• Welcome to BellGab.com Archive.
 

Recent World News

Started by Marc.Knight, October 02, 2010, 08:27:04 PM

I get my news updates from...

TV
0 (0%)
MSNBC.com
3 (4.3%)
FOXNEWS.com
16 (22.9%)
CNN.com
3 (4.3%)
George Noory
10 (14.3%)
Other source
38 (54.3%)

Total Members Voted: 70



http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4248521/Inventor-of-iconic-Commodore-64-Jack-Tramiel-dies-aged-83-after-making-his-mark-as-the-business-foe-of-Steve-Jobs.html

The inventor of the Commodore 64 has died. 

So now I am contemplating mortality in 64K or less.

So long, Jack. You did good. If you see Steve Jobs, give him an astral wedgie from the Commodore 64 Army.


Oversoul

:o     Irish Priest Accidentally Flashes Gay Porn During First Communion Meeting
Check it out at this site: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/04/irish-priest-accidentally-flashes-gay-porn-during-first-communion-meeting/    ;D

at first i am thinking, wow... what a way to knock a corps collective dick in the dirt.
then i read all the numbers near the end of the article.
now i am thinking, wow... what a way to knock a corps collective dick in the dirt.      8)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304070304577396470142982532.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

ziznak

LOL I watched some documentary by the BBC ... i forget what it was called but yeah... the catholic church in Ireland is going the way of the "DOH!-DOH!" bird as of late...

slipstream

Indonesia: Muslims Attack Christians With Stones And Bags Of Urine
A mob of Islamic hard-liners threw stones and bags of urine at the HKBP Filadelphia congreagation of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, at an Ascension Day service on Thursday. Police tried to stop the mob of some 300 people, but were also attacked, according to reports.
Article continued from Fox News

slipstream

Church Row a ‘Dark Time’ for Aceh
Banda Aceh. Another Christian house of worship has been sealed off in Aceh Singkil district, bringing the total since last week to 17 and marking a new low for religious intolerance in the staunchly Muslim province, a rights group said on Wednesday.
Articled continued from Jakarta Globe

slipstream

No Model for Muslim Democracy
IT is fashionable these days for Western leaders to praise Indonesia as a model Muslim democracy. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has declared, “If you want to know whether Islam, democracy, modernity and women’s rights can coexist, go to Indonesia.” And last month Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, lauded Indonesia for showing that “religion and democracy need not be in conflict.”
Articled continued written by Andreas Harsono published by N.Y. Times

Frys Girl

Asia is a mess. I'm so glad to be American.

JohnnieB

Quote from: Frys Girl on May 25, 2012, 06:26:30 AM
Asia is a mess. I'm so glad to be American.

Our country, America, has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the Western world. Approximately 48 million Americans are on the food stamp program. Millions of Americans are not on any health care program, and face a living hell if they ever fall ill. Millions are out of work. Five out of ten American children (and their families) live well below the poverty line - many in squalor. Hundreds of thousands of Americans reside in tent cities. Our urban crime rate is appalling. Many of our inner cities resemble bombed out Beirut. Racism and hatred abounds in this country, thanks to the divisive organized religious cults that thrive here. Many Americans need to pull their heads out of the sand and take a good look around them at what this country of ours has become.

Our America is not the be-all and end-all of the world's nations. We have a hell of a long way to go.

Marc.Knight

Quote from: slipstream on May 24, 2012, 09:23:41 PM
Indonesia: Muslims Attack Christians With Stones And Bags Of Urine
A mob of Islamic hard-liners threw stones and bags of urine at the HKBP Filadelphia congreagation of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, at an Ascension Day service on Thursday. Police tried to stop the mob of some 300 people, but were also attacked, according to reports.
Article continued from Fox News




Imagine having to wipe the residue off your hands from stones, urine and other people's blood on your prayer cloth before you utter sweet prayers in the name of Salaam.


Frys Girl

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Many Americans need to pull their heads out of the sand and take a good look around them at what this country of ours has become.

Our America is not the be-all and end-all of the world's nations. We have a hell of a long way to go.
I won't argue with that. However, what I like about America is that our individual rights are respected, at least in theory.


I have the opportunity to get to where I want, to BUY health insurance and food. As an immigrant, I can tell you that America is paved with gold. If you are too blind to see it, then I'm sorry.

b_dubb

Quote from: Frys Girl on May 25, 2012, 02:53:55 PMAs an immigrant, I can tell you that America is paved with gold. If you are too blind to see it, then I'm sorry.

