Tim with flatmates - James is the big one

But you can imagine our disappointment when apart from the unappetising naturopathic food and the slightly hippyish audience, the meeting seemed normal.  The first speaker, a middle-aged nurse called Emma, started plausibly telling us there are poisons all around us in the world.  Fair enough.  But then things turned weird. 

Apparently some big German pharmaceutical companies also made deadly gases for Auschwitz, and somehow they are connected to the wealthy Rockefeller family. 

These companies dump waste chemicals and petroleum products in medicines.  This is why nine times out of ten modern pharmacology doesn't work.  Emma revealed when she first started nursing cancer was rare and now one in every two people get it.  She said by the year 2020 it will be one in every one.  And this is the fault of modern medicine.  Apparently ‘modern medicine is the biggest killer in the world today'.  Wow.   

Cancer would disappear if only we stopped taking all that darn medicine

But why are these pharmaceutical companies so dastardly?  Well apparently they're scared of natural therapies because ‘you can't patent a naturally occurring substance'.  Apparently tea tree oil is better than antibiotics, it's just that there's no money in it.  Apparently vaccines are genocide – our speaker had flown around the world without any shots and she's been fine. 

But it's not just the health industry.  It's food as well.  Apparently Tim Tams have six kinds of colours in them.  She said five have been banned in every other country in the world but Oz, and most are carcinogenic. 

How do we solve all this?  Well, first we campaign to get fluoride out of the water, and stop using products that have dangerous chemicals in them like soap, shampoo, hairspray, toothpaste, and lipstick.   

Then we remember that it is virtually impossible for disease to live in pH above 8.5.  Unfortunately most food is acidic.  But that's OK because our nurse friend hands out a list of foods that are alkaline and are acidic.   This list also contains helpful hints like ‘chew your food well, this alkalises the food before it enters your system' and ‘unpasteurised, raw, organic milk is alkaline, all fermented foods are alkaline' and ‘eat fermented meats or soak meat or fish in lemon/lime juice to "cook" meat – delicious'. 

Tim braves a chat with Peter Melov

Standing in front of a wall of pictures of plane vapour trails the bronzed Peter Melov was a picture of health and rationality. I got a different impression when he started to speak. 

He told us that the Rockefeller, Rothschild and J.P. Morgan families together with the Federal Reserve banks of the world are involved in a conspiracy to control us.  Chief amongst their evil plans is to control the weather.  To do this, they dump compounds like aluminium oxide, poly fibres and barium sterate into plane fuel so it is spayed across the sky.  They then train high frequency radio beams onto the ionisphere to control the weather. This allows them to control farming and so food prices.  And it's the reason Sydney's dam levels are so low.   

Apparently this technology was accidentally revealed to the public when a Russian newspaper reported the Russian Air Force cleared cloud from the skies above Moscow to stop an imminent Paul McCartney concert being rained out. 

Now at this point I look at James and he's in real trouble.  With his hand across his mouth and his eyes watery with suppressed laughter he's almost ready to burst.  This sets me off and I have to dig my fingernails deep into the palm of my hand and visualise John Howard having sex to stop myself exploding.  But the fifty other people in the room were simply nodding and muttering in agreement. 

Peter continued.  And I must say at this point it got very confusing.  The sheer number of criss-crossing conspiracies was just overwhelming. 

This helpful book combats AIDS with homeopathic treatments and an electronic AIDS-zapping device.

One of Peter's insights which had James fighting for breath and pretending to have a coughing fit was the significance of the number four.  Apparently there are four big car companies in the world, four record labels – very suspicious. 

After a while you just turned off. 

But he did make the link his mate Emma only hinted at.  All this poisoning ad controlling was being done on purpose by a small group of conspirators called the ‘Robber Barons'.  Though this group was difficult to define, it was basically the Rockefeller, Rothschild and J.P.Morgan families and a few others (Do you think it's a coincidence all three families are named on race hate site jewwatch.com?)   

Anyway, after the meeting we mingled with the nutters. 

After a brief discussion with a woman who was very worried about micro-chipping her cat, I managed to get an audience with a couple of the ringleaders.   

James and I put a few gentle arguments to them.  In amongst the further valuable information we received about mind control devices secreted in televisions, we simply asked – maybe your problem is just with capitalism, a system which far from ensuring competition only really ensures the constant flow of capital back to itself therefore simply further entrenching the powerful.  Maybe, we suggested, free market economics isn't the answer to the worlds problems because its only motive is profit.  To beat their competitors, even the most ethical companies have to reduce wages, damage the environment and so on.  Maybe we need to have a strong U.N. and strong governments to muzzle the free for all.  If the banks are so bad, James helpfully suggested, maybe we should nationalise them?  Perhaps socialism is the answer? 

