The all things Poltical topic - We bear our banners aloft, boots like Drums Our Cadence quick, our countenance dire.

[Zoraptor]

14 minutes ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

Yeah, I think it was a building that housed equipment and stuff from MEE and Al Jazeera. The owner or manager was filmed on the phone begging for 10 minutes to get some of the equipment out before bombing, which was denied. The AP building got hit too (if it isn't the same one) and the BBC also ran into trouble I believe.

Well, if they thought coverage was biased before...

Nice to know that Joe Biden has phoned Mahmoud Abbas about the violence. Might as well have phoned me for all the good that will do.

[ComradeYellow]

Yeah not much we can do about that.  Especially considering that APAIC remains a very powerful lobby in the U.S.

Not to mention Trump actually moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem (or tried at least, I don't know the full details here).  Honestly that's all i ever saw in Trump, just some kind of puppet to Israel, too bad I'm in the extreme minority here.

And back to more delusions...

A new party for anti-Trump Republicans: Here's what we know so far (msn.com)

81% of rank-and-file Republicans support Trump and yet they persist these D.C. elitist Republicans.  Even Democrats who can't seem to fix their own party properly seem obsessed with changing them back to "More like them".

[Malcador]

8 hours ago, Sarex said:

Last I hear they bombed a news outlet building which also housed a lot of their internet infrastructure, thou they gave warning beforehand for what's that worth.

Yeah, conveniently a Hamas HQ.   IDF's bombs are truly advanced, whatever they hit they transform it into Hamas right beforehand.

[BruceVC]

26 minutes ago, Malcador said:

Yeah, conveniently a Hamas HQ.   IDF's bombs are truly advanced, whatever they hit they transform it into Hamas right beforehand.

It probably was being used by Hamas as well as Al-Jazeera , it wouldn't surprise me. Malc its well known that Hamas fires rockets from civilian houses and buildings and they know that Israel will respond. Its clear and IMO part of their strategy that they are not only unconcerned with Palestinian deaths but its good for their media campaign as it creates sympathy from the world

I think its reprehensible that Hamas is fine with the deaths of people they claim they care about in the interests of a political agenda because part of this latest violence is about political expediency for both Netanyahu and Hamas but at least Netanyahu isnt blithely throwing away the life's of his own people 

[BruceVC]

7 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

Well, if they thought coverage was biased before...

Nice to know that Joe Biden has phoned Mahmoud Abbas about the violence. Might as well have phoned me for all the good that will do.

Al Jazeera is a good station and its one of the 5 International networks  I follow . During events like this they will be less objective and generally come across as anti-Israel but its understandable 

Edited May 16, 2021 by BruceVC

[Zoraptor]

2 hours ago, Malcador said:

Yeah, conveniently a Hamas HQ.   IDF's bombs are truly advanced, whatever they hit they transform it into Hamas right beforehand.

Claiming the building housing the AP for 15 years was also a Hamas HQ shows a certain amount of, uh, chutzpah. Even more amusing, I've seen Hasbara claiming the roof was being used to fire rockets, when it was mostly used for AP/ Al Jazeera live reporting and it would literally be impossible to have used it for such.

Considering Israel also targeted the building housing AlJ in 2014 I suspect there's some 'suggesting' going on about the advisability of hosting Al Jazeera in your building if you want it to remain undamaged. Not like Israel needs to be worried about punishment for war crimes after all.

[Darkpriest]

13 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

Of course democracy does not mean liberty. And for that matter dictatorship does not necessarily mean tyranny. You can absolutely elect your tyrant and it’s at least theoretically possible a dictator would be respectful of individual liberty. The list of elected tyrants is a long one indeed the list of benevolent dictator is short. In fact I can’t think of one off the top of my head.

there are those here in this country who seem to think the democratically elected state is infallible because it represents “the will of the people“. That of course is a large quantity of night soil from a large male bovine.

