“We win; they lose.”

So, we’ve got rampant inflation; everyone’s losing their minds over getting into a nuclear war with Russia; and the mullet is having a resurgence amongst the kids.

Does this mean we’ll start getting decent music again?

Asking for a friend.

Speaking of war with Russia, a lot of folks whom I’m pretty sure were around for the 1980s are currently losing their minds — I’m starting to wonder if there’s a run on M1979 Bomb Shelters, a/k/a the school desks we were told to hide under in the event of missiles heading this way.

Sigh.

The title of this post is a quote from Ronaldus Magnus* when a reporter asked a question at the 1988 USSR/USA Summit in Moscow about his view of the Cold War:

“Here’s my strategy for the Cold War: We win; they lose.”

Holy gods, when that hit the evening news. The gloom! The doom! The knickers in knots! Inevitable radioactive death!

And yet … we’re still here, unirradiated.

Five years earlier, the USSR shot down Korea Air Flight 007 — Panic! Distress! Overstressed Hanes/half-hitch interface! Inevitable radioactive death!

And yet — no glowing in the dark.

Pershing II missiles deployed to Europe? Hyperventilation! Pearl-clutching! Undergarments all bunched up in the wrong places! Inevitable … radioactive …

And yet … no nuclear winter to offset all that climate change.

Strategic Defense Initiative? FleetEx ’83? Oh, my tap-dancing gods! Inevitable …

And yet …

I got burnt out on the nuclear war panic way back in the 1980s, and I thought a lot of other folks had, too, but apparently panic over war with Russia is the new hotness along with the mullet.

Don’t get me wrong — if we get into a war with Russia, it’s going to suck in all new ways. Also, don’t get me wrong — unless you’re in a Cabinet-level position in the Government there’s not a single damned thing you can do about it**.

If you were born in the 21st Century: welcome to my youth. You get used to it.

If you came of age during the height of the Cold War: Really? Suck it up.

Welcome to my TED talk.

LawDog

*President Ronald Reagan. If you don’t get the reference, ask your parents. Also, get off my lawn.

**If you have concerns about the Administration’s ability to handle this, and you voted for said Administration — I don’t know what to tell you. Congratulations? If you didn’t vote for the current administration, and you have concerns — might I suggest you remember said concerns in the next few elections?

And ... more fox memes
I can not believe ...

26 thoughts on ““We win; they lose.””

  1. Sir, this is a Wendy's.

    (Sorry couldn't resist. Automatic response to the Ted talk line )

  2. I'm mostly worried about just what kinds of things our current administration (a wholly owned subsidiary of Xi the Poo) would use a war as justification for.
    The Patriot Act was pretty bad. That they came up with the name 'HOMELAND defense' after that very phrase has been used in EVERY LAST dystopian novel/movie for the last 200 years as the big flashing neon sign of 'this is EVIL folks!' shows that they're not only willing to do these things to us, but that they're incredibly stoopid about it too (though the American voter is even stoopider for allowing it).
    Just as Rationing in WW2 was pretty much BS used to 'rally the people on the homefront' I'm sure that the turnip in charge's handlers will have all sorts of new and improved ways to make us 'support' the war effort.

    But maybe if we can get some good music again it'll balance out…?
    Nah.

  3. Mind you, mid 1980s, back when I was flying B-52s for Uncle Sam. . .we had a few tense months where we were convinced that we would be flying "the Mission" soon. . .

  4. I spent a good part of the 80's on SAC bases or other first tier targets.

    The only time I didn't really worry about have a can of sunshine opened up locally was when I was in Korea. I figured the NK Ranger Commandos kicking in my bunker door would get to me first.

    So, yeah. Just another day.

  5. During the Cold War, the U.S., and the Soviet Union, didn't have strongly interconnected economies. That, and technology was much different, with far less dependence on electronics. Both sides dabbled with the governments of other countries, and both sides caused havoc with world economics. In the end, and probably again this time, there just wasn't enough blind hate to destroy the world. Such things are too big of a loss for those with with enough money to influence world economies, and they can stop any conflict by removing the financing. This time it will be much more in the open, and people won't be so easily influenced.

