For those interested in Putin

[StevieWonders]

Also: why DB should be encrypted when forum shows its content to anyone who open forum's page? It will looks stupid: to encrypt contend just for to decrypt it on demand and show on the page.

Aren’t you forgetting all the knickers-knotting, the tears, the tantrums, the sulks from certain members every time someone suggests that PMs are not “private”? As you’ve just said, anyone with database access can read anything at all, including PMs - which notion gives the maiden aunts and lip-pursers here the vapours (it’s their self-interest don’t you know).

[Moses]

Aren’t you forgetting all the knickers-knotting, the tears, the tantrums, the sulks from certain members every time someone suggests that PMs are not “private”? As you’ve just said, anyone with database access can read anything at all, including PMs - which notion gives the maiden aunts and lip-pursers here the vapours (it’s their self-interest don’t you know).

Once again: forum software with encryption of DB does not exists. It is forum. Just forum. For to exchange news, gossips and impressions.

The one who wants to exchange sensitive info should use encrypted mail service such proton in combination with their mail-client software. Other methods doesn't works - all software, any messenger have backdoors. They are for govt's use, but hackers can use them as well.

[StevieWonders]

Once again: forum software with encryption of DB does not exists. It is forum. Just forum. For to exchange news, gossips and impressions.

The one who wants to exchange sensitive info should use encrypted mail service such proton in combination with their mail-client software. Other methods doesn't works - all software, any messenger have backdoors. They are for govt's use, but hackers can use them as well.

I’m totally with you on this one, dear boy. Does that mean you’ll be changing the Forum rules about what a PM is? In my view it’s merely a sidebar conversation and up to either the sender or receiver to disclose its contents if it’s relevant. By way of example, I recently received a PM from a member who had made in a public post a wholly misleading denial of a fact I had posted. He resorted to a PM both to agree I had not been wholly incorrect and to gloat that no one would ever know as he’d only admitted it in a PM which could not be mentioned under Forum rules.

[Moses]

Does that mean you’ll be changing the Forum rules about what a PM is?

No, I will not do it.

[StevieWonders]

No, I will not do it.

Oh dear, and you were doing so well up to now.

[Brad the Impala]

Interesting article in the FT today about the current situation in Russia.

At the last parliamentary election in 2016, opposition parties made little impact. United Russia romped home with 54 per cent of the vote, winning 343 seats in the 450-seat chamber.

But much has changed since then. At the time Mr Putin and his party were riding high on a wave of popular support for the Kremlin’s invasion and annexation of Crimea two years earlier.

Today, United Russia’s support stands at just 31 per cent, according to state-run pollster VCIOM, after hitting a record low of 30.5 per cent in August.

Most disgruntled voters cite the gloomy economy. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the economy had been moribund since 2014, when western sanctions imposed over the Crimea annexation combined with a plunge in the price of crude oil — Russia’s key export — to pitch the country into a sharp recession. Real incomes have fallen for five of the past seven years.

This year, GDP is expected to fall by 6 per cent, according to the World Bank, as Moscow struggles to tackle the spread of Covid-19 with sporadic lockdowns and scattershot quarantine measures.

Even as Russian incomes dropped 8 per cent in the second quarter of this year, the largest fall for more than 20 years, the government refused to increase financial stimulus, which has been much smaller than other major European nations.

According to a survey conducted in October by the Levada Center, Russia’s sole pollster independent of the government, 43 per cent of citizens said they thought the country was heading in the wrong direction, up from 23 per cent in 2014.

I think that this link only provides access for a limited number of readers unless you are a subscriber.

https://on.ft.com/3fVFZra

[Moses]

Most disgruntled voters cite the gloomy economy. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the economy had been moribund since 2014, when western sanctions imposed over the Crimea annexation combined with a plunge in the price of crude oil — Russia’s key export — to pitch the country into a sharp recession. Real incomes have fallen for five of the past seven years.

Sanctions have around zero impact: they are against private persons mostly and against companies who supply Crimea now. Both categories play zero roles in Russian GDP.

