Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges - Ukrainian Bravery and Russian Blunders [Click] I am pleased to see someone who agrees with me that the Russian Federation could well disintegrate as a result of this war. (Of course, since he agrees with me, he must be right. HA!)
The snotty Muscovites have pretty much disregarded the hinterlands and now they expect them to provide cannon fodder. The far eastern oblasts are largely oriented towards Japan. Putin should have taken a hint when Kazakstan refused to provide support.
China has some old scores to settle with Russia; but both countries have huge demographic and economic problems. Historical note: the first treaty between China and a foreign country (Russia) was the Treaty of Nerchinsk; it was written in Latin because that was the only common language available. Orthodox priests on the Russian side and Jesuist priests on the Chinese side were conversant and literate in Latin.
If all the people in the world had shelter, enough to eat, and a little more for pleasure, there would be no one willing to kowtow to power and go to war.
I suspect there are some humans who need to provoke a reaction. It may be prompted by some deficit whose origin is unknown. What prompted Cain to kill Abel or Joseph's brothers to sell him into Egypt? The narcissist's and psychopath's deficits may be endemic. We need to do better in recognizing when people are off. How do we account for a Donald Trump?
There are reports from both the Kharkiv and Kherson fronts that in order to keep up with (or pass) routed Russian troops, Ukrainian troops are leaving their tanks to follow behind, because the tanks simply can't move fast enough. They are dashing ahead in small groups mounted in/on whatever vehicles can move the fastest, terrorizing and disrupting the already disorganized Russian troops with numerous small lightning strikes. Russian command and control is at least severely weakened, and evidently destroyed in places. Reminds me of General Sheridan in the 1864 campaign; not quite the same, but it reminds me of it.
Christianne Amanpour had some elderly Russian from a think tank on. He talked as if he thought the whole incursion into Ukraine were rational and seemed to expect some sort of cease fire and negotiations. Ivory towers come to mind and then I consider that none of this idiocy would be possible if women were in the mix. Iran is continuing to rumble. I wonder how women were persuaded to surrender their liberties four decades ago. Is it because they are content to be left alone to do their own thing?
Walking to the dentist's this afternoon, I passed a front-yard flower garden that was an absolute explosion of fall color. Don't recall when I've ever seen as much outside a professional site. Meanwhile the trees haven't started to change at all and there are still a few cicadas chirping. Early afternoon was warm but then it turned chilly after the rain started. The dentist appointment went even better than expected. Both of the anchor teeth for my upcoming bridge now have the bond filling that needs to go under it and the dentist took an impression to allow her to start working on the temporary bridge. The fillings still need to be shaped to allow the bridge to slip over them, but it sounds like my mid-November appointment will take less time than expected.
That sounds like a very worthwhile day, Bill. Hurrah for the dentist work going so smoothly!
There's a white house in Burlington, VT that each year offers an entire front yard of purple flowers of all sorts. They do such a nice job of it that it surprises when you see it.
Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges - Ukrainian Bravery and Russian Blunders [Click] I am pleased to see someone who agrees with me that the Russian Federation could well disintegrate as a result of this war. (Of course, since he agrees with me, he must be right. HA!)
ReplyDeleteThe snotty Muscovites have pretty much disregarded the hinterlands and now they expect them to provide cannon fodder. The far eastern oblasts are largely oriented towards Japan. Putin should have taken a hint when Kazakstan refused to provide support.
ReplyDeleteChina has some old scores to settle with Russia; but both countries have huge demographic and economic problems. Historical note: the first treaty between China and a foreign country (Russia) was the Treaty of Nerchinsk; it was written in Latin because that was the only common language available. Orthodox priests on the Russian side and Jesuist priests on the Chinese side were conversant and literate in Latin.
DeleteIf all the people in the world had shelter, enough to eat, and a little more for pleasure, there would be no one willing to kowtow to power and go to war.
DeleteI suspect there are some humans who need to provoke a reaction. It may be prompted by some deficit whose origin is unknown. What prompted Cain to kill Abel or Joseph's brothers to sell him into Egypt? The narcissist's and psychopath's deficits may be endemic. We need to do better in recognizing when people are off. How do we account for a Donald Trump?
DeleteWell, for that you need to study and mend the cause of an undersized amygdala ... the place in the brain where compassion arises.
DeleteThe Geologic Oddity in Australia where the Mantle is Exposed; Macquarie Island [Click]
ReplyDeleteThere are reports from both the Kharkiv and Kherson fronts that in order to keep up with (or pass) routed Russian troops, Ukrainian troops are leaving their tanks to follow behind, because the tanks simply can't move fast enough. They are dashing ahead in small groups mounted in/on whatever vehicles can move the fastest, terrorizing and disrupting the already disorganized Russian troops with numerous small lightning strikes. Russian command and control is at least severely weakened, and evidently destroyed in places. Reminds me of General Sheridan in the 1864 campaign; not quite the same, but it reminds me of it.
ReplyDeleteChristianne Amanpour had some elderly Russian from a think tank on. He talked as if he thought the whole incursion into Ukraine were rational and seemed to expect some sort of cease fire and negotiations.
DeleteIvory towers come to mind and then I consider that none of this idiocy would be possible if women were in the mix. Iran is continuing to rumble. I wonder how women were persuaded to surrender their liberties four decades ago. Is it because they are content to be left alone to do their own thing?
Catherine the Great, Indira Ghandi, and Golda Meir come to mind; also Margaret Thatcher. Just sayin’.
DeleteI do not include Victoria Regina et Imperatrix Indica because she reigned but did not rule.
DeleteGeorge Friedman: China Is At Point Of No Return [Click]
ReplyDeleteWalking to the dentist's this afternoon, I passed a front-yard flower garden that was an absolute explosion of fall color. Don't recall when I've ever seen as much outside a professional site. Meanwhile the trees haven't started to change at all and there are still a few cicadas chirping. Early afternoon was warm but then it turned chilly after the rain started.
ReplyDeleteThe dentist appointment went even better than expected. Both of the anchor teeth for my upcoming bridge now have the bond filling that needs to go under it and the dentist took an impression to allow her to start working on the temporary bridge. The fillings still need to be shaped to allow the bridge to slip over them, but it sounds like my mid-November appointment will take less time than expected.
That sounds like a very worthwhile day, Bill. Hurrah for the dentist work going so smoothly!
DeleteThere's a white house in Burlington, VT that each year offers an entire front yard of purple flowers of all sorts. They do such a nice job of it that it surprises when you see it.
Yep, sounds pretty good.
Delete