Mother Russia - A terrorist ??

[onodera]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
onodera, where did you hear the Baltics were hit harder than Russia? Consider the source!

I think it was here on Poly. Or Newsweek.

[Saras]

Originally posted by onodera

Really? I've heard that the growth of your economy was largely dependent on there financial sector, and that the Baltic states have been hit pretty hard, harder than us.

LV and EE, yes.

LT - yes, but to a much smaller extent.

Baltic States =/= Lithuania

[onodera]

Originally posted by Saras


LV and EE, yes.

LT - yes, but to a much smaller extent.

Baltic States =/= Lithuania

Huh? First I hear Estonia wants to be called a Scandinavian country, then you say you aren't Balts... Poor Latvia is all alone.

[Patroklos]

There are three Baltic states, what is true for Lithuania does not mean it constitutes the truth for the entire Baltics.

[Blaupanzer]

There are really four states; it's just that the others absorbed the long lost Courland.

On the other issue, I have heard in several places that the drop in oil prices is pounding Russia a LOT harder than the financial stuff hurt the Baltics. You see any sign of that, onodera?

[Felch]

The drop in oil prices, and the credit crunch. Most of the recent growth in Russia's economy has been fueled by cheap credit and pricey commodities.

If you want to know what onodera knows, just check out the propaganda Moscow sends us in the West. We get Russia Today (a mostly news TV station) through Verizon, and the Washington Post has periodic paid sections that spread the good news from the Kremlin. It's not lies, it's just half truths.

[onodera]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
There are really four states; it's just that the others absorbed the long lost Courland.

On the other issue, I have heard in several places that the drop in oil prices is pounding Russia a LOT harder than the financial stuff hurt the Baltics. You see any sign of that, onodera?

Don't forget that I live in Moscow. It's about as different from regular Russia as NYC is from the small town USA.
Yes, the bank I work for has raised the interest rates on consumer loans significantly and won't lend to anyone employed in a high-risk industry: finance, oil, metalworking.
The food has gotten somewhat pricier, but no queues like 10 years ago when our economy disintegrated.
I haven't seen any signs of a dire crisis. I hope I won't have to use the word "yet".

Originally posted by Felch
The drop in oil prices, and the credit crunch. Most of the recent growth in Russia's economy has been fueled by cheap credit and pricey commodities.

If you want to know what onodera knows, just check out the propaganda Moscow sends us in the West. We get Russia Today (a mostly news TV station) through Verizon, and the Washington Post has periodic paid sections that spread the good news from the Kremlin. It's not lies, it's just half truths.

Yes, oil fuelled a lot of our growth, and it angers me a lot now that we didn't use the money to repurpose our economy. At least we have a hefty emergency fund, which was even heftier before FNMA went bust. The government is using it now to cushion the slide down.
Hey, the state propaganda isn't the only thing I know. I also read the American propaganda, there's also the blogosphere and I actually live in and experience Russia every day.

[Felch]

Originally posted by onodera
Hey, the state propaganda isn't the only thing I know. I also read the American propaganda, there's also the blogosphere and I actually live in and experience Russia every day.

At least your propaganda has legitimately hot girls. Fox News is a bunch of hags in comparison.

[Saras]

Originally posted by onodera

Huh? First I hear Estonia wants to be called a Scandinavian country, then you say you aren't Balts... Poor Latvia is all alone.

what Patroklos said.