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Old 2010-02-12, 19:03   Link #6061
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Melbourne ranked world's third most liveable city by the Economist Magazine

Sorry...but how? I mean I'm glad we've beaten Sydney at something this decade, but I can't see how that's possible. If it helps, it means we are the top-ranked in the Southern Hemisphere.
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Old 2010-02-12, 19:17   Link #6062
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Originally Posted by Harufox View Post
Melbourne ranked world's third most liveable city by the Economist Magazine

Sorry...but how? I mean I'm glad we've beaten Sydney at something this decade, but I can't see how that's possible. If it helps, it means we are the top-ranked in the Southern Hemisphere.
I'm not sure how anywhere in Australia is livable...with those demonic Funnel Web Spiders running around.


Seriously though...I like spiders and all, but that one is not on my good side...
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Old 2010-02-12, 19:36   Link #6063
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"“Famous Americans are the priority objectives of Castro’s intelligence,” reports
Fernandez. “When the celebrity visitors arrived at the Hotels Nacional, Meliá
Habana and Meliá Cohiba, we already had their rooms completely bugged with
sophisticated taping equipment. But not just the rooms, we’d also follow the
visitors around, sometimes we covered them 24 hours a day. They had no idea
we were tailing them.”"

See:

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hf...candid-camera/
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Old 2010-02-12, 19:55   Link #6064
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GN0010 Nosferatu View Post
I'm not sure how anywhere in Australia is livable...with those demonic Funnel Web Spiders running around.


Seriously though...I like spiders and all, but that one is not on my good side...
The funnel-web isn't one you come across often. Besides, it is a very modern city, it just never struck me as liveable. We have a crap transport system, traffic congestion, a rather poisonous looking river and we still get the majority of our power from coal plants in Latrobe Valley. Our weather changes quicker than a model changes clothes during a fashion shoot, and all the west end of the city has to show for itself is a massive bridge that has to compete against the Sydney Harbour bridge.
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Old 2010-02-12, 20:00   Link #6065
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Originally Posted by Harufox View Post
The funnel-web isn't one you come across often. Besides, it is a very modern city, it just never struck me as liveable. We have a crap transport system, traffic congestion, a rather poisonous looking river and we still get the majority of our power from coal plants in Latrobe Valley. Our weather changes quicker than a model changes clothes during a fashion shoot, and all the west end of the city has to show for itself is a massive bridge that has to compete against the Sydney Harbour bridge.
Well I guess they were able to pick out a few good gems somewhere.
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Old 2010-02-12, 20:19   Link #6066
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Originally Posted by GN0010 Nosferatu View Post
Well I guess they were able to pick out a few good gems somewhere.
Maybe. I guess when I think about it I'd rather be here than in Sydney.
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Old 2010-02-12, 20:23   Link #6067
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Winter Olympics Luge Slider DEAD

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luge slider competing at the Vancouver Olympics, died today after crashing during a training run and hitting a metal pole. He was 21.

According to the Vancouver Sun, Kumaritashvili was traveling at speeds greater than 90 miles per hour at the time of the crash.

The luge track had been called the fastest ever, and the AP notes that concerns were raised even before the fatal crash:

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Training days in Whistler have been crash-filled. A Romanian woman was briefly knocked unconscious and at least four Americans - Chris Mazdzer on Wednesday, Megan Sweeney on Thursday and both Tony Benshoof and Bengt Walden on Friday in the same training session where Zoeggeler wrecked - have had serious trouble just getting down the track.

"I think they are pushing it a little too much," Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg said Thursday night after she nearly lost control in training. "To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we're crash-test dummies? I mean, this is our lives."
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Old 2010-02-12, 21:42   Link #6068
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harufox View Post
Melbourne ranked world's third most liveable city by the Economist Magazine

Sorry...but how? I mean I'm glad we've beaten Sydney at something this decade, but I can't see how that's possible. If it helps, it means we are the top-ranked in the Southern Hemisphere.
I'm not that Surprised there isn't a city in America that fits in the top 25 or higher on that list.
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Old 2010-02-12, 22:25   Link #6069
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3 Killed in Alabama Uni Shooting
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(CNN) -- Three faculty members were killed and three other school employees were wounded Friday in a shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a city official said.

A female shooting suspect was in custody and a second person was detained, "not arrested," spokesman Ray Garner told reporters.

Of the six casualties, five were faculty members, and the sixth was a staff member; no students were among the victims, Willis said.
I'd usually roll my eyes at this point but, however, what is bugging me are what some of the comments are saying...
Quote:
Always a reminder to me (personally) that having an education at a prestigious college isn't everything.
I do find it ironic, though that her field was neuroscience as stress begins in the brain.
This was a Harvard trained scientist. she was denied tenure.
Quote:
Tenure is the root cause of all evil in academics. I've got my Ph.D. and I deliberately didn't pursue career in academics. I've seen tenure being abused big time first hand (just see all the Asian Ph.D students being driven to work like dogs while the Profs conveniently put their own names first on the papers). When the rest of the world is being held accountable for their work - so should faculty. Tenure is an old fashioned school of thought that doesn't apply in today's world - in the 1600s to 1800s, because there very few who studied "philosophy", yes - but not today. Its high time they get rid of all the faculty over 60 years.
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I would rather wish she has gone for the Campus President than the students. It is those faculty members who are messy and tearing the campus.

what confuses me is how a PHD from HARVARD who was crazy smart failed at critical thinking.... of all the people to shoot, how would opening fire on innocent colleagues help her situation? she could have gone for the campus president and his stupid budget cuts, tearing our campus apart!!
Now aside from my usual 'they really need to update that near 300 year old amendment of 'right to bear arms', when there was actually a civil war happening at the time,
what's snagging my attention as questions are:
1: What is tenure? (In simpletons terms, in addition to the info that I already quoted)
2: Why are people actually trying to justify murder on the the campus president or faculty members?
3: What situation is the education system there in regards to tenure/budgets/faculty members, that drives some students to feeling that they gotta end a few lives via their disappointment?

It's another American upper education 101 lesson needed here, anyone care to share light?
(Not that I'm looking at your way at all Vexx...) *coughs*
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Old 2010-02-12, 22:54   Link #6070
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Now aside from my usual 'they really need to update that near 300 year old amendment of 'right to bear arms', when there was actually a civil war happening at the time,
Agreed. I don't follow the modern day interpretation of the Second Amendment held by groups like the NRA, and think this needs to be changed.

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Originally Posted by Mystique View Post
what's snagging my attention as questions are:
1: What is tenure? (In simpletons terms, in addition to the info that I already quoted)
I think of "tenure" as essentially lifetime employment held by a senior faculty member; I don't think that it exists outside of North America, but haven't experienced other countries' university-level education myself. When you have it, it's almost impossible to fire you without "just cause". A department recommends someone for tenure - usually and primarily based on his academic publication and research histories, but the teaching side may play a small part also - and if granted, he's basically safe so long as (1) everything known is clean and (2) he continues to produce published research - and getting grants helps too.

The "traditional" path for a junior faculty member can be thought of "up or out"; you either get tenure at your school, or you leave (or are asked to leave) for somewhere else. The closest thing it resembles, IMHO, is the apprentice/journeyman/master system. "Apprentice" would be the PhD student, "journeyman" would be the junior faculty, and "master" would be the tenured professor.

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2: Why are people actually trying to justify murder on the the campus president or faculty members?
Tenure is decided at the university level with recommendations from the other (tenured only?) faculty members. If the person did not get tenure, it could be either (1) she was not recommended by her department, (2) the university did not accept the recommendation for some reason, or (3) it did not have the budget to take on another tenured professor, and there is no grant to use either. The targetings seem to be directed at just the people working in the Bio Sciences department, so it looks like there had been conflicts within there in the past.

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Originally Posted by Mystique View Post
3: What situation is the education system there in regards to tenure/budgets/faculty members, that drives some students to feeling that they gotta end a few lives via their disappointment?
You are basically bounced from school to school and going lower tier-wise with every step. Unless you have the right connections, the chances of your staying at the same level are low, IMHO. There will always be the questions like "If he was so good, why wasn't he given tenure?" following him, and an university at the same tier can always find someone either better or more published.
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Last edited by LynnieS; 2010-02-12 at 23:30. Reason: Removed students bit.
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Old 2010-02-13, 01:17   Link #6071
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystique View Post
3 Killed in Alabama Uni Shooting


I'd usually roll my eyes at this point but, however, what is bugging me are what some of the comments are saying...


Now aside from my usual 'they really need to update that near 300 year old amendment of 'right to bear arms', when there was actually a civil war happening at the time,
what's snagging my attention as questions are:
1: What is tenure? (In simpletons terms, in addition to the info that I already quoted)
2: Why are people actually trying to justify murder on the the campus president or faculty members?
3: What situation is the education system there in regards to tenure/budgets/faculty members, that drives some students to feeling that they gotta end a few lives via their disappointment?

It's another American upper education 101 lesson needed here, anyone care to share light?
(Not that I'm looking at your way at all Vexx...) *coughs*
They really need to allow people to carry legally at colleges. At least those with CCW permits/licenses. The fact that colleges are gun free zones doesn't stop shootings from happening. And maybe, just maybe if a professor or faculty was armed, there'd be less killings(looking at Virginia Tech as a prime example).

The 2nd amendment is very clear. It's also very clear why that amendment is second only to the first amendment.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:01   Link #6072
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Originally Posted by justinstrife View Post
They really need to allow people to carry legally at colleges. At least those with CCW permits/licenses. The fact that colleges are gun free zones doesn't stop shootings from happening. And maybe, just maybe if a professor or faculty was armed, there'd be less killings(looking at Virginia Tech as a prime example).

The 2nd amendment is very clear. It's also very clear why that amendment is second only to the first amendment.
Or maybe it'd just lead to more shootings? How is adding more guns to the mix going to help? The only thing having more people armed will do is add a deterrence factor. However, people who do these kinds of things are not the type to be deterred by something like that. All it'll do is make things more chaotic when a shooting occurs. For instance, assume persons A, B, and C all have guns. Person A starts shooting random people. Person B sees Person A shooting innocent people and fires, killing him. Person C heard the gunfire and sees person B shooting but can't see person A from there, thus assumes person B is the gunman. Person C fires on person B but misses. Person B now assumes that person C is person A's accomplice and returns fire.

You are right about the second amendment being there for a reason. However, it just isn't as relevant today as it was when the constitution was written. Most people today don't need to fend off Indian attacks after stealing their land or defend their picinic baskets from bears, and the militia thing is covered by the National Guard. Hunting for food isn't necessary today either. The only reasons to have a gun today, unless you live in the more remote areas of the country or are a cop or soldier, are to collect them or for sport shooting. Carrying one for defense is probably either not going to be needed or will get you in trouble.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:10   Link #6073
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Originally Posted by Kamui4356 View Post
Or maybe it'd just lead to more shootings? How is adding more guns to the mix going to help? The only thing having more people armed will do is add a deterrence factor. However, people who do these kinds of things are not the type to be deterred by something like that. All it'll do is make things more chaotic when a shooting occurs. For instance, assume persons A, B, and C all have guns. Person A starts shooting random people. Person B sees Person A shooting innocent people and fires, killing him. Person C heard the gunfire and sees person B shooting but can't see person A from there, thus assumes person B is the gunman. Person C fires on person B but misses. Person B now assumes that person C is person A's accomplice and returns fire.

You are right about the second amendment being there for a reason. However, it just isn't as relevant today as it was when the constitution was written. Most people today don't need to fend off Indian attacks after stealing their land or defend their picinic baskets from bears, and the militia thing is covered by the National Guard. Hunting for food isn't necessary today either. The only reasons to have a gun today, unless you live in the more remote areas of the country or are a cop or soldier, are to collect them or for sport shooting. Carrying one for defense is probably either not going to be needed or will get you in trouble.
Depends on what state you are in and it's laws. One thing you need to know, is the Supreme Court has already ruled that law enforcement is not there to protect you. You are still responsible for protecting yourself. America has always been about personal responsibility and personal freedom. I would be and feel, far safer having that right to carry a gun and be able to defend myself, or someone else with it, than not be able to.

It's not guns that kill people. It's people that kill people. Guns are merely a tool. They could also use bats, knives, hammers, or even cars. It is nothing more than a tool and what it does, is decided by the user.

All the reasons you listed for the 2nd Amendment is all well and good, but they are not the only reasons why it exists. There is another.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:22   Link #6074
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Banning guns only prevent lawful citizens from defending themselves (+ placebo effect for some, but most of our laws atm are for "placebo people," so what the heck ). It doesn't prevent a psycho from killing people.

@justinstrife: well, that reason is not valid anymore with the scale of our army... But hey the deadliest weapon atm is the AK-47, which is pretty easy to fabricate.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:26   Link #6075
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Originally Posted by iLney View Post
Banning guns only prevent lawful citizens from defending themselves (+ placebo effect for some, but most of our laws atm are for "placebo people," so what the heck ). It doesn't prevent a psycho from killing people.

@justinstrife: well, that reason is not valid anymore with the scale of our army... But hey the deadliest weapon atm is the AK-47, which is pretty easy to fabricate.
What would that reason be? Reading your post I'm not sure if you understood my meaning or not on the final reason for the 2nd A.

