Всего за 150 баксов вам пытаются продать метровый угольник с заявленной точностью 0,07 градуса на прямом угле, т.е. с погрешностью 1мм на этом самом метре.
И он на самом деле такой кривой! Возникает вопрос, зачем нужен такой футбол, если практически любой кому нужен метровый угольник может его вырезать примерно из чего угодно с лучшей точностью.

Перед НГ каждый новостной ресурс считает необходимым опубликовать ТБ по поводу петард.
На 3 разных сайтах, на трех разных языках, прогоны по десятку пунктов и ни на одном нет самого главного правила:
Держать петарду за нижнюю четверть, где у нее основание из наполнителя.
Чтобы в случае преждевременного взрыва, пальцы не оторвало.

Mary stepped up the stairs to find Jester seemingly unaware.
- We've got visitors. 2 guys on a small boat, 8 o'clock. Looks like they are trying to sneak on us.
- And no transponder. Let's put the lights on and radio in. Most likely, boardies decided to pay is a visit.
Wen crawled out of her hole as well
- Or Navy?
- Nah. Yankees are absolutely uncapable of sending less than a squad of marines.
...
...
- Officer Robert Baker, Border Force. May I step on board?
- Peter Jackson, kinda captain here. What brings you in so late, insomnia or vigilance? - Jester threw down the ladder.
- You're here with the lights off, so we came to check.
- Could have just radioed in. We are stationary, so lights aren't a hard requirement.
- Can't agree to that. You are unanchored and I can hear engine humming down there.
Mary stepped out of the shadows. Her voice was calm and commanding:
- With all the respect, officer, there is nothing in the naval code that says we must be "anchored" to remain stationary. You can stay here with us and watch your GPS for the next few hours if you want.
Baker dished out a questioning look, but didn't really feel like asking aloud.
- That is Victoria Russel, university of Brisbane. She is the professor in charge of the expedition. The noise you hear is a small generator that powers stabilizer motors.
- We usually run them on batteries to avoid extra noise because it ruins the research, - Mary slightly changed the tone, still maintaining the pressure of the commanding pattern.
- Same with the lights. But since the silence was already broken with your arrival, we decided to charge up at least.
- We are researching a few species that are light sensitive and stay deep below during the day. They come closer to the surface during the night and run away from any noise, thus remained undiscovered for a while. The species are unique to this place, so if we are successful enough, it might get enchanced protection status. Hopefully, enough to stop the oil drilling to the west.
- Could at least run a transponder.
- If we had one. The ship was built in 1952, registered to a public organization. On paper, it is a self-propelled barge, not even required to have a radio.
- Pretty good shape for a relic.
- After an accident in 1968, she ended up in the nice dry storage since university didn't have the money for repairs. Only recently, one of the student parents sponsored retrofit.
- Aren't stabilizers a bit more expensive than a transponder?
- In fact, no. The shipyard only welded a couple of hardpoints and the rest was grad project by engineering students. I'd never bet on these, but hey, they only need to work for a few days in these calm waters.

