Odds and Ends — 30 September 2022
Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, and Debt:
“XRP to Hit $589”: How a Fake Simpsons Screenshot Fooled Ripple Bulls
Hurricane Ian could cripple Florida's home insurance industry
Ghana set to catch up to Nigeria and Kenya in terms of crypto adoption: Chainalysis
Nothing to see here: Truss allies’ curious excuses for financial meltdown
Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:
How China’s covid policy is like Prohibition in America
Pandemic may have made young adults more neurotic and less agreeable, study finds
Politics:
The Left Dominates Latin America
Virtually all polls agree that leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is likely to win Brazil’s elections on Sunday, which would turn most of Latin America into a leftist-ruled region.
If Lula defeats Brazil’s far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro, Latin America’s seven biggest economies — Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Peru — will soon be run by leftist and ultra-leftist leaders.
“Cowardly” Republican candidates scrub references to abortion and ties to Trump from campaign sites
”At this point, it’s too late to run away from who you are,” a GOP strategist warns
The Monstrous Cynicism of Putin’s Draft
Profit drove a 30-year boom. Ian smashed it in a day.
DeSantis Suddenly Changes His Tune on Hurricane Aid
As a freshman congressman in 2013, Ron DeSantis was unambiguous: A federal bailout for the New York region after Hurricane Sandy was an irresponsible boondoggle, a symbol of the ‘put it on the credit card mentality’ he had come to Washington to oppose.
Nearly a decade later, as his state confronts the devastation and costly destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian, Mr. DeSantis is appealing to the nation’s better angels — and betting on its short memory.
Massive storm surges, high winds, and record-breaking flash floods from Hurricane Ian have left 2.5 million Floridians without power, preventing local conspiracy theorists from posting on social media about how climate change is a hoax.
— Middle Age Riot (@middleageriot) September 29, 2022
From the Institute for the Study of War
Russian forces are reportedly committing newly-mobilized Western Military District (WMD) men to the Kherson and Kharkiv Oblast frontlines without prior training.
Russian forces continued unsuccessful offensive operations around Bakhmut and west of Donetsk City, increasingly leveraging penal units.
Russian officials may attempt to reframe their invasion of Ukraine and occupation of soon-to-be-annexed Ukrainian territory as a “counterterrorism operation.”
Pentagon Plans New Command to Arm Ukraine
The Pentagon is preparing to overhaul how the United States and its allies train and equip the Ukrainian military, reflecting what officials say is the Biden administration’s long-term commitment to support Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Justices shield spouses’ work from potential conflict of interest disclosures
The DC insider sheets are already buzzing about the exciting news: House Republicans plan a new round of debt limit hostage taking next year. Of course, this is all treated as somehow totally normal…
Vatican sanctions Nobel laureate after Timor accusations
Serendipity:
Texas Leads the Nation in Banning Books
Texas banned more books from school libraries this past year than any other state in the nation, targeting titles centering on race, racism, abortion and LGBTQ representation and issues.
They were turned away from urgent care. The reason? Their car insurance
The one that caught my eye, among the many gems, is DeSantis and his switcheroo. Funny how people suddenly change their tune when their own interests are at stake. But he certainly comes by this two-faced strategy naturally. It's a party-wide belief that that's just what you do. Demand personal freedom... but only if it's the type that benefits your specific interests, for example. Wave the flag... and then launch an insurrection and storm the capital.