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Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

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Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#341
post #167

We should be talking about grain, not gas. Russia is the biggest exporter of wheat in the world with 18%. Ukraine accounts for 7% of the world's wheat. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/17/infographic-russia-... This conflict will affect 1/4 of the world's wheat which will affect food prices. In 2010 Russia stopped exporting wheat due to wildfires burning their fields (most likely caused by climate change). This…

We should be talking about human lives. My Ukrainian colleague was terrified for his family today.

> My Ukrainian colleague was terrified for his family today.

I am willing to host up to 10 Ukrainians at my farm in the very south west corner of Poland until further decisions can be made. Only 2 takers so far. Please email my username at gmail if this is interesting to your colleague or to anyone else reading this.

Poland has dropped visa requirements. I can provide some initial legal assistance via a generous family member's donation. I was once a refugee as well. We expect nothing in return.

edit: now at 60% occupancy (maybe) Good luck everyone!

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paying people more than the minimum wage and not outsourcing just to save money (which some argue is just another form of imperialism) I think that would be a good start

And then what? Go out of business because people prefer to shop at H&M and Old Navy due to their lower prices? The blame here lies solely on society and the politicians it elects. There is no other solution where individual business owners can be expected to take on societal problems.

Those businesses are also run by people, that was my point. But yes, you're right in that consumers also are an important part of the system.

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#345

I'm more concerned about the probable loss of wheat supplies to the near east, especially Turkey and Egypt. But of course,they could just eat Revani or Basbousa instead.

Wheat is pretty easy to ship, and globally is usually 'overproduced' due to farm subsidies. People won't be going hungry just because one countries production stopped.

Yes, but who will have the money to buy your 'overproduction', for what will he buy it and how will it be 'pretty easily' shipped?

https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/05/20/food-price-spikes-and-s...

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/bread-prices-ri...

https://www.skuld.com/topics/cargo/solid-bulk/agricultural-c...

Filter the chart to 'All' to have a wider scope. On it and things as a whole:

https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/w00

In the olden times some considered it a good measure to secure food production by subsidies. You know, hungry people get restless. If that is your intent or you don't have to face the consequences, it's fine. But for the most part to keep the masses fed is a basic measure.

Of course with time, things get complicated for governments:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-03/egypt-s-p...

But you always have to consider the angry rabble will string you up at the next streetlight.In the aforementioned parts of the world gladly with an 'Allāhu akbar' on the lips.

Admitted, in many parts of the world they, the masses that is, are quite overfed by now and appropriate measures should be taken. But that can change quite fast.

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#346

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ironically, I think the above statement is irrational. Why does being a dictator automatically make you more irrational? Absolute power has no direct causal bearing on human intelligence. It does not make you more irrational or more rational. There are plenty of examples of good kings, bad kings, good emperors and bad emperors throughout history both for ancient china and plenty of other civilizations. Modern China,…

History is pretty clear, go check it out. Nobody wants to be ruled by a single individual that operates with impunity.

>You like to argue, but no one seems to agree with you.

I'm not offended

I do like to argue. A better way to put it, is I like to talk to people and convince people on a viewpoint I truly believe in while at the same time I'm open to learning as well.

Whether someone agrees with me or not doesn't correlate with whether I'm right. That is the point. And I am right and you are wrong.

You view international politics from the microcosm of US news. The entire population of Asia which outnumbers the US population by a huge number has a more nuanced and complicated view of the situation.

Dismissing China as evil or putin as crazy is an oversimplification.

Think bigger.

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, that's what'd you'd do if you were the US because China is your rival. This is what you want from a foreign perspective. If I was Taiwan, or in other words a shareholder or OWNER of TSMC, I wouldn't want something I own being destroyed. I would rather fold into the new regime and keep my original ownership.

If China has to eat the cost of the TSMC being destroyed, it’s probably less likely to invade. China in a large part depends on TSMC whether it “owns” Taiwan or not.

Yeah good point. I didn't realize what you meant. I thought you meant Taiwan should take a scorched earth policy, but you're really saying that Taiwan should advertise this policy as a defensive measure. Whether they carry it out is a different matter.

Makes sense.

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#348
post #277
post #263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Putin is very rational and predictive. To be honest this war does make me doubt my assption that Putin is very rational and predictive. What is the rationale behind such a full-scale invasion? I don't see benefits that outweight the costs. I am happy to hear them, if they are any.

If Ukraine becomes a NATO member, Russia won’t be able to defend it’s border from a conventional attack. By looking at a map, this is quite evident.

The Baltic states already border Russia.

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#349

How is neon extracted and why does one country have a 90% monopoly (in this specific grade)? edit: Found this C&EN story from 2016 that adds context: - "Chip makers, which account for more than 90% of global neon consumption, are already experiencing high prices and some shortages stemming from the Russian conflict with Ukraine, Shon-Roy says. The war, which started in 2014, interrupted global supplies of the gas, ab…

> How is neon extracted and why does one country have a 90% monopoly Monopoly is a misused term. Many monopolies around the world are market capture due to being sunk cost low price leaders. Replace "monopoly" with "cornered the market".

That's what a monopoly is... They've entirely cornered the market for a good...

Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking

#350
post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trump didn’t do anything about it either

That’s… unequivocally false.

Manufacturing job growth showed zero change in trajectory during his presidency up to COVID
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