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Author Topic: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014  (Read 769705 times)

Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #720 on: November 01, 2013, 06:35:31 AM »
 Paul, your reference to the controversy on Richard III was excellent.
Thank you, Tony.  :)

Quote from: Tony
Strangely enough, that was where I got my start on learning to consider the source and their agendas, with regard to anything.
   As an undergrad, we were assigned "To Prove a Villain", which included dozens of different versions, about Richard III.  What was the point?  Well, the instructor said it was especially of value, owing to the long passage of time, which would prevent us from having prejudices.  A good subject for dissecting propaganda.
Your instructor sounds like someone with his head screwed on the right way.
I'm just guessing he was a male, here.
If I'd said "someone with her head screwed on the right way," who knows what would happen.  :D
Dangerous times, dangerous times...

Quote from: Tony
And studying these historical mysteries have every relevance in assessing the firestorm of information, and disinformaton, we are hit with every day.
   More recent mysteries, of course, are subject to being considered too exotic, and so, we accept, all too often, whatever the party lines are.
I agree with your first sentence, but am a little unsure what the second means...especially "party lines."
Is it a coded reference?

Quote from: Tony
And that's how we get into wars, economic collapses, and the danger of civil disorder.  We don't question.
I'd certainly agree with the last sentence.
It takes someone with good bones and a stout heart to question "canons."  ;)



Catch-up finished, at last—I hope.  ;D

...there was no real scent, only the memory of it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain...

Offline Tony_

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #721 on: November 01, 2013, 11:43:56 AM »

I agree with your first sentence, but am a little unsure what the second means...especially "party lines."
Is it a coded reference?
  No coded reference, Paul.  It was a disorganized post.  There was a tweaking to some of the guests that read, here, but never post, but that's a goofy of no interest, other than mentioning old historical misinformation.  It wasn't in code  :D. Probably shouldn't have done it.
  Also, no party lines.  I wasn't even being critical of Mrs. Clinton; just borrowing the phrase she used.
Am glad to see how strongly you, yourself, question news reports.  That was good to read.

Offline Tony_

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #722 on: November 01, 2013, 01:01:36 PM »
 WTF ?  The Siberian Times is reporting an American/British surveillance plane stranded in Siberia.  And I thought, oh, no, not another incident.
 But the Times mentioned something called the Open Skies Treaty, something I had never heard of before.  Going To Wikipedia, there it is.  In 2002, 34 countries opened up their air space for surveillance from other countries.
So, Sarah Palin not only can see Russia from her back yard, but  any of us can look upwards and see Russians legally spying on us?  And Germans, Lithuanians, and the occasional Aussies ?  Add this to the NSA snooping and, it seems to me, it's all gone whack-bat.
  But, on the other hand, it is interesting to get expanded news coverage.  I highly recommend adding the Times, to anyone's Facebook likes.  They don't overwhelm your news feed, and the photos are extremely creative and interesting.  And they aren't government propaganda in English. They seem to have every freedom.  Outside of FB, it would be The SiberianTimes.com.  Also, I especially recommend this site for those who appreciate artistic photography.
  The stranded snoopers are getting hot meals and beds, until the plane is fixed.  And, given the party-hardy ways of the Siberians, possibly having a dalliance or two  :).
  I wonder if some of our provincials would extend the same courtesy to any random foreigners landing out in the corn fields or peanut farms?  Of course, they might drop in to the East Village, and, there, all bets are off  :D.

Offline brokebacktom

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #723 on: November 01, 2013, 05:23:43 PM »
more thoughts on the spying:

How stupid do these European rulers really think the rest of the world are? That we won't notice their blinding, multi-layered hypocrisy over this issue? Specifically, do they really think we're unaware that they themselves routinely bug each other (and the rest of the world), and thus can't be surprised that America does the same to them?

Or what about their pre-emptive rejection of the whistleblower, Edward Snowden's asylum application, even though it was he who had sacrificed everything to reveal the staggering scale of these activities by his government? Or their deliberate humiliation of President Evo Morales, whom they suspected of sheltering Snowden, at the behest of the same US government they now pretend to be furious with?

Still, I would be willing to ignore the insincerity of their outrage if they would immediately offer Snowden his human right to asylum (which would end his understandable angst over his uncertain future in Russia), and issue an unreserved apology to President Morales for his shameful mistreatment.

Offline doodler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #724 on: November 01, 2013, 09:58:11 PM »
ORRRR he could stand up for his principles and come back to the US and state his case before a jury of his peers in a court of law.
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.

Offline killersmom

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #725 on: November 02, 2013, 12:34:12 AM »
If they are guilty, and they then find that they've been spied upon—without their knowledge—what would you expect them to do?

