Category Archives: Politically Incorrect

Kelly Hodel/Stuff

Council elections show that more than 70% percent of us just don't care, Richard Swainson writes (file photo).

Dr Richard Swainson runs Hamilton's last DVD rental store and is a weekly contributor to the Waikato Times history page.

OPINION: The people have spoken. It was a resounding whisper. Or perhaps a squeak. When it came to engagement with local body politics, still less participation in the voting process to determine city and regional councils, the vast majority spoke with their backsides, preferring to remain at home. The day before polling closed, only 23.2% of eligible Hamiltonians had bothered to exercise their franchise. Even allowing for a flurry of late-in-the-day hand delivery - a category I myself fell into, I should confess - and special votes, for those who had mislaid their papers and had a last minute change of heart, indifference was the predominant response. More than 70% of us just don't care.

Vladimir Putin could have been elected and the good folk of the Waikato would not have batted an eyelid. An unlikely scenario, of course, as the latter-day 'Vlad the Impaler' would have his eyes on the chief executive's job, where the real power lies and the salary vastly exceeds anything elected representatives could dream of being paid. It is a point that was made rather starkly back in 2007 when Michael Redman gave up the Hamilton mayoralty for the opportunity to serve the community as an impartial bureaucrat. Luckily the result was just millions of dollars lost in the V8 debacle, not an invasion of the Ukraine.

Tom Lee/Stuff

There are perils to the good folk of Hamilton not paying attention to local politics, Swainson says.

Pardon my digression. Extreme, highly improbable examples are needed to remind us all of the perils of not paying attention. Much of the media coverage of the 2022 elections was in this vein, looking to out the nutters and the conspiracy theorists and the anti-vaxxers, if not those whose transgressions were of a more ideological bent. Perish the thought that the politically incorrect might sneak in the back door, holding unpublishable views or expressing themselves in a vernacular unbecoming today's political discourse. The likes of Russ Rimmington, whose 'cultural ignorance' did actually see the electorate give him the cold shoulder. Voters forgave Russ when the then Hamilton mayor - and Justice of the Peace - incurred a dangerous driving fine and licence disqualification back in 2000 but a response to the Three Waters reforms that saw him talk of how "the Mori" will "usurp" and "jeopardise" the future development of "our country" was beyond the pale and he was denied his Waikato Regional Council paycheck. Twenty three point two percent of us put the horrid racist in his place.

READ MORE:* Nothing 'cruisy' in forecast for Hamilton's re-elected mayor Paula Southgate* He called council staff 'scum' - now he's been elected to work with them* Southgate back in Hamilton but other leaders ousted, including Quayle, Rimmington and Mylchreest

KELLY HODEL/STUFF

Paula Southgate is thankful to be Hamilton's mayor for another three years and praised all those who ran for election because "it's not easy". (This video was first published on October 9, 2022).

On the other hand, another gentleman with a history of speaking plainly to power has just been elected to the Hamilton City Council and I, for one, am looking forward to the fireworks. Andrew Bydder's robust response to bureaucracy, once labelling the Waip Council staff as "scum" and "disgusting filth" whilst accusing them of corruption and racism, suggests a politician who will not easily be hoodwinked by voluminous agendas and the obsequious wiles of the governing class. Perhaps Bydder is exactly what the HCC needs: a pragmatic doer, long frustrated with red tape and the indifference the obscenely over-salaried often show to legitimate complaints.

Bydder's election might not be what Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta meant when employing that quintessential 21st century buzzword, "diversity", by way of talking up election results, yet in the truest sense of the term it is. Assessing politicians on their skills, their ideological bias and their effectiveness is what democracy should be about, not gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality or religion. Local bodies which reflect the actual community's range of views - across the political spectrum, including extremes which some may find unacceptable - are truly diverse. Other assessments tend toward the superficial. A woman mayor may not be feminist in the eyes of her opponents. A Mori politician could well represent the ACT party.

Christel Yardley/Stuff

Newly elected Hamilton City councillor Andrew Bydder once labelled the Waip Council staff as "scum" and "disgusting filth" whilst accusing them of corruption and racism.

That said, there is no mistaking the generational and gender shift on the Hamilton City Council. The retirement of veterans Martin Gallagher, Dave Macpherson and Rob Pascoe, together with that of Mark Bunting, a somewhat less experienced player, amounted to an exodus of the type of politicians woke analysts like to sneer at: the "stale, pale male" stereotype, long of tooth, pinky-white of complexion, who have overstayed their welcome. No matter of course that Gallagher and Macpherson at least were rather progressive types, fine servants of metropolis.

Fresh to council chambers are Emma Pike and Louise Hutt, comparatively youthful, with idealism still intact. When taken together with returned mayor Paula Southgate, stalwart Angela O'Leary, the impressive Sarah Thomson and the equally estrogen-charged Anna Casey-Cox, Maxine Van Ooosten and Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, not to mention the city's first wahine elected via the Kirikiriroa Mori Ward, Te Pora Thompson, city hall has all the makings of a matriarchy. Women outnumber men nine to five and the mean average age of councillors has come down several notches.

Kelly Hodel/Stuff

Swainson hopes the new council will save Hamilton's Founders Theatre from the wrecking ball.

What can we expect from a feminist, young-in-parts council? Climate change action would seem to be high on Hutt's agenda and in this there will be a natural ally in Thomson and at least lip service paid by others.

Speaking personally, I hope the new administration has the courage to save the Founders Theatre from the wrecking ball, a move in the interests of both the environment and a wider cultural community desperate for meaningful, shared space. The decimation of Hamilton heritage buildings accelerated under the last council, with the boom lowered on the Municipal Pools, the effective destruction of the Hamilton Hotel and goodness knows what alterations planned for the ArtsPost building. Having done their worst in Hamilton East, the bulldozers creep up Victoria St, emboldened by policies that first ignore the duty of maintenance then glibly dispense of edifices in which generations of Hamiltonians have emotional investment.

The extent to which such policies are driven by the unelected is something a fresh pair of eyes might be more sensitive to than those too long around the council table. In this, I wish Mr Bydder every success.

Continue reading here:
'Backsides' voted but fireworks are likely with one Hamilton councillor - Richard Swainson - Stuff

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under fire by several Canadians on social media after he went bungee jumping with his children near Ottawa on Sunday.

In the video that surfaced online, the prime minister is dressed in a red flannel jacket, blue jeans and boots. He counts to five and then throws himself off the 200-foot bungee tower in Chelsea, Quebec. He was accompanied by his two childrenhis son Xavier, 14, and his daughter Ella-Grace, 13. According to the prime ministers public itinerary, he had taken a personal day on Sunday.

However, many Canadians were unhappy that the prime minister decided to take a day off before the upcoming elections and while parts of Eastern Canada are still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. Many instead pointed towards the efforts of Pierre Poilievre, who was present in a freedom rally for Iran the same day.

This event comes a few weeks after Trudeau was criticized, again, for singing Bohemian Rhapsody in a hotel lobby two days before the Queens funeral in London, UK.

Footage of the impromptu performance was shared on social media on Sept. 18, where critics accused Trudeau of acting inappropriate during the United Kingdoms 10-day mourning period. Before that, PM Trudeau was criticized for taking too many flightsincluding a 14-minute flight from Charlottetown to Summerside.

In the recent weeks, hashtags such as #Justinflation or #TrudeauMustGo are trending on Twitter.

But the real question is, what impact does it all have on the public?

Is it really influencing how anybody is going to vote? I suspect that people who put that on social media dont like Trudeau, who never voted for Trudeau, who are never going to vote for Trudeau, and those are also the people tuning into it and spreading it, says UofT Professor Emeritus Nelson Wiseman, a renowned political scientist.

Wiseman calls this an echochamberan environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own.

Story continues

Before we had social media, people turned to their radio and the television and there was a much more common base of information. We generally saw the same stuff. but , what you have here is an echochamber, he says.

But now, you can easily get other people who think like you on your crazy hook. Then it gets reinforced, but it doesnt usually follow.

Wiseman also believes that since these videos are usually trending on social media and dont always get coverage from national newspapers, its mostly affecting the younger demographic.

There are so many young people who hate Trudeau and are sending it to those who hate him and then it spirals. But Id still ask myselfdoes it actually have an influence? he says.

Unlike the royal familytightly bound by rules and regulationsthe prime minister of Canada does not have strict protocols on what is and isnt allowed.

PM Trudeaus actions are often reminiscent of his fatherknown for his flamboyance and aberrant behaviour sometimes, often paying little heed to whats acceptable and what isnt.

In 1977, a picture of the late Pierre Trudeau doing a pirouette behind the Queen's back at Buckingham Palace went viral for "breaking protocol".

Pierre Trudeau does a well-rehearsed pirouette behind the Queen's back at Buckingham Palace in 1977.

Although PM Trudeau's actions are not as politically incorrect as the image above, it seems that public opinion on social media is often against him.

Continued here:
Does it actually have an influence?: Expert weighs in PM Trudeaus viral bungee jump video - Yahoo News

Director Jordan Hogg, 39, was born in Scarborough and has cerebral palsy. He graduated in film studies from Hull University, trained through Channel 4s 4Talent scheme and won a Bafta breakthrough award in 2020. He has directed episodes of Shameless, Screw, Death in Paradise, Casualty, Coronation Street and Ackley Bridge. He is now the lead director on the new BBC One series Ralph & Katie, a spin-off from Peter Bowkers The A Word, and the first ever TV drama with two learning-disabled lead actors.

