World problems/news ( Used to be Anybody concerned about Friday, then I changed it to concerned about world problems)

[Ausmumof3]

Active shooter in Lewiston, Maine (16 victims reported)

I am afraid when the state of the world feels so unstable people who are close to the edge go over 😞 

 

[popmom]

11 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Active shooter in Lewiston, Maine (16 victims reported)

I am afraid when the state of the world feels so unstable people who are close to the edge go over 😞 

 

At least 22 are dead. Shooter is still at large. 😞 Horrifying. 

[Ausmumof3]

Has anyone seen updates on how Mexico went with the hurricane? I don’t have experience with hurricanes so lack context to know how severe it is.

[popmom]

5 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Has anyone seen updates on how Mexico went with the hurricane? I don’t have experience with hurricanes so lack context to know how severe it is.

It was Cat 5--catastrophic. There will be fatalities. I have not seen any numbers on that though. Power and cell service is out. Under the same circumstances in the Gulf of Mexico region here, it would take a couple of weeks for everyone's power to be restored. I don't know how well Mexico is equipped to restore those services. It hit an area that is very tourist driven. It will take years to recover from this--several years--based on what I am reading. I live in a Gulf of Mexico state in the SE US. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by popmom

[popmom]

We have had an uncharacteristically calm tropical season this year. It has caused extremely dry conditions, and we are having wildfires. Nothing crazy like what they see out west or in Canada, but we are being warned not to burn. It's been 2 weeks since I took my daughter to riding lessons. We drive by the lake that supplies most of our drinking water. I noticed it was low a couple of weeks ago. This morning was startling. The southern end of the lake was gone. It was just a muddy bottom for acres and acres. It is a shallow part of the lake, but I don't think I have ever seen it that low. We haven't had but one hurricane make landfall on the Gulf coast. We were on the west side of that storm, so we didn't get any rain. We usually have a couple of tropical systems to break up the typical dry falls that we have. 

Nobody wants a hurricane, but the reality is they do bring beneficial rain. And most of the time these tropical systems make landfall as weaker tropical storms or depressions which are really welcome for that beneficial rainfall.

ETA: this isn't unheard of around here. We have faced more protracted severe droughts. About 2/3 of our state is in moderate drought. A few counties are severe. Those counties have imposed water restrictions--AKA no irrigation/watering of lawns. A few counties are not in drought at all. I think the lake being so low is that because even in periods of drought, we get ((some)) rain. We have just been nearly bone dry for several weeks. It will end in November when tornado season starts back up. lol 

Edited October 26, 2023 by popmom

[Ting Tang]

Active shooter is a registered sex offender, domestic violence charges, etc   Should’ve been locked away with key thrown out. He’s been destroying lives for a long time. 

[popmom]

Just now, Ting Tang said:

Active shooter is a registered sex offender, domestic violence charges, etc   Should’ve been locked away with key thrown out. He’s been destroying lives for a long time. 

Whoever the judge or judges were assigned to his case need to answer for not keeping him behind bars. 

[Ausmumof3]

1 minute ago, Ting Tang said:

Active shooter is a registered sex offender, domestic violence charges, etc   Should’ve been locked away with key thrown out. He’s been destroying lives for a long time. 

How often does this have to play out? Over and over again. 

[Ting Tang]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

How often does this have to play out? Over and over again. 

I’m so sick of being frightened to leave home. Won’t be the last time, sadly.  I’m shaking and I’m states away. 

[Ting Tang]

4 minutes ago, popmom said:

Whoever the judge or judges were assigned to his case need to answer for not keeping him behind bars. 

We keep people locked up for far more petty reasons. 

[popmom]

5 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

We keep people locked up for far more petty reasons. 

I know!! It's insane.

[TravelingChris]

36 minutes ago, popmom said:

We have had an uncharacteristically calm tropical season this year. It has caused extremely dry conditions, and we are having wildfires. Nothing crazy like what they see out west or in Canada, but we are being warned not to burn. It's been 2 weeks since I took my daughter to riding lessons. We drive by the lake that supplies most of our drinking water. I noticed it was low a couple of weeks ago. This morning was startling. The southern end of the lake was gone. It was just a muddy bottom for acres and acres. It is a shallow part of the lake, but I don't think I have ever seen it that low. We haven't had but one hurricane make landfall on the Gulf coast. We were on the west side of that storm, so we didn't get any rain. We usually have a couple of tropical systems to break up the typical dry falls that we have. 

Nobody wants a hurricane, but the reality is they do bring beneficial rain. And most of the time these tropical systems make landfall as weaker tropical storms or depressions which are really welcome for that beneficial rainfall.

ETA: this isn't unheard of around here. We have faced more protracted severe droughts. About 2/3 of our state is in moderate drought. A few counties are severe. Those counties have imposed water restrictions--AKA no irrigation/watering of lawns. A few counties are not in drought at all. I think the lake being so low is that even in periods of drought, we get ((some)) rain. We have just been nearly bone dry for several weeks. It will end in November when tornado season starts back up. lol 

We are severe.   Over here, we keep having rain all around us. We are getting rain next week for 3 days but total will not evenbe half an inch.  We get our water from the Tennessee River and have no cals for preserving water. We have lived her 12 years and this is not the worse drought that w have lived through.

[Ting Tang]

Active shooter has military background and has taught firearms safety classes. Recent reports of mental health issues. Yikes. 

[popmom]

One more thing about the hurricane that just hit Mexico... It is probably a good thing for the citizens that it hit Acapulco-- a very touristy area. Money talks. The powers that be will want a recovery as soon as possible. The hurricane weakened significantly when it hit the mountainous areas just to the northeast. 

[Ausmumof3]

9 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

Active shooter has military background and has taught firearms safety classes. Recent reports of mental health issues. Yikes. 

A report said he’d complained of hearing voices and threatening to shoot up a National Guard Base. 

[Melissa in Australia]

2 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Has anyone seen updates on how Mexico went with the hurricane? I don’t have experience with hurricanes so lack context to know how severe it is.

Same rating system as cyclones here

[Ausmumof3]

Just now, Melissa in Australia said:

Same rating system as cyclones here

Thanks, that kinda helps I think. I thought the ratings were different somehow. Tbh i don’t have much experience with cyclones either other than via friends/news. Thankful that fires is our only major weather worry here most of the time. 

[Melissa in Australia]

Same

Though we  do get East Coast Lows

Edited October 26, 2023 by Melissa in Australia

[Ausmumof3]

 

4 hours ago, Ting Tang said:

Active shooter is a registered sex offender, domestic violence charges, etc   Should’ve been locked away with key thrown out. He’s been destroying lives for a long time. 

BNO are reporting the sex offender is another person by the same name, so this may not be accurate. Apparently their birth dates are also super close together? Seems weird.

[Grace Hopper]

On 10/22/2023 at 8:13 PM, YaelAldrich said:

My DH is inching closer to making a decision about personal safety devices for our household. He's figured out which one(s) he wants.

He is fully trained as well as the older three kids. I have basic training, but have sadly decided it's time to learn how to wield one of the things for real.

He's angry and sad that he feels we have no choice anymore. 

I’m just catching up on this thread. I am so, so sorry this is even something you must consider. 

On 10/24/2023 at 5:58 PM, Pawz4me said:

 

We do, except 5'4" is the average height of US females. It's not short. If someone of that height thinks it's a problem, you can guess how much of an issue it is for those of us who are truly short.

Waving from the short side! I think 5’4” is tall!

8 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

A report said he’d complained of hearing voices and threatening to shoot up a National Guard Base. 

And this was known well before yesterday’s violence. Red flag laws, people. 

[MEmama]

On 10/22/2023 at 9:13 PM, YaelAldrich said:

My DH is inching closer to making a decision about personal safety devices for our household. He's figured out which one(s) he wants.

He is fully trained as well as the older three kids. I have basic training, but have sadly decided it's time to learn how to wield one of the things for real.

He's angry and sad that he feels we have no choice anymore. 

I cannot adequately express how much I hate this for you 😞  

Please be safe ❤️

[MEmama]

35 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

And this was known well before yesterday’s violence. Red flag laws, people. 

Apparently we don't have them here 😞 

Quote from the local paper this morning:

 

Gun law advocates issue call for stronger laws 

9:11 a.m. The Maine Gun Safety Coalition called on elected officials to create stronger gun control laws in the state of Maine in the wake of the shooting.

“The Maine Gun Safety Coalition grieves with the families and friends who lost loved ones in the mass shooting last night,” the coalition wrote in a press release. “We watched in horror as the tragedy in Lewiston, Maine happened before our eyes — the result of weak gun laws.”

 

The coalition called for, at a minimum, an assault weapons ban.

– Lana Cohen (Portland Press Herald)

Edited October 26, 2023 by MEmama

[pinball]

I’ve been hearing about Maine’s ability to restrict gun use since last night.

https://fox23maine.com/news/local/weapon-restrictions-under-maines-yellow-flag-law-have-surged-in-2023-dangerous-weapons-restricting-ability-mental-health-mass-shootings-gun-violence

https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2022-07-01/maines-yellow-flag-law-could-be-a-model-for-gun-control-but-legal-experts-say-it-has-limitations
 

 

[MEmama]

From our newspaper. This is a very Maine situation (and a bit of much needed levity): 

The [Lisbon Police]department received numerous calls overnight, including one about people shouting, and when officers responded they found the sounds were coming from goats and not people. But, that’s how serious the department is about answering every tip.

[KSera]

2 hours ago, pinball said:

I’ve been hearing about Maine’s ability to restrict gun use since last night.

https://fox23maine.com/news/local/weapon-restrictions-under-maines-yellow-flag-law-have-surged-in-2023-dangerous-weapons-restricting-ability-mental-health-mass-shootings-gun-violence

https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2022-07-01/maines-yellow-flag-law-could-be-a-model-for-gun-control-but-legal-experts-say-it-has-limitations
 

 

In case people aren’t following it in the other thread, wanting to add the note here as well that Maine has yellow flag laws and not red. The yellow flag option requires involvement of law enforcement. Many families trying to help a mentally ill loved one may be very hesitant to involve police in the situation. Red flag laws don’t require police to be called in. 

[Idalou]

On 10/24/2023 at 7:34 PM, TravelingChris said:

US forces/government place  in tbe Middle East attacked 13 times since last week.  Fox News

Argentinian Election Sunday results: Javier Milei , a libertarian economist  (who actually knows  economics. s As a graduate of University of Chicago with a BA in economics I was impressed w his knowledge when Isa2 an interview w him and then I looked him up and found put he is a PhD graduate in economics). He got 30%.  The left-wing Peronist Sergio Massa who is the current minister of the economy got 36%. These two will be in a run-off on November 19th.  The conservative Patricia Bullrich won 23%, and announced that "I will not congratulate someone who has been a part of the worse government in Argentina's history." Argentina has nearly 140% inflati9n.  This info is from very biased BBC- they call Milei a far-right libertarian where, at least in the US, the phrase "far-right " is meaning ideas like white supremacy and antisemitism- basically neo-Nazis like those who marched in Charlottesville.

You may want to research Milei a bit more, lol. He believes in the sale of body organs, saying people have a right to do whatever they wanted with their body( including drugs or suicide) but opposes abortion. He cloned his dog, believes it is his actual son, says cloning is the true way of approaching eternity. He is a proponent of free love and has given interviews about his threesomes, a follower of tantric s*x, claims he can go 3 months without ejac€lating. Has called the Pope the representative of evil in the world, a communist turd, an effing communist, and a piece of sh!t. He praises Al Capone as his hero. When asked his position in the sale of children he said it depends, then walked it back after the uproar.

You can wiki him, or google his oddities, or read the book El Loco. There's a reason one of his nicknames is The Mad-man. Public radio had a bit about him last week

But yes, he does have far right positions in the world sense, if not the US.

 

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/javier-milei-argentina-presidential-election/

Edited October 26, 2023 by Idalou

[Faith-manor]

1 minute ago, Idalou said:

You may want to research Milei a bit more, lol. He believes in the sale of body organs, saying people have a right to do whatever they wanted with their body( including drugs or suicide) but opposes abortion. He cloned his dog, believes it is his actual son, says cloning is the true way of approaching eternity. He is a proponent of free love and has given interviews about this threesomes, a follower of tantric s*x, claims he can go 3 months without ejac€lating. Has called the Pope the representative of evil in the world, a communist turd, an effing communist, and a piece of sh!t. He praises Al Capone as this hero. When asked his position in the sale of children he said it depends, then walked it back after the uproar.

You can wili him, or google his oddities, or read the book El Loco. There's a reason one of his nicknames is The Mad-man

 

😱😱😱😱😱😬

[TravelingChris]

2 hours ago, KSera said:

In case people aren’t following it in the other thread, wanting to add the note here as well that Maine has yellow flag laws and not red. The yellow flag option requires involvement of law enforcement. Many families trying to help a mentally ill loved one may be very hesitant to involve police in the situation. Red flag laws don’t require police to be called in. 

In this case, the base police who should have  been notified of his threats to shoot up the base., should have communicated with the local police where he lived.   And the mental health facility should have testified in any hearing.

[TravelingChris]

54 minutes ago, Idalou said:

You may want to research Milei a bit more, lol. He believes in the sale of body organs, saying people have a right to do whatever they wanted with their body( including drugs or suicide) but opposes abortion. He cloned his dog, believes it is his actual son, says cloning is the true way of approaching eternity. He is a proponent of free love and has given interviews about his threesomes, a follower of tantric s*x, claims he can go 3 months without ejac€lating. Has called the Pope the representative of evil in the world, a communist turd, an effing communist, and a piece of sh!t. He praises Al Capone as his hero. When asked his position in the sale of children he said it depends, then walked it back after the uproar.

You can wiki him, or google his oddities, or read the book El Loco. There's a reason one of his nicknames is The Mad-man. Public radio had a bit about him last week

But yes, he does have far right positions in the world sense, if not the US.

 

https://www.thenation.com/article/world/javier-milei-argentina-presidential-election/

Selling organs is a sensible solution to a big problem And a typical libertarian solution.  The Nation is  a very left publication.  They even smear Milton Friedman- whose great economics program on PBS when I was in high school is what caused me to go to University of Chicago and study economics.

As to the BBC calling him far-right, this is the same BBC that doesn't want to call the Hamas and Islamic Republic "terrorists '.  Again a left leaning media source.

Argentina is dire straights. We will see who wins. My wager would be on Milei because he has sensible solutions for the hyper 8nflation, regardless of onddities. 

As to not liking the Pope, I know plenty of Cath9lics who don't lie him either. He's a very leftist Pope.

Anyway, it isn't my country nor yours and the Argentinians will decide.

Edited October 26, 2023 by TravelingChris

[MEmama]

54 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

In this case, the base police who should have  been notified of his threats to shoot up the base., should have communicated with the local police where he lived.   And the mental health facility should have testified in any hearing.

This is from a local paper. Once again, out of respect for the situation can we please not speculate? Maybe Maine has a different way of handling things than Alabama, maybe something in the process went awry or maybe it went as intended. We.don't.know. You don't know the details, none of us do. Please just let it lie.

Shooting suspect had been evaluated for ‘erratic behavior’

12:54 p.m. Robert Card, the man of killing 18 people in Lewiston Wednesday night, had been evaluated for  erratic behavior in July, according to The Associated Press who spoke to a U.S. official who wished to remain anonymous.

Military commanders in the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment said they observed Card acting erratically while the unit was training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York. Card was taken to the Keller Army Community Hospital in West Point.

A police bulletin sent to law enforcement said he had been in a mental health facility for two weeks this summer, and that he had reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” the military base. No information was provided about Card’s treatment or diagnosis.

– Marla Hoffman (Sun Journal) 

[Idalou]

2 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

Selling organs is a sensible solution to a big problem And a typical libertarian solution.  The Nation is  a very left publication.  They even smear Milton Friedman- whose great economics program on PBS when I was in high school is what caused me to go to University of Chicago and study economics.

