I'm from Sweden, please tell me what atrocious nonsense we are doing these days? So no, we are not all doing things like this. Terror russia? Yes. They have lost their finger pointing privileges, yes. But is "look! they are doing bad shit also" the argument you wanna lead with really? That's what children say. Be better. Do better. Be that city upon a hill, the beacon of hope. So no, I won't sit down. And neither should you. Your government is capable of this. You think it won't happen to you, because you're "not like them". Well what if you're wrong. What if you find yourself wrongfully accused? What if them suddenly includes you. The term "enemy of the state" has been quite flexible historically. Stand up against injustices, including those who do not effect you. Because "them" may change. And injustice is just plain wrong.

And not to argue with you, but what I am seeing is a clear case of Europe collectively standing up against russia and their dictator, the support for Ukraine here is massive and we are sending support like never before. What I was getting at was this Gitmo guy, the Gitmo locked up guy, he probably hates. His family and friends likely too. So if you keep this shit up expect hate. Expect enemies. And my argument was that there might be a valid reason for that given the special hospitality the US have shown him. I don't hate you. But in your war on terror you are creating terrorists if you keep acting like this.

Your shores are comfortable. You have one nice and one incapable neighbor. Congratulations. That's not the European experience I am afraid. We have russia and had Germany. Less comfy.

And Happy Cake Day!

Good point. I think that today, when we have authoritarian leaders in countries like China and russia committing terrible crimes against humanity, it is more important than ever to hold ourselves to higher standards, the moral high ground. If we are the good guys, and they are the bad guys, then now is a good time to act like it.

Innocent until proven guilty. If he's guilty, then throw his ass in jail. Death penalty. What ever. But if he's not, then lock him up at a secret location in a dictatorship country I guess. No trial. No representation. No rights.

I love the US, but this reflects poorly on you I am afraid. This is beneath you. Be better. Do better. Lead by example. Or be less surprised when people hate America.

So why was he then not procecuted, made stand trial and sentenced if you have the evidence? You know, rule of law.

If anything the west has come together and is stronger in its resolve as a result of putins actions. He wanted to divide us. He got the opposite. It's amazing to see. Take the EU. The sanctions packages. The joint message. The total lack of sucing up to that murderous dictator. Beautiful. If Trump would have been in power I honestly do not know what would have happened. But under Biden we've been able to pull this off. Impressive. Sure, Hungary and Serbia are still on team putin, but they are too small to make a dent in the otherwise aligned democracies of the world. India is neutral, but not really helping putin. Just extremely impressive how alone he is on the world stage, with only dictatorships such as Belarus, Iran and North Korea as his buddies.

As can be noted, I did not mention renewable energy. I talk about phasing out fossil fuel, becoming carbon neutral, i.e. including nuclear power. Take Sweden and Norway as examples, no gas is being burned there to generate electricity or heating. The public opinion on nuclear has shifted thoug, the public has realized - as you point out - that nuclear is needed as the base power generation, as well as the adjustable component of the total power generation. But Norway has zero nuclear, and manages to supply their power needs (including the world's biggest fleet of electric vehicles per capita) from hydro alone. Sweden has roughly 45% hydo and 45% nuclear, and solar and wind makes up for the rest. So renewable, short term, is not realistic, no. Carbon / fossil free is however.

Ah. Yes the UK, especially poorer people there, are suffering under the higher gas and electricity prices. This war hit us just as we were phasing out carbon based energy sources, and quite honestly, not that many countries where even close to be self sufficient in their carbon free electricity and heat generation. I happen to be from one of the countries that was self sufficient, and our challenge has been that the Germans (who turned off their nuclear power plants before having a substitute) are bidding for our electricity. So my prices have gone up primarily because of higher bidders in Hamburg 😀 I take a higher bill and helping my fellow Germans any day compared to sucking up to putin though. Even if he "wins" this war, Europe will never again buy from him anywhere close to the quantities we used to. Russia is a gas station with an army, and they will never see as many European customers ever again.

Well yes and no. The EU has been on a path to phase out fossil fuel for quite some time, and has been investing heavily in carbon free electricity sourses. So this is a path we've been on for a while, that was intensified by Russias illegal invasion of Ukraine, and the failed efforts of putin to use Russias gas and oil as an extortion tool. If anything, putin has hence only sped up a trajectory that the EU was already on. And gasprices are lower now than at the time of the invasion, so please check facts before echoing krelin propaganda talking points. No gun was pointed to our heads, we could have said "off course putin, whatever you like sir". We chose not to. I pay around €90 per month on heating and electricity now, compared to around half of that a year ago. €90 is what I spend on wine when I go out to eat, so it's not that much. My morgage is €1000 per month, so it's no where close. Source: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/12/29/european-natural-gas-prices-return-to-pre-ukraine-war-levels.html

Got it, sorry if I missread you, thanks for the clarification.

Is the US a pariah? Or Norway? Those are our biggest fossil fuel supplier currently just so you know. It used to be Russia, of whom I suspect you refer, but no more my friends, we're canceling that maniac.