Whats Ralph & Katie about and how did you land the directing job?I was really jammy. I had a meeting with [creator] Peter Bowker to potentially direct The A Word episode with Ralph and Katies wedding but didnt get the gig. When I saw on Twitter that a spin-off about their first year of marriage had been green-lit, I emailed my agent and said it was my dream gig. Unbeknown to us, Peter had already remembered me and written it for me to direct.

Its the first time Ive helmed a whole series. My fingerprints are all over it, even the soundtrack. Im entirely unmusical but theres a scene in episode five where Ralphs marching along to the sound of me banging drums and blowing horns. John Williams will be shitting kittens.

Why was it such a dream project?Ive always wanted to make a show about people with disabilities where its about their everyday lives. Ralph and Katie face all the same obstacles that anyone does. If you have a disability, 99% of the time you dont even realise. Your disability isnt at the forefront of your mind, so it isnt in the drama either. Personally, I forget Im disabled until I approach some stairs or Ive walked too far and my knees kicking off. Sat here talking now, it doesnt even dawn on me.

Is the hope that viewers look beyond the labels?The idea is that you quickly forget theres disability in the show and it becomes about the characters. I want it to be judged as a relationship drama, not a disabled drama. Ralph and Katies disability is more of a thing for other people than them. Its how everybody else reacts to it and all the crossed wires. Ralphs mum, Louise, [played by Pooky Quesnel] panics because shes so protective. My mothers exactly the same. Whenever I have a medical issue, shes there like a whippet but certain things you dont want to share with your mum [laughs].

What adjustments were made for lead actors Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy, who both live with Downs syndrome?Nobodys even attempted this before, so we were adapting on the hoof. We had a wonderful woman called Jess Mabel Jones who was our creative coach effectively an interpreter for Leon and Sarah to help us find emotions. Shed come up with images and smells that they could associate with each storyline, to get in the right headspace. She used a rehearsal technique called mirroring, where shed perform a scene, then theyd do it back to her. At the end of each day, we did de-roleing to come out of character and back into the real world.

And people with disabilities were represented behind the camera tooFive out of six of the writing team have disabilities, plus obviously me. And we sent out an edict that there must be a disabled trainee in every department. We wanted to pioneer a new way of working and change the world.

Didnt you also set new standards for inclusivity and accessibility on set?Rather than sweeping changes, we spoke to everyone individually about their needs, whether they identified as having a disability or not. Much of it was minimal things. People asked for easy-read scripts or bigger print on call sheets. This lad Turbold, who was the best boy, wanted us to put boy in inverted commas in the credits, to stress its not just a male role. We trialled an app to leave anonymous feedback at the end of each day. The TV industry is weirdly set in its ways but we wanted to buck the trend. What we put in place wasnt expensive at all. All it takes is the desire to do it.

Do you hope those working practices become widely adopted?One hundred percent. The whole idea was to demonstrate whats possible and how other productions can be more welcoming. It benefits everybody. You get a much more productive shoot if individual needs are considered and everyones happy.

How far can Sarah and Leon go as actors?A long way. Sarah gets immersed in her roles and feels it deeply. And, hand on heart, Leon is one of the top three actors Ive ever worked with. His timing, instincts and listening qualities are off the chart. Hes always wanted to be a leading man and is so proud. Hes got loads of ideas for season two, mostly involving me being the bad guy and him running me over in various large vehicles (laughs).

How would you respond to potential criticism of the show as politically correct box-ticking?Well, Im a Yorkshireman, so theyd better not cross me. Just watch the show. Youll see its very politically incorrect at times. Its not woke or PC, its representative of society. Everyone has their story to tell, so why cant we tell ours?

Is the TV and film industry improving in terms of disability representation?Its getting there but too slowly. Its the most underrepresented demographic by far on both sides of the camera. In 15 years, Ive never come across another disabled director. An LA charity told me the other day that in high-end US drama, they know of five disabled writers and one disabled director. Thats in the whole of America. Weve done it on one show.

What were your childhood ambitions?Ive wanted to be a director since I was 12. My parents were getting a messy divorce and I vividly remember them having a row in the next room when Lawrence of Arabia came on telly. David Lean transported me to the desert for three hours. It was proper magic. I thought, if I can do this for one person someday, it would be amazing. But I was a kid with cerebral palsy from Scarborough and this life seemed so far away.

When I left school in 1999, there was no internet. I had no idea what opportunities were available. Instead, I did what any disabled kid does and became a fitness instructor! After doing that for four years, I went back to university to study film, learned all I could and worked my way up. Ive been massively fortunate to blag it this far.

Youve moved back to your home town of Scarborough. What drew you back?I settled in Manchester when I got my first job on Shameless. Me, my wife and son moved back to be by the seaside and near family. Its a nice place for Teddy, our little boy, to grow up. His Yorkshire accent is even heavier than mine. When I speak to Americans, I say: Remember that pub at the start of An American Werewolf in London? Its like that around here. But its home. I can open my patio doors and hear nothing but the sea.

How do you unwind when youre not working?I follow Newcastle United and love wrestling. I think its the purest form of storytelling. I listen to Johnny Cash, Thin Lizzy and the Eagles, and Im a massive Disney geek.

Whats the next project in the pipeline?Im directing a Channel 5 miniseries called Blind Spot. A four-part drama, kind of Rear Window meets The Conversation, which were filming in Budapest over Christmas. After that, who knows? I just got a US agent and the dream is to take our Ralph & Katie model across the pond.

If the government let you make one policy change tomorrow, what would it be?There should be a minimum quota of disabled people working in every industry. Because 18% of the population has a disability, 18% of your staff should. Disabled people always find easier ways to do things because we have to. Employers are missing out. Our lived experience and ingenuity is an untapped goldmine.

Ralph & Katie airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One. The entire series is available as an iPlayer box set

Go here to read the rest:
Jordan Hogg: In 15 years, Ive never come across another disabled director - The Guardian

Eid Ul Azha 2022 saw the release of three Bangladeshi films- Ananta Jalils Din: The Day, Raihan Rafis Poran, and Anonno Mamuns Psycho. Despite having a stellar cast (Pujja Cherry, Shahiduzzaman Selim, Rosey Siddiqui etc), Psycho didnt fare well in the box office. As for Din: The Day, people regretted that it wasnt as comical as AJs previous films. Mejbaur Rahman Sumons Hawa entered the scene almost three weeks after Eid. Some people at the cineplexes were torn between watching Hawa or Poran, Chris Hemsworths chiseled body in Thor and Brad Pitts swag in Bullet Train escaping their notice entirely.

This may very well mark the beginning of a new era where the story, not the celebrities, is the star of the film. It was more about what, rather than who, they were there to watch. People had to wait for hours to get tickets for either of these films because of the houseful situation at the cineplexes that seat much fewer audiences than larger local halls (Usually a film doesnt have houseful shows this late into its release, but Poran did). I went to one such local hall, Sainik Club in the capital, to watch Poran on its fourth week and to Bashundhara City to watch Hawa on its debut week. The first had about 15 people in the theatre with no wait time, the latter kept me waiting for four hours in the afternoon on a weekday.

Both films are massive box office successes catering to audiences of conflicting tastes. Poran is on firmer grounds in this regard because its target audiences were oblivious to the glaring misogyny and overall unfortunate craftsmanship of the film. When I interviewed the audiences after the film ended, they all had good things to say including making bhalo chhilo (which was impossible to determine with the faulty projection on the ghola screen), just wow, and meyeta bodmaish (that just might be what the film had set out to prove in the first place. The men are killing each other, but please go ahead and blame the girl for dating two guys at once because that is worse than murder apparently).

Sadly, for Hawa, its audiences-cum-critics are the film buffs, people who spend a considerable portion of their lives watching/analyzing world films. This crowd is nearly impossible to please. So, while the mass is praising the politically incorrect Poran, the educated crowd is split in half about Hawa. All the festivals and film appreciation courses in world couldnt prepare us for acknowledging an artistic films mainstream success.

Hawas audiences are like its two promotional songs. Theres the mass (Shada Shada Kala Kala) and theres the contemplative connoisseurs (E Hawa). Whether we give it credit for setting a higher bar for local films, anyone can commend its effective marketing. Some may say its a tad too aggressive, especially when it is not a plot-heavy film, the kind the mass audience have grown accustomed to.

In the film, a snake charmer (Nazifa Tushi) is caught on the fish net of Chan Majhis (Chanchal Chowdhury) boat. The seamen lust over her as they meet their untimely demise one by one under mysterious circumstances. Thats about the extent of kahini in this film.

I cant responsibly point out how Hawa could be a bigger hit, without mentioning what scares me about Poran being such a massive blockbuster. The fact that its misogynistic sentiments are lost on our people is worrying. If it wasnt loosely based on a true story, I would conclude the writers never met a female specimen of their species in the entirety of their lives, prompting them to conjure up such characters.

Roman (Sariful Razz) is the go to mastan of a corrupt politician. His relationship with struggling college student Ananya (Bidya Sinha Mim) escalates from eve teasing to sexual abuse to a loving couple without a logical progression. One minute he attempts to break her jaw on a secluded street, the next he is her boyfriend (insert surprised GIF). Those of us who forgot to check our brains at the door will suffer throughout the 2hour 19mins, for the film is riddled with such contradictions. Ananya turns out to be a bully herself, using her brute of a boyfriend to threaten classmates and teachers to help her cheat on exams. He even helps her get close to her other love interest, Sifat (Yash Rohan), under the impression that Ananya needs the reluctant nerd to tutor her. Ananya, while still in a relationship with Roman, pressures Sifat to marry her. Although the two have zero chemistry, he caves (insert said GIF again). I can go on all day pointing out whats wrong with this film, but if you get it, you get it already.

However the films may be, Hawa and Poran pulled audiences into theatres, the way Marvel movies used to before they lost their sheen. If the Netflix top 10 movie list is any indication, then its safe to comment we have a preference towards films closer to our culture. Yet every Bangladeshi film last year suffered in the box office competing with Hollywood films. Shimu was released at the same time as Batman. Lal Moroger Jhuti, Nona Joler Kabbo, Chandraboti Kotha- all shared the same fate. What brought the audiences in large flocks this time around? The entertainment factor. Its like the crowd had been singing the chorus of Smells Like Teen Spirit all along, but we were busy collecting accolades, riding our high horses, reaching a grandiose technical finesse for our ever so ghola screens.

Sadia Khalid Reeti is a film critic/screenwriter and is the Showtime Editor of Dhaka Tribune

Read more:
The phenomenon of 'Hawa' vs 'Poran' - Dhaka Tribune

Illustration by Abro

The 2010s witnessed a surge in the electoral fortunes of far-right parties in Europe. Most of these parties were once languishing on the fringes of mainstream politics. But in the past decade, many of them have greatly surpassed their previous electoral performance.

Recently, the far-right Brothers of Italy won a majority in general elections in Italy. The party is likely to form the new government. It will become the third far-right regime elected in Europe since 2010. The other two are in Hungary and Poland.

In April 2022, the presidential candidate of the far-right National Front in France bagged an impressive 41.45 percent of the total vote. In the September 2022 parliamentary elections in Sweden, the far-right Sweden Democrats won the second largest number of seats.

A change of tactics by far-right parties in Europe helped them break out from the fringes. Adopting populism was the tactic. Populism is often understood as a thin ideology. It borrows ideas from the more established ideologies of the left and the right to concoct alarming narratives. Such narratives portray a party as being the voice of the people.

The surge in far-right electoral fortunes in the 2010s was largely associated with the surge in the appeal of dedicated far-right parties. In some cases, however, its more moderate parties that have opportunistically veered towards far-right rhetoric

A populist poses as a warrior fighting against the corrupt, complacent and conniving elites. Populism enhances the threat of a crisis, warning of an impending breakdown.

European far-right groups increasingly began to style their politics in a populist manner. Their mission is to safeguard their regions Christian heritage, keep out immigrants and, of course, challenge the elites. They explain globalisation, multiculturalism and liberalism as attacks on the common (Caucasian) natives of Europe who, apparently, are being replaced by non-European races. But the surge in the electoral fortunes of far-right politics is not only associated with dedicated far-right parties.

In the US and, to a certain extent, in the UK, right-wing populist figures were able to infiltrate mainstream centre-right parties and push them further to the right. It is a curious case of entryism because the roots of entryism lie in the far-left tendencies of Marxism, such as Trotskyism.

In the early 1930s, the Marxist ideologue Leon Trotsky advised communists to dissolve their limited communist groups and infiltrate mainstream parties to change their ideological orientation. Entryism became a common communist tactic. But, as it became better known, many far-right groups started to practise it as well, infiltrating moderate right-wing parties in a bid to make them adopt far-right ideas.

For example, Donald Trump in the US was a political maverick who decided to contest Republican Party primaries for the 2016 presidential elections. To distinguish himself from the partys other hopefuls, Trump tapped into far-right emotions and narratives. This excited Republican Party supporters who had for long grumbled about the partys lukewarm stands on matters of race, religion and immigration. They saw in Trump a man who was willing to transcend the established conventions of old-style conservatism and blurt out populist takes on various issues, no matter how politically incorrect the takes were. He won.

Four years later, he failed to win a second term. But he was successful in radically refashioning the ideological orientation of the Republican Party, which now leans a lot more to the right. The same was the case with the UKs Conservative Party, when the eccentric populist Boris Johnson was able to push it towards becoming a more animated right-wing outfit.

In India, before Narendra Modi became prime minister, the mainstream Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had begun to distance itself from its far-right roots. Modi, a man who was still politically and emotionally attached to BJPs roots, has restored BJPs far-right/xenophobic demeanour.

Nevertheless, the surge in far-right electoral fortunes in the 2010s was largely associated with the surge in the appeal of dedicated far-right parties. Brazils Partido Social Liberal (PSL) is a non-European example and, to a certain extent, so is Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). Yet, whereas PTI cannot be placed in the column of dedicated far-right parties, it can be compared with Hungarys ruling Fidesz party.

Fidesz emerged in 1988 as a centre-left outfit. It then began to move more to the centre. Unable to gain much electoral traction, it again shifted, but this time to the right. The party was able to somewhat increase its vote-bank in 1998. In the early 2000s, it was rocked by scandals, but the party decided to overcome this by forming an alliance with the right-wing Christian Democratic Peoples Party.

When issues such as immigration, globalisation, multiculturalism and the rise of Islamism surfaced across Europe, Fidesz found itself in an advantageous position to capitalise on these fears. The party took a populist turn by enhancing these fears and questioning liberalisms ability to safeguard Hungarys national identity and Christian heritage. It went on to win multiple elections between 2010 and 2022. It effectively turned Hungary into a conservative authoritarian state.

PTI was formed in 1995 as a centrist party. Some of its founders maintain that it was originally conceived as a left-wing outfit. They say, had this not been the case, the late Marxist Meraj Muhammad Khan would not have joined it in 1998. PTI remained on the fringes across the early 2000s, even though it began to shift to the right. This was mainly because of the influence of the mainstream Islamist party the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which PTIs chairman Imran Khan became an admirer of.

From 2007 onwards, Pakistans economy began to nosedive and Islamist violence grew manifold. Political turmoil saw the Musharraf dictatorship ousted in 2008 and the return of the countrys two main parties, the centre-right Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the centre-left Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). As Islamist violence escalated and the economy continued to decline, the military establishment aided PTI to fill what it claimed was a void.

The establishments reputation was scarred during Musharrafs later years when his double game of attacking one segment of extremists but nourishing others, began to trigger unprecedented Islamist violence. Khan and his PTI were propped to divert the attention away from the establishment towards the two mainstream parties. PTI turned populist and began to demonise PPP and PML-N. It then started to blame Islamist violence on the US.

By 2021, PTI (now as a ruling party) had increasingly adopted populism, bordering on the far-right. Despite being ousted in April 2022, PTIs slide into far-right territory has continued.

In Pakistans context, this means reinforcing Islamist points of view on various social issues, working towards gaining an electoral landslide so as to control all major centres of power in the country and establishing an authoritarian regime buttressed by engineered elections.

Published in Dawn, EOS, October 9th, 2022

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SMOKERS' CORNER: THE RESURGENCE OF THE FAR-RIGHT - Newspaper - DAWN.COM - DAWN.com

The work Paddy Considine has been doing in his latest job has been making people talk. The 49-year-old actor is the one who gives life to Viserys Targaryen in the successful Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon. There are not many episodes left where his character is one of the main characters, due to the illness that the king possesses.

However, his work (along with that of Matt Smith) has been strongly praised by critics and audiences alike. It is rumored to be one of the favorites for upcoming awards shows, such as the Emmys. Episode 8 of HOTD has given a lot to talk about, especially for the heartbreaking moment played by Considine and Smith's characters.

With the actor's farewell with the cast, as has already happened with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey, it's time to review all the great performances of the figure. Here, check which were his best works and how to watch them on streaming.

1.Journeyman

After a decisive fight, boxer Matty Burton finds himself lying in the room. Weakened and struggling to remember things, he must give his all to recover and keep his family together.

Is not available to stream with a subscription service.

2.The Death of Stalin

On March 5, 1953, Iosif Stalin, General Secretary of the USSR, died in circumstances that have not yet been clarified. Over the course of two days, the power vacuum resulted in a fierce struggle for the succession. Among the contenders are Georgy Malenkov, the cunning Nikita Khrushchev and Lavrenti Beria, the sadistic head of the secret police.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

3.The Girl with All the Gifts

In the future, a strange fungus has turned almost the entire population into insatiable zombies. A group of children immune to the effects of the virus are the only chance to save humanity. The children are sheltered in a military base located in a village in England, where they are studied in search of a cure. Melanie, one of the girls, stands out above the rest and causes the future of the human race to depend on her.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

4.Macbeth

Protected by the deceitful prophecies of the Fateful Sisters, witches or goddesses of destiny, Macbeth decides to assassinate his king and take the crown. Aware of the horror to which he gives himself up, he forges his terrible destiny and allows himself to be possessed by the evil born of the lust for power, believing himself to be invincible and eternal.

Feature film adaptation of Shakespeares Scottish play about General Macbeth whose ambitious wife urges him to use wicked means in order to gain power of the throne over the sitting king, Duncan.

Available on HBO Max.

5.Miss You Already

Milly and Jess have been friends since they were little and have always shared everything. Although the two have grown up differently and have developed different lives, their friendship remains strong. However, this is put to the test when Milly is diagnosed with breast cancer. Milly needs her friend more than ever, but Jess must also face a drastic change in her life: she is pregnant.

Available onEPIX NOW.

6.Child 44

In 1953, Leo Demidov, an undercover Soviet police agent, loses his status, his power and his home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa, for treason. Exiled from Moscow to a shady provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov in order to track down a serial child murderer.

Available on HBO Max.

7.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Ties That Bind

A divorce case involving a landowner and his young wife spirals into something darker, drawing Whicher into the heart of the English countryside where he uncovers the most disturbing and destructive of secrets.

Available onBritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

8.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Beyond the Pale

Based on true events, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher tells the story of the Road Hill House murder, which took place in the summer of 1860 in the county of Wiltshire, United Kingdom. The Kent family home was the site of the abduction and murder of their youngest son, three-year-old Francis Saville Kent.

Available on Hoopla andBritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

9.Pride

Realizing that they have Margaret Thatcher, the police and the conservative press as their common enemies, London gays and lesbians band together to support striking coal miners in Wales in 1984.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

10.The Double

Simon is a shy man who goes unnoticed at work, is despised by his mother and ignored by the woman of his dreams. The arrival of his new co-worker, James, will change his life radically. James, physically the same as him, but completely opposite in his way of being, will begin to supplant his identity.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

11.The World's End

An immature 40-year-old man convinces his childhood friends to finish together a drinking marathon they started 20 years ago and never finished, but as they try to complete the feat, an unexpected threat emerges.

Available on HBO Max.

12.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Murder in Angel Lane

Whicher, a retired policeman meets Susan Spencer in a tavern. She is looking for her niece Mary, who has come all the way from London in search of her baby's father. But when Susan turns up dead and her baby is missing, Whicher offers his help in finding the killer.

Available on Hoopla and BritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

13.Now is Good

Tessa, a 17-year-old girl diagnosed with terminal cancer, makes it her mission to live her adolescence in fast motion. So, while her family faces fear and pain, she wants to enjoy every moment.

Available on Tubi.

14.Blitz

Blitz is a London serial killer who is killing police officers. Chief Inspector Roberts and Sergeant Brant, a tough, uncompromising and politically incorrect police detective, are tasked with trying to stop the psychopath.

Available on fuboTV.

15.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

In 1860, Inspector Jack Whicher of Scotland Yard is sent to rural Wiltshire to investigate the murder of the three-year-old boy Saville Kent, who was snatched from his bed at night and murdered.

Available onHoopla and BritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

16.Submarine

A 15-year-old boy has two goals: to lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to keep his mother from leaving his father for a dance instructor.

Available on Tubi.

17.The Bourne Ultimatum

Jason Bourne continues his international quest to discover his true identity. From Russia to Europe, North Africa to the United States, Bourne must stay one step ahead of the people who want to capture or kill him before he has a chance to discover the truth.

Available on Peacock.

18.Cinderella Man

During the Great Depression, James J. Braddock, a retired boxer, decides to return to the ring in order to feed his family. He was not a talented boxer, but his courage, sacrifice and dignity took him to the top.

Available onSTARZ and Amazon Prime Video.

19.My Summer of Love

The affair of a rebellious young girlwith a worldly seductress affects her brother, a professing Christian.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

20.24 Hour Party People

Manchester, 1976. The performance of the Sex Pistols in front of a capacity of 42 people changes the lives of Tony Wilson and his friends. From that night they formulate a plan that will change the face of pop music and bring notoriety to the whole city.

Available onFreevee,Kanopy, Tubi andHoopla.

21.In America

The Sullivans are an Irish family who emigrate to New York, where the father wants to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. The family lives in a ramshackle apartment in Manhattan, where they try to adapt to life in the new city. Despite the poor conditions in which they live, they all try to get by. However, the memory of Frankie, the son they lost, continues to haunt them.

Available onSTARZ and Amazon Prime Video.

1.House of the DragonAvailable on HBO Max.

2. The Outsider Available on HBO Max.

3. Peaky Blinders Available on Netflix.

4. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980 Available on Amazon Prime Video.

Read more:
Paddy Considine's filmography: What were the House of the Dragon actor's best works? - Bolavip

Aucklanders were as glib and apathetic as their 30% voter turnout in reacting to Wayne Browns mayoral win on Sunday morning.

Brown won Aucklands mayoralty with 144,000 votes in the preliminary count, 55,000 ahead of main rival Efeso Collins. As of 3pm on Saturday, 355,000 votes were cast in a city of 1.1m eligible voters.

Auckland Transports (AT) chair has already resigned following Browns win, and the citys new boss wants to see more heads roll after calling for the entire AT board to go.

Browns strategy to victory was focusing on turning out the older than 50 homeowners with a simple message about fixing Auckland.

So, Stuff hit the streets of central Aucklands Karangahape Road, a Sunday market in the North Shores Takapuna, and high street in Onehunga to ask:

What do you think of Wayne Browns win?

Chris McKeen

Zena reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I dont know, I havent heard anything, Im not sure. Im not sure who that is.

Chris McKeen

Amo reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Hes a good man. Thats why I voted for him. He does well with the people.

Chris McKeen

Gregory reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

What party does he represent?

Chris McKeen

Jude reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Someones got to win. Nothing I can do about it.

Chris McKeen

Fran reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I was disappointed. I dont think we need old men. Weve got enough old men.

Chris McKeen

Bailey reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I dont know. [Efeso Collins] was the only one I knew anything about.

Chris McKeen

Rusha reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I would like to see public transport being looked at. I like the half prices for public transport at the moment theyre really, really good.

Chris McKeen

Rachel reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Never heard of him... He doesnt represent me. Im a 40-year-old Mori woman. I dont think he represents me.

Chris McKeen

Steve reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Its probably a politically incorrect thing to say, but the right person won.

Chris McKeen

Roimata reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Im not too sure. I heard that he was also the mayor for the Far North.

Go here to see the original:
Word on the street: 'Never heard of him' - Aucklanders react to Brown mayoral win - Stuff

One of the most successful shows in Broadway history is coming to Molines Spotlight Theatre, and the usually family-friendly venue is warning some patrons.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! This show is written by Mel Brooks, the Spotlight says on its website of the gleefully boundary-pushing comedy legend and the musical The Producers. If you are bringing children, I highly recommend you look into the appropriateness of the show. There is some language and a lot of innuendo.

The four leads of the new Producers (directed by Brent Tubbs) which premiered in 2001 and swept the Tonys, winning a record 12 cant wait to be all about that innuendo.

Ive been itching to do this since college, Joel Kolander (who plays the wild director Roger De Bris in his Spotlight debut) said Tuesday. I dont enjoy the humor so much as everybody elses reaction to it.

He cited the shows most famous number, Springtime for Hitler, as the prime hilarious example. Kolanders character the gay, flamboyant, campy director is also a hoot.

On the echelon of shock humor, you have a gay Hitler. Thats about as good as it gets, he said. There are a lot of shocked faces in the audience.

Roger requires over-the-top comic acting, and needs to have one of the best and strongest voices in the show, according to a synopsis.

Some people might come to see The Producers and not remember whats in the supremely silly show, even if they are familiar with the title, Kolander said.

It swept the Tonys; its a big show, Chris Tracy (a Spotlight veteran who plays Max Bialystock) said. It was a big deal back then. The last time they did it in Chicago was 2019, before COVID. It was a reimagining of it.

QC Music Guild did it as their spring show in 2009.

Oscar-winning film, record-breaking Tonys

The Producers has music and lyrics byMel Brooks (based on his Oscar-winning 1967 film starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder), and a book by Brooks andThomas Meehan.

The story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling interests in aBroadwayflop. Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful.

The humor of the show draws on ridiculous accents, caricatures ofgaypeople andNazis, and manyshow businessin-jokes, according to a summary.

The original Broadway production in 2001 starred Nathan LaneandMatthew Broderick as Max and Leo, andran for 2,502 performances, winning a record-breaking 12Tony Awards. It was adapted into a 2005 film version.

Chris Tracy is playing Max, and saw the original cast in Chicago (before Broadway) in 2001. Ive been a Mel Brooks fan for a long time, he said Tuesday.

Despite The Producers being Brooks first full musical, Tracy said the songs are incredible with wit, humor and intelligence.

Mel Brooks was a drummer when he started out, and everything he writes has its own rhythm, he added. That follows through to these songs. His wife, Anne Bancroft, basically forced him to turn this into a musical.

Many people recommended he turn the film into a musical. Tracy said Brooks originally wanted to call the movie Springtime for Hitler, but the studio made him change that (the only thing in the movie he had to change).

Musical within a musical

Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp With Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden is the fictional musical within The Producers (film and stage version). Its a musical aboutthe Nazi dictator, written byFranz Liebkind, an unbalanced ex-Nazioriginally played byKenneth Mars(and later byBrad OscarandWill Ferrellin the stage musical and the 2005 film, respectively).

To ensure that the play in The Producers is a total failure, Max chooses this tasteless script (which he describes as practically a love letter to Adolf Hitler), and hires the worst director he can find (Roger DeBris), a stereotypicalhomosexualandtransvestitecaricature.

