Posts by silentnomad7

Kimberly Perez82 said:Honestly, Russia is a loser in the long run anyway because the rest of the world won't be relying on their energy sources anymore. At this stage, the absolute priority should be de-escalating the conflict and just letting everything play out naturally.

Oh, it’s certainly taking its "natural course," alright! I mean, we're already seeing Ukrainian partisans starting to blow up those pro-Russian mayors...

cosmicgull52 said:Exactly. They need to back down, otherwise we could be looking at full-scale war. 🙏 Fuck those guys. I want nothing for them but a total retreat across the bridge.

Right now, Putin is using his military and police forces to keep both his own country and those neighboring smaller nations he’s been bullying for decades absolutely terrified. But, if things ever escalate into a direct conflict with NATO, the Russian military would likely get crushed. Once that happens, the whole "control" thing evaporates, and it becomes incredibly easy for all those oppressed little states—and I'm thinking about Belarus too—to turn against Russia. Plus, you'd almost certainly see a massive civil war break out within Russia itself as different factions start fighting tooth and nail for control...

Bryan Booth82 said:Honestly, shouldn't we look at this from a more positive angle? These sanctions are designed to squeeze Putin, and back home, they’re just going to kickstart the transition away from fossil fuels that was already well underway.

The Germans have this obsession with debating everything to death beforehand just to send a message to their government—which, let's be honest, usually just comes across as endless complaining.

Companies aren't going to just shut down overnight, but they will be forced to accelerate their transformation... all while soaking up massive government subsidies, which is the ultimate goal here... just more complaining.

Best,

It honestly feels to me like it’s the other side doing all the bellyaching lately, rather than the European Union...

The person who turned those valves off... they aren't just acting out of spite; they’re actually genuinely worried about the very individual they’ve shut out... it's quite a complex psychological layer to the whole situation, really...

Roko As requested:
A former Treasury Secretary actually had the guts to say exactly what everyone else is too terrified to even whisper... he looked Putin right in the eye and warned him, "Our economy is heading straight for a total catastrophe!" It’s just wild how some people can see the cliff coming while everyone else is busy pretending the road is perfectly fine...

B

Everyone seems so preoccupied with the fluctuating price of gas at the pump, yet they completely overlook how those massive sanctions are actually hitting Russia... It’s almost funny if you think about it! Even after the head of JPMorgan Chase pointed out that Russia would be feeling the full weight of those sanctions, we're still seeing people miss the bigger picture. Now, we have yet another expert stepping up—someone who actually knows their stuff, unlike certain other voices in this debate—predicting some incredibly turbulent times ahead for Russia. Honestly, if you look closely, I'd say those difficult days have already begun...

Russia is going to have a really hard time digging themselves out of this mess... and honestly, they can lie to their faces or tell the world all they want that sanctions aren't doing a thing—that it's actually making them stronger—but reality has a funny way of catching up. When that sudden, heavy blow finally hits home, the impact is going to be even more devastating than they realize...

This is what real America and its heartland look like today... You wouldn't believe it, but I was just reading about how the salary of an American nurse in that small town was absolutely shocking... honestly, it really puts things into perspective when you think about the cost of living out there!

You really don't need to listen to anyone else on this matter... let me just break it all down for you myself... 😁

fgzcvijetic said:Man, oil and gas are just popping up everywhere. You could practically stick a straw in the ground anywhere and start pumping... you'd probably just need to call up an ExxonMobil executive to take over the operation.

It really looks like the only people who are going to make a killing are those running with the crowd, while everyone else... well, they'll just be left out in the cold.

The European Union is such a desirable business partner; I can see plenty of folks lining up to offer their own gas and oil just to get a foot in the door with them. Sure, it might cost a bit more, but let’s face it—the European Union is among the top 10% wealthiest regions on the planet, and they have the capital to handle it. Plus, there's this massive global shift toward moving away from fossil fuels anyway. In a few years, the European Union will emerge much stronger from all this, while the old-school energy blackmailers will basically be stuck in the Dark Ages...

slysurfer14 said:It’s honestly hilarious how some people think there's just some magic switch you can flip whenever you feel like it...
Like you can just switch an entire gas-reliant industry over to electricity overnight...

And they obviously don't even consider what that electricity is actually going to cost....

Right? It’s like the Germans have all their power plants sitting there completely dark, and all they need to do is just flick a toggle to turn them back on, or whatever it is you think happens when you "flip the switch."

