***OFFICIAL Current Events Thread***

[BooG690]

We're Amerocentric. Things that happen elsewhere are rarely headline newsworthy. Sad really.

[lolzzz_321]

show?

ya, it was on front page of msnbc

cnn had that van der sloot guy on the front page, he's wanted for murder in peru

[wufwugy]

Given its ginormous implications and the huge involvement of the US, the Greece/Euro bailout and all that's going on with that should be headlining like everyday in the US, but it's barely even a topic because propaganda machines have little use for it, and the tabloids don't focus on non-US much. Since that's about 98% of US media.....

[Jack Sawyer]

ya, it was on front page of msnbc

cnn had that van der sloot guy on the front page, he's wanted for murder in peru

o wtf. that van der sloot guy won't ever leave the spotlight.

[a500lbgorilla]

If you didn't notice, there's an asston going on in the world today.

Given its ginormous implications and the huge involvement of the US, the Greece/Euro bailout and all that's going on with that should be headlining like everyday in the US, but it's barely even a topic because propaganda machines have little use for it, and the tabloids don't focus on non-US much. Since that's about 98% of US media.....

Kim Jong-Il wants to create a war-like atmosphere in N. Korea to allow for the transitioning of power to his son, Kim Jong-un.

Israel just killed 9 civilians during the raiding of a boat filled with tons of aid and a few thousand pounds of foreign diplomats.

There's a hole in the Earth's crust gushing oil into an ocean that's also being hammered by chemical dispersant agents. Those who are tasked with closing it only identify one metric for success; the profits of their shareholders.

India's economy is going gang-busters while one of it's biggest exporting manufacturers is suffering through a bout of on-site suicides.

America is constantly towing some incredibly delicate line while lobbing bombs all over some sandy cities and China is looking like a sensible country these days.

So it might only barely be a topic, but it's an enormous one trying to find a voice in a battle of equally enormous stories demanding attention.

[kiwiMark]

Plus it's been sunny here instead of raining for the last three days.

[a500lbgorilla]

And god is trying to sunburn kiwimark to death.

[wufwugy]

This made my day. If only more retards would step up and get themselves eliminated from society

Federal Eye - Dispute over Census questions ends in Calif. woman's death

[Jack Sawyer]

Yo HalvSame (as our Resident Norseman), what's up with NETELLER, the law, and Norway?

Declined credit or debit card deposits in Norway? | NETELLER Blog

[wufwugy]

Caught in the oil - The Big Picture - Boston.com

[dranger7070]

Jesus Christ hips and ass on your sig wuf lolol

[wufwugy]

[Ash256]

BBC News - The oil spill: Your solutions

This made me cry.

I think my favourite is Howard Rothman who thinks that, er, sinking a ship on top of the oil leak will fix it.

[a500lbgorilla]

There are no bad ideas.

Just ideas easily invalidated.

[wufwugy]

^ bad post

also invalid post

[a500lbgorilla]

^ bad post

also invalid post

Common logical trap many kids fall into, I'm never wrong.

[Hoopy]

Latest updates and pictures from the BP oil spill

Nice to see BP continuing to do it's bit in destroying the planet.

[wufwugy]

Dealing With Chermany - Paul Krugman Blog - NYTimes.com

Half of all our economic problems in a nutshell. The other half is the whole corporatocracy income gap thing

The flow of money through the middle class would be off the chain simply with a balancing of wealth distribution on the hierarchal level and monetary policy on the regional level. China thinks they're gonna take over the world, and they're right. That's what happens when you can run a slave economy which effectively controls all other economies.

[Penneywize]

Dealing With Chermany - Paul Krugman Blog - NYTimes.com

Half of all our economic problems in a nutshell. The other half is the whole corporatocracy income gap thing

The flow of money through the middle class would be off the chain simply with a balancing of wealth distribution on the hierarchal level and monetary policy on the regional level. China thinks they're gonna take over the world, and they're right. That's what happens when you can run a slave economy which effectively controls all other economies.

