Absolutely Anything Else

Apple,
Microsoft,
Samsung,
McD's,
Visa,
MasterCard,
AMEX,
BMW,
Few other carmakers......
Shell,
Netflix,
TicToc,
Film releases,
Aeroplane supplies

Errrrrr the list just goes on...

The people will be wondering what is going on.

There will be riots on the streets and Putin will buckle?

SimCityAT wrote:

Apple,
Microsoft,
Samsung,
McD's,
Visa,
MasterCard,
AMEX,
BMW,
Few other carmakers......
Shell,
Netflix,
TicToc,
Film releases,
Aeroplane supplies

Errrrrr the list just goes on...

The people will be wondering what is going on.

There will be riots on the streets and Putin will buckle?

I don't see it in the short term.  Putin will probably just increase repression and propaganda. 

I cannot see him giving in even as the body count increases. It can only change if either he dies of natural causes, is assassinated or is overthrown.  He'll die before he sees the inside of a jail cell.  His family will be exiled or convicted of crimes against humanity.  His generals and officials will banged up, oligarchs wealth will be compensated.   

And Russia will be disarmed to stop it ever doing this again.  Moreover,  Russia will have to pay reparations to Ukraine.  That'll run probably trillions. The economy will be in dire straits and the entire country will be an economic no go area for possibly 2-3 generations.

Coke cola,
Pepsi is expected to follow
Starbucks

Have now suspended sales and closed shops in Russia.

It's just a matter of time before everything will stop.

SimCityAT wrote:

Coke cola,
Pepsi is expected to follow
Starbucks

Have now suspended sales and closed shops in Russia.

It's just a matter of time before everything will stop.

It's what Putin wants, to resurrect the USSR.   The way he's going, he'll get what he wants - centralised propaganda, parades of missiles in Red Square, people waving from Lenin's tomb and a population subjugated and the country isolated and power in the hands of a few.   

What a throwback/neanderthal.

Interesting Polish posting by their government:

Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in connection with the statement by the US Secretary of State on providing airplanes to Ukraine

The authorities of the Republic of Poland, after consultations between the President and the Government, are ready to deploy – immediately and free of charge – all their MIG-29 jets to the Ramstein Air Base and place them at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America.

At the same time, Poland requests the United States to provide us with used aircraft with corresponding operational capabilities. Poland is ready to immediately establish the conditions of purchase of the planes.

The Polish Government also requests other NATO Allies – owners of MIG-29 jets – to act in the same vein.


Let's see if Biden acts on this one in sufficient time to make a difference.

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimCityAT wrote:

Coke cola,
Pepsi is expected to follow
Starbucks

Have now suspended sales and closed shops in Russia.

It's just a matter of time before everything will stop.

It's what Putin wants, to resurrect the USSR.   The way he's going, he'll get what he wants - centralised propaganda, parades of missiles in Red Square, people waving from Lenin's tomb and a population subjugated and the country isolated and power in the hands of a few.   

What a throwback/neanderthal.

Trouble is a lot have a taste of the west now, a whole generation. Will be interesting to see how this all works out for Putin.

SimCityAT wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimCityAT wrote:

Coke cola,
Pepsi is expected to follow
Starbucks

Have now suspended sales and closed shops in Russia.

It's just a matter of time before everything will stop.

It's what Putin wants, to resurrect the USSR.   The way he's going, he'll get what he wants - centralised propaganda, parades of missiles in Red Square, people waving from Lenin's tomb and a population subjugated and the country isolated and power in the hands of a few.   

What a throwback/neanderthal.

Trouble is a lot have a taste of the west now, a whole generation. Will be interesting to see how this all works out for Putin.

I don't think he's going to be concerned about what he's doing and what's happening outside his bunker.  So long as he's in power, he'll have all the Coke, McDs and Starbucks he wants.

