F430murci

Dayum. Crazy!

In Ukraine corruption level not so big like in Russia but Ukraine dying from corruption, thx Putin and our politics

Yep. Ukraines level of corruption and inability to best allocate money and resources for the benefit of Ukranians is a direct result Putin retaining control over Ukraine.

Putin is corrupt. So what, so are all the American polititians. ME ME ME only about me.

Some, for sure. But due to freedom of the press, mandatory financial disclosures, and an independent judiciary, they aren't even in the same league. Nowhere near.

Good use of sarcasm, fully agree, every one of those institutions now completely corrupt and rotten to the core.

Putin is a politician so has no doubt feathered his nest, just like every politician from every country. The US wants Putin gone however not for any sticky fingers he may have, but because he opposes their feudal world order. Either that or this is one huge con job we are all being suckered into.

Oh to live inside that brain. Aliens, shape shifters, Free Nasons, Illuminati . . . We are doomed. Paranoia will destroy you.

You guys actually live in areas where corruption is certainly a way of life. That does not mean there is a high level of corruption everywhere with every politician and that US wants a feudal world order. US and Obama are certainly more concerned about wealth shifting, equality and economic issues than Putin.

If anyone is interested, Panorama did a programme entitled "Putin's Secret Riches".

I look forward to them doing one on the Rothschilds.

https://eztv.ag/ep/140178/panorama-2016-putins-secret-riches-720p-x265-hdtv/

I just watched that., which mirrors very much the facts presented in the PBS Frontline program a few months ago.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/putins-way/

The Putinisnista's can love him for his machismo, but ultimately he's as corrupt as they get

Russian people know he is corrupt. They don't care. Corruption is so prevalent in everyday Russian life at all levels it is not only accepted, it is somewhat expected.

The allure of Putin was that he took Russua from the ashes, built an open market economy that allowed Russians to prosper in ways they had never seen on a personal level. They did not care what Putin or the ogligarchs did to gain wealth and they began to idolize them in many respects. This all contributed to restoring national pride. Russian are extremely proud people. I suppose you have to have strong pride to continually withstand the hardships they have endured.

No doubt true. Corruption is a way of life for the rich and powerful in Russia. I wonder why the US thinks they need to go outside their own country to find corruption.

There is no comparison between level of corruption in Russia and the US. Most of the wealthy I know are actually pretty honorable, good people. Appears that a lot of these corruption comments may be driven by bitterness or jealousy. Sure there are bad individuals here, but seriously . . . Comparing US to Russia is hilarious and a bit delusional.

The root cause: Internet.

The middle class is being decimated by the inability of mom and pop and brick and mortar businesses to compete. Non-skilled and poorly educated labor force are screwed as jobs like cashiers, stockers and etc. are being eliminated. Even larger businesses like Walmart, Best Buy, Target and etc. are getting hammered from a brick and mortar standpoint. These companies will turn more and more to Internet sales. Cheaper, less labor, less capital costs for structures all over the country and etc.

The Internet will continue to make those few lucky ones who found their niche richer, but will continue to decimate middle class and create huge class disparity in wealth.

The absolute best thing one could do for the world's economy is to shut down e commerce. Hackers from Russia and China could potentially make it exceedingly more expensive for companies by compromising customer information, stealing credit card number and running up fraudulent purchases.

People like me are somewhat insulated as I gave a professional degree in a heavily regulated field and I also invest heavily into real estate. These are two areas Internet commerce cannot hurt. Restaurant businesses are also somewhat safe, but think about everything else being decimated by the Internet. Even brick and mortar car dealers are getting crushed. They are being forced to slag commissions for sales staff and restructure bonus programs for managers and the entire service staffs because Internet sales companies are killing them.

One can say the consumer is benefitting by better pricing, but at what cost when consumer purchasing power is being eroded and people are losing jobs. Lol, Obama in all of his wisdom pushes companies to pay $15 an hour thereby causing these companies to shut down due to their inability to compete with companies using the Anazon business model ala recent Walmart shut downs here state side.

