Pakistan would have to be in the top five of countries you wouldn't want to live in...along with North Korea

Every country between Egypt and Pakistan are just in the dark ages.

You should visit Israel, it's the exception.

How so?

It's not an Islamic State.

This pretty much sums up everything wrong with the opinions in ET.

To quote Afro immediately before he throws his toys out of the pram "...I'm allowed to have an opinion..."
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Why Did The Media Keep The Recent Peaceful Icelandic Revolution Quiet?

Did you know about the peaceful Icelandic revolution that took place over the last 5 years? If you didn’t, it is likely because it was never televised or talked about very much at all on mainstream news. One would have to be part of the right websites or Facebook pages to even find out that this has been going on. Why is this the case? Why keep something so monumental hidden from the public?

First let’s discuss what took place with this revolution, then it will become much more clear as to why this was never televised.

It was during a time of a lot of financial turmoil around the world and stories were popping up all over the news of how banks around the world had been crushing or minimizing rebellions by receiving massive bailouts to keep them alive. The Iceland story is different because there was no crushing or ending the rebellion, instead, the people rose up. This is why this was not seen on TV anywhere. If the rest of the world knew that the people won, it may give them some ideas.

During the financial turmoil of 2008 and 2009, the people of Iceland forced their government and banks to resign. How did they do this? Peacefully. The following is a summation of what steps they took over a process of several years, and it all began with each one of them realizing this couldn’t continue.

2008 – The main bank of Iceland is nationalized. The Krona, the currency of Iceland devaluates and the stock market halts. The country is in bankruptcy.

2008 – Citizens rise up at Parliament and succeed in forcing the resignation of both the prime minister and the effective government. New elections are held.
Yet, the country remains in a bad economic situation. A Parliament act is passed to pay back 3,500 million Euros to Great Britain and Holland by the people of Iceland monthly during the next 15 years, with 5.5% interest.

2010 – The people of Iceland again take to the streets to demand a referendum. In January of 2010, the President of Iceland denies approval, instead announcing a popular vote on the matter by the people.
In March, a referendum and denial of payment is approved by popular vote of 93%. Meanwhile, government officials initiate an investigation to bring to justice those responsible for the crisis. Many high level executives and bankers are arrested. Interpol dictates an order to force all implicated parties to leave Iceland.

An assembly is elected to write a new constitution (based on that of Denmark) to avoid entrapments of debt based currency foreign loans. 25 citizens are chosen — with no political affiliation — out of the 522 candidates. The only qualifications for candidacy are adulthood and the support of 30 people. The constitutional assembly started in February of 2011. It continues to present ‘carta magna’ from recommendations provided by various assemblies throughout the country. Ultimately, it must be approved by both the current Parliament and the one created through the next legislative election.

It’s quite a story isn’t it? You can most definitely see at this point why this was not covered in newspapers, on radio networks and on television. Imagine seeing this story on TV several times each day wherever you live in the world; do you think the people would start to get ideas? Maybe try the same thing? Most definitely. There is always a constant push of fear, murders, anger, government success, health fallacies and false information, but never do we hear of stories that could be a threat to the system.

Another key factor of this revolution that we have to look at is that it did not come from a place of violence, bloodshed or anger. No guns or fighting! It was simply people getting together peacefully and working things out. This is something this entire world is capable of but believes is impossible. Humanity has been so programmed to give itself little credit in this department. We always hear about how we need to be governed, there are too many crazy people out there, we need a big brother keeping control. The truth is, without the confines and certain rules the system employs, we would be a much more peaceful people mainly because we are no longer acting in survival mode. Now I am not here to say that the system is the only issue because it isn’t, our programming is also very strong in what we have been taught and believe about ourselves. I am simply here to say, this programming can be broken and our consciousness can and is changing.

I also thought it was a big step to see Iceland employ a new means of choosing it’s leaders. Someone who is an adult and has 30 people supporting them can run. This is great as the only reason why we have educated politicians today is because the elite needs to know that these people are programmed to repeat this system. Generally they also have to have corporate affiliations as well so they know they can be controlled by money.

Now Iceland is proceeding to actually prosecute some of their formerly most powerful bankers and the Icelandic special prosecutor has stated that it very well may indict some 90 people. Meanwhile, over 200 people, including the former chief executives of Iceland’s three biggest banks, face criminal charges for their activities. While I don’t agree with the judgment factor being used here, I understand that this is the step they feel right in taking.

Hopefully more countries around the world begin to follow suit!

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/01/11/why-did-media-keep-the-recent-peaceful-icelandic-revolution-quiet/

"My imaginary friend is better than your imaginary friend" despite actually being the same imaginary friend anyway, is not an indication of being more advanced.

Anyone that argues Israel is a modern, secular state is kidding themselves.

I don't need to argue it, I've seen it for myself. You, OTOH, are operating in prejudice.

Why would you presume that I've never been to the Middle East?

Pakistan would have to be in the top five of countries you wouldn't want to live in...along with North Korea

Why would you presume that I've never been to the Middle East?

Disagree with Israel's politics as much as you like but to argue Israel isn't a modern, secular state is to do so out of prejudice.

And no, you haven't been there.

Greenacre: A Place I Used to Know

March 18, 2013 - 1:18PM

Wilbur Street, Greenacre? I remember it well. I remember riding my bike around Wilbur Street, and when I ran away from home at 10 I hid in the corner telephone box. I used to catch the bus to Lakemba when I missed the one from Roberts Road. Never a soul to be seen.

