Politics

[Kevin Peacocke]

On the Ukraine front there are rumblings from Putin about a ceasefire, or freeze, but on current front lines. Realistically, does Ukraine have any hope of pushing those lines much further back?
All concede that this war ends in a negotiated settlement, so are there any sensible geographic boundaries, rivers that could be used to define the concession territory?

 

[LivingTheDream]

On the Ukraine front there are rumblings from Putin about a ceasefire, or freeze, but on current front lines. Realistically, does Ukraine have any hope of pushing those lines much further back

Ukraine has a lot to gain. They are getting more weapons, including F16s. I have a feeling the rules of engagement will change that will allow US and NATO weapons to be used to attack inside of Russia rather than within Ukraine. To emphasis that point, Russia was able to build up 30k troops just across the boarder. Russia knew they were going to attack, Ukraine knew they were going to attack, but due to the rules of engagement they had to just sit and wait. If they can use the F16s to gain control of the air space, Russia will be in deep shit and Putin knows it.

The Russian offensive is pretty much done for now, the ceasefire is Bullshit, they actually want Ukraine to give them more terrority than Russia has already taken. They also said Zelesky can't sign it or be part of negotiations since he is illegitimate. This is all BS propaganda from Russia. Jake Sullivan needs to stop being a little scared bitch and turn Ukraine loose. Sanctions are working, the bombing of oil refineries is working, they just need one or two more dominions to fall and you will see a major change in the dynamics and leverage in negotiations.

I also think China knows this as well which is why they are getting more aggressive with Taiwan, their window is closing.

 

[Saul]

Is there a reason why Russia has not tried to mount another serious assault on Kyiv? From the information everyone here has shared, it sounds like an actual ground assault would be impossible, but I am a little surprised that Russia has not launched a heavier missile strike.

 

[Scott CWO]

Animals. They need to be put down like rabid dogs. I'm quite sure the IDF has many strong men and women capable of doing just that.

And where is the awareness of this amongst our citizenry? A large portion of these protesters at our colleges would be victims if a similar event happened here.

The confusing part of that day is why more Israeli citizens were not properly armed and capable of a better defense that locking themselves in a room?

Stupid college kids have no idea or have forgotten that it was Hamas that ruined the Clinton peace deal between Israel and Palestinian leaders when Hamas sent suicide bombers into public buses in Israeli cities to derail everything!

 

[Doubleplay]

Exactly! Americans own stuff! We don’t live in tiny houses on streets I could jump across!

Yep. Our system is designed to make us borrow money to own stuff so we work till we die to pay debts.

 

[ActionBob]

Yep. Our system is designed to make us borrow money to own stuff so we work till we die to pay debts.

Make us? Really? Who twisted your arm and made you sign loan documents?

I will argue that borrowing money own a home and possibly an automobile make some sense for the average consumer.... Only IF you have saved up at least 20% down payment or have an equivalent amount of equity in a trade.

It may be more appropriate to say the "system" is set up to easily allow you to borrow money to buy things. And then you then need to pay that money back. The choice is yours to borrow or not. I see you have been on several nice hunts around the World.... I'm sure you had the choice to go on those rather than using that money to pay back your debts.

Now borrowing for business reasons to make additional profits is a whole different discussion.

 

[Red Leg]

On the Ukraine front there are rumblings from Putin about a ceasefire, or freeze, but on current front lines. Realistically, does Ukraine have any hope of pushing those lines much further back?
All concede that this war ends in a negotiated settlement, so are there any sensible geographic boundaries, rivers that could be used to define the concession territory?

There is every reason why Ukraine should not and will not agree to a ceasefire. Putin seems to have suddenly awakened to the fact that his winter offensive was a fiasco, that he has lost 500k killed, wounded, missing or captured to date for minimal gains; his Black Sea Fleet has been defeated and is cowering in port, and the UA is again in receipt of weaponry and munitions that make "victory" as originally conceived impossible. The bailing wire and Band-Aids he has used to keep his economy afloat are slipping away. He has sacked much of the leadership of the MOD. The very last thing Ukraine and the West need to offer him is any sort of breathing space to reconstitute his forces and military leadership.

Is there a reason why Russia has not tried to mount another serious assault on Kyiv? From the information everyone here has shared, it sounds like an actual ground assault would be impossible, but I am a little surprised that Russia has not launched a heavier missile strike.

