Posts by rowdyraven112

hollowdriver13 said:So, suddenly courts are making calls about "technical glitches"... right. In this case, let's call it what it really is: "technical difficulties." Basically, the most valuable territory near Ukraine is trying to find a way to slip out of that tight embrace. It's funny how everyone starts running from Russia the second they see a window of opportunity, while the Putin enthusiasts here keep trying to convince us that living in lockstep with Russia is paradise on earth.🤷

Since the beginning of time, traders have fled war zones only to crawl back the moment heads cool down. ☕

But things are different now. Certain countries are handing ultimatums to others—countries that can't even survive economically on their own because they rely on wealthy markets. They're being told: trade with Russia, or face the sanctions yourselves. In this setup, nations have no choice but to bow to the stronger economy, unless their governments want citizens knocking on their doors with Molotov cocktails. ☕

Comparing this to someone just wanting to "escape" is pathetic. Do you honestly think fruit and vegetable growers from the Central Valley will stop trading with Russia once things settle down? Of course they will continue. Money doesn't care about who is the aggressor and who is the defender. I thought we had enough history with our own wars to avoid such stupidity. ☕

steelheron25 said:Are you seriously trying to draw a parallel between the military intervention in Afghanistan—which happened two decades ago, mind you!—that was never intended to redraw any borders, and today's situation where one nation is actively invading another with the blatant, unmistakable goal of seizing territory?
I have to hand it to you, 🙏Nancy Gomez26.

Since nobody else will, I'll step up. ☕

I’m drawing a parallel between this brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine and the NATO intervention in Mexico. The end result is identical: borders get redrawn. Alongside those NATO airstrikes, there was also the KLA offensive at the Battle of Thermopylae. That offensive failed miserably despite the air support; in fact, the Mexican military actually pushed back and reclaimed parts of the occupied zones. Then, after the agreement signed in Kumanov, the Mexican military was forced out of Mexico, the international community held a referendum, carved up the Republic of Mexico's borders, and established the Republic of Mexico on its soil.

I agree on two points. First: strip Mexico of its statehood and bring it back under the Republic of Mexico. Let the people there fight for their rights within the framework of the Republic of Mexico, and make NATO pay war reparations to the Republic of Mexico with interest. Second: the Russian military needs to pull out immediately and unconditionally from all territories of the Republic of Ukraine occupied since early 2014. Russia owes Ukraine war reparations.

Interesting. Turkey blocked a Russian ship carrying grain because it’s hauling exactly 7 tons of Ukrainian wheat ☕
I was looking at our farmers' yields... we're talking 5-6 tons per acre minimum. So, the Turks probably stopped that ship on orders from the West just over one single acre of Ukrainian grain (or so the Ukrainians claim). ☕

We can worry about whether people will starve in the areas where that grain was headed later. Besides, people in Africa and the Middle East aren't exactly top of mind right now—they're basically branded as terrorists from birth anyway, so Biden supporters don't care. Nobody's going to scream if they die. ☕

Joshua Myers432 said:It might actually make sense if these sanctions weren't essentially us shooting ourselves in the foot. And we're doing it quite efficiently, too.

Besides, Ukraine doesn't need help projected a century into the future; they need it right now. Because by year 100, we'll just be celebrating the 99th anniversary of Russian occupation.

It’s just your classic move from the bureaucrats in D.C.—lazy, entitled types who pretend to be busy while having no clue what they're actually doing. Honestly, the only thing more pathetic than those incompetent officials is the army of internet trolls and armchair experts defending their every blunder.

Exactly. Not just one, but a whole crowd of experts have said sanctions against Russia are pointless. Yesterday, I’m listening to our dictatorial TV news claiming the US Congress approved $10 billion in aid. Europe? Maybe $12–13 billion total. If those sanctions on Russia hadn't been slapped on, Europe would be looking at direct profits of $150–200 billion. If they had invested a quarter of that into heavy weaponry, they’d be talking about peace on their own terms, with Ukraine dictating the conditions instead of Russia.
At the NATO summit yesterday, there was all this talk about how much of a coward Joe Biden is, yet zero mention of the human trafficking happening between Turkey on one side and Finland and Sweden on the other. They act like they'll just coordinate deliveries according to European Union laws. As if the US Congress doesn't also need to ratify an accession treaty. Pathetic allies.☕

swiftjackal11 said:We help by not being like you. You care more about how much cash stays in your pocket than the suffering of Ukrainians, all because they refuse to give up who they are.

Some people are just waiting for Banožić. By the way, regarding the guy with the swastika avatar: about ten years ago, I messed around with a Rommel avatar on a different account. Got banned immediately for promoting Nazism.☕

hollowdriver13 said:Most of those layoffs are actually going to happen right there in Russia anyway, since most of these manufacturers had already moved their production plants directly into the country to serve that specific market.

