Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[THE_WIZARD_]

Hey bro...lighten up...I used lower case for my STFU...be happy with that.

Now shaddup.

[Obi-Jon]

Maybe the US should talk about neutron weaponry as a retaliatory option to Russian tactical nukes? I think Carter killed the program (wink wink) but lets put some doubt in Putin’s mind.

[Mike]

That would require a better poker player than Joe "I only have a pair of twos, so I'm folding!" Biden

[iam416]

Underestimate The Chairman at your peril.......ASSHAT!

[AlabamAlum]

Talent,

I haven’t seen you opine on the merit and ability of USSC nominee KBJ. I did hear someone on MSNBC saying bringing up her previous decisions was “unfair and trying to get her killed.” and they were apparently serious. Heh.

After the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation shenanigans, I’m not sure the left has a lot of credible outrage for anything that goes on. Hopefully comity prevails, though.

[Mike]

I saw a WaPo article this morning that referred to the GOP members of the judicial committee as a clown car. Everyone seems to be in mid-season form.

[iam416]

Talent,

I haven’t seen you opine on the merit and ability of USSC nominee KBJ. I did hear someone on MSNBC saying bringing up her previous decisions was “unfair and trying to get her killed.” and they were apparently serious. Heh.

After the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation shenanigans, I’m not sure the left has a lot of credible outrage for anything that goes on. Hopefully comity prevails, though.

Look, I'm of the general mind that the President gets their choice provided the candidate is qualified and there isn't some other circumstances at play (e.g., trying to get a nominee through an opposite-party Senate in an election year...heh). So, I don't really care. I'm 100% sure she will match Sotomayor in terms of being very, very left. But, again, I don't care. In fact, it's probably better than The Chairman nominate someone like that instead of, say, someone in the mold of Kagan -- who is definitely left, but has enough gravitas to maybe get the ear of Roberts or Kav or even Gorsuch (ACB, TBD).

That said, don't ever forget that the Ds made the Rs elimiante the filibuster over Gorsuch. Gorsuch. They went hard after him with absolutely nothing to work with. And, of course, the smear they perpetrated on Kav was an abomination. And if the Ds cry "racists" or "sexist" don't ever forget what they did the Clarence Thomas (and they STILL try to shred that fucking "uncle tom") or what they did to ACB (the nerver of a white woman to adopt black children! -- and more). So, yeah.

I don't have any problem with the pick and I don't have any problem with the Rs lambasting her, certainly for prior decisions. Fairly or not (the lenient on child porn shit is unfair, but fairness is not the standard here -- see above).

[iam416]

I will say that in terms of the "lived black experience" -- Clarence Thomas is the real deal. His life. His background. That's some real "growing up in Jim Crow" bullshit (and now he has to live through Jim Eagle!). Jackson, if she were white, would look pretty much just like, say, Kav. Two working white collar parents. She went to very good high school. Went to Harvard. Went to Yale. Did well everywhere. I mean, she's very run-of-the-mill in terms of background. So, it does amuse me to watch folks racial essentialist asshats hate on Justice Thomas while extolling soon-to-be Justice Jackson. It lays bare what has been laid bare countless times before -- the Left only cares about advancing black folks who agree with them.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Maybe the US should talk about neutron weaponry as a retaliatory option to Russian tactical nukes? I think Carter killed the program (wink wink) but lets put some doubt in Putin’s mind.

There's news today that US sources are warning of false flag operations by the Russians that will justify their use of chemical weapons. Recall the "Syrians" used these on civilian targets in Aleppo. I have no doubt, given Russian Army doctrine that there is the risk that forces inside Ukraine will transition from a conventional battle space to to a chemical battle space. With mounting losses, Putin is going to authorize their use in a last stand attempt to force Zelenski to capitulate.

Related, Zelenski stated yesterday that any settlements with Russia would have to be approved by a vote of the people. I read this to indicate that the Ukrainian government is considering that Putin will order the use of chemical weapons and wants to leave it up to his constituents to determine if they want to fight on under those circumstances. I have no idea what the the chemical defense posture of the Ukrainian military is. NATO is trained and equipped for it. I suspect so are the Ukrainians. I know for a fact the Russians are completely prepared for it and will use it ruthlessly against civilians - consequences be damned.

Ukrainian GRU reported late yesterday that Russian forces have but 3 days of ammunition left and that Ukrainian forces have severely disrupted Russian supply lines. Propaganda? Partly, but the Russian supply problems narrative from multiple sources has been going on for at least the last week. In addition, for the last 3d, CTR is reporting minimal to no Russian advances on what they have postulated are the Russian military's 3 Axis of attack directed toward Kiev. These are based on reports from British intelligence, US intelligence and Ukrainian General Staff. The Ukrainian General staff continues to report that small, company level disorganized attacks are being repelled by Ukrainian forces in the South's major cities, NW and NE of Kiev and that Ukrainian forces have reclaimed ground NE of Kiev where Russian forces have been attempting to get artillery within 25km of the city center of Kiev. So, far this effort has failed. TIFWIW.

[AlabamAlum]

I read where Jim Jordan said “Never forget what they did to BK” (or something close) and many on the Left started with “never forget what Jordan did to protect Ohio State to excuse sexual predators!”

Partisan American politics: building ridiculous strawmen for over a century!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Navalny slapped with another 9 years in jail and will be transferred to a max security prison. As long as Putin is alive, Navalny will stay in prison. Or get shanked.

EDIT: At least one report that they arrested Navalny's lawyers as they were leaving the courtroom For shits and giggles

[THE_WIZARD_]

To the victor go the spoils...that is why elections matter. Hopefully the American voters recognize this in November.

[Jeff Buchanan]

We should be thinking stalemate in Ukraine but the potential horror Putin will unleash if he elects to use chemical weapons weighs in as a contradiction to that thought. Not at all surprising. If he stupidly does do that I don't think it changes the long term outlook of a reshuffling of the military, economic and diplomatic deck. The world is going to change and substantially.

A win by chemical weapons for Putin will further isolate him and Russia from the rest of the civilized world and I'm not sure Xi is going to continue his "boundless friendship" with a war criminal. I'm not even sure we cannot exclude that Putin will continue his invasion of Ukraine into, say, Latvia. After all, what's Putin got to lose at this point?

If Putin reaches a settlement with Ukraine suitable to him - and the shooting stops there - China's fortunes don't advance a great deal and Xi's views of China advancing it's global reach are going to take a step, albeit a small one, back. If the west remains united on sanctions and both military and political support for Zelenski's government, there's a good chance that, although dented, democracies will continue to challenge authoritarians as an effective means of governance better than what authoritarianism offers. This will be on the basis of Russia, under Putin, becoming a pariah state barred, for Putin's misdeeds, from participating in global trade.

The worst thing that can happen is for Putin's actions to further isolationism and the breakdown of international trade. That assumes those who want free trade and liberal democracy can figure out how to benefit by trading with authoritarians without compromising security. That's what just happened. Free trade with Russia enriched Putin and filled his war chest thus allowing him to prosecute an unnecessary war on a whim with Ukraine. The EU's dependence on Russian energy supplies unnecessarily opened them up to black mail. If those are the only lessons learned out of this shit-storm, the world's population, especially in poor countries, will suffer and we'll all be worse off.

[THE_WIZARD_]

I say we stomp him!

Then we tattoo him!

Then we hang him!

And then we kill him!

[Obi-Jon]

Look at this from Putin's POV. There were 25 resources rich African countries that abstained from condemning Russia's invasion. Why is that? For the last 50 years or so, Russia has supported their 'wars of liberation' and gave shit tons of no-strings-attached aid. This is bearing fruit. Africa is a continent that needs oil and grain, which Russia can supply both. Don't sell China short. They are willing to do just about anything to supplant the US as the world's dominant superpower. It works to China's advantage to have Russia as an attack dog on a loose leash. They can both manipulate Russia into doing their military and political dirty work and stand far enough back and be able to say "that was them not us". With Chinese support and an African market, Russia can withstand sanctions. Unless....

Is the US willing to take on Africa economically? Or better yet, can they?

How about China? I'd lay down the law to China - back off or else. Order all US business out of China. If that doesn't work, declare all the bonds and loan notes held by China as worthless. Crush their economy. The US can withstand economic downturns far better than China. Such steps would cause recession in the US but depression in China. This would take a deep look inside ourselves, which do we hold more important - long term principles or short term money worship?

The wildcard is Ukraine. If they can become the Viet Cong to Russia's occupation, then we have a chance.