Cyprus-Forum.com

[kurupetos]

Is he that cheap?

[Robin Hood]

STUD:

No to me it does not take much believing about some of it: I have not seen any report about US$ 800 Billion - some reports suggest US$ 200 Billion and saner reports suggest between US$ 40 B and US$ 70 Billion. The wealth attraction comes as he and his cronies run the country, so can tap straight into it.

I really have no idea how much he is worth, I may even be wrong attributing $800bn to something Paphitis said, but when the Panama Papers were leaked, they found no references to Putin at all. Now, it is easy to say he made sure he couldn’t be identified but hiding that sort of money is difficult. It isn’t on pallets in a warehouse the ‘money’ (cash) would be electronic. If ‘they’ can hack the NSA and the CIA etc. then I think somebody would have found at least some of it and leaked the details to WikiLeaks? It is also quite difficult to hide yachts, private jets and property, there is always a trail.

"Everything that belongs to the territory of the Russian Federation Putin considers to be his," Russian businessman Sergei Pugachev, an estranged friend of Putin's, told The Guardian. "Everything – Gazprom, Rosneft, private companies. Any attempt to calculate it won't succeed. ... He's the richest person in the world until he leaves power."

Pugachev must know that if all the stories about Putin’s ruthlessness and willingness to eliminate any that cross him, is true, then he is a dead man walking. I have no doubt Putin has his fingers in pies all over but he is the man at the top, the one who directs their operations and is running the show. I doubt much goes on of any significance even in the UK without someone having their snout in the trough and, dare I suggest, the same happens in the US ..... in fact in almost any country. I don’t think it would be on the same scale in say Europe and the US but look at how the EU commission looses billions every year to corruption and just downright theft.

Much otherwise comes from "Commissions" paid by people who want a slice of the pie they can sell on. Corruption is rife.

Is this little Island any different? It seems this is what happens when people get into power and they realise they can rape and pillage almost without any restriction, because ‘they’ are the Police, Security Services, the Judiciary, the top politicians, the big business men, the Cyprus Mafia etc.etc..

Ukraine is a good illustrator of the rebuilding of the Soviet Empire.

I can’t agree there, it is the largest country on Earth, why would he need to expand, to create an Empire ..... he has one. The Russians are doing no differently in Donbass and Luhansk, than the US coalition is doing in Syria but in my eyes Russia has more justification. The Russians I would guess have the same ‘military presence’ in eastern Ukraine, as coalition forces have in Syria. But the Ukraine ‘rebels’ are fighting a defensive campaign against an offensive unelected government, that came to power through a foreign inspired coup and they have threatened to exterminate them.

In Syria the US ‘rebels’ are mainly foreign Jihadi’s trying to overthrow an elected government on behalf of a coalition of foreign powers led by the US and US interests, not those of the Syrian people.

If you are referring to Crimea? An arguable situation as even today the vast majority still want to be part of Mother Russia and under their protective umbrella. It was the people that made that choice democratically and that was confirmed by observers at the time, so I have to admit I tend to empathise with the Crimean’s and the Russians on that one.

I have family in and from Russia BTW, so I do occasionally get an inside track on what some Russians are thinking - many Russians here are wives and girlfriends and their Children send out either for safety = the gangsters have declared Cyprus a Neutral Zone = and/or cheaper private education in English Curriculum - the rest are just keeping their heads down

.
We have some Russian acquaintances, also Ukraine near neighbours but we don’t discuss politics. I also worked for a Russian in 2008 and although he was hefty, rough and uncouth, he was also very rich and his source of income was in Moscow! When he needed to pay his people he would fly to Moscow and return with a suitcase full of Euro’s! In his house he had a walk-in safe .... as big as the average bathroom! I would add that on his company Board of Directors was a Director of Helenic Bank ........ convenient eh?

I always found him pleasant enough. He took a shine to me as I was something he had not encountered before, someone who was actually honest! He had the habit of throwing his arm round me and giving me a hug ........... as I am a six-footer plus and no light weight, it was rather embarrassing.

[miltiades]

Yes Robin, do try and be like ....Miltiades

Time for some of that very agreeable Chilean Shiraz here, methinks.

Chilean reds are underrated, they are almost as good as the good French Clarets.
Also fond of Cyprus village reds, home made.

[Londonrake]

Yes Robin, do try and be like ....Miltiades

Time for some of that very agreeable Chilean Shiraz here, methinks.

Chilean reds are underrated, they are almost as good as the good French Clarets.
Also fond of Cyprus village reds, home made.

From Lidl. How they can transport a bottle of decent wine all the way from Chile and flog it for just over €3 beats me.

[Robin Hood]

No to me it does not take much believing about some of it: I have not seen any report about US$ 800 Billion - some reports suggest US$ 200 Billion and saner reports suggest between US$ 40 B and US$ 70 Billion. The wealth attraction comes as he and his cronies run the country, so can tap straight into it.

Here you have to use your own judgement. Russia's GNP is only 250 Bn.
If one man alone can drag so much money it would need 3-5 GNPs to satisfy the whole group of cronies.
Such huge amounts of wealth are impossible to hide, let aside move around.

Now THAT is applying a bit of common sense .......

[Londonrake]

No to me it does not take much believing about some of it: I have not seen any report about US$ 800 Billion - some reports suggest US$ 200 Billion and saner reports suggest between US$ 40 B and US$ 70 Billion. The wealth attraction comes as he and his cronies run the country, so can tap straight into it.

Here you have to use your own judgement. Russia's GNP is only 250 Bn.
If one man alone can drag so much money it would need 3-5 GNPs to satisfy the whole group of cronies.
Such huge amounts of wealth are impossible to hide, let aside move around.

Now THAT is applying a bit of common sense .......

................. and Vladimir Putin is the Russian Mahatma Gandi. Well, come on! He walks to work FGS!

[Robin Hood]

You really should calm down. If you sat on your hands for a while before replying, instead of firing of one of your famous hissy-fit posts, you wouldn't come across as sounding so hysterical. Not that you have ever been one to take advice - even the good variety - from absolutely anybody.

...... you have done it before which is why nobody will engage with you in a serious discussion on your chosen Forum ..... you have been accused of treating the forum as your personal blog, so you follow me here.

I see you're still the epitome of discretion and confidentiality. I'm tempted to drag in some of the sagas you provoked/engaged in and the (real) reason you left. As opposed to the cult-of-the-victim one that you tend to dispense.

As far as following you is concerned? Well, two people tipped me off about your exploits here and of course I couldn't resist. Like they said about Hannibal Lecter, "so rare to be able to observe one".

I'm quite comfortable with my "chosen Forum" (well, Forums actually) and have many serious discussions: however, also humorous (you will need to Google that) and generalised ones as well. I don't just confine myself to the "Politics" sections. As far as my "personal blog" goes, that's an inaccurate distortion. As you well know. You should get a job at RT.

More ad hominem comments..... yes? All personal ....

Do you mean like this:

At least an arsehole has a use ..... which is more than you have. You contribute little of value to any debate.

you can't even read plain simple English

How sad ......you live in fantasy world !

OK, I realise you are mentally challenged, so I'll try and make it easier for you

a bit hypocritical of you seeing as the only time we meet is on this Forum where your lack of any real knowledge is only too evident.

why don't you apply for permanent citizenship and immigrate?

Who’s the proven idiot now then? Boy do you make yourself look stupid with your links?

Well .... more rubbish

commenting on an assumed guess at what you didn’t read! How dumb is that? Your credibility is plunging into negative territory.

Look in the mirror ..... now THAT is an idiot!

I am afraid it is you that soaks up the rubbish as your constant failures clearly demonstrate.

You just confirm your ignorance !

Arrogant, misguided, self opinionated, delusional, with an extremist attitude and ever so slightly biased, maybe ...... but weak, no, that I will give you credit for.

as for the rest of your opinionated post

you are not well informed, you are just a mouthpiece

Anyone with a brain could see that,

For a self proclaimed educated man you don't understand English too well

NO ONE has lower morals and more extreme prejudices than you. Almost every post they shine through!

Did you scope the one about "Hypocritical"?

FYI: I look at a story, whatever interests me, from any source. Unlike you and Paphitis I don't limit myself to favoured sources I know will agree with me.

But that's exactly what you do! Whatever you supposedly look at. IIRC you used to boast that amongst others you read an Israeli paper every day. It wasn't of course because you had the slightest interest in it's contents but rather to enable you to adopt a veneer of supposed objectivity.

I can't speak for Paphitis but personally rarely post links (particularly with you - where it's a total waste of time). So quite how you have identified my "favoured sources" is a mystery to me.

Yours are the likes of:

http://www.blacklistednews.com/

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/

http://theduran.com/

and a few select but essentially similar others.

