My view of the war

[Shadow]

I suspect "Doll" behaves deliberately obtuse.  Take a closer look at her posts.  She asks the same questions over and over.  A few days later, she will act as if a subject has not even been covered.  Overall, you're wasting your time responding to her, FT or GQblues.  They all follow similar tactics. 

In the case of Doll and fathertime -- just plain dumb.  Fathertime in particular can never keep up with any thing substantive.  GQblues sets the bar impossibly high.

Nothing anyone here says will change the reality on the ground.  There is a separate reality over there, away from anyone here trying to "care".

Worldwide opinion is already made up; and that's good enough for me.  Conspiracy theories aside, most of the World has a free press who can write what they want to write.  Compare that to the other side.

Indeed, the US  needs to make more free press.

[Boethius]

First, Doll definitely is not dumb.


Second, the U.S. does have a free press.  Unlike in Russia, the government does not have any role in what should be printed for the masses.  However, corporations that own media can, and have, exerted influence in some cases.

[Doll]

Did you read the article?

Yes

[Doll]

First, Doll definitely is not dumb.


Second, the U.S. does have a free press.  Unlike in Russia, the government does not have any role in what should be printed for the masses.  However, corporations that own media can, and have, exerted influence in some cases.

Boe, I don't think you are familiar with Russian press.

[Doll]

I suspect "Doll" behaves deliberately obtuse.  Take a closer look at her posts.  She asks the same questions over and over.     

What exactly question do I ask "over and over"?
Show my posts with this very question.
As for gas, then WHY IS IT BAD FOR RUSSIA?

[Shadow]

First, Doll definitely is not dumb.


Second, the U.S. does have a free press.  Unlike in Russia, the government does not have any role in what should be printed for the masses.  However, corporations that own media can, and have, exerted influence in some cases.

So there is nothing like a system that rates publications on suitability for ages?

[calmissile]

Second, the U.S. does have a free press.  Unlike in Russia, the government does not have any role in what should be printed for the masses.  However, corporations that own media can, and have, exerted influence in some cases.

Your statement is accurate and to the point.  I don't know how anyone can argue with it.

The only exception I can think of about US government controlling the press, was the FCC shutting down a preachers TV station.  Dr. Gene Scott if I remember correctly.  He refused to tell the government how he spent the income he got from donations from his congregation.  They made it into a tax issue.

[calmissile]

So there is nothing like a system that rates publications on suitability for ages?

I suspect she if referring to political expression in the press.  Of course there are laws about child pornography, etc

[Boethius]

Boe, I don't think you are familiar with Russian press.

Yes I am.  I read articles daily.  My better half gave up reading both the Russian and the Ukrainian press, due to, in his observation (in order):


1.  propaganda
2.  the bad quality of the language (grammar, vulgarity); and
3.  idiocy.

[Boethius]

So there is nothing like a system that rates publications on suitability for ages?

Children's books are rated for reading levels, as are teen books.  But anything directed at an adult market is not, AFAIK.


I started reading the newspaper at about age 8. 

[Boethius]

I suspect she if referring to political expression in the press.  Of course there are laws about child pornography, etc

Correct.  Where I live, pornography cannot be purchased by minors.  It is not hidden, and is sold widely, though usually is behind the clerk's counter.  This, though, is relatively new.  Even in the 1990's, porn was just on the magazine shelf, for anyone to purchase, or view.

[Doll]

Your statement is accurate and to the point.  I don't know how anyone can argue with it.

 

Sorry, sir, I will argue. Just because I am a RF citizen, I read in Russian AND English, I go to Russia every year.
Not you or Boe, but I can tell people here how things are with press in Russia. Press and TV.

[Doll]

Yes I am.  I read articles daily.  My better half gave up reading both the Russian and the Ukrainian press, due to, in his observation (in order):


1.  propaganda
2.  the bad quality of the language (grammar, vulgarity); and
3.  idiocy.

It is you opinion and nothing else.
Не читайте на ночь советских газет (с)

[Doll]

Correct.  Where I live, pornography cannot be purchased by minors.  It is not hidden, and is sold widely, though usually is behind the clerk's counter.  This, though, is relatively new.  Even in the 1990's, porn was just on the magazine shelf, for anyone to purchase, or view.

Where do you live?

[Boethius]

I live in Alberta.

It is you opinion and nothing else.

No, it is not my opinion.  There is plenty of evidence, including whole networks and newspapers owned by the Russian government, that prove otherwise.


Please point me to US government owned newspapers.

[lordtiberius]

Doll definitely is not dumb.

Definitely?  Why because she is brilliant?

[lordtiberius]

Sorry, sir, I will argue. Just because I am a RF citizen, I read in Russian AND English, I go to Russia every year.
Not you or Boe, but I can tell people here how things are with press in Russia. Press and TV.

Yes alternate opinions are not allowed comrade!

[Anotherkiwi]

Good news for Ukraine.  Bad for Putin
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL6N0RY2UC20141003?irpc=932

Why is it bad for Russia?

Did you read the article?

