World, Writing, Wealth discussion
World & Current Events
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If you're not in the U.S., what's up in your part of the world?
Ian wrote: "The sunshine, Graeme :-) Why would Philp particularly enjoy Boris' marriage? You are implying what about wife? As for the Israeli gov., do even Israelis enjoy that? [Nik might comment here :-) ]"Ambiguity... my goodness, I'll jump on that when I see it...
Papaphilly wrote: "When was the last naval engagement China fought?..."Maybe 2014? :D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hai_Yan...
J.J. wrote: "Papaphilly wrote: "When was the last naval engagement China fought?..."Maybe 2014? :D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hai_Yan...
"
8^) And they lost....8^)
Not necessarily. It was an exploration rig, not a production rig. They explored, got data and left. They also demonstrated that the ASEAN nations are not that keen on standing up against China. China might claim that was a win :-)
Ian wrote: "Not necessarily. It was an exploration rig, not a production rig. They explored, got data and left. They also demonstrated that the ASEAN nations are not that keen on standing up against China. Chi..."Of course they would.
Uyghurs are being deported from Muslim countries, raising concerns about China's growing reachhttps://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/06/08/mi...
UK...Delays possible to 21st June next release deadline
G7 starting - some Presidents etc spreading virus
EU/UK/NI trade issues
Dengue fever breakthrough
Partial Eclipse
Thanks for that link, J. Just a reminder that China is not the good guy, regardless of Joe's claims that “I mean, you know, they’re not bad folks, folks." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020...
After two years of political impasse, with a narrow margin of 60-59 and one absentee, a new government, embracing 8 parties ranging from right to left, one of them Arab, and prime minister is rotation, is sworn in in Israel. New government - new hopes, although having a barely visible majority, if at all, often opposite agenda, and plenty opportunities to veto each other out, it's hard to predict how long they'll manage to hold.
Nik wrote: "After two years of political impasse, with a narrow margin of 60-59 and one absentee, a new government, embracing 8 parties ranging from right to left, one of them Arab, and prime minister is rotat..."That sounds like a lot of cooks in the kitchen.
Nik wrote: "After two years of political impasse, with a narrow margin of 60-59 and one absentee, a new government, embracing 8 parties ranging from right to left, one of them Arab, and prime minister is rotat..."They won't hold. They are united only by opposition ...
The enemy of my enemy is my friend only holds while the enemy is in place. Once the enemy is removed, all the differences will come to the fore as each faction imagined they were going to be in charge in the aftermath.
Seven out of the eight are going to be deeply disappointed.
There may be a fun situation brewing at Taishan French nuclear firm seeks to resolve 'performance issue' at China plant
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news...
There have been questions about quality of construction and management of the facility going back to its construction.
https://youtu.be/Hyh0rYMqZoI
https://youtu.be/s0Xd5NPncMM
The new government in Israel is apparently going to lead to total disaster for Israel. Dreaded socialism arises (despite PM being extreme right apparently) and all sorts of disasters will follow. How do I know? This has been clearly stated by Bibi, and he would not be anything but completely truthful would he?
Ian wrote: "The new government in Israel is apparently going to lead to total disaster for Israel. Dreaded socialism arises (despite PM being extreme right apparently) and all sorts of disasters will follow. H..."When is his trial finished. Then he can compare notes with DT doing his trial
Bibi's pissed and very aggressive, promising to return soon. The new government may fail or succeed, but it won't be a one man show of a tsar with minions as opposed. It's not all bad and Bibi's done some good things during his 12 years tenure, yet he's become destructive to democracy and state institutions - time to concentrate on his trials indeed. Bibi was often confrontational with Obama and Biden, it'll be easier for the new faces to restart the relations with a clean sheet.
For what it is worth, in NZ we once had a coalition government with a 1 seat majority and it lasted full term so it can be done. But the opposition was more accepting of the result than Bibi seems to be and I suspect most of the time for both sides was spent planning the next campaign.
Philip wrote: "Ian wrote: "The new government in Israel is apparently going to lead to total disaster for Israel. Dreaded socialism arises (despite PM being extreme right apparently) and all sorts of disasters wi..."And Donald Trump has been charged and convicted of what?
Nik wrote: "Bibi's pissed and very aggressive, promising to return soon. The new government may fail or succeed, but it won't be a one man show of a tsar with minions as opposed. It's not all bad and Bibi's d..."
Obama was no friend of Israel. Biden is much the same I am afraid.
Papaphilly wrote: "Philip wrote: "Ian wrote: "The new government in Israel is apparently going to lead to total disaster for Israel. Dreaded socialism arises (despite PM being extreme right apparently) and all sorts ..."Don't follow this. As yet Trump hasn't been charged so he could hardly be convicted, but equally we cannot guarantee he won't be sometime in the future. Prosecutors usually need time to build a case. And I don't see how what happens to DT relates to Bibi. Presumably the threats of charges depend on the Israeli prosecutors. If they think they have a case they will proceed; if they think the evidence is not there or not strong enough to succeed, they won't.
Ian wrote: "Papaphilly wrote: "Philip wrote: "Ian wrote: "The new government in Israel is apparently going to lead to total disaster for Israel. Dreaded socialism arises (despite PM being extreme right apparen..."Well Phillip has Trump charged and going to trial. From my perspective, I keep hearing about how they have Trump and then.....nothing. I suspect this is more of the same. This is about trying to bury him and delegitimize his presidency. BTW, has anyone else noticed how Barr is looking better as time moves forward? Attorney General Merrick B. Garland is following the same policies. Hmmm....
As for Bibi, it is going to be an interesting few months. I suspect this government is not gong to last very long. If it does not fail by Chirstmas, I would ber surprised.
Trump was exonerated in two impeachment trials, one of which was carried out after he left office. So yes, he has been charged, tried, and cleared in the Senate, for high crimes and misdemeanors.
J. wrote: "Trump was exonerated in two impeachment trials, one of which was carried out after he left office. So yes, he has been charged, tried, and cleared in the Senate, for high crimes and misdemeanors."The impeachments were not criminal, they were political. Bibi is facing criminal charges, hence the Trump comment by Phillip.
More information is coming out about the Taishan reactor. The CCP is admitting to about five damaged fuel rods and radioactive gas in the containment building.https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...
I have a bad feeling about this...
The Senate affair was not only political, it was not a trial in the usual sense of the word, i.e. where the outcome could go either way, depending on the evidence. Nor for that matter was the House impeachment, so they cancelled.
If the radioactive gases are confined to the reactor, nothing is particularly hazardous yet. Most xenon isotopes are rather short-lived (127 has a half-life of 38 days, and that is an exceptional half-life, other than for the stable ones). All that is required is proper management from now on.
The DT trial I was comparing to are the variety of investigations into campaign funding and other matters in NY and other states. The further comparison is the amount of time it takes to bring charges against powerful men. Bibi and potentially DT. I don't know whether DT will be formally charged but he his not off the hook yet.Grand Jury in action
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-c...
I don't remember which thread included some posts about climate change, but this decision in Australia caught my attention.While Broomberg held that the minister had a duty of care to avoid environmental decisions that would cause harm to present and future young people, . . .. The decision is the first of its kind in Australia to establish that members of the government have a statutory duty of care to protect younger people from the effects of climate change.
The case was initiated by 8 young people, through a representative, in regards to expanding a coal mining project and the effect using that additional coal would have an effect on carbon monoxide levels.
https://www.jurist.org/news/2021/05/a...
I'm sure elections in Iran is the most engaging theme everywhere :)
Left out again :-( I am not engaged in any Iranian election.
Ian wrote: "The Senate affair was not only political, it was not a trial in the usual sense of the word, i.e. where the outcome could go either way, depending on the evidence. Nor for that matter was the House..."The whole Impeachment is a political affair. Both sides. It is compared to a criminal procedure for analogous purposes and has that kind of air. It is supposed to be a very serious affair. but the very worst anyone could do to any President is remove him. If they wanted to put him in jail, there is separate procedure entirely that we all face as citizens.
t give a bit of background, the House of Representatives represents the "locals". So any given set of people may be very different than each other. It was meant to be fiery with local passions.
The Senate by its very inception was meant to be more contemplative and take its time. It represents the entire state (all the people) and thus tampers the passions of the local with the broader role of the whole. The Senator has to see the bigger picture, thus both slowing the rush and cooling the passions.
That is the reason that impeachments are both hard to do and hard to achieve.
Philip wrote: "The DT trial I was comparing to are the variety of investigations into campaign funding and other matters in NY and other states. The further comparison is the amount of time it takes to bring char..."As much as I agree with you, I am betting against any charges. This particular man has caused plenty of derangement. He is under the skin badly and they cannot let it go. On top of that, he likes to fight in the mud. More Democrats will lose than he will. As for any criminal charges, I am more than willing to bet nothing comes of it or it will not be on him, but some manager. What you will hear about is how he is doing bad things when if fact, it may not have been him at all.
Ian wrote: "Left out again :-( I am not engaged in any Iranian election."As much as you defend them, they should make you an honorary member and let you vote....8^). But then, you believe in free and open elections and they do not. they could give you the honorary vote, then tell you how to vote.....
If the news I saw this morning is correct, voting may not matter. The competition is being sent to the sidelines (voluntarily, of course, but we can all guess how voluntary).