They would not dare for two reasons. First, a minimally armed Ukraine defeated the first attempt conclusively. There is no reason to believe a second attempt would be anything but a more decisive defeat. Second, with what would they mount it? They spent most of the fall cobbling together thirty-thousand troops and associated combat platforms for their winter/spring Kharkiv offensive. It has failed at great cost.

Russian pre-war conventional strategic strike capability was exhausted more than six months ago. Even their hypersonics were easily intercepted by Patriot. Current production allows Russia to put together two or three days of missile strikes every six to eight weeks. Over the last few months about 25-30% were getting through due to the cut-off of American air defense missiles. That is now changing back quickly to the 90-95% pre-embargo kill rate.

 

[Scott CWO]

Yep. Our system is designed to make us borrow money to own stuff so we work till we die to pay debts.

Speak for yourself. Life brings many choices. The key is to string good choices together day after day. I’m debt free, worked since the 8th grade and put four kids through college.

Furthermore I have zero desire to live in stacked European housing and drive an Opel that I can’t even get in and out of comfortably. I will take the US automobile society, larger rooms/houses, Interstate roads, living in a rural area and driving my truck, thank you. I don’t was government telling me how to live and what I should or shouldn’t buy.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

There is every reason why Ukraine should not and will not agree to a ceasefire. Putin seems to have suddenly awakened to the fact that his winter offensive was a fiasco, that he has lost 500k killed, wounded, missing or captured to date for minimal gains; his Black Sea Fleet has been defeated and is cowering in port, and the UA is again in receipt of weaponry and munitions that make "victory" as originally conceived impossible. The bailing wire and Band-Aids he has used to keep his economy afloat are slipping away. He has sacked much of the leadership of the MOD. The very last thing Ukraine and the West need to offer him is any sort of breathing space to reconstitute his forces and military leadership.

They would not dare for two reasons. First, a minimally armed Ukraine defeated the first attempt conclusively. There is no reason to believe a second attempt would be anything but a more decisive defeat. Second, with what would they mount it? They spent most of the fall cobbling together thirty-thousand troops and associated combat platforms for their winter/spring Kharkiv offensive. It has failed at great cost.

Russian pre-war conventional strategic strike capability was exhausted more than six months ago. Even their hypersonics were easily intercepted by Patriot. Current production allows Russia to put together two or three days of missile strikes every six to eight weeks. Over the last few months about 25-30% were getting through due to the cut-off of American air defense missiles. That is now changing back quickly to the 90-95% pre-embargo kill rate.

Is it too early to offer an opinion upon how it all might end? A professional stab at who concedes what, and when?

 

[John Wasmuth]

Didn’t take long for President Crapshispants to make it all about him……

 

[Tanks]

Didn’t take long for President Crapshispants to make it all about him……

Context? I have no idea what "it" is.

 

[Doubleplay]

Speak for yourself. Life brings many choices. The key is to string good choices together day after day. I’m debt free, worked since the 8th grade and put four kids through college.

Furthermore I have zero desire to live in stacked European housing and drive an Opel that I can’t even get in and out of comfortably. I will take the US automobile society, larger rooms/houses, Interstate roads, living in a rural area and driving my truck, thank you. I don’t was government telling me how to live and what I should or shouldn’t buy.

Nobody is telling you how to live, you can do whatever you want but you are in minority as being debt free in this country and it's not always about choices, it's the capitalism.
Also don't jump into conclusions about Europe like stacked houses and Opel etc.. Europe is a big place and there are a lot people living like you over there specially in the rural areas.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Context? I have no idea what "it" is.

His 2024 Memorial Day address…….

 

[WAB]

Nobody is telling you how to live, you can do whatever you want but you are in minority as being debt free in this country and it's not always about choices, it's the capitalism.
Also don't jump into conclusions about Europe like stacked houses and Opel etc.. Europe is a big place and there are a lot people living like you over there specially in the rural areas.

I’ve got to agree with Scott, it is about choices. I rose through the ranks from new grad engineer to running a pretty sizable
Organization. At every level, most people were living above their income. As a young engineer it was the second car, the extra vacation, etc.. As a senior exec it was the second and third homes, expensive cars, private jets for vacations, and on and on. My wife and I chose to live below our means at every stage. As a result we were debt free when I was in my early 40’s and I was able to retire for the first time at 49. Capitalism is not evil. It is a system that allows you to make your own decisions as opposed to some bureaucrat making them for you. If you make poor decisions, you do not have the same safety nets that a socialist society provides. It’s not good or evil, it’s just a system.

I truly wish that folks who don’t like capitalism would move to a socialist country, as opposed to trying to change the USA.

