https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-economy-worse-shape-than-moscow-says-report-eu-shows-2025-05-13/ The report, prepared for talks of European Union finance ministers, said that while still relatively stable, the Russian economy was only superficially resilient and that underlying imbalances and structural weaknesses were growing. "The fiscal stimulus of the war economy has kept the economy afloat in the short term, but the reliance on opaque financing, distortionary resource allocation, and shrinking fiscal buffers makes it unsustainable in the long term. Contrary to Kremlin narratives, time is not on Russia's side," it said.

@Mik That is a good point. I remember hearing a CEO who said, "the only decisions I SHOULD make are those that nobody else CAN make."

Thanks. That worked.

Brain worms.

Those were completely different times that didn't require the level of nuance we need now.

@cathys said in We didn't have a Mothers' Day thread.: I know I don't post a lot but I'm still here Yay!!!

@LuFins-Dad said in Not to brag but: Throw any chin music to back the little bastards off the plate? Absolutely

@Horace LOL. Got bad reviews because of lack of AC and indoor plumbing, plus having to walk to the top of the hill to get to it.

Wonderful equipment Mark. The hifi store I worked carried Heco and Sonos speakers. Sounded great with the right system driving them. Usually used a MacIntosh for amplication although a Greek Zacharidis tube amp also sound good. Sonos and Harbeth speakers sounded best to me.

Like I said… 2 decades….

All those videos are fun! Thanks!

I was dumping boxes of ancient essays and academic crap recently. I was amazed how articulate and smart I seemed on paper 30-40 yrs ago. I still have occasional nightmares of being called out, being hauled in front of a committee of professors for not citing a reference for something I wrote …

Funny my son watched it last night too. I still haven’t seen it.

@Doctor-Phibes .. There was a reason we planned that pregnancy for the US … #1 I wanted that epidural from the get go .. not an option in Canada. #2 I wanted a fully (aka board) certified Obstetrician as my doctor throughout my pregnancy & immediately post and no one else, also a Pediatrician post .. again not possible here. I wanted choice choosing who those doctors would be too .. LOL, no choice here. #3 I hoped for a C-Section and just knew that could be easier to ‘arrange’ in the U.S. #4 I was well over 30 and wanted easy access to any and every prenatal genetic/diagnostic screening method available … again, not possible here. #5 I needed reassurance there’d be top tier NICU services available if need be without the staffing/funding/capacity Canadian B.S. I well knew working in that system.

Well to be fair, they did take a poll

Ha. I’ll try it