Krugman def knows his stuff. A quick glance at my bookshelf shows that I have two textbooks bearing his name. What I don't get is how you post an article of his then proceed to spout off your usual retardo-black-magic-hate-corporations BS immediately following. The irony is very thick, I assure you.

[wufwugy]

wat

You must not read The Krug much if you think he doesn't completely agree with what I have to say about wealthy corporate special interest pillaging

I got that information from him in the first place anyways

[a500lbgorilla]

Krugman def knows his stuff. A quick glance at my bookshelf shows that I have two textbooks bearing his name. What I don't get is how you post an article of his then proceed to spout off your usual retardo-black-magic-hate-corporations BS immediately following. The irony is very thick, I assure you.

Which books?

Actually, I'm curious about your entire bookshelf.

[Penneywize]

wat

You must not read The Krug much if you think he doesn't completely agree with what I have to say about wealthy corporate special interest pillaging

I got that information from him in the first place anyways

Meh, you're probably right actually. I don't read his blogs or NYT columns or anything. I always knew he was a bit of a liberal, bu I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that he's anti-corporation or anything along those lines - being in favour of higher corporate / high income taxes does not a tin-foil-hat-wearer make, but I will gladly read any links you want to provide me to prove otherwise.

I doubt 'rilla really wants to know what books I have on my bookshelf but - basically, all old college textbooks that I wasn't able to sell back to the bookstore for anything more than 10 or 15 bucks. The Krugman books I have are "International Economics -Theory & Policy" (which includes an outline of the 'monopolistic competition' model, for which he won the nobel prize in '08) and one older Macroeconomics text I had in my first year of undergrad. Yay me.

[wufwugy]

Yeah he is kind of a liberal. One of his books and his blog are called 'Conscience of a Liberal' after all. The Krug is not anti-corporate, neither am I. We're anti-corporate abuse. You don't have to be anti-capitalism to be anti-crony capitalism

Corporations serve a vital role in society, but it's not that role that anybody who understands the issues has a problem with. It's when they run amok, which is what we're dealing with. If you're unsure of what they're actually doing, we can discuss that

I don't have any sources on hand because that's not really something you source because the cat has been out of the bag for quite some time and most content is about the details. Plus it doesn't get nearly the attention it should. I mean very few people even talk about arguably the most corrupt money-maker of all time (US military/mercenary).

I would just recommend keeping up to date on Krug's and Robert Reich's blogs. They are unquestionably the most qualified of all the people who are vocal on the subject, and that's why I defer to them.

[a500lbgorilla]

I doubt 'rilla really wants to know what books I have on my bookshelf but - basically, all old college textbooks that I wasn't able to sell back to the bookstore for anything more than 10 or 15 bucks. The Krugman books I have are "International Economics -Theory & Policy" (which includes an outline of the 'monopolistic competition' model, for which he won the nobel prize in '08) and one older Macroeconomics text I had in my first year of undergrad. Yay me.

lol don't be crazy. My bookshelf is all of my school books, plus books pimped on the Daily Show, plus random stuff I've found at boarders. If you'll admit to reading them, they're certainly worth reading.

[wufwugy]

the last book i read was back in 02 or something

[boost]

I keep forgetting to grab it, but I heard an interview on NPR with the author of Dreamland. From the interview it sounds like an intense gritty reporting of whats happening on and around the US/Mexico boarder.

Amazon.com: Dreamland: The Way Out of Juarez (9780292722071): Charles Bowden, Alice Leora Briggs: Books

[a500lbgorilla]

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com

Good news, gents!

[rong]

U.S. Identifies Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com

Good news, gents!

I knew there'd be a genuine reason for the US killing all those people. $1 trillion!!!

Is that $1,000,000,000,000??????

If it is, we can kill lots more for that much money. Even if we kill 1 million people, that works out at $1 million per head, which any way you look at it is pretty good value.

[BennyLaRue]

Yeah, awesome. If you guys can strip mine the whole country in a year, then your annual budget is balanced. You'll have to invade Venezuela next year to stay balanced, tho.

[rong]

Yeah, awesome. If you guys can strip mine the whole country in a year, then your annual budget is balanced. You'll have to invade Venezuela next year to stay balanced, tho.

May as well make it the entire of south America, no point wasting the economies of scale.

[BennyLaRue]

May as well make it the entire of south America, no point wasting the economies of scale.

No need to go East. There's nothing in the Guyanas. Can't go South. It's all jungle and sweat and malaria around the Amazon and we had our fill of that in Viet-fucking-nam. Can't go West. They're too well armed in Columbia and besides, that'll risk cutting off our coke supply. We already had the Afghan heroin routes locked down already before 9/11 but Columbia is being all stubborn and selfish about the whole thing and we can't risk being without blow for even a couple of months.

Might need to separate the forces as it were...invade the Zuela and at the same time, flank around and come in through the Guays as well. Somebody get on the horn to that lady President they have in Argentina, make sure she won't mind us trapesing through on the way to that middle Guay there. Can't have her holding back beef on us.

[a500lbgorilla]

Sounds like y'all jealous that God is rewarding us liberators with vast material wealth.

[dranger7070]

^

[BennyLaRue]

Sounds like y'all jealous that God is finding a way for us to temporarily stave off our creditors.

fyp

[wufwugy]

Financially speaking, the developed world is in much more debt to the US than vise versa. US debt/deficit hawks are as misguided as those hyperinflation dumbshits

Do this: whenever you see anybody, even economists, worry about US debt, rest assured that they have no fucking clue what they're talking about, and should be ignored

[rong]

How annoying is this:

BBC News - 'Stay away' warning over Battersea Park water fight

Surely if a bunch of people want to meet up in a public place, a park no less, and have some fun, the police should not have the right to stop it.

[rong]

Yeah, awesome. If you guys can strip mine the whole country in a year, then your annual budget is balanced. You'll have to invade Venezuela next year to stay balanced, tho.

Seems you've already begun.

BBC News - Hardtalk - President Chavez's socialist world vision


Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez:
"In Colombia (the Americans) are building seven military bases; that is one of the very negative signals that Obama sent just after taking office"

And it seems the commie deserves it:

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez: "capitalism is destroying the world"

[a500lbgorilla]

Seems you've already begun.

BBC News - Hardtalk - President Chavez's socialist world vision


Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez:
"In Colombia (the Americans) are building seven military bases; that is one of the very negative signals that Obama sent just after taking office"

And it seems the commie deserves it:

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez: "capitalism is destroying the world"

Chavez actually puts his political struggles in terms of the rich vrs the poor which is refreshing.

[BennyLaRue]

Financially speaking, the developed world is in much more debt to the US than vise versa.

While true in part, i) it doesn't justify the US carrying the debt load it does and ii) it doesn't align with my agenda to make fun of the US for exploiting the rest of the world so facts aren't really relevant, you big buzzkill, you.

[a500lbgorilla]

While true in part, i) it doesn't justify the US carrying the debt load it does and ii) it doesn't align with my agenda to make fun of the US for exploiting the rest of the world so facts aren't really relevant, you big buzzkill, you.

Debt doesn't matter if it's impossible that you won't be paid back, and the world likes to think
America will always pay down its debts. Especially if we keep warring our way into the world's riches.

[wufwugy]

While true in part, i) it doesn't justify the US carrying the debt load it does and ii) it doesn't align with my agenda to make fun of the US for exploiting the rest of the world so facts aren't really relevant, you big buzzkill, you.

I've never seen a more solid case than ii)

It's a mistake to view debt/credit myopically. Debt and credit are integral to the modern economy, and because they are pretty much amoral, extremes in either direction are a product of particular forces or circumstances. Everybody likes to make it sound like US debt is some kind of problem that has to do with over-consumption and over-borrowing, but not only is that not true, it's missing the forest for the trees.

The primary reason for our debt (and the debt of many other nations) is because China refuses to trade the renminbi on the open market, even against much pressure from US, EU, other nations. The reason China will not trade their currency is because it keeps investment out which depresses its exchange rate which allows them corner the market on manufacturing.

We're in debt, have garbage for manufacturing, run on consumption, and have a helluva time to get out of a depressed economy because China wants to rule the world with their slave economy. On top of that, the debt/credit paradigm for individuals breaks down at the highest level. The words may be the same, but the definitions are a world apart. In fact, there's a gigantic hole in knowledge about what debt/credit really does at the highest level. For all we know, under our current global economic paradigm, US could have 10x the national debt, yet not really be in a much different situation.

We have a lot of debt because China is a humanitarian crisis that, without incredible sanctions, forces most other nations with greater purchasing power per capita to run a deficit. It's also a very severe feedback

The only long term solution to keeping China from running the world economy is for developed nations to get their heads out of their asses, realize that because China runs a slave manufacturing economy with which nobody can compete directly, we have to invest in competing at a higher level. China may have stolen every possible out-sourceable menial labor job, but they can't steal high-level, cutting edge, technical work.

I'd be dancing in the streets if Congress passed a multi-trillion, renewable bill that shoveled capital into high-level education, R&D, and manufacturing. Because then we would have an enormous manufacturing sector with product in such huge demand that we're back into the mass exports business despite exchange rates. China would then be forced to trade the renminbi if they wanted to actually keep up with the global economy by being able to consume necessary product they can't produce.

Deficit hawks piss me off because they're retards whose ideology is EXACTLY what perpetuates these crazy debt/crazy scenarios. It's not about treating the symptoms, but about treating the causes

[BennyLaRue]

It's a mistake to view debt/credit myopically.

k

[wufwugy]

exactly what accountant mortgage broker investment banker BennyLaJew would say

[BennyLaRue]

Ha, not at all. In fact, considering what I do, it's pretty hilarious that you think I'm viewing debt myopically. You just took an ill-conceived idea and ran with it and I'm trying to end a one-sided conversation before we get into balance of payments and credit/debit nations, because my attention span just can't suffer through it online.

[wufwugy]

that was more an intro to the post than a shot at you

[BooG690]

BP deserves an apology.

Skip to 1:37 to see this apology. Sick.

YouTube - Rep. Joe Barton Apologizes To BP For $20 Billion Claims Fund

[a500lbgorilla]

Oh those Corporatists.

[wufwugy]

Oh how I would adore this

Simon Johnson: Paul Krugman for OMB

Krug would be knocking off blocks. One of the biggest problems in our politics is people on the left not laying the smackdown, yet Krug could do it so well. Doubt it will happen though especially since I recall Krug claiming he doesn't want to work in politics because he won't conform rhetorically

But we need this shit. This fiscal austerity crap is mind-boggling and economically dreadful

[Ash256]

The Runaway General | Rolling Stone Politics

this is the article that obama may shitcan mccrystal over

[Ash256]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/h...omplaint_1.pdf

so fucking epic

[surviva316]

incidentally, van der sloot is the best name ever

[BooG690]

YouTube - Keith Olbermann Special Comment: There Is No 'Ground Zero Mosque' - 08/16/10

<3

[a500lbgorilla]

Last U.S. combat brigade in Iraq heads home - USATODAY.com

Combat troops out of Iraq (some 90,000) leaving only 50,000 troops who aren't combat troops for some reason left. I know, we'll call them security forces.

[BooG690]

Friends of Rutgers Student Tyler Clement Mourn Musician With Huge Heart - ABC News

This type of shit makes me so angry. I hope the Indian kid's life is a shitty one. No job, no pussy, sheer torture for being a catalyst to this.

[Monty3038]

Every time I read one of Wuf's responses, I lose what he is saying because of his sig avatar. +1 Wuf.