After a two-month stalemate, earlier this month Ukraine launched a game-changing counteroffensive against the Russians occupying their eastern territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
Honestly, this has got to be the best value for a $50 spend I have ever received in my life. Every single letter helps me understand what is nearly impossible to grasp. This one for me though tonight is exceptional. Thank you. Now we both need to get some rest. (Or at least I do - I had just finished grading for tonight when your letter popped up in my feed)
This is the first I have seen in any media source say that the pipelines were not in use, or say that insurance might have been the motivation for Russian sabotage. That's just the kind of perspective I come to Dr. Richardson for.
It's interesting how Putin, like Trump, uses just the parts of civilization that suit him while flouting the rest. Hopefully his insurance policy on the pipelines includes an exemption for acts of war.
Thank you ! She is outstanding and has great insight into the way Putin operates. I will never forget her story of sitting next to Putin at a dinner some years ago during which he barely spoke and neither ate nor drank anything, including water-- so paranoid was he!!! Can you even imagine what his life is like now?
Thanks for the link. Hill quotes Jake Sullivan, WH Natl Security Advisor, as saying that there are very few countries with the technical capability to sabotage those pipelines. Then she talks about Putin smirking as he discussed it.
Mobiguy, I regularly find information from Heather that never shows up on other media. I'd like to know how her radar works, when clearly no other sources have managed to find what she does.
HCR's citations reveal alot. Pay attention to the bylines. Some sources have specialty expertise, for example, Kyle Cheney on legal matters. Kyle is accurate & is rapidly improving. HCR has many very good sources to make an understatement such as the erudite & savy Anne Applebaum.
There's no doubt that Heather has a huge number of brilliant sources. What I find astounding is that, in addition to what must be a full teaching load at BC, she finds time to pull all the threads that expose these little acorns. She even finds time to spend kayaking or hiking. I'm sure that all off these endeavors account for her continuing efforts to inform all of us that she manages to send out in the wee hours of the morning. We're all eternally grateful!
The pipelines hadn't been abandoned; they'd simply stopped pumping gas for delivery. They remained full and one aspect of the situation that hasn't been adequately covered is the environmental impact of the methane that was released following the explosions.
It just seems difficult for inert gases to bubble any length of time. Air is heavier and cheaper to maintain pipelines.
The methane contribution is very significant. Something like a 20 year load was already distributed. But whoever sabotaged the pipe wasn’t environmental.
On German news they say that they have to wait until the methane gas has released enough that they can send people down there to investigate and then they can definitively say who did the damage. That is why I assume Putin is rushing to have certain actions like an international declaration so that he can get the insurance money before they discover that he sabotaged it himself. However, they say it was evenly 50 meters apart, and that you would have had to have submarines and whoever did it was careful to stay outside of NATO territory, so that is why Russia is also under suspicion because it was just outside of actually provoking NATO to actually take action so on some level whatever Biden has said to Putin he is unwilling to truly find out if Biden was bluffing or serious. Biden has been serious enough so far that Putin does not seem to be willing to risk it. He ends his career.
This time I question what HCR wrote about the pipelines not being in use. From what I have read, they were in use and it was one of the worst environmental disasters under water.
See my Sunday post a minute ago; Denmark & Sweden are reporting purposeful TNT blasts on 9/26. Der Spiegel concurs reporting sabotage citing intelligence reports & explosions registering 2.1 & 2.3 on the Richter Scale.
This post this morning on CSIS is saying that everyone needs to be watching their energy supply lines and grid both physically and the cyber security piece.
I have been thinking that people should have back up generators and solar power to be well situated. We are discussing this for our home. While it sounds like I am a survivalist, I am just thinking that there are both natural and other reasons to start thinking like this. Obviously it is harder to do if one rents and lives in a big building, but in Puerto Rico, which seems to have had been foisted or chosen a very poor set up for power, the people who had installed solar power and back up generators are the ones who had power when no one else on the island did after hurricane Fiona. I think we should be looking at these set ups and making decisions on how to be less vulnerable to these potential attacks. These hostilities are on-going and who knows whether our next government will not give away all of our secrets to countries who turn out to be adversarial in the long run. I know that the German intelligence has reports as do the Scandinavian countries, which is why Norway has set out security to guard the newly opened Baltic pipeline. That seems wise to me. So, did Putin threaten to show he has the upper hand, or play his hand too soon? We shall see.
I also read that they were not in use. I am not sure where, but yesterday I saw German news, and read Radio Free Europe, Meduza, the Washington Post, NYT, CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies), The Atlantic Daily, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Europe and then some local papers.
But even if they were not in use, they are on the ocean floors, and by blowing them apart, oil and gas, and natural gas that were in them polluted the seas.
Not implying that it was not a catastrophic environmental disaster. Just saying that they were not in use to deliver gas according to the sources that be. Here is a discussion. People don't exactly know what will happen. Some of it is wait and see, but based on what they know and past experience, it won't be good.
You must know that the corporations that own those pipelines are never going to tell us that there was any leaking toxic fuels in caused by those explosions. They lie to everybody with the intention of not being blamed for destroying the environment. Of course, it could be true what they tell us, but they are capitalists.
I wonder what the weather is like in MAGAworld, where the sky is green and the grass is blue. Trump is delusional, than anyone would have him participate in anything.
It really is time to lock Traitor Trump up in a small cell with a steel door without a window or a food slot, toss the key in the trash, and walk away with a big smile.
Long, long, long past time.
Trump: Still doing what his Daddy Putin tells him to do all day, every day.
He doesn't have internet access now. His platform is a big flop and abiut to die and every other one including some of the crazies have cut him off now that he is deep into Q. I expect at his next rally he'll cone oyt in a lizard suit.
“I will head up group?” I could not get past that Heather anecdote for a few moments, TC. Just to respond before getting back to business after a break during hurricane debris cleanup and food efforts in my city…..
“No, not needed, because your head is too far up the combined oligarch ass of your smarmy world. Bye, loser.”
Grateful to hear from you Christine. Ian left a helluva mess behind. Wishing you and your neighbors some decent weather and all the assistance you need and deserve.
I posted above that I wonder if tRump sees this as a way to get out of Dodge? He could envision himself as this great negotiator (he already does) and this has the win-win of him NOT HAVING TO RETURN. Avoid jail, etc. However, if, IF Putin avoids getting taken out, I don't think he'd have much use for tRump and would quickly dispose of him.
I used he same exact word for trump when I read his "offer". He has no idea the trouble he is in. He has no idea the real world hates and dismisses him.
Not to worry, her ineptitude was revealed right out of the box, and my guess is that she'll be rendered useless very quickly. She has been eviscerated at every turn, even by TFG's 11th Circuit appointees, to say nothing of Judge Dearie.
It is hard to think that trump could negotiate anything. Negotiation requires levels of good faith and trust on both sides. Has he ever done this that wasn't simply a con. I know this bluster is just for his base - I keep waiting for some of his base to wake up, and maybe it is a few at a time.
You are good. Here in Maggot land Idaho the grass is actually blue. At least the Boise St astro turf is blue. I let an offer attend Annapolis go because of seasickness. After attending a game in the blue stadium I was seasick again.
This is the most remarkable news yet in these years that have caught our breath with astonishment! Born in 1945, my eyes can hardly believe nor can my ears hear the news without astonishment. Will we ever think without having our thought pre-digested by social media again? Will children ever be able to learn without blinders again? Oh how I hope!
I was also born in 1945. "Will children ever be able to learn without blinders again?" Ha!
We were inundated by propaganda during our childhood. Propaganda touting the glory of patriarchy. Rosie the Riveter was replaced by white ladies doing housework in a dress and pearls.
There was plenty of social media telling us what to value; it was in the form of newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.
It is true that our experiences are different, and I’m sure there are many valid reasons for that. But — nevertheless — I till maintain that pre-digested “news” and internet have separated us as a country, and that regardless of any standard education, children that are able to read and explore ideas cannot do that if we are back to book banning (that has never worked and never will work for long). Thank you. For your perspective.
Thank you Heather. I wish everyone would read you. I repost on Twitter and LinkedIn with hopes that at least one person has their eyes opened and understands that the world is connected. Those on Twitter who scream about the money President Biden is sending to Ukraine. Those who have absolutely no idea what the MAGA party is working to accomplish. Mike Pompeo now calling ¨Woke¨ Marxist. The ignorance in America is not only mind blowing but dangerous for us all, for our children, our grandchildren. I hope everyone here is actively working to educate voters.
Gailee, Bertrand Russell said: “Most people would rather die, than think....and they do.” I like this forum so much because I learn not only history from Heather, but from the other readers who comment. I have gained a treasure of knowledge and understanding about so many things. After I read Heather’s Letter, I spend part of my day, every few hours, coming back to the comments. I feel like it’s the coolest way to get educated!
Rupert Murdoch is actively working on Putin’s behalf, anybody noticed??? Anybody see the CNN doc about Rupert. They nailed him. One grumble. They said that Reagan didn’t initially appreciate Rupert’s help in getting him elected. Then why the Rep dinner in Rupert’s honor in DC in Jan 1981, at which Kemp was quoted as saying “Rupert Murdoch used the editorial page, the front page, and every other page necessary to get Ronald Reagan elected President.” Rerun in 2016 with chump, except now it was not only the NY Post, but the National Enquirer, and Fox 24-7. “The ignorance in America” is my greatest fear.
Yes, I remember when I was a big Reagan fan as a 20 year old in 1980. Back then I had not yet matriculated through the educational process that led me to analyze all data from many different perspectives.
Reagan's huge lie about Carter being fiscally undisciplined and his lie and trope about a woman in Chicago collecting 15 welfare checks? I bought it. I was ashamed about this for a while, but, now I realize that I had been subject to massive right wing propaganda at my Texas A&M school newspaper through the writings of George Will and William F. Buckley (Jr. I think).
The truth is: REAGAN was wildly, wildly fiscially irresponsible cutting taxes and dramatically raising military spending for his main donors.
CARTER was the last highly fiscially disciplined President of the United States. Yes, Clinton managed to roll off the deficit slightly, and, Bush tried a tiny bit, but, really, the last President to run a balanced budget and continue to pay down debt was Carter.
So, I understand how it is that some people "believe" that Reagan was a great man and that Dems are evil. They hear that at church, they hear it in the school newspaper, they hear it on Fox News, they hear that message on every AM radio in America, they hear it EVERYWHERE they go.
