I had in mind another post, but it's
the weekend and I'm feeling like something a little lighter. So it's
movie night!
This is an old movie, which you may or
may not have seen, but given the nature of my last post I thought
maybe it an appropriate follow up. No one knows what the future
holds.
While I do not read poetry, I really liked Dead Poets Society. It stars Robin Williams as an English teacher at a conservative boarding school. His teaching methods are rather unusual.
If I had had a teacher like that I think I would have enjoyed school a lot more! This is one of my favorite scenes.
If you have some free time, and even if you've seen the movie before, give it another look. Everyone has a verse to contribute. :)
60 comments:
First
:)
Hi Z.
Another blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh. Another voice silenced. RIP
Marcus,
This article was in my paper today.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/world/poor-eu-migrants-test-limits-of-swedish-tolerance.html?_r=1
Yeah Lynnette, the beggars are a hot topic here at the moment. You get a very one sided view in that article because your journos have apparently gotten their info from the more extreme leftists like Expo. Their modus operandi is to collect all real and all alleged "attacks" on Romas and pin them on racist swedes. The reality is that the bulk are attacks between different gangs of Romas or against those who didn't pay the cost to the beggar-boss for their spot on the pavement.
The bulk of the money goes to the beggar-bosses or if we skip the PC-bullshit to the Gypsy Kings. They spend it like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB46su_WjV8
But sure, the people begging outside every minimart and on every pavement are poor people who are discriminated against and begging might seem olike their best option. It does have to do with the fact that the Gypsie culture is..... well, unusual and frankly hard to find that pleasant to be around for others, and also extremely resilient and hostile to any integration efforts.
So for sure there are attacks by haters or racists and I wouldn't be all that surprised if there are more attacks and more serious attacks to come, since the begging is just escalating. And when it's escalating the beggars are forced to become more aggressive and not limit themselves to just sitting there but actually coming up to you and sticking a mug in your face. It's getting more and more in your face and will only continue to do so because there is no PC solution and un-PC solutions are not possible here, yet.
Btw, many of the attacks such as the one mentioned in that article where one drove a moped over the legs of a beggar, have happened in the "multicultural" areas and that moped driver happened to be a kurdish immigrant. Expo, however, don't want you to know about that.
The reality is that the bulk are attacks between different gangs of Romas or against those who didn't pay the cost to the beggar-boss for their spot on the pavement.
Sounds a bit like the drug trade here.
...the begging is just escalating.
We have beggars here as well. I have seen it, along with homelessness, increase since the Great Recession. There has been some evidence of organization and my city has made it illegal to beg on the streets. But they are trying to create more facilities for those who are really in need of a helping hand.
But the Roma, or Gypsies, have been around a long time. Theirs is a different lifestyle to begin with. Some of it reminds me of what we would call grifters here.
Those are some big houses they are building, although those with yards don't seem to care about them too much. Either that or the houses aren't being lived in.
I believe that per capita, outside a warzone, that my own city Malmö would rank among the highest globally for explosions this year. Granted it's mostly hand grenades tossed at buildings at night meant to (I am guessing here) intimidate, and there are no deaths by explosives as of yet though some people injured, but it's still unnerving when there's explosions every week and you fall asleep to the sound of the helicopters the police have set in to try to catch the perps.
Here's a map from a local MSM newspaper showing the sites of the detonations thus far:
http://www.sydsvenskan.se/malmo/bombkarta-har-har-sprangladdningar-detonerat-i-malmo/
That was before an all out grenade orgy in late July where they tossed grenades almost every night. So far 30 explosions since the new year has hit my city.
Looking at the map in the link above and living in the middle of the explosion sites I'm seriously contemplating getting the hell away from this multicultural hellhole. Yes I blame it on immigration! Anyone who doesn't either have an agenda to protect or are plain dumb.
Here's a report from RT touching just a little bit of it:
https://youtu.be/CFbNglwTTU8
Lynnette:
"Sounds a bit like the drug trade here."
Yes, much like that.
"Theirs is a different lifestyle to begin with. Some of it reminds me of what we would call grifters here."
I'm not sure you get it. Here's the first part of a three part documentary about it, subtitled in english:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6vsLK9Hcu6w
So far 30 explosions since the new year has hit my city.
