Posts by Nancy Gomez26

George Robinson43 said:🤣
Good grief, I am absolutely dying laughing here.
Come on now, it’s not like they have to rely on Boeings where the survival rate feels like maybe 80% at best. 🤣
Plus, there's always that ultra-modern Embraer 130, which famously slammed into a mountain during its very first demo flight when they were trying to sell it to Indonesia.

The Sukhoi Superjet is allegedly a perfectly fine aircraft. The issue—given the current climate—is that it relies heavily on foreign-made components, making production nearly impossible under these sanctions (even if it is technically a "domestic" plane). It's the exact same story with the newer MS 21. Once you integrate imported parts into an airframe, the entire supply chain for spare parts becomes a question mark. The higher the concentration of foreign components, the lower the chance of successfully pivoting to domestic manufacturing, and the longer it takes to engineer a local substitute. In reality, some things simply cannot be replaced by local industry.

silverotter72 said:It’s really more of a win-win-win scenario, I suppose.
Either we see a steady reduction in Russian equipment, or maybe Poland gets an upgrade with some newer aircraft—though I highly doubt they'll be getting anything straight off the assembly line—or, at the very least, we end up helping Ukrainians with hardware they actually know how to operate and feel comfortable using.

As for how much this actually helps the Ukrainians? Who knows. Aviation isn't just about dropping off a jet; you need a massive logistical tail. If they hand over planes, they have to provide the maintenance and training required to make them effective.
But the real objective here is sending a message to the thug in Moscow: nobody gives a damn about his twisted, public threats. Even he needs to feel the sting of escalation. In the end, it might even serve him well as an excuse: "We didn't realize Poland was sending jets to Ukraine, so we had to scale back the special operation." A good excuse is worth its weight in gold.😉

goldendrifter11 said:

The deal would involve Ukraine receiving Russian-made warplanes from Germany, which would in turn be given F-16s by the US.

That sounds like a massive win for Poland. 👍

Do we still have any of those MiGs left in the inventory? 🙂

(And here's the link to the article—it’s free to read, no paywall.

The ones currently in our inventory? The Ukrainians won't even bother bringing them in for routine maintenance, let alone attempting to fly them. If we actually possessed the F-16s that Poland has, they probably wouldn't even be looking at the Rafale.

Michael Ortiz68 said:What are the actual possibilities for alternative gas supplies, even if we manage to reduce our reliance on the fuel altogether by transitioning to different heating models?

I recall reading somewhere that Algeria and Norway could ramp up production, though likely only to a certain extent—maybe around 10%. What about Azerbaijan or Qatar?

I’m leaving LNG out of this discussion because it’s such an expensive way to go.

The real issue is the pipeline infrastructure. There is a pipeline running through Turkey from Azerbaijan into the European Union, assuming that project is actually finished—Blue Stream, perhaps? As for Algeria, they are likely hitting the ceiling of their existing pipeline capacities. Then you have Qatar, which delivers via LNG tankers; that requires dedicated terminals and specialized vessels. It seems those ships will become more common. Despite all the talk of diversifying, most gas will likely still flow from Russia. Neither side wants to lose a reliable supplier or a wealthy customer. Still, having alternative routes is necessary—just enough to prevent prices from skyrocketing when you're tethered to a single provider.

Dennis Allen said:Is card processing still working? Can they still pay using credit or debit cards?

It's like a local convenience store—banks rarely keep massive piles of cash sitting around on hand anyway.

As long as they can swipe a card or use a mobile app, they've still technically got access to their funds!

People likely wanted to pull out cash—which was the smart move given the circumstances—because the government can always step in, put its thumb on the scale, and declare a daily withdrawal limit. We saw this exact playbook used in Greece and Cyprus during the crisis. Back then, people scrambled to hit ATMs abroad using their cards to get liquid. These folks can't leave now. And there isn't much of an escape route anyway, considering Moscow, for instance, is tucked deep into the interior. If they have Rubles sitting in an account, they should probably spend them; inflation will eventually erode whatever value is left. At the very least, try to stockpile some essentials, assuming anyone is even selling them anymore.

