Discussion When will Putin invade?

[Mermaidman]

Russia can grind down the Ukranians, and its nukes are scary, but this war hasn't been a good look for its conventional army. Hope the world never finds out how well-maintained Russian nukes are.
Another example:

How cheap Chinese tires might explain Russia's 'stalled' 40-mile-long military convoy in Ukraine

The latest Speed Read,/speed-reads,,speed-reads, breaking news, comment, reviews and features from the experts at The Week

theweek.com

 

[Captante]

Only from long range.

You forgot about his up close work with his knives, and stabbing people with arrows

Legolas up close & personal.... no bow required.

 

[IronWing]

Legolas up close & personal.... no bow required.

That was probably the most pointless part of a movie filled with pointless scenes.

 

[BudAshes]

That was probably the most pointless part of a movie filled with pointless scenes.

I remember watching these movies and I kept thinking "well this one has to be better than the last one..."

Nope.

 

[Captante]

That was probably the most pointless part of a movie filled with pointless scenes.

True.... the Hobbit trilogy is actually far better in snippets on Youtube then as a movie!



(however this scene does illustrate my point quite well)

 

[JM Aggie08]

Just finished rewatching The Hobbit. I don't mind unnecessary scenes, so much as unnecessary story arcs (EG, dwarf/elf love story). So pointless.

 

[Captante]

Good news everyone!

PARIS — Russian President Vladimir Putin called French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, in what appeared to have been a markedly more tense exchange than previous conversations between the two leaders.

The 90-minute call failed to deliver a diplomatic breakthrough, and a senior French official said it left Macron convinced that “the worst is yet to come” and that Putin aims to take control of all of Ukraine.


~ Washington Post


WP link with potential pay-wall

 

[Torn Mind]

Good news everyone!

PARIS — Russian President Vladimir Putin called French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, in what appeared to have been a markedly more tense exchange than previous conversations between the two leaders.

The 90-minute call failed to deliver a diplomatic breakthrough, and a senior French official said it left Macron convinced that “the worst is yet to come” and that Putin aims to take control of all of Ukraine.


~ Washington Post


WP link with potential pay-wall

Shouldn't take 90 mins to summarize the gist of the exchange.
Putin: It's mine. It's all mine. IT WILL BE MINE, you Franco fuck.

 

[Captante]

Shouldn't take 90 mins to summarize the gist of the exchange.
Putin: It's mine. It's all mine. IT WILL BE MINE, you Franco fuck.

More happy news!

Bird flu confirmed at Iowa poultry farm

 

[UsandThem]

PARIS — Russian President Vladimir Putin called French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, in what appeared to have been a markedly more tense exchange than previous conversations between the two leaders.

Hopefully, hopefully the call was a video call, and Macron's translator responded by saying:

 

[Captante]

 

[nakedfrog]

I sure hope someone collects that million dollar bounty soon.

 

[UsandThem]

I sure hope someone collects that million dollar bounty soon.

I was listening to Tool's "Jerk-Off" earlier today, and I couldn't stop thinking of how much it applied to Putin right now.

Someone told me once
That there's a right and wrong
Punishment was cure for those
Who dare to cross the line

But it must not be true
For jerk-offs just like you
And maybe it takes longer to catch a total asshole
I'm tired of waiting

 

[jpiniero]

Russia attacks Ukraine nuclear plant as invasion advances

Russian forces have shelled Europe’s largest nuclear plant, sparking a fire. The blaze was reported early Friday as the Russians pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city and gained ground in bid to cut off the country from the sea

apnews.com

Oh goodie, Russia shelled a nuclear power plant and one of the reactors caught on fire. It's not currently in use but the article says there are rods in there.

 

[Captante]

Ukraine warns of disaster ‘10 times larger than Chernobyl’ as biggest nuclear plant ‘under heavy weapons fire’

Awesome.

 

[highland145]

West to east trade winds.....

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wow this is really bad.

 

[Number1]

Why would anybody attack a nuclear power plant?
Is anybody this stupid?

 

[Number1]

Nuclear plant still has 'essential' functions - IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that it has spoken with Ukrainian leadership, as we reported earlier, and has been told that "essential" equipment at the plant is still functioning.
"Ukraine tells IAEA that fire at site of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected essential' equipment, plant personnel taking mitigatory actions," the agency posted on Twitter.

 

[highland145]

Past history shows that Putin will bomb everything.

 

[Captante]

Slightly reassuring?

 

[BudAshes]

I sure hope someone collects that million dollar bounty soon.

Make it 100 billion.

 

[Red Squirrel]

We need to sanction poutine!

 

[jpiniero]

Appears that Russia has taken the power plant.

Attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant triggers worldwide alarm

U.N. and Ukrainian officials say no radiation was released from a Russian attack at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant in Ukraine and firefighters have extinguished a blaze at the facility.

apnews.com

 

[ultimatebob]

Apparently Microsoft is planning to suspend selling new products to Russia:

Microsoft suspends new sales in Russia - Microsoft On the Issues

We are announcing today that we will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia. In addition, we are coordinating closely with the US, the EU and the UK, and we are stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanction decisions.

blogs.microsoft.com

As an IT guy by trade, this one interests me. Will it suddenly be considered to be "OK" to pirate Microsoft software in Russia now that you can't buy it legally? Or, will it cause Russian IT folks to start using open source alternatives instead?

Either one of these options could really hurt the US software business. Once you come up with a free alternative to a Microsoft/Oracle/Adobe/whatever product that works "good enough", it's going to be really hard to get that business back.