Protest slightly:D

I was not referring to the amount of protest, Paul, but to "trying to say that if someone puts too much energy into saying something is true, it almost makes you believe that they are lying."

"Life can only be understood backwards. Unfortunately, it must be lived forward."
... Kierkegaard

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #726 on: November 02, 2013, 09:50:18 AM »
I was not referring to the amount of protest, Paul, but to "trying to say that if someone puts too much energy into saying something is true, it almost makes you believe that they are lying."

It crosses my mind that in addition to any legitimate concerns, those European leaders who are protesting so much have to play to their own constituencies, too. I mean, what was Angela Merkel supposed to do? Meekly tell the Germans that she didn't care? Of course they all have to protest.

Meanwhile, we are hearing that us U.S. voters are angry at the President and the Democrats because of the fiasco of the Affordable Care Act roll-out. Not so long ago we heard that us voters are angry at the Republicans in Congress for causing the government shut-down.

The President is in his last term anyway, and I wouldn't count out the Democratic Party because of the roll-out problems. This isn't going to deliver the government into the hands of the Tea Party Republicans.

Offline doodler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #727 on: November 02, 2013, 11:59:55 AM »
I think there is some open space between what we know and what they try to make us believe....
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.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #728 on: November 02, 2013, 02:52:06 PM »
I think there is some open space between what we know and what they try to make us believe....

Boy, howdy!

Offline Tony_

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #729 on: November 02, 2013, 03:32:28 PM »
  The gap is rapidly closing in the Virginia governor's race, at least according to some polls.  If the Democrat loses, I believe it's because Obama began campaigning for him, at a time when the Prez has dropped way low in approval ratings.
  A lot of pols are looking to the outcome, to see what the trend is for 2014.  The Dems had a 12 point lead.  It may have vanished.

Offline doodler

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #730 on: November 02, 2013, 04:47:26 PM »
For almost 100 years, VA's governors were Democrats, but since 1970 they seem to have alternated with Republicans with one party being in office 2-3 terms followed by the other for 2-3 terms. Republican McDonnell has only been in office since the last election. He was preceded by Democrats Kaine and Warner for one term each and before that there was 8 years of GOP, then 12 years of Dems, then 12 of Reps. Having a Republican win this time would fit the pattern.

Tennessee had Democrat governors for 50 years, then, starting in 1971, it has alternated with Republican governors.
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.

Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #731 on: November 03, 2013, 07:36:53 AM »
So nice to see your defence of poor maligned Richard III, Paul.
I have been reading a great deal about "Good King Richard" in recent months since the discovery of his skeleton in Leicester.
I find it very hard to watch even a clip of Laurence Olivier in the Shakespeare play now it has all been proved to be such nonsense
It’s not poor Larry’s fault that his Richard was a deformed villain, Jess.
It was the screenwriter’s fault for relying on an unreliable source.  :D

And even McKellen’s portrayal (albeit minus hunchback, withered arm and limp—mere physical details, after all) was still William’s version of the character.

Quote from: janjo
Back to the historians logic, "Who said it," "Why," "What's in it for them?"
It is a good rule to apply to any information really.
And a very good rule, too—one especially applicable where historical figures are concerned.

When (or if) a film is ever made about Edward Snowden, for instance, I wonder how the script will deal with the issue of his “Escape from Russia” on a Bolivian presidential jet.
I suspect, though, that it’d have to be an independent film.
If Hollywood-financed, where the $ rules, who knows how it might turn out?

The depiction of fictional characters, however, is another matter, and “dependent” (of course) upon what an author might include in the text.

For instance, Austen, perhaps wisely, restricted her physical description of Elizabeth Bennet to only a few hints (she was “pretty”—but less so than her sister, Jane—and had “dark sparkling eyes”) which enabled her to be portrayed onscreen by actresses such as Greer Garson, Elizabeth Garvie, Jennifer Ehle and Keira Knightley on film, and by numerous others on television.

Do you see where I’m going with this?  ;)  :D

...there was no real scent, only the memory of it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain...

Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #732 on: November 03, 2013, 07:53:43 AM »

I thought I’d comment on the climate change issue which was discussed recently in a number of posts (and credit goes to Tony for its introduction).

In summary, the points raised appear to be (but I could be wrong) that:

     • less important issues are deflecting attention away from global ones;
     • it’s our own fault if our species is destroyed;
     • we’re basically no more important than a virus, so if we disappear it won’t matter in the scheme of things;
     • it’s cyclical and has happened before, so it’s Nature’s way of healing the planet/restoring its balance; and
     • we’re unable, as individuals to do anything about it, so why not just accept it.

I feel that just sitting on our collective backsides is defeatist, and while we individually might not have any control over the direction in which the world appears to be heading it’s at least possible to discuss the issue here with some sense of the impact global warming will have upon the planet, rather than to imply, for one reason or another, that’s it’s really not important.

I wonder whether those, both here and elsewhere, who think that it really doesn’t matter whether human beings are made extinct have informed their children, and their children’s children, if any, not only that human life isn’t important in “the scheme of things,” but also that they (and the rest of humanity) are only as important as some random virus.

I also wonder, had they done so, how their children (and their grandchildren) reacted to their parents’ (and their grandparents’) news.

Of course, if someone is childless, the situation might be, “So what, I’m going to die before the human race is made extinct anyway.”
Which is fair enough, I suppose... But such people (presumably) would have siblings, and have nephews, nieces, and so on, down the generations.


...there was no real scent, only the memory of it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain...

Offline Paul029

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #733 on: November 03, 2013, 08:20:01 AM »

Being aware that long posts aren’t exactly the preferred posting method here I include a link to the most recent report (Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, released in an unedited form on Monday, 30 September) of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the fifth since the IPCC's creation in 1988 on the science of climate change.  It contains details of the seven points listed below.

These reports are published every five to seven years, and are “the work of several hundred scientists from around the world who summarize the current understanding of all aspects of climate change research. Thousands of other scientists review the summary, after which the IPCC publishes a comprehensive report, which synthesize findings from thousands of research studies. Almost 200 countries are involved in the process. The IPCC also publishes reports that provide potential options for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The creators of the fourth IPCC report collectively were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.”

7 things to know about the new UN climate change report:

There are seven key findings on the state of the science of climate change:

     1. It is virtually certain that the planet has warmed since the mid-20th century.

     2. Scientists are more confident than ever that humans are responsible.

     3. Further warming is imminent, and short-term records do not reflect long-term climate trends.

     4. The surface could warm anywhere from 2.7°F to 7.2°F by 2100, relative to pre-1900 conditions.

     5. The melting pace of land ice is accelerating in the Arctic and Antarctica, and sea levels could rise by more than 3 feet by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are unchecked.

     6. The IPCC's estimates of temperature and sea level rise are conservative.

     7. Weather extremes are expected to change from human influence.


The report is over 2000 pages long and cites 9200 scientific publications.
The full, edited report will be released online in January 2014 and published by Cambridge University Press later that year.

...there was no real scent, only the memory of it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain...

Offline janjo

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Re: News and Current Events - 2013 to 2014
« Reply #734 on: November 03, 2013, 10:23:32 AM »
I thought I’d comment on the climate change issue which was discussed recently in a number of posts (and credit goes to Tony for its introduction).

In summary, the points raised appear to be (but I could be wrong) that:

     • less important issues are deflecting attention away from global ones;
     • it’s our own fault if our species is destroyed;
     • we’re basically no more important than a virus, so if we disappear it won’t matter in the scheme of things;
     • it’s cyclical and has happened before, so it’s Nature’s way of healing the planet/restoring its balance; and
     • we’re unable, as individuals to do anything about it, so why not just accept it.

I feel that just sitting on our collective backsides is defeatist, and while we individually might not have any control over the direction in which the world appears to be heading it’s at least possible to discuss the issue here with some sense of the impact global warming will have upon the planet, rather than to imply, for one reason or another, that’s it’s really not important.

I wonder whether those, both here and elsewhere, who think that it really doesn’t matter whether human beings are made extinct have informed their children, and their children’s children, if any, not only that human life isn’t important in “the scheme of things,” but also that they (and the rest of humanity) are only as important as some random virus.

I also wonder, had they done so, how their children (and their grandchildren) reacted to their parents’ (and their grandparents’) news.

Of course, if someone is childless, the situation might be, “So what, I’m going to die before the human race is made extinct anyway.”
Which is fair enough, I suppose... But such people (presumably) would have siblings, and have nephews, nieces, and so on, down the generations.




I agree with you, Paul.
In the great scheme of things, I am not important, human life is not important, the planet will adjust itself and get on without me, but, I am important to me, my children and grandchildren are important to me, my friends and family are important to me, the culture associated with human civilization, our history, our writers, William Shakespeare, (come on William, don't be pressured by those Tudor propagandists  :D), and Jane Austen are important to me, our arts and everything about our lives here and now, are important to me.
We must not let our actions destroy all of this because of stupidity and greed, something we are in danger of doing.
We are clever enough to avoid it, but do we have the will?
Nature is far more powerful than we are, we should be afraid for our own sakes of tweaking her tail.
Brokeback short stories at storybyjanjo.livejournal.com

"Are birds free from the chains of the skyway?"
Ballad in plain D: Bob Dylan