POLITICS of Dune, and the politics of our times...


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A Thing of Eternity
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

SandChigger wrote:(Some of the above reminded me of yanking Hyppo's chain by referring to "Canadia". :lol: )
It's Kanatia - sheesh. :wink: :D

Or, if you speak Mandarin it's Ja-na-da.
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Post by SandChigger »

Probably Jia-na-da, if that's Pinyin.

:P


(Could NOT reseest! :lol: )
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

SandChigger wrote:Probably Jia-na-da, if that's Pinyin.

:P


(Could NOT reseest! :lol: )
Thanks - I don't know, I had a Mandarin speaking co-worker explain it to me once, but he unfortunately didn't really speak English so it was slow going. I was writing it down phonetically as best I could from memory.

Do you know what those three words mean on their own? I was curious but could explain what I was asking to the co-worker.
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Post by SandChigger »

I think they mean "Avoid [at] All Costs!"

:P

加拿大

Let's see. "Add - Hold - Big"? Yep, that's what it means.

In other words, the characters are just being used for the sound. (Why Jia sounds closer to "Ca" to the Chinese ear is beyond me. :) )
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

Baraka Bryan wrote:fuckin right! stronger Conservative minority and an annihilated opposition party.

a majority in political power if not in name :D

other canadians.. what are your takes?
Umm. :? If by "annihilated" you mean ever so slightly weaker, then yes, you are indeed correct. :roll: You crazy Conservatives and your hyperbole. :wink: EDIT: Well then, I see the numbers changed quite a bit from what I saw last night. I had no idea that the C's gained so many seats or that the L's lost so many. I should have ran and checked the numbers before making the above statement. :oops: Bloody sad day for me. :(

I'm happy enough with the outcome. I really would have preferred for the Liberal to take back seat for a while and let the NDP be the official opposition, but I didn't expect it to happen. As long as the Conservatives don't get a majority government I actually think it's fine to have them in power, like I said before though, it would be much more effective with the NDP in second place than the Liberals, but oh well I guess.

Conservative minority should allow for a pretty good blend of what I like in politics, so hopefully all goes well. EDIT: Now that I know the final numbers I'm not so happy with this outcome, other than that it will probably motivate the Liberals to ditch Dion and get a new leader which would be nice. I'm not terribly upset with the results, but it's getting a bit too close to the Conservatives having majority for my comfort.
a majority in political power if not in name :D
A majority gov in Conservative imagination if not in power or name. :wink: :D EDIT:This jab still stands.
Last edited by A Thing of Eternity on 15 Oct 2008 13:24, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

SandChigger wrote:I think they mean "Avoid [at] All Costs!"

:P

加拿大

Let's see. "Add - Hold - Big"? Yep, that's what it means.

In other words, the characters are just being used for the sound. (Why Jia sounds closer to "Ca" to the Chinese ear is beyond me. :) )
Thanks Chig! I knew they were just using the words for the sounds, but it's pretty funny to see what they actually mean.

My co-worker said they use Jia because there is no "KaH" sounding word in Mandarin.
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Post by GamePlayer »

Harper 2008: Why vote for a lesser evil? :)

While I hate minority governments, I am somewhat pleased the federal vote went this way. These last two Federal elections have basically sent a message to the two parties to get their houses in order if they want a majority government. Both poilitical parties have had things the easy way for far too long and now the voters are basically gridlocking the parties. The message is clear; shape up or you'll be punished.

It's ironic, but at a time when voter turn out in Canada is at an all time low, this is actually a turning point in Canadian politics in which the voters have more influence upon the electorate than we have ever had in my lifetime. The parties are scrambling to increase voter participation in the vain hope of winning a majority, but what they really need is to respond to what the people really want. Stop running the country like a bunch of jackasses and maybe we'll elect you if we're feeling generous. We haven't sent a "fuck you" to our politicians this strongly since that prick Diefenbaker was in power.

I just hope it works.

Having said all that, (yes, I must bitch...it's politics after all) I don't mind Harper. He may look like a child molester, but he's not a bad guy and at least he's intelligent and he's got a backbone. From where I sit, he's a Canadian's politician and he's been doing things for Canada, not because of some bullshit agenda or pressure. As long as Harper wisely decides to continue Martin's policy of debt reduction, I'm content to let him remain in power. But you hear me Canadian political hopefuls on either side of the center; any government with a spending spree agenda for at least the next decade better be prepared to twist in the wind. I just hope my fellow voters stick to their guns as they have been.

Make 'em pay for every vote they get and they'll appreciate it. They may even learn and when they do, they'll have earned a majority government. Until that time, we'll keep the training wheels on.

Yes, I'm bitter about politics :)
Last edited by GamePlayer on 15 Oct 2008 14:20, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

GamePlayer wrote:Harper 2008: Why vote for a lesser evil? :)

While I hate minority governments, I am somewhat pleased the federal vote went this way. These last two Federal elections have basically sent a message to the two parties to get their houses in order if they want a majority government. Both poilitical parties have had things the easy way for far too long and now the voters are basically gridlocking the parties. The message is clear; shape up or you'll be punished.

It's ironic, but at a time when voter turn out in Canada is at an all time low, this is actually a turning point in Canadian politics in which the voters have more influence upon the electorate than we have ever had in my lifetime. The parties are scrambling to increase voter participation in the vain hope of winning a majority, but what they really need is to respond to what the people really want. Stop running the country like a bunch of jackasses and maybe we'll elect you if we're feeling generous. We haven't sent a "fuck you" to our politicians this strongly since the prick Diefenbaker was in power.

I just hope it works.

Having said all that, (yes, I must bitch...it's politics after all) I don't mind Harper. He may look like a child molester, but he's not a bad guy and at least he's intelligent and he's got a backbone. From where I sit, he's a Canadian's politician and he's been doing things for Canada, not because of some bullshit agenda or pressure. As long as Harper wisely decides to continue Martin's policy of debt reduction, I'm content to let him remain in power. But you hear me Canadian political hopefuls on either side of the center; any government with a spending spree agenda for at least the next decade better be prepared to twist in the wind. I just hope my fellow voters stick to their guns as they have been.

Make 'em pay for every vote they get and they'll appreciate it. They may even learn and wehn they do, they'll have earned a majority government. Until that time, we'll keep the training wheels on.

Yes, I'm bitter about politics :)
Maybe I should have just waited for you to post and the wrote "what he said^" - I would have made much less of an ass of myself.

I do agree with what you said here, and I agree that whatever party can demonstrate that they can keep the economy stable will be the ones getting the votes (hence the numbers this round). I personally think Harper constantly makes childish comments and I don't trust him to make an honest statement to save his life - but I can say that (or worse) about the rest of them anyways so really, what do I care which immature snake oil salesman is in power as long as they don't bring the whole thing crashing down.
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

Baraka Bryan wrote:
a majority in political power if not in name :D
A majority gov in Conservative imagination if not in power or name. :wink: :D EDIT:This jab still stands.

it's realistically majority power. we actually have 144 seats since the one independent is a hard conservative anyways, plus they'll make millikin the speaker again so the libs have 1 less seat. this puts the difference between majority power and the Con number at 10. they'll be turfing dion and will be in no state to defeat the government so on any major bills, they'll just make sure 10 liberal MPs are absent and they can pretend they opposed it while propping up the government and being an ineffectual opposition just as they were over the past 2.5 years.

the tories have centralized and regained the peak support that was enjoyed by the combined PCs/Canadian Alliance parties back in 2000, which means they've won over basically every red tory back. unless the liberals get a new right-leaning leader (iggy anyone?) the tories will continue to spread their influence past the centre and the now-shamed liberals will have no chance of launching a bid for power.

we were expecting a new minority and got a stronger mandate as Harper said he'd need. my only major disappointment is the liberals weren't completely shut out and replaced by the NDP as official opposition.
Okay, so you're saying the Liberals are going to basically give majority power to the Conservatives by making sure members don't show up?

If so I really will be dissapointed, I think we've covered my opinion of Conservative majority government.
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Post by Omphalos »

Hey Sloey! What do you think of Canadian politics? :P
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

Omphalos wrote:Hey Sloey! What do you think of Canadian politics? :P
Yes, we need your unique wisdom here Sloey!
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A Thing of Eternity wrote:
Omphalos wrote:Hey Sloey! What do you think of Canadian politics? :P
Yes, we need your unique wisdom here Sloey!
Ever seen that Far Side cartoon about what a dog hears when a person talks to it?
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

Baraka Bryan wrote:
A Thing of Eternity wrote:
Okay, so you're saying the Liberals are going to basically give majority power to the Conservatives by making sure members don't show up?
that's exactly what i'm saying. we've already seen it 43 times in the last session of parliament. at first they'd be there and just abstain from voting so the government bills passed, then when they got ridiculed for that, the conveniently were missing large portions of their caucus for important votes that could defeat the government and the bills continued to pass but thye were able to say that those who were present opposed it. now with only a 10 seat deficit it'll be even easier for them to do that and get away with it.
I see. Well then, that makes the whole fucking process a waste of time. We might as well not even vote if the people we elect to control the Conservatives don't plan on doing so. You really don't understand how angry that makes me. I think you just turned me off the Liberals for a good while longer than I was going to be.
If so I really will be dissapointed, I think we've covered my opinion of Conservative majority government.
:D you'll come around :wink:
You'll come around, the middle is better, and it has the advantage of being less wrong than either side. :wink: I would vote Conservative only if the NDP got into power, in which case I'd want a Conservative opposition to a minority NDP gov.
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Post by A Thing of Eternity »

Baraka Bryan wrote:
A Thing of Eternity wrote: I think you just turned me off the Liberals for a good while longer than I was going to be.
glad to hear it. i have more respect for NDP voters because at least the NDP has consistent values it stands for every time, unlike the liberals who sway with the winds of popular opinion.
You'll come around, the middle is better, and it has the advantage of being less wrong than either side. :wink: .
i thnk that's why Harper has moved centreward and reins in some of the party's wingnuts to ensure his policies are moderate and widely acceptable. that's also why i continue to vote conservative because they're the only viable centrist option. the NDP is just too left wing and the liberals stand for nothing.
I had a choice between Green, Liberal, Conservative, NDP and Marxist-Lennonist on my ballot. Having come from Alberta it was a bit of a shock to see a Communist candidate. :shock: To be honest I'm not a big NDP fan, I'm just a big anti-fan of the C's getting majority.

The C's are still too rightwing for me, but that's just my own opinion and I know other people have good reasons for voting C. My Dad votes C usually because he's a crazy capitalist and the only thing he cares about in a party's stance is their economic positions, unless they started talking about putting people in camps they could probably get away with just about anything and get his vote.

I was very glad to see the Alliance party dissolve into the C's though, I was really scared of those wingnuts and Stockwell Day. I was pretty mch ready to move if they got ellected. :D
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Post by Omphalos »

Freakzilla wrote:
A Thing of Eternity wrote:
Omphalos wrote:Hey Sloey! What do you think of Canadian politics? :P
Yes, we need your unique wisdom here Sloey!
Ever seen that Far Side cartoon about what a dog hears when a person talks to it?
blah, blah, blah, BLAH, blaaaaah, Rex, blah, blah, blah, blah blaaaaaaah, Rex, blah, blah, blah.
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