News Stories

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

U.S. believes Syria used chemical weapons but says facts needed
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93O14P20130425

I heard this while driving and it made me think, what is the justification for the laws and serious condemnation of chemical weaponry? Is it due to the likelihood of endangering non-combatants? It seems to me plenty of non-combatants got killed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by "conventional" weaponry... so... Not really sure how this sense of outrage can be justified, but perhaps I'm not considering some component that someone else could point out for me.

It seems more like a historical memory of public distaste for chemical weaponry during WWI. And, yeah, it damn sure is a horrible thing to have your lungs seared by inhaled gas, or what have you... but so is being killed/losing a limb in an explosion by an air strike, or, hell, even being shot and dying (as conventional as it gets). What's the major difference that is 'crossing the line?'

[kyp275]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

What's the major difference that is 'crossing the line?'

conventional weaponry can kill indiscriminately if one choose to do so, chemical weapons by nature automatically kills indiscriminately.

[Anh_Minh]

And cleanup is a bitch.

[ganbaru]

North Korea's epic drama: stage now set for next act
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93O1CB20130425

[ArchmageXin]

http://www.businessadministrationinf...-from-michigan

Supreme court to hear affirmative action. Kill it Kill it Kill it damn it

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

I heard this while driving and it made me think, what is the justification for the laws and serious condemnation of chemical weaponry? Is it due to the likelihood of endangering non-combatants? It seems to me plenty of non-combatants got killed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by "conventional" weaponry... so... Not really sure how this sense of outrage can be justified, but perhaps I'm not considering some component that someone else could point out for me.

It seems more like a historical memory of public distaste for chemical weaponry during WWI. And, yeah, it damn sure is a horrible thing to have your lungs seared by inhaled gas, or what have you... but so is being killed/losing a limb in an explosion by an air strike, or, hell, even being shot and dying (as conventional as it gets). What's the major difference that is 'crossing the line?'

A relic of the old days. Perhaps the distaste came from the fact that the chemical weapons never worked very well against actual soldiers, as most are equipped to survive them. There never were mass casualties even back in the old trenches with Mustard Gas. So being useless for killing soldiers, the only other purpose for BC is to kill civilians who aren't as well equipped. Just my theory.

[ganbaru]

Does High Public Debt Consistently Stifle Economic Growth? A Critique of Reinhart and Rogo ff
http://www.peri.umass.edu/236/hash/3...blication/566/

The 1 Percent’s Solution
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/op...-solution.html
So, it kind of look bad for thoses than push for austerity mesure, that and the result of such mesure in Europe.

[ganbaru]

Collapsed building owner arrested on India border
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...04-28-08-11-59

2 police shot outside Italian premier's office
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...04-28-07-52-55

ROME (AP) -- Two Italian paramilitary policemen were shot and wounded Sunday in a crowded square outside the premier's office in Rome as Italy's new leader was being sworn in elsewhere in the city.

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by Kyuu

OK, I scored 100%. How about you?

http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/the-news-iq-quiz/

Got 11/13, surprisingly as i thought my knowledge on American politic approached almost zero.

Interestingly, only 57% corresponder know what PRC flag look like

[TooPurePureBoy]

13/13 on the Pew quiz, and I don't even really follow the news that much.

[Dhomochevsky]

I had to guess for all of those 'who is the person on this picture' questions and scored 1 out of 4. Got everything else right.
Why is facial recognition such a major part of this test anyway? That seems hardly important to me, as long as you know the names of the people (which I did for some reason).

[RRW]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Built to dominate the enemy in combat, the Army's hulking Abrams tank is proving equally hard to beat in a budget battle.
Lawmakers from both parties have devoted nearly half a billion dollars in taxpayer money over the past two years to build improved versions of the 70-ton Abrams.
But senior Army officials have said repeatedly, "No thanks."

http://news.yahoo.com/army-says-no-m...115434897.html

[Ithekro]

I'd accept if they were planning on forming tank sporting teams.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by RRW

http://news.yahoo.com/army-says-no-m...115434897.html

Clearly patriotistm. No pork here. No sire...

[ganbaru]

Gunmen surround Libyan foreign ministry to push demands
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93R03B20130428

Gunmen surrounded Libya's Foreign Ministry on Sunday, calling for a ban on officials who worked for deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi holding senior positions in the new administration.

Boston bomb suspects' parents retreat to village, cancel U.S. trip
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93R08O20130428

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Dhomochevsky

I had to guess for all of those 'who is the person on this picture' questions and scored 1 out of 4. Got everything else right.
Why is facial recognition such a major part of this test anyway? That seems hardly important to me, as long as you know the names of the people (which I did for some reason).

The acidic part of my brain says it may be that so few Americans read any more. They know visual cues (like faces they see on newsy sound bites) but they don't read the articles.

Why yes, I'm feeling particularly annoyed with my fellow citizens lately

[ganbaru]

Venezuela opposition leader charged with spurring violence
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93S0UL20130429

A Venezuelan court charged retired general Antonio Rivero on Monday with inciting post-election violence in the latest political flash point in the bitterly divided nation.

Opposition leaders say Rivero, a member of the Popular Will movement that is a driving force of Venezuela's opposition coalition, became new President Nicolas Maduro's first political prisoner when he was arrested over the weekend.

[willx]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

Got 11/13, surprisingly as i thought my knowledge on American politic approached almost zero.

Interestingly, only 57% corresponder know what PRC flag look like

Originally Posted by TooPurePureBoy

13/13 on the Pew quiz, and I don't even really follow the news that much.

11/13 -- only questions I got wrong were:
1) Which state legalized gay marriage? (It was Washington, I guessed Ohio)
2) Which country is highlighted? (It was Syria, I guessed Turkey.. )

[MrTerrorist]

Originally Posted by RRW

http://news.yahoo.com/army-says-no-m...115434897.html

Why are they wasting money on Late Cold War era Tanks?
They should be spending on new, better and cheaper alternatives. Or maybe Mechs.

[ganbaru]

Boston police take three suspects into custody in bomb case
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9400M720130501

A U.S. law enforcement source said that two of the suspects taken into custody on Wednesday include classmates of the younger brother at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth. They are being held by immigration officials for violating the terms of their visas. The source said they are likely to face charges related to obstruction of justice and with making false statements to investigators.
Police are investigating whether the classmates threw away a backpack at Tsarnaev's request after the bombing, which killed three people and injured 264 others. Last week law enforcement officials were seen searching dumps in southeastern Massachusetts.

Pakistan military angered by treatment of Musharraf: reports
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94004R20130501

Pakistan's powerful army chief has suggested the military is unhappy with how authorities have treated former army chief and president Pervez Musharraf since his return from exile.
A Pakistani court on Tuesday imposed a lifetime ban on Musharraf from contesting elections, undermining his efforts to regain influence by winning a seat in parliament.