In terms of their future economy, Russia lost the war the moment they started it.
It really depends on how you look at it. The joke I told earlier, about Finland in 1939, absolutely on topic here. Finland technically lost the war. They ran out of ammunition, they had to surrender and sign a peace treaty in which they lost 11% of their territory. On paper, that’s a terrible defeat.
In practice, by the time the was was over, Russia had lost 1 million soldiers, and Finland had lost 25k. The win came at such a great cost, it reminds you of the battle of the windmill in George Orwell’s “Animal farm”.
A Russian wife turned to her husband and asked, “What’s this special military operation our glorious leader keeps talking about?” Her husband replied, “It’s a war to stop America and NATO.” “Oh, right” she says “How’s it going?”
“Well” he replied “so far we have lost over 20 generals, 110,000 troops killed, countless injured, 3000 tanks, 300 aircraft, hundreds of helicopters, countless armoured vehicles, artillery and trucks, our flagship along with other naval ships, our army is being defeated in most areas and we have had to resort to conscription to replace our losses”.
“Wow” replied the wife “what about America and NATO”?
Not ANC+Rusky per se, but related to general chats on the forum:
Globalisation. Merica. Solar. China. Commies. Capitalists. Espionage. Miami. Hairstyles.
A Washington official has made the most direct comments by a US authority to date acknowledging the existence of a deal with Japan and the Netherlands for those countries to impose new restrictions on exports of chipmaking tools to China.
“We can’t talk about the deal right now,” said Don Graves, deputy commerce department secretary, on the sidelines of an event in Washington. “But you can certainly talk to our friends in Japan and the Netherlands.”
Bloomberg reported on Friday an agreement had been finalised and two people familiar with the matter later confirmed the news to Reuters.
The United States in October imposed sweeping export restrictions on shipments of chipmaking tools to China, seeking to hobble Beijing’s ability to expand its chip industry and enhance its military capabilities.
Screws tightening it seems.
This should drive the division, ideologically at least, between BRICS and the big bad West.
Though I did read or watch somewhere that something like 80% of our exports are to the West.
I can neither confirm nor deny that.
But the political show is one thing and the flow of bob another. Bit like parents agreeing in front of their kids “Yay mommy and daddy are talking” but meantime daddy’s talking to mommy’s sister and mommy, well, she prefers the smooth poetry of the milkman. Meantime the kids reckon they may never have to tidy their rooms again and those kids from across the road everyone knows as the Cheese Eaters are going to die.
https://archive.is/Ze7rf
SA is the most democratic African country thank heavens.
This should then produce a significant shift in the administration in our election next year…
Well the rest of the world is somewhat divided as they report: “The latest edition finds that almost half (45.3%) of the world’s population live in a democracy of some sort, while more than a third (36.9%) live under authoritarian rule”
I think it is that theory vs practice thing. In theory, we are one of the most free countries in the world, nevermind just the continent. Our constitution is truly a work of art in that respect, and that proportional representation thing is far far preferable over the American system where you have these two giants that both have their disagreeable qualities. In South Africa, all I need is enough votes to get one guy into parliament, and hey presto, I have a voice there. Not a big one, but a voice. In theory.
In practice, this always leads to the paradox Chesterton described (he was the king of paradoxes), where the king (president) uses his powerlessness rather than his power…
There is no fear that a modern king will attempt to override the constitution; it is more likely that he will ignore the constitution and work behind its back; he will take no advantage of his kingly power; it is more likely that he will take advantage of his kingly powerlessness, of the fact that he is free from criticism and publicity. For the king is the most private person of our time. It will not be necessary for any one to fight again against the proposal of a censorship of the press. We do not need a censorship of the press. We have a censorship by the press.
Edit: With all that said though. Take a look at the most difficult countries in the world to emigrate to. North Korea probably at the top (though, who’d want to go there?), and the Vatican second, but there are some places in Arabia where you will never get it, and in Europe some tax havens require 30 years. South Africa? Show that you’re financially self-sustainable, and you get a residence permit. Do that for 5 years… and hey presto… welcome to Africa!
I think of it this way. I go to Europe… I decide… hey, I want to demolish an old garage on my land, and build a new one.
Then I need to apply for a permit. Then they will tell me, no, you cannot build that garage, because you are only allowed to cover x% with buildings and you are already over. You’re welcome to demolish that old one of course…
Now of course, I have to submit plans to the municipality… but other than that, over here, I have a LOT more freedom to do as I please.
So for as long as that lasts, I will stick it out here in Africa… because I don’t think we always realise what we have.
That’s the best part of SA, the lack of services / enforcement can sometimes play in your favor
You can build that new lapa and just say sorry afterwards.
Although that feels more like a Limpopo thing than a WC thing…
I went to the WC in Nov and was shocked to see people actually driving the speed limit…
