Brother Ursus

"Colorism" har antagelig eksistert lengre enn det har eksistert hvite mennesker, og lenge før både kolonialisme og europeiske imperialsime. Lys hud i solfylte land er statussymbol fordi det betyr at du ikke jobber ute i solen.

Har også sansen for Heyerdahl. Ikke minst etter at jeg fant ut at vi er slektninger. Jeg er noen få cm høyere, og veldig mange cm tjukkere, for han er jo tynn, men ellers likner vi litt 😄 Faren hans var fetteren til Thor Heyerdahl, som også var min bestefars fetter. Så fetters fetter. Vi hadde kontakt med slekta som endte opp i Canada ganske lenge, frem til 70-tallet eller noe slikt.

At TV hadde mindre budsjett og færre filmregissører betyr ikke verken at seriene var dårligere eller at spesielt manus var dårligere. De "mange" jeg snakker om er tilsynelatende et veldig stort segment av publikum. Bare se på hva som trender og hva som har flest streaming-minutter. Det er gamle serier.

https://www.technology.org/2024/04/30/france-will-supply-ukraine-with-weird-looking-bombs/ France will supply Ukraine with weird looking bombs The French Armement Air-Sol Modulaire is not your regular aerial bomb. It is a highly advanced high-tech weapon, in service from just 2007. It is a very young and very capable smart bomb with a modular design. And now France is going to supply Ukraine with about 50 of such bombs per month throughout 2024. The Armement Air-Sol Modulaire is normally shortened to AASM or HAMMER (from English Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range). Is a smart air-to-surface weapon with a highly modular design. It can be used for both close air support missions as well as deep strike missions. The AASM entered service in 2007 after about a decade of development and, of course, testing. One of the more interesting features of this weapon is its modular construction. The AASM is made up of different modules – guidance, control, warhead. This creates an opportunity for different versions of this bomb, adapted to different mission profiles. For example, some AASMs can have infrared homing or laser guidance for greater accuracy, while others rely on hybrid inertial navigation system (INS) / Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance. The weight (and, therefore, power) of the AASM bomb ranges from 125 to 1000 kg. The AASM is so technologically advanced that they don’t particularly like calling it a bomb. It sort of oversteps the definition of a regular aerial bomb, which just fall down from a plane or, in some cases, glides to reach farther targets. Guided gliding aerial bombs are not uncommon in today’s warfare. The AASM is a bit different because it has a rear-mounted range extension kit with a rocket booster. It can punch through difficult weather conditions while maintaining accuracy. The declared range is over 70 km. Accuracy depends on the guidance system, but the best AASM can hit a target with 1 metre precision, while less accurate variants still don’t go further than 10 metres away from the target. It’s been reported that France will begin supplying Ukraine with 50 AASM bombs per month throughout 2024. That is not a small contribution to the victory of Ukraine as each of these bombs cost from over 160 thousand euros (or much more). Ukraine can use them to destroy critical targets in the occupied territories. What will Ukraine drop them from? The AASM was originally designed to work with the Dassault Rafale and Mirage 2000D, but other aircraft can carry them as well. Probably they will figure out how to hang these bombs under Su-24. However, the AASM works very well with the F-16 as well and these fighter jets are somewhere on their way to Ukraine. 50 bombs per month is not many, but they can destroy some critical targets. Especially having in mind that these are heavy blows – these bombs have more explosives than most cruise missiles or drones.

The new military aid package provided by Germany to Ukraine includes: 10 Marder infantry fighting vehicles Ammunition for Leopard tanks 1 Skynex air defense system with ammunition; 30 thousand shells for Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems Missiles for the IRIS-T SLM air defense system; 1 TRML-4D radar; 7,500 rounds of 155-mm artillery ammunition; 1 Biber bridge paver; 1 DACHS engineering tank; 9 demining systems; 1 AMPS communication protection system for helicopters; 6 M1070 Oshkosh tank transporters; 18 thousand rounds of 40 mm ammunition; 3 thousand RGW90 Matador grenade launchers; 120-mm mortar ammunition. Germany is also preparing to transfer the Patriot air defense system.

Samtlige av kjøretøyene som var stilt ut hadde små skader som satte dem ut av spill. Vestlig utstyr er laget for å redde livene til de inni, og så kunne fikses senere. Moskovia har ikke evnen til å fikse disse, fordi de mangler utstyret og kunnskapen. Likevel skjønner jeg ikke logikken i å stille dem ut. For mens russisk utstyr utstilt i Ukraina og Europa var knust, ødelagt, utbrent og ydmyket, så er det Leo 2, Abrams, Bradley, Marder og CV90'en i Moskva nesten helt inntakte, i det minste i struktur. Dermed blir det jo skremmende for moskovitter å se disse og sammenligne dem mentalt med sine egne. Tydelig at myndighetene har skjønt det nå også, for i går ødela de kjøretøyene med digre kraner og presser, for at de ikke skal se så imponerende ut. Russerne satte altså opp en utstilling på vestlig militær og teknologisk overlegenhet som fikk stå i flere dager.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/31724 Kremlin to Showcase Captured Western Weapons in Moscow Ahead of Victory Day Russerne har stilt opp alt de har av kapret vestlig utstyr i Moskva. Når man ikke har noe eget å vise frem, så må man jo sette frem noe Men er det lurt? Kommer ikke moskovierne til å bli redde og tenke faen... det der ser mye bedre ut enn det vi har?

Tror ikke jeg noen gang har sett en indisk film, men Monkey Man ser interessant ut. Mer sånn amerikanske superhelt og action-filmer var før.

Det er ekstremt mange som nå deler oppfatningen om at TV var bedre før. Det ser man også på strømmetjenester. Mange avbestiller, og de som er igjen sitter gjerne og ser på eldre serier. Mange eldre serier har også begynt å poppe opp på diverse tjenester. Favoritten er og blir SG-1. Men jeg liker faktisk alle tre seriene av forskjellige grunner. Jeg var én av de få som ikke hatet SGU. Håper de to nye seriene blir noe av. Særlig live-action serien. Tegnefilm er jeg ikke så opptatt av. Veldig wasted. Måten de forsvant på var ekstremt meh. Jeg hadde håpet at de skulle dukke opp igjen i Atlantis eller SGU. Wraith var jo ekstremt truende i de første episodene. Én enkelt Wraith var ekstremt seig og nesten som Predator fra de filmene. Men så ble de lettere og lettere og lettere å drepe.

Russland fortsetter altså med overlegg å ødelegge kulturhistorisk verdensarv. Imens FN står med dongen i hånda og sikler. De er som vanlig mest opptatt av å forsøke å hjelpe kjæledeggene sine i Hamas. EDIT: Minst én av rakettene ser i tillegg ut til å ha vært anti-personell. Og dette skyter de på sivile. Minst 2 døde, 20 skadde. Fuck Russland. Vi burde sende inn våre egne flyvåpen slik vi gjorde over Israel mot iranske våpen.

Nei, det ser ut til at de nå har skrapet omtrent hele flåtene sine av både jagerfly og bombefly... Jeg tror det. Russerne forstyrrer dog redningshelikoptre som ikke har disse alternative systemene for sivil luftfart. Noe som er en ekstremt fiendtlig handling. Det er 3:1 som forventet. Problemet er som du er inne på at ukrainerne ikke kan absorbere tap i samme rate som russerne kan (enn så lenge, de har kanskje 12-18 måneder på seg) Og dette er også en grunn til at Vesten må trå til og reparere kjøretøyene for dem.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/04/28/world/ukraine-runs-low-ammunition-civilians-build-diy-drones-home/ As Ukraine runs low on ammunition, civilians build DIY drones at home KYIV REGION, Ukraine — Before Russia invaded, Magdalyna, a florist, used a simple desk in her suburban home to assemble bouquets. Now it’s where she builds drones. Bouquets are heavier but otherwise the two products are not so different, she said. Both “make other people happier.” Magdalyna, 27, is among a growing number of Ukrainians who are building equipment for the military at home because they fear Russia is going to advance on the front lines and further destroy their country. Like several others in this article, The Washington Post is identifying Magdalyna only by first name due to security concerns. Since last year, she has built 150 first-person view drones (commonly known as FPVs) and repaired hundreds of others, including Russian drones that Ukrainian troops collect after they crash on the front lines. She has raised more than $200,000 to buy drone parts from China, largely raised through online donations, although she and her husband, an IT professional, have also spent some of their own money. FPVs, civilian drones redesigned by Ukrainian soldiers to carry explosives, have transformed Ukraine’s battlefield and are widely deployed by each side. The drones, which are small enough to maneuver into trenches and take enemy troops by surprise, became more crucial in recent months as Ukraine ran out of artillery shells and other ammunition while waiting for Western support, including from the United States. Operators launch the hand-held devices from positions behind the front line, then, using goggles and a remote controller, fly into enemy territory and guide them into Russian targets, killing or wounding infantry and destroying equipment. Russia noticed the efficacy of FPVs and now mass produces them for its own troops. Ukraine also has started making FPVs and other drones in factories — with a pledge to make 1 million this year — but many drones sent to Ukrainian troops are being made by people at home. The civilians do not handle any explosives, which are only attached after the drones are delivered to the front. One advantage to the crowdsourcing is that it is decentralized, with private homes less vulnerable to Russian missile attacks than a large-scale military factory. Instead of complex assembly lines, volunteers are transforming their own spaces into makeshift drone workshops. Magdalyna calls her home office her “drone room.” FPVs are stacked next to other supplies she uses to build the drones, including a soldering iron, copper wire, pliers, a screwdriver, acid, and zip ties soldiers use to attach their bombs. A grass-roots group called SocialDrone is one of the local initiatives that has taught hundreds of volunteers how to make drones — sharing lists of components to be purchased online and written instructions of how to put them together. The group also published a detailed bird’s eye view YouTube video demonstrating the process, which has been viewed more than 400,000 times since November. Once volunteers finish building their FPVs, they send them to the group, which vigorously tests the homemade drones before shipping them to the front. Drone-builders can request a device be sent to a specific soldier or unit, including their own friends or family, or they can let SocialDrone choose a brigade in need. “A DIY FPV drone for ~250 euros can do the job of a 1 shot Javelin for 70,000 euros,” the group’s website states. Oleksii Asanov, an IT worker who cofounded SocialDrone, never intended to get involved in drone-making. A volunteer since the first days of Russia’s 2022 invasion, Asanov also founded other projects to support soldiers at the front. One sends them drone launching systems and another trains soldiers as drone pilots in a 10-day intensive course. After the first troops graduated from his school, they complained that they returned to the front with new skills but no drones. Given the intensity of fighting, troops often deploy on a mission with five or more FPVs, then use them as self-destructing weapons that fly into a target. This sort of one-time use means new drones are in constant demand. Asanov said that for Ukraine to stand a chance in the war, it must keep up with this demand. “It seems for me that this war will be ended with FPV drones,” he said. Yan, 13, came across the YouTube video on building drones. He grew up playing with Legos and other construction toys and thought building an FPV would not be so hard. His parents helped him buy the parts, but prefer he does not work on building drones on school nights. So, on Saturdays and Sundays, he spends about five hours a day assembling them. He has worked on four drones so far and his school has promised to help him make more if he keeps it up. “I’m angry with the enemy but I’m also happy,” he said. “I’m interested in what I’m doing, it’s a new hobby.” Each weekend, dozens of volunteers test drones in parks and fields around Kyiv. On a recent Saturday, Kyrylo, 32, and Denys, 23, sorted through stacks of donated drones and tried flying them one at a time. The two men are former soldiers who were wounded. Now they do quality control testing for SocialDrone, running the drones through complicated maneuvers to be sure the device won’t fall apart. They also attach water bottles filled with sand to simulate the weight of explosives, making sure each FPV sent to the front can be fitted with a weapon. Between tests, they helped another volunteer, Anna, 33, practice flying. A product marketer working on a mobile app, Anna overheard one of SocialDrone’s cofounders talking about the project in a shared workspace in January and joined as a volunteer right away. Now, she spends so much time on drones that “it’s like another full-time job,” she said. “I never thought there would be a moment when someone would die and I feel good about it,” Magdalyna said. But the war has changed her. “I’m happy they die with my help,” she said of enemy Russian soldiers, “only because they will not kill us tomorrow.”

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/04/25/european-trained-ukrainian-f-16-pilots-will-not-be-ready-until-late-2024_6669456_4.html European-trained Ukrainian F-16 pilots will not be ready until late 2024 Aged between 21 and 23, with very little experience, the 10 soldiers in training will have to spend several more months training before they acquire the knowledge and experience required for combat aviation. Og så dyttes det lengre og lengre frem i tid... og så må man sende Mirage 2000 og Gripen, eller andre mer moderne fly etter hvert som krigen fortsetter og fortsetter og man slipper opp for F-16 (for verken Biden eller Trump ser ut til å ønske å sende amerikanske F-16), og da er det alt for sent for det også... hvorfor trenes de ikke på disse plattformene allerede? Sa ikke Frankrike at de trente ukrainere på Mirage?

https://kyivindependent.com/military-intelligence-over-18-000-russian-troops-of-southern-military-district-have-deserted/ Military intelligence: Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted Over 18,000 soldiers of the Southern Military District have allegedly deserted, with around 12,000 of them belonging to the 8th Combined Arms Army – a unit often deployed in hostilities in eastern Ukraine. Of this number, around 10,000 are mobilized conscripts and 2,000 contract soldiers, the military intelligence agency said. The U.K. Defense Ministry said earlier in April that Russian troops in Ukraine are mainly staffed with contract soldiers and reservists mobilized in late 2022, but conscripts are often pressured to sign contracts. In the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army, the desertion rate is at around 2,500 troops, according to the agency's statement.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/04/28/ukraine-defeat-would-cost-the-west-trillions-of-dollars/ Ukraine defeat would cost the West trillions of dollars, warns James Heappey Former Armed Forces minister believes stalemate or Russian victory will create ‘new cold war that will last for decades’ A Ukraine defeat by Russia would cost the West trillions in a new Cold War, warned James Heappey, the former Armed Forces minister. The US Congress has passed a $61 billion (around £48 billion) aid package to help Ukraine fend off advancing Russian forces. Rishi Sunak, the prime minister announced on Tuesday, an additional £500 million in military funding for Ukraine. Writing for The House Magazine, Mr Heappey said that “more aid packages like the ones unveiled this week will be needed” for Ukraine to win the battle for “security across the whole European-Atlantic region”. He added: “A stalemate or, heaven forbid, a Ukrainian defeat promises a new cold war that will last for decades and cost trillions of dollars more.” Mr Heappey, a former soldier, resigned from his government position last month after calling for a higher share of GDP to be spent on defence amid concerns about the strength of the British military. Mr Sunak has since committed to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030. Joe Biden, the US president, has promised “significant” support, including more air defences for Kyiv, where supplies of vital ammunition have diminished. The aid package was passed after a vote which ended a deadlock between the White House and Republicans on Capitol Hill, who opposed additional spending on the war and argued it should be spent on domestic programmes. The legislation passed in the Democrat-controlled Senate with 79 votes in favour to 18 against. The additional £500 million funding announced by Mr Sunak brings the UK’s spending on military aid in Ukraine to £3 billion this financial year, which will include air defence missiles to thwart Russia’s bombardment of power stations. The Prime Minister has also pledged to donate hundreds of armoured vehicles, 60 boats and four million rounds of small-arms ammunition. Mr Heappey said the latest aid package would not “immediately tip the balance, allowing the Ukrainians to go on to a final offensive that brings a quick and complete victory”. He added: “My expectation is that with this huge inflow of Western support, we’ll see the frontlines stabilise and, while the fighting will be fierce, I don’t expect to see significant amounts of territory traded this year.” He said Ukrainian brigades need to be trained “in a complicated manoeuvre that synchronises their movement with artillery fire, air support and everything else that can be thrown at the Russians”. He does not believe the Ukrainian defenders will be ready to defeat the Russians until 2025 or even 2026. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has said he is grateful to the US Senate. He added: ‘‘Ukraine’s long-range capabilities, artillery, and air defence are critical tools for restoring just peace sooner.”

Russerne forsøker å utnytte vinduet før militær støtte og nye artillerigranater når de ukrainske frontkjemperne. Heldigvis har ukrainerne en andre effektive våpen som FPV-droner og HIMARS. Vi får håpe på stigende russiske tap med kun små avansement.

Usikker på om jeg eller noen andre faktisk postet denne eller ei. Disse flyene var nok ikke i fantastisk tilstand. Vi får håpe noen kan reddes eller settes sammen til frankenfly.

Fordi det er et hatsymbol. Fordi det ikke er et fritt valg i de fleste land. Fordi meningen med plagget er å ta fra kvinner og andre mennesker frihet. Fordi det heller ikke er et fritt valg for alle kvinner i Norge. Muslimske kvinner i Norge møter også sosiale sanksjoner og intoleranse fra sine egne og andre muslimske miljø. Reductio ad absurdum.

Hva er poenget ditt? Er det en motsetning i å elske fred og drive forsvar? Må man være pasifist og selvmordskandidat for å ønske fred?

Det er utsagn som dette som gjør at det ikke går an å ta radikale seriøst. Det man i praksis ber om er at vi faser ut verdens beste og mest miljøvennlige olje og gass- industri, til fordel for skitten sulfur- og skifer- olje, gass og kull, og atpåtil hvor profitten går til morderiske autoritære regimer.

Majoriteten av verdens helsearbeidere og akademikere på feltet er uproffe, mener du? Eller kanskje de er redde av legitime grunner, slik folk som har blitt forfulgt historisk pga. meningene sine var?

Det er vår egen manglende innsats som gjør at det kan bli nødvendig. Det er også vår inaksjon og svakhet som provoserer Putin og gjør at han kan vurdere å bruke atomvåpen. Vesten er nødt til å ta en mye sterkere linje i Ukraina. Og vi må slutte å si at vi "ikke skal" ditt og datt fordi vi setter røde linjer og begrensninger for oss selv, og gir Putin rom. Det blir ikke tredje verdenskrig av at andre land sender tropper til Ukraina. Det blir tredje verdenskrig om Russland lykkes i noen grad av betydning i Ukraina, selv om de mister en million mann. For da angriper de våre NATO-allierte neste gang. Russland har ingenting de skal ha sagt om hva andre land sender til Ukraina. Russland erkjenner ikke engang at det er krig.