Open Mike

Place of the offtopic, funny or interesting threads, discussions about history, politics, movies and other war games.

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[OMK] Baklava Invasion

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-05 19:26, Monday

Important: Baba (Slavic Languages) = Grandmother / Granny
Ale wrote:
2021-04-05 19:11, Monday
... all "babas" here look like they are Turkish "babas" (meaning grannies)
Well, not all "babas" are the same. So, let's focus on the "Baklava Baba Parachutist Core".
Ale wrote:
2021-04-05 19:11, Monday
"Baklava chronicles" sounds like solid RPG title, worth working on...
Here goes the first scenario. "Baklava babas" parachute into "Anorexic Barbie Territory". "Anorexic Barbie Anti-Air Units" attempt to blast those... lethal "babas" out of the sky. Why such resistance ? Imminent and overwhelming temptation, of course ! :evil
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[OMK] Causes

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-06 18:11, Tuesday

Hurricanes are caused by dictators.

Revolutions are caused by shortages of baklava.

Divorces are caused by disagreements about sports teams.

Poverty is caused by a desire to complain.

Dating is caused by the Internet.

Illiteracy is caused by shortages of chalk.

There ! :banana
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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-04-12 12:36, Monday

...it is obvious that I like to (as hobby or for fun) look at various statistical data as demonstrated through thread and to find some interesting details from older history or present... long time nothing "interesting" from me ;| so time for another post in that sense, with some humoristic tone as always but based on "data or facts"....

https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries

...is btw interesting statistical site, with various articles included if one scrolls down to page's bottom. But it is recommended to always double check some data on other sites and to mind that all those data in many cases could be dubious, incomplete or imprecise (almost as economic sites))

so where is funny part - according to "newest and freshest data" on that particular site for 2021 and where are we "top and near bottom" in the world :) Well, except some predictions that I mentioned about chance (if things do not change) that we are among 10 countries in the world that could shrink most by 2050-60 in population and that we are among 20-25 oldest nations by average age in the world.... on the bright side "new data" there shows that we are allegedly in 2021 now second tallest male population in Europe and by that in the world. After Montenegro, but everybody knows that Montenegrins and Serbs is same thing, so crown is ours in any way :) interesting if true and very good argument for whole Scytho-Sarma theory and "tribe of ginats" and why our only emperor, Dušan, was most likely one of tallest in recorded history, proven by bones :) (talked all that extensively))

on funny side "new data" for 2021 on that site puts us among bottom 2-3 (data for Montenegro suspicously lacks there) by IQ level in Europe (this time not world too)) ... funny part is that while Balkan countries (all in geographical sense) and Turkey for decades placed on bottom in that category in Europe, but allegedly change is that some that in previous years had lower score than us are now (by that site and in 2021) by point or two above us, while we "lost few points".... question for our politicians and us all is - are we getting dumber by years while other are gaining IQ points :lol

as said it's humoristic post and collected data is not very precise, plus difference of few points is just statistical not realistic, plus also various sites have various data - but interesting as at least semi-fact is: we are the tallest but among least smart on continent :) and among those to shrink most by 2050..... ;) if nothing else, worth a smile as "facts" - and if Turkish miladies like strong and tall ones but not smart ones, we are good choice :lol


(do not by grumpy nor strickt - yes, yes there are small males and scientists among us - as Tesla or Punpin once :) but it's funny addition to old jokes about "big but not smart" figures and posted for fun...)

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[OMK] Classic Preferences

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-12 15:45, Monday

I want them big where it counts and not too smart !

A contemporary girl's wish ? Nah, such eminently practical wishes have been around forever; in all cultures. I'm not holding my breath that 21st century women's socio-cultural ascendancy, even predominance, will change all that. So, traditionalists the world over... rejoice ! The more things "change" the more they stay, well, more or less, the same. :lol An arrested state of... evolution, perhaps ? :evil
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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-04-13 10:57, Tuesday

... since on it and since Hex and I partially "touched subject" not so long ago... ; as said facts on that site could not be true or not completely true - but while looking at it, here is another funny and a bit unexpected "fact and data" from that site I found and worth a smile...

namely, it says in article about "yearly alcohol consumption" that Turkey is top in Europe - if we place it in Europe, i am ready to do so for the love of many Tuba's, Aleyna's etc. etc. .... :) whome we will need in not so far future as explained :) - by yearly consumption of pure alcohol in liters and have, allegedly by site, significantly greater "litrage" than some countries we usually connect with high consumption... well, i always joked that whole story about "Sirpsindigi" aka battle of Maritsa/Evros might be total myth and if Vukašin & co. was drunk than it is not far from truth that Turks, Lala Pasha & co. were drunk as well :lol ... back to today it is even more funny than "traditionally liberal" Turkey, that many north African Arab countries (except Egypt) have greater yearly pure alcohol consumption than east European countries, guess many people would wrongly guess that they are very "anti-drink" by cultural differences but not so.... :) even Iran is in front - part of answer is that in many of that countries often highly alcohol percentual drinks are "secretly" made, some spirits etc. I lived, as small kid back in 80s, in Libya for 2 years (I was child slave)) and by talks of parents it seems true that Arabs often have some spirits in houses, AND often not bought openly...

anyway, on that subject another thing funny and (maybe) unexpected now for Serbia ans Serbs - again, again by that site (maybe not true) it shows that - unlike believed - Serbs are in predominant percentage majority wine consumers which place us in Italian, French, Greek "camp" in continent and - even more funny - Serbs consume more wine than usually more connected to mediterranean Croats (who are in "beer camp" as well as Turks for example).... if true, that's how it was like in the middle ages when wine dominated among nobility, as I like to compare with those times :) ...btw, we are by UN classification placed in southern Europe and at least by this category (again if true)) we seem to belong there... however - as Hex and I mentioned - "rakija" is what "shakes" here, usually :) (domestically produced wine is sometimes cheaper, it might be answer for last paragraph)

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-04-14 17:03, Wednesday

... ah, memories. this last post inspired me to think for few seconds about Arab world and some our relations.... from today perspective and stance, i never told them before, but it was highly irresponsible from parents to go and live there with 3 very little kids in those times. Considering how many external and internal enemies Gaddafi had, small in percent but significant hostility among locals in Benghazi towards anything foreign, various terrorist organisations just in the beginning often etc. etc. it was very risky - doubt I'd do that if I had to choose about taking kids there back then. But it ended alright and was an adventure and something unknown, earning me "gazi" title in the bio... as I fought for "sharia colonel" (yeah, he was many things and often changed views)) so young... that's political though and joke - but if you are Arab reader, nothing personal and welcome and (did I say that) I'm fan of Arab miladies too :)

since mentioned political relations and our tries to establish them and make some deals with their rulers - humble opinion is that it is not worth the risk because often backfire and hits us as boomerang, considering our size and weight. Peaceful civilian trade is alright, but some ties with rulers and arms deals not worth, honestly not but nobody asks me :) That Gaddafi is good example - although many countries dealt with him and made money with him, 10 years ago some silly oposition source in Libya aired silly things like "Serbia airforce fights with Gaddafi and bombs around" almost like we are some superpower, some America or Russia, able to send planes across Mediterranean sea, or on carriers maybe :) ... i have old joke that whenever sh*t happens in the world someone will be there to point finger at us, sometimes very silly sounding... he is just one example, there are probably others and freshest of them all is (our great traditional pal)) Saudi Arabia with various sources recently "connecting us with them", more than appropriate to extent that wikipedia has such silly line:
Serbia has emerged as a major weapon supplier for Saudi Arabia
:) yeah, Suadites are all driving Serbian tanks and flying our planes etc. It is funny to malicious, but nonetheless... we are, btw, probably one of the last countries to establish diplomatic relations with them, only in 2013 before it was only Arab country we never had historical contacts and realations, that's why it's especially funny (now we are pals)... word "major" was probably used as meaning "in majority of exports" not as meaning "most important" but still funny line ;)

anyway it was interesting to write about, but just as short look at it and some of our calamities since year 655 AD - like we hadn't enough in Europe alone :lol ... as said nothing about nations nor personal and best of luck to you miladies of desert ; (after all many Turk girls use your names, they sound very feminine and nice... did I say that I'm from the tallest male tribe in the world and.... blah, blah, blah)

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[OMK] Societal Attitudes

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-15 05:22, Thursday

Let me count the ways...

Mission Civilisatrice

Eventually, all the children of the world will be playing in just one, huge sandbox.

Realpolitik

Just talk about mission civilisatrice while doing all kinds of things to perpetuate sandbox... factionalism.

Mainstream Tribalism

This is "our" beloved... sandbox. Strangers keep out !

Noxious Tribalism

Never mind mission civilisatrice talk... "We" hate "you". Even if 1000 years go by, "we" will still hate "you".

