Recent posts

#1

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by viper37 - Today at 12:40:03 PM

The few clips I've seen from Shogun makes it look fantastic.

Basically the same show from the 80s, without Richard Chamberlain and John Rhys-Davies superior acting skills, but with an elevated production value.

Anna Sawai as Lady Mariko seems excellent, like she often has that dignified standing the previous actress did not have.  Like she walks like a women samurai would walk, sort of.  Hard to explain.  Maybe the slight difference in costume does it, and more training.

Obviously, Hiroyuki Sanada as Toranaga is as great as he is in anything he does.  Haven't watched the whole series, so I can't speak for all the actors involved.

I do not understand Japanese, so I can't vouch for their period Japanese, sorry. 

#2

Off the Record / Re: Stocks and Trading Thread ...

Last post by Admiral Yi - Today at 12:38:48 PM

This guy says Meta announced $60 billion in recurring AI revenue in 3Q.

#3

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 12:37:09 PM

There is always a process, even in companies who don't have HR, but it changes wildly depending on where employee is in process up to 2 years. Then HR gets really wild.

What happens at the two year mark?

#4

Off the Record / Re: Archaeologists do it in ho...

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 12:36:38 PM

Is this another thing that's because of people bearing beakers?

Not sure, did the beaker culture come from Anatolia along with farming.  If so, then yes.

#5

Off the Record / Re: Archaeologists do it in ho...

Last post by viper37 - Today at 12:33:21 PM

I thought the white race in Europe were the Aryan refugees from Atlantis that created the Greek civilization, Thule etc?

You forgot the Romans from Troy along the way.

#6

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 12:33:13 PM

I am not sure what you mean by "easy".  Did you happen to notice the numerous court proceedings involving the Trans Mountain pipeline?

It's funny, not so long ago I was explaining that development is not impossible if the First Nations object.  I might even have been trying to convince you of that.  Now they are easy to disregard?  Hmm

#7

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by viper37 - Today at 12:18:20 PM

Steven Guilbeault resigns from Mark Carney's cabinet

Danielle Smith is doing her happy dance right now.

Steven Guilbeault resigns from Mark Carney's cabinet

Danielle Smith is doing her happy dance right now.

For now, but if a pipeline does get built it will have to include carbon capture, industrial carbon pricing, First Nation consultation, and be private financed.

I feel like the deal might turn out to be a political maneuver where the ball is in AB court now to figure out how to solve the big problems.  Which is how it should have been all along.  You want a pipeline here's how you have to do it...

Carbon capture is still an unproven technology and industrial carbon pricing does not include methane leaks as they are not measured at the source, nor are abandoned wells counted as there's no one to "tax" for this.  Plus, it's a provincial responsibility, for which Alberta and Saskatchewan are unwilling to move.

First Nation consultation has its limits.  They have to be consulted, there is no obligation to get an agreement.  If the Federal government decides they want to go forward, they will go forward.  They can easily bypass province's will, they can do so with First Nations too.  It's a matter of having enough good will.  And Liberals are good at this right now, with the fear of US expansionism and trade war.

#8

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by viper37 - Today at 12:13:32 PM

Trump hands Putin Ukraine's occupied territories

The United States is poised to recognise Russia's control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories to secure a deal to end the war.

The Telegraph understands that Donald Trump has sent his peace envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to make the direct offer to Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The plan to recognise territory, which breaks US diplomatic convention, is likely to go ahead despite concerns among Ukraine's European allies.

One well-placed source said: "It's increasingly clear the Americans don't care about the European position. They say the Europeans can do whatever they want."

Russia's president on Thursday said Washington's legal recognition of Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as Russian territory would be one of the key issues in negotiations over the US president's peace plan.The Telegraph understands that Mr Trump has dispatched his peace envoy Steve Witkoff (R) and son-in-law Jared Kushner (L) to Moscow to make the offer to Putin

The Kremlin on Friday said it had received a revised strategy for ending the war drawn up after emergency talks between Ukrainian and American officials in Geneva, Switzerland, last weekend.

An initial 28-point peace plan, formulated by Mr Witkoff after discussions with Russian officials, offered America's "de facto" recognition of Crimea and the two eastern Donbas regions.

The strategy also proposed "de facto" recognition of Russian-held land behind the line of contact in Ukraine's Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions after any ceasefire agreement.

In Geneva, Ukrainian and US officials negotiated a new 19-point plan, which is less favourable to Moscow.
But multiple sources have suggested that American offers of recognition have remained as part of the strategy.
Kyiv would not be forced to recognise Russia's control over the territories it has illegally annexed since 2014. The Ukrainian constitution prevents any president or government from ceding territory without first posing the question to voters in a nationwide referendum.

Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, and Rustem Umerov, his national security adviser, were expected to fly to Florida to meet US officials at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort this weekend. However, on Friday Mr Yermak resigned from his position after anti-corruption officers raided his home.
Mr Zelensky said the process to select a new chief of staff will begin on Saturday.

Before he resigned Mr Yermak, who negotiated the latest peace plan, said: "Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory.
"As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He will not sign away territory.
"The constitution prohibits this. Nobody can do that unless they want to go against the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian people."

The latest proposal leaves blank spaces for the most contentious issues, including any final territorial concessions, to be filled in only after face-to-face talks between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump.
The Ukrainian president has not yet said when he will travel to either Washington or Florida to meet his American counterpart.

Andriy Yermak (R) had been heading negotiations with US officials before his resignation Credit: Gleb Garanich
Washington's apparent offer of recognition has caused concern amongst its European allies, who have repeatedly ruled out backing a peace deal that condones borders being redrawn by force.
After a meeting of the coalition of the willing on Wednesday, its leaders said: "They were clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. This remains one of the fundamental principles for preserving stability and peace in Europe and beyond."

A European counter-proposal to the original 28-point plan made no recommendation to recognise Russian control over Ukrainian territory.
"Territorial issues will be discussed and resolved after a full and unconditional ceasefire," it proposed."Any reporting about these sensitive diplomatic conversations should be deemed speculative until it comes directly from the president or his national security team."

The United States is poised to recognise Russia's control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories to secure a deal to end the war.
The Telegraph understands that Donald Trump has sent his peace envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to make the direct offer to Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The plan to recognise territory, which breaks US diplomatic convention, is likely to go ahead despite concerns among Ukraine's European allies.
One well-placed source said: "It's increasingly clear the Americans don't care about the European position. They say the Europeans can do whatever they want."
Russia's president on Thursday said Washington's legal recognition of Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as Russian territory would be one of the key issues in negotiations over the US president's peace plan.

The Telegraph understands that Mr Trump has dispatched his peace envoy Steve Witkoff (R) and son-in-law Jared Kushner (L) to Moscow to make the offer to Putin Credit: Brendan Smialowski
The Kremlin on Friday said it had received a revised strategy for ending the war drawn up after emergency talks between Ukrainian and American officials in Geneva, Switzerland, last weekend.
An initial 28-point peace plan, formulated by Mr Witkoff after discussions with Russian officials, offered America's "de facto" recognition of Crimea and the two eastern Donbas regions.
The strategy also proposed "de facto" recognition of Russian-held land behind the line of contact in Ukraine's Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions after any ceasefire agreement.

In Geneva, Ukrainian and US officials negotiated a new 19-point plan, which is less favourable to Moscow.
But multiple sources have suggested that American offers of recognition have remained as part of the strategy.
Kyiv would not be forced to recognise Russia's control over the territories it has illegally annexed since 2014. The Ukrainian constitution prevents any president or government from ceding territory without first posing the question to voters in a nationwide referendum.
Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, and Rustem Umerov, his national security adviser, were expected to fly to Florida to meet US officials at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort this weekend. However, on Friday Mr Yermak resigned from his position after anti-corruption officers raided his home.
Mr Zelensky said the process to select a new chief of staff will begin on Saturday.

