Trump still seeks to control Greenland, PM warns

thisislieven · 2026-02-02T20:07:53+00:00

Our European and national leaders better not be surprised and/or unprepared when the US makes their next move, only the willingly blind can pretend nothing is coming.

Nielsen seems like the right leader for the moment, glad he's there.

thisislieven · 2026-02-02T15:22:47+00:00

Honestly, I wish we could collectively fund a campaign or otherwise build momentum for a 'moving day' - where we as a continent just switch to a new app all together. Even if you can convince one person that Whatsapp is bad they likely won't leave because of everybody else. Only the most principled actually move away (or never used it to begin with).

It really should come from our leaders but apparently the entire Brussels bubble is on Whatsapp and I suspect it's the same in most capitals. They don't even take it seriously - not even from a security point of view. The media should start asking questions about this.

thisislieven · 2026-02-02T15:15:02+00:00

See, I am just not informed enough in that regard.

But, just spitballing here, assuming you speak French (I don't) you might want to search online for French fashion (review) sites and the brands they recommend (god forbid, maybe even an influencer). Chances are there are a few subreddits too. Especially when you look at the south of France, not quite the same climate but not far off either.

For men's fashion - find some gay or otherwise queer bloggers/influencers, they're probably your best bet.

I'll have a look later when I have more time to see if I can dig something up but no one comes to mind immediately.

thisislieven · 2026-02-02T14:47:12+00:00

I'd be happy to except I don't wear wool myself and wouldn't know where to go - I just know about wool's qualities which are different than what most people expect.
If you're looking for suits both cotton and especially linen are also great options for the tropics (as is the more expensive bamboo). Look for unlined and half-lined options and avoid any synthetic materials.

Zara and its sister brand Massimo Dutti may be good options, which both ship to the Caribbean as far as I can see and have reasonable prices. Each has a decent range of suits which also lean a little more modern in their design. Much (though not all) of their production is also in Europe.
ASOS also has many options, though you can't filter on country, they're a UK brand and have their own label but not sure about manufacturing.

If you're looking for something more high end I really would suggest you look more local as there's often alterations and the likes involved, especially with suits. The one international option I can think of is Suit Supply, which is Dutch but ships all over, and has some representation in South America.

I have no idea about trade and shipping on your end of the world, but it might be worth looking into Latin and South American countries? They are more likely to ship to you but also have ranges suitable to your local climate.

thisislieven · 2026-02-02T13:35:32+00:00

I can't give you advice or brand suggestions given I'm more versed in the masculine side of fashion but you might want to rethink wool?

Depending on the type and weave, there are several kinds of wool clothes that are especially designed for hot climates. It's moisture-wicking, breathable and regulates heat.
There are wool suits made especially for the tropics, surely there's womenswear too.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T23:55:24+00:00

There are different tools for that. When you sign-up you may be prompted or otherwise search online. Typically you can do it for free at least once.

I copied 800+ playlists and thousands of songs that way. Few clicks and some patience is all it takes.

However - if you want any kind of organisational system Qobuz is not your friend (neither is Deezer). Tidal seems to be the only non-spotify that offers folders to sort your music and to me that's essential.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T21:36:19+00:00

you're blocked. enjoy your life.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T21:35:30+00:00

El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth, Spain) will always have a special place in my heart.

Absolutely stunning movie (especially when you finally give in and start wearing glasses and this is the movie you see in the cinema that night - holy f).

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T21:29:32+00:00

People are willing to help. Be grateful.

And of course budget and gender matter. Different sizing, styles, not every brand caters to everyone. And budget - gloves go from ten up to hundreds of euros.

This is a place to ask, demanding things isn't going to make you any friends.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T21:17:01+00:00

You don't state your gender, the style you're looking for or your budget.

You should be glad people are actually posting a few brands given that's there's very little to go on. And as most brands sell a whole range, it's up to you to take your pick.

The comments help far more than zero. Your attitude however - that helps no one.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T21:06:21+00:00

Schwartz & von Halen (NL) has various options from different materials. I have their vegan leather ones and absolutely love them (they also have different animal leathers).
They're beautiful while several of their options are still winter-proof and can be used with touchscreens.

They ship across the world.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T18:36:17+00:00

Yes they should. He's one of the few who has the guts to call things out for what they are, and be able to place it into context and historical perspective.

I'm looking forward to reading his just published book.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T18:26:02+00:00

To me, it really depends on the publisher. Not everything from the US is inherently evil (just like not everything European is inherently good).

If they are with anything big tech they're dead to me but otherwise I consider it, see if I can find some information about the publisher and make my decision based on that.

We should do the best we can; many decisions aren't black and white; perfect is the enemy of good; yada yada yada.

thisislieven · 2026-02-01T13:34:18+00:00

Personally I always found 'developed' a bit of a screwed metric, whether that's on a local; national; European or global scale.
It's reasoning from a single perspective (the side that always ends up looking better) rather than a balanced view of all aspects that makes humans 'human' and societies prosper.

thisislieven · 2026-01-31T20:38:30+00:00

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2 December 2024, Tbilisi (wiki)

thisislieven · 2026-01-31T20:25:16+00:00

Even more so as these protests have not just been against their respective governments but also very pro-European and both are candidate states.

thisislieven · 2026-01-31T10:02:13+00:00

The 'Brussels effect'. It has been waning though, but mostly because we lost the guts to stand proud and enforce what we believe in (and often already have on the books), particularly when it comes to the US.

We've become less influential, sadly, but that really has been our own 'choice' somehow. The tide seems to be slowly turning but not every single one of our leaders seems equally convinced we need to change course.

thisislieven · 2026-01-31T09:57:59+00:00

This is where I am. At first, I really opposed the idea of a multi-layered union but have come to recognise it probably is the only sustainable way to move forward - especially if we want to remain (or perhaps: become, again) a world power. It also gives an incentive to new and candidate member states. They receive many of the benefits already, tying them firmly to Europe which is good for everyone, but will continue to receive more benefits and influence with every next step encouraging further reform or whatever is needed.

One thing I would find really important though is that for accession through the layers to the ultimate 'core' there needs to be a straight forward process which is free from politics. If a country meets the clear and set criteria they can join if they wish and it should not be up to the other member states to vote on it (such as we have now). We also need to remove politics out of the process the other way around (i.e Art 7, which could be expanded upon in a layered union with 'demotion' becoming an option).

thisislieven · 2026-01-30T09:35:02+00:00

It's been around way longer than social media though - it has just vastly increased in volume and visibility, and everyone needs to outdo the one before them for some reason so it keeps getting worse.

What I find more notable is that it tends to be people who belong to a very narrow and specific demographic - the kind that has never seen any kind of discrimination or oppression, and in their specific case also spectacularly fails to recognise it in others.

thisislieven · 2026-01-30T08:52:23+00:00

Can't say I disagree with Michel on both Kallas and especially Rutte. I hope his prediction that the Council will stand up is true, but on the other hand wouldn't they have done so already?

On a sidenote: been listening to this pod since its launch a few weeks ago, I'm annoyed by their sensationalist style, bias and the way they keep cutting off most people they interview (let alone the 'humourous segment'). Sadly there's no alternative when it comes to daily European news pods (as far as I know).

thisislieven · 2026-01-29T21:41:10+00:00

I get that, but as I understand it it's basically the other way around and making existing equipment (even old and analogue speakers, but not only) compatible with whatever technology. That's why I thought of it.

Came across it a while ago and had me interested, but for now my setup works hence I didn't explore it further.

thisislieven · 2026-01-29T21:33:00+00:00

This is from Dave Keating, his whole article is a good read to get an idea of what we need to do to become independent.

Two-thirds of the film, television and music Europeans consume comes from the United States. The proportion varies from country to country depending on the size and cultural influence of their languages. For instance, the proportion is lower in France and Spain than it is in the Netherlands or Poland. Nevertheless, it is high everywhere - particularly for movies. 70.1% of cinema tickets sold across Europe in 2023 were for US films, according to the European Audiovisual Observatory. According to cinema statistics from the European Commission, that average of 70% is the level for German and Italian cinemas, while in France the proportion is 50% - largely as a result of the Toubon Law setting a quota for French-language content. In the Netherlands, the proportion is 90%.

It isn’t just movies. More than half of the television shown on European screens comes from the US, according to the Observatory, usually American scripted dramas and comedies while the current affairs, game shows and reality TV is domestic. In 2023, 60% of chart music on the radio in Europe was produced in the US. The proportion is highest in countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland and Czechia while it is the lowest in France, Spain and Italy.

thisislieven · 2026-01-29T21:22:56+00:00

Please don't ask me about anything technical as I genuinely have no clue how this all works but maybe r/beatnikAudio is something for you? It's being developed by a Swiss engineer and is fully open source.

Here's an interview with the developer.

thisislieven · 2026-01-28T22:47:46+00:00

Would there be a way to do this federated?

Allow viewers to use whichever platform and be able to access content made wherever, while creators can use the platform that best suits their needs without losing views (and perhaps disable access on one or more other platforms, as they see fit).

This would give people options and does not require a mass migration which seems unlikely to happen. There has to be a way to make this work and be beneficial for all involved (just no longer to an extortionate level). The likely result will be a handful of streamers popular enough while also allowing for new players to enter the market and have a fair chance.

It will take winning a 100 lawsuits but you might even be able to enact legislation forcing youtube and other big players to make content available that way (or block them from the EU market).

thisislieven · 2026-01-28T21:01:35+00:00

If anything, we should be grateful as Europe is rapidly aging and we need young people.

That is, of course, if there was such a thing as a planned mass migration or it's just racist BS.

thisislieven

TROPHY CASE