"Mad has become mainstream.
Either that or society has sunk to our level."
- JOHN FICARRA, co-editor of Mad magazine.
Zeev,
With my age of 56 and having a brother two years older than I
that displayed an attitude towards life to accept whatever was
presented as normal, and not to be judgemental and question if
what has or is happening has a right or wrong element attached,
he collected a two year supply of comic books like Donald Duck
and Superman, of which became available for me once I obtained
the ability to read and ask Mom for 10 cents so I could buy
those that interested me and not bought by brother.
Included in that two year collection was many Mad Magazines,
along with the regular comic books of the 1950s.
With my age in the single digits and not yet having
the people contact experienced that awaits us all,
these Mad magazines were my first window onto life
and showed me what was un-normal activity, just ways
people can do things which obtain a "you are mad" tag.
Hhere is where this window onto life threw me a curved ball,
as it broke and shattered into many pieces the window itself
as my brother told me this magazine is not for educational
purposes to learn life, but as entertainmint to laugh at life.
Yes, I thought my brother mad and ran to the safety
of the woods where I already spent most of my days
climbing trees, to now spend more time there where
there was no one else there, you know, mad people
that as my brother spoke to me, the world full of.
The following is a copy of a recent post of yours,
and I include it here in its entirely in case others
wish to obtain a read of it.
Following your post is another from another about another topic
that has nothing to do with this topic, it's just a cool post.
Rather than a comment, I have a "what if' question towards
the article in the Wall Street Journal last week (March 19),
where Sharansky wrote, "... Mr. Arafat reject countless projects
... continually spurned my efforts to help the Palestinian Authority
establish an industrial park in Gaza that would have encouraged
investment in Palestinian areas, created tens of thousands of jobs,
and alleviated poverty... "
I'm sure it has been pointed out through many examples in history
when two side are at war with each other, that the most despised
person viewed on each side is one of their own turned traitor.
Included in this could also be a collection of people,
as in a city or town, and here I ask my question.
What if an industrial park in Gaza was created that encouraged
more and new investments in Palestinian areas, and this trend
continued to "... alleviated poverty... decrease tensions
between Israelis and Palestinians..." and "Peace will come...
with joint ventures and common economic development..."
and here I will insert from my near zero knowledge about
the Middle East, that attached to this "what if" includes
no changes to the current status of those most important
and most difficult questions that are in conflict.
Hopefully I have not totally made a fool of myself here
in the above "what if" where peace and not conflicts
using weapons of war or objects used as weapons, can be
obtained if that other path was taken.
ok, But now even if this above "what if' did happen,
the point can be made that a final outcome that has those
most difficult issues resolved, must now be done without
the use or threat of violence, and this means that those
who currently hold and use the means of violence to try
for and accomplish a resolution to the conflict where
one side will win and the other side will lose,
then what if these people decide that those who agree
and implement the above "what if" for peace on their
side of this battle have become traitors? If so,
then I see where weapons and tactics of war will be
turned towards a "new" enemy, that of their own
who they see as traitors. Seems to me that as long
as those who wish for an end based on their side
being the total victors, with other side crushed,
that the "what if" would be destroyed if allowed
and set into motion.
Because of this I do not view the "what if" as an opportunity available
and not taken, to lead to peace, simply because it would not
have been allowed to walk its path in safety, and to me this is
why it was not done, not because "Arafat is not the slightest bit
concerned with the well-being of his own people...", but because
he understands that at the present time there exist those who
would view that "what if" as an traitorous activity, and these people
have the money weapons and protection to a degree
at this point that Arafat knows that that path is not viable.
Please accept my apologies if I completely missed understanding
the issues in the Middle East as I'm not involved in either side
and have seen no possible "exit" points leading to peace.
SI: StockTalk: Steve's Channelling Thread
From: Zeev Hed
Mar 25, 2001
... the Palestinians need are leaders interested in the
well being of Palestinians, Arafat is not it. Peace will come
when the Palestinian are afforded a democratic way of life
and the freedom to seek economic growth. Peace will come
when the two sides have more to lose from war than from peace,
with joint ventures and common economic development, resulting
in economic independence as well as political independence
rather than dependence on the world charity.
Read this recent snippet from a man that tried in vain
to establish some economic development in the territories:
Sharansky: Help Palestinians, Not Arafat
Housing Minister Natan Sharansky, a former long-time Soviet
refusenik and currently a member of Israel's security cabinet,
calls upon the world community to "strengthen the Palestinians,
not Arafat." In an article in the Wall Street Journal last week
(March 19), Sharansky wrote, "In the seven years since the Oslo
peace process began, Western and Israeli policymakers have operated
on the naive assumption that if Mr. Arafat were provided with
enough resources, both territorial and material, he would devote
his energies to improving the lives of the Palestinian people
and leading them on a path of peace and reconciliation. The need
to 'strengthen Arafat' became axiomatic of diplomatic thinking,
even if that meant turning a blind eye to his authoritarianism.
This approach was seriously misguided... [T]he seven years since
Oslo have seen a deepening of Palestinian hatred towards Israel.
Mr. Arafat has mobilized all the resources at his disposal,
including his state-run media, to incite and inflame Palestinian
passions against Israel... Mr. Arafat is not the slightest bit
concerned with the well-being of his own people... As Minister
of Industry and Trade during Benjamin Netanyahu's administration,
I saw Mr. Arafat reject countless projects that would have bettered
the lot of his own people simply because they would have served
to decrease tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
He continually spurned my efforts to help the Palestinian Authority
establish an industrial park in Gaza that would have encouraged
investment in Palestinian areas, created tens of thousands of jobs,
and alleviated poverty. Similarly, he rejected a proposal
to create joint ventures..." Zeev
SI: StockTalk: Ask DrBob
From: Bobber1234
Mar 28, 2001
OT: Are you a carrot, egg or coffee bean.... ???
A certain daughter complained to her father...
She was tired of fighting and struggling.
It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.
Her father... three pots with water and placed the fire on high.
Soon the three pots came to a boil.
In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs,
and the last he placed ground coffee beans.
He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In half an hour... pulled the carrots out and placed them in a bowl.
He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.
Then he ladled the coffee out and placed the liquid in a bowl.
Turning to her he asked, Darling what do you see?"
... she asked, "What does it mean Father?"
He explained.
Each of them faced the same adversity, 212 degrees of boiling water.
However, each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting.
But after going through boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg was fragile. A thin outer shell protected a liquid center.
But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The coffee beans... became stronger and richer.
"Which are you," he asked his daughter.
"When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?
Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
Are you the carrot that seems hard,
but with the smallest amount of pain, adversity
or heat you wilt and become soft with no strength.
Are you the egg, which starts off with a malleable heart?
A fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a divorce,
or a layoff you became hardened and stiff.
Your shell looks the same, but you are so bitter
and tough with a stiff spirit and heart, internally.
Or are you like the coffee bean?
The bean does not get its peak flavor and robust
until it reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the water gets the hottest, it just tastes better.
When things are their worst, you get better.
When people talk the most, your praises increase.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest,
your worship elevates to another level."
How do you handle adversity?
Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? |