The musical within a musical is described as an equal opportunity offender: Jews are portrayed as so greedy they make merchandise out of Hitler, gay men are lispy and limp-wristed and sexually depraved old women struggle to a sexual fling on their walkers, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The character Max is based on someone Brooks actually worked for, Tracy said.

Tracy bases his portrayal more on Zero Mostel, the 60s Broadway star who had leads in Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Fiddler on the Roof.

He was just iconic, so my thought process was, what if he were in the musical? Tracy said. Try to blend with a little homage here and there to Nathan Lane, but also try to do some of my own stuff up there, hoping it works.

Its also the latest time hes played a Max character including in The Sound of Music, Lend Me a Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo.

His Producers co-star is actually a Max Max Robnett (as Leo Bloom), who was also in Sound of Music at Spotlight, another musical with Nazis.

I was the sweetest Nazi in all of Austria, Robnett said Tuesday, noting his next musical has to be Cabaret, also set against the backdrop of Nazis (in 1930s Berlin).

Hes nervous about being a copycat of a nebbishy Matthew Broderick, and is confident hes just different enough.

Its not to emulate, especially when you have such iconic people playing such iconic roles, Tracy said of the Broadway stars. They were all so good. It was the perfect formula at the perfect time, so you have the desire to bring that same energy to the role, but at the same time, its not the Broadway show. Its not the Off-Broadway show, or the Off-Off-Broadway show.

Were doing our version, he said. We have a few moments that are definitely our own.

The Producers features an ultimate odd couple, with Max and Leo. Max is described as the consummate con man, animated, bombastic, and frantic. Leo is the timid, nave and meek accountant.

Im naturally a neurotic, paranoid person, so playing an anxious person comes very naturally, Robnett joked. He and Tracy are both big fans of the show.

Hes very knowledgeable about the show, so was very helpful, Robnett said. We were pretty much set to run on day one.

Your jets were on at the read-through, Kolander marveled.

Having more fun as blonde

Kirsten Sindelar is in her fourth Spotlight show she has been in The Wedding Singer, Little Shop of Horrors and The Lightning Thief. She plays the Swedish blonde bombshell Ulla, after friends of hers recommended she try out.

I got it and I am having the best time, Sindelar (a Circa 21 Bootlegger) said. I get to keep my blonde hair, which the former brunette has had since February.

Kolander is in his first Spotlight show, after several at Music Guild. He was in Cats with Sindelar, and was in Jekyll & Hyde and Beauty and the Beast at Guild.

Being half-Swedish helps a little bit, Sindelar said of Ulla. Her highlight is during her entrance, right before intermission kind of an audition song called If You Got It, Flaunt It.

Its all the breath I can muster to get through it and dance, Sindelar said.

The Spotlight music director is Chad Schmertmann, and choreographer is Shana Kulhavy.

An over-the-top style

The former Scottish Rite Cathedral at 1800 7th Ave., Moline (which opened as the Spotlight in 2018) is definitely the largest stage and space Robnett has performed in, which affects the actors style.

This stage has a lot more freedom of movement, he said. You can play it to the back row here, definitely.

And that fits the style of the show, Sindelar said of its big, over-the-top nature. Above and beyond is what it is.

Im excited its a larger space, Kolander said. All I want for Roger is this constant energy. You bounce around, pinball around.

The hardest thing for in the show is, everythings funny and I am trying not to laugh up there, Sindelar said

The orchestra pit actually plays way up high in the back loft at the theater, and they are amplified through on-stage speakers.

Everythings possible with technology, Robnett said.

The Producers will be performed Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 7, 8 at 7 p.m., and Sundays, Oct. 2 and 9 at 2 p.m. For tickets and more information, click HERE.

See more here:
QC The Producers revels in being politically incorrect - WHBF - OurQuadCities.com

This document is a copy of the original published by the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies at the following link.

Interdependence has not promoted democratization in China (PRC), modulated its revisionism, or reduced the potential for conflict in its environment. Contrary to what is generally expected, increased interrelations with People's China have brought about the era of non-peace.

The world's interdependence with the PRCh allows the battlefield to expand so far that decisive battles are no longer necessary. Future supremacy will not necessarily be elucidated in a naval air battle in the South China Sea or in the Taiwan Strait. However, to think that war can be avoided is to consider war as a possibility.

The accumulated tensions raise the risk that Beijing may attempt to blockade or invade Taiwan in the near future. The sense of urgency is felt on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, generating a dangerous current of pressing mistrust.

The dynamics of competition between the major powers are volatile and ambiguous. International players have very few certainties at their disposal. Precisely their scarcity increases their value, even if our relationship with certainties is uneasy.

The events of the last 12 months and their evolution can be interpreted by the Chinese Communist Party as an attempt to revise the One China doctrine. Taiwan's declaration of independence or the granting of U.S. defence guarantees imply war with mainland China. The certainty is absolute. Interdependence as a mechanism to avoid war has failed in Ukraine. The period between 2024 and 2027 will discover whether or not it fails in Taiwan.

The barriers between national security and business have dissolved

For decades, Edward Luttwak has been a politically incorrect strategic thinker. Many of his considerations, reflections and proposals were ahead of their time, initially uncomfortable, destabilising and controversial. In 1990, Luttwak circulated the concept of geoeconomics in a famous essay.1 It is worth highlighting some old ideas from this article, which are interesting for better understanding the power play between today's major powers.

The first idea is that commercial methods are displacing military methods, but without changing the logic of the conflict that remains. It remains because each power continues to seek to gain relative advantage over the others, albeit by means other than force. So what we can expect is that wars will persist even if they take the form of economic rivalry.

The first idea is that commercial methods are displacing military methods, but without changing the logic of the conflict that remains. It remains because each power continues to seek to gain relative advantage over the others, albeit by means other than force. So what we can expect is that wars will persist even if they take the form of economic rivalry.

The third idea is that the state's geoeconomic activity will become a focal point of political debate and partisan controversy. This will provoke ideological and intellectual tensions within democratic societies, pitting elites and citizens against each other over the relationship between security and the economy.

Remarkably, in 1990, Luttwak anticipated issues that the United States and the European Union have been facing for 15 years but especially now, with the war in Ukraine and the gradual increase in tension in Taiwan

The problem for liberal democracies is that they are not designed to exercise comprehensive, long-term planned management of their economy for the purpose of achieving a position of global power. Free societies do not accept subordinating the national economy to national strategic objectives, except during a more or less brief state of emergency. However, China and Russia can do so with greater ease and more leeway.

The rise of China and changes in the distribution of global power it has brought about confirm Luttwak's considerations. Political, diplomatic and economic power can and will be used as a preferred strategic mode of geopolitical change. Geoeconomics inspires Chinese geostrategy, which uses all the levers of national power, so far avoiding open warfare, to subvert the system of global governance where states compete from within and thus facilitate the achievement of the fundamental objectives of its national interest.

Geoeconomics renews political warfare between major geopolitical competitors, becoming a constant practice in the space of mutual interrelation, where any link can be used as a weapon and where fields of interdependence are contested spaces in a nuanced grey zone. It has been evident since the 2008 crisis that the formula of geoeconomic defiance is adopted by revisionist powers against the dominant power, the United States and its allies.

With the 2008 financial crisis, from which China emerged stronger, thinking should have begun to shift to realising that the good times were over and there was no more room for complacency. The 2008 crisis discredited confidence in the deregulated market system and has progressively weakened confidence in the more liberal optimistic proposals. China began to believe the conviction that its time had come and the inevitable would eventually happen, it was just a matter of a few decades.

The country has been draining the West of industrial, scientific and technical capabilities, co-opting much of the competitive advantages of its companies. China's production structure has absorbed most of the West's basic and more advanced industry, and has managed to direct its incentives to displace them. Having consolidated this process, it has begun to aim higher in order to gain an advantage in the leading technological sectors of the fourth industrial revolution.

Thinking the unthinkable is mostly uncomfortable exercise. Thinking the unthinkable means making decisions at a high cost. Thinking the unthinkable is to question the permanence of Business as usual.

When praising foolishness, Erasmus of Rotterdam warns us that there is nothing more inopportune than an ill-timed truth. Normally, when an election period gets underway in democratic systems, the inconvenient truth needs dressing up. Permanent scrutiny makes it difficult, even in ordinary political times, to look beyond the everyday, and so thinking the unthinkable is indecent until the unthinkable becomes an incontestable reality that imposes a certain punishment and sense of urgency.

Recognising the new situation in 2008 meant thinking the unthinkable, globalisation had gone too far. The Peoples Republic of China had been riding the trends of globalisation according to its own self-regulated patterns. Containing Chinas advance towards world leading power status would mean containing globalisation and thus disengaging not only from China but from a process of global interdependence. Trying to stop China was trying to stop the pace of the world.

The cost of accepting the challenge was too high for the establishment, many powerful companies and citizens in the West. Letting time pass was not conducive to the evolution of the Western powers' position of power, nor to the evolution of their productive fabric, scientific and technological developments and, even less so, to the welfare of the majority of their workers. However, recognising the trends imposed an ideological, political and economic shift that would be resisted by many because of the immediate detrimental effects, possibly unable to understand the future benefits. The United States, the West in general, needs a direct and devastating attack like Pearl Harbor or 9/11 to mobilise its response, which then tends to be disproportionate and ill-timed.

