Well played, Snoop.

True sign of aging: you are beginning to like "breakfast blend"...

Terminal case of aging: you buy Foldgers tins...

No, the real sin is 'donut house' coffee. For people who want to experience watered down Duncan Donuts coffee at home,

<Quietly sips his tea in bliss>

Burrito of Peace wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 09:42:
I look at the world today and cannot help but see some parallels with the world that existed in the early 1930s.

I've been thinking about this for the past month. My current analysis of the parallels:

The current state of geopolitics in the world is looking very much like the runnup to WW2. Not sure where Israel-Hamas fits in here.

1930s & 1940s >>> Today

So far:

Germany elects Hitler after economic collapse >>> Russia elects Putin after 1990s economic collapse

Persecution of Jews >>> Persecution of Uighurs

Japan expands illegally into China >>> China expands illegally into the SCS

Japan, Germany sign Anti-Comintern Pact >>> Russia, China unveil anti-US, NATO pact Feb. 2022

US cuts off oil to Japan >>> US cuts off chips to China (modern day oil)

Germany annexes Austria (Anschluss) >>> Russia annexes Crimea

Munich Agreement (Appeasement of Hilter) >>> No official appeasement, but little response to Crimea in 2014, thus no deterrent effect to Putin

Germany invades Poland >>> Russia invades Ukraine

Next:

Japan attacks US at Pearl to facilitate invading Malaya, Philippines, Guam >>> Chinese missile strikes on US bases at Kadena, Osan, Andersen to facilitate invading Taiwan

Isolationists now and then:

1939: "Hitler will be happy with Poland. It's not our problem. Who cares about Poland?"

2023: "Putin will be happy with Ukraine. It's not our problem. Who cares about Ukraine?"

The Flying Penguin wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 12:23:
Well played, Snoop.

I knew it was going to end up being a pun of some sort, but I didn't expect this. Well-played indeed.

Burrito of Peace wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 09:42:
I look at the world today and cannot help but see some parallels with the world that existed in the early 1930s.

I take a very 'big picture' view of most things, but I do know through the several instances of history into which I delved deeply that history is extremely cyclical. There will always be parallels. Very few things that happen throughout history happen for the first time anymore. The only exception seems to be when new technology is introduced. Electricity, automobiles, the moon landing, the atomic bomb, the internet, AI... they and hundreds of others have ushered in new norms, but they never change the one constant - humankind goes to war. A lot. The only change in that is how efficient we become at it. Of course you will see parallels, and patterns. We have followed this script a thousand times, and will continue to do so. It's just who we are as a species.

This comment was edited on Nov 20, 2023, 16:34.

jdreyer wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 14:54:
<snipped for brevity but I agree>

Add to that "Countries starting voting in authoritarian, fascist leaning (if not outright fascist) leaders who promise a return to glory".

Germans->Hilter >>> US->Trump. While it is true that we ousted Trump, we have not ousted the Nazi Light party of the Republicans.
Italians->Mussolini >>> Britain->Every goddamned pro-Brexit stooge possible. Highly ineffective while preaching isolationist rhetoric.

/---\

Prez, I do not disagree with you in that while history does not repeat itself, it sure as Hell rhymes. I look at the patterns in order to better arm myself against the almost universal outcomes of the cyclical nature of human behavior.

Prez, I do not disagree with you in that while history does not repeat itself, it sure as Hell rhymes. I look at the patterns in order to better arm myself against the almost universal outcomes of the cyclical nature of human behavior.

You're a smart dude. I suffer from terminal indifference on the other hand. I just take what comes, and deal with it. There's very little I can influence to make anything more than a ripple in a vast ocean. Who is going to listen to me? Why would they?

I hardly ever post links anymore but I am making the extra effort because this is too perfect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZuqe9-Ve70

jdreyer wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 14:54:

Burrito of Peace wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 09:42:
I look at the world today and cannot help but see some parallels with the world that existed in the early 1930s.

I've been thinking about this for the past month. My current analysis of the parallels:

The current state of geopolitics in the world is looking very much like the runnup to WW2. Not sure where Israel-Hamas fits in here.
... ...

Hamas will continue to try its blood thirsty hate driven massacres to fire up arabs countries into its cause.
They don't worry at all about its own innocent Palestinian people suffering and dying, it's for the *holy cause* -no, most Palestinians want peace, they can't get rid of Hamas' violent iron grip-.

Netanyahu and the other fundamentalist Sionist -no, they aren't all of the israeli people-, will continue their wholesale Palestinian Holocaust and forced Diaspora, so they can finish their unending colonizing, and incorporate Gaza to Israel's territory at last.

Let's hope it doesn't get to hotheads eventually introducing a dirty bomb by van into Tel Aviv/Tehran.

This comment was edited on Nov 20, 2023, 19:31.

And the worst has happened:
As announced by Steam weeks ago, their store prices for Argentina are now in dollars and not pesos.
Thanks Milei !!!

Seeing the writing on the screen wall, for weeks I thoroughly scraped the bottom, buying piles of games.
Those I bought till today (Nov. 20th) at less than 2/3 of a dollar, are all now (evening) at 14.99 dollars and up.

And with a sale starting tomorrow, now lost *sniffles*
Will have to manage with **just** 4,260 Steam games +580 free Steam games +EGS, Gog, Indiegala, etc. games

Argentina was one of the foremost leading centers distributing illegal software, dwindling after being curbed by accessible alternatives like Steam, Netflix, etc.

I expect a wild resurgence of the dark side.

This comment was edited on Nov 20, 2023, 19:37.

When it comes to coffee, I try not to make it a routine. I buy a different brand/blend/roast each time to mix things up. If you drink the same thing all the time, eventually you become numb to it. A few years ago my local grocery store stopped carrying whole bean coffee, so I started ordering from Amazon.

A couple of years ago I tried that Trade Coffee subscription. I got a different 2lb bag every time, freshly roasted right before they ship it. I signed up with one a promo codes, and it was only slightly more expensive than buying 2lb. bags from Amazon. I canceled it because the price kept creeping up and my grocery store carries whole bean coffee again. The selection of whole bean coffee is pretty slim though, and they're mixed in with ground coffee, so it can be a bit of a hunt to find. They generally always have the Starbuck's brand in whole bean, and bought it for the first time in a while last month. They had them on sale if you bought 3 or more bags, so I got three different blends and roasts. It's not bad coffee, but not the greatest. They all look and taste like dark roast to me, and I couldn't tell the difference when I finished one bag and started a different one.

I'm probably going to start alternating between ordering from Amazon and buying from the grocery store unless the grocery store starts to get more variety. When I ordered from Amazon, I would alternate between buying a coffee I knew I liked and something I hadn't tried yet. The one coffee that stands out and I went back to often was Kicking Horse's Three Sisters blend.

Prez wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 16:44:
You're a smart dude. I suffer from terminal indifference on the other hand. I just take what comes, and deal with it. There's very little I can influence to make anything more than a ripple in a vast ocean. Who is going to listen to me? Why would they?

Thank you.

It doesn't matter if I make anything more than a ripple so long as that ripple keeps my family safe, fed, and sheltered. Also, don't underestimate ripples. A ripple out at sea can turn in to a massive wave as it closes to the shore. If I was only responsible for myself, my dog and I would have been gone and living in a completely off-grid cabin somewhere I deem safe more than a year ago. It isn't, however, so I need that ripple to turn in to a wave that will sweep my family along with it. If it helps anyone else, great. If not, that's not my problem.

If the nukes flew tomorrow, would you want to be among the survivors? I'm conflicted. On the one hand dying is something I do not fear and doing so would probably save me some suffering in the aftermath. On the other hand, I'd kind of like to see if any of the books/movies of post-apocalyptic worlds came any where close to what actually happens.

Human nature does seem to have a self destruct streak in it. Assuming there are other intelligent civilizations in the galaxy I wonder how common that is. There is plenty to point at and say, "That's not a good sign." Between various warring states, the danger of a nuclear exchange, the danger of global warming, and the seeming increase in general political conflict within many nations, only the greatest optimists could find a "good side". All that said, nothing is certain. I could believe there would be some kind of civilization devastating apocalypse in the next 100 years. I could also believe we will still be "going strong" 500 years from now. Only time will tell...

This comment was edited on Nov 20, 2023, 20:27.

WannaLogAlready wrote on Nov 20, 2023, 18:55:
And the worst has happened:
As announced by Steam weeks ago, their store prices for Argentina are now in dollars and not pesos.
Thanks Milei !!!

Seeing the writing on the screen wall, for weeks I thoroughly scraped the bottom, buying piles of games.
Those I bought till today (Nov. 20th) at less than 2/3 of a dollar, are all now (evening) at 14.99 dollars and up.

And with a sale starting tomorrow, now lost *sniffles*
Will have to manage with **just** 4,260 Steam games +580 free Steam games +EGS, Gog, Indiegala, etc. games

Argentina was one of the foremost leading centers distributing illegal software, dwindling after being curbed by accessible alternatives like Steam, Netflix, etc.

I expect a wild resurgence of the dark side.

I hope I didn't jinx it.

Yes you did RedEye9 !, are you happy now ?

As of 2021 Argentina had 19 millions of gamers out of a 46 millions population.
With recession, that number has fallen, but it's still massive as a reduced middle class still survives.

I think sales will tank badly, and Steam will try to convince the game studios, that low or no sales (plus wholesale pirating with a contagion risk to other countries) is worse than lowering prices and getting *some* return.

But I, for one, will resist old practices ! *searching the web* Uh?, just looking man

Don't be a Bitter Bean, Mr Blue!

The Ghost Ships were filled with FBI agents dressed up at maga supporters, it was a complete frame job!
Apparently these Ghost Ships are how they loaded the Ghost Buses, that ended up at the capital on Jan 6 !

Edit: Also, it's hard to believe we are being forced to endure this week without a Blue Gordon Logo!
Damn you Logo Gods!

This comment was edited on Nov 21, 2023, 08:22.

We been Snoop Rolled, that million dollars low chuckle at the end is magic contagious though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmc8WgcSMOM