World Affairs

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Top story this morning appears to be the end of the disturbance in the Ivory Coast. Maybe the price of cocoa will now go back to normal. Since I use that stuff by the Kg. I surely hope so.

[airman15 4,111]

Here in America, everybody's stressing over the price of gas going up to $4 USD and $5 USD. Luckily, I ride my bike rather than drive, so travelling is pretty much free for me. In Libya, I wish the protesters luck in reaching their goal of booting a tyrant out of office.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Here in America, everybody's stressing over the price of gas going up to $4 USD and $5 USD. Luckily, I ride my bike rather than drive, so travelling is pretty much free for me. In Libya, I wish the protesters luck in reaching their goal of booting a tyrant out of office.

For transportation, I use a local senior's service for which I pay a subsidized rate. I have not driven in several years as I am monocular, and my remaining vision is not all that good. I am totally out of touch with the current fuel prices, but I do note that the cost of owning a vehicle has disappeared from my budget.

As far as Mr. Qaddafi is concerned, I think he is living in interesting times. If he isn't lucky he could get the Mousselini treatment. If the rebels catch him, it will be just too bad, but these uncoordinated people probably haven't got the chance of a nitrocellulose cat being chased chased through hell by an asbestos dog.

I am much more interested in what happens to the Egyptians when they discover they have bitten a wooden leg.

[airman15 4,111]

I havent heard any news reguarding egypt since mubarak stepped down

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I haven't heard any news regarding Egypt since Mubarak stepped down

You must be living in a vacuum.

Mubarak has had a heart attack and is under arrest in a hospital. There have been many arrests of members of the old regime. The army is taking a go slow attitude and the mob is upset because they didn't get "democracy" even when they don't know what that is.

What news services do you use? You ought to try Reuters or one of the other international services, because the U.S. press doesn't follow up when nobody jerks their chain. They are too inward looking.

[Duke87 1,070]

In other news, China has banned depictions of time travel.

“The government says … TV dramas shouldn’t have characters that travel back in time and rewrite history. They say this goes against Chinese heritage,”

...yeah.

[Easy Bakes 253]

In other news, China has banned depictions of time travel.

“The government says … TV dramas shouldn’t have characters that travel back in time and rewrite history. They say this goes against Chinese heritage,”

...yeah.

Does that count historical films?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I suppose they are afraid the losers may write their history with some accuracy, hmm? This has echoes of "The Great Leap Forward".

[airman15 4,111]

Governments that censor the facts don't want to be faced with criticism. During the Great Leap forward, there were death by starvation, violence, government executions and Mao denied it all.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Yes, but all governments censor. Most use spin doctors, but some just supress information they deem harmful.

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[Easy Bakes 253]

Yes, but all governments censor. Most use spin doctors, but some just supress information they deem harmful.

I think you oversimplify, because in "free" countries it becomes more complex. In the US, I would not say the government censors, but the media does - based on who owns the network. Faux News being a prime example. While Murdoch has connections and uses their input, it is, in fact, the corporate machine that controls the distribution of information (or the skewering of it).

Barbarossa

Makes you long for the days when the Media actually went after politicians and corruption scandals.

they don't even do that locally any more.I can read all about a restaurant that didnt pass a health inspection but when some city councilman embezzles 20M over 15 years no one had any idea.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Yes, but all governments censor. Most use spin doctors, but some just supress information they deem harmful.

I think you oversimplify, because in "free" countries it becomes more complex. In the US, I would not say the government censors, but the media does - based on who owns the network. Faux News being a prime example. While Murdoch has connections and uses their input, it is, in fact, the corporate machine that controls the distribution of information (or the skewering of it).

Barbarossa

Discernment needs simplification. If thy media offend thee, cut it off.

[larelo6 3]

Umm, am I the only one finding Qatar monarchy's support to Arab democracy today as ironic as supremacist Germany's alliance with Mongoloid Japan in World War II?

  Edited April 20, 2011 by larelo6  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Umm, am I the only one finding Qatar monarchy's support to Arab democracy today as ironic as supremacist Germany's alliance with Mongoloid Japan in World War II?

A reference would have been nice, since it wasn't mentioned on the last news broadcast I watched.

This, however, makes me think that Europe has discovered Viet Nam.

Birthdays today: HRM Queen Elizabeth II; Adolf Hitler. Heck of a coincidence, eh?

[airman15 4,111]

Birthdays today: HRM Queen Elizabeth II; Adolf Hitler. Heck of a coincidence, eh?

Actually, Hitler was born on on April 20. But Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21. But still, that's scary that a prestigious queen and a genocidal dictator were born at around the same time of the month..

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Birthdays today: HRM Queen Elizabeth II; Adolf Hitler. Heck of a coincidence, eh?

Actually, Hitler was born on on April 20. But Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21. But still, that's scary that a prestigious queen and a genocidal dictator were born at around the same time of the month..

Are you sure? The CBC had the Queen on the 20th.

[larelo6 3]

Umm, am I the only one finding Qatar monarchy's support to Arab democracy today as ironic as supremacist Germany's alliance with Mongoloid Japan in World War II?