As to the BBC calling him far-right, this is the same BBC that doesn't want to call the Hamas and Islamic Republic "terrorists '.  Again a left leaning media source.

Argentina is dire straights. We will see who wins. My wager would be on Milei because he has sensible solutions for the hyper 8nflation, regardless of onddities. 

As to not liking the Pope, I know plenty of Cath9lics who don't lie him either. He's a very leftist Pope.

Anyway, it isn't my country nor yours and the Argentinians will decide.

Fine and dandy! Just letting you know a bit more anout the dude. Here's a hint- you have zero info regarding my connections to Argentina, so thanks for nothing. So people dont like the Pope? This man claims to be led by biblical principles and mentions often how God guides him- yet slurs the Pope with filth? And you seem sort of to discount the BBC and The Nation? These are linked facts to interviews done with the press and the author of the book, El Loco, mind you. Pretty tough to discount words and sentences and filth when you hear it from his mouth. But you'd need to understand Spanish. Which someone in this conversation with you does, lol. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by Idalou

[TravelingChris]

@Idalou, obviously we have different opinions about how to choose candidates. LibertarianS generally believe that the government should stay out of private behavior as long as no one (or no animal) is being hurt. Am I for threesomes and open marriages in my life - no. But if I had to choose between a candidate who supported policies I agree with or a fine, moral family man who I believe  would worsen economic conditions in my country,  I would choose candidate 1.

 

I am most concerned with policy.   I am often left voting for people I don't like. I am not voting in Argentina.   If you are a citizen or dual citizen of Argentina, I apologize for saying that neither of us is voting there.

As to Spanish, I do understand it much better than I speak it. 

Let's just say we disagree about  the election in Argentina.

[Rosie_0801]

@TravelingChris and @Idalou, your current conversation isn't appropriate for the public boards.

[Ausmumof3]

BNO are reporting that US are carrying out airstrikes against Iranian proxies in Syria 

A building in Egypt was hit by a missile today though it’s unclear if it was from Israel or not at the moment. 
 

Hamas representatives are in Moscow. 

[popmom]

23 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

BNO are reporting that US are carrying out airstrikes against Iranian proxies in Syria 

A building in Egypt was hit by a missile today though it’s unclear if it was from Israel or not at the moment. 
 

Hamas representatives are in Moscow. 

https://www.reuters.com/world/hamas-delegation-is-visiting-moscow-russian-foreign-ministry-2023-10-26/

https://apnews.com/article/syria-airstrikes-iran-revolutionary-guard-af3c7a0f069b8c8b08f6feaa0e165d6a

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/26/world/middleeast/hamas-russia-moscow.html

Edited October 27, 2023 by popmom

[Heartstrings]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Hamas representatives are in Moscow.

How do they manage to get out when Israel has the borders closed so tight?   🤦‍♀️  
 

Russia hosting Hamas, us bombing in Syria….it really feels like WW3.   

[Ausmumof3]

9 minutes ago, Heartstrings said:

How do they manage to get out when Israel has the borders closed so tight?   🤦‍♀️  
 

Russia hosting Hamas, us bombing in Syria….it really feels like WW3.   

They were already out in Qatar I think or at least some of them. 

[Heartstrings]

Just now, Ausmumof3 said:

They were already out in Qatar I think or at least some of them. 

That makes more sense.   I do think I had the impression that travel out of Gaza was difficult even prior to 10/6.   

[Corraleno]

The head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, and many of his family members live in a luxury hotel in Doha. They and other Hamas leaders became very wealthy when they took power in Gaza (allegedly through bribes and "taxes" on anything imported through the tunnels). One of Haniyeh's sons was able to obtain Turkish passports, and he and his family moved from Gaza to Turkey. 

[Frances]

10 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

As to not liking the Pope, I know plenty of Cath9lics who don't lie him either. He's a very leftist Pope.

I don’t think not liking is remotely equivalent to saying the Pope is “representative of evil in the world, a communist turd, an effing communist, and a piece of sh!t”.

