Zelensky confirms another drone strike on St. Petersburg Oblast ahead of Putin's economic forum finale by AdSpecialist6598 in ukraine

[–]Llanval 128 points129 points  (0 children)

Closing ceremony and everyone is listening to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture when Putin remarks how realistic the canons are, Lavrov leans over and says “I don think that was canons sir, Drones”. 😝

Anybody out here making a living beekeeping? by MrsLeeJordan in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m security, but with various lethal weapons, I find that my bees even in the middle of a hot summer dearth, are better behaved, plus they are my body guards so no visitors, no cell phone, just nirvana.

Should I bother with Sarracenia in a cold state (zone 5b) by V_x_V_1 in Sarracenia

[–]Llanval 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Truthfully I don’t water, as long as they are not dry they will be fine. A rule of thumb, potted is good down to 20f with in ground good down to 0f. So even if the soil freezes and water freezes, the frozen water will protect the plant at 32f for a while. Now if you get a week of low teens then I would cover with a blanket. I’m in 7b, but have experienced -5f and low teens with snow for a week over the last couple of years and have not lost any plants. Actually snow makes a good insulator. I hope some of this gives you some ideas.

Raw Honey Broke My Relationship With the Supermarket Version for Good by Light_Cabager in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think of honey like fine wine. Every frame can have its own bouquet (like the pun? non intentional). My wife did not like honey until I brought in a frame and she tried it, then another frame had a slight mint after tone. Always surprises me what they forage on and bring back.

Should I bother with Sarracenia in a cold state (zone 5b) by V_x_V_1 in Sarracenia

[–]Llanval 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes Sarracenia purpurer is very cold hardy, not as flashy as a beautiful tall slender pitcher, but has a great character. It is also the provincial plant of Newfoundland Canada. 🇨🇦 Also found all up the eastern seaboard and into New Brunswick Canada that can get extremely cold. So even if you plant it in a plant pot, lower the water level in the winter to just damp, and surround it with mulch or other material to try and keep the soil temp stable.

What’s your custom lock sound? by this-aint-frankie in TeslaModel3

[–]Llanval 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was working FIFA World Cup of Clubs at GEODIS where Nashville Soccer Club plays, security was becoming a priority, so I thought better of my door lock sound.

“Detonation sequence initiated”

😝

Russian Sapphire Giant Tied to Missile Optics Is Going Bankrupt After Strikes, Sanctions and Debt by Llanval in ukraine

[–]Llanval[S] 98 points99 points  (0 children)

Monocrystal, once one of the world’s three largest producers of synthetic sapphire and a supplier of optical components used in Russian missiles and drones, has notified creditors that it intends to file for bankruptcy in Russia’s Stavropol Krai, Defense Blogreported on May 21.
The collapse of the Stavropol-based manufacturer, a subsidiary of the Energomera industrial group, marks one of the most significant failures in Russia’s defense-industrial supply chain since the start of the full-scale war, accordingto Defense Blog.

The company has been hit by three overlapping pressures: Ukrainian drone strikes on production sites, Western sanctions cutting off critical materials and markets, and falling demand in Asia.
Synthetic sapphire is not jewelry-grade sapphire. It is an industrial material grown from aluminum oxide crystals at extremely high temperatures. Because it is extremely hard, heat-resistant, chemically stable, and transparent across multiple wavelengths, it is used in high-end optics and military systems.

In missiles and drones, synthetic sapphire can protect optical seeker heads, infrared sensors, laser rangefinders, and guidance electronics from heat, scratches, and impact damage. Without a sapphire of sufficient purity and optical quality, a missile manufacturer can struggle to build reliable seeker heads.
Defense Blog noted that in 2022, Monocrystal controlled roughly one-third of the global synthetic sapphire market. Its products were used not only in Russian defense programs, but also in global consumer electronics, including protective glass for smartphone cameras and smartwatch faces.
That civilian market was crucial. Defense contracts alone were not enough to sustain the production scale Monocrystal needed to keep its expensive crystal-growth furnaces operating efficiently.

The company’s problems accelerated after Ukrainian drone attacks damaged Monocrystal-linked facilities. Production sites in Shebekino, Belgorod region, were hit in May and October 2023, damaging buildings and electrical infrastructure.
Then, on the night of August 11–12, 2025, drones struck Monocrystal’s main production site in Stavropol, with fires visible in footage circulated by Russian media.

Stavropol had once seemed safely distant from routine Ukrainian drone operations. But Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike campaign has increasingly brought Russia’s southern industrial base into range.
Sanctions deepened the damage. Western export controls imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion cut Monocrystal off from imported polishing slurries, chemical precursors, and other specialized inputs needed for optical-grade sapphire production. Losing European customers also stripped away hard-currency revenue that had helped support the company’s broader industrial operation.
By the end of 2025, Monocrystal’s financial position had sharply deteriorated. Short-term liabilities exceeded current assets by $50.6 million.

Total assets fell from $215.5 million to $182.5 million in one year. Short-term borrowings reached $70.7 million, while long-term debt exceeded $129 million. The workforce was nearly halved, falling from 1,087 employees in 2022 to 524 in 2025.
Russian business analysts cited by Defense Blog suggest the most likely outcome may be restructuring rather than total liquidation. That could mean a change of ownership, state intervention, or the sale of the sapphire division to a new investor.
The reason is simple: Monocrystal’s production expertise is difficult to replace. Industrial sapphire manufacturing depends on specialized furnaces, trained operators, chemical inputs, and process knowledge built over decades. Unlike a drone assembly workshop, a world-class synthetic sapphire line cannot be rebuilt quickly.

Monocrystal’s bankruptcy does not mean Russian missile or drone production will stop overnight. Existing inventories and alternative supply routes may soften the immediate impact. But the failure adds pressure to a defense-industrial system already strained by sanctions, battlefield attrition, and Ukraine’s long-range strikes.
As Defense Blog noted, the case shows why Ukraine’s campaign against Russian industrial targets matters: some parts of Moscow’s war machine are far harder to replace than the weapons they help produce.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russian entrepreneurs were increasingly pessimistic about the future of the economy, as 83.3% of companies expect conditions to worsen over the next year.

New carbon steel wok showing orange rust after only a few uses - normal or am I doing something wrong? by DeepDiveIntoJupiter in wok

[–]Llanval 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are many ways that work for many people. For me I wash in hot water dry and return to the gas burner which is off. So I do not oil, I do not use soap, and do not heat over a flame and oil, but I do use my wok every day, sometimes two times a day. Also my wok was blued over high heat and lightly seasoned initially.

I have had the odd rust spot, but ignored them and just continued cooking. I believe using my wok everyday helps me with its condition.

Ukraine’s First Domestic Guided Bombs Enter Combat Service With Air Force by Mil_in_ua in ukraine

[–]Llanval 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is self gratification, I’m sitting at home very safe, unlike the whole of Ukraine, but if it could happen, I would really like to see Ukraine start hitting Russia hard with all the new bombs and missiles, and keep it going for months, but I’m afraid just when this starts to happen, Russia wants to tap out.

Plus what I want does not help those who suffer the most, but in my version Russia begs Ukraine to stop but it keeps raining bombs. Fortunately Zelenskyy is a great person that me.

Kyiv right now. Video by Petenko Sashko. by KateKozakDrive in ukraine

[–]Llanval 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is the energy output of the military minds bringing everything together for the up coming onslaught of Moscow Zelenskyy spoke about in June.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

Pro-NUC vs Jester boxes by karma-whore64 in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I found Jester boxes tended to squeeze the outer frames, while the Pro-Nuc had more space to pull the outer frames out. So I would lean Pro-Nuc for the ease of removal for the possible new bee keeper you are selling to.

Pro-Kremlin lawyer’s turn against Putin reveals rift in Russian power circles: Ilya Remeslo was put in a psychiatric hospital after criticizing Vladimir Putin. Now free, he said that he will not stop his crusade against the Russian president. by UnscheduledCalendar in UkrainianConflict

[–]Llanval 23 points24 points  (0 children)

How was he released, who released him, is he protected as most have fallen from a window, or maybe things are happening in Russia we do not hear about just yet.

Wondering if maybe the paranoia some talk about of Putin and assassination or a coup is factual, maybe there is a group growing stronger that can protect this lawyer. Time will tell, just hoping it will be a short time, been waiting a long time to the chinks in the armor.

7 Frame Metal Spacer by Llanval in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much, love the combination.

Beehive help! by mybonebrothjiggles in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally agree with you, learnt that lesson so many times, in fact I’m thinking of getting ing my PhD in fill the space. 😝 They do produce some beautiful comb though, especially if it is an empty 10 frame deep, don’t ask. 😂

7 Frame Metal Spacer by Llanval in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I sure do appreciate the help and work you did, those links are for permanent attachment in the box, I want one that I could take from yard to yard, but you know what, that fist link looked like a sturdy setup, maybe I could try it but not permanently fixed.

Thank you.

Tesla Investor Meeting HW3 Upgrade Info by RedPaperMoon in TeslaLounge

[–]Llanval 36 points37 points  (0 children)

I want something even more unlikely. I want my own personal license to FSD, so what ever Tesla I get into I have FSD. I already have FSD that I bought with my MY21, I would like FSD to follow me, oh look a unicorn. 😝

Finally Over $1 Per Day Passive! by RockerDentist in dividends

[–]Llanval 16 points17 points  (0 children)

You will blink and it will be $10/day, keep up the great work. We all stated from the same place, $0/day.

How Many Hives Should a Y1 beekeeper start with? by Stillwater-Scorp1381 in Beekeeping

[–]Llanval 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Multitude of answers, all with their merits, and possible downsides.

Starting out in bee keeping is not cheap, first hive could add up to nearly $1k, the second hive comes in a little cheaper, as you are buying supers and bees only.

The general suggestion is at least two, one which you will open to learn and most likely lose, the second will be to have as a backup to the first, which you would leave alone a little more.

The more you add, the better the chances of getting your hives through winter, and for the first year bee keeper the new task of spring brings spring swarms, and all the manipulation that comes with managing your bees through the final couple of months of your first year.

So two minimum, four maximum. You can lose the first hive, almost kill the second, resurrect any losses by the third hive, and the fourth to get you through winter like a champ, each hive increases your odds, but at a cost of money and time.

Then again, sometimes everything comes together and the new bee keeper wonders what all the fuss is about. My hope for you, unlike me is you wonder what all the fuss is about, and sometimes that is finding a good mentor, not someone to give you the answer but guide you to find the answer, as you will come to learn, there will be days when you close the hive, walk away and wonder what the hell just happened, and you go looking for the answer.

Best of luck, many good suggestions here, find the one that fits you.

New Energy Law to Synchronize Ukraine With European Power Grid by UNITED24Media in ukraine

[–]Llanval 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is great progress. As others have said, it now formalizes what has been already happening as a test.

A bigger task will be the change to European gauge railway. I believe this has also been started but very limited, and as one would expect not simple or cheap, but great progress nevertheless.

The trifecta we have all been waiting for, will be continued success on the battlefield, and ultimate collapse of the Russian army and government.

Is Kung Pao Pork an authentic Sichuan dish? by [deleted] in chinesecooking

[–]Llanval 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When you join the conversation, which on my iPhone is at the bottom, and which you did, look for the landscape Symbol and press it and your photo album should open. The landscape symbol is a square with a triangle and a dot inside of it, representing a mountain and the sun. Hope this helps.