What annoys you the most ?

[Wendigo]

Originally Posted by xyzde69

What annoys me the most is that there are still people who do not want a world without borders, with equal chance to everybody, a world in which we have to better cooperate.

Believe me, with the climate change (in a near future or in the next 10'000 years) British, French, Swiss, German even American or Chinese could be in huge trouble because of deserts or glaciers.
So why not thinking about this.... NOW?

Again all ideal notions but as I said the EU is resistant to change so don't hold your breath. You will never get a world without borders maybe a few artificially created trade areas but the EU itself is not the solution. There is no consensus on climate change, the more you read about it the more complex it seems. For every argument on either side there is a counter claim, I'd like a greener world but big business lobbying is the driver for everything, that's all understandably mainly about short term profit

[Roubignol]

Originally Posted by Wendigo

Again all ideal notions but as I said the EU is resistant to change so don't hold your breath. You will never get a world without borders maybe a few artificially created trade areas but the EU itself is not the solution. There is no consensus on climate change, the more you read about it the more complex it seems. For every argument on either side there is a counter claim, I'd like a greener world but big business lobbying is the driver for everything, that's all understandably mainly about short term profit

When deserts or glaciers will cover Europe or Northern countries, we (our little children) will have to quit our countries. We will become the immigrants.

[rosestone]

Originally Posted by Wendigo

There is no consensus on climate change, the more you read about it the more complex it seems. For every argument on either side there is a counter claim, I'd like a greener world but big business lobbying is the driver for everything, that's all understandably mainly about short term profit

Yeah, it's the big business lobby, as it always is. The consensus is among scientists, and they're sh**-scared. And, as Neil Degrasse-Tyson has pointed out, when scientists say there's going to be an eclipse, nobody doubts them. So why is climate change different? It needs to be conveyed better, and journos and the like have a responsibility to do the communicating for scientists.

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by xyzde69

@Rupertramjet
Switzerland has even more immigration than UK and is not a EU-member, but has to follow the EU-pact to collaborate with EU countries.

Swiss immigration figures are more complex than those in other countries, in most countries, a child born in that country automatically becomes a citizen, not in Switzerland, even if both parents are resident, the child remains a non citizen for life, my former aide at NATO was a German officer, with a Sri Lankan wife, his son, my grandson's best mate is British, although I believe he retains the Nationalities of both parents.

Swiss authorities do not pay for health care, accommodation or anything else, we do, the immigrants to Switzerland from the EU are predominately Italian, German and French, not Eastern Europeans, at risk of sounding racist, there is a huge difference.

Swiss prices are expensive, our offices are there, so I know! Ours are not, so the cost prevents the economic migration we suffer from.

[rosestone]

Something that is irritating me today is related to the sudden rush of sexual harassment allegations that are coming out. I am absolutely all in favour of sleazebags being brought to book, and for anyone's right to not be harrassed.

However, I can sense that the UK media is warming itself up for a big 'ol witch hunt against politicians. I'm distinctly left-of-centre politically, so I feel I can be vaguely objective in getting slightly indignant on behalf of two Tory politicians, to wit.....

A senior Tory MP is "accused" of putting his hand on the knee of a journalist in 2002. The journalist herself has stated that she told him that if he did it again, she'd lamp him. She also added that she was not remotely traumatised by this event.

A young Labour activist states that she was raped by someone much senior to her in the Labour party.

Another senior Tory MP is accused of sending inappropriate text messages, after a journalist of his acquaintance, whom he meets semi-regularly for a drink, poses in a corset for The Times, and he sends her a message which says something like "Having seen your picture in the Times wearing a corset, fancy a drink?".

That some news organisations (including the bbc) are conflating these events, I find to be deeply troubling. Rape is an appalling crime that is not comparable to the other two allegations. A bloke probably shouldn't send a text message like that guy did, to a much younger woman (but one could also argue that if she didn't want to receive such messages, she might want to re-think posing in a corset in a national newspaper), but it hardly makes him horses of a same colour as a rapist.

It just annoys me is all, that I can hear the juggernaut of the UK media starting up, getting ready to whip up a lynch mob.

[Grouchy]

Originally Posted by rosestone

A senior Tory MP is "accused" of putting his hand on the knee of a journalist in 2002. The journalist herself has stated that she told him that if he did it again, she'd lamp him. She also added that she was not remotely traumatised by this event.

I think this is an example of where we have gone wrong...

The "PC brigade" have made it virtually impossible to distinguish between what is friendly banter and/or displays of mild affection between colleagues and sexual harassment. It seems that nowadays even saying "good morning" to a colleague can be construed as harassment and somehow labels the perpetrator as some sort of sexual deviant..

When I think back to some of the banter that I have experienced and handed out in my career I would be locked up by now. Forty years ago it wasn't harassment it was part of the bonding process that takes place between colleagues and friends who work together. In many work places it is still seen as such but once an overly zealous individual points the finger the floodgates open and all sorts of accusations start flying.

Politically, I stand where you do and I can also remain objective about my views surrounding the tory MP's involved. Any accusation of this type, whether proven to be justified or not, can ruin not just careers but peoples lives..

The fact the the media reported the event (above) despite the woman saying she was in no way traumatised by it points more to the fact that we have a shallow media with nothing better to do than to grab headlines. Slow news day perhaps?

Whilst I could never condone sexual harassment - or any type of harassment for that matter - I think we need to take step back and re-evaluate our thinking here. So he "touched her knee".. big deal. It only becomes a problem if he is asked not to do it and refuses to stop. Then she should "lamp" him.

[rupertramjet]

I find myself totally in agreement with the above post by rosestone. Rape and abuse of children are in a different world to some of these pathetic little allegations. If you are friendly enough with someone to go regularly for drinks, then a bit of banter like the text message, to me, is quite normal, not sexual and a bit of fun, pathetic!

The allegation of Rape against a senior Labour Party member is far more serious, the fact that the Labour Party seems to have pulled the veil over it is bloody sinister! I would say this for any party in the same situation, our political parties are constantly forcing political correctness and equality down our throats, yet fail to protect their own in the most horrific circumstances.

The knee incident says it all, the reaction of the lady in question was quite correct, as has been her reaction since, it was nothing and I dealt with it my way, or in plain English, 'Bugger off and deal with the important stuff that is happening in the World!'

[Arturo2nd]

Originally Posted by rosestone

Something that is irritating me today is related to the sudden rush of sexual harassment allegations that are coming out. I am absolutely all in favour of sleazebags being brought to book, and for anyone's right to not be harrassed.

I don't care to comment on the U.K., but the disclosure of the outrageous behavior in the U.S. entertainment industry and cleaning up the truly disgusting practices is long overdue. We are talking underage boys and girls pimped out by agents and parents to get roles, women being denied parts unless they consent to be filmed masturbating by directors and producers, and other similar practices. Show business has traditionally been a profession noted for loose morals, but if they are going to make such shitty movies, they need to behave better.

[Silicone Carne]

Today I read an article about Rihanna being blamed on this motherfucking evil invention called Twitter by people whe were ashamed that she was dressed like egyptian queen Nefertiti for a photoshoot in Vogue. They said it was cultural appropriation which is considered a bad thing thanks to PC or SJW.

Now don't get me wrong: I totally agree that there are limits and that everybody should be respectfull of different cultures, that's for sure.
But nowadays, Rihanna dressing as an egyptian for a magazine cover is cutural appropriation, Katy Perry dressed as an egyptian for her video Dark Horse is offensive, Julianne Hough dressed as Suzanne Crazy Eyes from Orange Is The New Black for Halloween a few years ago is offensive and racist...one of these days Felipe Rose from Village People will be burned at the stakes because he was dressed as a native american (didn't say indian) ?! Even in the all Cosplay world there are some rules that must be followed to the letter because a cosplayer could be booed or being hated by an entire community only because He or she decided to wear a costume that "wasn't fucking appropriate".

I understand that minorities have their own culture and that they have been mistreated and some of them still are. I totally get the all whitewashing polemics and agree that sometimes, producers are stupid when they change the color or the race of a character only to please the majority.
But I really think that today the "decency" and PC bullshit made it very clear that everyone should stay into their own little universe and not trying to mix with other ones.

That's stupid. If we really want a better world, let's get together and share things, cultures, tradition and stuff. And even if it's irritating to see a lot of cliches, I don't get why a caucasian european couldn't dress with distinctive african clothes or an asian person couldn't wear arabian jewelry?

Then what's gonna happen next? I won't be able to eat sushis because they're part of the japanese culture? Or my friend from Senegal shouldn't listen to Mozart because he was a white european? If we adopt this point of view then everyone will go separate ways and I'm not sure that's the solution.

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by plastic tiffani

.

Most of the people who get offended are the white liberals, many of whom would be completely blown out if they ever actually met someone from the communities they claim to be standing up for!

The Ramjet was once described 'as politically correct as a brick through a window is discreet'. Examples, I do a killer West Indian accent, not to mock, but because one of my best friends comes from a Jamaican Family and his parents used to find it hilarious to hear , in their words 'A white boy soundin like him is from Kingston!'

On an operational tour, I had a young female officer, a lovely girl, who was intelligent, excelled in every task she was set, and had the right touch with the troops, one day she was very upset, so I took her into my office and asked her what the problem was. I knew that her slightly older sister was carrying a much yearned for baby and that they were very close. She told me her sister had miscarried. She and her whole family were devastated, I gave her a huge hug, I should probably have court-martialed myself there and then, BUT it was the action of a father of a daughter much the same age, who had the empathy to understand what the poor woman, note not soldier, was going through. When we got home, we had the usual welcome, and a couple about my age came up, the lady hugged me, much to my surprise and the man shook my hand, 'thank you for the care and compassion you showed our daughter after her terrible news, somehow you made her able to cope.' It was instinct, what I think any of us would do for a fellow human being in that situation.

I was watching a Rugby match, and getting on the back of the number ten, calling that he was playing crap, wake up, and the usual abuse. But no foul language, A fellow spectator turned on me I am going to report you to the stewards, the number ten is the only Black player on the field and you are being racist, I tried to explain I was not being racist, he was playing badly, the guy turned round, at which point a larger version of the no 10 appeared, the mans son turned round, delighted that he had met an International player, the new arrival asked me what was up. I explained I was apparently racist because I was attacking the no 10, ' You should be he is playing crap!' My accuser watched the exchange, and my new best mate said, 'By the way if you are a racist, can you give me the number of the adoption society so we can be un-adopted?' I then pointed ou that as the youngest was noe eighteen, they probably would not have them back!

Funny thing PC! Usually causes a lot mote problems than good!