The United States(!) of A
gragagan wrote:Check out the background, very interesting.....
the background once the vid starts playing. Never seen it from that angle before
It's Nazare on a big day filmed from a satellite (by the altitude). Can see the skis towing in, surfers, the set-up etc
Is Rupert admitting his network lies ? https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rupert-murdoch-admits-fox...
The fix is in …
Everything’s a scam ;)
https://m.
Election lies are a scam?
gragagan wrote:Biden ordered its destruction. Plenty of proof out there. Cut off Europes access to cheap Russian gas in order to sell them US gas at 5 times the price. Among other reasons.
I think you’re confusing motive with proof, fella. Unless you’ve got some proof…
https://unherd.com/thepost/why-is-there-no-covid-19-commission-in-america/ Over the past year, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark have begun or completed public investigations into their countries’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. These governments believed it was important to report on successes and failures of pandemic decisions because it was the public that was on the receiving end of policies such as closed schools, vaccine mandates, and shuttered businesses.
The United States is notably absent from this list, despite a long history of setting up bipartisan commissions after national crises in order to avoid repeating mistakes.
Aaaah….. the ‘united states’ ;)
- attempting to unite the world through lies, corruption, propaganda and coercion.
Will this really create greater freedom and liberty ? ;)
And let’s change the definition of terrorism while we’re at it ;)
(Already covered ‘recession’ and ‘sovereignty’)
Motives ? Proof ?
… remember those wmd’s ;)
There is a proven track record.
The military industrial complex also has proven motives.
Even a pirate will go down with the ship.
After all - hard to see with one eye!
And yet….. still…..
Proof is in the pudding ;)
https://m.
So, no proof? Just speculation?
And a YouTube clip (of course).
Got it.
Ummmmm
So…
You have a penchant for war (of course).
But can’t deal with youtube clips…
Ok.
Got it ;)
etarip wrote:gragagan wrote:Biden ordered its destruction. Plenty of proof out there. Cut off Europes access to cheap Russian gas in order to sell them US gas at 5 times the price. Among other reasons.
I think you’re confusing motive with proof, fella. Unless you’ve got some proof…
The US is the only country with motive, they have said they would do it, they have admitted doing it, they have the resources to do it .
They have cut off a revenue stream to Russia so they can enter an energy market. They have stated their intent many times.
They have form.
But hey hang a flag in your front yard and talk about how nasty Putin is. Sheesh.
Yeah nah,
I’m not denying that the US had motive, nor capability. They haven’t admitted doing anything…. Or did I miss something?
Someone said they had proof. I’m interested in what the proof is. Because it isn’t Hersh’s theory. That report, based on an interview with a “single, well-placed, anonymous source with intimate knowledge of the operation” has been completely and utterly discredited by publicly available information. .
I’m open-minded about it. There’s a few differing theories about how, who, what.
But I’m sure you’ve looked into them JF, so I’m keen to hear what they are.
This post goes into some detail disproving Seymour Hersh’s claims.
https://oalexanderdk.substack.com/p/blowing-holes-in-seymour-hershs-pipe
But also doesn’t disprove USA involvement.
Murdoch news full of shit? Well what a farkin surprise....
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/feb/28/rupert-murdoch-deposition-...
Pretty sure there was a report on the authoritative news service crAAP by someone with knowledge of the matter who cannot be named for security reasons that Vlad's passport was found next to the destroyed pipeline on the sea floor. And he is known to swim in cold water. Clearly, on this basis it is fairly conclusive who done it. As the MSM loves to say - "the finger points at" ...... a certain country that likes vodka.
Putin's girlfriend is Gold Medal Olympic Gymnast Tsarina Alina + her Golden Palace
Complex comes with Air Defence System / Secret Train Station + Armoured Train / Solarium / (Hamman)- Fancy name for Wave Pool / Cyro Chamber / Mud Room / Cosmetology
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11802679/Inside-forest-palace-P...
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Tik Tok Doomsday Clock Strikes 25 O'Clock ( That's cause enough for an Alarming Soundtrack ).
Da Prez has decreed for all the World to stop yer Toking...
Oz Treasurer : US Prez order doesn't apply to our Communist Regime!
PM Albo : (Admits a Tik Tok Pow Wow does sound pretty Cool!) Fingers Crossed Oz can ban something!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-28/united-states-government-bans-tik...
Da Prez : "World has 30 days to wind down...This is The Final Countdown!"
When you invent laws within an imagined ‘rule based system’ of fairness and co-operation…
Then you deceptively promote ‘transparency’ and ‘legitimacy’ with the promised ideals of mutual trust, equality and understanding…
And then you demand others must adhere to newly created government enforced directives and regulations.
- Whilst the government itself remains separate from having to adhere to such directives, as well as being immune from prosecution for doing so…
‘Rule of law’ ?
Democracy…
Hypocrisy ;)
Or… ‘nobody can do state sanctioned surveillance operations and illegally store your information and data except us’.
When u make the rules, it’s ok as long as u are able to break them ;)
Seems to be working…
https://reason.com/2023/02/27/scotus-says-domestic-spying-is-too-secret-...
This report by the ASPI echoes my experience in academia and industry. In my specific areas of pure math and particularly machine learning, the Chinese lead the way now and publish most of the highest quality research.
One thing that shocked me was when I used to go to machine learning conferences in China pre-covid. They were next level compared to the Aus conferences. I would be sitting in them saying to myself “oh fuck we’re goners.”
The West is asleep at the wheel and more focused on left progressive woke culture wars, integrating critical race theory into all levels of society, and war mongering in order to make the wealthy elite even wealthier.
Meanwhile, there’s a nation of 1.4billion people getting hammered into STEM studies in high school and then funnelled into STEM studies in the best universities on the planet, with the objective of returning to China with their skills and education to contribute however they can to the rejuvenation of the Chinese civilisation to being the Middle Kingdom once again. (Might be surprised to learn that very few Chinese stay in the West after their studies; they love their China.)
The writing is on the wall. It’s no longer a joke.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-02/china-critical-future-technologie...
Spot on gsco. I can’t speak to the quality of the research like you can, but I have had some exposure to the scale. A systems analyst (PhD) I worked with recently showed me a graphic of investment of human, educational and financial capital into R&D in emerging tech.
Kind of heat map with dot clusters etc.
Each country had a graphic, and then you could overlay them. He did a side-by-side graphic build of the PRC map then started with Australia and built out the other leading western countries. No comparison. PRC are streets ahead
The other challenge is that unis became so dependent on foreign funding and partnerships that even where Ozzie smarts generate a great idea, the IP is often copied, shared or stolen anyway. Again, I’m guessing you’ve got more direct experience in this area.
Wilhelm that's a good Global Policy journal piece by Branko Milanovic.
China has grappled with the appropriate level of private sector wealth and power, and in general its place in society, since the very first dynasties a couple thousand years ago, well before the ideas of Adam Smith and before England started experimenting with private enterprise. I think the answer to the title of the article "Will Bourgeoisie ever Rule the Chinese State?" is: No the Chinese have been very conscious about this question all throughout history. Their goal is to enable the country to enjoy the benefits of the innovation, resource allocation, economic development, etc, of the private sector, but not allow a wealthy elite to devour the country like for instance the US has.
This is definitely one major reason why China didn't end up becoming a colonial war machine built on the back of government/military-backed private corporation overseas military exploits and conquests like the West did and still is, a tradition and mindset starting all the way back in the age of discovery with the Catholic Conquistadors of Spain and Portugal, and the development of stock markets and hence the alignment of a whole nation's financial incentives with the pillage and plundering of foreign lands and peoples, and all in the glory of the Catholic Church.
My favourite book that details the development and evolution of this tradition and mindset is the esteemed historian J. M. Roberts' The Triumph of the West. It's an absolutely epic read.
good?
all I saw was... Bourgeoisie...
which made me think of facto...
and this...
"...Well, identity politics is another perverse fruit of success. The movement grew during the decade of economic expansion and peace that followed the 2008 crash. As those benign conditions fell away, so did the movement. It is hard to care that Augustus Gloop is called “fat” at a time of double-digit inflation. It is hard to deplore microaggressions while Ukraine is enduring a rather macro one. The cultural left hasn’t been defeated so much as demoted: in salience, in moral urgency. Grievances that once had force now seem beside the point.
Something else has changed. Liberals have stopped pretending there is no problem to confront on their left. I shouldn't overdo the praise here. It is still hard work getting liberals to state their position on, say, gender or free speech. To avoid losing friends, or upsetting offspring, their stratagem is to question the relevance of the subjects. “The culture war is overblown.” OK, but what do you think? “The right wants to distract voters from economics.” True, but what do you think? “Marxists are good on this intellectual manipulation. ‘Hegemony’, they call it.” Yes, listen, I know, but what do you think?..."
https://www.ft.com/content/6f69ea55-32c6-477e-93d2-598bbd6e761a
gsco wrote:This report by the ASPI echoes my experience in academia and industry. In my specific areas of pure math and particularly machine learning, the Chinese lead the way now and publish most of the highest quality research.
One thing that shocked me was when I used to go to machine learning conferences in China pre-covid. They were next level compared to the Aus conferences. I would be sitting in them saying to myself “oh fuck we’re goners.”
The West is asleep at the wheel and more focused on left progressive woke culture wars, integrating critical race theory into all levels of society, and war mongering in order to make the wealthy elite even wealthier.
Meanwhile, there’s a nation of 1.4billion people getting hammered into STEM studies in high school and then funnelled into STEM studies in the best universities on the planet, with the objective of returning to China with their skills and education to contribute however they can to the rejuvenation of the Chinese civilisation to being the Middle Kingdom once again. (Might be surprised to learn that very few Chinese stay in the West after their studies; they love their China.)
The writing is on the wall. It’s no longer a joke.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-02/china-critical-future-technologie...
If this is still news to anyone then it’s time to switch on. I’ve been talking about it for years. Actually, I believe this battle is already lost. Show a basic algebra problem to an average person on the street and they will have no idea what you’re talking about. Good luck with that. And then people complain about migration. How do you hire someone who doesn’t understand some basic problem statements?
sypkan wrote:good?
all I saw was... Bourgeoisie...
which made me think of facto...
and this...
"...Well, identity politics is another perverse fruit of success. The movement grew during the decade of economic expansion and peace that followed the 2008 crash. As those benign conditions fell away, so did the movement. It is hard to care that Augustus Gloop is called “fat” at a time of double-digit inflation. It is hard to deplore microaggressions while Ukraine is enduring a rather macro one. The cultural left hasn’t been defeated so much as demoted: in salience, in moral urgency. Grievances that once had force now seem beside the point.
Something else has changed. Liberals have stopped pretending there is no problem to confront on their left. I shouldn't overdo the praise here. It is still hard work getting liberals to state their position on, say, gender or free speech. To avoid losing friends, or upsetting offspring, their stratagem is to question the relevance of the subjects. “The culture war is overblown.” OK, but what do you think? “The right wants to distract voters from economics.” True, but what do you think? “Marxists are good on this intellectual manipulation. ‘Hegemony’, they call it.” Yes, listen, I know, but what do you think?..."
https://www.ft.com/content/6f69ea55-32c6-477e-93d2-598bbd6e761a
I honestly don’t understand anything anymore. How are liberals so left? That doesn’t make any sense to me but it appears to be true. Conversely, conservatives have completely hijacked the right, to the point that you must be a conservative to be on the right otherwise you’re something else. It’s all so messed up, best is not to thinks about it.
flollo wrote:If this is still news to anyone then it’s time to switch on. I’ve been talking about it for years. Actually, I believe this battle is already lost. Show a basic algebra problem to an average person on the street and they will have no idea what you’re talking about. Good luck with that. And then people complain about migration. How do you hire someone who doesn’t understand some basic problem statements?
That is some real broad sweeping irrelevant dumb arrogant ivory tower shit right there flollo.
gsco wrote:(Might be surprised to learn that very few Chinese stay in the West after their studies; they love their China.)
https://theconversation.com/amp/students-from-china-may-defend-their-cou...
Happy days ahead. The Empire of Peace and Truth has proven very effective at deterring wars over the years - so we can all relax.
"Wormuth’s plan would involve sending more troops and advanced weapons into the region, including hypersonic missiles. She said the buildup would be an effort to deter war with China, although Beijing has been increasing its military activity in the region in response to US actions.
She listed Australia and Japan as two places where weapons could be staged ..."
Weird that China is increasing military activity with all the good US deterrence stuff happening. Not what the think tanks thinked.
Here's hoping we get plenty of them weapon thingos in Aus - sounds like very good plan for peace.
Lol so the US is:
- shoring up more military bases in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, etc
- shoring up the QUAD and AUKUS, effectively creating a west pacific NATO
- conducting military drills with allies in the west pacific, basically on China’s shores
- packing Taiwan to the rafters with military equipment and supporting the anti-China political party (sound familiar…Ukraine…?)
- having political figures regularly visiting Taiwan, and interacting with Taiwan as though its an independent nation
- engaging in a relentless global China-threat propaganda and disinformation campaign across all media and which is particularly driven by foreign policy think tanks
- rolling out on a daily basis more economic and technology sanctions aimed at damaging China and rolling back its development, with think tanks and government figures now unashamedly and openly admitting their strategy is not just China containment but rollback
- …etc…
Imagine if China was doing all this with say Cuba and conducting military tests in the Gulf of Mexico…?!
Who exactly is the aggressor and threat here?
The aggressors have a rich history ;)
$$$
A history of invasion…
A history of genocide.
- Theft, coercion and control through force.
All in the name of freedom and liberty ;)
- and, to this day, free of accountability…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars
https://m.
Taiwanese very much looking forward to their chance to get some of that Ukranization style deterrance and peace.
Might have been hesitant a few years' ago but being a US proxy now looks just peachy.
I'm worried for the Taiwanese. It's such a classic place with good surf, great year round climate, clean Pacific Ocean water, and super friendly and open people with everything to look forward to.
They don't seem to realise they're getting the wool systematically pulled over their eyes by the US's brute force information and psychological warfare China-threat assault.
The real lesson of Ukraine is that Taiwan is simply heading in the same direction: the US pumping it full of military equipment all aimed at China and then backing the anti-China, pro-independence government, with the aim of backing China into a corner to think that it has no options other than to take military action.
The Taiwanese need to stand up and say no to the US, that they don't want to be the first line of expendable pawns in the US war machine's and military-industrial complex's profit and hegemony driven war on China.
They need to take the realist perspective that they're better off focusing on their own social, cultural and economic growth and prosperity as a nation and peoples, instead of getting into a US lead military conflict with China and hence guaranteed self-inflicted destruction.
I'm also worried for Australia. We need to back out of it all asap too before it's too late.
But... but... China wants them? What they supposed do?
I’m just not actually sure that’s true. It’s definitely what the US has convinced everyone of.
I think there’s a chance it will become a self fulfilling prophecy though, just like Ukraine did, something like
The US will just keep provoking, pressuring, and upping the ante, keep doing exactly what China says will lead to military conflict.
And then the US will claim innocence and sell to the world some lowest common denominator, simpleton China-bashing narrative.
That’s the path things are currently going down.
Best vid I've seen on the topic. Balanced presentation with all sides having a say, given appropriate historical background (thanks Henry for the duplicity - resulting in all the ambiguity) and finishes by suggesting a peaceful conclusion. From the German DW network.
Edit: this thread now sounds like the Global Times :)
Haha, VJ. Right on.
Gsco: what are your thoughts on the best outcome for the Taiwanese people?
1. Independence
2. Status Quo
3. Unification with the PRC
Or, if there’s something else on the menu, happy to hear about it.
None of the above.
First thing that needs to happen is the US needs to leave the poor people of Taiwan alone and stop railroading them into becoming a separatist US military base with all guns aimed at China - this current trajectory will only lead to WW3 (but also in light of Ukraine, it seems that this is what the US wants).
Then what has been happening for the past 70 years should be allowed to keep on happening: the very slow, voluntary and peaceful increasing of economic, family and cultural etc ties between Taiwan and the mainland, via the free volition and choice of the people from both sides.
If people call this the status quo then fine, but I call it a very slow, gradual peaceful evolution or progression - in fact an improvement - of relations and ties, so in that sense not strictly a "status quo".
China consistently maintains - in both its words and actions - a stance of slowly and peacefully increasing relations and ties, and it hopes for eventual peaceful reunification.
Taiwan should only be politically reunified with the mainland if that is the free, voluntary choice of the Taiwanese people as expressed via elections. I actually genuinely believe that China also feels the same way and its actions over the past 70 years seem to support that view.
Meanwhile the US is over there in China's face creating military blocs, rearming Japan, increasing the military capabilities of all proximal countries, conducting military drills, arming and encouraging and supporting a separatist Taiwanese political party, setting up military bases, imposing sanctions, etc.
Who's the aggressor here? Whose behaviour is inappropriate? Who's causing the problems? Who's the one trying to change the status quo? Who's trying to create conflict and division? Who's the actual threat to peace in the region?
What does the last 1000 years of history - both China's and the West's - tell you about these questions and the behaviours of the parties involved?
Who has the history of invading, conquering, pillaging, plundering, slaughtering and murdering foreign lands and peoples? Who doesn't have this history?
Gimmie a T
Gimme an I
Gimmie B
Gimmie an E
... ah that's enough. I mourn for the lost lessons of the monks and their monasteries.
A lot of the Taiwan tension is that the Nationalists fled to the island and the Communists have unfinished business in the civil war. It has yet to be resolved. Just like North and South Korea technically has yet to resolve.
VJ the story of Tibet, like Taiwan, is absolutely nothing like the ridiculous, idiotic, braindead, simpleton narrative we're led to believe.
People driving around with "Free Tibet" and similar stickers on their cars etc don't actually seem to realise whose or what "freedom" they're advocating.
I read this book over the xmas break. It will open your mind a bit to the long, colourful, complicated and conflicted history between Tibet and China:
Nothing we think we know is real.
Taiwanese don't have a menu of three ready to eat outcomes to select from. They have a range of paths into the geopolitical mists all fraught with risk and danger.
As Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Syria and the Ukraine shows, don't underestimate the head chefs ability to f... things up (but to profit themselves from a "bit" of chaos and all that tasty military spending and rebuilding work).
The standard Middle East and South American recipe was much lower risk than their current adventures.
There’s three broad options. Break it down, that’s what it is.
Two of those options have been declared as unacceptable by the PRC btw. Regardless of what the people of Taiwan think.
There are many paths and options to achieve that end, but there’s three broad options.
Your view about US foreign policy doesn’t change that.
US has also declared two of those options as unacceptable regardless of what the Taiwanese or the Chinese think.
Have they? Which two?
One only needs to take a quick glance at the latest think tank tweets at any moment in time:
The latest Hudson Institute tweet and article:
To prevent #China's #PLA from invading #Taiwan, @OfficerNagao explores three key elements to keep #China in check and explains what role #India can play to avert a Chinese takeover.https://t.co/9ajBf3i14u
— Hudson Institute (@HudsonInstitute) March 6, 2023
"... if Taiwan’s international status is high enough, it will be riskier for China to provoke its supporters. Thus, the rising international status of Taiwan could prevent a Chinese invasion. The recent visits of delegations from the US, Japan, and European countries show that high-level official visits raise the status of Taiwan ... India’s diplomatic support could raise the international status of Taiwan..."
Can finds literally 100s of think tank and news articles clearly detailing US activities materially changing the status quo, regardless of whether the US admits to it or not - we see it every day, all day.
And meanwhile also in that article:
"If the US, Japan, and Taiwan jointly cooperate with India, China will not be able to concentrate its military expenditure against Taiwan because it will need to respond to India. Cooperation with the three countries is beneficial for India too, in terms of its conflicts with China along the Himalayan border region. To raise the credibility of this idea, strike capability is key. Recently, not only India and the US, but Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and South Korea have all been improving their strike capabilities. China would be forced to spread out its defence capabilities and expenditures if it were surrounded by formidable strike capabilities. Cooperation between India and the US, Japan, Taiwan, and others could create a situation that will deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan."
Also, the latest The Diplomat magazine tweet and article:
The South Korean and U.S. militaries announced Friday they will hold their biggest joint field exercises in five years later this month. https://t.co/aIOm6lpGrG pic.twitter.com/VqpEBdDHAf
— The Diplomat (@Diplomat_APAC) March 6, 2023
No escalation at all on China's doorstep by the US...totally friendly and cordial relations with China aimed at world happiness, peace and prosperity...nothing to see here...move on....
It's good to see South Korea and the US collaborating closely. Being in such a hostile environment, South Korea definitely needs strong allies and an equipped army to deal with any escalations.
That kind of military drills and cooperation is what’s making that region so hostile.
Flollo your view is one of advocating for tit-for-tat military escalation that only leads to one outcome unless it’s defused.
Kevin Rudd’s latest book sheds some good light on what needs to happen.
Do you consider that China’s stated policy of forceful (re)unification is in any way escalatory?
The US has not, historically, supported Taiwanese independence. The official position is actually aligned to what you outlined above.
China’s stated policy is peaceful increasing of ties and peaceful reunification.
China is the reactionary party to US aggression and initiation of each round of the tit-for-tat escalation.
gsco wrote:China’s stated policy is peaceful increasing of ties and peaceful reunification.
China is the reactionary party to US aggression and initiation of each round of the tit-for-tat escalation.
5th party congress stated that unification would be achieved by force.
Notions that the Chinese are not and haven't been geopolitically aggressive are based on fantasy.
Tibet? Korean War? Vietnam War? The almost war with the USSR? The ongoing low-level conflict with India? The ongoing outward aggression towards Taiwan and threat of invasion? The attempted annexation of virtually the entire South China Sea and Stated-backed violence towards fishing fleets of other nations in the area? All the economic coercion that's been going on and continues to happen?
No nation is more aggressive and violent than the US, but to say China is just "responding" is false. They have been using a slightly adapted version of the same hemispherical expansionist playbook the US began using in the 1800s. They're smart like that and more subtle than most nations. Make no mistake, the Chinese are intent on getting back to their glory days and achieving regional hegemony. Might be a good reason for Australia to suddenly stop saying we're part of Asia....
The US of course deliberately trying to keep them fenced in is obviously a driving factor. But, it does beg the question, realpolitik chat:
in a world ruled by animals, of which we are, can there really be two kings of the jungle? Or did the US just realise that, for mainly selfish but perhaps some mildly altruistic reasons, if there's just one big wolf/bear/lion/dragon that dominates all, that's not perfect but it's still better than two equally sized beasts going at and fucking up the whole place for everyone... You know, even in the most democratic of systems, there's a still a top dog that calls the shots. Food for thought.
gsco is too worried about offending the source of his precious money to worry about the facts,it's sickening to read such greedy dribble.
“a common political mistake in the West, the belief that it’s always an advantage for ambassadors to have long experience in China. Governments forget that, in the process of getting to know China and some of its powerful players, many succumb to Beijing’s subtle influence techniques, so that an ambassador may in practice serve as a conduit for Beijing’s messaging back to the Western capital.”
― Clive Hamilton, Hidden Hand: Exposing How the Chinese Communist Party is Reshaping the World
that’s a pretty bizarre statement DAW
Septic Tanks are going to Septic Tank