Carl Lee27 said:The thing is, Russia won't be able to just reroute gas from the American market over to China anytime soon, unless we're talking about maybe some small portion through Yamal LNG.
See, the gas headed toward America comes from totally different fields than the stuff going to China. For the American market, they're pulling from fields up in the northern Urals and western Siberia, whereas the supply for China comes from eastern Siberia. There isn't actually a connection between the pipeline network serving America and the one heading to China. And honestly, there won't be one for at least a few more years until they finally finish up Power of Siberia 2.
https://i.ibb.co/1LfhLv1/Russia2.jpg

And yeah, look—the very fact that these two networks will inevitably be linked means it's just a matter of time before Russia starts hiking up gas prices for the American market, regardless of whether sanctions are in place or not. Once they're connected, Americans will basically be stuck competing directly with the Chinese through Gazprom. It doesn't really matter to America whether they're fighting Asia for LNG today or if they'll be battling Asia for Siberian gas tomorrow; the competition is coming either way.

That was exactly my point—that this is a bad indicator for Russia, which is why I specifically pointed out the silver lining regarding those negative rates in Germany.

You’re being ridiculous. Just head down to a local hardware store, buy a rubber garden hose, and there's your pipeline. Sooner or later, you'll have it. Permafrost? Who cares about frozen ground. You just need to tape the ends together with some cheap wire so it doesn't burst under pressure.

wiredseal7 said:He was being naive. This "global market" everyone advertises isn't actually open to everyone—it’s more like a trap designed to lure someone in before stripping them naked. It reminds me of a similar, even bigger heist: the Bretton Woods agreement.

This whole sanctions move? It's bigger than Ukraine, IMO. That conflict is almost a footnote compared to the scale of what we're stepping into.
The speed and sheer suddenness of the reaction—that pre-made list of targets—shows this was a calculated plan just waiting for an excuse to trigger.

Just watch what China does with American Treasuries and their other Western holdings in the coming months. The obvious endgame is to ditch the dollar in the medium term and make the Yuan the mandatory currency for Chinese goods—let's see who survives without it. The digital Yuan is definitely going on the fast track, and I wouldn't be surprised if they pull a total 180 on digital currencies, including mining—just so the Americans can't pull a stunt to seize control of the blockchain via "proof of work."

I'm not losing sleep over the folks in Washington or London; they'll cover themselves and probably turn a profit. The EU—and obviously Russia—will foot the bill. Like I said, the damage from the bank run on Sberbank is already costing us a fortune, and that's just the opening salvo.

Why would the Chinese people accept the Japanese yen as a reserve currency? You surely meant the yuan.
If we are discussing the Chinese yuan as a potential global reserve currency, I have to disappoint you: it’s not going to happen. (The Chinese are well aware of this and don't actually want the yuan as a reserve currency; it's a double-edged sword regardless).
The primary, insurmountable obstacle is the absolute rule of the Party currently in power in China. Instead of the firm rule of law found in any functional nation—though "functional" is a relative term these days—you have something else entirely. No rational actor is going to put themselves in a position where the fate of their debt or credit ultimately rests on the whim of a Chinese Party Secretary. That is a non-starter for the yuan. There are other reasons, of course, but this one is an impassable wall for China's current political system and remains unacceptable to all other players in the global arena.

Marcos said:It is high time this forum aligned itself with the civilized world and started penalizing this nauseating sycophancy toward a criminal and a deranged maniac.

Reading these Putin apologists at a time when the entire globe is facing nuclear threats makes one feel physically ill.

That is the very least this forum could do to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

No punishment or removal should occur. Democracy prevails here, and differing opinions are respected—provided they are backed by actual arguments. It is best to let things settle. Let the posts eventually serve as a testament to whether their authors were right or wrong.

wiredseal7 said:With the Western markets closed, the ruble ended up at about 105 to the dollar. Not bad, I guess.
Considering this is easily the most brutal financial hit any country has taken since the gold standard was scrapped—if not ever (reminds me of that exchange booth in Thailand where they just slapped a zero on everything).

The West is going to be pretty disappointed if Putin keeps up the military operations; they were probably banking on the ruble hitting zero and seeing mass protests break out everywhere.
If Putin hadn't messed up by keeping too much central bank cash in euros, he might have sailed right through this. After this stunt, it's obvious the euro is basically just an American auxiliary currency now—no one facing financial warfare is going to want it. I really hope there's still time to reconsider moving toward it.

It looks like our government is going to have to cough up nearly $350 million to cover those borrowed bonds, which goes straight to a domestic JPMorgan Chase that's staring down bankruptcy. Yikes... sure, some of that gets recouped through issued credits and whatnot, but that’s going to move at a snail's pace.

No one is suggesting that Putin or Russia shouldn't implement their own internal gold standard. They could back the ruble with gold reserves. The Russian Federal Reserve certainly holds enough gold to make that happen. Furthermore, nobody forced Putin to settle transactions in USD or EUR. He could have simply dictated the price of gas and oil in ounces of gold. As the seller, he sets the terms—if the buyers don't like the deal, they can take their business elsewhere. He didn't do any of that because he was a willing participant in the global fiat system and reaped the rewards. Now, that decision is coming back to haunt the people within Russia—the most loyal hostages and victims of his political machine.

Amy Diaz222 said:Given all this talk about sanctions—or rather, the constant whining about potential sanctions versus actual, tangible ones...

--- if someone could be so kind as to provide a more "expert" explanation here... 👍

Basically, this Russian site claims that Volvo is pulling out of Russia—leaving production behind there... https://www.rt.com/business/550862-v...uction-russia/

The statements are incredibly ambiguous, for instance: "...Spokesman Klaas Eliasson told Swedish state broadcaster SVT that The company does not “ have conditions for work in Russia, taking into account the imposed sanctions.” He noted that “there is no boycott of Russia as a nation.”..." /

/ This guy named Spokesman Klaas seems to be playing games—claiming they "don't have the conditions to work in Russia due to sanctions," yet simultaneously insisting they aren't actually boycotting the country... 🙂

There were also news reports about major global energy giants "exiting" Russia, but it’s never clear what those exits actually look like—are they just sitting tight until things blow over, or are they truly leaving? Are they expecting some sort of massive payout or compensation for walking away? It's all very vague... 🤔

It looks like oil has hit $100 again today, and I assume natural gas has spiked by about 30% as well, and so on.

You clearly don't grasp that modern vehicles (in this case) are assembled from components sourced globally. When you shut down borders, freeze the ability to transfer funds, and effectively sever a country from its raw materials and component suppliers—you leave them with no choice but to halt production and send workers home because there simply isn't any work left. One can be optimistic and hope everything returns to the status quo quickly so production and payroll can resume. However, if this situation persists, there is no going back; restarting production would become technologically and economically unfeasible. And one must wonder who would bother investing in the Russian Federation again when politicians are prone to such unnecessary adventures. Putin should have considered that instead of catering to his own ego.

antilles said:Reading a comment like that makes me feel embarrassed to even share a nationality with you. 🕺
The Putinists and the oligarchs already have sanctions slapped on them, their assets frozen, and their bank accounts locked down.
Leave the rest of the Russians alone.

Everyone else will suffer regardless, simply due to the inherent nature of how sanctions function. It is my belief that those who will feel the brunt of these measures are the ones least responsible—the general public. There is a universal rule that this specific demographic always bears the heaviest burden of any disruption. Their lives are already strained, and they are perpetually living on the edge financially. When chaos hits, it inevitably translates into new, unavoidable costs of living.

bluepuma9 said:Look, Russia can't say a damn thing to Ukraine about who they buy weapons from or how they do it. You've got two sovereign nations trading conventional arms that aren't under any sanctions. It's pretty straightforward business.

This isn't about commerce. This is about a humanitarian donation intended to prevent a disaster caused by human error.

vividtiger72 said:I don't actually see any Z markings on those tanks—for all we know, they could be Ukrainian.

Those transporters and tanks are likely their own. They're far too close to be enemy armor, and they're moving with far too much confidence; if those were hostile tanks, an anti-tank team would have wiped them out long ago. Personally, I’d be wary of moving near one's own troops—you wouldn't want to be mistaken for the enemy. Those trenches along the road look much more appropriate for infantry movement.

Melissa Ward said:What is Ukraine, really, if not just a rebranded version of the old Soviet State? I mean, look at the facts! The Americans absolutely dismantled the USSR, much like how they tore through America. It’s wild when you think about it. One minute, you have this massive global superpower, and then suddenly, in the 90s, it’s nothing more than a total joke... at least until Putin stepped up to take charge.

Targeting major cities across Europe? Once those first nuclear weapons start falling, there’s absolutely no turning back. It’s over. Period. Everyone knows that. You don't just pull that trigger unless you've been backed into a corner and it's truly your absolute last resort. It's like playing a game of high-stakes poker where you bet everything on one final, desperate hand—once the cards are on the table, the game is done!

A breakaway republic? You really ought to study history a bit more closely. The USSR essentially imploded from within. Yeltsin practically told every republic to go its own way—which effectively severed the Russian Federation from the rest of the USSR, and since they were the center of gravity, the whole state fell apart. He did it primarily to dismantle the political system that controlled the entire USSR (and was actively working against his own interests). While some republics welcomed it—like the Baltics—the vast majority were caught completely off guard and certainly weren't prepared for such a shift. Most of those states had lived under Moscow's thumb for 70 years; they struggled immensely at first to function as independent nations.

Keith Morgan10 said:It’s honestly wild to me, just sitting here thinking about how the ruling class in Russia probably just got together, maybe over some casual drinks or something, and tossed out an idea like, "Hey, what if we just went after Ukraine?" And then, instead of actually weighing the options, five or fifty of the top brass just nod along like, "Yeah, sounds good." Then you have Putin just giving the green light, basically saying, "Alright, let's roll tomorrow," without anyone actually sitting down to map out the fallout. No deep dives into the economic wreckage, no planning for the actual war—nothing. They didn't even bother checking in with the oligarchs to see if they were on board. Just... boom.

If that's really how they pulled this off, then they're complete idiots. It wouldn't be a matter of *if* they fail, but just a matter of when. But, I don't know, part of me feels like we just have to sit tight and wait to see what kind of mess is actually brewing on the other side of the horizon.

He asked them "democratically" in public, right there in front of the cameras, and they all agreed. The man knew perfectly well he was creating victims, yet these spineless bureaucrats lost the ability to say "no" to anything Vlad suggests a long time ago. In their world, there is nothing but a reflex of fear, self-interest, a sycophantic mindset, and the pursuit of personal comfort. Honestly, it might be time for Putin—in the finest Stalinist tradition—to conduct a massive purge within the inner circle of government leadership. Since he admires such strength so much, he might as well adopt some of those methods. He could simply shift all the blame onto "traitors to the nation" or perhaps some "subversives."

Betty Murphy3 said:In Putin's case, he isn't physically imposing, yet he carries this massive arrogance—this sense of superiority over those he deems weaker. How should we interpret that? Is it the standard interpretation most people jump to? I call it an inferiority complex, or perhaps just a byproduct of his height. It's clearly something he struggles with.

Since he couldn't possibly pull off what his army is doing in Ukraine on his own, feel free to philosophize all you want about how his physique doesn't affect his decisions. Honestly, I’m curious—how would he fare in a one-on-one fight with a Ukrainian or a Russian man of average height? Someone who talks big about rats and cornered animals? Brrr, I'm shaking; I'm terrified. I just wonder how cold his eyes would look if, standing at 6'2", I grabbed him by the head at shoulder level. Would he still act so arrogant and powerful while issuing threats to Finland, Sweden, and everyone else from some basement under the Kremlin?

