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Popular Content
Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/30/23 in all areas
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24 points
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24 points
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Some Sunday afternoon chuckles. Anyone surprised, given the source?15 points
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You probably weren't inviting actual responses, but I think about this question all the time. Forgive me for taking a stab at an answer: 1. Right-wing media has the format and the appearance of news. But instead of news, it relentlessly broadcasts conspiracy theories, and then lines up well-groomed anchors and fake authorities to repeat well-choreographed talking points that are always cynical ("all government is bad"), paranoid ("the left is trying to destroy your white, Christian culture"), aggrieved ("your vote was stolen"), and deeply hostile to experts ("Arrest Fauci!"). Almost every item they broadcast validates and reinforces their viewers's beliefs along one of those axes: government should be destroyed, liberals are evil, deep-state experts are wrong, and you (viewers) have been violated. 2. Conspiracy theories are infinitely more seductive and persuasive than nuanced policy discussions. 3. Experts on civil war (Barbara Walter's book is great) tell us that widespread political violence is most likely in countries that have tainted democracies (she doesn't use that language... she calls them anocracies), and is also far more likely when there is a demographic shift where one ethnic group knows that it is losing its ruling power. 4. It's pretty easy to fool people. It's nearly impossible to convince people that they have been fooled. How many moments have we had - including January 6 - where a lot of us naively thought, "**THIS** will be the thing that finally makes the Republican Party repudiate this fascist clown?" But there's never going to be a reckoning as long as 1. and 2. continue to exist. -- and especially if 1 and 2 exist in a country with the characteristics described in 3.15 points
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15 points
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Yeah, poor Saban, the guy who’s been buying players longer than anyone. It must be really tough for him when he gets outbid.14 points
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13 points
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12 points
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Per IT, Kobe Black snuck in and was on campus Friday before he went to A&M.11 points
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TexAgs translations: ”Aggies are definitely in it”= A&M isn’t in the top 2 ”Feel like A&M took some positive steps this weekend”= A&M isn’t in it the top 2 ”The fact he showed up to eat BBQ is a good sign”= We have no clue ”A&M made a big time move”= Jimbo put the kid in the hotbox “He could not make the trip, but he was active on social media”= go ahead and close the book on this recruitment “It did catch my eye that this player walked into the event with TWO OTHER PLAYERS WHO ALSO HAVE INTEREST IN A&M!!”= A&M isn’t the leader11 points
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Wordle 771 3/6 ⬛🟨🟨⬛🟩 🟨🟩🟨⬛🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Quordle 552 6️⃣5️⃣ 4️⃣7️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ 🟨🟨⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩11 points
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11 points
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The government could easily shut down down SpaceX launches from American soil - Starlink is a SpaceX subsidiary, Because Elmo controls it and has publicly made it clear he’s not happy that Ukraine is doing as well as it is. Musk doesn’t hide his Russian sympathies at all. As @BamaATL said, Elmo is compromised because he buys raw materials from Russia (and has deep financial ties to China). It’s controlled by a man who removed the “W” from the Twitter HQ’s sign because he thought “titter” is funny, and he openly courts white supremacists and neo-Nazis, and has been actively driving customers away from Twitter. I don’t know why you think he’d be any different with SpaceX, other than in theory there are adults in charge instead of him.10 points
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10 points
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Wordle 771 5/6* ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟨🟩⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Quordle 552 4️⃣3️⃣ 6️⃣8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜🟩⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟩🟨🟩🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩10 points
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Wordle 771 4/6 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩🟨⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Quordle 552 🟥6️⃣ 9️⃣4️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩🟩⬜🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜⬜🟨🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨 ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟨🟩🟩⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ Connections Puzzle #49 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟦🟦🟦 🟩🟦🟦🟦 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 As unsatisfying as the bowel movement these results were conceived to.10 points
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Wordle 771 3/6* ⬛🟨🟨⬛⬛ ⬛🟨🟩🟨⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Quordle 552 7️⃣8️⃣ 5️⃣4️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨🟨 ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜ ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ Daily Sequence Quordle 552 5️⃣6️⃣ 7️⃣8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟨⬜🟩⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Connections Puzzle #49 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟩🟩🟩🟩 Blossom Puzzle, July 30 Letters: D I L E N S T My score: 331 points My longest word: 10 letters 🌹 🌷 💮 🏵 💐 🌻 🌸 🌼 🌺 🌹 Play Blossom: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-games/blossom-word-game #Worldle #555 1/6 (100%) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉 ⭐⭐⭐🏙️🪙 https://worldle.teuteuf.fr10 points
