Political Posts

[Spekulatius]

3 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

Trump endorses Putin-phile Orban. This POS has run the Hungarian economy into the ground for more than a decade but I guess Trump has a affinity to strongmen’s and grifters. I don’t think Orban survives the next election but stringer things have happened.

 

 

And of course Netanyahu does the same thing - he endorses Putin‘s lapdog and grifter in charge. Why are they both interfering in European elections ?

 

Edited March 22 by Spekulatius

[Parsad]

1 hour ago, RichardGibbons said:

 

It's different than other public/private partnerships in that it avoids all the municipal red-tape:

 

As the project is being built on reserve, the First Nation is technically not required to follow City regulations, policies, and standards, nor does it need to follow the City’s development application process and seek the City’s approval. However, the agreement stipulates the First Nation has offered to provide “direct public contributions or commitments to practices aligned with City policies.”

 

At one point, I had some hope that this could actually fix Vancouver's housing crises.  Essentially, I thought they should be able to get a flywheel going:

1. Build housing cheaper than everyone else because they don't have to deal with massive municipal costs
2. Make extraordinarily large profits
3. Buy more land with profits
4. Go to 1.

It doesn't quite work, though because reserves are actually owned by the Crown, not tribes, so they can't just integrate a bunch of newly-purchased land into their reserves.

 

They are required to follow all of the same building guidelines in terms of structure, construction, etc.  They aren't taking shortcuts on the actual construction.  It's the extensive permitting process and approval timelines that they don't have to go through...that process is also being reviewed for approval and applied to other developers as well. 

 

The permitting and approval process in BC is very onerous in most cities.  Many of Vancouver's suburbs are separate jurisdictions and each has their own timeline and process...which drags out basic building permits and approvals for up to 2 years in some places...usually 6 months plus for the most part depending on the city and project...but it is all over the place.

 

Carrying costs, permitting/legal costs/etc all add to the cost of development and lead to higher than necessary retail/market prices for homes in BC.  Speeding up this process is something all developers would like to see.  Cheers!  

[Parsad]

1 hour ago, cubsfan said:

 

You might as well put your faith in the Climate Change scam, DEI and the Immigration disaster, since all of your favorite publications did as well.

 

Take in all the information you like from all your sources - but learn to think for yourself rather than have them do your thinking for you.

 

The latest Economist featured article "Operation Blind Fury" is about as delusional as you can get. Perhaps, next time, the publication will just let the Mullahs write it for them.

 

I never realized that it was "reckless" to liberate Iran from a theocratic death cult.  "Courageous" would be a far better word.  

 

I graduated college in 1977 - and vividly remember the photos in Time Magazine and Newsweek - which featured hundreds of Iranians being hung from construction cranes by these monsters.

Nothing has changed since that time.

 

But you go right ahead and side with The Economist.

 

OOHHHH...nope, nope, nope...please don't start on climate change!  You can complain all you want about the lobbyists, wasted money, cost of clean energy, etc.  But please don't do a fucking denial like with vaccines and science!  

 

Have no idea again how anyone with any rudimentary understanding of science can deny climate change.  Even the biggest moron in the world has no foot to stand on here. 

 

Yes, there are geological changes that also affect climate, but humanity has had a massive influence...no different than our behavior in playing with monetary and fiscal policy...we don't know the full damage of what we do. 

 

If you can't save this planet, what the hell are we doing looking for another one to try and inhabit...it would take far more work, money, time and sacrifice to do that!  So go back to Trump and the war.  Cheers! 

[cubsfan]

19 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

Are you sure you have the timeline right?  In 1977 and 1978 Reza Pahlavi was still in charge and his secret service and the army killed hundred of protesters.

 

The revolutionaries  did not get into power until 1979.

 

I have the timeframe right. I graduated in 77 and am well aware that the uprisings were in 79. Thank you.

[cubsfan]

3 minutes ago, Parsad said:

 

OOHHHH...nope, nope, nope...please don't start on climate change!  You can complain all you want about the lobbyists, wasted money, cost of clean energy, etc.  But please don't do a fucking denial like with vaccines and science!  

 

Have no idea again how anyone with any rudimentary understanding of science can deny climate change.  Even the biggest moron in the world has no foot to stand on here. 

 

Yes, there are geological changes that also affect climate, but humanity has had a massive influence...no different than our behavior in playing with monetary and fiscal policy...we don't know the full damage of what we do. 

