gendao

Great call. I agree that new posts in any thread should automatically bump it to the top - just like all the other subforums. Another unrelated suggestion is to allow posts & threads to be rated by any member. This would provide some (entirely subjective) community feedback & maybe save a few "I agree/disagree" posts...

Very true... Of course, totally worshipping the Dalai Lama is a national pasttime in the US as a convenient pretext for bashing China. Hence, due to political reasons, he can do absolutely no wrong. That's why the same gay-pride Hollywood liberals who elevate him on a pedestal...conveniently overlook the fact that he opposes homosexuality. So, these same liberals angrily condemn Christians for anti-homosexuality...yet completely turn a blind eye when the Dalai Lama holds the same view. Just goes to show how little true integrity these plastic people all have. It all boils down to superficial masks for underlying agendas... Well, I guess they are actors by trade. As I said, this culture has a deep problem with honest facts & prefers feel-good rhetoric instead.

I have heard that some of the Indian gurus in particular may aggressively pursue women - but it still takes 2 to tango. Women have an inborn evo psych desire to submit to the alpha male...so they often easily succumb to groupieness. But, they are grown adults & it's still their choice. I think counterpoints are always valuable, but this author may be trying a bit too hard too. I skimmed the chapter on the Dalai Lama out of curiosity...and it's like he was grabbing at straws trying to make a case, but really just found far more smoke than fire...

I agree, but unfortunately they as parents have jurisdiction over their child (not you). And I would respect those boundaries in general unless it's to prevent a serious transgression. Although it does also frustrate me that as horrific a track record as the Catholic Church has had over its history...so many people still choose to remain such diehard followers..

Hehe, indeed.. America relies primarily upon firm (vs hard) forms of censorship & mind control & embraces white lies & PC BS artists. Honesty is considered ruthless, uncouth & mean. This cultural norm is what works for the vast majority of the population. That's why they'll prefer an MLK over a Malcolm X & an Obama over a Ron Paul. And the remaining few who do not succumb to these norms are branded dangerous "terrorists." Ironic as I wasn't the one hurling ad hominem insults & threats of violence here... Social ostracization is often the price for heretical honesty & factual sobriety - and enough to ward off most. So, why did this thread get so volatile & arouse so much anger. I decided to consult the I Ching for some insight why? Why is everyone losing their temper on the capitalism/communism thread? Some interesting comments...maybe with the right, firm, temporary regulations...this thread will turn positive in the end?

Sure, why not?

Lmao! Well, I sure feel like a Black man at a Klan rally in this thread! "Git a rope!" Unfortunately, I don't respond well to peer pressure or mob psychology... If you want to change my mind - prove it to me with facts or logical debate. Don't just call me mean names.

Hmm, I interpret it as meaning that he doesn't have the power alone to win...but with the support of the people, he can. Guess we'll see! I have a feeling he'll win, though. I can feel the energy moving in that direction (although I am not familiar with UK politics). Regardless, always interesting for the I Ching to give such a relevant commentary.

Is that proven due to the alcohol...or resveratrol and red grape polyphenols? If it's the latter, then that could explain why red wine may help protect against atherosclerosis. But not all booze may be equal. For example, beer ingredients may have some negative effects. Hops has estrogen-like effects (although little may remain in finished beer). And beer also raises uric acid levels - which leads to a whole cascade of downstream health problems (like obesity, high blood pressure, kidney disease, fatty liver, insulin production & gout).

Lol, yea that appears to be a manufacturer, not a direct retailer. I couldn't find any mycorrhiza sold locally, so I searched online. I ended up buying a 1 lb Ziploc bag for just $9 here. It comes in granular form and there's only 1 review on it - but it was a pretty good testimonial: Since you should only need to sprinkle a bit on each root ball when you plant them to get the fungi started...a 1 lb bag should last pretty damn long too. Keep in mind that there may also already be mycorrhiza in your soil - I think especially in grass or oak tree roots. However, by adding some yourself you can probably make sure.

