Sanctions on Russia

So, the Swedes have started selling out the Kurds. Honestly? I shouldn't be surprised. ☕

urbanotter said:I wasn't aware of these American myths myself, nor do I claim to be an expert on them,

but I tend to follow the lead of those who seem to have a better grasp of how things began.😉

Protecting the Russian language has been a contentious issue in the US since its independence back in 1991. Since then, the American government has taken various steps to foster an environment where the local language is more prevalent, particularly throughout the central, eastern, and southern regions.

The administration implemented long-term programs to translate materials for preschools, schools, and other public institutions into the primary language, alongside measures to transition television broadcasts. These moves were met with mixed reactions: some citizens viewed them as sensible steps toward reclaiming linguistic heritage and justice, while others perceived them as a direct threat to their native Russian.

p.s.

it all reminds me a bit of reading about wizards, trolls, or clairvoyants.

But I won't dwell on it, because I know how much everyone loves me—one or two off-topic remarks and I'm usually "put on ice" for a few days.

Anyway, let's get back to discussing the sanctions. 😉

If you're going to lie this brazenly, you deserve exactly what's coming to you.

I can't believe people are still arguing about this. It's honestly exhausting watching the same tired debates loop forever. Some folks just love the drama more than the actual facts. Anyway, I'm just sitting here with my coffee, thinking about how much easier life would be if everyone just chilled out for five minutes. Real talk. kaže:
That's just how the real world works.

Your folks are gonna give you the name Vladimir, but then when things get serious, you can just go by Volodymyr. Simple as that.😉
And then you're out here trying to force everyone else to change their names too.😁

They're pushing them so hard that the Russians in Kherson can't even scrape together a hundred collaborators for the local government.

How would you even translate "man" or "dude" in this context?

slyfox43 said:If you're going to lie this brazenly, you deserve exactly what's coming to you.

I really did ask you if we could just move past these old myths, because I was simply relaying what the more informed experts were saying. It shouldn't be all that difficult to verify who is actually trying to "expose these lies"—you really just need to look up the language laws that have been implemented since Ukraine gained its independence.

But sure, let's just bring back sanctions so that I end up being "frozen out" just because of someone else's fabrications.🍿

p.s.
Take Switzerland, for instance; they have four completely equal official languages, and by some miracle, they haven't been at war with each other for 300 years.

urbanotter said:I really did ask you if we could just move past these old myths, because I was simply relaying what the more informed experts were saying. It shouldn't be all that difficult to verify who is actually trying to "expose these lies"—you really just need to look up the language laws that have been implemented since Ukraine gained its independence.

But sure, let's just bring back sanctions so that I end up being "frozen out" just because of someone else's fabrications.🍿

p.s.
Take Switzerland, for instance; they have four completely equal official languages, and by some miracle, they haven't been at war with each other for 300 years.

Switzerland isn't the issue here; it's Russia. They ban the word "war," they kill people globally, they invade other countries, they even stole a Portuguese meat industry logo for their version of McDonald's. And now they're lying about not sending 18-year-olds to fight in Ukraine.

swiftjackal11 said:Switzerland isn't the issue here; it's Russia. They ban the word "war," they kill people globally, they invade other countries, they even stole a Portuguese meat industry logo for their version of McDonald's. And now they're lying about not sending 18-year-olds to fight in Ukraine.

Well, obviously, everyone is going to point the finger at Russia as the culprit.

