Body language experts will analyse that VT to death in years to come. Despair and reticence in their posture, despite so vociferously backing the annexation of Crimea just years before. Putin's ambitions go far beyond Ukraine, yet their posture speaks of a lack of confidence to be able to successfully subjugate 40m Ukrainians. There's a chance that the conscript bodybags/ashes coming back may do for Putin.
If someone had, say, a low earth orbit satellite with some deniable psuedo meteorites on board, is it time to drop one in his direction now? What would his replacement do?
He doesn't seem to be playing chess in the Russian style. It is definitely more Three Pawns Gambit than Giuoco Piano.
It occurred to me that he might be ill and rushing to create some kind of legacy, although that's probably over thinking it.
This is a hilarious suggestion, so I thought I'd do some calculations.
Let's say the "meteorite" is a solid iron ball, 5 metres in diameter. This would weigh some 500 tonnes; an object of that weight would be exceptionally difficult to get into orbit - the shuttle was able to take about 30 tonnes payload. The iron would then need to be flung at the earth. Given terminal velocity in air is likely to be a few hundred metres per second, there's no point in throwing it much harder, even if you could (spoiler, you can't). Let's say you SOMEHOW manage to fire this badboy 300 metres per second. It will hit the ground at a bit less than that, approx 220 metres per second. And for maximum impact, let's say it was travelling straight down, that's how you get the biggest crater. Give all those parameters, you need to be astonishingly accurate. The crater would be less than 50m is diameter. Meaning you have to get your shot in within 25m of the target from a distance of say 700km (mid range of low-earth orbit). That is the equivalent of throwing a dart from the London Eye and hitting the bullseye of a dartboard on the clock face of the Elizabeth Tower.
If you miss your target, which you will, even a near miss will leave the target basically unharmed. Even hitting the "dartboard", getting the rock 500m from your target, would only be enough to maybe blow out the glass in the building from the air shock. The target will experience a seismic shock equivalent to 0.9 on the Richter scale. That is, unfeelable. The air shock will be as loud as a busy road, 65dB. If you're super lucky, Putin will get a bit of dust in his eye which will get infected and he'll go blind. Half blind.
All in all, it sounds like a spectacularly inefficient way of pissing someone off. It certainly wouldn't get the job done of calming or ending him.
You laugh, but the US Air Force seriously considered the idea. "Rods from God" was the popular name.
Not very deniable, though. If you blew something up with a tungsten rod dropped from low earth orbit, the proportion of tungsten in the ruins might be a bit of a giveaway, and everyone knows where the satellites are, "secret" or otherwise.
Yes, the idea has also been explored in science fiction, like The Expanse, and an Iain M Banks book (I forget which one). But there are easier ways given our current state of orbital vehicle capacity and the sheer mind-numbing difficulty of it. I mean, how do you even account for your missile drifting in the wind through 10+km of atmosphere?
Well, in theory they could be steerable, if your steering mechanism could survive re-entry at Mach 10. The problem being that anything not made of tungsten would no doubt melt pretty quickly.
But it was a jest really, a more amusing way of saying 'if you could push a button to eliminate Putin with no obvious cause, would it help'?
Any attempt to take him out is going to be from much closer range. Although he does seem keen on keeping even his own generals at rather more than arms length.
Does he have a chef?
The iron ball wouldn't melt at the speeds I was talking about too. But Mach 10 is unfathomably fast. I can't quite picture how you'd have the energy to accelerate something to that speed from earth's orbit. You could certainly do some mad trajectory round the sun, but that's going to kill your accuracy, you'd even need to be allowing for relativistic effects. You'd probably end up hitting Kyiv by mistake.
As for other methods, that's what Putin has got to fear. Since he won't be voted out (Russia rigs elections), any change in opinion polling won't cause him any fright. What am I trying to say here? No VI shock for Putin, that's what.
You are already doing nearly 8km/s if you are in low earth orbit!
I'd have to get the calculator out for what speed you'd get for an object dropped from geostationary orbit, but as you'd only be able to land items on or near the equator, you couldn't have much fun with it.
Body language experts will analyse that VT to death in years to come. Despair and reticence in their posture, despite so vociferously backing the annexation of Crimea just years before. Putin's ambitions go far beyond Ukraine, yet their posture speaks of a lack of confidence to be able to successfully subjugate 40m Ukrainians. There's a chance that the conscript bodybags/ashes coming back may do for Putin.
If someone had, say, a low earth orbit satellite with some deniable psuedo meteorites on board, is it time to drop one in his direction now? What would his replacement do?
He doesn't seem to be playing chess in the Russian style. It is definitely more Three Pawns Gambit than Giuoco Piano.
It occurred to me that he might be ill and rushing to create some kind of legacy, although that's probably over thinking it.
This is a hilarious suggestion, so I thought I'd do some calculations.
Let's say the "meteorite" is a solid iron ball, 5 metres in diameter. This would weigh some 500 tonnes; an object of that weight would be exceptionally difficult to get into orbit - the shuttle was able to take about 30 tonnes payload. The iron would then need to be flung at the earth. Given terminal velocity in air is likely to be a few hundred metres per second, there's no point in throwing it much harder, even if you could (spoiler, you can't). Let's say you SOMEHOW manage to fire this badboy 300 metres per second. It will hit the ground at a bit less than that, approx 220 metres per second. And for maximum impact, let's say it was travelling straight down, that's how you get the biggest crater. Give all those parameters, you need to be astonishingly accurate. The crater would be less than 50m is diameter. Meaning you have to get your shot in within 25m of the target from a distance of say 700km (mid range of low-earth orbit). That is the equivalent of throwing a dart from the London Eye and hitting the bullseye of a dartboard on the clock face of the Elizabeth Tower.
If you miss your target, which you will, even a near miss will leave the target basically unharmed. Even hitting the "dartboard", getting the rock 500m from your target, would only be enough to maybe blow out the glass in the building from the air shock. The target will experience a seismic shock equivalent to 0.9 on the Richter scale. That is, unfeelable. The air shock will be as loud as a busy road, 65dB. If you're super lucky, Putin will get a bit of dust in his eye which will get infected and he'll go blind. Half blind.
All in all, it sounds like a spectacularly inefficient way of pissing someone off. It certainly wouldn't get the job done of calming or ending him.
You laugh, but the US Air Force seriously considered the idea. "Rods from God" was the popular name.
Not very deniable, though. If you blew something up with a tungsten rod dropped from low earth orbit, the proportion of tungsten in the ruins might be a bit of a giveaway, and everyone knows where the satellites are, "secret" or otherwise.
Yes, the idea has also been explored in science fiction, like The Expanse, and an Iain M Banks book (I forget which one). But there are easier ways given our current state of orbital vehicle capacity and the sheer mind-numbing difficulty of it. I mean, how do you even account for your missile drifting in the wind through 10+km of atmosphere?
Well, in theory they could be steerable, if your steering mechanism could survive re-entry at Mach 10. The problem being that anything not made of tungsten would no doubt melt pretty quickly.
