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Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
Paul Anderson7 said:Yeah, it really comes down to the LNG factor. Everything hinges on what the folks over in the European Union are actually planning to do to finally break free from Russian energy. Building out terminals and securing enough tankers isn't exactly a quick fix—it's incredibly expensive and takes a massive amount of time to get everything lined up. So, I guess the real question is just how much longer this whole war and situation is going to drag on. If we're looking at another five or six years of this, then it becomes a lot more realistic for them to actually commit the capital to those terminals and ships to fully cut ties with Russian gas.
If some kind of deal actually goes through, we might see Russian gas start flowing back toward Europe again, though I suspect even then, the EU will keep pouring money into LNG and renewables every single year—regardless of whether that actually makes any sense in the long run, but that’s a whole other conversation.
Dealing with oil is always a whole lot more straightforward than trying to navigate the mess that is the natural gas market.

So, we’re looking at two likely scenarios here: either some kind of deal gets struck and things finally start to settle down—in which case the European Union will gradually phase out its reliance on Russian oil and gas—or we’re staring down the barrel of another five or six years of conflict, with sanctions hanging over our heads for decades to come.
The second scenario would definitely be more expensive, even if it ends up being the better path in the long run, but I have a feeling we'll eventually land on some kind of compromise since nobody actually benefits from this whole mess.
Whatever the case may be, energy imports from Russia are trending downward, and frankly, the European Union is staring down its toughest winter yet. It looks like we might get a slightly easier stretch next, but honestly, every season following this one is only going to get harder.

I personally think relying on LNG at that scale isn't a totally realistic option, but hey, time will tell. Oil is a different beast and less of a headache. As for the rest, I guess I agree in principle.

bluemason3 said:Much like how we can't seem to shake off Putin's lackeys.

Exactly. Anything you don't like, just point your finger and shout "Russia!"—lynch him, lynch him!

You can see how openly that guy is doing it in the post below.

steelheron25 said:An interesting web of claims here, though they seem largely contradictory to me. Just another self-proclaimed "neutral" observer, I suppose.

To be honest, I haven't seen a single report in any major Western news outlet claiming that the Russians are bombing themselves near the nuclear plant. Generally speaking, what you read is that both sides are simply pointing fingers at one another regarding the strikes on the facility.

Now, as for the fact that the Russians have positioned heavy military hardware right next to various buildings within the nuclear plant itself—well, there really isn't much debate there.

It is rather curious, isn't it? You claim above that the "evil" Western media is unfairly accusing Russian peacekeeping forces of military actions near the nuclear site, yet here you are providing links to those very same "evil" Western media outlets that are accusing the Ukrainians of analogous behavior.
Hmm.
(My personal take is that while these other accusations might be justified, they are also somewhat hypocritical).

I find myself wondering, somewhat perplexed by the sheer intensity of it all, why there seems to be such an agitated, almost frantic level of nervousness coming from the Russian side lately? I mean, really, when you step back and look at the landscape, isn't it true that the sanctions being thrown their way have mostly been slapped on by a tiny handful of relatively insignificant nations? It makes one wonder if they aren't perhaps overreacting to a pressure group that, in the grand scheme of global power, isn't even close to being a monolith.

Is it possible that this sudden, frantic attempt to drag a long-forgotten Nuland back into the spotlight is actually just a symptom of something much deeper—perhaps a sign of all those mounting frustrations finally boiling over? ☕

Can you even begin to wrap your head around the sheer chaos of such a scenario? Just imagine if we saw the sudden rise of another Trump figure here in the States, occurring at the exact same moment that governments in France, Germany, Poland, and every single one of the Baltic states decided to simply collapse under their own weight. It’s almost too much to contemplate, isn't it?
It isn’t exactly an impossibility, is it? Technically, one could argue that such a thing could happen, yet if we are being honest with ourselves—really looking at the cold, hard facts of the matter—the probability is effectively zero.

You caught me. After Putin takes his daily dose of Novichok right when he wakes up, the first thing he does is call me on the red phone to give me instructions on how to spread pro-Western propaganda. Yeah, it's written pretty well—pro-Western, hybrid warfare to keep people confused, or maybe not? You'll probably have to check out the topic Vladimir Putin - psychological profile and decide for yourself after a deep dive.

