OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

HeavyG

Botch said:

dmchicago said:

Dan Rather

@DanRather

In a surprise to no one, a plane carrying the mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led a failed coup attempt against Putin, crashed in Russia killing all aboard. Apparently the Kremlin is “investigating.”

12:31 PM · Aug 23, 2023

I wish the press would quit using the term "failed coup attempt"; it didn't fail, it was aborted.  Why, we still don't know.  

Why was it aborted? Cuz it couldn't succeed. Ergo - failure.

JohnInCarolina

http://twitter.com/PGourevitch/status/1694428835649814856?s=20

lousubcap

A few bourbons into my post-R debate assessment w/o any outside influence other than bourbon:

Punched above their weight: Burgum and Haley.

Held their own: Scott, Pence and Christie-Pence is the last of that category.

Lost ground: DeSantis, , Ramaswamy and Hutchinson. 

On to the next one. 

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the paramilitary organization Wagner group, is presumed to be dead following a plane crash north of Moscow. A social media account linked to Wagner posted that Prigozhin was “killed as a result of actions by traitors of Russia.” The Kremlin has not confirmed the death, but there is speculation that the Russian leadership was involved. Nine others were also killed. BBC News reports. 

President Biden yesterday suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have plotted Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death. While Biden expressed uncertainty, he said, “There’s not much that happens in Russia that Putin’s not behind.” Alex Gangitano reports for The Hill. 

Gen Sergei Surovikin, one of Russia’s leading military figures and former commander of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has reportedly been fired as air force chief. Surovikin was last seen publicly before the failed armed action by the paramilitary organization Wagner group. He was believed to have good relations with Yevgeny Prigozhin. Paul Kirby reports for BBC News.  (my comment-He's next!)

Seven people were wounded today following a Russian missile strike on the city of Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine. Reuters reports. 

Ukraine is attempting to reopen the Black Sea export route with the help of global insurers to ensure the crucial export of grain. Russia has blockaded the shipping lane since it left the Black Sea grain deal last month. Ukrainian officials are in talks with global insurance firms and commodity traders to begin a government-backed program to enable ships to travel to Ukraine’s ports. Anna Hirtenstein and Jared Malsin report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Ukrainian attacks on Russian airfields destroyed two TU-22 bombers and damaged two more bombers, Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said. Budanov said Ukrainian intelligence was in direct contact with the people who attacked the airfields. Reuters reports.

Russia’s defence ministry said it brought down three drones, thwarting another alleged Ukrainian attack on Moscow. One of the drones collided with a building under construction in the central business district as it fell, and flights at Moscow’s airports were suspended temporarily. No casualties were reported.

The Ukrainian military and local authorities said Russia attacked Ukraine’s southern Odesa and the Danube river regions, a key area for grain exports, with drones causing fires in the grain facilities.

Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that Russian attacks on its sea and river ports had destroyed 270,000 tonnes of grain in one month. “Russia is systematically hitting grain tanks and warehouses to stop agricultural exports,” Kubrakov said in a post on social media.

Ukrainian forces raised the national flag in the settlement of Robotyne in the southern Zaporizhia region. “A historic day! Soldiers of the 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade set up the flag of Ukraine in the village of Robotyne, in one of the hottest destinations – Melitopol,” the brigade said in a post on its Telegram channel.

The Ukrainian intelligence agency said it destroyed a key Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defence system in occupied Crimea. There was no comment from Moscow."

HeavyG

https://twitter.com/guardian/status/1694723791103066142?s=20

Is he really, most sincerely, dead?  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

lousubcap

And more on Russia, Ukraine and Prigozhin-

"Wagner may be easier for the Russian [military] to control with Prigozhin, Utkin, and other top figures out of the picture," said John Hardie of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "But without its core commanders, it won't be the same organization." What's more, "[T]heir deaths could lead some Wagner fighters to grow disillusioned with service altogether." 

What to watch for: "It will be interesting to see the status of Andrei Troshev, the senior Wagner figure who goes by the call sign 'Sedoy,'" said Hardie. "Recall that at his meeting with Wagner commanders after the mutiny, Putin says he offered for them to continue serving under Troshev."

