Badlands News Brief
Badlands News Brief
The Trial Begins, Israel Threatens & the NYT Admits
The News Cycle is almost impossible to track these days. At least, to do so fully.
That’s where we come in.
In the Badlands News Brief, the Badlands Media team hand pick news items of interest from the previous days to give you an overview of the biggest goings-on relevant to the Truth Community.
Many items feature original (and subjective) commentary. Feel free to follow the corresponding link to see our writers’ Substack accounts and check out their other work.
Now, onto the news from Monday, April 15 …
"I Can't Go To My Son's Graduation": NY Judge Threatens Trump With Arrest
The first day of Donald Trump's 'hush money' trial was fairly uneventful - aside from the judge, a complete dick, barring the former President from attending his son's graduation and threatening arrest if he does.
Speaking after a long day of jury selection and ground rules (with more than 50 jurors dismissed), Trump walked out of the courtroom and expressed his obvious displeasure.
"As you know my son is graduating from High School, and looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation for a son who's worked very, very hard," Trump said, adding that he was "looking forward for years to having graduation with his mother and father there," adding that the trial is a "scam" and a "political witch hunt."
Judge Juan Merchan also won't allow Trump to attend a Supreme Court hearing in DC regarding immunity.
"We got a real problem with this Judge," Trump continued, adding "that I can't go to my son's graduation, or that I can't go to the United States Supreme Court, that I'm not in Georgia or Florida or North Carolina campaigning like I should be... it's perfect for the radical left Democrats - that's exactly what they want," he continued, adding that it's "election interference." — ZeroHedge
Our Take: “ZeroHedge starts out this article with, ‘the judge, a complete dick,’ and he’s not wrong. You can read the play by play in this thread from Inner City Press.
Day one dealt with evidence questions, scheduling, and the start of jury selection, and a couple prospective jurors were dismissed. The judge also left the door open to evidence from the E. Jean Carroll case coming in, saying it would be unfair to bind the state’s hand. Unreal.
The decisions on evidence and scheduling conflicts show again a pattern of judicial discretion that prejudices 45. I’m looking forward to the boomerang. Day Two up next.” —
Another Take: “Others at Badlands, including
and are likely going to be covering the nitty gritty in this sham trial, which is a boon to the community, as it pays to explore the Micro in detail so that we might learn, dissect and ultimately disarm enemy tactics in all realms, including the lawfare realm and the narratives spinning out of it.My personal leaning is toward the Macro, and while there’s a lot of short-term bad here, Trump being painted even by an increasing number of alt. media types (those adjacent to the Truth Community, but who don’t consider themselves MAGA or America First) as a martyr, victim and generally as being ‘hunted’ by the establishment is a net positive as we rocket toward the most consequential election in American history.
Whenever things are getting a little too tense for you in the War of Stories, just remember:
Trump’s not trapped in there with [them.] They’re trapped with him.” —
Head of UN atomic watchdog worried Israeli reprisal could target Iran nuclear sites
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog says he is concerned about Israel possibly targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, but that International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of Iranian facilities will resume on Tuesday.
Iran closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over “security considerations,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi says. While they reopened on Monday, he kept IAEA inspectors away “until we see that the situation is completely calm.”
“We are going to resume tomorrow,” Grossi tells reporters in New York. “This has not had an impact on our inspection activity.”
Asked about the possibility of an Israel strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Grossi says “We are always concerned about this possibility.” He urges “extreme restraint.” — The Times of Israel
Our Take: “At GART 2 in Cocoa Beach, back in September, during the ‘Game Theory’ panel, there was an interesting exchange between Jon and General Kwast over the never-ending cycle of war, and how to break it.
Kwast explained that war never ends, it merely takes reprieves. It is a cycle of vengeance that is fueled by pride and hatred, and the only way to break the cycle is for one side to swallow their pride, seek peace, and then teach their children to do the same.
Here is what we know about this situation:
The Arab nations (mostly Jordan— the Hashemites) defended Israel from the attack, affirming the terms of the Abraham Accords. (Saudi Arabia has been putting out mixed messaging on their level of involvement, but they also are not yet an official member of the Accords.)
Iran warned the Arab nations (as well as Turkey) of their plan to attack, and that intelligence was relayed to the US and Israel. (Surely, Iran anticipated this relay.) Biden reportedly told Turkey to instruct Iran to make sure the response was ‘limited,’ to avoid escalation.
Neither the Arab allies nor the US will aid Israel in any retaliatory strike against Iran.
Observing nations, such as Russia and Spain, have called for diplomacy and an end to kinetic action.
Biden has reportedly asked Bibi Netanyahu not to retaliate.
Israel has decided to attack anyway, as Bibi has requested a list of targets from the Israeli ‘Defense’ Force.
Should Israel follow through with this foolish arrogance—which I fully expect them to—I wouldn't be surprised to see those same Arab countries that defended Israel from Iran turn around and defend Iran from Israel.
The Abraham Accords are about bringing peace to the region, and that cannot happen if their are missiles flying overhead. So I expect the Peacemakers of the Middle East (The Arabs) to swat down any missiles flying in either direction, as they seek to preserve that fragile peace.
There is something poetic about the House of Saud and the Hashemites (the clan/bloodline of the Prophet Mohammed) working together to establish a lasting peace in Arabia, in the face of certain conflict. For it was the House of Saud who, 99 years ago, drove the Hashemites out of Mecca and took possession of their Hejaz Kingdom along the Red Sea, under the influence and encouragement of the British Empire … but that redemption arc is an epic that deserves its own write-up.
God is at work. And He works through the agency of men. Whatever we are about to witness will likely be talked about for centuries, for better or for worse.
Pray for the strength of honorable men.” —
FBI begins criminal investigation of ship that hit Francis Scott Key Bridge
The FBI opened an investigation into the cargo ship that struck and took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month.
According to those familiar with the topic, the investigation will look into whether the crew members onboard knew there were problems with the ship when they left the port. The Dali, a 984-foot-long vessel carrying shipping containers, experienced a “complete blackout” minutes before colliding with the bridge. The ship was managed by Synergy Marine Group.
Earlier this month, the Singaporean company filed a preemptive filing in the U.S. district court in Baltimore to limit liability. It asked the court to “issue an order enjoining the commencement of or further prosecution of any claims or causes of action against Petitioners except in this action” and that the court “determine that Petitioners are not liable for any loss or damage arising out of the Casualty.”
The criminal investigation being executed by the FBI is different from the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board into the cause of the crash. — Washington Examiner
Our Take: “According to the article, Synergy Marine is attempting to get ahead of liability findings as the FBI opens an investigation.
According to the Washington Post, ‘opening an investigation’ means the FBI descended on the Dali just after dawn on Monday, and claimed jurisdiction from the Coast Gaurd. And those aren’t the only legal moves in this case.
From the WaPo piece:
‘The news of the criminal investigation, which one official said is being handled by the U.S. attorney’s office in Maryland, came the same day that multiple private law firms separately announced that they had been retained to represent the Baltimore mayor’s office and some of the men who were working construction on the bridge when it collapsed. The moves signal an escalating effort to seek accountability and determine what caused the crash that left six of the eight men dead...’
The government is looking for accountability, and they have many scapegoats to choose from.” —
Dana White, Donald Trump and the Rise of Cage-Match Politics
Dana White’s diplomatic ambitions were clear, if complicated: Un-cancel Bud Light.
He had some calls to make.
As the chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Mr. White was the arena-filling, Trump-loving, perpetually smirking public face of a multi-billion-dollar sport.
But in completing a reported nine-figure deal last fall to make Bud Light the U.F.C.’s official beer sponsor, Mr. White suddenly stood accused of selling out: Much of the political right — and, not incidentally, much of the U.F.C.’s audience — had been pulverizing Bud Light for months over a promotion featuring a transgender influencer. The brand, which first worked with the U.F.C. more than 15 years earlier, was plainly hoping that a renewed affiliation might help its cause.
Publicly, Mr. White appealed to friends across the conservative media, defending Bud Light’s parent company in interviews with Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Charlie Kirk. “The fact that Anheuser-Busch wants to be in business with me?” Mr. White said, arguing that this alone demonstrated the success of the backlash.
Privately, Mr. White presented the lucrative sponsorship as a matter of principle (“We don’t cancel people,” he told one confidant) and helped hasten a détente. During a fight night at Madison Square Garden last November, Kid Rock — who had been savaging Bud Light — had “a great conversation” with Anheuser-Busch’s chief executive in Mr. White’s green room, the musician later said. The boycott was soon off.
When a final holdout, former President Donald J. Trump, continued hammering the company in February, Mr. White spoke to him by phone, according to people briefed on the conversation, and Mr. Trump was sheepish about causing any headaches. Within days, Mr. Trump suggested on social media that Anheuser-Busch deserved “a second chance,” ticking through talking points that sounded suspiciously like Mr. White’s. — The NYT
Our Take: “This NYT hit piece masquerading as a cultural deep dive is pretty fascinating for a few reasons:
For starters, it accurately describes Donald Trump as a leader who has embraced and been embraced by segments of the American electorate that have traditionally eschewed politics.
Additionally, it gets close to touching the third rail truth, which is that the rise of the UFC (more importantly, the rise in cultural importance of the UFC and its athletes, who are virtually impossible for the establishment to control by virtue of their very makeup) has closely mirrored and even front-run the rise of the America First movement.
The UFC, its athletes and most importantly, its fans aren't just scary to the establishment domestically, but globally.
If you need further evidence of that, observe that on Saturday night, Brazilian Renato Moicano used his mic time to push Austrian economics!
It turns out Sovereignty and self-actualization is becoming a popular sentiment.” —
Zelensky Condemns Iran, Uses Attack On Israel To Ask For More Money
Once again the specter of a major Middle East war has overshadowed the much bloodier and fiercer Russia-Ukraine war, and coming at a moment the Zelensky government is deeply struggling to attract more weapons and funding from Western capitals, most notably Washington.
President Zelensky has weighed in on the Saturday night large-scale Iranian attack on Israel, which was retaliation for the April 1st Israeli strikes that flattened the consulate in Damascus. What's more is he sought to connect what's happening in the Middle East right now to Ukraine.
Zelensky condemned Iran for the attack and said Ukrainians understand the "horror" of Iranian drones which have been deployed by Russia to attack Ukrainian cities.
"Ukraine condemns Iran’s attack on Israel using ‘Shahed’ drones and missiles. We in Ukraine know very well the horror of similar attacks by Russia, which uses the same ‘Shahed’ drones and Russian missiles, the same tactics of mass air strikes," Zelensky wrote on X Sunday.
"Every effort must be made to prevent a further escalation in the Middle East. Iran’s actions threaten the entire region and the world, just as Russia’s actions threaten a larger conflict, and the obvious collaboration between the two regimes in spreading terror must face a resolute and united response from the world," he added.
Zelensky continued while seeking to make a direct connection between the two conflict theaters as follows: "The sound of ‘Shahed’ drones, a tool of terror, is the same in the skies over the Middle East and Europe. This sound must serve as a wake-up call to the free world, demonstrating that only our unity and resoluteness can save lives and prevent the spread of terror worldwide." — ZeroHedge
Our Take: “I wrote yesterday about the commentary from Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, regarding the hypocrisy of Israel and Ukraine in their rhetoric toward Iran and Russia.
I also wrote last week about the missile strike from Russia against Ukraine, which targeted critical energy infrastructure. Unlike Iran's attack against Israel, Russia actually used their advanced weaponry (hypersonic missiles) and gave no warning through back-channels. The stark contrast between these two strikes should alleviate any concern that Iran actually wants to go to war with Israel—or at least, that they want to throw the first real punch.
Zelensky's attempt to posit Ukraine and Israel in the same corner, framing Iran and Russia as a ‘dual threat’ to the world, is almost a little too perfect, as it affirms Maria Zakharova's implied commentary that there is something oddly incestuous going on between the Holy Land and the Russian Borderland.
Something is connecting these two theaters—perhaps beyond the more obvious role of western intelligence agencies—and the comedian is doing his part in bringing extra attention to that notion, in an almost clownish display.” —
BONUS ITEMS
Musk Will Charge New X Users ‘Small Fee’ For Posting, Tweet Suggests
X owner Elon Musk suggested Monday new users on the social network formerly known as Twitter will need to pay a small fee to use basic functions on the platform—a change he says is needed to combat a bot problem that has plagued the site for years.
Musk’s tweet, which was a reply to speculation about charging new accounts a small annual fee to post, like, bookmark and reply, didn’t specify when the fee will kick in or how it will work, but said a fee “is the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots” on X.
Musk said artificial intelligence bots and internet trolls can pass bot-identifying tests “with ease.”
The fee mentioned by Musk is similar to one already introduced to new users in New Zealand and the Philippines last October as part of X’s “Not a Bot” program, which required new accounts to pay a $1 annual fee to post, like, reply and more.
The announcement of an incoming fee for new users comes less than two weeks after X initiated a purge of bots on the platform that Musk said would result in the people responsible for bot accounts having “the full force of the law” beared upon them. — Forbes
U.S. Congress to Vote on Further Iran Sanctions
Following the Iranian drone attack against Israel this weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on Monday on several bills toughening sanctions on Iran, including one aimed at reducing Chinese imports of Iranian crude oil.
The bills that will be voted on in an expedited procedure, Bloomberg notes, include the so-called Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act of 2023, which was unanimously approved by the House Financial Services Committee in November.
The bill proposes to “impose restrictions on correspondent and payable-through accounts in the United States with respect to Chinese financial institutions that conduct transactions involving the purchase of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.”
The bill expands secondary sanctions involving Iran “to cover all transactions between Chinese financial institutions and sanctioned Iranian banks that transact for the purchase of petroleum and petroleum products.”
Under the bill, the U.S. will also have to make an annual determination as to whether Chinese financial institutions have engaged in sanctionable conduct.
The background of the bill says that Iran’s crude oil exports are at a four-year high of 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), 80% of which go to China’s independent refiners, the so-called teapots.
The U.S. toughening the sanctions enforcement against Iranian oil exports has been widely expected by analysts after Iran launched drones on Israel this weekend. Some investment banks and analysts do not see a major escalation in the Middle East to such that would directly hamper oil production and exports. But most expect tougher U.S. sanction enforcement against Iran’s oil exports. — OilPrice.com
Four Years Out, Some Voters Look Back at Trump’s Presidency More Positively
Views of Donald J. Trump’s presidency have become more positive since he left office, bolstering his case for election and posing a risk to President Biden’s strategy of casting his opponent as unfit for the presidency, according to a new poll by The New York Times and Siena College.
While the memories of Mr. Trump’s tumultuous and chaotic administration have not significantly faded, many voters now have a rosier picture of his handling of the economy, immigration and maintaining law and order. Ahead of the 2020 election, only 39 percent of voters said that the country was better off after Mr. Trump took office. Now, looking back, nearly half say that he improved things during his time as president.
The poll’s findings underscore the way in which a segment of voters have changed their minds about the Trump era, recalling those years as a time of economic prosperity and strong national security. The shift in views about his administration comes even as Mr. Trump faces dozens of felony counts and will appear in a New York courtroom on Monday for jury selection in one of his four criminal trials. — The New York Times
We hope you enjoyed this brief look back at the major news items you might have missed in this ever-escalating and ever-accelerating news cycle as the Information War continues to rage on around us.
As always, if you have any thoughts on these news items or the MANY others swirling in the digital ether, drop into the comments below to share them with your fellow Badlanders.
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The 2 most profound comments from today's Takes:
1) "Trump’s not trapped in there with [them.] They’re trapped with him.” — Burning Bright
2) "God is at work. And He works through the agency of men. Whatever we are about to witness will likely be talked about for centuries, for better or for worse.
Pray for the strength of honorable men.” — GhostofBasedPatrickHenry
Amen brothers.
God Wins!
God Bless
What kind of Animal won't allow a man to attend his Sons graduation? Judge must be a member of the pedotribe. They've got him by his saggy sacks! Expose the entire tribe of owned swine, in SWAMPVILLE USA! #TRUMP2024
2024Congratulations Barron TRUMP