China and India sounded a new optimistic tone in their relationship … as they signed an agreement to boost meetings between their militaries to avoid any repeat of this year’s tense standoff along their disputed Himalayan border.
The accord followed a meeting in Beijing between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also had trade ties on the agenda as India seeks to gain greater access to Chinese markets and readjust a trade balance tilted heavily toward China. …
… After every mass shooting—which is essentially all the time these days—gun rights advocates drag out the “more guns = more safer” argument. And yet: we’re still not safe!
Despite having almost one gun for every man, woman, and child in the nation, peak safety has yet to be reached. …
If you take the positions of the NRA and add them up, you can see how the world would look if the gun lobby got everything it wants: Every American would have easy access to assault weapons, gun dealers would not be required to check the criminal record and mental health history of someone before selling them a gun, the capacity of gun magazines could be near-infinite, and it would be illegal for a city to stop people from carrying guns in public. This would be a country where you could literally buy an AR-15 at Walmart, immediately put on full tactical gear worn by SWAT teams, and stroll into a school for your parent-teacher conference with another fully armed adult….
Tommy Douglas … (20 October 1904 – 24 February 1986) was a Scottish-born Canadian social-democratic politician and Baptist minister.
… Saskatchewan CCF’s leader and then the seventh Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961. His government was the first democratic socialist government in North America, and it introduced the continent’s first single-payer, universal health care program. …
He’s much celebrated in Canada, in 2004 voted “Greatest Canadian” by viewers in one online vote.
Arriving Saskatoon early on a Sunday morning, I saw this tribute.
Nearby was this homeless man.
Tommy would be displeased. 😦
Saskatoon is a boom town right now. With a very low unemployment rate.
related – In 2010, the BC Provincial Government not only stiffened penalties against driving at.08, but more importantly, it targeted drivers who fall below that level — to .05.
Since U.S. military interventions began in the Middle East, they’ve made a long series of foolish decisions. That includes supporting bin Laden and the Mujahideen against Russia.
What has been achieved over the past 30 years?
The region is less stable.
Democracy has not flourished.
The standing of the USA is much diminished.
There’s more potential for anti-American terrorism than ever before.
I heard an interview with Bacevich on DeCode DC audiocast. I agree completely.
If your heart goes out to innocent Syrians, send your donations to humanitarian relief. Support the 1.75 million Syrians in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Taking out Assad with a drone — perhaps at dinner — will almost certainly make things worse for Syrians.
Economist concludes that the USA should give Assad one more chance to admit to using chemical weapons. ” … if he demurs, hit him hard …”
It’s a compelling argument. But I disagree.
The USA should begin to phase out it’s role as unappreciated Policeman to the World, even if it means innocents in other nations suffer.
The American President should learn not to make threats he’s not willing to make good on. The American taxpayers do not want to pay for yet another expensive, ultimately useless intervention.
Is Obama embarrassed right now?
He’s a proud man. I’m sure he is.
Take it on the chin. And move on.
By the way, I am talking about this War. It would be an entirely different matter if this was a nuclear power like Pakistan, Iran or even North Korea.
Rick McCharles 