The unimportant news thread

[Pohjolas Daughter]

850 people still missing after the Maui fires.  One hundred and fourteen people are confirmed to have died so far.  27 of the deceased have been identified.  It could take months or years to identify the rest.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66571294

PD

[pjme]

"Have fun": new and unique Latin slogan "avoca te" discovered at archaeological find in Mortsel (Antwerp/Belgium)
In Mortsel, a new Latin expression has been discovered in an archaeological find. Archaeologists found a drinking cup with the two words: "avoca te" or "amuse yourself". "It is a unique inscription that has never been found before," says Christian Laes, professor of the history of antiquity at UAntwerp.
...
At least 800 (more or less similar) cups have been excavated in France, Belgium and Germany. Of all those cups, three had an inscription with the verb "avocare" on them," says Professor Laes. These are chalices that were found in Cologne. One, for example, says "avoco te". . Based on that, we know that "avoca te" is the command form of the verb, meaning "have fun".

"There are many ways to say "have fun" in Latin, but we've never seen cups with this formulation. Nowhere else has that expression popped up."

Avocare is not exactly an obscure verb, however. "The meaning has changed over time. Originally the word meant to call away or divert something or someone. Later it evolved into having fun," says Professor Laes. "Avoca te, here in the imperative, can then be translated as 'amuse yourself'. The phrase is probably an informal expression that was used during festivities where the wine flowed freely."

[Spotted Horses]

850 people still missing after the Maui fires.  One hundred and fourteen people are confirmed to have died so far.  27 of the deceased have been identified.  It could take months or years to identify the rest.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66571294

PD

It is distressing to think about. I take it cell phone service and other forms of communication have been reestablished. Taking into account the number of sets of remains found, how to account for more than 700 people who have not been heard from since the fires? The great majority of residences and other buildings have reportedly been searched. Could so many have tried to escape to the sea and lost their lives, or tried to flee overland and perished in the open? Or could the fires have been so intense as to destroy remains utterly?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It is distressing to think about. I take it cell phone service and other forms of communication have been reestablished. Taking into account the number of sets of remains found, how to account for more than 700 people who have not been heard from since the fires? The great majority of residences and other buildings have reportedly been searched. Could so many have tried to escape to the sea and lost their lives, or tried to flee overland and perished in the open? Or could the fires have been so intense as to destroy remains utterly?

I don't know the answers.  According to one article, they are now checking out multi-story residential and commercial properties.  https://mauinow.com/2023/08/22/maui-wildfire-disaster-updates-for-aug-22-teams-transition-to-search-of-multi-story-residential-and-commercial-properties/

PD

[Karl Henning]

The Guardian: Sooner or later, China will go the way of the Soviet Union.


https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/20/china-too-big-soviet-union-collapse-growth

This would not surprise me in the least and will be a greater humanitarian crisis.

[AnotherSpin]

This would not surprise me in the least and will be a greater humanitarian crisis.

There is no doubt that in order to avoid humanitarian crises, everyone should make efforts to keep totalitarian empires intact.

[Karl Henning]

There is no doubt that in order to avoid humanitarian crises, everyone should make efforts to keep totalitarian empires intact.

It's obvious to most people that this is a ridiculous construction to put upon my remark. But, if that's your idea of amusing yourself, knock yourself out.

[AnotherSpin]

It's obvious to most people that this is a ridiculous construction to put upon my remark. But, if that's your idea of amusing yourself, knock yourself out.

Personal attack is certainly a persuasive technique, I'm almost disarmed  

Unlike your most people, I see a direct connection. Putin declared the collapse of the USSR the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century. And he justifies the current war against Ukraine with just such constructs. More interesting, however, is the stance of neoliberals and other useful idiots in the West, who call to understand Putin and accept interests of Russia, which supposedly has to defend itself.

[DavidW]

I'm going to head this off right now.  UNIMPORTANT NEWS only please... please no one reply to AS.

[BWV 1080]

This would not surprise me in the least and will be a greater humanitarian crisis.

Dont agree - China has a modern economy and an older, assimilated empire - current borders are smaller than what the Qing ruled in 1700 - really just Xinjiang and Tibet would be likely breakaways - unlike Russia, where the borders of the USSR represented late 18th cent to 20th century conquests. 

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

This would not surprise me in the least and will be a greater humanitarian crisis.

Before 1991 nobody thought that the Soviet Union would collapse. The Soviet regime/govt appeared to be more stable than China today. Even if the Chinese govt collapsed, Chinese people may not admit it and pretend that it is a transformation of the same government. Any way it will have a lot of impact on the world economy.

[T. D.]

The Guardian: Sooner or later, China will go the way of the Soviet Union.


https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/20/china-too-big-soviet-union-collapse-growth

"Sooner or later" covers a lot of ground. 

