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    Had a nice interaction with a junkie/homeless person before the movie.

    Her: Mr. do you get free calls on your phone?
    Me: Why do you want to know.
    Her: I need to make a phone call and I don't have a phone.
    Me: OK, well go ahead.
    Her: You can put it on speaker, and keep holding onto it.
    Me: No, go ahead and call whoever. Please don't run away with it though as I'll feel really silly.
    Her: Ah, I'm not a bad person even though I live in a hostel. Sure you probably have pictures of your kids on it.

    So she made her phone call. Gave my phone back, and thanked me for trusting her with it.



    Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

    Comment


      Originally posted by ComradeCollie View Post
      Had a nice interaction with a junkie/homeless person before the movie.

      Her: Mr. do you get free calls on your phone?
      Me: Why do you want to know.
      Her: I need to make a phone call and I don't have a phone.
      Me: OK, well go ahead.
      Her: You can put it on speaker, and keep holding onto it.
      Me: No, go ahead and call whoever. Please don't run away with it though as I'll feel really silly.
      Her: Ah, I'm not a bad person even though I live in a hostel. Sure you probably have pictures of your kids on it.

      So she made her phone call. Gave my phone back, and thanked me for trusting her with it.


      How do we know this isn't her?
      I hold silver in tit for tat, and I love you for that

      Comment


        Originally posted by Lazare View Post

        How do we know this isn't her?
        Ah, I'd say she was as tech savvy as the post office weekend from Bernie's chaps.
        Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

        Comment


          Anyone looking for something to watch The Responder is quality
          Jayzus, Sheila! I forgot me feckin' trousers

          Comment


            Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
            We accept far too many things that are fed to us. There's usually an economic motivation behind US actions.
            This is the insight I am here for. Nations have economic motivations behind their actions. Countries acting in their own self-interest. Who'd have thunk it? The wool has been removed from my eyes. And here was me thinking that the US maintaining the international rules based order was an act of Christian charity. If only every political theorist, historian and foreign policy expert born in the 20th century hadn't accepted this as a self-evident fact. If only the US hadn't explicitly stated this as its foreign policy since Harry Truman literally said it in a speech in 1949.

            How have the US managed to keep this fact a secret for so long? The cunning Yanks. They just repeated this utterly unremarkable fact over and over again for the last 80 years and hoped we wouldn't notice! The diabolical bastards!!!

            TL;DR - Hitch is the police officer here:

            You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
            World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011

            Comment


              Kayroo, you are the first person on this thread to acknowledge economic underpinnings. Everyone else is just lapping up the stories at face value., where there's a straight bad guy and a straight good guy. So it's clearly not common knowledge, despite the efforts of those political theorists.
              "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

              Comment


                I fully accept that Russia are regional pricks. But also think the US are global pricks. Yet because we consume so many US perspectives we don't interpret their moves in the same way and view geopolitical tensions they often inflame, from their perspective.
                "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                Comment


                  Originally posted by DeadParrot View Post

                  Whataboutism now.
                  Whataboutism is a deeply flawed logical criticism. We think of fairness in relative terms, it's absolutely fine to compare situations that we feel are similar and argue that something is unfair based on that relative comparison.


                  ​​​​
                  "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                  Comment


                    Russia AND the US are volcanoes of threat and murder. There is a lot of dangerous shit going on . However unlike the local drug gangs fighting their own battles and generally leaving us out of it . Any conflict between the 2 should heighten our fears of both. Dodgy times

                    Comment


                      Just squeeked it by the skin of my teeth.

                      Wordle 221 6/6

                      Last edited by DeeBrown; 26-01-22, 01:23.

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Solksjaer! View Post
                        Russia AND the US are volcanoes of threat and murder. There is a lot of dangerous shit going on . However unlike the local drug gangs fighting their own battles and generally leaving us out of it . Any conflict between the 2 should heighten our fears of both. Dodgy times
                        Eh, we have a side for sure.

