konnabunny – It’s all about perception. Madiba to some was a terrorist; to others he was a freedom fighter.

For the cliche to be untrue and there to be a false dichotomy both ‘men’ would need use the term ‘Terrorist’ and ‘Freedom Fighter’ as synonyms – which they don’t.

Mudmonster – Let’s not forget that only a tiny minority of UK citizens publicly protested against the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. About 57,000,000 gave their tacit support by doing nothing to oppose the legitimately elected Government of the day. Liberal Democracies should not be allowed to be unduly influenced by small, but vocal minorities. After all, it’s still about majority rule. If you and others don’t like it then vote! It’s your right to change the system. Voter apathy is eroding the accountability of our state. We must hold the Government accountable at every election.

When someone starts complaining to me about Schooling, Tuition Fees, the NHS, RBS Bonuses, Pot Holes, Energy Bills, Transport etc I always ask if they voted in the most recent elections. If they have not, I simply tell them that that they have no right to complain – they should blame themselves for not participating in our democracy. Every night the TV news is full of images of people dying for the right to vote. Why does it mean so little to us?

yossarian – monkeycmonkeydo appears to have argued that mass murders already have weapons of WMD. I’ve argued that in fact small arms are much more lethal. This allows us to put the danger of WMD into a rational and quantifiably perspective. Even if Saddam Hussein had WMD was he a greater threat to humanity than small arms? No. Is North Korea’s AK47 factories more dangerous than their alleged (they could be bluffing) nuclear weapon? Yes. Will Iran’s internal security apparatus continue to kill more of its own people than US and Israeli WMD every will? Yes. Will Israeli small arms kill more Palestinians than their entire undeclared arsenal of Jericho II warheads? Yes.

The mere mention of WMD makes us lose our rational perspective. As you rightly described above, WMD are an illusion and a smoke screen. Let’s remember this and keep our eye on the goals: ending conflict, alleviating poverty, avoiding famine, eradicating disease and saving lives. This can only be done by putting our common humanity above our national self-interests. WMD is the least of our concerns.

Cassette – saves a bit of weight, improves shifting.

I’ve installed a security light inside my garage and a motion sensor alarm – hopefully this will deter anyone should they get through the door.

Nearly 40 million people have died in conventional conflicts since WWII. Not one was killed by a nuclear weapon. Millions live under the rule of tyrants as Mao said, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” Small arms allow illegitimate governments to remain in power. They empower terrorists, criminals and gangsters.

About 250,000 civilians died in Hiroshima and Nagaski. Between 300,000 – 500,000 people are killed every year by small arms. http://www.globalissues.org/article/78/small-arms-they-cause-90-of-civilian-casualties

We would save more lives by un-inventing the AK 47 than nuclear weapons.

Konabuddy – Nelson Mandela: Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?

Some cliches are axiomatic.

Stan’s No Tubes ZTR Flow £60 at CRC.

I find that going for a quick ride seals things up pronto.

I doubt that there is any academic course which will be of much help. You need practise as well as theory.

Recognising that you need to improve is the most difficult step. The ancient Greek temple in Delphi had an inscription which simply read, ‘Know Thyself’. You can start by trying to get a better understanding of yourself and an appreciation of how you are perceived by others. Start with this online personality test http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp . This is another test which will assess your ideological position http://www.politicalcompass.org/ The Johari Window is also worth looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window Goldman’s book on emotional intelligence is excellent http://www.amazon.co.uk/Emotional-Intelligence-Matter-More-Than/dp/0747528306 NLP is also very useful http://www.mindtrainingsystems.co.uk/?gclid=CIO3jsXM860CFUcTfAodjj7CtA

Leaders require followers. The key skill is communication and the critical quality is credibility. John Adair’s stuff http://www.johnadair.co.uk/ is widely used, even by the military.

You could find a local life coach http://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/
Failing that you could join the Territorial Army!

This page has some recommendations http://www.notubes.com/RecommendedTires.aspx

Genesis CDF: fastest bike around the planet!

+1 for marathons. They’ve never let me down.

CX bikes = adventure. Great if you need one bike to do it all. I love both my tricrosses and Mrs R loves hers. However, if I had to choose to keep only one of my 7 bikes it would be the HT 29er.