    Carter was as big of a bumbling fool as Biden. We'll survive Biden's ineptitude, and the mid-elections will turn D.C. on its ear.

  6. Yeah. My oldest, off at college in another state, called me and said she was all worried about nuclear war started by Russia… I said, "Welcome to my childhood, sweetie. I'm not investing my energy into it. Now stop making up excuses for not doing your calculus homework and get to it!!" She didn't much like that and claimed it was easy for me to ignore it because I had years of experience at it… I said if she weren't two states away I'd smack her with my wooden spoon. Then we had a short discussion about Stoicism and why you don't waste energy on stuff not in your control and did she not remember she had picked the name for her homeschool – "Seneca Academy" because she thinks the Stoics are the bomb… she threw the spoon back at me for that…

  7. In the 1950s, when I was very young, we lived within sight of the USAF base in North Pickenham. The base was on the far side of a 200 acre field that began at our back yard. They had Thor missiles there which they would stand up on their launch gantries and blow "smoke" through from time to time.

    I learned at a young age that there was no point in worrying about nukular war, because it would be over before I knew it had started.

    1. Growing up I had a Nike site practically in our back yard and I could see the aerodrome beacon of NAS Willow Grove from the kitchen window. No use worrying about it.

    2. Growing up I had a Nike site practically in our back yard and I could see the aerodrome beacon of NAS Willow Grove from the kitchen window. No use worrying about it.

  8. I was born in 82 and grew up down wind of Cheyenne mountain. A big part of our curriculum in 2nd and 4th grade was the effects of nuclear fallout on a population. We were assured that the people in Colorado Springs probably wouldn't suffer any unless they were unlucky enough to survive a blast. There were maps and pictures of what to expect. I understand they've stopped including that in the curriculum.

    All this? Piffle. We'll deal because that's what we do. And very few of us have any influence over what goes on in Russia. Or what our official response will be. So, grab your cowboy hat and enjoy the ride.

  9. I grew up just west of Pantex and Amarillo Air Force Base, where B-52s hung out. We went through all the duck and cover drills, knowing it was utterly bogus — the tornado drills were more realistic.

    Was in Germany during some very tense times, but other than making sure the folks had copies of our wills, we didn't lose any sleep. We knew what we'd signed up for.

    Today's no more tense than all the other times we survived. I'm not losing any sleep.

  10. Considering that your 32nd great grandfather is Jaroslav, Grand Duke of Kievan Rus' I would think you could spare some compassion for the Ukrainians, rather than getting on your arrogant, opinionated high horse – yet again.

  11. Hey Lawdog;

    Yeap, my childhood, LOL and my early adulthood was spent in that scenario. Meh…You are correct but Carter was a bumbling naive fool now Xiden is a bumbling demented meat puppet under the control of whatever is paying his handlers, hence the difference.

    1. MrG has the right of it. It's like reliving the early 80s but with an adult perspective, kids of my own for whom I fear, and no confidence in those running the show.
      Differ

  12. " unlucky enough to survive a blast" Now, there's a cheerful phrase.

    Also, duck-and-cover felt really useless.

    In line with what Keith Glass said: there were things happening that most folks didn't know about.

    My exceedingly narrow view: the F-14 is the sexiest-lookin' jet ever made. For a visceral thrill, put in your earplugs and put on your Mickey Mouse ears (you'll need 'em both) and hang out on Vulture's Row above a carrier-launched F-14. Makes yer teeth vibrate!

  13. Having been one of those on the 'pointy end' back in the day, I'm VERY glad we didn't actually have to 'complete' the mission. Just sayin…

  14. Anonymous said: "Considering that your 32nd great grandfather is Jaroslav, Grand Duke of Kievan Rus' I would think you could spare some compassion for the Ukrainians, rather than getting on your arrogant, opinionated high horse – yet again. 4:28 PM"

    Hey, look, everybody! It's some dumbass little coward making LD's heritage all about her!

