AngusThermopyle

Sure it is, nonetheless I believe it to be far more credible than for instance someone posting someone else's comment from some other Forum. After all, what kind of person would believe an opinion in a forum post to be a credible source?

Once upon a time it was. Changing times demand changing roles, except in Russia.

Yep, thats the puppy. I figure it can't be that great or we wouldn't have given it to China. If it was all that then I'm pretty sure the US would have it or some variant of it.

Not when I received my Citizenship back in the 70's. You got a laminated card, maybe they do now though, not that its important really.

Holy shit! I cant believe someone brought this old dog back to life. Something must be happening that requires more Native propaganda and lies to justify it. Who knows? Tire fire anyone!

Of course not, it was a ship, a revolutionary one at that. However it can not be denied that a key facet of the design was the foils. apart from their dimensions they were wings that penetrated the surface of the water and generated lift in an identical fashion to that of aircraft wings. She did indeed fly, unlike later Hydrofoil designs which left the aft part of the hull in the water the Bras D'Or's hull was fully airborne at speed. So, she wasn't really a ship in the conventional sense, nor was she an aircraft in the conventional sense. She was something else that embodied the basic principles of both. Hence the reason her Skipper was an RCAF pilot.

Actually if you'd lived in England back in the sixties you'd see just how pertinent that movie was. It wasn't just some imaginary piece, it was an attempt to forecast society. The whole gang thing actually isn't the thrust of the movie, its the commentary on society and the evolution (or devolution) of political systems that is the focus of the movie. I think you missed the whole point of it from what you're saying, perhaps watch it again with your focus more on those area's. The whole gang thing in Clockwork Orange wasn't that different from reality at the time. Sure they used scooters, by mocking this facet you are just showing that you don't know the reality of life in Europe at that time, a time when most people still did not own vehicles. For the youth of that time a scooter was equivalent to what a sub compact car would be today. Tell me, does it hurt less to be placed in intensive care by a gang on scooters? How bout those Skin Heads? Just a lovely bunch of young men. Keep in mind, the violence perpetrated by these amongst others was not just something that happened now and then, say during a strike for instance. It was an everyday fact of life, something you lived with each time you stepped outside the door. As for the educational value of porn. Well perhaps it holds educational value for you but it has pretty much none for me. Now, on a different note. Both of the movies you mentioned are actually very good. Day of the Jackal left me cold the first time I saw it, but I was just a kid who didn't even know who DeGaulle was. Upon watching it again when I was older I gained a whole new appreciation for the movie. One I really enjoyed was The Straw Dogs, early Dustin Hoffman with a tense and surprising ending. I've been looking for it for years but haven't found it. Now I think about it I bet its available at Amazon.

Now this is interesting, I've mentioned these torps before. Yes China has them, Canada gave them to China. Didn't know that did you? It was a Canadian who stole the plans for them, I believe it was that bonehead Trudeau who gave them to the Chinese. (May be wrong about the Trudeau part)

And the same could be said of the majority of NATO countries. Put NATO together and you don't just have "a force to reckoned with", you have a force that does the reckoning. If that were not so then Russia would not tread lightly around NATO, they know they can't beat them.

Ah yes, the "Wing In Ground" concept, they are very interesting. The biggest drawback is, as you mentioned, sea state. If the sea state is too high they can't operate. Still not a hydrofoil though, more a ground effect type of thing. The Bras D'Or was a true hydrofoil raising the entire ships hull into the air by using the foils, which are actually inverted wings that penetrate the surface of the water. They work in exactly the same manner as an aircraft wing does. She was amazing, she actually still holds the world speed record in her category, I think she did something like 79 mph, pretty impressive for a warship actually, and she did fly. As usual though just as she'd finished her sea trials and was ready to go into production the government scrapped the program as a matter of political expediency. I bet we could have sold a ton of these things if we'd only built them. I used to see her every day on my way to work when I lived in Dartmouth, her foils had protective houses built around them but her hull was plainly visible from the McDonald bridge. Actually the Athabascan had her main engine in her as the port main.

That is an excellent article. Hey Myata! Read this article. It will be interesting to see what spin can be put on it to make it into a Russia good Georgia bad article.

Yeah yeah, thats nice. The West having 100% of its forces as volunteers and therefore professionals just can't compare to that 30% eh. Russian equipment is substandard and in many cases obsolete. You keep kidding yourself as to how good that stuff is, at least you'll believe it even if no one else does. The simple fact is that Russia never produced equipment that was on par with the West. This has only gotten worse since the collapse. New tech, it just doesn't exist in Russia.

I'll bet you'll have to check it again, now that Putin is showing his true colours and getting Russia back on the road to becoming the USSR again. So which small country will he invade next? What blatantly overt ruse will he use this time, more passports of convenience? Sure, Russia is good at f*cking up small countries with small militaries. The West standing by helplessly is just needless rhetoric, actually it almost sounds like you relish the prospect of a scrap between Russia and the West. If things warranted the west stepping in the best thing Russia could do would be to capitulate. Thats better than having their asses handed to them anyway.

I hate to do this to you man...but can you provide a reference for that? a link, a cite, a remebered quote based on what your friend said when you guys were having a few wets last weekend? How do you know what China agree's to or not? Thats just your opinion, nothing more, nothing less. All that really counts is what appears on the stage of world opinion. In this case what appears is not at all what you would like to convince people of, instead what is appearing is a steady stream of condemnation and lack of support from even those most likely to support the USSR (sorry, couldn't resist that).

Very good point. It really can't be refuted by any rational basis.

Would a flying ship qualify for this thread? It should, her skipper was a pilot. The Bras D'or, one of the nicest looking ships ever built, and as significant as the Arrow was. She's So Pretty

Very very true. It won't remain untouched forever, personally I believe it would be better if we controlled it than say for instance Russia.

Or it could be born of indifference, however refusal of a direct request is an entirely different matter.

I have noticed one point on which I agree with you, I don't like Bush either. However I see that as no reason to support someone like Putin who is far worse than Bush. They're both reprehensible human beings, the difference being one of degree's of significance.

You miss the point. The point being that he is no more deceptive than any of our other Prime Ministers have been. However it appears that one of the "brain wash" points so many are sucked in by is that he is a master of deception, what a crock of sh*t. He is no more deceptive than any number of former Prime Ministers have been in the past.

So mine was better? Yay!!!

Wow! Another first for Russia! Not! Face it, for the most part Russian military equipment is very second rate, if that. As for their conscripts, well we won't even get into that.

You're really reaching now. Actually on the world stage refusal to support is seen as a form of condemnation. Especially in this case as the support that was sought was merely verbal, not physical. Once again you prove your inability to admit when you are wrong. Thats a hell of a weakness to cart through life.

Its common practice to use Naval ships for humanitarian aid, Canada does it all the time. Why the hell should they get out of a port that is not Russian, especially when they are welcomed by the government that owns the port?

Okay I will. Our current government is nothing but a thinly veiled doppelganger of Natzi'ish Hitlerian proportions. Hell! The Prime Minister even eats kittens and beats his cabinet members daily. Not to mention how he wants to execute everyone who doesn't wear a cowboy hat! He also wants to ban thongs on pain of death. There. was that good enough, or should I give it another try?