Politics

There's enough of that plastered all over every other corner of the internet.
 
It is so genuinely rewarding to get a response like that - and three great guys.

Here is the full clip for those who have not seen the The Big Lebowski. Probably needs a mature audience label. :unsure:

 
It is so genuinely rewarding to get a response like that - and three great guys.

Here is the full clip for those who have not seen the The Big Lebowski. Probably needs a mature audience label. :unsure:


Oh, my sides! I haven't watched it in a while, but it's one of the more quotable films, get's referenced often.
 
As I live and breathe...

Today has been a learning experience for me.

I was just talking to my former boss. I mentioned that mermaid story from NPR. He told me there is a school in CA that teaches certified mermaid swimming. He also mentioned a couple of mermaids saved a diver in distress last year. I found the story.


I guess it's not exactly Daryl Hannah... but it's close.
 
Screenshot_20230526_180235_Instagram.jpg
 
A fine rant Tundra Tiger!

A couple of thoughts. First, I believe most people live their lives, love what they love, and do what they do, without giving a single thought to what’s going on in Washington or even their own state capital. They presumably have jobs that give them a comfortable living, with some extra money left……for things like mermaid tails. I think I’m OK with this frame of mind.

Secondly, while the desire for mermaid tails (a niche market if there ever was one) evades me, I think people should do what makes them happy. It’s a good sign that things aren’t so bad with our economy. I’m sure lots of people would shake their heads in wonder at the price of a bespoke double rifle! Within certain bounds, I think people should strive to achieve “water vessel floatation” as they see fit.
"Things" may be OK for some people, others have far more pressing needs; housing, funding for healthcare, food and more... NO fingers pointing at anyone here, there's a big, disrupted world out there; it pays to be aware of it ...
 
Much wisdo
I consider myself well read on the events of the Great War, including the war in the East. Yes, Germany made a strategic bargain with the devil to attempt to force Russia out of the war. For the short term it worked, and because of the availability of those troops, Germany very nearly won the war in the west in spring of 1918. But they didn't, and the arrival of dozens of fresh divisions of US troops forced a capitulation by the fall. Other than geographic, I see little parallel to situation in Ukraine. Denis "Nikitin" Kapustin, however annoying to the Kremlin, is no Vladimir Ilyich Ulyano (Lenin). And in this case, Russia has no one to blame but itself should radical movements begin to take hold.

Had Putin focused a bit more on sewer systems, highways, and expanding power grids rather than T-90 tanks, he and his country would likely be in a far better and more stable place right now.

However, the Czech crisis, is to me stunning in its parallels - and I am hardly alone in recognizing them. In 1938 Germany was not the war machine it would be 40/41 when it rolled across France and very nearly toppled the Soviet Union. Hitler's territorial ambitions could have been stopped by the French and British, particularly the French Army, had the two allies been willing to act. They didn't and an emboldened and ever stronger Hitler and his Wehrmacht felt free to move on Poland a year later. The whole world paid for that collapse of Western European will through an enormous cost in blood and treasure over the next six years.

Ukraine has to be looked upon as a continuum of Russian military actions and NATO responses beginning in 2014. The seizure of the Crimean Peninsula was essentially coup de main. Fortunately, both the Ukrainian government, far sighted politicians and military leaders in Ukraine and NATO did take the lessons of 1938 seriously. Unlike Czechoslovakia, it would take more than one military operation for Putin to succeed in his territorial ambitions in Ukraine.

During the next eight years, Ukraine aggressively embraced the Western way of war. Their officers participated in NATO maneuvers; contingents served alongside NATO forces in Afghanistan; other officers and NCOs attended command and staff courses and NCO development programs across NATO; and the Ukrainian Army initiated a major reorganization, largely under British and American guidance, that mirrored the NATO brigade combat team structure.

Unlike Czechoslovakia in 1938, when Russian tanks rolled in February of 22, the Ukrainian Army had already reached a point that it could bring the onslaught to a halt well short of its objectives. A year later is poised to potentially defeat the Russian Army in the field.

Again, like 1938, had Putin's army marched into Kyiv as he expected, does anyone seriously believe that this would have been his last "territorial demand" - to quote Hitler. Russia clearly covets the Baltics, and success in Ukraine abetted by a passive NATO could have led to a miscalculation on Putin's part that could easily also have paralleled Poland in 1939, carrying the remarkable analogy even farther.

I find the whole neo-nazi name calling truly tiresome. Yes, there were some elements of the militias, particularly Azov, that claimed a heritage with the Ukrainian WWII units that sided with Germany in opposing the Soviet Regime. It is a credit to Russian propaganda that they have succeeded in getting some in Western Europe and many of their supporters in Eastern Europe to magnify the claims that the Ukrainian Army is composed of neo-nazis.

