Intelligence
Stay TunedNEW YORK—According to an alarming new study published Monday in The Journal Of Applied Behavioral Science, the time-honored American activity of swaggering, an extremely arrogant manner of walking, has dropped by nearly 90 percent since 2007.
The severe economic turmoil of recent weeks and the United States’ diminished credibility and moral standing on the world stage are just two of the major factors named in the study as contributing to the precipitous decline in self-important locomotion.
“Our research indicates that American swaggering has dropped to levels drastically lower even than those reached during the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s,” said Dr. Lionel Macleod, a New York University behavioral psychology professor and lead author of the report. “Sadly, a brash, wide-legged gait accompanied by an overconfident smile and one jauntily raised eyebrow may soon be a thing of the past.”
The study, which observed random cross sections of ambulatory subjects in three major metropolitan centers, including New York, Chicago, and Houston, found several worrisome deficiencies in once-cocksure American walking.
“The average stride has decreased from 2.5 feet in length to mere 11-inch shuffling steps, and the angle of a walker’s torso in relation to his waist has gone from a confident 28-degree backward lean to a pitiful 67-degree bent-over slouch,” Macleod said. “Perhaps most distressing is the near-total absence of Americans making imaginary guns with their fingers and ’shooting’ at passersby while winking.”
Macleod said that his research team witnessed several other behaviors directly related to the decline in swaggering. Most notably, moping is up 67 percent, and is often accompanied by head-hanging and the jamming of one’s hands deep into one’s pockets. In addition, the practice of sheepishly kicking a tin can down the street was exhibited by 22 percent of those monitored.
Macleod theorized that slinking is likely on the rise as well, but was careful to point out that those walking in this manner are adept at passing by unnoticed and are thus extremely difficult to observe.
Dr. Thomas Ewell, an expert on boastful walking styles throughout American history, said he is not surprised by the overall decline in public swaggering. According to Ewell, pompous walks have always been adversely affected during times of national turmoil.
“It’s cyclical—different modes of presumptuous sauntering come and go,” Ewell said. “For example, popular 1920s walks, which included cavalier watch-chain-twirling, the hooking of one’s thumbs into one’s suspenders, bowler hats cocked to ridiculous angles, and exuberant heel-clicking—both single and double—were more or less eradicated by the Great Depression.”
“Even the strut, perhaps the cockiest walk that ever existed, was all but wiped out by the Vietnam War and the energy crises of ‘73 and ‘79,” Ewell continued. “This exceedingly self-assured ambulatory method, once dominant across America, is now almost exclusively performed in a facetious, exaggerated manner designed to make one’s friends laugh.”
Ewell added that he remains certain that the country will “once again find its way in terms of smug, over-important walking” when it inevitably returns to reckless consumer spending and invading weaker nations.
Still, of the small percentage of Americans who continue to make regular use of haughty walks, many are pessimistic about the future of the nation’s brazen locomotion styles.
“I’m swaggering harder than ever just to keep up appearances, but I think people can tell that my heart isn’t really in it anymore,” said Staten Island, NY resident Vincent Reda, his insolent smirk betrayed by a certain sadness in his eyes. “With the country in the shape that it’s in, I just don’t know how much longer folks like me will be able to hit the streets and really shove it in people’s faces with arrogant walking.”
“It’s scary to think about where this country is headed,” Reda added. “Being huge, conceited jerks is all we know.”
Piaroh-Cze:
Retraining for the times has be a mutli-dimensional approach.
The eatery’s business was running along fairly well. In fact, it was paying for itself. The worries of cover losses eating into our more illicit profits in the basement were turning out to be quite a fuss over nothing.
The phone rang off its hook. I let it ring a couple more times. “Farea Cuisine.”
The voice at the other end rang a vague bell, but it demanded my attention in a way that took my mind off identifying it. “I lunched at your diner at lunch today.”
“Our pleasure.”
“Not mine, I’m afraid. Could I speak to the manager?”
“Speaking.”
A slight pause. Possibly considering what was a manager doing picking up calls personally. I was about to shift tack to plying my memory again when the voice demanded my attention once again. “I would like to lodge a complaint. I ordered lemon tea, not coke. The beverage was correctly served, but incorrectly entered into my receipt. I just checked.”
I waited for her point. I wasn’t disappointed. “I’ve been overcharged as a result. By 70 cents.”
Or maybe I was.
“I’m very sorry lady. Are you a regular of ours? Perhaps we could make it up to you another day?”
“No I’m not a regular.”
I said nothing. Neither did she. Then apparently we both figured out at the same time we each thought the ball to be in the other court. It was quite obvious from the way we tried to speak at once.
“Lady, would like to collect your difference some day?”
“Do you expect me to travel there just for 70 cents?”
“Well lady, how about you give me your bank account number and I’ll arrange for a transfer.”
“Do you routinely ask for your customers’ bank account numbers?”
“Then how about I write you a cheque?”
“Too much of a bother for me.”
By then, not only was I much intrigued by the voice, but the personality behind it as well.
“Perhaps I could meet you at a place of your choosing then.”
“Finally, a solution I can agree to. Ask for the CFO at the Falcon Building. I assume you know where that is.” Click.
The Falcon Building. How intriguing.
******
The receptionist was a pretty young thing. I rapped my knuckles on the counter. “Please patch a call through to your CFO to say that the manager from Farea is here to repay a debt.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but your CFO knows about this. Kindly patch the call, I’m in a hurry.”
I watched her delicate fingers handle the telephone. There wasn’t much else to look at in the lobby. It was quite empty.
“The CFO is held up in a board meeting. Her secretary instructs that you may hand the sum to me.”
“Oh no, that wouldn’t do. Your CFO was extremely particular indeed about mode of payment. I in turn must now insist on metting her face-to-face to ensure that the debt is repaid.”
“The CFO has instructed that-”
“Kinldy patch another call to your CFO, and inform her that I have come quite a way to make up these 70 cents to her. If she has any respect in her at all she will understand that it is only right I insist I meet her.”
The receptionist appeared to had gone mute. I decided she looked prettier that way. Not that it aided in my predicament.
That was when I realized she had been looking past me for the past minute or so. Spinning round, I found myself facing a slip of a girl, with a smooth almond face, aquine features and generally capable and graceful feel.
“Good evening, ma’am CFO.”
“A bit young to be addressed as ma’am, aren’t you?” I slapped down the coins on the counter and left cheerfully. I could feel the eyes on my back all the way out.
******
The taxi drove into the carpark and made a round. Packed as usual. It then slowed to a stop. No one would had thought that unusual; just another car waiting for a space. No one would had spotted me discreetly entering it either. Nor would anyone had given it another thought when the cab left the carpark.
“Nice to see you again Azyl.”
We’ve not met since college. She’d hardly changed. I on the other hand certainly had.
“You knew me right from the beginning.”
“Sharp as ever.”
“Why didn’t you sound off?”
“I knew you’d figure it out eventually.”
Her fine eyebrows arched in a manner at once delightful and threatening. “Your appearance certainly has changed remarkably. The air however, still feels the same.”
I couldn’t surpass a chuckle. “How does it feel?”
“Like cologne smelt through the skin.”
I chuckled further. Yes, she was sharp as ever.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t arranged to meet you out even after I recognized you?”
“Oh, I would have bought heavily in Falcon stock, turned up at the next shareholders’ meeting, marched right up on stage and hail you by name.”
“You would have.”
“Yes I would.”
“And I would slap you across the face.”
“Yes you would.”
We rode around in a little while more. then she spoke again. “Well, it’s been nice catching up. Let’s stay in contact.”
I signalled the driver to pull over outside a theatre. Her theatre, actually. The cab jolted off into gear after she alighted. I grunted uncomfortably. “Women drivers.”
Wing shot me a look of annoyance in the rearview mirror. Then her expression grew serious again. “What was all that about?”
“Business. Now what say you we go for something to eat?”
Piaroh-Cze:
It is no coincidence that the soaring eagles can spot the tiniest rodent.
In 1842, after a failed effort at occupying Afghanistan to keep the Russian Empire at bay, the British Army withdrew from Kabul under the heat of a native insurrection.
4,500 of His Majesty’s finest, escorting 12,000 civilians, fled Kabul, seeking the mountainous border with modern-day Pakistan, hoping for safe refuge in British India.
One man made it. Dr. William Brydon, an Army surgeon, was the sole survivor, flogging his struggling pony across the foothills of the Waziristan mountains with musket balls at his heels.
It was not till 1920, when British diplomacy returned to Afghanistan and two old white women were presented, did it become clear that two infants had been spared and brought up by local nobility. For eighty years before the Raj had bugles sounded and drums beaten to guide those lost in the mountains. Finally they fell silent, leaving eighty years’ worth of echoes hence.
It is said they left Dr. Brydon alive to tell us the story. This is that story.
Producer: Peter Jackson
Director: Michael Bay
Starring:
Hugh Jackman, Orlando Bloom, Jack Davenport and Johnny Depp as British Army Officers
Pierce Brosnan and Nicholas Cage as Company Commanders
Sean Connery as Regimental Commander
Ewan McGregor as Dr. Brydon
Maggie Smith as the Regimental Commander’s Wife
Keira Knightley as the Regimental Commander’s Daughter
Evanna Lynch, Emma Watson, Tom Felton and Rupert Grint as Civilian Teenagers
******
Just a dream, but a nice one. If only I have someone to pitch this idea to. How brilliant would that be, with Afghanistan shaping up to be Obama’s war as it is.
