Sanctions on Russia

Nancy Gomez26 said:Russia will likely resurface as a supplier eventually. They probably won't reclaim the massive market share they once held, but for the sake of supply diversification, they'll find a way back in. It’s basic economics: you want multiple players competing for market share. If we fall into the trap of relying on a single source again, history will simply repeat itself. The whole game is about maintaining a delicate balance between various interests.

I'm with you on this. Misunderstandings happen when people look at things through different lenses—economic vs. environmental. Developed nations can afford to prioritize the latter, but they have to play it smart. Move cautiously. If they push too hard on the green agenda without looking ahead, they risk handing over their economic and technological edge.

Ronald Chavez2 said:Does any serious nation truly build its entire foundation on this so-called "green energy," whatever that actually entails?

Oh, really? Is that how it works? The Chinese are out there cranking out nuclear plants, hydro, solar, and wind like they’re running out of time. This year, their hydro output took a hit because of a lack of rain, so having a bit more Russian gas coming in compared to last year actually saved their skin.

Plus, they aren't just sitting on old tech; they're swapping out those ancient coal plants for new, high-efficiency ones, so they get way more juice out of the same amount of coal burned.
They're also working on reversible pumped-storage hydro plants to act as massive energy batteries.

And let's be real, building pipelines from Eastern Siberia all the way to China is basically a technical pipe dream right now—even if they could pull it off, the costs would be insane because you'd have to deal with temperatures hitting -70 degrees Celsius.

China is leading the charge in EV-im, too. They just do it with actual strategy, focusing heavily on electric buses where the cost-benefit ratio is the absolute sweet spot.

Nancy Gomez26 said:Russia will likely resurface as a supplier eventually. They probably won't reclaim the massive market share they once held, but for the sake of supply diversification, they'll find a way back in. It’s basic economics: you want multiple players competing for market share. If we fall into the trap of relying on a single source again, history will simply repeat itself. The whole game is about maintaining a delicate balance between various interests.

Yeah, probably, but they’ll just be some fleeting little supplier for the European Union. Just look at the numbers—take Germany, for example; back in H1 2022, they rolled out about 3,700 MW of new solar capacity along with roughly 1,000 MW of wind.

And get this, in July, non-gas/diesel cars made up 43% of the market in Germany. Back in 2018, those kinds of vehicles were barely hitting 1.9% of total sales. Can you imagine?

https://cleantechnica.com/files/2022...istrations.png

Even the construction industry is finally catching a second wind:https://learngerman.dw.com/en/german...mes/a-14815730

All of this is basically a slow-motion hit to Russia's interests in the long run.

Ronald Chavez2 said:Does any serious nation truly build its entire foundation on this so-called "green energy," whatever that actually entails?

Meanwhile, China is absolutely crushing it when it comes to renewable energy investment—they’re light years ahead of everyone else at this point.

urbanotter said:Oh, absolutely, I'm just reciting the headlines for you.

If you're so sure about that, why don't you go find a newspaper that compares the price of lactose-free milk from eight days ago to what it cost yesterday? 🙂🙂

Otherwise, maybe stop jumping to hollow conclusions and playing these little intellectual games.😉

p.s.
Just to make it easier for you, I'm talking about the price at the Walmart in Marinić.

I’m sick of hearing about prices at God-knows-what grocery store. I was reading today that back in 2001—way before any wars started and when prices were like three times lower than they are now—oil was $5.00... and look, we're still here, aren't we?

steelfox98 said:I’m no economist, but even I wouldn't write out such blatant nonsense, let alone some self-proclaimed financial "expert." That second post just proves their lack of economic knowledge.

Impossible. Nuclear fuel is specific. Even Americans import Russian supply without a shred of shame. Sanctions that cause problems for Americans? They aren't even considered. That’s an exclusive privilege of the European Union—shooting themselves in the foot.🎉
Even the Japanese recently stated that energy sanctions are off the table. In fact, they accepted all the new Russian terms regarding Sakhalin 2, despite being far less dependent on them (importing about 10% from Russia) than the European Union is.
By the way, on Sakhalin, the Russians played the Western playbook. They nationalized existing companies and imposed their own rules.

