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Ian Bell, #2 wrote: The question was, how do I spend it?
I vote for fishing.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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A great idea, but just not up here (i.e. Canada) and just now. Up here, the lakes are frozen over. But we always have a few who win the Darwin Award of the Year for not 'believing' a truck and ice house are not heavy enough to go through the ice.
Cheers,
Ian
modified 25-Mar-17 14:17pm.
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Ian Bell, #2 wrote: i.e. Canada) and just now. Up here, the lakes are frozen over.
In the Chicago area we had about 12 hours of ice fishing or so it seemed this year. Hell, in Canada I'd be out on a daily basis ice fishing if I could, and I have yet to go through the ice in 30+ years of ice fishing. 
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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Could you be right? Sure. Are you likely right? I doubt it.
As you pointed out, there are two sides to every story (at a minimum!) So Amazon's side of the story is probably something along these lines:
People (generally) don't know how to think critically anymore. A person can still be smart, but people (especially those in Amazon's first and presumably still primary market, the US,) are a rather ignorant and easily cowed lot anymore. If we (Amazon) offer to sell books that hold an unpopular opinion, we (Amazon) will most likely be seen to support that point of view. This will lead to loss of customer base, and lost revenue, which is obviously a bad thing.
Any special interest group can go to Amazon and ask them to stop selling X or Y product for A or B reason. But being a business, they aren't going to do anything that negatively affects profits. Could they be bribed enough money to more than compensate for lost sales? Maybe. But could you imagine the even bigger hit to sales if that bribery ever came to light? I doubt there's enough money available in circulation to compensate for the precipitous fall Amazon could be subjected to for a misstep.
Now, as to the Holocaust issue (I promise to keep this lounge worthy,) I am not a Holocaust denier. I'm only 31, so obviously I have no first hand proof one way or the other. I've also never met a survivor to hear their story, so no second hand knowledge either. However, it seems silly to deny that the Holocaust ever happened, given that it would require millions of people to have lied about what happened during that period (which borders on conspiracy levels of paranoia to think that everyone would cover it up...)
I also believe that the motivations leading to the atrocities of the Holocaust are many and varied. I won't go as far as to say they were justified (because seriously, any grown person should understand that what happened was objectively wrong,) but sometimes situations get so far out of hand that it is beyond one person to correct. I'm glad that someone took the time to explore the issue from both sides and get it published. At the very least, understanding the reasons and motivations of the Nazi party will help prevent something similar from ever happening again.
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Another thoughtful and considerate respond. Thank you. But again, as I have stated and implied in other comments, my intention was never to spark a political discussion. I am just coming off an intense refactoring session and am just blowing off a little steam. The honest truth is I simply needed an interesting diversion that will help me to relax, I inadvertently came across a blog commentary about Amazon and this led me down the proverbial rabbit hole.
For the record, I have never and do not deny any of the atrocities that were committed in WW2. I am a strong believer in hearing both sides of every story and my curiosity leads me to read this particular book. What I find most interesting is some of the 'blowback' I have received so far and this is another of the points addressed in the first and only chapter I've read so far. I am getting the impression the issue is comparable to religious indoctrination and must never be questioned. If this is true, that would be a very, very interesting and telling observation.
Cheers,
Ian
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Yeah, no, I got that. I was just giving my opinion on the topic. We're reaching a point where WW2 was far enough in the past that 'historical tomfoolery' is possible, since those that were actually alive at the time are becoming fewer and fewer.
This is both unfortunate (reduces accurate accounts) and fortunate (we can begin to explore the situation from different angles without upsetting as many people.) I never thought about it from the angle of it being akin to religious indoctrination. As you say, if accurate, it would be quite interesting indeed.
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Hey, you're not even the real Ian Bell, so who are you to talk?
But history, as always, is written by the victors.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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That's certainly true, most westerners today don't have a clue why the Ukranians hate the Russians so much.
Just an example, I realise were treading on soapbox material now
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But I am the real Ian Bell. The problem was that there was already someone here impersonating me when I first signed up. I raged on for years about this with the CP editors but each time they simply told me to 'take a number' - please note this is 'fake news' and my statement is an outright lie. But I know if I repeat this lie long enough that it will be come a truth, so I persist in telling it.
But really, I am as much an Ian as any Ian that you will ever see, hear or know about. Now would be a good time for you to push the big red button and say, 'next topic'.
Cheers,
Ian
modified 25-Mar-17 15:03pm.
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The Zyklon gas chambers did exist, but were used for delousing and sanitary purposes. Rewriting history there.
Denying the holocaust is illegal here. You'd be saying that all the scientists, witnesses and archives were fake.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Chuckle, let me take a quick crack at this. You are from the country where the current administration denies human contribution is a major factor in global warming. You are also from the country which is inundated in an avalanche of fake news each and every day. Your country fomented conflict and strife in Ukraine and then claimed the Russians were the aggressors, your country imposes regime change on sovereign countries under patently false pretenses and historically falsifies information in its' support of dictators, theocracies and governments that impose harsh and oppressive measures on it's own people plus oppression and suffering to hundreds of millions of people. Your civil rights and privacy are being whittled away on an ongoing basis, your government's surveillance policy largely targets it's citizens .... and then you have the audacity to tell me what is fake and what is not fake? Surely even you can see the raw irony in your response.
I've never had any interest in the topic until now so I'll read the book and see what the fuss is all about. If what you say is true that your country has passed legislation to ban discussion of an idea then that is truly a very sad reflection on the one country that proclaims itself to be the beacon of democracy and free thought.
