Damn, Those Folks Are Pure-Dee Dumb; Nuclear Ed.

Russian troops began leaving the Chernobyl nuclear plant after soldiers got “significant doses” of radiation from digging trenches at the highly contaminated site, Ukraine’s state power company said Thursday as fighting raged on the outskirts of Kyiv and other fronts.

Energoatom gave no details on the condition of the troops or how many were affected. But it said the Russians had dug in in the forest inside the exclusion zone around the now-closed plant, the site in 1986 of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.

The troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began preparing to leave, Energoatom said.

Some of the Russian troops are supposedly being treated for radiation poisoning in Belarus, possibly so the Russians can try to limit the news from getting back home.

7 busses with Russian soldiers suffering from Acute Radiation Syndrome have arrived to a hospital in Belarus from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine.

They allegedly dug trenches in the highly radioactive Red Forest - UNIAN News Agency pic.twitter.com/3ZcqoF6c9I

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 30, 2022

The Red Forest is one of the most contaminated places on the planet. I can understand that Russian conscripts might not know the history of Chernobyl, but the army commanders should have known. It's either stupidty or more evidence that the age-old Russian cavalier attitude towards their soldiers has not changed.

Caitlyn Jenner is (a) Dumb, or (b) a Quisling

Caitlyn Jenner, the transgender athlete, reality star and former California gubernatorial candidate, has signed on to Fox News Media as a contributor.

Jenner’s first appearance will be Thursday on Hannity.

Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement: “Caitlyn’s story is an inspiration to us all. She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience.”

First off, to call Jenner a "trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community" is utterly laughable. There have been a goodly number of transgendeered men and women who have publicly come out, decades before Jenner did. Some have paid the price of losing families and careers. Some have been killed. Jenner lost very little by coming out. She has blazed not a single trail nor set a single example for anyone. As far as the LGBTQ+ commity goes, Jenner is more of a parasite than a pioneer.

Second, by aligning herself with Fox News, she is vigorously stabbing in the back the very community that she claims to be part of. Fox News and their "opinion" shows has been in the forefront of turning transgendered people into the latest public enemy in their culture wars in the hopes of turning out the mouthbreathers in the Christian Taliban for the upcoming election. They did the same thing in 2004, when they ginned up a series of state constitutional amendments to outlaw gay marriage in order to get people out to vote for the Darth and Chimpy Show.

Third, if Jenner thinks that she is going to get any respect or validation for her identity from the bigots at Fox, she is more than likely to be sadly mistaken.

So, the conclusion is obvious: It's all about the Benjamins, baby. That, and getting airtime, because, as the saying goes, bad publicity is better than no publicity.

Layering These Down, Here

Tab Clearing

Via Balloon Juice, Greg Greewald, who has been shilling for Putin, gets lambasted by his own words.

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A low-wattage member of the Party of Stupid has been forced to retract a QAnon-worthy claim:

A Nebraska state lawmaker apologized on Monday after he publicly cited a persistent but debunked rumor alleging that schools are placing litter boxes in school bathrooms to accommodate children who self-identify as cats.

Sen. Bruce Bostelman, a conservative Republican, repeated the false claim during a public, televised debate on a bill intended to help school children who have behavioral problems.

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Bad news for the feed stores: Ivermectin, a drug favored by the Thwarted Thief of Democracy and his slavish acolytes, has been proven to be worth bupkis:

The antiparasitic drug ivermectin did not reduce the risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a large study published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Ivermectin was popularized as an alternative COVID-19 treatment despite a lack of strong evidence it helps. The recent study is among the largest that has failed to show a benefit.

In the study, researchers in Brazil compared more than 1,300 patients, some given ivermectin and others given a placebo, and found no difference between the groups.

Not that it will make a bit of difference to the MAGA crowd. Their Traitor-in-Chief has endorsed taking horse dewormer and that's all that matters to them.

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No comment needed for this:

Meanwhile on Russian state TV: Another translated clip of Tucker Carlson and Tulsi Gabbard, introduced by state TV host Vladimir Soloviev as "Our girlfriend Tulsi."

After the clip plays, one panelist asks: "Is she some sort of a Russian agent?" The host quickly replies: "Yes." pic.twitter.com/VVNGmtjavU

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 31, 2022

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Heh. Heh. Heh.

Just in: Humiliated Trump team releases new proof of large crowd size at last night's rally. pic.twitter.com/2NvXBrQjmy

— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) March 27, 2022

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A noted lunatic and lover of Putin is finding out that thumbing his nose at the courts doesn't work very well:

A Superior Court judge on Wednesday found conspiracy theorist and Infowars host Alex Jones in contempt of court and imposed a fine of up to $50,000 a day for what she called his “willful” violation of her orders that he submit to questioning at a deposition by families of victims of the Sandy Hook School killings.

After a series of delays, Jones failed to comply last week with repeated orders by Barbara Bellis that he appear for a deposition on March 23 and 24 in Austin, Texas, where his internet broadcasting company is located. Relatives of the children murdered in the 2012 school shooting in Newtown have been trying for years to question him in connection with their suit filed in response to his broadcast assertions that the shootings were a hoax.

Jones claimed he was unable to sit for the deposition because of a health condition that is aggravated by stress. But Bellis said medical explanations by two of Jones’ physicians were unconvincing. She said there is evidence that, even though Jones’ legal team said he was at home under medical care, he actually was broadcasting during the times the depositions had been scheduled and told his audience his condition was caused by a sinus blockage.

Not smart to claim that one is too sick to talk to lawyers but then broadcasts his stupid show to his wet-brained listeners.

Speaking of Treasonous Fuckwads..

We are a mistake or two away from exchanging exploding ordnance with the Russians and that treasonous old fat fuck is asking Putin for favors.

Exclusive: Trump calls on Putin to release info on Hunter Biden’s dealings with oligarchs https://t.co/a7pIOtAi1y

— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) March 29, 2022

That tweet was by Trump's spokecretin.

The Russians call Trump "their partner":

Meanwhile on Russian state TV:

Host Evgeny Popov says it's time for the Russian people to call on Americans to change "the regime in the U.S." before its term expires "and to again help our partner Trump to become President."https://t.co/orPMoKoxwG pic.twitter.com/sPVDhVWm6Q

— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) March 29, 2022

"Lackey" would be more accurate. Funny how the Russians got themselves so het up about neo-Nazis in Ukraine, but they are eager to employ a guy who basically takes warm showers with Nazis.

This is from conservative commentator Charlie Sykes:

And it is at this moment, amidst a brutal war of aggression, that Trump once again reached out for Putin’s help in attacking the sitting American president and, by extension, this country.

Here’s where we come to the treasonous smoking gun: Trump explicitly frames his request to Putin as an act of retaliation not just against Biden, but against the United States itself.

Some accounts leave out the key phrase that Trump uses when he explains why Putin might help him.

"As long as Putin is not exactly a fan of our country... I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it... you won't get the answer from Ukraine... I think Putin now would be willing to probably give that answer."

As long as Putin is not exactly a fan of our country... said the former and perhaps future president at a time of international conflict.

The rest of the piece is well worth reading.

The Hamberder-Scarfing Treasonous Shitbag is openly colluding, I say again, openly colluding with a country that is somewhere between an adversary and and outright enemy of the United States. It is funny how so-called conservative still have a hard-on for Jane Fonda, while they cheerfully climb into bed with an amoral sociopath from Queens who has willingly conspired with a country that has been a major adversary, if not enemy, of the United States for most of the last seventy-seven years.

It's also funny how the far right, which bleats about the tyranny of vaccines, has aligned itself with an utter tyrant such as the Little Volodya, the Butcher of Ukraine. But I digress.

If you are a supporter of that bone-spurred traitor, then you are guilty by association. Go apply for a Russian passport, please. As long as you bring plenty of money, they'll probably be glad to have your traitorous ass.

You might also ask yourself, if you are OK with Trump's treason, ask yourself how would you react if a Democrat was asking the Tsar Vladimir of Russia for help.

Somebody Who Should Be Pelted With Rotten Fruit Wherever She Goes

That would be a certain neo-Nazi and useful idiot for Putin, one Laura Logan:

It wasn’t long ago that Lara Logan was a correspondent for CBS News, which is a little hard to believe considering the types of conspiracy theories she’s been pushing since she left the network. The latest came during an appearance on the right-wing podcast “And We Know,” during which Logan suggested that the theory of evolution is the result of a wealthy Jewish family paying Charles Darwin to devise an explanation for what gave rise to humanity.

That's the sort of bullshit that one might hear spouted just before a cross-burning. She has a track record of antisemetic remarks. And yes, Gentle Reader, she has been a reliable spewer of Russian propaganda points.

Frankly, she seems to be someone who has fallen down the conspiracy theory/QAnon rabbit hole and is now completely unhinged. About all she apparently hasn't been drooling about is the JFK assassination and chemtrails, but those are probably coming, sooner or later.

Bless her heart.

Russia: Liars and Rapists

First, this:

Russia announced Tuesday it will significantly scale back military operations near Ukraine’s capital and a northern city, as the outlines of a possible deal to end the grinding war came into view at the latest round of talks.

Anybody who takes Russian leaders at their word has rocks in their head. Like this guy.

Second, this:

Accounts of rape and sexual violence began to emerge almost immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to Kateryna Busol, an associate with Chatham House and a Ukrainian lawyer who documented allegations of sexual violence following Russia’s seizure and annexation of Crimea in 2014.

“These accounts are growing, and we are hearing that they are much more widespread than the one account raised by the inspector general,” Ms. Busol said in a phone interview from Regensburg, Germany, where she fled from Kyiv in the days following the invasion.

“What we are hearing by word of mouth, from acquaintances of survivors in the country, is horrific,” she added. “I have had described to me incidents of gang rape, rape in front of children and sexual violence following the killing of family members.”

Wartime rape: It's what Russian soldiers do. Terrorizing civilian populations by murdering men and raping wiomen is an age-old Russian policy.

Plotzing These Down, Here

So I went a little nuts, today. The first two are addtions to all of the rest:

Russian Comms Suck

This is a bit interesting. The self-styled "liberators" have been pillaging the civilians, which means that the Ukrainian populace has even more reason to hate their Russian cousins.

Russian soldiers apparently have a track record of selling whatever military equipment and supplies they can steal in order to supplant their meager pay, including their bestest secure radios, called Azart:

The Ukrainians know all about Azart because soon after Russian troops began receiving them in 2017, many also showed up on the black market, where anyone could buy one. The Ukrainians did so and, along with NATO, discovered what Azar could do and what its weaknesses were. Ukrainian and NATO tech experts concluded that, with proper countermeasures, the Azart radios would become a major liability for Russian commanders and it was.

As the article explains, the encryption feature of Azart radios halves the range of the radios. The frequency-hopping feature also cuts the range. So the Russians have resorted to single-frequency and in-the-clear communications. Apparently, one of the reasons that the Russians have been stuck to the roads is that their radios are unreliable, which implies to me that they have to use the millenia-old method messengers. It also would explain why the Russians may be shifting into defensive positions, where they can run telephone lines, a century-old method.

There's no reporting that I am aware of that the Russians are using carrier pigeons.

Corrupt AF

The Times has a long article on how Joe Manchin has, both as a senator and previously, as a state legislator, worked to ensure that his business interests are protected. He got a sweetheart deal from a power plant that he worked to protect and to which, his coal company is the sole supplier of fuel.

It's sort of a mixture between corporate socialism and corruption.

Interesting....

The Ukrainians claim that they have had access to Russian war planning, including their current plans for the next month of the war.

The Ukrainians may be able to push the Russians out. We should be giving them everything that they need to do so.

A Procurement and Support Argument as to Why the Russian Army Has Screwed the Pooch in Ukraine

Frequent commenter Jon Jones put a link to this video in a comment. I watched it and I think it's worthy of some more attention,

I'll give an executive summary:

The Russian military may not be shit, but, knowing for years that they may have wanted to invade and occupy Ukraine, they continued to spend money on things that made no sense and were unhelpful to the task in front of them. They didn't spend money on what would be necessary for the mission. The Ukrainians, on the other hand, have known for about eight years that Russia would likely invade and they spent their defense money on being ready for that war.

The Russians, for example, have been spending money on insanely unhelpful projects. The Poseidon Torpedo is a sterling example of a very expensive weapons program that makes zero sense and is completely useless for every possible scenario. Even running at high speed and great depths, the fucking thing is going to arrive long after all of the ICBMs and SLBMs have done their slaughter. What is the point of floating a nuclear weapon into New York harbor after the city has been blasted out of existence days before?

Partly because of such wasteful spending, the Russians have not been spending money on basic things that keep an army running. Their advanced secure comm system turned out to be useless (it requires a working 3G cell system, which the Ukrainians deactivated for Russian numbers; the Russians also destroyed some towers). So they are using unsecured comms and, partly due to that, they are losing generals at an alarming rate. Generals have to exercise command and control, especially in an army as unused to independent action and initiative-taking as the Russian army. That requires communicating and if the comms are unsecure, oh, well. As it's pretty hard to operate with one-time pads or codebooks in a fluid situation, secure comms are a must. Their vehicles have been showing signs of poor preventative maintenance and outright corruption (cheap tires instead of military-spec ones).

There is a lot more detail in the video, which is, as I said, is worth the time to watch, or at least, listen to.

Heh.

Ukrainian Olympic Javelin Team ❤️ pic.twitter.com/DcDK7yR275

— The First Casualty - Falklands War History (@FirstFalklands) March 8, 2022

Your Sunday Morning Prop Noise

A Sopwith Camel:

How engine speed was controlled is a fascinating topic.

Putin's Most Reliable Poodle in Europe, also, Fragging

Widely seen as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the European Union, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has sought to assert Hungary’s neutrality in the war in Ukraine, even as his allies in the EU and NATO assist the embattled country and punish Russia for launching the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

Orban, who faces a difficult election on April 3, has refused to supply Ukraine with military aid — alone among Ukraine’s EU neighbors — and has not allowed lethal weapons to be shipped to Ukraine across Hungary’s borders.

Hungarians should well remember what it feels like to have Russian boots stamping on their faces. To not help a neighbor who is fighting for their life against a similar face reeks of something akin to cowardice or greed. The more obvious conclusion is that Orban is being loyal to his paymaster. Or that he would welcome a few Russian tank divisions to cement his hold on power, like Alexander Lukashenko. Orban may feel that it is better to rule a Russian satrap than to be a defeated politician in a free nation.

Meanwhile, back in the war:

Western officials have said they believe a Russian commander was run over by mutinous forces during the fighting in Ukraine, in a sign of what they described as the “morale challenges” faced by the invading forces.

They highlighted – and repeated – reports from earlier this week from a Ukrainian journalist that a colonel of the 37th separate guards motor rifle brigade was run over by a tank. Some reports said he had died of his injuries.

It's not a good sign when officers are being fragged.

Caturday

Chip attends a tea:

If Once is Happenstance, If Twice is Coincidence, What is Thirty-Four Times?

For a month now, Russian forces have repeatedly attacked Ukrainian medical facilities, striking at hospitals, ambulances, medics, patients and even newborns — with at least 34 assaults independently documented by The Associated Press.

Russia will come out of this war as the world's largest pariah state. The European community will edge away from Russian energy. As for the rest, if it can't be extracted from the ground or grown in the ground, Russia basically exports little that anybody wants.

Keep Shoveling in More and Better Weapons to the Ukrainians

It seems to be working.

Col.-Gen Sergei Rudskoi, deputy chief of the Russian general staff, said the main objective of the first stage of the operation — reducing Ukraine’s fighting capacity — has “generally been accomplished,” allowing Russian forces to focus on “the main goal, liberation of Donbas.”

It is risible to say that the "main goal" was to conquer the Donbas, when the Russians were clearly planning to take Kyiv, install a puppet government and hold a victory parade. If they weren't planning to try and take the country, then why did they send so many troops to attack Kyiv?

The only parade the Russians have been holding is the parade of coffins back to Russia.

In occupied areas, Ukrainians are playing one of their war songs, "Bayraktar", for the Russians:

Ukrainian civilians are playing Bayraktar song and having Russian occupying forces listen to it - unknown location in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/bWbhWtWQox

— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) March 25, 2022

This is "Bayraktar":

How this war ends is not up to us. It's up to the Ukrainians. But we have a moral obligation to give them what they need to repel the Russian invaders.

Corrupt, Much?

You might recall this, from two months ago:

The Supreme Court on [January 19, 2022] denied former President Donald Trump's request for a stay of a lower court mandate that hundreds of pages of his presidential records from Jan. 6 be turned over to the congressional committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The vote was 8-1. Justice Clarence Thomas would have granted the application.

So why was Thomas so intent on shielding Trump's records, one might ask. It's because those records implicated his wife in pushing Trump's Big Lie.

Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, sent weeks of text messages imploring White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to act to overturn the 2020 presidential election — furthering then-President Donald Trump’s lies that the free and fair vote was marred by nonexistent fraud, according to copies of the messages obtained by The Washington Post and CBS News.

So, to recap, a guy who has sworn to uphold the Constitution was apparently shielding his wife in her attempts to stage a coup and overthrow the duly elected government.

Because It's Friday

The Royal Scot:

Last Train From Russia

The Allegro, high-speed rail service between St. Petersburg and Helsinki, is shutting down.

The Finnish government has decided that EU sanctions against Russia preclude running the train. The trains have recently been full of Russians fleeing their country. So it's possible that the Putin regime quietly asked the Finns to shut it down. Or maybe things are just as they appear to be.

The London Money Laundromat

How the British politicians are conniving in washing the money of oligarchs and how Putin and his kleptocracy have basically bought the British government.

Blasting These Down, Here

Gobsmackingly Stupid

Another elected GOPer:

She definately has the required level of smarts to be in the QAnon branch of the party.

But how does she manage to perform complex tasks, such as feeding herself?

These Clowns Are Elected Republicans

First, we have the sitting senator from Indiana, who seems to think that it's just peachy to have laws forbidding mixed-race marriages:

REPORTER: "You would be okay with the Supreme Court leaving the issue of interracial marriage to the states?"

SEN. MIKE BRAUN (R-IN): "Yes. If you are not wanting the Supreme Court to weigh in on issues like that, you are not going to be able to have your cake and eat it too." pic.twitter.com/jiVTMOpC01

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) March 22, 2022

I gather that it didn't occur to him that the most batshit-crazy wingnut on the Supremes is in a mixed-marriage.

Next up, a recurring offender, a loyal member of Putin's Congressional Caucus

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) blames Ukraine for being invaded: "You see Ukraine just kept poking the bear, poking the bear, which is Russia, and Russia invaded. And the hard truth is ... there is no win for Ukraine here. Russia is being very successful in their invasion." pic.twitter.com/RVHeMzSJ2F

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) March 22, 2022

Vlad the Butcher has his American propaganda machine, showing that the far right has gone from regarding Russia as the "evil empire" to getting down on their knees to give Putin a hummer, but that's a subject for another time, perhaps.

Good Riddance

A California man suspected of taking part in the US Capitol riots last year has been granted asylum in Belarus.

Goombye, Asswipe. Vaya con el Diablo, malparido.

DD-214 Fraudsters

I am hearing that basically, people who get out of the service are being counselled to apply for diability benefits from the VA, whether or not they are actually disabled.

It seems to be massive fraud, aided and abetted by the armed forces.

"Thank you for your service"?? Maybe "why the fuck aren't you in prison for defrauding the government" is more truthful.

“They Are Assholes!”

One Ukrainian woman's opinion of Russian soldiers.

From CDR Sal, as part of his writeup of the Battles of Voznesensk, which is worth reading.

One of the retirees in the town grabbed his hunting rifle and joined in. He sounds like the Ukrainian version of Sam Whittlemore.

This interview with Gen. Petraeus is worth a read.

Quisling Motors is going back into production.

Blowing These Down, Here

And a bit of bonus snark:

Oh Noes, Joe Biden Hurt Little Vladdies's Feewings!

Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday it had summoned U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan to tell him that President Joe Biden's calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" had pushed bilateral ties to the brink of collapse.

President Biden said last week that Putin was a "war criminal" for sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. read more

"Such statements from the American president, unworthy of a statesman of such high rank, put Russian-American relations on the verge of rupture," the ministry said in a statement.

That's all it takes? Saying bad things about Tsar Vlad the Short?

Let's not forget that Russia invaded a neighboring country, after grabbing portions of its territory eight years ago. When the people of that county didn't welcome the Russian army as liberators, and instead, had the temerity to resist, the Russians resorted to indiscriminate shelling of residential areas with the clear intention of reducing the cities to rubble.

War of aggression... check. Deliberately attacking civilians.... check. Breaking cease fires to shell civilian evacuation convoys.... check. Forcibly deporting civilians.... check. Sounds to me as though there is a lot war criminal-type activity going on.

Meanwhile, apparently, one of Putin's Poodles is mightily upset at being labelled "an organ of Russian disinformation." The only reason that he may have a point is that nobody's shown that Tuckyo Rose has taken any money from Russia. But that he seems to be very frequently repeating Russian propaganda, well, that seems to be accurate enough. And he isn't the only one of Fox/Pravda to be doing that.

SSO

Single-stage-to-orbit has been a dream for spaceflight for generations. It could seriously lower the cost of getting payloads to orbit.

It may yet happen.

Radian Aerospace has a handful of engineers, far fewer than they will need to build something that flies. But they have a neat concept. It would be fantastic if they can pull this off.

Your Sunday Morning Jet Noise

Me-262:

Last week, I screwed up the posting time. By the time that I realized that I had messed up, it was far too late to retroactively post it, so I just changed the title. My apologies to all.

Remember, There Was a Time When Republicans Weren't Lining Up to Suck Russian Dick

Times have sure changed.

Something else to remember about the Party of Treason:

Trump:

* ordered Pence to skip Zelenskyy’s inauguration

* refused for months to meet with Zelenskky

* blocked military aid for Ukraine

* blackmailed Ukrainians for political purposes.

Every congressional Republican but Mitt Romney said: That’s cool.
https://t.co/2wz0xzlodF

— John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) March 19, 2022

A Harvest of Hatred and Bitterness

It took no stroke of genius to know that this would happen:

Something I've noticed over the past week or so here: almost every Ukrainian I spoke to has made it clear that they blame not only Putin, but the average Russian as much (or more) for this war. The view is: we overthrew our corrupt government, and they accept their murderous one.

— Neil Hauer (@NeilPHauer) March 19, 2022

To be a Ukrainian will be to hate Russians, and that isn't going to change for many decades. To be an eastern or nordic European will be to be wary of Russia and maintain a good military capability.

Meanwhile, Putin loves Fox News.

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has praised Fox News for its coverage, appearing on the Russian state-controlled RT network to hail the right-leaning US cable channel, whose primetime host Tucker Carlson has played down the invasion.

Putin also loves the MAGA Insurrectionists and Donald Trump. Which, I submit, tells you all that one needs to know about all of them (Fox News, MAGA terrorist and Trump), that they are, in their rotten and debased cores, traitors.

And if you watch Fox News, what does that say about you?

New Heater Update - V

(Last post)

I took the gun to the range this morning to sight it in. The elevation adjustment screw is frozen. Between this gun and the last one, I now have four failed trips to the range to sight in new S&W Model 66-8s.

Am I kicking myself for not buying a 3" GP100 or a Colt King Cobra? You can bet your motherfucking ass on that, pally.

Caturday

Chip finds a sunbeam wherever he can.

Pity the Poor Russian Oligarchs

A 223-foot (68-metre) luxury yacht owned by a former KGB agent and longtime acquaintance of Vladimir Putin is currently stranded at a Norwegian port after locals’ persistent refusal to sell it fuel.

The vessel, called Ragnar, an old norse word meaning “warrior”, is owned by Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, and its crew has been told by Norwegian fuel suppliers in the northern port of Narvik to “row home” or “raise the sails”. They say they will not refuel it because of the owner’s links to the Russian president.

The captain is trying to rely on the boat's flag of convenience to justify being able to fuel. Good luck with that.

Racist Teabaggers, Much?

The Parade of Aggrieved Fat White Male Racists continues:

This morning, a trucker with The People’s Convoy on the main stage said: “What’s going to happen up here in DC: Black Lives Matter Street, we’re gonna take it back. All that paint’s coming off that street.” The trucker adds, “it’s gonna get tar and feathered.”

— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) March 18, 2022

Modern Symbology, Updated

Christian Talibanistas Taking Advantage of the Second Russo-Ukrainian War

Why is some far-right lunatic, an alleged domestic terrorist, working on behalf of a shadowy and apparently non-existent "adoption" agency to snatch kids from Ukraine?

Because It's Friday

The Brits have some glorious steam locomotives:

Putin’s Congressional Caucus

These are the congressmen who voted against revoking Russia's normal trade status: GOP Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Chip Roy of Texas.

Some of them are part of the usual gang of Q-spouting idiots. All of them are embarrassments to their districts.

Belting These Down, Here

And a bonus:

The Companies That Keep Doing Business With Putin

There should be no surprise to this: Koch Industries continues to do business with the Butcher of Ukraine. Halliburton is another one.

The above link will bring you to an article that lists those companies that have stopped doing business with Putin and those who have blithely carried on, because they are amoral fucks.

These are the amoral fucks, as of today:

The list of Putin's sycophants in this country probably needs to be compiled. So far, it would seem to include Tucker "Tuckyorose" Carlson, Donald Trump and his spawn, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nick Fuentes, Paul Gosar, Thomas Massie, Matt Rosendale, Glenn Greenwald, Candace Owens, almost everyone who appears on the Tuckyo Rose Show and most of the hosts on Fox News.

Let's Make One Point Clear About Nuclear Weapons

There has been some discussion by Some Very Serious People as to whether or not Putin will use nuclear weapons, including maybe nuking weapons assembly points in Poland or Romania.

Let's be clear on one thing: Nuclear weapons strategy is probably one of the simplest concepts around. it comes down to this:

If You Nuke Us, We Will Nuke You.

There is no nuance to be had in that. Peace between the superpowers has rested on that concept since the Soviet Union acquired nuclear weapons.

Those who don't comprehend that, who don't undertand that, should not be allowed to handle sharp objects.

The problem is that there is no bright line between "tactical nuclear weapons" and "strategic nuclear weapons". What is tactical to one side is strategic to another, and, also keep in mind, in the current brouhaha in Europe, there are at least three Western nations with nuclear weapons.

As I said a month or so ago, Admiral Painter had it right:

If the Russians use a nuclear weapon, the time left to enjoy civilization may well be measured in hours.

"This business will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it."

New Russian Novels

Also "Notes from Legitimate State-Approved News Sources", "Sanctions and Punishment" and "From Russia with Heavy Artillery".

Smacking These Down, Here

And a freebie:

I should've posted this one by itself yesterday:

USSS Incel Case Study

It's available online.

Basically, these clowns are a bunch of guys who refuse to do the work to get to know people or to relate to them. They think that because they have a Holy Penis, that any/all women should feel honored to have sex with them. They treat having sex and having a girlfriend as their G-d given right.

Which, of course, is an attitude that most women do not find appealing. So they don't get laid. And since, in their twisted minds, they are being denied what is rightfully theirs, they feel free to go out and kill people, because 'Murrica.[1] Because they are socially repugnant and so offensive that they repeatedly get fired from jobs for harassment, thrown out of bars, evicted from apartments and so on and so forth, everyone else is to blame.

They are sick puppies.
________________

[1] OK, that's a little unfair. Canadian jackoffs have done the same thing.

A Sign of Russian Stupidity or Are They Running Out of Supplies?

American intelligence officials have discovered that the barrage of ballistic missiles Russia has fired into Ukraine contain a surprise: decoys that trick air-defense radars and fool heat-seeking missiles.

The devices are each about a foot long, shaped like a dart and white with an orange tail, according to an American intelligence official. They are released by the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missiles that Russia is firing from mobile launchers across the border, the official said, when the missile senses that it has been targeted by air defense systems.

Each is packed with electronics and produces radio signals to jam or spoof enemy radars attempting to locate the Iskander-M, and contains a heat source to attract incoming missiles. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about intelligence matters, described the devices on the condition of anonymity.

This is the gizmo in question:

This is an unidentified munition currently being found in Ukraine. At the moment an official identification has not been made. Any additional images, technical information or identification is very much appreciated: https://t.co/dtWwdIJaV3 pic.twitter.com/p2lWFeljYd

— CAT-UXO (@CAT_UXO) March 5, 2022

This is what the internals look like:

So what does a transponder do and is it better described as a decoy: https://t.co/nIR016Mell pic.twitter.com/SS6VNIbO6Q

— CAT-UXO (@CAT_UXO) March 13, 2022

There are more details in a NY Times story, which may be paywalled.

A very long time ago, I read that the Russians never exported their top-of-the-line weapons. They only exported what they called "monkey models", both because they were easier to train customer nations to operate and to prevent Western spies from getting their hands on them.

That the Russians are now using munitions that one would assume would have been designated only for use in a direct conflict with NATO suggests that either they are running low of their own stocks or there has been a major fuckup. For you can bet your paycheck that those decoys are in the hands of various analytical labs of several NATO nations by now, and that developing counter-counter measures is Job One in those facilities.

The Brits Go Wild and Crazy

Outdoor weddings and civil partnerships are to be legalised permanently in England and Wales, ministers have announced.

Since last summer, couples have been able to hold their civil wedding or ceremony outside under temporary measures introduced during the coronavirus pandemic.

Before then, civil ceremonies had to take place indoors, or outdoors within a permanent structure such as a bandstand.

I understand that Britain has a reputation of being an über-nanny state, but weddings weren't legal if there wasn't a roof over the ceremony? What the hell was the motivation for that? Was it a plot by Big Wedding Venue to ensure that they got their piece of the action?

TuckyoRose Has Sold His Soul to Putin

The Russians are regarding him as an essential person in their propaganda effort.

On March 3, as Russian military forces bombed Ukrainian cities as part of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of his neighbor, the Kremlin sent out talking points to state-friendly media outlets with a request: Use more Tucker Carlson.

“It is essential to use as much as possible fragments of broadcasts of the popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who sharply criticizes the actions of the United States [and] NATO, their negative role in unleashing the conflict in Ukraine, [and] the defiantly provocative behavior from the leadership of the Western countries and NATO towards the Russian Federation and towards President Putin, personally,” advises the 12-page document written in Russian.

Everywhere Carleson speaks, the rotten-fruit concession should make a lot of money. He ought to go to the nearest Russian consulate and pick up his new passport. And go.

Russian Hubris and Putin's War

Francis Fukuyama added a new data point to support the notion that Putin has badly bungled his war:

Russia is heading for an outright defeat in Ukraine. Russian planning was incompetent, based on a flawed assumption that Ukrainians were favorable to Russia and that their military would collapse immediately following an invasion. Russian soldiers were evidently carrying dress uniforms for their victory parade in Kyiv rather than extra ammo and rations. Putin at this point has committed the bulk of his entire military to this operation—there are no vast reserves of forces he can call up to add to the battle. Russian troops are stuck outside various Ukrainian cities where they face huge supply problems and constant Ukrainian attacks.

"We will be welcomed as liberators." Where have we heard that before? The difference between 2003 and 2022 is that in Ukraine, the people put being Ukrainian above whatever political viewpoints they held. Russia is reaping a legacy of hatred in eastern Europe and a legacy of distrust in the rest of Europe that will not soon evaporate.

If the Ukrainians can keep attacking Russian supply lines, then Fukuyama opines that the Russian army will collapse. Which leads me to wonder if the Chinese might choose to supply stuff to Russia to prevent that happening.

On the other hand, if the Russians collapse militarily, that may give China a chance to assert itself in its own neighborhood. Those countries who have been relying on Russian support to counter China may find themselves in a rough situation.

The dangerous thing is that, given Putin may have a non-zero chance of being removed in a coup, he could choose to try to bring down the entire world with him.

These are interesting times.

Feets-Ball News

These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG pic.twitter.com/U0yhRKVKVm

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 13, 2022

The Ukrainians are Hurting the Russians, Russia is Running Out of Shit

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that in recent days, Russia had requested support from China, including military equipment, to press forward in its ongoing war with Ukraine. The official did not provide details on the scope of the request.

That's an intersting bit of news, It implies that the Ukrainians are doing some real damage to the Russian army.

I have written before of the hubris of countries that start wars, thinking that they will be short, sharp and decisive. The Russians planned for a short and sharp war with Ukraine. The Ukrainians did not oblige them.

For the West, NATO and allies in the Western Pacific need to take a hard look at this war and then look at their own stocks of war materiel and their abilities to quickly replenish them.

For example, I don't know how many Javelins LockMart can make a year, but a guess would be a thousand a year. Stinger MANPADs apparently are out of production. I don't know how many of either have been or will be delivered to the Ukrainian army/resistance. If an air war happens, the F-22 is long out of production.

In a war that drags out, we are all but guaranteed to have a modern verion of the Shell Crisis.

But as for China, they should look at their trade markets of Europe, North America and elsewhere and compare those to their trade markets in Russia and Iran before they decide whether or not to underwrite Putin's war of aggression. Or maybe they might want to think about pressing their own territorial claims in Siberia whilst the opportunity presents itself. Russia may not be the only nation with dreams of reclaiming some of its territorial empire.

Your Sunday Evening Jet Noise

Cirrus jet:

This is Just too Delicious

The Russian Embassy in Lisbon. Two neighbouring houses are projecting the blue and yellow onto its facade. The ambassador is reportedly “apoplectic”. pic.twitter.com/KHR2ANYbhh

— Roger Hutchinson (@RogerMiles) March 11, 2022

Only 8.4% of Americans Consider Russia to Be a Friendly Nation

80% of Americans consider Russia to be an enemy. The rest listen to Tucker Carleson, the Tubbo of Mar-a-Lardo and the rest of Putin's poodles.

Ukraine is the third-most admired nation. These views are held by both Republicans and Democrats.

Caturday

Sam:

New Heater Update - IV

(Previous post)

The new gun is here. I'm not posting a photo as it looks exactly like the first one.

By eye, it appears that this one doesn't have the same issues, but the proof will be in the shooting and I have not had time for that. I did check the timing before putting it into the safe, that looks OK.

It's kind of a low priority. There is other stuff going in in my circle that is (a) not good, and (b) not something I'm willing to share at the present time, if ever.

Radio Правда, a/k/a Fox News

Much of Fox News has turned itself into a propaganda outlet for the Kremlin.

None of this should be a surprise. It's what right-wing media does. Prior to the German declaration of war on December 11, 1941, a large chunk of the Right was pretty much parrotting Nazi propaganda. The Right in this country has hated freedom and democracy for generations, especially when those who get to participate in our democracy are women and minorities.

Those who listen to Fox/Pravda should keep in mind the old Russian saying: "There is no truth in Pravda."

Because It's Friday

Western Maryland 1309:

Coal-fired steam is something to see.

Madison Cawthorn is a Pile of Human Garbage

Apparently, he hasn't got the memo that being a Putinite is no longer within the GOP mainstream:

U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina told supporters he thought Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a "thug"—a comment that runs counter to the overwhelming share of Republicans with a favorable view of the leader fending off a military invasion from Russia.

"Remember that Zelenskyy is a thug," Cawthorn said in a video obtained by WRAL. "Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies."

I can only think of two reasons why that repugnant lump of rotting slime would dislike Zelenskyy. First, he's standing up to the war criminal who holds the leash of the Bloated Beast of Mar-a-Lago. Second, he didn't concoct evidence to support the Florida Fraudster's fiction about Hunter Biden's laptop.

No doubt that in the beginning of the last big war in Europe, Cawthorn would be be yammering about the corruption of the Polish government. He seems to be someone who thinks that when invasion is looming, one should lie back and enjoy the occupation.

Another Day, More Russian Atrocities

Shooting at civilians. Bombing a maternity hospital. The Russians are alternately claiming that the hospital was a military base and that they didn't bomb it.

Putin still has his defenders in the Trumpist party, along with two Democrats.

Binging These Down, Here

Seditionist News

The first asshole from the 1/6/21 insurrection who opted to take the matter to trial was convicted. The jury was out for all of three hours. This was the guy, you may recall, that, when his kids told him that he had broken the law, threatened to kill them if they ratted him out.

One of the leaders of the Proud Boys has been arrested on conspiracy charges for the Insurrection. This particular asswipe was out on bail at the time and violated his bail conditions, which will probably net him a few charges just for that.

The Feds aren't done arresting people, either.