2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Volante
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

Post by Volante »

Robert K S wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:17 pm
Volante wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:30 am
Robert K S wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:13 am Is there any term that isn't a maximum?
They could call a snap election.
The fact that a U.S. president could be impeached doesn't make the term less than four years, does it? I suppose you can say that impeaching a president doesn't really end the president's term, it just replaces the person in office.
The term of a US president is four years. January 20, year to January 20, year+4.

The term of a NZ prime minister is how long the Parliament exists between elections, up to a maximum of three years, but there is no similar carved in law start date or end date. It's flexible, so it makes their term lengths flexible.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Volante wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:41 pm
Robert K S wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:17 pm
Volante wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:30 am
Robert K S wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 11:13 am Is there any term that isn't a maximum?
They could call a snap election.
The fact that a U.S. president could be impeached doesn't make the term less than four years, does it? I suppose you can say that impeaching a president doesn't really end the president's term, it just replaces the person in office.
The term of a US president is four years. January 20, year to January 20, year+4.

The term of a NZ prime minister is how long the Parliament exists between elections, up to a maximum of three years, but there is no similar carved in law start date or end date. It's flexible, so it makes their term lengths flexible.
Isn't this standard for prime ministers? Why would we compare them to presidents?
We keep being reminded that impeachment doesn't end a president's term... :roll:
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Not trying to be political, but I like that our presidential terms are set at a fixed period and we know when the next election will be.
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MinnesotaMyron
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Wasn't there a discussion here a few years ago about the "oldest group" (by whatever definition) in which all members were still alive? CSNY had to be in the mix back then.

(My first guess would be the original Brady Kids, but I bet there are older ones.)
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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MinnesotaMyron wrote: Fri Jan 20, 2023 1:31 pm On January 10, the MIAMI HEAT set a new NBA record by going a perfect 40 for 40 from the free throw line in a single game. Jimmy Butler led the team with 23.

(The previous record was 39 set by Utah in 1982.)
As the resident Miami Heat fan, I will also tag on that they set the record for most consecutive free throws made without a miss over multiple games with 55.

They made their last FT the game before, then the 40 for 40 game, then the first 14 of their next game. Ironically, Jimmy Butler missed FT number 56.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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MinnesotaMyron wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 5:57 pm
Wasn't there a discussion here a few years ago about the "oldest group" (by whatever definition) in which all members were still alive? CSNY had to be in the mix back then.
Out of curiosity, I looked up a large handful of possible groups who were active in the late 1950s and early 1960s, figuring some group from then had to qualify.

Now this is obviously a limited sample regarding the oldest group, but The Fleetwoods, a big name during those years -- "Mr. Blue", "Come Softly To Me", "Tragedy" -- and active together for decades afterward, although less so commercially, are all still alive .... all three were born in either 1939 or 1940. And only those three were ever members.

Btw, CSN and CSNY weren't even that close, Stills and Young being born in 1945.

And definition of a "group" even within (and especially within) just the musical world requires a LOT of qualification.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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RandyG wrote: Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:21 pm
MinnesotaMyron wrote: Thu Jan 19, 2023 5:57 pm
Wasn't there a discussion here a few years ago about the "oldest group" (by whatever definition) in which all members were still alive? CSNY had to be in the mix back then.
Out of curiosity, I looked up a large handful of possible groups who were active in the late 1950s and early 1960s, figuring some group from then had to qualify.

Now this is obviously a limited sample regarding the oldest group, but The Fleetwoods, a big name during those years -- "Mr. Blue", "Come Softly To Me", "Tragedy" -- and active together for decades afterward, although less so commercially, are all still alive .... all three were born in either 1939 or 1940. And only those three were ever members.

Btw, CSN and CSNY weren't even that close, Stills and Young being born in 1945.

And definition of a "group" even within (and especially within) just the musical world requires a LOT of qualification.
Does an ongoing duet qualify as a group?

Nino Tempo (born 1935) and his sister April Stevens (born 1929) are both still alive. Four times Top 40 Billboard in the early-mid 1960s, including #1 "Deep Purple" in 1963.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Study Guide

Post by Ironhorse »

MinnesotaMyron wrote: Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:41 pm
(Please excuse my cascade of new posts. I'm combing through news sites with an eye toward the new LL season.)
No need for apologies. I appreciate this content.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Study Guide

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Robert K S wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:51 am James says he hopes to remain in the game long enough to play with his son, Bronny.

Oh, Bronny. I thought you said Brony.
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Volante
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Re: 2023 Current Events Study Guide

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squarekara wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:00 pm
Robert K S wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:51 am James says he hopes to remain in the game long enough to play with his son, Bronny.
Spoiler
Oh, Bronny. I thought you said Brony.
*leans back* *lifts sombrero* I'll allow it
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

Post by ouachiouat »

Placing here because I suspect it'll come up on LL (at least the artist name or typical art), but not worthy of the actual events thread.

