@lizzyh7 McCarthyism took six years to run its course. I would like to see some more polls in a few months to see if regular Americans see Russia as the major issue. Past polls indicate that people don't give a shit about Russia.

I just finished the Greenwald article and sent that on to friends. I hope they read that, this is very bad. Hillary's fucking revenge on the Internet too, it's what took her down after all.

@lizzyh7 I can't seem to spot it, and would like to read. Thanks!

I just finished the Greenwald article and sent that on to friends. I hope they read that, this is very bad. Hillary's fucking revenge on the Internet too, it's what took her down after all.

@detroitmechworks LOL! Glad to get this info. Where do the Acorn Woodpeckers fit in. Saw some on my Finch feeder this morning!

I might as well just start using ciphers and start a hobby that has nothing to do with politics.

"I'm telling you, the Eagles are really trying to completely wipe out the house Finches. They've totally joined forces with the Vultures to eliminate all small birds that have a voice.

As far as I and the other Scrub Jay fans go, we'll try to stay out of it, and work to keep the eagles and vultures out of our yards. Of course, I have no problems making alliances with almost any omnivorous species, but I am leery of inviting pure carnivores into our midst."

Should be an extremely obvious cypher to anyone who knows anything about birds.

@SparkyGump

Actually, it's those damn Ruskies trying to tell patriotic US cops that it's not OK for them to exercise their gun rights by killing often-innocuous American civilians apparently for routine random target practice based on their assessed vulnerability, much of this frequently based on what shade their skin is and, to add insult to injury, the Russians even brainwashing unpatriotic Americans into objecting to these frequent police murders of citizens for which no real accountability generally exists.

A murderous police state is a good thing and who could possibly object? Except Enemies of the State who need to be censored and/or nuked! (If the police haven't shot them first, simply for practice.)

it was the Ruskies behind those protests. Now were those Russian rascals responsible for that blown call in Detroit last Sunday?

@Bollox Ref
Vodka.

I give up.

Russia doesn't need nuclear weapons. It's already 'won'. Apparently, it controls all American domestic doings, and has done for a while.

Unfuckingbelievable is right. Pass the Victory Gin!

I should add that as Mrs. Bollox exercises in the morning, she listens to some NPR news podcast. I have to clench my teeth as I make tea. Aside from godawful intro music, it just pushes the latest Russian drivel.

(Edited)

@Bollox Ref
what's happened to NPR since the Cock brothers started paying the bills.

I give up.

Russia doesn't need nuclear weapons. It's already 'won'. Apparently, it controls all American domestic doings, and has done for a while.

Unfuckingbelievable is right. Pass the Victory Gin!

I should add that as Mrs. Bollox exercises in the morning, she listens to some NPR news podcast. I have to clench my teeth as I make tea. Aside from godawful intro music, it just pushes the latest Russian drivel.

(Edited)

@Big Al I was just going to make a comment and the above comment posted first. Hmm.

[comment:body]

@dkmich

a trillion dollars to modernize our nuclear weapons in order to make them more useable.

Here are a few paragraphs taken more or less at random from about 50 paragraphs just outlining what they plan, from the Arms Control Association:

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/USNuclearModernization

U.S. Nuclear Modernization Programs

August 2017

Executive Summary
Nuclear Modernization Snapshot
Nuclear Modernization Overview
1. Interncontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)
2. Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) and Submarines
3. Strategic Bombers
U.S. Nuclear Modernization Programs Chart

... The B83 was first produced in 1983, making it one of the newer weapons in the stockpile and the only remaining megaton-class weapon in the stockpile. The B83 has the most modern safety and security features, including insensitive high explosive and a fire-resistant pit. NNSA plans to retire the B83 sometime in the mid- to late-2020s once confidence in the B61 mod 12 is attained.

The B-52H fleet, first deployed in 1961, has an on-going modification program, beginning in 1989, incorporating updates to the global positioning system, updating the weapons capabilities to accommodate a full array of advanced weapons developed after the procurement of the B-52H, and modifying the heavy stores adapter beams to allow the B-52H to carry up to 2,000 pound munitions and a total of 70,000 pounds of mixed ordnance armaments. In FY 2011 the Air Force added to its modernization efforts for the B-52H, receiving funding for the Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) program, which updates the B-52 computer infrastructure. The upgrade is projected to cost a total of $1.1 billion.