Piaroh-Cze:
Dreams are the stuff movies are made of.
It occurs to me today to debunk something.
So I cast my line out to see what I catch.
Viola. Not bad. I see a couple arguing in their car. How sad.
How intriguing.
You know how it’s generally accepted that men are the more thinking type and women are more feely?
That women are so much more in touch with their emotions than men, and that men are far too grounded in logic and rationality for their own inner balance and they really should learn to be more in touch with themselves?
Much of it, feminist propaganda. Rest of it backed by evidence. We tend to swallow it all anyway.
Let’s take a typical scenario. Couple driving down the highway to the wife’s cousin’s wedding. Husband at the wheel, he takes a wrong turn. Gets lost.
Cue fight begins.
Starts with her. That he should had stopped to ask for directions, that he doesn’t know what he’s doing, and he really ought to be wiser than this.
Or if you insist on being all feminist with me, we can let the husband start with some under-his-breath muttering and grumbling. Some would push further of course, at which point I lose my patience and commence lynching people.
That doesn’t really matter to our scenario here.
Anyway, husband now adopts a sarcastic tone in response to her accusatory one, saying that oh if someone hadn’t found it necessary to take so damn long chitchatting away at the last rest stop they’d be there by now.
She accuses him of accusing her. (Ironic, ain’t it?)
He says she’s jumping to conclusions, gets defensive.
She gets offensive because he’s defensive and hey, someone has to fill the role, right?
He gets fed up, tells her that she doesn’t understand, and she really shouldn’t be aggravating him right now. Probably does so rather rudely.
She doesn’t stop. Maybe brings up some ancient history or wild speculation. If he used the rude tone cue the shrieking.
He snaps at her to shut up.
She shrieks more.
He slams the brakes and raises his voice.
She sulks for the rest of the journey.
If you have any objections to how that turns out better raise them now.
I thought not.
Now, I find the process fascinating.
She gets agitated because he wasn’t thinking about their trip.
(She is agitated about the lack of thinking and the object.)
He gets agitated because she wasn’t feeling for him.
(He is agitated because of the lack of feeling and the subject.)
Wait a minute now……
Didn’t we say that men are more thinky and women are more feely? Why am I now then observing a reversal of roles? Not even a particular one ither, but extremely common and even universal in its application.
OK, so based on the above example (or counterexample, depending on how airy you wish to get on this) men are more inclined towards feeling, or at least it matter more to them, and women are more concerned with thinking.
Please don’t raise EQ as a yardstick to beat me with. If we can reject IQ as a useful measure, so can we do the same for EQ. In fact, epistemology would demand it, since they operate on similar statistical principles. The invalidity of one implies the invalidity of the other.
Of course, I cannot hope to debunk accepted theory (or myth, as it may turn out) with a single example. But it does provoke thought, and it would both careless and irresponsible of our social scientists if they fail to address it.
It wouldn’t feel right.
Ab alternative expectation would simply be that men have come to expect feminity and the associated feeliness from women, just as women have come to expect masculinity and the associated thinkiness in men.
So is this interdependency biological or, as feminists will gladly claim (with or without proof in any matter), cultural in nature? Is it necessary, or is it an appendage of humanity like our defunct tail bone?
For the first question I’m inclined towards the former option. It is less plausible to contend that varying cultures spontaneously adopted similar social partnerships and interdependencies independent of each other.
(Besides, feminists don’t have a very good track record of getting things right. You’d be better off betting against them most of the time.)
On the second question, I’m afraid I can’t answer. Is it necessary? It’d be good if it were, and useful as well for couples to better understand the hidden workings of their relationships. Not to mention so very interesting to study.
What if it isn’t? Indeed, I cannot even perceive of such a case, but that is hardly reason to reject it.
Maybe we ought to observe homosexuals. Do they gravitate towards such relationships? If they do, then we must conclude that it is a necessary and functional part of any healthy relationship. If it doesn’t, the question might arguably stay open but the case against would be so much stronger.
Guess I didn’t really debunk anything after all. Can’t deny though, it’s quite an exercise to engage in. I can’t get bored of it.
Piaroh-Cze:
Women are never stronger than when they are armed with their weaknesses.
A term we often would hear pandered about unjustly would be that of ‘Asian values’. Just what are these values, what place have they in a Westernized society? The vast majority of theories purporting to be the answer we can intuitively know are superficial or plain patronizing.
In our island-nation, we often find ourselves targets for self-reproach, especially regarding issues of courtesy, civic responsibility, even hospitality. We find again and again ourselves to be inferior to other societies in such respect.
Perhaps we might put that down to a difference in values?
It is easy to realize that many Singaporeans drop the word ‘please’ when asking for favours. Relentless campaigns attempt to drum it into us that such little courtesies are important, but we fail to even point it out when our friends commit these errors about us.
Why?
Each of us are intuitively aware that if we were to press for such niceties, we leave ourselves looking at once petty and pretentious in the eyes of our peers. In other words, in correcting others, we made ourselves into the jackass and the nazi.
In other words, we know within each of us that such niceties are not necessities. It is not my task today to discuss the epistemological origins of such values, but rather to talk about the consequences they incur.
Why do we shun the niceties? Because we feel shame if we are to point the lack thereof out in public? Why? Because we do not wish to appear petty and pretentious? Why would we appear so?
I would assert that is because we do not view that anyone has an automatic right to such niceties. Put another way, if one should offer such courtesy it is by his grace and not by your right.
So. Grace. Or graciousness if you will, it is the same by me. Does grace do itself make a demand on us? Ought we not always behave graciously as a virtue?
No. Grace is not virtuous, it is not a virtue, it has no claim on us, it has no claim on morality. A loyal and courageous Nazi may be even more dangerous than a cowardly one, but has greater claim for redemption. A gracious Nazi has no such claim.
A certain British bulldog who famously faced down the Nazis put it thus: “When you aim to destroy a man, it costs nothing to be polite about it.” Just as it suggests we should be courteous even to our enemies, it also raises that courtesy does nothing to change anything.
So we see that politeness, grace, courtesy and the like have no hold over us. It is entirely up to our whim and we cannot ask it from others without being pretentious. Just as one might rightly expect compassion, but cannot expect generosity without being selfish and greedy.
Thus we lay bare an ‘Asian value’. It is hardly compatible with the Western concept of politeness and niceties. They sugarcoat themselves in itand make it into a part of everyday life. Singaporeans however, can hardly be bothered so long as each retains a civil tongue.
Do I take this too far? Some may raise that the Japanese are known for having maintained a high degree of formality and civility. How then may I term this an ‘Asian value’ when here is so glaring a counterexample?
Yet suchan argument would reveal a lack of understanding of the Japanese. While it is correct that the onus is placed on each person to maintain social grace, it is also drummed into them to not expect such treatment in return. They are fully aware that it isnot a right they can demand from others, but a privilege and a sign of respect the gift of which depends solely on the whim of the giver.
It would much mistaken to draw the conclusion that social graciousness is thus a waste of effort. I hope that much is obious to the reader. It is however, important if we are to recognize the reasons why our national campaigns have fared so poorly.
The campaigns feature too heavily that it is ‘right’ to be gracious and polite, something which we intuitively reject as superficial and patronizing. It is not ‘right’, it is merely ‘nice’. The distinction must be made.
A different approach must be made. Because it is merely ‘nice’, the best possible approach may well be a realist one. Simple ideas such as how a simple smile or polite greeting can brighten the day can be more effective than concerning ourselves with whether we are doing the right thing.
Piaroh-Cze:
Sad are those who keep their civil tongues only for the purpose of licking.
As Kok so very well intelligently interrupted my night duty with a suggestion that I write on the Iranian foulup of an election, I thought I might as well.
It might seem counterintuitive, but the current situation is likely the worst possible outcome for Barack Obama to make any headway in his diplomacy with that country.
If the opposition had been so fortunate as to succeed in removing Ahmadinejad from office, Obama would have been able to start over with a fresh, maybe even friendly, face.
If Ahmadinejad had secured a convincing victory, Obama would have been able to negotiate with him with confidence and legitimately.
A disputed election result, however, simply leaves Obama with no one to talk to. In the name of democracy, he can’t very well have a good chat with a leader the Iranian people insist they reject, but neither can he not talk to the Iranian president. The catch-22 is maddening.
The current situation leaves the Obama administration quite helpless and flailing. Their chosen route of diplomacy meets one of its greatest adversaries: not having anyone to be diplomatic to. It’s no surprise that they’ve been keeping mum thus far. It just doesn’t make sense to be saying anything.
Kok certainly argued that a reformist, non-confrontational president wouldn’t be effective because the Ayotollah would simply overrule him. That’s quite correct. He’s also correct in the sense that such an arrangement would weaken the Iranian leadership from within. He’s wrong however, that such makes Obama’s task any easier.
Again, without clear leadership, or at least coherent leadership, no dialogue or negotiation can ever get anywhere. Unfortunately for Obama, his chosen path of diplomacy looks to be paying poor dividends.
Will he consider a military strike?
The green button for launching a conventional war is out of the question. Iran is bigger than Iraq and Afghanistan combined; it would be foolish to attempt any campaign without mopping those up first.
The red button is simply unthinkable.
The black button of special operations is unlikely with too much risk.
He does, however, have a blue button.
Where lack of leadership hobbles diplomacy, it does make Iran a juicy target to be hit by some limited strikes. The sort that Israel likes to execute. The lack of a charismatic leader to stir things up will tempt the Israelis greatly. They’ll do it soon too, so they can drive a hard bargain by demanding that Hamas and Hezbollah be permanently cut off. They won’t want to risk an additional chip in the hands of their opponents.
So, contrary as to one might think, while the incumbent will certainly perpetuate tension, him being decisively beaten would actually increase the chances of military action. Him being disputed actually screws diplomacy worse than anything else.
So yes, it is possible for the West to now curtail Iran’s nuclear programme; not by diplomacy but rather through Israel. Either way, there is little hope of negotiating with them over it for the foreseeable future.
Piaroh-Cze:
Better the enemy you know than the one you fail to.
“Thanks due to Allah, we thank Him and we ask for His help and His forgiveness, and we take Allah’s protection against our wrongdoings, he who Allah guides has no misleader, and he who becomes mislead has no guide, and I testify that there is no God but Allah; the only and has no partners, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, and thereafter:
“My Muslim brothers in Pakistan, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and thereafter:”
“My talk with you [now] regarding the current war between the army and the mujahideen in Swat [valley] and the tribes regions, Allah’s messenger, peace and prayer be upon him, said:
‘None of you has faith until he likes for his brother what he likes [also] for himself.’ [Hadeeth in consensus]”
“I like for you what I would like for myself, and the greatest [thing] I would like for myself to be void from hell and enter paradise, as that is the greatest victory. So, I ask Allah to make us from its inhabitants. This is what I like for you, and it is why I need you.”
“Servants of Allah, All of us in this life; in a place of test, plague and strife, so consider Allah’s saying, raised and glorified, [Verse]”
“And, from some of the plague and testing for us in our current time these wars lead by the crusader-Zionist alliance and their cooperative from [among] the apostates against our nation. And, from among them the war America and Zardari’s government declared against those who
demand establishment of religion in Swat Valley and the tribes regions. So judge yourselves before you get judged, and weigh your deeds before they get weighed [for you], and luckily for us that this test is easy and does not need explanation to appear clearer.
It is easy and brief: are you with establishing Allah’s Sharia, or with its fighters America, Zardari and their company? If you are with the first team, then thank Allah that He graced you to accept His faith and His support, and continue your Jihad in His cause. If you are a supporter to Zardari’s posse and his soldiers, then you are in great danger, and if you remained lime that, then you brought upon yourself a one-of-a-kind disaster, and that is the clear defeat. How not, and Allah has declined faith for those who refused governing with His sharia, so listen to the speech of truth [Allah], raised and glorified, [Verse]”
“And, be aware that some things do not gather in a human’s heart [at once]: faith in Allah, and sympathy and loyalty to His Sharia’s enemy. And, whether they were our enemies or our children, so how about Zardari and his army? And, you [should] ponder Allah’s words [Verse]… And [also] ponder Allah’s words [Verse], ponder the words of Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, ‘The widest holes in faith are loyalty in Allah, and hostility in Allah, and love in Allah, and hate in Allah, raised and glorified.’ [Told by Ahmad]”
“Servant of Allah: take care of yourself and your faith, and do not be bedazzled by the low life, and be aware of the grave as the grave is very important, and every person is happy with his people, while death is closer than the size of his shoehorn. It only [ a matter] of days then we will leave this life, and we’ll be put tomorrow in graves, and tomorrow is near for those awaiting it, and then every one of us will be asked in his grave: who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your prophet?”
“And, Allah’s messenger said: ‘There is no servant that says when he goes to sleep and when he wakes up ‘I accept Allah as my Lord, and Islam as my faith, and Muhammad, prayer and peace upon him, as my prophet’ three times, and Allah will not satisfy him.’ [Told by Ahmad]”
“And, he who doesn’t accept His Sharia, instead of fighting it, Allah will not satisfy him, and he will regret when regret is invalid. And, he who accepts Islam as a religion, must reject with his hands Zardari and his army and what they do in fighting the Sharia, and if he cannot [fight them] then by his tongue, and if he cannot then by his heart, and there’s no difference in faith between that and a mustard seed. And, Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: [Hadeeth]”
“Servant of Allah, what will you tell you Lord tomorrow, if you remained standing in the trench of those who fight to prevent the establishment of Allah’s religion, they fight for the cause of the tyrants, you support them by your weapon or speech, justify their deeds, and accuse the mujahideen with what the leader of the white house accuses them with that they’re terrorists and vandals, so if you were asked: what is your religion? Will you be able to lie when lying cannot help you? If you said my religion is Islam and you didn’t stand under His banner but you stood under the banner of Obama and Zardari in fighting the faith.”
“And, people become known and distinguished in their loyalty to their banner, so look at which banner you stand, and it should be oblivious to you that Zardari fights Allah’s Sharia for the cause of of the bigger American tyrants. And Allah, raised and glorified, has clarified the status of those who fight for the cause of the tyrants that they are kuffar, and kuffar do not get prayed on and do not get buried in the Muslim cemeteries. So, consider Allah’s words [verse]”
“Zardari and his army are from amongst the sponsors of Satan, and in this there’s a response to those who deprecatorily question: how do the mujahideen fight the Pakistani Army, saying it is a Muslim Army. Add to that, the Pakistani Army is the one who came to the tribes region to fight them, in agreement with America and answering to its demands. And, it should be clear if a Muslim supported the kafirin and supported them against the Muslims, his faith will recoil and in that he becomes a kafir [and] apostate. As there are recoils in Wudoo’ (When a Muslim washes hands before prayer) there are also recoils in faith and this is one of them. “
“And this clear in the words of Allah [Verse]”
“So, who stood by America the Christian and who supported it? Isn’t that Zardari and his government and army? So, how would you judge? He who support the kuffar [becomes] is one of them, then he must be fought against, even if he fasted, prayed and claimed he is a Muslims.”
“And, I remind you that Russia used to get help from the Afghani Army to fight the mujahideen, and today America uses them to do the same role. The armies and military powers in all of the Islamic world’s capitals became tools in the hands of the [Muslim] nation’s enemy from the inside, outside, and both together, so, it is forbidden to engage with them. And that became clear also in the recent Gaza war where Arabic military powers participated in sanctioning our people in Gaza from the side of Rafah, in support of the Jews, while the armies of neighboring countries prohibited the mujahideen from going to support their brothers in Palestine.”
“And, the mujahideen used to fight the Russians and the Afghan Army at the same time, they were in consensus, and the Ulama from Pakistan and others of Muslim countries used to declare fatwas to fight them, even if they fasted, prayed, and claim they were Muslims, because they fight in the same trench with the Kuffar. Therefore, be considerate O people of vision. This is the situation of the Pakistani Army today, it is with America in one trench against Islam, so it is a duty on the honest people of Islam to fight them, and for those who claim to be forced to kill Muslims, this force isn’t considered according to Sharia, and via this claim of force many Muslims are tricked, until the matter reached that Zardari’s men were rumoring about this claim that they’re forced to fight the people of Pakistan on the Western borders province, and otherwise America will push India to declare war on Pakistan. And what is sorrowful that some Muslims are repeating this claim without logic or consideration. The likes of those are like an unjust man who threatened you with killing if you did not kill your children and brothers, so will you kill or fight?“
“Let us assume you are incapable of fighting him, this is a disaster that has fallen upon you, so it is not permitted for you in order to save yourself from being killed to kill an innocent human without right. This is the ruling of the Sharia. But, the rumor about the claim of force and taking it as an excuse, will result in us allowing the apostate leader to defeat Allah’s religion and exchange it with a his [own] religion or his employer. And, this is opposing to Allah’s letters and his messenger’s, peace and prayer upon him, and is contradictory to Allah’s command, that states that faith must be all to Allah.”
“Servants of Allah: Be cautious not to be from among those who Allah’s spoke of in [verse]. And, be cautious from Zardari and Yousef Reda as both of them are outsiders from the Sunna of Muhammad, prayer and peace upon him, and they fight it, and you must disown everyone who supports them even with words, and especially the malicious Ulama and media who in the recent past provided cover for the former cooperative when he carried out a wicked deed by attacking the Red Mosque, and killed students, and all what they hated about them is that they wanted to establish Allah’s sharia. These innocent pure bloods were shed, we consider them [martyrs] and Allah is their [ultimate] considerer, in the place of prayer and worship to satisfy America who graced Pervez [Musharraf], May Allah punishes him as he deserves.”
“And today, some malicious Ulama play the wicked former role in support of the new cooperative. Those, the Muslims should not doubt their kufr and hypocrisy, as they sacrifice [their] Islam and the mujahideen to save themselves and their money. The likes of those must be
deterred with power for supporting the apostates.”
“And, the essence of the talk is that Asif zardari and Ishtaq Kayani continued to take the army away from their main duties which is protecting Islam, its followers and land. And, they pushed it instead to fight Islam and its followers, and they directed them to fight the Pashtun tribes, and most of the Pakistani army rejects this unjust war. And, Zardari did that answering those who pay him from the While House; not 10% but many times that. And, that is a great betrayal to the loyalty, as he betrayed the people and the nation.”
“And, I’m not saying that he is exposing the Pakistani economy to collapse only, but also there is what is more important and dangerous that by this war he exposes the religion, security and unity of the people of Pakistan to danger, to execute an American-Jewish-Indian plot, so it becomes easier for India to subject Pakistan’s dismantled provinces, one after another, to its influence, similar to former East Pakistan’s situation, or worse than that.”
