Posts by urbanotter

Richard Wilson4 said:All five of them.

If they want to find better buyers than the European Union, that's on them.

But I suppose that's what happens when you label the Russians as uncivilized savages who just don't grasp how to behave once civilized nations slap them with sanctions.

They are apparently so "uncivilized" that they’re offloading energy supplies to India, China, and various middlemen at deep discounts, well below market value.

I guess that’s just what you expect from such wild, unpredictable actors. 🤷

urbanheron4 said:It sounds massive when you frame it like that, but look at the context.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/comm...ia-2022-06-01/

The European Union imported 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude in 2021, including 0.7 million bpd via pipeline.

The EU imported that much in less than two weeks. And they weren't even getting a discount.

Ultimately, anything the West decides to stop buying from Russia doesn't just vanish; it simply shifts into a different demand stream where someone else will pick it up,
likely at a much lower price point.

There are so many moving parts in these global markets, and there's always a way for everyone to eventually get what they need.

According to The Wall Street Journal, following the announcements by the EU and the USA to ban Russian oil imports as part of the sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, traders are ramping up their purchases of Russian oil and blending it with other sources to mask its origin.

Even China isn't playing by any particular set of rules, and I don't see them intending to start acting "civilized" anytime soon.

China is quietly increasing its intake of oil from Russia at favorable prices, filling the void left by Western buyers who are pulling away from Russian deals due to the invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Read more at: - www.vecernji.hr

God works in mysterious ways, but the paths oil takes through the global market are even stranger.

Richard Wilson4 said:Sanctions basically mean that civilized nations (the EU, or at least the Western side, the USA, and Japan) just don't want to do business with you.

The West can't exactly slap sanctions on itself, but nobody's stopping other countries from walking away from the table.

North Korea tried that little experiment... let them share what they learned.

But what happens when there are plenty of "uncivilized" players who are more than willing to keep the trade flowing?😉

India has taken in 34 million barrels of Russian oil at discounted rates since February. That is roughly ten times their total annual imports from Russia, and if you look at the monthly numbers, it’s actually twenty-five times higher than what they were seeing this time last year.

https://croativ.net/sankcijama-europ...1mlcP7U39yraQw

And they are paying in rubles, too.

ExxonMobil has finalized its list of European companies that refused to settle their gas bills in rubles.

We are looking at six companies across five different countries that stood their ground against the Russian demand to pay exclusively in rubles, though the vast majority of European firms and nations did ultimately go along with the new payment scheme. Since the May deadlines have already passed, it doesn't seem likely that any other European companies will back away from importing Russian gas.

Joshua Wilson17 said:If I'm hearing you right, you're saying we shouldn't bother with sanctions against Russia just because fuel is cheaper? It doesn't matter if an invasion is actually happening. After all, Putin claims Ukrainians aren't even a real nation and have no right to their own country.
What if someone said something similar about Americans and the United States? Would you change your mind then? Or would the price at the pump still be more important...

It isn't about that, rather I find this level of hypocrisy and these shifting double standards absolutely nauseating.

Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, and as a direct result, massive amounts of weaponry are being funneled into the country.

Meanwhile, when NATO went into Libya under the guise of "bringing democracy," there weren't any sanctions imposed for that aggression, yet the arms embargo on Libya was actually extended.

The UN Security Council has extended the arms embargo on Libya for another year.

https://www.geopolitika.news/vijesti...cyId7LlrmnB6Qg

Joshua Wilson17 said:If we throw Canada into the mix, things get interesting. Right now, gas is sitting at about $1.65. I can tell you with certainty that back in October 2012, it was roughly $1.66 per liter for regular unleaded. Were there sanctions back then? Not really. In fact, that price stayed steady through 2012 and 2013, only starting to dip in 2014, before eventually hitting that $1.05 mark in 2020. You know when we last saw gas that cheap before 2020? Back in 2009...
Plus, despite all this talk about inflation, I'd bet anything that about half the items in grocery stores are actually cheaper than they were five years ago. Why? Because we went through periods of deflation rather than just inflation. And during those times, wages didn't drop—they actually grew. On top of that, unemployment hasn't been this low, and employment levels haven't been this high, in quite a while...

I don't follow what's happening in Canada, and frankly, I don't care since I get my fuel in America.

But things are looking a bit different over here.

Here is a quick timeline of gas prices in America: Just two years ago, we were paying only $2.75

https://www.nytimes.com/news/business/economy/gas-prices-trends/

About a year ago, I was picking up diesel for about $4-$1.75/gal, but now it's climbed to $3.25

Christian Torres3 said:You’d all be singing a different tune if Vlad actually sat on your necks, but luckily for you, that’s never going to happen.

Honestly, we don't even need outside help; our own people are enough.

The activists from Pussy Riot are claiming that conditions in Brooklyn are actually worse than in Russian prisons.

Quincy:

Members of the Russian group Pussy Riot, appearing alongside their attorney Budak, stood outside the Brooklyn jail this Wednesday to argue that their detained member shouldn't face a retrial since she already served her sentence in Russia, while also complaining about the prison conditions, which they claim are even harsher than those found in Russia.

🙏😁

silentnomad7 said:Exactly. It seems there are some among you who would step over anyone to get cheaper fuel, but thankfully, most people still have their heads on straight.

As for the Mexicans, they basically got a classic stab in the back...

You're absolutely right,
some people really don't care about the hundreds of thousands of lives lost along the way.

Sources close to the situation say that Riyadh is now prepared to satisfy those interests and ramp up production to drive down oil prices from their current highs. They are reportedly ready to increase supply further if a crisis occurs, according to those sources.

This shift in policy from Riyadh happens to coincide perfectly with President Joe Biden's upcoming visit.

U.S. diplomats have been prepping for this first trip by Biden to Saudi Arabia for weeks now, hoping it might help ease the tensions caused by issues surrounding U.S. arms shipments, the war in Yemen, and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

silentnomad7 said:Just recently, Putin told them straight up that Mexico isn't part of Mexico—they really need to move past that old mindset once and for all...😁

I mean, what else could he really say at this point, especially after Crimea became an official part of Russia and both Luhansk and Donbas were recognized as independent?

At least he’s being consistent, unlike those self-proclaimed "supporters" over in NATO and the US who seem to change their minds every five minutes depending on which way the wind blows.

It reminds me of how certain North American neighbors managed to secure incredibly favorable deals on Russian oil and gas, while we end up paying more than double just to maintain some sense of European unity.

Harold Nelson6 said:ExxonMobil Q1 2021 profit - $7 million
ExxonMobil Q1 2022 profit - $75 million

Source: https://www.exxonmobil.com/investors/...reports/

That's just the total profit for ExxonMobil

but we really need to look closer at how much of that actually comes from the refinery operations itself.

I mean, is the facility even running at capacity, or is this entire windfall just the result of aggressive derivatives trading?

Linda Collins3 said:I'm curious about this one. What caused such a massive ten-fold spike?

I haven't gone down the rabbit hole to do a deep dive on this myself,

but I was chatting with an acquaintance—someone I actually spent a few days with while he was recovering in the hospital—who works as an organizer for shipping container logistics over at CMA, and he was adamant about it.

The whole thing has been treated pretty quietly in the media,

but a huge part of it comes down to the fact that with freight rates spiking, it just isn't profitable to ship everything from China anymore. You have to expect that a massive chunk of those goods will be redirected toward closer markets, like India, Russia, or Africa.

It’s not like every weekend handyman is going to go out and buy some cheap Chinese grinder $33 just to tinker around in their garage during their downtime.😁

Michael Ortiz68 said:And you're claiming the Russia-Ukraine war is the root cause of all that? 🥱?

You really are a true Biden supporter. You actually believe he's convincing Americans that Vladimir Putin is the reason for their inflation, even though this inflation in the States has been dragging on for at least 14 months now.

The war in Ukraine is really just the tip of the iceberg compared to what's been unfolding over the last two years.

1. The failed attempts at managing the pandemic spread.

2. The massive spike in shipping costs from China to the US, jumping from around $2,000 to $20,000.

3. The surge in energy prices triggered by the war in Ukraine.

4. The fact that about 30% of the wheat and oilseed supply from Ukraine and Russia is simply unavailable.

5. The rising costs of raw materials.

dustyowl29 said:But let's not forget—they are still an absolute powerhouse when it comes to energy.

There’s more to consider here too.

Russia and Ukraine control a vast array of raw materials, meaning any breaks in the supply chain could trigger some pretty far-reaching consequences.

analogbear5 said:Your little "text correction" didn't really save you anything.

Do you have a link?😉

goldenpuma84 said:Actually, this is all getting pretty off-topic.

And that’s just my take on the question.

Bottom line: I try to keep a level playing field for everyone.

Something most people here clearly can't do.

Anyway, we're looking at inflation, recession, layoffs, social unrest, and general misery ahead—the perfect breeding ground for anyone selling cheap fixes.

Once that becomes the new normal, denying reality won't matter anymore.

Go ahead and keep doing what you're doing.

Since that's what you asked for.

Of course, it’s also an opportunity for a comeback. Nothing fertilizes growth quite like a pile of broken illusions...

I get the distinct impression that some people are living with their heads in the clouds, while others are very much exploiting that detachment. Ultimately, it’s the dreamers and the fools who end up footing the bill.

Following the announcement from the European Union and the United States regarding the ban on Russian oil imports as part of the sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, traders have been ramping up their purchases of Russian crude and blending it with other sources to mask its origin, according to the Wall Street Journal.

feralnomad35 said:1. Look, we’re talking about revenue here, but what about the actual overhead? You’ve got drilling, the wells themselves, refining, shipping, maintenance, payroll, R&D, and all that other massive stuff required to keep the lights on. If it were really all as cheap as people claim, half the oil fields across the globe wouldn't be considered too expensive to even touch.

2. And let's not forget how much those operating costs have skyrocketed now that inflation in Russia is hovering near 20%.

3. Plus, contracts and pricing aren't just decided by whatever the daily ticker says on the Russian exchange; they’re usually locked in for specific terms. Honestly, they might actually be losing money if they signed long-term deals at lower rates while their production costs keep climbing because of inflation.

4. Then there's the big question: how much of a crash are we looking at if Europe cuts out 90% of its oil imports like they're planning? How much does Russia actually lose out on? It's not like you can just flip a switch and reroute entire pipelines to a different country in a single month.

This is just classic, bottom-of-the-barrel journalism—nothing but clickbait headlines without anyone bothering to actually dig into the real numbers.

It basically looks like this:

In this light, selective reporting that focuses almost exclusively on the successes of Ukraine and the West becomes increasingly dangerous. It creates an illusion of victory, which is perhaps the most perilous thing in any war, especially in a global geopolitical conflict like this one.

https://seebiz.eu/energetika/orban-i...-naftu/276684/

Grace Bennett6 said:I don't know about him, but I do. Let's be real: times have changed. War isn't the goal anymore—especially not fighting through Europe or against Muslims in Europe just to grab some patch of dirt. It’s always been about moving borders a few yards here and there, leaving nothing but scars for future generations. As the population grows, we become more aware, even if everyone is just parroting the same talking points. Anyone who has actually studied Biden and Putin knew this was coming. No compromise has been found in six months. One side says one thing, the other says something else. Diplomacy between these ideologies is zero; historically, it's always been a win for either Russia or the USA. Before Russia won, they went through hell in WW2. Most of the weaponry Russia has was built for defense because someone else was pumping arms into them during the Cold War.

Russia is worried. They have territory, sure, but we have at least three or four times as much as they do. But go ahead, keep panicking. NATO doesn't guarantee Russia a single thing. In fact, NATO's new objective seems to be toppling dictatorships worldwide, which just leads straight to war. You can't claim all US actions in the Middle East are wrong; if living under a dictatorship or a feudal system was actually great, people wouldn't have been fleeing Afghanistan.

At least they didn't get hit by doping scandals this year 🤣, though knowing who owns them, they'll probably just shut it down to cover it up.

In reality, very little has actually changed; it’s just been packaged a bit more nicely. One time it's framed as a fight against hateful communism, and the next, it's presented as liberating people from tyranny and gifting them democracy.
I honestly wonder how much an average person in Iraq, Iran, or Saudi Arabia actually cares about the concept of democracy.

Putin has been issuing warnings constantly, but apparently, no one was listening.
If Trump had stayed in office as a "businessman," maybe we wouldn't be facing this conflict, but with the questionable choice of Biden, things have shifted fundamentally.

