A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
I’ve seen discussion where this is seen as Xi wanting to purge anyone who doesn’t want to invade Taiwan.
The reality is we just don’t know, and sometimes it’s ok to just notice something and wait for more information to come out. The western “China experts” - the ones who think Xi is trying to signal something with how he drinks his tea - are absolutely talking out of their asses and don’t have the slightest clue, of that I’m sure.
I’m ok not having a take on this, though my own hunch tends to be that the simplest answer is often correct: that the dismissed commanders were corrupt and were doing things like selling secrets. It doesn’t have to relate to Taiwan or the future of socialism in China or whatever.
(I think this is a perfectly fine thing to ask in the news mega)
Check out the Hatuey Project, run by The Peoples Forum. They get medical aid / supplies to Cuba. I did a deep dive into this stuff a while back and this was pretty much all I could find.
The Trump administration is weighing new tactics to drive regime change in Cuba, including imposing a total blockade on oil imports to the Caribbean country, three people familiar with the plan said Thursday. ...
I was curious what chuds were thinking so I read some comments under a Fox News article about Greenland. The consensus seems to be they think Trump probably knows more about threats to the US than we do, and taking Greenland is a legitimate security issue for the US and Europe.
It’s really bizarre, reading people who genuinely think Trump is some incredible, savvy genius. Just off living in their own private Idaho in their minds I guess.
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
Lenin's understanding of imperialism, while correct in it's time, will lead to incorrect conclusions if you apply it copy-and-paste to today's geopolitical reality without accounting for massive shifts in how imperialism manifests itself. Which is understandable, he was writing over 100 years ago and the world has changed so dramatically in that time. I really don't think even Lenin himself would disagree, if he were alive today (inshallah). In his time, imperialism was defined by various national capitalist powers of very roughly equal strength vying for control over resources, land, and people in the periphery. That rivalry no longer exists, imperialism has gone from a "flat" structure (capitalist powers fighting each other over imperialism) to a "vertical" structure (one capitalist power administering imperialism for the benefit of itself first and others second).
I am as skeptical as anyone at the ability of general strikes to work when you have such a small percentage of Americans unionized. But I am more than happy to eat my words as it looks like it’s gonna be huge in MN tomorrow. PSL looking strong af
I've been thinking a lot about this "plan" for Gaza that Kushner presented at Davos. It's something that is so obviously not going to ever happen, he may as well be presenting a plan for a Hyperloop from LA to NYC. But what's the purpose of even presenting this plan, then? It could be grift. It could be just some little toy they're giving Trump to play with while nothing ever changes. There is however, one fairly dark possibility that I think may be the "real" plan behind the plan.
What's happening on the ground in Gaza right now is that Israel is clearing out places and allegedly looking to build buildings that would super-concentrate Palestinians in a few incredibly dense areas. This is ostensibly to allow for cleanup and reconstruction of Gaza, but there's no reason to believe at all that Israel is telling the truth. I think the plan is for Israel to concentrate as many Gazans in a small an area as possible. Kushner's plan is just the cover for doing this and leaving large areas uninhabited. There will always be the promise of "oh yeah we'll get to building those high rises any day now", but Israel is just going to ensure those empty parts remain empty. That's why the plans call be just silly AI images and made up numbers, because there is no real plan to do any of that. They probably think they will move in settlers at some point. That's the plan, I'm sure the Resistance has other plans of course....
The Trump administration is weighing new tactics to drive regime change in Cuba, including imposing a total blockade on oil imports to the Caribbean country, three people familiar with the plan said Thursday.
That escalation has been sought by some critics of the Cuban government in the administration and backed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two of the three people, who were granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive discussions. No decision has been made on whether to approve that move, but it could be among the suite of possible actions presented to President Donald Trump to force the end of Cuba’s communist government, these people added.
“Energy is the chokehold to kill the regime,” said one person familiar with the plan who was granted anonymity to describe the private discussions. Deposing the country’s communist government – in power since the Cuban revolution in 1959 – is “100 percent a 2026 event” in the administration’s eyes, this person added.
The effort would be justified under the 1994 LIBERTAD Act, better known as the Helms-Burton Act, this person added. That law codifies the U.S. embargo on Cuban trade and financial transactions.
While this is evil and I don't doubt the Trump admin will go ahead and do this, I do firmly believe that Cuba will not bow down to the imperialists. They survived the Special Period, the revolution will survive this. But it will be awful for living conditions on the island. I wouldn't be surprised if this is being leaked as a way to say "you can either suffer or you can capitulate". But what the people of Cuba know is, as awful as the action would be for Cuba, capitulation would be even worse.
In addition to what others have said, the book is “about” reinforcing the idea to middle class strivers that no one in America “needs” to be poor. That wealth is attainable for anyone willing to work hard at it, thus poverty is a choice and so any social welfare is either unnecessary or outright harmful.
No one seems to know for sure what Trump means by “make a deal”, but it’s reasonable to assume he wants the government to effective end itself and hand over the country to the US. Cuba survived the Special Period with conceding, I believe they will get through this, too.
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
We are witnessing levels of hubris not seen in 25 years, maybe more. This administration feels totally bulletproof right now. I’m sure they think the sanctions won’t even hit, that Russia will simply capitulate before they go into effect.
Comparisons to the Third Reich seem cliche, but idk it really feels like something clicked in the last week in the halls of power in DC. They realized that they can pretty much do whatever the fuck they want to, and (for now) no one will stop them. It’s like we’re seeing the beginnings of a geopolitical blitzkreig.
With Trump stating that shipments of oil from Venezuela to China will be allowed, coupled with the threats on Mexico, I am becoming increasingly worried that the primary target of all of this is Cuba and to force the government there to collapse by destroying their economy (no oil).
I don’t think this is Trump’s plan, this is all Rubio.
It seems like regarding Venezuela, the US’ plan is less about controlling production and more about distribution. No reason to think they will allow VZ to ship oil to Cuba.
As many here have pointed out, attacking Mexico doesn’t make sense. However, I think the plan is to scare Mexico into allowing the US to have a say in who Mexico is allowed to trade with. And Mexico ships a not insignificant amount of oil to Cuba. This would seemingly align with Sheinbaum’s odd statement about how they have not increased oil shipments to Cuba recently, trying to avoid the attention of the US.
If the US can cut off oil shipments from Mexico and Venezuela to Cuba, I don’t know how Cuba will get critical oil supplies delivered.
Beyond Cuba, it seems to me the US is looking to control trade flows for the entire western hemisphere. The idea is to not only increase the exploitation the US imposes, but to control those trade relationships between Latin America and the rest of the world, to serve the US’ purposes.
I am not someone who is prone to geopolitical pessimism; and I know the commitment to the revolution the Cuban people hold in their hearts… but I am really worried for Cuba right now.
I really, really hope I’m wrong. But the problem is there isn’t really anything that Cuba can concede economically. So we have to assume Trump means political concessions, i.e. the government stepping down and accept direct rule from DC. I can’t see what else Trump could be demanding.
I’ll make a post about it, but the saving grace for Cuba might just be that they’ve been backed so far into the corner, giving up their sovereignty would be way worse than current conditions. The US will punish them hard for decades of insolence. Think like Russia in the 90s. Gusanos in Miami will be kicking out current residents as they take back “their” property. There will be an upper strata that might do ok but most Cubans will be way worse off if they capitulate to the US. I think most Cubans know this and will tell Trump to pound sand (and I don’t think the US is gonna do anything militarily against Cuba).
I'm at a new job and working on a Saturday. This place is very "Christian-values blah blah blah" and at the end of our work day one of the supervisors is holding a prayer about "please God let this _ go smoothly and thank you for helping us etc." ...
These are just collections of some of my comments this morning as someone who's put a lot of time and effort into learning about Venezuela over the past 5 years. My bookshelf is full of books about it, and I wrote my university dissertation on imperialism in Latin America. No, I'm not an expert, but I certainly know more than ...
fwiw I see the opposite IRL and online. The libs might only hate it because it’s Trump but that’s at least something. And Trump supporters I see are largely staying silent.
There is a theory out there that Cuba is the ultimate target here (cutting off Cuba from Venezuela economically). I’m not sure I believe that if we’re talking overall strategy but I can see that as Rubio’s personal mission, though.
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
Trump thinks he has his “prize” in Maduro and pulls back on further military aggression. The Bolivarian Revolution is largely left intact and now has even greater support from the people. Maduro becomes the martyr but if his capture helps preserve the Revolution, then I think that’s a trade he would make. The work of the Revolution continues. Unfortunately, even in the most optimistic scenario I don’t see the US totally walking away. Likely a blockade on the oil will remain until Venezuela hands it over; which they won’t do so the people will end up suffering. I suppose this aspect could be mitigated if international condemnation becomes too great that the US can’t reasonably maintain it all, but this seems overly optimistic.
