[Maark Abbott]

Saw on the news that the appeal was successful.

[Gorefest]

I'll stop putting up quotes from that Guardian article because there are too many. Suffice to say it gets much, much worse. Definitely worth a read if you want sleepless nights. Basically, the UK government finds itself in a noose of its own making due to trade deals made with the Saudis in the Thatcher years, and any time the UK even thinks about pulling out, the Saudis threaten to stop Uk investment which apparently shores up over 20% of the national deficit....

Man, this is some sick shit.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 20 June 2019 - 11:56 AM

[Gorefest]

Maark Abbott, on 20 June 2019 - 11:47 AM, said:

Saw on the news that the appeal was successful.

Yes, just saw it as well. Labour have now called for a full public enquiry. It also exposes Tory frontrunners Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt who have publicly defended (and in Johnson's case, undersigned as foreign minister) the UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia. See what it does to Gove's chances for new PM...

[Aptorian]

I think what's sick is a government that doesn't figure out how to wean itself off the tit of Saudi Arabia. Not that Denmark is any better but how are we ever going to effect change if we make ourselves dependent on Saudia Arabia, China, Russia (The US) and god knows what other "shit hole countries"?

[worry]

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Trump tweets:


'"Now that Obama's poll numbers are in tailspin -- watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate."(10/9/12)
"Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected--be careful Republicans!" (10/22/12)
He then followed those up the following year with these two tweets:
"Remember what I previously said--Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is." (9/23/13)
"Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled!" (11/10/13)'

https://www.cnn.com/...2013/index.html

[EmperorMagus]

Aren't I fucking delighted.

[Gorefest]

Azath Vitr (D, on 21 June 2019 - 04:21 AM, said:

Trump tweets:


'"Now that Obama's poll numbers are in tailspin -- watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate."(10/9/12)
"Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected--be careful Republicans!" (10/22/12)
He then followed those up the following year with these two tweets:
"Remember what I previously said--Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is." (9/23/13)
"Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled!" (11/10/13)'

https://www.cnn.com/...2013/index.html

Fake news!

[Cause]

Azath Vitr (D, on 21 June 2019 - 04:21 AM, said:

Trump tweets:


'"Now that Obama's poll numbers are in tailspin -- watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate."(10/9/12)
"Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get elected--be careful Republicans!" (10/22/12)
He then followed those up the following year with these two tweets:
"Remember what I previously said--Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is." (9/23/13)
"Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly-not skilled!" (11/10/13)'

https://www.cnn.com/...2013/index.html

Trump, master of the deal, seems to have painted hmself in a corner. Inaction will be seen as weak. Action will be seen as a weak and as breaking a major campaign promise. I have no idea if action is called for or not but I don't believe he will be basing his choices on the right things.

Also if a strike was called for and cancelled how the Fuck does every news agency know about it. Seems like a ball drop,

[Mezla PigDog]

Good god. He's explaining why he called off the airstrike on Twitter. So we are living in that world now? I shouldn't be surprised but somehow I thought military policy might be off limits in even this Administration's Social Media Policy.

[HoosierDaddy]

Nothing is off limits to Trump. Nothing.

[worry]

HoosierDaddy, on 21 June 2019 - 05:49 PM, said:

Nothing is off limits to Trump. Nothing.

Absolutely true.

Major trigger warning for sexual assault among other horrors. For lifelong entitled richboy sex predator Donald Trump, I suppose it's one more confirmation of his own confession, on tape, discussing his MO with Billy Bush. The one we all heard (never mind the credible accusations from others) and millions of people -- friends, neighbors, coworkers, family, professionals, mothers and fathers of little girls -- brushed off or worse because he promised to lay waste to their favored scapegoats (in many cases, providing the scapegoat himself -- it's the laying waste that matters, as long as it's of some Other).

Anyway, yah. Nothing is off limits. Who sets him any limits?

[worry]

Either this sitting United States Senator just really loves demographic trivia, or he's bringing this up for another more mysterious reason...not sure which.

[Primateus]

worry, on 22 June 2019 - 07:13 PM, said:

Either this sitting United States Senator just really loves demographic trivia, or he's bringing this up for another more mysterious reason...not sure which.

It's the great replacement, dont'cha knoe?

[Tsundoku]

Interesting not-too-long article about AOC, "concentration camps" and American Exceptionalism. Which I had never heard of as a named concept, but have always been loosely aware of it's existence and effects.

https://www.theatlan...onalism/592213/

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 23 June 2019 - 08:26 AM

[Macros]

worry, on 21 June 2019 - 07:59 PM, said:

HoosierDaddy, on 21 June 2019 - 05:49 PM, said:

Nothing is off limits to Trump. Nothing.

Absolutely true.

Major trigger warning for sexual assault among other horrors. For lifelong entitled richboy sex predator Donald Trump, I suppose it's one more confirmation of his own confession, on tape, discussing his MO with Billy Bush. The one we all heard (never mind the credible accusations from others) and millions of people -- friends, neighbors, coworkers, family, professionals, mothers and fathers of little girls -- brushed off or worse because he promised to lay waste to their favored scapegoats (in many cases, providing the scapegoat himself -- it's the laying waste that matters, as long as it's of some Other).

Anyway, yah. Nothing is off limits. Who sets him any limits?

Jesus Christ, she has had a horrific run in life, the entire list must make for grim reading.

[Cause]

What are peoples thoughts on the differing suggestions to pay off students debt? I think student debt in America is ridiculous however I also believe its partly self inflicted. Yes student debt creditors have lobbied the system and made the game favor them but also its absurd to go to a different state, pay for student accommodation, pay for an elite education at an IVY school and pay 300, 000 Dollars in university fees!

Before they offer debt relief I think they need to fix the cause not the symptom. I got a PhD in south Africa, took over 10 years. I probably spend 200 000 rand over a decade on school fees (I'm ignoring the discounts and scholarships I received and assuming I paid full price). The government here sponsors roughly 40% of the fee so lets call it 400K rand or 30 thousand dollars.

So I don't think students should be saddles with debt for their entire lives but I don't get how the US goveremnt can just pay everyones debt and call it a day. What about the people who chose a state college rather than IVY because they chose to be fiscally responsible and are now getting screwed. Why should the government pay the full amount of someone who chose the most expensive options etc. Maybe there is more nuance to this than I have seen? What about the people who already paid there debt off (or made sizeable contributions), can they get a refund from the state?

[Morgoth]

What about them? A lot of people will get better lives because of such a policy. It has very little to do with fairness, though it certainly isn't fair in my mind to deny someone else a boon because you personally do not benefit.

[Cause]

Morgoth, on 24 June 2019 - 12:06 PM, said:

What about them? A lot of people will get better lives because of such a policy. It has very little to do with fairness, though it certainly isn't fair in my mind to deny someone else a boon because you personally do not benefit.

Not saying if its nor fair screw everyone rather than just some but even if this happens, they need nuance going forward. If the US government will pay peoples students debt, or rather if they are just going to pay for peoples education, then everyone will apply for the most expensive colleges. What happens to private for profit universities when they know government will pay? Will they up their prices. I believe Harvard is technically a non-profit university and exempted from tax and yet it primarily serves rich and foreign students? What are the rules for qualifying for university, if government is paying will they cover any subject? If government is paying will the competition for academic excellence in high school need to become fiercer? Can you study at any university, the diploma mills? The creation science universities? When its a for profit loan operation they will loan to anyone for any reason if they believe they will make a profit. If its the public purse it needs to spent to the public good

Or is this a once off forgiveness? If not their needs to be more detail!

[Aptorian]

Not an American and the Danish system is very different but I think a core problem lies in the thinking: "I had to pay so why don't they"? You shouldn't deny future generations a freedom or benefit just because you didn't have it yourself.

The thing about free education is that it's an investment in the future of your country. By giving everybody, rich or poor, the opportunity to get an education, you take a big step towards equality. You might not be able to save everybody but by making sure that the kids of the under class, have a chance at bettering their lives, you might break the negative heritage of the less fortunate. Same reason why nobody in their right mind should be cutting funding for schools. The better quality of education you can give your nations children and youth, the stronger a work force you'll have. Especially in this modern age where knowledge is a more important ressource than blue collar workers.