_lost_username_

So, Russia is eyeing a third region. Putin is pretty much do-or-die on this, I doubt he's going to let up until he's made Ukraine totally landlocked and controls half of Moldova. He's pretty traditional about the use of the Russian military, pretty much seeing them as cannon fodder whose lives aren't really worth much in the name of "greatness." “This is straight out of the Kremlin’s playbook,” he added. Carpenter said that the United States also believed Russia was considering a similar plan in a third region, Kherson, where Moscow has recently solidified its control and imposed use of its ruble currency. Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow plans to annex Donetsk and Luhansk, US says; European Union preparing sanctions on Russia oil - live (theguardian.com)

Well, hope the people who voted for Jill Stein in 2016 feel like shit. You purist dumbfucks and shit swallowing fuckheads who thought you were going to send a message to the Democrats by shoving your thumbs into your own peeholes. Draft ruling shows Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade: report | The Hill

Pelosi endorses strategy to combine Ukraine, COVID aid | The Hill Well, Democrats are missing the strategy of "let the Republicans shoot themselves in the foot" and pointing a gun at their foot too by forcing something totally unrelated in a desperately-needed foreign aid bill.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/apr/29/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-decries-barbaric-missile-strikes-on-kyiv-russian-gains-in-donbas-come-at-significant-cost-says-uk-live?page=with:block-626b96a58f089c79bcffa0cf#block-626b96a58f089c79bcffa0cf The last time I checked, it was the CCP that was stirring up potential conflicts in Asia-Pacific, particularly around the South China Sea. Like Putin, Xi has been pretty successful at making his country rather unpopular with its neighbors.

Maybe not, but he seems to believe it's "now or never" and doesn't think anyone else can do it. Russia wasn't exactly "desperate," they were in a great position globally with their natural resources and their still powerful influence, plus Putin was more secure than he had ever been despite all the corruption that's weakened their military and the country's internal safety. There was no reason to launch the war aside from this whole recreation of the Russian empire that he's been vocal about for the last decade.

It's all speculative. He could very well just realizing his mortality, which is about the same thing. It's hard to really know, but it doesn't seem like it's coming from someone who trusts his potential successors to fulfill his vision.

https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1517222529311588352

Utah Democrats back independent Evan McMullin in his race against GOP Sen. Mike Lee - The Washington Post There was no way a Democrat was going to win in Utah. It's a pragmatic move, which I'm sure people will take not of if it's successful, particularly in places where the "D" by your name = "Death" at the ballot box.

Russia-Ukraine war: British man killed and another missing; Moscow warns west over support for Ukraine – live (theguardian.com) Sounds like it's almost certain that Russia is going to make a move for eastern Moldova. That increases the chances of a direct attack on a NATO country, with Moldova essentially being Eastern Romania, which will lead to Romania giving more direct assistance to Moldova than we've seen delivered to Ukraine. Something is wrong with Putin, like he knows his days on earth are numbered. It's like he's trying to recreate the Russian empire before time runs out, no matter if it's a suicide mission. If you've seen how Russia operates its military historically, they don't have a problem treating their soldiers like cannon fodder. Whereas western military tradition does its best to curb losses, Russia just throws body upon body at the enemy. It may have worked in WWII, but in modern warfare, it's a strategy that makes them weaker faster.

Poor commie dolphins. Russia-Ukraine war: Putin warns of ‘lightning fast’ retaliation if west intervenes; White House accuses Russia of ‘weaponising energy supplies’ - live (theguardian.com)

Well, Trump did make that sort of thing less taboo. After all, it was his favorite thing when it came to his foreign policy trips.

Wonder how many Russian soldiers would conveniently ditch their tanks if they knew about that?

Kyiv dismantles ‘Friendship of the Peoples’ statue erected in 1982 to symbolise ties between Ukraine and Russia. Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The Guardian

Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow warns UK of ‘proportional response’ if it continues ‘provoking’ Ukraine to attack – live (theguardian.com) "In principle" basically means "yeah, but I'm not."

Democrats unfortunately went into this acting like they had a super majority instead of a near-even split. They'd probably fare better breaking out the most popular items (Romney was very vocal on being willing to work on keeping the child tax credit permanent) and having some results that the average person would feel instead of having a massive all-or-nothing bill. Really, if you can't fit the gist of what you want to do into a three-five word bumper sticker, you probably need to rethink it ... it helps people get it too. People understand "More money to feed kids" and "More Charging Stations NOW." They don't get "Build Back Better" because even Democrats have trouble explaining it.

Russia has been using Transnistria in propaganda for some time, claiming the Moldavians are oppressing them, despite essentially being left to their own means for decades. Spreading the fighting there would more likely spark a direct conflict with the EU and NATO just because of the fighting being right on Romania's doorstep as far as actual proximity to the border. Moldova has already tried to reunite with Romania once since they are basically Romanians too. If Russia starts bombing Moldova, it's hard to see Romania staying out of it. The most annoying thing about all of this is that western governments (outside of Poland, Baltics and a few others) are preparing their people for any sort of sacrifice or readiness as it becomes more evident that this war is dangerously close to breaking out of Ukraine. Governments in liberal democracies seem very reluctant to tell their people that they'll have to go through some hard times, but it'll be worth it in the very end. If WWII happened today, it's hard to picture how current generations would not just roll over after a month of rationing and interruptions.

I actually watched a video about the alleged assassins' target the other day:

Yet here you are, engaging me.

Looks like cultured meat could be made available in the US this year if the FDA approves it. Of course, there's going to be a fight with ranchers and farmers who are going to have lobbyists attempt to regulate it to death. Source: How to Buy Lab-Grown Meat? FDA Weighs Approval of Sales in 2022 - Bloomberg

Dude, you're on an internet forum. Who uses those anymore?

I don't remember interacting with you very much. Have you been admiring me from afar or something? Are you all like "yeah, here's my chance, I'm going to totally pwn this guy with an insult that combines BABIES and the CIRCUS! YEAH!"

Good thing I got shin guards.

Na, thinking Snopes is a Soros fronted whatever would make you a member. Disillusionment is just the step before acceptance. Politics is depressing if you don't accept that democracy is never going to allow for you to get everything you want. That's just how it is.

I have been wondering if it's going to have any temporary effect on the climate like big volcanic blasts often do.

Let's see what Snopes has to say: Since the tin foil brigade thinks Snopes is in league with Satanic Jews, here's another fact check from Newsweek: Also, inflation is the worst it's ever been. But no, we can't blame Biden for that, even though if Trump were still president you'd be fine completely blaming him. Trump had the unique ability to make things even worse than they already were. No president has been so uniquely incompetent. What would Trump's answer to inflation be? Blaming China? Yelling at Canada and Mexico? The guy is unwilling to accept any responsibility for anything. For him, the "buck gets passed on to someone else" when things don't go as planned. But yeah, go ahead and tell me how Biden is "just as bad."