In Russia, historically, the loss of many people never really meant anything.  USSR lost 20 million in WW2.   Germans about 5 million.  It's rationalised as sacrifice for the motherland/fatherland.  In this case, it's fealty to Putin.  It's an arrogance personified.

Being dictator doesn't usually end well though.  While the war continues, he's slowly being eroded. Someone is going to take him out eventually.  He's not going to die quietly in his bed of old age.  Klingons advance their position in their military by assassination.  I wonder where they got the model for that?!

I remember Ceaușescu and his Mrs being put on trial.  In that video, they take a high handed view of the proceedings berating those present as children.   Then they take them outside and shoot them.  They only realise it's the end when they are being taken outside.

SimCityAT wrote:

Coke cola,
Pepsi is expected to follow
Starbucks

Have now suspended sales and closed shops in Russia.

It's just a matter of time before everything will stop.

People can live without these products.
I've never been to a Starbucks and never even used the $5.00 giflt certificate my Vegas dentst handed out...
Coke and Pepsi haven't been on the menu for years now... Never buy the stuff.
When basic food items become hard to find then people are in real trouble.
Hope the Forint doesn't go the way of the Pengo...
I sometimes think this is all to get the west off the SWIFT system and to make all currancy digital?
Time to perhaps cash out on any crypto and buy gold or silver, or beans...
I can't watch more then 30 mins of this news, they say one thing is going on and next coverage they say something totally different.
Smoke and mirrors, there has to be something bigger going on that they are not sharing with us John Q. Public sorts.
Here is a tastey recipe: War Time soup, AKA Flour soup.
a bit of oil, ( whatever you have on hand but bacon fat is the best) heat in pan , add a touch of salt and carraway seeds and a tablespoon of flour. Stir slowly until brown, slowly add water and enjoy...

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

SimCityAT wrote:

Coke cola,
Pepsi is expected to follow
Starbucks

Have now suspended sales and closed shops in Russia.

It's just a matter of time before everything will stop.

People can live without these products.
I've never been to a Starbucks and never even used the $5.00 giflt certificate my Vegas dentst handed out...
Coke and Pepsi haven't been on the menu for years now... Never buy the stuff.
When basic food items become hard to find then people are in real trouble.
Hope the Forint doesn't go the way of the Pengo...
I sometimes think this is all to get the west off the SWIFT system and to make all currancy digital?
Time to perhaps cash out on any crypto and buy gold or silver, or beans...
I can't watch more then 30 mins of this news, they say one thing is going on and next coverage they say something totally different.
Smoke and mirrors, there has to be something bigger going on that they are not sharing with us John Q. Public sorts.
Here is a tastey recipe: War Time soup, AKA Flour soup.
a bit of oil, ( whatever you have on hand but bacon fat is the best) heat in pan , add a touch of salt and carraway seeds and a tablespoon of flour. Stir slowly until brown, slowly add water and enjoy...

I don't think they want to live without these products.  McDs has been in Russia for 30 years. It's hard to say goodbye to things a generation has taken for granted. 

SWIFT is just a messaging system. It just tells a bank to move money from one account to another. It doesn't transfer cash, it's just accounting.   Moreover the actual cash value stored in an account is digital.   There's no physical movement of money these days. The physical notes are essentially meaningless.  The value of the currency is backed up either with gold or just the economy.  Hence the RUB (rouble) crashing.  The Russian economy will plummet.  They will have gold reserves but probably not much as not many countries truly use gold now to back up their currency.

The problem for the Russians is that their foreign reserves held outside of Russia are now frozen and there's no access to an acceptably reliable and secure messaging system telling their correspondent banks to move "money" from one place to another.   They cannot finance their imports.  They can do transfers by paper and fax machine internationally.  This was how it was done before and before that, telex was used.   But that's just very inefficient and of course, for Western countries, it's all sanctioned  to stop anyone doing business with them.   

Rich Russians will adapt of course and may use banks in the surrounding other countries like Tajikistan etc.  They will welcome the billions into their banks. 

