Recent posts

#21

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

Last post by Zoupa - December 02, 2025, 09:47:51 PM

Seems Budanov has a few cards, Mr Trump.

#22

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

Last post by Sheilbh - December 02, 2025, 07:58:05 PM

There's no leverage and there's no friendship with Trump (although I'm not sure that he's actually worse than what's going on with the rest of the GOP like Vance). But I've said before but I think foreign policy has been the one area Starmer's done pretty well Very challenging, but I think he's managed it about as effectively as you could expect.

Although I'd say that is just purely on the foreign policy side, I think when it interacts with the rest of his policies and particularly spending it's bad - especially with defence spending. And ultimately I think we're in a more hard-edged period when actually that's what matters and he's not moving far or fast enough (on the other hand I see that deployment of Ajax, after a decade of development, has had to be halted because it makes the soldiers sick - so maybe we shouldn't spend until we work out how to do things ).

#23

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

Last post by Josquius - December 02, 2025, 07:21:33 PM

Yeah. Trying to be friends with Trump is the path to disaster. He sees being friendly as a sign of weakness. He will betray you.

Canada and Mexico eventually learned from trying to play nice last time. The UK just has no self respect.

We have leverage.
We control access to golf and kings.

#24

Off the Record / Re: The EU thread

Last post by Jacob - December 02, 2025, 07:11:27 PM

The EU is getting to the next phase of it's European Launcher Challenge, with more than 900 M Euro committed: https://europeanspaceflight.com/over-e900-million-committed-to-european-launcher-challenge/

#25

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

Last post by crazy canuck - December 02, 2025, 05:44:43 PM

Yep, recently Carney was asked when he will speak with Trump again, his answer was basically "why would I do that?"

#26

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

Last post by Valmy - December 02, 2025, 04:49:21 PM

Yeah. Trying to be friends with Trump is the path to disaster. He sees being friendly as a sign of weakness. He will betray you.

Canada and Mexico eventually learned from trying to play nice last time. The UK just has no self respect.

#27

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by Valmy - December 02, 2025, 04:47:27 PM

I was assuming that instead of spending money on physical toys they spend it on digital "content" (skins, in game currencies, apps, games etc.).

But I know what they say about assuming - it makes and ass of u and ming.

Yeah I guess she would like a few Robux sent her way but its not quite the same as me deserately wanting the Millenium Falcon for Christmas 1982.

#28

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by The Minsky Moment - December 02, 2025, 04:42:42 PM

Haha, racist jokes!

Accusations like that will get me into a warring state.

#29

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

Last post by Tonitrus - December 02, 2025, 04:27:17 PM

There is no way those cowards will risk pissing off Daddy Trump

I think they would be fine pissing off Trump, but bringing down the US economy would likely bring down everyone else's economy.  It would be game of chicken, see who blinks first.  Trump often backs down with faced with real resistance.  Anyway, at this point I am fine with destroying the economy.

It worked for China.

#30

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Syt - December 02, 2025, 04:08:10 PM

Yes, exactly so.  The post became so dependable that an assumption was built into the law that the post had been delivered by a certain point.  Syt, interesting that when you were taking your exams, in your country it was three days.  Here it was, iirc, two weeks.

Tbf, at the time you would expect a letter from one end of Germany to take one, max two days, so at the time I thought three days were quite generous, esp. with most cases being fairly local, i.e. sending a letter within the same community or the next tow  over.