Politics

[spike.t]

I recently saw a video of a Belgian beach and couldn’t believe it; until the narrator said that 85% of people in Belgium under that age of 18 were foreign born…..

Saw that...and honestly couldn't believe what I was watching.....turning everywhere into the same shit holes they came from....now to be correct am not including here in that comment...but out of things thst piss me off here , the rubbish on sides of the roads is unbelievable.....everything from plastic drink bottles...food wrappers.. Styrofoam fast food containers..crisp packets ..you name it is just thrown put of cars, busses, trucks when empty and finished with...you see it even in middle of nowhere.....some places it's piled in heaps....when I say to people if you did that where I come from or other countries you would be fined between kwacha 1700 to kwacha 10500 depending they look at me like I am mad....to put into perspective a maid gets around k2000 to 2400 a month.and that's top end....that's using rate at moment to gbp around k35 to a pound....I have had government people I have had to give lifts to throwing the containers out of my vehicle after buying them food....had to bite my tongue due to who they were, and that they were going to be doing a report after inspections.....

 

[Foxi]

Saw that...and honestly couldn't believe what I was watching.....turning everywhere into the same shit holes they came from....now to be correct am not including here in that comment...but out of things thst piss me off here , the rubbish on sides of the roads is unbelievable.....everything from plastic drink bottles...food wrappers.. Styrofoam fast food containers..crisp packets ..you name it is just thrown put of cars, busses, trucks when empty and finished with...you see it even in middle of nowhere.....some places it's piled in heaps....when I say to people if you did that where I come from or other countries you would be fined between kwacha 1700 to kwacha 10500 depending they look at me like I am mad......that's using rate at moment to gbp around k35 to a pound....I have had government people I have had to give lifts to throwing the containers out of my vehicle after buying them food....had to bite my tongue due to who they were, and that they were going to be doing a report after inspections.....

Every industrialized nation has its social hotspots and it certainly doesn't look like things are easing.
Probably none of us would want to live in Mott Haven or Huntspoint/New York either.
I'm really surprised that Zambia is supposed to be so clean now and I am very happy about it.
The last time I was there in Livingstone, not far from Victoria Falls, there were numerous piles of garbage burning where the sidewalk is, and toxic smoke fogged entire neighborhoods.

 

[Scott CWO]

With the ever increasing violence, disorderly conduct and unacceptable social behaviour in the streets of our nations capitals, my family and I need to get away from Europe.

What do you do for work?

 

[VertigoBE]

What do you do for work?

I work since 15yrs for a 100K employee Energy/Utility company that has assets and sales entities on all continents. More specifically I work in a branch of Trading and Origination (Sales on steroids), currently responsible for the sales of all energy to Giants (energy intensive customers) and Stadtwerke (local utilities) in Germany. Something like a head of energy sales for Germany, for Gas, Power, Wind/Solar PPA, Biomethane, Biomass, Certificates, Market Access, flex products, structured trading products, LNG, etc. etc.

So also in response to @Foxi 's comment, as I need to be in a trading room, which usually only exist in capitals, my room for moving around is already a bit more limited. Especially as many other countries in Europe would mean a strong paycheck cut. Basically in Europe, I could go to: Brussels, Paris, London, Frankfurt (or general Ruhr area), Switzerland and that is about it. I can't do my job from any place (I can do Work@Home, but try to limit this as much as possible, so as not to impact negatively my career).

We have a big trading platform in Houston, Texas, but since my specialty is Origination/Sales, those are usually positions better suited for locally connected people.

So either:
- I first move vertically in my current organisation, allowing me to move other places in the world, whereby less my local connections/market knowledge, but rather my leadership skills, will be important. Recently applied for a country leadership position for Poland, but was refused as they were looking for someone with more managerial experience to handle support functions, while my main strong point is driving the business. My young age also did not help
- I leave my company, only one viable choice in EU would be to Switzerland in order to keep valorizing my expertise on European energy supply, and keep the paycheck high enough (after tax). Although I'm open to other localities, if the pay is sufficient (that hunting passion is not paying for itself!)

I'm also trying to get a secondary stream of income going. Together with a partner in SA, we set up an import/export business of mainly taxidermy, into Europe. About a container a year for now, so we are barely making a profit.

 

[Tanks]

With the ever increasing violence, disorderly conduct and unacceptable social behaviour in the streets of our nations capitals, my family and I need to get away from Europe.

Well, we have Bush and later Obama to thank for destabilizing the Middle East. Between invading Iraq for no reason and “bringing democracy “ to Middle East we caused Europe to be flooded with refugees that were culturally incompatible with Europe. EU had to bribe Erdogan in order for Turkey to act as a gatekeeper. He didn’t mind as they meant more votes for him later on. Kinda the long term goal of Democrats with open borders here.

 

[Tanks]

…Basically in Europe, I could go to: Brussels, Paris, London, Frankfurt (or general Ruhr area), Switzerland and that is about it

If one has power and the funds it really doesn’t matter where one lives. You’d still have a great life and be pretty isolated from the negative things going on.

 

[Tanks]

Russian apologists at work.

