Posts by Arthur Miller7

Nathan Evans78 said:I’ve always said that force is the only language they actually understand. While all those bureaucrats are busy debating thousands of new sanctions, drones are already dropping right on top of the elite neighborhoods in Moscow. A wave of reality is finally hitting the folks on this forum who genuinely believed that freezing some yachts in the Mediterranean would be enough to sink the oligarchs. ☕

So, did you go ahead and swap your Euros for Rubles yet?

brightheron64 said:Whether you call it romanticism or just plain old aggression... do you truly believe that the only valid way forward is to rely on raw military might—to simply crush, overpower, and steamroll anyone who dares to disagree with us...?

If you sit down and actually crunch the numbers, the sheer cost of the American involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq runs into the trillions of dollars. And that’s just the financial side of things—it doesn't even begin to touch the devastating human toll... If we could have taken all those resources poured into every war since 1945 and instead funneled them into cattle ranching, agricultural breakthroughs, cutting-edge tech, or robust social programs, imagine where we might be today...
I don't even need to bring up the history involving Agent Orange and the sheer devastation it inflicted on the environment—though, if you look at the silver lining, Vietnam managed to climb the ranks to become the second-largest coffee producer in the world because of it... we could just shrug our shoulders and accept it as one of those "shit happens" moments, a dark little blot on our shared history that’s been defined by so much conflict, but surely we were meant to walk away from all that with a few lessons learned, right...

On the other hand, if we were to take those trillions of dollars and transform them into something tangible, something material, and genuinely useful for the world... just consider the cost of livestock. You could look at everything from the absolute gold standard, those elite Holstein and Angus master breeds, down to a perfectly serviceable cow that wouldn't even break the $2,000 mark. When you start converting all those massive military budgets into animals capable of feeding huge swaths of humanity—and let's not even get into the methane issue—you really have to ask how much sense warfare actually makes. Anything you might hope to achieve through brute force could almost certainly be handled more effectively through diplomacy and kindness, all without leaving a trail of lost souls on your conscience... assuming you even have one. I’ll say it again: a carrot is far more interesting and productive than a stick...

With a little bit of common sense, all those people who think they can achieve global dominance through nothing but military doctrines and sheer force should probably realize that there are so many other ways to win... from controlling raw materials to securing food supplies, especially when it comes to food security, which grants a level of invincibility far more potent than any rifle ever could...
Look, George Lewis9, if you’re being bankrolled and politically elevated by a giant like Lockheed Martin, then of course you're going to claim that heavy artillery is the only way forward... But it's funny how those people are always the very last ones to ever see a trench or send their own children off to fight, just to be clear about what I mean here... and meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is out there dancing to that exact same twisted rhythm...

It’s certainly much easier to focus on churning out tanks, building aircraft carriers, or "disciplining" anyone who dares to disagree... rather than actually contemplating how to make things better or working toward the global good... which, let's be honest, offers a far more drastic and completely legitimate form of dominance—if that's truly what you're after—than any weapon ever could...

Because doing otherwise would be irresponsible and totally reckless toward your own people. Your goal isn't just economic prosperity; it's security too. Anyone who tried to do exactly what you're suggesting would be out of a job in no time. That's just how life works—you can't reinvent the wheel here. Wars have existed since cavemen. Instead of constantly whining about Americans, maybe you should ask yourself what it is in human stupidity that drives us toward aggression? We could all be well-fed and thriving—Africa could have water and food, etc.—but nope, every once in a while, some idiot wants more for themselves. Doesn't matter what nationality they are. But no, it's always "the Americans, this" and "the Americans, that."

Or, to overcomplicate it: why do borders even exist? Why do we pay for a place to live? Isn't the planet private property? Etc., etc.

gentlestag15 said:It’s pretty obvious to us, but the pro-Russia crowd won't hear a word about nominal GDP. They stick exclusively to PPP just so they can make their backwater towns look a hell of a lot better than they actually are. 😁

Which war are we even talking about?
If you had said that over in Russia, you’d be sitting in a prison cell right now—you know, thinking about that whole military operation and that "special" situation everyone talks about. 😁

Noah Diaz doesn't buy into this system, yet he sure loves milking all its perks. Since I'm already going off on a tangent about sanctions:

They're selling government debt to Russia.

Mark Carter14 said:So what's left for the Russians to say? Sanctions, a global pandemic, and a war... and they still have enough fuel in the tank to keep going.🤔

Man, you really love trolling him, don't you?

Look at the date on this! This was written like 4 or 5 months before the special operation even kicked off. And now you're trying to claim it's a consequence of the war?? Give me a break.

electricsurfer47 said:If NATO wasn't around, we'd probably see way more wars breaking out across Europe. And honestly? Without America, Europe wouldn't stand much of a chance at defending itself since they've pretty much let their military capabilities slide. If it weren't for the US, I doubt they'd even be hitting that 2% GDP spending target.

Anyway, if you're wondering what NATO actually is, check out this interesting video

Seriously, without the US, those countries would be at each other's throats for the third time this century. You need a boss in charge to keep all those little tribes from tearing each other apart.

wiredfalcon2 said:If I'm reading you right, you're basically saying we should scrap all the sanctions against Russia and just go back to business as usual since the war is technically Ukraine's problem?

Man, he is just *so* worried about senior citizens. Like, it hit him out of nowhere overnight.

Noah Diaz said:Look, you probably think this is just more Russian propaganda, but honestly, every war follows the exact same logic.

You have to feed the troops, arm the soldiers, stock up on ammunition, and ensure there's enough fuel to get everything to the front lines.

Sure, you can print money whenever you feel like it, but you can't just manufacture physical resources out of thin air.

Thank God, right? I mean, seriously—Russia’s rolling out with trucks that have flat tires and an army that looks like they’re dressed in scrap metal. They’ve even got canned goods that probably expired before the 90s. It's a total joke. They claim to be loaded with resources, but honestly? Someone should just tell those Russian soldiers to strap a five-gallon jerry can of gasoline to their backs—that way, when they're freezing their asses off in a trench, they can just pour some gas on themselves and get nice and toasty. Seriously.

Jessica Rivera37 said:My gut feeling is that they’re using Dollars, especially since the Euro doesn't carry quite as much weight in those specific regions. That said, I actually stumbled upon a bank in Mexico that officially lists Ruble-to-local currency exchanges on their site—though, of course, whether that actually works smoothly in practice is a whole different story.

There is, however, a massive catch here: the spread between the buying and selling rates is absolutely staggering. The markup on the Ruble is nearly 50% higher than the buying rate, whereas for almost any other currency—even those from some pretty remote corners of the world—the difference is usually a much more reasonable 4%.

Man, I really thought we'd get some kind of "brotherly" exchange rate, but nope... just getting ripped off.

Frank Davis3 said:I mean, what kind of logic is there in paying 200 rubles for a single dollar when you could officially swap it for something closer to 70?

Look, you clearly think you've got this figured out—but let me refresh your memory real quick. This is the exchange rate over in Cyprus. Seriously, just use the search bar; there’s been plenty of talk about this in posts from nine months ago.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fb8_fAtXkAU-DJY.jpg

I mean, what kind of logic is it to suggest someone outside of Russia would trade their rubles at some fake (70) rate? Go ahead, buddy—try accepting that "official" 70 rate and then come back and tell us how much it actually costs you to buy a dollar.

Nancy Gomez26 said:I would love nothing more than to see every single Canadian driver cross the border to fill up their tanks here in the States. Given these current prices, it’s a mathematical necessity. You likely grasp the logic: when they pump fuel here, that money—which accounts for roughly 70% of those massive state subsidies—stays right here in our economy. It leaves the cash in the hands of our own government to manage, rather than letting it flow straight back to Canada to subsidize their roads. Is our administration actually going to use that windfall to help the average citizen? Probably not. But I’d much rather see those funds circulate domestically than let them pad the coffers of the Orbán administration. Honestly, that alone serves as a fitting penalty. They essentially sabotaged themselves by handing out these fuel subsidies; it was clearly just a desperate move to secure votes, with Orbán adopting the same old political playbook used by local mayors like Bandić. It seems Orbán is finally hitting the "we reap what we sow" stage of his leadership. This whole situation just confirms what I've always suspected: subsidies are rarely about helping people. They are almost always a calculated attempt to buy political leverage at the expense of the taxpayer.

I don't know if it's 100% true, but an American guy who used to be my roommate always told me that before elections, Orbán "buys off" certain voting blocs with all sorts of social perks and special privileges just to secure his victory.

Jack Kelly5 said:honestly, where did all those self-proclaimed experts go? you know, the ones who were absolutely certain the European Union was going to fall apart by autumn and that WTI would hit $250 a barrel.

Total clown show.

brightheron64 said:Winter isn't even officially here for another three days, yet this war... well, let's just hope it wraps up within the next 333 days, if we're lucky...

It really comes down to who managed to hold their ground...

I’ve managed to pull through just by soaking up all that sunshine—thank goodness my apartment faces south—and layering up in plenty of sweaters instead of relying on the electric heater...
Just look at the price of a single egg these days, or even just basic staples like flour, milk, and chicken... It’s getting ridiculous. And don't even get me started on the current business trends—if you can call my sector of miserable private entrepreneurship that—because sales are cratering, and my paycheck is taking a hit right along with them since everything is tied to performance...

By the way, you didn't just copy the posts, you copied the links too... so I have to wonder, are these actually my own predictions, or am I just echoing the opinions of the "experts" found within those links...

Because honestly, we’ve never dealt with inflation like this before, layoffs weren't even a thing, and food was getting cheaper every day until now... someone clearly slept through life.