That's horrible. I remember you mentioning something like this before. Who are the grenade tossers? Where do they get the grenades? Have they tried offering monetary rewards for info on both of those questions?
I would hate to go to sleep with the thought that someone might throw a grenade threw my window!
Is it mostly in Malmo that this is happening? Or is this true of all major cities in Sweden? Can you find a nice quiet, peaceful place to relocate to?
Btw, did I ever tell you that there is a bakery nearby which is owned by a husband and wife team, the wife is from Malmo and the husband is from Iran?
I just recently saw an article on CNN, I believe, about a knife attack outside an Ikea in Stockholm. That sounds a little more personal.
I'll have to look at the videos later.
Hmmm..."threw" should be "through" :)
Fareed Zakaria interviewed President Obama recently and asked him for a book recommendation. *sigh* I was rather hoping he would recommend a book, but instead he suggested reading the details of the deal with Iran to limit their nuclear capability. So for those who may be interested here it is:
Iran deal.
I haven't read it yet. I was visiting the early 1900's last night. :)
Oil prices falling. Oversupply and less demand from China taking a toll.
This couple planned to honeymoon with ISIL. Seriously, some people don't have an active brain cell in their heads!
I watched the first part of that documentary, Marcus. No, we don't have begging like that here. It sounds like something out of Oliver Twist.
Here we have illegal immigrants from Mexico and other countries down south. But usually they do find work and don't beg on the streets.
Lynnette:
"I just recently saw an article on CNN, I believe, about a knife attack outside an Ikea in Stockholm. That sounds a little more personal"
No, it was a 55 YO mother and her 28 YO son who got knifed to death in IKEA at 1PM on a Monday by two Eritreans (or claiming to be Eritrean for asylum purposes) who got here just a month ago. Not even out of the Asylum living quarters and they're at it already.
Lynnette:
"That's horrible. I remember you mentioning something like this before. Who are the grenade tossers? Where do they get the grenades? Have they tried offering monetary rewards for info on both of those questions?"
Who they are are gangs fighting among themselves for control of illicit markets. And also with revenge attacks for anything as ludicrous as someone eying someone elses girlfriend to more serious vendettas such as someone shooting someone elses brother.
The grenades usually, like much of the other weaponry, originate in the Balkans. Lots of stuff spred out there after the wars and with the no-borders policy it's pretty easy to move it around. Also some might come from Eastern Europe. A lot of Makarov pistols are in use.
No need for monetary rewards to answer those questions, the police know the who they are and the where the weapons come from from pretty well. The problem is catching them in the act and weak laws on illegal guns alone, so they also need to catch them in the act of using the weapons to make serious charges stick. Also there's a pretty well kept no-cooperation policy with regards to the police and not only within the actual crime groups but in their local communities.
Lynnette: "I would hate to go to sleep with the thought that someone might throw a grenade threw my window!"
Not THAT big a risk. I'm more worried about accidentally walking past a car owned by a target or a doorway where a target happens to live.
Lynnette: "Is it mostly in Malmo that this is happening? Or is this true of all major cities in Sweden?"
It's worst in Malmö because it was since long the main immigration city so everything happening is happening here first. Then the rest of Sweden is catching up. But Malmö is full now so it's just not physically possible to pack more people in, except for replacing those that move away. Gothenburg seems to be catching up for real these days and have quite big problems.
From saint to satan. The SUNNI wife of the secular premier Assad. ranslated by Google so don't blame me for the poor language:
Asma al-Assad
Asma al-Assad was born August 11, 1975 as the daughter of the Syrian cardiologist Fawaz Akhraz and his wife and compatriot Sahar who then served as a diplomat at the Syrian Embassy in London. Both parents were Sunni Muslims from Homs. Asma grew up in Acton, West London, where she went on an Anglican school. Then she took bachelor's degree at King's College of Computer Science Major. She also studied French literature and also speaks fluent French alongside English and Arabic mother tongue. After graduating, she got work as a financial analyst at the German banking group Deutsche Bank. After a few years, she changed employer and subsequently worked with a focus on investments in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Her future husband, Bashar al-Assad, she met when he was studying at eye surgeon in London, and then they kept in touch. After that Bashar's father, the Syrian president Hazef al-Assad passed away in 2000, took over the presidency of Bashar. Asma moved to Syria in November the same year married Bashar in December. Since then, she Syria's "first lady".