Steve Bannon warns Ukraine risks escalating war after drone strikes — The Telegraph

Trump allies call on administration to condemn surprise offensive if it had no warning of attack

apple.news

 

[VertigoBE]

If one has power and the funds it really doesn’t matter where one lives. You’d still have a great life and be pretty isolated from the negative things going on.

Agreed, which is why I'm working hard on acquiring those two things. I'm already pretty isolated from what goes on in the center of Brussels, as I live just on the outskirts.

But in the long run,
I fear for my two daughters, the social circles they will be in, the safety they will have when going out, the people they'll meet in the streets. Also the educational system is decreasing in quality and content. 3/4ths of kids in Brussels' schools are from 1st or 2nd generation immigration, make of that what you will.

Then there is the taxes, the heavy EU insistence on "Green" to the destruction of everything else, the bureaucracy stifling businesses, it is not a long term place to make a great future anymore.

 

[spike.t]

Russian apologists at work.

Steve Bannon warns Ukraine risks escalating war after drone strikes — The Telegraph

Trump allies call on administration to condemn surprise offensive if it had no warning of attack

apple.news

Unbelievable bullshit...seem to recall the Russians hammering Ukraine with their biggest up to that time aerial bombardment the night before either a meeting or one of their supposed ceasefires....and the time the Russians used the Donald throwing his toys out of the pram and stopping intelligence info to Ukraine to hit Ukraine big time ...think the comments mostly sum it up...

 

[skydiver386]

Well, we have Bush and later Obama to thank for destabilizing the Middle East. Between invading Iraq for no reason and “bringing democracy “ to Middle East we caused Europe to be flooded with refugees that were culturally incompatible with Europe. EU had to bribe Erdogan in order for Turkey to act as a gatekeeper. He didn’t mind as they meant more votes for him later on. Kinda the long term goal of Democrats with open borders here.

Bush and Obama certainly destabilized the middle east, but George Soros and other far left characters also had a hand in this migration effort.

 

[Munnik]

During a tense Oval Office meeting, Donald Trump looked President Zelenskyy in the eye and told him he “didn’t have the cards” and was “not in a good position.” What Trump never realized was that, even as he delivered that line, Zelenskyy was quietly overseeing one of the most daring and effective military operations of the war. For over a year and a half, Ukrainian intelligence meticulously planned a covert drone assault deep inside Russia, targeting strategic airfields and bombers that had been launching devastating attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The operation itself was a masterclass in ingenuity and stealth. Ukrainian teams smuggled 117 drones into Russia, hiding them in wooden crates and mobile sheds mounted on trucks. Once inside the country, the drones were reassembled and launched from secret locations near Russian airfields, with operators coordinating the attack across three time zones. The mission was directed from an office right next to a Russian security headquarters, and communications were routed through Russian cell networks to avoid detection. The drones, which cost a fraction of the price of the aircraft they targeted, inflicted an estimated $7 billion in damages by destroying or severely damaging more than forty Russian bombers—some of which are valued at over $500 million each and cannot be easily replaced.

Trump was completely blindsided by the strike and had no idea it was coming. Ukrainian officials made a deliberate choice not to share their plans with him, fearing he might tip off his friend Putin and compromise the mission. So while Trump taunted Zelenskyy about not having any cards, Zelenskyy was quietly playing a masterful hand. That is what you call a true poker face—holding your cards close and revealing them only when it counts, leaving your opponent stunned and outplayed.

 

[WAB]

I work since 15yrs for a 100K employee Energy/Utility company that has assets and sales entities on all continents. More specifically I work in a branch of Trading and Origination (Sales on steroids), currently responsible for the sales of all energy to Giants (energy intensive customers) and Stadtwerke (local utilities) in Germany. Something like a head of energy sales for Germany, for Gas, Power, Wind/Solar PPA, Biomethane, Biomass, Certificates, Market Access, flex products, structured trading products, LNG, etc. etc.

So also in response to @Foxi 's comment, as I need to be in a trading room, which usually only exist in capitals, my room for moving around is already a bit more limited. Especially as many other countries in Europe would mean a strong paycheck cut. Basically in Europe, I could go to: Brussels, Paris, London, Frankfurt (or general Ruhr area), Switzerland and that is about it. I can't do my job from any place (I can do Work@Home, but try to limit this as much as possible, so as not to impact negatively my career).

We have a big trading platform in Houston, Texas, but since my specialty is Origination/Sales, those are usually positions better suited for locally connected people.

So either:
- I first move vertically in my current organisation, allowing me to move other places in the world, whereby less my local connections/market knowledge, but rather my leadership skills, will be important. Recently applied for a country leadership position for Poland, but was refused as they were looking for someone with more managerial experience to handle support functions, while my main strong point is driving the business. My young age also did not help
- I leave my company, only one viable choice in EU would be to Switzerland in order to keep valorizing my expertise on European energy supply, and keep the paycheck high enough (after tax). Although I'm open to other localities, if the pay is sufficient (that hunting passion is not paying for itself!)

I'm also trying to get a secondary stream of income going. Together with a partner in SA, we set up an import/export business of mainly taxidermy, into Europe. About a container a year for now, so we are barely making a profit.