 

If you can't save this planet, what the hell are we doing looking for another one to try and inhabit...it would take far more work, money, time and sacrifice to do that!  So go back to Trump and the war.  Cheers! 

 

We all know that climate change is real.

 

It's the idiots in charge that believe they can regulate climate change while they destroy their own economies that are the real fools.

[Parsad]

3 minutes ago, cubsfan said:

 

We all know that climate change is real.

 

It's the idiots in charge that believe they can regulate climate change while they destroy their own economies that are the real fools.

 

Thank you!  What were you saying about the war?  Cheers!

[RichardGibbons]

34 minutes ago, Parsad said:

They are required to follow all of the same building guidelines in terms of structure, construction, etc.  They aren't taking shortcuts on the actual construction.  It's the extensive permitting process and approval timelines that they don't have to go through...that process is also being reviewed for approval and applied to other developers as well. 

 

I don't think this is quite accurate, according to this. In particular:

 

9. Construction standards. The Sen̓áḵw development will be constructed in accordance with the BC Building Code, with standards specific to fire safety to align to the City of Vancouver’s standards

 

That implies to me that they aren't necessarily in compliance with city standards (except sustainability, water, and sewer, in different clauses.) e.g. I remember a few years back, the city passed standards for door handles.

That said, I agree with you that the major advantage is their speed and ability to create super-high density quickly. Trying to get that approved in Vancouver could literally take decades (e.g. look at the process for the Safeway near the Commercial-Broadway Skytrain station. Senakw might actually become the most dense area outside the downtown peninsula.  (I think it's more dense than Oakridge will be, but that's only my guess.)

[Parsad]

3 minutes ago, RichardGibbons said:

 

I don't think this is quite accurate, according to this. In particular:

 

9. Construction standards. The Sen̓áḵw development will be constructed in accordance with the BC Building Code, with standards specific to fire safety to align to the City of Vancouver’s standards

 

That implies to me that they aren't necessarily in compliance with city standards (except sustainability, water, and sewer, in different clauses.) e.g. I remember a few years back, the city passed standards for door handles.

That said, I agree with you that the major advantage is their speed and ability to create super-high density quickly. Trying to get that approved in Vancouver could literally take decades (e.g. look at the process for the Safeway near the Commercial-Broadway Skytrain station. Senakw might actually become the most dense area outside the downtown peninsula.  (I think it's more dense than Oakridge will be, but that's only my guess.)

 

That Jericho development is going to be pretty dense as well.  The density of many of these projects getting approved...aboriginal and non-aboriginal...in non-Sky Train station areas is what is more disturbing to me.  I could understand that density on the opposite side...the Molson's brewery, but that inlet side should not have that many towers or as high as they are.  It's an eyesore heading West on the Burrard Bridge and takes away from the magnificent view walking over the Burrard Bridge.  I grew up in Kitsilano...could not imagine living there now.  Much prefer White Rock/South Surrey area now!  Cheers!

 

 

[bargainman]

1 hour ago, Parsad said:

 

That Jericho development is going to be pretty dense as well.  The density of many of these projects getting approved...aboriginal and non-aboriginal...in non-Sky Train station areas is what is more disturbing to me.  I could understand that density on the opposite side...the Molson's brewery, but that inlet side should not have that many towers or as high as they are.  It's an eyesore heading West on the Burrard Bridge and takes away from the magnificent view walking over the Burrard Bridge.  I grew up in Kitsilano...could not imagine living there now.  Much prefer White Rock/South Surrey area now!  Cheers!

 

 

 

Tangential question.  Given you and several others are Canadian, is there a "Canadian affairs" thread?  Is it worth making one?  I've been following a fair amount of the US/Canada drama, but there are plenty of more Canadian centric topics with other countries, and inter/intra provincial.  This thread gets heavy traffic but there's so much about the American influence I think any other topics get lost.

[Parsad]

3 minutes ago, bargainman said:

 

Tangential question.  Given you and several others are Canadian, is there a "Canadian affairs" thread?  Is it worth making one?  I've been following a fair amount of the US/Canada drama, but there are plenty of more Canadian centric topics with other countries, and inter/intra provincial.  This thread gets heavy traffic but there's so much about the American influence I think any other topics get lost.

 

I'll start one.  Cheers!

[LC]

12 hours ago, 73 Reds said:

 It's only a question of when, not if.  Ain't no surviving this time.  

sorry, could you remind me of the administration’s line last time?
 

“Obliterated”, if I recall? 