Depends how you view various monarchs, and their rules. 

[Darkpriest]

So is this how you turn a decent City into a next Baltimore? 

https://www.theepochtimes.com/portland-police-union-president-says-city-is-on-the-precipice-of-a-gang-war_3816766.html

[Guard Dog]

St. John’s professor fired for reading from Mark Twain novel
 

it was PuddinHead Wilson. Which was actually anti-racist and a pretty good read. Anyway being a Twain novel about the slavery era the N word was used in the text and quoted.  Some little millennial snowflake or two in the class couldn’t stand hearing the word even in the context of a historical and satirical novel that actually disparages racism complained. Next thing you know professor fired. Of course the University said it wasn’t over that but it certainly occurred after that so it makes you wonder.

Im telling you guys this is where all this is leading:

Edited May 16, 2021 by Guard Dog

[BruceVC]

7 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

Claiming the building housing the AP for 15 years was also a Hamas HQ shows a certain amount of, uh, chutzpah. Even more amusing, I've seen Hasbara claiming the roof was being used to fire rockets, when it was mostly used for AP/ Al Jazeera live reporting and it would literally be impossible to have used it for such.

Considering Israel also targeted the building housing AlJ in 2014 I suspect there's some 'suggesting' going on about the advisability of hosting Al Jazeera in your building if you want it to remain undamaged. Not like Israel needs to be worried about punishment for war crimes after all.

Not really, its a large building and easily on some floors Hamas could have some operational facilities. That is what the Israelis are saying why it was targeted and I believe them

[Malcador]

3 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

St. John’s professor fired for reading from Mark Twain novel
 

it was PuddinHead Wilson. Which was actually anti-racist and a pretty good read. Anyway being a Twain novel about the slavery era the N word was used in the text and quoted.  Some little millennial snowflake or two in the class couldn’t stand hearing the word even in the context of a historical and satirical novel that actually disparages racism complained. Next thing you know professor fired. Of course the University said it wasn’t over that but it certainly occurred after that so it makes you wonder.

Im telling you guys this is where all this is leading:

It's the Mail, I am skeptical that University exists

 

[HoonDing]

"Feel the Bern" would be a fitting caption.

[Hurlshort]

7 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

St. John’s professor fired for reading from Mark Twain novel
 

it was PuddinHead Wilson. Which was actually anti-racist and a pretty good read. Anyway being a Twain novel about the slavery era the N word was used in the text and quoted.  Some little millennial snowflake or two in the class couldn’t stand hearing the word even in the context of a historical and satirical novel that actually disparages racism complained. Next thing you know professor fired. Of course the University said it wasn’t over that but it certainly occurred after that so it makes you wonder.

Im telling you guys this is where all this is leading:

It's not. Not even close. There are a lot of red flags in this story.

The university claims it was not the reason. But ok, let's ignore that part of this.

This teacher said the n-word multiple times over zoom. That is categorically dumb. There wasn't a better way to teach the book? That didn't seem like a bad idea at the time? How much time do college professors spend reading from text? 

They aren't banning books. They aren't censoring Mark Twain (despite a good century of attempts.) They fired a teacher who seemed to lack common sense. I'm exhausted teaching over zoom because I am constantly thinking about the stakes. It is no longer me with a small group of kids that I've built a community with over the year. It is an open mike to the world and I have very little idea how it is affecting those who are tuned in. It is a very uncontrolled environment, and so I know I have to be even more carefully than I am in a typical year.

Thank you for attending my TED talk.  

[Darkpriest]

Interesting topic, and I believe that if you are above a certain size and weight, you should pay more for the air travel. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/airlines-may-start-weighing-passengers-amid-obesity-crisis

[213374U]

On 5/15/2021 at 6:32 PM, Darkpriest said:

Unorthodox opinion on the wealth accumulation. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/praise-1-they-provide-improving-standards-living-99-percent

While in principle I agree that this worked in the past, as wealth was built from investments, now it does not and will not work that well going forward, due to which investments return the most profit in the reality of free money provided by FED and tech leap displacing simple jobs and offshoring more complex jobs. 

