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956 Worldwide

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Everything posted by 956 Worldwide

  1. Lulz. https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/06/guests-bored-ape-event-hong-kong-vision-problems The speculation is that they used sterilizing UV lights and not the fun “black lights.” But don’t worry, only about one percent of attendees were blinded.
  2. Most of the European continent stopped doing this because peace and order and security was enforced on them by first two, then one external hegemon that assumed responsibility for them. NATO today and the eastern bloc of yesterday served multiple purposes and managing intra-continental tensions was absolutely one of them. Modern day conflicts in Europe flared up in regions (Balkans, Ukraine, Caucuses) where hegemony broke down and no clear guarantor filled that vacuum. Much of the current Middle East post-Ottomans is the same fucking story, it’s not as simple as two warring “sky daddies,” as evidenced by all the kinetic fun between competing Muslims. The only potential replacements as hegemon either gave up their endeavors (European powers, Turkey), or are too far away and don’t really want the job (the United States), or would really like the job but are too chaotic and shitty to do it (Russia), or are unacceptable to everyone (Iran/Persia). Turkey pretends it wants the job but doesn’t. Hegemony is often better than the alternative. The best form that has ever been tried out, as evidenced by clear data on peace, stability, and human development, is U.S. transatlantic hegemony, although the far left will keep looking for reasons that can’t possibly be true. We absolutely don’t want the job in the ME although we care enough to stop a regional war. I guess some of them are really pinning their hopes on the PRC.
  3. There’s some artistic license for drama but it’s pretty much how a MIRVd ICBM works. We still have a few hundred but the Russians REALLY love them and I’d expect more as they keep pulling out of arms control. It’s a mature technology. The Russians have many of these. I’d not count on them all breaking.
  4. This tweet was written for like 25 guys total and they’re all in Iran and Lebanon.
  5. I lived overseas for a while in a new-build complex that was really nice but had a few quirks. We had an island range with a built in ventilator hood and some dipshit had installed the fire alarm right next to the hood. This wasn’t some restaurant contraption that got everything, so that fire alarm would go off over ANYTHING. If you boiled water the steam would set it off. Ended up taking it out of the ceiling for while I lived there, the building owner insisted that it couldn’t be moved because he wanted it to detect kitchen fires.
  6. We have absolutely done a lot. Probably most importantly, parking two CSGs in the eastern Mediterranean has had the desired effect of ensuring that this did not turn into a much larger and deadly (especially for Palestinians) regional war with Hezbollah explicitly joining and Iran doing much more. Ironically, this specific action has the “peaceniks” super upset , I can only conclude that they badly want a big war. I’m at a loss for why.
  7. Oh, one more thing I forgot. Behind the castle and Hradcany square there is a street called Novy Svet with lots of little alleys and staircases. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the city and even so close to the castle it gets very, very little foot traffic. Recommend strolling through, getting a cup of coffee or mulled wine at “U Cerveneho Raka” (At the Red Crawfish) and continuing up to the Loretta church area.
  8. It’s hard to argue that these are not freaking delicious. You will absolutely be judged by Praguers, as they are far from traditional to Prague and the locals kind of hate the stands, there was even a campaign based around it. It’s hard to pin down where trdelnik originated, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania all claim it to some degree. But the best version of it is made in western Slovakia where it is an origin-protected product. The dough is given more time to rise, it cooks a bit longer over a smokier fire, and the nuts get toasted. It tastes citrusy and smoky and light and it is absolutely one of the best things I’ve eaten. They pair it, surprisingly, with a good red wine from the region called Skalicky Rubin.
  9. That’s a torn off piece of the garlic bread. I went back for thirds of the pasta and gravy.
  10. Some good recs here especially Nase Maso. There are several Lokals and the one posted above on Dlouha is my least favorite. Late March can be unpredictable, either really nice spring weather or gray and rainy. I will blow past the obvious sites and focus on stuff you might miss. Not many people make it past Prague Castle to Vysehrad, the site of a competing castle and center of power from the Middle Ages. Vysehrad is down the river and is much quieter. Lots of the old fortifications were destroyed in wars but some ruins remain, the national cemetery, the a set of medieval tunnels, and the oldest rotunda church in Prague that has a cannonball stuck in the wall. It’s one of my favorite and most atmospheric spots with amazing views down the river to Prague castle. The coolest library is in the Strahov Monastery which also has a brewery and fantastic views over the Mala Strana down to Charles Bridge and Old Town. Pay to get a guided tour behind the ropes. Prague is full of great museums but the two best are the Medieval Art Gallery which is inside one of the oldest monasteries with an important church that has Bohemian kings buried in the floors. The other is the new building of the National Museum and in particular the 20th century history exhibit. St. Nicholas church is a showstopper but make sure to climb the tower, which used to be a secret police listening station to keep an eye on the nearby Western embassies. Outside of Prague there is a site called Pruhonice that has a really great small palace/castle and UNESCO recognized gardens. It’s worth half a day. The Italian restaurant next door (“The Italians”) is fantastic. For food, my favorite place for Czech fare is called Kantyna not far from Wenceslaus Square. Make sure to go to “Kantyna” and not “Cantina.” It’s in an old bank, they serve fantastic meats and Czech potatoes/cabbage cafeteria style and they have fresh Pilsner and dark beer. You need to go to U Fleku even though it’s a total tourist trap. The dark beer is some of the best in the city and is legitimate. I’d stop for an afternoon rest and get a snack of beer cheese to go with it, ignore the Schnapps and the rest of the menu. The waiters are surly. Despite the prime real estate next to the castle, Kuchyn (kitchen) is affordable, delicious, and well-done takes on Czech specialities. They also have great cold beer. If you like wine, there is a place called “Na Sklenicku” (By the glass) in an arcade just off Wenceslas square. The good wine is served as suggested from taps. While there, stop into Lucerna theatre and get a coffee if the shop is open and see the Cerny statue hanging from the ceiling, then make your way to the Franciscan gardens. The Church of our Lady of the Snows is nearly completely hidden from every angle except inside the garden. And look for the cubist lamp post. For beer and hipster food go to the Karlin neighborhood and hit up Dva Kohouty (Two Roosters) for great tanke microbrews. Karlin is a young, cool hood.
