Gorth

Things that are normally of little interest to western media... Siberia's wildfires out of control. It's a lot of fire.

Because I haven't posted some Rammstein in a while. Not surprised that an Australian mining corporation was involved in the disaster. They're **** when it comes to things like safety and environmental protection in Australia. Why would they behave differently when abroad (even if they don't own the government of Romania like they do the local government down here)?

Makes you wonder what's up with US intelligence services. At least superficially they seem to get rather important details very wrong quite a number of times the last couple of decades.

Maybe they were looking for brains in The Capitol 🤔

Putting it through google translate says pretty much the same as the thread title

Syria, Iran, Iraq and Turkey. The Kurds are today one the largest "stateless nations" in the world numbering around 30 million people. Subjected to discrimination and persecution in the four nations states the Kurdish lands straddle. England and France either didn't know what they were doing or didn't care when they carved up the middle east after WWI.

I did ask our overlords once if we could have a dislike button here. Sadly not available in this forum software 😂

Ask the Kurds in northern Syria for elaboration on the joke

They (China) did attempt to get a foothold in Australia previously with the B&R tool (as well as attempts at massive farmland and industry buyouts) Luckily they eventually got sent packing and with a “don’t slam the door on the way out”

So did I when I got run over by a car as a kid. Doesn’t mean I appreciate the lesson 😝

Speaking of misinformation, Murdoch's misinformation campaign not only in the US but back in his home country of Australia has taken a shot and are now rethinking their strategy... presumably how they can repackage the misinformation. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-58168048 Sky News Australia has removed dozens of videos from its websites, after YouTube suspended the channel for spreading Covid misinformation. The conservative TV network, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has been criticised for promoting conspiracies and questioning public health orders in its broadcasts. In recent days it has taken down about 30 videos without explanation or making corrections. Sky News Australia has declined to comment. While the videos are gone, they do leave behind an idea of their nature and what it says about Murdoch media, whether it be Sky News or Fox News.

True. You could argue, that nobody really had any business in Afghanistan after Bin Ladens death

You can no more defeat the Taliban militarily than you could the Viet Cong. You would think people had learned the lessons from the 60's and 70's but obviously not. You want to fight a movement that is rooted in a population, you need to either genocide them away (like the English did with the Boers) or win over the population by offering them a notably better life. Building the odd water purification system for a village or a school here or there is not going to cut it. You have to really show them better alternatives worth striving for. So far, it hasn't happened.

I eventually got around to watch Deadpool. I know, I bought the DVD quite a while ago, but with about a 100 still unwatched DVD movies in my cupboards, I was a bit proud of myself of actually sitting still and watch an entire movie from start to end. Doesn't happen often these days. I supposed that is also a reason I don't have Netflix. What's the point if I can't endure that much passive entertainment that is watching a single movie? The beauty of watching old movies I've seen before, I can fast forward and just watch the "good parts", skipping the parts that makes me feel impatient to get on with it. Dusted off two Peter Jackson classics, which I'm going to have a go at this weekend. "Bad Taste" and "Braindead". Both from a time when Peter Jackson still made good movies 😇 Edit: Oh yeah, Deadpool... it was fun. Silly at times. Too silly at times. Overall, fun though. Didn't regret watching it. I do like silly humour (I'm not a Monty Python fan for nothing)

Maybe it's a painful phase a country just has to go through? As much as I dislike the Taliban and their (lack of) human values, they do have one thing in common with Mussolini's Fascist party in the 1920's... they are effective at stomping out corruption and organized crime (The Fascist party made mortal enemies of the Italian mafia by regularly decorating streetlights with dangling Mafiosi and their henchmen, summarily executed). The conservative part of Afghanistan actually appreciate the stability and lack of corruption in the areas the Taliban control, hence why it's at this point in time at least, a steep, uphill battle winning the hearts and minds of the rural Afghan population. The cesspool that is the established politicians were never going to be able to hang on to power. The corruption and inefficiency is simply too rampant. Every man for himself and his wallet.

Animated movie taking place during the Unity Wars (as in long before even the Horus Heresy)

The US doesn't need to cut Turkey loose... they seem to have managed quite on their own to distance themselves and trying to play the middle between Russia and US (as far as I can see).

As for why China invaded Tibet in 1950... the main reason I can think of is, the two rivers (and their river valleys) @Gromnirrefers to both originates in Tibet and so makes it a strategically important area. Yes, sometimes water is more important than oil or rare earths or anything else you can dig up from the ground. Wars have been fought for less reasons than controlling rivers and water sources. On a related note, it's going to be interesting to watch how this dam blocking one of the sources of the Nile is going to pan out. Will Egypt go to war over it. On a related note to the related note, looks like the Tigrayan people have had some success in kicking the Ethiopian army's butt and the leaders of the federal government are now calling for civilians to volunteer to fight for them... well, good luck with that. If you don't have a real national identity, it's hard to use nationalism as a tool to get gullible people to fight your wars on your behalf to stay in power. Edit: Because I haven't posted much in the way of links in the last few posts https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58163641 Edit2: link for the above, alliances being formed and lines drawn in the sand? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/7/saudi-supporting-egypt-sudan-water-rights-amid-gerd-dispute

The Polish government apparently doesn't like media they can't control https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58180761 Poland's parliament has passed a new media bill that opponents say is an attempt to silence a TV channel critical of the government. The government says the law is needed to stop hostile foreign powers taking control of its broadcasters. The "hostile foreign power" may get upset though. But critics say it is an attempt to push US company Discovery to sell the country's biggest TV network, TVN. The law threatens to sour relations with the US, a key ally, and deepen EU concern over media freedom in Poland. Maybe somebody should show the Polish leadership a history book. The US has a proven track record of throwing allies to the wolves the moment the relationship isn't beneficial enough. I'm sure Putin would love a Poland all alone in the world.

Yeah, makes you wonder which country it was then, that invaded and occupied Tibet, forcing the government into exile. And then there were those naval vessels escorting Chinese, industrial grade fishing vessels into other countries territorial water so they can "strip mine" their traditional fishing grounds and chase away the locals. Seriously mate, enough with the lies and the CCP propaganda already. Edit: I'm sure the four existing military bases on Antarctica is only for "research" purposes... and the airport being expanded on Manus island to be capable of handling Chinese airforce planes or the naval base being built north of Darwin is definitely not there to enact a military blockade of Australia, oh no

Got no problem growing facial hairs. All my hair seems to grow on my head for some reason. I was once in the slightly awkward situation of having a girl asking me in all seriousness if I had wax jobs done to my arms (I was wearing a t-shirt and she was absolutely fascinated by my arms for some reason). Only after that experience did I become a bit self conscious and started looking at other peoples arms 😂 No, I really don't grow much in the way of body hair by comparison to a lot of other people and most of me could probably look like something that had had a wax treatment (never been anywhere near one). I've always had a mane on my head that made me look like a 70's hippie though.

How Russia's interference in other countries is more than the odd, botched poisoning of traitors... https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58009514 A long read with "sub links". Excerpt of key parts (imho) The tablet was left behind by an unknown Wagner fighter after the group's fighters retreated from areas south of Tripoli in spring 2020. Its contents include maps in Russian of the frontline, giving confirmation of Wagner's significant presence and an unprecedented insight into the group's operations. ... Officially, it does not exist - but up to 10,000 people are believed to have taken at least one contract with Wagner since it emerged fighting alongside pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014. About 1,000 Wagner men are estimated to have fought with Gen Khalifa Haftar in Libya from 2019 to 2020. ... The BBC in Russia asked one of the ex-fighters to describe Wagner. He replied: "It is a structure, aimed at promoting the interests of the state beyond our country's borders." As for its fighters, he said they were either "professionals of war", people looking for a job, or romantics looking to serve their country. ... Andrey Chuprygin, an expert working with the Russia International Council, said the stance of the Russian government was - "let them join this thing, and we'll see what the result is. If it works out well, we can use it to our advantage. If it turns out badly, then we had nothing to do with it".

Not that I really needed any confirmation, that "anti vaxxers" suffers from one or more intellectual deficiencies... if it wasn't so sad and threatened the lives of other people I would laugh at them. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-58164833 Last week, the New York Times reported that the owner of an eyewear store in the Bronx, New York, was struggling to persuade some of its staff to get a Covid vaccine, with one citing the plot of I Am Legend as a concern. "One employee said she was concerned because she thought a vaccine had caused the characters in the film I Am Legend to turn into zombies," the report said. Responding to the article, Akiva Goldsman, 59, who co-wrote the screenplay based on a 1954 novel of the same name, tweeted: "Oh. My. God. It's a movie. I made that up. It's. Not. Real."

Even Murdoch's (the guy who runs Fox News and Sky News) pet politicians in NSW is considering mandatory vaccinations in some government workplaces (health care). Going to be interesting to see how the Anti-Vaxxers and Flat-Earthers are going to react to that. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-10/nsw-considers-mandatory-covid19-vaccination-health-workers/100363250 "I've spoken to two union leaders this morning and indicated that I believe that if you want to work inside a health facility, if you want to care for patients, you should be vaccinated, because this particular virus is extremely dangerous," the Minister said. "There are precedents for compulsory, or mandatory vaccines in other areas so I've asked NSW Health to work with the unions." Edit: About the legality (in Australia) of requiring employees to get vaccinated: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/09/covid-vaccine-mandates-can-you-be-required-in-australia-to-get-the-jab Scott Morrison says mandating vaccines for workers will be left up to businesses Four states (New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia) have imposed public health orders requiring certain types of workers to get the vaccine. These include quarantine, transportation, airport, health services and aged care staff. The national cabinet has also agreed that by mid-September all aged care workers will need to have had at least one dose. Can employers require vaccination? Employment law experts, including barrister Ian Neil and Adelaide University professor Andrew Stewart, have argued that employers’ common law power to issue “lawful and reasonable” directions could allow them to require staff to be vaccinated."

This little octopus got a new home. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy at the end (and angry at the ****ing endless stream of plastic waste making it into the environment at the same time)