[Mentalist]

Just watched "Too big to fail" for the first time.

In 2008, when the whole thing was afoot I was still in Uni. Taking "development theory" course, as part of my polisci minor.

Reading about people as far back as 1910s warning about the very thing happening that was happening around us. Reading "shock doctrine", about the man-made "Asian flue" of Pacific economies. About the great and wonderful things the IMF does.

This brought it all back, and more.

ugh, I really need a punching bag right now.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 27 September 2013 - 03:09 AM

[Abyss]

 Rictus, on 26 September 2013 - 08:08 PM, said:

My copy of The Crippled God ended on page five hundred something. And then it picked up the story again on page four hundred. I think the book is trying to tell me that I've missed something important in that part. Another hundred pages of awsum missing a few chapters down the line too.
Hopefully I can get a replacement tomorrow...

Dead tree or e version?

[Obdigore]

Pats' review of Republic of Thieves.

Not that pat's review is the actual problem, but the bad news certainly is

[Satan]

 Mentalist, on 27 September 2013 - 03:05 AM, said:

Just watched "Too big to fail" for the first time.

In 2008, when the whole thing was afoot I was still in Uni. Taking "development theory" course, as part of my polisci minor.

Reading about people as far back as 1910s warning about the very thing happening that was happening around us. Reading "shock doctrine", about the man-made "Asian flue" of Pacific economies. About the great and wonderful things the IMF does.

This brought it all back, and more.

ugh, I really need a punching bag right now.

You have to admit, when they started speculating on the speculations you were sort of impressed. The ingenuity behind the moral depravity tickled me in a way only evil can.

[Macros]

Reader store server is down, bought Perdido street station, Alloy of Law and Cloud Atlas last night, still can't download them.
a call (at fucking 5p a minute) to their help center has revealed the dont know how long its going to be fucked for, but they're "working on it"

blegh

[Satan]

I'm struggling with Cloud Atlas. Absolutely love the film, but can't seem to get through the book. Let me know how you manage.

[Mentalist]

 Satan, on 27 September 2013 - 04:45 AM, said:

 Mentalist, on 27 September 2013 - 03:05 AM, said:

Just watched "Too big to fail" for the first time.

In 2008, when the whole thing was afoot I was still in Uni. Taking "development theory" course, as part of my polisci minor.

Reading about people as far back as 1910s warning about the very thing happening that was happening around us. Reading "shock doctrine", about the man-made "Asian flue" of Pacific economies. About the great and wonderful things the IMF does.

This brought it all back, and more.

ugh, I really need a punching bag right now.

You have to admit, when they started speculating on the speculations you were sort of impressed. The ingenuity behind the moral depravity tickled me in a way only evil can.

I wasn't impressed, because
a) I already knew why it happened. so that wasn't as big of a shock to me as to the PR girl they were explaining it to

b ) unlike other examples (like the Asian Flue), this crisis wasn't (obviously) purposefully triggered: there's no maniacally laughing Soros-alike who swooped in and got rich on people's misery in a fire sale.
Instead what happened was pathological greed and short-sightedness, that's far more obstinate stupidity than any actual maliciousness.

If there was any real malice behind it, that would trigger my grudging respect. As it was, we were just seeing epic incompetence, and unlike a trainwreck in progress, without actually seeing "broken ATMs, lines to the bank, and a week later-no milk on the shelves" watching the prelude to a catastrophe doesn't give you the same "this is so bad, but I can't look away" feeling.

[Illuyankas]

Also I just found out the boyfriend of my best friend's sister is a massive Islamophobe by all the shit he posts on facebook. Fucking societital niceties.

[Satan]

 Mentalist, on 27 September 2013 - 12:23 PM, said:

 Satan, on 27 September 2013 - 04:45 AM, said:

 Mentalist, on 27 September 2013 - 03:05 AM, said:

Just watched "Too big to fail" for the first time.

In 2008, when the whole thing was afoot I was still in Uni. Taking "development theory" course, as part of my polisci minor.

Reading about people as far back as 1910s warning about the very thing happening that was happening around us. Reading "shock doctrine", about the man-made "Asian flue" of Pacific economies. About the great and wonderful things the IMF does.

This brought it all back, and more.

ugh, I really need a punching bag right now.

You have to admit, when they started speculating on the speculations you were sort of impressed. The ingenuity behind the moral depravity tickled me in a way only evil can.

I wasn't impressed, because
a) I already knew why it happened. so that wasn't as big of a shock to me as to the PR girl they were explaining it to

b ) unlike other examples (like the Asian Flue), this crisis wasn't (obviously) purposefully triggered: there's no maniacally laughing Soros-alike who swooped in and got rich on people's misery in a fire sale.
Instead what happened was pathological greed and short-sightedness, that's far more obstinate stupidity than any actual maliciousness.

If there was any real malice behind it, that would trigger my grudging respect. As it was, we were just seeing epic incompetence, and unlike a trainwreck in progress, without actually seeing "broken ATMs, lines to the bank, and a week later-no milk on the shelves" watching the prelude to a catastrophe doesn't give you the same "this is so bad, but I can't look away" feeling.

Shit, sorry, I was thinking about Smartest Guys in the Room, a documentary about the Enron scandal in 2001. Shot through with naivety and stupidity, but also a healthy dose of malice. Definitely worth a look.

 Illuyankas, on 27 September 2013 - 01:07 PM, said:

Also I just found out the boyfriend of my best friend's sister is a massive Islamophobe by all the shit he posts on facebook. Fucking societital niceties.

My uncle harbours more or less the same political views as Anders Behring Breivik, though without the killing of 69 kids. Other than that he's an alright fellow!

This post has been edited by Satan: 27 September 2013 - 03:20 PM

[Macros]

 Satan, on 27 September 2013 - 11:40 AM, said:

I'm struggling with Cloud Atlas. Absolutely love the film, but can't seem to get through the book. Let me know how you manage.

if i ever get it down I will do

eta
Woop! books downloaded.

double ETA
never watched the film, have very little idea what its about, just heard it was odd and wanted to read it

This post has been edited by Macros: 27 September 2013 - 04:44 PM

[Rictus]

 Abyss, on 27 September 2013 - 03:33 AM, said:

 Rictus, on 26 September 2013 - 08:08 PM, said:

My copy of The Crippled God ended on page five hundred something. And then it picked up the story again on page four hundred. I think the book is trying to tell me that I've missed something important in that part. Another hundred pages of awsum missing a few chapters down the line too.
Hopefully I can get a replacement tomorrow...

Dead tree or e version?

The former. Bloody thing looked perfectly normal, had as many pages as every normal copy. Sent it back and I'm hugging this perfect replacement right now.

[Tiste Simeon]

 Macros, on 27 September 2013 - 04:37 PM, said:

 Satan, on 27 September 2013 - 11:40 AM, said:

I'm struggling with Cloud Atlas. Absolutely love the film, but can't seem to get through the book. Let me know how you manage.

if i ever get it down I will do

eta
Woop! books downloaded.

double ETA
never watched the film, have very little idea what its about, just heard it was odd and wanted to read it

I flipping loved Cloud Atlas. Was hard work & didn't make tons of sense most of the time but enjoyed the experience of reading it immensely!!

[Gothos]

suddenly, the weekend, and... got nothing to do. just want to lie down and wait for next week to come 'round...

[worry]

I'm going to suggest that indifference and malice don't need to compete for that evil top spot. They don't mind sharing.

[Mentalist]

 worry, on 27 September 2013 - 08:50 PM, said:

I'm going to suggest that indifference and malice don't need to compete for that evil top spot. They don't mind sharing.

I disagree. With indifference, you're dealing with a pathology--where the person's likely incapable of understanding that other people matter.

With malice, you're doing things to hurt them on purpose. Intent plays a big role in how evil is judged.

[worry]

We'll all have to judge evil as we see fit, I suppose. But intent is present. In this case, the intent to gain as much money as one can with total indifference to the consequences for others. I do not rank that below, say, deliberately burning someone's house down. Like I said, I'd let them share the top spot, fire and ice, but if I had to give the edge to one it would be indifference. But as long as there's forethought, either one will do.

This post has been edited by worry: 27 September 2013 - 09:43 PM

[Abyss]

 Rictus, on 27 September 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 27 September 2013 - 03:33 AM, said:

 Rictus, on 26 September 2013 - 08:08 PM, said:

My copy of The Crippled God ended on page five hundred something. And then it picked up the story again on page four hundred. I think the book is trying to tell me that I've missed something important in that part. Another hundred pages of awsum missing a few chapters down the line too.
Hopefully I can get a replacement tomorrow...

Dead tree or e version?

The former. Bloody thing looked perfectly normal, had as many pages as every normal copy. Sent it back and I'm hugging this perfect replacement right now.

All good . Get in there, you won't be disappointed.

[Una]

Still sorting out divorce issues.

Husband has officially crossed the line from difficult to downright nasty. I stopped talking to him on the phone months ago because it took too much of my self-control to stay calm and normal while talking. Emails from him now contain actual profanity. Every time I get one, I just want to lie down until the panic attack passes, but I have a baby that needs attention when it needs attention, so I don't have that luxury. He says he's going to drag things out as long as he likes because I'm being unreasonable. Apparently I'm being unreasonable because he doesn't think he should have to pay child support.

At least I know I'm doing right by going through with this. Talk about showing your true colours!

He's the one who up and left me. Why is he so surprised that I filed for divorce?

[worry]

Isn't that a bit dimwitted on his part? That seems like the kind of thing that you can easily submit to a court as evidence of his disposition, his temper, and his weaselly nature.

[Satan]

 Abyss, on 28 September 2013 - 04:10 AM, said:

 Rictus, on 27 September 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 27 September 2013 - 03:33 AM, said:

 Rictus, on 26 September 2013 - 08:08 PM, said:

My copy of The Crippled God ended on page five hundred something. And then it picked up the story again on page four hundred. I think the book is trying to tell me that I've missed something important in that part. Another hundred pages of awsum missing a few chapters down the line too.
Hopefully I can get a replacement tomorrow...

Dead tree or e version?

The former. Bloody thing looked perfectly normal, had as many pages as every normal copy. Sent it back and I'm hugging this perfect replacement right now.

All good . Get in there, you won't be disappointed.

I was - why wouldn't s/he?

 Una, on 28 September 2013 - 04:28 AM, said:

Still sorting out divorce issues.

Husband has officially crossed the line from difficult to downright nasty. I stopped talking to him on the phone months ago because it took too much of my self-control to stay calm and normal while talking. Emails from him now contain actual profanity. Every time I get one, I just want to lie down until the panic attack passes, but I have a baby that needs attention when it needs attention, so I don't have that luxury. He says he's going to drag things out as long as he likes because I'm being unreasonable. Apparently I'm being unreasonable because he doesn't think he should have to pay child support.

At least I know I'm doing right by going through with this. Talk about showing your true colours!

He's the one who up and left me. Why is he so surprised that I filed for divorce?

After years of being a dick, the one thing I've learned is to never leave a paper trail. Take the idiot down at your leisure.

This post has been edited by Satan: 28 September 2013 - 06:04 AM