow pace. Everything has to be planned, structured, documented, triple checked and organised in the greatest details. It is difficult to find any kind of pragmatic approach or flexibility that can be found elsewhere.

"I think that Germans don't like surprises or taking risks." So they did learn something from two world wars!  ;D

I imagine they did learn. Hitler took outrageous risks and paid the price.

The world paid an outrageous price. I'm thinking that the world's population in general is smart enough now to not allow that to happen again. We'll see how it plays out.

Tom62

QuoteThe world paid an outrageous price. I'm thinking that the world's population in general is smart enough now to not allow that to happen again. We'll see how it plays out.

Germany isn't the same as before. The two world wars caused great trauma and guilt. The Germans have changed much for the better and don't like to be reminded about these dark pages of history. The most insensitive thing a foreigner can do is to tell a German a WW-II joke. I'm not afraid that Germany will ever start a world war again. I'm more worried about the USA, where neoliberal ideas are circulating to throw nuclear bombs on Russia in order to protect the Ukrainian ,,democracy".
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Ecurb Noselrub

The chance of a Joe Biden administration dropping bombs on Russia is close to zero. The chance of a second Donald Trump administration using nuclear weapons on China or Iran is significantly higher, although I suspect that it is still low overall.  I don't think you have to worry about us starting a war. However, I do agree that modern Germany is not a threat.

Icarus

If Russia invades Ukraine, then there will be crippling embargos against Russia. Russian money deposited in foreign banks will be frozen. The NATO nations are all in for this method.

Nukes or military action need not be used.  A shooting war would destroy part of Putin's military force. The scheme being bandied about is to enforce a a total shutdown of commerce between NATO nations and Russia.  That would seriously damage the Russian people's standard of living which would lead to some debilitating civic unrest in Russia. That would soon get the attention of the Kremlin. Starving Russians would make a fearsome enemy for the Putin regime.

Embargos and shutting down the markets for their products will, of course, hurt other nations.  Case in point; A large part of the Lithuanian economy depends on rail and truck shipping from Russia to Baltic ports like Riga and Klaipeda.  Russia is a large producer and seller of fertilizers among other things. Then there is the gas pipelines and the customers on the European ends.  The whole shit show economic conflict would certainly damage other countries.  We and they would then have to simply hitch up our britches and wait to see who blinks first. Both sides know full well that a nuclear war would not accomplish anyone's goal.