Not sure exactly what dominance means here? China seems to be ahead on battery production but Those subsidies go to companies buying EV cars to boost govt sales figures. Instead of actually using the cars to grow the market in rent/share EV, they're left abandoned and the companies return to their angel investors for more funds without any return - by far the largest being the CCP to reach their goal of EV dominance. Surprise, surprise the sales are dodgy as fuck and manipulated by the government. Between 2009 and 2021, the Chinese government poured more than $130 billion worth of subsidies into the EV market
You're right to be mad. Despite widespread homophobia and discrimination still, I do believe it has reduced and there are now laws being created e.g. to be legally married. I absolutely know it still isn't rosy or that progress isn't quick enough or good enough but I do feel there is progress and I think it will continue and I hope it accelerates too. There will always be prejudice though. I hope the same will happen for the trans community too and that it's faster but who knows.
So the spook-of-20 years can't validate the claims he and someone else have seen in some secret government document(s)? So another spook this time with "top secret clearance" claims (with no proof or evidence) that alien craft are spread globally, although no other country has mentioned these before nor claimed to have "partial and up to full alien craft" in their possession. But obviously not disinformation because ... err... It's not like anyone would lie to Congress and get away with it? Or a government agency would spread misinformation and conspiracy theories to expand their budget and cover-up their own advanced tech research that may have accidentally been detected. Probably juuuuust co-incidence this is brought up after Chinese spy balloons (that the USAF already knew about and were tracking but didn't bother to acknowledge until they were spotted from the ground by civilians) were shot down. Christopher Mellon, who spent nearly twenty years in the U.S. Intelligence Community [...] However, it is a delicate matter getting this potentially explosive information into the right hands for validation. This is made harder by the fact that, rightly or wrongly, a number of potential sources do not trust the leadership of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office established by Congress.
Jonathan Grey is a generational officer of the United States Intelligence Community with a Top-Secret Clearance [...] The non-human intelligence phenomenon is real. We are not alone [...] Retrievals of this kind are not limited to the United States. This is a global phenomenon, and yet a global solution continues to elude us.
Grusch has served as an Intelligence Officer for over fourteen years [...] he has numerous awards and decorations for his participation in covert and clandestine operations to advance American security.
Just discovered Sagor Som Leder Mot Slutet. Post rock feels like a really uncool genre so here's a taster from each of their albums. Avsked - from Sagor Som Leder Mot Slutet Ovisshet - from II Eter - from III Can only find the full album on youtube but Eter starts at 38:18 ...
I might be overestimating the depth, but I'm massively impressed you're able to have conversations like that with your kids about a movie/TV show. I find it hard enough with adults (from my side and theirs). I'm slipping a bit on these recommendations, but I'm considering (re-watching) Parasite with my daughter on our next movie. They're both primed to discuss how& when if science and religion are able to able to coexist.
Tuesday is the new dad + daughter movie day. She's seen the later Glass Onion but not Knives Out so that was my pick on your recommendation. I remember being told about Cut-up technique and I had a strong feeling of it being applied to the genre of murder mystery here, while still being an actual genuine murder mystery romp. I really enjoyed how the tropes were used as misdirection and taking a humorous approach and, like any good show or film, there are obviously many clues dropped to encourage a re-watch, which I'm pretty certain I will do.
Saw RRR this weekend. I've never had a fever dream but this made me think I was watching a 3-hour superhero Bollywood Rambo during a fever dream. So over the top and brutal and then suddenly, song or dance time. The symbolism and metaphor from a different language and culture is like running poetry through google translate. I kind of get the broad meaning but I also feel like I was missing a lot of detail and cultural cues, not least of which is Alluri Sita Ramaraju and Komaram Bheem being historical figures.
Haven't had a lot of time to watch films this week so Two Distant Strangers was my next choice. When I was growing up it was really common to have a short film supporting the main feature when you went to the cinema and I really miss that experience. I felt sad and a bit angry when they stopped showing them in favour of fucking adverts and upcoming features. But not as sad and angry as this little short. And what an unusual subgenre to highlight the issue. I liked the use of names as the credits were rolling and wondered if the names on the roofs towards the end were real or VFX?
Meant to post this when the thread was posted but somehow forgot. I used to think his music was cheesy lounge music, but fell in love with Dusty after one of those beautiful, peak experiences listening to her on a Walkman walking home after a party and getting enveloped by dense, freezing fog, high as a kite. So here's to you and RIP Burt.
Saw The Killing of a Sacred Deer last night (Sunday). Absolutely stunning. Lots of food for thought here. I've never studied Greek mythology but I can spot a hint like name dropping Iphigenia. I wouldn't have connected the Deer otherwise. Reminded me of watching movies like Irreversible or Eraserhead for the first time - not least because of the stilted conversation style which is a landmark feature of Lynch's films. I loved how the off-kilter camera angles add to the feeling of unease too.
