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Post by
MyTie
Wouldn't that be based on personal,, subjective opinion, then (that is, based on personal experience)?
Yep. It's my personal experience. However, that doesn't mean that these points aren't true:
1) It is often more difficult to break habits later than sooner.
2) Everyone has the ability to think critically. (obvious exceptions aside, ie. vegitative states, etc)
3) There are often people who do not WANT to be critical thinkers.
Post by
134377
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Squishalot
http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0517/451019-olive-oil-jugs-banned-in-eu-restaurants-from-2014/
What exactly is a "non-refillable" bottle? I don't want a whole bottle of olive oil on my bread or salad, just a little bit. If the premises is going to give me rubbishy oil and pretend that it's good (I can taste the difference, whatever the label says!), what's in the rest of my food? Another example of a well intentioned law that is completely unworkable in practise.
I think the idea is that they're not allowed to fill up any old generic bottle with oil, they're only allowed to serve from a labelled retail/wholesale bottle. That is, you put a 100ml bottle of oil on the table, and when 20 patrons have taken their 5ml each, you replace the bottle with a new 100ml bottle, rather than refill it.(##RESPBREAK##)8##DELIM##Squishalot##DELIM##
Post by
Squishalot
Former Australian Prime Minister comes out in support of gay marriage.
Full text of his views
here
. Admittedly, I had to google what 'antediluvian' meant, but that's par for the course for his vocabulary.
Post by
Rankkor
Former Australian Prime Minister comes out in support of gay marriage.
Full text of his views
here
. Admittedly, I had to google what 'antediluvian' meant, but that's par for the course for his vocabulary.
I knew what antediluvian meant :P
Then again, I can't take credit for it, I knew what it meant because I played lots of VTM (Vampire The Masquerade) where that term is used a lot, and in actual context.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
North Korea on new mission to cut ties with every last ally.
Post by
Dragalthor
North Korea on new mission to cut ties with every last ally.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, China actually does about this.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
North Korea on new mission to cut ties with every last ally.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, China actually does about this.
On a international level, there is no tactical or economic advantage to being allied with North Korea. They could not contribute meaningfully to any kind of military endeavor, they suck up tons of funds in food and financial aid requests, I don't believe they really supply much economically other than cheap labor and some limited garment exports. The only real reason for China to support them is that they want to have other examples of "successful" communist countries around so it's not just them. (Rank will tell you, that is the same reason they have supported Venezuela on many endeavors- I will NOT repeat what he attributes the existence to the Venezuelan space program to...)
However, any leverage that they gain by having other communist allies is greatly offset by embarrassing international incidents where those allies are strong-arming their citizens for relatively paltry sums of money, or willfully and stupidly violating international laws about nuclear testing for no other reason than because they think it makes them look tough.
I do not see this ending well for North Korea- they're burning their bridges with their allies at the same time that they are trying to throw their weight around with everyone else, and they don't seem to realize they don't actually have any weight to throw.
Post by
Gone
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-06/armys-laser-guided-lightning-weapon-delivers-high-voltage-through-air
The Army is inventing a laser beam, that shoots lightning bolts. Suck on that North Korea.
Post by
Dragalthor
North Korea on new mission to cut ties with every last ally.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, China actually does about this.
On a international level, there is no tactical or economic advantage to being allied with North Korea. They could not contribute meaningfully to any kind of military endeavor, they suck up tons of funds in food and financial aid requests, I don't believe they really supply much economically other than cheap labor and some limited garment exports. The only real reason for China to support them is that they want to have other examples of "successful" communist countries around so it's not just them. (Rank will tell you, that is the same reason they have supported Venezuela on many endeavors- I will NOT repeat what he attributes the existence to the Venezuelan space program to...)
However, any leverage that they gain by having other communist allies is greatly offset by embarrassing international incidents where those allies are strong-arming their citizens for relatively paltry sums of money, or willfully and stupidly violating international laws about nuclear testing for no other reason than because they think it makes them look tough.
I do not see this ending well for North Korea- they're burning their bridges with their allies at the same time that they are trying to throw their weight around with everyone else, and they don't seem to realize they don't actually have any weight to throw.
I can't see this ending well for North Korea either and I wonder just how long it would take the country to collapse if China withdraws all it's support. My only worry is what North Korea will do if that happens and it finds itself completely isolated as any restraining influence that China imposes would have to be withdrawn.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
@Drag- I do believe that there would be an incident- most likely something affecting another Asian country, or something in Europe, that would be a tragedy. And then the US, and UN forces, would likely stomp in and completely gut the government. I think that because of the culture and the brainwashing in North Korea, the civilian population would suffer a lot of casualties because the government would encourage them to sacrifice themselves to hold every inch of ground, and attack military forces with no chance of success. I think all around it would be a huge tragedy, and the people who are at fault- the top members of the North Korean government and military- will pretty much destroy their own country in the process.
Post by
Gone
the top members of the North Korean government and military- will pretty much destroy their own country in the process.
Unless we just shoot them with our new lightning gun.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
the top members of the North Korean government and military- will pretty much destroy their own country in the process.
Unless we just shoot them with our new lightning gun.
Lol- yes, unless we do that.
But in reality, I think that the more of the head of the snake that gets removed in a situation like this, the worse it actually is, because the further down the chain of command you go for replacements, the less informed the new person is about how much of their claims are smoke and bravado, and what their actual situation in the world is.
A theory I have heard, which I agree with, about why North Korea is making such aggressive and seemingly stupid international moves, is that the new Glorious Leader believes his own hype. Kim Jong Il was kind of nuts, and definitely an egomaniac, but he KNEW that he was creating a cult of personality, and that he wasn't actually a near-deity. He knew how much of his country was really a good face put on and paid for by China, and how little military might they actually had. That's why, as asinine as his BS was, he never crossed the line into actually inviting an international attack. He talked a lot of smack, and was very careful never to invite a situation where he had to back it up.
Kim Jong Un grew up hearing that his father, and that he after him, were almost gods. That they could do no wrong, were invincible, that the USA wanted to destroy them but was not strong enough to do so, etc. And he bought it, and so now he is acting like all of that stuff is actually true. He thinks he needs to rescue South Korea. He thinks he could win a war. He thinks that their continued existence is because they present a formidable foe, and not just because they're not a threat and no one took them seriously. And that makes him scary- because he would have no fear of starting an international conflict.(##RESPBREAK##)8##DELIM##ElhonnaDS##DELIM##
Post by
Dragalthor
Elh, I'm not sure that by this stage of the game the country hasn't already been ruined!
There was a programme on the BBC a few weeks ago which caused a bit of an outrage as the undercover journalist posed as a member of a student delegation but from all accounts it portrays a very bleak image of the country outside of Pyongyang. It is available on youtube here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbIvUQakU74
though I cannot say whether it has been uploaded illegally or not.
The tag line for the youtube clip is 'While North Korea's 'Supreme Commander' Kim Jong-Un has been threatening thermo-nuclear war against the United States, Panorama reporter John Sweeney spent eight days undercover inside the most rigidly-controlled nation on Earth. Travelling from the capital Pyongyang to the countryside beyond and to the de-Militarised Zone on the border with South Korea, Sweeney witnesses a landscape bleak beyond words, a people brainwashed for three generations and a regime happy to give the impression of marching towards Armageddon'. Which is probably a bit hyped up as we are talking about undercover journalism here but possibly not that far off the mark.
Post by
240140
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Rankkor
North Korea on new mission to cut ties with every last ally.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, China actually does about this.
On a international level, there is no tactical or economic advantage to being allied with North Korea. They could not contribute meaningfully to any kind of military endeavor, they suck up tons of funds in food and financial aid requests, I don't believe they really supply much economically other than cheap labor and some limited garment exports. The only real reason for China to support them is that they want to have other examples of "successful" communist countries around so it's not just them. (Rank will tell you, that is the same reason they have supported Venezuela on many endeavors-
I will NOT repeat what he attributes the existence to the Venezuelan space program to...
)
hahahahahaha :P it doesn't make it any less true sis.
But yes, China doesn't like to be the only "successful" (and I'm using the word loosely here) communist country in the world, so they're doing their best to try and support other fledgling countries that also wanna be all hipster-commie, such as mine. The Venezuelan "Space program" only exists because....... well, lets use a different imagery: Chavez was really good at being a kiss-ass.
China has also armed our military with new rifles, provided a few fighter planes, and some small-scale APCs, and of course, their tech experts now run our entire network of communication.
However, any leverage that they gain by having other communist allies is greatly offset by embarrassing international incidents where those allies are strong-arming their citizens for relatively paltry sums of money, or willfully and stupidly violating international laws about nuclear testing for no other reason than because they think it makes them look tough.
Quite frankly I dunno why have they supported them for so long. Its an contradiction, they wanna support them to look good, but the actions of north korea make them look ANYTHING BUT good. Yet they continue to support them rather than pull the plug.
I do not see this ending well for North Korea- they're burning their bridges with their allies at the same time that they are trying to throw their weight around with everyone else, and they don't seem to realize they don't actually have any weight to throw.
What do you expect when their entire society is basically a real life recreation of the book 1984? (for those who haven't read it, do so, its a fantastic novel)
There are trips here to go to north korea, well there was I'm not sure if they're still going. I want to go on one and catch the attention of Jong Eun cause I'm a little blonde doll and he looks like he plays with dolls (that sounds much dirtier than I meant it to) and then marry him and make him a nice person.
Yes good plan. My boyfriend gets mad when I mention this.
I can't possibly imagine why.
the top members of the North Korean government and military- will pretty much destroy their own country in the process.
Unless we just shoot them with our new lightning gun.
Lol- yes, unless we do that.
But in reality, I think that the more of the head of the snake that gets removed in a situation like this, the worse it actually is, because the further down the chain of command you go for replacements, the less informed the new person is about how much of their claims are smoke and bravado, and what their actual situation in the world is.
A theory I have heard, which I agree with, about why North Korea is making such aggressive and seemingly stupid international moves, is that the new Glorious Leader believes his own hype. Kim Jong Il was kind of nuts, and definitely an egomaniac, but he KNEW that he was creating a cult of personality, and that he wasn't actually a near-deity. He knew how much of his country was really a good face put on and paid for by China, and how little military might they actually had. That's why, as asinine as his BS was, he never crossed the line into actually inviting an international attack. He talked a lot of smack, and was very careful never to invite a situation where he had to back it up.
Kim Jong Un grew up hearing that his father, and that he after him, were almost gods. That they could do no wrong, were invincible, that the USA wanted to destroy them but was not strong enough to do so, etc. And he bought it, and so now he is acting like all of that stuff is actually true. He thinks he needs to rescue South Korea. He thinks he could win a war. He thinks that their continued existence is because they present a formidable foe, and not just because they're not a threat and no one took them seriously. And that makes him scary- because he would have no fear of starting an international conflict.
You know the part that scares ME? That my country is going that way =/
Our current "president" is a bus driver. No, seriously, a bus driver, who was so much of a zealot and ardent believer in Chavez's personal brand of BS, that he was handpicked to carry on his legacy, and he's going Kim on us, he honestly believes all of their BS.
He continues to harp against the US, riling up the population to take arms, and lets not forget about how he's declared that chavez (whom they're refering to in present tense even though he's dead) to be "Eternal Supreme Commander"
Sounds familiar? Unless some miracle happens, give it 30 more years and Venezuela will be Korea 2.0
Post by
240140
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Dragalthor
That and quite a lot of other metals including copper and magnesite.
Post by
Sagramor
I think China made a comment on how North Korea is trying to "save face" because they can't go through with their threats but still want to look all bad and mighty. China wont cut it off completely, they have a lot of money (gold) to make via North Korea.
Who doesn't profit with a big supply of slave labor, amirite?
Post by
Dragalthor
I think that China probably makes more profit through it's 'investments' in various African countries than it does from it's neighbour. Reading this report
http://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/HRNK_HiddenGulag2_Web_5-18.pdf
you realise that even the forced labour camps are woefully inefficient.
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