Sunset of Darwinism

Yeah, but it's like watching a Sylvester Stallone movie--you know it's absolute shite, you know a cardboard cutout has a better chance of being a competent actor, you know he's as phony as a three dollar bill. But it's like staring at a train wreck . . . there's this horrid fascination . . .

Im not sure , but didnt I confer Norm Crosby status on you spendi?

I'll agree with the assessment of Stallone 95% of the time, but there is that 5%, after all, Get Carter and Copland has not a Rocky Balboa or a John Ranbo cutout to be seen.

As for Gunja--I've seen no sign of that 5%--considering the occupant of the past eight years that signature line is conformation of a misguided obsession.

Rap

Edgar wrote-



It was a joke Ed.

You had said that gunga's posts had no substance.

As I have been unable to detect any substance in Mr Obama's posts, those I have seen where the cheering was the loudest, which are the only ones we get to see, I thought it a fair comparison.

And that it was worth pointing out that Mr Obama is 15% ahead in the polls which is far more important than bothering about substances or matters of right or wrong.

gunga's post on the pyramids was "romantic" IMO. It had that rare capacity to fire-up a young imagination that has been held dormant by your school boards, associated ne're-do-wells, carpet-baggers, chancers and all-round, expert suckers at the pap of official largesse.

Such sparkings of dormant imaginations can lead to an interest in pyramids, signing up for an archeology course, and ologies are "up there",
becoming a world renowned scientific explorer and ending up in an expedition to find the Venus of Willendorf's Big Stick and counting the notches on it.

All a waste of time of course because I can tell them how many notches it had on it.

A lot.

So send me a cheque for, say, a 1/4 of the cost and you're quids in.

We all win.

Setanta's pathetic attempt at a put-down of gunga's pyramid post wouldn't inspire a seasoned missionary to try it the other way round despite the whimpering pleas to the contrary. (Not mentioned in Origins). One might easily sleep through it. It was so "me-so."

In the article Revelation Evangelique sa Necessite which is a small part of the Dictionnaire des Origines du Christianisme there is this-



What guarantee do we have that the vacuum created by atheism will not be abhorred, as vacuums are notorious for being, by these self-same gods of personal selfishness which inspired such a description?

We do have some evidence that the decline in Christian values has been closely tracked by an acceptance, in the name of free will, of certain behaviour patterns not unadjacent to the things mentioned which are by no means to be underestimated simply because the practical details pertaining to such abstract concepts are omitted so that responsible adult discussions can take place without blushing.

One might easily discuss "adultery", say, as an abstract concept and leave the practical details to one side if one has no involvement and merely enjoy pondering the matter.

In my experience it is somewhat sordid in practice. Especially during what is known as the "post coital euphoria" phase which is quite short and, I should think, murderous for non-smokers.

One does have to bear in mind that Americans are in a position to practice the madness of what Matthew Arnold called "unbounded self-indulgence".

Not all of them of course but the ones who set the tone.

Since when does Obama post on a2k?

I skipped the pyramid thread altogether, so I have no reference point to that.

Atheism is a vacuum only to those not in the know. In fact, it is rich and rewarding to be able to face the real world without cringing or hiding behind the spiritual nonsense that betrays the religious. I sleep well and I derive satisfaction from life. Hope you can say the same without fibbing.

Ed wrote-



I can see the point of that alright. But you need a sense of humour which is not one it is safe to take to social gatherings such as barbecues and caucuses. The small group in the pub to which I belong is given a pretty wide berth by the rest of the punters. Formal etiquette is maintained but they are wary of proceeding much further.

So it is all very well facing the real world without cringing or hiding behind the spiritual nonsense but I can assure you Ed that it is a distinctly minority taste. I'm not all that confident that you could hack-it in our corner of the bar.

On the matter of deriving satisfaction from life I have nothing much to say. I have noticed though that those who set great store on that and who actively, often obsessively, pursue satisfactions generally end up in the ****. And in the period before they drop in it they are dreadfully boring and to be avoided at all costs. If you take the trouble to study the famous photograph of Marcel Proust you will see what I mean. Better still read his wonderful book.

Sleeping is never a problem. It is nature's way of stopping things from overdoing it. In my case my brain as I learned that overdoing it with the body was against fundamental evolutionary principles but when I have gone to bed with these threads in my head, and some other stuff, nature interrupts my wilder flights of fancy and when I arise, about 2 hours later needing a piss, the same thing occurs when I return to bed. And again about two more hours later. Then it falls off and I get through to about 8 or 9 o'clock before a repeat which takes me up to 10 or 10.30. Unless there's some urgent business to attend to such as breakfast going cold: a sure sign of my lack of masterful inclinations. I also doze off from time to time. I think trying not to go to sleep is the secret. Who in their right mind would want to go to sleep. Sleep, though it knits up the ragged sleeve of care, steals a third of your life away.

I doubt if you could hack around here.

dont worry edgar, its a cultural distinction. We go out and do things that involve creative thinking. SPendi and his barroom buds, hunker in a corner and satify each other that theyve got something of value to comment upon.

Its the wishful thinking of the failed lives of the British barroom habitues.

My worthless step father spent most of his time in bars, too.

Not on the wagon by any chance are we boys?

Stiffening your resolve.

Give us an example of you going out and doing some creative thinking fm. There's none on here.

Nobody is worthless Ed. How deep was his carbon footprint? Worthless is a zero point. There's negative positions as well. Looked at from certain perspectives worthless is a compliment. Archives have shown that Florence Nightingale was a lot worse that worthless. I quite admire worthlessness.

I haven't been in a bar before 22.30 hours for many years.

My step father could have been melted down and the grease used in dog food, I guess.

I must apologise fm.

I wrote-



I had forgotten this. You wrote-




The sacrifices creative thinkers have to endure brings tears to my eyes and it was most boorish and unthinking of me to underestimate them as I am afraid to say I did.

I hope you will forgive me and our friendship will not be impaired by my foolish behaviour.

Spendius
I bet you wear yella shoes and a big red nose most of the time.

I bet your wear a toupee, specs, a hearing aid, false teeth, a drop on the end of your nose, a walking stick, continence pads, platform soles and a hangdog expression.

Hey. I was being kind in my description of you. But, you go for the jugular. I was comparing you to one of my favoite fictional characters - Homey the Clown. You're making me out to be some doddering old guy.

Okay-

I'm denying I'm like Homey, I would never wear a frilly ruff for a start, and you can deny any or all of the characteristics I bet on you having after you had bet on mine.

That way we both lose and so we're even. Assuming you have no false teeth I mean and don't start fibbing.

My username speaks volumes about me to those who know.

You're a Carthaginian mercenary?

No.

I said to those who know. Quick Googling doesn't get you there.

Your English is gooder?