Anyway, without getting too sidetracked, once I follow his orders and post, the money hits my offshore accounts, just like Zelenskyy's:

https://www.occrp.org/en/the-pandora...s-inner-circle

https://www.theguardian.com/news/202...ymyr-zelenskiy

steelheron25 said:An interesting web of claims here, though they seem largely contradictory to me. Just another self-proclaimed "neutral" observer, I suppose.

To be honest, I haven't seen a single report in any major Western news outlet claiming that the Russians are bombing themselves near the nuclear plant. Generally speaking, what you read is that both sides are simply pointing fingers at one another regarding the strikes on the facility.

Now, as for the fact that the Russians have positioned heavy military hardware right next to various buildings within the nuclear plant itself—well, there really isn't much debate there.

It is rather curious, isn't it? You claim above that the "evil" Western media is unfairly accusing Russian peacekeeping forces of military actions near the nuclear site, yet here you are providing links to those very same "evil" Western media outlets that are accusing the Ukrainians of analogous behavior.
Hmm.
(My personal take is that while these other accusations might be justified, they are also somewhat hypocritical).

I find myself wondering, somewhat perplexed by the sheer intensity of it all, why there seems to be such an agitated, almost frantic level of nervousness coming from the Russian side lately? I mean, really, when you step back and look at the landscape, isn't it true that the sanctions being thrown their way have mostly been slapped on by a tiny handful of relatively insignificant nations? It makes one wonder if they aren't perhaps overreacting to a pressure group that, in the grand scheme of global power, isn't even close to being a monolith.

Is it possible that this sudden, frantic attempt to drag a long-forgotten Nuland back into the spotlight is actually just a symptom of something much deeper—perhaps a sign of all those mounting frustrations finally boiling over? ☕

Can you even begin to wrap your head around the sheer chaos of such a scenario? Just imagine if we saw the sudden rise of another Trump figure here in the States, occurring at the exact same moment that governments in France, Germany, Poland, and every single one of the Baltic states decided to simply collapse under their own weight. It’s almost too much to contemplate, isn't it?
It isn’t exactly an impossibility, is it? Technically, one could argue that such a thing could happen, yet if we are being honest with ourselves—really looking at the cold, hard facts of the matter—the probability is effectively zero.

Not sure which source will actually satisfy you—hopefully CNN works.

August 12, 2022

The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine is AT threat of running afoul of radiation and Fire safety standards after subsequent Russian bombing.

https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-...-22/index.html

steelheron25 said:An interesting web of claims here, though they seem largely contradictory to me. Just another self-proclaimed "neutral" observer, I suppose.

To be honest, I haven't seen a single report in any major Western news outlet claiming that the Russians are bombing themselves near the nuclear plant. Generally speaking, what you read is that both sides are simply pointing fingers at one another regarding the strikes on the facility.

Now, as for the fact that the Russians have positioned heavy military hardware right next to various buildings within the nuclear plant itself—well, there really isn't much debate there.

It is rather curious, isn't it? You claim above that the "evil" Western media is unfairly accusing Russian peacekeeping forces of military actions near the nuclear site, yet here you are providing links to those very same "evil" Western media outlets that are accusing the Ukrainians of analogous behavior.
Hmm.
(My personal take is that while these other accusations might be justified, they are also somewhat hypocritical).

I find myself wondering, somewhat perplexed by the sheer intensity of it all, why there seems to be such an agitated, almost frantic level of nervousness coming from the Russian side lately? I mean, really, when you step back and look at the landscape, isn't it true that the sanctions being thrown their way have mostly been slapped on by a tiny handful of relatively insignificant nations? It makes one wonder if they aren't perhaps overreacting to a pressure group that, in the grand scheme of global power, isn't even close to being a monolith.

Is it possible that this sudden, frantic attempt to drag a long-forgotten Nuland back into the spotlight is actually just a symptom of something much deeper—perhaps a sign of all those mounting frustrations finally boiling over? ☕

Can you even begin to wrap your head around the sheer chaos of such a scenario? Just imagine if we saw the sudden rise of another Trump figure here in the States, occurring at the exact same moment that governments in France, Germany, Poland, and every single one of the Baltic states decided to simply collapse under their own weight. It’s almost too much to contemplate, isn't it?
It isn’t exactly an impossibility, is it? Technically, one could argue that such a thing could happen, yet if we are being honest with ourselves—really looking at the cold, hard facts of the matter—the probability is effectively zero.

