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Hamas is basically a sovereign nation, ruling over Gaza with an iron fist -- murdering anyone that politically does not align with their fundamentalist ideals. They knew what they were doing on Oct 7 when the massacred over 1000 innocent civilians. For decades they have only talked about "armed struggle" and nothing approaching mutual recognition nor have they ever even considered a two-state solution. What was Hamas thinking? For over three decades, it has had the same brutal idea of victory https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-conflict-endgame-1bfcc187d826596e78090ec6cbf6516c In the three and a half decades since it began as an underground militant group, Hamas has pursued a consistently violent strategy aimed at rolling back Israeli rule — and it has made steady progress despite bringing enormous suffering to both sides of the conflict. Shaul Shay, an Israeli researcher and retired colonel who served in military intelligence, said Hamas “miscalculated” Israel’s response and now faces a far worse conflict than it had anticipated. “I hope and I believe that Israel will not stop until Hamas has been defeated in the Gaza Strip, and I don’t think that this was their expectation before the operation,” Shay said of Hamas. The Hamas government has seen only sporadic protests over the years and has quickly and violently suppressed them. I agree that Israel should NOT do the same thing as Hamas -- and they certainly do not. Unlike Hamas they try to avoid civilian casualties. Unfortunately, Hamas purposely uses humans -- mostly women and children, as shields. Hamas has them in a Catch-22 in the sense that Israel can either 1)not bomb and not go after the terrorists -- in which case Hamas wins. Or 2)Israel can go after the terrorists, but they will inflict high civilian casualties because of how Hamas is using civilians as shields, and as noted above, also not allowing civilians into Egypt or in many instances not even allowing civilians to leave active war zones. Ultimately Israel went with option 2. It seems that Hamas assumed there would be enough condemnation from the world, as well as they assumed that other countries would join the fight against Israel -- well, they miscalculated. Most of the Arab nations are certainly and understandably upset at what's happening, but even if they don't say it aloud in public, it's well understood they largely blame Hamas and have abandoned them. Secondly, Israel is going to complete their mission of destroying Hamas' capabilities to launch such terrorist attacks -- namely destroying their tunnels and eliminating their soldiers and leadership.

As expected, with @phart010 every time the terrorists that are Hamas are shown to have committed atrocities such as rape, he says things such as "It could be that Hamas has done some sexual crimes against Israelis" -- NO, it's not "could be" they did. Your whitewashing of the situation will not change reality. Nor will your red herring fallacy (trying to change the subject) excuse Hamas. They are done, Israel will eliminate these murderers and terrorists. Hamas also failed in their objectives of destroying Mideast peace. Once the war is over, Israel and Saudi Arabia will reach an official peace agreement and officially open diplomatic relations which will provide greater security to everyone in the Middle East -- Gazans included.

I also notice a very discomforting quiet about how Hamas abuses, rapes, and mutilates women (and men) -- Their bodies tell their stories. They’re not alive to speak for themselves. NBC News has reviewed evidence that suggests dozens of Israeli women were raped, sexually abused or mutilated during the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/hamas-rape-israeli-women-oct-7-rcna128221 In one photo, a burned body appears to project anguish. In another, a woman lies naked from the waist down, her underwear hanging from her leg. In interviews, first responders haltingly describe finding naked female corpses tied to beds and survivors recount witnessing a gang rape at the music festival. All of this is part of a mounting body of evidence of the gender-based crimes carried out by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7. Over the last several weeks, NBC News has reviewed five interrogations of captured Hamas fighters, an Arabic-language document that instructed Hamas how to pronounce “Take off your pants” in Hebrew, six images of naked or partially naked deceased female bodies, seven eyewitness accounts of sexual violence including both rape and mutilation, 11 testimonies of first responders, and two accounts from workers in morgues who handled the bodies of women after they were recovered from the massacre. Human rights investigators say that they believe that sexual violence and gender-based violence was carried out by Hamas, including mutilation. But they are not yet certain about the scale and there is not a large amount of evidence that is available to human rights organizations. The most voluminous evidence is of bodily mutilation of sexual organs by bullet, knife or even scissors, according to an NBC News analysis of the evidence currently available. “They had a thing with sexual organs, both in women and men,” a first responder told police in videotaped testimony. Israeli officials pointed to a Hamas pamphlet discovered on Nov. 2 that gives detailed instructions about how to pronounce phrases in Hebrew including “raise your hands and open your legs” and “take off your pants.” During interrogations, captured Hamas militants talked about raping women and children as a Hamas tactic of war. “To have our way with them, to dirty them, to rape them,” said one Hamas militant during a videotaped interrogation. The monsters that committed these atrocities will get what's coming to them.