+1 for telling it like it is. A lot of us have gotten soft. People forget that you don't go out and buy your dreams in a store. They don't come express delivery to your house. You have to go out and bust your ass all day everyday. And it takes a lifetime.

The General

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Our country, America, has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the Western world.

It's less than 3%.  Those are pretty much just the people that choose illiteracy.

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Approximately 48 million Americans are on the food stamp program.

And it's a 70% increase since 2007.  I guess that's the "hope" part of hope and change.  Those in power wish we were all on food stamps.  The more dependent we are on the government, the more powerful the government is. 

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Millions of Americans are not on any health care program, and face a living hell if they ever fall ill.

This has always been true, and always will be true.  Health Care ain't a right.

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Millions are out of work. Five out of ten American children (and their families) live well below the poverty line - many in squalor.

Five out of ten live below the poverty line?  It's more like 15% and those below the poverty line are living like kings compared to many corners of the world.  Even compared to Mexico, which is why they all want to come here.

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Hundreds of thousands of Americans reside in tent cities.

It's actually estimated at 5000.  In some countries, everybody lives in a tent.

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/5000_Homeless_Americans_Live_in_Tent_Cities_120214

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Our urban crime rate is appalling. Many of our inner cities resemble bombed out Beirut.

It's largely a problem of fatherless inner city gangster children, if you get my drift.  Which brings us to...

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Racism and hatred abounds in this country, thanks to the divisive organized religious cults that thrive here.

America is the best example of a working melting pot on earth.  I'm sick of being told how racist America is, go check out what's going on in the rest of the world and you'll kiss the fucking ground when you return.

Quote from: JohnnieB on May 25, 2012, 08:29:03 AM
Many Americans need to pull their heads out of the sand and take a good look around them at what this country of ours has become.

Our America is not the be-all and end-all of the world's nations. We have a hell of a long way to go.

I think the head in the ass is on your neck. 

HAL 9000

Quote from: The General on May 25, 2012, 10:43:18 PMI think the head in the ass is on your neck.

When I read the original post, I too, found numerous factual errors - and then double-checked for accuracy. I'm so glad you posted, as it saved me a ton of time. I'm not a fan of "pull-the-statistics-out-of-your-ass" posting.

Frys Girl

Quote from: b_dubb on May 25, 2012, 04:25:09 PM
+1 for telling it like it is. A lot of us have gotten soft. People forget that you don't go out and buy your dreams in a store. They don't come express delivery to your house. You have to go out and bust your ass all day everyday. And it takes a lifetime.
you are very wise. thanks for the support.

Frys Girl

Quote from: HAL 9000 on May 25, 2012, 11:22:44 PM
When I read the original post, I too, found numerous factual errors - and then double-checked for accuracy. I'm so glad you posted, as it saved me a ton of time. I'm not a fan of "pull-the-statistics-out-of-your-ass" posting.
Unfortunately, his view is all too common these days. That's why I said Americans need to pull their heads out of their asses...... ehem..... HIS head. This country is still the best place to live. I have been offered work (and will be in the future) abroad.... let's just say they pay a mint..... I refuse. My freedom, privacy, and family are too important to me.

onan

Several months ago my life changed and many of the debates here seemed meaningless to me, hence my absence. I still find most of the arguments much less important than how it would be much better to respect each other and be reasonable with everyone. I know, fantasy, right?

But to the issue of how we are as a society does have some ugly truths. What was posted by Johnnieb wasn't all pulled out of an ass shared by a head and or neck.


The NAAL (National Assessment of Adult Literacy) administered tests which revealed that an estimated 14% of US residents would have extreme difficulty with reading and written comprehension. These people can legally be defined as illiterate. This could lead to numerous problems for these people now and in the future. When looking to apply for a job, there are forms that have to be filled out. Adults with literacy issues are unable to fill out these forms which decrease their chances of getting a job and raises unemployment issues.

According to international charts has a literacy rate of 21.8%. Education completion among males and females is drastically low. There are six years of primary level education and seven years of secondary level education offered. The United States requires six years of primary level education and seven years of secondary level education.