“And, with that America’s worries are removed regarding the Pakistani nuclear weapons instead of participating with India to fight the mujahideen. So, the Muslims in all of Pakistan must cooperate in facing Zardari and his army who threaten their religion, security, unity and economy, and continues work to alienate and judge them. So he, despite what hit Pakistan of great harm on the hands of Pervez [Musharraf], the harm that’s expected to result on the hands of Zardari, of American demands in Pakistan, is more intense and wicked. And, the way to end his strife and the strife is his army is through their [Pakistani people] Jihad for the cause of Allah. This
is explained by Allah’s saying [Verse].”
“And, you must know that the Army that dared to fight the establishment of Allah’s Islamic Sharia is an apostate army and there isn’t any goodness in it. If he jeopardizes our Islamic Sharia, and it is the greatest things we have, then anything else is even easier to jeopardize; our blood, honors, land and wealth, so no one depends on him except [either] an or ignorant or a hypocrite, as he did not regain Kashmir back and he is eligible to risk Pakistan itself. But, the ones who will protect Pakistan are its mujahideen people, Allah-willing.”
“And, before conclusion, I have some words I would like to direct to America. And, for the narrowness of the stand, I summarize some of it quickly that is relevant to our subject, and I postpone the rest in another message, Allah-willing. And some logical and just people there might infer from speech in the research and study centers, to know the reasons that push people to fight America and take revenge. While, some will not pay attention to what we say; those representatives of big companies at the White House, so I say: the free people who carried out the events of the Eleventh [of September] will never taste the bitterness of oppression in their homes and lands; to be havened by tents and satisfied with food, but those 19 heard that this oppression has hit their brothers in Palestine with American weapons and with Zionist hands, so they left their schools and universities with the appearance of the first chance in front of them to rescue the weakened there, to punish the unjust in America, so how if they [actually] tasted the miseries and woes?”
“Obama, with his commands to Zardari and his army, to prevent the people of Swat from establishing Sharia with killing and fighting, raids and destruction, which caused the migration of one million Muslim of elderly, women and children from their own villages and homes, and became destitute and refugees in tents after they were in their homes endeared.”
“And, this simply means that Obama and his administration have instilled new seeds to increase the hatred and revenge towards America. The number of those seeds is the number of harmed and destitute people from Swat valley and the tribal regions in Northern and Southern Waziristan, and the number of their sympathizers. And, with that Obama has walked like his predecessors in increasing hostility towards Muslims…establishing long-term wars, so the American public must get ready to continue harvesting what is instilled by the leaders of the White House during the next years and decades.”
“And, in the conclusion, these are poetry lines of encouragement in which I encourage myself and my brothers for the poet Yousef abu Hilala, I dedicate to every mujahid one by one from the Muslim nation in general, and to the mujahideen in Afghanistan and Pakistan in particular, and also the mujahideen tribes of Pashtun, and atop all of them the Amir of believers Mulla Muhammad Omar, may Allah gibe him victory. Those were the ones who suffered the main heaviness of the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, on behalf of the nation in facing the international kufr. So, I ask Allah to solidify their feet, and direct their arrows, and accept their martyrs, and heal their wounded, and provide them with support, and to defeat their enemies, and reward them goodness in life and afterlife, He is in charge of that and the most capable of doing so.”
“And, I also recommend to my family and brothers to revere Allah in secrecy and publicly, and I tell them: be patient as you are truthful, it is either we live in the shadows of Islam or die the death of the honored. Be steadfast, may Allah have mercy on you, and prepare yourselves for a long war against the international kufr and its people, despite hardship of the road and shortage of supporters, and make sure Muslims aren’t harmed as you have raised for Allah’s religion the highest of flags, your symbol in unity and Allah is the greatest.”
“You engage with the sea of death and you do not fear it, and he who doesn’t fear death is not careful. Your path is rugged has a tough behavior, and it has sacrifices and sequels will increase. A path to one of the good aftermaths is your path, your path is openness and supported victory. Or, death in absence of faith, honor and blood, and those who died seek to grace excused.”
“Also, I encourage my Muslim nation to stand by the side of the mujahideen and support them everywhere, with noting that the head of international kufr has announced that the main battlefield to fighting our nation has moved to Afghanistan and Pakistan, so it is important to have the arrow of Jihad in this region from your charity and support that fit with the enormity of crusader campaign. And lastly, here are the poetry lines of Abu Hilala.”
[Some poetry lines]
“And our last prayer is thanks due to Allah, Lord of Worlds.”
Maybe it’s just me, but he seems quite a match for Obama at his best.
Piaroh-Cze:
Words and terror ought be synonymous.
