#Ukraine #RussianEconomy #Anna [1of2}

Facts and figures coming out of Russia on its economics are controled by the Russian State [Putin] and are, per defenition not reliable.
Anna from Ukriane has some insight from an ordinairy Ukrainian perspective.
I will share the Gaurdian article she mentioned after this 'toot'.

"RUSSIA IS ALL FAKE: ECONOMIC GROWTH AND NO LOSSES Vlog 756: War in Ukraine" [11:44 min]
by Anna from Ukraine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T07ZkkQrwI&t=1s

#SlavaUkraini ! #HeroyamSláva! #RussiaIsATerroristState

#Ukraine #RussianEconomy #Guardian [2of2}

Facts and figures coming out of Russia on its economics are controled by the Russian State [Putin] and are, per defenition not reliable.
The article is actualy a statement of eight European finance ministers"
And while I don't fully agree with them, the economics is sound. Ukraine should have more and the have the right to defend their country on Russian soil as well. JdeB

"Russia is lying about its economic strength: sanctions are working – and we need more
Eight European finance ministers"
by 'opinion' for the Guardian [24 july 2024]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/24/russia-economic-growth-western-sanctions-vladimir-putin-moscow

Quotes:
"The signs are clear that not everything is as rosy in Putin’s Soviet-style war economy as Moscow would have us believe"

"President Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian regime are peddling the false narrative that the Russian economy is strong, and that its war machine is unharmed by western sanctions. This is a lie that must be rebutted."

"While Russian GDP may be growing, the economy is increasingly geared towards the war industry, upheld by large fiscal stimulus. This is not an endless source of growth, nor a sign of a stable economy. The Kremlin’s war factories are already at maximum capacity. Unemployment has fallen to the point that there are reports that Vladimir Putin approved the replacement of imprisonment for forced labour."

"To finance the war, the Russian government has tapped into the liquid assets of Russia’s national wealth fund. Estimates by Bloomberg suggest it has almost halved in size since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as the country sacrifices its future prosperity to wreak havoc abroad."

"What could be perceived and mistaken as a “boost” to Russian growth is, in fact, the beginning of a re-Sovietisation of the economy."

"To cover future deficits, Putin will have to use monetary financing, adding more fuel to inflation, and further deplete the Russian cash reserves. If Putin stays on this path, the long-term damage to the Russian economy could be significant and is likely to further erode confidence."

"However, this also requires patience and resolve from the west. We must maintain and increase pressure, while continuing and strengthening our support to Ukraine. Russian propaganda must not be left unchallenged."

"Further steps are needed, however, to constrain Russia and support Ukraine. The west should ensure a swift and efficient operationalisation of the G7 agreement on providing loans for Ukraine and explore options for more far-reaching solutions, in accordance with international and EU law."

"Meanwhile, support for Ukraine needs to be maintained and strengthened, and more weapons and ammunition must be supplied. All our nations have contributed significantly to supporting Ukraine, both financially and militarily, and will continue to do so for as long as it takes. Sanctions must be strengthened – particularly in strategically important sectors like energy, finance and technology; while the enforcement of existing sanctions must be improved."

"The Ukrainians are fighting an existential battle for freedom and democracy against oppression and authoritarianism. Supporting Ukraine and undermining Russia’s capacity to wage war at every turn should be the top priority of every democratic country."

Signed by:
* Elisabeth Svantesson, minister for finance, Sweden 🇸🇪
* Stephanie Lose, minister for economic affairs, Denmark 🇩🇰
* Mart Võrklaev, minister of finance, Estonia 🇪🇪
* Riikka Purra, minister of finance, Finland 🇫🇮
* Arvils Ašeradens, minister of finance, Latvia 🇱🇻
* Gintarė Skaistė, minister of finance, Lithuania 🇱🇹
* Eelco Heinen, minister of finance, Netherlands 🇳🇱
* Andrzej Domański, minister of finance, Poland 🇵🇱

#SlavaUkraini ! #HeroyamSláva! #RussiaIsATerroristState

BREAKING: Donald Trump screams “FAKE NEWS” as @JDvance couch meme overwhelms social media severs all over the galaxy.

“If sex with furniture was a thing, I’d be on trial for that, too, believe me.”

葡萄牙语学完了……准备开始学意大利语

A late #caturday post from the evening sun. #CatsOfMastodon

No, it's not just kittens. The older guys are still around, just not in our faces quite as much, since kittens are annoying and they value their peace and quiet.

Here's Cadbury. I'm told that the brown smudge on her nose, along with another that she has in the soul patch under her chin, technically makes her a calico.

