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Old 2011-02-05, 19:04   Link #11861
0utf0xZer0
Pretentious moe scholar
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vexx View Post
I'll be the first to advocate for multiculturalism in terms of people enjoying and celebrating their personal heritage. However, as a consensus for living in a city-state entity, fundamental concerns for individual rights are not trumped by someone's reading of "ancient texts" or their abusive exercise of particular customs. Hence, stoning or being whipped to death for getting raped (the oft quoted example) does not fly, nor does the beating of a Harry Potter actress because she's dating someone who was raised with a different set of ancient texts.

I love multi-culturalism ... it provides color and diversity in my world. Festivals, food, a broader sense of views, healthier gene pool, etc. I'm Heinz 57 Euro, I married a Japanese-American, one of my sons is dating a Nepalese Bengali... none of us should have to worry about jerkwads blowing us up or beating us to death for those choices.
See, I can get behind the bit about taking a tougher stance on extremism. But I'm not much for the conservative rhetoric about state multiculturalism. When I look at Canada's failures to deal with Sikh extremism (culminating in the 1985 Air India bombing), I don't see leftist multiculturalists saying that blowing up 747s and beating moderate Sikhs with iron bars (as happened to Ujjal Dosanjh, who later became BC's Premier and then Canadian health minister) is acceptable. I do see a lot of police and politicians not taking a threat seriously because it only concerned brown people.

And speaking of Sikhs, I'm of the opinion that letting Sikh RCMP officers wear their turbans while on duty enhances national unity. Cameron's rhetoric feels like its designed to appeal to the kind of people who complained that violated traditional RCMP dress code.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frenchie View Post
Quote:
'Métis'
The verb "métisser" theoretically means to mix blood or to crossbreed, but at times it is used more loosely to mean mix cultures. 'Métis' would be the adjective.
And at least it's not insulting to hear to me, but maybe that's just me. I mean, really, if you don't even have a word for this increasingly common phenomenon, how do you expect these people to look themselves in the eye when they're growing up. (School is usually merciless to us mixed people)
This word is actually used in Canada to refer to those of mixed aboriginal and European descent (usually either French or Scottish). They're officially recognized as an ethnic group in themselves.
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Old 2011-02-05, 21:25   Link #11862
ZephyrLeanne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintessHeart View Post
Angela Merkel.
Uh-huh. What a nickname.


Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintessHeart View Post
It doesn't work like corporations. If you bankrupt a country through the IMF, the country is reduced to a third-world nation, and effectively, it detracts investors and stops them from paying back the debt.

On a global scale, it isn't a good thing. If China bankrupts US we would see a decade of economic unrest or global trade control by China.
Heard of a forced acquisition/liquidation (as in, CONQUER the state).

Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintessHeart View Post
Tell that to the state officials. Singapore took 20 years to become a third-world to the first, and they made many financial losses along the way. Any moment of losing money will not be received by the state officials.

Ask the Chinese to consider 'em as high-risk, high-return investment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintessHeart View Post
"River crabs" don't just flow down the stream by themselves, they are lured and consolidated over time and understanding of them. If we don't dispel that climate of fear of each other, the ISA isn't going to repeal itself in the next century or so.
The ISA will NEVER get repealed, as long as a single terrorist exists. It's useful.
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Old 2011-02-06, 00:41   Link #11863
ganbaru
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Government aims to get Egyptians back to work
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNew...70O3UW20110206

They have many reason to do so ...
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Old 2011-02-06, 08:54   Link #11864
Roger Rambo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solomon View Post
Wow good point, I had thought my use of the private enterprise was rather weak, But it's not died in the wool socialism is what I wanted to point out.
The Chinese understand the advantages of big buisness and capitalism for their country. This is not however, a sign that they're becoming more democratic in my mind.


People need to remember that you can have an oppressive regime that's friendly(even supportive) of big buisness but is restrictive in other ways. Not to invoke Godwins law to badly, look at Nazi Germany. They were restrictive in many ways, but they liked the big companies in their country.


IMHO, government backed capitalism isn't necessarily a sign that China is becoming democratic.
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Old 2011-02-06, 09:22   Link #11865
Nosauz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Rambo View Post
The Chinese understand the advantages of big buisness and capitalism for their country. This is not however, a sign that they're becoming more democratic in my mind.


People need to remember that you can have an oppressive regime that's friendly(even supportive) of big buisness but is restrictive in other ways. Not to invoke Godwins law to badly, look at Nazi Germany. They were restrictive in many ways, but they liked the big companies in their country.


IMHO, government backed capitalism isn't necessarily a sign that China is becoming democratic.
I don't know, there is "freedom" in the sense, when you speak about opulent Chinese, but state sponsored capitalism in China is meant to funnel the profits, money, power to the top, who in turn power the party. The transformation of the work force into a young transient desperate group of workers is almost akin to economic induced slavery. But if you are wealthy then there is democracy. It's become a socioeconomic caste structure where the castes can never be broken, and in the end it's capitalism is meant to oppress the people, it doesn't mean the people don't clamor for wealth or freedom, they have just been put in a desperate corner, but I will say that the "social responsibility" of the government seems to be waning, and instead of "communist" state we will soon we that eroded into a totalitarian plutocracy and the Communist moniker will be in jest only.

The only way this could be considered "democracy" is if the middle class greatly expanded their wealth that would allow them to partake in the freedoms but that's not evident, and although the government at times has become more lenient toward ancient customs, they in the end have the final say.
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Old 2011-02-06, 09:25   Link #11866
SaintessHeart
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne View Post
Heard of a forced acquisition/liquidation (as in, CONQUER the state).
How many Americans are willing to go along with that actually?

Quote:
Ask the Chinese to consider 'em as high-risk, high-return investment.
If you ask me, that is too high a risk to take. Even for a country with lots of dosh like China.

Quote:
The ISA will NEVER get repealed, as long as a single terrorist exists. It's useful.
Very. And against annoying politicians as well.
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Old 2011-02-06, 09:47   Link #11867
ZephyrLeanne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaintessHeart View Post
How many Americans are willing to go along with that actually?



If you ask me, that is too high a risk to take. Even for a country with lots of dosh like China.
FORCED is the key word.
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Old 2011-02-06, 09:52   Link #11868
Anh_Minh
I disagree with you all.
 
 
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... You think China's going to cross the Pacific and invade the US? Seriously?
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Old 2011-02-06, 09:53   Link #11869
ZephyrLeanne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anh_Minh View Post
... You think China's going to cross the Pacific and invade the US? Seriously?
No, but China will be forced to foreclose on the US one day...
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Old 2011-02-06, 10:39   Link #11870
TinyRedLeaf
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vexx View Post
I'll be the first to advocate for multiculturalism in terms of people enjoying and celebrating their personal heritage. However, as a consensus for living in a city-state entity, fundamental concerns for individual rights are not trumped by someone's reading of "ancient texts" or their abusive exercise of particular customs. Hence, stoning or being whipped to death for getting raped (the oft quoted example) does not fly, nor does the beating of a Harry Potter actress because she's dating someone who was raised with a different set of ancient texts.
Not disputing any of the above points but, as a thought exercise, why should national ideals trump ethnic culture?

What makes a nation? Are national ideals not another form of "culture"? If so, why should this particular culture supersede the cultural norms of people living in said nation, especially if such people are immigrants?

Nation-states, as envisioned by modern Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, no longer exist in quite the same way today, thanks to the death of distance brought about by technological revolutions in communications and logistics. That, to me, is the root cause of present-day multicultural tensions.
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Old 2011-02-06, 11:13   Link #11871
SaintessHeart
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
 
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne View Post
No, but China will be forced to foreclose on the US one day...
Well to foreclose something you have to legally takeover. But if the person refuses to recognise legalities, you have to use force, either eviction or enforced submission.

That is when China has to cross the Pacific.
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When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.
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Old 2011-02-06, 11:27   Link #11872
Azumanga Davo
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http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-...n-perth-blaze/

An unfortunate story going on just a few kilometres down the road (about 3km or so). Fire is still being fought and will last well into the night. High winds will hamper efforts as well until about 12 hours time when that calms a bit.
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Old 2011-02-06, 11:34   Link #11873
ZephyrLeanne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hey Missus View Post
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-...n-perth-blaze/

An unfortunate story going on just a few kilometres down the road (about 3km or so). Fire is still being fought and will last well into the night. High winds will hamper efforts as well until about 12 hours time when that calms a bit.
Floods and cyclones on the East, fires and drought on the West. What's with the country?
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Old 2011-02-06, 15:14   Link #11874
Frenchie
Shougi Génération
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne View Post
Floods and cyclones on the East, fires and drought on the West. What's with the country?
Is it me or have natural catastrophes gotten more frequent? Or is it just the after-effect of the 24 hours news cycle?
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Old 2011-02-06, 16:28   Link #11875
solomon
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Location: Suburban DC
Somewhere in the middle dude.
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Old 2011-02-06, 17:41   Link #11876
Kamui4356
Aria Company
 
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne View Post
No, but China will be forced to foreclose on the US one day...
You of course realize China doesn't give out loans to the US that they can demand repayment of, they buy US treasury bonds that have a fixed period of return, right?
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Old 2011-02-06, 17:43   Link #11877
GundamFan0083
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Here is a very sad story.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...c5ffb3ebb54a5a
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Old 2011-02-06, 19:37   Link #11878
yezhanquan
Observer/Bookman wannabe
 
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 38
Helping Soldiers Trade Their Swords For Plows

The Biblical reference aside, this is one powerful idea.
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Old 2011-02-06, 20:40   Link #11879
ZephyrLeanne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by solomon View Post
Somewhere in the middle dude.
It's already a desert there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kamui4356 View Post
You of course realize China doesn't give out loans to the US that they can demand repayment of, they buy US treasury bonds that have a fixed period of return, right?

And if they can't return on promised value by term period...?
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Old 2011-02-06, 21:02   Link #11880
TinyRedLeaf
Moving in circles
 
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne View Post
And if they can't return on promised value by term period...?
Countries don't go bankrupt. They can, on the other hand, default on debt. If those US Treasuries don't return promised value, then they become effectively worthless.

In other words, China loses a huge chunk of its reserves. In Beijing's view, these bonds are as much potential liabilities as they are assets.
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