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_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Hi there everyone,

After a couple of requests, some consideration and my own rather curvaceous tangent on the thread for the Russian families of the school massacre… I decided to start a thread dedicated to interesting issues in the daily news (or even the daily news itself, anything news-related really… you get the idea).

I’ve done a search and while there’s hundreds of threads for individual news stories, I couldn’t find one for an ongoing discussion of what’s happening in the world around us.

I know lots of people don’t follow the news, but many do, and my opinion is that discussion on current events gives people a better understanding of nations, races and ‘humanity’, for want of a better word.

HoP is in the enviable position of having a really global audience – there can’t be many websites with regular posting members from right across the world, covering such a wide spectrum of cultures, ideas and beliefs. We have the ability to look at events from many different viewpoints, so I thought we should use it.

Anyways, I was thinking we could post, or draw attention to, some of the main stories that affect us on a daily basis…

Btw, I really don’t want this to become an America-bashing thread (or any other type of bashing). I think most of us share the view that the American government are fairly appalling at the minute, and while criticism will definitely happen, I don’t want any Americans on the site to feel victimised or that pro-Bush types feel their views aren’t valid. Try to keep all the views considered and, if possible, sourced.

So anyways, let me know what you think…

A couple of interesting stories I picked up on today were:

Indonesia has become the latest nation to join the war on terrorism following the car bomb at the Australian embassy which killed 9 people and injured 180… I heard an Indonesian government official (I think it was the spokesman for the Indonesian foreign ministry) say they are 'now ready to join the war on terror', after it was alleged the ‘militant Islamic group Jemaah Islamiah’ were responsible. (sorry, am about to leave work and couldn't find a source... will try to get it tomorrow).

Also, US secretary of state Colin Powell has declared the situation in Sudan a genocide:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3641820.stm

It seems the countries are busy arguing over the term ‘genocide’ as opposed to actually getting out there with aid and peacekeeping forces.

Anyways, I’d be interested to hear anyone’s opinions on these stories… as well as anything else you’d like to bring up…

Thanks
take care
Clare xox

Getting to the other side smile

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
This kinda thing pisses me off.

I know some people will think it was showing initiative... but I reckon it just adds to the whole culture of suspicion and lack of trust, even falling into paranoia, which has risen so dramatically over the last 10/15 years.

Don't know about you, but I find having to be suspicious of everything really exhausting.

Ebay could provide a valuable service, but thanks to clowns like this - who through their own greed con people out of money - others could be put off using the site.

I reckon people like this should be banned from using a computer (lol, unenforcable, I know).

Getting to the other side smile

ado-pGOLD Member
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland

Posted:
Some reassurance

Ebay has stated that fraud accounts for 0.01% percent of thier transactions

a

xx

Love is the law.

FabergéGOLD Member
veteran
1,459 posts
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Posted:
controversial Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh (great grandson of Vincent's brother) has been murdered in the Netherlands

read here

it's a sad day when expressing your opinion results in brutal murder frown

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely smile

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Indeed.

Martin O'Hagan, Veronica Guerin and the countless numbers of journalists around the world killed for trying to report the truth would agree.

Getting to the other side smile

Pink...?BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom

Posted:
How stupid!

I could not believe how stupid the burgler was....

Written by:

to break into a house next door to a police station, while the owner was at home

ubblol

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...

MiGGOLD Member
Self-Flagellation Expert
3,414 posts
Location: Bogged at CG, Australia

Posted:
Written by: pink...?

LINKS TO MORE SOUTHERN COUNTIES STORIES



makes me laugh more though :P

"beg beg grovel beg grovel"
"master"
--FSA

"There was an arse there, i couldn't help myself"
--Rougie

Pink...?BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom

Posted:
whats so funny about Southern counties? Or links to stories in the southern counties?

Am i just being slow again? confused

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Ok, after being excessively lazy for too long, I am going to try to start posting on this thread again... biggrin



First off, a story I heard about last week... I think it's a great idea... if you're going to have a big Dome sitting there doing nothing and costing a fortune, why not put it to good use?!

And why only at Christmas... perhaps they could extend the initiative for the whole year!

