Politics

[Wheels]

 

[Tbitty]

 

[spike.t]

Interesting foresight Maggie had

Margaret Thatcher's chilling warning to the West about Putin unearthed

The former Conservative leader told of how she could not find a "trace of humanity" in Putin during a speech made more than two decades ago.

www.express.co.uk

 

[spike.t]

BBC News - Putin is weaponising food, says boss of fertiliser giant Yara

Putin is weaponising food, says boss of fertiliser giant Yara

The boss of Yara says Russia's invasion of Ukraine has driven up the price of fertilisers and food.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[fourfive8]

Reference the tactical battlefield attacker vs defender posts: First link is an interesting and entertaining composite of JRR Tolkien narration overlay of the battle for Minas Tirith in the Lord of the Rings movie, Return of the King. Second link is original from movie. For real history, if you prefer, another good study would be the details of the Battle of Agincourt, northern France 1415, where some historians estimate the casualty ratio between defender and attacker was about 400 to 6000! Also the movie production choreography in both trilogies, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are IMO among best ever done- from the CGI to the acting to the props. For example the details of arms and armor is astounding. Look at the overlay and gold koftgari detail of the main character’s armor! Looks like the best original Indo-Persian!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?

 

[Wheels]

George Soros pulls out of attending Davos this week.

Klaus Schwab pulls out of attending Davos this week.

Bill Gates pulls out of attending Davos this week.


Got to wonder what is going on or about to happen?

 

[bowjijohn]

Perhaps the ‘wheels are coming off’ the great reset ?

Pun not intended

 

[Wheels]

Very good short metaphor of socialism

https://twitter.com/x/status/1614720293838135296

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

 

[BSO Dave]

I truly regret that I may have sounded sanctimonious. If true, then it is probably damage caused by beating my head against a wall.

I absolutely support your right, even responsibility, to form your own political opinion on any subject. I enjoy the dialogue with respect to your opinions. That dosn't mean that I don't take issue with some of them.

I didn't say you sounded sanctimonious.. I said I believed you were being deliberately sanctimonious. Despite what you say about respecting the commentary by me and some others here who disagree with your opinions, I do believe that you feel your political opinions have more weight because you believe yourself wiser or more experienced than everyone else who opines here. If you truly were, you would take your exceptions by providing facts instead of using nothing more than dismissive, condescending adjectives.

You are not offending me by the way. I laugh it off... Feel free to dish it out as long as you can take it... I only brought it up because you were the one who suggested that we take a time out if our discussions were going to continue as they were..

Serious question. How do you "purge" the elected part of the swamp you don't like? Remember, they are all elected by there own constituents.

Serious reply.. Exactly as I said.. Each and every one of these republicans who are "republican" in name only, who do not represent true conservatism need to go or nothing will change. I understand better than anyone that they occupy the office in the first place because they keep getting elected by their constituency which is the root of the problem. Term limits would obviously be part of the solution, but you yourself alluded that is unlikely to happen because wolves tend not to vote to eat themselves.

As far as other solutions, I have argued here many times that at least half of this country's population is comprised of ignorant, low-information voters who have been conditioned over generations to vote against their own best interests on the basis of emotion over fact and circumstance. As long as this remains true, an immediate solution is not realistic. Perhaps, conservatives can attempt their own re-education of the next generations in hopes that they stop re-electing these people.. However, as pragmatic of an approach as that may be, I don't believe we have that kind of time to save this country from itself at this point.

Second serious question. What do you mean by radical, uncomfortable changes? To what exactly?

Second serious reply: To expand on the point above, unfortunately, I don't see a truly effective short term solution unless we as a people were willing to either create a true red wave and exponentially elect true America-first conservatives in the next elections. The radical and uncomfortable part would require a reckoning and true commitment on the part of the voters to be brave enough to reject the status quo and send these swamp dwellers packing once and for all.

I also understand that this is not likely to happen given the fact that there are just not enough true conservatives in both prospective candidates or among the electorate willing to make a that kind of stand. That's too bad because I think the 20 in the House were an excellent example of what can be achieved when you are brave enough to risk political complacency to affect needed change. I realize you regarded much of this as narcissism and political grandstanding by some of these members. I disagree, and I think the result speaks for itself.

If we are going to get anything done, it will take every republican in both houses. That includes in the senate men like Lindsey Graham, Robert Portman, and yes, even Mitt Romney. Indeed, until at least '24, any legislation will have to include the support of a few democrats as well. Otherwise, the best the House can do, and it can be an important role, is to put the brakes on the Biden agenda. Those are facts, neither opinions and nor wishes.

So, my pragmatic, I truly do not believe sanctimonious, suggestion is that we would be far better served figuring out where to work toward mutually agreeable goals as a party rather than trying to figure how to eliminate each other.

Compromise was a realistic option when republicans worked with democrats 20+ years ago.. A big part of my opposition to compromise today is that we are no longer dealing with reasonable, moderate democrats with whom we used to share common goals although we disagreed on the methods used to achieve them. The democratic platform of today is nonsensical and not to be taken seriously. Their ideologies and policies are based on destructive, divisive, and unrealistic goals that are 100% based in emotional virtue signaling, and the communistic principles of equity. Compromise under these circumstances is doing a bigger disservice to the American people than doing nothing at all.

You accuse me of false pragmatism because my solutions don't involve compromise which is what you feel is necessary to get anything done.. If compromise includes republicans working with democrats to force through a 1.7 trillion omnibus bill is your definition of getting things done for the American people, I vehemently reject that premise.. My contention is that while the swamp remains in tact on the red side and the democrats hold any power whatsoever, compromise is just more business as usual and the average American continues to suffer for it.

As far as needing the RINOS, let's not forget that Trump's agenda was hamstringed in the first 2 years of his term by these "republicans" you say we need to accomplish anything. This country lost 2 years of what could have produced an America-first agenda that would have lasted a generation. But, these so-called republicans chose self-preservation of their personal agendas over the welfare of the American people. They are the true examples of obstructionists.. It's truly disgusting when you think about the opportunities squandered and the damage done, and yet these are the people you suggest we need work with to get anything done?? No sir.. Not me..

I fear the best we can hope for at this points that McCarthy actually keeps some of his commitments that resulted from "radical and uncomfortable" tactics applied by a small majority of true conservatives, and the the brakes are applied to insanity that has been allowed to run wild in D.C for decades. Gridlock for 2 years would be far better than the passage of any more legislation that resulted out of "compromise" between these parties. Unfortunately, it's only delaying the inevitable downward spiral of this republic if democrats retake power in 2024.

 

[BSO Dave]

 

[spike.t]

George Soros pulls out of attending Davos this week.

Klaus Schwab pulls out of attending Davos this week.

Bill Gates pulls out of attending Davos this week.


Got to wonder what is going on or about to happen?

Maybe greta pissed in their jets fuel tanks

 

[BSO Dave]

 

[steve white]

Reference the tactical battlefield attacker vs defender posts: First link is an interesting and entertaining composite of JRR Tolkien narration overlay of the battle for Minas Tirith in the Lord of the Rings movie, Return of the King. Second link is original from movie. For real history, if you prefer, another good study would be the details of the Battle of Agincourt, northern France 1415, where some historians estimate the casualty ratio between defender and attacker was about 400 to 6000! Also the movie production choreography in both trilogies, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are IMO among best ever done- from the CGI to the acting to the props. For example the details of arms and armor is astounding. Look at the overlay and gold koftgari detail of the main character’s armor! Looks like the best original Indo-Persian!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?

Or maybe like the charge of the Polish Hussars "melting the mountain" as they poured over it, wings on their armor whistling eerily, running over and pursuing the Muslim hordes of Mehmet in the battle for Vienna. Jan Sobieski, the savior of Europe!

 

[fourfive8]

Oh yah! To me sometimes it's the interesting details in certain movies that keeps my interest. I've sat through enough dry, matter of fact military tactics lectures, scenario analyses and detailed written accounts to appreciate some theatrical fantasy in well done movies. I think Jackson and the production company did a pretty good job of converting Tolkien's work for the movie screen. They certainly used top of the line armorers and prop crafters for both trilogies, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

Looking closely, I caught a glimpse of Eowyn's helmet a couple times with some (faux I'm sure) gold koftgari that resembles high end Persian metal work and decor. Even though Tolkien used Nordic and an imaginary horse culture as the basis specifically for the Kingdom of Rohan, I think quite a bit of dramatic liberty was employed by Tolkien in his work that was reflected in all six movies depicting fictional characters and cultures. Here's a couple of pics of the engraving and gold kioftgari decoration on a steel, Persian shield I have that immediately reminded me of some of the armor decoration seen on Eowyn's helmet and other armor in The Lord of the Rings.

 

[Red Leg]

Oh yah! To me sometimes it's the interesting details in certain movies that keeps my interest. I've sat through enough dry, matter of fact military tactics lectures, scenario analyses and detailed written accounts to appreciate some theatrical fantasy in well done movies. I think Jackson and the production company did a pretty good job of converting Tolkien's work for the movie screen. They certainly used top of the line armorers and prop crafters for both trilogies, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

Looking closely, I caught a glimpse of Eowyn's helmet a couple times with some (faux I'm sure) gold koftgari that resembles high end Persian metal work and decor. Even though Tolkien used Nordic and an imaginary horse culture as the basis specifically for the Kingdom of Rohan, I think quite a bit of dramatic liberty was employed by Tolkien in his work that was reflected in all six movies depicting fictional characters and cultures. Here's a couple of pics of the engraving and gold kioftgari decoration on a steel, Persian shield I have that immediately reminded me of some of the armor decoration seen on Eowyn's helmet and other armor in The Lord of the Rings.

View attachment 511761
View attachment 511762

I think you have that absolutely correct. A historical precedent for a Nordic horse culture is a difficult thing to find. But mixing it with Indo-Persian design elements makes all sorts of sense. Good deduction. I had not picked up on that.

Your shield is of far higher quality than this one. I am bitterly envious.

 

[fourfive8]

I think you have that absolutely correct. A historical precedent for a Nordic horse culture is a difficult thing to find. But mixing it with Indo-Persian design elements makes all sorts of sense. Good deduction. I had not picked up on that.

Your shield is of far higher quality than this one. I am bitterly envious.

View attachment 511766

Yikes, that is a cool display! No, I'm the one who's envious. And no worries, that is a very fine shield. There is something about those Khula Khud helmets. Yours has the face/nose guard, the mail drape and even the peacock feather holders!!

 

[Newboomer]

View attachment 511707

That will kill it.

 

[fourfive8]

I don't have a chota nor bulova but they are cool. I do have quite a few Indo-Persian blades and accouterments. My favorite shield is plain of high quality steel with arrow point catch rim, as most do. It has no engraving nor inlay and not very remarkable except it has a circumferential, hand scribed battle scene showing war elephants with howdahs containing fighters. Impossible to get decent photo of scene though. Another of my favorites is a war axe of quality Wootz type steel. It has worn silver koftgari decoration and thickened, diamond cross section AP point- pic below

 

[steve white]

That will kill it.

Doubly so if you take it that they are looking interested....ewww