Common Sense

[Othello]

I got this on the net recently.
I thought it was sad but true.

Subject: common sense
Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 12:00:56 +1000

>
> My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was
>
> always around in my early
>
> years but less and less as time passed by until today I read
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> his obituary. Please join me in
>
> a moment of silence in remembrance. For Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.
>
> Obituary
> Common Sense
>
>
> Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
>
> He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
>
> Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
>
> His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
>
> Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
>
> Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
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> Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
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> Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
>
> Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing

[Othello]

Then I got this today and thought it was very sad.


Well, it appears our African-American friends have found yet something else to be pissed about. A black congresswoman, from Florida , has complained that the names of hurricanes are all Caucasian sounding names.

She would prefer some names that reflect African-American culture such as Chamiqua, Tanisha, Woeisha, Shaqueal, and Jamal. I am NOT making this up!

She would also like the weather reports to be broadcast in Language that street people can understand because one of the problems that happened in New Orleans was that black people couldn't understand the seriousness of the situation, due to the racially biased language of the weather report.

I can hear it now: A weatherman in Miami and Tampa says...

Wazzup, mutha-fukkas! Hehr-i-cane Chamiqua be headin' fo' yo ass like Leroy on a crotch rocket!
Bitch be a category fo'! So grab yo' chirren, yo' Ho, be leavin yo crib, and head fo' da nearest guv'ment office fo yo FREE ----!

[dbriggins]

Common sense is neither.

[Kenn]

Common Sense just does not seem so common anymore

[UdonExpat]

Common Sense - R.I.P.

from http://www.answers.com/topic/common-sense

Common sense is sometimes regarded as an impediment to abstract and even logical thinking. This is especially the case in mathematics and physics, where human intuition often conflicts with probably correct or experimentally verified results. A definition attributed to Albert Einstein states: "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen."

[aznyron]

othello I got that in some e-mail a while back I just deleted it since it was all B/S
and I will go slightly further black people speak that way because of there southern heritage
mixed with northern accents IMO

[Pakawala]

I'm sorry Ron, but on that point, about the way many of our African-American citizens speak, is a result of being LAZY!! They were too lazy to pay attention in school, too lazy to finish school and too lazy to try to improve because their Uncle Sam just keeps giving them what ever they ask for.


I finished my schooling in Southern Calif. and some of my classmates were of African-American decent but they were INSPIRED to try to compete with the rest of their classmates (1956-59). The schools in Calif. in those days were concerned with TEACHING rather than coddling their students. The only Black Man I'm currently aware of who has truly accepted this fact and is attempting to actually do something about it is Dr. William (Bill) Cosby... yeah, the comedian. Some of the lectures he has given recently are truly inspiring.

[dbriggins]

The pressure on people to conform is amazing, and we've all seen how the nail gets hammered down. If a Black American seeks to escape the traditional views of his or her community, they are labeled as "Uncle Tom" or worse. There was a front page op-ed piece at the beginning of Obama's campaign that questioned if he was "black enough" to succeed in winning over the Liberal community! (If you think about it, Barak Obama is one of the few true African-Americans in the US. His father was African, his mother was American. Not too many Black Americans can claim that!)

It seems that high profile Black Americans need a certain street cred that involves MLK Jr. in some way, shape, or form. Preferably with a broad patois that sounds like a Southern Baptist preacher. If you don't have an accent, then you're too "white" and are probably just sucking up to the Man.

Slavery in Thailand was abolished about the same time as it was in the US, but I don't see people blaming poverty in Thailand on something that ceased to exist 140 years ago. Blacks in America need to listen to Bill Cosby and start taking responsibility for their own actions and stop blaming everything from riots in Cincinatti to the Katrina distaster on "Whitey."

On the other hand, we "crackas" need to stop looking sideways at every black person simply because we've had poor experiences with some of them. We can't assume that all Black Americans are lazy, welfare-sucking, drug-taking, baby-making machines. Most of them work hard, deal with racist bastards every freaking day, and work at jobs that should pay half again as much as they do.

Black Americans live in a world of mistrust and coersion, and have a hard time getting out of it. When they do, their own people rag on them for compromising.

It doesn't make sense, common or otherwise.

[Othello]

There is no doubt that Einstein was a very clever man but I am sure that he knew from an early age not to put his hand in the fire or in boiling water.
Perhaps he had heat prejudice.

I also do not speak English like wot the Queen do.
I come from up north, been South, East and West.

If the News says there is a storm coming I understand.

America has had a black Secratry of state for 7 years.
It looks likely that they will have a coloured President soon.
They did not get where they are by not understanding their teachers or what the Press said.

I have had the privelage of spending some time in America.
I worked with Hispanics and coloureds.
I cannot say thay they understood me all of the time or me them but we got along.

[Kenn]

[westerby]

Wazzup, mutha-fukkas! Hehr-i-cane Chamiqua be headin' fo' yo ass like Leroy on a crotch rocket!
Bitch be a category fo'! So grab yo' chirren, yo' Ho, be leavin yo crib, and head fo' da nearest guv'ment office fo yo FREE ----!

Crikey, is that how African Americans really speak? The people that I met when I worked with the US Forces were usually quite articulate.

No wonder the US still has race issues: black Americans probably can't understand white Americans and vice verce while Hispanics probably can't understand either!

What a kerfuffle.

[BKKSTAN]

Unfortunately there are some blacks that talk in vulgar and aggressive manners combined that with the gangsta music and movie culture and it is easy to see how us ''crackas'' avoid them.

I don't much like to be around that culture as it is aggressive and intimidating and I find myself in a highly alert frame of mind!Not enjoyable to say the least!

But that said,I think it is perpetuating racism to single out this group as representing the majority of ''black''people!I have associated and been friends with many black people in my life and I can honesty say that a minimum of 98% do not fit this ugly description.Many have been the recipients of discrimination their entire lives,and yes,many express anger and frustration occassionally,but in general I have found them to be very good people!

My empathy has grown immensely after living in Thailand and experienced being the minority while observing the the racist class distinctions involved in Thai society in relationship to my family and other Thais!

A minority that is the object of discrimination will always have individuals that ,in their frustration,seek equality in ALL forms !Even the naming of storms etc.!Rather than make fun of their demands,I choose to understand where it is coming from!

Much of the ''laziness'' in minority individuals is a product of coming to believe in hopelessness combined with the inability to accept responsibility for personal changes necessary to circumvent it!Not an easy thing to do if you are raised in the wrong environment!

Hopefully,the nomination of Obama will inspire some minorities to rise above their circumstances,but I don't want him to be elected!

[Guns482]

back to the originasl post, common sense is lost, YThais are not logical, neither do they have a lot of common sense, that is not their fault just the way they are , something due to culture and the like. You can see it in their driving and work ethic, lack of foresight, call it what you will , but bascially common sense. Llikewise, due to mothering our children so much, ( nothing wrong in that ), children have lost the art of common sense.
But what is common sense, there is a definition of sorts: The ability to behave in a sensible way and make practical decisions .

It is lost I am afraid and will take time to recover.

[laphanphon]

My empathy has grown immensely after living in Thailand and experienced being the minority while observing the the racist class distinctions involved in Thai society in relationship to my family and other Thais!

agree completely, very eye opening to be in thos shoes. think i am one of the least prejudice persons i know, but still find myself with negative opinion when thinking about and being in states. not the individual themselves per say, but the politics of organizations that are self appointed to represent their heritage. quite embarrassing at times. enough said, as i can easily turn this one into a extended novel, putting my mini's to shame. just not enough bandwidth

[Kenn]

I know many people of many races, some talk with way to much slang and some speak fine, I don

[Guns482]

Pefect is in my mind, reality nowhere is, but lack of the original post point is the major problem in a lot of countries with big brother attempting to take care and the wonderful health and Safety peole stopping even sensible actions and activities.
it is the new thing let us see how many people we can pi55 off wioth a stupid idea, if enough we have the right answer.
God forbid when i was young if that happened , I would now be an overweight couch potatoe, afraid to move in case something happened.
Save us from the do-gooders and sanctimonious who attempt to regulate our lives.
LET US PRAISE ' COMMON SENSE' for all its imperfections it is still a wonderful world.
Hopefully................

[Othello]

Amen to that Brother

[marjamlew]

Common Sense Vs Occ Health and Safety.
Last week through an act of childhood hijinx a student's left shoe found itself onto the roof at school.
Actions taken:
Berate the student's involved with a hidden half smile on my face.
Get a ladder from the storeroom and prepare to retrieve the shoe.
Start to ascend the ladder. A voice from the distance, 'the boss,' cries in desperation; "Mr L.........do you have your ladder license??""
Yes it seems I am not allowed to be above 1 metre from the ground without my ladder license. To be able to climb above 1 metre I need to attend a 2 day course so I won't put myself in danger as I climb my stairway to heaven.
The student's shoe remained on the roof until a suitably qualified climber could be found to retrieve it.
Common Sense ?????????????

[saint]

same in england im affraid, i worked in the construction industry, and its getting buried in red tape and bullsh~t, pretty soon you will need a license to take a dump, and even then, your efforts will need to be measured, weighed, and sized to make sure it is suitable for the sewage system. and who pays for all this rubbish? the taxpayer!!!!!!!! common sense is dead, long live the buerocrat.

[Guns482]

Tes taxes are the death of us, it is the only thing you still pay when you die death duties, they take that before anyone else gets their hands onit.
bureaucrats rule mere mortals ????????