Putin will still be able to finance his war but while he's doing that, he'll be pushing the suffering onto the Russian people.  He'll sell it as necessary sacrifice for the "oppressed Russians" of Ukraine. And they will believe him.  Until they don't.

I seem to remember a story about stone soup.  People add a bit here and there to make it taste better. In other words, collective contributions.

Bit of smoke and mirrors going on with "cutting Russia off SWIFT." It's hardly a complete break.

"European Union ambassadors agreed to exclude seven Russian banks from the SWIFT financial-messaging system but spared the nation’s biggest lender Sberbank PJSC and a bank part-owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom PJSC."

That's from Bloomberg.

zif wrote:

Bit of smoke and mirrors going on with "cutting Russia off SWIFT." It's hardly a complete break.

"European Union ambassadors agreed to exclude seven Russian banks from the SWIFT financial-messaging system but spared the nation’s biggest lender Sberbank PJSC and a bank part-owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom PJSC."

That's from Bloomberg.

It's not really smoke and mirrors. It's been well discussed.   

It's all oil related exclusions as they are still buying Russian oil/gas.  DW reporter said this morning the average exposure across the EU to Russian supplies is 27%.  Germany is even higher. It's easier for the UK and US to cut off Russian oil as they have diversity of supply. 

Locally, retail Sberbank appears to be closed here.  It was lights off and closed  last week.  Regulation is different in different EU countries. Depends on if in or out the Eurozone.

Tne thing I found odd in my research over the nuclear power stations in Germany is that out of the 6 there, 3 are still operating and the other 3 are shutdown and couldn't even restart until 2023/2024 due to lack of supply of fuel rods.   They dwindled their stocks down.   Other countries could take up the slack to support Germany, perhaps France as they have a lot of nuclear power.

I did read the UK was considering building a gas pipeline and high voltage cable for solar production from Algeria to the UK.   That's some engineering project.  There's also potential Azerbaijan to Europe via Georgia.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

People can live without these products.
I've never been to a Starbucks and never even used the $5.00 giflt certificate my Vegas dentst handed out...
Coke and Pepsi haven't been on the menu for years now... Never buy the stuff.

Coke Cola is much more than that drink,

it includes.....

Sprite
Schweppes
Dr Pepper
Fanta
Lilt
Appletiser
Oasis

SimCityAT wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

People can live without these products.
I've never been to a Starbucks and never even used the $5.00 giflt certificate my Vegas dentst handed out...
Coke and Pepsi haven't been on the menu for years now... Never buy the stuff.

Coke Cola is much more than that drink,

it includes.....

Sprite
Schweppes
Dr Pepper
Fanta
Lilt
Appletiser
Oasis

You made me have a look (link); surprised to see that Costa are in the Coke brand family, now that would be war if they closed down Costa.

SimCityAT wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

People can live without these products.
I've never been to a Starbucks and never even used the $5.00 giflt certificate my Vegas dentst handed out...
Coke and Pepsi haven't been on the menu for years now... Never buy the stuff.

Coke Cola is much more than that drink,

it includes.....

Sprite
Schweppes
Dr Pepper
Fanta
Lilt
Appletiser
Oasis

That's a lot of sugary calorie infested teeth rotting drinks.

Cynic wrote:

....
You made me have a look (link); surprised to see that Costa are in the Coke brand family, now that would be war if they closed down Costa.

Who would have thought that people would be buying $5 cups of coffee?

Venti (extra large) white chocolate mocha with whipped cream -- 73.8 grams of sugar (about 18 teaspoons) Venti chai tea latte -- 52 grams of sugar (about 13 teaspoons) Venti caramel macchiatto -- 42.1 grams of sugar (about 11 teaspoons)

That's outrageously high.  Even worse than than a regular Coke.

I doubt you could get a Costa skinny latte grande in Kyiv right now.

I'm with Bart Simpson on this one.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Cynic wrote:

....
You made me have a look (link); surprised to see that Costa are in the Coke brand family, now that would be war if they closed down Costa.

