Posts by wiredseal7

Antony Blinken admitted sanctions actually work
https://twitter.com/Sprinter99880/st...307536901?s=20

but they’re basically a boomerang—we've dumped $700 billion in stimulus and aid out there—sourced from Microsoft-style coffers—so now we're just sitting here dealing with the inflation.

Here’s a perfect example of how sanctions can trigger some pretty "unintended" consequences—assuming they don't just kill the victim first. In this case, we're looking at the end of London's total grip on maritime insurance:

https://twitter.com/Kathleen_Tyson_/...167834626?s=20

The Supreme Court just tossed out the sanctions against Prigozhin's mother:
https://www.ft.com/content/9c27dd22-...f-4d56a8016a06

It’s actually a good sign—shows there’s still a court out there that values law over politics—and can actually clean up the mess left by people who design these sanctions with zero foresight.

Looks like the European Union has cooked up a 'cunning plan' to swipe those frozen Russian funds currently being eaten alive by inflation—they’ll just sweep the Russian accounts clean and "invest" them (which is code for funneling a chunk over to Ukraine).

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/eu-urged...sets-1.1881709
The little problemcic is that banks aren't exactly rushing to report this, and honestly, some countries might have their own reservations about these schemes.

By the way, calling these accounts "frozen" feels pretty hypocritical at this point.

Realistically, pumping that cash back into circulation is just diluting whatever amount of Euros or Dollars we're dealing with. Let's be real—this money isn't coming back to Russia. Ukraine will spend it immediately, which is basically the same thing as printing and dumping new currency into the market.
It all seems like a convenient smokescreen for the EU (and the US) to keep propping up the Ukrainian economy with massive infusions, all without leaving a politically messy paper trail showing exactly how many billions were drained from EU funds and national budgets.

Most of the footage shows buildings still standing despite the tremors, but then you see entire neighborhoods just wiped out—it's gut-wrenching. It’s pretty obvious we’re looking at negligent construction, likely driven by corruption and cutting corners on safety protocols. You shouldn't see a high-rise collapsing like a house of cards, especially when there isn't even visible damage.
The issue here is clearly inadequate support structures—those lower floors just give way under the massive weight they're supposed to be carrying.

I also get the feeling that the architects and developers behind those failed projects probably skipped town as fast as they could once the dust settled.

Ashley Ramirez4 said:ugh, another one from the 7.7

That one hit further north in the mountains—probably much less populated area.

The first one was closer to the cities, too—happened at night while everyone was asleep. A total disaster.

There are so many people trapped under the rubble in both Turkey and Syria (Aleppo)—any country that can get aid there by air should just do it, no hesitation, to get people dug out ASAP.

And honestly? Forget about politics, wars, sanctions, and all that other nonsense for a few days.

Donna Harris11 said:https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2...s-and-raging-w

Because of how much these sanctions are hitting home, the IMF is now looking at a pretty significant slowdown for the Russian economy throughout 2023. I guess we'll see if they're right.

Still, they’ll see some minor growth—unlike the United Kingdom.😲

Funny enough, the Norwegians just burned through 160 billion:
https://twitter.com/Malinka1102/stat...516205056?s=20
That massive slush fund of speculative "cash" has pretty much evaporated.

https://artsakh.news/en/news/258076
Estonia wants to claim a 24 nm zone outside their coastal waters.
The plan—according to this source—is to run inspections on Russian civilian and *military* vessels passing through international waters in the Gulf of Finland.

😵
Tell me they're joking.

cosmicgull52 said:Wait, what kind of moral outrage allowed Russian and Belarusian tennis players to compete again? What about other sports?

The ATP just ignored the whole outcry—they never even bothered banning them.
Only Wimbledon stepped up, but that was mostly because of the British association—so they just stripped them of the ranking points instead.

gentlebadger said:The truth is, they don't have any energy left to use as leverage anymore. Europe was desperate for cheap power, and Russia couldn't offer much else besides that. Now? They've become completely irrelevant.

So nobody needs them just because we're having a mild autumn? Give it a minute—if a couple of cold fronts sweep in from the north, the mood shifts fast. Suddenly, those new regulations capping temperatures at 60-65 degrees become the "new normal."