The moment his subordinates sit or stand ten yards away from him, you know exactly what time it is. It is incredible that people here still fail to grasp the reality of the situation based on examples like this. It isn't just that they fear him; he fears them too. That tells you everything you need to know about the actual dynamic at play.

It doesn't matter how Putin feels emotionally; what matters is understanding how he plays the game. He plays on fear—deliberately inciting terror in both allies and enemies, likely hoping it will yield results. Zelensky didn't give him an inch of respect, essentially mocking him, probably because he didn't believe a direct assault was actually coming. Now, Putin is taking it personally. His behavior is a calculated attempt to reclaim his reputation, because in that world, reputation is everything. It was the same with Navalny; he confronted the regime head-on without a hint of hesitation, which is precisely why they had to lock him up and try to eliminate him. It's about the hierarchy. If you don't command that specific kind of respect at the top, you won't live to see the sunrise.
It became perfectly clear what kind of player Putin is when he brought a dog to a meeting with Merkel, knowing full well his guest was terrified of dogs. You don't do that when hosting someone in your home—especially not at that diplomatic level.
But a power pyramid built on self-interest and intimidation has its own inevitable failures. The people surrounding him eventually stop speaking anything but praise out of sheer terror. When critical thinking is purged, you lose the mechanism required to correct mistakes. And under regimes like that, things can spiral into disaster very quickly.

Larry Fox5 said:I don't know if it's just rumors flying around—but Orban said he's actually going to back all the sanctions against Russia. Honestly, closing off the Bosphorus would be a massive blow to Putin. And who knows? The Chinese might just toss him under the bus sooner or later.
Cutting off Russian banks from SWIFT would basically be checkmate for him.

He totally walked himself right into this mess for no reason at all... 🤦

Things will only get worse for them if the Chinese step in to bail them out. Honestly, if anyone actually needs their help—they might as well let it burn.

Jesse Harris6 said:I honestly can't wrap my head around why the Russians are so incredibly fixated on Ukraine.
If they were just looking for a target to vent all that misplaced aggression on, they would have been much better off picking a fight with the Scandinavians or the Baltic states, who—let's be honest—likely harbor far more resentment toward them than anyone in Ukraine ever could.

Now, there is the real question. I wouldn't say it’s the Russian people who are enraged; it's Putin. Why is he so incensed? It likely stems from his ego—this desperate need to be feared by everyone. On the flip side, he's staring down a young comedian who spent his time openly mocking and trolling him. Putin clings to power through elections of questionable legitimacy, whereas this comedian was chosen by citizens from a pool of actual candidates in a legitimate democratic race. Now, Putin wants to demonstrate raw, unbridled force to this comedian, yet the whole spectacle looks pathetic—more desperate than ever before. It seems his biggest headache is realizing that the comedian actually has massive grassroots support. He is supported because the people chose him. This blatant assault on Ukraine will unify those citizens more effectively than anything else. Meanwhile, Putin grows increasingly detached from the very people he rules, becoming more isolated within The Kremlin every single day.

Kevin Murphy7 said:Putin can't just go rogue and toss a nuke whenever he feels like it; he needs specific codes and a whole protocol involving multiple people

Honestly, even if he did pull the trigger, who’s actually brave enough to hit back?
It would probably just end the war and force a surrender, kind of like what happened with Japan, and basically flip the entire global order upside down

And launch it against whom, specifically? Target Kyiv? That’s practically in his own backyard. Target a city in the European Union? That triggers an immediate Armageddon. Right then and there.

velvetcyclist95 said:The real question is, does it even make sense to pull the trigger on using SWIFT as some kind of nuclear option right now?

My approach? I’d give them a choice: cease hostilities immediately and withdraw from Ukraine within 24 hours, or face total expulsion from SWIFT. That would freeze their transactions dead in their tracks. Since it’s Saturday today and Sunday follows, there likely wouldn't be any meaningful transactions moving anyway.