Any auras of optimism surrounding Zelensky’s latest whirlwind world tour have died down and things have settled back into the same old bleak progression as Russian forces continue plowing forward on every front, and even opening up new ones.
I don't blame them. Bilateral treaties make sense in many cases, when the two countries are closely aligned in both interests and geography, but these large, multinational alliances are much more likely to start a major war than prevent one.
Never mind that Canada has cravenly been hosting the very Sikh separatists that blew up Air India Flight 182 in 1985, the biggest terrorist attack in Canadian history - while ignoring India's requests for extraditing them over the last 40 years. As for India carrying out assassinations abroad - they have India's intelligence service confused with Mossad. If it had that kind of capability, Pakistan's cross border terrorism would've been curtailed decades ago.
The mountain that rises above my town is basically a large slab of quartz, spodumene, and rock jutting out of the earth. There is quartz (and lithium) everywhere here. It was funny to watch the local hippy community chase out the Australian mining company a few years back. You would be amazed how hostile a group of peaceniks can get when someone threatens their goddess. I think even Blackrock would have trouble coming in here and messing with the pachamama.
One wonders how come that the United Mining and Chemical Company was bought by certain Nasib Hasanov whose "other largest business is the ownership of Ukrainian Vodafone, which is a kind of licensed partnership from the greater British-owned Vodafone corporation," which has BlackRock as the largest shareholder. "
"UMCC is one of the world’s largest producers of titanium, mining and processing ores into sands and concentrates."
""Mr. Nasib Hasanov is the sole ultimate beneficial owner of Nobel Energy, Nobel Oil E&P (UK) Limited (trade name Nobel Upstream), Vodafone Ukraine, Bakcell LLC, and Norm OJSC."
Being able to swallow up the Russian funds was premised on winning the war, a political as opposed to legal fact. This laundering of what was a theft under the old political landscape, would follow from the political fact of victory. As the euro-bats all said, Putin must not win. Hell no, because if he did, they would face an economic disaster and some non trivial personal accounting of their own parts in it.
As indeed is what is now just beginning to emerge. Maybe they can agree with Putin some sort of carve up that gets them all off their hooks? But why in the kosmos would Putin help these people out? Or rather- more pragmatically, all vengeance aside, what would be his price?
I live in a mid-sized Russian city a few hundred miles from Moscow and I know people who work in the military. They're just in ordinary admin jobs, but they also know people who work in more direct military roles. One of the most profoundly disturbing conversations I've ever had in my life was in late 2022 speaking to one of their relatives, who is a nurse in a Russian military hospital. She was talking about guys in her ward who had their genitals cut off and their eyes gouged out by Kiev's nazis when they were taken captive.
Russia's not in a mood to forgive any of Kiev's many war crimes, and Russians are not in a mood to forgive any of the Westerners who enabled those war crimes. It could be that as a matter of pragmatism some settlement occurs short of Russia taking a scythe to all of the nazis and their friends, but I don't see how that would come to pass given the very intense animosity the US coalition's use of war crimes has created in Russia.
It's bad to lose a war, but it's really bad to lose a war against Russia when you've tortured and killed Russians.
I agree entirely, John. Russia takes the lot and lines up its own military might along existing NATO boundaries. Some heads on poles (forgive pun) would not go amiss. Then it goes away and gets on with BRICS while the euro-bats slowly sink in the west. Really that is too good for them but this is not the place to debate retributive atrocities. Let the Chechens loose on them.
My Russian friend's sister is a doctor in a hospital not far from Kazan and the sister relayed the same sort of stories about what happened to the Russian POWs who had been in Ukraine captivity, which were at her hospital. It is entirely understandable if Russia will seek justice for the perpetrators.
This Telegram site which I follow details all the war crimes committed by the so called Ukraine Army, Site is called WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE https://t.me/grigoriev_maxim
International Public Tribunal on the Crimes of Ukrainian Neo-Nazi continues to carry out investigations.
A callsign Shaman, Deputy Regimental Commander, said that the Ukrainian battalions named ‘Tornado’ and ‘Dnipro’ spent 9 years learning not to fight but to kill. Those freaks (Ukrainian military) tortured captured soldiers, cut off their ears, stabbed them in their eyes and neck.
You can find independent information in interviews with victims and witnesses on the Telegram Chanel 'WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE'. (https://t.me/grigoriev_maxim)
This is from a few days ago 11 October confirming what you mention, discussing the tortures back in 2014, https://t.me/grigoriev_maxim/638
The sickening hypocrisy of the western MSM knowingly ignores this whilst portraying the United States and its satellites, vassal members of NATO & Ukraine as being so righteous when in fact it is the West which is morally deficient.
"Russia's not in a mood to forgive any of Kiev's many war crimes, and Russians are not in a mood to forgive any of the Westerners who enabled those war crimes."
I hope that you prove correct, but Russia already signed Minsk and Minsk-2, when Ukrainians were already busy torturing and killing Russians. So I am not sure why it would be so different this time.
Are we still sure the EU300B are there? Didn't Holland or Denmark recently report that some assets of Russia's they thought they had were actually quite a bit smaller than thought? Seems withdrawals are being made.
And ramping up manufacturing now is like digging a well when the house is on fire. It will take years to build up any sort of manufacturing capability that's more than a generation gone.
Human capital is wanting, and until the root cause as eloquently described by Michael Hudson in "Forgive them their debts..." there is no possibility of any economic realignment within the west.
I read an article by Hudson once that said it's impossible for West to reindustrialize. Not only would stock market crash, but everyone's pension/retirement with it so not only do tippy top financers not want it, main street couldn't handle it either.
It depends where you're sitting on the Titanic, yes there may be a perception that "it's ok, no water here yet". The reality is we're all on a sinking ship called the western ponzi scheme.
I think you underestimate the significant intervening from non-EU member, UK and the rabid dog Boris Johnson. He wasnt controlled by US - they did it alone and on purpose. The betrayal after Istanbul meeting was the beginning of the real War in Ukraine.
Wake up. Boris is a US citizen. They have had him on a very tight leash for years over his tax liability. He does EXACTLY as he is told to do by his masters.
Agreed. I find myself in steady wonderment, however, how so many "leaders" in Europe are so gung-ho about going to war with Russia in 2027 +/-. I realize of course that it's just politics 101, keep the populace on edge so they have "total control". But, seriously, how do the sheep not rise up in protest. So far, the rise of the Right/Center participants seems rather milquetoast so far, while these idiots are drawing up a brave new world full of lowered expectations, unemployment and probable goods shortages in the near future.
On the plus side though, Polish and German lads should have an easier time getting their dance cards punched when the Ukrainian babes bail on the country former;y know as cluster-fuck central.There will be books written about the ensuing Euro-disaster. Uncle Knuckles wishes you poor Euro-saps the best of luck. Fucking clueless rubes...
Russia will decide what New Ukraine will look like politically and geographically. NATO is in disarray, there is no plan, there is no unity of purpose among its members, and there is no will to escalate the conflict by entering Ukraine because it simply is not ready. Nato is nuts and incompetent but not suicidal. There are too many cushy jobs in NATO which offer good pay, status, and paid expenses for them to launch a kamikaze attack to support AFU and risk ruining a good thing. Furthermore, their uniforms are dust-averse.
The next geo-political big plays are what will BRICS announce at its next meeting later this month and what will be the outcome of the US elections. I saw the report from TAAS and others suggesting BRICS could be announcing a new currency called the Unit backed by 40% gold and 60% currencies. Again, I take this with a grain of salt but it will be interesting to see what BRICS ideates at its next meeting.
The US election stands at T minus 21 days. It's a circus-staged act of tomfooleries with extreme repercussions, particularly if Camel Toe wins. Could there be another rigged outcome? I'm no fan of Trump and his theatrics but he's the lesser bad choice of the two candidates running for President. The entire US political apparatus is in ruins and should Kamala win we'll have far bigger problems at home in the US and Canada than what's going on in Ukraine. I have decided to learn to speak Russian from my instructor, Lidija, as stress relief from the shit show the world has become which I am compelled to witness.
I have been learning it (self taught) since I was deployed to one of the former Soviet republics back in 2002. Spent a lot of time there on my own after my service and I speak it reasonably well now and read it even better. Helps to listen to their radio stations streaming all the time in the background. And helps even more to marry one!
Watch Russian TV online, too. "60 Minutes" is a super news/talk show on Russia 1. It comes on twice a day on weekdays, around lunch and then in the early evening. I prefer the evening set. Russian detective serials are fun too. Get those via torrent. I recommend the eight season mini-series about Major Cherkasov, a homocide detective. It's set in Soviet times for a very retro feel. In order, I think the series are MosGas, Palach, Pauk, Shakal, Operation Satan, Formula Mesti, Katran, Zapadnya, Cherkasov's Last Case. If you like science fiction, I highly recommend the miniseries about an android, "Better than People" (Лучше, чем люди) (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSJKksEdQY4 ).
