The Ukraine Crisis

[AZGrizFan]

well, unless we're shipping a billion dollars a day to Russia for 685,000 barrels of that, then you would be incorrect.

Does Amazon deliver oil?

I don't believe so, but who knows?

[kalm]

Idiot virtue-signaling corporations doing what will only affect average Russians and not Putin or the Russian oligarchs. Take a stand against China then I'll be impressed.

Exactly.
Putin wants to reunify the old USSR. De-Westernizing Russia does nothing but help his cause.

It’s indeed virtue signaling. Never miss a a marketing opportunity.

The Russian people are unfortunate collateral damage…but they have been for a very long time in a way.

Regardless…economic sanctions and divestment can be effective and I think the west is all in on Putin’s removal (and for clearly good reason). Pawns be damned.

[SeattleGriz]

Eucalyptus trees are self pruning!

The trunks are not.

We had two huge Eucalyptus trees to the west of our house in Phoenix. Gave us good shade until about 9am in the summer. Made it so we could sit outside and have coffee.

Heard that phrase when I lived there and it was true to some extent, but yes, I cannot imagine having to cut one of those down with anything other than gas.

[AZGrizFan]

Exactly.
Putin wants to reunify the old USSR. De-Westernizing Russia does nothing but help his cause.

It’s indeed virtue signaling. Never miss a a marketing opportunity.

The Russian people are unfortunate collateral damage…but they have been for a very long time in a way.

Regardless…economic sanctions and divestment can be effective and I think the west is all in on Putin’s removal (and for clearly good reason). Pawns be damned.

the only hope is that the people get hurt enough to rise up (not in a military way) and make it uncomfortable enough that he stops these activities.

[kalm]

It’s indeed virtue signaling. Never miss a a marketing opportunity.

The Russian people are unfortunate collateral damage…but they have been for a very long time in a way.

Regardless…economic sanctions and divestment can be effective and I think the west is all in on Putin’s removal (and for clearly good reason). Pawns be damned.

the only hope is that the people get hurt enough to rise up (not in a military way) and make it uncomfortable enough that he stops these activities.

It sounds like the oligarchs are just pawns too and pose little threat to his removal. The inner circle is a group of ruthless and loyal strongmen who hold the keys. They will likely go down swinging.

[93henfan]

Poutine is not a war criminal. It's a delicious blend of french fries, cheese, and gravy. WTF?

By the way, them titties at :23 of that video are a symmetry OCD sufferer's worst nightmare. FUCK ME RUNNING!!!!

[UNI88]

the only hope is that the people get hurt enough to rise up (not in a military way) and make it uncomfortable enough that he stops these activities.

It sounds like the oligarchs are just pawns too and pose little threat to his removal. The inner circle is a group of ruthless and loyal strongmen who hold the keys. They will likely go down swinging.

Putin allowed the oligarchs to get wealthy but only as long as they do as he says and give him his vig. They can expect a fatal exposure to radiation or similar if they cross him.

[kalm]

It sounds like the oligarchs are just pawns too and pose little threat to his removal. The inner circle is a group of ruthless and loyal strongmen who hold the keys. They will likely go down swinging.

Putin allowed the oligarchs to get wealthy but only as long as they do as he says and give him his vig. They can expect a fatal exposure to radiation or similar if they cross him.

Yep.

Meanwhile plant workers are reportedly walking out in at least one Russian city due to the collapse of the Ruble and being short paid.

[Winterborn]

The trunks are not.

We had two huge Eucalyptus trees to the west of our house in Phoenix. Gave us good shade until about 9am in the summer. Made it so we could sit outside and have coffee.

Heard that phrase when I lived there and it was true to some extent, but yes, I cannot imagine having to cut one of those down with anything other than gas.

Last fall I was talking to a tree guy in the San Diego area and he said them and Palm trees are the two that he removes the most of and that they are dense. Really need to keep a sharp chain when cutting one down.

[BDKJMU]

After 7 cent increase nationwide Thur, 9 cents yesterday.

This doesn’t make sense if prices are based on supply and demand, and we’ve yet to see major supply disruptions. Still buying Russian oil (see Shell), no oil sanctions yet And historically demand doesn’t suddenly increase late Feb/early March..that’s usually not till May..So if supply (at the moment) and demand is roughly the same, why the massive price spike at the pump?

Make it $4.06 national avg. So up 52 cents a gallon in 11 days since this thing started. 45 cents in a week and 62 cents in a month have to be records.
Prices literally going up every day. Fooking nuts.
https://gasprices.aaa.com/
Based on I don’t know what other than pure speculation, because there hasn’t YET been major supply disruptions or demamd increase. Imagine what will happen when we do have supply disruptions, such as a embargo on Russian oil. $5 a gallon? $6?

[Winterborn]

By the way, them titties at :23 of that video are a symmetry OCD sufferer's worst nightmare. FUCK ME RUNNING!!!!

One word.

Doggy-style

[houndawg]

Me? 14kW worth of solar panels.

That is good for a permanent installation but what about mobile?

I plan on having something similar on my Shome (along with a Tesla Powerwall), but the energy density of fuel and its ability to be portable isn't something one can just wave away with a hand gesture or legislation.

I'm not going anywhere

[UNI88]

Plug-in electric chainsaws are much stronger than battery-powered but you need access to electricity. I had one and bought a 100 ft extension cord to cut down buckthorn.

They used to be, but the new packs are on par with the plug-in varieties. And you do not have to worry about cutting cords and electrocuting oneself (accident rate is on par with their gas powered counterparts). Or amperage losses that shorten the life of the electric motor due to long extension cords.

Plus what are you going to run an electric plug in chainsaw (or battery) off of when a storm rolls through and there is no power or a firecrew needs to cut a firebreak? Heat kills lithium-ion batteries (and what does SoCal have plenty of?), plus too much heat can cause them to explode unexpectedly.

There is a time and place for electric, commercial is not it (yet). Residential is already going there as the use cases are so much less severe. This is just another dumb bit of overreach that is going to have consequences that the legislators didn't think of. Which is typical of "feel" good, publicity driven legislation that has become so common in certain states these last few years (or longer).

The exemptions that will be added to this bill are going to be many and the only thing it will accomplish is to create an inconvenience for the common public.

The 100' extension cord was 12 gauge to minimize power loss over that distance and I never needed it when there wasn't power. Mine was an anecdotal story to show that electric can work for most consumers but I agree that it is currently inadequate for commercial use.

[Winterborn]

They used to be, but the new packs are on par with the plug-in varieties. And you do not have to worry about cutting cords and electrocuting oneself (accident rate is on par with their gas powered counterparts). Or amperage losses that shorten the life of the electric motor due to long extension cords.

Plus what are you going to run an electric plug in chainsaw (or battery) off of when a storm rolls through and there is no power or a firecrew needs to cut a firebreak? Heat kills lithium-ion batteries (and what does SoCal have plenty of?), plus too much heat can cause them to explode unexpectedly.

There is a time and place for electric, commercial is not it (yet). Residential is already going there as the use cases are so much less severe. This is just another dumb bit of overreach that is going to have consequences that the legislators didn't think of. Which is typical of "feel" good, publicity driven legislation that has become so common in certain states these last few years (or longer).

The exemptions that will be added to this bill are going to be many and the only thing it will accomplish is to create an inconvenience for the common public.

The 100' extension cord was 12 gauge to minimize power loss over that distance and I never needed it when there wasn't power. Mine was an anecdotal story to show that electric can work for most consumers but I agree that it is currently inadequate for commercial use.

I figured as much.

Just wanted to put forth that most people lump it all under one roof, when there are very distinct segments of the markets that need to have different solutions applied. The hammer of "petroleum is evil" and "electric will save the planet" make good marketing statements but are horrible in real life.

[kalm]

You know you’re on the right side of an issue when using children in hospice for a propaganda photo op.

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war- ... n-12560034

[AZGrizFan]

They used to be, but the new packs are on par with the plug-in varieties. And you do not have to worry about cutting cords and electrocuting oneself (accident rate is on par with their gas powered counterparts). Or amperage losses that shorten the life of the electric motor due to long extension cords.

Plus what are you going to run an electric plug in chainsaw (or battery) off of when a storm rolls through and there is no power or a firecrew needs to cut a firebreak? Heat kills lithium-ion batteries (and what does SoCal have plenty of?), plus too much heat can cause them to explode unexpectedly.

There is a time and place for electric, commercial is not it (yet). Residential is already going there as the use cases are so much less severe. This is just another dumb bit of overreach that is going to have consequences that the legislators didn't think of. Which is typical of "feel" good, publicity driven legislation that has become so common in certain states these last few years (or longer).

The exemptions that will be added to this bill are going to be many and the only thing it will accomplish is to create an inconvenience for the common public.

The 100' extension cord was 12 gauge to minimize power loss over that distance and I never needed it when there wasn't power. Mine was an anecdotal story to show that electric can work for most consumers but I agree that it is currently inadequate for commercial use.

Home Improvement Thread ===============>>>

[BDKJMU]

Now all time record high $4.10.4 a gallon, breaking 2008 record, according to Gas Buddy. Says in 2 weeks will be $4.86 national avg…
https://www.gasbuddy.com/newsroom/pressrelease/1104

[SuperHornet]

Went to $5.09 after work today in Twentynine Palms...at the ARCO of all places. SMH....

[Baldy]

When Biden goes to the Saudis to beg for more oil, this coincidence happens.

[∞∞∞]

Now all time record high $4.10.4 a gallon, breaking 2008 record, according to Gas Buddy. Says in 2 weeks will be $4.86 national avg…
https://www.gasbuddy.com/newsroom/pressrelease/1104

2008 high would be $5.35/gal when you include inflation, which is preferable when we compare prices across 14 years.

[houndawg]

the only hope is that the people get hurt enough to rise up (not in a military way) and make it uncomfortable enough that he stops these activities.

It sounds like the oligarchs are just pawns too and pose little threat to his removal. The inner circle is a group of ruthless and loyal strongmen who hold the keys. They will likely go down swinging.

I think VP has already planned for that - notice the blast wall under his end of the 20 meter long table? None of that bomb-in-a-briefcase bullshit like almost got Uncle Adolph....

Going full Joe Stalin is the only way Putin gets out of this alive.

[kalm]

It sounds like the oligarchs are just pawns too and pose little threat to his removal. The inner circle is a group of ruthless and loyal strongmen who hold the keys. They will likely go down swinging.

I think VP has already planned for that - notice the blast wall under his end of the 20 meter long table? None of that bomb-in-a-briefcase bullshit like almost got Uncle Adolph....

Going full Joe Stalin is the only way Putin gets out of this alive.

God I hope you’re wrong but I’ve had the same thought. There’s a history there.

[kalm]

Interesting hot take from a Russian disinformation and propaganda expert. He agrees that the main motivator for Putin is ultimately us. To prepare for the long haul even as interest lags in the coming weeks. Putin wants U.S. influence in all of Eastern Europe killed and for us to leave NATO. That Putin will either achieve these objectives or go down in flames.

The one problematic thing is that nobody has really made sense of what Putin’s up to. I think we’re sort of framing this as a plucky country slaying a dictatorship. But Putin is this mad stalker trying to get revenge. It’s all about undermining 1989 and what he feels was an unfair defeat of the Soviet Union. He hates Ukraine because they chose a different path, and that’s a challenge to the kleptocratic model he’s set up. But his aim is America. Listen to what the Russian propaganda is saying. It’s all about you guys. And I do wonder if this framing of plucky little guy versus the Goliath misses the fact that he’s gunning for you, he’s coming for you. He’s very clearly saying, over and over again, that he thinks America controls Europe, that it rules Europe secretly like a puppet master, and that America has been conducting nonstop war against Russia. Part of it is for propaganda purposes, but part of it clearly reflects his worldview and the worldview of those around him. Clearly, what’s happening now is the battle between a dictatorship and a country fighting for its future. But we’re kind of missing out on the big picture. It still seems like a drama from a faraway place, when actually, the drama is about us.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/03 ... xIWAmZ8_MU

[∞∞∞]

Interesting hot take from a Russian disinformation and propaganda expert. He agrees that the main motivator for Putin is ultimately us. To prepare for the long haul even as interest lags in the coming weeks. Putin wants U.S. influence in all of Eastern Europe killed and for us to leave NATO. That Putin will either achieve these objectives or go down in flames.

The one problematic thing is that nobody has really made sense of what Putin’s up to. I think we’re sort of framing this as a plucky country slaying a dictatorship. But Putin is this mad stalker trying to get revenge. It’s all about undermining 1989 and what he feels was an unfair defeat of the Soviet Union. He hates Ukraine because they chose a different path, and that’s a challenge to the kleptocratic model he’s set up. But his aim is America. Listen to what the Russian propaganda is saying. It’s all about you guys. And I do wonder if this framing of plucky little guy versus the Goliath misses the fact that he’s gunning for you, he’s coming for you. He’s very clearly saying, over and over again, that he thinks America controls Europe, that it rules Europe secretly like a puppet master, and that America has been conducting nonstop war against Russia. Part of it is for propaganda purposes, but part of it clearly reflects his worldview and the worldview of those around him. Clearly, what’s happening now is the battle between a dictatorship and a country fighting for its future. But we’re kind of missing out on the big picture. It still seems like a drama from a faraway place, when actually, the drama is about us.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/03 ... xIWAmZ8_MU

The dude thinks it's the 80s, with the collapse of the USSR living rent free in his head. Zero concept of globalization, the age of social media, and the rise of China. But like all dictators, he's become far removed from reality.

China is licking its chops right now. They get to sit back and watch three other global powers (US/EU/Russia) wasting resources. Hell, there's a chance the Russian Federation dissolves if things go really south; China will reclaim outer Manchuria if that happens.

If Putin genuinely cared about Russia's future, they'd join the EU and maybe even NATO.

[Pwns]

Remember, cancelling the Keystone Pipeline wouldn't save a mouse fart worth of emissions but we had to nix it because white privilege (or something).