If you're not in the U.S., what's up in your part of the world? Showing 2,901-2,950 of 3,266

[Papaphilly]

Cancer does not discriminate. What a shame. Hopefully she beats it.

[Scout]

I feel for her, having to fight cancer and being forced to talk about it publicly. She looked worn out, yet she did her duty. Strong woman. Maybe stronger than some royals? Harry, for example.

[[deleted user]]

What's been in the UK news this weekend?

Well, we're shaping up for a record number of illegal migrant boat arrivals, the Union Flag is being redesigned pink and purple for the Olympics, Westminster Council put up signs celebrating Ramadan but had to be reminded it was Easter, the National Trust has made its scones vegan, NHS dentists are offering botox amidst a dental crisis, and apparently AI can now replicate a person's voice perfectly on the back of a 15m recording.

Happy days!

[[deleted user]]

But 'best' of all in progressives' and phoney conservatives' complete reimagining of the UK is that Scotland's New hate crime law has now come into force.

Never mind investigating burglaries, assaults and the like, police in Scotland are now compelled to investigate hurtful/ hateful comments, even if they are made in the 'hater's' own home. Accusations can be made anonymously and the 'crime' carries a maximum sentence of 7 years.

So, if they (pun untended) claim a he can't be a she at the dinner table, over Sunday lunch, they better hope they haven't offended any of their guests. Otherwise, their roast beef might be replaced by porridge.

In light of her extraordinary extraordinary lol!) comments that women don't have penises, JK Rowling has issued a 'come and arrest me' challenge to the police:

https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.or...

Progressives are on speed dial to the police (polis, as they say up there).

And group members doubted me when I said Western civilization was doomed after the beyond crazy response to covid. Lol. Strap yourselves in for year upon year of ever crazier craziness - assaults to your sense of reason from every conceivable direction - because the way of life you knew when you were younger is being erased before your eyes.

[J.]

Beau, it's not your dinner guests you have to worry about.
https://youtu.be/RyR51MqOl5I?si=DCN8W...

[J.]

On a side note, I went down the rabbit hole with Liz Truss' necklace. She makes so much more sense, now.

[J.]

Out of curiosity, which of the three crosses on the Union Jack are they making gay for the Olympics?

[[deleted user]]

Here's our new flag, J:

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/team-gb-un...

Pink and purple must be a thing cause the St George's Cross on the back of the football (soccer) team's shirt was recently changed to those colours too. I suppose it goes with the rainbow armbands they wear. Probably also catches the light nicely when they're doing their BLM kneeling or preaching righteousness to Middle Eastern countries, before accepting their cash.

The Germans, who legalised cannabis the other day, now have a pink away kit. Lol.

Anyway, nations get the governments they deserve. The Chinese, Russians and others must be laughing themselves silly over the way the powerful Western European nations are heading.

But before you join them remember that Governor Newsom could easily become President Newsom in the not-too-distant future :)

[[deleted user]]

Yes, J, a lot of people have been mentioning that 1984 clip in relation to the new Scots law.

I say don't point an accusatory finger at the kids! It's adults, our age and older, implementing this madness. The current governing generation really is the worst in history.

Still, as I said in my last post, nations get the governments they deserve.

[[deleted user]]

Btw, what's all this about Liz Truss's necklace?

[J.]

Beau wrote: "Btw, what's all this about Liz Truss's necklace?"

Inside the kink community’s conspiracy theory that Liz Truss is a 24/7 collared submissive
https://thetab.com/uk/2022/10/17/liz-...

[[deleted user]]

Can't believe I forgot to mention...

Government Bill to Fine and Imprison Rough Sleepers

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amppr...

Just imagine - Heaven forbid, but just imagine - life has dealt you a few cruel blows and you find yourself living on the streets...

Because your presence there 'offends' some people (I'm reluctantly using the word 'people'), they want to give the police the power to fine and possibly imprison you, just for being there.

Kicking people when they're down isn't the British way. Then again, neither is arresting someone for saying men can't be women nor using a Christian cross to celebrate - not tolerate, but celebrate - non-Christian values.

Everywhere you look in this country, at least politically, is madness. These politicians are completely deranged.

If they dare show themselves come election time, what we need is a few people to take one for the team and show them - not tell them but SHOW them how we feel.

[[deleted user]]

Lol to your link, J. She will be owned, just like the rest of them are, by the WEF, Blackrock, Gates, Soros, and the other usual suspects.

[Nik]

It's a satiated decadence of the West. It probably won't last, since the rest of the world is poised and aggressive. The clash may have started. Internal too.
orcs didn't go further than declaring that "western military supplies to Ukraine are a legitimate target". If they would've hit a train somewhere in Poland or Germany early on, I can only imagine how many western leaders would have shat their pants . Now they'd react

[[deleted user]]

What are you saying, Nik? That Western weapons shouldn't be a legitimate target for the people they're designed to kill?

If anyone blows up a train in Germany or Poland carrying these armaments, it'll be the Western alliance, in a false flag atrack.

What's that you say? Madness? Paranoia?

Bit like Russia blowing up its own gas pipeline then. Lol.

[Nik]

I’m saying that western flaccidness invited aggressiveness to spill over

[Ian]

Nik wrote: "I’m saying that western flaccidness invited aggressiveness to spill over"

True that Western activity effectively caused this war, but flaccidness is most definitely the wrong noun.

[Nik]

Oh, I’m sure it’s the correct one :)
Do you doubt even for a sec that putler seeks reinstatement of russian empire? Western INactivity convinced him he can pursue his desires with impunity

[Ian]

Nik wrote: "Oh, I’m sure it’s the correct one :)
Do you doubt even for a sec that putler seeks reinstatement of russian empire?"

Actually, yes, I see no evidence for it. We have been thorough why he invaded Ukraine. Any other evidence?

[Nik]

Is occupation of territories not belonging to russia in different locations not evidence enough? Do putler's words that break up of the USSR was the biggest tragedy of 20-th century convey a nostalgic motive? Does medvedev statement that they want all of Ukraine reflect intention? Desperate attempts of orcs to move forward? Incorporating territories into russia they do not control? More?

[Ian]

In numerical order:
1. What locations? (Not counting Ukraine and Georgia,)
2. You had a society that provided free healthcare, free education etc for all. Isn't that something?
3. No. It is political maneuvering.
4. They are at war and enemy are in difficulty. What else would they do? Stop for cups of tea all round?
5. Where, outside of linits imposed by (1)?
6. ?

[Nik]

As Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova were all parts of the empire + making a bloodbath from Chechnya for desire to secede, how can you discount any of them? Why, because it proves the different point. It's like asking who's the best footballer, but don't mention Leo, Ronni, Pele and Maradona :)
putler is not nostalgic for perks of the Soviet system, he's nostalgic for the empire. you should listen or read transcripts.
Sure, you say listen to their leadership, but discount what doesn't align with your beliefs :)
Half a year ago you were claiming they'd concentrate on defending what they grabbed.

[Ian]

Because the parts were in dispute. Resolving a dispute is different from greedily taking what was never yours.

You were not reading what I wrote. I said they should defend because Ukarine had announced what it was going to do. The defence I recommended more than one was similar to that at Kursk - let the enemy throw themselves at you. As i have mentioned more than once, territory is not an objective in warfare: it is the defeat of the enemy army. It is claimed Ukraine lost 90,000 troops in that counteroffensive, and a lot of Western supplied weapons. They consumed enormous amounts of ammunition, and now they may be close to being tapped out unless the US supplies a lot more. That sort of defence is r4eally offence. Thus Germany could never manage a useful attack following Kursk.

[Nik]

What dispute, Ian? All republics voted with percents higher than putler ascribed himself at elections to part ways with russia. I can barge into your home grab a room and claim a “dispute”. It’s all russian invention. Every country experiences this or that conflict. No one asked russia to intervene, like he pointedly boasts assad did.
How could Ukraine lose 90K in an attack when the entire attacking force comprised 60K? :) It’s like russia claims destroying hundreds of himars, patriots and maybe f16 already

[Ian]

If you believe Ukraine attacked with 60 k troops with the aim of retaking all that territory, while the defenders had at least 350 k troops, and probably more, and further Ukraine attacked in different, then either you are gullible and are buying Ukrainian blah, or you are making up that figure.

