#National Bonds

[falseandrealultravival]

The Big Lie of the Japanese Ministry of Finance: The Fraudulent Discourse of National Bonds (Essay)

Katsunobu Kato: Minister of Finance (Man spends $7,000 a day on food)

Japan's most powerful public agency, the Ministry of Finance, is a master of lies. One of the major causes of Japan's 30-year recession is the consumption tax, which only goes up and never goes down. This indirect tax has dealt a body blow to the pockets of the Japanese people, and now they are gasping for breath.

The justification for this evil tax is that "if we issue any more national bonds, we will leave a debt to future generations" -- that's why they say they're raising taxes. However, "issuing national bonds is synonymous with issuing currency," in the case of a country like Japan that has a floating exchange rate system and does not borrow currency from abroad, "no matter how many national bonds are issued, the national finances will not go bankrupt." The logic of leaving a debt to future generations is meaningless and sophistry.

Therefore, if tax revenue is insufficient, all you have to do is issue national bonds. There will be no aftereffects on future generations. Also, while claiming it has a tax revenue shortfall, the Ministry of Finance is pouring 9 trillion yen (60 billion dollars) of tax money into a meaningless project called "gender equality." Suppose they want to increase the military budget by 6 trillion yen (40 billion dollars). In that case, they can abolish the "gender equality" project and use the funds to make the defense tax increase unnecessary. It's all a big lie by the Ministry of Finance. (They are carrying out such a meaningless project because of the "amakudari" of Ministry of Finance officials.)

Postscript: However, in Japan's case, there are special circumstances, and Article 4 of the Financial Law states that "unlimited issuance of national bonds is prohibited." Use is limited to construction bonds and deficit bonds. This rule was established by the GHQ of the USA in response to the fact that the excessive use of national bonds to raise war funds during WWII caused hardship for the USA. This puts a strain on Japan's financial spending.

Amakudari: A high-ranking official is re-employed at a lower-level government office or company for a higher salary and higher retirement benefits. In other countries, this would be a criminal act.

Rei Morishita

2024.11.17

日本の財務省の大嘘：国債の詐欺的言説（エッセイ）

加藤勝信財務大臣（一日７０００ドルの食費を掛ける男）

日本最強の公官庁「財務省」は嘘をつく名人だ。日本の３０年不況の大きな原因の一つは、上がるのみで下がることを知らない消費税だ。この間接税は、日本国民の懐に、ボディーブローのような打撃を加え、今や日本国民は青息吐息だ。

さて、この悪税の根拠として、「国債をこれ以上発行したら、後の代の人々につけを残す」――だから増税すると言うのである。しかし、「国債発行は通貨を発行するのと同義」で、日本のように変動相場制を採り、外国から通貨を借り入れていない国の場合、「いくら国債を出しても、国家財政が破綻することはない」。後代につけを残すという論理は無意味で詭弁なのである。

だから税収が足りなければ国債を宛てれば済むことなのである。後世に、なんら後遺症は残さない。また、財務省は、税収不足と言いつつ、「男女共同参画」という無意味な事業に９兆円（６００億ドル）の税金をつぎ込んでいる。６兆円（４００億ドル）の軍事予算を増額したいなら、「男女共同参画」事業を廃止してその資金を当てれば、防衛増税は不必要になる。全て財務省の大嘘である。（こんな無意味な事業を行うのは、財務省の役人の「天下り」のためだ。）

追記：ただ日本の場合、特殊事情があって、財政法第4条に「無制限の国債発行を禁じる」とある。建設国債や赤字国債に用途は限定される。これは、WW2のとき、国債を多用して戦費をねん出し、USAを苦しめたことから、USAのGHQが設けた規則である。これは日本の財政出動に足枷をするものである。

天下り：高位の役人が、より低位の役所や企業に、高給・高退職金の条件で、再就職すること。諸外国なら、犯罪行為である。

[demaparbat-hp]

Toph as a Goalball player 💪💚

[cienie-isengardu]

Zuko and Azula in "The Beach"

Lately I think a lot about "The Beach" episode [x], especially about this small detail of great teamwork Zuko and Azula have during the game.

