Bette Dangerous

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Bette Dangerous
REGISTER: Bette's Tuesday Happy Hour with Heidi & Mo’

REGISTER: Bette's Tuesday Happy Hour with Heidi & Mo’

Bette members: please register for our weekly Tuesday Happy Hour, where we will be joined by geopolitical analyst Monique Camarra at 10 am Pacific

Heidi Siegmund Cuda's avatar
Heidi Siegmund Cuda
Aug 03, 2025
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Bette Dangerous
Bette Dangerous
REGISTER: Bette's Tuesday Happy Hour with Heidi & Mo’
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***Paid Bette members will find the registration link below the paywall. To join our community events and to help support independent investigative journalism in a time of grave peril, please upgrade to a paid membership. All my investigative content at Bette Dangerous is free, and your paid memberships support that decision.***

Bette members are invited to our Tuesday Happy Hour, August 5, 10 am Pacific, where we will be joined by EuroFile’s Monique Camarra with geopolitical updates.



As I noted over the weekend, I am working with author Peter Pomerantsev to bring him in front of our community, so please stay tuned as we may be doing an impromptu book club meeting this week. To help prepare, please review the following report, and also review the ‘related’ section embedded in the report at the bottom, where I list other writings I’ve written on his work.

RECONSTRUCTING REALITY: Disrupting Russia’s Dark Carnival

RECONSTRUCTING REALITY: Disrupting Russia’s Dark Carnival

Heidi Siegmund Cuda
·
Aug 1
Read full story

To understand the time we find ourselves living in, it’s vital to understand how we got here, and it runs straight through Russia and its political technologists. As Pomerantsev writes:

“With no idea of the future left, facts become unnecessary. They are, after all, unpleasant things, reminders of one’s mortality and limitations… The process occurred in Russia harder and faster because cynicism and disillusionment set in earlier… everything turned into a dark carnival more rapidly. The Russian president turned politics into a reality show, remaking authoritarianism with the logic of twenty-first century entertainment.”

I look forward to the Bette community meeting him as soon as possible, so we can figure out how to unplug the Reality TV Fascism that’s taking root in the US.

In the meantime, I am thrilled that Monique Camarra can join us again this week. Last week, she was pure fire, as she and Dietmar Pichler offered their smart takes on the exploitation by Russia of internal protests in Ukraine.

Along with Monique’s updates, I will update you on my report with Craig Unger on Jeffrey Epstein’s overlooked Russian connections — the subject of my Hot Type column in Byline Supplement on Saturday:

Byline Supplement
Hot Type: Epstein and Russian Connections to One of the World's 'Sleaziest Pimps'
The problem with investigating and reporting on transnational mob ties is that no matter how careful you are with word choice, it always takes you right to the gutter. There is literally no way to write about Donald Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and Je…
Read more
10 days ago · 35 likes · 1 comment · Heidi Cuda

I look so forward to seeing everyone as Mo’ and I dish news.

A note for new members: the Happy Hour began two and a half years ago, when I noticed many Bette members in despair. I thought a weekly wellness checkin for newsies was in order, and it evolved into a session where global guests offer news from around the world. The title was always meant to be ironic, but I know I feel better when our community comes together.

Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to those of you who are renewing your memberships and are new to the Bette community. Your support means everything to me.

****

2016 Election Attack — The Book!

American Monsters — The Book — Buy Here!

Donations Welcome

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Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members.

I expose the corruption of billionaire fascists, while relying on memberships for support.

Thank you in advance for considering the following:

  • Upgrade to Paid Member

  • Upgrade to Founding Member

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  • Share my reporting with allies

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A private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous/gmail. 🥹

More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter/producer, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.

🤍

Begin each day with a grateful heart.

🤍


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