|
Image of the Day Images that will blow your mind - every day. [Blog] [RSS] [XML] |
|
Thread Tools | Rate Thread | Display Modes |
|
11-18-2004, 11:47 AM | #1 |
Radical Centrist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
Posts: 31,423
|
11/18/2004: Swarm at the pyramids
full story - dateline, YESTERDAY. It started as a West African infestation, then swarmed into Cairo. From out of nowhere, the city streets were thick with these 3-inch monsters: Locusts. Pink ones! And by nightfall, they were all gone. This kind of swarm hadn't been seen in the lifetimes of most of the city's residents, and it was described as "biblical". Well, sure! Can you imagine what this might have seemed like in biblical times? Without a strong grasp of how these things work - without the communication and science to notice and warn of the West African infestation - this would definitely look like something that a higher power had engineered. For the lot to suddenly appear as if out of nowhere, and then to disappear so quickly? The instinct to understand, to have a story, to answer the question "Why?" is so strong in us, that it's easy to imagine explanations developing out of well-intentioned storytelling. And then, to develop rules that seemed to act as prevention - especially if that "Why?" question was answered with "Probably because of something you did." A parent-child relationship being the most familiar rule-making structure, that became the narrative for the higher power who would get angry and swat His people with plagues. On the other hand, perhaps the people of Cairo HAVE been bad, and perhaps a higher power DID engineer the plague by setting up the conditions under which an investation would develop. Enh, your call. But in the end, it's all about who sets up the story, who controls the narrative. |
11-18-2004, 12:12 PM | #2 |
I can hear my ears
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 25,571
|
PINK LOCUSTS.....hmmmm......i think it IS a sign from god. i think he's telling us that gay marriage IS ok with him. no?
__________________
This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan |
11-18-2004, 12:18 PM | #3 |
When Do I Get Virtual Unreality?
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Raytown, Missouri
Posts: 12,719
|
It takes a deity who is very comfortable with his omnipotence to send a plague of pink locusts.
Fundamentalist Christian take on this? "It is a sign from God that both Moslems and Gays are bad. C'mon. Pink locusts in Cairo? How else can that be interpreted?"
__________________
"To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog |
11-18-2004, 03:57 PM | #4 |
Slattern of the Swail
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 15,654
|
exactly.
Plus, I'm committing suicide later this week. You are all welcome.
__________________
In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum |
11-18-2004, 04:23 PM | #5 |
self=proclaimed ass looking for truth whatever that means
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A treehouse
Posts: 193
|
I can remember as a child in south Ga. having a similar looking locust infect the area ever so often. However, I never remember thinking this was a plague of a Higher Power.
Actually, higer power is a complex word that could mean anything from God to an oak tree. If you are a follower of religion of some type. God,Allah,Jehova...etc... would be considered a higher power. If you believe in nature, An oak tree is a power greater than yourself. By the way the pink locust may have been female or of the femine nature. However, the ones I remember were redbreasted, which I guess accounts for their aggresive nature.
__________________
Let it rain, it eases pain..... |
11-18-2004, 04:33 PM | #6 |
As stable as a ring of PU-239
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: On a huge rock covered in water, highly advanced moss and 7 billion parasites
Posts: 1,264
|
Swarms of locusts ain't so bad. Locusts are good eatin'. Free food and they're all OVER the place. Get a net, catch yourself a few hundred. A few of those can easily replace a meal's worth of crops they might eat. Especially if the buggers are 3 inches long. And dried bugs don't rot, they'll keep for months!
__________________
"I don't see what's so triffic about creating people as people and then getting' upset 'cos they act like people." ~Adam Young, Good Omens "I don't see why it matters what is written. Not when it's about people. It can always be crossed out." ~Adam Young, Good Omens |
11-18-2004, 05:35 PM | #7 |
Operations Operative
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: scotland/uk
Posts: 664
|
Swarm at the pyramids
A friend of mine lived in Zimbabwe or Rhodesia as it was called then and he told me about locust pie which used to be sold in bush meat markets
Too gross for words !!!! |
11-18-2004, 06:04 PM | #8 |
Vivacious Vivisectionist
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 36
|
God IS angry
This might seem kinda strange, but I went for a walk around the island of Manhattan the other day to try and listen to the song of the earth (literally, I walked about 20 miles).
Yea, it's a bit freaky, but sometimes you have to push yourself to overcome the limits of standard cognition. Pain is a wonderful clarifier, especially if it is welcomed and willful (forcing pain on others tends to muddle information). Rest assured however, the forces beyond our comprehension have taken note of our actions, and they are not pleased. The two-headed turtle attests to this. The swarm of locusts is another 'sign'. The discovery of the missing link. is another. Strange things are afoot. Of that there is no doubt. |
11-18-2004, 07:12 PM | #9 | |
-◊|≡·∙■·∙≡|◊-
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Parts unknown.
Posts: 4,081
|
Quote:
No wonder your picking up all this weird shit - It could be that the ammonia from homeless urine is interfering with the signals you are picking up from the earth spirit or maybe you are confusing the gentle voice of mother earth with the humm of the subway HVAC units. Just a theory.
__________________
♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ |
|
11-18-2004, 04:32 PM | #10 |
lurkin old school
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2,796
|
I'm hearing a song...Pink Locusts in Cai-ro....They jump, they fly-o...Is it a plague? see pyramid so vague.....uh....thats all I got.
|
11-18-2004, 06:17 PM | #11 |
whig
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,075
|
two head turtles are the result of pesticides, swarms of locusts are seasonal, or at least or byproduct of global warming.
__________________
Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain |
11-18-2004, 06:27 PM | #12 |
Vivacious Vivisectionist
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 36
|
Uno mas
there are the male fish with the eggs and such. <-my take.
or go straight to the national geographic web page. If the 'god talk' rubs you the wrong way...how about..."There is a disturbance in the Force." Then we can use one of the modern day myths, instead of the old skool stuff. Or maybe...'a glitch in the Matrix' is a better way to state it. |
11-18-2004, 06:43 PM | #13 | |
Come on, cat.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area
Posts: 7,013
|
Quote:
__________________
Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good. |
|
11-18-2004, 06:52 PM | #14 | |
Vivacious Vivisectionist
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 36
|
Quote:
It certainly <i>seems</i> like a disturbance. It certainly <i>feels</I> like one. To call such events 'normal' seems a bit of a stretch, IMHO. Some folks get very, very hung up on words. So much so that using one conception or another causes them to stop thinking entirely about the dataset being presented. |
|
11-18-2004, 06:59 PM | #15 | |
Come on, cat.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area
Posts: 7,013
|
Quote:
__________________
Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good. |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|