Surely his generals would be the one's lying to him?Quote:
Originally Posted by Macca
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Surely his generals would be the one's lying to him?Quote:
Originally Posted by Macca
Isn't that what I said? Usual situation for dictator - or quasi-dictator in this case - to surround himself with yes-men. You rock the boat and you're out. Even if you're just being realistic. A lot of businesses go to the wall for the same reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikeandvan
When the Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine inherited some of the nuclear assets they found that the wiring had been eaten by mice and that they were useless. I doubt very much that anything has changed.
he has managed to convince himself of his own rhetoric and ukraine is only the start for him. all the old soviet russian outposts will be retaken if he gets to take ukraine ...
the foolishness of it is that ukraine, was never going to be in nato, and it and finlandsweden wouldnt be in the eu either, but have all been pushed there by him.
he currently needs an escape hatch, and if he doesnt find one then he will go on until someone ousts him or war is declared with nato. a war he certainly cannot win, but can do untold damage
I don't see why NATO would get militarily involved, the Ukrainians seem to be doing fine as it is. Is there something I'm missing here?
I rarely watch or read the news so it's quite possible.
no not at moment, but he is in a difficut positin and may escalateQuote:
Originally Posted by Macca
Apologies, I'd not long got up! But yes, the typical dictator scenario of only telling them what they want to hear. There was that clip on the news of one of his ministers not giving him the right answer, and Putin bullying him until he did. It is exactly displays such as this which I find unnerving, and with constant US prodding, the Russian bear may finally lash out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Macca
Not in Nato, not yet anyway, but US meddling in Ukraine has been profound. https://www.cato.org/commentary/amer...aine-hypocrisyQuote:
Originally Posted by struth
"The extent of the Obama administration’s meddling in Ukraine’s politics was breathtaking. Russian intelligence intercepted and leaked to the international media a Nuland telephone call in which she and U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Geoffey Pyatt discussed in detail their preferences for specific personnel in a post‐Yanukovych government. The U.S‑favored candidates included Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the man who became prime minister once Yanukovych was ousted from power. During the telephone call, Nuland stated enthusiastically that “Yats is the guy” who would do the best job."
for cato, read grand ol' party, especially these days..
This is not a one-sided thing though. It's not like Russia keeps itself to itself and is not 'meddling' in other countries too. Likewise China, France, UK and to a lesser extent many other countries. That sort of thing has gone on since at least the start of recorded history. Jockying for position - if you don't do it then the eventual consequences can be dire.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikeandvan
He's got nothing left to escalate with though? I suppose he could decide to try and end the world by launching nuclear missiles but that's throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And that's assuming that his nukes work, which is a big assumption, and that his orders would be obeyed - also unlikely.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
Of course now I've said that we will probably all be radioactive dust by next week :)
one thing ive learnt; never say never, but don't worry unduely either if you can't change reality. just open another bottle and put a decent film on;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Macca
you got it.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
That was the point of the concept of 'Mutually Assured Destruction' - that it would prevent a nuclear war. But it only takes one nuclear power to mis-understand the word "mutual" and dismiss the concept for it to fail.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikeandvan
So that's about three months for me - the time I need to drink my way through my wine 'cellar'. The same time needed for me to play all my CDs for the last time.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
Well I've bought 25 CDs in the last week, which I need to hear. As well as buying an expensive pair of shoes which I need to wear and eventually wear out.
I might hold off on buying a new stylus. Or maybe I will, and just stop watching the news. That sounds like a better plan.
no tv just keeps on coming up trumps:D
A message to the UK from Russian state TV.
https://youtu.be/r4eJvwtQJu4
Oh how nice, they are thinking about us.
Wankers.
Now Biden's warning of Armageddon, he should retire, honestly, he gave a speech the other day, saying "two very important words" (or words to that effect), "made in America"! Personally, I'm getting the pooch vaccinated against Rabies, then we're gonna head off to Europe for a month or so, the Uk will be first to be hit alongside the US. I figure a remote part of Spain would be a good bet.
A thought crossed my mind. Do the shopping channels on TV, which feature what are basically long commercials anyway, have their programmes interspersed with commercials? I've never watched one long enough to find out :).
