Recent posts

#21

Off the Record / Re: The Anime Thread

Last post by Jacob - Today at 11:56:15 AM

I've never really been an anime watcher beyond Miyazaki's work, but recently we've started watching One Piece with my boy. It was mainly "let's watch something together" thing, but I've been positively surprised by just how good it is.

Great characters, great writing, funny, with really good commentary on society and the human condition.

It's a bit of a commitment, with more than 1000 episodes at this point (we're in the mid 500s right now), but I've found it totally worth it.

Apparently it's one of the world's biggest selling entertainment properties, with more than 500 million units sold (rivalling Harry Potter).

#22

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

Last post by Jacob - Today at 11:50:20 AM

#23

Gaming HQ / Re: New Paradox Tinto Game - "...

Last post by Zanza - Today at 11:47:34 AM

Definitely looking forward to play in the HRE. Brandenburg, Bavaria, Palatine, Hansa, Habsburg, Holland, Milan, Provence, Savoy, Bohemia, ... So many fun options.

#24

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Barrister - Today at 11:45:05 AM

The establishment of Israel in Palestine was a completely different thing to regular immigration into an established country.

So first of all the large majority of israelis were born in Israel and aren't immigrants.  The number seems to be between 70-80% were born in the country (it seems to depend if you measure just jews, or the entire population which includes arab israelis).

But second of all nobody has ever said that Israel was a "regular" country.  I've long said that because modern Palestinians think of themselves as a nation, that therefore they are a nation - no more justification is needed.  But nobody thought of "Palestine" as being a nation in the 19th or first half of the 20th century.  Jewish immigration was all legally done, both before and after the creation of Israel.

[was regular immigration]

#25

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by OttoVonBismarck - Today at 11:30:20 AM

The establishment of Israel in Palestine was a completely different thing to regular immigration into an established country.

The basis of the Jewish population was regular immigration, the foundation of the State is not dissimilar from how many States have been founded--by its leaders proclaiming it as such. I happen to live in such a state, I assure you it is a valid form of establishing one.

[intrinsically legitimate.]

#26

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by OttoVonBismarck - Today at 11:25:58 AM

Go back to the 1940s and we weren't talking remove a people who've been here for centuries genocide-level stuff here. We're talking people who've just came in the last decade or two- of course 'go home' would still be a million times easier said than done what with how unpleasant recent history had been for Jews in Europe. But it wasn't really comparable to saying the same today.

Again--they would have had to go home to places that did not want them.

The Jews were a well established minority under the Ottoman Empire, they largely purchased land in Ottoman Palestine entirely legally. Their claim to want a state carved out of Ottoman lands--when a half dozen Arab states were in the process of being carved out is intrinsically legitimate.

Yes, they were spread out, and got concentrated into a single area--that does not in any way "invalidate them", or legitimize the "go home" idea. Where the fuck were the ones fleeing pogroms supposed to go home to?

Also, it should be noted, in the first half of the 20th century several European empires fell apart to varying degrees, the community of nations oversaw a number of population transfers where diffused minorities would be moved about to create successor states which would be less prone to endless nationalist conflict. Whilst there was great tragedy in some of that, in many cases it can only rationally be seen as having served as an important foundation for later and longer lasting peace.

For some reason we are to believe only in the question of Jews in the first half of the 20th century is such a thing "beyond the pale", only in the case of Jews are we supposed to believe some of the other groups that were "shuffled elsewhere" should get to have UN backed permanent refugee status and international funds to educate those refugees in generational antisemitism.

#27

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by grumbler - Today at 10:53:13 AM

I am intrigued by the idea that carrying around a gun makes you fair game to be shot.

Only black men are vulnerable to that.  Because of genetics, they are incapable of standing their ground.  Or something.

#28

Off the Record / Re: What does a BIDEN Presiden...

Last post by grumbler - Today at 10:51:17 AM

The chair needs to have the power to shut off microphones.  Or else to declare permanent "technical difficulties" that prevents MTG's microphone from working at all.

#29

Gaming HQ / Re: New Paradox Tinto Game - "...

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 10:50:43 AM

It would be nice to see a game that properly handles tall play.
Both of a Venice style dominant city state variety and more of a Swiss style, able to maintain their independence quite comfortably and prove a real thorn in the side of anything locally, but not a threat too far beyond their borders.

Yes, I would love that.

#30

Gaming HQ / Re: New Paradox Tinto Game - "...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 10:49:15 AM

It would be nice to see a game that properly handles tall play.
Both of a Venice style dominant city state variety and more of a Swiss style, able to maintain their independence quite comfortably and prove a real thorn in the side of anything locally, but not a threat too far beyond their borders.