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

I'd record my feelings but I don't know, don't comprehend, don't - can't - understand. I try to wrap my head around it, those buildings - really gone - those people - good lord... When I was scared for my father who works in lower Manhattan, I was shaking, I couldn't think straight at all... now I listen to the news, over and over, the plans hitting, the buildings falling, and remind myself that it's not Independence Day, it's realy life and ten thousand poeple in New York, maybe many thousand more, are dead and gone and....

I hope your dad is alright

metoo

yeah he's fine, he's home now - managed to get out of manhattan and come home. and I'm so, so thankful. but as much as my little world is not directly impacted, I feel so much for those who are affected by this forever...

Hey there; live in New York do you? That's rough; glad you made it out. I'm probably going to head over to John the Gardener's for a dandelion break before World War III starts. I just wanted to say that even though I've long been a proponent of destroying America, I'm not really that thrilled now that it's begun. Mostly I'm tired of these people who sit and spew hate at each other and wave flags and chant slogans, dressing up 'us' and 'them' as 'good' and 'evil' or 'right' and 'wrong'. They're everywhere. I just came by to say that because I thought you might understand me.

I had a very pragmatic response to the disaster... I've hardly taken time to consider the human face of this tragedy. I think it's because I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. I promise you this, America (texas) is going to kill ten arabs for every American that died two days ago. I think when that's done I'll allow myself to really feel what's happened.

On this hollow earth
in this empty space
We all dance to the tune
played by the master race

Those faceless money men
Yeah, you're probably one of them
Hear that endless musak tune
that plays on and on

And when the bullshit happy choir
Greets another grim day
While the angels swim to our aid
here comes another cliche

While we hide from our barren end
The advertisers pretend
That the world's as they say...
Here comes another cliche.

-Snog

Peace out.

I actually live in Philadelphia, my father's got a big commute.

I have to agree with you here, everywhere I turn people have decided that we should do unto them as they did unto us. In fact the CIA has announced it will be working with some unsavory folk and methods to get Bin Laden. Jesus f***ing christ, that's what we were doing with Bin Laden 15, 20, years ago only then he was on our payroll against the Soviets. The self-perpetuating hypocrisy astounds me. I find myself praying everybody's just really stupid, because if they realize what they're doing than they're more bloody evil than I care to ponder.

Except for the praying part. I can't wait to think how much more death there has to be in the name of whichever god you pick. Allah, Jesus, ain't no difference if all you're doing is making excuses for murder. Bombing Afghanistan doesn't, in my opinion, make them any less dead. And preventing further terrorism? Cut me a break.

Why can't we, for just once, try fighting fire with water and see where it takes us?

I'm glad that your dad is ok

I don't know but I was thinking that if the going got rough... that maybe I should join the army

Someone has ta fight the war to protect the good ol' USA

No kidding... if anyone was actually serious about stopping terrorism, they'd start by bombing Langley, Virginia. The CIA is obviously far better at making enemies than they are at keeping the government informed of threats against the state.

As I said elsewhere, realpolitik tends to be a two-edged sword when wielded as a foreign policy instrument; and, as the old saying goes, those who live by the sword, tend to die by it.

As a member of a NATO country, I have the privilege of contributing tax dollars to pay for bombs that get used to murder women and children... and men, too for that matter. I sit by in apathy and watch the idiots and liars we call politicians vye for a place in the sportlight. I don't vote. I don't participate. And perhaps that apathy amounts to an acquiescence with what goes on in the world. I don't know at this point. Perhaps my apathy makes me as reprehensible as any nationalistic fundamentalist screaming in monkey terror for their military to bomb Afghanistan back to the dirt age.

I don't accept the notions of morality or ideology as terribly useful. Seems we could use more empathy and compassion though. I wonder if the next step in the development of ethics is to spread the idea far and wide that each and every one of us is directly, personally responsible for the safety and security and well-being of every member of the human race. When a bomb falls in Afghanistan, it's my fault. When a child drops dead in a Nike factory, it's my fault. When the world goes to war, it's my war. Seems to me, anyways, that it would be a natural and powerful offshoot of the 'Thou art God' take on religion.

And maybe, for once, a 'religion' that caused less suffering than it helped to heal.

way to mix metaphors there, TG. I think not voting is definitely the wrong answer, and that apathy - less painful though I so well know it to be - is a luxury that most of the world can't afford; thus to be any better than either the terrorists or the politicians we have to do something. Who the hell knows what, or how? I don't know, but I feel like this attack was just another reminder that we can't ignore things either, as they get closer to home.

Maybe it's time we kicked down the walls, hung all the lying b*****ds by their own entrails, and started talking about what the phrase New World Order really portends.

You should drop by the FFFF forum thread, we've been having a good convo there. Yeah, also, if it's not too forward of me, I wanted to pester you again for an email contact... the ptb here keep moderating me, and I don't think I have too much H2G2 time left in me at the rate I'm going... but I'd hate to lose touch with you and the 3 or 4 other people worth talking to on this system. I promise not to sign you up for any porn sites or anything... at least, not intentionally.

lol... catch me at [email protected]

"some say the world will end in ice
some say in fire
frmo what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire"
Robert Frost, one of my favorites.

S**t, that's gonna go, like the expletive at the beginning of this sentence.

ruthonfire at hotmail dot com.

That's my all time favourite as well, actually... little fuzzy on remembering how it goes now though. Hrm.

But if I had to see it twice,
I know that ice
Is cold and strong
And would suffice...

something like that.

That one and Ozymandias always get me. But yeah... I've always described myself elsewhere as one of those people who holds with those who favour fire. Gets some interesting looks.

Really? pretty neat. I think you got the second stanza right.

Really? pretty neat. I think you got the second stanza right. I'm off to plagiarize that on my page if you don't mind.

Ah, sweet double posting.