Recent Items

2:00PM Water Cooler 11/19/2024

Posted on by

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Bird Song of the Day

Northern Mockingbird, Granville Schools Land Lab, Licking, Ohio, United States

* * *

Patient readers, matters occurrent have proved unexpectedly time-consuming, so this is an open thread. I will be back in full force tomorrow. Be kind to each other! –lambert

* * *

Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. From CC:

CC writes: “Been hot and humid for a bit as of late here in the Green Mountain State but a photo from last winter looking back into some pine trees.”

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lambert’s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn’t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I’m on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:

Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated:

If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

This entry was posted in Water Cooler on by .

About Lambert Strether

Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.

Subscribe to Post Comments
85 comments

      1. flora

        Ed Down has commented the US financial situation is such that there are only 2 choices: A deep recession starting in March or April next year, 2025, or war to obfuscate the financial situation. Open money printing is no longer on the table. Maybe, maybe not.

        And there was Gerald Celente’s comment/prediction in January this year that when the pres party pols are losing they take the country to war. Of course, that is supposed to happen before the election. But the B admin is still in charge. / ;)

          1. Glen

            I think we should take Alan Greenspan to a taxidermist when he finally goes to the Gates of Randian paradise so that he can be periodically wheeled into the Senate and reassure us that all is well by his very presence.

            /Sarc

              1. amfortas the hippie

                jeez.
                and here i was just checking to see how close we were to open war with the ruskies.

                took a break for few days.

                still in the stupidest timeline i see.

                yay, america.

        2. SocalJimObjects

          Open money printing is no longer on the table. As long as oil is still flowing and electricity is available to print digits, money printing will never be off the table. According to https://surplusenergyeconomics.wordpress.com/, we are now in the “fake it till you break it” stage where we will print, print, print till the monetary system falls apart.

          Doomers have been wrong on so many counts:
          1. We were supposed to have a food shortage last year or two years ago. Didn’t happen.
          2. The virus/vaccines will kill millions/billions and civilization will collapse. I am willing to bet the number of births is higher than the number of deaths from virus/vaccines in the last few years.
          3. There won’t be an election this year because of civil war, etc, etc. Well it happened.
          4. The banks will fall over because of unrealized losses stemming from their fixed income operations and exposure to commercial real estate. Well, … still waiting for Godot here.

          One word: trust in muppets, because as long as they still have moolah, the world will still spin.

          I think the only negative signal I have seen is old man Buffett selling a ton of Bank of America and Apple stocks, which might actually mean something, but what?

        1. ambrit

          Of course, the opposite would be, well, there are too many tempting targets in Europe for the Russian High Command to comfortably advocate any less than a round hundred to one retaliation figure. For every “Yeukranian” strike on a Russian deep strategic target, a hundred kinzhals strike NATO bases. Of course, the Russians are too rational to consider such a scheme. More probably, the Iraqui Resistance obliterates the American bases at Al-Tanf and in Syrian Kurdistan.
          I wonder if the Al Ansara in Yemen might launch attacks against American bases in Eritrea and Somalia? With over 800 targets to choose from world-wide, the Russians and their proxies must be pulling their hair out trying to decide on a targeting matrix.

            1. ambrit

              If Trump really wanted to mess with neo-con heads, he would do an executive order to repurpose some of the ’empty’ military bases in America as “Israeli Refugee Shelters.” Put FEMA in charge. That would send a message.
              Agree about Putin being the “Adult in the room.”
              I believe it was Lenin who said that the capitalist countries would collapse from within. Putin has read his Marx and Lenin. He can afford to wait and later pick up the pieces of the crashed Capitalist West.

  3. Anon

    Happy Tuesday NC commentariat! I saw it on Politico earlier, but from what I gather on the Democrat side, Hakeem Jefferies will remain as House Minority Leader. In addition to that, there will be no changing of the guard, given the abject failure electorally (and financially). It took them about 3 years from 2016 to put out a lessons learned sheet about that election. I wonder if we’ll see something similar anytime soon?

    2. Jonathan Holland Becnel

      HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU AS WELL, ANON!