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Ian Bell, #2 wrote: You are from the country where the current administration denies human contribution is a major factor in global warming.
We currently don't have an administration, and the previous didn't.
Ian Bell, #2 wrote: your government's surveillance policy largely targets it's citizens
That's not our police, can't be - they're not good with computers. You must be confused with one of our friendly nations who does that work on our behalf.
Ian Bell, #2 wrote: and then you have the audacity to tell me what is fake and what is not fake?
Yes. The things that discredit my country or government do not discredit me. You are discrediting yourself by doubting the holocaust.
Ian Bell, #2 wrote: If what you say is true that your country has passed legislation to ban discussion of an idea then that is truly a very sad reflection on the one country that proclaims itself to be the beacon of democracy and free thought.
Freedom does not mean that you can do what you want - that is anarchy, and rather deadly. And yes, you have the right to say what you want here - but as in all societies, there are rules. Even here on the forum.
Break the rules, face the consequence (or don't visit the forum).
--edit;
I've marked the thread as abusive.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
modified 25-Mar-17 6:53am.
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Give it a break Eddy. This is a programmers forum - not a political forum. But if you can express your opinion then surely there is no harm in my doing the same.
If you read all of my comments then you will realize you have completely misunderstood the entire context of my OP.
Finally, you need to spend more than a few years reading the Soapbox, as I have, in order to realize your notion of what constitutes abuse is not the same as those who make the rules here. There is nothing I have said that can even remotely be construed as abusive in regards to this forum.
Cheers,
Ian
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Ian Bell, #2 wrote: But if you can express your opinion then surely there is no harm in my doing the same.
That's why we have that law - expressing that it did not happen is not an opinion; it is merely stating that the facts are incorrect. We can still point you to the consequences of what happened.
Ian Bell, #2 wrote: There is nothing I have said that can even remotely be construed as abusive in regards to this forum.
"something you wouldn't want your kid sister to read"
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Eddy Vluggen wrote: The Zyklon gas chambers did exist, but were used for delousing and sanitary purposes.
That's totally true - dead bodies are present a great sanitary problems!!!
And my grandparents (Auschwitz, Dachau, Mauthausen) told, there were a large number of those...
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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I've been banging on the keyboard, night and day, for the past three weeks and really need an interesting diversion. I think I've found one.
As for this particular topic, I've never paid it any real attention until I read that Amazon banned these books. So I picked one that had previously been given high ratings on Amazon and decided the only way to come to an informed opinion was to check it out for myself.
Cheers,
Ian
P.S. The first chapter addresses introduces the very points you raise. This is going to be an interesting read.
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You need to ask yourself why the Holocaust lobby exists, why it can not support literature that casts doubt on the Holocaust.
At the same time ask yourself why the wiki article on the Holocaust ignores completely the 5 million Slavs who were also killed, or the gypsies, spaniards mentally handicapped gays etc to etc.
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These are some of the points raised in the first chapter and why I believe this book will make for an interesting read. But, as I have repeatedly indicated, I will reserve judgement until I've read the entire book.
thanks for the input.
Cheers,
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Munchies_Matt wrote: why the wiki article on the Holocaust ignores completely the 5 million Slavs
Maybe you looked at the wrong wiki... Holocaust victims - Wikipedia[^]
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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You may got me wrong here... I just thought you missed it (as it is in a second level article)...
I do not state that the Holocaust is a Jewish-only problem (actually the number of Jews killed is about 10% of all the dead)...
I also do not deny the importance of those events to other people (Yad Vashem has a full section about non Jewish victims, and I used to read names on the Holocaust day several times, including theirs)...
However it is totally true that I mostly learn about and speak about the Jewish aspect, as I'm a Jew...
I of course can not explain why on the global level there are much more mentions of the Jews than the Slavs, where the number of victims are very same... Some may offer you a conspiracy, that may or may not be true, but I think it is more about the communist east that was created after the war... The regime was about the deny the past, so for instance the new Hungary has nothing to do with the one collaborated with Germany (it did not existed actually)... So any mention of the Nazi area became a taboo - either for good or bad, and all the Holocaust became a German-Jewish problem... As all the Slav areas in east Europe closed by the communist it may had the effect of silencing any true research and mention of their victims... On the other hand Israel was outside that territory so there people was able to write books and so, and the amount of publishing against the amount of silence created a twisted global picture...
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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What was there to miss? Sure if you dig you find the figures, but the prima facie fact is that Slavs (and other victims) are hardly ever mentioned.
As to why, well Israel depends on the constant presence of the Holocaust in peoples minds for its continued funding and global 'turning a blind eye' to it's ethnic cleansing and theft of Arab land. At least that's the only explanation I can see for it.
I question your figure of only 10% of the victims of the Holocaust being Jewish though, its nearer 50% as far as known figures suggest.
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Munchies_Matt wrote: What was there to miss?
I saw there (in the link I added) a full paragraph about the Slav victims - that what I thought you missed...
Munchies_Matt wrote: I question your figure of only 10% of the victims of the Holocaust being Jewish though, its nearer 50% as far as known figures suggest.
I included the solders too - while this is an other kind of loss they were human too...
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Like I said, if you dig you will find the data, but it IS presented as a Jewish only event.
As for including soldiers, since that isn't a racial extermination I wouldn't include them. (OK Holocaust isn't necessarily Genocide, but since it is THE Holocaust we are talking about, then race is a key factor since Nazis considered Jews, Slavs, Gypsies etc as racially sub human.)
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