Escaping Conscription

A soldier ran up to a nun. Out of breath he asked, “Please, may I hide under your skirt. I’ll explain later.” 

The nun agreed…

A moment later two Military Police ran up and asked, “Sister, have you seen a soldier?”

The nun replied, “He went that way.”

After the MPs ran off, the soldier crawled out from under her skirt and said, “I can’t thank you enough, sister. You see, I don’t want to go to Iraq.”

The nun said, “I understand completely.”

The soldier added, “I hope I’m not rude, but you have a great pair of legs!”

The nun replied, “If you had looked a little higher, you would have seen a great pair of balls…. I don’t want to go to Iraq either...

Links - 19th September 2024 (Assassin's Creed: Yasuke)

Grummz on X - "Ubisoft is laying off people now because they know something you don't. They have the actual pre-order numbers for Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin's Creed shadows. If things don't turn around on launch day, there will be far deeper cuts. These cuts need to happen, like thinning the herd or removing debris from forests to prevent bigger fires.  Ubisoft is absolutely infected with DEI and excessive bloat in hires. I hope they retain as many productive devs as possible and trim where the trim really needs to happen: deadweight activists and middle management."

PlayStation 5 Subreddit Permanently Bans User For Being Disappointed That 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' Did Not Feature Asian Male Main Character - "after Ubisoft released the first trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows that revealed the game will allow players to play a female shinobi named Naue and the African Yasuke, user Golemisbest reacted to it in the PlayStation 5 subreddit asking, “Any other Asian people disappointed that we don’t get an Asian male MC?”... The post in question has been removed and deleted from the subreddit as well: Ubisoft’s decision to make an African character and a female character the main characters for Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been met with a ton of backlash. While the trailer has over 5.6 million views on YouTube, it has over 401,000 dislikes and only 229,000 likes.   Many of the top comments are criticizing the trailer and Ubisoft as a whole. One writes, “The most heroic thing about this trailer is that they left the comments open.”  Another posted, “Remember this is Ubisoft. No Pre-Orders.” Still another added, “‘hey our Shogun was assasinated by a 6’5″ black gaijin, anyone seen him around town?'”  One cracked, “From an Italian perspective, this looks like pineapples on pizza.”"
The progressive stack strikes again

Perma Banned | Facebook - "So in a now edited Famitsu article - Ubisoft devs actually confirmed that they chose Yasuke as their MC, breaking their tradition of fictional characters… Over what is essentially narcissism and some form of tokenistic behaviour? So its not because they wanted to craft the best experience possible in gameplay and Narrative, But because they want to validate their “centre of the world” sensibilities by inserting themselves into foreign history. Well that puts things into perspective now doesn’t it?"

Assassin's Creed subreddit starts banning anyone who complains about historical accuracy - "In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you will play as two entwining characters, a female named Naoe, a deadly and skilled ninja, and Yasuke, a man to be believed by some as the first black samurai, the latter of which is the subject that has sparked heated debates online.  Naoe is a fictional character created solely for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. However, whether Yasuke was really a samurai who had served under Oda Nobunaga until he was assassinated in 1582, a simple bodyguard, servant or someone of no real relevance, he is a real historical figure, no matter who he’s perceived to be.  The story of any good Assassin’s Creed game has always been themed on a historical moment and has featured real historical characters, who have until now been NPCs. Yet, Yasuke is the first main playable protagonist in the series that was a real person.  Assassin’s Creed Shadows also stirred controversy when it was revealed that there would be same-sex romantic options for both Naoe and Yasuke, as well as claims of stolen content, and having those elements thrown into Ubisoft’s makeshift version of history, many corners of the internet are not happy. This led to an apology by Ubisoft to the Japanese audience. It seems the topic of historical accuracy in Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn't going away any time soon and it may likely pick up more traction when the game is actually released. As such, and seemingly tired of the same conversations, GamesRadar has reported that Reddit moderators have now begun to ban those who complain about historical accuracy in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.  “There is no "debate" - Yasuke was a Samurai. If you disagree, you can do that somewhere else,” reads the headline of a moderator of a Reddit post."

Grummz on X - "Why do they do this so much?  The Yasuke Assassin's Creed Shadows controversy is part of a pattern. That pattern is historical revisionism via media and even official sources.  Every dramatization now seems over eager to race swap historical figures for PoC. In Yasuke's case, he did exist, but actual historical sources were edited after the controversy to "support" the fiction.  This is marxist revisionism (the latest Yasuke historian is also a communist and member of the far left party in Japan).   This is what they do. They destroy the past, revise it, and gaslight you, claiming it was always that way. They even do this in fiction too, recall the 40k Female Custodes RUSH to fix all the wikis and claim "the lore was always this way."  And this isn't limited to race swapping. There is a similar mass push to claim most historical figures were queer. See the latest on Abe Lincoln or all the recent tweets about Spartans.  We can't have this. We either have truth, or we have nothing but zealotry and ideology. This will destroy civilization. They are asking us to live a lie.  One side is lying to you, over and over, and if you question it, you are smeared and attacked for defending the truth.  Defend the truth anyways!  Thanks to @ZhorgLabs"

Grummz on X - "Look, what happened with Japan and Assassin's Creed Shadows was horrible.   Real history was revised and rewritten to FIT the narrative of a VIDEOGAME.  When they tried to support it with "experts" the leading expert turned out to be FAKE.  This is not just about a videogame character, this is about how DEI is so INSANE that they would revise history to support a fake narrative, insulting an entire NATION in the process.  This is why we fight. It's insanity."
The same people who say it's a videogame so it's fiction so it's okay to blackwash get upset over movies (even ones which are explicitly fiction like Gods of Egypt) which feature white people in originally non-ambiguously white roles (but they also get upset when Rami Malek plays an Egyptian, because his skin is too white)

Grummz on X - "Japan is trashing Ubisoft in the replies. 9M views and counting. As some say in Japan: If @Ubisoft really wanted to make AC Shadows fiction, why didn't they just use a fictional character and make him Japanese?"

Grummz on X - "Following Ubisoft's "apology," lying @IGN suddenly says there is no proof Yasuke was a Samurai, after saying he was and that anyone saying otherwise was part of a hate group. IGN is now part of a hate group according to their own articles."

IGN Brazil is really mad at their readers: "Gamer, you don't care about historical accuracy in Assassin's Creed, you just don't want black people and women as your main characters." : r/KotakuInAction - "Some bits: "While the blonde samurai from Nioh barely stirred up social media when he was introduced as the protagonist of Koei Tecmo's soulslike, the black protagonist of Assassin's Creed Shadows seems to have instantly created thousands of doctors and experts in the History of Japan."  "The average gamer's outrage is due to the simple fact that AC Shadows has a black man and a woman presented in a non-hypersexualized way as protagonists. If it had been a white or Japanese man as the main character, Ubisoft would be free from any type of demand for "historical accuracy" from the public, and the discussion about the use of the term samurai would not even exist."  "You just have enormous difficulty accepting, slowly, that games have tried to introduce more to their characters. A black character can even be a protagonist, as long as he is placed in the role of a criminal, as occurs in GTA San Andreas or GTA V. A woman can also be a protagonist, but preferably if she is sensual or sexualized enough for the average gamer's taste. . As Assassin's Creed Shadows does not put Yasuke and Naoe in these conditions, the review bombing began before the game was even released. Regrettable, but not surprising."  (Translated from Google Translator)"

Ubisoft's Stock Plummets 12% Despite Exceeding Sales Targets

Japanese Historian Claiming Yasuke Was A Samurai Exposed As Communist - "Japanese historian Yu Hirayama who claims that Yasuke was a Samurai has been revealed to be a former member of the Japanese Communist Party. Hirayama made his claim on X where he wrote, “It seems like there’s a lot of talk about Yasuke, a black man who served Oda Nobunaga. There are very few historical documents about him, but there’s no doubt that he was a ‘samurai’ who served Nobunaga. Regardless of one’s social status, if one’s master promoted one to the rank of ‘samurai,’ one could become one in medieval (warring states) society.”  He then shared his explanation, “I can say this because the historical documents state that ① Nobunaga gave him a “stipend,” ② he was given a house, and ③ he was given a sword.” From there, he elaborated, “Being given a ‘stipend’ and serving Nobunaga closely fulfills the important requirements of a ‘contract between master and servant’ and ‘agreement to receive a stipend.’ It is also important that he was allowed to carry a sword, so he was a two-sworded servant and not a servant (servants were not allowed to carry swords). And if he was given a house, there’s no room for doubt.”  Hirayama continued, “He was probably a slave until Nobunaga took over the missionary slave, but due to the above ① to ③ , he probably became a ‘samurai’ of his own volition.” He concluded his assertion by attempting to counter arguments that he could not be a samurai given his life was spared and he was returned to the Church by a retainer of Akechi Mitsuhide.  Hirayama wrote, “During the Honnoji Incident, Akechi’s side did not kill Yasuke because he was an ‘animal’ or ‘not Japanese’, but that was only because Akechi did not recognize Yasuke as a ‘samurai’ (probably because he had discriminatory feelings). At that time, it was common for a master to promote someone of low status to a ‘samurai’. To begin with, there is a good example in Hideyoshi.”... As noted by historian Anna Zofia Cichocka a board member of the board of the Paweł Włodkowic Institute, communists use history to impose their ideology.   She explains, “As soon as the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia in 1917, history, as a science of the past,  was destroyed. It became a political tool totally controlled by the communist authorities and an instrument of communist propaganda. History was completely subordinated to Marxist-Leninist ideology, and it was the Communist Party that always decided which interpretation of that ideology was correct. This made it possible to constantly manipulate and rewrite history according to the ever-changing needs and political sensitivities of the Soviet regime at a given point in time. The result was lies and manipulation on a mass scale.”   On top of Hirayama being a communist, X user purplewhale24 shared that he’s a member of Pony Canyon and specifically its Area Alliance Department, which according to the company “embraces the mission of ‘Revitalizing regions, energizing Japan through the power of entertainment.’ Our primary focus lies in regional revitalization and branding, utilizing our proficiency in planning, producing, and promoting entertainment content. Through innovative approaches, we showcase the distinctive charm of local areas while fostering sustainable community development.”  Purplewhale24 notes, “The new historian saying Yasuke is a samurai is Yu Hirayama. His is partnered with Pony Canyon, a music and entertainment company, to promote Japanese culture through ENTERTAINMENT and is also a PR media site trying to globalize to the west.”... “Pony Canyon’s US distribution is handled by Right Stuff Media, which is a subsidiary of CrunchyRoll, which is owned by Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment. Now we know why Yu Hirayama is pushing the narrative that Yasuke was a samurai. It’s Sony in disguise.”"

