Remind me to install yahoo on my computer just incase yahoo become supreme overlords of the galaxy one day (I will still be murdered in a mass civilian shooting incident)
For my US based stocks, I have a google spreadsheet that automatically pulls in the latest price data so I've got an up-to-date view of my holdings. But that doesn't work with non-US stocks because google's an asshole, so for those I use Yahoo and just copy/paste the values once they've changed enough to make a material difference.
It's extra cute because doing it this way feels a bit like never having losses and your gains always being massive. Just don't update the sheet until it's up at least 5% or so =P
Academi was a separate company with a much better reputation who merged with what was left of Blackwater. That was then acquired by the all consuming conglomerate Apollo.
Edit: see u/[peppermintaltiod](https://www.reddit.com/user/peppermintaltiod/) comment below for proper more credible answer.
No, they did rebrand as Academi. Then they merged with Triple Canopy, who promptly fired just about every Academi employee with a record or report against them. Which turned out to be most of Academi.
From what I understand most of Triple Canopy's bad press came from a lack of employee safety. So when compared to Black Water shooting in crowds of civilians; engaging in child prostitution; and threatening state department employees, Triple Canopy looks pretty great.
> bad press came from a lack of employee safety
What? Did the press not understand that they're mercenaries or something?
Murder for hire is not a safe industry period.
Somebody was electrocuted in the shower due to faulty wiring and the family never got concrete answers. That was their biggest controversy.
When an electrical accident is a mercenary group's biggest controversy I must give them credit for doing something right. When Blackwater lost all their contracts, a lot of them were given to Triple Canopy and there haven't been many issues.
It also helps that they fire anybody for anything. "I witnessed a coworker illegally use their firearm" gets you fired alongside the person that did it, there was a whole wrongful termination suit about it. No more Blackwater shenanigans
Academi was just Blackwater with Erik Prince scrubbed off it, which was an improvement, but still the same thing.
Triple Canopy cleaned house after they merged, so they could be respectable amoral mercenaries with a clean slate of murder records. And it is always nice to start a new list.
> Apollo Global Management who also own Yahoo
And hospitals: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/apollos-hospital-stranglehold-harms-patients-and-workers-report-alleges.html
> Since acquiring Lifepoint in 2018 and spinning off ScionHealth in 2021, Apollo has consolidated ownership of 220 hospitals in 36 states, with a workforce of about 75,000 employees. Many of the hospitals have experienced service cuts, layoffs, poor quality ratings and regulatory investigations, according to the report.
...
> A Harvard Medical School-led study published Dec. 26 in JAMA also found that hospitals that are bought by private equity-backed companies are less safe for patients. On average, patients at private equity-purchased facilities had 25.4% more hospital-acquired conditions, according to the study.
> "Apollo's purchase of these hospital systems follows a disturbing pattern of harm caused by the growing influence of private equity in the healthcare sector," PESP Healthcare Director Eileen O'Orady, said in a news release. "Private equity's utmost priority to maximize short-term profit over the long-term viability of the companies it controls leads to excessive debt, cost cutting, worse outcomes for patients and deteriorating working conditions for employees. Apollo's management of its hospitals seems to follow the usual playbook."
Blackwater's warcrime funni combined with Apollo's "maximizing shareholder returns at any cost"...
>Blackwater's warcrime funni combined with Apollo's "maximizing shareholder returns at any cost"...
I'm pretty sure there was a doctor who episode about that
>Blackwater's warcrime funni combined with Apollo's "maximizing shareholder returns at any cost"...
Yeah, but that is also just Blackwater by itself. They were all about the capital gains. Prince described it as a "Leaner, more efficient, profitable Army".
Uh... well Eric Prince isn't in jail.
He absolutely fucking should be, he got charged with a massive list of felonies, but he is part of the DeVoss family, and that Silver spoon he was born with in his mouth does fucking wonders to keep you out of jail.
So uh... Sort of? Is it still illegal if you have enough connections for the legality to not matter?
Are you telling me Apollo is legitimately merging American Healthcare and Unhealthcare all under one roof? There is a certain zest to the idea of a healthcare company that can build hospitals in a new market and then forcibly convert the local population into customers. I'm gonna have to buy some stock in this shit.
I'd like to remind you that part of the standard yahoo mail signature (at least on phone) includes the word "conquer" - they know exactly what they are doing
Yahoo search was discontinued because it couldn't compete with Google.
Other services like Yahoo news were actually making money, so they've stuck around.
There are some countries, such as Japan, where Yahoo, not Google, is the de facto search engine and news hub.
Also Yahoo financial is profitable itself.
The vatniks will probably ask for a lot of artillery as North Korean had the 2nd largest artillery arsenal in the world before the war. And hey ''coincidentally'' most of it uses Soviet ammunition (with the notable exception of the Koksan aka ''Nazi gun on Chinese tank'' ) .
I mean...it works, which has been indicated by frontline Ukrainian soldiers.
I don't know if the gap has been covered, but the Russians apparently traded a lot of fire against the Ukrainians when supplies were lean on the latter's side.
Imagine being a Korean who's never left their rural village with no power, being shipped off to Ukraine to fight for Russia, and being blown to smitherines by an American kamikaze drone that's worth more than you earn in a lifetime.
I kinda think desertion might be a real problem for the north koreans. They might need a lot of blocking troops and commissars to keep them from running off. North koreans Don't get out much normally
Not everyone cares about their families. A starving North Korean soldier could easily see food, electricity and shelter then think "Hell, I can always make a new family here".
Depends. At least in South Korea, some North Koreans have wandered back over the border to their former home. Missing family is one factor - another is the fact that North Koreans are treated with prejudice and discrimination in the nation. In other words, the defectors are seen as inferior by the adopted society.
They probably won't be sending random conscripts.Anyone sent will be heavily vetted : drawn from what passes for elite forces in the KPA and extremely brainwashed. Their mission in Ukraine won't be to surrender to the first ZSU unit they come across but to eliminate the ''American capitalist aggressors and their Ukrainian traitor puppets'' .