                        (Hint: not Russia.)

                        Our entire country is totally dependent on US FDI. And getting more so by the year. Take away that FDI and we are Albania, with shittier weather.

                        "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by DeeBrown View Post
                          Just squeeked it by the skin of my teeth.

                          Wordle 221 6/6
                          Wordle 221 5/6

                          ⬛⬛

                          Comment


                            .

                            Comment


                              So close!

                              Wordle 221 4/6

                              ⬜⬜

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                Whataboutism is a deeply flawed logical criticism. We think of fairness in relative terms, it's absolutely fine to compare situations that we feel are similar and argue that something is unfair based on that relative comparison.


                                ​​​​
                                I think the first sentence above is inadvertently correct. Whataboutism is a deeply flawed logical criticism. What I think you meant to say is that whataboutism is a deeply flawed criticism of your logic. Which isn't true at all. Whataboutism appeals to us because it seems reasonable but actually it has absolutely no merit at all. Just because the US act a certain way that in no way undermines or reduces the validity of a criticism of Russia.

                                You are not even comparing like with like. We are a small open economy without the ability to project our power anywhere outside our own borders. We are, therefore, entirely reliant on the international rules based order that has been basically guaranteed and protected by the US since 1949 at the very latest. We have a dog in this fight. Russia's interests are both regional and global and the international rules based order upon which we are entirely reliant does not align with their basic interests. So when one actor seeks to undermine the entire system upon which our freedom and economic survival depends by doing a certain action, and another actor performs the same or similar actions in defence of the system upon which we rely, then it is entirely appropriate to draw different conclusions and hold them to different standards.

                                It's not black and white hat cowboys we are discussing here, I grant you. It's far more complex than that. But your whataboutery is a reduction in that complexity, not an acknowledgment of it.
                                You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
                                World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by Kayroo View Post
                                  You are not even comparing like with like. We are a small open economy without the ability to project our power anywhere outside our own borders. We are, therefore, entirely reliant on the international rules based order that has been basically guaranteed and protected by the US since 1949 at the very latest. We have a dog in this fight. Russia's interests are both regional and global and the international rules based order upon which we are entirely reliant does not align with their basic interests. So when one actor seeks to undermine the entire system upon which our freedom and economic survival depends by doing a certain action, and another actor performs the same or similar actions in defence of the system upon which we rely, then it is entirely appropriate to draw different conclusions and hold them to different standards.
                                  Speaking of dogs in fights, we are a slightly strange little beast in the European context being allegedly neutral and outside of NATO but being far closer and more dependent on the US economically.

                                  Looking at the other Western European non-NATO members (Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland); I don't think there's any other state that has a set of circumstances anything like ours. Must be a tricky path to navigate for our power brokers.

                                  "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                  Comment


                                    Originally posted by dinekes View Post

                                    Dont blame me...up until 2015 was happy playing snakes on my Nokia ....thrust into the cold world of having to work for a living and they handed me a new fangled smartphone!!...........it started out innocently enough just tthe odd......but that wasnt enough....quickly escalated to the hard stuff.....and almost in the of an eye I was hooked.

                                    Miss snakes
                                    I liked you better when you were an Omaha tilt monkey.

                                    Comment


                                      The annoying thing is that Russia could, and probably should, have come aboard the train with the rest of us in the 90s.

                                      Taking the examples of other defeated powers like Japan and Germany, then rebuilding bigger and better. I think that was Yeltsin's instinct but then Vlad came along and remoulded the country as a dictatorship of kleptomaniacal siloviki with a hankering for the good old days when they ruled an imperium that stretched from Prague to Vladivostok.

                                      Probably the missed geopolitical opportunity of the last fifty years.
                                      "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                        Eh, we have a side for sure.

                                        (Hint: not Russia.)

