soaring crane

no you didn't. You just tapped into something that confirmed your beliefs, and it felt good.

than can meet the eye of the hurricane brewing beneath the surface

Boris Johnson is very lucky to have dual citizenship. Expect him to take advantage of it in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

time, eternity great capsule of potential rainbow in a jar

invading my space the space between my two ears my little grey cells

gazing at the sky photons bombarding my eyes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ...

Eating chemistry metabololising stardust you me universe

fyi - I've now attended two extended workshops with Lam and have been priveleged to watch him perform his martial arts once (apparently a privilege that very few people have enjoyed, so I feel quite honored in that respect). He's a master of them all, including Bagua. So, please dispell the impression that he does nothing but standing practices. However, he'd tell you that the static practice is the root of the dynamic arts. And if he had to sacrifice one for the other, there's no question which one he'd retain. He basically said as much. The most advanced two-legged posture I've experienced with him is the yiquan dragon stance, not something you should do without instruction, because you won't do it right:

should always be written in quote marks Or in some contexts accompanied by a winkie: Democracy ;)

I usually avoid perpetuating these things but do please look at the statement you made which led to my reply. I was only answering two of your claims with two facts from my life which contradict your statement. All anecdotal, of course. Actually, i had my own business in the US, too. It could be interesting to compare the two experiences sometime.

my comment was a direct reply to yours: "Depends where you are and which country you are from. It's easier in some than others depending on status. " AlI meant was, in the US, it's easier to start a business in e.g. Texas than NY, that's all. But I don't think either of us have ample experience in founding domestic or international companies to begin analyzing the historical/geographical/cultural details behind the statistics you posted. Interesting, though, was the quickness with which you equated "freedom" with capitalist opportunities/opportunism. There are many forms of freedom, m'friend, as your second link demonstrates. Free youe mind, and the rest will follow. Free your sheep, and wolves will follow

^^ You could be writing about the USA

where'd you get that? All I've seen so far is references to a "shootout".

funny, I must live in a different Europe than the one you do. I'm happily self-employed, and am very close to buying a house.

The issue I brought up highlights one of the throbbing Achilles' heels of the US constitution, a document which is a stream of loosely connected loopholes and afterthoughts to begin with. What I'm talking about is the lack of any mention of party activities or oversight. There's no mention of parties at all, and afaik, the states have basically allowed these private (and in reality for-profit organisations) to take over the entire political system. Most Americans think it's normal, and I bet most of them think it's constitutional, too.