We all know it now. These sanctions have come back to bite us like a boomerang. The very same people who pushed them are now suddenly against these "smart" sanctions—mostly because they’ve realized just how insane the whole idea was to begin with.
Russia should probably stop selling energy at cost to enemies who have already made their move. And what kind of dollar are we even talking about for profit anymore?
What happens if these geniuses actually push through those sanctions? The Russians will just say "no thanks," and prices will go absolutely haywire on day one. What does the world look like after just a week? The Russians have plenty of reserves anyway, and they’ll just keep trading with everyone else. Meanwhile, we'll be facing a total collapse here at home.
It’s just a game of chicken to see who blinks first. And honestly? We already know how this ends.

Rosatom dominates the global nuclear scene because the Russians hold the edge on advanced tech—all while undercutting everyone else on price. It’s not just the Canadians picking up contracts from within the European Union; even Finland was on board until they backed out for purely political reasons. Typical.

A ovo:

It’s anyone's guess who actually wants to turn off the gas valves in Europe. Is it Vladimir Putin, or is it the European Union itself? Hard to say.
Anyway, how is anyone even supposed to sue ExxonMobil now for failing to meet their delivery obligations?

That’s a question for Habeck and the Germans who failed to fix those turbines. Should I remind everyone how that guy spent a month acting like a complete idiot, stubbornly ignoring the turbine while blaming Russia? Then he had the nerve to claim the turbine wasn't even important. It's childish nonsense—blaming Russians over customs paperwork when the Germans are clearly the ones at fault.
That same guy was all over the news six months ago, bragging about how he’d locked in gas deliveries with Qatar. Just another lie.

He stirred the pot and spent the whole time pointing fingers at the main supplier. Now he’s acting shocked because they're finally giving him a taste of his own medicine? Typical.

Politicians and the mainstream media spent all of December claiming that Russia wasn't delivering gas through the pipeline. Then someone actually asked them a real question: who placed the orders? Who rerouted the flow toward Poland? Who was busy flipping the gas for profit while our own energy prices were skyrocketing? After that, the whole lot just went silent. Typical.

Joe Biden was just in the States a month ago and took a massive hit for it. To set the record straight, he wasted his breath claiming OPEC will bump up production by a million barrels over the next five years—which, let’s be real, won't even keep pace with how fast consumption is climbing. Typical. 🤣
So these are our "democratic allies." It’s not exactly rocket science to see how the other major oil players reacted—the ones who aren't quite as eager to play ball with us.
Look at Venezuela. For years, Americans have been trying to topple the leadership there. They call it "democracy," but let's be real—it’s just a series of terror tactics and shady attempts to install their own puppets. Typical.
Since the European Union pulled their support for Guaido, they ended up landing two tankers. Typical. 🍿
Iran—is there even any point in getting involved?
Libya—we could certainly use their oil right about now. But then again, who exactly turned that place into a living hell just eleven years ago?

There’s plenty of oil and gas out there—it just isn't in the European Union.

👍
Great post, though it wasn't just Americans working against NS2. The German Greens played a key role—the same ones in power now—pushing us toward "green" heating methods like coal and wood.
There’s an excellent thread on this topic on the forum.

Here's an example for you:
Poland boasts about ditching Russian gas by importing "German" gas. We all know that doesn't exist; it isn't hard to figure out where that supply actually comes from.
It's the same story with the other loud moralists publicly attacking the Canadians while secretly cutting deals with them behind closed doors. In reality, the Canadians are the ones saving them.
Now is a good time to remember what Orban was saying about sanctions just a few months ago.

Look, friend, I’d really appreciate it if we could keep things civil and polite here...

If you wanted to weigh in on the economic side of things, there was plenty of time to do so earlier on...

Jumping back into a conversation that’s already been settled and wrapped up—especially when your main reason for popping in is just to point out a typo—just doesn't feel very sportsmanlike...

Arthur Miller7 said:I’m sick of hearing about prices at God-knows-what grocery store. I was reading today that back in 2001—way before any wars started and when prices were like three times lower than they are now—oil was $5.00... and look, we're still here, aren't we?

Look, that oil you’re talking about was $4.75 until we joined the European Union; sugar used to be every brand imaginable for $2.25, fixed prices and all... cheese never dipped below $23 until maybe 2010, and I remember grabbing Tillamook butter at Walmart for $6.75, which is pretty much what it costs today anyway.

Then there's the tech stuff. A TV I picked up in 2011 cost me $1667, but by 2016, I could get a better model, bigger screen, same brand, for only $1133... and so on.

Back in the summer of 2011, I was paying $3.75 for gas, and now it's $3.75... don't even get me started on car insurance; in 2011, I was looking at about $617, now it's $317... my supplemental coverage in 2010 would have been $23, now I'm shelling out $15. And back then, $33 on a cell phone would have fried my battery in an hour, whereas today I can talk my head off all month for $24.

In 2008, my phone and internet bill was $133, while today my phone and internet (all bundled) comes to $58. For instance, back in 2001, I paid $1133 for a Siemens flagship, and in 2016, an Apple flagship went for $1133.

Sure, some things did go up—like housing, cars, and basically anything with a microchip inside. Electricity too, though my usage actually dropped because modern appliances are way more efficient.

EDIT: A two-liter Coke on Maui back in 1994 was only $27, and I had enough cash to cover the whole trip $50🤣

And you guys really think things are expensive today???

Adam Lee13 said:Look, that oil you’re talking about was $4.75 until we joined the European Union; sugar used to be every brand imaginable for $2.25, fixed prices and all... cheese never dipped below $23 until maybe 2010, and I remember grabbing Tillamook butter at Walmart for $6.75, which is pretty much what it costs today anyway.

Then there's the tech stuff. A TV I picked up in 2011 cost me $1667, but by 2016, I could get a better model, bigger screen, same brand, for only $1133... and so on.

Back in the summer of 2011, I was paying $3.75 for gas, and now it's $3.75... don't even get me started on car insurance; in 2011, I was looking at about $617, now it's $317... my supplemental coverage in 2010 would have been $23, now I'm shelling out $15. And back then, $33 on a cell phone would have fried my battery in an hour, whereas today I can talk my head off all month for $24.

In 2008, my phone and internet bill was $133, while today my phone and internet (all bundled) comes to $58. For instance, back in 2001, I paid $1133 for a Siemens flagship, and in 2016, an Apple flagship went for $1133.

Sure, some things did go up—like housing, cars, and basically anything with a microchip inside. Electricity too, though my usage actually dropped because modern appliances are way more efficient.

EDIT: A two-liter Coke on Maui back in 1994 was only $27, and I had enough cash to cover the whole trip $50🤣

And you guys really think things are expensive today???

You must have been getting a "special discount" on gas in 2011, because gas prices didn't really cross that psychological threshold until 2021.

https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

And that gas price you mentioned from 2011—when you were paying $11.20—that was actually lower than $3.25.

Either they were overcharging you back then, or maybe you were just getting a special rate meant only for you.
https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

urbanotter said:You must have been getting a "special discount" on gas in 2011, because gas prices didn't really cross that psychological threshold until 2021.

https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

And that gas price you mentioned from 2011—when you were paying $11.20—that was actually lower than $3.25.

Either they were overcharging you back then, or maybe you were just getting a special rate meant only for you.
https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

My bad, I meant the summer of 2013.

urbanotter said:You must have been getting a "special discount" on gas in 2011, because gas prices didn't really cross that psychological threshold until 2021.

https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

And that gas price you mentioned from 2011—when you were paying $11.20—that was actually lower than $3.25.

Either they were overcharging you back then, or maybe you were just getting a special rate meant only for you.
https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

Nah, that's not right. Premium gas was already over $3.25 even back in 2011. ☕

urbanotter said:You must have been getting a "special discount" on gas in 2011, because gas prices didn't really cross that psychological threshold until 2021.

https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

And that gas price you mentioned from 2011—when you were paying $11.20—that was actually lower than $3.25.

Either they were overcharging you back then, or maybe you were just getting a special rate meant only for you.
https://example-us-news-site.com/article...old-news-1081540

The average salary in 2010 was $1.75.https://www.bls.gov/news-release/...03_31_717.html
Average salary today is $2.50.
https://www.forbes.com/business/us/pro...12-000-4346460

hollowdriver13 said:Nah, that's not right. Premium gas was already over $3.25 even back in 2011. ☕

Are you just pulling this out of thin air, or do you actually have a link to back up that claim?

I suppose maybe the newspapers are lying to us; we all know they aren't exactly known for their commitment to the truth.😁

hollowdriver13 said:Nah, that's not right. Premium gas was already over $3.25 even back in 2011. ☕

Man, my memory is actually holding up pretty well... regular unleaded gasoline has been sitting at $3.75 since midnight (up to $3.75 so far), while the premium stuff is going for $3.75 (was $3.75 previously). This was the summer of 2012.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/gas-prices-history...

Exactly ten years ago, gas was actually four cents cheaper than what we're seeing today.🤣

Now we're just sitting here waiting for some gambler to issue a formal denial.

Nathan Thomas12 said:The average salary in 2010 was $1.75.https://www.bls.gov/news-release/...03_31_717.html
Average salary today is $2.50.
https://www.forbes.com/business/us/pro...12-000-4346460

It’s true that the average paycheck looks larger on paper, but we have to account for how much more expensive basic necessities have become.
I often find myself reflecting on how much a square foot of housing cost back in 2010 compared to what we're seeing today, or looking at utility bills from years ago versus the monthly costs we face now.
Of course, technology has changed things—smartphones are much more affordable than they used to be, which is a significant factor in our daily spending.

Since joining the European Union, food prices actually dropped by about 3.6%, while utility expenses have steadily climbed.
Though, I suspect those rising costs weren't really on your radar back then, and they don't seem to worry you much today either.

There’s no denying that entering the European Union brought certain benefits to the table, but it also came with its own set of challenges.

Consumer demand and retail activity in America continue to see a slight decline, hovering around one percent annually. This serves as perhaps the clearest indicator that for many Americans, life hasn't necessarily improved since joining the European Union; if anything, it feels harder because purchasing power is shrinking. At the same time, domestic businesses are feeling the squeeze from increased competition from foreign corporations that no longer have to deal with import tariffs when bringing goods into the US.

https://www.reuters.com/examples/news/america...d-0242ac140012

urbanotter said:Are you just pulling this out of thin air, or do you actually have a link to back up that claim?

I suppose maybe the newspapers are lying to us; we all know they aren't exactly known for their commitment to the truth.😁

https://mychicago.info/chicago/oil-prices...oct-18-2011

Man, what are we even doing here? Check this out. That "psychological barrier" you were so smugly insisting about was actually smashed through a whole decade before you decided to start acting like an expert. ☕

Peak retail prices for the period: October 18th - 31st, 2011

ExxonMobil premium gasoline - $3.25
TIFON CLASS premium gasoline+ - $3.25
Shell premium gasoline - $3.25
Chevron premium gasoline - $3.50

urbanotter said:It’s true that the average paycheck looks larger on paper, but we have to account for how much more expensive basic necessities have become.
I often find myself reflecting on how much a square foot of housing cost back in 2010 compared to what we're seeing today, or looking at utility bills from years ago versus the monthly costs we face now.
Of course, technology has changed things—smartphones are much more affordable than they used to be, which is a significant factor in our daily spending.

Since joining the European Union, food prices actually dropped by about 3.6%, while utility expenses have steadily climbed.
Though, I suspect those rising costs weren't really on your radar back then, and they don't seem to worry you much today either.

There’s no denying that entering the European Union brought certain benefits to the table, but it also came with its own set of challenges.

Consumer demand and retail activity in America continue to see a slight decline, hovering around one percent annually. This serves as perhaps the clearest indicator that for many Americans, life hasn't necessarily improved since joining the European Union; if anything, it feels harder because purchasing power is shrinking. At the same time, domestic businesses are feeling the squeeze from increased competition from foreign corporations that no longer have to deal with import tariffs when bringing goods into the US.

https://www.reuters.com/examples/news/america...d-0242ac140012

Does everyone moving out mean retail demand is tanking?

Nathan Thomas12 said:Does everyone moving out mean retail demand is tanking?

Wait, where on earth are you getting the idea that joining the European Union would make retail drop? If anything, it’s the opposite, right??

https://d3fy651gv2fhd3.cloudfront.ne...30&type=column

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

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?

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.