Random Thoughts (Political Edition)

[jayhawk]

Well, why not. Good for stories, news, gripes, cheers and jeers in the political spectrum, be it local, national or international.

American Secretary of State Clinton, in a gesture to ease Russian-American political tensions, gave the Russians a box with a big button on it, with the words "reset" spelled in Russian. You know, hit the button to reset the political climate, right?
Some doofus in the State Department instead used the word "overcharge" on the box.

Still, nothing tops George H.W. Bush puking on Japans Prime Minister.

[Crazyjeeper]

+ YouTube Video

[Firecat]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

Well, why not. Good for stories, news, gripes, cheers and jeers in the political spectrum, be it local, national or international.

I'm down with it. A lot of times I want to post something but don't think a new thread is worth it.

[wooflepoof]

like how ironically funny this motivational is.

[tigger]

Speaking of US-Russia relations, what do you guys think of the whole diplomatic mess it is right now?

[ViperVX]

Originally Posted by tigger

Speaking of US-Russia relations, what do you guys think of the whole diplomatic mess it is right now?

I have no idea why US wants to "Reset" or develop diplomatic relations with Russia. Unless they want help (again) with Afganistan and/or probable war with Iran and Pakistan with the involvement of Israel.

Also my university professor said, that the US (as well as EU) are afraid of the finalisation of SCO (The Shanghai Cooperation Organization) which is bound to be an economical, and possibly also a military organisation of the East, which, with memberships from China, Russia (Pakistan and Iran in a very near future and India along the way) and their surroundings will somewhat match the NATO in military, WTO in economical aspects, as it will combine more than a half of the world's population.

What US should be doing, IMO, in current economical and political situation is dropping the "protectorate" of Taiwan, and forming a stronger Bond with China, as clearly China will be the N1 State of 21st Century, but so far US only managed to make things a little bit worse, if you include the latest "accident" in international waters.

P.S. BTW i hope i am wrong, and people probably won't agree with me on it, but i feel like the 3rd World War is coming our way.

[Twerp128]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

American Secretary of State Clinton, in a gesture to ease Russian-American political tensions, gave the Russians a box with a big button on it, with the words "reset" spelled in Russian. You know, hit the button to reset the political climate, right?
Some doofus in the State Department instead used the word "overcharge" on the box.

What the Hell is that, it sounds like something my mother would come up with. Let's send Iran some chocolates, and a, "Hey baby," letter.

[teeb]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

Still, nothing tops George H.W. Bush puking on Japans Prime Minister.

I don't know, I'm really fond of "Teetotal" Sarkozy after meeting then-President Putin.

[Twerp128]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sun-Times

WASHINGTON--A very cautious reaction to President Obama's call for teacher merit pay from Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers,

"As with any public policy, the devil is in the details, and it is important that teachers' voices are heard as we implement the president's vision. The AFT stands ready to work with the president to make America the leader in public education."

Translation, "We say we support you, because it is in our best interests to say that. But do not for one minute think we will take pay or benefits cuts, we cut art class for our holiday bonus and we have stubbornness only second to the UAW."

More merit to Obama for someone finally taking on the teacher's union but come on Obama is it really a smart idea to triple education spending in the biggest recession in 60 years!

[avanti]

holy shit!

+ YouTube Video

[Dogbert]

Originally Posted by Twerp128

More merit to Obama for someone finally taking on the teacher's union but come on Obama is it really a smart idea to triple education spending in the biggest recession in 60 years!

Maybe not triple, but I'm a huge supporter of not making education cuts in favor of other things. There are a lot of things we could forego in lieu of half-assing a child's education.

[Twerp128]

I think the problem is the education budget is pretty poorly managed. I know in Indiana if a school system doesn't use all of it's budget for a period it gets reevaluated and a smaller budget for next period. So at the beginning of the school year some schools may be strapped for cash while they stock up supplies. But at the end of the year they're buying tons of non-essentials just to make sure they get the same budget come next year. The system would be more efficient if Rube Goldberg wrote it.

[jetsetter]

George Galloway stoned in Egypt

A convoy led by the maverick MP George Galloway carrying supplies for Gaza has been attacked in Egypt, apparently injuring several people travelling in his party.

The convoy, carrying aid worth £1 million, was pelted with stones and vandalised with anti-Hamas slogans after it stopped overnight in El-Arish, a small town around 28 miles from the Rafah border crossing with Gaza.

The attack comes weeks after Mr Galloway, of the Respect party, described Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak as a "tyrant" and "criminal" and demanded that he be overthrown by his country's armed forces.

