Off Topic Thread 5.0

Dubinusa

Ok! Can we talk about Sexton here? Lol.

CatFromHue

ROG is better than Trump but Sexton is better than Boris!

Dubinusa

Anyhow! The covid is kicking up again here in Massachusetts!

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118124849#Comment_118124849

What’s vaccination uptake like?

Dubinusa

About 75% in massachusetts. A lot of vaccinated people are contracting it!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118125727#Comment_118125727

And they'll largely be fine unless in very specific categories. 75% is nowhere near enough and the politicisation of vaccine uptake really is very sad to see.

America has drifted deeply into anti-intellectualism.

Dubinusa

It was always like that. No one pays attention anything , unless it's social media or reality TV.

I find that the average American is clueless on most subjects. It's bizarre!

Zzippy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118126017#Comment_118126017

Mate, you literally have championed Trump on here for years. A bit of self-awareness, please...

Dubinusa

Zipper!! Wtf. I hate politicians period. Out of everyone in the states, there is zero! Given a choice between a career arse licking Pol and an outsider. I take the outsider.

In saying that and unsure about Irish politics, the only memories I have are of the scumbags when I was growing up in Dublin, I believe Irish politics is as big a cluster fcuk as the American code.

I just watch highlights from the U.N to view the bizarre, stupidity that the planet offers as leadership. BoJo may be a mooseknuckle! But, he's not alone.

As far as the US political spectrum is concerned, it's a pit of shyte. Beyond stupid.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118125995#Comment_118125995

There's always been a strong anti intellectual streak in the US but it's really grown political arms and legs in the last decade. Lots of reasons for it but Im more and more convinced that the algorithm and social media AI has been massive multiplier that's put what were marginal tendencies like anti vax sentiment and conspiracy theories firmly into the mainstream. We're looking at 35%+ of the society who buy into outlandish and ludicrous ideas about how power and the world works. Combine it with epidemic levels of mental illness...it really is bedtime for democracy.

Dubinusa

I didn't notice it when came over in 85. Damn, it's bizarre. I would say that social media is a part of it.

Dave_The_Sheep

But I thought you said it "It was always like that."

Pick one.

Dubinusa

In general, the average yank graduating high school would not be as smart as an Irish grad! I found that they didn't know much about the outside or Europe in particular.

Over the years the education has regressed, my opinion and although there's a ton of higher education, I think the influx is not smart.

Bizarre! Considering the make up of the nation! Considering that the spending on education is probably astounding. Each state sets different agendas or course work for the schools. Some would be superior to others.

Enter personal computer and smart phones and Playstation etc. These devices are absorbing the youth as is fb and social media. IT wise they are smart. But at what cost. Some co workers of mine didn't know where Yugoslavia was or the individual nations it is today. But, they can tell you what JayZ did yesterday or Kim Kardashian.

Weird how people are educated in some things and not so much in what I think is important stuff.

Bazzo

Are the people being brain washed by social media made of mostly "youth" ?

I doubt it personally.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118132646#Comment_118132646

I actually think many younger people are better armed to deal with social media bullshit than their parents and grandparents. Facebook is an intellectual sewer and it's where most older people get their news and 'opinions'. Look at the age profile on January 6, mostly middle aged people and older, compared to Black Live Matter which is predominantly young with lots of teens involved.

On the education thing, it depends which America you're talking about. The US still has a big slice of the best 3rd level institutions in the world, there are dozens if not hundreds of word class universities, Boston has 5 or 6 of them, California has 15+, NYC has several outstanding universities and several world class art and design schools, etc. Even Texas has its share of top drawer schools. At the same time access has been ever more restricted because of the cost and the competition from international students. I live in Berkeley and 25% are out of state or international students, a chunk of them (in the flagship school of the public UC system) are the kids of the Chinese ruling class. It's not as big a number in Stanford down the road but its still about 15% international.

But most Americans are clueless about the rest of the world, only a small portion of them have travelled abroad and depending on where you live, history and geography are poorly taught. There's also a high level of opposition to the idea of learning other languages!

Dubinusa

My son is in his 1st year of Med school in Conn. He said Theresa even split of foreign born students!

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118133150#Comment_118133150

Says it all. It's particularly bad given how the public systems have been defunded and become prohibitively expensive in the last 20 or 30 years. As Mike Davis says, I have no idea why Latino workers in California pay taxes, their kids get nothing for it.

Dubinusa

Lots of Asian students. Then there is some European too. But it's so fcuking expensive 😫

stephen_n

Think we have always been more outward facing than any large countries. America has for a long time had no interest outside itself. Even then it only wants to pay attention certain aspects of itself. Chasing the dream, whatever the hell that is. UK is not much different from my experience. Would assume the same could be said for France but have no direct experience. The fact America is so large means most will never leave it. How many Irish travel outside Europe?

America as always is just the bigger badder version of it.

hold my beer

That David Fuller case is sickening. It's hard to fathom how someone can be so depraved.

RichieRich_89

This Kyle Rittenhouse case is interesting. I remember watching all the videos on twitter just after the shootings happened and thinking he acted with a lot of restraint and composure.

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155706#Comment_118155706

Riiiigggghhhhhtttttt. The guy who crossed state lines with an automatic weapon despite having no training or absolutely no reason to be there definitely acted with restraint. Restraint definitely wouldn’t have been staying the f* at home. Sure.

Jesus……

Yeah_Right

My take on it is that he wanted to go shoot a n***** He had no reason to be there otherwise.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155706#Comment_118155706

It's crazy to me that it's legal in the US to arm yourself with an assault rifle and insert yourself in a riot. He may be found not guilty of murder according to US law, but I can't get past that point. What was he planning on doing with the gun. He should have just stayed at home.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155740#Comment_118155740

I believe his father lives in Kenosha. And also I think the AR15 is semi-automatic, not automatic.

If I remember correctly from watching the footage, one of the people he shot comes in as if to attack Rittenhouse, Rittenhouse trains his rifle on him, but doesn't fire when the other guy puts his hands up and backs off. But then the other guy draws a handgun when he thinks Rittenhouse's attention is on something else. Rittenhouse then shoots him in the arm, not in the body (which presumably would have been easier). All of this while Rittenhouse is on the ground after tripping and falling and being hit and kicked.

Have you watched any of the footage?

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155767#Comment_118155767

The people he shot were white and were attacking him?

Clegg

Rittenhouse undoubtedly went to Kenosha looking for a fight. His testimony about going there to act as an "auxiliary police officer and medic", is utter rubbish. Personally, I do think he went there to shoot somebody.

However, from the evidence we've heard in court, I think he has a pretty good defence of self-defence. He wasn't the aggressor in the incident which led to the shootings.

OldRio

Just a semi automatic then. Grand. Nothing wrong with watching a riot with a semi auto on you, you know, just in case.

There is a lovely American couple who have a holiday home near to us. Nice people until politics and guns and race come into the conversation. He bought her a gold colt pistol when they got married. I mean nothing says 'love you' more than weapons that can kill.

Weird old place the USA.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118155781#Comment_118155781

I don't know if it's relevant, but the constitutional right to have a gun is not for self-defence or defence of your own property, it's so that people can defend the security of the state.

If I was his lawyer, I'd be saying that the police had lost control and it was up to dutiful citizens to help maintain the rule of law.

Absolutely f*cking bat-**** crazy

hold my beer

Finally figured out how to add someone to your ignore list if they've made their profile private.

Click your own avatar in top right, then Edit profile, then bottom right should be a link for 'Ignore List'. You can manually add people's names there. There's a limit of 50 though, and I'm already at 10 people.