Roberts Road. We (the neighbourhood kids from Wilbur Street to Chaseling Street) used to play tennis on Roberts Road. All our street games were played on Roberts Road. We grew up on Roberts Road. Now it's a six-lane highway of murderous intent.

Roberts Park? Sure. That's where I used to play rugby league football for St John's Lakemba under-10s.

Garry Hughes played five-eighth and I played on the wing and Grahame Hughes was ball boy. We always had runaway victories there and we won the premiership – that was 1962. I can't remember any shootings at the time, but I believe it was the scene of one or two recently.

Nouriel Park, Greenacre? Yes, that's where I played in the under-9s for the Greenacre Soccer Club and trained every Monday afternoon. We were undefeated champions and KO winners. The year was 1961. Can't remember any rapes happening there – only cut legs and the odd broken limb. I believe it was the scene of a horrific rape a few years ago.

Lakemba? Sure, that's where we went to the Saturday matinee at the Odeon every week and watched such pearls as the Three Stooges, Jerry Lewis and Ben Hur.

We always bought chips and scallops at the Greek fish and chips shop waiting for the bus, and a small Coke, if we could afford it. This was even before supermarkets, or traffic lights, on Punchbowl Road.

I remember Mr Hodgkins, the local produce store owner warning us of the terrors of the supermarkets while he neatly wrapped the quarter pound of butter he had just sliced. I worked for him for a while delivering his junk mail – sorry, advertising leaflets – and working for five shillings twice a week after school.

Greenacre was my home, but it has changed. Some say for the better. Multiculturalism was the justification of all things hard to accept. My parents reflected stereotypical attitudes of the time – all foreigners were "wogs", unless they were Asian. Asians were "dirty", they would say.

It's easy to say you grow out of such perverse racism, but not entirely. There are scars. Even as I tried to reason with my mother as a university student, I knew I was tainted, possibly forever.

When you see your homeland, which was what Greenacre was, turned into a minefield, or a battlefield, or a refuge of drug dealers, criminals, drive-by shooters and terror – you find yourself in a quandary. It's all part and parcel of the greater good, of the New Australia, of the emergence of alternative cultures – it's just a settling-in process.

Whatever the apologists say, it's traumatic to read about the new Greenacre where I had my roots. It's tragic to see things go so wrong.

The police are powerless. I've seen it first-hand. They are harassed and intimidated for simply doing their job. The Premier says we can have confidence in the police to apprehend the culprits of a recent murder in Wilbur Street. Even if they do, which is unlikely, as the local residents live in permanent fear of reprisals, can they stop the next shooting and the next?

Soon Greenacre/Lakemba will be an enclave of little Lebanon, with all the worst features transported from a failed country to a new one, one still proud of its tolerance. I am told time and again that tolerance is not weakness. A bit like saying appeasement is not weakness. But I'm growing more sceptical.

That was my home – the place where I simply couldn't imagine living anywhere else once – transformed to the place where I could never imagine living again.

I suppose once my generation dies out, everything the place once was dies too. And good for that, some would say.

For me, I moved to a safe haven on the north side – looking back not in anger, but in disbelief.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/a-suburb-that-i-used-to-know-20130318-2g9w1.html#ixzz2NrhKyqNW"

Greenacre church attacked

Fr Kevin English comforted “visibly shaken” parishioners who arrived for Mass at their Greenacre church to find it had been firebombed.

“It’s going to take a long time to clean it all up, pews were burnt, and the cost of replacing carpets, sashes, windows and cleaning the ceiling is going to be massive, at least $20,000,” says Fr English, parish priest at St John Vianney and St Thomas More Church, Greenacre.

The attack, on October 3, was one of a spate of firebombings and other attacks and acts of vandalism on churches in the area since September 21.

The most serious was on a Lidcombe Syrian Orthodox church hall. It caused damage estimated at more than $250,000.

“These are times of unrest … and it’s pretty nasty stuff,” Fr English says.

The concern shown by others, particularly the Islamic community, has buoyed him.

“There’s been quite a lot of support from the Islamic community by way of faxes and emails and things,” he said.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Punchbowl was attacked soon after the Greenacre church. Windows were smashed and curtains set alight.

Greenacre’s Uniting Church and St Thomas’ Anglican Church, Auburn, were firebombed.

And Greenacre’s Church of Christ and Bankstown’s Baptist Church have also had windows broken.

Police say there is no evidence to link the incidents and are appealing for any information that might assist in their investigations.

Disagree with Israel's politics as much as you like but to argue Israel isn't a modern, secular state is to do so out of prejudice.

And no, you haven't been there.

A country fighting to protect their hebrew holy lands and subsequently persecuting the Palestinians is NOT "secular".

You speak as if you have sympathy for the Palestinians.

You speak as if you have sympathy for the Palestinians.

I don't have sympathy for either party in this conflict. Religious oriented conflicts are as ridiculous as any.

People who are pro-Palestinian based on the fact that Israel is strategically superior shit me to death.

Those are the same people who don't realise that prior to British intervention, the roles were exactly reversed.

They also forget that Israel during at least one of their many wars did in fact take the West Bank, something they probably should have kept to stop the constant threat of guerilla terrorism.

There'd be a threat of terrorism coming from somewhere regardless. It's not exactly unique to the west bank.

A country fighting to protect their hebrew holy lands and subsequently persecuting the Palestinians is NOT "secular".