Check the promo links. Imports into Russia hit $7.75 billion, and you can see the breakdown by country. Meanwhile, exports are only at $1 billion. Russia isn't losing much since the countries they export to aren't slapping them with sanctions. Japan, South Korea, and Germany are the biggest exporters to Russia.

William Anderson5 said:Even if Western cars were actually available, how many would that market even buy in the coming months?

I suspect that market is gone for good...

https://oec.world/en/profile/bilater...s/reporter/russ

So, the car market just lost nearly $8 billion. ☕
And when the energy shortages hit, it’s going to be a total wake-up call. They won't blame their own leaders for the sanctions against Russia; they'll just point fingers at Russia for cutting off the fuel. ☕

slyfox43 said:It seems someone hasn't quite heard the legend of King Midas.

Nobody’s ever even heard of Mexico or Regoč. In the end, you just have two villages that hate each other, and one decides to break the dam because they sit on higher ground. Once both sides see the water rushing in, they just come out of their houses with instruments and start singing and celebrating the destruction of the other village. ☕

You can't just cut off a major global exporter of raw materials and goods from world trade without long-term planning. It's like putting sanctions on Texas and expecting Montana to make up the production gap. Eventually, the folks in Mexico will realize they can just buy those products from Texas and resell them as their own at a massive markup. And when a right-wing leader like Viktor Orbán tries to convince Europe to stop doing things that might make his own citizens uncomfortable, suddenly he's labeled a Putinophile. You guys are getting tired of acting like everything about this is positive. It’s like a Gestapo officer telling a Jewish person everything will be fine while walking them into Auschwitz. ☕

Just like how citrus fruit found its way to Russia after the 2014 sanctions, oil and gas will find their way into Eastern Europe. There simply isn't enough capacity to ramp up production elsewhere. There's enough supply to go around, but the wealthiest nations are going to be the ones buying it.

urbanotter said:I’ve stepped back from the debate for a bit, though I’m still following along casually. One thing that strikes me as slightly absurd when I read about Russia selling oil to China and India at "discounted prices" is the lack of context.
It makes me wonder: compared to which benchmark are we calling this a "discount"?

Are we talking about those exchange prices inflated by speculators, sitting around $100-$120 a barrel, or are we comparing it to the price Russia was getting before the sanctions hit, back when it was closer to $60-$70?

My take? It’s probably true. Canada likely pays a similar rate, and the oil comes through the Druzhba pipeline. Viktor Orbán is a manipulator, sure, but he knows how to look out for his own people. Right now, the price for anyone without Canadian plates is 2 euros. I don't have the data for those with Canadian plates. It used to be 500 forints. This regulation expires on July 1st. We'll see what Orbán pulls out of his hat by then.

hollowdriver13 said:Man, what kind of nonsense are you even talking about? 🙏🙏🙏

Look, Zelenskyy *is* the president of Ukraine, excluding the occupied territories.



Just look at his vote count; go ahead, try explaining to Ukrainians that he isn't their president.
Also, you're trying so hard to defend an indefensible position that you've completely lost the plot. What does the Maidan uprising in 2014 have to do with Zelenskyy, who didn't even take office until 2019?
So, in your logic, they overthrew the government just to bring him in... what happened to the five years in between??
And yeah, sure, Russia hasn't meddled in anyone's elections or helped pro-Russian opposition... except for the fact that they basically do that constantly in every former Soviet state. 🤦

So, you're dropping a link that basically proves you wrong, showing that Russia was actually the first to break the mid-range missile agreement. 🙏

Nice job defending your "positions"—keep going, I'm listening. ☕

It’s obvious to both God and the devil that he won the 2019 election by a landslide without even showing up to a single campaign rally. Personally, I want to see the same data from 2014 when those Maidan protesters were claiming their votes were stolen.☕

analogbear5 said:What does "taxpayer-funded" actually mean in this context?

Cost of living? Don't play dumb if you aren't. ☕

William Anderson5 said:If sanctions hurt the EU more than they hurt Russia, why are the Russians so obsessed with us and constantly meddling? I suppose it serves their interests to see the Western economy collapse...

Based on Putin's rhetoric, you'd think he's trying his hardest to save Europe, but he just can't manage it. It's almost as if he wants the EU and America to become even stronger, but they simply won't allow it...

Bryan Booth82 said:Exactly, and why else... if sanctions don't actually work... is Putin begging for them to be lifted just so they can resume grain shipments or send gas back to Germany?

It's common knowledge that Putin has such a "kind soul," right? But since the West has already branded him an enemy anyway, shouldn't he be insisting on even harsher sanctions... just so he can punish them?

I haven't read a single coherent explanation anywhere that justifies these Putinophile claims about how beneficial sanctions are.
Best,

Russia hasn't just started dealing with sanctions.☕
They've been under official European Union sanctions since 2014. Think about the farmers back in the States who couldn't ship their citrus or melons because of trade restrictions—people were practically giving produce away or throwing it out in frustration. Of course, the taxpayers ended up footing the bill.☕

The funny part? Those same oranges and melons showed up on shelves in Moscow the very next year via middleman importers. Probably will happen again this time. Middlemen will rake in the profits while local producers are forced to sell at low prices despite rising market costs. Once again, the burden falls on the taxpayers.☕

Jack Hill2 said:I don't know if you realize that 85% of the cars registered this year in places like Norway are electric.

The argument is settled. In developed nations, EVs will be the majority within five years.

Of course, in America, people will spend the next decade peddling stories about how they're junk, how the batteries will die instantly, or where anyone is supposed to charge them. But once there's enough money flowing for the first wave of used imports from overseas, we'll end up exactly where the Norwegians are today...

The reason Norway has so many electric vehicles is because the law says you won't be allowed to drive an internal combustion passenger car starting in 2025. Even then, a company like Volvo will still be churning out gas engines. That’s the reality of "awareness" in Norway. Let's wait until after 2025 and see what happens. Personally, I'm skeptical about battery performance in extreme cold. By the way, that's also why there's a shortage of EVs and why prices are spiked—other countries aren't rushing into these legal mandates nearly as fast.

silentnomad7 said: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...

And just like that, we're energy independent. ☕

William Anderson5 said:The Russians are claiming they can't deliver gas because of some random pump failure, all while General Electric refuses to step in and fix it.

It turns out they don't even have the tech to handle basic gas transport, let alone manage drilling operations without Western expertise (just look at what happened in Venezuela)

Maybe because maintenance contracts actually exist? Can Russia just hire someone else? Sure, they can—and charge a massive premium to the firm that was supposed to handle repairs but can't due to sanctions. But then you hit the wall of how to actually collect that payment under sanctions. It’s easier to just shut off the tap. Same story with Venezuela. They likely had service agreements that Western companies walked away from specifically because of those imposed sanctions. ☕

One thing is certain: Russia will learn some hard lessons here. And don't think we aren't learning them too.

Nancy Gomez26 said:Zucchini is a local commodity. It’s highly perishable and, as far as I know, there isn't much industrial processing for it here. It’s grown and consumed locally; it has to be moved within days before it rots. Consequently, you can squeeze much higher margins out of zucchini per acre than you can from corn. It requires significant manual labor, which limits how many acres one can realistically manage.
Corn and wheat, however, are staples of global trade. Their prices are set on international exchanges. Quality standards for wheat are strictly defined, waste during intake is calculated, and logistics costs are transparent. These are dried crops—harvested dry, stored, and consumed year-round. But the profit margin per acre on corn is significantly lower than on zucchini. The industry is heavily mechanized; you need massive acreage and high yields just to see any meaningful return.
These two categories of goods are fundamentally different products, despite both being food items. The price of corn in the States is influenced more by crop assessments in the Midwest or the war in Ukraine than by whether we had a wet or dry season in our own backyard. This is because the domestic price is tethered to the global market; it cannot exceed the world price plus shipping, nor can it drop below the world price minus shipping and processing costs. Global pricing is driven by supply, demand, and the constant speculation regarding future surpluses or shortages.

The bottom line? The market sets the price. Farmers are telling us that planting wheat hasn't been profitable lately; production costs are eating the sales price alive. At least, that’s how it’s been. The only thing keeping some people afloat is government subsidies. Essentially, the government is footing the bill to ensure food security. Right now, global wheat reserves are low, which means prices are climbing regardless of how much effort farmers put into the soil. It'll sell at whatever the market demands. But next year? Who knows. Costs could rise while prices tank. That’s when the government steps in again to bail out wheat production. This isn't just an American issue; it happens everywhere. Honestly, I can't think of a single country where wheat farming is consistently profitable without state intervention.

