Russia invades Ukraine

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Ukraine is considered part of the West now?

They've been getting close for many years and are now part of the Eu, and they're far more democratic than China or Russia that's for sure.

[playmaker]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Poland sending Mig 29 jets to Ukraine

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/16/europ...ntl/index.html

Slovakia sends entire fleet of 13 MIG-29 fighters to Ukraine:


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...uverify%20wall

https://twitter.com/eduardheger/stat...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

[TherapyforGlencross]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ne-2023-03-17/

LONDON, March 17 (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has presented awards to the pilots of two Su-27 fighter planes that intercepted a U.S. drone near the airspace around Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, his ministry said on Friday.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by TherapyforGlencross

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...ne-2023-03-17/

Might as well have said:

"No longer content to accept mediocrity, Russian defence minister now celebrates incompetency."

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Jacks

China needs to be sanctioned and tariffed.

Most of all we all need to reduce the consumption of cheap Chinese crap that we buy.

Correct

The West has facilitated this beast.

The sooner we get out of China the better.

[Red Slinger]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Correct

The West has facilitated this beast.

The sooner we get out of China the better.

Agreed. Considering how much people are losing their #### over the recent rise in the cost of living due to inflation, what do you think the reaction will be when a left-hand widget on Amazon goes from $1.50 and next day delivery to $5 and 2 weeks?

We got ourselves addicted to cheap Chinese goods (after we did the same with Japanese, Taiwanese, etc.) and gutted the domestic manufacturing industry for most commodity-type items and as a result, whittled away at the middle class, which in turn has been one of the key factors in 'social unrest'. In order to get off the cheap, overseas goods there needs to be a massive investment in domestic manufacturing and the infrastructure that supports it. But that means higher taxes. And that is almost a 3rd-rail in politics, particularly in the US. This would take someone with FDR-sized balls and there isn't anyone currently in politics, with the possible exception of Bernie Sanders, who fits that bill.

In the meantime, we are going to be stuck in this awkward dance with China where we're friends but not really and we're enemies but not really. China needs the West and the West needs China. And, at least for the time being, China seems intent on occupying a certain sphere of influence on bad actors like Russia, commercial espionage and political influence on western democracies.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

Agreed. Considering how much people are losing their #### over the recent rise in the cost of living due to inflation, what do you think the reaction will be when a left-hand widget on Amazon goes from $1.50 and next day delivery to $5 and 2 weeks?

We got ourselves addicted to cheap Chinese goods (after we did the same with Japanese, Taiwanese, etc.) and gutted the domestic manufacturing industry for most commodity-type items and as a result, whittled away at the middle class, which in turn has been one of the key factors in 'social unrest'. In order to get off the cheap, overseas goods there needs to be a massive investment in domestic manufacturing and the infrastructure that supports it. But that means higher taxes. And that is almost a 3rd-rail in politics, particularly in the US. This would take someone with FDR-sized balls and there isn't anyone currently in politics, with the possible exception of Bernie Sanders, who fits that bill.

In the meantime, we are going to be stuck in this awkward dance with China where we're friends but not really and we're enemies but not really. China needs the West and the West needs China. And, at least for the time being, China seems intent on occupying a certain sphere of influence on bad actors like Russia, commercial espionage and political influence on western democracies.

Agreed.

Which is why I have been using the same Samsung TV for 13ish years.

I just bought another.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Red Slinger

Agreed. Considering how much people are losing their #### over the recent rise in the cost of living due to inflation, what do you think the reaction will be when a left-hand widget on Amazon goes from $1.50 and next day delivery to $5 and 2 weeks?

We got ourselves addicted to cheap Chinese goods (after we did the same with Japanese, Taiwanese, etc.) and gutted the domestic manufacturing industry for most commodity-type items and as a result, whittled away at the middle class, which in turn has been one of the key factors in 'social unrest'. In order to get off the cheap, overseas goods there needs to be a massive investment in domestic manufacturing and the infrastructure that supports it. But that means higher taxes. And that is almost a 3rd-rail in politics, particularly in the US. This would take someone with FDR-sized balls and there isn't anyone currently in politics, with the possible exception of Bernie Sanders, who fits that bill.

In the meantime, we are going to be stuck in this awkward dance with China where we're friends but not really and we're enemies but not really. China needs the West and the West needs China. And, at least for the time being, China seems intent on occupying a certain sphere of influence on bad actors like Russia, commercial espionage and political influence on western democracies.

