News Stories

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Haak

The most ironic thing I can think of would be yaoi.

Actually that might be so. In the ancient times, their mortal enemies, the Spartans, segregate both sexes until homosexuality spawned in their military.

Since both leaders have been raised to believe that copulation is not allowed before marriage, they might partake in *ahem* sessions to satiafy their sexual lust.

[MrTerrorist]

Defying the odds of medicine
Few would contest that Prof Stephen Hawking is an incredible man.

I congratulate the Professor's 70th birthday and his long contribution to science.

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

Defying the odds of medicine
Few would contest that Prof Stephen Hawking is an incredible man.

I congratulate the Professor's 70th birthday and his long contribution to science.

Given that my uncle died from ALS only two years after the first symptoms came (numbness in his toe), Hawkings still living almost 50 years later is quite amazing indeed.

And aside form that, he's made tremendous contributions to the science community, and I think he's being justly rewarded for that. Too bad the man himself can't make it.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Actually that might be so. In the ancient times, their mortal enemies, the Spartans, segregate both sexes until homosexuality spawned in their military.

Since both leaders have been raised to believe that copulation is not allowed before marriage, they might partake in *ahem* sessions to satiafy their sexual lust.

Yeah, I know. It's all that Reaction Formation and stuff. Not that I usually subscribe to the psychodynamic model, but it would certainly be amusing here...

Anyway...
Arab League renews calls to end violence:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16458341

I wasn't particularly optimistic of the Arab League achieving much but I'm still rather disappointed that the only thing they could achieve is prove how utterly useless they are...

[ganbaru]

The question might be if they want to archive something. Some of them know than someday they might in Damas's position, and that might temper their willingness to act .

[Kokukirin]

To be fair Arab League had suspended Syria's membership. They don't have much in their arsenal to force Assad to back down. Military intervention is out of question. Sanctions are limited to Western countries because Russia and China are blocking everything in UN Security Council.

[ganbaru]

Iran to launch nuclear work in bunker in "near future"
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80706S20120108

Venezuela will not recognize World Bank ruling in Exxon case
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80701V20120108

[MrTerrorist]

Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of sodomy in Malaysia
Viewpoint: Anwar acquittal boosts Malaysia's opposition

Now that's over, will Anwar and the opposition win against the current ruling parties in the next Malaysian Elections?

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of sodomy in Malaysia
Viewpoint: Anwar acquittal boosts Malaysia's opposition

Now that's over, will Anwar and the opposition win against the current ruling parties in the next Malaysian Elections?

I don't think it really matters. Malaysia's politics are becoming more and more populist with each one since the late 1990s. I have yet to see any party raise concerns about the budget deficit along with the debt-to-GDP ratio.

Meanwhile the floor traders on both sides of the causeway are squirming at the thought of FDI pulling out......I don't think the Malaysian government can blame George Soros or "Jewish bankers" again this time round, can they?

[ganbaru]

Swiss central bank chief quits over wife's currency deal
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8080RK20120109

[Sugetsu]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Venezuela will not recognize World Bank ruling in Exxon case
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80701V20120108

"I tell you now: we will not recognize any decision by ICSID," Chavez said during a televised speech. He has repeatedly accused the U.S. oil major of using unfair deals in the past to "rob" the South American OPEC member of its resources.

"They are immoral ... How much could they steal in 50 years? Who would dare launch this madness without any foundation? They wanted $12 billion. From where, compadre?" he said.

"We are not going to bow before imperialism and its tentacles, understand that ... They are trying the impossible: to get us to pay them. We are not going to pay them anything."

I usually don't side with Chavez, but he really did do a good thing by ignoring the world bank, an entity that has impoverished many countries all the over world. Exon is sitting on almost a trillion dollar profit, screw them I say

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Sugetsu

I usually don't side with Chavez, but he really did do a good thing by ignoring the world bank, an entity that has impoverished many countries all the over world. Exon is sitting on almost a trillion dollar profit, screw them have it I say

Unless Exxon is on verge of bankrupt and need the cashes to pay for workers' salaries, otherwise i agree with this

Feel sorry for the investor, but investment oversea is always risky after all.

[Ithekro]

Well the question would be what the ruling is for. Sounds like it is suppose to be the cost of the equipment Chavez took over when he nationalized the oil industry. Though it might be inflated to add lost profits between then and now...though 12 billion does not sound like lost profits in a trillion dollar industry.

On the other hand, wasn't something like this why Iran is like it is today? Oil nationalization and then the West coming in to secure a friendly leader, followed by 20 or more years of things being okay...then 1979 Revolution....now "batshit crazy" Iran as some people call it today. (it is a good things that today it is the Ali Khamenei that call the shots and not their President...for some reason I trust the logic of a Iranian Ayatollah more than their current President when it comes to war. Mayby because his public speechs have been less explosive that the President's)

[Irenicus]

Back in the day this would result in Exxon calling in the US Marines or ask the CIA to pull a coup d'etat.

And it would sow the seeds of anti-American hatred for the next twenty years.

So yeah, no sympathy for Exxon. Chavez plays hard, "steals" the investment under the guise of populist nationalization, fair enough, but oil's a cutthroat business and they know exactly who they were dealing with and what they were getting into. Moreover, we also happen to know exactly how far the oil corporations are willing to go to "protect" their "investments" if even a lick of sympathy is given to their cause.

[Vexx]

I am not interested in sending young people out to die for the reckless activities of fat corporate slugs when said reckless activity bites their pasty asses.

[Kokukirin]

Um really guys? I am not a big fan of oil companies, but this is one clear case of government robbing assets of a legit business. Using anti-Americanism as an excuse does not change the nature of it. Just because the victim is a big corporation does not make it a good decision.

[aohige]

^How about "we aren't sympathetic with either side, the victim or the perpetrator."

Karma's a bitch, yo.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

Anwar Ibrahim acquitted of sodomy in Malaysia
Viewpoint: Anwar acquittal boosts Malaysia's opposition

The key passage taken from the first of the two referenced BBC articles:

Information Minister Rais Yatim said that the verdict showed that judges were free to rule as they saw fit.

"Malaysia has an independent judiciary," he said. "The current wave of bold democratic reforms introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak will help extend this transparency to all areas of Malaysian life."

A number of analysts have already noted that Datuk Seri Najib stands to gain more from the acquittal than from a guilty verdict against Datuk Seri Anwar. Mr Najib has been putting so much effort into portraying himself as a reformer, such as by proposing the repeal of Malaysia's draconian internal security laws, that a conviction on patently shoddy evidence would have literally screwed his nascent campaign efforts.

The political motives haven't changed. If anything, Malaysian politics has become more sophisticated.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Kokukirin

Um really guys? I am not a big fan of oil companies, but this is one clear case of government robbing assets of a legit business. Using anti-Americanism as an excuse does not change the nature of it. Just because the victim is a big corporation does not make it a good decision.

You're not really familiar with the historical antics of oil companies in South America and other destinations, are you? "legit" is a pretty murky word if it applies to the oil industry.

[sa547]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Iran to launch nuclear work in bunker in "near future"
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80706S20120108

Venezuela will not recognize World Bank ruling in Exxon case
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80701V20120108

Not surprised with those countries. Like Cuba at the height of Castro's might, they want to show that they have as much clout as the G8 nations, with the ability to manipulate world decisions and affect markets with far-reaching implications, along with the power of oil and nukes.