News Stories

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

China finds the likely tomb of third century general
On a lighter note, it looks like the tomb of Cao Cao (Chinese name of "曹操") who was one of the leaders during the Three Kingdoms era may have been found. It'll be very interesting if this was the real burial site and can help provide more info on the man himself.

WOW thats big news to me being a Three Kingdoms period fan. I am currently on the 2nd Vol of the novel.

If this really is Cao Cao's tomb it could be a huge discovery especially if he was buried with scrolls depicting important events of the era or even his personal thoughts and memories.

[mg1942]

The FCC needs to move towards A La Carte Cable. I have 200 channels of infomercials, Spanish language, church programs, and tons of other shit that I would never watch but end up paying for.

and...

since i have a DVR it's occurred to me just how much advertising money is getting wasted on us. It's at the point where I don't even know what movies are coming out. Much less what channel a show is on. I imagine once true on demand programming becomes the norm we'll see fewer ads, lower production budgets and/or higher provider bills. But it's a sure bet there'll be lots more tits

[LeoXiao]

English man executed for "drug smuggling" in China

Basically a guy was found with a few kilos of heroin, given a half-hour hearing, and sentenced to death. Despite claiming that he was tricked into carrying the bag, and barring the possibility of his poor mental condition, he was not allowed to present any evidence to defend himself from death. It doesn't help that the judges were laughing at him while he tried to explain himself.

[LynnieS]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

there are ways to entertain yourself before tv was invented and that is exactly why tv network are in trouble because people are finding you can live without tv. So losing the tv networks isn't earth shattering, people will adjust.

the economic side is different althought a good trade off is no more political ads.

You'll just get the ads served through sites like Facebook and so on. Smart political strategists will even look to do placements inside games via character lookalikes, IMHO, to get those crowds.

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

English man executed for "drug smuggling" in China

Basically a guy was found with a few kilos of heroin, given a half-hour hearing, and sentenced to death. Despite claiming that he was tricked into carrying the bag, and barring the possibility of his poor mental condition, he was not allowed to present any evidence to defend himself from death. It doesn't help that the judges were laughing at him while he tried to explain himself.

Drug trafficking in China (and in many Asian countries like Vietnam and Singapore) is a big deal, esp. if you aren't "well-connected" enough to be protected. Even the connections will not help if the case is big and/or embarrassing enough.

Being tricked into carrying the drugs as a "drug mule" isn't really a valid excuse when there is no one to back up his claim, unfortunately, and from the news sources, it does not seem that Akmal Shaikh had anyone like that? It's a Western belief that mental illness should be taken into account in sentencing, but I don't see that being the case in most parts of Asia, however. The chances of a public apology being given are going to be very low.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by LynnieS

You'll just get the ads served through sites like Facebook and so on. Smart political strategists will even look to do placements inside games via character lookalikes, IMHO, to get those crowds.

.

not a problem since i don't belong to any of the networking sites.

[FateAnomaly]

Originally Posted by LeoXiao

English man executed for "drug smuggling" in China

Basically a guy was found with a few kilos of heroin, given a half-hour hearing, and sentenced to death. Despite claiming that he was tricked into carrying the bag, and barring the possibility of his poor mental condition, he was not allowed to present any evidence to defend himself from death. It doesn't help that the judges were laughing at him while he tried to explain himself.

Being stupid and having mental problems is no excuse really. If it does, those drug smugglers just have to hire mentally handicapped people to do their smuggling work.

[Tiberium Wolf]

If that person had mental problems the family should have taken his passport in the 1st place. Then he wouldn't be able to travel out. Seriously... everyday ppl go to court and claim mental problems to get away from the punishment.

[LeoXiao]

Originally Posted by Tiberium Wolf

If that person had mental problems the family should have taken his passport in the 1st place. Then he wouldn't be able to travel out. Seriously... everyday ppl go to court and claim mental problems to get away from the punishment.

the issue is not what this one guy was doing IMO, it's that the Chinese judicial system is fucked up to the point that they can put you in prison for two years, give you a death sentence after half an hour, and not even inform you until a day before you die. Maybe the guy wasn't innocent, but when you're talking about a death sentence, I'm pretty sure you need more than 30 minutes to let the guy present evidence.

