So, I've track. What conflicts are still going on? I honestly don't know because I was reading about one a while back and realized it wasn't the one I thought it was, and this was like a month or two ago.

(04-20-2014, 07:35 PM)Psychospacecow Wrote: So, I've track. What conflicts are still going on? I honestly don't know because I was reading about one a while back and realized it wasn't the one I thought it was, and this was like a month or two ago.

Here's a brief overview of world conflicts in the news at the moment if I remember rightly.
Sorry, it's long, but I love foreign affairs.

Venezuela - Ongoing riots against the government.

Syria - Civil war still rages. 4 French journalists released yesterday. Rebels losing ground and support from Western power as they become more polarised towards Al-Qaeda/Al-Nusra Front. Reports of chemical weapons, banned by UN convention, being used. Both sides accuse the other.
UN resolution unlikely as Russia has veto power on the UN Security Council.

Ukraine - Pro-Russian dissidents take over several government buildings in Eastern Ukraine (Donetsk, among others) declaring autonomous republics.
EU, USA, Russia and Ukraine agree on diplomatic solution. So far, not so good. Russia condemns attacks on Pro-Russian folk in the East. Russia massing troops on the border. Invasion to "protect civilians" likely from the Russians.
Ukraine isn't part of NATO, so there's not much we can do.

Hate to say it, but Russia is playing this beautifully. Pushing diplomatic boundaries to the maximum, waiting for a defensible cause and going in. That's why I think they'll soon have Eastern Ukraine -- There are more and more uprisings, likely instigated by Russia. That will lead to more instability, and Russia will then say it is obliged to intervene to 'protect the security of civilians'. Once they're in, hey! why not have a referendum. Ok you join Russia. Ukraine loses Eastern oblasts.

Transnistria - Breakaway republic in Moldova (just West of Ukraine) want to join Russia. More and more unrest.

Central African Republic - Fighting continues between the muslim and christian groups. France sends more troops to stabilise the situation. The EU also approves troops under the aegis of the UN.

South Sudan - This young country still under a power struggle between the current ruler and his former 2nd in command who wants his job.
UN base attacked a few days ago. UN not happy, tells South Sudan to sort out its crap.

Algeria - Presidential elections occuring with President Bouteflika running for yet another term.
Civil unrest brewing as many, particularly the young, state that he is too old and that he is not fit at all to rule (he had a stroke and other health issues and is seldom seen in public).

Egypt - As predicted, Field Marshal Al-Sissi is running for the presidency of Egypt, after spearheading the overthrow of the democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood.
Egypt doesn't seem to understand that the past is just going to repeat itself. Military ruler is hero of revolution. Takes power, goes all despotic. Is overthrown by the next man of the moment.
A left-wing candidate is standing against him (the only one so far), but I bey Al-Sissi will win and Egypt will have a tough time. Terrible shame.

Nigeria - Islamist insurgents still causing chaos, particularly in the North-East of the country. A few days ago, over 100 school girls were kidnapped. Every few days, scores die in terrorist attacks.
UN telling Nigeria to sort out its crap otherwise it will have to intervene.

Libya - Rebels still hold some ports and are starting to sell oil to whomever wants to buy some.

Mali - Islamist rebels, linked to AQIM, still skitting around being general knobs. French and African Union troops still chasing them around. Very difficult as the territory is vast. Cat and mouse, basically.

Bosnia-Herzegovina - Civil unrest against what is claimed to be a corrupt government. High unemployment, rampant poverty... the (unfortunate) usual reasons for protests.
Government buildings burnt a few months ago.

Spain - Not really a conflict, but an interesting subject. Catalonian seperatists will not be able to hold a referendum, regional vote blocked by national government.

UK - Again, not a conflict, but one to watch. Scotland independence referendum will happen in a few months. Opinion polls suggest the vote will fail.

Turkey - After banning Twitter, protests got even starker against erdoghan's government, which is muzzling the internet more and more.


Again, this is all from memory, so don't hesitate to tell me if I got something wrong (or to add some conflict I missed).

I bet the situation in Korea is still as tense as ever.

WARNING, the video in this article contains up close views of puncture wounds: http://jezebel.com/worlds-most-awesome-c...276526/all

In California a four year old child was rescued from a brutal dog attack by his cat. I want more information to be released because I'm curious if this dog has a history. This boy did absolutely nothing to trigger this dog into attacking; all that seemed to happen is that he noticed the kid and went right for him.

Of course the internet is going nuts and there's fights as to whether or not the dog has any pit bull in him.

EDIT: Some sites are saying the dog is a lab/chow mix. I thought it was something mixed with a lab, but I couldn't tell what. I still can't believe the stupid owner let him run around the neighborhood without a leash. He'd better be forced to pay for that kid's medical bills plus extra for pain and suffering. The boy will absolutely have scars from this.

That cat is a hero and needs his/her own statue.

To make sure the statue is properly cared for, we should erect it in Reddit's HQ.

So appearently Russia is trying to start world war 3. Also, they said there getting all of there military defenses ready, including nukes (If needed).

Should we worry?

(05-16-2014, 03:04 PM)frankfrost2 Wrote: So appearently Russia is trying to start world war 3. Also, they said there getting all of there military defenses ready, including nukes (If needed).

Should we worry?

First of all, we should stop reading sensationalist headlines.

Russia is proceeding with the gradual annexation of the Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine. Sucks to say it, but they're playing it very well, just edging bit by bit and backing off when the West gets too angry.

