Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Time for my din-dins too.....hope we shall all be still alive by the morning....

dear oh dear oh dear
i also find this continuous blizzard of soapbox soapsuds more than tiresome
it wouldn't be so bad if the proponents learnt how to paraphrase .... that way, it's just possible they'ld get across whatever point it is they're trying to make
as it is, one now has to scroll down past pages of tripe, in the process of which, some interesting and important subjects (ukraine!) are likely to to get swamped out of existence

So what, if anything, are Obama, Cameroon, Merkel, uncle tom cobbly etc actually going to do?

Talk and sanctions are the only choice. Putin knows that the EU leaning Ukraine would soon sign up to Europe in various ways and more worrying for him they would join NATO. If the Ukraine was part of NATO then a military response would be guaranteed. It is now or never if wants control of the Ukraine.

good question MaxK.....sanctions I guess...you know ...sitting on hands...that sort of stuff I presume...

Sanctions can go both ways.

Germany is heavily dependant on Russian gas.

At the moment, I think all outsiders have to stand clear and not interfere other than politically and of course behind the scenes

However, at time of writing, I see no indication at all as to who is promoting and supporting this new regime
For sure they haven't sprung up like overnight mushrooms, and the lack of clarity is of considerable concern

I think you'll find the sprouts have a hand in this.

And the Russians know this...winter games over...fifa 2018 a long way off....crafty aren't they ?...

Max - i assume you mean parties within eu .... if so, i think it nothing so benign

In the short term : there is nothing the Ukrainians can do except see their country taken over by these gangsters....sanctions can and will come....whether they will affect the occupation is another matter.....military supplies to whatever resistance if there is one would have some effect....but there are so many ifs and buts at this present time.

Don't worry, I'm sure Baroness Ashton has it all in hand.

Sanctions against fortress Russia with their taps on the gas and oil and numerous supply routes for "needed" goods through "satellite states".

ummmm.

I would suggest that some in Europe check their "energy" supplies and book a few of Manuel's rowing boats for transport of coal and oil. Perhaps, smile at Iran and the Saudi-es a little.

Perhaps, it would be wiser to have had a more united EU and common foreign policy.

===========

It could get nasty. Very nasty.

Interesting to see what the markets think tomorrow.

Think I might buy back in on Friday.

Off main subjects for a moment...anybody reckon that a 1.5 bet on England to beat Wales (9th of march) : a good one ?....if you bet on Wales, I think it is around 2.4...(decimal of course)...I'm thinking of going for an England win...no handicap...good or bad bet ?...

England don't play rugby!

I bet John Kerry and William Haig don't sleep a wink tonight.....along with plenty of others.....perhaps even I will not sleep as tight as usual...

You mean push and shove.....along with kick and rush (for soccer).....

William Haig is in Kiev tonight. Is Kerry there as well?

I doubt it...as the Americans always have incredible security with them...which would be difficult to organize so quickly...

Let us hope Haig is a good ambassador.

"An ambassador is an honest man sent abroad to lie for his country"

First said in the 16th century.