It was just an attempt at a more amusing way of asking 'if you could push a button to eliminate Putin with no obvious cause, would it help'?
Any real attempt to take him out is going to be from much closer range. Although he does seem keen on keeping even his own generals at rather more than arms length.
Does he have a chef?
If the chef can be nobbled, poisoning might be too traceable. So exploding sausages would be better.
Nobble the cleaner, Toxic table polish. He would be breathing in a mother lode of that. If it takes out Macron at the same time, well, never mind.
“Those who the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.” So we don’t destroy him, we just get people to think he’s gone mad. Nobble his script writer so he gives a state of the nation full of fantasy history and daft yet dangerous ramblings (this plan might already be in operation)
Borrowing “who me?” the Americans worked on in the Second World War, destroy Putin’s seat of power using fake flatulence.
Body language experts will analyse that VT to death in years to come. Despair and reticence in their posture, despite so vociferously backing the annexation of Crimea just years before. Putin's ambitions go far beyond Ukraine, yet their posture speaks of a lack of confidence to be able to successfully subjugate 40m Ukrainians. There's a chance that the conscript bodybags/ashes coming back may do for Putin.
If someone had, say, a low earth orbit satellite with some deniable psuedo meteorites on board, is it time to drop one in his direction now? What would his replacement do?
He doesn't seem to be playing chess in the Russian style. It is definitely more Three Pawns Gambit than Giuoco Piano.
It occurred to me that he might be ill and rushing to create some kind of legacy, although that's probably over thinking it.
This is a hilarious suggestion, so I thought I'd do some calculations.
Let's say the "meteorite" is a solid iron ball, 5 metres in diameter. This would weigh some 500 tonnes; an object of that weight would be exceptionally difficult to get into orbit - the shuttle was able to take about 30 tonnes payload. The iron would then need to be flung at the earth. Given terminal velocity in air is likely to be a few hundred metres per second, there's no point in throwing it much harder, even if you could (spoiler, you can't). Let's say you SOMEHOW manage to fire this badboy 300 metres per second. It will hit the ground at a bit less than that, approx 220 metres per second. And for maximum impact, let's say it was travelling straight down, that's how you get the biggest crater. Give all those parameters, you need to be astonishingly accurate. The crater would be less than 50m is diameter. Meaning you have to get your shot in within 25m of the target from a distance of say 700km (mid range of low-earth orbit). That is the equivalent of throwing a dart from the London Eye and hitting the bullseye of a dartboard on the clock face of the Elizabeth Tower.
If you miss your target, which you will, even a near miss will leave the target basically unharmed. Even hitting the "dartboard", getting the rock 500m from your target, would only be enough to maybe blow out the glass in the building from the air shock. The target will experience a seismic shock equivalent to 0.9 on the Richter scale. That is, unfeelable. The air shock will be as loud as a busy road, 65dB. If you're super lucky, Putin will get a bit of dust in his eye which will get infected and he'll go blind. Half blind.
All in all, it sounds like a spectacularly inefficient way of pissing someone off. It certainly wouldn't get the job done of calming or ending him.
You laugh, but the US Air Force seriously considered the idea. "Rods from God" was the popular name.
Not very deniable, though. If you blew something up with a tungsten rod dropped from low earth orbit, the proportion of tungsten in the ruins might be a bit of a giveaway, and everyone knows where the satellites are, "secret" or otherwise.
Yes, the idea has also been explored in science fiction, like The Expanse, and an Iain M Banks book (I forget which one). But there are easier ways given our current state of orbital vehicle capacity and the sheer mind-numbing difficulty of it. I mean, how do you even account for your missile drifting in the wind through 10+km of atmosphere?
Well, in theory they could be steerable, if your steering mechanism could survive re-entry at Mach 10. The problem being that anything not made of tungsten would no doubt melt pretty quickly.
It was just an attempt at a more amusing way of asking 'if you could push a button to eliminate Putin with no obvious cause, would it help'?
Any real attempt to take him out is going to be from much closer range. Although he does seem keen on keeping even his own generals at rather more than arms length.
Does he have a chef?
If the chef can be nobbled, poisoning might be too traceable. So exploding sausages would be better.
Nobble the cleaner, Toxic table polish. He would be breathing in a mother lode of that. If it takes out Macron at the same time, well, never mind.
“Those who the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.” So we don’t destroy him, we just get people to think he’s gone mad. Nobble his script writer so he gives a state of the nation full of fantasy history and daft yet dangerous ramblings (this plan might already be in operation)
Borrowing “who me?” the Americans worked on in the Second World War, destroy Putin’s seat of power using fake flatulence.
There was a rather disturbing report on CBS here in the US about the “Havana Syndrome” case, which the CIA are pretty sure is caused by a directed microwave weapon, they just can’t pin it on any particular state actor, although the shortlist of those capable is pretty short and includes the Rossikaya Federatsiya. So if Putin was to come down with an acute case of it, the Russians could only really blame it on the US by admitting they have these weapons but it wasn’t them. /s
If you want to hurt Putin, do not merely sanction his friends, kill his friends. Relatively soft targets, love to travel abroad. Often body guarded but that's dealable with.
Now that Russian formations are officially operating in the breakaway republics, expect an 'attack' on them, thus necessitating a Russian response against the Ukrainian military.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
There isn’t much to do there, my very brief trip dates from the time when to change visa in the UAE meant leaving the country and returning, KIsh being one of the nearest destinations where you could do that, thanks to them having no visa rules themselves. I had my passport stamped in, then waited to get back on the same plane returning to Dubai.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
But you see, it is *our* fault. If we had not said Russia was going to invade Ukraine, then they would not have. We 'poked' them into the invasion.
The merest hint of a thought of invading Ukraine had not passed through Putin's mind until Boris said Putin was going to do it. Then Putin thought: "How dare they provoke me like that! I'll show them what's what by doing exactly what they said I was going to do, but I had no intention of doing."
What followed next was widely considered as a return to normality. Economy started recovering, inflation decreased to only 84% (previously it could be as high as 2700% per year).
What followed next was widely considered as a return to normality. Economy started recovering, inflation decreased to only 84% (previously it could be as high as 2700% per year).
Puts our inflation into perspective.
Watching the reaction of a whole generation of Westerners under about 35, who have only ever really known interest rates at 0.5% and inflation at 2%, to a little bit of inflation as the pandemic shakes out, can be rather amusing at times.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
Rude reaction aside what more serious ultimatum did you want? Speaking for myself I support the line on Russian aggression so far and it's hard to see how it could be stronger without risking a shooting war.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
Rude reaction aside what more serious ultimatum did you want? Speaking for myself I support the line on Russian aggression so far and it's hard to see how it could be stronger without risking a shooting war.
To be clear: the side 'risking a shooting war' is Russia. The country that has invaded another sovereign country.
You know, the country doing the shooting.
So what is your answer to save Ukraine and the other eastern European states from domination by evil?