Since the 2008 crisis, the global system has been locked in continuous trade disputes. The United States was constantly complaining about Chinese barriers and was not alone in criticising the Asian giant's malpractices. The World Trade Organisation was not doing what was necessary to discipline the Chinese model of competition. Even President Obama, a staunch advocate of the benefits of global free trade, was forced to progressively impose protectionist measures. There was also an urgent need for an exit strategy in the Middle East.

The 2017 US national security strategy was the first document to clearly identify the gravity of the situation for the future of the United States as a great power.2 The United States will respond to the growing political, economic and military competition we face in the world.3 Suddenly, the unthinkable changed category.

China and Russia were challenging the power, influence and interest of the United States by eroding its security and prosperity. Patterns that had brought so much profit to major US and European companies had to be changed. President Trump's trade war was thebeginning of a new understanding of the situation. The decoupling of globalisation had begun

The COVID-19 coronavirus has highlighted the West's vulnerability to over-reliance on Chinese industrial production. We have seen it and suffered for a long time. The mask crisis during the first phase of the pandemic is hard to forget. The world's largest and sometimes only supplier of the active ingredients of some vital medicines is China. About 80 per cent of pharmaceutical products sold in the United States are produced in China. Not only is China the world's dominant supplier of pharmaceuticals, it is also the world's largest supplier of medical devices such as ventilators.4

Centralising the global medicine supply chain in any one country makes it vulnerable to disruption, whether by error or design. China could use this dependence as a weapon. If it were to close the door to drug exports, hospitals and clinics in the West would be out of business within weeks.

Gary Cohn, President Trump's chief economic affairs adviser, opposed the trade war against China from the start, arguing that a trade department study found that 97 per cent of antibiotics used in the US came from that country. "If youre the Chinese and you want to really just destroy us, just stop sending us antibiotics".5

China has become the largest source of imports for all core economic regions. More importantly, however, for many of these imports, China is the dominant producer. The factory of the world is China and whatever it may decide is immediately transferred and multiplied to the more advanced economies with which it competes for technological dominance.

Supply security and defending production are new and essential components for the redesign of a balanced economic structure that guarantees national and regional autonomy in the face of possible threats caused by the interruption of supplies or excessive dependence on a single country.

Competition between major powers is reshaping business strategy. Companies are seeking more security, aiming to make their operations more robust to external shocks and moving production closer to home. With the advent of COVID-19, many have realised that the barriers between national security and business have dissolved.

Weaponisation of interdependence

In his book The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict, Mark Leonard states that the unexpected has arrived.6 The flows of globalisation, long interpreted as effective mechanisms for strengthening peaceful relations, the expansion of free markets and democratic development in illiberal or totalitarian countries, have become a serious danger to stability, rule-based order and the expansion of spaces of peace and freedom.

Interdependence has not fostered democratisation in China, nor has it modulated its revisionism or reduced the potential for conflict in its neighbourhood. Contrary to what is generally expected, increased interrelations with the PRC have led to an era of non- peace, where the line between war and peace is increasingly blurred. Rather than eliminating tensions[...], connectivity offers new means of competing and engaging in conflict. 7

The new battlefields of war without war will be the most solidly interconnected areas of the world where there is no accepted ruling power. This idea is also supported by Mark Galeotti in his new book The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War.8

The world's interdependence with the PRC has allowed the Chinese Communist Party to expand the battlefield so far that decisive battles by large armies and navies are no longer necessary. Future supremacy will not be decided in a naval air battle in the South China Sea or in the Taiwan Strait. Through its political war, the PRC aims to make scientific and technological development, and control of production and supply chains, the centre of gravity of the great power struggle by exploiting the vulnerabilities of the system. The Chinese model could be identified as weaponisation of interdependence.

Efforts to decouple the US economy from the People's Republic of China have achieved some results in a short time. The first and most important is to question the model of globalisation. However, the US trade balance with the PRC in 2021 still accumulated a deficit of $355 billion. The trade war against China has reduced the trade deficit by justover 15%9 and Chinese dollar reserves have fallen by 18%.10 Decoupling the economies of the major powers is a trend, but its pace of progress cannot be dizzying because it would lead to shortages and the paralysis of companies would spread to the entire productive system.

The necessary controlled disengagement suggests that the weight of the geoeconomic and geotechnological components will be influential enough to allow a progressive reconfiguration of the current geopolitical model without the need for military confrontation.

Surprisingly, this has not been the case in Europe. The interdependence, especially energy interdependence, of Russia and the EU has not been enough to prevent war in Ukraine. The conviction that shared economic interests are sufficient to prevent a war of aggression has gone into crisis. The European Union has not hesitated in the face of Russian aggression. It has preserved the unity of the European partners in view of a difficult test, with serious effects on the economy. The infrequent unanimity has been maintained even when it was easy to anticipate the crisis in the energy and production model of European countries, especially those most dependent on Russian gas and oil.

The United States can easily cope with sanctions on Russia. US trade and financial relations with Russia are irrelevant compared to those with China. Cutting off Russian gas supplies to Europe will sink the German economy, cause stagflation across the EU and weaken the euro's position against the dollar. Meanwhile, the US economy will be virtually unaffected and may even improve its trade balance with other countries as a result of the higher dollar. Without the need for military confrontation, sanctions on China on the same scale as those imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine would provoke a global economic seismic shock that would drag the US into an unprecedented crisis.

The effects of the Ukrainian war on Taiwan

There is no doubt that the war in Ukraine will affect perceptions of the People's Republic of China, especially in relation to its security and national rejuvenation project. Developments in the conflict in Ukraine will force the People's Republic of China to review its strategy in the South China Sea and especially in Taiwan. Meanwhile, strengthened relations between Moscow and Beijing may crystallise a worst-case scenario for the United States, a geostrategic alliance of the two great Eurasian powers.

In June 2022, Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the US Pacific Command, speaking at the think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stated that the most worrying factor in the war in Ukraine is that the People's Republic of China and Russia have a policy of friendship without limits, which could place the world in an extremely dangerous moment.11

A few days earlier, President Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, argued that an insufficient US response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine would send a message to other potential aggressors, including China, inviting them to do the same.12

Many commentaries and analyses have linked the war in Ukraine to a possible invasion of Taiwan. There is no reason to believe that there could be a relationship. In this context, Robert Gates, former US Secretary of Defence, noted that the likelihood of a full-scale Chinese invasion of Taiwan is very low, but warned that developments in the war in Ukraine could favour a more aggressive Chinese policy against Taiwan, which would encourage non-military actions aimed at increasing Beijing's influence over Taipei.13

In any case, even if Robert Gates' comment is sufficiently well-founded, the truth is that Chinese dynamics are not easy to predict and even less so at this point in time. Should the renewed party politburo and central committee emerging from the October 2022 congress come to the realisation that its strategy of progressive rise and influence is no longer adequate to achieve, by fait accompli, positions favourable to its vital interests, especially with regard to the South China Sea and Taiwan, there will undoubtedly be changes of direction.

The war in Ukraine may lead the Central Military Committee to conclude that the invasion of Taiwan needs to move quickly, bringing all its military power into play from the outset. The aim would be to impose the occupation as a fait accompli in a matter of days. However, the complexity of the military operation and prior deployments could not go unnoticed. It would be foolish to contemplate the possibility of strategically surprising the United States and its allies with an amphibious operation of the magnitude necessary to occupy Taiwan.

However, it would not be impossible to surprise by using more limited and less ambitious military operations aimed at isolating Taiwan or occupying one of its islands in the South China Sea. We need not envisage a scenario of a complete blockade. A quarantine managed within a grey-zone Legal Warfare14 effort to demonstrate a de facto exercise of sovereignty would be enough to gradually stifle the island's economy. The invasion of the important Tawainese island of Taiping, the only one of the Spratley Islands where water has been discovered, or the Taiwanese archipelagos of the Matsu and Kirmen, located a few kilometres from the mainland, would be immediate and without any possible reaction without inducing an escalation.

Urgency as a problem.

Xi Jinping is not willing to postpone Taiwan's integration indefinitely. The previous political process involved renewing the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China every 10 years, a situation that allowed the historic mission of reunification to be passed on to the next leader. Changes introduced allowing for the unlimited renewal of mandates increase the danger. Xi Jinping will inevitably be tempted to identify his leadership with the historic destiny of a unified China.15

Meanwhile, a sense of urgency is emerging in the United States regarding the decisions and actions needed to prevent an assault on Taiwan. Retired US Admiral Philip Davidson, commander of the Pacific command until last year, has on several occasions set out his prognoses, which have become increasingly gloomy over time.

In 2021, appearing before the Senate, Admiral Davidson set a date after which the CCP's armed forces would have the capability to invade Taiwan. He pinpointed that he believedthe threat would manifest itself during this decade, in fact he was more specific in stating that from 2027 the PLA would be in a position to launch the occupation. His statements were picked up by the press around the world.16 The date is no coincidence.

A new milestone was set at the CCP's annual plenary session in October 2020. August 2027 marks the centenary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Chinese Communists seem to take anniversaries very seriously, so much so that they relate them to their achievements. The CCP said it wants to reach the centenary commemoration of its armed forces by fully modernising its military capabilities to meet future national defence needs. Xi Jinping underlined that achieving the goal of modernisation, on the day of the centenary celebration of the founding of the party's armed forces, is a relevant decision made by the CCP's Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, stressing that it is a task related to China's overall security and development.17 This decision brings forward the timetable set by the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in 2017 by eight years.

