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#1

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 02:17:54 AM

Reddit for a few years now has been a cess pit of far right misinformation and misdirection.
Seems there was some incident.
Youth Demand halt London Pride as pro-Palestinian protesters hurl paint and block parade... - LBC https://share.google/YfpIi3xIGvkQ41QuC

#2

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Tamas - Today at 02:12:47 AM

When I was researching this it turned out in many cases you only need planning permission for an AC external unit if you want to use it for cooling. If it's for heating only it's OK. Mental.

#3

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Tamas - Today at 02:05:46 AM

People on Reddit claimed London Pride was held up for an hour after pro-Palestine protestors threw stuff (paint, I think?) on the march. Odd I didn't see anything about it on the Guardian.

#4

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

Last post by Legbiter - July 05, 2025, 04:42:01 PM

There is a lot of work going into cheaper AA. The ridiculous cost of patriot has long been a problem with it that makes it non viable in a serious war.
Really sucks for now in Ukraine but I have fingers crossed we get some big breakthroughs in this space. I've heard a lot of small scale developments.

Yeah the boutique nature of Western arms plus the drone revolution are major obstacles to clear if NATO wants to credibly deter russia from any article 5 testing.

Also the Chinese will always prop the russian state because they are a very useful distraction.

#5

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

Last post by Josquius - July 05, 2025, 04:14:26 PM

Putin Just talked about cutting military spending in the coming years. It's either complete BS he felt he had to say to placate worrying people at home, or going ahead of future criticism when he is forced to cut back because of a failing economy.

It took 4 years of naval blockade combined with a war much bigger in scale to bring Imperial Germany to its knees. Give it time.

My prediction is 2 more years of conventional warfare. Then the pool of marginal males outside of Petersburg and Moscow willing to go eat a drone for the bonus will finally have been tapped. Then Putin has to decide on whether or not to conduct a general mobilization. 

The Russian summer offensive looks DOA, massive casualties for 3 villages of 20 people. The much more worrying thing is the stepped up city-buster strategy. Apparently both America and Europe can only produce artisanal quantities of Patriot interceptors.

There is a lot of work going into cheaper AA. The ridiculous cost of patriot has long been a problem with it that makes it non viable in a serious war.
Really sucks for now in Ukraine but I have fingers crossed we get some big breakthroughs in this space. I've heard a lot of small scale developments.

#6

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Legbiter - July 05, 2025, 03:51:44 PM

But this means in the summer when temperatures hit 30+ degrees we are slowly cooking the residents and strongly discourage the installation of air pump systems that can both heat and cool housing. As I say there have been protests in developments in London by current residents when there's "open days" visiting the flats where they're putting up signs in their windows telling people not to buy here because it's unlivably hot inside.

This would make perfect sense in Iceland if we had no geothermal heating. 

But our major problem is lava change.

#7

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

Last post by Sheilbh - July 05, 2025, 03:48:38 PM

Have there ever been any details leaked  about demands in peace negotiations?  I'm curious what Ukraine is willing to give up, I mean nobody wants it to happen but the best thing for their people is to give up land and be able to rebuild an economy/defense integrated with the west.

Not that I'm aware of from Ukraine - and it is the sort of honest, candid conversation that Ukraine's friends (like France, the UK, maybe Germany under Merz etc - not the more ambiguous ones like the US) should quietly behaving with Ukraine on what a settlement may look like and how support for Ukraine fits into it in more detailed, operational ways than the rather airy declarations we've had so far.

But probably no matter what they concede, Putin would just interpret as weakness.  Doesn't seem to be any end in sight of this madness.

I think the key point on this is that I think Putin really deeply, in his bones, does not believe Ukraine exists. He does not believe they're a nation with an identity, or a country capable of agency. It is all Western money, arms, guidance, propaganda. Ironically Ukraine's ability to defend itself is actually further proof of why the war is necessary as it demonstrates how powerful Western influence has become so close to Russia.

#8

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Sheilbh - July 05, 2025, 03:40:14 PM

But both heating and air con work best in a pretty sealed system.
This is also how you keep heat in using other methods.
The best ways of cooling however tend to be about air flow and not being too sealed. Which doesn't fit together with air con.

But this is the point, isn't it? It also doesn't work for heating. We are building very well-insulated blocks of flats designed to keep the heat to improve energy efficiency in the winter and make the most out of heating systems. Therefore they are sealed and not big on airflow other rules around how far windows can open etc).

But this means in the summer when temperatures hit 30+ degrees we are slowly cooking the residents and strongly discourage the installation of air pump systems that can both heat and cool housing. As I say there have been protests in developments in London by current residents when there's "open days" visiting the flats where they're putting up signs in their windows telling people not to buy here because it's unlivably hot inside.

Maybe it's coming back to "Americans Pff" but as I say air con also conjures up super inefficient buildings where they don't even try and keep the cold air in.

Maybe - but I think the fact that it "conjures up" an image is exactly why I'd suggest it's primarily an aesthetic objection

I don't recognize that meme. What is it?

I don't think it's a meme or if it is I'm possibly the only person on the internet who uses it It's from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy when Smiley's interrogating the mole whose reason for spying was aesthetic more than moral or political.

#9

Off the Record / Re: Climate Change/Mass Extinc...

Last post by Legbiter - July 05, 2025, 03:25:54 PM

It's very:

I don't recognize that meme. What is it?

#10

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

Last post by Legbiter - July 05, 2025, 03:21:56 PM

Putin Just talked about cutting military spending in the coming years. It's either complete BS he felt he had to say to placate worrying people at home, or going ahead of future criticism when he is forced to cut back because of a failing economy.

It took 4 years of naval blockade combined with a war much bigger in scale to bring Imperial Germany to its knees. Give it time.

My prediction is 2 more years of conventional warfare. Then the pool of marginal males outside of Petersburg and Moscow willing to go eat a drone for the bonus will finally have been tapped. Then Putin has to decide on whether or not to conduct a general mobilization. 

The Russian summer offensive looks DOA, massive casualties for 3 villages of 20 people. The much more worrying thing is the stepped up city-buster strategy. Apparently both America and Europe can only produce artisanal quantities of Patriot interceptors.