yes it's disappointing. 2 years ago as the genocide in gaza escalated, a western-iranian friend of mine was pretty anti-palestine and I was bringing them around to a more historically coherent, anti-genocide perspective. after the attacks yesterday I reached out to offer support and they've veered off into blaming religion. it's pretty disappointing. I can only imagine the level of iranian chud discourse right now. I hope that after the shock of this vile attack wears off that I can talk them around to a more materialist understanding that differentiates zionism from judaism
that nitwit ukrainian nazi/ukrainian nazi apologist came on the news comm recently and she was apparently a mod there? they're not sending their best, folks.
This is a good article on the challenges of a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine. It is in the vein of winning the war but losing the peace. https://aurelien2022.substack.com/p/after-victory
The jist of it is that despite Russian wins on the battlefield, there are tremendous impediments to a negotiated settlement that materially functions. One challenge is that the longer the attrition war continues, the less likely it is that ukrainian government exists as a functional state instead of a failed state. Another is that there is basically no amount of territory or attrition that is sufficient to realize Russia's stated security goals, especially in an age with cheap, effective, largely homebuilt drones. A third is that a lot of Russia's demands require non-ukrainian institutions to do something, and in political terms they are not directly party to the war (even though materially they are).
Thus “[Russian] victory,” even if defined in this very narrow way, actually turns out be a very complicated objective. In effect, three things are required. One is an authority capable of ordering surrender, a second is an actual decision to do so, and the third is the capability to enforce it. It’s not clear that any of these actually exist [in Ukraine] at the moment.
Hey I'm not saying it's just, just that nuclear war is bad
Just FYI, in a popular minecraft mod if you shatter spark plugs with a hammer, the resultant ceramic shards have very strong edges that can be thrown or launched with a slingshot and will shatter glass easily. Part of what makes the build strong is that the pieces required are easy to find and conceal.
I sure hope that doesn't happen, that's a surefire initiation of the Samson protocol.
China has clamped down before, including in a 2010 dispute with Japan, during which it curbed rare-earths exports. Japan had to find alternative suppliers, and by 2018, China accounted for only 58% of its rare earth imports.
So japan had a real problem and over 8 years, reduced their reliance on Chinese rare earth by approximately a third (assuming they were 90ish% dependent on China in 2010). Japan has a government that actually seems like it can accomplish things at times, so I wonder how long a similar feat would take in the US. 20 years?
Today's MoA certified as containing anti-trans brainworms, hexbears beware
This is related to the story about the UK doing more cyberattacks against Russia and China. A bunch of mummified English hams trying to get Vlad to pay their taxes in Tesco gift cards
So authoritarian, trump must be a Chinese Russian communist nazi
I like flagging this kind of thing for the libs in my life. "you might be sad about president trump, but you'll be happy to know that he's continuing biden's policies at least"
Surge pricing for genocidaires