News Stories

[kuroishinigami]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Yeah, the science is still out on consuming GMO. But the *economics* is deadly. Hey, lets give "intellectual property" control of all seed crops of the planet over to a small group? Especially when wind, crop drift, and genetic contamination legally destroys the competition?

This makes the music industry legal shenanigans and corrosion of innovation look paltry.

Ah, ic, it's mostly economic reason then. If it's only for economic reason, then it's a good call I guess, doesn't want to let the big corporation sue the small farmer just because the wind carry the genetically dominant crop seed to germinate the "natural" seed. It's not as if their life is not hard enough already

[widagtama]

Top 1% Control 39% of World's Wealth


thought

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by widagtama

Top 1% Control 39% of World's Wealth


thought

I welcome our 1% overlords.

[synaesthetic]

Originally Posted by kuroishinigami

Ah, ic, it's mostly economic reason then. If it's only for economic reason, then it's a good call I guess, doesn't want to let the big corporation sue the small farmer just because the wind carry the genetically dominant crop seed to germinate the "natural" seed. It's not as if their life is not hard enough already

Thing is most opponents of GMO food are more worried about tentacles growing out of their ass than patents...

[AnimeFan188]

Iraq says captures al Qaeda chemical gas team:

"Iraq has captured a suspected al Qaeda cell that planned to produce chemical
poisons such as mustard gas to attack Iraqi forces and to ship overseas for attacks
on Europe and the United States, the government said on Saturday."

See:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/0...95006020130601

[ganbaru]

Protesters defiant as Turkey unrest goes into third day
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94U0J920130602

Chinese wonder why their tourists behave so badly
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94T05820130530

[ArchmageXin]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer...-movement.html

Grad student brought forth economic Armageddon O_O, Willx, are you following this?

[MrTerrorist]

Grumpy Cat to appear in Hollywood film

Clearly she is doing this to say "You humans suck."

[ices]

What is Happening in Istanbul

Anyone from Istanbul could confirm this?

[ganbaru]

Ice levels, rule changes to boost Arctic northern sea route
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...94S0DG20130529

'Cash for access' scandal hits Britain's parliament
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...95105Q20130602

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by ices

What is Happening in Istanbul

Anyone from Istanbul could confirm this?

I don't recall any forum member publicly saying that he or she is from Turkey, let alone Istanbul.

In any case, contrary to the histrionics of the blog post, international mass media is aware of the protests and reports have been pouring in.

Turkey protesters swarm Ankara and Istanbul streets

Istanbul (June 2, Sun): Hundreds of protesters have returned to the streets of Istanbul and Ankara after two days of unrest that have seen almost 1,000 arrests.

Largely peaceful protesters waved flags in Istanbul's Taksim Square but there were reports police had fired tear gas in Kizilay Square in Ankara. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said protesters were trying to undermine democracy.

The protests began over redeveloping a park near Taksim Square but broadened into anti-government unrest. The protests represent the most sustained anti-government unrest for a number of years.

The BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul says a lot of people are fed up with the government, which they believe wants to take away some of their personal freedoms.

BBC

[SeijiSensei]

I've been wondering whether the division is largely along secular vs religious lines. From what little I've read, Erdogan's Justice and Development Party has more and more advocated policies favored by its Islamist wing, especially as European opposition to Turkish membership in the EU has grown. I did a little searching around and came across this highly informative book review.

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Solace

Monsanto has sued farmers who have their seeds germinate without contract by the company. In most cases, these farmers had no idea because the seeds came from other farms and were carried by nature.

The company has too much power with its patent. It never should have been granted.

I clearly am in the wrong business, and should be patenting air and water.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by aohige

I clearly am in the wrong business, and should be patenting air and water.

That wouldn't probably work. If I remember right, someone from Brunei did try to get a patent for rice and has not got it.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

That wouldn't probably work. If I remember right, someone from Brunei did try to get a patent for rice and has not got it.

All they have to do is manipulate the DNA for some "improvement" (!Rainbow Rice!) and the patent office will roll right over (in the USA at least, the Euro patent folks seem to have more clue on protecting the overall interests of everyone)

[ganbaru]

Russia to send nuclear submarines to southern seas
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...95007V20130601

Russia plans to resume nuclear submarine patrols in the southern seas after a hiatus of more than 20 years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Saturday, in another example of efforts to revive Moscow's military.
The plan to send Borei-class submarines, designed to carry 16 long-range nuclear missiles, to the southern hemisphere follows President Vladimir Putin's decision in March to deploy a naval unit in the Mediterranean Sea on a permanent basis starting this year.

[SeijiSensei]

Officially the reason for the expanded deployment is to improve Russia's strategic deterrent against a nuclear attack by the US. Since that event has essentially zero probability of occurring, who might the real target be?

Or are the Russians and Putin just that absurdly paranoid?

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Officially the reason for the expanded deployment is to improve Russia's strategic deterrent against a nuclear attack by the US. Since that event has essentially zero probability of occurring, who might the real target be?

Or are the Russians and Putin just that absurdly paranoid?

To some extent, Russia has the same problem we do -- arms dealers who need to keep making and selling arms to the government even if it involves manufacturing "unreal" threats.

[SeijiSensei]

More on Turkey

In full public view, a long struggle over urban spaces is erupting as a broader fight over Turkish identity, where difficult issues of religion, social class and politics intersect. And while most here acknowledge that every Turkish ruling class has sought to put its stamp on Istanbul, there is a growing sense that none has done so as insistently as the current government, led by Mr. Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party, despite growing resistance.

A government plan to convert Taksim Square, historically a place of public gathering, into a replica Ottoman-era army barracks and shopping mall — what Mr. Eldem, the historian, called “a Las Vegas of Ottoman splendor” — is what incited the demonstrations. But there are many other contentious projects that have drawn public outrage.

Nothing says "shopping mall" better than a replica army barracks.

[Tom Bombadil]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Officially the reason for the expanded deployment is to improve Russia's strategic deterrent against a nuclear attack by the US. Since that event has essentially zero probability of occurring, who might the real target be?

Or are the Russians and Putin just that absurdly paranoid?

Bahh, the US has put things on even shakier grounds, like war in Iraq was because of WMD, and missile defense system in eastern Europe and east Asia is against Iran and North Korea respectively. So paranoid, right?