There was an interesting theory posed on Reddit (I sneak back there to lurk) that was a bit condescending "I am very smart" but I thought the central premise was actually interesting: this was all an elaborate way to desert since the rumor was they might get absorbed into the regular army and/or not get paid (or maybe they wanted to be assigned to an easier job back in Africa but got threatened so this was their work strike). They had to do it as a group because, individually, they'd have no negotiation power. The feint on Moscow was a show of force to get paid off. So, there was a van packed full of money that was somehow lost and found again in the middle of all this.
That's why the terms are that they get the treason charge dropped and the ones who didn't join just become part of the regular army.
The ones who supposedly "go back" to their staging areas may conveniently melt away/scatter with cash in hand. We'll see if they make it, or get picked up one by one as they try to make an escape. It will be interesting to know what the head count ends up at whatever base or staging area they were supposed to go back to.
Hole in the theory is that they can't expect to just take the pardon and rejoin society without consequences or end up just going back to the front line again rendering the whole thing pointless (unless they just wanted the money, being mercenaries).
If the desertion theory has any credence, that's still good for Ukraine, as Russia loses a chunk of fighting force either way and if news of this deal gets out to the regular army, others may think about using this method of desertion ("Hey, it worked for those guys...") Either way, a squad or platoon can't desert without getting mopped up but a battalion or division deserting will have a lot of leverage.
Also, backups: the controller doesn't bother me that much UNLESS they had no redundancies for it failing plus checklists. I.E. controller battery dies, use second controller, use wired controller, use control screen, etc. And backup mechanical linkages for critical stuff. I don't know the details but if they lacked these things, then they are (were) definitely morons.
A spectroradiometer for display calibration (Colorimetry Research or equivalent) and Minolta colorimeter
Hobby wise: Not necessarily the pinnacle but a set of Magnepan speakers and an amp good enough to drive them. I just like the sound of them but not necessarily the peak for all enthusiasts.
Also a Stax headphones with a matching high voltage driver. Again, a niche product that isn't at the top of all headphone enthusiasts, but I like them. Alternative, Audeze LCD series. Guess the trend is that I like planars and electrostatics.
Prior to the protest reddit was in full support of the protest. Most polls on subs supported a shutdown. Now, seemingly every community cant understand why the protest was needed and they're calling it a mod power trip. There is a 3rd possibility. This is an unfounded conspiracy but reddit themselves could be manipulating...
Even if I'm not totally off of Reddit, recent events got me out of a rut for a bit and that's good. Already, the threads on Reddit/all seem stale and even in the past 24 hours what I see on kbin and lemmy.world is starting to give me the tingle I hadn't felt since the early Reddit days or even the period before when I used to browse multiple sites so in a way this is going back to my Internet roots, surfing across multiple sites for nuggets and truly browsing and not doom scrolling a single website aggregator. It's a breath of fresh air.
It's like having gotten used to a favorite diner with a massive menu but when the classic joint starts going off the rails, one decides to explore, finding new culinary niches, pop ups, and little shops with unique offerings. It's no longer as convenient, but then again, maybe it shouldn't be.
According to Lukashenko's plan, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation will resign, and Prigozhin will focus on projects in Africa. (twitter.com)
"Debris field" found near Titanic in search for missing sub, U.S. Coast Guard says (www.cbsnews.com)
The sub went missing while carrying five people to the wreckage of the Titanic.
What piece of kit or setup represents the pinnacle of your hobby/profession?
Even if it's not expensive, Is there a high quality item every serious enthusiast owns?...
Apple discontinuing Apple Card financing for phones without carrier connection (9to5mac.com)
Did the reddit hivemind do a 180 or are the people left behind just the people who don't care.
Prior to the protest reddit was in full support of the protest. Most polls on subs supported a shutdown. Now, seemingly every community cant understand why the protest was needed and they're calling it a mod power trip. There is a 3rd possibility. This is an unfounded conspiracy but reddit themselves could be manipulating...