Sanctions on Russia

Daniel Barnes53 said:The Associated Press is reporting that US President Joe Biden has signed a law allowing US Airlines to keep foreign aircraft for use on domestic flights.
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/rus...U0aMqdgs7HDTKb

I think they're talking about seizing foreign planes—apparently, there are maybe 500 of them sitting in the US right now.

It doesn't matter, they'll just end up servicing them themselves and manufacturing their own spare parts.
Until everything eventually falls out of the sky, at which point they'll just switch over to those incredibly reliable domestic Boeings.

Arthur Miller7 said:Look, it’s not even about the recipe. Seriously—what part of this am I missing? You can't just buy a reputation! Sure, they could set up shop right next to a Coca-Cola plant and churn out their own version—maybe even make it taste better—but it’ll never be called Coca-Cola. Period. That's the bottom line. You could start making soda using their exact same ingredients tomorrow, but you can't slap their name on it. And honestly? You'll never reach that level. Not you, not anyone else.

I understand exactly what you're trying to get at,

but you seem unable to grasp that during wartime, the rules you think are carved in stone or untouchable dogmas don't really carry any weight.
What would a massive corporation like Coca-Cola actually do to protect its brand identity if Russia started mass-producing Coca-Cola using all their trademarked branding?
Would they even bother trying to sue them in some court or file a complaint with a trademark agency?

When you're looking through a rifle scope, the only thing you can really do is pull the trigger or launch a missile.😉

urbanotter said:Most bottling plants operate as franchises, which really isn't much of an issue since the production processes and the actual formulas are already well-established.
Honestly, even if they stopped producing it entirely, I don't see it as a loss; if anything, it would probably be a win for the Americans.
I’ve never been a huge Coca-Cola fan myself—I might grab one during the summer, but I generally prefer tonic water.
At 89 years old, standing 6'3" and weighing about 200 pounds, I’m perfectly content with how things are.
I certainly don't feel like I'm missing out by not being a 300-pound die-hard Coke lover, the kind of person who doesn't consider their day a success unless they've polished off a double serving.

But that's not the point. People are used to a certain standard. Just because you think something is "better for them" doesn't mean you're right—you aren't the ultimate authority here.

urbanotter said:I understand exactly what you're trying to get at,

but you seem unable to grasp that during wartime, the rules you think are carved in stone or untouchable dogmas don't really carry any weight.
What would a massive corporation like Coca-Cola actually do to protect its brand identity if Russia started mass-producing Coca-Cola using all their trademarked branding?
Would they even bother trying to sue them in some court or file a complaint with a trademark agency?

When you're looking through a rifle scope, the only thing you can really do is pull the trigger or launch a missile.😉

They could sell it in Russia all they want. But anywhere else? Nobody's gonna touch that brand name.

urbanotter said:I understand exactly what you're trying to get at,

but you seem unable to grasp that during wartime, the rules you think are carved in stone or untouchable dogmas don't really carry any weight.
What would a massive corporation like Coca-Cola actually do to protect its brand identity if Russia started mass-producing Coca-Cola using all their trademarked branding?
Would they even bother trying to sue them in some court or file a complaint with a trademark agency?

When you're looking through a rifle scope, the only thing you can really do is pull the trigger or launch a missile.😉

Alright, fine—who’s going to hire all those people once they lose their jobs? Who’s actually going to buy anything if nobody can afford it? How are companies supposed to stay afloat if there's no one left to sell to? You can complain about junk food all you want, but for a lot of folks, that stuff is what pays the bills.

If we tried following that model where the government just invents fake bureaucracy jobs to artificially lower unemployment, we'd be staring down hyperinflation and total collapse.

Dennis Price said:Demand for Russian oil is actually dropping. 😅 They're going to have to cut prices just to move it.
What you're saying might apply elsewhere, but it's not quite right here. Oil isn't expensive just because Russia wants it to be. If anything, they'd drop the price in a heartbeat if it meant keeping the West interested. Prices are high because a huge chunk of buyers are intentionally looking elsewhere.

I'm struggling to see where these "alternative sources" are coming from, especially when we're seeing a deficit of roughly one million barrels per day right now, even with Russia delivering its contracted amounts to the market.
It feels like Joe Biden has been running himself ragged trying to convince Middle Eastern leaders and Nicolás Maduro to ramp up production, but they aren't biting.
The price hikes are being driven by speculators who jump at every little bit of volatility to push rates higher.
Meanwhile, oil continues to flow through long-term contracts at agreed-upon volumes and specific price points dictated by those very agreements.
I remember back when Stern was heading up ExxonMobil, delivery contracts were typically structured for five years, with annual meetings held to adjust terms if circumstances shifted.
And please, don't go trying to label Stern a communist just because he understood how supply chains work.🙄

Jesse Hughes6 said:It doesn't matter, they'll just end up servicing them themselves and manufacturing their own spare parts.
Until everything eventually falls out of the sky, at which point they'll just switch over to those incredibly reliable domestic Boeings.