Greenland has fallen in the number one spot for literacy rates which is defined as anyone over the age of fifteen years old that can read and write. Both males and females have are at 100% literacy. In the US, adults with a high level of literacy are at 19%, a low level of literacy are at 49.6% and a moderate level of literacy at 31.4%. That difference in literacy rates are outstanding.

When compared with international figures, out of 205 rated countries, the US falls into the 27th slot of 205. While this isn't a dangerous place to be in, we need to research what it is countries such as Greenland, Luxembourg and Norway are doing differently. Perhaps there is something within our school system that we can alter to better accommodate students with literacy problems and prevent future issues.

According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, there were 643,067 sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons nationwide as of January 2009. Additionally, about 1.56 million people used an emergency shelter or a transitional housing program during the 12-month period between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009.

Another 2.6 million people slipped into poverty in the United States last year, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday, and the number of Americans living below the official poverty line, 46.2 million people, was the highest number in the 52 years the bureau has been publishing figures on it.


crime rate, racism et. al. are for pandering on both sides of the aisle.



onan

Oh and to the point of healthcare isn't a right... wow just fuckin wow. My wife and I have fairly good bcbs policies... supposedly. Tell me why I have over 20,000 dollars in medical costs then? Medical insurance in this country is a joke or a crime... you decide. I won't go into the details because my wife has asked me to not share details. I am probably going too far with this post. But to callously say healthcare isn't a right as if one doesn't have it... screw em. well that makes me wanna scream.

Eddie Coyle

Quote from: onan on May 29, 2012, 02:00:33 PM
Oh and to the point of healthcare isn't a right... wow just fuckin wow. My wife and I have fairly good bcbs policies... supposedly. Tell me why I have over 20,000 dollars in medical costs then? Medical insurance in this country is a joke or a crime... you decide.
IMO, it's a crime. Education and health, probably the two most vital components of a society,are two reasons I've become more "socialistic" with age. That Springsteen line from "Atlantic City" about "debts no honest man can pay" becomes more true by the hour...

Marc.Knight

Quote from: onan on May 29, 2012, 01:49:48 PM
...we need to research what it is countries such as Greenland, Luxembourg and Norway are doing differently. Perhaps there is something within our school system that we can alter to better accommodate students with literacy problems and prevent future issues.


DISCIPLINE.

Frys Girl

Quote from: onan on May 29, 2012, 02:00:33 PM
Oh and to the point of healthcare isn't a right... wow just fuckin wow. My wife and I have fairly good bcbs policies... supposedly. Tell me why I have over 20,000 dollars in medical costs then? Medical insurance in this country is a joke or a crime... you decide. I won't go into the details because my wife has asked me to not share details. I am probably going too far with this post. But to callously say healthcare isn't a right as if one doesn't have it... screw em. well that makes me wanna scream.
I hope you and your wife are both feeling better. I'm not opposed to health care reform, and what scares me about Obama's reform is that the healthcare companies are the ones who stand to benefit the most. The level of care and what will be covered do not change much!


I am sick of irresponsible, lazy people whose habits or lack of habits impact my costs. That sounds selfish, but to say that it is a right makes it seem OK for people to abuse their bodies. I am also shocked at how much GOOD care like ultrasound (it's got many other uses than looking for a fetus!) is not covered by health care companies.


American culture just seems to breed so much obesity, smoking, and inactivity. If that doesn't change, I don't seem the health care going anywhere toward Universal coverage.

The General

Quote from: onan on May 29, 2012, 02:00:33 PM
Oh and to the point of healthcare isn't a right... wow just fuckin wow. My wife and I have fairly good bcbs policies... supposedly. Tell me why I have over 20,000 dollars in medical costs then? Medical insurance in this country is a joke or a crime... you decide. I won't go into the details because my wife has asked me to not share details. I am probably going too far with this post. But to callously say healthcare isn't a right as if one doesn't have it... screw em. well that makes me wanna scream.

In the entire history of humanity, people get sick and they die.  We can't change that.  It's always been true.  That's the end result for all of us.  In the last hundred years, we've made some amazing medical progress in extending people's lives.  But it is expensive.  If it were to be given out for free, then it would never be researched and brought to market.  Yes, our health care industry is a mess, so is every other facet of our civilization.  People get sick and that will never change.  Those with more money, more access to care, and better health habits have the obvious advantage.  It's not fair, but neither is life.  Why should it be fair?

If health care is a right, so is food.  It makes no sense to tax the living daylights out of ourselves and then say that we get 'free' healthcare.  I'm sorry for anyone's situation where they can't afford the level of care that they think they deserve, but there are a lot of reasons for that.  The FDA has made bringing drugs to market prohibitively expensive.  Out of control lawyers and their class action lawsuits have driven up prices of healthcare and medicine all across the board.  Unions in the healthcare field have driven up wages more than the market can bear.  Exorbitant costs of medical school leaves doctors in such debt that they have to charge ungodly amounts of money in order to ever expect to pay off their debts in their lifetime.  Unpaid medical bills by the poor and by illegal immigrants drives up the cost of care for all the rest of us. 

Our healthcare mess is just a symptom of our overall societal mess.  We are collapsing.  So every facet of our society is collapsing.  We are Rome, and all we can do is say that we live in interesting times.  It will not be fixed.  It will get worse until we heave our last breath and tyranny rushes in to fill the vacuum.    Sorry, but that's the way I see it.  It's not out of callousness, it's a reality check.

Juan

Remember that food stamps began not as a public welfare program, but in the Senate Agriculture Committee.  The idea was that if more people could buy food, farmers could sell more crops.  Thus, food stamps are a corporate welfare program for ADM, Monsanto, etc,, not for the po' folks.

As for illiteracy, I worked in broadcast news for may years.  The younguns now can't write their way out of a wet paper bag.  True story - I once sent an anchor an email about a story she had written.  "Avoid cliches like the plague," I said. "They're a dime a dozen."  She fired back, "I didn't write anything about a plague."  So much for subtlety.

onan

Quote from: The General on May 29, 2012, 06:56:38 PM
    Sorry, but that's the way I see it.  It's not out of callousness, it's a reality check.

Health care costs are high for so many other reasons than what you post. First off there are fewer malpractice law suits now than 10 years ago. Yes medical school in this country is very expensive but not so in many European countries. Their costs are a fraction of ours. Doctors in many European countries are paid significantly less than here. Two Hospitals in my area are building 60+ million dollar lobbies filled with extravagant art. Medical care should never have become a for profit enterprise in this country and the fuckers that turned that horse should be tortured then keelhauled.

The fact that the poor supposedly cost so much is because they have to wait until a condition becomes emergent before treatment and that is close to 10x the cost of prevention.

If your premise is we all get sick and we all die then why go to a doctor at all? Primary medical care isn't expensive compared to emergent care. Yes pharmaceutical companies bone us in this country... funny how the same meds in Europe are much less expensive. Most likely because the government isn't bought off like here... but I digress. The simple fact is preventative health care in the overall will be less costly than waiting for the emergency room. But that seems to escape most people's grasp.

We spend more money of defense than the next 5 super powers combined... some of that would go a long way in financing a better health system. And before anyone bemoans the cost of medicaid and medicare be aware the cost to run those programs is close to 27% less than our medical insurance companies.

As far as food being a right... many children go hungry in this country every day. World wide ~20000 starve to death every day. But I guess that is ok. I mean because it has always been that way.


The General

Missed you Onan.  Glad you're back.

blackshap9

Quote from: The General on May 29, 2012, 06:56:38 PM
In the entire history of humanity, people get sick and they die.  We can't change that.  It's always been true.  That's the end result for all of us.  In the last hundred years, we've made some amazing medical progress in extending people's lives.  But it is expensive.  If it were to be given out for free, then it would never be researched and brought to market.  Yes, our health care industry is a mess, so is every other facet of our civilization.  People get sick and that will never change.  Those with more money, more access to care, and better health habits have the obvious advantage.  It's not fair, but neither is life.  Why should it be fair?

If health care is a right, so is food.  It makes no sense to tax the living daylights out of ourselves and then say that we get 'free' healthcare.  I'm sorry for anyone's situation where they can't afford the level of care that they think they deserve, but there are a lot of reasons for that.  The FDA has made bringing drugs to market prohibitively expensive.  Out of control lawyers and their class action lawsuits have driven up prices of healthcare and medicine all across the board.  Unions in the healthcare field have driven up wages more than the market can bear.  Exorbitant costs of medical school leaves doctors in such debt that they have to charge ungodly amounts of money in order to ever expect to pay off their debts in their lifetime.  Unpaid medical bills by the poor and by illegal immigrants drives up the cost of care for all the rest of us. 

Our healthcare mess is just a symptom of our overall societal mess.  We are collapsing.  So every facet of our society is collapsing.  We are Rome, and all we can do is say that we live in interesting times.  It will not be fixed.  It will get worse until we heave our last breath and tyranny rushes in to fill the vacuum.    Sorry, but that's the way I see it.  It's not out of callousness, it's a reality check.

“When we talk about settling the world's problems, we're barking up the wrong tree. The world is perfect. It's a mess. It has always been a mess. We are not going to change it. Our job is to straighten out our own lives.”

Joseph Campbell


Barack Obama, JD, US President, US Senator (D-IL) and presidential candidate at the time of the quotation, stated during the Oct. 7, 2008 presidential debate in Nashville, TN, moderated by Tom Brokaw of NBC News:

    "...I think it [health care] should be a right for every American. In a country as wealthy as ours, for us to have people who are going bankrupt because they can't pay their medical bills -- for my mother to die of cancer at the age of 53 and have to spend the last months of her life in the hospital room arguing with insurance companies because they're saying that this may be a pre-existing condition and they don't have to pay her treatment, there's something fundamentally wrong about that."

    Oct. 7, 2008 - Barack Obama, JD

Marc.Knight

This is anti-male shit gone bat-shit crazy.  "...he was told a female customer had complained about his presence in the children’s section".  ... FUCK HER! 

Arizona doctor who was thrown out of a Barnes & Noble bookstore because he was alone in the children’s section

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/05/arizona-doctor-ousted-from-barnes-and-noble-for-being-alone-in-children-section/

onan

Quote from: M. Knight on June 05, 2012, 11:41:22 AM
This is anti-male shit gone bat-shit crazy.  "...he was told a female customer had complained about his presence in the children’s section".  ... FUCK HER! 

Arizona doctor who was thrown out of a Barnes & Noble bookstore because he was alone in the children’s section

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/05/arizona-doctor-ousted-from-barnes-and-noble-for-being-alone-in-children-section/

I am sure many Arabs at airports feel the same way.

This is what pandering does, creates an overblown sense of concern. This time from some goo-head with no sense.

Many years ago I punished my son with a swat on the ass. I sent him back outside to apologize. Two women walking by asked him why he was crying. He said "my dad spanked me." An anonymous 800 number was called and I had a DSS case worker and 4 Highway patrolman at my door the next day. I was told it was obviously not a case of abuse. BUT, the case would remain open for 90 days. Then if no other reports it would be expunged. I contacted an attourney. I was told that even though over 80 percent of reports were unfounded public safety overruled my complaint.

So the goo-heads win.

MV/Liberace!

Quote from: onan on June 05, 2012, 12:35:54 PM
Many years ago I punished my son with a swat on the ass. I sent him back outside to apologize. Two women walking by asked him why he was crying. He said "my dad spanked me." An anonymous 800 number was called and I had a DSS case worker and 4 Highway patrolman at my door the next day.


only in america... land of the free. 


what a fucking joke this country has become.  i do not want to raise my child in this country.  if i knew how i'd make a living there, my wife and i would be on a plane to morocco tomorrow.  the scenario you described above could never happen there.

Frys Girl

Quote from: onan on June 05, 2012, 12:35:54 PM
I am sure many Arabs at airports feel the same way.

This is what pandering does, creates an overblown sense of concern. This time from some goo-head with no sense.

Many years ago I punished my son with a swat on the ass. I sent him back outside to apologize. Two women walking by asked him why he was crying. He said "my dad spanked me." An anonymous 800 number was called and I had a DSS case worker and 4 Highway patrolman at my door the next day. I was told it was obviously not a case of abuse. BUT, the case would remain open for 90 days. Then if no other reports it would be expunged. I contacted an attourney. I was told that even though over 80 percent of reports were unfounded public safety overruled my complaint.

So the goo-heads win.
Amazing what cowards Americans have become. I saw an episode of 48 hours in which a woman who escaped a home robbery (children and women were being attacked, shot, and raped by two men) could not get ANYONE to help her in her neighborhood. She was screaming and banging on doors up and down the street.


This took place in the "heartland," Missouri. Here is the video. I warn you, it is heartbreaking.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7409066n&tag=cbsnewsMainColumnArea.0

Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod