Castro

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Posts posted by Castro

  1. Posted

    I really found this website interesting... if u want to know how Somalis originated... here is some info..

    What does history matter if you have a bleak present and no future?

  2. Posted

    Nothing on climate change.

    Dubya still has difficulty understanding how ground level ozone manages to stuff 3 Oxygen atoms in one molecule. So he declined to sign on.

     

    A 'signal' for deal on trade (meaning 'not on your life'). £28.8bn is pretty much nothing in terms of aid (divide it by 53, then take away half :rolleyes: ).

    Nuff said. And very well said.

     

    And a weak pledge to reach the 0.7% of GDP target in 10 years time. What a bloody waste of time. :mad:

    I was gonna say G8 and similar hangouts are photo ops but I remembered they're more than that. They are actually where the new world order is designed and implemented. The "help the third world" thing is just marketing. No substance.

     

    Ofleh doesn't look dissapointed but actually mad for thinking that it would actually be different this year.

  3. Posted

    Hey all, since we have beaten this topic black and blue, I thought I might lighten things up and share with you something I came across the other day. It's about making an argument, so on and so forth. Enjoy:

     

    "Arguing with a man who will not produce evidence in support of his position is like arguing with a vegetable." — Aristotle.

     

    "Never argue with id!ots. The just drag you down to their level and then beat you with their experience." Unknown.

     

    So keep this in mind the next time you get really into convincing someone or suffocating with their proofless doctrine. I have been on both sides of the aisle by the way.

     

    Ofleh

  4. Posted

    Polls will not decide the outcome of this war.

    There is a positive correlation between how long a war, such as the one in Iraq, goes on and the level of support it has among the invader's population. A significant decline in this support as we have recently witnessed in the US will accelerate the withdrawal of the invader. Incidents such as the bombing in London yesterday increase, albeit slightly, the support for such a war.

     

    War propaganda doesn't necessarily work on its intended audience alone. We have seen evidence of its effectiveness even among Somalis and other muslims who believe the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan are wholly justified. If that were a gauge of its success, then it has been very successful for even those it is not directed at are internalizing it.

     

    War, declared or otherwise, is deception. It's brutal. It's profiteering. The are no humane bombs or missiles. A B52 pilot carpet-bombing a city from 40,000 feet is on no more higher moral ground than a suicide bomber climbing onto a bus. Both destroy innocent lives. They're morally equivalent. Yeah I said it. It is in the eye of the beholder that justification is given. For westerners, Islamic fundamentalism is a threat to their way of life, therefore suicide bombing is evil. Conversely, for muslims, western greed and heathenism is consuming the world, then dying to kill westerners is wholly justified.

     

    Lives have different values as well. When a hundred non-westerners are killed by a cruise missile, it is not as significant as one or two westerners dying of a suicide bombers act. Why is that? Where is the chart that puts different values on a life based on land of origin? Are some people more deserving of death? How much does racism influence these beliefs? I certainly don't know but what I see seems to suggest a lot of prejudice goes into life and death nowadays. Some will argue that a bomb dropped from the sky was not intended to kill innocent people but may accidently do so while a suicide bomber specifically targets the innocent. I think that is just semantics. Dropping a 500lb bomb from 20,000 feet will guarantee you no accuracy. Those dropping it know for a fact it will take innocent lives. They call it collateral damage. Generally, it will take a million or so Africans killed in Rwanda to even rise to the level of genocide but a few thousand Kosovars or Bosnians is immediately ethnic cleansing. It's a rotten scale we use to value different lives.

     

    That's enough verbal hemorrhage for the day.

     

    Have a good weekend y'all.

  5. Posted

    I am not paranoid. They told me so.

     

    Very interesting analysis indeed. I suspect there's a lot of extrapolation in it but where there's smoke, there's often fire. The most convincing part of this theory is that support for the war was in fact declining rapidly in the US. We will now see an emotional uptick in the polls in support of the war.

     

    Who benefits the most? Obviously the Bush and Blair administrations. But the benefits trickle downstream. Israel, Egypt and other US allies benefit from the distraction. The former won't have to worry about Gaza for a while. The noose around Mubarak's neck will be loosened just a bit for him to round up more opposition.

     

    I wouldn't be surprised at all if the British secret service, or the American or Israeli was behind these bombings. Yes it sounds far fetched but look at who benefits the most. You wouldn't have a very difficult time finding a dumb f%ck "terror" organization affiliated with al-Qaida to fax in a claim of responsibility. Nothing more prestigious than claiming you have blown up the infidels. Even if you didn't.

