The United States(!) of A

Sweet @ Southern
Cheers and yes I reckon you’ve always got me wrong. I’m not into explaining myself either.
I was down your way or close by 2 weeks ago I think and it’s the sort of place to reflect but also recharge oneself. Count your blessings, I didn’t want to go home.

sypkan wrote:

(you know what they say about religion and politics... don't talk about it! ...yet here on the net, it takes full dominance... strange times...)

doesn't have to be strange times, on this here surf site. Sure this stuff is topical, it is everyone's front and centre atm, it's what people hear and see when they turn on anything that glows blue.. and, sure, this thread calls for it. But there's so much opportunity for people to not become known as the weirdos who ONLY comment on stoopid global machinations that we have no influence on.. how's the kids getting yelled at for fishing in the suburbs y'all?

Cheers @seeds. Nah starting to understand ya. Probably the residual from past clashes clouds my judgement. Thanks heaps and yeah, it's rad down here but also can be tough. The real journey is always within. Trying to match fire with fire down here is futile. Getting there. Glad you got to experience the power of the place. Catchya on your next swing down this way mate.

southernraw wrote:

You know why i'll never be an expert on Iran, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine.....etc.
Because i've never been there.
How could you ever begin to understand a place and it's people and culture if you've never stepped foot inside that country nor ever spent time with the people living there.
Something to think about for self proclaimed podcast experts that post on here.

Im not an expert on Israel or Gaza but my knowledge of the history and politics and current events is almost always from people & sources who live there and study the history and politics and i follow current events and those who are experts and living it daily from many different sources, i agree its probably not healthy but i quite literally consume hours a day of information on the issue if not current events past events

Yet my knowledge on the history is still about 20% my knowledge on the politics is about 5% both are extremely complex. (thats an understatement)

Everyone else here is at about 1% or less, with a knowledge and understanding often from sources that are truely antisemite and yes almost always from people who have never steeped foot in Israel or Gaza or from extremely anti Jewish, Anti Israel pro Arab, pro muslim sources.

Thats why i avoided Andys previous question's, each question & answer is a huge discussion in itself that to even talk about you need a decent grasp of the history and politics, both ancient history, history of the last 100 years and history and politics of the last 30 years, if talking about Gaza you need a very good knowledge of the 2005 to now period and the politics of that period.

BTW. It is true that Bibi tried to keep the PLO and Hamas separated rather than PLO become more powerful politically, but again this issue is so complex, you have to know and understand the huge mistakes of the past that lead to the situation like 2005 handing over of Gaza and past Israeli politics of that time and now, way too complex to discuss here especially in a thread that is not about the area, go onto somewhere like Quora and see the debate from both sides from people often more knowledgeable than us if you have an interest in it

… its probably not healthy

… this issue is so complex

& Something to think about

Supreme dear (tender) leader…

On her way to work one morning
Down the path ‘longside the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
“Oh well,” she cried, “I’ll take you in and I’ll take care of you”
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

She wrapped him up all cozy in a comforter of silk
And laid him by thе fireside with some honеy and some milk
She hurried home from work that night, and soon as she arrived
She found that pretty snake she’d taken in had been revived
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

She clutched him to her bosom, “You’re so beautiful,” she cried
“But if I hadn’t brought you in, by now you might have died”
She stroked his pretty skin again and kissed and held him tight
Instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

“I saved you,” cried the woman
“And you’ve bitten me, but why?
And you know your bite is poisonous and now I’m gonna die”
“Oh shut up, silly woman,” said the reptile with a grin
“You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in”
“Take me in, tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake
“Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake
“Take me in, tender woman,” sighed the snake

Waiting for the updated ‘10/10 Art of the Deal strategic genuis’ explanations for the latest tariff exemptions. It’ll take a day or two but once they’re cleared the usual suspects will roll them out here I’m sure.