Russian movies are also great. There have been many fine ones recently. If you like sci fi, the movie "Attraction" Притяжение (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfgAcvkLqVI&pp ) and its sequel "Invasion" Вторжение (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3ag3gkKnZs ) are fun. Get those in the original in torrents. There are also some Russian movies and miniseries on Netflix, which you can watch in the original or with subtitles (the simultaneous translations are awful, so avoid those).
I don't normally recommend torrents, but the West has been so determined to block their people's access to anything Russian it's otherwise hard to get content from Russia.
Yeah. I added a link to the russian language trailer for that series. Search youtube for "Better Than Us" and you can get the english language trailer for Netflix. But the voices they used for dubbing characters (and the translation) are just awful... better to watch it with subtitles.
Movies dubbed into English, yes, I agree. But Western movies professionally dubbed into Russian are usually very good.
I think that's a consequence of how Hollywood has made a big effort for export markets (most of their production goes to export) with separate voice tracks and such, and also how the big Russian studios who are distribution partners here have very professional dubbing. They pick their voice talent to match the voice of the original Western actor, so when you see a Nicholas Cage film in Russian the reaction is, "wow, I never knew Cage could speak Russian that well..."
I get plenty of the modern Russian comedy stuff from my wife. We watch Голубой огонёк every New Year's Eve too but it was very difficult to find streaming this last year due to all the censorship. I have the dvd series of Brigada and a bunch of Sergei Bodrov movies as well. I don't mind the old Soviet stuff either. Movies like Solaris, or Ivan Vasiliavich Changes Professions. The new sci-fi/horror Sputnik in the original Russian is good as well.
I'm not a big fan of most of the old Soviet movies, like all the Mosfilm comedies. I just can't get used to the terrible production levels, third rate music and such. I don't particularly like most of the Soviet actors, either, which horrifies my Russian friends. I keep getting the impression I'm watching the result of Soviet nepotism, where people got and kept their jobs based on who they knew and which ass they kissed, not whether they had talent or could create content that people who had a choice would pay to see. It's like a lot of Soviet public art from the 50's through the 80's... really awful, talentless stuff.
There are exceptions, of course. "Ivan Vasiliavich" is a fun comedy despite having the production values of college film class. It's based on a play by Bulgakov, but expanded from a very short play into the film with taste and skill. For those who haven't seen it, it's a comedy where Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of all the Russias, is teleported by a time machine accident into a 1970's Moscow apartment while a guy who looks like the Tsar is teleported back in time to the Tsar's court.
I don't like most of the 90s films either, although the soundtrack to "Brother 2" is outstanding and the movie itself has fun moments (about a Russian guy's lawless adventures on a trip to the US). But in the last 15 or 20 years they've been pumping out a series of really outstanding movies, with great scripts, great acting, great effects when they use them, and so on. And you can't beat today's TV mini series on Russian TV.
Ah, another miniseries that's a must watch: "An Ordinary Woman" Обычная женщина (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXOXNV__ikw where they translate the title as "An Ordinary Wife") - there are two seasons. The protagonist is an "ordinary woman" with a family that thinks she runs a flower shop. In reality, she runs a prostitution ring. It's very funny dark humor with great scripts, great characters and a superb cast. It's available with English subtitles on Apple TV (https://tv.apple.com/us/show/an-ordinary-woman/umc.cmc.5qgiq5u3c54yjvfmcpixhdvj6 - spoiler alert... their descriptions of episodes on that page give away too many plot twists.)
"awesome Soviet public art" - Nonsense. I live in Russia and I've seen more art of all kinds around the world than you ever will. Wherever I travel I make it a point to visit local art museums and galleries.
One of the nice things about living in Russia, a really great thing, is how Russians also adore art. Even in a midsized town like where I live there's a thriving art scene, with a new gallery exhibit or museum exhibit opening almost every week. Pensioners will save up to buy an original work they admire. It's very common to visit someone's apartment and see they have original oils, watercolors, sketches, whatever, on the walls. There are many major art festivals, gatherings, trade shows and such that bring together artists from all over Russia. I attend many of them. I know many artists, from street artists to some famous names. It's interesting to run into them at galleries or to visit their studios to have a drink, see how they work, hear about their plans.
I read history, including architecture and art history, fine art as well as applied and folk art. I know in great detail the history of art and architecture in Russia and I've personally seen, up close in real life, almost all of the great works of art that are here, from the distant past all the way up to Soviet times and then to the present.
I know bad art, really awful talentless art, when I see it. Mercifully, much of the really terrible Soviet art has been removed and consigned to the dustbin of history, but there is still plenty of it around to induce cringe responses in young people.
Is there some great Soviet art, even from the times of artistic decay from the late 50's on? Sure. There are some outstanding pieces in the city in Russia where I live. There are also some very good works from the early Soviet era. But by over ten to one, Soviet art from the 50's to the demise in 1991 was really awful. I don't include the kitsch pieces in that, the Soviet realist art that many people find nauseating. Some of it was actually very good, although I grant that it's an acquired taste. In that ten to one bracket I count only the truly inept and awful works, of which there are plenty.
Like much of what else Socialism and Communism spoiled, great art was also steamrollered by the Soviet bureaucracy into gray, incompetent, mush.
I'm surprised you didn't mention other exceptions among Soviet productions:
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson" (1979-86) -- rightfully considered as one of the best in the world screen adaptations of Sherlock universe. That goes for both the title character and the exceptional depiction of "Victorian England" where the stories take place. The title music theme from the series is known to any Russian.
"Seventeen Moments of Spring" (1973) -- a WWII spy thriller TV series, an adaptation of Yulian Semyonov novel about the exceptionally difficult work of a Soviet spy deep in the Third Reich intelligence agencies.
The performance of the main cast is absolutely wonderful there (as well as with Sherlock case above), and it's positively rated on IMDB by the Western audience.
A lot of title characters quotes from this TV series went straight into modern Russian language, and you might be using them without knowing where they are from ;-)
As not for the TV series, I think, you have probably watched the romantic drama "Moscow doesn't believe in tears" (1980). This film is immensely popular to this day and almost all its quotes went to the everyday Russian language as well. I'd like to know your opinion of it, as for myself, I don't know where one might see significant flaws in the production.
I'm a big fan of "Seventeen Moments of Spring" It's outstanding, full of top performances and it's very well written.
I'm not a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes series. I can't put my finger on why, I just don't like it all that much.
As for "Moscow doesn't believe in Tears" I've seen it and I'm not a big fan of that either. I can't complain about the acting, the script, or the production values. All of those are fine. It's a good movie, but it's not something like "Seventeen Moments" where every few years I'll watch the whole thing end to end.
Out of interest, what 'method' of learning did you apply? Did you use apps, like Duolingo, or the good old, 'by the book', how to conjugate verbs, method. Thanks.
I started with a book and lots of conversation with native speakers during my deployment. After returning to the US I had several programs including Rosetta Stone. Also watched a bunch of Russian movies with subtitles and listened to their radio stations online; mostly Russkoe Radio from Moscow.
For me learning the grammar is useless. I don't know or have the desire to learn English grammar. I learn far better by using the language and picking up the rules by listening, reading, and trial and error. Having a native speaker as my wife means I use it every day and she corrects my worst mistakes. We speak it probably a third of the time since she also has to learn English but she can speak to me in Russian and I know it well enough to understand and reply in English. And, it comes in very useful to speak it in public for privacy since so few 'muricans speak another language let alone Russian.
The delusion is strong in those believing Russia will negotiate. Firstly, Beginsky was and is a puppet with no independent decision making allowed by his masters. Secondly, let's pretend he was once an actual President, a decision maker, he is no longer since May.
It's amazing what you can do when being first is your main objective. Just a simple "look squirrel" to divert the masses from the subject(s) at hand. Even more so if you place a slight nod to the theme and it's Russia positive!
for the elections, I dont think they can hide Trumps landslide victory this time. They are on plan B now. Some antifa riots and a MSM blockade over the results. It will look like Trump didnt win. They bet on chaos preventing Trump from any major move.
Actually, NATO is both. NATO is the United States. NATO (the United States and the vassal states) is a suicide pact.
The United States is committing suicide with its Open Borders policy. 48-million illegal aliens into the United States in just the past four (4) years. All unvetted. All on the dole. Tell me how this is sustainable. No country can make any clams to sovereignty without secure borders. How is this not suicide?
The United States is racking up debt to the tune of $1-trillion dollars every 100-days. At some point the United States is going to suffer a sovereign debt default. That's, at the bare minimum, financial suicide. Same fate awaits all the NATO vassal states. Germany especially.
Look at the Palestinians. No country. Soon to be followed by no Palestinians. The same fate awaits the United States and the American People. And the United States' vassal states.
I thought so too, but recently I changed my opinion. Contrary to the 1920s and 1930s the wealth of the middle class and upper classes are far greater. So far more money to burn/melt away. Furthermore the economies are more intertwined. Another reason could be, that Russia and China don't want the West to default or go under, they want them still as customers for their products.
A mutual understanding that Multi-Polarity is inevitable would be best for all of us. And the West, if our stupid Elites would understand that they simply lost, and that world ruling is a stupid and senseless dream anyways, could be thriving relatively fast again, with just eliminating sanctions, have normal relations with Russia, China and all other nations.
But our Muppet show won't end that fast unfortunately, but I think it will go on for quite some time, maybe 10-20 years. But I could be wrong also of course, if the debt of Western nations goes exponential, everybody knows its over. It's not exponential yet, so lets see...
Well, at least the American people (via the oligarchs) chose an excellent "poster boy" for the long US demise. I'm, of course, referring to Joe. Harris is just the court jester.
NATO funding will be discontinued if Trump wins. The EU/NATO (same Nazis) are in B plan mode with "assuring funding" as a Trump proof policy. Good luck with getting the 100B bond/loan(what collateral -- good food???) BTW your illegal aliens # is WAY WAY off-- half it. I think you mean Europe not the US -- ie sovereign debt crisis. Do some reading. Start with Alex Krainer (Croat)
The illegal alien situation is ten times (10x) worse in the United States than in Europe. "Do some reading." ???? No reason for that kind of attitude. Try not being such a cunt, "Carol." Start with "Eat me." "Bite me" is also pretty good, I hear.
There have been roughly 2 million immigrants entering the US per year since JB took office. It isNT 48 million, it’s much closer to 12 million. But that number of unvetted migrants is still a massive problem. But we agree there is definitely a market melt up occurring as the USD experiences its death throes
Зачем столько пессимизма. На горизонте 5 лет просто объявят дефолт.В истории США такое бывало не раз, последний в 1976. И ничего, мир не рухнул. А то что сателлиты обанкротятся, так проблемы индейцев шерифа не волнуют.
Что же по поводу мигрантов... В США был проведен самый массовый геноцид по расовому признаку. Опыт так сказать есть. Тут или они вас или вы их.
Могу только сказать что ближайшие 10-15 лет будут интересными.
"I have decided to learn to speak Russian from my instructor, Lidija, as stress relief from the shit show the world has become which I am compelled to witness."
Jebus man...Stress relief from learning Russian! Stress relief?! You know they've recently invented beer, whisky and weed as palliatives for that very condition. Sometimes I think of dipping my toe into Duolingo and taking on Spanish but then the fever passes and I move on to more plausible endeavors like mopping the kitchen floor.
"compared to what could be raining down on western Ukraine" Or compared to what, historically, has rained down on Germany or anyone else who has committed acts of war against Russia.
There's no need for anything full-scale as imagined by chairborne experts going up and down on dopamine swing. A single properly planned operation in Kursk with very limited resources led to at least five hundred surviving Ukies hopelessly scattered in the woods with more soon to join them. Simply because Russians began their attack two days before it rained and temperature dropped to near freezing point. Now Ukies can't operate their wheeled vehicles which sink into rich Kursk soil, while Russians with their tracked ones took the roads and can't be counterattacked from the sides anymore.
All that without committing serious resources. It's very modest and by the book, yet it's enough to send diplomatic shockwaves and make a lot of public figures squirm. Why bother with huge but risky firestorms when classic war grind yields ever better results? This IS the truly apocalyptic full-scale war, one that cannot be stopped by anything the other side can muster.
Blackrock seems to be a modern day version of the Knights Templar in the sense that they have managed to become unfathomably wealthy and powerful to the point that they can destroy entire countries at will. And, like the Templars they pose an existential threat to any leader or group of leaders or elite faction that dares oppose them.
What are the odds that like the Templars, they are preemptively taken out as they have clearly grown far too large for their britches?
Knights Templar were the good guys though. Unless you're a faithful catholic. Catholics tortured the Templars. And Black Rock is Jewish. Temp;ars were Christian and had alot of employment for villagers near their strongholds...once they were back in Europe. Kind of an insulting analogy - sorry- I'm a Templar fan.
Sounds like a 12 year old wrote that. The Templars were the dry heave of a dying Feudal Christiandom, who rightfully lost everything they fought for to the Muslims. So much for them.
I have no idea what the history channel is as I don't own a TV and havent watched one in several decades. I have read several thousand history books though and your historical knowledge is second grade level fairy tales.
I don't have anything against the Templars; although they were back in Europe because they had been defeated in the Holy Land.
The point I was trying to make was that there's a historical parallel in the sense that both groups were/are so powerful that they represented/represent a threat to centers of power. The analogy fits so I use it. Nothing to do with religion. The Templars got themselves into trouble because they had a powerful private army and no military mission, and numerous nobles and kings were indebted to them. One of them finally decided to do something about it.
Blackrock doesn't officially have a military component but they can manipulate governments into doing their violent bidding when necessary. And they are likely far more avarice motivated than the Templars ever were but power for power's sake also seems to be a driving factor. And they most definitely are an existential threat to other elite factions. I am certain that it hasn't gone unnoticed by competing elites.
The Templars made friends with the infidels They brought chess and many medicments back from the ME - The Templars should be kept separate from the Crusaders that were more colonialist- minded. I think the impulse that drove Europeans to go to save the Holy Sites was perhaps ' wrong ' if someone wants to look at all history from the right / wrong perspective....Him Whom they sought was not there - and eventually they left - I mean the Templars...who were only ever about 150 men. And as far as the Templars manipulating governments - You mean Petty Kings ? The Templars were mostly from noble families and the King of France wanted their gold so they were made into enemies. Their job was to protect the pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land , from highway robbers. And they were blessed by Bernard of Clairveau ( sp? ) who was the main guy in the Church during the 12th century. They had their own church services. I don't know what would have happened to the historical places of Christianity if they hadn't gone to Jerusalem. After they left, for 2 thousand years the Paleestinian people have been the guardians of the Holy siites and they have done a fantastic job. And now in 75 years those freakin monsters that call themselves Jews ( but are of the synagogue of Satan ) have destoyed all of it.
The Templars were founded by the wealthiest man of the wealthiest country in Europe (France) of the time. Their members were extremely powerful even before the founding. Read some history!
Muslim here, but a South African one of Indian heritage - love history, so the crusaders and the craziness of the 1000s to 1300s are very fascinating for most Muslims. A few things stand out, the crusaders were an outside threat to the ME, but the Fatimid Shias were an internal threat from North Africa and Egypt and had to be dealt with first, before the Crusaders could be tackled. Also, then just like now, the ME leadership sucked beeg time, the caliph was useless and could do nothing, and it took unknown marginalized groups to take the mantle of leadership and first deal with the Fatimids, then the crusaders, then the mamelukes and then the mongols....the Arabs were nowhere to be found. It was all the Kurds, Persians, Turks and Mongols. Arabs may have been the majority of the people there, but they could not unify nor lead the resistance - history does rhyme right? Also, the crusaders were a massive shock to the middle east, but in the end, they made a great acceptance of them. The knights templar and the Ayyubid Sultanate and then even the Mamelukes had a good relationship with each other. In fact, I think the Knights Templar and the Sultans of the Middle east had the best relationship of all the warring parties compared to the Franks, Englishmen, Greeks, Byzantines and other peoples...but It was a complicated relationship.
Incorrect, they were not the good guys in any way, and of the 8 crusades only 2 were marginally successful the rest they got their butts handed to them.....
Today's glass and steel highrise is yesteryear's cathedral. Both raised by a parasitic pseudo government that bamboozled its population with belief in abstract things, like gods and debt.
Blackrock's self-perceived invincibility has backfired in Ukraine but not enough to take it down. Blackrock is the deep state which some call the swamp.
Conniving, amoral & sociopathic ba$tard$ come in every (nominal) flavor of religion there has ever been, and damn few of them actually practice what their nominal religion preached anyhow, virtually all of 'em include pointers about treating others fairly & etc..
So please understand, I'm totally into diversity, equality and inclusion when it comes to torches, pitchforks and mobs chasing down evil cocksuckers (who threw away the mandate of heaven for all their country people over a few %+ personal profits) to ask them pointed questions about their policy choices while ruling (and if they prefer hemp rope or telegraph wire in neck ties)?
Perhaps he would, as his historical awareness and sense of irony is off the chart, but regardless I'd pay good money to watch Blackrock toadies being burnt at the stake in a similar fashion as that poor Grand Master!
I wonder about the future even after the end of the war with so much of Ukraine in foreign and hostile holdings - hostile to Russia. Azerbaijan is connected with Israel too as is Britain, so I guess it might becaome Israel 2.0 - I wonder if Simplicius will do an article about that ? - and btw - it Hurrican Helene that hit NC - Miltion was kind of a psyop to get attention away from NC. And as the European sinking I think its all that horrible witch von der leyen - I read terrible articles about her everyday. If THAT Europe sinks it would be okay and maybe the people can put it back together. But maybe too, those times of human independence and self sustainability are also disappearing. I guess there's going to be a slump in the economy where people suffer. Sad. All because of the small cabal around the governments of the west. Here is a fantastic interview transcript by Peter Koenig about the hopes for BRICS - published today - https://peterkoenig.substack.com/p/middle-eastern-and-global-crises?publication_id=1685304&post_id=150231132&isFreemail=true&r=dg5y1&triedRedirect=true
One would think the only way that Ukraine can extricate itself from this disaster and the loss of its assets to sleazy and evil multinationals like Blackrock would be unconditional surrender to the Russians, who one hopes would have the sense to repudiate all such sales, agreements/debts entered into under duress by illegitimate governments going back to the 2014 coup.
yeah ! I was thinking that for a long time - that Russia should just take it over and nationalize it - like any decent president of the US would with Bill Gates farmland theft.