                                        Our entire country is totally dependent on US FDI. And getting more so by the year. Take away that FDI and we are Albania, with shittier weather.
                                        Having a side is irrelevant in this instance . Both countries are capable of horrible atrocities. Just because it hasnt hit our wee shores yet doesn't mean one side is more/less dangerous . If China set up coubtlrss industries in Ireland and our economy was dependant on it would that make China less dangerous ? 70 million people voted for a mationalist would be dictator in the US who if he had his way would have out a huge dent in our economy .

                                        The bolded part worries me .

                                        Comment


                                          Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                          Speaking of dogs in fights, we are a slightly strange little beast in the European context being allegedly neutral and outside of NATO but being far closer and more dependent on the US economically.

                                          Looking at the other Western European non-NATO members (Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland); I don't think there's any other state that has a set of circumstances anything like ours. Must be a tricky path to navigate for our power brokers.
                                          I personally feel our approach to "neutrality" is a joke. We are the ultimate scroungers of Europe when it comes to common defence. We rely on the RAF and the Royal Navy to a large extent. There is a moral obligation on neutral countries to provide for their own defence and to secure their own territorial waters and airspace. We do nothing about it. There is a false argument made along the lines of "sure, we'd never have a navy to take on the Russians therefore why spend any money on it at all?". This is, self evidently, bunkum of the highest order. The Russians could certainly operate in our EEZ if they really wanted to, even if we had OTH capability and a more well-equipped navy, commensurate with our defence requirements. But the fact is they didn't even have to contemplate an encounter with Irish naval forces because it was never going to happen. Our entire navy, in any actual conflict, would likely be destroyed without having fired a single shot of its own. We are woefully under-resourced. And don't get me started on the air corps, which is basically a kite flying operation. They deserve better and, in a multi-polar world, Ireland needs better. The lack of a constituency to argue for this is a real problem for us long term.

                                          In fairness, to address your more substantive point, I think it again underlines the almost miraculous work the Dept of Foreign Affairs (formerly External Affairs) has done over the last century to make us one of the pre-eminent soft power nations on Earth. But no amount of soft power will count if there is ever an aggressor in Western Europe or further afield who elects to cause us harm. No country is bound to come to our aid. We have no treaty obligations or ties.
                                          You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
                                          World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011

                                          Comment


                                            Originally posted by Kayroo View Post

                                            I personally feel our approach to "neutrality" is a joke. We are the ultimate scroungers of Europe when it comes to common defence. We rely on the RAF and the Royal Navy to a large extent. There is a moral obligation on neutral countries to provide for their own defence and to secure their own territorial waters and airspace. We do nothing about it. There is a false argument made along the lines of "sure, we'd never have a navy to take on the Russians therefore why spend any money on it at all?". This is, self evidently, bunkum of the highest order. The Russians could certainly operate in our EEZ if they really wanted to, even if we had OTH capability and a more well-equipped navy, commensurate with our defence requirements. But the fact is they didn't even have to contemplate an encounter with Irish naval forces because it was never going to happen. Our entire navy, in any actual conflict, would likely be destroyed without having fired a single shot of its own. We are woefully under-resourced. And don't get me started on the air corps, which is basically a kite flying operation. They deserve better and, in a multi-polar world, Ireland needs better. The lack of a constituency to argue for this is a real problem for us long term.
                                            100%, hence me throwing in 'allegedly' ahead of the word 'neutral'.

                                            I'd have a different perspective though, I think having effectively no armed forces worthy of the name is a reasonably sensible policy - if you can outsource the important stuff to our friends. Which we can and do. Thus we can keep sending a few dozen lads off in blue helmets, intercept the odd drugs shipment and put up a reasonable parade line to greet visiting dignitaries - that's pretty much all I expect us to do (and pay for).
                                            We're a strange kind of post-military country.
                                            The only likely threat that could ever re-appear is an internal terrorist one and even then that's primarily a policing function rather than a military one.

                                            Originally posted by Kayroo View Post
                                            In fairness, to address your more substantive point, I think it again underlines the almost miraculous work the Dept of Foreign Affairs (formerly External Affairs) has done over the last century to make us one of the pre-eminent soft power nations on Earth. But no amount of soft power will count if there is ever an aggressor in Western Europe or further afield who elects to cause us harm. No country is bound to come to our aid. We have no treaty obligations or ties.
                                            Not just the DFA, the teams\departments representing our economic interests do some amazing work too.

                                            "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                            Comment


                                              Originally posted by Solksjaer! View Post

                                              Having a side is irrelevant in this instance . Both countries are capable of horrible atrocities. Just because it hasnt hit our wee shores yet doesn't mean one side is more/less dangerous . If China set up coubtlrss industries in Ireland and our economy was dependant on it would that make China less dangerous ? 70 million people voted for a mationalist would be dictator in the US who if he had his way would have out a huge dent in our economy .

                                              The bolded part worries me .
                                              As Kayroo has patiently explained, we, the country called Ireland, do 100% have a 'side'.

                                              US domestic politics is probably more important to us than to most Americans!
                                              "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                              Comment


                                                Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                bit of inspiration please...

                                                Dealing with a group of 15 - 20 people from France/Italy in their very early 20s. They are in Dublin for 12 weeks. They have no cars so anything they do needs to be via public transport.

                                                Apart from an €8 pint of Guinness in Temple Bar, any ideas what I could suggest that they get up to on their weekends to enhance their cultural experience of Ireland/Dublin.
                                                Throw them on a bus to Glendalough
                                                Kayaking out to Dalkey island
                                                Also, Coppers

                                                Comment


                                                  Off to see the new PTA film licorice pizza at lunch time. critiques have been great so looking forward to it

                                                  Comment


                                                    Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                    bit of inspiration please...

                                                    Dealing with a group of 15 - 20 people from France/Italy in their very early 20s. They are in Dublin for 12 weeks. They have no cars so anything they do needs to be via public transport.

                                                    Apart from an €8 pint of Guinness in Temple Bar, any ideas what I could suggest that they get up to on their weekends to enhance their cultural experience of Ireland/Dublin.
                                                    Put them on the DART to Howth - ice cream, fish n'chips, Howth market, walk up Howth Head for the views, not sure if you can ferry out to Lambay at this time of year but would be a good option.
                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                    Comment


                                                      Hmmm, the Danes following our lead and scrapping all restrictions. Western Europe coming back to life pretty quick but I imagine the severity of the wave in under-vaccinated Eastern Europe will be ugly.
                                                      "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                      Comment


                                                        Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                                        As Kayroo has patiently explained, we, the country called Ireland, do 100% have a 'side'.

                                                        US domestic politics is probably more important to us than to most Americans!
                                                        Like i said also patiently. Its irrelevant whose side we take .
                                                        It doesnt diminish their growing toxicity. Its a dangerous country now . Trump pissing off China was not exactly clever . He was backed by half of the fk ya nuke em types .

                                                        Comment


                                                          Load of 50 year-olds giving their opinions on what 20 somethings might like to do it Dublin.
                                                          Good chance this is reverso by GAB to get a list of things to avoid recommending to them.

                                                          On a practical level, if they are going to be using public transport, make sure they get leap cards.
                                                          Tell them what the best apps for Dublin Bus, Dart etc so they can find their way about.
                                                          Glendalough, Howth etc do seem like good suggestions but I'm out of touch with 20-year-old me.
                                                          They'll probably find their own things to do by Week2 anyway.

                                                          Comment


                                                            Originally posted by ArmaniJeans View Post
                                                            Load of 50 year-olds giving their opinions on what 20 somethings might like to do it Dublin.
                                                            Feeling attacked....

                                                            Comment


                                                              Originally posted by Solksjaer! View Post

                                                              Like i said also patiently. Its irrelevant whose side we take .
                                                              It doesnt diminish their growing toxicity. Its a dangerous country now . Trump pissing off China was not exactly clever . He was backed by half of the fk ya nuke em types .
                                                              It is completely relevant and in our strategic interest to take a side. And indeed we have done so all through recent history.

