Blugolds

little nibble on BRK and COST, hoping both continue to go down and I can add more

My guess is that they will welcome potential opportunities. I certainly am. its not fun being the only sober one at a party, but the market has been "drunk" for a while. with some recent windfalls I am holding a significantly (for me) large portion of the port in cash and looking forward to more blood in the streets. Starting to look interesting in several names for entry positions and of course the further below $300 BRK gets the happier I am. Starting to take a page out of Boilermakers playbook, watching Put options on BRK very closely now and will likely start selling them. Thats been my strategy, I view it as heads/tails I WIN.

Dont get me wrong, things in the ME were not handled correctly, other theatres as well...but what you are describing...enemies underestimating the US resolve/capability....is fine, let them...I think Putins behavior is indicative of that. I think he was probably surprised a bit by the response by not only the US but the rest of the world. I agree, Power perceived is Power achieved...and that is great, but at the end of the day...anybody can rattle the saber..just like the bully on the playground talking big. I personally know several career military individuals at various stages of their careers/ranks. Rear Admiral, EP detail for Senators, Colonel, Majors, Captains, Sergeants, Plebs, Recruiters... and I can honestly say that every single one of them are the epitome of professionalism. Just like any other bunch, you have your outliers, but honestly the majority are absolutely top notch and take their job very seriously and with the utmost pride. I have no doubt in my mind that the worlds best fighting force works for Uncle Sam. America and its allies are fine, nobody wishes for war, but I am confident in their abilities vs anyone else in the world that would like to FAFO.

LOL 1) true, majority maybe dont, but some do (the ones Im referencing) 2) yes, if they did they have equity..thats untapped, and probably wont be until they sell/die so doesnt help them in the day to day, also the ones I know arent aware of HELOC options or they see some predatory Tom Selleck commercial 3) they can, I personally pay them separately because I like to keep an eye on the Ins premiums, when wrapped into a bundle they like to try and sneak them up on you after a couple years. 4) you're right, didnt account for that. 5) a car for each person is pretty standard now days, especially if we assume both adults are working...once little Susie/Timmy gets to be 16 they'll likely look for a clunker for them..pretty tough to be a one vehicle family these days unless you have some serious public transportation options in your locale. They dont, no trains or busses even. 6) another cheaper example...I guess I was really getting hosed when I was on my own plan, safe to say I overestimated the cellphone costs 7 ) Like I said before...it CAN be done, look at costs of feeding prisoners every day...but every time I go get groceries I see people with overflowing carts and my hand basket comes to $60 and I dont have expensive taste and not shopping at Whole Paycheck either. Agreed people are gluttonous. Even if you are on the great depression menu and feed 3 people for $25/day thats $750/month. Pretty close to my estimate assuming a couple splurges once in a while. 8 ) Have never thought of painting like that LOL but I suppose you're right. Shouldn't be hard to find those "qualified". So everyone is saying that you can live a comfortable life on $40k/yr net? Because we have some saying that $53k/yr gross is artificially low, and others saying its totally doable with examples. For the upper skillsets yes, wages have increased to stay competitive and retain talent, but for the lower tiers, the wages have not increased anywhere near other costs. As to your other point, I agree, they probably have always lived paycheck to paycheck (at least the ones I know) but they still had the consumer "enjoyables" that contribute to overall spend in the country. Not debating if this is a wise course of action, I dont think I would be spending like they "did" if I was in the same financial situation...but they were, and they say its slowing. As to the percentage they drive economic indicators, that Im not sure, but I think it might be a little more than people realize. Again I hope Im wrong on this one, but I think it would be a little naïve of me to ignore feedback Im getting from almost everyone I know at that economic tier. Thats all, was just sharing what I have seen/heard, if you guys are right then nothing to worry about at all, and all this stuff Im hearing is fictitious...maybe they are all short like Ackman LOL If you've worked for the past 10-15 years stuffing packets in a factory, you're in your late 40's or older I dont know that its likely they are gonna make a career change this late in the game. Comfortable/complacent in their position, friends at work, kid/s in school, family in the area, I dont know that they suck it up and switch jobs or move. As someone who did concrete in HS, not a lot of "old timers" in those manual positions because physically it takes its toll. Lawn mowing is seasonal, and probably doesn't provide insurance or vacation time like they get at the ACME factory. I guess it just comes down to what you said, how much do they actually contribute to the economic indicators. If its insignificant then it doesnt even matter, if they make up a noticeable percentage, and they are feeling it, if feedback I have heard is true, might make a difference. Not trying to convince anyone this POV is absolute, just giving another perspective that I've seen/heard. Something to take into consideration with regard to the Jenga pile.

