Rising energy prices

[quasar9]

It may be very bad news for the Ukrainians but it’s still pretty bad for us and rest of Europe.
Russians have obviously calculated that they can rely on the Chinese for high tech items while supplying gas and oil in return. For the Chinese this means their industries can power ahead while European goods and services become increasingly uncompetitive. Worse, the immediate neighbours of these two countries will have to decide whether to join economic forces with these two, go it alone or rely on the west.

welcome to a new Cold War !

the stock markets around the world are already in turmoil and this will work itself into pensions and savings.

Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that peace breaks out soon and things can get back to normal.

 

[Tony Goddard]

It may be very bad news for the Ukrainians but it’s still pretty bad for us and rest of Europe.
Russians have obviously calculated that they can rely on the Chinese for high tech items while supplying gas and oil in return. For the Chinese this means their industries can power ahead while European goods and services become increasingly uncompetitive. Worse, the immediate neighbours of these two countries will have to decide whether to join economic forces with these two, go it alone or rely on the west.

welcome to a new Cold War !

the stock markets around the world are already in turmoil and this will work itself into pensions and savings.

Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that peace breaks out soon and things can get back to normal.

Sadly global pandemics on a big scale historically cause big and long lasting ripples - the black death up ended everything thereafter, eventually for the better and the spanish flu can be linked to the great depression and via that ww2 - when normal is upset it can be quite a painful experience getting back to a steady footing. I hope it de-escalates, but I'm not holding my breath - Putin has huge resources, both militarily and natural, and is firmly in bed with Xi who has more people on his side than anyone else in the world.
Sleepy Joe and Bozo are egging it up, but havn't got the resolve or manpower to take on Russia, so it's all up to Putin. Both Hitler & Napoleon, with all their well organised resources had a pop at Russia, and both failed.

 

[MRY]

It may be very bad news for the Ukrainians but it’s still pretty bad for us and rest of Europe.

I'm not quite sure what the RF wants. I suspect it's to do with the continuing encroachment of NATO on its borders which is the problem, combined with the very much pro-RF feelings in the DPR and LPR.

Whatever, our and other "Westerbn" governments are adding fuel to the fire, and constitute I think a major danger to escalation.

Fuel's going to go up.

 

[Muzungu]

Whatever, our and other "Westerbn" governments are adding fuel to the fire, and constitute I think a major danger to escalation.

Really? Western governments adding fuel to fire when Russia, an authoritarian anti-democratic state has invaded a neighbor in violation of every international civilised standard and under spurious pretenses.

What are the democratic western nations supposed to do, just sit back and let them get on with it.

 

[Tony Goddard]

Really? Western governments adding fuel to fire when Russia, an authoritarian anti-democratic state has invaded a neighbor in violation of every international civilised standard and under spurious pretenses.

What are the democratic western nations supposed to do, just sit back and let them get on with it.

Thats what Switzerland did in WW2, didn't do them any harm!

 

[Muzungu]

Thats what Switzerland did in WW2, didn't do them any harm!

Taken in isolation yes.

But then let's consider what happened in the 30's with Chamberlain's policy of appeasement in allowing Germany to expand its territory, an analogy which is not totally out of place given the current situation in Ukraine.

The Russian Federation along with China are the greatest threat to democratic freedoms and civilised values in the world today. We have heard criticisms of the restrictions to personal freedoms that were put in place during the Covid pandemic in the western countries, these pale into insignificance as compared to the "normal" situation in these countries.

To imagine we can just sit back and sit on our hands without consequences in the future is a huge mistake. Fortunately, using your example, the allies in WW2 did not follow Switzerland's stance. I wonder what would Switzerland's situation have been if we accepted German expansion in the European mainland without taking action.

I do not of course espouse military action which would be disastrous, but the limited financial sanctions are all we can do to show our disgust at these regimes whose values are so opposite to ours and where the freedoms that we take for granted just don't exist.

 

[quasar9]

Thats what Switzerland did in WW2, didn't do them any harm!

Indeed ! Money but also gold flooded in boosting the Swiss banking industry immeasurably. Further “ Ask no questions policy” further enhanced their reputation.

 

[MRY]

Really? Western governments adding fuel to fire when Russia, an authoritarian anti-democratic state has invaded a neighbor in violation of every international civilised standard and under spurious pretenses.

What are the democratic western nations supposed to do, just sit back and let them get on with it.

Yup.

 

[rogerk101]

We have heard criticisms of the restrictions to personal freedoms that were put in place during the Covid pandemic in the western countries, these pale into insignificance as compared to the "normal" situation in these countries.

You have to dig pretty deep and far off the mainstream media to find any "criticisms of the restrictions to personal freedoms that were put into place during the Covid pandemic in the western countries".
Every single epidemiologist, medic, pharmaceutical researcher, data scientist ... or anyone else ... who said anything that went contrary to 'the narrative' was discounted as a quack, a conspiracy theorist, a racist, a mysogenist ... you name the pejorative catchword of the moment ... they were called it. In fact I don't even know why I said all that in the past tense, because they're STILL being called all those things.
We're extremely fortunate to be living in the UK, and not in Canada, Italy, France, Greece, or any of the other tyrannical countries in the so-called western democracies, because they're still suffering under their regimes.

What has all this to do with the Ukraine situation? The likes of Putin have watched the west becoming ever more divided over ever more trivial issues (like what personal pronoun to use for which person depending on the day of the week). They know that we're completely weakened in terms of resolve. We've become like a bunch of spoiled brats, inventing things to get upset about. Putin knows he can do pretty much whatever he wants with impunity ... because we're so busy despising our fellow citizens and drinking the mainstream media kool-aid, that we wouldn't be able to organize a pi88-up in a brewery ... never mind pull together a cohesive and meaningful response to his antics.

Wake up folks ... we're a joke in the big picture.

 

[quasar9]

Roger makes an important point here.

The steep rise in the number of single issue pressure groups, whose strident voices deafen our politicians from hearing the common persons concerns or issues, whose actions make headline news every day, has in someways weakened our democracy. This makes decisions tricky for our politicians fearing that they do not have support of the people and their tenure as an MP might come to an end at the next elections. The silent majority is ignored.

perhaps all major decisions should be made by direct representation much like that in Switzerland although even this may be subject to propaganda and lies by the same pressure groups that are currently active.

 

[Muzungu]

You have to dig pretty deep and far off the mainstream media to find any "criticisms of the restrictions to personal freedoms that were put into place during the Covid pandemic in the western countries".

I didn't have to dig very far if at all. For example the newspaper that I tend to read, which would certainly be regarded as mainstream, was regularly, all the way through the Covid pandemic, printing opinion pieces against the lockdown restrictions and and still is.

The point I was trying to make was that despite the shortcomings of western democracies we have standards of freedom undreamed of under authoritarian regimes such as China and Russia. We are entirely free to to criticise our government and, if we feel strongly enough, to setup whatever political or media group we wish. To continually characterise our system as corrupt and non democratic without giving any constructive idea as to what system we should replace it with or what country has a system we should emulate is playing into the hands of those regimes who are truly corrupt and anti democratic.

 

[Muzungu]

Indeed ! Money but also gold flooded in boosting the Swiss banking industry immeasurably. Further “ Ask no questions policy” further enhanced their reputation.

It would seem that the disgust at Putin's action has stirred even the Swiss to abandon their neutrality, in terms of banking and finance, and join with the the EU and and the increasing number of countries cutting Russia adrift, apart of course from those bastions of freedom and democracy; China and North Korea.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/neutral-swiss-adopt-sanctions-against-russia-2022-02-28/

 

[quasar9]

The Chinese are benefitting hugely from all this. For years they have been trying to offer an alternative to SWIFT and they may have one major country to start using it. Furthermore, I believe transactions are in Rinmibi which elevates their currency too.

 

[Muzungu]

Interesting to watch the radar tracks just across the border from west Ukraine. Two, sometimes more, Nato inflight Stratotankers permanently on station which implies Nato combat aircraft patrolling the borders coming in for refuelling. Also Blackhawk helicopters can be seen right next to the border, one on there now. Hercules can also be seen around Krakow no doubt flying in the military supplies from the EU countries.

https://www.flightradar24.com/LAGR131/2af8b5d7

 

[quasar9]

In the meantime our esteemed politicians are asking us to brace ourselves for the cost of war, in form of high inflation and some shortages !

elsewhere, the compare the meerkat ad has been pulled due to them sounding Russian ! Surely, these people realise that most people in UK realise that these are mere CGI creation and not actually Russian !

 

[Muzungu]

In the meantime our esteemed politicians are asking us to brace ourselves for the cost of war, in form of high inflation and some shortages !

elsewhere, the compare the meerkat ad has been pulled due to them sounding Russian ! Surely, these people realise that most people in UK realise that these are mere CGI creation and not actually Russian !

Hadn't heard of that one till you mentioned it, on first reading it does seem a bit ridiculous. Sort of understandable, at a stretch, for their bottom line as the Meerkat is apparently based on a fictional Russian oligarch and his sidekick.

Chicken Kievs are next, Russian spelling, Chicken Kyivs in future.

I support entirely the actions that are being taken against Russia but can still see how things can get a bit ridiculous. I seem to remember Dachshunds came under threat during the first world war.

 

[quasar9]

Strangely there is a prog on SKY tonight. Original footage of Chernobyl, supposedly lost but now recovered and digitally restored. I thought they might have pulled it.

on that theme, is drinking of Vodka a bad form ? Will they disappear from the supermarket shelves ? Despite 90% of it made in the UK, with duties and VAT going to the govt. not my tipple in any case !

 

[stevie22]

In the meantime our esteemed politicians are asking us to brace ourselves for the cost of war, in form of high inflation and some shortages !

elsewhere, the compare the meerkat ad has been pulled due to them sounding Russian ! Surely, these people realise that most people in UK realise that these are mere CGI creation and not actually Russian !

They're some of the best ads on TV!!

 

[Muzungu]

They're some of the best ads on TV!!

It's a low bar.

 

[Shraig]

I have a question. So I've not been charged for electricity for the past year despite telling the company several times. Now been hit with a BIG bill that's apparently going to be debited next month. Do I have any legal or otherwise standing here? Of course I'm going to pay as I owe it, but where do I stand legally in terms of if I must pay this/ payment plan etc