News Stories

[monir]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

McCain is trying to go both ways by saying he would only agree to the war if removing Assad is part of the deal. This is his method of both rejecting war, AND desiring war at the same time. So the war hawks are happy, and he gets to vote no. Politics, huh?

Politics indeed! Obama included.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Wouldn't the UN have to agree for any action to happen? Which, if what I've heard wouldn't happen since Russia has veto powers or something, and make to much money from Syria.

Unless the US wants to ignore the UN (again?), and probably piss people off in the process.

[kuroishinigami]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Now here is an interesting read :

Stock Market Reactions to The US of Airstrikes

Meh, from 9 sample showed 5 show increasing patern, 2 show decreasing patern, 2 sideways/small decrease pattern. Combined that with the small sample size, means nothing can be concluded from the data in regards to correlation between US airstrikes and US stock index. Need more airstrikes to get more data

[Haak]

NSA spied on Brazil and Mexico:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23929257

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

McCain is trying to go both ways by saying he would only agree to the war if removing Assad is part of the deal. This is his method of both rejecting war, AND desiring war at the same time. So the war hawks are happy, and he gets to vote no. Politics, huh?

Well, in fairness, if the main reason for taking military action against Syria is because Assad crossed the line and is using chemical weapons, then what's the point of taking military action if Assad ultimately remains in power?

I mean, you either think Assad is guilty of crossing the line or you don't think that. If you don't think that, then any military intervention isn't justified at all. If you do think that Assad has crossed the line, then military intervention is only truly useful if Assad is removed from power.

Now, I definitely see where McCain's position is politically expedient for the reasons you suggested, but it may well also be the right position policy-wise.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

Wouldn't the UN have to agree for any action to happen? Which, if what I've heard wouldn't happen since Russia has veto powers or something, and make to much money from Syria.

Unless the US wants to ignore the UN (again?), and probably piss people off in the process.

when have the US every listen to the UN.

[ganbaru]

Brazil, Mexico ask U.S. to explain if NSA spied on presidents
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9810B620130902
The ''the NSA is just doing it's job'' explication isn't likely to calm them .

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Brazil, Mexico ask U.S. to explain if NSA spied on presidents
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9810B620130902
The ''the NSA is just doing it's job'' explication isn't likely to calm them .

Kerry said the NSA surveillance was aimed at protecting Americans and Brazilians from terrorist attacks.

how does spying on the president of Brazil protects US and Brazilian citizens?

[GDB]

Because he's obviously a terrorist.

[JokerD]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Well, in fairness, if the main reason for taking military action against Syria is because Assad crossed the line and is using chemical weapons, then what's the point of taking military action if Assad ultimately remains in power?

I mean, you either think Assad is guilty of crossing the line or you don't think that. If you don't think that, then any military intervention isn't justified at all. If you do think that Assad has crossed the line, then military intervention is only truly useful if Assad is removed from power.

Now, I definitely see where McCain's position is politically expedient for the reasons you suggested, but it may well also be the right position policy-wise.

Someone said "It's not goodies versus baddies - it's baddies versus baddies" The US is in bad position right now, attack and aid their enemy or sit back and lose trust...

[speedyexpress48]

Originally Posted by GDB

Because he's obviously a terrorist.

Anyone who is not the US government is obviously suspicious and needs to be spied on.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by GDB

Because he's obviously a terrorist.

It's a she actually lolol

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by speedyexpress48

Anyone who is not the US government is obviously suspicious and needs to be spied on.

I'm pretty sure the US government also spies on itself.

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I'm pretty sure the US government also spies on itself.

Never trust anyone completely.

[TinyRedLeaf]

YouTube

https://youtu.be/pCm5whMxuxs

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

64-year-old sets record with Cuba-to-Florida swim

Key West, Florida (Sept 2, Mon): American 64-year-old long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad has become the first person to swim across the Florida Straits from Cuba without a shark cage, succeeding on her fifth attempt at the feat.

Her face sunburned and lips swollen, with barely enough energy to speak, Nyad waded ashore at Key West after a 53-hour swim and delivered a simple message to onlookers: "We should never, ever give up.... You never are too old to chase your dreams."

In an inspiration to Baby Boomers everywhere, Nyad completed the estimated 177km (110 miles) journey after departing from Havana on Saturday morning. She set a record for the longest ocean swim without a shark cage or flippers, according to her crew.

