Discussion Random Discussion

[VDS66]

If the west didn't keep destroying countries then the refugees would not want to leave. Syria was one of the jewels of the Middle East with stable government and religious freedom. Now it's half destroyed. If the west hadn't played politics in the region we wouldn't have so many leaving. The ones where they have really horrible regimes seem to get let off while ones with natural resources get our "help".

That last sentence! No oil? No care!

All that blood to ensure a flow of cheap oil. And prop up Israel.

Now the Trumptard praises the Saudis as great allies because his mates will make billions selling them arms.

This is despite the fact that it's Saudi money paying for schools and Mosques in the west and pushing Wahabism, the most extreme version of that religion.

And at the risk of posters being sick of Australians bagging Australia, we are complicit in these affairs.

Just as we are complicit in ripping off the East Timorese.

 

[gringo2011]

That last sentence! No oil? No care!

All that blood to ensure a flow of cheap oil. And prop up Israel.

Now the Trumptard praises the Saudis as great allies because his mates will make billions selling them arms.

This is despite the fact that it's Saudi money paying for schools and Mosques in the west and pushing Wahabism, the most extreme version of that religion.

And at the risk of posters being sick of Australians bagging Australia, we are complicit in these affairs.

Just as we are complicit in ripping off the East Timorese.

The problem for western politics is that we citizens once believed we were the righteous world sheriffs and deputies riding in on a white horse to save the day, we have started to see some of the less appealing parts of the story where our high standards of living are often the result of death and destruction somewhere else. It makes it hard to feel good about the way you do business when you aren't the good guy any more.

 

[Yawkey way]

If the west didn't keep destroying countries then the refugees would not want to leave. Syria was one of the jewels of the Middle East with stable government and religious freedom. Now it's half destroyed. If the west hadn't played politics in the region we wouldn't have so many leaving. The ones where they have really horrible regimes seem to get let off while ones with natural resources get our "help".

It’s a no win situation, support for the Arab spring and democracy had a lot of people very excited at the time.

Well it didn’t work out quite as planned which is no surprise to many. This region has been carved up and fought over for how long?. Take a look back at the old League of Nations carve up which created many of these countries and the borders that currently exist, now that was all about power and oil with England and France amongst others making out like bandits.

Fast forward to today and what’s changed, the world is still full of despots and the powerful fighting to project power and influence to enrich themselves. The US is just one of many players and the whole it’s about oil is really overblown imo. The US actually doesn’t import anywhere near as much oil from the Middle East as most people seem to believe and the vast majority of what they do import from the Middle East comes from Saudi Arabia.

It’s all about power and influence as it always has been and the cynical manipulation by the powerful of the weak doesn’t look about to end anytime soon. Multinationals and billionaires exert an unhealthy influence over our governments if they don’t own them outright and the gap between the top 1% and the man in the street is at storm the winter palace up the revolution levels.

I’d like to think change is in the air and in fact it certainly feels that way but my cynical side tells me not to bet on it.

 

[CursingFijian]

Maybe, maybe not.

It’s a massive problem for the world not just Australia and things are likely to get tougher, I don’t see anyone being receptive to the movement of millions upon millions of people.

Wait till global warming ramps up and Bangkok, Bombay, and Shanghai disappear under a rising sea.

 

[Yawkey way]

The irony of tough on crime is that you create desperate people by making an uneven society and then pay $323 dollars a day to keep them locked up. Spend on creating more opportunity or education and its better for everyone.

The refugees are a a distraction while the government bring in around 200,000 people per year as migrants only around 7000 are humanitarian refugees. A complicit media have created a demon by saying terrorists would come in with the intake but realistically they are more likely to fly in if not born here.

Exactly, the whole thing is a scam.

Until the recent flood of people into Europe us taking 150,000 over ten plus years made us absolute hero’s, there is no effective program for the mass resettlement of refugees. The sooner we look for effective measures to create safe zones, deliver aide, foster peace and improve living standards the better.

Getting resettled is like winning lotto and a dirty joke.

 

[Yawkey way]

Wait till global warming ramps up and Bangkok, Bombay, and Shanghai disappear under a rising sea.

It will probably take something like that but by then all our major cities will be under water as well.

It’s too late now but the elephant in the room when talking about climate change is surely 1 billion people in 1800 compared to 7.6 billion and climbing today.

