Athis

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Posts posted by Athis

  3. Posted

    Thank you guys for those moments of hilarious absurdity - cracked me up. 

    Caves of Qud actually looks good; it has very positive reviews on Steam.

    Pathfinder looks good too.

    I miss these shows what you go mia; always good to hear from Rowan.

    I think Michael is right about the inevitable outrage from right wing culture warriors about leftie agendas infecting their games.

  4. Posted

    Late to the party, but still why not!

    The guys give the princesses a hard time during this show....because I think they dont know what princesses are for.

    Princesses have one function imo - making babies; sending them off across the map as diplomats is a waste.

    Merchants also are useful and dont have to go to the ends of the earth to pay their way. A merchant can reach a decent resource within 4 or 5 turns and reimburse his hiring cost in another 4 or 5 turns. Not a gold mine in the early game, but a steady earner. Later when you can get them to remote resources it gets better.

    Rebels are fodder for training up spies and young generals. Before sending in the general to remove them I usually have a novice spy gain some ranks by spying on them them for a a few turns.

    Overall a good show - as usual; thanks

     

  7. Posted

    41 minutes ago, Twig said:

    But all your responses are just "you just don't like my views" and then basically accusing everyone of being unreasonable for expecting you to put more thought into why you disagree. "You just don't like my views" is not an argument.

     

    Also: Trump is already pissing off China, and, as you say, he's not even inaugurated yet. WAIT AND SEE, WAIT AND SEE.

     

    Survival of human race: like refusing to admit climate change is real, and nominating the CEO of ExxonMobil for Secretary of State, eh?

     

    Meanwhile: Russia will gladly go to war. Are you blind to what they're already doing? Feeling more secure in its relationship with the US won't stop them.

     

     

    As I said there are issues with Trump and his in-coming administration; how often must I write that?

    Climate change is one of those issues - I do not support denial of the impact of human industrial civilisation on the biosphere

    My estimation of Trump as the lesser evil is not an endorsement of all his beliefs and policies and appointments

     

    As to Trump's presidency - if it happens - we will see what unfolds; so wait and see; I agree with you there

     

    My hope is he will behave true to form as a deal maker and endeavour to make deals with China and Russia et al

    Along the way he will upset lots of people - guaranteed; especially the liberal media which reports his every move in negative terms

     

     

     

     

  8. Posted

    On 12/8/2016 at 7:56 PM, Twig said:

    Why do you ignore when people offer actual real evidence of Trump doing bad things?

     

    I have responded; it's just that you and others dont like my views

    I have clearly said multiple times that there are many issues with Trump; he is not ideal at all; far from it

    I therefore agree in a general sense with those who have issues with Trump

    even if I dont agree with many of their particular points

     

    Trump is in my estimation the lesser threat to world peace today

    If he follows through on what he said thus far he will be unlikely to push us towards war with Russia

    So far his cabinet choices look good in that respect - even if there are multiple problems with them in other ways

    In my estimation the avoidance of WW3 - which is what war with Russia and China would be - is paramount

    The survival of human civilisation is more important than liberal sensibilities and having an opinion and pretty much everything else

     

    Perhaps people here do not see the global situation as being as dangerous as I do?

     

    We still dont know if he will be actually elected so you guys may yet get what you want

    I wont believe he will actually govern until he gets through the electoral college and is inaugurated 

     

     

     

  10. Posted

    3 hours ago, Gorbles said:

    Concrete examples, that I (and presumably others) counterpointed with examples from Trump and / or his team. Which were then ignored, or dismissed as some kind of hysteria on social media ;)

    Yes it was obvious to me there was widespread hysteria on social media. Why is it so terrible to simply state that fact?

    The objections I got to that had nothing to do with the facts; people just wanted to disagree with me because they misunderstand what my opinion is.

    They think I am a right wing supporter of Trump; which I am not.

    I have stated in my comments there are multiple issues with Trump; but he is in my opinion the lesser evil.

    Obviously you believe he is the greater evil. So we have different opinions. Fine

  12. Posted

    17 hours ago, tabacco said:

     

    You sure showed me with that substantive comeback.