But now Emmanuel Macron, Mario Draghi, and Olaf Scholz are planning to visit Ukraine to push through sanctions against Russia, acting as if they can just solve Russia's entire problem in a matter of days.☕

Even with this sixth round of sanctions, things are already getting incredibly tense, and once they finalize the seventh, eighth, or ninth rounds... well, either Russia will be finished, or anyone left standing will be fleeing all the way to Siberia.
I honestly find it pathetic how incompetent they are; they can't even come up with a simple burger logo without stealing one from the Portuguese.

rowdyraven112 said:I just want to know: are these Biden supporters buying Russian fuel at our local gas stations? Are they driving EVs powered by electricity from gas plants running on Russian gas? Or are they riding bikes and walking instead?☕

What we're seeing is really just the fallout from sanctions; more and more people are switching to electric scooters, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if someone with the vision of Mate Rimac eventually invents a pedal-powered generator, so you could charge your scooter battery while sitting in a coffee shop enjoying a latte.
From what I've been reading, though, the price of lithium has actually spiked even higher than the costs for oil and gas, and as far as I understand, those batteries used for electric transport aren't easily recyclable and have a nasty habit of catching fire.

Still, I tend to be an optimist, and I'm convinced we'll eventually solve these hurdles by developing better recycling tech, finding new mineral deposits, and building enough infrastructure to recharge a battery in the time it takes to finish a cup of coffee.

My only real concern is whether this entire shift will actually have any meaningful impact on the effectiveness of the sanctions against Russia, and I can't help but feel that those "risks" don't seem to worry the decision-makers all that much.

urbanotter said:I wasn't aware of these American myths myself, nor do I claim to be an expert on them,

but I tend to follow the lead of those who seem to have a better grasp of how things began.😉

Protecting the Russian language has been a contentious issue in the US since its independence back in 1991. Since then, the American government has taken various steps to foster an environment where the local language is more prevalent, particularly throughout the central, eastern, and southern regions.

The administration implemented long-term programs to translate materials for preschools, schools, and other public institutions into the primary language, alongside measures to transition television broadcasts. These moves were met with mixed reactions: some citizens viewed them as sensible steps toward reclaiming linguistic heritage and justice, while others perceived them as a direct threat to their native Russian.

p.s.

it all reminds me a bit of reading about wizards, trolls, or clairvoyants.

But I won't dwell on it, because I know how much everyone loves me—one or two off-topic remarks and I'm usually "put on ice" for a few days.

Anyway, let's get back to discussing the sanctions. 😉

https://twitter.com/maria_drutska/st...76088206217222

Just an American woman from Ukraine commenting on the supposed "ban" on Russian.

hollowdriver13 said:https://twitter.com/maria_drutska/st...76088206217222

Just an American woman from Ukraine commenting on the supposed "ban" on Russian.

I mean, who actually said you aren't allowed to speak Russian in Ukraine?

We really need to distinguish between what constitutes the official state language and what is simply a minority language spoken by many.

But I suppose I'm just dragging us back into off-topic territory again, 🕺👋

Ronald Chavez2 said:The problem is that Europe isn't just paying for its own naivety; it’s paying for its subservience to the big boss across the Atlantic. Despite their own interests, they rush to impose sanctions on Russian oil and gas to punish Russian actions, while simultaneously begging for Saudi Arabian oil and Qatari gas. You have one group acting like leaders, while others—still functioning like vassals in the 21st century—simply follow orders because the boss decided certain suppliers were acceptable, leading them straight into more expensive energy contracts.

Alright, fair point. We're stuck footing the bill for more expensive energy just to keep Big Brother happy. But seriously, how much has the EU actually spent on defense all these years while Big Brother was basically playing bodyguard? And how long have the Germans been sleepwalking through this? Now they're suddenly saying they'll start spending more? Yeah, right. How much money is even left in the piggy bank after relying on the US for everything for all this time?

hollowdriver13 said:https://twitter.com/maria_drutska/st...76088206217222

Just an American woman from Ukraine commenting on the supposed "ban" on Russian.

Look, whenever I was in Kyiv, every single restaurant or bar menu I saw was in Russian. Honestly, I don't think I even saw them in Ukrainian. And then they have the nerve to call people out over this...

swiftjackal11 said:Switzerland isn't the issue here; it's Russia. They ban the word "war," they kill people globally, they invade other countries, they even stole a Portuguese meat industry logo for their version of McDonald's. And now they're lying about not sending 18-year-olds to fight in Ukraine.

