This channel holds podcast-style interviews with various experts on various topics -- but this one struck me as especially Kraut-like in its analysis. The interviewee describes how the British financial system (unwittingly) enabled the deterioration of Russian society and continues to (unwittingly) obstruct democratic development around the world.
I recommend watching the whole thing. To entice you, I've transcribed some juicy quotes below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yck3rYN-GbE
[2:56] [Londongrad] is a catchy term [but] I do have a slight problem with it, because it stresses the role London plays in laundering money for the former Soviet Union when actually London is not nearly so specialized in the service it offers. [...] It launders money from absolutely anywhere. In fact, the money from Russia or Eastern Europe is a relatively small subset of the money that pours through the City of London.
[5:20] When communism ended in Russia in 1991, a reforming government came to power. Boris Yeltsin was then president, and appeared to be (in his erratic way) sincerely committed to build a new system. [...] A particular concern of the government at the time was: how do you prevent the Communists coming back to power in the next election? How do you establish democracy irreversibly? They had a plan: [...] use private property as the tool to build democracy in Russia. [...] If they could establish a class of property owners, those property owners would then demand protection from the courts to prevent it being taken away [then] they would demand laws in those courts and then they would demand that those laws be created in a fair manner, which would require a functioning legislature, which required functioning elections, and that required all the paraphernalia around elections. So, in this way, there is a logical chain which leads from "rapid privatization" to "free and fair elections".
[8:32] The problem with this plan is that it never had the chance of being implemented [because] the winners from the very early privatization auctions -- the people who got very rich in the 1990s -- managed to take the money out of Russia and putting it into London. So they didn't need rule of law in Russia, they didn't need democratic elections, they didn't need free and fair courts... because they could buy all that in London. [...] Instead of the oligarchs (as we now call them) being a temporary problem -- a necessary evil for building democracy and freedom in Russia -- they became [...] a colonizing class in their own country.
[10:14] London wasn't alone in the 1990s. Much of this money also flowed to Switzerland and New York, but in both of those cases there were serious investigations [...] which helped to limit the money flow. There was no equivalent in London.
[10:56] This has created a form of political economy which is unique among large countries, where [...] more than half of national wealth is housed outside Russia. The equivalent for European countries is about 10% and in the United States it's 5 or 4. Fifty-one percent of national wealth is outside Russia.
[12:03] That's kind of our fault. [...] How did Putin build the kleptocratic system, how did the oligarchs manage to steal everything? Because we helped them. We provided the legal services, the accounting services, we sold them property, we educated their children, we sold them fine art, we kept their superyachts, we provided them with taxation systems, we sold them golden visas, we helped them sue journalists who tried to write the truth about all this.
[13:36] We are stepping in to try and help the Ukrainians solve a problem that we caused.
[15:30] I've never got any sense that this was a deliberate policy. It's something that was profitable, and therefore no one was in the mood to ask too many questions. [...] There was a self-serving ideology -- which is not uniquely British, we see the same in Germany and other European countries -- that by trading with the Russians we would be civilizing them. [...] The idea that "what I want to do anyway, which is make money from these people, is not just good for me but good for everybody" is an incredibly convenient philosophy.
[21:25] There was an astonishing alliance between the Soviet Union -- specifically, its state bank Moscow Narodny Bank which was based in London -- and the Midland Bank [...] This was in the 1950s: the MNB decided to lend its dollars to Midland Bank and thereby discovered that if you use dollars in London, all the restrictions disappeared. [...] Before too long, it wasn't just Midland Bank doing it, but all the London banks, then other banks opened branches too: American banks, German, Japanese, French and so on. This was the birth of offshore finance [...] liberating the wealthy from the control of the rest of us.
[25:43] This willingness to profit from anybody is at the core of the reinvention of London from the capital of the British Empire to the capital of the Offshore Empire. That's why I refer to them as "butlers to the world".
[28:17] It's very difficult to pin down precise numbers, but it's clear that Russia is more unequal than it was on the eve of the first world war. The oligarchs now have a greater proportion of wealth than the aristocrats did under the tsar.
[30:46] There was a sense in Russia that the Europeans were incapable of uniting against the Russian threat, so it came as a shock in Feb '22 when that's precisely what happened. The UK, the EU, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan [...] paralyzed the mechanisms by which Russian oligarchs operated [...] so they've been seeking new mechanisms to get their money out of Russia. [...] Turkey has stepped in, and of course Dubai, which has a perpetual role in helping corrupt people get money out of their home countries.
[32:02] But that is only because of sanctions, and sanctions are a foreign policy tool. [...] There hasn't been in the UK -- or any other European country -- an adequate law enforcement response. [...] There's been a little work in the US and Canada, but very little done in this country, and that's a result of [our] disastrously underfunded law enforcement agencies.
[37:34] Ukraine, as people ceaselessly remind you, was (and probably is, in many ways) as corrupt as Russia [...] but what it doesn't have is a pyramid of corruption with one person at the top [...] Instead you have multiple warring clans [...] and in the cracks between these clans a civil society was able to appear in Ukraine. [...] In this pluralistic corruption, Ukraine was able to build this vibrant, powerful, horizontally organized society which is very different from the vertically organized Russian society.
[45:33] How do you de-radicalize someone like Putin? [...] I think that the only solution now is for him to lose, and sadly that will involve tens of thousands of young men's lives [...] because of the system that the oligarchs allowed him to create and the system that we in the UK allowed them to create. [...] That is a serious thing that we need to recognize and address, because [...] all the other kleptocrats are still bringing their wealth here: Chinese, Malaysian, Nigerian, whatever, it flows here uninterrupted. [...] This is an opportunity for us to examine what we've done [...] and make sure it never happens again.
[48:00] London as an offshore market is unrivaled. [...] You can get private school for your children in Switzerland, you can build opaque corporate structures in Dubai, but everything together in one place, the world-class financial system, the world-class legal system, a generous tax system, a huge art and luxury goods market, coupled with a network of tax havens -- no one else comes close. If London stopped being a center for kleptocratic wealth, it would destroy the global money-laundering system.
[52:04] Economics is not maths. You don't have to agree to it. The reason R has been greater than G over the centuries is because the rich have been able to capture politics. [...] We can fight back against that.