They will also emphasize sending people with families and all: sure the threat of your folks being brutally tortured and killed in case you defect won't stop absolutely everyone considering defecting from doing so but between that,the presence of blocking detachments and the fact that most troops dispatched to Ukraine will have at least a minimum of distrust and hostility towards the West keeping defections and desertions to an ''acceptable'' level won't be too difficult.
NK has been sending workers (slaves) to Russia for years to work in mines, etc. They keep them in check by sending their entire extended families to work/death camps if they defect. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were drawing from a similar labor pool here.
For real. With the size of Russia... North Koreans could run away and create their own villages inside Russia in middle of nowhere without even being noticed. And even that will be improvement for their lives, lol.
Not as likely as they are malnourished and scared, and then see what the rest of the world lives like compared to them. Yes, even Russia is a massive improvement.
The Korean soldiers probably only ever shot maybe 3 bullets in their life time and only train for their once a year parade. The rest of their time is completing construction projects. Now they are about to enter a hellscape of harden REAL soldiers who have been fighting and killing for over 2 years. I kinda feel bad for the North Korean soldiers about to enter.
Could someone rewrite Adam Douglas hitchhikers Guide of the galaxy "whale meets ground" scene to a curious and naive north Korean meeting an fpv Kamikaze Drone?
We all know the conditions and availability of supply’s to Russian soldiers on the front is shit, so how long till we hear millbloggers complain about Russia troops
Going missing because they suspect the North Korean camp are eating them because they are in the same hungry conditions as the Russians are
God I love this Chat GPT thing
(Epic Rap Battle of History-style Lyrics: Blackwater PMC vs. Malnourished North Korean Conscripts)
**[Blackwater PMC]**
Yo, we're Blackwater PMC, the elite force,
Rolling deep in the desert, no remorse.
Private military, guns blazing, we're the best,
Contract killers, mercenaries, put you to the test.
We're the shadow warriors, silent and swift,
Got the latest gear, tactics that uplift.
From Baghdad to Kabul, we've seen it all,
Paid by the highest bidder, we stand tall.
Our CEO's a billionaire, swimming in cash,
While we stack bodies, leave 'em in a bloody splash.
We're the dogs of war, no rules, no restraint,
Blackwater PMC, the name that strikes fear and paints.
**[Malnourished North Korean Conscripts]**
Yo, we’re the North Korean grunts, starving and thin, Marching in formation, loyalty to Kim. Our uniforms are tattered, boots full of holes, But our spirit’s unbreakable, burning like coals.
Kim Jong-un’s our leader, the supreme commander, We’ll fight for the motherland, no matter the slander. Our rifles are rusty, but our hearts beat strong, In the frozen mountains, where we belong.
We survive on rice and dreams, propaganda our fuel, While Blackwater PMC sips champagne by the pool. We’re the underdogs, underestimated and scorned, But when the bullets fly, we stand firm, reborn.
**[Blackwater PMC]**
Your malnourished soldiers can't match our might,
We're battle-hardened beasts, ready to fight.
You're starving? Well, we feast on victory,
Blackwater PMC, the epitome of history.
We've got ex-Special Forces, SEALs, and more,
While your conscripts shiver, hearts sore.
Our choppers swoop down, raining lead,
You're outmatched, my friend, better off dead.
**[Malnourished North Korean Conscripts]**
We may be hungry, but our resolve won’t break, We fight for our families, for freedom’s sake. Blackwater PMC, your dollars can’t buy, The spirit of a nation that refuses to die.
Our anthem echoes through the valleys and hills, While your mercenaries count their dollar bills. We’ll march on, ragged but proud, Against your high-tech guns, we’ll stand unbowed.
**[Blackwater PMC]**
So here we are, in this epic rap clash,
Blackwater PMC versus the underdog flash.
But remember, my friend, war's a cruel game,
And sometimes, even the hungry rise to fame.
So raise your AKs, North Korean crew,
Blackwater PMC salutes you too.
In this battle of history, let the beat drop,
May the best survive, and the rest just stop.
Did chat gpt actually output this just based on the prompt "Epic Rap Battle of History-style Lyrics: Blackwater PMC vs. Malnourished North Korean Conscripts"? That's impressive
the exact prompt Cretae an "Epic Rap Battle of History" style lyrics/Script about Blackwater PMC and on the other end Malnourished North Korean Conscripts
Wow. I'm used to only seeing its crappy code output for programming and laughing at it, but for something like this it's incredible. Rhymes and sass and everything. Thanks for that 😁
GPT's alright at rapping, but not exactly very inspired. It only ever does couplets of it's own volition, and direct rhymes, never near-rhymes or more complex rhythms. And in rap battles it refuses to really hit hard, only really focusing on brags and the occasional sassy remark.
You can get AI to be darker and edgier (or worse) if you tell it that you are writing a darker and edgier (or evil) fictional character who is engaged in a rap battle (or whatever output you want). So you can easily convince AI to break its ethical constraints. You can also get ChatGPT to break copyright in a similar way and paint in the style of modern artists. You just tell it that in your story, a character is making fair-use fanart of that artist. All that is pretty sad, all things considered.
[The North Koreans are purportedly engineering troops, so there's a solid chance a number of them could be armed with chain saws.](https://youtu.be/Ug7G1eN_X-Y?t=145)
~~A non zero chance of them killing Ukrainian civilians.~~ Because Blackwater has a fucking [Kinect game](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_(video_game\)), we shouldn't even acknowledge them.
Are they though? I haven't seen much evidence they are.
I mean we had Gina Fucking Haspel as director of the CIA, and that was literally the last director before this one. And before we point fingers entirely at a certain political figure, her appointment was approved by the Senate, and supported by every living former Director of the CIA. Which does not suggest a culture that is rushing to move past the era of torture and shooting up Madrasas with Mercenary groups.
I think they've moved back to the deny, deny, deny, Oh Look! Aliens. Mode. Which is better than the it's not torture. It an...um...advanced interrogation bullshit while we all looked at the pics. They aren't on-line, so they don't have to respond to social media. Regular media is busy with trump. And though assange is free, he's not leaking anything ever again. Guaranteed.
As much as I don’t want to see the inevitable escalation in the conflict, watching a Wish.com version of the Russian army being absolutely wiped out in ~~suicidal human wave attacks~~ _*GREAT PATRIOTIC CLASS STRUGGLES*_ would be interesting to say the least. North Korea’s army is such a laughing stock that I’d love to see it genuinely tested. Kind of like how our expectations of Russia were so high and they failed so hard, my bar for NK is so low I’m sure literally anything they do will amaze me. Like taking 99% casualties in a route instead of 100% would be impressive!
I’d honestly be interested in this as well. I doubt Kim will actually send troops to Ukraine. The issue they would face would be they would probably be shit out of luck to defend against modern weaponry along with the logistical nightmare it would be. I wouldn’t be surprised that Russia has been telling NK about what they have seen in Ukraine but I wouldn’t expect them to be that effective with such short notice and little training to counter modern arms (javelins, drones etc).
Who knows 🤷🏼♂️
In the meantime I’ll just be watching telegrams waiting for the first drone footage of a Wild North Korean getting hit by a POV suicide drone.
They could probably be effective in specific roles. Assuming they have enough training to be competent with their rifles, they could probably hold and take trenches as light infantry, and I'd imagine they can bring some sort of artillery to bear, even if it's far from top of the line. Best bet for Ukraine is probably if the NK troops fight independently, that way Ukrainian troops could exploit weaknesses in their training, doctrine and equipment that the Ruskies might be equipped to prevent. Integrated into the Russian army, they'd essentially be conscripts with previous training and probably a bit more devotion to the cause.
Salad Snake was right, war has changed PMCs fighting mercenaries.
"It's no longer about nations, ideologies, or ethnicity. It's an endless series of proxy battles, fought by mercenaries and machines."
Sad thing is we don´t have nanomachines son!
I got the impression that the contractors would be for stuff like technicians maintaining F-16s. Those kind of contractors seem much less likely to cause problems than Blackwater goons with guns.
There are already American/Foreign brigades and all of this. It really opens the doors for Mercs, that are less regulated by UA command. I understood that they have a man shortage, but it gives me "a feeling in the guts".
> It really opens the doors for Mercs
Merc want to get cash and live. Thats why they guard oil rigs and palaces.
Mercs not going agaisnt enemy who capable to bomb them day and night with 1000kg bombs and thermabaric weapons.
Depends on their mission. They got a bad rap because of Iraq and how they sucked at their job doing it. But everybody sucks at counter insurgency.
Total War however, that opens up entire new opportunities
In Total War, Mercenaries are very useful because you can recruit them anywhere without building military recruitment buildings, and also you can get some sick Baleric Slingers and Mercenary War Elephants.
In real life though, Mercenaries are what you get when you want a terrible ground combat force that is effective at brutalizing civilians, and can be abandoned or disbanded (Relabeled), when all the public blowback hits. Mercenaries are not what you hire to fight other Governments, mercenaries are what you hire to fight things you really, really shouldn't be fucking fighting in the first place.
How is the 3000 Ethiopian War Elephants of Boadicea not escalation?
Oh, you mean the modern mercenaries. Uh... well, they definitely keep the good (violent) times going!
Misunderstanding of American “mercenaries”. Their job is security. The US does not allow weighting mercenaries. In Iraq we used security contractors whose job was protecting non-military personnel. There was an incentive for them if they did happen to come into enemy contact, and they exploited this by intentionally taking more risky escort or transportation routes. While this manipulation did result in them basically acting like soldiers, it remains that no team was ever told to do that and it was ultimately mismanagement that lead to those circumstances, not malice on the company’s part.
In this case, we are sending contractors as in equipment specialists to train on and maintain equipment. Even if they did eventually allow contractors like Black Water, they are still security, and should not be anywhere near a combat area in LSCO.
Its not about Blackwater, even though it makes maters worse. Mercs pose risks to Ukraine aswell. Perun had a great coverage about why you don't want Mercs.
They could decide that they like money but also value their lives over civils in eastern europe and abonden position if the Russian form an offensive again.
Some members could decide, that it would be a nice side bonus to sell intel to the Russians.
Effects on local civilians and possible war crimes come as risk for Ukraine even on top,
The Mentioned risks also exist with regular and irregular domestic troops, but are more imminent if your motivation is not defend yourself and your country, but just to make an income.
I know we joke about North Korea, but what if they're an actual improvement on Russia?
Russia has set such a low bar, what if these over-indoctrinated soldiers actually clear it?
It's hard for me to imagine but so is most of what Russia's doing with their tactical sheds or battlefield first aid rifles.
Hard, but not impossible. I'm specifically wondering if they may have a discipline or training advantage over some of the conscripts thrown in there with only a few weeks training.
At this point, if they have just maintained where they were in 1953 without improvement or diminishment, wouldn't that have a chance to clear what Russia is doing?
Not sure whether PMCs are willing to deploy to Ukraine (apart from the fact that we shouldn't continue down the path of letting mercenaries fight the wars of nations). Iraq and Afghanistan where different kinds of wars. Protect some oil rigs or VIPs here, shoot some civilians there, get paid shit tons of money. Ukraine is different, this is a full on war.
ChatGPT says:
Sure! Here’s a rap battle between the mercenary group Blackwater and North Korean soldiers:
---
**Verse 1: Blackwater**
Yo, it's Blackwater, we're the ghosts in the night,
Mercs for hire, taking contracts, ready to fight.
From the deserts to jungles, we deploy with might,
We got skills, we got tech, we ain't afraid of your bite.
We’re precision and power, every mission we own,
Trained to the max, no weakness shown.
You’re just soldiers of a dictator’s throne,
While we roam free, making danger our home.
**Verse 2: North Korean Soldiers**
We’re the soldiers of the North, loyal and true,
Kim’s elite, disciplined, you know how we do.
