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#1
Gaming HQ / Re: Europa Universalis V confi...
Last post by Tamas - Today at 06:53:50 AMMy biggest gripe with the decentralisation changes isn't what the majority's (omg I have learned what to click to win now I have to re-learn it - GAME IS BROKEN), but that a lot of laws give nice bonuses AND a decentralisation push. Clearly earlier in the design there was a clear "centralisation = good, decent = bad" direction. Johan's latest change removes that. If I decide to "play wide" and just accept decentralisation and use it to keeps lots of strong vassals eternally happy, why shouldn't I take all those nice laws-based bonuses as well?
#2
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Tamas - Today at 06:41:37 AMQuoteUK bank shares jump after 'avoiding budget tax raid'
Shares in UK banks have jumped at the start of trading, following reports that they will be spared from a tax raid in the budget.
Splendid, tax raise for me is more guaranteed by the day!
One thing perhaps Labour could take from Fidesz' playbook is the sector taxes. Orban's people would raise taxes on banks and telecom companies. It was very obvious, and came to be, that they'd need to increase prices/interest charged so at the end of the day it'd be the consumers paying the tax, but the majority of the electorate could not make that "complex" connection of the banks being told to pay more and their own personal financial situation becoming a bit worse.
#3
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Josquius - Today at 05:55:21 AMI dunno on the Farage as a racist in school stuff.
Maybe its just me.
In my mind he was already solidly baked in as this racist POS in school, after school, today. Zero surprise at all. Is it actually shocking anyone?
I have seen vibes that a lot of the people who really need to be reached though are just seeing it as a smear attack because the establishment (tm) are desperate....
I will say everyone should know that Farage is a racist scumbag absolutely....But that it is all coming out like this now is rather weird.
And not in a 'omg the establishment are desperate to beat reform' way. If that was true the timing is horrid, more likely there is its just a slow news day.
I think the key to beating Reform isn't highlighting that they're racist. I do think this is understood. Its weaponised in the screeching way their gremlins often want to be called racist just so they can go "you call everyone who disagrees with you a racist!". The key with reform is their complete incompetence. That no, there aren't simple solutions to all our problems that just so happen to fit into their racist worldview.
Maybe its just me.
In my mind he was already solidly baked in as this racist POS in school, after school, today. Zero surprise at all. Is it actually shocking anyone?
I have seen vibes that a lot of the people who really need to be reached though are just seeing it as a smear attack because the establishment (tm) are desperate....
I will say everyone should know that Farage is a racist scumbag absolutely....But that it is all coming out like this now is rather weird.
And not in a 'omg the establishment are desperate to beat reform' way. If that was true the timing is horrid, more likely there is its just a slow news day.
I think the key to beating Reform isn't highlighting that they're racist. I do think this is understood. Its weaponised in the screeching way their gremlins often want to be called racist just so they can go "you call everyone who disagrees with you a racist!". The key with reform is their complete incompetence. That no, there aren't simple solutions to all our problems that just so happen to fit into their racist worldview.
#4
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by garbon - Today at 05:42:59 AMI'm a little less concerned about what he did in school but rather his dodge from he clearly said racist things but claims never directly said to people. Sniveling worm that would be if true.
#5
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Richard Hakluyt - Today at 05:39:05 AMHis age is important here, born in 1964 so was at Dulwich College 1975-1982. These were years when the National Front was causing a lot of hassle and there was a powerful left-wing reaction against them even including some quite nasty streetfighting. The left was also trying to make progress on sexism and homophobia in this era. You had movements like Rock against Racism and CND were well supported too.
If he was 10 years older he could have claimed that he was just comforming to views generally held in public schools. But he is too young for that, the choice was being made by all politically motivated young people in that era. So I guess he has always been obnoxious, not even a trace of youthful idealism there.
If he was 10 years older he could have claimed that he was just comforming to views generally held in public schools. But he is too young for that, the choice was being made by all politically motivated young people in that era. So I guess he has always been obnoxious, not even a trace of youthful idealism there.
#6
Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread
Last post by Admiral Yi - Today at 03:28:07 AMQuote from: Josquius on Today at 03:08:08 AMI've no idea on costs. I've worked in marketing adjacent areas but not in that side of things.
But for sure one company absolutely dominating the market to such a degree is not healthy.
Breaking up Google would indeed weaken the power they can bring to bare and give would've competitors a chance - as I say even meta failed when it had a try let alone a startup.
Well that's the thing. As Joan pointed out, traditional monopoly analysis examines the companies ability to extract rents, to charge higher than the free market price. When talking about monopolies "not healthy" means exactly that.
Discussions of "power" tend to be circular. They have power because they are a monopoly. They are a monopoly because they have power. Have you considered the possibility they are just better? From the link I posted Meta has close to Google's share of online advertising. Ergo they have roughly the same "power." It's not logical that they failed to compete with Google in ad exchange or publisher ad server (whatever that is) because they had less power.
