Ew. That’s not good. I am very skeptical about nuclear power.
What made me unhappy today ?
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Louanne Learning
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The state of the world has got me down today. Men in power playing politics while children die.
defaux
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Shooting at Bondi beach last night. 10 dead I think I saw. Haven't gone fishing for details though.
It's sad, and it makes my blood boil. They probably enjoy seeing us commoners be sad, so try not to be. Turn off the news and go do something that makes you happy.
World leaders weigh ideas in terms of battlefield slaughter. Writers measure accomplishment in terms of souls moved.
Ultimately, we win. Unfortunately it's rarely a quick victory.
What a shame.
People now reporting they were stabbed to death by their son
Whaaaat? Crazy. And the police just released the suspect in the Brown shooting, so killer is still at large. Can't wait to go downtown tomorrow.People now reporting they were stabbed to death by their son
Yes. I'm heartbroken.
Earlier today, in the office, I heard the news about yesterday's massacre of Jews in Sydney. Yesterday was the first night of Hanukkah. If you're not familiar with this Jewish holiday, it's a little like Diwali, in that it's a festival dedicated to light and freedom. Over a 1,000 worshippers gathered for a special celebration by the sea, at Bondi Beach -- and this is where the terrorists opened fire.
Sixteen people killed, including a rabbi, a Holocaust survivor, a little girl. What kind of monsters do something like this? Never mind that they're Jewish or not Jewish. May their memory be a blessing to their families.42 people are in hospital, including two police officers. I am hoping and praying for them all to return to health very quickly.
Reports of the shooters confirm them to have been following the commands of a local Islamic State terrorist cell. They were a father and son, and the father had a license for six guns (how the f***!!!
). A search of his car turned up 3 IEDs -- un-usued, thank goodness -- and two Islamic State flags. A search of their home turned up other Islamic State paraphernalia.The father was shot and killed by police. The son is wounded and in hospital under heavy police guard.
I went to a local synagogue for a service tonight. It was more or less packed. The rabbi was a visiting female rabbi from the USA (it's a progressive synagogue), and said all the right things, but the gist was this: where there is ignorance, hatred and bigotry, let us all be a source of light and wisdom, kindness and unification -- forever. A good take-away message for anyone.
My first cousin once-removed lives in Sydney with his family. None of them were hurt, thank goodness.
Even with this horrible news, there was some consolation in the fact that a person called Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Muslim Arab, risked his life for his Jewish neighbours by wrestling the rifle away from one of the shooters, pointed it at him to get him to back off, and then put it away against a tree. He was shot twice for his pains, but he is not in danger of dying. He is now recovering in hospital. Faith in humanity == Restored.
I wish to thank him for reminding us that all these things we call each other -- Muslim, Jewish, Australian, whatever -- are just labels. We're all part of one tribe, and it's called the human race. Our politicians may call these acts "un-Australian", but I disagree: acts like this don't deserve to be called "un-Australian", or "un-American", or un-anything -- except inhuman.
Sorry to rant. Thank you for listening to my babbling.
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Death toll has been revised up to fifteen (I think, including one of the shooters).
defaux
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Thank you Rath. I saw the footage of the guy disarming one of the assailants. Incredibly brave.
The politicing coming out of the aftermath is ridiculous, I won't get into it here though. Suffice to say I agree with your sentiments. These actions are intolerable regardless of race or faith. I am not Jewish, but share in your prayers for those affected and their families.
They've got oogatz on the Brown shooter. Cops are still canvassing neighborhoods looking for video footage. Is this going to the first mass shooter to get away with it (at least that I can recall)? Only in Rhode Island.
the lane bryant mass shooting in illinois was never solved, and it took 22 years to solve the KFC shootings in texas,
Well said and I agree.
@Rath Darkblade May their memories be a blessing to their families. I am saddened by the violence against the Jewish people these last few years and I am also sad that so many other incidents on campuses, etc. occur and continue to occur. I wish we could agree on a reasonable solution in the US.
Someone close to the tubby guy in the new photos should recognize him, even with only the sliver of eyes visible.
I'm very afraid that a solution will never be found, unless some people change their ways.
I'm talking about the kind of people who think in terms of "I'm better than you, because I'm [ABC]" or "...because you're [XYZ]", etc. (Fill in the blanks - race, colour, creed, religion, sex, etc.)As the late, great George Carlin put it (about religious violence and religious wars):
To make it clear: I've nothing whatsoever against religion of any kind. Religious people have created and inspired some of the most beautiful art and sublime music. But when religion is taken too far, you get zealotry, and that's when the problems happen.
As Terry Pratchett put it in Carpe Jugulum, in a scene where Granny Weatherwax discusses sin with a young priest called Mightily Oats:
Granny is absolutely right. Labels (white, black, Jewish, Muslim etc.) divide us from each other. Some of this is inescapable, of course, but it's often done maliciously, and that's what I can't stand. It's a round world the last time I checked. Where are we so-called "undesirables" supposed to go?
@Rath Darkblade Sorry for derailing the conversation. I just realized what everyone was talking about. I was watching the news with horror. I was recently talking to some children about how Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah and what it was, and how to say Happy Holidays or Happy Hanukkah instead of Merry Christmas to their Jewish friends. I was surprised they didn't know already...as I learned about this at school when I was a kid at their age. I'm not Jewish but it really makes me upset to know Jewish people can't simply be visibly Jewish without fear of violence like this and that the Jewish people feel they have to shrink or hide.
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