Musings.

[darkness0within]

How servicemen and women think about what is going on is going to vary, but I'm sure they will all pretty much think was it worth the time and sacrifice given over the years?

My personal opinion is yes, it was.

For a while they helped hold the country together under very difficult circumstances at times. The fact that they were there helped Afghanistan women and girls to be educated just by being there. They stabilized many provinces, though fragile. and many, many other things.

Their legacy will endure, maybe underground for now, but it will be there for the future.

Everything has its time.

[anirbas]

It greatly disturbed and saddened my emotional state of mind, watching the news footage from Afghanistan over the past several days.
I had held out hope, that the country would stand on its own two feet and hold its own with this scourge of the globe, self titled as the Taliban.
Such, as we all now know, was not meant to be. One would think with all the finances, training and military resources pumped into the country
the past twenty years, by several countries, including America and the United Kingdom, the Afghan leaders and people would not have folded,
as they did, nor as quickly as they did to the Taliban.

However, I was aghast, three and four decades ago, the United Nations did not step in and squash these Taliban terrorists, long before Nine Eleven.
The stories of women and men escaping the country then, were atrocious and dehumanizing. On the ground in Afghanistan, human rights activists
and journalists, world wide were begging, pleading, demanding the UN stand up and do something. I will never forget the images of women beheaded
on soccer fields, in front of their children and crowds of cheering, happy "men". Nor will I forget the non-fiction articles and books I read
back then, by women that had managed to escape the heinous treatment of women and girls, to be found there. The United Nations, should be
ashamed of itself. Shame. Shame. Shame.

The fact these insane idiots were also blowing up ancient world art, iconography and religious statues in Afghanistan, under the guise they did
not conform to nor represent their brand of Islam was crazy. Essentially, these ignorant ass-hats were erasing their own history!!! Mindboggling.
But, secondary to what they were doing to the women of their country in the Eighties and Nineties.

I understood the pretext of invading Afghanistan after Nine Eleven, because, while none of the terrorists that day hailed from that specific
country, this country harbored an extremist Islamic terrorist training camp, that had created many of them. And denizens upon denizens
more like them from all over the third world, including Saudi Arabia. It was and still is. And has been, even this past twenty years.
They just went further underground. Moved their training camps to Pakistan and began infiltrating the fledgling Afghan government from day one.
Part and parcel of why the current takeover, seemed both brutally instantaneous and seamless.

I fully concur with you, Darkness. "They are a danger to be mindful of." It remains to be seen what shall come of recent events
in blighted Afghanistan. I doubt the UN has the stones or the ovaries, to do anything if they return to torturing both male
and female citizens and videotaping and sharing these things and their subsequent beheadings, or mass shootings on Al-Jazeera.
If, IF the UN had intervened in the Eighties and Nineties, there might never have been a Nine Eleven, or this Twenty Years War.
But, this we will never know, now.

As an old school feminist and armchair activist, I've despised, nay, hated these misogynistic, sadistic throwback
monsters called Taliban for four decades. Already, the women and children have left the streets...

[anirbas]

I watched about twenty minutes of news footage, coming out of Afghanistan, earlier, (from two different news sources) after posting my above
epistle on the subject at hand. On one station, a gentleman by the name of Abdul, an interpreter for America, at least, for several years, speaking to a N.C
American journalist via his cellphone, while he videos the activities going on about him. At one point, he is begging President Biden and America
to please get him and his family out of the country. He states even now the Taliban have begun to follow him about and he fears for his life
and that of his family. He states, they could be dead, as quickly as minutes, or hours. He does not believe he and his family will be alive,
after the next 48 to 72 hours. You can hear the sad terror that causes his voice to tremble as he asks, begs for rescue.

When asked why he didn't just get to the airport, where at least some are still being flown out, he said because the Taliban and the Americans? Marines?
have the roads leading into the airport closed, while the Taliban and the Armed Services exchange gunfire at points. He said he had tried several times
to get his family to the airport since the other day. You can hear the naked desperation in his voice.

