Open Thread - Thurs 10 Mar 2022 - Brain Rambles Sometimes

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 5:05am

I was doing a bit of research a few days ago; refreshing my memory about certain aspects of the end of the western Roman empire. I couldn't remember which tribe the General, Stilicho, came from. I was too lazy to go downstairs to my library and find out the info there, so I looked it up on Wikipedia, as researchers will do when in a hurry for a piddling detail, or, being lazy.

Stilicho was a barbarian general, a Vandal (there's his tribe!), who rose to the highest echelons of the Roman Army in the mid-late 300s and very early 400s, about 80 years or so before the western Roman Empire bit the dust. Basically, he helped the Romans fight against other barbarians (and each other). He was quite Romanized, as most of the Romans' barbarian allies were. He served under the Emperor Theodosius, fought the Visigoths under Alaric (King of the Visigoths and once a Roman soldier too), and was arrested and executed in 408 after yet another rebellion of part of the Roman army and the usual palace intrigue around the guardians and followers of the Emperor Honorius. These happened a lot in those times. In 410 Alaric sacked Rome, while the Emperor diddled around hoping for rescue.

So I skimmed the Wikipedia article about Stilicho and read a couple of paragraphs at the end in which my mind insisted on putting in different nouns. These paragraphs describe one episode, basically, in the downfall of the western Roman empire. I'm quoting those paragraphs below, with the changes my mind insisted upon added in parentheses and italics.

In the disturbances which followed the downfall and execution of Stilicho, the wives and children of barbarian foederati* (the Russian speaking people of Donbass, etc) throughout Italy (Donbass, Crimea, etc) were slain by (some of) the local Romans (Ukrainian nazis). The natural consequence was that these men (estimates describe their numbers as perhaps 30,000 strong) flocked to the protection of Alaric (Putin), the barbarian (Russian), clamoring to be led against their enemies. The Visigothic warlord (Putin) accordingly crossed the Julian Alps (Ukrainian border) and began a campaign through the heart of Italy (Ukraine). By September 408 (March 2022), the barbarians (Russians) stood before the walls of Rome (Kiev).

Without a strong general like Stilicho, Honorius (Zelensky) could do little to break the siege, and adopted a passive strategy trying to wait out Alaric (Putin), hoping to regather his forces to defeat the Visigoths (Russians) in the meantime. What followed was two years of political and military manoeuvering... (Ok, now we are looking into the future, or are we?)

*barbarian foederati - a type of troop allied to the Roman army. Foederati were non-Roman, usually originated from beyond the frontiers of the Emperor, and fought alongside, or sometimes entirely in place of, the Roman army troops. The Romans always, ALWAYS, had non-Romans fighting for them, or by their side. This was common throughout history, and still is (hello, Indian troops of the British Empire, American allies in Vietnam, Korea, etc...).

The image below is Honorius on the obverse of a gold solidus:
Honorius on a coin

He doesn't look like Zelensky, right???

These two paragraphs just slapped me upside the head with the changes my mind insisted on making.
Of course the devil is in the details, and the build up to and aftermath of Stilicho's downfall and execution is completely different than what's happening in the Ukraine in all kinds of ways, including the antecedents which made Stilicho happen, what was going in the Roman empire at that time, and what's happening in Ukraine now (note: I am not following this closely at all, it's too depressing and I have lots of other depressing stuff to concentrate on!). I know that. I think...

So, thanks for reading and here's the open thread - and remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough!

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Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 5:28am
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I hope y'all are doing great today. It was sunny yesterday here and gardening happened. That always makes me feel good, despite all the bad, good, interesting, scary, whatever, news.

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by lotlizard on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 6:29am
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https://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/company-plans-to-dig-worlds-de...

Also, collegiate debate culture in the 21st century:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmO-ziHU_D8

Edited to add:
Now that’s what I call a great example of the American antler-preneurial spirit:

https://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/the-great-american-antler-boom/

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Submitted by The Liberal Moonbat on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 2:15pm
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@lotlizard ...I only read the comments for that video, but GEEZ.

Honestly? Why must you keep sharing stuff like that? It makes me livid too,
but in the absence of anything we can do about it...if nothing else,
the pandemic ought to have taught us afew things about how (and how NOT) to
fight the spread of parasitic memes and pathological ideologies.