1890 called. They want their horse-and-sparrow theory back. They said to keep the tired references to Venezuela, though.

[Gorth]

On 5/16/2021 at 2:32 AM, Darkpriest said:

Unorthodox opinion on the wealth accumulation. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/praise-1-they-provide-improving-standards-living-99-percent

While in principle I agree that this worked in the past, as wealth was built from investments, now it does not and will not work that well going forward, due to which investments return the most profit in the reality of free money provided by FED and tech leap displacing simple jobs and offshoring more complex jobs. 

From the linked text:
 

"Capitalism — laissez-faire capitalism — is the ideal economic system. It is the embodiment of individual freedom and the pursuit of material self-interest. Its result is the progressive rise in the material well-being of all, manifested in lengthening life spans and ever-improving standards of living."

Uh huh... laissez faire capitalism was what they had in several European countries from like 1760 to 1860... next to the dark ages, one of the darkest periods in European history. Living standards took a dive to match those of serfs in the 1200's, people becoming effectively slaves and considered property of the factory owners, not unlike slaves kept on cotton farms in the south of the US half a century later. Both were considered less than live stock and expendable before anything of value (like machinery). Hopefully the world will never see "laissez faire" capitalism again.

[BruceVC]

23 minutes ago, 213374U said:

1890 called. They want their horse-and-sparrow theory back. They said to keep the tired references to Venezuela, though.

Nah, its not tired or banal if the references to failed socialist experiments like Zimbabwe or Venezuela are valid because you still have people who espouse " socialism " as a  better way forward for most of our economies. So when you can never give any examples of countries where this has worked its important we remember the failures. And I consider the Nordic countries as hugely successful but they hybrid models of socialism and Capitalism and did not do what Chavez, Maduro or Mugabe did. For example Norway's state controlled oil company that has created their very successful sovereign fund is an example of a way forward but the global track record for these types of state controlled entities is littered with failures due to corruption and mismanagement. Nigeria, Angola, Venezuela and Brazil are testimony to that 

I have no issue with extremely wealthy people. If the 1 % gained their wealth through legal  and legitimate means and contribute fairly through legal expectations like taxes that should not be an issue for anyone. But in the USA you do seem to have real examples of very wealthy people not paying their fair share of taxes and thats not right 

[BruceVC]

25 minutes ago, Gorth said:

From the linked text:
 

"Capitalism — laissez-faire capitalism — is the ideal economic system. It is the embodiment of individual freedom and the pursuit of material self-interest. Its result is the progressive rise in the material well-being of all, manifested in lengthening life spans and ever-improving standards of living."

Uh huh... laissez faire capitalism was what they had in several European countries from like 1760 to 1860... next to the dark ages, one of the darkest periods in European history. Living standards took a dive to match those of serfs in the 1200's, people becoming effectively slaves and considered property of the factory owners, not unlike slaves kept on cotton farms in the south of the US half a century later. Both were considered less than live stock and expendable before anything of value (like machinery). Hopefully the world will never see "laissez faire" capitalism again.

Yes I tend to agree, I refer to it as pure Capitalism which ended after 2008. Nowadays as much as we know the principles of the free market work and are sustainable you must have regulation and reasonable  oversight from governments in all countries around the private sector

But the early centauries of man were very unequal and the indigent and people not born of the upper class lived in terrible conditions in many countries 

[BruceVC]

13 hours ago, Hurlsnot said:

It's not. Not even close. There are a lot of red flags in this story.

The university claims it was not the reason. But ok, let's ignore that part of this.

This teacher said the n-word multiple times over zoom. That is categorically dumb. There wasn't a better way to teach the book? That didn't seem like a bad idea at the time? How much time do college professors spend reading from text? 

They aren't banning books. They aren't censoring Mark Twain (despite a good century of attempts.) They fired a teacher who seemed to lack common sense. I'm exhausted teaching over zoom because I am constantly thinking about the stakes. It is no longer me with a small group of kids that I've built a community with over the year. It is an open mike to the world and I have very little idea how it is affecting those who are tuned in. It is a very uncontrolled environment, and so I know I have to be even more carefully than I am in a typical year.

Thank you for attending my TED talk.  

Hurlshot as a teacher would you use the N word if you were reading a story from Mark Twain? I dont mean would you repeat the word but would you say it out loud as part of the actual story you reading?

[213374U]

And this is why I avoid this thread. See y'all in six months.

[BruceVC]

3 minutes ago, 213374U said:

And this is why I avoid this thread. See y'all in six months.

Dont go, I enjoy your views. We can agree to disagree but I would rather hear what you have to  say 

[Darkpriest]

1 hour ago, 213374U said:

And this is why I avoid this thread. See y'all in six months.

Guess this would speak closer to your beliefs. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/secretis-out

[Guard Dog]

2 hours ago, 213374U said:

And this is why I avoid this thread. See y'all in six months.

Agree with Bruce. Even though you and I butt heads occasionally I’d rather have you here.

[Guard Dog]

16 hours ago, Hurlsnot said:

It's not. Not even close. There are a lot of red flags in this story.

The university claims it was not the reason. But ok, let's ignore that part of this.

This teacher said the n-word multiple times over zoom. That is categorically dumb. There wasn't a better way to teach the book? That didn't seem like a bad idea at the time? How much time do college professors spend reading from text? 

They aren't banning books. They aren't censoring Mark Twain (despite a good century of attempts.) They fired a teacher who seemed to lack common sense. I'm exhausted teaching over zoom because I am constantly thinking about the stakes. It is no longer me with a small group of kids that I've built a community with over the year. It is an open mike to the world and I have very little idea how it is affecting those who are tuned in. It is a very uncontrolled environment, and so I know I have to be even more carefully than I am in a typical year.

Thank you for attending my TED talk.  

Oh I didn’t suggest they were banning  books. Not this time at least LOL. Although I do think that still where we’re heading as a people. Dissenting opinions and contrarian philosophies are far more likely to be shouted down than ignored. Much less tolerated and even much less entertained. That’s a shift. As far as satire is concerned you need to look no further than Facebook and Twitter and their treatment of the Onion and the Babylon Bee. And those are examples of satire intended purely for humor. But we appear to be collectively losing our sense of humor when it comes to politics.

obviously you are much closer to the attitudes of the academic world than I am. But from where I stand and the things I read the idea of future generations of Americans goose-stepping around piles of burning books is not so far-fetched. Or, in an even more dystopian outcome the idea of retroactively editing e-books to suit current political mores seems like something that can happen all to easily. Somewhere down the road there might be a job opportunity for Guy Montag after all. 
 

such things happen gradually and I worry that we are in the nascent steps.

Edited May 17, 2021 by Guard Dog

[Hurlshort]

2 minutes ago, Guard Dog said:

Oh I didn’t suggest they were banning  books. Not this time at least LOL. Although I do think that still where we’re heading as a people. Dissenting opinions and contrarian philosophies are far more likely to be shouted down than ignored. That’s a shift. As far as satire is concerned you need to look no further than Facebook and Twitter and their treatment of the Onion and the Babylon Bee. And those are examples of satire intended purely for humor. But we appear to be collectively losing our sense of humor when it comes to politics.

I don't disagree that this is a concern. It should always be a concern to battle censorship and allow freedom of expression. But I argue with the idea things are getting worse, or that we are headed in a negative direction. That is built on the premise that we haven't had censorship, book burnings, and bad humor in the previous centuries. 

Things are way better than they were 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 years ago on the whole. We are hearing from way more voices, from more diverse backgrounds, than ever before.