Gyroscopic Investing

Excellent!  Thanks for sharing.

... Mountaineer

That's great, thanks

Pretty cool.

(I used to shop at Sainsbury's when I lived in London. They had pigeon meat!)

That's a nice remembrance!

[quote=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce]The Christmas truce (German: Weihnachtsfrieden; French: Trêve de Noël) was a series of widespread, unofficial ceasefires that took place along the Western Front around Christmas 1914, during World War I. Through the week leading up to Christmas, parties of German and British soldiers began to exchange seasonal greetings and songs between their trenches; on occasion, the tension was reduced to the point that individuals would walk across to talk to their opposite numbers bearing gifts. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, many soldiers from both sides—as well as, to a lesser degree, from French units—independently ventured into "no man's land", where they mingled, exchanging food and souvenirs. As well as joint burial ceremonies, several meetings ended in carol-singing. Troops from both sides were also friendly enough to play games of football with one another, in one of the truce's most enduring images.

It was not ubiquitous; in some regions of the front, fighting continued throughout the day, while in others, little more than an arrangement to recover bodies was made. The following year, a few units again arranged ceasefires with their opponents over Christmas, but the truces were not nearly as widespread as in 1914; this was, in part, due to strongly worded orders from the high commands of both sides prohibiting such fraternisation. In 1916, after the unprecedentedly bloody battles of the Somme and Verdun, and the beginning of widespread poison gas use, soldiers on both sides increasingly viewed the other side as less than human, and no more Christmas truces were sought.

The truces were not unique to the Christmas period, and reflected a growing mood of "live and let live", where infantry units in close proximity to each other would stop overtly aggressive behaviour, and often engage in small-scale fraternisation, engaging in conversation or bartering for cigarettes. In some sectors, there would be occasional ceasefires to allow soldiers to go between the lines and recover wounded or dead comrades, while in others, there would be a tacit agreement not to shoot while men rested, exercised, or worked in full view of the enemy. The Christmas truces were particularly significant due to the number of men involved and the level of their participation – even in very peaceful sectors, dozens of men openly congregating in daylight was remarkable – and are often seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of human history.[/quote]

Is war even possible without conscription and a threat of court martial from a top down command?

MachineGhost wrote: Is war even possible without conscription and a threat of court martial from a top down command?

War I am sorry to say, is as old as history itself. Conscription however, is not.

World War I Explained as a Bar Fight

Germany, Austria and Italy are standing together in the middle of a pub when Serbia bumps into Austria and spills Austria’s pint.

Austria demands Serbia buy it a whole new suit because of the new beer stains on its trouser leg.

Germany expresses its support for Austria’s point of view.

Britain recommends that everyone calm down a bit.

Serbia points out that it can’t afford a whole suit, but offers to pay for the cleaning of Austria’s trousers.

Russia and Serbia look at Austria.

Austria asks Serbia who it’s looking at.

Russia suggests that Austria should leave its little brother alone.

Austria inquires as to whose army will assist Russia in doing so.

Germany appeals to Britain that France has been looking at it, and that its sufficiently out of order that Britain not intervene.

Britain replies that France can look at who it wants to, that Britain is looking at Germany too, and what is Germany going to do about it?

Germany tells Russia to stop looking at Austria, or Germany will render Russia incapable of such action anymore.

Britain and France ask Germany whether it’s looking at Belgium.

Turkey and Germany go off into a corner and whisper. When they come back, Turkey makes a show of not looking at anyone.

Germany rolls up its sleeves, looks at France, and punches Belgium.

France and Britain punch Germany. Austria punches Russia. Germany punches Britain and France with one hand and Russia with the other.

Russia throws a punch at Germany, but misses and nearly falls over. Japan calls over from the other side of the room that it’s on Britain’s side, but stays there. Italy surprises everyone by punching Austria.

Australia punches Turkey, and gets punched back. There are no hard feelings because Britain made Australia do it.

France gets thrown through a plate glass window, but gets back up and carries on fighting. Russia gets thrown through another one, gets knocked out, suffers massive brain damage, and wakes up with a complete personality change.

Italy throws a punch at Austria and misses, but Austria falls over anyway. Italy raises both fists in the air and runs round the room chanting.

America waits till Germany is about to fall over from sustained punching from Britain and France, then walks over and smashes it with a barstool, then pretends it won the fight all by itself.

