Not looking good.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7385662.stm

From the Onion:

15,000 Brown People Dead Somewhere

November 18, 1998 | Issue 34•16

OOGA-BOOGA LAND OR WHEREVER–Relief efforts are pouring into some country someplace, where 15,000 brown people have died over the past few weeks from flooding or a hurricane or something like that. "Never have our people endured such a terrible catastrophe," said this one dark-skinned guy who lost his entire family in the disaster of some sort. "Our God has forsaken us." The affected nation may possibly be the same one where about 90,000 brown people died two or three years ago in that one earthquake.

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

I have heard an estimate taht it is going to be over 100K people by the time it is all counted.

---

BOINC WIKI

And your point is? Are you siding with that view of brown people in

OOGA-BOOGA LAND OR WHEREVER

I hope not. I doubt your mates at the LSE would be impressed.....

The ones that got the point of the story, i.e., that it's humor, would laugh like hell.

But I really couldn't care less what some ill-defined collective seems to think. You should see the smarmy, self-righteous, do-gooders at this school. Most of them flail away impotently for their self-acknowledged "very important crisis," accomplish little or nothing, and then congratulate themselves on how much they've shown that they care and preached to the choir of their very own.

Students can be really naive.

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

And your point is? Are you siding with that view of brown people in

OOGA-BOOGA LAND OR WHEREVER

I hope not. I doubt your mates at the LSE would be impressed.....

The ones that got the point of the story, i.e., that it's humor, would laugh like hell.

But I really couldn't care less what some ill-defined collective seems to think. You should see the smarmy, self-righteous, do-gooders at this school. Most of them flail away impotently for their self-acknowledged "very important crisis," accomplish little or nothing, and then congratulate themselves on how much they've shown that they care and preached to the choir of their very own.

Students can be really naive.

It must be a bit of a culture shock for you Rush. I do hope that you are not wasting all your money (and our subsidies) and that you are making the most of your learning experience at the LSE...

And your point is? Are you siding with that view of brown people in

OOGA-BOOGA LAND OR WHEREVER

I hope not. I doubt your mates at the LSE would be impressed.....

Not looking good.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7385662.stm

From the Onion:

15,000 Brown People Dead Somewhere

November 18, 1998 | Issue 34•16

OOGA-BOOGA LAND OR WHEREVER–Relief efforts are pouring into some country someplace, where 15,000 brown people have died over the past few weeks from flooding or a hurricane or something like that. "Never have our people endured such a terrible catastrophe," said this one dark-skinned guy who lost his entire family in the disaster of some sort. "Our God has forsaken us." The affected nation may possibly be the same one where about 90,000 brown people died two or three years ago in that one earthquake.

I think you missed the point. The Onion is a satirical version of papers like the Daily Mail. Have you never read it before?

Actually...looking again i think Rush has missed the point too.

---

Reality Internet Personality

I think Rush is suggesting some people actually sneak past the military government into Myanmar and start providing those poor people some help instead of typing to each other about it on computers.
What a concept, eh?
I figured after 2 years I'd let you know that's probably what he's been saying all along.

---

Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

It must be a bit of a culture shock for you Rush. I do hope that you are not wasting all your money (and our subsidies) and that you are making the most of your learning experience at the LSE...

Culture shock? Here? As in the U.S. compared to the U.K? Oh jeebus no. They're so similar that the differences are nearly negligible. Little minor differences, of course.

But as far as students being naive? Nah, that's endemic pretty much everywhere.

I don't need to hang out with the Brazilian (pick yer favorite bit of nearly insignificant "diversity") contingent here at the LSE to gain any insight into their (almost any) cause-du-jour. Almost without fail it will be some over-simplified minutia that they really aren't going to do anything about except make themselves feel better because they put up a sign and might have collected £27.

And no, I don't think the LSE is a waste at all, I would gladly pay the market value for this skool.

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

And your point is? Are you siding with that view of brown people in

OOGA-BOOGA LAND OR WHEREVER

I hope not. I doubt your mates at the LSE would be impressed.....

The ones that got the point of the story, i.e., that it's humor, would laugh like hell.

Would the "brown" ones laugh like hell too?

But I really couldn't care less what some ill-defined collective seems to think.

Are you part of the 'well-defined collective?' (or maybe the non existant 'non-collectives'.. An 'anarchist' maybe? An 'individualist' possibly?)