In 20 years, the middle class will be virtually nonexistent and the job market is going to look very much different than it did in the 1990s and 2000s. The rich will get absurdly richer by business models that reduce labor and capital costs.

Income inequality has always existed. Right from the first time humans gathered in structured societies. The Age of Reason introduced the idea of Equality, but it was not until universal suffrage that socialism became a political force on the back of the economically disenfranchised of the Industrial Revolution. All this happened long before the internet.

Your dispute is about consumerism not income equality. I do not see its relevance. You are merely expressing the view of a Luddite. The coming generation will have entirely no concept of or interest in these views.

Lol, you should focus more on articulating your message and less on trying to use impressive vernacular.

I don't care about income inequality and am not "disputing consumerism." I am simply addressing what I perceive to be a huge economical problem moving forward.

The population is steadily increasing, but advances in technology and the Internet is actually decreasing the number of jobs and business opportunities for the masses at an alarming rate.

I am set. I am hedged against it. Doctors, lawyers and, as someone pointed out in a rather colorful response to my post, construction, real estate and real estate development is immune.

The work force is saturated with unskilled, poorly educated individuals that will have extremely limited options in the very near future. I suppose we could put them to work building ghost cities and to "enhance" GDP, but we are seeing how well that worked for China.

RE: $15 an hour minimum wage in Washington noted by earlier response

Without a doubt, there are certain areas or cities where the economy and the job market could feasibly support a $15 an hour minimum wage. Many, however, cannot. Brick and mortar companies are now running tighter and tighter profit margins in many industries in an effirt to remain competitive with extremely efficient e commerce companies. I do not think smaller mom and pop or brick and mortar based companies already operating on razor thin profit margins can keep their doors open for long with a mandatory $15 an hour minimum wage.

Candidly, most individuals making minimum wage are not providing services worth anywhere near $15 an hour. I doubt the profit margins in Egg Mcmuffincups and Big Macs are sufficient to cover $15 an hour for those valued highly skilled talents needed to drop the fries, operate the slurpee lever and assemble a hamburger.

Under no accepted or acceptable definition can my text be classified as vernacular. It is, in fact, entirely opposite. That's what happens when you try to use words to impress. As the closing Chorus in Sophocles' Antigone says "Great words of prideful men are ever punished with great blows, and, in old age, teach the chastened to be wise." http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/antigone.html

I make my living from words. I know how to use them.

I have a study by Mckinsey that says in 13 countries they studied, the internet accounts for 3 - 4% of GDP. The internet has significantly contributed to growth. Companies in more traditional industries capture 75% of the benefits of the internet. You can read and download the full report here http://www.mckinsey.com/features/sizing_the_internet_economy. This is just one of many studies that makes a mockery of your nonsense. I have data to support my 'message' as you call it. What do you have? A gut feeling? Intuition? Evidence from your weekly shopping expedition?

Like I said, you merely take the view of a Luddite and find facts to fit your conclusion. You have committed a logical fallacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_fallacy. Perhaps you might consider keeping your unsolicited and unwelcome advice on individual expression to yourself.

Lol, I bet your a hit at all of the parties.

The root cause: Internet.

The middle class is being decimated by the inability of mom and pop and brick and mortar businesses to compete. Non-skilled and poorly educated labor force are screwed as jobs like cashiers, stockers and etc. are being eliminated. Even larger businesses like Walmart, Best Buy, Target and etc. are getting hammered from a brick and mortar standpoint. These companies will turn more and more to Internet sales. Cheaper, less labor, less capital costs for structures all over the country and etc.

The Internet will continue to make those few lucky ones who found their niche richer, but will continue to decimate middle class and create huge class disparity in wealth.

The absolute best thing one could do for the world's economy is to shut down e commerce. Hackers from Russia and China could potentially make it exceedingly more expensive for companies by compromising customer information, stealing credit card number and running up fraudulent purchases.

