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Topic: What's Going on in the Americas? (Read 259968 times)

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #975 –
Quote from: OakdaleFTL on
Does anyone deny that communism was a European ideology?
Just about everything was a European ideology. What insight is this supposed to provide?

To illustrate my point, I'll quote Geert Wilders back at you:

Quote
Our European civilization, based on the legacy of Jerusalem, Athens and Rome, is the best civilization on earth.[1] It gave us democracy, freedom, equality before the law, the separation of church and state, and the notion of sovereign states to protect it all. The remedy to all the misery and terror, is clear: We have to reassert what we are. Only then will we be able to ensure a future for our children in a safe, strong and free Europe.
1 I'm perturbed by Wilders' adoption of Trumpisms. He now calls his opponents "sad" and likes to call things he likes "best." I'm convinced that Wilders lost the election by campaigning exclusively on Twitter. He didn't even bother to show up for debates. Due to having lived under constant threat from Islamic virgin-pursuers for over a decade his reality is also markedly different from the rest of us through little fault of his own. Above all, his A4-sized so-called election program was a complete farce. A few years ago he might've been worth a tentative vote. These days he is, to put it in his words, sad.

My two cents: if you want an insightful and inspiring vindication of the threat is Islamization in the West, read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Nomad.↵

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #976 –
Quote from: Frenzie on
if you want an insightful and inspiring vindication of the threat is Islamization in the West, read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Nomad
As usual, you make sensible points!
I haven't read her book but I'm familiar with her story and have heard her speak briefly on TV. It's truly sad that someone's life has been up-ended repeatedly by barbarians… (I include the "student" protesters at American colleges.) And you might recall my original profile on MyOpera listed Robert Spencer's JihadWatch site as one of three worth visiting often: Subsequent history has only deepened my fear, for Europe — and, eventually -should the Frankfurt School's influence continue, for the U.S. as well.

Should you care to look, you'll find a great many examples of inarticulate politicians/rulers. It's not a local phenomenon, nor a new one.
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"Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility." - James Thurber
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts!" - Richard Feynman
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Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #977 –
Just imagine if Socialism got deep in the US of A. Would be a challenge with the jails so overcrowded.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #978 –
Putin's hackers

Quote
Our notification from DHS last Friday was not only a year late, it also turned out to be bad information. To make matters worse, the Associated Press similarly reported that DHS has reversed itself and 'now says Russia didn’t target Wisconsin’s voter registration system,' which is contrary to previous briefings.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #979 –
Putin's influence on the would-be great democracy??  :lol:
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #980 –
Quote from: rjhowie on
Just imagine if Socialism got deep in the US of A. Would be a challenge with the jails so overcrowded.
Nah, as part of our "Grand Deal" to keep your lot afloat economically, we'd very subtly put in a clause where we treat y'all like y'all did Australia. Being as how you'll have no one to pick your few remaining crops, and can't be arsed to do it yourselves, we'll just empty our jails and send the lot to you.

And you'll accept them with gratitude and on a bended knee, peasant.
 

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #981 –
Piffle of course from you.

With what is it around 2.1 million people in US jails over 40 million on foot stamps and the middle class which routinely carries the place in a mess waffle, waffle dear boy. Stealing the British word "arse" a bit pointless.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #982 –
Quote from: rjhowie on
Piffle of course from you.

With what is it around 2.1 million people in US jails over 40 million on foot stamps and the middle class which routinely carries the place in a mess waffle, waffle dear boy. Stealing the British word "arse" a bit pointless.
I'm merely following the mother country's example. Steal what you can, feel no remorse.

The rest is true. I know you hate it, but the UK will be heavily dependent on the US for trade. The Japanese have already repeatedly voiced their disdain for Brexit, you all have nothing to offer the Chinese, Indians, and many others.

You'll be leaning heavily on intra-Commonwealth trade, and most importantly trade with the world's largest and most successful economy.

Deal with it.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #983 –
And you deal with dictatorships and make a mockery of all the guff about principles. I steal nothing with stats about the wonderful example of democracy, rights and standards. Tens of millions who are poor, limited real democracy just two corporate parties to run the show. If we deal more with Commonwealth countries then brilliant they were our lot for a long time and preferable to the EU which is a farce. . Every country will have a weakness somewhere but your is so damn full of itself and the internal as well as external practices are a sad joke. If so brilliant why are the poor in tens of millions the middle class struggling and the jails full never mind the mentality of people o death row for years and sometimes a decade.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #984 –
What going on in America? Murder and insanity. From 32nd floor of the Mandalay hotel, a lunatic gunman killed 58 people and wounded 515 attendees at a country music festival. Twenty guns were found Stephen Paddock's hotel suite. Paddock's only known previous run-ins with the law was a traffic stop years ago. Even his brother doesn't understand this and says there's nothing in his background that would be a red flag that something like this would happen.
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #985 –
Good to hear from you again, even though the circumstances could be better. Violence is universal, but not in the form of a retired man shooting half thousand people.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #986 –
A really shocking, terrible and sad latest thing from over there but this goes on all the time and runs into hundreds.  Innocent people getting murdered of course and terrible but the problem is deep rooted. When a nation goes on about principles, rights and such but allows as many guns as number the population there is something sadly deeply flawed. And of course the thing gets dragged back to that Constitution stuff. Not prepared to move on from a revolution or war in the early 19th century the country did not grow up politically or sensibly. Numbers shot annually in great five figures, massacres every so often and people can get hold of anything from a wee pistol to machine guns. it is all so immature and politically too. Considering the police are armed why the deuce is it needed to fall back on early century times as a permanent right to bear arms. in some States you can strol around publicly with a gun.

