Writing update; Russia; Ukraine; Cuba; North Korea · 10:15pm Dec 22nd, 2014
I'm bouncing between three stories right now. My Ghost Recon story, which is open right now, my Republic Commando story, and the sequel to my Halo fic, tentatively named Halo: The Intruders.
Russia
Well, the Russian economy is going down the shitter for several reasons.
*Sanctions hitting hard
*Gas prices falling (it costs me just $40 to fill my black Ford Crown Victoria up from near-empty)
*Inconsistent response by the central bank to economic hardship
*Massive foreign debt incurred by private businesses, who can't take out loans from foreign companies because of sanctions and can't pay them back because of the ruble's free-fall
Plus, Crimea is even more isolated now, and even more dependent on Russia than it was when it was first annexed. It's a drain on their economy, and would've been that way even if it weren't for the sanctions.
Ukraine
Well, I won't deny that there's seriously bad things being done by both sides in the war, but to say that Ukraine is the bad guy would be bullshit.
Also, Armament Research (ARES) has released a report on weapons, vehicles and equipment in the conflict. Read it here.
Cuba
In exchange for the infamous Cuban Five, Cuba released an American citizen held by the Cuban government for years. President Obama has also lifted the US' embargo on Cuba.
This is a divisive subject in America. While most Democrats support the move, a few have dissented. On the Republican side, things are much less clear. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky expressed support. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, whose parents are Cuban immigrants, condemned the move. Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona said it was for the best, as the 50-year old embargo had done nothing to encourage regime change.
The potential opening of relations with Cuba undermines the current regime. A large part of the nation's identity as defined by the government is in its defiance of the US, and the embargo allowed the Castros to blame poor economic performance on the US embargo. No longer able to define itself as an anti-American stronghold or find excuses for anemic economic growth, the Cuban government is in a precarious position.
Internationally, the lifting of the embargo and potential establishment of formal relations has been well-received, especially in Central and South America.
North Korea
With the hacking of Sony Pictures, and threats against theater chains who would show the movie The Interview, Sony has been forced to cancel the movie's release. Since the five biggest theater chains in the US, the main market for the movie, refused to show the film as a result of threats, the movie's theatrical release became unfeasible. The movie, about a pair of journalists who get to interview Kim Jong-Un and are then co-opted by the CIA to assassinate him, pissed off North Korea and is believed to have prompted the cyberattack.
The FBI concluded that North Korea was responsible for the hacks fr multiple reasons:
*IPs used in the hack were traced back to some of the measly 1,024 IPs in North Korea
*The method of the hack was identical to one performed on South Korean busjnesses recently, which was also attributed to North Korea
*The hack's effects also resembled the aforementioned hacking
*Numerous similarities in the hack's coding were identical to the code used in the forementioned hacking
Sony Pictures has said they are exploring other methods of releasing the film. Streaming sites have declined to host the film, as they fear they may be hacked.
Using Sony's Playstation Network as a distribution platform is reportedly under consideration. This would add to the library of movies exclusively available to Playstation owners, and The Interview would join such prestigious Playstation titles as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and the upcoming Order: 1886.
Of course, North Korea would probably hack PSN and steal users credit card info if that happened, and run up charges on luxury goods for the NK elite.
*snnrrrrrt*