So I watched Death of Stalin yesterday and, although I definitely enjoyed it, I ended up slightly disappointed. I think I went in with the wrong expectations though expecting it would be more vicious like In The Thick of It, In The Loop or Veep. It was a clever stomp through the changeover though and some good performances (Beria in particular) and I did like the decision to take it in the direction of a theatrical farce rather than dwelling on the historical brutality.
I decided I should post a little comment of gratitude after watching each of the recommended films. Hunt for the Wilderpeople took me back to being a little kid, reading the likes of Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe. Made me think of the kind of boy's own adventures that the (probably underappreciated) Ripping yarns parodied/revered. Getting Sam Neill for this project must have been a bit of a coup before Taika Waititi really hit the big time with Marvel.
that is...quite the journey
I agree about the tactic but the timing is way-off for that in my opinion. I think Xi is trying to lessen tension - stalling for time to try and figure out how to counter the tech freeze. Hence the plan to meet Blinken personally. Stirring up shit like this might be effective after the diplomatic visit but not before. I've read theories about CCP in-fighting and (anti-Xi faction) sabotage but here's an interesting and plausible alternative explanation - at least for me timestamp is 11:50 if it doesn't start in the right place. I'm increasingly convinced that the primary purpose of this was to just flex and start shit.
I expect they can glean some useful and important traffic/data, but it seems very opportunistic, temporary and infrequent. You think their long term strategy may be to make these things ever smaller and stealthier and much more frequent in the future? grab every 4g communication
Been going through their releases. This week: 2
I've recommended The Lobster to friends in the past, so now I'm wondering to myself why I haven't seen more of Lanthimos?
Armando Iannucci can do little wrong as far as I'm concerned. Anyone that can conjure up Malcolm Tucker is worth watching. Bonus point since both onions are on Netflix too.
Definitely open to Japanese movies - looking forward to these.
I'm surprised to learn Bo Burnham directed a movie and I'm intrigued by the idea of using documentary footage rather than being a straight documentary.
I mean who cares... neither am I. I probably over-emphasised my dislike of popular/mainstream movies (which I have seen a lot of) - my preference just lies elsewhere. I am genuine about watching whatever people recommend in this thread though so thanks for RRR - I don't think I've seen many Indian-made films - just ones about India. I am no movie connoisseur
oof - I watched most of the Marvel Phase 3 movies because my son was really into them. I now have zero interest in anything MCU or superheroes - TV or film. Watching stuff with your kids is rewarding regardless of the genre or quality. I'm just super indifferent about them now.
I do have a list of movies I'm interested in seeing - though I haven't touched it for a few years. Both Annihilation and Hunt for the Wilderpeople are there so we're off to a good start from my perspective! I started with Annihilation yesterday because it's on Netflix and therefore easy. I doubt any sci-fi horror can match Alien or The Thing. I've seen Alien a bunch of times and it still holds up but I'm a bit scared to re-watch The Thing because I have a feeling I might have magnified it in my mind through the emotional lens of nostalgia and it may be disappointing. I really liked Annihilation though. I don't go for horror per-se, but I do enjoy some good, egregious body horror and I liked their choice to unambiguously show the alien and not hide behind the "leave it to your imagination because it's worse than we can show you"
The issue for me is that you can't invalidate or change it once your biometric data is out there, which it definitely will be. I don't think imposters will need access to your blood, just the data about it. That will be enough to cause real damage I think. You seem pretty chipper on the idea but I'm less optimistic. Firstly about even having those concerns but then also having to actually deal with the fallout once your biometric data is in the hands of some Belgian drug gang. Like take a detached step back and re-read what you've written there. What you've described is a chilling prospect to me.
Biometric data is still relatively unused for identification, but is increasing. Think how absolutely fucked you are in the near future, once your actual physical corporeal identity (not just some online persona) has been hijacked. Like 100% completely fucked because how would you claw it back? Change your DNA or eye pattern or fingerprints or pheromone/sweat composition or whatever is chosen to tag someone as you in the future.
Still waiting for Elon to re-instate my very first account. I wonder if he sometimes bends the truth about his plans for twitter? I forgot the password and email address a long, long time ago and despite multiple attempts to gain access I think it was taken over by someone with more time and energy than me. I do wonder what they did to get it suspended though? It must feel so bad when even all those fascists ex-presidents won't come back and play with your new toy?
But is it art? I don't really trust those figures anyway but I was wondering if the equatorial bulge would work; Senegal / Vanuatu is getting close but it's no Weber / Madrid.
Has to be one of the most physically distant collaborations ever. Makes me wonder how it came about. Paraguay and Taiwan - the most physically distant countries I know of - need to pick their game up. Would love to know if there are any further apart - maybe I'll scrape the site to find the biggest.
yeah it's a music crime they only made 1 studio album but like you said, it kicks ass
First I heard this: Amyl and The Sniffers - Hertz then this: Anti Nowhere League - So What then I was 14 again... X-Ray Spex - Art-I-Ficial Buzzcocks - Autonomy UK Subs - C.I.D. ... Still going strong!! 999 - Emergency The Cure - Killing An Arab The Ruts - S U S Stiff Little Fingers - Emergency anyways... moral of the story, I'm a big Amyl and the Sniffers fan now.