Met Winter 2021 - 2022 Banter

[mreaves]

11 minutes ago, UnitedWx said:

Been watching that...THIS is something to watch! If that melts down it'll make chernobyl look like a walk in the park. Very likely much of Europe (and Russia) Will be affected 

The fire is in a training building. Not that you want a fire or military engagements of any type at a nuclear facility but there has been no increase in background radiation. 
 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/top-wrap-1-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-fire-after-russian-attack-mayor-2022-03-04/

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

49 minutes ago, mreaves said:

The fire is in a training building. Not that you want a fire or military engagements of any type at a nuclear facility but there has been no increase in background radiation. 
 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/top-wrap-1-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-fire-after-russian-attack-mayor-2022-03-04/

Yea.
 

Why these mindless puppets would come that close though…either they are that stupid or this was a surgical tactic to make more civilians flee, or both. Either way, we’re trending down a slipper slope. Clearly nothing has deterred the psychopath so far and anything is fair game to him. 

[mreaves]

1 minute ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

Yea.
 

Why these mindless puppets would come that close though…either they are that stupid or this was a surgical tactic to make more civilians flee, or both. Either way, we’re trending down a slipper slope. Clearly nothing has deterred the psychopath so far and anything is fair game to him. 

See my post above, it’s straight up terrorism. 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

5 minutes ago, mreaves said:

See my post above, it’s straight up terrorism. 

Can we just fast forward to the part where he kills himself in the bunker please.

[PhineasC]

14 minutes ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

Can we just fast forward to the part where he kills himself in the bunker please.

We have about 500,000 dead Americans to go before that happens based on historical precedent.

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

Just now, PhineasC said:

We have about 500,000 dead Americans to go before that happens based on historical precedence.

No. I meant skip all the tragedy, pain, and suffering…and just do it already. That’s how it will end anyway, with him dead somehow, so let’s just get there. 

[DavisStraight]

2 minutes ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

No. I meant skip all the tragedy, pain, and suffering…and just do it already. That’s how it will end anyway, with him dead somehow, so let’s just get there. 

Maybe one of his own will do it, a Russian businessman put up a mill for him, the businessman lives in the US.

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

3 minutes ago, DavisStraight said:

Maybe one of his own will do it, a Russian businessman put up a mill for him, the businessman lives in the US.

I saw that and laughed. It needs two zeros. This isn’t a drug lord on the fbi most wanted list. 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

Legend:

 

[PhineasC]

43 minutes ago, DavisStraight said:

Maybe one of his own will do it, a Russian businessman put up a mill for him, the businessman lives in the US.

I wonder how deep the support for him goes in Russia. Attempting to kill him could create a martyr situation and justify his actions. Hitler enjoyed pretty broad support even as the Allies closed in, as an analog. There is always a noisy minority that protests and gets headlines but does like 75% of the country still back Putin?

[IowaStorm05]

I am still completing my daily Ukrainian lessons. The internet says it will take a few years before I become seriously useful in Ukrainian.

[UnitedWx]

6 hours ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

Can we just fast forward to the part where he kills himself in the bunker please.

Or one of his men has a set and takes care of the problem internally

[PowderBeard]

6 hours ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

Legend:

The "what are you afraid of?" line at the end was pretty great. Instead Putin keeps sending in forces to assassinate him.

 

And he can do this.

 

 

[Cold Miser]

21 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

Snow retention? Splain. This was a designed snow release at my job. Worked well but actually made for mad repairs to the pavers down below and window frames in 2015

 

Was a pretty weak, hour long presentation that talked about stuff I already knew, mainly snow rails and clamps.   

Yeah, that atrium space at the museum must have had some crazy snow slides. How did the "release" work? Was it timed on temperature?

[powderfreak]

12 hours ago, PhineasC said:

I wonder how deep the support for him goes in Russia. Attempting to kill him could create a martyr situation and justify his actions. Hitler enjoyed pretty broad support even as the Allies closed in, as an analog. There is always a noisy minority that protests and gets headlines but does like 75% of the country still back Putin?

I think he has a lot of backing and support. I remember having some conversations with Russian students working in Stowe during a previous summer as J1 Visa holders and despite every other student from Europe disliking Putin, it was surprising how much support the Russian students had for him.  They loved the western life and consumption of consumer goods… but still we’re very pro-Putin.  I’m still friends on social media with a few of them, be curious to ask their opinion.

When you have the Russian Ministry of Enlightenment giving Russian wide broadcasts about why the invasion into Ukraine was necessary, it’s easy to see the cool-aid being digested by many citizens.  You get taught all this at a young age, it’s hard to let go as you get older.

————— 

"At the All-Russian Open Lesson, school children will be told why the liberation mission in Ukraine is a necessity," it said in the post.  The Education Ministry, also known as the Ministry of Enlightenment, said the lesson would take place at 12:00 Moscow time on Thursday, according to a Facebook post by the ministry. Viewers of the lesson would be taught about the "danger NATO represents to [Russia]" as well as the reason "why Russia stood up for the protection of the civilians of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics." The post also said it would teach children how to "distinguish the truth from lies in the huge stream of information, photos and videos" that flood the internet.

[CoastalWx]

19 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

I think he has a lot of backing and support. I remember having some conversations with Russian students working in Stowe during a previous summer as J1 Visa holders and despite every other student from Europe disliking Putin, it was surprising how much support the Russian students had for him.  They loved the western life and consumption of consumer goods… but still we’re very pro-Putin.  I’m still friends on social media with a few of them, be curious to ask their opinion.

When you have the Russian Ministry of Enlightenment giving Russian wide broadcasts about why the invasion into Ukraine was necessary, it’s easy to see the cool-aid being digested by many citizens.  You get taught all this at a young age, it’s hard to let go as you get older.

————— 

"At the All-Russian Open Lesson, school children will be told why the liberation mission in Ukraine is a necessity," it said in the post.  The Education Ministry, also known as the Ministry of Enlightenment, said the lesson would take place at 12:00 Moscow time on Thursday, according to a Facebook post by the ministry. Viewers of the lesson would be taught about the "danger NATO represents to [Russia]" as well as the reason "why Russia stood up for the protection of the civilians of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics." The post also said it would teach children how to "distinguish the truth from lies in the huge stream of information, photos and videos" that flood the internet.

LOL, what a propaganda machine. Ministry of Enlightenment.     Sounds like Fox News.

[Cyclone-68]

It seems that historically Russia prefers having a brutal despot run them into the dirt 

[Typhoon Tip]

https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/03/04/mikhail-khodorkovsky-putin-intv-dos-santos-ovn-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/russia-ukraine-military-conflict/

...anyway... I maintain my original take on this whole thing.

We're not dealing with a "foreign sovereign agency of war times" type of adversary.

You're dealing with a unknown vector... a mad-man that is enabled by group psychosis ( think 'Third Reich'), who/that is/are decided/ing, in disconnect, what is going to be righteous. He/they possessing enough arsenal to complete the present extinction level event.  

they have decided they are not going to lose this thing 

This needs a artful  ...implying among other techniques, covert ops solution.

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

1 hour ago, CoastalWx said:

LOL, what a propaganda machine. Ministry of Enlightenment.     Sounds like Fox News.

They’re basically the same. So sad that so many get their info from a propaganda network but that’s how Jan6 happened. 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/im-a-former-russian-tv-anchor-right-wing-media-mimics-russian-media

And a former Hannity producer was indicted for helping a sanctioned Russia oligarch start a media outlet in Russia 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/former-fox-news-producter-for-sean-hannity-jack-hanick-indicted-for-helping-russia

[Hoth]

1 hour ago, Cyclone-68 said:

It seems that historically Russia prefers having a brutal despot run them into the dirt 

Yep, they have a curious infatuation with strong-man leaders, even when those leaders have historically gotten them slaughtered by the millions. 

[wkd]

43 minutes ago, Hoth said:

Yep, they have a curious infatuation with strong-man leaders, even when those leaders have historically gotten them slaughtered by the millions. 

Sound about like 40% of our voters.

[mreaves]

6 hours ago, Cyclone-68 said:

It seems that historically Russia prefers having a brutal despot run them into the dirt 

A sizable percentage of Americans seem to want that too. 

