Posts by Joshua Myers432

mellowsurfer14 said:Come on, stick to football if you're going to be this dense.

Can't you see that everything, including fuel, just went straight up in smoke?
Wages haven't moved, and for heaven's sake, pensions haven't budged either; they're exactly where they used to be.
People living on minimum wage or tiny pensions already had to be magicians just to make ends meet back in the day; ask them how much harder it's become now.

To hell with these sanctions. 🤮

Sloboda is priceless! We'll sacrifice our seniors for freedom—not even ours, but Ukraine's.🙂

Carl Lee27 said:Between Russian stubbornness and that typical Swabian arrogance, they’re more than capable of causing real damage—and honestly, that seems to be exactly what they’re aiming for: Nord Stream 1 is down to just 20% as of Wednesday.
https://twitter.com/JavierBlas/statu...JyV9qySEA&s=19

And why wouldn't they? The Germans act shocked when the Russians hit back just as hard, while the Russians act surprised that Ukrainians think it's a bright idea to bomb Russian border towns while half of Ukraine is being leveled. 🤦 The world is being run by idiots. Ruin is inevitable.

goldenowl73 said:So, the big boss over at the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, just shot down any rumors about banning the Dollar here in the States. He basically said there’s absolutely no way they’re going to stop the Dollar from circulating, even if things get totally crazy. According to the Associated Press, he made it clear that the greenback isn't going anywhere.

I guess that puts a massive dent in all those wild de-dollarization theories being floated by guys like Juan Rublja and anyone else dreaming of a world without the USD.

The Head of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell ruled out the possibility of a ban on the circulation of the Dollar in the US

“Even in the most apocalyptic scenario, we will have cash dollars in circulation,” he noted: https://twitter.com/tass_agency/stat...70835890274304

It isn't like Americans are crazy enough to sanction themselves. The Dollar is the world's primary currency; what kind of idiot would ban its circulation within their own borders?

gentlestag15 said:Answer the question first before you start lecturing me on how things work.
Did gas prices skyrocket right before the invasion and the sanctions hit, or was it after?
Just give me an answer.☕

I assume you know how to use Google, so why don't you tell me what the price was on February 24th versus what it is today? 🙄

There are other suppliers out there. Don't lose sleep over it.

There it is. Back when I said those things, people labeled me a Russophile or a Putin supporter. 🙏

The idea that we can't survive without Russian gas is pure hyperbole. We don't need them; there are plenty of other suppliers out there.

Honestly, who am I even arguing with here? It's just a massive waste of my time. 🤦

Bryan Booth82 said:Alright, let's drop the stuff that could be interpreted as personal attacks.
Yes, believing the Russians was a massive mistake, but that isn't primarily an issue of corruption; it's an issue of flat-out denying reality.

Natural gas prices aren't going to stay inflated by 300% forever. Most of this is just short-term speculation that should stabilize relatively quickly since there is actually enough supply out there.

Putler has been quietly pushing his propaganda, trying to manufacture panic by claiming shortages are imminent, but the West saw right through him and fell for the game. In Germany, they took his subtle psychological warfare and blew it way out of proportion. Now, they’re going to end up looking like they actually "defeated" him, simply because the supply will eventually normalize while the public is desperate to ditch Russian gas at any cost just to feel secure.
Best regards,

That's a fair point. Speculators are definitely cleaning up right now. Sure, prices might stabilize in the long run, but don't expect them to ever get back down to those dirt-cheap rates Putin used to provide to Europe. Every other supply route or alternative method is significantly more expensive. Even a 30% increase is a massive hit to the wallet, and honestly, we can probably kiss the idea of seeing pre-Russian madness pricing goodbye.

Bryan Booth82 said:Look, if that were actually true, why haven't they shut down every single pipeline heading toward the West? It's hard to believe they'd keep selling us gas just because they're suddenly worried about our heating bills this winter.

Just today, they announced they're going to go ahead and flow gas through Nord Stream 1 after all.
How does that work? If they truly didn't care whether anyone used their supply, they wouldn't be bothering to turn the valves.🤔
Best,

They sit right at the source, holding the valve and setting the price. What part of that isn't clicking for you?

swiftjackal11 said:I'd gladly deal with gas rationing if it meant the Russians kept dying on occupied territory.

