Post Archive
Region: The Confederacy of Free Nations
My sister is adamant that Scotland will vote Yes next time. Much as I'd like to believe that, in my heart and soul, I don't think enough will.
I'm gonnae rig tae elecshun
Nuremgard, Lex Caledonia
Aww.
Paradoxically, I think the farce that is Brexit will dissuade many Scots from going along with independence out of fear of similar uncertainty.
The West Country
Trump has a lot of power with just executive orders. And he doesn't need Congress or the courts to break down the rule of law and turn the Department of Justice into a weaponized tool against his enemies, or to weaken decades-old alliances with NATO and Europe, or to use his office to enrich himself and his family.
You never know. Enough Scots might be sold the Union comfort blanket. "Stick with Westminster/England, you wont survive out there in the big bad Brexit world on your own. The EU wont want you." That sort of thing. Some Scots might vote to stay in the UK for a modicum of stability, especially after Brexit.
It could go either way to be honest. Anecdotally, I've heard of many pro-EU, soft No voters turning to Yes because of Brexit and Westminster's broken promises over more devolution. The fact that May is taking the Scottish Gov to court in order to override devolution is an ominous warning of what Scotland's place in a post-Brexit UK will be. If Scots vote to maintain that, they deserve all they get.
I don't want to break the UK up out of spite. I know you and Yuk care very much about the UK and believe in it but I genuinely believe that Scottish independence will revitalise English democracy and identity. Independence for Scotland will result in a more equal relationship being forged between the ancient nations of these islands.
The people using that office to enrich themselves and their families aren't the people who hold it.
Nuremgard, Gualimole
The current UK government is too authoritarian and needs to step back several pegs, be it muzzling the press over the Tommy Robinson case a few days ago or various other civil based problems going on that agitate me from across the pond.
1984 is a work of fiction, not a guidebook.
It's the nameless, invisible lobbyists, 1 per centers and elitists at the very top of society who benefit and wield the true power. The politicians are puppets, there to create the illusion of choice and democracy. The billionaire class are the new aristocracy.
Mercunova, Gualimole
Checks and balances are a wonderful thing. I think you're really overhyping just how much damage Trump can or will or has done compared to the damage that someone who knows how to work the system can.
And again, Trump's great for pr.
Mercunova
Pence having these powers would be much more scary if you were a gay person, I suppose.
Also, you have Obama to thank for setting the pen-and-phone precedent. And others for expanding the power of the office (namely Lincoln, the Roosevelts and Wilson.)
Democrats and Republicans love to violate the constitution except when the other party's doing it.
Gualimole
ur under arest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE9tN-mmDYw
Nuremgard, Jaslandia, The West Country
what are ya gonnae dew aboot it? fone the polis?
Lex Caledonia
m8, we ar the polis
The West Country
Welp, youve had a good run.
*turfs into a memory hole*
I'm not so sure about that.
https://medium.com/shanghaiist/trump-linked-project-in-indonesia-to-receive-500-million-in-funding-from-china-ca99ac995ae5
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-inauguration-mar-lago-golf-786141
NATO has been weakened for decades. Ostensibly, the last time it was in full power was at the latest 2000 before people forgot why it was formed in favour of further "Yes my country is ultra-important screw the coalition there will never be a need for it again". The hyper-focus on our differences in the west isn't new IMO.
I don't know about that Robinson case, but I do agree that the Government is showing a great set of examples why speech policing is an extremely negative thing what with that girl who got slapped with fines, community service and a tracking bracelet.
The one who asked a question about Muslims having more/less rights? Yeah, that BS boils my blood. Let's not forget about the meanie police online too, that is going too far.
Maybe if the cop just answered the question like a normal American cop would have and not knee-jerk reaction British cop behavior..
As someone who would be the kind of person that'd get systematically discriminated against even moreso under a Pence presidency, no thanks, let trump remain. Rather we have a buffon that can't do anything properly (both good and bad) rather than someone who can do awful things excellently.
Sulania
Like Pence wants to electrocute homosexuals, imagine what he wants to do to trans people.
Tommy Robinson's case was about contempt for court, not censorship. He done it last year in a separate court case, and was warned he would go to jail if he breached it again. He did not respect the court or the judge.
Tommy Robinson is a far-right activist in the UK and former leader and spokesperson for the English Defence League - which is the typical bald headed football hooligan "get the muslamics out the contrey" kind of people. Although he's left the EDL, he's incredibly controversial and not at all well-liked in the UK, bar from an indiscernible amount of inbred pub drongos.
Edit: in reference to the last bit, you're going to have to be more specific - many people in the UK are given community service and/or fines and/or tracking bracelets as part of the correctional system.