     

    I have presented my views in a series of posts and with explanations

    I know that my views are quite different to many others posting here and that is why some object to what I say and how I say it

    If I were standing in front of you, you might dislike my haircut or my accent

    But these are not relevant matters; they are ad hominem remarks and I will not deal with them

     

    I am relieved Clinton was defeated; but that does not mean I am happy with Trump

    Neither candidate was a good choice for the world 

    But in my estimation Trump was the lesser evil in terms of world peace

     

    I am only giving an opinion; my best estimate of the situation; based on my care for the world

    I do not claim omniscience or that my perceptions are reality

    They are my perceptions and opinions

    I realise time may prove me mistaken - or not

    We shall see

     

  14. Posted

    2 hours ago, Gorbles said:

     

    People being loud or angry on social media doesn't mean people are being wrong on social media. That's an equivalence that has a history associated with it, and not a good one.

     

    Yes when populations are in shock bad things can happen

    But I predict this will pass and things will settle down

    For a while

    Generally I would say we are moving into very uncertain times

    Potentially dangerous times

     

  15. Posted

    10 hours ago, Gorbles said:

    @xchen

     

    I don't think "I don't believe he will continue with his bad policies that he has already garnered public and party support for" is a great counterargument, I'm afraid.

     

    Besides the proposed database of Muslims (which has so many parallels to Nazi Germany that prominent Jewish people have said they'd put themselves on it for solidarity and support), we have commitments to repealing transgender protections (put in place by Obama's adminstration), foreign policy that allows Russian criminal acts to go less-challenged (by pulling back from NATO and supporting Putin, Trump emboldens Putin's categorical inarguable action of invading sovereign countries in peacetime, with no provocation), repealing Obamacare (and talks of replacements set to exclude hereditary or otherwise genetic conditions) and the inclusion of former Goldman Sachs employees on his team . . . there is a long list of things based on campaign promises that movement is already being made on.

     

    I'm from the UK, I've been through Brexit (the referendum and associated political manouvres, to clarify). We saw a lot of rhetoric about it being better for the economy.

     

    It wasn't. It isn't, and it will continue not to be even as we actually move to invoke Article 50. It will cost us billions, and in preparation for that the Government is cutting spending to education, local government and medical institutions like the NHS.

     

    I have very little faith the US will manage a reversal of this considering the sorry state things like your healthcare are and were in. The moves Trump have been making do not inspire confidence in a platform that can invigourate the American economy. He's a multi-million dollar businessman (I'm being charitable here) with links to former Presidents (remember when he met Bill Clinton, years back?) and other political bodies. He is not an "outsider". He might not be a Republican, but that's hardly a qualification you need to shout about.

     

     

    Speak for yourself, and only yourself.

     

    There are plenty of facts available for people to be able to be worried about the man and the platform he represents. Do not dismiss peoples' fears and concerns by suggesting their view of reality is warped in some way. This isn't to say that this is an impossible notion, but this is not the generalisation that you want to be making.

     

    The difference between your repeated criticisms of Obama and your repeated defense of Trump is simple: Obama not achieving all he aimed for (against a Senate that was controlled by an opposing party in a two-party system) does not lead to as bad an outcome as Trump turning out to be as bad as people are saying. Assuming you're right about Obama does not bring peoples' worst fears to pass. Assuming I (or other poster) are right about Trump brings them to pass.

     

    I do stand by my generalisation

    Which is my perception and opinion

    You of course are free to exempt yourself

    I have many friends reporting a veritable firestorm on their social media accounts

    People are in shock; but things will settle down in time

     

  16. Posted

    Thanks you for replies guys

    I just present my perceptions and opinions

     

    At the moment people are so shocked by the election, and their perceptions are so completely distorted by the intense media propaganda that accompanied it

    that almost no one is capable of making a clear rational estimation of Trump.

    (I include myself in that)

     

    Most of the outpourings in media reports and opinion pieces and the population are expressions of a sort of mass hysteria

    It seems to me to be a mirror image of the mass hysteria in the media and the population that accompanied Obama's election eight years ago

    Obama turned out not to be the agent of the hope & change he promised to be

    I dont think Trump will turn out to be the monster many seem to think he is

    But I may be mistaken; only time will tell

     

    Meanwhile I dont believe the hysteria and fear mongering in the media

    I will wait and watch and see what he will actually do

  17. Posted

    20 hours ago, Gorbles said:

     

    Why would you be more concerned about Clinton than Trump?

     

    If your concern is that she has lied to the people, so has Trump. If your concern is foreign policy, Trump has just as many warning bells (that I think Gormongous kindly explained). If your concern is exploitation and a lack of protection for impoverished classes, Trump isn't going to help there either (case in point: he's committed to repealing transgender rights passed by Obama's administration).

     

    For every bad aspect I can think of around Clinton, Trump is just as bad if not worse. This doesn't absolve Clinton at all, but I struggle to understand how you were more concerned should Clinton have won the electoral vote.

     

    For the reasons I wrote above

    Her belligerent foreign policy record and rhetoric

    Clinton is a Wall Street democrat. At heart she is a neocon with a faux progressive sugar coating

    The Clintons were responsible for some of the most regressive and destructive legislation in recent decades

    NAFTA

    The prison industrial complex

    The repeal of Glass–Steagall and unleashing the scourge of derivatives which precipitated the financial crisis of 2007/8

    Gutting welfare

    The destruction of Libya

    The Clintons and their foundation are under multiple possibly criminal investigations at the moment - pay-to-play; the emails etc

    it goes on and on

     

    My primary concern is the safety of the world at this crucial time of rising geopolitical tensions

    Trump will be a cooler head in my estimation

    Trump is not a neocon; he is a tough deal maker by nature; which is exactly what the world needs; deals not wars

     

    That does not mean I will like or approve of everything he does...

    But in times like these we must put aside quibbles about political  correctness and his crude and crushing victories over his adversaries to win the White House

     

    I predict that Trump will be the most competent and effective US head of state in decades

     

     

     

  18. Posted

    13 minutes ago, Gorbles said:

    If you're left-wing, then you have absolutely nothing to gain by playing down concerns of Trump. I can understand the criticism of the Democratic party completely, but you can oppose Trump and oppose the current tactics of how the Democrats engage with issues.

     

    I understand concerns about Trump

    I share them

    I was more concerned about Clinton

    But I am not cheering because she lost

    I am not sure whether the worst was averted

    or if the worst still lies ahead

  19. Posted

    6 minutes ago, SuperBiasedMan said:

    Out of curiosity Athis, what do you identify as politically?

     

    I would be somewhere on the left

    My preferred option would have been Sanders

    I think he would have defeated Trump

    But that is moot

    The democratic party has lost its way

    I hope its severe defeat in this election cycle will prompt some serious reviewing of direction and policy

  21. Posted

    To my perspective centre liberal encompasses most liberal progressives in the US usually democrats

    Of course all of these terms mean different things in different places and minds

    and one could argue about the spectrum of views and the validity of right/left designations etc

    I use the terms loosely to describe the right and the left wings of the corporate media cartel

    In my opinion the real left wing lies outside the mainstream media spectrum in the US

     

     

     

  23. Posted

    Well I am not pitching in to defend Trump; but he is clearly not a failure by any rational or objective measure

    He is only a failure in the minds of people who see him in exclusively negative terms

    The estimate figure of his wealth I gave is from Forbes this Sept; but really no one knows exactly what he is worth; perhaps not even Trump himself

    and since his wealth is so invested in real estate and in multiple countries it's value is constantly changing according to markets

    But any way to look at it he has taken a very good start in life and expanded it exponentially

     

    There are definitely issues with inherited wealth and the elite families and their foundations etc

    In my opinion the US political system has been entirely usurped by capital

    As has the media (6 mega corps own all significant media)

    Democracy cannot function in such a circumstance it seems to me

    The Houses of Congress and the presidency do not reflect the will of the people

     

     

  25. Posted

    10 minutes ago, Wooben said:

    I'm interested in what you actually think of the counterpoints people have given. I know it can be tricky pushing back on a forum that is clearly liberal home turf, and the back and forth has in my opinion passed the point of anyone actually registering what the other side has to say, but I'm just curious of what you're expectations are based on precedents Trump has set for himself as outlined in many of the posts above, or whether you don't have any beyond 'only time will tell'.

     

    Yes, the tone and content of the replies sends a very clear message that my perspective is unwelcome in this forum

    and I dont want to argue about it

    But to your specific question about Trump - I see an extraordinary individual who has created enormous personal success in his life thus far

    As a man accustomed to leading and directing large numbers of people he will be a very capable president in practical terms

    but what he will actually do when he gets into office, I have no idea

    I prefer to wait and see

    I will judge him by his actions