Www3. Are we all going to be here for Christmas then or has Putin got other ideas?

It’s all bluster he won’t do **** all .

 

Impossible to deal with somebody with his mentality, he expects to get help with weapons and men from wherever he can but if Ukraine does the same somehow he’s being picked on!

 

Another fan of Hisense here! Bought a new one on recommend from here about 3 years ago…. absolute great quality and matched to a great price. If you are looking for a TV they always have some good deals throughout the year

 

whatever you think gives you the best view of the apocalypse mate !

 

Things aren't looking great on any front. There is nationalism rising all around Europe. Anti migrant stuff, that has come about due to global warming & stupid wars in Iraq, Syria & elsewhere. Putin, Trump, China, Israel, Iran, etc. It's hard to see any quick fixes TBH. A lot of it is sabre rattling for now, at least. I think there has to be a negotiated settlement on Ukraine, but not totally sure what may be acceptable to all parties.

I read all the stuff & worry, like the next person, but there is **** all anyone can do about it.

I'll be focusing on the Wigan match tomorrow, my DJ business, looking after my Dad in his care home & my girlfriend, who is in a wheelchair & is getting little help from the system here.

If you let things drag you down, it is not productive, so I won't.

 

Priorities. Best wishes.

 

lol, I used to have a front row view in my old job! Might have to watch this one on the telly while tying replies in the wrong thread!

 

WWW3 - in't that summat to do wi wrestling?

 

For anyone who ever doubts themselves look back at this post, what an incredible outlook you have with so much going on, I doff my cap to you JP

 

So... he will do something then?

 

Syrian Rebels have entered Aleppo fighting against the Russian backed Asad regime, starting to feel like there's lots of fractions and wars spreading that with one crazy decsion could join up into a bigger conflict.
It's like the Balkan Wars of 1912/13 that were the precursor to events in Sarajevo 1914.

The world needs to take a deep breath and count to 10

 

I can someone let me know for definite in the next hour because I've been given the yearly task of getting the xmas trimmings out of the loft and putting up of said trimmings. If the Kremlin mad man is pressing the button I'm telling her I'm not doing it.

 

That mullarkey in Syria has been going on for yonks!

 

As a former economics student I follow the economic war against Russia. The last piece in the financial jigsaw came in last week as gazprombank was finally sanctioned. The rouble dropped 10 percent overnight. Interest rates are at a notional 21 percent but reports of borrowing at up to 40 percent are being reported. Inflation is at 9 percent but again realtime rates are higher. Eg. Potatoes have doubled in price over six months. There is a labour shortage and wage inflation. There are all the signs of collapse in the offing. The west has it's foot on Russia's throat. Secondary sanctions against china are the last bit. Historically, economic failure predicates internal regime change. Just saying......

 

I'm in St Petersburg right now as it happens. The price of butter has gone through the roof. Decent veg also appears to be very expensive, though that could be seasonal. Some stuff is the same price in rubles as a year ago, but the quality has clearly dropped. Tried eating some salami yesterday which was a mistake. Wouldn't go near any locally produced cheese. Decent supermarket beer tastes like it hardly contains any hops any more. Proper micro brew stuff has increased in price by about 50%.

A lot of middle class professionals' salaries have increased at double the rate of inflation over the last couple of years, so for now they'll just fork out for the top end local stuff or grey imports, but the wage increases can't go on forever. However, for poorer people, Putin's core electorate, are probably now eating carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and very cheap cuts of meat. Along with sausages and "cheese" bulked out with all manner of adulterants.

The weak ruble will benefit the government short-term as it'll make it easier to meet all their social obligations. But longer term it's likely to be catastrophic. Basic white goods such as washing machines are insanely expensive, car repairs are getting unaffordable. I think that's why Putin is hinting at a negotiated settlement in the New Year, before any social unrest kicks in. But then what? Take the increased war spending out of the economy suddenly, coupled with a lot of the workforce who left possibly returning, and there could be a lot of shocks.

 

Interesting perspective mate. By all accounts the economy was in trouble anyway due in some part to an aging population they were finding it hard to afford. 700,000 casualties in a war of choice won't have helped that either. Be careful out there mate, looks a beautiful city but, assuming you're English, might not be the best place to be.

 

What's it like being British in Russia? You'd think it wouldn't be safe and you'd be seen like an enemy just because your government is helping Ukraine. That said I imagine plenty of Russians dislike Putin for what he's doing, as well as many will support it.

 

That's the only good thing to come out of the war. Putins supporters are being ****** over

 

While I'm under no illusions about Putin's Russia, unless you're directly involved in politics, journalism or working for a foreign state, the risks are very low. The government want to show that things here are completely "normal", even that it's a good place to invest right now. So harassing random westerners seems to be quite low on their priority list at the minute. Having said that, and no matter how much I love St Petersburg, there's always a part of me that feels some relief when I cross back over the border into Estonia (which I'll be doing later on today!)

 

Except of course there are many millions of regular Russians who are vehemently against the war and against Putin in general.