Mr Galloway's party confirmed that Egyptian officials had also become embroiled in a dispute with the party over what type of goods they would be allowed to take into the territory through the Rafah crossing.

They were due to cross over into the Hamas-run territory today, but were so far believed to have been detained at Rafah this morning for more than an hour.

The biggest attack faced so far by the the 110-vehicle convoy, organised and led by the MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, came after it arrived in El-Arish on Saturday.

During a power cut – which is a frequent occurrence in the town – children had pelted the convoy with stones, a security official said.

"It's an absolute disgrace,'' convoy organiser Yvonne Ridley told the AFP news agency. "The power was cut. Under cover of darkness members of our convoy were attacked with stones.

"Vandals also wrote dirty words and anti-Hamas slogans. Several people in the convoy were injured in the attack."

The convoy had been held up in El-Arish after a dispute arose between organisers and Egyptian officials over the inclusion of non-medical aid in the convoy.

Egyptian officials have said that they will allow medical relief through the Rafah passage to Gaza, which is facing a humanitarian crisis after Israel’s military offensive. However, non-medical goods such as food will have to pass through Israel's crossings with the Palestinian enclave.

"George Galloway is still in negotiations," said Ms Ridley. "What we have agreed to do is to separate the medical aid from the non-medical aid. The non-medical will go into Gaza via the Egyptian Red Crescent."

Mr Galloway's convoy was braced for some hostility in Egypt after the Respect MP earlier this year called for its President to be overthrown in a highly controversial speech at a rally protesting Israel's assault on the Islamist militants of Hamas.

"There are many governments responsible for this great crime in Palestine, but the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak is jointly responsible for the murder of every Palestinian who has died in these last two years," he said.

"When he [Mubarak] was embracing Livni [the Israeli Foreign Minister] as the bombs were falling, when he locked the border at Rafah, he became an international criminal and an outlaw of the Arab world.

"So I call, in conclusion, on the great people of Egypt, on the heroic armed forces of Egypt, and the heroic army of Egypt of 1973, to rise up and sweep away this tyrant Mubarak.

"To rise up, to rise up, and to demolish the border at Rafah and let the people go free."

The trip also ran into controversy when it was disclosed last month that three men, who police sources alleged were preparing to use the convoy as cover to leave the country and carry out terror attacks abroad, were arrested by police.

The men were all later released without charge.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5872129.ece

Hahahahah.

I hate George Galloway and it seems like many in Egypt know also hate him. I'm sure he will blame the Egyptian government but I don't think that is the truth.

[Jacobfox]

That dickhead got what he deserved. What was in his supply convoy? Pipes and scrap metal for more rockets?

[freeferrarisdonotexist]

Originally Posted by ViperVX

P.S. BTW i hope i am wrong, and people probably won't agree with me on it, but i feel like the 3rd World War is coming our way.

I sometimes feel that as well, however, it is still not in any way certain. The world is chaotic, always has been, it's just when the chaos starts fighting amongst it's creators...

On a lighter note, if it is, my Beetle will still run and you will be forced to pay all your valuables to me in exchange for transport.

[Hidden_Hunter]

Originally Posted by Twerp128

I think the problem is the education budget is pretty poorly managed. I know in Indiana if a school system doesn't use all of it's budget for a period it gets reevaluated and a smaller budget for next period. So at the beginning of the school year some schools may be strapped for cash while they stock up supplies. But at the end of the year they're buying tons of non-essentials just to make sure they get the same budget come next year. The system would be more efficient if Rube Goldberg wrote it.

Sounds like pretty much every government organisation, it's amazing how many projects for things like new paths at the office are approved before the end of the financial year

[tigger]

Originally Posted by ViperVX

I have no idea why US wants to "Reset" or develop diplomatic relations with Russia. Unless they want help (again) with Afganistan and/or probable war with Iran and Pakistan with the involvement of Israel.

Also my university professor said, that the US (as well as EU) are afraid of the finalisation of SCO (The Shanghai Cooperation Organization) which is bound to be an economical, and possibly also a military organisation of the East, which, with memberships from China, Russia (Pakistan and Iran in a very near future and India along the way) and their surroundings will somewhat match the NATO in military, WTO in economical aspects, as it will combine more than a half of the world's population.

What US should be doing, IMO, in current economical and political situation is dropping the "protectorate" of Taiwan, and forming a stronger Bond with China, as clearly China will be the N1 State of 21st Century, but so far US only managed to make things a little bit worse, if you include the latest "accident" in international waters.

