Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Jan 15, 2016 16:45:02 GMT -5
He who controls the happy little trees controls the universe.
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milee
Senior Associate
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Post by milee on Jan 15, 2016 16:56:53 GMT -5
My kids always called Broccoli "happy trees", but I'm guessing this is a different kind of happy tree.
I like your Dune reference in your new name. The first time I read Dune was in the early '80s; remember that was before fundamentalist Islamic terrorism had spread. There wasn't peace in the Middle East, but the violence was contained within that region and people outside the area would have listed Islamic terrorism as about as likely as being hit by an asteroid (no, maybe they would have thought the asteroid was more likely.) Although I was aware of the Muslim faith and even had a few Muslim friends, the book's references to jihad had a different meaning than they would for a reader now. A few months ago, I re-read Dune and suspect that if it were first published today it would have received a totally different reaction to the one it received 50 years ago when it was published. Instead of viewing it as an interesting futuristic/space intrigue, people would be horrified at the idea of using Islamic terrorists to control the Universe...
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Robert not Bobby
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Post by Robert not Bobby on Jan 15, 2016 17:08:36 GMT -5
Oh god, I don't want to get into somewhat boring and nuanced political stuff. But I will, sort of.
The destabilization of the middle east, if it ever was stable, is not about us, it is about absurd Sunnis and slightly less absurd Shiites having it out.
The world has always been slightly crazy, lately it is on steroids crazy...but we always bounce back...cross my fingers.
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milee
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Post by milee on Jan 15, 2016 17:19:28 GMT -5
Oh god, I don't want to get into somewhat boring and nuanced political stuff. But I will, sort of. The destabilization of the middle east, if it ever was stable, is not about us, it is about absurd Sunnis and slightly less absurd Shiites having it out. The world has always been slightly crazy, lately it is on steroids crazy...but we always bounce back...cross my fingers. Well, gee, now it's all clear. Thank you for that brilliant political analysis. Any time you'd like to avoid getting into that "nuanced political stuff", feel free to refrain.
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mmhmm
Administrator
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
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Post by mmhmm on Jan 15, 2016 17:28:45 GMT -5
Oh god, I don't want to get into somewhat boring and nuanced political stuff. But I will, sort of. The destabilization of the middle east, if it ever was stable, is not about us, it is about absurd Sunnis and slightly less absurd Shiites having it out. The world has always been slightly crazy, lately it is on steroids crazy...but we always bounce back...cross my fingers. The Shi'a can be just as absurd, from our point of view. Their issues just aren't in the headlines at the moment. I don't care what religion it is, there's always some within it others would find to be absurd.
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wyouser
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Post by wyouser on Jan 15, 2016 17:33:40 GMT -5
He who controls the happy little trees controls the universe.
Bob, how long have you been away on Araxis, desert planet, Dune?
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Robert not Bobby
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Joined: Jan 29, 2013 17:45:55 GMT -5
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Post by Robert not Bobby on Jan 15, 2016 17:45:32 GMT -5
Oh god, I don't want to get into somewhat boring and nuanced political stuff. But I will, sort of. The destabilization of the middle east, if it ever was stable, is not about us, it is about absurd Sunnis and slightly less absurd Shiites having it out. The world has always been slightly crazy, lately it is on steroids crazy...but we always bounce back...cross my fingers. The Shi'a can be just as absurd, from our point of view. Their issues just aren't in the headlines at the moment. I don't care what religion it is, there's always some within it others would find to be absurd. You know I respect and like you...I'm just so sick and tired, waking up every day, to know how many people have been killed, all over the world, for some absurd nonsense. I know, if I remember correctly, you lived in Saudi Arabia...and that is wonderful...but speak the truth, don't be an apologist.
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Lizard Queen
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103/2024
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Post by Lizard Queen on Jan 15, 2016 18:29:34 GMT -5
This was kinda funny, and then it just had to take a 180. Why oh why?
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Jan 15, 2016 18:57:31 GMT -5
He who controls the happy little trees controls the universe.
For a second there, I thought the Swami/MU had a brother. Then I realized it was Bob Ross. Good to see you back!
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mmhmm
Administrator
It's a great pity the right of free speech isn't based on the obligation to say something sensible.
Joined: Dec 25, 2010 18:13:34 GMT -5
Posts: 31,770
Today's Mood: Saddened by Events
Location: Memory Lane
Favorite Drink: Water
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Post by mmhmm on Jan 15, 2016 19:05:31 GMT -5
The Shi'a can be just as absurd, from our point of view. Their issues just aren't in the headlines at the moment. I don't care what religion it is, there's always some within it others would find to be absurd. You know I respect and like you...I'm just so sick and tired, waking up every day, to know how many people have been killed, all over the world, for some absurd nonsense. I know, if I remember correctly, you lived in Saudi Arabia...and that is wonderful...but speak the truth, don't be an apologist. I lived in both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, I lived in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, which is primarily Shi'a. I am speaking the truth.
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Jan 21, 2016 16:27:57 GMT -5
Pfft. Dune isn't about Middle Eastern politics. It's about riding a giant worm while exploding sh*t with gibberish, and sexy, oiled-up Sting in his skivvies.
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milee
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Post by milee on Jan 21, 2016 17:02:58 GMT -5
Pfft. Dune isn't about Middle Eastern politics. It's about riding a giant worm while exploding sh*t with gibberish, and sexy, oiled-up Sting in his skivvies. Re-read it. When the Duke of Atreides is murdered, his wife and son flee to take refuge in a desert society that's clearly Muslim. They then exploit their training and some showmanship to convince the Muslim tribe that the son (Muad'Dib to the Freemen) is a prophet. Muad'Dib then gains control over his enemies and eventually the whole universe because his Muslim followers unleash Jihad and terrorism in his name - a holy war to them.
Your take is how people received it in the '60s - '80s when Middle Eastern politics was still confined to the Middle East. My take is how I think it would be received by most people who read it now in light of the expanding global radicalized Islamic terror threat.
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