Nathan Thomas12 said:Back in March, you were predicting we'd run out of oil, then gas, then food.
Well, it's mid-December now and we're still standing...

But next year, or maybe next winter, or the winter after that... give me a break!

wearytrucker22 said:We're looking at a massive, sudden surge in gas supply across the US.

Is there any chance we see prices hit zero? 🤯 Let’s dive in. 1/n
https://twitter.com/AndreasSteno/sta...50621356134400
And now we've got a whole different set of headaches because the pro-Russia crowd is spiraling into a depression, and we're stuck footing the bill for their medication.

Can someone give me the TL;DR—is LNG pricing dropping too, or is this just talking about natural gas?

Roger Fowler said:Maybe, though I suppose their opinions might shift if they actually set foot in the States. Then again, having traveled through Mexico (Veracruz and Pachuca), Panama (Panama City and Colon), and Colombia (Cartagena), I can tell you I wouldn't stick around there either; Colon reminds me somewhat of a war-torn American city from the early 90s—not quite as extreme, perhaps, but certainly not far off.

You're totally exaggerating. You aren't the only one who's ever hopped on a plane and seen some stuff.

Jessica Long8 said:I had to turn it off; honestly, listening to that villain feels like an insult to one's own intelligence.

No matter how much sense he might be making when he speaks on behalf of his administration, there’s this visceral, physical sense of nausea that kicks in. Even just looking at the crowd in the hall makes me wonder—what kind of people actually stand up to defend humanity against Western hegemony? 😁

Same here. I didn't have the stomach to sit through that total garbage.

hollowdriver13 said:There is way too much weed in the air here... anyone else would say *he's* the one acting crazy...

The poor guy is so dependent on the scraps the EU throws him that now that she finally said "enough," he's throwing a tantrum and making empty threats. His "phenomenal" policies have pushed the budget to the brink of collapse, the social programs he uses to buy votes are becoming unsustainable, and his hero Putin is so deep in the gutter right now that he can't even help him out with a little cash. Now he's feeling the heat; maybe the Canadians don't love him as much when the taps run dry.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/canada-...uide-1.1824150

The Forint keeps crashing, so they're hiking interest rates for the third time this year hoping to stop the bleeding—hitting 12.75%, which is basically the highest in Europe.

https://dailynewshungary.com/leaked-...h-authorities/

Then there's Frkic and the nasty IMF coming in to bail out the budget.

https://dailynewshungary.com/gloomy-...-20-inflation/

Lookin' good, 20% inflation in Canada, while the Eurozone is sitting at 9.1% ☕

I remember back when gas prices spiked in the States and people were commenting like, "Oh, that's just Mr. Orbán being a leader, taking care of the people..." Like, give me a break. Such ego, such nonsense... Canada, the "economic tiger," my foot.

stoler said:And here we go again—mentioning nothing more, nothing less, than a couple of tactical nukes. 🥱🤣🤣🤣

And get this—it's all just a desperate attempt to try and shut down the Ukrainians. Honestly, give me a break. 🤣🤣

And they do it in every single damn post now. Like, it’s become their whole personality—just dropping that at the end of a sentence like it’s some big reveal. What a pathetic bunch of people.

Kimberly Perez82 said:I see quite a few young, hot-headed forum users here—clearly lacking any real-world experience—who think everything can be solved quickly and easily. It’s obvious they don't quite grasp how the world actually functions. During the last nuclear crisis, back during the Cuban Missile Crisis when Soviet ships approached Cuba, the Americans initiated a naval blockade exercise. In that tense moment, it was only the nerves of steel possessed by the responsible officials on the American side that prevented the torpedoing of a Russian frigate that had crossed the line, whether by accident or design. On the flip side, the Russian early warning system misinterpreted those movements as a full-scale nuclear strike from the USA, and a certain Russian official, also possessing incredible composure, decided to defy launch orders to wait and see if it was all just a mistake before triggering a nuclear counterstrike. Fortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm, and the world was saved from nuclear Armageddon. Because of that, you and I are still here today, having the chance to scribble nonsense on this forum.

It feels a bit tragic, honestly, reading these sycophantic statements about needing to march Abrams tanks straight into Times Square and other such idiocies. As if the world were some cartoon. Only through sheer reason and steady nerves on both sides can this be de-escalated, not through bellicose rhetoric. Seriously, I haven't heard a single insightful proposal on how to stop Putin without a nuclear conflict, other than "march the Abrams into Times Square."

Man, you are exhausting. Where on earth did you read that anyone wants to march on Times Square?

rowdyraven112 said:Does Beijing respect the territorial integrity of Tibet? What about Mexico? And don't even get me started on Western Sahara... there's plenty of examples there. ☕

I'd love to know if Israelis have ever claimed to respect everyone's territorial integrity.

Saying something just to gain political leverage is about as meaningful as saying Safet Pašić is dating Vesna Zmijanac. ☕

Honestly, I'm way more concerned about whether this whole deal is even legit in the first place.