When you have crossed the most rugged and daunting peaks in utter darkness, while the heavens pour out their fury upon you and you grapple for control, the feeble ray of light before you barely visible;
When you have traversed the endless tracks of blistering deserts, the sands a roaring furnace all around, and the sun a burning torch above;
When you have prevailed upon the tortuous traces left by those who came before you, seeking to tame a wild land and forge a better life;
When you have stood alone in the vast and terrible chasms hewn and rent from living rock by the immutable forces of nature, and felt yourself so small as to disappear;
When you have merged in perfect union with a stunning, cloudless sky fueled by the fragrant wind alone, to follow the sinuous course of a thundering river to the mighty cataracts that form its source;
When you have felt the sublime and awesome hand of the universe in your every move, and in your soul a communion with the ineffable;
When you have clasped in desperation the hand of a comrade who has fallen, his machine a twisted, steaming wreck, as the very life flows from his bosom and he becomes still in your arms, never again to draw breath;
When you have done all this, not once but again, and still again, and can yet gaze with wonder in the quiescence of deepest night upon that which was your accomplice, partner, and associate in all this;
When you have come to regard it in your inmost reflections as sinister and seductive, soulless and transcendent, ordinary and ennobled;
When you have done this, and yet thrill to the promise of the unrisen sun that will soon shine upon the hook and crook of a gnarled mountain trace, fully apprehending the machines propensity to deal death or exalt life — then will you have become a man.
Piaroh-Cze:
We would travel the greatest distances for all but that which is before us.
Social engineering is the science and art of crafting and molding society without encroaching on its liberties, values, rights and freedoms. Social engineering exists always within a framework, and such is its framework.
Of the social movements to rock the modern world, two stand out with particular impact. That for universal suffrage, and those of the anti-war positions. Of the latter, it arises only during war or its buildup. It has already been explained earlier Orsa’s ideas on maintaining and managing a sizable operationally-ready military, and how that places restraint on the declarations of war.
Regarding universal suffrage, Orsa has much to say on liberal democracy. But first we must first examine the most significant movements within it; the voting rights of disprivileged minorities, such as former blacks in the States, as well as the feminist ideology which raged so in it.
A fundamental difference between these two must be highlighted. In the case of the blacks, the campaign comprised of fighting for the rights of a people who are by and large much more poorly educated than the whites. Whereas in the case of the feminist movement, it is the opposite; it spawned as a direct result of education becoming increasingly accessible to women.
It is notable that the feminist movement enjoys considerably more success than its black counterpart in their parallel efforts. For example, to be aggressively feminist is viewed more favourably than to be aggressively pro-black. Pandering to the female vote is less costly is terms of electorate neglected than seeking the black demographic.
Is it a matter of academic qualification? That the disprivileged minority has a tendency to fare more poorly academically, and hence continue to be disprivileged? The usual vicious cycle?
One might argue that it is entirely a matter of race over gender. Race, after all, is an exclusive concept while academic qualifications can be attainable by all, at least in theory. This would suggest that race would have an easier time than academic differences, but gender would have the easiest time of all being the most exclusive.
Then one might pause to think, why is it that race has to struggle so much greater when it is taboo to suggest that all races are anything but equal? On the other hand, academic differences are easily distinguishable in its ladder of honours. Why should the equality of races be a handicap?
Perhaps conservative chauvinism is all we need to answer that question. Distasteful as a concept, but that ought not be adequate reason for our turning backs to it.
It is an amazing logical inconsistency that we, or at least the liberal West, can insist on the inequality of talent and virtue; that each of us is unique and excel in different fields, yet impose a demand for equality in achievement across all fields.
It is after all a mere logical extension of the concept of uniqueness that leads to the argument that the gender divide is extremely real, and not an artificial-chauvinist construct as feminist philosophy would have it. If one can argue that even between individuals we can differ by such an extent, what is there to not suggest that men and women, or blacks and whites for that matter, will have greatly differing levels of achievement across the fields?
By such an argument, to measure gender or ethnic achievement, as commonly employed by liberal camps, is utterly pointless. It is worse than pointless, it paints a misleading picture. The correct concept of equality lies in opportunity, not achievement. At best one might say that the system fails to cater appropriately for such-and-such socially distinct groups. The ‘glass ceiling’ argument is the greatest artificial construct there is, not actual human divisions.
Piaroh-Cze:
Social engineering exists always within a framework, and such is its framework.
WASHINGTON—In its first major hearing on the use of abusive interrogation tactics at Guantánamo Bay, a blue-ribbon panel found detainee Omar Khadr mentally unfit to testify about his years of psychological torture. “Because of Mr. Khadr’s fragile state due to unknown hours spent under the most brutal, mentally straining conditions, he cannot be trusted to speak competently on his own behalf,” said Rep. Kit Bond (R-MO), the panel’s chairman. “It is unfortunate that someone with such intimate knowledge of the horrors of waterboarding, stress positions, and induced hypothermia is so emotionally unstable. He bursts into tears at even the mention of mock torture.” Bond added that Khadr’s confession of planning 9/11, the London train bombings, and the Iranian hostage crisis would be kept on the record.
Piaroh-Cze:
No one said legal loopholes are the exclusive domain of scruffy humourless men in wigs.
