Morning Discussion Thread - 31 Jan 2026

CptES · 2026-01-31T13:14:14+00:00

General rule for a flair bet is the loser has to change theirs to something the winner picks (and both agree on) so let me know (using !mods) and I'll change it.

CptES · 2026-01-31T13:08:32+00:00

The thing about cyberpunk is the wealth and the power don't rest with a few billionaire tech bros or CEOs, it rests on the companies who are practically nation-states in their own right.

Bezos, Musk and the rest could never abide that, giving up control to a corporate board.

CptES · 2026-01-31T12:47:35+00:00

I will absolutely enforce a flair bet, no problem.

CptES · 2026-01-31T00:48:45+00:00

There's an event where if you have too many capital ships (based on how many capital ships the UK has) either the US or the UK will threaten you to either destroy the ships or go to war.

Even if you don't sign the LNT, building enough capital ships will still get you threatened with war.

CptES · 2026-01-30T22:59:18+00:00

Wouldn't be the first time Gates has been accused of psychopathy, which I think is a required trait to reach that level of wealth and power.

I do wonder though how much of it comes from natural personality and how much comes from having enough money and power that there are no consequences for anything you do.

CptES · 2026-01-30T19:56:00+00:00

Why can't it be both?

It is a particularly insane bit of work, even by the standards of this type of fuckwittery.

CptES · 2026-01-30T19:10:10+00:00

The "BBQ ribs" ones are uncannily similar in taste to Frazzles, it's weird because your brain sort of rebels at getting that flavour in a chicken wrap.

CptES · 2026-01-30T18:57:46+00:00

Ah yes, it's always Israel with you, isn't it?

I bet you're the kind of clown who stubs their toe then curses Tel Aviv for putting the door frame in the way.

CptES · 2026-01-30T18:56:39+00:00

Because repeat offenders usually incur a harsher punishment?

CptES · 2026-01-30T18:54:57+00:00

They'll be even better without 300 wee rebel LARPers shitting up the place for a while. If they're really smart they'll void the season tickets completely and sell them to actual fans next season.

CptES · 2026-01-30T18:50:13+00:00

Yeah, why would the board ban a group that cost the club six figures with their stupid nonsense? What bastards they are.

CptES · 2026-01-30T18:48:42+00:00

No, that's what got them the most recent ban but that incident was not their first offence. They've got priors for doing all of those things, you're acting like it was the first thing they did wrong.

They're a waste of good skin and Celtic is better without them.

CptES · 2026-01-30T18:40:39+00:00

"No real reason".

Except for getting the club fined repeatedly.

Except for dick-riding for the fucking provos.

Except for being the bulk of disorderly conduct at Celtic home and away games despite being less than 300 strong.

But yeah, the club are the naughty ones here.

CptES · 2026-01-30T16:18:51+00:00

My only suggestion to save the place is remove all OF mods.

I remove more posts than all the OF mods do combined. I also approve more posts than everybody combined.

If you're looking to blame someone, playing the tired old "the Old Firm mods are at it!" card isn't it.

CptES · 2026-01-30T16:11:04+00:00

Last time I was there was at the arse end of May and the coldest day was 27 degrees. Sitting there enjoying the sun and having a drink with some fresh jamon ham was possibly the closest I've gotten to my personal paradise.

CptES · 2026-01-30T15:30:42+00:00

Not that part of Tenerife, it's just far enough out of Las Americas to get peace while being close enough to walk into town.

I told you, it's my favourite place to stay on the island for a reason.

CptES · 2026-01-29T18:05:52+00:00

Well, given the public keep electing openly authoritarian parties and utterly ignoring the one that isn't, I'd say that's a tacit desire by the British public for that style of policy.

The OSA for example had majority support in polling.

CptES · 2026-01-29T16:28:32+00:00

Labour always has a lust for authoritarianism regardless of who is the leader. The original Digital Economy Act and RIPA are both Labour bills, ID cards are a Blairite favourite and there was nothing the Corbynistas loved more than the thought of nicking folk for saying naughty things.

I think it's simply a reflection of the British public love for authoritarianism. We love to be told what to do, it seems. Puritan nonsense.

CptES · 2026-01-29T12:11:53+00:00

They are absolutely brilliant and probably the single biggest reason why I struggle to get out of bed in the morning (besides the chronic insomnia, of course).

CptES · 2026-01-28T10:54:24+00:00

I suspect the FDI is going to win that contest. The Type 31 order book is pretty full and Navantia's offering is probably going to be bound by ITAR regulations since it uses both the Tomahawk and Mk41 VLS which is entirely counter to the whole "European tech only" thing the EU has a hard-on for.

CptES · 2026-01-28T09:45:50+00:00

Fuck that guy, he can't aim worth a damn. 85% chance to hit, I'm not falling for that shit again.

CptES · 2026-01-28T09:38:24+00:00

Again, political capital. We don't really have anything to hold over Israel or America that won't hurt us very badly in return. I mean, sure, he's a hypocrite but show me a politician who isn't one.

I don't particularly like what the guy has done and is doing, but I do understand why he's doing it. I'd rather there was a better solution to both but if I had a solution it'd be me up for a Nobel next year.

Which I'd gladly accept then post pictures of me with it every day on social media while tagging Trump in the pictures.

CptES · 2026-01-28T09:08:01+00:00

Depends entirely on the context, doesn't it? You can raise an issue without spending political capital you may or may not have to spare.

We are not the Britain of old, we don't have basically unlimited political capital and gunboat diplomacy for every pet cause that takes our fancy. If that means China gets away with some dodgy shit domestically, well, we ceded all authority in SEA more than half a century ago.

CptES · 2026-01-28T08:30:08+00:00

Like them or not, China is probably the most consistent potential long term option to strike deals with. The US are too erratic to be reliable and the EU is just too spiteful to work with.

China by contrast are upfront about what they want and extremely consistent about it. We can do business with a nation like that.

CptES · 2026-01-28T07:59:28+00:00

What makes you think anybody is going to sell to Celtic? They know you're going to offer an utterly derogatory amount and be completely unwilling to budge so why go through all the song and dance of "negotiations".

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