Yeah, the media reports that both sides are accusing the other of hitting the plant. But, I guess, how plausible is it that the Russians—who took control of the plant back in March—would just keep bombing their own prize?

steelheron25 said:An interesting web of claims here, though they seem largely contradictory to me. Just another self-proclaimed "neutral" observer, I suppose.

To be honest, I haven't seen a single report in any major Western news outlet claiming that the Russians are bombing themselves near the nuclear plant. Generally speaking, what you read is that both sides are simply pointing fingers at one another regarding the strikes on the facility.

Now, as for the fact that the Russians have positioned heavy military hardware right next to various buildings within the nuclear plant itself—well, there really isn't much debate there.

It is rather curious, isn't it? You claim above that the "evil" Western media is unfairly accusing Russian peacekeeping forces of military actions near the nuclear site, yet here you are providing links to those very same "evil" Western media outlets that are accusing the Ukrainians of analogous behavior.
Hmm.
(My personal take is that while these other accusations might be justified, they are also somewhat hypocritical).

I find myself wondering, somewhat perplexed by the sheer intensity of it all, why there seems to be such an agitated, almost frantic level of nervousness coming from the Russian side lately? I mean, really, when you step back and look at the landscape, isn't it true that the sanctions being thrown their way have mostly been slapped on by a tiny handful of relatively insignificant nations? It makes one wonder if they aren't perhaps overreacting to a pressure group that, in the grand scheme of global power, isn't even close to being a monolith.

Is it possible that this sudden, frantic attempt to drag a long-forgotten Nuland back into the spotlight is actually just a symptom of something much deeper—perhaps a sign of all those mounting frustrations finally boiling over? ☕

Can you even begin to wrap your head around the sheer chaos of such a scenario? Just imagine if we saw the sudden rise of another Trump figure here in the States, occurring at the exact same moment that governments in France, Germany, Poland, and every single one of the Baltic states decided to simply collapse under their own weight. It’s almost too much to contemplate, isn't it?
It isn’t exactly an impossibility, is it? Technically, one could argue that such a thing could happen, yet if we are being honest with ourselves—really looking at the cold, hard facts of the matter—the probability is effectively zero.

True. The allegations and witness statements coming from pro-Kremlin types, Amnesty International, the UN OHCHR, Human Rights Watch, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the rest are pretty hypocritical too. How dare you, Greta would say, considering she’s basically been hailed as the successor to Jesus Christ.

steelheron25 said:An interesting web of claims here, though they seem largely contradictory to me. Just another self-proclaimed "neutral" observer, I suppose.

To be honest, I haven't seen a single report in any major Western news outlet claiming that the Russians are bombing themselves near the nuclear plant. Generally speaking, what you read is that both sides are simply pointing fingers at one another regarding the strikes on the facility.

Now, as for the fact that the Russians have positioned heavy military hardware right next to various buildings within the nuclear plant itself—well, there really isn't much debate there.

It is rather curious, isn't it? You claim above that the "evil" Western media is unfairly accusing Russian peacekeeping forces of military actions near the nuclear site, yet here you are providing links to those very same "evil" Western media outlets that are accusing the Ukrainians of analogous behavior.
Hmm.
(My personal take is that while these other accusations might be justified, they are also somewhat hypocritical).

I find myself wondering, somewhat perplexed by the sheer intensity of it all, why there seems to be such an agitated, almost frantic level of nervousness coming from the Russian side lately? I mean, really, when you step back and look at the landscape, isn't it true that the sanctions being thrown their way have mostly been slapped on by a tiny handful of relatively insignificant nations? It makes one wonder if they aren't perhaps overreacting to a pressure group that, in the grand scheme of global power, isn't even close to being a monolith.

Is it possible that this sudden, frantic attempt to drag a long-forgotten Nuland back into the spotlight is actually just a symptom of something much deeper—perhaps a sign of all those mounting frustrations finally boiling over? ☕

Can you even begin to wrap your head around the sheer chaos of such a scenario? Just imagine if we saw the sudden rise of another Trump figure here in the States, occurring at the exact same moment that governments in France, Germany, Poland, and every single one of the Baltic states decided to simply collapse under their own weight. It’s almost too much to contemplate, isn't it?
It isn’t exactly an impossibility, is it? Technically, one could argue that such a thing could happen, yet if we are being honest with ourselves—really looking at the cold, hard facts of the matter—the probability is effectively zero.

I don't know where you're getting all this agitation from—but maybe you should just ask the Russians for that answer.

I guess I should probably say something here—though I’m not sure there’s much to add. Maybe just a quick nod to the situation. kaže:
Digging up some long-forgotten nonsense from way back when—I guess.

So, Victoria Nuland and that statement of hers—I guess we're really doing this. Honestly, screw the European Union. It won't be forgotten—not by a long shot. Though, I guess there's always the possibility of some massive cognitive dissonance or a dissociative fugue state going on.

I don't know—maybe just a bit too much noise lately, I guess. kaže:
It’s just a sign of all that built-up frustration—I guess.

When a friend literally tells you to go screw yourself—I mean, that should probably trigger some kind of reaction, I guess.

I don't know—maybe I'm just overthinking it, but I guess it's worth looking into. kaže:
I guess that only happens if some new version of Trump pulls off a sudden win—along with governments collapsing in France, Germany, Poland, and all the Baltics at the exact same time. Maybe.
It’s not technically impossible—I guess—but the odds are basically zero.

Governments don't necessarily have to fall just because Nord Stream 2 gets turned on. But look—you're basically saying there's zero chance that pipeline ever actually goes live. Hey, you're entitled to your opinion, I guess—I certainly wouldn't be brave enough to bet on whether it starts flowing or stays dead.

Thomas Nelson25 said:China China. Link link.
Wait, didn't they get hit with hardware sanctions a while back too?
Oh yeah.

No link needed. Regarding hardware—the US actually banned ASML from exporting those EUV lithography machines to China—which is basically the only company making them—so they can't make 5nm or 3nm chips anymore. Still, China managed to hit 7nm pretty fast... I guess since Moore's Law is hitting a wall anyway, they might be pivoting toward CNTFET technology instead.
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
Joshua Wilson17 said:A little history lesson for those who might have forgotten:

https://twitter.com/catbuchatskiy/st...90437863800834

Just some history for anyone who forgot—the Nazi Party actually had quite an influence in the US:

https://time.com/5414055/american-nazi-sympathy-book/

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/wa...-square-garden

After WW2, they were basically given a safe haven in the States:

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/14/us/14nazis.html

They even went as far as founding their own group—the American Nazi Party

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Nazi_Party

I guess the US never really got rid of Nazism, since it still hangs around today:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism_in_the_Americas
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
Thomas Nelson25 said:They're using the power plant as a shield—a base—firing shots from there.

We need to start cracking down on visas.
And then tighten the screws on electronic components and spare parts for vehicles and machinery. Otherwise, they’re just smuggling everything through their allies right now.

I think you missed the point. Western media has been reporting for weeks that the Russians—who seized the Pittsburgh nuclear plant back in early March—have actually been shelling themselves for a while now.

As for shields, it's a war—weird stuff happens on both sides, I guess.

Here’s what the pro-Kremlin crowd is saying about American tactics, in order:

Amnesty International

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/ne...ger-civilians/

UN OHCHR

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/20.../zrjy-j19.html

Human Rights Watch

https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/07/21/...ring-civilians

The New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/w...munitions.html

The Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...sia-civilians/

Thomas Nelson25 said:They're using the power plant as a shield—a base—firing shots from there.

We need to start cracking down on visas.
And then tighten the screws on electronic components and spare parts for vehicles and machinery. Otherwise, they’re just smuggling everything through their allies right now.

How exactly are they smuggling when 99% of that stuff comes from China, and China—actually most countries—hasn't even imposed sanctions on us:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...-Ukrainian_War

Donna Harris11 said:The opinion of the average citizen in the European Union doesn't really matter—or at least, that's what Annalena Baerbock seems to think.