I do agree 100% with your first line.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:34   Link #6076
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Depends on what state you are in and it's laws. One thing you need to know, is the Supreme Court has already ruled that law enforcement is not there to protect you. You are still responsible for protecting yourself. America has always been about personal responsibility and personal freedom. I would be and feel, far safer having that right to carry a gun and be able to defend myself, or someone else with it, than not be able to.
Now, it really doesn't depend on the state when the guy who would have just robbed you decides instead to shoot you in the head when he sees you pulling out your gun to fight back. Sure, he might have just shot you in the head anyway, but you're only giving him more reason to. Saying that "cops aren't there to protect you" and "personal responsibility fuck yeah" are not in fact counter arguments to what I claimed. Whether you feel safer doesn't mean you actually are safer either.

Quote:
It's not guns that kill people. It's people that kill people. Guns are merely a tool. They could also use bats, knives, hammers, or even cars. It is nothing more than a tool and what it does, is decided by the user.
How is this relevant? One person decided to use that tool to kill people. Not to mention it's a false analogy. Guns are designed with one thing in mind, killing stuff. Out of those four things you listed, only one has killing stuff as a design goal, and even that one it's not high on the list.

Quote:
All the reasons you listed for the 2nd Amendment is all well and good, but they are not the only reasons why it exists. There is another.
Please don't say it's to use against the government if they go all oppressive. If by some chance the government did go all oppressive there is nothing a private citizen who isn't Bill Gates can afford that would allow said private citizens to do anything about those aircraft flying higher than they can see dropping GPS guided bombs on their head. If you want to fight back and not be killed instantly, you'll be relying on what foreign governments, or sympathetic factions in your own now oppressive government, can supply your resistance group with. At that point it really doesn't matter if you can legally own a gun or not, now does it?

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Originally Posted by iLney View Post
Banning guns only prevent lawful citizens from defending themselves (+ placebo effect for some, but most of our laws atm are for "placebo people," so what the heck ). It doesn't prevent a psycho from killing people.
Most of these psychos turn out to have bought the gun legally or have stolen it from someone who did.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:37   Link #6077
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Lynnie already answered the "tenure" question. Its basically a civilized agreement with the university that the professor will not be booted out what they research or what they teach or the way they do it. It has the intention of preventing the destruction of academic freedom and is much coveted. In these crappy economic times, tenure is almost impossible to get. Not to justify her violence, it probably erupted in pure frustration and a feeling of victimization.

I'd rather this thread not derail into gun rights theory arguments.... I grew up with guns (been in my family and my wife's family for generations), trained with guns (school rife club, scouting, my dad), and know them for the tools they are. In the US, the police are NOT REQUIRED to prevent crime - that's settled legal precedent. Most police officers WANT the public to be *knowledgeably* armed for self-defense (only politically appointed police chiefs toe the PC anti-gun line).

That said... there are parts of the US where I don't feel the need for a gun and parts where I do. Both my wife and I have CCW permits, both my sons are trained in the subject. If I don't have access to a gun - I have access to many other tools as almost anything can be used as a weapon. But only guns permit you to derail a threat at a distance. Well... crossbows and bow (which I also know how to use... as well as mace and sword for closer issues).

Frankly, I don't know what to do with crazy people other than get everyone else out of their "bubblewrap" mentality about their surroundings and how-to-be-aware.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:43   Link #6078
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But only guns permit you to derail a threat at a distance. Well... crossbows and bow (which I also know how to use... as well as mace and sword for closer issues).
Derailing the thread a bit more, but I'd think carrying a bow and a sword would be more of a deterrence than carrying a gun.
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Old 2010-02-13, 02:55   Link #6079
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Derailing the thread a bit more, but I'd think carrying a bow and a sword would be more of a deterrence than carrying a gun.
Actually.. its hilarious how no one almost ever thinks of them as actual weapons. I've carried swords and nasty pointy things into some amazing places with security not even blinking (Halloween, SCA events after work, NASA locations, Air Force bases, school talks for medieval history, etc).
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Old 2010-02-13, 03:00   Link #6080
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Actually.. its hilarious how no one almost ever thinks of them as actual weapons. I've carried swords and nasty pointy things into some amazing places with security not even blinking (Halloween, SCA events after work, NASA locations, Air Force bases, school talks for medieval history, etc).
Funny, I've seen the opposite happen. Someone in my anime club at college was going around dressed as a ninja with an obviously fake sword, a small, fat plastic thing, at some halloween event, only to find himself quickly surrounded by armed security responding to reports of a maniac armed with a sword.
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