Nuremgard, Jaslandia, Lex Caledonia
Axel, I do agree with what you said before, but that part is untrue.
Pence never endorsed electroshock therapy for homosexuality, but he did support federal funds to support conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is a broad spectrum of "treatments," some of which do not take the approach of electroshock. So ambiguity in this measure saves him a little bit.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mike-pence-supported-gay-conversion-therapy/
Don't get me wrong, conversion therapy is still horribly wrong. But he doesn't necessarily want to "electrocute homosexuals"
Jaslandia
Conversion therapy should be banned, period.
Nuremgard, Jaslandia
Ah, I see. I've just heard that about him.
Yeah, he might, but he never said he does.
But he *does* support using taxpayer funds to support "treatments" that are completely pseudoscientific, are at this point proven to have long lasting ill effects on those who participate (depression and anxiety disorders among the most prominent), and are largely unsuccessful.
So while he may not be an absolute sadist, he's still pretty bad in this area.
Jaslandia, Axeldonia
There is a show over here in the UK called Embarrassing Bodies. It's about people going on TV to show their various health issues and having them treated by doctors. One of the doctors is gay and he willingly underwent so-called conversion therapy just for the experience. It did work in the sense that whenever he looked at gay porn or gay images, he would vomit but it did not eradicate his gay desires.
What gay conversion therapy does is create a Pavlovian response to certain stimuli through conditioning. It does not and cannot change sexual orientation.
Jaslandia
500 million is chump change compared to the benefits of the people who are really running what happens on this earth.
Have an embarrassing penile medical condition? Get your wang out infront of the nation.
Nuremgard, Jaslandia
That $500 million is nothing more or less than compensation to Trump for the burden of being the controllers' figurehead.
Never did understand that. They're so embarrassed about their bodies they show them off in front of millions. Even their scabby cocks and fannies. Gives me the boke lol
Mercunova, The West Country
Oh come on. You're only fooling yourself if you think we believe you when you're telling us seeing a cock out in public in any condition would make you sick.
Bearlong
She said a naughty word by quoting a black american rapper and as a result got punished.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england-merseyside-43816921
(And I'm not arguing that she isn't a dick, but being a dick and deserving a massive fine plus community service for using a word (and it was the word rather than the context that got her here) are two very different things.)
The West Country
Corruption isn't excusable just because the gains are "chump change." Plus, that's just what we know about. It could be just the tip of the iceberg.
It does make me sick when it's covered in warts or is black with some disease lol
Bearlong, Mercunova
Not something I ever needed in my head.
Mercunova
Try watching it. It's worse than any image you currently have in your head.
Mercunova
Stupid timezones keeping me from participating in most CFN discussion.
Nuremgard
You can still add your piece after the fact.
The only thing that I can really add right now is that Merc, like most right-wing libertarians, is pretty conspiracyish.
Bearlong
It's not a conspiracy. It's reality. It's not the politicians in charge, it's their paymasters.
Mercunova
Most of my thoughts on the owners of the country come from George Carlin's work, not fellow libertarians.
And I'm not really conspiracyish otherwise. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald was at least one of the perpetrators in the assassination of JFK and I believe al-Qaeda carried out 9/11.
Jaslandia
But the way that he describes it is like it's a conspiracy, which it isn't. The influence that money has over our political system is mostly an open secret and is the result of converging interests, not some kind of conspiracy.
Why do comedians influence so many people's political views?
Perhaps but that doesn't make it any less true.
Because comedians use humour to make true or insightful observations about the real world. George Carlin is great. He was the most cynical bastard walking and that's what was great about him. He knew how the world worked. He didn't sugarcoat anything.
Jaslandia, Gualimole
What?
I mean, it doesn't matter how Merc says it, he is right in saying that politicians aren't the true rulers.
https://youtu.be/2Iwvu-j7BuY
Nuremgard
The nuance of it still matters.
They need to put restrictions on how much a person can donate to a politician or party.
The people in positions to do that aren't going to.
I wonder why?
We need to ban all private donations and publically fund elections. BTW, there are restrictions in the US on how much a person can donate to a politician or political party.
Nuremgard
Yup. That's the beauty of being your own boss. As a politician, you can set your own wages, set your own rules and laws, choose not to hold yourselves accountable.
Don't see how when presidential candidates amass millions for their campaigns.
Well, and they're paid to not do stuff like that as well.
Well, actually, I was half wrong. There are restrictions on the amount that an organization or individual can make for a politician, but that doesn't apply for SuperPACs.
Paid by us, the biggest mugs on the planet. The public purse is one that'll never run dry.
I agree about publicly funding elections. Give them all the same amount of cash each cycle and leave them to their own devices.
