Matthew Redhead

After Russia wins... Some quick reads on Russia and a pessimist take on them

Picked-up two short books on Russia at Heathrow, as I was travelling to Italy. Wrote a quick (and pessimistic) take on them here:
open.substack.com/pub/thebrush...

I would laugh if I weren’t crying.

Put that on the paperback

England -don’t you go changin’.

Britain is in the productivity doldrums. What can lift us out? Since the financial crisis, the UK has suffered the biggest fall in productivity growth among the G7. Trade has dragged it down but could AI pick it up?

This largely comes to the same conclusions as above on potential sources of growth.

AI expected to contribute 0.2% to productivity growth within five years.

To repeat: to govern is to choose.

EU or brutal dereg/global tax reduction only options on the table.

www.thetimes.com/article/1871...

This is rather like me saying I’m in “the final stretch” of my plan to become an Olympic 100m champion. I’ve got some new trainers and a nice t-shirt. I only need to do the last bit where I run 100m in 10 seconds. Everything else is sorted.

Long but interesting thread.

Interesting that some sectors of the struggling car industry in Germany, suffering particularly in the face of Chinese competition, is to suggest Germany should go backwards to fuel. (You can’t hear electric cars 🙄)

Maybe their faulty thinking is the problem.

It’ll be that interspersed with the Bergerac boxset.

Thank God.

👏

the best thing about the lionization of the 'Monroe Doctrine' is that it was basically a bluff, there was no way the US could enforce it - and the British and the French intervened in the Americas loads of times in the 19th century without any real protest from the US

Coming out Tuesday! Subscribe so you don't miss out on all the terrorist financing news from around the world:

open.substack.com/pub/insighti...

Real Christmas.

The recent death of Sir Tom S. has reminded me of watching his "Coast of Utopia" trilogy, 20-odd years ago. Though not his most famous work, they show the humanity and richness of Russian intellectual life in the late 19th century. A welcome reminder of the Russia beyond Putin - and due a revival.

Stoppard. I recall seeing him wandering around at the National Theatre, years ago, looking slightly bewildered but very...kindly. My favourite spot was seeing him in the front row at an audience with John le Carre, trying to get le Carre's attention by waving his stick. "David! David!"

I’m not going to be able resist watching this. Someone stop me.

Europe needs to stop its magical thinking and ready for war with Russia Europe is still paralysed by denial over the threat it faces from Putin, writes Keir Giles. Unless European leaders change tack, they will be a soft target for Moscow

Ah, I appear to have once again written my op-ed for the Independent about Europe needing to be ready to face Russia without the support of the United States. It's getting harder and harder to find different words to say it each time.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...

Charles Hawtrey working in a gents lavvy? Come on! Doesn’t get much saucier.

Quality. Frying tonight.

The Omega Factor on there, I hear.

This made me laugh a lot. Thanks Mr Takei.

JD Vance is that one unemployed friend who hits up the chat group at 2:26 a.m.

Give the man the Golden Boot.

🤣🤣🤣

Oh, thank you!

Going thru customs in India today:
- Name?
- Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
- Occupation?
- No, those are self defence militias and Russia is not involved

Yes, I'm still trying to work out how they're anything other than malicious.

I have a secret crush on the alternative vote.

You've made my day.

👏