... Nope... More of a OMG groan... Surly?


We really need to include meaningful competency tests for our politicians!

All in a very greedy narcissistic political world...
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

We really need to include meaningful competency tests for our politicians!

er, VOTERS!

We really need to include meaningful competency tests for our politicians!

er, VOTERS!

Yes!

1: We need to educate them;

2: All political statements must be legally required to be accurate;

3: We enforce a limit on how "weasel" words are used so that our politicians must actually commit to doing something...

Errr... Does that not sound like the beginnings of a People's Constitution For The People?...

The next step up from the befuddlement of Democracy that we have limping along at the moment...?


This is what we make it for ourselves!
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

....
2: All political statements must be legally required to be accurate;

Good luck with that. Doubt it will ever happen. That's like letting the fox watch the henhouse.

....
2: All political statements must be legally required to be accurate;

Good luck with that. Doubt it will ever happen. That's like letting the fox watch the henhouse.

Sad, you must educate the voters so they understand if a politicians lips are moving, it is open season, no bag limit.

....
2: All political statements must be legally required to be accurate;

Good luck with that. Doubt it will ever happen. That's like letting the fox watch the henhouse.

Sad, you must educate the voters so they understand if a politicians lips are moving, it is open season, no bag limit.

Unfortunately, such as Donald Trump, George Santos, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Sarah Palin, et al, are all incredible reminders of how education has not succeeded in the USA politics...

... For both the politicians themselves, and for those voting for them!


Get educated?...

Errr... That doesn't work being as those needing the education ain't reading these forums...


Only in the USA?...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Until 1918 we had a time-proven electoral system for parliament in the Kingdom of Prussia, the part of Germany I live. The votes were divided into three electoral classes. The 1st class of ~4% nobles elected a third of the MPs. The 2nd class of ~16% commoners elected another third. The last third was elected by the ~80% propertyless peasants and workers. Class division wasn't rigid, only depended on relative share of tax payments. The level of education somehow also depended on tax payments. This way, sensible majorities were formed, which could not be endangered by uneducated voters seduced by communist ideology or other lunacies. Should we return to such proven methods to save our democracies?

My somewhat gloomy outlook: Democracy requires enlightened, educated citizens. Otherwise, democracy will transform into autocracy. What disturbs me is that most of the pessimistic voices here come from Anglo-Americans, thus from societies that have always been able to maintain democracy over centuries and many turmoil, while we on the continent (ES, PT, FR, DE, AT/HU, IT, GR, ...) started late and failed repeatedly.

Eventually it's not lunatic politicians or uneducated voters what's wrong today but the type of political communication, information, TV, newspapers, social media, i.e. the fourth power, which is broken. Until the 20th century this power prevented most lunatics from entering parliament and guided citizens to vote responsibly (at least in the UK/USA/AUS).

Unfortunately, such as Donald Trump, George Santos, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Sarah Palin, et al, are all incredible reminders of how education has not succeeded in the USA politics...

A clarification... It is not necessarily (formal) education that politicians lack, but rather a connection to reality. Understanding how people live, work, what their needs and interests are. A farmer or construction worker can be a very good down-to-earth MP even with less education. In Germany, on the other hand, I see so many political scientists, lawyers, or former state employees in parliament... so many failed university dropouts in responsible political positions who know nothing about people's real lives and their daily worries, who blindly follow party ideology. That is the main problem... such detached MPs who talk all the time about "the people" but never listen to them, not interested in them, shapelessly floating in the political bubble. That is a new phenomenon which makes people really angry and vote for right-wing populists.

There's "gold" in that Vinyl record!
Thieves Swiping Rare Vinyl From Chicago Record Shops

Up to $10,000 in rare vinyl was taken from one shop. Store owners are banding together to keep an eye out for people trying to sell these records

Edit to add:

Vinyl records outsold CDs in the U.S. last year for the first time in decades, with vinyl revenue rising as it spins into an era of retro appeal and limited-edition collector’s items, according to Rolling Stone.

In the U.S. they've found out where bad doctors go to keep their malpractice going.

Doctors With Histories of Big Malpractice Settlements Have Found a New Home in the Insurance Industry.

As if the U.S. health system wasn't enough of a disgrace already.

Why is it that right wing governments these days only want to go back to the dirty old mighty white ways of the 20th century?

Debate over race relations rages in NZ as new government repeals key social policies.

Our Kiwi cousins are becoming restless with their choice already.

The most un-funny sleazebag is yet again facing more sex assault allegations.

British comedian Russell Brand questioned by police over further sexual assault allegations.

Said person should be very near the front of the queue for a very close shave with a very rusty razor.....

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

If only there were more companies like this 1.

How a small town's trajectory changed after the construction of a 600-hectare solar farm.

....Justin Coburn from Beon Energy arrived in town — well before any ground had been broken — in search of a workforce to build what would become the Avonlie Solar Farm.

As luck would have it, he found a "force of nature" in Lyons, a Wiradjuri Yorta Yorta woman with whom he'd form a unique partnership.

When asked to identify the barriers to employment in town, Lyons answered bluntly: ID. Photo identification.

Many of her mob had never had a job because they'd never had the most basic paperwork required to even apply for one.

They were essentially living as invisible citizens.

So, with Beon's backing, the idea for an "ID Day" was born.

Word got out on the "Koori grapevine" and more than 100 people turned up at the local TAFE, where a production line of sorts had been set up.

At the first desk, the local Aboriginal Cooperative Gundyarri helped organise birth certificates; then it was Medicare cards and finally, Unique Student Identifiers which the workers would need to obtain their construction tickets for the solar farm. All of it was free of charge.

Within days, these people were on the workforce map. The first barrier to employment had been cleared......

I have to wonder if there's a connection between these 2 groups.

Moms for Liberty faces growing challenges amid Florida sex scandal.

Far-right 'tradwives' see feminism as evil and push back against what they see as 'the lie of equality'.

is the word vassal

It looks like China is all show and no go, but proves to be quite a hypocrite.

Beijing is boasting about keeping the Red Sea safe for international shipping, even as it refuses to contribute to efforts to maintain the safety of the Red Sea for all.

As India steps up.

Why India is sending three warships to the Arabian Sea.

I've still got to wonder if she's doing the right thing by her husband by the very limited and rarely delivered updates (but heaps of speculation).

Fresh details emerge of Michael Schumacher’s health battle, 10-years since accident.

So 1 must ask (being in that position myself once), is she trying to keep a vegetable (or someone locked in their own head) alive for her own purposes?

And if so, why?

As some could see it as 10yrs of torture.

Surely if there was any really improvement in his condition it'd be reported to squash the rumour mill and such speculation.

Well there you go, George W Bush, John Howard, Tony Blair and their conspirators should be sent to The Hague to face war crimes.

A trove of cabinet documents from 2003 has been released today – but it’s what’s not inside them that reveals the truth about Australia’s role in the Iraq war.

But George and his crew should get the biggest sentences as they provided the B.S. to start it.

And that BS was all for oil and the oil markets...

The sooner we get off that monopoly, the better for everyone and the better for our planet.


... All on our only one planet...
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)