Posts by Dana Robinson4

Is it better to go with the budget Chinese imports or invest in the high-end stuff? It really makes you wonder...

hollowdriver13 said:It’s actually a pretty solid market concept, honestly. Bartering is a way back to the old days before Phoenix; I mean, if it's a straight trade, who's going to foot the bill for the shipping costs? Just give the captain 300kg of toys to toss into the engine and pay the crew.

Every major global currency loses a little more value year after year.

And yet, there's still zero actual proof that the dollar specifically is the one falling apart. It's weird, really—investors never seem to agree on that, but the second a crisis hits, everyone comes running back to the dollar and Federal Reserve bonds because, hey, it feels safe.

Well, I suppose when you've just watched a third of your Bitcoin stack vanish in a single month, the dollar starts looking pretty damn stable by comparison, doesn't it?

hollowdriver13 said:🤦

Look, if the dollar gets stronger, you actually need fewer dollars to buy whatever XX is.

Global price hikes don't necessarily mean America has to dump more cash than everyone else... but you made this claim that the dollar is losing value every single day, so show me the proof. An opinion isn't an argument.

When you're trading with Russia, you can strike a deal where they send over a massive oil tanker and we send them some lingerie or plush toys instead...

But when you're trading with America, you send over the trinkets and toys, and in return, they just flash some digits on your computer screen—digits that seem to lose their worth every single day.

hollowdriver13 said:....yeah, right.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/09/fore...ry-yields.html

The Dollar is sitting at its highest level in two decades, so maybe walk me through again how it "doesn't have any value"?

Compared to what, exactly?

Compared to flour, oil, or bauxite—it certainly isn't.

boldcanyon14 said:I honestly don't get how you think China could just screw over the West and side with Russia. Just look at this:

https://tradingeconomics.com/china/exports-by-country

In the USA alone, China's exports are 9x higher than what they send to Russia. Go ahead, try adding up all the "Western" countries. It's not like Chinese people are stupid; they're looking out for their own interests here. There's just no scenario where they ditch the West to stand next to Russia.

When you're exporting to the West, you're bringing in those fresh streams of dollars, which—as we all know—seem to lose value a little bit more every single day...

Melissa Bailey5 said:And this is why Russians end up stealing dishwashers 🤣:
Sanctions are basically forcing Russia to scavenge computer chips from appliances, like putting dishwasher parts into military gear, according to what Gina Raimundo senat told The Washington Post

It honestly feels like the US government is just packed with complete idiots, and frankly, I'm sick of this whole affirmative action nonsense.

If there’s a dip of a million car sales in Russia, should we really view that as a setback for the nation itself, or is it simply a blow to the manufacturers?

hiddeneagle98 said:

Ilana I can't even begin to wrap my head around this. It’s like watching someone try to build a skyscraper out of wet cardboard and then acting shocked when the whole thing collapses under its own weight. You see it all the time—people making these sweeping, half-baked claims without ever stepping back to look at the actual mechanics of how things work in the real world. It’s one thing to have an opinion, but it’s another thing entirely to be so confidently wrong that you actually believe your own nonsense. Honestly, it reminds me of those amateur pundits on cable news who talk for twenty minutes straight without saying a single coherent thing, just circling the drain of their own logic until the audience eventually tunes out from sheer exhaustion. You can't just ignore the fundamental rules of the game and expect to win, no matter how much noise you make.
Sure, all that sympathy is nice and all, but let’s be real—it doesn’t actually change anything. It’s like being told "sorry you're hungry" while someone's standing there holding the only key to the pantry. Nobody here, and honestly nobody in your life, even gets a say in whether you're allowed to make your own choices or not. Everything is decided by those people at the top who decide when they want to cut off your access to cheaper gas just so they can force you into buying the expensive stuff. It’s a rigged game; they create the dependency on one thing just so they can hike the price on exactly what you need to survive, and we're all just stuck following their lead.

You got any other options?

