Wolf - thoughtful

Putin is lying to you

Hello, Russian Livejournalers. I’m going to use an online translator to do a probably-awful Russian interpretation, as my Russian is just about non-existent.

I’m going to be very surprised if my account stays after posting this.

For a couple of months, President Putin has massed Russian troops and war materiel around Ukraine.

He initially said it was just military exercises, then sent more troops.

He lied and said he pulled back troops when he sent still more troops.

He then lied again, saying that Ukraine was committing a genocidal ethnic cleansing, like the Nazis of World War 2 Germany.

Why a country led by a Jewish comedian-turned-politician would contemplate such an inhuman series of acts escapes me. It escapes Mr. Putin too, but he’s still not afraid to lie about it.

Much like US President Bush in 2003, Russian President Putin had a timetable. He invaded Ukraine last week based on his timetable and on a brazen series of lies.

Your neighbors and cousins in Ukraine… many have stayed and are fighting the Russian military to a standstill. Over 500,000 have fled. Over 4000 have died.

Russian soldiers are conflicted. Some are attacking civilian targets with lethal force. Some are surrendering without fighting. Some are questioning their mission. Any bear who danced like that would look like a ballerina, a tap dancer and a breakdancer trying to do the same dance in the same leotard all at once. It’s not a pretty sight.

Some of your soldiers have died fighting your neighbors and cousins in Ukraine. I do not envy you who have lost loved ones and friends.

Your country has become an international pariah among nations, all in under a week.
Your European trading partners who buy your oil and gas, they’ve decided the cost of cheap energy is too high when it is streaked with blood.
Your airplanes have very few destinations left to them.
Some retailers in the US have stopped stocking Russian vodka. I know vodka is part of life there, but here it’s not a common beverage. Even so.
Food and other human basics will still come to Russia — we know it’s not about you — but don’t expect fancy finished goods for a while.

President Putin pushed for this invasion of Ukraine. I don’t know if he longs for glorious Soviet days of if he thinks he should be tsar, but I know he and his inner circle want to make Russia great again through fear and hate, with other people’s terror, misery and blood as the only price he is willing to pay.

I know you risk arrest or worse if you speak out against Putin. I cannot tell you to make such a sacrifice.

However, only enough Russians willing to risk that sacrifice will force the fighting to stop and a faster return to peaceful, friendly times — possibly times with fewer lies from people in authority in Russia.

I want you to have good lives. Living in fear is not a good life.
You deserve better leadership. I wish much better for you than you’ve had these past thirty years.

A joyful peace to you, hopefully soon.

(signed, me)

_____

Здравствуйте, российские живые журналисты. Я собираюсь использовать онлайн-переводчик, чтобы сделать, вероятно, Ужасный русский перевод, так как мой русский почти отсутствует.

Я буду очень удивлен, если моя учетная запись останется после публикации этого.

В течение нескольких месяцев президент Путин собрал российские войска и военные средства вокруг Украины.

Сначала он сказал, что это просто военные учения, а затем отправил больше войск.

Он солгал и сказал, что отбросил войска, когда отправил еще больше войск.

Затем он снова солгал, сказав, что Украина совершает геноцидную этническую чистку, как нацисты Второй мировой войны в Германии.

Почему страна во главе с еврейским комиком, ставшей политиком, будет рассматривать такую бесчеловечную серию действий, ускользает от меня. Он убегает от мистера Путин тоже, но он все еще не боится лгать об этом.

Как и у президента США Буша в 2003 году, у президента России Путина был график. Он вторгся в Украину на прошлой неделе, основываясь на своем расписании и наглой серии лжи.

Ваши соседи и двоюродные братья на Украине... многие остались и застопорились с российскими военными. Более 500 000 человек бежали. Более 4000 человек погибли.

Российские солдаты конфликтуют. Некоторые из них атакуют гражданские цели смертельной силой. Некоторые сдаются без боя. Некоторые сомневаются в своей миссии. Любой медведь, который так танцевал, будет выглядеть как балерина, танцор чечетки и брейк-дансер, пытающийся сделать один и тот же танец в одном купальнике одновременно. Это не очень красивое зрелище.

Некоторые из ваших солдат погибли, сражаясь с вашими соседями и двоюродными братьями в Украине. Я не завидую вам, кто потерял близких и друзей.

Ваша страна стала международным изгоем среди наций менее чем за неделю.

Ваши европейские торговые партнеры, которые покупают вашу нефть и газ, решили, что стоимость дешевой энергии слишком высока, когда она наполнена кровью.

У ваших самолетов осталось очень мало пунктов назначения.

Некоторые розничные торговцы в США прекратили запасы русской водкой. Я знаю, что водка - это часть жизни, но здесь это не обычный напиток. Тем не менее.

Еда и другие человеческие основы все равно придут в Россию - мы знаем, что дело не в вас - но не ожидайте модной готовой продукции какое-то время.

Президент Путин настаивал на этом вторжении в Украину. Я не знаю, жаждет ли он славных советских дней, если он думает, что должен быть царем, но я знаю, что он и его ближайшее окружение хотят снова сделать Россию великой через страх и ненависть, с ужасом, страданиями и кровью других людей как единственной ценой, которую он готов заплатить.

Я знаю, что вы рискуете арестовать или, что еще хуже, если выступите против Путина. Я не могу сказать вам, чтобы вы принесли такую жертву.

Однако только достаточно россиян, готовых рисковать тем, что жертва заставит боевые действия прекратиться и быстрее вернуться к мирным, дружественным временам - возможно, временам с меньшим количеством лжи от людей, находящихся у власти в России.

Я хочу, чтобы у тебя была хорошая жизнь. Жить в страхе - не очень хорошая жизнь.

Вы заслуживаете лучшего лидерства. Я желаю вам гораздо лучшего, чем за последние тридцать лет.

Радостный мир вам, надеюсь, скоро.

(Подписано, я)
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Wolf - thoughtful

(no subject)

I went to a decentralized rally for Bernie Sanders tonight.
I really want to get this septuagenarian, democratic socialist, plain spoken, Jewish New Yorker from Vermont into the White House as POTUS. I then want to hear him mumble a little Yiddish at the swearing in, but but that's just me being selfish.

I have not used my journal for political purposes very much. I will do so more often for the next several months, and I will use a politics tag for such posts.

To quote Bernie, enough is enough.
I am tired of status quo American politics.
It's time for the old white guy who treats people with respect.

It's time for Bernie.
Wolf - thoughtful

Finally, a way for me to fully enjoy Christian hymns

I have a juvenile mind. Also, I am slow because I should have realized this a few decades ago. Since I am about to share, and it is decidedly blasphemous to Christianity, I apologize in advance to my Christian friends, though I suspect several had the brainstorm some years ago, and will place the relevant bit under a cut.

We are currently watching the TV play radio, specifically "Says You" on WGBH. It's a rerun from when Richard Sher was still alive. Yes, he died earlier this year.

But back to the point. The musical guests sang during the bits where the teams have to guess the right definition of a niche word from the other team. The group in this case sang Christian spirituals. I realized, after the first song, [Spoiler (click to open)]that you could replace Jesus with "penis" for the same scansion but considerably more amusing music, and that such music did not have to be quite so omnipresent with a small tweak.

As I said, I am a bad, bad man. And very slow on the uptake sometimes.
Yessir!

How To Identify Old-School Gamers

Knows that Chainmail is a game system as well as armor and probably knows where to find a copy if they don't already have one
Carries a stylish Dice Bag of Holding
First exposure to Steve Jackson Games was Melee or one of its later versions, including GURPS
Never throws dice away--gives retired ones an honorable burial instead
Seriously thinks there's no real difference in protection between a large shield and head-to-toe hardened leather armor
Knows CoC as "Call of Cthulhu"*
Has at least one full bookshelf of gaming books and knows where to find the little rules wrinkles in every one of them
Even when roleplaying well, can take any game mechanics and make a hideously overpowered character that's the same level as yours
Surprised by HR setting up roleplaying scenarios at work because roleplaying is about games

If you can think of any others that are not too obscure, feel free to write some in the comments. *This is the one that got me started on the list.
Wolf - thoughtful

Goodbye, Mr. Colbert

You had an amazing run, and you ended the show beautifully. And I have to say, there's no way you could have gotten all of those previous guests into your studio unless they liked you a whole lot or you blew a missing pallet of dollars we shipped to Iraq. And while we know you're fabulously wealthy--as you keep saying on Colbert Platinum--I'm going to assume it was the former because CBS prefers their late night hosts be financially secure enough that they can stop selling crack in the green room.

That's as spoiler-filled as I'm going to get. I won't cry for you, Stephen, just like I wouldn't cry for Argentina. All I can do is smile and bid farewell to my absolute favorite American Idiot-Savant.

It's been unreal. And thank G-d for that.
Wolf - thoughtful

Google Doodle of the day

If you live in the US and click on the ballot box, it offers a polling place lookup. I cannot speak to the accuracy around the country but it got mine right.

Good way to not be evil, Google.
Wolf - thoughtful

A post at Daily Kos

The top ten reasons to vote for Don Berwick in the Democratic primary for governor of Massachusetts on Tuesday. In truth, I did two top ten lists, one more silly, one more serious. They are both here.

If you like it, share it round. To my friends voting for other candidates, so long as you are voting I am happy, even if I'd hope you'd vote for my candidate of choice.