The Here, Now

[michaelmaltby]

Embarrassment ..

An 'embarrassing' gear shortage has Canadian troops in Latvia buying their own helmets | CBC News

Canadian troops in Latvia have been buying their own ballistic helmets with better ear protection and are looking at their allies with envy as Danish soldiers arrive with more modern Canadian-made weapons. It is a sign that the army’s problems with equipping its battle group in the Baltic go...

www.cbc.ca

 

[Denniss]

a logistics failure? Might have forgotten a container with this gear at home

 

[michaelmaltby]

I'm willing to accept that conditions are different in this fight ... historically, Canada has behaved this way. Wrong kit, or wrong kit for theatre, Political decisions that were blatant - Ross rifle, Dieppe Raid. Always needing 'special'.
OTH, selecting the CF18 was a great decision.
Planning for Vimy Ridge Attack was brilliant.
Canada is the shoe-maker, his children are the last to receive shoes

 

[michaelmaltby]

Hainan Airlines To Ground ‘Overweight’ Cabin Crew, Sparks Outcry

While the airline claims it is prioritizing a “professional image,” its decision has sparked concerns about discrimination and employee rights.

www.sixthtone.com

 

[Shinpachi]

Xi mentions the history of Okinawa in "People's Daily." May be conscious of Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki's visit to China planned in July.

習近平氏、沖縄の歴史に言及　「人民日報」で琉球館や久米三十六姓　玉城デニー知事の訪中を意識か - 記事詳細｜Infoseekニュース

中国共産党機関紙「人民日報」は4日付の1面で、習近平国家主席が沖縄と関わりの深い福建省長を務めたことがある経緯から

news.infoseek.co.jp

Governor Denny Tamaki understands Xi Jinping's comment about Okinawa "as his desire to develop mutual exchanges'' prior to his scheduled visit to China.

MSN

 

[michaelmaltby]

Asia's economic heft keeps Russia’s economy afloat - Asia Times

Thirty-seven countries have imposed economic sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The breadth of this campaign has few

asiatimes.com

 

[Glider]

Asia's economic heft keeps Russia’s economy afloat - Asia Times

Thirty-seven countries have imposed economic sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The breadth of this campaign has few

asiatimes.com

I wonder how those Asian economies will feel should China turn on them and they want the West to impose economic sanctions on China.

 

[michaelmaltby]

Call for ‘no blame’ over Ukraine war resonates with a Global South wary of West

Indonesian defence minister Prabowo Subianto’s call for no blame to be placed ‘on any side’ in the conflict resonates with developing nations wary of Western imperialism and the framing of Russia as the all-out bad guy.

www.scmp.com

In 1919 at Versailles, POTUS Woodrow Wilson, sold the treaty supplicants and victors "Peace without Victory". By 1942, FDR and Churchill had coalesced on "Unconditional Surrender".
The above is the reality of today's emerging GLOBAL order.
The west, IMO, is conditioned to see right and wrong, guilty - not.

 

[GTX]

Call for ‘no blame’ over Ukraine war resonates with a Global South wary of West

Indonesian defence minister Prabowo Subianto’s call for no blame to be placed ‘on any side’ in the conflict resonates with developing nations wary of Western imperialism and the framing of Russia as the all-out bad guy.

www.scmp.com

In 1919 at Versailles, POTUS Woodrow Wilson, sold the treaty supplicants and victors "Peace without Victory". By 1942, FDR and Churchill had coalesced on "Unconditional Surrender".
The above is the reality of today's emerging GLOBAL order.
The west, IMO, is conditioned to see right and wrong, guilty - not.

This narrative is something Russia has been pushing for ages. Unfortunately it is being listened too and even encouraged by some.

 

[ThomasP]

While some people/nations (and I include the US in this) want the 'no blame' concept to apply to others simply so that they themselves will be less likely to be held accountable for their actions if/when they behave badly, many others sing this song in the hope that the bad actions being referred to do not become worse - eg in this case escalate into a third world war.

