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July 26, 2022
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-115
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dh 98
If you want to laugh yourself into hysteria, read the comments on that dêbacle at the guardian.
Posted by: ThusspakeZarathustra | Jul 26 2022 19:52 utc | 101
@dh | Jul 26 2022 19:30 utc | 98
Looks like Putin sabotaged the UK leadership debate…
“>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62313261
Novichok undoubtedly …
Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 26 2022 19:56 utc | 102
Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 26 2022 16:18 utc | 78
Re:’remembering it as an idyllic time:
1. When we are old, our time of youth is seen as idyllic. Perhaps delusion, perhaps mortal human nature. (Perhaps both!)
2. Our world’s only 60 years ago were far more natural. Idyllic.
3. Much of the modern world seems like a mental projection imposed on external physical reality. It’s a bit like living in the slots zone of a casino. Yes, fortunes can be made but no, not idyllic!
I liked that old Robert Redford film Electric Cowboy.
I liked the cousins vignette. Very real. What journeys we have all been on since those days eh? Thanks…
Dmitry Medvedev
The entire current policy of Europeans in the Russian direction is a disgusting cocktail of arrogant rudeness, teenage infantilism and primitive stupidity.
First, they announced their intention to severely punish Russia for its desire to protect suffering people and ensure its long-term interests. We decided, as usual, to tear the Russian economy to shreds. Deprive money from energy exports. And they imposed total sanctions on everything that burns. Take it!
It doesn’t matter that Europe has a huge industry, developed agriculture, and the citizens of the European Union want to live in warm houses with water. The main thing is to let the Russians suffer.
Then they realized it… They remembered that no one canceled the winter, and alternative supplies of gas, oil and coal are expensive or simply unrealistic. Realized how difficult it is to sit on three chairs. Like we help Ukraine and harm Russia, but our own economy and people are also not strangers.
All in all, it didn’t work out well. Zhovto-Blakit hysteria provoked severe diarrhea from the fear of freezing in their cold dwellings, looking out the frosty window at the fading production. True, European wise men offer to treat diarrhea with a proven medicine: increasing the supply of weapons to the Kiev regime and the war to a victorious end. Oh well. The cold is coming soon…
(Zhovto-Blakit – Yellow-Blue – Ukrainian flag)
Posted by: ostro | Jul 26 2022 20:11 utc | 105
Posted by: ostro | Jul 26 2022 20:11 utc | 105
I have yet to see anything unfold to dissuade me that we are in the middle of a deliberate collapse.
Posted by: Scorpion | Jul 26 2022 20:20 utc | 107
———-
You sanction, we sanction…😏
Posted by: ostro | Jul 26 2022 20:24 utc | 108
Maria Zakharova
It was only in the morning that I discussed with my colleague what kind of monstrous nonsense about Russia the candidates for the post of prime minister are talking about in the “debates” in Britain.
We discussed whether it was an innovation or an English tradition.
And here you are – the host of this terrible action fainted after another mind-blowing stupidity by Liz Truss.
No director could come up with a better climax.
Posted by: ostro | Jul 26 2022 20:32 utc | 109
From Twitter (By LauraAboli)
Three large American multinationals bought 17 million hectares of Ukrainian agricultural land.
These are Cargill, Dupont and Monsanto (which is officially German-Australian but with American capital). Five percent of Ukrainian agricultural land was subsequently purchased by the Chinese state. For comparison, the whole of Italy has 16.7 million hectares of agricultural land.
In short, three American companies bought more useful agricultural land in Ukraine than the whole of Italy.
Among the main shareholders of these three companies are Vanguard, Blackrock, Blackstone.
So the poorer Ukranians are dying to save the “investments” of US firms. Who would have thought it – particularly as I also thought all land was “State” owned.
Meanwhile zelensky is doing photo shoots with his wife for Vogue.
****
About houses.
I bought a house in France built before 1893 (earlist date known). Built in the “standard” pattern of stone farm houses of the period, and “updated” to be residential during the following periods.
One thing of note is that it is exactly 12.5 degrees off being square on a N-S-E-W axis. This makes a lot of difference, as when the sun rises it falls on the North East (NEE) Wall. During the morning the sun moves around to the South-east (SEE), followed by the South (on the corner) to South West (SWW) in the afternoon, and the North-West in the evening.
In other words the sun falls on all FOUR faces of the rectangle during the day. Sunrise on the coldest, most exposed wall. Morning for the Kitchen. During the day and afternoon for the “living room. Which gives a shaded area on one side from about 4pm, and a pleasant evening.
Was this design or “accident”?. I don’t know. Though it is ideal so I suspect it was by design. There would not have been many houses nearby when it was built, even the road in front has been modified.
(other details; the Kitchen has 80 cm thick walls and averages 16°C minimum to 18°C max during the year without heating being on. So the thermic mass is consequent. The top of the house does get warmer during the summer.
(Just for the history, there were still 32 straw mattresses left over from the war in the house when I bought it in the 80’s. It was also a bit of a wreck. If it had been a boat it would have sunk from the leaks)
****
Cats (or dogs) can be reasonable foot warmers, but they usually try to take over ALL the bed by lying sideways across it.
Posted by: Stonebird | Jul 26 2022 21:04 utc | 110
Sounds like a comfortable, homey abode Stonebird.
Indian Punchline has an entertaining article on the grain situation up.
Posted by: the pessimist | Jul 26 2022 21:12 utc | 111
Meanwhile, zelensky is doing photo-ops with his wife for Vogue. But where exactly are they – in Kiev? seems odd. (and zelensky seems a bit younger, could be post-dated for PR effect)
https://twitter.com/spriteer_774400/status/1552033002053681154?cxt=HHwWhIC-8dry9okrAAAA
Posted by: Stonebird | Jul 26 2022 21:21 utc | 112
US officials say ‘biggest fear’ has come true as Russia cuts gas supplies to Europe CNN whines…
The Biden administration is working furiously behind the scenes to keep European allies united against Russia as Moscow further cuts its energy supplies to the European Union, prompting panic on both sides of the Atlantic over potentially severe gas shortages heading into winter, US officials say.