Japanese Gamers Launch Petition To Cancel Ubisoft's Upcoming 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' Game: "This Is A Serious Insult To Japanese Culture And History" - "One wrote, “We ‘fabricated’ a blank space in history.”  “The old lady in the thumbnail used the word “historical” a lot in an interview with IGN last month and claimed that it was based on historical facts, so it’s unreasonable to call it fantasy now,” wrote another...   Still another wrote, “I wonder what people would think if we made a game set in medieval Europe where an Asian man wearing full plate armor wanders around town and kills French people in the name of social reform.”"

Japanese YouTuber Explains Why The Japanese Are Calling Ubisoft To "Immediately Discontinue" The Creation Of 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' - "he notes that Ubisoft is promoting the game as historical and points to an interview that Game Director Charles Benoit conducted with Xbox Wire.  Benoit was asked, “This is a familiar setting for gamers – how does this game differentiate its take on the setting?”  He responded, “We’re at the end of Sengoku era, in a turning point of Japan history. Assassin’s Creed is well known for its depiction of the history and accurate recreation of the world and it’s what players can expect with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’re showing real historical figures, such as Oda Nobunaga and a lot of events that happened during that time, so you’re not only playing in feudal Japan, but learning about this fantastic time period.”  “Also, we’re giving the opportunity to the players to live not just one, but the two best fantasies of Japan: the Samurai and Shinobi,” he concluded. After pointing this out, he listed off a number of reasons why he and other Japanese gamers are opposing the game, “We are protesting marketing DEIs, historical distortion stemming from their disregard for Asians and their arrogance, and discriminatory responses to protest from Japan.”  From there, he focuses his video on what he describes as “the biggest attempt to distort history Japan, that is the legendary Samurai, they claim, Yasuke.” He then brings up a number of historical documents and begins with a samurai’s diary that mentions Yasuke. He uses an AI translation that states, “He was taken under the care of Nobunaga and given the name Yasuke. He was granted a residence and given personal items. From time to time, he was also entrusted with Nobunaga’s tools and belongings carrying them for him.”  Next, Shohei Kondo brings up a second historical document called Chronicles of Lord Nobunaga. An AI translates, “Lord Nobunaga provided support to a black man who was presented to him by missionaries. His skin was as black as ink and he was about 1.82 meters tall. His name was Yasuke.”  He notes that this document also indicates that Yasuke was given something, but it’s unclear what exactly it is as it can be translated a number of different ways including a place to live, a short sword, or rice. From there, he brings up a third document titled Jesuit Annual Reports of Japan. An AI translates, “On the Monday following Easter, Nobunaga was in the capital. A commotion arose as many people wanted to see the ‘black slave,’ leading to injuries and near fatalities from thrown stones, Observers speculated that showcasing the ‘black slave’ for a fee could easily raise significant funds. Nobunaga invited him to his presence, causing quite a stir and confirmed his skin color was natural. Nobunaga’s sons were also please, and Nobunaga’s nephew, the commander in Osaka, rewarded him with 10 kanmon.”  It continues, “The priest accompanied a black slave, and since no one in the capital had ever seen a black slave before, countless people came to see him. Nobunaga himself was amazed, confirming that his skin color was natural and not painted, and stared at him. The man understood some Japanese, so Nobunaga talked with him endlessly. Impressed by his strength and some art skills, Nobunaga was very pleased, decided to protect him, and assigned guards to escort him around the city. Some rumored that Nobunaga would make him a lord.”   “The black slave given to Nobunaga by the visitor went to the residence of Nobunaga’s heir after Nobunaga’s death and fought for quite a long time,” the document details. “An Akechi retainer approached him and told him to surrender his sword without fear, so he handed it over. When the retainer asked Mitsuhide how to handle Yasuke, Mitsuhide replied, ‘The black slave is like an animal and knows nothing, and since he is not Japanese, do not kill him.’ Instead, he ordered, ‘Place him in the church of the Indian padre.'” After the AI finishes Shohei Kondo states, “There is no document saying Yasuke was a samurai. There’s no document.”  He then shared a translation of another Japanese YouTuber explaining that the idea that Yasuke was a samurai came from Wikipedia edits. The YouTuber specifically points to a Wikipedia edit done on Yasuke’s page on June 14, 2013 to claim that he was made a bushido warrior and kept close by Nobunaga. This change, the YouTuber alleges, convinced many that Yasuke was a Samurai. The video then goes on to note that Thomas Lockley, an Associate Professor at Nihon University College of Law in Tokyo, published a book titled Nobunaga and Yasuke in 2017. He then published a book titled Yasuke: The True Story of the Legendary African Samurai in 2019, which is actually a novel and thus is fiction.  Given there is only about two or three pages of historical documentation of Yasuke, the Japanese YouTuber notes that Lockley had to have exaggerated in order to fill the pages of the 400-page book. He also notes this book helped convince non-Japanese readers that Yasuke was a Samurai. Shohei Kondo then pointed to another interview Ubisoft executives gave to Famitsu. At one point in the interview Assassin’s Creed Shadows Creative Director Jonathon Dumont said, “‘We were first looking for ‘our samurai,’ someone who could be our non-Japanese eyes though, this is because through from the beginning the story of the Portuguese arrival would be a very good way to tell the crisis in Japan.” Kondo reacted, “He thinks Japanese Samurai is not Samurai. It’s not. You’re Samurai. As I mentioned in previous video, when we protest about it and then their response is basically, ‘Shut up, you are racist.’ This is really the great example of how the marketing DEI is actually destroying minority culture, destroying. This should be stopped. Really, this should be stopped.”  From there he encouraged other Japanese YouTubers to make videos calling out Ubisoft and noted, “Otherwise our history [is] going to be destroyed by this fake agenda.”"

2 Assassin's Creed Shadows developers reveal why they chose Yasuke in 2 languages. : r/KotakuInAction - "Assassin's Creed has never had a historical character as its protagonist. Why was it decided to break tradition with Yasuke?
The decision to include him was made around the time we determined that we would set the game in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and specifically during the rise of Oda Nobunaga. In doing research, we realized that Yasuke was present in every major event that actually happened, and it was a surprise to us. 'Who is this guy?" we asked ourselves, and when we learned more we said 'Okay, that's interesting, let's put him in the game.'... we looked for the biggest samurai possible, and lo and behold, Yasuke popped up again. He was in front of us all the time, so we decided to include him as a second character...
Italian: Picked Yasuke because they realized he "was present in every major event that actually happened", and that they "looked for the biggest samurai possible".
Japanese: Picked Yasuke because he was connected to Oda Nobunaga and "interesting". "

Ubisoft Apologizes to Japanese Historical Re-Enactment Group for Using Its Flag in Assassin's Creed Shadows Art Without Permission - "Ubisoft Japan issued an apology on X/Twitter and admitted it used the flag in two pieces of art without permission. It also claimed to have apologized to the flag's owner Sekigahara Teppo-tai, a historical re-enactment group made up of volunteers who perform to the public at festivals and other events."

