Playing Jenga the Russian Trade Edition
Now that Russia’s economy is heavily sanctioned, let’s play Jenga with Russian commodities. Which export commodities will be most affected? Which importing countries might be most affected?
Author Archive for: Rayne
About Rayne
Blogger since 2002, political activist since 2003, geek since birth. Opinions informed by mixed-race, multi-ethnic, cis-female condition, further shaped by kind friends of all persuasions. Sci-tech frenemy, wannabe artist, decent cook, determined author, successful troublemaker. Mother of invention and two excessively smart-assed young adult kids. Attended School of Hard Knocks; Rather Unfortunate Smallish Private Business School in Midwest; Affordable Mid-State Community College w/evening classes. Self-employed at Tiny Consulting Business; previously at Large-ish Chemical Company with HQ in Midwest in multiple marginalizing corporate drone roles, and at Rather Big IT Service Provider as a project manager, preceded by a motley assortment of gigs before the gig economy was a thing. Blogging experience includes a personal blog at the original blogs.salon.com, managing editor for a state-based news site, and a stint at Firedoglake before landing here at emptywheel as technology’s less-virginal-but-still-accursed Cassandra.
Entries by Rayne
Another Report from an Unidentified Russian Operative
/55 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneThis most recent one is painful, knowing what we know now about some areas under Russian control in Ukraine.
Reports from an Unidentified Russian Operative
/105 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneHere are Letters 2-4 allegedly from an FSB insider. They’re worth reading as alternatives to U.S. perspective. What about these letters rings true, what doesn’t? Is this all a massive psyop? What if it’s not?
Putin’s FSB: Failed Straightforwardness and Benevolence
/72 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneHow can spies and analysts obtain and present the truth when they’re under tight political restrictions to report only what a volatile president wants to hear?
The Pointy End of Attrition’s Stick
/94 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneWhile Putin continues his steady genocidal obliteration of Ukraine’s cities, the pointy end of this war of attrition is coming around toward Russia.
Security Saturday
/43 Comments/in Culture/by RayneIt’s Saturday once again and our cleaning chores have changed. It’s time to address digital chores like information security, ensuring the week will be safer than the last.
A World War of Economic Attrition
/114 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneThis is a world war aimed at economic attrition; its effects need to be gamed out, beginning with wheat futures.
Three Things: Part 3 — Putin’s Particular Peculiarities
/117 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RaynePerhaps it doesn’t matter what’s going with Putin; we must assume the most radical, worst case scenario no matter Putin’s condition.
Three Things: Part 2 — Russia’s Idiosyncratic Military Deployment [UPDATE-1]
/103 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneThere are so many quirks to Russia’s military deployment in its invasion of Ukraine that it’s obvious to non-military observers this has not been an effective mission or missions.
Three Things: Part 1 — Cognitive Dissonance and Ukraine
/115 Comments/in Russo-Ukrainian War/by RayneCognitive dissonance may have been to blame for the low key response to Russia’s previous incursions beginning in 2008, and now in Ukraine. It’s time to wake up, snap out of it.