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[martinuzz]

Heh, it is funny how Chinese tourists treat NK as a safari zoo with binoculars.

[Loud Whispers]

Heh, it is funny how Chinese tourists treat NK as a safari zoo with binoculars.

When I was in China my South African colleague once stayed in a Chinese hotel in a jacuzzi overlooking North Korea

He had to do some soul searching later over whether it was ethically acceptable to chill in a jacuzzi overlooking North Korea

[anewaname]

Ultimately, Trump's "erratic behavior" is a social drama by a bully attempting to inspire fear for the purpose of gaining hierarchical dominance or profit. There is no case of Trump acting "erratically" for another purpose.

Trump is not going to war with anyone if he gets his payoff.

There are three other occasions where he acts erratically

-Someone or something is putting pressure on him (you can see this even before he went into politics with his bankruptcy or divorce proceedings making him act erratic. There is a whole saga of him trying to keep this big rich gambler gambling at his casino instead of going home with his winnings because of the financial consequences)
-He's reacting to an insult (real or perceived). Both before and after his political career you can see Trump is someone who takes personal slights to an extreme - there was one golfer who was down on his stats, Trump let use his courses for free. The guy practices and ends up rising back up and becoming a winner again. Trump asks him to wear a Trump branded t-shirt next time he played, and the golfer tells Trump he'll run it by his agent first. Not even a no - just a "I'll run it by my agent first." That was enough for Trump to ban him from all of his course. You can see it today with Trump tightening the screws on people like Elon Musk or British ministers for little reason other than they offended him
-He senses an opportunity for gain by making a huge spectacle. The last 3 RNC leadership contest, his near assassination, his court trials, post Jan 6th, really going all the way back to his TV career as a "strong business guy / wrestling guy" has been all about doing things as brazenly and large as possible, like a big American cheeseburger. He knows how to exploit the American news media entertainment cycle for free content

Yep, but those examples are still attempts to bully for dominance or profit. The golfer was expected to give him free advertising and the winning gambler was going to take money away with him. Improving his bankruptcy or divorce results could benefit both dominance or profit. Any mockery of him as the dominant person, be it from Musk or the Brits, will be attacked until he gets adequate contrition or tribute. Any free advertising has value, so he has practiced the creation of spectacles of all sorts, including back when he would call a reporter anonymously and give a story about himself so the reporter would print a story about him.

In his mind, everything is "what is in it for me, and what is in it for them?" and "I need to show them I'm the dominant one here...". It is not erratic behavior except those maybe-dementia moments he has had during some campaign events.

That thing with Russian media showing off Melania's nudes and mocking Trump, I could see Trump either making Russia pay for it or making Melania pay for it, but either way it will be a dominance thing and he will go after someone.

[hector13]

I could buy that.

Nikki Haley, the last of his competitors to fall for the Republican candidacy, made zero appearances at his rallies and gets no job despite (eventually) endorsing him, while a TV host on Fox News gets the Secretary of Defense nod.

He’s surrounding himself with yes-men, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens if someone ruffles his feathers. For a given definition of interesting…

[wobbly]

I'm not exactly thrilled that this conflict requires a military buildup. Countries that do that generally find reasons to war.

WW3 (WW4 if you count the cold war as a world war) has already arrived. Radical part of the Muslim world + Russia are waging a war against "the West" and they won't stop unless stopped. China will also look for an opportunity to get stronger but unlike former two, they have no ideological dreams of destroying "the West". Their goals are pragmatic - solidifiying their power and profiting.

More, I think, solidifying their power and increasing


They also seem to hold the mentality that the concept of a Westphalian nation-state means they're allowed to intervene in your nation, you aren't allowed to intervene back. See them setting up police forces in other nations without their knowledge or consent, and the repeated violations of EEZs.

From what I can tell, this is even worse if your Nation happens to have a lot of citizens of Chinese origin. The Chinese propaganda machine extends to trying to control and spy on non-chinese citizens of Chinese origin. Sadly the same pattern with India, and non-Inidan citizens with Indian background.

Edit: Also, Strongpoint, sorry if I got angry, but you were talking as if SE Asia did not matter. You'd be equally angry at people who thought Ukraine did not matter.

[Strongpoint]

Edit: Also, Strongpoint, sorry if I got angry, but you were talking as if SE Asia did not matter. You'd be equally angry at people who thought Ukraine did not matter.

I was not meaning that. I was merely saying that China, at this point, has no interest to wage the war with the West. They want the West being busy\weak so they can do Empire stuff in SE Asia and continue colonization of Africa.

Unlike radical Islamists and Russia who want a new world order and deconstruction of the "Evil Gay West" and actively pursue this goal to the extent their resources allow.

[wobbly]

Edit: Also, Strongpoint, sorry if I got angry, but you were talking as if SE Asia did not matter. You'd be equally angry at people who thought Ukraine did not matter.

I was not meaning that. I was merely saying that China, at this point, has no interest to wage the war with the West. They want the West being busy\weak so they can do Empire stuff in SE Asia and continue colonization of Africa.

Unlike radical Islamists and Russia who want a new world order and deconstruction of the "Evil Gay West" and actively pursue this goal to the extent their resources allow.

I'd argue China also want a new world order. Most of the international institutions were built by the west, and western countries had (still have) a majority power. China wants to re-write them. Russia, Iran want to re-write them. A bunch of other countries want to re-write them, but don't necessarily have the power to do so. I don't necessarily care about China re-writing the rules, but as long as China is a country that wants to impinge on the freedoms of other countries in the region (including my own), I do.

[martinuzz]

Accidentally posted this in the wrong thread.


Russian lawyer Michail Moesjailov warns that Russians buying S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (which will release november 20th) are at risk of being charged with treason.
The game's company, GSC Game World (from Ukraine) has donated money in Ukraine for military and humanitarian support.

https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/11/12/russian-gamers-interested-in-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-heart-of-chornobyl-could-risk-treason-charges-to-buy-an-fps-its-developer-won-t-even-sell-in-russia

Inb4 Russia declares Microsoft and Xbox a terrorist organisation.

[Great Order]

Russia fines Microsoft...

One meellion dollars!

[hector13]

They have recently fined Google.

The fine was… more money than exists in the world.

[Strongpoint]

Donald Trump is expected to soon appoint a Ukrainian peace envoy to lead negotiations on ending the war with Russia, - Fox News
 

I expect some epic level of shit from this. What kind of despicable human being will he find?

[Telgin]

Tucker Carlson maybe?  Seems his speed.

Or a family member so he can pay the family more, maybe.

[Strongpoint]

Nah, I expect someone old, "respectable", like... hmmm... Rudi Gulliani?

[King Zultan]

Russian lawyer Michail Moesjailov warns that Russians buying S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (which will release november 20th) are at risk of being charged with treason.

Well if its anything like the first three it'll be worth committing treason to get it.

[Strongpoint]

Some personal news for anyone interested. After 2,5 years at frontlines with only few weeks of combined rest time, my brother is a civilian again.

He had to jump through some legal hoops (His family won a court case and a following apeal against the Armed Forces of Ukraine) to achive this but it is done. It is absolutely neccessary. He is exhaused, his health has severely detoriated. I doubt that he could last the 3rd winter.

I know for sure that he would prefer an extended leave but it isn't an option. One of the things wrong in how we wage this war.