I just can't fathom living in a country where when one sees news footage of their streets, even in "peace time", the first thing one notices,
there are no women on their streets. Only men. Sometimes, boys with them. I can't even fathom knowing if I'd been born there, instead of here,
where I am, my father, my brother, my husband, even my son, could have carved my name in a brick and bashed my mouth and teeth in, with it.
To teach me to keep my mouth shut; to not be lippy; to not have an opinion, much less, express it, vocally.

Earlier footage, I watched today, doesn't seem to auger an auspicious Taliban rebeginning and rebuilding of the country. More like these past few days
and those still to come and be, seems to point towards more atrocious events to unfold as the days unspool.

I also read your latest comments above mine, Darkness. I missed them when I was in here, in the early afternoon. I can only imagine
how those whom have served in any branch of any country's services feel about this, after twenty long years of bringing our people back
home in body bags to give and nurture freedoms for all Afghanistan, especially women and girls. A right to be protected, not abused; a right
to be educated; a right to be sociologically worth as much as a man, not half as much, in their birth country.

I know I repeat myself, but, I had already noticed Taliban atrocities from the Eighties, onwards. I will never forget the books I've read,
by those whom escaped Afghanistan, especially the women. The video/photographic images, of women being beheaded on soccer
fields while their children were forced to watch, will never leave me. The stories of the women of Afghanistan in the aftermath
of the Taliban rising in power, will never leave me. Ever. I would still rather be informed than ignorant.

[darkness0within]

Anibas.

Lots of things to say about this unfolding tragedy.

The UN for instance is only as good as the member states that sit round its table. They are the ones that fund and have the power to act under the banner of the UN. The member states supply the solders on the ground. 

How many times have important issues been discussed and nothing done as one or other country blocks forward progress for various reasons. The interests of the few out way the needs of the many it seems to me. The UN has high ideals but it is fundamentally flawed.

On the religious side. My own feeling is that everyone has a right to practice what ever their religion is as long as they except that others have their own doctrines that will differ from them, and they should respect that. What the Taliban will be doing is destroying anything that does not agree with their vision. As I write they are looking for anyone who helped the US, British, and other forces. Have no doubt they and their families will be tortured and killed as an example to the rest of the population.

The remaining forces left cannot do anything now to save those outside of Kabul airport. The Taliban have surrounded it and are sifting through those trying to escape. If they did a lot of people would be killed in the ensuing battle. I'm afraid the only way out now for those trapped is through other means. A dangerous journey to the borders.

Training camps will start again for terrorists in Afghanistan, and the world will know the cost of this in the future.

China sees this as an opportunity. Russia sees this I think as a weakening of the west, (as does China and some other countries) but will be observing closely how things go. As long as it does not spill into their territories they probably will do nothing. But I think the Taliban leadership have a long term vision.

The bleak message is that the world has become a darker place.

[darkness0within]

I still can't get over the monumental miscalculation The US and allied forces made on how long the Afghan forces could hold out.

The intelligence forwarded on the situation was clearly not worth the paper it was written on. After twenty years in the country you would of thought the intelligence agencies would have a much better handle on things. Or was it correct information disregarded? The truth will never be known I believe.

The evacuation of US and Allied foreign nationals should have started weeks ago. The sad fact is it seems the US and allies were taken by surprise, and now there is a mad scramble to get as many out before the 31st August. and it has already been said that some that should leave will not be able to.

The price of this debacle will be high. Not only the material cost that will have to be paid in the future. But also the human cost which will be incalculable.

Trump made the deal with the Taliban, which was bad enough. But Biden has made matters worse by fluffing the withdrawal from Afghanistan. What will other countries think about the US now? 

[anirbas]

Gentlemen, first of all, good evening!

I understand all that you both said, typed. I believe, Darkness, withdrawing from a country is never an easy task, as well. And at best, those of us
critiquing President Biden, we are at best, Monday Morning Quaterbacks. But, yes, Presidon't It, did sign a treaty with the Taliban. One terrorist to another, you can have your country back when I am gone. uh-huh uh huh uh huh. IF, he had remained in the White House, befouling the bathrooms, he would most simply have walked away and left all the people, President Biden and the Armed Services worked tirelessly to get out of the country.