Hello Reddit!
The project's a Third Person MOBA/Hero Shooter Hybrid Project being made in Unreal Engine 5.
We really want to make this game different from what's already out there, carve out our own space in the genre, really breathe fresh air back into it! The project has had years of planning and we really have something great here and can't wait to share it with the players!
Here's a few interesting bits about the game:

• Not sticking to the usual one "theme", going to have characters from all different worlds/realities (themes), Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk, Fantasy Magical, Modern etc.
• 160+ Characters written out/planned (with backstories + lore), 60+ are done basic design wise (what their main defining features will be), and 45+ already have written move kits.
• No item shop like typical MOBA's, instead we have a unique system in place yet to be revealed.
• Map is going to be much larger than a standard MOBA Map with a few added twists in for surprises!

What we're looking for:

Level Designer:

• Help with planning certain sections of the map

2D Environmental Artists:

• Creating concept art for different places on the Map
• 2D Turnaround sheets of props (Wooden Barrels, Trees, Mushrooms, Buildings etc)

3D Character Modelers:

• Help Model characters from 2D Turnaround Sheets done by our talented 2D Concept Artists!

Programmer:

• Using C++ and UE5
• Code Clean up
• Helping with various sections: Minion A.I, Different character abilities, Map Mechanics etc

3D Animators:

• Help create animations for player characters, minions, bosses etc.

VFX/Visual Effects:

• Create VFX for characters, bosses, minions (attacks, magic, arrows etc)
• Environmental VFX (torches, lights etc)

Concept Art:

Here's just a sneaky bit of concept art that we can show (we have a lot more + 3D models etc)
https://imgur.com/a/X2DeFIQ
We can't stress enough that everyone has lives outside of the internet so everyone works at their own pace! Family/Real life comes first! It doesn't mean we are not very dedicated to the project though, we really are, we believe we have something very great here that we can't wait to share with everyone :)

RevShare:

This project is currently RevShare meaning once the game is on Kickstarter and in beta (making money) everyone putting in the work will be paid for services rendered!
If you're interested in any of these positions please have your Portfolio or anything you've worked on before ready to show :)
We're looking for very dedicated people so please apply if you want to see this project through!

Contact us:

Join our Discord:
https://discord.gg/edtX7brPcq
Or message me directly on Discord:
BuckShott#3466
Or drop us an Email at:
[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])
Thank you for reading,
Have a good Glocktopus Day :)

An eyelash extensions pros and cons list might be helpful if this is your first time trying out eyelash extensions, in order to determine if this is the perfect service for you. Although most eyelash extensions clients believe the pros outweigh the cons, but knowing the pros and cons of eyelash extensions will help you make an informed choice.

