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[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

What you care to clarify? What if I said I was a French-Canadian loli girl living in Taiwan ? Would that make any statement I say more valid?

Everyone here has a background and shaded in their own views, nationalist or not. By questioning where I am from without saying anything about the article, It take it as a personal attack.

Actually at the start I have no idea :

#1 What the questions are about.
#2 Who and which issue is it directed at.
#3 How has it got to do with the topic at hand.

I refuse to use any inferential skills because there is little direction of clues to infer, and it points at national superiority, which I believe is a mistaken intention backing the statements.

Please clarify. Thank you.

[HasuMasu]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

What you care to clarify? What if I said I was a French-Canadian loli girl living in Taiwan ?

I would have to take you home.

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

Would that make any statement I say more valid?

Validity irrelevant, it would however mean that you are somewhat detached from being French-Canadian and possibly dissatisfied with current Taiwan.

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

Everyone here has a background and shaded in their own views, nationalist or not. By questioning where I am from without saying anything about the article, It take it as a personal attack.

What's there to say about the article?

Scumbag fishermen fish out-of-bounds, scumbag Coast Guard poor judgement inability to control situation end up killing fishermen.

Taiwan government react standard.

Philippine government save-face time since election so near, in fact you will hardly hear a peep about this incident in Philippine Media.


If it makes you feel any better, I hardly care enough for serious personal attack...there's no point.

[SaintessHeart]

The reason why the Pinoy CG acted this way is probably due to the constant PRC enroachment and tantrums over their ancestors signing over lands to "foreign dogs". I wouldn't be surprised if my boat is shredded by .50s when my GPS dies and I lose my way to Tioman Island.

Any vessel crewed by Chinese would be from PRC to them, and it is assumed that they would do the same thing they do to other countries' CG vessels by attacking them, then hiding being the fledgling PRCN as the Chinese government scramble to save their face from being "bullied by smaller nations".

It is a chain and counter reaction with a long history, combined with paper-thin skin and face that peels easily. Best to just sit in one corner and watch.

[HasuMasu]

That's the general assumption, and most likely statement that Malacannang will release, not that the public will hear much about it.

But from general direction that they're from, past encounters with actual PRC ships, etc. you'd think they'd have the presence of mind to not fire willy-nilly at just any joe-schmo ethnically Chinese.

But no, Coast Guard probably didn't even care.

[ganbaru]

Woman pulled alive from rubble of Bangladesh factory
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94905V20130510

Rescuers pulled a woman on Friday from the rubble of a Bangladesh garment factory 17 days after it collapsed, astonishing workmen who had been searching for bodies of victims of a disaster that has killed more than 1,000 people.

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Actually at the start I have no idea :

#1 What the questions are about.
#2 Who and which issue is it directed at.
#3 How has it got to do with the topic at hand.

I refuse to use any inferential skills because there is little direction of clues to infer, and it points at national superiority, which I believe is a mistaken intention backing the statements.

Please clarify. Thank you.

1) I post an article about Taiwanese fishing boats getting shot at and someone died.

2) If this was a Chinese fishing boat, some people will immediately blame Chinese fishermens on the acts, and how it must be China's fault. etc, etc, and they deserve the bullet due to this or that (Actually, it appear at least one person said so....)

3) Of course, it was not a Chinese boat. Unless you want to believe Taiwan is part of China, and in the past, the people who love the flame China on fishing boat issues also insist Taiwan is independent from China.

Validity irrelevant, it would however mean that you are somewhat detached from being French-Canadian and possibly dissatisfied with current Taiwan.

Actually it is, one of the most common ways of discrediting people is by claiming "Oh you said so because your are a (JEW/NAZI/CHINESE COMMIE/FRENCH SURRENDER MONKEY/CANADIAN HIPPIE)" By asking someone their nationality on the internet usually means it is a setup for Ad homien attack. As if no one else can reach the same conclusions unless they are a member of it.

[HasuMasu]

Originally Posted by ArchmageXin

Actually it is, one of the most common ways of discrediting people is by claiming "Oh you said so because your are a (JEW/NAZI/CHINESE COMMIE/FRENCH SURRENDER MONKEY/CANADIAN HIPPIE)" By asking someone their nationality on the internet usually means it is a setup for Ad homien attack. As if no one else can reach the same conclusions unless they are a member of it.

You're thinking backwards, and really what you just said only really applies in a debate which is not what that was.

It's not a judgement of the argument as irrelevant, but a judgement of the person, in an attempt to rationalise any possible reasons why they formed such an argument.

Notice how neither the argument nor the person is inherently judged in a positive/negative light.

Ofcourse, it's understandable that some people may have an aversion to judgement, but let's not pretend it doesn't happen, we judge everything in and around us, that's how the mind 'weighs' things.

Without that, as an observer you'd be ignorant to the position of the debaters as people making an argument based on their background, beliefs, etc.

You could even argue that such judgement is essential to anyone playing the role of an observer.

[ArchmageXin]

Originally Posted by Hasumi

You're thinking backwards, and really what you just said only really applies in a debate which is not what that was.

It's not a judgement of the argument as irrelevant, but a judgement of the person, in an attempt to rationalise any possible reasons why they formed such an argument.

Notice how neither the argument nor the person is inherently judged in a positive/negative light.

