Global supplies of rice at a twenty-year low

Getty Images

The severe effects of climate change in Asia, the war on Ukraine, and export restrictions enacted by the Indian government lead to higher prices for one of the world’s most consumed staples. {CNBC 4/19}

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on TWITTER, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, and POST - @arthurnewhook.

Putin and the Moscow Establishment begins making move to restore Trump in 2024, thoughts on Pink Floyd’s campaign for Ukraine, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ dumbassery, and more

Office of the Presidency of Ukraine

Putin’s top Ukrainian ally, oligarch/opposition party leader Viktor Medvedchuk, is captured by law enforcement - Disguised in an army uniform, Medvedchuk escaped house arrest just days after Russia began their war on aggression. Chalk this up as another big win for Ukraine. (CNBC 4/12)

Putin moving to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election, makes it clear he wants Trump returned to power - Excerpt: ‘American intelligence officials reportedly assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin may use the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine as a pretext to order a new campaign to interfere in U.S. elections. Though AP reported that “it is not yet clear which candidates Russia might try to promote or what methods it might use,” Russian state media seem to be in agreement that former U.S. President Donald Trump remains Moscow’s candidate of choice.’ They’re telling us exactly what they plan to do, yet just keep on screaming ‘fake news,’ by all means, #Cult45. We have a massive problem on our hands in #Murica, and that is millions no longer take Russia seriously as a threat and even sympathize with it and against our own leaders. While there are some possible signs out there that Trump is fading as a political figure, the fact is Putin and the Russians remain convinced he is their best option to unseat Biden and restore a Moscow-friendly regime in D.C. And I remain convinced that tens of millions of Americans would, and will, kill fellow Americans for the orange jackass, or at least in the larger cause of ‘owning the libs.’ Putin knows the United States is a ticking time bomb and its people want to rip each others’ throats out, and he will gleefully continue to exploit these divisions to his benefit as long as Americans allow him to. (Julia Davis 4/11)

Bob Vosseller/Jersey Shore Online

‘Let’s Go, Brandon’ is just an exceptionally lame and dumb way to announce to the world that one is proud to be dumb, don't try to enlighten them, and they will be belligerent little bitches for the rest of time because we took their orange hero away from the White House. As much as they claim to love this country, their brand of patriotism is cartoonish and completely insincere. Pure and simple, belligerence and hate is their way of life now, and nothing good is going to come of it. Not for us, but especially not for them. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan loses no confidence vote in legislature, must abdicate his office - Pakistan does what the United States - or its GOP senators - twice refused to do, and that is remove a corrupt and tyrannical leader from power. (Deutsche Welle 4/09)

Pink Floyd

#PinkFloyd #Ukraine Anybody who says David, Nick, and their friends - and most of all, Andriy Khlyvnyuk - are doing anything but the right thing are not acting in good faith. Millions of innocent Ukrainians are staring death in the face via the Russians. Some have even been abducted by Russian troops, possibly sent into the wilds of Siberia for no other crime than existing. Including children. Roger Waters gave an interview to Russia Today as recently as February, declaring that only idiots would believe that Putin would ever invade Ukraine. Then, on 2/24, Putin invaded Ukraine. Egg on Rogers Waters' face, and he is not needed at this time. 'Hey Hey, Rise Up' is perfect as is, and all give thanks to our leader in Floyd-dom, David Gilmour, for making it happen.

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Ode to Ukraine: Emerging global power and guiding light among nations

(VIDEO) The daily nationwide moment of silence, followed by the glorious national anthem of Ukraine - A magnificent piece of music, accompanied by English subtitles and stunning war footage. Some may call it propaganda, some may call it nationalism, but I only see necessary patriotism in a war that was not of their choosing. They are rolling up their sleeves and fighting back, as their forefathers did against the Nazi invaders in World War II. At that time, however, they were a vassal state of the Soviet Union. Now it is their time in history to achieve glory as a strong, independent nation. America’s day has just about passed - we’re one presidential election away from the death knell - and Russia’s time is long up. Both will only grow more dangerous, but never again will they be prosperous or respected the more they descend into darkness. #Murica is ultimately going to end up like the Middle East, full of warring tribes, religious extremism, and great poverty and ignorance. It is already playing out, we’re becoming a breeding ground for terrorism just as the lands that produced al Qaeda, Hezbollah, ISIS, and the rest of that scum.

But Ukraine is going to win their war. In time they are going to emerge as a great global power; a vital partner in the world’s last bastion of humanity in Europe - the one continent that, apart from a few rogue or not entirely cooperative players, has demonstrated it has learned its lessons about the horrors of war and tyranny. Beginning with Germany, of course. And along with Germany, France, the EU, and the UK, Ukraine will be a vital bulwark against the emerging Axis of Evil of India and China. Who will be joined by the fallen empires of Russia and (post-2024) America - both nonetheless remaining rich in natural resources and therefore to be (further) exploited and controlled by evil overlords in Beijing and Delhi. Of course, China and India have to make peace with one another before this plays out, but my gut says that process is already underway, with Putin playing the key role in mediating between them. Mutual animosity and distrust toward the West, as well as territorial aims such as retaking former Soviet states and reclaiming Taiwan, are driving these superpowers together. Pakistan may factor into this one way or the other; India will always be their blood rival, but it’s hard to see them making common cause with Europe. 

Plucking America from the Western alliance, after we had always been the center and strongest power of it, would be the new Axis’ coup de grace. American nationalist populists are gradually moving away from championing alliances with other Western nations and toward favoring closer relations with Russia. But that’s #Murica: Ukraine is now the crossroads between the free world and the despotic backwaters, and they are the first line of defense between ‘us’ and ‘them.’ LORD, protect and uplift them, and bring the tyrant, Putin, to his knees. #StopPutin #StandWithUkraine Слава Україні

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FBI swat team delivers a peaceful end to hostage standoff inside a Texas synagogue, as hostages are safely freed and Islamist gunman is shot dead

Elias Valverde/The Dallas Morning News via AP

A lunatic holds Jewish congregants hostage at a Texas synagogue, demanding the release of convicted murderer and al-Qaeda sympathizer Aafia Siddiqui. After a long stand-off, four hostages are safe and the gunman has gone to meet his seventy-two virgins. As the details of this terrorist act unfolded on Saturday, nearly everyone I saw on social media was quick to immediately assume it must have been an ultra right-wing, Trump-supporting nationalist that was responsible. Which is really telling about where we are as a country. Left or right, everyone appears to have willfully forgotten the ongoing threat radical Islam poses; more to the point, Americans have decided their domestic political opponents are the real enemy and the Muslim extremists no longer are anything but some minor nuisance. This individual acted alone, but the next attack is likely to be more coordinated, and – once again - result in mass causalities. And all Americans will do afterward is engage in hand-wringing and finger-pointing at ‘the other side’ for allowing it to happen, when there is no shortage of collective responsibility to go around. The tenuous unity we (briefly) had in 2001 is no longer possible under any circumstance. Via the AP - 

COLLEYVILLE, Texas (AP) — Four hostages are safe and their captor is dead after an hourslong standoff that began when the man took over services at a Texas synagogue where he could be heard ranting on a livestream and demanding the release of a Pakistani neuroscientist who was convicted of trying to kill U.S. Army officers in Afghanistan. 

One hostage held Saturday at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville was released during the standoff; three others got out about 9 p.m. when an FBI SWAT team entered the building, authorities said. The hostage taker was killed and FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt DeSarno said a team would investigate “the shooting incident.” 

Video from Dallas TV station WFAA shows people running out a door of the synagogue, and then a man holding a gun opening the same door just seconds later, before he turns around and closes the door. Moments later, several rounds of gunfire can be heard, followed by the sound of an explosion. 

FBI and police spokeswomen declined to answer questions about who shot the man. 

DeSarno said the hostage taker was specifically focused on an issue not directly connected to the Jewish community, and there was no immediate indication that the man was part of any broader plan. But DeSarno said the agency’s investigation “will have global reach.” 

It wasn’t clear why the attacker chose the synagogue. 

Law enforcement officials who were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity earlier said that the hostage-taker demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected of having ties to al-Qaida. He also said he wanted to be able to speak with her, according to the officials. Siddiqui is in federal prison in Texas.  

DeSarno said Saturday night that the man had been identified “but we are not prepared to release his identity or confirm his identity at this time.” (Read more)

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U.S. Navy aircraft carriers likely to remain in the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf to patrol Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern hotspots

AP

Politico - 

The American military’s involvement in Afghanistan could soon become largely the Navy’s responsibility, an ironic twist for a counterterrorism mission in a landlocked country.

Although the Navy has long privately bristled at the requirement to deploy one or even two aircraft carriers at a time to the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf to support the ground fights in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, the lack of U.S.-controlled airfields near Afghanistan could mean more planes taking off from decks at sea.

And that could set off a fresh round of requests for more funding — and more hand-wringing among those who want the U.S. military to focus more on China.

“I think a lot of that mission is going to fall on the Navy,” said a Navy official who requested to speak on the condition of anonymity because the Pentagon’s plans have yet to be finalized. “This is a great example of why we need more money to operate forward — things like this are what we’re built to do, but we need the funding and support to keep doing it, and that hasn’t always been there.” (Read more)

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