What is factual and what is playing out on TV and computer screens across the world is the Ukrainian people are willing to endure almost any sacrifice to preserve their right of self-determination and their hope of becoming a full member of the European community of nations. What is equally clear is that Putin has attempted to unleash the power of a corrupt and tyrannical state to prevent those aspirations. I have no doubt in my mind where lies the right side of history.

And from a purely national interest perspective, I have absolutely no question that stopping Russian territorial ambitions and hamstringing its military modernization is critical in my country's strategic confrontation with China.
m from Red Leg, thank you, Sir.
 
"Things" may be OK for some people, others have far more pressing needs; housing, funding for healthcare, food and more... NO fingers pointing at anyone here, there's a big, disrupted world out there; it pays to be aware of it ...
I am aware of, and sympathetic toward, those less fortunate than myself. I do what I can, mostly through my church, to help them. That said, the average person in these United States lives better today than their counterparts at any time in history. IMO, our relative wealth and the decadent lives too many lead today are the cause of more misery than is commonly recognized. My grandparents were destitute poor. But they were proud and raised their kids to be solid citizens. I wonder about the kind of citizens we’re producing today.
 
How many law suits do you think Donald Trump has faced in his life and career?

Before you come up-with an answer, consider what he is facing at the moment (from this article):

As the former President prepares to face re-election, Democrats and left-wing activists have filed dozens of lawsuits against him. Whilst any claims of wrongdoing or criminal activity must be taken seriously, it’s clearly no coincidence that these issues have arisen months before the Republican primaries begin. Indeed, many of the cases are being held in New York, where in 2019 a Democrat Attorney General was elected on the grounds she would find a way to charge an “illegitimate president”.

This sort of left-wing misuse of the law to undermine democratic principles calls to mind the end of the Roman republic.

And the answer is: '[...] an estimated 4,000 cases Mr Trump has faced in his lifetime.'

I suppose that there are two possible reactions to this astonishing number: either, there's no smoke without fire (although such an attitude is contrary to the principle of guilt having to be proved); or, that the weaponisation of the legal system, in both Trump's business and political careers, has got completely out of hand. The American committee investigating the weaponisation of the federal bureaucracy would also do well to cast a long glance at the legal system.
 
How many law suits do you think Donald Trump has faced in his life and career?

Before you come up-with an answer, consider what he is facing at the moment (from this article):

As the former President prepares to face re-election, Democrats and left-wing activists have filed dozens of lawsuits against him. Whilst any claims of wrongdoing or criminal activity must be taken seriously, it’s clearly no coincidence that these issues have arisen months before the Republican primaries begin. Indeed, many of the cases are being held in New York, where in 2019 a Democrat Attorney General was elected on the grounds she would find a way to charge an “illegitimate president”.

This sort of left-wing misuse of the law to undermine democratic principles calls to mind the end of the Roman republic.

And the answer is: '[...] an estimated 4,000 cases Mr Trump has faced in his lifetime.'

I suppose that there are two possible reactions to this astonishing number: either, there's no smoke without fire (although such an attitude is contrary to the principle of guilt having to be proved); or, that the weaponisation of the legal system, in both Trump's business and political careers, has got completely out of hand. The American committee investigating the weaponisation of the federal bureaucracy would also do well to cast a long glance at the legal system.
Yep!
So what does the corrupt MSM and Deep State and Dems do with the corrupt, lying, demented tool of the Marxist-Socialists who is in the WH now?- support him and figure out ways to keep him and that system in power. What do the RINOS do with the ex-Pres?- join the corrupt MSM, Deep State and Dems in the relentless attack on him and the festival atmosphere of pitting him against DeSantis... instead of focusing all that energy on the train wreck in process for our country who is currently in the WH and all the corrupt Deep State under him.
 
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An interesting snippet here from an article about Russians evading conscription.

But it appears that, increasingly often, soldiers convicted of going Awol are being handed down suspended sentences. The cynical reason for this seems to be a clause written into Putin’s mobilisation order in September which forbids the discharge of those mobilised soldiers who hold suspended sentences for convictions, meaning they are essentially forced to fight indefinitely. Not only are convicted mobilised soldiers therefore returned to the front line they tried to avoid, but for them there is then no way home.
 
Pretty powerful bit of video put out by the Ukrainian MOD overnight. To their credit, Ukraine has been very patient putting together the elements needed for this pending counteroffensive. The pressure to act sooner rather than later has no doubt been significant. Like Montgomery prior to El Alamein, I hope they wait until they have the last bootlace tied.

 
Though I’ve never been into the ra ra ra that some promote

In this case I suspect it isn’t just empty posturing

Also in stark contrast (I suspect) to the other team where the sub-tittle might read

“ What the f**k am I doing here?

“Why is my cousin shooting at me?”