No, no we were assured.  We simply have to get rid of the ‘Robber Barons' who are giving capitalism a bad name, the criminals who were wrecking it for the rest of us.  The Rockefellers, Rothschild's and J.P. Morgan's of the world and perhaps those annoying Leninists and Fabians I was telling you about last week. 

And after our sport, with many a free chuckle maybe James and I could have left quite happy.  But it's not just economic theory that this group delves into.  Or the latent racism.  What's most scary is the false hope they give sick people.  

Another scary thought – if this is what the radical right think, how much of the moderate right share some of these ideas?  I mean, the centre is only defined by the extreme.  

So, if anyone who wants to take them on, their next meeting is on Monday the 12^th of June 12, 7.00pm – 9.30pm, (they meet every second Monday of the month) 400 Oxford St Mall, Bondi Junction. 

I might see you there.   

Oh, I almost forgot - so you can sneer down your nose at Big Brother in an informed fashion watch my video podcast 'Oh, Brother' on the www.freedigitalcontent.com site here or read my BB blog on the Who Magazine website here. 

timbrunero.com

[Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks rizraz    June 9th, 2006 - 11:21 AM Where the hell does the left/right thing come into it?  These guys are not radical right wing.  Reducing the size of the government is a theme from some traditional right wing ideologies but aside from that you seemed to describe a whole bunch of stuff that runs the gamut.  Some of their environmental concerns are definitely out of the stereotypical left field, they are definitely not able to be pigeon holed-politically. Besides, since when was the political sphere a continuum?

[Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Wallaby Bob    June 9th, 2006 - 9:54 PM Beyond belief, but I agree with rizraz, the only pigeon hole this mob could be placed in also caters for schizophrenics and paranoid psychotics etc.  Do they also subscribe to the Capricorn Conspiracy?

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Royalist_Scum    June 10th, 2006 - 3:11 AM It may not be as crazy as it sounds (who am i kidding  ). Although Rockefeller is one of the founding members of the secretive Bilderberg Group. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg Yes, it sounds conspiratorial but nearly every US president has attended one of the Bilderberg meetings before they were presidential condidates and Margaret Thatcher was also a guest before she was PM. These guys are the most powerful bankers, CEOs, financiers, media moguls etc from Europe and North America and they meet every year to discuss God-knows-what in a 5-Star resort they hire out for a long weekend. Guardian journalist Jon Ronson (www.jonronson.com) tried to sneak into one of the meetings in Portugal in 1998 and was chased away by goons in dark glasses and was tailed by these guys for two days afterwards!

[Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks malapropism_a    June 10th, 2006 - 5:34 AM Yes but half the people in Jon Ronson's book did think that the world was controlled by 9 foot lizards or something like that, so let's not give them too much credibility. And the majority of the conspiracy theorists in the book were pretty much just anti-Semitic bogans.

[Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Alarm Duck of Awesomeness    June 10th, 2006 - 7:35 AM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks rizraz    June 10th, 2006 - 10:24 AM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? Well it isn't really is it?  As far as I am concerned I am right of centre in the traditional sense and I believe in certain conservationist ideals, hence I said stereotypical left.  The whole left right thing is fun when you are defining a single opinion during an argument on a thread but it really is outmoded as a construct if you apply it to an individual’s entire belief system because very few people (if any) can be neatly categorised.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 8:01 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 10, 2006, 03:21:03 AM Where the hell does the left/right thing come into it?  These guys are not radical right wing.  Reducing the size of the government is a theme from some traditional right wing ideologies but aside from that you seemed to describe a whole bunch of stuff that runs the gamut.  Some of their environmental concerns are definitely out of the stereotypical left field, they are definitely not able to be pigeon holed-politically. Besides, since when was the political sphere a continuum? Rizraz why are you so touchy on the subject, is it because you feel slightly embarassed by your libertarian brothers? Go have a look at their website www.freedom-force.org They have a preoccupation with their 'Creed of Freedom' - which is all your standard self centred 'only prioritise the individual' crap and their biggest enemy are 'Leninists' and 'Fabians'. You will have to have a look because the material is voluminous - and it is well and truly spiced with a whole lot of leftfield stuff - but the truth is they believe extreme capitalism is the answer (like they think 2 percent tax flat tax is a great idea). They hate big government (hello, Howard trying to sell off Snowy-Hydro, about to sell off the rest of Telstra and 'corportising' everything else) and bear lot's of other symptoms of the right - like latent homophobia and racism.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 8:03 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 10, 2006, 03:21:03 AM Besides, since when was the political sphere a continuum? Since your moniker spoke of passing port from the left.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 8:04 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 10, 2006, 03:21:03 AM Back to article Interesting (love the pharma bit, just confirms how evil I am) but they really are just a buch of conspiracy nutters.  Do they really qualify as a cult?  I mean, they didn't try and suck money out of you or get you to join a commune. Quote Another scary thought – if this is what the radical right think, how much of the moderate right share some of these ideas?  I mean, the centre is only defined by the extreme.  Where the hell does the left/right thing come into it?  These guys are not radical right wing.  Reducing the size of the government is a theme from some traditional right wing ideologies but aside from that you seemed to describe a whole bunch of stuff that runs the gamut.  Some of their environmental concerns are definitely out of the stereotypical left field, they are definitely not able to be pigeon holed-politically. Besides, since when was the political sphere a continuum? All you've proved is there really is no solidarity in the right.  I mean at least prop up the straw man for a while the rest of us want to punch it.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Snookums    June 10th, 2006 - 8:31 PM Quote from: Wallaby Bob on June 10, 2006, 01:54:56 PM Beyond belief, but I agree with rizraz, the only pigeon hole this mob could be placed in also caters for schizophrenics and paranoid psychotics etc.  Do they also subscribe to the Capricorn Conspiracy? I know it's disgraceful.  Usually we'd just call them The Liberal Party and be done with it.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 8:36 PM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help. I suppose it's because generally people who care about something else other than themselves are labelled left wing and those who don't, right wing.  Pretty simple really. You're either optimistic about the human condition or you aren't.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks squiggleyak    June 10th, 2006 - 8:44 PM Quote from: brickbat on June 11, 2006, 12:36:35 PM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help. I suppose it's because generally people who care about something else other than themselves are labelled left wing and those who don't, right wing.  Pretty simple really. You're either optimistic about the human condition or you aren't. So, um, brickbat..do you often go shake up wasps' nests with your bare hands?

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 8:51 PM Quote from: squiggleyak on June 11, 2006, 12:44:37 PM Quote from: brickbat on June 11, 2006, 12:36:35 PM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help. I suppose it's because generally people who care about something else other than themselves are labelled left wing and those who don't, right wing.  Pretty simple really. You're either optimistic about the human condition or you aren't. So, um, brickbat..do you often go shake up wasps' nests with your bare hands?  It's more fun than designing and organising the manufacture of bedpans - which is my day job.  So i guess yes!!

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 8:52 PM Quote from: squiggleyak on June 11, 2006, 12:44:37 PM Quote from: brickbat on June 11, 2006, 12:36:35 PM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help. I suppose it's because generally people who care about something else other than themselves are labelled left wing and those who don't, right wing.  Pretty simple really. You're either optimistic about the human condition or you aren't. So, um, brickbat..do you often go shake up wasps' nests with your bare hands?  Oh, Sorry, I get you now... You meant WHITE ANLGO SAXON PERSONS. The answer is still yes.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 9:05 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 10, 2006, 03:21:03 AM Wow. Where do you find this stuff?  Although I have to say these seem to be more conspiracy nut jobs rather than actual cults. Oh, and when are we going to get some proper leftie conspiracy sites posted and mocked?  I mean, the population guys are pretty tame (and they are right about the damage that population pressure can cause to the environment) This is what you said - first cab off the rank to the last Freedom Force blog.  You getting a bit defensive and antsy about your far right cousins rizraz?  Don't worry i'm sure you share very few genes.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks brickbat    June 10th, 2006 - 10:49 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 10, 2006, 03:21:03 AM I hate my bottom Rizraz - i know from reading your extensive selection of blogs that you know about big pharma - you must know a horror story or two.  do share.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks rizraz    June 10th, 2006 - 10:58 PM Quote from: brickbat on June 11, 2006, 12:01:57 PM ...and bear lot's of other symptoms of the right - like latent homophobia and racism. Of course, natural conclusion that, and as for the fake quote, well whatever. I would argue, but I can't be bothered.  In fact the last half dozen posts are reminiscent of Aleks. It’s not your fault Tim, love you like a brother…

