Recent posts

#1

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - Today at 10:10:01 AM

You're the one ridiculously throwing around  the word genocide  here....

And of course colonialism plays a huge rule. Dumb to argue otherwise.

Fuck your nations. The Palestinians are a people. Whether they're just a subgroup of Arabs or a seperate people is completely irrelevant and arbitrary.
Do Texans matter less because they're just a subtype of Americans ergo Mexico seizing Texas (daft theoretical yes) would be fine?

Trying to fight to defend your land doesn't invalidate your claim to the land.  Especially considering all those Palestinians who didn't fight in any conflict.

And Germany shouldn't have lost most of eastern territories post WW2. That was a fucked up action forced on the world out of the grim reality of needing to keep the Soviets happy.
Nazi genocide didn't make the genocide of the Eastern Germans OK.

[intention]

#2

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by OttoVonBismarck - Today at 10:01:42 AM

You guys just need to stop using the word genocide, you do not know what it means, and you are using it as a means of creating a false narrative. No genocide is happening in Gaza, none is going to happen. The only remotely genocidal thing is the intention of Palestinians, who are genocidal by nature. But like a viper in a terrarium, they lack the means to inflict their injury on the Jews, at least at present (many posters in this thread hate that the Jews have the stronger military, and would happily cheer if the Arabs had a force capable of committing genocide.)

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has nothing to do with colonialism, it never had, and you should also quit making that claim.

It also has nothing to do with nationalism or national self determination--Palestinians are not a Nation, they are Arab nationality.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a simple land conflict, one in which both sides have historically valid claims to the land in question. However, that historical validity has to be analyzed through the lens of subsequent events.

Somewhere along the line, and I couldn't say precisely where--the Second Intifada is a decent choice, but you could go as late as October-7, the Palestinians lost any moral legitimacy to their land claim. Their claim should be viewed as intrinsically invalid. They have forfeited their just rights to the land due to their behavior. No different than Germany forfeiting its just rights to many of its Eastern territories due to its behavior in the 20th century.

#3

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Syt - Today at 08:59:00 AM

Cheers Season 8. Episodes were broadcast in 1989, and it's interesting to contrast the look of a 1990 show with the early 1982 episodes.

The show has settled into a comfortable sitcom routine by now. Spotted two fun guest stars at ca. half way through S8.

Young Kevin Conroy plays a Red Sox player that Carla has the hots for. It would be two or three years before he would perform as Batman in the animated series, a role that would define most of his career.

A few episodes later, Lisa Kudrow in one of her first TV roles ... really weird to see her with black hair.

#4

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Josquius - Today at 08:25:02 AM

Yeah.... It's totally the Palestinians who are the genocidal ones here...

Going door to door slaughtering and abducting people, regardless of their age or combatant status seems pretty genocidal to me.
And an overwhelming majority of Palestinians approve of the Oct 7 attacks (85% or so IIRC).

You try having your town bombed to hell every night and your kids starved to death and see how readily you agree with shit being thrown the other way.

You said they are not genocidal. I pointed out that's demonstrably untrue. We have seen what they do when they are let loose and they themselves have repeatedly put forward their support for those actions.

Part of the problem is we (as in the West) are constantly robbing Palestinians of their agency. They can and have chosen repeatedly to continue the war of 1948 rather than move on. And we need to acknowledge that.

But I see the point completely eluded you here.
Denying the Palestinian people even exist and insisting the very word is a slur is pretty damn far beyond the pale.

I'm not particularly interested in what Otto said, which is why I cropped that quote.

Yet my post means nothing without it. It is as a direct reply. Claiming a people are genocidal when he has the view not only shoukd they be wiped out but they don't even exist.

#5

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by grumbler - Today at 08:19:34 AM

Arguing that it is only the Palestinians who "have chosen repeatedly to continue the war of 1948 rather than move on" robs Israelis of their agency.  Israeli has never stopped taking Palestinian land and has never compensated the Palestinians from whom they stole it.  That does not excuse Oct 7 nor the support Palestinians show for that gruesome act, but it does help explain it and helps us understand such support.  The Palestinians are frustrated beyond all of our comprehension of frustration, I think.

#6

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

Last post by Legbiter - Today at 08:10:13 AM

Archeogenetics just solved the origins of the Hittites. This is an amazing paper.

The Genetic Origin of the Indo-Europeans

#7

Gaming HQ / Re: The Miscellaneous PC & vid...

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 08:02:15 AM

Honestly I'm not getting it. Why is it so special? Aren't there a million similar games out there? What does this one do different?
That said it did end up on my wishlist somehow.

I don't think there are actually many games like this.  There are a lot of Sims and this is a Mediaeval village simulator.  There are some really bad, mediaeval village simulators out there though. And this is a good one.

This also has a strategic level, both economic and military. 

It also has tactical level the way you deploy your troops actually has an impact on the battle.

It's also an economic sim, people who like supply chain/ trading type games are going to love this.

I think it's got a very good sign and the Developer is not trying to copy another game.  He's trying to make his own unique game and I think he has succeeding.

The game is nowhere near complete. More than half of the technologies still still need to be implemented.  So no final judgement can be made.  But it's off to a very good start and like I said, the design concepts are very good.

#8

Off the Record / Re: Vote in the Catalan electi...

Last post by celedhring - Today at 07:54:45 AM

I was going to vote for the brunette, but then I saw the prominent cross necklace and switched to the blonde. 

I should have noticed that

Tbf many non-nutter women wear crucifix necklaces over here, they were very traditional accessories up until very recently, and many will have one that belonged to their mothers or grandmothers.

But yeah, in the brunette's particular case, let's say she would be OvB's pick.

#9

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Iormlund - Today at 06:30:29 AM

Yeah.... It's totally the Palestinians who are the genocidal ones here...

Going door to door slaughtering and abducting people, regardless of their age or combatant status seems pretty genocidal to me.
And an overwhelming majority of Palestinians approve of the Oct 7 attacks (85% or so IIRC).

You try having your town bombed to hell every night and your kids starved to death and see how readily you agree with shit being thrown the other way.

You said they are not genocidal. I pointed out that's demonstrably untrue. We have seen what they do when they are let loose and they themselves have repeatedly put forward their support for those actions.

Part of the problem is we (as in the West) are constantly robbing Palestinians of their agency. They can and have chosen repeatedly to continue the war of 1948 rather than move on. And we need to acknowledge that.

But I see the point completely eluded you here.
Denying the Palestinian people even exist and insisting the very word is a slur is pretty damn far beyond the pale.

I'm not particularly interested in what Otto said, which is why I cropped that quote.

#10

Off the Record / Re: Vote in the Catalan electi...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 06:28:04 AM

Huh - lots of guys wearing suits and ties.  I'm perplexed.

What's with all the facial hair on catalan politicians?  Does no one know how to work a razor?

It's 2024.
Beards are pretty standard.

So between #4 and #8 - never go with the guy with the red tie.  That in my experience either means a leftist, or a Trumpist.
 

I think similar on blue ties. Always a risk.