Who would have thought that people would be buying $5 cups of coffee?

Venti (extra large) white chocolate mocha with whipped cream -- 73.8 grams of sugar (about 18 teaspoons) Venti chai tea latte -- 52 grams of sugar (about 13 teaspoons) Venti caramel macchiatto -- 42.1 grams of sugar (about 11 teaspoons)

That's outrageously high.  Even worse than than a regular Coke.

I doubt you could get a Costa skinny latte grande in Kyiv right now.

I'm with Bart Simpson on this one.

Costa is our Saturday morning treat, a latte and an M&S filled roll; them selling M&S sandwiches etc is just sooooo nice.

Cynic wrote:

....
Costa is our Saturday morning treat, a latte and an M&S filled roll; them selling M&S sandwiches etc is just sooooo nice.

I can never find a sandwich worth eating in M&S.  They all have sugary sauces in them.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Cynic wrote:

....
Costa is our Saturday morning treat, a latte and an M&S filled roll; them selling M&S sandwiches etc is just sooooo nice.

I can never find a sandwich worth eating in M&S.  They all have sugary sauces in them.

Once a week is allowed; I refuse to eat food that tastes like cardboard, garnished with dirty toe-nail clippings (which pretty much describes most of the healthy crap available). 

Cynic wrote:

...
Once a week is allowed; I refuse to eat food that tastes like cardboard, garnished with dirty toe-nail clippings (which pretty much describes most of the healthy crap available). 

Are you sure that's not organic cardboard and toe nail clippings?

The problem is that people are addicted to heavily sugared and salty food.    Mostly bad for ones health.  It really is an addiction.  Causes cravings.

Supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl are responsible for lack of healthier eating options.  Cheap but uses inferior techniques. Other supermarkets doing the same thing are available.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Cynic wrote:

...
Once a week is allowed; I refuse to eat food that tastes like cardboard, garnished with dirty toe-nail clippings (which pretty much describes most of the healthy crap available). 

Are you sure that's not organic cardboard and toe nail clippings?

The problem is that people are addicted to heavily sugared and salty food.    Mostly bad for ones health.  It really is an addiction.  Causes cravings.

Supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl are responsible for lack of healthier eating options.  Cheap but uses inferior techniques. Other supermarkets doing the same thing are available.

Nah, pretty sure I got it about right.  I agree that people have become addicted to non-healthy foods, but if we're talking about "responsibilities" the creators of the healthy stuff must share some responsibility, if only because the majority of what they produce tastes like sh1t, which goes a long way to explain why nobody is addicted to their products.  Luckily, I like fruit and veg and eat a lot of it, but the producers of the healthy foodstuffs can't claim any credit for that.

Cynic wrote:

....
Nah, pretty sure I got it about right.  I agree that people have become addicted to non-healthy foods, but if we're talking about "responsibilities" the creators of the healthy stuff must share some responsibility, if only because the majority of what they produce tastes like sh1t, which goes a long way to explain why nobody is addicted to their products.  Luckily, I like fruit and veg and eat a lot of it, but the producers of the healthy foodstuffs can't claim any credit for that.

It's a matter of getting used to things.  For health reasons. I avoid salt and definitely have  to avoid sugar in anything.  It works fine. One can use other stuff to spice it up.   It just becomes a way of life.

I was truly shocked when I bought some tomato sauce in Lidl and it tasted sweet. It was horrible and inedible.  It  absolutely ruined what I had made.  I've now found it works better to just make my own sauces.   Shop bought pizza sauce is particularly bad but it's easy to make your own using fresh tomatoes.

Fruit and veg is good but I'm no vegetarian.  Some fruits and veg are natural sugar bombs - bananas for example.  Good news is that fish and chicken don't have sugar in them. Same with eggs.