Thank you for the links. Soulless “humans” present in a form recognizable to each other, they flock together. I understood the word “occult” means “hidden”. The times are a changing; quickly in mere mortal terms. Stay the course. Old lady with a virtual cat.❤️🐈⬛💙🇷🇺❤️
"the only way that Ukraine can extricate itself from this disaster and the loss of its assets to sleazy and evil multinationals like Blackrock would be unconditional surrender to the Russians, who one hopes would have the sense to repudiate all such sales,"
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"Build for your opponent a golden bridge"?
Literally. The oligarchy of Ukraine are always for sale. Putin knows how to lead an oligarch to water (and how to defenestrate the ones who won't be lead).
It would make some kind of poetic sense for Putin to use the same human tools to end the conflict that the USA deep state used to set Ukraine on the road to Hell.
And afterwards, they might even be allowed to live. If they mind their manners.
Ukraine, with the active help of the West and the connivance of Russia, has molded itself into an enemy of Russia. And now that the Russians have taken on the task of eliminating the threat, the hohols are suggesting stopping halfway. Infinitely impudent idiots. Only one solution is in line with Russian interests: the liberation of the entire territory of Ukraine, its annexation to Russia as separate regions, with the very name of "Ukraine" forgotten, and many years of work to identify and execute the Ukronazi. The question is whether the Russian authorities will act in Russian interests, or as always.
Not necessarily, empire has its problems. Like Indies now rule Britain, so might bad Ukrainians rule Russia in the future. Better to allow the good parts to join Russia, and instead manage the rest like USA does Germany. Otherwise they risk azov children ruling them
If I may, I'd like to talk about steel production for a moment.
Basically, there are no kinds of ways to fabricate steel, one called an (electric) arc furnace and the other a blast furnace (which is coal powered). The EU's insane rules on carbon emissions means that they can only operate arc furnaces, and even Britain just closed its last blast furnace this month due to similar rules.
The problem is that arc furnaces can only RECYCLE metal, aka "scrap" metal, to make steel. And this steel is, as you might suspect, of lower quality. It's fine for making stuff like forks and spoons but it sucks for the important stuff like car engines and bridge support spans.
Blast furnaces are the only type which can make "raw" or pure steel of a guaranteed high quality. And so what the EU has been doing until lately is relying heavily on Ukraininan made raw steel for all the stuff it needs (you know, like making cars). That's why all the crying and gnashing of the teeth right now about this topic.
For the record, blast furnaces require coke, which is purified coal (essentially, you cook it to remove the impurities, the solid components of which are called slag). Coal, as we all know, is also abundant in (Eastern) Ukraine. Furthermore, coal mines, coking plants and the slag (waste) heaps that come along with them have played an important role in the fighting during this war.
Long story short, Ukraine losing both its (blast) steel mills and coal supplies isn't just bad for Ukraine's export economy (and bringing in hard currency to shore up the UAH) but is rapidly contributing further to the deindustrialization of Europe as a whole. Just take a look at steel imports to the EU and you'll see what I mean.
And of course steel smelted in the Donbas using local coking coal is carbon free and so allows the EU to meet its net zero targets - or am I missing something here?
Forget net zero, think about how Europe is supposed to ramp up its military manufacturing for 2027 goals without cheap energy or steel. And they plan to march to war after then. We haven't seen these guys as their most suicidal yet.
So far, this is just politico-babble in my opinion. It's a show, but it's not realistic in the least. They have and are going to have plenty of other problems, economic and societal, to "solve" long before they have any kind of military that can stand up to the Russians, short of just lobbing a nuke at them.
You are not a metallurgist or chemist. Arc process plants can make just as good or better steel than any blast furnace but arc process is MORE EXPENSIVE, given that A: Various governmental foolishness has driven the cost of electricity in Europe through the roof, and B: Electrical energy is ALWAYS a secondary product of some primary energy input source, with losses to laws of thermodynamics in generation + additional losses in electrical transmission, transformers & etc.. Plus, recycling scrap steel to a high quality product usually incurs extra costs due to required post smelting analysis & then additional material inputs and time for purification steps to deal with any meaningful contaminants from scrap sources.
Additional detail from a very brief detour into energy trading in a past life -- coking coal (for steel) is a considerably higher purity, and thus cost, than any of the several varieties of thermal coal (for power plants). Thermal coal is worth almost nothing at the point of extraction, its cost 90%+ transport. Donbas was blessed with both an abundance of the good stuff, and the USSR connected it to have also an abundance of cheap energy - in every form available in the 20th century.
At the same time, EU should have no trouble finding other global sellers of the inputs for high quality metallurgy, other than maybe Titanium. That one kind of a big deal. In Sumy or Chernigov BTW. Other than Ti, what actually hurts IMHO is the cost disadvantage of energy. In other words, regardless of policy, they can't afford to run these processes at a globally competitive product price, like they used to, and I think that would still be the case on an industry wide level even if they had relatively cheap coking coal. EU decision to implement US sanctions was suicidal. Losing Suez canal (+2 weeks to Asia shipping -- I.e. +cost of bulk materials like ore or natgas, which are priced largely from transport time), so that Germany can keep selling weapons to Israel for wiping out neighboring populations... adding insult to injury there.
Little fuck is a muppet, he doesn't call any shots, he doesn't run anything, only signs what his overseers put on his desk. Though his mug is already growing on people and that's a good thing. Changing him for another walking rubber stamp will bring nothing but renaissance of the stupidly optimistic narrative. Nobody needs that. Also, he's not long for this world anyway, there are signs that his superiors are about to change him. Better to drop an extra missile where it actually matters.
Who'd've thunk that putting a clown in charge of a country would result in clownish things? Personally I thought he was much better when he was a third-rate comedian playing the piano with his ding-a-ling and making lousy TV shows.
Oh look, another robotroll trying and failing to get people fighting with each other – straight from the Jasbara manual. Best to just ignore him so they don't renew his contract.
I don't blame them. Bilateral treaties make sense in many cases, when the two countries are closely aligned in both interests and geography, but these large, multinational alliances are much more likely to start a major war than prevent one.
Never mind that Canada has cravenly been hosting the very Sikh separatists that blew up Air India Flight 182 in 1985, the biggest terrorist attack in Canadian history - while ignoring India's requests for extraditing them over the last 40 years. As for India carrying out assassinations abroad - they have India's intelligence service confused with Mossad. If it had that kind of capability, Pakistan's cross border terrorism would've been curtailed decades ago.
The mountain that rises above my town is basically a large slab of quartz, spodumene, and rock jutting out of the earth. There is quartz (and lithium) everywhere here. It was funny to watch the local hippy community chase out the Australian mining company a few years back. You would be amazed how hostile a group of peaceniks can get when someone threatens their goddess. I think even Blackrock would have trouble coming in here and messing with the pachamama.
Your thinking of Post-Scarcity.
fuck capitalism... hang 'em all
You prefer to be robbed by socialists then?
@cheetosSpring
The guy opperating a lemon squeezer gets paid no matter what lemons, sugar or finished lemonade cost.
"Lucky Pierre, always in the middle" as my daddy used to say.
I am sure you daddy was lucky Pierre often.
One wonders how come that the United Mining and Chemical Company was bought by certain Nasib Hasanov whose "other largest business is the ownership of Ukrainian Vodafone, which is a kind of licensed partnership from the greater British-owned Vodafone corporation," which has BlackRock as the largest shareholder. "
"UMCC is one of the world’s largest producers of titanium, mining and processing ores into sands and concentrates."
""Mr. Nasib Hasanov is the sole ultimate beneficial owner of Nobel Energy, Nobel Oil E&P (UK) Limited (trade name Nobel Upstream), Vodafone Ukraine, Bakcell LLC, and Norm OJSC."
This funding plan is already dead in the water.
Being able to swallow up the Russian funds was premised on winning the war, a political as opposed to legal fact. This laundering of what was a theft under the old political landscape, would follow from the political fact of victory. As the euro-bats all said, Putin must not win. Hell no, because if he did, they would face an economic disaster and some non trivial personal accounting of their own parts in it.
As indeed is what is now just beginning to emerge. Maybe they can agree with Putin some sort of carve up that gets them all off their hooks? But why in the kosmos would Putin help these people out? Or rather- more pragmatically, all vengeance aside, what would be his price?
I live in a mid-sized Russian city a few hundred miles from Moscow and I know people who work in the military. They're just in ordinary admin jobs, but they also know people who work in more direct military roles. One of the most profoundly disturbing conversations I've ever had in my life was in late 2022 speaking to one of their relatives, who is a nurse in a Russian military hospital. She was talking about guys in her ward who had their genitals cut off and their eyes gouged out by Kiev's nazis when they were taken captive.
