Hi Neil,

just another question from a clueless one.

How am I clueless about Iraq when I asked a question - and did not make a statement?  I asked if I had missed Saddam Hussein declaring war on the USA, as this is what was directly implied/stated by President Bush last week in a Press Conference shown live on TV.  He said 'We didn't ask for this war......' - and my question was ' then who did, as I do not recall anyone else asking for it'.

I am also still puzzling over the point made in parenthesis - i.e 'living in the country he does, I guess one can understand why'  Can you elucidate?

I am thinking it has something to do with Clinton's sexual exploits? There seems to be some fantasy still in existence that the French only think of sex all the time - which I can assure you is totally untrue - want conversation? then talk of fine wines, cheese, cuisine, books, exhibitions, films etc.   IF I am correct in my assumption, then you are totally wrong, as what did fascinate the French (and most of Europe from what I could tell) was the absorption shown by American media in all the sordid little details.

We found it doubly fascinating when we heard about the anti-reaction in the USA to the film of the Kinsey Report.  According to one of the stars, it appears that Americans spend something like 10 times on pornographic films than they do on visits to the cinema.

It would certainly seem that by comparison with the US the French are models of rectitude and propriety - or of they are not, then they don't talk about it so much?

By contrast incidentally, President Mitterand had a mistress for over 30 years, and with whom he had a daughter.  Everyone knew about it but the French media thought it had absolutely nothing to do with his ability to be the President.

We now have a Presidential campaign in which we have a woman contender who is unmarried, yet with four children - granted with the same partner.  Again this is not an issue for the electorate in general.

Of course it is quite likely that as I said at the outset that I missed the point you were making.

Dear Neil,

I do not want to get into a comparative table with you on things (but I could!). The point is being made about whether we can equate Age with Knowledge, and I submit you cannot.  Well, at least it is a claim I would not make for myself.

In fact of there is one thing I am sure of in my own life of travels is that the more I see the less I know.  To put it another way, the more I think I know the more times I will be proved wrong.

As an instance, I lived and worked for a total of 5 years in Budapest - where the latest unrest in happening at the moment. They showed a place that was no further than 500 metres from my appartment (overlooking the Danube and alongside the Parliament Building) - and I had never, ever noticed it. Yet I pride myself on being interested and trying to learn as much as I can about the countries I lived in.

Another one. I was born in the UK only three miles from Windsor Castle - and never visited the place until I was 26 years old!  Confirming your opinion of me that I am clueless no doubt.  In all the countries I have lived in the same applies.

Yes, we can claim experience - which regretfully seems an under-rated element in the world today.  That provides some knowledge I will accept, but that does not equate with age.  Some of my brightest Business School students could (and did) make me look foolish and ignorant on many occasions - notably when trying to talk on matters in their purview.

Anyway, I find it hard to believe that our generation made such a great job of the world as to claim any great praise.  Let's hope the ones following will do better!

ON OPINIONS While this was written for someone else, it applies to people's "opinions" Sadly, it seems some people do not know the difference between "mere opinion" and fact. As for my respecting other people's "opinions" I do NOT respect the opinion of those who think sex with small children is just fine. Nor do I not respect the opinion of Nazi's, the KKK or the terrorists. An "opinion" is an idea or belief which is NOT substantiated by fact. Opinions have NEITHER the "weight" or the "validity" a fact does. An opinion is when people say things like: "I like this or that music." Or "I hate that food" OR "That is a better movie than the last one I saw." Or, some other similar type of comment. It is NOT opinion when someone says: "The world is flat." THAT is a denial of a FACT and a LIE! It is NOT opinion when someone says: "There was no holocaust." THAT is a denial of a FACT and a LIE! Or like the North Koreans are taught: "The United States attacked North Korea and started the Korean War." Those are LIES and DENIALS of FACT. And it is NOT an opinion when someone says our actions in Iraq were not justified. It IS a LIE and a DENIAL of MANY FACTS! Do I respect the opinions of people who deny facts? NO! Do I respect the opinions of people who LIE? NO! Do I respect the opinions of those who refuse to learn the facts? NO! Nor will I act like I do because it is the "politically correct" thing to do. I am NOT "into" being politically correct. I am into TRUTH, HONESTY, LOGIC, KNOWLEDGE, ACCURACY and FACTS! I am VERY OPEN to information which is NEW to ME. If I am wrong, I really WANT to be PROVED I am! IF I am wrong and they do not PROVE I am wrong, I just continue being wrong and I hate being wrong. So, IF someone proves me wrong, I will change my position in a heart beat. When I am wrong, I accept being wrong, certainly admit it and I apologize for it. (Sadly, many do not want to b e either proved wrong, they will not admit when they are or will they apologize to others for their error.) ALL YOU have to do is PROVE, beyond any reasonable doubt, I am wrong. As far as Iraq, the odds are 99.9999% against anyone proving I am wrong as the proof is on MY SIDE and it has been for years! in addition, ALL of the NEW information found (interviews with former Iraqi officers and captured Iraqi files, documents, video/audio tapes, computer disks, etc. ) further proves our war was fully justified and is a very necessary part of our war on terror. Last, do I respect the opinions of those whose actions GIVE AID AND COMFORT TO OUR ENEMIES IN A TIME of WAR? NO! Who says takes anti- war actions and/or comments do that? Me, (a vet) many of my vet friends and many of those who are serving in combat zones right now say the actions of the media and the anti-war people in the US give aid and comfort to our enemy! ALL THOSE OF YOUR ILK ARE HELPING THE TERRORISTS! Who says? Aside from all of us, the TERRORISTS say so! So are people really so totally clueless as to respect any stupid anti-war opinions on Iraq? Bottom Line? Anyone who gives aid & comfort to our enemies in a time of war are not just expressing a dissenting opinion, they are committing TRAITOROUS acts! And as far as I am concerned, ALL TRAITORS SHOULD BE SHOT!

