Ha! Some not-so-deep thoughts re: Ukraine

 I have not commented thus far on Mad Vlad Putins ill-considered, and ill-fated, invasion  of Ukraine.

But this is too good not to share:

Militarily, Ukraine wins by not losing, but Putin loses by not winning. In fact, it's probably too late for Mad Vlad to do anything but try to save face. And even if he declares victory probably the best he can hope for is  nice dacha someplace...

But this video (note the source: Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe!) definitely supports the contention that Ukraine is wining the propaganda war! Yes, the "Ghost of Kyiv" seems to be an exaggeration, and the whole thing with the Marines telling the Russian navy to pound sand seems to be that, at least, but the stories were wide spread, and nowhere in the propaganda manuals does it say "they have to be true." 

But, Lord, do I want it to be true that Ukrainian Grandmothers are giving Russian soldiers sunflower seeds with instructions to keep them in their pockets, so the flowers will bloom in the Ukrainian soil they are going to die on...

Kenosha

 

Seen at Joe's Place.

Not gonna lie, I am happy that the young man survived, and it sounds like the choir boys he took down deserved it and will only be missed by those with twisted taste in friends or causes, but that doesn't mean I am celebrating. 

Joe's got other links, too, including a statement by the lawyer representing the young shooter. 

You know, if even the New York Times admits that the video of events shows that these were legit self-defense shootings, you gotta wonder why he was so heavily charged... well, no, actually, it doesn't. 

Joe has something for that, too. 

Meanwhile, in comments to this post at Old NFO's blog...

...Not to mention some co-workers who should know better...

Not illegal for a 17 year old to "possess" an AR15 in either WI or IL. 

And if his mom drove him to Kenosha, it was for his job as a lifeguard. He stuck around when he got off duty to help clean up graffiti. He only geared up later when things started to get sporty again -- and gave one or two interviews, in which he emphasized his trauma kit over the rifle. 

LawDog also has a few thoughts, here, and shares another video here. 

UPDATE: The original video was banned by YouTube for terms of service violation,

Here's another one:

LOL

I added drums to that cat playing a drum solo in its sleep. pic.twitter.com/3WmvRTIKEn

— Circles Drum Samples (@CirclesSamples) June 20, 2019

Not sure this is real, but... LOL!

Kil't in the streetz!

So the emergency communications team meeting was canceled this evening, so Mrs. Drang and I decided to go out to eat.

We went to Red Robin, because it's close, fairly cheap, and good. (Unless maybe you ask our doctor, so don't.)

As we sat down I glanced at my new watch (Garmin Forerunner 235, birthday present) and realized it was missing an icon or two. I scrolled through the displays and realized that it was linked with my cell phone...

...which I didn't have on me.

Mrs. Drang admitted hers was still on the charger in the living room.

Amazing that the resulting lack of wider situational awareness didn't result in our not knowing about an Alien Invasion or Sasquatch Uprising something and getting killed on our way home.

At least we're able to maintain eye contact and converse.

Some these days would probably prefer to face an alien invasion in the middle of a Sasquatch uprising...

Word Of The Day: Baizuo

pic.twitter.com/VmgbCGXUwU

— Sage Savage (@SageSavageTV) April 28, 2018

The Word Of the Day is: Baizuo (from Urban Dictionary.)

Baizuo (pronounced "bye-tswaw) is a Chinese epithet meaning naive western educated person who advocates for peace and equality only to satisfy their own feeling of moral superiority. A baizuo only cares about topics such as immigration, minorities, LGBT and the environment while being obsessed with political correctness to the extent that they import backwards Islamic values for the sake of multiculturalism.

The Chinese see the baizuo as ignorant and arrogant westerners who pity the rest of the world and think they are saviours.

Justin Trudeau's worldview is a low-resolution caricature of an adult's worldview.

Baizuo at Wikipedia.

Baizuo (Chinese: 白左, literally "White left(ies)"^[1]) is a derogatory Chinese epithet that came into being in the middle 2010's.^[2][3] The word received attention in Germany where it was seen as criticizing the immigration policies of Angela Merkel.^[4][5][6]

Context and usage

The word baizuo is, according to political scientist Zhang Chenchen, a Chinese word that ridicules Western "Liberal elites".^[7] The term has also been used to refer to perceived double standards of the Western media, such as the alleged bias on reporting about Islamist attacks in Xinjiang.^[8][9][10]
Zhang Chenchen further defined the word "baizuo" with the definition "People who only care about topics such as immigration, minorities, LGBT and the environment" and “have no sense of real problems in the real world”; they are hypocritical humanitarians who advocate for peace and equality only to “satisfy their own feeling of moral superiority”; they are “obsessed with political correctness” to the extent that they “tolerate backwards Islamic values for the sake of multiculturalism”; they believe in the welfare state that “benefits only the idle and the free riders”; they are the “ignorant and arrogant westerners” who “pity the rest of the world and think they are saviours”.^[11]
Baizuo is used as an insult amongst Chinese netizens.

See also

• Social justice warrior
• Regressive left
• Liberal elite
• Clintonian
• Radical Chic
• limousine liberal

Can you say "Baizuo"? I knew you could.

Wait! What? Oh, Canada!

Perusing Strategy Page, I see that the Royal Canadian Navy has a new logistics vessel, AKA Replenishment Ship. 

The MV Asterix.

Really?

It sounds like this MV Asterix is converted from a smallish commercial container ship; I can only conclude that a larger one is in the works, which will no doubt be commissioned the MV Obelix, and a hospital ship, the MV Gettafix...

EDIT: It occurs to me that perhaps I should offer this link, by way of explanation:  Asterix - Wikipedia

Helpful Hint

At the moment, we are getting heavier rainfall in the 98 double-ought 3 than is usual.

So it may be worth noting that, when attempting to use colorful colloquial expressions, one should use less than prefect grammar.

The phrase is "Rainin' like a cow pissin' on a flat rock". Note the vulgarism and the dropped "g's".

Saying "Precipitating like a bovine urinating on a planar stone" will win you no street cred at all.

Breaking news!

I stole this fair and square...

I confess, I LOL'd

Breaking News: Brownells Announces a New Product Line

For once I kinda wish it wasn't an April Fools thing...

To anyone who was in The Salt Mines today...

...wondering  why the otherwise apparently respectable middle-age(ish) guy in the corner was giggling like a mad man at his cell today, read this: View From The Porch: Breathtaking lack of self-awareness...

I need one of those t-shirts. My only regret is that there is no way to get it in time for Monday's two-day class.

This time, read the comments (UPDATED)

No, really, the comments/reviews of Stronger Together - Kindle edition by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Tim Kaine. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ AmazonSmile. are priceless.

UPDATE: The Washington Post's Carlos Lozada read the book s you don't have to. He did not enjoy the experience.

Happy Birthday...

...Schlock Mercenary.

Which, if you've never read it -- and why not? -- is a webcomic Comic Space Opera by Howard Tayler.

Which actually launched 16 hears ago yesterday.  As Howard says

Commentary: Today's strip is the 5,845th daily installment of Schlock Mercenary. The strip has been running for 835 weeks, Monday through Sunday, which means that today it has been online for sixteen years and one day.
When Schlock Mercenary first aired on June 12th of 2000 the #1 song on the Pop charts was Santana's "Maria, Maria" and the #10 song was Britney Spears' "Oops!.. I Did It Again." Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Bill Clinton was the President of the United States, and Americans had yet to be introduced to the term "dimpled chad."
There was no Facebook, no Twitter, and LiveJournal was just 14 months old. MySpace hadn't been born yet, nor had two of the kids living at Chez Tayler with Sandra and Howard. Beginning with today's Schlock Mercenary strip, Americans born after Schlock Mercenary launched will start being able to drive...

 He left out "SFC D.W. Drang was still in Korea, waiting for his retirement leave to start", but one cannot expect artists to keep track of these things.

JM having more fun than is probably allowed...

Jerry Miculek takes a look at the new Nintendo Zapper-style Glock:

I never did Nintendo or any of the other gaming consoles, but this stuff is still so much a part of pop culture it's pretty hard not to snicker when you see these.

(Seen here, with much more discussion.)

That's the ticket!

Yesterday Mrs. Drang had to take Sparrowbane to the vet. He was obviously limping and in pain in his left hind leg. We were afraid he'd gotten wounded in a fight or something.

Back at home now; no sign of a wound, but his left hind leg seems to had a muscle strain.

Obviously, he needs to stretch more often...

EDIT: Realized that, in my haste to get out the door to work, I included the picture but not the source.
Which is, of course, I Can Haz cheeseburger.

The Art Of The Headline

Janet Yellen Says It's Really Hard Tapering Off a Ponzi Scheme - The Rumford Meteor

Tomcattin' is hard...

This stool isn't really big enough for Sparrowbane...

Sparrowbane in repose.
Temporarily.
Photo copyright 2015 D.W. Drang & The Cluemeter.

Overheard In The Salt Mines

"Operations"

"I'd like to report a suspicious object."

"Please describe the nature and location of the object." {Thinking: "Rattrap or fire extinguisher?"}

"It's round and a pale yellow in color, and it's emitting a blinding light and some heat. It's located about 40 degrees above the horizon due east of the Salt Mines."

"..."

"Hello?"

"Sir, that's the sun."

"The sun? Is that what it looks like? I'd heard of it... Look, my  minions on the Public Level are complaining, can you get hold of Safety or Logistics or someone and get them some dark glass... Hello? Hello?

"Sorry guys, guess you'd better just squint."

This oughta be good...

I've never had any interest in watching this show, but:

Obama to test wilderness skills on Bear Grylls TV show | Reuters

Considering that the man's concept of "wilderness" is slicing into the rough...

The Greatest "Crimestoppers" Spot EVER!!!

The Art Of The Headline, 07/28/2015

Do I even need to say anymore that it's from The Rumford Meteor?

Bill Clinton Expected to Be Named Winner, Judge, Honorary Chairman, Professor Emeritus, and Hall of Fame Inductee In This Year's Wife Carrying Contest - The Rumford Meteor