Lisnpuppy

Hello and welcome

Hey! Does anyone know if there is a Poser Hotkeys Plus pose mod that has a kneeling pose. I am fairly sure regular Skyrim had one (Halo maybe?) but I can not find one that adds this pose. Like a kneeling down on one knee thing. I know there is a Bow for Me mod but I am wondering if there is a Poser one? Thanks!

**waves**

I think mine was about $30-$40 dollars at the time too. So it really was a bargain and remains so for as many things as I download.

It's the middle, pointer finger and thumb and the impingement is in the nerves in your wrist. If you have numbness on the pinky finger and ring finger it is an impingement in the elbow. My husband works in Workers Comp claims and I worked for years in medical payments claims so we learn alot! lol

I got my lifetime membership back in....um...2009 maybe? It was alot cheaper then! lol That being said, I would have gotten one anyway due to being a former moderator. That is a lovely gift given for service rendered. I also hate ads so it was a win win with faster DL speeds also.

Yeah, kinda need the game. That being said lots of games have these and if you are talking about a Beth game then you will be spoiled for choice. Just let us know the game and we'd be happy to help or refer you to the porper section to ask more.

Here since 2008 and two stints as a moderator. lol I just turned 52 so when I came here I was 37 and my daughter was 10... Man now I feel old :laugh:

I thank you, I did have a good birthday and 20th anniversary. As to your post..... I'm not really interested in trying to argue the points here (again) or if my analogies were false equivalence or not. Really, none of that is the point or ultimately important. The only facts are 1) the ToS of the site (and I helped write an older version of them so they haven't changed) are clear on this. You report and move on. I don't think the OP was only talking about the debates section though as this has cropped up all over the forums as of late. They can correct me if I am wrong (though that is kind of irrelevant also.) The debates sections have few rules and go mostly un-monitored unless a report is made. 2) Robin has made this even more clear by specifically requesting these matters be left to staff by reporting them. What else is there to know? If you do not agree that something was moderated correctly, there is recourse for that *points to ToS*. If you do not agree with the decision on how these matters are to be handled there is a way to handle that too. I like to believe I was fair in my moderation dealings with both members and mod authors, who sometimes are at odds. I tried to apply the rules consistently because I like when I am dealt with consistently. I'd hate to see someone run afoul of the rules when they were trying to stand up to something clearly wrong. This is not a "free speech" place. It is a private site and someone's membership cost only entitles them to the rights and privileges agreed in the ToS that everyone agrees to when they join the site, pay or not. I guess y'all gotta do what you gotta do. But that could be against not only the wishes of the site owner but the ToS. I also know from years of experience as a former moderator and long time member, that engaging only gives these people a louder voice and more opportunity to spew their vile words. Do I think people's time could be better spent in real world actions than arguing this crap on a gaming site? Yes. That isn't anything other than a 52 year old mother of three telling others my experience. If you think I have never raged against the machine, you'd be wrong. See, I have had 68 surgeries on my vocal cords and sound like ET with a country accent. I've fought crap people all my life. I've also learned that some time, you have to pick your battles. Sometimes a surgical strike is better than screaming into the wind. I had to learn that the hard way. I hope that none of you have to do that. I do wish to thank you, Fokke, for making your arguments in a polite way and trying to support your arguments with details and not just screaming. I really do appreciate that. However, I have said the same thing over and over and this is not a battle I am interested in picking. The rules are clear. The rest is up to you.

