With all the Western/American business shutting down in Russia, like McDonald’s, the thing I keep wondering: What are all the now unemployed people thinking? Surely they must be asking why are these companies all shutting down their operations. McDonald’s was a big, money making business in Russia, so why the shutdown.
I believe that the majority of Russians are brainwashed by their state controlled media. They believe Putin knows what he is doing, blah blah blah. But when hard-working people lose their jobs, en masse, all of a sudden, it must get people questioning things.
This is another effect of the sanctions. I hope it wakes all these zombies up. It is pretty clear to everyone by now that Russia = lies. This entire war is one big lie, and that out-of-date and out-of-touch nation is all one big lie. Russia truly is the evil empire. Who will ever trust Russia again?
All the people in Russia that are losing their jobs must be weary. If suddenly hundreds of companies down tools all at once, it must tell you something is not right.
It was 4 weeks ago that our building was shaking and air raid sirens were making a racquet. Feels like a lot longer than 4 weeks.
I believe Ukraine will win this war. At what cost though is everyone’s terrifying guess.
But if God forbid Putin wins the war then they will not stop at Ukraine and WW III will be inevitable. Putin can see the West’s weakness and is taking full advantage. And yes, the nuclear threat is no joke. If Russia wins this war then just nuke us now because I don’t want to live in a world like this – if Russia wins this war then humanity is in the toilet and then what is the point any more.
For those who know me, I like to make laugh, and tell stories, and I like to listen to stories and I like to laugh too. I have lived in many parts of the world and I laughed the most in Kyiv.
Here is a story that will make you laugh – I have a ton of stories and anecdotes like this.
So, about 4 years ago I get hosted at a meeting of some successful IT entrepreneurs in Kyiv. They are showing me around their super cool offices, and they are laughing for some reason. I get it all the time Ronnie, you don’t look African? I say, I know, but I was born in Cape Town, in South Africa. I am from Africa. They say, But you are not black. I say, I know … something happened. And everyone laughs for some reason. So this IT guy says to me: Here in Ukraine there is no political correctness – you can say anything you like. He then asks me: is the business climate in SA like Ukraine or America. I tell him it is like America. You can’t joke about race, religion, sex , etc. There are two lovely computer programmers sitting in a coffee area. He calls them over; everyone generally speaks English in the IT space there. He asks the one girl: Do we have sexual harassment in offices here in Kyiv? Her answer: NOT ENOUGH.
We all pack up laughing – it was good for the soul. In America this would have become a lawsuit within 15 minutes.
There is one potential end to this nightmare war and that is when Russia simply implodes because of financial strain. Russia has an economy the size of Italy – they cannot afford to keep this up for too long.
Ukrainians believe they will win this war. I believe it too. The Ukrainians will fight to the death – this they have made clear and the world can see it. The painful cost of this is hard to comprehend, but they are not going to give up.
At some point, some sad and terrible point, like if Putin threatens to drop a small nuclear bomb, the West will step in. I believe that – they will grow some balls at some point.
If no one challenges Putin then this sets a very very very dangerous precedent in the world. The next madman with nukes, in say 5 to 10 years, will do the same thing: hold the world to ransom by threatening with nuclear weapons. No doubt about it. This is setting the stage for future leaders in Pakistan, India, North Korea and any nuclear power out of the Western orbit. This is seriously dangerous stuff.
Europe is dependent on Russia for gas, oil and wheat. Especially Germany, a key player in the EU. Putin’s daily income of hundreds of millions of dollars a day needs to stop. If this happens then Russia cannot keep on financing this mad war.
Greed has caused this mess. On all sides. And Ukraine is fighting for the whole democratic world. Please God they get more help They need it. Now.
I find this to be a seriously good idea. I never thought of this before. Imagine if more huge celebrities give up their social media platforms to Ukrainian heroes, to help spread the truth in the world. Highly inspired development.
I suddenly have a lot of admiration for David Beckham. We all think these celebs are so precious about their social media branding. Wow – this kind of reach could inspire positive momentum. What a brilliant idea indeed.
Imagine now if more high profile people join this idea. Talk about driving a conversation and changing minds. And the funny thing is : it will come back to Beckham in spades.
Good on him !
I reckon Ukraine is winning the information war. Never before has information been on so many platforms and been able to spread so quickly, and to so many people.
