BruceVC

I use Chrome and for a month I couldnt post, quote or rate posts, its all working now

It doesnt concern me in the slightest even it true, the Russians have been pushing numerous false narratives and hyperbole that they " fighting the US\NATO" to justify there military failures and lackluster performance so the US helping with navigation coordinates is fine. But saying all that the article does say " Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, said in the statement. “The Ukrainians are responsible for finding targets, prioritizing them and then ultimately deciding which ones to engage. The U.S. does not approve targets, nor are we involved in the selection or engagement of targets.” The senior Ukrainian official described the targeting process, generally: Ukrainian military personnel identify targets they want to hit, and in which location, and that information is then sent up to senior commanders, who then relay the request to U.S. partners for more accurate coordinates. The Americans do not always provide the requested coordinates, the official said, in which case the Ukrainian troops do not fire"

Do you think they created these Terminators in similar labs to what the Ukrainians use for there mutant soldiers?

You onto me Sarex, insightful as usual

I didnt realize it but spy balloons do have certain advantages over satellites used for spying. This link highlights it https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/balloons-vs-satellites-popping-some-misconceptions-about-capability-and-legality/

Nah, we dont mind speculation on this forum. We do it all the time And its definitely true within Russia you cant be honest or vocal around anti-war sentiment. Here is some polling data from Serbia, its reveals most Serbs are supportive of Russia and think Putin is someone to be admired. But I dont know how accurate it is because its a SA website? https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-serbia-is-shifting-closer-to-russia-heres-why-192472

She must have been in a fantastic mood during the Novak banning and deportation

Nah, dont be so hard on yourself. Serbs never bring up the past

You can absolutely be anti-vax\anti-corona vaccines and opposed to Russia invasion of Ukraine, the 2 are not mutually exclusive I have always supported vaccines but the global pushback to Corona vaccines was based on several things like the right to say no. Im fine with that because 80-90% of people who died in hospitals or had the most severe sickness were the unvaccinated so everyone must accept the consequences of their decisions We didnt see major cases of variants escaping the vaccine efficacy so vaccinated people like me were fine. But end of the day because Corona had a relatively low mortality rate of 5-7%, unlike the black plague or Ebola which is 40-60%, people who were unvaccinated didn't feel threatened or were asymptomatic. Of course the risk is also spending time with the high risk people over 65 and being asymptomatic but again thats a personal choice people made. But you cant force people to take vaccines for Corona, as prudent as it is it didnt work, in most countries, and just encouraged the whole " globohomo\deep state\big pharma is trying to control us " conspiracy theorists and that made more people object to it I do think vaccines should be mandatory in old age homes for staff

Wow, what a brilliant review. HL looks incredible. The combat is complex and I love the open world and activities

https://the-secret-of-darkwoods.vercel.app/ Here is an upcoming CYOA game, it reminds me of the Fighting Fantasy PC games The developer is active on Codex and Im very interested in it

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/western-sanctions-push-russias-energy-revenues-lowest-level-since-2020-2023-02-03/ Some grim economic data for Russia from the Western oil price cap and sanctions

Yes thats the thing, satellites would provide more accurate surveillance than a balloon. But its still concerning and this balloon isnt the only one floating around https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/photos-appear-to-show-second-chinese-balloon-passing-over-latin-america/ar-AA176oGH

Its stinking Commie subversive technology, it must be destroyed immediately. You must watch a movie called Red Dawn. ( the original )..this is how it starts. First balloons then invasion !!!

The moment you agree to historical redress caused by things like slavery and occupation let me know because your ancestors, the Vikings, committed the most terrible crimes against the English and they enslaved people...I watched a documentary on this and I still suffer from sleepless nights...its created real trauma in my life but you can help me by accepting responsibility for your ancestors crimes and carnage and then we can work out a monthly payment directly into my account. Think of your privlidege created by your ancestors

Sure, like anyone is going to believe this. And only 18k Russian soldiers have died

But the ending, wow. You never would have predicted that I know the official statement is no season 2 but hopefully that changes?

https://thehill.com/policy/finance/3842074-economy-jobs-inflation-unemployment-report/ The US added 500k new jobs and inflation is down to 6.5%, it was an unbelievably positive showing with most analysts more cautious Man the US sanctions against Russia and its support for Ukraine is really crashing its economy

Sorry I am not sure what you mean, are you asking if white kids are being told they responsible for colonialism or slavery from a historical perspective?

For me its not a question of intelligence for any dictator\autocratic but rather egregious or myopic decisions made in the interests of nationhood or complete self-interests and the entire future of the country becomes part of those decisions for the good and bad There are lots of examples of educated and clever leaders who were brutal dictators and made terrible decisions in the running of there countries that led to years if not decades of economic and social decline and degrees of global isolation. Look at Zimbabwe, Mugabe was educated. He wasnt stupid but he made terrible decisions But I definitely disagree that any Western country would be able to do what Putin has done, there are checks and balances and more importantly political accountability and consequence when you want to invade a country if you a Democracy. Just look at the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, the US and their allies spent months at the UN trying to motivate the invasion and get global support. There was months of domestic " marketing " in the US and UK to win over public sentiment for the invasion Compare that with Russias invasion of Ukraine, within 2-3 months the Ruskies moved troops on to the borders of Belarus and Ukraine and said it was a " training exercise ", they even dismissed the reality of an invasion. You cant do that in a Democracy because you will be held accountable for your lies. The vote and winning popular support matters but its irrelevant in any one party state or autocracy because what can civilians do? And also if you prepared to ignore human rights, arrest and kill protestors and you have effective security forces then you can stay in power indefinitely. Even if your citizens suffer and your economy collapses. You cant do this in any Western country because you will be voted out Finally I agree echo-chambers are boring, I would prefer people are honest with there support for Russia but then you must accept people will disagree. But thats point of a debate, hopefully people wont take it personally but agree to disagree.

Interesting point, he would have been more or less safe living in the US. The Ruskie assassination influence isn't as strong there?

Thats an understandable bitter pill and one I think many people will share Very few people believed Putin would be myopic enough to invade Ukraine, I didnt, and this invasion has created understandable anxiety and instability in the EU and particularly East European countries. But its also united the EU and NATO in ways that werent possible before. Many people use to believe Putin could be reasoned with but its patently clear he only respects one thing, force and military strength that the likes of NATO\US provides. You just cant trust the Russians on their word But pacifism is a good quality, its just not feasible in certain geopolitical realities

Its happens to everyone, whenever I do I make it an instructive moment and try not to repeat my previous mistake or view What was your bitter pill because they vary from person to person?

His main predictions were mostly the economic collapse of the West due to sanctions on Russia and he was just repeating what ZH and other Russian propaganda website peddle. And it was wrong and inaccurate around most predictions

We have discussed this at length but the tacit support for Russia from some is more about anti-Western\NATO\US sentiment Russia was the " alternative " to Western hegemony and culture but even that is exaggerated because there is Western influence and dominance in some sectors but the global world is a complex place and democratic governments, not autocracies, mostly make decisions based on their own best interests around trade, growth and stability But also what is part of this is its hard for supporters or sympathizers of Russia to believe and accept that everything they have always criticized the West for Putin is now doing in Ukraine but its worse. Its a bitter pill to swallow