Yes

I'm going to shock a lot of people here because I actually agree with Doll.  The Statoil deal with Ukraine is excellent news for Ukraine, but I also don't see how it is bad news for Putin and/or Russia.  Remember that Russia has already cut off gas supplies to Ukraine, therefore it cannot possibly be affected by this decision.  Of course, they may have been hoping that Ukraine would come back and beg them to resume gas supplies, and possibly have factored that into their economic thinking, but it hasn't happened.

Putin is fairly pragmatic, and must have foreseen that Ukraine would get gas supplies from elsewhere.  If that's the case, then this is another one of Fathertime's "win-win" situations - neither country has to deal with the other concerning gas supplies.  There may, of course, still be some shortfall in the amount of gas required by Ukraine, but at least they're getting supplies in early enough to allow negotiations for additional supplies when they're really needed.  Hopefully other countries which are net exporters of gas can now come to this party as well.  I mean, that would be humanitarian aid, wouldn't it?  I'm sure I read somewhere that countries like the USA are really big into humanitarian aid - look at what they're doing in Iraq, for example.

[BillyB]

  The Statoil deal with Ukraine is excellent news for Ukraine, but I also don't see how it is bad news for Putin and/or Russia.  Remember that Russia has already cut off gas supplies to Ukraine, therefore it cannot possibly be affected by this decision.

What's the biggest difference between today and a day in the middle of January assuming Ukraine can't get gas anywhere else? A lot of people are going to die in Ukraine from freezing and illness. I don't know how cold it gets down under but try sleeping in your freezer one night for one hell of an unpleasant experience. Also under freezing conditions pipes will freeze and burst. Water will be difficult to obtain.


If President Poreshenko doesn't secure enough gas to last the winter, he will be looking bad and Russia will be looking better to more of the citizens of Ukraine. If Russia isn't successful in freezing Ukrainians, he will most likely apply more violence next Spring.

[calmissile]

What's the biggest difference between today and a day in the middle of January assuming Ukraine can't get gas anywhere else? A lot of people are going to die in Ukraine from freezing and illness. I don't know how cold it gets down under but try sleeping in your freezer one night for one hell of an unpleasant experience. Also under freezing conditions pipes will freeze and burst. Water will be difficult to obtain.


If President Poreshenko doesn't secure enough gas to last the winter, he will be looking bad and Russia will be looking better to more of the citizens of Ukraine. If Russia isn't successful in freezing Ukrainians, he will most likely apply more violence next Spring.

I don't see it quite that bleak.  Ukrainians are very rugged, especially those in the villages.  City dwellers are already buying electric water heaters and space heaters.  As long as they have electricity, they will survive.  Villagers are so used to intermittent electricity, they often have backup sources such as wood stoves for heat and cooking.   Keeping electricity to the cities will be the challenge.

While Ukraine might not have full gas supplies, storage and conservation should get them through winter.

[Doll]

What's the biggest difference between today and a day in the middle of January assuming Ukraine can't get gas anywhere else? A lot of people are going to die in Ukraine from freezing and illness. I don't know how cold it gets down under but try sleeping in your freezer one night for one hell of an unpleasant experience. Also under freezing conditions pipes will freeze and burst. Water will be difficult to obtain.


If President Poreshenko doesn't secure enough gas to last the winter, he will be looking bad and Russia will be looking better to more of the citizens of Ukraine. If Russia isn't successful in freezing Ukrainians, he will most likely apply more violence next Spring.

Now listen to me- NO Russians are interested in Ukrainians freezeing.
You don't know my nation.

[lordtiberius]

Its bad for Russia for a number of reasons.  The most important being Ukraine doesn't need Russia anymore.  Russia's isolation deepens.  Price of gas gets lower.  Sanctions make the Moscow scum the Siloveeki poorer. . .

[Doll]

What is "Siloveeki "?

[calmissile]

What is "Siloveeki "?

Siloviki are members of security services police and armed forces. Also, “siloviki” is an unofficial term for a group of high-ranked politicians in the top state institutions of the Russian Federation who used to be the members of military or of the security services and worked closely with Vladimir Putin in the early years of his career.

The term comes from the Russian word “sila” (force), and literally means “people with force”. In the early 1990’s, right after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many new politicians had heated discussions about the necessity to control the “force structures” (“silovye struktury”): The Defense Ministry, Police,  and the KGB (later renamed the FSB – Federal Security Service).

[fathertime]

I suspect "Doll" behaves deliberately obtuse.  Take a closer look at her posts.  She asks the same questions over and over.  A few days later, she will act as if a subject has not even been covered.  Overall, you're wasting your time responding to her, FT or GQblues.  They all follow similar tactics. 

In the case of Doll and fathertime -- just plain dumb.  Fathertime in particular can never keep up with any thing substantive.  GQblues sets the bar impossibly high.

Nothing anyone here says will change the reality on the ground.  There is a separate reality over there, away from anyone here trying to "care".

Worldwide opinion is already made up; and that's good enough for me.  Conspiracy theories aside, most of the World has a free press who can write what they want to write.  Compare that to the other side.

 


Fathertime!