Who here also struggles in Bronze I? I usually spend about two-thirds of a season in Silver III, and tend to get to a rating of about 2400 but don’t move up to Silver II because my Collection Power isn’t yet high enough to do so. For the last several seasons, I’ve been starting in Bronze II with a rating of 500 and then fairly easily battling my way into Bronze I. And then struggling. Repeatedly getting to 900+ and then hitting a brick wall. A long slog with multiple almost there’s before falling back. Again and again. Eventually, I break through into Silver III and once again fairly easily start building up rating points. WTF?

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, and Debt:

OK boomers…

You have 0 jurisdiction on a sovereign and independent nation.

We are not your colony, your back yard or your front yard.

Stay out of our internal affairs.

Don’t try to control something you can’t control 😉
https://t.co/pkejw6dtYn

— Nayib Bukele 🇸🇻 (@nayibbukele) February 16, 2022

Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:

Roughly 73% Are Now Immune to Omicron

About half of eligible Americans have received booster shots, there have been nearly 80 million confirmed infections overall and many more infections have never been reported. One influential model uses those factors and others to estimate that 73% of Americans are, for now, immune to omicron, the dominant variant, and that could rise to 80% by mid-March.

NOT from The Onion: The MyPillow Guy Is Seriously Planning to Drop Pillows From the Sky Over Canada

Yes, I’m sure that the Canadian government will have no problem with the violation of their airspace.

Nothing to see here. Move along kids: Canada’s major banks go offline in mysterious hours-long outage

Politics:

Trump must testify in New York investigation

Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., to comply with subpoenas issued in December by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“In the final analysis, a State Attorney General commences investigating a business entity, uncovers copious evidence of possible financial fraud, and wants to question, under oath, several of the entities’ principals, including its namesake. She has the clear right to do so.” Engoron wrote in his decision.

Russia Accuses Ukrainian Military of ‘Crimes’

Russia has filed a report with the United Nations alleging that Ukraine’s military has committed ‘crimes’ against residents of the eastern Donbas region.

Is this the false flag that Biden said was coming?

Meh. My gut feeling is that if Russia wanted to invade Ukraine again, it would make more sense strategically for it to do so early in a winter rather than late in a winter. A November invasion would better allow them the opportunity of a natural gas cutoff blackmail.

Democrats Fear Extinction In Rural U.S.

Some Democrats here in rural Pennsylvania are afraid to tell you they’re Democrats.
The party’s brand is so toxic in the small towns 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh that some liberals have removed bumper stickers and yard signs and refuse to acknowledge their party affiliation publicly. These Democrats are used to being outnumbered by the local Republican majority, but as their numbers continue to dwindle, the few that remain are feeling increasingly isolated and unwelcome in their own communities.

Trump Mushes Inaccurate Durham Reporting Together With Big Lie Conspiracy Theories To Spawn Horrible Mess

Iran Nuclear Deal ‘Close’

Hopes were raised of a deal between the United States and Iran within days after both sides reported progress in talks on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Where Democracy Is on the Ballot This Year

This year, 27 secretaries of state and 30 attorneys general will be elected nationwide (other states either elect them in other years or don’t elect them at all). And since the secretaries of state and attorneys general who are elected in 2022 will wield power in 2024, this year’s elections could plunge our democracy into further danger if would-be election subverters win them.”

Ron Johnson Blocks His Own Judicial Nominee

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) announced this week that he will block one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees, William Pocan, which is weird since Johnson recommended him to the White House in the first place.

Serendipity:

The U.S. Is Now Energy Independent

For decades, politicians have talked about the U.S. achieving energy independence, a seemingly elusive goal of producing enough fuels to avoid relying on the rest of the world to fill up gas tanks and keep electricity flowing.
It’s elusive no more. The U.S. produced more petroleum than it consumed in 2020, and the numbers were essentially in balance in 2021.

^{Badge thanks to @arcange}

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