Posted by: ostro | Jul 26 2022 21:22 utc | 113
Some light entertainment (thanks to the Punchline article)
Posted by: the pessimist | Jul 26 2022 21:54 utc | 114
Posted by: Stonebird | Jul 26 2022 21:04 utc | 110
No doubt by design. And no doubt a good well or stream nearby… People knew a lot of stuff that has been wiped away by progressive politics and media ‘programming.’
So Z really did a 3 musketeers comedy film in 2005 (playing D’Artagnan) with 3 women as the musketeers. 3.5 stars out of 10 – so not much has changed…
Posted by: the pessimist | Jul 26 2022 22:00 utc | 116
Exile @ 93
House was built by a family of carpenters for one of their own who had just married. Built tight as a drum. The family only stayed there ten years, sold to a musician. Who was smart enough to know he knew nothing but music. The carpenter family occupied several other houses on same block and they were always used for all maintenance and repairs. Light update to kitchen and bath in 1948. Otherwise original, never messed with. Son of the 1938 buyer lives there. I took over maintenance 2004.
Oh, there is one heat source in winter when unoccupied. The water heater is left on in the basement. With no one using hot water it does not cycle often. I have been over there to check on things when it was negative 15 Fahrenheit and never a problem. In summer open basement door and attic windows, cool air lofts through the house. I know other houses that do similar, this one is best because it was built serious and never compromised.
The two flat I am renting in built by same carpenters in 1910. It has had bad owners. Still do see all sorts of small touches everywhere that keep the place going. Good work lasts.
Posted by: oldhippie | Jul 26 2022 22:34 utc | 117
As bloomberg content is now behind a paywall, can anyone confirm whether the story that Russia will keep gas flows to Europe at 20% until sanctions are removed is true?
Posted by: Oh | Jul 26 2022 23:32 utc | 118
I think rk has a post about Poles being killed near the top, and then this one is about the only “Ukraine” post on this Ukraine thread:
Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of a special military operation on the territory of Ukraine (26072022)
More than 40 mercenaries, most of them Poles, were killed by a strike of high-precision air-based missiles at the temporary deployment point of the units of the “Foreign Legion” in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
As a result of strikes with precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the area of Nikolaev, the artillery division of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was eliminated, the losses of personnel and weapons of which exceeded 70 percent.
As a result of the strike of the operational-tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces on the combat positions of the battalion of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the village of Zaitsevo of the Donetsk People’s Republic, more than 70 nationalists and an ammunition depot were destroyed.
During the day, eight control points were hit, including units of the 14th mechanized Brigade in the Sol region of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the 28th mechanized and 79th airborne assault brigades in the Nikolaev area, as well as the 61st infantry brigade in the area of the settlement Polygon of the Mykolaiv region.
Destroyed: a launcher of the OSA-AKM anti-aircraft missile system in the Bereznegovatoye area of the Mykolaiv region, AN AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar station in the Yagodnoye area of the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as eight warehouses of rocket and artillery weapons and ammunition in the areas of the settlements of Kulbakino, Yavkino of the Mykolaiv region, Bakhmutskoye, Yakovlevka and Zaitsevo of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
As part of the counter-battery struggle, the following were suppressed during the day: a battery of enemy multiple launch rocket systems “Hurricane”, an artillery battery of howitzers “Hyacinth-B” in the area of Dzerzhinsk of the Donetsk People’s Republic and six platoons of multiple launch rocket systems “Grad” in the areas of Shirokoe, Bereznegovatoye of the Mykolaiv region, Ternovatoye, Yulevka of the Zaporozhye region, Paraskoviyevka, Red of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
In addition, four artillery platoons of D-20 howitzers, seven platoons of self-propelled artillery units “Gvozdika”, as well as nine platoons of D-30 guns in firing positions in the areas of the settlements of Seversk, Dzerzhinsk, Georgievka, Vodiane, Razdolnoye, Perezdnoye, Podgornoye, Severnoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Pershe Travnya of the Dnipropetrovsk region were hit, Novopavlovka, Lull of the Zaporozhye region, Visunsk, Kalinovka of the Mykolaiv region, Pyatigorsk, Skripai and Petrovka of the Kharkiv region.
Two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by Russian air defense means during the day in the areas of the settlements of Dmitrovka, Kharkiv region and Vavilovo, Mykolaiv region.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 260 aircraft, 144 helicopters, 1,613 unmanned aerial vehicles, 358 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4162 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 763 multiple rocket launchers, 3201 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 4481 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed.
Posted by: Summary26072022 | Jul 26 2022 10:17 utc | 20
Please people, b has enough on his plate without having to weed out posts that should be on the “not Ukraine” thread. Have a heart!
Posted by: juliania | Jul 26 2022 23:34 utc | 119
This article by Bhadrakumar nails it. Another part of the first phase of the SMO and how it fits into the much larger Russian strategy to destroy US power
https://www.indianpunchline.com/ukraines-great-game-surfaces-in-transcaucasia/
The SMO that we see is just a very small part the heartland’s overall strategy to destroy the power of the anglo sea people.
In effect, it is yet to sink in that in the geopolitics of the entire Eurasian landmass, the liberation of Mariupol by Russian forces was a pivotal event in the great game, since the Kerch Strait ensures maritime transit from the Black Sea all the way to Moscow and St Petersburg, not to mention the strategic maritime route between the Caspian Sea (via the Volga-Don Canal) to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
Now, to get the “big picture” here, factor in that Volga River also links the Caspian Sea to the Baltic Sea as well as the Northern Sea Route (via the Volga–Baltic Waterway). Suffice to say, Russia has gained control of an integrated system of waterways, which connects the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea to the Baltic and the Northern Sea Route (which is a 4800 km long shipping lane that connects the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean, passing along the Russian coasts of Siberia and the Far East.)
No doubt, it is a stupendous consolidation of the so-called “heartland” — per Sir Halford Mackinder’s theory (1904) that whoever controls Eastern Europe controls the Heartland and controls the “world island.”
Looking back, therefore, there is no question that the reunion of Crimea with the Russian Federation in 2014 was a major setback for the US and NATO. Putin caught Washington and its allies by total surprise. It complicated their objective to integrate Ukraine into the NATO.
