Kev – my remarks were based on the comment you made to Bumble Bee and had nothing to do with your exchanges with PeeDee.

I respect your sensibilities to those with disabilities, and share them myself. I seem to recall that Bernard Manning, loathed and loved as he was in equal measure would never make jokes about the disabled, although everyone else was fair game.

As for PeeDee he seems to be able to provoke antagonism and verbally violent reaction, no doubt because that is something he enjoys. It is probably better in the long run not to rise to it.

I would like to believe that Key believes in free speech but it does seem that at least one of the CoCs is contravened from time to time without action being taken.

SH

In 1955, General Douglas MacArthur predicted that the next war would be an interplantary war. MacArthur was a veteran of three wars and known for his strategic brilliance, On October 8, 1955, MacArthur said:

“The nations of the world will have to unite, for the next war will be an interplanetary war. The nations of the earth must someday make a common front against attack by people from other planets.”

I saw a copy of his speech in the Roswell Museaum many years ago. Maybe he saw something himself.

I reckon MacArthur had seen too many sci-fi movies.

I was waiting for you to say something along the lines of, ” There is life out there JIM, but not as we know it”:D

Lincoln. 7

:diablo:

:D:D

PeeDee – yes I would think that the answer to your last question is “yes”. Isn’t it called the “domino effect”. If his oil exports were stopped and Saudi and the rest upped their capacity to cover the shortfall it would bring about a swift end and also stabilise the oil price.

Quadbike – yes he was a stabilising force but so is any dictator ruling by force, simply because instability is crushed.

I cannot find fault with your second paragraph and your first made me smile broadly.:D

There is bound to be “life” in abundance elsewhere in the universe but I do not believe that any form of sentient “alien” has ever visited the earth. As to whether we will achieve in reality what we see on film in fantasy is pure conjecture, but given that we have several millenia to do so, it would seem more than likely. And no doubt at some point in the future the “little green men” will come a’calling.

Kev – an interesting thought comes out of your comments. The problem is entirely due to “offence taken”. I am not sure how recent a phenomenon this is but I do not recall growing up in the fifties that people were as “offended” by remarks then as they are now.

Have we become over sensitive because the taking of offence has been inculcated into us as a required response? I agree with your comment to Bumble Bee. I have been called many things over many years but I cannot recall feeling offended – I usually ignored the insult. If we are “offended” by the media, we can either turn the page or switch off.

In general I think that is absolutely right. I suspect the “hidden” level of racism is higher because of the sheer numbers of immigrants now here and the abject failure of multiculturalism.