Baker gave one last look to the deck and headed back to speedboat. His ride was already snoring like a hog.
- Wake up, seaman! We have seas to sail.
Walker has snapped from the middle of a dream, a bit disoriented, but that didn't prevent him from driving the boat. He could probably do it without waking up.
As they sailed away, Baker was overthinking the conversation. Something was off, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.
- Walker, don't you think these guys are up to something?
- Negative, sir. They sure are weird but the story seems to check out. Ship's registration was renewed only a few month ago. After all, what would you suspect? Contraband?
- More likely, illegal divers. They look like total rookies, you never get smugglers like that.
- Hate to disappoint you, sir, but they got a license.
- You kidding me? Nobody got a diving license here for the last 3 years or so.
- At least, that's what our comms officer says. Maybe you should check with him once we get back.
- Heck, I'm done with them. Now sure who they are, maybe CIA or something, but that doesn't make any sense.
- I agree sir. Let's just file a report and forget about them for a while
...
Wen climbed back onto the boat from the starboard. Jester met her with a towel.
- Damn, I really hate getting wet.
- So, the stories about vampires who are afraid of running water do have something behind them?
- If you live long enough, you see a situation that changes your attitude. Heck, that officer is truly hard-headed.
- Even for a mind-reading witch? - Jester raised an eyebrow. - So, that's why you went for the other guy?
- Kind of. He plays it soft, but in reality is a notable smuggler. Not like a real mafia boss, but a couple of boats and a few hundreds of kilos per shipment. He was quite annoyed by the possibility of getting stuck here and crossing ways with one of his boats on their way back. He knows his boss well and most likely will manipulate him carefully into almost fogetting about this case.
- So, you think we're good?
- Absolutely. - Mary has joined the discussion. - Baker wanted to go to university but neither was too bright, nor had the money. So when he heard about the research, it quite touched him. For a while, he will feel guilty and won't even think about coming here again.
- Impressive. You made a lot of progress. - Wen smiled a bit more honestly than she normally did.
- Okay ladies, if we are done with the mind games, let's prepare for a walk on the bottom of the sea.

- So, Peter, you think we are finally safe here?
- Well, this place has its challenges, but they are not comparable to what we were facing stateside. Travelling long distance over the ocean is still dangerous enough and those few who are desperate enough to try will pose much less of a danger. If we are careful enough, nobody will know we are here for a while. The population is just enough to serve three, maybe five of our kind, but with the rituals we can fit in and still have some spare space. This place is of no importance for Camarilla. The corruption from the mining and oil spill incidents will keep furries away for decades and asuratizayya have been consistent in avoiding it for centuries. Now they more likely, with the US Navy base just a few clicks away.
- Finally found your Terra Prometida? - it was unusual to see Wen smile so wide.
- Our. My contribution wasn't even the biggest here.
Wen shook her head and after keeping dramatic pause, started to talk.
- You know I'm not staying.
- I was at least going to try and convince you.
- Thinking things like that is appropriate to Mary, maybe, but you should be far wiser than that. Out of the whole team, the target on my back is the biggest one. If I stay, this place will quickly become a famous magnet for assassin idiots and eventually one of them they will discover there are others wanted here as well. You have far better chances without me. Besides, this place is boring as hell. If you guys ever get busted and some real action starts here, drop me a message and I will consider to join. Still owe you a favor, I didn't forget.
- With that attitude, you are making me question the choice to stay here... - Peter looked away from the balcony shaking his head.
- We both know there is no way you can do that. And that's the fundamental difference between us. Because I can.
Wen tipped the glass into her throat:
- Heck, this ventrue ghoul is tasty. Maybe we should have left him alive as a blood doll. Anyway, It's time for me to leave, still need to get somewhere with roof before the dawn.
Mary and Peter watched as Wen hopped over the rail and gracefully walked away towards the parking lot. As she was turned behind the corner, he turned back and cursed:
- Damn, she could be anybody in this city. It's not a bad deal at all. And don't tell me that after all these years, she is still driven by wanderlust...
Mary was hesitating heavily, but finally came to conclusion that the time is right.
- Pretty sure she isn't. But I am.
Peter waved another disappointed gesture:
- There should be a deep sigh, but I don't need to breathe. Your decision, I can understand, at least.
- I don't think anybody ever will understand her. She has been out there alone for too long.
- Are you going to join her?
- If she lets me. I still have a lot to learn.
- We have a lot of tricks to teach you as well. And we are way more willing.
- It's not about tricks. It's about finding my new self.
After a short pause, Mary moved out of the door and hurried downstairs.

Lasca stepped out of the shadows in front of Peter and caught his disappointed look:
- Please, don't tell me you are leaving as well.
- Oh, I wish I could. But I'm stuck here with your miserable ass, - she laughed. - An ancient curse, remember?
- I see. So I finally have somebody to discuss political business.
- Speaking of which, whom do we appoint as Prince? You are too famous and my looks are way too distinguishable
- I think Nibs can serve this role pretty well. Good with poker faces. You'll have to shuffle for him when he is talking to Chancellor, but luckily that is unlikely to happen more often that once a year.
- Sounds like a deal, but you'll have to do all the handwriting, - Lasca waved his claws. - I also think he will get bored after a time.
- He is fond of all the pathos, so that will take a while. When that happens, swap him with Sly, the boy should be ready by then.

