Is it Possible to Solve the Middle East Crisis by hading out vast volumes of Tea?
???
I should think so!
It's a start.
has anyone read the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson?
Rebekah: my mom just loaned it to me, so it's next on my list.
As for the general question proposed: nothing else has worked, so we might as well try! See my "Tea and World Peace" thread for my proposed ideas on the subject :) Take away the guns of the world and pass around cuppas for all!
Well, if anything is ever going to solve the Middle East Crisis, it would be Tea!!! c\_/
Rebekah, no I've not read "Three Cups of Tea" yet, but I've managed to get a copy and it's on my "to read" list so I'll get round to it eventually, lol! I suspect I'll drink rather more than just three cuppas when I get round to reading it!
The mere activity required and the organising involved would bring about solutions to the issues! Arguments as to the type of tea, or the methods of brew, not to mention the choices of containers would keep everyones mind off war and mayhem. You can't carry a tray and an AK 47.
I know this is off subject… but more people need trays… I was serving tea at a friends house while we were out watching the stars last night… it took like 3 trips to get everyone everything they needed
I've heard weirder solutions proposed. Edward de Bono (inventor of lateral thinking) once in 2000 proposed to the home office the 'solution' of shipping out hundreds of thousands of jars of marmite to the Middle East.
His reasoning was thus: at the time there were was amounts of unleavened bread being eaten on both sides. This is unfortunately very low in zinc and a known side effect of zinc shortage is increased aggression. Marmite is very high in zinc (amongst other things) ergo if the people's zinc levels were raised then their aggression would lessen ergo supply them with zinc rich foodstuffs e.g Marmite.
That is true. I used to have a smart melamine tray but it got lost in a house move – new one now on Xmas list! It looks like you could have done with a tea trolley. Back on topic best not to use trolley for Middle East Tea Party as AK47 could be hidden under the serviettes!!
good old QI
not to stay off topic… but i love melamine
to redeem my off topicness…
a Baltistan proverb
"The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time, you are an honored guest. The third time you become family.
That is why it is an excellent idea to send out vast amount of tea!!
Fire up the Samavar and cease fire!
Speaking as someone who spends most of the year in the Middle East, can I request that the tea be something decent and not Lipton's?
I think it's quite possible, provided you included biscuits.
Hilary- what about Celestial Seasonings? =)
Christine- the mere activity *would* get them to stop fighting for a bit, but then wouldn't this lead to more arguments and back to the AKs?
Well…I suppose arguing about tea is better than arguing about religion, isn't it? ;)
Russian Caravan?
You have a point Ashley, tea has caused war before! However that war ended, America has never looked back and is now embracing tea with enthusiasm. Unfortunately not nearly enough to keep their politicians meddling.
Perhaps investment in more tea growing in the area might help? Clear the Opium poppy fields, grow tea instead! Tata might be interested. Some sort of oil tea deal? I'm fantasisiing.
Yes! Then not only will we solve the Middle East crisis, but we'll also solve heroin usage, as well!
Naw.
Have you been there?
They drink more tea in Middle Eastern countries than they do in The UK. Tea everywhere.
BTW Ashley, could you check your Topic Titles for typos before posting? I'm not familiar with "hading".
Precisely, they will enjoy the vast volumes of tea.
Aren't the Irish the biggest tea drinkers?… er..um..
PS .. give Ashley a break we've all dropped a few consonants! At least the vowels are all there unlike txt spk!
I suspect we have too much co**ee in the high reaches of government. Hmm…I could start an initiative getting California's politicians to drink tea, and at least fix the state's politics…
I don't think it's really the same though. Proper tea with milk and sugar and definitely with biscuits is a British thing. Other places say they drink it but it's all *funny tea*.
My Mum reckons that Marmite's the solution. She says the vitamin B stops aggression and lows and stuff or something. I tried to point out that this is because eating the stuff is such an extreme form of torture that no one could resist it and that it was very wrong of her to suggest its infliction on anyone, but she won't have it. Ho hum.
I think your Mum's got the right idea here, or at least a very good idea! If certain vitamins are missing from a person's diet, the resulting state of mind can be disastrous. I'm still not sure if the mono-sodium glutamate in Marmite is such a great idea, though certainly not the worst…
I like the ritual aspect of various tea traditions around the world – and tea certainly is good for you…Tea, plus good nutrition might help a lot, and not just in the Middle East! :)
Did you know marmite has it's own Facebook page?
http://www.facebook.com/pa
There's nothing comparable to it here in the U.S….it sounds interesting to say the least…
oh yes certainly, but one must use a good quality tea (not tea bags) and of course one must use a teapot. It is simply unheard of for someone to behave aggresively whilst drinking tea from a china cup and saucer.
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