                                                              We are a wildly pro-American nation. (excepting what the odd loon like Mick Wallace might say). The better America does, we get a multiplied economic dividend from that success. We should be down on our knees in front of the Stars and Stripes three times a day praying for continued US success.
                                                              "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                              Comment


                                                                Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                                bit of inspiration please...

                                                                Dealing with a group of 15 - 20 people from France/Italy in their very early 20s. They are in Dublin for 12 weeks. They have no cars so anything they do needs to be via public transport.

                                                                Apart from an €8 pint of Guinness in Temple Bar, any ideas what I could suggest that they get up to on their weekends to enhance their cultural experience of Ireland/Dublin.
                                                                Make up some Culture .

                                                                The 12 pubs of winter . Boost the much beleaguered pub trade . A Safari to Darndale . Keep the doors and windows closed.

                                                                Comment


                                                                  Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                                                  It is completely relevant and in our strategic interest to take a side. And indeed we have done so all through recent history.

                                                                  We are a wildly pro-American nation. (excepting what the odd loon like Mick Wallace might say). The better America does, we get a multiplied economic dividend from that success. We should be down on our knees in front of the Stars and Stripes three times a day praying for continued US success.
                                                                  seems like my point is conveniently being bypassed .

                                                                  This smiley should stay set in stone on the site .

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    Originally posted by Ed View Post

                                                                    Feeling attacked....
                                                                    Especially 20 somethings of today who are quite happy to sit by their phones all day.

                                                                    Comment


                                                                      Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                      Kayroo, you are the first person on this thread to acknowledge economic underpinnings. Everyone else is just lapping up the stories at face value., where there's a straight bad guy and a straight good guy. So it's clearly not common knowledge, despite the efforts of those political theorists.
                                                                      Just about every goverment descion made by every country has economic underpinnings.
                                                                      This isn't an earth shattering revelation. It's assumed common knowledge. Equally it's not goodies and baddies.
                                                                      We are capable of using nuance and weighting to reach our "side"



                                                                      Edit: I see this has all been addressed by others..
                                                                      Last edited by DeadParrot; 26-01-22, 10:40.
                                                                      People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
                                                                      Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner!
                                                                      https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        Originally posted by Gimmeabreak
                                                                        bit of inspiration please...

                                                                        Dealing with a group of 15 - 20 people from France/Italy in their very early 20s. They are in Dublin for 12 weeks. They have no cars so anything they do needs to be via public transport.

                                                                        Apart from an €8 pint of Guinness in Temple Bar, any ideas what I could suggest that they get up to on their weekends to enhance their cultural experience of Ireland/Dublin.
                                                                        Kilmainham Gaol
                                                                        St Michans Church
                                                                        Guinness Storehouse / brewhouse
                                                                        Jameson Distillery
                                                                        Trad nights
                                                                        Howth head
                                                                        Bray head
                                                                        Chester Beatty /Christchuch / Darkey Kelly's <- would be a decent sunday

                                                                        I'm sure 20 somethnigs are doing other fun thinks like injecting tiktoks or anal bleaching that we don't know about
                                                                        People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
                                                                        Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner!
                                                                        https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          Extra tickets have been released this morning for Endgame at the Gate.
                                                                          Gone full 'Glinner' since June 2022.

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            Jesus, Boris looks almost normal when you see Rees-Mogg lurking in the background
                                                                            "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
                                                                              Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner!
                                                                              https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                Originally posted by DeadParrot View Post
                                                                                You do not have permission to view this gallery.
                                                                                This gallery has 1 photos.

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
                                                                                  Jesus, Boris looks almost normal when you see Rees-Mogg lurking in the background
                                                                                  I bet Rees-Mogg doesn’t need to worry about photos of a lot of people at a party for him coming out.