     

    I don't know. It's all speculation on my part of course and those who committed this are the only ones who know the truth. It does pay though to keep an open mind and follow the money trail - in this case, the motive trail.

     

    Ofleh

  8. Posted

    If, however, you prefer to throw girly insults, I’ll be more than happy to tweak your pigtails.

    Sorry, didn't know you were a dude!

     

    Ofleh reaches for the beer nuts wondering what on earth he's gotten himself into

  9. Posted

    What utter and pure nonsense. The invasion of Afghanistan was wholly justified.

    The Iraq invasion, whilst imperialistic, opportunistic and resulting in the loss of countless lives, was also justified.

    Wow! If I were in London, and have survived the mayhem, I'd immediately hit a pub and imbibe enough brew to exorcise my mind off people like you NGOGE.

     

    Imperialistic, opportunistic acts that resulted in loss of countless lives are wholy justified. Madam, if you we were any more oxymoronic, I'd have fainted.

     

    Wow...

  10. Posted

    I reject violence in its entirety and reject it whoever commits it. I never supported the Iraq war and nor do I support the violence that is taking place in there today.

    That's cool. For some reason I mistook you for a Fox News Channel type person. On the other hand, people like us are caught between a rock and a very hard place. You're either with us or you're with the terrorists we're told. While I despise the acts of these human missiles, I find them marginally less despicable than those who, say, attack a sovereign nation for oil or diamonds or what have you. My thinking goes along the lines that the former is acting out of desperation and the latter out of greed.

     

    Nonetheless, it is true the the british public was squarely against the invasion of Iraq. It is also true that such acts as in London this morning never reflect positively on muslims wherever they are. Even if they're not involved.

     

    It is really difficult to justify violence. But we're slowly learning in the west that our lives are more valuable than theirs and that is very dangerous.

     

    Off to work now.

  11. Posted

    Ofleh whatever you feel about Mr Blair, this bombing cant be used to justify that.

    That is true since I didn't perpertrate the bombing.

     

    The killing of innocent people cant be justified at all.

    It is justified everyday on the BBC, CNN and every other western medium in the name of freedom and democracy. The innocent, in this case, London commuters are of higher level of innocence than Baghdad commuters. And I've never seen you get all hot and bothered to condemn their daily bombings.

     

    The question is, do you support this boming? If not, why not then condemn it and leave your believe of Mr Blair for another day?

    I do not engage in hollow condemnations. They are a dime a dozen and mean nothing. I also believe violence begets violence. We can't expect, as people who live in the west (not westeners), to stick our d!cks up people's a$$es overseas and live happily ever after.

     

    That's all.

  12. Posted

    I agree with the above and Condemn this bombing whoever might have carried it.

     

    I couldnt have put it better than the PM did when he gave his statmen to the bombing.

     

    "It is important that those engaged in terrorism realise that our determination to defend our values and our way of life ........ blah blah freedom.... blah blah ..... terrorists ...... blah blah ....... extremists......... blah blah civilization."

    Tony Blair is a war criminal. His words are meaningless as they are meant to deceive and not comfort. People often forget that the UK is engaged in a brutal, unjust and "illegal" invasion of Iraq. And since chickens always come home to roost, it is not so shocking to see this happen. There are precedents.

     

    Please let us not get carried away and start thinking we're part of this "civilized" world the war criminal is referring to. We're not now and will never be a part of it.

  13. Posted

     

    to me, personally the lady did a great job! She may need to practice more to precisely replicate and reproduce Magool's superb gusty tone. She also needs to work on learning by heart some of the lyrics.

    She doesn't have to reproduce Magool's voice. She's great just the way she is. I love the way she sings.

  14. Posted

    To complain about a God who's power you question? Thats kinda silly ma istidhi?

    Ofleh waves a white t-shirt on a stick indicating he does not wish to continue this battle whose outcome is predictable.

  15. Posted

    One’s faith is a private matter. However, when one chooses to discuss Islamic issues or go under the guise if Islam, they need to state where they are coming from.

    I said not a word about Islam in my original post. Religious, tribal, national and other types of zeal is what got us where we are today. We have become defenders of god, the omnipotent, and refuse to acknowledge, let alone help alleviate, the suffering of fellow humans.

     

    March on oh soldiers of god.

