Blugolds

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.

Ukraine does have a Nazi problem...but I would say that EVERY country has a Nazi/Fascist problem, it is not specific to Ukraine. I guess Im confused as to your position? You've made several comments about the Azov units...is this a surprise that Ukraine ALSO has these types? You can find Neo-Nazi trash or similar ideology in every military in the world and probably every city...including Russia. Personally I dont think the narrative is: Ukraine good, Russia Bad. I think its that the majority of Ukrainians are good, the majority of Russians are good, there are whackbags on both sides, just like any other country...its just happens that one Russian guy happens to rule his side and control the military...and unfortunately he has no problem specifically targeted bombing of civilians. As for your link to the Multipolarista website...that is extreme to say the least and clearly just anti-West, every single article written to stir the pot and paint the west as the problem and is predominantly pro-Russia/China, not one single criticism of any other country with all articles targeting US/NATO. So its hard to consider it any more credible than extreme websites in the US doing the same against Russia/China. You've stated Western Hypocracy...again is this news? Show me one country that is not hypocritical, does not spin a narrative, Russia is the KING of fake news, unless Im wrong and you're saying I should get all my info from RT? Maybe China gives a better picture of what is really going on? The lighthouse in a sea of disinformation? You even said yourself: Russians believe in Russian propaganda. Americans believe in American propaganda. This is true Yet you only have a problem with Western Hypocrisy? MSM? FYI Russia has the same issues: https://theconversation.com/putins-fascists-the-russian-states-long-history-of-cultivating-homegrown-neo-nazis-178535 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Imperial_Movement https://www.rferl.org/a/russian_neonazi_sentences_welcomed/24263471.html https://www.cidob.org/en/publications/publication_series/notes_internacionals/n1_128_russia_for_russians/russia_for_russians https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51236915 I can keep going...China has them too...there are literally hundreds of Fascist groups in every country...sometimes they work their way up the ladder..There are even Fascists in Israel... https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-when-jews-praised-mussolini-and-supported-nazis-meet-israel-s-first-fascists-1.7538589 https://www.timesofisrael.com/several-far-right-israelis-groups-said-on-extensive-facebook-blacklist/ https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2018/7/17/an-unlikely-union-israel-and-the-european-far-right So I guess I dont get the point...cherry picking articles from any country exposing extreme views...they can literally be found in EVERY country. Im not saying the West/NATO is not without fault, just that it seems silly to me to focus on the problem of one country when it can be found everywhere and is not indicative of the general consensus of citizens. The majority of Russians/Ukrainians/Chinese/Americans/Israelis are good, and just want to live their life in peace and be left alone, have a decent job, home and family...

If Finland joins first, Sweden will kind of get the benefit of joining without really having to pay/join...Russia would have to go through a NATO country to invade on land otherwise they would have to come across the Baltic and that would be tough. So if Finland joins, for all intents and purposes...Sweden is basically "protected" by NATO countries and could maintain their neutrality if they didnt want to make it official. If Im thinking about it correctly. I hope you're right about the food shortages

Biden says Western leaders discussed food shortages, which he says will be "real" US President Joe Biden said leaders discussed the possibilities of food shortages triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden said food shortages will be "real," and he called Ukraine and Russia the "breadbasket" for Europe. Supplies from the two countries together account for almost 30% of global wheat trade. "The price of the sanctions is not just imposed upon Russia. It's imposed upon an awful lot of countries as well, including European countries and our country as well," Biden said in remarks after an emergency NATO meeting in Brussels. "We had a long discussion in the G7 with ... both the United States, which has a significant — the third largest producer of wheat in the world — as well as Canada, which is also a major, major producer. And we both talked about how we could increase and disseminate more rapidly food ... In addition to that, we talked about urging all the European countries and everyone else to end trade restrictions on sending, limitations on sending food abroad. So we are in the process of working out with our European friends what it would be, what it would take to help alleviate the concerns relative to food shortages," he said. Biden also mentioned a "significant" US investment model for humanitarian assistance, which would include food. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron laid out the details of a proposed EU-led food security initiative designed to alleviate the risk of food shortages caused by the war. “This situation will create a food crisis, extremely serious humanitarian situations in several countries and are sure to have massive political consequences in several countries,” Macron said at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday. According to a document circulated by the Elysée, Russia is the top exporter of wheat worldwide (33 million tons in 2021) with Ukraine not far behind (fourth largest exporter, with 20 million tons in 2021). The document estimates 27 mostly African and Middle Eastern countries source over 50% of their wheat from Russia or Ukraine. The three-pronged initiative spelled out in the document would rely on measures, such as making crisis stockpiles of grain available to “avoid any shortages and keep prices down,” raising production thresholds, and stepping up investments in sustainable agriculture in the most-affected countries. The "breadbasket" has been mentioned before...people will stomach higher prices at the pump...but if food increases even more, similar to construction materials (2-3x) and people will REALLY feel it. Never in my lifetime have I gone to the grocery store and literally seen 80% of store shelves empty, but it happened during COVID, possible that we see that again?

The old Soviets got a lesson in SISU!

@formthirteen thanks!

Cliff notes for those of us who are a little rusty on the translation (aka dont speak the language at all)?

Wow that takes me back…that was THE game back in the day for me and my friends, countless hours against each other…if this was the case we could send the Ukrainians some Shelby Cobras and be done with it… - Shelby Cobra = how do you turn this on

“Ukraine’s military intelligence published a letter allegedly written by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asking for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s permission to start mass logging of Ukrainian forests. The wood would be sold, and the money would go for the Russian army. “All forests in the temporarily occupied territories are at the highest risk,” Ukraine’s intelligence said” This just gets better and better…..just how are you going to start a mass logging operation with heavy machinery and trucking…I don’t know the seasons in Ukraine like I do here, but I know several family/friends who own large logging operations…they are out of the woods shortly, if not already. Snow is melting, ground is thawing…its the wet season and those machines are large and heavy..the logistics of even getting the machines back in there are unbelievable, they even have semi trucks full of huge Timbers (like railroad ties) to build “mats” in wet/soft spots in case they run a little late in the season on a job. That’s not even considering the fact that the trucks themselves need to be loaded in the woods before heading to the mills.. I almost find this hard to believe.

Thought I read that Ukraine sunk that battleship that took the “go Fawk yourself” island…. Didn’t even think about Vietnam…and didn’t know about Korea..agreed we should have never tipped out hand or advertised that we were delivering the Migs or anything else…let Putin find out Ukraine is armed to the teeth the hard way…

Schiff's tweet says nothing about Zelensky and everything about Schiff.