A little over a year later, Davidson himself rectified that "this is the decade of concern, particularly the period between now and 2027. I make that assessment because of the staggering improvements in Chinese military capabilities and capacities, the political timeline for Xi Jinping and the long-range economic challenges in Chinas future.18 The danger seems to anticipate even the expected completion of China's full military build-up.

The evident sense of urgency in the United States is clearly reflected in the views of some analysts. On 14 September 2022, Foreign Affairs magazine published an article entitled Time is running out to defend Taiwan: Why the Pentagon should focus on short-term deterrence. One of its co-authors is Michle Flournoy, the most senior woman in the history of the defence department.19 Of course the article is written by very well-informed people because they anticipate some of the details of President Biden's National Security Strategy (NSS). The anticipated content of the NSS highlights the urgent need for anaccelerated strengthening of deterrence vis--vis China.20 The authors also highlight a possible invasion of Taiwan within the next five years, identifying a window of opportunity for China between 2024 and 2027.

It is precisely in 2024 that the next presidential election will be held in the United States, where the polarisation of the United States could be a decisive source of weakness if Donald Trump were to run as a candidate. Xi may decide to occupy Taiwan because he understands that non-military efforts at reunification have run their course or because he believes the chances of success will diminish if he waits for US military capabilities to be fully deployed over the next decade.21

The danger of democratic stridency

Competition between the major powers feeds a continuous stream of surprising and worrying news. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's scheduled visit to Taiwan sparked a debate in the United States over its timing. Despite having majority support in the House, with the backing of both Democratic and Republican representatives, the White House did not hesitate to express its displeasure. Former President Trump's Republican circle was particularly critical of the decision. President Biden even stated that the defence department felt that the trip to Taiwan was "not a good idea at this time". 22

The trip by the second in line for the presidential succession to Formosa was compromising. No such high-profile US political representative has visited Taiwan in the last quarter of a century. Moreover, since the Tiananmen massacre in 1991, Nancy Pelosi has been particularly belligerent about human rights violations in the People's Republic of China. Mainland China did not expect any polite words from an activist Housespeaker, who for 30 years has never missed an opportunity to raise her voice in denouncing communist repression in China.23

The People's Republic of China had warned that there would be a strong response if Pelosi travels to the island, which Beijing considers an inalienable part of China's territory. In response to a journalist, Zhao Lijian, deputy director of the information department of China's foreign ministry, told a press conference that: "If the United States challenges China's red line, it will be met with resolute countermeasures. The US side must bear all consequences.24

The planned video conference between Biden and Xi in late July was threatened with suspension by the Chinese side. The meeting finally took place. Xi insisted on recalling that the historical ins and outs of the Taiwan question are crystal clear, both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. Once again, mainland China is repeating a message without possible interpretation, the political pillar of China's relations with the rest of the world and, of course, with the United States, with whom it has three joint communiqus on the issue. China opposes not only Taiwan's independence but also any outside interference in what it considers a rogue province. Xi did not miss the opportunity to once again lecture, those who play with fire will perish by it.25

US defence analysts anticipated a strong reaction from the Chinese Communist Party as a result of the visit, which could lead to the establishment of a no-fly zone over Taiwan and other escalatory military measures to increase tensions. The visit at the beginning of August was certainly not timely.

The 20th national congress of the Chinese Communist Party is just around the corner in the autumn. Against this backdrop, where the Taiwan issue will inevitably come up, US foreign policy towards China is strident and in no case a whimsical mistake. It is the result of democratic principles that establish the separation of powers and periodic elections. Open political debate does not facilitate the planned synchronisation of messages that are fully consistent with a long-term strategy.

A few days after Ms Pelosi's return, the People's Liberation Army began the largest military exercises in its history in the South China Sea around Taiwan. The deployment, fire drills and areas of operations point to a rehearsal of a possible sea and air blockade of the island. Taiwan's defence ministry interpreted it in this sense. PLA naval air exercises imposed sea and airspace closures in six areas around Taiwan, which were declared target practice areas. Some of them are only a few kilometres from the island of Formosa.26

For the first time, the PLA has launched missiles over Taiwanese airspace. Five missiles fell in Japan's exclusive economic zone, prompting the Japanese government tocomplain. Meanwhile, Taiwan's military defence forces remained on high alert and exercised in response to an attack.

In the first half of 2022, President Biden stated three times that the US would intervene militarily if China tries to take Taiwan by force. The president's statements call into question the deliberate ambiguity that Washington has traditionally maintained on the issue. On all three occasions, the White House was quick to reinterpret the president's words, concluding that in no case does it imply a change in US policy. Inevitably, the words are out there. Three times is neither a coincidence nor a mistake by a long-serving president, even more so when it requires the intervention of his cabinet to re-edit the message. Biden hit back in September 2022 by bluntly stating on CBS's 60 Minutes that the US would support Taiwan militarily if China attempted an invasion.

To finalise the new US position on Taiwan, the Senate passed a bill called The Taiwan Policy Act on 15 September 2022. The content of the proposals is a decisive first step, redirecting the traditional US position of strategic uncertainty in Taiwan by strengthening mutual relations.

The content of the Taiwan Policy Act represents a change in language and terms, to which Chinese diplomacy attaches so much importance.27 In the security field, in addition to increasing military aid and funding, the secretary of defence is ordered to review and report on war plans to defend Taiwan from aggression by the People's Liberation Army.28 It also asks the administration for a programme of economic sanctions in the event of escalation around Taiwan, whether as a result of a blockade or an occupation of territories under its sovereignty.29

Approval of the US Senate bill could be interpreted by People's China as a revision of the one-China doctrine. In this case, the Chinese Communist Party would understand thatthe status quo established between the two great powers in 1979 with the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which was signed into law by US President Jimmy Carter, has been changed. The consequence would be a military intervention by the People's Republic of China in the Taiwan Strait.

The Brussels summit declaration and the approval of NATO's new strategic concept in Madrid do not facilitate dtente. The UK is adding fuel to the fire. British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, newly arrived at 10 Downing Street, dismissed the need to choose between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security as a false dilemma, arguing for a global expansion of NATO to help defend the region's democracies, including Taiwan.30

Without eliminating the known effects of US democratic stridency, the messages and actions undoubtedly have to do with increased concern associated with the perceived risk by Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, other allies and Washington itself that Beijing may attempt to invade Taiwan in the near future. We may be living a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Against this backdrop, Kevin Rudd, former prime minister and foreign minister of Australia, has published a book entitled The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China, where he argues for the necessity and possibility of avoiding military confrontation. 31

There is therefore more than a possibility of open war between China and the United States. To avoid it, according to Rudd, we must interact, knowing that there is an antagonistic worldview, an incompatible ideological and political foundation, an abysmal cultural distance, and complex historical grievances embedded in China's memory. Disaster can only be avoided if both sides are able to understand their mutual obligation to refrain from imposing a situation that would force the other side to betray its vital interests. The formula is a managed strategic competition relationship.32

Conclusion

The dynamics of competition between the great powers, in a scenario of rapid and accelerating change, are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. International actors have very few certainties that allow them to anticipate possible futures. The scarcity of certainties increases the value of the few that are available, and they need to be identified in order to build the best possible future.

The dynamics of competition between the great powers, in a scenario of rapid and accelerating change, are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. International actors have very few certainties that allow them to anticipate possible futures. The scarcity of certainties increases the value of the few that are available, and they need to be identified in order to build the best possible future.

In Eastern Europe, the certainty that Russia would not accept Ukraine for NATO membership cannot be disputed. Joining NATO does not happen overnight and requires a potentially lengthy adaptation process for all applicants. The further Ukraine moves forward in the integration process, the more pressing the pressure would be from Russian leaders to consider the option of open war. There is no point in debating who the aggressor is, we all know that. Perhaps what needs to be discussed is what has or has not been done to avoid war and to what extent ignoring the continuous warning signs has been a serious mistake.

In the Western Pacific, the certainty that Taiwan's declaration of independence or an extension of the US Taiwan Relations Act to provide defence guarantees will mean war with mainland China is absolute.

Open war between great powers is possible if the few certainties available are not considered. The immense pain and destruction that would result from a direct military confrontation between great powers can be avoided. However, the major powers are obliged to recognise and accept the constraints imposed by the limits of their competitors. Opposing parties can accept outcomes less than their preferred outcome, but pretending to coexist by forcing another major power to give up its vital interests is not possible.

A peace that is unbearable for a great power will sooner or later end in a costly and tragic war. Qui totum vult totum perdit33 How can we not fall on our knees before the altar of this certainty?

Andrs Gonzlez Martn* Artillery Lieutenant Colonel, IEEE Analyst

References:

1 LUTTWAK, Edward. From geopolitics to geoeconomics: Logic of conflict, grammar of commerce, The National Interest, n.o 20. Center for the National Interest, verano de 1990.

2 THE WHITE HOUSE. National Security Strategy of the United States of America. Washington, diciembre de 2017. Disponible en: https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final- 12-18-2017-0905.pdf

3 The United States will respond to the growing political, economic, and military competitions we face around the world. China and Russia challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity.