I mean, maybe it's my fault for clicking the link, but that just kind of
ruined my last ~4 hours. This shit REALLY gets to me.

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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 7:48pm
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@lotlizard
Sheez. What will we sell next? And that college debate? I couldn't watch the whole thing, it was so annoying, the 'ah ah ah ah'... Yeesh.

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by Lookout on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 6:33am
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I finally got a new power supply in my old computer after it blew up last Sunday.

It was odd, but not bad, to be off line for almost a week. Been rainy here, but there's a break today. We're going to Pigeon Mountain, an arm of Lookout Mt., to the Miller wildflower trail, also called the pocket.

Caught a piece this AM saying that a new Bretton Woods is being cooked up. Here comes the central bank digital coin...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POlDbyyegr8

This is an emergency broadcast about Bretton Woods 3 Setup after US Executive Order.

You’ve probably seen the headline by now “Joe Biden Signs Executive Order on Cryptocurrencies.”
Beyond the fluff, what does it mean for you and your investments?
Actually a lot more than you may think.

I’m going live with my next EMERGENCY BROADCAST shortly to discuss:
3 likely outcomes of the US executive order to save you reading the papers and the months of debates that follow;
3 predictions beyond the executive order and how this fits in with geo-politics in Russia, China, Central America and Europe.
The likely reaction from 7 different countries and how to build and protect your wealth when it leads to my previously forecasted Bretton Woods 3.

When the Roman empire fell, they still had plenty of silver in their mines...just no trees left to smelt it into coins.

Thanks for the OT!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by lotlizard on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 6:49am
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(ESG = environmental and social governance)

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/absurd-wall-street-pushes-defense-stoc...

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Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 7:58pm
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@lotlizard
Defense stuff is 'environmental'? That's just insane, but, everything seems to be going insane now.

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by QMS on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 7:59am
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Thanks for posting today! Glad to hear you are able to do some gardening.
Still shoveling snow and ice here.
It would seem the proxy war the US/NATO instigated at the cost to
Ukraine against Russia is having some serious blowback
to the economies of NATO bloc nations, especially EU and US.

Not surprising in the least. The fact that the Biden handlers are requesting billions
more military bucks to 'deal with' the Uko situation is very telling as to where the
priorities of our executive / congressional sapsuckers lie.

Aside from the pressures put on Russia and the bio-weapons facilities fomented by the
DoD, what does Ukraine have to do with the development of international treaties?
I think Putin has made very clear where the red lines are drawn. And yet, NATO still wants
to play brinkmanship with weapons and troops. We are going to pay for this play. It will get
much worse before a resolution is achieved. Suffering the stupidity of undemocratic
diplomacy will hurt.

cheers

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question everything

Submitted by randtntx on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:34am

@QMS , from our trusted representatives in our government.
https://video.foxnews.com/v/6300175279001#sp=show-clips

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Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:04pm
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@QMS @QMS
The military industrial complex and their 'elected' lackies, of course. So sickening. Edited to add: And, really, what average American cares or cared about Ukraine before this started? How many knew, or even know now, where the heck the country is? And we are risking world wide death for this?

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 9:50am
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translation. Years ago at another site, in one of my OTs there, I took note of the fact that it was(inter)national Goth Day, in celebration of all those running around in black garments and makeup, etc. Intentionally misinterpreting the intent of the "Day's" creators I claimed that it was wrong, discriminatory, and unjust to have a Goth Day but not a Visigoth Day. Within short order, this generated a very small movement to annually celebrate Alaric's entry into Rome with "Sack Like a Visigoth Day" and an official

Sack Like A Visigoth Day Committee

to see to the existence of an annual posting corcerning said celebration. So, mark your calendar for August 24 and have an auspicious day.

Alaric_entering_Athens

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:11pm
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@enhydra lutris
Smile Smile Too funny. I was one of those 'original' Goths in the late 70's earlier 80's. Didn't know about the Visigoth aspect though! 24 August on the calendar! I wanted to post a clip from Saturday Night Live, season 5, episode 1, from 1979. But I can't find it. The Vandals attack a Roman encampment by stringing toilet paper all around...

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by earthling1 on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 11:08am
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for the historic rhyme.
Got a bunch of seeds under the lights yesterday. All cool season stuff except for the tomatoes and peppers.
Seeded some pots with peppers last fall and they came up and have been thriving in my bedroom window. They are about 10 in. tall and have started flowering. Can't wait to get them outside. Or maybe just let them fruit in the window.
Thanks for the OT also.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:15pm
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@earthling1
They should fruit early and be very tasty. We have a fairly large glass greenhouse, which is attached to the house. It's like 30 by 12 ft or something. Anyway, I kept the peppers going throughout the winter. They didn't give up until we had a couple of days around 20 F. Too cold then. Our seedlings don't get extra light, although I've done that before. We give them a heat mat, and the light in the greenhouse seems to be enough. Our toms and pepper seedlings are about 1.5 inches tall now. In another couple weeks they will get planted into 4 inch pots.

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2 users have voted.
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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by lotlizard on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 1:08pm
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https://www.reddit.com/r/WayOfTheBern/comments/tay0b9/rip_duckduckgo/

DUMP DUCKDUCKGO SEARCH ASAP

They are manually downgrading certain websites based on domain names, not the accuracy of each piece of content. I agree this isn't censorship, its worse.

DDG: ”The whole point of the search engine is to show more relevant content over less relevant content, and that is what we continue to do.”

Lol so that’s the whole point of a search engine?

I could have sworn is was to have a wealth of information show up at the press of a few buttons for you to go through and decipher for yourself — but I guess we’re all just stupid f—ing drones who don’t know any better.

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Submitted by humphrey on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 1:35pm

@lotlizard propaganda war hands down.

@lotlizard

There is a stenographer MSM, government censorship and high-tech with their thumbs on the scale.

Actual fact checking is a thing of the past.

The Ukraine and its supporters including various governments simply make up stories (pull them out of the ass) and the compliant MSM runs with it no questions asked. Stuff like this.

Yesterday it was the Mariupol hospital story and today we get this.

https://thehill.com/policy/international/597721-uk-very-concerned-russia...

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Thursday that the U.K. is "very concerned" that Russian President Vladimir Putin may potentially order the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.

Appearing on CNN, Truss said it would be a “grave mistake on the part of Russia, adding to the grave mistakes that have already been made by Putin.”

“We’ve seen Russia use these weapons

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Submitted by NYCVG on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 1:51pm

@humphrey And Now This:

WEF Bans Putin From Davos---No Davos For You, say the Nazis

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NYCVG

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:20pm
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@humphrey
dying so quickly in 'crises' before. But I might not have been paying attention, or it might not have been as sickeningly far-reaching so fast. I don't know. It makes me angry and sad and really frustrated.

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3 users have voted.
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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by The Liberal Moonbat on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 2:19pm
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@lotlizard GOD DAMN IT.

This? Thanks for this.

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4 users have voted.
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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:18pm
Sima's picture

@lotlizard
I've used duckduckgo for years, but, if they do this, I'm changing. Firefox has other search engines to use, I'll just switch to another one. But... damn, why is everyone, everyone, being so dumb, so stupid? Why???

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3 users have voted.
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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by humphrey on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 1:41pm

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Submitted by NYCVG on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 1:59pm

@humphrey @humphrey Unprecedented. An overused political adjective that is earned in this case.

Ordinary Citizens are under siege.

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NYCVG

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:31pm
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@humphrey
Very accurate. I keep waiting for Duolingo to remove my ability to practice Russian through their app on my cellphone. I don't want it to happen, but I kind of expect it Sad

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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by on the cusp on Thu, 03/10/2022 - 8:41pm

concert by the Boston Pops.
Hope your garden grows, Sima. We were delayed by other things, didn't till up, didn't plant. Good thing. It is expected to dip below freezing tomorrow and Saturday, then hold at mere freezing Sunday.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by Sima on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:35am
Sima's picture

@on the cusp
23F! Cold for here! It was clear too. However, the plants made it through. We've not planted seeds outside yet, just in the greenhouse. We're getting ready to plant potatoes and onion starts. Hope your area warms up and you can get some planting done too soon.

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2 users have voted.
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If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so

Submitted by snoopydawg on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 11:22am
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@Sima

Add in the wind chill and it was just cold on our walk yesterday. Sunny though.

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