Ukraine

[Act2]

Watching the news. Hoping for the best for those in harm’s way.

 

[Gumby]

Let us be mindful of the Community Rules and post accordingly.

 

[frayne]

Prayers for all involved and hope this mess comes to a quick resolution. Sometimes the question comes to my mind about just how much us humans have really evolved. Not as much as we would like to think.

 

[Pellice]

Prayers for all involved and hope this mess comes to a quick resolution. Sometimes the question comes to my mind about just how much us humans have really evolved. Not as much as we would like to think.

But more than Putin thinks. 80 - 50 - 30 years of history and a second "industrial" revolution will not be erased.

 

[Car-Guy]

Sad state of affairs but is anyone really surprised at this point... (rhetorical)

My concern is, are any NATO countries next? Probably not now but what about in 2, 5 or 10 years?

 

[Winemaker]

I pray that China doesn't move on Taiwan, while we are reeling from this. What devastation!

 

[NW-Bound]

I happened to watch an American YouTuber who lived in Ukraine and bought a condo in Kiev. As of a few days ago, he brushed off the threat of a Russian invasion.

There are always naive people who do not think terrible things can happen. Of course, it would not matter anyway. The outcome would still be the same.

The stock market is the least of my concerns now. This puts Western Europe and the US into a bind. What can be done?

 

[corn18]

Belarus is next. Best thing the US can do is get back to energy independence and export to Europe so they don't have to buy Russian oil and gas. Russia's GDP would rank 4th compared to US states behind California, Texas and New York.

 

[Sunset]

I happened to watch an American YouTuber who lived in Ukraine and bought a condo in Kiev. As of a few days ago, he brushed off the threat of a Russian invasion.

There are always naive people who do not think terrible things can happen. Of course, it would not matter anyway. The outcome would still be the same.

....

Last week I saw some Ukraine folks interviewed, and they were largely ignoring the threat of invasion and carrying on with their lives.

I told DW, if we were there, it would be time to take a vacation out of the country.

I'm sure personal reasons differ, but it reminded me of stories of Jews in Germany, how some left early, some left as things happened, and some didn't leave.

I think from afar it's easy to make an armchair decision, but when there the view is different and any decision has costs.

 

[statsman]

Best thing the US can do is get back to energy independence ...

Not happening. If anything, we've gone in the reverse direction, which makes situations like Ukraine more of a problem for the US.

 

[corn18]

Not happening. If anything, we've gone in the reverse direction, which makes situations like Ukraine more of a problem for the US.

The sad part is we could do it and we won't.

 

[NW-Bound]

Belarus is next. Best thing the US can do is get back to energy independence and export to Europe so they don't have to buy Russian oil and gas. Russia's GDP would rank 4th compared to US states behind California, Texas and New York.

Belarus and Russia have been allies. There are reports of Russian troops entering Ukraine from Belarus.

 

[ivinsfan]

This news is really driving the grain markets today. Signals more possible inflation.

 

[jollystomper]

We know about 6 families who adopted children from the Ukraine, and those children (now older teenagers and young adults) still have relatives there, so it hits close to home.

I can remember when Russia invaded Georgia, as one of our sons was serving in the Peace Corps there at the time. The fighting got to within about 12 km of where he was stationed before they were able to evacuate him. That was quite a concerning time for us, as this is now.

 

[Sunset]

I wonder if Germany is thinking it was a bad idea to follow the popular movement of getting rid of their reactors. They still have some, wonder if they will put a hold on the decommissioning of those ones.

Here, our neighbor to the North has as much oil as Saudi Arabia. In the tar sands at $100 a barrel it's worth digging up. Yes it's messy, and harder to process, but much better than shivering. And it's pretty secure and close.

 

[NW-Bound]

I wonder if Germany is thinking it was a bad idea to follow the popular movement of getting rid of their reactors. They still have some, wonder if they will put a hold on the decommissioning of those ones.

Here, our neighbor to the North has as much oil as Saudi Arabia. In the tar sands at $100 a barrel it's worth digging up. Yes it's messy, and harder to process, but much better than shivering. And it's pretty secure and close.

Taking tar out of the sand makes the latter cleaner.

 

[corn18]

I wonder if Germany is thinking it was a bad idea to follow the popular movement of getting rid of their reactors. They still have some, wonder if they will put a hold on the decommissioning of those ones.

Here, our neighbor to the North has as much oil as Saudi Arabia. In the tar sands at $100 a barrel it's worth digging up. Yes it's messy, and harder to process, but much better than shivering. And it's pretty secure and close.

You might kill a turtle or an owl when you dig it up.

 

[NW-Bound]

Canada was already doing it, meaning taking the tar from the sand. The problem is how to export it.

They need a pipeline going south to the US refineries, or one going west towards the Pacific Ocean to export. Both projects ran into opposition.

 

[corn18]

Canada was already doing it, meaning taking the tar from the sand. The problem is how to export it.

They need a pipeline going south to the US refineries, or one going west towards the Pacific Ocean to export. Both projects ran into opposition.

We could call it the Keystone pipeline.

 

[tmm99]

I have a friend who's from Belarus (living in Canada) and his wife is from Ukraine. When I talked to him a few weeks ago, he said he wasn't worried about his wife's family in Ukraine as he was pretty sure Russia wouldn't invade... Evidently, his wife's family lives far from the border and they were not worried.

I wonder what he'd say now...

 

[MichaelB]

<mod note> This is an unfortunate event, not the time or place for snarky or sarcastic comments

 

[Teacher Terry]

I am so glad that Poland is our ally and in nato as my DIL’s family lives there. I am so sorry about Ukraine.

 

[NW-Bound]

I have a friend who's from Belarus, and his wife is from Ukraine. When I talked to him a few weeks ago, he said he wasn't worried about his wife's family in Ukraine as he was pretty sure Russia wouldn't invade... Evidently, his wife's family lives far from the border and they were not worried.

I wonder what he'd say now...

When people are faced with impending danger which they cannot do anything about, a common reaction is to dismiss or play it down.

It's sad, and I am glad I am not in their situation.

 

[Chuckanut]

Russia's GDP in 2021 was ranked 11th, right above Brazil and Australia. And behind Canada, Italy and Korea. The top two countries are the USA and China. Nobody else come close to them.

I would think that ongoing large scale hostilities would be a big strain on the Russian economy. But, what do I know.

https://statisticstimes.com/economy/projected-world-gdp-ranking.php

 

[pacergal]

Praying for those in Ukraine.
Also worried about China/Taiwan.