All-purpose news and politics thread

[thwhtGuardian]

It's getting more and more like it everyday....

More and more like what?

[RAWroulette]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/actua...news-headlines
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[Iangould]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao calls for democratic reform in a speech in London.

Probably a lot less significant than it seems at first glance.

Edited to add: Back in the 60's Wen was considered a liberal reformer and was nearly sacked after the Tien An Men Massacre. Ever sicne he's been careful abotu toeing the party line.

The official Chinese party line is that China is a democracy but that it will gradually reform itself to be even more democratic. To put "gradually" in context: thirty years after promising free elections at the provincial level they still haven't happened. Almost 20 years after the handover of Hong Kong promised reforms to allow direct election of the Chief Executive still haven't happened.

So really, Wen is just repeating the standard political line.

There's a Party Congress later this year and the next "leadership generation" is supposed to take over the top posts next year. Previously, both events have resulted in an increase in censorship and repression

So, unfortunately we're unlikely to see any significant reforms any time soon.

Edited to add: a quick search on Xinhaunet, the Chinese government's official new ageny, suggests Wen's comments weren't reported in China.

[Iangould]

Every so often either on twitter or in real life I'll read or hear some comment "Why is the UN acting in Libya but not doing anything about Sudan?"

About that:

The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the deployment of 4,200 Ethiopian troops to Sudan’s disputed Abyei region, a move diplomats said was aimed at defusing tensions in the run-up to the southern third of the country declaring independence on July 9.

[snarkbunny]

So David Frum posted an "I was wrong about same-sex marriage" on his CNN blog.

Even when I don't agree with his opinions, I tend to find Frum well-reasoned and I give him respect for admitting his position change in public.

[Nick Soapdish]

So David Frum posted an "I was wrong about same-sex marriage" on his CNN blog.

Even when I don't agree with his opinions, I tend to find Frum well-reasoned and I give him respect for admitting his position change in public.

Likewise. I enjoy listening to him on NPR.

[Charles RB]

Northern Ireland's finance minister is looking into changing business rates so large retailers pay more and small retailers pay less, in order to support the smaller ones.

Greece's 48-hour general strike turns nasty. As we all knew it would. Not that the Greek government is likely to bow to that when they're facing running out of money in two weeks and only one deal on the table.

[Charles RB]

How does Greece compare to Argentina?

[Iangould]

Greece's 48-hour general strike turns nasty. As we all knew it would. Not that the Greek government is likely to bow to that when they're facing running out of money in two weeks and only one deal on the table.

That's what I don;t get about these protests.

What exactly is it they think the government should be doing?

[Iangould]

I'm stretching the definition of news here but I find science and tech stuff so damn fascinating:

New 3D printer prototype works using only sand and concentrated solar energy.

[snarkbunny]

I'm stretching the definition of news here but I find science and tech stuff so damn fascinating:

New 3D printer prototype works using only sand and concentrated solar energy.

I, for one, applaud the science news. I saw a segment last week on how the metal powder 3d printers work, but this is even cooler.

[Iangould]

The Netherlands vote ot ban Kosher and Halal slaughter.

This is despite the fact that:

a. importation of such meat from neighbouring countries like France and Germany will remain legal. Meaning that Dutch abbatoir works will lsoe their jobs but the same number of animal;s will be slughtered; and
b. available scientific evidence suggests religious slaughter practices actually cause less pain to animals than conventional slaughter techniques.

But, hey, so long as the religious minorities are reminded of their innate inferiority, that's the important thing.

[bringthenoise]

Is it wrong that I kinda want to go find a Dutch person to watch them squirm around explaining how this totally ISN'T Islamophobic, yo?

[Nick Soapdish]

That's what I don;t get about these protests.

What exactly is it they think the government should be doing?

I don't get it either. It must be something like the Tea Party which started during the lowest taxes in 50 years after a huge spending bill (but with nearly $300M in tax cuts) to complain that they thought that taxes were too high.

[the4thpip]

That's what I don;t get about these protests.

What exactly is it they think the government should be doing?

Some of them hold the "it's not my crisis" position, and they feel that only investment bankers, corrupt bureaucrats etc. should foot the bill.

Others are overcome with a raving at the mouth nationalism combined with denial about their own faults. It's a bit sickening to see protesters with yellow swastikas on European flag when it's EU money keeping every government service from shutting down in their country - and a large chunk of EU money come from German taxpayers like myself.

I see comments on Der Spiegel online by Greek expats in Germany who compare the international aid for their country with an invasion, who say they'd rather see their country go bankrupt than take one more cent from the Germans.

My mom had a Greek friend whom she had met at a training for French language teachers in France something like 20 years ago. They (and a black female Professor from NY State University) had really hit it off and then taken those kinds of summer trainings together several years in a row. In recent years, my mom had lent a lot of emotional support via letters and E-Mails when the Greek lady went through personal and health crises. Mom recently received an email informing her that the friendship was over because of the way Germany had shamed Greece.

I'm beginning to think that the Mediterranean diet may be advantageous for the heart, but damaging to the brain.