Is anyone on here helping out with the circus skills workshops?

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4085999.stm



Also, more trivial news - self-heating coffee. Don't drink the stuff myself, but I know lots of you do...

https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-12-19-self-heat_x.htm?csp=15



And finally... Belfast saw the UK's biggest ever bank robbery last night - with an estimated £20 to £30 million taken. The robbers took the manager's family hostage until they got their cash. The thing is, this story has many more angles than just a robbery. Northern Ireland is in the middle of trying to finalise a peace deal, wherein the IRA (and then the loyalists) were to hand over all their weapons. Nobody knows who carried out this robbery yet, but chances are high that it was a paramilitary group. Thing is, what chance has this peace deal got when either side hands in their weapons only to go out and buy some more?!!

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_irel...and/4114219.stm



Will try to post more later

Take care

hug

Getting to the other side smile

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Hello there peoples,

This is an update on the bank robbery saga.
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4117917.stm

This is a great article I found on the BBC website about the use of the word Xmas. It more or less disproves comments I made in another thread about taking the Christ out of Christmas, but it's very interesting... also has a beautiful picture of the statue of Jesus in Brazil.
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4097755.stm

Another great article from the BBC website (woohoo the Beeb webcrew) on the topic of censorship and 'the right to offend'
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4114497.stm

And defeating the censors:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4117059.stm
(unfortunately I couldn't find this story in any of the US online news sites I checked)

Later
xx

Getting to the other side smile

jennyannejnewbie
10 posts
Location: Cairo, Egypt

Posted:
Hiya Firepoise
I've just been browsin round the site and I really like what you are doing with the world news gig .... try searching for alterantive media on google or indymedia .........loadsa sites.

I would share some exciting interesting stories from the world but for now I don't get up to date much at the mo, constant travel and all. I'm living in Egypt for a year...probably the most open Muslim country ... it's a total different world and the entire mindset in discussing such things as Iraq etc. is really different.... a lot people that I've chatted to here have quite distinct views between Bush and the greater American public. They know the difference between a wanker leader and the rest of the population which they generally (cough cough) welcome with open arms.

It's a real eye opener being on the other side of the fence....so if I come up with some incredibly insightful commentary I'll be sure to post.

Take care and keep fighting the good fight

jen
biggrin

get up stand up

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Hellos Jen,

Lovely to hear from you.
I'm working full-time at the minute, so don't always get the time I'd like to search through all the media sites. I was involved (though not as much as I should have been) with Indymedia in NZ and they have some great articles.

But the BBC website is fantastic... always runs really great pieces (and the Guardian too). And their stance tends to be slightly less biased than their television broadcasts - I guess they can get away with more.

Hope you're having a great time travelling - Egypt must be an amazing experience - what are you doing there? And if you get the time, post some of your travelling stories!

It's really interesting to hear about the separation in views among Egyptians between Bush and the American people... how much of that is based on their experiences with tourism when contrasted with Bush's virtual war on Muslims?

Take care xx

For those of you who haven't checked out Indymedia yet, here's the link (btw, Indymedia are a global network of independent writers/reporters who try to get away from the mainstream attitude towards stories and events. There's an Indymedia centre in more or less every city - so check them out if you're interested in writing. It's published in lots of languages smile )

https://www.indymedia.org/en/index.shtml

And of course, there's the mighty Onion... I particularly like the story about weed delivery guy. I want a Father Christmas who delivers bud. biggrin

https://www.theonion.com/index.php?pre=1

Getting to the other side smile

FabergéGOLD Member
veteran
1,459 posts
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Posted:
Written by: Firepoise


And of course, there's the mighty Onion... I particularly like the story about weed delivery guy. I want a Father Christmas who delivers bud. biggrin

https://www.theonion.com/index.php?pre=1




will Mother Christmas do honey? wink

see ya on the 26th hug

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely smile

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Hehehe. Mother Christmas is even better!!! hug

A stand for women's rights and establishing the female at the centre of all goodness!!

(ahem, as I get down off that rather high soapbox)

Will be marvellous to see you sweetness... speaking of which... I'm off to buy provisions ubblol

Getting to the other side smile

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Happy Christmas to you all...

Just a wee update before I go... and yes, all the stories were chosen for comedy value today biggrin

Multi-million heist - IRA deny involvement. Best of all, a traffic warden saw the robbers do it, and the police ignored it ubblol Fools. Incidentally, this happened between 6.30 and 8.30pm in the centre of a packed city (and ten minutes down the road from where I was sitting in work frown ).
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4121407.stm

Martha Stewart criticises jail food:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4119501.stm

Texas woman clones cat (lol, texans biggrin)
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4120179.stm

Ricky Gervais to write an episode of the Simpsons:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4120569.stm

And the best of all... life is discovered on Mars!!!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1270252.htm

Take care x

Getting to the other side smile

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Well, it seems rather pointless bringing up any other news at the minute... however, there's already a thread dedicated to the disaster in SE Asia, so I'm just going to put up some email addresses for aid agencies working in the region...

Give what you can:
Care International
https://www.careinternational.org.uk/

Red Cross
https://www.ifrc.org/

Oxfam
https://www.oxfam.co.uk/

Medecins Sans Frontieres
https://www.msf.org/


Ermm...
Osama bin Laden calls for Iraqis to boycott election:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4128965.stm

Israelis arrest a Palestinian presidential candidate:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4128637.stm

Talk of peace deal in Sudan:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4125137.stm

Ecstasy prescribed for terminally ill patients?!
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=364180

Earthquake may have altered world map:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1273124.htm

Japanese rock band show beheading video at gig:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1273257.htm

Getting to the other side smile

SpitFireGOLD Member
Mand's Girl....and The Not So Shy One
2,723 posts
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada

Posted:
Regarding the Earthquake altering the world map?

As a geologist with a keen interest in earthquake geology? I agree with Stuart Sipkin, who said the islands would have moved more in the vertical direction, than horizontal.

I'm basing this off of a measurement of the quake called the Moment Tensor, which helps determine quake magnitued. The Moment Tensor also gives an indication of the type of motion along the fault, along with the trend of the fault.

In this case, the fault was a plate boundary....and the plate boundary is a subduction zone, where the India plate is moving, or thrusting over the Burma plate. The quake occurred very close to a triple junction, which is where three plates meet, and the third plate is the Australia plate, which is also thrusting over the Burma plate.

The Moment tensor showed almost pure thrust movement, meaning vertical movement along the fault. There was a slight horizontal, or strike slip component, but not much of one, and I doubt enough of one to account for the 20 to 36 meters of horizontal slip some people claim.

I could be wrong, but I would like to see more accurate readings from the region before saying islands shifted 20 meteres horizontally. WE certainly don't know everythign there is to know about quakes, so it's possible that those reports are correct, but I want hard, reproducable evidence. wink

Sorry...I kind of get into GEOLOGY GIRL GEEK moments.

Solitude sometimes speaks to you, and you should listen.

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Ohhhh. Superb. I had no idea, tis always good to have someone who actually knows what they're talking about give an opinion biggrin .... any other facts of geological relevance? I mean, what are the chances of another quake in the same area?

Getting to the other side smile

Pink...?BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom

Posted:
Do you think anything else (any other plates or such) will be effected by the earthquake? You did say it was near where 3 plates met would that have any effect on that?

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...

SpitFireGOLD Member
Mand's Girl....and The Not So Shy One
2,723 posts
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada

Posted:
That area is very active, geologically speaking. There are a series of plates in that region, so lots of plate boundaries.

A lot of pressure was released with that earthquake, so the segment of plate boundary that broke, causing the quake, shouldn't see a huge quake for a while. How long? Hard to say. I don't have enough information on that fault, or the geology of the area.

Will that earthquake put pressure on other faults, probably. How will those other faults react? We don't generally know, though there have been studies focusing on howa release of pressure in one fault block may add pressure to another.

The faults inland of the major plate boundary tend to be either strike - slip faults or normal faults. These can have significantly large quakes on them, but generally nothing the size of megathrusts. I think all, or nearly all of the magnitude 9 and above quakes have all been on thrust faults, or subduction plate boundaries (which are thrust faults...but not all thrust faults are plate boundaries).

I can explain this stuff much better in person, when I can draw pictures and such...and I am a sucker for geology stuff...it's SOO easy for me to slip into GEOGIRLGEEK mode.

Solitude sometimes speaks to you, and you should listen.

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
There's been a few stories recently I wanted to flag up... but I've been a bit busy/lazy biggrin

Anyways,
Non-paid overtime. Evil, unfair and rather upsetting... but a decent article:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4149835.stm

And something that really shocked me today. A 13-year-old boy convicted of drink driving. Christ. I have a huge problem with anyone stupid enough to drive drunk or wasted - but a 13-year-old?!
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4151687.stm

Getting to the other side smile

Pink...?BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom

Posted:
This came across as really interesting, but not quite sure if i would call it ethically correct
About "Volunteers are to undergo torture to see if faith eases pain"
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4167565.stm

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...

vanizeSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,899 posts
Location: Austin, Texas, USA

Posted:
"Volunteers are to undergo torture to see if faith eases pain"

it does - trust me.

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!

spritieSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA

Posted:
I don'tunderstand how having religious faith and looking at a picture of the virgin mary or the crucifix (which are quoted in the article) would ease pain though. Maybe it's just that I've never had any type of religious faith so my understanding is flawed?

Vanize, what's you experience since you think it does?
vanizeSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,899 posts
Location: Austin, Texas, USA

Posted:
I have faith that my burns from fire performing will not scar or leave permanent damage, and now burns do not hurt even a tenth of what they used to. ok, so maybe you say I've just gotten used to it - but that is a faith too in a way.

In the end, pain is only a feedback system from your body - having something to distract you shunts that feedback to a lesser roll. and knowing that the pain is of no real consequence (from faith, experience, or both) is another way to shunt the pain from the main channels of thought.

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!

ado-pGOLD Member
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland

Posted:
i agree,

i broke the pain barrier once and came out the other side.

one of the mre incredible experiences of my life.

a

Love is the law.

nearly_all_goneSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom

Posted:
I don't know about breaking the pain barrier but getting the base of my spine tattooed, right in the knot of muscles there, was the most intense experience of my life. And I had a few hours to contemplate what it was to be in physical pain, and I think I came to a kind of understanding with it. I couldn't move during the tat (obviously) and I couldn't speak because the guy was behind me and the needle was noisy.

I don't think I've really felt pain since, and it was over a year ago now. Perhaps I'm just avoiding it though, but I think it certainly pushed my threshold up a bit.

Nothing to do with fiath but goes to show how much self-control your mind has, even in a situation like that where you're not under threat.

What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau

spritieSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA

Posted:
explained that way, I completely agree.

I don't necessarily think faith needs to play into the picture though, as your body responds similarly even when it isn't religious based. For instance,just look at the calming techniques used on pregnant women in labor. They deal with that and in my opinion there is nothing more severe.
ado-pGOLD Member
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland

Posted:
so i guess it is possible that if a person believes that god is helping them that indeed it will make a difference...

anything that focuses your mind will help in the end.

Love is the law.

babajagaBRONZE Member
old hand
863 posts
Location: Berlin, Germany

Posted:
that's it pain is a cognition and can be influenced by cognitions no matter where they come from

What is psychology?- Looking for a black cat in a dark room. What is psychoanalysis? Psychoanalysis is looking for a black cat in a dark room -- in which there is no cat -- but finding one anyway.

_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

Posted:
Wow. People posting in the news thread. Hellos hug



I think this may be one of those scientific experiments that proves something we already know...



I don't have a religious faith, but I am surrounded by people who do, and can see the strength they take from their faith in the pyschological sense... it's why many people turn to god in times of trouble.



It stands to reason that belief in a faith which soothes the pain of a trauma or death will also soothe physical pain, beyond the barrier of those without that faith.



The unexplored and amazing power of the mind biggrin



PS: Oh... and for an experiment of this nature already in existence... walking over hot coals ubblol

Getting to the other side smile

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