I like to think of it as home...
https://www.petshopboys-forum.com/
Well said. Maybe they could record a song titled ‘Whataboutery’?Harry wrote: Mon 24 Feb 2025, 2:04 pm This is Neil and Chris enjoying the freedom they have to put out a quick demo directly onto YouTube, as per "Living in the past" in 2022.
On the subject matter, it's interesting to read all of the commentary on this forum, where there is evidently quite a diverse range of backgrounds and opinions. Those will not be solved here, but it is interesting to see them.
On the lack of a Pet Shop Boys song about Israel and Gaza, I strongly believe that it is Neil's right to write about subjects he is personally interested in, and we all know he has a lifelong interest in Russian history and culture. He is under no obligation whatsoever to write about any other topic, nor should he be expected to make a public pronouncement about it. Why should he?
In this social media age, everyone is expected to advertise their opinion on everything, and to toe the line. Neil will not. His opinions on the Middle East, if he has any, will be for his family and friends, and not for us or the media.
That sentiment has changed recently. Europe is realizing America doesn't want to be partners anymore and America is turning into a fascist regime quite fast now.Parkol wrote: Tue 25 Feb 2025, 8:01 am Because the US controls everything that happens in Europe and Trump is not called a dictator, although he will annex Canada, Panama, Greenland and Ukraine's resources for free.
Trump will fix it. An end to bloodshed, I hope for peace too.Parkol wrote: Tue 25 Feb 2025, 8:01 am What is happening in Ukraine is a terrible thing. I really hope for peace.
They do. Well worth following what Bill Browder has been doing in this area (after the killing of his friend Sergei Magnitsky).Now there are thousands of Russians, rich Russians living in London and nobody asks them - How did you earn the money?
Great post - thanks for spending the time.Parkol wrote: Tue 25 Feb 2025, 8:01 am What is happening in Ukraine is a terrible thing. I really hope for peace.
I grew up in the USSR and live in Russia, but I clearly understand when Russia was good for the West. Russia was good for the West when it was poor, weak and sold natural resources for pennies, oligarchs were taking billions of dollars out of the country and nobody called Russia bad. That was in the 90's, early 2000.
Gorbachev destroyed the USSR and hundreds of thousands of people were out of work and people with higher education had to go to work in bad jobs. The economy was ruined, the army was in bad shape. My parents went through that. My wife's parents went through it too. But Russia was good then, because it took the democratic path, the path of bending to the West.
You give us oil, we give you gum and Beavis and Butt-head.
If we are talking about crimes, why didn't England arrest Abramovich who bought Chelsea with absolutely incomprehensible money. And no sanctions because he brought a lot of money to England. Now there are thousands of Russians, rich Russians living in London and nobody asks them - How did you earn the money? And we guys all know how they got the money, don't we?
By destroying Nord Stream, Germany was deprived of its impeccable leadership in Europe, because the strongest economy in Europe is Germany. If the stream had worked, Germany would have become a hub that started to control not only the economies of other countries, but also politics. And this the US and England did not like. That's why Germany is being drained.
On land occupation and sanctions.
Why does Britain, having seized the Falkland Islands, not give them back to Argentina?
(Look at the map, where is Britain and where is Argentina) And Argentina is silent.
Why Gibraltar Spain can not return for many years and nobody imposes any sanctions against Britain, although it is obvious that Gibraltar is the territory of Spain? Look at the map again. Why hasn't Spain imposed sanctions against Britain until now?
Why haven't sanctions been imposed against Turkey, which killed thousands of people in Cyprus and occupied part of the island? (By the way, this is a country that should be feared for real).
Why are sanctions not imposed against the USA, which demands Greenland from Denmark as the strongest and threatened to use force against Denmark? Humiliating and insulting Denmark as never before. At the same time Denmark agreed to give Greenland independence and the EU immediately shut up. Because the US controls everything that happens in Europe and Trump is not called a dictator, although he will annex Canada, Panama, Greenland and Ukraine's resources for free.
And... No sanctions against the US. Everyone's got water in their mouths. Nobody closed McDonald's, nobody banned American cinema, and nobody stopped listening to Taylor Swift. Ow! Where are you, EU democarts? Why hasn't anyone stood up for Denmark and told the US to f*** off? Put sanctions on them! They have humiliated a small country that is certainly not in a position to stand up to America.
And about Denmark, social networks started to remember how Denmark gave Germany a country in 6 hours in World War II. Now Denmark is called a country of cowards and no one from the EU has stood up for it or imposed sanctions against the US. Because...they're afraid. It's a public humiliation of the country. Without force, without war, just to take away territory. And Denmark will have to apologise to Trump.
During World War II, Britain and the USSR fought against Hitler. Most countries were Hitler's allies or neutral. England had been at war since ‘39, the USSR since ’41. Even though England and I were opponents, we became allies. Neutrality was with Sweden, which supplied 30% of ore to Germany for tanks and planes that bombed cities and villages, for example.
Now, what do you call that, just honestly? Is it neutrality or is it alliance?
If you don't participate in the war, but you're happy to give shells. From 1939 to 1941, Sweden kept out Jews who fled Hitler for fear of repercussions.
Guys, we've all got our noses to the grindstone, as they say. There are no saints here. Well maybe only some small island in the Pacific Ocean where there are no people at all and is sinless.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers will return from the war in the cities, with broken psyche, disabled and Ukraine will not be the same. Hundreds of thousands of our Russian soldiers will return to their cities, with broken psyche, without arms, legs and Russia will not be the same. This is all done to awaken the people.
And about the collapse of the USSR. Now look at Islamic terrorism all over the world. And where they all come from. Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, etc.
In Germany, almost every month there's a terrorist attack on people.
And everyone is silent. They make films as if Europeans are to blame for terrorist attacks, and migrants from the East save everyone. Like, at least in the cinema we have democracy and God forbid to make migrants angry.
What are you afraid of, Europeans? They understand only strength, and take kindness for weakness.
Russia, by the way, has the same problem, but they've started to fight it and kick them out.
Everyone has blood on their hands, but some people have dried blood on their hands and think they can teach others.
Well, one of the most widespread theses is that England and the USA decided to destroy Germany economically, otherwise, the dominance would have become such that England's economy would have reached the level of Romania and Germany on cheap natural resources would have started to bend everyone in Europe again. France, Italy, Spain as satellites. And the rest would be afraid to open their mouths, like Romania, Greece, Holland. So they blew up the Nord Stream.
My relatives were shot by Stalin. And my grandmother's brother, who liberated a concentration camp in Poland, he put him in a Soviet camp. That's the kind of scum.
You know, nobody respects cowards. Ukraine has been fighting against Russia for 3 years, although now they have decided to tear it apart economically by stealing its natural resources. This is a terrible and complicated war.
Among my acquaintances there are those who have already died in Ukraine. And we all pray for its end.
Because there is a fratricidal war.
Peace and health to all.
The difference, of course, is that nations are comprised of individuals, and individuals live in moments of time. No one involved in a war 100 years ago is alive today. Most of the people alive today have not fought in a war - especially in the West. So while historical context helps us to understand how we got to where we are (and hopefully how to avoid replicating mistakes), we can only fairly judge the present. The Russian government is controlled by an authoritarian bad actor today. His decisions are resulting in deaths today. There is no whataboutism or "both sides" here; Putin chose to invade a sovereign nation. He chose to target civilians. We don't need to try to soften this.Parkol wrote: Tue 25 Feb 2025, 8:01 amEveryone has blood on their hands, but some people have dried blood on their hands and think they can teach others.
In that case why are they not voicing up about Kier Starmer and his two tier justice system with the Sentencing Council anti-white plans to make offenders' ethnic backgrounds a greater factor in deciding whether to jail them.?NotInvisible wrote: Fri 21 Feb 2025, 3:32 pmThey care about the world they live in and don't like authoritarians or fascists, no.drunk14 wrote: Fri 21 Feb 2025, 8:59 amBut I try to ignore it as that's not the first time they behave like 20 years old activists.
Oh please do. Because all I see is this.Tom Angel wrote: Let's not even get into free speech in the UK and europe.