Russia is set to dump a massive amount of gas over to Azerbaijan this winter. It’s basically the same shell game we see with the Saudis—buying up Russian oil just to flip it as their own.
https://twitter.com/TatevikHayrape1/...i-z3r1uQ_WESMw

Melissa Rivera5 said:Man, copying stuff isn't nearly as simple as people make it out to be. I mean, sure, you can rip off a chair design or some clothes because everyone pretty much knows how that works. But the higher you climb up that tech ladder, the harder it gets to just mimic what's at the top. Like, I guess anyone who finished high school physics probably understands the basic concept of a nuclear bomb, but that doesn't mean they could actually build one even if they had a hundred years to try. It’s the exact same deal with chips. The US is facing a massive hurdle when it comes to the specialized know-how and the designers behind it all; trying to move an Intel plant over to the States so it runs just like it does in Taiwan is a huge mountain to climb. And if that's the case for them, imagine how tough it is for anyone else. All those sanctions that were put in place... honestly, I don't think decades of blind copying is ever going to make up for that.

Who even bothers with copying anymore? Nowadays, it's all about the race to innovate.
Case in point—they just edged out the Americans in a major semiconductor research metric:
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tec...hip-conference

A lot of Chinese researchers are leaving American science—not because there's a shortage of talent here, mind you—but because of the bullying and witch hunts pushed by the American administration during the Trump era. Meanwhile, China is waiting for them with open arms.
And if you use any basic logic, a nation of 1.4 billion people pumping out endless waves of STEM graduates has to have enough brainpower to close the tech gap with the West. We're seeing it happen right now, and we'll be watching it intensify over the next decade or so.

The tech embargo is just a desperate attempt by neocons to slow them down while they still have some leverage left. Honestly, it feels more like buying a single year of breathing room so the US can subsidize and protect its own industries before the Chinese competition steamrolls them—which, let's face it, already happened with solar panels.

Russia's "pivot to China," despite being forced by sanctions, makes sense from the jump. If they get hit, they can carve out a spot in that ecosystem. If they don't, they'll just be consumers of products without any competition—just like they've been, only the products used to be Western. Either way, they'll always be a source of cheap raw materials, whether for the East or the West.

Anthony Hill5 said:Could you perhaps elaborate on that point, as I am entirely unclear as to what you are implying?

Which specific definition are they claiming to have changed?

The one where they define entering a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/wh...ion-recession/

It's the same logic your article uses when discussing how the Russian Economy Has become even more dependent upon Energy exports.

Anthony Hill5 said:Russia has officially slid into a recession. Their GDP plummeted by 4% in the third quarter, a devastating blow that mirrors the exact same decline seen during the second quarter.

https://www.barrons.com/news/russia-...615308?tesla=y

Funny how that works—when the US was facing the same kind of mess this summer, the White House just changed the definition of a 'recession' to make the numbers look better before the election.

With car production tanking in Russia—which means all those Japanese and European models built there are basically gone due to sanctions—it looks like China is swooping in to take over Central Asian markets:
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-N...to-Market.html

Ford sales in Kazakhstan have plummeted by 55%.

The Chinese aren't exactly letting this historical opening pass them by when it comes to grabbing new territory.

steelfox98 said:It claims nicely that Russians have started producing them—or rather, estimates suggest they’ll cover just under 50% of demand. It wouldn't be hard to conclude they'll cover everything by next year.
Eight years ago, people were screaming about a Russian collapse due to the sanctions back then. Instead, they went from net importers to the world's biggest agricultural exporters, stabilized their financial sector, and beefed up industry. Sure, they hit bumps in the road during those first few months, but long-term? This isn't an issue. As I said back in 2014, this topic comes up constantly, yet we see that a collapse is nowhere in sight.

Having just been in Abu Dhabi (not my first time), I can tell you this thesis is nonsense. For a capable person, the quality of life here is better than in any European country. That goes for individual economic status; you only need to look at whether Europeans are heading to the UAE or vice versa to see the truth.
More importantly, this desert nation covers all its vital needs, from energy requirements to full food production. I can't think of a single European country that manages that. Except maybe Russia.

I don't value the "freedom" to choose between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party—leftists versus rightists—all that much.
Here, the state functions like a CEO running a private firm, unlike your typical European bureaucrats who seem intent on shooting themselves in the foot. There's a very simple reason why the country works better and why China gets closer to the West every year. You just have to watch how the gap constantly shrinks.

America is one of the safest countries in the world, but compared to this monarchy, it looks like the Wild West.

It also mentions those specialized railcars—the ones designed to haul about 8 tons more than your standard freight cars.

Since the Soviets managed to run their entire rail network without relying on high-end Swedish or German CNC machinery, it’s pretty obvious that plenty of freight cars exist out there without those fancy, top-tier bearings.

Brenda Murphy3 said:For crying out loud. Seriously, how many times are we going to see this kind of unprecedented nonsense posted here? 😁
Russia is completely irrelevant to China when you compare them to the West. Period. I mean, China's entire growth engine depends exclusively on the West—it all comes down to how greedy we are and how much we spend.
Basically, China doesn't have a choice in the matter... unless, of course, they want to face a total economic collapse.
What you and a few others are typing is such pure sci-fi, and honestly, such a banal, childish way to look at things, that it's hard to even know how to respond.

The guy asked which plane the Chinese are building and got his answer—they’re even doing the engines themselves now.
Speaking of which, the Irkut MC-21 has had to strip out all Western components due to sanctions, making it a completely independent product from the Western aviation cartel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irkut_MC-21

If the US and China actually cut trade ties, both sides would crater—there’s just too much interdependence for decoupling to happen without causing a massive economic disaster for everyone involved. Sure, China might manage to pivot to other markets (their own, anyway), but American consumers would be left with nothing—it would be absolute chaos.

That’s why it won't happen; nobody can afford it—unless we're talking about actual war—and if that's the case, then this mythical "grand collapse of China" that American PR media blares about every week isn't even part of the equation. They still have pretty healthy economic growth, which is something we aren't seeing here in the West.

The US would love to kill two birds with one stone by taking out both Russia and China, but they seem to be hitting a wall trying to dismantle their enemies and competitors on both fronts...

Christian Torres3 said:So what’s the point? Sanctions on the EU? Sanctions on China? Or sanctions on Russia?
I don't know, maybe I got my wires crossed...

The deficit in the Eurozone is really just the boomerang effect of those Russian sanctions.

George Robinson43 said:And?
What kind of diplomatic approach? The USA simply stated they are withdrawing their missile shield from Saudi Arabia if production levels drop. Do sovereign nations not have the right to withdraw their technology and personnel from countries that are no longer considered "friendly"?
No one is forbidding Arabs absolute independence in determining their own production levels. This is about the USA deciding they will no longer expend their resources just to ensure independent Arabs remain safe from independent Iranian missiles and drones.

Do you honestly believe China would act differently if their own missile shield were at stake? Or even better, do you think China would behave differently if they were the ones who found oil for those desert dwellers back in the day and basically said, "Here is your oil, enjoy Saudi Aramco, but don't forget who pulled you off those camels?"

OK, I'm glad you took a side immediately.
China is already producing just about everything. A smart person can admire their technological ascent—not to get too deep into political freedoms (that's a whole different conversation). It actually turned out better for them this way than having some corrupt mess running the show and leaving the nation stuck in the dark ages of development.

That’s exactly what you wrote—everything.
But damn, they can't even build an airplane on their own.

Some things simply require time—continuous, long-term development—which is why they aren't caught up in everything yet. However, in areas where rapid, parallel progress is possible, the Americans and others have certainly held their own.
Recently, for instance, they've made huge strides in high-precision CNC machines, RF chips for mobile communications, and so on.
All of this is backed by incredibly serious scientific foundations; just look at the statistics on research papers and citations.
For example, they will be building a Higgs factory in about 10 years to succeed the LHC. That is something the Americans will clearly dominate, while Europe, Japan, and others will be welcome guests. And what an incredible incubator for knowledge that will be...

Exactly.
What would we be without Chinese expertise? We'd still be living in the Middle Ages.

As for the "facepalm," I have no idea what version of an "independent West" you are living in.
I live in a country that is part of the EU and NATO, which means we certainly aren't making decisions in a vacuum and we definitely pick sides. Unfortunately for you, our side is the opposite of your "free world" composed of unified Russia, communist parties, progressives, and similar elements of freedom.

Where'd you hear that?
The Boeing 737—just about ready to hit the skies:
The certification process for the Boeing 737—or whatever they’re calling their latest attempt to play catch-up—is looking like a massive uphill battle. It's not just about passing some tests; it's about navigating a regulatory maze that feels more like a political minefield than actual safety checks. Honestly, trying to get these planes cleared for takeoff feels a lot like trying to get a permit for a backyard pool in Los Angeles—endless paperwork, endless scrutiny, and everyone watching your every move just waiting for you to slip up.