Not even that will work—most Boeings run on Rolls-Royce engines while those Iljushins use Pratt & Whitney.😁

Looks like they're starting to run low on sugar over in Moscow.

https://twitter.com/zloy_odessit/sta...YzhyaKLmQ&s=19

analogbear5 said:Alright, fine—who’s going to hire all those people once they lose their jobs? Who’s actually going to buy anything if nobody can afford it? How are companies supposed to stay afloat if there's no one left to sell to? You can complain about junk food all you want, but for a lot of folks, that stuff is what pays the bills.

If we tried following that model where the government just invents fake bureaucracy jobs to artificially lower unemployment, we'd be staring down hyperinflation and total collapse.

The reality is that only about a third of the world has actually imposed sanctions on Russia, which means there is still more than enough demand globally for Russian grain, synthetic fertilizers, oils, and rare earth metals.
Even Japan is signaling that they won't walk away from the gas pipeline project near the Aleutian Islands, despite the fact that they introduced sanctions against Russia due to pressure from the United States.
The Germans aren't exactly thrilled about being forced into these strained relations with Russia either.
It seems to me that this supposed "Western unity" is much stronger in news headlines than it is in the actual, messy reality of global trade.

Japan shows no sign of abandoning the Russian Sahalin-2 LNG project

https://www.geopolitika.news/vijesti...-dcvQj0ZS8NKjk

urbanotter said:The reality is that only about a third of the world has actually imposed sanctions on Russia, which means there is still more than enough demand globally for Russian grain, synthetic fertilizers, oils, and rare earth metals.
Even Japan is signaling that they won't walk away from the gas pipeline project near the Aleutian Islands, despite the fact that they introduced sanctions against Russia due to pressure from the United States.
The Germans aren't exactly thrilled about being forced into these strained relations with Russia either.
It seems to me that this supposed "Western unity" is much stronger in news headlines than it is in the actual, messy reality of global trade.

Japan shows no sign of abandoning the Russian Sahalin-2 LNG project

https://www.geopolitika.news/vijesti...-dcvQj0ZS8NKjk

Once the elections are over, I'm sure your guy will be handing out sanctions like candy.

brightheron64 said:My tank is topped off to the brim—just pulled straight out of the Shell station—plus I’ve got a twenty-liter jerrycan ready to go in the back.

By the time I actually burn through all this fuel, maybe the war will finally be over...😬

If I’m going to help out Ukraine, the absolute bare minimum I can manage is... well, instead of paying $80 for a full tank, I’m looking at $160 now.
To be perfectly honest, this jump to $160? It’s driving me absolutely insane. If gas hits $300 a tank, forget it—I’m leaving the car in the driveway and walking everywhere.

Best,

urbanotter said:The reality is that only about a third of the world has actually imposed sanctions on Russia, which means there is still more than enough demand globally for Russian grain, synthetic fertilizers, oils, and rare earth metals.
Even Japan is signaling that they won't walk away from the gas pipeline project near the Aleutian Islands, despite the fact that they introduced sanctions against Russia due to pressure from the United States.
The Germans aren't exactly thrilled about being forced into these strained relations with Russia either.
It seems to me that this supposed "Western unity" is much stronger in news headlines than it is in the actual, messy reality of global trade.

Japan shows no sign of abandoning the Russian Sahalin-2 LNG project

https://www.geopolitika.news/vijesti...-dcvQj0ZS8NKjk

To clarify, we aren't talking about a pipeline, but rather an LNG terminal co-owned by two Japanese corporations.
At the same time, Japan has asserted its sovereignty over two islands in the Aleutian Islands claimed by Russia. Just thought you should know.

Regardless, if there is demand, buyers will exist for Russian raw materials—but shifting entire trade routes to the other side of the globe takes years.
Just look up how long it took to build all those pipelines heading toward Europe. By the time they finish building all that infrastructure to reach China and India, the demand for gas might not even be there anymore.

So what are they even supposed to do with all those nationalized companies??? How do they plan on running anything if they don't have access to their customer base?

urbanotter said:I can't help but wonder who is actually going to be "calling the shots" once these companies are nationalized.

Quincy:

The ruling party, United Russia, announced today that a government commission has approved the initial phase of nationalizing assets belonging to foreign corporations exiting the country, according to Reuters. The official statement indicates the commission has backed legislation that would see any company leaving Russia—where citizens from 'hostile nations' hold more than a 25 percent stake—placed under new management.

Read the full story here: - www.vecernji.hr

Absolutely no one.
Nationalized assets aren't actually functioning companies.

Think of it like this: they could manufacture elderberry juice in a Coca-Cola factory and slap a Coca-Cola label on it, but that doesn't make it actual Coca-Cola.

urbanotter said:Honestly, that’s just nonsense; no matter how you spin it, Russia is going to demand payment for their gas in whatever currency they decide fits their interests at the moment.

If they start insisting on being paid in rubles, anyone who actually needs that gas is simply going to have to go out and buy rubles using dollars, euros, or whatever other major currency Russia decides to accept.
The reality is more likely to play out through massive legal battles where oligarchs see their global assets frozen, and in retaliation, Russia freezes the assets of Western corporations operating within their borders.
It’s a bit like how if Abramovich were to lose Chelsea, he might end up seizing control of something like Coca-Cola or McDonald's to keep his revenue streams moving.

At the end of the day, most of this feels like political theater designed to scare the average person, while the truly powerful and wealthy find ways to ensure they don't actually lose much of anything.

Making a Coca-Cola is easier than you'd think. 🤣

I cannot access external links or watch YouTube videos directly. If you can provide a transcript or a summary of the video's content, I will be happy to rewrite it for you according to your specific instructions.

Gary Wilson said:Making a Coca-Cola is easier than you'd think. 🤣

I cannot access external links or watch YouTube videos directly. If you can provide a transcript or a summary of the video's content, I will be happy to rewrite it for you according to your specific instructions.

That whole idea about there being some magical, untouchable formula? It’s really just a myth at this point.

The recipe is famously guarded as a closely held secret dating all the way back to 1886, with the only official written version supposedly locked away in a bank vault. According to the Daily Mail, only two employees actually know the specific formula that gives the soda its signature flavor. However, the full list of ingredients was actually published back in 1979—according to This American Life—in a local newspaper in the beverage's hometown of Atlanta, though nobody really thought much of it at the time. The article even features a photo of what looks like the original handwritten recipe, likely penned by a friend of the pharmacist and inventor, John Pemberton. To verify if it was the real deal, This American Life reached out to historian Mark Pendergrast, who believes the document could indeed be authentic. Of course, there is no way to know for sure if the actual recipe has been tweaked over the decades.

Read more at: - www.vecernji.hr

Sure, you can rip off Coca-Cola right now, but it still won't be the real thing—just like McDonald's and stuff like that. I could go out and try to pull something similar, but it wouldn't be the same and it definitely won't last.

George Robinson43 said:Absolutely no one.
Nationalized assets aren't actually functioning companies.

Think of it like this: they could manufacture elderberry juice in a Coca-Cola factory and slap a Coca-Cola label on it, but that doesn't make it actual Coca-Cola.

Well, I guess I just learned something new today.

By that logic, neither Kraft Heinz nor Del Monte would be considered actual companies.☕

urbanotter said:I honestly find it hard to believe that Bulgaria would actually shut down the pipeline. Besides, looking at the scale of things, Mexico isn't such a massive consumer that anyone would go to extreme lengths over them.

Even if they do end up selling oil at a discount, it’s still going to be more profitable than waiting for everything to settle back to the status quo. It's simple supply and demand: the higher the global congestion and the greater the hunger for oil and gas, the higher the prices climb, which means you get more even with a smaller margin.
I do agree with the point about them trading in yuan to purchase Chinese goods; that seems to be one of their primary objectives. If that happens, the Federal Reserve could print money all they want, but it won't have the same impact it used to. All it will really do is drive inflation much higher than the current 8% we're seeing.

But it looks like they needed a little nudge from those sanctions to actually make those moves happen.

At that point, the Federal Reserve can print as much paper as they want, but it won't do the good it used to. All they'll be doing is driving inflation even higher, likely way past that current 8% mark.

Right, because once this economic heavyweight, Russia, gets pushed even harder by sanctions and the war and decides to pivot toward the Yuan in the West, the whole system is basically going to collapse.

urbanotter said:Well, I guess I just learned something new today.

By that logic, neither Kraft Heinz nor Del Monte would be considered actual companies.☕

The bare walls of a factory aren't a company either.
They are simply assets owned by a company.