Am I the only one gratefully anticipating this 'great and yeasty time'?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

I've only been frequenting this forum for about a month. Its great. I'm not a techie so it gives me a plethora of varied opinions on a tremenously facinating forthcoming event that I'm awaiting with anxious anticipation.

What has surprised me is the pessimistic fatalism that permeates most of these posts. Predomiantly its doomers wanting to stockup, hunkerdown and/or head for the hills...suicide stategies....fragmenting families... anticipated societial chaos.

There's also an undercurrent of antiestablishmentism. Why all the negativity and the derogatory remarks against business, our country and guys like Soros, Gates and Buffet? I think these guys are great, predominately philanthropic, leaders who have made huge contributions to the greatest society the world has ever known. They definately get my respect and admiration. And if you're negative on the US, you need to do some world traveling (but not at the end of this year).

I'm gratefully looking forward to this rollover. To steal Churchill's line- its gonna be our generation's "Great Game". Bring it on! Change creates opportunity. And if you think this system is so shitty, these millenium changes are definately gonna create a dynamic, ferile environment ripe for leadership and deserving of something better than this 'head for the hills or hide in my bunker' mentality.

I've just quit my paycheck. If its a 1 - 6 I'm starting a e-commerce website that'll enable customers to lock into gasoline and diesel economics online. If its a 7, 8 or 9, I'm starting a security company and I intend to become my neighborhood warlord. If its a 10...well... I enjoyed it while it lasted.

I can already read the responses. "But how about all the suffering that might unfold?" First, enlightenment doesn't come from erradicating the negative. It comes from a stoic acceptance of such things in this dycotomous game of life. Also, one must differentiate between suffering over which you have some control and that which you don't. Add your light to the sum of light. Address the little inequities that you can as you come across them. But don't fret the unknown. Bring on the new era and do something positive with it.

-- Downstreamer (downstream@bigfoot.com), October 10, 1999

Answers

Bulldog,

Here's a link to the Humpty Dumpty Y2K forum. Sniff around to your heart's content...

Ed

-- Ed Yourdon (ed@yourdon.com), October 10, 1999.


Downstreamer,

I think what you are suggesting is what Ed Yourdon's Humpty Dumpty Forum is about. There we discuss of things to do and what to change...

Here it is more a collection of Off Topic posts, y2k relevant posts and every else we can think of. BUT you are right this side of the board is more negative then the other.

-- STFrancis (STFrancis@heaven.com), October 10, 1999.


Would you post a link to Ed's Humpty Dumpty Fourm? I have heard about it but have not been able to find it. I am not very good at this puter thing yet. Thanks

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), October 10, 1999.

What is there to be positive about? I don't think saying "We don't know what's going to happen," is a positive note. What's positive is that people here are preparing. People care about their family and loved ones and are preparing for them. People here are helping others with their knowledge and wisdom. People here are keeping others informed on news and information what can or will affect their lives. I see nothing but positives on this forum. I think some may misinterpret some threads as being negative, however, most of the information comes from the "negative" media via newspapers, magazines, and TV. We are all human and have the same type of feelings about the possibilities of hard times ahead. True, we can't change or do anything about the unknown, but we can warn people and encourage them to prepare accordingly. Downstreamer, I live in earthquake country and one may or may not hit. Just like Y2K, the "experts," say the chances of a destructive earthquake hitting is a certainity. Should I prepare for it, your damn right!

-- (bardou@baloney.com), October 10, 1999.

Nice read, Downstreamer, but "yeasty"? Thanks for reminding me to add Monostat to my preps.

-- semper paratus (I_hate@when_that.happens), October 10, 1999.


Downstreamer,

Let me go out on a limb here: You don't have kids, do ya?

Okay, I'll take a stab at another one: I'll bet you could bright-side nuclear war, if the topic came up?

S'okay, check out Paul Milne's thread yesterday about the chemical industry if you're looking for cheery, positive info. It's really quite upbeat.

-- (just@suggest.ion), October 10, 1999.