It is fairly standard military doctrine that you need at least 3:1 advantage wherever you attack. Since the Russians were defending in depth, local point numerical advantage would be soon lost, probably before they crosseed the minefields. As an aside the minefields were not to kill Ukrainians, although some losses would be hoped for by the Russians, but rather to buy time.

There is no way a sane commander would organize such a counterattack with only 60 k troops. You may or may not recall Mark Milley recommended throwing everything they had at a point. They ignored that advice, but then needed even more than they had to make any progress on a broad front.

[Ian]

It is not my part of the world, but closer than Ukraine. Have you seen the images of the damage in Taiwan caused by the earthquake? There was one I saw of a building leaning over at about 20 - 30 degrees, with foundations on one side uprooted, yet a building next door seemed more or less unaffected with respect to major structural damage. The same sort of thing happened in the Christchurch quake. One building might have been essentially flattened, and next door, no problem. This has nothing to do with construction quality, but rather wave interference. In Christchurch the quake, from memory, was struggling to get to magnitude 7, but by the waves reflecting off the nearby peninsula, which is essentially solid basalt, interference effects set up stationary wave patterns. If your building was at a node, nothing much happened, but at an antinode you could get some of the fiercest accelerations from any quake.

My deep sympathy for the citizens that experienced this.

[Nik]

The initial task was to cut through towards Azov sea and they concentrated on a rather narrow strip. 60k tops. Apparently, wasn’t enough. Moreover, Zelensky said operative plans were on kremlin’s table before the offensive started. Not good.

[Ian]

60 k would never be enough for that. Mark Milley thought so too.

[Scout]

So, we're back to Ukraine. Russia attacked Ukraine, a free country not under its rule. This was an offensive move, unprovoked by any aggressive military attack by Ukraine or any other country. Is this true, Ian? Yes or no would be good.

[Ian]

False. We have had many posts on this topic and I for one have no intention of repeating this just because the memory is gone.

[Nik]

How can it be false? Was there any attack on russia from Ukraine or any other country?

[Ian]

We've been through that too. Military bases are threats. Ask the US, which went ballistic over Cuba.

[Nik]

Scout asked you clearly whether anyone attacked russia. Of course, no one, nor there were any bases in Ukraine

[[deleted user]]

This is where Nik goes from being astute and reasonable to spreading misinformation.

There were bases in Ukraine. As an absolute minimum, the CIA had a minimum of 12 of them, stretching back a decade or more.

I understand and respect pacifists' point of view but, if you are not a pacifist, you have to accept that the positioning of military or intelligence bases (plus supporting coups on other nations' borders) is as much a pretext for opponents taking direct military action against you as if you'd taken direct military action against them first.

[Nik]

Again - no attack on russia.
CIA bases? If there were any, exactly how many troops were there? What danger did they pose?
As you all like to mention Cuba and US going “ballistic” (really? I didn’t notice), were there kgb bases all the time, what do you think?
Again, apart from russia narratives, give me at least the slightest evidence cia was involved in any of Maidans? That russia was involved in brutal suppression of the demonstrations is undoubted.
Ukraine was prorussian no matter who came to power, but up to the point that russia turned aggressive towards it.

[J.]

I'm not clear on what a CIA "base" is. Clandestine intelligence agencies don't tend to have bases
. They operate out of embassies and safe houses.

If Russia is operating safe houses around the UK (probably), does that mean Putin has bases throughout Great Britain?

[Ian]

Nik wrote: "Again - no attack on russia.
CIA bases? If there were any, exactly how many troops were there? What danger did they pose?
As you all like to mention Cuba and US going “ballistic” (really? I didn’t ..."

First, Ukraine wanted NATO bases because that brings in USD.

You didn't notice the Cuban problem? Probably too young. The CIA had led an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government while the US put ballistic missiles into Italy and Turkey and then "quarantined" Cuba (a blockade is an act of war). See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_M... for a summary.

The blockade was enforced by a carrier group, and standing orders on one Russian submarine were to go to war and sink said carrier. As it happened, one of the three leading officer refused, and nuclear war was avoided. (If the US lost a carrier, I can;t see them not going to war.)