#Caturday #catsofmastodon

https://www.europesays.com/1364709/ The Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía are in Paris to support the Spanish Olympic Team at the Games #Paris2024 #Gossip #royal #RoyalFamilies #RoyalGossip #royals #RoyalsGossip

Just Deserts For Donald #Trump (Limerick)
http://www.madkane.com/madness/2024/07/27/old-trump/

#Politics #USPolitics #Biden #Ageism #Limerick #Limericks #Poetry #Election #Election2024 #Campaign #Campaign2024 #Humor #Humour

Mark Zuckerberg of $META says he wants to control his own tech “destiny” by releasing the largest open-source AI model ever, and avoiding the “soul-crushing” tactics of Apple, $AAPL, per Bloomberg:

#news #finance #economics #stocks #options

YouTube uneingeloggt auf einem Gerät aufgerufen, auf dem ich nie YouTube nutze. Bei den Video-Empfehlungen nur Schwurbler, Bildhetze, Verschwörungsscheisse, Merz und stumpfe (rechte) Possenreißer wie Nuhr und Barth. Algorithmen von US-Unternehmen machen Rechtsruck. 🤮

Couldn't visit the area without a visit to the Spa Valley Railway as well #trains 🚂

Going live on Twitch! Since no special events are going on at all, let's have a normal Minecraft bingo night! #minecraftemployee https://twitch.tv/slicedlime

This is why I have nothing on auto-pay, no matter how much the vendor pushes me to sign up.

$146,000 water bill. Hrmmmm.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/senior-winnipeg-water-bill-charge-1.7275903

⚠️🇺🇦Russian invaders shell Kharkiv Oblast village, killing woman (more) https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/27/7467721/ #Ukraine #Press #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #News #UnitedStates #EuropeanUnion #UnitedKingdom #russiaUkraineWar #10yrInvasionofUkraine
#NoUSRepublicans2024
#Article7 #Article7HungaryNow

我靠，我只是想看泥塑窦唯的，居然还能看到日本人记录的64

🇨🇿🇺🇦Czech defence minister visits Ukraine (more) https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/27/7467716/ #Ukraine #Press #USA #US #UK #EU #Czechia #CzechRepublic #NATO #News #UnitedStates #EuropeanUnion #UnitedKingdom #russiaUkraineWar #10yrInvasionofUkraine
#NoUSRepublicans2024
#Article7 #Article7HungaryNow

淆习了一下 Richard Berg 关于北非战场的经典战棋规则 the Italian Pasta Rule，太黑叻

https://www.europesays.com/1364701/ Trump Promises ‘No More Voting’ After Election If He Wins In Authoritarian Declaration #AnythingGoesNews #BreakingNews #GlobalNews #LatestNews #News #WorldNews

Judging Character... 👇 📝✍️
(an interesting reading/opinion about the ability to assess our environment properly by ourselves)

https://off-guardian.org/2024/07/27/judging-character/

⚠️🇺🇦2 Ukrainian civilians trigger Russian explosive device in Kherson Oblast, 1 killed (more) https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/27/7467715/ #Ukraine #Press #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #News #UnitedStates #EuropeanUnion #UnitedKingdom #russiaUkraineWar #10yrInvasionofUkraine
#NoUSRepublicans2024
#Article7 #Article7HungaryNow

An app I was just on, has a reward. A free drink with any $12.00 purchase.

The purchase I earned that reward on, came to $11.98 .

I mean. There was an in-store promotion that made my drink free, today, as it was.

But still. One has to wonder where they arrived at 12 from, then.

Panda Express. ... I guess I could get a premium entree, or buy an egg roll or something.

On 21 July I noted that the TV app for #YouTube (e.g. Android TV, Chromecast with #Google TV) had become much harder to use since user-specific search history was no longer being shown, replaced with a list of (as far as I'm concerned) utterly useless "hot, trending" topics. This meant that users had to manually reenter their common searches with every use. Extremely bad user experience. I made my concerns about this change known to Google. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

I'm pleased to report that as of this morning, the original behavior has returned to the TV app, with user search history now appearing as it did before. Since this was not the case last night, and the app version is now dated 24 July, this clearly is an update.

Whether the obnoxious behavior was a bug or an intended "feature", thanks Google for reverting to the original behavior in this new version of the app.

Trump tells his supporters this is the last time they will have to go through the inconvenience of voting.

https://youtu.be/-0_xhkBAADk?si=WJY9pkucOFd4AH86

https://www.europesays.com/1364699/ And now a word from Captain Obvious #PoliticalHumor #PoliticalHumor #Politics #UsPolitics

"We measured #methane exchange on hundreds of tree stems in forests along a climate gradient spanning the Amazon and Panama, through to Sweden and the UK.