Getting good data? Well, that is not as easy as flipping on the TV and looking up the short dress and oogling the legs of the fake blonde on Fox and Friends pretending to give out "news".
He was the greatest President that we never appreciated because Ronnie and the right wing press lied about him. We bought it (or many of us did at the time).
WaPo was one of the worst. It was my local paper back then and even I, a teacher, was ready to vote against him until a call from a Dem teacher group that reminded me that he established the Dept of Education. Now I appreciate his stand against participating in the Olympics, putting solar panels on the White House roof, not lighting the National Christmas tree and many other things. Why do people we see on tv seem so shiny and perfect? I believe Reagan was the first president to take the entire month of August off and lied about how much work he was doing. Volunteering in some way to get out the Democratic vote is important NOW!
* “President Carter: The White House Years” (2018) by Stuart Eizenstat – this is the most recent (and the most in-depth…but not the most comprehensive) biography of Carter. Although its title suggests an exclusive focus on his presidency, Eizenstat covers Carter’s life from his earliest years up through his single term in the White House.
Carter is the model of an elder statesman and great humanitarian. I believe today is this humble man's birthday. If ONLY all Christians could be like him, not the CINOs that have overrun the US today!
And think about what else that manufactured-lie about Carter did to further alter America: Carter identified that the two greatest issues facing our country was the economic disparity between rich and poor in America, and Climate Change! Where would we be now as a nation if we addressed corporate/financial malfeasance and monopoly, along with creating a dynamic green energy sector “Made in the USA”?
Hard to blame old Ronnie as he was so out to lunch that Nancy with her astrologers was his puppet master. Reagan is the main cause the US is so economically unbalanced today. .......
Trump should pay the price of a traitor. Hang ‘em high!
Welcome to the cause of decency. It’s a long, hard road for a white Texan to travel. Kudos for having the vision to overcome the Texas affliction and make the difficult transition.
Pompeo, like the other Mike, believes in "The Rapture". There really is a "cabal" of religious nut cases flowing in and out of our government. Barrett, sadly, will be with us in a dangerous role for a very long time. But we can "out" Leonard Leo and halt his influence with some transparency in our election laws.
I worry more about the likes of Ginni/Clarence Thomas and the above folks than I do about Putin. Gilead is around the corner and the Founders are spinning in their graves with anger and disgust. TFG is just a puppet for the "dark side" of religious thought. Darker still, because they KNOW what an immoral and corrupt monster he is. The long range game plan to dominate us with ancient, misogynistic, bigoted, and frankly, evil people will use any tools at their disposal. TFG is a tool. And they will call themselves righteous.
Bill, the far right picked tfg BECAUSE he is “an immoral and corrupt monster”. They must have targeted him to be their front man for a long time. Just like Reagan. Another schill for fascism, but we didn’t call it that back then. His shameful and illegal actions to sell arms to the Iranians in exchange for undermining the Nicaraguan revolution, was simply horrible. And was never exposed. Carter lost because of Reagan’s lies.....what a shame.
But if we don't defeat the Republicans in the mid terms we can expect that the threat of causing default by the government on Dec 16 will destroy our ability to fund our support for Ukraine and the Trump world will rejoice as we force concessions by an unsupported Ukraine.
For this reason, I believe Desantis is a clear and present danger to our constitution and our democratic republic. Exactly this. Trump 2.0-smarter, and intentionally cruel.
I have not been able to recognize him. I saw him briefly in the background on TV and wondered who he is. I heard someone (can’t remember who) interviewed who said of him privately he said tfg was crazy, etc. and discussed with others what to do. But to this day keeps silent publicly.
That has already seeped down to the MAGA plebs. I read comments in the local rag just this week where the wing nuts were using woke with Marxist to describe some sane policy here in Salem. They are unhappy about, among other things, that they cannot go to school board meetings in person to shout and harass and they can't carry their guns on to the school grounds. The wing nuts regularly toss around words that they do not understand, but read on some far right radical site or heard on Fox. As for Pomp Ass, he has aspirations to be able to do more damage.
I do not know the MAGAts managed to send me texts but got one from Pompous where it said something about “woke Marxist”. I keep blocking these texts constantly!
Thankfully I have not received any nonsense from him, but I get stuff from some Rs and also fundy religious organizations on my Facebook feed. I am certain it's because I have looked up some site to see what the bias is. We were just talking about this and I said I was certain Jesus was woke and possibly a Marxist. None of these folks understand what Marx and Marxism are about. I see woke as being aware of others who are not like me and having empathy for the many problems that people face. My husband asked me yesterday about all the memes about flutes and I had to explain that Lizzo actually played James Madison's flute. Of course, all of the sudden people who know nothing about Madison or flutes are having a hissy fit. Everyone is now an expert on everything.
The Navalny essay is the most important thing I've read in some time. Clear-eyed and determined, from the perspective of a person at the very eye of the storm. Just getting rid of Putin is not enough, he said, there must be a complete restructuring of the system and the West must keep up the pressure to that end.
Maybe we need to restructure ourselves at the same time, before Bannon totally destroys our “administrative state.” His stated goal from chump’s first days.
I would be interested to know if his tentacles are behind the new PM in Italy, and in Bolsonaro’s coming “It’s-Rigged-if-I-lose!” election. They have all the hallmarks of his handiwork.
And you led me to this article also, which quotes Bannon’s lead Catholic “ Harnwell remains undeterred in his ambition to launch Bannon’s right-wing academy, saying it will conduct lessons online until it secures a physical site, and that “we have over 5,000 requests to participate”.
This make me think Bannon is styling these “schools” after radical mosque schools used to recruit Islamic extremists. He’s strategizing a global radicalization.
My questions begin with sanctions... how many and what kind of sanctions can anyone bring against Putin that havn't already been put in place? Then about Russia; how come Putin can bomb or target cities in the Ukraine but the Ukrainian army doesn't bomb or target cities in neighboring Russian cities? And lastly, am I the only one who sees the similarity between Putin and the loser ex-US president? Need a hint? think stupidity, self-serving and greed.
You are not the only one. From Helsinki, it was clear to me. Vlad likely still hopes for a chump win (or Repub victory in Nov) so he can have the USA on his side. Imagine if chump had won. NATO and Ukraine abandoned and Vlad having chump on a leash…. They still hope. Any doubt about who got chump’s stash of classified docs?
😱Drumpf keeps the red herrings coming so fast that I forgot, or repressed, the fact of Russia’s help in electing this nonhuman being especially with social media. I hope the goons have been cleaned out of FBI/CIA/DHS. Thanks Ralph ! 🏆
Dismantling NATO might just have been one of the promises tfg made to Vlad in Helsinki... Who knows what else. Offerings from tfg to negotiate with Vlad about the current war would be fatal...
“The West is looking for new opportunities to hit us and they always dreamt about breaking our state into smaller states who will be fighting against each other,”
THIS. This sounds like projection to me. Putin just stated what he has been trying to do for over a decade to “the West.”
There's now a Trump/Qanon turn of phrase, too: "“The West is looking for new opportunities to hit us and they always dreamt about breaking our state into smaller states who will be fighting against each other,” he said. “They cannot be happy with this idea that there is this large country with all [these] natural riches and people who will never live under a foreign oppression.”
To the question “how many and what kind of sanctions can anyone bring against Putin that havn't already been put in place?” one answer is for all of western Europe to stop buying fuel from Russia. Germany is building transfer terminals to handle LNG imports, which can be shipped from the US and Canada. More expensive than Russian fuels, but not nearly as expensive as war. Russia’s cash flow from Europe should have been stopped months ago, but it’s essential to start now. It will cripple Putin’s ability to make war. Europe will step up if the US helps. They have even more to lose than we do.
I found out about three months ago that my father's entire family came from Ukraine. Jewish, left between 1880-1900. Gives one a different view/feeling about this war.
In the last 6 months, I’ve found 11 people that weren’t registered to vote, who are now registered, and are voting blue. Yeah, I know…11 doesn’t sound like a lot. But, have you heard of multiplication? 100,000 people getting 11 people registered =1.1 million.
I've an idea... Let's undercut the marketing by T's social media. If we quote him, say he "posted". Saying he "truthed" just plays into the deceptive framing!
As for the title, "Truth Social", unintentionally comical, the word combination is actually meaningless. It has the force of invention of a backward ten-year-old.
How ironic that we wrestle with the influence of election deniers here in the US while we simultaneously deny the results of voting in four regions of Ukraine...I have seen many statements that the voting in Ukraine was rigged, but only one or two lines of unverified coverage indicating how that is known.
How fitting that we are reeling from four years of the presidency of a man who believed that if he said something enough it would automatically become true while we see the same stance from Putin as he ignores the reality that Ukraine is not part of Russia and has not been for 40 years.
The ethereal concept of "rule of law" does not convey the gravity of this stance as much as stating "forceful occupation of another country." We cannot imagine unmitigated aggression, because we have not felt it on our own soil and in our own freedoms. Imagine if Mexico decided it wanted Texas back...and then ask yourself if you would consider economic sanctions against Mexico by Britain or Japan as sufficient support of the US to retain that territory.
We are in a reactive stance, while Putin charges ahead. We cower under the threat of nuclear war, with no way of knowing whether that is realistic or not. We have taken the stance of maintaining the status quo, of resistance, not victory, while our enemy is fighting a different war, the war of right by might. No other standard exists for Putin or the rapacious oligarchy. How long will resistance last? How much is resistance damaged with each escalation by Putin? And is it not clear by now that nothing will stop him, that he does not care what our response is, only what his goal is?
Lest you doubt the ineffectiveness of our stance, note the sentence that "it is unlikely that Ukraine's application to NATO will be approved" while the war continues. IOW, NATO--we--are not going to really commit. We will wait and see if the conflict dies down, and accept occupation of Ukraine as an okay price thereof.
I am looking for a source for that--can you supply one, please? I am remembering early in the conflict that whole cities in the Eastern region voted to surrender to the Russians, in part because of how close the Russian troops were, but in part because of the number of sympathizers among the citizens and elected officials.
I wouldn’t exactly say we “cower”under the threat of Putin’s threats of using nukes. NATO and the US definitely have a plan or plans in place should Putin go completely off of the rails. Blinken nor Biden can reveal that to us, however. It’s a secret. His craziness is getting worse by trying to say 4 regions of Ukraine are Russia’s now. Because of that bullshit and the threats he’s made, I think his allies are backing off a bit. Sanctions squeeze the residents and they’re not a happy bunch right now. That’s what NATO and the US are counting on. Uproar within its own country, men fleeing in droves so that they will not be picked to fight.
Marlene Lerner-Bigley, I hope that you are right. But I also sense a difference in attitude between the US and authoritarian regimes as in Russia and China. That is, to date, Putin does not seem responsive to unhappy residents, other than the response of jailing demonstrators.
The nuclear threat is 'way overblown. Such weapons are citykillers and little more. What cities will Putin burn? Ukrainian cities, the country he's trying to conquer, where the prevailing winds would waft radioactive hell onto Russian territory? NATO cities, which would trigger a frantic exchange of weapons resulting in the obliteration of Moscow and it's surrounding missile silos? China? Russia itself?
It sounds like Putin is threatening a rich, powerful person's version of "suicide by cop." Perhaps we should offer him asylum?
Thank you for the rebut, but the point still remains. When you tamp a fission bomb down to a very low, dirty yield, you make it about as powerful as a "conventional" weapon, like a fuel-air bomb, so what's the point? And still, where would you use it, your newly "liberated" and annexed territory? Other than simply starting a world-wide conflagration, the only possible targets are in western Ukraine, turning the country on their western border into a disaster area full of poisoned refugees. I'm very sure it's a bluff.
I wasn't rebutting your post, just providing more facts. Here's another fact that may be relevant: ISW has concluded that Russian forces' abilities are so limited that they would not be able to operate in zones that had been hit by tactical nuclear weapons. They would, in effect, be blocking their own movements. I think we can all agree that if Putin decided to use nuclear weapons, it would be stupid and self-defeating. In any case, he has shied away from directly threatening the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine -- just veiled references to get the imaginations of "realists" in the West in an uproar.
Thanks for the additional facts! Frankly, I'm not sure anyone has the ability to safely operate in a zone hit by a nuclear weapon, which may be one of the many reasons why they're so seldomly used -- how can you claim to be "liberating" an area that you've rendered uninhabitable? This is just Putin, the Unclothed Emperor, waggling the only saber he has left.
And please don't be afraid of a good rebut. Refreshing!
Below is the documented Russian election process in Ukranian occupied regions, known from relatives of Ukranians in the occupied area and reported by NPR:
1. Four Russian soldiers show up to each home with guns and a ballot.
2. If you don't open the door, they kick it in and find you.
3. They point a gun at you and ask you to "vote".
4. You, not being willing to die in the next five minutes, vote YES for annexation.
Now, the above process has been well publicized outside of FOX news.
So, you answer your own question? What is the chance that the Ukranian annexation vote was "free and fair" in your mind knowing the above documented process was used by Russia??
Thanks for these citations. I missed those (a rough week recovering from a leg injury). Do I seem like the kind of person that watches FOX? Or am I simply continuing to verify what I hear by asking for facts and sources? Let's keep to the middle of the road...
Mike S, thanks. General is good. For the record, I don't think any vote run by an occupying army anywhere is likely to be accurate. Just musing--there really was no attempt at subtlety here, was there? It even would have been more believable if the percentages had not been so high. But Putin doesn't seem to need appearances...
Ally, it is not trumpeting faux noise to state the parallels between the effects of untruths told by both Putin and Trump. Rather it makes me more understanding of the situation and perspectives of the general Russian people and of the oligarchs, and the similarities between Putin and Trump. And it is not trolling (in my opinion) to state understanding of the opposition’s opinion and how widely it might be held. While the press reports that thousands of Russians are attempting to flee the draft, many are not. It’s a matter of balance. I think perhaps we have simply misunderstood one another.
Certainly sounds like fascism. What's appalling is that it seems the MAGAs also want this kind of system. My mother lived through the hunger winter and occupation of Holland by the German fascists and my father spent WWII in a Japanese fascist prison camp in Indonesia for civilians. The impact of fascism on people I loved was clear. My hope is that enough people keep alive the details of what fascism can render so that the US never succumbs.
If nothing else, Zelinski's announcement of Ukraine's intention to accelerate their application to join NATO sucked much of the oxygen out of Putin's statement about annexing parts of his country. In that way, it was a brilliant move, proving Putin is being outmaneuvered politically as well as militarily by the Ukrainians.
NATO is a defensive organization, pledged to *defending* member countries. As long as Ukraine is not a full member of NATO, everything that is given in aid is discretionary.
As far as I know, EVERY NATO country must approve applications to join it. Given Hungary is a member and Orban is in charge, it's highly unlikely Ukraine joining will be approved. The refusal would be what Putin would want. I expect that all the other countries would approve.
Consider the impact of the answers to these questions and what it means for Russia's future. -
How many Russians have fled Russia since the war with Ukraine began in February of this year?
Who are those emigrants, and why did they flee?
Have they left Russia for good, or will they return? If they intend to return, what would happen for that to occur, and is that likely?
What does this mean for the Russian economy and Russia's future?
Here is some data to help answer those questions, courtesy of Wikipedia. While the data is well sourced for this article, it should be regarded as approximate and somewhat speculative. However, there is little doubt that the order of magnitude is likely correct, and the impact on Russia's future will be severe and long-lasting.
Following the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 300,000 Russian citizens and residents are estimated to have left Russia by mid-March 2022, at least 500,000 by the end of August 2022, and more than 800,000 by September 2022 as political refugees and economic migrants, and due to a desire to evade criminal prosecution for opposing the invasion. This emigration is also likely to continue.
Aside from the fear of being conscripted after President Vladimir Putin's announcement of partial mobilization, those fleeing have voiced reasons such as disagreement with the military operation, the uselessness and cruelty of the war, sympathy for Ukraine, disagreement with the political roots of the war with Ukraine, the rejection of killing, and an assessment that Russia is no longer the place for their family.
Those who have fled tend to be young and well-educated professionals, leading some economists to suggest the Russian brain drain, already an impediment to the growth of the Russian economy, is worsening. Previously, I had contacts within several large Russian IT firms. Many who led and worked for those firms are among the emigres who have left. My sources tell me the number of IT workers among the emigrants who have fled likely approaches 100,000. Some of those are currently working remotely for their Russian employers. Many were able to find new employment abroad quickly and are unlikely to return as they now receive higher wages and are pretty satisfied with their new situation.
Consider the impact on Russia's GDP and tax revenue base of the loss of what is now approaching one million young professionals. That impact compounds the effects of the financial sanctions imposed on Russia by the Western alliance.
I do not know if Putin comprehends the extent of this emigration or its impact on Russia.
WW III? Putin - Trump - Orban - Xi and Kim - the 2022 world-wide fascists that hate freedom and integrity - the world’s grifters and Big Lie supporters everywhere - are in a battle - it’s WW III - an intel war - George Orwell called it - The United States and The United Nations - joined by a growing NATO alliance formed to defend, not attack - are aligned.
East European and Russia scholars and the nuclear experts see it.
Ukraine is the Western Front, North Korea and China face Japan.
The USA faces east and west. Warming envelopes the planet.
The stakes are clear. Our Republicans are motivated by play and the race card.
Putin’s oligarchs have bought Trump real estate, Trump Inc., will be bankrupted, he will be indicted, tried, convicted and sentenced to house arrest for life. Napoleon and Belgium’s monarch were sentenced.
We are reliving history. It’s Good v. Evil.. and in all this the USA is fighting against those that would control women and deny them choice, would deny the vote to non-whites and close the borders to refugees fleeing persecution and death - much as FDR sent boats loaded with Jews back to Europe and certain death.
The Reformation failed, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, lynching replaced emancipation - and racism characterized the Democratic Party, and now characterizes it Republican Party.
It’s all color based and tribal - journalism is failing and Wall Street is leading the silence on campuses.
Read The Book of Job. That allegory helps to explain the difference between Good and Evil, the behavior of man..
Fear and ignorance propel intolerance.
Education - self knowledge and tolerance - history understood - controlling to the welfare of all children, all people, the smallest living things and Mother Nature..
Charles Darwin’s words are helpful. We all came from a common place..
Don’t Look Up is a good place to start, metaphors that spell out the options educate.
Russians must take charge of the Kremlin and Putin must go.
Navalny must be free. Warming must be addressed.
Alan Weisman’s next book will cap The World Without Us and Countdown - two masterpieces.
Man cannot save and misuse. Women need not tolerate misuse or abuse, need not enable. The Natural Superiority of Women by Ashley Montague comes to mind.. short and sweet.
I happened upon the interview with Dr Fiona Hill last evening on PBS. She was asked to what extent would Putin go. I'm paraphrasing but, there is nothing he wouldn't do. Nothing.
I don't feel his tempting of the use of nuclear weapons is an idle threat. His mere slight of hand taking of neighboring Countries should suggest so to others.
We are living in the most perilous times at home and globally.
Or if we had not broken every treaty we signed with our own indigenous peoples?( For starters) We are fighting a gordian-hypocracy-knot of reality. Power rules the world of humans. It topples from above, and it cracks foundations from below. It side-swipes, curve-balls, and sucker-punches. And we perfected rationalization from the bleacher seats. We are waking up to a multi-decade effort to implode America, just in time for a manufactured Rapture. And it still may not be enough to persuade citizens to vote in November. “A Republic, if you can keep it!” Indeed!
Our past speaks of specific actions, not always best choices. In the sum, are those specifics, and terrible perhaps, an excuse to ignore our abilities to do the honorable or to avoid taking a high ground and step aside from present need and dangers? We teach other more than we intend by our history, I believe, as parents to their children. Two cups in, Mike, and I'm waxing philosophical. Time for a schmere.
Mike ... Yep. I suspect we are both success stories (modest) because of the last on your list. Beneficiaries of a national effort to bring more blue collar students up into and as contributing middle class Americans.
Forgive me, Heather and all, for straying from today's Letter. But I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to announce that our CIA has officially gone "woke" after finally welcoming Secret Spy Harriet Tubman as one of their own. Her top-secret statue now has a prominent space at Langley. Not all will be "authorized" to see it there, but its original can be found at the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, NY.
Of a lesser concern to many people here (probably)., Pres, Biden and Secretary of Education just reversed the student loan forgiveness for all students holding FFEL loans.
"An administration official tells NPR roughly 800,000 borrowers would now be excluded from relief. Though many more borrowers could end up getting less relief than they were entitled to under the old guidance. These are the roughly 1.5 million FFEL borrowers who also have Direct Loans, which still qualify for cancellation, though their FFEL loans no longer do.
It's unclear why the department reversed its decision on allowing FFEL borrowers with commercially-held loans to consolidate and then qualify for debt relief."
Since 1970-something, Joe Biden has been the instigator driving rejection of student loan bankruptcy forgiveness. This reversal just happened as of 2 PM today. I have no student loan debt and neither do my kids in reality. Since I donate to Dems, I have taken every opportunity to challenge Senators such as Stabenow and Durbin in public. What are they going to do? Pick on an old Vietnam era Marine Sergeant advocating for others. Not likely.
This is outrageous that no one has the willpower to stand up for what they promised after how many months. I apologize Prof. Heather. I thought they had won something.
The change was made in response to the lawsuits filed be six (Red) states to block the forgiveness plan. Supposedly, this was done to fortify the legal position of the plan.
From my read on the reversal, the following from the NPR report helps explain.
"It's unclear why the department reversed its decision on allowing FFEL borrowers with commercially-held loans to consolidate and then qualify for debt relief.
In a statement to NPR, a department spokesperson says, "Our goal is to provide relief to as many eligible borrowers as quickly and easily as possible, and this will allow us to achieve that goal while we continue to explore additional legally-available options to provide relief to borrowers with privately owned FFEL loans and Perkins loans, including whether FFEL borrowers could receive one-time debt relief without needing to consolidate. Borrowers with privately held federal student loans who applied to consolidate their loans into Direct Loans before September 29, 2022 will obtain one-time debt relief. The FFEL program is now defunct and only a small percentage of borrowers have FFEL loans."
The tell in that statement is "legally-available."
My read is that DOE is moving to get relief out where it can do so without having everything held up in lawsuits. Pay out where there is least likely challenge. Fight for the rest in the upcoming lawsuits and, probably Executive actions. I can't for the life of me understand why DOE put language in there on how to get relief by consolidating privately held loans. Nor can I imagine a scenario where banks would let go of a billion or so dollars of loans, with high fees and federal guarantees against loss, that that consolidation option would represent. Where could they find another profitable loan portfolio to replace student loan debt? They would be next in line to sue DOE.
And all this would be unnecessary if we had free or affordable higher education available, which many other countries have. It's very short sighted to burden people with debt at the beginning of their careers. There are many more creative ways to both unburden them and enter into agreements with those who want to provide services to low income areas.
Agree completely with your point about affordable high education (including college as an option). Our university went from 87% state support when I joined it to under 13% and dropping in my last decade on staff. Salaries most often followed or fell below CPI. I think it sometime okay to extend a helping hand to some of the people by all of the people. Doing so give hope or establishes a precedent to help of some others.
It's also better for the whole society if people are more educated. They can then contribute much more to that society and are less likely to engage in criminal activity as a way to support themselves.
"Nor can I imagine a scenario where banks would let go of a billion or so dollars of loans, with high fees and federal guarantees against loss, that that consolidation option would represent. Where could they find another profitable loan portfolio to replace student loan debt? They would be next in line to sue DOE."
Where could they still find a more profitable portfolio? Were you around in 2008 and watched what they were doing with derivatives to which banks were allowed to partake in gambling on Wall Street thanks to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act? Everybody is a bank now because that was the only way the Fed and the Gov could save them. What happened with AIG and Goldman Sachs? Goldman called in its markers and AIG had to pony up in the CDS market. Pennies on the dollar in reserves.
Do you know what SLABs are? Tranching of student loans by risk the same as they did with mortgages. "Because of the inherent similarities between the student loan market and the sub-prime mortgage market, there is rampant fear that the student loan industry will be the next market implosion to trigger a financial crisis." Do we really want to go there again?
Simple question, other than loan sharking; what other loans exist like student loans where there is no way out?
Kier, I found this definition, for the benefit of all:
“What is Occam's razor simple explanation?
Ockham's razor (also spelled Occam's razor, pronounced AHK-uhmz RAY-zuhr) is the idea that, in trying to understand something, getting unnecessary information out of the way is the fastest way to the truth or to the best explanation.” Thank you for the perfect chance to remember what it is!
I agree that there is some non-zero probability that the pipeline exploded "on its own" as the author suggests.
I wonder if Europe had depressured the pipeline in keeping with safety standards for shut down pipelines?
If so, then, the explosions were definitely sabatoge. But, I cannot find anywhere if the line was pressurized still, or, had been de-pressurized. Hard to believe operators would have left it pressured up AND done no maintenance honestly.
Thanks for the info re the hydrate plugs-makes sense since Russia is bloated by oligarchs who don't care about things being done properly as long as they get their lucre and poorly trained/poorly paid staffers staffers who haven;t been educated about their jobs and why the work must be done PROPERLY.
Thank you for posting this. It is a good reminder that not only do we have to worry about military aggression, nuclear saber-rattling, disinformation, and real sabotage, we also are up against just pain ‘ol mismanagement of infrastructure.
Honestly, this has got to be the best value for a $50 spend I have ever received in my life. Every single letter helps me understand what is nearly impossible to grasp. This one for me though tonight is exceptional. Thank you. Now we both need to get some rest. (Or at least I do - I had just finished grading for tonight when your letter popped up in my feed)
This is the first I have seen in any media source say that the pipelines were not in use, or say that insurance might have been the motivation for Russian sabotage. That's just the kind of perspective I come to Dr. Richardson for.
It's interesting how Putin, like Trump, uses just the parts of civilization that suit him while flouting the rest. Hopefully his insurance policy on the pipelines includes an exemption for acts of war.
Fiona Hill had good insight into this, and spoke last night to PBS. Her interview starts at about 4:45 into the Putin news story.
https://www.kcet.org/shows/newshour/clip/russian-invasion-1664573241
Thank you ! She is outstanding and has great insight into the way Putin operates. I will never forget her story of sitting next to Putin at a dinner some years ago during which he barely spoke and neither ate nor drank anything, including water-- so paranoid was he!!! Can you even imagine what his life is like now?
Thanks for the link. Hill quotes Jake Sullivan, WH Natl Security Advisor, as saying that there are very few countries with the technical capability to sabotage those pipelines. Then she talks about Putin smirking as he discussed it.
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the link. Her interview starts at about 3:45 on my iPad.
Good premise Mobiguy. Generally, such insurance policies do not cover acts of intentional wrongdoing. In short, the "loss" is not an "accident".
“Follow the Money”
This incident may be a rare exception in that "Money" could be substituted by "Gain", either 'Political', 'Strategic', or 'Financial'.
OR if we are Lucky, Aquaman and his Atlanteans heard Putin's speech and were sending him a Reminder to behave.
Mobiguy, I regularly find information from Heather that never shows up on other media. I'd like to know how her radar works, when clearly no other sources have managed to find what she does.
HCR's citations reveal alot. Pay attention to the bylines. Some sources have specialty expertise, for example, Kyle Cheney on legal matters. Kyle is accurate & is rapidly improving. HCR has many very good sources to make an understatement such as the erudite & savy Anne Applebaum.
There's no doubt that Heather has a huge number of brilliant sources. What I find astounding is that, in addition to what must be a full teaching load at BC, she finds time to pull all the threads that expose these little acorns. She even finds time to spend kayaking or hiking. I'm sure that all off these endeavors account for her continuing efforts to inform all of us that she manages to send out in the wee hours of the morning. We're all eternally grateful!
New book too ! and got married 😊!
Absolutely!
Totally agree!!!🙂
I wonder about the report the pipelines were abandoned on the basis of the bubbling gas that was forming days after the explosions.
It seems idiotic for Russia to reduce its few sources of Western Revenues in that manner.
A recent opened Norway-Polish pipeline opens other possibilities for sabotage.
But in the end we will probably never get anything more than speculation.
The pipelines hadn't been abandoned; they'd simply stopped pumping gas for delivery. They remained full and one aspect of the situation that hasn't been adequately covered is the environmental impact of the methane that was released following the explosions.
It just seems difficult for inert gases to bubble any length of time. Air is heavier and cheaper to maintain pipelines.
The methane contribution is very significant. Something like a 20 year load was already distributed. But whoever sabotaged the pipe wasn’t environmental.
Methane isn't inert and the gas is piped under pressure which was presumably maintained to facilitate resumption of deliveries.
There's no doubt that the saboteur was completely unconcerned about immediate environmental impact.
On German news they say that they have to wait until the methane gas has released enough that they can send people down there to investigate and then they can definitively say who did the damage. That is why I assume Putin is rushing to have certain actions like an international declaration so that he can get the insurance money before they discover that he sabotaged it himself. However, they say it was evenly 50 meters apart, and that you would have had to have submarines and whoever did it was careful to stay outside of NATO territory, so that is why Russia is also under suspicion because it was just outside of actually provoking NATO to actually take action so on some level whatever Biden has said to Putin he is unwilling to truly find out if Biden was bluffing or serious. Biden has been serious enough so far that Putin does not seem to be willing to risk it. He ends his career.
This time I question what HCR wrote about the pipelines not being in use. From what I have read, they were in use and it was one of the worst environmental disasters under water.
See my Sunday post a minute ago; Denmark & Sweden are reporting purposeful TNT blasts on 9/26. Der Spiegel concurs reporting sabotage citing intelligence reports & explosions registering 2.1 & 2.3 on the Richter Scale.
This post this morning on CSIS is saying that everyone needs to be watching their energy supply lines and grid both physically and the cyber security piece.
https://www.csis.org/analysis/security-implications-nord-stream-sabotage
I have been thinking that people should have back up generators and solar power to be well situated. We are discussing this for our home. While it sounds like I am a survivalist, I am just thinking that there are both natural and other reasons to start thinking like this. Obviously it is harder to do if one rents and lives in a big building, but in Puerto Rico, which seems to have had been foisted or chosen a very poor set up for power, the people who had installed solar power and back up generators are the ones who had power when no one else on the island did after hurricane Fiona. I think we should be looking at these set ups and making decisions on how to be less vulnerable to these potential attacks. These hostilities are on-going and who knows whether our next government will not give away all of our secrets to countries who turn out to be adversarial in the long run. I know that the German intelligence has reports as do the Scandinavian countries, which is why Norway has set out security to guard the newly opened Baltic pipeline. That seems wise to me. So, did Putin threaten to show he has the upper hand, or play his hand too soon? We shall see.
Timely & important Link Linda. Smaller & less costly solar options (plual) are developing.
I also read that they were not in use. I am not sure where, but yesterday I saw German news, and read Radio Free Europe, Meduza, the Washington Post, NYT, CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies), The Atlantic Daily, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Europe and then some local papers.