Kind of like Victoria Nuland:

‘Fuck the EU’: US diplomat Victoria Nuland's phonecall leaked - video

https://www.theguardian.com/world/vi...ictoria-nuland
Paul Anderson7 said:Not likely; the European Union economy is in a real bind right now, and it’s going to stay that way for a while until they finally get their act together and secure new supply chains.
The Russian economy isn't actually taking a massive hit—it's just the regular people who are feeling the squeeze, which doesn't bother the folks at the top much since those guys are pretty used to dealing with spikes and hardship.

Both the Russian and European Union economies are going to be struggling until some kind of mutual exchange picks up again. I don't expect them to go crawling back to their old contracts, but eventually, there will be trade across the board because that's where the massive amounts of money are. Both sides are looking for a way out of this mess, I'm certain of it.

The European Union really screwed itself by sacrificing its short-term growth, though maybe there's a silver lining if this teaches them a long-term lesson about never relying too heavily on a single source. On our end, we’ve certainly learned exactly what the Republican Party is all about, so it’s hardly surprising everyone is still shocked that they managed to fleece ExxonMobil.
Russia, on the other hand, has set itself up for long-term trouble; they're losing a major customer who, once things settle down, will likely buy less and less from them every year. Plus, the lack of high-end tech and the exodus of major corporations won't do them any favors. Still, the people in charge will keep living the same lives they always have, while the general public ends up footing the bill for this whole adventure.

Of course, we as citizens within the European Union will pay the price too, but honestly, I’d much rather deal with a mess in the European Union than in Russia.

What new channels are we talking about—LNG? I guess you have to wonder how long it'll actually take to build out the terminals and get enough ships in the mix.

Paul Anderson7 said:Not likely; the European Union economy is in a real bind right now, and it’s going to stay that way for a while until they finally get their act together and secure new supply chains.
The Russian economy isn't actually taking a massive hit—it's just the regular people who are feeling the squeeze, which doesn't bother the folks at the top much since those guys are pretty used to dealing with spikes and hardship.

Both the Russian and European Union economies are going to be struggling until some kind of mutual exchange picks up again. I don't expect them to go crawling back to their old contracts, but eventually, there will be trade across the board because that's where the massive amounts of money are. Both sides are looking for a way out of this mess, I'm certain of it.

The European Union really screwed itself by sacrificing its short-term growth, though maybe there's a silver lining if this teaches them a long-term lesson about never relying too heavily on a single source. On our end, we’ve certainly learned exactly what the Republican Party is all about, so it’s hardly surprising everyone is still shocked that they managed to fleece ExxonMobil.
Russia, on the other hand, has set itself up for long-term trouble; they're losing a major customer who, once things settle down, will likely buy less and less from them every year. Plus, the lack of high-end tech and the exodus of major corporations won't do them any favors. Still, the people in charge will keep living the same lives they always have, while the general public ends up footing the bill for this whole adventure.

Of course, we as citizens within the European Union will pay the price too, but honestly, I’d much rather deal with a mess in the European Union than in Russia.

"Victory belongs to those who endure." Maybe I'm wrong—but I have a feeling this is just going to end up as some kind of stalemate—and they'll probably just go ahead and greenlight Nord Stream 2 anyway.

I don't really have much to say about this—maybe just that it's all a bit much, I guess. kaže:
So, at the recent press conference, the German Minister of Economy was asked if gas coming from Russia actually matters for Germany's supply security this winter. He basically said "no"—and added that when it comes to Russian gas, the only thing you can actually count on is their lies. I guess.

So, what's the latest on that whole Russia and shadow dealings situation? Especially since Robert Habeck seems to be caught up in his own web of lies too, I guess.

I guess Shellenberger thinks Europe is headed for a disaster—maybe? He’s basically arguing that current energy policies are setting the continent up for a total meltdown. Just my two cents, but it feels like a pretty grim outlook.
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
hollowdriver13 said:The way this is written makes it sound like everything is totally fine and they aren't feeling any heat at all.

But then you actually open the articles and realize these geniuses over at JPMorgan Chase were predicting a massive 35% crash earlier 🙏 🙏and now they're acting like the economy is holding up better than expected. Honestly, the only way they'd see a hit like that would be if someone went in and completely leveled every single oil and gas refinery in the country. 🤦
If I were running that bank, I’d fire the entire analysis department on the spot for being that far off.

Then you take a closer look at the actual Business side of things, and I noticed you conveniently skipped the part where they mention the outlook improved. What that really means is they aren't expecting an 8.5% drop anymore, just "only" a 6% dip annually—BUT, they also bumped up the projected decline for 2023.

How exactly am I spinning the text if I just copied the headline and dropped a link?

hollowdriver13 said:The way this is written makes it sound like everything is totally fine and they aren't feeling any heat at all.

But then you actually open the articles and realize these geniuses over at JPMorgan Chase were predicting a massive 35% crash earlier 🙏 🙏and now they're acting like the economy is holding up better than expected. Honestly, the only way they'd see a hit like that would be if someone went in and completely leveled every single oil and gas refinery in the country. 🤦
If I were running that bank, I’d fire the entire analysis department on the spot for being that far off.

Then you take a closer look at the actual Business side of things, and I noticed you conveniently skipped the part where they mention the outlook improved. What that really means is they aren't expecting an 8.5% drop anymore, just "only" a 6% dip annually—BUT, they also bumped up the projected decline for 2023.

Once again, I just copied the title and added a link. Those 2023 numbers are just forecasts.
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
analogbear5 said:The whole goal here is basically seeing if the US Army is actually incapable of keeping this aggression going. Give me the breakdown—how many John Doe tanks are they churning out every single day?

Here’s some context—our media outlets mostly just parrot whatever they hear, so I'm guessing I won't need to hunt down original links:

March 22, 2022.

US Army: John Doe only has three days of supplies left

https://www.wsj.com/news/article/...a/2349596.aspx

March 22, 2022.

Kyiv: The war could end in three weeks. One move would be suicide for John Doe

https://www.wsj.com/news/article/...u/2349658.aspx

April 30, 2022.

Desperate state of John Doe's weapon stockpiles: 'Do you know what kind of missiles they're firing at cities because of shortages?'

https://www.wsj.com/news/article/...asice-15191487

May 26, 2022.

John Doe attacks as many as 40 cities in Donetsk and Luhansk

https://www.wsj.com/news/article/...-foto-20220526

So, they haven't had supplies or weapons for months, the war is supposedly ending in three weeks, and then suddenly they attack 40 cities. Makes total sense—just like how we've been hearing for weeks that John Doe, who took over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant back in early March, has somehow been bombing themselves for weeks now. I guess.
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
Donald Trump and Donald Trump are out here spreading propaganda:

Goldman Sachs says US Economy is stronger than expected and will only suffer a shallow recession despite sanctions
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jpmor...154051281.html

I guess this is proof that sanctions are working exactly as intended:

Despite sweeping sanctions, US economic Outlook Has improved since April — though things have gone downhill for basically everyone else
https://www.businessinsider.com/imf-...cession-2022-7
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
So, turns out Nord Stream 2 actually got finished—despite all those sanctions the US slapped on back in 2017—and it’s sitting there about 80% full now:

https://www.reuters.com/markets/comm...as-2021-12-17/
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
I figured we’d be waiting a bit longer for this one:

The Vice President of the German Parliament, Wolfgang Kubicki, is calling to reopen Nord Stream 2.

Germany needs to do whatever it takes to secure more energy, says the Libertarian Party's deputy leader, Wolfgang Kubicki. He’s throwing out a suggestion that will probably run into some serious political pushback.

Washington D.C.—The Libertarian Party's deputy, Wolfgang Kubicki, wants Nord Stream 2 reopened to better secure the energy supply for winter. "The Secretary of Commerce has to do everything possible to ensure we have more energy available," Kubicki told the news outlet SED. "We should open Nord Stream 2 as soon as possible so we can fill our gas storage for the winter," he demanded.

"The federal government's primary duty"

Kubicki pointed out that "there is no good reason not to open Nord Stream 2." If Putin stops supplying gas anyway, then America hasn't really lost anything. "If we get more gas this way—maybe even the full amount guaranteed by contract—it might help people avoid freezing this winter and keep our industry from taking a massive hit," the Libertarian Party deputy said. "Right now, the federal government's main job is making sure that happens."