The iron-willed swimmer had been trying to achieve the crossing for 35 years, describing it on her website as her "Xtreme Dream", and seemed determined to prove The Beatles were right that there is plenty to live for "when I'm 64".

She had said that this would be her final attempt. She was equipped this time with a protective silicone mask and a body suit to better protect her from the box jellyfish that forced her to end one of two attempted crossings last year.

A team of ocean kayakers and divers accompanied Nyad on her journey dragging an electronic device in the water that emitted a current to repel sharks.

Her team said her fifth attempt at the Florida crossing benefited from several key factors, including calm seas, the surprising lack of jellyfish and favourable currents in the powerful Gulf Stream that flows eastwards through the Florida Straits.

"You can't do the swim unless you have three things: the determination, the weather and the cooperation of the Gulf Stream," said Ron Bartlett, her navigator.

The multilingual Nyad was born in New York and raised in south Florida by a French mother and Greek-Egyptian stepfather. She swam six hours a day as a 12-year-old.

She retired after successfully completing a swim from Bimini in the Bahamas to Florida in 1979, ending a long-distance career that set several world records, including one for circling Manhattan in less than eight hours in 1975.

She went on to a career in sports journalism and fitness, and has expressed a lifelong fascination with Cuba.

Nyad's fifth attempt to make the crossing comes 35 years after she made her first go at it aged 28 in 1978, when she gave up after covering 122km (76 miles) in 42 hours, with the aid that time of a shark cage.

With Key West in her sights on Monday, Nyad halted briefly about 3km (2 miles) offshore to thank her support team.

"This is a lifelong dream of mine and I'm very, very glad to be with you," she said, according to her website. "So let's get going so we can have a whopping party."

REUTERS

[aohige]

That is one bad ass grandma.

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

how does spying on the president of Brazil protects US and Brazilian citizens?

I have to agree though, the question is rather silly.
You're asking an organization of spies if they spy on foreign powers.

Well.

Yeah.

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

Japanese animator and manga master Hayao Miyazaki retires


Oh wow, I am quite sad about this announcement.

I do have to caution, he said "I'm RETIRING!" like 3-4 times in the past already, pretty much right after finishing a new movie.
(the first time was right after Kiki if I'm not mistaken)
So let's see if he sticks to his words this time.

[ganbaru]

Nokia to sell handset business to Microsoft for $7.2 billion
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...98202V20130903

Russia says ballistic 'objects' fired in Mediterranean
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9820AC20130903

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Nokia to sell handset business to Microsoft for $7.2 billion
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...98202V20130903

Resistance is futile.

The writing has been on the wall ever since ex-Microsoft executive Stephen Elop became CEO of Nokia. Of course, Microsoft might argue they are just responding to Google's decision to buy Motorola's phone division a couple years back.

Nokia had some excellent sortware technologies of its own that they abandoned to jump into Microsoft's arms. Both firms clearly hoped that the market power and recognition of their brands would help them break into the smartphone market. They were wrong.

WindowsPhone sales nearly doubled between Q4 of 2011 and Q4 of 2012, but that just raised their share of worldwide sales from 1.8% to 3.0%. Android powered 70% of smartphones sold in Q4 last year, and iOS 21%. MS and Nokia were just too late to the party, and I don't see much evidence that the situation will change just be Microsoft owns Nokia.

Nokia constitutes a substantial proportion of Finnish GDP. Even if Microsoft manages to keep the firm afloat for a while, Nokia's continued decline bodes ill for Finland's generous social welfare state.

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Russia says ballistic 'objects' fired in Mediterranean
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9820AC20130903

Apparently it was a joint US-Israeli test of an anti-missile defense system.

[Skane]

Wait, Andriod Phones have triple the sales of iOS Phones... but have less apps? What? I thought developers always made for the iOS Phones first because it had a bigger market share... why do they always develop for the Andriod Phones last then?

Huh?

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Skane

Wait, Andriod Phones have triple the sales of iOS Phones... but have less apps? What? I thought developers always made for the iOS Phones first because it had a bigger market share... why do they always develop for the Andriod Phones last then?

Huh?

At a guess, because there's fewer different hardware on iOS. Makes testing easier.