Recent posts

#21

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by Jacob - Today at 01:08:32 PM

Bremse means "brakes", is about all I know.

#22

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis GOP?

Last post by Jacob - Today at 01:05:10 PM

So... like... this is just a good thing, if you care about Ukraine - and we'll likely see aid flow to Ukraine from the US in the not the distant future?

#23

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

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 12:52:17 PM

And remember this is not just about shares in a company, there a lot of properties throughout Canada that are about to change hands.  That will all be fully taxed in the hands of the beneficiaries after the 250k amount.  Which all properties in Canada.

My prediction:

The Conservatives will tear their shirts on this, campaigning on how Justin Trudeau hurt the economy.  They will form the next majority government.

In their first budget... They won't touch this new taxation measure.  All provinces have now followed suit.  They all want the money.  There is no turning back.  The Feds just gave them the perfect excuse: "We need to harmonize our taxation systems".

Looks like you are correct. Quebec wasted no time to follow along.  And it is hard to see how reducing the capital gains tax is a vote getter for the Conservatives in the next federal election.

#24

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis GOP?

Last post by DGuller - Today at 12:05:46 PM

The story seems to be that Johnson grew a spine, and Democrats grew a few braincells and promised to protect Johnson instead of instinctively aiding the hard right.

#25

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by Savonarola - Today at 11:56:25 AM

Time to power up Duolingo German:

Knorr-Bremse Acquires Alstom's Rail Signalling Technology Business in North America

Right now a lot of things are still up in the air.  Alstom Canada is remaining Alstom, Alstom US is becoming Knorr-Bremse.  I'm not sure how I'm impacted since my primary project is in Canada.

Does anyone know anything about Knorr-Bremse?  I've never met anyone who worked for them.

#26

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis GOP?

Last post by Jacob - Today at 11:56:06 AM

So House Speaker Mike Johnson came out strongly in favour of helping Ukraine, and will - apparently - bring a Ukraine aid bill on the floor soon? And Ms. Greene is having a moment, threatening to depose Johnson?

What's happening here? Is it because Trump is busy in NYC? Does it signal a shift in GOP strategy, or just momentary flash of sanity? Will Ukraine actually get substantial US aid, and how soon?

#27

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by grumbler - Today at 11:20:20 AM

Why is it a money loser?

I assume insufficient sales to cover publishing.

The costs of self-publishing are primarily the costs of formatting the book properly and perhaps a bit of advertising.  The formatting issue isn't an issue with AI.

#28

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - Today at 10:27:20 AM

If you disagree actually disagree instead of just flinging insults.

After 245 pages I have said everything I am going to say. Besides, what is to argue with statements like there's no need to talk about the hostages because too much have been talked about them as opposed to the Gazans?

I never said that.
I disagreed with the idea that there needs to be a special effort to attract attention to their plight.
We, and more importantly those who can actually do something about it, are well aware. The current course of action is (on the surface at least) all about that at the expense of all else.

Or that consider the motivations of those calling for hostages to be freed?

Exactly. Its not just the surface message that matters. Its the motivations of those using it.

Or that that hostage kid was killed by Israel anyways so who cares?

Convenient that a death doesn't matter if its at the hands of the Israeli military.

#29

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Tamas - Today at 09:48:21 AM

If you disagree actually disagree instead of just flinging insults.

After 245 pages I have said everything I am going to say. Besides, what is to argue with statements like there's no need to talk about the hostages because too much have been talked about them as opposed to the Gazans? (I wonder if you made a comparison of, say, number of Guardian articles on each, how much that'd stand up)

Or that consider the motivations of those calling for hostages to be freed? Or that that hostage kid was killed by Israel anyways so who cares?

This is some incredibly low-sunk stuff.

#30

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - Today at 09:38:52 AM

Seems lots of people aren't convinced that Hamas is bad.  You know, like the lady who tore down the poster.

Yes. Thats the only possible reason for disagreeing with pro-IDF propaganda. You actually think Hamas are great.

The plight of Palestinians has been on the news 24/7 for six months.

It depends on your source.

I expect Al Jazeira don't really mention the hostages much at all and speak a lot about the Palestinian suffering.

With the BBC you get a fairly equal weighting in terms of time and attention, slight slant towards the Palestinian situation but then there's a lot more news to be had there. That Hamas attacked and took hostages who are still unaccoutned for however is never unmentioned for long.

I expect with Fox News and its worse analogues the fact that civilians are dying in Gaza doesn't really get a mention. The hostages are all that matter. This seems to be the dominant attitude with way too many.

Sounds like "The Palestinians deserve human rights" is another "appeal to the heart".  Who could disagree with that? 

Not really.
A comparable tactic from the other side would be those stories about individual kids subjected to horrors kids should never have to experience at the hands of the IDF. These stories do exist. But more generally its the shittiness of the whole situation and the numbers at risk that you see.

We have to eradicate the Zionists entity, to preserve those rights.   Anyone who disagrees is a racist.

Switch one word there and thats your stance, not mine.

Wow Josq you keep going you are going to make Viper sound closer to Raz than you.

If you disagree actually disagree instead of just flinging insults.