[Abyss]

LinearPhilosopher, on 20 February 2025 - 02:48 AM, said:

Abyss, on 19 February 2025 - 06:00 PM, said:

LinearPhilosopher, on 19 February 2025 - 12:33 AM, said:

Abyss, on 18 February 2025 - 04:30 PM, said:

LinearPhilosopher, on 17 February 2025 - 11:34 PM, said:

Abyss, on 11 February 2025 - 04:24 PM, said:

LinearPhilosopher, on 08 February 2025 - 05:44 PM, said:

... still waiting on my $200 bribe check so I can donate it to bonnie Crombie's campaign.

planning to blow mine on local distillery product. they win, i win.

Local distillery eh? you have my attention

My people....



https://www.northof7distillery.ca/

https://topshelfdistillers.com/

https://airdistillerie.com/en/

I call your local distillers and raise you one better that's about 15 minutes north of Ottawa.

https://dairydistillery.com/

(though to be fair, the guys at North of 7 are pretty cool).

Back in 2021 me and the boyz went on a cross Ontario roadtrip visting distilleries from Ottawa, to Sudbury, to Windsor and Niagara.

Met some cool people, and drank even cooler stuff. But if you're in the Ottawa region, check out dairy distillery. You can do a tasting for free, pickup some unique alcohol, and while you're there treat yourself to some amazing donuts and chocolate from a pair of amazing places nearby.

k fine, if you're gonna insist.
(tho i would match those three against almost anyone... top shelf in particular just nails gins and vodkas)

Best Gin in the Province
https://www.nickel9d...dden-temple-gin

For Vodkas id have to think about it

Temple IS good but i found by trying to do a dry AND heavy botanical they kind of ended up mid on both.

Alberta, not Ontario, but if you spot a bottle try this: White Owl Whiskey .... it's a whiskey done in a vodka process. Very different, excellent.

[LinearPhilosopher]

OOOO Noted

Been meaning to go out west to try alberta distilleries

[worry]

Wow you all talking about dis still?

[LinearPhilosopher]

Beats talking about politics

[Abyss]

Comparative analysis of provincial distilleries is an EXTREMELY political subject, thank you.

[QuickTidal]

Sigh.

It's Snap election Day in Ontario.


The chances that in this weather (we had a huge winter storm this morning...and election don't usually happen in the winter for a reason), and with much less time for advice voting (3 days VS 10)...Ford will get another Majority because not enough people will get out and vote...and it's depressing me today....

The only silver lining is that by calling an election over a year early (to get himself 4 more years now VS in 2026) that we potentially get one less overall year of him provided Ontario turfs him out in 2029 (we probably will) than we would have had if he'd waited till 2026 and the end of his current term to do the election.


Still. It sucks to feel so helpless in the most populous province in the country by a long measure (roughly 20mill people) because people can't be bothered. Last time this guy got his majority it was from 18% of the electorate. Something like 34% of Ontarians went out to vote in 2022...that's pitiful, especially considering the scandals, the disastrous shit this man has done to health care, education, and spending billions on bullshit....BC and NB both rejected the Cons....I wish we could, but my faith in Ontario is DESPERATELY low.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 27 February 2025 - 05:57 PM, said:

Sigh.

It's Snap election Day in Ontario.


The chances that in this weather (we had a huge winter storm this morning...and election don't usually happen in the winter for a reason), and with much less time for advice voting (3 days VS 10)...Ford will get another Majority because not enough people will get out and vote...and it's depressing me today....

The only silver lining is that by calling an election over a year early (to get himself 4 more years now VS in 2026) that we potentially get one less overall year of him provided Ontario turfs him out in 2029 (we probably will) than we would have had if he'd waited till 2026 and the end of his current term to do the election.


Still. It sucks to feel so helpless in the most populous province in the country by a long measure (roughly 20mill people) because people can't be bothered. Last time this guy got his majority it was from 18% of the electorate. Something like 34% of Ontarians went out to vote in 2022...that's pitiful, especially considering the scandals, the disastrous shit this man has done to health care, education, and spending billions on bullshit....BC and NB both rejected the Cons....I wish we could, but my faith in Ontario is DESPERATELY low.

I hate to be a pessimist, but Ford stands with a decent majority, for an election no one wanted, and few care about, except Ford who's utterly on track to win the the point that the PCs instructed most of their candidates to ignore debates and questions because not showing up was more effective than risking someone say something stupid. On top of that he's taken a visible and palpable stance against Trump... sure, it's because in the course of making money for his buddies Trump has interfered with Ford's ability to make money for his buddies, but there it is... everyone who would have voted PC is still going to vote PC and the tiny little undecided crowd are as likely to vote PC as not, which means he wins. The opposition parties with their boring uncharismatic middle management leaders have rolled out sweet fnck all to motivate their bases or convince anyone on the fence that they can do a better job. Let's just get this stupiditiy over with and focus on dealing w the other stupidity and hopefully four years from now someone with a plan and a voice can actually do something about this guy before he runs for prime minister.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 27 February 2025 - 07:08 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 27 February 2025 - 05:57 PM, said:

Sigh.

It's Snap election Day in Ontario.


The chances that in this weather (we had a huge winter storm this morning...and election don't usually happen in the winter for a reason), and with much less time for advice voting (3 days VS 10)...Ford will get another Majority because not enough people will get out and vote...and it's depressing me today....

The only silver lining is that by calling an election over a year early (to get himself 4 more years now VS in 2026) that we potentially get one less overall year of him provided Ontario turfs him out in 2029 (we probably will) than we would have had if he'd waited till 2026 and the end of his current term to do the election.


Still. It sucks to feel so helpless in the most populous province in the country by a long measure (roughly 20mill people) because people can't be bothered. Last time this guy got his majority it was from 18% of the electorate. Something like 34% of Ontarians went out to vote in 2022...that's pitiful, especially considering the scandals, the disastrous shit this man has done to health care, education, and spending billions on bullshit....BC and NB both rejected the Cons....I wish we could, but my faith in Ontario is DESPERATELY low.

I hate to be a pessimist, but Ford stands with a decent majority, for an election no one wanted, and few care about, except Ford who's utterly on track to win the the point that the PCs instructed most of their candidates to ignore debates and questions because not showing up was more effective than risking someone say something stupid. On top of that he's taken a visible and palpable stance against Trump... sure, it's because in the course of making money for his buddies Trump has interfered with Ford's ability to make money for his buddies, but there it is... everyone who would have voted PC is still going to vote PC and the tiny little undecided crowd are as likely to vote PC as not, which means he wins. The opposition parties with their boring uncharismatic middle management leaders have rolled out sweet fnck all to motivate their bases or convince anyone on the fence that they can do a better job. Let's just get this stupiditiy over with and focus on dealing w the other stupidity and hopefully four years from now someone with a plan and a voice can actually do something about this guy before he runs for prime minister.

Yeah, don't get me wrong I believe that if more people voted there would be lots more votes for PC, but if the NDP and Libs voters just showed up in enough numbers, they could have held him to a minority where he'd have to work with people...he timed all this VERY well to his advantage.

And yeah Marit may be okay, but Bonnie is a mess...and I had to vote for her party since I'm DEEP in a Conservative stronghold and the only ABC vote I could do was Libs.


I DID however get to vote in the Federal Liberal leadership race yesterday, so I got to put my voice in there and I feel happy about that.

[Abyss]

I'm divided on that somewhat.... it would be nice to see more of the pop. vote and a stronger showing for Lib and/or NDP, but query whether a minority would even be a good thing w tariffs incoming and Ontario being front and center for the slap, i'm not sure whomever is in charge would be in a better position by having to compromise. W Alberta ready to roll over and die, Quebec in hysterics, and BC way out of the loop it's more or less up to Ontario to deal w trumpler (tho Quebec just cutting the US Northeast off from Qc hydro would be something to see).

[Mentalist]

Somehow I don't think picking Bonnie as leader will give the Libs a leg up in the 905 they may have been hoping for.

Personally, as a former Sauga resident, I have reasons to find her extremely sketchy. And the fact that PC is using nothing but cheap attack ads in this campaign isn't enough to sway me otherwise. I'll need to see who's on the ballot here, though I suspect I'm in an even bluer riding than QT.

[Mentalist]

lol, I didn't realize Crombie was running in my parents' riding. OOF.


How long is it gonna take her to resign?

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 28 February 2025 - 03:51 AM

[QuickTidal]

Sigh, and another Ford majority (although I hope it stings his ass that it was a waste since nothing was lost or gained (AFAIK), so he's pretty much where he was before...so thanks for wasting taxpayer money a year and change early Doug you fucking slug.

Mentalist, on 27 February 2025 - 09:15 PM, said:

Somehow I don't think picking Bonnie as leader will give the Libs a leg up in the 905 they may have been hoping for.

It's interesting since she's centre right anyways....so it's not like she was going to be some saviour for the progressives...she would just have turfed Dougs shittier plans and saved us some money. I didn't have a lot of faith. I was more interested in my riding, which has gone blue again of course and the Libs a distant second....amsuingly, having come from a deeply NDP safe zone riding in Toronto to a riding where they place dead fuckity last is wild.


Lot of pickup trucks where I live...so put on your surprised face the more rural (even suburban rural) quotient of Ontario wants to continue letting Ford slap his dick all over their foreheads.

Mentalist, on 28 February 2025 - 02:41 AM, said:

lol, I didn't realize Crombie was running in my parents' riding. OOF.


How long is it gonna take her to resign?

I would expect her to do it soon, since it sounds like she lost the seat she was gunning for anyways.

EDIT: It should also be noted that Ontario has a long history of voting/leaning Conservative actually...BUT....Conservative no longer means what it once meant....other than Mike fucking Harris (who was and is an evil POS) the history of Conservative premiers accomplishments in this province are largely decent:

Bill Davis: Created TVO, expanded the Human Rights Code, created the college system, enacted rent control, stopped the Spadina Expressway, put the SkyDome downtown, created the Ministry of the Environment, and worked with other parties in minority government to get things done

John Roberts: Established the Science Center and Ontario Place and GO Transit, and introduced nuclear power

Leslie Frost: Created OHIP, invested in the university system, passed laws penalizing discrimination in the workplace, introduced voting rights for Indigenous people

Then Mike Harris signified the ROT in the party and corruption, and it's been downhill since then...If Ford was being true to the Historical cons in Ontario he would be trying to be another Bill Davis....but instead he is very much Mike Harris 2.0; out for himself and his donors to make as much fucking money as possible, and then fuck off onto some board somewhere to continue collecting money and being awful till he croaks.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 28 February 2025 - 01:18 PM

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 28 February 2025 - 12:24 PM, said:

....If Ford was being true to the Historical cons in Ontario he would be trying to be another Bill Davis....but instead he is very much Mike Harris 2.0; out for himself and his donors to make as much fucking money as possible, and then fuck off onto some board somewhere to continue collecting money and being awful till he croaks.

...or there's the timeline where PP gets an absolute spanking in the next federal election and Ford, coasting on his bold crusade against Trump/Evil/healthcare/schools, rises to lead the Federal tories and drives for the PM job.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 28 February 2025 - 03:39 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 28 February 2025 - 12:24 PM, said:

....If Ford was being true to the Historical cons in Ontario he would be trying to be another Bill Davis....but instead he is very much Mike Harris 2.0; out for himself and his donors to make as much fucking money as possible, and then fuck off onto some board somewhere to continue collecting money and being awful till he croaks.

...or there's the timeline where PP gets an absolute spanking in the next federal election and Ford, coasting on his bold crusade against Trump/Evil/healthcare/schools, rises to lead the Federal tories and drives for the PM job.

I used to think this was not his plan...but with PP's star falling (I mean losing a nearly 30 point lead in 6 weeks is wild!) I could VERY much see him aiming for the PM slot.

Sigh.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 28 February 2025 - 04:02 PM, said:

Abyss, on 28 February 2025 - 03:39 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 28 February 2025 - 12:24 PM, said:

....If Ford was being true to the Historical cons in Ontario he would be trying to be another Bill Davis....but instead he is very much Mike Harris 2.0; out for himself and his donors to make as much fucking money as possible, and then fuck off onto some board somewhere to continue collecting money and being awful till he croaks.

...or there's the timeline where PP gets an absolute spanking in the next federal election and Ford, coasting on his bold crusade against Trump/Evil/healthcare/schools, rises to lead the Federal tories and drives for the PM job.

I used to think this was not his plan...but with PP's star falling (I mean losing a nearly 30 point lead in 6 weeks is wild!) I could VERY much see him aiming for the PM slot.

Sigh.

Someone close to Ford has to be spelling out this scenario for him. This (otherwise complete waste of money and time) election secures him for four years, he can sit back, watch PP (hopefully) fail, then execute a rise to power with the pm job in his sights and utterly conceivable. I can live with as little tori gov as possible in my life, but it would be an interesting battle to see him try to overtake an ascended Carney.

[LinearPhilosopher]

I have to say even a month ago I had no idea the liberals would be within a margin of error of the conservatives in terms of polls.

Ita kinda crazy that in early January they went from facing annihilation as official party to being neck and neck with the tories.

Heck I even joined the liberal party to vote for a leader. (I of course excluded Freeland from my ballot). Never thought I'd ever do that.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

LinearPhilosopher, on 01 March 2025 - 03:11 PM, said:

I have to say even a month ago I had no idea the liberals would be within a margin of error of the conservatives in terms of polls.

Ita kinda crazy that in early January they went from facing annihilation as official party to being neck and neck with the tories.

Heck I even joined the liberal party to vote for a leader. (I of course excluded Freeland from my ballot). Never thought I'd ever do that.

... so be thankful for Trump doing some good in spite of (and through spite of) himself?

Chrystia Freeland:

Quote

A few weeks ago in Saskatoon, I met a four-year old girl named Ari. She asked me, "Can you stop Trump from invading Canada?"

Ari is a smart little girl. She is asking the right question.

I'm running to lead the Liberal Party and to be Canada's next Prime Minister, because Donald Trump is posing the gravest threat we have faced since the Second World War.

https://x.com/cafree...192949149536736

And Freeland's answer to that question is... unconvincing. Hockey national anthem something something. Yeah much as we might like to imagine some Canadian hockey players getting ahold of Trump and bouncing his head off the ice like a ball (oh wait, wrong sport, that's ice basketball), it doesn't seem like much of a strategy. Canada probably should be building up its military and preparing to resist a potential invasion and occupation---though of course that's still almost certainly years away, the time to start preparing is probably now.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: Yesterday, 03:45 PM

[LinearPhilosopher]

Bayliss had a good idea of copying darpa. As well as leveraging our relationship with ukraine to get their drone technology.

This post has been edited by LinearPhilosopher: Yesterday, 07:44 PM

[Mentalist]

At this point, I'm willing to vote for whomever allocates funds for landmines all along the border.

As we have discovered in 2023, NATO instructors believe that the way to deal with a dense minefield is "go around it".

So I'd be very willing to endorse a major expenditure on land mines, all along the border, with the exception of several fortified border crossings.