I understand that this is a difficult situation. However, again, if you report the crap they go bye bye as do their post in general. F--K do I understand wanting to stand-up to this absolute crap. Trust me. What I do not think many of you are getting is that the site has very explicit rules about these kinds of post and what they will do about them. It will not go unpunished. However, just look at this thread from the last few days. We are, by in large, in agreement that these post are wrong and have no place here. The staff feel the same. Yet, here we are arguing semantics, for lack of a better term, over and over and over. How do you think it will go with the actual troll? For those of you that have access to the mod author forums (which to be fair is pretty hands-off by the staff BY DESIGN) we had a thread there arguing about this matter and people posted over and over and over, ad nauseam, about these things. What purpose did it serve? Was anyone's minds changed? No. Because again, these people hide behind the anonymity of the the internet. They are not interested in hearing the other side. They are not interested in opening their hearts and minds to the rights of these vulnerable communities. They just want to have some echo chamber to try and maintain their boundary maintenance and to find someone willing to agree with them so they can feel somehow justified in their bigotry. The Nexus is a private site and none of us have a right to make this our bully pulpit (no matter how right or justified we are in a matter.) The more postings that people see about it, the more trolls will also feel justified and will continue to post and spread more hate. I likened it to someone coming to your house, looking in your open window and then screaming at you they don't approve of your cute pink curtains or that another person on the property is wearing a hateful t-shirt and you screaming into the window about it. It is not your home, you are a guest here at best. The pittance one pays for premium membership only grants one the rights that the "homeowner" gives. If you go to a friends house for a dinner party and one guest becomes unruly, will you fight with them when the homeowner has asked that they handle the matter? No, you would not. You would let them handle it or you would leave the situation (or both.) This is not different. Robin has made the ToS of the site and the rule is report and move on. I know it is difficult to come to a place you maybe love, that you have felt comfortable or safe and not be able to fight back. I can not EXPRESS how much I get it. But these are the only allowed choices. Now, I am not telling anyone to get the hell out of dodge so do not say that. When you do not report these things and engage in behavior that is also against the rules it serves no purpose and will get you no satisfaction. Again, you simply provide these bigots with a bigger voice than they would otherwise have. It may also get you a formal warning for breaking the ToS. No one should be above the law (or the ToS in this case.) Just like in the real world if you disagree with someone and punch them in the face, no matter how right you are, no matter how deserving they are of getting their face re-arraigned, what will happen to you? Likely, something you do not want, did not intend and it just allows those trolls to feel even more justified when they are able to see that formal warning (cause you don't have to be a member to see that) that you have gained yourself. THE RULES ARE CLEAR. Think for a moment about the larger picture here. It is one thing to go to staff if you have reported post and nothing has been done for a long time (the staff get tons of reports-I know since I moderated here two different times) and it takes some time to weed through the crap. They do get to it and will take care of it. But if they do not, absolutely start a POLIET dialogue with them with your concerns. Please, use this righteous anger and direct it into more meaningful ways. Ways that you can truly effect change in the world. Make these people look you in the damn eye. That is not fighting with some bigot who does not care what you think, that hides behind the anonymity of the internet, whose opinion you will never change in this context and will likely just have more opportunity to spew their vile thoughts by responding to every post you and others make. These things ALWAYS become a free-for-all. You would be surprised how many people have engaged in these good fights and forget to report the breathing turds. Ultimately, none of this matters. The rules of the site are clear. Report, report, report and let the "homeowner" handle the matter.

I'm turning 52 in 2 days...ugh

I can understand what you are saying here. But I also agree with the person you responded to (JediMaster) in that this is a private site. I am going to look at this as a former moderator for a sec. When you engage with some troll, or hate-speech lover or whatever, what purpose will it serve? Trust me, I have gotten in trouble more than once here and in real life for fighting the good fight. Sometimes though, you have to pick you battles. The site rules about "not feeding the trolls" and being a forum vigilante have been in place since I got here in 2008. When you go in swinging, no matter how right you may be, it really only allows the trolls to keep on talking. Sometimes the best thing is to take away that voice by just letting the moderators handle it. I realize this is more personal to you that to others. I think you know from a certain other forum topic, my views on this kind of thing. I also know form being a moderator twice here and just being an old lady (I'm turning 52 in 2 days) that you really have to pick those battles and with peopled such as this, no amount of internet posting, no matter how well written or thought out will change their minds. I mean they are posting anonymously after all, so do they really care what we think? These people are vigorously practicing boundary maintenance. Engagement is futile. I know it is hard when you know something is wrong. But this is like someone's private home. You must respect their rules of behavior. Report the crap out of these things and then, go out into the real world and fight the fight where it is most valuable and effective. Be social and politically active. Make them look you in the face when they say their hate, then it is much harder to keep that boundary maintenance intact. Fighting that fight here, it serve not the greater good and just gives those who are spreading that hate more opportunity to do so. They REALLY hate to be ignored. Report it and move on to more important things, like the real world and the social and political action where you can actually push for real change. Best to you, Nepiah.

oh I thought my account would be banned. Good to know. I would suggest you ask a moderator directly, not ask in the debates section.

I was able to use mods with script extender manual install until recently and now the mod manager does not recognize it is there. I know where it goes. Everything is updated but a mod author asked me to try it using the mod manager to download and install the script extender. This tools option is and always has been greyed out for me. I posted on the BG3MM site but have gotten no response. Does anyone else have this issues? I have old saves stuck without use of certain mods. I can still play but I can't use the Bag of Holding Weight Reduction which will cause me to lose a TON of crap. I also can not use any mods that still need the extender (like 5E spells) as it will not let me play the game AT ALL with one of those mods in my load list. Thanks in advance for any help

I do not use Vortex so I can not speak to that. Is it giving you any errors at all? You only updated that list and not added any of those as new? Your game itself is up to date? (I know these may be silly questions but I have to ask.) I'm hoping someone else jumps in here that uses Vortex that can help you further. It may also be worth checking those updated mods and some of the bigger ones (Like ImprovedUI and 5E spells) to check for similar issues. Also did you save when you started a new game to see if it would load in ok?

Posting your mod list may be helpful

I like that my daughter just got her Master's Degree **pulls out pictures and violently shoves in everyone's faces** (edit: spelling)

If you have a specific question with Vortex you might want to post (if you have not already) in the Vortex area of the forums. The people who can help you will be far more likely to see your issues there for any games supported with Vortex.

I'm a bit curious here though I told myself to stay out of the debates section. :tongue: How exactly is media being defined? What type? All of it? Some of it? Just newspapers or are we talking internet posted stuff? TV or just particular channels?

Hello My Hard Working and Wonderful Modders!! I have a small (I hope) request! I'm not even sure it is doing-able though it seems likely. I am wanting to take the existing in-game dyes that are two colors (like Black and Azure for example-I believe that is one correct?) or Black and Furnace Red and just swap the color format to Azure and Black, and so forth with them all. If you are a modder that has put out dyes already and maybe choose to take pity on me and make these (or if those fine modders have given permission to use their dyes) and you could toss in any of your dyes that fit this formula I would be very appreciative. My gratitude in advance for anyone that can help or even reads my post. Apologies if anyone has requested such before!!!

I would suggest the internet is your friend in this. Unfortunately, with PS2 not being official moddable then no one here could provide a way to that as it would be against the sites Terms of Service. That doesn't mean there is not a way just that it can not be most likely, discussed here. I would think the only way to do it would be to do something against the PS2 games and consoles Terms of Service.

... ... We need to stop and call them for the lies they are telling. As I said Putin has been carrying this message for over 20 years now to Europe and the US. He has played the long game and now, even if he is showing his true colors some won't see it. They believe it is lies made up by the "liberal media" or whatever. Hands have been tied. Maybe they won't stay tied forever but will it be too late? I don't disagree with how it should be. That is not the reality of the situation. Sadly, republics and democracies do not last. They never have and likely never will. 300 years seems to be about the limit. Now, they come back but everything runs its course. If we want it to continue and to grow we have to fight for it. That doesn't always mean an army. (Sorry for my double post!!) it is somehow unbelievable for me but conspiracy has gotten incredibly worse and effective since 2016 in such a bad way in the u.s. and also in europe that "liberal media" as the only source that still can be trusted is treated like not reliable at all in the meantime thanks to trumps permanent lies and his way to communicate his "alternative" facts as the truth. in germany we have now "reichsbürger" which existed even before 2016 in smaller numbers. this sounds like a joke but it is not. it is a clear indication that conspiracy is a serious problem in the meantime. alternative facts are forced and supported by individuals like trump and the far right media to push and gain more power and they use their own misleading propaganda and social network for that - while the world is watching and government seems not prepared for such attacks (like it was not in in 1933). it is about the same way hitler prepared his ww2 plans and propaganda with the "Volksempfänger" and the world knows it worked for 12 years until billions of people were dead. this time this weird game of conspiracy and power will end apocalyptic if not stopped in an earlier stage by brave politicians i'm currently not aware of. treating the will of a whole independent nation (3x bigger than germany) like dirt and with ignorance cannot end peaceful - we all know that and putin knows that and he knows he has the key for peace in his hands - he and his regime and no one else! his conspiracy and propaganda plans work only in russia and will additionally impress only some weird east germans and "reichsbürger". the question is if he will act like hitler and will he play his criminal and deadly game in a foreign country to the bitter end ? europe and the u.s. could use the knowledge history offers us. but i'm not sure we will react in time in the shape we are. If you think Liberal Media can be trusted, you are deluding yourself. NONE of the major media outlets have much credibility any more. They ALL have their own bias, and report the 'news' accordingly. If you are only getting your news from one source, and not back-checking them, they you are just as uninformed as the seriously alt-right folks. Yes, they all have bias and any politically inclined channel will. However, they were and some still are, like spin doctors. The difference is this...once both sides agreed on the data, that it was true and factual but they would spin it their own way. Or they ignored one piece of data (like didn't discuss) or concentrated on another instead. The channels were similar. They did not ignore science. They did not lie and say this data was made up and factual untrue. Now, that is what many do and it seems unfortunate that most seem to be conservative or "alt-right". That these channels will put up say, Lindsay Graham who will stand and say he never said something even when video clearly shows him saying just that. Trump made that into an artform. Yes, there are liberals and "liberal media" out there that does this. But there are many who just spin. Myself, I read. I read tons. From the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal. I also try to do my homework about the people writing and sources they reference. I try to go read dissenting opinions. I read tons of history also, obviously. It is not as easy as it once was but still possible. What I can not and will not forgive is lies from any quarter. That is what is happening and has been to a degree for some time. However, the recent filings and under oath interviews by Fox News shows the actual depth of the lies when they admitted they knew the truth of the 2020 election. However, when THEY correctly and FIRST called Arizona the people who watched got angry and threw a fit. That is when they began spreading the lies that lead directly to insurrection. And that is what it was...an insurrection attempt. More, that channel, who in court filings said they were not news but "entertainment" continues to spread lies and falsehoods about the last election. Every, single lawsuit filed against that election has failed both liberal and conservative judiciary. People must be held accountable for their own views and should be educated. That is something that needs to begin in schools and we need our children not trained to regurgitate facts but to think critically and logically. I live in West Virginia, one of the most conservative, homogeneous states around. Time and time again, ask West Virginians about "liberal policies" and they are NO!! Ask them about healthcare, CHIPs and other programs that are actually "liberal" then they are overwhelmingly for those policies. Weird,, huh? It is no accident that our education system is one of the worst in the US despite WV having trained (in my youth) some of the best teachers in the nation. In fact, the teacher who was supposed to go to space in the Challenger had a runner-up...a teacher from West Virginia, my own hometown in fact. (Even the infamous break of the sound barrier Chuck Yeager is from here.) Now, we still train excellent teachers they just leave for somewhere they actually get a paycheck. My daughter who is currently working on her Masters, had a class in high school for an entire trimester on How to take the ACT. Not learn things but how to take it. It infuriated me. So as parents and as a society, we need to stop allowing people to act like educators are indoctrinators. America has had a hate/hate relationship with education. From the beginning we are shown stories of "the CEO who never even graduated from 6th grade" stories like its a badge of honor. Yes, it is wonderful that we are shown that we can succeed regardless of circumstance-but that doesn't mean education is not of primary import. Even when younger, I'd have people in my own family knocking that I was in college. That my head was full of "book learning" or how I wanted to be "bigger than my britches" by becoming learned." That still happens today all over the US. Heck, some school in Florida (I think) had parents get all pissy on a section students would learn about Michelangelo's David....because he is nude and they didn't follow procedure for showing this which was to notify parents 2 weeks before the lesson (the same lesson done for two years prior.) I mean, what the actual hell. The principle was fired. Why do we need notification for a simple showing of David a 500 year old renaissance masterpiece during a lesson of art from the period. All that shizz is nudes. Why did a handful of parents get to dictate for the entire school a policy which is honestly stupid. This isn't some controversial political idea...its a damn world masterpiece. School systems and libraries are under attack in the US and worldwide, demanded to them that books be banned. Book banning is the most awful thing that can happen in place. Because its not truly vile things but books about Jews, people of color and the like. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said in 1964 that "he knew pornography when I see it." But did he and do we? I even had a debate with my husband about a current University of Pennsylvania law school professor who is in trouble for some very not nice statements on a public podcast. There are some arguments about in-class teachings also but just on her public facing comments I believe she should not lose tenure and be fired for it because her rights of free speech and the fact she does not teach any "have to have" classes. We need our teachers to have different ideas at this level even if I do not agree provided they do not break any rules for classroom discourse. Why? Because people need to hear different sides and learn to think critically. Because, if we go after her then someday (like now) someone who has more progressive ideas will be subject to this same litmus test. The first thing autocrats go after are the freedom of the press and scholars. Always, yes every time. Over and over in history we see it happen. Also for me, better the devil we know. We need to have all books in libraries and children need to be exposed to many things. And if your ideas are strong and have stood up to critical thinking then they are worthy. If they can not....then perhaps you should reflect on that. We made the idea of giving sound bytes to people....we need to unmake that. We need to hold people responsible for words and deeds not shelter them from it. This means us and our children and our communities. I'll give a funny but not example. There is a TikTok-er who became infamous of late for saying the entire Roman Empire and its culture never existed. It was made up. Sure, some saw it funny but Im not sure if she believed it or not but some people did believe her. Far more than would have or even had access to her before the internet. Those people that believe are some of the same ones and have the same faulty thinking that leads them to other more scary conspiracy theories. One of the biggest is the issue of her lack of sources and her own lack of expertise. I'm not saying non-experts can not become so on their own or even have flashes of brilliance (as witnesses in a recent article I read about a man who loved cave painting art discovered the meaning behind some what looks like some numbering system in the art) but you have to look into the people saying things as much as what they are saying. No....I do agree that political news is a ....two-sided coin at best. If it is your only consumption then it can be a problem. Be better than that! Read, listen and think. Don't put your hands over your ears going "nah nah can't hear you!" Listen, read, learn to think. I won't say you are wrong because you are conservative or liberal. I will say you are wrong by giving my argument and reference good sources for A, B and C. When people deny even basic facts....then discourse becomes impossible.

He is acting as such but the issue remains. And these folks that are speaking for Putin or not acknowledging his criminal behavior are towing the line or see this as a way to increase their own political power. It seems some will do anything for it. However, those people know the truth. They were never Putin's target audience. That is the citizens of these nations. Because they have become so untrusting of government or institutions if fair or not, they believe Putin's lies. Because they have no education of the history of these nations and the timelines it opens them up to falsehoods. Then they start screaming at their senator or representatives and then it becomes a issue. Or a certain ex-President talks about how great and strong Putin is and his little lambs baahhh-baahhh blacksheep and march in step to his call. We need to stop and call them for the lies they are telling. As I said Putin has been carrying this message for over 20 years now to Europe and the US. He has played the long game and now, even if he is showing his true colors some won't see it. They believe it is lies made up by the "liberal media" or whatever. Hands have been tied. Maybe they won't stay tied forever but will it be too late? I don't disagree with how it should be. That is not the reality of the situation. Sadly, republics and democracies do not last. They never have and likely never will. 300 years seems to be about the limit. Now, they come back but everything runs its course. If we want it to continue and to grow we have to fight for it. That doesn't always mean an army. (Sorry for my double post!!)

Just for a bit of perspective, Lisnpuppy, you're talking to people who truly believe the holocaust didn't happen, that Hitler was a genius and that ignorance is strength, freedom is slavery and war is peace. Some, yes. But why do they believe it? That there is the issue. To me, it is a matter of education or the lack thereof and...the internet. While I know the internet is the greatest thing to happen in many way, in others it is a menace. People that used to believe this tripe were largely relegated to the edges of society and public discourse. You got to look them in the face when they spread the vile words. Or at best they self published pamphlets or books. The far majority of people, even me separated from it by birth of almost 30 years. Because they taught this stuff, people pushed back against it. Now, anyone can make a website that looks like "news". Heck, you have an entire channel here that gives voice to conspiracy theorist and lunatics. Shoving them up like actual news when in court documents that same channel admits it is "entertainment." We are responsible for this. They have first amendment rights in the US and I suppose other places but it is the legitimacy they have been given. Conspiracy thrives when knowledge is absent. I have no doubt my government has lied to us. Both parties have. But the wholesale destruction of institutions, the spready of the fallacy of education being "indoctrination" and the sheer hypocrisy of it, and the acceptance of these folks by the current Republican Party...The Trump Party gave them legitimacy in the eyes of many who would have otherwise been more skeptical or allowed others to act and speak in ways that have not been the "norm" in the US. Now you have websites looking like news, alt-right channels popping up and saying things that aren't just dangerous but 100% factually untrue. My great-uncle fought in Europe and saw a concentration camp with his own eyes. He was never the same when he came home. Now I sit, in a state always viewed as a bit backwards and now is fully a Trump State. But I remember his stories and my grandfather's. I also studied it. Can you imagine 6 million people being killed because they were Jewish? Stalin deliberately used the Ukrainians as fodder then starved them to death to the tune of over 10 million. I'm betting they haven't forgotten that either. So, I really don't care what people believe when it is not true. We correct young kids when they are wrong so we should be doing better. But now how can we when those in charge seem to wish to perpetuate these ideas? People used to believe (and still do) untrue things about people of color but we have fought back against that. We have become complacent. Until people begin to take responsibility for not just our views but the views of the community when they damage others this will not change.

Xrayy, what is happening now is not any different that it has always been. If you think that things were ever different you'd be mistaken. Less, maybe? But not different. What is different now is one thing, The United States. Now let me fist state something. I have a degree in history and have continued to study it for the last 35 years since I graduated from University. I specifically studied Russian history and European history including having professors that grew up under Soviet Russia in both Russia, Ukraine before his parents made it to Romania then to the US. Before, the US was able to help...well let's be honest, forced other nations into standing up to foreign aggression. It was always the US supplying the majority of monetary, material and manpower for specifically NATO. NATO is what has kept Europe in check for the most part of the last 70+ years. But the last probably 20 years it has been more difficult to hold it together. The last 15 years the "alt-right" has gained more and more traction into Europe to the point that Hungry and Poland (two NATO nations) have become more and more like this to the point their governments are now mostly run by them (hell, Hungry's leader Orban spoke at the CPAC in the US last August with a speak straight out of the racist playbook) and France keeps flirting with the idea. There are racist, faux populist, holocaust deniers and others in positions of government. If we throw Turkey into the mix as they are NATO then you have three nations that no longer appear on the side of democracy and so Europe's most protective arm is now hamstrung. All NATO decisions must be unanimous. The US is now conflicted. We have members of our own government saying we should not get involved because Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union (ignoring the fact they they decided to be their own nation on more than one occasion) that they share a culture and language. By that argument, the US should be part of Great Britain again. However as this party controls the House and half the Senate so getting them to approve any more that what is currently happening would be next to impossible. Even so, Americans are tired of military actions in foreign nations and are so far from WWII and because many seem to get educated only through TikToK, they do not understand the horror that is happening or what would happen if Europe came to all out war. While I am not old enough to remember WWII, my parents are. My grandfather fought in it and I've studied it and everything that made modern Europe. Because of the horror of it, everyone is reluctant to allow all out war to happen. 15 to 20 million people died in Europe in WWII. Does Ukraine need and deserve help? Yes it does. Does Russia deserve Crimea? No, I think not. But Putin is smart. Much smarter than people give him credit for in the West. He has been laying the ground for this for as long as he has been in power. Using misinformation, hacking and propaganda in ways not seen since Hitler. He has support in Eastern Ukraine because of this. And so many are willing to sacrifice Crimea and parts of Ukraine to avoid a wider war in Europe. This includes many in the US. So, The US sending troops is very unlikely. NATO acting more than it is, is unlikely. Ukraine was not a NATO nation and so NATO has no commitment to action (the famous Article 5 of the NATO treaty) and must vote unanimously. Each individual member of Europe is unlikely to act as they can not afford to do so in either money or manpower. Further, the US are burnt through most of its goodwill and political/monetary power with the "forever wars" in the Middle East. Since the US has shown (under Trump) that any treaty can and will be broken the world no longer trust the US to lead and do the right thing. If Putin attacks a NATO nation (which I believe he will do anyway eventually, if he is allowed Ukraine.) Putin planned long for this. Then the pandemic happened, the US is unreliable and Europe is weakened and has foxes in the henhouse. How can any act under these circumstance? I have said all along the US needs to step in to help Ukraine. They have more than proven then can also help themselves and honestly surprised me. They can not hold out forever though and the US is coming up to another presidential election year. This will be in the middle of it and makes action even less likely. The US may be too busy with its own internal fires soon because of it and other things that are happening. Even so, the House and Senate are divided enough that no real action will likely be taken. The UN has never been the power most wanted it to be. China and Russia are both permanent members of the Security Council and so any action toward Russia is almost impossible. The UN has never had teeth. Sure they vote to condemn but they rarely act and the times they have it has been the US to supply much of the power there. The US can't, won't or is no longer trusted with this duty. We just had a president trying to blow up NATO and the UN and spouting enough that NATO was weakened enough that Putin saw an opening. You say negotiations were always part of these things? No. Negotiation typically happens AFTER military conflict. Even if Putin had negotiated, would his biggest negotiation tool not have been the same one he welds now? The threat he will use a nuclear bomb to get what he wishes. He is doing it now and that has stayed NATO and the UNs hands as much as anything else. Negotiations between large powers usually only happen from a place of desperation or when one power gets a upper hand. Putin would never have negotiated for Crimea because he believes Crimes belongs to Russia. Catherine the Great, who first took over Crimea in 1784 also destabilized the government not unlike Putin has been doing in Ukraine and the former Soviet satellite states. None of this should be tolerated. The difference is people do not understand the danger here. They do not understand the horrors Stalin enacted upon the Ukrainian people. They believe the misinformation. Putin picked his time well. In the past 70+ years the world has looked to the US to show the direction. Now, the US lacks direction and the powers of Europe have faltered. Unless and until this changes, Ukraine and freedom will suffer.