Shashank Joshi @shashj · 1h The US intelligence community is led by a pro-Russian official. Imagine writing that sentence at any time in the last 80 years.
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
The European leaders obviously want (or maybe daren't do it without) American aviation and intelligence assets for their second Ruin of Ukraine. So, it's at least worth a go to get DJT on board for that.
Zelenskyy ready to sign up to the protection racket
Corrected for you.
Rather than change posts that you have not written, maybe make the change in your own @Mexicanpete
I didn't change your original post just your post within mine. Minerals deal my arse. It's a mafia style protection racket.
You changed my post and put it in bold
Frankly if posting on PB can be altered by other posters than not only is it creating a wrong impression of the original post but if it became an acceptable practice then this forum would be compromised
If you have something to say keep it under @Mexicanpete
I will stand up for you on this @Big_G_NorthWales when no-one else does.There's nothing more irritating than people changing your text and saying "fixed it for you!" Even "It's a view" is less annoying.
Hamburg results with results from last week's general election in Hamburg in brackets: SPD: 33.5% (22.7%) CDU: 19.8% (20.7%) Greens: 18.5% (19.3%) Left: 11.2% (14.4%) AfD: 7.5% (10.9%) Volt: 3.3% (1.5%) FDP 2.3% (4.5%) BSW 1.8% (4.0%)
Good to see pan-European party Volt doing well, though they didn't beat the 5% hurdle this time.
I assume the SPD-Greens coalition will most likely continue, though there may be some sense in an SPD-CDU coalition in terms of what they could do in the Bundesrat. Either way the SPD can dictate terms as both Greens and CDU want in.
2 points here:
1 - Comparing the general election results last week with this week's state elections, the SPD did a lot better in the state elections, and the other parties all did a bit worse (except Volt). Of course, partly this is because there are different issues - eg the AfD are going to do less well in a state election where asylum rules are less prominent. But a lot has to do with the popularity of the SPD leader Tschentscher, which suggests the SPD could have done significantly better nationally with a different leader (ie Pistorius). 2 - If the SPD switch coalition partners from the Greens to the CDU, it would mean Greens+Linke losing their quasi veto in the Bundesrat. So there might be some pressure on the Hamburg SPD to do that to make life a bit easier for the (presumed) incoming Union-SPD federal government.
Zelenskyy ready to sign up to the protection racket
Corrected for you.
Rather than change posts that you have not written, maybe make the change in your own @Mexicanpete
I didn't change your original post just your post within mine. Minerals deal my arse. It's a mafia style protection racket.
You changed my post and put it in bold
Frankly if posting on PB can be altered by other posters than not only is it creating a wrong impression of the original post but if it became an acceptable practice then this forum would be compromised
If you have something to say keep it under @Mexicanpete
I will stand up for you on this @Big_G_NorthWales when no-one else does.There's nothing more irritating than people changing your text and saying "fixed it for you!" Even "It's a view" is less annoying.
Trump said this to Zelensky at the WH on Friday and I don't think it's received enough attention. There's an implicit "any" there before "deal", isn't there. Given "we're out" means pulling the plug it's basically serving Ukraine up to Putin on a plate.
Ok, Putin wasn't at the meeting so it's just about possible he doesn't know about it. But he has his sources so I think we must assume he does. In which case Trump has telegraphed to Putin, "you have all the cards, Ukraine has none."
Why would he do this? One reason only. He wants any old deal so he can say he's done one. But he also has the red line of no financial or military cost to America. Cake and eat it in other words. It's not a coherent position and I can't see him pulling it off.
Yes. Non USA NATO today has given Trump an exit strategy from his Friday catastrophe + clearly indicated that he has to take that route to stay friends with a vast range of decently civilised countries and placing the ball in Trump's court.
If Trump in the end says No, or raises the stakes too high, I think non USA NATO will carry on alone. Actually, I don't think they have a choice.
Well done to all the leaders stepping up to the plate and filling the vacuum. They all deserve credit.
Putin thought America was all that mattered in the West and he may have bought off the President, but the West is more than just America. To go with the card analogy, Trump may want to fold, but non-USA NATO is calling Putin's bluff.
Agreed. Support from the test of NATO is looking sufficiently strong such that Ukraine can't be forced to accept peace on Putin's terms.
On the other hand, I can't see Putin accepting terms that see territory freezing at current conflict lines but with NATO members in Ukraine with US support.
So I suspect that means there will be no ceasefire in the foreseeable future.
I hesitate to mention it but it may have occurred to some minds that actually there is a need to keep Russia's forces busily engaged while Europe rearms. Starmer and Macron's nightmare at this actual moment is an attack on Lithuania via Belarus to reunite mainland Russia/Belarus with what Kant would have called Konigsberg.
I've mentioned it a few times over the months, and I agree. We may also need time to build up autonomy from the USA in case Trump goes from self-justifying to hostile to vindictive.