“Could I get away with shooting that turd with pips on his shoulder that treats me like sh*t and always seems to have a meal in his belly when I don’t “

“How do I get out of here”

Etc etc etc
 
Pretty powerful bit of video put out by the Ukrainian MOD overnight. To their credit, Ukraine has been very patient putting together the elements needed for this pending counteroffensive. The pressure to act sooner rather than later has no doubt been significant. Like Montgomery prior to El Alamein, I hope they wait until they have the last bootlace tied.


Not to get off into the weeds, but I wonder how things would have gone differently had Rhodesia had today's social media machine at its disposal. I haven't cared enough to look into any potential commentary from him, but it'd be interesting to do a side by side of Kissinger's statements on the two different situations. (When that man admits you got hosed by the international community, you really got hosed.)
 
Not to get off into the weeds, but I wonder how things would have gone differently had Rhodesia had today's social media machine at its disposal. I haven't cared enough to look into any potential commentary from him, but it'd be interesting to do a side by side of Kissinger's statements on the two different situations. (When that man admits you got hosed by the international community, you really got hosed.)
He has been of at least two minds. In May of last year, his position was that Ukraine should be prepared to cede territory to achieve peace. In January of this year, he stated that Ukraine should retake occupied territory while agreeing to negotiations. By May of this year, he was strongly advocating Ukraine membership in NATO. :E Shrug:

With respect to Rhodesia, I think it would matter in which world the bush war was being fought. If it were the woke present, I am afraid the racial narrative would outweigh everything else regardless of social/mass media access. That had pretty much become the case by the mid-seventies regardless of the Soviet Union's role.
 
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He has been of at least two minds. In May of last year, his position was that Ukraine should be prepared to cede territory to achieve peace. In January of this year, he stated that Ukraine should retake occupied territory while agreeing to negotiations. By May of this year, he was strongly advocating Ukraine membership in NATO. :E Shrug:

With respect to Rhodesia, I think it would matter in which world the bush war was being fought. If it were the woke present, I am afraid the racial narrative would outweigh everything else regardless of social/mass media access. That had pretty much become the case by the mid-seventies regardless.
Just saw that he turned 100 this year. Not to sound disparaging, but he's doing well to have a mind at all, to say nothing of a pair.

For sure it wouldn't fly in today's circus. What was sequestered to the vocabulary of the liberal intellectuals then is the street vernacular today.
 
"I suppose that there are two possible reactions to this astonishing number: either, there's no smoke without fire (although such an attitude is contrary to the principle of guilt having to be proved); or, that the weaponisation of the legal system, in both Trump's business and political careers, has got completely out of hand. The American committee investigating the weaponisation of the federal bureaucracy would also do well to cast a long glance at the legal system."

A reasonable mind can believe both. Weaponisation of the system? Sure. And yes there is a presumption of innocence. But 4000 instances of smoke W/O fire? NoPe. Common sense says that statistically that's just not possible. Some of those had fires that got them started. I spent almost 20 years as a classroom teacher. So many of his behaviors look like he never made it out of elementary school. His behavior has always been that of a bully trying to get away with something. Was he/is he being hosed by the system in some cases? Of that I have no doubt. 4000 times though? Again, NoPe. Contrary to that aforementioned presumption, common sense suggests to me that he lit the match a time or three to start some of those fires himself.
 
As I live and breathe...

Today has been a learning experience for me.

I was just talking to my former boss. I mentioned that mermaid story from NPR. He told me there is a school in CA that teaches certified mermaid swimming. He also mentioned a couple of mermaids saved a diver in distress last year. I found the story.


I guess it's not exactly Daryl Hannah... but it's close.
Yeah people hire them for pool parties now in California and elsewhere. Strange world but seems harmless.
 
How many law suits do you think Donald Trump has faced in his life and career?

Before you come up-with an answer, consider what he is facing at the moment (from this article):

As the former President prepares to face re-election, Democrats and left-wing activists have filed dozens of lawsuits against him. Whilst any claims of wrongdoing or criminal activity must be taken seriously, it’s clearly no coincidence that these issues have arisen months before the Republican primaries begin. Indeed, many of the cases are being held in New York, where in 2019 a Democrat Attorney General was elected on the grounds she would find a way to charge an “illegitimate president”.

This sort of left-wing misuse of the law to undermine democratic principles calls to mind the end of the Roman republic.

And the answer is: '[...] an estimated 4,000 cases Mr Trump has faced in his lifetime.'

I suppose that there are two possible reactions to this astonishing number: either, there's no smoke without fire (although such an attitude is contrary to the principle of guilt having to be proved); or, that the weaponisation of the legal system, in both Trump's business and political careers, has got completely out of hand. The American committee investigating the weaponisation of the federal bureaucracy would also do well to cast a long glance at the legal system.
In the UK if you lose a civil case, you automatically pay all lawyers fees for both sides. This keeps case counts lower. We need that here.
 

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