A Jeff Koons sculpture of a balloon dog, worth $42,000, was knocked over, shattering.

The name may be important, as Koons holds the record for most expensive artwork sold by a living artist at auction (a rabbit for $91.1 million). Looks like Koons tends to make sculptures modeled after balloon animals, so that may be a way to get "in" the question. Here's betting Thorsten asks about Koons next season.

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/19/11582317 ... -shattered
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Volante
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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ouachiouat wrote: Sun Feb 19, 2023 11:02 pm Placing here because I suspect it'll come up on LL (at least the artist name or typical art), but not worthy of the actual events thread.

A Jeff Koons sculpture of a balloon dog, worth $42,000, was knocked over, shattering.

The name may be important, as Koons holds the record for most expensive artwork sold by a living artist at auction (a rabbit for $91.1 million). Looks like Koons tends to make sculptures modeled after balloon animals, so that may be a way to get "in" the question. Here's betting Thorsten asks about Koons next season.

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/19/11582317 ... -shattered
J's asked for balloon twice when spotted Koons and twice it's been a TS, so it's safely J! canon
(The other time, you were spotted balloon and expected to get Koons. That was a get.)
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Volante wrote:For the first time ever, National Weather Station Los Angeles issued a warning for this weather phenomenon for Friday, February 24th to Saturday, February 25th
After further review, someone found out that they had previously issued a blizzard warning in 1989. Further news coverage did take that into account.
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Volante
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Well, it's a current event, but I don't think they'll ask about it. I just want to try out some material here...

https://www.avclub.com/james-bond-books ... 1850160925
The Telegraph says that newly edited versions of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books are going to be released in honor of the series’ 70th anniversary...

The changes all seem to be specifically related to Fleming’s depiction of Black people, with The Telegraph saying that the N-word has been “almost entirely expunged” (wow, almost!) and replaced with “Black person,” though direct references to a character’s ethnicity have been totally omitted in other cases.
The book that will come out the worst in all of this will be The Spy Who Loved Me, which won't be changed at all
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Bamaman wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 1:39 pm Former Vikings coach Bud Grant was 95.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/358 ... areer-dies
This means that Marv Levy is now the only living 4-time Super Bowl-losing coach who also coached a winning Grey Cup team.
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Volante
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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ouachiouat wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2023 11:57 am Japan won the World Baseball Classic against the USA, 3-2. Shohei Ohtani, pitcher and designated hitter, was MVP. The game ended with Ohtani striking out Mike Trout, his Los Angeles Angels teammate.

Unreal, but very fitting, that it came down to two all-time greats to end an amazing tourney.
The only thing more fitting would somehow have both Ohtani and Trout losing, but I guess Ohtani already has a NPB ring* so maybe that overrides the Angels curse since he was playing for Japan?

*I don't know if they get physical rings.
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trainman
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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In 2002, shortly after Sierra Mist became available nationwide, I took a long trip on Amtrak, and encountered this conversation in the dining car on at least three occasions:

Tablemate: What sodas do you have?
Waiter: Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Sierra Mist.
Tablemate: What's Sierra Mist?

Amtrak has since switched from Pepsi to Coke products, so this won't be an issue with Starry.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

Post by cinemaniax7 »

BrigadierSolo13 wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 8:50 am Jon Rahm, a Spanish-American golfer born in Basque Country, has won the 2023 Masters. It is his 2nd PGA Major Championship, his other being the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in 2021.
An interesting side note resulting from Rahm's win: Jon Rahm became the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters. The others are Seve Ballesteros (twice), José Maria Olazábal (twice), and Sergio García.

Altogether, the Spanish countrymen have won a total of six green jackets. Outside of the USA, whose homegrown golfers have won the Masters a total of sixty-three times, Spain now leads all other nations with its six wins. Led by three-time winner Gary Player, South Africa has 5 total wins.

According to the National Club Golfer website, the national breakdown of Masters winners is as follows:

USA 63
Spain 6
South Africa 5
England 4 (Nick Faldo won three times)
Germany 2 (both by Bernard Langer)

Nations that have won the Masters once: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Japan, Scotland, and Wales

I'm not entirely sure why NCG doesn't list the United Kingdom as having six total wins, but I can tell you it's common on golf telecasts for leaderboards to display separate flags for English, Scottish, and Welsh players. In case you're questioning the credentials of the NCG, Jim Nantz, the voice of the Masters, asserted after Rahm's win that Spain now led all international countries with its six wins.
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Volante
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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cinemaniax7 wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 1:57 pm ...I'm not entirely sure why NCG doesn't list the United Kingdom as having six total wins, but I can tell you it's common on golf telecasts for leaderboards to display separate flags for English, Scottish, and Welsh players...
Also Northern Ireland players.
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Re: 2023 Current Events Discussion Thread

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Obviously Al Jaffee has never become part of the J! canon because he's famous for Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions, whereas J! provides the opposite, Snappy Questions to Smart Answers.
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