Chega is more concerned with appealing to cops rather than military, they’re not so much about “defense” as they are about “security”. As you said historically the country is not equipped for war but the fascists loved their state police and they wouldn’t mind having it again

media is busy with the upcoming elections here (Portugal) but tbh I don’t think I’ve heard the “defense” narrative being pushed ever, maybe some talk once in a blue moon about bringing back obligatory conscription but other than that I think it’s too much of a small country and quite peripheral for that talk to gain traction

also there aren’t many pockets interested in - or capable of getting it, really - “defense” money, but the defense budget increased in 2023 I’m sure, some RRF money thrown in there as well

on the other hand I’ve never heard talk about dismantling the very strategic American base in Azores, we’re still part of NATO (founding member!) and whoever holds the belief that we shouldn’t be is ridiculed, even though we joined during our fascist era

I believe the common conception about “defense” here is: no more, no less

Am I remembering correctly that the soviets proposed to the UK and France (possibly the US too?) a counter-alliance as reaction to this? which to no surprise they declined?

don’t particularly like them but I’ve got a peculiar taste when it comes to metal

they’re a curious band to bring out in a leftist forum, seeing as the OG lineup had some sort of falling out and the two remaining parties formed they’re own Batushka (so I’m not even sure which one is the one that you mention)

they also walk a fine contradiction of being, as you say, “satanic”-associated but using liturgical music/chants and imagery in their albums (it’s part of the gimmick anyway and probably the reason they got somewhat popular)

The thought alone of having cold showers in a cold house in winter makes me shiver, I’d scream if I really had to do it. That being said I do something which I’d recommend: start the shower with hot water and gradually “lower the heat” to cold water during it.

I know a few people who do cold showers as well and everyone keeps telling me the winter is the best, when it’s cold outside. They like the cold water best then. I think they are all lying.

I guess it makes sense when you think of it as the water and the surrounding temperature being similar, but it probably is more a question of body temperature.

Anyway, I’m getting started with the snatch, pretty exciting. Have done some light training of some of the movements (high pulls, muscle snatches, overhead squats, etc.) and I’ve been surprisingly apt at them. I do need to switch my program around though, as I wasn’t aware of how taxing these exercises are on the shoulders but particularly on the traps.

https://www.thelibraryproject.ie/products/the-land-for-the-people-second-edition-eimear-walshe

and here is the companion piece I mentioned, glad my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me

FOUND IT!! https://www.eva.ie/thelandquestion/

Lifting belts give you superpowers

it doesn’t. it just removes pressure from your lower back

I skyrocketed out of a plateau after getting one and I don’t have any other explanation of why

see above, you’re using a tool that removes/facilitates the force imposed on your lower back in a given lift and this has the disadvantage of not progressing the strenght on that part of the body at the same rhythm as your other muscles you’re engaging in the lift

honestly if you’re not competing there’s virtually no reason to use a lifting belt, egolifting is a thing and something that everyone lifting recreationally should not engage in

not saying to get advice from the internet, just sharing a readily-available source that’s quite reliable and is consistent with precisely the advice I’ve personally received from professionals IRL

the guy himself is a physical therapist but whatever, be as condescending as you want to be

Not a great example since squat form varies with a person’s anatomy so the way you describe is not necessarily “the proper form” (and to be honest I’m a bit worried by it). Feet position and angle will depend on your anatomy and squat depth will depend on your mobility. Squat university has some good videos for helping out with finding the proper squat form for each individual

I really do not understand the obsession with multiparty democracy.

A multiparty system has been sold as the defining trait of democracy (or at least synonymous with an electoral cycle), election ballots must have little symbols for each little party. But even those who buy into it fall into inevitable contradictions: when, for example, they’re made aware that nations like the PRC and the DPRK have other parties (similar to the post-imperialist scenario you’ve stated), they become quite perplexed; also, all these people would be only satisfied if the party they support won not only the general elections, but also every election in every region/municipality/district/etc, essentially desiring the one-party system they are feverishly against.

These are just brief points on how that obsession falls over itself, I purposely don’t want to get into how the basis for the obsession (be it the electoral cycle, how a multiparty system actually behaves, etc) is a sham on its own.