I distrust this prediction on many levels. Pundits who make these kinds of predictions are almost always wildly inaccurate. Oddly, such prognosticators never seem to bless us with post-mortems discussing why their various forecasts went wrong. Or keep their "batting average" of correct calls.

Seems unlikely indeed in the short-moderate term range. There (duh, no s**t, Sherlock) appears to be a worldwide trend toward authoritarianism. And I see no leading indicators analogous to the fall of the Berlin Wall, etc.

[Todd]

In the early-90s, then the mid-90s, then the late-90s, then the early-2000s, some very learned people stated with very great confidence that China would not overtake Japan and become the second largest economy.  Then it did.  Now some very learned people are sure China will collapse.  Maybe it will.  Or maybe it is wishful thinking.

[Karl Henning]

"Sooner or later" covers a lot of ground. 

I distrust this prediction on many levels. Pundits who make these kinds of predictions are almost always wildly inaccurate. Oddly, such prognosticators never seem to bless us with post-mortems discussing why their various forecasts went wrong. Or keep their "batting average" of correct calls.

Seems unlikely indeed in the short-moderate term range. There (duh, no s**t, Sherlock) appears to be a worldwide trend toward authoritarianism. And I see no leading indicators analogous to the fall of the Berlin Wall, etc.

All points well taken.

[Karl Henning]

Dont agree - China has a modern economy and an older, assimilated empire - current borders are smaller than what the Qing ruled in 1700 - really just Xinjiang and Tibet would be likely breakaways - unlike Russia, where the borders of the USSR represented late 18th cent to 20th century conquests. 

And you're right, too. I guess it is well that I don't mistake even my own opinions as expressed on an internet forum for sacred writ. Sometimes one just spitballs, and a beneficial result of that is, the lucid, well-thought refutations which come back.

Thanks, all.

[T. D.]

And you're right, too. I guess it is well that I don't mistake even my own opinions as expressed on an internet forum for sacred writ. Sometimes one just spitballs, and a beneficial result of that is, the lucid, well-thought refutations which come back.

Thanks, all.

I wouldn't say "refutation".
Maybe "reasons for scepticism" or "counter-arguments".

I enjoy a good story as much as the next person, but let's face it: prediction of complex systems is extremely difficult. Humans like to formulate neat theories and scenarios, but reality seldom is so orderly or cooperative. 

[Karl Henning]

I wouldn't say "refutation".
Maybe "reasons for scepticism" or "counter-arguments".

I enjoy a good story as much as the next person, but let's face it: prediction of complex systems is extremely difficult. Humans like to formulate neat theories and scenarios, but reality seldom is so orderly or cooperative. 

Corrigendum noted, good grace fort apprécié

[T. D.]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-22/jpmorgan-s-most-prolific-spoofer-gets-two-years-in-prison

(paywall perhaps avoidable via incognito browsing).

The former head of JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s precious-metals desk and his top trader were sentenced to prison for spoofing, fraud and attempted market manipulation.

Michael Nowak, who ran gold and silver trading at the bank, and trader Gregg Smith were sentenced Tuesday in Chicago by US District Judge Edmond Chang. Nowak received a term of one year and one day while Smith was given two years, the stiffest sentence yet in a recent government crackdown on questionable trading practices.

Shocking. I've always considered the US legal system exceedingly soft on white-collar crime. The actions of these dillweeds must have been truly heinous for them to actually get jail time!

But stay tuned...they might still get off!

... Lawyers for both men said they planned to appeal their convictions....

[Karl Henning]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-22/jpmorgan-s-most-prolific-spoofer-gets-two-years-in-prison

(paywall perhaps avoidable via incognito browsing).

The former head of JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s precious-metals desk and his top trader were sentenced to prison for spoofing, fraud and attempted market manipulation.

Michael Nowak, who ran gold and silver trading at the bank, and trader Gregg Smith were sentenced Tuesday in Chicago by US District Judge Edmond Chang. Nowak received a term of one year and one day while Smith was given two years, the stiffest sentence yet in a recent government crackdown on questionable trading practices.

Shocking. I've always considered the US legal system exceedingly soft on white-collar crime. The actions of these dillweeds must have been truly heinous for them to actually get jail time!

But stay tuned...they might still get off!

... Lawyers for both men said they planned to appeal their convictions....

If these JP Morgan Chase guys can't afford the lawyers to get them off the hook, who can?

[T. D.]

Funny to Americans of a certain age. I once saw the Globetrotters live. [Added: reading the article, I was surprised to find the Trotters still exist. Had no idea!]


https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/66525597

On 5 January 1971, Louis Herman Klotz did something that no basketballer has dared repeat.

In front of a disbelieving audience in the city of Martin, Tennessee, the man known as Red broke one of the most sacred unwritten rules in sport. As player-coach for the Washington Generals, Klotz shot the winning basket against the Harlem Globetrotters.

Everybody knows the Generals aren't supposed to beat the Globetrotters.