Dutchy wrote:I am a bit worried about your health, posting at 4.30AM in New York, or perhaps you are posting from a troll factory form Sint Pietersburg at 11.30AM?
Thank you for your concerns regarding my health Dutchy. Just as many other middle class people, I do not spend 100% if my time in NYC. My parents live in Vanvouver, Canada (-3 hrs), I also have relatives in Germany. I visit other places here and there too. I assure you, I get enough sleep. Again - thank you!
Dutchy wrote:You say you are Canadian, living in America, but you are actively advocating against America and on other threads, you are advocating for Trump's policies. Let's say you have very flexible morals and point of views? The only thing you are consistent about is pro-Putin, in everything.
Yes, I do understand some things that Trump does, but, of course, I do not agree with everything they do. For example, I agree with Trump's intent to close borders, simplify tax system, attempts to bring or retain manufacturing jobs into the USA, to name a few. Together with that I disagree with their foreign policy, which I find reckless (just as I am sure many Americans and many Europeans). I do not share his beliefs on sanctioning to the right and to the left, telling others with whom to do and whom to not do business with - and most Europeans here share the same position. I am also against US's constant intrusion into other countries and "regime changes", be it Venezuela, Syria, Ukraine. What's anti-American here? It's perfectly normal for any democratic society that some people do not agree with everything the Government or President does, and even disagree with most of what they do.
Speaking of this Nordstream pipe - I neither agree nor disagree with it. If European gas consortiums (Shell, Wintershall, OMV and a few others take part in it) find that this investment will generate them cost-saving opportunities - let them do it. Lower prices for consumers and/or a bit more tax revenue for the state. I wouldn't prohibit them doing it just because some people in some places believe they are doing business with people with wrong beliefs. Many are talking about depriving Ukraine of their vital revenue source - but Ukrainian pipe (and shady business schemes around it) was exactly what has given birth, grown and keeps supporting today's corrupted oligarchic regime in that country. If 2-3 of their oligarchs get USD 1-2 bln each poorer - there are bigger issues than that. Ukrainian people or their state has barely seen any value of this pipeline.
These gas companies are doing a very important job for Europe - thanks to them European middle and lower middle class families do not have to make tough choices in winter - to turn up the heat in kids' bedroom or put food on the table the next day. In our Canadian town I know people who live in apartments that have only electric heat, and they suffer with their electric bills in winter - $300/mo is a lot for very many. And this is Vancouver, where it does not get below freezing. What about Alberta or Manitoba, where it's -40C in winter? I know you are a renewable energy fan, but really - trying to heat yourself with wind and solar in -40C will not get you far at all. I lived and went to school in Manitoba.