In his role as presidentwife she has primarily engegerat in education and women's issues of law, and as a Sunni Muslim, but married to a alawit, she has helped to strengthen the president's relationship with the country's Sunni majority population. She has also collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme UNDP, and her initiative was founded Syrias Trust for Development, an umbrella organization with clear social program goals.
Her ambitions of Syria got to change focus when the Saudi and US-backed rebels launched an attempted coup d'état which soon developed into a terrible war in which the Syrian army had to fight the Islamist terror group IS try to form an Islamic state in the Iraqi and Syrian territory . In the English media was criticized initially, the London-born Asma not to demonstrate an understanding of the rebels' demands. In a letter to the Times, she replied that "The President is the President of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the First Lady supports him in That role."
Western Europe's lack of understanding of the events in Syria led to the EU March 23, 2012 took a decision to issue a ban on entry into the EU for Asma al-Assad. Thanks to his British citizenship, the prohibition is not the UK. Having previously been a highly public figure has Asma focused on fewer public appearances and when to potting courage of the Syrian people and their struggle against the IS-terrorists. When the western media tried to accuse her to stay away and may even flee the country, she replied, "I was here yesterday, I am here today and I will be here tomorrow." In March 2011, published fashion magazine Vogue a flattering article about Asma entitled "A Rose in the Desert". Just a few months later disappeared article from the newspaper's website with the comment "as the terrible events of the past year and a half unfolded in Syria, it Became Clear That [Syria's] priorities and values were completely at odds with Those of Vogue." After that responded to Newsweek by describing Asma al-Assad as the "first lady of hell". Today, a few years later understand something most of Syria and its Presidential necessary allies in the fight against Islamic terrorism.
She went from the "Desert Rose" to the "First Lady Of Hell" in just a few years time.
Funny. Quicker even than the Afhgan "freedom fighters" became "terrorist hardliners".
Goes to show that depending on your current usefulness to the US you're either a saint or a devil, and you can switch in that role without doing any change yourself but mainly because of what's deemed "useful" for the USA at the moment.
...with the no-borders policy it's pretty easy to move it around.
What works for legal commerce apparently works well for illegal. At least we do have a border with Mexico where we try to maintain some security to prevent, in our case drugs, from coming into the country. But even then they still get through.
Gothenburg seems to be catching up for real these days and have quite big problems.
So I saw from the video you posted. Looking at the people who were dropping money into those cups I get the feeling that Swedes have too kind of hearts. I have heard of some people here who will not give change, but will offer to pay for a meal. That is, actually take the person and buy them some food. That way they know the person isn't just blowing it on drugs or some such thing. In the case of the Roma then they wouldn't be able to just turn the money over to the head beggar.
The problem is catching them in the act and weak laws on illegal guns alone, so they also need to catch them in the act of using the weapons to make serious charges stick.
Perhaps Sweden needs to look at tightening its gun laws regarding illegal weapon possession, not just usage. Also, this could be a reason for deportation proceedings, if the person is not a citizen, and is found guilty.
No, it was a 55 YO mother and her 28 YO son who got knifed to death in IKEA at 1PM on a Monday by two Eritreans (or claiming to be Eritrean for asylum purposes) who got here just a month ago.
Oh, that's so sad. One would think they would be safe going to Ikea in the afternoon. They were only in Sweden a month? Are you sure it wasn't terrorism related?
Goes to show that depending on your current usefulness to the US you're either a saint or a devil, and you can switch in that role without doing any change yourself but mainly because of what's deemed "useful" for the USA at the moment.
Looks like that article was referencing Western Europe rather than the US.
Western Europe's lack of understanding of the events in Syria led to the EU March 23, 2012 took a decision to issue a ban on entry into the EU for Asma al-Assad.
The SUNNI wife of the secular premier Assad.
Guess I never noticed that she was Sunni before. Yet Iran is the greatest supporter of Assad. Interesting. Apparently the Sunni/Shia division doesn't apply there. Well, except for ISIL, of course.
"I'm not sure you get it."
