Nataly

wolfriverjoe

***...Finally, all the raping/looting/pillaging/arson/murdering that Europeans abhor in Third World countries was standard practice in Europe 500 years ago.

Actually, it was "standard practice" not too long ago.

Some people have very long memories. Given what was done to their ancestors, I'm not entirely sure I blame them.

Look at the Armenian genocide in the early 1900s. Wholesale slaughter.

Even more recently was Yugoslavia. The different ethnic groups were forcibly mixed together, and made to "play nice" by their Soviet overlords. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, it only took a few years for the animosities to rear up and once more...

Wholesale slaughter.

Not to split hairs but both examples are countries who are not part of Europe - they have agreements with Europe and the EU... Not the same thing... In the same way that Mexico is part of NORTH America but is NOT American...

To answer my own question, I suspect that total freedom of movement would result in overall advances in civilisation (ie: increased understanding of the "other" and better sharing of intelligence/assets/information/technology). Of course it would not be without conflict... Not some fantastic utopia - not even close... But also not the disaster that some people would like to have us think.

I do believe that our *instincts* lead us to mistrust what we don't know/understand (ie: racism/sexism/homophobia etc). And that *civilisation* is all about rising above our base instincts and realising that there is something to be gained OVERALL by considering/understanding/including/embracing difference. Not ALL difference... Obviously, civilisation also means moving away from bad customs/ideas/traditions/practices... The idea/goal is to gradually move toward improvement.

What would the world look like if people had total freedom of movement? For the sake of argument, policy-making organisation(s) and law enforcement would have to cooperate on at least some kind of basic agreed-upon set of universal laws...

Personally, I don't think chaos would ensue... My only basis for this argument is to look at any country where people do have freedom of movement within that country... Take the US, for example... I think we can all agree that some areas are impoverished and some are far more affluent and yet people who grow up in the "shitty" US neighbourhoods don't ALL flock to the nicer US neighbourhoods and invade/ruin the place despite theoretically being able to just up and move...

So if your answer is "chaos" then please follow this with why you think this would be the case.


***DISCLAIMER***
PLEASE TRY TO KEEP THIS OUT OF THE SC... IT SO QUICKLY DEGENERATES THERE

ryoder

You're welcome to come over tonight to help me celebrate!

Sure - why not?!

Facebook tells me it's Robert's BIRTHDAY!!!

Hope you have a good one, buddy

BillyVance

***That is a great pic, Nat!

Now, what are not supposed to say? I forgot.

Nice cue ball?

Well, it has certainly given me a few ideas for my next hairstyle... See attached pics for examples

And now back on topic:

Friend: "Shame you are not on Instagram - great pictures of our vacation in Spain"

Me: "Yeah... Everyone keeps telling me about Instagram... Sadly, other people's fascinating pictures bore the fuck out of me... "


No response... Hmm... Odd...

Zep

A hair cut. Nah, looks like she got them all cut.

I donated all my hair to a charity that makes wigs for kids with cancer.

Feel free to make jokes at my expense, though - I *do* look pretty silly but I'm not all sensitive about it!!!

Actually, now it has grown back a bit, I kinda like it

jumpsalot-2

Did you get a hair cut Nataly ?

Yep!

BIGUN

***Me to my now ex-boyfriend:
"Oh yeah??? Well, I will have my cats longer than I will have YOU...!!!"

Probably this: Future cat lady?

Buddy, I am already there!!!

Me to my now ex-boyfriend:
"Oh yeah??? Well, I will have my cats longer than I will have YOU...!!!"

- Julien: 2 years and 9 months
- Leo the Cat: 2 years and 9 months and counting...!




Please add your own "things which are true but you probably should not have said it..."

First World Problems!!

But seriously... You lack imagination if skydiving is your only release from the drudgery of life!! Maybe find some other (less expensive) hobbies until you can afford to jump again. As people have rightly pointed out: the sky isn't going anywhere

TriGirl

******What's worse is when you're a woman in a male-dominated career field. You trust that the coworkers you hang out with think of you on the same level as everyone else....

until you all move to different jobs, and they're all still friends/in touch, but no one contacts you anymore. Turns out they just liked having "a girl" around, and didn't even respect you as an equal. Some were even hoping just to sleep with you, not caring at all about you as a person, let alone as a peer.

Wankers.

["you" is used in the generic sense here -- not you personally, Nat]

Let me assure you this is how guys treat 90% of other guys as well (except for the hoping just to sleep with you part).

Change jobs as a guy and 90% of the time you're as good as a ghost to them. Generally speaking, if somebody doesn't need to be in touch or can't derive a benefit you'll simply lose contact. It's not a guy/girl thing. It's just the way it is with guys and pretty much everybody.

Note the parts I bolded in my original post. The field of my experience is military, so we all move to new jobs rather regularly. In one example, I am still friends with one, who asked me to be part of the sword detail for his wedding. The other guys previously from that group (also invited to perform this task) turned out to still all be friends and in regular contact, though all had moved to different billets as well.