Ofcourse, it's understandable that some people may have an aversion to judgement, but let's not pretend it doesn't happen, we judge everything in and around us, that's how the mind 'weighs' things.

Without that, as an observer you'd be ignorant to the position of the debaters as people making an argument based on their background, beliefs, etc.

You could even argue that such judgement is essential to anyone playing the role of an observer.

So why does in this situation the person's nationality is essential to an observer? For every political news/statement I see in this forum, would everyone leap up and ask "Are you french?" "Are you from Israel?" "Are you a Muslim?" "Are you Chinese" "Are you a lesbian?"

So here is my new position, on a blank slate:

"Israel have every right to defend itself against potential weapons from falling into Hezbollah hands."

Will you be asking if I am an Israeli or a right winged Zionist now?

[JokerD]

I would point out the the vessel in question was a Taiwanese vessel, not Chinese (as in PRC). No indications on what took place out in the sea (that I've read) I'm personally inclined to believe that the coast guard or navy over-reacted in this case. One of the news reports I've read even had an admiral saying they had no ships in the area.

Until we get more clarity into the incident might I suggest we drop discussing this and move on to other news.

Cybercriminals 'drained ATMs' in $45m world bank heist

$45m gone in 10 hours

[ganbaru]

IRS singling out of 'Tea Party' being investigated
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9490S720130510

An investigation of the Internal Revenue Service was launched on Friday after a senior IRS official publicly apologized for subjecting conservative political groups to "inappropriate" scrutiny.

Former Guatemala dictator Rios Montt convicted of genocide
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9490V420130511

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

IRS singling out of 'Tea Party' being investigated
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9490S720130510

Since extreme American Conservative groups view all taxes as evil, I see no reason why the IRS would not think the Tea Party would engage in tax avoidance.

[monir]

CO2 level passes milestone

Surely, this isn't good!

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by monir

CO2 level passes milestone

Surely, this isn't good!

In THEORY, the growth of plants would be enhanced by this and would decreased the levels of CO2 back down.

In reality, growth of plants is determined by humanity's needs. So the adjustment won't be there.

[monir]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

In THEORY, the growth of plants would be enhanced by this and would decreased the levels of CO2 back down.

In reality, growth of plants is determined by humanity's needs. So the adjustment won't be there.

Unfortunately, we have already passed a certain thresh hold. The question, "why" has been answered in great detail. The time for raising the forestation has long passed. Just as it took decades to reach this point, it will take just as much time or greater to get things back to the way it was. I'm afraid that from this point on, it's all about damage control.

[JokerD]

Originally Posted by monir

Unfortunately, we have already passed a certain thresh hold. The question, "why" has been answered in great detail. The time for raising the forestation has long passed. Just as it took decades to reach this point, it will take just as much time or greater to get things back to the way it was. I'm afraid that from this point on, it's all about damage control.

I'm not sure what will the effects of the CO2 be on earth. And I make the distinction between the earth and humanity. A cycle of the cosmos can last for millions of years, the history of humans is barely 10% of that right now. As far as it goes, humanity might just be a blip in the grand history of the earth...

[hawkeyesvn]

If we count from the first Hominin which is about 7-8mil years ago then our history is literally just a blink compare to the planet's history ( 4bil years ). Look at Dinosaurs, they lived for more than 135mil years and just one big asteroid is more than enough to wipe them out completely. Someday, we'll be gone just like that and hundred mil years later, a new specie will evolve and the cycle will just continue. It's better to treat this planet well and not destroying ourselves before it does.

[monir]

Originally Posted by JokerD

I'm not sure what will the effects of the CO2 be on earth. And I make the distinction between the earth and humanity. A cycle of the cosmos can last for millions of years, the history of humans is barely 10% of that right now. As far as it goes, humanity might just be a blip in the grand history of the earth...

Pretty much as you noted that it's not really about the earth, cause this ball of rock has been there for 4.5 billion years and will continue to exist probably for a much longer duration. It's us that is in for the ride with increasing storm activity (many more Sandys'), climate change, flooding and drought within months gap (i.e. Mississippi river) and much much more that we haven't imagined yet. I, for one, wanted to meet at least one Klingon before my species end up on Red Data Book. A rise in sea level by a mere 6 meter should pretty much affect a little over billion people.

Interesting times ahead that's for sure.

[Ithekro]

Glorious interstellar colonization to save the species from the death of one planetary eco-system.

But some say it is already too late.

[kyp275]

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/11/us...html?hpt=hp_t3

what a great idea, let's spend $47 million to tear down and rebuild a perfectly functional school so people can be less upset, maybe.

By this logic we'd pretty much have to tear down everything everywhere, continuously.

Virginia Tech? should definitely demolish that. Boston? flatten and rebuild the city!

NYC? same thing! blow the rest up and rebuild!

[ganbaru]

Sanctions help to stoke Iran property boom but bubble feared
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9470LM20130508

Embargoes imposed on the oil and banking sectors since late 2011 have sent the Iranian rial currency crashing, pushing up import prices and contributing to spiraling overall inflation.

Wealthy Iranians, often unable to move money abroad due to the banking sanctions, have tried to protect their savings by turning to property at home, further stoking the market.

Developers have reaped the rewards but some now believe a bubble is forming and fear the consequences should it burst. For poorer Iranians, the boom is creating more immediate problems as it stretches their ability to provide for their families.