Suicidal Tribalism

"We" will destroy "you". If "we" cannot do it "ourselves", "we" will get "our friends" to do it... Even if this means our "own" destruction.

Misanthropy

Sooner or later, humans will destroy themselves. They fully "deserve" such a fate.

:evil
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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-04-15 16:55, Thursday

....finally to add. (on this topic) such world and those cultures are certainly small interest of mine (esp. more beautiful, feminine part of it)) surely because of that childhood experience, or - if you will, never had problem in life to talk openly which sometimes cost me but don't care ; - maybe sexiness of something "obscured" or "masked". (except Turkey which is almost "neighbor") ...It was nothing strange nor unusual in our tribe i.e. Serbs etc. - since XIX c or maybe even before through "collective epics" - some poets sometimes wrote intentionally about islamic girls and their sexiness ;

but not about that this time - I wanted to add something about Saudi case, something curious and maybe unprecedented in diplomatic way here. While they have an ambassador "here" which talks to our officials like he is ambassador in country (he is in Bosnia), they did not open building yet unlike wrongly stated in same Wiki article i.e. "Saudi Arabia has embassy in Belgrade".... one of many mistakes in many articles, but we are used to it, be it history or today events :) .... and i warn those with more serious intentions and research whenever i encounter something unreliable, esp. on subject i know something about. it was UAE recently, in past few years, who opened full diplomatic mission here and (general impression is) they do not calculate. Saying because some analitics guess reasons for Saudi not doing it yet - we btw have a building in their capital - from "waiting from Serbia to fully finish business" to, on the contrary, that they "do not want to do it yet calculating that Saudis are unpopular here" etc. etc. ... no idea about 100% proper reason, but certainly it is not economical on their side :) nor it is about any murky arms trade ;

read some foreign texts about one of "Saudi shipment" and controversies - must say foreign writters are again wrong about some details (it was more about coruption than about geopolitcs btw). Yet since there was notion in foreign text - it is not only that some "arms" were alegedly diverted to Ukraine, nor Russians would care much... even without it for us it is also question of Iran we have no "arguments" with, nor we want them, aiming at Yemen conflict or any conflict of that type of that kind where Iran and Saudis are "clinched"... for us Iran question is not "who recognizes whome or to which islamic school who belongs" - why would we be stupid to alienate some country like Iran (with which we do not have much trade, btw) that could be future potential to us in many ways and that was much less "extreme" in not so far future, it might be again ;) .... besides why not, talking and researching very far ancient history with them which at least in interesting linguistic way connects us with that country, Persia and all. Was our king Milan a fool or did it hurt our "national interests" to get a medals from Persians, Hawaii or anyone... so it has deeper consequences and why shouldn't we be smart as Turks who even apolitically boost some their ancient ties with central Asia. back to Saudi-Iran disputes, i'm undecided both Iranian and Saudi girls are very nice and could be needed :lol

....it is not always something having Russia as something we "fear" as some foreign analitics say :) and since middle ages we led own policies cooperating with other states as well... Russians are smart as well and know that we are taller :) seriously though, they know we are old tribe and respect us (and surely know that we would not arm Ukraine nor IS :) nor there is need for that)), it is not about China nor Russia nor US. Iran could be great opportunity once (and like Turkey) country we could have many personal and emotional relations with, my prediction... as for Saudis I'll gladly write some "black knight" version with beautiful Saudi princess and our brave knight defending her from Timur to popularise our ties :) .... officialy out on this (might come back only to Turkey, old pal and neighbor, if i feel so) I already talked too much, but like to talk about that regions and have no problem with anything ; ... hope at least some lines are funny but take many seriously and informative (like that embassy building "controversy") and never trust anyone, esp. not own politicians :)

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[OMK] Nation-State "Interests"

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-15 17:52, Thursday

It's rather straightforward...

Q.1) Do nation-states have "friends", permanent or otherwise ?

A.1) Irrelevant ! Realpolitik doesn't concern itself with such "populist sentiments".

Q.2) Do nation-states have "interests", permanent or otherwise ?

A.2) Absolutely ! Realpolitik essentially concerns itself with prioritizing the relative importance of such "interests" so as to defend them and / or beneficially "horse-trade" them.

Q.3) Who defines, prioritizes, defends and "horse-trades" a nation-state's "interests" ?

A.3) The nation-state's dominant, established elites of the day.

Q.4) Whose concrete interests do these "interests" reflect and serve ?

A.4) Primarily the elites' concrete interests.

Q.5) Why just "primarily" ?

A.5) An elite segment is oftentimes ideological / delusional enough to truly believe that the elites' concrete interests and the nation-state's "interests" coincide.

Q.6) What if such elites are driven to a large extent by "considerations" transcending the nation-state's discourse ?

A.6) Well, those in the nation-state / region / world who perceive the aforesaid "considerations" as being beneficial to them will rejoice. :bonk
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[OMK] Collective Narratives

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-16 22:31, Friday

At last, back to the familiar, cozy, virtual... sandbox ! :phew No, at this point in time, I absolutely refuse to post anything re: Covid-19 ! :nyet Zeitgeist be damned... :P

In my opinion, the below assertions are applicable the world over, not just in "Europe" (or, even, good ol' Europe).

1) No collective narrative remains unchanged over time.

2) There's a major difference between augmenting a narrative and (selectively ?) gutting it of some "inconvenient" content.

3) Nationalist narratives are always suspect. More often than not, they betray "rear guard" belligerence aimed at papering over troublesome questions as to whether the "Nations" themselves actually exist.

4) Patriotic narratives resonate with the very existence of the "Nations". Unlike nationalist narratives that invariably focus on external / foreign... accomplishments, patriotic narratives are modest and internally focused.

5) Patriotic narratives are inextricably intertwined with defensive territoriality. Nationalist narratives are all about "righteous peacocking" and expansionism at the expense of "less significant / deserving others".

6) A Nation's uniqueness doesn't require that patriotic narratives remain unchanged over time. Nevertheless, it does require that such narratives change via pure augmentation without inconvenient "chapters" being discarded along the way in order to serve this or that sociopolitical expediency of the day.

Also sprach... HexCode ! :lol
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[OMK] Philosopher... Pimps

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-18 01:18, Sunday

Niccolo Machiavelli:

It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.

Actually, it's not that hard... Gifted... pimps are naturals in this precise regard. :doh To boot, macro phenomena can only aspire to achieve... pimpdom's hands-on :p clarity. In any case, beating up on "someone" over here and distributing aid to "someone" over there have to be simultaneous, otherwise "it" won't work, right ?

Metaphorically:

Honey, you did have a great time, didn't you ? Ok, ok, what are a few bruises compared to mutual bliss ? :rofl You surely realize that "we" are made for each other... :evil

As for macro phenomena:

[OMK] Pimps, Prostitutes & Transfixed Bystanders
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=229&start=50#p2478
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[OMK] Power: Its Dramaturgical Foundation

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-20 00:38, Tuesday

Once upon a time...
... power over others; the most powerful aphrodisiac known to man.
AND
The dramaturgical model views social life in terms of actors performing to audiences, wearing masks, using props and, finally, reading the... reviews ! The analogy isn't really to the classical theater's rigidly followed scripts, but to improvised theater where the actors work out the script as they go. In my view, the dramaturgical model is inextricably intertwined with man's tribal essence. Many surprising, albeit pessimistic, even infuriating, implications are bound to follow...
:yep

A real or imagined "audience" is a necessary precondition of dramaturgically aimed at and, possibly, generated power. This sort of power isn't self referential; rather it's projected onto others. The susceptibility and receptivity of the "audience" to such projections is key to the whole phenomenon.

A "natural" actor doesn't need to read... sociological texts in order to learn or improve upon his performing skills. Nay ! He implicitly understands what the "others" crave for. Often, as a spectator, he, himself, privately craves for the very same kinds of performances... Needless to say, such performances don't require any rational underpinnings. Instead, seductive rhetoric and psychologically compelling audiovisual effects invariably carry the dramaturgical day...

NOW, in my "quasi-barbarous" neighborhood there's the saying:

The only kids worth having are the ones who will f*ck with impunity and beat people up.

If this is not quintessentially tribal, I've never come across anything... anthropological in my life ! :)

Aside from the rather obvious dramaturgical angle, "we" get a very interesting twist on the well known expression "preservation of the species". Namely, the aforementioned "kids" will likely constitute the next generation of anthropologically "natural" actors. In other words, "we" are talking about the...

... preservation of the "anthropologically arrogant / gifted" !

Ok, what of "civilization" then ? Well, there's complementarity at play here; namely, the ones who aren't "anthropologically arrogant / gifted" will be taking care of the "rest" (e.g., family providers, docile employees and so on). Ironically, "civilization" absolutely requires the presence and social interaction of both anthropological types. :devil
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[OMK] The Meaning of... Soup

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-20 23:48, Tuesday

From the rather well known war movie "A Bridge Too Far" (1977), directed by Richard Attenborough ==>

Unknown German Officer: Excuse the interruption Field Marshal, but... British paratroopers have landed... three kilometers from here.

