The unimportant news thread

[Florestan]

A big thank you from me as well, Rafael. A most illuminating and informative post.

One thing is sure: a hypotethically independent Catalonia will never join the EU (France's Minister of European Affairs has clearly stated today that France will never recognize an independent Catalonia --- and Romania will have the same firm position, although probably less vocal) and the negotiations with Spain will made Brexit look like a picnic in the park. They will end up far, far worse than they are now.

I hope that in the end sanity and reasonableness will prevail.

[Turner]

In the last minute, Puigdemont postpones his speech about independence, due to internal negotiations ...

Let´s hope a non-violent outcome will be the result of all this.

[Spineur]

In the last minute, Puigdemont postpones his speech about independence, due to internal negotiations ...

Let´s hope a non-violent outcome will be the result of all this.

He actually made a declaration of independence, then immediately suspended it to leave room for negotiation with spanish government.
In the past weeks, I wondered whether I should worry about this Catalonia affair.  Now, I know I dont.  It is a vaporous thing which will dissolve in nothingness.

Catalonia is a Schroedinger cat: dead and alive at the same time.  Can politics be compatible with quantum mechanics ?? How big is Puigdemont compared to Planck constant ?  Some 10^23 times bigger I would say.  You draw the obvious conclusion...

[Turner]

He actually made a declaration of independence, then immediately suspended it to leave room for negotiation with spanish government.
In the past weeks, I wondered whether I should worry about this Catalonia affair.  Now, I know I dont.  It is a vaporous thing which will dissolve in nothingness.

Catalonia is a Schroedinger cat: dead and alive at the same time.  Can politics be compatible with quantum mechanics ?? How big is Puigdemont compared to Planck constant ?  Some 10^23 times bigger I would say.  You draw the obvious conclusion...

Yes, my post was made before the declaration of independence was known.
One shouldn´t totally underestimate the tempers of Spanish politics though, given the somewhat violent background history.


These countries have the most positive influence on the world:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/07/these-countries-have-the-most-positive-influence-on-the-world/?utm_content=bufferb4ad3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Includes exact percentages.

[zamyrabyrd]

These countries have the most positive influence on the world:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/07/these-countries-have-the-most-positive-influence-on-the-world/?utm_content=bufferb4ad3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Includes exact percentages.

I don't see anything exact in that article, only conjecture.

[Turner]

I agree, the content is too loosely founded and un-specific, so the percentage remark was ironical.
However there´s no doubt that parts of Western public tend to be ignorant of views in other countries. After all, it is still a slight surprise to me that Russia gets a - relatively - good placement.

[Turner]

The Kremlin has announced a 'very important statement' next week.

Presidential elections are to take place in 5 months.

[Todd]

No, this was not an assassination, why do you ask?

[Turner]

A different extreme of weapon control:

In China´s Xinjiang province, all domestic knives above 10 cm must be registered and marked
https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2017/10/xinjiang-household-knives-must-ided/

and extreme surveillance means:

Moscow implementing a facial recognition street camera system:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/28/16378164/moscow-facial-recognition-cctv-arrests-crime-surveillance

China Xinjiang ditto:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/meghara/the-police-state-of-the-future-is-already-here?utm_term=.ulOxDa3yK#.pm1eDojqr

[Todd]

New challenger to face Putin in upcoming presidential election - and she's hot.

[Karl Henning]

All 45 Peanuts Specials, Ranked From Worst to Best

(From Christmas Eve 2015, so not news, really.)

[Turner]

What Russians think of Sobtchak´s presidential campaign

https://meduza.io/en/feature/2017/10/19/when-against-all-isn-t-necessarily-against-putin

The answers certainly illustrate a very varied range of approach ( ), and her lack of an identifiable policy so far.

Also https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/20/putin-rival-ksenia-sobchak-insists-she-is-not-part-of-kremlin-plot?CMP=share_btn_tw

("I have no political weight, and I haven't earned the right to launch some kind of political programme or stand as a candidate," said Ksenia Sobchak, in what might be the most tepid sentiment ever used to launch a presidential campaign.)

[Todd]

China's leader elevated to the level of Mao in Communist pantheon.


From the article:

"The move will make Xi the most powerful Chinese leader in decades, with ambitions to tighten party control over society and make his country a superpower on the world stage."

"The amendment of the party constitution effectively confirms Xi Jinping's aspiration to be the Mao Zedong of the 21st century — that means a top leader with no constraints on tenure or retirement age," said Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a political expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "

"He would also have to amend the constitution if he wanted a third term as president — or appoint a loyal follower to the top job while retaining power behind the scenes, as Putin did in Russia in 2008."

"Nevertheless, the fact that Xi's name figures in the constitution puts him on a par with the party's "immortals," Mao and Deng, who had no term limits and did not retire, said Xie."


To some on this forum, this is what global leadership looks like.  Of course, it is AmPo, so maybe it is fake news.

[Todd]

Those crazy Cats.

[Karl Henning]

But meanwhile, where are the Democrats? Basically nowhere.

[Todd]

Something smells fishy.  (Or, someone wanted to get on TV.)

[Spineur]

Nobody is surprised that fish and rice is a better diet than hamburger and fries.  But who would have guessed that pasta with chianti isnt bad at all !!

[North Star]

Nobody is surprised that fish and rice is a better diet than hamburger and fries.  But who would have guessed that pasta with chianti isnt bad at all !!

Note that the pasta & chianti consumers' statistics are based on self-reported data. Aside from Japan & Korea, clearly the recipe for low obesity rates is lying about your weight and height.

[Karl Henning]

After a little Chianti, we all feel good about life.

[Spineur]

A very cute story: Sophie a 12 year old British girl visited the Eiffel tower earlier this year.  She got so impressed with the monument she wrote a little poem about "La dame de fer" which she adressed to Francois Hollande at the Elysée palace 3 weeks before he left the office.  Six month later the newly elected president Emmanuel Macron took his pen and wrote a poem in english as a reply to little Sophie.  Here are Sophie letter and Emmanuel Macron reply