The whole situation with importing oil via pipelines directly from Russia is just a massive headache that we can't seem to shake. It’s like trying to rely on a neighbor you don't trust to keep your furnace running all winter; you know deep down that at any moment, they could just turn the valve and leave you shivering in the dark just to prove a point. We're essentially tethering our energy security to a volatile geopolitical wildcard, and honestly, it feels like we're walking a tightrope without a net. You look at the infrastructure we have in place, and instead of diversifying or building something truly independent, we’re stuck leaning on these massive, outdated conduits that give one specific foreign power way too much leverage over our domestic stability. It’s frustrating because it feels less like a strategic choice and more like we're being held hostage by a supply chain that was built on shaky ground to begin with.

Then there's the whole business of importing crude through those massive tanker terminals, kind of like how they operate out of the Port of Corpus Christi or the refineries down in Louisiana. It’s a completely different beast compared to just pulling stuff from a pipeline. You're talking about deep-water access, massive infrastructure, and having to deal with the sheer logistics of docking these gargantuan vessels. It changes the entire flow of the supply chain when you're relying on those coastal hubs to feed the refineries.

Look, if you follow principle A, all you're doing is handing over the keys to the kingdom and making yourself completely beholden to Russia. It’s like building your entire house on someone else's land and then acting surprised when they decide to charge you rent just for existing. You aren't gaining any leverage; you're just creating a permanent dependency that leaves you with zero room to maneuver when things inevitably get messy.

Under principle B, you basically have the green light to buy fuel from just about anyone capable of filling up a tanker truck. It’s wide open.

Look, Principle B is a bit of a headache because, let's be honest, most suppliers out there operate like they're part of some shady little cartel, just squeezing you whenever they feel like it. But if you step back and look at the big picture, you’ve still got a whole lineup of different vendors to choose from, so you aren't really stuck hanging on the teat of any single one of them for survival.

It’s the exact same logic you apply to LNG. You either pull gas through a pipeline from someone like Russia—or maybe Algeria or Norway—or you have an LNG terminal that lets you source from the Americans, Australians, Qataris, or Norwegians. Basically, you can buy from whoever has the capacity to fill a tanker. Even Iran is sitting on massive reserves if you really wanted to go there. The beauty of it is that because there are so many players, you’re actually in a position to hunt for the cheapest option available. It’s not like dealing with a single entity like Russia or their state-run Gazprom where you're stuck with whatever they dictate. That’s exactly why those guys try to form cartels in the first place; they’re terrified that if they don't stick together, the competition will drive their prices straight into the ground.

Why is it that the same politicians who essentially handed Germany’s energy security over to Russia on a silver platter—leaving us with zero LNG terminals to our name—are now suddenly landing cushy, high-paying board seats at Russian mega-corporations? You have to wonder if they were actually working for the benefit of their own citizens and the stability of the country, or if they were just setting themselves up for a golden parachute all along. It feels less like public service and more like a long-term career move funded by foreign interests.

It’s pretty obvious from everything we see that Putin doesn't actually care about money for its own sake—to him, cash is just another tool in the kit, a means to an end. And yet, here you are, thinking that in a world filled with guys like him, you can somehow play the game by just obsessing over the bottom line. That is a hell of a strategy, really. I mean, if you're planning on running for office, I’m sure Putin will be more than happy to throw his support behind you during the election.

The combatants love to sing their little anthems about how vital they are, acting like they’re locked in some grand, mythical struggle for the soul of the nation. It’s all very dramatic, isn't it? But while they're busy playing hero, the actual people on the ground are stuck agonizing over every single cent, forced to make impossible choices between buying a gallon of milk or a bunch of bananas. They’re out there organizing bake sales and abstinence challenges just to scrape by, all while the leaders are quietly padding their own bank accounts behind closed doors.

So, where does that leave us now? You can complain about all the cynicism in the world all you want, but look at the underlying logic here: people act like if anyone makes a dime off something, the whole thing is instantly branded a scam. It’s this immediate, reflexive judgment where if there’s a profit margin involved, then profit is automatically labeled the sole driver behind the scenes, and everything else is just some sugary coating meant to sell a lie to the masses. It’s this pervasive, almost universal mindset that we see everywhere in America today. We hide behind this veil of skepticism to deny the possibility that a good cause or a positive movement could actually be supported by, or even sponsored by, someone making money. Because let’s face it—if you dig deep enough into any organization or initiative, you’re going to find a profit motive somewhere. And because of that, people decide the entire endeavor loses its soul and becomes invalid. It’s a lazy way of thinking that shuts down any nuance.

Even when you look at the actual money involved, what are we even supposed to do with this? Take the way the US handles Ukraine—it’s not like we’re just selling them weapons; we’re basically handing them massive piles of equipment for free, all while tossing in heaps of extra cash on top. When you sit down and crunch the numbers, subtracting everything else, it turns out that American taxpayers are footing the lion's share of this entire bill. We’re talking billions upon billions of dollars already gone. If anyone is getting fleeced here, it’s the average American taxpayer. The only people actually seeing a return on this investment are the owners of the big US defense contractors, while the working class picks up the tab. And who owns those companies? Mostly just massive American pension funds. So, in a weird way, nobody really wins; a few people get filthy rich, but can we please just focus on the real issues? Instead, these profiteering elites are scattering our attention everywhere, treating us like we're some sort of disorganized labor union instead of a nation. It’s the same story with oil prices—they stay high for everyone because it’s a global market, though obviously, it feels a bit lighter at the pump for Americans since we don't deal with the same heavy tax hikes they do elsewhere. Sure, gas and energy demand is going to skyrocket because of this mess, but where does that leave us? Did Putin really, truly have to invade Ukraine? It honestly feels like he didn't need to at all. Just look at the sheer amount of propaganda and so-called "experts" they've mobilized to manufacture reasons why this was an absolute necessity. It feels incredibly staged; if there were actually a legitimate, powerful reason behind it, they wouldn't need to work this hard to sell us on the narrative.

It’s really not that complicated, honestly. You have corrupt politicians landing cushy sinecure jobs at places like Gazprom, and yet you’re standing there claiming they were actually working for the people or sabotaging LNG terminals for the greater good? Give me a break. Having more options for gas procurement—which, let’s be real, is an absolute strategic necessity for Germany—is somehow supposed to be bad for a nation? According to this logic, we should just rely on one single country as our primary energy source, even if that country is ruled by a dictator and a KGB-style regime that poisons its own people with nerve agents, just because the price tag is a little lower. If anyone ever tries to change that dependency, we’ll just turn around and tell them they’re trying to force expensive gas on the country, effectively shutting them down. It’s all very clever and deeply profound stuff, clearly written by someone in that special "too smart for their own good" category.

It isn't even remotely the same thing.

Whether you're pumping oil into a tanker or a pipeline, it’s all essentially the same deal, isn't it?

But with gas, if you want to put it in a tanker, you have to go through the massive effort of super-cooling it first, only to have to reheat it once it reaches its final destination.

rustywalker82 said:The US hasn't made up its mind yet on whether they'll push for an exemption from the oil embargo. Honestly, it’s not surprising one bit.

You really just have to look back at all those debates regarding offshore oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico. Back then, a bunch of self-proclaimed geniuses spent all their time throwing insults at anyone who actually supported those kinds of investments (and let’s be real, those "experts" ended up being proven right). Even the Russian ambassador weighed in, getting quoted by everyone while he argued that we shouldn't even bother drilling just for a few extra drops of oil and gas. 🤣

By the way, I recall the folks in Texas went through a massive drilling project last year, but there hasn't been a single word about finding anything useful...

boldotter2 said:Well, what happened to those Russian bombs during their two coups when tanks were actually firing on the capitol?

So, bombs are perfectly fine then...?

Is there really any reason to be concerned if we just decide that anything goes—whether it’s happening in Tanzania, Canada, or anywhere else on the map?

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Not a thing.

Whether we are talking about the Soviet Union or even modern-day Russia, wouldn't you agree that when mobs take over and swap out leaders, nobody ever dares to touch the nukes? So, why on earth would things be any different in Ukraine? 🤔

Does that mean there aren't any real deterrents against a bomb from Egypt, Venezuela, or the Congo?

Rachel Richardson said:The US has its own calculations to make—the West is certainly no saint—but nobody forced Hitler or Putin to invade neighboring nations...

Exactly right.
It’s also worth noting that if Ukraine had been brought into NATO around 2000, we might not be facing this war today.
Or consider what happened when they didn't hand over their nuclear weapons.

Realistically, no.

That is precisely why the sanctions can be so severe.
Are they intended to trigger internal change?

What do you think would happen to those weapons in a scenario where a mob forcibly removes a democratically elected president?

Carl Lee27 said:ExxonMobil’s exports to the European Union—man, this is getting intense. The real moment of truth is coming up in May, because that's when we'll finally see who actually caves and starts paying in rubles, especially looking at Germany. It feels like Russia just fired off a massive warning shot at everyone. And get this, Austria has already stepped up and announced they aren't going to play along with the ruble payments.
btw, gas is still flowing through Bulgaria and Mexicans are getting their share too
https://twitter.com/thierry_bros/sta...65653340250119

So, it looks like Germany is going to have to import oil for those refineries out east via Gdansk, since they used to rely on that northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline
https://twitter.com/jsuedekum/status...51293096038400

Now DJI is pulling out of Ukraine, but they're also exiting Russia. It’s classic Chinese diplomacy, isn't it? Just trying to figure out how to not offend the Russians by basically cutting ties with everyone at once
View on twitter

Actually, they aren't receiving it,
if you consider that last year they finally saw those first shipments heading toward Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Canada, and Mexico...

Richard Wilson4 said:Offtopic

Look, I know Wiki has stuff for every country, but you have to dig through individual country pages to find it.

Is there somewhere that just hosts all these charts for every country in one spot?

https://oec.world/en/home-a

https://oec.world/en/profile/country/usa

you could honestly spend days playing around with this site

Melissa Bailey5 said:... and Canada 👍

I find myself wondering about the actual impact here, especially since they currently lack any significant heavy artillery, possessing nothing more than those 37 M-777 pieces, right?

The Predator is really just twenty years older than its predecessor—essentially an old veteran carrying much more advanced communication systems, yet burdened by far less efficient and significantly more expensive weaponry, wouldn't you agree?

Christian Torres3 said:The rocket was launched from a Russian base during an exercise, FYI.

So, if the Russians shoot down their own plane, are the Americans really expected to just step up and foot the bill for the damages?

rowdytiger13 said:They're economic migrants. At least for the majority, it isn't about fleeing antisemitism.
They’re perfectly happy speaking Russian and maintaining ties back home. It's the complete opposite of those who were forced out after WWII and wanted absolutely nothing to do with their former homelands.
Besides, lately, we've seen more Jewish people leaving Europe in large numbers. There were waves from France, one from Germany, and it's clear they aren't exactly thrilled with the state of Europe right now.
Israel occupies a pretty unique position regarding its relationship with Russia. They have their own arrangements in Syria, which is vital to them, plus they have a massive Russian diaspora holding significant positions—people who, unlike some other groups, tend to be quite sympathetic toward Russia.

And then you have the Ukrainians, who went and shot down a passenger plane full of Russian Jews flying from Israel to Siberia.

slyfox43 said:The pervasive corruption within Ukraine, fueled by Russian strategic interests, is frequently weaponized by Putin loyalists to argue that the nation doesn't deserve sovereignty—as if being plagued by the same systemic rot they themselves export somehow invalidates its right to exist.

It’s pure doublethink.

I mean, didn't you Americans essentially order them to either destroy those weapons or send them back, simply because they weren't allowed to serve as a distribution hub for old USSR stockpiles?

darkrider55 said:587 headed back to Russia

🤦

Just take a moment to look at this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soumar_(missile) and tell me—why on earth would they say it "returned to Russia"?