RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Full Version)

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estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 10 2014 23:56:49)

quote:

Dudes, he was crystal clear why he can't take em out for a cute little romp in the park...the entire town is out to murder them even little children. Folks don't read entire posts I guess.


I knew that, and is why I said find a place, even in the woods. There's got to be a place even if you have to drive the in the car for 15 minutes.

And I feel for you Ruphus as you are at the mercy of a town government that has no idea what it is doing. If it were me, and this may not be possible for you, I would move to an area further outside the city. This is problematic as well because farmers can have severe aversions to dogs and see them as a threat. On the other hand farmers a rural people can also see animals better than city people in the culture you live in.

If I were in your position I would be angry and frustrated too and I understand your activity when you vent about it on the Foro. But at the end of it all the taking them for runs as much as possible will be good for them. I understand which type of dog you have, I did not go into it on purpose but my grandfather bred those dogs and he brought the stud dogs form Germany. He was pretty serious about it.

Which is all to say stop to think how WWll effects many of us or informs our life experience still after 70 years. I'm living in a district next to a river in a small town. Right at the end of the war in preparation for a potential invasion of Kyushu this districts was leveled with fire bombs to make a staging area and entry point for US amphibious ships to land. There is a warehouse that survived which I think dates from the mid 19th century, other that that, the houses are modern and tacky~

I have another idea, if you have not tried. Seek out out a powerful person on the city government who can help you. Go to the town government and carefully sniff out a sympathetic person of intelligence and see if you can acquire some type of certificate which allows you to take your dogs in public. It may not exist, but worth a try.

And if nothing else works, let your dogs eat one of those tormentors stupid infants. It may not solve the problem, and it may in fact make your life worse, but at least it will cut costs on food for the dogs.

Don't give up yet.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 11 2014 1:12:26)

Thanks, Stephen,

I certainly appreciate good wishes. It makes you feel less alone in the matter.
quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

I have another idea, if you have not tried. Seek out out a powerful person on the city government who can help you. Go to the town government and carefully sniff out a sympathetic person of intelligence and see if you can acquire some type of certificate which allows you to take your dogs in public. It may not exist, but worth a try.


This is indeed what I have in mind since a while now. Trying to receive some kind of permission as rescue dogs for after earthquakes, etc.

Have currently asked someone to help me succesfully finish a smaller court case. If he turns out actually capable of connection, next I want to kindly ask him for something like a dog license.

Without you are not even allowed to transport dogs. Most of the confiscated dogs in the capitol after all must have been dragged out of cars. ( As noone at his right mind will be walking dogs in the big cities anyway.) People with dogs in their cars are suspected to be employing the animals as bait for to pick up chicks.
After all, what else other than that and prestige ( with pedigree specimens) could make anyone carry a dog around. [8|]

Environment here is completely ruined. People go for picnic sitting on trampled spots in garbage. For lack of anything green folks even picnic on centre strips midst heavy traffic and highways.
Correspondingly are chances of finding places to walk dogs withoutt putting them under risk.
The only exclusion I heard of is a race course some ~ 40 km or so from here where people from a wealthy quarter walk their pets. That is where I´d like to try. Yet however on leash, for as you know LSG-dogs will leave for a big scouting when you let them run freely. That is natural desire to scan the territory largescale and clear it from potential predators who could be endangering yours truely.

I remember a huge, beautiful enchantingly calm Kangal that was lost in Cologne ( followed a stupid girl in my neighbourhood who thought if funny to take him further away). Obviously for hard to control condition with the breed. The dog was so perfectly kept, I was envisioning what the owners must been going through desperately looking for him.

Kids that were no waste as carnivors food exist really in masses here.
Raised without wisdom, curiousity and passion they roam the streets bored, only out to find some spectacel by destroying something, annoying or tormenting. Sadist being right from the cradle.

Sorts that make you change your view on children as little innocent humans who need your protection. Instead it is that you become alert, looking around for which defenseless creature could be potentially becoming exposed to these miniature brutes.
-

The dogs just made clear again that they are still being nuts to fight.
Think we´ll try a session with muzzles tomorrow. Outside being so extremely risky for things to get out of hand or us involved with strays.

Ruphus




estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 11 2014 3:52:37)

It might be a good idea to take trip yourself without the dogs a talk to some of the well heeled ( pun) dog owners at the racetrack. Maybe you will find a sympathetic person who can help? Perhaps someone further out of town can help you lodge the dogs overnight sometimes? Dog owners will go far to help another dog person.

And the running off leash- keep treats in your pocket and go baby steps, in a safe area.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 11 2014 9:30:45)

quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

It might be a good idea to take trip yourself without the dogs a talk to some of the well heeled ( pun) dog owners at the racetrack. Maybe you will find a sympathetic person who can help? Perhaps someone further out of town can help you lodge the dogs overnight sometimes? Dog owners will go far to help another dog person.


I hadn´t thought of such yet. Will keep it in mind.


Re-reading your former post:
quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

at the mercy of a town government that has no idea what it is doing.

Literally.
Last year the parliament decided that there are too many cats around as well. Deemed as vermin the killing of all has been ordered.

It would probably take another 100 years to allow the scientifical insight how actually pets are good for humans health, and another 1000 years to understand that we are being fellow creatures and dependent from nature.

Studiously isolating from empirics, logic and science there has not even been perceived plain information like on what will be happening if all the cats be removed. Not to mention with an urban development of all ditches alongside streets and peoples´tradition to throw around garbage.

Rats, already not small in numbers, will be taking over, with deseases like cholera and pest following.
The outcome a surprise then. [8|]
-



I am in need of perfect mind-control for today afternoon. And the coming challenge to keep focus feels a bit like before a street fight or something.

Yesterday, I accidentally saw an incredible example of mind-control.
Not caring about Olympics, lesser even about figure skating ... In lack of functioning TV channels, during dinner I watched a Russian teenager take the gold medal.

Wow!
There was no doubt whatsoever, but just executing in total perfection. Obviously all moves nailed in mind down to the last detail, and then only following the picture in mind.
She was like in trance until the finish of the free skating.
Then it looked like waking up and smile.

It was a deeply impressing performance. - Only visually complimentary how she was built perfectly too, with those ideally proportioned legs. ( No thin drum sticks, ya know.)

Had I her state of control, I could go out and make the doggies friends in a heartbeat.

Just sayin´.

Ruphus




estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 12 2014 1:29:52)

Yes it's much better to implement a free feral cat spaying program than to euthanize them wholesale. Today there are drugs to heal people from the sickness that vermin spread, but why go there if you can have a kitty population that does not reproduce like rabbits.

A city can kill all the cats it can catch, but that does not solve the problem. Old Mao had all the birds around the Beijing environs and farms netted because they ate the crops. The result was an unusual burst of insect population which cause all kinds of health problems. He was no genius, just a theory wonk.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 12 2014 10:40:08)

quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

Today there are drugs to heal people from the sickness that vermin spread, but why go there if you can have a kitty population that does not reproduce like rabbits.


Actually there is not much of vermin to expect from stray cats. This has been a misunderstanding due to my Pidgin.

The cleaning of areas from stray animals will be justified with alleged spreading of deseases indeed, however, what I meant is that animals are all around perceived like sort of a vermin. ( And roundabout guilty beings that must be glad for any being tolerated alive or untouched at all.)


quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

A city can kill all the cats it can catch, but that does not solve the problem. Old Mao had all the birds around the Beijing environs and farms netted because they ate the crops. The result was an unusual burst of insect population which cause all kinds of health problems. He was no genius, just a theory wonk.


Very provenly.
Yet, his times were lacking of so much knowledge, or considerations at all to start with, which are so easily available / so self-evident precondition today.
What did common sense of that time know about ecology systems, relevance of nature, or lesser even about animals cognitive performance and rights.
Not to mention in Asia.

Maybe one could say there was contemporary reason for Mao not to understand why inconsiderate butchering methods won´t work, but a same kind of mindset in place still today after all the research and international communication means ... Is literally out of this world.

The intellectual isolation is really incredible, while ready insignia of modernity are all being consumed in the same time.
Cherry picking under simultaneous ban of profane congruency, without a faint of shame about blatant opportunism.

Ruphus




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 12 2014 10:46:05)

Update on how reconcile of the dogs has worked out until now:

We tried a remote approach with muzzles, yesterday.
Starting at about 6 m of distance.

The technique of touching to regain attention works like a charm.
Though naturrally very close of getting into fixation / war mode diverse times, we managed to distract the two well, rewarding them with bits when relaxing. Most of the time even I dropped the leash.
One time when one of the two was breaking out I laid him on the side, holding him down and calming him until he started closing eyes.

After about half an hour and reduced distance to ~ 4 meters me figured that the conflict was not to be solved same day and that I shouldn´t keep my buddy needlessly engaged, who besides performed greatly for an amateur. ( He originally knew zero about dogs or any animal, before I started telling basics and now had briefed him in detail about how to procede.)

I thought most important was that we succeeded with ending this session in peaceful mode.
Now I hope that my friend may be having time again as soon as possible.

The females are about getting into heat and it is a heading towards very delicate circumstances anyway.

For now I am very happy for the small achievement of deescalation. No too bad, and even without risking escapades outside.
_


Apropos risks outside, what I realized only in the aftermath:
While we were walking the raging dogs we passed a house with an inhabitant AH standing in front. The guy started whistling loudly like after dogs without directly looking at us. And he would not stop doing it, which made us wonder what his intentions could be.

Pretty clearly now the guy was calling for the stray pack. And considering that he can´t have missed out on how raging Charly was already, it remains rather obvious what this ogress wished to see.

If my friend, the dogs and I then had been severally injured or even killed now, you think that guy could be feeling remorses?
Hardly so.

Even the worst of natural viruses will retreat sometime, but not the malignity of this sort of degenerated hominoid.
Total absence of remorse and unswervingly resuming is precisely what constitutes this kind of character.
In fact it makes for its only firm and steady element.

Ruphus




estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 15 2014 2:54:24)

Now that I've done my work of carpet bombing the luthery section....[:D][:D]

how are you and the dogs coming along?




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 15 2014 10:28:15)

We have had another session, with me getting Charlie to close his eyes again ( relaxation).
Only Hermann is not really chilling, maybe for not fully accepting his leash holder.
He will sit and lay down, accept tidbits, but keep his eyes on Charlie, always ready to stiffen up.
Still much left to do.
Yesterday, my friend came by again to help. However, as he said like: "Today I have no good feeling about it", I suggested that we let it be this time.

Every other time Hermann ( in the basement ) will start barking at his brother who is in the yard. I then call him up and tell him to lay down before my door. He then reacts immediately / disconnects from addressing Charlie, which I estimate as all in all sign of progress.
-

Two nights ago, I had a small impression of how it be when one actually lives with his dogs inside the house. ( Which I´d love to do, but with only two of them, naturally.)

It was late at night and I realized to have forgotten something in the basement.
Not wanting to steer up the dogs and leave them disappointed I then opened the upper door cautiously and started sneaking downstairs.
Hermann sleeping before my door rose up and came with me just as slowly at my side. Realizing that I did not want him to follow all the way he then stopped midways on the landing and made sure that I was safe, watching accurately.
( The bitches in the hideout staying still, knowing I was on transit.)

Hermann then picked me up on return, sticking to me on the way up and curling in before the door right away when I entered upstairs.

It was like a guarding service and had something so natural, dear and caring to it that I was totally taken by it.

Must be great to have such guys inside, accustomed to you and your habits, just like with Igor the cat. ( He would for instance feel exactly whether I was swapping rooms or just to get me something from the kitchen and return. Or holding back when visitors in the house, knowing that I want to focus on them, etc.)

From there I always envy folks when I see them with their dogs in their homes.

Don´t know though how it would be working out here. Got an open kitchen, / would have to keep all-time tidied up and would need to teach them not to bark when door rings. ( With the thin walls of the buildings, neighbours in the house near by could be annoyed.)

Anyway, just wanting to say that it must be wonderful to have one´s dogs well arranged for living together inside home.

I would love to be waking up and see Charlie laying before my bed. Maybe putting his head on the mattress and panting a "good morning!" :O)
( Only experienced my cats so far, who would always detect my waking up instantly and then great me with a mew. Igor sometimes with touching the tip of my nose with his smooth paw. Indescribable sensation! [:D])
-

But what am I thinking of.
For now it seems too clear that I need to find a new home for two of them, and despite announcement on someone´s facebook account and a number of inquiries* there´s been no useful feedback yet.

* Folks looking for guard dogs for their hardware shops, etc.
How would they feed and care at minimum costs of 200 bucks monthly for food alone, when they intend to spare the 1500 to 3000$ an electronic alarm system would cost?
Also, they will commonly lock them in for some 10-12 hours daily into some small crappy place usually studded with metall and glass pieces, wires, cigarette ends and their own feces.

...

Just having an idea.
There is a lady some 80 km or so away who opened the first dog shelter of the country. Been there several times, brought her one dog from my neighbours ( to end his locked-in being), people for them to learn about these animals ( the woman is great in giving the average mind food for thought!) and donating some bits.

Someone told me yesterday she was succesfully arranging adoptions towards USA. They were always looking for travellers who would be willing to take dogs with themselves ( expenses with the new owners).

I will try contacting her today.
( Not intending to leave my dogs there, because they keep them in large lots with hundreds of dogs. Some of the individuals raised typically isolated / not socialized, so there will always occure nasty turmoil. But maybe she could find adoptiig hosts for me.
... Man, to have them adopted by some empathical western soul would be a dream come true.)

