The invasion destroyed their hopes that Russia might become a normal, non-violent country.

A normal, non-violent country like the USA, the UK, Israel, France, Germany…?

Podcast art of Next Year in Moscow by The Economist

The Economist’s Next Year in Moscow is an incredible podcast series. (So is Scam Inc).

“This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in PalestineUkraine.”

I smelled the spring
On the smoky wind

A narrowboat with a worn exterior is moored along a canal on a sunny day, smoke drifting upwards at the rear.

‘“Cultural evidence”, also used in far-right and religious extremist cases… does not equal guilt.’

Youth culture experts could help avoid stereotyping of young black men, say lawyers theguardian.com

Not on our side.

So now we have it. Rachel Reeves's claim that a third runway at Heathrow Airport would boost economic growth comes from a report commissioned by .... Heathrow Airport. Instead of acting in the national interest, she's channelling corporate lobbyists. [www.theguardian.com/environme...](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/01/ree...) bsky.app

Is Trump doing a Truss and will “the deep state” intervene?

Trump’s nightmare 2025 is going as I predicted taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/0 Trump is dragging financial markets down - and people in the US, from the MAGA to Trump's donors - are not going to like that.

More evidence, should you need it, that in the last 50 years capitalism has disproportionately advantaged the top 10% of earners (and we also know that within that top 10% there is a further division between the richest - the top 1% - and the rest).

In the last 50 years the reductions in inequality of the post-1945 period have been reversed confirming that the governance & regulation of capitalism after 1945 to make it more generally beneficial was a blip not a trend

#capitalism #economics

Chart: Middle & lower earners struggle to keep up. Real disposable income in advanced economies by income position (1985 = 100) <p>top 10% has risen over period to over 160; for the bottom 20-40% & the median earner, earning have risen to around 135-139; for the bottom 10%, from 100-120." loading=“lazy”></p><footer>- <a href=ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us, https://zirk.us/@ChrisMayLA6/113938704626685539

In 1988, the great American novelist Kurt Vonnegut wrote a letter to the human race of 2088.

Via @cubicgarden.com’s newsletter

“Connect with others through social relationships… doing good things to other people, contributing through your work or through small acts of kindness.”

'I spent 30 years searching for the secret to happiness - the answer isn't what I thought' bbc.com

I’ve really been feeling the cold of winter in my bones this week.

So it’s no suprise that I should find myself listening to Sleepy Sun.

Feel it in your bones…

With or without sun, we’ll grow
Rise above winter’s deep hole

We all need a reason
Why we take the time to wonder