Sweet

Exactly. I’ve never heard anyone say this before this week. Trump may not even ‘believe’ it himself. Trump does a lot of smack talking, he deliberately goads, mocks and belittles people like a comedian roasting a heckler. I don’t know for sure, but given he pulled the 4% approval rating comment straight from his ass, I’d say the ‘dictator’ jib is a high chance of smack talking too. In his first term, someone said ‘take Trump seriously but not literally’, and it has been useful compass for me when trying to understand him. If you take everything Trump says literally, and jump to defend it, you’re gonna look foolish.

Ukraine are operating martial law because Russia invaded - that’s why. How can you say these things without acknowledging why Ukraine are operating martial law in the first place. This isn’t happening in peace time. Martial law is an emergency measure at a time of crisis such as war and anything pro-Russian is going to come under intense scrutiny and even outright banned. Ukraine are at war. These actions are taken to preserve their freedom. European parties have not been banned because the EU has not invaded. Religion isn’t suppressed, the Orthodox Church linked to Russia has faced greater scrutiny and some pro-Russian clergy expelled. You’re acting like praying has been banned. Philosophically, politics is a non-violent way for a range of interest groups to try to get their way. When Russia invaded they deliberately side-lined the political process, and Ukrainian democracy, in favour of violence. Putin decided that Ukraine cannot decide its own fate democratically and they will do what he wants with his gun at their head. And yet you expect the Ukrainians to operate under democratic norms when their process, government and state are under attack from Russia? That’s genuinely stupid.

Show me please.

This is cultish. I’m sorry Cubs, I like you, but if you truly believe this you aren’t thinking straight. This isn’t even about whether you support the war, peace, or whatever. This is about being able to rationally patch together concepts and ideas that align with reality. Trump called Zelensky a dictator this week, prior to that have you ever made the argument that Zelensky was a dictator?

Come on Cubs… Ukraine are in a war. Elections do not take place in Ukraine when martial law is in effect. These laws were made before Zelensky took office. Marital law took effect when Russia invaded. This is so silly.

Lol, I just had to post this.

Cubs, with respect, MANY have been saying exactly that for years. It’s not a ‘few’ who have called this out. Why the leaders of European nations have not taken decisive action is the question that ‘few’ have the answers to. I was once told by a guy who worked for intelligence, that Russians have been funding and infiltrating the green movement in Europe. Net zero and deindustrialisation weakens Europe and relatively strengthens Russia. Who knows for sure though.

I think a coalition government formed in 1940 in response to the war, I don’t think there was even a leader of the opposition. These norms tend to go out the window in wartime.

Your response is based on a misreading of my comment Xerxes, my comment said, "The UK didn't have an election for 10 years" - not Churchill. Of course, Churchill was the PM during the time an election would otherwise have been held, normally every 5 years in the UK. The dictator comment about Ukraine and Zelensky could easily have been applied to the UK and Churchill in the early 1940s. So yeh, Winston Churchill, the dictator.

The UK didn't have an election for 10 years as a result of World War II, elections were put off until after the war because the war was about survival. If we had lost that war our democracy might have died with it. Trump has a statue of Winston Churchill in the oval office, by his own login Winston Churchill is also a 'dictator' for postponing elections. Ukraine is fighting for survival, law and order comes first... it's a conservative mantra.

What does that even mean?

Some of the things being said are wild and it’s sad that they are so easily believed.

Why does up arming lead to conflict? I don’t think that it does. Countries arm themselves for a reason. Those reason are the root cause of conflicts. Mutually assured destruction does have a peace keeping role.

It’s the game that is played. There is not point shouting at the sky and arguing it should be this way or that way. If the likes of Putin has nukes then we need them too… there is simply no escaping that.

I always was a complete sucker for a mystery. How plausible is above?

A famous letter from former CEO Andy Grove which comes with a bit of irony given all the recent shenanigans with Intel. It’s an article 15 years ahead of its time. Posting it here because I can no longer find it online. andy-grove_-how-america-can-create-jobs 2.pdf

Vances is right. I don’t know what happened to us in Europe. We’ve really lost our way.

I get tired of listening all the Buffett and Munger quotes, but this one I’ve never heard before.

There wasn’t an opportunity to do. At no point have Ukraine been in a position of strength either. An effective counter attack which pushed the Russians back from Kyiv, Kherson and Kharkiv still leaves the Russians with nearly all the land they took in the South West.

Fair enough. It’s the flaming that’s the issue. I didn’t see those posts.

Wasn’t he talking about oil? To be fair, you can’t really talk oil and not consider politics because it matters. I think the politics stuff that is ruining threads is politics talk that is unrelated to any company or macro theme.

Eye opening video from the leader of the opposition: https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1886400496727966089/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1886400496727966089&currentTweetUser=PierrePoilievre

You don’t owe me a reply so don’t worry, but thanks for replying

Solving world hunger next... right.

I don’t know if it’s supposed to make sense. If Canada turned around and said it wished to become a state he would be saying they are wonderful people and their economy is great. He’s simply talking his book. I think he would have a far better chance of America becoming a 51st state if he seriously drafted a proposal and wrote a ‘love story’ to Canadians. This way he just puts everyone against him. …and to be honest, there are enormous benefits to both Canada and the US if they were the same nation.