Even a cursory glance at the titles in them shows that they're stuffed full of anti-western, pro-Russian articles.

Then you're off again on another anti-US rant. Comfort zone. I'm not going to quote. It's all "drivel" as somebody once said.

You're an apologist for Dictators. Putin, Assad, Khameini. I've little personal doubt you're actually quite fond of Kim Jong-un. All "strong" and decisive leaders - much to be admired. Conversely in the 4/5 years I've known you I can't remember a time when you didn't vociferously express total contempt for your own country and the West in general.

I don't really see the point of the RT news flash (ignoring all the ridiculous additions). It demonstrates their neutrality - objectivity? It's a State media outfit in a bloody dictatorship, for goodness sake! Do you really think they have a total free hand in what they disseminate and that subtle disinformation isn't part of their brief? You seem to harbour the quaint view that dictatorial broadcast agencies play somber martial music and praise the "Great Leader" 24/7. Things have moved on a pace you know? Nowadays they tend to be aiming at the "useful idiot" brigade. Well, you know what I mean.

The Montenegro story is of course obviously fake. There was no plot, hatched and overseen by Russians, for a Serbian hit-squad to bump off the pro-West, pro-joining NATO Prime Minister, in favour of the pro-Russian opposition leader. Ridiculous! What on earth interest could the Russians have in something like that? You should rush out a post to highlight their innocence, before some idiots get the wrong idea.

As they would say on this Forum ..... f**k-off!

That's not nice. Especially coming from an old social friend and neighbour. I find it quite disturbing. Be your normal much-loved, nice self.

TLDR .......I repeat ....... "As they would say on this Forum ..... f**k-off!" Go and troll someone else!

[Londonrake]

TLDR .......I repeat ....... "As they would say on this Forum ..... f**k-off!" Go and troll someone else!

TLDR? We both know that's not true.

Trolling? I am making a legitimate contribution to the discussion by bringing into question your motivations, methods and facts.

I also highlight the occasions when you are being hypocritical. Present - and if you move the goalposts in that direction (as you recently have once) - past. As much as you may dislike it - it's relevant to the subject at hand.

Please refrain from telling me to fuck off. It doesn't suit you at all and I suspect counts as "ad hominem" - which again is of course hypocritical. You are still the best I've every met.

You have been going hammer and tongs with Paphitis for years now. I've just joined the fray. What's the big deal? Scared?

I seem to have made much faster progress for some reason.

[supporttheunderdog]

News report in the Inde

Clear evidence Russia interfered in 2015 UK election, says former Labour minister
Chris Bryant says there is proof of 'direct, corrupt involvement' by Russia in UK elections

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chris-bryant-russia-interfered-uk-election-former-labour-minister-2015-vladimir-putin-cyber-attack-a7592226.html

[Robin Hood]

LondonRake:

TLDR? We both know that's not true.

Actually, I started, got to the list of RH attributed comment’s ..... and thought, who the hell has a mentality to collect comments they don’t like for further use ? So ..... yes TLDR is applicable!

Trolling? I am making a legitimate contribution to the discussion by bringing into question your motivations, methods and facts.

As you say .... you ‘.... just joined the fray’ to support Paphitis who was having difficulty in substantiating his attitude. I think that is 'TROLLING' .... unfortunately for you, you have taken up the argument of a Member who has a zero following and credibility for his irrational and outrageous views. But then you are both from the same opinion forming background.

I also highlight the occasions when you are being hypocritical. Present - and if you move the goalposts in that direction (as you recently have once) - past. As much as you may dislike it - it's relevant to the subject at hand.

But ignore your own hypocrisy!

Please refrain from telling me to fuck off. It doesn't suit you at all and I suspect counts as "ad hominem" - which again is of course hypocritical. You are still the best I've every met.

True, it is not my normal restrained response to any member no matter how insulting and irritating they are, but in your case I will make an exception! I am afraid that on here members tend to express what they think ..... so live with it or go back where you came from!

You have been going hammer and tongs with Paphitis for years now. I've just joined the fray. What's the big deal? Scared?

So you followed me here with a specific purpose and agenda? I am certainly not scared ...... but that response demonstrates you obviously have no one left on your other site, that can be bothered to respond to your pompous and sarcastic put downs ..... they all left or rarely post!

I seem to have made much faster progress for some reason.

Yes and by design ....... you are rapidly progressing to the point where your views have about the same credibility as those expressed by Paphitis. Which is why he is number two in the Crap Posting poll!