What a got damn shitshow. [warning politics]

[PonoBill]

"It's not a religion of tolerance or forgiveness."  Yes? No?

I would say it is a religion of tolerance and forgiveness. Without a shadow of a doubt.

I recommend reading up on him would be a good place to start. I remember his appeal to the West and his warning when he came to the EU. I remember the feeling I had the day news came out he was killed. What a terrible thing was happening. I felt it was bigger than just him. Little did I know how terrible it was going to be the next day.

Sadly, it is exactly tolerance, which died those events. It is since then, and the hate that has arisen since those attacks that there is a growing intolerance. On both sides.

Truth is the first casualty of war.

And then there's the Danish Cartoonists in 2010.

I have a tough time seeing tolerance when a significant number of religious leaders of a faith call for the murder of people--for cartoons. When a substantial fraction of the population riot in the streets--over cartoons. And more importantly, the implication for freedom of speech.

I do understand that "some" is not "all" and that there are many voices of reason in the Muslim community.

In the face of a shitstorm of inflated reporting, I'd ask our European friends--is it true that many European cities have substantial Muslim enclaves where non-muslims are not welcome? Is it true that leaders in these enclaves are insisting that the host country's secular law does not apply, that they have their own law?

I don't believe the sensationalized reporting, but I don't know what the truth is.

I'll read the book, Yugi. That's what I do.


edit--Looks like it's only available in French. According to the Boston Public School system I have had three years of french language education and should be able to read this. But no. There appears to have been a PDF version available for free--shows up in a Google search, but the link doesn't work.

[Area 10]

No, that's not true about European cities.

I would suggest that you broaden your travel and friendship horizons.

IMO you also need to distinguish between genuine religious leaders and loudmouth nutcases who are using religion to further their own need for power. What you are doing here is the same as calling Joseph Kony a Christian religious leader. I think you are getting manipulated by people who want to cause religious discord, just as some unfortunate Muslims are.

[johnysmoke]

I'm more worried about the nutter who's been appointed to run our educational system than any Muslim/Buddhist/zoroastrian. Separation of church and State has always been a major tenet of this country, erode that and we're no better off than any other extremist state.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/trump-education-secretary-betsy-devos-a-win-for-the-christian-right-w470605

[Weasels wake]

"It's not a religion of tolerance or forgiveness."  Yes? No?

I would say it is a religion of tolerance and forgiveness. Without a shadow of a doubt.

I would hazard to say that there are women all over the world that would disagree with that statement.
I guess the male domination of that religion and their life style, in regards to women, is okay with you.

[mrbig]

La Confession de Massoud. Dagnabbit. French. French page on FB.
Sent a message to Olivier Weber if there is an English translation anywhere..

Will share his response..

May have to put ex- wife Harvard Librarian on this one.

Was able to get unobtanium English of Rilke - oops poetry..

[headmount]

My comment isn't about the guts of this exec order but the political capital game that the current admin is on the block for.  The President just stepped on a Hawaiian kiawe thorn. The Hawaiian federal judge determined that intent of the executive order was made abundantly clear by the President's own words...before the government's lawyers put their legalese on it. Speaking plainly, as the President is so well known for, carried consequences with this federal judge. He listened to the words and gave them weight.  Kinda like PDX but without the humor.

The President, of course, is furious that a small state in the middle of the Pacifc has tripped him up and at the very least has cost him time and momentum.  But for Hawaii, and especially with the military spending that takes place here, we are highly vulnerable to budget cuts. If anything from our President is abundantly clear, is that he's vindictive to people who do him wrong. Stakes are high on both sides on this one.. So it will go to the highest court in the land, which will be interesting.

The determination of the Supreme Court will be a real tipping point for this admin because if they don't overturn, it's a serious stumble. And the Court is a wild card.  Even though the court now has a conservative majority, the newest appointee to the court, Neil Gorsuch, has a history of restraining executive power so I don't think it'll be a slam dunk for the admin. I'd say the pressure is high stakes for this one.  Grab your popcorn.
 

