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Belarus maybe.
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Jul 3, 2014 07:43
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spankmeister posted:Belarus maybe. Azerbaijan has a rather hilarious cult of personality and pretty serious political repression, but that's less about truly totalitarian government and more about staying in power as long as possible to get as rich as possible. Same thing is the case in several of the former Soviet 'Stans, most notably Turkmenistan. But really other than NK you'd be hard pressed to find a truly totalitarian state these days...everyone else just falls somewhere on the spectrum between authoritarian and totalitarian, and even then the ruling class in NK doesn't give a poo poo about any of their bullshit, they're just doing the same "stay in power as long as possible to get as rich as possible" thing as the countries listed above.
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Jul 3, 2014 09:02
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Saudi Arabia
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Jul 3, 2014 14:09
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iyaayas01 posted:Azerbaijan has a rather hilarious cult of personality and pretty serious political repression, but that's less about truly totalitarian government and more about staying in power as long as possible to get as rich as possible. Same thing is the case in several of the former Soviet 'Stans, most notably Turkmenistan. With the ruling class in North Korea it's more stay in power so they have food to eat. It's the worst humanitarian crisis in the world bar perhaps sub-Saharan Africa.
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Jul 3, 2014 14:19
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Ethiopia and Eritrea are both unbelievably totalitarian; like on the level of North Korea and perhaps further in some aspects. But they're in Africa so nobody cares.
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Jul 3, 2014 20:04
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MrChips posted:Ethiopia and Eritrea are both unbelievably totalitarian; like on the level of North Korea and perhaps further in some aspects. But they're in Africa so nobody cares. Isn't Eritrea the one that "taxes" a percentage of all their ex-pats income to go directly to the dictator on the assumption that bad things will happen to their families back home if they don't pay?
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Jul 3, 2014 20:19
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As of last month, the CIA has an official twitter account. Bizzaro nature of the whole idea aside, they've been posting U2 artifacts and documents all week to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the platform. Personally, I'm hoping they go all the way with this: quote:@CIA: @MullahFazlullah u just got hellfired bro, u mad?
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Jul 3, 2014 21:43
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quote:@CIA: @ToraBoraBestBora lol in ur base killin ur doodz edit: quote:@CIA: @Radda_al_Bayda let's raise the roof on this wedding Cyrano4747 fucked around with this message at 22:00 on Jul 3, 2014 |
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Jul 3, 2014 21:56
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This AVX entry for an Army helicopter contract is really weird. For some reason it looks like it should be flying in the opposite direction. I'm not saying it's a bad design, there's just something about it that looks like a highly unpopular G.I. Joe toy. Also be sure to watch the video for some great 1990s CGI:
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Jul 3, 2014 22:16
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^^^I too enjoy being sucked into a ducted fan when I use the side door.quote:@CIA: Got your room ready. Hope you like force-feeding! RT@HMPrisonSvc: the @ECtHR has lifted its injunction against extraditing @AbuHamza #Gitmo quote:@CIA: @ContraNicaragua please unfollow me an stop retweeting. It's over. quote:@CIA: Just passed @TheRealSoleimani in the hall at Iraqi Army HQ. No eye contact. Lol, Awkward! #frenemies? Dead Reckoning fucked around with this message at 23:14 on Jul 3, 2014 |
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Jul 3, 2014 22:46
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Mr Luxury Yacht posted:Isn't Eritrea the one that "taxes" a percentage of all their ex-pats income to go directly to the dictator on the assumption that bad things will happen to their families back home if they don't pay? No, that's the US.
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Jul 3, 2014 23:11
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MrChips posted:Ethiopia and Eritrea are both unbelievably totalitarian; like on the level of North Korea and perhaps further in some aspects. But they're in Africa so nobody cares. poo poo you're right, I can't believe I forgot Eritrea. I dunno if I'd classify Ethiopia as totalitarian since it doesn't really have the cult of personality aspect (don't get me wrong, the government is still horribly repressive so I'm really playing semantics here) but holy poo poo, Eritrea and the PFDJ is like something out of a bad movie. Also quote:@al-Balawi: @CIA dusted bro
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Jul 4, 2014 01:57
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Zimbabwe. A bit less so since Mugabe lost his own rigged election though. There's a bunch of states in Africa which would probably qualify better if the central government were more powerful than a little league coach. Mortabis fucked around with this message at 02:26 on Jul 4, 2014 |
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Jul 4, 2014 02:23
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Mortabis posted:Zimbabwe. A bit less so since Mugabe lost his own rigged election though. Losing an election you rigged is truly a new level of incompetence.
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Jul 4, 2014 03:01
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The entire F-35 fleet is grounded. I post this less as a "lol F-35" post and more as another example of a plane that's already unpopular hitting the news in a bad way.
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Jul 4, 2014 03:55
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You know a place is completely hosed up when Human Rights Watch hangs a "most repressive" title on them.
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Jul 4, 2014 03:56
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mlmp08 posted:The entire F-35 fleet is grounded. I post this less as a "lol F-35" post and more as another example of a plane that's already unpopular hitting the news in a bad way. I heard something about that in a news blurb, the engine caught fire in one? Is there a shakedown related reason? Thought the single engine was so reliable now we don't neeeeeed 2 engines for arctic patrol etc etc
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Jul 4, 2014 04:01
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There have apparently been fire issues for a while, but in the process of going that route, something decided to rip out the spine of one of the jets.
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Jul 4, 2014 04:02
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They don't yet know what caused the engine to catch fire. It did so on the tarmac/runway, and the pilot got out without ejecting, and AFAIK, the engine was put out in a timely manner.
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Jul 4, 2014 04:02
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Somewhere, someone is about to launch a gloatfest over the second engine option
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Jul 4, 2014 04:27
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mlmp08 posted:They don't yet know what caused the engine to catch fire. It did so on the tarmac/runway, and the pilot got out without ejecting, and AFAIK, the engine was put out in a timely manner. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/02/us-lockheed-fighter-inspections-idUKKBN0F72F020140702 posted:The incident involved the third stage of the F135 engine built by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, for all three models of the new warplane, the sources said. "The engine ripped through the top of the plane," one said. Third stage fan...again...sounds familiar.........more ellipsis... http://aviationweek.com/defense/f-35-engine-fan-blows-during-f135-trial
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Jul 4, 2014 04:28
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The engine just wanted to be freed from the shackles of that ugly, ugly plane.
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Jul 4, 2014 12:54
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priznat posted:I heard something about that in a news blurb, the engine caught fire in one? Is there a shakedown related reason? This thing has to be the biggest boondoggle in the history of military development boondoggles. Some of the things I've read about it; - The stealth coating peels off in flight. - It's limited to carrying only four missiles internally to maintain its stealth profile, which is shittier than the F22's stealth profile to begin with. To carry more ordnance you lose the stealth which brings us to the next problem. - It has less range, a lower speed, slower climb rate and is less maneuverable than its contemporaries. So if you do carry more bombs and forgo stealth you are at a complete disadvantage. Basically the entire design has been hosed with the compromises forced on it by the stupid marine VTOL requirement. Why do people even listen to the marines? It disgusts me to see torie shitheel Tony Abbott committing Australia to purchasing more of these shitheaps and doing it by gutting our world class welfare system. We should be pulling out of this train wreck and buying a good plane that would meet our countries needs like the Rafale or Grippen. Or gently caress even just upgrade and expand our F/A18 fleet to incorporate some of the EW models. Execu-speak fucked around with this message at 13:08 on Jul 4, 2014 |
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Jul 4, 2014 13:03
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Execu-speak posted:F/A18 fleet to incorporate some of the EW models. We are already doing that.
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Jul 4, 2014 13:33
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iyaayas01 posted:Azerbaijan has a rather hilarious cult of personality Gurpgork
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Jul 4, 2014 14:55
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Execu-speak posted:It disgusts me to see torie shitheel Tony Abbott committing Australia to purchasing more of these shitheaps and doing it by gutting our world class welfare system. Jesus, really? That is like cartoon villain level. That's some straight-up Eisenhower farewell speech poo poo. Can you really directly link social welfare cuts to the F-35 purchase in Australia?
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Jul 4, 2014 15:27
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Arglebargle III posted:Jesus, really? That is like cartoon villain level. That's some straight-up Eisenhower farewell speech poo poo. Can you really directly link social welfare cuts to the F-35 purchase in Australia? In the same fortnight he announced expanding our buy in the JSF program his government released a budget designed to rip funds out of welfare/education/healthcare.
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Jul 4, 2014 15:40
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Arglebargle III posted:Jesus, really? That is like cartoon villain level. That's some straight-up Eisenhower farewell speech poo poo. Can you really directly link social welfare cuts to the F-35 purchase in Australia? Modern Commonwealth Politics, really Canada recently gutted its environmental laws protecting lakes and ponds because the Conservatives didn't want laws to interfere with their friend's oil pipeline construction Some places retained the laws - they were all in conservative districts
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Jul 4, 2014 16:36
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Execu-speak posted:It disgusts me to see torie shitheel Tony Abbott committing Australia to purchasing more of these shitheaps and doing it by gutting our world class welfare system. We should be pulling out of this train wreck and buying a good plane that would meet our countries needs like the Rafale or Grippen. Or gently caress even just upgrade and expand our F/A18 fleet to incorporate some of the EW models. The Australian Financial Review says the F-35 is better because: quote:First, history. The Menzies government’s 1963 purchase of the F-111 aircraft faced cost blowouts and a decade of delays which, like the JSF delays, forced the then government to acquire interim fighters. Yet the F-111 proved one of the country’s most effective and durable aircraft. Technical difficulties and cost blowouts in aircraft development are common and are irrelevant to the eventual operational performance of the delivered aircraft. These arguments are funny. The F-111's maintenance cost is what eventually killed it and it was never sent in actual combat. The commitment argument is herd mentality. Combat realities ignore that radars can be detected passively, no matter how stealthy you are, and effective BVR combat will often be forbidden by rules of engagement, since if you're not in a total war, shooting down a non-enemy aircraft is kind of frowned upon and you will need to confirm target identity before you open fire. Fourth argument is funny because honestly how is "you will also need other planes" an argument in favor of the JSF at all? Oh well, good thing the F-35 will finally be there to pioneer radical new technologies never before seen onboard jet fighters, such as link 16 or in-flight refueling. All these air forces who had bought costly AWACS and tankers in the past and never got to use them because the F-35 Lightning II was not yet available must have felt pretty dumb. Finally, about the US Hornet history, he forgot the RAAF had five squadrons flying over a hundred Mirages III up to the late 80s. Also he spells "Gripen" wrong.
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Jul 4, 2014 17:40
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How do you punish a corporation that has gone far over budget and delivered a substandard product that is at present grounded? By trying to woo more of their business for a new bomber program and give them nearly a half a bil tax break! http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bomber-tax-break-20140704-story.html quote:The tax credit, argued Lockheed Vice President Gregory M. Ulmer, would help prepare a lower-cost bid. However, he didn't rule out the possibility that Lockheed would build the planes in other states, if California failed to pass the incentive bill quickly. loving 
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Jul 4, 2014 17:45
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 Makes me laugh every time I see it.
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Jul 4, 2014 18:09
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I'm disappointed it wasn't in the movie.
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Jul 4, 2014 18:16
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benito posted:This AVX entry for an Army helicopter contract is really weird. For some reason it looks like it should be flying in the opposite direction. I'm not saying it's a bad design, there's just something about it that looks like a highly unpopular G.I. Joe toy. Also be sure to watch the video for some great 1990s CGI: They also want to upgrade the OH-58D Kiowa with a two rotor/two ducted fan design. It also has a pretty awesome video. http://www.avxaircraft.com/oh-58f-avx-modification/
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Jul 4, 2014 18:41
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Loses the Mast Mounted Sight? LAME. Peeking over trees is cool as heck. Also MD500 NOTAR already exists.
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Jul 4, 2014 19:06
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So some old lady broke a bottle of whisky on a large boat today.
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Jul 4, 2014 19:13
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Pablo Bluth posted:So some old lady broke a bottle of whisky on a large boat today. "Sooooo...have you gotten any planes for it yet?"
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Jul 4, 2014 19:21
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The British certainly have recent experience with building and operating marine nuclear reactors. If the primary purpose of a carrier is long-range force projection, does anyone know why they chose conventional propulsion for their new one?
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Jul 4, 2014 19:22
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If Scotland does vote for independence, we're going to face a serious issue of where to house our nuclear subs. So probably a combination of cost and hassle. Given the amount of time these are going to be around for, I do believe the failure to make for an affordable conversion to cats and traps will come continue to hurt us down the road. Not just over the eternal F35B vs F35C but for the limiting effect it'll have on future procurement.
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Jul 4, 2014 19:31
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hogmartin posted:The British certainly have recent experience with building and operating marine nuclear reactors. If the primary purpose of a carrier is long-range force projection, does anyone know why they chose conventional propulsion for their new one? Really really expensive, I imagine.
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Jul 4, 2014 19:34
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'Queen Elizabeth' is a silly name for a warship
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Jul 4, 2014 19:35
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