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Ankh    June 10th, 2006 - 11:29 PM Quote from: brickbat on June 11, 2006, 12:36:35 PM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help. I suppose it's because generally people who care about something else other than themselves are labelled left wing and those who don't, right wing.  Pretty simple really. You're either optimistic about the human condition or you aren't. It's not necessarily about optimism. My personal rationale for many of my Left-wing values is a distrust of altruism. The equalizing of power whether it's by virtue of money or politics is necessitated by the fact that people who have the opportunity to aggrandize themselves at someone else's expense, generally will. In situations where one person has power or influence where another person doesn't, the person with a voice will almost inevitably push for the outcome that suits themselves. This isn't necessarily because people are evil, but simply because it is so easy to reconcile our own well-being with the well-being of the world - "What's good for me, is good for Australia" ..etc. Even people who are actively trying to exercise power over others in an altruistic way will often develop solutions that are paternalistic and unsatisfactory to those governed. It's for this reason that we need to hammer out societies with a social and legal cheques and balances, to control and limit the imbalances of power. This includes ensuring that no one misses out on the same education, medical, political and social opportunities that can be expected in a healthy society.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Erubadhriel    June 10th, 2006 - 11:30 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 11, 2006, 02:58:47 PM It’s not your fault Tim, love you like a brother… Oh god, please don't start that shit again

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks rizraz    June 10th, 2006 - 11:31 PM Quote from: Erubadhriel on June 11, 2006, 03:30:01 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 11, 2006, 02:58:47 PM It’s not your fault Tim, love you like a brother… Oh god, please don't start that shit again It's not your fault Eru

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Erubadhriel    June 10th, 2006 - 11:33 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 11, 2006, 03:31:54 PM Quote from: Erubadhriel on June 11, 2006, 03:30:01 PM Quote from: rizraz on June 11, 2006, 02:58:47 PM It’s not your fault Tim, love you like a brother… Oh god, please don't start that shit again It's not your fault Eru  you're damn right it isn't

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks The new warm and fuzzy PC SG    June 11th, 2006 - 1:29 AM Quote from: Ankhdragon on June 11, 2006, 03:29:21 PM Quote from: brickbat on June 11, 2006, 12:36:35 PM Quote from: Thaluikhain on June 10, 2006, 11:35:14 PM While we are at it, while is environmentalism seen as a left wing thing? But yeah, we are always going to get these sort of weirdoes, there's nothing you can do about it.  But crowd suppresion gas an Sten guns might help. I suppose it's because generally people who care about something else other than themselves are labelled left wing and those who don't, right wing.  Pretty simple really. You're either optimistic about the human condition or you aren't. It's not necessarily about optimism. My personal rationale for many of my Left-wing values is a distrust of altruism. The equalizing of power whether it's by virtue of money or politics is necessitated by the fact that people have the opportunity to aggrandize themselves at someone else's expense, generally will. In situations where one person has power or influence where another person doesn't, the person with a voice will almost inevitably push for the outcome that suits themselves. This isn't necessarily because people are evil, but simply because it is so easy to reconcile our own well-being with the well-being of the world - "What's good for me, is good for Australia" ..etc. Even people who are actively trying to exercise power over others in an altruistic way will often develop solutions that are paternalistic and unsatisfactory to those governed. It's for this reason that we need to hammer out societies with a social and legal cheques and balances, to control and limit the imbalances of power. This includes ensuring that no one misses out on the same education, medical, political and social opportunities that can be expected in a healthy society. This says more about you Ankh than it does about the political spectrum debates we have. Personally I believe in the power of free enterprise to ensure that everyone gets these benefits and yes, I believe the power of altruism will always overcome personal aggrandisement, if for no other reason than even evil people with power find that there is benefit in doing for others - at the most base level that is represented by the need of many upper class wives to sit on charity boards so they can "help out the little people".  At the highest level it's akin to the B&M Gates foundation actively working to wipe out malaria. SG

