The unimportant news thread

Kalevala · June 11, 2025, 06:42:33 AM

Quote from: DavidW on June 10, 2025, 04:36:26 PMFrederick Forsyth passed away yesterday. He was a bestselling novelist most known for the The Day of the Jackal.

Sorry to hear that.

As an aside, I remember being taken to the theater ["re" for our British friends] by family members to watch that movie. I was pretty young at the time--me thinks rather too young for what was going on in the movie!

Quote from: AnotherSpin on June 10, 2025, 09:20:40 PMOn the night of June 10, 2025, the Odessa Zoo was hit during a Russian drone strike that targeted several spots in the city. Sadly, a ram was killed in the blast. Thankfully, no other animals were hurt. The rest of the animals—zebras included—were understandably shaken but calmed down pretty quickly afterward.

Sorry to hear about the ram being killed. Sadly, animals are also effected by war. Hard to read about the destruction of zoos, animals starving, pets being separated from their owners, etc.

K

drogulus · June 12, 2025, 08:00:43 PM

Dept of the Chinese Watch

No, not that one. China watchers are saying Xi Jinping is bye bye.

Hu Jintao may be back. That's probably the best outcome.

SimonNZ · June 13, 2025, 04:14:51 AM

Quote from: drogulus on June 12, 2025, 08:00:43 PMDept of the Chinese Watch

No, not that one. China watchers are saying Xi Jinping is bye bye.

Hu Jintao may be back. That's probably the best outcome.

[Citation needed]

drogulus · June 13, 2025, 08:14:49 AM

Quote from: SimonNZ on June 13, 2025, 04:14:51 AM[Citation needed]

I decided not to wait for the citators. I waited long enough.

The leadership hasn't made an announcement yet, and Xi has been making phone calls (congratulations, condolences). He still has meetings scheduled.

To save super amounts of face for all involved, it will be necessary for Xi to voluntarily step down.

That what I got for now. Hu Jintao isn't one of the new leaders that have been identified. They be Wang Yang, Hu Chunhua and Zhang Youxia.

Kalevala · June 13, 2025, 09:22:33 AM

Quote from: drogulus on June 13, 2025, 08:14:49 AMI decided not to wait for the citators. I waited long enough.

The leadership hasn't made an announcement yet, and Xi has been making phone calls (congratulations, condolences). He still has meetings scheduled.

To save super amounts of face for all involved, it will be necessary for Xi to voluntarily step down.

That what I got for now. Hu Jintao isn't one of the new leaders that have been identified. They be Wang Yang, Hu Chunhua and Zhang Youxia.

Where did you get the info from Drog?

K

drogulus · June 13, 2025, 10:28:10 AM

Quote from: Kalevala on June 13, 2025, 09:22:33 AMWhere did you get the info from Drog?

K

I got it from "unreliable sources" among the China watchers, mostly Chinese living outside China who post on YT. According to the rumor mongers a document is being prepared which some call the "three major mistakes" for the 4th plenary session to justify the changes now underway.

The Leader of the Pack (vroom, vroom...)

Spotted Horses · June 13, 2025, 11:30:32 AM

Quote from: drogulus on June 13, 2025, 10:28:10 AMI got it from "unreliable sources" among the China watchers, mostly Chinese living outside China who post on YT. According to the rumor mongers a document is being prepared which some call the "three major mistakes" for the 4th plenary session to justify the changes now underway.

Are these the same sources that reported that Putin had any number of terrible diseases and would die soon?

drogulus · June 13, 2025, 01:18:30 PM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on June 13, 2025, 11:30:32 AMAre these the same sources that reported that Putin had any number of terrible diseases and would die soon?

Putin recovered from whatever it was that caused his face to swell and his hand to shake.

One year ago...

SimonNZ · June 13, 2025, 02:55:08 PM

Quote from: drogulus on June 13, 2025, 10:28:10 AMmostly Chinese living outside China who post on YT.

rumor mongers

And when prophecy fails...?

drogulus · June 13, 2025, 03:26:21 PM

Quote from: SimonNZ on June 13, 2025, 02:55:08 PMAnd when prophecy fails...?

....they will burn in Heck?

I haven't said yet what I think, so I will. Xi had a stroke and that presented an opportunity for his opponents to escalate their efforts to take control away from him, which has been brewing for a year at least. Xi is being accused of fostering a cult of personality, and deepening the economic and social crisis with his return to Maoism. Behind that are the purges which cause many in the CCP to fear that they will be next. As I have mentioned before, Xi has gone from purging his opponents to his "overmighty" allies. IMO he's right to fear them.

Kalevala · June 13, 2025, 08:23:28 PM

Quote from: drogulus on June 13, 2025, 03:26:21 PM....they will burn in Heck?

I haven't said yet what I think, so I will. Xi had a stroke and that presented an opportunity for his opponents to escalate their efforts to take control away from him, which has been brewing for a year at least. Xi is being accused of fostering a cult of personality, and deepening the economic and social crisis with his return to Maoism. Behind that are the purges which cause many in the CCP to fear that they will be next. As I have mentioned before, Xi has gone from purging his opponents to his "overmighty" allies. IMO he's right to fear them.

Please. give us sources.

K

drogulus · June 13, 2025, 10:31:04 PM

Quote from: Kalevala on June 13, 2025, 08:23:28 PMPlease. give us sources.

K

I don't have anything better than the example I gave. An article in the Taiwan News talks with Lei about her work. Clearly she's not a fantasist. That doesn't mean she's right of course. It's just that I think she is.

'Lei's Real Talk' on China's actual GDP, Taiwan invasion, PLA princelings' fall

The interview is from 2023 so Xi's downfall wasn't contemplated beyond a distant possibility.

Spotted Horses · June 13, 2025, 10:54:10 PM

Quote from: drogulus on June 13, 2025, 01:18:30 PMPutin recovered from whatever it was that caused his face to swell and his hand to shake.

One year ago...

He recovered from what, eating too many pelmeni?