The B-52H carries the air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), first deployed in 1981. Each ALCM carries a W80-1 warhead, first produced in 1982. The Air Force retained roughly 570 nuclear-capable ALCMs as of the Spring of 2015, down from the original production run of 1,715 missiles, which concluded in 1986. Roughly 200 of these missiles are believed to be deployed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota with the W80-1 nuclear warhead. New START does not cap the number of bombs or cruise missiles that can be carried on treaty limited strategic bombers.

Some reports indicate that the relaiablity of the ALCM could be in jeopardy due to aging components which are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

The Air Force is developing the long-range standoff cruise missile (or LRSO) to replace the existing ALCM. The new missile will be compatible with the B-2 and B-52H bombers, as well as the planned B-21. The first missile is slated to be produced in 2026.

The current Air Force procurement plan for the LRSO calls for about 1,000 new nuclear-capable missiles, roughly double the size of the existing fleet of ALCMs. According to the service, the planned purchase of 1,000 missiles includes far more missiles than it plans to arm and deploy with nuclear warheads. The Obama administration’s fiscal year 2016 budget request proposed to increase spending to accelerate by two years the development of the LRSO and the modified W80-4 warhead that it would carry, partially reversing the fiscal year 2015 proposal to delay development of both by three years. For FY 2018, the Obama administration requested $399.1 million for the W80-4 and an additional $489.3 million for the LRSO missile.

The Pentagon projects the cost to acquire the new missile fleet at about $11 billion (in then-year dollars) and the cost to operate and sustain the missile fleet over its expected life at over $6 billion (in constant FY 2016 dollars). The Energy Department projects the cost of the life extension program for the ALCM warhead to be between $7.4 billion and $9.9 billion (in then-year dollars).

The ME isn't costing enough? Got to get the fck out.

@snoopydawg

hilarious.

Birchers in the Beer Joint: Trump “Resistance” Revives Old Slurs

“Oh be fair. Everyone knows there was no racism in the US until Lenin and Putin started tweeting about it in 1917. Growing up in rural TN in the 60s, I remember how Clem the Commissar would come by in his pick-up & force homefolk to protest integration. “Make hay, y’all, make hay!” he’d holler, passing out pointy hoods with the hammer & sickle on top. Then he’d force the aldermen to ban African-Americans from buying property or drinking out of public water fountains. “But we love our black bretheren,” homefolk would cry. “No matter,” Clem would say, whipping out his Kalashnikov. “Nikita wants y’all to stir up trouble, so get to it.” And so, sorrowfully, under the Communist lash, good folks in a land that had never even heard a harsh racial word had to build an entire system of racial bigotry affecting jobs, education, justice, civil rights, medical care, financial services and every other aspect of life. They didn’t WANT to, but them damn socialist media Russkie agitators MADE ’em do it. Like Vietnam, it was just another tragedy that FOREIGNERS inflicted on us!”

Show me on the doll where Russia touched you.

— Rudolf E. Havenstein (@RudyHavenstein) September 26, 2017

h/t on the cusp

@Centaurea Those tricksy Ruskies sold us Alaska in a secret 140 year plot to groom the dumbest Vice Presidential candidate ever.

Those bastards really know how to play the long game.

I think I'm starting to see the light. The US Civil War wasn't about freeing slaves, or even about the South's economic independence.

Nope. It was a big ol' Russian conspiracy. Tsar Nicholas I infiltrated the US Army by planting a Russian agent at West Point. Said Russian agent cleverly assumed the name of a well-regarded Virginia family, Lee, and worked his way up to general. In the meantime, his fellow Russian agent, Jefferson Davis, manipulated the Southern states into seceding. Abraham Lincoln might have been on on it, too, come to think of it.
After losing the Crimean War, the Russian Empire needed somewhere else to expand to. Get the Americans to fight each other, and then Mother Russia swoops in and takes it all.

Hey! What if the Boston Tea Party was a Russian plot, too? What if the whole darn American Revolution was put on by the Russians? Catherine the Great was so supportive of the colonists and admired the Declaration of Independence. Maybe there was a reason for that. Maybe it's because she wrote the darn thing.

Na zdorovie, Comrades.

@The Wizard thanks,

Russia and Russians have thought kindly about America for a long time. They have desired to work with them as partners.

reminded me of that 4 part interview with Putin, if I remember right it is how he got "control" of their oligarchs mostly, had them partner with the Russian people instead of just getting stinking rich from their misery. Kinda worked out okay I think, wish somebody here would have the guts to control corruption, make partners for peace instead of war all the time. Spread the wealth.

Мир (mir)

Good morning comrades. Доброе утро товарищы.

I'm here in Moscow taking lessons in Russian and discussing politics with a host of fellow students from all over the world. I'm sure that if you looked at my IP address that it indicates that I am in Russia. There are lots of us, Americans in Russia posting. I am not taking orders or money from V.V. Putin, I promise you.

I can give you some idea of what Russians think of this Russian hysteria. They think that we have gone totally insane. The Morgan Freeman video went viral here. The reaction was both laughter and disbelief. You have no idea how the American Liberal has completely destroyed any positive image that may have been created in Russian minds. America has gone batshit insane. Here is a dose of reality:

- Russia and Russians have thought kindly about America for a long time. They have desired to work with them as partners. After all, the cold war is over and the Soviet Union is gone, That's right, all of those Soviet Republics were given their freedom. Since when does an empire do that? How grateful is the West?

- Russia has maintained a positive attitude towards the US and has overlooked US hostilities towards Russia for a very long time. The hope was that Russia and the US could become working partners and solve many of the world's problems, for example, terrorism. Russia has a much deeper built-in issue with this. US arrogance has prevented any real cooperation. Russian positive attitude towards the US was based on the expectation that the US would eventually treat Russia with respect and would respect Russia's interests in the world.

- Russia is now coming to a deep understanding that partnership with the US is impossible, except in a few sectors. The result of this is that Russia will partner with the developing world and not the West. All in all it's a smart move as the developing nations now significantly outpace the West in population, GDP and GDP growth rate. Russia and Russia's friendship is an enormous prize, and always has been historically. Russia is a vast country with vast resources including being the world's largest exporter of grain. Russia has excellent science and world class technology, in some areas significantly ahead of the US. Russia is far better managed than the US.

- America's issues with Russia are mostly if not entirely fantasy. Russians listen and watch American media. I have CNN here on Russian TV. Russians still like Americans but feel that the media and the government have gone completely batshit insane. Much of this is "projection". The US has interfered with elections and overthrows democracies all over the world over a long period of time. Claiming that Russia interfered in American "Democracy" is beyond ridiculous. The interference in American "Democracy" comes from the power and influence of Corporate America.

- Russians don't understand why the US is bombing Syria. There is no legal basis for this at all. The US does this without any coordination with the Syrian government. Therefore civilians are being slaughtered by the dozens and there is no humanitarian aid or relief structure present in Raqqa. It seems that the US doesn't do this. Human Rights Watch has filed complaints with the UN about the Regime in Washington slaughtering civilians half way around the world. The US claims to have investigated this issue, but HRW strongly disagrees. It may be time to insist that the regime in Washington must go.

I think that we are stuck in a very very bad time globally for the US. We have a chorus of small Western nations that are always willing to say "yes sir, send more guns, lawyers and money", to the US but the rest of the world is moving in a much different direction. I don't see how the US gracefully implements a changing role in the world. This could be really bad.

Meanwhile, I'm having a great time in Moscow. This is one of the most livable major cities in Europe. It's also one of the most fascinating for its 870 year history, through Tsars, the Soviet Union and the modern democratic era. It's also one of the cleanest and safest cities in Europe and an incredible bargain because of the devalued Ruble.

@The Wizard

There's something so sad about the US rejection of friendship with Russia. I've written about it before. How very small the souls of the Americans appear, as if they have suffered some personal affront from Russia; some direct insult. How they keep the hate juices flowing in this desert of scant experience is mind-boggling. Attitudes toward Cuba are equally pathetic. All this in light of Russia's sincere hope of friendship with the West is such a pity

Of course, psychosis can be the only explanation for such inappropriate US extremism. I watch three different versions of RT: Russian, European, and the US. I'm a propaganda sleuth these days, and I'm seeing very little at RT that can be construed as such. American pundits comprise the majority of programming on the US version. Talent like Larry King, Chris Hedges, Jesse Ventura, Lee Camp, Ed Schultz are the regulars. Their guests include Senators, Congressmen, and more typical DC "experts" and political celebrities. None of them seem to be holding back at all. They all appear more upbeat and confident than their US media counterparts.

So, it was shocking to hear that the US now wants Russia Today to register as a foreign agent. This is a naked attempt to bully and silence the discussions at RT, and it is unprecedented. The Empire is lashing out in its weakness. The nation appears to move ever-closer to diplomatic isolation, while Russia is becoming ubiquitous. The geopolitical world is in motion. I'm actually glad the world has seen the US at a time when it has no self-awareness.

Good morning comrades. Доброе утро товарищы.

I'm here in Moscow taking lessons in Russian and discussing politics with a host of fellow students from all over the world. I'm sure that if you looked at my IP address that it indicates that I am in Russia. There are lots of us, Americans in Russia posting. I am not taking orders or money from V.V. Putin, I promise you.

I can give you some idea of what Russians think of this Russian hysteria. They think that we have gone totally insane. The Morgan Freeman video went viral here. The reaction was both laughter and disbelief. You have no idea how the American Liberal has completely destroyed any positive image that may have been created in Russian minds. America has gone batshit insane. Here is a dose of reality:

- Russia and Russians have thought kindly about America for a long time. They have desired to work with them as partners. After all, the cold war is over and the Soviet Union is gone, That's right, all of those Soviet Republics were given their freedom. Since when does an empire do that? How grateful is the West?

- Russia has maintained a positive attitude towards the US and has overlooked US hostilities towards Russia for a very long time. The hope was that Russia and the US could become working partners and solve many of the world's problems, for example, terrorism. Russia has a much deeper built-in issue with this. US arrogance has prevented any real cooperation. Russian positive attitude towards the US was based on the expectation that the US would eventually treat Russia with respect and would respect Russia's interests in the world.

- Russia is now coming to a deep understanding that partnership with the US is impossible, except in a few sectors. The result of this is that Russia will partner with the developing world and not the West. All in all it's a smart move as the developing nations now significantly outpace the West in population, GDP and GDP growth rate. Russia and Russia's friendship is an enormous prize, and always has been historically. Russia is a vast country with vast resources including being the world's largest exporter of grain. Russia has excellent science and world class technology, in some areas significantly ahead of the US. Russia is far better managed than the US.

- America's issues with Russia are mostly if not entirely fantasy. Russians listen and watch American media. I have CNN here on Russian TV. Russians still like Americans but feel that the media and the government have gone completely batshit insane. Much of this is "projection". The US has interfered with elections and overthrows democracies all over the world over a long period of time. Claiming that Russia interfered in American "Democracy" is beyond ridiculous. The interference in American "Democracy" comes from the power and influence of Corporate America.

- Russians don't understand why the US is bombing Syria. There is no legal basis for this at all. The US does this without any coordination with the Syrian government. Therefore civilians are being slaughtered by the dozens and there is no humanitarian aid or relief structure present in Raqqa. It seems that the US doesn't do this. Human Rights Watch has filed complaints with the UN about the Regime in Washington slaughtering civilians half way around the world. The US claims to have investigated this issue, but HRW strongly disagrees. It may be time to insist that the regime in Washington must go.

I think that we are stuck in a very very bad time globally for the US. We have a chorus of small Western nations that are always willing to say "yes sir, send more guns, lawyers and money", to the US but the rest of the world is moving in a much different direction. I don't see how the US gracefully implements a changing role in the world. This could be really bad.

Meanwhile, I'm having a great time in Moscow. This is one of the most livable major cities in Europe. It's also one of the most fascinating for its 870 year history, through Tsars, the Soviet Union and the modern democratic era. It's also one of the cleanest and safest cities in Europe and an incredible bargain because of the devalued Ruble.