So, is the phrase “zero governance” the problem here? What does it refer to?

Same here!

I guess that line is there. Either in the middle or as a part of the edge?

…and Iraq, true.

Though, at least Finland sent the absolute minimum to both of those shitstorms, and that only after being blackmailed by USA. But zero conscripts were sent to either one. Especially the shit about Iraq is something I am really angry about.

USA is only waging wars of aggression. It would be horrible forcing people to that shit, IMO.

In Finland or Germany it’s very different because our armies exist strictly for self defence. When the US military should see military action, is decided in D.C.

But when the Finnish military should see military is decided in Moscow.

If your wars are something you fan decide about, it would be extremely immoral having compulsory military service.

In countries that cannot decide when to not have a war, it’s immoral to not have compulsory military service, as that would mean only the poorest having to bear the brunt of the war.

Well, the purpose is to be denied by the foreign country. Or, to be accepted by it, depending on your perspective.

Typically your own country doesn’t (shouldn’t) care of shit about your passport, because according to the declaration of human rights, you are allowed to come and go to/from your country as you please. But other countries don’t have to give you that privilege.

(I do think they should have to, though!)

I think it does. At least I kept hearing “als ich mein Zivi gemacht hab” when I lived there. Most people elect to serve in the form of civil service instead, but civil service is a type of military service (as weird as that sounds).

But maybe it’s very easy avoiding the whole thing altogether? I don’t know all that precisely, really. My “military service” was done in the form of civil service in a children daycare centre by the time I moved to Germany. And I’ve never been a German citizen anyhow.

That’s a rather standard thing in any country with compulsory military service. Typically you get that done with right when you’re 18-year-old and then you’re free to travel.

In Finland it’s handled so that you cannot get a passport before you either finish your military service or have turned 30. That meant that when I wanted to travel with my brother outside the EU before they were 30, we were limited to countries such as Albania and Georgia that allow entry with just an ID card. (And also, had we wanted to destroy the climate by flying, we would have needed to fly the flight out from the Schengen area from some other country than Finland!)

You get to choose which country you serve your military service in.

After that, you are affected by the laws regarding military service that that country has. But not of the other one.

Imagine if this picture was taken in Ukraine. The church would have been bombed, because in the opinion of the Russia, churches are always a military target. Just like blocks of flats are.

Because D.C. wants it that way.

If all MAGAts and people like the guy mentioned in the article were indeed to go to that place halfway between US and UK, I would be delighted! ❤️

The article says (even though, weirdly, between the lines) that the man had been spewing out anti-immigrant rhetoric and told that the flags are there to show that foreign-born people are not welcome on his island.

It’s not surprising that flags put by a person saying “I am putting these up as a form of showing the middle finger” are interpreted as being a form of showing the middle finger. Or in other words, causing alarm and distress.

I really like the ability to downvote. It enables me to say “this was badly argumented and a waste of my time” without spending too much effort for that. I’d write it anyway, but probably using impolite words that would be worse for the Fediverse than my downvotes are.

I dont remember where I’ve seen the stats, but I make about 10 upvotes per one downvote. I strongly believe at least my downvoting behaviour does more good than bad for the Forumverse.

When I was looking for a good instance for myself, Blåhaj seemed like an excellent fit, but when I noticed the downvote button was missing, I changed my mind. I would be annoyed if that feature disappeared altogether.

At least on PieFed’s Matrix chat there has been very constructive conversations about whether and how to allow downvoting. To my eyes, the solutions they came up with seem very good.

Not that I’d remember off the back of my hand what the hell they decided in the end. Maybe someone will tell? :) @rimu@piefed.social @wjs018@piefed.social

I find that a good thing. It’s a bright red flag that tells me to direct my attention to other people who are able to behave themselves.

It’s good that exceptional-level bigots have a way to visibly out themselves as bigots!

The closest thing is Friendica, and it’s very buggy and the UI would need to be completely remade. Also, its groups are not the same thing as Facebook’s groups.

It has a lot of potential, but fails to really fulfill it.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the closest thing to a Facebook replacement out there is… PieFed. Which you are using right now. You do need to combine it with Mastodon to get all you were doing on Facebook, but PieFed and Mastodon together do actually fulfill what at least I had as my purpose to use Fecesbook.

There is a plan to “some day” add good support for Mastodon style messaging here as well. But that might easily take a year or two.

It is, in some places and to some extent.

Until year 2009, the Berlin transportation’s rules said “Disturbing use of alcohol is prohibited in public transportation.” …meaning that non-diaturbing use was allowed. The new rule dropped the word “Disturbing”, meaning that the procedure is now no longer allowed.

But, the last time I was in Berlin, a few years ago, I was relieved to see that the tradition still lives on. I bet there are cities where it’s still outright allowed to this day! But even where it isn’t, it’s still being done.

Plus, people do drink their Feierabendbier in parks and benches. And often simply first thing after coming home. But Feierabendbier, the concept of drinking a bottle of beer ASAP after the end of your working day, is still alive and kicking indeed!

Feierabendbier!

That’s what happens en-masse in Germany in the early havening.

Everyone goes to a corner shop to buy a bottle of cold beer, enters the metro train, opens the beer bottle and drinks it in the metro on the way home.

Getting banned from a 196 group takes skill!