I received a public message from the HU government:

The effects of the Russo-Ukrainian war and economic sanctions can already be felt throughout Europe. There has been a heated debate in the European Union about future punitive measures against Russia. The sanctions that have already been enforced also have serious economic consequences within the EU, including in Hungary.

Some would include the energy sector in the scope of sanctions. This would cause disproportionate damage to Hungary. 64 percent of Hungarian crude oil imports come from Russia. 85 percent of Hungarian gas consumption is Russian imports. The significance of this is well illustrated by the fact that 85 percent of Hungarian households use gas.

Some would extend sanctions to the Paks nuclear power plant and its expansion. They also need to know that if we had to source the electricity generated by the Paks nuclear power plant elsewhere, the overhead costs for families would increase by HUF 264,000 a year. This is four times the current level. In addition, the lifting of sanctions makes the forint a target for financial speculation.

The Hungarian government will oppose the extension of sanctions to the energy sector in international fora as strongly as possible. This is in the interest of the Hungarian economy and the Hungarian people.

We condemn Russia's military intervention. We support EU and NATO efforts to bring peace. However, we will not allow the price of the war to be paid to Hungarian families.

Of course it was smoke and mirrors: make a big show like you're really doing something then laden the fine print nobody reads with loopholes big enough to jam a gas pipeline through. With room left over for a dozen fat oligarchs. They've no need to head to "surrounding" countries like Tajikistan.

zif wrote:

Of course it was smoke and mirrors: make a big show like you're really doing something then laden the fine print nobody reads with loopholes big enough to jam a gas pipeline through. With room left over for a dozen fat oligarchs. They've no need to head to "surrounding" countries like Tajikistan.

No need unless he wants was to bring back the USSR?

Has anyone seen the video floating around the internet from a news cast from a western news source.
The reporter is in front of the camers with about  59 dead Russian soldiers on the ground behind him.
They are all covered up with a black tarp.
While he is giving his report the wind blows and one of the ,"dead" soldiers lifts his arm up and grabs the trap and recovers himself up!
I wish I could cut and paste but I'm a spaz with the internet.
Several sources have the video, one is the latest yesterday by a U tubbers going by the name of, "Nu Breed until the end of the world".
Can't make this stuff up, it was so funny to see the fake news they are selling us.
I wonder what is really going on over there after viewing that news report.
Some people claim the footage of buildings being bombed are from video games...
I'm sure people are being uprooted and dying so why the fake coverage mixed in with real news?

I have never tried sandwhiches from these coffee shops.
I never have been a big breakfast person.
Even had a hard time eating a Vegas brunch because it was too early in the day for me to eat much.
Since I've ben a bit ill these past 6 months, I've had to give up coffee for the most part( had a weak cup this morning though, cheat day)
Have cut way back on eating suagr, realize how much sugar is in almost every product sold.
Gave up my afternoon wine and replaced it with water with fresh lemon.
When I really need a fix I'll have lemon juice fresh squeezed with tonic water, which has sugar.
Unless you fix your own food you never really know what's inside the meal.
When I think of the average diet from the 1960's onwards it is a wonder any of us are still around. Everything from tv dinners to Tang drink.
All I can say is the human body is one tough machine.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Has anyone seen the video floating around the internet from a news cast from a western news source.
The reporter is in front of the camers with about  59 dead Russian soldiers on the ground behind him.
They are all covered up with a black tarp.
While he is giving his report the wind blows and one of the ,"dead" soldiers lifts his arm up and grabs the trap and recovers himself up!
I wish I could cut and paste but I'm a spaz with the internet.
Several sources have the video, one is the latest yesterday by a U tubbers going by the name of, "Nu Breed until the end of the world".
Can't make this stuff up, it was so funny to see the fake news they are selling us.
I wonder what is really going on over there after viewing that news report.
Some people claim the footage of buildings being bombed are from video games...
I'm sure people are being uprooted and dying so why the fake coverage mixed in with real news?

Those YouTubers are irresponsible.  It's helping Putin to spread nonsense.  They should be ashamed of themselves.

