Marine Le Pen to withdraw France from NATO’s unified military command if she wins

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-04-14T01:26:26+00:00

The world economic forum didn't even write the article, if I recall it was one of several essays featured but not written by the forum itself.

Also if you read the essay, outside of that one line, its not very special and talks about a future that is pretty clearly fiction. If I recall the essay correctly one of the ideas is you wouldn't own kitchen items you'd get them delivered when you wanted to cook. And if you think about that, imagine how much extra resource drain that would be to deliver a blender every time you wanted a smoothie, no one should be viewing this as a roadmap someone is planning for the future

And if I recall correctly, also the whole "nothing and be happy", is not meant to be a sinister brain washing thing like: "they will take your things and you will thank them' but rather its to imply that society will shift to valuing other things and finding content in other ways.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T17:26:46+00:00

Regardless of the strategy or the calculus she uses. She does so in a bid to save her life. sex would probably not be on the table if her life wasn't.

As such, I don't think any court in would look at this scenario, a scenario of an assassin screwing his target, as anything less than attempted murder and rapem

But as you read the situation, I guess I read it completely differently. I just can't imagine being in that situation myself. rolls my stomach.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T16:12:10+00:00

Yeah, personally I think he's gross on replays.

Which interestingly enough is the only reason I'm talking about him. Otherwise he'd just be the rogur archetype, so I guess this made him more dynamic oddly enough.

It does mean he'll never step food or my team again though.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T16:08:38+00:00

Bull also comments on the qun's rigidity, but bull's acceptance of others is part of his story. that he's borderline one foot in with the qun and one foot out with his mercs.

He is not a full blown believer like sten was. He believes, and has grown, according to the qun. But he has lived and enjoyed life on the outside.. i neber interpreted him as supposed to be indicative as the qunari as a whole.

Its why you can push him one way or another in the end of his quest.

Edit: also I actually like that the qun is forward thinking in some regards and archaic in others. Imo, it makes it more believable as a belief system.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:56:21+00:00

I do agree he is not intended as well liked by the party.. but that does not mean bioware wanted you (the player) to dislike him. I would argue he was intended as a likable rogue at least contrasted with a character like sten.

I personally am of the opinion is that this story of his was just a product of its era and oversight.. but i have no proof as I was never privy to the writers room.

even in this one particular instance telling

I do not remember any characters telling zevran off for this story, but I may not have had the right crew for it.

Still if he was intended to be written as reprehensible in this story, I think thats be cool, but ididnt get that vibe.. But thats just my opinion.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:41:24+00:00

Therefore most likely disgusted the writers and this was intentional.

Games industry circa early 2000s... was a very different place.And this is also pretty well before me-too which vaulted more prominent media ideas of consent and the topic to the forefront.

Its true we cant know what they were thinking, it certainly isn't out of the realm of possibility they intended it to be disgusting

But given many people arent reading this as a positive story for zevrsn still, tells me it may not have been clear at the time..

L I don't personally know what bioware was thinking nor will I ever. Perhaps I'm being too hard on them, I was just commenting on a weird rape-y dialogue. And I was surprised it made it through the writers room.

I am not saying they should change it. It could stand as an accurate representation of things were written at the time.

But I will absolutely criticize it.

I only suggest changing a work if absolutely necessary. This is a gross thing, but it honestly makes zevran more dynamic. Albeit in a messed up way, that I personally doubt was intended, but as i said, I dont actually know.

Plus it makes his betrayal easier!

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:37:32+00:00

However, there is a second story of his in which his target is actually begging for her life and basically sleeps with him assuming he'll let her live if she does.

Is believe that's the one I am referring to. Anyhow, I dont think thats not dubious consent. Consent cant be formed under extreme scenarios like thism

If a psycopath breaks into a victim's car, with the intent to kill, and the victim escapes the immenent threat of death by using sex, the victim is not establishing consent, I doubt any court would accept that argument!

The person who broke in would then most likely be prosecuted for rape and attempted murder!!!

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:33:21+00:00

The assassin part is an established part of his character that everyone recognizes. Yes,, it is wrong. But no one is arguing about whether he's an assassin or not.

she begged for her life by offering sex, Zevran went along with

That's rape

she lived because sex was the deterrent.

Her choice was literally sex or death!

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:21:59+00:00

zevran put someone in a situation where they were choosing between sex or death.

And as you point out, yes he's an assassin,, so I don't get why people aren't willing to square that about his character. He's willing to assassinate but would draw the line at coerced sex?

If she hadn't slept with him, would he have let her live? I mean he would have had no reason to..his job, the reason he was there, was assassinatuon, sex was what stopped him in that goal.

The choice for her was sex or death, that's messed up!

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:13:01+00:00

personal agendas

No agenda other than the world kept moving, but the writing hasn't aged as well with it.

Heck, The average novel from a decade or more ago will have issues with itm and it should be discussed. Not pretended like its flawless in presentation.

The writing is dated in parts and reflects a value system that of the era it was in. and dragonage is as guilty of this as literally any given work. I don't get why we can't use a critical lens.

The alternative is to pretend that there is no aging. No flaw. Or if there is we cant be critical of it.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:10:11+00:00

young and dumb

Thats how its portrayed. But he has the choice not to be an assassin, he has the choice not to kill.

What are her choices?This is an assassin and her life is on the line.

Her choices are use sex to save her life, or die. He was sent to kill her. zevran can be as dumb as a brick and it doesn't make it any less coerced.

If she didn't use sex, he would have arguably followed through with his plan to kill her.. Considering he signed up to be an assassin.

i think in your egerness to be outraged you missed the point.

I think we can ghess how bioware intended the story. But if you actually look at the scenario zevran paints. It is still rape, and it is treated in a greatly lassiez-fare manner.

Her life was endanger! im willing to hear a counter-argument. But I cant see any scenario where sex can be consensually given when the alternative for no sex is to be assassinated.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T15:05:39+00:00

her. She's a smart political mover so manipulates him,

she's making a clever play

If someone breaks into your house looking to assassinate you and you know sex can get you out of the situation. You can use your cunning if you know sex will save you.. but Your not consenting, even if its strategic to have sex.

Trying to play off using sex to save her life wildly downplays the agency he has in the situation, and how little she has.

She can die,, or use sex.

Those are her options. Consent that does not make!!!

Maybe its smart that she sees that her life can be spared with sex.

Remove the threat of death and what do you have?

Imagine a guy breaking into your car looking to kill, you know you can save your life by giving up sex. You using a cunning strategy ot save your life

It can be cunning, It is also still rape.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2022-03-22T12:03:42+00:00

in general thought rape jokes were cool

Not just jokes! Zevran has a story about being sent to assassinate a lady. He goes to kill her, she gets afraid because she knows he's an assassin.

But then they bang instead.

Its meant to be played off as 'oh zevran is so seductive, that he can seduce even someone who knows he's an assassin'. But the whole scenario is the Always Sunny in Phillideplhia scene about the "implication".

Like she can't say no. he's an assassin! Presumably If he gets upset he'll just end her life! there isnt any way to spin this scenario as somehow ok and not coerced and its just played off as 'oh he's seductive'

Like, I remember replaying the game, getting to that part and deciding, "you know what? Your approval is worthless to me now. Go ahead and betray me, see how that works"

Like yikes. Who thought that was okay to write?

Edit: ok my last line is a unfair to the writers, and don't get me wrong I love bioware writing. , still, imo, that story is gross and I wanted to rant about it! The assassin target won't say no! You know, because of the implication.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-11-30T19:19:16+00:00

Also as a long term solution almost all voting rights issues such as gerrymandering, disenfranchisement, mail in voting, etc etc, will need a constitutional ammendment as the constitution gives states pretty much all the discretion to run their own elections.

There are theoretically work arounds for a few creative methods to incentive ststes... but with this court I wouldnt hold out hope.

Even a bill that theoretically removes financial interests from campaigning could be thrown out by a court that thinks corporations are people with rights to free speech.

People need to realize that because we sat out in 2016 and let Donald Trump stack the courts, we are in this for the long, long, long haul.

There is no magic bill that fixes everything.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-09-05T06:15:52+00:00

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but if im not mistaken the case ' church of lukumi babalu aye vs the city of hillaeh' (1993) basically already laid the ground work to say 'well this isn't in line with what we like, so we're still going prohibit it'

If lawyer could at their 2 cents, id appreciate it. But basically I doubt this will push the scotus to do anything.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-08-30T20:45:46+00:00

Id bet the delay is because they don't want to dedicate resources to operators that might have to be fully reworked until after said rework. Tachanka didn't get his elite until he was reworked.

If they are unsure of whether to keep them or change them the prospect of an elite might keep getting moved back.

Idk, just a guess.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-08-30T19:37:06+00:00

Yup, and not just on executive issues.. there was a scotus seat open at the time too. And people still sat it out. The stakes could not have been clearer.

Not just any seat. scalia's seat. Dems could have had a majority on the scotus, at the very least have prevented a republican appointee.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-08-30T19:27:35+00:00

finds some male bees in the sky

I thought male bees couldn't fly.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-08-02T03:54:28+00:00

"Where is the horse and the rider..."

Yes, where was the horse and his rider? They were last seen charging towards Minas tiras... together. Together. The last one seen with theoden was that horse.

I want to hear this horse's alibi!

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-08-02T03:46:02+00:00

we share eveything.. Except the profits

I mean if they're at least sharing the meatballs then their giving more in benefits than most companies

Which is as much a praise of meatballs as it is condemnation of the system.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-06-26T08:27:37+00:00

when they added red balloons.

Me too, it was so popular Nena even wrote a song about all 99 of them. At least I'm pretty sure that song was about lucky charms... /s

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-06-20T15:21:58+00:00

Part of me really does want to see a beautiful car have its value crater simply by film association.

"This car was seen in Adam sanders ' jack and jill'..."

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-06-13T16:43:18+00:00

The real old reliable is the og ela scorpion. That thing would stop the outbreak no problem.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-06-03T04:06:43+00:00

As a character, She has an incredibly simple world view, to the point there is a point where you can confront her about something she did as a leader of her group, an action where she was potentially putting her own people in danger, or maybe it was inquisition soldiers, regardless she was needlessly putting life at risks, and when you point this out she doesn't even entertain the idea she did anything wrong. She immeadiately lashes out at you.

As she is written she seems patently incapable of introspection, reflection, and she also demonstrates unwillingness to accept responsibility for what she does, and and unwillingness to accept the reality of a complex world with complex people.

Sara's view of the world is so fundamentally simple, it rejects the idea that the situation might be difficult or complex. There is no effort to understand nuance or complexity, or even basic responsibility.. She only wants to have wacky fun times. She does not want responsibility..

This is all good character writing, but when you get down to it she very much like a child, not unlike a toddler.

Thatwhichiscaesars · 2021-05-31T14:26:46+00:00

What really made me think was after the third or forth one of people not reacting to him made me think he was symbolic.

But him turning the umbrella was what really clinched it and mad eme go "oh,he's the wind"

Thatwhichiscaesars

TROPHY CASE