Will this be WW3 ? No. Are they going to nuke the West ? No.
The West isn't doing much because Europe is so dependant on Russian Gas/Oil.
Russia isn't going to risk a full-blown war because there is no way they could possibly win against those who would ally against them. For example, Ukraine isn't part of NATO, but a neutral, far-away country (Portugal, Iceland...) may then unilaterally declare war on Russia in order for that country to then call on NATO under the premise that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all NATO members.

This is why I say that Russia is playing its cards very well -- it's slowly gnawing away at Ukraine without starting conflict. It's denying all ties to rebel movements and cannot be held accountable unless the West finds tangible proof of their involvement.

Outcomes ?

1 - Russia push too far, Ukraine declares their incursion an invasion and a brief war breaks out. Other countries (with NATO and the OSCE) condemn Russia's actions, but don't act (see the 2008 Georgia crisis).
2 - Russia continue to annex eastern Ukraine bit by bit to 'respect the will of the people in the oblasts that seek to join our federation'.


In any case, the world is very intent on keeping borders as they are, and making sure that nothing changes. And that may be part of the problem. We don't want to create, say, two countries based on ethnic divisions. One pro-European Ukrainian nation, and one pro-Russian state. These past decades, the mot d'ordre has been 'unity, unity, unity'. But at what cost ? So many countries in the world nowadays have ethnic violence because two different people are being forced to co-exist. It's happening a lot in Africa due to artificial colonial borders, and it's happening elsewhere in the world.
The world is scared of major change, and leaders don't want to see their country cut in half. But what if that's the best solution to the current crisis?

(05-16-2014, 03:04 PM)frankfrost2 Wrote: So appearently Russia is trying to start world war 3. Also, they said there getting all of there military defenses ready, including nukes (If needed).

Should we worry?

Haha, Russia can't really do anything by themselves, sure they may have loads of soldiers and missiles and stuff but if they try anything you can bet America and England will stop them whilst bringing in the rest of Europe.

This will only be a worrying matter if China got involved...

So, if what I read on Reddit was correct, Thailand is having a military coup.

(05-16-2014, 03:04 PM)frankfrost2 Wrote: So appearently Russia is trying to start world war 3. Also, they said there getting all of there military defenses ready, including nukes (If needed).

Should we worry?

Don't worry, if anyone's gonna get shafted first it's gonna be Finland. Putin did say he wants to bring the old borders back eventually, including Finland. That crazy asshat.

(05-14-2014, 10:09 PM)Hexadecimal Wrote: WARNING, the video in this article contains up close views of puncture wounds: http://jezebel.com/worlds-most-awesome-c...276526/all

In California a four year old child was rescued from a brutal dog attack by his cat. I want more information to be released because I'm curious if this dog has a history. This boy did absolutely nothing to trigger this dog into attacking; all that seemed to happen is that he noticed the kid and went right for him.

Of course the internet is going nuts and there's fights as to whether or not the dog has any pit bull in him.

EDIT: Some sites are saying the dog is a lab/chow mix. I thought it was something mixed with a lab, but I couldn't tell what. I still can't believe the stupid owner let him run around the neighborhood without a leash. He'd better be forced to pay for that kid's medical bills plus extra for pain and suffering. The boy will absolutely have scars from this.

Nice tackle. I love how the cat even turned to look at the kid before continuing her chase.

(05-19-2014, 10:16 PM)Psychospacecow Wrote: So, if what I read on Reddit was correct, Thailand is having a military coup.

Thailand politics is severly messed up and the thing to remember is that a forceful change of government is a common affair.

There are the yellow shirts, and the red shirts. One is in power and the other protests etc etc.
Here's a good summary - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13294268


Thailand in a nutshell !

1. Redshirts in power.
   
2. Yellowshirts all angry like.
   
3. Yellowshirts protest.
   
4. Redshirts instate martial law
   
5. Yellowshirts get even shirtier and protests turn violent
   
6. Redshirts forced to call election (or coup occurs)
   
7. Yellowshirts are now in power
   
8. Redshirts all angry like.
   
9. Redshirts protest.
   
10. Yellowshirts instate martial law
    
11. Redshirts get even shirtier and protests turn violent
    
12. Yellowshirts forced to call election (or coup occurs)
    
13. Rinse and bloody repeat.
    

It's ridiculous. There had been trouble brewing for a while, and the current PM has just been deposed for corruption. Cue protests and repression and coups and revolutions and snap elections and bloody hell.

I guess eBay was hacked, or something like that. There's a message on the front page now urging users to reset their passwords. So far I don't see anything suspicious on my account there or on PayPal, but that makes me nervous.

(05-22-2014, 09:34 PM)Hexadecimal Wrote: I guess eBay was hacked, or something like that. There's a message on the front page now urging users to reset their passwords. So far I don't see anything suspicious on my account there or on PayPal, but that makes me nervous.

I had my account hacked a while back. Not that it really did them any good, since my account is not linked with PayPal in no way and I don't have any of my credit card information on there. They just ended up spamming some auctions with my account trying to make it seem like I bought a lot of stuff but eBay got a whiff and deleted all my fake bids. So, in the end, all that really happened was that I changed my pass.

So, local news stations have always given us warnings about places where the police is scanning for speeders. Now, it's a completely moronic move because people will ALWAYS drive slower there and therefore screw with the actual statistics, probably making things appear safer than they actually are. And it was shown on a national "scan marathon" where they were scanning everywhere. It was announced weeks in advance, discussed on the news almost every day and been all over the interwebs. Guess what? The marathon was a bust because only morons were speeding. Everyone else magically drove safely ... Now they're begging radio stations to stop doing that, but they're saying that this "raises awareness" and they won't stop doing it .... Gawwwwwwwwwwwd.