Recent posts

#11

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 04:03:06 PM

The largest demonstrations we ever had in Vancouver, over many years, was the anti-nuclear protest movement.  Tens of thousands of people would participate in an annual march to protest nuclear weapons. There was no significant support for nuclear weapons in Vancouver, or Canada.

#12

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Admiral Yi - Today at 03:38:39 PM

Yeah, Jake's thing was one and done.  You may have a point.

Could you clarify the point you're using me to make? I don't quite follow.

I'm agreeing with Hillary's point, that protestors protest when there is opposition to their position.  You attended a pro Ukraine protest, but as there isn't any significant support for Russia in Canada, it's not an on going thing.

#13

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 03:32:51 PM

Wow, that is beautiful

#14

Off the Record / Re: Life on the Rails

Last post by Savonarola - Today at 03:00:38 PM

I was back in Detroit in early July.  My wife and I went to see Michigan Central Station (which I thought was funny - going to a train station on my vacation.  It's sort of like how in the end of the Iliad the Greeks hold funerary games for Patroclus in which they throw spears and race around in chariots, the same thing they do on their office days.)  In any event Michigan Central Station had long been a symbol of the city's ruin:



The guy who owned it (slumlord extraordinaire Matty Moruoun) put almost no money into securing the facility so it became a haven for urban spelunkers, scrappers, graffiti artists and vagrants.  There was so little risk of getting caught that there were groups who held paintball tournaments in it.  Bill Ford bought the building a few years ago and has spent probably around a billion dollars restoring it.  Today the upper levels are office space for Ford's EV division and Google has some offices there as well.  The main floor is restored to what it had been when Vanderbilts opened it in the Gilded Age:



(In true Detroit fashion they built only a minimal amount of additional parking, so the streets are now jam-packed.)

The interior is opulent:



A lot had to be replaced; not only was a lot of stuff stolen or broken, but the harsh Michigan winters ate away at the structure (especially the lime stone pillars.)  The tour focused a lot on the restoration; they foundation worked with the local art college (Center for Creative Studies) to remove the paint, identify the graffiti and determine if it was worth preserving or not (as they could identify the artists - and not just the ones who still taught there .)  They did keep one of the halls still covered with graffiti, I thought that was kind of cool.

#15

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

Last post by Zoupa - Today at 02:50:51 PM

There's a dude in the 47th that I've been in contact since 2022. He uses Mavic grenade drops (old school) instead of FPV. He's easily at over 1000 casualties.

#16

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by viper37 - Today at 02:25:39 PM

Maybe they were just good friends?

Yup. Every man has a good friend who lets him fondle her breasts. 

#17

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Bauer - Today at 02:18:56 PM

Snyder was perfectly suited to 300 and watchmen IMO.  I also liked man of steel.  But in his other stuff his style didn't feel right.

#18

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

Last post by Legbiter - Today at 02:18:56 PM

Do they drop any good loot?

There must be Ukrainian drone operators with confirmed kills rivalling Simo Häyhä at this point.

#19

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by celedhring - Today at 02:13:23 PM

Snyder is fascinated with figures of power - gods among men if you like - and how people respond to them. Which is certainly something different than "power fantasies". His DC films are made so the powerful figure is always an other that we watch. We're Batman, not Superman. I think Watchmen and Dr Manhattan is the blueprint for all his work, really.

That said, I don't think he's a director that's fully in control of his themes. Meaning, he just throws a lot of stuff at the screen than sounds and looks "deep" without really articulating a coherent theme. But, unlike a large portion of his fanbase, he's certainly not a cynic.

#20

Off the Record / Re: Israel-Hamas War 2023

Last post by Zoupa - Today at 01:59:46 PM

More whataboutism. So no posts where you lament collateral damage to Palestinians from you then.

As I said previously, you are wholly unconcerned with civilian collateral victims as long as it's the IDF doing it.

The sympathy for Palestine is based on the antipathy people have for the guys fighting them.

Speaking for myself, I don't have "sympathy for Palestine"; I simply find the IDF's methods to be horrible and ineffective. Do you really think that Hamas can be defeated this way? The IDF is creating tomorrow's Hamas recruits by making a zillion people homeless, orphans etc. It's dumb.

Incorrect.  I have as much concern as for civilian casualties in Palestine as I did for Syrian and Iraqi casualties during the war against ISIS.  Can you say the same?

Yes. Although in your case, you are technically correct: zero concern = zero concern = zero concern.