Field Marshal Model: Why should they do that ? There is nothing important here. Me ! I am important. They must all be coming just to capture me. Call my chauffeur and car. Evacuate the headquarters. And don't forget my cigars.

I've always wondered why SSI stopped at the General level and never attempted to... graduate to rarefied Field Marshal status. :dunno :) Perhaps they wanted to avoid multimedia representations of a Field Marshal's chauffeur and car ? :laff As for cigars, well, where there's smoke there's... fog of war, right ? If only those cigars could magically transform themselves into heavy SP artillery and V2 rockets... :yikes :yep

Major General Ludwig: Perhaps {the British paratroopers have} landed in the Field Marshal's soup.

Lieutenant General Bittrich: Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you ?

If lakes were full of soup, provisioning paratroopers would be considerably easier. :doh Provided, of course, the enemy didn't dump tons and tons of salt into the lakes... :bonk Even then, high blood pressure isn't an instant killer ! :nyet :laff
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[OMK] Exodus, Exodus...

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-21 22:01, Wednesday

Almost every Euro-American, political science undergraduate is taught that there're three main modes of political behavior: Vote, Voice and Vacate.

1) Voting is exactly that; voting for some candidate, party, issue, proposition and so on.

2) Voicing entails quite a multitude of pro-active political activities such as making speeches, canvassing on behalf of candidates, even engaging in informal political discussions with others.

3) Vacating ("political space") encompasses two modalities: abstention and pro-active geographical separation.

Generally, political science undergraduates are not particularly encouraged to apply the preceding concepts to actors that are not individual citizens...

My personal focus here is on "Vacation Via Pro-Active Geographical Separation". Sometimes, authors refer to such phenomena as "Voting With One's Feet". My interest goes way beyond academically idealized, individual citizens... :phew

There're many, many aspects to this complex phenomenon. Here're some examples:

1) Literally starving Sicilians emigrating to the US, Canada and Australia in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

2) Turkish labor (temporarily ?) emigrating to West Germany as "guest workers" (Gastarbeiter) in the 1960s and 1970s.

3) European Jewish intelligentsia "fleeing" Nazi Germany in the 1930s.

4) Financially well off and well educated Cypriots emigrating to the UK.

Generally, "voting with one's feet" begs two interrelated questions:

A) Why is this happening (e.g., economic, social, political, demographic and so on, reasons) ?

B) How free are the "interested actors" to do so (e.g., exit controls, target societies' receptivity, penalties) ?

Oh, well... ;)
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[OMK] Technology & Hope

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-22 18:22, Thursday

Elsewhere in THIS S&L forum:
My knowledge of computers and technology is very limited...
Ok 21st Century computer "users", consider this:

A "user" arrives at the gate of Dante Alighieri's "Inferno". A longish inscription over the gate ends like this:

"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate"

and for the non-Mediterraneans:

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here"

One could object, of course, along the lines that not all "users" are necessarily... sinners. Well, there're sins of commission and, then, there're sins of omission as well. :bonk

In plain, direct language: What exactly is it that tech firms the world over are... peddling ? :dunno :evil
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[OMK] Incontinent... Analogies

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-23 00:01, Friday

A) The most prevalent type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. At stage 3 of the illness, a patient often experiences "fecal incontinence". :yikes

B) Although an etymological affinity surely exists between "dementia" and "demented", they're two quite different "things". :phew

ALL THAT SAID:

I'd rather be a... demented professor in self-imposed and much enjoyed caricature than some guy afflicted with dementia... :doh

BUT WAIT:

Incontinence provides us with the missing link here. Namely, demented professors (posters as well ? :evil ) exhibit rhetorical incontinence while stage 3 dementia patients exhibit, well, the fecal type... Aren't analogies just enticing ? :clap :lol
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[OMK] Read Only Memory

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-23 01:46, Friday

Summary evaluations of external realities invariably depend on what people are exposed to and, ultimately, used to when they are children / teenagers. Remember Pol Pot's child soldiers ? :yikes It's sort of imparted Read Only Memory (ROM) that serves as a companion yardstick over a person's life... :2cents

Post-modernity attempts to culturally slice up society in narrow age cohorts. Typically, people of a certain age avoid much interaction with people of a different age. Often, even five years of age difference are perceived as a veritable obstacle to socialization... :hmm This sort of discontinuity / choppiness militates against the transplanting of evaluative yardsticks by the older members of a society to its younger members. Post-modernity is neither particularly friendly to societal continuity nor does it encourage extended family life; quite the opposite and militantly so... :2cents
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[OMK] Ideas (Part I)

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-25 14:30, Sunday

Having, judging and expressing them...

A poster's signature used to read:

Having knowledge but lacking the power to express it clearly is no better than never having any ideas at all. (Pericles)

1) The Ancient Athenian statesman was, first and foremost, a political "animal" (as per Aristotle's views on the politics of his time).

2) Unlike today, Ancient Greek culture all but refused to "comprehend" how a man of worthwhile ideas would choose to stay silent and keep to himself. Just look at Socrates...

3) Possessing knowledge presupposes the conscious formation and adoption of overarching ideas by the thinking individual. Whether knowledge is objective or not is an entirely different matter. Quantum physics and political economy are markedly different areas of human "understanding", especially with respect to how one goes about checking things out...

4) The power to express ideas is a multifaceted affair:

a) Assuming that an individual has some ideas about something, he better be able to combine such ideas into some internally consistent or, at least, persuasive narrative.

b) In an Ancient Greek cultural sense, the power to express ideas was manifestly political. The public nature of politics all but required skillful oration aimed at persuading others (as per Aristotle's views on the uses of rhetoric in the politics of his time).

c) In a contemporary sense, the power to express ideas is inextricably intertwined with the available channels of information dissemination. In other words, even if an individual is a master at clearly expressing his ideas on this or that, his public impact wholly depends on how effective the public dissemination of his "packaged message" eventually proves to be.

d) Hence the present day furor regarding "censorship" in "liberal" societies... :bonk

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[OMK] Ideas (Part II)

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-26 19:14, Monday

Having, judging and expressing them...

An "upgraded" poster's signature used to read:

The best way to have a good idea is to have many ideas (Linus Pauling)

This reminds me of the following exhortation directed at chess players:

Have you found a good move ? Great ! Now, find a better one still...

In my opinion, an idea's underlying "goodness" isn't just a matter of swiftly picking one such idea from some "basket" containing a multitude of ideas. Nay ! The implied comparison better be both intensive and reflective. It's the clash of ideas that will hopefully lead to better insight and, hence, identification of the precise nature of a "winning" idea's underlying "goodness". Therefore, one is always faced with the thorny problem of how to go about developing evaluative criteria applicable to the world of ideas.

Unlike... Plato, I believe that the formation of evaluative criteria can't be divorced from the world of ideas in some "neat", prior-posterior fashion. Instead, diving into the world of ideas itself subjects such criteria to continual reexamination and fine tuning. The Graeco-Romans came up with a mystical image of a snake devouring its own tail... ;)

As for... Hegelian "thesis - antithesis - synthesis", oh well... :P

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[OMK] Slowly Boiling Society's... Frogs

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-27 02:33, Tuesday

Time and time again, one comes across some version of an enduring, secular... parable. Here's one:

The first time I saw "them", "they" were rounding up a Jewish family; no big deal for a Christian like myself. :phew

The next time I saw "them", "they" were arresting a couple of communists; I didn't think much of it. You see, I was an anti-communist. :phew

Later, "they" came yet again and arrested a homosexual. Again, what me worry ? I mean, I have always been into women. :phew

One evening, surprise, surprise, "they" knocked on my door. I was arrested for possessing books and notes the contents of which were deemed to be a threat to "the cause". :o


Right at the start of my "prescribed" interrogation, the interrogator addressed me in the following sarcastic manner: "you, incredibly stupid FROG".

Does the "frog" parable invite fruitful, conceptual (de)construction ? :evil
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[OMK] Sensory Annoyances

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-27 22:42, Tuesday

Sensory annoyances, even overload, bear a striking resemblance to political stimuli. Notions such as:

Voice ==> Complain
Exit ==> Move Along / Away
Act ==> Suppress / Retaliate


are rather self-explanatory.

NOW:

A girlfriend / wife throwing tantrums and engaging in all kinds of loud theatrics and antics may be countered / dealt with in a number of ways:

Voice ==> Shut up honey.

Exit ==> Divorce, separation or simply spending the night over at the mistress's place.

Act ==> Crank up the volume of some obstreperous national anthem or operatic aria to the max.


:banana

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[OMK] Inferiority: That Unbearable Feeling...

