Dirk

To beer, or not to beer 🍻 ?

[Dirk @dremacle]

@freekvdvelde @DavidTJJacobs 1) laten we streven naar taalkundige vooruitgang
2) da’ wazzet, eigentlijk…

[Dirk @dremacle]

@VividProwess Not too bad looking 👀 - looks like he has a lot on his plate?

[Dirk @dremacle]

@JanMedici @EliAfriatISR Gewoon doen / just do it !

[Dirk @dremacle]

@MrBrigh60500723 @GeertNoels Belastingen op eMail? Dat wordt de doodsteek van de spammers. Dan moesten die misschien ook maar eens gaan staken.

[LN24 @LesNews24]

🐓 Le monde à l'envers ? Quand la N-VA se met à distribuer des drapeaux… wallons @jeroen_bergers

🗣️ "Malheureusement, ce sont les indépendantistes qui montrent l'exemple", constate @RomualdLM

#centpourcentbelge

[Dirk @dremacle]

@PierreHellebaut De planeet 🌍 lijkt nog wel even te willen draaien. Stilstaan bij climate change schijnt daar niet veel aan te veranderen. Al levert het wel spectaculaire praatjes op.

[Dirk @dremacle]

@TheTrueVanguard Sys 64764 trumps 64738

[Dirk @dremacle]

@paul_merck26348 @torfsrik Interessante bedenking. Hoe is deze relevant tot de gevoerde discussie?

[Dirk @dremacle]

Seems like others may have skin in the game:

Here's a top-100 list of the most valuable likely Russian retaliation targets as of late 2025, based on remaining physical/local assets, balance sheet exposure, revenue generated in Russia, factories/plants, subsidiaries, and profit taxes paid (key proxies for seizable value under Russian decrees). No public ranked top-100 exists with exact current asset values (many firms don't disclose post-2022, and exits are ongoing), but this is compiled and prioritized from Yale CELI (updated Dec 2025), KSE Institute/Leave Russia project, B4Ukraine 2025 reports, and financial filings — focusing on unfriendly country firms still operating or in slow exit. Estimated Remaining Exposure by Country (Aggregate Seizable Assets/FDI Stock, Approx. Late 2025) - United States — ~$60–80 billion (largest overall, spread across consumer goods, pharma, tech, banking remnants) - Germany — ~$35–50 billion (heavy in retail, industrials, auto parts, pharma) - France — ~$25–40 billion (retail giants, cosmetics, pharma) - Italy — ~$20–30 billion (banking + food/manufacturing) - Austria — ~$20–30 billion (dominated by Raiffeisen's massive banking exposure) - Switzerland — ~$15–25 billion (Nestlé and food/pharma) - United Kingdom/Sweden — ~$10–20 billion each (pharma, consumer) - Japan — ~$10–15 billion (tobacco mainly) - Hungary/Netherlands/Finland — ~$5–15 billion each - Other (Poland, Denmark, Canada, etc.) — ~$20–30 billion combined Total remaining unfriendly FDI/private assets: ~$200–280 billion (down from pre-war ~$500 billion due to write-offs/exits, but physical plants/banks remain prime grabs). Top 100 Likely Targets (Rough Rank by Estimated Local Exposure/Value) 1–10 (Highest value, mostly $5–20B+ exposure each) 1. Raiffeisen Bank International (Austria) 2. UniCredit (Italy) 3. OTP Bank (Hungary) 4. Philip Morris International (US) 5. PepsiCo (US) 6. Leroy Merlin/AdeO (France) 7. Japan Tobacco International (Japan) 8. Auchan Retail (France) 9. Nestlé (Switzerland) 10. Metro AG (Germany) 11–30 11. Mars (US) 12. Mondelez International (US) 13. Procter & Gamble (US) 14. AstraZeneca (UK) 15. Globus Hypermarkets (Germany) 16. British American Tobacco (UK) 17. Unilever (Netherlands/UK) 18. Reckitt Benckiser (UK) 19. Knauf (Germany) 20. Bayer (Germany) 21. Sanofi (France) 22. L'Oréal (France) 23. Danone (France, partial ops) 24. IKEA (Sweden, via Ingka assets) 25. Henkel (Germany) 26. JTI (Japan, overlap but large) 27. Colgate-Palmolive (US) 28. Johnson & Johnson (US) 29. Pfizer (US) 30. Abbott Laboratories (US) 31–60 31. AbbVie (US) 32. Eli Lilly (US) 33. Merck & Co (US) 34. Bristol-Myers Squibb (US) 35. Bosch (Germany) 36. Siemens (Germany, partial) 37. BASF (Germany) 38. Fresenius (Germany) 39. B. Braun (Germany) 40. Linde (Germany/Ireland) 41. Continental (Germany) 42. Schaeffler (Germany) 43. LVMH (France) 44. Decathlon (France) 45. Barilla (Italy) 46. Ferrero (Italy) 47. Lavazza (Italy) 48. Ariston (Italy) 49. Citigroup (US, remnants) 50. ING Bank (Netherlands, exposure) 51. Novartis (Switzerland) 52. Roche (Switzerland) 53. IKEA suppliers/network (Sweden/Poland) 54. Oriflame (Sweden/Luxembourg) 55. Volvo Group (Sweden, trucks) 56. Scania (Sweden) 57. Tetra Pak (Sweden) 58. IKEA (Ingka Centres, Poland/Sweden) 59. Leroy Merlin (overlap France) 60. Globus (Germany overlap) 61–100 (Still multibillion exposure collectively, $500M–$5B each) 61. Kimberly-Clark (US) 62. Coca-Cola HBC (Switzerland/Greece) 63. Cargill (US) 64. Archer Daniels Midland (US) 65. Schlumberger (US) 66. Halliburton (US, limited) 67. Baker Hughes (US) 68. Medtronic (US/Ireland) 69. Stryker (US) 70. Zimmer Biomet (US) 71. Boston Scientific (US) 72. 3M (US) 73. Honeywell (US) 74. GE Healthcare (US) 75. Philip Morris factories (US) 76. JTI plants (Japan) 77. BAT (UK) 78. Imperial Brands (UK) 79. Stada (Germany) 80. Krka (Slovenia, but unfriendly context) 81. Gedeon Richter (Hungary, mixed) 82. Richter (overlap) 83. Accor Hotels (France) 84. Marriott (US, franchised) 85. Hilton (US) 86. Leroy Merlin suppliers (France) 87. Auchan (France) 88. Metro Cash & Carry (Germany) 89. Lidl/Schwarz Group (Germany, limited) 90. Aldi (Germany) 91. Rewe (Germany) 92. Otto Group (Germany) 93. Adidas (Germany, partial return) 94. Puma (Germany) 95. Hugo Boss (Germany) 96. Levi Strauss (US) 97. VF Corp (US) 98. Ralph Lauren (US) 99. Estée Lauder (US) 100. Coty (US) These are the firms Russia would prioritize for symmetric seizures — banks first (easy court freezes), then retail/consumer with factories, then pharma/industrials. Many are digging in or buying time per Yale grades. Actual grabs would start with the top 20–30 if escalation happens beyond current lawsuits/freezes. US and EU countries (especially Germany/France/Italy/Austria) are by far the most vulnerable overall.