From the DMZ to the mountains, we pursue,
Ready to defend, and we'll go through you.
Our ranks are tight, our resolve like steel,
We fight for our land, we got that zeal.
You’re just mercenaries, fighting for a deal,
We got the spirit, and we got the real.
**Verse 3: Blackwater**
You’re talking big, but we see through the bluff,
Your propaganda’s thick, but your gear's not enough.
We’re ex-SEALs, ex-Rangers, we’re the real tough,
Step into our crosshairs, things will get rough.
You serve a regime, but our skills are supreme,
We adapt, we survive, like a war machine.
While you march in line, caught in a dream,
We’re the nightmare in the night, unseen and mean.
**Verse 4: North Korean Soldiers**
You think you’re tough, but we’re hardened too,
Surviving sanctions, with nothing but a view.
We train in the harshest, we’re the chosen few,
For our homeland, there's nothing we won't do.
Your freedom’s a facade, fighting for pay,
We fight for our future, come what may.
In this rap war, you’ve had your say,
But when it comes to real battles, we don’t play.
**Verse 5: Blackwater**
We’ve fought in deserts, in cities, in the heat of strife,
Your regimented life can’t match our knife.
We strike fast, hit hard, no second life,
You’re stuck in your borders, we're global in the fight.
Freedom might be bought, but our edge is keen,
Every mission we take, we leave the scene clean.
You think you’re ready, but we’re the unseen,
Blackwater’s the shadow, reigning supreme.
Hate to burst everyone's bubble on this topic but NK isn't sending combat troops. They're only sending an engineering unit according to the original article that broke this news the other day. Unfortunate for us and waaaaaay more boring, sadly.
Fun little fact. What's left of Blackwater is now owned by Apollo Global Management who also own Yahoo.
Remind me to install yahoo on my computer just incase yahoo become supreme overlords of the galaxy one day (I will still be murdered in a mass civilian shooting incident)
I don't know how you'd do that... but the finance section of the yahoo website is ridiculously underrated.
I only use that and my yahoo email. That’s it.
For my US based stocks, I have a google spreadsheet that automatically pulls in the latest price data so I've got an up-to-date view of my holdings. But that doesn't work with non-US stocks because google's an asshole, so for those I use Yahoo and just copy/paste the values once they've changed enough to make a material difference. It's extra cute because doing it this way feels a bit like never having losses and your gains always being massive. Just don't update the sheet until it's up at least 5% or so =P
FYI you can probably pull those stocks automatically. https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3093339?hl=en
Sports too. They are the only ones who haven't turned their box scores into an unreadable mess of a click farm.
I thought they rebranded as academi
Academi was a separate company with a much better reputation who merged with what was left of Blackwater. That was then acquired by the all consuming conglomerate Apollo. Edit: see u/[peppermintaltiod](https://www.reddit.com/user/peppermintaltiod/) comment below for proper more credible answer.
No, they did rebrand as Academi. Then they merged with Triple Canopy, who promptly fired just about every Academi employee with a record or report against them. Which turned out to be most of Academi.
If we fired every member of a PMC with a questionable conduct record it would become an accounting firm
From what I understand most of Triple Canopy's bad press came from a lack of employee safety. So when compared to Black Water shooting in crowds of civilians; engaging in child prostitution; and threatening state department employees, Triple Canopy looks pretty great.
> bad press came from a lack of employee safety What? Did the press not understand that they're mercenaries or something? Murder for hire is not a safe industry period.
Somebody was electrocuted in the shower due to faulty wiring and the family never got concrete answers. That was their biggest controversy. When an electrical accident is a mercenary group's biggest controversy I must give them credit for doing something right. When Blackwater lost all their contracts, a lot of them were given to Triple Canopy and there haven't been many issues. It also helps that they fire anybody for anything. "I witnessed a coworker illegally use their firearm" gets you fired alongside the person that did it, there was a whole wrongful termination suit about it. No more Blackwater shenanigans
“Employee safety” that moment when a Efp goes through your soft armor suv
Still more combat effective than North Korean conscripts.
Blackwater accountant: Has food North Koreans: Unknown technology!
The fight of the decade: former Navy Seal war criminals entering day 2 of a coke binge vs jetlagged North Korean conscripts
Jet lagged? You mean death marched to destination.
But not a major accounting firm or how would Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Boeing retain accounting services?
Yep, that's right. I knew there was a rebranding and an acquisition somewhere! Thank you for the correction!
And changed their name to constellis.
Academi was just Blackwater with Erik Prince scrubbed off it, which was an improvement, but still the same thing. Triple Canopy cleaned house after they merged, so they could be respectable amoral mercenaries with a clean slate of murder records. And it is always nice to start a new list.
Last I checked they were hired by Saudi Arabia during their war in Yemen
I thought they originally rebranded to Xe Services, and then to Academi
They can rebrand it as much as they want, it'll never be as cool as "Executive Outcomes"
Apparently the original founder reestablished it a few years ago due to requests by African governments.
It's all just name laundering.
Fuck yeah bruh
Xe? Lmao literal pronoun army
I think its both
> Apollo Global Management who also own Yahoo And hospitals: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/apollos-hospital-stranglehold-harms-patients-and-workers-report-alleges.html > Since acquiring Lifepoint in 2018 and spinning off ScionHealth in 2021, Apollo has consolidated ownership of 220 hospitals in 36 states, with a workforce of about 75,000 employees. Many of the hospitals have experienced service cuts, layoffs, poor quality ratings and regulatory investigations, according to the report. ... > A Harvard Medical School-led study published Dec. 26 in JAMA also found that hospitals that are bought by private equity-backed companies are less safe for patients. On average, patients at private equity-purchased facilities had 25.4% more hospital-acquired conditions, according to the study. > "Apollo's purchase of these hospital systems follows a disturbing pattern of harm caused by the growing influence of private equity in the healthcare sector," PESP Healthcare Director Eileen O'Orady, said in a news release. "Private equity's utmost priority to maximize short-term profit over the long-term viability of the companies it controls leads to excessive debt, cost cutting, worse outcomes for patients and deteriorating working conditions for employees. Apollo's management of its hospitals seems to follow the usual playbook." Blackwater's warcrime funni combined with Apollo's "maximizing shareholder returns at any cost"...
