The Morning Rant: Minimalist Edition

The West has backed itself into a corner. Russia is grinding down eastern Ukraine and making it clear that they are in it for the long haul. It has been an expensive and painful slog for Putin, and has exposed the weakness of the Russian armed forces in delightful ways. But that doesn't mean he can't consolidate and declare victory of a sort. The question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of war materiel into a conflict that is at best a stalemate, with modest gains and losses at huge expense.

NATO Chief Admits Ukraine May Have to 'Compromise' with Russia.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has conceded the possibility that Ukraine may need to compromise with Russia in order to end the war between the two nations.
In an interview with the BBC, Stoltenberg appeared to acknowledge that without a proposed five-year, 100 billion euro fund for Ukraine, the Eastern European nation could find itself facing unconditional surrender to Russia without any bargaining power.

Acknowledging reality...what a concept! Absent Western armies joining the conflict, is it really in the realm of possibilities that Ukraine will prevail, and push Russia out of its claimed territories?

There are no positive outcomes in this border dispute. All that one can hope for is cessation of hostilities and a cold peace. Ukraine must admit that the odds are not in its favor, in spite of the oceans of money and arms flowing into it from a West that is using it as a proxy in its mostly imaginary conflict with the Russian bear. And of course the massive grift that is Ukraine will continue, regardless of the outcome of this war. If Ukraine wins, then the West will funnel cash into it for rebuilding, and that is ripe for theft. And if it loses, the West will funnel cash into it for rebuilding! It's a Win-Win for the kleptocrats in Washington and the capitals of Europe!

Sadly, American stockpiles of many vital weapons have been depleted, and our military-industrial base is incapable of replenishing those stocks in a manner that a sane country would demand. We are years away from fully stocked arsenals, and our real enemy knows that very, very well.

Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine. And we don't have the materiel to fight those battles!

[Crossposted at CutJibNewsletter]

Posted by: CBD at 11:00 AM

Comments

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Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:01 AM (GBKbO)

2 Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine. And we don't have the materiel to fight those battles!

If that's true, then Ukraine was a needed wake up call.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:01 AM (CsUN+)

3 Breaking: (If not on last thread) - OJ died.

Posted by: Nova Local at April 11, 2024 11:02 AM (exHjb)

4 Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine

Don't forget Guyana.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:02 AM (Zqr/U)

5 Breaking: (If not on last thread) - OJ died.
Posted by: Nova Local

Nicole kicking his ass.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (3t4sN)

6 IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE THIS WAS OBVIOUS FROM THE START

Posted by: BEN ROETHLISBERGER at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (6IDWi)

7 The junta has fostered chaos globally and now it pulls back to consolidate power before the next "election."

Shit's about to get real.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (Q4IgG)

8 The question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of war materiel into a conflict that is at best a stalemate, with modest gains and losses at huge expense.
++++
I respectfully disagree.

I think that the question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of blood into the conflict in the hopes of breaking a stalemate. It's clear that materiel isn't going to cut it. Will they YOLO it and send Western forces directly?

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (HnUIn)

9 China is pleased with the depletion of critical military stocks by the US.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:04 AM (ynpvh)

10 2 Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine. And we don't have the materiel to fight those battles!

If that's true, then Ukraine was a needed wake up call.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:01 AM (CsUN+)

=======

Since we're not building up our own military capabilities, instead funneling cash into a kleptocratic state that's been known as the center of corruption in Europe for many years, I'd say that it's a call that our leadership is intentionally misreading.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:04 AM (GBKbO)

11 Is Russia's military in bad shape if it's able to grind out a win over the US and Europe combined?

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:04 AM (ogTiX)

12 I hope Satan has something in store for OJ

Posted by: Nevergiveup at April 11, 2024 11:04 AM (PQ4m2)

13 3 Breaking: (If not on last thread) - OJ died.

Posted by: Nova Local at April 11, 2024 11:02 AM (exHjb)

I don't drink OJ very often.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:04 AM (ynpvh)

14 The crime syndicate needs a squirrel. The asswipes still alive associated with the OJ trial are going to come out of the fucking woodwork.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at April 11, 2024 11:05 AM (R4t5M)

15 "Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort ..."

Not our effort, I hope. If we won't even defend our own border, I can't see any reason to defend the borders of other nations. We can't be the world's policeman anymore.

Posted by: Let gp Sink In at April 11, 2024 11:05 AM (MvF+J)

16 11 Is Russia's military in bad shape if it's able to grind out a win over the US and Europe combined?

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:04 AM (ogTiX)

Europe has a military?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:05 AM (ynpvh)

17 The Devil meeting OJ in hell:

"Pez?"

Posted by: pawn at April 11, 2024 11:05 AM (QB+5g)

18 In an interview with the BBC, Stoltenberg appeared to acknowledge that without a proposed five-year, 100 billion euro fund for Ukraine, the Eastern European nation could find itself facing unconditional surrender to Russia without any bargaining power.
++++
But more materiel we can't afford and possibly can't replace effectively will change this, how? Ukraine has fought to stalemate only with entire armies' worth of materiel and has had to call up (though possibly only as a marketing/PR stunt - I'm not sure) middle aged men to fight the Russians, which indicates (if it was actually necessary) that they are running out of men.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:06 AM (HnUIn)

19 Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine. And we don't have the materiel to fight those battles!

If that's true, then Ukraine was a needed wake up call.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:01 AM

Who is it going to wake up?

The reason we don't have the materiel to fight those battles is due to Biden/The UniParty abandoning our materiel in Afghanistan and wasting the rest in Ukraine

Posted by: Chuck C at April 11, 2024 11:06 AM (yOPBE)

20 Well, as my mother said when I told her Ted Kennedy had a brain tumor, "It's about time."

Posted by: dagny, first of her name at April 11, 2024 11:06 AM (U8kCF)

21 15 "Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort ..."

Not our effort, I hope. If we won't even defend our own border, I can't see any reason to defend the borders of other nations. We can't be the world's policeman anymore.

Posted by: Let gp Sink In at April 11, 2024 11:05 AM (MvF+J)

Well, when we're the Keystone Cops when it comes to the real baddies, but are all Robo-Cop on our "allies"...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (ynpvh)

22 If Ukraine wins, then the West will funnel cash into it for rebuilding, and that is ripe for theft. And if it loses, the West will funnel cash into it for rebuilding! It's a Win-Win for the kleptocrats in Washington and the capitals of Europe!
++++
And that's what *really* matters.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (HnUIn)

23 Has the "death to America" Dearbornistani been invited to the WH yet?

Posted by: BignJames at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (AwYPR)

24 I respectfully disagree.

I think that the question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of blood into the conflict...

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (HnUIn)

Joe...you ignorant slut!

I made that point in the next paragraph, but I don't see boots on the ground as a significant possibility.

My guess is that they will revitalize NATO and recognize another "Iron Curtain," and eventually bring Ukraine into the fold. That will give them their flashpoint, and another 25 years of NATO grift.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (gSZYf)

25 Errahh....welcome!

Posted by: Chapaquittick Ted at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (R4t5M)

26 20 Well, as my mother said when I told her Ted Kennedy had a brain tumor, "It's about time."

Posted by: dagny, first of her name at April 11, 2024 11:06 AM (U8kCF)

You woulda thought liver cancer or dick cancer from all the STDs. I guess his brain was in the worst shape of all.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:08 AM (ynpvh)

27 Hillary is apparently starring in a '50s syfy B movie as Emperess Ming the Merciless.

https://shorturl.at/cpuyD

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? at April 11, 2024 11:08 AM (FVME7)

28 If you ever wonder if your life was a success, you only have to look at what fraction of the population wants you dead after long suffering. OJ has his answer.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:08 AM (CsUN+)

29 War what is it good for?
Billion in profits for the big guy!!

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:08 AM (Y6Wgg)

30 22 If Ukraine wins, then the West will funnel cash into it for rebuilding, and that is ripe for theft. And if it loses, the West will funnel cash into it for rebuilding! It's a Win-Win for the kleptocrats in Washington and the capitals of Europe!
++++
And that's what *really* matters.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (HnUIn)

+++++
If Russia wins, do they have to pay for the Ukraine's reconstruction? If so, our best path forward seems clear.

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:09 AM (ogTiX)

31 Breaking: (If not on last thread) - OJ died.
Posted by: Nova Local at April 11, 2024 11:02 AM

Breakfast will not feature OJ?

Anyway...

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at April 11, 2024 11:09 AM (Wnv9h)

32 It's obvious America can't win a war any time soon. Less obvious America's government doesn't want America to win a war ever.

Posted by: Eromero at April 11, 2024 11:09 AM (NxC5+)

33 29 War what is it good for?
Billion in profits for the big guy!!

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:08 AM (Y6Wgg)

Reducing the world population--WEF

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:09 AM (ynpvh)

34 The juice is no longer on the loose?

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (Y6Wgg)

35 https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/11040893/ can-you-spot-hunter-20-20-vision-illusion/

remove spaces for actual spot the sniper exercise!

Posted by: scottst at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (qcvs8)

36 Sadly, not much to share from the usual suspect Lefty sites. Ukraine is old (old) news, and Lefties always have to "progress" to the next, bigger outrage. Like COVID, there's a small handful of activists that still focus on it, and when breaking news pops up, the rank and file NPC Lefties will all show up to say the right things, but the topic will rapidly fall off the main discussion page, replaced by the newest outrage.

Posted by: Intercepted DU Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (JCZqz)

37 RIP Nordberg.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (lknh/)

38 I often feel like I'm reading a history of the decline and fall of the west and the rise of China. "Meanwhile, the west sank its last blood and treasure into meaningless European border conflicts."

Posted by: dagny, first of her name at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (U8kCF)

39 21 We can't afford it, and on the evidence of the last several decades, we suck at it. We have no credibility left to claim to be fighting for 'freedom' on other nations' territories.

Posted by: Let gp Sink In at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (MvF+J)

40 The reason we don't have the materiel to fight those battles is due to Biden/The UniParty abandoning our materiel in Afghanistan and wasting the rest in Ukraine
Posted by: Chuck C at April 11, 2024 11:06 AM (yOPBE)
++++
Eh, not really. Those things didn't help - especially Ukraine - but they aren't the source of the problem.

We're broke, and we have a radically-depleted industrial base. 30 years of breakneck offshoring has hollowed out our production base, eliminated vast amounts of expertise and helped bankrupt the government.

We can't afford to replace it and even if we could, we can't do so quickly because we don't have the adequate industrial power at all points in production like we used to. That isn't Biden's fault, it's the fault of everyone in government and industry going back several decades. Biden is worse than average and Trump was better than average, but this problem didn't crop up in the past three years.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (HnUIn)

41 I bet there are some lefties who believe that if we deplete US defensive capabilities, wars will cease.

Those people are too stupid to survive.

Posted by: Emmie at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (Sf2cq)

42 32 It's obvious America can't win a war any time soon. Less obvious America's government doesn't want America to win a war ever.
Posted by: Eromero at April 11, 2024 11:09 AM (NxC5+)

========

I suspect we still have the ability to win wars, but the entire military has been infected with mantras on how to not win wars.

Sherman's observation that wars are terrible and should be won quickly a forcefully has been bastardized to the point where America feels like it needs to make wars nice because we're "good". Also, the massive corruption. Can't forget the massive corruption.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:11 AM (GBKbO)

43 He should have died in prison but oh well one less piece of shit walking the planet,

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:11 AM (Y6Wgg)

44 Reality? That isn't how it's done in DC.

Posted by: henry at April 11, 2024 11:11 AM (JMDly)

45 41 I bet there are some lefties who believe that if we deplete US defensive capabilities, wars will cease.

Those people are too stupid to survive.

Posted by: Emmie at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (Sf2cq)

The nuke disarmament groups of the 70's and 80's, funded by the Russkies.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:12 AM (ynpvh)

46 36 Sadly, not much to share from the usual suspect Lefty sites. Ukraine is old (old) news, and Lefties always have to "progress" to the next, bigger outrage. Like COVID, there's a small handful of activists that still focus on it, and when breaking news pops up, the rank and file NPC Lefties will all show up to say the right things, but the topic will rapidly fall off the main discussion page, replaced by the newest outrage.
Posted by: Intercepted DU Transmissions brought by the Intrepid AoS Liaison at April 11, 2024 11:10 AM (JCZqz)

========

I remember when you were getting us tactical updates through their comments, arguing about which hills needed to be held.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:12 AM (GBKbO)

47 Joe...you ignorant slut!

I made that point in the next paragraph, but I don't see boots on the ground as a significant possibility.

My guess is that they will revitalize NATO and recognize another "Iron Curtain," and eventually bring Ukraine into the fold. That will give them their flashpoint, and another 25 years of NATO grift.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:07 AM (gSZYf)
++++
Yeah, yeah. I kept reading.

My only question really is, "what is more important/valuable to the juntas: getting men killed and justifying additional oppression because 'this is a time of war,' or maximizing and expanding their long-term graft pipelines?"

I'd like to think that it's the latter, but I am unsure.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:12 AM (HnUIn)

48 China has its own issues to deal with. Depopulation due to the one child policy catching up is gonna be ugly for them. Already started and will only accelerate the next couple of decades.

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:13 AM (Y6Wgg)

49 48 China has its own issues to deal with. Depopulation due to the one child policy catching up is gonna be ugly for them. Already started and will only accelerate the next couple of decades.
Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:13 AM (Y6Wgg)

=======

I think their time to start a major foreign war was 20 years ago. Its population is aging too quickly.

But, I barely know anything about China. I'm probably really wrong.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:13 AM (GBKbO)

50 "We can't afford to replace it and even if we could, we can't do so quickly because we don't have the adequate industrial power at all points in production like we used to. That isn't Biden's fault, it's the fault of everyone in government and industry going back several decades. Biden is worse than average and Trump was better than average, but this problem didn't crop up in the past three years."

This is pretty much a recipe for Nuclear Warfare.

Posted by: pawn at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (QB+5g)

51 We're broke, and we have a radically-depleted industrial base. 30 years of breakneck offshoring has hollowed out our production base, eliminated vast amounts of expertise and helped bankrupt the government.