Russia's not in a mood to forgive any of Kiev's many war crimes, and Russians are not in a mood to forgive any of the Westerners who enabled those war crimes. It could be that as a matter of pragmatism some settlement occurs short of Russia taking a scythe to all of the nazis and their friends, but I don't see how that would come to pass given the very intense animosity the US coalition's use of war crimes has created in Russia.
It's bad to lose a war, but it's really bad to lose a war against Russia when you've tortured and killed Russians.
I agree entirely, John. Russia takes the lot and lines up its own military might along existing NATO boundaries. Some heads on poles (forgive pun) would not go amiss. Then it goes away and gets on with BRICS while the euro-bats slowly sink in the west. Really that is too good for them but this is not the place to debate retributive atrocities. Let the Chechens loose on them.
My Russian friend's sister is a doctor in a hospital not far from Kazan and the sister relayed the same sort of stories about what happened to the Russian POWs who had been in Ukraine captivity, which were at her hospital. It is entirely understandable if Russia will seek justice for the perpetrators.
This Telegram site which I follow details all the war crimes committed by the so called Ukraine Army, Site is called WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE https://t.me/grigoriev_maxim
International Public Tribunal on the Crimes of Ukrainian Neo-Nazi continues to carry out investigations.
A callsign Shaman, Deputy Regimental Commander, said that the Ukrainian battalions named ‘Tornado’ and ‘Dnipro’ spent 9 years learning not to fight but to kill. Those freaks (Ukrainian military) tortured captured soldiers, cut off their ears, stabbed them in their eyes and neck.
You can find independent information in interviews with victims and witnesses on the Telegram Chanel 'WAR CRIMES IN UKRAINE'. (https://t.me/grigoriev_maxim)
This is from a few days ago 11 October confirming what you mention, discussing the tortures back in 2014, https://t.me/grigoriev_maxim/638
The sickening hypocrisy of the western MSM knowingly ignores this whilst portraying the United States and its satellites, vassal members of NATO & Ukraine as being so righteous when in fact it is the West which is morally deficient.
You want truth? Most Americans are ignorant, almost completely without a sense of right and wrong, without compassion for others, or all three.
"Russia's not in a mood to forgive any of Kiev's many war crimes, and Russians are not in a mood to forgive any of the Westerners who enabled those war crimes."
I hope that you prove correct, but Russia already signed Minsk and Minsk-2, when Ukrainians were already busy torturing and killing Russians. So I am not sure why it would be so different this time.
"Russia already signed Minsk and Minsk-2, when Ukrainians were already busy torturing and killing Russians." That's not true.
@Jullianne
"Build for your opponent a golden bridge"?
I doubt Russia sits idly by while the EU feasts on the Russian funds... Chip
Are we still sure the EU300B are there? Didn't Holland or Denmark recently report that some assets of Russia's they thought they had were actually quite a bit smaller than thought? Seems withdrawals are being made.
And ramping up manufacturing now is like digging a well when the house is on fire. It will take years to build up any sort of manufacturing capability that's more than a generation gone.
Well, they've imported enough "experts" by now.
Human capital is wanting, and until the root cause as eloquently described by Michael Hudson in "Forgive them their debts..." there is no possibility of any economic realignment within the west.
I read an article by Hudson once that said it's impossible for West to reindustrialize. Not only would stock market crash, but everyone's pension/retirement with it so not only do tippy top financers not want it, main street couldn't handle it either.
It depends where you're sitting on the Titanic, yes there may be a perception that "it's ok, no water here yet". The reality is we're all on a sinking ship called the western ponzi scheme.
I think you underestimate the significant intervening from non-EU member, UK and the rabid dog Boris Johnson. He wasnt controlled by US - they did it alone and on purpose. The betrayal after Istanbul meeting was the beginning of the real War in Ukraine.
Wake up. Boris is a US citizen. They have had him on a very tight leash for years over his tax liability. He does EXACTLY as he is told to do by his masters.
Who are his masters ?
Agreed. I find myself in steady wonderment, however, how so many "leaders" in Europe are so gung-ho about going to war with Russia in 2027 +/-. I realize of course that it's just politics 101, keep the populace on edge so they have "total control". But, seriously, how do the sheep not rise up in protest. So far, the rise of the Right/Center participants seems rather milquetoast so far, while these idiots are drawing up a brave new world full of lowered expectations, unemployment and probable goods shortages in the near future.
On the plus side though, Polish and German lads should have an easier time getting their dance cards punched when the Ukrainian babes bail on the country former;y know as cluster-fuck central.There will be books written about the ensuing Euro-disaster. Uncle Knuckles wishes you poor Euro-saps the best of luck. Fucking clueless rubes...
Russia will decide what New Ukraine will look like politically and geographically. NATO is in disarray, there is no plan, there is no unity of purpose among its members, and there is no will to escalate the conflict by entering Ukraine because it simply is not ready. Nato is nuts and incompetent but not suicidal. There are too many cushy jobs in NATO which offer good pay, status, and paid expenses for them to launch a kamikaze attack to support AFU and risk ruining a good thing. Furthermore, their uniforms are dust-averse.
The next geo-political big plays are what will BRICS announce at its next meeting later this month and what will be the outcome of the US elections. I saw the report from TAAS and others suggesting BRICS could be announcing a new currency called the Unit backed by 40% gold and 60% currencies. Again, I take this with a grain of salt but it will be interesting to see what BRICS ideates at its next meeting.
The US election stands at T minus 21 days. It's a circus-staged act of tomfooleries with extreme repercussions, particularly if Camel Toe wins. Could there be another rigged outcome? I'm no fan of Trump and his theatrics but he's the lesser bad choice of the two candidates running for President. The entire US political apparatus is in ruins and should Kamala win we'll have far bigger problems at home in the US and Canada than what's going on in Ukraine. I have decided to learn to speak Russian from my instructor, Lidija, as stress relief from the shit show the world has become which I am compelled to witness.
https://youtu.be/5Ig5HIF7TcY
I have been learning it (self taught) since I was deployed to one of the former Soviet republics back in 2002. Spent a lot of time there on my own after my service and I speak it reasonably well now and read it even better. Helps to listen to their radio stations streaming all the time in the background. And helps even more to marry one!
lol, love has no boundaries.
Watch Russian TV online, too. "60 Minutes" is a super news/talk show on Russia 1. It comes on twice a day on weekdays, around lunch and then in the early evening. I prefer the evening set. Russian detective serials are fun too. Get those via torrent. I recommend the eight season mini-series about Major Cherkasov, a homocide detective. It's set in Soviet times for a very retro feel. In order, I think the series are MosGas, Palach, Pauk, Shakal, Operation Satan, Formula Mesti, Katran, Zapadnya, Cherkasov's Last Case. If you like science fiction, I highly recommend the miniseries about an android, "Better than People" (Лучше, чем люди) (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSJKksEdQY4 ).
Russian movies are also great. There have been many fine ones recently. If you like sci fi, the movie "Attraction" Притяжение (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfgAcvkLqVI&pp ) and its sequel "Invasion" Вторжение (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3ag3gkKnZs ) are fun. Get those in the original in torrents. There are also some Russian movies and miniseries on Netflix, which you can watch in the original or with subtitles (the simultaneous translations are awful, so avoid those).
I don't normally recommend torrents, but the West has been so determined to block their people's access to anything Russian it's otherwise hard to get content from Russia.
Better than People is a great series. Was named Better Than Us here.
Russian movies and TV series aren't the stodgy fare that the Soviets regulary served up.
Yeah. I added a link to the russian language trailer for that series. Search youtube for "Better Than Us" and you can get the english language trailer for Netflix. But the voices they used for dubbing characters (and the translation) are just awful... better to watch it with subtitles.
I always watch movies with subtitles and original soundtrack.
Dubbed movies are terrible to listen to. It brings back memories of the 60ies 'spaghetti westerns' in which the voices don't match the characters.
Movies dubbed into English, yes, I agree. But Western movies professionally dubbed into Russian are usually very good.
I think that's a consequence of how Hollywood has made a big effort for export markets (most of their production goes to export) with separate voice tracks and such, and also how the big Russian studios who are distribution partners here have very professional dubbing. They pick their voice talent to match the voice of the original Western actor, so when you see a Nicholas Cage film in Russian the reaction is, "wow, I never knew Cage could speak Russian that well..."
Hah, "Spaghetti Western", that's a term that I haven't heard from since I left Germany many many years ago. Mostly referred to Italian productions.
I get plenty of the modern Russian comedy stuff from my wife. We watch Голубой огонёк every New Year's Eve too but it was very difficult to find streaming this last year due to all the censorship. I have the dvd series of Brigada and a bunch of Sergei Bodrov movies as well. I don't mind the old Soviet stuff either. Movies like Solaris, or Ivan Vasiliavich Changes Professions. The new sci-fi/horror Sputnik in the original Russian is good as well.
I'm not a big fan of most of the old Soviet movies, like all the Mosfilm comedies. I just can't get used to the terrible production levels, third rate music and such. I don't particularly like most of the Soviet actors, either, which horrifies my Russian friends. I keep getting the impression I'm watching the result of Soviet nepotism, where people got and kept their jobs based on who they knew and which ass they kissed, not whether they had talent or could create content that people who had a choice would pay to see. It's like a lot of Soviet public art from the 50's through the 80's... really awful, talentless stuff.
