said in a defiant, angry voice:- "it's you, you are inventing this reputation for us, but the West's reputation is covered in blood"
(Americ***s imho) ..it's all a spectacle driven by insane amounts of money, the whole system is seized up & Biden is emblematic of how ossified & anemic & largely of unpopular support how irrlevant it is. Look at the decay of any system late weimar germany we are watching a similar process whereby the political system is so decayed its manifested in a figure, a decayed figure of biden. Chris Hedges
"However, there is a much bolder and more imaginative approach. Russia’s ruling class – the members of the Duma, the Senate, the presidential council, the top echelons of the security and defence services, top state television employees – is several thousands strong. These men (and some women) draft, rubber-stamp, promote and carry out Putin’s decisions. Some of them also – unlike the oligarchs – actually advise him. Being a member of the Duma or Senate is a pretty cushy number – you are well-paid, you can make an occasional speech if you wish, but you are basically there to vote for the Kremlin’s decisions, and, above all, you can extort as many bribes as you can cope with. (For this reason they are detested by a majority of Russians.) Members of the presidential council are civil servants, essential for the preparation of legislation. The security services play crucial roles in executing Putin’s vision. And TV propagandists spread disinformation. These are the people to target – because when several thousand of the people Putin actually depends on begin to feel the consequences of his policies in their personal lives, there will be a groundswell of discontent. Most of these people love to travel to Europe and the US. They educate their children here. They own properties here. The members of the Russian elite, their families and children, love to swan around on yachts, ski slopes and fine hotels in the west, posting pictures of themselves on Instagram. If they are denied visas to travel to the west – if they are effectively imprisoned in Russia – it will not take long for the discontent to permeate the entire political class. The message to them will be clear: if you want to enjoy your western lifestyles, you need a new leader who respects western values; until then, you’re banned. The added value of this approach is that, unlike some economic sanctions, it will not harm ordinary Russians, in fact it will delight them. If any kind of sanctions are going to have an effect, it is these. Forget the oligarchs; go for the political elite." Angus Roxburgh
“I appeal to you mothers of soldiers who are sent to die in Ukraine. I appeal to you soldiers who are fighting a war for who knows why. “What is the meaning of this war? Only because someone is sitting at a table, drew a piece of land on the map, that he wants to take away? “A piece of land that never belonged to him. Does not belong to him. And will never belong to him. “It’s terrifying to see what is going on. It’s terrifying to see women and children die. Churches are being destroyed. What are you fighting for? You are destroying what is sacred to all the Slavs. The cradle of Orthodoxy. Kiev Rus. “Stop. Think about what you’re doing. About what your leaders are doing. It’s not too late, even though much evil has been committed, it’s not too late to stop all of this.” The president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda 26/02/2022
“If you ever decide to become an ambassador for defending why an automotive design can’t be made to be reliable, first take time out to consider “the airbag ““
'Impossible. During the game I would punch at least two players and after the game eight.' Zlatan Ibrahimovic about becoming a football manager
There are no words that come to mind after reading this. “The RPC considers the IPC‘s decision illegal and reserves the right to defend the rights and interests of Russian para athletes in sports and other judicial instances. “ The Russian Paralympic committee March 2022
"Russian soldiers had allowed us to leave, they even waved us goodbye. Then when we were crossing the field, they started firing at us from every direction" Inna Ryabukon, on burying her 13 year old son Elisei. April 2022.
FORSAKEN LOVE May you cease lingering like a bad dream The sun in our love has fully eclipsed and is now Dimmed footprints, poetic ink across a fading paper sky Listen to jarring notes when the rusty key locks the gates shut My forsaken love froths like rigor mortis exiting flesh and bone Wandering in pain, in aimlessness of overcast day I Flee approaching soul-shadows as the multitudes awaken - chewing sour cud like love banished to solitary Richtersveld Mazisi Kunene (South Africa, 12/05/1930 - 2006)
“Footfalls echo in the memory, down the passage we did not take, towards the door we never opened, into the rose garden.”
“‘Kinell I’m haemorrhaging money at the moment” Me on receipt of 3 humongous invoices today all to do with motorcycling purchases and motorcycling holidays coming up over the next 6-8 weeks