We can't afford to replace it and even if we could, we can't do so quickly because we don't have the adequate industrial power at all points in production like we used to. That isn't Biden's fault, it's the fault of everyone in government and industry going back several decades. Biden is worse than average and Trump was better than average, but this problem didn't crop up in the past three years.

Peter Zeihan insists that America is rapidly reindustrializing. In addition, Mexico is becoming an American manufacturing annex. I haven't seen the numbers, so I can't comment intelligently, but things may actually be turning around.

Just today, there was an article stating that 15% of all I-phones are now made in India, with plans for more.

Incredible as it may seem, China is running out of people. They'll have lots of engineers for the foreseeable future, but they are no longer a low-cost manufacturer.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (CsUN+)

52 The nuke disarmament groups of the 70's and 80's, funded by the Russkies.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:12 AM (ynpvh)

I married the son of one of those people.

He got better.

Posted by: Emmie at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (Sf2cq)

53 48 China has its own issues to deal with. Depopulation due to the one child policy catching up is gonna be ugly for them. Already started and will only accelerate the next couple of decades.

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:13 AM (Y6Wgg)

Well, we'll be catching up by snipping and sewing genitals on our kids via "gender affirming care"...which seems to be exactly backwards..."Biology-denying abuse" is more like it.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (ynpvh)

54 Morning.

I see the Horde already got the news O.J. Simpson is tits up.

The Juice has been squeezed.

So...partying with Nicole in heaven or hell?

Did the glove fit? Did the good lawd acquit?

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (9acZN)

55 51 Incredible as it may seem, China is running out of people. They'll have lots of engineers for the foreseeable future, but they are no longer a low-cost manufacturer.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (CsUN+)

=======

Stealing IP for decades adds up.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (GBKbO)

56 You’re right. Their population is both aging and shrinking. And their economy is based on the exact oppose, non stop growth, it’s a double whammy.

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:15 AM (Y6Wgg)

57 Sadly, American stockpiles of many vital weapons have been depleted, and our military-industrial base is incapable of replenishing those stocks in a manner that a sane country would demand. We are years away from fully stocked arsenals, and our real enemy knows that very, very well.
____

I thought people who knew right from the start that a ceasefire and settlement right at the start would have been in US's best interest were Putin's puppets and traitors to America

Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 11, 2024 11:15 AM (KSkEK)

58 Dr. Thomas Sowell smacks you in the face with hard truth.

https://tinyurl.com/2ekre4v9

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:15 AM (9acZN)

59 58 Dr. Thomas Sowell smacks you in the face with hard truth.

https://tinyurl.com/2ekre4v9
Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:15 AM (9acZN)

=======

Is that what he calls his johnson?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (GBKbO)

60 While our weapons stockpiles may be depleted, with no way to replenish them quickly,

We at least have the comfort of knowing that we have a filled to capacity Strategic Petroleum Reserve to get us through the lean times.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (a1415)

61 51
Incredible as it may seem, China is running out of people. They'll have lots of engineers for the foreseeable future, but they are no longer a low-cost manufacturer.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (CsUN+)

Their one child policy will ultimately be their downfall. But it will take another 20 years. Wonder if we (USA) can hang on that long.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (N39Ws)

62 Ukraine has been in and out of Russia 's control for centuries, this isn't anything new .

Oh and remember Sundowner told Putin a little war is fine

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (Wbsrn)

63 8 The question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of war materiel into a conflict that is at best a stalemate, with modest gains and losses at huge expense.
++++
I respectfully disagree.

I think that the question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of blood into the conflict in the hopes of breaking a stalemate. It's clear that materiel isn't going to cut it. Will they YOLO it and send Western forces directly?
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (HnUIn)

I agree with Joe Mannix. What they want is a pretext to inject massive quantities of American boots into the conflict.

It doesn't appear that a suitable pretext is in the offing, but they'll keep looking for one as long as they can.

Posted by: Rowsdower Believes Ray Epps is a Fed and Ashli Bennett is Crispus Attucks at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (poA+q)

64 52 The nuke disarmament groups of the 70's and 80's, funded by the Russkies.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:12 AM (ynpvh)

I married the son of one of those people.

He got better.

Posted by: Emmie at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (Sf2cq)

One would hope. It's the dead-brained ones that live in continual cognitive dissonance of Reps bad, Dems good, all the bad stuff under Dem admins is Reps fault, walking around like NPCs spouting the latest propaganda they hear on NPR. Those are the ones to worry about.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (ynpvh)

65 ...exposed the weakness of the Russian armed forces in delightful ways.

In what ways? And, given that the US was the instigator of the conflict, why is it delightful?

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (IUd0M)

66 62 Oh and remember Sundowner told Putin a little war is fine
Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:16 AM (Wbsrn)

========

"False! I never heard that! It didn't happen! Also, Sarah Palin said she could see Russia from her house."
-DU, 100% probability

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (GBKbO)

67 Putin will come back for another bite. Really, it'd be better to just arm Ukraine enough to win this thing and be done with it instead of allowing this incrementalism of Putin's.

Posted by: SkylerKat at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (6JOB5)

68 The juice is no longer on the loose?
Posted by: Montec

Someone left the OJ out. It's approaching room temperature.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (3t4sN)

69 My only question really is, "what is more important/valuable to the juntas: getting men killed and justifying additional oppression because 'this is a time of war,' or maximizing and expanding their long-term graft pipelines?"

I'd like to think that it's the latter, but I am unsure.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:12 AM (HnUIn)

+++++
Hope argued that those holding power in democracies have very short time preferences (their internal discount rates are very high). Based on that, I think whichever is perceived by the state to have the most short term benefits will be the one selected.

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (ogTiX)

70 China has its own issues to deal with. Depopulation due to the one child policy catching up is gonna be ugly for them. Already started and will only accelerate the next couple of decades.
Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:13 AM (Y6Wgg)
++++
That was possibly the most demographically-disastrous policy in history. China was already approaching the industrialization/urbanization/etc. inflection point where birthrates falls anyway. The policy was just early enough to short-circuit what was to be China's last mega-generation, and just late enough to not matter otherwise.

Birth rates today would likely be similar even without the policy (after all, it became the "two child policy" in the teens, and is now the "three child policy" and having 2+ children is being promoted as a Party duty for its members, all to no avail), but the Chinese equivalent of the Millennial and Zoomer generations (1980s-2000s births) are a lot smaller than they would have been. As a result, China's demography will collapse faster and sooner (relatively) than Japan's, and there was absolutely no reason for it.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:18 AM (HnUIn)

71 58 Dr. Thomas Sowell smacks you in the face with hard truth.

https://tinyurl.com/2ekre4v9

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:15 AM (9acZN)

Wow, didn't realize Thomas Sowell was so down-to-earth with his quotes. LOL

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:18 AM (ynpvh)

72 Incredible as it may seem, China is running out of people. They'll have lots of engineers for the foreseeable future, but they are no longer a low-cost manufacturer.
Posted by: Archimedes

Yes, Mexico is ramping up manufacturing at a rapid pace. China is now more expensive labor than Mexico, plus the transport is much cheaper. Nearshoring is a thing now.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:18 AM (Zqr/U)

73 Incredible as it may seem, China is running out of people. They'll have lots of engineers for the foreseeable future, but they are no longer a low-cost manufacturer.
Posted by: Archimedes

With 1.3 billion people, that's gonna take awhile.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2024 11:18 AM (3t4sN)

74 WaPo Whopper of the Day. Saint George Floyd murdered again.

https://shorturl.at/kqzB3

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? at April 11, 2024 11:19 AM (FVME7)

75 70 As a result, China's demography will collapse faster and sooner (relatively) than Japan's, and there was absolutely no reason for it.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:18 AM (HnUIn)

=======

"But we're still number 1, right? Right?!"
-Korea

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:19 AM (GBKbO)

76 68 The juice is no longer on the loose?
Posted by: Montec

Someone left the OJ out. It's approaching room temperature.
Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (3t4sN)

So what is the difference between OJ Simpson and Pee Wee Herman?

It took 12 jerks to get OJ off.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:19 AM (N39Ws)

77 There are no positive outcomes in this border dispute.

I would argue that a weakening of the positions of the anti-Soviet forces within the US foreign and intelligence communities... possibly even leading them to re-evaluate their thinking that everyone everywhere is exactly like them... would be an enormous benefit.

Pity so many young Ukrainian men had to die to learn it.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:20 AM (IUd0M)

78 >>Putin will come back for another bite. Really, it'd be better to just arm Ukraine enough to win this thing and be done with it instead of allowing this incrementalism of Putin's.

Well out in front for the dumbest comment I read here this week.

Good job.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2024 11:20 AM (lknh/)

79 76 68 The juice is no longer on the loose?
Posted by: Montec

Someone left the OJ out. It's approaching room temperature.
Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2024 11:17 AM (3t4sN)

So what is the difference between OJ Simpson and Pee Wee Herman?

It took 12 jerks to get OJ off.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:19 AM (N39Ws)

But only 6 to lay him down.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (ynpvh)

80 What's the difference between OJ and Colonel Sanders?
A: Colonel Sanders cuts up his chicks before he batters them.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (N39Ws)

81 78 Well out in front for the dumbest comment I read here this week.

Good job.
Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2024 11:20 AM (lknh/)

======

Doesn't matter. Putin already pushed so far westward that Paris is now communist.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (GBKbO)

82 I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile. But their screeching made me less disposed to think pouring money into Ukraine was a good idea

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (19U+m)

83 With 1.3 billion people, that's gonna take awhile.

The problem isn't the total number of people, it's their distribution between ambitious, hardworking young people who need to buy things to support families, and tired, past-their-prime oldsters who will need support but don't buy much. That's why China is spooling up the export dumping machine; there isn't enough domestic demand to power the economy.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (CsUN+)

84 Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine. And we don't have the materiel to fight those battles!

Fortunately we can just get China to ramp up production on needed items.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (IUd0M)

85 Amazing how we destroyed our ability to help Taiwan by sending all our stuff to non-ally Ukraine because it was 'necessary to stand up to Putin in order to make sure Taiwan is protected'. I suspect this was actually the desired outcome.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (XjtdB)

86 81 78 Well out in front for the dumbest comment I read here this week.

Good job.
Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2024 11:20 AM (lknh/)

======

Doesn't matter. Putin already pushed so far westward that Paris is now communist.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (GBKbO)

Paris has had tons of commies well before Putin was born.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:22 AM (ynpvh)

87 82 I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile. But their screeching made me less disposed to think pouring money into Ukraine was a good idea
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (19U+m)

=======

The establishment turned it into a slush fund under Obama.

Their true believers just followed orders.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:22 AM (GBKbO)

88 Dr. Thomas Sowell smacks you in the face with hard truth.

https://tinyurl.com/2ekre4v9

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:15 AM (9acZN)

Wow, didn't realize Thomas Sowell was so down-to-earth with his quotes. LOL
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia)

Ban big tits now!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? at April 11, 2024 11:22 AM (FVME7)

89 >>WaPo Whopper of the Day. Saint George Floyd murdered again.

I saw that we have lost another Scholar.

His Moms could be a Rep for Houston Texas.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2024 11:22 AM (lknh/)

90 Peter Zeihan insists that America is rapidly reindustrializing. In addition, Mexico is becoming an American manufacturing annex. ...
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:14 AM (CsUN+)
++++
Zeihan isn't entirely wrong, but it also isn't the entire story.

American industrial production is increasing, but it isn't broad at all various parts of the value chain. Where there is high complexity and heavy automation capability, we're doing better and producing more stuff here. That is good, but it is not enough. Input components (lower-complexity, higher-volume, more labor-intensive, etc.) are a major gap and that's a major problem. Mexico is something of a buffer in this regard, but the input component problem is still significant. Batteries, for example, may be "finished" in Mexico, but they're usually still sourced in the Orient.

Given enough time, the decline in globalization and supply chain risks - already developing, and will continue to accelerate - will result in more onshoring and more regional independence (North America as a meta-unit) throughout the industrial chain. That is good, but we ain't there yet and a major war would change the math fairly radically.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:22 AM (HnUIn)

91 There are no positive outcomes in this border dispute

Uke Nazi battalions and US bioweapons labs are destroyed, and Congressional perfidy and money laundering pipelines have been exposed. What's not to love?

Posted by: t-bird at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (4uAcR)

92 83 With 1.3 billion people, that's gonna take awhile.

The problem isn't the total number of people, it's their distribution between ambitious, hardworking young people who need to buy things to support families, and tired, past-their-prime oldsters who will need support but don't buy much. That's why China is spooling up the export dumping machine; there isn't enough domestic demand to power the economy.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (CsUN+)

One-child policy means that every kid killed wipes out quite a few family lines...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (ynpvh)

93 There are those among us that stated from the beginning this was nothing but money laundering protection money.

Posted by: Jim at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (zhWvq)

94 "Fortunately we can just get China to ramp up production on needed items."

Call me

Posted by: Alibaba at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (a1415)

95 91 There are no positive outcomes in this border dispute

Uke Nazi battalions and US bioweapons labs are destroyed, and Congressional perfidy and money laundering pipelines have been exposed. What's not to love?

Posted by: t-bird at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (4uAcR)

That the graft must flow, and still does.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (ynpvh)

96 I wonder if the Ukraine pushers know that the Ukrainian military was shelling the cities in the Donbass for years before Russia invaded.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (Zqr/U)

97 95 91 There are no positive outcomes in this border dispute

Uke Nazi battalions and US bioweapons labs are destroyed, and Congressional perfidy and money laundering pipelines have been exposed. What's not to love?

Posted by: t-bird at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (4uAcR)

That the graft must flow, and still does.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (ynpvh)

If the graft doesn't flow,
The grift must blow.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:24 AM (ynpvh)

98 I suspect we still have the ability to win wars, but the entire military has been infected with mantras on how to not win wars.

