Felix the Cat

10.11.2016 , 00:53 Uhr

9.11

03.07.2015 , 19:21 Uhr

While the relevance to the situation at hand of my example in my previous answer may be debated endlessly, this is at least one scenario where selling the other tire, a wheel and the frame would make sense. Unless a better solution avails itself in a timely fashion.

03.07.2015 , 19:06 Uhr

The actions of my friend are despicable, but they are theirs and they must answer for them, not I. In any case, unless my friend is the only one selling tires, I would buy the new tire from whoever offers the best deal – even my friend. But the choice is of course the cyclist’s.

To me, personally, making my help conditional on the cyclist selling the other tire, a wheel and the frame would make sense only when I can see that being the best and fairest way (to myself and the other cyclist) to be helpful. Because that is what it is all about: helping.

I ride a mid-range bicycle, worth about $500. The cyclist I am trying to help has a bicycle worth $7000, with a ruined tire that costs $400 to replace. I only have $80 cash – I was going to buy school books with that money, but the books can wait a while I guess. Now, without the bicycle the cyclist can’t get to work, and so never earn the money to fix the tire. The cyclist is in trouble.

But because I’m trying to be helpful, I make the following suggestion. I will lend the cyclist the $80 I can spare for a while. I will do this on the following three conditions. First, you give me $1 a week so that I can read the school book online (and to motivate you to give me back my $80). Second, you sell your other tire, a wheel and the frame and with the proceeds and my $80 you buy two new cheaper tires, a cheaper wheel and a cheaper frame. Third, you use the repaired bicycle to get to work to earn money and which will allow you to return my $80 to me. Then, when you have returned my $80 to me, you have saved enough money, and you still want to, you can replace the cheaper tires, wheel and frame with the super-duper ones you had before.

02.07.2015 , 14:56 Uhr

The Greek government is democratically elected by the Greek people. The other governments at the negotiating table are also democratically elected by their respective people. They are equal in this regard. All governments, Greek and non-Greek, represent the majority will and interest of their respective people – hopefully. (I admit I’m an optimist, but that is how it should be.)

I do not understand how the rest of Europe is being dictatorial simply by taking a position that is not aligned with the wishes of the Greek people (as presented by the Greek government). Surely that is equally as untrue as positing that Greece is being dictatorial by taking a position that is not aligned with the position taken by the rest of Europe. Yes, the positions are not aligned. But that is simply democracy at play. Nobody is being dictatorial in this respect.

What I see is a Europe that is trying to help Greece, because Greece is in trouble. In trying to help, the rest of Europe has not just the right but also the responsibility to set conditions for that help.

If I were to happen across a cyclist with a flat tire, when I stop and offer to help by lending the cyclist my tools, I have the right to say that I will do that only on the condition that my tools are treated well, that I will get them back unharmed and timely, and that they are indeed used to fix the flat tire. When I see my tools being thrown on the floor and being treated disrespectfully without any chance of the cyclist actually being able to ride again, I have the right to take my tools and ride away, leaving the cyclist to find another way. I would not be humiliating the cyclist.

09.03.2015 , 15:38 Uhr

Tony Abbott ist der australische George W. Bush. Und Flüchtlingen das Recht absprechen, Asyl zu beantragen, sie als illegale Immigranten zu bezeichnen, ist fies.Aber ... auf Manus und Nauru leben auch Menschen. Freie Menschen. Wenn diese Inseln für Flüchtlinge nicht gut genug sind, wenn auf diesen Inseln zu leben eine Menschenrechtsverletzung ist, müssten diese Menschen nicht evakuiert werden? Es geht doch nicht das Es in Ordnung ist, wenn Menschen freiwillig da leben, aber für Flüchtlinge ist es eine Anmutung?