Ukraine Conflict

[majestic]

34 minutes ago, Gorth said:

There are some issues with the forum software the moment. I've been away most of the day and wanted to reply to this earlier via my phone, but Safari is now completely FUBAR for use with this version of the board software. What I had wanted to post was suggesting to make a post of it in the forum issues thread in the Obsidian General forum. Admin is collecting as much info as possible, trying to sort out some issues. Currently it eats any and all posts submitted from Safari, as well as blocks any post ratings. The only two things I've been able to do most of the day is either approve posts from new accounts or kill off suspected spam bot accounts. No moving of threads, no posting, nada, njet, nix, null, nein 

Well, luckily, there is a really easy fix for the problem with Safari: Stop using that piece of trash.

[Malcador]

Clearly the Russians are attacking this forum.

[kanisatha]

2 hours ago, Gorth said:

There are some issues with the forum software the moment. I've been away most of the day and wanted to reply to this earlier via my phone, but Safari is now completely FUBAR for use with this version of the board software. What I had wanted to post was suggesting to make a post of it in the forum issues thread in the Obsidian General forum. Admin is collecting as much info as possible, trying to sort out some issues. Currently it eats any and all posts submitted from Safari, as well as blocks any post ratings. The only two things I've been able to do most of the day is either approve posts from new accounts or kill off suspected spam bot accounts. No moving of threads, no posting, nada, njet, nix, null, nein 

For me, using Firefox, I've been getting certificate security alerts when trying to access the forum login page.

[Malcador]

 

Going to be some good theater, heh.

Putin apparently also announced restructuring of the RF, moving away from BTGs, new military districts - Moscow and, uh, Leningrad for some reason. 

 

Edit : D'oh, the Oblast is still Leningrad.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Malcador

[xzar_monty]

Former Roscosmos boss Dmitry Rogozin wounded in Donetsk. Here's a sassy video of him doing Sieg Heil. Just so that we know where the nazis are...

 

 

[Mamoulian War]

On 12/21/2022 at 12:11 PM, xzar_monty said:

It's really hard to believe that anything like this could be a real ad, even in Russia. But is this real?

 

There are two more versions of this ad. If you enlist, you can afford to buy your daughter new mobile phone, and one for elderly, if you convince your son to enlist, you will be able to afford to buy new Lada from his enlistment bonus (not to be confused this one with the Lada meme).

Edited December 22, 2022 by Mamoulian War

[Mamoulian War]

19 hours ago, kanisatha said:

For me, using Firefox, I've been getting certificate security alerts when trying to access the forum login page.

I am having same issues with Firefox as with Safari

[Raithe]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-troops-raped-tortured-children-ukraine-un-panel-says-rcna49168

[Malcador]

 

[pmp10]

Macron has been expanding on his idea for post-war order.
His 'guarantees' are apparently to include the likes of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Armenia.

I didn't think he wanted US gone so badly as to practically endorse a better CSTO.

[Mamoulian War]

On 12/22/2022 at 8:02 AM, xzar_monty said:

Former Roscosmos boss Dmitry Rogozin wounded in Donetsk. Here's a sassy video of him doing Sieg Heil. Just so that we know where the nazis are...

 

 

There is continuation of the story. He was apparently wounded somseriously, that the doctors in Rostov could not make a surgery. He was scheduled to be transfered to Moscow, but the weather conditions are as bad as his medical condition, so the transfer was postponed. (Courtesy of Russian media).

[Malcador]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/12/21/russia-nord-stream-explosions/

Guess we'll never know

[xzar_monty]

Christmastime in Russia. This is a bit like the fires: given the kind of country Russia is, is this an indication of something, or is this business as usual? I don't know.

 

[Lexx]

The list is getting quite long. Though, of course, all of those deaths are just accidental and in no way connected to the war effort.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Lexx

[xzar_monty]

You know, one reason that this whole war is so heartbreaking is that culturally, Russia has been a giant. I know that art is not a competition and should not be regarded as such, but if we look at classical music or literature, then the US, for instance, loses quite spectacularly to Russia. It's just that in so many other respects, Russia is an absolute monster. The country has had some two hundred (or is it three?) years of exceptionalism at the core of its thinking, and the results are disastrous.

[bugarup]

So bald old baboon commissioned nine rings as presents for CIS leaders and his precioussssss self, and again I'm thinking there's a creative and very bold saboteur in Kremlin's PR team.

[xzar_monty]

1 hour ago, bugarup said:

So bald old baboon commissioned nine rings as presents for CIS leaders and his precioussssss self, and again I'm thinking there's a creative and very bold saboteur in Kremlin's PR team.

Indeed, sometimes it's really difficult to tell whether these guys are basically trolling the world or whether they're actually serious. Here's a clergyman giving everyone an extremely important message, definitely worth checking out. Never once does it seem to occur to this fellow that one actually does not have to choose between two kinds of idiotic deaths -- and that it is entirely possible to live a life that doesn't end in either. The contrast between the rather beautiful backdrop and the drivel this guy is spouting is also pretty good: sometime in the past there has been a culture worth recognizing, but right now there's this fellow representing it. Way to go, guys.

 

[Malcador]

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/putin-bans-russian-oil-exports-countries-that-imposed-price-cap-decree-2022-12-27/

Feb 1 is a ways off, at least.

[Gorth]

15 hours ago, xzar_monty said:

Christmastime in Russia. This is a bit like the fires: given the kind of country Russia is, is this an indication of something, or is this business as usual? I don't know.

 

To be honest, I *think* this is business as usual (with increased media spotlight on it). There is a reason the oligarchs have become all pliable (unlike say during the Yeltsin days). Powerful billionaires don't dance to your tune if they aren't afraid of you.

[Zoraptor]

The oligarchs got stomped twenty years ago though. Pretty much literally the first thing Putin did (see Berezovksy and Khodokovsky for the most prominent examples).

And, of course, Christmastime in Russia is still nearly two weeks away (January 8th) since they're Orthodox.

[Malcador]

Was sort of funny to see Khodorkovsky in the media here now and then as a "good" Russian. 

[xzar_monty]

5 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

And, of course, Christmastime in Russia is still nearly two weeks away (January 8th) since they're Orthodox.

Good point! Of course I knew this, it just slipped my mind. But good correction, thanks.

[Gorth]

My Serbian friends are doing it all wrong then

They (always) celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January. Dang heretics!

 

[Sarex]

Gorth is right, it's Jan 7th.

[xzar_monty]

36 minutes ago, Gorth said:

My Serbian friends are doing it all wrong then

They (always) celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January. Dang heretics!

What about Danes? Do they follow the custom of celebrating Christmas on the eve, i.e. 24th, or is the big day the Christmas day, i.e. 25th? There are interesting differences here, too. (In Finland, the big day is the eve, that's when children get their presents.)