Sherman's observation that wars are terrible and should be won quickly a forcefully has been bastardized to the point where America feels like it needs to make wars nice because we're "good". Also, the massive corruption. Can't forget the massive corruption.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:11 AM (GBKbO)
And there is America's 'will' to be considered, what is really worth going to war? We just ain't got anything to be proud of any more, as a country. The left destroyed pride in country with pride in things.
Romans 1:22- Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Posted by: Eromero at April 11, 2024 11:24 AM (NxC5+)

99 Russia's military in bad shape if it's able to grind out a win over the US and Europe combined?

The interesting thing is what isn't happening - it was widely speculated that Putin would mobilize 300,000 soldiers (as he did earlier in the war when Ukraine was making gains) after his reelection. He hasn't done that, and you'd think that he would have done that to get the soldiers somewhat trained for the summer campaign.

This bespeaks a certain amount of confidence.

Russia allegedly is getting 10,000 volunteers a month - the army pays very good wages from the standpoint of someone living in a rural area.

Russia did draft 150,000 soldiers in the spring call-up, as it has done for decades. These soldiers serve for one year, and aren't sent to Ukraine.

It was pretty funny - some of the Ukrosimps were claiming that the perfectly normal spring call-up was proof that Putin was planning on invading Poland, after he wins in Ukraine.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:24 AM (YAtuc)

100 96 I wonder if the Ukraine pushers know that the Ukrainian military was shelling the cities in the Donbass for years before Russia invaded.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (Zqr/U)

Well, aw shucks.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:25 AM (ynpvh)

101 Well, the Fibbees are saying elevated terror threat across America so we may the uniparty have it's way.

Posted by: PT Barnum at April 11, 2024 11:25 AM (W/lyH)

102 With 1.3 billion people, that's gonna take awhile.

Not when they are the oldest average population in the world.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:25 AM (Zqr/U)

103 I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile. But their screeching made me less disposed to think pouring money into Ukraine was a good idea
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM

The establishment turned it into a slush fund under Obama.

Their true believers just followed orders.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:22 AM

"Well, son of a bitch!"

Posted by: Doof at April 11, 2024 11:25 AM (JunzL)

104
With 1.3 billion people, that's gonna take awhile.
Posted by: rickb223 at April 11, 2024 11:18 AM (3t4sN)

Not really. The margin and the rates of change count not the gross number.

And iof that 1.3 billion, the change in olds is much higher than the change in young people. You know how we have the problem if not enough people contributing to SS relative to people getting SS? China has that but is ina. Much worse situation than us.

And so much of their economy is based on consumerism. Especially real estate. Old people don’t buy a lot of housing. Young people do. What’s going to happen to their construction industry? It’s already collapsing.

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:26 AM (Y6Wgg)

105 Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:20 AM (IUd0M)

I disagree (see my comment at #24).

You are assuming that strategic imperatives trump everything else, and in a sane world you would be correct.

But...

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:26 AM (gSZYf)

106 Wait....George Floyd died?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 11, 2024 11:26 AM (a1415)

107 102 With 1.3 billion people, that's gonna take awhile.

Not when they are the oldest average population in the world.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:25 AM (Zqr/U)

Millions and millions of members of the PLA's grey brigade are approaching!

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:26 AM (ynpvh)

108 I wonder if the Ukraine pushers know that the Ukrainian military was shelling the cities in the Donbass for years before Russia invaded.

The Ukes are also now launching drone attacks on the nuclear plant that Russia controls.

Naturally, the Ukes are claiming that the Russians are doing that to themselves, to make the Ukes look bad.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:26 AM (YAtuc)

109 RIP Homer Simpson

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (IG4Id)

110 109 RIP Homer Simpson

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (IG4Id)

That OJ is a killer.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (ynpvh)

111 109 RIP Homer Simpson
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (IG4Id)

=======

*hillbilly laugh*
-Homer Glumplich at Heaven's Gate

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (GBKbO)

112 RIP Homer Simpson
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (IG4Id)

The Plow King is mort??

Posted by: Doof at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (JunzL)

113 >t took 12 jerks to get OJ off.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:19 AM (N39Ws)

Prosecution lost the trial when it was moved from Santa Monica to DTLA.

Posted by: mr tmz at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (rJ48h)

114 I wonder if the Ukraine pushers know that the Ukrainian military was shelling the cities in the Donbass for years before Russia invaded.

And if you tell them that will they just reject it as Russian propaganda?

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (dZVON)

115 Sadly, American stockpiles of many vital weapons have been depleted, and our military-industrial base is incapable of replenishing those stocks in a manner that a sane country would demand. We are years away from fully stocked arsenals, and our real enemy knows that very, very well.

And whatever we start building will be done by the current crop of high school and college graduates.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (W/lyH)

116 113 >t took 12 jerks to get OJ off.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:19 AM (N39Ws)

Prosecution lost the trial when it was moved from Santa Monica to DTLA.

Posted by: mr tmz at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (rJ48h)

If he's black,
On the streets he gets put back?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (ynpvh)

117 OJ is dead.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:29 AM (QNSds)

118 First and foremost, I'm glad the murderer of Ronald Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson is finally in the ground.

Secondly...yeah, we should be standing up arms factories now. But we aren't going to. Hell, we couldn't get ammo factories expanded when ammo prices were through the roof....nobody wanted to lay out the capital.

Thirdly...we're going to lose the next war and lose it worse than we lost Afganistan.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Anti-Marxist, buy ammo at April 11, 2024 11:29 AM (xcxpd)

119 "I wonder if the Ukraine pushers know that the Ukrainian military was shelling the cities in the Donbass for years before Russia invaded."

They don't , well not most of them. I have mentioned this fact to a bunch of people and very few know this. The open minded ones say they need to check this out and then are a lot less supportive.

Posted by: pawn at April 11, 2024 11:29 AM (QB+5g)

120 If the glove don’t fit you must acquit

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:29 AM (Y6Wgg)

121 112 RIP Homer Simpson
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (IG4Id)

The Plow King is mort??
Posted by: Doof at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (JunzL)

Barney was the Plow King.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Anti-Marxist, buy ammo at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (xcxpd)

122 117 OJ is dead.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:29 AM (QNSds)

He's Dead Jim.--Bones

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (ynpvh)

123 And so much of their economy is based on consumerism. Especially real estate. Old people don’t buy a lot of housing. Young people do. What’s going to happen to their construction industry? It’s already collapsing.

Posted by: Montec

The Chinese don't have a real stock market. The only way for a person to invest is via real estate. Too many renmenbi chasing returns led to the biggest real estate bubble in world history. It is popping.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (Zqr/U)

124 Millions and millions of members of the PLA's grey brigade are approaching!

Aim above the waist, boys, they've got armored walkers.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (dZVON)

125 Before he checked out I was hoping O. J. would have appeared on infomercials for the Ginja Knife.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (0EOe9)

126 Sadly, American stockpiles of many vital weapons have been depleted, and our military-industrial base is incapable of replenishing those stocks in a manner that a sane country would demand.

We need to get all the DEI controls in place before increasing arms production.

After all, you can't manufacture artillery shells if the workers don't know each other's personal pronouns.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (YAtuc)

127 O. J. Simpson died before he tracked down Ron & Nicole's murderer on golf courses nationwide!

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (uDHvI)

128 OJ is dead.

Now we'll never find the killer.

Posted by: t-bird at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (4uAcR)

129 The Plow King is mort??
Posted by: Doof at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (JunzL)

Homer was Mr. Plow!

Mister Plow is a loser
And I think he is a boozer

Posted by: spindrift at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (OguvZ)

130 Add the Philippine Islands to that list of potential flashpoints. Chico's are getting frisky with water cannons against Pinoy resupply vessels in those 'contested islands' East of Palawan. The US has a toehold of some presence on Palawan, for what its worth.

Posted by: Cicero KABOOM! KID at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (hirWM)

131 Aim above the waist, boys, they've got armored walkers.
Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (dZVON)

++++
Anti-imperial walkers

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (ogTiX)

132 Masters is getting goin!

Posted by: BruceWayne at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (CIS44)

133 123 And so much of their economy is based on consumerism. Especially real estate. Old people don’t buy a lot of housing. Young people do. What’s going to happen to their construction industry? It’s already collapsing.

Posted by: Montec

The Chinese don't have a real stock market. The only way for a person to invest is via real estate. Too many renmenbi chasing returns led to the biggest real estate bubble in world history. It is popping.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (Zqr/U)

That empty city, those empty malls...yeah, the public accounting vs the actual accounting must be miles apart...and on the PRC knows the truth...maybe.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (ynpvh)

134 One-child policy means that every kid killed wipes out quite a few family lines...
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:23 AM (ynpvh)

And covid hit right when a bunch of the oldsters were showing their Confucian roots and starting to express their objections to having their chance at immortality sent to die protecting CCP assets in Africa.

Posted by: Polliwog the 'Ette at April 11, 2024 11:32 AM (XjtdB)

135 I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile.
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (19U+m)

Imagine, if you will, an audience of mindless zombies. They are incapable of non-directed thought. Now, imagine a stage where someone, preferably a woman of color, walks up, hold up a Ukrainian flag and says "bark".

Now you understand.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:32 AM (IUd0M)

136 Sadly, American stockpiles of many vital weapons have been depleted, and our military-industrial base is incapable of replenishing those stocks in a manner that a sane country would demand.

Hey, thanks, Mitch!

Posted by: Xi at April 11, 2024 11:32 AM (njExo)

137 Speaking of China…

I’m watching the Netflix series 3 Body Problem. And it portrays the 1960s in China as not a fun place. Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

One episode even hinted that the NHS is shit and if you want good medical care you need to go to New York.

GenZ viewers will be mucho confused. lol.

Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (Y6Wgg)

138 11 Is Russia's military in bad shape if it's able to grind out a win over the US and Europe combined?

---

They aren't though. They are fighting a much smaller military with some US equipment and a stupid amount of our money. If Russian was a threat to US forces they should be absolutely steamrolling Ukraine.

Posted by: Ryan Frank at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (fgmuN)

139 A couple of days ago, Chuck Schumer said on the floor of the Senate that Ukraine was losing and that it was the Republicans fault.

Expect this to turn into a major political crisis after Mud Season is over in a couple of months if the Ukrainians start losing slowly, or not so slowly.

After all, the only reason why this could be happening is that Trump is colluding with Russia.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (YAtuc)

140 RIP Homer Simpson
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:27 AM (IG4Id)

The Plow King is mort??
Posted by: Doof at April 11, 2024 11:28 AM (JunzL)

Barney was the Plow King.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Anti-Marxist, buy ammo at April 11, 2024 11:30 AM (xcxpd)

D'Oh!!! Yeah, I realized my error after I posted my comment

Posted by: Doof at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (JunzL)

141 >>I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile.

Well, Russia is a BIG Country...
and Ukraine?

Ukraine is a Little Country.

Posted by: Kamala Harris at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (lknh/)

142 And the Biden administration has refused to resupply the Strategic Oil Reserve that he emptied.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (MNhXM)

143
I hope he is burning in hell. He should have died destitute in jail.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (RKVpM)

144 Why must 'we' fully insert ourselves into the EU can of worms? NATO? No, not really.

Brookings dot edu, Research
Want Ukraine in the EU? You’ll have to reform the EU, too.
Carlo Bastasin, July 2023

Last paragraph: Institutional improvements are of essential importance for the EU, but they cannot be disconnected from the use of its resources. The EU needs larger financial resources of its own; it must set up a European spending and taxation capacity to bolster its budget before the union’s enlargement to Ukraine and the other Eastern European countries takes place. For this to be possible, the EU needs institutions that European citizens believe are responsible stewards of their money, as well as for the upstream political choices. A qualified majority voting mechanism will not solve the problem of analyzing, selecting, and implementing indispensable common projects. Without progress in political integration, the European Union is destined to be reduced to an arena for contentious bargaining over national interests and sooner or later may perish under its weight, realizing one of Putin’s most coveted wishes.
---
And grifter Zelensky is not a path for peace, now or ever.

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 11:34 AM (NFX2v)

145 >>They aren't though. They are fighting a much smaller military with some US equipment and a stupid amount of our money. If Russian was a threat to US forces they should be absolutely steamrolling Ukraine.

Your Logic.

It is broken.

Posted by: garrett at April 11, 2024 11:34 AM (lknh/)

146 141 >>I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile."

The left has always been very good at doing what they are told to do, and believing what they are told to believe.

Posted by: Tom Servo at April 11, 2024 11:34 AM (i9ffA)

147 132 Masters is getting goin!
Posted by: BruceWayne at April 11, 2024 11:31 AM (CIS44)

I want to try and catch some of it this year. Been so long since I watched golf that I prolly don't know three quarters of the players.

Posted by: Zombie Robbo the Llama Butcher at April 11, 2024 11:34 AM (T+Iwg)

148 BTW, the PPI came in hot yesterday as was reported. Producer prices were just announced. Same story, second verse.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Zqr/U)

149 making it clear that they are in it for the long haul. It has been an expensive and painful slog for Putin ...

------------

Imagine how much worse it would be if The Junta wasn't enriching Putin by killing our oil and gas production?

It's almost as if we're funding both sides of the war. And why does that sound familiar?

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (uDHvI)

150 "Sadly, American stockpiles of many vital weapons have been depleted, and our military-industrial base is incapable of replenishing those stocks in a manner that a sane country would demand. "

But at least we still retain core competencies in small arms use, right?

https://tinyurl.com/3u63u7u9

( Yes, it does go to that story)

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (a1415)

151 It can be lunch time

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Wbsrn)

152 Sorry, meant CPI yesterday.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Zqr/U)

153 The EU needs larger financial resources of its own; it must set up a European spending and taxation capacity to bolster its budget before the union’s enlargement to Ukraine and the other Eastern European countries takes place.

The solution to the problem is to give us more money and power!

Posted by: All Governments! at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (YAtuc)

154 BTW, the PPI came in hot yesterday as was reported. Producer prices were just announced. Same story, second verse.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Zqr/U)

--------------

Unexpectedly!

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (uDHvI)

155 151 It can be lunch time

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Wbsrn)

Newfoundland?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (ynpvh)

156 I’m watching the Netflix series 3 Body Problem. And it portrays the 1960s in China as not a fun place. Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

One episode even hinted that the NHS is shit and if you want good medical care you need to go to New York.

GenZ viewers will be mucho confused. lol.
Posted by: Montec

I enjoyed the trilogy of books, tho I wouldnt classify them as easy reads. I dont really trust benioff and weiss to make anything good. How are you liking it?

Posted by: BruceWayne at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (CIS44)

157 Homer Simpson lives!

Or, rather, Dan Castellaneta lives.

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (Q1/to)

158 Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

-
Well, real communism has never been tried.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (FVME7)

159 BTW, the PPI came in hot yesterday as was reported. Producer prices were just announced. Same story, second verse.

In the last 2 weeks, the Dow has lost about 1,000 points.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (CsUN+)

160 148 BTW, the PPI came in hot yesterday as was reported. Producer prices were just announced. Same story, second verse.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Zqr/U)

=======

"Inflation is just a right wing conspiracy theory cooked up by MAGAts at Fox News. Also, Biden fixed inflation with the Inflation Reduction Act which all Republicans opposed. Also, inflation is the fault of corporations taking massive profits. Also, egg prices fell, so inflation isn't bad anymore. Also, Biden can't do anything about inflation because he doesn't have the power to jail executives because they run everything. Also, Biden fixed inflation."
-DU, 99.632% probability

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (GBKbO)

161 I’ll never understand why Ukraine became the next big thing on the left for awhile. But their screeching made me less disposed to think pouring money into Ukraine was a good idea
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at April 11, 2024 11:21 AM (19U+m)
++++
The Party wanted it, so the Party instructed its members to support it and use their megaphones to pound it into the populace. The NPCs are always open to programming. I used to think that it took time to do that, but I no longer think that. When the propaganda shifts - no matter how quickly or insanely - the NPCs shift with it nearly in real time.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (HnUIn)

162 In the last 2 weeks, the Dow has lost about 1,000 points.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (CsUN+)

They're always in the last place you look.

Posted by: spindrift at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (OguvZ)

163 158 Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

-
Well, real communism has never been tried.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (FVME7)

So many souffles gone flat...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (ynpvh)

164 If Ukraine does collapse it will be interesting to see if Poland or Romania try to grab little bits of the corpse for themselves. Poland has its eyes on Lwow(Lvov, etc). Will be interesting

Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (ixVYR)

165 Still normal air traffic into and out of Tehran, so the Iranian strike on Israel isn't imminent.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (YAtuc)

166 How are you liking it?

I thought it was very well done, albeit with all the requisite diversity.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (CsUN+)

167 158 Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

-
Well, real communism has never been tried.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (FVME7)

========

"Fuck you, bro. I was trained by the best."
-Pol Pot

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (GBKbO)

168 The Ukraine - Russia war is polarizing here. We've provided Ukraine weapons and demonstrated to their army how to tactically use them. Some of the weapons systems and the tactics to use them have obviously been observed and analyzed by the Russians. We're low on expendable munitions of all sorts. We're throwing billions of dollars down a seemingly never ending rabbit hole.

How is this not an advantage for the Russians in the long run?

That's my take. Our government's take is to grift off of it... like they do with everything.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (Q4IgG)

169 163 158 Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

-
Well, real communism has never been tried.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 11, 2024 11:36 AM (FVME7)

So many souffles gone flat...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (ynpvh)

I wonder if Karl Marx left the recipe in the park. Ya know, where it rained?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (ynpvh)

170 137 Speaking of China…

I’m watching the Netflix series 3 Body Problem. And it portrays the 1960s in China as not a fun place. Mao was like not cool bro, Not col at all.

One episode even hinted that the NHS is shit and if you want good medical care you need to go to New York.

GenZ viewers will be mucho confused. lol.
Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (Y6Wgg)

+++++

The struggle sessions are why that key China science babe joined up with the Tri-solaran collaborators

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (ogTiX)

171 "Still normal air traffic into and out of Tehran, so the Iranian strike on Israel isn't imminent."

See...this is what they want you to think!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (a1415)

172 OJs real trial about to start and the judge ain't going to be another Ito.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (GvesS)

173 Imagine how much worse it would be if The Junta wasn't enriching Putin by killing our oil and gas production?

It's almost as if we're funding both sides of the war. And why does that sound familiar?

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM

Pretty soon putin is going to run out of "stuff" to send to Ukraine and then it's anyone's guess what happens.

He is activating cold war tanks and APC's from mothballed depots. There have been reports of seeing T-55 tanks on the battlefield alongside BMP-1's, AFV's that have been obsolete since the 70s.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (QNSds)

174 I'm delivering at a place right across from DFW Airport.

Look, there goes a United jet!

I'll report if I see any engines fall off.

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (Q1/to)

175 169 I wonder if Karl Marx left the recipe in the park. Ya know, where it rained?
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (ynpvh)

========

"90% of the blood of the population. A dash of unicorn farts. Put in oven for 20 minutes at 325 degrees."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (GBKbO)

176 The struggle sessions are why that key China science babe joined up with the Tri-solaran collaborators

Dude. Spoilers.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (CsUN+)

177 One of the best 1 minute defenses of the 2nd Amendment you will ever see. Bonus, Noodle Arms Hogg gets his poop pushed in by a little Chinese immigrant.

https://tinyurl.com/4rs5yzxs

Posted by: JackStraw at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (LkLld)

178 I am a bit amazed China having their man in the White House hasn't already taken Taiwan.

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (Wbsrn)

179 People have misunderstood the Ukraine war from the start. Or mislead everyone.

What has been apparent for many months now, is that Russia has won, it's over, and there's nothing that will be done to change that, short of Nato troops going in. Which Pootin has said will result in nukular strikes.

So whether it's Mike Johnson or Alzheimer Joe, or Glitch Mitch or anybody else in DC, they keep talking as if sending in more money will help.

It won't.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (dGCAG)

180 BTW, the PPI came in hot yesterday as was reported. Producer prices were just announced. Same story, second verse.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:35 AM (Zqr/U)
++++
CPI (trailing indicator) was hot. PPI (leading indicator) was hot.

Hotness for a while yet. It takes 1-3 quarters for PPI to filter through to CPI. The PPI numbers this year made it clear that CPI wasn't going to "cool" much if it all.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (HnUIn)

181 When the propaganda shifts - no matter how quickly or insanely - the NPCs shift with it nearly in real time.

They switched seamlessly from "Ukraine will utterly defeat those incompetent Russians if they get more aid!" to "Ukraine will lose if they don't get more aid!" without a hint of introspection.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (YAtuc)

182 "Still normal air traffic into and out of Tehran, so the Iranian strike on Israel isn't imminent."

The "threat" was total puffery on whoever is running things now in DC.

Posted by: pawn at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (QB+5g)

183 178 I am a bit amazed China having their man in the White House hasn't already taken Taiwan.
Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:39 AM (Wbsrn)

=======

Amphibious landings are hard.
Invasions are hard.
Urban fighting is hard.

It's all really expensive.

Better to just try and buy the politicians.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (GBKbO)

184 I went home for lunch on the day OJ was acquitted, and heard the news on the radio on the way back to work. The very first person I encountered was the lady who usually did duty as the parking garage attendant during the work week. She was a middle-aged black woman, and I saw that she was trying hard not to cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, "I can't believe they let that guy walk!"

Posted by: Paco at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (njExo)

185 If Ukraine does collapse it will be interesting to see if Poland or Romania try to grab little bits of the corpse for themselves. Poland has its eyes on Lwow(Lvov, etc). Will be interesting
Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (ixVYR)

Like Russia they will probably grab those areas with a large home population.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (GvesS)

186 He is activating cold war tanks and APC's from mothballed depots. There have been reports of seeing T-55 tanks on the battlefield alongside BMP-1's, AFV's that have been obsolete since the 70s.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (QNSds)

Yeah, none of that's true.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (dGCAG)

187 This redheaded motorist wonders what it would be like to have a marginally less dishonest and corrupt government:
http://tiny.cc/naiqxz

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (HnUIn)

188 FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (7Q7Ca)

189 Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:26 AM (gSZYf)

According to their rules, Ukraine cannot join NATO while it's involved in a conflict (stop laughing).

I agree that they'll continue trying to push NATO to the border of Russia as they've done, pretty continuously, since they lied to Russia that they wouldn't.

What I wonder is when some of the smaller, more easterly, NATO members start questioning the value, to them, of membership.

Contrary to the opinions of people who think Putin dreams of the olden days of the Central Committee, I don't believe that Russia wants to take over eastern Europe. Assuming I'm correct, Poland -for example - is perfectly safe from Russian aggression right up to the point that the CIA decides to use them as a flashpoint.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (IUd0M)

190
"If you believed they put a man on the Sun
Man on the Sun
If you believe there's nothing in my skull
Then you fools be dull"

-- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, MENSA Member in Hood Standing

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (uDHvI)

191 She was a middle-aged black woman, and I saw that she was trying hard not to cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, "I can't believe they let that guy walk!"
Posted by: Paco at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (njEx

OJ not all that popular with black women in light of his preference for white women.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (GvesS)

192 I'm only here to honor a great, dead man. O. J. Simpson.

Mort.

https://youtu.be/uMsE6VszEFY

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (7Q7Ca)

193 http://tiny.cc/naiqxz
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (HnUIn)

I wonder if she would mind if I started licking her navel?

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (Q1/to)

194 Now back to your regularly schedule programming.

Posted by: Sponge - F*ck Joe Biden at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (7Q7Ca)

195 CBS News Sunday Morning, January 7, 2024

Rebranding China's conflicted Xinjiang region as a tourist destination

On YouTube.

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (NFX2v)

196 She was a middle-aged black woman, and I saw that she was trying hard not to cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, "I can't believe they let that guy walk!"

Sadly, I had no difficulty whatsoever believing it. Even Chris Matthews told America's blacks that they were playing with fire, and this would come back to bite them. I guess he was wrong.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (CsUN+)

197 #173
The USA under Biden has never produced as much oil as we are doing now.
Regardless of how much or how little we produce it is always sold at the global market price
How far has the GOP moved from when Regan bled Russia dry in Afghanistan
Even Sweden long neutral realizes the danger from Putin and has joined NATO. Switzerland has agreed to allow its old Leopard tanks to go to Ukraine.

Posted by: Paul banned for eating his own scat at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (rn0Re)

198 Pretty soon putin is going to run out of "stuff" to send to Ukraine and then it's anyone's guess what happens.

He is activating cold war tanks and APC's from mothballed depots. There have been reports of seeing T-55 tanks on the battlefield alongside BMP-1's, AFV's that have been obsolete since the 70s.

Of course, this sort of claim has been continuously reported for two years now, starting two weeks into the war.

Also, all the washing machines in Russia have been cannibalized for computer chips for missiles!

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (YAtuc)

199 If Ukraine does collapse it will be interesting to see if Poland or Romania try to grab little bits of the corpse for themselves. Poland has its eyes on Lwow(Lvov, etc). Will be interesting
Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (ixVYR)

Like Russia they will probably grab those areas with a large home population.
Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (GvesS)

Wait a minute, I was told Poland was the next domino to fall.

Are you suggesting countries other than Russia are benefitting from this war? And the entire Nato fraud was all about their own selfish reasons, having nothing to do with the people of Ukraine?

I can't believe it. I shan't believe it.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:44 AM (dGCAG)

200 Greetings!
"Prosecution lost the trial when it was moved from Santa Monica to DTLA."

Yes. I won a bet with a friend on that. He said OJ would be convicted in LA. Not a chance, I said.
And then many months transpired. When the verdict came in my buddy called "Aren't you gonna come over and get your money?"

Posted by: gourmand du jour at April 11, 2024 11:44 AM (MeG8a)

201
I had an AA woman working for me at the time of the OJ trial. I had set up a tv in the front reception area and we all took a break to hear the verdict. She turned to me after the jury read the verdict and asked me what it meant. I told her he just got away with murder. She was not happy.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 11:44 AM (RKVpM)

202 3/4 way through Triumph Forsaken by Mark Moyar on Vietnam 1956 - 65, some of the US and foreign reporters thought Mao was a great guy, Another book showing reporters were Leftists in the 60s on the Communist side.

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:44 AM (Wbsrn)

203 Of course, this sort of claim has been continuously reported for two years now, starting two weeks into the war.

That and he is dying of cancer

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM (Akjoo)

204 Also, all the washing machines in Russia have been cannibalized for computer chips for missiles!
Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (YAtuc)

Nothing funnier than seeing a sidewinder on the spin cycle.

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM (Q1/to)

205 I had an AA woman working for me at the time of the OJ trial. I had set up a tv in the front reception area and we all took a break to hear the verdict. She turned to me after the jury read the verdict and asked me what it meant. I told her he just got away with murder. She was not happy.
Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 11:44 AM (RKVpM)
++++
With you, or with the prosecution or with the jury or with the press or ...?

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM (HnUIn)

206 I’m struggling to see how things got to where they are, but this all started with Hillary’s Russian collusion hoax. After the fall of the USSR, when did Russia become the bogy man again? The Dimocraps loved Russia when they really were the enemy, as now they love the Chicoms. Is it because the Russians are no longer communist? They are effectively under a tzar again after all.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM (kzHlT)

207 Sadly, I had no difficulty whatsoever believing it. Even Chris Matthews told America's blacks that they were playing with fire, and this would come back to bite them. I guess he was wrong.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (CsUN+)
-----------
I was unsurprised. The prosecution did a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad job.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (Be/+i)

208 I had an AA woman working for me at the time of the OJ trial. I had set up a tv in the front reception area and we all took a break to hear the verdict. She turned to me after the jury read the verdict and asked me what it meant. I told her he just got away with murder. She was not happy.
Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 11:44 AM (RKVpM)

Should have told her to have a drink and calm down.

Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (Q1/to)

209 Contrary to the opinions of people who think Putin dreams of the olden days of the Central Committee, I don't believe that Russia wants to take over eastern Europe.

It is quite likely that Putin limits his territorial aspirations to the former Soviet Union.