 

[Doubleplay]

Make us? Really? Who twisted your arm and made you sign loan documents?

I will argue that borrowing money own a home and possibly an automobile make some sense for the average consumer.... Only IF you have saved up at least 20% down payment or have an equivalent amount of equity in a trade.

It may be more appropriate to say the "system" is set up to easily allow you to borrow money to buy things. And then you then need to pay that money back. The choice is yours to borrow or not. I see you have been on several nice hunts around the World.... I'm sure you had the choice to go on those rather than using that money to pay back your debts.

Now borrowing for business reasons to make additional profits is a whole different discussion.

You are contradicting yourself.
On one hand you are saying the system is set up to easily borrow on the other hand you are asking who twisted my arm?
You answered your own question "the system"
Also this is not about you and me it's about the big picture.
However I would be stupid not buy property on %3 mortgage when I can make much more with my money instead of paying all cash.
As far as hunts I don't understand your statement?
I can always go to hunts anywhere in the World while holding debts in various forms and can pay it all comfortably.
Not having any debt is not something to brag about when you know how to take advantage of that debt and improve your life.

 

[Doubleplay]

I’ve got to agree with Scott, it is about choices. I rose through the ranks from new grad engineer to running a pretty sizable
Organization. At every level, most people were living above their income. As a young engineer it was the second car, the extra vacation, etc.. As a senior exec it was the second and third homes, expensive cars, private jets for vacations, and on and on. My wife and I chose to live below our means at every stage. As a result we were debt free when I was in my early 40’s and I was able to retire for the first time at 49. Capitalism is not evil. It is a system that allows you to make your own decisions as opposed to some bureaucrat making them for you. If you make poor decisions, you do not have the same safety nets that a socialist society provides. It’s not good or evil, it’s just a system.

I truly wish that folks who don’t like capitalism would move to a socialist country, as opposed to trying to change the USA.

I agree with you on most occasions and respect your views but this is not totally about choices.
Capitalism love it or hate it (I never said evil) is a system where spending money is the biggest driver.
If everyone would live like you or Scott this country wouldn't function or be prosperous as today.
It's a great system but it wouldn't exist without people borrowing and living beyond their means which is encouraged.
Also having safety nets in a society has nothing to do with socialism which is generally misunderstood or used politically.
Socialism is defined as a political system in which the means of production, distribution and exchange are owned and operated by the community as a whole, for the community.
You can easily have the safety nets and operate in a free market, capital based economy which happens in various countries.

 

[Tanks]

Nobody is telling you how to live, you can do whatever you want but you are in minority as being debt free in this country and it's not always about choices, it's the capitalism.
...

How is capitalism is "forcing" people to get in debt? Now, as you mentioned above if one can get a loan for property below the interest rate of investments then it makes sense to get a loan though with the $10K cap on deductions it is not as attractive anymore.

My 28 y/o niece just bought a house for $2M and she paid cash rather than finance it as it was almost a wash with today's high mortgage interest rates and the cap on interest deduction.

And yes, it is about choices. Unfortunately, a lot of people do live beyond their means. I think there was a study in 2022 that stated 37% of the people in the country could not handle a $400 emergency.

 

[freefall]

Steve Winwood nailed it around 1970 "The percentage you're paying is too high a price,For living beyond your means.
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car, with the profit he made on your dreams."

 

[ActionBob]

Socialism is defined as a political system in which the means of production, distribution and exchange are owned and operated by the community as a whole, for the community.

I believe you are more accurately describing Communism.

 

[ActionBob]

You are contradicting yourself.
On one hand you are saying the system is set up to easily borrow on the other hand you are asking who twisted my arm?
You answered your own question "the system"
Also this is not about you and me it's about the big picture.
However I would be stupid not buy property on %3 mortgage when I can make much more with my money instead of paying all cash.
As far as hunts I don't understand your statement?
I can always go to hunts anywhere in the World while holding debts in various forms and can pay it all comfortably.
Not having any debt is not something to brag about when you know how to take advantage of that debt and improve your life.

You are saying that you are forced by the system to borrow money. I'm saying you are making personal decisions. Nobody and certainly the system are not forcing you to sign loan papers. Nor is it forcing anyone else. Those are choices!

We agree that it makes sense to borrow at low long term rates for properties. But it is still a choice. I was merely pointing out that is often a good choice.

And I was pointing out that if you dislike being in debt... Pay it off!

Stop spending on things you want but do not need instead of paying off your debt.... Or stop complaining and stop saying you are being forced to be in debt!