The body bag video is debunked as it relates to an Austrian climate protest held some years ago.  You can see and read about it here. 

The debunking is from Reuters which is a reliable news provider, i.e. not some wannabe faker.   It was also analysed by the BBC some days ago.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Has anyone seen the video floating around the internet from a news cast from a western news source.
The reporter is in front of the camers with about  59 dead Russian soldiers on the ground behind him.
They are all covered up with a black tarp.
While he is giving his report the wind blows and one of the ,"dead" soldiers lifts his arm up and grabs the trap and recovers himself up!
I wish I could cut and paste but I'm a spaz with the internet.
Several sources have the video, one is the latest yesterday by a U tubbers going by the name of, "Nu Breed until the end of the world".
Can't make this stuff up, it was so funny to see the fake news they are selling us.
I wonder what is really going on over there after viewing that news report.
Some people claim the footage of buildings being bombed are from video games...
I'm sure people are being uprooted and dying so why the fake coverage mixed in with real news?

Those YouTubers are irresponsible.  It's helping Putin to spread nonsense.  They should be ashamed of themselves.

The body bag video is debunked as it relates to an Austrian climate protest held some years ago.  You can see and read about it here. 

The debunking is from Reuters which is a reliable news provider, i.e. not some wannabe faker.   It was also analysed by the BBC some days ago.

Thanks for the update on the video.
It is dangerous to post such fake news.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

....

I have never tried sandwhiches from these coffee shops.
I never have been a big breakfast person.
Even had a hard time eating a Vegas brunch because it was too early in the day for me to eat much.
Since I've ben a bit ill these past 6 months, I've had to give up coffee for the most part( had a weak cup this morning though, cheat day)
Have cut way back on eating suagr, realize how much sugar is in almost every product sold.
Gave up my afternoon wine and replaced it with water with fresh lemon.
When I really need a fix I'll have lemon juice fresh squeezed with tonic water, which has sugar.
Unless you fix your own food you never really know what's inside the meal.
When I think of the average diet from the 1960's onwards it is a wonder any of us are still around. Everything from tv dinners to Tang drink.
All I can say is the human body is one tough machine.

That really hits the nail on the head, if you cannot see it being made, you don't know what's in it.

Sugar comes in different forms of course, not all of them bad and not all of it likely to spike your blood glucose levels. 

Most foods already have enough salt and sugar in them naturally.

I would add that iodised salt is desirable in the right quantities so it's not bad to have salt, it's bad to have too much of it.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

...
Thanks for the update on the video.
It is dangerous to post such fake news.

Yes, it's very dangerous as the YouTube morons are just playing into the hands of a homicidal maniac.

I just looked at the video again and it's plainly nothing to do with Ukraine. 

The woman on the reporter's left is holding a sign in German, the protest signs are in German and cops nearby  are obviously wearing Austrian uniforms. It looks like one of the squares in Vienna. Just too neat and tidy.

zif wrote:

Of course it was smoke and mirrors: make a big show like you're really doing something then laden the fine print nobody reads with loopholes big enough to jam a gas pipeline through. With room left over for a dozen fat oligarchs. They've no need to head to "surrounding" countries like Tajikistan.

The surrounding countries will be more of a fit with them.  Russian speakers everywhere and similar and familiar system and with sufficient dues paid to the resident dictator, oops, sorry head of state, they'd be left well alone.

Most of those -stans look to Russia historically as a place to do business and connect with.   So many diaspora and remittances flowing from Russia to those states, it's hard to imagine they could tolerate cutting them off.  Calls yesterday to disable services will fall on deaf ears.

Haven't been to Tajikistan but have been to neighboring Kyrgyzstan. And believe me, no Russian oligarch would want to settle there. "Where do I park my yacht?" No, it's London or somewhere along the Mediterranean.

zif wrote:

Haven't been to Tajikistan but have been to neighboring Kyrgyzstan. And believe me, no Russian oligarch would want to settle there. "Where do I park my yacht?" No, it's London or somewhere along the Mediterranean.

Never been to Kyrgyszstan but been to Tajikistan many times.   I've been to a few others around there including the very strange Turkmenistan.

Tajikistan has improved considerably since the early years.  Lots of money has been pumped into grandiose buildings and top class hotels.   It would easy to live a life of luxury there if your wealth is in the billions.   It's less a backwater provincial town now and more like a capital city.  They need to do more of course to make it have a feel of a capital.

This is reported in the Daily Mail so take it with a pinch of salt.

The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has reportedly submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Also Russians asking for UNSC meeting on the "US bio-labs in Ukraine".   Sounds like a diversionary move and an excuse to attack "defensively" with chemical weapons in Ukraine.   They will attack population centres. It's what they did in Syria etc.

Just heard on Sky News press review that Russia has called an emergency security council meeting tomorrow - fingers crossed

Cynic wrote:

Just heard on Sky News press review that Russia has called an emergency security council meeting tomorrow - fingers crossed

I said that. It's diversionary. Putin is setting it up so he has an excuse to launch chemical weapons himself. 

AIIB in China is now getting nervous about Putin's actions. They've suspended work with Russia and Belarus. It's very significant that China is distancing itself. Putin is very isolated. It's not working out and for him its a fight to the death. Preferably his. And quickly before anyone else dies needlessly.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Cynic wrote:

Just heard on Sky News press review that Russia has called an emergency security council meeting tomorrow - fingers crossed

I said that. It's diversionary. Putin is setting it up so he has an excuse to launch chemical weapons himself. 

AIIB in China is now getting nervous about Putin's actions. They've suspended work with Russia and Belarus. It's very significant that China is distancing itself. Putin is very isolated. It's not working out and for him its a fight to the death. Preferably his. And quickly before anyone else dies needlessly.

If China goes, whats left North Korea?

SimCityAT wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Cynic wrote:

Just heard on Sky News press review that Russia has called an emergency security council meeting tomorrow - fingers crossed

I said that. It's diversionary. Putin is setting it up so he has an excuse to launch chemical weapons himself. 

AIIB in China is now getting nervous about Putin's actions. They've suspended work with Russia and Belarus. It's very significant that China is distancing itself. Putin is very isolated. It's not working out and for him its a fight to the death. Preferably his. And quickly before anyone else dies needlessly.

If China goes, whats left North Korea?

Good point.   They did have support at the UNSC from Syria and Eritrea and for some reason UAE.

Russia is a big country. Putin is right in one sense that the planet is not the planet without Russia but it's also possible that Russia is broken up into a series of smaller states and no longer exists as a federation with an ability to wage global war.   It might cause more small skirmishes as they fight for their territories and boundaries.  But such wars would be inconsequential to the larger powers.  All of the smaller states would need to be effectively disarmed.

Who’d have thought. Today’s MSM, not a mention of Ukraine - Chelsea has grabbed all the headline’s.

Cynic wrote:

Who’d have thought. Today’s MSM, not a mention of Ukraine - Chelsea has grabbed all the headline’s.

I've noticed Ukraine is slipping off the news somewhat.  The Russians have apparently advanced 5km towards Kyiv in the past few days and not far from the city centre.   In good news,  Ukrainians are reported to have retaken Mykolayiv Airport.   I am very concerned about attacks on the cities further West.  This will bring Russians up to the border.

Chelsea is not that big news.   So what, it'll get sold to someone and continue. Who really cares?!

Pritti Patel is doomed - Home Office has always been a poisoned chalice.  Interesting how policy changes by the hour according to snapshots of public opinion.

Further afield, I noticed Japan is now being more assertive over claims to the Kuril islands seized post-1945.

My husband was just skipping through some news.
Looks like there is bombing near the Hungarian boarder in western Ukraine.
Let's pray they don't cross the line and start a huge mess in Hungary too.
I am not ready to praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
just yet.