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Yes... I got bored waiting for the UG2 next chapter and decided to buy all of the chapters from Amazon...
So, Shiraz, say a big thank you to your government. I will just get an unread book from my shelf... You just got sanctioned out of my money for your books...
Anyone still think that sanctions are against Russia? $-)
Comments
ManicRacer?
It would be enlightening if you told us what was so objectionable.
Maybe
Manic is a Russian Oligarch?
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Yes Madeline, I looked at
I looked at their earlier blogs
"Hopefully Russian hackers will choose a good president for you this time ;-)
Sorry, but Putin is already taken! ;-)"
Safe to say Manic resides in Russia.
So I guess the sanctions extend to e-commerce.
Leeanna
Yes, I live in Russia...
My plans to relocate to Europe for my retirement were destroyed by the fashionable illness promotions...
Sanctions are killing Europe and US e-commerce as there is no way to pay for purchases. So everybody buys from Russian and Chinese online shops. Several businesses that provided shipping services from US and European shops to Russia had gone "belly up" since... Huge number of "Russian" bloggers who promoted life in US and Europe have financial troubles as Youtube stopped "monetization" in Russia and will be soon banned in Russia altogether in the next couple of days... Oh, yes, Google will probably receive a court order to pay 10% of it's worldwide revenue as a fine for not complying with Russian court orders...
Declared sanctions purpose is to "kill" Russians.
Actual worldwide result: Sri-Lanka defaulted, 7+ USD per gallon gasoline in US, writers can't receive money for their work... growing food, electric and heating bills...
"Destroyed" Russian economy: Food prices (mainly for grains/cereals and sugar) spiked for a week in February, now returned to January prices, electric and heating bills are stable, gasoline supply exceeds demand so average fuel prices dropped 10-15% compared to January... (BTW, first significant fuel price drop in the known history of Russia.)
I personally spent about 1000 USD in the last 2 months building a collection of vintage vinyl records... And I am nowhere near "rich"... My salary is about average for where I live.
But now I can't, as in previous years, buy presents for my friends in Europe, UK and US on Amazon...
BTW, US declared embargo on Russian crude oil and increased import of Russian crude oil by about 43% at the same time ;-)
Sorry, had not answered a question...
"what was so objectionable?"
Not objectionable "per se". I tried to improve a bottom line for one of the BCTS authors. And because of "sanctions" I _saved_ around 50 USD. And the author? Had not received anything. And I was going to spend additional 50 USD on some other books by other authors today...
It is not that much. I am not a rich person. Just about a middle of the middle class where I live.
For me - it is a minor inconvenience. I will have to reread some of my favorites and will have to visit my parents on a weekend to get couple dozen of unread books from their library of about 10000 titles...
It probably has
nothing to do with sanctions, Amazon has ceased operations in Russia. That is if Manic is in Russia.
Only reason for Amazon to loose money...
...they received from their Russian customers is sanctions. I worked in American company and had a test where I had to answer, that avoiding US sanctions - is a criminal offence.
Sanctions...
Are a blunt instrument, everyone is affected - from YouTubers not being able to earn money to shortages in shops.
Shortages in US, UK and Europe shops...
Had not seen here a shortage in any of the products yet.
And yes, Ikea, OBI, McD, Levi's, and quite a few other brands forfeited their market share in Russia. BurgerKing is very thankful to McD that they ceased operation here, BTW.
When those companies came to Russia they were first to "stake the territory". They got 50%+ market share in an instant for free. Return will be a battle. Maybe they will get back 5-6% of the market share after investing billions...
But we in Russia are not inherently evil. We just have quite a good memory ;-)
Oligarch
Is a euphemism for Mafioso/Gangster.
Not exactly.
New Russian - was word for a gangster. Oligarch is a person who controls diversified business interests. And as in old anecdote about American billionaire: "Don't ask me how I got my first million. But I can show you accounts and taxes paid for every cent earned after I got my first million."
And yes, 99% of Russian oligarchs came into money on the wave of American sponsored "privatization"...
Russia
I'm sure that ordinary Russians are offended by a narrative that is not consistent with the world as they are seeing it. Additionally, while the sanctions are supposed to be primarily aimed at Russia's power brokers their people are bearing a lot more of the damage than is the rest of the world. This will continue to be the case even as high gas prices continue and the projected food shortages from missing Ukranian and Russian exports and exacerbated by a lack of Russian fertilizer begin. I believe that Manic Racer is trying to discuss this in a language he is not entirely comfortable in and comes across as confusing.
Actual problem for the "West"?
So far "sanctions" for "ordinary Russians" resulted in significant decrease of the fuel prices in Russia... Heating and electricity bills are to go down by the next winter. Some foods spiked for a week but now are cheaper than last year. Some luxuries are a little bit harder to obtain. But are still available.
On the other hand "West" had shown that "sacred" private property is a property only while you are toeing the line.
There are several countries and islands that already gone "belly up" because of lack of business from Russians...
Who will ever again trust their money to a Swiss bank or keep their reserves in Euro or Pound knowing that at the first hint from the US those money will be lost?
:-/