Bryan Booth82 said:They shut it down, sure, but they didn't actually dismantle the whole operation. They just passed the legislation to allow them to extend production for a few years if they feel like it. Honestly, does anyone really believe this is a permanent fix? For every single problem we face, there’s always some "solution" being waved around that just kicks the can down the road. Why do we even pretend otherwise?

I don't even know where to begin with this. Is anyone else actually paying attention to what's happening, or are we all just collectively deciding to look the other way? It feels like every time I turn around, there’s another layer of absurdity being added to the pile, and frankly, I’m losing my patience. How much more of this nonsense are we supposed to absorb before someone finally calls it out for what it is? It's exhausting.

Honestly, if Germany would just start moving toward getting 10% of their power from nuclear energy, you'd see all those blackmailers absolutely losing their minds!

Jerry Clark72 said:🤦

Do some homework first, you're going to need 😁

I mean, obviously, if you don't move to somewhere where they have an endless supply of natural gas, there’s really nothing to worry about...

Bryan Booth82 said:This isn't about madness; it's about establishing legal frameworks to ensure everything follows a set of rules. For instance, they have to legally regulate the decommissioning or swapping out of gas-fired power plants. They also have to codify gas conservation measures, such as removing the mandate that requires homes to be heated to a minimum of 70 degrees during the winter. On top of that, there will be legal protocols determining who gets priority access if we hit a major gas shortage.

Of course, the most critical factor is enshrining these rules in law and, more importantly, setting a clear expiration date for when these emergency measures must end.

Ebiga, Germany isn't Russia, where a single dictator can just decide whatever he feels like doing on a whim.
Best regards,

Even if we run low on gas, anyone with air conditioning can just switch over to electric heating, and all you really need for that is electricity...

urbanotter said:And that is exactly what we are doing.

I actually managed to pick up a little something on those yellow tiles

But you can't turn everything into bricks and mortar; it gets a bit awkward when you're just trying to grab a gallon of oil or fill up your tank and you find yourself lugging around heavy construction materials instead.

Oh well, if you're hauling bricks in your wallet and carrying oil home, you might as well get a double workout out of it.

😁

And as the saying goes, "Cheers to the sanctions."

The one thing I am truly looking forward to, just to make life a little easier, is when Krule and the new Liver
can finally give us some clarity so I don't have to constantly wonder about the casualty counts—how many Russians died versus Ukrainians, and how many civilians, women, and children were lost.🤣🤣

Because I can't keep watching Severina and 🙂

Just a year ago, you were all shouting about how mandatory experimental COVID vaccines for kids were the only way to go, but now here come the new waves and winter is right around the corner... so maybe you'll want to revisit that topic again soon, eh?

Bryan Booth82 said:You are absolutely spot on there, but I don't think the fault lies solely with individuals. It’s more about how this kind of mindset is shaped by the collective identity of the group they belong to.

I’ve noticed that the excuses used to justify Putin's atrocities in Ukraine show up quite frequently among certain groups of Americans from the Midwest. :thinks
It's an identical attitude toward aggression that you see with most people from the deep South.🤔
I'm sure sociologists have plenty of theories to explain why this happens.
Lp

That old nostalgia for the former regime still grips at least 10% of the population here in America, especially those over 60 or 70. To them, Putin is almost like a savior who might restore the social order that was stripped away from them thirty years ago. That’s why they defend him so fiercely. You would think that by the time someone reaches their 60s, they’d have gained enough wisdom to condemn war and suffering, but that nostalgia acts like such a potent drug that it overrides everything else... So, in the end, they don't see a problem with relativizing or making excuses for war crimes, because it all feels so far away, doesn't it? It isn't happening to anyone they actually know. To them, it’s just statistics, while the memory of the old unified state is still so vivid in their minds...

Bryan Booth82 said:Most people would find an insult like that deeply offensive, though perhaps not for him... regardless, shouldn't we all show some restraint, skip the cheap personal shots, and actually stick to the topic at hand?
Best regards

Personally, I find it deeply offensive whenever someone tries to justify or downplay war crimes.

brightheron64 said:I was watching this massive screen at an American gas station recently, catching some commentary on Biden claiming that Putin is responsible for everything...

And then this guy just shouts out: "on 24 February 2022 inflation rate was 7.4%".

Germany only produces about 3 percent of its own gas needs...

If you could actually pull off a magic trick that saves them from that disaster, you wouldn't just be a wealthy man—you'd be legendary for the rest of human history...

They'll just bring in ships to deliver the gas. Sure, it’ll cost more, but it should be enough to keep the lights on for now...

urbanotter is basically just a mini version of Putin

brightheron64 said:I hear you. And it’s about way more than just keeping the lights on.

Think about synthetic fertilizers, which require massive amounts of gas to produce; you could literally pull those components right out of thin air. If you use nuclear power to run water electrolysis, you get the hydrogen you need—while letting the oxygen drift back into the atmosphere so we can all keep breathing—and then you just pull the nitrogen from the air, since there's plenty of it everywhere... and just go for it.

Honestly, I'm genuinely surprised it didn't click for them sooner...

Just switch over the home heating from gas to electric, and suddenly you've freed up all that gas for fertilizer production.

steelfox98 said:A brilliant plan. Now you just have to figure out how to handle that massive spike in electricity demand for EA—and where on earth you'll actually find the power to generate it. 🤣

👍

There was a decent amount of "wishful thinkers" in here. People who seemed to believe that just wanting something makes it happen. It doesn't. Reality rarely cares about your desires. I learned that the hard way back when I was working in Chicago. Pure delusion.
On the other hand, anyone who finally stopped living off their parents' dime has had a rude awakening regarding how much everything costs in this country. It’s a reality check. One day you're eating free meals, the next you're staring at a grocery bill that makes you want to quit. Not fun.

It’s hardly a comfort, but this pattern is playing out across the entire European Union. On the other hand, even if the impact on Americans is significantly smaller, they shifted their stance a long time ago. For instance, they specifically carved out exceptions for fertilizer sanctions—honestly, you have to be an idiot to even implement those in the first place. They’re reportedly still pulling Russian oil, just in smaller quantities, and they just lifted the sanctions on certain Russian banks regarding energy sectors. That even includes the Federal Reserve.

Another day, another paper trail from the Treasury. Just more bureaucratic noise to sift through. It’s all just numbers on a screen until someone actually loses everything. I remember watching my old man lose his entire pension during the '08 crash because he trusted these exact types of official reports. They always seem to have an answer for everything, right up until the moment they don't. Typical.

Honestly, look at the Germans—they just flipped the switch on those nuclear plants they had previously decommissioned, treating them like a quick fix for the transition period leading up to 2050.

rustywalker82 said:Yellen didn't exactly say, "Hey, wait until the dealer starts getting violent, and just ignore how his profits are skyrocketing instead of dropping."
I've already touched on how to handle breaking an addiction efficiently. It's much better if the penalties on consumption stay within the consumer's own country rather than lining the pockets of the dealer.

But what on earth do you do when that dealer turns out to be a violent type who realizes he’s about to lose his entire income stream...

rustywalker82 said:It's the same thing Janet Yellen told Europeans a long time ago. And let's be real, she's definitely not out to hurt American oil and gas producers, nor is she an enemy of Ukraine.

That’s just like a dealer talking to an addict...

The EU will eventually move away from Russian oil, sure, but only once they manage to swap out about 30% of all cars for electric vehicles over the next five years. Once that happens, then maybe they can finally say "bye bye" to the dealer...

urbanotter said:I have never, not once in my life, justified a war. On the contrary, I condemn this one as well, though I firmly believe it was entirely avoidable if it hadn't been for certain people's arrogance, their coercion, and their refusal to acknowledge the interests of others or the necessary steps required to maintain peace.

It feels like your crystal ball is less about reality and more about projecting your own biases; meanwhile, I am just trying to read through all this without being overwhelmed by a massive wave of hatred directed at just one side and one specific man.
In your version of the world, he is the sole aggressor, the killer, and the dictator fighting against these "perfect" angels—these democrats, progressives, and peacemakers who supposedly never order an attack, let alone a killing.
As if when their planes strike, they drop boxes of candy and chocolates instead of cluster bombs.

People often call her a monster or say she's lost her mind, but honestly, I'm not even sure I agree with those labels.
https://www.borba.info/2022/06/13/ve...ksrhg6Nd7VyFw8

You are justifying a war that could have been prevented simply by closing the valves... I honestly don't know how much clearer that can be.

bluerider63 said:Man, what a bunch of pushovers. You just squeeze their wallets a little and they’re suddenly all about negotiating with the devils in black, green, and yellow, just like that old saying goes.🕺

You spend all this time criticizing the war and the atrocities being committed, yet here you are, arguing that everything could have been settled simply by turning off the valves...