Karl

Oh yes, that's it.

It's always by choice. We might not understand exactly why we make the choice to act, it might be well submerged in our subconscious, but everything we do is by choice and choice alone. We must first make the choice to live, it isn't an automatic action, we have to choose what we need in order that we live and choose what rules we will use to achieve those goals. Sometimes we make calamitous decisions based on unsound reasoning, or just over estimate our abilities and then we come a cropper. Other times a risky action comes right and we are hailed as heroes through no real intention to be one.

I only knew Junker, Schultz and Draghi (super mario) and I know the second one at the top by his face, but can't remember his name. No idea who the rest are.

Ive never trusted Boris's motives. I heard him say that live. Since then he has seemed to plunge himself into the fray more enthusiastically, but I can't ever escape the feeling it's all very much a big game to him in which you get in the scrum, score some tries and whoever wins or loses you join them for a good old, after match booze up in the bar. Next week, same again. His Nazi rhetoric is for shocking the audience like an audacious tackle that isn't quite gentlemanly, but can be construed as over exuberant commitment. Boris is all about show and getting away with it.

Classic

I'm up for kicking that big fat Eton Tory arse all the way back to the Cotswolds. George has no chance. Post referendum it will be Boris who will be picking up the Tory pieces in the interim period. Cameron and Osborne have blown themselves up regardless of the result. It's interesting how princess May has been absent from either side of the debate, but has insinuated she isn't totally happy with remaining or leaving. I could see a Boris May temporary position before they choose some complete unknown from the ranks.

Anyone see the Sunday Politics show today ? The interview with Hatty Harperson was hilarious. As usual Hatty went off on a 'there aren't enough women's voices in this EU referendum debate'. Brillo replied that there were a whole host of women on the leave side and none on the remain side. Hatty blinked in disbelief and accused Brillo of saying the leave campaigners were a post feminist group. Hatty then went on to claim that the EU had been vital in giving women a voice, so Brillo put up the SEVEN EU presidents (count them 7 presidents !). He said that the EU appeared to be an ALL male club. Hatty then accused Brillo of putting up a random group of Eurocrats because-get this-she didn't know who any of them were. Cue much guffawing from the guests and proof positive-if it were needed-that our remainiac politicians haven't really got a clue what the EU is, or does.

You know he will be transported to a key post in some bureaucracy, charity, NGO or company once he abandons his position. I find it equally incompetent of Labour not to challenge him effectively and to continue with this foolhardy support of the Blairites over Blairs EU legacy. Corbyn should kick the stool from beneath their feet and hang them. I don't know anyone in the North who is Labour and supports remaining. The Labour Party appear to be trying very hard to kick themselves off the precarious position they inhabit. Ready for 2020 ? Are they out of their minds. They have zero chance. We might actually see a UKIP, Conservative, Lib dem coalition.

Virtue is our personal rule book. So, we might save a drowning person despite the danger to ourselves because we believe we can save that person-we don't jump into the water as a measure of our need to sacrifice ourselves alongside the drowning man. We jump into that water because we hold life as a value-our own life as the measure of all measures-and we make a judgement about the drowning man-the value being the saving of his life. We might be less inclined to jump into that water to save a mass murderer.

These are the virtues you believe are important to you. I'm not asking you to justify them, but I can prove they are flawed as primary virtues and in 'humility' there is a virtue that belongs nowhere. Let's not be without kindness, empathy and caring....I'm not chucking out the baby with the bath water here, those things are good, but, if you think about it, these virtues first require judgement otherwise you will give your allegiance to a tyrant, your knife to a murderer, your credit card to a thief and your children delivered into the care of a child molester. Somebody, surely must first 'merit' your kindness and empathy and therefore they must 'deserve' and that is a judgement and therefore justice must be a primary virtue. You cannot even begin to give anything unless you provide value and that requires productivity. If you are entirely dependent on other men and not your own efforts then your 'kindness' is actually their kindness. If you are not honest, then you are promising values that you have no right to. It's very easy for someone to be caring if you don't earn your way honestly.

That didn't answer my question and.......your doggy has become more butch.

If it's worth doing, then it's worth doing well.

:-) to gain a value without virtue is to act immorally. It is to gain a value dishonestly. I would suggest your list of virtues are flawed, but your premise is correct.

Did I say spirituality was devoid of sexuality ? :-) come on Lerner, I said the exact opposite. However, the sex act itself (in a intimate, loving relationship) is a joint celebration of selfish values. It is reflective of each partners feeling of self worth. It is why satisfying your partner is as equally as important as being satisfied. Sex is the conjunction of the spiritual and the metaphysical. Its impossible to fake the genuine thing and to seek the hedonistic pleasure of sex as a primary, puts the cart before the horse. It is in effect an empty pleasure, like scratching an itch or masturbating. Putting notches on a bed post does not make one feel better about oneself, it is an exercise in collecting and pleasure seeking. That doesn't exclude having sex as pure recreation either, or for pleasure, but not to confuse one kind of thing from another. A deep, intimate relationship mutually respectful relationship has sex at its apex, which is as different from sexual gratification of pleasure seeking as the measure of personal self worth. There is a great film which is a perfect example called 'the swimmer'. It shows a man with a hedonistic, pleasure seeking life style taking a swim in his neighbours pools on his way home. I think it makes a good metaphor. You cannot swim/fuck your way the achieving a value, but there is certainly no harm in having a swim/fuck if you realise the truth in what I'm saying. First seek the self, choose ones values and choose ones virtues needed to obtain and keep those values. When those values are achieved then the pleasure is the reward for gaining those values. Pleasure is already a secondary value you cannot gain a value from pleasure because it's already a value. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