By now all the chairs are broken and the big mirror over the bar is shattered. Britain, France and America agree that Germany threw the first punch, so the whole thing is Germany’s fault . While Germany is still unconscious, they go through its pockets, steal its wallet, and buy drinks for all their friends.

+100

Can't even imagine anything like this happening in the current conflicts. Not sure which would be more unlikely - Muslims responding to a Christian Christmas carol or American soldiers actually singing one.

Really sweet video!

Unfortunately, the current conflict has more in common with the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition than it does with WWI.

pp4me3 wrote: Can't even imagine anything like this happening in the current conflicts. Not sure which would be more unlikely - Muslims responding to a Christian Christmas carol or American soldiers actually singing one.

I don't think that would be the bonding issue, it's gotta be something you have in common with the enemy. I think in the current conflict, that thing is probably porn. And even with such a great unifier as pron, it won't be any time soon.

MangoMan wrote: Isn't porn a big no-no among devout muslims? The whole point of the burka is to cover women completely.

Wouldn't that make it much likelier that they go for it a lot? Much like people in the bible belt watch more gay porn than people elswhere?

Jan Van wrote:

MangoMan wrote: Isn't porn a big no-no among devout muslims? The whole point of the burka is to cover women completely.

Wouldn't that make it much likelier that they go for it a lot? Much like people in the bible belt watch more gay porn than people elswhere?

When a Jewish-American reporter and his French cameraman were covering Madrassas*, they were frequently propositioned for sex by the (naturally all-male) students. But, I'm pretty sure the authors of the Koran would not approve.

*heard the interview on public radio

dualstow wrote: When a Jewish-American reporter and his French cameraman were covering Madrassas*, they were frequently propositioned for sex by the (naturally all-male) students. But, I'm pretty sure the authors of the Koran would not approve.

Who's Madrassas?  The head ISIS nut?  And was that to give sex or to receive sex?  Context makes all the difference when talking about male sex.

Simonjester wrote:

Madrassas of Pakistan are Islamic seminaries in Pakistan that teach mostly Islamic subjects leading to graduation as a cleric (maulvi, maulana or mulla).

MangoMan wrote: Isn't porn a big no-no among devout muslims? The whole point of the burka is to cover women completely.

Pretty much every big Al Queda intel cache and head honcho hideout has had a ton of porn. I'm not totally convinced they weren't planted as part of a psyops campaign, but there you go.

I found out that Afghans (the ANA) fucking love it.

Love it.

dualstow wrote: When a Jewish-American reporter and his French cameraman were covering Madrassas*, they were frequently propositioned for sex by the (naturally all-male) students. But, I'm pretty sure the authors of the Koran would not approve.

The local ANP enjoyed telling us they wanted to bang us too, although again, I'm not totally convinced they didn't go to the same madrassa.

MachineGhost wrote:

dualstow wrote: When a Jewish-American reporter and his French cameraman were covering Madrassas*, they were frequently propositioned for sex by the (naturally all-male) students. But, I'm pretty sure the authors of the Koran would not approve.

{Whose} Madrassas?  The head ISIS nut?  And was that to give sex or to receive sex?  Context makes all the difference when talking about male sex.

This was before ISIS was in the news. Before Bin Laden was killed. It was either Afghanistan or Pakistan, but I think it was in Pakistan.
I don't know if your sex question was a serious one, but I have no idea. I assume they didn't get that far, didn't get to specifics. Not sure why it matters, though.

Kriegsspiel:The local ANP enjoyed telling us they wanted to bang us too, although again, I'm not totally convinced they didn't go to the same madrassa.

Afghan National Police? Yikes.

From Christmas to Muslim porn in only 12 posts! That is really impressive.

Let's not forget bacha baz. See here:

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/brinkley/ ... 176762.php

That is a great video. Thanks for sharing it.

dualstow wrote: I don't know if your sex question was a serious one, but I have no idea. I assume they didn't get that far, didn't get to specifics. Not sure why it matters, though.

It matters because repressed celibate Catholic priests are the givers and I wonder how these repressed(?) Pakistanian muhallahs are approaching a similar situation.  And if there's not a vow of celibacy, why are they specifically acting overtly homosexual???

EDIT: I just read that article about bacha baz.  Words fail me.  I'm turning into a NeoCon more and more every day!

MachineGhost wrote: I just read that article about bacha baz.  Words fail me.  I'm turning into a NeoCon more and more every day!

Yes, it's pretty unbelievable. I know a guy who went to Afghanistan with the US forces. His role was to assist in drawing up a new (modern) legal system. He came back on leave after 3-4 months and said that he just couldn't believe the stuff he was seeing over there... Bacha baz, bestiality, and that's just the B's! Just so it's clear where I am coming from, I've travelled in 10-12 Muslim countries and have had a lot of good people experiences. But sexual repression seems to have serious consequences wherever it is the rule.

But, hey, the Christmas Ad was great!!!

barrett wrote: Yes, it's pretty unbelievable. I know a guy who went to Afghanistan with the US forces. His role was to assist in drawing up a new (modern) legal system. He came back on leave after 3-4 months and said that he just couldn't believe the stuff he was seeing over there... Bacha baz, bestiality, and that's just the B's!

That reminds me of:

http://www.fredoneverything.net/MoreCannibals.shtml

Pointedstick wrote:

barrett wrote: Yes, it's pretty unbelievable. I know a guy who went to Afghanistan with the US forces. His role was to assist in drawing up a new (modern) legal system. He came back on leave after 3-4 months and said that he just couldn't believe the stuff he was seeing over there... Bacha baz, bestiality, and that's just the B's!

That reminds me of:

http://www.fredoneverything.net/MoreCannibals.shtml

Priceless!  Fred does have a way with words that cuts to the core of the matter and exposes hypocrisy. 

... Mountaineer

barrett wrote: Yes, it's pretty unbelievable. I know a guy who went to Afghanistan with the US forces. His role was to assist in drawing up a new (modern) legal system. He came back on leave after 3-4 months and said that he just couldn't believe the stuff he was seeing over there... Bacha baz, bestiality, and that's just the B's!

Hahaha, yea man.. I didn't even get into what we saw on that front.

Just so it's clear where I am coming from, I've travelled in 10-12 Muslim countries and have had a lot of good people experiences. But sexual repression seems to have serious consequences wherever it is the rule.

I think there's definitely something to that. Not being around females for an extended period kinda messes with your mind. It's almost as if it is not the world economy, but WOMEN, who are responsible for the world not devolving into a Mad Max, donkeyraping hellhole. Thank you ladies!

Quoting from the superb Generation Kill,

----------
Cpl. Ray Person: Look at this shit, how come we can't ever invade a cool country, like chicks in bikinis, you know, how come counties like that don't ever need Marines? I'll tell you why, it's lack of pussy that fucks countries up, lack of pussy is the root fucking cause of all global instability, if more hajis were getting quality pussy, there'd be no reason for us to come over and fuck em up like this, cause a nutbusting haji, is a happy haji.

Sgt. Brad 'Iceman' Colbert: Ray, how much ripped fuel have you ingested?

Person: I'm on it like a mother fucker Brad, haha!...

Colbert: Well, no more of that shit...

Evan 'Scribe' Wright: An interesting theory though.

Person: Yeah, yeah, you should quote me on it, you know what, you should definitely quote me on it, this whole thing comes down to pussy! Look, if you take the Republican Guard and comp their asses for a week in Vegas, no fucking war!

Wright: So the war is not about oil or WMDs.

Person: No, in the opinion of this Marine, its about pussy.

Wright: And its not about Saddam.

Person: No, Saddam is just part of the problem, if Saddam invested more in the pussy infrastructure of Iraq than he did in his fucking gay ass army, then this country would be no more fucked up than say, Mexico.

Colbert: Ray, please shut up... thank you.
----------

That's hilarious. I also think it's completely true. The rulers in that part of the world control women because controlling women controls men, and controlling men controls the violence production infrastructure of society, and hence society itself. If women were free to participate in society, and men were free to have socially-acceptable sex with empowered women more often, then boom, all of the sudden the mullahs wouldn't be able to control the men the way they do now by withholding and doling out women and holding the promise of same over their heads.

I read Generation Kill and loved every page.

Of course, John Stewart has been giving various interviews promoting the Rosewater film. He pointed out, correctly, I think, that Afghanistan and parts of the middle east had miniskirts and fun in the sixties, and they rejected it.

[cough cough] I think we are perhaps straying a bit from the spirit of the post.