The News Corner

Anything is allowed, don't overdo the spam.
User avatar
TheDude51
The cake is a lie because I ate it.
Posts: 1088
Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 4:04 pm
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby TheDude51 » Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:49 pm

Excerpts from an article on the Obama thing:
"Obama promised to withdraw from Iraq and to close the illegal Guantanamo Bay prison camp. He promised to end the Bush-era detention and rendition policies that have tarnished America’s reputation abroad and weakened trust among nations...

But once in office, Obama didn’t deliver. The promises disappeared, replaced by vigorous defenses of virtually every presidential power that the Bush administration invented for itself, including not only those that subvert domestic civil liberties, but also those that threaten the international rule of law.

And the withdrawal from Iraq? Delayed and partial. The latest word — received just as the peace prize was announced — is that it’s “complicated.” ...

Our other war, in Afghanistan, continues to escalate... U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan continue to kill and maim the innocent, with very little to show in the way of stabilizing the country or defeating international terrorism. Withdrawal from Afghanistan is both possible and desirable... Yet our latest Nobel laureate doesn’t see peace as an option here either."

Drew: Comparing Middle Eastern Monarchies to Western democracies is hardly a fair comparison. Democratic experiments in the Middle East have hardly produced similar reforms.
Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?
-Bertolt Brecht

User avatar
Mr_Praetorian
High Lord of Ham
Posts: 3473
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 2:57 am
Race: Paragon Gelatinous Cube
Class: The Classiest
Location: Charm City
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Mr_Praetorian » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:11 pm

Judson: I have no idea how you managed to extrapolate what you did from my comment. At what point did I say, explicitly, that middle-eastern attempts at western-coerced democracy were successful?

Having said that, I will yield that trying to force progress in countries with a regressive mindset is highly impractical. Thus, while I am quite pleased that these "small steps" are being taken, I do not feel that it is enough to redeem the Saudi's of all of the unwise things that have in the past, and therein give me cause to discern their leadership as "wise". Perhaps in the future, but they've a long way to go.
You! Your character's build displeases me! Come to the boards for nerfing!

Active Characters:


User avatar
TheDude51
The cake is a lie because I ate it.
Posts: 1088
Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 4:04 pm
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby TheDude51 » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:43 pm

I wasn't talking about Iraq and Afghanistan so much as places like Syria, Iran, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, and elsewhere in the Middle East that have some degree of democratic government.

My point is that, given the tremendous differences between the Middle East and the West, saying that the Middle Eastern monarchies are "way behind" Western democracies in terms of human rights and equality doesn't really provide much evidence on the relative benefits of democracy and monarchy as forms of government.
Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?
-Bertolt Brecht

User avatar
Mr_Praetorian
High Lord of Ham
Posts: 3473
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 2:57 am
Race: Paragon Gelatinous Cube
Class: The Classiest
Location: Charm City
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Mr_Praetorian » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:22 pm

I fail to see how human rights and equality should not be classified as comparable benefits. After all, I'd like to think that we can all agree that societies are at their healthiest where the marketplace of ideas is given little hinderance. Or am I misinterpreting your point?
You! Your character's build displeases me! Come to the boards for nerfing!

Active Characters:


User avatar
TheDude51
The cake is a lie because I ate it.
Posts: 1088
Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 4:04 pm
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby TheDude51 » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:42 pm

I think there's some misinterpretation here on one of our parts.

Here's my interpretation of the original exchange:
Dai: "Saudi Arabia helped women, and is a monarchy. A democracy couldn't get this done. Hooray for monarchies!"

Drew: "America and Europe have helped women much more, like 50 years ago, and are democracies. Saudi Arabia's monarchy still oppresses women way too much. Go democracy!"

My point is that there are lots of other differences between the Middle East and Europe that affect outcomes. It would be better to compare Saudi Arabia to a Middle Eastern democracy, rather than compare it to a European one, to see whether democracies or monarchies deliver better results on equality and human rights.
Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?
-Bertolt Brecht

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:16 pm

Somehow my long ranting post was lost when I made it, and I'm too lazy to type it up again.

