• Wasily

    • Post #670
    • Edited

    Hursty Yep. 1st chapter on Russia. Great book. Lots of very useful info I hadn’t appreciated like how small the population of Russia is comparatively with their land mass (140M) and the need for southern, Mediterranean facing ports (explaining the importance of Crimea for Sevastopol) that weren’t land locked half the year by ice. Ideologically also Russia has been invaded from Europe frequently throughout their history which explains their deep-rooted paranoia. Really good read.

        • Amps

          • Post #671
          • Edited

          Governments actually governing, who knew…

          Wasily it’s really well written, I’ve just bagged the updated version which was released this month, including all the up to date predicaments and how most likely geography will play its part on the outcome of these conflicts.

          I was comforted by the analysis of the Taiwan issue, specifically the logistical challenges for China to attack and land on the island, it’s pretty much impossible, so unless they are prepared to nuke it first, that isn’t happening anytime soon

              Hursty The person next to me on the plane was reading it. I have read the old version. Also worth listening to how to invent a country on BBC sounds. Misha Glenny does loads of 3 part series about different countries and you realise how inbred the ruling class are and how their whims have shaped the world

                • LT42

                  • Post #674

                  Manufacturing Consent by Chomsky was never more relevant either.

                  Homegrove I’d keep an eye on the UK news Thursday/Friday this week… I suspect it will not be good news.

                    Vote REfowm

                    Homegrove Three months ago, this election was going to be a huge conservative majority. Enter Trump and we have another liberal minority. It’s closer than I was hoping for, but a decent outcome, all things considered.

                        303abuser
                        What caused the pivot? Was it really Trump?

                        feels a bit of a ‘dumbed down for Twitter’ type ‘fact’

                            Mad_Cyril I’d have had an amazing year at work and at home if it wasn’t for him.

                              Love it.

                              He backed the Conservative guy on Truth Social whilst guffing on about it becoming 51st state

                              Mad_Cyril The stars aligned, basically. Conservative leader was awful (he lost his seat in his own riding), but people were sick of the the Trudeau liberals for good reason. Trudeau stepped down, Trump is a cunt, Trump created an economic and sovereignty threat which pulled Canadians together against him, Carney steps in with a strong economic background, Conservatives double down on anti-woke rhetoric and looked like they were going to be more sympathetic to Trump’s bullshit —> liberal minority.

                              That’s it in a nutshell. Probably a best case scenario given the options.

                                  303abuser
                                  Carney comes across as not being one to fuck around too, which is useful currently