Gunson

As I read about the Napoleonic wars it strikes me that calling one of the belligerents the "aggressor" is a peculiar modern term. It was never done, since it was clear that all were seeking power in different ways due to different interests. While Napoleon was bringing proto-democracy to regions, he was also an autocrat, and was an economic rival to England. The English funded other countries to confront France, yet it was France who was imposing the Continental System and taxes on their allies which caused them to switch allegiance and declare war. These wars would usually end with one of the belligerents needing to make major territorial, military and economic concessions. The modern framing as one of a victim (Ukraine) and an aggressor (Russia) seems like a modern propaganda tactic designed to prolong a war and avoid the historically typical approach of ending it with a peace negotiation where the stronger side militarily has more leverage.

Are there any android YouTube apps that actually work? NewPipe and FreeTube almost never do

Lol, wtf UK

No dissent in parliament to the nationalisation of British Steel just shows there is no hope for politicians. When pressed they will always prefer the easy route of being seen to "do something" rather than have the courage to stand for a principle. Shame of the Conservatives, and especially Reform who actually led the charge. More taxpayer money to be thrown away during a budget crisis. This is why Bitcoin is the only credible defence we have - no cowardly politicians to rely on.

People going bananas about tariffs (a tax that discourages something "bad" like foreign manufacturing), but will do mental gymnastics to make justifications for income and capital gains taxes (that discourage something good - employment and savings). Makes you think what their true motivations are. All taxes are bad, but if you're going to make some changes then increasing tariff share seems net positive. And I say this as a non American who's likely to be negatively impacted.

Bitcoin isn't a risk on asset, or a safe haven asset. It's obviously both, but used differently by different people. The influence of each group will change over time.

Make liking free trade mainstream again 💪

Massive cultural difference between my previous and current company: my new colleagues frequently use Pepe emojis.

I like this approach from Cloudflare. Much better than imposing access restrictions or blocking VPNs. https://blog.cloudflare.com/ai-labyrinth

Sacrificing lives for a state's "territory" 🤔

You can just cut branches off your trees and make them the shape you want #growstr

This is a pretty decent answer from ChatGPT 4o. Definitely appreciate some American humour (e.g. US Office), but have to say I prefer British: ------- 🤖 The key differences between British and American humour come down to tone, delivery, and cultural influences. Here’s a breakdown of the main contrasts: 1. Sarcasm & Dry Wit British: Heavy use of dry, deadpan delivery, where the humour is often so subtle it can be mistaken for seriousness. Sarcasm is an art form, and jokes often come with a straight face. American: Sarcasm is used, but it’s often more exaggerated, with clear cues (tone changes, facial expressions) so that the audience knows it’s a joke. Example: 🇬🇧 British: "Oh great, another Monday. What a thrill." (Said in a monotone, deadpan voice) 🇺🇸 American: "Yay, it’s Monday! Just kidding, Mondays suck." (More exaggerated) 2. Self-Deprecation vs. Confidence British: A love for self-deprecating humour—poking fun at oneself is common, even among the most powerful or successful. American: More inclined to celebrate confidence and success. While self-deprecation exists, it’s not as much of a default. Example: 🇬🇧 British person: "Oh, I’m completely useless at this—watch me fail spectacularly." 🇺🇸 American person: "I may not be the best at this, but I’ll give it a shot!" 3. Absurdity & Surrealism British: Fond of absurd and surreal humour (think Monty Python, The Mighty Boosh). The weirder, the better. American: Prefers situational or character-driven absurdity (e.g., Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Office US). Example: 🇬🇧 British: Monty Python's Ministry of Silly Walks—bureaucrats taking ridiculous walks seriously. 🇺🇸 American: The Office US—Michael Scott doing something awkward but in a way that’s still grounded in reality. 4. Dark & Cynical vs. Optimistic & Feel-Good British: Dark, bleak, and sometimes pessimistic humour—making light of misery, awkwardness, or even death (Blackadder, The Thick of It). American: Often leans toward optimism and feel-good comedy, even when it gets dark (Parks and Recreation, Friends). Example: 🇬🇧 British: "At this rate, I’ll be dead before I get promoted—though I suppose that’s a relief." 🇺🇸 American: "I may not be promoted yet, but hey, at least I’m still employed!" 5. Slapstick & Physical Comedy British: Uses slapstick, but it’s often mixed with sarcasm and irony (Mr. Bean, Fawlty Towers). American: More direct slapstick and over-the-top physical humour (Jim Carrey, Three Stooges). 6. Wordplay & Linguistic Nuances British: A love for wordplay, puns, and double entendres (think Blackadder, QI). American: Less reliant on wordplay, more on one-liners and punchlines.

I don't know guys, maybe people don't care about monetary inflation or not having their money be seizable anymore. Also probably governments seem to have learned their lesson and will no longer be irresponsible. Think our work here is done. Time to sell your Bitcoin and trust the system again, I guess.

Most Bitcoin holders aren't yet all in. Most people aren't yet Bitcoin holders. GN 🌚

Doing some work with a housing services company and they're training a model to detect "non compliant" language in property advertising. For example, saying "great for families" is verboten because it implies preference for one lifestyle over another 🤡 Woke may be off the top level political agenda, but it's still extremely embedded.

A few months ago I got into an argument with a real estate agent who needed way too much info about me "for compliance". Today I get an email from them notifying me that they've had a major data breach 🤦‍♂️ Retards.

Overheard a couple of autists at work talking about pre 1913 societal values. Need to find my way into this group 😅

General vibe feels like March 2020. Lots of uncertainty, but government leaders naively posturing.

Not the WSJ, but similar (can't find the WSJ link but they also had an editorial "The Case For War" in 2003).

WSJ and FT capture attention of a large % of wealthy and managerially influential people. So, of course it will be coopted to push agendas - it's readership is too valuable not to.