News Stories

[Ithekro]

Promises always have to get past the actual law and Constitution first, before they can be delivered upon. California propositions have been proposing illegal things for decades now. And getting called on it even when they pass.

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

PROMISES, PROMISES: GOP drops some out of the gate

If there's one thing i learn about US politics, it's that no matter who rules the House, the party in charge will always fail to keep the promise they were elected for.

Well, if the republicans spend their time dicking around trying to repeal healthcare reform, I hope they're prepared to get trounced at least as badly in 2012 as the democrats were last year. They don't seem to understand that they were elected to get things done more than anything. If they don't get anything done, the voters will turn on them as quickly as they turned on the democrats for the same reason.

Originally Posted by Jinto

can you tell me how they want to camouflage their thermal signatures when using barely covered jet engines?

This is only a ground test prototype. It doesn't have the engines they'd put on a production model, or likely even the flight test version. If there's no sign of thermal reduction attempts on that, we can start wondering what's up with it.

[Kaijo]

Originally Posted by Kamui4356

Well, if the republicans spend their time dicking around trying to repeal healthcare reform, I hope they're prepared to get trounced at least as badly in 2012 as the democrats were last year. They don't seem to understand that they were elected to get things done more than anything. If they don't get anything done, the voters will turn on them as quickly as they turned on the democrats for the same reason.

Yep. And then the mice will once again replace the white cats with the black cats. And in the next election, replace the black cats with the white cats. And all the while, the mice will wonder why the cats continually screw them over.

In other news, Huckleberry Finn is about to be rewritten and censored. And where do you think this whitewashing of history will end?

Apparently, if our delicate snowflake angels hear of just how nasty things were in the past, it could scar them forever! Why, they might actually begin to make smart choices instead of not learning accurately from history!

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

Promises always have to get past the actual law and Constitution first, before they can be delivered upon. California propositions have been proposing illegal things for decades now. And getting called on it even when they pass.

I've argued that bills should have to pass through a judicial check filter for "constitutionality" for decades.... or at least a filter for "Does this bill have anything to do with its title?" or "What grade-school dropout thought this was passable grammar? Oh, a bunch of lawyers, eh?" The citizen's initiative process in several states (e.g. Oregon) have to pass these sorts of filter checks, how about *all* laws?

I have zero confidence the GOP politicians intend to follow through on this as they're just as guilty of ignoring the parts of the Constitution they don't like.

[Mr_Paper]

Originally Posted by Kaijo

In other news, Huckleberry Finn is about to be rewritten and censored. And where do you think this whitewashing of history will end?

Apparently, if our delicate snowflake angels hear of just how nasty things were in the past, it could scar them forever! Why, they might actually begin to make smart choices instead of not learning accurately from history!

That is just wrong.

What's not included in that article is what they're replacing the N-word with.... ready for it? 'Slave.' I know what you're saying, it is clearly a huge improvement over the original but they didn't stop there! They are also removing the term 'Injun' from the novel (no word as of yet what they will replace it with). Personally, I've been expecting this edit for a long time now but I'm more disappointed in the Twain scholar responsible for it.

I guess, ultimately, it is easier to change an iconic work of literature than expect parents and educators to explain the context of work and the significance of why and how it was written. Mark my words, political correctness will be the end of proper education.

[JMvS]

Originally Posted by Mr_Paper

That is just wrong.

What's not included in that article is what they're replacing the N-word with.... ready for it? 'Slave.' I know what you're saying, it is clearly a huge improvement over the original but they didn't stop there! They are also removing the term 'Injun' from the novel (no word as of yet what they will replace it with). Personally, I've been expecting this edit for a long time now but I'm more disappointed in the Twain scholar responsible for it.

I guess, ultimately, it is easier to change an iconic work of literature than expect parents and educators to explain the context of work and the significance of why and how it was written. Mark my words, political correctness will be the end of proper education.

According to what I've read, 'Injun' is to be replaced by 'Indian'. On another note, while I haven't read the book yet, I wondered what term is used in the expurgated version when designating a 'Nigger' that wouldn't be a slave?

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by JMvS

According to what I've read, 'Injun' is to be replaced by 'Indian'. On another note, while I haven't read the book yet, I wondered what term is used in the expurgated version when designating a 'Nigger' that wouldn't be a slave?

Stop trying apply 'sense' to 'nonsense'.

[Mr_Paper]

Originally Posted by JMvS

According to what I've read, 'Injun' is to be replaced by 'Indian'. On another note, while I haven't read the book yet, I wondered what term is used in the expurgated version when designating a 'Nigger' that wouldn't be a slave?

The thing about the story is that its overall message is that racism is wrong. If you remove the racist elements, then what is the story about?

Through their travels with Jim, Huck and Tom learn that he is the most mature, kind and selfless person they've ever know. The impression this leaves on Huck and Tom makes them realise that humanity is more than just race and skin colour, that to look down on someone because of this makes them the worst kind of people. IIRC, by the end, they even get upset when other people call Jim a 'nigger.'

Maybe in the next edition they'll decide that 'slave' is too hurtful a term and Jim's character will be refered to as a 'run-away indentured laborer' or they will attempt a rewrite to remove the criticisms of and references to slavery throughout the novel.

