Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

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Low Down Low
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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Low Down Low »

"Se faire baiser". Thus endeth my French lesson for today.


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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

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Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:25am
"Se faire baiser". Thus endeth my French lesson for today.

Given that Brad Pitt is 60 years old, that's a somewhat curious example.
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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Silent Majority »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:36am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:25am
"Se faire baiser". Thus endeth my French lesson for today.

Given that Brad Pitt is 60 years old, that's a somewhat curious example.
So is the protester. Age appropriate hunk.
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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Low Down Low »

Silent Majority wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:37am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:36am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:25am
"Se faire baiser". Thus endeth my French lesson for today.

Given that Brad Pitt is 60 years old, that's a somewhat curious example.
So is the protester. Age appropriate hunk.
If that's Brad at 60 in the pic, seems alright by me. And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Silent Majority wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:37am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:36am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:25am
"Se faire baiser". Thus endeth my French lesson for today.

Given that Brad Pitt is 60 years old, that's a somewhat curious example.
So is the protester. Age appropriate hunk.
Fair point.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

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Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:43am
And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.
I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by revbob »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 8:29am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:43am
And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.
I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
It is a positive trait for sure. One of a few countries who got the royalty thing sorted out properly.

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Low Down Low »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 8:29am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:43am
And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.
I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
Vague recollection from history lectures was how Paris was redesigned in the 19th century to make the boulevards longer and straighter so as to make it essier for the army to control the protestors. In the current case, I think the anger is more with how Macron is bypassing parliament to railroad through the bill, just the latest example of a western liberal ruler not really all that crazy about democracy.

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 9:15am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 8:29am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:43am
And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.
I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
Vague recollection from history lectures was how Paris was redesigned in the 19th century to make the boulevards longer and straighter so as to make it essier for the army to control the protestors. In the current case, I think the anger is more with how Macron is bypassing parliament to railroad through the bill, just the latest example of a western liberal ruler not really all that crazy about democracy.
Not to defend Macron or anyone anywhere else, but liberal democracies are rooted in a 19th c ideal of slow deliberation, but the complexity of contemporary society, along with the power of the mass media to generate instantaneous reaction, makes for the appearance that democracy doesn't work (especially when the Chinese model exists as a comparison and the sense that their way solves these problems.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Low Down Low »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 10:06am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 9:15am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 8:29am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:43am
And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.
I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
Vague recollection from history lectures was how Paris was redesigned in the 19th century to make the boulevards longer and straighter so as to make it essier for the army to control the protestors. In the current case, I think the anger is more with how Macron is bypassing parliament to railroad through the bill, just the latest example of a western liberal ruler not really all that crazy about democracy.
Not to defend Macron or anyone anywhere else, but liberal democracies are rooted in a 19th c ideal of slow deliberation, but the complexity of contemporary society, along with the power of the mass media to generate instantaneous reaction, makes for the appearance that democracy doesn't work (especially when the Chinese model exists as a comparison and the sense that their way solves these problems.
To be honest, I've seen too many Le Pen far right goons honking the "violation of democracy" horn on the news over the past few days to want to push that needle too far.

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:09pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 10:06am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 9:15am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 8:29am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 7:43am
And these folk losing their shit over the pension age being raised to all of 64, I mean there's talk of it going up to 67 or even 68 here and barely a whimper. The French seem kind of different and I don't mean in a negative way.
I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
Vague recollection from history lectures was how Paris was redesigned in the 19th century to make the boulevards longer and straighter so as to make it essier for the army to control the protestors. In the current case, I think the anger is more with how Macron is bypassing parliament to railroad through the bill, just the latest example of a western liberal ruler not really all that crazy about democracy.
Not to defend Macron or anyone anywhere else, but liberal democracies are rooted in a 19th c ideal of slow deliberation, but the complexity of contemporary society, along with the power of the mass media to generate instantaneous reaction, makes for the appearance that democracy doesn't work (especially when the Chinese model exists as a comparison and the sense that their way solves these problems.
To be honest, I've seen too many Le Pen far right goons honking the "violation of democracy" horn on the news over the past few days to want to push that needle too far.
Oh, definitely, those "populist" goons don't seek to make democracy more responsive in the contemporary world; they, like the fascists and Bolsheviks of a century before, think liberal democracy is a failed experiment and needs to be replaced with authoritarianism, or herrenvolk "democracy."
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Low Down Low »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:23pm
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:09pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 10:06am
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 9:15am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 8:29am


