johnraff
@johnraff.bsky.social
Nagoya layabout. Master of nothing in particular. Linux (@bunsenlabslinux.bsky.social), food (元ラッフルズ), languages, gardening, music 第8旅団 ( daihachiryodan.com ) のジョンです。Lot of politics recently...
Pinned
johnraff
@johnraff.bsky.social
· Nov 19
Three times!
During his Kyiv trip, the LDP’s Onodera is visiting a factory producing interceptor drones & a firm working in the field of electronic warfare. Train trips to Kyiv are becoming more difficult. Passengers on Onodera’s train had to be evacuated 3 times. www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1379...
小野寺元防衛相、キーウ訪問 無人機技術で協力模索：北海道新聞デジタル
【キーウ共同】自民党の小野寺五典元防衛相は30日、ウクライナの首都キーウを訪問した。シビハ外相と会談し、両国の防衛協力について「議論したい」と述べた。ロシアの侵攻を受けるウクライナが開発を進める無人...
www.hokkaido-np.co.jp
October 2, 2026 at 5:04 AM
Three times!
Reposted by johnraff
Y'all I just caught the Kennedy Center claiming it isn't closing while telling vendors it's closing and now they're selling all of their Steinway pianos
www.alternet.org/alternet-exc...
www.alternet.org/alternet-exc...
Kennedy Center moves to sell all of its Steinway pianos
Photos show piano movers rolling massive Steinway grand pianos through the red-carpeted halls of the Kennedy Center this week.
www.alternet.org
October 1, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Y'all I just caught the Kennedy Center claiming it isn't closing while telling vendors it's closing and now they're selling all of their Steinway pianos
www.alternet.org/alternet-exc...
www.alternet.org/alternet-exc...
"The press team clarified that bringing in towels bearing the name Taiwan into the stadium itself was not prohibited under its rules and regulations."
‘At a baseball game between Taiwan & China on Friday, a spectator was stopped from displaying & waving a towel bearing the word “Taiwan.”
A staff member at the venue…asked that it be put away, reportedly prompting other Taiwanese fans to chant “Team Taiwan” in retaliation’. 💪🏼 🇹🇼
A staff member at the venue…asked that it be put away, reportedly prompting other Taiwanese fans to chant “Team Taiwan” in retaliation’. 💪🏼 🇹🇼
What’s in a name? A Taiwan towel stirs Asian Games controversy
The intervention extended beyond the prohibition of waving the official flags of nonparticipating countries such as Taiwan.
www.japantimes.co.jp
October 2, 2026 at 2:00 AM
"The press team clarified that bringing in towels bearing the name Taiwan into the stadium itself was not prohibited under its rules and regulations."
Iran is winning.
"...as if the Saudis believed that a corrupt U.S. government was in their interest, they could get competence and stability without any of that pesky integrity, ethics, law, or human rights"
Iran War Exposes Saudi Arabia's Bad Bet on Trumpism foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/24/i...
"...as if the Saudis believed that a corrupt U.S. government was in their interest, they could get competence and stability without any of that pesky integrity, ethics, law, or human rights"
Iran War Exposes Saudi Arabia's Bad Bet on Trumpism foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/24/i...
Saudi Arabia Bribed the Wrong People
Riyadh’s bet on Trumpism has failed.
foreignpolicy.com
October 1, 2026 at 4:29 AM
Iran is winning.
"...as if the Saudis believed that a corrupt U.S. government was in their interest, they could get competence and stability without any of that pesky integrity, ethics, law, or human rights"
Iran War Exposes Saudi Arabia's Bad Bet on Trumpism foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/24/i...
"...as if the Saudis believed that a corrupt U.S. government was in their interest, they could get competence and stability without any of that pesky integrity, ethics, law, or human rights"
Iran War Exposes Saudi Arabia's Bad Bet on Trumpism foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/24/i...
Yes please!
Burnham says Britain should weigh EU options, including rejoining bloc reut.rs/4rGsv7h
Burnham says Britain should weigh EU options, including rejoining bloc
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday Britain should consider options for its future relationship with the European Union, including ultimately rejoining the bloc, as he steps up efforts to rebuild ties with Europe.
reut.rs
September 30, 2026 at 6:14 AM
Yes please!
Reposted by johnraff
Here's me on that Simon Shuster piece in The Atlantic. The reason why I think it struck a nerve is his sympathies are quite transparent. He spends two paragraphs at the start fawning over the grandeur of CCP state ceremonies
"When Will the American Commentariat Give Up on Asking When Taiwan Will Give Up?" by @brianhioe.bsky.social
When Will the American Commentariat Give Up on Asking When Taiwan Will Give Up? | New Bloom Magazine
“Will Taiwan Just Give Up?” by Simon Shuster in The Atlantic, is the latest article in the heady genre of articles by white men who visit Taiwan for a few days and decide that they have the final…
newbloommag.net
September 10, 2026 at 8:32 AM
Here's me on that Simon Shuster piece in The Atlantic. The reason why I think it struck a nerve is his sympathies are quite transparent. He spends two paragraphs at the start fawning over the grandeur of CCP state ceremonies
Reposted by johnraff
Is it a good that the rising power's only two consistent guiding principles are insisting on its inherent right to invade a neighbour and ignore human rights
Taiwan and human rights are "red lines" for China that cannot be crossed, the country's ambassador to the U.S. warned on Wednesday, striking a firm tone ahead of this week's leadership summit in Washington.
Taiwan and human rights are ‘red lines’ for China, ambassador says ahead of Trump-Xi meeting
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will visit Washington this week for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as both sides look to bring stability to ties.
ebx.sh
September 23, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Is it a good that the rising power's only two consistent guiding principles are insisting on its inherent right to invade a neighbour and ignore human rights
Reposted by johnraff
A BBC Verify investigation found that Apple Maps' censoring of Chinese Military and Government sites has included arbitrary detention sites in Xinjiang, including the prison where Ilham Tohti is detained.
Watch the investigation.
Watch the investigation.
September 23, 2026 at 9:51 AM
A BBC Verify investigation found that Apple Maps' censoring of Chinese Military and Government sites has included arbitrary detention sites in Xinjiang, including the prison where Ilham Tohti is detained.
Watch the investigation.
Watch the investigation.
Reposted by johnraff
Abundantly clear that political dynamics in Beijing make it impossible for them to reach out even to potentially sympathetic audiences in TW.
If "we militarily occupy you and ensure your children absorb our political culture" is the best they can come up with, hegemony is not on the horizon
If "we militarily occupy you and ensure your children absorb our political culture" is the best they can come up with, hegemony is not on the horizon
September 18, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Abundantly clear that political dynamics in Beijing make it impossible for them to reach out even to potentially sympathetic audiences in TW.
If "we militarily occupy you and ensure your children absorb our political culture" is the best they can come up with, hegemony is not on the horizon
If "we militarily occupy you and ensure your children absorb our political culture" is the best they can come up with, hegemony is not on the horizon
Reposted by johnraff
“The Chinese government’s ongoing reliance on torture isn’t a function of gaps in law or process—it’s a political choice,” said @sophiedrich.bsky.social... “When every safeguard against torture is ignored—year after year, nationwide—impunity for police, courts, and officials is all but guaranteed.”
"Swept Under the Rug" delves into the why torture persists in prisons in 🇨🇳: www.nchrd.org/2026/09/chin...
September 29, 2026 at 10:01 AM
“The Chinese government’s ongoing reliance on torture isn’t a function of gaps in law or process—it’s a political choice,” said @sophiedrich.bsky.social... “When every safeguard against torture is ignored—year after year, nationwide—impunity for police, courts, and officials is all but guaranteed.”
Trump: “We’re using the word super because the other word is a fake word.”
President Trump sees artificial intelligence as suffering from a branding problem, and he intends to fix it with an attempt to officially rename the technology “super intelligence.”
