pipemakersforum.com

Several seem pretty relevant.

The top trends for 2015 are:

The Grand Manipulation: The mechanisms of sound economics are being subverted to favor the wealthy and powerful.

Bankism: Capitalism is on the brink as Bankism is fast becoming the dominant global economic system.

Price Wars: Too much product and not enough demand give rise to a new age of retail marketing.

Dominant Energy: A new era for new energy explodes as dependency on fossil fuels lessens, global demand declines and the availability of alternative energy sources rises at an historic pace.

Selfie Journalism: Local news may never be the same as big media chains consolidate and downsize; upstarts will be needed to fill wide coverage gaps.

Awful Aging: An age wave is growing across the globe, and it is rich with untapped potential for businesses that focus on quality, creativity and old-school values.

Retrograde 2.0: It's beauty or bust as a return to individualism and the higher standards for quality and craftsmanship of past eras ignite opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach Millennials.

Takeover: Monopoly is the new normal. The latest trade pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, ensures that the bottom line trumps quality, choice and morality. [Cornell & Diehl, e.g.]

War Weary: Is the populace ready to fight for peace? It’s time to finally turn the tide of endless war and bring more prosperity to the world, but is anyone listening?

FWIW

Yak --

Do NOT start your trademark mind-dump, state-of-the-world, link mania bullshit here.

Hope this helps.

George

C'mon George, give the kid a break - everyone should have a hobby!

I think that's an interesting set of ideas. Now I have to go read about "bankism".

Sasquatch wrote:C'mon George, give the kid a break - everyone should have a hobby!

Indeed. Nothing good ever comes of him exercising it on specialty forums like this one, though. There are four BILLION websites on the Internet, many of which specialize in "roundup style" watch-winding diatribes and Paul Revere stuff. Hell, he used to have one of his own, expressly for the purpose. No takers, though, which is why he keeps trying to export it.

I think that's an interesting set of ideas.

That's because you're a philosopher. You like thinky shit by definition. Duh.

Hmmm... Let's see... You're also a carpenter. With charisma. Who has a flowing beard. And is statuesque in countenance, physically impressive, and who bears a message of peace, love, and tolerance...

LatakiaLover wrote:Hmmm... Let's see... You're also a carpenter. With charisma. Who has a flowing beard. And is statuesque in countenance, physically impressive, and who bears a message of peace, love, and tolerance...

You're saying he's a damn dirty hippy?

That's gotta be pretty fucking dirty. I mean, hippies are dirty by definition....aren't they?

d.huber wrote: You're saying he's a damn dirty hippy?

Normally, that would have been my conclusion.

Tyler, however, was heavily church-involved when he started this site, and was still heavily involved when Sas showed up in '08 or so. Which, I might add, occurred one day from---seemingly---out of nowhere.

I remember him saying he'd been asleep for a long time, and had walked across a lot of water (though he insisted it was frozen) to get here.

Something something about wine, too... (or was it beer?)

I'll admit it. I'm the fucking Saviour come again. Surprise Motherfuckers!

Well, that was certainly anti-dramatic.

Somebody should call the Vatican. CNN, too, for that matter. Whoever said the Net wouldn't amount to anything feels pretty silly now, I bet.

Sasquatch wrote:I'll admit it. I'm the fucking Saviour come again. Surprise Motherfuckers!

I KNEW i recognized you!!

It's the beard.

Just to be clear:

I'm shutting this down because I have no desire for this forum to be an outlet for political or worldview commentary. We have no "off topic" forum, and that is deliberate.

Yak, please stick to pipes, or something from which we can easily find the connection back to pipes.