Politically and personal immaturity is so obvious except to those living in gun land land. It doesn't matter how many innocents get done in and how many massacres the immature falling back on long history is politically insane. This gun thing should have been done away way back in the 19th century as the country tried to grow up but it hasn't and the whole thing is a damn disgrace. It just does not click with the mentality and each incident is an excuse to buy more guns and so on.  You cannot help but feel for the people who get wounded of families who lose loved ones but the country will never grow up on the complete farce about the gun stuff. Sad, sickening and a permanent disgrace.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #987 –
42 guns, loaded high-capacity magazines found in Vegas shooter's hotel room and Nevada home

NRA response: More guns make us safer.

Nah, that's from a different context.

Currently,
Quote from: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/02/las-vegas-shootings-nra-guns-243394
The NRA’s website, Twitter feed and Facebook page — all of which are typically updated frequently throughout the day —went dark on Monday, posting no new content, and the group did not respond to several calls and emails seeking comment.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #988 –
Quote from: rjhowie on
A really shocking, terrible and sad latest thing from over there but this goes on all the time and runs into hundreds.  Innocent people getting murdered of course and terrible but the problem is deep rooted. When a nation goes on about principles, rights and such but allows as many guns as number the population there is something sadly deeply flawed. And of course the thing gets dragged back to that Constitution stuff. Not prepared to move on from a revolution or war in the early 19th century the country did not grow up politically or sensibly. Numbers shot annually in great five figures, massacres every so often and people can get hold of anything from a wee pistol to machine guns. it is all so immature and politically too. Considering the police are armed why the deuce is it needed to fall back on early century times as a permanent right to bear arms. in some States you can strol around publicly with a gun.

Politically and personal immaturity is so obvious except to those living in gun land land. It doesn't matter how many innocents get done in and how many massacres the immature falling back on long history is politically insane. This gun thing should have been done away way back in the 19th century as the country tried to grow up but it hasn't and the whole thing is a damn disgrace. It just does not click with the mentality and each incident is an excuse to buy more guns and so on.  You cannot help but feel for the people who get wounded of families who lose loved ones but the country will never grow up on the complete farce about the gun stuff. Sad, sickening and a permanent disgrace.

I may have found some motive, but right not it's only a hypothesis. NBC news reports he had several large gambling transactions, in some cases USD 20,000-30,00 a day. Perhaps he lost the bets (the article indicates it's unknown yet if he did lose), and like the disease animal he is, was intent on suicide but was trying to take as many people with him as he could.
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #989 –
Quote from: ersi on
Currently,
Quote from: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/02/las-vegas-shootings-nra-guns-243394
The NRA’s website, Twitter feed and Facebook page — all of which are typically updated frequently throughout the day —went dark on Monday, posting no new content, and the group did not respond to several calls and emails seeking comment.

That's pretty much according to script, How America Will Deal With The Las Vegas Gun Massacre in 10 Easy Steps

NRA will stay off-line for about a week until attention goes elsewhere.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #990 –



There was a hero in this. Jonathan Smith, pictured above, ran back to rescue 30 others before getting shot twice in the neck and arm himself. At first he was focused on saving his three nieces, but saved all those others was well.  :yes:
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #991 –
The scene afterwards. I hid it in a spoiler tag so nobody's subjected to unless they want to see.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #992 –
So, I just found that his guns were legal semi-automatics but you can buy a fifty dollar kit online legally that allow something like an AR-15 to unleash a rain of death consisting of thousands of rounds like he did.
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #993 –
Quote from: midnight raccoon on
AR-15 to unleash a rain [...] consisting of thousands of rounds like he did.

Well sorta. The barrel wouldn't last that long. But that brings me to another point.

Nothing about this makes much sense, nor will it ever to anyone sane, however the reporting on this has been completely ridiculous. I've literally heard it all; He had 10 to 42 no wait, 23 guns. He shot for 5 to 15 (or longer?) minutes. It took police an hour to get to him - they got there 'quickly'. He killed himself when police got to the door - no, before they got there. (And there's way more social media blunders. Most I can forgive in the moment, but require proper retraction.)