People like me are somewhat insulated as I gave a professional degree in a heavily regulated field and I also invest heavily into real estate. These are two areas Internet commerce cannot hurt. Restaurant businesses are also somewhat safe, but think about everything else being decimated by the Internet. Even brick and mortar car dealers are getting crushed. They are being forced to slag commissions for sales staff and restructure bonus programs for managers and the entire service staffs because Internet sales companies are killing them.

One can say the consumer is benefitting by better pricing, but at what cost when consumer purchasing power is being eroded and people are losing jobs. Lol, Obama in all of his wisdom pushes companies to pay $15 an hour thereby causing these companies to shut down due to their inability to compete with companies using the Anazon business model ala recent Walmart shut downs here state side.

In 20 years, the middle class will be virtually nonexistent and the job market is going to look very much different than it did in the 1990s and 2000s. The rich will get absurdly richer by business models that reduce labor and capital costs.

Income inequality has always existed. Right from the first time humans gathered in structured societies. The Age of Reason introduced the idea of Equality, but it was not until universal suffrage that socialism became a political force on the back of the economically disenfranchised of the Industrial Revolution. All this happened long before the internet.

Your dispute is about consumerism not income equality. I do not see its relevance. You are merely expressing the view of a Luddite. The coming generation will have entirely no concept of or interest in these views.

Lol, you should focus more on articulating your message and less on trying to use impressive vernacular.

I don't care about income inequality and am not "disputing consumerism." I am simply addressing what I perceive to be a huge economical problem moving forward.

The population is steadily increasing, but advances in technology and the Internet is actually decreasing the number of jobs and business opportunities for the masses at an alarming rate.

I am set. I am hedged against it. Doctors, lawyers and, as someone pointed out in a rather colorful response to my post, construction, real estate and real estate development is immune.

The work force is saturated with unskilled, poorly educated individuals that will have extremely limited options in the very near future. I suppose we could put them to work building ghost cities and to "enhance" GDP, but we are seeing how well that worked for China.

RE: $15 an hour minimum wage in Washington noted by earlier response

Without a doubt, there are certain areas or cities where the economy and the job market could feasibly support a $15 an hour minimum wage. Many, however, cannot. Brick and mortar companies are now running tighter and tighter profit margins in many industries in an effirt to remain competitive with extremely efficient e commerce companies. I do not think smaller mom and pop or brick and mortar based companies already operating on razor thin profit margins can keep their doors open for long with a mandatory $15 an hour minimum wage.

Candidly, most individuals making minimum wage are not providing services worth anywhere near $15 an hour. I doubt the profit margins in Egg Mcmuffincups and Big Macs are sufficient to cover $15 an hour for those valued highly skilled talents needed to drop the fries, operate the slurpee lever and assemble a hamburger.

The root cause: Internet.

The middle class is being decimated by the inability of mom and pop and brick and mortar businesses to compete. Non-skilled and poorly educated labor force are screwed as jobs like cashiers, stockers and etc. are being eliminated. Even larger businesses like Walmart, Best Buy, Target and etc. are getting hammered from a brick and mortar standpoint. These companies will turn more and more to Internet sales. Cheaper, less labor, less capital costs for structures all over the country and etc.

The Internet will continue to make those few lucky ones who found their niche richer, but will continue to decimate middle class and create huge class disparity in wealth.

The absolute best thing one could do for the world's economy is to shut down e commerce. Hackers from Russia and China could potentially make it exceedingly more expensive for companies by compromising customer information, stealing credit card number and running up fraudulent purchases.

People like me are somewhat insulated as I gave a professional degree in a heavily regulated field and I also invest heavily into real estate. These are two areas Internet commerce cannot hurt. Restaurant businesses are also somewhat safe, but think about everything else being decimated by the Internet. Even brick and mortar car dealers are getting crushed. They are being forced to slag commissions for sales staff and restructure bonus programs for managers and the entire service staffs because Internet sales companies are killing them.

One can say the consumer is benefitting by better pricing, but at what cost when consumer purchasing power is being eroded and people are losing jobs. Lol, Obama in all of his wisdom pushes companies to pay $15 an hour thereby causing these companies to shut down due to their inability to compete with companies using the Anazon business model ala recent Walmart shut downs here state side.