Now a bit more pessimistic scenario:
Right-wing elements inside VZ are emboldened and start taking action, creating a very messy if not fully destabilized situation. The US puts VZ on a Cuba-style blockade that causes immense suffering, which only further destabilizes things. I can’t see any scenario where the people of Venezuela give up their oil, even in the face of a blockade. But the conditions inside the country become so much worse.
Either way, it’s morning where I’m at and I know I’ll be spending today arguing with people IRL and online about all this. Time to brush up on my Maduro talking points.
Like many of you, I’ve had to spend a lot of time with family over the last few days. For me, it’s been day and night with my dad’s side of the family. The class background of this side of my family range from cousins who make well into six figures and a couple who have large homesteading operations to an uncle whose net ...
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
I can’t recall where I heard it suggested, but it’s certainly possible that weakening Cuba is at least a strong secondary goal. They’re in a tough spot already, and losing a major trade partner in Venezuela would make things even tougher.
I’m not sure this is a primary goal overall, but I could absolutely see this as Rubio’s personal objective that he just keeps to himself about.
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
I think it says something that the people of Argentina are in such dire straits, and yet they did not support the opposition in sufficient numbers in the most recent election. I am not blaming the people, but pointing out that the opposition (which my understanding - from this website, largely - is Peronist-ish?) themselves, like the Democrats in the US, Labour in the UK, Greens/SPD in Germany, etc etc) is so firmly entrenched in neoliberalism and refuses to offer real solutions, that the people in Argentina and across the globe rightly do not trust them to help get them out of the situation neoliberalism itself has put them in. It’s opportunity for us (socialists), but we have a very long row to hoe.
My TikTok feed is full of American teachers complaining about how their kids can’t read or write. Like high schoolers who can’t write a short paragraph or can’t comprehend simple directions. ...
I feel like I have good diversity of people in my social circle, though leaning towards more educated. I do not know anyone else IRL who regularly reads even one book per year that isn’t the Bible or some Prayer of Jabez type book their church group is reading together.
Tbh it’s a bit of a clickbait headline. Vance is saying being a VP is difficult on his family. Separately he addresses the issue of Usha not having a ring on. The Enquirer (lol) is tying those two together calling it “family difficulties” and then mentioning Usha, which gives a very different picture from the article.
Meaning, are we as a species at a point of technological development where if we have a global revolution tomorrow, and make it our top priority as a species, we could provide every human with: ...
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
I don’t doubt the difference between the CPC and UK govt responses will be night and day. With Grenfell, IIRC there weren’t any consequences beyond some slaps on the wrist. With the CPC there will be death penalties.
There hasn't been any new news since around May. But that hasn't stopped Imdb from churning out "articles" that are merely copy-and-pastes from many months old info like the article I posted.
Even M. Night Shyamalan had a few very good movies (The Village and Signs, and at least everyone else loved The Sixth Sense) before turning into dogshit.
Yes. The exact example they said was they saw a server on Facebook who makes $300 on a 6 hour shift regularly. I was like yeah, at a high end restaurant maybe. But that’s not likely 40 hours a week and more importantly, for every server who makes that there’s another 10 who aren’t. And those $50/hr gigs aren’t thick on the ground so anyone can just walk in and get one.
Gosh, supply and demand is working as intended? People are operating in their own self-interest? Leave it to a libertarian to complain about their own beliefs.
lol I mentioned this. We live in California where they passed a minimum wage law specifically for fast food, I think at $20 per hour. This person is blaming this law (“BiG gOvErNmEnT iNtErFeReNce!”) for being the reason for all these jobs they think are way beneath them paying “too much”.
If you only knew about the alternate reality this person lives in. Honestly while they were always classist and reactionary, it was a small part of their overall personality until they got hooked on Facebook a couple years ago. At this family gathering whenever they weren’t spouting this BS they were on Facebook. Like seriously, I would say at least 80% of the day today, they were on Facebook.
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
President Trump authorized CIA planning for covert operations in Venezuela, while reopening secret backchannel talks with President Nicolás Maduro, according to a new report from the New York Times. Those briefed on the discussions say Maduro raised the possibility of stepping down after a two-to-three-year transition, which the White House rejected. The administration has reportedly been planning either a negotiated exit for Maduro or a forced removal, and Washington has weighed plans to secure increased U.S. access to Venezuelan oil.
If true, this would confirm the idea that there isn’t much else the US wants other than for Maduro to step down and allow a comprador regime to come in and hand over the nation’s wealth to the US. Not encouraging that it seems (edit: grain of salt since it’s the NYT) Maduro is willing to step down but they are just haggling over the time frame.
IMO Maduro would readily accept a deal where he steps down but sets up the Revolution to continue, so I am assuming the US doesn’t just want Maduro to step down, but to completely dismantle any structures which impede US imperialism.
But he said that if France "is not prepared to accept losing its children, to suffer economically because priorities will be given to defense production, then we are at risk."
I think the general is burying the lede a bit here. The focus is on the comment about children, but what I think he’s actually getting at is that the French people must accept austerity so we can push more money into the military. Because otherwise the Russians will land in La Rochelle and try to conquer France because reasons.
(And a side question for the Francophones here… at least to me “France Unbowed” feels a bit clumsy in English. “Unbowed” is just not really a word I ever see or use, even though I understand it. Does the original French for the term sound better / used regularly?)
Bulletins and International News Discussion from January 26th to February 1st, 2026 - A Powerless Ukraine
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
Trump administration weighs naval blockade to halt Cuban oil imports ( www.politico.com )
The Trump administration is weighing new tactics to drive regime change in Cuba, including imposing a total blockade on oil imports to the Caribbean country, three people familiar with the plan said Thursday. ...
USA Chuds on Greenland
They are really something else ...
Bulletins and International News Discussion from January 19th to January 25th, 2026 - Squaring the Arctic Circle
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
Yeah, I like to read dense history books:
Trump tells Cuba to 'make a deal, before it is too late' ( www.bbc.com )
Bulletins and International News Discussion from January 5th to January 11th, 2026 - The New Old Colonialism (And Long Live Chavismo) - COTW: Venezuela
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
Why are Christians so full of themselves?
I'm at a new job and working on a Saturday. This place is very "Christian-values blah blah blah" and at the end of our work day one of the supervisors is holding a prayer about "please God let this _ go smoothly and thank you for helping us etc." ...
Venezuela talking points to shut down the many morons who will have takes on it today:
These are just collections of some of my comments this morning as someone who's put a lot of time and effort into learning about Venezuela over the past 5 years. My bookshelf is full of books about it, and I wrote my university dissertation on imperialism in Latin America. No, I'm not an expert, but I certainly know more than ...
Trump claims that the US has kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela
https://web.archive.org/web/20260103092549/https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115830428767897167
Bulletins and International News Discussion from December 29th 2025 to January 4th 2026 - A Bold Step Forward For The AES
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
The neat thing about being a communist is that you don't have to worry about what upper middle class folks think (a holidays with family rant)
Like many of you, I’ve had to spend a lot of time with family over the last few days. For me, it’s been day and night with my dad’s side of the family. The class background of this side of my family range from cousins who make well into six figures and a couple who have large homesteading operations to an uncle whose net ...
Bulletins and International News Discussion from December 22nd to December 28th, 2025 - The War on Christmas - De-Decemberization
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
Bulletins and International News Discussion from December 15th to December 21st, 2025 - Never Trust A Western Peace Deal - COTW: Democratic Republic of the Congo
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
The downward spiral of burgerland literacy
My TikTok feed is full of American teachers complaining about how their kids can’t read or write. Like high schoolers who can’t write a short paragraph or can’t comprehend simple directions. ...
JD Vance No Longer ‘Going to Pretend’ About Family Difficulties After Wife Usha Seen Without Ring ( www.yahoo.com )
Are humans (theoretically) at the point of post-scarcity?
Meaning, are we as a species at a point of technological development where if we have a global revolution tomorrow, and make it our top priority as a species, we could provide every human with: ...
Bulletins and International News Discussion from November 24th to November 30th, 2025 - First as Farce, Then as Kinda Just Embarrassing - COTW: Mexico
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...
A new "Starship Troopers" movie is in the works. "District 9" filmmaker Neill Blomkamp is writing & directing. It will be based on the 1959 novel and it won't be a remake of the 1997 movie. [2025-05] ( comicbookmovie.com )
There hasn't been any new news since around May. But that hasn't stopped Imdb from churning out "articles" that are merely copy-and-pastes from many months old info like the article I posted.
Family member is convinced restaurant servers, undocumented laborers, and lots of other wage workers are all making six figures +
I can’t stand this person btw, and I don’t think they are a good person. ...
I did this all the time when I was a kid
Bulletins and International News Discussion from November 17th to November 23rd - 50 Years of Resistance - COTW: Western Sahara
A reminder that as the US continues to threaten countries around the world, fedposting is to be very much avoided (even with qualifiers like "in Minecraft") and comments containing it will be removed. ...