supersquirrel

Most people think that in three dimensions the number 1 looks like the incorrect version drawn on the bottom right.

In fact it has been proven that the number 1 in three dimensional view actually has a planar base that extends in two dimensions from the stem of the 1.

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Don't take my word for it, try it for yourself at home!

https://mayanlanguagespreservation.org/about/

For many, the name “Maya” prompts images of ancient pyramids and lost cities, remnants of a civilization that thrived in Mesoamerica until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. But the Maya are not people of the past. Today, more than seven million Maya live in countries like Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, maintaining distinct cultural practices, traditions and languages that they trace back to their ancestors.

Central to Maya identity are the Mayan languages, a family of around 30 distinct but related languages still spoken today, including K’iche’, Yucatec Maya, Q’eqchi’, Mam and Kaqchikel. These languages have evolved over the centuries and remain a significant part of everyday life for modern Maya. In Guatemala, a country of roughly 18 million people, more than 40 percent of residents identify as Indigenous, and more than six million speak at least one of 22 Mayan languages.

I realize that for many people this isn't news, but as someone who only knows a cursory amount about these cultures and languages I found it fascinating!

Sam Seder of The Majority Report interviews Dr. Ambereen Sleemi

https://www.usaforunfpa.org/people/ambereen-sleemi-md-mph/

In May the British Army retired its 89 AS90s, handing them all over to Ukraine. The Third Assault Brigade received at least 12, replacing their Soviet-era 2S19 Msta-S. They are pleased with their new weapon.

...

“When the enemy begins pushing toward our infantry, we engage to stop them from even getting close,” Skrypa said. “I had a situation where about 30 [Russians] started gathering in a tree line, preparing to attack our guys — storm troopers. But they didn’t make it. We fired several shells, and that was it, none of them wanted to come back.”

...

Initially the UK planned to send only 30 [AS90] howitzers, which were transferred in January 2023. Yet the Ukrainian crews have proved so capable they were gifted all of them. The artillery systems, designed in the 1990s, were retired by the British Army because of their age and their lumbering lack of mobility for the modern battlefield. But they are still proving their worth in Ukraine and have become a high priority target for Russian drones designed in 2025.

The strike was conducted using a combination of drones and traditional artillery fire. Ukrainian forces first identified the enemy systems using aerial reconnaissance, then followed up with precise strikes that rendered all three guns inoperable and eliminated at least one russian transport vehicle at the scene.

This dual-method attack reflects Ukraine's growing ability to integrate modern drone intelligence with conventional artillery tactics, a critical capability in countering russian artillery dominance. The destruction of enemy guns at long range limits the invaders' ability to suppress Ukrainian positions and offers much-needed relief to troops under fire.

...

The 2A36 and 2A65 systems destroyed in this strike are no small targets. The Giatsint-B system boasts a 152 mm caliber and a maximum firing range of 28–33 kilometers. The Msta-B howitzer, also 152 mm, is a key component of russian divisional artillery. Taking out three such pieces in a single operation represents a significant tactical win.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2A36_Giatsint-B

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/152_mm_howitzer_2A65_Msta-B

These howitizers are crucial to the Russian war effort, Ukraine itself uses the 4 wheeled carriage from the 2A36 for the Bohdana towed gun because it was built to carry a serious cannon.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2P22_Bohdana

Footage like this is great news for Ukraine! These are not easy to replace, for anybody, including Russia and yet they are absolutely necessary for fullscale land wars.

Another "Weapons Of Victory" video, in general I think this is a really good explainer video about a critical piece of Ukraine's missile air defense. Also explains why the Patriot missile defense system is so critical to Ukraine in by juxtaposing it with the NASAMS system.

This clip is a good metaphor for this stage of the war. Turtle tanks are two things 1.) A distraction meant to keep the international narrative that Russia is winning with superior strength dominant for as long as possible before it utterly falls apart from the opposite reality becoming apparent. 2.) A genuine delusion/expression of desperation in Russian armor design/doctrine. Independent of the threat drones pose, the idea of fielding a massive turtle tank with a HUGE profile, low visibility/battlefield awareness, poor maneuverability and essentially no reverse gear to speak of is absurd when Ukraine has access to semi-modern western main battle tanks.

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This is how you are supposed to use a tank. Imagining a semi-trained Abrams crew engaging a Russian turtle "tank" is like imagining a semi-professional adult baseball team playing a baseball game against a kids little league team. In otherwords it would be funny how badly mismatched this matchup was if it we weren't talking about war where people are dying to defend Ukraine.

A single semi-modern western main battle tank working with combined arms and UAV surveillance/FPV attack drone support can destroy a mountain of these Russian turtle "tanks". The numbers become meaningless because the matchup is so uneven, or rather one side has refused to actually evolve and is relying on propaganda/delaying distractions with wild battlefield strategies that nobody tries anymore for good reason because they are obsolete. Slapping a new coat of "but DRONES AND AI!" on top of a careless throwing away of an incomprehensible amount of human life doesn't really change what is going on here fundamentally.

This video is a great demonstration of that, the Russian turtle tank stood essentially no chance against the Ukrainian tank crew so long as the Ukrainian tank crew kept their cool and remained in constant communication with reconassaince and surveillance friendly assets in the area.

Maybe Russia will decide horses are the best way to defeat drones next? Do you think western tech media will do hype pieces about how western main battle tanks are now actually obsolete and Russia is smart for switching to only horses for its cavalry? Wired will do some breathless piece about how genius the Russians are for realizing that using electrified motorbikes and golf carts gives them an electronic signature and that *horses are far more stealthy (donkeys, Russia only actually has a couple of horses and relies mostly on tactical donkeys). Elon MUsk will market a new Tesla CYBERHORSE which is just a horse with carboard horse armor spray painted silver.

sigh

I linked to the reddit post because I couldn't figure out how to link to video/figured I'd give context.

It is shocking and embarassing how hopeless the feeble rare armored assaults have become for Russia.