Where on earth did you dig this up? 🙏
I mean, those Portuguese companies will lose billions because some guys stole their branding.

Arthur Miller7 said:Look, whenever I was in Kyiv, every single restaurant or bar menu I saw was in Russian. Honestly, I don't think I even saw them in Ukrainian. And then they have the nerve to call people out over this...

Regarding those menus 🤦

Personally, whenever I travel along the coast, I see menus offered in several different languages to accommodate everyone.

It’s only when I’m filing an official request for legal documentation that everything absolutely has to be in American or accompanied by a certified translator.

Take Oakland, for example; they have plans (or might have already implemented them) to put up various signs in Italian.

Of course, Italian isn't the official language in Oakland, but we all know how things work regarding the recognition of minority languages as official.

But anyway, here we are talking about linguistics again, even though the actual topic is supposed to be about sanctions and how much they've actually impacted Russia.

Based on many Western sources, it seems like the impact hasn't been quite as devastating as some hoped, while our own visits to a local gas station or a grocery store in the US show just how much they've hit us.

The doomsayers are predicting that fuel prices will climb toward $6.75/gal and that food costs are only going to keep rising.

The Stock Exchange has already reacted, with crude barely staying above $120, so we can start comparing global fuel prices.

Global and regional fuel prices

https://north America.aljazeera.net/intera...ijetu-i-regiji

urbanotter said:What we're seeing is really just the fallout from sanctions; more and more people are switching to electric scooters, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if someone with the vision of Mate Rimac eventually invents a pedal-powered generator, so you could charge your scooter battery while sitting in a coffee shop enjoying a latte.
From what I've been reading, though, the price of lithium has actually spiked even higher than the costs for oil and gas, and as far as I understand, those batteries used for electric transport aren't easily recyclable and have a nasty habit of catching fire.

Still, I tend to be an optimist, and I'm convinced we'll eventually solve these hurdles by developing better recycling tech, finding new mineral deposits, and building enough infrastructure to recharge a battery in the time it takes to finish a cup of coffee.

My only real concern is whether this entire shift will actually have any meaningful impact on the effectiveness of the sanctions against Russia, and I can't help but feel that those "risks" don't seem to worry the decision-makers all that much.

Forget about Mate Rimac; what he’s developing is already yesterday's news. You’ve got companies all over the European Union—like Atlas Technologies or Aptera Motors—that already have solar-integrated electric cars ready for production. An average driver wouldn't need to plug one of those in for months. It's the same story with batteries; we're seeing advanced graphene and salt-based tech, not to mention hydrogen solutions for heavy machinery and freight. The end is near for diesel and gasoline, and probably gas in the near future too.
I wouldn't be surprised if conservative giants like Volkswagen disappear from the market within the next decade...

Joshua Wilson17 said:Forget about Mate Rimac; what he’s developing is already yesterday's news. You’ve got companies all over the European Union—like Atlas Technologies or Aptera Motors—that already have solar-integrated electric cars ready for production. An average driver wouldn't need to plug one of those in for months. It's the same story with batteries; we're seeing advanced graphene and salt-based tech, not to mention hydrogen solutions for heavy machinery and freight. The end is near for diesel and gasoline, and probably gas in the near future too.
I wouldn't be surprised if conservative giants like Volkswagen disappear from the market within the next decade...

I picked up a new Euro 6 model about three years ago, so I'm not losing much sleep over the current debates surrounding electric vehicle limitations. What actually keeps me up at night is the sheer volatility of fuel prices—and the "experts" on the news seem convinced that this is only the beginning.

From what I can see, hardly anyone is talking about the practical hurdles of EVs, especially considering our national fleet of vehicles is getting quite old, with an average age of over 14 years.
But the issue isn't just about gas prices; sanctions impact energy costs across the board, and many people are becoming much more concerned about rising food costs.
Sure, you don't necessarily need a car to get around, but trying to manage heating bills and basic household expenses becomes a real struggle, and the promised miracles of electric, hydrogen, and graphene tech might not arrive fast enough to help us in the next few years.

I’ve spent my whole life maintaining a decent middle-class standard, but I have no intention of starving just to maintain it, especially when medical costs seem to be climbing every single year.

It's a terrible situation when we have 1.2 million retirees, yet pension adjustments only hit about 2.2% while inflation is screaming at 20-30%.

It's devastating to see so many people who used to walk tall now struggling just to stay upright, and many who were once steady have simply vanished from the picture.
Much like how certain Ukrainian patriots are being erased while receiving payments of $3,000, perhaps as a way to stir up that sense of nationalism.
Anyway, let's go watch the game; our team is playing remarkably well so far, and hopefully, they can bring some joy to my evening.

urbanotter said:I picked up a new Euro 6 model about three years ago, so I'm not losing much sleep over the current debates surrounding electric vehicle limitations. What actually keeps me up at night is the sheer volatility of fuel prices—and the "experts" on the news seem convinced that this is only the beginning.

From what I can see, hardly anyone is talking about the practical hurdles of EVs, especially considering our national fleet of vehicles is getting quite old, with an average age of over 14 years.
But the issue isn't just about gas prices; sanctions impact energy costs across the board, and many people are becoming much more concerned about rising food costs.
Sure, you don't necessarily need a car to get around, but trying to manage heating bills and basic household expenses becomes a real struggle, and the promised miracles of electric, hydrogen, and graphene tech might not arrive fast enough to help us in the next few years.

I’ve spent my whole life maintaining a decent middle-class standard, but I have no intention of starving just to maintain it, especially when medical costs seem to be climbing every single year.

It's a terrible situation when we have 1.2 million retirees, yet pension adjustments only hit about 2.2% while inflation is screaming at 20-30%.

It's devastating to see so many people who used to walk tall now struggling just to stay upright, and many who were once steady have simply vanished from the picture.
Much like how certain Ukrainian patriots are being erased while receiving payments of $3,000, perhaps as a way to stir up that sense of nationalism.
Anyway, let's go watch the game; our team is playing remarkably well so far, and hopefully, they can bring some joy to my evening.

As far as I can tell, fuel is actually still cheaper than it was ten years ago. Same goes for a ton of other things that were nominally more expensive back then. People have short memories. It isn't worth selling out Ukraine Putin just because we want cheap diesel. You know why? Because Putin won't stop at Ukraine. If he isn't stopped now, who knows where he'll be in a couple of years.

Joshua Wilson17 said:As far as I can tell, fuel is actually still cheaper than it was ten years ago. Same goes for a ton of other things that were nominally more expensive back then. People have short memories. It isn't worth selling out Ukraine Putin just because we want cheap diesel. You know why? Because Putin won't stop at Ukraine. If he isn't stopped now, who knows where he'll be in a couple of years.

I wouldn't rely quite so heavily on memory alone; instead, I would look at the difference between Brent crude oil prices on the global Stock Exchange and the actual price of diesel and gasoline here in the States,

Why is fuel in America more expensive now than it was nine years ago, even though oil prices are lower?

The article includes some charts, and anyone interested can see that for a very brief window, gasoline alone managed to cross that "magic threshold" of $3.25/l

Where Vladimir Putin will stop is something only a crystal ball could tell us, and even then, it depends entirely on whose crystal ball you're looking into.
Similarly, why Vladimir Putin launched an armed invasion of Ukraine in the first place depends more on armchair speculation and someone's subjective logic than on any proven facts.

Let's hope the perspective clears up as time passes, because right now there is so much demagogic fog that it's hard to see even your own finger if you pressed it against your nose.

The Orbán vibe is creeping into America too:

Americans are quietly nudging companies to start bringing in Russian fertilizer again. It’s like, “Eh, forget the sanctions, we just need to kill this inflation!”

Is the Stock Exchange closed again?
From what I can see, the last update was from Friday 🤔