Biden To Impose “Crushing” Sanctions On Russia Again

By William Teach February 23, 2024 – 10:30 am

I mean, well, OK, but, I thought the previous round of sanctions was meant to crush Russia and drive them out of Ukraine?

US imposes ‘crushing’ sanctions on Russia 2 years after Ukraine invasion

The U.S. has announced more than 500 sanctions on Russia, its enablers, and its war machine on Friday as the world marks two years since Russia attacked Ukraine.

This is the largest single tranche since the start of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, administration officials said.

“Today, I am announcing more than 500 new sanctions against Russia for its ongoing war of conquest on Ukraine and for the death of Aleksey Navalny, who was a courageous anti-corruption activist and Putin’s fiercest opposition leader,” President Joe Biden said in the statement released by the White House. “These sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents. They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”

“We are also imposing new export restrictions on nearly 100 entities for providing backdoor support for Russia’s war machine,” Biden continued. “We are taking action to further reduce Russia’s energy revenues. And I’ve directed my team to strengthen support for civil society, independent media, and those who fight for democracy around the world.”

I have to wonder, as no article mentions it, does “strengthen support” mean giving taxpayer money to them? And, will new sanctions actually work?

Throughout Russia’s war on Ukraine, the U.S. has sought to weaken Moscow’s military by targeting its economy — limiting its ability to import key technology to fuel its defense-industrial complex, reduce the value of its exports, and cut Russia off from the international banking system.

Despite the historic effort, Russia’s economy has grown over the last two years due in part to the country’s steady trade with partners like China and India. The Kremlin has also managed to keep its arsenals stocked, resorting to sourcing some weapons from Iran and North Korea — two countries that are also heavily sanctioned by the West.

Will these sanction hurt China and India? Because unless they restrict trade with them, and other nations in the Middle East and Africa, especially on oil, it won’t make a difference. And, if these are so important, why didn’t they do this before?

“History is watching. The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will not be forgotten,” said Joe Biden on Friday. “Now is the time for us to stand strong with Ukraine and stand united with our Allies and partners. Now is the time to prove that the United States stands up for freedom and bows down to no one.”

Huh what? The above ABC News article was published at 7:51pm on Thursday. How did he say that Friday? Unless it was some press release ABC is portraying as Biden speaking coherently, particularly since he was flying back from fundraising in California after the article was published…that doesn’t make sense.

If Biden really wants to hurt Russia, open up our oil and natural gas and start shipping it around the world, reducing the value of Russia fossil fuels. But, none of this will get Russia out of Ukraine. Which never would have happened if Biden hadn’t been so weak to start with.

Read: Biden To Impose “Crushing” Sanctions On Russia Again »

Posted in Current Affairs, Joe Biden | 14 Comments | Trackback URL

Your Fault: ‘Climate Change’ Causing Mental Distress In Teens

By William Teach February 23, 2024 – 7:15 am

If all teens hear from the news and their teachers and politicians is that they are doomed from a (small) rise in Earth’s temperatures and that temperatures are SOOOON!!!!! going to be out of control, that the next mass extinction is already here, that it’s all doom, how do you think the kiddies will react?

Climate Change Linked to Rise in Mental Distress Among Teens, according to Drexel Study

Worsening human-induced climate change may have effects beyond the widely reported rising sea levels, higher temperatures, and impacts on food supply and migration – and may also extend to influencing mental distress among high schoolers in the United States.

According to a representative survey of 38,616 high school students from 22 public school districts in 14 U.S. states, the quarter of those adolescents who had experienced the highest number of days in a climate disaster within the past two years and the past five years – such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, droughts, and wildfire – had 20% higher odds of developing mental distress than their peers who experienced few or no disaster events.

The paper is the first large scale research looking at mental health of adolescents following multiple disaster events — including the timing, frequency, and duration of the events – spanning 83 federally declared climate disasters occurring within 10 years before the survey was completed. The findings, using May 2019 data on sadness/hopelessness and short sleep from the U.S. Youth Risk Behavior Survey and disaster data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, were published this month in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports. (snip)

Respondents reported mental health distress by responding affirmatively to persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and short sleep duration, two factors that previous studies strongly link to mental health disorders among adolescents. The group controlled for other factors that may influence mental health, such as age, race, gender, experience of bullying, concerns about school safety and household income.

So, this is a self fulfilling prophecy: tell kids they are doomed then act surprised when they are mental messes. Of course, for all their caterwauling the kiddies sure do not have any issues using tons of electricity, traveling around to take their selfies and vids (often in fossil fueled vehicles), and buying fast fashion. Ordering delivery which comes in fossil fueled vehicles. And so forth.

As the results cannot prove causation, the authors say they would like to see more studies into the range of effects of climate change on youth and methods to improve preparing for potential worsening mental health among this population.

So, they can’t prove that it is from anthropogenic climate change? Huh. We’ve all been through big weather events. The kids think that things have only ever happened to them.

Read: Your Fault: ‘Climate Change’ Causing Mental Distress In Teens »

Posted in AGW Scaremongering, Global Warming | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Suddenly, Biden Considers Using Immigration Powers That Trump Used

By William Teach February 23, 2024 – 7:00 am

It’s almost like the Brandon regime had all these powers to restrict illegal immigration, but, intentionally chose to do the opposite

White House weighing executive actions on the border — with immigration powers used by Trump

The White House is considering using provisions of federal immigration law repeatedly tapped by former President Donald Trump to unilaterally enact a sweeping crackdown at the southern border, according to three people familiar with the deliberations.

The administration, stymied by Republican lawmakers who rejected a negotiated border bill earlier this month, has been exploring options that President Joe Biden could deploy on his own without congressional approval, multiple officials and others familiar with the talks said. But the plans are nowhere near finalized and it’s unclear how the administration would draft any such executive actions in a way that would survive the inevitable legal challenges. The officials and those familiar with the talks spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to comment on private ongoing White House discussions.

Trump did not need Congress to do anything: he already had the statutory authority to restrict illegal immigration and those demanding asylum. He used them, despite Democrats always suing. For those who were caught, he should have shipped them to sanctuary cities like several did, such as Greg Abbott

The exploration of such avenues by Biden’s team underscores the pressure the president faces this election year on immigration and the border, which have been among his biggest political liabilities since he took office. For now, the White House has been hammering congressional Republicans for refusing to act on border legislation that the GOP demanded, but the administration is also aware of the political perils that high numbers of migrants could pose for the president and is scrambling to figure out how Biden could ease the problem on his own.

White House spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández stressed that “no executive action, no matter how aggressive, can deliver the significant policy reforms and additional resources Congress can provide and that Republicans rejected.”

Blah blah blah. Republicans in the House should pass a hardcore bill that significantly restricts asylum claims, and forces them to apply outside the U.S. A bill that immediately deports all caught illegally in the U.S. Allocates lots of money for the wall and border agents. Allows states to surge their own forces and block the border. And so much more.

The question with Biden, though, is, “will he do something or is he just making noise?” A further question is “if he actually does something, will he go back to an unsecured border and what he’s done for the past 3 years if he wins in November?”

Read: Suddenly, Biden Considers Using Immigration Powers That Trump Used »

Posted in Illegal Immigration, Joe Biden | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

Chicago Sues Fossil Fuels Companies Or Something

By William Teach February 22, 2024 – 3:00 pm

Chicago has decided to join the Leftist parade of cities, counties, and states who are suing fossil fuels companies, but, aren’t giving up their own use of fossil fuels. And, really, wouldn’t be able to survive without them

Chicago sues oil and gas companies for their role in contributing to climate change

The city of Chicago is suing five oil and gas companies and a trade group that represents them over their role in contributing to climate change and its effects, arguing that the companies have misled the public about how the use of fossil fuels affects city residents’ well-being.

The suit, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, accuses BP, Chevron, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and the American Petroleum Institute of mounting a “climate deception campaign” about burning fossil fuels to protect their profits.

Chicago is the latest in a slew of government bodies taking legal action against fossil fuel distributors over how climate change has affected cities and states. Cities in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Carolina and Puerto Rico have taken similar actions since 2017, according to a release from the Center for Climate Integrity.

Chicago, represented by its own attorneys and lawyers from Chicago firm DiCello Levitt and San Francisco firm Sher Edling, is not seeking a specific sum from the defendants. However, it is demanding they reimburse the city on the costs incurred from climate change-related events such as infrastructure and property damage.

Again, I say those companies should refuse to sell their products to the city of Chicago. Let’s see how well that works. How will they pick up garbage? Run police cars and fire trucks? Buses? How about cleaning up the snow? How do O’Hare and Midway international operate? How about all the fossil fueled ships bringing goods? Sadly, the companies never do this. I’ve never understood why. If someone is suing you, you do not continue working with them. Heck, the city should voluntarily stop using fossil fuels if they are so concerned.

Seriously, it’s not fossil fuels damaging Chicago. This is just a shakedown.

Read: Chicago Sues Fossil Fuels Companies Or Something »

Posted in AGW Socialism, Global Warming | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach February 22, 2024 – 1:00 pm

…is horrible heatsnow because Other People won’t stop eating meat, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Cold Fury, with post on government of, by, and for halfwits.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 9 Comments | Trackback URL

Arizona Refusing To Extradite Murder Suspect To NYC, Distrusts Prosecutor Alvin Bragg

By William Teach February 22, 2024 – 10:30 am

In all my years I do not remember ever seeing something like this

Arizona prosecutors won’t extradite SoHo hotel murder suspect to N.Y.

Prosecutors in Arizona say they won’t agree right now to extradite the man accused of murdering a woman in SoHo because they don’t trust Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Raad Almansoori is locked up in Arizona, where police say he stabbed two women. The Manhattan DA wants to bring him to New York to face charges for that SoHo murder, but Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell wants him to stay in Arizona, for now.

“I just want to say that I know there’s been discussion about New York wanting to extradite this individual. And I’m sure that this is not aimed at the New York Police Department at all, I know they did a hard job, and they did a good job. But we will not be agreeing to extradition. I’ve instructed my extradition attorneys not to agree to that. We’re going to keep him here. These are mandatory prison sentences. And having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by the Manhattan DA there, Alvin Bragg, I think it’s safer to keep him here and keep him in custody so that he can not be out doing this to individuals either in our state, county or anywhere in the United States,” Mitchell said.

Have you ever seen this happen here in the U.S. where one state won’t extradite a murderer (or any other criminal) to another state because of the possibility that they will be released back to the streets and treated lightly? Almansoori is also wanted for a wide variety for felonies in Arizona and other states

A spokesperson from the Manhattan District Attorney, Emily Tuttle, called Mitchell’s comments “deeply disturbing” and accused her of “playing political games in a murder investigation.”

“In Manhattan, we are serious about New Yorkers’ safety, which is why murders are down 24% and shootings are down 38% since D.A. Bragg took office. New York’s murder rate is less than half that of Phoenix, Arizona, because of the hard work of the NYPD and all of our law enforcement partners,” Tuttle said. “It is a slap in the face to them and to the victim in our case to refuse to allow us to seek justice and full accountability for a New Yorker’s death.”

Yeah yeah yeah. Those rates have nothing to do with Bragg. Meanwhile, theft, burglary, and robbery are way up. Smash and grabs are common. Convictions are down, and charges are being downgraded

Since taking office on Jan. 1, Bragg has downgraded 52% of felony cases to misdemeanors — compared to 39% in all of 2019. Between 2013 and 2020, under District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., the percentage of cases the office downgraded had never exceeded 40%, according to data made public by the DA’s office.

When serious felony charges are brought, Bragg’s office wins a conviction just 51% of the time — down from 68% in 2019, the last year before the pandemic disrupted the court system.

