Posts by Rebecca Lewis7

aaaaaaaa said:If Russia decides to hike prices or cut off gas supplies to Europe, the continent will simply pivot to alternative sources and recover quite rapidly. Russia is essentially sabotaging its own economy while simultaneously erasing the sole reason why Europe treats them with any degree of caution compared to how the UK or the USA operates. Europe currently sources about 38% of its gas from Russia, and frankly, that’s the extent of the leverage. They will survive without it by ramping up imports from other markets and diversifying their energy mix. It’s a simple matter of transition.

It is Putin who finds himself in a corner here, not Europe.

The reality is quite elementary: the buyer is king, as it has always been and will always be.

THAT ASSUMPTION FALLS APART IF THE BUYER IS ALREADY BEING OVERCHARGED.
Japan, Korea, China, and the US—they all produce goods that are 60% cheaper and higher quality than what we are seeing.

The European Union represents too much competition for the Americans, which is why they need to drive up resource costs; there is only one true king in this scenario.

The Chinese are paying roughly $250-$300 for gas, while the EU is currently staring down $2,000.

The buyer is only king when the seller is desperate. This particular seller is a global leader in agricultural production; they produce almost everything themselves and are largely self-sufficient. If they buy anything from abroad, it isn't because they lack the resources, but simply because it's cheaper elsewhere.

So, we have to distinguish between theoretical fairy tales and the actualities of life and practice.

gentlecrane8 said:The massive street protests for Ukraine we expected to see across major European cities just haven't happened.
It looks like folks in Europe have plenty of other things to worry about right now.

Due to British and American strategic planning and economic interests, energy costs for Europeans have skyrocketed, which inevitably drove up the price of everything else-,

Furthermore, winter is setting in, yet the subsidies intended for protesters arriving from Britain and the US haven't materialized; apparently, prioritizing LGBTQT..........XY rights—under the guise of "freedom and democracy for minorities" or "transparency"—is considered much more vital.

Just like after any major disaster, you won't see these people anywhere unless they are being exceptionally well-compensated for their supposed "altruism," "activism," or "peaceful demonstrations."

The Ukrainians have played their part perfectly; they were a worthwhile investment right up until the moment they began to irritate Russia. Now that they have completed their objective for the British and Americans, they are no longer a profitable venture. From a purely financial standpoint, there is no longer a logical reason to continue once the profit margins and bonuses disappear; they have simply fulfilled their function.

Albert81 said:To Europeans, the suffering of the people in Ukraine seems secondary to the vital necessity of keeping their own backsides warm and ensuring their economies remain functional...

https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/statu...87607422291968

And this is confirmed:

European utilities are set to buy tomorrow more Russian natural gas (from Gazprom) via Ukraine pipelines.

Yes, you read that right: Europe will be buying more natural gas. From Russia. Via Ukraine. Tomorrow.

I am hardly surprised.

Did anyone here genuinely believe that the British colonialists, the Americans, or the high-minded elites would actually step up to defend Ukrainians? They simply needed a useful idiot—some actor-boxer archetype—to drive up the price of gas and oil. American and British shale oil and gas corporations suffer losses when prices are low, making production unprofitable; they needed a catalyst.

It is the oldest trick in the book: convince a fool to go around the neighborhood slashing tires, while you quietly open a tire shop and a glass repair business. There have always been fools, and there have always been wars.

What concerns me more is that 99% of the people here in the States are idiots who think we will be defended tomorrow. We might be defended, but certainly in the same manner as the Ukrainians, or the Kurds... or how the Afghans were simply abandoned to fate, or how the Greeks were treated.

& some still cling to the delusion that Russia is a communist state. In reality, Russia operates under a capitalist system; they sell to anyone willing to pay. In the EU, and even through the swamp, it is the same capitalist system where they will buy from the devil himself if the price is right—just as they do in "communist" China. The most amusing part is watching those whining on internet forums.

If their television or refrigerator broke tomorrow, they would buy a Russian model without hesitation if it were merely 20% cheaper. If a Russian or Chinese product were half the price and allowed them to trade and earn a 40% margin by the day after tomorrow, those Russians and Chinese would instantly transform from hated enemies into best friends and primary business partners. Business is business, sentiments are sentiments, theory is theory, and practice is practice.

In practice, Americans buy Russian gas, oil, and coal, then naively sell LNG and coal back to the gullible Ukrainians as "democratic" coal and "free" LNG at five times the price. It is nobody's fault if you are an idiot who enjoys paying five times more for energy.