Historically, Russia has endured three devastating wars—Napoleonic, WW1, and WW2—suffering massive destruction and losing tens of millions of lives.
It’s entirely possible that this is why Putin is so wary; he feels pressured by a power that, instead of engaging in civil war or direct combat on its own soil, used strategic circumstances to push itself into becoming the world's sole hegemon or the "only military superpower."
Lately, however, the tide is starting to turn. China is entering the fray, Russia is finding its footing again, and then there's India, which certainly won't be sitting idly by.
This suggests that the old status quo and influence are slipping away, something some people are having a very hard time swallowing or accepting.
This isn't just a localized conflict between Ukraine and Russia; it's about a global shift and the redistribution of power.
Yet, some people remain fixated solely on heart-wrenching news reports and smartphone footage, failing to see that a massive tsunami is approaching if we don't establish a new balance of influence.

crimsoncyclist71 said:There you go, your precious Russians. Give them a round of applause. That's what you support.

https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/polit...l#xtor=CS5-282

I think we really need to look closer and figure out how much of this is actually true.
In my experience, these kinds of tragedies happen in just about every single armed conflict we see on the news.
I remember hearing stories from back in the day about entire small towns being wiped out simply because they were labeled as political dissidents.
Between drone strikes, various tactical operations, and all the other ways combatants try to eliminate opposition, it would take forever to list everything that goes wrong in a war zone.

hollowdriver13 As if I haven't spent enough time reflecting on this lately, someone just pointed out that...
You’re getting way too emotional about Russia; honestly, maybe go grab a drink and just take a breather. It doesn't seem healthy to be this worked up over a country you claim not to care about, especially when all you really want is some peace and quiet. ☕

I wouldn’t say I’m an emotional person by any means; if anything, I tend to rely strictly on logic and keeping a level head in any given situation.

I honestly don't find myself getting worked up over a country that I just don't feel any particular connection to.
Forget all that media hysteria, the blatant bias, and those exhausting double standards where everyone seems to point the finger at Russia without offering a single shred of actual evidence or perspective.
I honestly find it hard to wrap my head around how much people can let their brains simply shut down like that.

I think you’ve hit on something essential there. At the end of the day, peace is really all I’m looking for. It feels like the only way to stop this cycle of destruction and prevent more lives from being lost—especially when it's usually those who had nothing to do with the conflict in the first place who pay the highest price. To truly move past this, we need genuine equality and a real, honest agreement between the powers actually pulling the strings behind the scenes.
I find myself feeling rather unsettled by this growing rift between Europe and Russia. Given that they are our neighbors, and always will be, it feels like a missed opportunity for stability. I’ve always believed that when you live side-by-side with a major power, the goal should be finding ways to rely on one another and offer mutual support, rather than constantly calculating how to inflict damage on the other side.

hollowdriver13 said:Man, those "tough guys" in Russia really think sanctions won't touch them. 🤦

The wildest part is this paragraph claiming the French are going to display artwork from Imperial Russia just to spite modern-day Russia. 🙏 😵

🤔

I mean, I guess looting your "wealthy" neighbor is a pretty solid strategy too. 🤣

And don't even get me started on how "devastating" it is to stop reading Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Sholokhov, or Ivan Turgenev.

Or perhaps banning performances at the Bolshoi Theatre.🙏

Those are such catastrophic losses for Russia that they simply won't be able to survive.🙏

But really, what can you do?
Europe has made its firm decision to distance itself from Russia and move away from Russian gas dependency.
Now, they'll just rely on American and Arab supplies at whatever unpredictable "market" prices come their way.

The results are already clear and tangible.

Gas prices in Europe have hit an all-time high right as American LNG exporters have finally completed years of development on projects designed to flood international markets with shale gas supply.

According to traders, major American producers—like Cheniere Energy, the largest exporter in the States—are among those reaping massive profits from the price surge, thanks to numerous long-term LNG sales contracts signed over the last few months.

https://seebiz.eu/energetika/americk...-krizi/272458/

Rachel Jones8 said:It definitely is.
I honestly thought it was just a typo.

Just so I can be fair and keep you in the loop, here’s an update on what’s happening at the hospital and my rescheduled appointment.

The cardiology team performing the coronary angiograms and other heart procedures had a complete circus of a day today,
so we ended up pushing today's procedure—which is done as an outpatient at the local clinic—to tomorrow morning.
With this kind of surgery, you usually just show up in the morning, get the work done, and then head home by the next day at the latest, once they confirm everything looks steady.

This is a bit of a tangent, but I've found that Cleveland has some truly top-tier cardiac surgeons; honestly, the care there isn't any worse than what you'd find in Washington, D.C., if anything, it's better.

And please excuse me,
that was a typo.
I'm not in my 90s, I've just moved from my 70s into my 80s.