Japanese Historian Yūichi Goza Speculates That Yasuke Was Simply Oda Nobunaga's Bodyguard And Entertainer Rather Than A Samurai As He's Depicted In 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' - "In an interview with Japanese website The Sankei Shimbun with translation via DeepL, Goza, who is a faculty member of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies focusing on Japanese medieval history and the author of “What is a Samurai?”, was asked, “What kind of person was Yasuke, and was he a samurai or not?”... When asked about the magnificent armor that Ubisoft depicts Yasuke wearing in Assassin’s Creed Shadows and what position he actually held under Nobunaga, Goza responded, “The Japanese people around Nobunaga were very surprised by Yasuke’s dark skin and seemed to be interested in it. In a sense, it was a show, and having a black man like Yasuke so close to him would attract attention and, in a sense, show off Nobunaga’s ‘power’.”  “In a sense, Nobunaga could show off his ‘power.’ Therefore, I believe that the most important purpose was to show off to everyone,” he relayed. “In the Jesuit historical records, it is written that Yasuke was powerful and could do a few tricks. I believe that he was in fact Nobunaga’s bodyguard and entertainer.”  He then declared, “He was not the ‘Samurai Warrior’ that Westerners imagine him to be, slaying one enemy after another. Even if he did fight, he did not command his men, but worked as a single combatant.”... Goza said, “I understand that many people think that if you want to respect the samurai culture, the main character should be a Japanese samurai. Especially since the story is based on a real person, it would be more natural to have a famous swordsman/samurai such as Miyamoto Musashi as the main character, rather than a black man named Yasuke, whose actual character is not known.”  He continued, “If Yasuke, who may or may not have been a samurai, is made to be a ‘representative of the samurai,’ it would be like taking something away from the Japanese samurai culture. Therefore, I think it is natural that some Japanese and foreign people would react with discomfort and dissatisfaction when they hear the word ‘cultural theft’ being used in the film. Even if Yasuke were to appear in the game, it should have been in the form of a Japanese samurai (as the main character) and Yasuke as well.” Goza was then asked about various forms of media aside from video games including movies, TV shows, and novels adopting stories that are contrary to historical facts and what his thoughts are on this.  He responded, “I think it’s a matter of degree. For example, there is a rare theory that Minamoto no Yoshitsune did not die in Hiraizumi, but went to the continent and became Genghis Khan. This theory was mainly popular before the war, but it was denied by historians at the time as ‘impossible.'”  “If a game in which Yoshitsune became Genghis Khan and fought in the game were to be sent out to the world, I think it would still be problematic, even if it were labeled ‘This is a fiction,'” Goza explained. “Especially Mongolians would be angry because Genghis Khan is the greatest hero of Mongolia.”  “Of course, I don’t think that all creative works based on history can be based on historical facts, but especially when they are put out to the world, I think there should be consideration for the fact that it could become a diplomatic issue if the game is put out in a way that hurts the pride of people in other countries,” he asserted. Goza then contrasted Assassin’s Creed Shadows to the recent remake of Shogun that aired on FX, “As a contrasting example, I would like to cite the American drama Shogun (2024), remade with Hiroyuki Sanada in the lead role. The main character is modeled on Tokugawa Ieyasu, although his name has been changed. The events leading up to the Battle of Sekigahara have been altered considerably, and the historical background, including buildings, is a bit suspect. But when I watched it, I felt the understanding and respect for Japanese history.”   He continued, “An Englishman modeled after William Adams (Anjin Miura) washes ashore in Japan and teaches the protagonist how to move a ship and use a cannon, and so on. This alone would suggest that a white man with an advanced civilization is teaching things to a stupid colored person, but this is not the case. The Englishman is at first confused and repulsed, but gradually becomes impressed by the proud way of life of the Japanese samurai, and the process of understanding and respecting them is depicted. It is not a one-way relationship, but a story of mutual understanding. There is a respect for other cultures at the root. I think this is an important aspect of fiction based on history. If you depict the history and culture of a foreign country, I think if you had a proper understanding of those basic aspects and paid respect to them, problems like this would not have occurred.” It appears clear that Goza does not believe that Ubisoft and their game Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been respectful of Japanese history and culture. And it’s not hard to figure out why given Ubisoft was attempting to market the game as historical. In an interview with Xbox Wire, Game Director Charles Benoit detailed, “We’re at the end of Sengoku era, in a turning point of Japan history. Assassin’s Creed is well known for its depiction of the history and accurate recreation of the world and it’s what players can expect with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’re showing real historical figures, such as Oda Nobunaga and a lot of events that happened during that time, so you’re not only playing in feudal Japan, but learning about this fantastic time period.”...   In an interview with Famitsu, the game’s Creative Director Jonathon Dumont also admitted why they chose Yasuke as one of their protagonists, “We were first looking for ‘our samurai,’ someone who could be our non-Japanese eyes though, this is because through from the beginning the story of the Portuguese arrival would be a very good way to tell the crisis in Japan. The team liked the character Yasuke, and we thought we could expect to use him to discover Japan.”  He continued, “We thought that starting with a samurai already in Japanese society would make for a very interesting and intriguing character who has also concepts that we don’t necessarily know about. And it would aroused our interest in what happened to him. Starting as a character who is already rooted in history, we will be starting to find out something happens around him, which tickles our curiosity.”"

Backlash From Japanese Players Prompts National Politician To Investigate "Cultural Theft" Of 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' - "The politician in question, Satoshi Hamada, is a member of the House of Councillors, the Upper House of the Japanese National Diet... Hamada retweeted a post from a fellow Japanese X user summarizing the various issues local players have had with Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ presentation, such as how some of its buildings feature Chinese instead of Japanese architecture or how a lowly servant can be seen sitting on the same level as Oda Nobunaga himself... Another user raised the topic of Nihon University College of Law in Tokyo Associate Professor Thomas Lockley‘s African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan, itself the main source for Yasuke’s false interpretation as a samurai, and accused its conclusion as being “based on his own imagination”.  Even those who generally approved of diversity and inclusion initiatives found themselves unhappy with Ubisoft, with one individual telling Hamada, “The recent drastic movements are good in nature, but they are excessive in their emphasis on Asian people and unnatural favoritism for black people.”"

Grummz on X - "Just got a report from someone at Japan Expo. @Ubisoft staff are asking that anyone using the seats at the Assassins Creed: Shadows booth to turn around to face their screen. People were using them as benches to watch the much more popular Nintendo booth across the way. Nobody cares about Ubisoft."

Meme - PlayStation @PlayStation: "Will you take on Yasuke's brute force or Naoe's stealthy strategy? See the samurai and shinobi in action with over 12 minutes of Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay:"
Alberto Barbossa @AIBarbossa: "So a black man has "brute strength" while the Asian has "stealth and cunning""

Perma Banned | Facebook - "I am so sorry for ranting about Ubisoft and AC Shadows a few times now but...the more news coming out from this game the more crazy it becomes...and I just can't look away from it. So what's new?  Well, Ubisoft was caught copying Zoro's katana from One Piece (the anime), and passing it off as Yasuke's katana. . .. ... How Ubisoft? How are you THIS incompetent? How are you capable of creating this big a trashfire from this Assassin's Creed Shadows game of yours? How the f....HOW did you caught STEALING Zoro's sword from ONE PIECE down to the SWORD STAND, and pass it off as Yasuke's sword? THis isn't even about opinions anymore, there is no argument on whether Ubisoft disrespected Japanese history/culture or not. This is quite possibly straight-up ART THEFT"
One Piece: Ubisoft Accused Of Stealing The Design Of Zoro's Sword - "The post points out how Yasuke's sword looks exactly like Zoro's Sandai Kitetsu"

LearningTheLaw on X - "Insane! Thomas Lockey, responsible for Japan's major deception about Yasuke, was caught editing Wikipedia since 2015. He has since quit social media and claimed he will never play AC Shadows. Portrayed as a hero by the media, he's now seen as Japan's biggest historical scammer!🤯"
Grummz on X - "Thomas Lockey turns out to be a fraud, editing Wikipedia under another name to support his fake book on Yasuke.  Encyclopedia Britannica relied on him, Wikipedia relied on him. Everyone did to support the lie that Yasuke was a samurai in Assassin's Creed Shadows.  The Japanese hunted down his story and discovered his wikipedia alt. He has left Social Media in shame."

LearningTheLaw on X - "This is crazy. The entire Yasuke fanfic story was fabricated by a white man named Thomas Lockley, using fake Wikipedia sources. He even deceived Japanese people. Everything you read about Yasuke is fake, imposed by white liberals. In 2024, they erased history on Wiki for a game🤯
Yasuke History was altered to sell books, movies, and impose a fake narrative. I always wondered why Yasuke became popular online after 2012. It was a psy-op operation that even reached overseas.
They've truly mastered the next generation of colonialism. We have to acknowledge that."

Meme - Grummz @Grummz: "Thomas Lockley, Yasuke historian, has deleted his Facebook page.   The Japanese have been hammering the fact checks on Thomas Lockley, the historian widely cited by other papers, book and official sources for the "proof" that Yasuke was a samurai.   They say he is a fraud and have been finding out he has been editing Wikipedia under an alias "tottoritom" to promote his books and papers."

Perma Banned | Facebook - "I'd like to talk about things other than AC Shadows, but the news coming from this thing is truly something. Thomas Lockley is said to have been removed from Nihon University staff list. His NHK television program has also been delisted. Things are really escalating for this now proven grifter. Oh btw, Lockley said he has "no involvement with AC Shadows developement" before he left the internet. Welp turns out he did, Ubisoft actually did a podcast with him and took advice from him directly."

D.Va's Thot Patrol | Facebook - "Bruh the whole story about Yasuke (the alleged black Samurai) was a complete fabrication created by a single person called Thomas Lockley who has now deleted all his social media and completely disappeared from the internet after Japanese officials and historians started to question him on the validity of his works since he's the main source for all claims about Yasuke being a Samurai.  Turns out the whole purpose of this made up story was to sell his books and it was recently discovered he altered academic documents for Wikipedia articles with false information since 2015 and is now facing national backlash for his lies, Ubisoft was already facing extreme backlash from the Japanese since AC Shadows was announced, this is now pretty much the final nail in the coffin for this game.  Why aren't more people talking about this? Not only this whole thing was a complete fraud but it's by far one of the funniest developments I've heard in a long time, this masterclass carny single handedly worked countless fools and even companies with his story and probably made millions off it all that time."

LearningTheLaw on X - "Thomas Lockley, author of Yasuke: Black Samurai, falsely claimed he never spoke to Ubisoft before deleting his accounts. It's now confirmed Ubi was influenced by him for AC Shadows and featured him in a Spotify episode. Lockley is now facing national backlash for his dishonesty."

Meme - "Assassin's Creed: Shadows Notes
Tom Tottori related. Last Update: July 15, 2024
Check this out first!! The birth and spread of the "African Samurai" Yasuke legend - A user's contribution to Wikipedia
July 6, 2012 Editing of Yasuke by the account tottoritom begins (Yasuke was not edited until September 11, 2015)
September 12, 2015 The reference was changed to a paper by Thomas Lockley published in 2016. *This was revised many times on this day. Main revisions Revision comparison 1 I Revision comparison 2 I Revision comparison 3
February 2016 Thomas Lockley has published a paper on Yasuke, who served Oda Nobunaga, entitled "The Story of Yasuke: Nobunaga's African Retainer" in the 91st volume of the Sakurabunronso (published in February 2016)
January 25, 2017 "Nobunaga and Yasuke: The Black Samurai Who Survived the Honnoji Temple" is now on sale
February 3, 2017 The reference was changed by tottoritom from the article published in "Sakurabunronso" to "Nobunaga and Yasuke: The Black Samurai Who Survived the Honnoji Temple
October 31, 2018 tottoritom added a link to Thomas Lockley's page
November 8, 2018 Thomas Lockley's page was deleted from Wikipedia as it was deemed unremarkable (tottoritom also participated in the discussion at the time
January 25, 2019 tottoritom introduces the release of the book "African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan," which is essential to telling the Yasuke legend to this day ."

