Jump to content

The Politics Thread


Toups

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 45.8k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Vee

    6817

  • DRW50

    5990

  • DramatistDreamer

    5521

  • Khan

    3462

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

  • Members

I am am older person. I used to follow pop music in my childhood, through my teens.  I did disco dance competitions in the 1970s.
I followed pop music through my 30s, and then a wider range of music.   In the early days of MTV, I watched the latest music videos daily. I'm most familiar with 1960s music and also the Madonna and Michael Jackson era.  With some indie and feminist music added later.  Tracy Chapman.

Separately, I have seriously studied music and dance from around the world, and am aware of those influences on pop styles.

About 20 years ago, it evolved that I was only aware of pop music when driving in the car.  But I have had no car for the past 10 years.  Sometimes I turn on pop music radio when doing household chores, but otherwise I am unaware.

I literally have never ever heard a Taylor Swift song.  I had seen her name mentioned when scanning headlines, but paid no attention.  I didn't even know she was a famous phenomenon until I saw that the SON board has a Taylor Swift thread and I read some of that.  Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris would have meant nothing to me except that I knew about her from SON.  LOL.

And now there's a new Kamala ad -- I learned that its music is from Taylor by reading the replies to the tweet.   Great ad!

Edited by janea4old
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

lol don't go in there.

Meanwhile: The Loomer saga is breaking through.

I used to have these same questions about Hope Hicks for the record, but most access journos like Haberman, Nuzzi, etc. all fostered personal relationships with Hicks. Loomer is too rabid for that.

 

 

Edited by Vee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Meanwhile, no, this is not going to energize his numbers or magically find new voters eager to vote for inciting bomb threats against schools. This is both disgusting and very bad for Trump/Vance.

 

Edited by Vee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

full text of very long Zelenskyy twitter thread:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1834576723251245306.html
 


Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський
@ZelenskyyUa 

Today, I addressed the Yalta European Strategy meeting, stressing that it is we who need this war to end, not Putin. He has no interest in ending it, content to send people to their deaths, ruling his people through the TV, while enjoying life in his palaces. So far, Putin and his inner circle haven't faced the real consequences of this war – but they must.

It is important to have the understanding of what it means to be with Ukraine. It’s not just about presence, an emotional connection to Ukraine, Ukrainians, or our battle for independence.

Yesterday, Russia carried out yet another attack. An artillery strike hit the village of Viroliubivka in Donetsk region. The Russians saw exactly where they were aiming – trucks of the International Committee of the Red Cross were burned, two people were wounded, and three people were killed. 

The victims were humanitarian workers, whose lives taken by Russian artillery. It is disheartening to see that the Red Cross, in its communication, is even afraid to state that this was a Russian strike. But it's simply the truth – it was a Russian strike, Russian terror. 

Yesterday, a Russian missile hit a civilian vessel in the Black Sea carrying wheat bound for Egypt. Fortunately, no one on board was killed. There was no reaction from Egypt – even though this concerns their food security. But this is exactly how Russia treats Egypt, food security, and free navigation – like a typical terrorist. As long as there are double standards in the realm of morality, Putin will continue seeking something other than peace. 

We are now in the third year of a full-scale war. After so much death, destruction, and countless Russian war crimes, Putin can still afford to destroy life in Ukraine as he pleases, buy and produce missiles, bombs and artillery, and issue ultimatums to the world. He expects the world to fall for his madness. 

These days, there have been important meetings with our partners and visits of representatives of the US and the UK. While the content of these talks remains confidential, I want to share my thoughts. In Ukraine, as in many countries, the school year has begun. 

In Ukraine, we want as many children as possible to attend school in person, not just online, together with other children, in a normal school atmosphere, where they acquire not only knowledge but also social and communication skills. For this to happen, we need air defense systems like Patriots, which are sufficient in the world and which we have long expected from our partners. 

Yet, when we ask for these systems, we repeatedly hear, “We are working on it.” Time passes, but Russian missiles and Iranian drones continue to terrorize our skies and our people. Everyone knows how tough it is on the front lines in Donetsk, especially near Pokrovsk. Our soldiers are showing incredible heroism, but they need reinforcements. 

These reinforcements mean equipped, ready-to-fight units in sufficient numbers to not only hold ground but regain it. We have been asking for this from our partners for months. I am grateful to those who made the commitments and are fulfilling them, but we are still far from fully implementing what has been agreed. 

It’s difficult to repeatedly hear, “We are working on this,” while Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages. He doesn’t need anyone’s approval. Putin interprets delays in helping us and in making strong decisions for Ukraine as permission to do whatever he wants. 