I suspect she was using the generic to cover the group known more specifically as the Irish Travellers, and may have a better grasp on that than you know. (Had some Travellers through my neighborhood here lately, most notably for the local news organizations, they conned an old Alzheimers sufferer not yet under close care.)
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"Funny. Quicker even than the Afhgan ‘freedom fighters’ became
‘terrorist hardliners’."
I'm interested in the Swedish faerie tale history which supports this one. How quick did that supposedly happen? ‘Cause I recall the real history there and would like to compare yours with reality.
Yes, I used grifter. Technically speaking it's really what Bernie Madoff was. His con was just on a grander scale.
When you see someone asking for money on the street, the first thought is that it is a con.
I had someone come to the door recently asking for donations for some kind of contest he was participating in. Any money you gave would be put toward magazines sent to VA hospitals or books for children's hospitals. Whoever got the most donations would win money to be put toward some kind of program for job training. He appeared to be disabled. However, it all could have been a complete act and the whole thing a con.
"Oh, that's so sad. One would think they would be safe going to Ikea in the afternoon. They were only in Sweden a month? Are you sure it wasn't terrorism related?"
It's more likely "shit I got fingerprinted in Italy and now the swedes found out and I am going to be sent back there and they do not hand out lavish wellfare checks nor give permanent residency"-related.
Lee: "I suspect she was using the generic to cover the group known more specifically as the Irish Travellers, and may have a better grasp on that than you know."
I had no idea you had them in the US as well. Well if that's the case ya'll are probaably more in the know than I thought.
But here Irish travellers (Paave-people) usually don't get into much crime that I know of except for taking off without finishing the job if paid in advance, or doing shoddy jobs, etc. They usually do come to actually do work. I've had some dealings with them. Not because I actually employed them but we sold some stuff they used and can't really turn away customers without any solid reason. And if you're firm and demand payment in advance they are just like any other customer, except haggling for a discount on every single purchase.
Lee: "Had some Travellers through my neighborhood here lately, most notably for the local news organizations, they conned an old Alzheimers sufferer not yet under close care."
That's dispiclable. But here the conning or theft from the elderly is usually not done by Irish travellers but by Roma - or gypsies from Romania or Bulgary.
And they decided to take it out on anyone they ran across? There's no understanding some people.
That's dispiclable. But here the conning or theft from the elderly is usually not done by Irish travellers but by Roma - or gypsies from Romania or Bulgary.
It is indeed. They are one of the most vulnerable of groups. It's saddest when it's a family member.
But then there are those who care enough to help their elderly relatives. I know one person who is caring for someone who is now 80, but has Parkinsons. She has been caring for him for 4 years. I admire her a great deal.
Lynnette: "When you see someone asking for money on the street, the first thought is that it is a con.
I had someone come to the door recently asking for donations for some kind of contest he was participating in. Any money you gave would be put toward magazines sent to VA hospitals or books for children's hospitals. Whoever got the most donations would win money to be put toward some kind of program for job training. He appeared to be disabled. However, it all could have been a complete act and the whole thing a con."
I had an uncle working for the UN and he told me so many tales of misuse of funds that I basically believe almost the entire UN-aid program and most NGO:s as well are just one big hoax or at best a criminal level of misuse of aid money.
He was among the first into Cambodia after the war and the Japanese government donated 240 Toyota Land Cruisers for their detail to use. Well, all but about 20 were hijacked or stolen within a month. A colleague of him, a Finnish dude, found 7 stolen Landcruisers in the courtyard of the cambodian minister of the interior. He reported it and swiftly got fired for "upsetting relations" and the case was buried.
Then they went and got some Soviet era APC:s from Vietnam and painted them white, because those could not get hijacked by guys with kalashnikovs alone and they weren't of much value on the market. My uncle drove one of 'em from Vietnam to Phnom Pehn himself.
He was in many exciting, scary and serious situations and one thing he told me was he was never so scared as when stopped in a roadblock in Angola by child soldiers. Nothing more scary than a child soldier he told me, because with adults at least you feel like you can try and reason your way out of it.
Lynnette: "And they decided to take it out on anyone they ran across? There's no understanding some people."
I am not clear on the motive just yet. The elder of the two had gotten his deportion decision that he'd be sent back to Italy. He went to Västerås to have a meeting with the Migration Department. Soon after that meeting the deed was done.
Was it insanity brougt about by a feeling of desparation?
Was it a deliberate attempt to rather stay in Sweden even if in prison than be sent back to Italy (and posssibly back to Eritrea from there one day)?
Was there some kind of real or imagined provocation prompting the attack on those specifiv targets?
We don't know just yet, and might never know, but terrorism I believe can be almost certainly ruled out.
Lynnette: "But then there are those who care enough to help their elderly relatives. I know one person who is caring for someone who is now 80, but has Parkinsons. She has been caring for him for 4 years. I admire her a great deal."
Here, for a long time, people have left the main responsibility to the state. It kind of comes with a Social Democratic system. Not to say that folks callously dump their dependent relatives on state institutions and forget about 'em; but there was a system in place that allowed you to get about your own life and trust the state to take care of your sickly or elderly relative so you only needed to check in for the social visits. That system is cracking and much more is left up to individual families these days.
"He appeared to be disabled. However, it all could have been a
complete act and the whole thing a con."
Contrary to popular belief, being physically disabled does not automatically confer ethical or moral superiority. Disabled people can run a con. Been known to happen.
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"They usually do come to actually do work."
Travellers seem to take pride in running a con. They'll work hard to con somebody when they could just work hard and do as well. They're known for making their own paint for housepainting projects. Doesn't survive the first rain. They'll do asphalt work and when it refuses to dry the owner discovers it's dirt fill with used oil poured over the top. Roofing work, half down, half on completion; they take the half and hit the road, and only then does the owner discover they're Travellers. They bring their own termite infested boards to find under houses when they pretend to be termite inspectors. Etc. They pick on the elderly in particular. They're Celtic Gypsies is what they are.
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"There's no understanding some people."
That certainly made no sense. Killing people in Sweden hardly seems like a logical response to being fingerprinted in Italy.
Lee: "They're known for making their own paint for housepainting projects. Doesn't survive the first rain. They'll do asphalt work and when it refuses to dry the owner discovers it's dirt fill with used oil poured over the top. Roofing work, half down, half on completion; they take the half and hit the road, and only then does the owner discover they're Travellers. They bring their own termite infested boards to find under houses when they pretend to be termite inspectors. Etc. They pick on the elderly in particular."
That was a pretty good and spot on description. What I meant when I said they "do work" is that their crimes are usually related to shoddy or fradulent practices related to the kob they got hired to do - or in some cases started doing without any agreement and then insist on payment for just the same.
Never knew you got them in the US as well. I thought that was a european thing.
Lee: "They're Celtic Gypsies is what they are."
Yes they are. But the Roma ones from eastern Europe are way, way worse.
And, every contact is an opportunity to case the joint for a later robbery. I try to see to it that they see a gun and a dog on the first visit; usually prevents a second visit.
"But the Roma ones from eastern Europe are way, way worse."
I don't think the Roma have it as hard here in the States as they do in Europe; consequently they're not as hard.
Lee: "That certainly made no sense. Killing people in Sweden hardly seems like a logical response to being fingerprinted in Italy."
Well it might. You see Sweden is the only country to grant permanent residency for Eritreans who flee here. Don't ask me why, since Eritrea is not involved in any war but there it is. Or do!
I personally believe it has to do with the Swedish/Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaac locked up in Eritrea on dissession charges and our journos who of course think that journos are more important people than any other people are impacting political reasoning.
Anyway, we do not extradite anyone to Eritrea at the moment. Which is also why many other africans pose as Eritreas when they get here.
Now this guy (the 36 YO main suspect) had residency rights in Italy. They were likely temporary. Given this killing it stands to reason Italy will say "we withdraw his residency on account of him being a killer". They won't want a proven killer in their country, right?
So now he can't be sent to Italy, because they revoked his residency rights. And he can't be sent to Eritrea because our laws prohibit that. So he killed some swedes and get to stay in Sweden is the likely outcome.
So, it does actually make some sense. Now if he really thought that long and hard about is I cannot say. But it's possible.
... I basically believe almost the entire UN-aid program and most NGO:s as well are just one big hoax or at best a criminal level of misuse of aid money.
I think the bigger the organization the easier it is for misuse of funds to happen. And with something like the UN you will have people willing to take advantage of the situation. There are a lot of dollars(or pick your favorite currency) floating around there.
Then they went and got some Soviet era APC:s from Vietnam and painted them white, because those could not get hijacked by guys with kalashnikovs alone and they weren't of much value on the market.
Sometimes it pays to live small. I doubt anyone is going to do a snatch and grab on my phone either. Criminals have far more discerning taste. lol!
I am not clear on the motive just yet. The elder of the two had gotten his deportion decision that he'd be sent back to Italy. He went to Västerås to have a meeting with the Migration Department. Soon after that meeting the deed was done.
It does make it sound like pure spiteful anger. Never mind that the people that were killed had no say in what happened with his case. It was rather quick to have thought out all the ramifications, I should think.
It's like those who target places like movie theaters here. Random acts of violence that hurt innocent people.
Here, for a long time, people have left the main responsibility to the state. It kind of comes with a Social Democratic system. Not to say that folks callously dump their dependent relatives on state institutions and forget about 'em; but there was a system in place that allowed you to get about your own life and trust the state to take care of your sickly or elderly relative so you only needed to check in for the social visits. That system is cracking and much more is left up to individual families these days.
Ours is a rather hodge-podge type of system. Assisted living and its more robust form of care cousin, a nursing home, are very expensive. Most people do try to stay in their homes as long as possible. But as one ages that becomes far more difficult as the level of care needed rises. A lot of that responsibility falls onto family members, at least those who are willing and able to shoulder that burden. *sigh* Don't get me started on that.
Anyway, some people opt for long-term care insurance, which will help with expenses. Those people usually have assets they wish to shelter, either for a spouse or their children. I know someone whose husband has Lewy-Body Dementia. For her the insurance has been a godsend. She put herself in the hospital trying to care for him before he was put into a nursing home.
But most people don't have that type of insurance or the finances to pay for care themselves. It will fall to the government at that point.
As our population ages the cost of caring for our elderly will only rise. It will be the taxpayer who will pay, either through our social programs, such as Medicare/Medicaid, or as an active caregiver. There are few good choices. The difficulties, expense wise or the physical and emotional toll for a caregiver, are something those in their 20's and 30's, for the most part, have little understanding of.
Contrary to popular belief, being physically disabled does not automatically confer ethical or moral superiority. Disabled people can run a con. Been known to happen.
Oh yes, I understand. But it was that I wasn't quite sure if he was really disabled. The symptoms he exhibited could well have been faked. In any case, it's water under the bridge, and perhaps the $20 I gave him still went toward a good cause.
Travellers seem to take pride in running a con. They'll work hard to con somebody when they could just work hard and do as well.
Almost a lifestyle choice, in effect. Not something someone with a Midwestern work ethic would understand.
They're known for making their own paint for housepainting projects. Doesn't survive the first rain....etc.
I always try to ask someone I know who has had repairs done to their home for a reference. Or I ask builders that I know. Never do I contract with those who go door to door.
But you're right the elderly are usually the main target. Their ability to judge situations has decreased. Those who prey on them deserve to be held in the highest contempt.
According to PBS, Turkey has decided to not use Turkish forces to try to establish a ‘safe zone’ in north-eastern Syria. Or, so says their Foreign Minister. Instead Syrian Islamist forces will have to clear the ground themselves. (I can't help wondering if Erdoğan got a little over-eager there―found out that planning a bold move was easier than executing it. Now he's not gonna send his guys in to clear out safe zones after all, but he's still gonna find himself crossways with the Kurds. Perhaps his excellent adventure ain't gonna work out so well for him after all.)
And, yes, that would be ‘north-western’ Syria.
Didn't I read somewhere that al-Nusra said they were going to withdraw from positions facing off with ISIL as a response to Turkey's plan to create a safe zone in Syria? It seemed kind of an odd reaction.
It looks like there are reports that ISIL used a chemical agent, possibly mustard gas, against the Kurds in Iraq.
The Battle for Rojava
"It seemed kind of an odd reaction."
Hard to keep up with those Muslim fundies' alliances. They shift fast.
