re-stacks.bsky.social
Roch, Minn. | Jazz, espresso, foreign policy.
68 posts
25 followers
54 following
Getting Started
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Saw this in theaters last year and I still remember the bit of contentment I felt at the end. Charming in the most understated of ways. I still need to check out some other Kaurismäki films.
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Efforts should be made to provide Russia a clear path toward peace compliance while still maximizing the leverage that we (the U.S.) and others still have. Best to do all of this soon prior to any more Russian gains on the battlefield or further attrition of the Ukrainian Army.
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Very reasonable concerns. The U.S. and EU should offer CONDITIONAL sanctions relief rather than just lifting or keeping sanctions in place. An incentive structure if you will. Also, bring China & Global South states into the fold for Ukraine reconstruction & peacekeeping respectively.
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Do you have the 4K disc for The Shining? I had seen the film probably a half dozen times and getting the 4K disc last year made it feel like I was watching it for the first time.
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Nice find! More interesting to me is Alcott’s cinematography and use of light. Immaculate just like with Barry Lyndon several years earlier.
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Here's my last comment because you're deeply unserious about discussing int'l relations, and from the looks of it a political hobbyist. You have a "school playground theory" of the world with characters like bullies and zero inclination to investigate motives and strategies. I suggest less emotion.
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I'd love to hear you folks try to reconcile your flawed assumptions that a) Ukraine stands a chance to gain territory/full sovereignty if only we keep funding and b) Russia is about to launch a broader assault on the rest of Europe. I thought Russia was too weak to beat Ukraine? Mental gymnastics.
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You really think Ukraine can fight this indefinitely without collapsing? They'll suddenly create more troops out of thin air? Or do you want more forced conscriptions/forced deaths? PEACE DEAL NOW.
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You're repeating neocon talking points about an expansionist Russia that will invade all of Europe. It's complete conjecture. Coupled with your inability to gauge the situation on the ground, it's hardly even worth arguing with.
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Ukraine has no way to get back their territory and there is no way they'll convince even the most agreeable U.S. administration (see: Biden) to commit U.S. troops which would spell disaster for the world. While I hate Trump, I don't see how you think he is screwing over Ukraine. They lost already.
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Here's a rather concise explanation, but there are much more detailed histories of 1930s Nazi Germany's expansionist aspirations and Russia's post-Cold War grievances with European security architecture should you be inclined to compare further. responsiblestatecraft.org/munich/
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And with all due respect, as you seem like an intelligent guy and have sound morals, please reconsider your reductive analogy to Munich if that's what you're referring to. It's a neocon talking point repeated ad infinitum in the West that repeatedly leads us astray. And it's ahistorical.
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I would commit to a peace deal with security guarantees and appease my great power neighbor to hopefully carve out a nonviolent existence rather than antagonize that neighbor and possibly die or have my country completely destroyed. It’s not so simple in reality, but they should be aiming for peace.
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We get it, it’s heinous and wrong. But wake up to reality, he’s not withdrawing troops. If it was my country I’d cut my losses rather than risk my life and the entire country’s future. At some point this reality should set in, but I guess it’s going to have to get much worse for people to wake up.
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I understand the sentiment and that it’s the morally correct stance, but I question the wisdom of it because of how much more death and destruction this endless support will cause. Without committing US/NATO troops, Ukraine cannot win. With it, we risk nuclear war. Peace is the only option.
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A child’s take.
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Would the U.S. tolerate Russian-aligned troops on its border? Not in a million years, nor should it as it would not raise the prospects for global peace. Russia has a legitimate security grievance in not wanting Ukraine to join NATO. It’s a hard thing to accept but an ugly war to be sure.
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I personally want the war to be wrapped up as soon as possible, though I think the Russians may drag out the negotiations given their position of leverage with battlefield realities and a major personnel advantage, two facts largely ignored or only cursorily mentioned by analysts in the West.
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If you’re framing this in the raw (and accurate) terms of what it is, a great power proxy war, then why are we so concerned about the optics of this? It’s horrible diplomacy to be sure, but selling out a so-called ally is hardly surprising outside of the manner of it this time.
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Until the last Ukrainian man dies and the last inch of territory is ceded? What exactly is the plan for you folks? Serious question.
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Not the movies yet you frame it as good guys vs. bad guys like an 8th grader’s first look at international politics. It just so happens that the “bad guys” have already won and have all the leverage. Using what leverage we have to negotiate a peace deal will prevent greater suffering.
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While hundreds of thousands more Ukrainian and Russian men die as your little afterthought of a proxy war grinds on for years in the background for you. What a noble commitment to decorum and democracy, which as we all know is more important than peace and ending suffering. /sarcasm
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I originally found this record from her Substack. Great stuff.
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Not like they are trying to hide that. QI and most others explicitly state in their about pages what their aims are… Important to remain skeptical but this is far from a mainstream position or complicit in more harmful propaganda. I’ll entertain anything that will ensure less war and futile deaths.
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I think the suggestions are a la carte. Like here are a ton of possibilities. I certainly don’t agree with every last one despite agreeing with their analysis on the whole. Anyhow, this type of realist think tank has next to zero traction in DC.
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Didn’t Ukraine make a big push for EU membership post-coup? And again post-Russian invasion? Obviously not immediately attainable in either situation but a major aspiration of their country.
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A paper by examining EU & Russian leverage is needed. Because there are significant limitations on leverage for both of them even if Russia has battlefield leverage now. I disagree that the paper shows little doubt; rather, they’re throwing many ideas out there. I don’t think the analysts are naive.
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The QI leverage paper suggests seizing the assets, not giving th to Russia (even suggested Russia has probably given up on seeing that money). I think part of the suggestion is U.S./EU seizure and administration of the assets in a reconstruction project. No doubt some will be lost to corruption.
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Why post at all then? Serious question, not being an ass. (And by the way I agree with you on the morality of this just not in how I view reality and power relations.)
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Bluesky searches any text in your post or the image I guess…
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Ukraine is weaker than its neighbor and a hell of a lot weaker than the U.S. They’re on their back foot in the actual war too. Tough facts to stomach, and many things that we may not like in an ideological sense. Geopolitics don’t care about your feelings though. The powerful dominate the weak…
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So if you want to analyze media content then why not simply link to the source if it’s readily available? It seems beneficial to anyone reading your post and even to your own analysis if you’re making good points.
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Didn’t even read your post, just clicked through and read the entire thing when I saw the Kandinsky thumbnail 😂
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I’m curious of the claims of disinformation and media spin, which is why I’m asking for a clip and not accusing you of misrepresenting him. All I can judge is what he has co-authored in print. And he and his co-authors raise many agreeable points.
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And by more nuanced I mean any resource extraction should be accompanied by capital investment (including using the Russian assets frozen by the U.S. and EU), the broader reconstruction of Ukraine, and other preparations on the pathway to a targeted EU membership.
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Can you send a link to the clip rather than a screenshot you use as a scarecrow to attack? I read the entire diplomatic recommendations by the Quincy Institute and the rationale is far more nuanced than you’re leading on and far more nuanced than Trump’s proposal. quincyinst.org/research/pea...
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Miss me with the whining and come back with some appreciation for original art…
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I installed a lightweight Linux Mint distro on my 2012 MacBook Air. Still lightning fast for basic email, web browsing, and word processing. Great boot times. Much more secure than running unsupported MacOS versions.
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ChatGPT has helped me out quite a bit with how to go about adjusting settings in Terminal. I’m greatly enjoying my experience with Linux Mint on my old 2012 MacBook Air. A new lease on life for that machine.
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Purports to want to bring peace to the Middle East and then takes stances like this… It was really just about upstaging Biden and showing that a ceasefire was possible. Now back to our regularly-scheduled genocide by the Zionists.
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Convenient no doubt, and a trustworthy brand. But not quite near the flavors you’d get from a pour over or proper espresso machine. Also, just watch out for scale and mold. Proper maintenance and you’ll enjoy this machine a long time!
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Check the subreddit. Incredible.