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rizardofoz May 23 2009, 14:12:53 UTC
Oh no! I thought nargile cafes were exempt because those locations are FOR smoking. But it's all interiors despite the actual name of the place? I was thinking a lot of cafes would switch the name to make it legal, if the prior sentence were true? The law sucks. It's such an ingrained part of the Turkish culture (and all around that area of the world), and I find it just wouldn't seem like Istanbul without a few of those locations around.

I hope it is at least allowed outdoors (but that might be problematic come wintertime).

Plus, I'm greedy and want to have some on my return. We have 'hookah' bars were where it's allowed to smoke. And there's a full-on smoking ban in bars and cafes in Ohio. However, nothing can top Turkey when it comes to this.

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allhatnocattle May 24 2009, 07:55:01 UTC
There were just as many polar bears in Moose Factory (Ontario) this year, as there were in years before. I'm no expert, but far as I know they are not in any great danger. They don't hibernate. During the winters they'll hunt on land and ice, and during the summer break-up they hunt in the water from ice flows. Far as I can tell, PolarBear endangerment is all just hype, geared and suited to elicit sympathy for the climate change cause from sympathetic urbanites who will never leave the comfort of their homes to visit the north country. All they need to do is write the elders living in Moosenee, Moose factory, Churchill, etc to get their facts straight, instead of 25yr old climatologists reading charts in NYC ( ... )

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bronnyelsp May 24 2009, 08:15:03 UTC
The world's foremost climate scientists are united in their belief in the danger of climate change. Those who oppose it are, one after another, found to have connections to the oil industry. I believe climate change is real, human-made, and dangerous. Which means it's dangerous to the polar bears as to every other species on Earth (us included). If people trying to raise awareness about the issue want to focus on the polar bears because, frankly, they're cute -- well, I find it a bit funny, but it's basically fine with me. And I believe strongly in carbon taxation along the lines proposed by the Canadian Green Party, along with new transit infrastructure, free home insulation/more energy efficient builds, and very low caps for industry with very high penalties for rising above them. So we're not going to agree on climate change.

I agree with you about the "wasted vote" malarkey, though.

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daisho May 24 2009, 14:04:03 UTC
Here's some info on the reason why ice-floe shrinkage could be affecting bear populations, FWIW.

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bronnyelsp May 24 2009, 15:17:59 UTC
Thanks for doing the leg-work!

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daisho May 24 2009, 13:59:59 UTC
It strikes me as rather ironic for the Lib Dems to be warning people not to waste votes when one of the main reasons they don't do better at General Elections is because they're often regarded as a wasted vote themselves.

I'm a natural Lib Dem in terms of my general political sympathies, but I must say I'm becoming somewhat cheesed off with them under Clegg. I normally vote for them, but their entire campaign locally has been knocking the Tories) who pretty much run everything in Essex) rather than promoting their own policies, so I'm considering a Green vote this time, too.

It's such a shame Vince Cable didn't want to be party leader (unless he's just biding his time), because I've met him, and not only is he brilliant and erudite, he's also a very nice guy.

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bronnyelsp May 24 2009, 15:26:15 UTC
It strikes me as rather ironic for the Lib Dems to be warning people not to waste votes when one of the main reasons they don't do better at General Elections is because they're often regarded as a wasted vote themselves.

ikr! Do they not see that the logic of "Your vote won't elect an MP, so don't waste it, vote for the least worst of the other options" is pretty much identical to "even if you elect an MP, their party won't form the government, so don't waste it, elect one from the least worst of the other two"?

Dumb politicians are dumb.

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