The US State Department plans to close its foreign disinformation office—another gift to Putin, another act of treason disguised as the defence of ‘free speech’

Jeremy Pelzer/Cleveland dot com

{The Guardian 16 April} Trump administration shutters US office countering foreign disinformation

They can scarcely claim this decision serves national security interests, nor can they provide any remotely rational justification for such reckless action, but they do very successfully peddle grievances. Yet again, as we witness literally every single day in this hellscape, rank-and-file 'conservatives' will support whatever this regime does, no matter how fundamentally it contradicts the national security principles they once valued during the years of the War on Terror, as long as it continues to nourish their endlessly pathetic persecution complex.

Copyright 2025, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Like the thugs and toadies they are, Trump and Vance endeavour to intimidate and denigrate Zelensky, within the confines of the Oval Office and before the scrutiny of live cameras; accuse the Ukrainian leader of wanting to start World War III

AP: A transcript of Trump and Zelensky's Oval Office argument

This is the most reprehensible and abhorrent spectacle I have ever witnessed emanating from an American President and Vice-President. The Musk regime has transformed the United States into an adversary of Ukraine and a confederate of the genocidal megalomaniac in Moscow. It would appear that the majority of Americans sanction this position if the persistent lamentations regarding financial assistance to Ukraine during President Biden's tenure serve as any barometer. I am profoundly revolted by, and mortified for, the citizenry of this wretched nation; they have facilitated this fascistic phantasmagoria.

Had the American populace harboured the sort of sentiments in the 1930s and '40s that they presently exhibit (and indeed a minority did, though nowhere approaching today's preponderance, and certainly not including the President of the United States), they would have been proffering justifications for Hitler whilst attributing culpability to the Jews, Poles, and others for their own subjugation. This is not the nation in which I was reared, nor one in which I wish to reside, and were I possessed of sufficient financial resources, I should depart from this moribund cesspit with unprecedented alacrity.resources, I should depart from this moribund cesspit with unprecedented alacrity.

Copyright 2025, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 on X, and at the same handle on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

The Muscovites' nascent comprehension of Trump’s perfidious nature portends grave ramifications all around

photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty

“(A)cting like a hooligan that hasn’t gotten a beating in a long time.” Russian state television pundits have expressed their dismay—to put it mildly—over Trump’s threats of tariffs and further sanctions should Putin fail to withdraw from Ukraine promptly. While I endorse the imposition of stringent economic measures against them, the Russians are having to come to terms with the fact that Trump is loyal to neither man nor cause, and will turn on anyone at the slightest provocation. The Russians, as any scholar of history would recognise, truly detest being made to appear foolish, and will not hesitate to exact violent retribution upon those who dare to humiliate them. Nazi Germany found this out, in an exceedingly brutal and inhumane manner. 

Trump’s supporters among the American public are focused on domestic matters and are willing to tolerate any action he takes, provided it results in the suffering of fellow Americans. However, the Russians will not be so accommodating of such duplicitous behaviour, and this will likely exacerbate the pain and hardship inflicted upon the Ukrainian people—though, of course, this is of no consequence to Trump, whose sole aim is self-aggrandisement as ever. I repeat, the people of #Murica have no bloody clue what they have wrought by returning this s**tbag to power; and they shall steadfastly refuse to ever acknowledge, even when the nukes start flying, so blinded are they by their unbridled malevolence against their countrymen and their inherent lack of intelligence and character. To the bitter end, they will scapegoat fellow Americans, immigrants, and global Jewry before they ever admit their colossal errors. - Arthur Newhook, 23 January 2025

Copyright 2025, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Boris Johnson slams Vladimir Putin's imperial dreams, while the right-wing in US betrays Ukraine and kisses Putin’s ring

AP/Reuters

{Sky News 12 January} Boris Johnson brands Vladimir Putin a 'f****** idiot' over alleged imperial ambitions

Boris Johnson colorfully denounces Putin as a dullard of the highest order for his vainglorious dreams of imperial restoration - Beyond Ukraine itself and the sphere of Russian dissidents, none stands more steadfast in support of Ukraine than Boris Johnson. Though his character may bear other blemishes, his resolve on this matter is unassailable. 