The above was not directed at anyone in particular, I'm just venting.

[yezhanquan]

If they censor Finn like that, what about the man's diaries?

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I've argued that bills should have to pass through a judicial check filter for "constitutionality" for decades.... or at least a filter for "Does this bill have anything to do with its title?" or "What grade-school dropout thought this was passable grammar? Oh, a bunch of lawyers, eh?" The citizen's initiative process in several states (e.g. Oregon) have to pass these sorts of filter checks, how about *all* laws?

I have zero confidence the GOP politicians intend to follow through on this as they're just as guilty of ignoring the parts of the Constitution they don't like.

Well, if they weren't consitutional, wouldn't the Supreme Court (state or Federal) pounce on it by now. Given the current Roberts (Federal Supreme) Court's active participation in ruling legislations' consitutionality, I don't see much of a problem.

Anyways, The GOP says the Dems flout the 1st and 2nd amendment like no-one's business, and misuses the Commerce Clause. How about this.

The 4th Amendment:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Hm. I seem to remember that GWB signed the PATRIOT Act into law, which undoes the 4th.

[james0246]

Realistically, since all American law is based on precedent, and the Constitution is the "initial" precedent, then the laws are already based on the Constitution. In the end, this recent "filter" is nothing more than political posturing since very few laws have no basis in the Constitution, and those with no basis are generally repealed or the Constitution is amended to include the new provisions.

That being said, the simple reading of the Constitution earlier today (which I watched, and partially enjoyed), cost a little over a million dollars. Despite the amazing irony of this, I doubt any news organization will cover this hypocrisy.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by james0246

Realistically, since all American law is based on precedent, and the Constitution is the "initial" precedent, then the laws are already based on the Constitution. In the end, this recent "filter" is nothing more than political posturing since very few laws have no basis in the Constitution, and those with no basis are generally repealed or the Constitution is amended to include the new provisions.

That being said, the simple reading of the Constitution earlier today (which I watched, and partially enjoyed), cost a little over a million dollars. Despite the amazing irony of this, I doubt any news organization will cover this hypocrisy.

I wonder who's the unlucky one to have read the 3/5th compromise part of the constitution, and the lucky one to read the amendment repealing slavery and the 3/5th compromise.

[ganbaru]

Strange than we talked about China's furtive prototype but not of the carrier killer missile.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1852457/

[Ithekro]

With the new railguns coming online in the next ten to fifiteen years, I don't think the United States is going to care about the Chinese Carrier-Killing missiles. Not with a seven pound bullet that can travel 200 miles in 6 seconds and impart a massive kinetic blow to whatever it hits. And rapidly fired once every six seconds from one gun...much less multiple guns focusing down one target. Each bullet doing a little more damage than a Tomahawk cruise missile.

[james0246]

Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne

I wonder who's the unlucky one to have read the 3/5th compromise part of the constitution, and the lucky one to read the amendment repealing slavery and the 3/5th compromise.

They actually didn't cover those parts...or really any of the parts that made America look bad...

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Strange than we talked about China's furtive prototype but not of the carrier killer missile.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1852457/

That's what SM-3s are for. Plus, there's little reason to assume the thing will work as advertised. I'm unaware of the results of any tests on its capability to find a ship in a real world setting. I'm sure it would ruin a carrier's day if it could find it and hit hit, but those are capabilities that need to be proven. The SM-3 has proven it has the capability to intercept an object on a ballistic reentry. Though on the other hand the question of a carrier battle group of detecting a missile like China's new toy there has also yet to be proven.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by james0246

They actually didn't cover those parts...or really any of the parts that made America look bad...

Watch out people.
They, like the Civil War revisionists in the South who deny the Civil War was because of slavery, will fudge theur way in the next 2 years.

[Ithekro]

Imagine the Chinese building up a Carrier Battlegroup of their own in fifteen years...they manage to get put together enough ships and planes to engage an American Carrier Battlegroup and keep the American attack planes and submarines away to launch a few Carrier Killer Missiles that go what, Mach 10, from the mainland to back them up. American anti-missile missiles should be able to handle those while the railguns start popping the Chinese Fleet. The DF-21D is an Ballistic Missles with a 3,000 km range...however the question would be if the Americans have at least part of their anti-ballistic missile shield type systems deployed on Naval vessels by that time (anti-missile lasers would do a number to the DF-21D I imagine).

I don't know the maximum range of the new railguns (As they are still being tested and one assumes that information would be classified), I do know they are aiming for a bullet that can go Mach 10 at sea level. All it takes is energy output....and not melting the gun's "barrel".

[Xellos-_^]

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-ta...get-shortfall/

A budget shortfall as high as $25 billion is projected as lawmakers head into the 2011 legislative session, according to estimates from economists and the comptroller's office. Texas writes budgets biennially, or in two-year terms, so the shortfall affects the 2012-2013 state budget.

So if the problem with California is because taxes is too high whats Texas' excuse?

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

So if the problem with California is because taxes is too high whats Texas' excuse?

Actually, California's problem isn't taxes. It's Arnold Schwarzenegger, guvunah of Kallifurniah.

"Hasta la vista, BABY!" Arnie to the CA state reserves