There are trading floors in better locations if you look around a bit. Many large corporations do what you do in less urban environments. Koch in Wichita is just one example. Cargill and Williams Energy are others.

 

[WAB]

Well, we have Bush and later Obama to thank for destabilizing the Middle East. Between invading Iraq for no reason and “bringing democracy “ to Middle East we caused Europe to be flooded with refugees that were culturally incompatible with Europe. EU had to bribe Erdogan in order for Turkey to act as a gatekeeper. He didn’t mind as they meant more votes for him later on. Kinda the long term goal of Democrats with open borders here.

That didn’t help, but it’s relative birth rates that are driving the middle eastern influx into Europe. In 2007, our executive team and board sat through a presentation by one of the world’s top economists in which he predicted exactly what we are seeing today. Europe cannot support itself without either higher birth rates or an immigrant workforce. Their available immigrant workforces are the Middle Eastern and African.

North America is in the same situation. We are fortunate to have a Hispanic immigrant workforce that shares many of our same values.

Russia is doomed as they do not allow an immigrant workforce and are systematically killing off their next generation in a meat grinder in Ukraine.

 

[VertigoBE]

That didn’t help, but it’s relative birth rates that are driving the middle eastern influx into Europe. In 2007, our executive team and board sat through a presentation by one of the world’s top economists in which he predicted exactly what we are seeing today. Europe cannot support itself without either higher birth rates or an immigrant workforce. Their available immigrant workforces are the Middle Eastern and African.

North America is in the same situation. We are fortunate to have a Hispanic immigrant workforce that shares many of our same values.

Russia is doomed as they do not allow an immigrant workforce and are systematically killing off their next generation in a meat grinder in Ukraine.

While it is true that no economy can support itself with an aging and decreasing workforce due to a too low birth rate, I would carefully suggest that unconstrained, unqualified immigration as "the solution" will make that economy topple over that much quicker.

A mentality change and incentives change to promote more child birth among the native population to counteract a plummeting birth rate, should be the first priority. Not importing unproductive bodies to keep the head count up.

 

[WAB]

While it is true that no economy can support itself with an aging and decreasing workforce due to a too low birth rate, I would carefully suggest that unconstrained, unqualified immigration as "the solution" will make that economy topple over that much quicker.

A mentality change and incentives change to promote more child birth among the native population to counteract a plummeting birth rate, should be the first priority. Not importing unproductive bodies to keep the head count up.

I totally agree, but for Europe that needed to happen thirty years ago. Europe is now locked into a future with a middle eastern majority. There really is no means to avoid it at this point.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Well, we have Bush and later Obama to thank for destabilizing the Middle East. Between invading Iraq for no reason and “bringing democracy “ to Middle East we caused Europe to be flooded with refugees that were culturally incompatible with Europe. EU had to bribe Erdogan in order for Turkey to act as a gatekeeper. He didn’t mind as they meant more votes for him later on. Kinda the long term goal of Democrats with open borders here.

And most tie President Carter to Iran. But he was just in the seat when Nixons meddling and policies results were seen.

 

[Tanks]

But in the long run,
I fear for my two daughters, the social circles they will be in, the safety they will have when going out, the people they'll meet in the streets. Also the educational system is decreasing in quality and content. 3/4ths of kids in Brussels' schools are from 1st or 2nd generation immigration, make of that what you will.

Then there is the taxes, the heavy EU insistence on "Green" to the destruction of everything else, the bureaucracy stifling businesses, it is not a long term place to make a great future anymore.

Of the places you listed you might look at Switzerland. They do have pretty strict immigration policy and not very easy to get citizenship either. Tax policies are better than a lot of EU as well. I have 3 cousins living there. In regard to school, either private or boarding.

Schooling issue is not unique to just EU either. My granddaughters, even though they live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan (a decent area) have gone to private schools since kindergarten for the reasons you mentioned. I think the cost is north of $50K each now in elementary school. My son is lucky, he lives in Erie, CO and public schools there have not self-destructed yet.

 

[bowjijohn]

Looks like the Ukrainians are ‘on a roll’

Russia closes Crimea bridge hours after Ukraine underwater strike

Ukraine says it hit the bridge with underwater explosives - the crossing was built by Russia after it annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[rigbymauser]

I totally agree, but for Europe that needed to happen thirty years ago. Europe is now locked into a future with a middle eastern majority. There really is no means to avoid it at this point.

It happened over 56 years ago with the flowerpower movement and its rebellion against established cultural conservative and christian institutions. Everything had to be torn down and "everything was right if one saw them as right and do what you feel like .You are free and no one can bind you"(humanisme). The influx of islam meant nothing because we are all humans and we all have the same goals in life..Right?... From here europe will reap what europe have sown.

 

[Altitude sickness]

reports are that approximately 2000 pounds of a HE was used. The video does not show a 2000 pound UW detonation. So I assume other charges did not detonate or the one charge was not constructed correctly.

IF 2K of HE was used. It was not used correctly.

Amateurs always use more than needed. But don’t use it correctly so don’t get good results. Proper tamping or placement is more important than the amount. Shearing charges should have been used on the round columns. Not the submerged oval bases.