Recent posts

#1

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

Last post by Jacob - Today at 01:41:29 AM

Interview with a Canadian tanker turned FPV operator in a Ukrainian battalion.

Not breaking news, but I found it interesting.

#2

Off the Record / Re: The EU thread

Last post by Legbiter - Today at 01:41:11 AM

It is kind of weird to hear those songs played in the 21st century like that.

I have to say, I know it is freaking February in the Baltic, but I didn't see a ton of esprit de corps there  :lol

Standing still in -12 for a couple of hours in full gear probably does that to you. 

#3

Off the Record / Re: The EU thread

Last post by Tonitrus - February 06, 2026, 11:28:34 PM

And our marches in Trump's military parade...we sucked. 

#4

Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...

Last post by grumbler - February 06, 2026, 11:27:17 PM

If I get Yi's "logic" on this, if that's legal you should ignore it. And if it's not legal you should also ignore it because the courts will conjure their magic to make it stop.

You don't get my logic.  I've never suggested anyone ignore anything.

Yi, I'm often on your side, but I think one difficulty here is that you frequently are stating what you're not saying, but rarely are stating what you are saying.  It makes it easy for others to fill in the gaps, especially when frankly it's not clear what your thinking actually is.

Agree. Yi can have a position that's contrary to the opinion of the majority here, and that's perfectly okay, but he needs to state what that position is, and answer questions with answers, not with questions.

I( have no idea what his position is on the legality or morality of the Trump Administration's tactics are, because he won't say.

[Long wait for station lifts could be stalled againThe lifts at Pokesdown Station have been out of use for more than 40 years, according to campaigners]

#5

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

Last post by mongers - February 06, 2026, 11:17:11 PM

I feel the below story might be worthy of starting a new 'UK infrastructure and planning' thread for:

Long wait for station lifts could be stalled again

Long wait for station lifts could be stalled again

The lifts at Pokesdown Station have been out of use for more than 40 years, according to campaigners

4 February 2026

A long-running campaign for lifts at a railway station has suffered a setback after a council said it could withdraw its financial contribution.

The lifts at Pokesdown Station, near AFC Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium, have been out of use for more than 40 years, according to campaigners.

In 2021, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council pledged £2.6m to support work by South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail.

However, the council said it could no longer justify the expense due to increased borrowing costs.

The 42 steep steps at Pokesdown Station have caused injuries and are a barrier to wheelchair users and others.

In 2014, former MP Tobias Ellwood presented a 1,200-signature petition calling for an upgrade.

New lifts were due to be installed by SWR by the end of 2019, according to its franchise agreement.

However, the £7m project has repeatedly stalled due to reported financial issues.

......

Years ago I live within a mile of this station, but only used it a couple of times, it remains one of the grottiest stations in Southern England, not to be used after dark, as it's in the most rundown bit of the Bournemouth/Poole conurbation.

IIRC the old station offices at the top and directly blocking the lift entrances was a bric-a-brac shop at one stage, shows you just how motivated the authorities have been to get this sorted out.

#6

Off the Record / Re: The EU thread

Last post by mongers - February 06, 2026, 11:09:30 PM

Maybe I've been jaded by my years in service, but I thought they looked normal/fine (for having to do a march in the cold/with battle rattle). 

Yeah, I'm not sold on the whole idea of armies that march smartly are also ace on the battlefield; example no.1 - the Russian army.

#7

Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...

Last post by mongers - February 06, 2026, 11:06:14 PM

Mono was autistic and thus resisted change and hated disruptions to his routine. Yi still has faith in the American judicial system and the checks and balances. I think its extremely naive, verging on fatelism, but its nothing like mono. Only similarity is that they're both Asian

Mono was a realist and a pragmatist.  He assessed the likelihood of the umbrella demonstrations succeeding in fundamentally changing the political situation in Hong Kong as zero and protected his self interest. It turns out he was right.

He was a realist in so far as that he understood no one would back up the HK demonstrators and they were doomed to failure, sure, but he opposed them because of the disturbance it caused. He wanted the status quo not because of some grand calculation  on his end but because he needed it. Just like he needed the same soccer teams to win the World Cup or to eat the same breakfast everywhere he travelled.  I firmly believe that if the government was the one on the street ICE style mucking with his train schedule he'd be anti government too (quietly )

#8

Off the Record / Re: The China Thread

Last post by HVC - February 06, 2026, 09:44:03 PM

China overturned robert schellenberg's death sentence. As always good relations with China means good outcomes for foreign prisoners. So their judicial system is at least as good as americas, it seems.

#9

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

Last post by Tonitrus - February 06, 2026, 09:29:51 PM

Dimon sounds like a bit of a twat.

I mean, he is a banker. 

And that bank is named after another well-known twat of a banker. 

#10

Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...

Last post by DGuller - February 06, 2026, 09:25:44 PM

If I get Yi's "logic" on this, if that's legal you should ignore it. And if it's not legal you should also ignore it because the courts will conjure their magic to make it stop.

You don't get my logic.  I've never suggested anyone ignore anything.

Yi, I'm often on your side, but I think one difficulty here is that you frequently are stating what you're not saying, but rarely are stating what you are saying.  It makes it easy for others to fill in the gaps, especially when frankly it's not clear what your thinking actually is.