Yanis Varoufakis (motorcycle riding ex-Finance Minister of Greece) makes a rant.
IS and rape:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/14/world/middleeast/isis-enshrines-a-theology-of-rape.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=mini-moth®ion=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0
It seems Yezidi women are clearly approved targets for slavery and rape, while chiristian and jewish women (being people "of the book" after all) are not as clear targets.
And the Yezidi men don't escape either. Well, they escape rape and slavery. But they are simply murdered instead.
Lynnette, If you want to understand the "begging buissness" in western Europe by "Romas" check out this documentary. It was done by Bulgarias largest non public news outlet:
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vsLK9Hcu6w
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvoN7FwXwwM
Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrJuLr6QNzg
It takes about 2 hours so if you're impatient start with the first 10 minutes of part 3. But I do recomend watching all of it.
Yanis Varoufakis (motorcycle riding ex-Finance Minister of Greece) makes a rant.
It sounds like he's rather bitter about the whole thing.
I doubt if this is the end.
I was reading the other day that Greece is being flooded with refugees that they cannot handle very well. Although it seems that most of them want to continue on to Europe.
IS and rape:
I just read that piece in my paper this evening. There is also new information out that the US hostage, Kayla Mueller, was a victim of rape while in ISIL hands.
I've already watched the first part of that documentary, Marcus. And I'll find time to watch the rest. It is good. The only thing that bugs me is having to read the subtitles. I get so busy doing that that I don't get much of a chance to watch the actual video portion. :(
"I doubt if this is the end."
Oh, hell no. It ends with Greece defaulting on its debt and renouncing it in whole or in part, whether or not the Germans like it. (Could be that'll get ‘em cast out of the Euro, but only if the Calvinist northerners can figure out a way to do that when there's no provision for it.)
Lynnette: "The only thing that bugs me is having to read the subtitles. I get so busy doing that that I don't get much of a chance to watch the actual video portion. :("
I guess it takes getting used to. I'm so used to it I don't even think about reading while I'm reading.
It's not so bad if the subtitles are against a darker background. The contrast makes the reading easier, allowing for more time to take in the video itself. But, anyway, I get the gist of what is going on.
It ends with Greece defaulting on its debt and renouncing it in whole or in part, whether or not the Germans like it.
Yes, the laws of gravity being what they are.
Lee: " It ends with Greece defaulting on its debt and renouncing it in whole or in part, whether or not the Germans like it."
I believe so too. The debt to GDP ratio is still climbing and will soon hit 200%. There's just no way Greece can ramp up growth to bring that figure under control while keeping up the promises to adher to arguably hamfisted austerity programs.
Lee: "Could be that'll get ‘em cast out of the Euro, but only if the Calvinist northerners can figure out a way to do that when there's no provision for it."
Better we'd all accept free-spending southern ways you imagine?
My own opinion is that yes, it would hurt for Greece to exit the Euro but in the longer run it would be better for themselves too. Should've been done already if you ask me, back when the banksters were the ones sitting on the non-repayable IOU:s.
"Better we'd all accept free-spending southern ways you imagine?"
I don't think those are your only two options. I do think the Greeks have decided that their best play under the circumstances is to string this out for as long as ECB will keep the Greek banks open and keep allowing some Greeks to slowly move what little they may out of Greek banks (and perhaps into accounts in foreign countries). I suspect your fearless leaders have figured this out too. But they're willing to let their constituents pay that price in order to keep Greece from defaulting tomorrow. (There's a 20 August payment to the ECB coming up that Merkel wants to pretend got paid on time.)
This will mean the total amount of the default will be larger when the time comes, but that's not going to change the results for the Greeks themselves, just the folks who're keepin’ ‘em afloat through the 20th of August and beyond.
I Just finished the last part of the documentary you left the links for, Marcus. I rather liked the old gentleman at the end. He was a feisty sort who didn't take any flak from the professional beggars who were his neighbors. :) I hope the film crew found him well when they returned.
It does look like Sweden has a problem. Do they not have any laws about begging on the street like that? That might help, giving the police the tool needed to remove the professional beggars.
You also seem to have wolf problem too. There was an article in my paper about the resurgent wolf population. Too bad you can't get them to go after the wild boars you seem to have a problem with.
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