@DinarI welcome holes poked in the above. Method for determining the above numbers were avg cost of car payments in the US, used was just over $400 and new was just over $600 on avg so I split the difference at $500/vehicle. The same with avg mortgage payments in the US (via google) combined with the fact that I charge rent of $1400 per side of a duplex (2bd 1bath) in an avg area. I dont know anyone who drives a Corolla, most moms would want a x-over or SUV, almost every guy I know drives a truck or SUV = lower MPG and increased expense. Most truck/SUV mileage is in the teens. $300-350k is solidly in starter home territory in our area for probably the last 5 years in a non-prime area, to get something in a decent neighborhood that I could see living in for the next 20-30 years its over $500k now, and thats not me being bougie. Do people in the aforementioned financial situation qualify for the best rates on a home loan? Maybe past credit history isnt stellar, maybe tough to come up with 20% down etc. Cellphone: We have a family plan now and are grandfathered in for reduced rate with our carrier, but before when I was on my own through Verizon for my plan with fees and taxes (they are almost as much as the plan itself) I was at $90/mo and that was nothing special, I think the actual plan was like $55/mo but the fees and taxes get ya. Sounds like you have a pretty good deal, maybe I was getting hosed. We can play the game and say...make $50k/yr...live in a trailer, drive a 20yr old corolla, live on Ramen noodles, shop at the Goodwill. These numbers are just some quick napkin figures based of people I know, exceptions to every rule, but those are pretty close to accurate based on people I know. The question isnt how to make $50k/yr work, its at what point do they START to make $50k/yr work, meaning, cutting back on the Nikes/Apple products, dining, entertainment etc. As for the cash employees, yeah cant argue that, the Au Pair gets cash bonuses and will probably be fine, anyone who caters to those unaffected will probably be fine...I dont know what percentage of underreported income is out there. Hopefully those services are in affluent areas with clientele that dont feel the squeeze. But they arent really the ones in question because the above example couple doesnt have a doorman, cleaning lady, dog walker, tutor or private trainer so IMO its basically a wash. Those you mentioned with high cash incomes were fine before and probably fine now. Skilled labor is just that, cant switch career fields to be skilled at the drop of a hat, takes time/training. Maybe they're not physically able to do demanding work. Plumbers/Electricians, the trades make decent money and well above average but not everyone can do that. in my hometown, there are several warehouse/factory jobs and they are definitely not receiving double digit raises and the avg income is in-line with the above figures. Like I said, I welcome some constructive feedback, and I certainly could be off $20-$100 here or there, but I think you hit the nail on the head with the last few lines of your comment and illustrated my point: "As for lack of savings, could it be because people keep spending beyond their means? Eating out regularly + buying apple watches and Nike sneakers when you make $25 per hour is not going to result in savings." The answer is...maybe they wont/cant anymore...and what does that look like for companies/economy that depends on them doing so...at what point does it get bad enough that they dont go out and buy the newest cellphone, hold off on the new pair of sneaks etc. Thats the big question...where is the tipping point for the majority to really feel it and scale back significantly. I obviously dont think we are there yet, but I think we are closer than we have been in a long time and I dont think it will take much more to get there. Just illustrating, based off experiences of people I know, how it can happen and why I think we could see that in the next 12-? months. To be clear, I genuinely hope Im wrong, but I havent seen this sentiment from those bottom folks for a decade or so. Take it for what its worth, relatively small data set but the overall sentiment has changed from what I am seeing/hearing.

