[Macros]

And already the nonsense has started.

The invasion isn't really happening, fuel prices are up just so the government can claw back their COVID money.

Fuck you Zuckerberg, you have a lot to answer for.

And also fuck people for being so stupid

[QuickTidal]

 Macros, on 08 March 2022 - 03:05 PM, said:

And already the nonsense has started.

The invasion isn't really happening, fuel prices are up just so the government can claw back their COVID money.

Fuck you Zuckerberg, you have a lot to answer for.

And also fuck people for being so stupid

I saw the Fox News set spreading an image of two dudes with cardboard guns as proof that no war is occurring...and all it took was some intrepid person who realized that such a statement is not at all probable to reverse image search it back to an old Ukrainian training exercise long before the war on how to act our maneuvers IF war should ever come back to them...where they had stand-in guns. And yet Fox News spun it into a news reel and the conspiracy idiots were like "See! No war!"

So the whole "the invasion isn't happening" thing is really operating off wildly faked things like that.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 08 March 2022 - 03:15 PM

[Malankazooie]

It's fascinating to examine the phenomenon though isn't it? How fringe conspiracy theories - that used to be tucked away in obscure corners of the internet or at the check out isle on a tabloid rag (remember bat boy?) or on over night am radio - are now widely popular and believed. I honestly think it's a form of entertainment for people, like a type of professional wrestling.

[Macros]

Oh I'm fully aware of what's being faked and how easily disproved these fakes are.

but people are fucking morons

[QuickTidal]

 Macros, on 08 March 2022 - 04:49 PM, said:

Oh I'm fully aware of what's being faked and how easily disproved these fakes are.

but people are fucking morons

You're not wrong. I have some of those fucking morons in my own family sadly.

I hate that the internet basically allowed for this shit to happen.

[Macros]

but the fact they're being used on a major news corps feeds is depressing

[QuickTidal]

 Macros, on 08 March 2022 - 04:52 PM, said:

but the fact they're being used on a major news corps feeds is depressing

Completely depressing. Agreed.

[Mentalist]

Gas prices gonna spike,

Sorry, everyone. Blame Putler.

Oh, and anyone wondering "what can I do to help?"

Write to your elected officials, and plead with them to press NATo to give Ukraine anti-air defences .

Not "Close the sky" (that'll ground our drones, and we need those).

Not "give jets" (That'll take too long, and Russia might do a preventive strike to destroy them en route)

but "give anti-air defences"

If Ukraine can shoot down every plane that's wrecking Sumy, Chernihiv, Okhtyrka and Kharkiv, and neutralize Russian air cover in the South, then this war will end very soon.

Ukrainian defenders are already taking down a ton of planes with Stingers alone; but with better weapons we can keep them from carpet-bombing residential buildings and push back enemy armor and demoralized mobs of conscripts within weeks.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

 QuickTidal, on 08 March 2022 - 04:51 PM, said:

 Macros, on 08 March 2022 - 04:49 PM, said:

Oh I'm fully aware of what's being faked and how easily disproved these fakes are.

but people are fucking morons

You're not wrong. I have some of those fucking morons in my own family sadly.

I hate that the internet basically allowed for this shit to happen.

'"My city's being shelled, but mum won’t believe me"


[...] has been speaking regularly to her mother, who lives in Moscow. But in these conversations, and even after sending videos from her heavily bombarded hometown, Oleksandra is unable to convince her mother about the danger she is in.

"I didn't want to scare my parents, but I started telling them directly that civilians and children are dying," [...]

"But even though they worry about me, they still say it probably happens only by accident, that the Russian army would never target civilians. That it's Ukrainians who're killing their own people."

[...] says her mother just repeats the narratives of what she hears on Russian state TV channels.

"It really scared me when my mum exactly quoted Russian TV. They are just brainwashing people. And people trust them," [...]

"My parents understand that some military action is happening here. But they say: 'Russians came to liberate you. They won't ruin anything, they won't touch you. They're only targeting military bases'."

While we were interviewing Oleksandra, the shelling went on. [...]

"I've almost forgotten what silence sounds like. They're shelling non-stop," [...]


[...] "I called my mum again. I told her I was scared. 'Don't worry', she said, reassuringly. 'They [Russia] will never bomb Kyiv'."

But they are already doing it, Anastasiya replied.

"I told her there were casualties among civilians. 'But that's what we had too when Ukraine attacked Donbas!', she said, laughing. For a moment I couldn't breathe. Hearing my mum say this with such cruelty just broke my heart."

Anastasiya believes the image Russian media has created is one of the "glorified Russian army" ridding Ukraine from Nazis.'

'[...] a new [Russian] law [...] means people who spread "fake" information about Russia's military forces could be jailed for up to 15 years.'


Ukraine war: 'My city's being shelled, but mum won’t believe me' - BBC News

Prior to the war, many Russians effectively had free access to foreign news sources through the internet; now that's been severely curtailed.

'To circumvent such censorship attempts, some outlets are embracing the dark web and encrypted communications. For instance, the BBC is instructing people on how to access its coverage through the privacy-enabling Tor browser or through Psiphon. (Tor reported recently that its use in Russia and Ukraine has been surging.)

The British government has often been hostile to privacy-enabling tech like Tor and encrypted communication. Now the British-government-funded broadcaster is promoting its dark web Ukrainian- and Russian-language sites.

[...]

Meanwhile, the United States' government-owned broadcaster, the Voice of America, has said that it "will continue to promote and support tools and resources that will allow our audiences to bypass any blocking efforts imposed on our sites in Russia." And the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has "directed people to nthLink, a free VPN service supported by the Open Technology Fund," [...] "also provided a link to its website on the Tor browser…and encouraged people to join its channel on Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform that Russia tried to ban in 2018."'

State News Networks Embrace Encryption as Russian Censorship Worsens (reason.com)

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

 Mentalist, on 08 March 2022 - 05:38 PM, said:

Gas prices gonna spike,

Sorry, everyone. Blame Putler.

Oh, and anyone wondering "what can I do to help?"

Write to your elected officials, and plead with them to press NATo to give Ukraine anti-air defences .

Not "Close the sky" (that'll ground our drones, and we need those).

Not "give jets" (That'll take too long, and Russia might do a preventive strike to destroy them en route)

but "give anti-air defences"

If Ukraine can shoot down every plane that's wrecking Sumy, Chernihiv, Okhtyrka and Kharkiv, and neutralize Russian air cover in the South, then this war will end very soon.

Ukrainian defenders are already taking down a ton of planes with Stingers alone; but with better weapons we can keep them from carpet-bombing residential buildings and push back enemy armor and demoralized mobs of conscripts within weeks.

Missile defense systems that prevent bombardment by FOAB (claimed to be the thermobaric equivalent of a tactical nuke, delivered by plane) and other thermobaric weapons (since they destroy subways, bunkers, and other bomb shelters) seem like they should be a priority. Also, they may allow the West to test missile defense systems against Russia's hypersonic missiles---at least whatever missile defenses can be transported and rendered operational in time.

'The US is considering supplying critical air defense systems to NATO allies in eastern Europe as anxiety mounts that the Russians could consider launching missiles or aircraft against the alliance's eastern flank

[...] concern that Russian missiles or aircraft might deliberately attack targets inside NATO territory at some point if Russian [...] Putin decides those nations are a risk to his invasion because of their support for Ukraine. And because of close proximity of the airspace, there is also concern that air defense be available if there is inadvertent straying into NATO airspace. [...] But there is a sense an umbrella of air defense is needed.

Because of the defensive nature of these systems, the US will emphasize that the Russians should have no concerns. The most likely systems that could be deployed by the US are likely to be the Patriot and the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system which have successfully been used in the Middle East to help shoot down incoming ballistic missiles.'

March 7, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news (cnn.com)

[Maark Abbott]

 Macros, on 08 March 2022 - 04:52 PM, said:

but the fact they're being used on a major news corps feeds is depressing

But entirely expected.

The news isn't there to tell us what's happening in the world, at least not anymore. It's there to sow division. It's like Murdoch having a thumb war with himself.

[Macros]

Poland loaning out it's migs is awesome (and let's face it, borderline monty pythonesque slap stick in method of delivery, fuck you Putin, you want to use wordplay to wash your hands, everyone else can play that game)

I would fear the death toll, but I feel if the occupied cities took to violent protest they would chase a lot of the Russkie soldiers out, but the cost would be horrific with panicking troops laying down fire.

[Macros]

The big Bois are now pulling their operations in Russia, Mickey D, coca cola and Pepsi to name but a few.

Russia now junked to a Cat C economy and heading for defaults on its bonds.

Will Putin give a fuck though, that is the question.

At what point does average Joseph say he has had enough?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Retired US and European military leaders advocate for advanced air defenses for Ukraine

[...] Supplying the Ukrainians with such weaponry would be effective in allowing them to shoot down aircraft or missiles in their airspace, and it is something that Ukrainians have specially asked the US and western countries to provide.

"The purpose of this letter is to urge, in the strongest possible sense, immediate action to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a viable mid- and high-altitude air defense capability. They need immediate reconstitution of their capability to defend themselves against air attacks from the Russian Air Force[...] We cannot stand idly by and wish them well as Russia prosecutes an unrestricted campaign of destruction on the Ukrainian government, its infrastructure, and its people."

"Some nations have air defense systems similar to those which were previously destroyed in the opening days of the Russian campaign. Those nations could transfer existing stocks of Soviet-era and Russian-produced weapon systems to include radars. Other nations can purchase them on the international market and expedite their delivery to Ukraine."

[...]

The Ukrainians already have some S300 missile systems — which are a type of air defense — which means they are trained in operating these. The Croatians and few either other NATO nations have S300s in their inventory.

Turkey could use this an opportunity to offload the S400s they bought from Russia, which was a purchase that created deep tensions within the NATO alliance. '


'"A maternity hospital in the city center, a children's ward and department of internal medicine ... all these were destroyed during the Russian air strike on Mariupol. Just now," [...]

[...]

"Direct strike of Russian troops at the maternity hospital. People, children are under the wreckage. Atrocity! How much longer will the world be an accomplice ignoring terror?"'

https://www.cnn.com/...9-22/index.html

[Cause]

Does anyone have any good links to video of the bombing damage or fighting. Maybe I’m watching the wrong thing but I find it surprising it’s not being shown more directly. That’s what people need to see to understand what’s really going on.

The sanctions seem to be hitting hard but Putins a billionaire. Does he care. I’m really wondering if the only way out is for someone else’s in the government to launch a coup essentially. Frame himself as an autocrat but a better option.

Propaganda is out In full force too, seems more Russian citizens are on board than I’d have believed.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

 Cause, on 09 March 2022 - 06:06 PM, said:

Does anyone have any good links to video of the bombing damage or fighting. Maybe I'm watching the wrong thing but I find it surprising it's not being shown more directly. That's what people need to see to understand what's really going on.

The sanctions seem to be hitting hard but Putins a billionaire. Does he care. I'm really wondering if the only way out is for someone else's in the government to launch a coup essentially. Frame himself as an autocrat but a better option.

Propaganda is out In full force too, seems more Russian citizens are on board than I'd have believed.

Here are two I saw today:




'Russian social media are cheering, too. Here you see a viral video: recording of Ukrainian cities being bombed, of Ukrainians killed by Russian shells, combined with an audio of church sermon, singing anathema. Russia's launching an Orthodox crusade and massacring Ukrainians'

With video:

(20) Kamil Galeev on Twitter: "Russian social media are cheering, too. Here you see a viral video: recording of Ukrainian cities being bombed, of Ukrainians killed by Russian shells, combined with an audio of church sermon, singing anathema. Russia's launching an Orthodox crusade and massacring Ukrainians https://t.co/lqjdX8kD9J" / Twitter

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 March 2022 - 06:47 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'the head of the Russian Orthodox Church [...]: the war is necessary to save eastern Ukraine from the gays.

Patriarch Kirill [...] declared: "[...] What exists in the Donbas is a rejection, a principled rejection of the so-called values that are now being offered by those who lay claim to global domination. Today there is a certain test for loyalty to that power, a certain pass into that 'happy' world, the world of excessive consumption, the world of illusory freedom. Do you know what that test is? It's very simple but also horrific: it's a gay parade."

The Russian church leader's remarks fall right in line with comments recently made by the likes of Steve Bannon, who recently praised Putin on his podcast for not being "woke" and said that "they don't have the Pride flags" in Russia.'




Bedazzled Russian cleric claims Vladimir Putin is saving Ukraine from 'horrific' gay pride parade - Alternet.org

[Cause]

I thought we outgrew the crusades. These men of god can be so inspiring sometimes.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

 Cause, on 09 March 2022 - 11:17 PM, said:

I thought we outgrew the crusades. These men of god can be so inspiring sometimes.

They may aim to destroy (almost?) everything except (a few of?) the churches... craters full of rubble and ashes everywhere else.

I'm hoping Putin doesn't go from Crusader to suicide bomber (with the world's largest nuclear arsenal and hypersonic missiles---which the US is still trying to develop)....

'Hypersonic missile failures cast doubt on US bid to catch up with China and Russia [...] Pentagon hopes to have the weapons, and a production contract, ready by September 30, a deadline that experts call "aggressive" and "challenging"'

https://www.dailymai...ina-Russia.html

'Putin was making the point that: "Well you know, Donald, we have these hypersonic missiles." And Trump was saying, "Well, we will get them too." Putin was saying, "Well, yes, you will get them eventually, but we've got them first."'

https://www.politico...-there-00012340

If Putin launches first, he may be able to be sure he 'confessed' and 'repented' for all his 'sins' first. (Might try to time it so most Russian Orthodox have 'confessed' and 'repented'....)

May take him a while though:

'Before confession, each person must attempt to recall all of his sins, voluntary and involuntary, must attentively go over his life in order, to the extent possible, to recall all of his sins [...] Confess all of your sins in full, each sin separately.

http://3saints.com/confession.html

'Before confessing, the penitent venerates the Gospel Book and blessing cross and places the thumb and first two fingers of his right hand on the feet of Christ as depicted on the cross. The confessor will often read an admonition warning the penitent to make a full confession, holding nothing back.

[...] in cases of emergency confession may be heard anywhere. For this reason, especially in the Russian Orthodox Church, the pectoral cross that the priest wears at all times will often have the Icon of Christ "Not Made by Hands" inscribed on it so that such an icon will be available to penitents who are experiencing imminent death or life-threatening danger[...]

[...] after one confesses[...] priest [...] covers the head of the person with his Epitrachelion (Stole) and reads the Prayer of Absolution, asking God to forgive the transgression'

https://en.wikipedia...ssion_(religion)#Eastern_Catholicism_and_Eastern_Orthodoxy

'"[...] we must continually exhale the ashes of sin." [...] To continually repent is to pay unceasing attention to one's spiritual life, to [...] remove from it all that is questionable and foolish. [...] This is true battle'

https://stjohndc.org...ontinual-effort

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 10 March 2022 - 12:49 AM

[Cause]

Hypersonic missiles are to avoid the missile shields. Russia I don’t believe has one, nor does China? They needed them to balance the fact that America does.

At the end of the day with thousands of nukes each, no one will have a problem killing anyone. Maybe I’m crazy optimistic but I also feel like a lot of generals would balk at starting Armageddon for something so petty.