Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 16 [359]


Mhmm...

Seemingly - how are these things connected?


I've lived through a couple electoral cycles here, and am noticing a pattern.

National news channels (especially Republican ones), will make a huge deal about the NYC mayoral elections. The elections will be treated as a litmus test for where the Democratic or Republican Party is headed, and as a potential launching pad for a national candidacy. Probably because there aren't any midterms or presidential primaries to discuss on air.

Then, this person will inevitably bomb in the worst possible way on the national stage. Rudy Giuliani thought he could sell himself as "America's Mayor", and leverage 9/11 to his advantage. Mike Bloomberg thought he could leverage how he got us off Big Gulps and cheap cigarettes, and balanced the budget.

I think Bloomberg won only American Samoa, and Giuliani got 3% or something in Iowa.

Mind you - both guys entered the cycle being considered as potential frontrunners. Bloomberg had raised the most money any candidate had ever raised.

-------

On the Democrat side - the mayor's office seems to generate nonstop freaks. Bill de Blasio polled around zero, and couldn't even get into the primary debates.

-----//

In the end, it seems the governorship is where the more successful campaigns are launched - despite how much attention the mayor's race gets. FDR, Teddy, Cleveland, Van Buren - all former governors. Even the ones that lost, did significantly better than the best mayors ever did - Rockefeller, Pataki.

The fact that the last time a NY governor won was FDR, kinda tells you how much NY's role in the country has diminished.

I don't think a single senator or congressmen had ever successfully contested an election either.

Hmph...

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 16 [359]


Free bus rides

Frozen rents

Free daycare

"Publicly-owned" grocery stores

Free tuition for CUNY (also help for SUNY tuition)

A $30 minimum wage within 4 years

---///--

All great plans for a city that's projected to run $3-7B budget deficits across 2026-2028.

I'm shocked - to be honest. When Bloomberg came out and gave Cuomo a ton of cash - I thought - surely this election is in the bag. How Zohran won... I don't understand.

Cuomo was a bit tone deaf. The city had spent the last two years convulsed by constant "Free Palestine" marches, and Cuomo spent his time seemingly equally between labor union headquarters and synagogues.

When Zohran said that he would arrest and imprison Netanyahu if he steps foot in New York for the UN - his sh*t **** up. Cuomo instead made some sounds about anti-semitism being bad. That was no good.

Then when Trump attacked Iran, Mamdani and AOC again took the charge, and roped Hakeem Jeffries in. Cuomo again took too long to respond.

Somehow, Zohran used a foreign policy issue to win a municipal election. I'm convinced of this - that Palestine and the war in Iran played a big role in this election.

The city elections have a bigger footprint than any other municipal elections, and I think people were voting on who they think can challenge Trump. So I think this is very bad for the DNC.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 16 [359]


Goddamn it...

F*ckin son of satan won in the end.

Well, it'll be fun.

We had a chance to elect Cuomo, a real leader who would have had stature on the national stage - instead there will be a local freak.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


F*ck them.

We didn't get anything from them.

Everything we got, was from the Greeks in Constantinople.

Off-Topic / Random Chat Thread [667]

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News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Do you not see the answer - here?

We are one people. One leader. One empire.

ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF SLAVIC POWER!

Edit: I'm sorry, I had to.

USA, Canada / Polish people in Kentucky? [11]

@AntV

lol.

A thread with 8 posts.

How did you find this?

Genealogy / Russian POW Camp records [71]


Not strange... but nearly impossible.

Something does not add up.

All sorts of people, during that period, had strange biographies - and this is one of them.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


1) Christ as King

2) Russia First - meaning immigrants, and everyone else has to get in line first

3) Peace through strength - we have been abused and taken advantage of. From now on, we shoot first, ask questions later.

4) Death to GloboHomo. No public displays of affection by homosexuals, zero visibility for transgenders, zero propaganda of tolerance in schools, zero understanding for their pain.

5) Destruction of any supranational entities that try to control people. EU. UN. WTO. NATO. Everything else. National will - SUPREME.

Off-Topic / What is a woman? [339]


Seriously - like an Achilles or a Pericles - a demigod.

This man I would follow... to the end of the Earth. He can command - and I will obey.


Never heard you, but I bet you'd be surprised how Polish you still sound.

Off-Topic / What is a woman? [339]


He really is a f*cking American Hercules.

How can you not love this man?

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


What?

America and Russia have been friends more often, and for longer, than they had been enemies.

America built up our industry. Henry Ford built Gaz, and General Electric built our power plants. John Deere mechanized our agriculture. 3M helped us develop our chemical industry.

America clothed us and provided Jeeps and Studebeckers for transport during the war.

In the 19th century, it mainted absolute neutrality during all of Russia's wars. We had a completely bloodless transfer of parts of Northern California, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska between each other.

America has cowboys. We have Cossacks. They have the West, and Manifest Destiny. We have the East, and the March to the Pacific.

Both countries are "larger than life". These expanses they define the national character, and is what makes Americans and Russians feel like they have so much to offer the world, as opposed to Belgians or Italians.

Only two countries have a vision for the whole world.

China is as rich as God, but still cannot formulate what it wants. You never have to ask Russia or America what they want. They'll provide you with a long list,

Off-Topic / What is a woman? [339]


Nothing classified lol. Built a business. Ate a lot of glass, and slept on many beds of nails in the process.

It was this eating glass, my Soviet background, and my gratitude to America - that established the connection.

He struggled hard. Got beat regularly by his Nazi police dad, and called a shrimp by him. Bodybuilding was not as big in Europe as it was in America, so he also got a lot of **** for doing something "stupid". Came here to this country with no friends, no wife, and no family. Started from the bottom, and then earned everyone's respect.

He promised me that if I work like I have been, then one day I can have everything he has. Told me it's important to believe in myself and not give up. Which was exactly what I needed to hear at the time.

Coming from my idol, it was as good as God's command. And of course he turned out to be right - I just had to keep working.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Not better trade deals. There is no trade to regulate.

He offered to lift all sanctions and inaugurate a new era of Russian-American friendship, mutually beneficial to both nations in the material sense.

That was the right message and the right tone.

Russians were tired of Obama's and Biden's lectures about how we should behave, without offering anything attractive in return.

Trump literally offered the ONE thing that actually moves the needle, and gives us ammunition here in Russia against the war hawks.

Now I know all of Ukraine and all of Europe wants to see Russia punished severely. Maybe it even deserves it. But do you have the stick requisite to punish us? No? Trump does - and Trump is offering us to be friends again.

Europe and Ukraine will have to quiet their bloodlust and desire for vengeance.

Off-Topic / What is a woman? [339]


I met him at a friend's wedding.

My friend had worked on some boat that the Kennedy's had rented out, and sailed from San Diego down the Baja California coast. Arnie was there with his Kennedy wife.

The Kennedy's treated my friend and the crew like trash, and Arnie was the only one that treated them as human beings.

Years later, when my friend invited him to his wedding (I think they met once or twice in between), the dude actually responded and showed up.

I got full on "fan hysteria" when I met the guy. He's my f*cking idol. I love the guy - would die for him. "Pumping Iron", "Conan the Barbarian", "Predator", "Terminator" - this is my childhood. I was circling around all night, working up the courage.

When I spoke with him, he had that politician magic a where you feel like you are the only person in the room and he really is listening to you. I told him about my journey, and my work, and he was... just so incredibly kind.

His "attaboy", was worth like 50 megatons of other "attaboys" for me. The fact that Arnie thinks I'm doing good - that meant a lot.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


20 is a whole lot more than the 8 Tu-160s we have.

You also have more B-52s than we have Tu-95s.

The Russian answer to the Raider has been hopelessly delayed, thanks to the war in Ukraine. Some geniuses, starting about two years ago, started saying we don't need it or the aircraft carrier - because unmanned systems have changed the rules of the game.

This successful American operation just gave Tupolev and Ilyushin a huge shot in the arm. Now Putin will likely accelerate the PAK DA "Envoy" program.

Turns out stealth bombers can still wreck ****, in a way that no drone ever could.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Actually? Nothing.

Technically, according to our Constitution, he's not even in the line of succession for the presidency, if a big icicle falls on Putin's head one day from the Kremlin bell tower.

He's Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the RF. The Security Council is less powerful than the American National Security Council. It's a purely consultative organ, with no executive functions.

As Deputy Chairman, he does not even control the agenda of the Security Council. Putin sets the agenda, and chairs the meetings.

He's not even the second, or third most powerful person on the Security Council - that's the Minister of Defense and the head of the FSB.

--//--

So he doesn't do much of anything.

That's why in recent years, Medvedev has largely reinvented himself as a radical hawk, posting unhinged threats on Telegram and echoing the most maximalist war rhetoric. But he does it in such comedic fashion, that even his supposed constituency of "war fighters" can't take him seriously.

He wears a Mao-style French tunic, and strange jewelry. Likes to announce impromptu visits to state armament factories, and then prowls around the production floor nodding at tanks and artillery pieces with a knowing wink and a little pat of his paws.

They say he writes too, but the things he writes are so hideous - that people need to check themselves into rehabilitation for two weeks after reading his works. Allegedly it's poetry, but I have also heard fantasy fiction.

Curious fella.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


The EU is the most disgusting weakling of all. Not mentioning them, because... well because they're entirely useless.

Having been kicked to the periphery in a war on their own Continent, they decided they'd like to try their hand at Iran.

Again they trotted out all their foreign policy cavalry, and the Iranians actually obliged and received them. The result - a big fat zero.

Israel laid a big fat turd on their diplomatic efforts. Trump told them to "stay the hell out".

And they did. Meekly retreated back into their corner.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Dunno if you saw this, but Medvedev came crawling out of his den yesterday with what amounted to a public apology.

I imagine it was pretty humiliating for this wannabe Napoleon, to do such a thing... so something serious must have happened.

More likely than not, it was Putin that told him to shut his trap and stay in his lane.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]

@Torq @AntV

"Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs," Trump said, "the likes of which I've never seen before, the biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel."

This was what Trump said early this morning, before he said "they don't know what the f*ck they are doing".

What is that, but a transparent attempt by Netanyahu to override the will of the POTUS, and forcefully drag America deeper into war?

It's what Zelensky does every time as well, when it seems like this war will wind down. Then when Putin inevitably responds, he starts shrieking like a hysterical woman that "Putin" cannot be trusted. Same sh*t - trying to continue the war at all costs, in a desperate attempt to end it on his terms.

Hmmm?

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Not sure that he has.

If you love peace, then all this looks and smells pretty good.

If you are cynic, however, it's easy to argue that what happened was:

1) Israel was doing a hell of a job fighting Iran

2) Trump decided to hop onto the train at the last minute, so he could be seen as "kicking ass"

3) Without any proof that Iran's nuclear program was disabled - he declared Mission Accomplished.

That is, one could argue that it's becoming increasingly clear that the United States is unable or unwilling to engage in protracted operations.

--//--

Living here for quite a while, and having a healthy appreciation for American strength - I think that this incapability/inability is largely political in nature. America certainly has the wherewithal, but it lacks the will.

That's all that's important for people like Xi and Putin to observe. Can we escalate to such an extent, that America will always back down? Will the American people support a forceful intervention by Trump in Ukraine or Taiwan?

The Fordow strikes were a powerful demonstration of America's unparalleled technical dominance and the unbelievable professionalism of its military. But we already knew this, if even some people began to forget.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Yeah, the "they don't know what the f*ck they are doing" was pure poetry.

In one sentence, he explained the situation in such terms, that every single American can understand what is happening.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]

Yep here it is:

• 
  IMG_7144.jpeg
  

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]


Yeah, haha!

Iran fired off a single ballistic missile after the start of the ceasefire. Israel mounted a huge bombing run in response.

Trump said that Iran fired its missile by mistake, and that he was extremely frustrated with Israel for its disproportionate response.

Then he said "they don't know what the f*ck they are doing" as he was walking to Marine One.

Finally he tweeted this... and apparently it worked. The planes were rerouted mid air, and are returning to Israel.

P.S. - Defense editor of the Economist argues that Trump is likely correct. That Iranian commanders had earlier this year fired missiles into Pakistan, and it was later determined that this was done without the authorization of Khamenei.

The command and control issues likely stem from Iran implementing mass delegation of responsibility to lower level commanders in response to Israel's decapitation attacks.

Basically, some overeager Persian colonel had fired off the missile, or... he had simply not been aware of the ceasefire.

• 
  IMG_7142.jpeg
  

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]

Trump: "We have two countries (Israel and Iran) that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*ck they are doing"

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]

@AntV

This makes me think the Iranian foreign ministry guy was telling the truth when he said that the Admin called ahead of the strikes to provide a heads up, and to warn that it was a "one off" and not to go crazy.

Which I guess is kind of a bad ass move.

Even from Russia, this looks pretty goddamn impressive.

News / The Iran war and Poland [826]

Bro seriously?

"Come on dude, Iran should get to bomb us - they gotta get it outta their system."

What is this world we are living in?

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  IMG_7138.jpeg
  

Travel / Traveling! What to do in Warsaw and Krakow? [39]


Ok I know I've been popping off in random threads all day... but this is great.

The 2008, has been licensed by Iran's Khodra, and is marketed as the Reera. You'll get to drive what people in Iran drive.

Here's the Iranian Reera:

• 
  IMG_7135.jpeg
  

Off-Topic / What is a woman? [339]


Have you ever considered that most young people simply do not give a f*ck?

When there's nothing to eat, nowhere to live, and no reason to reproduce - the last thing that bothers you is transgenders.

Off-Topic / Random Chat Thread [667]

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