Just another point of view, I have a fairly diverse group of friends/family with regard to socioeconomic status. Those in the upper echelons arent feeling much even with elevated inflation. The club dues are paid, the new range rover is in the garage, but it was a "pain" to find one with the exact options they wanted, the new Au Pair is settled in, they know whats going on but it doesnt really effect the day to day. The tip on the bill for a Friday night out is more than the cost to fill up the ranger rover....they dont care. If I only hung around these folks at the same level, I wouldnt think twice about what was going on, probably would have a more optimistic view that things would be inconvenient but would work themselves out. The other half are really feeling it. When you're already living essentially paycheck to paycheck, that extra couple hundred a month for rent, plus fuel, plus groceries adds up, many dont have the extra grand a month to bridge the gap and their paltry 3% raise (if they get that) is a token bread crumb thrown. What does that translate to for the majority of American middle class, net actually in their pocket? maybe $2k/yr? couple hundred a month if that. I'm talking about these folks: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/19/56percent-of-americans-cant-cover-a-1000-emergency-expense-with-savings.html https://www.pollfish.com/blog/original-insights/over-half-of-americans-couldnt-cover-1500-emergency-expenses-pollfish-survey-finds/ The only option is to do what they have been doing, but on a greater scale...charge it. Consumer debt will go up considerably. Most on this board (myself included) would just think, labor market is hopping, go find a better job, make more, hustle, but for many that isnt an option due to skillset, location etc, so basically they are stuck and take what they are given. Word on the street is that the truck is parked, the fishing trips are canceled, staying closer to home, they are buttoning down the hatches, because they dont have a choice and they are still falling further into the hole even with a slight pullback in spending. Evidently there is a run on wide mouth canning jar lids of all things. These folks wages are not 30-50% higher than they were in 2019. So what example best reflects the majority of Americans, I tend to think its those feeling the pinch and that will eventually work its way to the bottom line for many companies. Sometimes hard to remember that the avg salary in the US (2022) is $53,4900/yr or $1,028/week GROSS.. https://www.jobted.com/salary#:~:text=According to the latest data,40-hour work week). Call that $40k/yr take home or $3300/ month, lets call it both working with only 1 kid. $6600/month net -$1500 mortgage payment -$250 property tax -$120 Homeowner insurance -$250 utilities (water, gas, electric, garbage) -$100 insurance 2 vehicles -$1000 groceries (family of three) -$1200 childcare -$1000 car payments (2 cars, conservative) -$500 fuel (20gal tank @4.20/gal=$84 fill up 5-6 fill up per month between 2 vehicles) -$200 2 cellphone plan -$50 internet ----------------- $430/month remains and I think these are pretty conservative estimates without any superfluous spending or saving for retirement etc. No clothing, vacations, toys/activities for the kids etc. Streaming services, unexpected repairs on vehicles or home. For those that pay more in taxes per year than the avg dual combined income family in the US, sure, you notice inflation but you dont really "feel" it...but those guys do and sooner or later that starts showing up on the balance sheet. The majority of Americans arent the tech engineer pulling down $500k/yr, nobody feels bad for that guy and he isnt gonna notice if his triple whip soy frappa mocha latte blah blah even doubles in price. the reality is I think the majority of Americans are barely getting by already and when you're already on the edge it doesnt take much to tip.

I agree, fashion is fickle and changes rapidly, no doubt AF would have had their day sooner or later, I think it may have come a bit prematurely due to the aforementioned complications..as there are other brands that have adapted, adjusted and remained more relevant. As for whats "lit" and "drip"...I'd have to google those definitions lol I'll check out the Boeing one

I watched the A&F documentary...some of the management were quacks..and I never realized the underlying "shirtless boys" themes (watch it if you're wondering) at the time...it was just the "cool" clothing to wear.. If I had a dollar for every girl I dated that was an "Abercrombie model" haha omg, they were all called "models"...never knew that in the day but I had fun with it.. Anyway, when I watched this what I found most interesting was that they were viewed as a premier brand...they sold the image that everyone wanted, everyone wanted to be the ivy league rich kid, polo, rowing, house in the hamptons, good looking etc...even the minorities and the fat kids...but they couldnt, so they complained, because the clothing should be for everyone right? Wrong...when they tried to become something for everyone the brand tanked and lost its appeal and prestige. I think it was dumb...if the fat kids and others didnt think the brand fit them...just dont buy it...I saw TONS of similarities between AF and VS going on now with plus size models etc. Thats what I took from it...people want to buy something that makes them feel closer to that ideal image...physically, financially etc..and some people strive for it, and some people complain that they cant be that no matter what and demand that the bar is lowered...lowering the bar just reduces the brand appeal and the ability to charge a premium price. Imagine if people complained that fat people cant fit in a Ferrari, or that not enough minorities own ferraris...so Ferrari started making an entry level car that retails for the same price as a Camry and has wider seating and more headroom for the "husky" folks...what would that do to the brand.. Nobody complains that Old Navy or other lower tier brands arent for everyone...but when you're on the top you're a target, AF became a target and crash/burned...I've never owned anything FUBU, or been on their website, seen their marketing..but I am assuming that was probably the opposite of AF back in the day, because they targeted a different customer and thats OK..I think you can have all of it, targeting different markets, find a brand that portrays your ideal and give them your money. Just for kicks I went on their website while watching the documentary, TOTALLY different image than I remember back in the day, completely unremarkable. Granted Im no longer their target customer at this age..but viewing it as I would have back in the day or as a kid today..nothing there exciting.

I compare Warren to my own grandfather with regard to age and mental acuity. Gramps just recently passed in Jan at 91...did crossword puzzles every single day. When it came to some topics he was sharp, you would think he was 50 yrs old...even remembered to ask for an update on things that we hadnt talked about for several years, but other topics he had a hard time remembering or got mixed up. Overall toward the end he just slowed. It is also sometimes tricky because personally, if you asked me what I ate for breakfast or dinner yesterday or the day before it would take a second...so tough to say what is "normal" with each individual. Overall I think for their age WB and CM are mentally doing very well with some allowed slow down in mental/verbal speed...my god everyone gets a little "tired" at 90! The fact that they still travel, are mobile, and still are able to sit up there for hours and conduct the meeting to me is impressive as I dont think my grandfather would have been able to do that at all, I know he wouldnt have been able to, granted WB has has a different life, but still, anyone who has spent significant time around the "advanced" elderly would put both WB and CM well beyond average in ability for their age, both mentally and physically. From my experience also, the mental/physical decay at these ages is not always linear, as in there is not always a specific change from one year to the next that is noticeable, many times I have seen someone past 90 take a 180 within months, either mentally or physically. I certainly dont hope that is the case here, hoping for at least another decade out of both of them, but also realistic. WB is very aware of the actuary tables, averages etc. I also wonder how much WB is involved now, my guess is that the transition will be smooth as that would be the smartest way to do it. What I mean is that by the time Greg takes over 100% it wont be a sudden change as my guess is he will already have been doing 90% of the job already. That is what I would do if I was in that situation...ie. the kid is already balancing without the training wheels before you take you hand off the back of the seat...

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has contributed to a historic shock to commodity markets that will keep global prices high through the end of 2024, according to the World Bank. The spike in energy prices over the past two years is the biggest since the 1973 oil crisis, while the jump in food prices is the most since 2008, the World Bank said Tuesday in its commodity markets outlook report. “Overall, this amounts to the largest commodity shock we’ve experienced since the 1970s,” said Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s vice president for equitable growth, finance and institutions. Russia is a leading exporter of oil, natural gas and coal, while Ukraine is a major source of wheat and corn. The situation has been exacerbated by soaring fertilizer costs and price spikes for key metals. After nearly doubling last year, energy prices are expected to jump more than 50% this year before easing in 2023 and 2024, the World Bank said. Food prices will soar by 22.9% this year, highlighted by a 40% rise in wheat prices, according to the report. “These developments have started to raise the specter of stagflation,” the World Bank warned. “Policymakers should take every opportunity to increase economic growth at home and avoid actions that will bring harm to the global economy." Prices are expected to stay at “historically high levels” through the end of 2024, the World Bank said. The fear is that high prices for necessities will hit low-income families the hardest. “The resulting increase in food and energy prices is taking a significant human and economic toll – and it will likely stall progress in reducing poverty,” Ayhan Kose, director of the World Bank’s Prospects Group, said in the report.

I think it totally depends on a personal timeline. Primary home, 10% is nothing, that’s a rounding error higher than agent commissions to facilitate the transaction, combine that with family history, memories, kids etc and if you;’re happy with where you are at…I doubt many would pull the trigger, especially if they think they will remain in the home otherwise for the next decade or more. The same with investment and vacation homes…if they are performing well, and/or I enjoy using them, and I don’t need the money, why bother..10-20% isn’t going to affect anything IMO if you’re looking out a decade or more. I am currently getting ready to o sell a vacation home that is about 4x more than I paid for it 10 years ago, but that is mainly due to life changes, I initially purchased it for my mother to live in but she has since passed and so planes change, I entertained the idea of coni tuning to rent it out but I would rather lock in the gains now an move on, a lot of that has to do with the fact that I have a different vacation property that we enjoy spending time at more…I don’t need two and I’m sick of dealing with renters etc. Previously when I was younger I viewed homes as purely investment plays…buy as soon as I was able, ALWAYS had roommates in college that covered my payments and gave me bar money, I even rented a close to a buddy once lol, the houses were that packed…it was a win win really, cheap rent for them, but we had so many guys in there that I was bringing in double what the mortgage, taxes,insurance, utilities were each month…plus as a bonus…it was fun, always had someone to do something with because it was a house full of guys, somebody’s as dating someone and they would bring their girlfriends over etc…it was a blast. Nowadays they would call that a “house hack” but it just made sense to me and more importantly it was a necessity. I couldn’t afford to cover everything myself without have it roommates while going to school. The ability to leverage with a mortgage…then have roommates before your start a family, that cover all expenses for 4-5 years (Actually 6 because it included grad school) and then sell that property as your primary residence and take those gains tax free is a powerful tool. The next property I purchased as a primary residence and fixed it up, I had moved for work and rented a bedroom from a friend in his basement but would go back to the property on days off and weekends while I did the reno…if you’re willing to live a little out of the ordinary and use those benefits to the max…basically buying and selling every couple years for the tax free gains, it really starts to add up. Now, as most of you are probably aware, when you have other opinions to take into consideration (wife/kids) it isn’t as easy to get them to sleep on plywood floors among a pile of tools and building materials while you take a couple months gutting a house lol…but for a motivated single guy you can really hustle. I wouldn’t sell RE to avoid 10-20% unless I was probably gonna do it anyway…just like I wouldn’t sell my BRK to avoid a 10-20% loss if I plan on holding it for the next 20+ years. My opinion has slightly changed though…before I was with the significant other, I never viewed a house as a “home”…it was nothing more than a pile of building materials to me and that’s the honest truth, there just wasn’t any emotional attachment. I even remodeled some of the properties while I had roommates, they sometimes complained as one of the bathrooms was gutted and everyone had to share the other…at the time (ruthless) I said, hey man you don’t have a lease, if you don’t like it, move out…but they’re rent was half of what it would be any where else..so that usually squashed any complaints. LIke stocks, if the market drops 20-30-40% I wouldn’t be looking to sell to avoid the lose beforehand, I would just be salivating at deals that I could find as available…to buy more…

I’m in the process of getting one of my lake properties ready to sell, I had a friend that stopped by to see how it was going and take a look, he and his wife said they might be interested…during our conversation they had mentioned that they were also considering building, speaking with several builders they were quoted at $375-$400/sq ft to build…and that is for a pretty basic package, no fancy trim packages or upgrades. I was shocked, obviously this is geographically dependent..but previously I would have thought that you could get a basic home built for around $175-200 depending on finishes, layout etc…so I assumed that with the increase in building materials maybe $250-300… Then when I thought about it further…a 250’ roll of 12/2 wire at Menards used to be $54….now $160…4x8 sheet of 7/16 OSB used to be $12 now $45…PVC, Rebar, Concrete, shingles, siding…nearly every single thing at Menards has doubled or tripled…so I guess it makes sense that the cost of a package would reflect that… Keep in mind, this lake place is in a rural community, so we aren’t talking about a metro area here, historically things had always been cheaper out there. All of a sudden this property that I bought for $100k back in 2011 when they were giving them away, at a $400k ask (2k sq ft) seems like a steal to them vs building new on a price per sq ft basis…plus they get to live on a recreational lake.

Wow, had no clue, I never looked into him really, I think I saw one video that he made discussing how Putin was corrupt and stealing money from the Russian people to build his mega compound mansion etc. Seemed like he was against the cronyism, seemed like a decent guy in the video but perhaps that wasnt a good representation of the man. Still might not be Putin 2.0 but maybe just a different version of the same. I guess I probably bought into your 2nd point, anyone who pisses off putin enough to have an assassin squad sent to poison him has gotta be a little closer to the right track. This is part of the video:

Be interesting to know (truly) how much support Navalny has in Russia...I dont know that he would have enough support from the powers that be to actually be released from prison and put in power..but his interviews etc that I have seen, he seems like a pretty reasonable guy. I think he would be more agreeable as his entire platform was basically democracy and an end to the corruption, honestly from what I saw I would be happy for the Russian people if he got his chance.

I dont know what the max payload for a drone is...but thats much cheaper than a Javelin...I think I saw prices on those of $100k for the launcher and $78k for the missile. Assuming Stingers are comparable.