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-28 15:37, Wednesday

In recent times, Cyprus has been rather well known as a desirable tourist destination. The island's somewhat recent colonial history has contributed to English being understood, spoken and written (as a foreign language of choice) by many of its inhabitants. These days, young Cypriots simply view English as the lingua franca of the... world. In any case, the island's tourism industry is happy, practical efficiency and all...

Quite often, hormone driven Cypriot men approach "attractive", female, foreign tourists intending to take them to bed... :) Invariably, the language of communication is English, what else ?

NOW:

a) Why is it that a Turkish Cypriot man named, say, ... Bülent :p introduces himself as... Billy ?

b) Why is it that a Greek Cypriot man named, say, ... Γιωργος introduces himself as... George ?

Thinkers as well as propagandists on the left would have us believe that cultural / civilizational imperialism is all about "push". Sorry, I'm not buying it. "Pull" factors are at least equally important and, likely, more so... :2cents

Consider the following popular wisdom "pearls":

If you can't lick them, join them.

Better first in your village than second in the city.


In my opinion, the first "pearl" is all about "inferiors" and "bumpkins" proactively re-inventing themselves in a way that puts an end (really ? :devil ) to their feelings of cultural / historical inferiority. The second "pearl" is about pride in local culture and a clarion call to resist psychological... corrosion. :)

In a macro sense, feelings of inferiority can readily be attached to entire populations and political classes. Rhetorical overkill and "vanguard" self-anointment are unmistakable signs of the condition... The irony is that the "dominant" ones look down upon such neophyte converts. Why ? Simply because the "inferior" ones proved the... point through their very own "slavish" behavior. In other words, if they wanted to be... respected, they should have resisted... :hmm

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[OMG] The weather

Post by randowe » 2021-04-28 17:17, Wednesday

Today we had nice and sunny 18°C. But tomorrow it will rain they say. Temperature will drop.
Weather eh?!? :dunno
Image Slava Ukraini!

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[OMK] Just Like the... Weather

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-28 19:44, Wednesday

Posts sequentially appearing under this topic are, well, like the weather in early spring or late autumn: capriciously unpredictable and delectably moody; just like certain... females ! :lol There's no discernible subject continuity. To boot, the expressed humor (if any) varies in intensity, focus and overall meaningfulness.

However, the preceding commentary regarding this topic's observable... "anarchy" doesn't mean at all that some of us posters no longer possess a pretty accurate, blow-by-blow, long-term memory; au contraire... ;)

Finally, the acronym [OMK] stands for "Open Mike". It merely indicates that I did not launch yet another frivolous topic out of sheer... boredom. In my own personal fashion, I endeavor to minimize forum... "clutter". :2cents

P.S. Efficiency is also greatly served by the acronym [OMK]. It instantly informs a "lurker" as to whether he should even bother clicking that link... :yes
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[OMK] I'm Privileged, You Hear ? I'm Somebody

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-29 16:25, Thursday

From Father Time's Jurassic archives...
... more often than not, the "locals" become "arrogantly naive" about their very own status. I have personally witnessed "local" Australians unable to understand or fill out the simplest of forms; the interesting part was that they claimed that their "inability" had absolutely nothing to do with... functional illiteracy and a lot to do with their "natural belief" that such... trivial matters were only relevant to "poor immigrants"; being born and bred (privileged ?) Australians, they just "couldn't be bothered" (especially the young women :lol )...
AND
... pre-2008 Greek society and 21st century Turkish society quickly and cheerfully adopted... South African (apartheid era) mindsets and practices aimed at economically exploiting "foreign" migrants in their midst. Personally, I have found it highly distasteful that some functionally illiterate, Greek / Turkish wives, whose sole "accomplishments" in life have been... nabbing rich husbands, would treat some rather well educated, "foreign" blondes in their pay like dirt. These historically unfortunate girls were easy prey. You see, they have been choosing to endure such gratuitously dished out humiliation because they did not desire to become "Natashas", secretly and profitably... servicing the aforesaid salivating, rich husbands.
Ok, what's the underlying common thread here ? Easy ! It's the nouveau riche effect. Usually, one thinks of particular individuals exhibiting the... requisite attitudes and behaviors. In my opinion, entire populations and their political classes may also... qualify; in spades, that is. Whether one focuses on something rather intangible (e.g., religion or political ideology) or quite tangible (e.g., material possessions and practical services), a neophyte qua "newcomer" individual or collectivity invariably go to great lengths (often comical) in an effort to:

a) "Prove" to "others" and, most importantly, to themselves that, currently, they count for something; they are "somebodies"... :hmm

b) "Erase" any notion that, in the past, they may have been, horror of all horrors, "nobodies"... :hmm

Of course, literature, stage plays and the like have been "covering" such phenomena for centuries. Anglo-Saxon cultural parlance contains the following gem of a phrase:

Look who's talking...

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[OMK] Girl, the World Is Yours

Post by HexCode » 2021-04-30 16:16, Friday

The following dialogue could have taken place in any postmodernist... space. Say, Vancouver, Canada might have been as good a... space as any ! :)

PROF : Middle-aged University Professor having coffee at Starbucks.
GIRL : Young Woman in her twenties complaining to a friend on her cellphone.

GIRL : The creep gave me this f**king form to fill out. Can you imagine ?
PROF : Miss, you seem agitated... May ask what the problem is ?
GIRL : What ? Who are you ?
PROF : I teach courses in university.
GIRL : Oh, I too go to university. I'm a student.
PROF : That's good. What's the problem with the form you were just complaining about ?
GIRL : I don't understand what it says.
PROF : Is it written in English ?
GIRL : Yeah, of course.
PROF : What are you studying in university ?
GIRL : Administration.
PROF : Do you have the form with you ?
GIRL : Yeah, sure, here it is.
PROF : Ok, show me exactly the language you are having trouble with.
GIRL : Thanks, but no thanks, I've got to go now.
PROF : So, you are giving up on getting some free money ?
GIRL : Well, I'll ask my boyfriend to give me the money.
PROF : Is your boyfriend a university student too ?
GIRL : Oh no, he's too smart to waste his time with studies. He has many other ways to make lots of money !

Enjoy ! :banana

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[OMK] Gender Roles

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-02 02:43, Sunday

Once upon a time in the... "West" (no, not that one :p ), gender roles were debated and fought over by pitting "political modernity" (e.g., women's right to vote) against "premodernist traditionalism" (e.g., "Kinder, Küche, Kirche" of the non-Nazi kind). In late modernity, a slew of socioeconomic factors came to the societal fore like a hurricane. Basically, women were no longer viewed as having achieved a noteworthy political victory, worth celebrating. Instead of political equality, various notions of "socioeconomic equality" have been "pursued and acted upon" with a vengeance ever since.

In my opinion, once "socioeconomic" issues become pressing, it's the "economic" part that invariably drives the "social" one. If that puts me in the conceptual neighborhood of that (in)famous, 19th century "Commie-Jew" (not a... Muscovite "monster", for sure :p ), so be it ! :) How often have I come across the expression:

Isn't it wonderful that labor markets have been flooded with human capital the biology of which is... female ?

Never ! :doh Instead, all the triumphalist talk has been about women's much coveted "socioeconomic independence"...

Homo economicus is gender-agnostic, of course. Moreover, whichever of life's aspects can't be effectively measured by employing "mainstream" economic metrics are someone else's... "job", even challenge. With the onset of post-modernity, gender equality has ceased being political; instead, it morphed into a "unisex" sociocultural imperative backed up by torrents of rhetorical, post-political correctness (PPC). :2cents

"Unisex" sociocultural ideology firmly rejects any notions of gender complementarity; even in the face of obvious biological facts... The whole idea is to render the two genders "blasé" towards one another. In other words, the postmodernist workplace does not tolerate "cultural eroticism". :nyet

IRONICALLY,

widespread automation possibly leading to mass unemployment / underemployment may inadvertedly release forces supportive of a revitalization of gender complementarity; societal aesthetics running counter to "unisex" post-modernity may gain steam. :dunno Of course, "something" would have to be done about mega-city daycare centers, the hotbeds of postmodernist indoctrination... :lol
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[OMK] Inspirational Paraphrasing

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-03 02:50, Monday

Further reflections on the very nature of human civilizations...

