News and Current Events - 2012

[garyd]

Yes.

In an ever so friendly attempt to keep all of this as clear as possible and as realistic as, oh I don't know, ANY episode of "SMASH", let me insert that what we are talking about here is the recently drafted Fiscal Stability Treaty signed by all European countries with the exception of the Czech's and, well of course, the UK.  It has been ratified by two countries.
Holland indicated, during the recent hub bub in France, that he either wanted to alter it just a wee bit or not ratify it at all.
Ms. Merkel, following Holland's ascent, said "no way, Jose", ( I think it is difficult to say Francois in German). 
Now, aides to Holland are saying they really don't want to change anything they just want to "add" some language allowing for, comment voulez vous dire, GROWTH, in the good ol' Euro Zone. Benign growth, we assume, but who knows?,perhaps any old brown itchy thing with a hair growing out of it will do.  We'll see.

In the meantime, Cousin Debbie and Tom made up, Carpet got a haircut, Ivy is a revenge sex slut, and Angela, dear, dear, Angela, sang "Septmeber Song'. 
All is well.

[doodler]

I followed you... and loved it... up to the second paragraph which might as well have been in French or German for all I got out of it. Somebody's wives and lovers, maybe? Probably the French guy's.

[garyd]

I followed you... and loved it... up to the second paragraph which might as well have been in French or German for all I got out of it. Somebody's wives and lovers, maybe? Probably the French guy's.

Sometimes, when aloft for too long, and to supplement my income, I, virtually mind you, dress in drag in a miserably desperate attempt to impersonate a talented, young, female writer.
Nice is different than good.

[brokebacktom]

Would Greece be better outside the Euro? Great comments for them to stay and to leave. My feeling is fro them to leave and to go back to their own Currency. They lied about their true stability in order to get into Euro in the first place. I Thats how I feel but who knows. Its not that black and white.

The Greek austerity measures are making the economy worse. Unemployment has surged over 16 per cent, though the rate among under twenty-fives is almost 40 per cent. Productivity has been seriously damaged under the weight of strikes and social unrest, and the country’s debt is now more than 160 per cent of GDP, compared to 60 per cent to GDP in the UK.

http://www.economist.com/economist-asks/would-greece-be-better-outside-euro-zone?page=5#sort-comments

[huntinbuddy]

Much like two years ago, voters are saying 'enough' already!   The latest shocker happening in the Indiana primary today.   Six term career politician Senator Richard Lugar was defeated by a member of his own party! 

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20120509/D9UKS1T81.html

[brokebacktom]

North Carlina passes Amendment banning gay Marriage.

[AZ.bbm]

Lyle,

"John Travolata"...?

[huntinbuddy]

North Carlina passes gay marriage amendment.

Uh, they passed an amendment banning gay marriage.

[brokebacktom]

Uh, they passed an amendment banning gay marriage.

that's what I meant. sorry.

[huntinbuddy]

that's what I meant. sorry.

This wasn't really a shocker to me, I mean, NC has been very conservative on this issue forever.   Don't know a lot about it, but heard many, many religious groups jumped in at the last moment and threw a ton of money at it to ensure a defeat.  Doesn't surprise me at all for NC.

However, Richard Lugar losing his seat in Indiana....that's news, if not history.  Last time a six term senator lost was back in the early 1950's!

[fritzkep]

A sizeable number of party members will go to great lengths to defeat anyone who advocates country over partisan politics. Lugar was definitely one of the former.

[doodler]

This wasn't really a shocker to me, I mean, NC has been very conservative on this issue forever.   Don't know a lot about it, but heard many, many religious groups jumped in at the last moment and threw a ton of money at it to ensure a defeat.  Doesn't surprise me at all for NC.

However, Richard Lugar losing his seat in Indiana....that's news, if not history.  Last time a six term senator lost was back in the early 1950's!

They already have a law banning gay marriage. Nothing changed.

[janjo]

Yes.

I don't particularly appreciate this language, Doodler. I try to keep up with US politics, and would never describe your president as "that black guy, head of some collection of states or other."
I think that your comment was quite disrespectful.

[doodler]

I don't particularly appreciate this language, Doodler. I try to keep up with US politics, and would never describe your president as "that black guy, head of some collection of states or other."
I think that your comment was quite disrespectful.

Sorry you feel that way, but your description would be correct and I would know exactly who you were talking about. I do NOT keep up with European politics or whatever. I have enough trouble figuring out what is going on here.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Really?   What a waste of internet server space.   When the chips are down, he's [Obama's] gonna
take a stand that will get him the most votes, and here's a news flash, that doesn't include supporting
gay marriage.

Is Obama about to endorse marriage equality?
5-09-12

The pundits seem to think so, and so do gay rights advocates.  The President sat down for a hastily arranged interview with ABC News at which is expected to be released after filming.  Stay tuned for more updates.

From the Washington Post‘s Greg Sargent:

There’s a ton of speculation out there to the effect that in an interview with ABC News this afternoon, Obama will finally complete his evolution on gay marriage, after days of intense pressure to clarify where he stands, in the wake of Joe Biden’s vague but supportive comments over the weekend.

An ABC News source says the question will be asked in the interview today, and gay rights advocates are fully expecting him to finally state clearly that he supports full equality for gay and lesbian Americans, and perhaps even that it’s time the country accepts the inevitable.

Link

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We shall see...