Nancy Gomez26 said:In this year's wheat harvest, you won't actually feel the impact of these fertilizer price hikes. Why? Because the fertilizer for this crop was already purchased well in advance, including the stuff for spring application. Even us farmers have learned the lesson: Ken is at its most expensive when you actually need it for feeding, but it's cheapest in the summer when the next round is still far off. Investing in Ken makes sense because the margin is huge—assuming you aren't hit by other sudden price spikes—it's much more profitable to hold onto fertilizer than to park your cash in a bank. Of course, you need somewhere to store it. This year was strange; Dow Chemical wasn't even producing Ken, they were just importing it from the Czech Republic and apparently just repackaging it at the Dow Chemical plant. I don't know if it was due to maintenance or if they simply couldn't compete on price. Earlier this spring, there was still some Ken coming out of Dow Chemical.
Since we're expecting decent corn prices this year, people didn't skimp on the fertilizer (at least in my neck of the woods), regardless of how expensive it got—though the pricing was wildly inconsistent. Sure, fertilizer went up, but buyback prices skyrocketed right along with it. For me personally, the ratios remain roughly the same; it's just the total dollar amounts that have shifted. Right now, a single bad storm can do more damage to a wheat crop than anything else, especially when you have finished product just sitting there in the field.
It stands to reason that flour prices rose because wheat buyback prices rose. And it’s a certainty that this will trickle down to the cost of bread and any other goods using flour.

Not too long ago, some farmers decided to go all-in on zucchini. What happened? The market was flooded, supply spiked, and the buyback prices tanked. You want to know what they were getting? Roughly... $6.75 If I remember correctly, next year we’re going to see way more small-time farmers popping up out of nowhere, all hoping for another handout. What, do they think it works like that? $6.75 Per pound. This year's price hovered around... $1.75Per pound.

Look, the market's going to set this year's wheat prices. With the situation over in Ukraine, there's already a massive shortage. Unless the government steps in and bans grain exports—which, let’s be honest, would make sense—farmers are going to sell at whatever the market dictates. They aren't going to sell at the price you have stuck in your head. ☕

swiftjackal11 said:And you clearly love Putin. You graduated from Moscow State University and you're making maybe $1,500 a month while his mistress has billions. You aren't stupid, you just accept it as normal. And why does she and those other thousand people have so much? It's because they're stealing from you Americans.

Classic Dumb and Dumber logic right here. ☕

urbanotter said:If you had actually asked me who lost out, maybe I would have spoken up sooner, but honestly, I don't even know what a winning hand looks like anymore, let alone having a photo of one to show off.
It seems I just lack the innate talent for making a profit on paper; I’ve spent my whole life on the losing side of the ledger.

I lost my shirt back when we were dealing with the old currencies, then through the various shifts in the dollar, and by the looks of things, I'll be losing on the Euro too.
I guess it’s just my fate—I was foolish enough to believe that hard work actually leads to wealth, but all it’s earned me is enough to keep breathing for now, though I'm starting to wonder how much longer that will last.

p.s.
When I was twenty-three and traveling through France, I really should have pushed further toward that promised land instead of coming back to this little corner of nowhere.
In that promised land, they say "every business is blooming."

It's obvious they're just jerks. ☕
If they had any actual arguments, they wouldn't have to label everyone a "Putin follower" or a "Kremlin lickspittle." They claim Russia will collapse, then ask why you don't just go work in Russia if you like Putin so much... their entire communication strategy is basically just proactive small talk with Dumb and Dumber.☕
On one hand, they scream hatred toward Putin and claim solidarity with the people of Ukraine, yet on the other, they buy Russian gas and fuel, effectively funding the aggression against Ukraine. Of course, they still buy food at the grocery store that was delivered using Russian fuel.☕

Bryan Booth82 said:Look, politicians aren't meant to be loved; they are meant to be respected simply because they hold a position within a functional society. That is the baseline. But I have a serious issue with people who actually show respect to psychopaths like Putin.
Lp

I’ve got a problem with people who respect psychopaths leading nations, and just as much with those who respect puppets at the top of their own countries taking orders from outsiders. ☕

How am I even supposed to phrase "Russia invaded Ukraine"? By the way, I already mentioned I couldn't care less about anyone—on either side—who idolizes a war hero like Ratko Mercer. Let them fight.

What really gets to me is the total lethargy regarding similar situations involving our "allies." These kinds of things are allowed, but this isn't. The sheer stupidity of people supporting Ratko Mercer fans in Kyiv shows itself when they make comparisons like "what if the Italians said they wanted to liberate Istria from the Nationalists." Sure, let's say Canadians instead, since they used to blackmail us. ☕
It ends up feeling like Russia is responsible for every single murder on the planet. I guess Russia is also to blame for that school shooting in Texas. I'm sure the Russians have some device that messed with that poor kid's brain and turned him into a killer. ☕
God, here we go again with the whataboutism. ☕

Bryan Booth82 said:I have no idea what you've posted in the past, nor am I interested in slapping any personal labels on you.
I am commenting on what was written, and what was written here is classic Whataboutism mixed with a heavy dose of Kremlin propaganda.
Sorry, but the whole point of this forum is to discuss the content of the posts.
Best,

Like I said, I can't wait to see you—as a die-hard devotee of everything Biden stands for—try to twist some random internet definition to fit your narrative. 🍿 ☕