[Dirk @dremacle]

According to @grok :

The post challenges Belgium's opposition to leveraging €210 billion in frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid, citing two legal opinions that minimize liability risks for Euroclear, the Brussels-based depository holding most funds, and framing the hesitation as driven by domestic politics rather than law.

Ahead of the December 18 EU summit, Belgian PM Bart De Wever demands unlimited EU financial guarantees and termination of member states' bilateral treaties with Russia to shield against retaliation, while proposing joint EU debt as an alternative, a move supported by Italy and others but vulnerable to vetoes.

Replies highlight tensions, with Belgian users emphasizing potential €300 billion in global liabilities, rating agency downgrades for Euroclear, and insufficient shared responsibility, contrasting Alemanno's pro-Ukraine urgency amid reports of Russian intelligence targeting Belgian officials.

[Dirk @dremacle]

@GeertNoels @alemannoEU Little factcheck, @grok, if you please

[Dirk @dremacle]

@GeertNoels @terzaketv Even omgerekend: dat is dan 1.500 EUR extra belastinggeld. Bij de Delhaize vandaag koop je daarvoor ongeveer (2+1 gratis) 1.500 verpakkingen van 500g. Dus ongeveer 750 kg aan citroenen, begin maar te persen …

[Dirk @dremacle]

@grok @Precedent_Vice @QuibellPaul @UN_SDG @gbsumudflotilla What’s up, @grok ?

[Dirk @dremacle]

Allez, wat houdt u tegen? Is het een gebrek aan spaargeld waarop u roerende voorheffing betaalt, het salaris waarmee u dat spaargeld aanlegt, en de lasten daarop, of de btw% die u betaalt bij aankoop van materialen voor de opgelegde werkzaamheden? Of de rente aan de bank op de hypotheek?

[Dirk @dremacle]

@bspiervanzwicht Hej skat, jeg kommer tidligt hjem – sushi eller paella?

[Dirk @dremacle]

Hej skat, jeg kommer tidligt hjem – sushi eller paella? #vuelta

[Dirk @dremacle]

@NoContextBrits Yes, we can! #obviously

[Dirk @dremacle]

@AnnBaptist @Karl_Drabbe @AlainGerlache Tja, en wie zal het daarna opvangen?

[Dirk @dremacle]

@FranckenTheo Tijd voor een nieuwe vorm van camouflage?

https://t.co/RGpbpOnpsT

[Dirk @dremacle]

@hulswood Diploma Germaanse Filologie, met specialiteit Verkeerskunde om hier aan uit te kunnen … ik vermoed dat UberEats hier niet op selecteert ?