Chertok on X - "Just so I’m clear: Ubisoft decided to score some DEI points on making a game about a black samurai, but the historic research they’ve based their entire premise on turned out to be fraudulent? That’s: (1) hilarious; (2) a recurring theme with DEI."

Meme - tk8d32（多忙につきスローペース） @tk8d32: "These photos used in AC Shadows concept were taken in the 19th century, about 300 years after the era in the game. So, was there anybody who can really check the japanese history in AC Shadows before starting game development?  There's too much time gap. #AssassinscreedShadows"

CD Projekt Red Senior Lead Weapon Artist Apologizes For Noting Criticism About 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' Is Valid - "CD Projekt Red Senior Lead Weapon Artist Michal Kalisz apologized for claiming that the criticisms Ubisoft and its development team are receiving for Assassin’s Creed Shadows are valid. Initially, Kalisz took to X and wrote, “The concerns and criticism around Assassin’s Creed Shadow[s] are valid and I personally think it might disrespects Japanese culture with the provided historical inaccuracy. People, especially Japanese people, have full right to oppose trends like this.” Kalisz apologized for these comments on May 19th. He wrote, “I’ve noticed criticism regarding my recent comment about AC Shadows. After reflecting on it and reading your responses/retweets, I realize I owe you an apology.” He continued, “First of all, I acknowledge that I am not qualified to share statements or discuss such topics. Your feedback has highlighted the importance of being more informed and respectful in my opinions. It has also shown me that we should be more open to new ideas and not restrict ourselves too much while creating new worlds. We all draw inspiration from a wide range of media, and that’s great. I appreciate your patience and understanding. I’ve learned something valuable and will strive to do better in the future.” Kalisz concluded, “I’m looking forward to the next AC; the setting intrigues me a lot.” Despite claiming he read criticism of his original post, it does not appear he’s allowing as much criticism on his apology post given he locked down his account. This action calls into question the sincerity of his apology given it happened so quickly and reads like a corporate PR statement. Mark Kern aka Grummz speculated that Kalisz was bullied into posting the apology. He wrote on X, “Senior Lead 3D weapons artist at CD Projekt Red get bullied into changing his stance on Assassin’s Creed. Grummz added, “The dev pressure out there to conform is immense, and if you don’t play ball, you will get pushed out. Nobody in AAA gaming is free to speak. I have so many friends and contact who tell me they will lose their jobs if they say anything.” In fact, Grummz previously reported that at Activision the company’s reviews and bonuses are determined by “how hard you DEI.” He posted on X back on May 16th, “Your bonus and review depend on how hard you DEI. DEI Officers are installed on every dev team to ensure THE MESSAGE.” This appears to be corroborated by Activision’s 2023-2024 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report. The report details that the company tracks representation and inclusion data on all of its employees. It states that it “started measuring every employee’s sense of belonging through an Inclusion Score, a quantitative measure of the extent to which employees feel welcomed, valued, and included within the organization.” Another slide from the report delves into how the company is tracking its employees via Inclusion. It states that the company “launched individual employee diversity, equity, and inclusion goal setting to foster accountability to building community, trust, belonging, and collaboration.” It also appears that individuals who have high Inclusion Scores or meet these inclusion goals they are rewarded through “a sponsorship program” that allows them to “connect with senior advocates, gain exposure to leadership projects, and ultimately increase diversity at the leadership level.” It’s likely there are certain metrics taking place at CD Projekt Red as well. CD Projekt Red CFO and board member Piotr Nielubowicz detailed how committed the company was to ESG. He stated, “Although this is perhaps not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about video games and ESG, we believe that our primary means of influencing the world at large is by developing games which can enrich gamers’ perceptions. This is why we do not shy away from confronting socially important topics in the stories we tell.” He continued, “Our games depict social inequalities, the various paths people take through life, and the problems they face. We want to make sure that the characters populating the worlds we create represent a diverse set of mindsets, social groups, and backgrounds.” Nielubowicz also confirmed the company has “a range of internal training courses” employees participate in to be trained in ESG thinking."

Four Letter Words in Marriage

As soon as the newlyweds returned from their honeymoon the young bride called her mother, who lived a couple of hours away.

“How did everything go?” her mom asked.

“Oh, mother,” she began, “The honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic, we had a terrific time. But, mother, on our way back, Andy started using really horrible language. Stuff I’d never heard before Really terrible four-letter words. You’ve got to come get me and take me home. Please, Mother!” the new bride sobbed over the telephone.

“But, honey,” the mother countered, “What four-letter words?”

“I can’t tell you, mother, they’re too awful! Come get me, please!”

“Darling, you must tell me what has gotten you so upset…. Tell mother what four-letter words he used.”

Still sobbing, the bride said, “Mother, words like dust, wash, iron, cook.”

Links - 18th September 2024 (2 - China's 'Peaceful' Rise)

Xi Jinping Is Preparing China for War - "American observers seem to believe that the sweeping purge was designed to target widespread corruption in the senior ranks of the People's Liberation Army. Chris Buckley of the New York Times, for example, called the personnel changes "an unexplained shake-up that suggests suspicions of graft or other misconduct."  Yet, this explanation is partial at best. "Almost all the senior generals had good reputations before their promotion," said a well-placed source speaking anonymously to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post. Indeed, while the PLA's senior officer corps is known to be thoroughly corrupt, Xi Jinping has during his decade-long rule generally tolerated corruption among supporters... The more likely explanation for the purge lies elsewhere: From the beginning of this year, Xi Jinping has been purging the military of officers opposed to going to war—because he's preparing for one.  Xi Jinping these days often talks about war, and his regime is fast preparing for one. The Communist Party is implementing the largest military buildup since the Second World War. It's simultaneously trying to sanctions-proof the country, stockpile grain and other commodities, survey America for strikes and sabotage, and mobilize China's civilians for battle. The military indoctrination of children begins during the first years of school. And why would Xi Jinping opt for going into battle? China is failing fast, and Xi is being blamed. His Maoist-inspired policies, which favor state enterprises over private and foreign businesses, are making severe problems even worse. Especially troubling is Xi relentless cutting of China's links with other countries... During Xi's rule, Beijing has periodically made unprovoked threats to kill Americans by the hundreds of millions and, beginning in 2021, Japanese and Australians as well. Moreover, China has also warned it will nuke Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing considers its 34th province... That so many have been purged reflects disobedience in the ranks expressed as a reluctance to go to war. The regime handed down a death sentence this year to former Air Force General Liu Yazhou due to his continued opposition to an invasion of Taiwan, and he is not alone. "The image that Xi Jinping is firmly in command of the Communist Party is belied by increasing evidence of instability in the ranks of China's military leadership," said Charles Burton of the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute. "The extraordinary purge of both the commander and political commissar of the Rocket Force suggests there is serious discontent within China's military with Xi Jinping." Burton, a former Canadian diplomat posted in Beijing, points to Xi's failing domestic and foreign policies, especially the "cratering economy." "They have got some problems," said President Joe Biden about China earlier this month. "That's not good, because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things.""

China's Xi tells military to deepen war, combat planning, Xinhua reports - "Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged the military to deepen war and combat planning to increase the chances of victory in actual combat, Xinhua news agency said, renewing his call to troops to safeguard China's sovereignty and territory."

China is building long-range cruise missiles launched from ship containers - "China is likely to build a variant of its YJ-18 long-range cruise missile that could be fired from shipping containers. This variant would be called the YJ-18C. This new weapon could help China turn its fleet of freighters into potential warships, and commercial ports would then become missile bases."

China warns World War Three could be triggered 'at any time - "An article in the state-backed Global Times newspaper on Tuesday said that 'collusion' between the US and Taiwan was so 'audacious' that the situation 'has almost lost any room for manoeuvre, teetering on the edge of a face-off.'"
From 2021. It's always evil foreign powers' fault

Hua Chunying 华春莹 on X - "We cannot allow the #US to take itself as "world policeman" and treat other countries as #GeorgeFloyd whom it can bully and strangle at will."
Kmele 🖐 on X - "...because Nancy Pelosi took a trip to Taiwan."
Fabrizio Bartoloni on X - "We cannot allow China to treat other countries as protesters in Tien'anmen. This is not 1989 anymore."
When your enemies know how to use your divisions against you