To watch this being played out is not just a once in a lifetime event, rather the strategy being used here in this great game and changing of era is something few lifetimes get to see.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2022 23:35 utc | 120
https://archive.ph/aWicE
EU Nations Reach Agreement to Reduce Gas Use for Next Winter
use archive to access bloomberg
Posted by: downtownhaiku | Jul 26 2022 23:38 utc | 121
To watch this being played out is not just a once in a lifetime event, rather the strategy being used here in this great game and changing of era is something few lifetimes get to see.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2022 23:35 utc | 120
It seems every week Putin is effecting yet another major move on the geopolitical Go board continuing what now seems an inexorable rise of a new Eurasian Civilization whilst week after week the West has little to offer in reply apart from minor progress with paperwork muddles involving an important turbine here or the shipment of several truckloads of weapons there, with economic recession or depression looming and no way, seemingly, to avoid them.
The world now is so unbalanced it is hard not to be triggered into cognitive dissonance.
It cannot long continue this way for the West, which is perhaps a little cold comfort, but Eurasia is looking forward and upwards for the foreseeable future…
@120 Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2022 23:35 utc
Yes, agreed, that is a superb article from Bhadrakumar. Great observations from you, many thanks.
~~
On a tangent, I’ve thought for some time that if there’s a place in this world that offers both sanctuary and the promise of a terrific future, building a house somewhere along the Caspian shores would be an interesting choice 🙂
Posted by: Grieved | Jul 27 2022 0:12 utc | 123
SMO 2 has settled down to the clinical and methodical destruction of those Ukrainians that have drank the anglo kool aid and go to the front lines. Rus MoD clobber sheet is now but a record of some of that destruction.
SMO second phase is also what Ritter would term a pinning operation. It keeps the anglo powers transfixed while Russia and China go about the larger operation of taking the world out from under the US hegemonic blanket. EU now has little more relevance than a heap of used condoms held together by a garbage bag.
US trying to create an anti China nato in the Asia pacific. Like an eighty year old whore with a bit of lipstick trying to…
When Russia moved into Syria to disrupt the anglo zionist games, all roads led to Moscow. Again with The SMO and the much larger unannounced Russian operation, all roads lead to Moscow.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 0:20 utc | 124
Antonovsky bridge in Kherson getting pounded again. So much for the S400-Pantsir-Buk networked super-SAM system that can shoot down HIMAR rockets with ease…
https://twitter.com/JimmySecUK/status/1552047728213082113
Some claims flying around that the bridge is effectively destroyed, but I expect that is an exaggeration…
Posted by: Yenwoda | Jul 27 2022 0:38 utc | 125
Kiev trying to destroy the Antonovsky bridge is a sign of weakness. Advancing armies don’t blow bridges they’ll eventually need to cross.
BTW – thanks Old Hippie for the explaination. Still don’t quite understand how a wood frame house ( assume the exterior is clapboards and interior is old style plaster ) can be so weathertight.
Posted by: Exile | Jul 27 2022 0:56 utc | 126
Grieved | Jul 27 2022 0:12 utc | 123 Caspian shores 🙂
I guess all of us that find our way to b’s bar are what Goering termed as “Poor slobs on a farm”. People that want a peaceful life and that in most cases think about others. The swathe of destruction the anglosphere has carved through the world, especially since the collapse of the soviet union.
I moved to a remote part of Australia when my children where young. No radio, no television, no newspapers.. no politicians. The sun came up each morning, set each evening and I watched my children grow and their characters come out. My wife taught them for their schooling. I now see them raising their own families. Nothing more that a poor slob on a farm could wish for.
To be able to see or know that my children can raise their families in times of peace and without great hardship and poverty …
Due to my health issues I had set the expiry date on my birth certificate for the end of February. Putin finally made his move (which I had been expecting but unsure when) on the 24th. How far our so called politicians will take us into destruction I don’t know, but to watch the takedown of the hegemon will be something to see and if it comes to a time of great hardship for my children raising their families at least explain to them what has occurred.
I’m not sure I can keep going that long so I hope Russia and China don’t dawdle.
The shores of the Caspian. A hope for peaceful times. It sounds like a good term to use for peace for the poor slob on the farm.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 1:05 utc | 127
Daddy, why is it so cold in our house?”
“Because we have imposed sanctions.”
“Why?”
“To make it bad for Russians.”
“Daddy, are we Russians?”
Pretty funny.
@Exile, sure they do. Just for one example, the aerial bombing of the Po River bridges in northern Italy during the Allies’ advance to cut off Axis forces south of the Po from resupply and reinforcements
Posted by: Yenwoda | Jul 27 2022 1:11 utc | 129
Scorpion | Jul 27 2022 0:12 utc | 122
Very much agree. Grieved’s Shores of the Caspian and my thoughts on Goering’s “Poor slob on the farm” and the determination of the anglo so called west to fight to the end to ensure peace does not break out…
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 1:23 utc | 130
Yenwoda | Jul 27 2022 1:11 utc | 129
The uki video may or may not be genuine but it doesn’t matter either way. Russia is only using 10% of its military force for the SMO. If yank wunderwaffe become a problem, Shoigu will shut them down. With Ukraine and the SMO, Russia has created a black hole that will pull the US west in and consume it.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 1:34 utc | 131
from asb military news on telegram regarding the bridge…
We watched multiple footages and there was no attempt by Russian SAMs to intercept the missiles in Kherson over the bridge. We now know that Russian SHORAD systems do engage MLRS missiles as multiple HIMARS missiles were shot down over the last few weeks.
The only plausible explanation is Russia using the Israeli-famous model for interception that takes in account damage inflected vs value lost:
Calculate the damage that’s about to be inflicted by enemy missiles and decide whether it’s worth having the location of your SAM systems revealed/cost per interception. HIMARS and all other MLRS (except maybe Smerch) are basically useless against bridges. Bridges are not entirely solid structures. Bridges have dampening for impacts and are made to withstand and absorb earthquakes and vibrations. Tiny little HIMARS missiles will basically do nothing to the bridge.
Patchwork costs a few thousand or even a few hundred dollars to reverse the damage.
This is of course just a theory, that’s all we can think of at the moment without seeing photos of the bridge.
Posted by: james | Jul 27 2022 1:38 utc | 132
more – https://t.me/s/asbmil
Kherson administration does acknowledge the bridge was struck, but insists there’s no damage to the bridge.