Who cares about the Russians? Seriously. You think freezing in your own apartment is going to stop them?🙄

If you're going to pull the trigger, aim at the enemy instead of shooting yourself in the foot.🕺

Nancy Gomez26 said:It would be a massive drain on both time and capital. Not to mention, such a forced approach to spreading democracy would likely alienate the very citizens you're trying to reach. If people are satisfied with their current regime—if life in the kingdom is stable—there is zero incentive to overhaul the system from the outside. And let’s face it: the monarch will remain aligned with American interests for a long time to come, simply because his entire throne depends on it.

I don't know about that. The Americans thought they had a reliable pawn on the board, but now they look like they've been caught flat-footed.

The US and Europe are busy slapping on sanctions, while these "geniuses" over there just scoop up cheap oil and rake in the profits. Let's get real: the whole display of American military dominance and playing the global policeman exists for one reason—to ensure American industry keeps raking it in globally. You can't spend trillions of dollars a year playing hero for free; someone has to pay the bill. Do you really think the Saudis are just handing out favors for nothing?

Nancy Gomez26 said:There is neither a need nor any logic in imposing it from the outside—it never made sense to begin with. A people with that specific systemic framework wouldn't even know how to run a country.

Actually, they could. You just find a few of those pro-American enthusiasts, install a pro-US president, park two aircraft carriers off the coast, and 🎉

Nancy Gomez26 said:It is simple math. They can buy it at a significant discount. As far as I am concerned, they didn't impose sanctions, so everything is fine by me. Everything stays fine as long as they secure that proper discount. Perhaps someone in Moscow will eventually wonder how we ended up in a position where we have to sell our product cheaper than everyone else. Or perhaps they won't.

We should probably go over there and introduce some democracy, and fast.

Brenda Murphy3 said:Oh, obviously...😒

I wasn't even surprised this was just another hit piece from none other than the infamous Gojko drljača...😁 I mean, do we even need to point out whose pocket he's being paid to write this garbage? 😵

Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia's imports have doubled compared to previous levels. Then Gojko jumps in with his little conclusion. So, what's your take? Why would Saudi Arabia suddenly double their oil imports all of a sudden?

Donna Harris11 said:Saudi Arabian interests are pumping banned oil into the Eurozone

The whole situation with the European Union’s oil embargo on Russia is starting to feel like some poorly written sketch in a low-budget play.
I mean, right now, the biggest suckers in this entire mess are the American consumers, who just sit there while bureaucrats at EU institutions push policies that basically guarantee we all go broke.

The clowns in the EU might be a little slow, but they aren't completely brainless. The green lobby holds massive sway over Europe, and at the end of the day, it’s always about the money. People are dying out there in Ukraine, sure, but frankly, nobody gives a damn.

Melissa Rivera5 said:So, basically, Putin is the ultimate American player? Not only did he boost their economy while tanking his own—I mean, losing an initial $300 billion instantly has to sting for anyone—but he also pulled off something unthinkable until recently: expanding NATO into Scandinavia. It's like Congress's wildest dreams coming true.🙂

Putin is nothing more than a fool who got lured in by the Americans like a fly to flypaper. The Ukrainians were no different. But how they managed to talk these European idiots into collective suicide is the real mystery to me. Now is the perfect time for the Green parties in Europe to take over. Since fossil fuels are officially off the table, I can't wait to see those brilliant little schemes put to the test. Let's see them try to maintain industry, heating, and the power grid with nothing but good intentions...

rowdyraven112 said:Here’s a breakdown of why increasing oil production isn't actually in Saudi Arabia's interest.

Don't forget that Saudi Arabia is an OPEC member, while Yemen isn't. That tells you everything you need to know about alternative oil routes. Same goes for Algeria. Our brilliant experts claimed that since the pipeline from Algeria hits Italy, we could easily just transport it from there to us. It seems they forgot to factor in countries with shared interests—especially Italy, which is also desperate for gas. ☕

I disagree. Every country has the potential to develop highly efficient alternative energy, but so far, they've been blocked by oil lobbies and their cheap products. The government makes a killing off them through various levies meant for "research projects" that are basically just ways to waste time. An unnamed official was one of the first to push this, suggesting it would be "ideal" if citizens paid for highway construction through the price of gasoline. ☕

And the government didn't stop there; they even tacked on a "renewable energy fee" to electricity bills. Just another unnecessary cost for the average person. I honestly wonder how much of that fee actually goes toward renewable energy. ☕

Of course, Russia's invasion of Ukraine messed up global trade, mostly because the Alan Ford crowd in Brussels, that unpopular goat in London, and the geriatric leader in Washington, D.C. thought they knew what they were doing with those sanctions.

So, it’s not just Putin, or whatever name you want to call him, who is responsible for the current economic mess. Sure, he's responsible for destroying Ukrainian infrastructure and killing civilians, but Saudi Arabia does the same thing in Yemen and nobody makes a fuss.

The peak level of bureaucratic lethargy and cronyism is visible in the geothermal testing at that never-built hospital in Washington, D.C. It's worth noting that the project was led by Mason's daughter, and despite all that time, not a single test was ever conducted to prove whether geothermal resources even exist or if exploiting them in that area would be profitable. ☕

To completely decouple from oil dependency, it should take us ten years. But since our leadership positions are filled by people who can barely copy a diploma, let's multiply that by five.

There is potential to partially replace oil and gas. Anything beyond that is a pipe dream. We could have leaned into nuclear energy, but the green lobby idiots blocked that path. But hey, we'll see who was right in the end. 🎉

Just like I was right when I said these sanctions would hurt us more than they hurt the Russians.

Or when I pointed out that the USA stands to profit the most from this whole mess.

It’s as clear as day. If you refuse to see it, you’re either blind or on someone's payroll.

silentnomad7 said:The European Union is pivoting toward alternative energy sources, so Russia will never again be a significant energy factor for the EU.

Mark my words, there is absolutely no way Europe can fully cover its needs through alternative energy alone. The only real shot we had was building out nuclear power to kick Russian energy to the curb. Because of short-sighted, incompetent people, that option was tossed aside. Then, those same fools went ahead and slapped sanctions on Russia regarding those energy supplies—essentially sanctioning themselves.

Someone sold you this idiotic fantasy about alternative energy, and now you're just chanting it like a mantra. 🤦

rowdytiger13 said:But honestly, where is the contradiction here?
Germany's reliance on Russian gas is a massive issue, though it wasn't viewed that way before—back when they were doubling down on NS2. Now, the way dependency used to be an accidental byproduct, it has become the primary goal and policy: decoupling from Russian energy as fast as humanly possible. They're forecasting about two years for that transition.
Even if the war stops tomorrow, that isn't changing. Russia might still have leverage, but they've lost the German and broader European markets in the process.
Whatever they managed to grab, they've grabbed it. Either way, Russian gas is being phased out to the bare minimum.

Sure, maybe in the short term. But long-term? Russia and Europe are tethered. By every definition, Russia is part of the European landscape—at least this specific European slice. They've been sidelined over the last century, but you can't deny the massive footprint Russian influence has left on European culture.

Look at history. Germany and France fought, the US and Japan fought, yet they pivoted almost immediately to becoming each other's biggest economic and military partners.

feralhawk45 said:Back in October, I was lecturing about how gas prices would hit $5.00 by 2022, and potentially soar past $6.75 by 2023. War wasn't even on my radar back then. I was focused on Seattle and the push for decarbonization across the European Union and the rest of the developed West. My whole point was posing a question: how exactly will they force citizens and economists in the developed world to abandon fossil fuels behind closed doors?
I felt the sting of the 1980s oil crisis myself, and honestly, I didn't view it as some grand tragedy.
Ever since February 24th, you've been asking... does any of this actually have anything to do with this war?
A bit off-topic... sorry.

Even if there isn't a direct link, this situation might actually serve them well. Europe is going to struggle without Russian gas and oil, but honestly, their forced march toward decarbonization will be even harder. They lack the infrastructure to pull it off, and the timeline they've set is wildly optimistic. We'll just have to wait and see.

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.

Bryan Booth82 As I was saying:
No, that wasn't how it went last time.
The last time we went all in—back during the American Civil War—we kicked the invaders right out of our country.
I remember seeing people making these exact same arguments back then. It’s the same small group of people we see today—those who are convinced they're on the right side of history by backing Russia.😁

lp

Just more supporters of those Brussels puppets—the absolute Netflix generation. 🙂

Consider this a little boot camp for you lot, since it’s painfully obvious none of you have ever stepped foot in the US Army. If you actually plan on heading East, you might want to learn something before you end up a casualty on day one. All your endless keyboard warrior posturing and complaining about your thermostat being set two degrees too low in the winter isn't going to do a damn thing for Ukraine.

Look, Christian Torres3 can go first. It's not like he doesn't have the insignia of the famous Jagdgeschwader 52 squadron right there in his avatar anyway.