What on Earth is going on in the world today? It's gone mad

[Horsa]

Happy International Women's Day! And yes, you're right. I was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but, if I'm honest, I wish I had better woodworking skills. But that's because they didn't let girls into wood shop when I was in school! (My parents actually offered to sue the school system on my behalf, but no one wants to rock the boat at 14.)

Happy International Women's Day! Lol. I actually read everyone's comments in all ways possible to read them & have many responses to the same comment but have to choose just 1 (sometimes the wrong 1) then think I should have said this or shouldn't have said that. I wish I had better woodworking skills too but in my case I had to learn in High School until the age of 14 (when I had the choice of Woodwork, I.T., graphics, sewing, cooking & baking or woodwork *I chose cooking & baking*) & I was hopeless at it. I broke a saw blade & drill bit every lesson. My parents didn't like me doing woodwork as they had to pay for every saw blade & drill bit I broke. The only things I was good at in woodwork were sanding, varnishing, dying & painting. Lol.

 

[britbox]

10 dead in Toronto. Looks like another madman from first reports.

Hope all the Canucks are unaffected. @herios @brokenshoelace @Billie @Murat Baslamisli

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

10 dead in Toronto. Looks like another madman from first reports.

Hope all the Canucks are unaffected. @herios @brokenshoelace @Billie @Murat Baslamisli

This is an interesting one that needs a bit figuring out. Doesn't seem to be politically or religiously motivated. Looks like a very sick individual.

Hits very close to home though...That stretch that the guy drove his van has been one of our favorite spots to walk with my wife for a long time. Nice restaurants, concert venues...It really blows.

 

[Horsa]

This is an interesting one that needs a bit figuring out. Doesn't seem to be politically or religiously motivated. Looks like a very sick individual.

Hits very close to home though...That stretch that the guy drove his van has been one of our favorite spots to walk with my wife for a long time. Nice restaurants, concert venues...It really blows.

I'm glad you're o.k. I would say that all attacks like that are carried out by cruel, sick, bitter & twisted individuals whatever the motivation but that's just my opinion.

You're very lucky you weren't there at the time. Take care & stay safe. It sucks that people can't just get on with their day-to-day lives safely.

 

[Federberg]

North and South Korea sign a joint declaration to end the Korean War! We have to give Trump credit for this. His 'Mad man' strategy worked. This is one of the most significant foreign policy successes in years. It's not over yet. The de-nuclearisation bit will most likely include demands that will be unpalatable for the US. Ironically it makes it even more urgent for Trump to keep the Iran deal. Congratulations to Mr Trump..

 

[mrzz]

North and South Korea sign a joint declaration to end the Korean War! We have to give Trump credit for this. His 'Mad man' strategy worked. This is one of the most significant foreign policy successes in years. It's not over yet. The de-nuclearisation bit will most likely include demands that will be unpalatable for the US. Ironically it makes it even more urgent for Trump to keep the Iran deal. Congratulations to Mr Trump..

I actually give Kim credit to this. The time line is:

1953 - Armistice
2003 - NK withdraws from the non-proliferation treaty
2017 (September) : Successful (and big) NK nuclear test
2018 (April): Peace treaty

Of course, we need to look who will profit more on the long run to know who has the upper hand, but I bet it is NK.

 

[Federberg]

I actually give Kim credit to this. The time line is:

1953 - Armistice
2003 - NK withdraws from the non-proliferation treaty
2017 (September) : Successful (and big) NK nuclear test
2018 (April): Peace treaty

Of course, we need to look who will profit more on the long run to know who has the upper hand, but I bet it is NK.

Definitely Kim needs to be given credit as well he's played the situation like a Don. But Trump's posturing has clearly inspired these actions as well. As you know I'm not a fan of Trump but I have to give credit where it's due.

I still foresee problems on the de-nuclearisation front. I see no way Kim will agree to anything unilateral

 

[mrzz]

Actually I always thought that both Koreas (or the one Korea) can come out completely on top of all of this. One has the money, the other has the nukes. They can simply join efforts and give everyone else around a big fat middle finger. No wonder Japan is complaining no matter what happens...

 

[Federberg]

Actually I always thought that both Koreas (or the one Korea) can come out completely on top of all of this. One has the money, the other has the nukes. They can simply join efforts and give everyone else around a big fat middle finger. No wonder Japan is complaining no matter what happens...

ha! Mate this isn't like East and West Germany. These countries have been at war for over 50 years. The Japanese actually would be delighted to see reunification on the peninsular, it would be a incredible economic boon for them. It's the border neighbours, China and Russia that would hate it (unless NK had primacy of course). Neither would like to see an American ally with US forces right on their borders

Japan has absolutely no fear of nuclear countries. If they chose they could be nuclear armed in a week!

 

[Horsa]

North and South Korea sign a joint declaration to end the Korean War! We have to give Trump credit for this. His 'Mad man' strategy worked. This is one of the most significant foreign policy successes in years. It's not over yet. The de-nuclearisation bit will most likely include demands that will be unpalatable for the US. Ironically it makes it even more urgent for Trump to keep the Iran deal. Congratulations to Mr Trump..

That's a big achievement for him like it would have been for anyone but how long are N & S. Korea going to be at peace for? I guess only time will tell.

 

[Horsa]

I actually give Kim credit to this. The time line is:

1953 - Armistice
2003 - NK withdraws from the non-proliferation treaty
2017 (September) : Successful (and big) NK nuclear test
2018 (April): Peace treaty

Of course, we need to look who will profit more on the long run to know who has the upper hand, but I bet it is NK.

We definitely have to give credit to all parties involved in making peace workable.

 

[britbox]

On a lighter note... who the hell has been cutting Kim Jong's hair? Will he/she still be alive in the morning?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Increased my vocabulary. Learnt what "incel" means recently.

 

[mrzz]

ha! Mate this isn't like East and West Germany. These countries have been at war for over 50 years. The Japanese actually would be delighted to see reunification on the peninsular, it would be a incredible economic boon for them. It's the border neighbours, China and Russia that would hate it (unless NK had primacy of course). Neither would like to see an American ally with US forces right on their borders

Japan has absolutely no fear of nuclear countries. If they chose they could be nuclear armed in a week!

It is not like Germany, yes. But it is hard to fathom everything. Unlike Germany, there were no foreign powers actually taking control of either side. I really don't know if it helps or not... and, remember that Germany was actually the "live" frontier of the cold war. I agree it is different, I just not that sure what to make of it.

And Japan cannot go Nuke... it is on the treaty they signed in 1945 over the Missouri ship (or maybe in latter amendments). Interesting thing to look after, in fact.

 

[Federberg]

It is not like Germany, yes. But it is hard to fathom everything. Unlike Germany, there were no foreign powers actually taking control of either side. I really don't know if it helps or not... and, remember that Germany was actually the "live" frontier of the cold war. I agree it is different, I just not that sure what to make of it.

And Japan cannot go Nuke... it is on the treaty they signed in 1945 over the Missouri ship (or maybe in latter amendments). Interesting thing to look after, in fact.

I'm not saying that they will. Although it's not clear to me that the US would be bothered if they did. I'm saying that they could easily go nuclear. And I mean easily

 

[britbox]

So within a day of Trump scrapping the Iranian Nuclear deal, Iranian forces in Syria are supposed to have "attacked" Israel in the Golan Heights. Israel of course retaliated... and this will escalate, no doubt.

Let's just think about this for a minute before we go watch CNN for the official truth... What could possibly be gained by Iran initiating an attack on Israel? It's a head-scratcher.

Firstly, Israel has been launching attacks and strikes into Syria throughout this war... not on a huge scale, but attacks nevertheless. Now Trump has put Iran back in the crosshairs (did they ever really leave his crosshairs? His election rhetoric was all about going after Iran and China)... with Bibi playing the ringmaster (or the stooge, depending on who's really pulling the strings)...

It would seem pretty obvious that this was initiated by Israel and Iran responded. A precursor to a much bigger shift in the conflict and likely part of a strategy, not some defensive reaction.

 

[Federberg]

Lol! Aside from the uncalled for snipe against CNN I agree, The same Bibi who exploited 9/11 to claim Saddam had WMD btw. Would you at least concede Trump is a chump? So much for him being less neo-con than Clinton

 

[Federberg]

And by the way from Trump's own definition of fake news it seems that he means anything unfavourable to him

 

[britbox]

North and South Korea sign a joint declaration to end the Korean War! We have to give Trump credit for this. His 'Mad man' strategy worked. This is one of the most significant foreign policy successes in years. It's not over yet. The de-nuclearisation bit will most likely include demands that will be unpalatable for the US. Ironically it makes it even more urgent for Trump to keep the Iran deal. Congratulations to Mr Trump..

No, it's not congratulations to Trump. He's in danger of completely scuppering the progress of anything substantial. If Kim had a brain, he'd actually keep the Nukes. We saw what happened when Gadaffi was invited to rejoin the "International Community" by getting rid of his weapons.

The bottom line is that NK are a threat to nobody, despite the rhetoric and bluster. Trump's policy on Iran has completely trashed the respect and word of the United States for any agreements going forward and his hardball approach to Europe is creating a chasm between the US and natural "allies".

 

[Federberg]

No, it's not congratulations to Trump. He's in danger of completely scuppering the progress of anything substantial. If Kim had a brain, he'd actually keep the Nukes. We saw what happened when Gadaffi was invited to rejoin the "International Community" by getting rid of his weapons.

The bottom line is that NK are a threat to nobody, despite the rhetoric and bluster. Trump's policy on Iran has completely trashed the respect and word of the United States for any agreements going forward and his hardball approach to Europe is creating a chasm between the US and natural "allies".

Do you think for one second Kim isn't going to keep the bomb? Of course he is. Trump is a loud mouthed coward. He'll find some way to weasel out of military action against NK. The only thing that pisses me off is that his base will let him off the hook again... and still throw shade at Obama for the red line thing