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Author Topic: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014  (Read 769721 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #45 on: August 02, 2013, 07:06:07 AM »
Not a chance. The South [is] unwilling to accept gay marriage.

Eventually it will be rammed down the South's throat by the Damnyankees, just like Emancipation and the Voting Rights Act.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #46 on: August 02, 2013, 07:10:36 AM »
I'm waiting for the sentencing.  ::)

Well, we all know that nothing would satisfy you short of complete exoneration, probably with a cash bonus and his own reality TV show thrown in for good measure.

I can see the show now, Being Bradley Manning. I'm sure he'd give the Kardashians a run for the money.

Offline Marge_Innavera

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #47 on: August 02, 2013, 07:30:39 AM »

Dead man walking.  We'll see how long he lasts before his car explodes. ;)

Will you be disappointed if it doesn't, providing us all with a gory spectacle?

I'm guessing that time will not be on Snowden's side; if he's 30 now he'll spend the next 30 to 50 years dodging.
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Offline Marge_Innavera

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #48 on: August 02, 2013, 07:31:39 AM »
Why? we all knew what the out-come would be.

As I recall, a few people here knew what the inevitable outcome last November would be.  Remember that?
" 'Red' states are the meth labs of democracy."

Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #49 on: August 02, 2013, 07:35:28 AM »
Well, here I go, Jeff:

Manning verdict keeps US power in check

Judge Denise Lind's verdict in the Bradley Manning case has struck a blow against the seemingly limitless powers of the US government, writes Ruby Hamad.*

There were two losers in the Fort Meade military court today when military judge Denise Lind found Bradley Manning guilty of 19 of the 22 charges against him, including five counts of espionage.

But in acquitting Manning of aiding the enemy, by far the most serious charge against him, Lind also struck a blow against the seemingly limitless powers of the US government.

Manning has repeatedly insisted that his intent was not to harm America but to "spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and [US] foreign policy in general as it related to Iraq and Afghanistan.


...

If you accept his claims of good intentions, Manning is symbolic of how America imagines itself to be - idealistic, freedom loving, democracy driven - but in reality, the new normal is a culture of self-censorship where you are free to express your opinion as long as it's the right one.

For all its exaltation of the first amendment, speaking freely and contentiously can have severe repercussions.

And yet, so certain is the US of its moral standing that it will seemingly accept no rebuke to its power or its tactics in maintaining that power.

Whilst today's verdict is devastating for Manning and is likely to deter at least some potential leakers, the refusal of Lind to find Manning guilty of aiding the enemy serves to keep something of a lid on this power.

For now.


There’s nothing in Hamad’s analysis with which I disagree. I thought it'd be interesting to know what people think of it.

(My emphases have been added to her opening and closing remarks.)

A link to what I’d describe as her incisive ABC News report of July 31 is included here for those who'd like to see what else she said.



As stated earlier, in the previous thread, she's a Sydney-based writer and film maker.   :)
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Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #50 on: August 02, 2013, 08:00:02 AM »

P.S. I was particularly taken by Ruby Hamad’s comments that,

“Far from scaling back Bush's perpetual war, Obama has increased America's unchecked power in expanding the drone program, appointing himself the final word on the "kill list" and, most controversially, including US citizens as amongst those who can be targeted for extra-judicial killing.

It is the willingness of the US government to target its own citizens that most clearly spells the new direction of the world's sole superpower."

"In this, the government is aided by the public's ... increasing intolerance of dissent, one of the legacies of 9/11."


           (I’d be interested to know how many American posters on this thread agree with any of the above.)

"Much of the NSA debate centred around the "traitorous" actions of Snowden, an accusation extended to the journalist who broke the story, with calls for Glenn Greenwald's arrest and NSA agents reportedly joking about "disappearing" him.

Which rather tends to foreshadow "a recent comment" here  (i.e. August 2)—no names, no pack drill —(and presumably based solely on a viewing of The International and/or similar conspiracy-based films  :D), considering it was written by Hamad on July 31 (well, published online, anyway) about what Edward Snowden could expect once he'd left Sheremetyevo airport for asylum within territorial Russia.

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Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #51 on: August 02, 2013, 08:24:07 AM »
I'm waiting for the sentencing.  ::)

Well, we all know that nothing would satisfy you short of complete exoneration, probably with a cash bonus and his own reality TV show thrown in for good measure.
I can see the show now, Being Bradley Manning. I'm sure he'd give the Kardashians a run for the money.
Do I detect something rather less than 100% respectful appreciation of a non-American opinion here?   ???

Heaven forfend!   ;D


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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #52 on: August 02, 2013, 09:13:15 AM »
Do I detect something rather less than 100% respectful appreciation of a non-American opinion here?   ???

Heaven forfend!   ;D

Heavens, no! That's a "rather less than 100% respectful appreciation of a" "Free Bradley Manning" opinion.  ;)

Incidentally, I think it's interesting that this Ruby Hamad apparently thinks it's terrible that the President "appoint[ed] himself the final word on the 'kill list.'"  I could say that looks to me like he's accepting ultimate responsibility, which seems only proper to me. Remember "The Buck Stops Here"?

Offline Lyle (Mooska)

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #53 on: August 02, 2013, 09:55:36 AM »
But even a mild-mannered person like me has been known to drive around in L.A. at 4:30 in the morning.
I did it in the seventies, a few times, and the same in the 80s, and even in the 90s.  -- Until I moved out of the state.
There usually are people on the road.

Yes, there are always people on the road, even at 4:30am, but even in Hollywood there isn't any reason to be.
There aren't any restaurants or clubs or anything like that letting out or the like.  Supposedly he drove from
Hollywood all the way past Melrose with no incident, so you'd have to admit there was no traffic problem.
If you recall when people were out here for the BBM event in 2008 we could hardly find a restaurant to go
to after the screening that stayed open past 11pm.  So, because it was that time, it makes me wonder what
he was doing at that time.  And what were you doing driving round at 4:30am?

Offline Ellen (tellyouwhat)

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #54 on: August 02, 2013, 10:54:17 AM »
Lyle, I don't know about the reporter -- maybe the question of where he was, what was he doing, is a clue to the explosion, and I agree with everyone these are questions that probably should be answered in a situation like this, to make sure it either WAS foul play or WASN't -- but --

You know, my dad used to work nights and sometimes was stopped by the Burbank police in the wee hours of the morning because of that thinking -- what reason could there be to be on the road? -- well, he was coming home from work, and not speeding or anything -- just driving while 4:30 a.m.  (We suspected the Burbank cops were more bored than the cops in the Valley, where he worked -- my dad's theory was the Valley cops were busier with a higher crime rate)

Also -- I'm kind of surprised anyone would say "there is no reason to be on the road at 4:30" -- in LA? Anywhere in the entire state of California? Anywhere in the USA or the world?  Unless a curfew is imposed, people can (and they do) use the roads. There is probably even less reason to be on the road in Stockton than in LA, but some people are out there driving.

What are they doing? -- Going home, maybe, going to work. Going home from what? Private things maybe, or maybe just a late night hanging out with Brokies. -- I thought about this later, and even though I don't live in LA AND I lead a mostly boring conventional life, even in the aughties there was ONE night when I was on the road at 4:30 a.m. in Los Angeles because of hanging out late with Brokies!  :D

« Last Edit: August 02, 2013, 11:09:31 AM by Ellen (tellyouwhat) »
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Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #55 on: August 02, 2013, 10:56:03 AM »

Yes, there are always people on the road, even at 4:30am, but even in Hollywood there isn't any reason to be.
There aren't any restaurants or clubs or anything like that letting out or the like.  Supposedly he drove from
Hollywood all the way past Melrose with no incident, so you'd have to admit there was no traffic problem.
If you recall when people were out here for the BBM event in 2008 we could hardly find a restaurant to go
to after the screening that stayed open past 11pm.  So, because it was that time, it makes me wonder what
he was doing at that time.  And what were you doing driving round at 4:30am?
I distinctly recall, Lyle, when gazing down from my plane's window seat, as my Qantas flight from Sydney was about to land at LAX, that the streets below were full of cars driving around, headlights blazing.
Or perhaps it was the other way around, and my window seat was on a Delta flight from SF to LAX, from where I was to fly back home on Qantas.  ???

Either way I did think to myself, "What a busy little place it is, all those little cars buzzing along, and so very late at night."
And far be it for me to question their reasons for doing so.

But whether I was coming (after a very long trans-oceanlc flight) or going (after a very long "Lost Weekend"-style visit to SF, as far as I'm able to recall, anyway), the sight was imprinted in my memory.

Once seen, never forgotten.  :)

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Offline Tony_

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #56 on: August 02, 2013, 01:43:23 PM »

......So, and unless I'm mistaken, your posts couldn’t be described as “redundant.”

Could you elaborate, please?
 
  Am sort of pope-d out, Paul.  Meanwhile, am enjoying your posts !

Offline brokebacktom

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #57 on: August 02, 2013, 02:01:58 PM »
Did we? Manning wasn't convicted on all the charges. If I understand correctly, he was acquitted on what the mainstream media I've seen have called the most serious, aiding the enemy.


There main concern was to put fear in future leeks, so NOT to happen again. So, not to question your GOVERNMENT AGAIN.

Offline fritzkep

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #58 on: August 02, 2013, 02:17:11 PM »
 
  Am sort of pope-d out, Paul.  Meanwhile, am enjoying your posts !

Too pooped to pope.

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Offline doodler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #59 on: August 02, 2013, 02:24:52 PM »
Eventually it will be rammed down the South's throat by the Damnyankees, just like Emancipation and the Voting Rights Act.

Again, mot a chance.
I know the Civil War is taught ... to some extent... in Northern schools.
Down here, it's a current event.
And perhaps you have forgotten the recent semi-termination of the VRA.
In 2010, 606 people (all ages) were accidentally killed by guns.
Almost 3000 teens (15-19) die in traffic accidents a year.
1100 kids under 19 drown each year.
44 kids under 5 died of heat stroke in hot cars in 2013.
HIGH school sports account for 1.2 million trips to the ER annually.