Anthony

Re the targeting of this restaurant...

We are often told that Russian missiles aren't accurate and can't hit anything more specific than 'that city over there - ish', so which is it?

They fired at the city and just happened to hit a restaurant, or they targeted the restaurant.

Russian armed forces obviously scumbags whichever it is, but the media can't have it both ways.

I had vegan chicken in breadcrumb burger things for lunch. Tasted OK. Dreading the farts.

I didn't buy them myself FWIW.

What I'm not seeing mentioned anywhere yet is money, and the role it played and is playing in the relationship between Prigozhin and Putin. 

Putin bankrolled Wagner initially. Is he still paying for it? To what extent have Prigozhin's 'investments' in Africa and Syria been able to give him an income? 

Armies are expensive to maintain in peacetime. Being in an active war is a huge cost multiplier. 

Another thing to consider is where does Wagner get its supplies from? I'm talking about bullets, shells, tickets etc. From what I've read it comes from Russian authorities (of whatever form). Fuel, food etc he can just buy anywhere, but the military stuff has to come mainly from the Russian armed forces. 

I suppose what I'm wondering is how 'independent' Wagner is, and maybe there's a mismatch between reality and Prigozhin's perception. 

I'd like to see the Ukrainians making a big push on their "I want to live" program, so that all the Russians in Ukraine surrender without a fight. 

Everybody wins. 

3 hours ago, Genie said:

This person is doing it right though (taken at this weekends festival).

Er, Bud Light? That is, and has never been, right. Unless it's a way to get people to leave immediately of course. 

Just need to get Wanksy in. Works like a charm in the UK. 

20 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

If there's one thing I've learned about this conflict, it's that my dream job would be coming up with names for military weapons.

Orcspanker

For those of you who would like a more comprehensive read about Mr Johnson, try "The Little Black Book of Lying Boris Johnson" available from Byline here.

They have a few more Little Black Books available too. Actually, all their books are good and useful.

Both @Davkaus and @sidcow get the Anthony seal of Pratchett approval. 

Edit: and @Chindie who posted at the same time as me. 

Looking at pictures of the sub that's gone missing. I wouldn't even go on that thing in drydock. Heath Robinson eat your heart out.

I presume you're all over this @bickster?

Whenever I read "Rogues Gallery", in my head I always say "Galerie des Rouges"

Watched Medusa Deluxe on Sunday. Very good. Funny, stressful, arty. Odd. Breathless almost. Cracking script. Many excellent performances. One average one. And shot in 4:3 for some reason. Strong recommend.

Out of those four pictures Mike, in which one do you think you look most like Jeremy Corbyn?

58 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

I believe Corby is known for having a large Scottish community. Not sure why, perhaps there is an industry that attracted them historically.

Yeah, steel innit. Actually, wassit. It's all gone now.

Hitchin beer festival today. My local one in the East End happens in November in a big, freezing hall. The Hitchin one is at the rugby club, outside on the grass. In the sun. 

And I saw ABBA Voyage last night as a late birthday present. Very, very good. Amazing visuals and sound quality. 

Re sitcoms, I think the production companies have realised that it's easier and cheaper to do a panel show, with the same financial return. Why bother with sets, scripts, rehearsals etc when you can just plonk some funny people in a studio, film the results and cash in? 

Congratulations @osmark86

Time for a celebratory polish of the rocket. 

13 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

It's a private rent.

In reality there are so many dodgy landlords renting shit holes, good landlords like myself are now having to pay towards cleaning this shit up.

Yup. Loads round here. My freeholder is also a landlord, and the posterchild for "Slum Landlord"

34 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

But I already pay a estate agent fee, a management fee and a ground rent fee, I am hardly going to be a rougue landlord when i am already paying over 2k a year to manage it.

It's a job creation tool for the council, 130 new jobs, an I very much doubt my property will ever get inspected by a council??

Yes also £700 upfront, do they think we are all property magnets, the property in question costs me about £350 a month in extra at the moment, there's no profit in it, or my city centre apartment.

 

If any of your tenants are on housing benefit I presume you'll be returning that money to the council? Fair's fair. 

An attack against prepared defenders is slow. And there will be high losses initially.

It seems that several Bradleys have been lost, which, as above, is to be expected. What's impressive though is that survival rates for crew appear to be much higher than for the equivalent BMPs they had been using.

Crews are hard to replace. Bradleys, on the other hand... there are thousands of them knocking about.

10 minutes ago, bickster said:

Oh yeah and ban either of the Gallagher brothers from everything ever

FTFY

Reach out and touch base.

I need a drink.