DCSaints_fan

In a world where OJ gets acquitted, anything can happen

In terms of the US, not much at all from the Middle East as of a few years ago. We're actually a net exporter of petroleum products (not crude, but refined products as well). Due to refineries preferring certain grades we still do import oil, but only like half a milion barrels per day < 10% of our imports and less than 5% of our total usage. https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=727&t=6 I think this part of the reason Biden was not picking up the phone from King of Saudi Arabia for a while, until the Ukraine war broke out and he wanted them to get on board with increasing oil production. Its like we're saying we don't need them anymore, and never liked them anyway.

Its hard to give up everything. Nitrates and nitrites are much more carcinogenic, and are frequently used in bacon and cold cuts No. And California is sure to remind you everywhere you go.

Well Keith Moon sure didn't make it ...

I'm with The Who. Hope I die before I get old. My grandfather lived to 98 and my grandmother (father's side) to 101. My grandfather was actually fairly sharp until the end, granted with fairly limited mobility and started having falls and lost continence. He spent the last few months of his life in a hospice. My grandmother at 100 didn't recognize my mother (not her mother but my father's). She asked my mother if she had any daughters (she didn't, only sons although she miscarried a daughter ...) I really think we need to get past the idea that everyone's life is always worth preserving, even if you don't have a terminal condition it should be up to you when to end it. Its controversial stance, but this should be on the table for all adults, regardless of age or condition. The reason I say that is because its not really up to society to decide the value of someone's life, that would be up to them. Whereas saying that its OK for some people to end their life but not others is making that judgement.

Ukraine's claws are long and sharp, indeed

Sucks as he had more than Arozarena who advanced to the second round. Ah well, ultimately no points for second place I guess.

Adley with 28 in the first round. Hit two over 440 so got the 30 second bonus. Switched from left to right, and tagged 7 of 8. Pretty good showing no matter what Robert does now.

We haven't said they can't attack Russian soil. We just don't want them to do it using our weapons. I don't think Ukraine has ever officially taken responsibility for attacks on Russian soil. I agree that it is crossing the line a bit. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union would provide weapons to countries like Korea and Vietnam, but not to attack targets on American soil. I think even ships were off limits. Yes, aircraft getting near the front lines for either side is very dangerous nowadays. Unless they fly very low, which is much easier for helicopters. During the first few days of the counteroffensive, when that Ukranian column was wiped out it was a KA-52 that did most of the damage.

Our future starting lineup will consist of a pitcher, a catcher, and 7 outfielders.

A-10s not very useful in contested airspace. Flights would essentially be suicide missions. Ukraine already has the SU-25 which is roughly equivalent The way the Wagner just waltzed halfway to Moscow makes me think that Ukraine should have done the same.

There is no way to wage war humanely, the rules are mostly about reciprocity and practicality. For instance, chemical weapons were banned mostly because the nations didn't want maimed soldiers coming home, who couldn't work and were a burden to social services. They would rather they just didn't come back at all.

Whats his status? It appears he's still on the IL but playing in the minors? Can we keep him there indefinitely or do we have to somehow expose him to a waiver? I'm not sure the org is quite yet ready to give up on him. Alot of raw talent and could be a late bloomer

I really don’t know how we make room for Mountcastle at this point ..l guess we cut Frazier loose ?

This was actually backwards. The Virginia Plan, as proposed by Madison and Randolph (two slaveowning Virginians) wanted proportional representation, along with a relatively strong central government, even going as far as ceding the power of the Federal legislature to directly override state law - which is nowadays handled by the court. In opposition was the New Jersey plan, which was ironically at the time, one of the less populated states and wanted to dilute the power of the more populous states, and a much weaker central government, basically a minor update to the Articles of Confederation. I don't think anyone was pushing for direct elections by popular vote. They didn't even have direct election of Senators until 1890-something - they were selected by the state legislatures.

So he was the guy in Glengarry, Glen Ross that wasn't Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Jack Lemon, Al Pacino or Ed Harris.

It was the only unit that was capable of offensive operations in Ukraine since last year. So if Russia can't go on the offensive, they're pretty screwed, as long as the West supports Ukraine, they are going to try to get back their territory. And eventually they will succeed.

Challenge him to a footrace

I think it was a reaction to a few things. His guy wasn't in the White House anymore and the plan to soft undermine NATO was stalled. It was on the heels of the Brexit mess and the EU seemed to be coming apart at the seems. After the Afghanistan debacle, he saw the US as a weak power that wasn't going to bother with further overseas adventures for a few years. And its true - we were never going to commit ground troops to Ukraine and probably never air cover. I think at the very least, he could dismember Ukraine, taking the entire left bank of the Dnipro, as well as significant areas on the right bank (especially Kyiv) along with the Black Sea coast, leaving a smallish rump state left around Lviv. OTOH, the Biden administration gave the go ahead for UAF to start using the weapons we had sent them (Javelins) in the Donbas area. So he wanted to forestall any potential offensive there. But the last point, and probably the most crucial, was that he thought the FSB had infilitrated/bought off Ukrainian C&C, that Ukrainian leadership was dysfunctional, and the UAF would provide at best, an incoherent/scattered defense, and he could overwhelm them with rapid force movement and capture Ukraine mostly intact. This was only partially true, e.g. that guy who left the Crimea approach undefended and let RuAF run all over Kherson, even crossing the Dnipro and Zaporhiza, trapping the Azov forces in Mariupol. The Russophiles who pointed out that the initial airstrikes by the RuAF were not as intense as what the US did in 2003 Iraq , and could have been much worse, also had somewhat of a point. For instance, the RuAF didn't go after more "strategic" targets such as the power grid. Which is not necessary if you don't expect a very intense campaign. So basically, he did it because he thought he could get away with it like Georgia, Crimea and Donbas.

The problem with Putin is he knows every trick and is also whacked out paranoid. Anyone who goes against him is risking death and they know it. Coups require lots of cooperation and for things to go almost perfectly. Its hard to "fish someone out" without knowing if they would be willing to go along with you, or if they would turn you into the boss. So you have to be very careful what you say. And you never know who's listening. But they did get Beria so I guess anything is possible

There wasn't a guarantee it was going to work. Prigozhin obviously had a core of loyalists within Wagner, but its unclear how much support he had in and around Moscow. Putin is still nominally in control and along as he was alive, there would have been people who would fight for him It could have gone down like Operation Valkyrie.

McKenna with the walk off!

This offensive could have a similar effect to the Tet Offensive in '68. Operational failure but strategic success. In this case, causing this level of dysfunction in the Russian military system might be enough offset a failure if the UAF can't gain substantial ground. Similar to how the NVA/VC didn't obtain any of their tangible objectives, but it was enough to cause American public opinion to start turning against the war.