It’s the same with long-range capabilities. Anyone who sees at a map where Russia launches its strikes from, trains its forces, keeps its reserves, locates its military facilities, and what logistics uses clearly understands why Ukraine needs long-range capabilities. We discussed this with Secretary Blinken and Foreign Secretary Lammy during their visits. 

After our conversation, I believe there should be no unanswered questions about why Ukraine needs sufficient long-range capabilities. I want to emphasize the word “sufficient”—not just enough to say that there is a decision, but enough to truly change the course of the war and compel Russia to seek peace. 

The war must become more difficult for Russia – that is the only way to make them realize it must end, and end fairly, based on international law. This requires strong decisions from the world. You all know what these decisions are. When we hear that missiles have arrived in Russia from Iran, it is the same evil that the allies had to shoot-down in the skies of the Middle East. 

Now, the markings on the missiles may be different, but the terrorist motive of Iran behind the proliferation and use of these weapons remains unchanged. If the allies are jointly shooting down missiles and drones over the Middle East, why has there been no similar decision to jointly shoot down Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine? 

This is especially critical when those missiles and drones threaten our neighbors’ territories. So far, the only country that has managed to shoot down Russian drones is Belarus. This is humiliating for the democratic world. We know where Russian air defense is located, where Russian missile launchers are being deployed, and what logistics routes are critical for the Russian occupation forces. 

All of this can be destroyed in a matter of months. Let me remind you, the full-scale war has been ongoing for three years now. So, what is missing to end it? Strength? Decisions? Or the will? 

Why can Putin continue producing weapons at full capacity? He is receiving critical components from America, Europe, and Taiwan. Supply chains to Russia still exist. As a result, it is cheaper for Putin to continue his terror than for us to defend ourselves against it. 

Russian logistics and military sites are safe from our strikes because we cannot reach them. We have effective drones, but they cannot achieve what missiles are capable of. Meanwhile, Putin can easily acquire artillery from North Korea at low cost. When for Ukraine, every defense package is an achievement. 

Why am I speaking in such detail about weapons now? Because these details highlight the pressure we must apply to force Russia to seek peace. Putin only understands strength. Only the things that strengthen Ukraine’s position. 

Only what makes the situation worse for Russia. Only the fact that the partners are actually taking the necessary steps, and not promising to consider what steps are needed from meeting to meeting, as if it is not clear. 

I will soon meet President Biden, where I will present him the Victory Package – a system of interconnected decisions that will provide Ukraine with the necessary strength to set the course toward peace. Wars of aggression such as Russia’s war against Ukraine end in one of two ways: either the occupying forces are driven out, or diplomacy secures true independence. 

In both cases, Ukraine needs a strong position. The US can help achieve this. The Victory Package can pave the way for lasting peace and full implementation of the Peace Formula. Unfortunately, there are illusions in the world that it’s possible to talk to Moscow or draw some red lines that will eventually make Moscow softer. 

If we want to hear the words “peace has finally come,” we must first hear “Ukraine has become powerful enough to win.” That is the only guarantee of peace. It doesn’t just depend on us; it depends on the world as well. 

I thank all Ukrainians for their courage, and I thank every partner who is truly doing everything to ensure Ukraine’s victory. I look forward to the day I can thank the world’s leaders for the kind of help that makes Ukraine’s victory inevitable. Only then will the desire for peace reach Putin’s palaces. 