Inspiration came from:

Whose Rome ?
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=229&start=150#p6725

From "Caesarist Mob" (2021) directed by Practical Misanthrope ==>

POLITICUS : The world has changed. It takes a Caeserist elite to rule it.
TRADITIA : Of course, but leave the masses their....
POLITICUS : Warm and fuzzy illusions ?
TRADITIA : ... traditional imagery.
POLITICUS : Our distant forefathers' wars and enlightened social policies and programs achieved virtually nothing. But people still appear to think very highly of them.
TRADITIA : The masses always love victories; ditto for magical handouts and audiovisual entertainment.
POLITICUS : But why ? They don't see the fighting and don't know their compatriots. What do they care about all those distant places and programs for these... others ?
TRADITIA : Remember, the masses are watching such glorious spectacles on TV and so on. They do seem to care about our sense of superiority and unmatched power. They also like to be seen as... magnanimous.
POLITICUS : Ok, feigned magnanimity I do get. But superiority and unmatched power ? What are they ?
TRADITIA : They are intoxicating ideas. The imagery evoked is both uplifting and fearsome.
POLITICUS : Exactly, uplifting and fearsome imagery. We will give the masses such spectacles and they will love us for them. They will not pay the slightest attention to the tedious sermonizing of a few dry old professors and public figures. We will give them the greatest entertainment of their lives. By the way, we will feign magnanimity too.

There ! :banana

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[OMG] Open Mike - Quo Vadis?

Post by Parabellum » 2021-05-03 10:17, Monday

Have you ever considered opening your own philosophical forum? No? You definitely should! There you could string together an infinite number of quotations. You would be the only one there who understands the quotes and appreciates their genius enough and no reader would be bored because they do not understand the meaning or simply do not have the time to first read a dictionary to understand the many terms or synonyms you use .

I mean, it's OT - yes, but you shouldn't abuse it at the expense, patience and indulgence of other forum members. I would be very happy if you could focus on your role as the librarian of the PGF sub-forum. It's just a polite request, nothing more.
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[OMK] The Masks Are Down

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-03 18:50, Monday

Specific Responses
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
I mean, it's OT
Oh ? Really ? If that's the case, what about topics on music, sports and turning the German Language (?) sub-forum into a soccer results prognostication posting space ?
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
... but you shouldn't abuse it at the expense, patience and indulgence of other forum members
I wish these members (if any) would come forward, thereby identifying themselves, and state their gripes. At the same time, I can only speculate that, perhaps, because # Parabellum # already is a Moderator in a couple of sub-forums, he has taken it upon himself to moderate the Pub's contents as well ! :dunno
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
It's just a polite request, nothing more.
No, it's not. :nyet It's an unprovoked ad hominem attack, plain and simple. It's origins are likely to be found in the now defunct JP's forums, of course. Remember # pzmaniac's #... "imperious" behavior ? I bet the presently exposed... wound has been festering for a long, long time... :2cents
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
no reader would be bored
A bit earlier on, I wrote:

Efficiency is also greatly served by the acronym [OMK]. It instantly informs a "lurker" as to whether he should even bother clicking that link...
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
... because they do not understand the meaning or simply do not have the time to first read a dictionary to understand the many terms or synonyms you use.
If I'm not mistaken, the Pub's "intended" language is English. If one doesn't have the requisite education or English language terminology skills or the time to "understand" my posts he shouldn't be bothering with them at all. It's that simple ! Unless, of course, one views the OG forums as an exclusively Continental European space where English (after Brexit) matters very little, if at all... By the way, :idea some interested party could eventually propose that the OG forums "recognize" just three "official" languages: German, Polish and Spanish; and take it from there...
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
... You would be the only one there who understands the quotes and appreciates their genius enough
Well, # Parabellum # has now taken it upon himself to pontificate about what "lurkers" might (or not) be understanding... As for "genius", the "quotes" speak for themselves. That's all !
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
Have you ever considered opening your own philosophical forum? No?
I find it quite revealing that # Parabellum # hasn't suggested that, say, # Ale # do the same. Oh, I think I get it; the "specific problem" must be... "philosophy". :bonk Wait a minute. How about... humor, too ?
Parabellum wrote:
2021-05-03 10:17, Monday
I would be very happy if you could focus on your role as the librarian of the PGF sub-forum.
I doubt it very very much. You see, the ever expanding Library isn't about OG and has absolutely nothing to do with campaign challenges. If PGF were to be kicked out of these forums altogether, the OG "purists" might be breathing a sigh of relief... :dunno And while we're at it, why not get rid of the Pub itself as well and just rely on the three International sub-forums to take up any slack, expressed in clear and simple to "understand" German, Polish or Spanish ?

Conclusion

When it comes to the totality of OG sub-forums (excluding the two PGF-related ones), there are a couple of Moderators who:

1) Currently are, by far, the most frequent posters therein.
2) Recently, openly ;) and strongly objected to my posts appearing under just one specific topic hosted in the Pub.

I would kindly suggest to them that, instead of trying to shut down anything and everything that doesn't suit their personal interests, style or expectations, they should, perhaps, be focusing their attention on the OG "big picture"; specifically, the paucity of posting volume and, way more importantly, the lack of diversity in manifested interests and opinions.

Finally, a few years ago at JP's, Luis and I reached a tacit, amicable understanding. As long as I'd keep away from anything having to do with OG (the game), he'd be more than happy to let me be. Since then, I've kept my end of the bargain religiously. Is it so hard for some Moderators and / or others to comprehend the spirit as well as the practical implications of that enduring understanding ? Just reciprocate by letting things be and don't go out of your way to incite ridiculous and unnecessary virtual conflict. :ihope

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Re: Open Mike

Post by hoza » 2021-05-04 05:41, Tuesday

Here is one of the others and my comment is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P6X3IWLECY :grumpy

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[OMK] @ hoza

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-04 06:48, Tuesday

hoza wrote:
2021-05-04 05:41, Tuesday
Here is one of the others and my comment is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P6X3IWLECY :grumpy
I still like to use natural language and don't worship at the altar of audiovisual entertainment. If you have something to say, just say it. In English, perhaps ? Youtube references are just like Twitter ones; eminently forgettable.

By the way, have I ever in any way interfered with your presence in these forums ? I don't think so. Food for thought... :2cents
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Re: The Masks Are Down

Post by Parabellum » 2021-05-04 08:01, Tuesday

The headline is sensational and wrong. It's Covid time and all the masks are up!

I am thrilled that my brief guest appearance in this thread has drawn so much attention to you that you have edited and perfected your answers several times.

Well, it doesn't matter.
Let me briefly tell you what I expect from OT: topics that are of general interest and on which several members write contributions that complement and inspire one another. I am counting primarily sports and music. Both are diverse and can be used up-to-date every day. These topics keep the forum alive.

You don't have to understand the topic of football in the German sub-forum. You don't know the story behind it. Nor does it have my support or participation, but if six members of the forum regularly enjoy it, then it is OK and accepted.

I make no secret of the fact that our relationship has been strained since the blissful JP`s times. Now I am trying to mediate here, although it is not my job to get the coals out of the fire for others. Yes, there are other people who are more bothered by your monologues than I am. And it is irrelevant that you already select your own contributions and mark them with [OMK] as those contributions for which there are no interested parties. If there are no interested readers, then the post can also be omitted. You should notice something like this and I have absolutely no idea why you are wasting your time on it anyway.

My personal tip for you: If you have too much free time, you can do sports or listen to music. Write about their activities in the available threads. This is what the members are interested in and how they get into conversation with them.
I would kindly suggest to them that, instead of trying to shut down anything and everything that doesn't suit their personal interests, style or expectations, they should, perhaps, be focusing their attention on the OG "big picture"; specifically, the paucity of posting volume and, way more importantly, the lack of diversity in manifested interests and opinions.
I don't want to switch off anything, I want to change it. Otherwise I agree with them.
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[OMK] Let's Cut to the Chase

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-04 09:13, Tuesday

Let's cut to the chase here, shall we ?
HexCode wrote:
2021-03-18 06:49, Thursday
Is it possible that a new "administrative" consensus has recently emerged which actively discourages any posting that doesn't deal with OG, other games, music or sports ? What's going on ? Either way, some definitive clarification is certainly in order now. I mean, if posting in the Pub is going to be restricted in some way, let there be a clear announcement to that effect.
lvjtn wrote:
2021-03-18 10:10, Thursday
it is absolutely "allowed" to discuss anything here, i just ask everybody not attacking anybody else personally. that's all
Now:

There're something like 175 registered members in these forums (not JP's). How does one know what they all "like" (or not) ? The minuscule minority which bother to post anything at all just essentially comprises a subset of the old JP's posters whose attitudes are very well known to me. So, let me make it abundantly clear here. I'm posting in the hope that some new member, some long departed or currently absent exception to the JP's mindset will join me in discussing matters which are of interest to me. That's all. In the meantime, there could be "lurkers" out there who may enjoy reading some of my diverse posts. :dunno

As for my PGF-related presence, my numerous posts speak for themselves. Relatedly, given my past experiences over at JP's, I just can't imagine myself ever being involved in anything "OG" which would necessitate that I interact with the old JP's "crowd" (Csaba and, likely, Luis excepted). I'm sure the sentiments are mutual...

P.S. I just remembered...