1. WHAT ARE EYELASH EXTENSIONS?

Eyelash extensions are semi-permanent fibers that are glued to your natural eyelashes to enhance its length, fullness, and color.
Lashes extensions can be created from silk, synthetic, mink, or faux-mink fibers, however the specific material utilized varies from studio to studio. To allow customers to create a unique appearance, the majority of studios provide a variety of extension lengths, curl patterns, and colours.

1. HOW ARE EYELASH EXTENSIONS PUT IN?

A consultation is the first step in determining which type of eyelash extension will best meet the client's needs. This includes choosing the material, style, length and curl type. The final decision will be based on the type of eyelashes that best suits the eye shape and wishes of the client.
Lash extensions are applied with a tiny, tweezer-like tool to stick individual lashes precisely. Be prepared as it will take quite a bit of time to carefully adhere false lashes to each of client natural lashes. Pick up a lash, dip it in glue, and apply it to the natural lash. Throughout the application, use a mascara wand to brush the extensions.
A full set of eyelash extensions per eye is an average of 60-125 lashes, or 95-99% of the natural lashes covered. Alternate until the set is complete on each eye.

1. PROS OF EYELASH EXTENSIONS

• Look Gorgeous All The Time:

As opposed to strip lashes that must be removed after a few hours, eyelash extensions are shed with your natural lashes, simply said, you can go to bed with them and having flawless lashes in the morning.

• Speed up your makeup routine:

If you have eyelash extensions, you don't even need to use eye makeup like eyeliner or mascara. Thus, it will save you daily time and significantly speed up your makeup process.

• Forget Eye Makeup Accidents:

Perhaps you had to apply makeup while driving and accidentally pricked your eye with the mascara. This issue is completely avoided by getting eyelash extensions! You won't even have to worry about smudged mascara that can 'dirty' the makeup around your eye area.

• Made Specifically for Your Face:

Being customized for each person, false eyelash extensions may quickly transform short, thin lashes into long, attractive ones and thick, sparse ones. Actually, the perfect pair of eyelash extensions may change even the look of your face and eyes!

• Long Lasting:

When you compare lash extensions with strip lashes, lash extensions always last longer than strip lashes. Lash extensions stay in place for three to four weeks, and strip lashes don't last more than 24 hours. Most of it based on the natural lashes cycles of your shedding, and lash extensions often come off together with your natural lashes.

1. CONS OF EYELASH EXTENSIONS

• They are pricey:

The price of an eyelash extension set can range from $80-400, depending on the type of extensions you select and the technician's level of expertise.

• Affect your natural lashes:

Even though the technique is generally secure on its own, a few mistakes might harm your natural lashes. For example, the eyelash material is not good enough or the eyelash extensions aftercare process is not guaranteed will also affect the customer's natural eyelashes.

• May cause allergies:

Although extremely rare, an allergic reaction to the eyelash glue used to attach the extensions is conceivable. Within a few hours or days of getting your new lashes, you run the risk of getting eye infections or discomforts including swelling, redness, styes, or itchy feelings. You should request that your lash technician run an allergy test before placing the extensions to prevent needless issues. However, contact your eyelash extension technician immediately to remove your lashes and get professional assistance if you develop an allergic reaction.

• Requires Maintenance:

To maintain the style and good retention of lash extensions, they need to be cleaned and brushed frequently.

1. FINAL THOUGHT

Although lash extensions might look gorgeous, not everyone should use them. It all depends on your own budget, time, and willingness to comply with the after-care guidelines. So think carefully before deciding to have eyelash extensions or not.
With Kami Lashy, we have everything you need including lash style, thickness, length, and more for amazing eyelashes. Popular types of eyelash extensions at Kami :
1. Promade fans eyelash extensions: 3D - 20D
2. Wispy eyelash extensions: 5D - 11D
3. Narrow eyelash extensions: 4D - 10D
4. Camellia eyelash extensions: 5D - 10D

1. Wispy & Camellia eyelash extensions: 5D - 11D

6. Color eyelash extensions: 3D - 20D

Guardians (23-29) @ Orioles (34-19)

First Pitch: 1:05 PM at Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Team	Starter	TV	Radio
Guardians	Logan Allen (1-2, 3.31 ERA)	BSGL	WMMS
Orioles	Tyler Wells (3-1, 3.47 ERA)	MASN	98 Rock

Game Preview
Please check out our Gameday Experience section before making a post about parking, tickets, seating, or where to eat or drink, or feel free to ask your question here.
Going to the game today? Try our "at the game" flair and let other users know if you want to meet up. You can also chat with other people at the game in the sub discord.
Sub Rules Message the Mods 2023 Streaming Information

This thread is posted every Monday.
If you are new to pro audio, the options available can be overwhelming however there are always way more beginners than there are experienced heads. This thread is created so you still have the opportunity to ask questions and potentially get an answer from people who are interested in pro studio gear without clogging up the main feed for professionals, who this sub is aimed at.
In here you can ask questions about purchasing your first interface, mic or monitors for example. You can also ask any troubleshooting questions you may have or really anything else, so long as it is about gear used for recording, mixing or mastering.
You may not get an answer, especially first time round. If you repeatedly ask and don't get a response, take it as a sign. You are likely asking something extremely repetitive. Your recourse here is NOT to then make a post in the main sub. It will get instantly deleted, as per the sub rules. What you should do instead is search subs like audioengineering for example as it is extremely likely your particular question is not special and has been asked and answered repeatedly in places like that.

If you are on a UK work visa and want to become a UK citizen, then there are ways you can obtain it. However, some steps are involved, and it is important to understand them before starting your application. To be eligible to apply for a British passport, you first need to file for British citizenship.
How can people on a work visa in the UK get a British passport?
You can apply for a British passport by post or online. The application fee is £1,330 and takes up to six months before being processed.
You need to show that you have been living continuously in the UK for five years and have completed an English language test and a Life in the UK visa test.
The following are the steps to apply for British Citizenship and the British Passport henceforth.
The standard route is to go through five years of continuous residence, which allows people to apply for citizenship and a British passport.
This requires you to have been living in the UK for five years and cannot be interrupted by more than 450 days away from the country. You will also need to take an English test and a Life in the UK test before applying for your passport.
· First, you must live in the country with a UK work visa for five years or more.
· Then you can apply for a British passport after five years of living in the UK. You will need to show that you have been living there continuously and have indefinite leave to remain in the country.
The tests are designed so people applying from outside Europe should pass them easily. Still, if your circumstances change during this period, for example, if your partner gets married and moves back to their home country, you might find it harder than expected.
· You must also pass an English language test and complete a Life in the UK test. These tests are not compulsory, but they can be helpful if used as proof of language skills when applying for British citizenship or indefinite leave to remain as a worker or student on a skilled worker visa.
The Home Office will look at the following factors:
· Your employment history, including any gaps between jobs, job title and salary
· Any intelligence about your job opportunities or skills
· Whether other people are working for you (for example if you are self-employed)
You must pass an English language test and complete a Life in the UK test. Both tests cost about £50 each. You can take both tests online or at an approved centre. If you are over 65, you do not have to take either of these two tests.
​
You can apply online, but it will cost £1,330 per application. With the online service, you will get a decision within eight weeks.
If you send in your visa application by post, it costs £1,282 and will take up to six months for your application to be processed.
You have to live in the UK with a work visa for five years or more, after which point it becomes permanent residence status (PR).
After five years of continuous residence in the UK and meeting certain criteria set out by Immigration Rules 2010 section 1(4) as amended by Immigration Act 2014 Schedule 2 Part 1 paragraph 5(a) you can become a permanent resident.
You must apply for naturalization if not already British citizens or British subjects living overseas who have been resident continuously since before leaving the home country at least 12 months immediately preceding applying without interruption including time spent on leave without entry permit during a journey abroad.
Applying for British Passport
Once you have attained British citizenship, you can apply for a British passport anytime! You can apply for a British passport either online or through the post.
You can collect a passport application form from any local British post office or through the official online portal of the government of the UK.
You might also be asked to give an interview with the IPS (Identity & Passport Service) if you are above 16 years and are applying for a British passport.
After filing the application form, you should expect a response within 6 to 8 weeks. There are a few fast-track services available as well.
However, these are only applicable if you want to get your passport renewed or replaced. These services are not applicable to new passport applications. The cost of applying for a British Passport is as follows:
· First British adult passport (16 years and above – 34 pages)– It will cost you £72 for a First British adult passport if applied online and £85 if applied through couriepaper form.
· First British adult passport (16 years and above – 50 pages) – It will cost you £85.50 if applied online and £95 through couriepaper form.
· Child passport (under 16 years – 34 pages) – It will cost you £49 online and £58.50 for a paper form.
· Child passport (under 16 years – 50 pages) will cost you £59 online and £68.50 for paper form.
· Amendments, Renewals, and Replacements – Each of them will cost you £72 as well.
Even if you have attained UK citizenship, it is now always guaranteed that you will be granted a British Passport. Your passport may be rejected due to reasons such as pending court orders, etc. another point to keep in mind is that a British passport is the property of the UK government and can be withheld or cancelled if and whenever needed.

I'm a bit new at this, but I'm trying to find out what script is running every 3 minutes and resetting an ethernet interface each time. Checking /valog/ I've noticed the interface going up and down -
 

# tail messages 2023-05-29T10:21:51+10:00 syn logger[26325]: if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:21:52+10:00 syn if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:23:56+10:00 syn if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:23:58+10:00 syn logger[28526]: if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:26:01+10:00 syn logger[30155]: if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:26:03+10:00 syn logger[30545]: if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:28:06+10:00 syn logger[31997]: if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:28:09+10:00 syn logger[32391]: if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:30:12+10:00 syn logger[1465]: if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:30:13+10:00 syn if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:32:17+10:00 syn logger[3329]: if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:32:18+10:00 syn logger[3727]: if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:34:21+10:00 syn logger[5253]: if_link_down hook event: ovs_eth2 2023-05-29T10:34:23+10:00 syn logger[5648]: if_link_up hook event: ovs_eth2 

 
Sorting the logs by time, the file deletion log shows recent change, so I check that -

# tail rm.log 2023-05-29T10:21:56+10:00 syn rm[27173]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:21:56+10:00 syn rm[27174]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:24:02+10:00 syn rm[29147]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:24:02+10:00 syn rm[29148]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:26:08+10:00 syn rm[31115]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:26:08+10:00 syn rm[31116]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:28:12+10:00 syn rm[384]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:28:12+10:00 syn rm[385]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:30:18+10:00 syn rm[2471]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:30:18+10:00 syn rm[2472]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:32:23+10:00 syn rm[4330]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:32:23+10:00 syn rm[4331]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:34:27+10:00 syn rm[6224]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:34:27+10:00 syn rm[6225]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:36:32+10:00 syn rm[8065]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_6_rules.dump.tmp"] 2023-05-29T10:36:32+10:00 syn rm[8066]: uid: 0, euid: 0, arguments:["-f" "/etc/tc_rules.dump.tmp"] 

 
I haven't managed to catch these files in /etc/ before they're deleted, as yet. A few other logs go nuts due to the interface being reset. My problem at this stage is working backwards.
The deletions hint at "tc"-something, which I'm guessing might be /ussyno/bin/tctool which has the help text -

# tctool --help Copyright (c) 2003-2022 Synology Inc. All rights reserved. usage: tctool -dump_rules [CONFIG_DIR] [TARGET_IPV4_FILE_PATH: file_path] [TARGET_IPV6_FILE_PATH: file_pathnone] [TARGET_TC_COMMAND_PATH: file_path] tctool -reset tctool -change_interface [Original interface] [New Interface] tctool -checkrun tctool -export tctool -import 

 
The only hits on Google for tctool relate to a hibernation script, which I haven't enabled on my NAS drives (internal or external). That's as far as I've got so far.
 
I was thinking of swapping the tctool binary out with a shell script to dump some details about what is calling it and when (command line arguments, PIDs, etc) and then calling the real tctool binary afterwards so I don't break anything (but lets face it, I'll probably break a lot of stuff learning how to do that properly). Before I code like a vandal, I thought I'd throw it out to see if there's any obvious cause I'm missing.
 

• NAS: DS1817+, upgraded to 16GB RAM
• DSM: DSM 7.1-42661 Update 2
• LAN1 - not in use
• LAN2 - not in use
• LAN3 - lesser used network, the interface that's being bounced
• LAN4 - main network connection

 
Checked:

• No known problems with network hardware; tried swapping patch cables, ports, etc. - problem keeps on happening.
• No hard drive errors or issues, and no changes in 12+ months. System has been running fine for years.
• Unfortunately logs have been cleared (see PS below), so I can't see how long this has been happening
• Checked /etc/crontab and Task Scheduler - only the standard entries listed, none of which are every 3mins.

 
UPDATE:
Looks like the tc* stuff is just the networking subsystem reacting to the interface changing status:

root 25809 1 0 18:29 ? 00:00:00 /bin/sh /ussyno/plugin/net/if_link_down/iptablesTcIfUpDown.sh --post root 26613 25809 0 18:29 ? 00:00:00 \_ /bin/sh /ussyno/bin/synotc_common force-reload root 26621 26613 0 18:29 ? 00:00:00 \_ /bin/sh /ussyno/bin/tctool -dump_rules /etc/tc /etc/tc_rules.dump /etc/tc_6_rules.dump /etc/tc_cmd.sh root 26643 26621 0 18:29 ? 00:00:00 \_ ps -aef --forest 

 
PS: I'm also trying to clear more than 100mb from /dev/md0 so to get to Update 5, but that's a separate problem.