Edited by janea4old
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • Kobe/Long had their own template and pretty much gutted the cast. As soon as contracts were up established characters were dropped. They needed to free the budget for the new characters. Going back to Ann,I wonder why the Dobsons renewed her contract around 78? After her initial story she became supporting and they didn't seem to want to pursue a romance with Mike. Maybe the feedback was that viewers blamed her indirectly for Leslie's death. If Mike hadn't taken on her case etc. Did she decide not to disrupt her son's life? Seems odd after everything she didn't claim him back. 1976 continues... Joe Werner is just not bouncing back after his recovery as he should, and Sarah, concerned about his sometimes morbid-seeming depression, consults Justin Marler. They agree that Joe is becoming a “cardiac cripple,” and know this kind of overcompensation for illness and overprecaution can not only be a permanently depressed condition but can actually cause a setback for him physically.  Marler releases Joe into Sarah’s care, but it’s soon apparent that just being out of the hospital hasn’t done anything to boost Joe’s spirits about his return to a normal existence. Marler finally lays it out to Joe—the choice has to be his. He can choose to lead a normal, productive life as a doctor and as a husband to the best wife he could have, or he can choose to become an invalid and live on the outside looking in for the rest of his days, sentencing Sarah to the same fate. Realizing the selfishness of what he’s doing to —Sarah as well as the narrowness of the confinement he’s set for himself, Joe begins to see his preoccupation with his illness as the self-pity it really is and decides he’s ready to return to the hospital for a one hour shift each day. Sarah is overjoyed by his turnabout, but full happiness is hers on the day she overhears Joe telling a fearful patient that the world is beautiful and worth any. effort to get back into it. Steve and Adam are thrilled to learn that Cedars has been the recipient of the Levy Grant for expansion of hospital property. But they have learned, as they report to Ed, that the land they were hoping to build the new research facility on, the land immediately adjacent to the hospital, has been purchased by Dr. Justin Marler. Both Adam and Steve feel that Justin is expanding a power base at Cedars and the land purchase is just one more block in Justin’s power play. When Ed asks Marler why he purchased this particular parcel of land, Marler explains that he bought it with the express intention of someday building his own offices and facilities convenient to the major facilities of Cedars. When the subject of the hospital’s needing the land arises, Marler meets with Adam, and they agree that he should realize a fair profit from his property and that an unbiased assessor should be engaged to evaluate the market value of the land so they can agree on a selling price. When Sarah comments on the fact that Marler is to realize a profit on the land, he bitterly replies that no matter what he’s done since coming to Cedars to prove that he has changed. since she last knew him, she refuses to see him as anything but what he was all those years ago. Sarah insists this isn’t true. But Marler then calls Adam for a meeting and informs him that the land is not for sale at any price. As Adam begins to grow alarmed, Marler continues that the site for the new building will be his personal donation to the hospital. As Adam expresses profuse thanks and appreciation, Marler wryly notes that the tax deductions he’ll realize on this contribution to a charitable institution will benefit himself almost as much as Cedars. When Steve Jackson learns that Marler is to be elected head of the research wing that will be built on his property, he expresses the conviction that this was the exact intention of the gift. Adam, however, assures Steve that the donation wasn’t a factor in the hospital  board’s decision, they were concerned only with Dr. Marler’s reputation as a doctor. | After lengthy consultations and meetings. with the hospital  staff, Ed assured by the head nurse that her nurses performed commendably despite the added pressure of the train wreck, presents his findings to the hospital review board. Steve arrives at two possible explanations for the facts. Either Grainger, more active than usual due to the previously delayed medication, reached for the writing pad and inadvertently disconnected the breathing tubes, or he was in a state of extreme upset because of the delayed medication and.in the excitement a surge of adrenalin within his system caused his brain aneurism to start hemorrhaging. " Upon learning that the review board has ruled out negligence in Grainger’s death, Ed tells Rita, who takes her first free breath in a long time. But Ed hasn’t thought to tell Rita that he’s been in touch with Grainger’s attorney, Mr. Schafer, who, knowing that a woman was at the base of Grainger’s investigation, is coming to Springfield to try to find out who the woman - was who walked out on Grainger when he collapsed —in the restaurant. Peggy, learning that Rita’s “forgetting” to deliver Holly’s message was instrumental in their divorce ‘being finalized, tells Ed that Holly wanted to reach him to stop the divorce. Immediately after, Peggy is torn by doubts, wondering if she did the right thing.She confides in Barbara, who then discusses the situation with Ed. He tells her he and Holly have discovered a new closeness now that they are building their separate lives. Barbara quickly contradicts him: Holly is not building a new life. Barbara gently cautions Ed, saying, “People change, feelings change, and what seems right now may not be right a year from now. No decision is irrevocable.” Ed agrees with this. Now that Ben has declared his love for her, Hope finds herself apprehensive, fearing that she might be making a mistake, as she did a few years ago, when she was sure she was in love with her college professor. Explaining that she doesn’t want to make another mistake, she asks Ben to be patient, and he agrees. When Mike expresses his disapproval of Ben’s overstated independence, his need to be beholden to no one, Hope quickly jumps to Ben’s defense, and Mike apologizes. But Ben, surprisingly, accepts Mike’s assessment as constructive criticism. Later Hope, examining her feelings and desires, tells Ben she does love him and wants to belong to him. Later that evening, after they’ve made love, Ben asks Hope to marry him.And, delighted, she replies that she will. At Hope’s instigation, Bert has a family dinner to which Ben is invited, and Hope announces their intention to marry over glasses of wine. Mike politely offers best wishes while Bert thrills the couple with her offer to' make a Christmas wedding for them. Bert later tells Mike he must accept this engagement with good spirits for Hope, and later, seeing the joy she’s feeling, he gives his daughter his approval. But Ben finds another problem on his very own doorstep: his brother Jerry, who announces he’s left home after several bad fights with their parents. He refuses to tell Ben what they were fighting about. As Ben is showering, Jerry borrows his car and goes out for an hour. The phone rings, but Ben can’t hear it. Shortly after, two uniformed officers visit Mike at home to tell him that his late wife’s car has been involved in a delicatessen robbery earlier in the evening. Since Ben bought Leslie’s car, Mike accompanies the officers to Ben’s apartment. Ben curtly informs the police that he had nothing to do with the robbery and makes it clear that he feels they wouldn’t be there if he didn’t have a record and that his exoneration doesn’t prevent his being hassled like any ex-con,as they tell him he has to go to the police station for questioning. Hope tells Ben she called him earlier, and when he replies that he must have been in the shower, she accepts his word unhesitatingly.Jerry finally returns to Ben’s place and under questioning from Ben admits that he robbed the store,explaining that he has debts. Ben is now in a quandary,as he feels he must protect his brother but doesn’t want to be unfair to Hope. He tries to ease the situation by withdrawing $185 from the joint checking account he opened with Hope and repaying the delicatessen owner. He then sends Jerry out of town to stay with a friend. His relief at having solved the problem is short-lived, however, when Mike informs him that, despite the reparations, the robbery was a felony and the police will continue to investigate. Hope is badly upset to learn while making a deposit that Ben withdrew’a sum which Mike tells her is equal to the amount stolen. This shakes her belief that he _was really home when she called, and she goes to him, asking for an answer to put her mind at rest. Ben can’t betray Jerry and asks Hope to trust him, promising she will have the whole story eventually. But Hope can’t accept this; she needs complete honesty and openness in her relationship and without it cannot goon. She painfully tells her father that the wedding is off despite her love for Ben, and tells Bert to stop preparations. Mike goes to Ben, reminding him that half the money in the account is Hope’s and she has the right to an answer. But Ben won’t say any more and refuses Mike’s offer to represent him legally, again stating that he doesn’t need a lawyer, because he’s done nothing wrong.     
    • And not since. I recall it was quite small for a house that size. And I don't know why you would walk down a narrow corridor to get to the main living area. I hate when the sets on soaps don't have a logical layout! As for Andre his clothing is fashion forward and suitable for his character.He ain't gonna wear no blazer!
    • The last I remember seeing Ben, he was divorcing Amanda. He came to tell Evie that he still loved her, but was leaving town so that Amanda wouldn't blame Evie for his divorcing her. I'm not exactly sure when, but Evie doesn't leave town until sometime after Nola and Quint's engagement ball. I'm not sure if she leaves before or after Justin leaves in Sept(?) of '83. I grew to like Helena when she became friends with Vanessa, once she's edging her way out of Quint's life.
    • Please register in order to view this content

    • Please register in order to view this content

       
    • It sure was!  With respect, how does that make sense?  These men are young, I don't see that. 
    • I hope this played better than it sounds, because I'm imagining two separate scenes (the attack by Arnie, and later Charles getting shot). In my mind, it should have been a fluid single sequence. I wonder if or how often "bastard" was uttered in this scene. Fare thee well, Christopher Reeve. I've said it before, but pop culture's gain was daytime's definite loss. Imagine seeing HIM day after day, year after year, decade after decade, conceivably until they stopped producing soaps in NYC.   Well, that answers my "bastard" question. Good lord, the roads of Rosehill are packed with high-strung drivers and/or pedestrians. More sequences that I hope played better than they sound.

      Please register in order to view this content

    • I think Ben had already left while under Marland and only returned briefly to reconcile with Eve. The whole thing confuses me as I thought for a long time that Eve left the show to go be with him and that was when they reconciled, but it seems like he returned, they got back together, then he left and maybe they were still together until she left to join him? I have no idea.  It does seem like the interim writers were using some characters like Justin and Helena who were quickly dumped under Kobe/Long, which is a shame. Helena is one of those characters who likely always had a shelf life but Rose Alaio was such a vibrant screen presence, if Kobe/Long had just been patient, she likely would have fit in well in the Reva era.
    • Also, the lawsuit story was not the right story to bring Naomi and Bill into a court battle since those types of lawsuits are usually resolved via settlements.
    • I know that Sara did eventually become Carrie's therapist, but I was curious if the show had her make comments regarding Carrie's stunts of making it seem as though Justin was cheating on Jackie.  Given that Justin cheated on Sara with both Jackie and Brandy, I wondered if it was wise of her to counsel Carrie given the conflict of interest involved. @DRW50I think once Adam/Sara end up married.. Marland didn't see any reason to explore Sara's personal life after the actor playing Adam was released.  I know that Sara lasts until at least Christmas 1982 on the show.. but I don't think she ended up staying on for very long into 1983. The period between Marland quitting and Pam Long starting was the perfect time to clean house on characters that had outgrown their usefulness  (i.e. Ben, Evie, Sara, Jennifer, Morgan).. and tying up stories started by Marland that were too complex (Mona Enright, Mark/Jennifer/Amanda triangle).
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy