Quote from: Ulrich on January 04, 2025, 14:01:09The guy who promised to end this war within a few days, is president soon...

Quote from: dsanchez on January 07, 2025, 16:09:23Mearsheimer explains it pretty well:

QuotePresident-elect Donald Trump is showing no sign of letting up in his desire for the US to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, calling both critical to American national security.

Asked if he would rule out using military or economic force in order to take over the autonomous Danish territory or the Canal, he responded: "No, I can't assure you on either of those two.

Quote from: Ulrich on January 06, 2025, 20:01:48Any reasons why?

Quote from: Ulrich on January 06, 2025, 20:01:48P.S.: So Tronald Dump won't bring peace? That is disappointing, but no surprise...

QuoteFrom Rat Scabies of the Damned to Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, we ask rock and punk's greatest drummers how they deal with long nights of fast songs – and uncover a story of arthritis, cardio and turmeric oil

At 69 years old, Rat Scabies isn't the same man who erupted into the public consciousness as the flailing, destructive drummer of the Damned in 1976. "I've got this thing called viking disease [Dupuytren's contracture], where your whole hand claws up, and some lumps, and arthritis. And I was always a heavy hitter, so I don't think that helped."

But still he tours – he is speaking from a hotel room in Glasgow, ahead of a 22-song, 105-minute show, including a drum solo, at Barrowlands – and he knows it is going to hurt. "The aches and pains get incredibly frustrating, because there are some things you want to do that you can't any more. But as long as I'm still playing New Rose properly, and I can still make the songs sound like they should ..."

All musicians age, but drummers face unique challenges because their job is so physical. And that's doubly true of drummers famed for their power, not just technique – the ones who have to drive heavy bands through long sets.

QuoteO&A: Obviously, I have to ask about the excellent new album by The Cure, Songs of a Lost World. Being in such an iconic band for more than a decade, how did it feel to finally have new music (that you played on) released to the world? And to have the record and tour be so universally well-received?

Gabrels: We're all delighted that our album has had such a wonderful response. Especially as it's been a long road, what with starting studio work in 2019 and laboring away through several tours as well as during a couple of years of Covid-19. What's truly meaningful to me is to realize that so many long-time fans as well as new listeners worldwide are moved by the music we made together.

By the way, though Songs Of A Lost World is indeed the first studio album recorded and released by The Cure since I joined the band in 2012, it's not the first release on which I'm heard. In 1997, I played lead guitar on 'Wrong Number,' a song by The Cure that came out as a single and featured as the sole new track on Galore, a compilation of hit singles. That happened during the year I first met Robert Smith, while I was still playing, writing and producing with David Bowie. And I'm on our 2019 live release, which is titled 40 Live – Curætion-25 + Anniversary. It was filmed and recorded at shows we did in 2018 at the Meltdown Festival that Robert Smith curated, and in Hyde Park in London.

All these recordings are part of my story with The Cure. I've always felt like what you do creatively is the trail you leave — the story of your life and your time on this planet. Music is what I do, and it feels like what I've always done.

Quote from: dsanchez on January 06, 2025, 18:45:27the neutrality of Ukraine (i.e. Ukraine not joining NATO) will be the key topic. Trump's advisors propose a 20-years freeze on Ukraine's NATO bid, but Russia won't accept that.