Random, Random 2.0

[ashkor87]

Were they protesting in favor of Palestine?
Just wondering.

not taking the bait.. too dicey... in favor of whom, I dont know, I would say they were protesting the inhuman conditions in Palestine.

[ponchi101]

I'm not baiting you, Ashkor. And I am asking about the protestors, not your opinion.

[Owendonovan]

Were they protesting in favor of Palestine?
Just wondering.

Yes, but apparently counter protesters attacked their encampment. (oddly partly financed by Jerry Seinfeld and his wife).

"Ms. Seinfeld attracted attention for another reason: She promoted on Instagram, and said she had helped bankroll, a counterprotest at the University of California, Los Angeles, where clashes with pro-Palestinian demonstrators have turned violent."

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/04/us/p ... ntity.html

[ti-amie]

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

Can't wait to navigate that stretch.
Wait...

[ti-amie]

I'm pretty sure Raku didn't write this...

[ashkor87]

What is happening in Ukraine and the Middle East shows how dangerous are ideologies/world views where something matters more than human beings...religion, a vision of a Greater Russia ..whatever. Everyone says Purpose is necessary in life...well, look at what purpose-driven people have wrought ..!

[ponchi101]

But isn't that a great generalization? One ting is to be purpose driven. Another is when the purpose is wrong.
Your country provides a great example. Ghandi was certainly purpose driven: expel the Brits from India. That purpose was worthy. But some of his other purposes were not (keep India as a technologically poor country). And those were not embraced and were discarded, rightly so.
I wish Venezuela had a purpose. But we don't, and that is the reason we are a morally bankrupt country.

[ashkor87]

My position is that it is wrong, even immoral, to have a purpose, because any purpose will say the human being in front of you is less important than the purpose ..the only purpose in life should be life itself . Life is its own purpose, it doesn't need any other

[ponchi101]

I guess we could go into semantics. The purpose of a dedicated nurse, a dedicated fireman or policeman can be very worthy. My purposes are certainly not (trying to make ends meet) but they are not immoral.
Certainly the purposes you described above are loathsome: The Great Russia (aka the USSR), becoming the Dictator of America, and so forth. But not all purposes are immoral because many of them can be related to helping your fellow humans.

[ti-amie]

This is the full quote:

Friends of Anthony Bourdain
@bourdainpodcast
“If you’re talking about a transcendent experience, one that still has a magical powerful effect on me every time, it’s spicy noodles in broth somewhere in southeast Asia, or a bowl of pasta, like working-class pasta, and some cheap wine in Italy. That’s what thrills me and fills me with joy and makes me believe that food is magic again.”
–Anthony Bourdain

[ponchi101]

many of my most memorable meals have been like that.

[ponchi101]

Reaching senior status only affirms your grumpiness. I should know (now).
My latest peeve.
When and how did this new meme of "It is what it is" started? What is the purpose of it? Sure, it is what it is, but is also isn't what it isn't. It drives me crazy. You are talking to somebody and they end up a conversation with it.
Yes, I know IIWII. So what? Do we go ahead and just drop any attempt to a fruitful conversation? After all, IIWI. And It isn't wat it isn't. Can you give me a solution?

End of rant. There is a cloud that is bothering and I am going to go yell at it.