Sad that so many innocent lives are lost because of Hamas, but that's the price you pay when your country is literally run by the devil. Also, as usual @phart010 left out the part where the UN resolution demands the "immediate and unconditional release" of all remaining hostages. Of course that's not going to happen, Hamas is shite that needs to be wiped off this world, and Israel will do it. Hopefully after most of Hamas is reduced to ash, there will be at least some semblance of peace in Israel and Gaza.

Move over Redfall! https://www.gamesradar.com/the-day-before-review/ https://www.ign.com/articles/the-day-before-review I’d have more fun hiding in a dumpster surrounded by actual zombies. NPCs are so dryly written and voiced they sound like the result of an AI. Steam is already diligently refunding anyone who made the mistake of buying it – and if you didn’t manage to try it, you can count yourself as one of the lucky ones.

Apparently he was eating some local chickens! They moved him away from where he would cause mischief, which is much better for him -- and his name, dubbed by the wildlife specialist, is "Mr. Murderbritches"

Does the Analogue Duo support the Everdrive?

People definitely still read, although not surprisingly with social media (which is a poison), video games (which we all love), movies, etc. it's much less than in the past -- https://www.amacad.org/humanities-indicators/public-life/book-reading-behavior The percentage of Americans adults who read at least one book of fiction or nonfiction in the previous 12 months (outside of work or school requirements) fell to the lowest level on record in 2017 (Indicator V-04a). In 1992, 61% of Americans had read a book for pleasure during the previous year, but by 2017 less than 53% had done so.

3 Contentious Exchanges at the College Antisemitism Hearing https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/us/harvard-mit-penn-presidents-antisemitism-hearing.html Wow -- I KNOW the importance of free speech. But, saying any genocide against any group should be looked "in context" is such utter bullshite that I can't even fathom... In one instance, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., pressed Gay over whether the university condoned chants of “intifada” on its campus. Stefanik: Dr. Gay, a Harvard student calling for the mass murder of African Americans is not protected free speech at Harvard, correct? Gay: Our commitment to free speech … Stefanik: It’s a yes or no question. Is that correct? Is that OK for students to call for the mass murder of African Americans at Harvard? Is that protected free speech? Gay: Our commitment to free speech … Stefanik: It’s a yes or no question. Let me ask you this: You are president of Harvard, so I assume you are familiar with the term “intifada,” correct? Gay: I have heard that term, yes. Stefanik: And you understand that the use of the term “intifada” in the context of the Israeli-Arab conflict is indeed a call for violent armed resistance against the state of Israel, including violence against civilians and the genocide of Jews. Are you aware of that? Gay: That type of hateful speech is personally abhorrent to me. Stefanik: And there have been multiple marches at Harvard with students chanting, quote “There is only one solution: intifada, revolution” and quote “Globalize the intifada,” is that correct? Gay: I’ve heard that thoughtless, reckless and hateful language on our campus, yes. Stefanik: So based upon your testimony, you understand that this call for intifada is to commit genocide against the Jewish people in Israel and globally, correct? Gay: I will say again, that type of hateful speech is personally abhorrent to me. Stefanik: Do you believe that type of hateful speech is contrary to Harvard’s code of conduct or is it allowed at Harvard? Gay: It is at odds with the values of Harvard. Stefanik: Can you not say here that it is against the code of conduct at Harvard? Gay: We embrace a commitment to free expression even of views that are objectionable, offensive, hateful — it’s when that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying, harassment, intimidation … Stefanik: Does that speech not cross that barrier? Does that speech not call for the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel? You testified that you understand that that is the definition of “intifada.” Is that speech according to the code of conduct or not? Gay: We embrace a commitment to free expression and give a wide berth to free expression even of views that are objectionable, outrageous and offensive. Stefanik: You and I both know that that is not the case.

People had enough! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_San_Francisco_District_Attorney_recall_election Hopefully things improve, they certainly appear to be.

I think it's awesome that you're reading all these classics I really wonder how many classics people read in high school these days? I'd love to know, because periodically I see articles such as this -- Massachusetts teacher says she is “very proud” to have removed Homer’s classic from school curriculum https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/12/31/teacher-proud-removing-homer/ “Be like Odysseus and embrace the long haul to liberation (and then take the Odyssey out of your curriculum because it’s trash).” Heather Levine, a ninth-grade English teacher at Lawrence High School in Massachusetts, replied: “Hahaha …. Very proud to say we got the Odyssey removed from the curriculum this year!” That seems quite pathetic to me. Then again, that high school and school district made news in 2010 when they were ranked in the bottom 1 percent in the state based on math and English test scores. Me, I'm not surprised...

Retro-Bit -- for the price I think it's amazing. I've heard some people say the music isn't always perfect, and some other minor problems. But, for $60 you get a Retro-Bit that plays NES and SNES cartridges. Or, for $600 you can get an Analogue Noir -- if you're lucky, most likely it will be substantially more. For someone that's into hard-core gaming, I'd say get the Analogue. For most anyone else Retro-Bit does the job perfectly.

Having a bad day bro? This is the meme thread, just chill ps That is a real plane. From 2020 -- Futuristic ‘Flying-V’ airplane makes successful maiden flight https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/flying-v-maiden-flight-intl-scli-grm/index.html

At least 85 civilians, including women and children, dead after 'mistaken' army drone attack https://www.yahoo.com/news/least-85-civilians-including-women-153554645.html Emergency response officials said at least 85 people have been confirmed dead after a "mistaken" army drone attack on a religious gathering in northwest Nigeria. The victims were killed Sunday night by drones "targeting terrorists and bandits" in Kaduna state’s Tudun Biri village, according to government and security officials. They were observing a Muslim holiday. Horrible tragedy. It's not clear if this was a fully autonomous drone or one under human guidance? Most likely under human guidance. That said -- Ukrainian AI attack drones may be killing without human oversight https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397389-ukrainian-ai-attack-drones-may-be-killing-without-human-oversight/ Ukrainian attack drones equipped with artificial intelligence are now finding and attacking targets without human assistance, New Scientist has learned, in what would be the first confirmed use of autonomous weapons or “killer robots”. It was inevitable.

I think you're absolutely right. Still, it's good to be able to get some nice exclusives at honestly reasonable prices -- certainly cheaper than on the 2nd hand market

‘Thrill Kill’ murderer released back into Santa Clara County https://www.yahoo.com/news/thrill-kill-murderer-released-back-012710057.html One of two men who carried out a Satanist-inspired “thrill kill” murder in San Jose was freed from prison and released back into Santa Clara County. Former inmate Jae Williams, 29, was granted early release on November 20, court records show. Williams was a 15-year-old high school student when he and his 16-year-old friend, Randy Thompson, decided they wanted to kill someone. The boys befriended 15-year-old Michael Russell with the sole intention of murdering him in 2009. The victim’s family’s attorney, Scotty J. Storey, told KRON4, “Jae and Randy set out with a goal of killing someone just to find out what it felt like. They cultivated a ‘friendship’ with Mikey, lulling him into a sense of security with them, to achieve their goal.” When San Jose Police Department homicide detectives were investigating the teen’s grisly death, Williams told police that his religion, Satanism, gave him permission to kill. For their trials, Thompson and Williams were charged and convicted as adults, and sentenced to serve 26 years to life in prison. Senate Bill 1391, passed in 2018, prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from being charged as an adult. After California’s law passed, Williams’ case was transferred into juvenile court. Wow... California fails victims yet again. Williams is not allowed to own firearms until he turns 30 years old on June 8, 2024. Good to know that in Cali, after you murder someone, you have to wait until you're 30 before you can own a firearm. I'm sure that must be a sigh of relief to everyone If Williams violates his probation conditions, he could be ordered back to jail for no longer than six months. That will certainly teach that sociopath! A whopping 6 (or less) more months in jail, he's trembling in his knickers I'm sure.

Interesting...

Not sure the XKCD cartoon is far off from reality --

Yes, I'm looking for deaths that are unexpected within the context of the game. In MK when you hear the narrator shout "FINISH HIM!" you know exactly what's coming. It's funny you mention Secret of Monkey Island, because it's nearly impossible to die in the game! In fact, the only way I know of where you actually die is if you stay underwater for more than 10 minutes