It absolutely says something. You're right. Have you ever tried Byron Katie's method of self-inquiry? Often, what annoys us most about others is what annoys us (or others) about ourselves. It is often our own flaws in others that infuriate us the most about them. So play around with your angry accusations and turn them back on yourself to cleverly use others as a mirror for your own shadows. Do dangerous thinking, stupidity & self-obsession "resonate" with & particularly annoy the h*** out of you in others? Well, then just remember that you only resonate with things of the same natural frequency... At this point, you can either choose to keep resonating with these qualities wherever they're found...or change your own natural frequency. The former will just keep destroying your liver...while the latter won't eliminate those qualities in the world at large - but you will at least stop resonating with & attracting them. That's the route I will be choosing for myself here. Otherwise, if you can't play nice...may be time you stepped out of the sandbox too.. Namaste

It's probably better to use fresh urine for direct application. Urea starts converting to ammonia over time, so urine over 24 hours old may contain too much ammonia that could burn plants. You could use this aged urine for your compost heap, though. But, don't use your urine if you have a UTI or are on any meds. And if you get less than 30" of rainfall per year, you need to make sure you avoid letting salt from your urine build up anywhere you pour it. Generally, early Spring & early Fall are the best time to plant plants. This gives them the most time to get established before a hot summer or cold winter. Another additive to consider is mycorrhizal fungi. This is a naturally-occuring (usually) symbiotic root fungi (like Glomus) that helps protect plants against pathogenic infections while aiding absorption of inorganic nutrients in exchange for some plant sugars. The result is generally a larger, healthier plant (with a few rare exceptions like Glomus causing tobacco stunt disease): Some of the "New Age" gardeners also believe in fertilizing with ORMUS or ocean water. And of course, before all of this, it is important to make sure you pick the right plants naturally-suited for your growing conditions & zone.

Well, I think telling people f*** them with personal insults & vague threats of physical violence...is clearly against the board policy & uncalled for here. As Mal said, any reasonable person would get their feathers ruffled (or more) from that. But that does not appear to be his normal nature exhibited here. I think a short break could actually do GIH some good. Because he is the one ultimately hurt the most by his extreme anger here. That will enlarge, inflame & damage his liver...drain his kidneys...maybe overexcite his heart. Anytime we get overemotional about an issue, it means we are projecting a related inner issue of our own on it. I hope he takes this break as an opportunity to excavate that out and be able to debate more dispassionately when he returns.

If anyone can figure out Leedskalnin's secret...which may be based on these peculiar S curves...we might be able to develop some sort of "free" or advanced usage of energy! What is the secret of concentrating power though? Concentrating, focus, polarity alignment, order from random chaos, organization, crystallization, resonance, entrainment, repetitive cycling, rhythmic constructive interference...

On a more positive note, look at how capitalism has transformed China within just a few years: Before Capitalism: After Capitalism (at the upcoming Expo 2010 Shanghai): What a totally different vibe! One is like that of a fearful, abused child locked in a closet - the other of a healthy child free to roam out in the fields. Like going from B&W to Technicolor TV! A stunning display of the human potential unleashed by freedom & Darwinian competition.

Man another TB who lost it? Is our society reaching an underground breaking point? So much buried tension... Anyhow, here is a personal story about life before & after Communism in Vietnam: Like China, capitalism is the lifeline out of Communist poverty...

I think people in this country have become so accustomed to consumerism...that they have forgotten that food can also be GROWN, RAISED, CAUGHT OR HUNTED - NOT just BOUGHT. And not only are these methods far cheaper - but healthier too. Plant a garden. Plant some fruit or nut trees. Go fishing. You can reap incredible harvests over the years with very little initial investment using horticulture. There are tons of wasted greenspace in this country that are just kept useless lawns. People need to relearn self-reliance OFF THE GRID again. Remember, no one forces you to live on the grid. And the less dependent you are upon it, the better. Sell your TVs and go plant some trees, folks.