Downstreamer,

I don't mean to be rude but I wonder if you enjoy watching traffic acidents. Most of the 'down' perspective expressed here is because people feel this will be a 'bad thing' meaning people will die, possibly many people. Is that a good thing in your eyes?

You perspective is one that has not been tried by fire, by death. Come back and tell us how much fun it was to watch you world wither up, people lose everything and all that.

-- ..- (dit@dot.dash), October 10, 1999.


"First, enlightenment doesn't come from erradicating the negative. It comes from a stoic acceptance of such things in this dycotomous game of life."

Well, I'm not so sure that stoicism is what Buddha meant by enlightenment and non-attachment but philosophical fine points aside - please enlighten us with your enlightened stoic acceptance of mass suffering. Spent a lot of time in Bangladesh with Mother Theresa maybe? Perhaps you have volunteered in a rest home or burn ward?

Yes there may be great and wonderful things which come afterwards. However I have no doubt that every last one of us will be changed by the experience. Here's hoping you enjoy it as much as you profess to be looking forward to it.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), October 10, 1999.


Fine, then, just think of Y2K as a big yeast infection. Have a great time.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), October 10, 1999.

Notice the 'yeasty' comment you all are deriding is in quotes. Its a John Naisbitt quote. I like it and I like him as a futurist. Here's the rest of it. I think its applicable here.

"We are living in...the time between eras.

Those who are willing to handle the ambiguity of this in-between period and to anticipate the new era will be a quantum leap ahead of those who hold onto the past. Although the time between eras is uncertain, it is a great and yeasty time, filled with opportunity. If we can learn to make uncertainty our friend, we can achieve much more than in stable eras. In stable eras, everything has a name and everything knows its place, and we can leverage very little. But now...we have extraordinary leverage and influence-individually, professionally, and institutionally -if we can only get a clear conception, a clear vision, of the road ahead..."

I have a 17 year old daughter, I'm comfortable with the concept of death, and I'm only going to fret over nuclear war, Y2k, and human sufffering to the extent that I can directly affect 'em.

-- Downstreamer (downstream@bigfoot.com), October 10, 1999.



Further, stoicism is inherently non-attachment.

-- Downstreamer (downstream@bigfoot.com), October 10, 1999.

Downstreamer:

Thanks for reminding me to buy some non-refrigerated yeast!

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), October 10, 1999.


a great and yeasty time is homemade wine

(hic)

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), October 11, 1999.


Thanks Downstreamer, you sound like a person who likes a challenge. I share your optimism for the most part, a change is good as a rest they say. Besides..... yeast is a good thing isn't it? :)

-- Will (sibola@hotmail.com), October 11, 1999.

Right on Downstreamer! Keep coming back.

-- -- (-@-.-), October 11, 1999.


I like your attitude...

but SOROS is not a "nice" person...

far from it...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), October 11, 1999.


Andy, George Soros has unselfishly and charitably contibuted more to the transition in the former communist bloc than ANY other individual. He personally funds a university in Budapest that pays for the education of thousands of former commie country individuals. I've personally traveled into Ukrainian cities and seen the extensive business libraries and computers he's donated to neglegted, impoverished areas. He's donated hundreds of $millions, if not $billions. I saw on another thread how he's lost $billions on Russia's financial meltdown. He's done this, not because he's a greedy profiteer, but he thinks the west hasn't done enough to finance the former communist transition and he's put his $ where his philosophy and his mouth are.

You are also a financial speculator. How much have you donated to charitable causes?

-- Downstreamer (downstream@bigfoot.com), October 11, 1999.


Soros is a pirate.

He raids currencies.

He raided the Rand.

He raided the British Pound to the tune of billions, and wrote a book boasting of it.

He precipitated the downfall of the Russian Rouble, (after positioning himself very nicely), by writing an open letter to the Washington Post questioning the strength of the Russian economy.

This is your beloved George Soros. This is his speciality. He is a bloodsucker, filth.

He is vermin - scum - he prays on the weak...

He is a Jew - at the age of 14 he was adopted (I believe in Hungary, by a non Jewish family) - this was during WW2, the Nazi occupation, Soros' new "father" was an eviction specialist - and young Soros accompanied him on his daily rounds of stripping Jews of their possessions before they were shipped off to concentration camps.

I saw the interview with him describing this early life of his on the BBC - he showed no remorse at all, nothing, nada, zip. This puts him in the very very small percentile of humans that are true Sociopaths - he actively was involved in the deaths of many innocents.

Downstreamer - you have been taken in by his "foundation" and all it's propaganda. he is returning to the Eastern Block but a pittance of what he has stolen.

He is heavily involved with Mrs. Clinton and their coterie of corrupt cronies - he is a puppet of the Bilderbergers...

And you are a naieve fool.

As for me being a speculator - I am gambling what little I have in an effort to position myself and my family for what I know are going to be seriously bad times in the next few years... do you have a problem with that? My principal advice has been to buy and hold gold. Hardly in Soros' league am I?

So before you embarass yourself again publicly Mr. Annonymous please do your homework. This is just the tip of the iceberg with this sociopath, I can assure you that there is ***PLENTY*** more that I could tell you about the real Soros...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), October 11, 1999.


Let's see, it sounds to me that you are a bit 'slap-happy'. I'm extremely suspicious of anyone who would gleefully anticipate what we're all about to come face to face with. I'll reserve my opinion until I've seen some further posts from you. I'm not sure you have truely considered the potential ramifications of this, Downstreamer.

I can't help but wonder if you're experiencing one of the 'high spots' in the Y2K roller-coaster ride. The trick is to remain 'centered', dips and all.

Naturally, anyone who would anticipate this to be a 3, probably would be excited about playing the success game. Consider investing in "Beanie Babies". I'm convinced the president is manipulating the market. :)

"Be all that you can be.......in the Maaaaarketttttt."

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 11, 1999.


Downstreamer quoted this:Those who are willing to handle the ambiguity of this in-between period and to anticipate the new era will be a quantum leap ahead of those who hold onto the past. Although the time between eras is uncertain, it is a great and yeasty time, filled with opportunity.

Anyone who has ever baked bread or loved someone who baked wonderful bread might understand the reference in the quotation. Without yeast, or some kind of leavening agent bread is pretty darn flat and unappetizing. Yeast is alive. My only thought, Downstreamer, is that you are making an inaccurate over-generalization when you suggest that all the posts are full of fatalism. Some of us, while keeping an ear to the tracks, are dancing the paradigm waltz. Whoa,...what a picture that makes,...ear to the tracks, footsies dancing to the music. Sorry...LOL, a useful albeit bent metaphor.

We are not certain, we are never certain. If we were we could reach some conclusions, and we could, at last, make others take us seriously. Albert Camus

The fundamental cause of trouble in the world today is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubts. Bertrand Russell

As to antiestablishment sentiments,...if you can find me a period in human history where such thought was not a part of the whole, I might sign onto your disparaging words. Poking holes in the fragile skin of the status quo is a time-tested and honorable vocation.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who watches the watchers?)

"A living thing is distinguished from a dead thing by the multiplicity of the changes at any moment taking place in it." - Herbert Spencer

--She in the sheet upon the hilltop doing the paradigm waltz, not to be confused with 'The Freddie',...

-- Donna (moment@pacbell.net), October 11, 1999.


Andy, Chill out. Why all the toxic venom? So Soros is a jew pirate, vermin, scum, bloodsucker, filthy sociopath. And I'm an annonymous naieve fool and an embarassment. Well, you are definately passionate about your opinions, but how about toning down the unecessary namecalling? Just a few posts ago, you liked my attitude.

I've read about as much by and on Soros as anyone but I'll concede its mostly mainstream media stuff. I've also talked to his Open Society and Foundation people throughout the former commie bloc - he's set up philinthropic programs in over 30 countries at a cost of far more than 'a pittance'. Can you name a single individual that's donated even a quarter of what he's done in the former commie bloc? I know you can't. He's recently donated $ hundreds of millions into Bosnia, he's actively employed impoverished Russian scientists, while the rest of us just jawbone the nuclear prolif. issues. Hes financed dozens of high dollar "Open Society" projects (that took huge hits on the Ruble deval) knowing they aren't financially viable but philanthropically committed to them none the less.