Wagner's tent camp in Belarus has also been reduced over the course of August, satellite imagery from Planet Labs shows. However, the dismantling began well before Prigozhin's plane crashed, and likely occurred after Wagner recruits were "sent home because they didn't fit the strict rules of a new call to work on Prigozhin's Africa projects," Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty's Mark Krutov said. He preserved the images on social media Thursday, here. 

Developing: Ukraine's military claims to have landed naval troops in Russian-occupied Crimea, which would be a surprising development after nine and a half years of Russian occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula. The military's intelligence directorate posted grainy videofootage of the alleged naval landings on Telegram Thursday morning. 

"Special units on watercraft landed on the shore in the area of Olenivka and Mayak settlements," Ukraine's Defense Intelligence department said. During their approach, "the Ukrainian defenders engaged in combat with the units of the occupier," and "As a result, the enemy suffered losses among personnel, enemy equipment was destroyed." "

lousubcap

More on Prigozhin-

The cause of the crash is still being investigated, but several outlets reported that an internal explosion may have brought the aircraft down.

 Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. believes Prigozhin died but declined to comment on whether he was intentionally killed.

 “Our initial assessment, based on a variety of factors, is that he was likely killed,” Ryder said at a press briefing. Wagner-affiliated social media accounts have been mourning the loss of Prigozhin and Utkin, sharing pictures and videos of the pair on Telegram.

Russia has moved to dismantle Wagner Group since Prigozhin launched a June rebellion, marching on Moscow with thousands of troops before halting the advance.

The deal that stopped the rebellion allowed the mercenary leader to exile to Belarus in return for Putin dropping terrorism charges.

Peter Doran, an adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Prigozhin's death was "guaranteed" following the aborted armed rebellion.

“By eliminating Prigozhin, which Putin has almost certainly done," Doran wrote in an analysis sent to The Hill, "Russia's president wishes for the world to recall Vladimir Lenin’s famed insight: ‘If one shoots at a king, one must not miss. And if an insurrection is begun, it is death to fail.’

"Prigozhin failed.”

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine-Prigozhin update:

Experts largely agreed yesterday that the plane reportedly carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin did not crash due to a simple mechanical problem or human error. However, they cautioned there is too little evidence to explain what happened conclusively. Evan Hill, Sarah Cahlan, Michael Laris, Sammy Westfall, and Jan Ludwig report for the Washington Post. 

Preliminary U.S. government assessments suggest the plane reportedly carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed due to an assassination plot, detonating a bomb onboard. Social media accounts linked to the paramilitary organization Wagner group have claimed that a Russian missile downed the plane. However, U.S. assessments do not point to a surface-to-air missile behind the crash. Officials have emphasized that these early assessments are incomplete. Michael R. Gordon, Warren P. Strobel, Matthew Luxmoore, and Alan Cullison report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Ukrainian pilots may begin training in F-16 fighter jets in the United States in September, Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the Pentagon spokesperson, said yesterday, marking Ukraine’s Independence Day. It was previously said that Ukrainian pilots would only train in the United States once the European effort reached capacity. However, Ryder now said, “We want to do everything we can to help move this effort along as quickly as possible in support of Ukraine.” Eric Schmitt and Lara Jakes report for the New York Times. 

U.S. and Ukrainian officials have been clashing over the Ukrainian counteroffensive strategy. The United States urges Ukraine to concentrate on breaking through the frontline at a specific point to reach the Sea of Azov. U.S. officials believe the weaponry supplied to Ukraine in the previous months is sufficient for the task and that similar levels of support may not be repeated. “We built up this mountain of steel for the counteroffensive. We can’t do that again,” one former U.S. official said. Michael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold, James Marson, and Vivian Salama reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Ukrainian special forces staged a brief overnight raid inside Russian-annexed Crimea, clashing with Russian forces, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry claimed yesterday. If the attack occurred, it would demonstrate Ukraine’s growing ability to strike deep behind Russian lines. Matthew Mpoke Bigg reports for the New York Times. 

Forty-two Ukrainian drones attacked Russian-annexed Crimea last night, Russia’s defense ministry said. Nine drones were destroyed, and 33 crashed without reaching their “target” after being electronically jammed. The ministry added that a Ukraine-launched missile was also shot down over the Kaluga region. Matt Murphy reports for BBC News. "

lousubcap

Here's a good refresher on Watergate and Nixon that then continues to the CHEETO era-worth a look:

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-common-good-chapter-5-three-big?utm_

JohnInCarolina

This one’s right up your alley, Frank!

http://twitter.com/RBReich/status/1695190592152596763?s=20

HeavyG

https://twitter.com/KyivPost/status/1695082544000016522?s=20

Sure... that's exactly how it went... <wink-wink>

lousubcap

JohnInCarolina said:

This one’s right up your alley, Frank!

http://twitter.com/RBReich/status/1695190592152596763?s=20

That's the version of Reich's Chapter 5 I posted above.  And it is a very worthwhile read or listen for anyone today whether recalling that time in history or appreciating it and where we are now. 

JohnInCarolina

http://twitter.com/sarahellison/status/1695045952577405018?s=20

nolaegghead

That’s not good.  That’s really not good at all.

lousubcap

And then we have Norway and a border wall-

"Norway rebuilds border fence to stop reindeer crossing over to Russia

---

Jan M. Olsen

ASSOCIATED PRESS

---

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Norway is rebuilding a dilapidated reindeer fence along its border with Russia in the Arctic to stop the animals from wandering into the neighboring country – costly strolls for which Oslo has to compensate Moscow over loss of grassland.

Norwegian officials said Thursday that so far this year, 42 reindeer have crossed into Russia seeking better pastures and grazing land.

The reindeer barrier along the Norway-Russia border spans 93 miles and dates back to 1954. The Norwegian Agriculture Agency said a stretch of about 4 miles between the Norwegian towns of Hamborgvatnet and Storskog would be replaced.

The construction, with a price tag of 3.7 million kroner ($348,000), is to be completed by Oct. 1, the agency said.

The work is a challenge, however, as the workers have to stay on the Norwegian side of the border 'at all times' during construction, 'which makes the work extra demanding,' said Magnar Evertsen of the agency. If a worker crossed into Russian territory, without a Russian visa, that would amount to illegal entry.

The reindeer crossings bring on a lot of additional bureaucracy. Russia has sent two compensation claims, the agency said.

One claims is for nearly 50,000 kroner ($4,700) per reindeer that crossed into Russia to graze in the sprawling Pasvik Zapovednik natural reserve in the Russian Murmansk region. The other claim is asking for a lump sum of nearly 47 million kroner ($4.4 million) in total for the days the animals grazed in the park, which consists mostly of lakes, rivers, forests and marshland.

The agency said that of the 42 animals that entered Russia this year, 40 have been brought back to Norway and the remaining two are expected to come back soon."

dbCooper

Hopefully the reindeer are not flying back home.

JohnInCarolina

http://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1696108578078069141?s=20

lousubcap

Anything for eyeballs on the screen.  And Putin may just grant the request. 

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian troops today liberated the southeastern settlement of Robotyne and were trying to push further south, the Ukrainian military said. The advance comes after Ukrainian forces said they broke through the most challenging line of Russian defenses. They expect to progress more quickly now. Reuters reports. 

At least two people were killed and five injured in a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s central Poltava region, a senior Ukrainian official said today. Meanwhile, Russian air defenses destroyed two drones over the western Bryansk region, Moscow’s defense ministry said today. Maria Kostenko and Josh Pennington report for CNN.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is directing Russian civilians to build relationships with influential Western individuals and then disseminate pro-Kremlin narratives to influence Western public policy and opinion, according to newly declassified U.S. intelligence. Because these influence operations are designed to be “deliberately small scale,” they obscure the FSB’s role through layers of ostensibly independent actors. Those who repeat pro-Kremlin narratives do so unwittingly. One official said, “They remain unaware who is essentially seeding these narratives.” Katie Bo Lillis reports for CNN. 

Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander of Ukraine’s eastern forces, has called for reinforcements along the eastern front where Russian forces threaten to make additional gains, even though the United States advises focusing on the south. While the United States has called for massing troops for an overwhelming push to the south, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “We will not give up Kharkiv, Donbas, Pavlohrad or Dnipro. And that’s that.” Thomas Gibbons-Neff reports for the New York Times. "

lousubcap

"In case you missed it...Fox News and a bogus story-Surprised??

Right-wing talk network Fox News wrongly reported last month that a Gold Star family had to pay $60,000 to ship the remains of a Marine killed in Afghanistan. The story was not true, and the indignation it inspired drew the attention of the U.S. Marine Corps, which asked for a correction. Instead, Fox's editors deleted the story, and the network did not apologize to the deceased Marine's family until Military.com brought attention to the matter with new reporting last Wednesday; a network spokesperson finally apologized on Saturday. CNN has more on the background and Military.com's laudable update, here. "

lousubcap

I don't hype what I post here but the below is a MUST read from Will Bunch in The Philadelphia Inquirer: Journalism fails miserably at explaining what is really happening to America. 

A snapshot of the piece- "These are the stakes: dueling visions for America — not Democratic or Republican, with parades and red, white, and blue balloons, but brutal fascism or flawed democracy. The news media needs to stop with the horse-race coverage of this modern-day March on Rome, stop digging incessantly for proof that both sides are guilty of the same sins, and stop thinking that a war for the imperiled survival of the American Experiment is some kind of inexplicable 'tribalism.'"

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/media-2020-election-trump-authoritarianism-20230827.html?utm_

nolaegghead

lousubcap said:

I don't hype what I post here but the below is a MUST read from Will Bunch in The Philadelphia Inquirer: Journalism fails miserably at explaining what is really happening to America. 

A snapshot of the piece- "These are the stakes: dueling visions for America — not Democratic or Republican, with parades and red, white, and blue balloons, but brutal fascism or flawed democracy. The news media needs to stop with the horse-race coverage of this modern-day March on Rome, stop digging incessantly for proof that both sides are guilty of the same sins, and stop thinking that a war for the imperiled survival of the American Experiment is some kind of inexplicable 'tribalism.'"

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/media-2020-election-trump-authoritarianism-20230827.html?utm_

Good read.  

I’ve been listening to Pod Save America.  These guys are brilliant and you get some inside looks at the messy parts of politics.  “Four former aides to President Obama—Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor—are joined by journalists, politicians, activists, and more for a no-b******t conversation about politics. They cut through the noise to break down the week’s news, and help people figure out what matters and how they can help. You can listen to new episodes twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The number of Ukraine’s war dead is rising dramatically, according to new estimates by unnamed U.S. officials. Pentagon estimates leaked in April put Ukrainian deaths at 17,500, but the recent estimate suggests over 70,000 have died. The counter-offensive may account for this sharp increase. BBC News reports. 

Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski demanded Belarus expel the paramilitary organization Wagner group fighters, citing border security concerns, speaking at a news conference attended by his Baltic counterparts yesterday. “If there is a critical incident, regardless of whether it is at the Polish or Lithuanian border, we will retaliate immediately. All border crossings that have been opened so far will be closed,” Kaminski added. Kelly Kasulis Cho reports for the Washington Post. 

The United States and its European allies plan to ensure long-term military assistance to Ukraine to demonstrate to Russia that the West’s resolve will not waver. The initial commitment came from the Group of Seven (G7) members, and 18 non-G7 members have since pledged long-term support. However, there are practical obstacles to ensuring long-term support, including the Biden administration’s inability to bind future administrations to those commitments. Laurence Norman and Nancy A. Youssef report for the Wall Street Journal. 

Russia’s Federal Security Service yesterday charged Robert Shonov, a former employee of the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok, with illegally collecting information about the war in Ukraine and sharing it with U.S. officials. Shonov was detained in May. He faces between three to eight years imprisonment. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the allegations are “wholly without merit.” Valeriya Safronova reports for the New York Times. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend next month’s Group of 20 summit in India. Putin informed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would attend the summit in his stead. Putin attended the BRICS summit earlier this month in South Africa via video link to avoid the risk of possible arrest by the International Criminal Court. BBC News reports. 

The U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine is in Ukraine this week investigating allegations of Russian human rights abuses. This marks their third “fact-finding mission.” The commission previously found evidence of human rights abuses, including war crimes. Sarah Fortinsky reports for The Hill. "

JohnInCarolina

http://twitter.com/RadioFreeTom/status/1696569685104357594?s=20

lousubcap

^^^^That's all you need to know.  Totally on the R's and especially the base.  The leadership just needs the collective spine to declare victory and move on loud and clear.  The fragile CHEETO will whine like the narcissistic child CHEETO is but holding strong will topple the house of cards. 

Only then will the R's be a worthwhile political party. 

lousubcap

This just in regarding aid to Ukraine:

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4177107-us-announces-new-ukraine-security-package/?email=467cb6399cb7df64551775e431052b43a775c749&amp;emaila=12a6d4d069cd56cfddaa391c24eb7042&amp;emailb=054528e7403871c79f668e49dd3c44b1ec00c7f611bf9388f76bb2324d6ca5f3&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=08.29.23 Defense & National Security JB

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine launched several dozen drones as part of its largest drone attack on military targets across Russia since the full-scale invasion. Most drones were shot down. Four military aircraft were disabled in a strike on the Pskov air base, over 400 miles from Ukraine. Yaroslav Trofimov reports for the Wall Street Journal. 

Russia conducted a “massive” attack on Kyiv last night, deploying drones and missiles, head of the Kyiv city military administration, Serhii Popko, said. “Kyiv has not experienced such a powerful attack since spring,” Popko wrote on Telegram. At least two people were killed. Aruzhan Zeinulla and Olga Voitovych report for CNN. 

The impact of the sanctions on Russia, rising prices, and government spending on the defense industry is bringing the effects of the war home for many Russians. Economists warn that the ruble’s devaluation could fuel a price surge over the next 3 to 6 months. Recent surveys show that 19 percent of respondents began reducing purchases of essential items such as toothpaste and food in July, compared to 16 percent in June. Catherine Belton, Jeff Stein, and Robyn Dixon report for the Washington Post. 

Russia will not investigate the plane crash that killed Yevgeny Prigozhin and nine others per international rules. Russia informed Brazil’s aircraft investigation authority that it would not investigate the wreck of the Brazilian-made Embraer jet under international rules “at the moment.” Brazil’s Center for Research and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents had said it would join a Russian-led investigation if invited. Some Western governments suspect the Russian government is behind the attack. Allison Lampert, Gabriel Araujo, and Valerie Insinna report for Reuters. "

fishlessman

vodka or toothpaste, vodka or toothpaste.......vodka

lousubcap

An article from The Atlantic-

The End Will Come for the Cult of MAGA

The next generation isn’t buying it.

By Peter Sagal

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/trumpism-maga-cult-republican-voters-indoctrination/675173/?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=one-story-to-read-today&amp;utm_content=20230830&amp;utm_term=One Story to Read Today

And if the above is TLDR-here is a short teaser:

"To Daniella Mestyanek Young, every group of people has a little cult in it, and every person has a bit of a cult follower within. At 36, and with a master’s in group psychology from Harvard’s Extension School, she’s acquired a following via her series of TikTok videos in which—while furiously knitting—she shares insights from her own history. She was born into the Children of God, which many ex-members describe as a sex cult, and then escaped it to join the U.S. Army, only to find that the Army was kind of a cult too. In her view, all organizations are situated somewhere on the “cultiness spectrum,” and some celebrated groups, such as the military and Alcoholics Anonymous, are much further toward the dark end than you’d like to believe.

In her TikToks, she includes various lists and rules of cults in an ever-present text box above her head, one of which reads:

The first rule of cults is:

you’re never in a cult

The second rule of cults is:

the cult will forgive any sin,

except the sin of leaving

The third rule of cults is:

even if he did it,

that doesn’t mean he’s guilty.

Like the other cult experts I spoke with, Young doesn’t believe that anybody can be argued out of Trumpism (or any other firmly held belief). People can save only themselves, as she did. But she argues that such self-rescues are happening all around us."

Legume

Great read @lousubcap