Playing the Trump card in Canadian elections - "The CCP also played the Trump card explicitly, calling O’Toole “Canada’s Donald Trump,” mocking his name, which connotes “vomit” in Mandarin, and accusing him, like Trump, of being hostile to the local Chinese community. Both Chinese-language social media, where Chinese-Canadians get much of their news, and Canada’s Chinese-language press are largely controlled by the CCP. The CCP’s attacks worked, Justice Marie-Josée Hogue’s Foreign Interference Commission has confirmed. The CCP played a significant role by intervening when the Conservatives led in the polls. Correlation is not causation but after its intervention the tide did turn in favour of the Liberals. Yet an even greater Trump-related benefit to the Liberals came implicitly, courtesy O’Toole himself, who decided to keep Canadians in the dark about the CCP’s interference in their electoral system, largely to avoid being tainted with a Trump brush. In doing so, O’Toole not only undermined Canadian democracy, he threw his own MPs under the bus and destroyed any possibility that Canadian voters — if presented with evidence China was interfering in favour of the Liberals — might decide to throw the CCP’s party of choice out of office. In damning testimony before the Hogue Commission, O’Toole admitted that his “candidates and volunteers were very worried about the level of foreign interference” and admitted he made a conscious decision to stay mum. “I was very … worried that if we were suggesting some seats were lost or that our electoral fortunes were being impacted by a foreign actor … some people in the political realm would suggest I was following the approach of the United States and that the election was stolen and all these sorts of things. That’s why I never mentioned it … while I was leader of the party,” he testified. He admitted his fear was augmented because whenever Conservatives criticized China “the prime minister and the government would respond by saying, ‘Make sure you’re not perpetuating anti-Asian hate or discrimination.’ It was that inadvertent chill … that led me not to say anything publicly.” O’Toole now regrets his silence, particularly because, as he puts it, the “approach the government was taking complemented … narratives that were being advanced by … China and its agents in Canada. And I think in the election, we saw that explode into a campaign of misinformation on social media, but also in in-person miscommunication to intimidate voters, to mislead voters with respect to me, with respect to certain candidates and to our policies in general.” Rather than go public, O’Toole testified, “We worked with the mechanisms, we worked with SITE” (the Security and Intelligence Threats to Election task force), i.e. the web of committees, agencies and task forces — some 15 in total — the Trudeau government set up to monitor election interference and other election-related illegalities. Those committees kept reassuring the Conservatives nothing was amiss. Yet the Conservatives knew these bodies, which all reported directly or indirectly to Trudeau, were powerless to take any action without his agreement. Unsurprisingly, complaining to Trudeau came to naught. A CSIS whistleblower finally did expose SITE’s failures. That led to Justice Hogue’s commission and its eventual confirmation of what the Conservatives had known but never revealed: that the CCP’s election interference may have led to seats being stolen in the 2021 election. In the next federal election, expected in 2025, both Trudeau and the CCP may well employ the same Trump-and-racism playbook"

Meme - Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11: "It is time to fully block TikTok from our country."
Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11: "Ban TikTok."
Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11: "Biden just banned TikTok. It won't go into law till January. He is so controlled by the tech companies that he is risking his support with Gen Z. Younger voters won't forget this."

Opinion: Ignoring Chinese spying has made Canada the weak link among Western allies - "Former Hydro-Quebec employee Yueshang Wang, arrested in 2022 for allegedly stealing electric-vehicle battery secrets on behalf of Chinese institutions, remains the only person ever charged with economic espionage under the federal government’s 2001 Security of Information Act. He’s still awaiting trial. And now we all know that Canada allowed a pair of obvious spies to leave the country after they were caught red-handed opening the doors of Canada’s highest-security biohazard lab to Chinese interests. The story of Xiangguo Qiu and Keding Cheng — two scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg who were secretly collaborating with multiple Chinese institutions, including participating in various “talent” programs — was revealed in the trove of Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) reports and other classified material released by Ottawa in February. With both Qiu and Cheng now living in China under new names, the dossier serves as a permanent reminder of how lightly Canada takes the threat of espionage, certainly in comparison with the U.S. This cross-border discrepancy is partly explained by serious flaws in Canada’s legal system. As an intelligence-gathering service, CSIS is best placed to identify crimes of espionage. But it has no actual law enforcement powers. It can share its findings with the RCMP, but this relationship is complicated by the fact CSIS intel is not admissible in court since the agency refuses to disclose its sources and methods... As both an intelligence gathering and law enforcement agency, the FBI does not face this structural problem: it collects evidence for the explicit purpose of using it in court. And its track record of espionage convictions testifies to its success in doing so. Beyond the gap in Canadian law enforcement capabilities, Gurski notes, Canada also lacks a “culture of national security.” Politicians and bureaucrats on the receiving end of CSIS reports habitually discount or ignore the evidence because they put a low priority on such matters. This is one of the main takeaways from the ongoing foreign interference inquiry in Ottawa. Repeated CSIS warnings to federal officials about Chinese election meddling were not acted upon because no one thought it was very important. Such a blasé attitude towards national security is not just embarrassing, it is also having a real impact on Canada’s most important international relationships. “Everything in these documents reinforces the perception that Canada is the weak link,” says Christian Leuprecht, a national security expert at Queen’s University and the Royal Military College. Evidence that Canada’s highest-security biohazard lab was exploited by federally-employed Chinese agents strikes to the very core of our status as a reliable and competent partner. If we can’t keep our own secrets safe, why would other countries trust us with theirs?"

Jamie Sarkonak: Authorities shrug as risky Chinese security tech watches over Canada - "When it comes to national security, it should be common sense not to depend on equipment originating from a foreign adversary. A good lot of western countries appear to have this sense, which has caused a headache — and some bad PR — for Chinese security camera manufacturer Hikvision. The company, which created ethnicity-detection technology to help advance China’s Uyghur containment project/ genocide in the western province of Xinjiang, is the subject of a growing number of sanctions worldwide, except, of course, in Ottawa. The European Union parliament removed its Hikvision cameras in 2021. In 2022, it was banned from the Danish capital region, and the United States prohibited federal dollars from being spent on its products and restricted them from being used in ways that could impact national security. The United Kingdom joined the U.S. around that time, banning all new Hikvision installations on government sites; in 2023, this was expanded into a plan to remove all existing cameras (though execution has been sluggish , as they remain online at half of the government sites that originally had them installed). Australia announced it would be removing Hikvision from its defence sites in 2023, and Quebec banned the cameras from government sites outright that same year. This year, the Dutch announced a Hikvision phase-out in their capital... The reasons for giving Hikvision the cold shoulder are quite simple. One, it looks bad, and arguably does bad, to give business to a company aiding the concentration camp internment of minorities deep in the Eurasian Steppe. Two, Hikvision, like any company from China, has no legal way to prevent the government from peering through potential system keyholes and observing … well, anything. You can imagine the strategic advantage that comes with having access to countless security camera feeds of public and private property all over the world... while this country has been pretty quiet on the question of Hikvision — like it was on the question of Huawei, which was banned after a lengthy hum-haw period — we can glean that at least some departments consider the brand to present a problem, as pains have sometimes been taken to replace them. In the case of the PCO, which got rid of its Hikvision units in April, and Infrastructure Canada, which took “steps to decommission the camera and replace it” on March 14, the day Villemure submitted his question, the replacements appear to have been spurred by the Bloc. Perhaps that’s why the feds have been selling surplus Hikvision cameras online... For a country whose Parliament appears to be compromised to some unknown degree by foreign interests, it’s unsurprising that suspected foreign spyware falls low on the priority list. Just one more thing to clean up in 2025, I suppose."

Why Chinese flags have taken over lawn of Australia's Parliament House - "Pro-China protesters have swarmed the lawn at Parliament House, blocking out peaceful Tibetan activists as Anthony Albanese prepares to meet China's second most powerful leader."
If you suggest dual loyalty, you're racist.
Actually this might more accurately be said to be single loyalty - to China

Ex-ambassador says Canada approached China 'like beggars' - "“I frequently hear from Canadian companies who relay concerns of market constriction in China … policies that tend to favour domestic over foreign,” said the document. “They also complain of opaque regulations, cumbersome licensing requirements, onerous ownership requirements and fierce competition due to market dominance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs).”... China has banned Canadian beef since Canada announced a single case of atypical BSE, or mad-cow disease, in 2021, while heat-treated dried pet food was prohibited because of the presence in chicken of “highly pathogenic avian influenza.” In both cases, the World Organization for Animal Health says the products pose no human health risk. China does import pet food from other countries with HPAI chicken, suggesting the Canadian ban is “discrimination,” says the document. The briefing note also defends policies that have angered China, such as signing an investment accord with Taiwan, barring Chinese companies from supplying 5G mobile networks here, and restricting foreign investment in critical-mineral mining. In fact, China’s own restrictions on such investment are much more onerous, the document says. Likewise, China’s apparent objections to Canada requiring COVID testing for Chinese travellers earlier earned a slightly incredulous response. “Surprised you would raise this given China’s own measures,” said the note. “Can you explain why you imposed test requirements (and more) on inbound travellers but object when others do the same?”"
Damn protectionism in Western markets! China's protectionism is justified by the Century of Humiliation, of course!

China cracks down on hate speech against Japan - "almost all of China’s major online platforms announced, respectively, that they are cracking down on hate speech against Japan, following a deadly stabbing against a Japanese school bus... An unemployed 52-year-old Chinese man surnamed Zhou attacked the bus, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries to two Japanese nationals. Hu Youping, a female bus attendant, intervened to stop the attack but lost her life... The shocking attack was followed by both an outpouring of condolences and praise and an ugly hate speech against Japan in China. China’s leading internet companies have, respectively, launched a campaign against the extremist rhetoric within a short time. There is no publicly available information on whether the Chinese government, which closely scrutinizes the companies, was coordinating the campaign.  Commentators including Hu Xijin, the former editor of the Global Times newspaper, have warned that China “must avoid excessively exaggerating external challenges and hostility online, which turns extreme nationalism into a commodity of hating America and Japan, blaming most of China's issues on external factors.”
Ironic, given that the government was the top promoter of anti-Japanese hate speech and it's trying to whip up hatred of the US too

National Security Division, U.S. Dept of Justice on X - "Federal Jury Convicts New York Resident of Acting as a Covert Chinese Agent Defendant Pretended to Be Opposed to the Chinese Government So He Could Get Close to Prominent Activists Seeking to Bring Democracy, Reform and Human Rights to China 🔗:"
Brian in Pittsburgh on X - "Damn. This guy was a human rights activist and cofounder of a significant pro-democracy organization named for victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. He was also an MSS spy reporting to the PRC on the activities of those who joined as far back as at least 2006."

China’s rulers are surprised by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz - "For much of this year the Biden-Trump contest was a boon for Chinese propagandists, allowing them to portray American democracy as a fight between two men past their cognitive prime, whose attacks were redolent of playground bickering. By bowing out Mr Biden has unsettled that narrative and encouraged some Chinese to wonder about their own system, in which Mr Xi, 71, appears set on remaining leader for life. Last month a blogger on Netease, a Chinese internet platform, wrote “for some people, the greatest contribution they can make to the party, the country and the people is to hand over power, step down from the stage and go home to play with their grandchildren”. The next sentence—“That’s right, I’m talking about you, Biden”—did not calm China’s censors, who scrubbed the post."
Richard Hanania on X - "China was surprised when Obama was elected because they bought the propaganda about how racist America was. American elite discourse is so anti-American that it gives China a sense of moral superiority."

The world according to Xi - "A lesser man than Xi Jinping might have found it uncomfortable. Meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow this week, China’s leader spoke of “peaceful co-existence and win-win co-operation”, while supping with somebody facing an international arrest warrant for war crimes. But Mr Xi is untroubled by trivial inconsistencies. He believes in the inexorable decline of the American-led world order, with its professed concern for rules and human rights. He aims to twist it into a more transactional system of deals between great powers. Do not underestimate the perils of this vision—or its appeal around the world. On Ukraine China has played an awkward hand ruthlessly and well. Its goals are subtle: to ensure Russia is subordinate but not so weak that Mr Putin’s regime implodes; to burnish its own credentials as a peacemaker in the eyes of the emerging world; and, with an eye on Taiwan, to undermine the perceived legitimacy of Western sanctions and military support as a tool of foreign policy. Mr Xi has cynically proposed a “peace plan” for Ukraine that would reward Russian aggression and which he knows Ukraine will not accept. It calls for “respecting the sovereignty of all countries”, but neglects to mention that Russia occupies more than a sixth of its neighbour... China’s approach is not improvised, but systematic and ideological. Deng Xiaoping urged China to “hide your capacities, bide your time”. But Mr Xi wants to reshape the post-1945 world order. China’s new slogans seek to borrow and subvert the normative language of the 20th century so that “multilateralism” becomes code for a world that ditches universal values and is run by balancing great-power interests. The “Global Security Initiative” is about opposing efforts to contain China’s military threat; the “Global Development Initiative” promotes China’s economic-growth model, which deals with autocratic states without imposing conditions. “Global Civilisation” argues that Western advocacy of universal human rights, in Xinjiang and elsewhere, is a new kind of colonialism... Yet the real point of Mr Xi’s foreign policy is to make the world safer for the Chinese Communist Party. Over time, its flaws will be hard to hide. A mesh of expedient bilateral relationships creates contradictions. China has backed Iran but chosen to ignore its ongoing nuclear escalation, which threatens China’s other clients in the region. In Ukraine any durable peace requires the consent of Ukrainians. It should also involve accountability for war crimes and guarantees against another attack. China objects to all three: it does not believe in democracy, human rights or constraining great powers—whether in Ukraine or Taiwan. Countries that face a direct security threat from China, such as India and Japan, will grow even warier. Indeed, wherever a country faces a powerful, aggressive neighbour, the principle that might is right means that it will have more to fear. Because China almost always backs ruling elites, however inept or cruel, its approach may eventually outrage ordinary people around the world. Until that moment, open societies will face a struggle over competing visions... America’s great insight in 1945 was that it could make itself more secure by binding itself to lasting alliances and common rules. That idealistic vision has been tarnished by decades of contact with reality, including in Iraq. But the Moscow summit reveals a worse alternative: a superpower that seeks influence without winning affection, power without trust and a global vision without universal human rights. Those who believe this will make the world a better place should think again."
Relentlessly blaming the West can only work for so long

Hundreds of US scientists accused of Chinese industrial espionage - "Just as the Biden administration has relaxed rules around Chinese influence on research and universities, alarms are being raised over the theft of American trade secrets... The National Institute of Health has revealed that it is investigating over 500 scientists and more than 90 institutions including universities for their alleged ties with Chinese Talent recruitment programs and the smuggling of US research and technology to the Chinese government. "
From 2021

Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 on X - "Aging dictator Xi Jinping forced every single Chinese Olympics athlete to assemble in a grand reception hall and applaud him on state television for twenty minutes. This was their Welcome Home celebration from the Paris Olympics. National Chinese state television broadcaster CCTV just aired the footage without commentary and then showed interviews with select stars who said Xi Jinping’s speech would inspire them to train even harder for the next Olympics.   China is going full North Korea"

Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 on X - "Chinese tennis star and OIympic gold medallist Qinwen Zheng forced to praise Xi Jinping on state television: ''This is a very important event in my life. President Xi mentioned my name. I am very happy.''  I feel horrible for her - She must remember what they did to Peng Shuai.   They even had her repeating Party slogans. ''Just as President Xi said, winning glory for the nation always surpasses personal honour ... I believe the 'China Spirit' in the New Era is to be higher, faster, and stronger within one's limits.''"

Alec Stapp on X - "China just announced export controls on a critical mineral used in >300 types of munitions. Currently, the US doesn’t mine this resource at all & imports 63% of supply from China. A domestic mining project that would fix this has been stuck in environmental review since 2016."
China Sends a Permitting Wake-Up Call - WSJ - "China announced export restrictions on antimony, a critical mineral in weapon systems and semiconductors.  Beijing isn’t coy about its motives. Restricting antimony exports, China’s commerce ministry says, is needed “to further protect China’s national security and interests and fulfil the nation’s international non-proliferation obligations.”  That’s the Chinese Communist Party’s way of reminding the West of its dependence on China for national defense. More than 300 types of munitions require antimony, and China accounts for about half of the world’s production. Russia and Tajikistan make up most of the rest. The U.S. doesn’t mine antimony and sources 63% of its imports from China.  But America needn’t depend on China. Idaho boasts one of the world’s largest antimony reserves where Perpetua Resources has been trying to develop a gold and antimony mine for more than a decade. The company began the National Environmental Policy Act permitting process in 2016, yet it needs some 50 permits from federal, state and local agencies. Perpetua has completed countless environmental studies and repeatedly modified its project to allay concerns by green groups, though they keep raising new complaints. The company hopes to obtain U.S. Forest Service approval this year, but even then it could face legal challenges. Almost every major mining project in the U.S. faces similar obstacles. Such permitting headaches leave the U.S. vulnerable to Chinese extortion, much as Europe found itself dependent on Russian natural gas. China has repeatedly leveraged its dominance of critical minerals for geopolitical advantage."
Time to increase regulations to prevent greedy capitalists from destroying the environment

The George Floyd Position / Fake $20 Note Alternate Reality / BLM Graffiti

"Sexaul postion number 47, The George Floyd *Man with foot on woman's head and thrusting from the back*"

Keywords: Sexual Position

"What If it was Like This

>walks into the store to get some snacks
>accidentally hands over a fake $20
>cashier looks at him weird
>"Oh damn, my bad bro, didn't even notice that was fake"
>immediately offers to pay with my real money
>few minutes later, cops pull up
>Officer Chauvin approaches, looking serious
>stays calm, smiles at him
>"Good evening, officer. Is there an issue I should be aware of?"
>he explains the situation, no tension at all
>"Ah, I get it. Totally my mistake. I'll cooperate fully, let's keep this smooth."
>Chauvin nods, appreciates the respect
>lets him handcuff
>ride in the squad car is peaceful
>gets booked and out of jail in no time
>jokes about how wild the day could've been
>"Oh and officer, i can breathe!"
>everyone respects him for owning up to my mistake
>becomes a local legend, mentors kids in the community"

You know this is unrealistic because it imagines "everyone" in "the community" respecting him for owning up to a mistake with a police officer

"NOW I KNOW WHAT TO DO IF I EVER SEE ANY B.L.M. FIST GRAFFITI *Blue BLM fist gripping erect penis*"

Links - 18th September 2024 (1)

New study explains why ‘doomscrolling’ is bad for your brain - "In a recent study published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior Reports, a team of researchers found there was a connection between doomscrolling and feelings of existential anxiety, despair, distrust, and suspicion of others after surveying over 800 university students from the US and Iran. According to Flinders University researcher Reza Shabahang, who is the study’s lead author, constant exposure to negative news can turn into a “source of vicarious trauma”, causing viewers and readers to feel as though they’re experiencing secondhand trauma... Doomscrolling typically occurs when people consume negative or depressing content on social media for excessive periods of time."

When I get jealous of people, I use that envy as a guidepost. Here's how it led me to quit my prestigious Big Law job. - "While I enjoyed my time in Big Law, the working hours could be unpredictable, depending on who you worked with. Chances are you might end up in a weird ecosystem where people think it's strange if you disappear for an hour at 7 p.m. or aren't reachable within half an hour on weekends. Besides strict working hour standards, there were also a lot of strong personalities. I once worked with people who were upset if I didn't respond within eight minutes, and some partners would hold 1 a.m. team conference calls. So, if I worked for them, I had to adhere to that schedule, too. Sometimes, I went to work thinking it would be a normal day, but I'd get a lot of last-minute ad hoc tasks and would have to work late into the night. Working without knowing what the exact hours were was mentally challenging. My brain was working 24/7, constantly checking my phones for fire drills or emergencies. People may wonder why the average Big Law salary is $200,000, even for people with zero experience — it's because they're paying for our availability and ability to be very good administrators and facilitators... I realized in the end that I would never be fulfilled even as an equity partner because once I made it, I would become obsessed with the next goal — there's always the next thing I think I need to do, and I never reached a point where I thought, "I'm so happy; this is my dream." The happiness I felt was so fleeting, and I quickly forgot it and returned to feeling dissatisfied. Sometimes, I wondered why I still felt lonely and even cried every day after getting what I wanted for so long. Then, I realized I wasn't tired of chasing goals — I was just weirded out by how unfulfilling they were."