There are exceptions, of course. "Ivan Vasiliavich" is a fun comedy despite having the production values of college film class. It's based on a play by Bulgakov, but expanded from a very short play into the film with taste and skill. For those who haven't seen it, it's a comedy where Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of all the Russias, is teleported by a time machine accident into a 1970's Moscow apartment while a guy who looks like the Tsar is teleported back in time to the Tsar's court.
I don't like most of the 90s films either, although the soundtrack to "Brother 2" is outstanding and the movie itself has fun moments (about a Russian guy's lawless adventures on a trip to the US). But in the last 15 or 20 years they've been pumping out a series of really outstanding movies, with great scripts, great acting, great effects when they use them, and so on. And you can't beat today's TV mini series on Russian TV.
Ah, another miniseries that's a must watch: "An Ordinary Woman" Обычная женщина (trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXOXNV__ikw where they translate the title as "An Ordinary Wife") - there are two seasons. The protagonist is an "ordinary woman" with a family that thinks she runs a flower shop. In reality, she runs a prostitution ring. It's very funny dark humor with great scripts, great characters and a superb cast. It's available with English subtitles on Apple TV (https://tv.apple.com/us/show/an-ordinary-woman/umc.cmc.5qgiq5u3c54yjvfmcpixhdvj6 - spoiler alert... their descriptions of episodes on that page give away too many plot twists.)
"awesome Soviet public art" - Nonsense. I live in Russia and I've seen more art of all kinds around the world than you ever will. Wherever I travel I make it a point to visit local art museums and galleries.
One of the nice things about living in Russia, a really great thing, is how Russians also adore art. Even in a midsized town like where I live there's a thriving art scene, with a new gallery exhibit or museum exhibit opening almost every week. Pensioners will save up to buy an original work they admire. It's very common to visit someone's apartment and see they have original oils, watercolors, sketches, whatever, on the walls. There are many major art festivals, gatherings, trade shows and such that bring together artists from all over Russia. I attend many of them. I know many artists, from street artists to some famous names. It's interesting to run into them at galleries or to visit their studios to have a drink, see how they work, hear about their plans.
I read history, including architecture and art history, fine art as well as applied and folk art. I know in great detail the history of art and architecture in Russia and I've personally seen, up close in real life, almost all of the great works of art that are here, from the distant past all the way up to Soviet times and then to the present.
I know bad art, really awful talentless art, when I see it. Mercifully, much of the really terrible Soviet art has been removed and consigned to the dustbin of history, but there is still plenty of it around to induce cringe responses in young people.
Is there some great Soviet art, even from the times of artistic decay from the late 50's on? Sure. There are some outstanding pieces in the city in Russia where I live. There are also some very good works from the early Soviet era. But by over ten to one, Soviet art from the 50's to the demise in 1991 was really awful. I don't include the kitsch pieces in that, the Soviet realist art that many people find nauseating. Some of it was actually very good, although I grant that it's an acquired taste. In that ten to one bracket I count only the truly inept and awful works, of which there are plenty.
Like much of what else Socialism and Communism spoiled, great art was also steamrollered by the Soviet bureaucracy into gray, incompetent, mush.
"An Ordinary Wife/Woman"
I have seen that too. Great show.
I'm surprised you didn't mention other exceptions among Soviet productions:
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson" (1979-86) -- rightfully considered as one of the best in the world screen adaptations of Sherlock universe. That goes for both the title character and the exceptional depiction of "Victorian England" where the stories take place. The title music theme from the series is known to any Russian.
"Seventeen Moments of Spring" (1973) -- a WWII spy thriller TV series, an adaptation of Yulian Semyonov novel about the exceptionally difficult work of a Soviet spy deep in the Third Reich intelligence agencies.
The performance of the main cast is absolutely wonderful there (as well as with Sherlock case above), and it's positively rated on IMDB by the Western audience.
A lot of title characters quotes from this TV series went straight into modern Russian language, and you might be using them without knowing where they are from ;-)
As not for the TV series, I think, you have probably watched the romantic drama "Moscow doesn't believe in tears" (1980). This film is immensely popular to this day and almost all its quotes went to the everyday Russian language as well. I'd like to know your opinion of it, as for myself, I don't know where one might see significant flaws in the production.
I'm a big fan of "Seventeen Moments of Spring" It's outstanding, full of top performances and it's very well written.
I'm not a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes series. I can't put my finger on why, I just don't like it all that much.
As for "Moscow doesn't believe in Tears" I've seen it and I'm not a big fan of that either. I can't complain about the acting, the script, or the production values. All of those are fine. It's a good movie, but it's not something like "Seventeen Moments" where every few years I'll watch the whole thing end to end.
Try:
Andrei Tarkovsky
Soviet and Russian film director, screenwriter, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director (1932-1986)
You can find a number of his films on YouTube with english subtitles.
There are a number of various detective series on YouTube - fascinating.
Thanks for the share
I taught myself Russian, years ago.
If I can do it, then anyone can.
Out of interest, what 'method' of learning did you apply? Did you use apps, like Duolingo, or the good old, 'by the book', how to conjugate verbs, method. Thanks.
Books and old records of Volodya Vysotskii.
I started with a book and lots of conversation with native speakers during my deployment. After returning to the US I had several programs including Rosetta Stone. Also watched a bunch of Russian movies with subtitles and listened to their radio stations online; mostly Russkoe Radio from Moscow.
For me learning the grammar is useless. I don't know or have the desire to learn English grammar. I learn far better by using the language and picking up the rules by listening, reading, and trial and error. Having a native speaker as my wife means I use it every day and she corrects my worst mistakes. We speak it probably a third of the time since she also has to learn English but she can speak to me in Russian and I know it well enough to understand and reply in English. And, it comes in very useful to speak it in public for privacy since so few 'muricans speak another language let alone Russian.
Props Casey!
I thought of you as a fellow Russian!
I am a cat, not even a Russian Blue.
Props dude!
I also really like Ina Comprehensible and Russian.
https://m.youtube.com/@ComprehensibleRussian/playlists
Congrats Denis, first again LOL
The delusion is strong in those believing Russia will negotiate. Firstly, Beginsky was and is a puppet with no independent decision making allowed by his masters. Secondly, let's pretend he was once an actual President, a decision maker, he is no longer since May.
He is illegitimate.
Thanks, Grr. I never even noticed.
But like Tuco said, "If you're going to shoot, shoot, don't talk. lol
Aw, yes, the little (snort) green (snort) gremlin's time (line) is running out.
It's amazing what you can do when being first is your main objective. Just a simple "look squirrel" to divert the masses from the subject(s) at hand. Even more so if you place a slight nod to the theme and it's Russia positive!
You have a dark soul and a twisted mind, David.
for the elections, I dont think they can hide Trumps landslide victory this time. They are on plan B now. Some antifa riots and a MSM blockade over the results. It will look like Trump didnt win. They bet on chaos preventing Trump from any major move.
He's soaring in the betting markets. Even PredictIt had to swallow hard and show DJT passing Harris in their betting market.
The Bloomberg IEC interview with audience, posted on X, is such a relief to watch compared to viewing yet another serving of Harris word salad.
This election is however, one of the best examples of a devil vs. the deep blue sea choice.
Why does it matter to the Jew who ‘wins’ ?
There won't be a Ukraine m8.
"Nato is nuts and incompetent but not suicidal."
Actually, NATO is both. NATO is the United States. NATO (the United States and the vassal states) is a suicide pact.
The United States is committing suicide with its Open Borders policy. 48-million illegal aliens into the United States in just the past four (4) years. All unvetted. All on the dole. Tell me how this is sustainable. No country can make any clams to sovereignty without secure borders. How is this not suicide?
The United States is racking up debt to the tune of $1-trillion dollars every 100-days. At some point the United States is going to suffer a sovereign debt default. That's, at the bare minimum, financial suicide. Same fate awaits all the NATO vassal states. Germany especially.
Look at the Palestinians. No country. Soon to be followed by no Palestinians. The same fate awaits the United States and the American People. And the United States' vassal states.
I thought so too, but recently I changed my opinion. Contrary to the 1920s and 1930s the wealth of the middle class and upper classes are far greater. So far more money to burn/melt away. Furthermore the economies are more intertwined. Another reason could be, that Russia and China don't want the West to default or go under, they want them still as customers for their products.
A mutual understanding that Multi-Polarity is inevitable would be best for all of us. And the West, if our stupid Elites would understand that they simply lost, and that world ruling is a stupid and senseless dream anyways, could be thriving relatively fast again, with just eliminating sanctions, have normal relations with Russia, China and all other nations.
But our Muppet show won't end that fast unfortunately, but I think it will go on for quite some time, maybe 10-20 years. But I could be wrong also of course, if the debt of Western nations goes exponential, everybody knows its over. It's not exponential yet, so lets see...
Well, at least the American people (via the oligarchs) chose an excellent "poster boy" for the long US demise. I'm, of course, referring to Joe. Harris is just the court jester.
NATO funding will be discontinued if Trump wins. The EU/NATO (same Nazis) are in B plan mode with "assuring funding" as a Trump proof policy. Good luck with getting the 100B bond/loan(what collateral -- good food???) BTW your illegal aliens # is WAY WAY off-- half it. I think you mean Europe not the US -- ie sovereign debt crisis. Do some reading. Start with Alex Krainer (Croat)
The illegal alien situation is ten times (10x) worse in the United States than in Europe. "Do some reading." ???? No reason for that kind of attitude. Try not being such a cunt, "Carol." Start with "Eat me." "Bite me" is also pretty good, I hear.
There have been roughly 2 million immigrants entering the US per year since JB took office. It isNT 48 million, it’s much closer to 12 million. But that number of unvetted migrants is still a massive problem. But we agree there is definitely a market melt up occurring as the USD experiences its death throes
Destruction by design. You can count on it.
Зачем столько пессимизма. На горизонте 5 лет просто объявят дефолт.В истории США такое бывало не раз, последний в 1976. И ничего, мир не рухнул. А то что сателлиты обанкротятся, так проблемы индейцев шерифа не волнуют.
Что же по поводу мигрантов... В США был проведен самый массовый геноцид по расовому признаку. Опыт так сказать есть. Тут или они вас или вы их.
Могу только сказать что ближайшие 10-15 лет будут интересными.
We are all Palestinians to the Jew. If it could drone strike us in the USA it will.
"I have decided to learn to speak Russian from my instructor, Lidija, as stress relief from the shit show the world has become which I am compelled to witness."
Jebus man...Stress relief from learning Russian! Stress relief?! You know they've recently invented beer, whisky and weed as palliatives for that very condition. Sometimes I think of dipping my toe into Duolingo and taking on Spanish but then the fever passes and I move on to more plausible endeavors like mopping the kitchen floor.
Stop, stop. You see Lidija is teaching me well. I only need a slight distraction then I'm ready for more. lol
second!!
No prizes for second. Sorry. Unless you are a homosexual, black, disabled, or a tranny.
Der Spiegel "The Ukrainian government is considering options to end Russia's full-scale war....."
They seem to have forgotten what full scale war looks like. The SMO is quite restrained compared to what could be raining down on western Ukraine.
"compared to what could be raining down on western Ukraine" Or compared to what, historically, has rained down on Germany or anyone else who has committed acts of war against Russia.
Mmmmm yes it's especially ironic coming from them. But such is modern "journalism" this is but one example. History appears to end at "before my time"
Yep, we have a nice example of that in the middle east.
There's no need for anything full-scale as imagined by chairborne experts going up and down on dopamine swing. A single properly planned operation in Kursk with very limited resources led to at least five hundred surviving Ukies hopelessly scattered in the woods with more soon to join them. Simply because Russians began their attack two days before it rained and temperature dropped to near freezing point. Now Ukies can't operate their wheeled vehicles which sink into rich Kursk soil, while Russians with their tracked ones took the roads and can't be counterattacked from the sides anymore.
All that without committing serious resources. It's very modest and by the book, yet it's enough to send diplomatic shockwaves and make a lot of public figures squirm. Why bother with huge but risky firestorms when classic war grind yields ever better results? This IS the truly apocalyptic full-scale war, one that cannot be stopped by anything the other side can muster.
Blackrock seems to be a modern day version of the Knights Templar in the sense that they have managed to become unfathomably wealthy and powerful to the point that they can destroy entire countries at will. And, like the Templars they pose an existential threat to any leader or group of leaders or elite faction that dares oppose them.
What are the odds that like the Templars, they are preemptively taken out as they have clearly grown far too large for their britches?
Knights Templar were the good guys though. Unless you're a faithful catholic. Catholics tortured the Templars. And Black Rock is Jewish. Temp;ars were Christian and had alot of employment for villagers near their strongholds...once they were back in Europe. Kind of an insulting analogy - sorry- I'm a Templar fan.
Sounds like a 12 year old wrote that. The Templars were the dry heave of a dying Feudal Christiandom, who rightfully lost everything they fought for to the Muslims. So much for them.
nonsense
@Oni
Spoken like one who carries an iron club;
I have a cask of ale, would you care to hear some dirty jokes?
You sound like a Jew.
You sound like a fascist.
So - what’s wrong with that ?
Your historical knowledge is less than a 12 year old
Really defensive over what basically amounts to fairy tales with little to no impact on history. Put down the history channel bro
I have no idea what the history channel is as I don't own a TV and havent watched one in several decades. I have read several thousand history books though and your historical knowledge is second grade level fairy tales.
I don't have anything against the Templars; although they were back in Europe because they had been defeated in the Holy Land.
The point I was trying to make was that there's a historical parallel in the sense that both groups were/are so powerful that they represented/represent a threat to centers of power. The analogy fits so I use it. Nothing to do with religion. The Templars got themselves into trouble because they had a powerful private army and no military mission, and numerous nobles and kings were indebted to them. One of them finally decided to do something about it.
Blackrock doesn't officially have a military component but they can manipulate governments into doing their violent bidding when necessary. And they are likely far more avarice motivated than the Templars ever were but power for power's sake also seems to be a driving factor. And they most definitely are an existential threat to other elite factions. I am certain that it hasn't gone unnoticed by competing elites.
The Templars made friends with the infidels They brought chess and many medicments back from the ME - The Templars should be kept separate from the Crusaders that were more colonialist- minded. I think the impulse that drove Europeans to go to save the Holy Sites was perhaps ' wrong ' if someone wants to look at all history from the right / wrong perspective....Him Whom they sought was not there - and eventually they left - I mean the Templars...who were only ever about 150 men. And as far as the Templars manipulating governments - You mean Petty Kings ? The Templars were mostly from noble families and the King of France wanted their gold so they were made into enemies. Their job was to protect the pilgrims on the roads to the Holy Land , from highway robbers. And they were blessed by Bernard of Clairveau ( sp? ) who was the main guy in the Church during the 12th century. They had their own church services. I don't know what would have happened to the historical places of Christianity if they hadn't gone to Jerusalem. After they left, for 2 thousand years the Paleestinian people have been the guardians of the Holy siites and they have done a fantastic job. And now in 75 years those freakin monsters that call themselves Jews ( but are of the synagogue of Satan ) have destoyed all of it.
The Templars were founded by the wealthiest man of the wealthiest country in Europe (France) of the time. Their members were extremely powerful even before the founding. Read some history!
I guess you would have to ask Muslims how kindly they were inclined towards the Knights Templar,....just for a difference of opinion.
Muslim here, but a South African one of Indian heritage - love history, so the crusaders and the craziness of the 1000s to 1300s are very fascinating for most Muslims. A few things stand out, the crusaders were an outside threat to the ME, but the Fatimid Shias were an internal threat from North Africa and Egypt and had to be dealt with first, before the Crusaders could be tackled. Also, then just like now, the ME leadership sucked beeg time, the caliph was useless and could do nothing, and it took unknown marginalized groups to take the mantle of leadership and first deal with the Fatimids, then the crusaders, then the mamelukes and then the mongols....the Arabs were nowhere to be found. It was all the Kurds, Persians, Turks and Mongols. Arabs may have been the majority of the people there, but they could not unify nor lead the resistance - history does rhyme right? Also, the crusaders were a massive shock to the middle east, but in the end, they made a great acceptance of them. The knights templar and the Ayyubid Sultanate and then even the Mamelukes had a good relationship with each other. In fact, I think the Knights Templar and the Sultans of the Middle east had the best relationship of all the warring parties compared to the Franks, Englishmen, Greeks, Byzantines and other peoples...but It was a complicated relationship.
RIGHT ON
Incorrect, they were not the good guys in any way, and of the 8 crusades only 2 were marginally successful the rest they got their butts handed to them.....
Today's glass and steel highrise is yesteryear's cathedral. Both raised by a parasitic pseudo government that bamboozled its population with belief in abstract things, like gods and debt.
Blackrock's self-perceived invincibility has backfired in Ukraine but not enough to take it down. Blackrock is the deep state which some call the swamp.
Perhaps it's that Blackrock owns the deep state.
Black Rock part of the Deep State for sure. The Jewish mafia part
@ann Watson
A bunch of WASP bandit families who went to expensive East coast prep schools would certainly prefer you limited your vengeance to Jews.
but sometimes it is the jews buddy - larry fink for instance.
The BR CEO is Mr. Fink, very jewish.
@Anna
Conniving, amoral & sociopathic ba$tard$ come in every (nominal) flavor of religion there has ever been, and damn few of them actually practice what their nominal religion preached anyhow, virtually all of 'em include pointers about treating others fairly & etc..
So please understand, I'm totally into diversity, equality and inclusion when it comes to torches, pitchforks and mobs chasing down evil cocksuckers (who threw away the mandate of heaven for all their country people over a few %+ personal profits) to ask them pointed questions about their policy choices while ruling (and if they prefer hemp rope or telegraph wire in neck ties)?
Shut up jew
@Casey Bowles
Will Putin get to say
"Jacques de Molai, thou art yet again avenged!"
after the fat lady sings?
Perhaps he would, as his historical awareness and sense of irony is off the chart, but regardless I'd pay good money to watch Blackrock toadies being burnt at the stake in a similar fashion as that poor Grand Master!
I wonder about the future even after the end of the war with so much of Ukraine in foreign and hostile holdings - hostile to Russia. Azerbaijan is connected with Israel too as is Britain, so I guess it might becaome Israel 2.0 - I wonder if Simplicius will do an article about that ? - and btw - it Hurrican Helene that hit NC - Miltion was kind of a psyop to get attention away from NC. And as the European sinking I think its all that horrible witch von der leyen - I read terrible articles about her everyday. If THAT Europe sinks it would be okay and maybe the people can put it back together. But maybe too, those times of human independence and self sustainability are also disappearing. I guess there's going to be a slump in the economy where people suffer. Sad. All because of the small cabal around the governments of the west. Here is a fantastic interview transcript by Peter Koenig about the hopes for BRICS - published today - https://peterkoenig.substack.com/p/middle-eastern-and-global-crises?publication_id=1685304&post_id=150231132&isFreemail=true&r=dg5y1&triedRedirect=true
One would think the only way that Ukraine can extricate itself from this disaster and the loss of its assets to sleazy and evil multinationals like Blackrock would be unconditional surrender to the Russians, who one hopes would have the sense to repudiate all such sales, agreements/debts entered into under duress by illegitimate governments going back to the 2014 coup.
yeah ! I was thinking that for a long time - that Russia should just take it over and nationalize it - like any decent president of the US would with Bill Gates farmland theft.
Thank you for the links. Soulless “humans” present in a form recognizable to each other, they flock together. I understood the word “occult” means “hidden”. The times are a changing; quickly in mere mortal terms. Stay the course. Old lady with a virtual cat.❤️🐈⬛💙🇷🇺❤️
This is a great read, Duckman. You have amazing insight on this topic.
@Casey Bowles
(Quote)
"the only way that Ukraine can extricate itself from this disaster and the loss of its assets to sleazy and evil multinationals like Blackrock would be unconditional surrender to the Russians, who one hopes would have the sense to repudiate all such sales,"
----------
"Build for your opponent a golden bridge"?
Literally. The oligarchy of Ukraine are always for sale. Putin knows how to lead an oligarch to water (and how to defenestrate the ones who won't be lead).
It would make some kind of poetic sense for Putin to use the same human tools to end the conflict that the USA deep state used to set Ukraine on the road to Hell.
And afterwards, they might even be allowed to live. If they mind their manners.
The USA EU UK are prime examples of the Parasite Taking over the host and using it as a Drone to the detriment of host
Ukraine, with the active help of the West and the connivance of Russia, has molded itself into an enemy of Russia. And now that the Russians have taken on the task of eliminating the threat, the hohols are suggesting stopping halfway. Infinitely impudent idiots. Only one solution is in line with Russian interests: the liberation of the entire territory of Ukraine, its annexation to Russia as separate regions, with the very name of "Ukraine" forgotten, and many years of work to identify and execute the Ukronazi. The question is whether the Russian authorities will act in Russian interests, or as always.
"The question is whether the Russian authorities will act in Russian interests, or as always".
Well said, man. That is the big question.
Я бы сказал, что это самый главный вопрос.
Not necessarily, empire has its problems. Like Indies now rule Britain, so might bad Ukrainians rule Russia in the future. Better to allow the good parts to join Russia, and instead manage the rest like USA does Germany. Otherwise they risk azov children ruling them
Especially spaceba Bolshoi for the Russian language material, after fifty years I hope to relearn the mother tongue
@Grasshopper Kaplan
Dude, what was your milk language?
Thank you for another comprehensive analysis.
If I may, I'd like to talk about steel production for a moment.
Basically, there are no kinds of ways to fabricate steel, one called an (electric) arc furnace and the other a blast furnace (which is coal powered). The EU's insane rules on carbon emissions means that they can only operate arc furnaces, and even Britain just closed its last blast furnace this month due to similar rules.
The problem is that arc furnaces can only RECYCLE metal, aka "scrap" metal, to make steel. And this steel is, as you might suspect, of lower quality. It's fine for making stuff like forks and spoons but it sucks for the important stuff like car engines and bridge support spans.
Blast furnaces are the only type which can make "raw" or pure steel of a guaranteed high quality. And so what the EU has been doing until lately is relying heavily on Ukraininan made raw steel for all the stuff it needs (you know, like making cars). That's why all the crying and gnashing of the teeth right now about this topic.
For the record, blast furnaces require coke, which is purified coal (essentially, you cook it to remove the impurities, the solid components of which are called slag). Coal, as we all know, is also abundant in (Eastern) Ukraine. Furthermore, coal mines, coking plants and the slag (waste) heaps that come along with them have played an important role in the fighting during this war.
Long story short, Ukraine losing both its (blast) steel mills and coal supplies isn't just bad for Ukraine's export economy (and bringing in hard currency to shore up the UAH) but is rapidly contributing further to the deindustrialization of Europe as a whole. Just take a look at steel imports to the EU and you'll see what I mean.
Correct, the devil is always in the details.
Which is also pointing to the fact that Europe is not simply mismanaged, but undergoing a planned controlled demolition.
Planned controlled demolition for the US too.
And of course steel smelted in the Donbas using local coking coal is carbon free and so allows the EU to meet its net zero targets - or am I missing something here?
Forget net zero, think about how Europe is supposed to ramp up its military manufacturing for 2027 goals without cheap energy or steel. And they plan to march to war after then. We haven't seen these guys as their most suicidal yet.
So far, this is just politico-babble in my opinion. It's a show, but it's not realistic in the least. They have and are going to have plenty of other problems, economic and societal, to "solve" long before they have any kind of military that can stand up to the Russians, short of just lobbing a nuke at them.
Fascinating analysis. Thanks for the context.
@Sam Ursu
You are not a metallurgist or chemist. Arc process plants can make just as good or better steel than any blast furnace but arc process is MORE EXPENSIVE, given that A: Various governmental foolishness has driven the cost of electricity in Europe through the roof, and B: Electrical energy is ALWAYS a secondary product of some primary energy input source, with losses to laws of thermodynamics in generation + additional losses in electrical transmission, transformers & etc.. Plus, recycling scrap steel to a high quality product usually incurs extra costs due to required post smelting analysis & then additional material inputs and time for purification steps to deal with any meaningful contaminants from scrap sources.
Thanks. Looking for ideas on how to invest in Nuclear Age 2.0. :)
@Scott
I suggest storage durable foods and ammunition?
https://youtu.be/1JITC1fo2HA?si=JwXz8galoopyUiMY
Additional detail from a very brief detour into energy trading in a past life -- coking coal (for steel) is a considerably higher purity, and thus cost, than any of the several varieties of thermal coal (for power plants). Thermal coal is worth almost nothing at the point of extraction, its cost 90%+ transport. Donbas was blessed with both an abundance of the good stuff, and the USSR connected it to have also an abundance of cheap energy - in every form available in the 20th century.
At the same time, EU should have no trouble finding other global sellers of the inputs for high quality metallurgy, other than maybe Titanium. That one kind of a big deal. In Sumy or Chernigov BTW. Other than Ti, what actually hurts IMHO is the cost disadvantage of energy. In other words, regardless of policy, they can't afford to run these processes at a globally competitive product price, like they used to, and I think that would still be the case on an industry wide level even if they had relatively cheap coking coal. EU decision to implement US sanctions was suicidal. Losing Suez canal (+2 weeks to Asia shipping -- I.e. +cost of bulk materials like ore or natgas, which are priced largely from transport time), so that Germany can keep selling weapons to Israel for wiping out neighboring populations... adding insult to injury there.
Excellent comment.
Thank you Sam!
Russia should bomb the Rada while the dwarf is speaking.
If I could only press on ❤️ I would have done that for eternity!
To have them replace him with someone more capable or, God forbid, less repulsive? Are you nuts?
No, YOU are nuts. Look at the problems that not killing this little fuck has caused. Time to try something different.
Little fuck is a muppet, he doesn't call any shots, he doesn't run anything, only signs what his overseers put on his desk. Though his mug is already growing on people and that's a good thing. Changing him for another walking rubber stamp will bring nothing but renaissance of the stupidly optimistic narrative. Nobody needs that. Also, he's not long for this world anyway, there are signs that his superiors are about to change him. Better to drop an extra missile where it actually matters.
You’re a muppet.
Well, he's at least good for some comedic relief.
Who'd've thunk that putting a clown in charge of a country would result in clownish things? Personally I thought he was much better when he was a third-rate comedian playing the piano with his ding-a-ling and making lousy TV shows.
The quintessential Jew.
He is doing a great job of bombing his credibility himself and losing friends one by one, while laundering money rather than his shirts.
Huh?
Oh look, another robotroll trying and failing to get people fighting with each other – straight from the Jasbara manual. Best to just ignore him so they don't renew his contract.
You are an epic fucking idiot.
Bomb the Rada tomorrow, Russia. End this farce.
Bomb the Jew state. Solve the world’s Jew problem.
Agree.