Thank you, Mal. I welcome all civilized debate on the issues here, but juvenile cussing contests tend to abort that. And supporting capitalism while being against Marxism/Communism...is such a "radical" position...that I "must be a troll?" Must be billions of trolls in the free world, then. As well as 140 million dead ones. I am assuredly not a troll, I have been posting Taoist content here for 3 years now. That sounds like a typical Stalinist tactic of branding any dissenter a "class enemy" so that he can be "purged" or shipped off to a reeducation camp. Anyhow, back to the ISSUES. Most people would argue that maximizing the Middle Class is what helps to bridge extreme disparities in wealth. American Middle Class: Yet Marxism specifically demonizes and eliminates this Middle Class "bourgeois." Which is why Communist states all LACK a Middle Class. All the proletarians become uniformly poor, and the small remaining handful of party officials award themselves relative wealth. Not quite what was originally promised: TV today is just the upgraded media equivalents of these corny posters, btw. Of course, the cop-out argument used by some is that none of these were "pure" Communist states - of which one has never actually existed. Well, the same argument could be made about capitalism, democracy or any other form of government. Very few things in life can be implemented in reality in their purely theoretical form. Yet, you can still draw some approximate conclusions based upon parts that were implemented & field-tested. Moreso, common sense thought experiments alone can evaluate many theories just on paper to some degree. Let's consider this analogy: Short Anti-capitalist: Extreme disparities in height are a problem. It's JUST not fair for there to be people 5'2" tall...when there are towering giants 6'3" and over walking around! They are blocking our sunlight! We must do something to fix this massive inequity! Medium Capitalist: Why is that (biodiversity) a problem, again? Height is all relative anyways, like Yin & Yang. You can never eliminate one without the other. Tall Banker-Funded Marx: Nonsense. The tall are oppressing (actively or passively) the short, so if we can just eliminate the medium & taller (myself & the future party bosses excluded)...then we can eliminate oppression! The simple solution here then is to kill anyone 5'9" or taller. Anti-capitalist & Short People: Yea!! Great idea! Medium Capitalist: Are you people insane? Killing off all the medium people will only further widen the gap in height! Anti-capitalist & Short People: F*** you dirty class enemy heightist! Send him off to reeducation camp! Medium Capitalist:

Everybody sing along now!

If you are not Communist, what do you care? I am simply sincerely trying to learn what some people here seem to love about Communism. Unfortunately, none of them seem capable of actually explaining what they think is so great about it. You already told me about Canada. Yea, it works real well...if you filter out those without higher education, illiterates, no work experience, no prearranged employment in Canada, no family relations in Canada, those who lack $10K, a criminal history or PREEXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS IN YOUR FAMILY! Lol, that would exclude a majority of Americans here! You see, Socialists know the only way Socialism can work is if they only select the most productive members of a society and ban all the bottom feeders out. These countries are thus basically gated country clubs. And any country that wants to replicate their model - would also have to adopt that same exclusivity policy. People who can't meet those prereqs - can't be allowed to join in the system - or they'd crash it. You can't compare a country club with a homeless shelter, buddy!

Not at all. You can have a limited amount of internal competition under Communism - but it will still never compare to the unrestricted freedom & open competition in capitalism. So, a Communist collective with internal competition will beat out one without any...but both will fail miserably in comparison to open competitors out in the free market. Which is why no Communist country ever built a Ferrari or Rolls Royce. That's not propaganda, that's factual reality.

Well, the Soviets had a bit of a headstart - as NASA wasn't even founded until after Sputnik had already been launched into space. That said, both NASA & the Soviet space program were government programs. So, NASA is not an example of capitalism, but government production too. However, the Soviet space program actually had internal competition - being split between split between several competing design groups led by Sergey Korolyov, Mikhail Yangel, Valentin Glushko and Vladimir Chelomei. Here again, we see how competition breeds success. I agree, a more Daoist business model would be far more efficient. And, capitalism allows anyone to set up any kind of business model they want. It never said you could or couldn't use a Daoist model. In fact, it will eventually self-select the most efficient ones - so Semler's model will probably become mainstream in the future in the free market. Certainly, many companies already practice flex-time, stock options & profit-sharing. And any publically-traded company is already free to be bought up & owned by whoever. Capitalism doesn't force anyone to run their business this or that way, though. I think that's the important distinction here. Whether you want to privately or collectively own your business - it's up to you. The free market doesn't really care how you run your business - it only judges you by your results & naturally weeds out the poorest ones. Anyhow, let's keep on track here & debate core tenets of "real" Marxism & Communism. Where's all the angry posters who were ferociously defending either of these ideologies? Let's hear your cases, don't be shy!