E253. The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Mission to Moscow
This “mission to Moscow” is not to be confused with the infamous Joseph Davies 1941 book, Mission to Moscow, which Steve calls a “novel” at the opening of this episode, because its pro-Stalinist viewpoint was fiction indeed. Our use of “mission to Moscow” serves a dual-use purpose today: while it isn’t clear whether there was Russian involvement in the ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline, we lean on Lucretia’s cyber-expertise to unpack the scene, as well as speculate about some deterrent measures that might be considered. Steve likes reviving the use of letters of marque and reprisal, which are explicitly authorized in the Constitution. Lucretia says everyone should change their passwords—now!
From there Steve shares a few more observations on his recent visit to New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho, a small town that in some respects resembles the other Moscow more than it ought to.
Finally, we update our “magic numbers” (who shot Ashli Babbitt, and how long Kamala, how long?), before turning to the startling New York Times article on how Biden is conducting his presidency. Despite the Times‘ sympathy for Biden, they can’t disguise the obvious fact that he needs a lot of propping up by his staff to make decisions. communicate with foreign leaders, and any public appearances. It does not inspire confidence.