Recent posts

#1

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by Razgovory - Today at 02:53:56 PM

I think it's less about Canada and more about how modern day Scots often like to cast themselves as a oppressed colonial victims of British oppression (like Ireland or Quebec, for example) when the Scots were fairly vigorous participants in the British imperial enterprise not only in terms of leadership, but also in terms of the rank and file participation and of economic benefits.

There is certainly status in certain circles in portraying yourself as oppressed and colonized.  It is also a weakness for multicultural states.  Trump's people already making a big deal of about the oppressed status of the native Greenlanders.  A crafty American conquer of Canada would certainly play up plight of First Nations in Canada and perhaps offer independence to Quebec.  How many people in Le Belle Province would tolerate an occupied Canada in the service of a liberated Quebec?

#2

Off the Record / Re: US - Greenland Crisis Thre...

Last post by HVC - Today at 02:36:11 PM

We're about to be fighting them so probably not.

He chickened out in attacking Greenland, he won't take on Canada. That being said he can still fuck us up economically.

#3

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by Bauer - Today at 02:06:32 PM

I'd always heard all those benefits of learning a second language, and I don't disagree.  But to me learning a language is the most tedious thing of all. I'd rather study just about anything else, and it never seems to sink into my unilingual brain.

I actually have been using Duolingo French recently and getting my son to do so, but as I said I'm terrible lol.

Maybe if they got to me earlier it'd be different, but this is a very unilingual part of the world and it's just not really part of the culture here for people to practise other languages.

#4

Off the Record / Re: The shit in Spain falls ma...

Last post by celedhring - Today at 01:52:08 PM

For the big deadly accident in Andalusia, the investigation is ongoing but it's looking like there was a fault in the renovation of the track that was carried out earlier this year.

For the issues in the Barcelona system (we've been without train service for several days), windstorms have collapsed a few retention walls. One of these collapses created an accident where the train driver died and it's created a crisis. The regional government doesn't want to re-open until the entire network is inspected for safety.

#5

Off the Record / Re: The shit in Spain falls ma...

Last post by viper37 - Today at 01:46:28 PM

The entire network around Barcelona has been shut down while it's inspected for damage (the second accident was due to a  retaining wall collapsing due to windstorms). I think it's a bit of an overreaction but better safe than sorry I guess.

The other accident is a tragedy. The one train went off its rails right as there was another oncoming train.

how do trains suddenly go off rails like that?
Maintenance issues?

#6

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Syt - Today at 01:33:04 PM

Started Season 2 of Jack Ryan on Prime. An evil dictator in Venezuela, Russian ships under false flags smuggling arms(?) .... uhm, maybe a bit too topical at the moment.

#7

Off the Record / Re: US - Greenland Crisis Thre...

Last post by Threviel - Today at 01:29:02 PM

The US has enough capability to totally dominate the arctic outside of Russia. Sure, Denmark had the Orion patrol with dozens of guys more capable than almost everyone in the US defense, but they are no good if they can't get to Greenland. Also, they are easily killed by US air power.

[France intercepts Russia-linked oil tanker in Mediterranean]

#8

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by viper37 - Today at 01:09:33 PM

At last

We will let nothing pass': France intercepts Russia-linked oil tanker in Mediterranean
FRANCE
France's navy on Thursday intercepted an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia's sanctioned "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean Sea. French President Emmanuel Macron said the operation, which took place between Spain and Morocco, was carried out with the help of several allies.
Issued on: 22/01/2026 - 16:24
1 min Reading time

By:
FRANCE 24


France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" in the Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said.

"This morning, the French Navy boarded and searched an oil tanker from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," he said on X.

"The operation was carried out on the high seas in the Mediterranean, with the support of several of our allies," he added, saying the vessel had been "diverted".

"We will let nothing pass," said Macron.

"The activities of the shadow fleet help finance the war of aggression against Ukraine," he added.

"This morning, the French Navy boarded and searched an oil tanker from Russia, subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag," Emmanuel Macron said on X.

Local maritime authorities said the navy seized an oil tanker called "Grinch" between Spain and Morocco.

"After the team boarded, an examination of documents confirmed the doubts as to the regularity of the flag," the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said.

The ship "is currently being escorted by the national navy to a point of anchorage for further verifications", it added.

"We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions," Macron said in a post about the interception, with a photo showing a French helicopter hovering over a ship.

Western countries have slapped sanctions on a number of oil tankers accused of transporting Russian oil in defiance of sanctions imposed by the US, EU and UK following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

A figaro article adds the UK and other allied countries were involved
https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/la-marine-francaise-a-arraisonne-un-petrolier-en-provenance-de-russie-en-mediterranee-annonce-emmanuel-macron-20260122

Another Figaro article says Zelensky approved, unsurprisingly:

https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/en-direct-forum-de-davos-apres-sa-volte-face-sur-le-groenland-donald-trump-presente-son-conseil-de-paix-et-rencontre-volodymyr-zelensky-20260122

Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky a salué jeudi l'interception par la marine française d'un pétrolier russe sanctionné en Méditerranée, affirmant qu'une telle action était «exactement le genre de décision nécessaire» pour empêcher les revenus pétroliers russes de financer la guerre en Ukraine.

«Les navires doivent être saisis. Et ne serait-il pas juste de confisquer et de vendre le pétrole transporté par ces pétroliers ?», a-t-il déclaré sur X.

More of the same, he added.

the UK also just intercepted a Russian fleet in the North Sea.

#9

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by viper37 - Today at 01:07:32 PM

Ok, now, I'm done.  Youtube is going to spam me with Battleship clips. 

#10

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by viper37 - Today at 01:07:09 PM

How realistic would that be in reality? I assume our merchant vessels only carry small arms, but an oil tanker in 1850 would absolutely dwarf everything, and with a double hull and I presume a million other safety measures to avoid spills, it might be impervious to cannon fire from that era?

the ship's hull wouldn't be thick enough, I guess.

I had to ask AI.
A modern tanker may have 60mm of steel for its hull, double hull.  Obviously, fully structural steel shell.

The CSS Virginia would have had 100mm (2x 51mm) of steel plating added on 610mm of wood.


I didn't dare to ask ChatGPT who would win. 



I guess a wooden sailing ship could have its sails ripped to shread by a light cannon onboard an oil tanker.  But the cannons of that ships could do some real damage to the tanker. Grumbler could confirm.

The Virginia and the Monitor slugged it out and did themselves some damage without sinking, with cannons equivalent to that of other sailing ships of the time.  The difference was their thick steel plating.

So, if a tanker got in there, they would likely suffer a breach before they could damage either ship.  Light canons usually mounted on such ships that travel through dangerous parts wouldn't dent their armor.
On a wooden ship, while canon balls do sink ships (duh!), I'm not sure light fire can effectively go through a thick pine wooden hull at distance and sink this ship before the canon balls do real damage.  And at close range, there is still small arms fire for exposed crew.

But two centuries lead us exactly to 1826.  A few years earlier, the war of 1812, no steamboats, no ironclads, blackpowder only.  There, they stand a better chance at survival.  Better manoeuvrability, machine guns, automatic rifles,  their hull might even be thick enough.  A ship of the line would have 60-75cm of wood for its hull.  About the same as the Virgina, but not steel on top.