Dasaria II - A NWN2 Roleplay and Story-driven Persistent World

Chia · Post by **Chia** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:28 pm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/articl ... ss&feed=12

Somebody mentioned a while ago Russia's supposedly weak economy.

Guess they read the forum.

Lord Zhengyi · Post by **Lord Zhengyi** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:11 pm

Russia's economy is far from weak. Moscow is currently the most expensive city in the world to live in. Russia is only the world's 2nd largest producer of oil because their infrastructure is old and they refuse to spend the money to update it and increase their output. Instead, they enjoy sitting utop the world's largest reserves while they operate at 100% capacity around the clock. In the meantime, they are raking in boatloads of cash, developing missle technology that can defeat US defenses, and openly murdering critics in other countries while being led by a man who could be considered the KGB's chief assassin.

Post by **Vahene** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:15 pm

IOW, Russia's being a hypocrite.

Heh.

Aren't there satellite pictures that can be produced to prove if it is on Russia's side or Canada's side? They're like on two opposite ends of the earth, unless I'm missing the point of their claim (which is possible, mind you). I just see Russia though as trying to get their hands in the cookie jar and mama smacking them with a steam shovel.

K

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:03 pm

Where are the "ends" of the Earth exactly? The last I heard it is round. The eastern edge of Russia is only separated from Alaska by the Baring Strait (less than 100km wide), which is navigable by land at certain times of the year. Canada and Russia are closer than you think at their west and east edges respectively.

Evelond Formos · Post by **Evelond Formos** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:09 pm

Boy, I'm glad I'm not Russia anymore. Bunch of idiots.

And Wyv, you actually believe them? Everybody knows the earth is flat!

Post by **Vahene** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:10 pm

Wyvern wrote:Where are the "ends" of the Earth exactly? The last I heard it is round. The eastern edge of Russia is only separated from Alaska by the Baring Strait (less than 100km wide), which is navigable by land at certain times of the year. Canada and Russia are closer than you think at their west and east edges respectively.

I guess the way I was looking at it wasn't by the Alaska part of the world, but straight up through the middle of the countries. Both countries are huge though, so I suppose saying they're on opposite 'ends' of the earth wasn't really accurate of me. Heh.

K

Chia · Post by **Chia** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:53 pm

My main beef with such a claim is that the Greenland was, up until now, considered a "hands off" area.

The indigenous population, as it was, was left to continue with their lives as they saw fit.

Other than scientific presence, other countries agreed on not trying to mess around with that territory.

Now, given the wealth of oil and gas reserves that remain untapped under and around the ice-shelf mass, this suddenly becomes a prize territory.

Unfortunately, any exploitation of those resources will, without doubt, bring major human-induced changes to the local environment.

Given the strenuous situation there given the climate shift, last thing we need is acceleration of the ice-mass loss due to human activities. According to some models, even current loss of the ice is reaching the point where it will disrupt the ocean currents, which are the major stabilizer of climate thorough the globe.

Granted, these models probably are flawed in one way or another, but can we, as a species, afford conducting a global scale experiment without being able to determine, with reasonable accuracy, its outcome?

Politics and human interaction aside. Territorial wars erupted for lesser reasons in the past.

I do find the following highly amusing, in its irony:

“But the latest scientific findings are likely to prompt Russia to lodge another confident bid - and will alarm the US, which is mired in a 13-year debate over ratification of a UN treaty governing international maritime rights.

The Law of the Sea Treaty is the world's primary means of settling disputes over exploitation rights and navigational routes in international waters. Russia and 152 other countries have ratified it.

But the US has refused, arguing it gives too much power to the UN. If the US does not ratify it, Russia's bid for the Arctic's energy wealth will go unchallenged, proponents believe.“

urgualamand · Post by **urgualamand** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:05 pm

My main beef with such a claim is that the Greenland was, up until now, considered a "hands off" area.

WOW!! Hey, Im sitting right here!

hmm... "Hands off area" lol

You better believe it..

Chia · Post by **Chia** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:22 pm

I thought there a small strip of the coast that belonged to several nations, but the majority of the iceshelf mass was "international?"

urgualamand · Post by **urgualamand** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:33 pm

Ah, no. Greenland belongs to the greenlandic homerule. Denmark actually owns the soil together with Greenland. But we are fighting for our right to that as we speak

EDIT: There is no hate between Denmark and Greenland. Too much love and history for any real hate. Its political and about self esteem and of course.. money as always.