In total, our cautious first estimate is that trees take up between about 25 and 50 million tonnes of atmospheric methane each year, with most taken up by tropical forests."

https://theconversation.com/weve-discovered-the-worlds-trees-absorb-methane-so-forests-are-even-more-important-in-the-climate-fight-than-we-thought-235233

Heute gibt's mal wieder Indisch, oder zumindest Indisch inspiriert.
#essen #vegan

#chunderroad

They just haven't been watching Mastodon, have they?
https://www.rawstory.com/kamala-harris-volunteers/
"the Harris campaign has signed up a whopping 170,000 volunteers and has scheduled over 2,300 events in battleground states."

We can be serious.. and still smile

We can make a serious point, also with a joke

We can laugh

Danish comedian Victor Borge used to say "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."

Kamala Harris knows how to deliver a joke and she can laugh. Her smile is contagious

SMILE FOR THE WIN

I haven't seen the new Civil War movie, but I think they missed a chance at setting it entirely in The Villages with entirely golf cart-based warfare.

‼️🇺🇸US Secretary of State warns China about consequences of continued support of Russian military industrial complex (more) https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/27/7467714/ #Ukraine #Press #USA #US #UK #EU #NATO #News #UnitedStates #EuropeanUnion #UnitedKingdom #russiaUkraineWar #10yrInvasionofUkraine
#NoUSRepublicans2024
#Article7 #Article7HungaryNow

An unethical company has unethical data practices. Who would've thunk it? https://www.macrumors.com/2024/07/26/x-grok-ai-tweets-auto-opt-in/

Tsk, tsk... The hotter it gets, the more Paks (and other nuclear plants) will be used to cool off humans! The #DanubeRiver is already heating up and drying out because of #ClimateChange!

#Hungary to allow #NuclearPlant to exceed #Danube water temperature limit

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - "Hungary is planning to allow the temperature limit for a section of the Danube which receives cooling water from the #Paks #NuclearPowerPlant to be exceeded for security of supply reasons, the energy ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"The plant's four reactors operate by using the water of the Danube to cool its operations. Currently, according to the regulation, the river cannot receive water if its temperature exceeds 30 degree Celsius, in which case the operator must cut output and wait for the river to cool below the limit.

"'Due to climate change, weather conditions may increasingly lead to the limit being reached in summer, especially at low water levels,' the statement read."

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/world/hungary-to-allow-nuclear-plant-to-exceed-danube-water-temperature-limit/ar-BB1qIFiI

#Europe #WaterIsLife #NoNukes #RenewablesNow #NuclearPower #RethinkNotRestart

Muss ich mir Sorgen machen, wenn mein Tiefkühlschrank beim Einschalten die ersten drei Noten des #Terminator-Themes spielt?

#Bookstodon #BookSky challenge: Choose 20 books that greatly influenced you. One book per day, for 20 days. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#20books #20books20days
19/20

Data privacy in a post-Chevron world

https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/4794388-ai-training-children-photos-privacy-chevron/

I think a lot about this 2018 Rolling Stone interview with Pete Buttigieg (when he was still mayor of South Bend, Indiana)
in which he offers his thoughts on recasting “concepts that conservatives have traditionally ‘owned’
— like freedom, family, and patriotism
— in more progressive terms”...

You’ll hear me talk all the time about #freedom. Because I think there is a failure on our side if we allow conservatives to monopolize the idea of freedom
- especially now that they’ve produced an authoritarian president.
But what actually gives people freedom in their lives?
The most profound freedoms of my everyday existence have been safeguarded by progressive policies, mostly.
The freedom to marry who I choose, for one,
but also the freedom that comes with paved roads and stop lights.
Freedom from some obscure regulation is so much more abstract.
But that’s the freedom that conservatism has now come down to.

Or think about the idea of #family, in the context of everyday life.
It’s one thing to talk about family values as a theme, or a wedge
— but what’s it actually like to have a family?
Your family does better if you get a fair wage, if there’s good public education, if there’s good health care when you need it.
These things intuitively make sense, but we’re out of practice talking about them.

I also think we need to talk about a different kind of #patriotism:
a fidelity to American greatness in its truest sense.
You think about this as a local official, of course, but a truly great country is made of great communities.
What makes a country great isn’t chauvinism. -- It’s the kinds of lives you enable people to lead.
I think about wastewater management as freedom.
If a resident of our city doesn’t have to give it a second thought, she’s freer.

https://kottke.org/24/07/we-choose-freedom

Content warning: US Politics (and coverage thereof) Click to open/close