[Ausmumof3]

9 hours ago, popmom said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/hamas-delegation-is-visiting-moscow-russian-foreign-ministry-2023-10-26/

https://apnews.com/article/syria-airstrikes-iran-revolutionary-guard-af3c7a0f069b8c8b08f6feaa0e165d6a

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/26/world/middleeast/hamas-russia-moscow.html

Thanks for finding sources for me, was too busy to check earlier and I kinda trust BNO at this point as I’ve rarely seen them post anything that later proves false though I’m sure they’re not perfect 

[popmom]

2 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Thanks for finding sources for me, was too busy to check earlier and I kinda trust BNO at this point as I’ve rarely seen them post anything that later proves false though I’m sure they’re not perfect 

I wasn’t familiar with BNO, so I’m glad to know about it now! 

[Ausmumof3]

Phone systems are reported to be down across Gaza, and some kind of ground raid has started although it’s possibly a limited operation. 😞 Israel are claiming that Hamas head quarters are operating under Shifa hospital 😞 

[Heartstrings]

US troops are officially deploying to the Middle East. 
 

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/10/26/politics/us-troops-deploying-middle-east/index.html

[Heartstrings]

1 minute ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Phone systems are reported to be down across Gaza, and some kind of ground raid has started although it’s possibly a limited operation. 😞 Israel are claiming that Hamas head quarters are operating under Shifa hospital 😞 

Not just phones, there’s no internet and from videos there is also no electricity in the area they are bombing.  The only light is from bombs being dropped.   
 

The hospital system there has been officially declared as collapsed too. 
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp-video/mmvo196412997974  

[Grace Hopper]

It’s all so tragic, I have few words. Just chiming in to say I also read an article a few days back that noted hamas was suspected to be using an underground tunnel system with headquarters beneath the hospital. Such a depraved strategy, to be using a building full of innocent humans as a shield. 
 

How to fight this? This evil terrorist group?  How can you separate the rat poison from the sugar when they spill together on the floor? It’s an impossible situation. My heart breaks for it all. 

[Heartstrings]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Israel are claiming that Hamas head quarters are operating under Shifa hospital

35-40 thousand people are sheltered in that hospital.  I’ve seen estimates from 30-50.  
 

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/17/gaza-main-hospital-overflows-with-living-dead-dar-al-shifa

Edited October 27, 2023 by Heartstrings

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-halts-exports-most-civilian-firearms-90-days-2023-10-27/
 

US halts export licenses for firearms and ammunition to any non-government parties for 90 days (exclusions for Ukraine and Israel).

[Condessa]

22 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Phone systems are reported to be down across Gaza, and some kind of ground raid has started although it’s possibly a limited operation. 😞 Israel are claiming that Hamas head quarters are operating under Shifa hospital 😞 

That would follow their historical precedent, as they have been confirmed by international sources to operate from there in the past.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shifa_Hospital

[katilac]

Words Whispered to a Child Under Siege, by Joseph Fasano

 

No, we are not going to die.

The sounds you hear knocking the windows and chipping the paint

from the ceiling, that is a game

the world is playing.

Our task is to crouch in the dark as long as we can

and count the beats of our own hearts.

Good. Like that. Lay your hand

on my heart and I’ll lay mine on yours.

Which one of us wins

is the one who loves the game the most

while it lasts.

Yes, it is going to last.

You can use your ear instead of your hand.

Here, on my heart.

Why is it beating faster? For you. That’s all.

I always wanted you to be born

and so did the world.

No, those aren’t a stranger’s bootsteps in the house.

Yes, I’m here. We’re safe.

Remember chess? Remember

hide-and-seek?

The song your mother sang? Let’s sing that one.

She’s still with us, yes. But you have to sing

without making a sound. She’d like that.

No, those aren’t bootsteps.

Sing. Sing louder.

Those aren’t bootsteps.

Let me show you how I cried when you were born.

Those aren’t bootsteps.

Those aren’t sirens.

Those aren’t flames.

Close your eyes. Like chess. Like hide-and-seek.

When the game is done you get another life.