Drew - that's not a fair comparison and you know it. You're making a classical American mistake of analyzing government without taking their culture and religion into account. For the Saudis and their devote Islam beliefs (I trust you enough not to say something stupid like separation between Church and State), this is like a leap to the moon. I would have expected it to at least take a decade.

I won't deny my preferences are more authoritarian than not, but I don't support Monarchy/Autocrats just because. The issue is that ANYONE can pick out a long list of why any variation of Republic is better than Authoritarian governments, few people can do the vice versa. So I'm just picking up the slack for the underdog. There's no need for me to talk about the other side which is deemed common knowledge anyways.

And the Saudi's case demonstrates a primary reason why I am an authoritarian supporter - it can get things done even if popular opinion is entirely against it, because sometimes, popular opinion could not be MORE WRONG.

Their prince can spend millions on a business to promote women's rights, while US presidents must spend several times as much just to campaign the idea to the ppl...
|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:06 pm



I agree with this :D
|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:07 pm

http://vimeo.com/7132858

This is freaking awesome... I wonder how much that table costs...
|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Sajuuk
Nerd King of the Frozen North
Nerd King of the Frozen North
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:23 am
Race: Shadow Creature/Progenitor/College Graduate/Nerd
Class: Geek 4/CodeMonkey 2/HardwareWiz 4/BasketballManager 4/WindowsAdmin 4/Root 2/ChaosIncarnate 1
Location: The depths of Baclora, where the Sajuuk lies...
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Sajuuk » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:29 pm

12,500 USD for a Commercial unit (which lacks the SDK). 15,000 USD for a Developer unit (which has the SDK).


What this means is I cannot purchase one using the Druidsofthecoast budget surplus. Because there is no surplus. And cheaper alternatives exist. Namely, OpenRPG (or a variety of other softwares for that matter) with a 32" touchscreen ().
[PCs Currently At - Sailing The High Seas]
TODAY: Arodus 28, 4711
PARTY BUFFS ACTIVE: None










"No matter how difficult or absurd you make a puzzle, your players will find an even more impossible and preposterous way of solving it." - http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=680
Titles: He Whose Hand Shapes What Is, Epic Destroyer of Loot, Creator of the Elemental Plane of Bishoujos.

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:23 pm

|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:32 pm

It's national novel writing month! and yes I'm taking the opportunity to work on my stuff again.

http://www.major-arcana.net/zanaikin/20 ... ncentives/

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:15 pm



As much as I'm for supporting companies, copyrights are getting out of hand. Now how about we get some of that representation here in Corporate America <_<
|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Laharl
Overlord of the Netherworld
Overlord of the Netherworld
Posts: 2290
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:23 am
Race: Demon
Class: Tennis Player 4/Geek 5/Software Simian 2
Location: Between the keyboard and chair
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1107: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: The News Corner

Postby Laharl » Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:02 pm

Speaking of copyright and how bad it is, hit Slashdot yesterday. This is really fucking scary.


Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pron surfed, weak and weary,
Over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore',
While I clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour,
"'Tis not possible!", I muttered, "Give me back my free hardcore!
...quoth the server, 404.-Bash.org

User avatar
Zanaikin
Tsunshun
Posts: 4433
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:37 am
Race: Tofu
Class: Strategist 5/Worldforger 3/SW Engineer 5
Location: Lost in my virtual universe
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Zanaikin » Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:56 pm

|

()

"Hurrah, Warsaw's ours!" / "Hurrah, Field Marshal!" - Battle report & promotion notice between Alexander Suvorov & Catherine the Great

User avatar
Mr_Praetorian
High Lord of Ham
Posts: 3473
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 2:57 am
Race: Paragon Gelatinous Cube
Class: The Classiest
Location: Charm City
Contact:

Re: The News Corner

Postby Mr_Praetorian » Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:02 pm

It is indeed a terrifying prospect that we are looking at, gentlemen. I, for one, am not only supremely displeased, but, honestly, rather surprised. I had thought that the current US administration was on "our side" of the net neutrality debate. Look's like they're on their own side.

So much for Obama's chances with the progressive vote if this quickly spreads around, which it should.
You! Your character's build displeases me! Come to the boards for nerfing!

Active Characters:



[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1107: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Return to “General Discussions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests