I agree mostly.
I think he should have stayed away from the bargaining table.
Iran needs to get pounded into the ground. They have financed terrorism for..50 years?
If they get a nuke it’s an epic failure of all the Presidents to put this off to not lose votes because of oil prices like Jimmy Carter did.
It’s a political 3rd rail.
He touched it.
Finish the job.
Let Iranians vote for their own leader and deal with it…when they have no nuke materials.
Start pounding Russia via Ukraine and use the brain.
The Putin relationship is wild
5 Likes
100 per cent. I have nothing more to add. Time to go play with my M15i and work the property some more. It’s a job never finished!
4 Likes
It’s a real shame they don’t sell that one over here (only the more expensive ones) because I have a Mega5 as well and would love to hook it up to one and see what it’s like.
3 Likes
Agreed on the Putin frustration part — Trump’s decisions often creates more chaos than results.
On Israel and the “no dog walking” claim,
Sure, US and Israel share some goals like countering Iranian proxies. But let’s be real — Israel has shaped US Iran policy for decades through heavy lobbying, spent tens of millions opposing the JCPOA, pushing Trump to rip it up in 2018, and backing the “maximum pressure” sanctions that accelerated Iran’s nuclear enrichment plans.
Netanyahu has not only openly celebrated US strikes on Iran, he has repeatedly urged US to handle the heavy lifting. That’s not “shared goals” — it’s influence that drags the US into escalations where Israel gains security buffers while US pays the strategic and economic bill, the bills that fall onto tax payer’s heads.
Example: Israel kept hitting Hezbollah in Lebanon even after the US - Iran ceasefire, result? Ceasefire collapses
Iran, i won’t go into the funding terrorism part yet, but let’s look at innocents living there and their life in general. Iran has been under crushing US sanctions since the 90s, faced Israeli sabotage/strikes, and saw its nuclear deal sabotaged despite full compliance. The Strait of Hormuz? That’s classic leverage Iran has used for decades in response to sanctions and aggression (2011-12, 2018-19, Tanker War in the 80s) — not random piracy.
In this war, they closed it after US/Israeli strikes, and it forced negotiations that got them partial sanctions relief and a ceasefire. Calling it “hostage-taking” ignores that the US itself uses financial sanctions as economic warfare. Iran has never had nukes, has no active weaponization program from what I’ve seen. Ofc i won’t completely defend them saying there wasn’t anything done in secret. Khamenei’s (not everything is completely wrong with this guy) fatwa or whatever it is called, forbids them from having or using nuclear weapons. Their enrichment ramp-up happened after US killed the deal.
Forcing “massive effort” regime change? History shows that doesn’t always work, it may have worked in Venezuela, people did celebrate khamenei’s death but let’s look at history — Iraq and Libya turned into disasters that empowered worse actors and created power vacuums. Iran survived 40+ years of pressure precisely because it’s dug in. Diplomacy (like the original JCPOA) actually constrained their program without endless war. Trump’s deadlines created a relief in markets exactly because de-escalation beats the alternative.
Iran won’t “give it up willingly,” true — but neither will any country facing existential threats. Stability comes from mutual security guarantees, not “taking” change by force.
1 Like
First, I would like to thank @Andy_Pickard for his extremely generous offer of a Muse M4, with the only condition that I pass his generosity on to another audiophile.
Take this as a given.
Secondly, the Zwift issue. Not only have I received a replacement, I have received an upgrade.
Three days ago I was in the doldrums, and today, because of the generosity of a fellow audiophile and the excellent customer service of the Zwift team I am a very happy bunny.
10 Likes
Good to hear that sometimes things can actually work out when dealing with companies like Zwift. And tip of the hat to Andy for such a great gesture 
6 Likes
I grabbed a set of the buds pro 3 on sale after remembering this graph, ty for pointing it out.
I’ve stuck to earhooks like the bt20xs since so many tws tunings were not what I prefer and these sound fine for what I want from them.
5 Likes
I know I sure like it! Granted, my hearing is unlike a normal person’s hearing, so for all I know it actually sounds like ass! 
But it’s workin for me quite nicely. Yesterday I put the Aful P5+2 with the GU Craftsman Graphene cable on and I love that too. The M15i has stolen my heart!
6 Likes
There’s something about how the M15i does clarity without losing weight that sounds so good
6 Likes
You hit the nail on the head. At a very agreeable price as well.
4 Likes
Back in from workin the property. Turns out, I love doin this stuff, and I am happy with the result. Not overgrown and not over-groomed. Everything is busting out green, too. Takes a while to do, tho - it’s a pretty big yard!
The front yard is almost as big and has a beautiful, wooded area in the back corner that blends in incredibly well with the back yard. I love this place.
7 Likes
Great, Hope u like em
3 Likes
Yes and no I’d say. You’re dealing with a population that has been heavily indoctrinated. Going hands off might lead to similar situations like the other countries where you take out the strong man/regime. Look at what happened when Khadaffi, Assad, Hussein were removed etc. Suddenly there is a powervacuum in a country with a supressed and indoctrinated population that has no idea on how to lead themselves unless they bring back elements of the very regime they were freed from.
It’s happening over and over and over again.
I don’t have the diplomatic or political knowhow on how to break through this spiral, but I think that installing a puppet backed by western powers (like how Iran was in the 60’s and 70’s) might be one of few viable options to allow the populace rediscover their own identity and values again. That will take decades no doubt.
But telling them: ‘We’ve removed your leadership, now go vote for your new leaders and good luck!’ feels like dropping the ball in the last second to me.
3 Likes
I don’t think any citizen of any country would willingly accept having their leader replaced with a puppet of that sorts. Even if done convertly.
Just my thoughts.
2 Likes
Just chiming in briefly after a quick skim. Certainly not about the war, but Titanic. We saw Titanic in Japan with my wife’s parents. The first half is romance… Okaasan loved it, while Otoosan slept through it. The second half is action… Okaasan couldn’t watch watch it, but Otoosan woke up and loved it! After, we went to the Makudonorudo there, and Okaasan and Otoosan ate french fries for the first time in their lives.
5 Likes
Would agree other than Assad. He was forced to flee after rival forces pushed back on the oppressive Assad regime backed by the Russians.
They are doing a lot better than before
That was a internal revolt
Likely aided by the CIA to some extent
If Iran could have mustered a substantial revolt this might be different
The people of Syria were under Assad and father for quite a while and they still deprogrammed
3 Likes
Personally, I agree.
But looking at the ugly truth… I’m not quite sure what other method would be best to accomplish a long sustainable form of leadership that can actually rebuild the country.
Not entirely if I am to believe our Syrian crews (2 of our barges are fully staffed by Syrian refugees from Latakia). From what I understand is that while most of larger cities are somewhat safe (ongoing turf wars), there are still people who supported Assad trying to claw back things. Go out into less populated area’s and you’ve got things devolving into fights between warlords/tribes trying to establish their own area of influence. And then you also have Isreal gnawing away at Syrian lands and claiming them ‘For defensive purposes’ (This is somehow kept out of mainstream news mostly).
Their new government is trying to get things back on the rails though, but they have little outside support (Except … Iran….). So it’s going to be an uphill struggle for decades to come.
3 Likes
Iran needs to sort itself out, but i don’t think it’s the US’s responsibility for that, trump attempted a regime change and it didn’t work,
Even to US citizens, majority agree it’s better to not spend further on this war, and definitely not continue fighting a war where israel sits back and enjoys bombing other regions.
Money that could be better spent on healthcare and bringing cost of things down.
Right now, peace should be a priority and mending things to get back the world to the way it was. If there’s any change that needs to happen in nature, it should come from within, external factor influenced changes disappear the moment the external factor doesn’t actively keep the changes in place.
RIP Afrika Bambaataa 
5 Likes