Tom Ingram BTCC Champion, Putin couldn’t stop that.
He could have jumped onto the track and ordered them to stop. I'd pay good money to see how that would end.Quote:
Originally Posted by archiesdad
I reckon those shopping channels do most of their business in the wee small hours, when tiredness and/or alcohol lowers folks' resistance to the cack they're peddling. Like with the online casino ads. Evil buggers.Quote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
Several years ago I bought a battery operated robot from one of these channels, similar to the tin plate jobbies we got as kids in the 60s. It was only after a couple of years that I remembered, "Hey, I never got my robot". Couldn't even remember what shopping channel it was. Only cost about a tenner iirc.
Had one like this as a kid. Wish I still had it.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/M~oAA...kMX/s-l400.jpg
Most of the time I can forget about my advancing years, but this last couple of weeks has brought a healthy dose of reality via the letterbox.
2 weeks ago the NHS sent me my bi-annual shit kit, which has just come back as 'normal'. Hoorah! Last week I got invites for Covid booster and also a 'flu jab. Also an appointment for later this month to have a scan for AAA (nothing to do with my modest alcohol consumption, but something to do with aneurisms).
Better news today though: Apparently I become "normal retirement age" in January (forgot all about this), and a private pension from my dim and distant past will be paying me a lot more than I expected. Which is nice. With a lump sum on the front of it.
Mrs. P's reaction: "I can see what you're thinking, no chance!" I've no idea what she's on about :)
Good news that mate, two pensions, see if you can syphon some of it off.:D
Yes that would be nice. Although state pension doesn't kick in for another two years. I quite like the idea of going from working six days a week to just four. Or less. But that's not the road to Focal Kanta-ville, so we'll see :)
Checking the power reduction after switching off an old freezer.
Well it looks like somewhere around 40p a day. But will need to average it out over a week.
It's old but a decent freezer.. maybe over 40yrs, not sure. Certainly over 30.
You'll pick up more tax alas. They get us no matter what you do unless your richQuote:
Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony
I also have just done a faecal occult blood test (love the sobriquet "Shit Kit" ;) ) and have an appointment for the covid booster and flu jabs. I had an AAA screening several years ago (I had to look it up), with the result that the batteries didn't need changing! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony
Good news on the pension front - don't spend it all at once! :)
i dont do them; my old doc reckoned they were in general a waste of time and caused more harm than good. im inclined to agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
covid this year wont be happening as the govt have decided that folk who are elderly and have mobility issues can get ti' f**k...
if i cant get up to livingston and find a shop unit in the huge centre(taking immence risk of catching it) then i dont need it... cheap scate govt bollocks.. same with the flu one. yet they came and gave me my pneumonia one at home and all others at home.. practice nurses come to house too.. just a FUKKIN' DISGRACE...Sorry for language
Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Thanks Barry, I must admit I'm feeling fairly upbeat tonight, some financial pressure has been lifted. In addition, as the company I'm sub contracted to take 20% of everything I earn, a decent tax rebate is winging its way. Not treating myself will take a fair bit of self-control...
That just takes the piss, Grant. You've grafted all your life, a lot harder than the pencil necks who make these decisions... you deserve better.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
In what way do they "cause more harm than good"? They may not be 100% reliable and can return a false positive, but if they do, a colonoscopy will confirm one way or another. I would rather have advance warning than wait until a colonoscopy was required.
I take all tests and jabs on offer - though I have had so many jabs for foreign travel, I can no longer give blood (it's not blue enough! :D )
it'll be a financial pragmatic decision.. old, often disabled, at risk.... great lets put them at as much risk as we can and kill of 10/20% and save on pensions etc...Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony
thats the trouble with me; i know how they think... scum
Scumbags indeed! But then the Government is full of them
he said the % of false pos was huge, mostly due to pile blood etc.. the fear it causes makes so many people severley ill and terrified they are cancer pos etc. he may have a point; he was a very good doc by way. certainly not one to treat you like a daft boy. ...if you needed your baws off he'd happily tell you lol:eyebrows:Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Popped down to the local pharmacy yesterday with the missus to see if the 'walk in' Covid jab service was operating. It was and there was only one person in front of us, so we both had our boosters and were offered the Flu jab at the same time and had that too. I felt a bit crappy as the day went on, but my wife was not affected. We've both got slightly sore arms, not as bad as the Pfizer shot I had last time though. Glad to get that sorted!
what did that cost you??Quote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
Nothing. Part of the NHS booster programme, and the Flu jab was due on NHS too. I just showed the letter I'd received.Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
I'm due to have both jabs later this month.Quote:
Originally Posted by walpurgis
I was supposed to get up to Livingston centre. Fat chance of managing that, far less on my own, and it's a busy place too. So I will for now have to do without.
HOMEHIFI THOUGHTS.
Picture this: You’re alone in your home listening to that new favorite record, slowly easing out of the cares of the day and into the effortless weightless beauty that is the music experience.
Just as you begin to float free for the full one-with-music eyes closed moment—Crash! Smash! Boom! Glass shatters blowing across the room as SWAT-team-like goons rappel through the hole they just blew in your ceiling while others swing through the picture window and you’re bound, gagged, and hooded before you can hit pause.
The smell of smoke and sweat and violence fills the air while sirens wail and your mind begins to race—Did I pay my taxes? Is it that case of CBD oil I just ordered from Amazon? My hemp sheets? Was that tip from Scott about Apple share prices insider trading because he worked at the Genius Bar in college?
Chest pounding, furniture scraping across the floors, hushed clipped words shared between the men in black, you begin to think about all of the good things in your life that you’ll miss and all of the things you should have done and said differently, frantically re-writing the past to measure up to this—perhaps the last few moments of existence.
“Count backward from 100. Do not remove the hood until you reach 0. We will be watching.”
99, 98, 97…
I swear I’ll be a better person. No more throwing away the extra clean free napkins that come with happy meals, I’ll tip at least 15% maybe more if the service is really exceptional, I’ll call my parents, I’ll brush and floss every day! Twice!!
3, 2, 1…
As you slowly pull the hood up and over your head, it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the darkness while you rip the remaining duct tape from your wrists and ankles. Wait a minute. . .everything seems the same except for the broken picture window, the hole in the ceiling, and the debris. Your feet crunch on broken glass and plaster as you survey the room when it finally becomes clear—the mission objective fixes your gaze and sends an ice cold shiver down your spine, rendering you unable to move or even swallow. Your hifi is gone.
In its place is a new hifi. A much less expensive hifi with thin, generic cables and stock power cords. The power conditioner is gone, the turntable is gone, too. A small two unit stack of less than half-width-sized plain silver components are all that’s left sitting on the floor (the rack is gone too) in between two stand mount generic two-ways wrapped in faux wood grain black vinyl.
More or less a description of my partner's "Hi-fi", save the speakers are on shelves and have grey cloth grills. It's a Hitachi AX-M71:Quote:
Originally Posted by struth
Available on eBay for around £40! :lol: (or should that be :eek: ?)
looks allright for forty quid that does.
Serves you right for taking the hood off.
3 or 4 years ago we bought a similar "system" for her son for Christmas. It's still in its box because he's too bone bloody idle to put up a shelf for it. Guess who won't be getting my stuff when I'm gone?Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
In the early stages of having a new kitchen fitted. The room is just a shell, containing a working fridge and nothing else. Temporary kitchen is a 4' x 2' Kallax ubit from IKEA in the hallway. Somehow Mrs. P has managed to fit tea and coffee making facilities, my posh coffee maker, toaster and microwave on top. And a washing up bowl in the bath.
Still, it's only for a week they reckon. I'll be sick of takeaways by then. Lamb Jalfrezi tonight.
How long will it take for the fitters to install your new kitchen Steve?
You can survive on ready microwave meals, takeaways, and sandwiches for a few weeks.
The bloke told us one week. I was sceptical, but he started ripping out yesterday morning, and by 1pm the whole kitchen including wall tiles, were in a skip. Plasterer been in today, and boarded the walls. I think that's pretty good going, but one week start to finish? I'll keep you posted.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry