BruceVC

Yes the reporting on Bakhmut has been difficult to ascertain what the truth is but I think its for different reasons from both sides I dont believe anything from the Russian side until its confirmed from the Ukrainian side, like when Ukraine said " Mariupol has surrendered " I believed it and the Ukrainians tend to keep things silent until they have definitive news. They also generally dont allow the media or embedded journalists too close to the active frontline. So all imbedded journalists from the likes of CNN, sky, Al-Jazeera or Reuters dont always have updated or accurate news by design...its limited CNN was saying 2 weeks ago that Bakhmut was surrounded according to Wagner, Im not sure why they were quoting Wagner But this link is from a quoted Ukrainian spokesman and normally thats the official strategy based on the reality of a particular battle in the war. In other words if Bakhmut was hopeless the Ukrainians would withdrawal but if it serves a purpose, meatgrinder for Russian troops, then its worth continuing the defense But nothing is certain in this type of battle, so we should just wait and see

What do they say about sarcasm..." its the lowest form of wit " (but it can make you laugh)

Absolutely, there is a valid reason for both the EU and the US to increase military expenditure and these private sector military companies are going to become even more wealthier. Wait till end of year results

I know you new to this forum and you not aware of the various personalities and how they post. Hoonding will never respond to any question you ask him or ever engage in any kind of meaningful debate So dont waste your time asking him these types of reasonable questions unless you dont mind your time being wasted He is funny though and I love his attempts to race bait, particularly white people, and how "racist " the West is

Lexx thats true but its to be expected, Im just glad you not suggesting the whole conspiracy theory that says " evil, Western Capitalist companies are secretly behind the invasion so they can become rich funding the war effort " Remember in life two, or more, things can be true at the same. Putin is responsible for the war but yes many companies will increase there revenue stream and become richer by supporting the Western war effort

Im very impressed with the commitment from the Nordic countries to Ukraine and the war effort around military aid @xzar_monty good to see Finland playing such a " non-neutral " role and being on the right side of history, I wish SA would do that

But also why would it be a surprise that in every country in the world, including East European countries, there are some people who support Russia in different ways Thats been the case since the beginning of the war and it wont change. Soviet era influence is a reality Thats not a concern, all that matters is how many people support Russia compared to Ukraine and more importantly what is the current governments position. In SA for example about 30 % of people polled support Russia and we live in a Democracy so people are entitled to have there own opinion and this includes the right to protest So I would expect to find pro-Russian protests but all that really matters is a governments position and does it support Ukraine

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/10/ukraine-says-bakhmut-battle-grinding-down-russias-best-units Its been a legitimate question for many, " whats the point of trying to hold onto Bakhmut for Ukraine. Its just one small town in a long border war " . It was something I wondered at least. And unlike the Russians the Ukrainians havent been prone to making military decisions, so far, that have been imprudent or led to unnecessary loss of large amounts of life. They have been very strategic throughout this war Anyway I came across an interview on Al-Jazeera about Bakhmut, in summary Bakhmut is a meatgrinder for Russian forces so that its easier for a planned Ukrainian offensive in April. Interesting strategy if true because the Russian killed\wounded ratio on Bakhmut are 6-1 compared to Ukraine so that part of the plan is working

I guess you mean the US? But its more nuanced than that The Iranian hardliners hate the US. China and the US are inextricably connected in trade but you generally find more anti-China sentiment from the US than anti -US sentiment from China. And much of the anti-China sentiment can be justified but some of it is grandstanding like Trump blaming China for the spread of the virus within US which was unfair because of the nature of the virus But Saudi Arabia doesnt hate the US, they have a long and historical "friendship " going back decades. Mohammed bin Salman didnt like the criticism he received over the killing of the journalist and Im not sure how happy he is over oil price caps on Russian oil but I dont think that translates to a real dislike of the US I really think this new and ostensible friendship with Iran is more about the ME for both countries and the real problems that exist because of the Shia vs Sunni conflict And of course we will see how things change as time goes on?