You know, its kinda like Gates. If you're successful, there's plenty of small thinking individuals that'll jealously bag on ya when you hit the grand slam. And this Internet perpetuates the dissemination of unsubstantiated B.S. instead of facts. Soros started out selling jewelry and handbags on the street and our 'Open Society' allowed him to become a successful billionare. I think its great and I just wish all successful businessmen were so charitable.

There's no better example of this Internet BS getting spread than your contention that Soros precipitated the Ruble crisis. He, his Foundations, his business ventures, his funds (and I can back this up with substantiated FACTS here) took a huge financial hit on that deal and its ludicrious and illogical to contend otherwise. Soros is a prolific writer. I can cite dozens of equally pesimistic articles that he's written on the CIS over the last few years. The Ruble tanked because the Russian system is corrupt and inefficient. He didn't contribute to this. Just the opposite. He's very actively fought corruption but shutting down his Russian, and any other foundation, several times if it shows any signs of corrupt payoffs.

So you think gold is gonna escalate and you take a position. Soros is evil because he takes bigger and more successful short currency positions? Soros also started small but he beat the astronomical odds of financial speculation and suceeded in a big way. I have no problems with how he played the Pound or the Rand. For every Soros that succeeded there's 100 others that have been hammered. Thats our capitalist game. If you don't like it, move to Cuba. You and I are both financial speculators. Its not a dirty term in my book. But I think we've determined that Soros donates a good deal of his gains to charitable causes and, based on the lack of a response to my question to you, I'm betting Andy doesn't.

You mentioned Hillary. I don't know what the Soros connection is but I've said for a long time her $100,000 cattle futures trading was a blatant payoff. I'm sure its just the tip of the iceberg. In terms of Bilderberger- thats what I like about this forum - you've got me researching and learning something. I guess I'm just more skeptical than you are about much of this Internet dribble.

Robert Anderson 4317 Oak Kansas City MO 64111

-- Downstreamer (downstream@bigfoot.com), October 11, 1999.


I see a profound difference between the absence of desire or suffering and indifference to same. A stoic says "I feel pain but I don't care." A Buddhist says "What pain?"

Regardless IMHO what is needed most in the time to come is compassion

Fair Use etc....

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

Main Entry: 1sto7ic

Pronunciation: 'stO-ik

Function: noun

"Etymology: Middle English, from Latin stoicus, from Greek stOokos, literally, of the portico, from Stoa (PoikilE) the Painted Portico, portico at Athens where Zeno taught Date: 14th century

1 capitalized : a member of a school of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium about 300 B.C. holding that the wise man should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submissive to natural law

2 : one apparently or professedly indifferent to pleasure or pain"

Main Entry: en7light7en7ment

Pronunciation: in-'lI-t&n-m&nt, en-

Function: noun

Date: 1669

1 : the act or means of enlightening : the state of being enlightened

2 capitalized : a philosophic movement of the 18th century marked by a rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism -- used with the

3 Buddhism : a final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering

Main Entry: com7pas7sion

Pronunciation: k&m-'pa-sh&n

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French, from Late Latin compassion-, compassio, from compati to sympathize, from Latin com- + pati to bear, suffer -- more at PATIENT Date: 14th century

: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it

synonym see PITY

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), October 11, 1999.


DS

You cool it pal. You don't know me and don't know what I've done for people and/or charity - this is not the time or place.

You don't know me - you obviously don't know Soros. You have your opinions. You are new to this forum. I have given you the benefit of the doubt. But you still show your naievety regarding Soros and his agenda.

Try and catch the 1 hour special on him on PBS. It should be an eye opener for you.

Do a little digging my myopic friend.

You won't find much on the 'net' -why? Money.

Think about it.

You have a long way to go and not much time...

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), October 11, 1999.


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