    Fuck off, ya sociopath. With love and kisses, of course.

  15. Having been born at the very tail end of the 60s and reaching the "age of maturity" (HA!) in the mid 80's, I lived the whole hide under a desk, here's what fallout will do, worry about the bombs!!!! deal. And nothing happened, because the people with money didn't want it happening then and don't want it happening now. Messes up their money too much and they lose the complacent serfs that do their bidding.

    My darling daughter was born in the early 90s and missed it all. Now she's having a kerfuffle over the war because she of course just HAD to grow up to be a liberal snowflake. "OMG MOM! What if a war DOES start over this?" I told her well, honey, WWI started over some nobody fancy pants dude getting shot on his and his wife's way through Sarajevo. WW2 started from Germany invading Poland. So it's not outside the realm of possibilities that this could blow up and involve the entire world. Besides, kiddo, a war has already started over this, it just ain't gotten everybody else completely involved. Yet.

    There's no need to get all knotted knickers over this because if goes all mushroom cloud everywhere, most folks ain't gonna know it till it's over and they're in their afterlife wondering WTH happened.

  16. Grew up 18 miles from SAC HQ, during the late 50's, 60's and early 70's. Nobody practiced "ducka and cover". More like just simple "kiss your ass goodbye". And also worked inside Cheyenne Mtn years later. It was assumed that in any scenario "The Mountain" would be reduced to the Cheyenne gravel pit after the fourth nuke strike…maybe the blast doors would remain in place as gravestones….I don't remember any real paranoia. More like resignation to being reduced to ash if it went up.

  17. Not a fan of war. Yeah, sometimes you have to. But now? I don't see we've got a dog in this fight. Are the room temperature IQ's in Washington itching for something to distract an increasingly pissed off populace? Yup. Are there fools of all political denominations falling for disinformation? Once again, yup. Is the economy still borked?

    *checks the latest gas and grocery store receipts*

    That'd be an affirmative there, folks.

    Just in time for the covidiocy to get to the point that regular folk and even democrats ain't having it, there's a new crisis popped up Over There. And its in the news cycle all day, every day. And while the credulous public is distracted, the corpulent corrupt are at it again, doing stuff they shouldn't.

    Of course they are. They're lefties. Trashing economies, stealing freedoms, and telling us it's all part of some "plan" is what they do. And all for your own "good."

    Will I get a kick out of seeing them get tossed out on their ears in the midterms. Yup. Hope that my fellow Americans don't fall for the rats in sheep's clothing (they ain't wolves, no way) of the Establishment. Some of 'em will be dumb enough to run like what they are, NeverTrump4Life fools. Others will try and pass themselves off as Trumpian lions.

    Don't believe 'em. They're fools. And we're fools if we vote for 'em.

    "If you didn't vote for the current administration, and you have concerns — might I suggest you remember said concerns in the next few elections?"

    Agreed. And hope to my goodness that they remember them for more than just the next three… or even one.

  18. Greetings, Mr. Dog! Yup, just like the good old days (?) When we had bad public officials…. only I don't think any of them qualified as a dementia patient, as well as a life-long grifter who wasn't the sharpest dude in his prime…
    (sigh)

  19. Totally sure Xiden would want war, if he's not sun-downing… seems the whole Fam Damnily's got crooked dealings tied up in Ukraine, one way or another. But is Ukraine any less corrupt under current management, then when Obama/Biden were mucking around? (sigh)
    Can't do nuthin' 'bout gas $$$ or inflation,but gonna get into seed catalogs an grow some food!

  20. Cute that some of you think elections will mean something.

    Didnt 2020 teach you anything?

    The real reset to Fed Gov obeying the limits of the Constitution… will involve blood. Lots of it.

  21. R G-
    Actually it's a him, rather than a her, and he is my cousin-in-law. He is a professor who some years ago had a lot of admiration for LawDog. He no longer does, as is obvious. However, in this PC world, he cannot sign his name to anything on a social media.
    As to your posting, your use of language shows just how lacking you are in your vocabulary.

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