NORM: "I do not want to get into a I do not want to get into a comparative table with you on things (but I could!)." ---------------------------------- NEIL: F.Y.I. As the word "but" NEGATES what went before it, it seems you DO want a "comparative table" with me. (which I have no interest in as YOU are NOT in the MOST catagory.) Some of your comments cause me to suggest you should consider taking a course in reading comprehension. Do you understand what the word "MOST" means? I had said something to the effect of: 'I have done more different things than MOST people even consider doing much less actually do." -------------------------------------- NORM: "The point is being made about whether we can equate Age with Knowledge, and I submit you cannot. Well, at least it is a claim I would not make for myself.' ------------------------------------ NEIL: I NEVER said that simply AGE ALONE equates to knowledge. NOR did I imply it. (How is your Reading comprehension?) Too bad all those things you do not want to have a comparative table on did not teach you enough to gain knowledge. I KNOW that EVERY experience leaves ME with MORE knowledge than I had before the experience occurred. I KNOW me, myself and I, learn NEW things EVERY DAY! I KNOW my years of life, many, many varied experiences, an overwhelming desire to learn, a search for knowledge - truth and other factors allow me to have gained more knowledge than MOST of those who are my age. And MOST people my age know more than those younger than they are do. (My search for knowledge and truth is what caused be to become an Atheist.) ---------------------------------------- NORM: "In fact of there is one thing I am sure of in my own life of travels is that the more I see the less I know. To put it another way, the more I think I know the more times I will be proved wrong. ------------------------ NEIL: I have ALREADY said: "The more I know the more I realize how little I know." -------------------------------------------- NORM: Another one. I was born in the UK only three miles from Windsor Castle - and never visited the place until I was 26 years old! Confirming your opinion of me that I am clueless no doubt." ------------------------------- EVERYONE is Clueless about Zillions and Zillions of more things than they are clued about. Only when they profess to have knowledge of things their words and/or actions show they do not have much, if any, knowledge of, they clrarly demonstrate their "cluelessness" on, at least that subject, to all. ----------------------------- (I edited the following without changing the meaning. I put in a comma and took out a "that" which should not have been there.) NORM "Yes, we can claim experience - which regretfully seems an under-rated element in the world today, provides some knowledge I will accept, but that does not equate with age." ----------------------- NEIL: I PITY those who WASTE their years of life without gaining knowledge. Sure glad I am not one of them. -----------------------

There has been a lot of mention of knowledge in this forum. Perhaps the time has come to look at knowledge. Knowledge is a tool, like a pick or a shovel. By itself it is totally useless. You can know many things, but if you do not know how to use the knowledge, it has little value. A shovel, for example, may be bought for less than $20. In the hands of someone who has no idea what it is for, it is actually worth nothing. However, if you put it in the hands of someone who knows how to use it and does, it can be used to begin many much bigger things, like the foundation of a hose, a hole for a fence, even to uncover buried treasure! Knowledge is like that. It can sit doing nothing of any value in the mind of someone who doesn't know how to use it. It can sit beside endless other amounts of knowledge, all equally useless if its use is not known or if it simply is not used. Wisdom is understanding how to use knowledge and then putting it to work. Wisdom is what has real value. God bless, Dave