      I was thinking about what Michael Hudson said in a recent talk with Richard Wolff on Dialogue Works about giving the Working Class an alternative to the current economic system we have- charts and graphs and all.

      Do you think it’s possible for organizers to reach the working class through basic economics of that workers local budgets? Like give them the basic numbers on the Banks, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Inflation, et al?

      Do y’all think that’s doable and or worthwhile?

      If we could easily translate how the workers are getting exploited and by who, then we might get a critical mass?

      Back to your regularly scheduled programming!

      1. Mikel

        new method for what are the economic priorities may be in order.
        The “numbers” generated serve current economic priorities.

        1. Jonathan Holland Becnel

          New Method…

          Interesting.

          One of my numbers I wanted was the birth and death rate of the local working class. Deaths of despair.

          I’d want to incorporate those into my new economic method.

        1. Jonathan Holland Becnel

          Thanks Revenant!!!

          Man, I’ve been checking out of watching all the new films lately because of the Idpol plots so although I’ve heard of Kneecap I didn’t give much thought! I remember hating the title tbh 😂

          Listened to that YouTube interview and WOW! Awesome stuff!!!! The focus on Comedy and not Tragedy is a winning strategy! And it seems to be winning with the “far right” here in the US. However, our far right seems to be having their own come to Jesus moment about idpol so there may be an alignment of interests!

          Also how they start it off from a Truth & Reconciliation framing is interesting too. This may be a good way to initially bring the people together!

          Left & Right Unite!

          Long live the People!

          – Cheers from Louisiana!

          1. Revenant

            You’re welcome!

            Give the film a go, you won’t regret it. I promise you, I can’t imagine a less idpol film. :-)

            The film has some cracking lines in it, some of them breath-takingly close to the knuckle, as well as some great physical comedy situations. And even the title / band name is not just an allusion to kneecapping as a punishment of armed sectarianism but a pun on the Irish homophone “Ní Ceap” or “No idea”.

            (And they just toured the US but they’ll be back next year, they’re the hardest working band in showbiz right now, so go and see them if you get the chance. They got as far south as Kentucky this time).

  4. griffen

    One less nominee for a potential Treasury secretary. Feels likely that Trump is “making a list, and he’s checking it twice” for this prominent Cabinet post…

    For commerce he nominated Howard Lutnick earlier today. The longtime CEO for Cantor Fitzgerald is well known for his efforts after losing a significant count of employees on 9/11. I am not terribly certain about the fit here, all else equal it seemed too likely this prominent backer, and leader of a relatively smaller Wall St firm, would land in a role.

    https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/19/howard-lutnick-commerce-secretary-trump-pick-00189339

      1. A Woman of No Importance

        It leads nowhere. I don’t know why people have such difficulties understanding Pettis’ arguments, but it is simply beyond their comprehension and will continue to be ignored, as it has been over the last 20 years.

      2. griffen

        Didn’t see that, I’d tend to group a select few of these economic or trade advisors as a pooling of informed and highly educated idiots. I do not consider, by one example, Stephen Moore as a worthwhile voice on the US economy or Federal Reserve policies, mostly since it’s the same crap that was pulled under Reagan…the trickle down economy is primarily of greater benefit if one is positioned near the top.

        That trickle gets far too warm, and it doesn’t taste like rain falling from a magical rainbow. And to add an extra reason someone like the afoementioned Moore will gripe incessantly about budget deficits and Federal spending, either especially or only if it’s not a Republican administration. Just stop and shut that pie hole already.

    1. schmoe

      “Free speech is for forprofit corporations, not nonprofit corporations.”

      Free speech will still be for non-profits as long as they don’t oppose The Narrative(tm).

  6. IM Doc

    A follow up on a few things I have mentioned……

    The blue meltdown in the past few days has very significantly subsided. Hopefully things will be getting back to normal – we will see.

    Also – several in my circles on our twitter medical groups thought they would head off to Bluesky. It has hardly been two weeks and they are already back. Basically, too much censorship and squelching of free discussion about issues. One or two a day seem to be coming back and stating largely the same thing. It seems like going forward, it will likely be only the true blue MSNBC cult members there.