But even if they were not in use, they are on the ocean floors, and by blowing them apart, oil and gas, and natural gas that were in them polluted the seas.
Not implying that it was not a catastrophic environmental disaster. Just saying that they were not in use to deliver gas according to the sources that be. Here is a discussion. People don't exactly know what will happen. Some of it is wait and see, but based on what they know and past experience, it won't be good.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/burst-pipelines-in-baltic-sea-may-be-the-largest-methane-leak-ever-180980863/
You must know that the corporations that own those pipelines are never going to tell us that there was any leaking toxic fuels in caused by those explosions. They lie to everybody with the intention of not being blamed for destroying the environment. Of course, it could be true what they tell us, but they are capitalists.
Another valuable Link, thank you Linda. The current leaks do recall the 2015 Aliso Canyon blowout in the Eastern hills above the San Fernando Valley.
Yes, that is what I had heard about the pipelines and there being the largest methane leak ever! Thanks, Linda.
And, the air we all depend on.
It is . . .
I love your answer and I agree
I wonder what the weather is like in MAGAworld, where the sky is green and the grass is blue. Trump is delusional, than anyone would have him participate in anything.
TC,
It really is time to lock Traitor Trump up in a small cell with a steel door without a window or a food slot, toss the key in the trash, and walk away with a big smile.
Long, long, long past time.
Trump: Still doing what his Daddy Putin tells him to do all day, every day.
And no internet access.
He doesn't have internet access now. His platform is a big flop and abiut to die and every other one including some of the crazies have cut him off now that he is deep into Q. I expect at his next rally he'll cone oyt in a lizard suit.
:D
🤣👏
I'd vote for the stocks and baskets of rotten tomatoes.
Perhaps a different sort of cell. One designed to keep him from harming himself or others.
But if that were done, we'd be just as bad as the tfg!
“I will head up group?” I could not get past that Heather anecdote for a few moments, TC. Just to respond before getting back to business after a break during hurricane debris cleanup and food efforts in my city…..
“No, not needed, because your head is too far up the combined oligarch ass of your smarmy world. Bye, loser.”
Unita! 🗽
Grateful to hear from you Christine. Ian left a helluva mess behind. Wishing you and your neighbors some decent weather and all the assistance you need and deserve.
I believe I can speak for us all here; best wishes and much "caring" for your post-hurricane mop-up and rebuilding. So glad you are safe, Christine.
Thank you, Hope.
Unita! 🗽
Hoping your house is in one completely intact piece, Christine.
Which city do you live in, Christine? We've all memorized the Florida map in these last few days.
Bradenton-Sarasota area.
…other than a prisoner swap.
Let's see if Putin demands that Trump be the mediator.
Naw, it’ll be Comrade Judge Cannon
I posted above that I wonder if tRump sees this as a way to get out of Dodge? He could envision himself as this great negotiator (he already does) and this has the win-win of him NOT HAVING TO RETURN. Avoid jail, etc. However, if, IF Putin avoids getting taken out, I don't think he'd have much use for tRump and would quickly dispose of him.
Trump can dream. No one one will give him a seat
I stopped blaming Trump a long time ago, TC. I blame his lazy-minded believers.
I agree, to a point. But many are not lazy-minded; they are active enablers (e.g., GOP members in Congress and PAC founders).
And the dark money people, and strategists behind that: think Bannon and the Mercers.
Yes, let's include his $Billionaire PAC $upporters....
Add Thiel to the list...
What I find interesting about that statement is that it’s a near-admission of collusion with Russia.
I used he same exact word for trump when I read his "offer". He has no idea the trouble he is in. He has no idea the real world hates and dismisses him.
Apparently not Judge Loose Cannon who stretches mightily to be accommodating.
Not to worry, her ineptitude was revealed right out of the box, and my guess is that she'll be rendered useless very quickly. She has been eviscerated at every turn, even by TFG's 11th Circuit appointees, to say nothing of Judge Dearie.
It is hard to think that trump could negotiate anything. Negotiation requires levels of good faith and trust on both sides. Has he ever done this that wasn't simply a con. I know this bluster is just for his base - I keep waiting for some of his base to wake up, and maybe it is a few at a time.
Trump has his own "paper bag " to fight out of.....Hardly capable of being taken up on his latest offer!
You are good. Here in Maggot land Idaho the grass is actually blue. At least the Boise St astro turf is blue. I let an offer attend Annapolis go because of seasickness. After attending a game in the blue stadium I was seasick again.
This is the most remarkable news yet in these years that have caught our breath with astonishment! Born in 1945, my eyes can hardly believe nor can my ears hear the news without astonishment. Will we ever think without having our thought pre-digested by social media again? Will children ever be able to learn without blinders again? Oh how I hope!
I was also born in 1945. "Will children ever be able to learn without blinders again?" Ha!
We were inundated by propaganda during our childhood. Propaganda touting the glory of patriarchy. Rosie the Riveter was replaced by white ladies doing housework in a dress and pearls.
There was plenty of social media telling us what to value; it was in the form of newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.
It is true that our experiences are different, and I’m sure there are many valid reasons for that. But — nevertheless — I till maintain that pre-digested “news” and internet have separated us as a country, and that regardless of any standard education, children that are able to read and explore ideas cannot do that if we are back to book banning (that has never worked and never will work for long). Thank you. For your perspective.
Thank you Heather. I wish everyone would read you. I repost on Twitter and LinkedIn with hopes that at least one person has their eyes opened and understands that the world is connected. Those on Twitter who scream about the money President Biden is sending to Ukraine. Those who have absolutely no idea what the MAGA party is working to accomplish. Mike Pompeo now calling ¨Woke¨ Marxist. The ignorance in America is not only mind blowing but dangerous for us all, for our children, our grandchildren. I hope everyone here is actively working to educate voters.
Gailee, Bertrand Russell said: “Most people would rather die, than think....and they do.” I like this forum so much because I learn not only history from Heather, but from the other readers who comment. I have gained a treasure of knowledge and understanding about so many things. After I read Heather’s Letter, I spend part of my day, every few hours, coming back to the comments. I feel like it’s the coolest way to get educated!
I have often said this. I count the comments as part of the wonder of the this letter. I learn from Heather and all of you with gratitude.
Completely agree, Elisabeth
Rupert Murdoch is actively working on Putin’s behalf, anybody noticed??? Anybody see the CNN doc about Rupert. They nailed him. One grumble. They said that Reagan didn’t initially appreciate Rupert’s help in getting him elected. Then why the Rep dinner in Rupert’s honor in DC in Jan 1981, at which Kemp was quoted as saying “Rupert Murdoch used the editorial page, the front page, and every other page necessary to get Ronald Reagan elected President.” Rerun in 2016 with chump, except now it was not only the NY Post, but the National Enquirer, and Fox 24-7. “The ignorance in America” is my greatest fear.
Jeri,
Yes, I remember when I was a big Reagan fan as a 20 year old in 1980. Back then I had not yet matriculated through the educational process that led me to analyze all data from many different perspectives.
Reagan's huge lie about Carter being fiscally undisciplined and his lie and trope about a woman in Chicago collecting 15 welfare checks? I bought it. I was ashamed about this for a while, but, now I realize that I had been subject to massive right wing propaganda at my Texas A&M school newspaper through the writings of George Will and William F. Buckley (Jr. I think).
The truth is: REAGAN was wildly, wildly fiscially irresponsible cutting taxes and dramatically raising military spending for his main donors.
CARTER was the last highly fiscially disciplined President of the United States. Yes, Clinton managed to roll off the deficit slightly, and, Bush tried a tiny bit, but, really, the last President to run a balanced budget and continue to pay down debt was Carter.
So, I understand how it is that some people "believe" that Reagan was a great man and that Dems are evil. They hear that at church, they hear it in the school newspaper, they hear it on Fox News, they hear that message on every AM radio in America, they hear it EVERYWHERE they go.
Getting good data? Well, that is not as easy as flipping on the TV and looking up the short dress and oogling the legs of the fake blonde on Fox and Friends pretending to give out "news".
Carter was a great president and sadly one term. As a former president he has worked hard for humankind.
He was the greatest President that we never appreciated because Ronnie and the right wing press lied about him. We bought it (or many of us did at the time).
WaPo was one of the worst. It was my local paper back then and even I, a teacher, was ready to vote against him until a call from a Dem teacher group that reminded me that he established the Dept of Education. Now I appreciate his stand against participating in the Olympics, putting solar panels on the White House roof, not lighting the National Christmas tree and many other things. Why do people we see on tv seem so shiny and perfect? I believe Reagan was the first president to take the entire month of August off and lied about how much work he was doing. Volunteering in some way to get out the Democratic vote is important NOW!
Read Andy Borowitz's "Profiles in Ignorance."
* “President Carter: The White House Years” (2018) by Stuart Eizenstat – this is the most recent (and the most in-depth…but not the most comprehensive) biography of Carter. Although its title suggests an exclusive focus on his presidency, Eizenstat covers Carter’s life from his earliest years up through his single term in the White House.
Carter is the model of an elder statesman and great humanitarian. I believe today is this humble man's birthday. If ONLY all Christians could be like him, not the CINOs that have overrun the US today!
Beautifully said, Miselle. 💙
And think about what else that manufactured-lie about Carter did to further alter America: Carter identified that the two greatest issues facing our country was the economic disparity between rich and poor in America, and Climate Change! Where would we be now as a nation if we addressed corporate/financial malfeasance and monopoly, along with creating a dynamic green energy sector “Made in the USA”?
Hard to blame old Ronnie as he was so out to lunch that Nancy with her astrologers was his puppet master. Reagan is the main cause the US is so economically unbalanced today. .......
Trump should pay the price of a traitor. Hang ‘em high!
Mike, do you remember your tipping point, where you said. ‘Wait. What’? Was it when you went into the work world? When you left TX?
I’m wondering I guess if that tipping point could be found for other indoctrinated ppl.
Welcome to the cause of decency. It’s a long, hard road for a white Texan to travel. Kudos for having the vision to overcome the Texas affliction and make the difficult transition.
Pompeo, like the other Mike, believes in "The Rapture". There really is a "cabal" of religious nut cases flowing in and out of our government. Barrett, sadly, will be with us in a dangerous role for a very long time. But we can "out" Leonard Leo and halt his influence with some transparency in our election laws.
I worry more about the likes of Ginni/Clarence Thomas and the above folks than I do about Putin. Gilead is around the corner and the Founders are spinning in their graves with anger and disgust. TFG is just a puppet for the "dark side" of religious thought. Darker still, because they KNOW what an immoral and corrupt monster he is. The long range game plan to dominate us with ancient, misogynistic, bigoted, and frankly, evil people will use any tools at their disposal. TFG is a tool. And they will call themselves righteous.
Bill, the far right picked tfg BECAUSE he is “an immoral and corrupt monster”. They must have targeted him to be their front man for a long time. Just like Reagan. Another schill for fascism, but we didn’t call it that back then. His shameful and illegal actions to sell arms to the Iranians in exchange for undermining the Nicaraguan revolution, was simply horrible. And was never exposed. Carter lost because of Reagan’s lies.....what a shame.
Shivers.
Stomach in knots.
But if we don't defeat the Republicans in the mid terms we can expect that the threat of causing default by the government on Dec 16 will destroy our ability to fund our support for Ukraine and the Trump world will rejoice as we force concessions by an unsupported Ukraine.
I cannot stand Pompeo!! He is dangerous, weight loss and all!
He is as crazy a religious zealot as The hacks appointed to the SCOTUS. Truly a dangerous person.
I learned that smart can be more destructive and dangerous than dumb when I worked at jr. High. Cult MAGA has plenty of his ilk on board.
For this reason, I believe Desantis is a clear and present danger to our constitution and our democratic republic. Exactly this. Trump 2.0-smarter, and intentionally cruel.
I have not been able to recognize him. I saw him briefly in the background on TV and wondered who he is. I heard someone (can’t remember who) interviewed who said of him privately he said tfg was crazy, etc. and discussed with others what to do. But to this day keeps silent publicly.
He is no longer silent. He is ranting on Twitter.
Marlene, Me either! Pompous ass and dangerous, I agree. I hope he shrinks into a piece of dried up snot....
That has already seeped down to the MAGA plebs. I read comments in the local rag just this week where the wing nuts were using woke with Marxist to describe some sane policy here in Salem. They are unhappy about, among other things, that they cannot go to school board meetings in person to shout and harass and they can't carry their guns on to the school grounds. The wing nuts regularly toss around words that they do not understand, but read on some far right radical site or heard on Fox. As for Pomp Ass, he has aspirations to be able to do more damage.
I do not know the MAGAts managed to send me texts but got one from Pompous where it said something about “woke Marxist”. I keep blocking these texts constantly!
Thankfully I have not received any nonsense from him, but I get stuff from some Rs and also fundy religious organizations on my Facebook feed. I am certain it's because I have looked up some site to see what the bias is. We were just talking about this and I said I was certain Jesus was woke and possibly a Marxist. None of these folks understand what Marx and Marxism are about. I see woke as being aware of others who are not like me and having empathy for the many problems that people face. My husband asked me yesterday about all the memes about flutes and I had to explain that Lizzo actually played James Madison's flute. Of course, all of the sudden people who know nothing about Madison or flutes are having a hissy fit. Everyone is now an expert on everything.
The Navalny essay is the most important thing I've read in some time. Clear-eyed and determined, from the perspective of a person at the very eye of the storm. Just getting rid of Putin is not enough, he said, there must be a complete restructuring of the system and the West must keep up the pressure to that end.
Watch the Navalny documentary and his essay becomes even braver and more impressive.
OMG! It is awesome, in the true sense of the word. I've kept in on my DVR to review.
He is asking for a Parliamentary system, isn't he?
yes
Maybe we need to restructure ourselves at the same time, before Bannon totally destroys our “administrative state.” His stated goal from chump’s first days.
I would be interested to know if his tentacles are behind the new PM in Italy, and in Bolsonaro’s coming “It’s-Rigged-if-I-lose!” election. They have all the hallmarks of his handiwork.
I read that she and Bannon were working together when he was trying his Italian symposium. She’s not mentioned here but here’s a synopsis of his plan. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-abbey-bannon-idUSKBN2B72HI
And you led me to this article also, which quotes Bannon’s lead Catholic “ Harnwell remains undeterred in his ambition to launch Bannon’s right-wing academy, saying it will conduct lessons online until it secures a physical site, and that “we have over 5,000 requests to participate”.
This make me think Bannon is styling these “schools” after radical mosque schools used to recruit Islamic extremists. He’s strategizing a global radicalization.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/15/steve-bannon-italy-rightwing-political-academy-dignitatis-humanae-institute?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Yup. Along with Leonard Leo. Opus Dei and Evangelical Cristofascists make strange bedfellows.
Navalny is truly a brave man.
But, I wonder how he managed to get that letter out of his Russian prison, past his Russian guards??
What I really wonder is what will happen to him after Putin has his essay translated and read.
His attorneys took it out.
And he published it in Russian too, so Vlad has no doubt read it.
Ah. I feel very sorry for Navalny today. May be a very short day.
Or very, very long.
My questions begin with sanctions... how many and what kind of sanctions can anyone bring against Putin that havn't already been put in place? Then about Russia; how come Putin can bomb or target cities in the Ukraine but the Ukrainian army doesn't bomb or target cities in neighboring Russian cities? And lastly, am I the only one who sees the similarity between Putin and the loser ex-US president? Need a hint? think stupidity, self-serving and greed.
You are not the only one. From Helsinki, it was clear to me. Vlad likely still hopes for a chump win (or Repub victory in Nov) so he can have the USA on his side. Imagine if chump had won. NATO and Ukraine abandoned and Vlad having chump on a leash…. They still hope. Any doubt about who got chump’s stash of classified docs?
"Any doubt about who got chump’s stash of classified docs?"
None here.
The likely quid pro quo, if it wasn't a strictly cash sale, was for Putin to do all he could to get TFG back in to the White House.
😱Drumpf keeps the red herrings coming so fast that I forgot, or repressed, the fact of Russia’s help in electing this nonhuman being especially with social media. I hope the goons have been cleaned out of FBI/CIA/DHS. Thanks Ralph ! 🏆
Dismantling NATO might just have been one of the promises tfg made to Vlad in Helsinki... Who knows what else. Offerings from tfg to negotiate with Vlad about the current war would be fatal...
“The West is looking for new opportunities to hit us and they always dreamt about breaking our state into smaller states who will be fighting against each other,”
THIS. This sounds like projection to me. Putin just stated what he has been trying to do for over a decade to “the West.”
He learned something from tRump.
in the Nick Herron book (Slough House) a line that resonates with me said something like: " to destroy your enemy place an idiot in the presidency"
Putin wants what he paid for - ownership of the U.S. Presidency. And, ya, he's enjoying his bedtime reading.
"Ukrainian army doesn't bomb or target cities in neighboring Russian cities?"
I don't think they have bombers to fly those missions or pilots trained to do that.
We would have to do it for them, and, we are choosing not to do.
Also choosing to not supply missles capable of striking deep within Russia. So far.
There's now a Trump/Qanon turn of phrase, too: "“The West is looking for new opportunities to hit us and they always dreamt about breaking our state into smaller states who will be fighting against each other,” he said. “They cannot be happy with this idea that there is this large country with all [these] natural riches and people who will never live under a foreign oppression.”
It isn't fair to be sure, but likely the reason is all about nuclear escalation.
To the question “how many and what kind of sanctions can anyone bring against Putin that havn't already been put in place?” one answer is for all of western Europe to stop buying fuel from Russia. Germany is building transfer terminals to handle LNG imports, which can be shipped from the US and Canada. More expensive than Russian fuels, but not nearly as expensive as war. Russia’s cash flow from Europe should have been stopped months ago, but it’s essential to start now. It will cripple Putin’s ability to make war. Europe will step up if the US helps. They have even more to lose than we do.
Up late enough to read this when it drops. Lots going on and you make it all clear. Thank you.
And thanks for asking for book title suggestions. Some very clever and some very funny responses. We needed the levity.
Putin's audacity knows no bounds. Go Zelensky!
Up with Adele sky! Down with Ras-PUTIN!!! He is what he is ... a vicious power-hungry viper.
I found out about three months ago that my father's entire family came from Ukraine. Jewish, left between 1880-1900. Gives one a different view/feeling about this war.
I just read this on Twitter.
In the last 6 months, I’ve found 11 people that weren’t registered to vote, who are now registered, and are voting blue. Yeah, I know…11 doesn’t sound like a lot. But, have you heard of multiplication? 100,000 people getting 11 people registered =1.1 million.
This echoes what Beto O'Rourke told Alex Wagner on 9/30/2022: Texas is not a red state; it's a non-voter state.
More power to League of Women Voters who are working tirelessly to register new voters, in Texas and across the country!
That would be a great, instructive map to see: the percentage of voter vs non-voters in each State. And consequently, the Red/Blue divide it allows.
Agree!!
Excellent. Thank you.
I've an idea... Let's undercut the marketing by T's social media. If we quote him, say he "posted". Saying he "truthed" just plays into the deceptive framing!
Kathy, how about we just say “He lied in this post...here is the truth...” or something like that. Anything out of his brain is a huge lie...
As for the title, "Truth Social", unintentionally comical, the word combination is actually meaningless. It has the force of invention of a backward ten-year-old.
Elisabeth, Anything and Everything, for sure!
How about “He sniveled……”? Or “He blovated…..”?
He word vomited (sorry, couldn't resist so early in the morning 😈)
Except that in ref to his social media site, it just sounds silly.
How ironic that we wrestle with the influence of election deniers here in the US while we simultaneously deny the results of voting in four regions of Ukraine...I have seen many statements that the voting in Ukraine was rigged, but only one or two lines of unverified coverage indicating how that is known.
How fitting that we are reeling from four years of the presidency of a man who believed that if he said something enough it would automatically become true while we see the same stance from Putin as he ignores the reality that Ukraine is not part of Russia and has not been for 40 years.
The ethereal concept of "rule of law" does not convey the gravity of this stance as much as stating "forceful occupation of another country." We cannot imagine unmitigated aggression, because we have not felt it on our own soil and in our own freedoms. Imagine if Mexico decided it wanted Texas back...and then ask yourself if you would consider economic sanctions against Mexico by Britain or Japan as sufficient support of the US to retain that territory.
We are in a reactive stance, while Putin charges ahead. We cower under the threat of nuclear war, with no way of knowing whether that is realistic or not. We have taken the stance of maintaining the status quo, of resistance, not victory, while our enemy is fighting a different war, the war of right by might. No other standard exists for Putin or the rapacious oligarchy. How long will resistance last? How much is resistance damaged with each escalation by Putin? And is it not clear by now that nothing will stop him, that he does not care what our response is, only what his goal is?
Lest you doubt the ineffectiveness of our stance, note the sentence that "it is unlikely that Ukraine's application to NATO will be approved" while the war continues. IOW, NATO--we--are not going to really commit. We will wait and see if the conflict dies down, and accept occupation of Ukraine as an okay price thereof.
At what point does the match reach the tinder?
The "elections" in Ukraine were held literally at gunpoint. The US hasn't sunk that low yet.
I am looking for a source for that--can you supply one, please? I am remembering early in the conflict that whole cities in the Eastern region voted to surrender to the Russians, in part because of how close the Russian troops were, but in part because of the number of sympathizers among the citizens and elected officials.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63013356
R Dooley, thank you for this link.
KEM: Here's the WaPo article about that. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/24/ukraine-putin-referendums/
Barbara D. Reed, thanks for this link.
"yet"
I wouldn’t exactly say we “cower”under the threat of Putin’s threats of using nukes. NATO and the US definitely have a plan or plans in place should Putin go completely off of the rails. Blinken nor Biden can reveal that to us, however. It’s a secret. His craziness is getting worse by trying to say 4 regions of Ukraine are Russia’s now. Because of that bullshit and the threats he’s made, I think his allies are backing off a bit. Sanctions squeeze the residents and they’re not a happy bunch right now. That’s what NATO and the US are counting on. Uproar within its own country, men fleeing in droves so that they will not be picked to fight.
Excellent summary of the tough spot Biden and NATO are in.
Marlene Lerner-Bigley, I hope that you are right. But I also sense a difference in attitude between the US and authoritarian regimes as in Russia and China. That is, to date, Putin does not seem responsive to unhappy residents, other than the response of jailing demonstrators.
He doesn’t care. He is devoid of any feelings other than his own. Narcissist extraordinaire! He and tfg are bros from other mos.
The nuclear threat is 'way overblown. Such weapons are citykillers and little more. What cities will Putin burn? Ukrainian cities, the country he's trying to conquer, where the prevailing winds would waft radioactive hell onto Russian territory? NATO cities, which would trigger a frantic exchange of weapons resulting in the obliteration of Moscow and it's surrounding missile silos? China? Russia itself?
It sounds like Putin is threatening a rich, powerful person's version of "suicide by cop." Perhaps we should offer him asylum?
Russia has around two thousand tactical nuclear weapons that could be tailored to extremely low yields for military targets. Still, the consensus is that if any nuclear weapons are used it starts an escalation process that is very difficult to stop. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/06/russia-ukraine-nuclear-weapon-us-response/661315/?fbclid=IwAR1fGqDy0llTCaRKz3s388J8mBb6P3UWuEPbpUmxV19jChUL-NaJy92vLlE
Thank you for the rebut, but the point still remains. When you tamp a fission bomb down to a very low, dirty yield, you make it about as powerful as a "conventional" weapon, like a fuel-air bomb, so what's the point? And still, where would you use it, your newly "liberated" and annexed territory? Other than simply starting a world-wide conflagration, the only possible targets are in western Ukraine, turning the country on their western border into a disaster area full of poisoned refugees. I'm very sure it's a bluff.
I wasn't rebutting your post, just providing more facts. Here's another fact that may be relevant: ISW has concluded that Russian forces' abilities are so limited that they would not be able to operate in zones that had been hit by tactical nuclear weapons. They would, in effect, be blocking their own movements. I think we can all agree that if Putin decided to use nuclear weapons, it would be stupid and self-defeating. In any case, he has shied away from directly threatening the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine -- just veiled references to get the imaginations of "realists" in the West in an uproar.
Thanks for the additional facts! Frankly, I'm not sure anyone has the ability to safely operate in a zone hit by a nuclear weapon, which may be one of the many reasons why they're so seldomly used -- how can you claim to be "liberating" an area that you've rendered uninhabitable? This is just Putin, the Unclothed Emperor, waggling the only saber he has left.
And please don't be afraid of a good rebut. Refreshing!
You mean put him in an asylum, right?
Perhaps a very well-upholstered one, like Mar-a-Lago? We would have to make it very attractive so the inmates will want to stay home and watch TV.
KEM,
Here is a news report from one of the most reputable news organizationsin the US.
https://www.npr.org/2022/09/27/1125322026/russia-ukraine-referendums
https://www.npr.org/2022/09/27/1125270257/results-of-sham-annexation-votes-in-4-occupied-regions-of-ukraine-may-be-known-s
Below is the documented Russian election process in Ukranian occupied regions, known from relatives of Ukranians in the occupied area and reported by NPR:
1. Four Russian soldiers show up to each home with guns and a ballot.
2. If you don't open the door, they kick it in and find you.
3. They point a gun at you and ask you to "vote".
4. You, not being willing to die in the next five minutes, vote YES for annexation.
Now, the above process has been well publicized outside of FOX news.
So, you answer your own question? What is the chance that the Ukranian annexation vote was "free and fair" in your mind knowing the above documented process was used by Russia??
Thanks for these citations. I missed those (a rough week recovering from a leg injury). Do I seem like the kind of person that watches FOX? Or am I simply continuing to verify what I hear by asking for facts and sources? Let's keep to the middle of the road...
KEM,
Thanks. I removed the references to you and FOX news. Should have kept it general.
Mike S, thanks. General is good. For the record, I don't think any vote run by an occupying army anywhere is likely to be accurate. Just musing--there really was no attempt at subtlety here, was there? It even would have been more believable if the percentages had not been so high. But Putin doesn't seem to need appearances...
The first part of your post sounded as if you were going down a fauxhole. The latter part redeemed it as being more serious.
Ally House (Oregon): Not sure what you mean, but yes, I am serious.
To be blunt: the first part of your post sounded as if you were trumpeting faux noise. Later, you showed that you were not a troll.
Ally, it is not trumpeting faux noise to state the parallels between the effects of untruths told by both Putin and Trump. Rather it makes me more understanding of the situation and perspectives of the general Russian people and of the oligarchs, and the similarities between Putin and Trump. And it is not trolling (in my opinion) to state understanding of the opposition’s opinion and how widely it might be held. While the press reports that thousands of Russians are attempting to flee the draft, many are not. It’s a matter of balance. I think perhaps we have simply misunderstood one another.
Certainly sounds like fascism. What's appalling is that it seems the MAGAs also want this kind of system. My mother lived through the hunger winter and occupation of Holland by the German fascists and my father spent WWII in a Japanese fascist prison camp in Indonesia for civilians. The impact of fascism on people I loved was clear. My hope is that enough people keep alive the details of what fascism can render so that the US never succumbs.
Both parents were Holocaust victims. It’s fascism.
Mike S - "Here is a news report from one of the most reputable news organizationsin the US."
Quite true.
𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗡𝗣𝗥 (𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼) 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: USA
Press Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Radio Station
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/npr/
👍🏼
If nothing else, Zelinski's announcement of Ukraine's intention to accelerate their application to join NATO sucked much of the oxygen out of Putin's statement about annexing parts of his country. In that way, it was a brilliant move, proving Putin is being outmaneuvered politically as well as militarily by the Ukrainians.
Reactive? Strengthening NATO seems to be an offensive play.
NATO is a defensive organization, pledged to *defending* member countries. As long as Ukraine is not a full member of NATO, everything that is given in aid is discretionary.
A good defense is the best offense.
As far as I know, EVERY NATO country must approve applications to join it. Given Hungary is a member and Orban is in charge, it's highly unlikely Ukraine joining will be approved. The refusal would be what Putin would want. I expect that all the other countries would approve.
Nuance is not our strong suit.
Consider the impact of the answers to these questions and what it means for Russia's future. -
How many Russians have fled Russia since the war with Ukraine began in February of this year?
Who are those emigrants, and why did they flee?
Have they left Russia for good, or will they return? If they intend to return, what would happen for that to occur, and is that likely?
What does this mean for the Russian economy and Russia's future?
Here is some data to help answer those questions, courtesy of Wikipedia. While the data is well sourced for this article, it should be regarded as approximate and somewhat speculative. However, there is little doubt that the order of magnitude is likely correct, and the impact on Russia's future will be severe and long-lasting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_emigration_following_the_2022_invasion_of_Ukraine#:~:text=In%20this%20third%20wave%20only,%2C%20Serbia%2C%20Georgia%20and%20Finland.
Following the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 300,000 Russian citizens and residents are estimated to have left Russia by mid-March 2022, at least 500,000 by the end of August 2022, and more than 800,000 by September 2022 as political refugees and economic migrants, and due to a desire to evade criminal prosecution for opposing the invasion. This emigration is also likely to continue.
Aside from the fear of being conscripted after President Vladimir Putin's announcement of partial mobilization, those fleeing have voiced reasons such as disagreement with the military operation, the uselessness and cruelty of the war, sympathy for Ukraine, disagreement with the political roots of the war with Ukraine, the rejection of killing, and an assessment that Russia is no longer the place for their family.
Those who have fled tend to be young and well-educated professionals, leading some economists to suggest the Russian brain drain, already an impediment to the growth of the Russian economy, is worsening. Previously, I had contacts within several large Russian IT firms. Many who led and worked for those firms are among the emigres who have left. My sources tell me the number of IT workers among the emigrants who have fled likely approaches 100,000. Some of those are currently working remotely for their Russian employers. Many were able to find new employment abroad quickly and are unlikely to return as they now receive higher wages and are pretty satisfied with their new situation.
Consider the impact on Russia's GDP and tax revenue base of the loss of what is now approaching one million young professionals. That impact compounds the effects of the financial sanctions imposed on Russia by the Western alliance.
I do not know if Putin comprehends the extent of this emigration or its impact on Russia.
WW III? Putin - Trump - Orban - Xi and Kim - the 2022 world-wide fascists that hate freedom and integrity - the world’s grifters and Big Lie supporters everywhere - are in a battle - it’s WW III - an intel war - George Orwell called it - The United States and The United Nations - joined by a growing NATO alliance formed to defend, not attack - are aligned.
East European and Russia scholars and the nuclear experts see it.
Ukraine is the Western Front, North Korea and China face Japan.
The USA faces east and west. Warming envelopes the planet.
The stakes are clear. Our Republicans are motivated by play and the race card.
Putin’s oligarchs have bought Trump real estate, Trump Inc., will be bankrupted, he will be indicted, tried, convicted and sentenced to house arrest for life. Napoleon and Belgium’s monarch were sentenced.
