donkusai comments

Posted in: Global reaction mixed after U.S. attacks Syrian gov't base with cruise missiles See in context

When I first read of the strike, I thought "Oh boy... this is a big escalation of the conflict", but now that I've had time to think it over, I'm thinking this might have been the right move to make. A single targeted attack in response to a specific incident (the illegal use of chemical weapons). Why it's true that Obama inherited this mess from GWB, he did draw a red line over the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing when that line was crossed. He was a president with good ideas, but he was a bit weak in backing them up with actions.

I don't think this action draws the US any further into the conflict. There are no more US boots on the ground. What it does is say to Assad and Russia is that we do have limits and we will act to cross them. The way regimes like Assad's work is to say it wasn't them, and if they're caught, they'll join peace talks and then string them out forever, while continuing to do whatever they want. North Korea does the same. They do it because there are no consequences to terrible things they do. As long as the US govt set out clear lines of communication for when they will act, this can actually make these regimes think twice about what they do.

By the way, this response would have been planned after the last similar incident. I have little doubt it would have been delivered regardless of who was president. Though it pains me to say it, I'll put my first tick in Trump's report card (though it may be a very, very lonely tick...)

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Posted in: Petition to boycott Netflix adaptation of 'Death Note' reaches Japan See in context

Hmm... Remember the old "Monkey Magic" TV series? The story of a band of Chinese played by Japanese actors? I think there was even a movie remake not so long ago, again with Japanese actors playing the Chinese characters...

In the end, TV and movies are made for a target audience. Every nation does this. To be overly defensive on behalf of one particular country, or one particular story, reeks of hypocrisy. If you don't want to watch this particular version of this particular series, then you're probably not the target audience. Get over it. Just another #weakonlinewhingefest.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Sony exec pokes fun at Netflix at 'Blade Runner 2049' preview See in context

...so some Sony guy says “Netflix my ass”... as far as I can tell, that's the entire purpose of this article. So, what am I supposed to do with this story. Sony doesn't like Netflix. Wow... So... anyone want to discuss the weather...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: London attacker cheerful, joking on eve of deadly rampage See in context

nandakandamanda, it probably only suggests that he thought money would not be of any use to him after doing what he was planning on doing.

And joyriding... totally agree.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Trump, GOP leaders pull bill to repeal 'Obamacare' See in context

You see this sort of thing happen in other countries as well. When a party builds its popularity on the protest vote and then wins power, they often start off terribly. They can't keep protesting against the former government (though they'll try) because they now have the ability - and the responsibility - to run the country. Too many people in the Republican Party have staked their political careers on protesting against Obama and Obamacare in its entirety. Now that they have to come up with an alternative, they can't. Some Republicans want to create good policy that will make the country function better, but some have blustered so much hot air on the topic for so long that they'll block anything. Time for a strong leader to step up, side-step the blockers, and try to appeal to anyone (regardless of their party affiliations) on the grounds of good policy. Of course, you have to start with a good policy first. Until, nothing will improve.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: British police arrest seven in raids over deadly Westminster attack See in context

@Madverts - Bollocks to those of you turning this into your political and/or anti-Muslim agenda. @Disillusioned - I'm sure you would quickly change this opinion if it was your sister, daughter etc...

Only if you completely ignore the mental stability of those involved, and the fact that more Muslims have died at the hands of these sort of extremists than non-Muslims, and that most of the Muslim world actually stand with us in wanting to get rid of idiot ideologies that have inspired mentally deficient individuals like the one who has commit these crimes...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Trump fights for support ahead of healthcare vote See in context

People are finally realizing they were duped

Nope. Sorry. The political rhetoric has a long long way to play out yet. Too many stupid statements have been thrown around to assume that sanity will soon prevail. ObamaCare is evil in its every incarnation and must be completely destroyed, and the bits that may actually make sense can't be allowed to stand and must be replaced by things that don't make sense. Only then will irrational stupidity give way to some other less intense form of stupidity. With luck, the world will only become rather stupid, rather than the alternate of fairly insane. It's the best we can hope for at this stage...

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Posted in: Online advertisers sign up to better standards See in context

MiceVice: How about making 'better' ads in terms of content, not only the format? Like, avoid sexism in ads, and sto using unearthly emaciated models.

