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This evening's music features Texas blues guitarist and singer James "Thunderbird" Davis. Enjoy!

“Even President Reagan couldn’t understand him. During an early briefing Casey delivered to the national security cabinet, Reagan slipped Vice President Bush a note: “Did you understand a word he said?” Reagan later told William F. Buckley, “My problem with Bill was that I didn’t understand him at meetings. Now, you can ask a person to repeat himself once. You can ask him twice. But you can’t ask him a third time. You start to sound rude. So I’d just nod my head, but I didn’t know what he was actually saying.”

Such was the dialogue for six years between the president and his intelligence chief in a nuclear-armed nation running secret wars on four continents.”

-- Steve Coll

News and Opinion

The Brits just publicly blamed Russia for the “NotPetya” cyberattack

The devastating NotPetya cyberattack that cost billions of dollars worldwide and delayed condom production for several weeks was carried out by the Kremlin, the U.K claimed Wednesday. In making the remarkable accusation, the British government said Russia was “ripping up the rule book” and “undermining democracy” through powerful cyberweapons. “We have entered a new era of warfare, witnessing a destructive and deadly mix of conventional military might and malicious cyberattacks,” Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said in a statement.

For a government to make such an accusation is rare due to the difficulty of attributing cyber attacks. Though the Washington Post reported last month that a classified CIA report concluded with “high confidence” that Russia was behind the attack, the U.S. government has refrained from publicly pointing the finger at Moscow. ...

“We categorically reject such accusations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. “We consider them unsubstantiated and groundless. This is nothing but a continuation of a Russophobic campaign that is not based on any evidence.”

Originally designed to target Ukrainian companies in the financial, energy and government sectors, the malware quickly spread, affecting organizations and businesses around the world. It also hit critical infrastructure, including computers controlling the ports of Amsterdam and Mumbai, as well as radiation monitors in Chernobyl.

Congressman Says He Tried to Brief Trump on WikiLeaks and Russia After Meeting With Julian Assange, But John Kelly Blocked Him

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly blocked Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., from briefing President Donald Trump about a meeting he had in London in August with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Rohrabacher told The Intercept.

Rohrabacher claimed Assange had shown him and his traveling companion, Charles Johnson, definitive proof that Russia was not the source of the Democratic Party communications that WikiLeaks published during the 2016 campaign. Assange was willing to share that information with American officials, Rohrabacher said, but he was never able to present the offer to the president.

Rohrabacher, who is considered broadly sympathetic with the Russian government, said he was told by Kelly that meeting with Trump could put the president in unnecessary legal jeopardy. “What is preventing me from talking to Trump about this is the existence of a special prosecutor,” Rohrabacher said. “Not only Kelly, but others are worried if I say one word to Trump about Russia, that it would appear to out-of-control prosecutors that that is where the collusion is.”

Assange did not want to release the evidence publicly, Rohrabacher said, because he didn’t want to expose his sources and methods. (Assange didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

‘Russian trolls’: NBC releases deleted controversial tweets

Nobody wants to talk about the Russians killed by U.S. airstrikes in Syria

Several Russian mercenaries working in Syria were killed by U.S. airstrikes last week, according to reports in Russia and in the West. However, Washington and Moscow have yet to confirm the deaths amid reports the number of Russian casualties could be far higher. Russian media reported that Russian military contractors died in the airstrikes launched on Feb. 7, when pro-regime forces advanced on oil fields in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zour and were targeted by U.S. air and artillery strikes.

Western outlets including the BBC and CNN have also confirmed that Russian contractors were killed, citing their families, friends and associates. Both outlets named two of the dead as Kirill Ananyev, from Moscow, and Vladimir Loginov, a member of a Cossack group of ultranationalists from Kaliningrad. ...

CNN and BBC reported that both men worked for the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, a Hong Kong-registered company that has sent many ex-servicemen to Syria to fight in support of Russian and regime forces. The group is under U.S. sanctions for its support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

But the U.S. and Russia have remained coy about the reports, which would mark the first known occasion that U.S. airstrikes have killed Russians in the Syrian conflict. ... The incident could prove embarrassing for both sides, which have maintained a deconfliction line to avoid unintentionally striking each other’s forces in the chaos of the battlefield and accidentally setting off a wider confrontation.

Fifteen Russian security staff killed in Syria explosion

Fifteen Russians employed in Syria by a private security company have been killed after an explosion rocked an arms depot at their base in the country, according to a monitoring group.

The incident happened at the company’s weapons storage facility at Tabiya Jazira in the northeastern province of Deir Ezzor, said the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Observatory directory Rami Abdel Rahman said the company in question was in charge of “protecting the oil and gas fields controlled by the Syrian regime”. ...

The Russian workers were accompanying regime forces as they advanced towards the oil and gas fields on the eastern banks of Euphrates river controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters.

US wasting billions on nuclear bombs that serve no purpose and are security liability – experts

The US is to spend billions of dollars upgrading 150 nuclear bombs positioned in Europe, although the weapons may be useless as a deterrent and a potentially catastrophic security liability, according to a new report by arms experts.

A third of the B61 bombs in Europe under joint US and Nato control are thought to be kept at Incirlik base in Turkey, 70 miles from the Syrian border, which has been the subject of serious concerns. The threat to the base posed by Islamic State militants was considered serious enough in March 2016 to evacuate the families of military officers.

During a coup attempt four months later, Turkish authorities locked down the base and cut its electricity. The Turkish commanding officer at Incirlik was arrested for his alleged role in the plot. A report on the future of the B61 bombs by arms control advocacy group the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) , and made available to the Guardian, said the 2016 events “shows just how quickly assumptions about the safety and security of US nuclear weapons stored abroad can change.”

Since then US-Turkish relations have soured further, largely over Washington’s support for Kurd forces in Syria. The national security adviser, HR McMaster, and secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, have both made trips to Turkey this week to try to heal the rift. There have been reports that the bombs have been quietly moved out because of safety concerns, but that has not been confirmed.

Heh, what a surprise, South Koreans like the idea of not being vaporized by a bunch of knuckle-dragging American morons.

Korean Olympic Diplomacy Moves Forward Despite U.S. Intransigence

By many accounts, the Koreans – North and South – have prevailed over the disruptive desires of the United States, coming together in a series of very public actions, clearly meant to turn down the political heat generated by President Donald Trump and the U.S. pressure for military action. This pressure can be seen as a continuation of President Barack Obama’s “Asia Pivot,” a policy that called for full U.S. dominance in the region, including by containing China and the new emerging regional powers through a set of expansive, coordinated, and aggressive military alliances with Japan and other Pacific Rim countries.

The high-profile actions taken by the North and the South – both acting independently of Washington – left U.S. Vice President Mike Pence pouting and twiddling his thumbs on the sidelines during some very effective international diplomacy. In this regard, there does indeed seem to be a new and genuine desire on the part of the president of South Korea to forge a more peaceful and cooperative relationship with the North, even though U.S. officials and commentators seem to be dead set against it, portraying the warming relations between North and South as an attempt by the North to subvert the long and close relationship with the South.

In congressional hearings this week, the moves toward North-South de-escalation were dismissed by a leading Republican, Sen. James Risch of Idaho, as a “smile campaign.”

“The South Korean people seem to have been charmed to some degree, some of them seem to have been captivated by it,” Risch fretted.

Max Blumenthal in Gaza: Netanyahu Faces Scandal, Palestinians a Crisis

UN gets report on what Palestinians say is Gaza catastrophe

The U.N. Mideast envoy has briefed the Security Council behind closed doors at the request of Kuwait and Bolivia on what Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour calls the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Bolivian Ambassador Sacha Llorentty Soliz says U.N. envoy Niko Mladenov told the council Wednesday that drinking water is short, hospitals have been closed and "doctors stopped doing surgeries."

He says Bolivia highlighted Israel's primary responsibility for "the catastrophic situation in Gaza."

Justice Minister: Israel Must Keep Jewish Majority Even at the Expense of Human Rights

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said Monday that if not for the fence erected some years ago on the Egyptian border, “We would be seeing here a kind of creeping conquest from Africa.” The fence effectively stopped asylum-seekers from Sudan and Eritrea from entering the country.

In a speech to the Congress on Judaism and Democracy, Shaked also said, “I think that ‘Judaizing the Galilee’ is not an offensive term. We used to talk like that. In recent years we’ve stopped talking like that. I think it’s legitimate without violating the full rights of the Arab residents of Israel.”

The justice minister made the remarks in a wide-ranging speech on the controversy over the Jewish nation-state bill.

On the coalition’s intent to keep the word “equality” out of the nation-state bill, Shaked said: “Israel is a Jewish state. It isn’t a state of all its nations. That is, equal rights to all citizens but not equal national rights.” Shaked said the word “equality” was very general and the court could take it “very far,” adding, “There are places where the character of the State of Israel as a Jewish state must be maintained and this sometimes comes at the expense of equality.”

South Africa: Cyril Ramaphosa elected president

South Africa has a new president after Zuma finally stands down

Cyril Ramaphosa was voted in as South Africa’s new president Thursday, less than 16 hours after his predecessor was finally pushed out over corruption allegations.

The 65-year-old was the only candidate nominated by his party, the African National Congress, as it elected him leader in the National Assembly in Cape Town. Lawmakers burst into song, singing “Rise up, Ramaphosa,” as the announcement was made, effectively bringing an end to the country’s weekslong political crisis.

“South Africa has just emerged from a historic and challenging time,” said Baleka Mbete, the parliamentary speaker. “Our democracy has matured and remains resilient.”

As deputy president, Ramaphosa, a former anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and businessman, had already been named the interim president after his embattled predecessor Jacob Zuma abruptly announced his resignation Wednesday night.

Kept Out: Banks Across U.S. Caught Systematically Rejecting People of Color for Home Loans

Does America believe in public infrastructure anymore?

This week, President Trump released his much-anticipated plan to repair America’s crumbling infrastructure. From providing too little government funding, to resting on unrealistic expectations for private investment, to threatening key environmental protections, the plan is rife with problems. And yet most troubling is the Trump administration’s total disregard for public goods, public voice, and the public interest. Instead of prioritizing our most pressing needs, Trump wants to let wealth dictate who will benefit from infrastructure improvements. According to the rules laid out in his plan, proposed projects will be judged overwhelmingly by the amount of outside funding they can attract.

The amount of non-federal funding supplied for a given project will count for 70% of its score, while “evidence supporting how the project will spur economic and social returns on investment” will be weighted at just 5%. In other words, projects will live or die based on the resources they can attract, rather than the number of people they would serve or how urgently they are needed. This system not only incentivizes projects that profit at the public’s expense, such as toll roads, but also increases the likelihood that federal dollars will flow to wealthy jurisdictions that need them the least. When priorities are determined by wealth and profitability, the disadvantaged are left behind. Under Trump’s plan, communities that most need critical infrastructure investments – low-income communities, often communities of color – will be left out. ...

Communities of color are more likely to lack internet access, to be underserved by public transportation, and to suffer from long commutes. Trump’s infrastructure plan will likely entrench these infrastructure inequities. Examples like the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, where emergency managers put cost savings over public health outcomes, highlight the importance of investing with an eye towards social justice.

Democrat in Competitive Texas Primary Compares Mexican Border to Iran-Iraq

Late last year, veteran Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith announced his resignation — setting off a scramble to replace him in Texas’s 21st District. Eighteen Republicans and four Democrats will be vying for their party’s nomination in a primary that takes place on March 6. ... Businessman and Iraq veteran Joseph Kopser, a former Republican who is backed by national Democrats, was asked about his views on border security at the Ranchers and Landowners Association of Texas the second weekend of February. The comments have not been previously reported.

“Border security on our Southern border and our Northern border is something we have to focus on,” he replied. He went on to advocate for fences and greater use of technology in the air and on the ground to detect threats on the border. Curiously, he cited his time in Iraq as justification. “I want to secure our borders because when I spent my time in Iraq, when we were fighting Al Qaeda, the border between Iraq and Iran was not secure, and those fighters came over with Iran and that didn’t do us any good in that fight,” he said. “Nor do I want to allow anyone across our border without us knowing who they are.”

A member of the audience called out, “Are you sure you’re on the right ticket?”

He replied, “I’m on the American ticket.”

Progressive With Unbelievably Powerful Story Set To WIN Congressional Seat- Amy Vilela

Squirrel!!!

Stormy Daniels can now talk about Trump affair, thanks to his lawyer

Stormy Daniels is now free to tell her story (once again) of her reported affair with Donald Trump.

Her manager is saying the hush is off after Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, stated publicly that he’d paid the porn star hush money out of his own pocket to keep quiet, a few weeks before the 2016 election. Cohen’s acknowledgement of the transaction apparently throws off a non-disclosure agreement that had otherwise bound Daniels’ to secrecy, her manager, Gina Rodriguez, told the Associated Press, “Everything is off now, and Stormy is going to tell her story,” Rodriguez said.

Pruitt Admits He Flies First Class to Avoid People Mad At Him for Destroying the Planet

Under intense scrutiny for taking expensive first class flights and staying in luxury hotels on the taxpayer's dime, EPA chief Scott Pruitt informed the public of the real reason he stays away from coach: to avoid uncomfortable interactions with people who are mad at him for trying to destroy the planet.

"We live in a very toxic environment politically," Pruitt explained in an interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader this week—an interesting choice of words, given that the EPA chief's policy moves have greatly contributed to the toxicity of the actual geophysical environment.

In separate remarks to New Hampshire's WMUR TV, Pruitt said "there have been instances, unfortunately, during my time as administrator, as I've flown and spent time, of interaction that's not been the best."

"And, so, ingress and egress off the plane...that's all decisions all made by our [security] detail team, by the chief of staff, by the administration," Pruitt added. "I don't make any of those decisions." ...

Critics were quick to ridicule Pruitt's comments on social media and raise serious questions about the claim that "unpleasant interactions" with people who disagree with the EPA's pro-fossil fuel policy agenda constitute a security threat.

Hopi fight use of treated sewage to make snow on holy peaks

To the Hopi tribe, the San Francisco Peaks are sacred. The cluster of mountains rise dramatically from grasslands and ponderosa forests in northern Arizona, and the Hopi say they are home to spiritual beings called kachinas, believed to bring the rain and snow to their reservation. The tribe has been allowed to move forward with a lawsuit against a local ski resort over what the tribe deems to be a desecration of the holy mountains: spraying artificial snow made from treated sewage.

Signs around the Arizona Snowbowl resort, about 15 miles from Flagstaff, warn skiers not to drink the water used in making snow, but state regulations allow for its use in irrigating crops and watering parks. It has been found to contain trace amounts of substances such as Prozac, deet and ibuprofen. They occur on the order of a few dozen to a few hundred parts per trillion, which, for comparison, is far less than a grain of salt in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

In its complaint, the tribe contends that the purity of sacred sites and natural resources will be compromised by artificial snow that gets blown outside the ski resort boundaries or seeps into the surrounding forest as it melts. Even the act of making snow – of turning to manmade technology to replace the natural water cycle – goes against Hopi beliefs, said Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, the recently retired Hopi Cultural Preservation Office director. It is the duty of the spiritual people, the kachina people, to bring that snow, Kuwanwisiwma said.

Ed Kabotie, a Hopi tribal member and artist, said that for a people who have learned to live with the cycles of the sun, the moon, seasons and moisture, “making snow is kind of like shaking your fist at God”. ...

“I don’t ever question tribal beliefs or culture. I don’t question that when they say it’s sacred. But it’s public land with a land use designation for a ski area and it has been designated that way since 1938,” said JR Murray, Snowbowl’s general manager. “There are hundreds of thousands of people per year that enjoy the recreation we provide and the snowmaking sustains that.”

Arizona Snowbowl opened 80 years ago and is one of just four ski resorts in this desert-dominated state. In legal battles that have continued for more than a decade, the Hopi and other tribes, sometimes joined by environmental groups, have sued the federal government and the city of Flagstaff to halt snowmaking at Snowbowl. So far, both county and federal judges have decided against the Hopi and other tribes, and Snowbowl has fired up its snow guns every winter since 2012.

Also of Interest

Here are some articles of interest, some which defied fair-use abstraction.

Animosity Toward US Brings Turkey, Russia, and Iran Together for Summit on Syria

News network climate reporting soared in 2017 thanks to Trump

Why Silicon Valley billionaires are prepping for the apocalypse in New Zealand

Laser scanning reveals 'lost' ancient Mexican city had as many buildings as Manhattan

A Little Night Music

James Davis - Your Turn To Cry

James Davis - Ain't it great

James Davis - Blue Monday

James Davis - Bad Dream

James Davis - I'm Gonna Tell It On You

James Davis - Chains Around My Heart

James "Thunderbird" Davis - The Dark End Of The Street

James "Thunderbird" Davis - Further On Up The Road

James 'Thunderbird' Davis & Ron Levy - Checkout Time

James "Thunderbird" Davis - Go Girl