That’s not good. It’s no wonder Arizona is refusing to ship Raad back to NYC

Read: Arizona Refusing To Extradite Murder Suspect To NYC, Distrusts Prosecutor Alvin Bragg »

Posted in Liberal World | 8 Comments | Trackback URL

Majority Of Deep Blue New Jersey Residents Not Interested In Getting An EV

By William Teach February 22, 2024 – 7:00 am

It’s easy to say you’re going to implement something. It’s harder to make it happen. Funny, though, how the Elites blow off their own talking points about “saving Democracy” when the peasants have opposition to initiatives

Phasing out gas-powered vehicles in NJ? Most NJ residents vote no, according to a poll

The Garden State is divided on the use of electric vehicles.

That’s what the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll says: Half of New Jersey residents don’t support the governor’s phase-out plan for gas-powered cars and trucks by 2035.

State residents are worried about the costs — for both the state and themselves to shift to electric vehicles, according to the poll, although they understand the environmental and health benefits.

Sounds like they aren’t too thrilled that the Elites in the capitol are going to force the peasants to drive EVs. It’s a shame that none in the media are asking people like Governor Phil Murphy if he’s driving an EV. Anyhow, it breaks down as

  • 56% say they would be “not very likely” (21%) or “not at all likely” (35%) to consider buying an EV
  • 23% would be “somewhat likely”
  • 13% would be “very likely”
  • 3% say they already have one
  • 4% are unsure

So, wait, only 3% have an EV now in deep Blue NJ? 57.3% of NJ residents voted Brandon, so, I would have expected most of them to have switched over by now. Or at least the 51.2% who voted for Murphy in 2021 to have gotten one. If you’re voting for it why are you not doing it?

Despite the opposition, 58% of residents recognize that the policy will have a positive impact on air quality and 51% can see the health benefits. On the other hand, about one-fourth of those polled say it will have no impact on either one.

Yeah, but, they still aren’t doing it.

Support for the 2035 mandate is strongest among Democrats (68%) and reaches a majority for groups who historically lean Democratic, such as Black residents (53%); residents who are multiracial or of backgrounds other than white, Black, or Hispanic (57%); those age 18 to 34 years old (53%); urbanites (55%); and those who have done graduate work (56%).

Republicans are the least likely of any group to support the mandate (15%) and the most likely – by far – to oppose it (80%).

So, why is it 3% when 68% of Democrats back the mandate? I’ll say again, if you want an EV, get one. That’s your choice. And that’s what it should be: a choice. Not a mandate by Elites who do not drive them themselves.

Read: Majority Of Deep Blue New Jersey Residents Not Interested In Getting An EV »

Posted in Collapsing Science, Global Warming | 10 Comments | Trackback URL

Bummer: 64% Say Biden’s Too Mentally Unfit For Another Term

By William Teach February 22, 2024 – 6:45 am

Most of the media running with this poll discuss Biden’s age, but, it is his mental issues that are relevant

Nearly 70% of voters believe President Biden is too old to be reelected, poll shows

An overwhelming consensus of voters say President Joe Biden is too old to be reelected, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

While Biden holds a narrow lead over former President Donald Trump among voters in a hypothetical election, 67% say Biden, 81, is too old to effectively serve another term. A smaller group of respondents, 57%, said the same of Trump, who is 77.

The perception of Biden’s overall fitness appears dismal, with 35% agreeing he has the required physical fitness to serve as president, compared to Trump’s 62%. Only 34% felt confident of Biden’s mental fitness compared to Trump’s 48%.

Biden’s approval rating among respondents was just 40%, with the highest disapproval rate coming from 18 to 34-year-olds.

64% say Biden is a mental mess. In fairness, 51% say so is Trump. Of course, the poll doesn’t break down why. I’d bet it’s because Joe acts like he has dementia and just isn’t all there, while Trump is just a bit wackadoodle and doesn’t know when to just shut his mouth.

The data mirrors that of recent polling by ABC News/IPSOS showing 86% of Americans feel Biden’s age should prevent him from serving a second term. Age has become a hot button topic in the 2024 election as Republicans continue to point to a special counsel report calling into questions aspects of Biden’s memory.

I’m hoping the GOP and Trump campaign are going to use that report about Biden’s mental unfitness when the time comes. Switching over to that poll link which mentions Brandon’s handling of

  • the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: 47 percent approve, while 48 percent disapprove;
  • the economy: 42 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove;
  • foreign policy: 36 percent approve, while 60 percent disapprove;
  • gun violence: 32 percent approve, while 59 percent disapprove;
  • the response to the war between Israel and Hamas: 31 percent approve, while 62 percent disapprove;
  • the situation at the Mexican border: 29 percent approve, while 63 percent disapprove.

Who are these wacko 42% who think he’s doing good on the economy? Are they the folks making lots of money who aren’t bothered by the spike in food prices?

Read: Bummer: 64% Say Biden’s Too Mentally Unfit For Another Term »

Posted in Donald Trump, Joe Biden | 5 Comments | Trackback URL

Oops: Leasing Companies For EVs Demanding Payoffs After Prices Plummet

By William Teach February 21, 2024 – 7:13 pm

In case you’ve never leased a vehicle before, here’s how it works. You’re paying for the depreciation, leaving the rest as the residual value, plus an interest fee, what’s called the money factor. This is set by the manufacturer. You have to qualify for one of the tiers in order to be able to do it, based on credit and such. If you aren’t tier one or tier two, it’s usually not worth doing, unless you are writing it off. Same with picking mileage above 15K a year. The manufacturers have a pretty good idea what the residual value will be after the agreed term (which is why a total redesign can be more expensive to lease for at least the first 6 months to a year), so, there is little risk for either them or the consumer. What happens when the residual value, ie, what the car is actually worth, crashes?

Leasing Companies Are Demanding Payoffs from EV Makers Like Tesla as Resale Values Plummet

Electric vehicleCar leasing companies are feeling the pinch as electric vehicle resale values tumble, prompting demands for compensation from automakers trying to meet strict emissions targets.

Fortune reports that the market for used electric cars has taken a massive hit since Tesla slashed prices last year, forcing other manufacturers to follow suit. This has impacted companies like Europe’s largest multi-brand leasing firms Ayvens and Arval, which serve as middlemen in the critical corporate car market that makes up around 60 percent of European sales.

According to Ayvens CEO Tim Albertsen, the company has already received compensation checks in recent weeks from carmakers to cover the cratering prices of leased EVs returned at the end of their contracts. Leasing agreements typically factor in an estimated residual value, with payments designed to cover expected depreciation. But with values dropping more than predicted, the leasing firms take a loss when selling those vehicles.

Now companies like Ayvens are pushing manufacturers for protections, including buyback guarantees to safeguard against further erosion in the $1.2 trillion used EV market. “Manufacturers today need to keep selling EVs,” said Albertsen. “We then need some kind of protection from the manufacturers in terms of their future pricing.”

Well, that is the danger of companies not owned by the manufacturer assuming the leasing of the vehicles. The manufacturer doesn’t have the financial incentive to keep the residual values high.

Manufacturers are responding by guaranteeing buybacks, shifting risk into the future. But carmakers remain responsible for eventually finding used EV buyers at decent prices, or taking writedowns. With demand “artificially stoked” by incentives and ending after the second-hand market, this distorted dynamic poses serious challenges, said auto expert Ursula Weigl.

Here’s the thing: if you financed one, the value of your vehicle has also plummeted, so, when you go to trade it in or sell it, it will be worth thousands less than it should have been. Kind of the reverse of what happened after COVID hit, with used car values being about $6,000 to $8,000 more than they should have been. So, those people who paid ridiculous prices now have massive negative equity, way more than they should have had. They’re being told either come up with some good down payment or just ride out the loan. Learn to love the car.

Read: Oops: Leasing Companies For EVs Demanding Payoffs After Prices Plummet »

Posted in Economy, Global Warming | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach February 21, 2024 – 1:00 pm

…is a rising soon that will soon swamp the land, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Chicks On The Right, with a post on a male high jumper obliterating a girls’ high school record.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 22 Comments | Trackback URL
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