October 5, 2022
Read time: ± 4 minutes
New here? The WC is a selection of five useful, interesting & notable insights, handpicked by our CIO Wyatt Cavalier and pumped into your inbox every Wednesday.
Table of Contents
What happens if Russia uses nukes?
The risk of nuclear war is greater today than at any other time since the Cuban missile crisis, thanks to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin’s threats to escalate the conflict beyond conventional warfare. If Moscow does choose to use nukes in Ukraine, these are Putin’s four options:
- A detonation over the Black Sea, causing no casualties but demonstrating a resolve to cross the nuclear threshold and signalling that worse may come.
- A decapitation strike against the Ukrainian leadership, attempting to kill President Volodymyr Zelensky and his advisers in their underground bunkers.
- A nuclear assault on a Ukrainian military target, perhaps an air base or a supply depot, that is not intended to harm civilians. (Mostly likely option)
- The destruction of a Ukrainian city, causing mass civilian casualties and creating terror to precipitate a swift surrender — the same aims that motivated the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
From there, the world must choose how to respond.
Perhaps surprisingly, almost no one (credible) thinks the response will (or should) be nuclear.
Most experts suggest and expect a response proportional to the loss of life and damage, but one that doesn’t include nuke. Like a cyber attack on Russia’s electric grid / leveling the base that launched the nuke / destroying Russia’s Black Sea fleet — that sort of thing.
Somewhat reassuring.
The Hitler beetle is going extinct
In 1933, Austrian engineer and amateur entomologist Oskar Scheibel discovered a new species of blind cave beetle in Slovenia (as one does).
When someone discovers a new species, they get to name it. And while there are some conventions, you can pretty much call it whatever you want.
Loads of celebrities, including David Attenborough, Beyonce, and Mick Jagger, have animals named for them. And Singapore names orchids after visiting heads of state. For a surprisingly funny primer on taxonomy, check out this video —
So, Oskar named the beetle after his country’s new chancellor. The bug’s name? Anophthamus hitleri.
With the rise of neo-nazism in Europe over the past couple of decades, the cuddly beetle has become something of a collector’s item. Lazy skinheads have been known to rob museums to get ahold of the trinket, while more intrepid ones are hunting the beetles down in dank Slovenian caves.
The animal is now on the brink of extinction.
Why are people moving to Florida?
Every day, a thousand people move to the American state of Florida. Drawn by warm weather, cheap real estate, and no state income tax, they come from all over the country (and all over the world). But is it actually worth it?
Category four and five hurricanes making landfall in Florida used to be exceedingly rare. But there have been three hurricanes in the last 5 years (as many as the 57 years proceeding). At least 250 people have died since 2017, and there are still 10,000 people unaccounted for after Ian’s devastation a few days ago —
And for those who aren’t killed, surely fleeing the state every couple of years only to come home to catastrophic damage and no house can’t be fun.
And as if that’s not enough, base case climate change scenarios all show Miami, Key West, and most of southern Florida under water by 2060.
Disney World is nice, though.
Top 10 bourbon for $25
Every year, Wine Searcher releases a list of the world’s best-reviewed bourbons. It’s usually dominated by Pappy Van Winkle ($5,000 per bottle), William Larue Weller ($2,000 per bottle), and the like.
But there’s one name you might not expect to see, and it’s there every year — Evan Williams (aka the poor man’s Jack Daniel’s) —
The brand’s Single Barrel Vintage consistently ranks among the world’s best, and it can be had for around $25 in most liquor stores.
Don’t just take my word for it, though. Here’s Whisky Advocate’s gushing review of the 2010 vintage:
The dance begins in the open barley fields, with a gust of wind catching grain’s natural aromatic presence. Then cherry blossoms and roasted pine nuts tango for dominance, just before the core notes kick in: caramel chew, malt, cornbread, brown sugar, and chocolate, followed by hints of molasses, cardamom, and gingersnaps. As the finish lingers, it’s clear that this is sippin’ whiskey.
That’s the good stuff.
Elon continues to win friends and influence people
Earlier this week, Elon Musk ran a Yes/No Twitter poll parroting Russian propaganda.
Needless to say, it didn’t go very well for him. Ukrainian diplomats took the gloves off in response:
Fuck off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk
— Andrij Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) October 3, 2022
President Zelensky also clapped back with a poll of his own.
He asked the people of Twitter if they preferred an Elon who likes Russia or an Elon who supports Ukraine:
Which @elonmusk do you like more?
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 3, 2022
79% answered “One who supports Ukraine”.
…Bit nervous about the other 21%.
What caught your eye this week?
Cheers,
Wyatt