Phant, I really don't care if the Taliban wants to blow up Ancient History in the name of their chosen belief system and god, in their country. You're right. It is their corner of the world, after all. But, to me, it points to a zealot state of mind, and the beginning of troubles down the road. And it did. Shift to the late Eighties and Nineties, denizens of women are being beheaded on soccer fields, for some trivial, minor infraction. And the world knows it. Because these callous ass hats are videotaping these things already, way back then. Sharing them to news sources. Women are seen as chattel, worth half that of a man; honor killings abound. Entire families tortured and slaughtered for nothing. And no one did anything, until after Nine Eleven. Not a single country. As long as it's mostly women and children being murdered, who cares?

Anyway, I'm not arguing with you guys, if it seems so.

Shamefully, I have my mind on the Texiban, in the state I live in, Texas. Right now, I am equally gobsmacked and yet, not, by what has transpired over the past seventy-two hours, or so, here.

In the past few weeks, Covid has become a big part of conversations with me, or around me. Several unvaccinated co-workers across all three shifts, are now on leave with this nasty bug. Some have returned. Half of these people are avowed conservatives and still are espousing it's a hoax and refusing to vaccinate. The other half, are staunch evangelical Christians, across all denominations, believing their version of a god will save them from it. Or, save them from dying if they get it.

Then there's my family. Long drawn out sigh. Save for my daughter and David, myself, the rest of our large-ish family, are largely unvaccinated. Whether they vote or not, all are varying degrees of Republicans in their hearts. Some of them actually vote. Voted for tRump, not once, but, twice and were proud of it. Didn't mind crowing about it, then or now, either. At least four people in my extended family, are currently ill with Covid. All have tested positive on at least the home test, if not a pharmacy given comprehensive test. My brother and his twenty-something son; and my sister's daughter and her husband, my niece and nephew-in-law, have both tested positive on the home test. After losing their sense of smell and taste, first. They have two children that live in the house with them, that have now been exposed. It remains to be seen, if they will fall ill, too. It is my fervent wish, that they do not.

One of my best friend's, he and his wife are both ill with Covid. And worst of all, a very, very dear friend of mine, since high school, lost her sister last week to Covid. I cannot understand for the life of me, why anyone would choose not to take the vaccine, either of the three brands. Some of them are really smart people, otherwise. It defies logic.

Approximately three-four weeks ago, rural towns and counties started flying/ambulance-ing their pediatric ICU patients, all with CoVid, out to the big city hospitals. Their emergency rooms and ICU's can't handle the load, or the degree of the illness in some. Last week, the counties with metropolitan hospitals, began offloading CoVid patients to other state's hospitals. Now, over loaded with patients from outlying counties, and those of their own counties, contracting the virus. It's been crazy wild the past three-four weeks in Texas. I don't know about other states.

Ivy and my granddaughter have contracted something. On the home test Ivy took, it came back negative. She has been vaccinated. I think she picked a viral bug up from work, as she was the first in the house to exhibit symptoms. A dry, hacky little cough. Lydia caught it from her. I am not sure I have it. I have had mild symptoms compared to theirs. Virtually no fever and just a tad of stuffiness. My girls, have ran high fevers, at various times over the week. And have been hot messes, all week long. No appetite. Coughing. Major sore throats. Ivy took another pharmacy given comprehensive Covid test, Friday morning after her fever spiked to almost a 104 degrees. We will not have the results on this one, for one to three days. We had to put Ivy to bed, and watch Lydia between David and me, when she made it back from the single pharmacy halfway across the metroplex with a Covid test. Pharmacy tests are in high demand, right now.

Our friend, that has a few family members that are nurses, across the DFW area, in big city hospitals, are telling him, the ICU's, both pediatric and adult, are overflowing. So many have died they are having to ship them out in body bags. Moral is low. Believe it, or not, some nurses and technicians in the medical field, are fighting getting the vaccinations! Are threatening to quit in October, if they are forced to comply.