[Red Lion]

On 3/21/2026 at 6:26 PM, ourkid8 said:

Would you please elaborate how Iran is just as bad as the Nazis? - that’s a bold statement to make with no facts. 

I’ve thought hard about this, and you’re right, it’s hard to say any regime in modern history is as bad as the Nazis. And I’m not going to sit here and try to make that argument. 
 

There are numerous reasons that the Iranian regime is terrible though, do I need to state them? 
 

1) they take hostages for political advantage 

2) they support terrorists around the world 

3) after a significant military setback they lash out by attacking civilians and neighbors 

4) they suppress free speech and disappear people 

5) they give Mexico a run for its money on shady organized criminals running grift 

6) they constantly express their goal for death to America (and Israel) 

7) they are trying to develop missile and drone technology to gain more terrorist leverage to accomplish #2, 3, and 6. 
 

So I’ll leave it for someone else to pontificate over whether the Iranian regime is just as evil as the Nazis, but less effectual in their evil plans vs whether the Nazis were ideologically worse. 

[Red Lion]

11 hours ago, Xerxes said:

 

Making comparison to Nazi might be a way to sell ticket to the show, but it doesn’t do anyone any favour. 
 

As for Nazi, we were glad to make deals with the worse than Nazi (I.e Stalin) to beat the Nazi, only because the Nazi Germany was dominating Central Europe and USSR was to its east. If USSR was located in Central Europe and Nazi Germany to its east, we would make a deal with Hitler to bring down Stalin. And the trio of FDR, Hitler and Churchill would meeting in Yalta.

Later we made a deal with a cult driven despicable Maoist regime, to target a technocratic Soviet Union that arguably was far less revolutionary than the Maoist regime. 
 

So there is no morality in all this. Just diverging interest of nation states. 

 

Instead of hyperbolic for the sake of hyperbolic, call them what they are: a deeply militarized theocratic out of the date regime, stuck in the revolutionary zeal of the 1980s. 

You’re right this was a bad comparison.

 

Notwithstanding the fact that many in this thread have made the same comparisons to DJT and the maga movement, which I think are much less deserving of the comparison. 
 

And I’ll concede to your description as a deeply militarized theocratic out of date regime stuck in a zeal from the 80s. They’re also terrorists, kidnappers, and animals that are shooting cluster munitions at children and civilians. 
 

Maybe they’re not Nazis, but the world would be a better place if America is successful in eradicating this regime. I’m not maga, and I’d honestly be delighted to see regime change in Iran. I’m happy to pay $200 oil if that’s what it takes. (If this ever occurred and Iran were liberated, oil would likely trade at lower prices in the long term and with much less geopolitical instability). 
 

So anyway, you’re right, I took the bait and made the nazi comparison. I don’t think it’s unwarranted, and I could make observations about secret police, murdering dissidents, an existential obsession with the elimination of the Zionists, but what does that change anything? 
 

They clearly aren’t as bad as the Nazis, they murdered a lower percent of their citizens and innocent civilians in the rest of the world. Silly me for being sensational making a comparison. 
 

 

[UK]

9 hours ago, Spekulatius said:

Why are they both interfering in European elections ?

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/12/10/why-trump-is-waging-a-culture-war-on-europe-00685806

[Spekulatius]

2 hours ago, UK said:

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/12/10/why-trump-is-waging-a-culture-war-on-europe-00685806

Very good article, thank you for sharing.

 

Here is an important passage that everyone should deals with Trump needs to learn:

 

How do you think Europe should deal with Trump’s recurring animosity towards the continent? It seems they’ve settled on a strategy of flattery, but do you think that’s effective in the long run?

No, I think that’s the exact opposite of effective. If you recall what I said at the beginning, Trump abhors weakness, and flattery is the sort of ultimate manifestation of weakness. Every time the Europeans show up and flatter Trump, it enables them to have a good meeting with him, but it conveys the impression to him that they are weak, and so it increases his policy demands against them.

[Xerxes]

6 hours ago, Red Lion said:

You’re right this was a bad comparison.

 

Notwithstanding the fact that many in this thread have made the same comparisons to DJT and the maga movement, which I think are much less deserving of the comparison. 
 

And I’ll concede to your description as a deeply militarized theocratic out of date regime stuck in a zeal from the 80s. They’re also terrorists, kidnappers, and animals that are shooting cluster munitions at children and civilians. 
 

Maybe they’re not Nazis, but the world would be a better place if America is successful in eradicating this regime. I’m not maga, and I’d honestly be delighted to see regime change in Iran. I’m happy to pay $200 oil if that’s what it takes. (If this ever occurred and Iran were liberated, oil would likely trade at lower prices in the long term and with much less geopolitical instability). 
 