[OMK] That's Why
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=229&start=100#p4152

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Parabellum » 2021-05-04 11:04, Tuesday

Ok, let's get down to business.
HexCode wrote:
2021-05-04 09:13, Tuesday
... I'm posting in the hope that some new member, some long departed or currently absent exception to the JP's mindset will join me in discussing matters which are of interest to me. That's all. In the meantime, there could be "lurkers" out there who may enjoy reading some of my diverse posts. :dunno ...
I accept your hope. I would like you to consider, however, that the probability will be very low that a new member will be found in the near or distant future who would like to discuss your topics in detail.

In the near future, however, we are sitting between two stools. That is why I want to mediate in this situation and find an acceptable solution for everyone.
There is at least one active member who is very annoyed with your posts and will therefore terminate their work in the forum if this situation does not change. His work relates to OpenGen and is imho more important for the further development of the forum and the game than your personal premise.

I think we can all agree that restrictions or bans are an ineffective means of solving the problem. Therefore I appeal to both sides to be more able to compromise: one side restricts its OT (according to the saying: "Less is often more"), the other side reconsiders its tolerance limit.

Deal?
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[OMK] Unmistakably, the Pub Is...Near Death JP's Territory

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-04 15:48, Tuesday

Therefore, I've been wasting my time in here. Yeah, I see no reason whatsoever why I should continue posting in the midst of a hysterically hostile environment. Forgeeet it ! However, I hope all this unpleasantness has allowed Csaba to draw his conclusions (as well as ponder the unavoidable political implications on a macro scale) clearly pointed to by the "little example" entailing the empirically observable (de facto) realities underpinning forum "censorship" and super-brave posters / "lurkers" hiding behind the "skirts" of roving Moderators...

Now, I'm waiting with baited breath to see whether some OG "purist" or, simply, someone with a gazillion axes to grind, will start complaining (through "others", of course, always) about my very "destructive" presence in the two PGF forums. After all, what "cool" wargame needs a "library", right ? It would be "fun" to watch and definitely not that surprising...

To conclude, I'm not interested going back to... near death JP's territory in the least. :nyet

In plain, operational language: unless it's about wargaming, no more posting anywhere else in these forums other than in the two sub-forums dedicated to PGF (my "hobby backyard", so to speak). That's it, that's all !
Last edited by HexCode on 2022-03-25 22:49, Friday, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: [OMK] Unmistakably, the Pub Is...Near Death JP's Territory

Post by lvjtn » 2021-05-14 18:37, Friday

HexCode wrote:
2021-05-04 15:48, Tuesday
However, I hope all this unpleasantness has allowed Csaba to draw his conclusions (as well as ponder the unavoidable political implications on a macro scale) clearly pointed to by the "little example" entailing the empirically observable (de facto) realities underpinning forum "censorship" and super-brave posters / "lurkers" hiding behind the "skirts" of roving Moderators...
i was young "dreamer" in 1990s, i grew up reading tocquville, j.s. mill, etc. so i still believe everbody has the right to express her/his thoughts, feelings unless they are legally unacceptable. unfortunately this view is recently a far-far-far-right-wing ideology in europe. personally, i never will accept the bolshewoke censorship

however

rule of laws means there can be rules. so i always ask everbody not to attack those people personally whom you disagree. attack their point of views or beliefs. i know, it's a thin line (maybe only a virtually existing one) between mocking somebody and hurting somebody. it's just so much easier to be part of a community, when the personal issues are minimal

the other rule is being ontopic. nobody should commit dozens of posts about peg in a pg1 forum (unless it's something very special comparision, technical guideline, etc.). otoh, i barely can imagine what can be offtopic in a pub? you aren't interested in something? don't read it, it seems to be easy for me ;)

with peace, love and hopeless misogyny :lol :evil that's my personal conclusion
»my real name is csaba (tʃɒbɒ)«
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[OMK] @ Csaba

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-14 19:50, Friday

:howdy Csaba,

Firstly and, most importantly, I want to assure you that I continue holding you in high esteem. If there's anything I can do for you, just PM me. Hopefully, I can do the same.
lvjtn wrote:
2021-05-14 18:37, Friday
i was young "dreamer" in 1990s, i grew up reading tocquville, j.s. mill, etc. so i still believe everbody has the right to express her/his thoughts, feelings unless they are legally unacceptable. unfortunately this view is recently a far-far-far-right-wing ideology in europe. personally, i never will accept the bolshewoke censorship
My intellectual roots are quite similar to yours. However, let's face some likely facts. Almost all of the currently active OG posters come across as Continental Europeans. I speculate that the "progressive values-driven" ideology currently embraced by large population strata in that part of the world is quite dear to their hearts; hence, censorship, what else ? :bonk
lvjtn wrote:
2021-05-14 18:37, Friday
i always ask everybody not to attack those people personally whom you disagree. attack their point of views or beliefs.
Unfortunately, ad hominem attacks are the currently preferred means to silencing any voices which don't necessarily tow the "progressive values-driven" ideology's line in every respect... :eek
lvjtn wrote:
2021-05-14 18:37, Friday
i barely can imagine what can be offtopic in a pub? you aren't interested in something? don't read it, it seems to be easy for me
That's precisely why I introduced the [OMK] prefix / acronym ! :) However, the... hysterical hostility was about something entirely different ! :bonk

Csaba, let's be realistic here. For many, many years at JP's, posters interested in discussing ideas and the like have been progressively "exiting" the scene. At present, hardly any posters seem to be interested in posting about such matters. Unsurprisingly, the (mysterious ? :evil ) posters which were mentioned to have been so much "offended" by my [OMK] posts didn't witness any significant, multi-poster "push-back". This must have emboldened them to up the ante with their incessant, behind-the-scenes lobbying...

Bottom line is this my friend: Unless some lasting "revival" takes place, possibly including the "return of some of the exited ones", I'm afraid that, when it comes to posting in the future, OG is gonna be it for you and PGF is gonna be it for me (barring some future wargaming topic, perhaps). :2cents

P.S. If there're any "lurkers" out there interested in reading [OMK] like posts, well, they better bother posting about such "likes". Even... demented, 19th century, university professors :P have their limits when being faced with empty auditoriums day in, day out ! :lol
Last edited by HexCode on 2022-03-25 22:54, Friday, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Major Heinz » 2021-05-15 02:01, Saturday

@ Csaba :good

Honestly, it's only a fraction of the posts here that I follow. Mostly the CCs and especially my threads. My English is not that good and it is difficult enough to write things in English (sometimes I use the translator, like now), but reading a lot of posts in English is too exhausting for me. If there is a topic that is interesting for me I also like to discus, but only in german. ;)
If we're being honest, the pub here is the sub-forum where most of the people are active. One can certainly find that a shame.
However, I find it critical to say that no one is interested in the posts. How do you fix that? Even if you consider the views there can be big differences from day to day. My playtest had after I posted the last update only a few viwes in the next two days, but once there were nearly 100 new views. Also: Aren't there any other forum members who are mainly active in the pub and who write a lot there? Where do you want to draw the line? If we're being honest, a lot of the posts here in the forum are monologues. It starts with the many playtests. Undoubtedly, this is because everyone has their own efiles and only cooks their own soup. :dunno
I haven't really understood where the problem is either. Is the problem with the number of posts or their content?
I don't have to be able to understand why you, HexCode, do this to you and write so many posts. I don't necessarily have to agree with you either. But if you enjoy it, why not? My motto is: Live and let live.
But I doubt it's the question of where you come from (EU or not). I think it's more a question of upbringing and personality. This is my opinion.

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[OMK] @ Major Heinz

Post by HexCode » 2021-05-15 04:41, Saturday

Major Heinz wrote:
2021-05-15 02:01, Saturday
My English is not that good and it is difficult enough to write things in English (sometimes I use the translator, like now), but reading a lot of posts in English is too exhausting for me. If there is a topic that is interesting for me I also like to discus, but only in german.
I certainly sympathize with you. Due to specific historical circumstances, American English has become the de facto lingua franca of the Internet and beyond. It so happens that, in Cyprus, where I was born and raised, British English was and still is the foreign language to learn well; it's because of Cyprus' relatively recent, colonial past... Now, in my case, I attended university in both Australia and Canada. As a result, I've managed to acquire a reasonable facility writing English without being an... Anglo-Saxon. :)

While in high school, I've taken a few years of German. That doesn't mean that I can write the language when it comes to serious subjects. You know, that's unfortunate. I can't imagine anyone suggesting that the German language is inappropriate for, say, "philosophy"... :)
Major Heinz wrote:
2021-05-15 02:01, Saturday
I don't have to be able to understand why you, HexCode, do this to you and write so many posts. I don't necessarily have to agree with you either. But if you enjoy it, why not? My motto is: Live and let live.
So, you aren't one of the "offended" ones, eh ? :) That's good to know. But you've asked the critical question; namely, why am I doing "this" to myself ? Well, I've been giving it a try over a prolonged period of time to see whether "someone old or new" would come out of the woodwork and join me in discussion. That hasn't happened. Clearly, to date, Csaba, Ale and I have been unable to render "Open Mike" lively enough. It saddens me but, facts are facts ! :bonk
Major Heinz wrote:
2021-05-15 02:01, Saturday
I think it's more a question of upbringing and personality
Relatedly, Oswald Spengler had a lot to say about "Züchtung" and "Bildung"... ;)

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-07-31 19:05, Saturday

...i'll use this thread again, thread in which i put already so many of "many things" and infos, for something relatively important and interesting...

so i'm checking some (steam) gaming site to see which turn-based titles are in the making or to be released in next about year... unimportant game, not so important subject and all, but found screenshot again unimportant per se but with some important things, historically. Namely i've seen many more serious maps, youtube videos with maps and similar presentations repeating same thing and matrix of thinking, so this is why i put this post, not because of game... to the subject - in many places representing events and history of circa 1400 (like in this screenshot) usual but not always Serbia is after 1389 presented as part of Ottoman empire, which wasn't true.

so, to cut a long story short (and honestly i already wrote a lot about that particular era and for us important and interesting figures of Stefan Lazarević and Đurađ with interesting stories and even some economical advance, so no repeat) but will repeat here that such representation is historically incorrect. Even Turks did not put Serbia as part of their empire in that era and completely correct is that 1459 (!) is a year in which that feudal country was annexed and lost own rule either via kingship, lordship or despotism - despot is Byzantine/Romean title btw ;)

very irritating thing personally not only because it is irritating, but because it is historically incorrect and often repeated (sometimes but not always)... since here, nice that i watched Turk-made Netflix series mentioned above, where they themselves represented Serbia as "sui juris", self-ruled country even during the fall of Constantinople :yes again in short, after 1389 Lazarević and Branković rulers did become vassals of some Ottoman Turk rulers, entered personal ties with some rulers etc. (often without vassal ties, but as forced battle formations and tax sending to them) but country existed until 1459 and had own courts, self-rule and existed on map ; again not about some game game, but i'm not lazy to put here as valuable info - so many interesting events, figures and battles after 1389 so 1459 (again) is only moment when map could look like that.... (i find it "important" to fully know history of medieval Serbia, for instance)

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-08-04 14:24, Wednesday

....so in last year or so i've done only some few and lazy looks at some subjects of interest, generally nothing spectacular on that field, beside interesting things already talked about. I'll again use this chance to thanks various curious minds and researchers from Russia, Ukraine, via Poland and Czechland etc. for their works and investigations on subjects of Serb migrations and (possible) origins - without them would probably be overseen and forgotten. :yes (and dudes in London from XVII c) Still think those "eastern" peoples in very large extent "hold the key" on the subject and some interesting discovery could really put some light on "Iranic-Slavic" mixture that created tribe of us :)

in lack of something really "scientific", i'll turn to anecdotes and fun... it is Tomb of unknown soldier built after ww1 on hill near Belgrade, on pic. So many people knowing architecture and ancient history, from east or west, noticed striking similarity of that tomb and famous Tomb of Persian emperor Cyrus the great. It is unexplainable really :) and I only say to them that it was built as some sort of reconciliation and debt to that emperor of whole Persia, because our ancestors killed him, by one version of history :( (the Scyths, known as Serbs later)) ... it marked a start of bloody wars we had to wage against Persians and one of the main reasons of campaigns by emperor Darius against us...... nonetheless and seriously, it does look similar, one of the main architects of cariatides etc., maybe not exterior look, was also a Croat by ethnicity....

on anecdotal level, cute story from few years ago - and good example of how things could be wrongly concluded - is one contact from central Asia who - after recieving short notes about Serb medieval history, was almost amazed by the name, actually middle name as first name was Stefan, of our "most powerful figure" king-emperor Dušan - thinking that root of his name is old-Persian (like in example of city Dushanbe in central Asia, Tajikistan). But - dipite coolness of that - it is not, root is Slavic, "soul" :) nonetheless, still interesting details from that person and fact that great Scyth migrations were ongoing exactly in time of Plinius Elder map and Plinius Younger mentioned of Iranic tribe sharing name... possibly pushed north-east by that time and in Slavic mix etc.

still - in lack of better info - to me two most interesting things are Scythian proverb "graves of our fathers" and their migratorial and uncompromising nature, even dislike of sea and like of gold (and often dislike by other tribes) which we shared I'd say till today and especially in time of "crisis"... and word "skitati". until something better, wanted to share this picture (Cyrus tomb pic is easy to find around). Must say, not only because it is "cool" on tribal level (and here we are privileged to be such wanderers and "tribe from the fairytale" and possible members of such diverse peoples, including sexy Slavs - once we are gone they will never repay us, but will never forget us) but also definitevely enlarged my personal respect and knowledge of old Persian and Iranic (it is best word not to be cofused with modern state) civilizations :yes have fun.

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-08-05 19:21, Thursday

for change :lol - recently watched (i'd say) solid reportage on the BBC about some visit of American conservative media figure (never heard) to Hungary and mister Orban.

of all things said most interesting is when Philippa, presenter from BBC, said (quoting talks and events) how he brought him to Serbia border and they concluded "yeah it is like US and Mexico" :) si signor we Mexicans... however there is one big difference - and very important - and that is migrants in Serbia came to our country from the EU territory or (only other option although not viable) Montenegro if smuggled as we do not border Syria, Afganistan, Africa and are landlocked. Other aspect is exactly that and why i talked it for years now... some just push people to Serbia and then Hungarians push them back etc. etc. and all we get is "Mexicans", smuggling exists but probably starts way before Serbia - personal satisfaction in all this is that Bulgaria is then Nicaragua and Greece Honduras... what should Turkey be, Colombia for example :lol

anyway - as country of course i'm interested in any kind of treatment and comments - while my post is serio-humoristic as is our history and present despite all wars and tragedies - I appeal to all our countrymen not to buy any right or left agenda over internet and use their heads even if they like history and (unrelated) do not trust own politicans because they see only money for their families and "friends" - while i'm not pro-or-anti anything fanatically... thanks to BBC for fun reportage, personally didn't even know about such "important" news :yes proud to be Iranic, for Latinos not to think I think bad about them :) ... generally i dislike politics and nothing special to tell on international forum, but had to comment this as BBC gave good "schlagwort" and must say i laughed seeing how they presented the story...

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-08-15 22:17, Sunday

...so, it is not always about "image", "brand", "opinion"... we are all mortal to start with it, let alone civilizations, empires and countries. We are good example - once powerful enough to kill a Persian emperor, other time had empire of own, next time nobody heard of us, next heard by bad etc. etc. etc.

no, it is not about that only. some things stay forever for history and in dusty shelfs of eternity, once maybe to be found by aliens on deserted earth and they will know... why not thinking that way and not about things that are momental rather than monumental. Opening scene from the film "Kelly's heroes" - for some "cult movie" just like Ralph's will be once, we even have a member here for example with avatar pic from the film - and nobody will take away the line from it about "Avala film, Belgrade". Or our beautiful Ivon, pictures stay forever, just two maybe banal but two examples I like....

....mere continuation of some own toughts from sport thread and the way i see it. it is unimportant "was it worth" and what's the "image" to some - important is that it was (and in Ivon's case it is still, hopefully for some time) and it stays forever :yes ...i so almost missused sweet girl lateley, but will finish for now and all in good spirit as positive thing, because i like those images, just examples i put together in collage, what we lack is "commercial spirit" of some nations so i'm giving idea like cute baby doll, you push it somewhere and it sings national anthem....) have fun and love to her, so sorry if almost culturally unpleasant to mention that much, but to me most beautiful photo from country in 2021 :)

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-08-17 13:38, Tuesday

:) generally, i'd say we as historic tribe above all (now it is "diverse nation" not tribe of course) have a lot of potential (although small as we are) for commercial-economic marketing i.e. nice image in Africa above all, why not in other places with significant population of that origin. Since i've mentioned many times and even put a pic of her - let it be clear that cute Yvonne is of course not African, she is Serb :) (American...)

now, it hasn't to be social, political or genetic - simply our "blackness" is legendary since the early age (some 1000s of years ago) not about skin or similar it is simple fact that in very ancient divide we were tribe of "Black Serbs", contrary to "White" tribe - where "black" and "white" in some old Indo-European classifications coresponds only to globe directions i.e. white = west, black = east. Hence we are, even if not said in sources explicitely, "east/black Serbs ". That's first thing, further through history we were often also connected to black dressing code, already talked about it haven't I, that going as far as Greek sources describing our knights in times of fall of the state as "black armored knights" :yes Later it is famous that in XIX century our leader of revolution/uprising is legendary known as "Black George" (in Turk speech) giving name to last dinasty.... etc. etc. etc. "blackness" even if not genetical was omni-present, so cute marketing potential for fun...

on genetical and skin level hard to say were there and how many black persons among our ranks, but cute story is that one leader of some post-our-medieval-fall rebellion in southern Hungary was described as "man with unusally dark skin" and considered himself Serb... now was that some prejudice against south Europeans by some nobles or person was really of some exotic origin it is hard to tell :) or cute story of our previous imperial duke Preljub ("Adultery" in free and funny translation) as maybe not son of Albanian, Greek or Italian girl but maybe cute African, but this is unsourceful just funny :) etc. etc. of course we don't have many examples of that so mention for fun...

almost forgot (not Montenegro)) in ww1 our reformed post 1917 troops often fought with blacks (French imperialists)).... so to finish already :) there is potential and chance to brand positively in Africa because of those historical fun facts and act friendly, irrelevant of one's likeness or sexual attraction to the girls, talking from male perspective ) which are not only sexy but smart and with potential to rule us as queens (black girls). aaanyway - i was talking about branding "blackness" and economic potential of our legendary tribe. Think about cool aspects always, even if your life isn't so super... isn't that photo (again of American) super and positive to us, not experiment... now i covered it all in "mike" long turn from my initial direction and goal to see if someone have medieval sources now abandoned as direction :lol but - while i have no idea what i talked about through it all :) - as always good chance for some fast typing and fun, even idea...

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-09-04 15:09, Saturday

for fun, but also historiography included... mike is as good place as any, think it was solid, fun thread...

of course our black friends (and lovers) especially Afro-Americans (esp. fems) should know the truth... yes, you probably heard that we had ex-Confederate i.e. Dixie NCO in our ranks once, he was our fighter from roughly 1875-1878 and climbed to the rank of cavalry general, Henry McIver... he previously fought under most notably "Stonewall" Jackson and even killed or seriously injured Yankee major in duel. BUT he was not racist, just sometimes proud Brit and Scot where he spent a lot of time. When he came to Serbia - 34 then - he said, after recieving our uniform "Finally I will fight in dark blue!"... dark blue was a color of our uniforms then (who had them)). Btw, we were also previously cool to Confederate side - refusing to send any ships to Mobile :) (we had no ships) and had no relations, without diplomacy. Henry was good pal of our then king Milan and future king Petar (although they did not like each other that much) and both were friends of colored people - Milan of Hawaii king and his officers/court and Peter of French.... to cut the long story short - later when he returned to the USA one of conditions was to show dark blue uniform of Serb general, only one he loved to the end of his life..... :)

hope you like my stories, they are all for smile or curious.... in that sense my fun short Afro-American block, finished now (liked to use some jokes in other work) welcome around to forum.

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Re: Open Mike

Post by Ale » 2021-09-06 11:50, Monday

...interestingly - more in domain of fun details - Scottish clan MacIver share emblem, crest with one of the "first flags" in modern history of Serbia i.e. a boars head as symbol, also present on "Black George" uprising flags... so maybe one of the details (since he first met Peter Karageorgević before he reached other dinasty Belgrade) Henry liked was also that ; ...he wasn't only "Scot" to leave some trace in history of the times so when you add rugby, our oldest team sport :) (and waterpolo) there is potential for good relations and special ties :) in the future...

anyway, one even more important thing... well i used Alabama quite few times on this forums, though not in this thread. Funny enough prior to 2006 our state looked like Alabama on map, maybe not so geometrically perfect and sharp more like Alabama kicked and beaten from all sides and wrinkly :) however that's where most historical similarities end (except that Yankees bombed us both in some time of history))... anyway to the serious point. They are smaller than us and cuter, we must be protective. Even if I used them with sympathy and smile, it is not alright to consider them bad... It is troubled state, in "western world" - while it is disputed what it covers as term, but lets say Europe, N America and I don't know maybe some Asian states - one of the most troubled states regarding violence, gun related problems and aggression. Not alright to consider them "rednecks" and must show some love, even help them in that sense, we as well as country... maybe some "sisterly" relations, sending teachers and officers and courses, similar cooperation not demonization. And making babies with them, of all colors. As older, much more serious and bigger state without such troubles we should help, simply said :yes this is serious message.

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[OMK] Military History & Education

Post by HexCode » 2021-09-07 15:16, Tuesday

My Intent

This post of mine is being lodged under a topic which hasn't been particularly friendly to me. I'm trying to keep forum posts appearing under topics specifically targeting wargaming, on topic. # Lettos # is a "PGF research colleague" whom I hold in high esteem. To this effect, I'm always happy to "publicly" respond to his posts. The present post constitutes my thematically targeted response. Most importantly, it's intended to be a one off ! :ihope

I sincerely hope that the friendly... knives won't make an appearance. :ihope The "overall situation" is already ridiculous enough !

# Lettos' # Post

Elsewhere in this forum:
Lettos wrote:
2021-09-07 11:32, Tuesday
Wargaming was a good past time. Now it may be needed for two purposes: training military officers, or - to a much lesser extent - for the learning process as part of the study of military history.

The military structures will take care of themselves.

But the study of military history in the context of the general decline in the level of secondary and even higher education is no longer relevant at all.

Statistics:
Total posts 10287 • Total topics 497 • Total members 193
"World of Tanks", where tanks jump off bridges and jump over pumpkins, already has 75 million users.
In June 2013, "Wargaming" stated that they now have 60 million registered users for World of Tanks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Tanks

It's about time something changes around here, isn't it? And not at the level of a hobby.
Military History's Relevance

In my view, the potential relevance directly correlates with the degree to which a society is imperial. Societies which are comfortable in their nation-state status invariably weave military history themes into broader, supportive narratives. On the other hand, imperial societies tend to develop supportive narratives which, at least, rhetorically abhor war, period.

Education

The modernist nation-state attempted to educate the young to primarily function as citizens. Imperial societies emphasize the importance of practical, specialized training in support of current employment and consumption.

As for the possibility of change... I tend to be a Spenglerian. Namely, when imperial societies disintegrate they don't go back to forming nation-states. Instead, they are succeeded by tribalist chaos.

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and again...

Post by Ale » 2021-09-07 20:31, Tuesday

...so people often ask (even themselves) what makes them proud, countrywise... something different than personal pride, some sort of "collective pride" if such thing exists. Well, never thought much about, but yes things like our film company in American film does, cute black girl from Arkansas singing our anthem does, Alabama requesting assistance from our police/state would make me proud, things like that... in case it is not clear, but my posts were often clear enough, even historical.

nothing new and do not want to repeat my "repertoire" just joke, not true... girl from USA told me "I have nice family cottage in hilly, wooded area of Appalachian mountains. maybe you could come and meet my family..." and I said "Sorry, no passport!!" :lol ... I feel almost sorry for using "Alabama redneck accent" line in other thread, while i consider it cute, love sweet Alabama, would help and "do babies" :yes In a sense it is almost good that some guy in some much bigger, older and stronger state far away knows how to recognize "Appalachian accent", knows a lot about state and care about you sweetie, no offense....

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just maybe...

Post by Ale » 2021-09-09 15:34, Thursday

...one idea or inspiration often races another in my mind and then i often look at some sources if i don't know enough. As i recently mentioned "western world" and then i stopped thinking what it is, last evening i looked at definitions and such... we are specific case from middle ages, or even before with being Persian but famed for killing Persian emperor and battling them etc. etc. etc. through history (yeah our ruler was "Dracul" fighting Turks and orthodox with Sigismund, but also pal of Turks and orthodox)) all well known till today, so i have no definition if you expect one from me.... anyway, the point - found interesting line by one Palestinian-Arab-American philosopher (of christian origin):

...Western writers created this irrational, feminine, weak "Other" to contrast with the rational, masculine, strong West because of a need to create a difference between the two that would justify imperialist ambitions....

...so I wonder if my previous message to sweet Alabama is some unconscious example of that :lol No, no, no i though of you as young and feminine needing protection not because of imperialistic ambitions, just because we are strange tribe that lived under motto "to ser(b)ve and protect" since ice age migrations... funny thing isn't it, guess putting some my lines under "philosophical and maybe Freud's" magnifying glass you could get all sort of results and combos... i was thinking cooperation and noble idea to make you happy sweetie, not imperialism and subordination )

in any way, i also intend to (unseriously and without artistic value, for now) finish my story about Serb police units comming to Alabama and US cute south in general on call to help :) ...nothing violent and racial, but sometimes they bang people sitting in the park with police baton and such, for fun not because our cops do it :) ...again, don't believe everything you read, think that philosopher was wrong on me.... but what do you know, sometimes even one word blah, blah, blah etc.... (we don't have American members and players i know, but as always i put it anyway for finger gymnastics if nothing, welcome and have fun with games... yes you can contact me as well))

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