02-06-2023, 10:14 AM
Clueless, privileged, drunk basketball fans :(
(02-06-2023, 10:14 AM)fullmetal Wrote: Clueless, privileged, drunk basketball fans :(
(02-06-2023, 10:14 AM)fullmetal Wrote: Clueless, privileged, drunk basketball fans :(
(02-06-2023, 12:51 PM)dabigv13 Wrote: There was some pretty horrid stuff on the 6th Man print out to mock opposing players. I seem to recall a "roof is on fire" chant regarding Leon Powe, whose house had burned down as a child.
With age I can see those chants all sucked. Even the "how do you spell S-A-T" one for Jason Kidd.
(02-06-2023, 12:51 PM)dabigv13 Wrote: There was some pretty horrid stuff on the 6th Man print out to mock opposing players. I seem to recall a "roof is on fire" chant regarding Leon Powe, whose house had burned down as a child.
With age I can see those chants all sucked. Even the "how do you spell S-A-T" one for Jason Kidd.
(02-06-2023, 06:10 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Getting back to the war in Ukraine, this news caught my attention.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-def...mwhatsnews
It looks like the war and sanctions may finally be catching up to Russia. All this while the West is tightening the sanctions noose on Russia's ability to earn revenues from oil and gas. Of course, it is a race between tightening sanctions and Russia's ability to adapt to the sanctions by reorienting its economy away from Europe.
If, as the article notes, Russia's Sovereign Wealth Fund has assets equivalent to 7.2% of GDP in it, and its deficit is around 2 - 2.8% of GDP, it will have 3 - 4 years left of runway.
BC
(02-06-2023, 06:10 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Getting back to the war in Ukraine, this news caught my attention.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-def...mwhatsnews
It looks like the war and sanctions may finally be catching up to Russia. All this while the West is tightening the sanctions noose on Russia's ability to earn revenues from oil and gas. Of course, it is a race between tightening sanctions and Russia's ability to adapt to the sanctions by reorienting its economy away from Europe.
If, as the article notes, Russia's Sovereign Wealth Fund has assets equivalent to 7.2% of GDP in it, and its deficit is around 2 - 2.8% of GDP, it will have 3 - 4 years left of runway.
BC
(02-06-2023, 06:56 PM)TrumpCard Wrote: I've been wondering about Russia reorienting away from Europe. We know that Russia is doing business with Iran and North Korea. That makes sense. Pariahs stick together. But trade with Iran and North Korea isn't sufficient to sustain a country as big as Russia. The bigger question is what China is doing. Has anyone here read whether China is filling in the void that Europe left when it imposed sanctions on Russia?
Quote:Trade between Russia and China rose by roughly $27 billion between March and September of last year compared with the same period in 2021, according to the report, to reach $99 billion.
(02-06-2023, 06:56 PM)TrumpCard Wrote: I've been wondering about Russia reorienting away from Europe. We know that Russia is doing business with Iran and North Korea. That makes sense. Pariahs stick together. But trade with Iran and North Korea isn't sufficient to sustain a country as big as Russia. The bigger question is what China is doing. Has anyone here read whether China is filling in the void that Europe left when it imposed sanctions on Russia?
Quote:Trade between Russia and China rose by roughly $27 billion between March and September of last year compared with the same period in 2021, according to the report, to reach $99 billion.
(02-07-2023, 11:25 AM)Treefence Wrote: It seems on top of the recent modern tanks pledged, there are also a number of Leopard 1A5 tanks that will head to Ukraine. It sounded like some will be ready now and some will take a while, but I've seen over 100 potentially going to Ukraine. How effective will they be? They have a much smaller gun, 105mm, but the more modern version have decent upgrades. Will they be comparable to the most common T-72B3 tanks Russia has been using? Would they be used more in reserve?
(02-07-2023, 11:25 AM)Treefence Wrote: It seems on top of the recent modern tanks pledged, there are also a number of Leopard 1A5 tanks that will head to Ukraine. It sounded like some will be ready now and some will take a while, but I've seen over 100 potentially going to Ukraine. How effective will they be? They have a much smaller gun, 105mm, but the more modern version have decent upgrades. Will they be comparable to the most common T-72B3 tanks Russia has been using? Would they be used more in reserve?
