MSBoxer

you win
Biden and McCarthy agree to raise the US debt ceiling (yahoo.com)

US debt ceiling agreement reached, not final yet as the agreement needs to be converted to legislation but the GOP and Biden have a framework.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/live-blog/debt-ceiling-live-updates-rcna86529

Edit - Dammit sburke beat me by a few minutes.

I don't think the west was a threat to the USSR or the Eastern Bloc.  The threat was to the expansion of their sphere of influence and territorial expansion.  Afghanistan in the eighties is a prime example.  In other words, the threat was not to their continued existence, but a threat to their ambitions.

I don't think the west was a threat to the USSR or the Eastern Bloc.  The threat was to the expansion of their sphere of influence and territorial expansion.  Afghanistan in the eighties is a prime example.  In other words, the threat was not to their continued existence, but a threat to their ambitions.

I don't think the west was a threat to the USSR or the Eastern Bloc.  The threat was to the expansion of their sphere of influence and territorial expansion.  Afghanistan in the eighties is a prime example.  In other words, the threat was not to their continued existence, but a threat to their ambitions.

I don't think the west was a threat to the USSR or the Eastern Bloc.  The threat was to the expansion of their sphere of influence and territorial expansion.  Afghanistan in the eighties is a prime example.  In other words, the threat was not to their continued existence, but a threat to their ambitions.

Opposing fascism is great, the problem is when you deem anything you disagree with as fascism and use violence and vandalism to prove your point you kinda start to smell like a brown shirt.

Just as those that claim anything they disagree with is the work of Satan kinda lose the whole point of Christianity.
 

Opposing fascism is great, the problem is when you deem anything you disagree with as fascism and use violence and vandalism to prove your point you kinda start to smell like a brown shirt.

Just as those that claim anything they disagree with is the work of Satan kinda lose the whole point of Christianity.
 

In my opinion, if you go to the far end of either side of the political spectrum you get nut bags who need to be watched.  Whether it is the white supremacists on the right or Antifa on the left we have groups that are ready and, in some cases, far too willing to resort to violence and intimidation to push their twisted beliefs on everyone else.

In my opinion, if you go to the far end of either side of the political spectrum you get nut bags who need to be watched.  Whether it is the white supremacists on the right or Antifa on the left we have groups that are ready and, in some cases, far too willing to resort to violence and intimidation to push their twisted beliefs on everyone else.

In my opinion, if you go to the far end of either side of the political spectrum you get nut bags who need to be watched.  Whether it is the white supremacists on the right or Antifa on the left we have groups that are ready and, in some cases, far too willing to resort to violence and intimidation to push their twisted beliefs on everyone else.

The difference between these two images fills me with hope for the future of Ukraine after this war.

An attack of this scope and size should leave an impression of strength and power.  Why does it stink of desperation and weakness?

An attack of this scope and size should leave an impression of strength and power.  Why does it stink of desperation and weakness?

An attack of this scope and size should leave an impression of strength and power.  Why does it stink of desperation and weakness?

An attack of this scope and size should leave an impression of strength and power.  Why does it stink of desperation and weakness?

An attack of this scope and size should leave an impression of strength and power.  Why does it stink of desperation and weakness?

An attack of this scope and size should leave an impression of strength and power.  Why does it stink of desperation and weakness?

Personally, it is extremely hard for me to watch some of these videos.  No matter how much I detest Russian actions, the death of any individual is traumatic.  Yes, I fully acknowledge that some of them "deserve" to die based upon atrocities they have committed, and some of them need to die to protect Ukraine.   That is when I must put on my analyst hat and try to compartmentalize my emotions.

With that said, what I got most out of two recent videos, the drone surrender and the grenade/suicide is the utter physical, emotional and psychological isolation. 
In so many videos we have seen excessively small groups manning relatively large expanses of defensive lines, but in both of these videos the individuals were ALONE for all intents and purposes.  You don't surrender individually if you have companions, and you don't kill yourself if you have hope of aide.  The pure desperation in both cases, while perhaps isolated instances, leads me to wonder about the overall mental health of the RU forces.  If this is indicative of an overall sense of despair and futility, then it perhaps lends credence to the brittle shell theory of the RU.  Application of minimal pressure at the proper point may create multiple fault lines.

Personally, it is extremely hard for me to watch some of these videos.  No matter how much I detest Russian actions, the death of any individual is traumatic.  Yes, I fully acknowledge that some of them "deserve" to die based upon atrocities they have committed, and some of them need to die to protect Ukraine.   That is when I must put on my analyst hat and try to compartmentalize my emotions.

With that said, what I got most out of two recent videos, the drone surrender and the grenade/suicide is the utter physical, emotional and psychological isolation. 
In so many videos we have seen excessively small groups manning relatively large expanses of defensive lines, but in both of these videos the individuals were ALONE for all intents and purposes.  You don't surrender individually if you have companions, and you don't kill yourself if you have hope of aide.  The pure desperation in both cases, while perhaps isolated instances, leads me to wonder about the overall mental health of the RU forces.  If this is indicative of an overall sense of despair and futility, then it perhaps lends credence to the brittle shell theory of the RU.  Application of minimal pressure at the proper point may create multiple fault lines.

Personally, it is extremely hard for me to watch some of these videos.  No matter how much I detest Russian actions, the death of any individual is traumatic.  Yes, I fully acknowledge that some of them "deserve" to die based upon atrocities they have committed, and some of them need to die to protect Ukraine.   That is when I must put on my analyst hat and try to compartmentalize my emotions.

With that said, what I got most out of two recent videos, the drone surrender and the grenade/suicide is the utter physical, emotional and psychological isolation. 
In so many videos we have seen excessively small groups manning relatively large expanses of defensive lines, but in both of these videos the individuals were ALONE for all intents and purposes.  You don't surrender individually if you have companions, and you don't kill yourself if you have hope of aide.  The pure desperation in both cases, while perhaps isolated instances, leads me to wonder about the overall mental health of the RU forces.  If this is indicative of an overall sense of despair and futility, then it perhaps lends credence to the brittle shell theory of the RU.  Application of minimal pressure at the proper point may create multiple fault lines.

Personally, it is extremely hard for me to watch some of these videos.  No matter how much I detest Russian actions, the death of any individual is traumatic.  Yes, I fully acknowledge that some of them "deserve" to die based upon atrocities they have committed, and some of them need to die to protect Ukraine.   That is when I must put on my analyst hat and try to compartmentalize my emotions.

With that said, what I got most out of two recent videos, the drone surrender and the grenade/suicide is the utter physical, emotional and psychological isolation. 
In so many videos we have seen excessively small groups manning relatively large expanses of defensive lines, but in both of these videos the individuals were ALONE for all intents and purposes.  You don't surrender individually if you have companions, and you don't kill yourself if you have hope of aide.  The pure desperation in both cases, while perhaps isolated instances, leads me to wonder about the overall mental health of the RU forces.  If this is indicative of an overall sense of despair and futility, then it perhaps lends credence to the brittle shell theory of the RU.  Application of minimal pressure at the proper point may create multiple fault lines.

Personally, it is extremely hard for me to watch some of these videos.  No matter how much I detest Russian actions, the death of any individual is traumatic.  Yes, I fully acknowledge that some of them "deserve" to die based upon atrocities they have committed, and some of them need to die to protect Ukraine.   That is when I must put on my analyst hat and try to compartmentalize my emotions.

With that said, what I got most out of two recent videos, the drone surrender and the grenade/suicide is the utter physical, emotional and psychological isolation. 
In so many videos we have seen excessively small groups manning relatively large expanses of defensive lines, but in both of these videos the individuals were ALONE for all intents and purposes.  You don't surrender individually if you have companions, and you don't kill yourself if you have hope of aide.  The pure desperation in both cases, while perhaps isolated instances, leads me to wonder about the overall mental health of the RU forces.  If this is indicative of an overall sense of despair and futility, then it perhaps lends credence to the brittle shell theory of the RU.  Application of minimal pressure at the proper point may create multiple fault lines.

I lived on Staten Island in the 70s and went to a private elementary school.  I learned quickly which kids not to mess with because of their family's business.

Shortly after I left most of them moved to NJ.

I realized that after some research and edited my post.  The angles looked off and the lack of shadows on the side made it look suspect, but this image shows it better.  To be fair, I did not watch the coronation.