As Mary approached the parking, she spotted the pickup truck with darkened windows and climbed in. To her surprise, Jester was also there and not behind the wheel.
- Told ya, she wouldn't stay come, - laughed Wen.
Jester handed the bag with 2 flasks:
- Okay, okay, you won this one. Should have listened to my momma saying not to make bets with antique witches.
- Don't exaggerate, the best I could do is Dark Ages, maybe a bit of Roman. And this one was really easy. It's same with all the youngsters, wanderlust and "searching for yourself". Where to?
- This night, we need to get to the docks. Tomorrow we move to hideout from the last week. Fifteen clicks from there is where I found the ship.
- A ship? Why are we interested in some shipwreck? - asked Mary, - Was it carrying gold or something?
- The ship. And I'm not sure it qualifies as wreckage. You'll see for yourself.

- Listen, I don't know what Jester told you about Albert, but you know, he likes to exaggerate. This was really an accident, I didn't even knew that guy was a Prince. One of his lackeys hired me to deal with the furry problem and when I got back to collect the payment when they refused to the deal. So I kicked his butt and went upstairs to talk to the kid and had no idea that bunch of clowns were running the city.
Wen leaned back in the chair, making faces, and continued:
- Now that I think of it, they probably just needed to get rid of him and somebody convinced Albert that he is dealing with a house cat, not with a hungry lynx. And then they were just watching the show. Could have talked to the guy first, but I doubt it would have done any good. After all, there are some really powerful bloodsuckers on that council, who might have taken the extra effort to get rid of me, but since I've played exactly to their expectations, they don't see me as a threat...
- You seem to understand politics quite well.
- Well, yes. But actually - no. You see, the problem with politics and freedom is that you have to understand the game, but avoid playing it. It's too easy to think you understand things when you don't. And that's what gets you into the situation when you have no choice but to go on and get even deeper into the trouble. That ain't freedom your are looking for.

Свою задачу "купол" выполняет и сейчас отработал он тоже на отлично. Видики и фоточки тоже загляденье.
Но позвольте, Абель, две сотни ракет это всего одна батарея, 6 "градов". И с координацией у них было явно не очень, если вместо 20-секундного залпа шоу растянулось на 5 минут. И стреляют там не штатными ракетами и даже не турецкими поделками, а кустарного производства "кассамами", которые большей частью вообще никуда не долетают.
Кстати, на фото видно, что как минимум одна из пусковых установок полностью отстреляла таки весь боекомплект в 20 штук.

В общем, если это реклама, то непонятно кому адресованая. Из тех, кто может себе такое позволить, бармалеи могут угрожать ну разве что шейхам, которые в число потенциальных покупателей все равно не входят, они скорее покупку нормальных ракет для бармалеев спонсируют.

Если вы в маленьком европейском городке видите, где затариваются кофе и пончиками блюстители порядка - там их и надо брать.
Главное проследить и не перепутать, где покупать кофе, а где - пончики.

Здесь содержатся некоторые размышления об участии "международного сообщества" и прочие забавные аспекты viva la.

Кто там блюдет информационную гигиену - вас предупреждаливас предупреждали

1. К сожалению, участие "международного сообщества" неизбежно. Соседи с востока, так и с запада имеют свои национальные интересы и не прочь поживиться тем, что свалится с шатающейся елки, будь то человеческие ресурсы, бегущие из зоны эскалации или кусок территории. Ситуация нейтралитета и невмешательства с каждой из сторон представляется совершенно фантастической, потому что во-первых, это классическая "дилемма заключенного", а во-вторых сторон больше двух и для заокеанских поборников демократии любая эскалация в регионе является положительным исходом.
Не следует рассматривать подобные рассуждения как мотивацию к бездействию, эскалацию следует скорее рассматривать как уже свершившийся факт. Но пока, эта эскалация внутренняя.
Но вот чего стоило бы избежать - так это любой деятельности по переводу внутреннего конфликта в плоскость восток-запад. Так например, некоторым свежеиспеченным публичным фигурам стоило бы не дразнить красной тряпкой империю, встречаясь лишний раз с пендосами. Вместо этого стоило бы засесть за матчасть и изучить существующие экономические отношения и аспекты военного сотрудничества, а после этого заявить, что "вот эти 30 договоров мы планируем всячески уважать, вот эти 5 требуют пересмотра", но это уже совсем из области фантастики. Разумеется, конструктивная позиция в данном вопросе не особо отвечает интересам запада, который с упоением будет клеймить ее как провосточную.
Председатель, со своей стороны, готов похоронить на корню любой конструктив, поскольку это ставит под вопрос его незаменимость для востока и чревато скорыми похоронами.

2. Экономически, игра председателя давно проиграна. Дефолт неизбежен и вопрос лишь в том, когда он произойдет, завтра или через пару лет. И если до недавнего времени еще имело смысл изображать какие-то долгосрочные планы, то сейчас маски сброшены, и стало очевидно что иначе как "нам бы ночь простоять и день продержаться" текущие цели не звучат. Собственно этот момент и является определяющим в этой ситуации и именно эту проблему нужно стратегически решать тем, кто хочет сохранить независимость. Увы, как это сделать в текущей ситуации - вопрос на миллион. Или на пару миллиардов.

3. Курс, которым развивается сейчас ситуация, ведет губернию прямо в лапы империи. Разумеется, ей не нужна полноценная гражданская война, но вот сделать настолько плохо, чтобы большинство населения посчитало возвращение в границы империи благим делом, - самое оно. И никакие демократы, ни ближние ни дальние, в такую ситуацию не впишутся, все понимают, что столь близко от столицы имперская армия будет воевать по-настоящему. В отличие от южных провинций, где и пацаны погорячее и размер поболее, чем можено за один раз проглотить, здесь флаги на магистратах можно сменить за одну ночь. Вообще, какие-то пару недель назад я полагал, что это произойдет не сейчас, когда подъем народного духа на высоте, а годика через 2-3, когда всех настигнет уныние и разочарование.
При этом, по большому счету не важно, останется ли у руля зажатый в угол председатель, который в удобном для империи направлении перепишет основной закон, или случится революционный хаос со сменой лидеров каждые полгода. И то и другое достаточно плохо, чтобы въехать на белом коне.

Собственно, пока я это писал, закрытие границ подвезли. Кажется парой-тройкой лет дело и не пахнет. Мера это крайне непопулярная, поэтому ее использование явно указывает на то, что ситуация окончательно выходит из-под контроля лучезарного правителя.
Наверное, я даже готов побиться об заклад, что когда граница откроется вновь, вы будете жить уже в другой стране, и совсем не той, в которой хотели бы. Есть желающие принять ставку?

Весьма забавно на минутку предположить, что все то, о чем уже успел раскричать глашатай - правда:
Что схваченные стражей музыканты на самом деле из того самого оркестра классической музыки. Что на самом деле их две сотни.
И что они не проездом на заморские гастроли ехали, а собирались дать самый настоящий местечковый концерт.
Даром что без инструментов, но может они чечетку отбивать собрались с вокальным сопровождением.

Только вот если после этого представить себе дальнейшие действия расстроенного дирижера, становится немного не по себе.
У него ведь в оркестре еще хватает музыкантов разного профиля, и свирель там найдется, и за ударником не заржавеет.

Во всей происходящей истории выглядит интересным один момент.
Пациент, который сейчас присел вместе со своим отпрыском - далеко не дурак.
И с большой вероятностью отлично понимал, что идет ровно на это.
Но все равно пошел, хотя скорее всего имел возможность просто собрать вещи и улететь.
Что им при этом двигало?
Во внезапное обострение патриотизма у такого субъекта я поверить не готов.