India Coffee House

[Gessler]

Mumbai's skyline from a distance or all the night lights might look good but it is still a shithole on the ground

You mean like Chicago or Philadelphia?

 

[Gessler]

A meeting of Quad leaders (Biden, Modi, Morrison, Kishida) was arranged out of the blue, scheduled for later tonight. The official line says "...discuss developments in the Indo-Pacific".

https://www.mea.gov.in/pres...

The next meeting was scheduled for May...something's not adding up. I have to wonder if this incident of a possible cyber attack on Taiwan (coinciding with Pompeo & US officials' visit) is what prompted this...there could be more to this than we're seeing. Also, recently there was this:

Taiwan wants to join the Quad, Lai tells delegation - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

www.taipeitimes.com

 

[crixus]

A meeting of Quad leaders (Biden, Modi, Morrison, Kishida) was arranged out of the blue, scheduled for later tonight. The official line says "...discuss developments in the Indo-Pacific".

https://www.mea.gov.in/pres...

The next meeting was scheduled for May...something's not adding up. I have to wonder if this incident of a possible cyber attack on Taiwan (coinciding with Pompeo & US officials' visit) is what prompted this...there could be more to this than we're seeing. Also, recently there was this:

Taiwan wants to join the Quad, Lai tells delegation - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

www.taipeitimes.com

It seems like Taiwan becomes a genuine target after this Ukrainian attack . I am not sure how useful this quad will be in saving it . The only safety is the credible deterrent against China . This Ukrainian attack literally proved that neither US nor NATO are deterrent again bigger powers so it will be interesting to see what Taiwan will do next

 

[Zapper]

You mean like Chicago or Philadelphia?

I don't deny there are filthy areas in the US and this applies to all major cities like NYC, Chi, Philly, LA, SF etc but the core areas of their downtowns are a lot more beautiful...not to belittle but Mumbai just cannot be compared. Chicago's downtown and skyline is among the most well planned among it's US contemporaries. Most of NYC's boroughs like Manhattan, Brooklyn, parts of Queens & Staten island also have really good areas while 95% of Mumbai is filthy

The traffic is chaotic, infra is messy, no city planning even for new developments and most importantly no space for expansion. We'd have to see how the slum re-development projects work (particularly Dharavi) along with the coastal development project under works...maybe that might bring some improvement

I'd rather vouch for Hyderabad or Bangalore which are much better planned in their current state to be developed as non-coastal financial hubs and project either of em as the pride of India over Mumbai

 

[Zapper]

It seems like Taiwan becomes a genuine target after this Ukrainian attack . I am not sure how useful this quad will be in saving it . The only safety is the credible deterrent against China . This Ukrainian attack literally proved that neither US nor NATO are deterrent again bigger powers so it will be interesting to see what Taiwan will do next

China is more about economic development and I highly doubt they'd invade Taiwan. As of now, Quad isn't a military alliance and in case Taiwan gets attacked, neither Quad nor Nato will come to it's rescue

All Taiwan could do for now is keep buying western weapons platforms, coastal and aerial defence systems, fighter jets since China will have to resort to an amphibious assault which is much harder and complex than a land attack. Taiwan is a $650+bn economy with their defence budget around $8bn which imo should be increased to $15bn given the looming threat

Most importantly, they should start moving TSMC and the likes along with it's critical suppliers to it's country of choice already

 

[Joe Shearer]

The new Turkish ambassador is a cultured man (A novelist apparently) and has quite charming twitter feed already which will be interesting to follow for his tenure in India:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1443616059794370560

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1440360804344164361

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1440624065056628737

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1444988333143183366

So my cousin has crept into Firat Sunel's tag list. He's like a cockroach. Gets in everywhere.

 

[Joe Shearer]

I don't deny there are filthy areas in the US and this applies to all major cities like NYC, Chi, Philly, LA, SF etc but the core areas of their downtowns are a lot more beautiful...not to belittle but Mumbai just cannot be compared. Chicago's downtown and skyline is among the most well planned among it's US contemporaries. Most of NYC's boroughs like Manhattan, Brooklyn, parts of Queens & Staten island also have really good areas while 95% of Mumbai is filthy

The traffic is chaotic, infra is messy, no city planning even for new developments and most importantly no space for expansion. We'd have to see how the slum re-development projects work (particularly Dharavi) along with the coastal development project under works...maybe that might bring some improvement

I'd rather vouch for Hyderabad or Bangalore which are much better planned in their current state to be developed as non-coastal financial hubs and project either of em as the pride of India over Mumbai

Notice how I am fighting hard to suppress your voice?

 

[crixus]

So my cousin has crept into Firat Sunel's tag list. He's like a cockroach. Gets in everywhere.

First time I tasted baklava , i bought it from costco in Mississauga and I loved that .

 

[crixus]

China is more about economic development and I highly doubt they'd invade Taiwan. As of now, Quad isn't a military alliance and in case Taiwan gets attacked, neither Quad nor Nato will come to it's rescue

All Taiwan could do for now is keep buying western weapons platforms, coastal and aerial defence systems, fighter jets since China will have to resort to an amphibious assault which is much harder and complex than a land attack. Taiwan is a $650+bn economy with their defence budget around $8bn which imo should be increased to $15bn given the looming threat

Most importantly, they should start moving TSMC and the likes along with it's critical suppliers to it's country of choice already

If China will shy away then they will never get tag of super power by 2049 and I agree no one will come to rescue of Taiwan in case of attack. With the kind of scientific development they have , it will not be difficult for them to have credible deterrence against China .

My whole point is all countries which are threatened by big powers will get some credible deterrence to prevent the possible invasion as it quite visibl now no other country will come to rescue of anyother country incase of invasions , seems like we are back to medieval period

 

[Nilgiri]

Who remembers wweundertakerfan

yeah that dude had like 5 accounts or more..... superboy, tai hai cheng, undertakerwwefan....

an oddball to say the least..... i think he had the record for most amount of one liner posts to other spam trolls

 

[Ryder]

yeah that dude had like 5 accounts or more..... superboy, tai hai cheng, undertakerwwefan....

an oddball to say the least..... i think he had the record for most amount of one liner posts to other spam trolls

Supapowah!! Kornets!!

 

[Nilgiri]

This dude is back after a long hiatus

his stuff is real therapeutic to watch for me....

 

[Nilgiri]

Big no, they would targeted everything in which using US Dollar transfer facilities against CATSAA targeted object of sanction (that's including Rosoboronexport). They are even further to strictly observed US allies and major partner financing organization to follow the US rules. As an example, in 2019 Indonesia signing contract order for additional BMP3F and BT3 amphibious APC, they are separated from our Su 35 fighter contract in previous year, but till now both of contract still in Limbo as there is no Bank and guarantee holder able to bear the risk of sanction not even Russian owned export import Bank (Eximbank.ru).

You can see why there is significant decline of major export and delivery of Russian Made weaponry especially big items project in which needed guarantee financing, unless your country is willing to paid full in the front with hard cash money (in which the risk are so great considering the Russian is in the face of full scale conflict)

Didn't want to make it Off topic there....but it reminded me of why PRC has to pay carrie lam in hard cash (suitcase delivery monthly iirc)

i.e Even PRC state owned banks will not operate bank account for her...she has come under a severe sanction (since the crackdown on HK) and they simply cannot risk it

It ridiculously efficiently undoes an awful lot of chest thumping by the online wumao hordes in the end....all that wasted time and hot air from their end...

This is now all playing out at essentially a massive country-wide scale w.r.t Russia....well past what was done with CAATSA + magnitsky act.

Who knows what this shifts in the end.

That actually might be something PRC is far more interested in observing first...than making predictions and large (altering) actions on.

USSR collapsing as it did already did much to concern them (CCP) deeply back then...the sheer amount of power that rests outside the middle kingdom that they must manage....rather than suffer any intense pain from.

@Blackbeardsgoldfish @Paro

 

[Blackbeardsgoldfish]

This dude is back after a long hiatus

his stuff is real therapeutic to watch for me....

Yeah, that man and his content really calms the soul, glad to know that he's back.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Yeah, that man and his content really calms the soul, glad to know that he's back.

True enough, but my own, very personal overwhelming urge is to buy a plot of land and build this for myseld.

 

[Blackbeardsgoldfish]

True enough, but my own, very personal overwhelming urge is to buy a plot of land and build this for myseld.

Same here, only that I'd expand on my beehives to go along with that. The simpler the better really

 

[Joe Shearer]

Same here, only that I'd expand on my beehives to go along with that. The simpler the better really

Perhaps enough of a yard for my dogs. Can't keep dogs in an apartment, and I so miss mine (all dead now; when I had them, they were a pleasure).

 

[Blackbeardsgoldfish]

Didn't want to make it Off topic there....but it reminded me of why PRC has to pay carrie lam in hard cash (suitcase delivery monthly iirc)

i.e Even PRC state owned banks will not operate bank account for her...she has come under a severe sanction (since the crackdown on HK) and they simply cannot risk it

It ridiculously efficiently undoes an awful lot of chest thumping by the online wumao hordes in the end....all that wasted time and hot air from their end...

This is now all playing out at essentially a massive country-wide scale w.r.t Russia....well past what was done with CAATSA + magnitsky act.

Who knows what this shifts in the end.

That actually might be something PRC is far more interested in observing first...than making predictions and large (altering) actions on.

USSR collapsing as it did already did much to concern them (CCP) deeply back then...the sheer amount of power that rests outside the middle kingdom that they must manage....rather than suffer any intense pain from.

@Blackbeardsgoldfish @Paro

It is true that the international power that the PRC has amassed is a blessing and a curse to them. But ultimately they are to gain a more beneficial standing in their relationship with Russia whether or not they win their war with Ukraine.

Should they win and annex the eastern half of Ukraine, while making the rump state a puppet government, then their standing in the west will have been broken beyond repair, not that there was much to begin with even before the war. The devastating economic sanctions thrown against them will be hard, if not impossible, to recover from and they can't expect the west to forgive them, since there isn't much of a bargaining to be had in their hands, outside natural resources. Resources which can, if necessary, be gained from elsewhere. The domestic armaments industry will also be barred from conducting business with a variety of clients and suffer from that.

The war however has startled Europe into action and back into military spending, bolstering their own forces, modernizing them, injecting tons of money into R&D and bringing it a renewed prominence in the political landscape. In essence, Russia has created a new competitor on the arms market, although it will take a while for that to manifest itself. This is very generally speaking of course, and gives a macro picture greatly lacking in detail.

How much longer the russian populace itself is willing to tolerate Putin and his oligarch cronies is another matter entirely, but with the war going this badly and the economy and finances in such trouble I doubt that it will be for much longer. Naturally, average russians will shift the blame for the economic decline on the sanctions and western hostility, but I doubt that they'll forget that it was Putin's decision to go to war and allow for the west's actions in the first place.

China is set to profit from the russian loss of face and power that is currently happening, profiting massively of it at that. The western market will be too restricted for Russia and China can use it to their advantage without a worry in the world. From what I can see, the chinese media is only giving nominal support to the ukrainian venture, barely enough to negate any accusations of not supporting their "alliance". The CCP is very skillful at quietly observing the happenings of the world and making good strategic decisions to benefit them, Trump and the 4 year long hostage taking of the media was a golden time for their global interests and quiet pursuit of them, and that's what they're doing now with Russia. If they'll manage the balancing act without unforeseen complications though, only time will tell.

Anyhoo, those are my thoughts on the matter, which really isn't saying a lot. I'm only an interested layman and my opinions should all be taken with a grain of salt, and any corrections & thoughts on the matter are welcome and appreciated!

 

[TR_123456]

Perhaps enough of a yard for my dogs. Can't keep dogs in an apartment, and I so miss mine (all dead now; when I had them, they were a pleasure).

You can do all that when you retire,ill even send a family of Kangals for protection against tigers.

 

[Joe Shearer]

It is true that the international power that the PRC has amassed is a blessing and a curse to them. But ultimately they are to gain a more beneficial standing in their relationship with Russia whether or not they win their war with Ukraine.

Should they win and annex the eastern half of Ukraine, while making the rump state a puppet government, then their standing in the west will have been broken beyond repair, not that there was much to begin with even before the war. The devastating economic sanctions thrown against them will be hard, if not impossible, to recover from and they can't expect the west to forgive them, since there isn't much of a bargaining to be had in their hands, outside natural resources. Resources which can, if necessary, be gained from elsewhere. The domestic armaments industry will also be barred from conducting business with a variety of clients and suffer from that.

The war however has startled Europe into action and back into military spending, bolstering their own forces, modernizing them, injecting tons of money into R&D and bringing it a renewed prominence in the political landscape. In essence, Russia has created a new competitor on the arms market, although it will take a while for that to manifest itself. This is very generally speaking of course, and gives a macro picture greatly lacking in detail.

How much longer the russian populace itself is willing to tolerate Putin and his oligarch cronies is another matter entirely, but with the war going this badly and the economy and finances in such trouble I doubt that it will be for much longer. Naturally, average russians will shift the blame for the economic decline on the sanctions and western hostility, but I doubt that they'll forget that it was Putin's decision to go to war and allow for the west's actions in the first place.

China is set to profit from the russian loss of face and power that is currently happening, profiting massively of it at that. The western market will be too restricted for Russia and China can use it to their advantage without a worry in the world. From what I can see, the chinese media is only giving nominal support to the ukrainian venture, barely enough to negate any accusations of not supporting their "alliance". The CCP is very skillful at quietly observing the happenings of the world and making good strategic decisions to benefit them, Trump and the 4 year long hostage taking of the media was a golden time for their global interests and quiet pursuit of them, and that's what they're doing now with Russia. If they'll manage the balancing act without unforeseen complications though, only time will tell.

Anyhoo, those are my thoughts on the matter, which really isn't saying a lot. I'm only an interested layman and my opinions should all be taken with a grain of salt, and any corrections & thoughts on the matter are welcome and appreciated!

I think it is a well-argued and reasonable opinion, and need not be dismissed out of hand. In turn, contrary opinions exist, and those need not be slighted either. A discussion is possible.