Zuko is looking ahead, directly facing their rivals (who had the control of the ball at this moment) but his body is clearly lowered to the ground, left hand most likely touching the ground, legs bent and widely spaced - a clear contrast to Mai standing near and how he stood before on two separate occasions

which is why I think Zuko willingly create an opportunity for Azula, so she could jump higher - something she definitely used to their team’s advantage. If Azula simply jumped on her brother’s back when he wasn’t expecting it or wasn’t ready, he would probably just fall face down from the impact but as the scene shows, he had no such problem nor was angry about it in the following scenes.

During the game sequences there was no dialogue shown between our protagonists, so it is hard to determine if Azula in advance called Zuko to give her a “lift” or Zuko offered on his own, or did they were that much in sync they just acted without thinking. Regardless I like this few seconds long interaction, because for me it implies how they trusted each other despite all the rivalry and bitterness from previous episodes. Like Zuko trusted Azula won’t use that moment to hurt/humiliate him by overuse of force, the same as Azula trusted in Zuko’s strength and that he won’t mess up by losing his balance. It is a small thing but no less sweet to see them working well together when fighting for the same goal - what reminds me a bit their teamwork from the previous season finale.

Interestingly, it was also the second time Zuko assisted Azula in scoring against their rivals while not scoring himself any point on screen. The first time happened almost right at the beggining of the game (second from total five sequences)

while each girl have the solo sequence of winning a point:

Azula's first attack,

later Ty Lee landing on the net

and Mai kicking the ball (and presumably scoring)

while Zuko’s two actions are shared only with his younger sister while there is no sense of competition between the siblings, something contrasting a lot with some previous and later episodes.

Azula is bossy and competitive through most of the episode and her brother lets her be that without a complaint. Azula and Zuko get along pretty well and A) do not argue (with the exception of the campfire scene and then they argue not even for the whole scene itself) and B) don't get on each nerves the way they do in the palace, with Ozai's presence looming in the back of their mind. I absolutely adore this episode, as it humanizes all our Fire Nation characters by showing them as teenagers outside the war zone but also giving us a bit of insight into what Azula and Zuko could be if Ozai didn't pit them against each other. And they could be a great team!

[thesoftestmess]

Thinking about focalors saying furina's humanity is what made her perfect, but sending her on a 500 years long quest where she had to divorce herself from her humanness every single day anew.

Furina having to keep up a show of distance to humanity and having to put herself above her fellow humans, while encouraging Neuvillette, who has never been human, to mingle with them and learn to understand them.

Focalors inviting Neuvillette into the palais and knowing damn well something as strong as Furina's love and care for humans will inevitably rub off on him and there's nothing he could do about it.

Focalors loving and admiring humanity so much that she trusted herself, her human form, enough that not even a mighty ancient dragon could exist for centuries next to Furina's deeply kind and compassionate heart and be immune to it.

It wasn't only time that made Neuvillette unable to declare fontainians guilty after everything. It undoubtedly was also his Lady Furina meeting personally with her citizens, throwing big social banquets on her birthdays and visiting the sick and elderly in their homes.

Caring about the young and the old, remembering their names and bloodlines and their countless life stories.

There's something so special about the theme of humanness between Furina and Neuvillette and how it binds them together not just by fate, but by heart.

There's something special about him spending 500 years by the side of a human unknowingly, and it inevitably turning him into their ally, while Furina has no idea she's making it happen.

Loving humans comes naturally to her and this part of her could never be drowned out, not even by a painfully lonely and straining act of authority and godship.

There's something so heartbroken in Neuvillette's voice when he learns about her sacrifice and really, how could he ever declare humanity guilty for their mere existence when Furina was by his side sacrificing everything and then some for them for four centuries, regardless of how they treated or talked about her?

How could he ever leave her and her people to a doomed fate?

And a part of Furina telling him to get out and mingle with humans feels like she was saying "I know you don't like me much as an archon, but you would've loved me as a human" and she's right.

The moment she drops the act and moves out and goes on her very own healing journey, he falls hard.

Once the heavy presence of fate between them evaporates, he sees her clearly for the first time ever and what he sees is the very best of humanity. One of humanity's kindest and strongest and most determined.

So fragile and exhausted and half-ill from mental torment. Someone who certainly deserves the praises offered to a god, but who wears her human skin so much better.

Wears her heart on her sleeve, just like all her insecurities and flaws.