A lot of manufacturing can be moved from China. When the US implemented the tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods - a lot of companies starting moving manufacturing over to Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries. Obviously you can't move everything immediately - but if you toss a tariff on IPhone parts - it won't take long for Apple/Foxconn or whoever to move their manufacturing over to a different country.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

They've been getting close for many years and are now part of the Eu, and they're far more democratic than China or Russia that's for sure.

Ukraine are definitely not part of the EU.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

A lot of manufacturing can be moved from China. When the US implemented the tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods - a lot of companies starting moving manufacturing over to Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries. Obviously you can't move everything immediately - but if you toss a tariff on IPhone parts - it won't take long for Apple/Foxconn or whoever to move their manufacturing over to a different country.

I believe Covid has kinda helped speed up this process. From what I understand, Mexico is becoming a manufacturing hub and even Chinese companies see the writing on the wall and are setting up factories there to keep a piece of the pie.

Keep your eyes on your products, you will likely see a lot of made in mexico labels incoming.

[JohnnyB]

Some of you guys may be living in the eighties with these references to cheap Chinese crap and widgets. China is by far the global leader in value added manufacturing, which is not really an indicator of low-end production.

Companies producing high-end products, like Apple, aren't doing it in China because of cheap labour. The world is full of much cheaper labour than what is used in China. They're doing it in China because of quality and reliability that comes through advanced manufacturing and advanced human capital that enables them to meet exacting standards along with advanced logistics infrastructure. Manufacturing centers aren't suddenly leaping from producing flip flops and washing machines to producing smart phones like it's no big deal.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Keep your eyes on your products, you will likely see a lot of made in mexico labels incoming.

Hecho en Mexico

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by greyshep

I believe Covid has kinda helped speed up this process. From what I understand, Mexico is becoming a manufacturing hub and even Chinese companies see the writing on the wall and are setting up factories there to keep a piece of the pie.

Keep your eyes on your products, you will likely see a lot of made in mexico labels incoming.

Yep. Chinese manufacturing in Mexico, sold into the US and Canada tax free. Tariffs at work haha

[nik-]

But what does the global south think?

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by nik-

But what does the global south think?

You should just come out and say the things you think.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

You should just come out and say the things you think.

That I think you're hilariously sensitive to any criticism of the country you live in? I thought that was implied heavily enough.

It's ok if your country sucks, a lot of things suck about a lot of countries. Most people just complain about them instead of doing PR.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by nik-

That I think you're hilariously sensitive to any criticism of the country you live in? I thought that was implied heavily enough.

It's ok if your country sucks, a lot of things suck about a lot of countries. Most people just complain about them instead of doing PR.

Haha, I don't live in China. I live in Vancouver. I am also Canadian born and raised but with well over a decade spent in Asia, including having lived, worked and studied in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China in addition to Canada.

What's your experience and knowledge base that you draw upon to form your views?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by playmaker

Slovakia sends entire fleet of 13 MIG-29 fighters to Ukraine:


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...uverify%20wall

https://twitter.com/eduardheger/stat...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

Its funny that the war in the air has become this high tech stalemate, which is a bit of a surprise to me as the Russian's had the edge in terms of sheer number of front line aircraft and they had the more advanced birds.

Don't get me wrong, I've always liked the Mig 29, it was probably one of the best homegrown jets that the Russian's had built in a long time. It was an absolute beast in its time both in air to ground, and as a dog fighter.

One of the nice things about the design was it could theoretically use NATO weapons, With the newer missiles and bombs that's more uncertain though NATO still claims it can be done.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Haha, I don't live in China. I live in Vancouver. I am also Canadian born and raised but with well over a decade spent in Asia, including having lived, worked and studied in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China in addition to Canada.

What's your experience and knowledge base that you draw upon to form your views?

Would you ask the same question if I was criticizing the US and had never lived there? Or is that ok?

[transplant99]

The International Criminal Court said Friday it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes because of his alleged involvement in abductions of children from Ukraine.

The court said in a statement that Putin “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”

It also issued a warrant Friday for the arrest of Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, on similar allegations.

Doesnt really mean anything in the end, but its still good to see.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other...d3bd3b85b&ei=8