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Feb 25, 2022
How Stoopid Is This Guy?
Pretty fuckin' stoopid.
He thinks it's all just a show. He has no idea what's going on, because he doesn't pay attention, because he seems to believe all he has to do is hit his mark and start talking whatever shit that pops into his pea-sized lizard brain.
WaPo: (pay wall)
Trump immediately botches what’s happening in Ukraine
If there’s one thing Donald Trump and his allies want you to know about what’s happening in Ukraine right now, it’s that it wouldn’t be happening if he were still in charge.
If only he actually knew what was happening.
Trump opted to appear on Fox News Channel on Wednesday night shortly after Russia announced that it would attack Ukraine. And not for the first time, he seemed woefully unfamiliar with the particulars of an issue of massive import. Trump at one point seemed to think that the United States had suddenly decided to go to war with Russia.
Midway through the interview, Laura Ingraham noted that “we are just learning that U.S. officials are looking at a potential amphibious landing now in Odessa, Ukraine.” The clear implication was that this was Russia engaging in the potential amphibious landing as part of its attack, but Trump took it as the United States itself “looking at” such an action.
After Ingraham broached the topic, the interview cut away to what was happening at the United Nations. When she returned to her guest, he was ready to use the report to go after one of his favorite targets: those same “U.S. officials.”
“Well, I think the whole thing, again, would have never happened. It shouldn’t happen. And it’s a very sad thing,” Trump said. “But you know what is also very dangerous is, you told me about the amphibious attack by Americans, because you and everyone else shouldn’t know about it. They should do that secretly, not being doing that through the great Laura Ingraham. They should be doing that secretly. Nobody should know that, Laura.”
Ingraham quickly cut in and emphasized that this wasn’t, in fact, what Fox was reporting.
“No, those are the Russian — the Russian amphibious landing,” Ingraham said.
“Oh, I thought you said we were sending people in,” Trump said.
“No, I did not. No, no. No, no, no,” Ingraham replied. “That would be news.”
And indeed it would be. While Ingraham’s initial phrasing was indeed a bit ambiguous, the Biden administration has said repeatedly that American troops would not be used even if Russia did invade Ukraine. Just hours earlier, White House press secretary Jen Psaki reinforced this, saying flatly, “We are not going to be in a war with Russia or putting military troops on the ground in Ukraine fighting Russia.”
Were the United States to have so quickly pulled a 180 on that — and, given the gravity of such a decision — it probably would have merited more than a brief reference to what U.S. officials were saying about new developments. And yet Trump seemed to believe the U.S. military was on the move and decided to criticize his own government on the basis of his incorrect assumption.
Perhaps most important, the prospect of an amphibious Russian attack in Odessa has been in the news for weeks, with Russian ships recently entering the Black Sea near Odessa’s commercial ports. “Eleven amphibious ships ring the Black Sea coast, ready to disgorge marines onto Ukraine’s southern underbelly,” Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported Feb. 13.
This is hardly the first instance of Trump’s being out of the loop on such a major issue. It cropped up repeatedly, early in the coronavirus pandemic. He repeatedly showed a lack of interest in the basics of how Congress works. Trump has even previously displayed unfamiliarity with key issues regarding Russia — for instance, when he misunderstood Vladimir Putin’s comment about Western-style liberalism being “obsolete” to refer to left-leaning politicians in the Western United States.
Earlier in the same interview with Ingraham on Wednesday night, Trump used the opportunity to suggest that President Biden was missing in action.
Ingraham said: “We understand that President Biden is monitoring the situation at the White House now and is going to talk to the G-7 tomorrow. … And he’s going to talk to the nation at some point tomorrow as well. Your reaction to that approach?”
“I don’t think he’s monitoring,” Trump said. “I think he is probably sleeping right now.”
Mere moments later, Trump made pretty clear that Biden’s predecessor, at least, isn’t exactly monitoring the situation very closely.
Feb 24, 2022
Helping Out
How Can I Help?
While many of us might feel helpless when confronted with geopolitical machinations of this scale, we’ve rounded up a few ways you can help the people of Ukraine right now.
DONATE
Ukrainians have put together a list of organizations where you can donate to help people affected by the crisis. Those organizations include:
1. Medical Supplies and Humanitarian Aid
- United Help Ukraine receives and distributes donations, food, and medical supplies to internally displaced Ukrainians, anyone affected by the conflict, and the families of wounded or killed soldiers. Donate here.
- Nova Ukraine, a Ukraine-based nonprofit, provides citizens with everything from baby food and hygiene products, to clothes and household supplies. Donate here.
- People in Need is providing humanitarian aid to over 200,000 people on the ground. For those most in need, they provide food packages, emergency shelter, safe access to drinking water, hygiene items, and coal for heating. Donate here.
- The Ukrainian Red Cross does loads of humanitarian work, from aiding refugees to training doctors. Donate here.
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| Local residents wait to buy water at a store during a water outage in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022. |
2. Helping Children Affected by War
- UNICEF Ukraine is repairing schools damaged by the bombings and providing an emergency response to children affected by the conflict. Donate here.
3. Supporting Journalism
- The Kyiv Independentdescribes itself as “created by journalists who were fired from the Kyiv Post for defending editorial independence.” You can help keep the curtains up for the independent Ukrainian English-language media outlet by donating to its Patreon or GoFundMe fundraiser.
- Ukraine World is an independent English-language multimedia project that emerged from a volunteer initiative helping international journalists during the 2014 “Revolution of Dignity.” Support it by donating to its Patreon.
4. Supporting Refugees
Of course, for many Ukrainians, the threat of full-scale war is driving them to seek safety in neighboring countries.
In a statement, Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said: “We have already seen reports of casualties and people starting to flee their homes to seek safety.”
Accordingly, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has stepped up its operations and is working with governments in neighboring countries "calling on them to keep borders open to those seeking safety and protection.” Germany has already offered Poland help with refugees.
You can help support refugees by donating here.
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| A woman reacts as she waits for a train trying to leave Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022. |
STAY INFORMEDIf the last few weeks leading up to this moment have taught us anything, it’s that the situation is changing rapidly, and in times like these, it is crucial that the right information is being shared and consumed. One of the best ways to help the most vulnerable in Ukraine is by staying on top of what is happening on the ground, and learning more about how citizens are being affected by the conflict. We’ve rounded up a few trustworthy sources you can refer to:
5. FOLLOW THE NEWS REGARDING THE ONGOING SITUATION WITH TRUSTWORTHY SOURCES:
- The Kyiv Independent
The Kyiv Independent has been a leading voice on the front lines, covering a timeline of ongoing events since the beginning and highlighting those who have been most affected by the violent attack. The English-language outlet is continuously reporting on how the invasion and conflict are impacting citizens, the economy, as well as Ukrainian foreign politics. Keep up to date on its website here, or on the Twitter page here.
- The New Voice of Ukraine
Covering news in three different languages — English, Ukrainian, and Russian — the New Voice of Ukraine has not only covered breaking news, but has released informative analyses on the situation that detail how the situation led to this point, and is continuously publishing op-eds by Ukranian scholars and experts that help to give a view of tone of the situation. Read more on its website here.
- Ukraine World
While Ukraine World is not posting breaking news and timeline updates on its website, it is very active on its social media accounts. Its independent journalists on the front lines have gathered first-hand footage, and it is using its account to share other informative sources that its followers can refer to in order to keep up to date. Follow Ukraine World here.
- Kyiv Post
The Kyiv Post is the only non-independent media outlet on this list, and it is important that those following state-funded outlets are aware that they are affiliated with the state. Having said that, the outlet has been at the forefront of delivering breaking news directly from government and national offices, releasing statements from ministry officials, military leads, and other dignitaries. You can read more on its website here, or follow it on Twitter here.
6. FOLLOW INFO ACCOUNTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
If your first source for receiving and consuming news is social media, then follow these accounts and turn on your notifications to stay enlightened on breaking stories as well as ways you can help citizens.
- Stand With Ukraine
Uploading concise, yet well-informed Instagram posts and stories, Stand With Ukraine is a community page that has been dedicated to sharing knowledge wrap-ups based on the ongoing situation, as well as ways that followers can support citizens from wherever they are. You can follow it here.
- Svidomi
Get updates on the ongoing conflict as they happen from this Instagram account — the English version of a Ukrainian social media-based media outlet — which is sharing brief, yet frequent posts about exactly what is happening on the front lines, and who is being most impacted. Stay informed by following the account here.
- Ukranians in Solidarity
This is an Instagram account that has posted digestible information on how followers can support Ukrainian citizens, and has used the platform to upload messages of solidarity for citizens in the country. Previously the account has been used to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and taught Ukrainian citizens how to be an ally to people of color. Give it a follow here.
7. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SITUATION
If this is the first you’re hearing about the crisis in Ukraine and you want to learn more about the background to the situation read this Kyiv Post article, “10 popular misconceptions about Ukraine debunked”; watch Netflix’s documentary Winter On Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom; and listen to this podcast by Ukraine World on how Russia uses disinformation as an instrument of war.
8. JOIN A PEACE PROTEST
If you’re following and keeping up to date with the ongoing situation on the ground, but you’re still wanting to do more and/or you don’t have the financial means to donate, consider joining demonstrators around the world — from London to Tokyo — who have taken to the streets to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Find your nearest demonstration here.
Today's WTF
Basically: "I don't know what Critical Race Theory is, but lemme tell you what it is."
"The majority of white Americans consider themselves sincerely committed to justice for the Negro. They believe that American society is essentially hospitable to fair play and to steady growth toward a middle-class Utopia embodying racial harmony ... unfortunately, this is a fantasy of self deception and comfortable vanity." --MLK
COVID-19 Update
WaPo: (letters to the editor)
Opinion: There is a way to reduce the severity of long covid
The Feb. 21 editorial concerning the risk and impact of long covid, “The next health crisis,” was informative. However, an obvious partial answer to the final sentence of the editorial is apparent. That sentence stated: “Research must find the causes and damage of long covid, and lay preparations to treat it in all its manifestations.”
Research has shown that there is a substantial reduction of long covid symptoms in vaccinated individuals. As reviewed in an article in Nature on Jan. 25, a study from Israel’s Bar-Ilan University found that “fully vaccinated participants who had also had COVID-19 were 54% less likely to report headaches, 64% less likely to report fatigue and 68% less likely to report muscle pain than were their unvaccinated counterparts.”
It also noted that patients who acquired a coronavirus infection and who were vaccinated with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine were no more likely to report symptoms of long covid than people who were never infected.
Long covid is indeed a serious problem. One effective measure to reduce its impact is available: Get vaccinated, and get boosters as recommended.
Michael Schwartz, Chevy Chase
Overheard
Americans are learning geography again.
It's never good news for the world
when Americans have to learn geography.
Today's Press Poodle Award
For excellence in trying to manufacture something along the lines of unity as a potentially major blowup occurs in eastern Europe, and a murderous wannabe emperor invades his neighbor.
Biden, bipartisan U.S. lawmakers condemn Russia for escalation in Ukraine
Russia “alone is responsible for the death and destruction” its military action in Ukraine may bring, according to a statement President Biden released late Wednesday after Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced plans to launch a “special military operation” in the country.
“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” Biden’s statement read. “ … The world will hold Russia accountable.”
Biden also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on a phone call, during which the U.S. leader called Putin’s military activities “unprovoked and unjustified.” Responding to Zelensky’s request that the world’s leaders speak out against Russia’s “flagrant aggression,” Biden pledged that the United States and its allies will coordinate their responses in a “united and decisive” fashion.
Biden will meet with leaders from the Group of Seven nations on Thursday morning and address the American people on further sanctions to deter Russian aggression.
As news of Russia’s attack on Ukraine rippled across the Atlantic, officials in both U.S. political parties echoed Biden’s words, vowing to stand with Ukraine. Some offered their prayers, others urged greater action against Russia and still others interjected partisan politics.
“Putin’s decision to invade is an evil, panicked move of weakness and will be his defining mistake,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote on Twitter. “The Ukrainian people will fight for as long as it takes to secure their nation from this foreign tyrant, and the United States will stand with them in this fight.”
Warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin had plans to use “this crisis to try to divide Americans from each other and to separate America from our allies,” Murphy urged both parties to come together against a common threat to democracy worldwide.
“This is not a moment for politics to trump security,” he wrote.
In an interview with Fox News, former president Donald Trump said Putin had undertaken the military maneuver “because of a rigged election” in the United States. In the days leading up to Russia’s attack — amid escalating tensions — Trump had praised Putin, saying it was a “smart move” by the Russian president to send “the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen” to the Ukraine border.
His comments — along with those made by a faction of conservative Republicans, Trump supporters and conservative media figures — caused a rift.
“Kyiv and Kharkiv are being bombed,” Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) wrote on Twitter. “The largest invasion on our planet since WW2. Republicans are rooting for the Russians. God be with Ukraine and democracy.”
