tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post1930115437403517870..comments2024-03-29T11:25:52.239+00:00Comments on The Thoughts of Chairman Bill: Saturday 14/03/09Chairman Billhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02104786653126767184noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-47408850480715651912009-03-14T13:15:00.000+00:002009-03-14T13:15:00.000+00:00Not if we torture them first.Not if we torture them first.Chairman Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908632282972692269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-9566679248038932812009-03-14T13:11:00.000+00:002009-03-14T13:11:00.000+00:00No but my reading of most histories seems to sugge...No but my reading of most histories seems to suggest that Hitler was always surprised that GB went to war with him and that he didn't want to make war with us.<BR/><BR/>There are no guarantees of course - and tomorrow the Welsh may rise up and drive the English out of Wales - but there are degrees of likelihood and I have always thought that Hitler invading GB was unlikely.<BR/><BR/>Richard x x xThe Irascible Fairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942562221277581272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-18036847024973378762009-03-14T12:58:00.000+00:002009-03-14T12:58:00.000+00:00//GB might well have been left alone //So - an iro...//GB might well have been left alone //<BR/><BR/>So - an iron-clad guaratgee then?Chairman Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908632282972692269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-85476375057822304292009-03-14T12:52:00.000+00:002009-03-14T12:52:00.000+00:00Actually yes - When WWII started the ordinary man ...Actually yes - When WWII started the ordinary man in the street probably couldn't have cared less about Poland - However those in power could see that if Germany was allowed to continue, although GB might well have been left alone to become another Sweden, they would have lost all power both financial and political, thus Jingoism and the call to war for "freedom"<BR/><BR/>Richard xThe Irascible Fairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942562221277581272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-84690265860710920772009-03-14T12:38:00.000+00:002009-03-14T12:38:00.000+00:00Richard,Our participation in WWII was in support o...Richard,<BR/><BR/>Our participation in WWII was in support of the ruling classes?<BR/><BR/>You're using specific instances (with which I happen to agree) to produce a generality applicable to all cases. That's a logical fallacy. It's the 'thin end of the wedge' argument.Chairman Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908632282972692269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-91428747546282265422009-03-14T12:27:00.000+00:002009-03-14T12:27:00.000+00:00In fact the answer to your question is a resoundin...In fact the answer to your question is a resounding NO - at least not within a democratic society that values its freedoms.<BR/><BR/>Most covert operations/wars/torture etc are designed to protect the interests of the ruling classes not those of the population at large - Thatcher and the Falklands, Blair and Iraq etc.<BR/><BR/>It is the ideology cast in stone that demands the protection of covert operations, torture and the ubiquitous and constant recording and watching of its citizens.<BR/><BR/>Richard x x xThe Irascible Fairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942562221277581272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-91206837129503293862009-03-14T11:15:00.000+00:002009-03-14T11:15:00.000+00:00Richard,In a civilised society, is spying acceptab...Richard,<BR/><BR/>In a civilised society, is spying acceptable? Are covert operations acceptable?<BR/><BR/>No - but sometimes they are necessary.<BR/><BR/>Pragmatism is often preferable to an ideology cast in stone.Chairman Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07908632282972692269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-90781102530428766292009-03-14T09:19:00.000+00:002009-03-14T09:19:00.000+00:00Torture is never, ever acceptable in any form or c...Torture is never, ever acceptable in any form or case.<BR/><BR/>We pay a price for living in a free and democratic society and that is that sometimes planes will fly into buildings, bombs will explode on tube trains and tiny Moslem minorities will hurl abuse at soldiers. And so we have a choice - we can stop all the terror by so proscribing travel, choice and the lives of our citizens that everyone is safe, we can browbeat and torture our people so that everyone is too frighted to do anything and we'll all be safe.<BR/><BR/>Or we can accept that "Shit Happens" and value our freedoms enough that if someone blows up a bus we know that is a small payment for those freedoms.<BR/><BR/>I know which one I society I would want to live in and it isn't the one where Mr Smith gets the rat cage on his face.<BR/><BR/>Richard x x xThe Irascible Fairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942562221277581272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2809146912677894496.post-83362123678206071842009-03-14T09:05:00.000+00:002009-03-14T09:05:00.000+00:00Some time ago - and in another forum - I told you ...Some time ago - and in another forum - I told you of the "Singularity" - this is about the exponential progression of science and information technology. see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularity and www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqaMFHGEZ8 - Your greatest fortune and your greatest tragedy is that you will know what happens because you will live through it - My greatest regret is that I will not.<BR/><BR/>Richard x x xThe Irascible Fairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10942562221277581272noreply@blogger.com