Anyway, all doom and gloom on this end, guys. Hey, Phant. How'd ya'll weather the storm? News footage keeps showing the area between Pennsylvania and New York states have taken a hard hit the past seventy-two hours. Certainly hope you and yours, are okay. The state of Louisiana is largely without power, even as I type. And sounds like they may be, for at least a few weeks. Thanks to Ida.

It's late. I'm outta here!

[phantasm]

Oh, the storm. Yeah, I remember that thing. I weathered it just fine. Serious torrential rain. My city/county is approx. 3~4ish hrs away from the New Jersey beach, depending on traffic conditions. Once in a blue moon we get those sorts of storms, coming off the Atlantic Ocean.

[darkness0within]

Hi Anibas.

I've been preoccupied for a while so have not been able to get here.

I hope you are well.

History is written by the victors.

Right and wrong becomes blurred as time moves on, and once those that actually lived through those times have gone all we have left is what they left behind for future generations to see. And it's true to say some do not like what is left because it conflicts with their ideals and philosophies. So they destroy what they can to hide the 'truths' that sometimes are before them. They are doing humanity an injustice on many levels.

As to the Covid situation...

We are in for the long haul with this virus. The latest mutation is just another leap in its evolution.

The virus does not care about what political party you support, or what faith you may or may not have. It only wants to exist and replicate. That's its goal.

When I have more time I will expand on this...

[darkness0within]

Carrying on...

Our interpretation of the past is dependant on what information people have, and more importantly their understanding of what has been left for people to find. There are times when people can only theorise on what is before them because there is little or scant information to go on, or it seems that what is before them is so alien to our modern day lives it makes little sense. A jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing and no guide on how it fits together. So it does not help when some destroy the odd piece here and there.

It is true that there is a continuity through time with the human condition. People live and die. All the emotions that people have today are just the same as those who lived in the past. But there would be subtle differences in their lives. A much harder life for most(nothing ever changes there).

[anirbas]

Dearest Darkness,

Hopefully, the preoccupation has been of the good kind. I noticed your absence. Best wishes that all is well for you and the Missus, sir!

[darkness0within]

Hi anibas.



I am well thank you, as is my good lady.



Apart from work, I've had no time to go online at home due to one thing or another, and I've certainly had no time to write of late. hopefully I can squeeze some time in after Christmas or new year... I hope.



I think next year will be another challenging one for all of us. The latest virus seems to be taking hold very quickly around the world. Air travel has accelerated its spread, and perhaps now people will understand if flights, and travel in general are stopped in the future, too late now for this variant.



Governments will have to be more proactive in the future to stop future variants. The trouble is they are always behind the curve.



It is a worrying situation, however if people work together on this we can escape this predicament.



A final word on this. Civil liberties are the right of everyone. But if people do not follow the guidance given they are more likely to catch the virus, and to see St Peter at the gate. As will their friends and families. A civilized society looks out for all the people in it.

[darkness0within]

This is a sad day for the world.

Yet another dictator who has megalomaniac aspirations of world dominance, and has no scruples as to how this might be achieved.

Ukraine fights for its survival against overwhelming odds alone. And it will be a bloody fight.

I can understand though why other countries cannot, or will not assist militarily. Nobody with any sanity wants to see another world war.  But economic sanctions will take time to bite. and the orchestrator of this does not care what the west does, or care much about his own people anyway. Another uncle Joe its seems. He has nothing but contempt for the west, and hankers after another great USSR, but greater than the past.

It is a sad irony that I am seeing echoes of 1939 playing out. with the same justifications for the invasion of a sovereign country. A Blitzkrieg reminiscent of the Nazi invasion of Poland and other countries that signalled the beginning of world war II.

My personal feeling is that the world became complacent about Putin. That was a big mistake. They saw the money and were blinded by it.

The situation is dire. But it certainly is not a fore gone conclusion that war will spread. 

[darkness0within]

A cold and calculating madman in the Kremlin...

Putin is throwing the dice of fate with this outrageous attack on Ukraine. He wanted the world’s attention. he wants to show the world that he will do as he wishes, and cares little of what the world thinks of him... The world is now watching very carefully to this unfolding disaster in Ukraine.

The Ukraine military are doing their upmost to slow down the advance of enemy forces by any means they can. But they are outgunned, and without close air support they are vulnerable. It's just a matter of time now.

Wasted lives on both sides. and for what? And where will this end?

Only Putin knows that at this time... He's gambling on a swift victory. Somehow I don't think that will be the result.

[darkness0within]

Sanctions are just beginning to kick in in Russia. A little faster than I thought. But that will not stop a mad man, or his war machine.

The only thing slowing his army is the Ukrainian resistance which has put up a fierce defence so far. Many have died defending their homeland. The situation is dire as seen from what news is coming out of the country.

Indiscriminate bombing of civilians is a WAR CRIME. And should be punished. Putin should be held to account for his insane actions.

The sad fact is he will not back down as it will be thought to be a sign of weakness.

[darkness0within]

Like so many round the world I am appalled at what is going on in Ukraine.

putin(small P intended) should be held responsible for the suffering he is inflicting on the Ukrainian people, and his own countrymen and women.

His WAR... (Yes, it is a WAR) Is killing many soldiers on both sides, and many Ukranian civilians. He is responsible for this, and should pay the price for this evil WAR.

The sanctions inflicted so far will not change his mind. It's about saving face with this guy. He tries to legitimate his actions by saying the country is run by Nazis and drug addicts. the president of Ukraine is Jewish for goodness sake. The only Nazis I see are invading Ukraine from the east and south and north at the moment.

I haven't seen the population of Ukraine waving Russian flags screeming out "thank god you've arrived" in any place they've taken yet. I wonder why? I do expect some fake pictures and news stories of this from the Russians soon. The fact they are stopping their own populations from seeing the truth speaks volumes to me.

The fact that Russia is now bombing hospital,schools and general infistructure tells us they are desparate to finish this WAR as quickly as they can. They are taking casualties and losing equipment. They thought it would be a quick WAR. The Ukrainans have showed them otherwise with their tactics, and their own blood.

This is only going one way. Russia will lose. The only difference will be how long this goes on for and how many people will die in the process.

WAR crimes will be investigated at some point. But that will not bring back the people Russia have killed. This is an insaine and needless WAR.

[darkness0within]

The Ukraine WAR continues...

The devastation of civilian infrastructure inflicted by the Russians is totally unacceptable. putin wanted a quick WAR. He believed people would come out on the streets and greet the Russian army as saviours. Instead, only demonstrations against his WAR.

His mostly conscript army have been shown to be lacking. What looks good on paper does not seem to bare out in the real world. So like some petulant child he destroys what he can't have. The cost on both sides has been great. Russia should be made to pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine, and pay reparations to the Ukrainian people. 

It just goes to show how far Russia has really come...   

[darkness0within]

Something a bit different.

Today I read that scientists have managed to rejuvenate a 50 year olds skin sample to make it the appearance of someone in their twenties. And they are saying that perhaps some internal organs might benefit from this discovery. Primarily this is being researched and possibly developed in the future for people who have premature aging conditions. I think that this is a wonderful development if verified for those inflicted with these conditions.

Now this opens up some interesting scenarios if this turns out to be proved correct.

I can see(If this is verified) a scramble by a few wealthy individuals to try and cheat time and extend their lives. Personally I think that would be a mistake, and takes humanity down a very different route in the future. 

[darkness0within]

The continued war in Ukraine.

Russia continues its totally insane onslaught with no regard to the civilian population of Ukraine whatsoever. Even Russian heavy losses are not deterring Stalin... Oops... I mean putin throwing his own forces under the bus to try and save face to his home crowd. This is going to end very badly.

putin clearly needed something to help him stay in power. A diversion to take the heat of him, and his cronies. He thought that by invading Ukraine he would subdue the Ukrainian army quickly with the forces he had at his disposal, and that within a few days the population would be cheering Russian troops as they wheeled in as heroes... Back in the real world the truth is that the vast majority of Ukrainians were never going to give up their freedom from Russia.

The Russian troops conduct through this has been appalling. undisciplined savages in the main. A disgrace to the Russian people, and the uniform they wear, and I do hope that many of those that committed atrocities will be brought to trial for the many war crimes committed. And I also hope that reparations will be extracted from Russia for a senseless war that should never had happened in the first place.

            

[darkness0within]

I see the media tire of reporting on Ukraine. Other stories are creating a feeding frenzy elsewhere. I believe there is some subtle interference going on around the world by Russia. Nothing blatant, just behind the scenes tweaking. But it is having an effect. The thin veneer of civilization. (and it is very thin) is being eroded.  

The war in Ukraine is just one of many things that could tip the balance. There are many challenges to face in the future,  and our governmental systems are not up to the challenge as they stand. Combating climate change for instance needs the whole world to sign up to the changes needed. And that will not happen till it is way too late to make a difference. We as a race are still too tribal to unify. What is needed is a united world under one government. A government that could take into account all peoples cultures without discrimination. But of course this is a utopian view. we need as a race a few million years to evolve further. 

Meantime the future is always uncertain.

[darkness0within]

I see the fragility of existence playing out in many ways around the globe.

Our reliance on trade for instance, where we cannot feed our populations and have to rely on other countries for basic food stuffs is a crime in my opinion.

The WAR in Ukraine has put this in deep focus for many.

[darkness0within]

A matter of time...

I see echoes of a dictator isolated on the world stage, with a vision of bringing back the glory days of a time long past for his country. waging a war he ultimately will not win. With brutal medieval style tactics that his country wages time and time again.

Not heeding the failed lessons of a dictator from the past. Who in the end took sole control of his own armies, making bold plans with an army in disarray, retreating forces, and phantom forces that only existed as counters on his map.

It's just a matter of time before reality may dawn on this looser.

[darkness0within]

I'm going to move on to another subject.

It's one that is going to be like marmite... Harry and Megan.

Now I don't know how the general public in the US feel about them, and whatever it is will not be an issue with me. I can only give you my general feelings on how I see this.

My first thought on this is that I'm fed up to the back teeth of the pair continually whining on who did what to whom. And with all this whining what does it actually gain? Apart from a hefty sum of money in their bank account curtesy of Netflix. It certainly won't bring Harry's brother and father back that's for sure. If Harry was in any way serious about building bridges, he would not do what he and Megan are doing right now. The sad fact is that the pair of them will continue to make claims of this or that until the day they have nothing left to say, or the public get fed up eventually with their whining and the Netflix money cow dries up. 

If they did not like the constraints that was part of royal life, that's fine. Live an independent life. But don't expect the taxpayer to bank roll you. 


More on this later... 

[darkness0within]

Well, more snippets of this forthcoming book from Harry are out there.

The overall feeling that I get from those snippets is of someone who is desperate to fill their bank account.

No doubt he has deep seated issues that need to be addressed. But airing your dirty laundry to everyone will not bring either Harry or Megan peace. Quite the opposite. For people who want to have a quiet peaceful life they do seem to be going in the wrong direction to achieve it. But of course, you need money to live the lifestyle you've become accustomed to. So, selling your family out for a few silver coins for them seem ok.

Personally, I think Harry should have all his remaining titles removed. Megan could go back to her 'Successful' Acting career. And Harry could do the lecture tours and write books about how poorly he's been treated by the Royal family and the media. Acting is defiantly not his forte. But as long as they both can have the publicity they crave, and a bulging bank account, they will get by.

The other thing that strikes me is there is a similarity between them and Edward VII and Wallis Simpson. I cannot put my finger on as to why exactly, but I've thought that ever since they moved to the USA.


 

[darkness0within]

And it goes on...

I really get the feeling this book is some kind of purging exercise that some do.

Most would just leave it there and not rush to publish. But of course, some are foolish enough to try and publish. Most fall by the wayside because they are just normal people and of no interest to the publisher. However, a disgruntled prince with an axe to grind, and money to find is a dream for a publisher. The book has now had lots of plugs and will no doubt do well in sales, however, there will be a price to pay for Harry. Burning bridges seems to come naturally to him, some of which will never be rebuilt.