How much gas is being sent from Russia to Germany

image

Kubicki: "Gas from Nord Stream 2 isn't any more immoral than gas from Nord Stream 1"

Germany will stay firmly on Ukraine's side and nothing will change that, according to Kubicki. "The fact that we're getting gas from Russia doesn't become better or worse just because it comes through one pipeline or another," he said. "Gas from Nord Stream 2 isn't any more immoral than it is from Nord Stream 1. It's just a different pipe."

Discussing Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kubicki remarked: "Putin shouldn't have any excuse to let us starve." The Libertarian Party politician added: "If he does it anyway while the pipeline is open, then he’ll have to say it plainly: 'I want to hurt the American people.'"

https://www.rnd.de/politik/wolfgang-...OPVYT5E7Q.html
Technical Suggestion [SPOILER] in Feedback & Suggestions ·
Benjamin Stewart53 said:Technically, we wouldn't even be moving anywhere—we’d just swap out the old vBulletin software for something modern that actually gets security patches and regular updates. I think there are about ten decent options out there, and from what I've seen, Reddit is free. It looks pretty slick and works fine on both desktop and mobile.
Basically, we’d just have to migrate the whole history and user data over to the new platform.

EDIT: Here are a few examples of how implementing one of these forums looks in practice:
https://forum.curvefever.pro/
https://twittercommunity.com/
https://bbs.boingboing.net/categories

https://invisioncommunity.com/features/forums/

It’s been tested—you can definitely convert and move an entire vBulletin database.
Sanctions on Russia in War in Ukraine ·
Maybe this belongs here too... Did Russ impose sanctions on us, or did we push them on him?

PUTIN'S MAJOR BLOW TO AMERICA: Russia refuses to supply coal to The Plomin power plant, leaving the US short by 9% of its electricity
The start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Part 1) in War in Ukraine ·
Christian Torres3 said:There’s a lot of analysis floating around lately. Some people are saying Putin is basically dreaming of stitching together a hybrid of Imperial Russia and the USSR—and honestly, Finland is absolutely not having it, because everything he said about Ukraine applies directly to them too.

Unofficially, the Chinese are already writing about how Vladivostok should be handed back to its rightful owners.

Historically, Vladivostok once used to be part of China ’ sa Qing dynasty and was known as Haishenwai. IT was annexed by The Russian empire in 1860 after China ’ defeat by the British and The French in The Second Opium War. Ever since, Russia has run the show there, and it serves as the capital of Primorsky Krai.
Wait, so we're really doing this? This "fact-check" is absolute garbage. They’re trying to rewrite history right in front of our eyes! Total nonsense.

Sweden and Finland really ought to join NATO ASAP... If things go south elsewhere, we might end up seeing a repeat of what's happening in Ukraine right now.
The start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Part 1) in War in Ukraine ·
Russia’s sense of NATO ‘betrayal’—and why it actually matters right now

The idea that The Soviet union was tricked back in '89-'90 is pretty much the core of why Russia is clashing with the West today


https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-matters-today

Basically, this is why Putin is so livid—back in '90, the U.S. Secretary of State allegedly promised Gorbachev that NATO wouldn't expand any further east than Germany. It felt like a total bait-and-switch

Some older analysis too, I guess:

Why Crisis is The West ’

Fault The liberal Delusions that Provoked Putin


https://www.foreignaffairs.com/artic...s-west-s-fault

Full text here:

https://www.mearsheimer.com/wp-conte...-Crisis-Is.pdf

The start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Part 1) in War in Ukraine ·
Live from Times Square



Live coverage from Kyiv, Sumy, Cleveland & Detroit



Live feed from Kyiv & Sumy

The start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Part 1) in War in Ukraine ·
mistybadger2 said:Looks like the power just cut out in Kyiv _?!

I wouldn't say:



Omicron variant in Coronavirus ·
SCARY STUFF / A dangerous new superstrain is coming? The CEO of Moderna warned about a worst-case scenario: Omicron and Delta might swap genes

Even though SARS-CoV-2 usually relies on single mutations, there’s this small—but maybe real—chance that Omicron and Delta could actually swap genes and cook up a new superstrain


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...t-variant.html
Complaint against Moderator Zoran Ostric in Feedback & Suggestions ·
coppersailor28 said:Is there a special thread for 5 penalty points? Just asking.