[Vexx]

Its the age old problem of being responsible for your actions versus "mental health" (brain wiring morphing). Using the "mental state" as a defense leads down the lovely slope of no one actually being responsible for their actions. "I was depressed thanks to chemical imbalances in my head so I ran my car through the mall and over all those people"
"I wanted a new iPod but I couldn't afford one, it made me sad so i robbed a bank"

In order for society to function, some form of rehabilitation and/or isolation is vital... and if it can't be fixed and is a danger - death may be the option. Economics and messaging plays into that. The sentence was intended to show the Chinese public that the system was consistent even if the world had a tiff over it.

That said.... the Chinese system is simply harsh on crimes it believes to be a threat to society much more than threats to the individual. It also chooses to deem irrelevant the mental state of the perpetrator. This is even when "it works". Recently, they sentenced a world-known activist to many years in prison -- he was a threat to society by their equation (since they equate "society" with the "status quo government"... convenient, no?).

As for the death sentence... the Chinese still have a very tender spot about drugs since the British and Opium Wars.... when the British Empire attempted to undermine/destroy the society by infecting it with rampant drug use.

[Haruka_Kitten]

Anyone hear about the news story involving a pram (stroller) being dragged under a Melbourne Train? The baby survived

[Mystique]

Looking back at 2009 major news stories.

Some include, worst snowfall in the UK in Feb,
- Outbreak of swine flu
- Death of MJ
- Missing plane that fell into the sea

A lot of celebs shipped out this year and the bite of recession still sunk it's teeth in as plenty of businesses and jobs were lost.
Technically the decade isn't over until 2010 Dec 31st, but at least for 2009, I think for most, it's a year we're glad to see the back of.

Here's hoping for a calmer, brighter 2010 overall, despite the turmoils and troubles that humanity continue to bring...

[Haruka_Kitten]

Ah, lets not forget the ditching of that plane in the Hudson River. That one was probably all too good *applauds*

And what about the Tiger Woods scandal?

[Mystique]

I actually didn't hear a single thing about it while in Japan, i think the most read stories are ones hit all over the world on a huge ass scale, so not sure how huge it is outside of America, but it is included in that link for the month of Dec.
(Oh yeah, its January) xD

But i did hear that he's getting shredded by the US press for his affairs, which is a shame, cause his private life is his private life in my opinion.
Not to mention all the people who try to cash from it -.-

I dunno much bout it and prob won't bother to read up, but I doubt they can exempt Tiger from sporting tournys though just cause he can't keep his dick in his pants.

[Haruka_Kitten]

It comes with being a celebrity, you can't keep it under wraps. That's why i hate hearing about it

[Vexx]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/us...er=rss&emc=rss

Isn't fascinating the number of investigations and prosecutions started during the Bush administration that are being dropped by judges over sheer incompetence, poor management, lousy process by the Bush prosecutors. It appears yet more Bush era misdeed prosecutions have been derailed thanks to the Justice Department mishandling during that administration.

[mg1942]

Newsweek makes predictions for 2010 on...


Technology
Business
World
(US) Politics

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Mystique

I dunno much bout it and prob won't bother to read up, but I doubt they can exempt Tiger from sporting tournys though just cause he can't keep his dick in his pants.

I doubt any guy who sees a good-looking girl can. Seriously.

7 CIA Employees Bombed

Brilliant. Another intelligence failure, and 8 spies at once.

My guesses are renegade ISI operators from Pakistan who have their allegiances with the Taliban. Looks like US Intelligence needs to really stop laying on their laurels of Gordevisky and get down to work.

[Ascaloth]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

I doubt any guy who sees a good-looking girl can. Seriously.

The majority of my female cousins are far more good-looking and well turned-out than my current girlfriend. Does it follow that I must have committed serial incest in conjunction with successive cases of cheating?

[Haruka_Kitten]

Originally Posted by Ascaloth

The majority of my female cousins are far more good-looking and well turned-out than my current girlfriend. Does it follow that I must have committed serial incest in conjunction with successive cases of cheating?

the other thing i find funny is that everyone denied the allegations. Then the text messages and voice mail surfaced, and everyone and their dog (not literally speaking the dog) came forward and admitted to having an affair with Tiger Woods

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Ascaloth

The majority of my female cousins are far more good-looking and well turned-out than my current girlfriend. Does it follow that I must have committed serial incest in conjunction with successive cases of cheating?

I never hinted at that. It is your own onus to control your feelings. If you can't stop it from sticking out, at least hide it and refrain from thinking about pinning her down and doing her, or baiting her into doing it with you.

But I am not stopping you from being like Keita Suminoe (Kiss x Sis). It is your call, really.