Couldn't agree more. Nothing worse than working with a class of students, pulling up a great website with teaching resources, and having the page covered in inappropriate sexist ads (and no, the ads get rotated, so they weren't there the last time I'd used the site). I've stopped using some sites for this reason.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: British police arrest seven in raids over deadly Westminster attack See in context

...or, scoobydoo, you could actually WAIT for the details to come out (it only happened yesterday and is still very much ongoing now) before going off on a conspiracy rant. Oh, sorry. Forgot. I guess details are not important to some. Personally, I don't see this incident changing any laws. The police will probably look into their procedures and make adjustments to try to make them more efficient, but that's just my opinion and I'll wait to see what happens. Either way, from what I've read, they've done a great job in responding and have lost one of their own in the process.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: 'Matrix' reboot? Some say studio should choose another pill See in context

Just looks like another studio who can't think of any new ideas and won't take a chance on bringing in someone or something new. I enjoyed the original Matrix movie. It was done well, the story was interesting, and it had a good ending. By redoing it, the whole surprise of the story would be gone. They've already tried to make 2 sequels and they were terrible. Personally, I find movies like the Matrix and Inception should be left alone once they've been done. Once you know the ending, any sequel/reboot is going to lack the impact of the original.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Ryan pushes for unity as House panels debate GOP health bill See in context

This is the problem with an infinite recursive loop. The Republican leadership must make a policy on a topic that most of the party elite have staked their political reputations on opposing in all forms, yet now they have control of the government, their opposition has ruled out all available options, so they must make a policy on a topic that most of the party elite have... yeah, well, you all know how recursion works...

If they support the leadership, they are traitors to true cause. If they stand true and resist, their own government becomes a limp joke. Personally, I'm throwing all my laundry in for this, because the spin cycle on this one is going to be epic...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Ryan pushes for unity as House panels debate GOP health bill See in context

A wise man once said... "Now, I have to tell you, it's an unbelievably complex subject. Nobody knew health care could be so complicated."

...well, a man once said it at least. And for once, he was being completely honest and rational. Sad it all had to turn out this way. Sad. So Sad.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: Australian summer weather smashes records See in context

Serrano: “Days of extreme heat and heatwaves will become even more frequent and severe in Australia." What happened to human-caused global warming?

No idea what you're talking about here. The very sentence before the one you quoted clearly answers your question.

"Even if this is just a natural variation, the effects of it is still the same, and to do nothing is stupidity personified." Agree 100%. We have to take steps to deal with inevitable climate change.

... for the second part of your comment, I've given you a thumbs-up "Good" rating on your comment. I wish more people would have also done so... Right now, we need action to address clear issues that a warming climate is causing and is projected to cause.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Posted in: Australian summer weather smashes records See in context

Robert pearce: Australian temperature records shoddy inaccurate unreliable.

...and your evidence for this? None... Just another politically motivated dismissal of recorded statistics for the sole purpose of pushing a political line...

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Posted in: Australian summer weather smashes records See in context

"The climate changes naturally. There's no evidence that this is the result of man-made actions. Therefore, we should do nothing."

No. Even if you don't believe the overwhelming scientific research, then you should at least recognise that this is a problem, even if it isn't man-made. Even if this is just a natural variation, the effects of it is still the same, and to do nothing is stupidity personified. The Australian climate makes it more susceptible to climate changes, so you can think of it as an early warning system. Regardless of your political leanings - please, please, please actually think of the consequences of these changes. The science on that is pretty clear.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Posted in: Trump maintains confidence in FBI head amid wiretap friction See in context

So a right-wing radio host makes up a story with no sources, yet the MSM is fake news because it doesn't supply sources. The FBI head confirms this is not something that has happened, yet, as Serrano helpfully points out, right-wing TV pundits on FOX twist it to make it almost look like it might possibly look like an issue if the light hits it at just the right angle to blind your view of the bigger scene... and this is enough proof for our usual suspects here in comments to convince them that this is a true conspiracy that doesn't require any further analysis and should be pushed up to the highest levels of governmental investigation, while simultaneously refusing to admit any possibility that any member of the Trump team has anything at all to answer for despite weeks of revelations that clearly are nowhere near as concrete as this post-truth fact that Obama is a secret communist from Mars...

Good luck America. In the absence of the ability to think critically, all you're left with is BS... and if that's your truth, then you've already lost...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Come right in See in context

I think it's a great way of attracting customers to lose their money at pachinko. After all, if one country is willing to gamble away their future on electing him as their president...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: Trump claims Obama had phones wiretapped; Obama denies it See in context

Media reports on numerous Trump indiscretions - His supporters cry "Rubbish. I don't believe it. Where's the proof?"

Trump endlessly tweets stuff on his Twitter with no proof ever given - His supporters cry "it's probably true. I believe it. Where's your proof that it isn't?"

Hypocrisy at it's best.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Posted in: Trump considering 'brand new order' after travel ban halted See in context

For me, I fear how many "home grown" potential attackers are being ignored while the various political parties, and the commander-in-chief, try to score political points over each other. With the exception of 9/11, of which the highest proportion of attackers were Saudi (not on Trump's ban list), most terrorist attacks in the U.S. have been home-grown. The circus that has been Trumps sudden edicts that the relevant authorities were unaware of has taken valuable resources away from the actual process of "keeping America safe". Oh, you troll by asking what proof I have of this? Look at the how the courts are being tied up with this stupidity. While we're dancing to the Trump circus, we are taking valuable resources away from the very authorities that are meant to protect us. It's the difference between media spin and actual action. What's the point of scoring right-wing media political points at the expense of actual national security. But hey, those who object will dance the far right-wing line that it's leftist-whinging. As a moderate right, that argument disgusts me...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Chinese, U.S. aircraft in 'unsafe' encounter over South China Sea See in context

“We don’t see any evidence that it was intentional,” the spokesman said.