                                                                                  Hitch whatever you think of the economics of it you can hardly be defending Russian aggression towards the Ukraine. For the second time at that - plenty of orphans in the Ukraine who don’t want to see the red army shelling their cities again.

                                                                                  The Ukraine are a sovereign nation and can trade or not trade with whoever they like. They don’t need permission from their previous overlords even if Russia would like that to be the case. There is no lunatic/genocide to consider either so it’s not a lesser of 2 evils debate.

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    Originally posted by RichieM View Post

                                                                                    I bet Rees-Mogg doesn’t need to worry about photos of a lot of people at a party for him coming out.
                                                                                    Unless it's a family party. That would probably qualify as a lot of people.

                                                                                    Maybe with Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher Rees-Mogg in centre shot.

                                                                                    Or possibly Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius Rees-Mogg.
                                                                                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      I've almost finished Rees-Mogg's fathers magnum opus, it's a really enjoyable read, fabulously right wing.

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        Originally posted by DeadParrot View Post

                                                                                        Just about every goverment descion made by every country has economic underpinnings.
                                                                                        This isn't an earth shattering revelation. It's assumed common knowledge. Equally it's not goodies and baddies.
                                                                                        We are capable of using nuance and weighting to reach our "side"



                                                                                        Edit: I see this has all been addressed by others..
                                                                                        You say that, and yet your earlier posts were all just repeating news stories, rather than looking at the underpinnings.
                                                                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                                                                          It is completely relevant and in our strategic interest to take a side. And indeed we have done so all through recent history.

                                                                                          We are a wildly pro-American nation. (excepting what the odd loon like Mick Wallace might say). The better America does, we get a multiplied economic dividend from that success. We should be down on our knees in front of the Stars and Stripes three times a day praying for continued US success.
                                                                                          Its not the smart decision to explicitly take that side. We already have that side. Its engrained deeply when the US president (one of seven such) talks about the great GAA players of Mayo is his opening presidential comments. We have to exert low effort to remain part of that side. The smart thinking is to work out how to also be connected to the next centres of economic growth. Obviously that isn't Russia, which is a dead and hopeless duck, but it should inform our thinking on China and India (which is eventually going to be far more troublesome than China, as China is largely driven by economic imperatives, while India is a hotbed of various extremist ideologies). Simply parroting the US party line is not the smart approach when we can potentially win something from both 'sides'. Thats what maximises the 'economic dividend' you mention.

                                                                                          A related point, is that even the idea of sides is a US perspective, we don't have to believe that point. This ain't a football match.
                                                                                          "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                            Plus the ascendancy of Asia in the coming years is almost certainly pre-written. Its not just China, which will certainly be the global economic centre with a GDP potentially up to twice or three times that of the US, its also India and Indonesia which will be major economic centres that will dwarf anything in Europe. Even Vietnam will tower over the largest European economic powers. Pakistan and Malaysia as potential economies the size of Germany or France. Thats the future. Why would we pick the side of a future lesser economic power in a way that alienates what is going to happen to the center of economics?

                                                                                            And we might say, well the likes of India and China are so different that you can't even compare them. But there's probably already stronger economic connections between those two countries than there is between Germany and Spain. There's significant surface-level differences, and ideological differences, but the reality is they are economically growing together.
                                                                                            "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              Are we really thinking about economic dick measuring when the threat could be war . It may seem unthinkable but after the 2 years we've had globally i expected the unexpected and if that happens i trust neither the US or Russia to do the right thing. Lets hope they cool their jets .

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                Originally posted by DeadParrot View Post

                                                                                                Whataboutism now.
                                                                                                We are around 3 posts till 'lolz, I was only joking. Here's my next hot take' using the Standard Hitch Internet Timeline

                                                                                                Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                                                Plus the ascendancy of Asia in the coming years is almost certainly pre-written. Its not just China, which will certainly be the global economic centre with a GDP potentially up to twice or three times that of the US, its also India and Indonesia which will be major economic centres that will dwarf anything in Europe. Even Vietnam will tower over the largest European economic powers. Pakistan and Malaysia as potential economies the size of Germany or France. Thats the future. Why would we pick the side of a future lesser economic power in a way that alienates what is going to happen to the center of economics?

