Ghana parliament approves $3 billion Chinese loan

The only conservatives that know anything about Africa are the Mormons

I am glad you're around. I personally (more or less) gave up trying to elucidate on some rather simple aspects. At times I wonder if, on matters of foreign policy and things happening outside US borders, if it really matters to try. Although it is still shocking when I see FReepers, people I consider erudite (or at the very least, thinkers) saying some really interesting things. I am not talking about the person who thought Amin ruled Ghana ...that is a normal mistake (I am sure we all have made worse). My problem are those FReepers who, in their arrogance and ignorance (read: stupidity), say the Chinese can 'have Africa' without realizing the implications of that for their own country! Or the really dumb chap who, even though he's never been there, said the only good thing there is 'beetle dung.' Yet, if (say) Guam was to be taken, they would be saying no and how it is of great strategic importance as an 'unsinkable aircraft carrier' in the Western Pacific, and a US territory. Yet they are all ok with China, a nation that may (I use 'may' lightly) have future unfriendly relations with the US, to simply waltz in and take over an entire continent! A continent that can have the USA + China + Europe + India + Argentina + New Zealand fit, all at once, inside it! A continent that is extremely resource rich. A continent that has the fastest growing middle class in the world. It is really amazing. Really really amazing. If Guam, just one of the Marianas islands in the Pacific, is of such 'great' strategic importance to the US, I wonder just what the Chinese would think of an entire continent?

But hey ...its just beetle dung, right? Let's spend our time instead saying how the DUmmie democrats are stupid and how us FReepers are super smart. After all, we can recognize beetle dung.

Anyways, that is why I am not too concerned about the Idi Amin thing. We can all make such errors. What is scary are those FReepers who think that an entire continent is crap, without realizing that same 'crap' can be of great strategic value to someone who may not necessarily want the best for them. Which is why I fear some day, maybe in the next 2 or so decades, China will give the US a very bad surprise. Reason being that they do not underestimate the US. However the US (at least many in the US) underestimate nearly everything, without realizing that can be a potentially fatal flaw. I just hope the leadership is not like the average FReeper/DUmmie, otherwise things may be dire down the line.

Anyways, I am glad you still have the strength. I got tired!

While some laugh long faces watch from the shadows, and in those faces there is no laughter (A paraphrased quote from some old old book about how the Romans laughed obvlivious to the fact that the 'barbarians' they were laughing at had a fervent focus which, eventually, did hit Rome hard).

I've been reading some very interesting books on Neuro-Linguisting Programming (NLP), which deals with applied psychologu, influencing skills and shifting representational systems/submodalities. Interesting book, and interesting to see some of the things Obama was doing during his pre-election debates (more or less) written down. Anyways, why bring up the book? Because in 'dark' NLP (that focuses more on manipulation rather than influence) an easy way of creating/calibrating anchorsand distraction/utilization of group-think among masses is to replace something that is real (e.g. things that directly affect a country) with something that is more emotional but lacks real substance (e.g. something that will click with the most people in a visceral manner). For instance, just two days ago I was commenting on a Rick Perry thread that was listing 6 reasons why Conservatives should vote for him (ranging from 'he's a guy you'd like to have a beer with' to he 'attends public prayer days and has looked at ultrasounds'). I am sure you can find it if you search for Rick Perry, or simply look at my posting history (I haven't posted much in the last 2 days). Now, as I said on that thread, I am not for or against the man (goodness, I cannot even vote!). What hit me was that of the 6 reasons, only one (touching of fiscal conservatism) mattered. The rest were somewhere between 'swamp gas' and 'photographs of swamp gas.'

What is my point?

My point is that when it comes to matters of national interest, and matters of pertinent subtance/concern/opportunity etc, people need to look at them intently, and think about them deeply. Even looking at the Word, it warns us (e.g. in 2 Peter and Matthew 7:15-20) to be ware of false prophet/messages. Importantly, to test the message and see if it makes sense. Same thing in politics ...every person should think for themselves and judge, rather than treating it like a darn football or hockey match where we are all on the 'same team.' We should be on the same team, but that team should be the right team. Otherwise people end up voting for Rinos, while others are voting people like Obama who can give a very nice speech and nothing else (and to see the power of that, the man became president without a real job track record, with no history, and with doubts about some very basic things like citizenship ...but he won). Anyways, in dark NLP it is easy to shift a topic from something that is important to what is basically mindless group think, where people get all of their information from some 'guru/source/oracle' (could be CNN for the Left, Fox or Talk radio for the right, etc), and use that as a rallying call. Never thinking beyond that. The thing is, even if that source is right (to the flamers, I am not saying talk radio is bad), one should still have their own independent thought. Unfortunately it seems where it is heading is Republicans (especially conservative republicans, since it seems not all republicans are conservatives) voting for Rinos just because they have an R on their name, and the silly DUmmies also voting for Dinos just because they have a D behind their name. Ironically, at the end of the day, there is really no difference between a Dino and a Rino. It is the same species, the same creature, the same policies. The only differences are cosmetic. Would there have been a difference between Obama and McCain? Well, yes ...there would have been. But McCain would still have been a bad choice! It is like deciding whether you want to be bitten by a Diamondback rattlesnake, or by a rabid dog! I am sure there is a difference between the two, but the truth of the matter is that both will cause pain, both are definitely life threatening and can kill you if left untreated, both will scar you, and both (to survive) will require several painful injections. Yet you see the Rattlepublicans choosing the snake because it has an R in its name, and you see the Dogocrats chosing the dog because it has a D in its name. Yet, they are more or less the same ...vicious beasts trying to kill you.

But hey ...I am not supposed to say that, right? It is anathema! Blasphemy! Goodness, I cannot even vote.

Which is why I prefer to comment on the military threads, popping in every now and then on some other topic.

However, I do think people are getting played, with the game being the very future of their country (and maybe the free world).

But hey, what do I know?

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