Posts by Rachel Richardson

hiddenmarlin14 said:Look—if that much-vaunted Discord were actually functional, it would operate correctly—instead, everyone is running into glitches, and some people can't even gain access. It’s hardly what you'd call super.☕

It is quite rewarding when you finally manage to break through.🕺

hiddenmarlin14 said:I can't even get in—every time I attempt to log in, it just tells me my account has been disabled. 😳

I suspect someone is being quite aggressive toward you—simply because of the way you’ve been defending Russia. 😬

Al, we all had something going sideways—I just can't quite put my finger on where the catch was...

Nathan Thomas12 Asks:
Americans have certainly led wars and made their fair share of mistakes—no one is denying that—but I’m looking for some actual data here. Specifically, I want to know: which territories have they actually annexed?

Russia attacked all its neighbors—and ended up seizing territory from every single one of them.

Even some countries that don't share a border—take Moldova, for instance...

If you set aside the three Baltic states that were illegally occupied by the USSR during WWII—Russia maintained military bases in nearly every single former Soviet republic.

In Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan—it's perfectly legal.
Local conflicts are currently simmering in Tajikistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
We are seeing active territorial occupations taking place in Georgia and Moldova.
In Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, there was no need—though in Uzbekistan, it remained in place until 2012.

If you want to understand how global power actually functions—beyond the rhetoric and the news cycles—you have to look at the physical footprint of the military. It isn't just about abstract influence; it’s about geography and logistics. Take a look at this list of overseas bases. It serves as a map of where the United States chooses to project its strength. You can think of it like a massive, interconnected network of hubs—much like how a major tech giant might distribute its server farms across the globe to ensure zero latency and total coverage. These aren't just isolated outposts; they are strategic nodes designed to maintain stability and respond to crises in real-time. It’s a massive undertaking—complex, expensive, and deeply integrated into our national security strategy. Whether it's securing shipping lanes or providing a rapid response capability in distant regions, these locations represent the literal foundation of American presence around the world. It's more than just a collection of coordinates; it's the infrastructure of global reach.

The only thing standing between him and reconstituting the USSR was Ukraine.

An aggressive war—driven by nothing more than a hunger for land that was already more than enough to go around.

ironcobra13 said:Anthony Nguyen81 didn't mess up at all.
It seems Duca just wants a debate—he isn't looking for a peer-reviewed paper, you know?

The PDF Policy section isn't really the right venue for these kinds of debates—honestly. 😁

northernangler8 said:NATO presents itself as a defensive alliance, yet here we are, right in the middle of a war because of them. I guess it would probably help some people if they weren't quite so naive and actually used their own heads for once.

What was Ukraine missing all this time? They lived the Western lifestyle for as long as they wanted. They had their freedom. In fact, one Ukrainian even mentioned how both Russians and certain Ukrainians have been oppressing people within Ukraine since 2014, and how he misses the days when the Russian language could be spoken freely there. American policy pretty much tore all of that apart.
So, please don't lump what the Ukrainians want together with what politicians want—those are two completely different things.

Send me that statement from Putin—not a transcript, I want to see the actual video.

https://time.com/6150046/ukraine-sta...history-putin/



And it isn't just his rhetoric;
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lseih/2020/0...inian-history/

Ukraine has been under attack by Russia since 2014.
Russian soldiers are on their soil, and Russian missiles are flying over their heads.
Does that mean nothing to you?

So, according to this logic, the "evil" Americans forced poor old Putko into an invasion? 😁

Rachel Palmer56 said:There’s also the gaming angle—what do you all think?
Anyway, just so you know—regarding that debate with the President—I’m actually feeling pretty optimistic. I'm expecting a real dialogue here: someone intelligent, constructive, and actually worth listening to. That’s the kind of exchange I genuinely appreciate. Finally, something actually worth watching: heck yeah.
So, I’ll start the wiki properly—get things warmed up—and you’re basically just underlining everything I say. And honestly, Rachel Palmer56, you're spot on there: how are things going?
Alright, let's get this discussion moving: ba n:
I can't quite make out what you're trying to say there—looks like some kind of glitch or a typo. If you have a point to make, just lay it out clearly.

Look, I can't exactly go out on a limb to defend Pleković—what are you even on about? 🤣
The guy possesses the moral integrity of an oyster—and he’s just as sturdy a specimen. 😬

Even before the war broke out, he was pushing his luck where he shouldn't have—now that things are finally looking up for the Ukrainians, and there’s a real chance for a positive turn—he's nowhere to be found. It feels a bit greasy to talk about the economy while people are actually dying, I know—but then again, he’s a politician, and that’s supposed to be his job.

It’s not as if this guy is some irreplaceable icon—as if the whole country would fall apart if we managed to shake him off during a sudden detour like this. 😁

ironcobra13 said:Look, Duco—it’s just Anthony Nguyen81.😍
It’s all up for debate—whether you’d rather go with that woman from the Italian coast or some old lady from the Midwest.
God, once they start trying to explain themselves... 🤦

What exactly am I missing in my approach to these discussions?

Here is my take—I will admit where I think you’re right, and then I’ll lay out exactly why you're wrong about everything else. 😈

Politics is a different kind of playbook—it operates by its own set of rules, where much of the real business gets handled behind closed doors.
It wasn't like that yesterday—honestly.

Paul Anderson7 said:What does Russia actually have to do with Ukraine? I honestly don't get where they get the nerve to think they have any right to meddle in the decisions of another sovereign nation. It’s pretty ironic, really, considering Russia actually signed off on guaranteeing Ukraine's territorial sovereignty once they gave up those nuclear weapons left over from the USSR. Looking back, giving them up seems like such a massive blunder; if Ukraine had just kept those nukes, Russia would never have even dreamed of attacking.

The reason countries join NATO is pretty simple: they're terrified of Russia. History has shown time and again that you can't take their word for anything, and they'll grab every single opportunity to chase after their imperialist fantasies. Look at Finland and Sweden—they're moving toward joining NATO not because anyone is forcing their hand, but because they feel genuinely threatened by Russia.

If you want someone to blame, it’s Russia and this delusional idea that they’re a superpower entitled to do whatever they want without consequences. People have let them slide far too many times, but it looks like the patience has finally run out. Now, Russia is being forced back into its place, sitting alongside the other pariah states.

None of the NATO members have ever even entertained the thought of invading Russia or seizing its land. Meanwhile, on the flip side, the Russians have been trying nothing but to expand their reach.
Russia is the sole reason this war is happening; I’d say it’s exclusively Putin, though he’s really just a product of the society in Russia, so you could probably blame the whole country. Ukrainians are their own distinct nation, despite Putin himself claiming otherwise. If you can't see the problem with that kind of rhetoric, then you're just another biased troll.

As for the Americans? They basically just exploited Putin's own stupidity and naivety, letting him believe this was going to be an easy win. The US didn't pick up weapons to start a war, or engage in killing, rapes, or genocide. That was all the Russians. No one else. They were the ones who crossed the border, they dropped the bombs, they kill civilians, they rape, they drop cluster bombs on train stations... it's all the Russians.

NATO is a defensive alliance, not an offensive one.
NATO does not conquer foreign lands.

northernangler8 said:This is the kind of naivety everyone falls for. There is no such thing as a truly sovereign state. Our country isn't even truly sovereign. That only exists on paper. Everyone is ruled by someone bigger. That's why what we're seeing in Ukraine is actually a war between two major powers fighting over who gets to dominate and control Ukraine. Do you really think our leadership makes independent decisions? Not a chance. They just do whatever they're told from above; they don't have the backbone to think for themselves. No small country actually calls its own shots.

If Ukraine hadn't given up its nukes, they never would have been freed from the Russians. That was the whole point of the deal. Russia allowed Ukraine to enjoy Western comforts in exchange for the nukes. And look what happened once Russia let the West into their politics. The West poked its nose into their business just to stir up a conflict with Russia, and it's the Ukrainians who are paying the price.

Ukraine had no reason to fear Russia, unless they turned their backs on them—which is exactly what the pro-American politicians in power did. Ukraine could have maintained the freedom it had until now if politicians with bad intentions hadn't engineered this war. The U.S. is bothered by Russia, and this is just their attempt to get rid of them. I guess Putin was being patient while watching the U.S. provoke this situation in Ukraine. This war could have started much earlier, but Putin didn't want it. Now, though, he felt like he had no choice because the noose was tightening too much.

NATO attacks subtly and murky, much like a virus. But it’s always there, quietly provoking war. Not directly, but through indirect actions.

Has Ukraine ever truly been free from Russia?
Western meddlers versus Russian rats?
The Russians attacked Ukraine; it wasn't the other way around.

northernangler8 said:This is the kind of naivety everyone falls for. There is no such thing as a truly sovereign state. Our country isn't even truly sovereign. That only exists on paper. Everyone is ruled by someone bigger. That's why what we're seeing in Ukraine is actually a war between two major powers fighting over who gets to dominate and control Ukraine. Do you really think our leadership makes independent decisions? Not a chance. They just do whatever they're told from above; they don't have the backbone to think for themselves. No small country actually calls its own shots.

If Ukraine hadn't given up its nukes, they never would have been freed from the Russians. That was the whole point of the deal. Russia allowed Ukraine to enjoy Western comforts in exchange for the nukes. And look what happened once Russia let the West into their politics. The West poked its nose into their business just to stir up a conflict with Russia, and it's the Ukrainians who are paying the price.

Ukraine had no reason to fear Russia, unless they turned their backs on them—which is exactly what the pro-American politicians in power did. Ukraine could have maintained the freedom it had until now if politicians with bad intentions hadn't engineered this war. The U.S. is bothered by Russia, and this is just their attempt to get rid of them. I guess Putin was being patient while watching the U.S. provoke this situation in Ukraine. This war could have started much earlier, but Putin didn't want it. Now, though, he felt like he had no choice because the noose was tightening too much.

NATO attacks subtly and murky, much like a virus. But it’s always there, quietly provoking war. Not directly, but through indirect actions.

🤣
There was plenty of reason—specifically, the fact that Putin stated he doesn't recognize them as a people, doesn't recognize their borders, and simply wants to dictate their fate.

Paul Anderson7 said:Sure, Ukraine could have just assumed Russia would be happy letting them become a Belarus. You know, a poor little buffer zone sitting right between Russia and the aggressive West. But the reality is that nobody actually wants anything to do with the Russians. I wouldn't be surprised if Belarus turns its back on Russia in the near future, too. After all, the Russians don't really offer much besides empty promises that they won't attack you as long as you behave. Nobody wants to live like that, and that kind of policy is eventually going to push them away from everything the free world stands for.

The truth is, no small nation is ever truly independent. Take a country like Mexico, for instance. They’re currently drifting toward the West, even though there’s plenty of internal resistance. How does the West handle it? They pour in capital and provide support. Eventually, that domestic pushback will fade, and Mexico will just become part of the Western fold. That’s how the West operates; that’s how it expands.
And what about Russia? They take a "candidate" like that and systematically block and weaken them, making sure they stay dependent and easy to blackmail.

What’s the difference? If you’re aligned with the West and you start breaking the rules, they send protest notes and dial back the aid until you realize you can't function without it. We're seeing a version of this play out with Canada right now, and it looks like it’ll be a long process.
But what do the Russians do when you stop following their script? They basically declare that your nation shouldn't exist in the first place, roll in with tanks, and engage in genocide, rape, and the total destruction of cities.

So, let's look at Canada and Ukraine side by side. Canada, as a member of the West where there's currently a pro-Russian sentiment—though that's mostly just due to Orbán’s policies centered on cheap Russian oil and gas—pretty much does whatever it wants.
The absolute worst thing that can happen to them is losing their funding from the EU or getting stripped of certain decision-making powers. Honestly, the worst thing they could do is actually align themselves with Russia, but I suspect they realize just how insane that would be.
Ukraine made the move to break away from Russia and lean toward the West. What did Russia do in response? Well, I don't think I need to explain that; we've all seen it.

Do you see the distinction? Nobody wants to deal with the Russians. Absolutely nobody. To most, they represent backwardness, filth, and ruthlessness—they are essentially the embodiment of corruption and human rights abuses. Russia is bottom of the barrel.

👍

William Anderson5 said:There’s that one dark meme where Vladimir Putin knocks on the door and says, "I'm here to protect you," only for everyone to ask, "Protect us from what?" and he replies, "From whatever I'll do to you if you don't let me in." That is exactly the kind of twisted logic used by those defending Russia...

A racket.

Rachel Turner2 said:Classic mafia move.

Exactly...

rowdytiger13 said:You're getting warm.
Ukraine actually started the war by refusing to turn into Belarus, but since Putin is such a humanitarian who clearly didn't want a conflict, he just launched a special military operation to occupy Ukraine instead.
Everything is going exactly according to plan, despite a few minor hiccups here and there.
It’s worth noting that the world would be perfectly peaceful if it weren't for NATO and the USA.
That's pretty much the whole story. 🍿🎉

🤣
Sometimes I truly wonder what kind of dealer certain people are working with.😁

I check in from time to time—usually just to drop a comment or play a quick game. 😁

There are some pretty decent GIFs down there 😁

How have you been? 😁

He robbed himself 😁

Nathan Thomas12 said:Putin managed to rally the entire West, plus NATO, Japan, South Korea, Australia...

He basically boxed Russia in.

Now he just needs to figure out how to lose a war he thinks he's winning. They haven't gained much in a month and a half, and the weapons just keep rolling in. It’s only a matter of time before the heavy-duty missiles start arriving... if Putin can get gear from Iran, then Ukraine can too.

Long term? I don't see a way for an autocrat to actually beat out the capitalists and globalists.
I wouldn't be surprised if China eventually just pulls the rug out from under him.

Exactly—it's only a matter of time before China cuts ties.

He overplayed his hand, more than he realized. I expect a massive surge in military aid for Ukraine now.
The fighting in the Donbas will ultimately swing in Ukraine's favor...

Kate Lewis3 said:I think you meant Crimea.

Honestly, I just think it’s a matter of time before someone gets the right gear to sink the last Russian piece of junk floating in the Black Sea.

Yeah, just a typo.

Aaron Barrett79 said:France—one of those "strategic allies" leading the post-Brexit EU—just dropped €120 million in weapons for Ukraine. That’s actually less than what Estonia put up. 🙏The UK basically saved its political soul by leaving that limp EU led by France and Germany, and now they’re finally acting like a real power again.

The real losers in this war won't be the Ukrainians—it'll be us and the rest of the EU. People will mourn the dead, cities will get rebuilt, and Eastern Europe is going to come out of this more united, decisive, and heavily armed than ever, without fearing anyone. Meanwhile, the USA and the UK are just reaffirming their status as global superpowers that nobody really questions, while we sit here in the middle dealing with German-French cowardice—wasting resources on debating wine origins and how long vibrator batteries last...

On topic:

I'm keeping an eye on whether any of our Mi-8/17s end up in Ukraine, especially since the transfer to Canada has already started. ☕

For us, the priority is Canada and those illegal elections scheduled for November.

Benjamin Taylor6 said:Look, Ukraine is a massive country—we aren't talking about some small territory here. All this stuff being sent over? It’s basically a drop of ink in the ocean; it just gets swallowed up by the sheer scale of the conflict almost immediately.

We'll see how it plays out on the ground.
The focus is shifting to the Donbas.

darkwolf20 said:When the fascist in the Kremlin decides to play with a toy instead of facing a raging tiger, he’ll find out how quickly things spiral out of control.

Now the Ukrainians will be more heavily armed than ever before, despite all that talk about neutrality from the little hobbit. This invasion is coming back to haunt him like a boomerang hitting him right in the face. 🙂

If the Ukrainians can manage to liberate Donbas and Kyiv, then there’s Ukraine right into NATO.

And Putin is an absolute loser.
The kind of man who managed to push Finland—and maybe even Sweden—straight into NATO...

slyfox43 said:Bulgaria is a NATO member.

Romania is a NATO member.

Turkey is a NATO member.

Which means... NATO ships are already in the Black Sea, and they will continue to be.

Half of the Black Sea is essentially a NATO sea.
Not to mention if they decide to move into Georgia now...

Timothy Nelson5 said:Vladimir Putin's forces up north were basically in the same spot as Adolf Hitler's at Stalingrad.
If Hitler had retreated from Stalingrad in early November, maybe he could have salvaged more troops, much like what happened with Vladimir Putin near Kyiv.

So, I don't really see it as an act of good faith.

And those criminal massacres uncovered after the retreat... well, they probably don't leave Vladimir Putin even the slightest hope of getting any sanctions lifted, at least not until there's some kind of solid ceasefire.
I'm inclined to believe they'll demand a full withdrawal back to the pre-February 24th lines too.

Over in eastern Ukraine, some people aren't exactly thrilled with Ukraine.

But most of them are even less enthusiastic about Russia now, I think.

I assume that would open a window for Russia to get some
Western sanctions suspended. (Judging by Sergey Lavrov, the sheer
intensity of the sanctions seems to have caught them off guard.)

Most of the sanctions will likely stay in place until Russia agrees to an investigation into war crimes.

I believe there needs to be a full withdrawal.
From both the Donbas and Crimea.
Perhaps there could be some form of demilitarization, though even that seems highly questionable.

Putin has lost; they intend to crush him economically...

neoncrane64 said:..alright, so if we're looking at a software issue here—a technical glitch rather than anything malicious—then maybe some kind of community service or probation would suffice, provided the individual actually wants to make amends. 🤔

Well, yeah—that sounds like a solid way to handle it to me too.
Fingers crossed. 😁

Arthur Sanders74 said:I’m actually on board with neoncrane64's suggestion—it’s refreshing to see some actual logic being applied here for once. 🙂

I agree. 👍
It feels like a fair approach.

We could even scrap the whole partial ban idea—just have her promise to stay off other boards until she's cleared.
Posting elsewhere usually leads to people asking for the ban to be lifted, or some other similar headache...

Ashley Vaughn79 said:Have we finally decided on the ideal age to get married?😁

I suppose there aren't really any right or wrong years... I guess it's just whenever you meet the right person... and that varies for everyone.😁

I guess I'm feeling a bit romantic this morning.😁

Maybe 😁

The thirties. 🤣

Though, realistically, everyone does their own math on it. 🙂

Morgan Newman7 said:It works if people are down for it, and obviously, even better when they actually find someone they want to be with.

Ideally, hitting those milestones by thirty is great—you get your career, kids, and everything else sorted. By the time you hit your 40s, the kids are older, you've got more freedom, and you still have enough energy to chase after grandkids.

👍

Every stage of life has its own merits.

If you settle down earlier, managing kids will be easier since you'll have more physical stamina.
If you wait until later, you should at least have more life experience. 😁

For me, getting married at 30 felt just right. 😁

Gerald Gomez43 said:Hitting my thirties

That’s how it felt to me, too.
Before that, you need a solid relationship lasting a few years, and through your late twenties, you can really enjoy living life to the fullest—especially those first few years after finishing college. 😁

Jason Jones40 said:Once you finish school—I finished at 24—you really ought to enjoy yourself for at least five years. That was my experience with my ex-husband. After college, we were out hitting concerts, going on weekend trips, and skiing all over the place until we finally got burnt out and decided we wanted to settle down and start a family.🍿

For me, the sweet spot for marriage is around 30. That’s when I did it, and it worked out fine.☕

However, looking back on my marriage now, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Relationships aren't always meant to be forever. If you're with someone, you should stay because you want to, not because you signed some legal document with the government thinking it acts as some kind of guarantee for love. Give me a break! 🐔 Once someone starts acting entitled, they know they have you in their grip just because of that paperwork.

If I ever do it again, we won't be signing anything. We'll just head to a beach and exchange vows privately. No crowds, just the sound of the waves, sand under our feet, the sky, and the seagulls as our witnesses. We'll love each other for as long as our love lasts.🙂

👍

Ashley Vaughn79 said:I feel the same way about this idea. It really hits home now that I'm in my 40s and the kids are grown and independent; it stems from the fact that they didn't have those wild experiences in their 20s, so now, in their 40s, they don't even have a clear sense of what they actually missed out on. 😁

Yeah, sure, you can still stay up until dawn in your 40s, but it just doesn't carry the same weight as it did back in your 20s. 😁

Every phase of life serves a purpose.
I have a colleague at work who hit a bit of a rough patch back during his college years—spent a good chunk of his early twenties essentially stuck in the trenches of diaper duty 😁
sad he’s absolutely killing it.
You can always make up for lost time—often ending up even further ahead than you originally planned 😁

71 🍿