#7
Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic
Last post by Tonitrus - Today at 03:28:04 AMWith all the crap we've given Musk about screwing up Twitter/X, why should we be so eager to straight up trust the location data that their system spits out? 
#8
Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread
Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:08:08 AMQuote from: Admiral Yi on November 24, 2025, 06:02:51 PMQuote from: Josquius on November 24, 2025, 06:45:31 AMI missed that link. But yes. Its back end stuff that is used by basically everyone in online advertising. If you see an ad online and you're not on facebook, twitter, amazon, or some other walled garden.... then it's probably a google ad.
Do you think Google is overcharging advertisers to use this exchange and these servers?
Do you think breaking up Google would solve this problem?
I've no idea on costs. I've worked in marketing adjacent areas but not in that side of things.
But for sure one company absolutely dominating the market to such a degree is not healthy.
Breaking up Google would indeed weaken the power they can bring to bare and give would've competitors a chance - as I say even meta failed when it had a try let alone a startup.
#9
Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic
Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:04:56 AMWow. This is something.
https://smartlifetrendingnow.com/lp/smart_uk/?clickid=7c33b2ta51n2t24a&uclick=2ta51n2t&uclickhash=2ta51n2t-2ta51n2t-b4wj-0-b4dz-17tw-q552-d36e1a#tblciGiCRb5r3S7N0EwA7XSJRgWy3IEOxnDUVwkD03OPV5iT0FCD-nHQo-6f025H-3c-bATD-lkA
I was sorting through my tabs and noticed a guardian article was opened titled people are using AI to make money. Thought that sounded interesting so started reading.... It's an ad for some scammy sounding tool. But it looks just like a guardian article. Guess I clicked an ad somewhere by mistake - the previously opened tab is the standard weather channel that comes with android- and it led to this very cunning scam.
Yeah, I've seen this too. Great to have the proof of it. The far right are always in constant denial it's their reality.
Saw a few posts from Canadians noting a lot of their Canadian potatriots seemed to be based in the US
https://smartlifetrendingnow.com/lp/smart_uk/?clickid=7c33b2ta51n2t24a&uclick=2ta51n2t&uclickhash=2ta51n2t-2ta51n2t-b4wj-0-b4dz-17tw-q552-d36e1a#tblciGiCRb5r3S7N0EwA7XSJRgWy3IEOxnDUVwkD03OPV5iT0FCD-nHQo-6f025H-3c-bATD-lkA
I was sorting through my tabs and noticed a guardian article was opened titled people are using AI to make money. Thought that sounded interesting so started reading.... It's an ad for some scammy sounding tool. But it looks just like a guardian article. Guess I clicked an ad somewhere by mistake - the previously opened tab is the standard weather channel that comes with android- and it led to this very cunning scam.
Quote from: Sheilbh on November 24, 2025, 04:52:09 PMI don't know if this has been the case elsewhere but some change in Twitter basically means you can see the very broad general location of that account's tweets.
And all day I've seen lots of far-right content creators ("Yookay aesthetics" etc) verified accounts earning money for the engagement on their content that appear to be based in India or South AmericaI suspected something like this with some accounts I've seen that just had very Indian English grammar but still quite funny to see as a lot of those accounts now seem to be shutting down or pivoting to other content.
Reminded me a bit of the very interesting sounding book about the scam economy in South-East Asia:
https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3234-scam?srsltid=AfmBOoqTW63r0hQou6CiwSwyQIre14yUDY35XpvPheA-xhrozs_6Er82
Can't help but feel we're only at the start of seeing developing countries where the quality of internet connection has massively improved in recent years working out how to monetise that (and countries in the Global North).
Yeah, I've seen this too. Great to have the proof of it. The far right are always in constant denial it's their reality.
Saw a few posts from Canadians noting a lot of their Canadian potatriots seemed to be based in the US
#10
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by garbon - Today at 02:43:15 AMhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87lx0981nro
Oh alright then
QuoteFarage says he's 'never directly racially abused anybody' after school racism claims
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has insisted he has "never directly racially abused anybody", following complaints from 20 people he went to school with.
A Guardian investigation, external spoke to contemporaries at Dulwich College who alleged Farage made racist and antisemitic remarks to them, which a spokesperson denied.
Speaking directly to a journalist about the allegations for the first time, Farage, 61, was pressed on what he meant by "directly" and replied: "By taking it out on an individual on the basis of who they are or what they are."
He also ruled out holding an investigation into his own party, following the jailing of former Welsh Reform UK leader Nathan Gill for taking pro-Russian bribes.
Among the allegations in the Guardian are that Farage joked about gas chambers and put another pupil in detention, when he was a prefect, for the colour of their skin.
...
Oh alright then