You should see the smarmy, self-righteous, do-gooders at this school. Most of them flail away impotently for their self-acknowledged "very important crisis," accomplish little or nothing, and then congratulate themselves on how much they've shown that they care and preached to the choir of their very own.

What about those who do nothing to enhance the world but just make fun of those who 'flail away impotently'... Are not the people who make fun of the impotent ones not also impotent?

Students can be really naive.

I always assumed the essence of being a student was to be 'naive'... Why else would they be studying... If they were not naive they would either be teachers or would not need any education!

We were all naive once.

Even after the best forms of education our societies, communities, families or environments can offer all of us will still be naive about much in our world or beyond.

Being naive is not a crime.

Laughing is a great thing.

Laughing at our selves and our own naivety is about the best thing ever.... It's when we start to grow with joy.

Laughing at people because they are 'brown' though just seems odd.

The "Onion - Press" article seems to be more about ridiculing 'brown people' than laughing with them.

The very term "Ooga Booga" comes from a time when we used to call black people 'niggers', 'wogs' and 'nig-nogs'... It's an imperialist term meant to make fun of or deride others so that it feels easier to enslave, mistreat or ignore them as humans..


I'll laugh 'with' brown people anytime as long as we can find something in common to laugh about.




What happened to Burma recently is devastating and is of no laughing matter.

What happened to America when the tornadoes hit a while ago was terrible.

Parts of America are still recovering.

Burma however is far poorer and it's people face a much greater challenge.

Lives lost in both parts of the world are irreplaceable...

Burma and it's people of all colours and shades need help.

Very few of us have the power to make a difference when such catastrophies happen.


Chris S' however acted and chose to promote the issue.

For me he did a worth while thing.


Every step is worth taking.



.

Well, lets put it this way,

But I really couldn't care less what some ill-defined collective seems to think. You should see the smarmy, self-righteous, do-gooders at this school. Most of them flail away impotently for their self-acknowledged "very important crisis," accomplish little or nothing, and then congratulate themselves on how much they've shown that they care and preached to the choir of their very own.

If that is an accurate general comment upon the people that graduate from your educational establishment, then I am sure that others, like me, could well think twice about being interested in employing them in the future.

Ummmmm, you're referring to another ill-defined collective again (LSE graduates school-wide), and my comments about the relative merits of small, ill-prepared, student-run groups and their vague hand-waving has little bearing on the quality of the education earned there.

But unless you're willing to devote nearly all of your waking life and income to the literally 1000's of possibilities, you're going to literally ignore 99% of them. And if it's OK to ignore 998 of them, it's perfectly OK to ignore 1000 of them.

As far as the choices that employers make, well, the rational ones will look at the reputation of the LSE, combined with the CV of the individual in question when determining who they will hire in the future. If you want to hold people responsible for mostly ignoring most, and in many cases all, student groups, then you will have a hard time hiring nearly anyone from nearly any school. That can't possibly benefit you or the organization you are hiring for.

Smart plan.

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

Again, I think many times people misunderstand Rush.
And if my interpretations are incorrect, he will almost certainly tell me. Most likely by posting, but perhaps in a PM.
cRunchy, you DO act charitably. Rush argues against promoting the need for being charitable without being charitable one's self. So, he's not "railing against" someone like you in particular.
If Rush were Christian, he'd be one that believes "Faith without good works is worthless."
And he does not trust large government, much, to be the ones to step in to do the good works, saying instead individuals should be the ones doing this, wherever possible.
Despite his style at times, I am really shocked that many of the rest of you do not read with similar conclusions.
(Reminder: And if my interpretations are incorrect, he will almost certainly tell me.)

---

Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

Well, after all that personal balderdash, what, if anything, should be done about the situation? Do we just sit at our keyboards and do nothing practical? Why not say to the fascist junta that runs Burma as their own military money-making machine that it is time they used their vast army to some good effect? Why are they stopping foreign aid getting in? Why is China against taking action there?

I don't have money, I have zero political clout but I do know DECENT satire when I see it. But if some folks want to just laugh at a country's drowning thousands then pardon me if I find both the laughers and the Burmese Generals sick.

If students want to raise a flag of protest that is their affair and we ought to take at least some notice of them. It is time that something was done about Burma because the dreadful situation there both before and after the hurricane is something no decent person can tolerate.

---

If Rush were Christian, he'd be one that believes "Faith without good works is worthless."

What a Christian 'should' believe ---> "Faith without works is dead"... ;)

(Unfortunately, most of us 'true believers' aren't in a position to help others.)

---

It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

The ones that got the point of the story, i.e., that it's humor, would laugh like hell.

Would the "brown" ones laugh like hell too?

I have no idea, given that "brown" encompasses hundreds of millions if not billions of people. Some would. Some would not. Undoubtedly some of those that know the Onion, or those that bothered to research it, would laugh heartily.

Are you part of the 'well-defined collective?' (or maybe the non existant 'non-collectives'.. An 'anarchist' maybe? An 'individualist' possibly?)

I'm not sure of your point. The closest I can come is to say I am a libertarian.

What about those who do nothing to enhance the world but just make fun of those who 'flail away impotently'... Are not the people who make fun of the impotent ones not also impotent?

Again, I have no idea what your point is. Call it "mak[ing] fun," or call it critiquing their effectiveness, the point remains the same--they are nearly ineffective and accomplish little more than making themselves feel good.

Students can be really naive.

I always assumed the essence of being a student was to be 'naive'... Why else would they be studying... If they were not naive they would either be teachers or would not need any education!

We were all naive once.

Even after the best forms of education our societies, communities, families or environments can offer all of us will still be naive about much in our world or beyond.

Being naive is not a crime.

I didn't say it was. Within the context of the post, the comment was part of the overall point that their naivete can be a significant failing in making the changes they want to see, especially given their often cursory investigation of the subject they ostensibly profess to care deeply about.

Laughing is a great thing.

Laughing at our selves and our own naivety is about the best thing ever.... It's when we start to grow with joy.

Laughing at people because they are 'brown' though just seems odd.

The "Onion - Press" article seems to be more about ridiculing 'brown people' than laughing with them.

The very term "Ooga Booga" comes from a time when we used to call black people 'niggers', 'wogs' and 'nig-nogs'... It's an imperialist term meant to make fun of or deride others so that it feels easier to enslave, mistreat or ignore them as humans..

I'll laugh 'with' brown people anytime as long as we can find something in common to laugh about.

I don't know what to tell you, the Onion isn't some Klan screed. As Es said, "The Onion is a satirical version of papers like the Daily Mail." It derives its humor from sneering at the very nature of large news outlets. It creates "news" that, but for small changes in spin or tone, are indistinguishable from real stories.

What happened to Burma recently is devastating and is of no laughing matter.

What happened to America when the tornadoes hit a while ago was terrible.

Parts of America are still recovering.

Burma however is far poorer and it's people face a much greater challenge.

Lives lost in both parts of the world are irreplaceable...

The story, as posted, is nearly 10 years old, Crunch. It had nothing to do with Myanmar or anywhere else, well, except in a really general sense...

Burma and it's people of all colours and shades need help.

Very few of us have the power to make a difference when such catastrophies happen.

Luckily a gov't is standing in the way of such things. But be that as it may, patting yourself on the back after doing nothing at all except pinning your heart on your sleeve isn't "help" at all.

Chris S' however acted and chose to promote the issue.

Maybe you should read Sarge's post.

For me he did a worth while thing.

He did a worthwhile thing to you, maybe. You can probably understand how those that are dying would likely think differently.

Every step is worth taking.

So, we could say, that by creating a controversy, I took a step worth taking too. I'm promoting the issue as well. Man, I should be patting myself on the back too. The "Right Honourable Sir Rush, Garter Principal King of Arms, Order of the Garter," does have a nice ring to it...

Why do I think that those that are dying wouldn't be all that impressed with my steps either? Maybe because it's almost inseparable from nothing at all?

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

Ummmmm, you're referring to another ill-defined collective again (LSE graduates school-wide), and my comments about the relative merits of small, ill-prepared, student-run groups and their vague hand-waving has little bearing on the quality of the education earned there.

You did not say "small" in your original post, you made a general statement which applied to the whole school.

You're right, my comment was not exactly what I wanted to say, forgive me if I was unclear. I was referring to the do-gooders and their groups, not the entire student body at large. My apologies.

But unless you're willing to devote nearly all of your waking life and income to the literally 1000's of possibilities, you're going to literally ignore 99% of them. And if it's OK to ignore 998 of them, it's perfectly OK to ignore 1000 of them.

I haven't a clue what you are saying there.....

It's pretty straight forward: No matter how involved you are on campus, you will have to ignore the overwhelming majority of other causes, campaigns, and groups. Hence, if it's OK to ignore 990 of those groups, it's also OK to ignore a few more.

As far as the choices that employers make, well, the rational ones will look at the reputation of the LSE, combined with the CV of the individual in question when determining who they will hire in the future.

In terms of academic achievement yes, they will, but that is not the only criteria that a sensible employer will use to recruit people. The persons work ethic will come into consideration, personality, hobbies etc. You were/are suggesting that most of the students there "flail away impotently for their self-acknowledged "very important crisis," and accomplish little or nothing".

Sure, the work ethic does come into consideration. My suggestion is a valid criticism. I can see how that might reflect on their work ethic, maybe. I think it's more a reflection of people in general.

Most employers would be more impressed with someone who organised a professional competent response and raised 1/2 million for charity, something your colleagues would apparently seem unable to do.

Which hearkens back to my original point. If this is the standard, then employers are going to be mighty disappointed. Very very few organizations worldwide, especially student led and run organizations (if any), can ever hope to attain such lofty heights.

If you want to hold people responsible for mostly ignoring most, and in many cases all, student groups, then you will have a hard time hiring nearly anyone from nearly any school. That can't possibly benefit you or the organization you are hiring for.

Employers want people to be good team players, not loners or people who won't or can't mix.

I don't disagree with that. That they limit their effectiveness and stand around, nestled safely within the confines of the LSE and preach to the choir--instead of moving a few hundred yards to Kingsway, Aldwych, or Strand where they could reach orders of magnitudes more people notwithstanding.

Anyway this thread is not sbout the merits of the LSE or its students, however much you want it to be, ...

I don't "want" the thread to be about anything. You brought up my "...mates as LSE..." as if I would be concerned about what they think, and I responded to your point. If you did not want to talk about the LSE, or any other subject, you should not have used it as an example, or placed it into the discussion.

...it is about the current situation in Burma, which in most peoples view is not a laughing matter, nor cause for amusement.

Everyone is entitled to think as they wish. More power to them. That some of them would think other than as you would have them think is of no concern. Wring yer hands all you wish--that doesn't help anyone either.

We are all aware of the intellectual games you like to play on these forums, but at times you do pick the most inappropriate subject.

"We" eh, another collective? Can you approximate a rough guess about how much value I place on your empty rhetoric concerning the "thoughts" of some collective?

Here, I'll do the same thing: Given your reputation with us on these boards, we are all aware of simple and foolish games you like to play on these forums, and we know you do seem nearly incapable of picking the subject.

Do you think I'm under any illusions about the value of such comments?

They're worthless. Leave them out of whatever point you are straining to make.

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

Oh dear me, miaow miaow, ROTFLMAO, Rush you are losing your touch, you really are. And not one "why because you sez so?" amongst the lot! Tell you what chum, you'd better go home quick, else you'll end up with a goatee beard, open toed sandals, and reading the Guardian!!!!

Well, I would prefer to end up with a pinstriped, Saville Row suit, highly polished, black cap toes, and the Times or at the least, the Daily Mail.

But who knows what the future will bring?

"I said Charles, don't you ever crave, to appear on the front of the Daily Mail, dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?"

8^]

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

Oh dear me, miaow miaow, ROTFLMAO, Rush you are losing your touch, you really are. And not one "why because you sez so?" amongst the lot! Tell you what chum, you'd better go home quick, else you'll end up with a goatee beard, open toed sandals, and reading the Guardian!!!!

Well, I would prefer to end up with a pinstriped, Saville Row suit, highly polished, black cap toes, and the Times or at the least, the Daily Mail.

But who knows what the future will bring?

"I said Charles, don't you ever crave, to appear on the front of the Daily Mail, dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?"

8^]

Not biting, sorry, but I know some Grauniads that might!

nope

Well, I would prefer to end up with a pinstriped, Saville Row suit, highly polished, black cap toes, and the Times or at the least, the Daily Mail.

But who knows what the future will bring?

"I said Charles, don't you ever crave, to appear on the front of the Daily Mail, dressed in your Mother's bridal veil?"

Not biting, sorry, but I know some Grauniads that might!

There was nothing to "bite."

I have no idea what Grauniads are, some gamer stuff?

The quote is just a line from "The Queen is Dead," off of The Queen is Dead by The Smiths.

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...

Employers want people to be good team players, not loners or people who won't or can't mix.

And there you have it folks... If you're not like everyone else, no matter how good you are, the collective doesn't want you... ;)

(Basically, if you ain't drinkin' and swingin' and mixin' with the rest of the group, you ain't a 'team player'.)

---

It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

Employers want people to be good team players, not loners or people who won't or can't mix.

And there you have it folks... If you're not like everyone else, no matter how good you are, the collective doesn't want you... ;)

(Basically, if you ain't drinkin' and swingin' and mixin' with the rest of the group, you ain't a 'team player'.)

Is that why I never get a promotion? I thought it was because every time they ask I refuse because I don't need the extra stress. (although your point about drinkin' and swingin' is well taken..apparently last time we were down the pub I agreed to take over management of the Keystage 3 curriculum and teach the maths A level. I think i have managed to get out of the KS3 responsibility with some fast talking the next day. Fingers crossed.)

---

Reality Internet Personality

From the Onion.

God Cites 'Moving In Mysterious Ways' As Motive In Killing Of 3,000 Papua New Guineans

July 29, 1998 | Issue 33•26

VANIMO, PAPUA NEW GUINEA—In His first official statement since the July 17 tsunami that claimed the lives of an estimated 3,000 Papua New Guineans, the Lord announced Monday that He killed the island villagers as part of His longtime "moving in mysterious ways" policy, calling the natural disaster "part of My unknowable, divine plan for mankind."

"Though the need for such a tidal wave is incomprehensible to you mortals, flawed as you are by sin, I can assure you that I had a very good reason for what I did," God said of the disaster, whose death toll is expected to climb to 5,000 once the effects of disease, starvation and marauding crocodiles become known. "Trust me."

Yahweh, whose unknowable purposes have necessitated, among other things, the death of 40 million Europeans from the Bubonic Plague, 40,000 Peruvians in a 1868 earthquake, and six million of His chosen people in Nazi concentration camps, said he was "not unmoved" by the suffering of the Papua New Guinea flood victims.

"Of course I hear their prayers," God said. "I see every sparrow that falls. But it is My will that these prayers not be answered, and that life continues to be nasty, brutish and short for the majority of mankind. And My reasons are not yours to question."

Added God: "Where were you when I created the Heavens and the Earth?"

World religious leaders are standing behind the Lord. "We must not presume to know the mind of our Creator," Rev. Billy Graham said. "We are, as He often reminds us, His flock, and He is our shepherd. It seems clear that the people who are criticizing Him for killing the Papua New Guineans have not fully considered the theological implications of the shepherd-sheep relationship."

God is standing firmly behind His act.
"I honestly do not know why He wanted those people dead," Pope John Paul II said, "but I have full faith in the wisdom and justice of His acts."

Despite top religious leaders' reluctance to speculate on the Lord's motive in the killings, many contend it was an act of heathen-smiting.

"I would never presume to understand God's plan, but it seems like more than a coincidence that these typhoons, tsunamis and earthquakes always seem to hit non-Christian countries like India and Bangladesh," said Matthew Ellsworth, pastor for Holy Name Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, CO. "When was the last time a tidal wave devastated France?"

Though a majority of those who perished in the tsunami were non-Christians, God did kill several hundred of His followers.

"I must have faith that the Lord will help me," said Aitape Bulolo, a Protestant fisherman who spent 11 days clinging to the top of a tree while waiting for flood waters to recede and watching the hogs he raised feed upon the corpses of his family. "I know my wife and daughters are with Him now in Heaven, and that He is sparing me for some greater purpose. This horrible tragedy has only strengthened my faith. God is love."

Upon hearing Bulolo's words, God said, "I can neither confirm nor deny rumors of Aitape Bulolo's family's presence in My heavenly kingdom. Be content that it is one of the many mysteries of faith, and that I am always watching over you, albeit for my own unfathomable purposes."

"And believe Me," God added, "never in a million years would you guess what those purposes are."

---

Cordially,
Rush

elrushbo2@theobviousgmail.com
Remove the obvious...