Author: bravo22c

Goodnight all.

I wonder if it’s worth it for me, personally, to read Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s new book. Since her views are so close to mine, and she speaks with greater authority, I would only be nodding my head in agreement through most of it, reinforcing the views I already hold:

A feminist, she is infuriated by those Western feminists who will not take on subjects such as female circumcision, honour killing and the sale of brides in Muslim societies (and among Muslims in our own societies) because they wish to blame Western colonialism for all ills. Reference

The way to better understanding, I have generally found, is to read the views of those with whom you disagree. I would, however, recommend her work to those of you who insist on seeing the other point of view through the lens of your own cultural values, not those which apply in forming that other view.

Nomad. Ayaan Hirsi Ali

…is incompetence. If a supposed omnipotent being cannot deliver a single, clear message to all of its creations, what does that say about omnipotence? If not omnipotent, then not a god. That makes all the mummery the same, whether a shaman rattling the bones or a priest shaking a censer while they both mutter magic spells, no difference, just superstition, that’s all.

(Quote by George Washington.) It seems that even in the la-la land of AGW the hype is finally being laid to rest as Lord Monckton slays ’em at the Oxford Union. Meanwhile, back in dear ol’ Blighty…

Or, the study of the bleedin’ obvious. Guess which so-called ‘science’ produced this little gem:

…access to a wide range of books in the home can significantly boost children’s chances of remaining in education as they grow up.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7750167/Books-in-the-home-boost-childrens-education.html

Well worth watching. Don’t worry, no more posts on islam from me after this, I’ve said my piece in the comments on my posts. Here’s a quote from one of Dr Jasser’s blogs:

To lay it out in no uncertain terms, Political Islam has one goal, the dominance of the Islamist version of Islam over every aspect of life. Their belief in a theocratic form of government that stifles individual liberty is at complete odds with every principle that built America.

I’m off to bed.

I am 62 years old. I have lived, or worked for extended periods of time, in Aden, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, the Former Yugoslavia, Germany, Hong Kong, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Republic of China, Thailand, Viet Nam. I have worked for shorter periods of time in Canada, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Laos and Turkey. I am literate in English, Chinese, (Mandarin and Cantonese,) German and Greek. I also speak Russian and Serbo-Croatian. I can read a newspaper in Russian. I can chat in Spanish and French. I have some knowledge of Thai and Shanghainese and a few words in Bahasa, (Malay and Indonesian,) Vietnamese and Shanghai dialect. I read a lot, mainly in English and German. My current news sources of choice are The Telegraph, The Times, The Sydney Morning Herald, the Times of India, the South China Morning Post, Da Kong Pao in Hong Kong, CNN and Al Jazeera. By training I am an analyst. I served 25 years in the Army. I have been to war twice. I have also done my time in counter-terrorism in Northern Ireland. I am now an Independent Security Consultant. My role involves anything to do with the security and safety of people and assets, including information and intangible assets. I train, teach and coach. I am the father of three well-adjusted, successful children and grandfather to two more as well as sponsor of a number of children in different countries. I have friends on all continents of the World with whom I correspond more or less regularly. I have contacts in many countries, and if there is somewhere where I don’t know someone, it is almost certain that ‘I know a man who does.’ I am an atheist and a true libertarian. I do not categorise individuals by race, colour, creed, gender or private sexual preference.* I do understand that there are distinguishing social and cultural viewpoints and values that are shared, to varying extents, by groups of people.

What is my point? It is to make a request. Please do not assume that any opinions I express here, as opposed to matters of fact which I generally attempt to support with appropriate references, are lightly formed or based on other than experience, education, (in the sense of reading and researching as widely as I can on subjects that concern me or about which I wish to be informed,) and reflection. Please do not, (as is particularly the case with the followers of organised superstition,) tell me I do not understand – show me, by all means. Learning is a continuing process, if not, one’s brain turns to cold porridge.

Thank you.

*This does not preclude my personal opinion that the insertion of part of one’s body into a tube full of excreta is a revolting act.