Travel safety concerns rise as TikToker advises risky destinations - "TikToker "manishs_" posted a video. He stated that if you want to go on vacation, it's best to choose a country where a terrorist attack has just occurred... flight tickets to the country shortly after a terrorist attack would be incredibly cheap, which is always tempting for travellers. Second, because most people avoid such a country, tourists would primarily encounter local residents, which also sounds appealing. Finally, security in the country shortly after a terrorist attack would be at the highest possible level to ensure it does not happen again."

A genius or a horrid idea? Timers in restrooms at Yungang Grottoes trigger tourist backlash - "the Chinese authorities decided to install timers in the restrooms at the Yungang Grottoes at the beginning of May. Digital timers were installed above each stall to measure the time spent in the restroom from the moment the door is closed until the person exits."

Europe's biggest phone manufacturer plans new device for Gen Z teens - "Europe's biggest phone manufacturer is planning a new device for the Gen Z teens embracing digital detox as an alternative to traditional smartphones. Human Mobile Devices (HMD) vows that users wouldn't be able to install social media platforms like Facebook or TikTok on the planned device... The manufacturer says the new phone they want to create would offer parents the ability to control their child's screen time and social media use, with the hope of thereby improving their mental health... The plans come as a new study of 10,000 parents in five European countries, including the UK, has revealed that the majority regrets buying a smartphone for their child. On average, children are 11 years old when they receive their first phone and more than half the parents in the study said that they wish they had waited longer to hand the device to their children. Almost half of parents believe mobile phone use has changed their child's personality, with a third claiming their child has body image issues due to their phones... About 70 per cent of the surveyed parents in the UK, US, India, Germany and Australia claimed that their smartphone-free childhood meant they engaged more with their family. More than half said that their child's phone use is a source of big arguments and a third have cried over their child's phone obsession. According to the findings, three-quarters of parents think their children will see their phones more during the summer break from school, with 64 per cent saying it will negatively impact their sleep. Furthermore, 61 per cent think it will reduce the amount of physical activity they take, and more than half worried that it will reduce the amount of time they spend socialising with friends. But more than half of parents agreed that smartphones can have a positive impact on their children and benefit them educationally during the summer break as well as by enabling them to keep in touch with their friends. Other key points to emerge from the global survey include almost 75 per cent of parents fearing smartphones expose their children to internet dangers, with more than half admitting they don't know what their children get up to when using their phones."

Research reveals ideal number of steps per day - "Researchers analyzed data from tens of thousands of individuals across four continents and determined a more convenient figure: the optimal daily step count is 6000, depending on your age. Walking more than this is beneficial for health but may not significantly impact longevity... In 2021, a specific study involving middle-aged participants revealed that taking 7000 steps a day reduces the risk of premature death by 50-70%. For adults aged 60 and older, the norm is between 6000 and 8000 steps per day, while for younger individuals, 8000 to 10,000 steps daily is considered optimal. The study also showed that physical activity of at least half an hour a day can be just as beneficial as a walk, especially for those with a sedentary lifestyle. Incorporating strength training in old age helps keep the brain sharp and hearts and bones healthy."

Effect of Intermittent Fasting Diet on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Impaired Glucose and Lipid Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - "The question of whether or not intermittent fasting diets improve the clinical indicators of glycolipid metabolism remains unclear. This study systematically reviewed the relevant clinical trials to evaluate the effects of intermittent fasting diet on glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with metabolic syndrome. To evaluate the effect of intermittent fasting diet intervention on patients with disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, random-effect or fixed-effect meta-analysis models were used to calculate the average difference before and after intermittent fasting diet intervention and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After intermittent fasting diet intervention, in terms of glucose metabolism, fasting blood glucose reduced by 0.15 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.23; −0.06), glycosylated hemoglobin reduced by 0.08 (95% CIs: −0.25; −0.10), insulin plasma levels reduced by 13.25 uUI (95% CIs: −16.69; −9.82), and HOMA-IR decreased by 0.31 on an average (95% CIs: −0.44; −0.19). In addition, BMI decreased by 0.8 kg/m2 (95% CIs: −1.32; −0.28), body weight reduced by 1.87 kg (95% CIs: −2.67; −1.07), and the waist circumference decreased by 2.08 cm (95% CIs: −3.06; −1.10). Analysis of lipid metabolism showed that intermittent fasting diet intervention effectively reduced the total cholesterol level by 0.32 mmol/L (95% CIs: −0.60; −0.05), low-density lipoprotein level by 0.22 mmol/L (95% CIs: −0.37; −0.07), and triglyceride level by 0.04 mmol/L (95% CIs: −0.15; −0.07). Intermittent fasting diets have certain therapeutic effects on blood glucose and lipids in patients with metabolic syndrome and significantly improve insulin resistance. It may be considered as an auxiliary treatment to prevent the occurrence and development of chronic diseases."

Flat cap - Wikipedia - "A 1571 Act of the English Parliament was enacted to stimulate domestic wool consumption and general trade. It decreed that on Sundays and holidays, all males over 6 years of age, except for the nobility and "persons of degree", were to wear woolen caps or pay a fine of three farthings per day (equivalent to £1.41 in 2023). The Act was not repealed until 1597"

Why are Today's Chickens Bigger? - "In the 1920’s, the average chicken at market weight was 2.5 pounds and the U.S. population to feed was 115 million. Through a number of improvements in breeding, nutrition, veterinary care and bird health, today’s chicken farmers are able to raise bigger and healthier birds faster – an average of about 6 pounds at market weight today, to feed the current U.S. population of approximately 320 million."

Meme - "Im never lonely cuz i got these little guys with me *floaters*"

Meme - Alexander Anrai: "The intel ceo"
Pat Gelsinger: ""Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways" Proverbs 4:@5-26"
Daniel @growing _daniel: "Dawg it's over look at my CEO's tweets after that earnings call"

Schödinger's Blowjob : r/copypasta - "Imagine you're blindfolded and you're getting the best raw pornstar-grade blowjob in the entire universe. The catch is, however, that you'll never figure out who's giving you that god-tier awesome schmösome sloppy toppy unless you take the blindfold off. It could be anybody, Ariana Grande, Ben Shapiro, Harold from the 7-11 near my house, or even your uncle's neighbour's fireman's cat. Now the question is: would you take off the blindfold and find out who the person/thing behind the stupendous jimmy-nibbler is and risk permanently scarring yourself, or would you keep the blindfold on and continue having your knob slobbed till your spirit hits the sky?"

Meme - cousin greg: "Hey, what do mummies do when they catch you? Like, a zombie eats your brain, a vampire drinks your blood, what does a mummy do? Do they just beat you up"

Meme - "If 1/3 of all vaginas on Earth were suddenly filled with cement, and you were tasked with dealing with the subject on a children's show, how would you go about it? I was thinking about how Sesame Street dealt with 9/11 and was wondering how one might do a similar episode, except if the situation were that of vaginas on Earth were suddenly filled with cement." - u/IN_A_WUHAN_LAB
"Suppose your boyfriend fills your vagina with cement in your sleep. How do you get revenge?" - u/IN_A_WUHAN_LAB
"What's a fate worse than one's vagina being filled with cement?" - u/IN_A_WUHAN_LAB

North Ronaldsay sheep - Wikipedia - "The semi-feral flock on North Ronaldsay is the original flock that evolved to subsist almost entirely on seaweed – they are one of few mammals to do this. They are confined to the foreshore by a 1.8 m (6 ft) drystane dyke, which completely encircles the island, forcing the sheep to evolve this unusual characteristic. The wall was built as kelping (the production of soda ash from seaweed) on the shore became uneconomical. Sheep were confined to the shore to protect the fields and crofts inside, and afterwards subsisted largely on seaweed."

Meme - T-shirt back: "BLONDES 17 OR 18! APPROACH ME IF:
YOU'RE 17 WHICH IS THE AGE OF CONSENT IN ILLINOIS AND YOU ALSO LIVE IN ILLINOIS OR 18 IF You LIVE IN A DIFFERENT STATE AND YOU FIND ME PHYSicALLY ATTRACTIVE AND WANT TO HAVE A ONE-NIGHT STAND OR BE FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS. I'M A BIG HANDSOME MAN wHo's 6' 4", BIG-BONED, AND BROAD-SHOULDERED WITH STRAIGHT THICK DARK BROWN HAIR, DEEP-SET ALMOND-SHAPED HAZEL EYES AND ANGLED EYEBROWS. A STRAIGHT LONG AND NARROW UPTURNED NOSE, DOWNTURNED LIPS, AND A TRIANGLE FACE SHAPE. I WAS BORN IN 1998, I'M SHY, I HAVE SOCIAL ANXIETY, AND *SOMETHING* ASPERGER'S, AND I'M MOSTLY ATTRACTED TO BLONDES. AND I WANT MY FIRST TIME TO BE WITH ONE WHO'S THE YOUNGEST LEGAL AGE POSSIBLE WHICH IS 17 IF WE BOTH LIVE IN ILLINOIS OR 18 IF WE LIVE IN DIFFERENT STATES. BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL EVEN IF YOU'RE ALSO A MINOR TO TRAVEL INTERSTATE OR INTERNATIONALLY TO HAVE SEX WITH MINORS AND TO TRANSPORT MINORS TO YOUR STATE OR TO PERSUADE, INDUCE, ENTICE, OR CoERcE MINORS TO TRAVEL INTERSTATE REGARDLESS OF THE AGE OF CONSENT IN EACH STATE OR OTHER COUNTRIES"

Meme - "Wherever the cum lands is where we're going on vacation *woman with tattoo of world map like in an old school atlas on back*"

Meme - "When you're watching porn in india and you get confused if the noise is coming from the phone or someone is getting raped outside"

Meme - "Stripper pole for trailer hitch
$1,234
Trade me something *fat woman with no shorts standing on tailgate of pickup truck showing middle finger*"

The North Sea Floods of 1953 – Swords to Ploughshares - "After the immediate rescue and recovery activities had completed there were many gaps in the sea defences to close. Most of these were completed in a relatively short period but some of the larger and more complex gaps would need a great deal of heavy duty construction. Compounding the reconstruction was the twice daily tide and amount of damage.  The Allies had previously used surplus D Day Phoenix Mulberry Harbour caissons for a similar task in 1945 and 1946 on the island of Walcheren so the same technique was proposed. After extensive scale modelling eight Phoenix caissons were floated over from the UK although some were lost in heavy seas during the journey."