He has upset the military here on a grand scale. you just don't do what he has done, and he really should have known better in his position. But of course, he's a prince, and thinks he can do or say anything he likes without consequences... There may be consequences for him, and the royal family due to his total lack of judgment. 

Everyone who is interested in what he has to say will lap it all up while it keeps coming. But there will be a day when the pair of them will run out of things to say and have to bow out of the limelight into obscurity, leaving destruction behind them, and their reputations tarnished beyond repair. Sad really, but you do reap what you sow.

[darkness0within]

It's gone quite quiet...

The fall out from the Harry book seems to be gaining pace.

I'm sure that Harry and Megan's celebrity friends are beginning to understand the cost of their friendship with them, for if Harry and Megan could be so scathing of his own family and dish out so many private things about them,(that is of course what is being written is true?) what would they do to their 'friends' for 20 pieces of silver?

There are rumours that the couple have been secretly recording conversations they've had with the Royal family, and possibly others too, though this is not confirmed, if it does turn out to be true this would be a new low in the depths they have gone to acquire money... We will see.

The fact that Harry wants the Royal family to apologise to him and Megan is laughable. Go back 300 years he would be now languishing in the Tower of London for his traitorous remarks to the future King and his family. He has shown scant respect to Charles and his own brother and family. What the hell was he thinking? And what does that say about his, and Megan's relationship with their friends?

They used Oprah, and others to spread their poison. Calling the Royal family Racist, then after two years saying they're not beggars belief. I bet Oprah feels foolish now. there is a lesson learnt I think.

Clearly Harry has serious issues which I noted previously... Strait jacket and padded room standing by... 

But that will not bring back what he and Megan have achieved in the most negative way. 

[darkness0within]

How many of you feel we are sleep walking into a global calamity?

So much going on in the world in the past few weeks and months, natural and unnatural.

What with a major war in Europe, Climate changes and extreme whether in many parts of the world. And recently a major earthquake in Turkey / Syria, many places in the world are really up against it.

Our capacity to help is being stretched to its limits with the cost of living crisis in many countries. This, I'm sure most of you who read this will know all too well. But if this carries on we run the real threat of destroying society as we know it. Already there are signs that what social coherence we have now is beginning to break down. Society as I have mentioned in the past is a thin veneer, and you wouldn't want to see this removed.

More on this later... 

[anirbas]

Raises hand, "I do. I do."

I want to keep believing what I have always believed, in the power of humankind to right itself. That anything a human puts their mind to, they can make happen. But, yes,
I feel we have and are skating dangerously close to something, I don't want my adult children, nor my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to deal with in their time.

[darkness0within]

There is always hope Anibas.

The Earth will recover from whatever we do to it, (Except blowing it up into little pieces) but that does not mean we, or our long suffering companions who live here with us will survive. we are a resourceful species, but in the main we seem to have a death wish, Society as it is now is disjointed, and the sad fact is we need to evolve further to truly begin to understand that we must become guardians of our world, and not looters of it for profit. some People of the past had more ideas on how to sustain their world than most do today.


We are too successful, overpopulating our world to the extent that there is not enough to go around. And that is one of the factors on what is happening right now.

[darkness0within]

well... its been a while since I've been here. I've been a little busy of late.

Advertising... The curse of humanity.

I laugh at some adverts I see on TV in the UK. We seem to have imported the US style in advertising.

People, apparently the general public endorsing this or that. So they don't get paid to advertise then? Do they?

Lawyers (apparently) fighting on your behalf to deal with your diesel claim. That's a class action they're peddling BTW. And they take a commission for this service.

Medical claims are also advertised. No win, no fee. This may or may not be OK. 

Endless sales of this or that. Hurry now. Limited period before the sale ends, Before another starts.

We are bombarded with adverts that in the main are pointless. Unless you really want that item you thought you didn't need, and actually don't need, but you bought anyway.

That's the power of advertising... it leaves me stone cold

[anirbas]

Darkness,

Wherefore art thou???