  16. Posted

    So Ofleh, do you doubt these ayats from the Quran. Allah said in the quram also 'Verily Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds, to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; while those who reject Allah will enjoy (this world) and eat as cattle eat; and the Fire will be their abode. Maxamed,12'

    At the risk of opening a can of worms, I'll refrain from answering this.

     

    So those you refer to in africa, the women and children who pray and beg allah..their reward is with allah and I am sure all of them would prefer to have their reward in the AKHIRA when it really matters and be poor in this world.

    I don't speak for those people and neither do you. I do think however that merely suffering in this world is no free ticket to rewards in "akhira". And what polls or research have you done into the suffering of those poor in the world who would delay their gratification for a day that will come after they've met death?

     

    Because remember this world is nothing and we are mere travellers in it ..... And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion, xadiid 20'

    Suffering of the poor in Africa is no illusion.

  17. Posted

    quote:
    Originally posted by Zephyrine:

    Someone's faith is indeed a very private matter

    We know that could be applicable to non-Muslims, but elaborate how that's applicable to Muslims.
    Brother Haddad, unless you wish or plan to share a grave with me (NOT!), I believe it is a private matter.

     

    But I digress.

  18. Posted

    There is gotta be an alternative solution to renting. Besides, isn’t securing a roof over your head a necessity?

    Why this is the sort of secular argument I would have made!

     

    There are several alternatives to renting. One of them is finding a city (like Houston, TX) which has a fairly affordable housing prices and buy here. A one bedroom condo is anywhere from $40-70k. As a first home, and if one is not into keeping up with the Joneses one can save up and pay for the thing in cash. Not that disciplined? Buy a piece of land, it usually costs less if its way out in boonyville and build on it slowly. These alternatives may not be feasible depending on your city or country of residence and your income.

     

    Zephyrine, you're right. I think it is more tempting to engage in interest-bearing transactions than the idea of lending money to maryooley (or anyone) to buy a house.

  20. Posted

    Am asking this because it is too good to be true

    Possibly. I looked at this a few months ago and couldn't quite understand what the difference between a halal mortgage and regular one was. In the former, the bank buys the property then you pay the bank in fixed installements plus rent for the use of the property. In traditional mortgages, the bank gives you the money, you "buy" the property but really the bank owns it. You then pay the bank a fixed amount plus interest.

     

    It seems to me that interest has just been replaced with the word rent. It further seems that this a "feel good" strategy to muslims who are uncomfortable with interest to get mortgages. But I'm neither an economist nor a sharia scholar. I was simply reading the definition of a halal mortgage on Lloyds and HSBC's sites.

     

    Maybe someone with better sharia knowledge could shed some light on this.

     

    Ofleh

     

    P.S. Does a halal mortgage mean those with nasty credit can get to buy a house too?

  21. Posted

    Mr. ofleh, I didn't mean to set the tone in such a way.

    It's all good. Our attention spans are minimal nowadays. My emotionally charged posts aren't helping either. I'll have to work on that.

  22. Posted

    as for me going away; all you have to say is P*iss off i don't wanna hear it; anyway watch me go like lightening;

    You don't have to piss off but please refrain from calling anyone any derogatory names. It serves no purpose. It puts you in a bad light and makes you look childish and immature. It takes away from your argument.

  24. Posted

    You excel in making little cryptic comments, don't you dear?

    Zhephyrine, what is cryptic about refusing to take anything in wholesale, pray tell?

     

    In the eyes of many, I am the quintessential ingrate. One who "bites the hand that made him!" Would that have been a less cryptic comment?

     

    I know I'm walking a fine line that leads to being banned from this forum. Pushing people's buttons about long held beliefs is not how to get a message across. But don't you think god is used a lot on this site to drive points home? If all else fails, throw in an "alhamdulilah" followed by a couple of "subxanallahs" and voila, you've wiped out the competition.

     

    Besides, I was hoping Jazmine (who's concluded I'm a "fish brain") to go away by that cryptic message!

     

    Ofleh

  25. Posted

    Another thing thats puzzling...I have only attended
    women's only
    parties. But apparently the DJ, singer, and camera men are not classified as
    men
    on that day. People who are covered from head to toe...let it all out that day. Hmmm. Maybe they are blind. Who knows?

    I've heard that head covering is worn to avoid having to comb hair. And since you have to do your hair for a wedding, the head scarf is not really necessary. Just how many afros are screaming to be let out from underneath those hijabs? Who knows!