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Showing posts from August, 2019

Belgian judgment allows headscarf at schools

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As all children are equal, no child was allowed to wear something that covered their hair (i.e. headgear) at a Flemish chain of schools. Now, a Belgian judge decided in favour of a girl who wants to wear a headscarf at school (or may be forced to do so by her parents). If this judgment is upheld by a higher court, than all children should be able to wear something on their head. This is known as the " principle of equality " to prevent discrimination , just as this principle was used to justify the prohibition of wearing headgear or more general any religious symbol by all children. Indeed, a society should not allow that only a section of society (such as a religious group) is not allowed to do something as that is discrimination. But equally, when a section of society is allowed to do something than the whole society should be able to do so or the " principle of equality " is not respected. Thus, either  the rule is that no-one is allowed to cover th

(7e) Free trade deals versus defending own market

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President Trump is ridiculed for using the words " I hereby order "; indeed, it sounds strange. But, his following sentences do make sentence. Why should for instance cars that are sold in America be produced in China? It increases pollution  due to transport over long distances, results in unemployment  in the USA and thus angry people not only for people who are less educated but also for engineers as today's cars are complex machines to build while it increases the cost  for everyone except for investment and hedge fund managers. Indeed, these managers encourage companies to move away to countries with less environmental and workers protections so production costs are lower while products are transported by big boat, plane and truck companies (an extra cost) and mainly sold in shops that are part of chains because these managers via their funds have many shares in those companies and thus decision powers without owning the companies and thus little responsibly for

Intelligence Agencies and Supremacy

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Someone from an American intelligence agency says these organisations are partly to blame for the rise in white supremacy , i.e. the conviction that your skin colour makes you better than others, because they allowed it to grow into what it became today. Indeed, even ordinary people such as me who did a short investigation understood that certain posts were too extreme to allow in a healthy democracy although these posts allows you to understand people's concerns and who thinks in a certain way. As a messenger, he was fired for exposing this. Anyone who follows the news understood the rise of white supremacy, of thinking one's own race is superior to others. The Tea Party in the USA are powerful and mainly religious (evangelical as they oppose the religion of the Pope) white people who were embraced by Republican presidential candidate McCain, opponent of later President Obama, so it became acceptable to speak like these persons with power. Yes, it was white supremacy prop

(7d) Bank decides to introduce negative interest rate mortgage - Others will follow?

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How do banks come up with it? Now Danish bank decided to pay negative interests on mortgages , meaning they agree to give you money to buy a house and you pay back less than what they gave you. Sounds logic for companies that must make profits? I don't think so. Indeed, the article mentions that "In reality, the Jyske mortgage borrower in Denmark is likely to end up paying back a little more than they borrowed, as there are still fees and charges to pay to compensate the bank for arranging the deal, even when the nominal rate is negative." Thus, although they say you pay back less, costs to belong to the bank increase and likely for everyone. In addition, while today people can get a tax reductions when they buy a house/flat, as now banks pay some of the mortgage, this may be seen as an additional income and thus I question whether people will have to pay more taxes and this way reduce countries deficits? Costs at banks Banks claim they need to take such

(12u) More intense upwards airflows in a warming planet

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Indeed, a warning planet likely results in stronger upward airflows and maybe less rain as what falls evaporates or is taken upwards again by these airflows. The result may be larger hail stones when smaller ones are carried upwards again and again and increase in size and weight. Prophesies mention they may become as heavy as 50 kg. Indeed, we're told one day we're able to explain the science behind some prophecies. Those prophecies also inform that we will continue, and certainly those in positions of power who know what they are doing, to worship what is dead such as gold, oil and gas, wood, in short continue to destroy our planet. Clouds can be amazing Still, they also inform we will change for the better, not only in relation to the environment but also with other people with growing powers of computing and AI that will ease our lives, help in science but also know what we do to stop criminals. That's why religious people want that evil happens as they h

(17g) Celebrated violence will result in violence

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Violence in games, films and music So true I think, when President Trump claims that violent video games but I also include extremely violent movies and music that worship violence are partly to blame for gun violence in the USA's society, together with gun ownership. More generally, they promote alpha male behaviour, also by women. When violence (and sexual exploitation) earns you points and money while actors who play in violent movies are worshipped as heroes and this is now even available to always younger people than violent solutions to problems can be expected. When people and certainly children from an early age onwards get used to violence than they may use it one day, certainly when you have movies in which "the good guys and girls kill the bad guys and girls" and when politicians repeat the slogan of the National Rifle Association (NRA) that a good person such as teachers carry guns to kill the bad persons with guns. But how to know when someone is a good

Unite to remain - Impossible?

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A  the Guardian article that hopes British will unite behind Labour to stop Brexit. First, I think that will not heal society and second, I think the article doesn't do an effort to convince Brexiters it is better to stay inside the EU while instead it confirms the EU is bad. Brexiters spread lies while remainers should not confirm them or the EU remains the bad one and a next referendum is again lost. Stop confirming stories such as the EU wants to starve the British from food and medicines or visas will be needed to visit the EU because the EU also needs trade with the UK; if these stories will be right it is stupid while the UK can still trade with America and others. Start explaining the good of the EU such as workers rights and environmental protection while we know powerful eurosceptics hate the EU because the EU tries to protect ordinary people against powerful multinationals, investment bankers and their politicians who want more profits and this supported by a tablo

Ban on face-covering clothing is normal

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As in other European countries, in the Netherlands a Partial Ban on Face-Covering Clothing Act came into effect . It is also known as "burqa ban" while for me this should simply be a ban on hiding your face, whether Muslim, Christian, or any other person. Of course, what could be expected by extremists is they want to ignore this as they want to exclude themselves from society and thus further anger the population that is already angry after terrorist attacks such as in Brussels, Paris, Madrid, London but mainly in Muslim countries. But some women continue to wear them because they fear men who want to show their dominance and thus may beat them when they show their face in public while the burqa may even hide the scars already on their face. Indeed, the burqa is intended to oppress women. And while Amnesty International and lefties defend the right of women to wear a burqa in the West, they demand other countries halt this because they know it oppresses women. Instead o