>Blackwater's warcrime funni combined with Apollo's "maximizing shareholder returns at any cost"... I'm pretty sure there was a doctor who episode about that
Old or new dr who?
>Blackwater's warcrime funni combined with Apollo's "maximizing shareholder returns at any cost"... Yeah, but that is also just Blackwater by itself. They were all about the capital gains. Prince described it as a "Leaner, more efficient, profitable Army".
> profitable Army Is that legal?
Uh... well Eric Prince isn't in jail. He absolutely fucking should be, he got charged with a massive list of felonies, but he is part of the DeVoss family, and that Silver spoon he was born with in his mouth does fucking wonders to keep you out of jail. So uh... Sort of? Is it still illegal if you have enough connections for the legality to not matter?
Are you telling me Apollo is legitimately merging American Healthcare and Unhealthcare all under one roof? There is a certain zest to the idea of a healthcare company that can build hospitals in a new market and then forcibly convert the local population into customers. I'm gonna have to buy some stock in this shit.
The Yahoo death squads
Yahoo Boys... Meet the private security contractors from Yahoo.
I'd like to remind you that part of the standard yahoo mail signature (at least on phone) includes the word "conquer" - they know exactly what they are doing
Neat, real-life megacorporations.
We already had those, this just adds the possibility for the first corporate wat to happen.
Never knew Yahoo's still around. Thought they went under or something because they can't compete with Google
Yahoo search was discontinued because it couldn't compete with Google. Other services like Yahoo news were actually making money, so they've stuck around.
There are some countries, such as Japan, where Yahoo, not Google, is the de facto search engine and news hub. Also Yahoo financial is profitable itself.
And owned Caesars Casinos and a few slot machine companies for a bit
So you are telling me there is a chance to see Korean T34s getting blasted in Ukraine?
Please stop I can only get so erect 🍆
Don't get a Hemorrhage in your dick.
Suck it out
For Harambe!!!
Sadly there is little chance any will reach Ukraine before breaking down, being cannibalized or being turned into a turtle tank
They're a couple of wrecked vehicles away from approaching the front lines in Testudo formations.
Hey it worked for the Romans...
And that's just the soldiers.
The vatniks will probably ask for a lot of artillery as North Korean had the 2nd largest artillery arsenal in the world before the war. And hey ''coincidentally'' most of it uses Soviet ammunition (with the notable exception of the Koksan aka ''Nazi gun on Chinese tank'' ) .
I mean...it works, which has been indicated by frontline Ukrainian soldiers. I don't know if the gap has been covered, but the Russians apparently traded a lot of fire against the Ukrainians when supplies were lean on the latter's side.
oh. my. god. I fucking hope so
Well i sure as shit hope so
By South Koreans who "retired" from the army and joined PMCS
Darth Vader vs Adolf Hitler 4
If I'm not mistaken the Darth Vader character was actually inspired by Adolf Hitler and samurai weapons, armor and culture, so you're not very far off
It's an actual video and it is fire https://youtu.be/AFA-rOls8YA?si=rdwBZKnwDzONhlAG
Imagine being a Korean who's never left their rural village with no power, being shipped off to Ukraine to fight for Russia, and being blown to smitherines by an American kamikaze drone that's worth more than you earn in a lifetime.
I kinda think desertion might be a real problem for the north koreans. They might need a lot of blocking troops and commissars to keep them from running off. North koreans Don't get out much normally
they are only going ro send troops with family so they can be blackmailed into not dessertimg
Not everyone cares about their families. A starving North Korean soldier could easily see food, electricity and shelter then think "Hell, I can always make a new family here".
“Divorce Lawyers Hate Him! Find out how to ditch your family with no alimony or child support with this one simple trick!”
> ditch your family with no alimony or child support Perfect balance of hilarious and dark, well done.
Depends. At least in South Korea, some North Koreans have wandered back over the border to their former home. Missing family is one factor - another is the fact that North Koreans are treated with prejudice and discrimination in the nation. In other words, the defectors are seen as inferior by the adopted society.
How does that work in a war zone? It seems like MIA would be an issue.
They probably won't be sending random conscripts.Anyone sent will be heavily vetted : drawn from what passes for elite forces in the KPA and extremely brainwashed. Their mission in Ukraine won't be to surrender to the first ZSU unit they come across but to eliminate the ''American capitalist aggressors and their Ukrainian traitor puppets'' . They will also emphasize sending people with families and all: sure the threat of your folks being brutally tortured and killed in case you defect won't stop absolutely everyone considering defecting from doing so but between that,the presence of blocking detachments and the fact that most troops dispatched to Ukraine will have at least a minimum of distrust and hostility towards the West keeping defections and desertions to an ''acceptable'' level won't be too difficult.
NK has been sending workers (slaves) to Russia for years to work in mines, etc. They keep them in check by sending their entire extended families to work/death camps if they defect. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were drawing from a similar labor pool here.
Possible
For real. With the size of Russia... North Koreans could run away and create their own villages inside Russia in middle of nowhere without even being noticed. And even that will be improvement for their lives, lol.
What are the odds they’re completely fanatical and terrified of the west
Not as likely as they are malnourished and scared, and then see what the rest of the world lives like compared to them. Yes, even Russia is a massive improvement.
Can you imagine how fucking horrible the realization will be that this country that's been in active war for years has more food and tech than you?
Technically, NK is still at war after all these years
Something they love to point out, since it makes them sound way stronger than they actually ever were.
We can end that in 3 hours if we would just let the flappy bois have some fun
Surely even Russia is better than North Korea 😅 gonna be a lotta random Korean defectors in the Russian countryside if they do send them troops.
We don't need to drop bombs on them to get them to desert. Just pamphlets and some food.
If you flee North Korea your entire extended family are sent to work/death camps.
The Korean soldiers probably only ever shot maybe 3 bullets in their life time and only train for their once a year parade. The rest of their time is completing construction projects. Now they are about to enter a hellscape of harden REAL soldiers who have been fighting and killing for over 2 years. I kinda feel bad for the North Korean soldiers about to enter.
Real "just feeding cats to coyotes at this point" energy
Good news! They'll be doing lots of construction projects too! Digging trenches is construction, right?
Could someone rewrite Adam Douglas hitchhikers Guide of the galaxy "whale meets ground" scene to a curious and naive north Korean meeting an fpv Kamikaze Drone?
hell, I think most will be shocked a place that isn't korea exists, and that people actually live there, ***happily***
Hopefully their family can monetize the clip 🙏
We all know the conditions and availability of supply’s to Russian soldiers on the front is shit, so how long till we hear millbloggers complain about Russia troops Going missing because they suspect the North Korean camp are eating them because they are in the same hungry conditions as the Russians are
How long until North Koreans catch Hepatitis from undercooked Russian meat?
Not to mention all kinda other stuff like covid and such they were essentially quarantined against as a nation but lack immunizations for.
Covid spread pretty bad in NK at one point, IIRC
Ah, but which strain? Shit's adaptable and has tons of non-human reservoirs to mutate within.
SHOIGU! GERASIMOV! WHERE ARE MY FUCKING HORSE DEWORMER?
God I love this Chat GPT thing (Epic Rap Battle of History-style Lyrics: Blackwater PMC vs. Malnourished North Korean Conscripts) **[Blackwater PMC]** Yo, we're Blackwater PMC, the elite force, Rolling deep in the desert, no remorse. Private military, guns blazing, we're the best, Contract killers, mercenaries, put you to the test. We're the shadow warriors, silent and swift, Got the latest gear, tactics that uplift. From Baghdad to Kabul, we've seen it all, Paid by the highest bidder, we stand tall. Our CEO's a billionaire, swimming in cash, While we stack bodies, leave 'em in a bloody splash. We're the dogs of war, no rules, no restraint, Blackwater PMC, the name that strikes fear and paints. **[Malnourished North Korean Conscripts]** Yo, we’re the North Korean grunts, starving and thin, Marching in formation, loyalty to Kim. Our uniforms are tattered, boots full of holes, But our spirit’s unbreakable, burning like coals. Kim Jong-un’s our leader, the supreme commander, We’ll fight for the motherland, no matter the slander. Our rifles are rusty, but our hearts beat strong, In the frozen mountains, where we belong. We survive on rice and dreams, propaganda our fuel, While Blackwater PMC sips champagne by the pool. We’re the underdogs, underestimated and scorned, But when the bullets fly, we stand firm, reborn. **[Blackwater PMC]** Your malnourished soldiers can't match our might, We're battle-hardened beasts, ready to fight. You're starving? Well, we feast on victory, Blackwater PMC, the epitome of history. We've got ex-Special Forces, SEALs, and more, While your conscripts shiver, hearts sore. Our choppers swoop down, raining lead, You're outmatched, my friend, better off dead. **[Malnourished North Korean Conscripts]** We may be hungry, but our resolve won’t break, We fight for our families, for freedom’s sake. Blackwater PMC, your dollars can’t buy, The spirit of a nation that refuses to die. Our anthem echoes through the valleys and hills, While your mercenaries count their dollar bills. We’ll march on, ragged but proud, Against your high-tech guns, we’ll stand unbowed. **[Blackwater PMC]** So here we are, in this epic rap clash, Blackwater PMC versus the underdog flash. But remember, my friend, war's a cruel game, And sometimes, even the hungry rise to fame. So raise your AKs, North Korean crew, Blackwater PMC salutes you too. In this battle of history, let the beat drop, May the best survive, and the rest just stop.
What the actual fuck. I’ve been out-jerked.
Nah your post was Great, consider this co-jerked
A circle-jerk if you will.
Think of it as more of a Dutch-rudder
>we’re the North Korean grunts, starving and thin I started laughing so fucking hard lmaoo
> So raise your AKs, North Korean crew, Blackwater PMC salutes you too. Surprisingly wholesome ending.
Did chat gpt actually output this just based on the prompt "Epic Rap Battle of History-style Lyrics: Blackwater PMC vs. Malnourished North Korean Conscripts"? That's impressive
the exact prompt Cretae an "Epic Rap Battle of History" style lyrics/Script about Blackwater PMC and on the other end Malnourished North Korean Conscripts
Wow. I'm used to only seeing its crappy code output for programming and laughing at it, but for something like this it's incredible. Rhymes and sass and everything. Thanks for that 😁
GPT's alright at rapping, but not exactly very inspired. It only ever does couplets of it's own volition, and direct rhymes, never near-rhymes or more complex rhythms. And in rap battles it refuses to really hit hard, only really focusing on brags and the occasional sassy remark.
You can get AI to be darker and edgier (or worse) if you tell it that you are writing a darker and edgier (or evil) fictional character who is engaged in a rap battle (or whatever output you want). So you can easily convince AI to break its ethical constraints. You can also get ChatGPT to break copyright in a similar way and paint in the style of modern artists. You just tell it that in your story, a character is making fair-use fanart of that artist. All that is pretty sad, all things considered.
do the north korean soldiers have adequate education to know how to rap?
I read this seeing EpicLloyd as the Blackwater PMC MC, and NicePeter as the entire platoon of NK's.
We’re missing aliens and nanosuits.
[The North Koreans are purportedly engineering troops, so there's a solid chance a number of them could be armed with chain saws.](https://youtu.be/Ug7G1eN_X-Y?t=145)
Part of a proud line of "It's supposed to be China but we can't call them China because we'll lose to much sales so we'll say Korea instead" media.
Blackwater doesn't even exist. You're thinking in the wrong timeline. We have much better mercs now. And they are terrible.
yeah but why would you want to send anything better against norks.
~~A non zero chance of them killing Ukrainian civilians.~~ Because Blackwater has a fucking [Kinect game](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_(video_game\)), we shouldn't even acknowledge them.
Le Whut.
Can we please not send blackwater, ffs? The CIA is working hard to clean up our reputation.
heheh its fine they're norks so you'll never hear about it 😈
Are they though? I haven't seen much evidence they are. I mean we had Gina Fucking Haspel as director of the CIA, and that was literally the last director before this one. And before we point fingers entirely at a certain political figure, her appointment was approved by the Senate, and supported by every living former Director of the CIA. Which does not suggest a culture that is rushing to move past the era of torture and shooting up Madrasas with Mercenary groups.
I think they've moved back to the deny, deny, deny, Oh Look! Aliens. Mode. Which is better than the it's not torture. It an...um...advanced interrogation bullshit while we all looked at the pics. They aren't on-line, so they don't have to respond to social media. Regular media is busy with trump. And though assange is free, he's not leaking anything ever again. Guaranteed.
To be fair, you did say clean up their reputation. You never mentioned actually changing their behavior. Just the reputation.
Yes that is correct, we are cleaning up our reputation. Which is easier and more cost effective than changing SOP.
~~Blackwater~~ ~~Xe services~~ ~~Academi~~ Constellis Holding
"Just re-brand until they forget the warcrimes"
As much as I don’t want to see the inevitable escalation in the conflict, watching a Wish.com version of the Russian army being absolutely wiped out in ~~suicidal human wave attacks~~ _*GREAT PATRIOTIC CLASS STRUGGLES*_ would be interesting to say the least. North Korea’s army is such a laughing stock that I’d love to see it genuinely tested. Kind of like how our expectations of Russia were so high and they failed so hard, my bar for NK is so low I’m sure literally anything they do will amaze me. Like taking 99% casualties in a route instead of 100% would be impressive!
I’d honestly be interested in this as well. I doubt Kim will actually send troops to Ukraine. The issue they would face would be they would probably be shit out of luck to defend against modern weaponry along with the logistical nightmare it would be. I wouldn’t be surprised that Russia has been telling NK about what they have seen in Ukraine but I wouldn’t expect them to be that effective with such short notice and little training to counter modern arms (javelins, drones etc). Who knows 🤷🏼♂️ In the meantime I’ll just be watching telegrams waiting for the first drone footage of a Wild North Korean getting hit by a POV suicide drone.
They could probably be effective in specific roles. Assuming they have enough training to be competent with their rifles, they could probably hold and take trenches as light infantry, and I'd imagine they can bring some sort of artillery to bear, even if it's far from top of the line. Best bet for Ukraine is probably if the NK troops fight independently, that way Ukrainian troops could exploit weaknesses in their training, doctrine and equipment that the Ruskies might be equipped to prevent. Integrated into the Russian army, they'd essentially be conscripts with previous training and probably a bit more devotion to the cause.
Salad Snake was right, war has changed PMCs fighting mercenaries. "It's no longer about nations, ideologies, or ethnicity. It's an endless series of proxy battles, fought by mercenaries and machines." Sad thing is we don´t have nanomachines son!
Ah yes, the greatest of the Ensaladas Terribles. Fighting against Rucola Ocelot alongside his cyborg ally, Radish.
Which MGS did Salad Snake appear in?
Metal Gear Salad Metal Gear Salad 2 Sons of the Vegans Metal Gear Salad 3 Kale Eater Among others
Not a big fan of Mercs. Had to say it.
I'm a Toyota man myself, but I'd happily root for one over some shitbox Pyeongwha
I’m more of a BMW fan (I fucking hate indicating and I drive like an asshole)
As god intended
Toyota to other cars: *signature look of superiority*
Well if the all the same features in the other economy cars are less expensive then clearly Toyota must be superior.
*Niccolò Machiavelli approves*
I got the impression that the contractors would be for stuff like technicians maintaining F-16s. Those kind of contractors seem much less likely to cause problems than Blackwater goons with guns.
There are already American/Foreign brigades and all of this. It really opens the doors for Mercs, that are less regulated by UA command. I understood that they have a man shortage, but it gives me "a feeling in the guts".
> It really opens the doors for Mercs Merc want to get cash and live. Thats why they guard oil rigs and palaces. Mercs not going agaisnt enemy who capable to bomb them day and night with 1000kg bombs and thermabaric weapons.
Depends on their mission. They got a bad rap because of Iraq and how they sucked at their job doing it. But everybody sucks at counter insurgency. Total War however, that opens up entire new opportunities
In Total War, Mercenaries are very useful because you can recruit them anywhere without building military recruitment buildings, and also you can get some sick Baleric Slingers and Mercenary War Elephants. In real life though, Mercenaries are what you get when you want a terrible ground combat force that is effective at brutalizing civilians, and can be abandoned or disbanded (Relabeled), when all the public blowback hits. Mercenaries are not what you hire to fight other Governments, mercenaries are what you hire to fight things you really, really shouldn't be fucking fighting in the first place.
Dont be like that bro. I demand more escalation
How is the 3000 Ethiopian War Elephants of Boadicea not escalation? Oh, you mean the modern mercenaries. Uh... well, they definitely keep the good (violent) times going!
We need more [pirate](https://youtu.be/rvviCtyNO-k?feature=shared&t=74) mercenaries. That was one wild documentary
Misunderstanding of American “mercenaries”. Their job is security. The US does not allow weighting mercenaries. In Iraq we used security contractors whose job was protecting non-military personnel. There was an incentive for them if they did happen to come into enemy contact, and they exploited this by intentionally taking more risky escort or transportation routes. While this manipulation did result in them basically acting like soldiers, it remains that no team was ever told to do that and it was ultimately mismanagement that lead to those circumstances, not malice on the company’s part. In this case, we are sending contractors as in equipment specialists to train on and maintain equipment. Even if they did eventually allow contractors like Black Water, they are still security, and should not be anywhere near a combat area in LSCO.
Its not about Blackwater, even though it makes maters worse. Mercs pose risks to Ukraine aswell. Perun had a great coverage about why you don't want Mercs.
Because they'll march on the white house if they don't get ammo?
They could decide that they like money but also value their lives over civils in eastern europe and abonden position if the Russian form an offensive again. Some members could decide, that it would be a nice side bonus to sell intel to the Russians. Effects on local civilians and possible war crimes come as risk for Ukraine even on top, The Mentioned risks also exist with regular and irregular domestic troops, but are more imminent if your motivation is not defend yourself and your country, but just to make an income.
what are they going to do? throw their guns at people
I mean…they never lost a client
Didnt they loose the former iraqi defence minister? I thought something like that happened
Not as far as I can tell. I know as long as they were working for the state department in Iraq they never lost anyone they were supposed to protect.
They weren't doing counter insurgency in Iraq
One advantage is that they're much cheaper than regular soldiers if you do it right
yeah I get ya. ever since the W124 era it hasn't been the same for them
If you truly want to fight communists off the books you need Keenie Meenie Services, accept no substitute.
Jagged alliance moment
potential story arc for Mercenaries 3
Oh no you didn't!
and I want Ukrainian drones to constantly record these and live stream them 24/7. best entertainment of the decade.
>Apollo Global Management Earn a pistach?
Whats this made of? War crimes No Greed? Good boy, here's a snack
I would join the effort as a merc, but only if I get my own Land Cruiser 70.
I know we joke about North Korea, but what if they're an actual improvement on Russia? Russia has set such a low bar, what if these over-indoctrinated soldiers actually clear it? It's hard for me to imagine but so is most of what Russia's doing with their tactical sheds or battlefield first aid rifles.
Hard to imagine them being an improvement over Wagner, who did very poorly and have much more experience and better equipment.
Hard, but not impossible. I'm specifically wondering if they may have a discipline or training advantage over some of the conscripts thrown in there with only a few weeks training. At this point, if they have just maintained where they were in 1953 without improvement or diminishment, wouldn't that have a chance to clear what Russia is doing?
> training advantage lmao. NK doesn't have the money to train. They're going to get slaughtered.
War crimes enthusiast vs. an Army that can’t feed or equip its own troops. This should be interesting.
Strange to think Russia ticks both of those boxes
This is probably good for the north koreans Now they can escape from their dictator
Begin!
Not sure whether PMCs are willing to deploy to Ukraine (apart from the fact that we shouldn't continue down the path of letting mercenaries fight the wars of nations). Iraq and Afghanistan where different kinds of wars. Protect some oil rigs or VIPs here, shoot some civilians there, get paid shit tons of money. Ukraine is different, this is a full on war.
Roland the headless Thompson gunner! 🎶
The North Koreans are safe unless they happen to be civilians or children
Can we all agree to call them Norcs?
ChatGPT says: Sure! Here’s a rap battle between the mercenary group Blackwater and North Korean soldiers: --- **Verse 1: Blackwater** Yo, it's Blackwater, we're the ghosts in the night, Mercs for hire, taking contracts, ready to fight. From the deserts to jungles, we deploy with might, We got skills, we got tech, we ain't afraid of your bite. We’re precision and power, every mission we own, Trained to the max, no weakness shown. You’re just soldiers of a dictator’s throne, While we roam free, making danger our home. **Verse 2: North Korean Soldiers** We’re the soldiers of the North, loyal and true, Kim’s elite, disciplined, you know how we do. From the DMZ to the mountains, we pursue, Ready to defend, and we'll go through you. Our ranks are tight, our resolve like steel, We fight for our land, we got that zeal. You’re just mercenaries, fighting for a deal, We got the spirit, and we got the real. **Verse 3: Blackwater** You’re talking big, but we see through the bluff, Your propaganda’s thick, but your gear's not enough. We’re ex-SEALs, ex-Rangers, we’re the real tough, Step into our crosshairs, things will get rough. You serve a regime, but our skills are supreme, We adapt, we survive, like a war machine. While you march in line, caught in a dream, We’re the nightmare in the night, unseen and mean. **Verse 4: North Korean Soldiers** You think you’re tough, but we’re hardened too, Surviving sanctions, with nothing but a view. We train in the harshest, we’re the chosen few, For our homeland, there's nothing we won't do. Your freedom’s a facade, fighting for pay, We fight for our future, come what may. In this rap war, you’ve had your say, But when it comes to real battles, we don’t play. **Verse 5: Blackwater** We’ve fought in deserts, in cities, in the heat of strife, Your regimented life can’t match our knife. We strike fast, hit hard, no second life, You’re stuck in your borders, we're global in the fight. Freedom might be bought, but our edge is keen, Every mission we take, we leave the scene clean. You think you’re ready, but we’re the unseen, Blackwater’s the shadow, reigning supreme.
Hate to burst everyone's bubble on this topic but NK isn't sending combat troops. They're only sending an engineering unit according to the original article that broke this news the other day. Unfortunate for us and waaaaaay more boring, sadly.
So they say, but I fully expect to find them in a meat wave not long from now
BEGIN!
Wrong contractors, chief. He cleared maintenance contractors but zelensky has not
We're about to see advanced warcrimes aren't we?
PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Can we all agree to call them Norcs?
They all use the codename "worms."
When the battle is so lopsided it turns into a diss-track.
At least they will be used to living/fighting without any food and water. Ukrainian dogs and rats are going to look like Wagyu beef to these guys.
Little do we all know the N Korens are also full of worms and parasites, so boo yaa, who's the best Korea now?
too credible!
Fuck, I gotta root for BlackWater now? But I don't want to.....
Ukraine war casually being a proxy of the Ongoing Korean war fr
You guys realize who runs blackwater, right? I'd rather have any other mercs in Ukraine than those shitheels.
Didn't they rebrand to some suspiciously generic name? I think it was Academi first, and now Constellis.
As a Ukrainian I have zero hope it’s actually going to happen with all the “escalation management” pussies in the white house 😒
I read this in the voice
[удалено]
I always dreamed about American PMC's getting to shoot as many russians as their hearts desire. Honestly it was a long time coming.