There's no act, no big secret, no impending doom hanging over their heads now, but she's further from Neuvillette's side than she's ever been and it makes him yearn for her in a way he doesn't know is utterly human.

And she's lying awake with the very same feeling.

[alwaysbewoke]

[benoits-neckerchieves]

Not only does Daniel Craig look indescribably adorable in this play, but his co-star Jason Isaacs describes it as “shagging each other senseless for seven hours a day”, and says they used to tug each other’s balls to try and make each other laugh in the middle of a line…

Daniel Craig and Jason Isaacs in the British premiere of Angels in America: Perestroika by the National Theatre in 1993

[stranger-theory]

"Bylers want El depressed."

she already feels this way. she already feels alone and unhappy with Mike. if she feels like this with the guy she's dating, why not assume she'd be happier without that guy? why not assume it would be better for the girl who doesn't know how to work a romantic relationship to just not be in that relationship? why is it us who want to hurt her and not someone who wants her to stay in this relationship?

we have to use our brains, people.

[mikeru6]

im the jalpha im the leader im the one to trust

[it’s currently 2 am, final exams are in 5 hours]

[blorger]

 “You never told me why you didn’t stash that music box in the attic with your other shit,” Harry reminds him. Malfoy shakes his head. “I forgot,” he says. “No, you didn’t,” Harry answers simply. “Draco.” Malfoy twists his mouth in frustration. “I guess,” he says, “I guess I thought it would be good enough for a couple of your aurors to get hexed while conducting a raid for no fucking reason. I didn’t know… I didn’t think it would be so hard to reverse. And I definitely didn’t think Weasley would be stupid enough to open the music box right then and there, standing six feet from me.” “Well, that was idiotic of you,” Harry says. “And of Ron, I’ll grant you.” “I know,” says Malfoy. “That’s why I didn’t admit to it before.” “Next time, leave a crystal goblet that makes you shit your pants or something,” Harry says.

from time and too much don't belong together by toomuchplor

[personinthepalace]

Lost Footage: Laura Bell Bundy as Elle Woods in the 1st US National Tour of Legally Blonde the Musical

This is the last 22 mins of the show and the only known video footage of LBB playing Elle in the US tour!

What is of particular interest to me is that this includes LBB's performance of the ballad without the door. I personally believe that there should be a door (a physical barrier) between Elle and Emmett when this song is performed so that Elle can't hear Emmett confess his love for her (the way it was played on Broadway). In the US tour version, Emmett confesses directly to Elle in the room, and she hears him.

However, I think that LBB's performance of this doorless version is quite beautiful. There are two distinct pauses she make during this piece (the music even stops with her). The first time is to touch D.B. Bonds' face (Emmett) with one hand (similar to how she touches Christian Borle's face before escaping into her room in the Broadway version). The second pause is to cradle his face with both of her hands before pulling him into a hug.

Even though I will always be a proponent of having the door during the ballad, I really love LBB's take in this performance. It is truly the only version of it that I like so far, and I actually kinda wish we could see her do this specific performance with Christian Borle.

[logwire]

Whispering in the sunshine

[hydriadd]

local crow man frantically bangs on government assigned husband, that he’s totally in love, bars in a prison as the wet cat remains asleep, not even his now daughter that crow man adopted and his own son could wake him up

also his son, hatsune miku is there but we just care about the love birds (🥁)

[the-bees-are-beeing]

Nice to know that all my follow germans were probably on their phone at 11am this morning 🤝🏻

[quotidianish]

I love when characters have a weird relationship with their identity as an immigrant (psychoanalysing silly tf2 men) (demo n heavy)

[fumifooms]

Marchil crumbs part 5

Part 1 - Part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 6 - part 7

The anime has come and since I have my shipping goggles on I am going to notice so much. This part will be less spoilery for anime onlys (tho if you want to see me talk about why I ship them and why they’re complementary this is not a good part to start with haha). Edit: After completing this part I can confirm it’s fully anime-onlys friendly and spoiler-free! For manga veterans though there are still some fun tidbits to be found, some recontextualisations and new extra content.

Holy shit guys they’re mirroring each other in the mural and reaching out to each other AND looking towards each other?!!!! Their pose is so striking and like perfectly align?! Which means it was so intentional and the staff wanted to highlight them (for an aesthetic and/or narrative purpose I’m sure but it happened)! I will never let this go we won so fucking hard let’s goooooo we are so back

Character foils!! Dynamic duo!!

