Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Gaidax]

It would be wise for governments to help bail out low income people hurt by rising energy costs . . . but we all know conservatives will throw a hissy fit about "soshulism" or something.

In my local microcosm which is not even EU, the rising gas prices, even before this whole nonsense - lead to chain reaction of price rise for just about everything.

The way it's dealt with so far is a mix of popular boycott calls to various corps that are too used too wild profits on basic commodities plus removal of some local manufacturer protections with reduction of various import taxes and bureaucracy to boost competition.

The tricky part is that during two years of COVID there was quite a bit of borrowing going on as well as political instability and budget overruns, so government is not in a position, as we say it, "throw money around from helicopters".

Right now we have "great news" of "only" 2.2% budget deficit, which is sure better than what was it 4-5% last year. But the government is not about to roll back on that by subsidizing the gas prices.

So I wonder what will be next when it comes to local living costs. MMOC chest thumping moment - I can take it, but people who earn minimum wage, won't be thrilled.

[TACOshake]

Far Right shit head Matteo Salvini getting served at the Ukrainian-Polish border:
Mayor of Przemys refused to go with him and showed the shirt worn by the leader of the League in the European Parliament a few years ago: "No respect for you"



Its like showing showing the bad faith posters here their old post and polls when they did support Trump or Putin.

[PACOX]

It's not an effective buffer zone when Russia already has direct borders to the Baltics, Finland, Norway, and Poland (especially if Belarus is a vassal country).
The east European plain goes across Poland into Germany - and that would be the logical attack route for attacking mainland Europe from Russia (and also the route that Russia historically fears attack from); and that way is pretty similar with and without Ukraine.

Clearly most countries prefer that Russia attack some other country than themselves (and especially if it is costly for Russia), but it in no way makes Ukraine some form of a buffer zone.

The Baltics aren't nearly as geographically significant just because of their proximity to Russia on a map. Russia also has the region heavily defended. No one would attempt to Invade through the Baltics because the area is already heavily entrenched by a Russian fleet and Russia maintains a strategic position between the Baltic and the rest of Europe. It's a path of heavy resistance.

Ukraine on the other hand has two thinks going for you whether your trying to Invade or defend Russia - the Black Sea and a more forgiving route to Moscow. If you're invading Russia, Ukraine and the Black Sea are one of your best options into Russia. Much easier to get into Moscow from the south than contending with various natural chock points and natural inconveniences going through the north.

[jonnysensible]

so the US reckons 5% of Russia's invading weapons and vehicles have been destroyed or "rendered inoperable" and 2000-4000 troops have been killed.

Considering the demographics in Russia its likely that a lot of those are from single child families. Gonna hurt back home.

[Shrouded]

Poland has agreed to immediately supply all its MIG-29s to Ukraine (via the US) and encourages all other NATO members to do the same. That's pretty big, assuming they have somewhere to operate from.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/li...08d64fa95e8bdf

[Azadina]

No he has a two story, 2 bedroom house. I just did the fucking math for him. His current supplier is cheaper then the alternatives.

215 kWh x € 0,78995
110 m3 x € 2,77452
€ 6,- service costs
That's € 481,-

The guy has two kids. Doesn't smoke, doesn't own a car. All I can offer is doing his groceries for the next couple of months so he can live. A direct payment to him would mean they will stop his welfare.

Time to pack bags and move to a cheaper place. No one needs 110 square meter house if the only salary to pay for it all is tiny welfare check. Add in two kids, and the equation just blows my mind.

Back when I was younger, 70 square meter apartment had to do for me, my two sisters and mom raising us. That was with her working too. Never would have crossed our minds to move into a house while switching salary to welfare benefits.

[Ripster42]

so the US reckons 5% of Russia's invading weapons and vehicles have been destroyed or "rendered inoperable" and 2000-4000 troops have been killed.

Considering the demographics in Russia its likely that a lot of those are from single child families. Gonna hurt back home.

The pyramid is one of the first things I started thinking about when I saw them actually invade. Massively unbalanced gender ratios in the generation that birthed the one fighting now from cleaning up radiation, combined with a fairly extreme reduction in total births in the cohorts that are coming of age now and for the next ten years.

[Mihalik]

Far Right shit head Matteo Salvini getting served at the Ukrainian-Polish border.

I legit wonder...why is this fucknuckle supporting Putin beyond "I like my authoritarian daddy"? Also, what the fuck is Salvini doing there?

[Ripster42]

Poland has agreed to immediately supply all its MIG-29s to Ukraine (via the US) and encourages all other NATO members to do the same. That's pretty big, assuming they have somewhere to operate from.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/li...08d64fa95e8bdf

@Vegas82 So basically exactly what I said. This is why sticking with a carefully worded, outdated twitter post, over newer statements from involved parties is bad practice.

- - - Updated - - -

I legit wonder...why is this fucknuckle supporting Putin beyond "I like my authoritarian daddy"? Also, what the fuck is Salvini doing there?

Weren't these the guys from italy who were busted taking a bunch of russian money? Wait, wait, they totally didn't take the money, and I'm sure putin is above blackmail.

[TACOshake]

Tanned, rested, and ready!

[Mihalik]

McD finally joining the boycott.

https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdo...onflict-2022-3

Russia going back to the USSR times.

[MCMLXXXII]

Time to pack bags and move to a cheaper place. No one needs 110 square meter house if the only salary to pay for it all is tiny welfare check. Add in two kids, and the equation just blows my mind.

Back when I was younger, 70 square meter apartment had to do for me, my two sisters and mom raising us. That was with her working too. Never would have crossed our minds to move into a house while switching salary to welfare benefits.

110 square meters? Make that 69. And moving? There is an actual housing crisis. You can leave but then you are on a waiting list of 7 years. Good luck with that.

[Grimbold21]

What's this business about the Ruskies bringing discord down?

[Mihalik]

What's this business about the Ruskies bringing discord down?

In Spain here and it's working just fine.

[Grimbold21]

In Spain here and it's working just fine.

In DK and it's closing in on a hour that discord doesn't load. Apparently Spotify has been down too...?

[Iphie]

Same in Finland so maybe just us Nordic countries.

[Flarelaine]

Zanon. The slightly more mentally defective brother of Qanon.

... is that even possible?

[Barzotti]

Same in Finland so maybe just us Nordic countries.

I had the same issues in France for like an hour, it seems fixed now.

[Azadina]

110 square meters? Make that 69. And moving? There is an actual housing crisis. You can leave but then you are on a waiting list of 7 years. Good luck with that.

7 years waitlist? I must have missed a note or two. So what happens when people turn 18, and their parents say "you're now grown up and it's time for you to move on your own"? They spend years 18-25 on the streets?

[Barzotti]

7 years waitlist? I must have missed a note or two. So what happens when people turn 18, and their parents say "you're now grown up and it's time for you to move on your own"? They spend years 18-25 on the streets?

If the guy has two kids and is on welfare, I guess he has some subsidized housing and the waiting list is quite long to move out.