                                                                                                And we might say, well the likes of India and China are so different that you can't even compare them. But there's probably already stronger economic connections between those two countries than there is between Germany and Spain. There's significant surface-level differences, and ideological differences, but the reality is they are economically growing together.
                                                                                                Clockwork
                                                                                                People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
                                                                                                Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner!
                                                                                                https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21

                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                  Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                                                  Its not the smart decision to explicitly take that side. We already have that side. Its engrained deeply when the US president (one of seven such) talks about the great GAA players of Mayo is his opening presidential comments. We have to exert low effort to remain part of that side. The smart thinking is to work out how to also be connected to the next centres of economic growth. Obviously that isn't Russia, which is a dead and hopeless duck, but it should inform our thinking on China and India (which is eventually going to be far more troublesome than China, as China is largely driven by economic imperatives, while India is a hotbed of various extremist ideologies). Simply parroting the US party line is not the smart approach when we can potentially win something from both 'sides'. Thats what maximises the 'economic dividend' you mention.

                                                                                                  A related point, is that even the idea of sides is a US perspective, we don't have to believe that point. This ain't a football match.
                                                                                                  Is there an example of a truly non-aligned country? I don't think so but willing to debate it.
                                                                                                  "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

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                                                                                                    Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                                                    Its not the smart decision to explicitly take that side. We already have that side. Its engrained deeply when the US president (one of seven such) talks about the great GAA players of Mayo is his opening presidential comments. We have to exert low effort to remain part of that side. The smart thinking is to work out how to also be connected to the next centres of economic growth. Obviously that isn't Russia, which is a dead and hopeless duck, but it should inform our thinking on China and India (which is eventually going to be far more troublesome than China, as China is largely driven by economic imperatives, while India is a hotbed of various extremist ideologies). Simply parroting the US party line is not the smart approach when we can potentially win something from both 'sides'. Thats what maximises the 'economic dividend' you mention.

                                                                                                    A related point, is that even the idea of sides is a US perspective, we don't have to believe that point. This ain't a football match.
                                                                                                    Ah sorry I thought you were defending Russian military posturing.

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                                                                                                      Originally posted by shrapnel View Post
                                                                                                      Off to see the new PTA film licorice pizza at lunch time. critiques have been great so looking forward to it
                                                                                                      Superb. Absolutely fantastic. Another stunner by PTA

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                                                                                                        Originally posted by Lao Lao View Post



                                                                                                        You've changed since you got married

                                                                                                        I've no issues with the acting - I think Dornan is very good in it and I like the some of the sub stories, especially between Helen & Ethan - I actually think Danielle MacDonald's performance in it is absolutely excellent.

                                                                                                        The dark humour in it is great and visually, it is also very impressive - There is some fairly epic cinematic shots that don't come cheap so I'd imagine the budget wasn't small on it.

                                                                                                        I'd be happy if there was a second series of it after next week final episode.
                                                                                                        I certainly agree that Daniell MacDonald has been excellent in this but not too many more saving graces imo. You're obviously a luddite and don't realise that it's all available to view

                                                                                                        Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                                                        I can only surmise from this that married life has changed you somewhat from a man of refinement to a man who prefers the company of Love Island. You be you, but this is an astonishing slur on a modern work of art.
                                                                                                        Lol Love Island

                                                                                                        You think The Tourist is a work of art?? Madness Ted

                                                                                                        "you raise, i kill you" El Tren :{)

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                                                                                                          Originally posted by RichieM View Post

