All Purpose Politics and News Thread

[gryphon]

With all due respect, this has nothing to do with compassion and everything to do with a publicity stunt.

I learned the hard way years ago that anyone that used the label "animal rights" cares very little about the well-being of creatures (well, other than themselves). Animal welfare is a whole other story. What opened my eyes was an animal rights group holding a protest (I came across them by accident and was watching) and several members attacked a blind man with a guide dog. Apparently, they were trying to save the poor creature from being a "slave" - except they thought the best way to do that is to throw things AT THE DOG. Cops helped the poor man, but did nothing to the cretins. When I contacted the organizers, I was told that this was the best way to show the world how horrible life is for a guide dog (by attacking the critter?)! Sorry, I'll stop now, suffice to say I have a hate-on for these idiots.

Sigh.

Hell the 2nd in command of PETA says people shouldnt use animal products while using insulin herself

[Natalka]

Oybama! Personal politics, not environmental as he claims...
------------
Obama rejects Keystone XL pipeline

The Obama administration has rejected TransCanada's application to build the Keystone XL pipeline, capping a seven-year saga that became an environmental flashpoint in both Canada and the U.S.

Speaking from the White House on Friday, Obama said Keystone "will not serve the national interests of the United States."

Obama said the State Department rejected the proposed pipeline, saying it would not make a meaningful long-term contribution to the U.S. economy.

Killing the pipeline allows Obama to claim aggressive action on the environment, potentially strengthening his hand as world leaders prepare to finalize major global climate pact within weeks that Obama hopes will be a crowning jewel for his legacy.

much more info here
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/keys...bama-1.3307440



Brad Wall - Sask. premier

7 hrs ·

Today's announcement is very disappointing, not only for our energy sector but also for the signal it sends about Canada-US relations. Given the facts of the project as canvassed by the US State Department, this decision is more about US domestic politics than it is about good environmental policy.

The fact is pipelines are safer - far safer than other means of transporting oil, like rail. There are currently over 66,000 miles of oil pipeline in the US with over 12,000 miles - the equivalent of 10 Keystone XLs - built since 2010.

Oil will move with or without pipelines. Consider the facts. In 2008, there were 9500 rail carloads of oil shipped in the US. By 2014, that number had jumped to 493,000 - over 50 times as many. The US State Department even agrees that greenhouse gas emissions from rail are much higher than emissions from pipeline. Yet on Keystone XL, the US administration chose to put political interests ahead of the economic and environmental benefits that KXL would provide, and ahead of its relationship with its most important trading partner, Canada.

This decision makes approval of Energy East even more crucial and it will be one of Saskatchewan's top priorities as we begin our work with the new federal government.

[thriftygranny]

^^^
How very disappointing, another set back for the western economy.

[Natalka]

Russia is suspended from Olympic Games


The IAAF voted for the decision to suspend Russia from Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping after the publication of report of an independent commission of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Joinfo.ua reports with the reference to BBC.
The council members voted 22-1 in favour of Russia being banned.


It should be recalled that an independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has found that Russia was involved in state-sponsored doping and recommended that Russian athletes to be suspended from Olympic Games of 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
According to a released report, Russia took part in a systemic, and state-sponsored doping program for several years, including in the run-up to the Sochi Games.

http://joinfo.com/world/1011219_russia-suspended-from-olympic-games.html

In that report, commission head Dick Pound, a former president of WADA, called for Russia to be suspended for 2016 "so that they can take the remedial work in time to make sure that Russian athletes can compete under a new framework".
The IAAF took his words to heart, saying the consequences of the provisional suspension were that "athletes and athlete support personnel from Russia may not compete in international competitions including World Athletic Series competitions and the Olympic Games".
It also means Russia "will not be entitled to host the 2016 World Race Walking Cup (Cheboksary) and 2016 World Junior Championships (Kazan)".

The IAAF added: "To regain membership to the IAAF the new federation would have to fulfil a list of criteria.


The fallout from the WADA report's damning conclusions reached as far up as Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered officials to launch their own internal investigation and cooperate with international anti-doping authorities.
"We must do everything in Russia to rid ourselves of this problem," said Putin, an avid sportsman and judo black belt who led Russia's bid to host last year's Winter Olympics and the 2018 football World Cup.

http://www.france24.com/en/20151114-...ugs-corruption

[Patty Smyth]

^^^^^ Russia got caught, now they need to catch the rest of the world who are just as guilty.

[gryphon]

[beachdown]

First 5 Syrian refugees arrive in Australia

Five Syrians have become the first of 12,000 refugees to arrive in Australia under a one-off plan to resettle people fleeing the country's conflict, the media reported on Tuesday.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/region/m...yrian-refugees

[Patty Smyth]

[gryphon]

[Patty Smyth]

Yes and in the end they didn't need the trial after all. His policies did him in.

[Patty Smyth]

http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news-commun...edium=facebook

Montreal Children's hearing operation described as North American first

[Patty Smyth]

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11...cahpmg00000001

Canada Fiscal Update: Liberals Say Federal Books Billions Deeper In Hole

[Natalka]

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11...cahpmg00000001

Canada Fiscal Update: Liberals Say Federal Books Billions Deeper In Hole

And it's good that it's explained that it's not the former government's fault. Plus the Liberals adjusted numbers to suit their reality -

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...bIi3jCf3tOc.97

Yet the Liberals will spend without restraint, trying to fulfill all those amazing election promises.

As Rick Mercer said, the honeymoon's over:

[gryphon]

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/11...cahpmg00000001

Canada Fiscal Update: Liberals Say Federal Books Billions Deeper In Hole

And it's good that it's explained that it's not the former government's fault. Plus the Liberals adjusted numbers to suit their reality -

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...bIi3jCf3tOc.97

Yet the Liberals will spend without restraint, trying to fulfill all those amazing election promises.

As Rick Mercer said, the honeymoon's over:

http://www.macleans.ca/economy/econo...doesnt-add-up/
Stephen Gordon: Liberals’ deficit claim doesn’t add up

[Patty Smyth]

The crazies are out in force. Imagine if someone stood in front of your church with machine guns?

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/arme...to-show-force/