The unimportant news thread

[LKB]

And, in Amusing Mis-readings: My brain switched one noun with the result, a young, American composer hoping to achieve sobriety

Since I'm not young, they weren't writing about me... whew!

[drogulus]

     So far I'd say I'm enjoying this recession more than usual. Maybe it's because my portfolio fantasy value is rising and not falling. Fantasy value is what your stuff would fetch on market if you sold it. Real value is what you get from owning it. Real value is less volatile than fantasy value. For instance the Covid crash of 2020 crashed my fantasy value very strongly while the real value didn't budge.

     So why pay attention to fantasy value at all? TBH I don't have a good answer.

[Karl Henning]

     So far I'd say I'm enjoying this recession more than usual. Maybe it's because my portfolio fantasy value is rising and not falling. Fantasy value is what your stuff would fetch on market if you sold it. Real value is what you get from owning it. Real value is less volatile than fantasy value. For instance the Covid crash of 2020 crashed my fantasy value very strongly while the real value didn't budge.

     So why pay attention to fantasy value at all? TBH I don't have a good answer.

Do you have a fantasy answer?

[drogulus]

Do you have a fantasy answer?

     I'll quote Cap. He says "a thing is happening". The man's a genius.

[Todd]

American Airlines agrees to buy 20 supersonic planes from Boom

Regular old NBC Nightly News ran an excited story about this last night as well.  Supersonic air travel will return!  And per the manufacturer, this neato bit of conspicuous consumption will be carbon neutral.  Honest.  No greenwashing.

[Karl Henning]

Sub-heading: The unimportant opinion thread:

Opinion  China's decline may be looming. Here's how the U.S. can win, if it so chooses.

[drogulus]

Sub-heading: The unimportant opinion thread:

Opinion  China's decline may be looming. Here's how the U.S. can win, if it so chooses.

Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group said in a recent newsletter that "the world isn't moving in China's direction." After 50 years during which cheap labor made China the world's "manufacturing engine," Chinese labor is increasingly expensive and decreasingly abundant. A United Nations model projects China's population, 1.4 billion today, peaking in 2028, then shrinking to 700 million to 900 million by 2100. In June, Bremmer said, a Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences issued a report — immediately suppressed — that China's population actually peaked last year, and will decline steadily to 587 million in 2100.

     I think this may be wrong. China reached its peak population about 15 years ago and it has declined since. The real population currently is well below the official number.

[MusicTurner]

(As a side remark, Russia's population shrinked on average by 87,000 per month, in January - May this year, which was record high. This according to official statistics. That's another reason to force Ukrainians to settle there, including in far away provinces. The government yesterday also introduced a special medal of heroism and a financial bonus for women that give birth to at least 10 children.)

[Karl Henning]

Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group said in a recent newsletter that "the world isn't moving in China's direction." After 50 years during which cheap labor made China the world's "manufacturing engine," Chinese labor is increasingly expensive and decreasingly abundant. A United Nations model projects China's population, 1.4 billion today, peaking in 2028, then shrinking to 700 million to 900 million by 2100. In June, Bremmer said, a Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences issued a report — immediately suppressed — that China's population actually peaked last year, and will decline steadily to 587 million in 2100.

     I think this may be wrong. China reached its peak population about 15 years ago and it has declined since. The real population currently is well below the official number.

You cannot go far wrong, to be sceptical of "official numbers" from Beijing.

(As a side remark, Russia's population shrinked on average by 87,000 per month, in January - May this year, which was record high. This according to official statistics. That's another reason to force Ukrainians to settle there, including in far away provinces. The government yesterday also introduced a special medal of heroism and a financial bonus for women that give birth to at least 10 children.)

Heroism, indeed!

[MusicTurner]

(...)

Heroism, indeed!

Well, they set the bar pretty high, didn't they ...

[Todd]

Sanna Marin: Finland PM partying video causes backlash



Now I want to see a video of Olaf Scholz getting down.

[Florestan]

Sanna Marin: Finland PM partying video causes backlash

Ugh! She's not even half as cute as I thought her to be. Better said, the make-up or lack thereof makes all the difference in the world. 

I want to see a video of Olaf Scholz getting down.

Idon't.

[Todd]

Ugh! She's not even half as cute as I thought her to be. Better said, the make-up or lack thereof makes all the difference in the world. 

I often wonder why there are not more female posters on this forum.

[Florestan]

I often wonder why there are not more female posters on this forum.

And? Do you have a theory about it?

[drogulus]

And? Do you have a theory about it?

     I do.

[Florestan]

     I do.

Make the case for it! 

[drogulus]

     Women do not take kindly to the pervasive well poisoning and chest thumping that goes on here. Husbands and boyfriends give them more than enough of that.

[Florestan]

     Women do not take kindly to the pervasive well poisoning and chest thumping that goes on here. Husbands and boyfriends give them more than enough of that.

Too commonplace. I'm disappointed.

[drogulus]

Too commonplace. I'm disappointed.

     Sometimes what's true is also obvious. A small minority of women like internet mud wrestling. A favorite of mine is Godless Girl.

     

     Trust me, you do not want to go near her.

     

[greg]

And? Do you have a theory about it?

I wonder if it's a forum thing in general.

Reddit is 63.8% male. But it certainly isn't trying to make that imbalance.

More likely certain types of people are attracted to forum discussion, and a larger percentage of people with that taste happen to be male. I think it's the type of people who like to deep dive into subjects to the point where other resources aren't enough. That's my guess, certainly can change though.