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Off Topic For the first time ever ...

Discussion in 'Sunderland' started by Smug in Boots, Jun 30, 2020.

  1. ----HistoryRepeating----

    ----HistoryRepeating---- Well-Known Member

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    Since lock down, we have had so much top end military training down in the channel. The £7BN Queen Elizabeth cruising up and down with several other large vessels. The C17 globemaster 3 transport carrier doing low fly sessions, and that is a sight to behold I'll tell you! We also have had Jets out cruising in pairs & the instantly recognisable Chinook making the odd appearance. I've never seen so much action down here, it seriously feels like we are preparing for something. Have you noticed something similar up north?
     
    #21
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  2. Sunderpitt

    Sunderpitt Well-Known Member

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    Hmm a lot of this, imho, is down to the dangerous clown currently living in the White House.
    The USA is the worlds policeman and supporter of international organisations and when it is as Trump has it doing atm pulling back...NATO, middle east, NATO etc...it all comes a bit wobbly.

    Daddy is not at home keeping us safe...we are all a little anxious...

    Russia, cyber attacks, Crimea etc China bioterrorism
     
    #22
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  3. ----HistoryRepeating----

    ----HistoryRepeating---- Well-Known Member

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    I don't know, I'm not a fan of Trump, I think he's a loose cannon, but the democrates really scare me. They have gone so far left, that if they get in there will be a civil war.
     
    #23
  4. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    This is the first time in my life that I've ever felt concerned.

    If there's an international incident Trump and Johnson will escalate it through bluster, tub thumping and stupidity. Trumps 'jokes' won't work on this stage, if they ever do anywhere else, and Johnson won't be able to hide in a fridge.

    I've no confidence in either of them individually, as a pair they're frighteningly inept.
     
    #24
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  5. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    I think you've nailed it there mate.

    It's the frighteningly poor options that worry me.

    In the US it's a total mess and our recent best options were Corbyn and Johnson, heaven help us.

    You know you're losing your grip when you think Nicola Sturgeon is looking like a statesman.
     
    #25
  6. The Exile II

    The Exile II Well-Known Member

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    Standard stuff that. It's just more noticeable because there's so little else going on. We also seem to be doing more closer to home for obvious reasons.
     
    #26
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  7. Sunderpitt

    Sunderpitt Well-Known Member

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    My vote is for Jacinda Ardern

    Whilst I do reckon manmade pollution is becoming a big factor in global warming, how urgent it is we should all be taking action to reduce and mitigate the effects of pollution, I am not sure....certainly the USA and China the worlds biggest polluters are doing very little...Trump will never take the lead on this..

    However the main problem as articulated by the posts in this thread is that the various countries presidents and prime ministers are demonstrating not up to the task.... they are all about themselves and short term political gain to stay in power!
     
    #27
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2020
  8. Smug in Boots

    Smug in Boots Well-Known Member

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    I've no idea why Johnson wanted to be PM tbh.

    He reminds me of Prince Charles, who's waited decades to be King ...

    ... I'm sure, once he gets there, he'll be thinking 'WTF do I do now?'
     
    #28
  9. clockstander

    clockstander Well-Known Member

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    Are you sure about this, they share the same philosophies, but little else as far as I understand, but I may be wrong.
    I worry more about Trump than Russia or China tbh.
     
    #29
  10. Sandy Camel

    Sandy Camel Well-Known Member

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    Just come across this about the history of social wealth gaps and how you find similar today. As you get more rich folk at the top end, they start to get a growing sense of their self importance and compete with one another for the limited numbers of state governance. After all, you can have however many billionaires but you only get one president. As they focus on each other and ignore the poor, society becomes somewhat destabalised. Eventually, the powers that be realise thye are on the brink of a revolution, stop competing with one another and give concessions to the poor in an effort to maintain the status quo.

    I never knew that the situation in the US was so bad in 1920 that somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 miners armed with rifles battled with sheriffs and strike breakers. US Army got called in, the only time that's ever happened. What struck me though was it was written in 2013 and the writer, Peter Turchin says this; "Three years ago I published a short article in the science journal Nature. I pointed out that several leading indicators of political instability look set to peak around 2020. In other words, we are rapidly approaching a historical cusp, at which the US will be particularly vulnerable to violent upheaval."

    https://aeon.co/essays/history-tells-us-where-the-wealth-gap-leads
     
    #30
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  11. SAFCDRUM

    SAFCDRUM Well-Known Member

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    Surely nowadays, being all PC, its stateswoman? <whistle>
     
    #31
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  12. clockstander

    clockstander Well-Known Member

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    Is media the answer or the problem ?
     
    #32
  13. Nads

    Nads Well-Known Member

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    If you read into it mate, there’s a long line of cooperation and cohesion behind the scenes, they have trade deals, they e shared military tactics and training, there’s something there in the background and it’s been there for a long, long time.

    If China and Russia wanted to be, they’d be far more dangerous than anything Trump could jump together.
     
    #33
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  14. rooch 3

    rooch 3 Well-Known Member

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    I am not worried in the least about any of it can you do anything about it, if your answers no get on with your life because you aren’t going to get another one <ok><cheers>
     
    #34
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