Been there myself. Fortunately, no little ones involved. Soapy water and WARM water is the key for bacteria. Lather for at least 20 sec. Then DRY your hands. Try not to touch your face. A thermometer is your friend! Good luck.

The NHS is literally one of our most precious national treasures. The OP’s sad experience says it all really. However, free health care should not absolve citizens from their duty to make more healthy lifestyle choices. I recently read that nearly 20% of the NHS’s budget was spent treating diabetes. Can this be true? Alcohol abuse and smoking must also cost taxpayers a small fortune. As the Roman’s used to say, “Everthing in moderation.”…

monkeycmoneydo –

1. The AK47 is the true weapon of mass destruction.
2. One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. It’s complex.
3. Actually, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Rep of Ireland, Hong Kong, are doing OK. Many problems in the former colonies preceded the arrival of the British and are still there 60 years after they left.

– 1 SealSkinz gloves are pants. Mrs R’s leak like a sieve and have nearly ruined rides. However, the socks are excellent. I’ve had better luck with Gore gloves.

Nanok of Norway – if it’s good enough for Ray Mears, then it’s good enough for anyone!!

I did it once…never again.

Hmmm, I was tempted to change to a double on my HT 29er. But now I’m thinking that I’ll just stick to the old-faitful triple as I mostly do long distance XC stuff.

Good morning all.

Konabunny – You make a good point. There are indeed many historical examples where Muslims have coexisted peacefully with Jews and Christians. This is not surprising. Jews and Christians are accorded special status in the Holy Koran as ‘People of the Book’. All three religions are monotheistic and recognise the Old Testament prophets. According to the Holy Koran, the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) met to pray with Jesus, Abraham and Moses on his Night Journey via Jerusalem. Indeed, the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) personally made an alliance with the Jews in Arabia…unfortunately, things did not work out in the end. During the time of the Caliphs and the Ottoman Empire, Jews and Christians were allowed to live in Muslim lands, but were subject to a special punitive tax. However, we must not take this too far and forget that the Ottomans were responsible for the genocide of the Armenians – a very sensitive subject for Turks today. Also, Jews and Christians living in the Ottoman Empire were subject to Sharia law. Officially, Jews and Christians were required to convert to Islam which is why most hid their faith in public – as many Jews and Christians living in Muslim states today still do. This is hardly the sort of tolerance that we should all hope for. Christians are often tolerated in Muslim societies until they begin to proselytise – seek converts to their faith. Preaching the Gospel and converting non-believers to Christianity is a requirement of the religion. Unfortunately, the punishment for Muslims who convert are very severe – sometimes, death. This also falls short of the tolerance required for a true multicultural society.

And now the Hindus… Islam and polytheism are not easy bed fellows. Although the Rig Veda introduces 33 principles deities , some Hindus believe that over 300 million gods and goddesses exist. Furthermore, Hindu culture is much more permissive and in many ways less restrictive than Islam. One only has to go to the British Museum to compare the beautiful geometric patterns of Islamic art with the full size sculptures of nude women in provocative poses to appreciate how different these societies are from each other. This of course does not stop millions of Muslims world-wide watching Bollywood films via their satellite dishes.

There is another thing which many Muslims find even harder to tolerate… atheism. But that’s a story for another time.

OP – keep safe. Thanks.
yossarian – good to chat. Lets’s do it again.

*wonders off to prep bike for epic session at GT*

Life is full of irony and contradictions. The Founding Fathers were rascists. The Greeks practised apartheid. Liberal Democracy is inextricably linked to capitalism.

I agree that we need a more ethical society and that unbridled greed has undermined social cohesion. I’m concerned that the rich will become richer while the poor get poorer until the ideas of Marx and Lenin regain traction. I want evolution, not revolution.

Push-up bars are brilliant. Easy on the wrists.

Franklin and Jefferson were wealthy slave owners…

Of course capitalism is the ultimate protection of individual and minority rights to accumulate wealth – the principle of personal property.

Hora – you’ve got it in one. All states are self serving by definition as they have a responsibility to place the needs of their own people above those of others.

+1 for barefoot running. It is definately worth looking into. I run in vibram five fingers, Newtons and innov8 bare grip 200s. A foam roller can also work wonders.

What would you consider are the characteristics of real liberal democracies? I’m also interested to read why you think liberal democracies have lost their ways.

‘The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants‘ – Thomas Jefferson 1787. Individual self-determination is best served by liberal democracies where there are free and fair elections, universal franchise and where individuals and minorities are protected by the rule of law. It’s not perfect, but the alternatives are worse. Theocracy, absolute monarchy, communism, and oligarchy don’t have a better track record. Sadly, liberal democracy needs continuous protection against ideologies that will exploit our civil liberties with the ultimate intent to restrict them. If we stand idly by and fail to to defend our freedoms we could sleep walk into a tyranny. As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘Those who would give up Essential Liberty, to purchase a little Temporary Safety , deserve neither Liberty nor Safety’. Some things are worth fighting for.

It’s easy to identify hypocrisy in any sovereign state’s foreign policy. After all, the primary responsibility of any Government is to ensure national security. If it fails the social contract is void and it becomes illegitimate. Consequently, states regard four key areas as being absolutely vital: Territory, Population, Revenue and International Recognition. Liberal Democracies add civil liberties and human rights to this list while capitalist/free market economies consider prosperity a vital national interest. Britain is no different. It does what it must, not what is moral. The international arena is essentially anarchical despite attempts to enforce international norms. States are effectively above the law.

Britain’s interest in the subcontinent is purely self-serving, because this is what all states do – to do otherwise is to fail in the primary responsibility. It’s not in the UK’s interest to allow nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of extremists. It’s not in its interest to allow opium to be exported from Afghanistan. It’s not in its interests to have a war between Pakistan and the world’s most populous democracy. It’s not in its interest to allow terrorist groups to train in ungoverned space from where they can launch attacks against the UK or our trading partners.

Foreign policy is inherently unfair. Perhaps it can be otherwise, but not until the international system of sovereign nations states is replaced by something better.

scottfitz – I can go all night 8)

Mrs R has been through a heap of saddles. Spech Windie XC Sport seems to have ended the hunt for the perfect fit. However, she has her eye on something from Selle SMP.

The Partition of India was in part an attempt to realise the democratic aspirations of both Muslim and Hindu nationalists. Britain is not without blame, but the resulting 64 years of conflict is in many ways an extension of the ethno-religious tension which had existed in the entire region even before Clive and his imperial ambitions. The Mongols, Moguls, and Maharajas were not exactly agents of peace and humanity. It’s difficult to see how Muslim beliefs can be reconciled with a multitheistic culture which has produced the karma sutra. I think that the key driver of instability in the region is Pakistan’s fear that it will splinter along ethnic lines leaving small Pashtun, Baluch, SIndhis, Punjabis etc. The lose of East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1971 haunts them. Perhaps they are seeking to unify all these ethnic groups against a common enemy. After all, it’s easier for a group to define their enemies than themselves!

Remember that you have every right to be on the road. Don’t be timid.

My schwalbe spiked 29er tyres are still in their boxes….bring it on!

I’m not sure that you need more power. I rode GT on wednesday night with my 2011 Maxx D (1200 lumens max?), but had it on the lowest setting to conserve the battery. It was more than enough.

monkeycmonkeydo – I’m glad that you use the word ‘we’. As a citizen of a liberal democratic state you are also responsible for the policies of its elected Government. Therefore, you have a right to disagree, to voice your opinions, run for government office or vote the current lot out. I may not agree with what you say, but I will die to ensure that you have the right to say it.

I am interested to hear how ‘we’ have destabilised Pakistan. Seriously. I’m preparing to deliver a lecture on the Geopolitics of of Afghanistan and Pakistan next week to an audience of about 600 people.

As for talking to the ‘Taliban’. First, this is a convenient label used to describe a wide variety of often unconnected groups. Second, there is no military solution to the problem in Afghanistan – only a political one. This involves giving all Afghans the rights that you and I enjoy. So I might not agree with what the ‘Taliban’ has to say, but I believe that they have a democratic right to say it.

The stability of Afghanistan is in all our interests. If Afghanistan implodes then Pakistan will to. Then its nuclear materials, expertise and weapons may fall into the hands of extremists. It is truly a ‘wicked problem’ – if we do nothing we’re stuffed: if we intervene then we’re damned. Sadly, our liberal democratic freedoms come at a cost.

XT
ZTR Wheels
Schwalbe rubber
Spech helmet and gloves
Sidi Mega
Oakley
King headsets
Rockshox