h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey Two Bit I agree

better to have a nice discussion than lob pllanes and bombs at each other!
Now this thread started badly. With a lot of fair question but conclusions without proof. Fact is we can all speculate and tender arguments but we dont know. We can blame this group or that but we actually dont know. Will we ever know? I am highly doubtful that even if the truth came forth today, many would be interested. The media has literally washed us with information most of which has been far from factual. They have led us to believe who the culprits may be and many of us have made up their minds.

As some fair commentators would say, the jury is not yet in. And there is so much info floating around, I have take the safe attitude of perusing through them and discarding obvious lies while rtaining for future analysis those that deserve it. Our preferences for retention will differ by a wide margin. And in that spirit of diversity, we should not throw mud at each other. The nameless rersearcher should not point at Israel without proof, neither should the rest of us point at anyone (including OBL) without proof. Make no mistake, I want the criminals to be caught and punished. Most are already getting that from the Almighty as they persihed too. But lets get the right culprits so that we dont have a repeat.

There are very clever masterminds behind this tragedy, no doubt. The FBI and media have not helped much by playing on our emotions and offering wrong information at a time like this. Down to the Secret Service lying about Airforce One being a target and retracting that claim later. When you start lying, there is no limit. You dont know when to stop.

And as consumers, we should always question, but rationally and tender coonstructive criticism. Now lets dig in on the thread, personally I will study this first posting and respond appropriately tomorrow. It looks like an email that has been bouncing off the net of late. As a muslim its my responsibility NOT to spread rumour and inuendo. I will speak the truth as I know it, and ONLY the truth. No fowl language ladies and gentlemen (you too Zev)

I pinched this from a "Fairly Strange" fellow up yonder.........

"Statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception."
Mark Twain(Samuel Clemens)- "Chronicle of Young Satan"

JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I just wanted to add my admiration to Fairly Strange and Ahmed for pulling that quotation out of the hat. This is the way I sit on the fence, but I never had a reference to back me up, before. Well done to Mark Twain, and thanks for the polarised reading glasses!

x x Fenny (Hoping for Zero Intolerance through unbiased understanding)

Ahmed, this is the best you've said since I've been following this thread. Good call on the bad language!

Ahmed,

There was no offence intended on my part whatsoever. In the spirit of h2g2 I would have thought you of all people would understand an attempt at light hearted reference to Slartibartfast's blueprint about Norway when he was designing the Earth. You know the bit "lovely crinkly edges". It was a pun - nothing more.

However, as for being "here" and not "there" I have relatives in Israel, Jordan, and Iran. My concern for peace (and factually reported truth) includes all their welfare equally. As well as for the rest of humanity.

Come come researcher 185436 (can u get a name pliz?)

Are you saying "WELL DONE" or are you "implying" I have been speaking crap? :D All in a lighthearted way you know. It was getting a bit HOT in here!

So I havent seen any serious refutations (is there a word like that?) yet! I am almost through with my research. I will tear that first posting apart and restructure it a bit. To look more human! Then we can all have some , on me!

Hey Zev

"Apology" accepted. And you know, we say things an dont realise they are offensive right? Shows you how diverse the h2g2 culture really is. I wasnt pricked, just a little bumped thats all.
Didnt realise you knew about that "blank" thing. So we ARE "famous" afterall!

I'm just watching, offering support to those who need it, scared by what I will read.

Trying to remember that everyone's my relative, because far enough back, we're all related. Hurting for family in all those countries (blood relatives or general human relatives) and terrified of what we'll do for ourselves.

Zev knows my opinion on categorising into religions. I think it's sometimes provocative and dangerous to specify affiliations. So I'm a member of the Human Family.

x x Fenny (going off on one in a search for Zero Intolerance)

Ahmed, I was replying to your posting (epistle?) 21 and the answer is both. Some of the venom used in this thread was going beyond amusement - including yours. It would appear your posting 21 kind of cleared the air so to speak and that I thought was well done.

By the way, it's ShoutTTL

Ah! At last we know-ShoutTTL!!
I humbly accept that half compliment Sir(??).
Yes, you will not be hearing venom from me tonight. Am still muling over that first posting. I have changed my thoughts twice now, but I will get there.
So what do u think of it Shout? Really think when you look at it? My gut feeling tells me there is a lot of anger in whoever wrote it. Plenty of inferences with too many unknowns. In statistics we say "not significant", as in unproven. But some questions still linger.... so what do u think? Am trying to build a picture here.

Ahmed, my assessment is when it comes to conspiracies, no one is that smart. If you think about the proposition that this was all done by Isreal, think how all the assumptions would have to line up from logistics of the act to the calculated response that would come out. Too many chances along the way for it to backfire or not work at all. It's my contention the writer took an anti-semetic view and crafted the theory around that feeling. I would also say a forum like this allows individuals who wouldn't ordinarily share these hate filled views, annonimously "let her rip" so to speak.

In any eveny, it's my contention that a hate for my country (it's out, I'm an American!) and all things western, fostered by radical Islamic idealogues who recall a better time and centuries of declining presence on the world stage, gave rise to a movement that ultimately translated misguided fear and loathing into a terrorist act.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Thoughts?

Just off thread for a minute here folks.

To totally clarify the pun I made in Post 4.

When Douglas Adams relinquished his script writing job on Dr Who his successor ran a script by DNA for approval. DNA's response was

"Chris, its not silly enough".

The phrase "Its not silly enough" has become a catchcry for some diehard Hitchhiker fans.

OK - Back to the debate.

Just off thread for a minute here folks.

To totally clarify the pun I made in Post 4.

When Douglas Adams relinquished his script writing job on Dr Who his successor ran a script by DNA for approval. DNA's response was

"Chris, its not silly enough".

The phrase "Its not silly enough" has become a catchcry for some diehard Hitchhiker fans.

OK - Back to the debate.

Drat! *self adminsters a Zen applause*