If you think the snipers at Maidan were Russian, why has the Ukrainian government persistently refused to investigate said snipers. If the CIA had nothing to do with it, why did the CIA boss go to Kyiv at the time? For the weather? As for US promoting the Ukraiian war, one of the mildest pro-US reports says : https://www.cato.org/commentary/washi...

[[deleted user]]

I've posted numerous links to very convincing Western academic papers, using first-hand sources, showing the CIA was involved in overthrowing the elected Ukrainian Government in 2014.

I'm pretty sure I also posted a link to the original NYT expose of longstanding CIA bases in Ukraine. Here's a condensed account of the NYT expose from another website:

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024...

[Nik]

Ian, that’s an idiotic sentence you start your post with.

[Nik]

Beau, world socialist web site, really? :)

[Ian]

Nik wrote: "Ian, that’s an idiotic sentence you start your post with."

How come? You think Ukrainian politicians haven't the slightest touch of corruption? And you really think the US is going to put in a base and not spend money? Really?

And you ignored everything else in the post. Yes, you really did.

[Nik]

That’s sheer defamation for no reason at all.
They know how to make money, they don’t need US for this. If anyone wants US bases is for protection, like Saudi Arabia, which is richer than the US on a relative scale and doesn’t need US money.

[Ian]

DSheer defamation? Try https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/...
or https://www.politico.eu/article/vikto...

Whether my comment is defamation is a matter of opinion, but you are not getting away with "for no reason at all".

[Nik]

There is corruption in Ukraine, as in most other countries, but Ukraine clearly doesn't need NATO bases for money. If Ukraine ever gets into NATO (looks like US and Germany oppose at the moment), not even sure there will be any bases.
Now, accusations of Orban?! haha

[Ian]

You are saying Ukraine does not need an influx of USD? I guess you know far more about Ukraine than the European Parliament, which paints a grimmer picture. In 2022 Ukraine actually achieved an 8 billion forex surplus, BUT that was due to all the foreign aid. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegDat...

[Nik]

Trump proposes paying for NATO bases. Soon 🔜 it’s gonna be an outflux :)

[Ian]

We have been off-topic for about 30 posts, and yes, I have been as guilty of that as anyone. But to get off Ukraine and return to the thread topic, here is a problem for comment.

Under the Ardern government here, the public service costs expanded by about 30%. Some of this was legitimately because of population expansion through immigration but most of it was simply through too many staff not doing anything productive. The new government has aimed to cut all public service expenditure by 7%, but how can this be achieved? The biggest savings are made by firing the guys with the biggest salaries, BUT here politicians cannot fire any of them except the very top guy. The other firings are carried out by managers, and do they fire themselves? (Actually, some have walked - if they do this early enough they will be the ones who find private sector jobs.) What tends to happen is the managers tend to fire the guys who are actually doing something useful.

So how do they cut back on public expenditure bloat that previous governments have permitted? Firing the top guy for filing to deliver is one out, but it is painfully slow.

[Nik]

Not sure cutting should be an independent aim. Better spend on public needs than on selective procurement. It’s more about efficiency, make it economical

[Ian]

The idea is that too many managers, etc, spend all their time writing memos to each other and little comes out for the public. However, some of the additionl spending was for public good, like a higher spend on pharmaceuticals.

[Papaphilly]

Ian wrote: "If you think the snipers at Maidan were Russian, why has the Ukrainian government persistently refused to investigate said snipers. If the CIA had nothing to do with it, why did the CIA boss go to Kyiv at the time? For the weather? As for US promoting the Ukraiian war, one of the mildest pro-US reports says : https://www.cato.org/commentary/washi......"

The article pretty much undermines the Russian excuses. The article points out the Donbas region was Russian backed and the United States did not get involved on any scale until after 2014. Did the United States provide training to Ukraine after the Crimea take over? I have no doubt. But then, Russia backed the "Little Green Men" in Crimea and Donbas. Not so sure it is unfair for the United States to train and give assistance. The training is working because Ukraine has them tied in knots.

Do I think the CIA is working with Ukraine? Sure do and we already know the military is sharing intelligence.