The Political Discussion Thread

[Falcon Horus]

Some firecrackers...

[SoulReaver]

they were very happy

[Falcon Horus]

Now, you remind me of Jon Stewart explaining the conflict.

[Gatefan1976]

Now, you remind me of Jon Stewart explaining the conflict.

More Steve Colbert
Ae you looking forward to JS taking over CNN

[SGalisa]

It wasn't, you just happened to bring it into your reply and I used the quote... ... I stole your line.

... it *was* conveniently just sitting there for the taking.

The why--as one of my history teachers said, the basis of it started because of a family feud (between 2 countries). So, the Prince wanted to marry someone he truly loved, but she came from another country.. hence, ("God-forbid!" a) mixed marriage and not *pure* royal blood, according to his parents. Both Prince (Franz Ferdinand) and Princess (Sophie) got assassinated. Other issues got more people involved, etc., hence, WW1 began.
1914 (the beginning)

Your why is a wee bit simplified, isn't it...

I like to keep things as simple as possible, but that's not always easy to do.. It keeps the brain less cluttered.

Where? --> Austria-Hungary and Serbia

Where? Seriously, let's please not get into this.
In my grandparents *proverbial* backyard, so to speak. Grandma came from Austria-Hungary. Grandpa had Czech-Romanian ancestry roots. They both fled to America (to get away from the disastrous war zone region) somewhere between 1912-1916, or thereabouts.

Pardon me but I have to say it -- cool!

I mean, not cool that they had to flee. Just cool family history... though I don't know how much survived into your generation of where they came from and who they were as people. How they lived back then.

I kind of guessed you like it from the first *cool!*
As far as historical records? No idea. Grandma just spent hours in the kitchen and didn't say much. I don't remember what she said, when she did speak. Couldn't have been too important, or I'd remember. When Grandpa wasn't in the basement fileting (fresh) fish (which stunk to high heaven!), he was always with the guys watching the sports games on Tv and drinking beer. The other side of the world seemed to be exactly that in those days -- on the other side of the world with memories far away into their past.

I got more info about what life was like for them in their Austrian-Hungary, Russian, Czech etc. regions from visiting Ellis island, and reading the summaries of any pictures and personal belongings, etc., left to the museum, about the perils of traveling across the oceans in those years, than whatever came out of them or any of our relatives. Peasant life almost certainly, and not much money for overseas travel. The journeys of what I saw at Ellis island was just very, very sad, and partly because of the circumstances many of them were coming to American shores for.

I think grandpa worked at the boat docks along the NY river-ways once he got to America, but grandma stayed home raising her family. They lived a very simple life in America, too. Doilies on the back of furniture and on the tables.
I realized some 40 years later, those handmade doilies were very handy to keep greasy hair residue, and smelly outdoor clothing off the back of chairs.

I was very young when they both died from old age. *sigh*

I only mentioned the coincidental parallel in timelines, because of the year, not the circumstances. Current circumstances involve other countries (from Israel to Russia and the entire Middle East) for reasons different than what happened in 1914.

If you want to fulfil a prophesy, I guess the "XX"14 does not matter all that much, given enough time, you will be right, especially if others in power want to fulfil it as well.
Self fulfilling prophecies are da BESTEST!!!

I think TPTB who want to go to war (to the point of total annihilation) are crazy.
Toss (Arizona's) McCain at the top of that list, too, now. What people didn't know during the elections and are finding out now? Bizarre, scary stuff in the news. Not sure if Sarah Palin would have agreed with the whole let's support ISIL (in Syria & Iraq), if she knew it would become ISIS--or the Islamic State.

On saving the earth note----I'm not a *treehugger* ecologist, but isn't this planet suffering enough already? I mean, the constant wars in the Middle East has left the area a desert wasteland over most of it. It'd be beautiful to see what Nebuchadnezzar's (Nebbie) amazing, hanging gardens looked like.. with gently, cascading waterfalls, too, but doubt if such an item will ever be seen again in the near future, especially if these war zones just strip the land bare of nature's life, too.

Beautiful landscape pics are very relaxing visual therapy.
War zones, murders, tortures, etc., and riots are not.

And the flight recorders of MH17 confirm the plane was shot down.

Wow, TPTB actually let that info become public finally?
I heard an english translation of the original transcript on a radio program, within a few days after the plane got shot down. Whoever shot the plane down is in deep doo-doo, and hearing the transcript kind of gave that impression. The conversation had a few "Oh S---!!!" or "holy S---!!!" in it.

[Coco Pops]

Didn't say I agreed with how they did it Coco. They lied about our economic position saying it was in the crapper, but the first think Hockey did as treasurer was to raise our debt cap. Nothing says confidence in your own abilities like that kind of move
We essentially "bought our way" out of the GFC via government funded stimulus, and we will have to pay for that, but not the way we are forced to do it now. What we need now is more long term solutions in the form of new businesses and infrastructure growth and improvement, thereby creating a larger tax base to absorb the extra costs we incurred during the GFC.

Well we could have had a world class infrastructure with the NBN and fibre to the home internet.... But no that wasn't a good thing. It was hurtful to the people that back the Liberal party such as Murdoch et al.

You do realize that he owns 65% of the media in this country and is basically giving the LNP free runs in the press and not allowing his editors to print any really negative stories on the LNP..

Had we got the NBN we were promised it would have been hurtful to Foxtel of which he's a majority shareholder.

So many new jobs and businesses could have been created if we had got the NBN we were promised.

Even countries worse off then Australia have better internet.

[Coco Pops]

Didn't say I agreed with how they did it Coco. They lied about our economic position saying it was in the crapper, but the first think Hockey did as treasurer was to raise our debt cap. Nothing says confidence in your own abilities like that kind of move
We essentially "bought our way" out of the GFC via government funded stimulus, and we will have to pay for that, but not the way we are forced to do it now. What we need now is more long term solutions in the form of new businesses and infrastructure growth and improvement, thereby creating a larger tax base to absorb the extra costs we incurred during the GFC.

Well we could have had a world class infrastructure with the NBN and fibre to the home internet.... But no that wasn't a good thing. It was hurtful to the people that back the Liberal party such as Murdoch et al.

You do realize that he owns 65% of the media in this country and is basically giving the LNP free runs in the press and not allowing his editors to print any really negative stories on the LNP..

Had we got the NBN we were promised it would have been hurtful to Foxtel of which he's a majority shareholder.

So many new jobs and businesses could have been created if we had got the NBN we were promised.

Even countries worse off then Australia have better internet.

[Gatefan1976]

Well we could have had a world class infrastructure with the NBN and fibre to the home internet.... But no that wasn't a good thing. It was hurtful to the people that back the Liberal party such as Murdoch et al.

Dude!
Don't conflate what "liberalism" IS and what the -political party- uses them for. I live in an area that was serviced by the NBN folks, in fact they (Labor) made a massive deal out of it. and I have noted very little increase in service since then. In addition, when I speak of infrastructure, I also mean our roads, electrical grid, sewage and all other forms of public works. City traffic, no matter what city you live in is a JOKE out here dude, unless you live in Canberra which has fantastic roads, and no bugger to use them
Canberra roads in Melbourne or Sydney?? It's a motorists wet dream

You do realize that he owns 65% of the media in this country and is basically giving the LNP free runs in the press and not allowing his editors to print any really negative stories on the LNP..

Yes, I do, which is why I don't tend to read more than one Murdoch based news source. Echo chambers bore me.

Had we got the NBN we were promised it would have been hurtful to Foxtel of which he's a majority shareholder.

I don't agree with that assessment. If we got the NBN AND the "all you can eat" plans in data service that other countries have, then I would agree, but we do not.

So many new jobs and businesses could have been created if we had got the NBN we were promised.

Disagree again. The NBN is a highway, it allows the occasional "food stand rest stop" on it sure, but the NBN does not facilitate concrete growth in anything but info tech, a field jealeously guarded by copyrights.

Even countries worse off then Australia have better internet.

Very true, but I would prefer worse internet than a worse country.

[Coco Pops]

^^^^ You make good points Gatefan........

But I'm very anti media monopoly especially when that gives few people the power to influence government direction and policy. It goes against the spirit of democracy...

I voted independent at the last election because both major parties are not interested in the people, but big business and feathering their own beds..

[Gatefan1976]

^^^^ You make good points Gatefan........

But I'm very anti media monopoly especially when that gives few people the power to influence government direction and policy. It goes against the spirit of democracy...

Depends on what you are annoyed at dude.
Few people to directly influence governmental power could apply to "Power Peddling" that shuns the light of the media just as much as few people to report it in the media as well.

I voted independent at the last election because both major parties are not interested in the people, but big business and feathering their own beds..

I tend to vote Greens myself, but due to the general animosity towards labour over the continued leadership crap I *knew* there would be a big Liberal swing, so I voted Labour -directly- this time around. I was actually primed to vote Liberal, but I was concerned about a total whitewash for Labour.

Too much power in one group for too long is historically bad.

[Coco Pops]

HEY!!!!!!!!!!

Why do conservative governments always cut funding to health and education?

Aren't these things important at all?

I mean whenever a "conservative govt." puts out a budget health and education always get slashed....

Why is this?

[The Flyattractor]

HEY!!!!!!!!!!

Why do conservative governments always cut funding to health and education?

Aren't these things important at all?

I mean whenever a "conservative govt." puts out a budget health and education always get slashed....

Why is this?

Because at least in the US. Both the "health & education" debates are full of PORK and WASTE of money issues.

Just because POLITICIANS say they need more Money for something doesn't mean they are gonna put it to good use instead of what they really mean. LINING THEIR OWN POCKETS AND PET PROJECTS WITH IT!

[Coco Pops]

Because at least in the US. Both the "health & education" debates are full of PORK and WASTE of money issues.

Just because POLITICIANS say they need more Money for something doesn't mean they are gonna put it to good use instead of what they really mean. LINING THEIR OWN POCKETS AND PET PROJECTS WITH IT!

That seems to be a universal constant no matter where you live........

Funny how sports never gets the chop.

[The Flyattractor]

That seems to be a universal constant no matter where you live........

Funny how sports never gets the chop.

That's because Sports MAKE Money.
Whereas...
Politics only TAKE MONEY!

[jelgate]

HEY!!!!!!!!!!

Why do conservative governments always cut funding to health and education?Aren't these things important at all?

I mean whenever a "conservative govt." puts out a budget health and education always get slashed....

Why is this?

Because they don't.