In all fairness, history has shown that many wars were not the fault of only one nation/side. But the deciding factor of course is - would the person/nation sing the 'no blame' song if they were the ones being invaded? having their way of life being destroyed? because some mentally ill old people think they are justified?

 

[MiTasol]

I tossed up whether to post this here or in Quotes and Jokes.

Pay attention to the transcript - some of the spelling is "interesting"

 

[michaelmaltby]

China is ... "fantastical"....

But, this on the other hand, is down to reality:

War in Ukraine so far favors the defense

The evolution of military technology confers a natural advantage on the much-ridiculed Russian troops as they face the current Ukrainian onslaught.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[michaelmaltby]

This narrative is something Russia has been pushing for ages. Unfortunately it is being listened too and even encouraged by some.

,.. it is fundamentally a COMMUNIST narrative.(with a generous pinch of Asian passive-peaceful posture thrown in -- Stalin WAS an Asian, after all )
In the Party-State, Obedience and loyalty are the currency of control, NOT accountability, as it is understood in the laws of Western Christi-sphere countries. Accountability is the prerequisite for delegation and deregulation.

 

[GTX]

,.. it is fundamentally a COMMUNIST narrative.(with a generous pinch of Asian passive-peaceful posture thrown in -- Stalin WAS an Asian, after all )
In the Party-State, Obedience and loyalty are the currency of control, NOT accountability, as it is understood in the laws of Western Christi-sphere countries. Accountability is the prerequisite for delegation and deregulation.

I would strongly disagree. This has nothing do do with Communist or other ideology or race related aspects. I believe it is simply a combination of Russian careful crafting of a narrative that deflects blame for their actions and taking advantage of a bunch of people/nations that are pre-disposed to challenge what is perceived US/Euro-Western dominant actions over the decades. Basically people in many of these countries perceive the US and its ilk as having dominated (and in many cases, if we are honest, exploited) them for decades and right now are receptive to any messaging that seems to paint them in a bad light. Kind of a version of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. The Russian narrative then finds receptive ears.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Let's all (everyone) be careful with the politics. Remember the generally no politics rule is still in place, and we are getting dangerously close to it here.

Official Forum Rules on Politics

This forum has had a long standing and strict no politics rule. This was rule was put in place, quite honestly, to keep the peace. The world, especially the United States has become increasingly polarized with the realm of politics. More often than not political discussion leads to anger and...

ww2aircraft.net

 

[michaelmaltby]

"Every step you make, every breath you take, ...."

Failed North Korean rocket is intelligence win for Kim’s foes

A North Korean satellite launch that ended in failure will provide a trove of information about the secretive state’s rocket program as South Korea salvages large sections from the bottom of the sea.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[SaparotRob]

"Every step you make, every breath you take, ...."

Failed North Korean rocket is intelligence win for Kim’s foes

A North Korean satellite launch that ended in failure will provide a trove of information about the secretive state’s rocket program as South Korea salvages large sections from the bottom of the sea.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[Shinpachi]

China, US see progress in Blinken visit but close no gaps

China, US see progress in Blinken visit but close no gaps

BEIJING: Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Monday (Jun 19) he saw headway in the strained relationship with the United States on a rare visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but the rival powers remained at odds over their core disputes. In a symbolic sign of lowering the temperature after...

www.channelnewsasia.com

What has interested me is not the meeting itself but Xi's unhealthy face.
It looks much worse than a few years before. We call it 土色 (tsuchi-iro = sallow).

 

[michaelmaltby]

puffy sallow

 

[michaelmaltby]

Searchers detect undersea sounds in hunt for missing Titanic sub

The detection of the sounds by Canadian aircraft was reported by the Coast Guard as the clock ticked down to the last 24 hours of the missing craft's presumed oxygen supply.

www.japantimes.co.jp