occasional reflections on culture & politics
China's Tianjin parade signaled a "CRINKS" alliance of dictators—China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—struggling amid economic weakness and regional tensions. While the West should stay vigilant, this military showcase is more desperation than might. The real power dynamic favors the West; fear is unwarranted—support democracy, strengthen alliances, and watch these regimes falter.
Ukraine's victory over Russia appears increasingly inevitable despite widespread pessimism. Putin's strategic miscalculations—failing to manipulate Trump, underestimating European resolve, and stalling military offensives—reveal fundamental weaknesses. Ukraine's technological innovation, democratic resilience, and forward-looking strategy contrast sharply with Russia's backward-looking imperial nostalgia. Historical precedent confirms: ideologues lose to pragmatists in prolonged conflicts.
Erratic Attempts 