Trump Responds to AI Backlash With ‘Super Intelligence’ Rebrand
President Donald Trump sees artificial intelligence as suffering from a branding problem, and he intends to fix it with an attempt to officially rename the technology “super intelligence.”
bloom.bg
September 30, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Trump: “We’re using the word super because the other word is a fake word.”
“They might have their sights set on a big job site, in some neighborhood under construction, and just slowly patrol that site and just take people in day after day until nobody’s going to work there any more”
Trump won't be happy till the brown people are gone.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Trump won't be happy till the brown people are gone.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Gone in 90 seconds: an ‘invisibilized’ ICE is arresting more people than ever
After public backlash, the Trump administration changed its tactics from ‘siege’ to ‘soft feet’. Now, ICE is everywhere
www.theguardian.com
September 29, 2026 at 6:47 AM
“They might have their sights set on a big job site, in some neighborhood under construction, and just slowly patrol that site and just take people in day after day until nobody’s going to work there any more”
Trump won't be happy till the brown people are gone.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Trump won't be happy till the brown people are gone.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Reposted by johnraff
Also worth flagging this essay warning of the dangers of Japan's dependence on US tech companies for its national security.
www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2026...
www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2026...
この防衛政策は愛国どころか売国ではないのか 高市政権が進める「軍事AI導入」の知られざる恐ろしさ（全文） | デイリー新潮
一時期は言葉の軽さなどから人気に陰りが見えていた小泉進次郎氏への評価は、高市内閣で防衛大臣となってからはまた上昇気味だ。…
www.dailyshincho.jp
September 29, 2026 at 3:04 AM
Also worth flagging this essay warning of the dangers of Japan's dependence on US tech companies for its national security.
www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2026...
www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2026...
Just bear in mind that control of the Chinese population's beliefs has been a core foundation of the CCP since its beginning. They won't loosen their grip easily.
Commentary: Beijing's real vulnerability is not international action. It's rising awareness within the Chinese population.
Tibet’s advocates need to reach China’s majority
Growing Han Chinese awareness and activism poses the only pressure Beijing cannot ignore on Tibet.
ebx.sh
September 29, 2026 at 2:32 AM
Just bear in mind that control of the Chinese population's beliefs has been a core foundation of the CCP since its beginning. They won't loosen their grip easily.
Reposted by johnraff
Why has abortion faded from America’s national conversation? | Moira Donegan
Why has abortion faded from America’s national conversation? | Moira Donegan
The US has already grown used to the horror caused by abortion bans. And Republicans have sought to quash the stories
www.theguardian.com
September 29, 2026 at 1:04 AM
Why has abortion faded from America’s national conversation? | Moira Donegan
Reposted by johnraff
Trump said Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are a “big problem” and that he told Zelenskyy to show more restraint. According to Trump, Zelenskyy said Ukraine “possibly” would. Trump added: “There are other things that he can do.” #Ukraine
September 28, 2026 at 6:36 AM
Trump said Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are a “big problem” and that he told Zelenskyy to show more restraint. According to Trump, Zelenskyy said Ukraine “possibly” would. Trump added: “There are other things that he can do.” #Ukraine
Reposted by johnraff
Oh no Donald Trump is becoming increasingly unpopular! Surely it must all be over soon | First Dog on the Moon
Oh no Donald Trump is becoming increasingly unpopular! Surely it must all be over soon | First Dog on the Moon
It’s so bad some Republicans are even turning against him – bit late guys but whatever
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www.theguardian.com
September 28, 2026 at 6:55 AM
Oh no Donald Trump is becoming increasingly unpopular! Surely it must all be over soon | First Dog on the Moon
He'll sell them the weapons that were promised to Taiwan.
But Taiwan would probably get a better deal buying drones from Ukraine... and Iran.
But Taiwan would probably get a better deal buying drones from Ukraine... and Iran.
I wonder if he mentioned this when he "debriefed" Takaichi on the summit.
US Ambassador to China David Perdue says in their recent meeting Trump asked President Xi if China wanted to buy weapons systems from the US.
September 28, 2026 at 2:55 AM
He'll sell them the weapons that were promised to Taiwan.
But Taiwan would probably get a better deal buying drones from Ukraine... and Iran.
But Taiwan would probably get a better deal buying drones from Ukraine... and Iran.
"China’s cognitive warfare against Taiwan: convince Taiwanese voters that America is an unreliable ally that will not come to their defense, and their only hope at avoiding war is to elect a KMT president who will surrender to China on more favorable terms."
www.formosareview.com/p/pandamoniu...
www.formosareview.com/p/pandamoniu...
Pandamonium Express
The second Trump-Xi summit seems to have wrapped up with no clear deliverables on any of the major issues at hand, whether AI safety, trade barriers, or of course, Taiwan.
www.formosareview.com
September 28, 2026 at 2:46 AM
"China’s cognitive warfare against Taiwan: convince Taiwanese voters that America is an unreliable ally that will not come to their defense, and their only hope at avoiding war is to elect a KMT president who will surrender to China on more favorable terms."
www.formosareview.com/p/pandamoniu...
www.formosareview.com/p/pandamoniu...
Reposted by johnraff
Gary Marcus again:
BREAKING: AI agent incident toll has risen to tens of thousands garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-a...
BREAKING: AI agent incident toll has risen to tens of thousands garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-a...
BREAKING: AI agent incident toll has risen to tens of thousands
Meanwhile, the US government appears to be paralyzed
garymarcus.substack.com
September 27, 2026 at 2:58 AM
Gary Marcus again:
BREAKING: AI agent incident toll has risen to tens of thousands garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-a...
BREAKING: AI agent incident toll has risen to tens of thousands garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-a...
Reposted by johnraff
I knew that Japan was going to confront this problem - "our most important security partner is simultaneously undermining institutions and values that we think are necessary, not luxuries" - more and more but I didn't necessarily expect that the ICC would be a key marker.
September 25, 2026 at 3:54 PM
I knew that Japan was going to confront this problem - "our most important security partner is simultaneously undermining institutions and values that we think are necessary, not luxuries" - more and more but I didn't necessarily expect that the ICC would be a key marker.
"the evidence that OpenAI is building something the company isn’t managing to control is vast and growing"
BREAKING: OpenAI’s epic meltdown — and how Sam Altman is blowing up Jensen Huang’s reputation garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-o...
BREAKING: OpenAI’s epic meltdown — and how Sam Altman is blowing up Jensen Huang’s reputation garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-o...
BREAKING: OpenAI’s epic meltdown — and how Sam Altman is blowing up Jensen Huang’s reputation
OpenAI’s software didn’t just attack HuggingFace.
garymarcus.substack.com
September 26, 2026 at 1:32 AM
"the evidence that OpenAI is building something the company isn’t managing to control is vast and growing"
BREAKING: OpenAI’s epic meltdown — and how Sam Altman is blowing up Jensen Huang’s reputation garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-o...
BREAKING: OpenAI’s epic meltdown — and how Sam Altman is blowing up Jensen Huang’s reputation garymarcus.substack.com/p/breaking-o...
Reposted by johnraff
If for the sake of Japan's alliance with the US, you stand by helplessly as it destroys the ICC, and you speak not one word about Israel's US-abetted genocide of Palestinians, please stop pretending that you're committed to the rule of law.
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
Takaichi stays mum on Trump’s ICC threat as she cites rule of law | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
NEW YORK—Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi avoided mentioning U.S. sanctions on Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court, at the U.N. General Assembly, while emphasizing Japan’s commitm...
www.asahi.com
September 24, 2026 at 11:19 PM
If for the sake of Japan's alliance with the US, you stand by helplessly as it destroys the ICC, and you speak not one word about Israel's US-abetted genocide of Palestinians, please stop pretending that you're committed to the rule of law.
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...
www.asahi.com/ajw/articles...