Yet mark ye well: Putin is no mere fool—nay, a cunning serpent, more like. Methinks what Boris is getting at is that Putin’s lofty ambitions, akin to castles raised upon shifting sands, must surely crumble. While the tyrant may sow death and misery without end, victory shall forever elude his grasp.

Even in the wake of the bloody and shameful betrayal by the American people, and with the incoming regime in Washington poised to drastically alter the course of US policy, yet shall the brave souls of Ukraine stand firm. They shall fight, tooth and nail, to prevent the resurrection of the Soviet Union—a grim and dark chapter of history that must never again be inscribed. 

To put it mildly, it is quite rich that those who now all themselves ‘conservatives’ in the US, who once held opposition to the Soviet menace as sacred as Holy Writ, are now hell-bent on lending their aid to Master Putin in his designs to resurrect the very spectre they and their forebears spent decades striking to vanquish. 

Do not presume to tell me, #MAGA zealots, that ‘Russiagate’ was a mere hoax. No, it is both real and ongoing. The stain of blood is upon thy hands, and all thy protestations shall not wash them clean.

Copyright 2025, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

About Trump’s quip—if indeed it was that—regarding the sovereign nation of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States

Photo: BBC

NBC News: Trump mocks the 'Great State of Canada'

Were Canada to be incorporated into the United States, either as a singular political entity or, more plausibly, as multiple federal states, the resultant nation would surpass Russia in geographical extent. Moreover, were Canada to be admitted as a unified state, it would immediately become the most populous among all American states, slightly exceeding California's total.

Canada is not Rhode Island or Delaware, and whilst considerable portions of its territory remain sparsely populated, its population substantially exceeds that of Alaska. Regardless of whether the Orange Puppet’s proposition was intended in jest, the hypothetical absorption of Canada would constitute a monumentally complex undertaking, even presuming the acquiescence of the Canadian populace—which, one might assert with considerable confidence, would not be forthcoming. Quebec, in particular, would be problematic in that regard. There is also the matter of Canada being a Commonwealth nation and recognising His Majesty as King.

Canada stands as America's sister nation, formidable in every conceivable way, and is deserving of commensurate respect, honour, and dignity. Indeed, Trump’s previous facetious (or not facetious, whichever it was) suggestions regarding the acquisition of Greenland were inappropriate enough; serious matters of sovereignty and international relations ought not to be the subject of ill-conceived attempts at humour by one whose office demands the utmost gravitas. Thou art not a comedian, Mr Trump; cease pretending to be one. 

Naturally, we have yet to address the genuine locus of power within this impending regime, nor said locus’ aspirations for global domination. For the moment, however, we shall content ourselves with the assumption that Trump, the Orange Puppet, was merely being his charming self when discussing our noble neighbours to the north.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

On the eve of destruction

If there is ever to be a sober and true ‘conservative’ mindset and political faction in the United States again, the cartoonish patriotism, the childish grievances, the unreasoning populism, and the allegiance to Putin and other foreign despots must all be cast aside. Alas, this is far from where 95% of self-professed ‘conservatives’ in the United States currently stand. They are intoxicated by grievance-mongering and the allure of authoritarianism, having descended into a loathsome personality cult, striving to be as vile as any recorded in the annals of history. When they fall, they will drag all of us down with them, for they have already held the United States hostage for eight long years and tomorrow, I believe, shall be granted full dominion by a citizenry cowed, wearied, disheartened, and wilfully blind. 

As for mine own soul, these past few days have been ones of mourning and reflection, and of pondering what my next steps—if any—I may yet take in the immediate future, say before 20 January. I pray that as many of you reading this as possible are at least somewhat prepared, for I doubt even the most ardent ‘preppers’ are truly ready to face the reckonings and dire consequences that the people of the United States have, by their own hands, invited upon themselves. ‘Liberalism’ and ‘conservatism’ lose all meaning when survival is at stake, and when those who surround us are dedicated to being irrational and malevolent spirits.

Recent headlines:

Chess champion and Russian dissident-in-exile Garry Kasparov: ‘I never thought I would need to warn Americans about the dangers of dictatorship.’ {The Dispatch 4 November}

Recordings from a 2017 interview with author Michael Wolff reveal Jeffrey Epstein claimed ‘I was Donald Trump’s closest friend.' {Daily Beach 2 November}

Trump: ‘I’m the opposite of a Nazi.’ - They are undoubtedly fascists and the alarm needs to be sounded, but the latest GOP talking point—that calling them ‘fascists’ is hyperbole and incites violence—is resonating strongly with the American people. Gaslighting works. {AFP 29 October}

‘Former generals who have worked for Trump say that the sole military virtue he prizes is obedience.’ - Americans who vote for this cretin are betraying our men and women in uniform, while also endorsing myriad other evils. {Jeffrey Goldberg 22 October}

Trump: ‘I shouldn’t have left’ after the 2020 election – WTF is he going on about now? He had no other option but to leave. Did he think he was going to handcuff himself to a railing or post in the White House, staying there and pouting until he wore everyone down and they gave in? He does have a talent for overstaying his welcome and exhausting everyone around him, but this is delusional. {The Guardian 3 November}

Two days before the election, Trump says he ‘wouldn’t mind’ seeing reporters shot - If one thinks American journalism is in a poor state now, just wait a few months, when journalists have either fled the country or otherwise been silenced. {AP 3 November}

JD Vance calls Harris supporters ‘dips**ts’ - For those paying attention, it is clear we—not just partisan Democrats, but anyone outside #Cult45—will face rougher treatment in the bigger, badder #Murica that’s on the horizon. {NBC News 28 October}

Vance tells those offended by #Cult45 comedian’s Puerto Rico joke to ‘chill’—as if they have no right to be offended - Anyone who uses phrases like ‘chill’ or ‘take a chill pill’ deserves a slap across the face. Such obnoxious, dismissive language is typical of most Americans (source: I’ve had to live among them for nearly five decades), including some reading this—especially if they’re reading it on Facebook. We are, without question, the world capital of insufferable douchebags. Meanwhile, said d-bags are throwing a tantrum because President Biden had the audacity to (not actually) call them ‘garbage’. I, for one, am not letting these extreme insults to the intelligence and dignity of the few remaining decent folks in the United States stand, but those lining up behind these nation destroyers and Putin appeasers shall receive what they deserve. {IBT 30 October}

Is ‘rather risk-averse decision-making’ by cautious pollsters overestimating Trump’s support? – Don’t hold one’s breath. {The Guardian 3 November}

Astronomical numbers of wealthy Americans are taking serious steps to flee the country - The rest of us have nowhere else to go. I hold no animus toward these folks, for if I had the means I would have been long gone by now. {NBC News 1 November}

Despite the absurd difficulty and burden of doing so, record numbers of Americans are renouncing US citizenship. {Fortune 1 November}

In anticipation of banana republic-style violence, residents who can afford it are fleeing Washington D.C. {Politico 25 October}

An FCC commissioner has warned that Kamala’s ‘SNL’ stunt may have violated the Equal Time rule - Albeit, this particular commissioner, Brendan Carr, was appointed by Trump and would likely have remained silent if it had been Trump pulling said stunt (and, as I recall, he did host that f**king goofball show in 2015, shortly after declaring his candidacy). Regardless of legality, appearing on a ‘too-cool-for-the-room’ hipster snarkfest does little more than alienate ordinary Americans and may be the final nail in Kamala Harris’ electoral coffin. {The Hill 3 November}

Utterly disgraceful: the Harris/Walz campaign has told President Biden he is not wanted on the campaign trail - When the post-mortem is written on why this campaign failed so catastrophically against a senile, corrupt fascist and traitor, the disrespect and betrayal of President Joe Biden by his own party and administration will be high among the litany of reasons. Kamala Harris, the Obamas, and others in the Democratic establishment insisted on prioritising diversity at a time when the threat of fascism is staring us in the face, loud and clear, with nothing mattering more urgent than stopping it cold. They threw an old, white man away largely because he is an old, white man. Thinking they could get away with it and the people would go along because the alternative is another old, white man who has the added liability of being crazy and evil. Wrong!

Kamala Harris will be remembered—if at all—as one of the most ineffective and self-serving US Vice Presidents in history. Part of the problem here is that people see right through her: she is as insincere and phony as any. Another example of why we desperately need more than two viable parties in this country; but that’s never going to happen, as most of us are forever stuck in an ‘us versus them’, left versus right mentality. Having more than two options is just too confusing for the average #Murican to comprehend. The entire paradigm is so off, but few will ever notice and fewer still will have practical ideas as to how it can be fixed. Maybe we are forever doomed to be a nation of malevolent fools.

As for President Joe Biden, I hope he can live the rest of his life in peace and without regret, for he did not fail his country: the country and its people failed him, and those around him proved to be the most vile snakes of all. {Mediaite 1 November}

A vote for Trump is a vote for Musk. Dr. Nafeez Ahmed - American Carnage: The Musk-Trump plan for total collapse. {Bytime Times 1 November}

Lord Elon assures fellow Trump supporters that America will face ‘necessary’ economic hardship in the next administration - Dismantling Social Security and Medicare. The American people are indeed prepared to vote for their own planned destruction, while their oppressors barely bother to conceal their intentions. Relentless gaslighting and scapegoating of disfavoured groups has destroyed collective reasoning and humanity; sheep being led to slaughter. {MTN 29 October}

‘World’s richest man’, Trump enabler, and Putin confidant Elon Musk was once an illegal alien who abused his student visa - Legally he should have been legally barred from the United States for life. {Daily Beast 26 October}

Rabid natalist Musk is reported to own a secret compound in Texas for his eleven (or more) children and their mothers - Sounds an awful lot like polygamy, minus the marriage part. Perhaps he’ll embrace Mormonism in the near future? {Dnyuz 29 October}

Trump vows to protect women, ‘whether they like it or not.’ - How I wish the nationalist populist ideology would simply fade away in the United States, that all populist demagogues and their circus acts could vanish into thin air. Life in this country—and the world—would be so much easier without all the needless noise and disruption. How I wish we didn’t live in a world overrun by malevolent fools and governed by snakes. {The Guardian 31 October}

Arizona AG is investigating whether Trump’s comments about putting guns in Liz Cheney’s face constitute a death threat - He has the pretence of speaking about Liz Cheney as a ‘radical war hawk’, but such language reveals genuine intent. Trump is signalling his desires for his enemies, and a large portion of the country wants blood. {12news 1 November}

A segment of #Cult45 has embraced online fan fiction—literal 'fake news'—which at times even deceives professional far-right agitators desperate for any morsel to weaponise against their political adversaries. {The Bulwark 30 October}

President Biden clarifies his comments on the garbage MSG rally. {BBC 30 October}

US House Speaker Mike Johnson promises ‘massive’ changes to healthcare and an ‘aggressive’ agenda in Trump’s first 100 days - The problem for Speaker Johnson is that, if current projections are correct, his party will no longer be in control of the House. {The Guardian 30 October}

Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are naturally anxious and upset as they face looming betrayal by the American people. {BBC 31 October}

The Russians openly state, on their national television programmes and on a nightly basis, that they want Trump in power specifically to weaken the United States from within and diminish its role in global affairs. They are laughing at us.

The Tehran regime is planning a major assault on Israel through pro-Iranian militias based in Iraq. {Jerusalem Post 31 October}

The White House has issued a stark warning to Iran: do not attack Israel, as we will be unable to restrain their response. {Jerusalem Post 2 November}

The UK Tories have shot themselves in the foot by choosing a far-right nationalist populist as leader—a disastrous move. Do they honestly believe that emulating the bloody GOP will fix Britain? That appointing a black immigrant woman as their spokesperson will restore their electoral fortunes? {AP 2 November}

Heathrow Airport: Two women removed from a British Airways flight to Texas after a physical altercation over a MAGA hat - Soon, we’ll be forced to wear the damn things, and refusing to do so will be a criminal offence. You messed around, #Murica—now you’ll soon find out. {Mirror 29 October}

The search continues for victims of catastrophic flooding in Valencia, Spain. {BBC 1 November}

Quincy Jones, 1933–2024 – Thank you for your life, good sir. An icon, a businessman, a visionary, a trailblazer, and a true genius. None of these words are hyperbolic; ‘Q’ was, and always will be, the real deal. May he rest in peace. {AP 4 November}

Recent study finds teenagers are growing weary of Hollywood’s relentless focus on lust and gold -  What on earth is wrong with kids these days? It seems the average teenager today doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and doesn’t have sex. How boring can these dull and joyless souls possibly be? Back when I was in school (early 1990s), social dynamics were such that if one didn’t have a girlfriend or boyfriend and wasn’t engaging in carnal pleasures, one was a pariah. How awful it must be to go through this miserable life and live on this dreadful planet as such a vanilla person, with no vices at all. How can any of them bear it, these poor, pallid souls? On the other hand, given the fact that the majority of my fellow wayward Gen Xers, and the selfish ‘Boomers’ before us, turned out to be complete arseholes, and considering it took me until my 40s and much betrayal and personal pain to finally realise I want nothing more to do with relationships, maybe these kids know a truth we were blind to in our youth. {dnyuz 24 October} 

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

ALL AMERICANS NEED TO READ THIS: NEW REVELATIONS FROM BOB WOODWARD UNEQUIVOCALLY SHOW TRUMP IS PUTIN’S PUPPET: HE ARRANGED TO HAVE COVID TESTS SENT TO RUSSIA FOR PUTIN’S PERSONAL USE, AND HAS CONTACTED THE RUSSIAN TYRANT AFTER LEAVING OFFICE

Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Trump secretly sent COVID tests to Putin during 2020 shortage, new book says. {WP 8 October}

The orange motherf**ker stole from the American people at the height of a deadly pandemic to keep a foreign dictator—an adversary of the United States—healthy. Yet most Americans will simply shrug or cry ‘fake news’ when they should be demanding that Trump be sent to the gallows. It is no wonder #Murica is in such a sorry state. But I digress, for the story gets even more interesting.

Bob Woodward reveals that President Biden regrets choosing Merrick Garland as Attorney General (though why he hasn’t simply fired Garland remains a mystery). Kamala Harris is portrayed as having limited influence on the administration’s foreign policy, although she did reach out to both French President Macron and President Zelensky in the lead-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Another interesting anecdote: George W. Bush expressed sympathy for President Biden’s ordeal in withdrawing US troops from Afghanistan, telling him, ‘I can understand what you’re going through. I got [expletive] by my intel people, too.’ As for Barrack Obama, Mr Biden is quoted as saying, ‘Barack never took Putin seriously’—which is true. Remember how Obama mocked Mitt Romney for warning about Putin during the 2012 election? Not so funny now, is it, Barry? Bob Woodward is one of the last true journalists, and I am grateful he remains at the top of his game, even at this late stage in his life.

Recent headlines:

Trump takes 8.6% lead in Polymarket betting odds - Not an absolute indicator, but there are more signs out there Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are fading fast. I keep trying to tell everyone, this nation is hellbent on national suicide. If Trump was ever going to be rejected by the not-so silent majority in #Murica, it would have happened long before now. Trump is going to win in a relative landslide. We are in deep s**t.

Don’t shoot the messenger: Kamala's lead over Trump in the Reuters/Ipsos poll narrows to three points, with a plurality believing Trump is stronger on economy and immigration - When pointing out facts is met with hostility, name-calling, and baseless accusations of being a ‘traitor’, it becomes clear that far too many of Kamala’s supporters are now simply the flip side of the same coin as the Trumpers. A political cult. It also further confirms why I have never, and will never, find a home in the Democratic Party. American politics are broken beyond repair, because the American people are, by and large, broken individuals. I despise myself for not having fully foreseen all of this twenty-five or thirty years ago, as I would have done everything differently and prepared myself to leave this s**thole. (I did have some vague inkling, but I was still young and quite damaged from a not-so-happy childhood, and made a million bad decisions in spite of what my gut would tell me, but no matter). No chance of being able to settle anywhere else now; I am forced to wallow in the blood and mud with all the other pigs (to paraphrase a great song from better times).

Elon Musk tells Tucker Carlson that he believes Kamala will put him in prison: ‘I’m f**ked’ (if Trump loses) – This is called projection, as the fascist cabal Musk sold his soul to plans to imprison millions of political enemies. {Daily Mail 7 October}

At a Trump rally, Elon Musk, jumping around like a toddler, declares that Trump will ‘save’ (read: destroy) American democracy. {AP 6 October}

FWIW: in contrast to 2016 and 2020, leftist filmmaker Michael Moore predicts that Trump is ‘toast’ in 2024 - To be fair, this is the man who predicted Trump’s win in 2016 when everyone thought he was crazy. However, four years ago, he predicted another Trump win and was wrong. I strongly suspect he is wrong again and underestimates just how hateful and self-destructive the people of this dying nation are. (If anyone disagrees, prove me wrong on 5th November!)

Trump and co. swindling gullible #Cult45 followers out of their life savings on TruthSocial with various nefarious schemes. {Rolling Stone 6 October}

Kim Jong Un sends a love note to Putin on the Russian dictator’s 72nd birthday, calling him his ‘closest comrade’. {BBC 8 October}

Project 2025 shall ‘unequivocally’ lead to more deaths from hurricanes and other natural disasters - Red State #Murica is voting for their own demise. {The Guardian 8 October}

The non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Budget estimates that Trump’s economic plans ‘would increase budget deficits’ by twice as much as Harris’s plans – a shame that Americans are convinced we are still in an economic recession and have, for decades, been brainwashed to believe that Republicans are better for the economy. {WSJ 7 October}

US Civil War (1861-65) reenactors reveal they are worried a new civil war in America is imminent. {TNR 6 October} 

Continuing her longstanding fascination with (‘Jewish space’) lasers, Marjorie Taylor Greene refuses to back down on Hurricane Helene conspiracy theories, even after officials plead with the tin-foil hat crowd to stop spreading lies. {Daily Beast, 7 October}

Who wants to live forever, anyway? ‘Humanity is reaching the upper limit of life expectancy, according to a new study’. - The US doesn’t rank among the top forty nations with the highest life expectancies. {AP 7 October}

A most urgent headline that #Murica will ignore: the largest supplier of US drinking water falls victim to a cyberattack. {Fast Company 7 October}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Why ultra-right-wing populist J.D. Vance is on the shortlist of Trump running mates

Getty Images

Rumour has it that J.D. Vance, the 39 y.o. Christian nationalist senator from Ohio, will be Donald Trump’s running mate. It would be a curious choice that probably would not bring one single vote to the table that Trump has not already secured. Vance is absolutely a dystopian extremist decidedly out of touch with the social and cultural views of the majority of Americans. Nominating a woman to combat Kamala Harris would seem more logical than another white male in a more sane political environment, and this is not the 1950s. 

J.D. Vance really only makes any sense if one considers who is actually doing the picking (hint, that individual sits in the Kremlin). To quote a commenter on Reddit: ‘maybe Trump should worry about why Daddy might want a pliable 39 year old a heartbeat away. He was a useful idiot, but the big orange dildo is probably way more trouble than he's worth to Putin now’.

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Kremlin prepares law to bind the wombs of Russia's daughters and essentially force them to give birth

Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images.

An extreme fervor for fertility amongst those who cloak themselves in piety and nationalism - and predominantly amongst men - is quickly becoming rampant in #Murica. Five minutes on Twitter will confirm that this is a major tenet of the Christian nationalists. From whence springs this obsession? Where they get nearly all their propaganda and marching from, of course, Mother Russia. Eight billion people inhabit this mortal coil, far more than was ever needed or is sustainable: yet fascists everywhere repeat the same refrain of 'we need more babies’. Indeed, Russia’s birth rates are lower than those of much of the world, but the last thing this world needs is any more Orcs. {Daily Wrap 28/6 - Kremlin targets child-free ideology: new laws to boost birth rates}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Polish PM Donald Tusk, speaking on the prospect of a wider European war

‘War is no longer a concept from the past. It is real, and it started over two years ago. The most worrying thing at the moment is that literally any scenario is possible. We haven’t seen a situation like this since 1945. I know it sounds devastating, especially for the younger generation, but we have to get used to the fact that a new era has begun: the pre-war era. I’m not exaggerating; it’s becoming clearer every day.’ (CNN: Europe in ‘pre-war era,’ warns Poland’s Prime Minister Tusk, citing Russia’s threat. 3/29}

Copyright 2024, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST. DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED at https://tinyurl.com/ArthurNewhook.

