Recent posts

#21

Off the Record / Re: The China Thread

Last post by Savonarola - May 10, 2024, 02:46:17 PM

Chinese zoo dyes chow chows to look like 'panda dogs'

#22

Off the Record / Re: What are you listening to?

Last post by Savonarola - May 10, 2024, 02:40:16 PM

The New York Dolls - The New York Dolls (1973)

No, I don't think it would actually be a crime to fall in love with Frankenstein; although you may want to check your state and municipal law.

Three chords, no talent, the New York Dolls were punk before we had a word for it.  Unfortunately, at the time they got lumped in with the Glam movement (largely because of the way they dressed) and I have my doubts a lot of Mark Bolan's fans would appreciate this. 

I came across a factoid that they were named both the best new band and worst new band in the readers poll of Creem magazine.  They do sound like they're carrying on the torch for Iggy Pop and the Stooges or the MC5; but at the same time they seem too weird for Detroit.

#23

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

Last post by Josquius - May 10, 2024, 02:36:11 PM

Yeah, Sheilbh - I think you (or maybe the Tory think-tankers you're talking about) are overstating what Poilievre is offering the younger generation on housing. It's mostly "housing sucks and that's Trudeau's fault, amirite" and "insofar as there's a housing crisis, how about we solve it by applying vague right wing generalities. Also woke Trudeau sucks and the cost of living crisis is his fault; it'll be totally different if you vote for us!"

For that to work for the UK Tories it'll require a Labour government in power for a while while that crisis continues unabated.

Which I expect they are planning for.
They've written off the next 5 years as lost to them and are actively salting the earth to make it as painful as possible for labour.
As it really seems the best a government can do for the immediate future is stop things declining quite so hard. Years of under investment is stating to really blow up and basically everything on a national level that can be privatised has already been sold.
I'm just hoping voters are smart enough to recognise this and judge the next government (assuming it's non tory) accordingly

#24

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - May 10, 2024, 02:32:55 PM

This is just sort of an aside.  My 10 year old was kind of interested in conspiracy theories.  He asked me once "what do you think the biggest conspiracy theory in the world is".

I think he expected me to say flat earth, or moon landings were fake, or something "fun".

Instead I had to answer "that Jews secretly control the world".

Now to our kids credit (or how he's been raised) I don't think he's ever heard of such a thing.  But sadly though I don't think he's ever met a jewish person, which is maybe just an Edmonton thing.  Jewish population in Winnipeg growing up was pretty significant.

My first introduction to Jews as a thing that actually exists in the modern west and anti - semitism was South Park.
That I'm aware of I can't remember ever meeting a Jewish person before then. They just existed as some vague thing in the history books from Ww2.
I really don't think my experience in this is too unusual.
And I grew up not too far from one of the biggest heredi communities around.

[(after a heavy emigration tax and severe limits to the amount of money that could be taken from the country.)]

#25

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Savonarola - May 10, 2024, 02:24:54 PM

Before 1941, the German government encouraged Jewish emigration (after a heavy emigration tax and severe limits to the amount of money that could be taken from the country.)

That doesn't sound like a set of policies one would enact to encourage emigration 

Fair, they had other policies that encouraged emmigration.  Knowing Languish I knew someone was going to bring up the emigration tax if I didn't.

#26

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Crazy_Ivan80 - May 10, 2024, 02:23:50 PM

You have several threads on Left Wing antisemitism.  For instance among Black Americans "Jews control everything" and "Jews ran the slave trade" have a lot of currency. There is also belief that Israelis train police to kill Black people.  Among the Left-wing protestors at these Universities middle eastern conspiracy  theories gain a lot of traction such as the idea that Israelis are stealing the organs of Palestinian children.  The idea that Zionists control the media makes a big impact in the left (Why isn't there more attention on Palestinian suffering?  It's the Zionists in the media.)  And of course the talk about the "Zionist lobby" having way to much influence on government.

And of course the soviet virus that is still rife on the left, including what was said in the article you posted a bit back.

#27

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

Last post by Crazy_Ivan80 - May 10, 2024, 02:18:47 PM

Belgorod is literally next door.

#28

Off the Record / Re: Dead Pool 2024

Last post by Barrister - May 10, 2024, 02:11:52 PM

https://twitter.com/stephenharper/status/1788719438159806549

Respects paid by Stephen Harper.

So, I'm not sure if Rex knew that last column would be his last or not, but you have to think words of praise from the current PM are not forthcoming.  And fair enough - sometimes the most classy thing to say is nothing at all.

[(after a heavy emigration tax and severe limits to the amount of money that could be taken from the country.)]

#29

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Valmy - May 10, 2024, 02:10:57 PM

Before 1941, the German government encouraged Jewish emigration (after a heavy emigration tax and severe limits to the amount of money that could be taken from the country.)

That doesn't sound like a set of policies one would enact to encourage emigration 

[I was saying our lifestyle is bad.]

#30

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Valmy - May 10, 2024, 02:07:37 PM

It's a cop out to say one needs to be blessed with good genetics.  The genetics haven't changed, our lifestyles have.

We eat fast food, junk food and sugar in everything.  And on top of that people don't move- unless you count their fingers over a keyboard.

Um I was just saying if you live the American way of life as advertised to you you will inevitably become overweight except for a minority who just are blessed by genetics to not become overweight no matter how badly they live. I was saying our lifestyle is bad. You have to put in some effort to healthily live in our culture.

I was not saying our genetics have gotten worse.