Then there's that whole Russia-China joint venture with the C929—just another mess in the making.
Looks like the competition is finally heating up—Boeing 737 isn't going to be the only player left in the sky forever. It’s just a matter of how much pressure the industry can take before things shift.

Sure, it says here that China might actually favor Western companies over Russian ones—but let's be real, it’s probably just those sanctions doing the heavy lifting—though given how hostile the US has been acting lately, maybe they'll actually change their minds.

George Robinson43 said:How on earth does that relate to anything?
An OPEC production cut translates directly into a supply shortage on the global market.

Someone put it perfectly: when Americans arrive in Africa, they just point a finger and make threats. But when the Chinese show up, they build a bridge or a hospital.

Fantastic. Now EU ships in the Mediterranean know exactly where to direct Africans.

I am speaking specifically about relations with China and those unprovoked attempts to dismantle their high-tech economic sectors(I'm late to the party on this one, but I'm still in maximum damage mode).

No one can touch Chinese high-tech unless the Party gives the order!
They can develop everything entirely independently. Or can they? How does that work?

Wait, wait—Chinese high-tech isn't even capable of developing its own aircraft. Oh shiiiit.
Is it all just mass-producing chips?

The rest of the independent West, we have been part of that for some time now, including us.,

And who might you be? A group of independent Russophiles?

The Americans are out there making noise and throwing threats around—meanwhile, China, who's also a massive buyer, hasn't said a single word.
Are we really going to pretend there’s no difference in how these two superpowers handle diplomacy? — It's a bit of a stretch, honestly.

Nobody can touch Chinese high-tech unless the Party gives the green light—period.
They can build it entirely on their own—or maybe they can't. It’s one of those contradictions that just doesn't add up, right?

Hold on—so all this "high-tech" talk from China is a joke if they can't even build their own damn planes? Unbelievable.
Is it just chip manufacturing now?

Glad you decided to pick a side right out of the gate. 👍
China’s pumping out everything these days—it's hard not to respect their tech climb, even if I won't get into the whole political freedom mess (that's a whole different conversation). Honestly, they're better off this way than having some corrupt bureaucracy running the show and leaving the country stuck in the mud forever.

Some things just take time—consistent, long-term development is a grind—which is why they haven't mastered everything yet. But where they can move fast and run things in parallel? Americans and everyone else have definitely found a way to get ahead.
Lately, they've been cracking high-precision CNC machines and RF chips for mobile tech—it’s just one thing after another.

It all tracks—there's some heavy scientific weight behind it, too—especially if you actually bother to dig into the stats on published papers and citation counts.
So, they’re looking at building a Higgs factory—basically the successor to the LHC—in about ten years. It looks like the US is planning to go solo on this one, keeping the keys to themselves while letting Europe, Japan, and everyone else just watch from the sidelines. Honestly, though, the sheer amount of brainpower that kind of place would attract? It's basically an infinite knowledge incubator.

Who even are you people? Just some independent Russophiles?

🤦

analogbear5 said:So, let me get this straight—when a cartel intentionally cuts supply just to jack up prices (which is literally the definition of a cartel), the rest of the world is supposed to just roll over for the Arabs and hand them everything on a silver platter?

Maybe you're into that kind of masochism, but if you ask me, having some actual defense against that kind of blackmail is probably a good idea.

China is the big customer for the Arabs, so there's zero pushback.
Someone put it perfectly: when Americans show up in Africa, they just point a finger and make threats. When the Chinese show up, they build a bridge or a hospital.
It’s a perfect reflection of what we’re seeing coming out of the White House lately—on a global scale, anyway. It’s bordering on pure madness from the Trump administration—specifically regarding China and those unprovoked attempts to gut their high-tech sectors (it's a bit late for that, but hey, they're in full damage-control mode).
Watching their politicians brag about it during election season is just pathetic.

The rest of the independent West—and yeah, we've been in this loop for a while now—isn't exactly going to bow down to the Arabs over this decision. But don't be surprised if, come November, we realize that some friendly old man decides to shut off the tap from his own reserves—even if he still has enough supplies to last months, if not half a year.😬