Ian wrote: "If the news I saw this morning is correct, voting may not matter. The competition is being sent to the sidelines (voluntarily, of course, but we can all guess how voluntary)."I saw that too. I am not surprised.
I'd say let the Trump thing go, although Democrats will never let it go. They thought Hillary won the election and haven't gotten over it, even though they'd never elect her now. What does that say about her? And them? And their cause? Nothing good.
Nik, are you okay with Netanyahu's oust? Is it a good thing for you guys? If so or if not, please explain. I've always admired him.
Somewhat differently, climate change! In the first 50 years of my life, NZ was free of tornadoes. More recently, we get the odd one. Today there was one in Auckland that went through the port. Nothing like the US ones I am sure, but it made a spectacular mess by throwing containers around. Unfortunately, it also killed someone.
Scout wrote: "Nik, are you okay with Netanyahu's oust? Is it a good thing for you guys? If so or if not, please explain. I've always admired him."Yes, I'm totally Ok. He had some good years and had a remarkably close relations with both Trump & Putin, but he'd lost it somewhere along the way, becoming destructive towards state's institutions in favor of his personal super ego. A clear case for a limited number of tenures. As we elect party lists and not Prime Minister personally, his party still commands the biggest number of parliament members and there can be a comeback, but I'd rather prefer he finishes his trials first and come clean.
New Zealand Weightlifter Will Be The First Openly Trans Competitor At The Olympicshttps://www.npr.org/2021/06/21/100871...
Yeah. This has created a lot of discussion here. It os wrong, but it happens in many parts of the world. I tis just that here is the first one to go to the Olympics.
Controversial here in UK - There was an excellent documentary about the subject led by Martina Navratilova - The fear from female athletes is that it potentially sets back the feminist equal pay and exposure agenda. It also make chemical imbalance and associated testing difficult e.g. female athletes with high testosterone would fail a drug test, but transexuals may be at different stage (They use suppressors to get to qualification level)In a pure strength sport like weightlifting then there are other concerns especially when a power lifter transitions at the age of 30 after decades of muscle building as a man.
I guess I won't be watching sports in ten years and seeing "flowers" invited for a drink much sooner
There have been athletes disqualified before. Polish sprinter Ewa Klobukowska had her world records stripped in the mid-60s after gender testing. A few years later she became preganant and gave birth to a son. Ended up she had an extra chromosome. The test was changed a year later and she would have passed it. But the IAFF never restored her records. What about intersex people, those with CAIS, those with naturally higher T levels? All these things exist. Do we then exclude them from athletics?
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/...
If an athlete is genetically male, however they "identify," they're still male and shouldn't be allowed to compete with genetic females. It's unfair to the females who have trained so hard to be at the top of their sport and then be trumped by a male. Unfair and heartbreaking for the females. Why is there even a question about this?
Scout wrote: "If an athlete is genetically male, however they "identify," they're still male and shouldn't be allowed to compete with genetic females. It's unfair to the females who have trained so hard to be at..."Because genetically isn't the answer. Too much testosterone doesn't make them male as they still have the XX chromosome. If they have an extra chomosome, what do we base it on? Many woman can't get pregnant, so basing it solely on reproduction isn't fair. For those with both a vagina and some sort of penis, do we go by the size of the penis vs the size of the clitoris? 1 in 2000 births in the USA is one of the statistics I saw for intersex births, so it's not so rare. Do we look at the chromosome anomoly and then set a level of testosterone as being unacceptable?
I don't disagree in regard to actual transgendered persons where a sex change operation is what defines them as physically male of female, but I don't think it is such an easy thing to determine in other cases.
If only we could get a comment from the damned souls of the East German Women's Olympic Team's coaches.
World, Writing, Wealth
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1984 (other topics)Common Sense (other topics)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (other topics)
Lolita (other topics)
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Mel Brooks (other topics)Victor Davis Hanson (other topics)
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I hear it's been announced as a done deal, but the completion is still a bit premature, allowing for Bibi's phoenix's ability for resurrection. I hope the coalition agreements will be signed soon and government formed.
Surely, no one wants fifth extraordinary elections within the last two years just because of a political stalemate. And yes - although Bibi heads the biggest party, commanding a support of maybe quarter of a population, yet more want him out.
Personally, I don't want an incumbent prime minister defending against criminal charges at court. He should step aside and come back - clean (if found not guilty) or after discharge of the punishment. Instead, he's been undermining all hitherto respected governmental institutions just to stay in power, playing the extreme divide btw right and left and fearmongering external threats.
Had he stepped aside, a right-leaning government could've been established after the first round in 5 minutes. His and/or Sara's ego, in my opinion, is the major reason for the lasting political imbroglio. We don't even have a state budget for the third year now!