Soulmates!!

In the opening at 1:16 he looks at her to see if she’s really going to it as the most critical of monster food & muster up courage to dig into it himself lmao… "Marcille doesn’t look too grossed out, she’s picky so this food must be fine then" Aka treating her as a poison taster/good cuisine judge lmao

Doodle from the animation director (source). I should translate it but I’m procrastinating on it so uh director’s brotp? Anyways they hanging out look at them :]

Laios is thinking to himself there (he’s the one saying the subs), and in the meantime Marcille and Chilchuck talk, likely figuring out the money situation. Strategizing duo back at it again not wasting a second

In the beginning of ep 1, when Marcille is rambling about where they could go to get food and what to grab, Chilchuck listens with a big smile & even closes his eyes as they walk. The implication is that he’s thinking about food, but man the scene hits different now that it’s voiced and I remember that indeed Chilchuck is closing his eyes to her voice and enjoying hearing her talk and ramble. I may be too far gone into the marchil pit

I feel like already they’ve come far from when Chilchuck dreaded being alone with Shuro and Marcille, waiting for the Toudens and Namari to arrive.

Ok this might actually be smth I’m gonna complain about but I feel like blushes have been drawn too vividly so far. Why does Chilchuck look like he’s confessing when he tells her she’s not a burden and he didn’t mean to make her feel that way. It almost comes across as "Woah she cares what I think?" 💀 The banter ensuing is of course also great

Ep 2 was an episode centered on them both that had the "Magic/Traps are my domain, don’t interfere!" parallel… And now with ep 3 we’re back to them being haters together. That’s her emotional support man

In ep 4, it doesn’t show well with a screenshot but when Senshi talks about his unmanned vegetable stand with a treasure chest, while in the manga Marcille and Chilchuck both think the same thing, "That’s why that treasure chest akways had money in it…", but in the anime instead they literally finish each other’s thought. Talk about being on the same wavelength.

Ep 5 is a marchil goldmine actually, it showcases perfectly how much of a package deal they are lol. Always sticking close to each other. Glancing at each other during meals… They literally nod at each other before they try a bite to steel themselves. They exchange a serious thoughtful glance when Laios talks about Falin truly being gone atm. They argue a bit but they go right back to sitting right next to each other after the meal <3 My god I can’t deal with them they are so…… "Hate this bitch, not my friend" 3 secs later "Heyy bestie!!" Also he’s worried he brought her mood down after mentioning Falin. Made a post about ep 5 collecting even more screenshots.

Episode 6 my hero my beloved… Again I made a post about the ep collecting all my screenshots here, and even a clip! But this IS the marchil crumbs masterpost thus I must collect the major ones here as well. First of all, fun staff drawings for the first screening!

I already posted a screenshot from the trailer of when Chil had his head on his knees sitting next to her, but after seeing episode 5 I think it’s a fun and interesting trend to notice that they sit next to each other way unnecessarily close wow. They continue to banter a ton, she continues to be very casual with touch, and they’re really cute! I love just how much Marcille blushed damn- It’s really cute too when you remember with the bicorn chapter that Chilchuck teases Marcille BECAUSE he enjoys getting a rise out of her, flustering her and seeing her reactions. I support the teasing -> laughing because her reaction is over the top all-Chilchuck economy. Also she apologizes for having let him go alone and be gone for so long by helping him with sewing his cowl… Cuties

She looked so happy when he opened up about his age!… And then seemed… Disappointed? When he "truly was just a kid". "So you really are a kid! How boring…" This implies that her intent was to tease him for funsies… Ok lads we reached 30 pics see you next post, I’m gonna cover the "wake up clumsy head" manga-anime differences and we’re gonna go back to our usual spoilers yummy schedule.

Here’s Marcille cosplaying as a succubus in the newest Daydream Hour… She may not be a half-foot or have deep-set eyes but let’s be real I think he’d explode

part 6 here!!

[zehl0w]

Unfinished comic that I’ve bee sitting on for literally over two years. Anyways when you and the bestie have a complex situationship that very quickly spirals into something so agonizingly one sided (unless….? 😳)