Here’s a real story; feel free to decide for yourself.
I used to have a small business in Russia that I operated remotely — ordering custom-made flags from a Russian supplier and exporting them abroad, primarily to the US and Western Europe. It was more of a side hustle, but it’s always nice to have several hundred extra bucks.
I give credit where it’s due: the quality of Russian flags was excellent, and the rates were much lower than what American or Western European flag manufacturers offer. There was just one tiny detail: the quality of Russian flags was excellent when those flags were actually produced. And getting them produced was no small feat.
First, I needed to convince the manager at the flag typography to pay attention to me. Despite being a frequent customer of 10+ years, I was still treated as if I were asking for a favor. He would reply and issue an invoice a week after I had placed an order by email, maybe. Calling them was useless, as was sending written complaints: they knew that being in a different country, there was only so far I could go with my complaints.
Then it would take another week or so to produce the flags. My delivery guy would go to the typography to pick them up for fulfillment, and more often than not, one of two things would happen:
He would end up waiting there for another hour because nobody bothered to print the flags until he showed up at the office;
He would pick up the flags without any waiting, only to realize that the order was incomplete or just plain wrong: for example, 5 flags instead of 6, or grommets instead of a shaft cover. If the mistake was easy to fix, he would wait at the office for a replacement flag (see the previous option); if not, then it would take another week or so.
Then the war with Ukraine began. Russia was cut off from PayPal, which is how I collect payments. It’s not that I couldn’t find a way to transfer money to Russia, but it was an extra step that I didn’t need to take. Logistics became a nightmare: some countries pretty much refuse mail from Russia, and shipping became more expensive and slower. So I said, “fuck it all,” and moved the business to China — and honestly, it was the best decision I ever made.
The quality of print is consistent with what the Russians offered. The manager is easily accessible via WeChat/WhatsApp, always promptly replies, and is always polite. Fulfillment now takes 3–4 days, down from 1–2 weeks when I worked with Russians. I no longer need to arrange shipping myself; the Chinese handle it all (I could have also outsourced shipment in Russia, but as explained above, the Russian supplier could not be trusted to get the orders right). And all for a fraction of what the Russians charged me.
I can guarantee you, most entrepreneurs who did business with Russia, whether big or small, will have similar stories to share. From Yandex to commercial aircraft, the Russian vicious cycle is always the same:
Russians develop an objectively decent product that could easily compete with Western ones, or even outcompete them;
Foreign money starts pouring in;
Commercial, economic, and political mismanagement makes Russian products unmarketable;
Foreign investors move their capital to countries that aren’t suffering from delusions of grandeur and are run by adults.
I’m a small fish, but I was doing the very kind of business that any normal country tries to cherish: exporting, and successfully so, domestic products. The Russia-made flags that I sold can be found on all continents including Antarctica.
A flag of Westarctica that I supplied — see the penguins in the background
My departure from the Russian market did not affect Russia in any meaningful way. But did Russia benefit from it? Certainly not.
Now imagine that it’s not just MicroFlag, but hundreds of large and mid-size corporations departing. Actually, you don’t need to imagine it, because that’s exactly what happened. And divestment is but one of the effects of sanctions.
Durov is one of “them”. Just for the record:Pavel Durov is linked to the World Economic Forum (WEF) as he was named one of the Young Global Leaders in 2017. This program recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership and impact in their respective fields. However, there is no indication that he has any formal or ongoing role within the WEF beyond this recognition.
I notice telegram client is open source. It would probably be not so complicated to use telegram as a message delivery system and bolt another encrypted protocol like XMPP on top. This way, the established telegram technology would handle message distribution while the real encryption would be done at a higher level.
Wonder how he's faring in a Paris brig surrounded by hoards of Brown Brigade troopers. Bet his Batman physique isn't doing him a lick of good in such an environment.
She looks awful in both cases. With makeup my brain suffers cognitive dissonance as she alternatively looks beautiful and then demonic, whereas without makeup she's just kinda 'meh'.
So why does our hero go for a 6/10 gold digger who has fucked half of the UAE and been shat on by Arabs? I'm pretty sure he could do better in any random village in eastern Europe.
I'm curious: how does one go about getting all of this info on people? I had never heard of this slag until I read about her here in The Zone? I've got the time and the inclination to dig for myself, I simply don't know where to start.
I also had never heard of her. This is based on what I see/hear in Dubai. Russian/Ukranian girls are famous for being prostitutes over there, and when I see that much makeup on a 6/10 and all the look-at-how-rich-I-am instagram photos, I see a poor girl who will do anything for money. As for 'anything' .. well, the local Arabs are famous for their strange sexual kinks, and shitting on girls seems to be a common one.
So given that she's been around there long enough to blend in, work her way up the ladder, and score an absolute diamond like Pavel Durov, I think it's fair to assume she's been shat on at least a few times.
Fear not, Z-patriots, no need for doom and gloom, we are winning, trust me, I read it on X!
RUSSIA knew and prepared FOR KURSK
1. RUSSIA saw the massing of troops in Sumy and Chernigov weeks before.... had intelligence of the mercs, and Ukraine army, etc, being trained in the UK for weeks and knew of the movement weeks before .
2. They provided an opening at KURSK points by removing mine fields and tank traps ..... low civilian area, etc
3. APPEARED to look weak and made the Ukraine army chase further in land once they started.
4. They already placed reconnaissance groups in the area... deep trench and electronic support, etc.
This is why they managed to pinpoint the main infantry coming in and destroy massive amounts of armour.
5.. Not 1 battalion was moved out of the eastern front during KURSK incursion.
Chechens and many brigades OF RU were moved 2 weeks prior to incursion.
EASTERN front is collapsing.
6. They have KIA and WIA now over 7,500
60% of estimated armour
7. PUTIN. Has spun this to ratify whatever is needed within Russia in future war augmentation if needed against NATO
Plus
Negotiation is OFF the table in full with Kiev, which is exactly what kremlin wanted . Nothing is restricting Russia now .
RUSSIA is comfortable now to slowly crush the UKRAINIAN army.
Supply lines are being destroyed as they arrive in SUMY
and finally.
The map attached will be 2024 Ukraine.
They ARE Bringing KIEV to RUSSIA ....
There are multiple Russian partisan groups now armed up in major cities from Odessa and Kharkov.
Depending on the speed of collapse on the eastern front over the next weeks
Russia may bring in the 270.000 in reserve contracts from late October on multiple flanking points prior to BRICS.
ROSTEC is advising 1 million troops extra will be needed if NATO backs more into Ukraine with NATO "peacekeeping" boots on ground.
but before that. .. RUSSIA will destroy all command , logistic, and Ukrainian government centres....and possible logistics targetsb also in Poland and Romania
( Russia has spoken already to Hungary.. Romania and Slovakia direct and put it straight of such action if NATO is that stupid .. )
Every Russian war reporter and blogger who posted fearmongering clickbait panic shit about Azov being about to capture Kursk NPP should be publicly flogged for participating in the AFU psyop to trick Russia into pulling troops from the truly important axis
Mosquito bites are very very annoying…especially when you (=the Kremlin cabal) proclaim you have the best army in the world…but you don’t use its “strength” (= blowing up bridges and Kiev and stopping the Olicharchs gas/oil flow to your “enemies”…
An interesting Quora answer:
Profile photo for Yaroslav Mar
Yaroslav Mar
·
Follow
CEO & Founder at MicroFlag (2014–present)May 30
Is Russia benefiting from sanctions?
Here’s a real story; feel free to decide for yourself.
I used to have a small business in Russia that I operated remotely — ordering custom-made flags from a Russian supplier and exporting them abroad, primarily to the US and Western Europe. It was more of a side hustle, but it’s always nice to have several hundred extra bucks.
I give credit where it’s due: the quality of Russian flags was excellent, and the rates were much lower than what American or Western European flag manufacturers offer. There was just one tiny detail: the quality of Russian flags was excellent when those flags were actually produced. And getting them produced was no small feat.
First, I needed to convince the manager at the flag typography to pay attention to me. Despite being a frequent customer of 10+ years, I was still treated as if I were asking for a favor. He would reply and issue an invoice a week after I had placed an order by email, maybe. Calling them was useless, as was sending written complaints: they knew that being in a different country, there was only so far I could go with my complaints.