Leave the crowds at Lake Bled and enjoy mountains, meadows and waterfalls.
The bit of Croatia up by the Hungarian border is supposed to be amazing
By the way, does anyone know why flying to Croatia is so expensive? Ryanair will do £20 to Zagreb, but all the London <-> Split and London <-> Dubrovnik flights, even with changes at Zagreb are about £200 return… was this true before Covid?
As non-EU their flights aren’t subsidised by the EU regional airports fund. Hence you’re actually simply paying the right price?
That can't be right. You can fly to Kiev on Ryanair for £4 next week!
Leave the crowds at Lake Bled and enjoy mountains, meadows and waterfalls.
The bit of Croatia up by the Hungarian border is supposed to be amazing
By the way, does anyone know why flying to Croatia is so expensive? Ryanair will do £20 to Zagreb, but all the London <-> Split and London <-> Dubrovnik flights, even with changes at Zagreb are about £200 return… was this true before Covid?
As non-EU their flights aren’t subsidised by the EU regional airports fund. Hence you’re actually simply paying the right price?
That can't be right. You can fly to Kiev on Ryanair for £4 next week!
How much extra does it cost to bring your AK-47 as hand luggage? Asking for a friend.
Russian peacekeeping troops on their way to the Donbass Republic...
I see that finally, people are noticing that Putin is a Greater Russian Nationalist.
Bit late. But hey.....
Just a street thug with grandiose pretentions.
That's what they all are.
Sta- that is literally what he was Saddam Hussein - who liked to bang on about how he was the inheritor (and leader) of Bathtub Arab National Socialism. Mao - literally. Murdered bags of the intellectual commies to get the top spot. Mussolini - say no more Hitler - the archetype.
In fact the closest we had to a cultured dictator with actual intellect was D'Annunzio - and he only ran Fiume for a bit....
I wish that were the case but it is not
Nearly all of those you cite were cunning and intelligent.
Stalin was brutally good at wielding power and fear, and fencing off his own emotions
Mao was a kind of genius, eg he knew just went to unleash the Cultural Revolution - then stop it
Hitler was a super orator (albeit florid for Anglo-Saxon tastes) and also a very gifted political operator in the round: the Swastika flag was his, and it is possibly the greatest piece of vexillological design in history
Mussolini was a thuggish, stupider copycat of d'Annunzio, agreed, and Hussein was just mafioso
But there is no point in denying some of these men had great talents. They just used them for evil purposes
D'Annunzio was a failure in the long term.
Fiume is now the Croat city of Rijeka...
They were all failures. The truly perceptive people who met them all spoke of a veneer of sophistication over the street thug.
Such an observation opens up considerable scope to expand the original list.
The Dildo Knapper's Gazette wants to send me write about flintwork in some corner of Europe, Australia or north America that they feel has been unjustly neglected by travellers
Does anyone have any ideas?
I've just been looking at the list of national parks in Europe for some inspiration. There are 500 or more, most of which I've barely or never heard of
And so much more. Has anyone got a favourite secret corner of Europe?
Close to home, Beaujolais. The French Tuscany. Particularly the Pierres Dorées to the South.
Incredibly, that is on my list already. The golden villages of the Beaujolais. Went there a few years ago. Delightful. And nice wine, too, of course, tho you can get bored of Gamay
I am looking at the Picos de Europa in Spain as a possible alternative to Pyrenees
I always make my Beef Bourguignon with a Louis Janot. Beaujolais Villages 2018.
It’s far from a great question. Restrictions being lifted now are fine. In line with other nations.
All questions against the government are 'great' is the new PB mantra..
It seems especially puzzling that Beth Rigby is so lauded, given her history of COVID rule breaking.
It is like Pinocchio rebuking Boris Johnson over telling lies.
And then pb.com squeals, great work, Pinocchio !
Why’s she lauded. My enemies enemy is my friend.
Much of the journalist coverage of Covid has been poor. Not just Rigby but Peston, Laura K and most of,the rest but it is mostly political hacks covering it.
I always like watching Fergus Walsh on the BBC. But he’s a medical journalist so isn’t interested in partisan political point scoring.
It’s far from a great question. Restrictions being lifted now are fine. In line with other nations.
All questions against the government are 'great' is the new PB mantra..
It seems especially puzzling that Beth Rigby is so lauded, given her history of COVID rule breaking.
It is like Pinocchio rebuking Boris Johnson over telling lies.
And then pb.com squeals, great work, Pinocchio !
Why’s she lauded. My enemies enemy is my friend.
Much of the journalist coverage of Covid has been poor. Not just Rigby but Peston, Laura K and most of,the rest but it is mostly political hacks covering it.
I always like watching Fergus Walsh on the BBC. But he’s a medical journalist so isn’t interested in partisan political point scoring.
"Sir Robert, you know what your English newspapers are like. Suppose that when I leave this house I drive down to some newspaper office, and give them this scandal and the proofs of it! Think of their loathsome joy, of the delight they would have in dragging you down, of the mud and mire they would plunge you in. Think of the hypocrite with his greasy smile penning his leading article, and arranging the foulness of the public placard."
The hypocrite with the greasy smile seems such a perfect description of so many English journalists.
The Dildo Knapper's Gazette wants to send me write about flintwork in some corner of Europe, Australia or north America that they feel has been unjustly neglected by travellers
Does anyone have any ideas?
I've just been looking at the list of national parks in Europe for some inspiration. There are 500 or more, most of which I've barely or never heard of
And so much more. Has anyone got a favourite secret corner of Europe?
Close to home, Beaujolais. The French Tuscany. Particularly the Pierres Dorées to the South.
Incredibly, that is on my list already. The golden villages of the Beaujolais. Went there a few years ago. Delightful. And nice wine, too, of course, tho you can get bored of Gamay
I am looking at the Picos de Europa in Spain as a possible alternative to Pyrenees
I always make my Beef Bourguignon with a Louis Janot. Beaujolais Villages 2018.
Jadot?
To the point, “always” doesn’t sit very sensibly alongside the “2018”.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
Rude reaction aside what more serious ultimatum did you want? Speaking for myself I support the line on Russian aggression so far and it's hard to see how it could be stronger without risking a shooting war.
To be clear: the side 'risking a shooting war' is Russia. The country that has invaded another sovereign country.
You know, the country doing the shooting.
So what is your answer to save Ukraine and the other eastern European states from domination by evil?
To be clear I meant a shooting war between British or American troops and Russian troops. That is the stuff of nightmares.
The west is doing what it can to make the price Russia has to pay disproportionately high but we are not guardian angels who can guarantee every country in the world freedom from aggressive neighbours.
You haven't answered my question about what more you think the West should be doing? You accuse everyone else of cowardice but what would you do if you were the Prime Minister?
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
It’s far from a great question. Restrictions being lifted now are fine. In line with other nations.
All questions against the government are 'great' is the new PB mantra..
It seems especially puzzling that Beth Rigby is so lauded, given her history of COVID rule breaking.