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10 points
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10 points
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I’ll open today Wordle 771 2/6 ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Quordle 552 4️⃣3️⃣ 5️⃣7️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟨🟩⬜🟩🟩 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 #Worldle #555 1/6 (100%) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉 https://worldle.teuteuf.fr Blossom Puzzle, July 30 Letters: D I L E N S T My score: 380 points My longest word: 13 letters 🏵 🌼 🌹 🌺 💐 🌸 🌻 🌷 💮 🏵 🌼 🌹 🌺 Play Blossom: https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-games/blossom-word-game10 points
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in a prior time in my life (pre Feb 2022), hearing the fear in the voice of a young girl witnessing an attack on their city would have moved me greatly. but having seen 10/15 similar videos in the last 18 months of UKRAINIAN young women crying at the sounds of war attacking their city, not only does this video not move me... I'm actually saying, good for her. good for her, because she and maybe 1k/2k Russians in the immediate vicinity are now feeling the consequences of their actions. and I know thats fucking cruel and completely against civilized morals. But civilized morals only apply to a civilzed sociey, so I am drinking a shot of bourbon and now cheering her cries of fear.... and that fucking terrifies me long term about how fucked my conscience has turned in the last 18 months.10 points
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For everyone leaning on Grusch’s service record in the USAF and IC as evidence that he’s not a loon or lying, I have two words: Michael Flynn.10 points
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This is my tank. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My tank is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my tank is useless. Without my tank, I am useless. I must fire my tank true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy, who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my tank and myself are defenders of my country, we are the masters of our enemy, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen.9 points
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RDCanecutter, as is his wont, is on to something profound. If y’all haven’t seen it, the movie The Highwaymen with Costner and Harrelson is a great flick about the manhunt for Bonnie and Clyde. I watched it recently and thought about the similarities between Trump and Bonnie and Clyde. Both set of assholes are clearly criminal scum, and the evidence of their criminality was amazingly clear. Yet the poor uneducated mooks of the depression saw B&C as heroes and supported and protected them. Just like the poor uneducated MAGAS support and protect Trump now. What seems to be the common thread is that the poor uneducated mooks see those particular criminals as someone who is getting back at the unknown elite who make their life miserable and have caused their life woes. For Bonnie and Clyde, the fact they robbed banks who had taken their farms exonerated them from anything else they did, including executing wounded cops. Of course, it was likely cops who evicted them from their farms. In Trump’s case, he validates their fear and dislike of minorities and gays and foreigners, and people who think they are so damn smart that they laugh at what they say and think, as if they were saying stupid stuff. And as we have seen, the power of Trump is “He’s just like me, but he’s got a lot of money and a good looking wife and bangs playmates. Plus he doesn’t seem to pay taxes, and he owns the libs” In both cases the public completely disregarded the criminality, because they desperately want to have a Robin Hood hero who takes it to The Man - who is responsible for their woes. I don’t think it’s more complex than that.9 points
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9 points
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9 points
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Wordle 771 4/6 [emoji834][emoji834]🟨[emoji834][emoji834] 🟩[emoji834]🟨🟨[emoji834] 🟩🟩[emoji834]🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩9 points
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Beat me to it. Slept in until 8 today. Wordle 771 5/6 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩 ⬜🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 #Worldle #555 2/6 (100%) 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜⬇️ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉 ⭐⭐⭐🏙️🪙 https://worldle.teuteuf.fr Daily Quordle 552 4️⃣5️⃣ 6️⃣8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟩⬜🟩🟨⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟨🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨⬜🟩⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟩 ⬜🟩🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟨⬜🟨🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 #travle #228 (6/9) (0 hints) ⬛✅🟧✅✅✅ https://imois.in/games/travle/9 points
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If he starts a war with Poland, there won’t be a diversion of assets. Per article 5, there will be a full-on dedication of NATO assets to wrecking any and all Russian and Belarusian shit that could be used to wage war on a NATO country. That will also benefit Ukraine. Because every fucking Russian tank, airplane, airfield, etc, is fair game.8 points
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Wordle 771 4/6* ⬜🟨🟨⬜🟩 🟨⬜⬜🟨🟩 🟨🟩🟨⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Quordle 552 5️⃣6️⃣ 4️⃣8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜🟨🟩 🟩⬜🟩🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟩⬜⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨🟨🟨🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Daily Sequence Quordle 552 3️⃣6️⃣ 7️⃣🔟 m-w.com/games/quordle/ 🟨⬜🟩🟨⬜ ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩⬜🟩🟨 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟨⬜🟨⬜🟨 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩⬜🟨🟩⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yeah…I’m not even upset I didn’t get this fucking word Weekly Quordle Challenge 5 3️⃣9️⃣ 🟥8️⃣ m-w.com/games/quordle/ ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟩 ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩⬜🟨⬜⬜ 🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨 ⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛8 points