No make up rule ? I certainly didn't say 'don't make the best of yourself' or 'act with unvarnished honesty no matter what the situation'. I've noticed this tendency to take this strawman approach around here. The OP was maximising sexuality by chanting. This is the equivalent of prayer, or wishing. It is magical thinking and creates the idea 'I deserve those things because I wish for those things very hard'. Many have cited 'the mating game' as if human sex was a pure anamalistic act. Seriously chaps, thinking with your cocks might get you laid, but it won't bring you any other kind of value. It's suprising that this is seen as an aim on a spiritual forum. If your aim is just to attract sexual partners and you believe those Linx adverts I get it. Sow your oats, get it over with, one port is very much like another if your aim is just sex-hey, why not just junk the false pride, be honest and pay for it. However, I can't count the number of blokes who have told me they just wanted uncomplicated sex, then a few weeks later they were 'trying to figure out what she wants from them' and had already advanced to flowers and chocolates. The uncomplicated sex had miraculously morphed into a need for a more intimate relationship. Anyway, that's the context I which I'm saying it. The one which was common in boys comics at one time "buy this and stop the sand getting kicked in your face" "buy these and see through girls clothes" "$3 gets you instant female admirers with this pheromone spray". That's what this looks like to me. Say this prayer over and over to get instant gratification. Seriously ??

I'm always a tight arse so no offence taken :-) Positive self talk is just that. It's useful if it's connected to reality but no more than wishes if it isn't. It's important to be able to discriminate between the two. I self talk all the time at the beginning of the riding season, but they aren't empty platitudes, they are observations on the mistakes I'm making-it's more self coaching. I'm not trying to get the value of riding well by telling myself I'm a riding God, instead I'm reasoning and judging my performance. This definitely helps to correct error by exposing the errors in my riding. If I just kept repeating a mantra of riding brilliance and then got on the bike at the beginning of the season and tried to ride as fast as could at the end of the season, then it would likely be blue lights and ambulances. I cannot beat reality, I'm not going to be what I'm not by repeating a mantra. That's OK with me as I have no intention of breaking my body in the belief I can trick myself into over riding my own fears/skills. I do think it can be dangerous to believe these things. They are lucky charms and should not be regarded as anything else. Of course you don't run into that kind of danger in relationships, but you are kidding yourself just as much. I'm just suggesting that you be who you are, be honest with yourself and then go to work to sort out the knots. Find out why you don't feel confident and correct it by doing the hard work necessary to figure yourself out. Clutching a shamrock is a very poor imitation of real confidence. That's my two penneth tight arsed or not, but then I'm not a young guy and I know young guys don't like being lectured to when they just want to party. So, the OP will find these things out for himself :-)

I learned it from the master :-)

Nah, be honest with yourself and everyone else. It really is the best policy. I'm not talking about putting on a suit at work or having a shave before going on a date, there are social mores that are about respect and politeness. Same reason you don't point at an ugly person and make an inappropriate comment. I'm talking about trying to hynotism yourself into being a love God instead of figuring out what you want and going putting in the effort to go get it. I don't do loose corsets.

You either are or you aren't. If you look sharp then you always do, but if you pretend to be sharp then what ? Rather than just reciting endless mantras to try and convince yourself you are deserving, why not actually do the cognitive work. Instead of imagining yourself as mentally fit and toned, go to the mind gym and actually get fit and toned. Those that dress well do so because they enjoy doing so, they aren't pretending, it isn't a chore to get dressed beautifully. If it isn't a natural thing to do then it will require effort to keep up the pretense that this is the way you always look. That doesn't mean you shouldn't make an effort, but you can only go so far with it. I've always wanted to pull long wheelies on the bike and get a knee down on every bend, but it isn't going to happen. I like being in control of the bike and minimising risk. As it happens my wife likes that I don't ride like that ;-)

Boy George figured it out. Karma Chameleon.

Exactly. This isn't a new thing either, the entire world has been in the thrall of Germanic philosophical giants since the enlightenment. The Germans have an almost religious belief in their mental superiority which is reflected by their global followers and their apparent success. Until we shake off the yoke of lesser men we will always live under the corrupted Germanic philosophy.

I'm belly button fluff.

http://www.boeckler.de/pdf/p_wsi_diskp_080.pdf If anyone has a bit of time spare I woukd thoroughly recommend reading this piece of work regarding German working directives proposed by VW Germany. It really shows up the vast gulf that seperates Germany from - well, let's face it, every other country in the EU. In Britain we still go on about collective bargaining and workers directives applying across the country, but this isn't true of Germany at all. German companies pretty much have free market bargain making between employees, unions and management. There is no blanket as there woukd be in the UK. They also do not permit employees to drink coffee, have a chin wag or spend time pretending that Facebook is a part of the companies marketing strategy. Employees work less time, but the emphasis is on 'work'. This is also true of Switzerland, who are not in the EU. I went there a few years back to attend a company training meeting. I couldn't get my head around the Swiss mentality. On the first day we all turned up a bare few minutes late as we had trouble finding where we needed to go-our Swiss trainers were understandably furious. The next day we turned up early-and they were equally furious. They could not understand why we didn't turn up at the exact time and, having read that report, I now understand why. We were wasting valuable work time turning up late, but we were wasting it by turning up early and forcing our trainers to abandon something equally important in order to receive us. I see here why the EU will never work. We are bad enough, but the Greeks, Italians and French !! The Germans will be continually having to bail out one or other country that can't and won't pull its weight-but they can't get their heads around why these countries behave the way they do when there is a better way-the German way.

So does over eating/under exercise or showing restraint and going to the gym. What do you think astrology does for you Junko ?