Quote:I guess this would have made a good shot/chaser or reap/sow or f- around/find out meme.
(02-07-2023, 12:50 PM)gocard14 Wrote:I agree, most of the utility of tanks has been and probably will continue to be fire support against fortifications/strong points. The Leopard 1A5 has a fairly modern gun-sight and gyro stabilization, but it is not in the class of a 2A6. It is however probably better in both areas than the upgraded T72s. It can fire on the move better. This probably won't matter for the above reasons.(02-07-2023, 11:25 AM)Treefence Wrote: It seems on top of the recent modern tanks pledged, there are also a number of Leopard 1A5 tanks that will head to Ukraine. It sounded like some will be ready now and some will take a while, but I've seen over 100 potentially going to Ukraine. How effective will they be? They have a much smaller gun, 105mm, but the more modern version have decent upgrades. Will they be comparable to the most common T-72B3 tanks Russia has been using? Would they be used more in reserve?
My read is probably too lightly armored and not a big enough gun to go tank V tank against upgraded T72s, but mobile and plenty of firepower for infantry and anti-structure support, which is mostly what tanks have been used for in this conflict. Will be more vulnerable to ATGMs then the more modern tanks though.
(02-07-2023, 12:50 PM)gocard14 Wrote:I agree, most of the utility of tanks has been and probably will continue to be fire support against fortifications/strong points. The Leopard 1A5 has a fairly modern gun-sight and gyro stabilization, but it is not in the class of a 2A6. It is however probably better in both areas than the upgraded T72s. It can fire on the move better. This probably won't matter for the above reasons.(02-07-2023, 11:25 AM)Treefence Wrote: It seems on top of the recent modern tanks pledged, there are also a number of Leopard 1A5 tanks that will head to Ukraine. It sounded like some will be ready now and some will take a while, but I've seen over 100 potentially going to Ukraine. How effective will they be? They have a much smaller gun, 105mm, but the more modern version have decent upgrades. Will they be comparable to the most common T-72B3 tanks Russia has been using? Would they be used more in reserve?
My read is probably too lightly armored and not a big enough gun to go tank V tank against upgraded T72s, but mobile and plenty of firepower for infantry and anti-structure support, which is mostly what tanks have been used for in this conflict. Will be more vulnerable to ATGMs then the more modern tanks though.
(02-08-2023, 04:16 PM)BostonCard Wrote: I think Def Mon's assessment is probably right. Soon, maybe very soon, Ukraine will evacuate Bakhmut, having bled the Russians for all they can. This is similar to their strategy in Severodonetsk in the summer. The goal isn't to hold the territory per se, but to make the cost for the Russians to take it over very high. Yes, it is a symbolic win for the Russians, but if Ukraine did its job, they will have made it a Pyrrhic victory.
And for what it is worth, the UK is "considering sending advanced jets to Ukraine", so the training likely is a prelude. The UK was also the first country to agree to send tanks to Ukraine as well, and though I wasn't a large number, once that taboo was broken, they and others could pressure Germany (especially) and the US to send tanks, which they eventually did. The only issue is that the UK would need permission from the other countries that co-developed the Typhoon.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraines-ze...1675848644
BC
(02-08-2023, 04:16 PM)BostonCard Wrote: I think Def Mon's assessment is probably right. Soon, maybe very soon, Ukraine will evacuate Bakhmut, having bled the Russians for all they can. This is similar to their strategy in Severodonetsk in the summer. The goal isn't to hold the territory per se, but to make the cost for the Russians to take it over very high. Yes, it is a symbolic win for the Russians, but if Ukraine did its job, they will have made it a Pyrrhic victory.
And for what it is worth, the UK is "considering sending advanced jets to Ukraine", so the training likely is a prelude. The UK was also the first country to agree to send tanks to Ukraine as well, and though I wasn't a large number, once that taboo was broken, they and others could pressure Germany (especially) and the US to send tanks, which they eventually did. The only issue is that the UK would need permission from the other countries that co-developed the Typhoon.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraines-ze...1675848644
BC