Things have taken a depressing turn does anyone have any good news stories?.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

If the west didn't keep destroying countries then the refugees would not want to leave. Syria was one of the jewels of the Middle East with stable government and religious freedom. Now it's half destroyed. If the west hadn't played politics in the region we wouldn't have so many leaving. The ones where they have really horrible regimes seem to get let off while ones with natural resources get our "help".

Syria's Government was stable, but not a great role model for freedom and human rights.
However it was also secular, and with both internal and external political pressure, probably would have gradually reformed.

Arming a bunch of extreme groups to overthrow them was like cleaning up that dangerous drum of petrol with a match.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

It will probably take something like that but by then all our major cities will be under water as well.

It’s too late now but the elephant in the room when talking about climate change is surely 1 billion people in 1800 compared to 7.6 billion and climbing today.

Things have taken a depressing turn does anyone have any good news stories?.

That's not quite true about the underwater thing Yawkey.
http://www.floodmap.net/

If sea levels rise by a massive 3 meters, ( which is more than anyone is talking about so far luckily ).
Brisbane will be the only badly affected capital city, with lots of coastal suburbs affected. Other major cities affected ,bits of Newcastle and lots of Cairns .

Meanwhile : Half of Vietnam is underwater ( Mekong delta ).
Bangladesh is in real trouble.
Huge amounts of Shanghai underwater.
and of course the Netherlands are underwater.

I agree , booming population is the huge issue, and, unfortunately all of our society and economic is based on growth and we promote this thing where we are unfulfilled as humans if we don't breed.
Look at how many resources are directed towards helping infertile people have children.

Its like we are hard wired to mess everything up even though we fully realise what we're doing.
Individuals choosing not to, make no difference.

Groups of people choosing to control population will become outnumbered and outvoted by pro -breeders.

 

[VDS66]

 

[Yawkey way]

That's not quite true about the underwater thing Yawkey.
http://www.floodmap.net/

If sea levels rise by a massive 3 meters, ( which is more than anyone is talking about so far luckily ).
Brisbane will be the only badly affected capital city, with lots of coastal suburbs affected. Other major cities affected ,bits of Newcastle and lots of Cairns .

Meanwhile : Half of Vietnam is underwater ( Mekong delta ).
Bangladesh is in real trouble.
Huge amounts of Shanghai underwater.
and of course the Netherlands are underwater.

I agree , booming population is the huge issue, and, unfortunately all of our society and economic is based on growth and we promote this thing where we are unfulfilled as humans if we don't breed.
Look at how many resources are directed towards helping infertile people have children.

Its like we are hard wired to mess everything up even though we fully realise what we're doing.
Individuals choosing not to, make no difference.

Groups of people choosing to control population will become outnumbered and outvoted by pro -breeders.

That’s surprise to be honest as Melbourne floods with a decent storm, very interesting map.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

That’s surprise to be honest as Melbourne floods with a decent storm, very interesting map.

Is that more the drainage ?
I once got stranded in floodwater out west near Highpoint, it was bizzare, i was walking in knee deep water watching it flow down the hill, at one point it ran down the drains only to spurt out further down.

 

[Yawkey way]

Is that more the drainage ?
I once got stranded in floodwater out west near Highpoint, it was bizzare, i was walking in knee deep water watching it flow down the hill, at one point it ran down the drains only to spurt out further down.

The Yarra is of course tidal so that impacts how badly the area floods but yes in all probability it’s also the catchment and drainage issues.

 

[gringo2011]

That's not quite true about the underwater thing Yawkey.
http://www.floodmap.net/

If sea levels rise by a massive 3 meters, ( which is more than anyone is talking about so far luckily ).
Brisbane will be the only badly affected capital city, with lots of coastal suburbs affected. Other major cities affected ,bits of Newcastle and lots of Cairns .

Meanwhile : Half of Vietnam is underwater ( Mekong delta ).
Bangladesh is in real trouble.
Huge amounts of Shanghai underwater.
and of course the Netherlands are underwater.

I agree , booming population is the huge issue, and, unfortunately all of our society and economic is based on growth and we promote this thing where we are unfulfilled as humans if we don't breed.
Look at how many resources are directed towards helping infertile people have children.

Its like we are hard wired to mess everything up even though we fully realise what we're doing.
Individuals choosing not to, make no difference.

Groups of people choosing to control population will become outnumbered and outvoted by pro -breeders.

Too many religions have infiltrated governments as well as corporate interests. Hard to convince someone who has strong christian beliefs that limiting population is a good idea. Evangelicals want to have armageddon bought in and sponsor all these hair brained schemes to pull down the Temple Mount, are pro colonial Israel and are a death cult. They sponsor politicians in the US and were the backers of Bolsanaro in Brazil, he's probably one of the worlds worst leaders.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Too many religions have infiltrated governments as well as corporate interests. Hard to convince someone who has strong christian beliefs that limiting population is a good idea. Evangelicals want to have armageddon bought in and sponsor all these hair brained schemes to pull down the Temple Mount, are pro colonial Israel and are a death cult. They sponsor politicians in the US and were the backers of Bolsanaro in Brazil, he's probably one of the worlds worst leaders.

 

[VDS66]

Too many religions have infiltrated governments as well as corporate interests. Hard to convince someone who has strong christian beliefs that limiting population is a good idea. Evangelicals want to have armageddon bought in and sponsor all these hair brained schemes to pull down the Temple Mount, are pro colonial Israel and are a death cult. They sponsor politicians in the US and were the backers of Bolsanaro in Brazil, he's probably one of the worlds worst leaders.

I've probably shared this before but in 2008 I was in West Palm Florida.

My friend was working for an 80+ Jewish guy who was the biggest owner of caravan parks in the state and elsewhere.

Apparently one day they were in the car together and his boss had a direct line to the Israeli defence Minister.

I quote "I call because I want to know who my money is bombing".

Locally we have seen this in the Big Liberal party with their effort to recruit religious conservatives to bolster party membership.

 

[sunny3193]

Tips for Young Players #1:

When your vet prescribes Prednisone (a steroid) for your dog, they will advise you that the side effect will be an increased thirst, therefore an increased consumption of water, therefore an increased propensity to pee.

They will not tell you of the increased humping of objects animate and inanimate, nor the increased frequency and pungency of the dog’s farts.

Just saying.....

 

[VDS66]

Syria's Government was stable, but not a great role model for freedom and human rights.
However it was also secular, and with both internal and external political pressure, probably would have gradually reformed.

Arming a bunch of extreme groups to overthrow them was like cleaning up that dangerous drum of petrol with a match.

Middle East was fine playing amongst itself until they enforced the state of Israel in them.

 

[st_trav_ofWA]

OK...

How long before the government allow a boat or three to sneak through in order to bolster their election chances?

I'm tipping within 3 weeks.

how long til a terrost act happens on US soil to serve Trumps agenda ?

 

[gringo2011]

Middle East was fine playing amongst itself until they enforced the state of Israel in them.

Israel is here to stay like it or not but their right wing expansionist government is a hideous regime who actively run an apartheid system and are colonising and aggressive towards Palestinians. Religious interests have taken hold in their government and are making peace less and less likely.

 

[gringo2011]

how long til a terrost act happens on US soil to serve Trumps agenda ?

You'd say there have been a few already, but they are the wrong colour to cause outrage.

 

[sunny3193]

This is from the New York Times.

If you want to know where your accent is from.
Anyone can play.
It turns out I have the dialect of someone from London and the Home Counties.
Though Melbourne borne and bred.


https://www.nytimes.com/interactive...on=click&module=Editors Picks&pgtype=Homepage

 

[Indie Rock]

The problem for western politics is that we citizens once believed we were the righteous world sheriffs and deputies riding in on a white horse to save the day, we have started to see some of the less appealing parts of the story where our high standards of living are often the result of death and destruction somewhere else. It makes it hard to feel good about the way you do business when you aren't the good guy any more.

“Kindly let me help you or you’ll drown!” Said the monkey, putting the fish safely up a tree.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Middle East was fine playing amongst itself until they enforced the state of Israel in them.

lol i wouldn't say that either.

The ottomans were very tolerant , but a little to loose in the governance . Basically a lot of different people could live there without having their own countries. Then all these religion based boundaries got drawn up.

 

[Drake Huggins]

It will probably take something like that but by then all our major cities will be under water as well.

It’s too late now but the elephant in the room when talking about climate change is surely 1 billion people in 1800 compared to 7.6 billion and climbing today.

Things have taken a depressing turn does anyone have any good news stories?.

A puppy was rescued from a drain in Fairfield today.

 

[VDS66]

A puppy was rescued from a drain in Fairfield today.

Was it seeking asylum?