Putin Invades Ukraine II

[dualstow]

BTW - In my mind this is a good discussion even though it feels like we are posting at each other. No disrespect to anyone. Especially Vinny and Dualstow!

I’m curious about how many are in the ‘NATO is at fault’ camp. Either way, I’m really looking forward to reading a book on the subject (the subject of the invasion, perhaps dating back to 2014 and earlier). But, it’s probably premature. For the time being, I mostly depend on ‘Foreign Affairs.’

[vnatale]

- What are the odds that what we are doing in Ukraine will have little positive consequences?
- What did you think the odds were when the conflict started and the US started intervening?
- What are the odds that we are willing to sacrifice as many Ukranian lives as it takes to weaken Putin and Russia?

I think Russia will get what they wanted which is a guarantee of no NATO expansion and the bonus of expanded territory for all the trouble.

1) Low
2) High
3) Low

[vnatale]

I continue to be fascinated by this thread's title. "Putin invades Ukraine". Why is one man a threat to a country, especially as I don't think (I may be wrong) that Putin has set foot in the Ukraine since the war began.
…

Well, my friend, Putin is what is known as a “leader.” A country doesn’t really invade without his say-so.
(Except Wagner Group, but that’s another story)
The use of “Putin” to mean Russia is what as known as a metonym.

When the breadwinner says, “I put a roof over your heads,” he doesn’t just mean a roof. He means he provided a whole home, utilities, and so on.

When someone says “Heaven knows”, they mean God.

Closer to the Putin-as-Russia metonym, you can say “Today, the White House put out a memo…” but it wasn’t really that building which put out the memo. It was the administration, or at least the President.

More here - https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/metonym

All well explained. Thanks!

[Mountaineer]

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I continue to be fascinated by this thread's title. "Putin invades Ukraine". Why is one man a threat to a country, especially as I don't think (I may be wrong) that Putin has set foot in the Ukraine since the war began.
…

Well, my friend, Putin is what is known as a “leader.” A country doesn’t really invade without his say-so.
(Except Wagner Group, but that’s another story)
The use of “Putin” to mean Russia is what as known as a metonym.

When the breadwinner says, “I put a roof over your heads,” he doesn’t just mean a roof. He means he provided a whole home, utilities, and so on.

When someone says “Heaven knows”, they mean God.

Closer to the Putin-as-Russia metonym, you can say “Today, the White House put out a memo…” but it wasn’t really that building which put out the memo. It was the administration, or at least the President.

More here - https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/metonym

dualstow (based upon your screen name I'm going to take a wild guess that you have two vehicles stored in your garage, or two suitcases stored in the basement, or perhaps two wives locked in shackles). All kidding aside, I forgot to put the wink emoji in my original post. I'm very familiar with the terms metonym and metonymy, e.g. our pastor uses them frequently. Once he told me when he saw me in my car, "nice wheels" and I don't think he was referring to my shoes. And, I would agree with Vinny, you did a nice job of explaining.

[dualstow]

{ metonym }

I figured you were asking a facetious question, and I was at a loss as what to do other than give a serious answer. Maybe someone out there read it and learned “metonym.”

dualstow (based upon your screen name …

I can’t find where I explained it, but I’ll do it now in Daily Check In
viewtopic.php?p=252217#p252217

[Smith1776]

I'm currently dating a girl from Ukraine. She moved here to escape the war that was happening in her home country.

Obviously the war is heinous and tragic.. but if it hadn't happened, she wouldn't be here. Really makes one think.

[dualstow]

Since stuper mentioned Mearsheimer (in the Led Fridman thread), I’ll just add this response, a quote from Foreign Affairs

John Mearsheimer argues that…
In other words, Russia has been playing defense, and Putin is merely pushing back against Western encroachment. He seeks nothing more than security for his country.

But this portrayal of Putin clashes with the reality of Russia’s actions. It now seems patently obvious that Putin’s motives went far beyond defense. It is difficult to see the Russian attempt to take Kyiv in the first weeks of the war as anything other than a regime-change operation.

(paywalled) https://www.foreignaffairs.com/eastern- ... sia-threat

[ppnewbie]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

[ppnewbie]

Since stuper mentioned Mearsheimer (in the Led Fridman thread), I’ll just add this response, a quote from Foreign Affairs

John Mearsheimer argues that…
In other words, Russia has been playing defense, and Putin is merely pushing back against Western encroachment. He seeks nothing more than security for his country.

But this portrayal of Putin clashes with the reality of Russia’s actions. It now seems patently obvious that Putin’s motives went far beyond defense. It is difficult to see the Russian attempt to take Kyiv in the first weeks of the war as anything other than a regime-change operation.

(paywalled) https://www.foreignaffairs.com/eastern- ... sia-threat

Can’t read the article - but could it be possible that he was trying to cut off the head of a snake.

[vnatale]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

I should be getting to it this week.

But a short while ago someone in person told me that he'd listened to it and thought it was a good one. He's another Lex fan like me.

[dualstow]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

You can shave some time off if you listen at 1.25X speed. Doesn’t work for every interview, but it’s good for slow talkers.
Just use the settings wheel under the video.

[vnatale]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

You can shave some time off if you listen at 1.25X speed. Doesn’t work for every interview, but it’s good for slow talkers.
Just use the settings wheel under the video.

Is that faster speed universally offered or only for certain podcasts being presented through certain channels? I don't see it when I'm listening to the Sunday News shows or the Lex Podcasts.

I've only quite infrequently seemingly been presented with that option.

[dualstow]

…
(paywalled) https://www.foreignaffairs.com/eastern- ... sia-threat

Can’t read the article - but could it be possible that he was trying to cut off the head of a snake.

The cobra protecting us from the junior viper. That’s comforting.
_ _ _ _ _
Vinny, I guess your question answers itself. Your mileage may vary.

[Mountaineer]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

You can shave some time off if you listen at 1.25X speed. Doesn’t work for every interview, but it’s good for slow talkers.
Just use the settings wheel under the video.

Is that faster speed universally offered or only for certain podcasts being presented through certain channels? I don't see it when I'm listening to the Sunday News shows or the Lex Podcasts.

I've only quite infrequently seemingly been presented with that option.

FWIW, the "Overcast" podcast app lets you vary playback speed and more. It's my favorite podcast app and well worth a couple of bucks to support the developer if you like.

https://overcast.fm

[vnatale]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

You can shave some time off if you listen at 1.25X speed. Doesn’t work for every interview, but it’s good for slow talkers.
Just use the settings wheel under the video.

Is that faster speed universally offered or only for certain podcasts being presented through certain channels? I don't see it when I'm listening to the Sunday News shows or the Lex Podcasts.

I've only quite infrequently seemingly been presented with that option.

FWIW, the "Overcast" podcast app lets you vary playback speed and more. It's my favorite podcast app and well worth a couple of bucks to support the developer if you like.

https://overcast.fm

Thanks. I will try it.

[dualstow]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

I listened to much of it this morning. Youtube served it up semi-randomly when i was still in bed. After a while, I guessed it was him. Not too bad, even if I don’t agree with him everywhere.
He did mention that he has *only* studied Putin as a strategist.

[vnatale]

Has anyone listened to the latest Lex Friedman podcast with Mearsheimer? I need to find three hours to listen to it.

I listened to much of it this morning. Youtube served it up semi-randomly when i was still in bed. After a while, I guessed it was him. Not too bad, even if I don’t agree with him everywhere.
He did mention that he has *only* studied Putin as a strategist.

I listened to it twice because I did find it so enlightening and wanted to make sure I did not miss anything that he said.

[ppnewbie]

I listened to the podcast over the Thanksgiving holiday. I pretty much agree with everything he said. And also learned some interesting things about Russia in WW2. And that Lex had a naive childish (IMHO) view of the world. Almost like a “bro” view of global leaders. Hey Bro let’s do a deal. To which the guest gently gave him a reality check each time.

[dualstow]

And that Lex had a naive childish (IMHO) view of the world.

Totally agree. I’m sure he’s a great scientist, but he has the kind of naive optimism about the world that college students have and usually shed, eventually. At the same time, this makes him kind of charming and as long as he can continue to get these amazing guests to show up and speak, the show is worth it.

[vnatale]

And that Lex had a naive childish (IMHO) view of the world.

Totally agree. I’m sure he’s a great scientist, but he has the kind of naive optimism about the world that college students have and usually shed, eventually. At the same time, this makes him kind of charming and as long as he can continue to get these amazing guests to show up and speak, the show is worth it.

All true.

I am all caught up on listening to his interview / discussions. I was shocked yesterday when the one I listened to (which was only a few days old) only lasted an hour.

Are there any others who get the stature of guests that he does?

[dualstow]

Cynicism mounting, eh?
Did the Israel-Hamas conflict help kill aid for Ukraine or was it going to teeter anyway?

[vnatale]

Cynicism mounting, eh?
Did the Israel-Hamas conflict help kill aid for Ukraine or was it going to teeter anyway?

Not sure who or what your first sentence is directed to / at?

Difficult to answer when we are in the midst of having one branch of a major political party be at unprecedented levels of dysfunction during any of our lifetimes.

We do have those checks and balances in our government but one of those branches is severely broken then little productive can get done.

[boglerdude]

Indeed, martial law over a cold, pushed by the Left was unprecedented dysfunction.

Took 9 years to bleed out the Russians in Afghanistan.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked ... s-in-2022/

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked ... orts-2022/

[dualstow]

Not sure who or what your first sentence is directed to / at?

Just regarding recent news. Not directed at anyone.

@boglerdude - I love visual capitalist. I think I first heard about it from someone here at gyro, many years ago.

[vnatale]

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