It’s probably superficial damage at best. Patchwork, the supports are in tact as you can clearly see from the video.
US military must be seething seeing their GMLRS being intercepted by pure stalinium
Posted by: james | Jul 27 2022 1:41 utc | 133
I haven’t seen Rostislav Ishchenko for a while, and the Saker now has a translation of his latest piece. He ponders the future of Europe. As we largely agree here, the special operation in Ukraine doesn’t end at the borders of the Borderlands – it proceeds out into Europe in ways as yet unrevealed by the Kremlin.
Ishchenko muses:
At the moment, it is already clear that Europe will not be able to escape from American custody until the world-historic defeat of the collective West in the ongoing hybrid war. And it does not matter whether the visible part of this war will end with the Ukrainian campaign or whether the Polish, Romanian, and Baltic campaigns will also be needed. The other day, Von Scholz wrote an article in which he made a request to return Germany to the status of a great military power, linking the solution of this issue with the military defeat of Russia. So it cannot be ruled out that the banner over the Reichstag will have to be repeated.
– The nightmare of “Russian Europe”
That’s a provocative title, but it seems to me no less than the reality. It’s a good read.
~~
I have been thinking about the end shape of Ukraine also. I cannot believe that Russia will allow any diminution of current territory (for example, by ceding some to Poland, etc.) – that doesn’t seem to serve its purpose of establishing a security perimeter around its own territory.
I speculate that, since Ukraine has been used by USA/NATO as a spear in the side of Russia, the answer strategically must lie somehow in turning Ukraine into a spear in the side of the enemy. And whatever shapes up after the formal and conclusive surrender of Ukraine, it will reflect this need.
I could see the western rump as a sovereign nation, with elected leaders, but tied into binding accords that establish its neutrality, and that also allow Russia to enter militarily from one of two causes: a) a breach of the accords by Ukraine or b) a threat to Ukraine or RF lands from forces outside of Ukraine but drawing too close to the borders.
Russia could easily craft such agreements, and still leave the Ukrainian people living in relative happiness in a democratic and sovereign state, and with strong relations with Russia.
We could expect aggravation to erupt from neighboring states and the rest of EU as Russia puts all this in place, and personally I expect great satisfaction as Russia lays down the new law for Europe. We are looking at a fairly rapid shaping, I suspect (maybe a couple of years extent), with at least two decades of living with it for a new generation to become used to it. It will long have become a Chinese world by then.
Posted by: Grieved | Jul 27 2022 1:43 utc | 134
US military must be seething seeing their GMLRS being intercepted by pure stalinium
Posted by: james | Jul 27 2022 1:41 utc | 133
stalinium 🙂 Wiley E Coyote will have to smarten up a bit if he wants to catch Putin.
What we are seeing is just so close to the roadrunner cartoons, it makes me think every time a US scheme fails they order a new box of tricks from ACME and wait for it to arrive in the mail.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 1:49 utc | 135
oldhippie @ 83
I have been going through a bunch of commercial HVAC systems as of late and we are all in awe of how engineering can take a simple concept and make it complex and difficult to operate and maintain. It is big big money.
I grow deciduous fruit trees on the south side of the house to cool it in the summer and to provide something to eat as well. In the winter the leave are gone and the sun warms the house. Keeping a husky or two handy is great for winter nights. They are very clean and very family orientated. Their undercoat is waterproof and like down. When it blows twice a year my wife uses it for pillows and blankets.
Houses today are much much different than in my younger days. I miss working on those old double hungs. Life was so much different back then.
Paul Greenwood @ 14
OK that is the turbine. It takes a month to drop it in place and get it spinning. I work on the safety devices for turbines when needed so I participate in our turbine exchanges. Occasionally they do not come up well. It can get hairy blasting through the rough vibrations alarms, shutdowns temperature problems and the like. Everything has to be perfect any you need workers and leaders who know how to handle it. I see less and less of them every year. Soon I will be one less but I make a point of training the hell out of guys I like. The shitheads get nothing.
Posted by: circumspect | Jul 27 2022 3:13 utc | 136
Posted by: Grieved | Jul 27 2022 1:43 utc | 134
Whatever land in Ukraine, Russia seizes and keeps will depend upon a number of factors which include:
1. Obviously military capacity to seize it
2. The strategic advantage of holding versus the cost of holding it
3. The capacity to manage long term given neighbours
4. The willingness of the population to accept Russian control
5. Unknown diplomatic horse trading.
My own gut feeling is that Nikolayev and Odessa are such important strategic hubs that they will take them along with the rest of Zaporizhia and Kherson, Donetsk and of course Luhansk.
On the other hand I think those areas on the far west they should demilitarize but not occupy. They are crazed NAZI Russian haters and best kept out of Russian controlled/influenced areas. Simply advise that any NATO or Polish or other hostile aggressive installations/forces will be obliterated.
The middle of Ukraine is more problematic. Needs to be evaluated province by province, city by city.
Posted by: watcher | Jul 27 2022 3:15 utc | 137
The official Ukrainian blacklist of people doing Russian propaganda:
https://cpd.gov.ua/reports/спікери-які-просувають-співзвучні-ро/
No Bernhard there, but Brian Berletic has made it onto the list of quite famous names, Maersheimer, Scott Ritter, Col. Richard Black, Ray McGovern, Jacques Baud, Wolfgang Bittner, Douglas McGregor, … man, they forgot a lot of good people, even the ex-chancellor of Germany Schröder 🙂
Posted by: zet | Jul 27 2022 3:16 utc | 138
Considering the closures of the gas pipeline traversing Ukraine and another one crossing Poland – I know from serious sources that RU Special Operation Dept. bribed the Ukrainian and Polish operators causing the artificial calamity with gas flow stoppage. This is akin to hijacking a RU jet airplane by the FSB of Ukraine.
Posted by: logosApplied | Jul 27 2022 3:24 utc | 139
Paul Greenwood #26
The compressor returned from Canada missed the ferry in Finland on 23 July because of Siemens paperwork deficiencies.
The compressor must be tested by Russia and certified against the paperwork and materials reports – it takes 3 months.
This is critical infrastructure with explosive potential – not a bicycle pump.
Thank you, what good news. I am pleased to say that Lenin did not miss his train from the Finland Station more than a century ago and the results were impressive.
If your timeline on acceptance testing is true to 3 months then the German turkeys may yet get their goose cooked in winter;)
Siemens is unlikely to be the company of choice any longer for those countries that have security as an evaluating criterion.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 3:46 utc | 140
Russia could so easily refit Nordstream 1 with their own turbines and compressors if it was in their interest to do so. I wish I could still eat popcorn.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 4:30 utc | 141
re Martio | Jul 26 2022 10:27 utc | 23
“How is it possible that the collective West is not afraid of nuclear war and the consequences of this confrontation?”
it shows the degree of their personal and sociological alienation that they are not.
….I seem to recall a pink floyd song by the name of Comfortable Numb
we in the West are ruled by alienated sociopaths
perhaps like ‘kids’ who are pyros who get a thrill out of the fire, keep getting burned one way or another but keep lighting the fires
Until one day…..
If the Media Elites made a big deal out of the threats of nuclear war from all this war mongering, you’d see some action taken on these issues – but Nuland and Biden et. al. love to poke the bear, and that witch Pelosi and deep-thinker Pompeo et. al. love to poke the dragon
Until one day…..
Posted by: michaelj72 | Jul 27 2022 4:40 utc | 142
countries that have security as an evaluating criterion.
@uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 3:46 utc | 140
—
As is shown in this example, spreading the risk across counterparties is an effective security scheme.
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 5:30 utc | 143
watcher | Jul 27 2022 3:15 utc | 137
Most of haters switch sides as soon as ukr uses them as shields, sends them to die by force or starts to explode their infrastructure. The only potential problem might be the return of 1-2m agitators who are now in vacation in EU. Nothing that can’t be solved by locals anyway. I would close borders for 5 years, nato might infect the refugees with something to spread in ukr when they return and blame Russia for it
Msm are so desperate the war is lost they’re using some footage from 2014 as “success” in 2022. Probably bojo found some old vids on yt and sent them, he has lots of free time now
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 5:43 utc | 144
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 5:43 utc | 144
No I think that is way too idealistic and is not how real people behave, These cultural divisions are very deep and last way, way longer than one might rationally suppose.
Now being of British origin (4-5 generations ago) I nevertheless have a feel for the tensions within Britain.
Now the Irish issues are obvious and it would seem despite 300years of union the Scots still hate the English and vice versa. Even more amazing is the tension between the Welsh and the English, which given union was 600 years ago or more seems ridiculous, but still real.
Given this I feel that the Ukrainian speakers who are also Catholic, will not easily accept Russian control or indeed control by Russian speaking Ukrainians. Like everything it is a balancing act, but it seems to me Russia may be wisest to carve out a Russian speaking and LOYAL set of provinces around the Black Sea and in the areas close to its borders. These can be secured, without risk of insurgency or sabotage. The middle zone- heavily but not completely pro Russian may be formed into a friendly buffer state. The western zone is a lost cause.
Posted by: watcher | Jul 27 2022 6:07 utc | 145
james #133
US military must be seething seeing their GMLRS being intercepted by pure stalinium
Bridge repair and temporary reinforcement is typically carried out with 25mm (1 inch) or more steel plate bolted across a traffic lane. Smoothes out the divots, holds the structural integrity better. One over and one under the concrete pavement works a treat. Shells perhaps deflect and steel doesn’t crumble.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:18 utc | 146
watcher #137
On the pacification etc of western Ukraine and at the cost of being a tad repetitive: The eastern Ukrainian nationals will likely manage the westies and barely a Russian in sight. Right now they are putting extensive 6 month training and development effort into assembling their specialist squads (from news tidbits here and there).
Besides, the tattooed westies will be gone, living in the german or englander streets, burning mosques and groping the german or englander suckers, or any other country you might consider. Given the intense propaganda efforts since 2014, I assume they will all by now have a mark of the beast on their flesh.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:30 utc | 147
too scents #143
As is shown in this example, spreading the risk across counterparties is an effective security scheme.
I don’t see that.
as;
one, the gas is not flowing,
two, the blame is entirely on the west,
three, Siemens looks like a total fool if not an untrustworthy and mendacious supplier,
four, Russia is not a loser,
five, Poland appears to be a self serving saboteur of EU interests.
six, whether the controllers are stuxnet free or otherwise, the EU can be played at the enormous pleasure of Gazprom.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:38 utc | 148
“Ukraine aims to strike a deal for a $15-$20 billion programme with the International Monetary Fund before year-end”
Must be an error, 20bn won’t last a month in zely’s hands. 200 maybe
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 6:41 utc | 149
I don’t see that.
@uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:38 utc | 148
—
What if a Russian turbine was taken offline? Who is the scapegoat then?
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 6:43 utc | 150
Any news on the state of the Antonivskiy bridge which was early this morning?
Just more superficial damage?
Posted by: Night Tripper | Jul 27 2022 6:47 utc | 151
…the German turkeys may yet get their goose cooked in winter;)
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 3:46 utc | 140
Yeah, what a conundrum. They’ll have to use the goose fat for fuel.
Posted by: waynorinorway | Jul 27 2022 6:54 utc | 152
too scents #150
Why would they bother to let unfriendly countries off the hook.
Germany is shipping deadly trainers and weapons to nazis! to kill Russians since 2014.
Even if they were interchangeable, there are likely cabinets full of controller electronics specific to each turbine.
The German capitalist elite created this idiocy and they can swing on it.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:54 utc | 153
waynorinorway #152
Yeah, what a conundrum. They’ll have to use the goose fat for fuel.
Or kinky lubricants and phallic candles.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:56 utc | 154
Why would they bother to let unfriendly countries off the hook.
@uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:54 utc | 153
—
To be seen as a reliable partner, in the Global South for instance.
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 7:01 utc | 155
anti-spiegel.ru has a good piece on the broad gas story
The media hype about the self-inflicted gas crisis
In german so click page translate.
Can’t send link as the goblins …..:/
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 7:01 utc | 156
@Night Tripper | Jul 27 2022 6:47 utc | 151
Yes, the bridge is fine
They’ve even found a reason why they can’t destroy it: Ukrainian army’s goal is “not the destruction of the bridge, but the destruction of the enemy’s plans.”