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Ankh    June 11th, 2006 - 5:29 AM SG, no one is saying that altruism doesn't exist, or that some people can't use power perceptively and compassionately. But if history (and common sense) has taught us anything, it's that if people can be fucked..more often than not, they will be fucked.  Whoever isn't the room when the decisions are made, will wear the worst results of those decisions. There have been good Kings and bad Kings...but more bad than good. The fashionably charitable of Jane Austen's time, would carry fruit baskets around to the poorest in the village, which secured their Christian credentials, but did little to alleviate the wide-scale and wretched poverty that resulted from class inequities. Real improvements for the most disadvantaged came with spread of voting rights, legislations against exploitative employment like child labour, and organized unions. If we look to America, which has a greater history of philanthropy among it's rich than Australia, the charity of the rich is mightily inadequate for alleviating inequities of advantage. When legislation is proposed that can really make a difference to the needy, most of the wealthy scream blue murder. Look at the vitriol directed against FDR's 'New Deal' programs, by the rich who felt that government assistance to the poor, would bring the end of civilization. Altruism is all well and good, and there are some people who go around helping others and making people happy. But in general, the compassion of your fellow human beings only goes so far. And if you can be exploited, many good people won't do so...but somebody will...fucking guaranteed. There have to be mechanisms in place that limit both power and lack of power.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks The new warm and fuzzy PC SG    June 11th, 2006 - 6:09 AM Quote from: Ankhdragon on June 11, 2006, 09:29:00 PM SG, no one is saying that altruism doesn't exist, or that some people can't use power perceptively and compassionately. But if history (and common sense) has taught us anything, it's that if people can be fucked..more often than not, they will be fucked.  Whoever isn't the room when the decisions are made, will wear the worst results of those decisions. There have been good Kings and bad Kings...but more bad than good. The fashionably charitable of Jane Austen's time, would carry fruit baskets around to the poorest in the village, which secured their Christian credentials, but did little to alleviate the wide-scale and wretched poverty that resulted from class inequities. Real improvements for the most disadvantaged came with spread of voting rights, legislations against exploitative employment like child labour, and organized unions. If we look to America, which has a greater history of philanthropy among it's rich than Australia, the charity of the rich is mightily inadequate for alleviating inequities of advantage. When legislation is proposed that can really make a difference to the needy, most of the wealthy scream blue murder. Look at the vitriol directed against FDR's 'New Deal' programs, by the rich who felt that government assistance to the poor, would bring the end of civilization. Altruism is all well and good, and there are some people who go around helping others and making people happy. But in general, the compassion of your fellow human beings only goes so far. And if you can be exploited, many good people won't do so...but somebody will...fucking guaranteed. There have to be mechanisms in place that limit both power and lack of power. *HUG* Cool.  In teh spirit of detente I agree to disagree and leave it at that. SG

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks squiggleyak    June 11th, 2006 - 6:21 AM I'll say altruism doesn't exist. People only do things because they get something out of it on *some* level.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Holmes    June 11th, 2006 - 6:29 AM Quote from: squiggleyak on June 11, 2006, 10:21:49 PM I'll say altruism doesn't exist. People only do things because they get something out of it on *some* level. It depends on your definition - what they get out of it may be just the feeling of having helped someone (thus: do good by stealth) or they want people to see them doing good, or maybe it is arrogance.  I would argue that only those that you don't hear of are the ones that are truly altruistic. As for quoting Bill Gates as the best there is to offer - no fucking comment.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Ankh    June 11th, 2006 - 6:43 AM Re: Bill Gates ...I hear ya, Holmes.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks squiggleyak    June 11th, 2006 - 6:47 AM Quote from: Holmes on June 11, 2006, 10:29:35 PM I would argue that only those that you don't hear of are the ones that are truly altruistic. But they still score some kind of intrinsic reward from it, so is that truly altruistic? When you start digging into the theories of motivation I can't imagine how altruism can possibly exist. Are your actions altruistic just because not aware of how your self is being sated?

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Holmes    June 11th, 2006 - 6:56 AM Quote from: squiggleyak on June 11, 2006, 10:47:36 PM Quote from: Holmes on June 11, 2006, 10:29:35 PM I would argue that only those that you don't hear of are the ones that are truly altruistic. But they still score some kind of intrinsic reward from it, so is that truly altruistic? When you start digging into the theories of motivation I can't imagine how altruism can possibly exist. Are your actions altruistic just because not aware of how your self is being sated? I'm not quite sure what you are expecting in terms of altruism.  Why should you not feel good about helping someone?  The thought that "there but for the grace of god ..." - and perhaps even the realisation (in Aldous Huxley's words) - forget about the grace of god, there you do go.  I was trying to say that if you remove the things which it is not, e.g. posing, then you might come nearer to what it is.

Re: [Article]Timmy tangles with the Freedom Force freaks Ankh    June 11th, 2006 - 9:15 AM Like free will, there is probably no true altruism. Every human being is making decisions based on social and genetic conditioning that seem to satisfy their balance of motivations at the time. The illusion of free will is probably necesssary in general personal functioning. Likewise for personal expediency, noting those who'll give you a reach-around as good 'uns, can be useful for social navigation.    Personally, I think that a lot of good and evil in this world is perpetrated not by goodies and baddies, but by the enlightened and the dickheads.