1/
just because there might well be madness in Putin's methods does not mean there is not some deeper insights into the next 30Y for Russia... 2/
perhaps he's seeking an alternative to Russia ending up depopulated as his own citizens flee to Ukraine and other Eastern European more economically diverse nations, if they cannot gain work visas in the EU+UK+US+CAN;

1/
Russia has already lost.

Not just the war in Ukraine. It is no longer a superpower, and aside from the absurdist threat of nuking every major city on the planet, it is hardly effecting the world's political flow. 2/
Culturally, there's a couple of indie rock groups, a top tier ballet troup, chess masters and (of course) hockey players. Nobody reads Russian books, not even those translated. Movies?

Name three from Russia. Okay, name just one.

1/
When it comes to planet-wide crisis no wonder so many people’s mental model being so badly mistaken. Lack of basics.

Where is Pakistan? What's their problem with India?

Where is Ukraine? What's their problem with Russia? 2/
Then there's "globalization". Pollution reduction. Workplace safety. Bank fraud. Coal ashes being radioactive. Money laundering. Why reducing the number of births leads to better lives for women and higher income.

General state of ignorance.

1/
imagine there is a man whose beliefs are as inflexible as bedrock, having become the ultimate Puritan, so much a religious fanatic, when he arrives in heaven, upon meeting God... 2/
...and there He is sipping a heavenly beer and savoring barbecued beef ribs listening to Elvis Presley + Billie Holiday + Janis Joplin up on stage rocking 'n rolling...

FUTURENEWZ: 21JAN2023 every morning vans slow drive London streets, drivers yelling "bring out your frozen dead"; there are now days when vans have to make a second & third trip to the morgue to unload FUTURENEWZ: 13FEB2023 announcement by PM Truss of private-public partnership with Soylent Corp for extracting lingering value of high heaps of "frozen dead"; Truss boasts of win-win-win: cheap protein for working poor; no funds wasted upon burial; percentage paid to Exchequer;

1/
Should we pity the Republicans, obliged to be facing their collective mortality? A literal "end of the world as we know it" b/c the world has been changing so much whilst they did little to adapt?

No. Don't waste your pity. 2/
The Republican Party has decided better to tear down the entire American economy AND wreck democracy AND abandon millions to starvation-homelessness-illness rather than lose too much more power.

1/ Wack-A-Mole-Mar-A-Largo

apparently there is indeed at least one chatty turncoat who ratted out some of T(he)rump's amoral schemes 'n illicit dreams with sufficiency of damning evidence to convince a federal judge to sign off on warrants

hmmm? who?

bit.ly/3pbvbKO 2/
Jared Kushner?

maybe, given his family's long string of investigations; trading in Clan Trump to protect Clan Kushner from extended Club Fed vacations

as well, positioning himself within the GQP as (uhm) whatever he is good for

1/
FUNFACT: for #J6 tourists—unindicted co-conspirators—be advised following nations lack extradition treaties with USA: China, Russia, Namibia, UAE, N. Korea, Bahrain 2/
whereas nations prone to refusing extradition to USA: Ecuador, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Iceland, Switzerland, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

1/
For the politicians of EU/NATO there are certain strategic concerns. Not least of which being seen picking the losing side. So they slow walk military aid to Ukraine hoping for 'diplomatic resolution'. Avoid humiliation at home, nothing their political opponents can point to. 2/
Prevent loses in their next election cycle.

Avoid embarrassing wastage of resources upon the losing side. Not antagonize resurgent Russian Imperialists. Wait. Study. Consider. Discuss. Delay.

Then delay some more.