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#71

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

Last post by crazy canuck - May 30, 2025, 08:17:54 AM

The Governor General never write the Speech of the Throne.
I have seen no indication that it was different for Queen Elizabeth or King Charles.

They are invited to read it, they add a few lines of intro and conclusion.

The rest is straight out of the governing party's agenda.

It's a really futile exercise rooted in some weird tradition.  If it wasn't of the confidence vote, it would be meaningless.

In as much as speech counts, the budget is what really matters.  Throne Speech is simply bla-bla-bla.  Always void of substance.

True. But surely you want it that way right? The Throne Speech is where the agenda for the incoming government is announced and voted on correct? Surely that should be written by the incoming PM. Not have the King just decide what he thinks the government should do.

I mean Charles is well educated and not a total moron so I am sure he has a few nice ideas, but he isn't some genius either 

What I mean is that there's no need for a speech on the agenda.

We have an agenda, here it is, you can see it on your tablet.  Everyone in favour vote "Yeah". Let's proceed.

Again, you misunderstand both the constitutional and historical significance of the speech from the throne.  It is the thing that signals parliament's confidence in the agenda of the government.

That is precisely why the vote on the thrones speech is a vote of confidence.

Even if we didn't have a monarch, under our parliamentary system, you would still need a speech of some sort to set the agenda on which a confidence vote is held, unless you want to turn us into a republic and go down the mess that the United States is in.

#72

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis, Democrats?

Last post by Josquius - May 30, 2025, 07:52:34 AM

They do. But this grievance usually isn't what it surfaces as. It's clear to be seen that paranoia about immigrants tends to be stronger in economically struggling areas rather than in areas with higher immigration.

Yeah, we saw that with the grooming gang scandal in your country.

"Help!  There are people gangs of men raping women and the police will do nothing"

"This person is clearly suffering from economic anxiety."

A weird non-sequitur but its roots nonetheless were socio-economic rather than racial or religious as your guys claimed.

#73

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Savonarola - May 30, 2025, 07:39:44 AM

Anyway, the quintessential 1970s NYC movie has to be Taxi Driver for sure?

French Connection? Shaft? Serpico?  Midnight Cowboy?  It's a crowded field.

That definitely merits a poll

You should include Escape from New York

 

Seriously I'd suggest Manhattan and Dog Day Afternoon as well (and maybe Mean Streets, but you do already have Taxi Driver.)

#74

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis, Democrats?

Last post by Razgovory - May 30, 2025, 06:45:13 AM

They do. But this grievance usually isn't what it surfaces as. It's clear to be seen that paranoia about immigrants tends to be stronger in economically struggling areas rather than in areas with higher immigration.

Yeah, we saw that with the grooming gang scandal in your country.

"Help!  There are people gangs of men raping women and the police will do nothing"

"This person is clearly suffering from economic anxiety."

#75

Off the Record / Re: Quo Vadis, Democrats?

Last post by Razgovory - May 30, 2025, 06:43:40 AM

I don't think Democrats need to out-right the right.  I think they just need to realize that the extremes on the right often have a root in legitimate grievance, and take positions that acknowledge rather than inflame them.

I don't think we are even talking about extremes here.  If the majority of people in the country believe there are too many illegal immigrants I don't think it qualifies as an extreme view.  The idea that we should take extreme positions because we will never win over fascists is stupid.

#76

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

Last post by viper37 - May 30, 2025, 06:32:04 AM

The Governor General never write the Speech of the Throne.
I have seen no indication that it was different for Queen Elizabeth or King Charles.

They are invited to read it, they add a few lines of intro and conclusion.

The rest is straight out of the governing party's agenda.

It's a really futile exercise rooted in some weird tradition.  If it wasn't of the confidence vote, it would be meaningless.

In as much as speech counts, the budget is what really matters.  Throne Speech is simply bla-bla-bla.  Always void of substance.

True. But surely you want it that way right? The Throne Speech is where the agenda for the incoming government is announced and voted on correct? Surely that should be written by the incoming PM. Not have the King just decide what he thinks the government should do.

I mean Charles is well educated and not a total moron so I am sure he has a few nice ideas, but he isn't some genius either 

What I mean is that there's no need for a speech on the agenda.

We have an agenda, here it is, you can see it on your tablet.  Everyone in favour vote "Yeah". Let's proceed.

#77

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Josquius - May 30, 2025, 06:17:27 AM

A new one for the "Everything new and different is woke" files; roundabouts.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/transport/britains-most-woke-2m-roundabout-31744635

#78

Off the Record / Re: Youtube Recommendations

Last post by Josquius - May 30, 2025, 06:13:25 AM

Interesting long interview. Louis Theroux is the man. A lot of what he says here is very relatable to me. Though I'm not a fraction as successful alas.

#79

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by garbon - May 30, 2025, 04:30:33 AM

I did not sign up for this Cyberpunk future.

I was helping out a division of my company that has started using AI for transcription/translation. I was a little disappointed but not surprised when it translated a drug name to a similar sounding word/name but less forgiving when it proposed the interviewee had said "×% of their patients are double masturbated".

#80

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by Syt - May 30, 2025, 04:23:05 AM

I did not sign up for this Cyberpunk future.