                                                                                                          Ah sorry I thought you were defending Russian military posturing.
                                                                                                          I think military posturing is a standard part of many countries approaches to things, that rarely leads to military actions. And especially rarely in minus 10 to minus 20 degree winters. But the story has been amplified to suit other countries objectives. In support of that is that this is a regular yearly story from that region.
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                                                                                                          "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                            Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                                                                                            Is there an example of a truly non-aligned country? I don't think so but willing to debate it.
                                                                                                            There are smartly aligned countries, that manage a few tricky relationships. The likes of Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa. We will naturally continue to have alignment with the US as our most important major relationship. I'm just suggesting we should be smarter about where all the future economic direction is coming from, and not over-align in a direction that is inevitably losing the economic battle. We're doing that quite well. E.g. the few thousand TikTok Dublin jobs that should, by rights, be in London. Also allowing Huawei into Irish 5g. So, at a practical level we are managing the relationships quite well.
                                                                                                            "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                              Ireland have been very carefully nurturing positive relationships with the Chinese government for *way* longer than you think Hitch. The DFA operate at a level you cannot even fathom when comparing them to the rest of the Irish civil service. They are incredible.

                                                                                                              Your takes on Russia are pretty funny though. An amphibious attack group passes into the Med, massive troop build up on the Belarusian border near Kiev and an enormous deployment of forces to the eastern border as well and you say this is run of the mill stuff being hyped by the West for some unspecified gain? Good man. The Rooskies might do absolutely nothing. That does not mean this is absolutely nothing. It is also not normal for countries to mass troops on each others borders. That is not a normal part of geopolitical strategy unless there is a live chance of a shooting war.
                                                                                                              You are technically correct...the best kind of correct
                                                                                                              World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011

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                                                                                                                And do any countries or organisations beginning with NAT have troops on Russias borders and nuclear weapons trained on them? So maybe the biggest military power in the world, the US, is 'not normal' also? Or China / India with their large build ups on each others borders. So that's four of the biggest military powers in the world that do this 'not normal' behaviour.
                                                                                                                "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                                  Huge fan of DFA also. Also IDA do brilliant stuff.
                                                                                                                  "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                                    Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                                                                                                                    Unless it's a family party. That would probably qualify as a lot of people.

                                                                                                                    Maybe with Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher Rees-Mogg in centre shot.

                                                                                                                    Or possibly Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius Rees-Mogg.
                                                                                                                    Sixtus Starus Pool Dominic Boniface


                                                                                                                    I hold silver in tit for tat, and I love you for that

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                                                                                                                      Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                                                                      Its not just China, which will certainly be the global economic centre with a GDP potentially up to twice or three times that of the US,
                                                                                                                      China have a few years where they can throw their weight around before the disaster that is their demographics drags them back into the ranks of not quite super power. Which you should know if you have read almost anything about China and Taiwan and why the danger of China invading is quite large in the short term.

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                                                                                                                        Anyway, this happens every year.

                                                                                                                        Is it shitty behaviour. Probably.

                                                                                                                        Is it designed to scare Ukraine away from deepening ties with the West. Yes.

                                                                                                                        Does Russia have some valid reasons to be deeply suspicious of a hostile neighbouring country that's first action when they overthrew a democratically elected pro-Russian leader was to ban the Russian language that is spoken by large parts of their population. Yep.

                                                                                                                        Did the US help with that. Almost certainly.

                                                                                                                        There are two sides to the matter of which Russia is probably the worst side, but the original posts that were just relaying Sky News articles and BoJo statements on the matter were missing some balance. This isn't a Bond novel.

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                                                                                                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                                          Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                                                                                          I think military posturing is a standard part of many countries approaches to things, that rarely leads to military actions. And especially rarely in minus 10 to minus 20 degree winters. But the story has been amplified to suit other countries objectives. In support of that is that this is a regular yearly story from that region.
                                                                                                                          ​​​​
                                                                                                                          So the times that Russia, since Communism, has attacked Abkhazia, Transnistria, North Ossetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Georgia, Chechnya again, the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.

                                                                                                                          Were they just standard military posturing? Or fake news, or the US made them do it, or something?
                                                                                                                          "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

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