We are reliving history. It’s Good v. Evil.. and in all this the USA is fighting against those that would control women and deny them choice, would deny the vote to non-whites and close the borders to refugees fleeing persecution and death - much as FDR sent boats loaded with Jews back to Europe and certain death.
The Reformation failed, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, lynching replaced emancipation - and racism characterized the Democratic Party, and now characterizes it Republican Party.
It’s all color based and tribal - journalism is failing and Wall Street is leading the silence on campuses.
Read The Book of Job. That allegory helps to explain the difference between Good and Evil, the behavior of man..
Fear and ignorance propel intolerance.
Education - self knowledge and tolerance - history understood - controlling to the welfare of all children, all people, the smallest living things and Mother Nature..
Charles Darwin’s words are helpful. We all came from a common place..
Don’t Look Up is a good place to start, metaphors that spell out the options educate.
Russians must take charge of the Kremlin and Putin must go.
Navalny must be free. Warming must be addressed.
Alan Weisman’s next book will cap The World Without Us and Countdown - two masterpieces.
Many see what’s coming, what’s happening..
And the collective actions that are required.
Can man save man?
Isn’t that the question?
An if so, my question then is: “Will man save woman as a partner, or possession?”
Man cannot save and misuse. Women need not tolerate misuse or abuse, need not enable. The Natural Superiority of Women by Ashley Montague comes to mind.. short and sweet.
Monumental. Wonderful picturing of our world as it is. Collective action seems called for. We're all in this together.
Indeed.
Thank you Heather.
I happened upon the interview with Dr Fiona Hill last evening on PBS. She was asked to what extent would Putin go. I'm paraphrasing but, there is nothing he wouldn't do. Nothing.
I don't feel his tempting of the use of nuclear weapons is an idle threat. His mere slight of hand taking of neighboring Countries should suggest so to others.
We are living in the most perilous times at home and globally.
Be safe. Be well.
We are living in the most perilous times at home and globally.
Correct. It is TRULY unfortunate that, for 20 years, the United States role modeled military aggression based on lies like Putin is doing now.
One wonders if we had never invaded Afghanistan and Iraq and Vietnam based on lies IF Putin would now be following our model??
We will never know though. Our Hubris knew no bounds and our willingness to kill innocent people that did not threaten us in any way was wanton.
Something Putin DID note yesterday in his speech by the way. He has been paying attention.
Or if we had not broken every treaty we signed with our own indigenous peoples?( For starters) We are fighting a gordian-hypocracy-knot of reality. Power rules the world of humans. It topples from above, and it cracks foundations from below. It side-swipes, curve-balls, and sucker-punches. And we perfected rationalization from the bleacher seats. We are waking up to a multi-decade effort to implode America, just in time for a manufactured Rapture. And it still may not be enough to persuade citizens to vote in November. “A Republic, if you can keep it!” Indeed!
Our past speaks of specific actions, not always best choices. In the sum, are those specifics, and terrible perhaps, an excuse to ignore our abilities to do the honorable or to avoid taking a high ground and step aside from present need and dangers? We teach other more than we intend by our history, I believe, as parents to their children. Two cups in, Mike, and I'm waxing philosophical. Time for a schmere.
Fred,
America made some good choices to.
The Civil Rights movement.
The Civil War which released the slaves so they could join the Union army.
War on Poverty
Integrated schools (after 250 years of segregation).
Public Universities and schools that are not too bad at all.
Mike ... Yep. I suspect we are both success stories (modest) because of the last on your list. Beneficiaries of a national effort to bring more blue collar students up into and as contributing middle class Americans.
👍🏼
Forgive me, Heather and all, for straying from today's Letter. But I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to announce that our CIA has officially gone "woke" after finally welcoming Secret Spy Harriet Tubman as one of their own. Her top-secret statue now has a prominent space at Langley. Not all will be "authorized" to see it there, but its original can be found at the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, NY.
Gifted Article and 4min Listen: https://wapo.st/3rnTo1G
(Brava Ukraine!)
Of a lesser concern to many people here (probably)., Pres, Biden and Secretary of Education just reversed the student loan forgiveness for all students holding FFEL loans.
"An administration official tells NPR roughly 800,000 borrowers would now be excluded from relief. Though many more borrowers could end up getting less relief than they were entitled to under the old guidance. These are the roughly 1.5 million FFEL borrowers who also have Direct Loans, which still qualify for cancellation, though their FFEL loans no longer do.
It's unclear why the department reversed its decision on allowing FFEL borrowers with commercially-held loans to consolidate and then qualify for debt relief."
Since 1970-something, Joe Biden has been the instigator driving rejection of student loan bankruptcy forgiveness. This reversal just happened as of 2 PM today. I have no student loan debt and neither do my kids in reality. Since I donate to Dems, I have taken every opportunity to challenge Senators such as Stabenow and Durbin in public. What are they going to do? Pick on an old Vietnam era Marine Sergeant advocating for others. Not likely.
This is outrageous that no one has the willpower to stand up for what they promised after how many months. I apologize Prof. Heather. I thought they had won something.
The change was made in response to the lawsuits filed be six (Red) states to block the forgiveness plan. Supposedly, this was done to fortify the legal position of the plan.
From my read on the reversal, the following from the NPR report helps explain.
"It's unclear why the department reversed its decision on allowing FFEL borrowers with commercially-held loans to consolidate and then qualify for debt relief.
In a statement to NPR, a department spokesperson says, "Our goal is to provide relief to as many eligible borrowers as quickly and easily as possible, and this will allow us to achieve that goal while we continue to explore additional legally-available options to provide relief to borrowers with privately owned FFEL loans and Perkins loans, including whether FFEL borrowers could receive one-time debt relief without needing to consolidate. Borrowers with privately held federal student loans who applied to consolidate their loans into Direct Loans before September 29, 2022 will obtain one-time debt relief. The FFEL program is now defunct and only a small percentage of borrowers have FFEL loans."
The tell in that statement is "legally-available."
My read is that DOE is moving to get relief out where it can do so without having everything held up in lawsuits. Pay out where there is least likely challenge. Fight for the rest in the upcoming lawsuits and, probably Executive actions. I can't for the life of me understand why DOE put language in there on how to get relief by consolidating privately held loans. Nor can I imagine a scenario where banks would let go of a billion or so dollars of loans, with high fees and federal guarantees against loss, that that consolidation option would represent. Where could they find another profitable loan portfolio to replace student loan debt? They would be next in line to sue DOE.
And all this would be unnecessary if we had free or affordable higher education available, which many other countries have. It's very short sighted to burden people with debt at the beginning of their careers. There are many more creative ways to both unburden them and enter into agreements with those who want to provide services to low income areas.
Agree completely with your point about affordable high education (including college as an option). Our university went from 87% state support when I joined it to under 13% and dropping in my last decade on staff. Salaries most often followed or fell below CPI. I think it sometime okay to extend a helping hand to some of the people by all of the people. Doing so give hope or establishes a precedent to help of some others.
It's also better for the whole society if people are more educated. They can then contribute much more to that society and are less likely to engage in criminal activity as a way to support themselves.
Assuming they don't go into banking or real estate management. 😅
Oh yes, there are plenty of opportunities to legally fleece people, aren't there? I'd add working in insurance.
"Nor can I imagine a scenario where banks would let go of a billion or so dollars of loans, with high fees and federal guarantees against loss, that that consolidation option would represent. Where could they find another profitable loan portfolio to replace student loan debt? They would be next in line to sue DOE."
Where could they still find a more profitable portfolio? Were you around in 2008 and watched what they were doing with derivatives to which banks were allowed to partake in gambling on Wall Street thanks to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act? Everybody is a bank now because that was the only way the Fed and the Gov could save them. What happened with AIG and Goldman Sachs? Goldman called in its markers and AIG had to pony up in the CDS market. Pennies on the dollar in reserves.
Do you know what SLABs are? Tranching of student loans by risk the same as they did with mortgages. "Because of the inherent similarities between the student loan market and the sub-prime mortgage market, there is rampant fear that the student loan industry will be the next market implosion to trigger a financial crisis." Do we really want to go there again?
Simple question, other than loan sharking; what other loans exist like student loans where there is no way out?
Bill I read about this late last night. I wonder what size bullet Biden used to shoot himself in the foot with.
Just when I thought he was making visible strides he shit on 800,000 people.
Every single one of the 800,000 people has a right to blast him on this.
He has given the GOP an enormous issue to throw in his face. Rightfully so.
“In a stunning reversal on Thursday, the Education Department changed its position on FFEL eligibility for student loan forgiveness.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2022/09/29/in-stunning-reversal-biden-administration-will-limit-eligibility-for-sweeping-student-loan-forgiveness/?sh=7693bfcf1f30
I got this in an email... it sounds plausible and fits Occam's Razor.
https://thelawdogfiles.com/2022/09/nordstream.html
Kier, I found this definition, for the benefit of all:
“What is Occam's razor simple explanation?
Ockham's razor (also spelled Occam's razor, pronounced AHK-uhmz RAY-zuhr) is the idea that, in trying to understand something, getting unnecessary information out of the way is the fastest way to the truth or to the best explanation.” Thank you for the perfect chance to remember what it is!
You mean disconnect Fox and resurrect Walter Cronkite
I agree that there is some non-zero probability that the pipeline exploded "on its own" as the author suggests.
I wonder if Europe had depressured the pipeline in keeping with safety standards for shut down pipelines?
If so, then, the explosions were definitely sabatoge. But, I cannot find anywhere if the line was pressurized still, or, had been de-pressurized. Hard to believe operators would have left it pressured up AND done no maintenance honestly.
Excellent article! There's some real knowledge at work. How refreshing!
Thanks very much.
Yes - a very succinct account - and I'd agree - very likely. Remember Murphy's Law!
Thanks for the info re the hydrate plugs-makes sense since Russia is bloated by oligarchs who don't care about things being done properly as long as they get their lucre and poorly trained/poorly paid staffers staffers who haven;t been educated about their jobs and why the work must be done PROPERLY.
Thank you for posting this. It is a good reminder that not only do we have to worry about military aggression, nuclear saber-rattling, disinformation, and real sabotage, we also are up against just pain ‘ol mismanagement of infrastructure.
Thank you for this!
How much I don’t know!!
Excellent article. Who knew?
The comments were of interest, some to my dismay. The cult thrives
Wow. Thank you, Kier Salmon.