I don't think you can be French without protesting at least once a year. A long and valuable history of bringing violence to their political leaders gives threatening power to their protests.
Vague recollection from history lectures was how Paris was redesigned in the 19th century to make the boulevards longer and straighter so as to make it essier for the army to control the protestors. In the current case, I think the anger is more with how Macron is bypassing parliament to railroad through the bill, just the latest example of a western liberal ruler not really all that crazy about democracy.
Not to defend Macron or anyone anywhere else, but liberal democracies are rooted in a 19th c ideal of slow deliberation, but the complexity of contemporary society, along with the power of the mass media to generate instantaneous reaction, makes for the appearance that democracy doesn't work (especially when the Chinese model exists as a comparison and the sense that their way solves these problems.
To be honest, I've seen too many Le Pen far right goons honking the "violation of democracy" horn on the news over the past few days to want to push that needle too far.
Oh, definitely, those "populist" goons don't seek to make democracy more responsive in the contemporary world; they, like the fascists and Bolsheviks of a century before, think liberal democracy is a failed experiment and needs to be replaced with authoritarianism, or herrenvolk "democracy."
My reading may be faulty but way I see it in France right now is the left is getting shafted again, or at least those whose cause the left professes to champion, while the far right shimmies in to rake up the political capital and yet, when it comes to vote time, the likes of Macron will take the former for granted and seek to pander to the latter because you do whatever it takes to keep your mitts on power. And some conscientious liberals will say, don't worry, it's all a ploy and we'll pivot left once we reach the Elysee Palace and they almost never do.

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

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Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:43pm
My reading may be faulty but way I see it in France right now is the left is getting shafted again, or at least those whose cause the left professes to champion, while the far right shimmies in to rake up the political capital and yet, when it comes to vote time, the likes of Macron will take the former for granted and seek to pander to the latter because you do whatever it takes to keep your mitts on power. And some conscientious liberals will say, don't worry, it's all a ploy and we'll pivot left once we reach the Elysee Palace and they almost never do.
The norm of Canadian federal politics is that the centrist Liberals will campaign leftish when competitive against the Conservatives, counting on social democrats to regard them as the better than the Conservatives (and hoping for a crumb or two). The success depends largely on how bad whatever Liberal scandal of the times is. When the Liberals are in a strong position they dispense with any socdem rhetoric.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Low Down Low »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:53pm
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:43pm
My reading may be faulty but way I see it in France right now is the left is getting shafted again, or at least those whose cause the left professes to champion, while the far right shimmies in to rake up the political capital and yet, when it comes to vote time, the likes of Macron will take the former for granted and seek to pander to the latter because you do whatever it takes to keep your mitts on power. And some conscientious liberals will say, don't worry, it's all a ploy and we'll pivot left once we reach the Elysee Palace and they almost never do.
The norm of Canadian federal politics is that the centrist Liberals will campaign leftish when competitive against the Conservatives, counting on social democrats to regard them as the better than the Conservatives (and hoping for a crumb or two). The success depends largely on how bad whatever Liberal scandal of the times is. When the Liberals are in a strong position they dispense with any socdem rhetoric.
It was either Blair - topical reference on the 20th anniversary of his most seismic political intervention - or his sidekick Mandelson who captured the British left dilemma with a pithy "They have no place else to go", a calculation still very valid today. And speaking of French politics, one stark pattern of last year's presidential election was the amount of horseshoe stuff being spouted before the run off, how leftist Melenchon voters were going to put Le Pen in the Palace. As it turned out, those left voters were key to Macrons victory and polls conducted at the time suggested Macron voters would not have returned the favour the other way round.

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Re: Return of the Mighty Observations Thread

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 2:32pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:53pm
Low Down Low wrote:
19 Mar 2023, 1:43pm
My reading may be faulty but way I see it in France right now is the left is getting shafted again, or at least those whose cause the left professes to champion, while the far right shimmies in to rake up the political capital and yet, when it comes to vote time, the likes of Macron will take the former for granted and seek to pander to the latter because you do whatever it takes to keep your mitts on power. And some conscientious liberals will say, don't worry, it's all a ploy and we'll pivot left once we reach the Elysee Palace and they almost never do.
The norm of Canadian federal politics is that the centrist Liberals will campaign leftish when competitive against the Conservatives, counting on social democrats to regard them as the better than the Conservatives (and hoping for a crumb or two). The success depends largely on how bad whatever Liberal scandal of the times is. When the Liberals are in a strong position they dispense with any socdem rhetoric.
It was either Blair - topical reference on the 20th anniversary of his most seismic political intervention - or his sidekick Mandelson who captured the British left dilemma with a pithy "They have no place else to go", a calculation still very valid today. And speaking of French politics, one stark pattern of last year's presidential election was the amount of horseshoe stuff being spouted before the run off, how leftist Melenchon voters were going to put Le Pen in the Palace. As it turned out, those left voters were key to Macrons victory and polls conducted at the time suggested Macron voters would not have returned the favour the other way round.
Same shit here. I'd wager to say that 80% of Liberal voters would switch Conservative rather than NDP. I know that Conservatives will go out of their way to attack the common good; Liberals will do it more pragmatically.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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