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Apple Talk / Re: TIME magazine accidentally do some real reporting. Also, robots
« on: Today at 04:39:00 pm »
You could always tell her "ignore this statement", and see if she implodes due to the logic bomb you just dropped on her.
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Apple Talk / TIME magazine accidentally do some real reporting. Also, robots
« on: Today at 04:30:24 pm »
Robots trained to deny they are robots. This is the first step, mark my words. It's medicare one day, and then BOOM, Skynet.
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Aneristic Illusions / Re: North Korea demands an ass-kicking at the hands of South Korea.
« on: Today at 04:22:28 pm »
This article explains the conditions in North Korea quite nicely
http://newfocusintl.com/insider-perspective-removal-jang-song-taek/?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer8f42c&utm_medium=twitter
http://newfocusintl.com/insider-perspective-removal-jang-song-taek/?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer8f42c&utm_medium=twitter
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The betrayal of Choe Ryong Hae, who had been appointed to lead the KPA General Political Bureau as the right hand man of Jang Song Taek in 2012, was fatal for Jang. Although Choe Ryong Hae’s appointment as a leading military figure looked good, he had no military experience or military education, and was consequently ostracised among military circles. Moreover, with powers of military appointment and guidance in the hands of the OGD, Choe held no enforceable powers. Acknowledging that he was at the mercy of military forces, Choe turned his allegiance to the OGD.
It is in this context that while the removal of Jang Song Taek may suggest that Kim Jong Un’s power has been cemented, the opposite is in fact the case. Kim Jong Un’s opportunity to rely on his uncle Jang Song Taek and aunt Kim Kyong Hui has been curtailed by those loyal to his father Kim Jong Il and the OGD.
The OGD controls the personal bodyguards of Kim Jong Un, which makes them the most powerful institution in North Korea: the office of protecting Kim Jong Un goes hand in hand with the ability to control directly his contact with the outside world. However influential the power of Jang Song Taek and the Ministry of People’s Security, this was an issue in which there was no competition as long as Kim Jong Un was head of state. When even his meetings with his aunt and uncle Kim Kyong Hui and Jang Song Taek have had to go through the OGD, Jang Song Taek’s removal was not insurmountable.
There is always a discrepancy between a North Korean player’s surface or public role and their de facto powers. This was the discrepancy perfected by Kim Jong Il in order to play off rivals and check their powers. One who publicly held authority over a vertical structure was not allowed de facto powers in that role; and one with such de facto powers was not allowed to hold a corresponding public role. This was Kim Jong Il’s ‘cross-shaped rule’, which in Kim Jong Un’s time has become a ‘cross-shaped nightmare’ for many.
Kim Jong Un has lost an option and a faction to play on, and is surrounded more firmly by those who emphasise military policies. We envision that North Korea’s external and internal policies in the next few months will reflect this development.
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Apple Talk / Re: Privilege: Now with established precedent!
« on: Today at 04:11:01 pm »
To be fair, Texas and white teenager with rich parents.
It was only this because they couldn't find some other technicality, like standing his ground against evil pedestrians or something.
It was only this because they couldn't find some other technicality, like standing his ground against evil pedestrians or something.
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Aneristic Illusions / Re: North Korea demands an ass-kicking at the hands of South Korea.
« on: Today at 04:08:57 pm »
He's still a puppet.
The Korean military orchestrated this. Taek was the key liason to the Chinese government. China wants to strengthen the Korean Workers Party, to open the country to trade and foreign investment. That would significantly weaken the position of the military, who control most of the economy. Taek was the man behind the throne, the key power broker among the civilian leadership of the country.
Now the military don't have anyone to stop them pulling Jong-Un's strings. Game, set, match.
The Korean military orchestrated this. Taek was the key liason to the Chinese government. China wants to strengthen the Korean Workers Party, to open the country to trade and foreign investment. That would significantly weaken the position of the military, who control most of the economy. Taek was the man behind the throne, the key power broker among the civilian leadership of the country.
Now the military don't have anyone to stop them pulling Jong-Un's strings. Game, set, match.
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Apple Talk / Re: Open Bar: ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL
« on: Today at 12:49:14 pm »
In that vein, I've emailed Bioware asking for explicit permission to do my playthrough, for proof in case a Youtube copyright troll comes after me. I know other people have done it before, but those people have partnerships and affiliations, which means they have assistance if Youtube says "take it down lol". I don't, so I can only rely on explicit permission in the case of a dispute.
We'll see if they get back to me.
We'll see if they get back to me.
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Apple Talk / Re: PICS VIII: 10% LARGER THAN PICS VII
« on: Today at 12:47:21 pm »
Lies.
"Worse any not limerick's this" doesnt make any sense at all.
"Worse any not limerick's this" doesnt make any sense at all.
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Apple Talk / Re: Open Bar: ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL
« on: Today at 12:08:50 pm »
Update on the Youtube copyright situation
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Literate Chaotic / Re: Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
« on: Today at 10:06:49 am »
Chapter 99-101 are up.
Chapter 99 is a corker. So much so, I'm going to repost the whole thing. Is your body ready? Brace yourself...
Chapter 99 is a corker. So much so, I'm going to repost the whole thing. Is your body ready? Brace yourself...
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Ten days later, the first dead unicorn was found in the Forbidden Forest.
