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Really? Have you heard of the billion prices project? Some guys at MIT Sloan and the Harvard Business School decided to track the prices of hundreds of online retailers worldwide.. Guess what? The rate of inflation derived from those prices tallied very closely with what the BLS (US Bureau of Labor Statistics) calculated it to be. https://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/inflation-truth-really/

Not necessarily. If the demand is there while rates are still low, then rates will stay low. US treasury notes are still offering interest rates far below the rate of inflation. No shortage of buyers.

Actually, the study is even worse than that. It rates the US as number 3 based on the laxity of its drinking & driving laws. Nothing at all to do with actual per capita death rates.

Well, I know the Italians, for one managed to get a nice increase of gas from Algeria. And are planning to get more from Azerbaijan and Libya. https://www.google.com/search?q=italians+to+get+more+gas+from+azerbaijan&sxsrf=ALiCzsaOC0e2Mi251GwrmCcbYiY3ckP7lw%3A1652607924705&ei=tMuAYrzYKvDYz7sPu-uhiAs&ved=0ahUKEwi8griinOH3AhVw7HMBHbt1CLEQ4dUDCA4&uact=5&oq=italians+to+get+more+gas+from+azerbaijan&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAM6BwgAEEcQsAM6CggAEEcQsAMQyQNKBAhBGABKBAhGGABQmQdY1ytg2TNoAXABeACAAWWIAeUFkgEDOC4xmAEAoAEByAEIwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz What's more, the USA is set to become the world's largest exporter of natural gas. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-be-worlds-biggest-lng-exporter-2022-2021-12-21/ And then there's Iran. If the Biden administration succeeds in its negotiations in opening up the Iranian share of the gas field that it shares with Qatar, that should go a very long way towards supplying the deficit. But apart from that, even if these nations don't immediately manage to cut off supplies buying less over time will hurt the Russians. Also, once the Russians are driven out of Ukraine, which I think is inevitable unless the conflict goes nuclear, it won't be so urgent to completely cut them off. Which isn't really possible anyway. And who knows what's going to happen in Russia in the future? Their situation is potentially very unstable.

Actually, Republicans in the House and Senate have voted overwhelmingly to support the latest 40 billion dollar package for Ukraine.

That figure for the US has to be incorrect. If there were that many motorcycles, that would be about as many as the total number of registered motor vehicles in the USA. https://www.statista.com/statistics/183505/number-of-vehicles-in-the-united-states-since-1990/#:~:text=How many registered motor vehicles,%2C buses%2C and other vehicles. Motorcycles aren't all that popular. There couldn't possibly be almost as many motorcycles as people. I looked up the total number of motorcycles registered in the in the USA and here are the number for 2020 https://www.statista.com/statistics/191002/number-of-registered-motorcycles-in-the-us-by-state/

More of your usual nonsense. Given the effect that this war is having on food prices and other aspects of the world economy, and the fact that voters tend to blame those in power for such adverse consequence, of course politicians are going to care about how long the war lasts. At least in those nations where elections have consequences. As for oil and gas restriction, maybe you aren't aware that it's only due to the actions of Putin's chief admirer in the EU, Viktor Orban, that Russian oil wasn't cut off. All other EU nations were in favor of it. And they're working on getting others sources of gas. But, because these politicians have to undergo general elections. they're reluctant to make life too difficult for their populace.

Actually, Kinnock gave a very good and reasoned explanation of why the study is invalid.

Also, I've noticed that virtually everyone, including the Ukrainian military, is predicting a long hard slog to oust the Russians from Ukraine. I suspect they're doing that out of an abundance of caution. But given the low morale of the Russian troops, and the fact that Ukraine is just beginning to incorporate artillery (and other weaponry) that is far superior to what the Russians have, I suspect that the collapse of the Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory will happen soon and suddenly. Unless the Russians go nuclear.

There's a common assumption that Russia will never give up trying to conquer Ukraine. That even if Ukraine manages to drive out Russia now, soooner or later Russia will return and eventually conquer. But that assumes that there will be a Russia, as it is presently constituted, to continuing waging war against Ukraine. But what about if Russia falls apart the same way that the Soviet Union did? The same problems plague Russia now that plagued the Soviet Union. Here's a link to the article that supports this thesis: https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3483799-prepare-for-the-disappearance-of-russia/

How did you come up with that 10%+ nonsense?

You just made a huge unforced error in your dishonest campaign of innuendos and falsehoods. You left yourself wide open to be disproven. Here are some fox articles about the Ukraine. All were published no later than a month ago. https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/russia-ukraine-us-allies-sanctions https://www.foxnews.com/world/putin-ukraine-catastrophic-war https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-ukraine-crisis-what-to-know-putin https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/russian-forces-attack-kyiv-explosion-wracks-ukrainian-capital-live-updates And there are plenty more where these came from.