In 20 years, the middle class will be virtually nonexistent and the job market is going to look very much different than it did in the 1990s and 2000s. The rich will get absurdly richer by business models that reduce labor and capital costs.

If what you say is correct, never mind 20 years as it will all fall down before then if it keeps on the way it is. No company will make a profit on e commerce as there will not be any buyers.

BTW don't need workers in a restaurant as all food will come ready made from factory, heated and delivered by robot. Those sushi places already deliver food on a conveyer belt.

I agree that the internet ( or rather computerisation of everything ) is to blame, but that's something that can't be changed now. Do you want to go back to 1960? I do, but it's not going to happen.

Unfortunately, the answer isn't a good one, but if the 1% think they can hide in their towers, surrounded by militarised guards forever, they are mistaken, and they won't have a happy ending- just think French Revolution, Bolshevik revolution etc.

Lol, we do Hello Fresh food service 3 days a week and are about to go to 5 or 6 meals a week with it or by adding another meal delivery service.

Incredibly good meals delivered to your home that cost $69 for 3 meals including delivery that are large enough for my wife and I and our 4 year old. We cannot eat at MickyDilidoes or get groceries for $23 for all 3 of us much less eat out at a decent restaurant and get former healthy meals for $23 for 3.

The meals absolutely rock if anyone is interested and living in the US. Great steaks, seafood and chicken dishes each week with fresh organic vegetables and great sauces that are made from scratch. They send perfectly portioned fresh herds, stock (beef, chicken or vegetable stocks), all fresh ingredients and easy to follow recipes. Most meals take 39 minutes to prepare.

. . . so even the food industry has some competition on the horizon. Hello Fresh meals absolutely rock and save us a lot of money.

The root cause: Internet.

The middle class is being decimated by the inability of mom and pop and brick and mortar businesses to compete. Non-skilled and poorly educated labor force are screwed as jobs like cashiers, stockers and etc. are being eliminated. Even larger businesses like Walmart, Best Buy, Target and etc. are getting hammered from a brick and mortar standpoint. These companies will turn more and more to Internet sales. Cheaper, less labor, less capital costs for structures all over the country and etc.

The Internet will continue to make those few lucky ones who found their niche richer, but will continue to decimate middle class and create huge class disparity in wealth.

The absolute best thing one could do for the world's economy is to shut down e commerce. Hackers from Russia and China could potentially make it exceedingly more expensive for companies by compromising customer information, stealing credit card number and running up fraudulent purchases.

People like me are somewhat insulated as I gave a professional degree in a heavily regulated field and I also invest heavily into real estate. These are two areas Internet commerce cannot hurt. Restaurant businesses are also somewhat safe, but think about everything else being decimated by the Internet. Even brick and mortar car dealers are getting crushed. They are being forced to slag commissions for sales staff and restructure bonus programs for managers and the entire service staffs because Internet sales companies are killing them.

One can say the consumer is benefitting by better pricing, but at what cost when consumer purchasing power is being eroded and people are losing jobs. Lol, Obama in all of his wisdom pushes companies to pay $15 an hour thereby causing these companies to shut down due to their inability to compete with companies using the Anazon business model ala recent Walmart shut downs here state side.

In 20 years, the middle class will be virtually nonexistent and the job market is going to look very much different than it did in the 1990s and 2000s. The rich will get absurdly richer by business models that reduce labor and capital costs.

Interesting scenarios now coming up, but I don't see much evidence of cheaper airfare and prices at the gas station! Anyone living in the UK or USA? Have prices come down at the gas pumps? The Government were quick enough to put prices up.

Yes. Down to around $1.60 ish for regular and $2.0X for premium.

Nice Murci

What was it up at?

Cannot remember. Upper $3s for sue not that long ago.

Interesting scenarios now coming up, but I don't see much evidence of cheaper airfare and prices at the gas station! Anyone living in the UK or USA? Have prices come down at the gas pumps? The Government were quick enough to put prices up.

Yes. Down to around $1.60 ish for regular and $2.0X for premium.

So ask yourself why the sanctions were lifted at the worst possible time in terms of supply, demand. and price. It seems the world manipulators will go to any length to see the whole middle eastern oil supply chain and political situation break down.

Might be a good time to buy oil futures at less than $20, because when the shi-ite hits the fan, there will suddenly be a world shortage of oil.

And guess who has the next biggest suppiy capabilities, and whose whole energy economy is hugely at risk at oil that is under $65......gosh, not the US?

Also ask yourself why the US lifted the ban on exporting oil just before the sanctions were lifted. All eyes on Iran and the US move slips under the radar.

If the US had any concern over the over supply they wouldn't be exporting. Certainly some manipulation going on.

Just speculating. But it'd be interesting if the Iranian deal got done to release this oil and punish Saudi Arabia for the problems they've caused the US fracking companies. These companies are but a small fraction of the overall US economy. Oil is the life blood of the SA economy. Could be absolutely devastating for them if oil hit $20 a barrel and stayed there for 2 years. Interesting...

You may or may not recall, but I predicted or stated that US and OPEC would release reserves (even indicated the amount of barrels per month they needed to release) and drive oil prices down to pressure Putin over Ukraine well before MH 17, maybe May or June 2014 timeframe.

US continued to release reserves well after supply exceeded demand and prices began to nose dive. Putin devalued ruble to hedge so more reserves were released and production was increased.

Fast forward. Here is where Obama in Obana like short sighted fashion failed to see that OPEC would take this as an opportunity to crush US domestic production by continuing to drives prices down. The short term is very cheap gas in the US so Ibama takes credit for that to save face and divert attention from the long term consequences of permitting absolute destruction of further de elopement of domestic production and less future reliance on foreign oil.

The net impact is more future reliance on OPEC and future higher prices with less domestic production and price control. Say hello to inflation . . . By that time Obama will be out of office and the blame will be placed on the new administration.

This will have a large impact on the US. Perhaps not this year or 5 years from now, but within the next ten years US will be at the mercy of OPEC and unable to ramp up domestic production again for a very long time, if ever. The ventures will be considered to risky for banks to finance lest the cycle we see now repeat itself.

Didn't he escaped once? So, being placed in solidarity confinement is the natural order of things.

Of course one who has mired in luxury needs a substantial period to adjust to the exclusive Hilton.

Escaped twice. He was in solitary before.

Perhaps but if he tells the door, or the border, NO MUSLIMS, you know in your heart he's a fascist.

Strange how the rugged individualists of this forum have absolutely no problems with that...

Changed my mind about replying. This whole thread is degenerating into the usual anti Trumpfest. I hope he wins, just to read the wailing that will be on TV.

Such a patriot!

Anyway, so the USA is flirting with a potential fascist dictator.

Doesn't mean we're gonna marry him!

Kick him to the coib!

Back away from the ledge. Paranoia will destroy ya. It will be alright and there is a solution . . . If your worried about the ideology of the US government, don't come to the US. Nothing we do is going to make its way into Thailand and disrupt your daily life. Candidly, nothing Clinton, Trump, Obama, Cruz, Sanders et al. do are going to really change our daily lives here. Obama has done a lot of things I disagree with, but none of those things have changed anything in my day to day life. Sure, my tax dollars may be allocated in a different manner that I might prefer, but I am still going to being paying those tax dollars regardless as to how they get allocated. Other than that, there will be noticeable changes to those of us living here.

It was Trumps party, he decides who the guests are simple.

Perhaps but if he tells the door, or the border, NO MUSLIMS, you know in your heart he's a fascist.

Strange how the rugged individualists of this forum have absolutely no problems with that...

Changed my mind about replying. This whole thread is degenerating into the usual anti Trumpfest. I hope he wins, just to read the wailing that will be on TV.