There's a history of Chinese fighters trying to intimidate aircraft from other countries over the SCS. In 2001, near Hainan island, one fighter actually collided with a US plane causing the fighter to crash and the US plane to make an emergency landing. One of the problems with an overly-nationalist military is that there'll always be posturing, and it's best not to let it escalate. I think the statement given above by the spokesman was the right one to make, all things considered.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Sydney braces for blackouts amid extreme heatwave See in context

My Facebook has been bombarded lately by paid advertisements telling me of the terrors of renewable energy and of how cheap coal power is... Strange that none of those messages take into account the $2-4 billion a year in subsidies that the coal industry receive from the government... add the tax you're paying for that onto your energy bill and the picture changes pretty drastically.

One of the biggest problems in the Australian energy system is that a number of private companies are trying to maximise profits at the expense of their customers. We need a solid base of renewable energy, we need a solid base of gas powered systems for on-call base load, and we need to kill the hyper-expensive coal subsidies that politicians use to pretend that coal is cheaper when it really isn't. Until the politicians stop crowing to their political bases and actually start supporting a system that functions, then we're stuffed, plain and simple. Renewable energy... yes. Base load gas... yes. They have to work in unison.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Australian senator, who is Trump supporter, to start new conservative party See in context

Bernardi wants to think he's the Donald Trump of Australia, but he's far closer to being the Ted Cruz. He has about the same lack of charisma, is about as well liked by his fellow politicians and will most like to prove just as successful...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Putin says Ukraine escalated conflict to get U.S. support See in context

Asakaze: The difference is very simple. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union Russia was in turmoil, but now it is in upward trajectory... To the contrary, Ukraine is in a sharp downward spiral.

It's always refreshing to hear such an unbiased view on issues of world conflict...

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Posted in: GOP senator tries to reassure Australia after Trump call See in context

@ Serrano

That seems a rather deceptive way of describing it (not a comment about you, but about the story itself). It is not saying that no one approves of Turnbull, but just that an equal number of people approve as disapprove. He still leads the leader of the opposition by 20% as preferred Prime Minister. I'm not sure what these statistics have to do with this story though...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Posted in: GOP senator tries to reassure Australia after Trump call See in context

@ kurisupisu: And how many people commenting here and against Trump's position have ever helped an immigrant or welcomed one into their homes?

Actually, volunteer teaching English to refugees and migrants in my own community lead me to change my career and eventually led me to a 4 year teaching job in a small village in Japan. It's more common than you think.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: GOP senator tries to reassure Australia after Trump call See in context

I must admit, as an Australian, that I was surprised that the Obama administration decided to accept the refugees from Manus and Nauru. It did solve a really sticky problem that the Australian government created for itself. I also deeply respect the efforts that McCain is making to try to bring a little sanity to these first 2 weeks of the Trump administration. He really seems to be someone who understands what is going on. From the standpoint here, though, it is clear that a Trump U.S. is turning inward, and it is also clear that regional powers in the pacific are going to have to reorganise in a way where they can work together without the United States. Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and with luck, Indonesia and other S.E.Asian countries are going to have to work together for our own security. Maybe it is time for a shift in political power... I sense that McCain realises that the U.S. becoming irrelevant is not a good outcome...

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Posted in: Why Facebook keeps pushing you to go 'live' with video See in context

Facewho?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Posted in: Australian PM, Trump offer different versions of phone call on refugee deal See in context

@ M3M3M3

The deal, as originally reported in November, only refers to refugees - but it was not only Manus, but Nauru as well. So far, in all of the reporting I've read since November, it has only ever referred to the deal being about the resettling of refugees. But I will concede the point that when the media says "refugees", the meaning can vary based on the media outlet involved. Other news, though, has reported other offers such as tickets home to those who were not found to be refugees, so based on the whole, I'd say we are most likely talking about those found to be actual refugees by the UNHCR.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-13/australia-announces-refugee-resettlement-deal-with-us/8021120

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Posted in: Australian PM, Trump offer different versions of phone call on refugee deal See in context

Blacklabel: so no one who comes by boat can stay? Thats hilarious considering the whole country is surrounded by water! Not like refugees can go online and booking Qantas flights.

Actually, far more people come by plane and then claim refugee status than come by boat. And for what they pay the boat smugglers, they'd easily be able to get Qantas flights for their whole families. So year, asking questions about the policy is a fair call. The main difference, I guess, is that well over a thousand people drowned over just a fairly short period of time going the boat route. Not sure how many Qantas flights feel out of the sky during the same period...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Posted in: Australian PM accused of 'buying election' See in context

Peter Qinghai.... I think you're mixing up your stories here. I know there aren't many stories about Trump on this site at the moment, and unfortunately this one isn't one either.

Now, back to the actual story... $1.75m for the Australian Prime Ministership? Sorry Malcomn, you got ripped off!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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