    Also, as an aside, a friend of one of my employees does OnlyFans. They also tried to make the move to Bluesky only to discover that there was no engagement, no customers, and most of the people there seemed to not be interested in becoming one. So, they too, are back on Twitter. Hilarious. I had not thought of that.

    1. flora

      Thank you.

      re: “The blue meltdown in the past few days has very significantly subsided. ”

      Good to know. I guess Mark Twain’s regard for regular Americans’ common sense still holds true.

    2. playon

      I’ve been on bluesky for several months and have not seen evidence of censorship, but I’m not a member of any physicians group so I can’t speak to that.

    1. Pat

      But the Dem supporters in the comments are hilarious. Especially the claims that ethics issues result in Democrats losing primaries.

    2. NYT_Memes

      MTG is about as good as Trump when it comes to trolling, so I must take this idea in the context of her established behavior. However, that would be great if she could get the media on board. Naga happen.

    1. Acacia

      how much Tolkien cribbed from Wagner

      …and thus the famous derogatory remark about Tolkien: “Wagner meets Winnie-the-Pooh”, though in hindsight he certainly got the last laugh.

      1. NYT_Memes

        After January 20th we will see if that is the 2nd sales pitch. The first is the campaign promise.

        The product delivered may disappoint, as always.

        1. Pat

          Probably. But as I don’t remember any of Obama’s nominees speaking truth to power at a point when power was vulnerable and with the spiking of TPP, Trump might beat the wizard on delivery of the sales pitch. And yes that is a sad “winning” record, but it still wins.
          The kleptocracy, which encompasses both neocon and neoliberal factions, needs to be treated as the treasonous cancer it is. Any shining of the light on it and it’s tentacles should be celebrated and applauded regardless of who does it. So just as I cheer on Lina Khan telling the truth about the Silicon Valley crooks, I will cheer Matt Gaetz stating what should be obvious about the MIC. The more it happens the better the chances are to cut and burn it out eventually.

  10. Pat Morrison

    I’m nearing the end of Robert Caro’s ‘The Power Broker’ (on audiobook, the paper glowers at me from the shelf.) I am reminded that Michael Lewis once said in an interview that he’d written ‘Liar’s Poker’ as a cautionary tale but it had been interpreted as a ‘How To’ manual by young MBAs wanting to get in on the Wall Street game. I am wondering the same thing about ‘The Power Broker’, whether it has been taken as a map rather than a warning sign.

    Anyone else have thoughts along these lines?

    1. Ghost in the Machine

      I have thought for awhile that the ‘Authority’ legal structure that allowed Moses to control money flows that allowed him to build his influence networks was a much smaller version of the vast money flows the pentagon controls. Talk about an influence network!

  11. Terry Flynn

    Prince of Wales wants to make royal lower case.

    Try deeds not words (lookup wills in Cornwall and Lancaster). Plus don’t leave yourself open to us people to make jokes as to whether you’ve pegged your future reign to this. ;)

  12. Terry Flynn

    Two random observations:

    (1) I’m getting a lot more bots/female sex workers requesting to follow my non public X account. Err what?

    (2) I’m getting a lot of requests on blue-sky who aren’t bots but whose whole ecosystem (who they follow and who follows them) suggest they’re part of the dreaded PMC.

    I am accepting the requests…. mainly for the lulz when I quote my publications that show the US and British liberal wings are demonstrably idiotic. Yeah I’m bored and just feel like trolling. I do not feel like Blue-sky is the solution so I may as well have fun.

    1. Acacia

      I wouldn’t take the bot interest personally. This is just part of how dodgy companies build up social media botnets so that they can sell fake likes/followers/comments. It’s probably all driven by apps.

      Remember that one of the ways Musk was able to knock down the price of acquiring Twitter was by making a bid and then calling out the company on how many millions of accounts were known fakes, and that put Twitter in a very awkward position.

    1. Michaelmas

      That is hilarious. And as with missile attacks, Trump can keep on announcing nominations with a lot less time and energy spent than his enemies are going to have to spend trying to shoot each one down

    2. Tom Stone

      I think Dr Oz is an entirely suitable man to head Medicare and Medicaid services,given the current state of affairs.
      This is even better than Wolensky or the Bonnie Henry appointment in Canada!
      You can’t make this stuff up…Trump might put “The Onion” out of business.

    4. The Rev Kev

      Dr. Oz? Seriously? That guy is so bad that he failed politically against a stroke victim. Or maybe Trump is just trying to mess with Fetterman. But Dr. Oz? Another clown for the Trump Circus.

      2. RA

        Pardon the copro-appellation but I have been referring to Dr. Oddz as “the S-shaped turd” since a long-ago Oprah episode where he told us this was a desirable healthy aspiration.

    1. flora

      adding: where “bring in” means harvest. Time to harvest the veggie salad crops at the end of the temperate growing season before the hard freezes set in.

  15. hk

    One interesting obs made by Col. Karen Kwatkowski, one of Judge Napolitano’s frequent guests, on today’s podcast: While most of Trump’s appointees are indeed Zionists, they are all Christian Zionists. Mike Huckabee is the first non-Jewish US ambassador to Israel since 2010 or something. For obvious reasons (basically, that many Christian Zionists, especially evangelicals like Huckabee, support Israel so that it would find Jesus or be destroyed at the end of hte days), Israelis don’t trust them–they like them only so far as they are wiling to vote for arms and other military support for Israel. This configuration would not be terribly comforting to Israeli leadership.

    Link here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4djey_dVKs

    1. Samuel Conner

      I think that having numerous Christian Zionists in authority in US is problematic. If Israel actually suffers a significant defeat and the present state collapses, that might create a crisis for CZ’s who are of “dispensational premillenial” conviction. If they have DJT’s ear, extreme measures might be pursued to rectify the theological dissonance.

      1. ambrit

        Like build the Third Temple in Zion National Park?
        The Zionist “Bitter Enders” can take a leaf out of their ancestor’s playbook and Elon the Just and bunker down at Marsada. Throw in a few complimentary Perky Pat play sets and you’re ready to rebuild civilization.

  16. Jeremy Grimm

    I am a fan of the old television series “Castle”, mainly on account of enjoying Nathan Fallon’s comedy. I recently rewatched the fourth season of Castle. Episode 16, “Linchpin”, dramatized a plot to constructed around the idea that one small event could trigger a chain of larger events which could “bring about the end of our country as we know it”. This episode was released February 20, 2012. In part of this episode, the heroes find a room filled with connecting events all triggered by the assassination of a Chinese schoolgirl — the “linchpin” event. Many of the events triggered by this fictitious linchpin event have happened recently, many of them accomplished by President Biden.

    I found a reddit comment from almost a year ago expressing very similar concerns to my own:

    “Does anyone realize some of the events that Beckett and castle we reading out when they were in the Drs apartment are happening today. And the real possibility that this can happen, with everything going on in the world right now. All being controlled and directed by Russia to spread out US and allied assets away from Ukraine. China buys all of our debt and if there was a linchpin type of event, it would totally collapse the US economy leaving us vulnerable and weak, leaving a perfect time for our enemies to strike. I know it sounds really crazy but when I was watching it my mind was blow lol I just had to vent about how real the possibility is. Also by no means am I a economics or military professional haha just a guy with a overactive brain! Ha”

    — “Russia moves in on eastern Europe” Russia Ukraine war, most likely Russia will not stop if Ukraine falls
    — “US commits troops to Taiwan” US saying that we will protect Taiwan
    — “US commits troops to middle east” Israel Hamas war, we are already still in Iraq and Syria and other places all over the middle east
    — “Syria-Israel” Syria and Iran backing Hamas to attack Israel
    — “Iran-Iraq” recent missile and drone strikes conducted by Iran against Iraq
    https://www.reddit.com/r/CastleTV/comments/1aiklpv/s4_ep16_linchpin/?rdt=43902

    I should also reference the NakedCapitalim post: “America Has Just Destroyed a Great Empire”, by Michael Hudson.
    https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/06/america-has-just-destroyed-a-great-empire.html

    Who needs enemies when the u.s. already has such leaders as Biden and now Trump.

    1. AG

      Thanks for the recommendation (these stories have multiplied since 2020 all over Europe too. But serious news coverage has shrunk):

      early text excerpt:

      “(…)
      An SUV police cruiser pulls in front of me, parks close, at an angle, as if to block me from a would-be escape. This officer is a young blond woman in a bulletproof vest with a pistol strapped to her abdomen. She says, “We received some calls. People are concerned.”

      “Yes?”

      “They see you out here and are concerned.”

      She doesn’t say who these “concerned” people are, but the only ones who can see me are the owners of large beachfront houses. Maybe they’re looking out their $3 million windows and seeing the consequences of their avarice.

      “What are your plans for the day?” she says.

      She’s trying to get me to move along, but the lot is open to the public from dawn to dusk. I have every right to be here.

      “Write,” I say.

      “What do you write?”

      “Literary fiction. I was a reporter.”

      “Anywhere I know?”

      “The Boston Globe.”

      Her eyes open wide and she tosses her head back in recognition. She realizes I’m not dissolute and not a threat. She asks for my license and calls it in. Dispatch lets her know I have no criminal record or outstanding warrants.

      “Do you need anything?” she says.

      “Do you know if the homeless shelter will let me take a shower?”

      She asks dispatch to call the shelter. Dispatch comes back. She says, “Yes.”

      “Good,” I say. “Thanks.”

      “You can’t stay here at night,” she says. “You can stay at Walmart, in the back parking lot.”

      “Okay.”

      She gives me her card. She leaves. I stay. I have every right to be here.
      (…)”

    2. AG

      p.s. Homelessness a huge underreported subject in Germany. Recent years they did have a few items about the fact that e.g. several mailmen who are under contract with subcontractors, are homeless. Which of course is a scandal considering among other things that mail in theory is a state service. Yet with outsourcing since Gerhard Schröder´s reign low-wage has encroached upon those areas.
      In the Anglo-Saxon world this was not so new I guess. But it was in Germany.
      Of course this concerned many immigrants. Which made it difficult to communicate for my parents e.g. when receiving mail at the door, who don´t speak English. It´s not a serious problem. But – as was noted during the US election campaign – for immigrants who came to the Golden West many decades ago see these things deteriorate it can be heart-breaking, frustrating, infuriating, deafening, numbing.

  19. johnnyme

    The long awaited sequel to the 2006 action film “Snakes on a Plane” starring Samuel L. Jackson has just been released:

    Hamsters on a Plane!

    A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A321-200N, registration CS-TJR performing flight TP-1865 from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada (Portugal), had been loaded with transport cages with various animals including hamsters in them destined for a pet shop. The aircraft completed the flight apparently without incident. However, after landing it was discovered that one of the transport cages had become damaged allowing 132 hamsters to escape. The aircraft was grounded until all hamsters have been captured and the aircraft examined properly for any damage by the rodents.

    The return flight the following morning had to be cancelled.

    As of Nov 17th 2024 all but 16 hamsters have been accounted for. The aircraft is thus still on the ground in Ponta Delgada.

    1. NYMutza

      She is such a little thing to be so aggressive. The guy should have punched her in the mouth to shut her up.

      1. Yves Smith

        Oh, I think it’s much better for her to go to trial. This is such an easy case that maybe the DA will not cop a deal and decides to get the headlines. I’d love to see her face in court when the prosecution find a way to roll that tape a few times.

  21. Expat2uruguay

    Has anyone suggested that Trump is not really serious about his nomination of Marco Rubio? I just have this weird feeling that it’s all a joke to Trump and he’s going to let the nomination fail and embarrass Marco Rubio.

    2. Acacia

      Haven’t heard that, but it is plausible. I was a bit surprised when Trump nominated Rubio as I thought they weren’t exactly on great terms, to put it charitably.

      1. A Woman of No Importance

        I think Trump may be hoping that his daughter-in-law (Lara Trump) gets appointed to the Senate.
        It might (less plausibly, since I don’t think they are very close) be a way to get DeSantis to take the Senate seat, since he can’t run for Governor again.

        Just a total guess, though.

    3. A Woman of No Importance

      I think your analysis is incorrect.

      The Senate basically works by trading favors. Rubio has been there long enough that he likely has enough favors to get approved; also, his rejection (this is not an anonymous vote) would make it harder for other senators to trade favors with him in the future, I think.

      Why Rubio would trade a secure Senate position for a post in which he will last a maximum of 24 months (under miraculous circumstances) is beyond me, though.

    2. Pat

      Not good, but I almost appreciate that there is no faux concern and there won’t be ridiculous mandates that will never happen like all vehicles, heating and cooking being electric in ten years without adequate grids and replacement products. Oh and don’t forget bogus corporate greenwashing.

      In full disclosure I believed that the Paris Accords were bad manure when they happened and haven’t aged well, I have never bought most of the Democratic Party’s posturing on the subject. It is about as important to them as women’s reproductive rights, nothing more than a fund raising item. So I will not have the usual reaction even if I do believe in Climate Change.

  23. AG

    re: missiles and Taibbi

    Not sure media-savvy Taibbi is up to the game re: UKR.

    “Our Sixty Days of Nuclear Chicken Have Begun” (just preview)
    https://www.racket.news/p/our-sixty-days-of-nuclear-chicken

    Apparently he missed out on those 30.000 KIA of AFU on that same RU territory in the past summer and fall.
    How did those die? Too much Vodka?

    But he too freaks out over allegations of missiles fired.
    Odd coverage to put it politely.

    And btw, as far as I can see no independent confirmation of missiles fired or hit, so far.

    antiwar.com with AP, e.g.
    https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-1000-days-attack-06002c8c50bfb2fc622f446a8580bc0e

    e.g.: “A Telegram channel affiliated with the Ukrainian military posted a video Tuesday that it says shows U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles being fired from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. The Associated Press could not independently verify the date and location the video was filmed.”

    Taibbi e.g. quotes:
    https://runews24.ru/articles/19/11/2024/na-polputi-k-armageddonu-vsu-nanesli-udar-ballisticheskimi-raketami-nato-po-rossii-chem-otvetit-putin
    They have an older item (by 3 hours) linked in the last paragraph from their own site, which too quotes only UKR news sources on launch and hits:
    https://runews24.ru/politics/19/11/2024/ukrainskie-smi-soobshhili-o-pervom-primenenii-raket-atacms-protiv-vs-rf

    The first news that I heard (REUTERS) claimed 6 launched 1 hit.
    Another source: 8 launched 2 “shot down” (interesting wording instead of 6 hit).

    p.s. re: the drone attacks on the Armavir early-warning system – did we EVER got additional images other than those 2 or 3 initial ones? That was Cuba 2.0 for the umpteenth time already.
    Who knows may be we won´t hear anything new about these ATACMS. French Le Figaro already scrubbed their info on allowing AFU to attack (for other reasons I assume however.)

  24. AG

    2x JACOBIN: fake anti-trust / (minor) doubts over “fascism”-label

    1) Democrats’ Antitrust Push Has Been Mostly Rhetorical

    By Matt Bruenig

    The Biden administration’s more aggressive approach to antitrust has been much discussed by proponents and critics alike. Yet the administration’s regulatory moves have really been small-bore tweaks around the edges, with little impact felt by voters.

    https://jacobin.com/2024/11/democrats-biden-antitrust-rhetoric-policy


    2) The “Fascist” With a Popular Majority

    By Tristan Hughes

    Donald Trump’s victory at the polls will inevitably reopen the “fascism debate.” But does a populist whose appeal cuts across diverse groups truly fit the fascist profile?

    Review of Did It Happen Here? Perspectives on Fascism and America, edited by Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins (New York: W.W. Norton, 2024)

    https://jacobin.com/2024/11/fascism-debate-trump-democracy-racism

  26. RA

    I like the winter scene photo from CC. Wondering what the animal in the lower-left is? A dog? And also about the blue-green spot. Is that just some kind of lens flare or…?

Comments are closed.