Decency hath forsaken this abode. In a country fraught with ludicrous partisanship and division, denizens from both the left and the right forsake our allies, and, instead, warmly clasp hands with our most malevolent adversaries

Pray, where doth sanity and virtue reside in this bloody country? Much of the American left doth point accusing fingers at Israel in the face of assault, with too many openly applauding Hamas; all disseminating untruths they fervently wish to embrace. The true hues of Jew-hatred are becoming manifest on each side. Most of the American right doth lay blame upon Ukraine for the onslaught, with many boldly extolling Vladimir Putin and reproving (the Jewish) Mr. Zelensky; all spreading falsehoods. Extremes in both factions (arguably the majority of everybody now, the centre hath witherered) do heap blame upon the victims of terrorism, oppression, and anti-semitism. And how quick are each extreme to lay blame upon President Biden, the actual grown-up and decent, sensible human being in the room? Left and right, they cheer on the literal murderers, terrorists, and despots of their choosing, performing and thinking as their leaders dictate.

In these times, I am thoroughly repulsed and oft find myself in solitude with my steadfast beliefs. Uphold Israel, champion Ukraine, and cease the dissemination of propaganda and fabrications, predominantly spawned in the troll factories of St. Petersburg and Beijing, be it from the left or the right. If a bumbling soul and a virtual cripple such as I can discern these matters, what ails everyone else? Alas, I detest these times, and they will become darker still. Aye, far darker. Lunatics of all persuasions are steering us not merely toward a domestic civil conflict but straight into World War III. A lamentable state, indeed. Nick work, #Murica, nation of f**king imbeciles.

Copyright 2023, Arthur Newhook. @Sunking278 and @FloydEtcetera on X, and at the same handles on FACEBOOK. MASTODON - @ArthurNewhook@mastodon.world, BLUESKY - @arthurnewhook.bsky.social, and @arthurnewhook on POST and THREADS.

The Munich Agreement in our time

German Federal Archives

#OTD 1938: The vile and genocidal Munich Agreement was inked, as Neville Chamberlain, Édouard Daladier, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler did conspire and scheme to barter away Sudetenland's soil devoid of the Czechs' consent. This treachery paved the way for the Nazi invasion of Poland and World War II’s direful morass. In our time, voices too numerous clamor, both near and far, urging Ukraine to yield to Putin and Russia vast amounts of territory. Many doth point their fingers at Ukraine’s gate, laying blame at their door of fate, and whilst they extol Putin, the murderous dictator in his might. Assuming, in their feeble and faithless way, the American folk return Donald Trump to the White House in 2024, a perilous chance looms that America will align with Russia in their ongoing grievous design upon Ukraine. Let us, then, extend gratitude to President Biden and his steadfast stance in valiant defence of Zelensky and Ukraine; instead of ceaseless grumbles and cries about the financial cost, for history warns that appeasing dictators is a path always lost and far more costly. As the Great Man stated in his blunt refutation of Chamberlain, ‘you chose dishonour and you will have war,’ and that is the foolish path America hath found itself on now. I am simply astounded by these times we must endure, and what people's tragic folly and malevolence does obscure. It is likely this wretched state will worsen ere the dawn that will dispel this endless night and bring forth hope reborn.

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

#NeverTrump #NeverDeSantis: Ukrainian-American voters angry at the GOP’s 2024 forerunners for their pro-Putin stances

Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images

Republicans are really shooting themselves in the foot by doing or saying anything that will curry favor with their party’s toxic and compromised leader and his toxic supporters. Or, for that matter, being reflexively against anything President Biden supports. FTA: ‘The votes of Ukrainian-Americans - traditionally a Republican-leaning bloc - could have an outsize impact on the 2024 general election, according to some lawmakers, strategists and advocates, plus a Reuters analysis of U.S. census data.