Its not about a common enemy because if you look at Iran and Saudi Arabia they each have different alliances, enemies and friendships globally but I do think its about the future of the ME and the numerous conflicts created by Shia vs Sunni sectarian tensions. But of course its early days but its a progressive move for the ME Interesting China played a role, never thought I would see that but the Chinese are also looking at there own future economically and what works for them

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-saudi-arabia-agree-resume-ties-re-open-embassies-iranian-state-media-2023-03-10/ This an interesting and potentially significant development for the ME and the various proxy wars in the ME due to the Shia vs Sunni conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia And also now people can stop asking the illogical question " but why doesnt the West care about Yemen like it cares about Ukraine " because now maybe the countries responsible for that war can end it. Its early days with these peace talks but lets see how it progresses

https://cepa.org/article/gloom-envelops-putins-tv-propagandists/ This is a definite " BruceVC must read " link about the doom and gloom that is settling into various Russian propagandists like Solovyov and again they create this false narrative that they fighting NATO when in fact they fighting Ukrainians who are fighting and dying for the right to decide their own destiny

I am watching several series that include Animal Kingdom S6 : Excellent crime drama about a family who are unrepentant criminals and fund their entire lifestyles from one job to another SWAT S5: A police drama about a well trained SWAT team in LA, its not bad. Its got some woke themes but its not overdone Yellowstone S2: All the seasons are now in SA. Its excellent, Kevin Costner is brilliant and I love the whole cowboy Montana lifestyle Power S4: A crime drama about a black gangster in NY, its similar to other crime drama stories with drug dealings and how various criminal gangs interact and work together. Its very entertaining

So good news for the country of Georgia which is looking to join the EU\West. There parliament had proposed a very unpopular " foreign agents bill " which was heavily criticized by groups like Amnesty International and most people in Georgia. It reminded me of the typical Russian style authoritarian control of freedom speech and a free media https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/03/georgia-foreign-agents-bill-tramples-on-rights-restricting-freedom-of-expression-and-association/ Anyway after several days of protest the Georgian government has reversed its decision to try to implement this bill. A small but important victory for another former Soviet state thats has aspirations to join the EU https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/09/world/europe/georgia-protests-russia.html

I have seen very credible evidence that Greta Thunberg is responsible, you know how she hates fossil fuels It makes sense and she lives close to the pipe

Poison arrows, not darts, are still used by pygmies in African countries like CAR (Central African Republic ) in hunting https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/hunting-with-pygmies-in-the-central-african-republic @Gfted1 but you dont have to worry about this in SA. All our hunting is with guns or some professional hunters use longbows and crossbows

Its such an inaccurate cliché when people talk about gated communities in SA. Government fails to deal effectively with crime and we have some of the highest murder and rape rates in the world and when you live in gated communities or have to pay for private security you get accused of " hiding away " or " not being part of the real SA experience " As if anyone in this world would willingly live in a crime ridden area if you dont have to. And yes all our politicians who run the country live in gated communities and also have private security

Who ever said SA was perfect? We far from perfect

Come to SA, we have free public healthcare, English is the main language, its warm, lovely nature and beaches and housing can be affordable especially with $ ...but no UBI sadly

Malc I should we should trust that the UK government knows more about immigration laws than you and I and if they pass this bill in there parliament it should be fine

Its absolutely appalling but what do we expect from the authoritarian and dystopian reality that Putin has created And people on Codex argue that Putin is simply trying to " preserve white Christian culture " and doing " Gods work "

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/05/sunak-to-launch-bill-to-bar-asylum-claims-from-people-arriving-on-small-boats The UK is close to passing new laws to deal with the influx of illegal immigration particularly on boats. Hopefully it gets passed. To quote Rishi Sunak "Illegal migration is not fair on British taxpayers, it is not fair on those who come here legally and it is not right that criminal gangs should be allowed to continue their immoral trade. I am determined to deliver on my promise to stop the boats. So make no mistake, if you come here illegally, you will not to be able to stay.” Its interesting how several people on this forum believe the UK is in decline or want it to fail yet that doesnt stop the reality of illegal immigration to the UK

I predict this is going to be a great game. And Wormie you know the " BruceVC game prediction radar" is never wrong, they have done extensive analysis on the Internet and its been unequivocally confirmed its always accurate But remember its best to wait 6-8 months before playing Starfield, just to get the initial updates and fixes out and for the first mods to be released

https://www.techpowerup.com/305609/gsc-game-world-to-show-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-at-gdc-2023#comments S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 is going to be released and its looks excellent, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 1 was overall my best post-apocalyptic game ever. Even better than METRO by a little bit So I will definitely be getting this

Colonialism was a time of history and both good things and bad things happened during that time. For example the first and second industrial revolution occurred during Colonialism. But yes terrible things also happened during Colonialism like the Atlantic Slave trade