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8 points
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It’s insane that 1) the military has to come up with a solution to work around the possibility that the billionaire man child could just turn off the satellites and 2) that solution involves paying shit loads more money to that same erratic/compromised billionaire8 points
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8 points
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Wordle 771 5/6 ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛🟨🟨⬛🟩 🟨⬛🟨⬛🟩 ⬛🟩⬛🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Back down to earth8 points
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8 points
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8 points
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7 points
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Some History Channel executive just busted a nut thinking about having Ukrainian Pickers a few years from now.7 points
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7 points
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I understand all that, do you understand the danger in having only one option, and that option being controlled by someone that may have general indifference as to what is best for the country, might be a problem? In an emergency of course, these assets could be seized and taken over for national defense purposes, but it's probably better if we develop a few other options.7 points
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Let's say it's Ukrainian drones. Does it help Putin? I am not sure that it does. We're 500+ days into the war that Russian officials had told the Russian public would be over back in March or April of last year. Putin told the Russian people it was about making Russia secure, but here we are in almost August of 2023 and Ukrainian drones and missiles seem to be hitting Moscow, something that wasn't happening in January of 2022. The last major remaining "victory" Russia has had since February of 2022 was Bakhmut, and the Russian people watching state TV saw it take 7-8 months before Russia finally took it, only now it's under heavy Ukrainian pressure. Not fucking Kyiv, not Odessa. Fucking Bakhmut, which most Russians would not have heard of, and which is the size of San Marcos as far as Americans are concerned, and around 140 miles to the Russian border. So far, the war really hasn't touched Moscow - most of the mobilized/conscripted have been from rural/outlying areas, as well as the various minority communities. When it was announced last fall that there were going to be increased call-ups/mobilizations, anywhere from 700,000 - 1 million got the fuck out of Dodge. Those weren't poors from the rural areas either - it was mostly those who had decent jobs and had money stashed away, with many being from Moscow/St. Petes/the next 10 or so populated cities/metros. We (and the Russian people) just watched the biggest/main Russian PMC very nearly try and take Moscow, and not a bunch of dudes in pickups, but fucking hauling tanks and artillery on flatbeds down Russian highways and shooting down over half-a-dozen Russian aircraft. They were declared traitors by Putin, but they turned around because a deal was made with their leader, who is still very publicly in Russia and in Moscow and hanging around the Defense Ministry, and the dudes on the highways are now hanging in Belarus. The Russian people know a fuckload of Russian soldiers have died or been wounded because when they announced they are calling up 350,000 people last fall, most people would have been curious about why they needed so many for a war that was supposed to be over 6 months ago, and they've been increasing the ages of conscription which is telling people that A) they need more meat and B) a lot of the normal military-aged crowd is either in another country, or is in uniform or is dead or wounded. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it was slow (arguably during the arms race with the US, and with Afghanistan bleeding it dry) until it was fast. The Soviets woke a whole lot of third-world countries up with the invasion of Afghanistan - it was not what countries expected out of the Soviet Union, a nation that claimed it was the friend of third-world countries. It altered relationships between nations. We see the same thing here - we see third-world countries (and a few 2nd-world) who are not seeing what Putin's talking heads on TV are saying, but instead seeing what the rest of us are seeing. More importantly, it's fucking with their food supplies or at the very least, their supplies of food and other commodities. Some of them are even calling out Putin, and he's basically telling them "shut the fuck up and don't question me, you'll get what we say you get and you should be happy, it's not your place to judge or decide". And some of these countries have a lot more people than Russia, or aren't too much smaller population-wise. And it's not like it's 1993 and these countries are dealing with Ukraine tentatively coming out from under Russia's shadow through a hard-fought rebellion - it's 2023, and they've had Ukrainian embassies, etc. for decades. And then there's the impact Afghanistan had on the Soviet Union in terms of economics, and bleeding the military and their coffers dry. Ukraine has to be far worse. If it's Ukrainian drones, I don't see how Putin can use this to rally the Russian population, because it's another sign that the war that Putin claims isn't impacting Russia very much is in fact impacting Russia, literally. And he can't say he invaded to make Russia safe again, because there were no Ukrainian drones hitting Moscow 18 months ago. Obviously Gorbachev's moves towards elections was the last straw that sped everything up, meanwhile Putin is trying to keep himself in office for many more years to come and has in fact been using the Duma to enact even stricter controls over the population. Gorbachev gave the Soviet people a chance to release steam/pressure from the pressure cooker through the elections and eventual dissolution. Putin is ramping up the pressure in the cooker.7 points
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