soaring crane

something for you to chew on there. The East never suffered the ailment.

last night's vindaloo was delicious but now I need to find a loo

@karl - they really are on the rise, no hyperbole about it.

Will I come again? Wait at least a hundred days Then Bob's your uncle

Don't worry, Buddy. Bamberg is still a great, beautiful city, and World Heritage Site, too. I'd be living there except for family issues (mother-in-law ...) The Sandkerwa is a wild festival that has always been known for its excesses. But it's true that the groping and lewdness in general has been getting worse. People's moral thresholds are changing, and I do think social media is playing a big role in that. The depravity of the net is seeping into real life.

absolutely. What happened in Köln demonstrates very clearly that these asylum seelers can not/should not be integrated, and that they should be cordoned off from the rest of the population, for a number of reasons, until they can be returned to relative safety in their own countries (which honestly is exactly what almost all them want anyway). i want to try and make really, really clear that my posts on these topics are not about welcoming all and sundry to my home. The refugee crisis is a huge mess and it's got to be sorted out soon. but the flip side to this is even more frightening, among other reason because it gets zero attention in the discussion forums and the foreign press. The nazi movement is growing and becoming bolder every day here. These Arab teenagers are pipsqueaks compared to the tsunami of evil that is swelling up to wash them away. And once they're gone, the nazis will remain. this image shows a small collection of Facebook posts since New Year's eve: I can translate them later but basically, the fact that people now feel safe writing/saying those things in public, under their real names, is something that should be getting a lot more attention than it is.

"Die Bundespolizei habe in der Silvesternacht 31 Verdächtige namentlich identifizieren können. Unter ihnen seien 18 Asylbewerber, deren Nationalität er allerdings nicht aufschlüsselte. Insgesamt seien unter den Verdächtigen neun Algerier, acht Marokkaner, vier Syrer, fünf Iraner, ein Iraker, ein Serbe, ein Amerikaner und zwei Deutsche." From the Süddeutsche Zeitung What I'd really like to see is a strict screening process and secure housing. There are many many now empty US military bases here that are perfect for this use. They've finally begun using the one in Bamberg, something I brought up at least a year ago.

I think intellectual pursuits are more yang than physical activity. intellect = yang intuition = yin

once should have been 'nuff but the effect wore off, and I came back for more

yes, I can most certainly testify with gusto that the Oktoberfest has become a place where women are routinely and aggressively groped, on an epidemic level. Same as the Sandkerwa in Bamberg, which you may have heard of (not far from Erlangen, and not far from me). And I only said that the organised aspect of these crimes in Cologne make them especially disturbing to me. I've read in the meantime that they probably planned this through social media (which I blame in part for the rise in extreme behavior in many areas of "real life"). Deportation rules are being vamped up as we speak, and I welcome that. I'm not part of the Willkommenskultur. You asked for a lovely solution to the problem: Let the country be small, And the inhabitants few. Although there are weapons For tens and hundreds of soldiers, They will not be used. Let people take death seriously, And not travel far. Although they have boats and carriages, There's no occasion to use them. Although they have armor and weapons, There's no occasion to wear them. Let people return to making knots on ropes, Instead of writing. Their food will be tasty. Their clothes will be comfortable. Their homes will be tranquil. They will rejoice in their daily life. They can see their neighbors. Roosters and dogs can be heard from there. Still, they will age and die Without visiting one another. Reverse globalisation. But until that day arrives, I don't really know what to do. I am however convinced that fascism isn't a solution.

no word no gesture not even a howya do where's my money, punk?

Same thing happens every year at the Oktoberfest, albeit not in an organised fashion. But since the perpetrators in Munich are good boys wearing Lederhosen, and tourists from the right countries, it doesn't make the news. What happened in Cologne is scary nonetheless. It's the organised crime aspect that makes it something to really worry about. And for anyone who may be wondering, evidence is pretty strong that, no, this wasn't done by refugees. The attackers were north African and speaking German for the most part, and the ones who have been arrested so far have been here longer. Btw, any stories referring to the "Bild" should be viewed with heavy skepticism. I think the British equivalent is the Sun, and I don't know any national US publications that are as slimy as either of them. Edit - I want to add that reporting this is no simple situation in Germany. There's a hardcore Nazi movement on the rise and they're certain to exploit any event to their advantage. Anyone who can't understand why that would be a issue in Germany has got his head stuck in the ground, or someplace else.

Old-school omegas Groceries from bodegas Driving to Vegas

haha yeah, I guess that was a Captain Obvious moment on my part

I assume they're in the Abyss.

+1 Priceless stuff there :-)

Shaolin/Wudang is Buddhist/Daoist no?

Are you maybe equating yin with sterotypical femininity?

some he fools never till he looks in the mirror lips all aquiver

1. I don't think many members actually give a duck (ok, autocorrect chose that word and I'll let it stand) 2., see 3.

I'm reminded of people in groups who start to yawn and automatically do their best to suppress the urge, and even cover their mouths with one hand. It's very much the worst way to react as it on the one hand only prolongs the urge to yawn, while very probably shifting the cause of the urge even deeper, and on the other hand totally disrupts the practice which had triggered the release in the first place! Yeah, this is actually quite an issue, and the replies to the thread so far have been a pleasure to read :-)

I believe it's the MoPai's faction's enemies who have been banned (not without justification, one must admit).

no, I don''t see it anywhere (???). Regardless, there were productive posts in that thread from various members who aren't (always) involved in the dramtics. Those posts are now gone, too.

Speaking of missing threads, it's been my understanding, and my experience behind the scenes, that admin here doesn't edit or delete posts let alone entire threads. But that seems to have happened today, in conjuction with a moderation announcement which was locked for comment, in contrast to established policy. Bodes not well for the new year, imo.

ok, well, that's a pretty long time. How are your breathing habits in general and do you do a lot of mental work?