Two Takes, Same Conclusion

First take:

You won’t hear this on CNN, but Putin’s Army of Darkness, in the most complex and ambitious ground maneuver operation since World War 2, following the Soviet “deep war” playbook, is also working on cutting off the Ukrainian army group in the Donbass from Kiev. This is by far the most capable (or only capable) large portion of the Ukrainian army. Yesterday, its main reserves of diesel fuel were destroyed from the air. It will soon be cut off and immobile.

Once that happens, the entire Donbass front collapses (they will no longer have a “front”), and BILLIONS of dollars in U.S.-funded or U.S.-supplied weaponry will be captured almost without a battle. (To be clear, it’s almost all U.S. funded or supplied—even most of the Soviet vintage stuff was bought and shipped in from Poland, Czechia, etc. by the CIA, “off the books” but well documented in videos of tank trains crossing the border into Ukraine, in 2015-2016.)

The Russians have finally entered Kharkov, Ukraine’s second largest city, very close to the Russian border. Previously, they had bypassed it the same way that America bypassed every town in southern Iraq to reach Baghdad in 2003. On Saturday night, they finally wasted all significant, organized resistance with a rain of thermobaric death in the outskirts. Today, they started to go in and mop up. Of course, it’s not a job for one day.

Second take:

It remains to be seen if Putin’s plan will succeed or fail, but what is clear is that there was a plan to invade Ukraine in force, and that plan has been executed since day one.

Ukrainian troops are putting up a valiant fight facing long odds and difficult conditions. Russia holds most if not all of the advantages.  It can, and has, attacked Ukraine from three different directions. The Russian military holds a decided advantage in manpower, as well as air, naval and armor superiority.  It has vast resources to draw on. While Ukraine has the support of much of the international community, which is providing weapons, Ukraine is fighting alone.

Believing Russia’s assault is going poorly may make us feel better but is at odds with the facts.

Sobering stuff.  And given the fog of war at the moment, both are plausible and well-reasoned arguments.

Quote Of The Day

Via Joe Huffman:

“An iron law of free speech on social media is that any site that allows you to use the n-word and call people homophobic slurs is going to be flooded by people who want to do nothing but use the n-word and call people homophobic slurs.” — Tamara K.

It’s something of a tightrope, to be sure.  The only reason I don’t allow ugly speech (niggers, Yids, etc.) on this website is because it’s impolite.  Far better to call the offender a miserable motherfucker because if we know one thing, it’s that motherfuckery knows no racial or ethnic boundaries.

I don’t care about homosexualism of either gender being referred to as homos etc. because it’s easier to type “homo” than “homosexual”, and “lesbo” than “lesbian”.  Or you can go the Jeremy Clarkson route:  “homosexualists”, “lesbianists” etc.

National nicknames are just that, and if the Frogs or Japs get all hissy about it, I don’t care.

You can call the fucking Greens whatever you want (see above).  Ditto vegans.

Gratuitous Gun Pic: Ruger M77 (7x57mm / 7mm Mauser)

Some time back, an Evil Reader read my constant chatter about the wonderful 7x57mm cartridge, and sent me an email saying that he was making space in his ammo locker for more ammo, and as he didn’t have a rifle chambered for the 7mm Mauser, would I like the few boxes he had on hand?

Well, I didn’t (and don’t) have a rifle thus chambered either, but who turns down free ammo?  So a week or so later, there it was.

Which means that ever since then, I’ve been looking at 7mm Mauser rifles, and moaning piteously when I found one because NO MONEY.

This Ruger M77 in particular caused some heavy sighing:

…because it is exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for:   but I don’t have a spare grand floating around, and I don’t have any “spare” guns lying around that I want to sell, either.

And here I sit, 7x57mm in Ye Olde Ammoe Locquer and no gun to shoot it with.

Sometimes, I wonder if it’s all worth it.  [exit, kicking the cat]

Etiquette

Like many people, I don’t watch Presidential State Of The Union speeches (of either party), because I only have so many TVs in the house and so many bullets to shoot at them.

Seriously, I don’t like hearing from Government, in detail, of how they’re planning to fuck me over the next year.

So I generally read VodkaPundit’s live drunkblog of the whole thing because a. I like Stephen and b. it’s way funnier than what’s actually being said  (e.g. during a George W. SOTU, “I do believe the President’s pants just caught fire”).

However, last night Steve went beyond the pale with this comment:

“Liz Warren just spontaneously orgasmed when Biden said he’d raise taxes.”

Clearly, our esteemed commentator forgot the Iron Rule, i.e. that “Elisabeth Warren” and “orgasm” should never be put in the same sentence.  The mental image is just too ghastly for a civilized man to deal with.

News Roundup

Today’s Roundup is brought to you by:

And on we go:


ah yes, another argument for letting computers run everything.


although they’ve probably kept back enough to be used against their own citizens, the fascist fuckers.


let’s just see what happens if Gummint tries tries to push this shit on us again.


some filthy sexist probably asked why all their rape victims are women.



can’t win, so why bother? [snigger]


should have just called the toilet “undersized” instead.


key word:  California.


oh, just fuck off and peddle your fake panic somewhere else.  We have bigger things to worry about, e.g. this:


oy, here we go again…

And still on that silly topic:  INSIGNIFICA!!!

 

…as Our Britney gets both a dick stick from her latest boyfriend, and a head of steam [sic]  going for a Train Smash.

Finally, here’s something newsworthy:  ITV newsreader Lucrezia Millarini.

Quite delectable.

Gratuitous Gun Pic: Mossberg Patriot (.308 Win)

After yesterday’s custom Mauser 98 at a nosebleed price, here’s something a little more reasonable, and American, chambered for a proper Murkin cartridge (right-click to embiggen):

And the action:

I rather like that spiral-cut bolt, oh yes I do.

I don’t know much about the Patriot line, but given that it’s a Mossberg, it shouldn’t suck too badly.

And the price ($500)… that’s much better.  Add a halfway-decent piece of glass on it (e.g. this one), and the rig should be fit for purpose.

Of course, I personally think the plastic “camo” stock sucks green donkey dicks, but I suppose it’s all part of the cost-cutting, and marketing to all the wannabe “operators” out there.  [sigh]