Sounds like he sprang from Gogol's overcoat (like all of us) and has read Aristotle with a sympathetic eye.

Soren wrote on May 7^th, 2009 at 10:29pm:


Soren it’s very complex and depends on personal preferences.
Due to their culture, training and preference for strictly rational way of thinking English ( Anglo-Saxons ) have lots of difficulties to understand Dostoyevski and Eastern way of thinking.
Generally speaking Reason is important but not universal solution to satisfy all our existential and spiritual needs.
The problem with Western  humanism is that entirely relies on reason, which is quite normal considering that as a “religion” places Human in the centre of universe instead God which naturally leads to another “religion” called Atheism.
One think we know for sure that we humans are all imperfect and live in the world of relativity.
Absolute perfection can not be relative, but can be used as a moral reference point for our actions.
Eastern and Western way of thinking are very much different.
The western philosophy is primarily based on logic and reason ( manly Aristotles syllogism), as result of this could be very scholastic, framed and even boring.
On the other hand Eastern philosophy equally recognises intuition and inspiration as well as logic and reason.
To simplify this we may say that there is “Knowledge of the west and wisdom of the east”. It is very good to know both for our own benefit.
Western civilised world and knowledge is much younger then eastern wisdom.
For example reason is definitely superior in mathematics or physics but when we come to moral issues it can be very week and immoral.
So what Dostoyevsky did in “Crime and punishment” and “Brother Karamazovs” ( Grand inquisitor),
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75RPJ-OHmEI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMSjj...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaIA0...eature=related
he actually disclosed weakness of reason as universal answer for everything.
Raskolnikov using reason perfectly justified his act of killing old lady.
Grand Inquisitor used reason to perfectly justify his moral stand in sentencing Christ.  Using the reason Madeleine Albright justified killing 1 000 000 Iraqi children
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2568431/7676319  and so on.

That’s why Dostoyevski simply said:
“If God is dead then everything is permitted”.
So Dostoyevski represents Eastern way of thinking that assumes: Reason, intuition and inspiration.
For example Shakespeare (Hamlet) is great but in comparison with Dostoyevski sounds like just another great Mathematician.

tallowood wrote on May 7^th, 2009 at 11:27pm:


Ok, ok don't be angry I thought we made a peace.
Hey Tall son what I can do to make happy?
Do you want a new car, Blond chick tell me boy I'll do everything to help you. I am very compassionate man.

tallowood wrote on May 7^th, 2009 at 11:42pm:


If you want I can give you recopies for the best pasta sauce in the world.
Once when you try it you want forget it for the rest of your life.
Guaranteed all fresh ingredients, it's very good for your prostate.

athos wrote on May 7^th, 2009 at 11:08pm:


The West has plenty of mystics, intuitive thinking (see literature and poetry) and so I think your dichotomy is false, although widespread.

The west does temper its mysticims by reason - and as ever, is a model to follow or resist.

That is the bind for the east (or the non-western generally) -it can either resist or follow. But it can never lead. The west wll invent, adopt, incorporate, re-invent. The east does the adopting and incorporating but not the nventing or the re-inventing.

The east is a driver of nothing. China can make thinks cheaper (and Japan before it).  But nothing new comes out of China except exotica. Nothing new comes out of the east. The east is old, voluptuous and reactionary.

Russia was geatest when it was least 'Russian', in the 19th century. After that it was only its exiles and dissidents who were of any note. The Arabs have not had a new idea of their own in 700 years. Or the Chinese, Indians, Thais and the whole of Africa.

Soren wrote on May 7^th, 2009 at 9:41pm:

Buy much toothpaste on the advice ugly old hags in an advert do you?

tallowood wrote on May 9^th, 2009 at 9:50pm:


Here it is:
http://fishcooking.about.com/od/smokebrine/ss/bottarga.htm
Listen personally I am not big fan of bottarga maybe because of its saltiness.

I am expert for one of the best and simplest Pasta source, when you try this you will be amassed.

You need:
- 1.0 kg of fresh pomoadori (tomato)
-  Squeezed three slices of garlic( or tiny cut ).
- about quarter to half of bunch basal leaves ( or as you like )

Procedure

1.      Put tomato in boiling water for about 5 minutes until starts pealing itself
2.      Pour cold water on the tomato and pealed skin
3.      Cut tomato in little pieces and add salt.
4.      Put little olive oil on the pan until become reasonably hot.
5.      Put squeezed garlic in the pan and stir it for a few minutes
6.      Add cut tomato and cook for about 20 min occasionally stirring.
7.      Add small cut basil leaves, cover and leave it to cool down for about 10 min.      

There is no comparison with those artificial full of preservatives sources from the supermarket

Mate it’s really beautiful fresh taste real taste of Italy. Try it, you want be sorry and also it’ll be nice surprise for your girlfriend or wife. You can leave some in the fridge for next day.
The whole operation won’t take more than ½ hr.