The only real sanction was (yes, past time) restrictions on long-term loans - they came suddenly and many Russian companies were pushed to buy foreign currencies on the local market for to pay they old loans in situation where they were not able to make new loans on west market. At that moment (end of 2014) Russian ruble fell from 35 per $1 to 80 per $1 because of high demands of foreign currency. In 6 months Russian central bank normalized situation. and at the middle of 2015 ruble grew till 52 per $1. After that central bank started to buy currency for to keep ruble low - for to be more competitive on the gas/oil market. CB does it all last 5 years. They bought till now about $220 billions for to keep ruble low. CB also almost doubled Russian reserve of gold - they bought just at last 5 years about 1000 tonnes of gold.

Chief of central bank Nabiullina been named world best national bank boss in 2015 for fast currency stabilization and ruble was named most profitable currency (stock players for sure made good money on the rally from 80 till 52).

The most impact on Russian economy had falling gas/oil prices. But since gas and oil export has only about 12% GDP it wasn't so tragic as at the Middle East and was more like impact on Norway's economy or even less because most of gas and oil Russia uses on internal market and by this reason even with falling oil/gas prices loses in yearly GDP changed to growing already in 2017 - low oil/gas prices stimulated internal production and compensated loses from exportt.

Economy grew in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Not so fast as it may be, but it was surplus anyway. But COVID made quite strong kick. And forecast for 2020 is minus 4%-4,5%.

About United Russia party. What is main for understanding: president in Russia isn't member of any party. It is main difference with Western system. It is forbidden for president to be member of any party. And United Russia is one of 5 parties which supporting Putin in parliament.

Once more time: all parties in parliament supports Putin. All! Democrats, communists, liberals, patriots (read: right wing), socialists... All. In 2016 to be elected to parliament and not to support Putin was not possible - here everywhere was euphoria from returning Crimea into Russia, Putin had over 70% approval rating at that time. So any candidate who didn't support Putin had zero chance to be elected. Elections were fair and observers from many countries checks that https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/9/c/290861.pdf

Again about United Russia - it was born as artificial party - Kremlin's project. It is still more like "state party" - half of business in Russia is state owned or controlled. And to work in such business on any management level is possible only for members of U.R. So right now Russia is more and more drifts to China's way.

About falling of personal income at past 5 years, Yes, it is true and personal income here for most people who has salary in rubles fell about 12-15% in total. But since at past it grew more than 10 times, people are quite tolerated with it: "it is because of oil", "it is because of COVID", "it is because of competitors on the West who made sanctions". So Putin's approval rating is still above of 50%, the only real reason why it fell down is unpopular pension reform when age of pension was raised from 60 to 65 for male and from 55 to 60 for female.

[StevieWonders]

“ Sanctions have around zero impact”. How odd. Perhaps you should tell the Chinese. It seems that trade sanctions are exactly what they’re using to attempt to pressure Australia.

[Moses]

“ Sanctions have around zero impact”. How odd. Perhaps you should tell the Chinese. It seems that trade sanctions are exactly what they’re using to attempt to pressure Australia.

Hahaha. There are no "trade" sanctions. Check which sanctions exists. Nobody can trade with Crimea - yes, true. But anyone may trade with Russia. The most impacted sanctions are long-term loans. Now Russia uses internal loans mostly.

At past 6 years share of Russia on European gas market grew from 36% to 43%. Did you said "European sanctions"?

Russia is currently our 26th largest goods trading partner with $28.0 billion in total (two way) goods trade during 2019. Goods exports totaled $5.8 billion; goods imports totaled $22.3 billion. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Russia was $16.5 billion in 2019.

Rised 4.8% in 2019 against 2018. Did you said "US sanctions"?
https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/e...eurasia/russia


Remember: only idiots shoots own legs. Hello mr. Morrison!

[dinagam]

“ Sanctions have around zero impact”. How odd. Perhaps you should tell the Chinese. It seems that trade sanctions are exactly what they’re using to attempt to pressure Australia.

Australia is just a small country trying very hard to punch above her weight.