So anyway, you’re right, I took the bait and made the nazi comparison. I don’t think it’s unwarranted, and I could make observations about secret police, murdering dissidents, an existential obsession with the elimination of the Zionists, but what does that change anything? 
 

They clearly aren’t as bad as the Nazis, they murdered a lower percent of their citizens and innocent civilians in the rest of the world. Silly me for being sensational making a comparison. 
 

 

 

Cheers. 
 

Not sure this will lead to regime change, in the short term.
 

But the seeds of its destruction / structural changes are being planted. 
 

I personally subscribe to the view that Mojtada elevation as leader (whether he is alive or not), was essentially a IRGC internal coup over the religious establishment. At the same time the 1980s generation of leaders that grew up with the horrors of the war is largely gone. That generation was known and predictable. Now we have unknown and unpredictable leaders. 
 

I guess we have to stay tuned and watch

[73 Reds]

10 hours ago, LC said:

sorry, could you remind me of the administration’s line last time?
 

“Obliterated”, if I recall? 

Accurate.  They were obliterated.  And will be again.  And again, if necessary.  Is it that hard to understand that nothing is ever permanent but that doesn't mean you ignore the problem altogether and don't make it right?    

Edited March 23 by 73 Reds
word

[Hektor]

Ahem!

 

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-us-israel-news-updates-2026

 

Trump Says U.S. Will Postpone Further Strikes on Iranian Energy Infrastructure

The president said that both countries had ‘very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East’

 

 

[ourkid8]

4 minutes ago, Hektor said:

Ahem!

 

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-us-israel-news-updates-2026

 

Trump Says U.S. Will Postpone Further Strikes on Iranian Energy Infrastructure

The president said that both countries had ‘very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East’

 

 

Trump TACO’d - there were no talks! 

[dealraker]

1 hour ago, Spekulatius said:

Very good article, thank you for sharing.

 

Here is an important passage that everyone should deals with Trump needs to learn:

 

 

How do you think Europe should deal with Trump’s recurring animosity towards the continent? It seems they’ve settled on a strategy of flattery, but do you think that’s effective in the long run?

No, I think that’s the exact opposite of effective. If you recall what I said at the beginning, Trump abhors weakness, and flattery is the sort of ultimate manifestation of weakness. Every time the Europeans show up and flatter Trump, it enables them to have a good meeting with him, but it conveys the impression to him that they are weak, and so it increases his policy demands against them.

I disagree.  Trump thrives on people's weaknesses, he thrives over-running institutional weakness, he literally has made himself on others weaknesses.  Trump has no respect for weakness, but he lives off it.  And that is what he is the best at...maybe best ever in mankind actually.

[Sweet]

23 minutes ago, ourkid8 said:

Trump TACO’d - there were no talks! 

How do you know there were no talks?  

[dealraker]

While we gyrate on what Trump says or doesn't - what he says he says or whatever, just remember we could be here today discussing and arguing the topic of no more wars.  Trump could just as easily have his cult chanting "no more wars" and all of us falling in line debating that instead of let's take out all the threats in the world right now.

 

We go where Trump takes us; we discuss what he wants us to discuss; the market goes where Trump takes it that day based on his impulses, his anxieties, his hate, his vengeance.   But it is at his discretion what we discuss, debate, and argue about here each day.

 

Iran is already getting stale in my view.  Where is Trump taking us next?  What will the politics forum be hotly debating?

 

I'll bet you a plug nickel it won't be Iran!  (And it won't be files either.)

Edited March 23 by dealraker

[backtothebeach]

Cuba

[Parsad]

38 minutes ago, ourkid8 said:

Trump TACO’d - there were no talks! 

 

14 minutes ago, Sweet said:

How do you know there were no talks?  

 

It was a little of both...he TACO'ed, but there were also some back channel messages through Turkey and Egypt apparently to measure the temperature for any negotiations.  No deal or actual productive talks...but it looks like talks may begin at some point.  Cheers!

[Sweet]

14 minutes ago, Parsad said:

 

 

It was a little of both...he TACO'ed, but there were also some back channel messages through Turkey and Egypt apparently to measure the temperature for any negotiations.  No deal or actual productive talks...but it looks like talks may begin at some point.  Cheers!

TACO or no TACO (prefer double D’s personally) - it just he doesn’t actually know what communications there have been.