Half-Brick McCurdy
@halfbrickmccurdy.bsky.social
A Scot in awe of Ukraine's courage
They don't?
December 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
They don't?
1/2 "O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us"
aka the new US National Security strategy, which sets out America's racist views of Europe and intention to promote the Far Right/undermine the EU.
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us"
aka the new US National Security strategy, which sets out America's racist views of Europe and intention to promote the Far Right/undermine the EU.
December 5, 2025 at 6:42 AM
1/2 "O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us"
aka the new US National Security strategy, which sets out America's racist views of Europe and intention to promote the Far Right/undermine the EU.
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us"
aka the new US National Security strategy, which sets out America's racist views of Europe and intention to promote the Far Right/undermine the EU.
Relates to the c.200 petrol ("gas") stations Lukoil operates in the US. So not nothing (total t/o p.a. comfortably 9 figures), but not sure it'll affect Russian oil prices. And as ever it's the US going easy on Russia.
December 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Relates to the c.200 petrol ("gas") stations Lukoil operates in the US. So not nothing (total t/o p.a. comfortably 9 figures), but not sure it'll affect Russian oil prices. And as ever it's the US going easy on Russia.
Its open to interpretation
December 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Its open to interpretation
4/4 Finally, in an economy with full employment where every month 1000s of Russians receive a sign-on bonus big enough to put down a deposit on a flat in say Krasnodar, the number of new mortgages taken out in 2025 is barely half the pre-invasion totals seen in 2020 and 2021.
December 4, 2025 at 12:11 PM
4/4 Finally, in an economy with full employment where every month 1000s of Russians receive a sign-on bonus big enough to put down a deposit on a flat in say Krasnodar, the number of new mortgages taken out in 2025 is barely half the pre-invasion totals seen in 2020 and 2021.
2/4 recovery in private demand, which reached 24% of all new mortgages by value in November (an IT workers’ subsidy ending this year may be a factor here). More borrowing at market rates in turn means the average rate paid by borrowers continues to increase even as rates themselves decline.
December 4, 2025 at 12:11 PM
2/4 recovery in private demand, which reached 24% of all new mortgages by value in November (an IT workers’ subsidy ending this year may be a factor here). More borrowing at market rates in turn means the average rate paid by borrowers continues to increase even as rates themselves decline.
1/4 Russian mortgages - demand: 2025 has seen the demand for mortgages recover from historic lows. And while the new mortgage market remains dependent on the various subsidised schemes (which together accounted for 82% of the YTD value in November), successive interest rate cuts have seen a modest
December 4, 2025 at 12:11 PM
1/4 Russian mortgages - demand: 2025 has seen the demand for mortgages recover from historic lows. And while the new mortgage market remains dependent on the various subsidised schemes (which together accounted for 82% of the YTD value in November), successive interest rate cuts have seen a modest
I think most American coverage of the invasion is distorted by focusing only on those activities that directly involve Americans and can be reduced to a soap opera. Hence drivel like the attached.
November 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I think most American coverage of the invasion is distorted by focusing only on those activities that directly involve Americans and can be reduced to a soap opera. Hence drivel like the attached.
Intentional or not, an obvious reading of America's Ukraine policy is it has, with media complicity, become a "psyop" intended to humiliate, undermine morale and induce despair (by ensuring any US support is only ever viewed in terms of uncertainty, hope, disappointment and/or unacceptable costs).
November 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Intentional or not, an obvious reading of America's Ukraine policy is it has, with media complicity, become a "psyop" intended to humiliate, undermine morale and induce despair (by ensuring any US support is only ever viewed in terms of uncertainty, hope, disappointment and/or unacceptable costs).
V.smart Peter Thiel's bestest blood boy hasn't noticed American policy since January has been no more money, weapons or sanctions, resulting in more Ukrainians dying. Blah blah hillbilly elegy blah blah
November 22, 2025 at 9:31 AM
V.smart Peter Thiel's bestest blood boy hasn't noticed American policy since January has been no more money, weapons or sanctions, resulting in more Ukrainians dying. Blah blah hillbilly elegy blah blah
Seeing as the US media would rather whack off over meetings, and Europe/UK is too polite to mention it, here's US aid for for Ukraine.
November 19, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Seeing as the US media would rather whack off over meetings, and Europe/UK is too polite to mention it, here's US aid for for Ukraine.
AI's great at confidently giving answers
November 18, 2025 at 3:15 PM
AI's great at confidently giving answers
Given almost half of Americans get their news from news websites, the BBC has a surprisingly loud voice in the US (Pressgazette data)
November 18, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Given almost half of Americans get their news from news websites, the BBC has a surprisingly loud voice in the US (Pressgazette data)
So Adam Tooze jonesing to get on the Joe Rogan podcast is an actual thing. "Bathed" in literacy so he is, "immersed", "bathed", the lot.
November 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
So Adam Tooze jonesing to get on the Joe Rogan podcast is an actual thing. "Bathed" in literacy so he is, "immersed", "bathed", the lot.
2/2 America is prioritising undermining European unity and helping Russia, over expanding its own oil and gas exports.
* comparing the value and volume of exports in 2022 shows American exporters had a frickin' bonanza that year
* comparing the value and volume of exports in 2022 shows American exporters had a frickin' bonanza that year
November 9, 2025 at 4:24 PM
2/2 America is prioritising undermining European unity and helping Russia, over expanding its own oil and gas exports.
* comparing the value and volume of exports in 2022 shows American exporters had a frickin' bonanza that year
* comparing the value and volume of exports in 2022 shows American exporters had a frickin' bonanza that year
* also includes examples of American think tank brain - see attached
November 7, 2025 at 4:16 PM
* also includes examples of American think tank brain - see attached
November 6, 2025 at 10:18 AM
2/3 The recent run of interest rate cuts have had some impact, but this remains marginal; The increase in the weighted average interest rate for new mortgages in October can be attributed to a higher proportion of loans being issued at market rates, which have decreased since June.
November 4, 2025 at 11:58 AM
2/3 The recent run of interest rate cuts have had some impact, but this remains marginal; The increase in the weighted average interest rate for new mortgages in October can be attributed to a higher proportion of loans being issued at market rates, which have decreased since June.
1/3 New Russian new mortgage lending remains subdued and, with subsidised loans accounting for 83% of the YTD total, continues to be driven by government policy, at a remove from broader market conditions.
November 4, 2025 at 11:58 AM
1/3 New Russian new mortgage lending remains subdued and, with subsidised loans accounting for 83% of the YTD total, continues to be driven by government policy, at a remove from broader market conditions.
True, but the US has sought to shape (initially to micro-manage) and constrain the Ukrainian response in ways that match US objectives. As for analytical dead ends, this book arguably groups them all together. It certainly conveys American hubris as to whose war it is and whose assessments matter.
November 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM
True, but the US has sought to shape (initially to micro-manage) and constrain the Ukrainian response in ways that match US objectives. As for analytical dead ends, this book arguably groups them all together. It certainly conveys American hubris as to whose war it is and whose assessments matter.
2/2 master manipulator, the latest phone call and Budapest meeting as was, mostly served to bolster the existing US position on Ukraine, as excuses to continue doing nothing, while maintaining the impression, via a complicit media, of US support.
Hat tip to Michael Weiss for pointing out the hatred
Hat tip to Michael Weiss for pointing out the hatred
October 22, 2025 at 11:02 AM
2/2 master manipulator, the latest phone call and Budapest meeting as was, mostly served to bolster the existing US position on Ukraine, as excuses to continue doing nothing, while maintaining the impression, via a complicit media, of US support.
Hat tip to Michael Weiss for pointing out the hatred
Hat tip to Michael Weiss for pointing out the hatred
After the climb down comes Americans talking about sanctions again. OFC Lindsay Graham is namechecked and ofc it's yet more wait and see. Here's Senate Majority Leader John Thune the day of the Putin phone call vs yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile its 295 days since the US last approved an aid package
October 21, 2025 at 12:11 PM
After the climb down comes Americans talking about sanctions again. OFC Lindsay Graham is namechecked and ofc it's yet more wait and see. Here's Senate Majority Leader John Thune the day of the Putin phone call vs yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile its 295 days since the US last approved an aid package
1/2 On the centrality of the majority Kremlin owned Sberbank to financing Russia's invasion; welp they're by far the single largest buyer of government debt/are financing the Kremlin's growing deficit. And cheers to @delfoo.bsky.social for providing quarterly OFZ sales data.
October 17, 2025 at 7:21 PM
1/2 On the centrality of the majority Kremlin owned Sberbank to financing Russia's invasion; welp they're by far the single largest buyer of government debt/are financing the Kremlin's growing deficit. And cheers to @delfoo.bsky.social for providing quarterly OFZ sales data.
3/3 * amortisation, varying valuation methods, simple rounding etc., presumably all apply, so this is offered on a back of a fag packet basis only.
October 17, 2025 at 11:49 AM
3/3 * amortisation, varying valuation methods, simple rounding etc., presumably all apply, so this is offered on a back of a fag packet basis only.