[powderfreak]

4 minutes ago, mreaves said:

A sizable percentage of Americans seem to want that too. 

Trying to get away from American politics, I do think on a larger humanity-level scale, a lot of humans throughout history love a strong leader regardless of the message.  Not to romanticize people like Putin, but many humans respond well to a very assertive, firm, unwavering leader regardless of the message.  Throughout history, people have desired firm structure to their lives and followed people who provide that, even if the message may be misguided (or very misguided).  Certain personalities of people excel at it... and they exert a strong influence over their followers.  They make their subjects feel part of something larger, even if it leads to atrocities.

Almost every military around the world has and continues to exploit that "follow the leader" and heavy structure desire of many humans to be a part of something larger.  The end goal can be very suspect but it's psychologically fascinating to see how large groups of people can be shaped by a strong leader regardless of message.

[mreaves]

2 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

Trying to get away from American politics, I do think on a larger humanity-level scale, a lot of humans throughout history love a strong leader regardless of the message.  Not to romanticize people like Putin, but many humans respond well to a very assertive, firm, unwavering leader regardless of the message.  Throughout history, people have desired firm structure to their lives and followed people who provide that, even if the message may be misguided (or very misguided).  Certain personalities of people excel at it... and they exert a strong influence over their followers.  They make their subjects feel part of something larger, even if it leads to atrocities.

Almost every military around the world has and continues to exploit that "follow the leader" and heavy structure desire of many humans to be a part of something larger.  The end goal can be very suspect but it's psychologically fascinating to see how large groups of people can be shaped by a strong leader regardless of message.

It’s scary. Even a rock star can get a stadium full of people chanting. It’s like people just get sucked into the energy. 

[Typhoon Tip]

22 hours ago, powderfreak said:

Trying to get away from American politics, I do think on a larger humanity-level scale, a lot of humans throughout history love a strong leader regardless of the message.  Not to romanticize people like Putin, but many humans respond well to a very assertive, firm, unwavering leader regardless of the message.  Throughout history, people have desired firm structure to their lives and followed people who provide that, even if the message may be misguided (or very misguided).  Certain personalities of people excel at it... and they exert a strong influence over their followers.  They make their subjects feel part of something larger, even if it leads to atrocities.

Almost every military around the world has and continues to exploit that "follow the leader" and heavy structure desire of many humans to be a part of something larger.  The end goal can be very suspect but it's psychologically fascinating to see how large groups of people can be shaped by a strong leader regardless of message.

Pure anthropology. 

Human species greatest natural instinct is the tendency, if not dependency, to social hierarchical command structures. 

What you’re observing … throughout history, are masses unwittingly compelled, gravitating toward that paradigm - perhaps like moth to a flame.  Outmoded instinct it may be, for it now clashes with a reality that despots in alpha roles are vastly more than merely assholes. They've become death, destroyers of worlds. 
 

 

[Spanks45]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:10 PM, DavisStraight said:

Solar is next, what did you get for a wood stove?

We ended up with a Regency insert, would have preferred something freestanding, but with kids running around thought an insert would be safer. I am surprised how well it distributes the heat. Solar is great, especially if the roof faces the right direction. We produced 62 kWh today with our 10.08 kW system!

[IowaStorm05]

I know the knee jerk reaction is to be livid at Putin because of his behavior. 

But the truth of the matter he is the leader of a huge and powerful nation. He is upset about behavior of the West, and I read that his main pain is involved in the Russian's hand in helping defeat the Nazi's not being recognized enough by the west. That leads me to questions of my own, just how we became bitter rivals in the first place. I think it is a shame because we have ideological similarities with regards to lifestyle and religion to modern day Russia. 

I have had some really angry thoughts about this man, but the fact is, this is an important time to try and figure out what is causing him to behave erratically and see if there is a way to remedy it SOME HOW. I KNOW that sounds ridiculous to some of you but this guy actually has the potential to do some very serious and fatal damage to the West.

I can't quite say I am behaving like a neutral mediator today. But rather, I do prefer not entering an escalated conflict. The things I have been reading lately bring me chills.

The things I have read about leaders and human behavior in recent comments on this sub are pretty much true. And it is not just Humans. It is Chimpanzees. Chimpanzees form COALITIONS and PLAN wars and Chimp Wars can last for several years and do not resolve until they resolve, which sometimes involves an entire group being slaughtered. They have leaders who are very aggressive. I keep bringing this up because it helps with perspective about our own nature. It makes me personally feel less alone to know that there are genetic causes for awful behavior being a feature of life. It is how I comfort myself. 

[Hoth]

1 hour ago, IowaStorm05 said:

I know the knee jerk reaction is to be livid at Putin because of his behavior. 

But the truth of the matter he is the leader of a huge and powerful nation. He is upset about behavior of the West, and I read that his main pain is involved in the Russian's hand in helping defeat the Nazi's not being recognized enough by the west. That leads me to questions of my own, just how we became bitter rivals in the first place. I think it is a shame because we have ideological similarities with regards to lifestyle and religion to modern day Russia. 

I have had some really angry thoughts about this man, but the fact is, this is an important time to try and figure out what is causing him to behave erratically and see if there is a way to remedy it SOME HOW. I KNOW that sounds ridiculous to some of you but this guy actually has the potential to do some very serious and fatal damage to the West.

I can't quite say I am behaving like a neutral mediator today. But rather, I do prefer not entering an escalated conflict. The things I have been reading lately bring me chills.

The things I have read about leaders and human behavior in recent comments on this sub are pretty much true. And it is not just Humans. It is Chimpanzees. Chimpanzees form COALITIONS and PLAN wars and Chimp Wars can last for several years and do not resolve until they resolve, which sometimes involves an entire group being slaughtered. They have leaders who are very aggressive. I keep bringing this up because it helps with perspective about our own nature. It makes me personally feel less alone to know that there are genetic causes for awful behavior being a feature of life. It is how I comfort myself. 

It has been a popular western delusion for a century that if we only figure out what's bothering some dictator or other, we can mollify them and there will be peace. The most notable analog would be Hitler. With the idea of renewed war anathema after WWI, Britain and France were perfectly willing to supplicate and appease the Germans. First, they let him ignore Versailles and rearm, then they let him militarize the Rhineland. Then, thinking that once he had reunited German-speaking peoples he would settle down, they looked the other way as he took the Sudetenland and moved on Czechoslovakia and Austria. It took Poland to be the final line in the sand that drew them in.

Russia and the U.S. were pretty natural adversaries after the Bolsheviks took power. You could not have two more polar systems. Ours, based on guaranteed individual liberties, popular government, private property and a free market economy, clashes intensely with the Soviet communist model, little individual liberty, collectivization, no private property, total subservience to the State. Make no mistake that the USSR was every bit the Evil Empire, menacing not only the West, but also tens of millions of its own people. It's funny that you mention Putin being upset with us for not recognizing Russia's sacrifice in the war. I'm sure in Russian schools they neglect to mention that initially the USSR and the Nazis entered a non-aggression pact and agreed to divvy up eastern Europe between them, that is until Hitler unleashed his surprise eastern offensive. And staying in eastern Europe after the war ended certainly did nothing to soften western feelings, especially since the USSR's stated goal was to make the whole world communist.

Ever since the collapse of the USSR, Russia has had but a shadow of its former influence or economic might. Its GDP is roughly half that of the state of California. It is quite important in a few areas, petroleum products, wheat, potash, ammonium nitrate, rare earth metals etc., but it is hardly an economic power of the first rank. Moreover, the wealth generated by these industries is in many cases controlled by a small number of individuals who fought and bribed and outright stole control of these industries after the USSR fell. Russia gets more respect than is owing chiefly due to its legacy nuclear arsenal, which it waves carelessly about like a kid that's found his dad's gun. That arsenal is serving as an umbrella to let Putin get away with things that might've otherwise brought about direct intervention. He has this perverse 19th century empire-building, or rebuilding, mindset and seems intent on reuniting all former Russian territories under his banner. This is wholly contrary to the international order presided over by the U.S. after WWII ended and a massive threat to peace globally.

Putin is not rational and likely will only respect force, just like Hitler (who was frustrated that France and England weren't keen to fight at first). Hopefully intense sanctions will strangle his economy so much that some civic-minded Russian will pop him and earn the world's undying gratitude, but I wouldn't bet on it. I myself am preparing for the likelihood of considerable turmoil later in the year. Even if we somehow dodge a direct war with Russia, food prices will likely continue to skyrocket, crop yields may drop due to the loss of imported fertilizer supplies from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine and Phosphorus supplies get swallowed up by the Chinese. I wouldn't be surprised by a reprise of the Arab Spring, and considerable upheaval caused by inflation even in wealthy western nations. There was that joke circulating about 2022 being "2020 Too", and I can't thinking that may be apropos at this moment. Instead of pestilence, it may be war, financial upheaval, inflation and famine instead.

[Ginx snewx]

1 hour ago, Hoth said:

It has been a popular western delusion for a century that if we only figure out what's bothering some dictator or other, we can mollify them and there will be peace. The most notable analog would be Hitler. With the idea of renewed war anathema after WWI, Britain and France were perfectly willing to supplicate and appease the Germans. First, they let him ignore Versailles and rearm, then they let him militarize the Rhineland. Then, thinking that once he had reunited German-speaking peoples he would settle down, they looked the other way as he took the Sudetenland and moved on Czechoslovakia and Austria. It took Poland to be the final line in the sand that drew them in.

Russia and the U.S. were pretty natural adversaries after the Bolsheviks took power. You could not have two more polar systems. Ours, based on guaranteed individual liberties, popular government, private property and a free market economy, clashes intensely with the Soviet communist model, little individual liberty, collectivization, no private property, total subservience to the State. Make no mistake that the USSR was every bit the Evil Empire, menacing not only the West, but also tens of millions of its own people. It's funny that you mention Putin being upset with us for not recognizing Russia's sacrifice in the war. I'm sure in Russian schools they neglect to mention that initially the USSR and the Nazis entered a non-aggression pact and agreed to divvy up eastern Europe between them, that is until Hitler unleashed his surprise eastern offensive. And staying in eastern Europe after the war ended certainly did nothing to soften western feelings, especially since the USSR's stated goal was to make the whole world communist.

Ever since the collapse of the USSR, Russia has had but a shadow of its former influence or economic might. Its GDP is roughly half that of the state of California. It is quite important in a few areas, petroleum products, wheat, potash, ammonium nitrate, rare earth metals etc., but it is hardly an economic power of the first rank. Moreover, the wealth generated by these industries is in many cases controlled by a small number of individuals who fought and bribed and outright stole control of these industries after the USSR fell. Russia gets more respect than is owing chiefly due to its legacy nuclear arsenal, which it waves carelessly about like a kid that's found his dad's gun. That arsenal is serving as an umbrella to let Putin get away with things that might've otherwise brought about direct intervention. He has this perverse 19th century empire-building, or rebuilding, mindset and seems intent on reuniting all former Russian territories under his banner. This is wholly contrary to the international order presided over by the U.S. after WWII ended and a massive threat to peace globally.

Putin is not rational and likely will only respect force, just like Hitler (who was frustrated that France and England weren't keen to fight at first). Hopefully intense sanctions will strangle his economy so much that some civic-minded Russian will pop him and earn the world's undying gratitude, but I wouldn't bet on it. I myself am preparing for the likelihood of considerable turmoil later in the year. Even if we somehow dodge a direct war with Russia, food prices will likely continue to skyrocket, crop yields may drop due to the loss of imported fertilizer supplies from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine and Phosphorus supplies get swallowed up by the Chinese. I wouldn't be surprised by a reprise of the Arab Spring, and considerable upheaval caused by inflation even in wealthy western nations. There was that joke circulating about 2022 being "2020 Too", and I can't thinking that may be apropos at this moment. Instead of pestilence, it may be war, financial upheaval, inflation and famine instead.

Stock up

[Lava Rock]

$4.59 a gallon for fuel this morning. 4.79 by afternoon. Be riding all week. I'm sure we'll be over 5.00 by mid week

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk