Quantum 187 – This week we look at the situation in Ukraine, Canada, Covid, the Barrier Reef, the Sultan of Brunei, Colombia and abortion; Billionaire divorce settlement; Bamber Gascogne; the bizarre reaction to the death of Christopher Stalford; Growing old in Japan; the Bible in China; Jordan Peterson on Evil; and a beautiful old folk Gospel song from Norma Waterson.
This Ukrainian worship song has been much on my mind and heart….
Mister Banker
Mister please, how much does money mean?
Won’t you reconsider mister
Won’t you do this thing for me?
Ain’t got no house
Ain’t got no car
All I got, Lord, is my guitar.
But you can have that mister banker
Won’t you bury my papa for me?
Oh mister banker please.
Lift up your hearts, Emmanuel’s friends And taste the pleasure Jesus sends Let nothing cause you to delay But hasten in the good old way
For I have a sweet hope of glory in my soul For I know I have, and I feel I have A sweet hope of glory in my soul
Our conflicts here, though great they be Shall not prevent our victory. If we but strive and watch and pray Like soldiers in the good old way
Though Satan may his powers employ Our happiness for to destroy. Yet never fear, we’ll gain the day By marching in the good old way
Ye valiant souls, for heaven contend. Remember glory is at the end. Our God will wipe our tears away When we have run the good old way
And far beyond this mortal shore. We’ll meet with those who have gone before. And shout to think we have gained the day. By marching in the good old way.
Quantum 118 – Pick up the Pieces
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An alternative view :
I think this chap has a good point. It doesn’t justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but perhaps if the West, particularly the EU, had followed his advice then we might not be in a situation where Russia has invaded Ukraine. I am old enough to have lived through the Cuban missile crisis so his point about superpowers being sensitive about their own backyard is well-taken. Perhaps, also, it might be a case of ‘Do unto others’: The USA might have treated Russia’s sensitivities in the same way as their own sensitivities about Cuba. Indeed, the Monroe Doctrine covered a far larger area than Ukraine. Considering that Mr Mearsheimer gave this lecture eight years ago, it turned out in many ways to be prophetic.
Just watched this video – 7 or 8 years old but hits the nail on the head. Doesn’t justify Putin’s aggression, but it does provide the background and context and explain his mindset. Scarily accurate as to what has taken place over the last week or so.
BlackRock
Competition is essential for the Capitalist system and governments try to avoid monopolies.
However, investment funds like BlackRock have created monopolies by owning major stakes in supposedly competing companies, eliminating real competition and governments have not been able to do anything about it.
“The weakness of the US and the reliance on Europe on the US for its defense…”
This criticism is not unfounded. But as an American, it seems like this has been what you and those in Europe have wanted for quite some time, is it not? A weaker America? Meanwhile, our leaders have been warning Europe for decades on their defense budget cutting and told Germany not to make a deal with Russia on the nord stream pipeline. America, as the country who built the largest global hegemony known to man is certainly partly to blame (you cannot assume such a role and not take the criticism). But it’s warnings to the rest of the west fell on deaf ears. And when we do flex our muscles, or elect a strong leader (Trump), everyone gets all mad and starts crying because of mean tweets.
But asks yourself this. If America actually did what everyone has wanted for so long and exited the world stage as the leader of the free world. Who would fill the vacuum and do you honestly think it would be for the best? Europeans can’t ask for the US to be less powerful and then look our way for help when an authoritarian regime decides to finally take aim at one of its targets. The real story is Europe’s weakness and lack of ability to arm themselves, along with NATO’s dishonesty by expanding when they said they wouldn’t.
Maybe this will finally make the west start taking themselves seriously again. Instead of worrying about people’s pronouns, maybe we’ll actually start caring about real problems? More importantly, maybe it is God calling us back to himself, and maybe this is what it takes for the people to listen?
The US should have exited Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Look at a map of US bases around Russia and ask yourself why were the Russians so stupid as to situate their nation in such a dangerous area.
Naomi Long’s support for abortion access might be an interesting topic?