Even if your comments were valid, that is no defense for consistently presenting falsehoods. Like your claim that the BBC received 70 million from the UK government for Ukraine reporting. The actual amount in dollars was about 5 million. And your claim that it was to promote biased reporting cited no basis in fact. What is a fact is that the BBC had to move staff out of Russia or have them face imprisonment for reporting that Russia was waging war on the Ukraine. Or any other facts that displeased the Russian government. So part of the expense involves that.

On this very page here's what a moderator wrote: "If you quote or attribute something to a source, then post a link." https://aseannow.com/topic/1258840-asean-seeks-us-support-for-peace-efforts-in-ukraine/page/6/#comment-17357912

The US should give more because not only does it have the capability, but it's in its own self interest to do so. What would stop Putin from demanding more territory or subservience from other European countries if he isn't opposed now. The big mistake was not levying harsh economic sanctions on Russia when it stole Ukrainian territory in 2014. As for the nonsense about the US using Ukrainians for cannon fodder...If the goal of the US was just to have Ukrainians die while wearing down the enemy, then it wouldn't be giving them the means to defeat the Russians. And the odds are very high that this is what the outcome will be. And if the Ukrainians are cannon fodder, then they are eager and willing to be such. Can't say the same for the Russian troops..

Stop inventing falsehoods. The BBC received nowhere near 70 million. Not in pounds, dollars, or Euros. BBC World Service to get extra £4.1m to support Ukrainian and Russian services The BBC World Service is to get £4.1m in extra funding to support its Ukrainian and Russian services, the government has announced. Ministers said the funding would “cover urgent and unexpected costs” that have arisen as a result of the invasion of Ukraine and would help the corporation to tackle disinformation “in the face of systemic propaganda”. Its extra costs include relocating many Russian-based staff out of the country to safe locations in a bid to comply with laws restricting the reporting of the war. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/mar/23/bbc-world-service-to-get-extra-41m-to-support-ukrainian-and-russian-services

What's blatantly obvious is that you refuse to link to sources. We should take it on faith that the people you cite are to be trusted. What don't you understand about the need to provide sources for evidence? You expect us to take the word of an anonymous member of thaivisa.com?

You definitely need to learn some respect for math.. And maybe some reconsideration of the rules of evidence. Like linking to honest sources. But then you wouldn't be able to make false claims. And I guess when you've got nothing, it's best to cite irrelevancies. Why not focus on the current situation instead? Since you brought the corruption index up, and thanks very much for that, let's take a look at how the highest rated nations view the Russian invasion.. Out of the top 10 countries listed, all condemn the Russian invasion Out of the top 20 countries listed, only one has refused to condemn the Russian invasion. Does that tell you anything? Or is the corruption index only relevant when it serves your purposes?

When will you stop with the falsehoods? According to the Transparency International Corruption Index Ukraine is at 122 out of 180. That's a pretty bad score. You know who has a worse one? Russia. It ranks #136. https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5jnvTgvhUzHYg7kdLRG5FYlDKEFsGNuBksaAN8jnZANEFSeIkxDdBkaAtboEALw_wcB

In other words: history, shmistory

Here's a link to a more informative article from forbes.com https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/05/10/ukrainian-troops-appear-to-have-fought-all-the-way-to-the-russian-border/?sh=56f590fb4409

This hasn't been confirmed yet by Ukraine Ukraine Troops Reach Ternova, Town on Russia Border, as Invasion Reversed The Ukrainian counteroffensive appears to have pushed Russian troops past the Ukrainian village of Ternova and back to the Russian border, according to unverified reports in both Forbes and the Daily Mail. If confirmed, a retreat of the Russian troops from the area around Kharkiv would be a significant success for Ukraine, freeing up troops to fight in the south of the country and giving respite to the devastated city of Kharkiv. On the other hand, a Russian retreat would be a terrible humiliation for Moscow and yet another setback in the invasion of Ukraine, merely weeks after troops retreated from the areas surrounding Kyiv in early April under the Kremlin's order. https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-troops-reach-russia-border-invasion-reversed-1705900

Somewhat less redness now. Ukraine's 'hawk and mouse' Kharkiv counteroffensive is nearing Russia's border, threatening supply lines A Ukrainian counteroffensive north and east of Kharkiv has pushed Russian forces mostly out of shelling range of Ukraine's second-largest city, under near-constant attack since Moscow tried to surround it at the beginning of its invasion. Ukraine's armed forces now regularly report recapturing towns and villages from retreating Russian troops. https://news.yahoo.com/ukraines-hawk-mouse-kharkiv-counteroffensive-071655230.html

virtually everyone in the past who has gotten a Thai Pass has been able to do that. I was.

Once again, the mask slips.