It’s not about the number of points—it’s more about the fact that the moderator handed out a strike for something I didn't even do.

Plus, after I sent him a DM asking:

"Excuse me, is there some kind of misunderstanding here?"

The moderator just replied:

"No."

Meanwhile, that same moderator is doing the exact stuff he hands out strikes for. But I guess the rules he enforces don't really apply to him.


To put it in perspective, let's try an analogy for when a moderator gives someone a strike for something they didn't do—using domestic violence as the scale for severity.

5 points—the wife looks at her husband the wrong way, gets hit with a frying pan.

50 points—the wife didn't put enough soup in his bowl, husband breaks her arm.

500 points—the wife was grabbing coffee with friends and didn't reply to a text instantly, husband breaks both her legs.

Does the wife deserve those points, whether it's 5, 50, or 500?

coppersailor28 said:You must be talking about your own trolling and spamming...

No, I'm talking about certain posts in this thread where it's pretty obvious that trolling, spam, and insults aren't actually being penalized.

Glad you could see yourself in that description, though.

coppersailor28 said:I don't know who you are...

image

...or why you're even chiming in.

In the meantime, I honestly have no idea who you are or why you're even bothering to jump into this thread, since you aren't involved in anything and haven't contributed much to the discussion.

So, this will be my last response to you.
Complaint against Moderator Zoran Ostric in Feedback & Suggestions ·
Casey Bennett said:what part of "not answering" isn't clear enough?

Look, you aren't even in charge of this subforum, but since you asked—maybe you've heard the saying *qui tacet consentire videtur*—basically, silence implies consent.

The thing is, my warnings and points haven't been cleared, and from what I can see, the moderator hasn't been penalized either. Plus, looking at some of the posts in this thread, it seems like trolling, spam, and insults don't really get sanctioned around here.
Complaint against Moderator Zoran Ostric in Feedback & Suggestions ·
It’s funny how everyone in charge of this subforum has been super active lately—shoutout to coppersailor28, Nica, Saaba, and the Spokesperson—but I guess we’re still waiting on an actual response from the higher-ups here.
Complaint against Moderator Zoran Ostric in Feedback & Suggestions ·
lonetrucker4 said:Why start a whole separate thread just to appeal a 5-point penalty?

Because I have the right to complain, I guess?

lonetrucker4 said:Is it because you—like a few others—just love seeing my name in the title?

Not really. The reason is an appeal against moderator Zoran Ostric—if we’re being pedantic about the accent marks—and as far as I know, there's only one user here with that handle, who also happens to be the mod who flagged me.

lonetrucker4 said:In that "People's Liberation Army" thread, you guys were just rambling about whatever; there was plenty of trolling and insults flying around. So, I handed out three penalties just to get everyone to chill out.

Well, if you look at the logs, you can see exactly when the insults started—and where you actually penalized the guy who kicked things off with "inciting arguments" for 10 points, while ignoring his subsequent insults.

lonetrucker4 said:Fine, wrong penalty. It should have been for off-topic posting, which is 10 points—double the amount. Let's just leave it as is.

That's a lie, probably.

I even asked you in a DM:

"Sir, is this some kind of mistake?"

And you replied:

"No."

I can pull up a screenshot of the message if needed.
Complaint against Moderator Zoran Ostric in Feedback & Suggestions ·
In this post:

So, I just got flagged—reason given: "You're posting too much, take a break."

I’m honestly not sure what the specific rules for this board even are... if you look back at my activity in this thread, I posted once on Oct 9, then again on the 12th, 13th, and 16th. That's it.

Meanwhile, if you check out another thread, you can see lonetrucker4 dropped five posts on Oct 19, then nine on the 20th, and eight more on the 21st here:

I guess I'm just wondering if the "take a break" rule applies to everyone—like, how many strikes or points is lonetrucker4 actually getting? Because I've been flagged for four posts spread over seven days, while he's put up twenty-two posts in just three days without any issues.