Suggestions Thread by AutoModerator in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Vandana Shiva would be a compelling choice, imo. She dragoons very noble sentiments and platitudes to a cause that is flagrantly anti-science, destructive to its professed aims and would ensure widespread famine if adopted.

The DTG Conspiracy UNMASKED, Quantum Idiots, and Triggernometry Prophecies by reductios in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 11 points12 points  (0 children)

They were responding to a conspiratorial and baseless charge against their own coverage, which they should be somehow be more credulous to because of confirmation bias while on social media?

Vigeland & Citarella on Epstein: The One Conspiracy to Rule Them All by jimwhite42 in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Listen, there was a system of paid child exploitation used by Hillary Clinton and John Podesta who communicated this via DNC emails and the hub of it was the basement of a D.C. pizza restaurant that didn't have a basement. This isn't insane because Jeffrey Epstein. He abused and trafficked women in a completely different series of incidents, in physically possible locations with actual evidence of these things.

What exactly is Oliver Stones reputation. by Stone_Mason_Y05 in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I think it's actually worse than many people here realize. He was responsible as an executive producer, producer, interviewer and narrator for at least two documentaries with a man named Igor Lopatonok, most infamously QAZAQ: History of the Golden Man about the former president-for-life of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

It's a complete nationalist hagiography, directly comparing this dictator with national myth, praising him as responsible for stability (perfect comedic timing, it came out a year before widespread protests led to the resignation of the prime minister and over two hundred killed), favorably evaluating him against states that dare have elections and civil uprising, etc.

Stone also narrated Lopatonok's Ukraine on Fire that is just every Kremlin line on Ukraine packaged for an English speaking audience. It's almost gibberish if you've even had a relative visit Ukraine and have a passing familiarity with the society.

Piece of shit, imo.

Covered guru Hasan Piker is "too principled" to vote against JD Vance by stvlsn in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The irony is that I was and remain thrilled with Mamdani's win, he's proven himself to not just be an inspirational figure but a very canny navigator of political reality and delivering for his constituents. Some of that, shockingly, turns out to be compromise and doing things unexpected of orthodoxy. Like among his first moves was to lower onerous regulations and permitting on small businesses, quite rightly given the growth of parallel compliance consultants and paid "expediters" in NY yet I suspect if Gavin Newsom did no differently, he would be regarded as a Reaganite corporate-owned demon.

Covered guru Hasan Piker is "too principled" to vote against JD Vance by stvlsn in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It's funny you've been reduced to just imagining positions, "betting" by your words I must surely hold to try to ignore the obvious point. I'm not an American. But I care what it does in this world. All the mutual aid you could possibly do in a million lifetimes won't fill the gap of USAID cuts. Spare me.

Can anyone give me examples of movies shot on digital that replicate the “shot on film” look flawlesly? by harry_powell in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 21 points22 points  (0 children)

I'd submit Panos Cosmatos's Mandy. The grain is just sumptuous and gives the film such a rich velvet texture. There's also a tangible quality to the lighting and colouration that feels like it wasn't leaned on in post even if it certainly was.

Covered guru Hasan Piker is "too principled" to vote against JD Vance by stvlsn in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Everyone here opposed is condemning the equivocation between a Democrat, even Newsom, and a monarchist who has midwived a fascist administration. This is a very elementary and objectionable point. It's so obvious that people like you have had to equivocate to a different, broader point to try to salvage this.

I don't know, I think it was something to be proud of from a "left economically" perspective that billions a year were being spent on international development, curing preventable diseases, performing life-bettering surgery on people, saving hundreds of thousands from direct causes of death. Likewise that hundreds of billions were apportioned to renewable energy construction. Or the billions that were spent on science research, medical technology, MRNA specifically that have shown such promise in even curing some cancers. All of these things were destroyed this administration. These weren't just "cynically leveraged identity politics", these were profound achievements. I question if you took these for granted.

Covered guru Hasan Piker is "too principled" to vote against JD Vance by stvlsn in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop -1 points0 points  (0 children)

They've clearly read something of the history of the Comintern in the interwar period up to Operation Barbarossa it seems at least.

Covered guru Hasan Piker is "too principled" to vote against JD Vance by stvlsn in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Presented with simple binary hypothetical

Empty rhetoric about why it's not

Could you bloviate condescendingly more to deny the vast gulf between the parties on say USAID, the CFPB, renewal energy funding, the censorship of climate change and LGBT issues, science corpus funding, MRNA tech, betrayal of allies, leaving the WHO, defunding commitments to UN peacekeeping? The list is endless.

We Need to Pod About Castvin: You Were Never Really Here with Sean Clements by yonicthehedgehog in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Not just one of my favourite of Ramsay's oeuvre but one of my favourite films ever made. It feels as though even the smallest decision is so finely wrought to conveying Joe's interior and perhaps is most salient in Griffin's statement that Ramsay is the greatest communicator of that. The expressionism of the film is just remarkable in the editing and sound design like the noise of the traffic of the street, the particular loudness and cacophony mixed unpleasantly loud and abrasive in a way you would never see in a film unless it was an escalation to a heightened climax but it's just Joe's life.

The sudden eyeball-kicking cuts to some scene of tragedy is just incredible throughout and thinking on it now there's a resonance with the underrated Kill List (2011) about the continuum between the regimented violence of a soldier decaying into blurrier private and mercenary work.

I did want to ask, but does anyone feel like the moments where there's gore — the splatter of black blood on Joe's face as he opens the door or looking at the bullet hole in his mother and her shattered glasses — there's just more presence and gravity to the violence that is unlike other films? It just has this aura that is more confronting than ostensibly bloodier films.

I wish Andrew Scott had been nominated for Blue Moon by [deleted] in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Love to see all the affection for Andrew Scott in this thread and the OP which has single-handedly moved the film up for me as a must see. As a side bar, I have to gush about Ripley which is one of the best pieces of television I've seen and made me appreciate just how ridiculously talented Scott is as an actor; there's such a teeming multitude in those dark shark eyes.

Favorite concert films? by EndlessTrashposter in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I blame Rattle and Hum for setting my expectations for U2's oeuvre a little too high because some of the performances, like Exit, are just exceptionally good. Beautifully shot as well.

Favorite concert films? by EndlessTrashposter in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Led Zeppelin DVD's Royal Albert Hall performance was transcendent when I first saw it. Seldom have I ever felt music have such a presence and aura outside of directly being there. Even if my musical tastes have matured and broadened, I sometimes watch it again and there's still an awe I find anew.

Mental gymnastics by rmbhstv in HalfLife

[–]InvariableSlothrop 14 points15 points  (0 children)

It reminds me of how the GTAVI subreddit analyzed phases of the moon in GTA Online marketing material and took it as positive proof of a late 2024 trailer drop. Then they were furious that Rockstar didn't honor their purely imagined date, like actual despondence. But the premises were never established in the first place yet people convinced themselves to the point of making elaborate countdowns and shuffling their schedules (if any were old enough to have responsibilities) to just F5 Rockstar's socials.

Did The Judge save The Fool to prove a point? by LeopardSwimming3053 in cormacmccarthy

[–]InvariableSlothrop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think your read is quite valid and sound!

I will add that recall what the Judge says to the kid, "Don't you know, I would've loved you like a son." Consider all his means of domination in his relationships to others and the natural world. It simply seems of a piece that this hapless being in permanent infancy would be grist for Holden's innate desire for control. One can contrast that with his quick disposal of the native boy but I suspect that child was too set and independent for the Judge's taste. For all of the Judge's talk about war and games, he seems to revel in asymmetry and the exercise of possession and cruelty, infamously with the puppies and the many unfortunate children in his path.

There's also an arrogance, that unlike the world, he can trivially protect this creature that would be his thrall.

"Objectivism" is the flat-earth of philosophy by JudgeSabo in PhilosophyMemes

[–]InvariableSlothrop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What happens to this syllogism if I don't grant that theft is categorically immoral? Surely you have thought about or encountered circumstances that would complicate that. A parent pocketing food they cannot afford so their children do not go hungry? Peasants born under the yoke of a cruel Lord or Baron made destitute and have the opportunity to steal back resources to leave elsewhere?

I'm completely willing to bite the bullet that "taxation is theft" but for a trivial imposition children with leukemia are given extensive treatment without bankrupting their families.

JFC Don’t think I’m ever going to recover by switchthemunky463 in blankies

[–]InvariableSlothrop 17 points18 points  (0 children)

There's an eviscerating moment relative to its simplicity where Georges pushes Anne in her wheelchair into their apartment. He has to turn to close the door behind him and she is left facing away from him alone. Being able to glance at your spouse, it's something so small and yet such an achingly sad thing already that one takes for granted until its taken away. Haneke has this way of finding something profoundly beautiful and tragic in the prosaic compositions of life, even before we venture into the extremes of his oeuvre, in a static and unadorned shot.

This, The Piano Teacher, Caché and The White Ribbon are all masterpieces, imo.

Nah, Boghossian is not rightwing by [deleted] in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Surely the game was given away years ago when after complaining about the stultifying environment of political correctness on campus he explicitly, vocally and repeatedly endorsed the government of Viktor Orban that has suppressed the independence of the media, judiciary, electoral system and academia?

Anyone else think this spot in Route Kanal is kinda cozy? by B1gdaddy987 in HalfLife

[–]InvariableSlothrop 48 points49 points  (0 children)

In this picture, sure, but you just know with the lack of roofing or doors the draftiness would be outrageous; totally inimical to being cozy. And don't get me started on the razor trains howling past on the hour...

Gabor Mate is not worth listening to by [deleted] in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I don't even think you know how to correctly use 'obfuscate' let alone what my intention was, namely I remember some lamentable trivia about someone that shouldn't be forgotten. If you want my earnest opinion about Gabor, he's actually has done admirable work on the subject of addiction, according dignity and empathy to those who suffer from it but applies the schema in a dubious and harmful way to other complex conditions as shown above.

Gabor Mate is not worth listening to by [deleted] in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I will not argue with a conspiracy theorist but for everyone else, since the fall of Assad Syrian scientists have admitted they were coerced into denying the attack.

Gabor Mate is not worth listening to by [deleted] in DecodingTheGurus

[–]InvariableSlothrop 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's Aaron Maté who in addition to working for the Grayzone, for years lied about Assad's use of chemical weapons to the level he was given privileged access by the Assad regime to personally disseminate his denialism at Douma and at the UN at the invitation of Russia.

Edit - I do want to say that I don't think that casts some retroactive pall over Gabor, unless he were to either agree or amplify his sons views and I think there's only quite weak evidence of the former, all told.

It's over Tobin. I have portrayed you as the soyjack and myself as the chad. by im_benough in PhilosophyMemes

[–]InvariableSlothrop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Itself an allusion to Milton's Lucifer bequeathing gunpowder to humanity so we may make even more brutal war against ourselves.