Who's Your Daddy? (2005 TV series) - Wikipedia - "Who's Your Daddy? is an American reality television special broadcast by the Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox). The 90 minute special premiered on January 3, 2005, and starred actress T. J. Myers. The special depicted eight men in competition for a $100,000 reward over who could best convince Myers, a woman who was adopted, that they were her biological father. One of the contestants, however, actually was Myers's biological father. Myers had the opportunity to interview and observe each contestant before making a determination on which man was her biological father. If Myers incorrectly selected a contestant as her biological father, the contestant won the reward. Conversely, if she correctly determined which contestant was her biological father, Myers won the reward."

Actual Fact Bot: Revived | Facebook - "In Finland, city planners are known to visit parks immediately after the first snowfall, when the existing walking paths are not visible. People naturally choose desire paths, clearly marked by their footprints, which can be then used to guide the routing of new purpose-built paved paths."

Meme - "Jeremy Gray is feeling aggravated.: People are fucking assholes man."
Eric Koval: "It's called anal and it's been going on for a long time..."

Meme - "when you lose your son to heroin but you're kinda glad your family no longer has to eat cereal with a fork"

Indian passenger, Guru Sewak Singh, disguises himself as senior citizen to board Air Canada flight - "A 24-year-old Indian man with ties to human trafficking disguised himself as a senior citizen in an attempt to board a Canada-bound flight, but his youthful characteristics didn’t match the older man he claimed to be. Officials at the Indira Gandhi International Airport detained Guru Sewak Singh after they noticed multiple discrepancies in his appearance...   Singh, who was heading for an Air Canada flight, had dyed his facial hair white as he tried to replicate the passport photo of Rashvindar Singh Sahota, a 67-year-old from Punjab.  Along with dyeing his hair, Singh sported a pair of glasses, but his skin texture and youthful-sounding voice were a dead giveaway to airport officials... In 2019, a 32-year-old man dressed himself up like a white-haired, wheelchair-bound senior in his 80s as he tried to board a New York-bound flight at the same Delhi airport.  Jayesh Patel wheeled his way into Indira Gandhi International Airport, refusing to be frisked because he claimed to be too frail to stand, according to the CISF."

Kerala: 'Big breasted women' available in Jannat, claims Maulana Qasmi - "Maulana EP Abubakar Qasmi has triggered controversy in Kerala after he recounted the advantages of being a Muslim. In his speech, Maulana revealed what Muslims get in ‘Jannat’ or paradise. According to EP Abubakar Qasmi, who gave Islamic speeches in Malayalam, ‘women with big breasts’ are found in paradise. Protests ensued after the offensive language was used by Maulana Qasmi on women as his speeches are popular with Muslims on social media.  Maulana Qasmi further claimed that rivers of wine flow in paradise along with gardens and big bungalows. He went on and said that the women who were in Allah’s paradise neither urinate nor defecate. He also added that Muslims going to Paradise get the privilege of sitting in the lap of the ‘Hoors’ there... Maulana Abubakar said that in Paradise, Muslims do not have to stand in long lines outside liquor shops, because everything in paradise was for free and its quantity is unlimited. Maulana Qasmi then claimed that the ‘hoors’ of heaven do not even have the power to think and understand."

Why McDonald's and Burger King Struggled to Conquer Vietnam 🍔🇻🇳 - "The fast-food chains seem to have underestimated the competition from local street vendors"
This doesn't explain why in other countries with delicious street food, Western fast food succeeds

Robert J. Sawyer » Blog Archive » WordStar for DOS 7.0 Archive - "As you all know, I continue to use WordStar for DOS 7.0 as my word-processing program. It was last updated in December 1992, and the company that made it has been defunct for decades; the program is abandonware.   There was no proper archive of WordStar for DOS 7.0 available online, so I decided to create one. I’ve put weeks of work into this. Included are not only full installs of the program (as well as images of the installation disks), but also plug-and-play solutions for running WordStar for DOS 7.0 under Windows, and also complete full-text-searchable PDF versions of all seven manuals that came with WordStar — over a thousand pages of documentation... And it’s true that the WordStar die-hard community is pretty small these days (George R.R. Martin still uses the even-older WordStar 4.0). But the program has been a big part of my career — not only did I write all 25 of my novels and almost all of my short stories with it (a few date back to the typewriter era), I also in my earlier freelance days wrote hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles with WordStar."

Meme - i/o @eyeslasho: "The average IQ of a person with a graduate degree today is about 105 (barely above average). In some of the less rigorous fields (like education) it's likely below 100 (below the population average).  In the 1960s, the average IQ of a person with a graduate degree was about 115."
Coddled affluent professional @feelsdesperate: "I predict that in the next 10 years we will start seeing functionally illiterate people obtaining PhDs."

Meme - "why is he calling another dude "babe"?"
"People are gay, Steve"
"thats ok but i thought gay dudes would call each other hotcock or some gay shit not babe .. babe is a straight guy word"

Meme - "Anonymous. Not gay
Ok so I'm not gay but I'm Swedish and have a fantasy where Germany win world war two and Sweden needs to export aryan twink boipussy slaves to high ranking SS officers for pleasure. I imagine I'm a shy little blonde twink with smooth pale skin and being brought into komedant heinrichs bedroom to give him pleasure. He is a tall broad shoulders kraut with a jawline that could cut a diamond and with massive daddy muscles and I'm a pathetic skinny little boipussy twink. He pulls me into his arms force kissing me and pressing my chest against his. He pins me down on the bed tearing my cute /il virgin panties off, he has waited for this for a long time. He teases my boipussy with his massive thicc German cock and then he goes all in. Fucking me with a force I've never felt before. Every thrust makes him moan with pleasure. I love the fact I give him pleasure. He cums deep into my sissy swede guts, breeding my booty hole then he cuddles me with his strong masculine German arms until I fall asleep on his chest. Any other straight guys have similar fantasies?"

Meme - Busty witch carrying 2 chests: "Hup~ Hup~"
Man: "Those look heavy. Shall I help you carry them?"
Busty witch: "My~ Thank you~"
wobble. wobble. wobble
Busty witch on man holding her breasts: "Ara~ This is really so comfortable!"

Richard Hanania on X: "Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “It’s time for politicians to stand up and take tough questions. We owe it to our voters.” Reporter: “What do you think about abortion?” Moreno: “I’m not here to talk about that!” 😂 https://t.co/9Q4TusJ72G" / X

Richard Hanania on X - "Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “It’s time for politicians to stand up and take tough questions. We owe it to our voters.” Reporter: “What do you think about abortion?” Moreno: “I’m not here to talk about that!” 😂"

Thread by @the_megabase on Thread Reader App – Thread Reader App - " genuinely shocking to me that study after study shows that social scientists are no better than regular people at high-level social science predictions: whether studies will replicate, which "nudge" interventions work, how social attitudes will change  a thread of examples: (to be clear, we're not even talking about superforecasters here, just regular joes)  social scientists, applied and academic, were no better - if anything, possibly worse - than regular people at predicting which interventions would increase gym visits:
social scientists *were* substantially worse than regular people at predicting which interventions would make people more likely to get a covid vaccine:  (see pic, which also includes a rather rosy description of the next study in this thread)
regular people had larger absolute error (as is often the case) when predicting the effect of incentives on performance of a boring task, but their rankings of the interventions were as good as social scientists':
social scientists were no more accurate than regular people at predicting or *retrospectively assessing* the social consequences of the covid-19 pandemic:
in a follow-up paper to the one above, social scientists were usually no better than regular people at predicting how general social attitudes would change over time:
regular people are about as good at social scientists at predicting which studies will replicate:
in estimating gender bias in hiring over time, regular joes' predictions were more extreme than academics' - again, typical - but correlations with real values were very similar, and both made the same mistakes, e.g. thinking there is still bias vs women:
(not grinding a political axe by mentioning the above, that's just what the study says!)
for fairness, here are some papers concluding that social scientists are better than laypeople at various prediction tasks:
1) long-term effects of rct interventions - note studies were mostly in africa (and afghanistan) with predictors in the west:
2) which interventions make people less likely to click "anti-democratic" options in online surveys (...)
3) mask-wearing nudges on democrats and republicans. but - i plotted the results, and it seems most laypeople didn't fully understand the (poorly worded) prediction question and mostly assessed general dem vs rep mask attitudes, not intervention effects..
a recurring result in these is that expertise level (undergrad vs professor) doesn't matter for accuracy, expert field (economics vs marketing) barely matters - training might make you better at publishing papers in a field, but not (clearly) better at giving actionable advice a blunt analogy: if a bunch of people went around getting "metereology" phds, and calling themselves "metereologists", but it turned out they were no better than random people at predicting if it would rain tomorrow, i would be annoyed. this is how i see a lot of social science."
Trust the experts!