I hope that this is just a misunderstood pun?

Surely it’d be cheaper for them to switch to a more common media like cheap, crappy flash drives than sourcing out floppy drives?

I remember having to juggle something like 6 floppy disks just to load Dune II on our family’s old, hand-me-down Amiga 2000 back in the early-to-mid 90s. How is this still a fucking things 30+ years later?!

You are incorrectly conflating two different things:

The word holocaust existed in the English language prior to the 1930s, and was only later appropriated into the proper noun you reference to describe the Nazi’s systematic persecution and extermination of Jews, Poles, Romani and other ‘undesirable’ minority groups.

It derives from the Ancient Greek words “whole” (holos) & “burnt” (kaustos); and was used to describe large-scale destruction, either literally by fire, or figuratively as a descriptor for widespread ruin.

I used it intentionally to draw the attention to the similarities between the crimes that Israel are now perpetrating on the Palestinian people, to those perpetrated on Jews by Nazi Germany in the 30s & 40s.

Modern day Israel does not have exclusive rights to the term, nor the ability to use it as a bulwark against criticism for their current barbarism.

genocide holocaust

You remember those old “In Soviet Russia” backwards jokes? It’s like that, but unironically.

Putin has consolidated power to the point that he doesn’t serve at the behest of Russian billionaires; they only exist due to his whims - and they can cease to exist just as quickly.

‘Blowout’ by Rachel Maddow touches on this, it’s an interesting read/listen.

I agree that the 600K figure is a mis-read of the article; however:

According to figures from Ukraine's General Staff, Russia has lost 217,440 troops since Jan. 1, 2025.

The discrepancy tallies with Western analysis of Russia's staggering losses.

"They lose somewhere in the ballpark of 35,000 to 45,000 people per month, and perhaps they recruit a little bit north of that number," George Barros, Russia team lead at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), told the Kyiv Independent earlier this month.

I am generally inclined to believe Ukraine’s official figures of over 1 million dead, injured or captured Russian soldiers so far in this “3 day special military operation”.

I agree with each and every point that you’ve made above, however I disagree with your original statement that Iran is a paper tiger.

A paper tiger would have crumpled already under that level of sustained pressure. For better or worse (and I would definitely argue the latter), Iran is far tougher than we in the West tend to give them credit for.

We can only hope, and to add Putin’s name to that list.

Based AF Symmetry: Poland 🇵🇱 and Indonesia 🇮🇩

Fuck me, that’s somehow creepier than it has any right to be.

Are there any region-free 4K blu-ray drives available? I’m asking for a friend.

That definitely may have been the case post-‘70s oil crisis, but it does feel as though the current Bibi administration has gone feral.

The US is not going to ever admit that it has lost control of the leash, as doing so would probably hurt them more than tacitly endorsing the genocide - but I still would argue that fear is one of the primary driving factors.

I honestly think that the primary reason more Western Governments refrained from speaking out against Israel isn’t tacit support, but rather fear.

Israel is a nuclear armed nation with a notoriously efficient spy network (Mossad), finances, and next to no scruples.

I legitimately wouldn’t put it past them hold blackmail material against a large number of world leaders, or at the very least have credible plans to stage a false-flag dirty bomb explosion anywhere they see fit.

It’s the only cope I have as to why so much of the world remains paralysed while the Palestinian people of Gaza are systematically eradicated.

I’m an Australian, so I feel kinship with Canadians over this entire issue.

I wasn’t being serious in the argument, rather using absurdism to point out that the entire “Canada as the 52st state” is unworkable - and would gloriously blow up in Trump and the republicans face.

It’s honestly a much less stressful thought exercise than the potential balkanisation of the United States - nuclear power experiencing a civil war would not turn out well for anyone.

2 quick points;

1. I’m not American and I don’t want to see Canadians lose their sovereignty.

2. I was using argumentum ad absurdism to point out that this entire “proposal” would be self-defeating for Trump and the Republicans. It’s an absolute non-starter.

At least make the offer enticing, give Canada the option to join as 10 states (one per province); giving them an allotment of the 435 house seats and 20 senators.

I’m pretty sure that would be more than enough to swing the house, senate and presidency towards the left for the next few generations at least.

Canada could literally save the US if that were the case.

It’s a Walken comma:

https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/pictrs/image/2da9a8ae-1aaf-4e63-a074-b83a46dcc73c.webp

This mental image popped into my head, after reading your comment. Now you get to enjoy it too, wAaHhh!