Odds and Ends — 24 February 2025

@preparedwombat 77

2 months ago

oddsandends

Cryptocurrency, Investing, Money, Economy, Business, and Debt:

Strategy Bitcoin Stack Just Shy of 500K Tokens After Latest $2B Purchase

Montana Joins Growing List of US States Knocking Back Bitcoin Reserve Bills

Montana joins North Dakota, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania in halting proposals to include Bitcoin in state reserves.

SEC Enforcement Division closes investigation into Robinhood Crypto

Coronavirus News, Analysis, and Opinion:

COVID Broke the Rules of Virus Evolution

Politics:

https://twitter.com/RepJackKimble/status/1893322683762303267

An Obituary for the FBI

The 117-year-old Federal Bureau of Investigation, long heralded as the nation’s premier national law enforcement agency — an avowedly nonpartisan, independent investigator that for decades has pursued gangsters, mafioso, Nazis, terrorists, spies, cybercriminals, and corrupt politicians without fear, favor or political malice — died over the weekend.
While the institution’s independence had been on life support since January 30th, when the bureau’s top career agents were purged in an unprecedented move and the Justice Department announced it wanted the identities of thousands of agents and personnel who contributed to the investigation of the attempted insurrection on January 6th, the final cause of death was the avarice and cowardliness of 51 Republican senators who voted to confirm Kash Patel as its ninth director…

https://twitter.com/factpostnews/status/1893399679922004464
https://twitter.com/Kasparov63/status/1893850191314235673
https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1893746108255404330

‘To Adolf Hitler in Loyal Subservience!’

The chancellor rewarded loyalty with loyalty. Until he didn’t.

https://twitter.com/ColMoeDavis/status/1893658925746061629
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1893676454673522785
https://twitter.com/donwinslow/status/1893834191583809724

Trump Paralyzes the U.S. Wind Power Industry

…Trump has America’s wind-energy industry at a standstill.
Developers are delaying some projects and writing down the value of investments. Plans are hanging in limbo.
During his campaign, Trump directed fierce criticism to offshore wind projects, which he promised to ‘end on day one.’ His first wave of executive orders included a pause for federal permits and leasing for wind projects on land and at sea.

https://twitter.com/TheRickWilson/status/1893660933794246951
https://twitter.com/JessicaUSAF/status/1893450083728797699

Thousands of Troops Guard Quiet Border Towns

Border Patrol agents sit in empty parks. Active-duty soldiers drive through fields along the base of a towering black border wall. Military helicopters roam the skies.
This is the scene lately along the U.S.-Mexico border, where President Trump quickly declared a national emergency upon taking office, rushing thousands of active-duty soldiers here. They arrived to join thousands of Texas National Guard members and state troopers deployed under a state disaster order, plus the thousands of agents permanently working for Border Patrol and other agencies.
What are they all doing? ‘A whole lot of nothing,’ one South Texas National Guard soldier said.

https://twitter.com/jimstewartson/status/1893331933154943223
https://twitter.com/JoshEakle/status/1893658900924129303
https://twitter.com/PaulleyTicks/status/1893425304410161335

Carville Says Trump on the Verge of ‘Collapse’

“What I have said very publicly is that Democrats need to play possum. This whole thing is collapsing. It doesn’t need Elizabeth Warren and somebody screaming to pacify some progressive advocacy groups in Washington, which, by the way, I wish these people were just useless. They’re actually worse than useless, that they’re detrimental. And they never, ever learn to shut up.”
He added: “I believe that this administration, in less than 30 days is in the midst of a massive collapse and particularly a collapse in public opinion… It’s going to be easy pickings here in six weeks. Just lay back.”

Lately, Carville has been wrong a lot. Let’s hope that’s about to change. Not sure that I agree with his just wait, do nothing approach though.

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1893411441945760182

Zelensky Pushes Back Against U.S. Mineral Deal

President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back on Sunday against demands from the Trump administration for billions in Ukrainian natural resources and for holding peace talks that exclude Ukraine, while announcing plans for a major summit of European leaders on Monday.
The Ukrainian leader’s efforts to shore up European support while pressing ahead on negotiations with the United States came despite ominous messages from President Trump in recent days belittling Mr. Zelensky and issuing threats if Ukraine does not soon agree to a minerals deal.

https://twitter.com/BohuslavskaKate/status/1893691210532880522
https://twitter.com/mrsorokaa/status/1893720486334394475

Republicans Face Angry Voters at Town Halls

After a monthlong honeymoon for the GOP at the start of President Trump’s term, lawmakers are confronting a groundswell of fear and disaffection in districts around the country.

https://twitter.com/P_Kallioniemi/status/1893357277819666652
https://twitter.com/JayinKyiv/status/1893702501251068013

Trump Envoy Can’t Name a Single Concession Russia Will Make in Peace Deal

https://twitter.com/APHClarkson/status/1893752415872045378
https://twitter.com/Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/1893767435079082330

https://twitter.com/MargBarAmerica/status/1893790728217596099
https://twitter.com/WireRacing/status/1893119493192159325
https://twitter.com/schwarz/status/1893703208683397355

Musk Vows to Suspend Workers Who Don’t Return to Office

https://twitter.com/maddenifico/status/1893493899483635788
https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1893408081398095905

Emboldened Kremlin Steps Up Efforts to Seize Businesses

After the fall of Communism, Russia ushered in capitalism by selling off billions of dollars in state assets.
Now, 30 years later, the Russian government is stepping up a wartime campaign to do the opposite: seizing private businesses, this time in the name of national security.
In the last month, courts have ordered Russia’s largest warehouse owner to be taken over by the state and also directed the nationalization of a major grain exporter. And in the most stunning case, prosecutors filed a lawsuit in January to seize Moscow’s second-largest airport.

Trump administration plans mass firing at office that funds homelessness programs

https://twitter.com/LauraJedeed/status/1893517439809339895