Congratulations people of Crimea

[muy_thaiguy]

I'd like to inform everyone, battling back any number of hostile forces, in the year 1450 I supported an Orthodox religious uprising in Crimea, and they then turned to down my my Orthodox Byzantine Empire (Re: EU4). Suck on that.


--Andy

Pfft! You didn't do it right. You send in a large occupying force from Constantinople, under the command of your most trusted general. Build a church, establish trade, and you'll be good to go.
Sign,
Emperor MTG of Medieval 2 Total War.

[thegreekdog]

Relevant.

LMAO, this is the funniest thing ever. It was funny when I just thought it was photoshop but then I actually went to Patrick Stewart's Twitter feed and it's even funnier.

Why in the holy hell does Patrick Stewart have Wet Ones?

[2dimes]

They're making a mockery of that alleged phone call.

[rishaed]

Relevant.

LMAO, this is the funniest thing ever. It was funny when I just thought it was photoshop but then I actually went to Patrick Stewart's Twitter feed and it's even funnier.

Why in the holy hell does Patrick Stewart have Wet Ones?

To make fun of Cameron/Obama crying foul? Even if not its hilarious

[AndyDufresne]

Relevant.

LMAO, this is the funniest thing ever. It was funny when I just thought it was photoshop but then I actually went to Patrick Stewart's Twitter feed and it's even funnier.

Why in the holy hell does Patrick Stewart have Wet Ones?

He looks to be in some public place with wet ones, since there is a no smoking sign in there.


--Andy

[tzor]

As I was reading the news-feed about Crimea a few minutes ago tears came unbidden to my eyes, ...

Well ... Crimea River.

[saxitoxin]

Actually, that doesn't make sense. You are now only allowed to say what Nick Saban agrees with.

Ouch. Does saxi even follow American College Football?

UM, hello, I started the Football Sidelines Poll thread in which both you jerkweeds voted.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=198076#p4330387

Why in the holy hell does Patrick Stewart have Wet Ones?

MAYBE HE A BABY DADDY???

[Dukasaur]

Relevant.

LMAO, this is the funniest thing ever. It was funny when I just thought it was photoshop but then I actually went to Patrick Stewart's Twitter feed and it's even funnier.

Why in the holy hell does Patrick Stewart have Wet Ones?

He looks to be in some public place with wet ones, since there is a no smoking sign in there.


--Andy

Why do you guys keep talking about Patrick Stewart having Wet Ones, while continuing to quote the graphic in such a way as to cut off the relevant shot of Patrick Stewart?

Either cut the graphic out of the quote, or move it up so it's not cut off.

If there's one thing this world does not need, it's more slovenly forum quotes.

[DoomYoshi]

get a bigger monitor. BBS is probably sick of his IMAX theatre by now, maybe he can ship it to you?

[Ray Rider]

As I was reading the news-feed about Crimea a few minutes ago tears came unbidden to my eyes, ...

Well ... Crimea River.

TZOR!!

[Dukasaur]

get a bigger monitor. BBS is probably sick of his IMAX theatre by now, maybe he can ship it to you?

Oh, you mean the people with the wide-screen monitors were actually able to see the Patrick Stewart thing inside the quotes? I guess I didn't think of that.


I'll stop now before I drift off on a Marshall MacLuhan tangent.

[thegreekdog]

As I was reading the news-feed about Crimea a few minutes ago tears came unbidden to my eyes, ...

Well ... Crimea River.

TZOR!!

I actually thought that was jones.

[muy_thaiguy]

Actually, that doesn't make sense. You are now only allowed to say what Nick Saban agrees with.

Ouch. Does saxi even follow American College Football?

UM, hello, I started the Football Sidelines Poll thread in which both you jerkweeds voted.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=198076#p4330387

In that case, have you been following recent news on Saban?

[DoomYoshi]

I saw the US ambassador on tv today pronouncing Crimea as in "Cry me a" river.

Long vowels are for drag quiffs.

[tzor]

So anyway I'm not going to congratulate the people of Crimea. From what I've read they are cutting off their nose to spite their face. Ukraine is their biggest customer and source of revenue. A lot of Ukrainians go to their resorts. The biggest Vodka distillery in Crimea sells mostly to the Ukraine. No tourist trap will survive long by pissing off their largest customer base. More interestingly, there is this odd rumor that Russia wants Crimea to go to hell in a hand basket because that way the tourists will flock to neighboring Sochi where they just spend a bucket load of money for the recently finished Olympics.

(That's what you get when they start delivering the Financial Times to your door.)

Secession talk leaves Crimea with supply hangover

When he bought a vodka plant in Ukraine, a country with no shortage of spirits drinkers, British businessman Neil Smith thought he was on to a winner.

But of all the risks Mr Smith might have considered, a geopolitical crisis was not one of them. For Mr Smith’s factory is in Crimea, and Crimea has been in effect cut off from the rest of Ukraine. Thus, the Crimean Vodka Company cannot deliver to most of its market.

Crimea obtains some 80 per cent of its water and electricity from the mainland, and some 65 per cent of its gas. Two-thirds of the holidaymakers coming to the tourism-dependent peninsula are from the rest of Ukraine. Kiev funds an estimated $800m of the $1.2bn annual regional public budget.

“Crimea costs ‘big Ukraine’ a lot of money,” said Oleksandr Shlapak, finance minister, on Monday. “In the economic sense, Ukraine would not lose out [from secession] because Crimea has always been a region which has been subsidised.”

So significant is tourism that Ili Umerov, the mayor of Bakhchysarai, the Crimean Tatars’ traditional stronghold, grumbles Russia may have engineered the conflict to divert travellers to its Black Sea resort of Sochi, where it invested heavily for the Winter Olympics. The Tatars oppose the desire of the majority Russian-speaking population to leave Ukraine.

[Baron Von PWN]

So anyway I'm not going to congratulate the people of Crimea. From what I've read they are cutting off their nose to spite their face. Ukraine is their biggest customer and source of revenue. A lot of Ukrainians go to their resorts. The biggest Vodka distillery in Crimea sells mostly to the Ukraine. No tourist trap will survive long by pissing off their largest customer base. More interestingly, there is this odd rumor that Russia wants Crimea to go to hell in a hand basket because that way the tourists will flock to neighboring Sochi where they just spend a bucket load of money for the recently finished Olympics.

(That's what you get when they start delivering the Financial Times to your door.)

Secession talk leaves Crimea with supply hangover

When he bought a vodka plant in Ukraine, a country with no shortage of spirits drinkers, British businessman Neil Smith thought he was on to a winner.

But of all the risks Mr Smith might have considered, a geopolitical crisis was not one of them. For Mr Smith’s factory is in Crimea, and Crimea has been in effect cut off from the rest of Ukraine. Thus, the Crimean Vodka Company cannot deliver to most of its market.

Crimea obtains some 80 per cent of its water and electricity from the mainland, and some 65 per cent of its gas. Two-thirds of the holidaymakers coming to the tourism-dependent peninsula are from the rest of Ukraine. Kiev funds an estimated $800m of the $1.2bn annual regional public budget.

“Crimea costs ‘big Ukraine’ a lot of money,” said Oleksandr Shlapak, finance minister, on Monday. “In the economic sense, Ukraine would not lose out [from secession] because Crimea has always been a region which has been subsidised.”

So significant is tourism that Ili Umerov, the mayor of Bakhchysarai, the Crimean Tatars’ traditional stronghold, grumbles Russia may have engineered the conflict to divert travellers to its Black Sea resort of Sochi, where it invested heavily for the Winter Olympics. The Tatars oppose the desire of the majority Russian-speaking population to leave Ukraine.

Assuming the Russians go through with the Annexation plans they are likely to pick up the subsidy gap. Russia pumps crazy money into Chechnya and Chechnya brings Russia nothing but trouble. Once inside the Russian federation the Crimea will have access to all kinds of Russian tourists. The Russian's say they will go ahead with plans to build a bridge to the crimea http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/0 ... EM20140303.

The sochi angle is an interesting one though.

[DoomYoshi]

Assuming the Russians go through with the Annexation plans they are likely to pick up the subsidy gap. Russia pumps crazy money into Chechnya and Chechnya brings Russia nothing but trouble. Once inside the Russian federation the Crimea will have access to all kinds of Russian tourists. The Russian's say they will go ahead with plans to build a bridge to the crimea http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/0 ... EM20140303.

The sochi angle is an interesting one though.

They pump tons of money into the KHL too. The whole system is a sham.

[Pope Joan]

Ukraine is their biggest customer and source of revenue. A lot of Ukrainians go to their resorts.

That is actually the problem. Crimea has a huge tourist potential but needs large investment and good governance to realize it. At the moment anyone with a choice will just go to Turkey to enjoy modern tourist infrastructure at 80% of the price. Most of the tourists it attracts go there on a tight budget from neighbouring parts of Ukraine. They have to endure dilapidating Soviet infrastructure and Nigerian level of corruption from policemen, bandits and all sorts of local officials.

Their ideal outcome would be a larger degree of autonomy, large investment, and a transparent, democratically elected local government. It is not immediately clear how they should play their hand but they are not doing it right. While the original referendum was a good move for them, moving it forward two weeks and changing the questions was not. It is like trying to seize Africa in round 1

If they join Russia, they may have access to a large pot of money but most of it will be just stolen (as it happens in some other Russian southern regions). And it will mean no foreign tourists in foreseeable future as they will all need Russian visas to go there (Ukraine is visa-free). Maybe, that is what Crimean government wants. They will be as rich as Poroshenko-Tymoshenko-Yanukovych just by stealing Russian government money.

[GoranZ]

So anyway I'm not going to congratulate the people of Crimea. From what I've read they are cutting off their nose to spite their face. Ukraine is their biggest customer and source of revenue. A lot of Ukrainians go to their resorts. The biggest Vodka distillery in Crimea sells mostly to the Ukraine. No tourist trap will survive long by pissing off their largest customer base. More interestingly, there is this odd rumor that Russia wants Crimea to go to hell in a hand basket because that way the tourists will flock to neighboring Sochi where they just spend a bucket load of money for the recently finished Olympics.

(That's what you get when they start delivering the Financial Times to your door.)

Secession talk leaves Crimea with supply hangover

When he bought a vodka plant in Ukraine, a country with no shortage of spirits drinkers, British businessman Neil Smith thought he was on to a winner.

But of all the risks Mr Smith might have considered, a geopolitical crisis was not one of them. For Mr Smith’s factory is in Crimea, and Crimea has been in effect cut off from the rest of Ukraine. Thus, the Crimean Vodka Company cannot deliver to most of its market.

He can apply for reparations from UK... last I know UK supported the rebels so they should pay the bill

Crimea obtains some 80 per cent of its water and electricity from the mainland, and some 65 per cent of its gas. Two-thirds of the holidaymakers coming to the tourism-dependent peninsula are from the rest of Ukraine. Kiev funds an estimated $800m of the $1.2bn annual regional public budget.

“Crimea costs ‘big Ukraine’ a lot of money,” said Oleksandr Shlapak, finance minister, on Monday. “In the economic sense, Ukraine would not lose out [from secession] because Crimea has always been a region which has been subsidised.”

Can Ukraine afford to not export some of its goods to other countries? I think that will hurt them more then Crimea.
Most of the "subsidized" money were actually cumming from Russian Black Sea Fleet.

So significant is tourism that Ili Umerov, the mayor of Bakhchysarai, the Crimean Tatars’ traditional stronghold, grumbles Russia may have engineered the conflict to divert travellers to its Black Sea resort of Sochi, where it invested heavily for the Winter Olympics. The Tatars oppose the desire of the majority Russian-speaking population to leave Ukraine.

I doubt that even the Russia can invest and change everything over night. Crimea will most likely be "next big thing" which will follow after Sochi.

Ukraine is their biggest customer and source of revenue. A lot of Ukrainians go to their resorts.

That is actually the problem. Crimea has a huge tourist potential but needs large investment and good governance to realize it. At the moment anyone with a choice will just go to Turkey to enjoy modern tourist infrastructure at 80% of the price. Most of the tourists it attracts go there on a tight budget from neighbouring parts of Ukraine. They have to endure dilapidating Soviet infrastructure and Nigerian level of corruption from policemen, bandits and all sorts of local officials.

Since Ukraine wasn't investing, maybe Russia will, like in the case of Sochi

Their ideal outcome would be a larger degree of autonomy, large investment, and a transparent, democratically elected local government. It is not immediately clear how they should play their hand but they are not doing it right.

Why they are not doing that right? Because they are making a referendum instead of rebellion like their former EU sponsored countrymen?

[saxitoxin]

An Obama Death Drone has been blasted out of the skies in a valiant act of self-defense by the people of Crimea while it was violating their sovereign airspace. The Obama Death Drone was recovered intact and will now be back-engineered for the Crimean domestic war industry to be redirected back against the Main Adversary. Aided by his right-wing abettors, the brigandish Obama has become increasingly desperate to sabotage Sunday's democratic elections in Crimea and is engaging in reckless brinkmanship that will increase the chances of global nuclear holocaust.

"The drone was flying at about 4,000 metres (12,000 feet) and was virtually invisible from the ground. It was possible to break the link with US operators with complex radio-electronic" technology, said Rostec in a statement.

"Judging by its identification number, UAV MQ-5B belonged to the 66th American Reconnaissance Brigade, based in Bavaria," Rostec said on its website, which also carried a picture of what it said was the captured drone.

http://news.yahoo.com/russia-says-inter ... 30584.html

[AndyDufresne]

Sorry Saxi, Crimea has taken a back seat to the missing jetliner.


--Andy

[muy_thaiguy]

An US Observer Drone has been blasted out of the skies in an aggressive act of drunkeness by the soldiers of Russia while it was observing their possible invasion actions. The US Observer Drone was stolen intact and will now be illegaly back-engineered for the Russian invasion war industry to be redirected against the civilians of Ukraine. Aided by his staff, Obama has become increasingly desperate to bring about a peaceful resolution to Sunday's democratic elections in Crimea and is engaging in diplomacy that will hopefully decrease the chances of Russian invasion of the soveriegn nation of Ukraine.

"The drone was flying at about 4,000 metres (12,000 feet) and was virtually invisible from the ground. It was possible to break the link with US operators with complex radio-electronic" technology, said Rostec in a statement.

"Judging by its identification number, UAV MQ-5B belonged to the 66th American Reconnaissance Brigade, based in Bavaria," Rostec said on its website, which also carried a picture of what it said was the captured drone.

http://news.yahoo.com/russia-says-inter ... 30584.html

This is fun saxi, let's keep it up!

[DoomYoshi]

BBS reveals which side he is really on:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/14/us-russia-kremlin-cybercrime-idUSBREA2D0FY20140314

Good work, BBS, keep it up.

[saxitoxin]

McCain calls for U.S. to go to war against Russia.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... ?hpt=hp_t2

As horrible as a president Barack Obama is, the U.S. dodged a bullet by not electing John McCain in 2008. The election of Obama over McCain proves the validity of Condorcet's Jury Theorum. McCain is a total nutzoid. He clearly has all of his screws loose and should not be in the Senate or even the Phoenix Municipal Water Board.

[chang50]

McCain calls for U.S. to go to war against Russia.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/20 ... ?hpt=hp_t2

As horrible as a president Barack Obama is, the U.S. dodged a bullet by not electing John McCain in 2008. The election of Obama over McCain proves the validity of Condorcet's Jury Theorum. McCain is a total nutzoid. He clearly has all of his screws loose and should not be in the Senate or even the Phoenix Municipal Water Board.

Perhaps he has never really recovered from his POW experiences,he did pick that dreadful Palin woman after all..