[SUP Leave]

How soon will Trump supporters lose faith in his ability to improve their lives?

What a  condescending article. If someone voted for Trump to improve their life, then that person is stupid. The only way the government can improve your life is to get out of it. The government should provide you the safety to pursue your life in the way you want to live it. Historically, the R's have done a slightly better job a this than the D's (IMO) which is why I voted mostly for R's.

I will say it 1000 times. Two things can be true at the same time. Trump is an idiot/asshole/liar but, he has pushed for some legislation that I agree with.  One thing that is true for R's and D's is that they can't figure out the answer is less of them. If I had my choice, I would vote for a "small government democrat"(sort of libertarians) every time, but they are a dying breed. I believe that someone along these lines would absolutely destroy other candidates.

As an aside, stiffing a contractor for 100% of a contract due to an error is filthy/shitty thing to do. It is an interesting anecdote I would like to read more about it. What is weird to me is how bad developers ever get a contractor to work for them. I mean the contractor's working for Trump had to know that he was a notorious stiffer - why would they sign up? I wonder how many of them built "Trump factors" (upcharge for held retainers and lawsuits) into their contracts.

I have worked for some locally notorious developers over the years. I got stiffed badly once, but learned a lot from it. The answer was simple for bad payers - we work on retainer only. I once had a developer who was renowned for bad paying ask me: "Why do you only work on retainer?" and I said,  "I work on a lot of contract types, but for you I work on retainer." He just shook his head and said "I can see why." It was our last project together.

[yugi]

"It's not a religion of tolerance or forgiveness."  Yes? No?

I would say it is a religion of tolerance and forgiveness. Without a shadow of a doubt.

I would hazard to say that there are women all over the world that would disagree with that statement.
I guess the male domination of that religion and their life style, in regards to women, is okay with you.

You made me laugh. Yes, of course, I see the stereotype. Of course, there’s plenty of that. It just is that it isn’t the case everywhere. I’m no expert but I don’t think it’s a thing about the religion as much as something about the sophistication of the country. Even within the more progressive middle eastern countries you’ll still have a huge difference between the educated people in the cites and those in remote villages in poorer areas. But the same could be said about “western” nations (to a lesser degree). You should take a look at how many muslim majority countries have had female presidents and number of women in government and top corporate positions. Aren’t there muslim couples you know in the US where the wife “wears” the pants in the family? I know plenty. Women from the middle east can have very strong characters and be very charismatic and even bossy.

I think women in Turkey had voting rights before [all women in] Switzerland.

Of course in many of the countries where there are majority muslims they still are very, errr, what’s the right term, developing. Whole countries like Saudi Arabia who are downright oppressive. But that’s a measure of something else. Then there’s old traditions like it’s the men who hang in coffee shops. But hit downtown Beirut or Istanbul and there’s plenty of women out in bars, nightclubs having a good time just like you’d see in the west.

The sad thing is to see some of these things slip backwards. Just look at pictures of Tehran in the 70’s and compare to now.

I think the more there is hate and animosity the more it will slip backwards. We’re witnessing this in the war areas.

[pdxmike]

The sad thing is to see some of these things slip backwards. Just look at pictures of Tehran in the 70’s and compare to now.

I know (like family) a Muslim family who escaped from the war in Sarajevo--husband architect/professor, wife engineer who designed the Sarajevo Olympic facilities.  They said Sarajevo was a cosmopolitan, enlightened place.  Lots of intermarriage and socializing between Muslims and Christians.  Religion wasn't an issue.  Thugs used "ancient religious civil war" as a way to keep the rest of the world from stepping in to help Muslims. 

They went back to Sarajevo several years later to visit.  Said the buildings are there, but the culture is gone.  Women were hidden under their clothes, everything felt like it had reverted several hundred years.  They said it felt like everyone had become ignorant.

The current situation here has been tough on them.  A war breaking out in Sarajevo then seemed about as unlikely until it broke out as a religious war breaking out in any city here. 

[Weasels wake]

"It's not a religion of tolerance or forgiveness."  Yes? No?

I would say it is a religion of tolerance and forgiveness. Without a shadow of a doubt.

I would hazard to say that there are women all over the world that would disagree with that statement.
I guess the male domination of that religion and their life style, in regards to women, is okay with you.

You made me laugh. Yes, of course, I see the stereotype. Of course, there’s plenty of that. It just is that it isn’t the case everywhere. I’m no expert but I don’t think it’s a thing about the religion as much as something about the sophistication of the country. Even within the more progressive middle eastern countries you’ll still have a huge difference between the educated people in the cites and those in remote villages in poorer areas. But the same could be said about “western” nations (to a lesser degree). You should take a look at how many muslim majority countries have had female presidents and number of women in government and top corporate positions. Aren’t there muslim couples you know in the US where the wife “wears” the pants in the family? I know plenty. Women from the middle east can have very strong characters and be very charismatic and even bossy.

I think women in Turkey had voting rights before [all women in] Switzerland.

Of course in many of the countries where there are majority muslims they still are very, errr, what’s the right term, developing. Whole countries like Saudi Arabia who are downright oppressive. But that’s a measure of something else. Then there’s old traditions like it’s the men who hang in coffee shops. But hit downtown Beirut or Istanbul and there’s plenty of women out in bars, nightclubs having a good time just like you’d see in the west.

The sad thing is to see some of these things slip backwards. Just look at pictures of Tehran in the 70’s and compare to now.

I think the more there is hate and animosity the more it will slip backwards. We’re witnessing this in the war areas.

I'm really glad I made you laugh over something that's not really funny at all.
Never said "everywhere", I'm talking primarily about non-secular countries, and especially those countries (as well as areas w/in secular countries)where Sharia Law is the order of the day.
Unfortunately that seems to be spreading, in these supposed modern times, and not just in war areas, ask Angela Merkel about that for an example.  Discount it if you want, but I'll leave you alone with that opinion, I can't share it.

[yugi]

I’m with you there are lots of terrible places. I do my bit to help.

[Area 10]

Well, Trump and his team really know how to win friends and influence people, don't they? Now Sean Spicer spouts total made-up nonsense about the UK Intelligence Services bugging Trump, and immediately prompts a very unambiguous response from GCHQ, and apologies from the White House.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/17/white-house-will-not-be-repeat-claims-gchq-spied-trump-

It seems pretty clear to me where the main source of "fake news" is. The question is whether this is a systematic policy to get the public into such a confused state that they stop believing the experts, as a prelude to getting them to believe any total nonsense that the Trump team wants to spout. It's either that, or total incompetence. Either way, it's not good news. If the US has a closer ally than the UK (excepting perhaps Canada), then I'd like to know who. What possible purpose can it serve to wind up your friends?

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former chair of parliament’s intelligence and security committee, told BBC radio: “That’s just foolish and very dangerous stuff and President Trump better get a grip not only on his own press officer but on the kind of encouragement being given in the White House that makes a press officer make these stupid allegations in the first place".

[mrbig]

The "Madness of President Trump" continues. Blame Obama, blame the UK, blame Spicer - hehe..

[tautologies]

The "Madness of President Trump" continues. Blame Obama, blame the UK, blame Spicer - hehe..

Yup...its not "madness"...its madness. I would have so much buyers remorse if I voted for him. It is impossible to see his insane claims and feel good about it.
 
See I think a lot of the proposals that Ryan is pushing through (with the help of Trump and his goons) are mostly normal legislative processes...let me qualify. I mean normal as part of a process...taking away healthcare from millions, disabling the EPA, screwing over the educational system are really horrible policy proposals, but they aren't undermining the democracy.

What is undermining the democracy is Trump moaning like a child about the press, his incessant lying, paranoia and baseless claims about anything from Obama surveillance to trying to fundamentally undermining the judicial system.

[Bean]

..I would have so much buyers remorse if I voted for him.

That's very disingenuous, since it would necessarily imply that at some point you might actually have considered voting for him.