Before he resigned Mr Yermak, who negotiated the latest peace plan, said: "Not a single sane person today would sign a document to give up territory.
"As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He will not sign away territory.
"The constitution prohibits this. Nobody can do that unless they want to go against the Ukrainian constitution and the Ukrainian people."
The latest proposal leaves blank spaces for the most contentious issues, including any final territorial concessions, to be filled in only after face-to-face talks between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump.
The Ukrainian president has not yet said when he will travel to either Washington or Florida to meet his American counterpart.

Andriy Yermak (R) had been heading negotiations with US officials before his resignation Credit: Gleb Garanich
Washington's apparent offer of recognition has caused concern amongst its European allies, who have repeatedly ruled out backing a peace deal that condones borders being redrawn by force.
After a meeting of the coalition of the willing on Wednesday, its leaders said: "They were clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. This remains one of the fundamental principles for preserving stability and peace in Europe and beyond."
A European counter-proposal to the original 28-point plan made no recommendation to recognise Russian control over Ukrainian territory.
"Territorial issues will be discussed and resolved after a full and unconditional ceasefire," it proposed.

Until now, the US and Europe have refused to recognise Russia's control over Crimea, the peninsula that Putin illegally annexed in 2014.
It would mark a break from diplomatic convention by Washington to offer legitimacy over stolen territory, favourable to an aggressor state.
In a new national security strategy document published by the Kremlin, Putin promises to integrate areas of occupied Ukraine into the Russian system within a decade.
Moscow announced its annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in September 2022, despite having never fully conquered the Ukrainian territories.
The Kremlin's continued push for control over the oblasts shows that Putin has not once considered making concessions to end almost four years of brutal conflict in Ukraine.

The latest revelations will also heighten fears in Europe that a suboptimal deal to end the war will be forced on Kyiv by Washington.

In recent days, leaked phone calls showed how Mr Trump's lead negotiator, Mr Witkoff, was found to have coached Russian officials on how to court the White House. The leaked conversations with Russian negotiators referred to the need for Ukraine to give up Donetsk.

Open source intelligence experts have suggested a European agency could have disclosed this information to expose the blossoming relationship between the presidential aide and the Kremlin.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said: "The United States continues to have robust discussions with the Russians and Ukrainians.

Until now, the US and Europe have refused to recognise Russia's control over Crimea, the peninsula that Putin illegally annexed in 2014.

It would mark a break from diplomatic convention by Washington to offer legitimacy over stolen territory, favourable to an aggressor state.

In a new national security strategy document published by the Kremlin, Putin promises to integrate areas of occupied Ukraine into the Russian system within a decade.

Moscow announced its annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in September 2022, despite having never fully conquered the Ukrainian territories.

The Kremlin's continued push for control over the oblasts shows that Putin has not once considered making concessions to end almost four years of brutal conflict in Ukraine.

The latest revelations will also heighten fears in Europe that a suboptimal deal to end the war will be forced on Kyiv by Washington.

In recent days, leaked phone calls showed how Mr Trump's lead negotiator, Mr Witkoff, was found to have coached Russian officials on how to court the White House. The leaked conversations with Russian negotiators referred to the need for Ukraine to give up Donetsk.

Open source intelligence experts have suggested a European agency could have disclosed this information to expose the blossoming relationship between the presidential aide and the Kremlin.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said: "The United States continues to have robust discussions with the Russians and Ukrainians.

"Any reporting about these sensitive diplomatic conversations should be deemed speculative until it comes directly from the president or his national security team."

#9

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 12:13:04 PM

Yeah I think that's currently when the possibility of non-automatic unfair dismissal kicks in. And if the standard compensation is a year's salary or £100k kicks in you can see why employers want it later. I think the government's proposal was it would be available after six months.

#10

Off the Record / Re: Archaeologists do it in ho...

Last post by Valmy - Today at 12:09:21 PM

I thought the white race in Europe were the Aryan refugees from Atlantis that created the Greek civilization, Thule etc?

Pretty sure giants from the Himalayas are mixed in there someplace.