Unfortunately, NATO admitted three countries that were part of the former Soviet Union, so there is still a problem.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (YAtuc)

210 This redheaded motorist wonders what it would be like to have a marginally less dishonest and corrupt government:

-----------------

Zimbabwe?

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (uDHvI)

211 I remember the jury from the OJ trial. A bunch of ignorant, rayciss, YT hating mammies who were happy to let OJ walk and seemed quite pleased he had killed them honkies.

Harbingers of what you see today in most democrat held areas with their mayors and DA's running wild.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (R/m4+)

212 Posted by: Paul banned at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (rn0Re

But Israel is committing genocide right by defending itself against the 10/7 invasion.

You and you cohorts are retarded psychopaths.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (GvesS)

213 Pretty soon putin is going to run out of "stuff" to send to Ukraine and then it's anyone's guess what happens.

He is activating cold war tanks and APC's from mothballed depots. There have been reports of seeing T-55 tanks on the battlefield alongside BMP-1's, AFV's that have been obsolete since the 70s.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (QNSds)

and we are backing Ukraine with men and material and massive loans because if Russia wins there they will invade Europe with those same worthless cold war tanks and obsolete personnel carriers?
PUTIN IS ACTUALLY GEORGE W BUSH, THE MASTERMIND IDIOT11!!!

Posted by: Kindltot at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (D7oie)

214 This redheaded motorist wonders what it would be like to have a marginally less dishonest and corrupt government:
http://tiny.cc/naiqxz
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (HnUIn)

That's a terrible photo, but she has good taste in cars.

Posted by: spindrift at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (OguvZ)

215 Posted by: Paul banned at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (rn0Re)

=======

Gas prices were low under Trump because of coincidence.

Biden's EOs at the start of his presidency had nothing to do with it.

Also, all of these wars affecting oil prices? Not Biden's fault, not even when he said Russia could invade Ukraine a little bit.

Maybe the higher global prices have something to do with increased American production? So, it's largely despite Biden's domestic policy and because of his weakness in foreign policy.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (GBKbO)

216 Lampposts, petards, tar and feathers, running out on rails can never be underestimated to change incorrect thinking. However, people are terrified to lose what security they think surrounds them.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (Aoykm)

217 If Russian was a threat to US forces they should be absolutely steamrolling Ukraine.
Posted by: Ryan Frank at April 11, 2024 11:33 AM (fgmuN)

This assumes that Russia has the same goals we ascribe to them AND they their military chooses to fight the same way ours does.

What if one, or both, of those assumptions are wrong?

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (IUd0M)

218 At Insty:
UPDATE: Found via Joel Engel, the New York Times’ obit for Simpson contains this showstopping moment:

"O.J. Simpson, who ran to fame on the football field, made fortunes as a Black all-American in movies, advertising and television, and was acquitted of killing his former wife and her friend in a 1995 trial in Los Angeles that mesmerized the nation, died on Wednesday. He was 76.

The cause was cancer, his family announced on social media. The announcement did not say where he died.

A jury in the murder trial, which held up a cracked mirror to Black and white America, cleared Mr. Simpson, but the case ruined his world."

As Engel replies, “Nicole and Ron slaughtered. O.J.’s world ruined.”

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (CsUN+)

219 So OJ stopped looking for the real killer?

Posted by: Meade Lux Lewis, Domestic Terrorist at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (woPEM)

220 One of the best 1 minute defenses of the 2nd Amendment you will ever see. Bonus, Noodle Arms Hogg gets his poop pushed in by a little Chinese immigrant.
Posted by: JackStraw

Didn't see that part, but Firearm Policy Coalition had a running synopsis of the 'debate' yesterday.

twitter.com/gunpolicy/status/1778188095034434041

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (IG4Id)

221 I wonder if she would mind if I started licking her navel?
Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (Q1/to)

You probably have to send money into her website before you progress to actual physical intimacies with her.

Pretty girl; I am thankful, however, for pretty women who don't send their pictures into websites. I realize I'm in a minority here, however.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (XkYcA)

222 >>> This redheaded motorist wonders what it would be like to have a marginally less dishonest and corrupt government:
http://tiny.cc/naiqxz
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (HnUIn)

She needs to take a lot better care of her door seals. A little wipe with armor all every few months is all you need.

Posted by: banana Dream at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (Y6IkP)

223 re 206: maybe after hillary lost in 2016 and putin's rich friends stopped giving money to the clinton foundation. and/or maybe someone thought that blaming the russians would appeal to us old time right wingers

Posted by: gnats local 678 at April 11, 2024 11:48 AM (B1FKF)

224
With you, or with the prosecution or with the jury or with the press or ...?

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM

She was not happy he got away with murder. She was shaking her head as I turned the television off. Everyone except for the 12 idiots on the jury knew he did it. Maybe they too actually knew he did it...

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 11:48 AM (RKVpM)

225 He is activating cold war tanks and APC's from mothballed depots. There have been reports of seeing T-55 tanks on the battlefield alongside BMP-1's, AFV's that have been obsolete since the 70s.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:38 AM (QNSds)

Yeah, none of that's true.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM

Multiple independent sources are reporting that it is true:

https://tinyurl.com/3t2my37n

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 11:48 AM (QNSds)

226 Yeah, none of that's true.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (dGCAG)

Check again.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:48 AM (gSZYf)

227 Nothing funnier than seeing a sidewinder on the spin cycle.

Both the Secretary of Commerce and the President of the European Commission repeated "the Russians are cannibalizing washing machines for their computer chips" story as fact.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:49 AM (YAtuc)

228 I was unsurprised. The prosecution did a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad job.

They could have sat there naked and masturbating; the answer was still obvious. This was black racism, pure and simple.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:49 AM (CsUN+)

229 Hildabeast started the Russian Collusion yet Bill went to Moscow before making a 1/2 million for a hour speech. And Hildabeast when SoS sold off Uranium to Russia.

It was all to dump those off of Trump

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2024 11:49 AM (Wbsrn)

230 Hotness for a while yet. It takes 1-3 quarters for PPI to filter through to CPI. The PPI numbers this year made it clear that CPI wasn't going to "cool" much if it all.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

The fed needs to raise rates some more. They won't.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at April 11, 2024 11:49 AM (Zqr/U)

231 I’m struggling to see how things got to where they are, but this all started with Hillary’s Russian collusion hoax. After the fall of the USSR, when did Russia become the bogy man again? The Dimocraps loved Russia when they really were the enemy, as now they love the Chicoms. Is it because the Russians are no longer communist? They are effectively under a tzar again after all.
Posted by: Xipe Totec at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM (kzHlT)

Believe it or not, it has to do with neocon adventurism in the Middle East. Yeltsin was the darling of the West, until he said nyet to the Americans taking over Syria.

Suddenly he became a drunk and a fool.

They've been the enemy of the bipartisan Deep State ever since. Politicians are just pawns in the game.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:49 AM (dGCAG)

232 Should have told her to have a drink and calm down.
Posted by: Robert at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (Q1/to)
----------
Probably wise not to ask her to make you a sammich.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 11:49 AM (Be/+i)

233 Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (HnUIn)

Seems to be lacking in the brain department if it took her to take a sexy shot in order get that epiphany. Obviously NOT a conservative.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (XkYcA)

234 Al-Jazeera, 7 March 2024, 'Angry Polish farmers protest against EU rules, Ukraine farm imports'
Farmers are angry over EU climate policies and food imports from Ukraine that they say threaten their livelihoods.

In part, "Throwing smoke bombs and lighting fires, thousands of angry farmers demonstrated in Warsaw against European Union regulations and cheap Ukraine imports, with police reporting that two officers had been injured and a dozen protesters arrested."

This is not new. Polish farmers, in particular, have been at odds with those EU policies for sometime.

March 5, 2024: Farmers began protesting in Europe in spring 2023 in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, sparked by Ukrainian grain imports. Farmers argue that Ukrainian grain is a cheaper good that does not follow EU standards and therefore presents unfair competition in the market.

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (NFX2v)

235 That empty city, those empty malls...yeah, the public accounting vs the actual accounting must be miles apart...and on the PRC knows the truth...maybe.
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia)
----------
Used to do some economic research dealing with Commie countries. You start out with the assumption that all of the statistics coming out are lies but they might point out indicators to what is true. That went even for countries like Yugoslavia.

Now the West including the US have caught the same disease for much of the same reasons. Bureaucrats and political leaders only care about keeping their snout in the feeding trough for money and power. They could give less than one shit for the truth generally. That goes as much for GOP in office btw as it does for the Dems.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (G0ieF)

236
I'll never regret sending a donation to Fred for lawyer fees. I received a personally signed thank you letter in acknowledgement.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (RKVpM)

237 She needs to take a lot better care of her door seals. A little wipe with armor all every few months is all you need.
Posted by: banana Dream at April 11, 2024 11:47 AM (Y6IkP)
++++
This is why she wants a good husband to take care of the car while she keeps the home. She's also a traditionalist when it comes to gender roles!

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (HnUIn)

238 Maybe they too actually knew he did it...

Of course they knew.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (CsUN+)

239 Biden Promises Israel 'Ironclad' Support Against Iran, Walks Back Call For Unilateral Ceasefire

Israel says Hamas keeps "walking away" in ceasefire talks

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (RHGPo)

240
But at least we still retain core competencies in small arms use, right?

https://tinyurl.com/3u63u7u9

( Yes, it does go to that story)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice

Why is someone putting a hand on his shoulder?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (63Dwl)

241 239 Biden Promises Israel 'Ironclad' Support Against Iran, Walks Back Call For Unilateral Ceasefire

Israel says Hamas keeps "walking away" in ceasefire talks
Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (RHGPo)

=======

Maybe trying to straddle the line between two opposing forces, one of which wants to literally genocide the other, is beyond the capabilities of this administration?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (GBKbO)

242 Without progress in political integration, the European Union is destined to be reduced to an arena for contentious bargaining over national interests and sooner or later may perish under its weight, realizing one of Putin’s most coveted wishes.

The EU (government) is filled with small minded people chasing small minded objectives. Green energy! Seals clap. Unlimited migration! Seals clap. GloboHomo! Seals clap.

The best thing that could happen for Europe would be for the EU to perish under it's own weight and free the peoples of Europe to be concerned for their own kind.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (IUd0M)

243 was unsurprised. The prosecution did a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad job.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (Be/+i)

I thought they proved beyond any doubt that OJ was guilty. The only mistake was having him put on the glove even though in my opinion it was obvious OJ was manipulating the fit as he pretended to try and put it on. Didn't help he had a plastic glove on. The other thing is if the prosecution could have produced the photos of OJ wearing the shoes he had denied having it would have been a slam dunk.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (GvesS)

244 187 This redheaded motorist wonders what it would be like to have a marginally less dishonest and corrupt government:
http://tiny.cc/naiqxz
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:41 AM (HnUIn)

+++++

Her limbal rings are incredible. Even from the shade, they are breathtaking.

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (ogTiX)

245 Check again.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:48 AM (gSZYf)

Don't need to, it's all nonsense, coming from your shitty government sources.

I don't understand how some of you seem to think they're telling you truth about their overseas adventures, when you seem to know they're lying to you about everything domestic.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (dGCAG)

246 "a conflict that is at best a stalemate, with modest gains and losses at huge expense."

I smell twenty years of war funding coming up.

Posted by: Ribbed at April 11, 2024 11:52 AM (iFMeW)

247 This is astonishing. (Insty)

THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THAR CARTS: Costco selling $200 million in gold bars per month, says analyst.

An analyst note from Wells Fargo estimates sales of the company’s gold bars currently account for between $100 million and $200 million per month. Sales of the one-ounce bars, which are made of 24-karat gold began last October. The bars sell for about $2,000 each.

While the revenue numbers are significant, the research note suggests profits from these sales are low, at best. The real value, it says, is in how the price reinforces Costco’s value position. (The spot price of an ounce of gold, as of 11:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, stood at $2,332.)

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (CsUN+)

248 235. They could give less than one shit for the truth generally. That goes as much for GOP in office btw as it does for the Dems.
Posted by: whig

Hear, hear.

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (NFX2v)

249 "Why is someone putting a hand on his shoulder?"

A: Emotional Support

B: Brace for the incredible recoil of the mighty 5.56 in an AR style platform

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (a1415)

250 Wait, so the U.S., Europe, and Ukraine can't beat Russians using 50 year old tanks?

Posted by: Moron Robbie has 2020 hindsight at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (yh2er)

251 Why is someone putting a hand on his shoulder?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr.

I think the crew were worried that he was going to fall back after the massive recoil. That or the boat was in rough water.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (IG4Id)

252 Contrary to the opinions of people who think Putin dreams of the olden days of the Central Committee, I don't believe that Russia wants to take over eastern Europe. Assuming I'm correct, Poland -for example - is perfectly safe from Russian aggression right up to the point that the CIA decides to use them as a flashpoint.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:42 AM (IUd0M)

I agree, but we are creating those flashpoints by plan. And that is what scares me.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (gSZYf)

253 I thought they proved beyond any doubt that OJ was guilty. The only mistake was having him put on the glove even though in my opinion it was obvious OJ was manipulating the fit as he pretended to try and put it on. Didn't help he had a plastic glove on. The other thing is if the prosecution could have produced the photos of OJ wearing the shoes he had denied having it would have been a slam dunk.
Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (GvesS)

YES, but they NEVER should have tried this case in downtown LA with that particular Jury base

Posted by: Nevergiveup at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (PQ4m2)

254 70
‘ China's demography will collapse faster and sooner (relatively) than Japan's’

Given China’s apparent hostility to us, I am happy with this development.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (jbnUc)

255 I would not buy gold from Costco.

Posted by: G'rump928(c) at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (aD39U)

256 Maybe trying to straddle the line between two opposing forces, one of which wants to literally genocide the other, is beyond the capabilities of this administration?

Using a sippy cup is beyond the capabilities of this administration.

Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (CsUN+)

257 When the propaganda shifts - no matter how quickly or insanely - the NPCs shift with it nearly in real time.

It really is amazing to watch. Particularly when you see someone who is otherwise fairly intelligent going right along.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (IUd0M)

258 The "threat" was total puffery on whoever is running things now in DC.
Posted by: pawn at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (QB+5g)

Watch the pizza delivery to the Pentagon.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, isn't that how we'll know? at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (PiwSw)

259 At an event in London on Tuesday, Meta announced plans to release Llama 3 — the next generation of its LLM used to power AI chatbot assistants — within the next month.

.. let me guess .. it was put together by some guy named .. Carl Wheezer

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (RHGPo)

260 256 Maybe trying to straddle the line between two opposing forces, one of which wants to literally genocide the other, is beyond the capabilities of this administration?

Using a sippy cup is beyond the capabilities of this administration.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (CsUN+)

=======

Cleaning bills on the WH carpets must be astronomical.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (GBKbO)

261 239 Biden Promises Israel 'Ironclad' Support Against Iran, Walks Back Call For Unilateral Ceasefire

Israel says Hamas keeps "walking away" in ceasefire talks
Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 11:50 AM (RHGPo)

Need to share that with the City Council in my seacoast NH town. They just voted to draft a letter to Sen Shaheen, Hassan and Congressman Pappis and POTUS SFB to immediately draft a cease fire resolution and bring an end to their suffering.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (N39Ws)

262 THERE’S GOLD IN THEM THAR CARTS: Costco selling $200 million in gold bars per month, says analyst.
-----------
WHY ARE THEY SELLING GOLD BARS WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIRKLAND DINNER FRANKS YESTERDAY?!?!?!??

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (Be/+i)

263 and we are backing Ukraine with men and material and massive loans because if Russia wins there they will invade Europe with those same worthless cold war tanks and obsolete personnel carriers?

Russia is weak and incompetent!

Their soldiers freeze to death every winter, and they are using the military equipment that their grandfathers used!

Russia is only a gas station with nukes, with a GDP smaller than Liechtenstein!

and also,

The Russians will blitz to Paris if Ukraine doesn't get all the aid that it wants!

---

Yeah, either Russia is a collapsing giant, forced to use tanks and APCs from the 1950s, or it is a threat to NATO.

Can't be both.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (YAtuc)

264 261 Need to share that with the City Council in my seacoast NH town. They just voted to draft a letter to Sen Shaheen, Hassan and Congressman Pappis and POTUS SFB to immediately draft a cease fire resolution and bring an end to their suffering.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (N39Ws)

========

"Sure, Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers, but that's Israel's fault for trying to defend itself."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (GBKbO)

265 "Cleaning bills on the WH carpets must be astronomical."

Imagine the laundry bill for his pants.

Posted by: Ribbed at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (iFMeW)

266 Posted by: BurtTC at April 11, 2024 11:51 AM (dGCAG)

Your contrarian stance on everything is tedious, especially when you refuse to accept facts that are easily proven.

Do some actual reading, and maybe less free-floating aggression.

And don't forget that you are a guest here. Don't shit on Ace's carpet.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (gSZYf)

267 230 Hotness for a while yet. It takes 1-3 quarters for PPI to filter through to CPI. The PPI numbers this year made it clear that CPI wasn't going to "cool" much if it all.
Posted by: Joe Mannix

+++++

It's confusing that energy prices held down CPI. It could be that both CPI and the energy component are averaged over the past 12 months and the recent increase in gas prices might then cause future CPI levels to be higher.

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (ogTiX)

268 Maybe trying to straddle the line between two opposing forces, one of which wants to literally genocide the other, is beyond the capabilities of this administration?

Using a sippy cup is beyond the capabilities of this administration.
Posted by: Archimedes at April 11, 2024 11:54 AM (CsUN+)

=======

Cleaning bills on the WH carpets must be astronomical.

Heh heh heh.

Posted by: Commander at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (CsUN+)

269 265 "Cleaning bills on the WH carpets must be astronomical."

Imagine the laundry bill for his pants.
Posted by: Ribbed at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (iFMeW)

========

I thought the newest version of Depends had blowout protection.

Or was that just some new version of Huggies I saw in a commercial?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (GBKbO)

270 251 Why is someone putting a hand on his shoulder?
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr.

I think the crew were worried that he was going to fall back after the massive recoil. That or the boat was in rough water.
Posted by: weft cut-loop at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (IG4Id)

The placement of the forward grip is another clue to how stupid this guy is. Have that grip so far back - may as well just hang onto the magazine.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (N39Ws)

271 Posted by: Mister Scott
--------
Essentially the well has been poisoned in actually discussing issues here at AOS regarding Ukraine and Russia here because of ideology over facts and people using all sorts of unverified websites that support their hot take (or in many cases actually just making up shit).

Both Russia and Ukraine have horrible leadership and a horrid legacy of crimes committed against each other going back for nearly a century.

Sucks for them but I see no advantage whatsoever to the US being involved there just like Afghanistan for twenty years or trying to rebuild the Middle East to make it safe for democracy.

So I simply mentally note the nics here that make unsubstantiated claims that turn out to be bullshit later as bad sources of information.

Curiously enough, these tend to be the same nics that spam every comment section with the same tired propaganda bullshit that has nothing to do with the issue discussed.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (G0ieF)

272 A: Emotional Support

B: Brace for the incredible recoil of the mighty 5.56 in an AR style platform

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (a1415)

c: keep him pointed in a safe direction

Posted by: Kindltot at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (D7oie)

273 Apparently today is National Poutine Day.

In America, not Canada. 😆

Posted by: logprof at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (FzA9V)

274 "Sure, Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers, but that's Israel's fault for trying to defend itself."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (GBKbO)

The world will never forgive the Jews for not all dying in the concentration camps.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (gSZYf)

275 "Sure, Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers, but that's Israel's fault for trying to defend itself."
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (GBKbO)

I read that Hamas said they couldn't "find" the 40 hostages they were required to release in order for the cease fire

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (Akjoo)

276 It's confusing that energy prices held down CPI. It could be that both CPI and the energy component are averaged over the past 12 months and the recent increase in gas prices might then cause future CPI levels to be higher.
Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (ogTiX)
++++
That's the reason that "core" CPI is absent food an energy. Both are volatile and can skew things, making longer-term trends hard to discern.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (HnUIn)

277 You will know things are bad for Russia when T-24 tanks start showing up in Ukraine

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (RHGPo)

278 Switzerland has agreed to allow its old Leopard tanks to go to Ukraine.
Posted by: Paul banned for eating his own scat at April 11, 2024 11:43 AM (rn0Re)

No they didn't, you fucking halfwit. They sold them back to Germany to replenish their stocks, with the specific caveat that they can't be used in Ukraine.

Go back to eating feces, it's what you do best.

Posted by: spindrift at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (OguvZ)

279 276 That's the reason that "core" CPI is absent food an energy. Both are volatile and can skew things, making longer-term trends hard to discern.
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (HnUIn)

=======

I honestly find that argument statistically...curious at best.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (GBKbO)

280 YES, but they NEVER should have tried this case in downtown LA with that particular Jury base
Posted by: Nevergiveup at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (PQ4m2)

Don't disagree but I don't know if they would have been allowed a change of venue over the defense's objections.

Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (GvesS)

281 Well gee that's the third tweet about OJ Simpson. I wonder if he's been in the news or something.

Posted by: BourbonChicken at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (cf/0E)

282 "Sure, Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers, but that's Israel's fault for trying to defend itself."
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (GBKbO)

they will surely show up at the table just as soon as they find those missing hostages they took.

Posted by: Kindltot at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (D7oie)

283 "I thought the newest version of Depends had blowout protection."

Not holding up against the elderly dementia patient who has an ice cream obsession and lactose intolerance.

Posted by: Ribbed at April 11, 2024 11:59 AM (iFMeW)

284 281 Well gee that's the third tweet about OJ Simpson. I wonder if he's been in the news or something.
Posted by: BourbonChicken at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (cf/0E)

=======

He found the real killer:

The transphobic white patriarchy.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:59 AM (GBKbO)

285 I read that Hamas said they couldn't "find" the 40 hostages they were required to release in order for the cease fire
Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (Akjoo)

Most of them are probably already dead. Sigh

Posted by: Nevergiveup at April 11, 2024 11:59 AM (PQ4m2)

286 285 I read that Hamas said they couldn't "find" the 40 hostages they were required to release in order for the cease fire
Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (Akjoo)

Most of them are probably already dead. Sigh
Posted by: Nevergiveup at April 11, 2024 11:59 AM (PQ4m2)

======

If Hamas just kills the hostages, then Israel has no reason to not accept an unconditional ceasefire anymore!

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:59 AM (GBKbO)

287 > Biden Promises Israel 'Ironclad' Support Against Iran, Walks Back Call For Unilateral Ceasefire

Israel says Hamas keeps "walking away" in ceasefire talks
_____________

The backstabbing and infighting among White House staffers must be off the hook. You'd get whiplash trying to keep up.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (Q4IgG)

288 I've bought precious metals from King Harv type sites. I'd absolutely pick up something from Costco.

Posted by: Moron Robbie has 2020 hindsight at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (yh2er)

289 I honestly find that argument statistically...curious at best.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:58 AM (GBKbO)

Look at it from the perspective of politics and the 24 hour news cycle. It is perfectly logical.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (gSZYf)

290 274 "Sure, Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers, but that's Israel's fault for trying to defend itself."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (GBKbO)

The world will never forgive the Jews for not all dying in the concentration camps.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (gSZYf)

I watched the City Council hearing last night. I am ashamed of our elected City leaders. The level of antisemitism on display by supposed city residents was impressive.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (N39Ws)

291 I thought the newest version of Depends had blowout protection. ...
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:56 AM (GBKbO)
++++
Never forget that the BP Macando well had a blowout preventer, too...

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (HnUIn)

292 Yeah, either Russia is a collapsing giant, forced to use tanks and APCs from the 1950s, or it is a threat to NATO.

Can't be both.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM

Hint....it is not a threat to NATO and never will be. It is the boogeyman they are using to scare everyone into spending all sort of money on their defense industries to keep their economies from collapsing.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (QNSds)

293 Los Angeles
Mom who threw 2 kids onto LA freeway, killing her infant, appeared agitated by impending eclipse

-
Damn that climate crisis!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (FVME7)

294 You will know things are bad for Russia when T-24 tanks start showing up in Ukraine
Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 11:57 AM (RHGPo)
----------
Wait until they get to the BT-7s...

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (Be/+i)

295 273 Apparently today is National Poutine Day.
____

Does Poutine have a stripe in the tranny flag?

Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (KSkEK)

296 You will know things are bad for Russia when T-24 tanks start showing up in Ukraine

T-34.

Russia bought a bunch of T-34 tanks from Laos a few years ago, because they were running short of operable T-34s for war movies and military parades.

Expect those T-34s to show up on the Ukrainian front any day now...

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (YAtuc)

297 "The backstabbing and infighting among White House staffers must be off the hook. "

It's the Obama strategy. Make statements based on the headlines and polling of the day. The actual position never changes.

Posted by: Ribbed at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (iFMeW)

298 OJ died on my 20th anniversary? That's unfortunate. But on the bright side... Hubbymayhem got me some rocks! No, not diamonds. Gravel for our driveway. Thank God for practical, sensible men. Wasting money on jewelry I probably wouldn't wear? Nope! Spending money to reduce the mud in the driveway? Hell yes!

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (4XwPj)

299 289 Look at it from the perspective of politics and the 24 hour news cycle. It is perfectly logical.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 12:00 PM (gSZYf)

=========

I mean, sure. Power uber alles.

But, "energy, one of the primary economic inputs, is too volatile to track long term trends," is...unconvincing.

You don't look at the stock market over 10 years and cut out the most volatile stocks to "get it right".

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (GBKbO)

300 275 "Sure, Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers, but that's Israel's fault for trying to defend itself."
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:55 AM (GBKbO)

I read that Hamas said they couldn't "find" the 40 hostages they were required to release in order for the cease fire
Posted by: It's me donna
------
Ham Ass delenda est is the best policy and we should leave Israel alone to do it.

The Biden junta simply cannot do it because their whole policy is that of replacing Israel with Iran as the Middle East power.

They don't even practice sound statecraft and primarily it is because they have an ideological hardon for the mullahs.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (G0ieF)

301 Hamas keeps turning down ceasefire offers...

Playing games. It's not allowed to admit where hostages, dead or alive, are being held.

Wouldn't that truth stir up a hornets nest? /R

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (NFX2v)

302 Blinken remained standing before the Lord. Then Blinken approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are forty righteous hostages in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[e] the place for the sake of the forty righteous hostages in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 12:02 PM (RHGPo)

303 I'm surprised that the black women weren't at least a little peeved at OJ for having married a blonde white woman.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at April 11, 2024 12:02 PM (9yWhg)

304 Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (4XwPj)

Happy Anniversary

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 12:02 PM (Akjoo)

305
OJ died.

Somewhere, on a golf course, the real killer pops up from behind a tree, gives three loud "hurrahs!" and heads out for coffee.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2024 12:03 PM (eMh+A)

306 I’m struggling to see how things got to where they are, but this all started with Hillary’s Russian collusion hoax. After the fall of the USSR, when did Russia become the bogy man again? The Dimocraps loved Russia when they really were the enemy, as now they love the Chicoms. Is it because the Russians are no longer communist? They are effectively under a tzar again after all.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at April 11, 2024 11:45 AM (kzHlT)
-------------
After DogEater and Hillary's Color Revolution 2014, the crisis in Ukraine (2014), Putin annexed Crimea and invaded the Donbass, in eastern Ukraine. If he couldn’t have a deferential government in Kiev, he wanted to engineer the next best thing: a dysfunctional Ukraine.

Of course, that was Hillary's chance to try and derail Trump and maybe start WWII with the Russia! Russia! Russia! Hoax and PsyOp.

Posted by: ShainS -- Blood-Bath-and-Beyond angel investor at April 11, 2024 12:03 PM (cnXHa)

307 ...when did Russia become the bogy man again?

