Recent posts

#41

Off the Record / Re: Vocal Fry, the Newest Cult...

Last post by Legbiter - June 21, 2025, 05:36:41 PM

It's a mercy killing.

Yeah. 

What is a good Korean song you like?

#42

Off the Record / Re: Vocal Fry, the Newest Cult...

Last post by Admiral Yi - June 21, 2025, 05:28:37 PM

I'm making  fun of The Brain, etc, regarding certain Swedish morphological sound changes that sound to the outsider just like...and I just killed the joke.

It's a mercy killing.

#43

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Admiral Yi - June 21, 2025, 05:27:41 PM

So I think this is to Oex's point of politics not being purely what happens in an electoral cycle or mobilisation purely being an on/off switch of supporters at election time.

In the case of the Popular Front those counter-demonstrations and strikes were in 1934, the Popular Front formed later that year and grew the following year or two to the election of 1936.

But in all honestly I actually think the best example of mobilisation in recent years is Donald Trump. I've said before that I think his rallies really matter and part of that is that I think he's like a stand up comedian working on his material before a crowd (the opposite, I'd suggest to the more "traditional" approach of focus groups and consultants and micro-targeting). But I also think it keeps his base active, caring, engaged - or mobilised in other words. He didn't either as President or out of office view it as a tool purely for the election cycle. (Separately, it's why I'm less sure on the role of social media - I think it's more that it has destroyed/undermined a previous mode of political discourse, just as TV did radio than anything else.)

So sort of like Trump has been throwing a non stop party and we need to do the same to show how fun it is to be a Democrat?

#44

Off the Record / Re: Vocal Fry, the Newest Cult...

Last post by Legbiter - June 21, 2025, 05:22:18 PM

What the hell are you talking about?  Swedish language?  What kind of nonsense is this?

I'm making  fun of The Brain, etc, regarding certain Swedish morphological sound changes that sound to the outsider just like...and I just killed the joke.

#45

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Sheilbh - June 21, 2025, 05:13:20 PM

My bad.  I misread your post Shelf. 

I have been arguing from the get go that the only way we "win" this thing is get enough voters to switch.  Will mobilization i.e. spontaneous unity do that?

So I think this is to Oex's point of politics not being purely what happens in an electoral cycle or mobilisation purely being an on/off switch of supporters at election time.

In the case of the Popular Front those counter-demonstrations and strikes were in 1934, the Popular Front formed later that year and grew the following year or two to the election of 1936.

But in all honestly I actually think the best example of mobilisation in recent years is Donald Trump. I've said before that I think his rallies really matter and part of that is that I think he's like a stand up comedian working on his material before a crowd (the opposite, I'd suggest to the more "traditional" approach of focus groups and consultants and micro-targeting). But I also think it keeps his base active, caring, engaged - or mobilised in other words. He didn't either as President or out of office view it as a tool purely for the election cycle. (Separately, it's why I'm less sure on the role of social media - I think it's more that it has destroyed/undermined a previous mode of political discourse, just as TV did radio than anything else.)

#46

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

Last post by Bauer - June 21, 2025, 05:09:47 PM

So Bill C5 went through after some marathon amendments.  Lots of critics of how much power it gives government, already First Nations threatening protests.  Cracks in the plan to rush big projects already.

I like most of what I see/hear from Carney himself but I don't really trust his party that much... ultimately his success as PM will come down to how effectively the projects get done.

And the debt is a huge concern for me.  I'm glad we finally are meeting 2% nato spending but can we afford 5% 

#47

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Admiral Yi - June 21, 2025, 05:00:28 PM

We lose an election by 1.5% and suddenly their vast numbers are insurmountable. Anyway,independents also exist. When the Democrats have a strong message they can be won over...or more realistically whenever the Republicans fuck up they will settle for the Democrats.

I am utterly baffled by the constant use of straw men and false dichotomies on Languish.

#48

Off the Record / Re: The Israel-Iran War ?

Last post by HVC - June 21, 2025, 04:58:05 PM

B2s have taken off from US base and are headed across the pacific. Where they stop nobody knows

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/21/world/iran-israel-trump?unlocked_article_code=1.Qk8.fIly.LcrO3yUA_yQ0&smid=nytcore-android-share

#49

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

Last post by Bauer - June 21, 2025, 04:55:00 PM

No more half measures: to get out of our growth rut, Canada needs radical tax reform


I'd need to read more on this, from the economists, to form a solid opinion.

It seems really complicated to implement.

That is an interesting topic and yeah complicated.  Canada falling behind on productivity was a topic when I did my economics degree 20+ years ago.  It wasn't fully understood then or known if it would continue, but it's steadily become a bigger problem over time.  In my opinion it is related to the tax structure and probably the difficulty of approval process.  The essential problem is basically to get businesses to reinvest in productivity enhancements.

#50

Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...

Last post by Admiral Yi - June 21, 2025, 04:54:48 PM

My bad.  I misread your post Shelf. 

I have been arguing from the get go that the only way we "win" this thing is get enough voters to switch.  Will mobilization i.e. spontaneous unity do that?