'It's blackmail': Ukrainians react to Trump demand for $500bn share of minerals

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  7 Comments  •  1 Like  •  2 hours ago

“Ukraine's lithium deposits are among biggest in Europe and the US is looking for 'payback' for previous military assistance”

Ukraine can release the American taxpayers any time they choose.  There's nothing Ukraine has that the United States needs.  Ukraine can keep its lithium and the we'll keep our money.  That's fair, ain't it?  Just because American business leaders are idiots doesn't mean the United States has to...

Europe’s closest ally is in bed with its worst enemy. Now what?

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  1 Comments  •  3 Likes  •  2 days ago

“How did things get so bad, so fast?”

Fast?  Obama began pumping taxpayer money into Ukraine in 2014 after another phony "Arab Spring" event.  The flow of weapons and munitions to Ukraine began in 2018 with shipments of Javelin anti-tank missiles.   The Europeans sat on their thumbs and did nothing while Joe Biden warned of Russian...

US miners push Washington to revive long-dormant Bureau of Mines

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  1 Comments  •  2 Likes  •  5 days ago

“The bureau closed in 1996 during budget cuts.”

No, the Bureau of Mines won't be coming back.  That would require neoliberal Democrats and neoliberal Republicans admitting they screwed the pooch.  Al Gore and Newt Gingrich both take credit for closing the Bureau of Mines.  Bruce Babbitt gained cred as an environmentalists to distract from his...

Estonia's Milrem reveals first look at new war robot

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  2 Comments  •  3 Likes  •  6 days ago

Estonia?  One of my colleagues at the national lab was an Estonian physicist.  He developed sound deadening alloys and was working on vapor deposition of iron as a way to cast parts (think space missions).  Interesting fellow.  

Trump on potential EU food imports ban: ‘Let them do it’

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  1 Comments  •  6 days ago

“That’s all right. I don’t mind. Let them do it.”

A bit of journalistic malpractice.  Europeans are floating the idea of banning imports that do not comply with the same standards domestic producers must meet.  The tariffs may have provided an opportunity to push this idea but the bans are really about compliance and not about tariffs.

Europe must 'step up' on Ukraine, says Starmer

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  25 Comments  •  3 Likes  •  4 days ago

“The UK and Europe face a "generational challenge", the PM says.”

Where have the Europeans been the last three years?  Now that an American President has finally taken the hint to directly negotiate with Russia, Europeans are afraid they'll be left out.  And, naturally, the European response is to threaten escalation to undermine any peace negotiations.

Senate eyes possibility of vote-a-rama on budget resolution

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  1 Comments  •  2 Likes  •  6 days ago

“The House is out of session this week.”

No budget.  No debt limit.  Still fighting over nominee appointments.  Democrats in disarray.  And Republicans held hostage by a few Senators. With just a little bit of luck, the dunderbutts in Congress will trip a default on the Federal debt.  Maybe we could write off about $20 trillion while...

Gore Report Targets 252,000 Federal Jobs

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  25 Comments  •  3 Likes  •  6 days ago

“Sources say reorganization would mean savings of $108 billion, smallest civil service since '60s”

It's deja vu all over again.  We were required to terminate employment of term, temporary, and probationary employees.  We were subjected to passive/aggressive encouragement to take the buyout.  We were expected to do more work with fewer people.  The National Partnership for Reinventing...

The Strange Career of Paul Krugman

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  1 Comments  •  1 Like  •  one week ago

“How a trash-talking neoliberal economist harmed America by vilifying strategic trade and industrial policy”

Why do most of the leading economist exhibit personally quirks that are reminiscent of Donald Trump?  Paul Krugman has been an avid defender of globalization and free trade using petulance, name calling, Pollyanna naivety, and fearmongering.  It seems that academic pettishness quite often guides...

This Is The EV That Everyone Wants, Apparently

Via: Nerm_L  •  News Viners  •  4 Comments  •  3 Likes  •  2 weeks ago

“It's a digital creation based on what cars people have searched for online between 2020 and 2024.”

Now that the info is public, China's BYD will probably be turning these out tomorrow.  General Motors will need to study the market for five years.  Ford will stick a truck bed on the back.  And Tesla will challenge it with another iteration of Cybertruck. The US won't convert to EVs because we...