4 CRUDO BLACKBURN, Christine et al. The silent threat of the coronavirus: Americas dependence on Chinese pharmaceuticals, The Conversation. 11 de febrero de 2020. Disponible en: http://theconversation.com/the-silent-threat-of-the-coronavirus-americas-dependence-on-chinese- pharmaceuticals-130670

5 WOODWARD, Bob. Fear: Trump in the White House. Simon & Schuster, Nueva York, 2018.

6 LEONARD, Mark. The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict. Bantam Press, Londres, 2021

7 LEONARD, Mark. La guerra de la conectividad, Project Syndicate. 1 de diciembre de 2021. Disponible en: https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/connectivity-conflicts-weaponization-of-migration-by- mark-leonard-2021-12/spanish

8 GALEOTI, Mark. The Weaponisation of Everything: A Field Guide to the New Way of War. Yale University Press, Londres, 2021.

9 The US Census Bureau fixed the trade deficit with China increased by $355.3bn the largest since the record $418.2bn in 2018. The 2020 gap had been a 10-year low of $310.3 billion. Available at: https://www.forbes.com.mx/economia-exportaciones-de-eu-a-china-caen-en-diciembre-y-provocan-45000- mdd-de-deficit/

10 China's portfolio of US government debt fell in May to $980.8 billion, according to May data from the Treasury Department. In 2017, at the start of the trade war, the volume of dollars in Chinese hands was close to $1.2 billion. Available at:https://www.epe.es/es/mercados/20220729/deuda-eeuu-pierde-atractivo-china-14183821

11 JUST THE NEWS. EE. UU. dice que el apoyo sin lmites de China a Rusia amenaza a la humanidad, ADN Amrica. 24 de junio de 2022. Disponible en: https://adnamerica.com/ucrania/eeuu-dice-que-el- apoyo-sin-limites-de-china-rusia-amenaza-la-humanidad

12 LO, Kikling y DELANEY, Robert. US security adviser says hard line on Russia is needed to dissuade China from similar moves. 17 de junio de 2022. Disponible en: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3181999/us-security-adviser-says-hard-line-russia- needed-dissuade

13 SAVVA, Anna. Russian invasion of Ukraine prompts concerns over China's sovereign claim on Taiwan, Scottish Daily Express. 23 de junio de 2022. Disponible en: https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/world-news/russian-invasion-ukraine-prompts-concerns- 27308679

14 War of laws.

15 The 21st National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party will be held in 2027, where Xi Jinping couldrevalidate his fourth term in office at the age of 72. Waiting until 2032 to achieve unification would meanforcing Xi Jinping to renew for a sixth term and reach the expected level of strength to be able to carry out thethreat of invasion with sufficient guarantees of success at almost 80 years of age.

16 I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact in the next six years (SHELBOURNE, Mallory. Davidson: China Could Try to Take Control of Taiwan In Next Six Years, USNI News. 9 de marzo de 2021. Disponible en: https://news.usni.org/2021/03/09/davidson-china-could-try-to-take-control-of-taiwan- in-next-six-years).CORRESPONSAL HONG KONG. EE.UU. prev una invasin china de Taiwn en seis aos, La Vanguardia. 11 de marzo de 2021. Disponible en: https://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20210311/6299523/ee-uu-preve-invasion-china-taiwan-seis- anos.htmlDE LA CAL, Lucas. China podra invadir Taiwan en los prximos seis aos, El Mundo. 10 e marzo de 2021. Disponible en: https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2021/03/10/6048b814fc6c83f06f8b45ba.html

17 YUWEI, Hu y HAILIN, Xu. Xi stresses CPCs leadership and achieving goals set for PLA centennial prior to Army Day, Global Times. 31 de julio de 2021. Disponible en: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1230155.shtml

18 HILLE, Kathrin y SEVASTOPULO, Demetri. Taiwan: preparing for a potential Chinese invasion, Financial Times. 7 de junio de 2022. Disponible en: https://www.ft.com/content/0850eb67-1700-47c0-9dbf- 3395b4e905fd

19 9 Michle Flournoy was Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USDP) under President Barack Obama. TheUSDP is the chief of staff and principal adviser to the secretary and deputy secretary of defence. This office isappointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate.

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Interdependence as a weapon in the era of non-peace: Failure in Ukraine and danger in Taiwan - Atalayar

A wayward and callous Ramy (Ramy Youssef), after cheating on his new wife, Zainab (MaameYaa Boafo), with his cousin; thereby inflicting untold damage on everyone in his wake, sits in a car with a dog of an incarcerated friend in the backseat. Cans of dog food are piled in the windshield. He listens silently to a CD explaining how to be a good Muslim. That ending to Ramy season two was akin to a firecracker exploding in your hand. The kid left holding the proverbial self-inflicting cherry bomb was Ramy, played by the shows creator and director.

READ MORE: Fall 2022 TV Preview: Over 45 Series To Watch

As the screen faded to black, with the cameras gaze fixed on a car as dingy as Ramys soul, you wondered how the series could return with such a detestable character. Surprisingly, it comes back better than ever.

The third season of Ramy takes place one year after the events of the previous installment. Ramy is still working in the diamond district for his politically incorrect Uncle Naseem (Laith Nakli), who is now freely searching dating sites for young available Muslim men (though even these interactions carry a rushed, transactional mood with Naseem unable to wholly admit his homosexuality). Ramys traditionalist parents, Farouk (Amr Waked) and Maysa (Hiam Abbass) have never been unhappier or closer to divorce than right now. The pair are still picking up the financial pieces from Ramys infidelity and from Farouk losing his job and his terrible subsequent investments. His independent-minded sister Dena (May Calamawy) is nearing her test date for the bar exam, with her own self-doubts arriving just as fast.

READ MORE: Ramy Season 3 Trailer: The Award-Winning Hulu Comedy Series Returns On September 30

This newest season of Ramy is about the impact of Ramys decision at the close of the previous year. It concerns the myriad of ways: financial, personal, mental, and otherwise his infidelity altered everyone around, including himself. It once again concerns sex and its weight within the Muslim religion. It features tremendous performances. And the series even gives greater space to the women in Ramys life (a consistent weakness in a series centered around a man grappling with his own shortcomings). The third season of Ramy is certainly the most self-aware season yet.

It would be pointless, however, to enumerate every storyline in this newest season. If only because the developments that occur truly come together in the final three episodes. But there are some points of emphasis worth noting: While Ramy does begin the season working for his uncle as a diamond dealer, he soon branches out on his own by partnering with Israeli mobsters with anti-Palestinian ties. His decision prompts us to wonder if Ramy really learned anything in the ensuing year between his marriage failing and now. Because once again, he chooses his own personal desires, in this case, monetary, over the well-being of his loved ones. It doesnt help that he is now in league with some morally corrupt people who see him as nothing more than a messenger boy. He has never been so dislikable than the capitalist bootlicking he does here (and thats saying something!!).

To sell these diamonds, he partners with his unreliable Jewish friend Michael (Michael Chernus), a man with an uncontrollable sex addiction that reveals Ramys own uncomfortable relationship with sex. While Michael as a character never really works (the series is far too concerned with him as a punchline than sharply interrogating his trials), he does translate as a good foil for Ramys own insecurities: Especially as Ramy tries to make contact with Zainab (she understandably would like to never see him again, even if he is sorry for what he did). Similarly, Uncle Naseem has more scenes this year, but hes still deployed more as a sideshow than a three-dimensional person. Such is the difficulty of adding depth to such a loaded gun of a man. There are certainly openings in his arc, but they close oh so quickly. Instead, he exists here as a foil for everyone else, with his individual scenes barely moving further than the penultimate, aching episode of season two.

What has improved is how much the series comes to focus on Ramys parents. Waked and Abbass are such tremendous actors, you almost wish we had an entire season just focusing on them. Nowhere is Ramys dysfunctionality more readily seen than in their performances, to the point of them often adding more contours to Ramy as a person than he can ever hope to infuse. Speaking of the kids, while Dena as a character receives greater room, here, its still not altogether clear if the writers know exactly what to do with her. She isnt just experiencing a personal and professional malaise this time around. But is adrift from her place in this series too.And her fate at the end of this season is far too conventional and undercooked (though that could be a foundation the writers are just itching to crumble).

Its a shame because nearly every other component took a step forward, especially the visual language employed by Youssef (its probably the best shot season of three). This seasons stylistic and narrative tracks feels like Youssef spent his time watching the Safdie Brothers. And not just because it centers on Ramy working as a diamond dealer in New York City. But youre reminded of how the Safdies sketched Robert Pattinsons character in Good Time. There are instances where Ramy displays that same frenzied, scruffy energy and a similar selfishness. He shows the same unavoidable unlikability that makes his abject state both tragic and disdainful.

It would be fruitful to consider every storyline from season three: Zainab does return; Ramys friends Mo (Mohammed Amer), Steve (Steve Way), and Ahmed (Dave Merheje) all deal with personal problems that reveal their own desires out of life and their respective proximity to religion. And much like the previous season, this one ends with Ramy at a spiritual and moral crossroads. Can he change? What does change look like? And how much will his transformation cost him and those around him? Similar to its titular character, Ramy isnt perfect. But this is the best, more fascinating season yet. [B+]

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'Ramy' Season 3 Review: Ramy Youssef's Comical, Rich Look At Muslim Family Life Is The Best One Yet - The Playlist