Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, a leading conservative Republican, announced on Friday that he will resign in January 2023, sparking a special election this November.
Inhofe, 87, is a defense hawk who serves as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is also a former chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he drew the ire of environmentalists over his denunciations of climate change as a "hoax."
Soooo, 6 year old Grandson went skiing with his uncle (PhD*Son). Grandson accidentally went down a black diamond trail.
"A black-diamond run is the steepest in the ski area, rides more narrow than other surrounding slopes, and may have more hazards, such as trees, cliffs, high winds and rocky areas, throughout the trail."
He did just fine and promptly demanded a second run...! (All without ski poles.)
Ukranian liberates Russian infantry fighting vehicle. [Click] There was another video showing Ukranian civilians helping themselves to heavy machine guns and associated ammunition from a pair of Russian tanks stuck in the mud and abandoned.
From various sources:
Rouble continues to fall; down more than 40% so far this morning. About 40% of Russian Central Bank foreign capital reserves are held in countries that have joined the sanctions regime, so can’t be sold to support the rouble. Earlier sharp declines were in Asian trading; on the Moscow exchange it has fallen 15% to 95.5 per dollar. Down about 70% on local retail currency exchanges, which could precipitate runs on local banks.
“Analysts at Rabobank said the sanctions on currency reserves removed what little support the rouble had. Even the gold is not liquid if nobody can use FX in exchange
for it. There will be a complete collapse in the rouble today.”
“Russian markets will again be under a huge selling pressure, and dollarization will be the next chapter in Russia. The Ruble has already been smashed by near 30% this morning to a record low, and there are hints that this could extend to 175-200 range. This means that this needless and compulsive Ukrainian war will become hard for Russia to finance.”
“According to the latest news, Russians are surprised and frustrated by how strong the Ukrainians resist to protect their home.”
“The Russian central bank was quick to respond and hiked its key interest rate to 20% from 9.5% this morning to stem the slide in the rouble, which will lead to higher inflation.”
It occurs to me that if Germany announces a plan to temporarily restart some of its nuclear power plants, that should put significant downward pressure on the rouble.
Nuclear. What's it good for? If not energy production, maybe as a threat? Seems like Putin forgot that Kazakstan had joines the Central Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone when he asked for troops after sending Russian troops into Chernobyl. That Erdogan in Turkey also stiffed him is even more important.
I have been thinking about this photo [Click] since I saw it yesterday. I keep coming back to the idea that Putin fears an assassination attempt by the method that nearly killed Hitler. [Click] Whether that is paranoid psychosis or reasonable precaution, that would mean he fears those around him.
I would argue that authoritarians ar beset by eendemic fears which their aggressive behavior is designed to counteract--a sort of "i'll get you before you get me" approach to life. The problem is that this aggressive mode is inexplicable to a normal person. So, normally generous and easy-going people get taken. These aggressors leave a host of victims in their wake. But, in most cases, they are not dead and just glad the storm has passed. Wouls it be possible to intercept their progress? Yes. But the system favored by the U.S. is reactive. It does not impose restraints until after the aggression has occurred. In that sense, the virtual realm of money is actually an advancement. Donald Trump got away with stealing lots of money, but relatively few people died. Putin is apparently not clued in to the fact that the arena has changed.He's relying on bombs, while the world has moved to bonds.
Green minister Habeck scrambles on energy amid Ukraine conflict [Click] “Economy Minister Robert Habeck has pushed forward the timetable for Germany's fossil fuel exit and paved the way for the country's first national gas reserve in order to wean the country off of Russian gas. . . Habeck rejected suggestions that Germany keep its remaining three nuclear power plants online, saying that they were too far into the phase-out stage to be brought back.”
BUT elsewhere: ‘the government is thinking of letting the nuclear power plants that are still operating and some coal-fired power plants run longer than originally planned. This is particularly bitter for the Greens, because they want to phase out nuclear energy and coal as early as possible. But ‘there are no taboos, everything is up for discussion,’ says Green Economy Minister Robert Habeck.’”
I am reminded that the current US man-portable anti-tank weapons are of the "fire and forget" type; once fired they stay locked on the target by themselves. And Australia just said they would be sending such arms, as well as refugee relief supplies, to Ukraine.
Overstretched Russian forces could struggle to hold Ukraine at current levels, expert predicts Analysis from CNN's Brad Lendon
Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has shown strength that has surprised many observers, but one international expert pointed out how historical precedent bodes poorly for Moscow should its forces be unable to subdue Ukraine quickly under current Russian troop levels.
“The Russian army is overextended and in a precarious position if Ukraine becomes a protracted war,” Seth Jones, vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a social media post. “Assuming 150,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine and a population of 44 million, that is a force ratio of 3.4 soldiers per 1,000 people. You can’t hold territory with those numbers,” Jones said.
Jones compared the current Russian force ratio to occupations after previous wars around the world, saying successful occupations had force ratios that were “astronomically higher.”
For example, he said: The Allied forces occupying Germany in 1945 had 89.3 troops to 1,000 inhabitants. NATO forces in Bosnia in 1995 had 17.5 troops to 1,000 inhabitants. NATO forces in Kosovo in 2000 had 19.3 to 1,000. And international forces in East Timor in 2000 had 9.8 to 1,000.
“High numbers of troops and police are critical to establish basic law and order,” Jones said. “In fact, the number of Russian soldiers in Ukraine aren’t even enough to hold any major cities for long.”
And if Russian occupiers face a guerrilla war in the event the Ukrainian government falls, the odds won’t be in Russia’s favor, he said.
“They will be in serious danger of being picked apart by Ukrainian insurgents.”
Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, a leading conservative Republican, announced on Friday that he will resign in January 2023, sparking a special election this November.
ReplyDeleteInhofe, 87, is a defense hawk who serves as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is also a former chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he drew the ire of environmentalists over his denunciations of climate change as a "hoax."
https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/24/politics/jim-inhofe-retiring/?hpt=ob_blogfooterold
Soooo, 6 year old Grandson went skiing with his uncle (PhD*Son). Grandson accidentally went down a black diamond trail.
ReplyDelete"A black-diamond run is the steepest in the ski area, rides more narrow than other surrounding slopes, and may have more hazards, such as trees, cliffs, high winds and rocky areas, throughout the trail."
He did just fine and promptly demanded a second run...!
(All without ski poles.)
AAAAAAA!
DeleteUkranian liberates Russian infantry fighting vehicle. [Click] There was another video showing Ukranian civilians helping themselves to heavy machine guns and associated ammunition from a pair of Russian tanks stuck in the mud and abandoned.
ReplyDeleteFrom various sources:
Rouble continues to fall; down more than 40% so far this morning. About 40% of Russian Central Bank foreign capital reserves are held in countries that have joined the sanctions regime, so can’t be sold to support the rouble. Earlier sharp declines were in Asian trading; on the Moscow exchange it has fallen 15% to 95.5 per dollar. Down about 70% on local retail currency exchanges, which could precipitate runs on local banks.
“Analysts at Rabobank said the sanctions on currency reserves removed what little support the rouble had. Even the gold is not liquid if nobody can use FX in exchange
for it. There will be a complete collapse in the rouble today.”
“Russian markets will again be under a huge selling pressure, and dollarization will be the next chapter in Russia. The Ruble has already been smashed by near 30% this morning to a record low, and there are hints that this could extend to 175-200 range. This means that this needless and compulsive Ukrainian war will become hard for Russia to finance.”
“According to the latest news, Russians are surprised and frustrated by how strong the Ukrainians resist to protect their home.”
“The Russian central bank was quick to respond and hiked its key interest rate to 20% from 9.5% this morning to stem the slide in the rouble, which will lead to higher inflation.”
It occurs to me that if Germany announces a plan to temporarily restart some of its nuclear power plants, that should put significant downward pressure on the rouble.
Wow.
Nuclear. What's it good for? If not energy production, maybe as a threat? Seems like Putin forgot that Kazakstan had joines the Central Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone when he asked for troops after sending Russian troops into Chernobyl. That Erdogan in Turkey also stiffed him is even more important.
ReplyDeleteIt is good for temporarily replacing natural gas imports from Russia.
DeleteWatched a video on Facebook of a Ukrainian farmer bringing his tractor and hauling away a Russian armored vehicle.
ReplyDeleteCut off the top, sell it for scrap metal and you have a free crawler tractor.
DeleteColbert depicted the farmer as saying, "What? You out of fuel? I tow you back to Russia?"
DeleteRussia’s central bank doubles interest rates and closes stock market as rouble plunges [Click] I hadn’t noticed the closure of the Moscow stock market.
ReplyDeleteSeveral of Putin's Russian oligarch buddies are calling for him to stop the war. |
DeleteMoney persuades.
Ukraine conflict leads EU to rid itself of Russian sacred cows [Click]
ReplyDeleteQuote Investigator on the origin of the expression “Sacred cows make the best hamburger” [Click]
I have been thinking about this photo [Click] since I saw it yesterday. I keep coming back to the idea that Putin fears an assassination attempt by the method that nearly killed Hitler. [Click] Whether that is paranoid psychosis or reasonable precaution, that would mean he fears those around him.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that authoritarians ar beset by eendemic fears which their aggressive behavior is designed to counteract--a sort of "i'll get you before you get me" approach to life. The problem is that this aggressive mode is inexplicable to a normal person. So, normally generous and easy-going people get taken.
DeleteThese aggressors leave a host of victims in their wake. But, in most cases, they are not dead and just glad the storm has passed.
Wouls it be possible to intercept their progress? Yes. But the system favored by the U.S. is reactive. It does not impose restraints until after the aggression has occurred.
In that sense, the virtual realm of money is actually an advancement. Donald Trump got away with stealing lots of money, but relatively few people died.
Putin is apparently not clued in to the fact that the arena has changed.He's relying on bombs, while the world has moved to bonds.
Browder on Putin: When You Believe Your Time is Almost Up, You Start a War [Click] Very plausible exploration of Putin’s motivations, and how to pressure him—seriously.
DeleteMSNBC: As Ruble Crashes, Top Biden Official Details Sanctions Plan From White House [Click]
DeleteThe TV news has been poorly for a VERY long time, but I’ll be darned if it isn’t improving in quality.
Green minister Habeck scrambles on energy amid Ukraine conflict [Click] “Economy Minister Robert Habeck has pushed forward the timetable for Germany's fossil fuel exit and paved the way for the country's first national gas reserve in order to wean the country off of Russian gas. . . Habeck rejected suggestions that Germany keep its remaining three nuclear power plants online, saying that they were too far into the phase-out stage to be brought back.”
ReplyDeleteBUT elsewhere: ‘the government is thinking of letting the nuclear power plants that are still operating and some coal-fired power plants run longer than originally planned. This is particularly bitter for the Greens, because they want to phase out nuclear energy and coal as early as possible. But ‘there are no taboos, everything is up for discussion,’ says Green Economy Minister Robert Habeck.’”
DeleteFact check: Ukraine's 'Ghost of Kyiv' fighter pilot [Click]
ReplyDeletePutin Growing Frustrated Over Struggles In Ukraine [Click] Frustrated? Oh, dear—the poor fellow!
ReplyDeleteTaekwondo-Putin stripped of black belt over Ukraine invasion [Click] Turns out it was only honorary anyway, not earned.
What’s Gone Wrong for Russia In Ukraine [Click] The biggest problem is exactly the same as for the German invasion of Russia in WWII: logistics.
Russian Military Convoy Is Now 40 Miles Long [Click] But is that a convoy or a traffic jam? Forty miles of sitting ducks? Vide report just above about logistics problems.
I am reminded that the current US man-portable anti-tank weapons are of the "fire and forget" type; once fired they stay locked on the target by themselves. And Australia just said they would be sending such arms, as well as refugee relief supplies, to Ukraine.
DeleteBiden to Deny Executive Privilege for Flynn, Navarro [Click]
ReplyDeleteOverstretched Russian forces could struggle to hold Ukraine at current levels, expert predicts
ReplyDeleteAnalysis from CNN's Brad Lendon
Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has shown strength that has surprised many observers, but one international expert pointed out how historical precedent bodes poorly for Moscow should its forces be unable to subdue Ukraine quickly under current Russian troop levels.
“The Russian army is overextended and in a precarious position if Ukraine becomes a protracted war,” Seth Jones, vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a social media post.
“Assuming 150,000 Russian soldiers in Ukraine and a population of 44 million, that is a force ratio of 3.4 soldiers per 1,000 people. You can’t hold territory with those numbers,” Jones said.
Jones compared the current Russian force ratio to occupations after previous wars around the world, saying successful occupations had force ratios that were “astronomically higher.”
For example, he said:
The Allied forces occupying Germany in 1945 had 89.3 troops to 1,000 inhabitants.
NATO forces in Bosnia in 1995 had 17.5 troops to 1,000 inhabitants.
NATO forces in Kosovo in 2000 had 19.3 to 1,000.
And international forces in East Timor in 2000 had 9.8 to 1,000.
“High numbers of troops and police are critical to establish basic law and order,” Jones said.
“In fact, the number of Russian soldiers in Ukraine aren’t even enough to hold any major cities for long.”
And if Russian occupiers face a guerrilla war in the event the Ukrainian government falls, the odds won’t be in Russia’s favor, he said.
“They will be in serious danger of being picked apart by Ukrainian insurgents.”
It occurs to me that Ukrainian guerillas could seek training from Irish Republican Army and Taliban veterans. . .
DeleteWhere to donate to help Ukrainians [Click] Seems like a good selection.
ReplyDelete