[vegasmade]

I've met and dined with a few Russians, they're great people. They relayed a strong sense of nationalism and pride. My favorite quote, they said, is: "If the SHTF, roaches and Russians would survive." That may seem funny at first, so I'll quantify. After the fall of communism, the ruble became worthless. Energy stopped flowing and paychecks weren't even written. Instead of rioting, they buckled down. Communities became responsible for ensuring everyone got fed. And they pulled through. Sure, they've been suffering a population decline. But it's been anything but a massive die off. The average Russian, who owns more than a flat, currently grows the cabbage and beets to make borscht, amongst other things. In WW2, the Russian strategy was: we've got more people than they have bullets. Watch the first few minutes of Enemy at the Gates. "GUNS, we don't need no stincking guns." The attitude there hasn't changed. My mother has spent two months of the last two years there. And though she considered their quality of life intolerable, she verified the above. Personally, I find her reaction quite typical of Americans. Just imagine how hard a time we'll have adjusting to life post PO. And nth, everything I've seen has agreed, gold is undervalued. Why the price has been depressed, I don't know. I do know that paper money will soon become more valuable to wipe your ass with, so I guess we should all stock up, on TP that is.

[nth]

Talking about military strategy for Soviet Union during WW2, they still use similar strategy today in Russia. The Russian fighting with Chechens in Chechnya uses a lot of brutal force and lots of soldiers get killed.

[jesus_of_suburbia_old]

Russian president pockets Patriots owner's diamond-covered Super Bowl ring

"Precious..."
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')ollowing a meeting of American business executives and Putin at Konstantinovsky Palace near St. Petersburg on Saturday, Kraft showed the ring to Putin -- who tried it on, put it in his pocket and left, according to Russian news reports.

[I_Like_Plants]

I've met a few Russians over in Europe and that behavior does not surprise me a bit.

[MicroHydro]

Just ask the former head of Yukos, he has stories to tell.

[PenultimateManStanding]

But the Ring was lost. It fell into the Great River, Anduin, and vanished. For Isuldur was marching north along the east banks of the River, and near the Gladden Fields he was waylaid by the Orcs of the Mountains, and almost all his folk were slain. He leaped into the waters, but the Ring slipped from his finger as he swam, and then the Orcs saw him and killed him with arrows.



Sauron has the ring and we are lost!

[MisterJoe]

Putin has a fake one, the only one is on one of the finger of this Man

[PenultimateManStanding]

Maybe Putin has one of the nine rings and will soon be seen riding around as a nazgul. (btw, I don't know if Tolkein did that on purpose but 'nazgul' is obviously short for 'nazi ghoul')

[OneLoneClone]

Forget Italy's 'possible' power cuts, Georgia is freakin freezing in the dark!

Russia sabotaged their own pipeline so they could keep more natgas for themselves thru this cold spell. Gazprom/Putin made a business decision and backed it up with covert military action; they decided it would be better to cut off gas to a 'satellite state' via 'terrorist bombin' than to cut the gas going to Italy. Does anybody believe it was really terrorists? Sure smacks of a covert op, something that maybe the ex head of the KGB might think of, I dunno.

I believe it was a business decision; they want to placate Europe about natgas suplies. They surely dont care about Geogia...

Putin has taken the gloves off, this is getting nasty fast. Winters are going to be tough from here on out I think.

[Leanan]

I don't think Russia did this themselves. I think it was Chechen rebels.

This is nothing but bad news for Russia. It's scaring their customers. It's a huge black eye for them.

[RonMN]

I don't know who is the dirty culpret here...but IF russia blew up their own pipeline...i would have to guess it was to TRY to mask depletion. Not that they want to freeze georgians.

I'm saying a prayer for those freezing people!!! I feel just horrible for them.

[lateStarter]

RonMN,

Historically, Russia has never been hesitant to shed a few million nominal citizens on their borders (Remember Ukraine and Stalin?) for the sake of the motherland and/or other higher principals. I doubt Putin is loosing any sleep over the Ukranians and Georgians (or Poles, etc...) that have frozen to death in the last 2 weeks.

[airstrip1]

Conditions are bad all over northern and eastern Europe

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4651182.stm

On edit -

Whether the Russians deliberately engineered the shortage is not clear. According to a recent BBC report some Georgians are starting to direct their anger about the situation at their own government.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4650876.stm

[Zardoz]

It's getting pretty bad:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4650876.stm

The Russians are making examples of the Georgians. Notice is being served to all the Russians' customers. A point is being made.

[SinisterBlueCat]

here is what Katinka Barysch of London's Centre for European Reform had to say about it...


Clearly, after years of weakness, a resurgent Russia is striking back. "Russia is a very different place from the way we saw it just three or four years ago.

Its rulers believe they don't need to defer to anyone anymore, and the reason is obvious. Buoyed by high oil prices, a booming economy and a hefty 7 percent budget surplus, Moscow can afford to throw its weight around in a way it's been unable to do in a generation. The gas war was a slap not only to anti-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, but also a signal to Europe and the world at large: don't trifle with us."

The Empire Strikes Back

[threadbear]

The Russians are "encouraging" their satellites to fall back into orbit.

[SinisterBlueCat]

exactly threadbear...making europe probably mighty uneasy

[Colorado-Valley]

I've been thinking for the past year now that Putin and the Iranians are the real masters of the Grand Chess Game.

I'm not sure the U.S. and Britain even know how to play checkers.

[OneLoneClone]

Hmmm... at first I thought all this was 'bad for russia', ie. a series of PR mistakes.

But when you start thinking about the jailing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky (only incidental to seizing his/YUKOS assets), the nationalization of Gazprom, the timing of the 'terrorist blast', shortly after scaring Europe (italy) with reduced supplies and when they need the gas at home...it makes you wonder.

The spyrock row with England. The new Topol-M missiles Russia successfully launched last week. Russia is making a big power play.

I'm not buying the 'black eye for Russia' theory. I believed that at first. I think these events are just LOUD signals to former satellites and NATO members and the world at large.

I mean, if it was terrorists who blew up the pipeline, why hasn't russia made good on plans to inrease Gerogias suuply via Armenia? Cmaybe becuase its just spin?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '"')Either they should stop saying Gazprom is giving Azerbaijan additional gas for Georgia or, if they can, they should actually supply this gas to Azerbaijan so that we can receive it," Mr Noghaideli told a Georgian TV station.

[SinisterBlueCat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Colorado-Valley', '
')I'm not sure the U.S. and Britain even know how to play checkers.