Gualimole
And Vermont is on trending on facebook. That's new
Mercunova, The West Country
https://www.strawpoll.me/15808848/r
I find it odd that Liberal Socialism is beating Social Democrat. I thought there were more
Midasia, The West Country
How are you guys feeling about Fallout 76?
Russkov Soviet
Fallout 76? Their making a new one? Huh. I'll have to look into this, but I'm all for it.
The West Country
I guess you could say I'm excited, but since we know literally no hard facts about it I'm holding off on judging it or riding any hype trains. If it is set in West Virginia like the song eludes to I would be quite happy though.
Russkov Soviet, The West Country
My hope for the new game seriously is at rock bottom and I refuse to raise it until I see Bethesda abandon 90% of what they did in F-4. It doesn't help that it's supposedly being made by a new department, the act of which being mostly negative for games cough Andromeda cough
The West Country
References to the Vault in the previous Fallouts, mainly Fallout 3, say its in the Greater DC area or WV
https://www.strawpoll.me/15817396
What are all those other sexualities and how are they different
A heterosexual is someone who is attracted to the opposite sex.
A bisexual is someone who is attracted to both males and females.
A polysexual is someone who is attracted to males, females, and individuals outside of the binary.
A pansexual is someone who is attracted to all individuals regardless of their sex or gender identity.
A homosexual is someone who is attracted to the same sex.
An asexual is someone who is attracted to nobody.
The West Country
So. Many. Labels.
The West Country
Human sexuality is complicated.
It is. I don't care who people f*ck or how they identify. People should just f*ck whoever they want (as long as it's within the law.)
The West Country
Nobody was arguing against that.
I know nobody was arguing against that. I was putting forth my own thoughts. Is that allowed, mein Fuhrer?
Mercunova
Nobody was arguing that you don't have the right to put forth your own thoughts. Also, Godwin's Law.
You misunderstand Godwin's law like mostly everyone else.
Elaborate.
People often believe that someone who mentions the Nazis or compares their opponent's argument to the Nazis has instantly lost the debate by default. In fact, Godwin's law simply means that the longer a discussion goes on, the more likely it is that Nazi comparisons will be made or the Nazis will be mentioned.
But I never said you lost the argument. I just pointed out that you compared me to the Fuhrer in a discussion that we were having, which is what Godwin's Law is. After the discussion went on for long enough, you compared me to the Fuhrer.
There you go then.
Gualimole
Ah, the age old debate
Midasia
A bisexual person is someone attracted to two sexual groups. Bisexuality is not exclusively male and female, it may involve two of any sex group. For example, XY & XX or XXY & XX or XYY XX or any other combination.
I chose sex group as opposed to gender because gender is an identity.
Question: Should Westminster MPs legislate for abortion and gay marriage in Northern Ireland or should both issues be decided by referendum?
Midasia
As a pro-choice gay male who wants a relationship, I say the government should take over. The people should still be heard. If government fails, let the people vote.
Axeldonia
The government does have the legal authority to do it but the current Prime Minister is being held by the short and curlies by the DUP, a Northern Irish party full of fundamentalist Protestants who are dead-set against abortion and gay marriage. If she did legislate, she'd lose their support so her government would fall. And since she is a spineless, power-hungry bitch, she wont upset the bigots propping up her shambles of an administration.
Midasia
I liked aspects of Fallout 4, my biggest complaint would be that the story was terrible/didnt feel real. I loved Far Harbor and base building, they just need to do a better job with base building. And less of it than 4 had. Also VATS was useless in 4 and should be brought back to NV style.
The West Country
Bisexuality isn't exclusive to just two; bisexuality is an attraction to two or more.
Midasia
That's polysexuality. Bisexuality is exclusive to just two. That's why "bi" is in its name.
Mercunova
For the purposes of the poll, bisexuality is best defined as attraction within the two sexes of male and female.
Mercunova
https://www.strawpoll.me/15817396/r
Wow, one of the only times being straight makes you a minority.
Nuremgard, Jaslandia
That's what you get for being in this region
The West Country
I am playing a dnd campaign with friends. I have decided to adopt the title of 'Super Minority'. I am the only black one, the only gay one, one of the only non-mormons, one of the only without glasses and the only liberal.
Jaslandia
Do you live in Utah?
No, I live in Minnesota. The DM is Mormon and he invited people from his church.
Oh. I live in California.
Midasia
-looks at self- Double minority, then.
Jaslandia
How so?
He is straight and Latino.
ooohhhhhhhhh
And you're from the state of Minnesota.
Midasia
Assembled with Dot's Region Saver.
Written by Refuge Isle.