Odds and Ends — 20 April 2022
I’m not a great fan of the Noxious Fumes rule set, but having Harklaw does come in handy.
Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, and Debt:
Australia’s First Bitcoin ETF to Be Listed Next Week
Analyst says Texas Gov. Abbott’s border snarls cost billions in GDP
Bitcoin institutional buying ‘could be big narrative again’ as 30K BTC leaves Coinbase
Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:
Hunger and anger in Shanghai’s unending lockdown nightmare
China Doubles-Down on Zero Covid Policy
China’s health minister has pledged the toughest measures yet to prevent a major outbreak of Covid-19, ruling out any relaxations ahead of this year’s 20th Communist Party national congress.
Politics:
Russia Has Lost 25% of Soldiers In Ukraine
The Russians, who invaded Feb. 24, have faced spirited, effective resistance from Ukrainian troops and have lost about 25% of the combat force Vladimir Putin deployed, the official said.
It’s a poorly-edited article. That fifth paragraph where “the official said” comes after a paragraph quoting the Russian Foreign Minister. But “the official” is probably a reference to the “senior U.S. Defense Department official” mentioned in the first paragraph rather than Sergey Lavrov. Writing, it’s hard.
Putin gives honorary title to Russian brigade accused of war crimes in Bucha
Russia Declares New Phase of War in Ukraine
Russia declared that its offensive for control over Ukraine’s industrial heartland was underway on Tuesday as it bombarded targets across the sprawling eastern front, with Ukrainian officials saying they were mounting a spirited defense.
The Pentagon estimated that Russia has already sent 11 more battalion tactical groups into Ukraine, additional forces likely to comprise 8,000 to 11,000 soldiers. It also has tens of thousands more in reserve north of Ukraine who are being resupplied and readied to join the fight.
As the war exposes the darkness inherent in Mr. Putin’s regime, and as atrocities abroad and repression at home impress the mark of Cain ever more deeply on its brow, it is impossible not to hope for a Russian defeat. Nevertheless, caution is in order. Mr. Putin and those around him know that in Ukraine they aren’t fighting only for an adjustment of frontiers. They are fighting for their world, and it may be psychologically impossible for them to accept defeat until every measure, however ruthless, and every weapon, however heinous, has been brought into play. For Vladimir Putin and the people around him, the stakes in Ukraine are almost infinitely great.
How U.S.-Saudi Relations Reached the Breaking Point
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wearing shorts at his seaside palace, sought a relaxed tone for his first meeting with President Biden’s national-security adviser, Jake Sullivan, last September.
The 36-year-old crown prince ended up shouting at Mr. Sullivan after he raised the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The prince told Mr. Sullivan he never wanted to discuss the matter again… And the U.S. could forget about its request to boost oil production, he told Mr. Sullivan.
The relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia has hit its lowest point in decades, with Mr. Biden saying in 2019 that the kingdom should be treated like a pariah over human-rights issues such as Mr. Khashoggi’s murder.
Russia Ducks Blame for Blowing Up Global Food Chains
Putin Forces Russian Firms from Overseas Exchanges
In a blow to Russia’s richest business people, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on April 16 that requires Russian companies to remove their listings from overseas stock exchanges.
Oath Keepers Discussed Security for Trump Allies
Top members of the Oath Keepers now facing seditious conspiracy charges chatted for days about providing security for some of the highest-profile figures associated with Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the election, according to a newly released trove of text messages.
Effort to Remove Greene From Ballot Can Proceed
A federal judge cleared the way on Monday for a group of Georgia voters to move forward with legal efforts seeking to disqualify Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from running for re-election to Congress, citing her role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
A Racist Juror Helped Send a Black Man to Death Row. Why Doesn’t SCOTUS Care?
The screenshot below is @JDVance1’s unfiltered explanation from 2016 of the breakdown in Republican politics that he now personally is trying to exploit.
— Josh McLaurin (@JoshforGeorgia) April 18, 2022
The “America’s Hitler” bit is at the end.
The public deserves to know the magnitude of this guy’s bad faith. pic.twitter.com/79Z0qSWFWF
Serendipity:
