Lucky

As active as Ace is with members of MER, I Hope he increases the number of posts. I think he has a lot to tell us.

The economic news following the debt deal is not good. Markets are worried about sluggish consumer spending throughout the world, as well as the fragile economies in Greece and elsewhere. So, with the government cutting spending instead of increasing it to pump the economy, and with voters through out America totally disillusioned with their leaders, is the future bright? http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/business/daily-stock-market-activity.html?hpw And, a more detailed analysis from Slate: http://www.slate.com/id/2300560/

A Review of a book, "Rock the Casbah," by Middle East journalist Robin Wright in today's NY Times presents a more hopeful picture for the Muslim world: Ms. Wright’s latest book, “Rock the Casbah” (which takes its title from a 1982 Clash song), builds on the arguments laid out in that earlier volume [Dreams and Shadows], not only looking at the causes and repercussions of the recent Arab Spring but also examining broader trends in the Islamic world. As she sees it, the revolts against autocratic rule in countries like Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen are “only the beginning of the beginning,” and a positive new dynamic is grabbing hold. “The far wider Muslim world is increasingly rejecting extremism,” Ms. Wright argues. “The many forms of militancy — from the venomous Sunni creed of Al Qaeda to the punitive Shiite theocracy in Iran — have proven costly, unproductive and ultimately unappealing.” Rejecting the notion of a “clash of civilizations,” she argues that “even as the outside world tried to segregate Muslims as ‘others,’ particularly after 9/11, most Muslims were increasingly trying to integrate into, if not imitate, a globalizing world.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/books/robin-wrights-rock-the-casbah-on-islamic-world-book-review.html?ref=books

Robert C. W. Ettinger, a Proponent of Life After (Deep-Frozen) Death, Is Dead at 92. Ettinger, a science fiction writer and physics instructor whose idea of freezing the dead for future reanimation repelled most scientists, inspired Woody Allen and Mike Myers to some of their best work and persuaded at least 105 game humans to pay $28,000 each to have their bodies preserved in liquid nitrogen at his Cryonics Institute in suburban Detroit, died on July 23 at his home in Clinton Township, Mich. He was 92. Now the good scientist is himself frozen at 371 degrees minus Fahrenheit and awaits the resurrection of his body at a time in the future when scientists have learned how to cure the respiratory failure that took his life. While alive, Ettinger speculated that returnees to life in the future may need to be equipped with wings and body armor made of hair. "In the last months of his life, Mr. Ettinger and his son arranged for procedures that would have to be done in the first few hours after he died, to maximize the benefits of cryonic freezing. They notified the funeral home where he would be embalmed with a kind of medical antifreeze to protect tissue from damage. They arranged for 24-hour nursing care, mainly so they would know the exact moment to begin the procedures. At one point, his son said, Mr. Ettinger allowed himself to think past the technicalities of the freezing to what his life might be like if he were ever unfrozen. Since the war, with one leg shorter than the other, he had not been one for sports. “So when I come back,” he told his son, “I’d like to try skiing.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/us/30ettinger.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

EXPAT's link takes you to Paul Krugman, who argues that the president has surrendered. Here is another one, about the diminished presidency of Obama, by Ross Douthat: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/01/opinion/the-diminished-president.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

That's okay. These heavy subjects can rattle you. We cannot, of course, assume that the rise of Muslim political power means that the Islamic extremists will also rise in power- at least proportionately. Without the female Muslim vote, their power becomes diluted as well. But it cannot get better for gays if Muslims start having influence in the city circles of what have been traditionally pro-gay societies. Today is the first day of Ramadan, so now I know why all of those French restaurants close in August- the Muslims are fasting!

Didn't we while the summer hours away having a nice conversation on all of this? I like it when we talk!

I heard that Hooboy made almost $200,000 a year from his site. Is that true?

And, say, while we are at it, why should a baby of foreign citizens become a US citizen simply by virtue of the fact that the mother was in the US at the time of birth?

Did no one read this article I cited above? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/5994047/Muslim-Europe-the-demographic-time-bomb-transforming-our-continent.html

Yes, it is a few posts above this. A demographic study done in 2009 shows Muslims will be a majority in many European counties by 2015. However, Muslim women will not be able to vote. And, even if Muslims do not become a majority (Pew study), there can be no doubt that they are fast becoming a political force. What that means for gays, and Jews, is not good.

The travesty that has been the debate over the debt ceiling has shown Americans the lowest levels of their government leaders. Not Obama, not Reid, not McConnell, not Boehner, not the Tea Party, not Congress at all has acted for the American people. The debt deal they apparently have reached is a mere stopgap, something to tide things over until the 2012 elections are over. I don't see how Obama can run again. After all, there can only be one Republican candidate.

Why the hell aren't they posting? If you want to benefit from what people write, then contribute something yourself.

Wishful thinking, Charlie. This time it is a demographic fact that the Muslims are taking over. What happens after that remains to be seen. I doubt they are coming to Europe to be Europeans.

I was hoping that this thread would prompt at least one New Yorker to go see the movie. I will be in LA next weekend but it is not playing there as far as I can tell. I am going to see the Southern California premier of Jerry Springer: The Opera, which I saw on a large stage in London and absolutely loved. It didn't move to Broadway because of Christian protests.

Thanks for the response, Epigonos. I agree it is a hard topic to raise without being castigated. The norms we grew up with are slowly dwindling away. That may not be so bad, but to give a toehold in Europe to Islamic extremists without a fight seems folly. I'll take a look at the book you cite. There are, no doubt, no easy answers.

He and I can join hands any time! But first, he has to extend it!

Buddy, glad to see you back on the board. If you ever do get to one of those Palm Beach weekends, let me know how they compare to the one out west!

Thanks.

On thing about advances in the Muslim population of Europe. You have to count them in half as they don't let their womenfolk vote!

Hundreds of thousands of gays marched on Washington to block the right wing from stopping gay marriage and other rights. The gays are winning!

Tens of thousands of Egyptian Islamists poured into Tahrir Square on Friday calling for a state bound by strict religious law and delivering a persuasive show of force in a turbulent country showing deep divisions and growing signs of polarization. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/world/middleeast/30egypt.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

I think my thread has been hijacked!

Lurkerspeaks, that's an interesting trailer. I had forgotten that 1984 preceded the age of the gym bunny. But it does look like a heartfelt movie that could be enjoyed even with its look into the worst scourge in gay history. I wonder if young gay men will relate to it.

I thought Sicilian elephants were extinct, so their memories are kind of shot by now. Remember, MsGuy, you are supposed to comment on the post, not the poster. To compare me with that raging idiot of the right wing, a homophobe of distinction only when compared to mass murderers, is insulting. Not that I have any personal feelings about him, you see. Just an opinion. But I forgive you! Let's forget it all. Maybe we can join together to promote better relations!