Lol, no doubt. So funny how a bunch of people on here living thousands of miles away from the US lose so much sleep over and get so worked up about stuff like this that won't even impact them in their day to day lives. At the end of the day, even our lives in the US will not change or the changes will be so subtle that no one will really notice them regardless as to who is elected President. All of this uproar, fear, anger, paranoia and etc. centers in their minds.

Was he a Saudi ?

Nope, just a dik head.

Lol, things sure haven't changed much around here.

At 18 I worked in a factory. There was a lot of heavy-grade aluminum foil, shredded, laying around, and sometimes we'd have 'snowball' fights with it. Some of those minor pokes and scratches, long forgotten, have resulted in facial scars in my old age. Wasn't that a time! Youth is about being young and stupid, and if you can't understand that...

On the other hand, this says something about the US soldier: even in a pillow fight they'll bust you up! When they get to the Middle East it'll be jihadi heads in those pillowcases.

Yep, they are tough unlike a lot of wussies on here . . . winning over someone else getting a busted lip. Sheeshkabobs . . .

Trump is the Wizard Himself.

Smoke, bluster, mirrors, always and every time.

Clinton is a moron. Seriously, listen to her speak. It is so fake and pathetic. Forget politics. Do you want someone that is that fake and FOS. No one respects here. She will be Putin's little bi*** which is the last thing the US needs right now. No one but old people (really old people) and blacks are supporting her right now. That should speak volumes.

Lets be sensible about this. There are two options: (1) She really has horrible judgment when it comes to very sensible issues; or (2) She believes she above the law and could care less what she does.

Either way, would you want that type of person as your leader.

As far as legal experts, I would not hire 90% of the lawyers I know to handle a traffic ticket for me. So what are the legal experts. Professors? Uhm, why are Professors when private jobs pay a whole lot more.

You can get pretty anyone to say anything to get a little public attention. There will be just as many saying the opposite which begs the question, how smart and what is the agenda if either group.

Sure he is. Send then all right back to Iraq to joking ISIS or Africa to join Boko Haram.

One shooting per day might be believable. One mass shooting per day sounds like "pure bullshit" indeed.

maybe you should read a bit more. 1 shooting per day = less than 400 people a day. there are 30000 killed by guns a year in th US

So we're going to consider suicide as part of the mass shootings?

you can twist an turn whatever you want. your society is out of control with so many lunatics with a gun. don't forget the killings between little children because their parents don't keep their guns at a save place

And children falling out of trees because parents don't watch them . . . Children dying in hot cars because parents for get about them . . . Children dying because their parents or another driver drove negligently . . . children drowning because of negligent supervision . . .

The number of unintentional killings between children are very low.

I am one of those that is in favor of better gun control laws and have argued that vigorously on here a while back. Beechguy is completely correct. Something like 2/3s of that 30,000 firearm death number are suicides, most of which (13,000) occur in the elderly population. Perhaps many of the 13,000 viewed it better to go out quickly than die from slow, painful diseases and health conditions.

Yep, China is a disaster. So is Russia. Luckily, the guys in control in the US are smart to not let us be taken down with them.

The US economy is built on selling Chinese made goods at wallmart, home depot, staples to people working for minimum wage at wall Mart home depot and staples.

So how is an economy that is vendor financed by China going to function without China ?

And Americans think everyone in the west is in this boat. Germany has higher wages then the US yet has a trade surplus with China. The Eurozone as a whole is a net creditor with balanced trade

My how things when change, especially when China loses the ability to depreciate its currency. We will be fine. A small decrease in corporate profits to shareholders of companies like Walmart will be more than off set by the good of bringing jobs back to the US.

I am still laughing how your predictions relating China and Russia a while back are panning out. Ruble at 66, Russia depleting reserves to prop up economy, China a basket case with government interventions not working and eroding both reserves and national wealth at a dramatic pace.

I am sure Obama will being looking to change the name if the White House to Black House, Crack House or some more PC before he leaves office.

Yep, China is a disaster. So is Russia. Luckily, the guys in control in the US are smart to not let us be taken down with them.