Gas is $2,300 today
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 7:21 utc | 157
Any news on the state of the Antonivskiy bridge which was early this morning?
@Night Tripper | Jul 27 2022 6:47 utc | 151
—
Video of damage ==> https://t.me/infantmilitario/80415
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 7:50 utc | 158
An aussie perspective of the anus that is the USA ‘supreme’ Court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL5LaLT2BJM
We know how it will work out for you so there will be no foreign WAR policy changes.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 8:09 utc | 159
Regarding the bridge.
https://t.me/intelslava/33990
Posted by: Surferket | Jul 27 2022 8:11 utc | 160
Peter AU1
I hear you man and have listened to some of your history.
Thanks for doing the hard work, as our patron and some others do to research and report the information you find.
Peter, your earlier post about finding a place to raise your family rang a bell with me.
As we say in western Canada, give ‘er.
Stay Strong.
Posted by: jonku | Jul 27 2022 8:15 utc | 161
Why would they bother to let unfriendly countries off the hook.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:54 utc | 153
I don’t think they will. The kinetics will continue until Western implosion on both sides of pond and will to maintain NATO broken. Anything beyond that is up to Western people who will probably drop the ball as usual because they have hollowed out their own culture and are probably going into a multi-generational Dark Age for quite some time before following Russia into the light.
Meanwhile Eurasia will seal the borders and get on with life on the Bright Side. Eurasia will enjoy a boom in Icons and Buddhas!
Am seriously considering a move to Crimea which by all accounts is a lovely area but probably not feasible until long after my ashes have been scattered. I wish my German son and grandchildren could do it but moving children not advisable for Saarlanders whose women don’t travel well. They outlasted the Romans and will outlast this Jewish-materialist century too and once again the beer will flow and the sings be sung long after this sorry century is long forgot.
Still, I wish they could get out. Europe is sick. Not a good place to raise children. Their primordial promise blighted by corrupted culture stultifying growth in adulthood.
Sorry. Have developed a delicious new bad habit of late: waking up in early AM and sipping on cheap but still delicious Port.
Decadence in moderation…
@uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:18 utc | 146
Bridge repair and temporary reinforcement is typically carried out with 25mm (1 inch) or more steel plate bolted across a traffic lane. Smoothes out the divots, holds the structural integrity better. One over and one under the concrete pavement works a treat. Shells perhaps deflect and steel doesn’t crumble.
The repairs are done inserting steel beams and new rebar + filled with concrete. A bottom plate is used to hold the concrete as it cures.
Steel does indeed ‘crumble’, the proper term is buckling. It is very important in bridges to take this into account, also in repairs.
Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 27 2022 8:40 utc | 163
Yes, the bridge is fine
They’ve even found a reason why they can’t destroy it: Ukrainian army’s goal is “not the destruction of the bridge, but the destruction of the enemy’s plans.”
Gas is $2,300 today
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 7:21 utc | 157
I call BS. This is a managed kinetic operation covertly coordinated wherein both sides are striving for the same end: the collapse of NATO whose mission, as b keeps reminding, is to keep Germans down, Russians out and Anglos on top.
No: the current mission, which may even involve clandestine deal with Berlin and Moscow, is to kick AngloZionist politico-financial stranglehold out including the EU boondoggle thwarting the Sovereignty principle and rather ushering in an age of unleashed sovereign states no longer beholden to the Wicked Witch of the West: credit cartel Funny Money phony ‘capitalism’ which has ensnared and emasculated them all since the time of the Medicis.
@too scents | Jul 27 2022 7:50 utc | 158
Video of damage ==> “>https://t.me/infantmilitario/80415
From that video it looks like some pretty substantial damage to the bridge road surface, but I could not see any images of damage to the structural beams, which would be much more important. The holes + torn up rebar were small dimension and not part of any bridge superstructure. Maybe they didn’t show all the damage, but the damage shown can be fixed by resurfacing that part of the bridge, e.g. using prefabricated components.
Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 27 2022 8:53 utc | 165
Maybe they didn’t show all the damage, but the damage shown can be fixed by resurfacing that part of the bridge, e.g. using prefabricated components.
Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 27 2022 8:53 utc | 165
In short : GLORIFIED HIMAR potshots full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Can’t even break the back of a single bridge, let alone the entire SMO.
but I could not see any images of damage to the structural beams
@Norwegian | Jul 27 2022 8:53 utc | 165
—
The bridge beams look like box girder concrete castings. The lower element of the box beam has had its tension steel destroyed. Without this steel in tension the load carrying capacity of the beam has been compromised.
Resurfacing the deck will not restore the structure. Maybe a provisional deck can be hung from a lattice truss erected between the nearest columns?
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 9:08 utc | 167
continuing … too scents | Jul 27 2022 9:08 utc | 167
—
I would be surprised if the Russian military engineers didn’t have a bailey bridge ready to go.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailey_bridge
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 9:26 utc | 168
nato, probably bojo, finds a fixation in a civilian target and keeps shooting at it because it looks good for MSM news next day. They did the same with Snake Island, which killed hundreds of nazis and destroyed many airplanes and helicopters for absolutely no reason other than to make a little movie.
The bridge is closed for repairs the local administration says.
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 9:41 utc | 169
Grieved | Jul 27 2022 0:12 utc | 123
On a tangent, I’ve thought for some time that if there’s a place in this world that offers both sanctuary and the promise of a terrific future, building a house somewhere along the Caspian shores would be an interesting choice 🙂
I guess this has been on the wishlist of a whole slew of Russian (and other) oligarchs and others, and no doubt there are some lovely views. However, a slightly closer look reveals the Caspian Sea, actually a large lake, to be grossly polluted. I mean why not? What with the routinely and sloppily extracted and transported hydrocarbons, vast chemical fertilizer runoff, industrialization in general, effluent raw sewage by the ton, etc. 🙁
But hey! Maybe when the Russians have completed their denazification of western civ they’ll get serious about detoxifying their own backyard.
In the meantime, I’d say the great southwest on the fringe of the vast and inaccessible cordillera, the Sierra Madre, with its vermiculate canyonlands and biodiverse possibilities…
..in short, it’s more like the world used to be, its mysteries are more intact.
Posted by: john | Jul 27 2022 10:18 utc | 170
Intel Slava Z, [27/07/2022 11:06]
🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️According to updated data, on July 24, a Russian Aerospace Forces strike on an ammunition depot near the settlement of Lyubimovka, Dnepropetrovsk region, destroyed more than a hundred missiles for the US-made Himars multiple launch rocket system. Up to 120 military personnel guarding the facility, as well as foreign mercenaries and technical specialists, were liquidated.
https://t.me/intelslava/34018
The slaughter is horrendous! The gringos are sacrificing a generation!
Posted by: Barofsky | Jul 27 2022 10:24 utc | 171
@Barofsky | Jul 27 2022 10:24 utc | 171
They’re all Russians for them, Vicky and Obomber are very happy to kill. And it seems now they’re at mobilization for age of 65, so it can be 2 generations soon. And after the war is over nothing stops nato from organizing terrorist attacks coming from Poland and Romania so the killing continues. Those borders can’t stay open or they’ll have to denazify 2 more countries.
The best and most important part is “foreign mercenaries and technical specialists”, these must be soldiers operating the himars, drones and so on
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 10:47 utc | 172
Barofsky | Jul 27 2022 10:24 utc | 171
As I put in another comment, it is the clinical and methodical destruction of those Ukrainians that have drank the anglo kool aid. Those poor slobs on the farms of Goerings.. Those that have gone past the Rubicon into extremism – the nazi’s and so forth don’t bother me – but for those poor slobs on the farms… That quote from Goering, such a simple observation and so true. I think this also holds true for those of us watching – “there but for the grace of God go I”.
I believe the puppet government passed a law to conscript women beginning August. Ukraine is running out of Ukrainians to put on the front line. Units put on the frontlines suffer 60% or better losses in just a few weeks.
At some point the survivors of those poor slobs from the farms have got to turn on their puppet government and the nazi’s, or at least I would like to think so.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 27 2022 11:59 utc | 173
Re: Kiev’s conscription:
At some point, someone in NATOland will finally figure out that 2/3s of Ukraine’s working age population lives overseas. There will be press gangs rounding these poor victims up. It’s odd that we haven’t heard any news of Ukrainians living in Germany or Poland being rounded up for military ‘service’
Posted by: Exile | Jul 27 2022 12:39 utc | 174
From Sputnik, related to shelling of Zaporozhye NPP
“We see that the US and the EU are satisfied with this,” the Russian Foreign Ministry.
There was no reaction from Brussels and Washington to these strikes.
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 12:52 utc | 175
@Exile | Jul 27 2022 12:39 utc | 174
Very good idea. I can improve it: men are sent back to fight bad Putin and their families are kept hostage for medical experiments. the unfinished biolab research from Ukr can continue using refugees.
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 12:56 utc | 176
@168
re: temporary bridge in/near Kharkov
I’m surprised too. Also surprised they didn’t add some minimal temporary covering eg with steel plates like might be done at a construction site, or grilles.
Posted by: ptb | Jul 27 2022 13:24 utc | 177
@167 / @168 too scents
PS- It sortof looks to me like that reinforced-concrete box section structure that’s visible, is for supporting the deck going crosswise across what I think would be much beefier beams that run along the length of each span.
Posted by: ptb | Jul 27 2022 13:39 utc | 178
we in the West are ruled by alienated sociopaths…
Posted by: michaelj72 | Jul 27 2022 4:40 utc | 142
How power is channeled / structured effects the nature of those entrusted with such power. If they are isolated from regular exposure to and interaction with those over whose lives they have power they will perforce become sociopathic. In other words the ways we the people have lamely allowed elites to structure the system in their favour has resulted in increasingly sociopathic elites and indeed societies.
Democracy is very easy to game – at least the silly way we have been practicing it.
[Exhibit A. Biden Administration ; Exhibit B: Servant of the People Elensky.]
Time for a rethink.
views of bridge structure (Kherson Antonovsky bridge)
https://nitter.net/pic/media%2FFYqPCdTaUAEW2dn.jpg%3Fname%3Dsmall
https://nitter.net/pic/media%2FFYqSP35aUAA5rEQ.jpg%3Fname%3Dsmall
Posted by: ptb | Jul 27 2022 13:53 utc | 180
NS2 gas flow to Europe has been mothballed indefinitely due to US pressure. It seems that a lot of Europe’s current energy problems could be solved by opening it. Perhaps Russia is waiting for the vassals to revolt against their masters and ask to have it turned on?
Posted by: farm ecologist | Jul 27 2022 13:55 utc | 181
@ptb | Jul 27 2022 13:53 utc | 180
—
See https://t.me/infantmilitario/80415 at 0:33 and 0:16 for images of the destruction of the tension element of the bridge’s box beam.
The bridge needs signification structural reinforcement to carry a load.
Posted by: too scents | Jul 27 2022 14:05 utc | 182
Exile @ 174, others
Any and all street scene video from Ukraine shows abundant numbers of civilian draft age men walking around, going about their business. Plus I am looking out the window at four Ukrainian construction workers in their twenties wearing Azov t-shirts a safe 5000 miles from the front.
Ukrainian government does not have support and does not have authority. They can and do send out press gangs. Not nearly enough to have any military consequence. And of course they should have been busy with conscription and building an army a year ago and two years ago. Getting large numbers of conscripts killed is not going to increase the level of support.
It has been game over for quite a while. Public pronouncements that 70 year old men are now being conscripted are broadcasting failure. It is basic WWI industrial warfare, Russia will kill them all if America insists.
Posted by: oldhippie | Jul 27 2022 14:06 utc | 183
@182 – too scents
yes I can see the individual section (smth like 20 sections to each span) is ruined, but I don’t think that flimsy rebar that’s been torn thru, is what holds up the span. I think that stuff mainly gives the large-scale structure its stiffness, and of course keeps the vehicles on the surface from falling thru. But to carry the weight of the span there must be beams in there with vastly more tensile strength than the rebar that is visible thru the damage. Now perhaps that’s are also hit and shown on video, I don’t know.
In an emergency/temporary situation, something like the prefab structures you linked to above come to mind.
Posted by: ptb | Jul 27 2022 14:33 utc | 184
Any and all street scene video from Ukraine shows abundant numbers of civilian draft age men walking around, going about their business. Plus I am looking out the window at four Ukrainian construction workers in their twenties wearing Azov t-shirts a safe 5000 miles from the front.
Ukrainian government does not have support and does not have authority. They can and do send out press gangs. …
Posted by: oldhippie | Jul 27 2022 14:06 utc | 183
I have seen a video by an Ukrainian Russian-language U-tube “Strana”. If you “mobilize” 15 thousand folks for a new division without having weapons and infrastructure for a new division or few brigades, what you do with them? Let them sleep in tents to be ultimate “soft targets”? Therefore literal mobilization is utterly impractical. But “just in time” mobilization/call to arms is tricky and there is no information infrastructure that would be up-to-date etc to do it. Thus “press gangs” remain as a most reliable method. After all, folks are still walking around.
It is more interesting what happens later. After getting “povestka”, a document obliging to appear in the local recruitment center, people have to be assessed for their military aptitude. Hrivnya remains a reliable lubricant in social interactions. Volunteers who lack work and need money may be asked to fork few hundred dollars in hrivnya, comparable to one month pay. Those who already have a less lethal occupation may need to fork quite a bit more. The net effect is a more egalitarian society (except for those who accept bribes, superior who get their cut etc.).
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jul 27 2022 14:36 utc | 185
@183 oldhippie
There’s $$$ from uncle Sam for each name on the rolls…
Posted by: ptb | Jul 27 2022 14:38 utc | 186
The other issue with military manpower is that the main activity in armed forces is mechanical. My level of mechanical aptitude is that I can use a screwdriver, but with devices as complicated as bicycles I rely on professionals. Last time they replaced something called “lower bracket”. Not only is your truly in a lower income bracket, but his bicycle is there too? (Without getting to the bottom of what a lower bracket is, when it is broken you can ride downhill but not so much uphill, while on the flat ground use bike as a scooter, and thus reach the bicycle shop.) In other words, I am an “umnik” which translates into “mechanically declined”, and, alas, this describes the majority of the potential manpower. Perhaps after few months of training I would be able to maintain military vehicle, maintain artillery pieces etc., perhaps not…
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jul 27 2022 14:51 utc | 187
Germany agrees to sell howizers to Ukraine.
Ukraine has less than zero funds.
US is supplying financial asistance cash/loans to Ukraine.
Not hard to see who is on receiving end of that arrangement.
Posted by: jared | Jul 27 2022 14:56 utc | 188
jared | Jul 27 2022 14:56 utc | 188
Yes, 100 units. Doesn’t say which model. Useless anyway. They will also accept wounded nazis for treatment. I think Germany will continue to send weapons to Ukr. Probably more and more when the energy problem will start to be painful.
Posted by: rk | Jul 27 2022 15:19 utc | 189
Never underestimate the stridency and determination of earnest morons.
I have yet to see anything unfold to dissuade me that we are in the middle of a deliberate collapse.
Posted by: Scorpion | Jul 26 2022 20:20 utc | 107
Posted by: Jpc | Jul 27 2022 15:24 utc | 190
Patrick Lancaster has a video up showing the bridge damage from a few days back, short interview with Kherson official about the state of the bridge, etc. Moscow has the `plans and design specs as they built it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gwFcqwtR0o
The new damage looks similar – holes in the deck and a bit of damage to some support beams, but the structure is rather beefy overall as the pics posted @180 by ptb show.
Posted by: the pessimist | Jul 27 2022 16:06 utc | 192
Exile @ 126
Yes, clapboard and plaster. Why would it not be tight? Remember this is all old wood, old growth, very dry, close to clear pine. 1920s plaster with way too much horsehair, I repaired all that.
I’ll give you another example. This from an 1879 cottage in Chicago. The west and south facing windows had built in internal shutters. Jalousie style wooden slats. Windowsills showed a row of four brass loops or pulls. Lift the brass loop, the shutter glides up with one finger. Take away your finger and the shutter remains in position. Four tracks on side of window frame. Four independent shutters for each double hung window. Five west facing windows, three south facing windows. Total of 32 built in shutters and each one glides smoothly, silently, effortlessly.
So there was a roofing problem (which I warned of in advance but nothing was done) and the shutters stopped working after 110 years. Owners tried propping them with matchsticks, did not work well. Different window treatments were tried, the house was just not as comfortable as before and the air conditioner ran far more than when the shutters worked. I got a carpenter/cabinetmaker to look at the windows, he adjusted a couple things, didn’t help, mostly he was in awe.
Ten years passed. I learned how to do French polishing, which is a shellac finish. The shutters and tracks had always appeared as unfinished, with a patina of age. Went back to that old house, tested the shutters with alcohol and sure enough they had a shellac finish. I applied new shellac and polished it. Two days. All the shutters now work perfectly. It is 143 years since that tour-de-force of cabinetry was created. It required original materials and methods. House is again comfortable. My contribution has been working over twenty years.
This worked even after the roofing problem. Cabinetmaker says no one would even attempt to make such a thing today. Easier to make violins than to make those shutters. No one learns to do these things any longer. The object is always to make money and never to build homes. Can’t learn that way.
Posted by: oldhippie | Jul 27 2022 16:19 utc | 193
@ uncle tungsten | Jul 27 2022 6:30 utc | 147
thanks for the extra info!
Posted by: james | Jul 27 2022 17:05 utc | 194
Old Hippie,
Familiar with those style shutters and also very familiar with the extraordinary level on craftsmanship that went into middle class US homes in the late 19th century – jaw dropping actually. Beaucoup know-how. And agreed – most the time people ruin these places thinking they are restoring them.
I live in a old fashioned farming community and the craftsmen here are typically father-son-grandson businesses. The level of know-how is stunning – and efficient too.
Posted by: Exile | Jul 27 2022 17:17 utc | 195
Exile @ 195
Where is there such a farm community? All that I know are dying, land bought by the majors.
I thought there had to be more than one window like my windows but this is first time anyone has heard of it and most won’t believe. Are they present in your community?
We got OT here.
Posted by: oldhippie | Jul 27 2022 19:31 utc | 196