‘While the number of Americans who identify as being of Ukrainian descent is relatively small at about 1 million, they are densely distributed in a string of unusually competitive areas where their votes could potentially be decisive.’ {Reuters 5/20}

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

DHS issues memo to government and law enforcement agencies warning that violent threats against gays, lesbians, and transsexuals are on the rise

AI image generated via Hotpot API

America has never really been the ‘live and let live’ country most of us would like to believe that we are. Perhaps some of us are seeing this truism more clearly now, in this post-COVID, post-Trump, and post-truth hellscape we are navigating; where large portions of our fellow Americans are violently rejecting liberal democracy, and liberal democratic values. A renewed moral panic has been whipped up against the LBGTQ community, and I would have to advise that many of us who are not in that community will nonetheless be targeted (or already have been) by extremist homophobes. Think of the witchcraft hysteria that my Puritan ancestors shamefully engaged in during the 17th century (a great-grandmother of mine was actually hung in early Hartford, CT, after accused of being a ‘witch’ because the community did not approve of her remarrying at age 72; her husband was also hung right alongside of her.) #Cult45 is eager to punish anybody not standing with them, and I have a feeling a lot of us are about to be deemed ‘witches’ of sorts (or ‘groomers,’ or any number of aspersions) in our new 1692. {ABC News 5/15}

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‘Russian authorities will launch construction of a village outside Moscow for conservative-minded Americans and Canadians next year, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported Thursday.’ {The Moscow Times 5/11}

David Smith: As Trump’s lies and scandals deepen, the GOP responds as usual - with silence. {The Guardian 5/13}

‘OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman delivered a sobering account of ways artificial intelligence could “cause significant harm to the world” during his first congressional testimony, expressing a willingness to work with nervous lawmakers to address the risks presented by his company’s ChatGPT and other AI tools.’ {WP 5/16}

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

Liberated from direct Russian occupation, the enemy continues to shell the city of Kherson from just across the river

Finbarr O'Reilly/NYT

‘Death is everywhere’ and most of the city’s population is gone. The remaining populace needs more than just prayers, as many of them are older, disabled, mentally ill, or otherwise unable or unwilling to leave. #StopPutin #StandUpForUkraine {NYT 5/10}

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

‘Way outside the norm.’ Harlan Crow paid for Justice Clarence Thomas to send grandnephew to an exclusive private school

Jemal Countess/UPI/Shutterstock

‘Way outside the norm,’ says one-time White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter. To that end, there is an interesting tidbit buried deep in this article about the Thomases and Crow taking a lavish yacht trip around the Baltics and renting a helicopter to visit Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg (the site of Rasputin’s murder.) Nothing about this Justice is of ‘the norm,’ a case study in why Justices should no longer be provided lifetime tenure and ought to be subject to a more robust system of checks and balances. Good luck ever trying to get any constitutional amendment passed in this era of hyper-partisan chaos, though. Clarence Thomas, another fine example of how and why were are f**ked as a nation. {ProPublica 5/04}

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

Russia accuses Ukraine of an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin residence of Vladimir Putin; Ukrainian authorities deny any involvement in alleged attack

BBC

Likely a Russian false flag and a ploy to garner more sympathy from those around the world inclined to believe Russian lies. If Ukraine were or is responsible, however, they would be completely justified in taking this action. But it will take more than a drone to usurp this tyrant. {BBC 5/03}

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

Zelensky and Xi hold their first telephone call since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began

Reuters

At the end of the day, the Chinese government and Xi are never to be trusted. One can see, however, why Zelensky would be eager to drive a wedge between Putin and Putin’s most important benefactor. {BBC 4/26}

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

Apparent Twitter algorithm change benefits Russian, Iranian, and Chinese state media

Elon Musk goes out of his way to appease dictators, and to flood the platform with yet more truther conspiracy garbage and anti-American propaganda. {DFRLab 4/21}

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

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.