When they banned western homosexuals from being able to adopt Russian orphans.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 12:03 PM (IUd0M)

308 The only good thing that came out of the Simpson trial was the Johnnie Cochran look alike lawyer on Seinfeld. Funny stuff.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 11, 2024 12:04 PM (0EOe9)

309 You will know things are bad for Russia when T-24 tanks start showing up in Ukraine

T-34.

Russia bought a bunch of T-34 tanks from Laos a few years ago, because they were running short of operable T-34s for war movies and military parades.

Expect those T-34s to show up on the Ukrainian front any day now...
Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (YAtuc)
***

24...34...whatever it takes.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2024 12:04 PM (W/lyH)

310 But, "energy, one of the primary economic inputs, is too volatile to track long term trends," is...unconvincing.

You don't look at the stock market over 10 years and cut out the most volatile stocks to "get it right".
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (GBKbO)
++++
They do, sort of. That's what the entire-index stats are for, and the largest stocks have less of an influence on the overall average than food and energy do to the CPI.

You would be absolutely right if the position was, "these things are volatile, so we don't track them" - but that's not what the position is. The position is, "these things are volatile, so we create two indicies: the total index that includes the highly-volatile but also very large components, and the sub-index that excludes the highly-volatile components so that lower-volatility components can be tracked more effectively while still providing a near-macro snapshot."

That the "core CPI" figure is the one often used in marketing (news reports) and to justify policy is a different problem. Having the distinction between "total basket" and "core" is reasonable.

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (HnUIn)

311 The only good thing that came out of the Simpson trial was the Johnnie Cochran look alike lawyer on Seinfeld. Funny stuff.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, n

Not a big fan of the Kardashians?

/s

Posted by: BruceWayne at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (CIS44)

312 I would never equate Blinken with Genesis, the Bible in general, but rather with the protection of his & his half sister's 'connections.'

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (NFX2v)

313
I don't think it was a racial thing with black women being unhappy with OJ being found not guilty. I think it was a women thing to be unhappy that someone capable of slashing throats was now walking the streets as a free man.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (RKVpM)

314 You don't look at the stock market over 10 years and cut out the most volatile stocks to "get it right".

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (GBKbO)

Interesting comparison, but the most important basket of stocks (the S&P500) is...um...500 stocks. The index simply can't be pushed by its outliers because it is so large.

The basket of goods that they use for CPI is smaller.

Now...I agree with you. It's just a little scam the feds play to make themselves look good. But statistically it does make a certain amount of sense to leave out energy and food.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (gSZYf)

315 ...when did Russia become the bogy man again?

To distract from the fact that all our politicians are on the take from China.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (YAtuc)

316 Are the OJ memes out yet?

Posted by: nurse ratched at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (Z+eOk)

317 Thanks Donna!

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (4XwPj)

318 @179

>>It won't.

Of course not, but the whole western economic order is predicated on US dollars sloshing through the sluices and war, in which the affiliated and connected get to dip their fat snouts into the enriching slurry.

So if not Ukraine, these lunatics will be fomenting and instigating wars in some godforsaken hellhole.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (meRK6)

319 ...when did Russia become the bogy man again?

When they banned western homosexuals from being able to adopt Russian orphans.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic

-

It really is as simple as that.

Remember Hillary in 2009 and the "reset" button from Staples? That happened. That was real.

But then gay American men were prevented from doing gay American men stuff, and it was nuclear war or bust.

Posted by: Moron Robbie has 2020 hindsight at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (yh2er)

320 Apparently Russia wasn't cowed out of the fight by millions of Facebook profile pics changed to the Ukraine flag?

Have we deployed the Hashtag Reserves?

Oh, #StandWithUkraine has been used?
And #UkraineStrong?

Lol.

It's too bad there were conservatives who thought the Ukraine could win.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (yikga)

321 The only good thing that came out of the Simpson trial was the Johnnie Cochran look alike lawyer on Seinfeld. Funny stuff.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 11, 2024 12:04 PM (0EOe9)
----------
And the Chewbacca Defense on South Park.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (Be/+i)

322 If Hamas just kills the hostages, then Israel has no reason to not accept an unconditional ceasefire anymore!
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, fighting kaiju with Ishiro Honda at April 11, 2024 11:59 AM (GBKbO)

Last I heard, Israel was asking for just 40 live hostages to be returned. Hamas said it couldn't produce 40.

So Netanyahu can go right ahead and lay waste to the rest of Gaza.

Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (N39Ws)

323 Are the OJ memes out yet?

-------------

The never went away.

Posted by: SH (no more socks) at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (sX1BW)

324 >...when did Russia become the bogy man again?

When the Chinese Paymasters decided to stir shit up.

Posted by: davidt at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (SYTee)

325 It is quite likely that Putin limits his territorial aspirations to the former Soviet Union.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 11:46 AM (YAtuc)

Every single one of Putin's "territorial aspirations" has happened when, and as a result of, our efforts to add that country to NATO.

Georgia, and Ukraine - twice. Putin has invaded no one else and, yet, people will still tell us how he longs for the old borders. He's been in power for 20 years. When is he gonna make his move?

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (IUd0M)

326 The only good thing that came out of the Simpson trial was the Johnnie Cochran look alike lawyer on Seinfeld. Funny stuff.

-------------

"Your face is my case."

Posted by: SH (no more socks) at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (sX1BW)

327 317 Thanks Donna!
Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (4XwPj)

You're welcome.... You're just a kid ! I have Grandsons who are 20 years old LOL

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (Akjoo)

328 Reagan destroyed the USSR by making them overspend on defense. He knew OUR credit was better than theirs, and did a yuge build up... until their economy broke.

The US economy is on the brink. Inflation is really high, the people are hurting, and our government is being just as stupid as the USSR was... by spending money it does not have, to save people who don't even really like us... and don't believe in the same values as we do.

Just as the USSR broke itself trying to defend the Warsaw Pact... we are breaking ourselves trying to defend people who are not even part of NATO (yet).

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 11, 2024 12:07 PM (xaFKb)

329 Some NY Times writers suggest that a difference of 0.1% between expected and actual CPI is not significant, but If CPI is an average over the past 12 months then, cine 11 of the months are known ex ante, the current month has to be quite a bit different than expected.

Posted by: Oglebay at April 11, 2024 12:07 PM (ogTiX)

330 Are the OJ memes out yet?

-------------

The never went away.

Posted by: SH (no more socks) at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM

I recall seeing an episode of Pawn Stars where a guy was trying to sell Rick the OJ White Bronco. He had it authenticated and was asking a ridiculous amount of money for it. After they drove it around IIRC they decided not to buy it.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 12:08 PM (QNSds)

331 Biden’s USA lost the Ukrainian war bigly. Our economy tanked. Our war supplies tanked. Our military tanked. Out prestige tanked.

It isn’t even close to how bad we lost this war.

Posted by: Jukin the Deplorable at April 11, 2024 12:08 PM (17s+e)

332 When they banned western homosexuals from being able to adopt Russian orphans.
----
Correction:
When they banned western homosexuals from being able to adopt Russian orphans, after multiple well-documented cases of those orphans being abused, molested, and raped.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at April 11, 2024 12:08 PM (yikga)

333 I recall seeing an episode of Pawn Stars where a guy was trying to sell Rick the OJ White Bronco. He had it authenticated and was asking a ridiculous amount of money for it. After they drove it around IIRC they decided not to buy it.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 12:08 PM (QNSds)

Make a good Hearse

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 12:08 PM (Akjoo)

334 Even your most hood of hood rats will admit to killing his bitch ass old lady, but OJ was a punk who wanted to have it both ways. He just could not be a man and say "Yup, I killed that bitch and here's why...". Happens everyday in Da Hood.

He had to get off and still try to be all that but it don't work that way.

Asshole he was and good riddance.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at April 11, 2024 12:08 PM (R/m4+)

335

Last I heard, Israel was asking for just 40 live hostages to be returned. Hamas said it couldn't produce 40.

So Netanyahu can go right ahead and lay waste to the rest of Gaza.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (N39Ws)

Sodom couldn't produce ten righteous men, and look what happened there.

Posted by: Moki at April 11, 2024 12:09 PM (wLjpr)

336 Hiya

Posted by: JT at April 11, 2024 12:09 PM (T4tVD)

337 Biden Promises Israel 'Ironclad' Support Against Iran,

-
And a Biden promise is good as gold!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? at April 11, 2024 12:09 PM (FVME7)

338 Georgia, and Ukraine - twice. Putin has invaded no one else and, yet, people will still tell us how he longs for the old borders. He's been in power for 20 years. When is he gonna make his move?

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM

And wiken, blinken and nod was just in Brussels last week claiming that Ukraine will be a member of NATO soon. It's almost as if they want to keep the war going.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 12:09 PM (QNSds)

339 I would not buy gold from Costco.

Why not? I'm in no position to buy bullion but if I did, I would be less worried about it being adulterated buying from a large corporation than from a local shop or something.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 11, 2024 12:09 PM (/y8xj)

340 OJ always has to upstage a golf major.

Posted by: SH (no more socks) at April 11, 2024 12:10 PM (sX1BW)

341 best of Jackie Chiles -

https://tinyurl.com/4pbhnwss

Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 11, 2024 12:10 PM (KSkEK)

342 Jim Brown tossed a girl off a balcony (during a work out session). Oops. NFL Great.

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 11, 2024 12:10 PM (0EOe9)

343 And a Biden promise is good as ~~gold~~ an Altoid in your pocket just before it runs through the washing machine!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? at April 11, 2024 12:09 PM (FVME7)
++++
FIFY

Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 12:10 PM (HnUIn)

344 Last I heard, Israel was asking for just 40 live hostages to be returned. Hamas said it couldn't produce 40.

So Netanyahu can go right ahead and lay waste to the rest of Gaza.
Posted by: Our Country is Screwed at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (N39Ws)
***

Concur and it tears my heart to say so.
Announce to the world that they shall be remembered in song and legend for generations, and then level what is left of Gaza.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2024 12:10 PM (W/lyH)

345 The only good thing that came out of the Simpson trial was the Johnnie Cochran look alike lawyer on Seinfeld. Funny stuff.
Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 11, 2024

***
The actor, I found out recently, is the son of Greg Morris, "Barney" on the original Mission: Impossible. And I think he played the son of Barney on the remake in the '80s.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 11, 2024 12:10 PM (J2vNu)

346 NYT, Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal, April 23, 2015

Photo: A Uranium One sign that points to a 35,000-acre ranch owned by John Christensen, near the town of Gillette, Wyo. Uranium One has the mining rights to Mr. Christensen’s property. Matthew Staver for The New York Times

In part, "The headline on the website Pravda trumpeted President Vladimir V. Putin’s latest coup, its nationalistic fervor recalling an era when its precursor served as the official mouthpiece of the Kremlin: “Russian Nuclear Energy Conquers the World.”

The article, in January 2013, detailed how the Russian atomic energy agency, Rosatom, had taken over a Canadian company with uranium-mining stakes stretching from Central Asia to the American West. The deal made Rosatom one of the world’s largest uranium producers and brought Mr. Putin closer to his goal of controlling much of the global uranium supply chain.

But the untold story behind that story is one that involves not just the Russian president, but also a former American president and a woman who would like to be the next one.
...

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 12:11 PM (NFX2v)

347 One part of the War pie chart is: we are dumping off old equipment, Putin is testing his equipment, increasing his manufacturing capacity and capability while training a hard core blooded military. All the while our production of new arms, albeit not as much as it should be, is increasing and (fjb) providing jobs.

Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:11 PM (eY+TO)

348 Diesel is cheaper than 89 ocatane gasoline here. Too bad there aren't any Diesel cars anymore.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (63Dwl)

349 What an amazing boon this has been for the regimes of the West. Hundreds of billions turn in to tens of billions and then to nothing. And this fleecing will continue whether there is war, or peace. Reconstruction, BAY-BEE!

I'm never exactly surprised at their audacity, but this was some kind of chutzpah, this time. Just a broad daylight, strongarm robbery of every worker in a quarter of the globe.

They must be ecstatic. DC catamite pimps are probably having a supply crisis at this point.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (0FoWg)

350 I agree, but we are creating those flashpoints by plan. And that is what scares me.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 11:53 AM (gSZYf)

I believe it's part of the WEF's 750M population plan. They are, after all, killing off Europeans who, other than the self-chosen "elite", don't exist in that plan.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (IUd0M)

351 Weird, youtube has personalized ad - Date Ukranian Women with a pic of a very well endowed beauty. I'm beginning to suspect that my lurking on AoS comments section is known.

Posted by: Chuck Martel at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (KSkEK)

352 348 Diesel is cheaper than 89 ocatane gasoline here. Too bad there aren't any Diesel cars anymore.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (63Dwl)

Gas here is over 5 dollars again... Thanks Joe

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (Akjoo)

353 Are the OJ memes out yet?

.. Amid Potential Losses Of Black Voters Obama Convinces OJ Simpson to Die To Revitalize Racial Anger

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 12:13 PM (RHGPo)

354 343 And a Biden promise is good as gold an Altoid in your pocket just before it runs through the washing machine!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life?
----------------------

Altoid's give me heartburn.

Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:13 PM (eY+TO)

355 Reporter: Mr. Simpson, do you plan to get married again>

OJ: Sure, I'll take another stab at it.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at April 11, 2024 12:13 PM (9yWhg)

356 And a Biden promise is good as gold an Altoid in your pocket just before it runs through the washing machine!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life?
----------------------

Altoid's give me heartburn.

Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:13 PM

I like the box they come in.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 12:14 PM (QNSds)

357 348 Diesel is cheaper than 89 ocatane gasoline here. Too bad there aren't any Diesel cars anymore.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr.
-----------------------------

Thank you uncle sam. Until he doubled the tax on it and took the sulfur out it was cheap and efficient.

Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:15 PM (eY+TO)

358 Altoid's give me heartburn.
Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:13 PM (eY+TO)
----------
I'll have yours, then. I love 'em.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight at April 11, 2024 12:15 PM (Be/+i)

359 OJ gonna get chilly if the Bills ever win the Super Bowl

Posted by: logprof at April 11, 2024 12:16 PM (FzA9V)

360 New team nickname?

The NHL AZ Coyotes are close enough to moving to Salt Lake City that the SLC ownership group is soliciting possible nicknames for their new team.

I suggest the Utah Mormon Garments. Catchy, eh?

Posted by: mnw at April 11, 2024 12:16 PM (NLIak)

361 ...when did Russia become the bogy man again?

When they banned western homosexuals from being able to adopt Russian orphans.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic

Basically. And credulous simpletons all across the America dutifully lap up every last fleck of anti-Russia spittle, seasoned with Zelensky jizz and Biden-style graft, they can find.

Posted by: It's rather disgusting. Also pathetic. at April 11, 2024 12:16 PM (pFhjh)

362 The basket of goods that they use for CPI is smaller.

Now...I agree with you. It's just a little scam the feds play to make themselves look good. But statistically it does make a certain amount of sense to leave out energy and food.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 11, 2024 12:05 PM (gSZYf)

Except the CPI started tracking the prices changes of individual products... ie.... what is the price change on Kaboom Cereal.

Then it changed to, well, if Kaboom gets too high, people will buy Chocolate Coated Sugar Bombs instead, as it is cheaper. But that was still to big of swings... sooo..

They changed it to finding the lowest price of an available foodstuff... ie the lowest possibly priced breakfast cereal type thing you could buy.

All of these changes lowered changes to the CPI.... its like they started with the price of Wagyu Steaks, then compared them to a normal New York Steak, and now compare it to hamburger. Which... thinking on it.... Hamburger was just in the store at $10 a lbs... just like a good Rib eye was just 3 or 4 years ago.

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 11, 2024 12:16 PM (xaFKb)

363 U nas yest’ NOOD.

Posted by: Bulgaroctonus at April 11, 2024 12:16 PM (9yWhg)

364 The Arizona Republic, minutes ago: The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a 160-year-old law that bans abortions and punishes doctors who provide them, saying the ban that existed before Arizona became a state can be enforced going forward. The ruling indicated the ban cannot be retroactively enforced, and the court stayed enforcement for 14 days.

What political party controls Arizona?
Ballotpedia: "The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. The Republican Party controls both chambers of the state legislature. As of April 9, 2024, there are 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party holds trifecta control."

Rope-a-dope, kids. They've got their headlines, their incentive with youth.

Posted by: L - If they do it with you, they'll do it to you too at April 11, 2024 12:16 PM (NFX2v)

365 Just as the USSR broke itself trying to defend the Warsaw Pact... we are breaking ourselves trying to defend people ... from Climate Change

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 12:18 PM (RHGPo)

366 347 One part of the War pie chart is: we are dumping off old equipment, Putin is testing his equipment, increasing his manufacturing capacity and capability while training a hard core blooded military. All the while our production of new arms, albeit not as much as it should be, is increasing and (fjb) providing jobs.
Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:11 PM (eY+TO)

US Navy audit just showed tha

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 11, 2024 12:19 PM (xaFKb)

367
I suggest the Utah Mormon Garments. Catchy, eh?
Posted by: mnw

The Salt Lake City Sister Wives

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2024 12:19 PM (eMh+A)

368 Ratshita Taliban addresses her constituents chanting "Death To America!". (Well, OK, actually she doesn't.)

https://shorturl.at/nsxB1

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? at April 11, 2024 12:19 PM (FVME7)

369 Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:11 PM (eY+TO)

US Navy audit just showed tha
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 11, 2024 12:19 PM (xaFKb)

grrrrr.... US Navy audit just showed that all the Major construction of ships and submarines are YEARS behind schedule.

And we no longer have the trained Naval Yard workers to just throw money at the problem, and get them out sooner.... YEARS.... behind...

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 11, 2024 12:20 PM (xaFKb)

370 China has its own issues to deal with. Depopulation due to the one child policy catching up is gonna be ugly for them. Already started and will only accelerate the next couple of decades.
Posted by: Montec at April 11, 2024 11:13 AM (Y6Wgg)
_____
This is another of those things that don't make sense. If their population is declining, why is our southern border then seeing an increase of young Chinese men? Just like how they say our birth rate is low, but they keep pushing abortion on demand.

Posted by: Chillin the most at April 11, 2024 12:24 PM (0uQp2)

371 Taiwan, Korea, Iran...just three flashpoints that could require a major military effort that would dwarf Ukraine. And we don't have the materiel to fight those battles!
---------
Hunter sold our munitions for coke and hookers, but mostly just for the coke.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at April 11, 2024 12:37 PM (cOq4q)

372 China has its own naval issues to deal with.
They still haven't gotten their magnetic catapult system working on the 003 aircraft carrier. This seems to be in large part a power problem, which brings us to .. they don't have nuclear powered war ships.

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 12:47 PM (RHGPo)

373 "the weakness of the Russian armed forces"

I am more concerned about the weakness of US forces thanks.

Please continue to listen to the US IC. meh

Posted by: DOYLE at April 11, 2024 12:48 PM (Z8Yh2)

374 Russia has had 2 aircraft carriers. Neither were nuclear.
They sold one to the Chinese. The other had a crane fall on it during repairs/upgrades damaging it even more.

Posted by: SMOD at April 11, 2024 12:48 PM (RHGPo)

375 Altoid's give me heartburn.

Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:13 PM

I like the box they come in.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at April 11, 2024 12:14 PM (QNSds)

You can keep your weed in there.

Posted by: G'rump928(c) at April 11, 2024 12:49 PM (aD39U)

376 Pathia over 10 years HIT THE WALL.
Kinda hard to sell it.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2024 01:04 PM (mGb7+)

377 Yard workers take 4 years to get up to half speed.

Union

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2024 01:06 PM (mGb7+)

378 I see CBD's assessment of Russia and raise:

The West has rebooted Russian society, just not in the way that was envisioned in 2014.

Posted by: Harlock at April 11, 2024 01:06 PM (Djghf)

379 Diesel is cheaper than 89 ocatane gasoline here. Too bad there aren't any Diesel cars anymore.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 11, 2024 12:12 PM (63Dwl)

Gas here is over 5 dollars again... Thanks Joe
Posted by: It's me donna at April
****
Diesel is +25% in California plus mandatory diesel additive

Democrats are killing the California economy just as planned. 38 billion deficit. Schools are going to get clipped 15% budget. Wages set by contract so only way to balance books is layoffs. They already did that last crises. It's amazing what they destroy here.
So shipping

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2024 01:13 PM (mGb7+)

380 Russia is killing the young men it needs to do useful work in society. And to make and care for babies.

Russia already was shrinking in population by 2% year over year. That war is doing them no good and will not even if they 'win'. They lost 100's of thousands of their healthiest men. It's a catastrophe.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2024 01:17 PM (mGb7+)

381 I respectfully disagree.

I think that the question is whether the West will double down and inject massive quantities of blood into the conflict in the hopes of breaking a stalemate. It's clear that materiel isn't going to cut it. Will they YOLO it and send Western forces directly?
Posted by: Joe Mannix (Not a cop!) at April 11, 2024 11:03 AM (HnUIn)

There aren't enough Western forces to matter. Lets just say that somehow we get the entire Marine Corps there by snapping our fingers. The standard divisional frontage in defense is 10 km. Now, Marine divisions are overlarge so lets call it 20 km. The Ukraine frontage is many hundreds of km, maybe over a thousand. The Russians could just drive around them.

If the NATO units go on the offensive, they will run into the difficulty that both sides have had doing so, AND Russia has build heavy defensive lines behind the entire front.

Then the problem is that defend or attack, we will start eating into our own ammo stocks, already depleted from sending the old stuff to Ukraine. When that runs out, our troops will have the same problem the Ukraine army has of having to stand artillery fire without being able to reply.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 01:28 PM (eoQWY)

382 Russia is killing the young men it needs to do useful work in society. And to make and care for babies.

Russia already was shrinking in population by 2% year over year. That war is doing them no good and will not even if they 'win'. They lost 100's of thousands of their healthiest men. It's a catastrophe.
Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2024 01:17 PM (mGb7+)

Russian losses are much less than the press claims, this has been proved by the London Times' doing a study of funeral messages and announcements in Russian papers and news. Might be getting to 100K now.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 01:30 PM (eoQWY)

383 One part of the War pie chart is: we are dumping off old equipment, Putin is testing his equipment, increasing his manufacturing capacity and capability while training a hard core blooded military. All the while our production of new arms, albeit not as much as it should be, is increasing and (fjb) providing jobs.
Posted by: Braenyard at April 11, 2024 12:11 PM (eY+TO)

In the Grand Offensive of last year to Nowhere (the plan was to reach the sea, but since there exists a bridge in Crimea bypassing this hypothetical corridor if wildly successful it would have just made the front longer for no gain..but I digress) the initial lunges were done with NATO trained men using NATO equipment. The result was road bound columns behind mine clearers opening a one tank wide gap on the road. When Russian AT teams ambushed and took out the mine clearer, the following vehicles trying to bypass or turn hit mines and were destroyed at leisure.

NATO has less experience in this kind of war than the Ukrainians or Russians. Expecting there not to be unpleasant lessons is foolish. And there still is the problem of what does NATO do in the long term even if they stabilize the front? Fight forever?

Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 01:40 PM (eoQWY)

384 Georgia, and Ukraine - twice. Putin has invaded no one else and, yet, people will still tell us how he longs for the old borders. He's been in power for 20 years. When is he gonna make his move?
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 11, 2024 12:06 PM (IUd0M)

And now NATO has added Finland, so he doesn't even have to move 50 miles from St Petersburg to find and attack NATO if he had a mind to. Remember, in the end the USSR beat Finland both times in WWII, in 1940 in the Winter War and in 1944 after Finland joined the Nazis in Barbarossa. It is more or less undefendable.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 01:45 PM (eoQWY)

385 Expect those T-34s to show up on the Ukrainian front any day now...
Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2024 12:01 PM (YAtuc)
***

24...34...whatever it takes.
Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2024 12:04 PM (W/lyH)

When you are trying to blast an enemy squad out of a fortified village, the 76 mm gun on a T-34 is just as good a tool as a more modern tank and they have them. A lot better than making the men go in with nothing.

Most tanks don't face other tanks. In WWII tank units were not ever really supposed to fight other tank units, but lead them to the cheaper Tank Destroyer units.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 01:49 PM (eoQWY)

386 If Ukraine does collapse it will be interesting to see if Poland or Romania try to grab little bits of the corpse for themselves. Poland has its eyes on Lwow(Lvov, etc). Will be interesting
Posted by: Smell the Glove at April 11, 2024 11:37 AM (ixVYR)

Like Russia they will probably grab those areas with a large home population.
Posted by: polynikes at April 11, 2024 11:40 AM (GvesS)

Putin has pretty much said he does not care if that happens, as long as Ukraine agrees to it. He did warn Poland that in WWII Stalin gave Poland about 150 miles worth of Germany so if you start rewriting borders, the Germans might come looking for yours too.

Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 02:01 PM (eoQWY)

387 386 ...Putin has pretty much said he does not care if that happens, as long as Ukraine agrees to it. He did warn Poland that in WWII Stalin gave Poland about 150 miles worth of Germany so if you start rewriting borders, the Germans might come looking for yours too.
Posted by: Oldcat at April 11, 2024 02:01 PM (eoQWY)

Today's Germany seems to be more Weimar than Wehrmacht, so I'm not sure how much weight Putin's admonition carries....

Posted by: Rowsdower Believes Ray Epps is a Fed and Ashli Bennett is Crispus Attucks at April 11, 2024 02:09 PM (poA+q)

388 "exposed the weakness of the Russian armed forces in delightful ways"

* hypersonic missles
* 1st class air defenses
* devestaing artillery
* unbreakable defense in depth fortifications
* possibly a 5-10 to 1 ratio of Uke dead vs Russian when Uke is the defender (normally the ratio is reversed for the attacker)
* Russian defense industry able to out produce the entire output of NATO in munitions ...

Yeah, "weaknesses" exposed in delightful ways (i.e. lots of deads Uke's)

Posted by: The Dark Lord at April 11, 2024 02:10 PM (Bmty3)

389 I don't like telling Ukraine to give its soil to Russia. I do like suggesting to Ukraine not to apply to NATO in return for the Russians leaving. I really really would like DRILL BABY DRILL here, selling that, cheap, to Russia's clients and bankrupting The Bear.

Posted by: hurricane567 at April 11, 2024 02:20 PM (qmtIu)

390 Ukraine must admit that the odds are not in its favor, in spite of the oceans of money and arms flowing into it from a West that is using it as a proxy in its mostly imaginary conflict with the Russian bear.

That money and those arms were all banked, and sold elsewhere in the markets.

Posted by: LCMS Rulz! at April 11, 2024 02:58 PM (TOe+Q)

391 Ok, stick with me here.
The US has several million military age males who recently crossed the border.
Ukraine is running out of soldiers.
Abbott and Desantis have experience airlifting MAMs.
Congratulations, you are all citizens now.
No, not US citizens, Ukranian citizens. Hola, slava Ukranski mijo!

Posted by: Stacy0311 at April 11, 2024 04:52 PM (UsZOO)

392 Russia is not doing well militarily or economically. It is within the realm of possibility for Ukraine to defeat Russia, but at the pathetic level it is being supported by the west. If Putin is allowed to win in Ukraine, prepare for a war in the western Pacific. The weakness the west will has shown in Ukraine, will come back to haunt in a very big way.

Posted by: Quartermaster at April 11, 2024 06:16 PM (J0tKB)

393 All the West has to do is double down on pushing in people and supplies. But they don't have the supplies.

I'm thinking the poster needs to reread his own post. What he's saying is 'Russia won', but he does not want to admit that.

And we don't have the people either because 1/Transgender stupids in Army 2/Joe Biden 3/The actual warfighters don't want to do this.

Posted by: Eric2 at April 11, 2024 07:42 PM (q7Vou)

394 Amaᴢing blⲟg! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from
someѡheｒe? A design like yoᥙrs with a few simple ɑdjustements would really make my blog shine.
Please let me қnow where yоu got your theme.
With thanks

Posted by: inker at April 13, 2024 08:46 PM (h/7E7)

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