Then it would take another week or so to produce the flags. My delivery guy would go to the typography to pick them up for fulfillment, and more often than not, one of two things would happen:
He would end up waiting there for another hour because nobody bothered to print the flags until he showed up at the office;
He would pick up the flags without any waiting, only to realize that the order was incomplete or just plain wrong: for example, 5 flags instead of 6, or grommets instead of a shaft cover. If the mistake was easy to fix, he would wait at the office for a replacement flag (see the previous option); if not, then it would take another week or so.
Then the war with Ukraine began. Russia was cut off from PayPal, which is how I collect payments. It’s not that I couldn’t find a way to transfer money to Russia, but it was an extra step that I didn’t need to take. Logistics became a nightmare: some countries pretty much refuse mail from Russia, and shipping became more expensive and slower. So I said, “fuck it all,” and moved the business to China — and honestly, it was the best decision I ever made.
The quality of print is consistent with what the Russians offered. The manager is easily accessible via WeChat/WhatsApp, always promptly replies, and is always polite. Fulfillment now takes 3–4 days, down from 1–2 weeks when I worked with Russians. I no longer need to arrange shipping myself; the Chinese handle it all (I could have also outsourced shipment in Russia, but as explained above, the Russian supplier could not be trusted to get the orders right). And all for a fraction of what the Russians charged me.
I can guarantee you, most entrepreneurs who did business with Russia, whether big or small, will have similar stories to share. From Yandex to commercial aircraft, the Russian vicious cycle is always the same:
Russians develop an objectively decent product that could easily compete with Western ones, or even outcompete them;
Foreign money starts pouring in;
Commercial, economic, and political mismanagement makes Russian products unmarketable;
Foreign investors move their capital to countries that aren’t suffering from delusions of grandeur and are run by adults.
I’m a small fish, but I was doing the very kind of business that any normal country tries to cherish: exporting, and successfully so, domestic products. The Russia-made flags that I sold can be found on all continents including Antarctica.
A flag of Westarctica that I supplied — see the penguins in the background
My departure from the Russian market did not affect Russia in any meaningful way. But did Russia benefit from it? Certainly not.
Now imagine that it’s not just MicroFlag, but hundreds of large and mid-size corporations departing. Actually, you don’t need to imagine it, because that’s exactly what happened. And divestment is but one of the effects of sanctions.
I think you have your answer.
Durov is one of “them”. Just for the record:Pavel Durov is linked to the World Economic Forum (WEF) as he was named one of the Young Global Leaders in 2017. This program recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership and impact in their respective fields. However, there is no indication that he has any formal or ongoing role within the WEF beyond this recognition.
Bastyon looks cool…we will see.
I notice telegram client is open source. It would probably be not so complicated to use telegram as a message delivery system and bolt another encrypted protocol like XMPP on top. This way, the established telegram technology would handle message distribution while the real encryption would be done at a higher level.
A bit like PGP over email.
Yes, but what little moderation is done by the Telegram team would become impossible.
Yup, that's the idea.
It used to be diamonds, but now ...'when those louses go back to their spouses, CRYPTO is a Girl's best friend!'
Wonder how he's faring in a Paris brig surrounded by hoards of Brown Brigade troopers. Bet his Batman physique isn't doing him a lick of good in such an environment.
I think she looks infinitely better without the makeup.
She looks awful in both cases. With makeup my brain suffers cognitive dissonance as she alternatively looks beautiful and then demonic, whereas without makeup she's just kinda 'meh'.
So why does our hero go for a 6/10 gold digger who has fucked half of the UAE and been shat on by Arabs? I'm pretty sure he could do better in any random village in eastern Europe.
I'm curious: how does one go about getting all of this info on people? I had never heard of this slag until I read about her here in The Zone? I've got the time and the inclination to dig for myself, I simply don't know where to start.
I also had never heard of her. This is based on what I see/hear in Dubai. Russian/Ukranian girls are famous for being prostitutes over there, and when I see that much makeup on a 6/10 and all the look-at-how-rich-I-am instagram photos, I see a poor girl who will do anything for money. As for 'anything' .. well, the local Arabs are famous for their strange sexual kinks, and shitting on girls seems to be a common one.
So given that she's been around there long enough to blend in, work her way up the ladder, and score an absolute diamond like Pavel Durov, I think it's fair to assume she's been shat on at least a few times.
Enjoy your breakfast :-D
Man, what a joyride through the newsrealm this was. Good times, boys. Patriots are in control.
Sounds a bit crestfallen heh-heh
https://x.com/jurgen_nauditt/status/1828483929583542660
An emergency meeting between Ukraine and NATO will take place tomorrow at Kyiv's request, Reuters reports.
Ukraine's Zelenskiy to present plan to Biden to end war with russia.
they;re deciding on the protocol for dealing with the nuclear arms facilities in Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk.
https://twitter.com/WarNewsNow55/status/1828431120561774978
Ukraine successfully tests its first domestically produced ballistic missile, with a 700 km range
Substitute imports for domestically produced.
It appears that the Ukie backers are smarting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siwpn14IE7E
Fear not, Z-patriots, no need for doom and gloom, we are winning, trust me, I read it on X!
RUSSIA knew and prepared FOR KURSK
1. RUSSIA saw the massing of troops in Sumy and Chernigov weeks before.... had intelligence of the mercs, and Ukraine army, etc, being trained in the UK for weeks and knew of the movement weeks before .
2. They provided an opening at KURSK points by removing mine fields and tank traps ..... low civilian area, etc
3. APPEARED to look weak and made the Ukraine army chase further in land once they started.
4. They already placed reconnaissance groups in the area... deep trench and electronic support, etc.
This is why they managed to pinpoint the main infantry coming in and destroy massive amounts of armour.
5.. Not 1 battalion was moved out of the eastern front during KURSK incursion.
Chechens and many brigades OF RU were moved 2 weeks prior to incursion.
EASTERN front is collapsing.
6. They have KIA and WIA now over 7,500
60% of estimated armour
7. PUTIN. Has spun this to ratify whatever is needed within Russia in future war augmentation if needed against NATO
Plus
Negotiation is OFF the table in full with Kiev, which is exactly what kremlin wanted . Nothing is restricting Russia now .
RUSSIA is comfortable now to slowly crush the UKRAINIAN army.
Supply lines are being destroyed as they arrive in SUMY
and finally.
The map attached will be 2024 Ukraine.
They ARE Bringing KIEV to RUSSIA ....
There are multiple Russian partisan groups now armed up in major cities from Odessa and Kharkov.
Depending on the speed of collapse on the eastern front over the next weeks
Russia may bring in the 270.000 in reserve contracts from late October on multiple flanking points prior to BRICS.
ROSTEC is advising 1 million troops extra will be needed if NATO backs more into Ukraine with NATO "peacekeeping" boots on ground.
but before that. .. RUSSIA will destroy all command , logistic, and Ukrainian government centres....and possible logistics targetsb also in Poland and Romania
( Russia has spoken already to Hungary.. Romania and Slovakia direct and put it straight of such action if NATO is that stupid .. )
In short.....UKRAINE must SURRENDER !! https://x.com/SMO_VZ/status/1828216356119969836
David Z would probably agree with Russians with Attitude:
https://x.com/RWApodcast/status/1828558984996946238
Every Russian war reporter and blogger who posted fearmongering clickbait panic shit about Azov being about to capture Kursk NPP should be publicly flogged for participating in the AFU psyop to trick Russia into pulling troops from the truly important axis
https://x.com/fire622263921/status/1828413163819409627
Pokrovsk all the authorities have fled.
12:44 AM · Aug 28, 2024
Pithy translation of Syrsky - expression does not match the words
https://x.com/fire622263921/status/1828410738479669674
The intelligence of the lauded NATO failed him.
https://x.com/WW3_Monitor/status/1828452171433521490
Stoltenberg: I am convening a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on August 28 at the request of Kyiv.
🇺🇦🇺🇦🚨🚨🚨
3:19 AM · Aug 28, 2024
Could be a pattern here.
From what I have seen online the strikes on Russia are mere mosquito bites compared to the pasting Ukraine is getting.
Mosquito bites are very very annoying…especially when you (=the Kremlin cabal) proclaim you have the best army in the world…but you don’t use its “strength” (= blowing up bridges and Kiev and stopping the Olicharchs gas/oil flow to your “enemies”…