Mmm... The older I get, the less I believe that men and women can be "just friends." As with all things, there are probably some exceptions. But they are... Exceptional!! Lol!

I mean, you can have men in your life that you find nice and they find you nice and you get along and when you happen to run into them you exchange pleasantries and all of that can be totally platonic... But actually confiding in them as you would one of your girlfriends??? Dunno...

jimjumper

Me and my wife Cathy, met on the DZ, got married on the DZ, and just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary!

Awww!!! That's lovely! Congratulations

Lawndarter

***Showed some slides once from a trip to a bunch of jumpers. The last slide was of all my shit, sled and every thing, piled up in front of a Tim Horton's in the airport. It sent this poor Canadian girl into withdrawal right there in front of every one. They must have crack in their coffey or some thing.

Lee

When I'm away from home I always seem to want to get a Tim's as soon as I get back, then I remember that it's not good coffee and that I usually go to Starbucks or McDonald's for coffee instead...

I spent eight months in Afghanistan and when we got home at the reception there was Tim Hortons coffee and donuts, I was grateful for the coffee to be sure, but it actually made me realize I'd miss the coffee from the little place the locals ran on our camp - it was really good.


I mean... It's not something I crave all the time... But every once in a blue moon, the fact that I *cannot* have a honey cruller makes me want one!!!

Zep

So another one learns that money isn't every thing
good for her.
I've left a few jobs where I earned loads but couldn's stand
the politics.
Now I'm my own boss and laughing every day.

Careful... First signs of insanity...!

Last year we recruited a new Admin Assistant after our previous assistant left the country (!)... We finally thought we had found the perfect recruit... She learned quickly, and fit in instantly with the team. We were delighted
About 2 or 3 weeks into the job, she announces that she was leaving us for a better-paid, full-time job. She apologised profusely and said she felt reaaaaaally bad,.. But I told her: great job opportunities don't come up so often - she'd have been crazy to pass it up. How could I possibly fault her for looking after her best interests? She thanked me for being so understanding. She went home that night feeling a bit better about it; I went home and cried. There was so much going on and this was such horrible timing and not to mention we'd spent time and energy training her, et cetera. But whatever - back to the drawing board... Shit happens.

About 1 week later she asked if she could speak to me in private. I took her into a meeting room and she burst into tears... The new place was horrible. The job was horrible, the other employees were horrible, the boss was horrible, the hours were horrible... Pleaaaaaaaaase could she stay with us??? I hugged her and said HELL YES!!!

Fast forward 1 year later, she is still with us. She loves it, and she is AMAZING. I am so glad we have her, and when one day I asked her why she stayed in the end she said: "you guys were so nice - I realised that was more important than anything else."

So there ya go... Even a (relatively) shitty job can become enjoyable with the right people!!! I've always believed that and have yet to be proven wrong

Zep

Crabbies ginger ale
My first wife
Spare ribs from the little take out in Pettswood Bromley
My second wife
Real English and Irish beer, Stout
Driving on the "right" side of the road

The driving bit is irrelevant as it is not edible


ETA - D'oh! I did not actually specify in my original post that it had to be food-related... My bad! I am therefore obliged to take back this comment... Driving on the CORRECT side of the road is absolutely relevant!

wmw999

what exactly was I supposed to miss about northwestern Ohio???

Dunno, but when I was about to leave England, my ex asked me what foods I would miss and I burst out laughing... Because I was leaving England (not generally known for good eating) and moving to France (a cuisine that has been copied/studied the world over!!!). But every now and again, I could really do with a pint of Guinness on tap... Or some really nice, vintage cheddar! You *can* get those here, but they are not quite the same.


ETA - ohhhh... And a really good curry!

I have now been away from Canada for almost as long as I lived in it... Strangely, two things get me excited about going back: Tim Horton's and Kraft Diner!!!

So what things do you miss when you are not in your homeland?? Or, alternatively, what do you miss from abroad if/when you come back??


PS: No, I am not going to Canuckistan any time soon... Just had a random craving for a doughnut!!!

theonlyski

getting some cookies in a random and unexpected care package is pretty dang cool

+1

JohnyCrawford

***That said, I do enjoy a pretty naughty life-style...

Um, uh, tell us more about your naughtiness?


Nope!

Since 1996 I have owned:
- 4 cars
- 4 motorcycles

Never bought anything new.

Not after a "decision," but after a completely false statement...

"I was given that information. Actually, I’ve seen that information around."

I have nothing to offer you in the way of a solution, but I do feel your pain. Fucking "upgrades" do my head in when you can't go back to what you liked

Sending all my good vibes and hoping some geek somewhere will solve your problem

Thanks for taking the time to write that very considerate post
As I said, I am nowhere near any kind of massive depression over this (let's face it) relatively trivial event!!! Just a bit of a bummer, that's all... I will be fine


ETA: I don't think my "problem" has anything to do with me being "too nice."