  11. All that browns up, the garlic and onion browned and the fond scraped up with a half cup of good red wine. Two cans of San Marzano tomatoes I blended. A Parmesan rind and a carrot to cut the acid. Back into the pot for about 3.5 hours. About half way through, cut the meat off the bones, scoop out the marrow and back into the pot. You absolutely eat this with a a gotdamn loaf of Italian garlic bread and a green salet like you get in an old school red sauce place.
  12. It got cold and I yearned for some red sauce. Based on too many viewings of Goodfellas, this is inspired by (not a slavish copy of) the prison meal. To set up: Garlic (I did not use a razor blade, sorry Paulie), half an onion (Paulie got irritated with too many onions in the sauce). Beef shank, sweet Italian sausage, pork ribs (“that’s the flavor).
  13. I lived in Prague for three years. I’ll come back to this.
  14. Since October 7, Hezbollah and Iran have made a lot of belligerent and theatrical statements about the dire consequences that await Israel if they invade or pummel Gaza. This includes some Marvel end-credits or WWE hype style cameo appearances by Nasrallah on social media: In yesterday’s big speech he basically announced “eh, we’ve done enough. We aren’t in this really.” So, if you watched pro wrestling as a kid, it’s the moment where a wrestler acts like he’s going to intervene at the key moment in a match, but then stands by the ring and watches his buddy lose.
  15. Hezbollah and Iran are throwing Hamas under the bus and it would all be very funny to me if lots of uninvolved people weren’t getting killed. This is the equivalent of racing out of the backstage with a folding chair and then pulling up right as your kayfabe ally is getting pinned.
  16. She’s a Bond Girl! Of course would, six fingers and all.
  17. He’s a total whiny pissant. Classic case of someone who has confused level of stress with level of importance.
  18. The civilian rate debate is a good place to drop this very informative thread on how militaries think about acceptable civilian casualties. I learned a lot. The key point here that’s down in the thread is that October 7 resulted in the Israelis settling on a higher figure than they would accept before.
  19. The other side to this is that a belief that you’re at the wheel and in charge here is an approach to life that is bound to end in frustration. Maybe you believe that there is an invisible deity controlling the strings and deciding what happens that day. Maybe you know that we are a collection of subatomic particles that collide in such a way to make us think and care about things. One day one collection of particles is going to bounce together in a way that ends up with the news: Your child has cancer. Or maybe a bunch of atoms and chemicals are going to combine in such a way that makes another collection of atoms drive his Silverado across the center line and straight through you on the way home from work. Or they’re going to be collected together in a factory, and turned into high explosives and someone in a dark room in Nevada will shoot them at your wedding because they got bad information about your guests. The point is that you have to take responsibility for what you can while realizing: you’re not really in control. So whatever gets you there, man.
  20. This is a really good post and shows how much has to do with the attitudes and motivations of the person doing anything. - Praying for guidance or wisdom when facing a difficult decision: A genuine person is using this opportunity to wrestle or think about that decision or situation and the prayer helps focus their mind. A trite person is surrendering responsibility and letting their bias take over as “God’s will.” And the honest question: how often do any of us, secular or religious, really do an honest intellectual struggle and how many of us just stumble and rationalize our way into what we want to do anyway? - Praying for someone: An honest or genuine person is taking a moment to seriously think about the needs and problems of other people and will often come away with resolve and ideas on how to help. And the trite person will treat it as their “good deed” and move along with their day. And the honest question: How often do any of us, secular or religious, seriously take a moment to reflect on the struggles of people around us? And how often do we say “that’s terrible, that’s sad” and then move along with our day? - Praying for something for ourselves: A genuine person will reflect on whether they need the thing they are praying for and further on what more they can be doing to get there. A trite person will “lay it on the Lord” and remain passives and the honest question: how many of us, secular or religious, are just content to passively hope for things to work out the way we want? My point is— you can call it mindfulness or meditator or communion with God— I think that people who are not interested in being thoughtful and kind and active can find ways be passive and trite without the crutch or prayer or religion. And the flip side is that people who are inclined to do those things can find prayer and faith to be a great discipline and road map to get them there. It’s what you want it to be for you.
  21. A lot of people have gotten into the theological stuff, I would add that for many, the practice of regular prayer with an open and earnest heart to God is seen as a discipline to help align yourself to acceptance and understanding of what God can or will provide. I also like the sociology of things and would say that religious cultures exist. It is likely that your neighbor, through years of experience and osmosis, has internalized that offering to pray for someone or about something is the favored way of expressing concern and affection for people, particularly in situations where there is little control or concrete action to take. This can easily slip into gross triteness, like thoughts and prayers after a school shooting. At the interpersonal level, though, I am a fan of social graces and code and find them to usually be meaningful. So if your neighbor is the type of Protestant most often found in Texas and the South, here is how I would translate that statement: ”I like you and your family and hope that you will stay because we enjoy your company and presence. I do recognize that a move might be best and so I am going to also hope/trust in God that the best outcome will happen for you.” So it’s a really nice sentiment and by linking it to faith, which is likely central to her, she is expressing that you are also important to her.
  22. Huh, look at this. Probably not much to be concerned with, they’re likely only doing low level street vandalism and not part of what we’re seeing in Western streets.
  23. The Twitter poster I referred to literally live-streamed a pogrom.
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