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, calling Putin “a tyrant” in a statement, urged the United States and its allies to “answer the call to protect freedom” by excluding Russia from global institutions and expanding U.S. national defense.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said Russia’s actions amounted to “an invasion of a sovereign nation” — one that “cannot go uncontested.”
“I hope you’ll join me tonight in praying for the people of Ukraine and for a unified allied response,” he tweeted.
Echoing some of his counterparts’ calls for a strong stance against Russia, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the assault on Ukraine had brought decades of general peace in Europe to an end.
“While there is still an opportunity for Russia to reverse course, we can no longer hold out hope that this standoff will be resolved peacefully,” Warner said in a statement. “Therefore, we must all, on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Atlantic, work together to demonstrate to Putin that this aggression will not be allowed to go unpunished.”
In an early-hours speech Thursday morning, Putin said his country strives to achieve the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine and end eight years of war in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have been fighting Russian-backed separatists.
Shortly afterward, explosions could be heard in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and Kharkiv, in the country’s northeast.
One Senator and one governor - that's what the Poodles want us to think of as "bipartisan".
WaPo:
Biden, bipartisan U.S. lawmakers condemn Russia for escalation in Ukraine
Russia “alone is responsible for the death and destruction” its military action in Ukraine may bring, according to a statement President Biden released late Wednesday after Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced plans to launch a “special military operation” in the country.
“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” Biden’s statement read. “ … The world will hold Russia accountable.”
Biden also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on a phone call, during which the U.S. leader called Putin’s military activities “unprovoked and unjustified.” Responding to Zelensky’s request that the world’s leaders speak out against Russia’s “flagrant aggression,” Biden pledged that the United States and its allies will coordinate their responses in a “united and decisive” fashion.
Biden will meet with leaders from the Group of Seven nations on Thursday morning and address the American people on further sanctions to deter Russian aggression.
As news of Russia’s attack on Ukraine rippled across the Atlantic, officials in both U.S. political parties echoed Biden’s words, vowing to stand with Ukraine. Some offered their prayers, others urged greater action against Russia and still others interjected partisan politics.
“Putin’s decision to invade is an evil, panicked move of weakness and will be his defining mistake,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote on Twitter. “The Ukrainian people will fight for as long as it takes to secure their nation from this foreign tyrant, and the United States will stand with them in this fight.”
Warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin had plans to use “this crisis to try to divide Americans from each other and to separate America from our allies,” Murphy urged both parties to come together against a common threat to democracy worldwide.
“This is not a moment for politics to trump security,” he wrote.
What you need to know about the Russia-Ukraine crisis
In an interview with Fox News, former president Donald Trump said Putin had undertaken the military maneuver “because of a rigged election” in the United States. In the days leading up to Russia’s attack — amid escalating tensions — Trump had praised Putin, saying it was a “smart move” by the Russian president to send “the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen” to the Ukraine border.
His comments — along with those made by a faction of conservative Republicans, Trump supporters and conservative media figures — caused a rift.
“Kyiv and Kharkiv are being bombed,” Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) wrote on Twitter. “The largest invasion on our planet since WW2. Republicans are rooting for the Russians. God be with Ukraine and democracy.”
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, calling Putin “a tyrant” in a statement, urged the United States and its allies to “answer the call to protect freedom” by excluding Russia from global institutions and expanding U.S. national defense.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said Russia’s actions amounted to “an invasion of a sovereign nation” — one that “cannot go uncontested.”
“I hope you’ll join me tonight in praying for the people of Ukraine and for a unified allied response,” he tweeted.
Echoing some of his counterparts’ calls for a strong stance against Russia, Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the assault on Ukraine had brought decades of general peace in Europe to an end.
“While there is still an opportunity for Russia to reverse course, we can no longer hold out hope that this standoff will be resolved peacefully,” Warner said in a statement. “Therefore, we must all, on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Atlantic, work together to demonstrate to Putin that this aggression will not be allowed to go unpunished.”
In an early-hours speech Thursday morning, Putin said his country strives to achieve the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine and end eight years of war in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have been fighting Russian-backed separatists.
Shortly afterward, explosions could be heard in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and Kharkiv, in the country’s northeast.
Today's Tweet
"War with Ukraine - Russia's shame"
Anti-war solo pickets like this are popping up in cities across Russia. It’s not much but they’re arrested almost immediately, often upon leaving their homes when the cops know to expect them. Here’s Sofya Rusova, co-chair of Russia’s Trade Union of Journalists. pic.twitter.com/5NVqdGyhFy
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) February 24, 2022
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