Mystery solved

It turns out that

Authentic French brie cannot be imported into the United States because it is made with raw milk and would, therefore, need to be aged for at least 60 days to qualify for U.S. importation. Unfortunately, that amount of time would render the brie overripe for consumption. However, France does export a stabilized version of brie that is available in the U.S. It is a soft-ripened cheese with a creamy-white interior and white rind and is usually made from cow's milk and sold in rounds. Stabilized French brie is cut before the cheese has matured, giving it a longer shelf life.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-brie-cheese-1806997

Many thanks to prof. Gomberg for the hint.

(no subject)

This was all sound, practical thinking on Hannibal’s part. [81] Anyone who claims that any aspect of generalship is more important than knowing the character and temperament of the enemy commander certainly does not know what he is talking about.
In a fight between individual soldiers, or between one rank and another, winning depends on seeing how to get through to the target—on spotting an exposed or undefended part of the opponent’s body. The same goes for those who lead whole armies, though they are concerned not with physical vulnerability, but any mental weakness that the opposing leader displays. Many commanding officers have lost their own lives and caused the utter ruin of their states as a result of complacency and general inertia; many others are so fond of wine that they cannot even get to sleep without drugging themselves with drink; others are so addicted to sex and its attendant derangement that they have been responsible for homes and cities being razed to the ground, and have brought personal disgrace upon themselves by the manner of their deaths.

Then again, impulsiveness, recklessness, irrational ardour, a false conception of one’s abilities, and arrogance are characteristics that make a man vulnerable to his enemies and highly dangerous to his friends; such a man reacts too readily to any plot, ambush, or trick.
...
He [Flaminius] gave no consideration to timing and terrain, and had no plan except to engage the enemy. He treated victory as a foregone con- clusion, and he had raised the hopes of the mob to such a pitch that soldiers under arms were outnumbered by non-combatants bearing chains and fetters and so on, who accompanied the army in the hope of booty.


--- Polybius, The Histories.

I wonder what he means by timing.

Универсальный еврейский ответ

- что следует делать «оппозиции» в ответ на новую конституционную инициативу?

- Ехать надо!


Ведомости пишут, что Мишустин выстроил в России эффективную налоговую службу. Это, пожалуй, главное реальное достижение советско-российской бюрократии за последние сто лет.

(no subject)

Based on my personal experience, I used to think that misogynists don't exist in real life. Over the years, I met all kinds of bigots: racists, antisemites, anti-LGBT, nationalists, elitists, religious, anti-religious, etc. But never a misogynist. I thought it was an invention of feminist extremists to portray a man as somebody who despises women.

Well, it turns out there's one right here in Vlad's feed (in Russian): https://minsk007.dreamwidth.org/ - quite an amazing character; I even feel somewhat sorry for him.