Fal's recent activity

  1. Comment on China's super-rich 'in shock' and hunting for cash as Beijing issues surprise tax on offshore trusts in ~society

    Fal
    Link Parent
    I don't think that's a super strong comparison, the main goal of Apollo wasn't to do all those negative things. Obviously it is a tragedy that they did happen, but I really doubt that the real...

    I don't think that's a super strong comparison, the main goal of Apollo wasn't to do all those negative things. Obviously it is a tragedy that they did happen, but I really doubt that the real goal of the Apollo program was to steal indigenous lands.

    The issue in the China case is that there is a long history of selective enforcement of laws as a tool against political rivals, such as Xi's signature anti-corruption campaign. I'm not arguing that taxing the rich or cracking down on corruption are bad, but I would argue that their selective enforcement as a political tool is a goal on par with their stated intentions.

    To make a perhaps flawed analogy, if Congress and Trump in the US levied a major tax against the wealthy, but only had the IRS enforce that tax against wealthy Democratic donors, I doubt the response I'd see here would be 'well its not perfect but at least he's taxing the rich'

    4 votes

  2. Comment on What are your favourite anime and/or manga? in ~anime

    Fal
    Link Parent
    Honestly, outside of discussing with my friends in person not really, no. I’m not opposed to discussing it on Tildes though, just never really did after that early post I linked

    Honestly, outside of discussing with my friends in person not really, no. I’m not opposed to discussing it on Tildes though, just never really did after that early post I linked

    1 vote

  3. Comment on What are your favourite anime and/or manga? in ~anime

    Fal
    Link
    According to my Anilist rankings, these are my top 10 (multi-season shows are judged on their highest-ranked seasons): Cowboy Bebop (10) Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (10) Fullmetal Alchemist:...

    According to my Anilist rankings, these are my top 10 (multi-season shows are judged on their highest-ranked seasons):

    • Cowboy Bebop (10)
    • Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (10)
    • Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (10)
    • Serial Experiments Lain (10)
    • Ghost in the Shell (1995) (10)
    • Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (9.5)
    • Samurai Champloo (9.5)
    • Bungo Stray Dogs (9.2)
    • Jujutsu Kaisen (9.2)
    • Vinland Sage (9.2)
    Honorable Mentions to all the shows/movies that received a 9
    • Akira
    • BOCCHI THE ROCK!
    • Delicious in Dungeon
    • Kaguya-sama: Love is War
    • One-Punch Man (you can probably guess which season)
    • Spirited Away
    • The Apothecary Diaries
    • The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

    As an aside, I don't usually participate as much in the weekly anime thread, but shoutout @moocow1452 for putting me on all those years ago. I've watched quite a bit of anime since, though haven't discussed it much on Tildes

    5 votes

  4. Comment on US Marine Corps boot camp is stupid and spiritually depraved in ~society

    Fal
    Link
    A reflection on the author's experiences in boot camp and the culture of the USMC. Lost Things Found is a relatively new channel, with three excellent videos published so far. The marine corps...

    A reflection on the author's experiences in boot camp and the culture of the USMC.

    Lost Things Found is a relatively new channel, with three excellent videos published so far. The marine corps video is far and away the most popular of the three, and how I found the channel. The author is perceptive and articulate about the frankly bizarre rituals, design, and culture of bootcamp, with many former marines in the comments (for what Youtube comments are worth) commending his insights into the system.

    However, I also want to draw attention to the channel's other two videos, Does God Love You Sexually? and On the Strangeness of Angels. Despite the distinctly different topics, the author brings the same level of insight present in the marine corps video to his interpretations of theology and human psychology. I highly encourage watching those two videos as well, even if you may disagree with his interpretations.

    6 votes

  8. Comment on France becomes the first EU country to ban social media for children in ~tech

    Fal
    Link

    French lawmakers voted Tuesday to ban social media use for children under the age of 15, making it the first country in the European Union to introduce such an age limit.

    1 vote

  10. Comment on Andy Burnham succeeds Keir Starmer as the UK's seventh prime minister in ten years in ~society

    Fal
    Link

    On Monday, outgoing Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to King Charles III. Shortly afterward, Burnham made the same journey and was invited by the king to form a new government.

    Burnham then returned to Downing Street, where he delivered his first remarks as prime minister. He said: "It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game." He said politicians are "acknowledging that many voters have grown frustrated with politics."

    10 votes

  13. Comment on Hong Kong police raid independent bookstores and arrest five people in ~society

    Fal
    Link

    Hong Kong’s national security police on Wednesday raided two bookstores, seized boxes of books and arrested five people on suspicion of sedition.

    The police accused two men and three women of displaying items “with seditious intention” and selling publications with “seditious content” that included “inciting hatred” against the Hong Kong government, its judiciary and the police, according to a government statement.

    It was the third time in recent months that the police have arrested proprietors of independent bookstores, as part of a broader crackdown in the city that has increasingly focused on literature. The authorities are using a 2024 national security law to squash any dissent. The offense of “seditious intention” is punishable by up to seven years in prison.

    21 votes

  15. Comment on Japan relaxes royal succession rules - but ban on female emperors remains in ~society

    Fal
    Link

    The Japanese parliament has approved a bill to relax imperial succession rules, amid concerns over the dwindling size of the imperial family.

    The bill, passed by the upper house on Friday, allows the imperial family to adopt distant male relatives over the age of 15 and lets women keep their royal status after marrying outside the family.

    But it does not change the law barring women from ascending the throne despite wide public support for a female emperor, meaning Princess Aiko, the only child of the current emperor, is still not eligible to succeed the throne.

    9 votes

  17. Comment on MapTap: Daily challenges to test your geographical knowledge in ~games

    Fal
    Link
    www.maptap.gg July 15 100🎯 99🎯 100🎯 95🏅 100🎯 Final score: 984 Fun game! That last city I feel was definitely way easier than the fourth one though

    www.maptap.gg July 15
    100🎯 99🎯 100🎯 95🏅 100🎯
    Final score: 984

    Fun game! That last city I feel was definitely way easier than the fourth one though

    2 votes

  18. Comment on What did banning Airbnbs in New York City accomplish? in ~finance

    Fal
    Link Parent
    I don't doubt that prices have gone up generally but I wouldn't be surprised that much of that $280 price tag is attributable to the upcoming World Cup final hosted near NYC

    I don't doubt that prices have gone up generally but I wouldn't be surprised that much of that $280 price tag is attributable to the upcoming World Cup final hosted near NYC

    4 votes

  20. Comment on Woman who dated US Senate candidate Graham Platner says he sexually assaulted her in ~society

    Fal
    Link
    Graham Platner suspends Maine Senate campaign after sexual assault allegation

    Graham Platner suspends Maine Senate campaign after sexual assault allegation

    Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner announced Wednesday he is suspending his campaign after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were dating five years ago, ending a Senate run punctuated by personal controversies.

    Platner announced his decision in an 11-minute social media video. He vehemently denied the sexual assault allegations, calling them "false" and "not real," but said the pressure from state-level and national Democrats had made it impossible for his campaign to continue. He blamed the "political establishment" for the situation.

    "This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not," he said. "We're not doing it because of the allegations, we're doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power."

    7 votes