A reference would have been nice, since it wasn't mentioned on the last news broadcast I watched.

Don't current TV newses show enough Qatar siding with Arab people power?

  Edited April 21, 2011 by larelo6  

[airman15 4,111]

Are you sure? The CBC had the Queen on the 20th.

All of the sources I checked all say Hitler was born on the 20th. and Elizabeth II was born on the 21st.

...wait a minute.. Today's the Queen's birthday!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Are you sure? The CBC had the Queen on the 20th.

All of the sources I checked all say Hitler was born on the 20th. and Elizabeth II was born on the 21st.

...wait a minute.. Today's the Queen's birthday!

Oops. The CBC got it wrong. BBC Canada had a clip of the Queen distributing the Queen's pence on the 21st. I guess CBC is too preoccupied with the current national fiasco (election).

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I think this is the last straw. Let's take our ball and go home. I am sick of spending money on a country full of hoodlums.

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[airman15 4,111]

I'm sick of all the politicians here in America who say they will give us what we want, but then completely disregard us because they would listen to their special friends that have ideas that would later screw us over. Take for example, the World Trade Center site- After 9/11, Mayor Gulliani said that we were going to rebuild. But we had a vacant lot for almost 10 years and then when they finally started building something, they started a complex that the whole nation didn't want. The ones responsible for this site get funding from the public (OUR money) and so far they already scrapped two of the original 4 towers with stumps because they are running out of money. Fortunately, a group (backed with national and worldwide support) called the Twin Towers Alliance have been trying to appeal to officials to stop the 1 WTC construction and replace the stumps with a new set of Twin Towers. If that happened, i'd be pretty happy. But back on topic: It's time to end political arrogance. We had to put up with their crap for too long, and now its time to put in someone who will keep his promises and liste to what we have to say.

[Cobraroll 138]

^At this point in planning, funding, never mind construction, you'd have to have a pretty strong reason for rebuilding the Twin Towers on site. I mean, look at how far construction process has gone on the main tower. Would you really tear down a 40-storey building, dig up its foundations, refill the land, wait for the ground to settle, then erect new buildings there, only for the sake of keeping it like it looked like for a quarter of a century? By the time they had gotten that ready, the site would have been vacant for longer than the Twin Towers stood.

Also, regarding Obama: The reason why he hasn't been able to keep any of his promises or do anything major, is because he is speaking to a brick wall. The system allows the party that's not in power to stall out any projects the current government might start, then blame them for not doing anything. Heck, the American politics system is broken to the point of laughable (yes, we do laugh), but that's a story for the other thread.

[airman15 4,111]

Actually, TTA is trying to get officials to cap the 1WTC where it is and then replace these stumps with Twin Towers. Those stumps are still vacant to this day, nothing has been put on them. If TTA manages to get officials to cap 1WTC and start rebuilding Lower Manhattan will look something like this.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

You are right, your two party system is a bust with no insurance. We, at least, have insurance by having four vital national parties, of which two have as usual promised the same old, same old. Fortunately we are having a federal election next Monday, and I invite you to watch real democracy in action.

There is a good chance that the NDP (a perennial third or fourth place party) will come second! There has been a social networks campaign to get out the vote, especially among the student demographic (18-24), and these kids are likely to vote either for the Greens or the NDP, which will undoubtedly make life interesting for a week or so. If the kids, who don't normally vote, really do, we'll have a new country on Tuesday next.

Our student demographic used to be pretty detached. How are yours? What happens if you have a similar movement in the U.S.? Can you break your half a century of the same old bull puky?

[airman15 4,111]

Elections over here are just popularity contests. That, and idiotic leaders are put in place by mobs of idiots (During the 2008 presidential elections, there were people who said you are a racist because you disagree with or don't vote for Obama. Talk about ignorance!)

[manicwhofan 27]

Nonny,

The 18-24 demographic did show up at the polls and predominatly voted for Obama in 2008. That campaign enegized that segment of the population. Here in my home state of Iowa the turnouts for the caucauses and the general election were through the roof!

Please understand that while there are 2 major parties here in the U.S. other parties do appear on the ballots when we go to the polls. Socialists, Greens, and others. The major reason they do not play such a major roll on the national level is that their platforms are so narrow in scope and focus, their message is largely ignored by the vast majority of Americans. On the local level however there you will see more Independents, Greens and Socialists actually holding office.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you are lucky, the social networks will work to get out the younger voters in 2012.

I am hoping that Monday will cause a sea change here. I am sick to death of the partly of light and sweetness vs. the party of sweetness and light. The NDP seems to be on an upswing, and I hope it turns into votes. The "senior" parties need a wakeup call.

I am sorry to say the Greens, after a good start, have become invisible.

[manicwhofan 27]

IN the 2012 election I think you will see a big turnout here. The Republicans elected into office by disenchanted independents and tea party republicans are going to get a beating. THey went too far with the entire budget slashing at the state and federal level. Plus this whole issue of Obamas citizenship has fizzled out for the most part except for those on the far right. I used to be a Republican untill 1994. After Reagan and the first Bush(who were actually moderates)The party took a really hard right turn and no longer represented what I beleived in.