One reported commitment from Trump to Starmer on thursday was that the USA would maintain sanctions against Russia for a year. If he's as much in Putin's pocket as claimed, that may not hold, but diplomatic channels to the USA are still held open by Starmer, Macron and others - and they are putting a plan to Trump.
If said plan meets the requirements for Trump, here helping him recover from his own faceplant of ignorance about magicking up "peace" in a situation where red lines overlap because he thought he could bully Ukraine, and giving him a public win to fluff his ego, it may be possible to make it happen. The public win could be Europe taking responsibility.
That I think is Starmer and Lord Mandelbrot's game.
I'm still sticking with my Ent analogy from LOTR for Europe:
Gandalf: "A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."
Zelenskyy ready to sign up to the protection racket
Corrected for you.
Rather than change posts that you have not written, maybe make the change in your own @Mexicanpete
I didn't change your original post just your post within mine. Minerals deal my arse. It's a mafia style protection racket.
You changed my post and put it in bold
Frankly if posting on PB can be altered by other posters than not only is it creating a wrong impression of the original post but if it became an acceptable practice then this forum would be compromised
If you have something to say keep it under @Mexicanpete
I will stand up for you on this @Big_G_NorthWales when no-one else does.There's nothing more irritating than people changing your text and saying "fixed it for you!" Even "It's a view" is less annoying.
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
I still remember the time one of my comments was altered without my permission on PB by one of the mods. Only happened once in all the times I've been on here. It was about 7 or 8 years ago IIRC.
In general, though, I can't praise the mods enough. They have enormous wisdom, epic good looks, and their taste in music is immaculate.
I think there is this delusion -and it's certainly one that Mandelson shares- that one just needs to negotiate with Trump, and he wants things, sure, but he's our ally.
This is to completely misunderstand him.
In Trump's mind, one is either:
(a) A fellow strong man to be admired (b) A weakling who must bow down in front of him Or (c) An enemy
There is no (d) ally
The sooner the developed world realizes this, the better. Because right now they think that with a little bit of massaging, he'll act like anyone else. And that's not true.
If you're doing what he says, and you take that subservient role, then I'm sure he'll throw you a bone from time to time.
But that's what's on offer from the Trump administration. That's the best they can give you.
So my advice is a simple: we need to pretend the US does not exist. Europe (and the UK) shouldn't engage in attempting to persuade or cajole. The only thing that Trump respects is strength, and so we need to be strong.
Zelenskyy ready to sign up to the protection racket
Corrected for you.
Rather than change posts that you have not written, maybe make the change in your own @Mexicanpete
I didn't change your original post just your post within mine. Minerals deal my arse. It's a mafia style protection racket.
You changed my post and put it in bold
Frankly if posting on PB can be altered by other posters than not only is it creating a wrong impression of the original post but if it became an acceptable practice then this forum would be compromised
If you have something to say keep it under @Mexicanpete
I will stand up for you on this @Big_G_NorthWales when no-one else does.There's nothing more irritating than people changing your text and saying "fixed it for you!" Even "It's a view" is less annoying.
Zelenskyy ready to sign up to the protection racket
Corrected for you.
Rather than change posts that you have not written, maybe make the change in your own @Mexicanpete
I didn't change your original post just your post within mine. Minerals deal my arse. It's a mafia style protection racket.
You changed my post and put it in bold
Frankly if posting on PB can be altered by other posters than not only is it creating a wrong impression of the original post but if it became an acceptable practice then this forum would be compromised
If you have something to say keep it under @Mexicanpete
I will stand up for you on this @Big_G_NorthWales when no-one else does.There's nothing more irritating than people changing your text and saying "fixed it for you!" Even "It's a view" is less annoying.
Well, it's annoying
Fixed it for you.
You didn't place your amendments in bold. A fail. Sorry!
Richard is one of the few that might have convinced me to vote for Brexit.
I am glad I didn't. You would rightly be furious with me now if I had managed to do that. For me, what we have now is still miles better than what we had before but it is still far away from the ideal that I was arguing for. Whilst it suits me and I can still see a way to that ideal, or at least close to it, it would not be what I had used to persuade others and those who were at least ambivalent to Brexit but decided to take a chance would be very unhappy.
I would not like the responsibility for that.
For what its worth and I'm not sure if you remember but you were one of the people who convinced me to switch from Remain to Leave.
We got into an argument one day over trade policy. You made a good argument about how nations outside the EU can sign their own trade agreements while still having one with the EU. I went away and looked deeper into it and decided I was wrong and you were right.
The fact you and I see eye to eye on immigration, was also part of what helped me. Until then Brexiteers were a racist bunch like Farage in my eyes, to have someone I respected like you, making arguments I not only couldn't refute but ultimately agreed with, was an eye opener.
Anyway fast forward 9 years and no regrets. We got our trade deal with the EU, we've got new trade agreements like the CPTPP. We're out of the political structures.
Sure things could be better but overall I'm quite happy with how its panned out.
Richard is one of the few that might have convinced me to vote for Brexit.
I am glad I didn't. You would rightly be furious with me now if I had managed to do that. For me, what we have now is still miles better than what we had before but it is still far away from the ideal that I was arguing for. Whilst it suits me and I can still see a way to that ideal, or at least close to it, it would not be what I had used to persuade others and those who were at least ambivalent to Brexit but decided to take a chance would be very unhappy.
I would not like the responsibility for that.
For what its worth and I'm not sure if you remember but you were one of the people who convinced me to switch from Remain to Leave.
We got into an argument one day over trade policy. You made a good argument about how nations outside the EU can sign their own trade agreements while still having one with the EU. I went away and looked deeper into it and decided I was wrong and you were right.
The fact you and I see eye to eye on immigration, was also part of what helped me. Until then Brexiteers were a racist bunch like Farage in my eyes, to have someone I respected like you, making arguments I not only couldn't refute but ultimately agreed with, was an eye opener.
Anyway fast forward 9 years and no regrets. We got our trade deal with the EU, we've got new trade agreements like the CPTPP. We're out of the political structures.
Sure things could be better but overall I'm quite happy with how its panned out.
It is entirely possible that one of the great achievements of Trump and Putin will be to have repaired the relationship between the UK and the EU. That is, that the UK will -like Switzerland- have a productive, close, but separate relationship with the EU.
Finally got to see Mulholland Drive in a cinema this evening, (at the Canary Wharf Everyman). Definitely worth it. Shame it was only about a third full. Although I believe all Everyman cinemas were showing it tonight around the country so the total must have been quite a lot.
Finally got to see Mulholland Drive in a cinema this evening, (at the Canary Wharf Everyman). Definitely worth it. Shame it was only about a third full.
I watched it for the first time a few weeks ago: an extraordinary movie, and I love the ambiguity of it.
Zelenskyy ready to sign up to the protection racket
Corrected for you.
Rather than change posts that you have not written, maybe make the change in your own @Mexicanpete
I didn't change your original post just your post within mine. Minerals deal my arse. It's a mafia style protection racket.
You changed my post and put it in bold
Frankly if posting on PB can be altered by other posters than not only is it creating a wrong impression of the original post but if it became an acceptable practice then this forum would be compromised
If you have something to say keep it under @Mexicanpete
Putting it in bold was a pretty clear indication he’d changed it in order to comment, rather than misrepresent you, Big_G.
I don’t think it compromises you at all, though you’re entitled to disagree with his point.
I simply do not accept altering anyone's post is reasonable - I could have made the amendments in bold
@Big_G_NorthWales the more usual term is “fixed it for you” rather than “corrected it for you” which is a sarcastic comment - it’s a known internet style
Here he was suggesting that the proposed minerals deal is fictionally equivalent to a “protection racket”
Do we need a PB Peace Summit to calm things down after Boldgate?
I don't believe it is my responsibility to report myself to the mods. BigG needs to do that for himself unless someone else is happy to flag on his behalf.
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Don't be so negative, he could be the founding Secretary General of the Mexican-Canadian-Euro-Chinese Security Alliance.
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Don't be so negative, he could be the founding Secretary General of the Mexican-Canadian-Euro-Chinese Security Alliance.
Surely the Mexican-Euro-Chinese-Canadian-Alliance?
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Don't be so negative, he could be the founding Secretary General of the Mexican-Canadian-Euro-Chinese Security Alliance.
Surely the Mexican-Euro-Chinese-Canadian-Alliance?
Bingo!
You see, if you had not posted, we'd all assume you were at an Oscars after-party mingling with the stars of luvviedom.
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Don't be so negative, he could be the founding Secretary General of the Mexican-Canadian-Euro-Chinese Security Alliance.
Surely the Chinese-European-Mexican-Englishspeakingworld-New-Treaty that will bind us all together?
* and for all your smartarses out there, per @ydoethur, Trump’s crimes against grammar disqualify him
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Don't be so negative, he could be the founding Secretary General of the Mexican-Canadian-Euro-Chinese Security Alliance.
Surely the Chinese-European-Mexican-Englishspeakingworld-New-Treaty that will bind us all together?
* and for all your smartarses out there, per @ydoethur, Trump’s crimes against grammar disqualify him
I didn't try to do the acronym because you need one that works in French and Chinese as well, it's a pretty complex problem to solve which is why they haven't announced anything yet.
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
Apparently Trump will only agree to meet Zelenskyy again if he offers a grovelling apology .
That would only embolden him.
What worries me about the European response is that they seem to think this was all a misunderstanding, that they can find a way to smooth things over and bring the US back onside and supporting Ukraine.
In my view it is a complete misreading of the situation. Trump and Vance do not want to support Ukraine, and they engineered what we saw in the White House as part of a strategy to win US public support for a policy of abandoning Ukraine, blaming Zelenskyy for it, and thereby not being blamed for a Russian victory in the way that Biden took the blame for the fall of Kabul.
Thus all this diplomacy that Starmer is being lauded for is a great big waste of time. Europe could still get its act together to put Ukraine into a stronger position, but I fear that they can't quite accept the awful reality of the situation, and their denial will lead them to pursue a fruitless attempt to win Trump round.
This is entirely my view. People like Rutte who persisst in their belief that the USA is really being misunderstood and NATO is fine and dandy are utterly deluded.
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
Sympathetic to Rutte though.
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
Don't be so negative, he could be the founding Secretary General of the Mexican-Canadian-Euro-Chinese Security Alliance.
Surely the Chinese-European-Mexican-Englishspeakingworld-New-Treaty that will bind us all together?
* and for all your smartarses out there, per @ydoethur, Trump’s crimes against grammar disqualify him
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
The Han are a majority in the border regions. And China doesn’t tolerate them being abused.
It’s been a steadily creeping colonisation.
(You are right for those minorities without a protector that Russia is scared of)
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
It strikes me that if anything happened to Putin (God forbid!), Trump would be rather isolated in the world. Though I suppose he would still have Netanyahu and Modi.
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
This is a few years old, but the process has accelerated since then
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
It strikes me that if anything happened to Putin (God forbid!), Trump would be rather isolated in the world. Though I suppose he would still have Netanyahu and Modi.
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
The Han are a majority in the border regions. And China doesn’t tolerate them being abused.
It’s been a steadily creeping colonisation.
(You are right for those minorities without a protector that Russia is scared of)
A question about this: how much do those 'Chinese' peoples in Russia see themselves as Russian or Chinese; or neither?
AIUI the Russian Empire, and later the USSR, had policies designed to remove cultural differences within Russia; e.g. making Russian the main language and moving Slavs in and minorities out to 'mix' populations. But Russia is such a vast country; and there are a number of independence movements within it. There is even a Siberian battalion fighting for Ukraine against Russia.
How assimilated are these people, and do they look towards Moscow or Beijing?
When I walked the coast, I quite enjoyed the east coast of Scotland, all the way down from the dismal John O'Groats. Including Wick. It's very pleasant country, if remote at times, and the people are friendly.
Whether we like it or not Zelenskyy will have to find a way to mollify Trump and Trump needs the political win of the minerals deal to justify further military aid to Ukraine .
Perhaps Zelenskyy can hold out a while longer to see what happens with any UK France plan and how that lands in the WH .
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
The Han are a majority in the border regions. And China doesn’t tolerate them being abused.
It’s been a steadily creeping colonisation.
(You are right for those minorities without a protector that Russia is scared of)
A question about this: how much do those 'Chinese' peoples in Russia see themselves as Russian or Chinese; or neither?
AIUI the Russian Empire, and later the USSR, had policies designed to remove cultural differences within Russia; e.g. making Russian the main language and moving Slavs in and minorities out to 'mix' populations. But Russia is such a vast country; and there are a number of independence movements within it. There is even a Siberian battalion fighting for Ukraine against Russia.
How assimilated are these people, and do they look towards Moscow or Beijing?
Beijing. They work in Chinese operated / owned farms and businesses, and socialise among their own kind
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
The Han are a majority in the border regions. And China doesn’t tolerate them being abused.
It’s been a steadily creeping colonisation.
(You are right for those minorities without a protector that Russia is scared of)
A question about this: how much do those 'Chinese' peoples in Russia see themselves as Russian or Chinese; or neither?
AIUI the Russian Empire, and later the USSR, had policies designed to remove cultural differences within Russia; e.g. making Russian the main language and moving Slavs in and minorities out to 'mix' populations. But Russia is such a vast country; and there are a number of independence movements within it. There is even a Siberian battalion fighting for Ukraine against Russia.
How assimilated are these people, and do they look towards Moscow or Beijing?
Most of the Siberian population is ethnically Russian. There are various indigenous groups, some of whom have affinities with East Asian populations, but most of them identify with Russia or with their own Siberian group. Few, AFAIK, identify with China. Ethnic Koreans are a bigger group. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_Siberia
I just reskeeted a thing about Ukraine reaching out to do a deal with China then deleted it when I realized it was sourced from an undated tiktok video and played really hard to my confirmation bias so it was probably fake. But Europe needs to get talking to China, they shouldn't risk having to face the US&R on their own.
There is another theory that China is looking to take back Outer Manchuria (aka a huge lump of Siberia that used to be Chinese in centuries past) from Russia, and to that end is not unhappy that Russia has denuded the place for men and arms to be lost in Ukraine. It is said that China supports Russia against Ukraine but basically that amounts to clearing North Korea to send troops and buying Russian oil at a massive discount.
If you go back a decade the population mix was striking Han already. This will have accelerated the process.
Unless Moscow has conscripted the Hans to send them to the front line.
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
The Han are a majority in the border regions. And China doesn’t tolerate them being abused.
It’s been a steadily creeping colonisation.
(You are right for those minorities without a protector that Russia is scared of)
A question about this: how much do those 'Chinese' peoples in Russia see themselves as Russian or Chinese; or neither?
AIUI the Russian Empire, and later the USSR, had policies designed to remove cultural differences within Russia; e.g. making Russian the main language and moving Slavs in and minorities out to 'mix' populations. But Russia is such a vast country; and there are a number of independence movements within it. There is even a Siberian battalion fighting for Ukraine against Russia.
How assimilated are these people, and do they look towards Moscow or Beijing?
Most of the Siberian population is ethnically Russian. There are various indigenous groups, some of whom have affinities with East Asian populations, but most of them identify with Russia or with their own Siberian group. Few, AFAIK, identify with China. Ethnic Koreans are a bigger group. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_Siberia
Whether we like it or not Zelenskyy will have to find a way to mollify Trump and Trump needs the political win of the minerals deal to justify further military aid to Ukraine .
Perhaps Zelenskyy can hold out a while longer to see what happens with any UK France plan and how that lands in the WH .
I think Starmer and Macron are now acting as mediators on behalf of Ukraine; and Trump is acting as mediator on behalf of Russia.
Let's keep Zelenskyy away from the US. Once ready to sign we can do it in a more neutral third party location.
Just on 'wics', there was Lundenwic, in the Anglo-Saxon era, further along the river from London. It was actually a flourishing trade settlement when London was still abandoned but the wic got abandoned and the city re-settled when the Vikings rolled up.
Richard is one of the few that might have convinced me to vote for Brexit.
I am glad I didn't. You would rightly be furious with me now if I had managed to do that. For me, what we have now is still miles better than what we had before but it is still far away from the ideal that I was arguing for. Whilst it suits me and I can still see a way to that ideal, or at least close to it, it would not be what I had used to persuade others and those who were at least ambivalent to Brexit but decided to take a chance would be very unhappy.
I would not like the responsibility for that.
For what its worth and I'm not sure if you remember but you were one of the people who convinced me to switch from Remain to Leave.
We got into an argument one day over trade policy. You made a good argument about how nations outside the EU can sign their own trade agreements while still having one with the EU. I went away and looked deeper into it and decided I was wrong and you were right.
The fact you and I see eye to eye on immigration, was also part of what helped me. Until then Brexiteers were a racist bunch like Farage in my eyes, to have someone I respected like you, making arguments I not only couldn't refute but ultimately agreed with, was an eye opener.
Anyway fast forward 9 years and no regrets. We got our trade deal with the EU, we've got new trade agreements like the CPTPP. We're out of the political structures.
Sure things could be better but overall I'm quite happy with how its panned out.
It is entirely possible that one of the great achievements of Trump and Putin will be to have repaired the relationship between the UK and the EU. That is, that the UK will -like Switzerland- have a productive, close, but separate relationship with the EU.
When we were discussing Brexit I made the point that despite being a remainer there was a Korean style argument for Brexit. That is we could use Brexit to rebuild our own manufacturing industry through preferential treatment. The Tories like almost everything else they touched managed to achieve the worst of all worlds. A Brexit that killed local manufacturing. The question is do we try and implement this Korean approach or just give up on Brexit as a bad idea.
So far Labour seem to be just following the Tories but making it even worse by hitting manufacturing with high costs on business rates, labour and energy. It appears that Labour dont understand how the Tories got it wrong.
Whether we like it or not Zelenskyy will have to find a way to mollify Trump and Trump needs the political win of the minerals deal to justify further military aid to Ukraine .
Perhaps Zelenskyy can hold out a while longer to see what happens with any UK France plan and how that lands in the WH .
I think Starmer and Macron are now acting as mediators on behalf of Ukraine; and Trump is acting as mediator on behalf of Russia.
Let's keep Zelenskyy away from the US. Once ready to sign we can do it in a more neutral third party location.
Trump wants a big event to show off his “ win” . I don’t think he’d accept a neutral country .
It's Latin for "town, settlement outside a military camp" so fairly common I would have thought. The one in Scotland probably comes via Norse.
I thought it was a navigable river or harbour? The examples in Scotland - Lerwick, Berwick - match that description.
I see the internet is divided.
Or all of the above: " The meaning of "wick" in place names can vary depending on its position in the name. At the beginning of a name, "wick" is derived from the Roman word ‘vicus’, which meant vicinity. At the end of a name, "wick" sometimes meant trading place, a port, or a specialized farm. In some cases, "wick" means a salt-spring or some sort of cleft in the hills. On the coast, "wick" is often of Norse origin, meaning "bay" or "inlet"."
Whether we like it or not Zelenskyy will have to find a way to mollify Trump and Trump needs the political win of the minerals deal to justify further military aid to Ukraine .
Perhaps Zelenskyy can hold out a while longer to see what happens with any UK France plan and how that lands in the WH .
It's not a political win to get a minerals deal - it wasn't at all required until Trump arrived.,
Personally I would just offer to change the Ukraines name (including Crimea) to Trumpville and then ask him for help in removing some illegal immigrants /lodgers..
Last week the talk was of a 200 billion euro special defence fund being rushed through before the new German parliament convenes - it would need to be tacked onto the constitution so needs a 2 thirds majority which it wouldn't get in the new Bundestag. There was some doubt about whether it would happen in the time available.
Since the events in the White House on Friday, there is now talk of a 400 billion euro special defence fund, alongside another 400 billion euro infrastructure fund which I assume the SPD and Greens have insisted on as a price for rushing through the defence fund - both would prefer a reform of the debt brake.
I'd expect this to be pushed through now. Without those funds there would be a fairly big hole in European rearmament and support for Ukraine.
There is also some recent Chinese immigration to Russia. 2010 figures:
Federal district Number Central Federal District 6682 Northwestern Federal District 1576 Southern Federal District 884 North Caucasian Federal District 131 Volga Federal District 942 Ural Federal District 1963 Siberian Federal District 7112 Far Eastern Federal District 9082
Russia is often hostile to this immigration, and there was a big push to expel illegal Chinese immigrants in 2006/7. However, Russia has sought closer relations with China since then.
Yesterday was all about "solidarity" but in terms of practical peace planning, it achieved the sum total of bugger all.
Starmer's "Four Points" were more like nul points to this observer - platitudes lacking anything resembling the basis of a deal.
Starmer is clearly playing the old British game of acting as a bridge between Washington and Europe which we did for decades whether we were in the EU or not. It's a geographic and cultural thing, nothing to do with membership of the Common Market, EU or whatever so the "Brexiteers" can come down off their high horse on that one.
I'm still back where I was on Saturday morning - what does a "peace plan" look like? Where's the beef, as someone once asked? Are we looking simply at a ceasefire pending some longer term solution? Look at Korea or Cyprus if you want examples of how that might turn out.
It looks as though everyone wants "peace" but no one wants it badly enough. The question now is whether the Trumpian rhetoric was just that and in reality while the balance of support for Ukraine will shift more toward Europe (nothing wrong with that), the US will be the "backstop" (isn't that basically NATO membership by any other name?) for any peace deal?
It was good symbolically for Zelenskyy and for the Ukraine and I'm sure he felt better for the kind words but as another man once said, fine words butter no parsnips and the reality of continued logistical support remains the paramount consideration (and of course the activity generated by arms production helps the struggling European economies).
Whether we like it or not Zelenskyy will have to find a way to mollify Trump and Trump needs the political win of the minerals deal to justify further military aid to Ukraine .
Perhaps Zelenskyy can hold out a while longer to see what happens with any UK France plan and how that lands in the WH .
It's not a political win to get a minerals deal - it wasn't at all required until Trump arrived.,
Personally I would just offer to change the Ukraines name (including Crimea) to Trumpville and then ask him for help in removing some illegal immigrants /lodgers..
I don’t see a huge amount of the US commentators asking Trump and his pet monkey how exactly the American taxpayer (who has been so horribly inconvenienced by giving Ukraine weapons and money to stop being liquidated) is going to benefit from minerals deal.
Would be nice to see them question the plan for taxing the companies who get the contracts - will they be Delaware/Colorado based companies, will there be transparent bidding for contracts? Will Trump and family benefit financially in any way?
How is the US taxpayer getting back $130 billion from the minerals exactly?
I think we know the answers to the above, just would be nice for the Americans to open their eyes to the big con that’s in pay.
I’m guessing their reporters are a bit tired from churning out screed about how shit Brexit Britain is to look in their own yard at the moment.
From the daily mail, so treat with appropriate respect, but this is a very interesting quote from Rubio.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared the Ukrainian PM should 'apologise for turning this thing into the fiasco for him that it became'.
Good grief, is there no end to the Trump administration’s crimes against grammar?
Apparently Rubio complained about Zelenskyy “Ukraine-splaining”
Another misuse of language. “Ukraine-splaining” should mean a non-Ukrainian who clearly knows little about Ukraine trying to tell a Ukrainian about the situation in Ukraine.
Off topic, but the analysis might cheer some of you: A careful analysis found that moderate House candidates did better than extremists:
"On average, among Democratic House incumbents running for reelection, the centrist New Democrats won with slightly more impressive deviations from what should have happened than did the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The centrist-conservative Blue Dogs’ margins were even more impressive. In the Republican Party, meanwhile, incumbent members of the right-wing Freedom Caucus enjoyed substantially less impressive margins than the more moderate Main Street Partnership.
(This finding is consistent with theory, and with other studies. One reason why I call him the Loser is because his extreme stands have, so clearly, hurt the Republican Party, net. As I expected.
It would be interesting to see a similar study of other nations, especially the UK.)
The photo of the prostitutes is from the 1989 film Интердевочка about a nurse who is also Leningrad's top prostitute. She quits the game to go to Sweden and marry a client. It's basically the Russian version of Pretty Woman but with a lot more misery and death. Worth a watch.
Comments
What streaming flood of acidic bile and Dachau love fest can we expect from the Orange snake oil man?
Shashank Joshi
@shashj
·
1h
The US intelligence community is led by a pro-Russian official. Imagine writing that sentence at any time in the last 80 years.
https://x.com/shashj/status/1896317100182127046
Just so they can make tax cuts for billionaires
https://x.com/CalltoActivism//1896258418048143498
Marjorie Taylor -Green's squeeze asking a planted question to trigger Trump into a hissy fit was a pretty comprehensive "stunt".
Be a shame to lose it wouldn't it?
1 - Comparing the general election results last week with this week's state elections, the SPD did a lot better in the state elections, and the other parties all did a bit worse (except Volt). Of course, partly this is because there are different issues - eg the AfD are going to do less well in a state election where asylum rules are less prominent. But a lot has to do with the popularity of the SPD leader Tschentscher, which suggests the SPD could have done significantly better nationally with a different leader (ie Pistorius).
2 - If the SPD switch coalition partners from the Greens to the CDU, it would mean Greens+Linke losing their quasi veto in the Bundesrat. So there might be some pressure on the Hamburg SPD to do that to make life a bit easier for the (presumed) incoming Union-SPD federal government.
Turnout at 68% a bit higher than 5 years ago.
One reported commitment from Trump to Starmer on thursday was that the USA would maintain sanctions against Russia for a year. If he's as much in Putin's pocket as claimed, that may not hold, but diplomatic channels to the USA are still held open by Starmer, Macron and others - and they are putting a plan to Trump.
If said plan meets the requirements for Trump, here helping him recover from his own faceplant of ignorance about magicking up "peace" in a situation where red lines overlap because he thought he could bully Ukraine, and giving him a public win to fluff his ego, it may be possible to make it happen. The public win could be Europe taking responsibility.
That I think is Starmer and Lord Mandelbrot's game.
I'm still sticking with my Ent analogy from LOTR for Europe:
Gandalf: "A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."
It's the theme of Perun this week.
@BritainElects
📊 Ref lead of 1pt
REF: 27% (+3)
LAB: 26% (+1)
CON: 22% (-3)
LDEM: 12% (-2)
GRN: 8% (-)
via @BMGResearch, 25 - 26 Feb
Chgs. w/ 28 Jan
http://britainelects.com"
https://x.com/BritainElects/status/1896115564340244983
I don't believe the USA can be triusted with anything now. Not intelligence, not support for Ukraine, not suport for Europe. I can also see them selling out Taiwan.
Anyone who trusts the USA from this point forward is a bloody fool.
In general, though, I can't praise the mods enough. They have enormous wisdom, epic good looks, and their taste in music is immaculate.
I think there is this delusion -and it's certainly one that Mandelson shares- that one just needs to negotiate with Trump, and he wants things, sure, but he's our ally.
This is to completely misunderstand him.
In Trump's mind, one is either:
(a) A fellow strong man to be admired
(b) A weakling who must bow down in front of him
Or
(c) An enemy
There is no (d) ally
The sooner the developed world realizes this, the better. Because right now they think that with a little bit of massaging, he'll act like anyone else. And that's not true.
If you're doing what he says, and you take that subservient role, then I'm sure he'll throw you a bone from time to time.
But that's what's on offer from the Trump administration. That's the best they can give you.
So my advice is a simple: we need to pretend the US does not exist. Europe (and the UK) shouldn't engage in attempting to persuade or cajole. The only thing that Trump respects is strength, and so we need to be strong.
We got into an argument one day over trade policy. You made a good argument about how nations outside the EU can sign their own trade agreements while still having one with the EU. I went away and looked deeper into it and decided I was wrong and you were right.
The fact you and I see eye to eye on immigration, was also part of what helped me. Until then Brexiteers were a racist bunch like Farage in my eyes, to have someone I respected like you, making arguments I not only couldn't refute but ultimately agreed with, was an eye opener.
Anyway fast forward 9 years and no regrets. We got our trade deal with the EU, we've got new trade agreements like the CPTPP. We're out of the political structures.
Sure things could be better but overall I'm quite happy with how its panned out.
I'm pretty sure there's been more than one series of Doctor Who already
Elon Musk’s business empire is built on $38 billion in government funding
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-s-business-empire-is-built-on-38-billion-in-government-funding/ar-AA1zP6hC
Here he was suggesting that the proposed minerals deal is fictionally equivalent to a “protection racket”
No one reading it think it was your remark
Imagine being the last Secretary General of OTAN - bit of a career limiting move
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared the Ukrainian PM should 'apologise for turning this thing into the fiasco for him that it became'.
Bingo!
Exclusive: Housing minister says overhaul of feudal-era system would take place before end of this parliament
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/mar/03/centuries-old-leasehold-system-to-be-abolished-in-england-and-wales
* and for all your smartarses out there, per @ydoethur, Trump’s crimes against grammar disqualify him
Unless you are implying that I own them all.
*grabs tinfoil hat and takes cover*
They do have a habit of doing that to minorities.
F1: I've mentioned this before, but bets that cannot fail are rather rare.
You can back Piastri at 13 (14 boosted) for the title at Ladbrokes. On the Betfair exchange he can be laid in the same market for 10.
It’s been a steadily creeping colonisation.
(You are right for those minorities without a protector that Russia is scared of)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50185006.amp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wick,_Worcestershire
AIUI the Russian Empire, and later the USSR, had policies designed to remove cultural differences within Russia; e.g. making Russian the main language and moving Slavs in and minorities out to 'mix' populations. But Russia is such a vast country; and there are a number of independence movements within it. There is even a Siberian battalion fighting for Ukraine against Russia.
How assimilated are these people, and do they look towards Moscow or Beijing?
Perhaps Zelenskyy can hold out a while longer to see what happens with any UK France plan and how that lands in the WH .
See also https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mvvWu7i6Qe4
Bloody small-boat immigrants, naming our villages.
I see the internet is divided.
Let's keep Zelenskyy away from the US. Once ready to sign we can do it in a more neutral third party location.
So far Labour seem to be just following the Tories but making it even worse by hitting manufacturing with high costs on business rates, labour and energy. It appears that Labour dont understand how the Tories got it wrong.
" The meaning of "wick" in place names can vary depending on its position in the name. At the beginning of a name, "wick" is derived from the Roman word ‘vicus’, which meant vicinity. At the end of a name, "wick" sometimes meant trading place, a port, or a specialized farm. In some cases, "wick" means a salt-spring or some sort of cleft in the hills. On the coast, "wick" is often of Norse origin, meaning "bay" or "inlet"."
Personally I would just offer to change the Ukraines name (including Crimea) to Trumpville and then ask him for help in removing some illegal immigrants /lodgers..
Since the events in the White House on Friday, there is now talk of a 400 billion euro special defence fund, alongside another 400 billion euro infrastructure fund which I assume the SPD and Greens have insisted on as a price for rushing through the defence fund - both would prefer a reform of the debt brake.
I'd expect this to be pushed through now. Without those funds there would be a fairly big hole in European rearmament and support for Ukraine.
Federal district
Number
Central Federal District
6682
Northwestern Federal District
1576
Southern Federal District
884
North Caucasian Federal District
131
Volga Federal District
942
Ural Federal District
1963
Siberian Federal District
7112
Far Eastern Federal District
9082
Russia is often hostile to this immigration, and there was a big push to expel illegal Chinese immigrants in 2006/7. However, Russia has sought closer relations with China since then.
Yesterday was all about "solidarity" but in terms of practical peace planning, it achieved the sum total of bugger all.
Starmer's "Four Points" were more like nul points to this observer - platitudes lacking anything resembling the basis of a deal.
Starmer is clearly playing the old British game of acting as a bridge between Washington and Europe which we did for decades whether we were in the EU or not. It's a geographic and cultural thing, nothing to do with membership of the Common Market, EU or whatever so the "Brexiteers" can come down off their high horse on that one.
I'm still back where I was on Saturday morning - what does a "peace plan" look like? Where's the beef, as someone once asked? Are we looking simply at a ceasefire pending some longer term solution? Look at Korea or Cyprus if you want examples of how that might turn out.
It looks as though everyone wants "peace" but no one wants it badly enough. The question now is whether the Trumpian rhetoric was just that and in reality while the balance of support for Ukraine will shift more toward Europe (nothing wrong with that), the US will be the "backstop" (isn't that basically NATO membership by any other name?) for any peace deal?
It was good symbolically for Zelenskyy and for the Ukraine and I'm sure he felt better for the kind words but as another man once said, fine words butter no parsnips and the reality of continued logistical support remains the paramount consideration (and of course the activity generated by arms production helps the struggling European economies).
NEW THREAD
Would be nice to see them question the plan for taxing the companies who get the contracts - will they be Delaware/Colorado based companies, will there be transparent bidding for contracts? Will Trump and family benefit financially in any way?
How is the US taxpayer getting back $130 billion from the minerals exactly?
I think we know the answers to the above, just would be nice for the Americans to open their eyes to the big con that’s in pay.
I’m guessing their reporters are a bit tired from churning out screed about how shit Brexit Britain is to look in their own yard at the moment.
Another misuse of language. “Ukraine-splaining” should mean a non-Ukrainian who clearly knows little about Ukraine trying to tell a Ukrainian about the situation in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy was doing the opposite.
https://www.princeton.edu/news/2018/05/09/purple-districts-elect-most-extreme-legislators-driving-polarization