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babylonsister
babylonsister's Journal
babylonsister's Journal
March 31, 2022
World News
Russian Troops Are Self-Sabotaging In Ukraine, Says British Intelligence Chief
President Vladimir "Putin has massively misjudged the situation... [and] over-estimated the abilities of his military," according to GCHQ leader Jeremy Fleming.
By Akbar Shahid Ahmed
Mar. 30, 2022, 08:02 PM EDT
Russian troops deployed to invade Ukraine are undermining their own offensive by rejecting orders and destroying their equipment, including aircraft, according to Jeremy Fleming, the head of British intelligence agency GCHQ.
“It increasingly looks like [President] Vladimir Putin has massively misjudged the situation.... He over-estimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory,” Fleming said in prepared remarks released ahead of a speech Thursday in Australia.
“Short of weapons and morale,” the Russians downed their own aircraft by mistake, he added. Fleming also confirmed that Moscow has deployed mercenaries and foreign fighters as part of its operation.
The GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) is a top partner for U.S. intelligence, and Fleming’s statement is his first public comment on the Ukraine war since the invasion began on Feb. 24.
“Even though we believe Putin’s advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, what’s going on and the extent of these misjudgements must be crystal clear to the regime,” Fleming continued.
more...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/russian-troops-ukraine-british-intelligence-chief_n_6244d89ce4b0587dee64a001
Russian Troops Are Self-Sabotaging In Ukraine, Says British Intelligence Chief
World News
Russian Troops Are Self-Sabotaging In Ukraine, Says British Intelligence Chief
President Vladimir "Putin has massively misjudged the situation... [and] over-estimated the abilities of his military," according to GCHQ leader Jeremy Fleming.
By Akbar Shahid Ahmed
Mar. 30, 2022, 08:02 PM EDT
Russian troops deployed to invade Ukraine are undermining their own offensive by rejecting orders and destroying their equipment, including aircraft, according to Jeremy Fleming, the head of British intelligence agency GCHQ.
“It increasingly looks like [President] Vladimir Putin has massively misjudged the situation.... He over-estimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory,” Fleming said in prepared remarks released ahead of a speech Thursday in Australia.
“Short of weapons and morale,” the Russians downed their own aircraft by mistake, he added. Fleming also confirmed that Moscow has deployed mercenaries and foreign fighters as part of its operation.
The GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) is a top partner for U.S. intelligence, and Fleming’s statement is his first public comment on the Ukraine war since the invasion began on Feb. 24.
“Even though we believe Putin’s advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, what’s going on and the extent of these misjudgements must be crystal clear to the regime,” Fleming continued.
more...
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/russian-troops-ukraine-british-intelligence-chief_n_6244d89ce4b0587dee64a001
March 31, 2022
Senator Maserati Houseboat Opposes Billionaire Tax
Surprise! Joe Manchin is an untrustworthy fake Democrat.
Senator Maserati Houseboat Opposes Billionaire Tax Credit: screenshot
By Joan McCarter — March 30, 2022
Sen. Joe Manchin is out there trolling us all again on President Joe Biden’s agenda to tackle climate change and economic inequality. This time he’s telling reporters that he’s certainly open to a package that could include increasing taxes on the climate and energy proposals and prescription drug pricing reforms. He even suggested a timeframe: “I’ve heard people say that before the July 4 break, you should have something done if you’re going to do anything because coming back might be futile.”
snip//
He’s actually not all that into tax fairness, as it turns out. He’s already rejected Biden’s billionaire tax, a plan to impose a minimum 20% income tax rate on the top 0.01% of earners and households worth more than $100 million. That includes “unrealized investment income.” Manchin doesn’t like that. “You can’t tax something that’s not earned—earned income is what we’re based on,” he says, although you can entirely tax things that aren’t earned. “Unrealized gains is not the way to do it,” he told reporters, shooting down the 20% minimum tax. That’s what one gets trying to please the senator from West Virginia.
Note that Manchin is definitely on the record advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy. Just some other kind of higher tax on the wealthy, apparently. Also note that many of the wealthiest Americans don’t actually “earn” much of anything—they pay for their lifestyles by borrowing against their stock holdings and avoid paying taxes that way. If Manchin insists the only way they can be taxed is on what they earn, well, Manchin is full of shit.
While Manchin is playing hard to get, things are going to start getting hard, period, for millions of Americans as COVID-19 relief programs start ending, and there’s no Biden Build Back Better plan to replace them.
more...
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/03/senator-maserati-houseboat-opposes
Senator Maserati Houseboat Opposes Billionaire Tax
Senator Maserati Houseboat Opposes Billionaire Tax
Surprise! Joe Manchin is an untrustworthy fake Democrat.
Senator Maserati Houseboat Opposes Billionaire Tax Credit: screenshot
By Joan McCarter — March 30, 2022
Sen. Joe Manchin is out there trolling us all again on President Joe Biden’s agenda to tackle climate change and economic inequality. This time he’s telling reporters that he’s certainly open to a package that could include increasing taxes on the climate and energy proposals and prescription drug pricing reforms. He even suggested a timeframe: “I’ve heard people say that before the July 4 break, you should have something done if you’re going to do anything because coming back might be futile.”
snip//
He’s actually not all that into tax fairness, as it turns out. He’s already rejected Biden’s billionaire tax, a plan to impose a minimum 20% income tax rate on the top 0.01% of earners and households worth more than $100 million. That includes “unrealized investment income.” Manchin doesn’t like that. “You can’t tax something that’s not earned—earned income is what we’re based on,” he says, although you can entirely tax things that aren’t earned. “Unrealized gains is not the way to do it,” he told reporters, shooting down the 20% minimum tax. That’s what one gets trying to please the senator from West Virginia.
Note that Manchin is definitely on the record advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy. Just some other kind of higher tax on the wealthy, apparently. Also note that many of the wealthiest Americans don’t actually “earn” much of anything—they pay for their lifestyles by borrowing against their stock holdings and avoid paying taxes that way. If Manchin insists the only way they can be taxed is on what they earn, well, Manchin is full of shit.
While Manchin is playing hard to get, things are going to start getting hard, period, for millions of Americans as COVID-19 relief programs start ending, and there’s no Biden Build Back Better plan to replace them.
more...
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/03/senator-maserati-houseboat-opposes
March 31, 2022
Lawmakers Get New Campaign Spending Loophole
Such bullshit. No amount of money donated by citizens for the express purpose of getting someone elected should be used for personal expenses, ever. 
https://politicalwire.com/2022/03/30/lawmakers-get-new-campaign-spending-loophole/
Lawmakers Get New Campaign Spending Loophole
March 30, 2022 at 9:48 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard
“Federal regulators last week allowed a legal loophole that could effectively let former members of Congress spend leftover campaign money on personal expenses,” Axios reports.
“Campaign finance reform advocates say that opens the door to former public servants to live large off of money intended for political contests. Scores are already retired, and more members are heading for the door this fall ahead of potential Democratic losses and GOP challenges.”
“Campaign finance reform advocates say that opens the door to former public servants to live large off of money intended for political contests. Scores are already retired, and more members are heading for the door this fall ahead of potential Democratic losses and GOP challenges.”
March 30, 2022
https://www.thedailybeast.com/cbs-news-boss-says-they-need-to-hire-more-republicans-because-gops-going-to-take-over?ref=home
CBS News Boss: We Need to Hire Republicans Because GOP’s ‘Going to Take Over’
‘EMBARRASSED’
Justin Baragona
Media Reporter
Published Mar. 30, 2022 4:40PM ET
Bloomberg
CBS News Boss: We Need to Hire Republicans Because GOP's 'Going to Take Over'
https://www.thedailybeast.com/cbs-news-boss-says-they-need-to-hire-more-republicans-because-gops-going-to-take-over?ref=home
CBS News Boss: We Need to Hire Republicans Because GOP’s ‘Going to Take Over’
‘EMBARRASSED’
Justin Baragona
Media Reporter
Published Mar. 30, 2022 4:40PM ET
Bloomberg
According to leaked audio obtained by The Washington Post, CBS News co-president Neeraj Khemlani appeared to set the stage for the network’s highly criticized hiring of former Trump Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney by citing Republicans’ likely midterm victories. “If you look at some of the people that we’ve been hiring on a contributor basis, being able to make sure that we are getting access to both sides of the aisle is a priority because we know the Republicans are going to take over, most likely, in the midterms,” she told staffers of the network’s morning show this month. “A lot of the people that we’re bringing in are helping us in terms of access to that side of the equation.” A CBS News employee, following Tuesday’s official announcement that Mulvaney was a CBS contributor, told the Post that “everyone I talked to today was embarrassed about the hiring.” During his time with the Trump administration, which also included a stint as Office of Management and Budget director, Mulvaney initially downplayed the coronavirus pandemic as a media ploy “to bring down the president.” He also notoriously justified former President Donald Trump’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine for political dirt, telling reporters to “get over it.”
March 30, 2022
GOP Candidates Ditch Debates
But of course they do. With no platform, these could be uncomfortable. 
https://politicalwire.com/2022/03/30/gop-candidates-ditch-debates/
GOP Candidates Ditch Debates
March 30, 2022 at 6:52 am EDT By Taegan Goddard
“Republican candidates this year are increasingly ducking out of primary debates or demanding greater control over the terms than ever before, raising questions about the future of an institution that has long been a central part of American campaigns,” Politico reports.
March 30, 2022
Ukraine Awards Medal To Border Guard Who Told 'Russian Warship, Go F*** Yourself'
Roman Hrybov was returned from Russian captivity to his native Cherkasy region and was immediately given the award.
By Ed Scarce — March 29, 2022
Another one of those feel-good stories. Roman Hrybov was met by the head of the Cherkasy OVA Ihor Taburets and presented the soldier with the award "For Merits to Cherkasy Region".
Source: Business Insider
⚡️The author of the slogan about the #Russian warship returned home
Ukraine Awards Medal To Border Guard Who Told 'Russian Warship, Go F*** Yourself'
https://crooksandliars.com/2022/03/ukraine-awards-medal-border-guard-who-toldUkraine Awards Medal To Border Guard Who Told 'Russian Warship, Go F*** Yourself'
Roman Hrybov was returned from Russian captivity to his native Cherkasy region and was immediately given the award.
By Ed Scarce — March 29, 2022
Another one of those feel-good stories. Roman Hrybov was met by the head of the Cherkasy OVA Ihor Taburets and presented the soldier with the award "For Merits to Cherkasy Region".
Source: Business Insider
The Ukrainian border guard who said "Russian warship, go fuck yourself" during the defense of Snake Island has been released from captivity, Ukraine's military announced on Tuesday.
"Roman Hrybov, the author of the famous "Russian Warship, Go F*** Yourself" phrase, returned from Russian captivity to his native Cherkasy region," Ukraine's defense ministry tweeted on Tuesday. "Glory to the Hero!"
Thirteen Ukrainian border guards stationed on the tiny Zmiinyi Island in the Black Sea, known in English as Snake Island, defiantly told a Russian ship to "go fuck yourself" when they were asked to surrender in February.
The border guards were originally thought to have then been killed by Russian forces.
"Roman Hrybov, the author of the famous "Russian Warship, Go F*** Yourself" phrase, returned from Russian captivity to his native Cherkasy region," Ukraine's defense ministry tweeted on Tuesday. "Glory to the Hero!"
Thirteen Ukrainian border guards stationed on the tiny Zmiinyi Island in the Black Sea, known in English as Snake Island, defiantly told a Russian ship to "go fuck yourself" when they were asked to surrender in February.
The border guards were originally thought to have then been killed by Russian forces.
Ukrainian Snake Island Border Guard who delivered the now-famous line, "Russian warship, go fuck yourself!" that has become a national rallying cry, was released from captivity & returned to his home in Cherkasy. Today he received an award for his bravery. https://t.co/NBF5dVStqb
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 29, 2022
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 29, 2022
⚡️The author of the slogan about the #Russian warship returned home
Border guard Roman Gribov returned from captivity and received the award "For Services to #Cherkassy Region". pic.twitter.com/u1xjtnIkQP
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 29, 2022
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 29, 2022
March 29, 2022
Clarence Thomas’s long fight against fair and democratic elections
Like wife, like husband.
By Ian Millhiser Mar 29, 2022, 7:00am EDT
We now know that Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, spent the weeks after the 2020 election cheerleading the Trump White House’s efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in that election. One detail we do not yet know, however, is what Justice Thomas knew about his wife’s communications, and whether he tried to use his office to protect her.
snip//
But here’s the thing: Yes, Thomas’s vote in this case, Trump v. Thompson, may have been an underhanded effort to protect his own wife. But his vote in Trump was entirely consistent with his record in cases where his spouse does not have a personal interest.
In more than three decades on the Supreme Court, Thomas has consistently voted to make it harder for many Americans to have their vote count; to erode institutions, like a free press, that are essential to democracy; and to dismantle nearly a century’s worth of democratically enacted laws on spurious constitutional grounds. Thomas’s opposition to democracy is not rooted in nepotism. It appears to be quite principled.
Among other things, Thomas is the only sitting justice who voted to install a Republican president in Bush v. Gore (2000) — although three other current justices were part of Republican George W. Bush’s legal team in that case. Thomas would allow Republican administrations to deactivate the entire Voting Rights Act so long as they are in power. He would strip journalists of First Amendment rights that allow them to safely provide critical coverage of government officials. And he would invalidate a long list of laws including the federal bans on child labor and on whites-only lunch counters, based on a widely rejected reading of the constitutional provision that grants Congress most of its power over the private sector.
No matter how the scandal with his wife’s texts shakes out, it’s worth remembering how the Court’s longest-serving justice would shape the world. In Clarence Thomas’s America, elections would be skewed so heavily in the Republican Party’s favor that Democrats will struggle to ever gain power. And if Democrats somehow do manage to squeak into office, Thomas would ensure that they cannot govern.
more...
https://www.vox.com/2022/3/29/22999755/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-voting-rights-democracy-elections-ginni
Clarence Thomas's long fight against fair and democratic elections
Clarence Thomas’s long fight against fair and democratic elections
Like wife, like husband.
By Ian Millhiser Mar 29, 2022, 7:00am EDT
We now know that Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, spent the weeks after the 2020 election cheerleading the Trump White House’s efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in that election. One detail we do not yet know, however, is what Justice Thomas knew about his wife’s communications, and whether he tried to use his office to protect her.
snip//
But here’s the thing: Yes, Thomas’s vote in this case, Trump v. Thompson, may have been an underhanded effort to protect his own wife. But his vote in Trump was entirely consistent with his record in cases where his spouse does not have a personal interest.
In more than three decades on the Supreme Court, Thomas has consistently voted to make it harder for many Americans to have their vote count; to erode institutions, like a free press, that are essential to democracy; and to dismantle nearly a century’s worth of democratically enacted laws on spurious constitutional grounds. Thomas’s opposition to democracy is not rooted in nepotism. It appears to be quite principled.
Among other things, Thomas is the only sitting justice who voted to install a Republican president in Bush v. Gore (2000) — although three other current justices were part of Republican George W. Bush’s legal team in that case. Thomas would allow Republican administrations to deactivate the entire Voting Rights Act so long as they are in power. He would strip journalists of First Amendment rights that allow them to safely provide critical coverage of government officials. And he would invalidate a long list of laws including the federal bans on child labor and on whites-only lunch counters, based on a widely rejected reading of the constitutional provision that grants Congress most of its power over the private sector.
No matter how the scandal with his wife’s texts shakes out, it’s worth remembering how the Court’s longest-serving justice would shape the world. In Clarence Thomas’s America, elections would be skewed so heavily in the Republican Party’s favor that Democrats will struggle to ever gain power. And if Democrats somehow do manage to squeak into office, Thomas would ensure that they cannot govern.
more...
https://www.vox.com/2022/3/29/22999755/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-voting-rights-democracy-elections-ginni
March 29, 2022
Unprotected Russian soldiers disturbed radioactive dust in Chernobyl's 'Red Forest', workers say
Reuters
March 29, 2022, 1:23 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -Russian soldiers who seized the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster drove their armoured vehicles without radiation protection through a highly toxic zone called the "Red Forest", kicking up clouds of radioactive dust, workers at the site said.
The two sources said soldiers in the convoy did not use any anti-radiation gear. The second Chernobyl employee said that was "suicidal" for the soldiers because the radioactive dust they inhaled was likely to cause internal radiation in their bodies.
Ukraine's state nuclear inspectorate said on Feb. 25 there had been an increase in radiation levels at Chernobyl as a result of heavy military vehicles disturbing the soil. But until now, details of exactly what happened had not emerged.
The two Ukrainian workers who spoke to Reuters were on duty when Russian tanks entered Chernobyl on Feb. 24 and took control of the site, where staff are still responsible for the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel and supervising the concrete-encased remains of the reactor that blew up in 1986.
more...
https://www.aol.com/news/unprotected-russian-soldiers-disturbed-radioactive-165419388-172357814.html
Unprotected Russian soldiers disturbed radioactive dust in Chernobyl's 'Red Forest', workers say
Unprotected Russian soldiers disturbed radioactive dust in Chernobyl's 'Red Forest', workers say
Reuters
March 29, 2022, 1:23 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -Russian soldiers who seized the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster drove their armoured vehicles without radiation protection through a highly toxic zone called the "Red Forest", kicking up clouds of radioactive dust, workers at the site said.
The two sources said soldiers in the convoy did not use any anti-radiation gear. The second Chernobyl employee said that was "suicidal" for the soldiers because the radioactive dust they inhaled was likely to cause internal radiation in their bodies.
Ukraine's state nuclear inspectorate said on Feb. 25 there had been an increase in radiation levels at Chernobyl as a result of heavy military vehicles disturbing the soil. But until now, details of exactly what happened had not emerged.
The two Ukrainian workers who spoke to Reuters were on duty when Russian tanks entered Chernobyl on Feb. 24 and took control of the site, where staff are still responsible for the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel and supervising the concrete-encased remains of the reactor that blew up in 1986.
more...
https://www.aol.com/news/unprotected-russian-soldiers-disturbed-radioactive-165419388-172357814.html
March 29, 2022
An Open Secret
March 29, 2022 at 1:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard
An Open Secret
https://politicalwire.com/2022/03/29/an-open-secret/An Open Secret
March 29, 2022 at 1:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard
Jonathan Last: “Here is a secret no one in Washington is willing to say out loud: Ginni Thomas is an idiot. The only reason she was texting the president’s chief of staff instead of being the angry cat lady on Facebook is because she married a man who got himself appointed to the Supreme Court.”
“The Thomases were never a duo of intellectual equals, or a power couple where each member had their own thing going on, and where the merger of the two was like Voltron coming together.”
“This isn’t James Carville and Mary Matalin. Or Norman Podhoretz and Midge Decter. Or Irving Kristol and Gertrude Himmelfarb. Or any number of other famous couples. Heck, this isn’t even Sonny and Cher.”
“No. The Thomases are more like Ivanka and Jared: The senior partner in the arrangement held a position of such high importance that their society scrabbled around to find something for the dimmer partner to do in order to make them feel important. In Jared’s case, that has been destroying newspapers, losing money on real estate, and being tasked with brokering peace in the Middle East.”
“The Thomases were never a duo of intellectual equals, or a power couple where each member had their own thing going on, and where the merger of the two was like Voltron coming together.”
“This isn’t James Carville and Mary Matalin. Or Norman Podhoretz and Midge Decter. Or Irving Kristol and Gertrude Himmelfarb. Or any number of other famous couples. Heck, this isn’t even Sonny and Cher.”
“No. The Thomases are more like Ivanka and Jared: The senior partner in the arrangement held a position of such high importance that their society scrabbled around to find something for the dimmer partner to do in order to make them feel important. In Jared’s case, that has been destroying newspapers, losing money on real estate, and being tasked with brokering peace in the Middle East.”
March 29, 2022
January 6th White House Logs Show 7-Hour Gap
March 29, 2022 at 7:08 am EDT By Taegan Goddard
January 6th White House Logs Show 7-Hour Gap
https://politicalwire.com/2022/03/29/january-6-white-house-logs-show-7-hour-gap/January 6th White House Logs Show 7-Hour Gap
March 29, 2022 at 7:08 am EDT By Taegan Goddard
“Internal White House records from the day of the attack on the U.S. Capitol that were turned over to the House select committee show a gap in President Donald Trump’s phone logs of seven hours and 37 minutes, including the period when the building was being violently assaulted,” the Washington Post reports.
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