Was watching some things about new tech in weaponry and it was really interesting. The use of drones is quickly becoming the new preferred fighting ability. I remember years ago seeing a movie that had a drone "swarm" that would attack...hundreds of bird sized drones that acted as a collective seeking out targets, both human or mechanized and detonating. I remember thinking it was scary and how would you stop it, short of some kind of EMP etc...seemed futuristic at the time but from what I have seen now it is either available or not far off.

Can someone help me understand the significance of labeling Putin a war criminal and the activities war crimes or crimes against humanity? How does that change things? The reluctance/caution by some to label Putin or behavior as such? I dont get it. I dont think Putin cares what anybody calls him. And as far as I understand the world is doing what it can with sanctions etc already...you cant remove them from SWIFT banking any more than you already have, other means of trade etc. What more could be done due to the new classification? China will still trade with Russia etc the countries that are still supporting or not condemning Russian aggression will continue to do so regardless of the label. Say he is labeled as such and ordered to report to the international courts for trial...do you think he would actually go? The man has everything he could ever want inside his own boarders...and the population has their hands tied, and evidently many support him, so do you think it will really make a difference to change anything? I just dont see much changing regardless of the label, yet see it plastered all over media (both sides) from various countries...regardless of what you call it, the acts are there for everyone to see, the terminology IMO is inconsequential.

If thats true, sounds like a game of Chicken..."you're not breaking up with me, Im breaking up with you!"

Thats my point, it would change global perception of the Ukrainians. What constitutes terrorism? Suppose the truck in Moscow doesnt kill civilians, just damages infrastructure...still terrorism? Suppose it does kill civilians...is that then terrorism? Lets change the diesel/fertilizer to a warhead and rather than delivering it via truck, lets propel it with a rocket...still terrorism? Send the warhead to a hospital in Moscow that kills civilians...still Terrorism? In war...is terrorism against terrorism justified? I guess it depends on what your definition of terrorism is. Department of Defense Dictionary of Military Terms defines terrorism as: The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims. Based on this definition....I see only one side of this "special military operation" as terrorists.

Was wondering if they would start taking the fight to the enemy. Tough situation though...this isnt really all of Russia as an enemy, its pretty much one guy calling the shots, Putin...remain defensive and Putin is clearly the bad guy...they are just protecting themselves...go too much on the offensive and it makes it easier for Putin to act like he was right all along and maybe has an easier time rallying everyone against the enemy...TBH the majority of Russians are also victims of Putin, not to the degree that Ukraine is obviously...but still victims. Imagine some Ukrainian guy loads a truck full of fertilizer/diesel and somehow makes it to Moscow and lets it loose...would they be justified? Maybe there are no civilian casualties, maybe there are. How would that change global perception? Perception of Ukrainian supporters in Russia? Does that actually harm Ukraine more by aiding Putins propaganda? Generally I like the idea of strategically hitting them at home, makes it a little more real for Putin maybe. Too bad they didnt have a way to get at the Eagles Nest... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putin's_Palace

"Power perceived is power achieved".....the opposite is also true..

Had the propane tank filled at the cabin, was gonna try and hold off but with recent cold snap decided to just fill it rather than play the game over the next couple weeks. Paid $2.62/gal Thats a 36% increase from last years 1.93 at this time.. And over double from the $1.30/gal I paid in 2020. 500 gal tank

Agreed, how relatable are the victims? White, Christian, English speakers are easier to relate to, human nature. How easy is it for someone to visualize themselves in that situtation. I have watched most of the 1420 Youtube channel videos as well as some from Ukraine. One from Ukraine called "Pavlo from Ukraine" I have watched since he started, almost a year ago, day to day life, trips around the country etc I liked it as Im an avid traveler and enjoy new perspectives on how people live day-to-day in other parts of the world. He has some newer live streams discussing his current situation, not as horrible as others in the country as I think he lives in the Western side, I think he said several hundred kilometers from the capital but can still see the stress on his face, earlier videos could hear sirens and explosions also his parents are in Kiev and wont leave. As for MSM of any country, with the prevalence of social media now, Youtube, TikTok, SNAP etc its much harder to control the entire population, the older folks getting all info from CNN or FOX types in any country are still susceptible but when the majority of your info is coming from an average joe actually on the ground in the location instantaneously, that is harder to stifle. I was watching real time snaps from Ukraine as it was happening when this started of trains, evacuations, life in the subway tunnels etc. There are now ZERO snaps to watch coming out of Ukraine.