I became a dad late in life. There are pros and cons with this. I am in pretty good health and am not over-weight or lazy. But yes, I got backache and some joint pains. But I also have perspective. I know that if I was in my thirties, say, and became a dad then, work was my primary focus. I am now older and if someone calls me up and says they have an opportunity and that we can all make a lot of money, then so what. The Bunster is my biggest opportunity. To love, to nurture, to teach, to inspire. This is where I enjoy spending my time now. It is important (to me) and challenging and it is good for the soul.
When The Bunster came onto the scene something inside of me switched on. Something I never knew about. Where did this love for this little man suddenly come from? I love this feeling. And I am learning a lot about myself on the journey. It also got me thinking. Does everyone have this love inside of them, just waiting to come out? I think yes, but I also think that not everyone has the capacity to embrace it.
Imagine you have a child and at the same time you lose your job, or you are struggling with some kind of addiction, or a tragedy, or perhaps you are a single parent. Or war breaks out. One’s situation is a fundamental parameter. I am very fortunate that I can give the Bunster my full attention. And yes, I do have stresses on the work front, and there has been the pandemic and a dozen other things to worry about, including the current nightmare situation with Russia, but all in all, I thank God that we are in this fortunate position, that we can give the Bunster the time he needs, and with our full attention.
I know that being a parent is something much of the world experiences, and yes, I am just another parent statistic. But to me it feels special. And for this, I am very grateful. I think I am really fortunate that I can embrace the journey and enjoy the Bunster as much as I can. I think also that being a parent makes you less selfish, and for this I am also thankful. Yes, I am learning a lot about myself, and also, I am thanking God a lot. To be able to embrace this love is a magical feeling. And with that, I am going to give the Bunster a big hug now … when he looks at me and gives me a hug and goes “dada” it all just feels like magic.
I started writing this text a month ago. I was constantly thinking about this new love that I have been experiencing and wondering if everyone else gets to feel this too. If they did, I don’t believe there would be any more wars.
Three weeks ago today we were still in Kyiv. I see it is almost 10 am now, and it was around this time that we left our apartment and hit the road on the most terrifying journey that lasted around 5 days. We will never forget it. I finally finished this blog piece, and added in this last paragraph here. I pray that this nightmare ends soon. I pray that the Bunster never gets to experience this kind of horror. I pray that peace returns soon.
It was 3 weeks ago this time that we were running around looking for a bomb shelter. Air raid sirens were going off, our apartment building in Kyiv was vibrating, and bomb blasts could be heard in the distance. Our lives had changed. And the whole world has changed with it. Not for the better, I am sad to say.
America has lost its way. First there was that maniac Trump and now there is this weak Biden. America should have stood up for Ukraine right away. The Budapest agreement should have been more than enough. And yet Ukraine has to constantly beg for help.
No matter how long it takes Russia cannot win. Even if Russia takes over Kyiv, what will they do there with a puppet government. No one will support them. No one will give them money. What can Russia do with Ukraine?! There is nothing for them to do. They can’t even sort out their own country’s failing economy so how can they now also run Ukraine. There is seriously nothing for them to do in Ukraine. It is all just senseless.
Ukraine needs $565 billion to rebuild after Russia’s war. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said on March 15 that this preliminary figure would be at the expense of Ukraine’s partners and reparations from Russia. Ukraine’s government has already established a group to assess losses to the economy due to Russian aggression. – UBN
Ukraine is begging the world to help. Humanity is failing. If Putin nukes the world we probably all deserve it. I am sure many of you feel disgusted too.
The US is studying every Russian move. They are learning all their current military capabilities, seeing all their weaknesses. I don’t believe the US/West “engineered” this war, but they are certainly now taking full advantage.
Putin is going to fall, and that is good for the world. No one expected Zelensky to rise up and unify Ukraine like this. The US didn’t see this coming, Putin didn’t see this coming. And now there is the opportunity to try and remove Putin and Ukraine is doing the US/West’s dirty work.
NATO is going to have to step in at some point – Ukraine is the first wave. Yes, Ukraine is doing the world’s hard and ugly work. Unless China steps in and helps Russia – then it is WW III. I cannot see China helping Russia. They saw what happened to the Russian economy in a very short space of time. They don’t want this to happen to them.
PrettyApt 