It is like Pinocchio rebuking Boris Johnson over telling lies.
And then pb.com squeals, great work, Pinocchio !
Why’s she lauded. My enemies enemy is my friend.
Much of the journalist coverage of Covid has been poor. Not just Rigby but Peston, Laura K and most of,the rest but it is mostly political hacks covering it.
I always like watching Fergus Walsh on the BBC. But he’s a medical journalist so isn’t interested in partisan political point scoring.
When all this started I felt somewhat sorry for Walsh. I'm not sure what his 'history' is; I think his wife s a GP, but I (somehow) got the impression that he went into medical journalism thinking he could get a story, research it and then give a few interviews or write it up somewhere. Instead of which he was on the box morning, noon and night, having to monitor a fast-moving situation and ask probing questions of senior ministers.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
Basically two problems. How many children are off, with consequent disruption, and, given that we seem to be, effectively, in a heavy flu season what is the effect on teachers. Plus, of course, parental concerns.
And, I suspect that many children are still suffering from the effects of school closures. Effects which are both educational and emotional.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
Basically two problems. How many children are off, with consequent disruption, and, given that we seem to be, effectively, in a heavy flu season what is the effect on teachers. Plus, of course, parental concerns.
And, I suspect that many children are still suffering from the effects of school closures. Effects which are both educational and emotional.
The only reason children are off is because of the ridiculous testing of asymptomatic children and telling them they have to be off even if they're not sick, simply because they have a virus that isn't making them sick.
The way to end the disruption is to stop testing asymptomatic children and stop telling them they have to stay away from school. Then the disruption ends.
The way we have damaged children's education for a virus that doesn't even hurt children in general is an utter disgrace and it has to end in full.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
Rude reaction aside what more serious ultimatum did you want? Speaking for myself I support the line on Russian aggression so far and it's hard to see how it could be stronger without risking a shooting war.
So far it has only been hot air , we will see if they really mean it when they put sanctions on and cut off the gas , stop London being run as an offshoot of Russia etc. Or will it just be hot air.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Yes; It is, too, I think, sometime somewhat difficult for people in the UK to understand that, particularly in Eastern Europe it is impossible to draw a line and say that 'everyone to the east identifies as Nationality A and every one to the west as B. Population movements, both forced and voluntary have been enormous.
The Dildo Knapper's Gazette wants to send me write about flintwork in some corner of Europe, Australia or north America that they feel has been unjustly neglected by travellers
Does anyone have any ideas?
I've just been looking at the list of national parks in Europe for some inspiration. There are 500 or more, most of which I've barely or never heard of
It’s far from a great question. Restrictions being lifted now are fine. In line with other nations.
The great questions are
- should they ever have been imposed in the first place, given how illiberal, counter-productive, ineffective and hypocrtical they are? - why are we keeping so many travel restrictions, the most counter-productive and least effective of the lot?
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
Well Donetsk and Luhansk are probably majority-Russian now, but that is because most of their Ukrainian inhabitants are now living elsewhere as refugees.
And don't believe Putin's irredentism. Speaking Russian as a first language doesn't stop you seeing yourself as Ukrainian (their current president is a case in point) and even being an ethnic Russian doesn't stop you being a civic Ukrainian or wanting to be in Putin's gangsterate.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Breslau, of course, is now known as Wroclow and the descendants of the German speakers/ ethnic Germans who lived there prior to 1945 now live, primarily, in what was West Germany.
Russia is going to recognize the DNR and LNR’s borders within the whole of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts - 2/3 of which are controlled by Ukraine, according to MP Leonid Kalashnikov.
That could mean endorsing separatist territorial claims and de facto war with Ukraine.
Worth pointing out that another influential lawmaker, Andrei Klimov, said the opposite last night – that recognition would only extend to the existing separatist borders.
Usually Russian MPs and senators are the last to know what Putin’s plans are, but it’s a fraught moment.
Kalashnikov has now clarified that this war scenario is just his *opinion*! And that he has no idea what the Duma is actually voting on.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Yes; It is, too, I think, sometime somewhat difficult for people in the UK to understand that, particularly in Eastern Europe it is impossible to draw a line and say that 'everyone to the east identifies as Nationality A and every one to the west as B. Population movements, both forced and voluntary have been enormous.
Indeed so. But the boundaries as they are now, have been fixed for decades and should be changed only by the people from those areas. Most definitely not by a big angry bear threatening harm to them.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
One thing I do hope is ditched with the changes in isolation rules are the requirement for a third set of mock exams for Years 11 and 13.
While there was a certain logic in having them if large numbers of children might have to isolate in their exams, they are an extremely bad idea:
1) They will further restrict teaching time and make it more difficult for us to finish even the truncated courses, let alone do any revision;
2) They will exhaust the children and make them 'examined out' before the exams have even started;
3) They are very expensive to run, as they have to be staffed by outside invigilators and such staff don't come cheap (heck, we're struggling to find supply at the moment, never mind anything else);
4) They will need marking, which in itself is an issue as it's going to exhaust the teachers who might otherwise have marked the real exams.
If isolation is to be scrapped, I honestly can't see the point of them, other than the useless twats at the DfE flexing their puny muscles to exert control. So let's get rid of them as part of the return to normality.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Indeed, but that doesn't mean we should completely whitewash anything to do with the history of Ukraine, and in particular the Ukrainan right, either, as the Germans are more aware of than the British.
At this moment I favour the strongest sanctions possible, to stop Putin going further. He has those 600 Billion in reserves, however.
I don’t know why everyone is so bothered - as far as my life is concerned covid has been over for months now. Everything is already back to normal.
I even say this as an immune suppressed person.
Well quite. Which is why the changes announced yesterday will not have a big effect, despite some people’s hyperventilating.
From the reaction on breakfast tv and the news as well as the tedious ‘speak your brains’ segments you’d think this was all done to save the PM with no regard to public safety. Crazy.
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
Support for Boris announcement from an unlikely source
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Although it should not be forgotten that from their point of view it was a very easy choice. The Nazis pretended to be their friends, and said they would abolish collective farms and give them back the land that had been stolen from them. The Soviets said they would shoot anyone who even suggested such a thing, on top of the unknown number (certainly many millions) that they had starved to death in the Holodomor.
In 1940 the NKVD reported that 80% of Ukrainians were hoping for a German invasion and would enthusiastically support it.
The tragedy from their point of view is that every single offer the Nazis made was a lie, and they proved even more brutal in practice than the Soviets had been.
Then the Soviets came back, and were more brutal again...
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
Rude reaction aside what more serious ultimatum did you want? Speaking for myself I support the line on Russian aggression so far and it's hard to see how it could be stronger without risking a shooting war.
To be clear: the side 'risking a shooting war' is Russia. The country that has invaded another sovereign country.
You know, the country doing the shooting.
So what is your answer to save Ukraine and the other eastern European states from domination by evil?
To be clear I meant a shooting war between British or American troops and Russian troops. That is the stuff of nightmares.
The west is doing what it can to make the price Russia has to pay disproportionately high but we are not guardian angels who can guarantee every country in the world freedom from aggressive neighbours.
You haven't answered my question about what more you think the West should be doing? You accuse everyone else of cowardice but what would you do if you were the Prime Minister?
I gave a fairly comprehensive set of measures on here the other day. And BTW, I don't think I've used the word 'cowardice'.
You should answer the same question: what do the west do to protect Ukrainians and other eastern European states from Russian aggression?
And if you're afraid of triggering a shooting war, then bolstering NATO in Poland, Romania etc is out - because Putin will just take that as a provocation.
In fact, he'll take anything as a provocation.
So what's your answer? How do you defeat this evil? Or are you secretly tumescent at the idea of an emboldened Russia?
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Indeed, but that doesn't mean we should completely whitewash anything historically to do with Ukraine either, as the Germans are more aware of than the British.
At this moment I favour the strongest sanctions possible, to stop Putin going further. He has those 600 Billion in reserves, however.
Sanctions at a level that can destroy the Russian economy would be my choice. Freeze the assets of all Russians in London and arrest the oligarchs and question them on suspicion of corruption and/or conspiracy to wage aggressive war.
It’s far from a great question. Restrictions being lifted now are fine. In line with other nations.
The great questions are
- should they ever have been imposed in the first place, given how illiberal, counter-productive, ineffective and hypocrtical they are? - why are we keeping so many travel restrictions, the most counter-productive and least effective of the lot?
Yes, they are, but unlikely to ever be asked. The first one especially in light of the party so called scandal.
Beth Rigby asking about "gun ho" politicians - is she suggesting Boris is in a crack den with an Uzi and his bitches?
That might just get the letters going in.....
A singular street ho surely? Here's a conundrum, what would be the plural of a ho? Hos or hoes?
It's gung ho not gun ho.
Second World War: from Chinese gōnghé, taken to mean ‘work together’ and adopted as a slogan by US Marines.
Yes, I suspect everyone understood Ms Rigby's error. That was why @MarqueeMark was making his joke about weapons and hookers (gun and ho) to which I was responding.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Crimea was transferred to Ukraine in 1954 under Kruschev.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Breslau, of course, is now known as Wroclow and the descendants of the German speakers/ ethnic Germans who lived there prior to 1945 now live, primarily, in what was West Germany.
It’s far from a great question. Restrictions being lifted now are fine. In line with other nations.
The great questions are
- should they ever have been imposed in the first place, given how illiberal, counter-productive, ineffective and hypocrtical they are? - why are we keeping so many travel restrictions, the most counter-productive and least effective of the lot?
Yes, they are, but unlikely to ever be asked. The first one especially in light of the party so called scandal.
The big question that needs answering in any enquiry is whether the Swedes called this right, and we called it wrong. In hindsight, it seems so.
But I expect all any enquiry (and the media reporting of it especially) will focus on was whether lockdown was called "too late" as opposed to whether it should have even been called in the first place.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
One thing I do hope is ditched with the changes in isolation rules are the requirement for a third set of mock exams for Years 11 and 13.
While there was a certain logic in having them if large numbers of children might have to isolate in their exams, they are an extremely bad idea:
1) They will further restrict teaching time and make it more difficult for us to finish even the truncated courses, let alone do any revision;
2) They will exhaust the children and make them 'examined out' before the exams have even started;
3) They are very expensive to run, as they have to be staffed by outside invigilators and such staff don't come cheap (heck, we're struggling to find supply at the moment, never mind anything else);
4) They will need marking, which in itself is an issue as it's going to exhaust the teachers who might otherwise have marked the real exams.
If isolation is to be scrapped, I honestly can't see the point of them, other than the useless twats at the DfE flexing their puny muscles to exert control. So let's get rid of them as part of the return to normality.
The two 'practising' teachers in my family (grandson & wife) came to lunch on Sunday. They want nothing more than to get back to normal, with as little 'management' interference as possible. However, grandson, who teaches the top primary year fears that that happy state is unlikely to occur.
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
No answer to her hypocrisy. She’s just an SNP shill now.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Crimea was transferred to Ukraine in 1954 under Kruschev.
Can I pedantically point out it was under Malenkov?
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Yes, but some did rather enthusiastically. The genocide at Babi Yar was by Ukranian collaborators.
I am greatly sympathetic to the Ukranian plight, but history is very messy, and within living memory in these parts.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Although it should not be forgotten that from their point of view it was a very easy choice. The Nazis pretended to be their friends, and said they would abolish collective farms and give them back the land that had been stolen from them. The Soviets said they would shoot anyone who even suggested such a thing, on top of the unknown number (certainly many millions) that they had starved to death in the Holodomor.
In 1940 the NKVD reported that 80% of Ukrainians were hoping for a German invasion and would enthusiastically support it.
The tragedy from their point of view is that every single offer the Nazis made was a lie, and they proved even more brutal in practice than the Soviets had been.
Then the Soviets came back, and were more brutal again...
Agreed. The only difference was that the Soviets stopped the Holocaust of the Jews and other minorities that the Galician SS had played an enthusiastic part in. Only seven years later, Stalin was starting his own enthusiastic purges of Jews, though obviously not on the same scale.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Crimea was transferred to Ukraine in 1954 under Kruschev.
Can I pedantically point out it was under Malenkov?
Can we take issue pedantically with where you put the word pedantically in your sentence back there?
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
In any case, since when did we start using memories of WWII as a means of justifying changes to internationally settled national boundaries, imposed by force ?
This is whataboutery of the most nonsensical kind.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
I've been called worse. Problem for you is that 4 years in local government hardened me to not care one little bit about jibes thrown by people I don't respect. And I still don't see what point there is in NATO sabre-rattling. We will stop him financially and diplomatically, not by war.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
I agree.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
Crimea was transferred to Ukraine in 1954 under Kruschev.
Can I pedantically point out it was under Malenkov?
Can we take issue pedantically with where you put the word pedantically in your sentence back there?
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
In any case, since when did we start using memories of WWII as a means of justifying changes to internationally settled national boundaries, imposed by force ?
This is whataboutery of the most nonsensical kind.
It isn't being used on this thread to justify what I would agree is Putin's dangerous irredentism, but as part of a response to what is an ahistorical conflation of the Ukrainians and the World War II allies.
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
No answer to her hypocrisy. She’s just an SNP shill now.
Blackford's fury in the HOC at the thought HMG will not continue funding Scotland (and Wales) testing regime confirmed just how dependent they have been on the Treasury and they now realise they will need to find their own funding if they want to continue their own restrictions
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
Support for Boris announcement from an unlikely source
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
In any case, since when did we start using memories of WWII as a means of justifying changes to internationally settled national boundaries, imposed by force ?
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
The problem is that with Covid still ripping through quite a lot of primary schools the staff absence means that normal is difficult. OK so the period of sick leave is shorter than the old 2 weeks in chokey used to be but it is still disruptive.
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
Utter bollocks of the highest order.
The answer to Mike's question, as plenty have said already, is a clear and resounding no.
The nation's health isn't best served by pissing billions a month away that could be used productively on NHS backlogs or anything else on an inane waste of time testing for a virus we're all triple-vaccinated for. A virus that post vaccines is so 'severe' it is leading to negative excess deaths at the minute.
Only those with a partisan axe to grind think this is political at all. The evidence to take this step has been there for a long time, I was calling for it ages ago, it was right then and its long overdue now.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Although it should not be forgotten that from their point of view it was a very easy choice. The Nazis pretended to be their friends, and said they would abolish collective farms and give them back the land that had been stolen from them. The Soviets said they would shoot anyone who even suggested such a thing, on top of the unknown number (certainly many millions) that they had starved to death in the Holodomor.
In 1940 the NKVD reported that 80% of Ukrainians were hoping for a German invasion and would enthusiastically support it.
The tragedy from their point of view is that every single offer the Nazis made was a lie, and they proved even more brutal in practice than the Soviets had been.
Then the Soviets came back, and were more brutal again...
Agreed. The only difference was that the Soviets stopped the Holocaust of the Jews and other minorities that the Galician SS had played an enthusiastic part in. Only seven years later, Stalin was starting his own enthusiastic purges of Jews, though obviously not on the same scale.
I am not altogether sure the Crimean Tartars (and separately, the Volga Germans) felt that the Soviets were stopping genocide when they reconquered Ukraine, but the general thrust is correct.
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
No answer to her hypocrisy. She’s just an SNP shill now.
Blackford's fury in the HOC at the thought HMG will not continue funding Scotland (and Wales) testing regime confirmed just how dependent they have been on the Treasury and they now realise they will need to find their own funding if they want to continue their own restrictions
Scotland and Wales fund free prescriptions for all (not just the poor and elderly as in England - so it’s a classic middle class perk) so if it’s so important presumably they can fund free LFTs too?
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
Utter bollocks of the highest order.
The answer to Mike's question, as plenty have said already, is a clear and resounding no.
The nation's health isn't best served by pissing billions a month away that could be used productively on NHS backlogs or anything else on an inane waste of time testing for a virus we're all triple-vaccinated for. A virus that post vaccines is so 'severe' it is leading to negative excess deaths at the minute.
Only those with a partisan axe to grind think this is political at all. The evidence to take this step has been there for a long time, I was calling for it ages ago, it was right then and its long overdue now.
Plus many other countries have done or are in the process of doing so.
It's almost as if some want to see measures in place merely to blame the Government for still having measures in place...
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
In any case, since when did we start using memories of WWII as a means of justifying changes to internationally settled national boundaries, imposed by force ?
This is whataboutery of the most nonsensical kind.
It isn't being used on this thread to justify Putin's dangerous irredentism, but as part of a response to ahistorical comparisons between the Ukrainians and the World War II allies.
And the boundaries imposed by force in 1945 replaced others imposed by force in 1918. Etc.
There's an old 'joke' about a farmer who lived on the border between Russia and Poland (when there was one!). Border disputes when back and forth and his nationality shifted with them. Eventually an agreement was reached ad he was told that he definitely a Pole. To which he replied 'Thank God; I couldn't face another Russian winter."
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Indeed, but that doesn't mean we should completely whitewash anything historically to do with Ukraine either, as the Germans are more aware of than the British.
At this moment I favour the strongest sanctions possible, to stop Putin going further. He has those 600 Billion in reserves, however.
Sanctions at a level that can destroy the Russian economy would be my choice. Freeze the assets of all Russians in London and arrest the oligarchs and question them on suspicion of corruption and/or conspiracy to wage aggressive war.
Lets see who has been benefiting from this dodgy oligarch money and go after them. Another police interview for Boris coming up. And a stack of Tory MPs.
The Dildo Knapper's Gazette wants to send me write about flintwork in some corner of Europe, Australia or north America that they feel has been unjustly neglected by travellers
Does anyone have any ideas?
I've just been looking at the list of national parks in Europe for some inspiration. There are 500 or more, most of which I've barely or never heard of
And so much more. Has anyone got a favourite secret corner of Europe?
Barnsley. I'm sure the average Torygraph reader would be fascinated by your tales of adventures in Wombwell.
Jamund is beautiful, as is the rest of Rügen, amazing beaches, fascinating Nazi holiday architecture in Prora etc. But it is not exactly neglected, it's one of the most popular holiday destinations for Germans. Not many foreigners apart from Scandinavians, Poles and Russians. No Brits, it's true.
Less visited are Meck-Pomm's Hanseatic towns, I recommend Stralsund and Wismar.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
The problem is that with Covid still ripping through quite a lot of primary schools the staff absence means that normal is difficult. OK so the period of sick leave is shorter than the old 2 weeks in chokey used to be but it is still disruptive.
Primary schools can be filled with snot monkeys at the best of times. Managing absences is something that schools have always had to do, and will always have to do.
However those absences should be because people are actually sick, rather than they have an endemic virus that hasn't made them sick.
As the Russian army marches into Ukraine, I hope the PB scum that accused everyone demanding more serious ultimatums of warmongering see what they have done. You are all human filth.
I've been called worse. Problem for you is that 4 years in local government hardened me to not care one little bit about jibes thrown by people I don't respect. And I still don't see what point there is in NATO sabre-rattling. We will stop him financially and diplomatically, not by war.
We have had sanctions on Russia and Russian individuals for years. They have not stopped the aggression. What makes you so certain that stronger sanctions will stop Russian aggression?
If Nord Stream 2 isn't 100% dead then the Germans have sold their souls.
Genuine question - how easy will it be for European countries to stop using Russian gas and find alternative sources? Just wondering how on the tit we are despite the posturing towards the gas man...
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
Of course the restrictions have been done for the nations health. Other nations are doing exactly the same.
Happy Tues! ☀️ Just remember UK govt COVID decisions are now driven by catching headlines & not in the interests of the health & well-being of the population. We can both recognize need to open up economy & society using vaccines/testing and seriousness of COVID as a disease.
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
No answer to her hypocrisy. She’s just an SNP shill now.
Good morning one and all. At least the wind seems to have dropped, but the sky I can see from my window looks a bit threatening. I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian. I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
What issue do you see with schools? Children are the least vulnerable to this virus.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
The problem is that with Covid still ripping through quite a lot of primary schools the staff absence means that normal is difficult. OK so the period of sick leave is shorter than the old 2 weeks in chokey used to be but it is still disruptive.
Primary schools can be filled with snot monkeys at the best of times. Managing absences is something that schools have always had to do, and will always have to do.
However those absences should be because people are actually sick, rather than they have an endemic virus that hasn't made them sick.
Makes you wonder how we ever managed these situations before covid.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Yes, but some did rather enthusiastically. The genocide at Babi Yar was by Ukranian collaborators.
I am greatly sympathetic to the Ukranian plight, but history is very messy, and within living memory in these parts.
Ukrainian Auxiliary Police certainly took part at Babyn Yar but it was led by Sonderkommando death squads.
A chilling place. The fact that it's quite a nice park, and on the Metro, somehow brings it home.
If Nord Stream 2 isn't 100% dead then the Germans have sold their souls.
Genuine question - how easy will it be for European countries to stop using Russian gas and find alternative sources? Just wondering how on the tit we are despite the posturing towards the gas man...
There is plenty of gas in other parts of the world and underground. The well funded green lobby will be doing their best to ensure we don’t access it. We should be pushing for more renewables but we need fossil fuels for the time being.
@A1istair·8m Nothing to offer but blood sweat and toil. God save Ukraine. 🙏
They need all that spirit, and even more.
The Ukrainians clearly have right on their side in this case, but it has to be said that the World War II history of Ukraine is rather different from that. I'm not sure that ahistorical connections will help deter Putin from going further, in this case.
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Some Ukrainians certainly see themselves as Europeans, and the Russians as Asiatics.
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
I don’t think any sane person would suggest that WWII as it occurred in Eastern Europe didn’t involve incredibly difficult decisions, ones that we with our arses planted in comfortable armchairs can barely comprehend. However it’s modern Ukrainians dressing up in SS Galician Division uniforms and proudly commemorating said division’s activities that are more problematic. To be clear I think anyone who enjoys dressing up in SS uniforms is well dodgy, but at least our UK gimps have to pretend they’re only there for the reenactment and not massively getting off on it.
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
I remember chatting with Chinese students at our church in Durham mad in the mid 00s. They were a little surprised when we were talking about history and politics and I said that this will be China's century. But when you look at trade and resources and technology and manufacturing is there any other conclusion? How much stuff do we each have that is either made in China or from bits made in China?
Xi - like Putin - isn't a nice man. But nobody screams and yells when he brutalises the Uighurs because we're reliant on China for stuff we need at a price we want. Putin has decided that he wants in on this reliance phase and is both selling gas and "thats a nice country, pity if someone set fire to it" protectionism.
For all of the passive aggressive posts by certain people on here about our capitulation to Putin, isn't the hard truth that our countries have long ago already done that? How reliant has the UK been on Russian gas and Russian money? Russia has attacked our shores with chemical weapons and yet the governing party still take Russian money and we still look to Russian gas as part of the continental-wide energy solution.
Comments
I'd have to get the calculator out for what speed you'd get for an object dropped from geostationary orbit, but as you'd only be able to land items on or near the equator, you couldn't have much fun with it.
Nobble the cleaner, Toxic table polish. He would be breathing in a mother lode of that. If it takes out Macron at the same time, well, never mind.
“Those who the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad.” So we don’t destroy him, we just get people to think he’s gone mad. Nobble his script writer so he gives a state of the nation full of fantasy history and daft yet dangerous ramblings (this plan might already be in operation)
Borrowing “who me?” the Americans worked on in the Second World War, destroy Putin’s seat of power using fake flatulence.
"Details of Russia-Donbass cooperation treaty emerge
Agreements with newly recognized Donetsk and Lugansk include military cooperation"
https://www.rt.com/russia/550186-russia-donbass-cooperation-treaty/
Second World War: from Chinese gōnghé, taken to mean ‘work together’ and adopted as a slogan by US Marines.
There isn’t much to do there, my very brief trip dates from the time when to change visa in the UAE meant leaving the country and returning, KIsh being one of the nearest destinations where you could do that, thanks to them having no visa rules themselves. I had my passport stamped in, then waited to get back on the same plane returning to Dubai.
The merest hint of a thought of invading Ukraine had not passed through Putin's mind until Boris said Putin was going to do it. Then Putin thought: "How dare they provoke me like that! I'll show them what's what by doing exactly what they said I was going to do, but I had no intention of doing."
That's the power and influence of the Johnson!
What followed next was widely considered as a return to normality. Economy started recovering, inflation decreased to only 84% (previously it could be as high as 2700% per year).
Puts our inflation into perspective.
You know, the country doing the shooting.
So what is your answer to save Ukraine and the other eastern European states from domination by evil?
Of course. It’s a judgement call - the right one but nothing in life is certain
* except death and taxes. And nurses. Allegedly
It is like Pinocchio rebuking Boris Johnson over telling lies.
And then pb.com squeals, great work, Pinocchio !
I even say this as an immune suppressed person.
Much of the journalist coverage of Covid has been poor. Not just Rigby but Peston, Laura K and most of,the rest but it is mostly political hacks covering it.
I always like watching Fergus Walsh on the BBC. But he’s a medical journalist so isn’t interested in partisan political point scoring.
The hypocrite with the greasy smile seems such a perfect description of so many English journalists.
The west is doing what it can to make the price Russia has to pay disproportionately high but we are not guardian angels who can guarantee every country in the world freedom from aggressive neighbours.
You haven't answered my question about what more you think the West should be doing? You accuse everyone else of cowardice but what would you do if you were the Prime Minister?
I'm somewhat concerned at the dropping of all restrictions; I don't get the I'm press ion that everything's OK now, by any means, although I do think we have to learn to live with endemic Covid; I only hope it remains a mild variety. I suspect there's still an issue with schools.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, are not the boundaries of these States somewhat artificial. AIUI, the majority, possibly the vast majority, of the population of the separatist 'republics' identifies as Russian.
I'm not defending Putin, who appears to be running diversionary tactics of his own...... what's going awry in Russia?
In his own mind, he imagines himself as the WWII-aliied USSR against the Nazi-sympathetic parts of Ukraine, that acquiesced in the Nazi's plans for the Russians. This, too, is exaggerated and ahistorical, but convenient for him.
In Galicia, the Ukrainians were encouraged to see themselves as ethnically different by the Nazis, and joined the SS. This is one reason not previously mentioned here why a modern centre-left German politician like Scholz, keeps a noticeable distance from some of the stronger rhetoric coming from the Ukrainian Right.
Instead of which he was on the box morning, noon and night, having to monitor a fast-moving situation and ask probing questions of senior ministers.
Schools 100% should be the first thing to live as normal.
Plus, of course, parental concerns.
And, I suspect that many children are still suffering from the effects of school closures. Effects which are both educational and emotional.
The boundaries were fixed by Comrade Stalin.
Comrade Stalin drew the boundaries to undermine Ukrainian nationalism.
It has been one of the most successful gerrymanders in history.
https://twitter.com/devisridhar/status/1496017595786579969
Replying to @devisridhar
Around a month ago you said that science has defanged Covid, and it’s time to get on with our lives. The UK government approach does not seem entirely different to the one you outlined in this article? https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/19/science-covid-ineradicable-disease-prevention
https://twitter.com/fact_covid/status/1496022176662704130
It will be the correct approach once Nicola advocates it, until then this “independent” (sic) “expert” (sic) will continue taking pot shots at the U.K. government, unlike any of her peers in the rest of the U.K.
The way to end the disruption is to stop testing asymptomatic children and stop telling them they have to stay away from school. Then the disruption ends.
The way we have damaged children's education for a virus that doesn't even hurt children in general is an utter disgrace and it has to end in full.
Got a dental appointment (just a checkup) early next month. Will need to check up on the mask situation...
Oh, and I see war's kicked off, or is about to. Has the West been blamed yet?
But, inasmuch as any white European can be a different ethnicity from another, the Ukrainians are different to the Russians. As different as the Poles, for example. Different language, and completely different history. Lviv, for example, was Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, then only Russian since 1945. It used to be a Polish-majority city, until Stalin ethnically cleansed it and sent the Poles to live in Breslau which he had just conquered.
The war in the East was incredibly brutal, and incredibly messy, and people had to choose between Nazism and Stalin. They had no other option. We would rather they had sided with our ally rather than our enemy, but I see little difference between the two.
Population movements, both forced and voluntary have been enormous.
- should they ever have been imposed in the first place, given how illiberal, counter-productive, ineffective and hypocrtical they are?
- why are we keeping so many travel restrictions, the most counter-productive and least effective of the lot?
And don't believe Putin's irredentism. Speaking Russian as a first language doesn't stop you seeing yourself as Ukrainian (their current president is a case in point) and even being an ethnic Russian doesn't stop you being a civic Ukrainian or wanting to be in Putin's gangsterate.
That could mean endorsing separatist territorial claims and de facto war with Ukraine.
Worth pointing out that another influential lawmaker, Andrei Klimov, said the opposite last night – that recognition would only extend to the existing separatist borders.
Usually Russian MPs and senators are the last to know what Putin’s plans are, but it’s a fraught moment.
Kalashnikov has now clarified that this war scenario is just his *opinion*! And that he has no idea what the Duma is actually voting on.
https://twitter.com/maxseddon/status/1496022100280238082
While there was a certain logic in having them if large numbers of children might have to isolate in their exams, they are an extremely bad idea:
1) They will further restrict teaching time and make it more difficult for us to finish even the truncated courses, let alone do any revision;
2) They will exhaust the children and make them 'examined out' before the exams have even started;
3) They are very expensive to run, as they have to be staffed by outside invigilators and such staff don't come cheap (heck, we're struggling to find supply at the moment, never mind anything else);
4) They will need marking, which in itself is an issue as it's going to exhaust the teachers who might otherwise have marked the real exams.
If isolation is to be scrapped, I honestly can't see the point of them, other than the useless twats at the DfE flexing their puny muscles to exert control. So let's get rid of them as part of the return to normality.
At this moment I favour the strongest sanctions possible, to stop Putin going further. He has those 600 Billion in reserves, however.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/21/boris-johnson-covid-restrictions-england?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
In 1940 the NKVD reported that 80% of Ukrainians were hoping for a German invasion and would enthusiastically support it.
The tragedy from their point of view is that every single offer the Nazis made was a lie, and they proved even more brutal in practice than the Soviets had been.
Then the Soviets came back, and were more brutal again...
You should answer the same question: what do the west do to protect Ukrainians and other eastern European states from Russian aggression?
And if you're afraid of triggering a shooting war, then bolstering NATO in Poland, Romania etc is out - because Putin will just take that as a provocation.
In fact, he'll take anything as a provocation.
So what's your answer? How do you defeat this evil? Or are you secretly tumescent at the idea of an emboldened Russia?
There are some very earnest folk in PBLand.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microcosm-Portrait-Central-European-City/dp/0712693343/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ENN0ZQ9AY47Q&keywords=microcosm&qid=1645516049&sprefix=microcosm,aps,57&sr=8-1
But I expect all any enquiry (and the media reporting of it especially) will focus on was whether lockdown was called "too late" as opposed to whether it should have even been called in the first place.
However, grandson, who teaches the top primary year fears that that happy state is unlikely to occur.
This tweet sums it up nicely.
https://twitter.com/mgv95692598/status/1496023165897781248?s=21
I am greatly sympathetic to the Ukranian plight, but history is very messy, and within living memory in these parts.
German and French appeasement of Vladimir Putler failed on every level.
Central and Eastern Europeans told warned them for years, but Berlin and Paris did not listen.
Russian elite corruption projects were up and running in German politics and nobody cared.
https://twitter.com/_JakubJanda/status/1496014259322601477
“Ostpolitik” has a lot to answer for…
This is whataboutery of the most nonsensical kind.
This isn't being done for the nation's health but so that Johnson keeps his right wingers happy. They're more interested in freedom at any cost, including poor people's lives. = Capitalism.
As for Russia, I suspect Putin will stop with these incursions into eastern Ukraine but we shall see. The fact that he waited until the Olympics closed is not a coincidence imho. The new world axis is Putin-Xi and in many ways this kind of incursion is VERY much in the style of China.
Experts should be on tap, not on top. They should be listened to but not obeyed. We vote for politicians to rule us and no one else, thank goodness.
Unless you’re Sridhar and it’s an opportunity to ingratiate yourself with Sturgeon….
https://snyder.substack.com/p/kyivs-ancient-normality-redux?utm_source=url
The answer to Mike's question, as plenty have said already, is a clear and resounding no.
The nation's health isn't best served by pissing billions a month away that could be used productively on NHS backlogs or anything else on an inane waste of time testing for a virus we're all triple-vaccinated for. A virus that post vaccines is so 'severe' it is leading to negative excess deaths at the minute.
Only those with a partisan axe to grind think this is political at all. The evidence to take this step has been there for a long time, I was calling for it ages ago, it was right then and its long overdue now.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/21/boris-johnson-covid-restrictions-england?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
It's almost as if some want to see measures in place merely to blame the Government for still having measures in place...
There's an old 'joke' about a farmer who lived on the border between Russia and Poland (when there was one!). Border disputes when back and forth and his nationality shifted with them.
Eventually an agreement was reached ad he was told that he definitely a Pole.
To which he replied 'Thank God; I couldn't face another Russian winter."
Less visited are Meck-Pomm's Hanseatic towns, I recommend Stralsund and Wismar.
However those absences should be because people are actually sick, rather than they have an endemic virus that hasn't made them sick.
A chilling place. The fact that it's quite a nice park, and on the Metro, somehow brings it home.
I think you could lay that at 1000/1 and be safe.
Boris may go still in the months to come, but no chance today or this week.
Xi - like Putin - isn't a nice man. But nobody screams and yells when he brutalises the Uighurs because we're reliant on China for stuff we need at a price we want. Putin has decided that he wants in on this reliance phase and is both selling gas and "thats a nice country, pity if someone set fire to it" protectionism.
For all of the passive aggressive posts by certain people on here about our capitulation to Putin, isn't the hard truth that our countries have long ago already done that? How reliant has the UK been on Russian gas and Russian money? Russia has attacked our shores with chemical weapons and yet the governing party still take Russian money and we still look to Russian gas as part of the continental-wide energy solution.