The outcome of this Russia-Ukraine conflict (or the world's response to it), might very well influence the course the China-Taiwan relationship takes... either dissuading China from making a serious move or emboldening them.
I had a cautious sense of optimism growing as awareness of the CCP's evil grows. Now that fragile optimism is smashed to pieces. This is so dumb it boggles my mind. I suppose the video ends on a more optimistic note, but the damage was done. Asking the CCP for help on anything is problematic but asking the CCP to curb Putin's territorial ambitions is like asking my friend's dog to guard my sandwich.
The CCP is pretending to have nothing to be completely neutral on the Ukraine thing while doing crap like this. and this
I knew I liked Keanu Reeves. I heard often that he is humble and gracious to his fans and to the crew of the movies he is on. He gives a lot of money to charity and needy individuals personally, but he doesn't broadcast it loudly for virtue signaling points. Now the CCP is mad at him. That's even better. You can judge a man's worth by his enemies.
As they say: "The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but the quickest way to @Scalenex 's heart is through opposition to the CCP."
This is interesting. I don't know if it's cause for optimism. The CCP may be unraveling. But many people (both in China and elsewhere) will have to suffer and die before the CCP is no more. More people will suffer and die when a new government fills the power vacuum and there is no guarantee that the next government will be a freedom loving democracy or that the new government won't stop oppressing ethnic and religious minorities. I wonder how many evil actions were perpetrated in the name of saving face. I'm sure this problem goes back thousands of years but it seems to be extra potent in the 21st century given how social media makes ones figurative and literal "face" so accessible to the world.
In my opinion, the degradation of the ocean is a bigger threat to the environment than global warming.
Some pretty insane shit is going on in Shanghai now. Drone in Shanghai China telling residents "Control your soul’s desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing." People screaming out of their windows after a week of total lockdown in Shanghai, China probably NSFW - Pets filled up in bags for their duly execution in Shanghai, China as a part of the government's Covid response [TW]
That tracks with what I've seen on the China watch Youtube channels I watch. Shanghai is a hotbed of protestors right now. Protestors who act despite knowing they are sure to be arrested. Well lots of protestors by Chinese standards at least. 100 protestors in Shanghai is like 10,000 protestors in an American city.
It is inspiring to see the different creative ways Chinese people are standing up to the CCP, as much as they are able. It is not mentioned in this video specifically, but I find it humorous that the CCP is censoring lyrics from their own national anthem as the opening line "Arise, ye who would slaves" or "Cast off your bounds, ye who are oppressed" depending on the translation. This line has been repeatedly used in protest against the CCP now.
I guess a win is a win, even if it is a very small win. That's preferable to Disney and Warner Brothers licking Xi Jing Ping's boots. I am happy that DeSantis called out the CCP by name rather than simply say "China" "Disney has done a lot to partner with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and has really made a fortune over there without raising a peep about any of their atrocities," DeSantis said Monday during a press conference announcing $30 million for manatee protection. This makes me like DSantis. It's a start at least. I would especially like a high profile politician to call out the human organ harvesting and trade, but I cannot have everything I want.