The media has handled this with the same restraint as the shooter. Blasting everything hoping they hit something. Anyone that thinks they know what would of stopped this, at this point, is being foolish. It's easy to say this should not happen. Filled with misinformation one might even conclude they know how they could of prevented it. Even though someone wanting to stop him and how to avoid it was surely just as big a concern to the shooter as how to modify his weapons, illegally, to do the job. Other attacks have done more damage without the weapons he had. The systematic societal causes that leads to such insane situations isn't limited to gun violence or the US. Gun violence is the US's version of it, sure. We could use more comprehensive qualifications, sure. The sale of fertilizer is regulated but legal and diesel fuel is cheap... It's illegal to put them together and ignite the mix. It's also illegal to kill/attack people. So what's hard is determining a solution without jumping to conclusions. Without just shifting the type of attacks down the road to something that can't be identified or stopped with proper analysis of actions for the fleeting illusion of safety now. Finding legislation that provides the social services to prevent people from wanting to hurt other people seems never to be a solution worth investigating. At least if they finally take the guns well have to deal with the fact that doesn't work.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #994 –
While Americans believes and accepts that the "bad guy with a gun" can only be stopped by a "good guy with a bigger gun" these barbarianisms will keep on existing everyday other day at the USA.

It happens so repeatedly that I don't understand why Europeans should keep on bothering with this. We are just sad by so much stupidity costing so many human lives.
A matter of attitude.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #995 –
Quote from: ensbb3 on
At least if they finally take the guns well have to deal with the fact that doesn't work.
Perhaps not. I read a conspiracy theory written on 9/10 on 4chan. It claimed something like this would happen, so metal detectors would be installed in the casinos all so somebody can profit. The "theory" is bs, but maybe the metal detectors might not be a bad idea?
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #996 –
Quote from: ensbb3 on
The media has handled this with the same restraint as the shooter. Blasting everything hoping they hit something. Anyone that thinks they know what would of stopped this, at this point, is being foolish.

Must be the advantage that comes with distance. The media information I got was tentative and slightly time-delayed, but basically correct. When there was a truck attack here in Stockholm the reporting was partially in shambles. The problem comes with real-time reporting, particularly on Twitter. You may be a trained and/or experienced journalist, but the incentives work against that. You get unverified, but potentially life-saving information, do you pass it on? You are first with a scoop, do you check it and potentially lose it to someone else, or tweet it immediately even though it may be wrong in part or totality? Then there are the trolls, the hoaxers, and the agenda pushers that are by now old hands at getting their narrative out, in addition to those who have heard something and want to pass that on.

Then there are the practical advice, how to get home when the transport network shut down, where to stay. Back in 2011 when Breivik bombed the government headquarter and started shooting teens, the message spread on Twitter/Facebook not to text anyone at Utøya as there was a shooter on the loose, and they might not have the phones on silent, and that was before the media mentioned Utøya. There was not that much wilful disinformation, this was back when Infowars was for crazy people and left-wing loonies, and not the Presidential Office of Information.

It is possible to have responsible and responsive real-time journalism, but that takes some doing, and in the meanwhile the noise to signal ration will just increase.


You may instead think about the talk about gun control. Of course gun control works, but it doesn't work automatically, and it doesn't work for all time and everything. These are multi-factor dynamic systems. Talk about gun control is just talk. To make an effect you need bipartisan cooperation and action, so back to talk, and the rather cynical article I linked to above.

People elsewhere are learning from past behaviour. When there is a new form of hack attack both security experts and wannabe hackers take note. Last year, when a crazy truck hijacker killed unusually many people in Nice, that got the attention of city planners and jihadists alike. Followed up with attacks in Berlin and Stockholm that has led to work on truck control. Two of the largest truck companies in the world are Swedish (Scania here 20 miles from Stockholm, and Volvo outside Gothenburg), MAN among others is German. They are figuring what will work to make drivers safer as well as citizens.

You don't see that in the US. Instead of working on how to make guns less unsafe and not fall in the wrong hands, you got the NRA.

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #997 –
A video of the bump stock, an adapter that modifies weapons to be able to fire at machine gun rates. As used by the Las Vegas terrorist.

A video celebrating our freedoms, our constitution and the bump stock that keeps up free.

We are really so very exceptional. So, take that, you enslaved EU serfs.

America, Land of the Free and Home of the BraveTM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=54&v=hCCT8JtwQeI



Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #998 –
Nutter head country. You have shot more of each other than died in wars. You cannot grow up properly.
"Quit you like men:be strong"

Re: What's Going on in the Americas?

Reply #999 –
Knowing some lunatic like Paddock can easily gun down a whole crowd is not freedom. Why in world are bump stocks legal? They serve no purpose but to unlease death like Paddock did. Who needs 400-800 rounds a minute for hunting? For home defense, you'll cause more damage than the burglar.
“What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal