World News Thread
Re: World News Thread
That doesn't explain the musket!
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
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Re: World News Thread
What can I say? The French have never recovered from the ineffectiveness of the Maginot Line. Realizing the last time they won a war was when Napoleon was Emperor, perhaps they are trusting in that age's weaponry...
Yesterday was the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's death, was it not?
ETA I make the joke about the French ironically. I am quite aware of English jingoism.
In a society built on deceit, telling truth is a seditious act
Re: World News Thread
It was a UK guy with a musket. Shooting blanks. There's probably a joke in there. Possibly his mother smells of elderberries.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
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Re: World News Thread
Then I am near certain the musket was a statement regarding Waterloo and all that.
The English are... determined about history.
The English are... determined about history.
In a society built on deceit, telling truth is a seditious act
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Re: World News Thread
But was his father a hamster? Questions, questions that need answering!
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.
"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
was a 2020 planner.
"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Re: World News Thread
Would that be a Syrian hamster or Russian hamster? And could either carry a coconut as adroitly as a pair of African Swallows?
In a society built on deceit, telling truth is a seditious act
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Re: World News Thread
I think this makes sense:
"We (rightly) tell the Palestinians not to use terrorism to achieve their freedom. But then our [U.S.] news networks and politicians pay little attention to their plight when there's no violence. That's a recipe for more violence."
"Opposing terrorism means not incentivizing it."
"We (rightly) tell the Palestinians not to use terrorism to achieve their freedom. But then our [U.S.] news networks and politicians pay little attention to their plight when there's no violence. That's a recipe for more violence."
"Opposing terrorism means not incentivizing it."
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Re: World News Thread
CNN: Belarus activist arrested after fighter jet intercepts his Ryanair flight
This regularly scheduled commercial flight on an Irish airliner originated in Athens, Greece and was bound for Vilnius, Lithuania. The latter country borders Belarus, and this route overflies that nation (it also overflies Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and perhaps a little bit of Poland). It's not clear why the plane landed. That CNN report cites differing stories about either a bomb threat or a dispute among the passengers. Given the outcome, there should be an examination into whether the reason was pretextual.
The activist, Roman Protasevich, has been living in exile in Lithuania. He may face the death penalty in Belarus. That government's dictatorial president, Alexander Lukashenko, has previously had Pratasevich identified a terrorist.
This regularly scheduled commercial flight on an Irish airliner originated in Athens, Greece and was bound for Vilnius, Lithuania. The latter country borders Belarus, and this route overflies that nation (it also overflies Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and perhaps a little bit of Poland). It's not clear why the plane landed. That CNN report cites differing stories about either a bomb threat or a dispute among the passengers. Given the outcome, there should be an examination into whether the reason was pretextual.
The activist, Roman Protasevich, has been living in exile in Lithuania. He may face the death penalty in Belarus. That government's dictatorial president, Alexander Lukashenko, has previously had Pratasevich identified a terrorist.
Last edited by N.E. Brigand on Fri Jun 04, 2021 5:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: World News Thread
There's a Twitter thread with updates and reactions from different sources.
Lukashenko has generally been treated as a comical rather than sinister figure. But like master so the lackey, as Dumas said.
Lukashenko has generally been treated as a comical rather than sinister figure. But like master so the lackey, as Dumas said.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
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Re: World News Thread
RyanAir later issued a statement about today's incident that says everything turned out OK.
There's no mention in it about how one of their passengers was removed from the plane and never completed his journey from Athens to Vilnius.
(As multiple people have said (example), this is as if Ford's Theater issued this statement on April 15, 1865: "Mrs. Lincoln took part in a night at the theater. Following a delay, she departed the theater safely after the performance.")
I hope RyanAir did that only to give any company employees in Belarus time to leave before they issue a real statement.
Because if not, I'd say that statement was grounds for every country on the planet to refuse to allow RyanAir to operate in their jurisdiction any more.
An airline that's OK with losing a passenger is an airline that shouldn't exist.
There's no mention in it about how one of their passengers was removed from the plane and never completed his journey from Athens to Vilnius.
(As multiple people have said (example), this is as if Ford's Theater issued this statement on April 15, 1865: "Mrs. Lincoln took part in a night at the theater. Following a delay, she departed the theater safely after the performance.")
I hope RyanAir did that only to give any company employees in Belarus time to leave before they issue a real statement.
Because if not, I'd say that statement was grounds for every country on the planet to refuse to allow RyanAir to operate in their jurisdiction any more.
An airline that's OK with losing a passenger is an airline that shouldn't exist.
Re: World News Thread
It was also pointed out that the plane was closer to Vilnius, its destination, than to Minsk at the time it was forced off course.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
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Re: World News Thread
Today Ryanair says that five people left the plane in Minsk: not only Pratasevich but also his girlfriend, as well as three other people who apparently were Belarus secret service agents.
Also Ryanair's CEO said today, accurately in my opinion, that this was a "state sponsored hijacking."
Also Ryanair's CEO said today, accurately in my opinion, that this was a "state sponsored hijacking."
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Re: World News Thread
Is the "master" being referred to here Putin? Haven't Lukashenko and Putin had a falling out?
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Re: World News Thread
Several commentators yesterday said it was unlikely that Lukashenko would have done this without Putin's approval, and that the aim might be to goad Europe into imposing sanctions on Belarus, which would push that nation into a closer relationship with Russia. I don't know if that's an accurate assessment, though.Voronwë the Faithful wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 7:01 pmIs the "master" being referred to here Putin? Haven't Lukashenko and Putin had a falling out?
Re: World News Thread
Pratasevich's girlfriend was apparently also arrested.N.E. Brigand wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 6:53 pm Today Ryanair says that five people left the plane in Minsk: not only Pratasevich but also his girlfriend, as well as three other people who apparently were Belarus secret service agents.
The other three, or four according to some reports, people are said to be Russian citizens (which is verifiable) and security services agents (which is less so). If true, then it adds credibility to the speculation about Russian involvement, but the if is pretty big.
That about covers it, yes.Also Ryanair's CEO said today, accurately in my opinion, that this was a "state sponsored hijacking."
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
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Re: World News Thread
In an attempt to stitch two different Lasto threads together, Belarus today claimed that Hamas was behind the supposed bomb threat that they claim was the reason this plane had to land in Minsk.
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Re: World News Thread
N.E. Brigand wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 12:36 am In an attempt to stitch two different Lasto threads together...
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
Re: World News Thread
Hey! My fav guy!
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Re: World News Thread
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.
"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
was a 2020 planner.
"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
- elengil
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Re: World News Thread
In yet another shocking case of "If only I was actually shocked by any of this anymore..."
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.
"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
was a 2020 planner.
"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF