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Post by bjd on Jul 29, 2021 16:17:18 GMT
I just learned that today, July 29, is this year's Earth Overshoot Day. In 1990, it was October 19. This is the day after which Earth lives on credit of its natural resources. And one scientist said this calculation is based only on carbon emission, not including plastic and other waste that are polluting the planet.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 29, 2021 16:45:47 GMT
I think they need to come up with a new calculation although the end result might be even more depressing. (For example, increased longevity is probably not helping the planet one bit!)
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 29, 2021 17:42:44 GMT
Thank you, Bjd and LaGatta! I just learned that today, July 29, is this year's Earth Overshoot Day. In 1990, it was October 19. This is the day after which Earth lives on credit of its natural resources. And one scientist said this calculation is based only on carbon emission, not including plastic and other waste that are polluting the planet. Did you see this jolly article in today's Guardian? Three Americans create enough carbon emissions to kill one person, study findsOkay, it's true that my immediate reaction was "who are those three people", but literal-mindedness aside, it's a chilling statement. Obviously the large industrial countries produce large industrial pollution. But here in the developing nation in which I live, I would say traffic pollution from unregulated vehicles can't be helping the planet either. It's horrible how often I go out to enjoy my heavily planted patio and am dismayed by the heavy odor of traffic exhaust.
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Post by lagatta on Jul 29, 2021 18:56:27 GMT
Not to mention the giant developing nation well south of there which is destroying the Amazon rainforest.
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Post by Kimby on Jul 30, 2021 13:25:26 GMT
On this date in 1956, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the US national motto from E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one) to In God We Trust.
Was this the beginning of America’s decline?
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Post by Kimby on Jul 30, 2021 13:29:07 GMT
Who's the Cheeto? Still Trump, or someone in Britain? Because of his orange spray tan and his orangey blond peculiarly sculpted mane, former US president DJT gets called Cheeto among other epithets.
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Post by questa on Jul 31, 2021 1:17:55 GMT
On this date in 1956, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the US national motto from E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one) to In God We Trust. Was this the beginning of America’s decline? Kimby, I think you have hit the nail on the head precisely. It is easily demonstrable that in giving shelter, work, care and hope to the newcomers to the great US of A, the country was forging a unity of shared experiences, overcoming difficulties together and rejoicing over common victories. In fact just to say "I'm an American" was a thing of honour. Then the motto was changed and the questions arose, "whose God?" whose creed? does that mean atheists can't be citizens? That lot over there are weird yet say they worship God. TV evangelists are all crooks, The Church covered up thousands of rapes and child abuse...and so the myth of One God being worthy of trust was shown to incite more division and hatred than any President could have imagined. Does the Average Jo think he/she is in a democracy? They have been drafted into a Theocracy without any real knowledge of what comes next. The calibre of the last 2 Presidential candidates says it all...In a population of educated voters, is this the best you can do? "Trusting in God" doesn't seem to be working for Jo. Your country needs a clean out and re think of motto, maybe "Physician, heal thyself".
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Post by Kimby on Aug 4, 2021 14:53:52 GMT
A dark day in US history thirty four years ago. On 8/4/87, the FCC during the Reagan administration abolished the Fairness Doctrine which required radio and TV stations to present balanced coverage of controversial issues.
This step backwards allowed the emergence of Fox (Faux) “News”.
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Post by Kimby on Aug 8, 2021 14:54:54 GMT
Today is the 47th anniversary of Tricky Dick’s announcement of his resignation, effective the next day.
(If Cuomo were to resign today or tomorrow, maybe he can avoid the ignominy of being the Highlight in History on whatever date he eventually does go away.)
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Post by fumobici on Aug 8, 2021 15:39:55 GMT
Today is the 47th anniversary of Tricky Dick’s announcement of his resignation, effective the next day. (If Cuomo were to resign today or tomorrow, maybe he can avoid the ignominy of being the Highlight in History on whatever date he eventually does go away.) Cuomo is (and has been to anyone paying attention) a corrupt rat-faced, self-serving dirtbag in the best Albany tradition and I fully expect him to lie and blame his victims to his dying day. He's exhibit A for people who think the US Democratic Party is a force for good and can be trusted further than they can be thrown.
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Post by htmb on Aug 8, 2021 17:25:38 GMT
He’s a total narcissist and I really can’t imagine him leaving on his own.
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Post by whatagain on Aug 8, 2021 17:31:12 GMT
I had a very good opinion of Cuomo by watching several speeches related to Covid. Seems i was only seeing the top of the iceberg.
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Post by htmb on Aug 8, 2021 17:40:02 GMT
Yes, he certainly was reassuring when we desperately needed information in the early days of the covid crisis. I’m not saying he hasn’t accomplished some things for the good of the public, but there does appear to be a totally self-serving side to him as Fumobici describes.
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Post by Kimby on Sept 2, 2021 13:35:16 GMT
On this day in 1963, the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite (the most trusted voice in US news for decades) was lengthened from 15 to 30 minutes!
Oh to return to an age when 15 minutes was enough time to cover the events of the day. And to a time when there were “trusted voices” bringing us the news!
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Post by casimira on Sept 11, 2021 15:03:36 GMT
It's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago today that the whole world was watching as the World Trade Center collapsed. It almost seems like a lifetime ago.
Many commemoratives scheduled all over the country. And, I see that the UK had a memorial service at Buckingham Palace.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 11, 2021 16:04:32 GMT
I always wonder how the generation born since then (or who were too young to remember it) view the event. The visual record of what happened looks so much like the special effects of modern movies that some of them probably don't even think of it as real.
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Post by lagatta on Sept 11, 2021 20:27:50 GMT
It is also the anniversary of Pinochet's coup in Chile; 1973.
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Post by lugg on Sept 11, 2021 20:46:59 GMT
Well I really and truly missed your birthday Bixa -so sending very best wishes . [ It's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago today that the whole world was watching as the World Trade Center collapsed. It almost seems like a lifetime ago. I've deleted so many responses as they just don't say what I want to. But I remember this day with such grief ..and I was not personally affected . I cannot imagine how many others are grieving today.
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Post by questa on Sept 12, 2021 0:13:01 GMT
I remember the confusion and denials. I was working/living in a small village in Muslim Lombok Indonesia. As I came home in the horse-drawn public transport there was a small group of villagers waiting for me. "Come with me, you will be safe at my house". The people didn't know what was happening and feared a backlash attack on their island. No TV s in the village and my radio was playing sad music. It took an hour of rumours and rebuttals to learn that 2 planes had crashed together over the 2 big buildings in America...what a terrible accident!
I rode back to the bigger market town where they had a TV in the shop window. The commentary was of course in local language but I found out the main story. The local feelings were of shock and guilt. "Muslims don't do that." "They are bad men, will not go to Heaven" Then they were scared of the local Chinese who had been involved in deadly riots a year earlier. A couple of my village friends brought their personal treasures for me to hide for a few days.
Lombok is a far distance from Jakarta, the people speak Sasak and their form of Islam arrived long before the current belief system. I felt sorry for them taking on the guilt while being afraid of other countries' reprisals.
By the time I found out what had happened it was packaged into neat sections...North Tower, South Tower etc. I had seen the classic photos and interviews but they seem like a movie. The reality was the women with little ones afraid of what the West was going to do to them now.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 14, 2021 6:18:04 GMT
Grace Kelly died on 14 September 1982 at the age of 52.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 17, 2021 9:43:59 GMT
On 17 September 1793, France put in place the "Suspect Law" which allowed the immediate arrest, without motive or proof, of any person not manifesting constant support of the Revolution. This resulted in up to 300,000 arrests and about 40,000 executions (13,045 by guillotine) between 1793 and 1794. This greatly reduced the number of anti government demonstrations.
Food for thought for anybody who thinks that only "other" cultures (Chinese, Afghan, Japanese...) can engage in this sort of behaviour.
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Post by onlyMark on Sept 17, 2021 10:52:24 GMT
And abolished 1795, presumably due to its effectiveness.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 17, 2021 14:06:40 GMT
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Post by fumobici on Sept 17, 2021 14:34:56 GMT
On 17 September 1793, France put in place the "Suspect Law" which allowed the immediate arrest, without motive or proof, of any person not manifesting constant support of the Revolution. This resulted in up to 300,000 arrests and about 40,000 executions (13,045 by guillotine) between 1793 and 1794. This greatly reduced the number of anti government demonstrations. Food for thought for anybody who thinks that only "other" cultures (Chinese, Afghan, Japanese...) can engage in this sort of behaviour. No worries, I never put that sort of thing past the French
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Post by tod2 on Sept 20, 2021 7:43:46 GMT
I would like to wish HUCKLE the happiest of birthdays! Hope you enjoy your day with family and friends and that health and happiness follow you into next year. You are a great inspiration to me!
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 20, 2021 12:24:21 GMT
Oh, thank you for telling us, Tod!
Wishing you a lovely day, Huckle, with hopes that the world will finally become healthier in the coming year so that you can resume your Florida>Paris orbit.
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Post by casimira on Sept 20, 2021 16:31:49 GMT
Echoing what Tod and Bixa have posted.
I enjoy your posts and unique insight.
Here's hoping what Bixa said about resuming your desired lifestyle.
Today is also my brother's 75th birthday.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 20, 2021 16:52:04 GMT
I have nothing against people who want to celebrate their birthdays, but I think I stopped doing it before age 30. On the other hand, it seems normal to do it after the age of 90, but also possibly a bit morbid. (Then again, those who manage to make it to 90 and beyond almost never worry about that.)
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Post by mich64 on Sept 20, 2021 17:00:10 GMT
Wishing you a fabulous joy filled day Huckle!
Happy Birthday!
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 20, 2021 19:27:20 GMT
You're certanly showing your age by saying "jeepers."
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