P.S. BTW i hope i am wrong, and people probably won't agree with me on it, but i feel like the 3rd World War is coming our way.

I don't know of anyone here who gives the idea of the SCO any chance of success. Definitely not in the short term, anyway. We will definitely see a more powerful China, India and Russia over the next few decades though. And I think that as long as we can keep diplomatic relations normal, and not get stuck on issues such as Iran's nuclear proliferation, we'll be alright. As far as WWIII goes at least.

As far as talking to Russia, it all seems to be about Iran. At the moment we're (more or less) publicly talking to Russia and Syria about stopping Iranian proliferation.

[ViperVX]

Originally Posted by tigger

I don't know of anyone here who gives the idea of the SCO any chance of success. Definitely not in the short term, anyway. We will definitely see a more powerful China, India and Russia over the next few decades though. And I think that as long as we can keep diplomatic relations normal, and not get stuck on issues such as Iran's nuclear proliferation, we'll be alright. As far as WWIII goes at least.

As far as talking to Russia, it all seems to be about Iran. At the moment we're (more or less) publicly talking to Russia and Syria about stopping Iranian proliferation.

As far as i can see the SCO has a very strong foundation, and the economical side of that is already functioning, especially between Russia, China and Iran. And the military trade is picking up, Nuclear plant in Iraq, massive weapon sales for Iran and now China is ordering 60 SU-33 fighter planes (although the deal is not signed yet), if you read the contract, which is available, they are being offered for almost no profit.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by wooflepoof

like how ironically funny this motivational is.

[jetsetter]

Judicial Watch Uncovers Documents Detailing Pelosi's Repeated Requests for Military Travel

Contact Information:
Press Office 202-646-5172, ext 305
Washington, DC -- March 10, 2009House Speaker Issued Unprecedented Demands for Military Aircraft and Wasted Taxpayer Resources with Last Minute Cancellations

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Department of Defense (DOD) detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's multiple requests for military air travel. The documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), include internal DOD email correspondence detailing attempts by DOD staff to accommodate Pelosi's numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speaker's last minute cancellations and changes. The following are a few highlights from the documents, which are linked in full below:

* In response to a series of requests for military aircraft, one Defense Department official wrote, "Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi's team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend?...[T]here's no need to block every weekend 'just in case'..." The email also notes that Pelosi's office had, "a history of canceling many of their past requests."
* One DOD official complained about the "hidden costs" associated with the speaker's last minute changes and cancellations. "We have...folks prepping the jets and crews driving in (not a short drive for some), cooking meals and preflighting the jets etc."
* The documents include a discussion of House Ethics rules and Defense Department policies as they apply to the speaker's requests for staff, spouses and extended family to accompany her on military aircraft. In May 2008, for example, Pelosi requested that her husband join her on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) into Iraq. The DOD explained to Pelosi that the agency has a written policy prohibiting spouses from joining CODEL's into combat zones.
* Documents obtained from the U.S. Army include correspondence from Speaker Pelosi's office requesting an Army escort and three military planes to transport Pelosi and other members of Congress to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral services of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Pelosi noted in her letter of August 22, 2008, that such a request, labeled "Operation Tribute" was an "exception to standard policy."
* The documents also detail correspondence from intermediaries for Speaker Pelosi issuing demands for certain aircraft and expressing outrage when requested military planes were not available. "It is my understanding there are no G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable...The speaker will want to know where the planes are..." wrote Kay King, Director of the House Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. In a separate email, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King writes, "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset [s]peaker."
* During another email exchange DOD staff advised Kay King that one Pelosi military aircraft request could not be met because of "crew rest requirements" and offered to help secure commercial travel. Kay King responded: "We appreciate the efforts to help the codel [sic] fly commercially but you know the problem that creates with spouses. If we can find another way to assist with military assets, we would like to do that."

Speaker Pelosi came under fire in 2007 for requesting a 42-seat Air Force carrier to ferry the Speaker and her staff back and forth between San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was allowed access to a 12-seat commuter jet for security reasons after the events of 9/11.
"Taken together, these documents show that Speaker Pelosi treats the Air Force like her personal airline," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Not only does Speaker Pelosi issue unreasonable requests for military travel, but her office seems unconcerned about wasting taxpayer money with last minute cancellations and other demands."

http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/20...ilitary-travel

Another person I dislike. Don't know anyone who actually does like her I would be hard-pressed to find a reason to like her.