Ruphus




estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 17 2014 3:13:03)

quote:

ust having an idea.
There is a lady some 80 km or so away who opened the first dog shelter of the country. Been there several times, brought her one dog from my neighbours ( to end his locked-in being), people for them to learn about these animals ( the woman is great in giving the average mind food for thought!) and donating some bits.

Someone told me yesterday she was succesfully arranging adoptions towards USA. They were always looking for travellers who would be willing to take dogs with themselves ( expenses with the new owners).

I will try contacting her today.
( Not intending to leave my dogs there, because they keep them in large lots with hundreds of dogs. Some of the individuals raised typically isolated / not socialized, so there will always occure nasty turmoil. But maybe she could find adoptiig hosts for me.
... Man, to have them adopted by some empathical western soul would be a dream come true.)



It sounds like your life is complicated by having all the dogs and if you could give all but one for adoption to good families it might make everyones life better. If you lived in the country and they had lots of free running space and nice next door neighbors things could be easier to keep that many dogs.

Maybe the lady who boards and rescues dogs has ideas to help you, I think you should keep up that connection. I would also tell her about how the neighbors treat the situation, she may be able to tell you things to say to them to shame them into not teasing the dogs. Cultures are funny and they have weak spots that you as an outsider can exploit to get things done in everyones best interest.

Petty officials in Japan love to lord it over you what you can and can't do, mainly because they are rank and file sheep and do what they are told. A new idea comes into the mix or an idea from a non Japanese person and it can result in passive resistance. The way out of that is cut them off and go over their heads: " Can I speak to your supervisor? " In the USA this gets you two things, one a supervisor to stubbornly supports a bad decision by a subordinate because "it company policy" Right? What a load of crap. Or it gets you an person who can reason out the situation like an adult a make decision based on reason and fairness. Perhaps a compromise.

In Japan it seems to get the latter, unless you speak to someone at an airline or international shipping who has lived in the US long enough to cop a non sheep attitude.

Maybe those idiots on your block have some cultural quirk that would allow you to get their balls in a vise and get them to lay off.

I would start with something mild like: "Ever seen the Mad Max movies? You know the ones where Mel Gibson plays an insane violent guy who does not give two craps? Check it out Bubba, you stop messing with my dogs or we bust in your house at 3 am with all of them of them off the leash and barking and we wake up your mother in law and tell her her penis is bigger than yours."

I would try that.

PS

oh and it's funny you know how the Japanese have such a reputation for being fastidious workers? HA! Sometimes I catch the city workers asleep in their work vans parked around the corner from my studio. The same as I used to catch the Oakland City workers, the PGE workers and the Mailman napping at my old shop down by the marina in Oakland.

There are slackers everywhere in the world. Catch one of you nieborhood doggy bullies asleep on the job and threaten to tell his boss!




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 17 2014 10:38:40)

The one about the city workers made me laugh. Funny stuff! [:D]

I called the shelter same day.
The lady seems not there anymore. I remember she was commuting between here and US, and might have moved now.

They told me that in a case of adoption to USA or Canada I would have to pay the local equivalent of 4000$ for shipping. ( Much of it for the kennel.) Which made calculate my spendings to date, that seem close to 30 000 bucks so far. Still, 4 grands at once ... that´s quite steep stuff. A bit too much to shoulder.

And after all it´s not really about unloading a pity. Not about sacrifice for a new host.
Susie is a very healthy, cheerful and grateful creature and Hermann a real chum who´d give his life for you in a blink. Very human friendly despite all the terror and a perfect companion.

I would love to see especially him developing in a normal environment.
Already such a gem, how must he be yet when under normal conditions and with a dear host.
Just look at the pics of this charming, confident chap and his sister from early this month.



-

In regard of cultural lever, I suppose if there was any, my acquaintances would had told me about it.
I have had it that I would call groups of molesting children, promissing to not harm, and after them gathering, telling them about basics of ethics ( which are unknown here). Don´t know if they really valued the logic of it, or that I turned out to be a maybe not that nasty guy, but it helped. Most of them whom I spoke to refrain from intruding.

However, most cases don´t provide chance of conveying much sense. Mostly the attack is already done and the offenders passed by.

Since some time now I am trying to get them at their pride about material condition. Shouting like: "You think your poor sod being is my fault or the fault of these animals?" If time enough followed by: "If you are pissed by your pity life consult your parents and ask them why they made children without background to educate, nor the funds to provide you decently!" ( Clerics do tell the folks to just breed and then push out infidels that way, with the illiterate traditionally following.)

It seems to work much better than my initially harmless approches ( "Why you are doing that?!") or later shoutings ( "F**** cave men!"). Being adressed as poor sod seems to finally be something disgraceful to them. And seeing how in fact essentials of the mentality are actually comprised of blind hate and envy, giving the addressee a feeling of being cought in the act.
This seems to work best of all.

Yet far from being left alone.
It is just not typical for this mentality to cease harassment. Obstinacy after all being pillar of the mentality.
-

Meanwhile we have had two more appeasement sessions. Yesterday within only 2 meters distance. However, Charlie flipped out again, and I had to put him on his side and calm down.

I see no way out. Adequate hosts are nearly impossible to find here. Shipping abroad is really expensive without even guaranty of new home being appropriate.

And while stuck things can only worsen when the bitches get into heat.
-

On a side note:
In a TV-documentary it was said that Japanese scientists had found out that dogs were the only species capable of empathy for men. ( Hence scientifically now: Dogs being men´s best friend.)
However, that would not equal love yet.
Of love only humans were capable of.

Anyone wanting to bet that this human exclusive will be debunked as well soon enough?

Ruphus


PS:
Officials here seem to behave much the same like you describe from Japan.
More even the whole apparatus is set up to harrass needlessly.
Not even providing copy machines, so that they can send you out into the city to get yourself missing copies.

Neither is there been done anything for to arrange cooperation / exchange of departments to people´s benefit.

I estimate ~1/3 of the collapsing traffic to be coming from needlessly harrassed citizens / sent around by officials.

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estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 17 2014 22:56:26)

Is that snow or is Punky guarding your coke stash?

That is a good looking dog. Reminds me of Thor my college sweeties dog. He was pretty wimpy, so this name Thor was slightly ironic.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 8:30:35)

Snow, yep. Won´t stay for long though.
Hermann rather is a warhorse.
-


Got more response from shelter folks. No hope for me. I am stuck.
This nightmare has no waking up.

In the meantime the scum doing its best to keep us entertained. Got me out of bed 4 times this morning.

Vainly troubling your head with the question why evil has got to be livestyle on broad scale and why erroneous ways won´t change yet after centuries. Everyone suffering under intellectual & emotional blindness, yet keep passing on and spreading it. Too illiterate even to realize the cycle.


I could be at some nice place and enjoying life. Still in possesion of what would allow affording a life of an aesthete while turning to your occasional engagement of sense.
And what have I done instead?
Set myself back for at least a thousand years in time.

If that´s to be karma then I must have been a tyrant in past life. A really cruel one, like maybe Jenghis Khan or so. [:@]

Ruphus




estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 10:06:54)

Hey Mr. Khan,

Can you go talk to the local religion man? Do you think it would do any good? Even if it is not it might be good medicine for your head to give a local authority a view from your side of the fence. You might go tell him there is tension and bad feelings on your block and you wish it to cease for the sake of everyone having a peaceful life. Anything is worth a try at this point right?




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 14:19:19)

Just wrote a really long post, expalining that I have sent a letter to the president / received a phone call afterwards / unclear from whom ( when they talk official language I don´t understand ) will sent same letter again.

Then went to describing why talking to the person you might have in mind can hardly work.
Going into principles, history, comparison with other Ibrahimic mythology ...

And finally had a wrong click and the reply window gone good-bye ( Firefox providing the feature to get it back, but the BB-software won´t allow / would probably be overly strained).

All out the window. [8D]

Maybe god sent. I actually need to watch my rear.
-

Let me just say that I would so wish a public discussion between clerical leaders and scientists, which however this branch of mythology has prohibited from the get go. With the mind-set of first millenias illiterate it was just alright to prohibit any questioning beforehand.

That dogma does not allow what the e.g. C-church went through as a consequence of upper aristocracy´s vanity to employ scientists for matter of prestige and rivalry with the illustrious Vatikan. Resulting in Galilieo´s findings which were not relevant to the Medicci at all, yet prepared a later reformation of the last two centuries.

And without any such concession to the secular condition there is no definition to exchange on, instead ever spontaneous tailoring of arbitrariness.

A simple example for you from today:

A persistent offender passing by and starting to make her usual barkings to steer up the dogs. Then she sees me unexpectedly standing in the yard, and I call: "Don´t do that. It is annoying!"
She while you can hardly hear her through the dogs barking: "It is not annoying."
Me: "It IS annoying!"
She towards the other bod at her side: "This guy is giving orders how to behave!"

See?
In this mentality there exists not even precondition of basic right.
This women e.g. decides what ought to be annoyance to the animals and me and what is not. Not even considering that she is intervening into someone else´s life in the first place.
Not considering that she is sh!tting her skirt with her fear from dogs, and with her weak character taking advantage from the fence. ( Boy is that far from being understood already for this mind-set!)

Such attitude is besides why this culture is literally barricading its windows ( you have guys here who will permanently heave whole closets on their balkony railing to prevent neighbours from spotting their females at hanging up laundry), for people will be brazenly staring inside to see what you are in the same time fiercely supposed not to show.

Discussing with such degree of comprehension?
When you can´t even point out how incapable of congruency a thinking method is?

I really wished it was doable. On TV, before the world.
Step by step and slowly.

Ruphus




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 14:28:22)

Just realized that you meant the local guy!
Thank you for the suggestion. Will be thinking it through.

Could be risky, but I met a local cleric once, and he had even studied psychology ( albeit at local school, which once more in this subject is very different from international level) / presented himself as open to the modern world.

May check whether he´s still employed near by.

Ruphus




Richard Jernigan -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 17:25:50)

In the days of the Shah, my ex-wife's uncle, a career Texaco executive, was in charge of utilities at the big refinery at Bandar Abbas, operated by a consortium of British Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell and Texaco. He was responsible for the water supply, electric power generation, the production of steam for refinery processes, etc.

To build good will among the local population, he laid pipes to the surrounding villages and installed public hydrants with clean water, a great benefit. When the system was put into operation, there was an alarming drain on the refinery's water supply, much greater than predicted. Uncle Frank drove around the area to investigate. He found that at every village the hydrant was turned on, the water flowing freely. He suggested to local leaders that they conserve water by turning off the hydrant when it was not in use.

They responded that this was impossible, since religion prohibited drinking from stagnant water. To be useful, the water had to flow constantly.

Uncle Frank consulted a friend, a colonel in the Iranian Army. The friend suggested a solution. They convened a meeting of local religious authorities who studied the issue. With a little prompting from the colonel, they reasoned that throughout the system, water was likely to be flowing somewhere, if only at the refinery itself, and ruled that it was permissible to turn off the taps.

All went well for a few weeks until Uncle Frank was awakened early one morning with a report of catastrophic water loss. This was soon tracked down to the large main pipe exiting the refinery complex. It wasn't just a leak. Where it crossed a ravine the exposed iron pipe had been destroyed, apparently with hammer and chisel, and the shards carted off to be sold as scrap metal.

The pipe was replaced, and encased in a thick steel outer pipe, with concrete between it and the water pipe. This survived a few attempted attacks, at least until Uncle Frank retired.

After his retirement and return to Texas, Uncle Frank retained many friends among educated Iranians, as he did from other overseas assignments. Over a drink in the evening he had colorful stories of the attitudes and behavior of the villagers of several countries.

Here in Texas the villagers and the educated are not as easily sorted out.

RNJ




Ricardo -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 18:39:47)

quote:

Such attitude is besides why this culture is literally barricading its windows


Ok ok ok, I can't take it anymore man. Definitely a candidate for a US drone strike. Just give me the coordinates so I can have Obama dial it in. I'll give you heads up for you and dogs. [8D]




BarkellWH -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 19:05:29)

quote:

Here in Texas the villagers and the educated are not as easily sorted out.


Evidence of a more egalitarian social structure than existed in Iran under the Shah, or in Iran today under the theocracy for that matter.

Cheers,

Bill




Richard Jernigan -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 18 2014 23:53:13)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BarkellWH

Evidence of a more egalitarian social structure than existed in Iran under the Shah, or in Iran today under the theocracy for that matter.

Cheers,

Bill


Indeed.

A village mentality is no bar to high public office in Texas, nor to membership on the state Board of Education, which dictates textbook selection for a large part of the USA, due to the great number of books the state buys each year.

A couple of years ago a sizable faction wanted to eliminate Thomas Jefferson from the school history texts on ideological grounds. Their historical knowledge was insufficient to inform them that Jefferson's advocacy was one of the major reasons they were free to exercise their particular brand of religion.

These people have college degrees. They are prosperous, dress well and speak in mostly grammatical sentences. Though they seem able to communicate among themselves fairly well, I often have trouble following their line of reasoning,

RNJ




guitarbuddha -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 0:31:42)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BarkellWH

quote:

Here in Texas the villagers and the educated are not as easily sorted out.


Evidence of a more egalitarian social structure than existed in Iran under the Shah, or in Iran today under the theocracy for that matter.

Cheers,

Bill



Some more 'evidence'.

http://www.thewire.com/national/2013/06/demographic-breakdown-texas-500-executions/66633/

D.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 9:46:22)

Uncle Frank´s experience describes how the mentality works. Over here quite that way too, which is totally discrete reasoning. Not including effects on adjacent, future nor past objects.

You think that metal could yield money, so you tear it off. Consequences; ceased water supply for fellow men, sabotage of aid? Damage so much larger than benefit? Must one care as long as not cought in the act?

The ignorance of detrimental effects to others is so solid, that it kind of surprises you to see how sensible a same reckless person can be with making out disadvantages to himself. That is when out of a sudden thinking works.

Just watching the traffic tells it all. For instance regarding how people stop their cars regardless what for. It will be anywhere midst the road. Why take the hazzle of pulling over. Not giving a dime about other participants.
( Beyond me how drivers of such standard are being allowed to receive international driving licence and scooter around anywhere inthe world!)

Similar with the detrimental effects of stressed dogs and their barking.
Folks here live as noisy as it gets. Talking loudly and shouting in the streets, banging balls while passing by, hooting to great someone, goosing their engines / busting their stereos to show off etc. And the neighbour from across the street expands his living room across the block. Communicating with folks over large distance, while his sons now have started a repair garage, unrolling much of it in the street, including customer blurb, screaming, hammering and what not.
Besides of all that there is some density of traffic going on anyway. Noise all the time, except during siesta and after ~ 11 pm.

But the barking of dogs ought to be an issue, notwithstanding that it´s been the complainers themselves who made them bark in the first place.

My neighbour emphasizing all the time how they would be enduring ( in order to put me into debt, so that he can steer me into some form of compensation. - Another common strategy besides. Practiced everywhere from within pedagogics to general relationships.) While others went already to sue me and to have my dogs removed.
Only prevented by the fact that now you have to pay a fee of 80 bucks equivalent in advance when suing.
Ruining someone´s life is alright / probably even entertaining to watch. Yet, not even worth 80 bucks.


Back to Richard´s example:

That is one of the perplexing conditions for any decently brought up mind that comes to experience such mentality from close by.
There is no duty to nothing in the past, present, future and outside of the egocentric´s own concerns.

The culture is built on disregard of mutuality and accountability. Knows not about whatsoever pillars of ethics. It´s the worst kind of illiteracy you can have.
Scientificial sophistication is not necessarily needed for a society´s common denominator. You can have cultures that have developed a lot of wisdom and farsightedness without.
But vice versa, culture that has no ethical and emotional advance is a humane desaster, even still when wetting its toes in academic education.
-

Separatist Texans for instance display ignorance, but still seem to be providing some common denominator and decency to lean on. No comparison with mind-sets that would need unrolling of ethical basics from scratch each time you could be wanting to clarify something. - And remaining misunderstood still.
-

Today appointed to see certain sheep farmers. A friend thinks they are decent and treating their guarding dogs well. Doubt it, but need to check out nonetheless.

Ruphus




BarkellWH -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 10:59:56)

quote:

A village mentality is no bar to high public office in Texas, nor to membership on the state Board of Education, which dictates textbook selection for a large part of the USA, due to the great number of books the state buys each year. A couple of years ago a sizable faction wanted to eliminate Thomas Jefferson from the school history texts on ideological grounds. Their historical knowledge was insufficient to inform them that Jefferson's advocacy was one of the major reasons they were free to exercise their particular brand of religion.


That is the price we pay for living in a more-or-less egalitarian, democratic society. My own inclinations run toward rule by a philosopher-king, but that is, and always has been, a pipe dream. I'll take an egalitarian, democratic society any day, with all of its messiness and ignorance that reside alongside orderly, rational intelligence; rather than the alternative of an authoritarian dictatorship, be it secular or religious.

From your quote cited above, I assume the democratic process worked favorably in the case of Thomas Jefferson, with the rational, intelligent faction winning out and Jefferson remaining in the history texts.

Cheers,

Bill




guitarbuddha -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 11:23:56)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BarkellWH

My own inclinations run toward rule by a philosopher-king, but that is, and always has been, a pipe dream.



Come now Bill, the call may come yet.

Keep your moustache waxed a while longer.

D.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 14:28:11)

Philosophies there are many. Want a scholastic king?
Kings are never good. The principle is just wrong for a species that should be of autonomous thinking.
-

Meeting with farmers has been post-boned, but they announced already despite of conducting a butchery, that scraps are fed only little.
Usually it´s just old bread.
The common diet. Really plain dry bread, not even with some vegetable oil added.

Be checking still. Just in case it be such an otherwise improved situation that it´d make sense to drive out daily and feed.
-

Why only is noone here a loving rich spirit who´d send over his lear-jet to pick up two hairy chaps? [8D] - Not really, flight costs alone should suffice to instead safe some rare wildlife from poachers.

Besides: First western signal:
Prince Charles in sight of devastation of elephants and gorillas asked the Chinese government days ago to finally take action against superstitious consumption of wildlife among their country men. ( I thought that very remarkable finally, and hopefully upbeat to a global message held up against hazardeous customs.)
-

You probably heard of that American sportsman who will be taking a bitch and her four puppies from olympic Sotshi back home?
That is while people report that the strays there would be rather kind and trusting, hence largely left alone by people, or even well treated.
Anyway, nice guy who without language skills will now have to undergo the officially required procedures of obtaining papers, vaccinating, organizing kennels and what have you.

Ruphus

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BarkellWH -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 17:09:32)

quote:

Philosophies there are many. Want a scholastic king?
Kings are never good. The principle is just wrong for a species that should be of autonomous thinking.


I meant it in jest, Ruphus. I will take democracy any day, warts and all. As Churchill said, "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

Cheers,

Bill




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 17:13:31)

Got it!

Ruphus




estebanana -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 19 2014 23:52:43)

quote:

A couple of years ago a sizable faction wanted to eliminate Thomas Jefferson from the school history texts on ideological grounds. Their historical knowledge was insufficient to inform them that Jefferson's advocacy was one of the major reasons they were free to exercise their particular brand of religion.


If these types of things did not horrify me I would savor the sweet irony of the ignorant who get power on school boards and town councils.

Ruphus keep us up on how it goes. Hope the best happens, try to be patient. When I have time I'll try to write the about the guy who kept a family of rescued cougars in a cramped Oakland apt.




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 20 2014 8:29:16)

Yes, I will.
For now it is that three of the pack are locked in most of the time. With me swapping positions four times per day to have them make biz and play and be engaged with me. This certainly can´t go on for long though.

In the same time males try to slip through my legs and get to eachh other when I pass doors, which is why when leaving the building I first put the internal into a room in order to avoid the confrontation.
Meanwhile my friend can´t come for further appeasement sessions, for being busy for a month. ( While others can´t handle animals.)
Thought of tethering one while approaching with the other, only that if the tehered flips out he will pull his head through the collar ...

No way out. [&:]
-

In an apartment you say?!
That is not only crazy, but you would need to be buddha in person to keep everything calm. ( You tip the scales, with any emotion been read from your movement, mimics and voice.)
Just to think of build-up of physical urges which makes your common house cat speed around like crazy ... How would that yet be looking like with cougars in apartments?

Really curious to hear about how the story went.

Ruphus




Ruphus -> RE: Internet sometimes so lacking basic info (Feb. 20 2014 13:03:51)

Turns out the insertions have indeed been another poison attack.
This is now the fourth or fifth time.
With usually around ten days after me finding remains of plastic bags first symptoms as a loss of appetite occuring, with fast setting in of their skin developing shaggy and blunt, followed by their bodies emaciating. And around day 15 the vomitting starting, then diarrhoea. Eating then stopped entirely.
The veterinary, usually clueles with his lacking means of analysis, will blindly describe antibiotics, vitamin B complex and something to suppress the vomitting.

At least the last times the pack made it through, though quite worrying, not as fiercely like the first time when all but Susie escaped death by only a hair.
So, there we go, another round of fixing with all the back and forth, worries, feeling sorry, cleaning up and being depressed.

You wonder about vicious energy behind the attacks?

I have been holding back with a certain picture, considering good people´s sanity, but today feel like disposing the degree of barbarian mindset that many of us can hardly fathom.
Imagine hosts of people who can do things like this:


This is a charge of the shelter I´ve been talking to. Customary outcome of what happens when a religion light-heartedly claims some arbitrary blemish on a fellow species or on anyone for that matter.

Dogma of unscrupulousness.

Ask unsuspecting SFOR soldiers about the changes they have gone through after facing boundless´ ambushing with coward escaping, or shameless taking of little children as shield.
Experiencing freely floating, boundless attitude. Yes, I suppose that could describe the dishonourable practise of tormenting and ruining of exposed and pity as just typical conduct.

Fly over for a thrilling holidays and have smiling personal of airlines release you from the civilzed atmosphere of your plane onto merely another adventurous continent. "Have a nice stay!"

Better though nailed by lyrics of the Eagles.
"And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say... "

Ruphus

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