Yes, as a lapsed one myself, I believe they preach it as they need it the most, as the self proclaimed representatives of the creator of the universe would, when happening to be historical blood thirsty, wealth hoarding, human trafficking paedophile harbourers they are at their political core. Regardless, forgiveness is a necessary and helpful human value which religion did not invent, much like all of the moral arguments in apology of religion. If it works for you, thats fine. My position is also based on having grown up in it.

This is catholicism we’re talking about.

But the old farts are growing in numbers, so to what degree were conservatives always that way, in other words are people becoming newly/more conservative about immigrants in their old age, or will the more liberal young ones of today bring this more open attitude into their old age , lessening conservatism over time?

This is anthropomorphic thinking. But in order to express the concept that aggressions and other interactions could increase toward species who have built their overinflated infrastructures across migration paths, territories or outright destroyed swathes of habitat of other species, yeh they probably are hella angry at these stupid hairless apes.

Assuming this is sarcasm, I’m fine with being reminded of the CCP’s continuing disregard for international law, basic law of HK, and their pissing all over the joint declaration. Whether or not we saw it coming, its bad for the people of HK, China and the world. And it hasn’t been two decades since the regression got underway with this current clique of psychopaths anyway. Things were somewhat optimistic 10 years ago on both sides of the border. There were concerns, but the agreed arrangement which they’ve now torn up in order to turn HK into a dystopia, was working. Unfortunately positive human development is incompatible with insecure authoritarians. All of these developments are sad.

I just finished Burmese Days, and as someone who grew up in a (former) British colony, it hits hard. Orwell had his finger on the pulse of the 20th century and spoke very plainly about what he saw around him, and most importantly within himself. Something we could all do more of.

This should not be happening.

I don’t have any skin in this game, but what are the Orwellian talking points you refer to? I’m curious how this term is used and develops over time.

No wonder it descended into a mob. They ordered ribs and got livers. Sounded pretty orderly saying that.

They’ve been increasing usage relatively fast. Air quality is an apparent motivator, but being less sufficient on coal , as well as increasing energy demands with of course massive (though recently slowing) growth of middle class population and their consumeristic and life needs are also motivators. I’m not sure of the share of generation. There is a fair amount of NIMBYism in China if you check on local or regional news occassionally. I’m not sure about recently but nuclear plants under construction have had protests, as well as serial polluting factories and other cases. I’m not sure if those qualify as NIMBYism but there is a culture of dissent where it affects the outcomes of especially individuals, believe it or not. None of this is in defence of the CCP who can go suck an egg and who have been much more stern in their responses to dissent in recent years.

It is their responsibility , though it should be at pain of death (of their profits), to innovate in order to supply what we demand sustainability. The problem is they are not compelled to do so by any mechanism - regulatory, or market driven. And worse than that , the biggest and most culpable perpetrators of these crimes against humanity (and all other living species present and future) have actively campaigned to misinform, divide and conquer, politicize, deflect and distract (including shifting all responsibility to the individual) since they’ve known for decades that this is coming and when they alone had the means and capital to adapt, innovate, research and develop solutions for the good of all, including themselves if they’d only planned for something other than their own pockets this financial quarter.

So it shouldn’t continue to be exposed ? Let the bad news (for Nestle) blow over ?

https://archive.is/2024.04.19-081756/https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/04/18/ukraine-is-ignoring-us-warnings-to-end-drone-operations-inside-russia

You are complimenting them on their humanism, not their adherence to their religion. Which is fine. It’s the religion which has had to adjust itself to remain acceptable to its fee paying subscribers. As a lapsed Catholic myself , the theme of conversion, and evangelism was a fairly regular one at the weekly groaningly boring sermon. If your friends weren’t attempting to convert you I credit their social awareness, and again general humanism considering that at the back of their heads they have to agree , lest burn themselves, that you are going to burn in hell for eternity for not being a member of the same club. That trusted functional adults told me that repeatedly through my childhood while living in an otherwise decent, civil society is a credit to the social education my family and community gave me and each other otherwise. We cherry pick from the brutal bronze age texts but the pickings get slimmer and slimmer and the choices we make are filtered based on our actual humanity and ethical social standard of our time. Perhaps the official doctrine has since shifted - I grew up in the 70s/80s - but I don’t really care. Crediting people for their actual actions despite their environment is where I’ve ended up. I do disagree though with you saying their religion doesn’t spoil them. Being told by the apparently literal mouthpiece of God on earth that the universe was created for you and that (s)he keeps a constant tab on you and your prayers because you are a member of the club? Doesn’t get much more earthly and spoilt . Like being quietly and modestly told by your parents that you are really better than all other kid on earth. If the parents choose not to spoil their kids materialistically or otherwise, thats the work and choice of the parents, not their religion, let alone the work of the imaginary cloud man.

Thanks for your analysis. I was busy being angry about Bro Jogan and this diffused it and brought me back to the more important topic. I’ll give the memorandum a read.

Understood . Pretty fascinating as a (many times) visitor. But glad its somewhere I could leave for greener pastures. Many there wish they could do the same I’m sure.

Go check it out yourself dude. My experience is quite different to what is so often reported - such as your point about the high speed rail. The complaints the people using it make are valid (its very experience for example) but it is far from unused. Getting on the things are almost always a gladatorial survival experience, and there are people standing (or sitting on their bags) in the aisles. All anecdotal of course. I guess your point is to do with the absolute control the state (likes to think it) has, including with large vanity engineering projects, the zero rule of law, loose and unfair regulation if any, zero workers rights and so in. All things which give most shareholders of multinationals a huge case of genital envy. The place is beyond hyper consumeristic. None of our concepts or categories apply neatly, because the place , much like the world, is massive, complex, and diverse, with many challenges. If anything I think of it as authoritarian capitalism. True socialist concepts are long gone in actual practice there.

The damage done to his life so far is the point. The implication being: it is intended to have a chilling effect on any potential whistleblowers. The absolute ideal for this hegemonic superpower, and any other for that matter, is to have complete freedom to break international law, with impunity, behind completely closed and sealed doors. To ‘protect its interests’ and any human cost without any repercussion. Being exposed doing what they were doing in this case, not that it was the first, has resulted in a ridiculously disproportionate response for this reason. A platform for whistleblowers to easily and anonymously get info to journalists for them to then properly verify, and when and if appropriate report on? Thats a bridge too far. Many commenting here, and the same occurred throughout this whole fiasco, like to get distracted quibbling over the details, but the implications are far wider for us as individuals and as a wider democratic society: if we properly believe in that concept. Governments and militaries have an uncomfortable relationship with the fourth estate. But actual journalism, if we assume this is what we are referring to, is one of the few hopes we have that citizens can be informed politically, rather than devolving into nationalistic drones.

Indeed. Unfortunately thats not how they see it. Also you need to be specific about which China you are referring to on this matter. The PRC is implied I guess, though imo the CCP are the organisation you should address as they’re in charge of the PLA and associated forces currently, unfortunately.

“Sack of raisins” is a euphemism right? Something to do with Prince Andrew ?

“Maggots by Design” is a good name for a metal band . Pink logo