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Aneristic Illusions / Re: News Stories Which Highlight the Structure of the System
« on: Today at 09:58:04 am »
More from Hopsicker on the American plane which crashed in Mexico carrying several tons of cocaine:
For what it's worth on the drug-running/rendition angle...I've heard rumours that more than just people are taken on those rendition flights. Only rumours, supposition and suspicions, no evidence. But when you've got a secret, international smuggling system with state sanction, well, whose to say it wont be hijacked to serve multiple goals?
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The affidavit sates, “On September 24, 2007, a 1975 Gulfstream II turbo jet bearing tail number N987SA crashed in the Yucatan Peninsula while carrying 3723 kilograms of cocaine, which was recovered by the Mexican Government, as documented by DEA Mexico City.”
“N987SA was owned by Donna Blue Aircraft Inc, which was subsequently identified as a front company for a Tampa Florida-based ICE undercover operation named Operation Mayan Jaguar.” (emphasis mine.)
The “Tampa-based ICE undercover operation” likely provided “cover” for a CIA operation, which “sheep-dipped” an already-owned CIA plane, the Gulfstream II, to a dummy front company, Donna Blue Aircraft.
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Bill Conroy of NarcoNews had reported that the now-mangled drug plane had been used for at least a decade by the CIA to fly "extraordinary renditions “to the US base in Guantanamo and to ferry extradited drug traffickers from Colombia to the USA.
At least on the surface, the DEA affidavit appears to indicate otherwise.
On the other hand, there is the possibility that the DEA was looking at pilots O’Conner and Smith as “persons of interest” in drug trafficking investigations at the same time the CIA was employing them as pilots?
Anyone who remembers Barry Seal would seem to have no trouble answering, at least tentatively, “yes.”
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This is a case of ICE running amok,” a DEA source told Conroy. “If this [operation] was being run by the book, they would not be doing it unilaterally” – without the participation of DEA – “and without the knowledge of the Mexican government.”
For my part, I’d interviewed the No 2 DEA official in Miami, who insisted on anonymity for reasons which will soon become obvious.
In my whiniest citizen-journalist voice, I asked him plaintively, “How come you guys aren’t investigating the planes out of St Petersburg busted with 10 tons of cocaine?”
He calmly replied that one Federal Agency does not, as a matter of course, investigate the operations of another Federal Agency.
What had been exposed by the Dc-9 and Gulfstream II seizures, he said, was a rogue U.S. Customs operation (ICE is part of Customs, which in turn is part of Homeland Security).
For further answers, he pointed my to the Homeland Security’s Office of Professional Responsibility, charged with investigating internal misconduct.
Five years later, I’m still waiting to hear back from them.
For what it's worth on the drug-running/rendition angle...I've heard rumours that more than just people are taken on those rendition flights. Only rumours, supposition and suspicions, no evidence. But when you've got a secret, international smuggling system with state sanction, well, whose to say it wont be hijacked to serve multiple goals?
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Apple Talk / Re: PICS VIII: 10% LARGER THAN PICS VII
« on: Today at 09:42:14 am »
What's really amusing is that for an aspiring "Otaku King", he really hates Japanese culture.
ANIMU AND MANGOES R CULTURE THO
ANIMU AND MANGOES R CULTURE THO
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Apple Talk / Re: Relax Kiddies, Santa Is White. And, So Was Jesus
« on: Today at 09:27:03 am »My Heathen friend says that the Odin connection is legit, not in the sense that Santa Claus "is" Odin as you would see in a syncretic religion, but in that as the Santa Claus/St. Nicholas folklore has evolved it has absorbed a number of characteristics from Odin folklore.
Yeah, that was my understanding too. Odin led the Wild Hunt in the sky at Yuletime...elements of which influenced the idea of Santa flying through the sky at Christmas, and may have influenced his appearance too (one of Odin's names being "longbeard", for example). These elements were incorporated into the Sinterklass tradition, which is probably the main precursor to Santa Claus.
However, Santa Claus is not Odin. He is clearly Turkish.
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Apple Talk / Re: PICS VIII: 10% LARGER THAN PICS VII
« on: Today at 09:18:44 am »
The blog in question is a well known troll blog in the anime community. Apparently a retraction was made about getting fired, but since the whole blog is private, I cannot read it.
This shows you're not missing out on much, though.
This shows you're not missing out on much, though.
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I think I’ve honestly always hated real women ever since I was young. From my own bitchy mother who left my father, to the first girl I’ve ever had a crush on in grade school, to the first girl I ever dated in high school. I feel like it’s an instinct of mine to hate real women. I feel like as an Otaku King in training, it’s also my duty to hate women. Anime has shown me this. It has shown me that 2D is far superior and I shouldn’t accept any substitutes.
Real women are disgusting, greedy, fat, have big breasts, and only use men as an accessory for status. Without men, women would find no value because they define their value by the man they’re with. Real women just take, take, TAKE. And they only think about themselves. I hate women because they don’t love me. So they should die.
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Apple Talk / Re: Open Bar: ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL
« on: Today at 08:17:50 am »Sweet merciful fuck do you SEE some shit when you close your eyes with a fever. I almost got a case of the holies but then I just felt really tired instead.
Wait until fever dreams. Hot damn.
Hell yeah. I can even tell I'm coming down with a fever before the symptoms start because my dreams start getting screwy.
