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October 2, 2019
Open Thread 2019-57
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@b: Please add the following line to your CSS file:
div.comments-body, div.comment-content { word-break: break-word; }
It will fix the page stretching problem for those who still have it.
Posted by: S | Oct 2 2019 15:54 utc | 1
“Petition Filed at ICC to Probe Saudi Ruler MBS for Role in Murder of Jamal Khashoggi”:
“As human rights advocates marked the one-year anniversary Wednesday of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based law firm revealed that it filed in July a petition at the International Criminal Court to investigate Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman over his role in the killing and other crimes against humanity.”
As Pepe points out in his article, the CIA is backing the exiled al-Saud prince-led group working to install a Constitutional Monarchy, while MbS apparently remains Trump’s man. The impeachment attempt has gone further international.
Posted by: karlof1 | Oct 2 2019 16:19 utc | 3
Below is a link to a ZH article quoting a NYT article…boeing is going down like the market today
Bombshell Report: Boeing ‘Whistleblower’ Says Company Focused On Profit Over Safety Of Doomed 737 Max
It couldn’t happen to a more putrid form of social organization, IMO
Posted by: psychohistorian | Oct 2 2019 16:22 utc | 4
@3 Karlofi
Every column inch wasted on Khashoggi is a column inch that should have been written about Yemen.
Posted by: Michael Droy | Oct 2 2019 16:23 utc | 5
Sanders underwent stent procedure, the same type of surgery I underwent 2+ years ago. He’ll be out-of-action for awhile, although will probably participate in the upcoming debate.
Posted by: karlof1 | Oct 2 2019 16:24 utc | 6
Boeing Engineer Says 737 Max Safety System Was Vetoed Over Cost
EU Threatens to Fight Back if New US Tariffs Over Airbus Subsidies Imposed – Report
Many military experts state that the alliance that vertebrates the USA hegemony is essentially dependent on game theory: an attack on one ally must be followed by immediate American retaliation, no matter how tiny and insignificant the country is.
That’s true, but there’s also the more important factor that is the main weakness of the American alliance: it is a capitalist alliance, so the tendency of the profit rate to fall (TPRF) also applies to it. After the meltdown of 2008, the pot has simply become too small for everybody, and now imperialist infighting between the stronger members of the alliance is starting — again.
A global manufacturing recession
PMI all over the developed world has fallen bellow or stayed at the zero-growth 50 line. Argentina and Turkey have already fallen into full-fledged crises.
We’re just not in full global crisis right now because the services sector was able to keep its head above the water by absorbing the new horde of low-paid employees. However, the services sector is just an extension of the manufacturing sector (the end phase of the industrial process), so they’ll not last for too long.
China, 70 years of socialism
A very good summary of socialist China by one of the main China experts in Brazil. It’s in Portuguese but in coloquial form so it can be easily translated by machine for non-lusophones. Recommend for beginners.
About the last Austrian elections. From Michael Roberts’ facebook:
Austria has a snap general election today.after PM Sebastian Kurz and his right-wing coalition government lost a vote of no confidence in May, following a corruption scandal prompted by a secretly-filmed video.
Conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) leader Kurz, who at 33 is one of the world’s youngest leaders, was the first Austrian Chancellor since World War II to be defeated by a motion of no confidence. The vote was triggered after Kurz’s government became embroiled in a political crisis over an undercover recording. The secretly filmed video showed Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache — of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) — appearing to offer state contracts to a woman falsely claiming to be the niece of a Russian oligarch.
Kurz is likely to return as Chancellor after Austrians go to the polls but he will have to decide whether to once again form a coalition with the far-right — under new leader Norbert Hofer — or turn to the left: Austria Greens, the center-left Social Democrats (SPOe) or the liberal Neos.
The Austrian economy has been one of the strongest in Europe, a mini-version of Germany. Vienna has been voted the best city in the world to live in. Unlike, Germany, Austria had an pre-capitalist empire that dominated southern Europe in the 18th century. It is the 14th richest economy in the world as measured by per capita income.
By capitalist standards, it has a relatively low level of inequality of income compared to other OECD countries. But its growth and future are closely entwined with Germany’s and things there are not looking good. (see Austria’s manufacturing activity index here).
No wonder Austria turned a little bit to the Left. The contradictions of capitalism are still not as strong there as elsewhere. However, the Austrian people knows this, and preemptively elected an anti-immigration candidate.
@3 karlof1… the cia had another person in mind to lead ksa…. it didn’t work out and they have been plotting ever since..
Posted by: james | Oct 2 2019 16:38 utc | 8
Das Kommentariat @ 8 in the last open thread, req. comments re. Lapavitsas, C. L. interview.
https://youtu.be/PFnrWbo6uJA
Good interview, agree with much.
The trade-off of German reunification against them, D, adopting the Euro is mentioned, which is one of the founding facts of the EU. Mitterand naively thought the Euro would help F (and others?) control D (level-playing-field, etc.)
C. L. says it is possible to have ‘free trade’ / ‘an open market’ without a common currency, which I have argued for years, in the sense that ‘markets’ need not be accompanied by, or tied to a, political, “social” / monetary Union. (Switz has an FTA w. China, for ex.)
Of course a ‘stable’ managed currency exchange + a mechanism for settling disputes re. commerce / fraud + convergence multiple phyto-sanitary, tech, etc. are needed. All that may create turbulence but is not a big deal.
The core EU (F, D, nearby satellites like Belgium) countries used ‘trade’ to manipulate politics (we will allow your cheeses, frilly underwear, higher salaries for serfs, if you…fill it in..) and to ‘centralise’ power (e.g. coord. information, Europol, etc. to a core, with the periphery exploited..), result, EU parliament, etc. and economic benefit away from ‘poor’ countries, and labor, or other ‘poor.’
His description of Greece entering the euro was good imho.
C. L.: the EU cannot be reformed from the inside, those who hype so are dreamers / idiots. Yes, because though one might call the EU (correctly) bureaucratic, rigid, slow, the core is ideological -> neo-liberal. That ideology cannot be ‘tempered’ or ‘diluted’ as it is the beating heart and over-arching, in its principles that must hold.
‘Hand-outs’ are useful, e.g. EU Regional Devp. Funds, to promote adherence, smooth all over, make nice, etc. ordered by the top — Btw, the EU re-distrib. mechanisms have always *infuriated* the Tories, who cannot stand that an outside agency would send money to a Sports Field in NI..!
More could be said, C. L. made many other good points.
Posted by: Noirette | Oct 2 2019 16:50 utc | 9
@james #8: It is indeed possible to collect users’ IPs by pointing them to a file on a website one controls (or a website that allows the file uploader to see the IPs of the users accessing the file).
Posted by: S | Oct 2 2019 16:55 utc | 10
heh, re. the hand outs.
Manchester building where Tories are holding its conference was refurbished using EU money.
echoing laughter
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/manchester-central-received-eu-funding-1-6297479
Posted by: Noirette | Oct 2 2019 16:58 utc | 11
I’d just like to add a topic, before thanking b for the open thread, which I do. So much is going on in alternate theatres that we here each do need to bring what we have to some degree been investigating, and I’d suggest that if we have gut feelings about one or another issue, we include those, not to be shot down but reasoned with, as most have kindly done for me.
With that preamble, I will move to the impeachment issue and its ramifications. I’ll just give what I think will be the US citizen’s overall reaction – a plague on the house of the Democrats, and specifically the House — where they currently hold the power. Because, not only is what they have done in bringing the charge at this time stopping all other business (and we can say they are not the only guilty ones for that, but they have stepped up to the plate) but the timing is unavoidably not in the interest of US statesmanship. It is so totally demeaning, which was emphasized in spades by Schiff’s unpardonable fictitious rant – the head of the Intelligence Committee??? Give me a break.
This, however only emphasizes the rift, the growing rift, between the security of the US as a whole in the eyes of the world, and those working to make a better world order. Case in point how the Ukraine president has been shafted – not by Trump but by the Democrats and so called US … intelligence?
It’s no good to say a plague on both their houses. This is all about the Constitution, and to paraphrase where I really would rather not, you go with the supporters of the Constitution you have. It’s not about security. That’s as false as the White Helmets. A link on the China parade thread gave what China feels it must do to fight corruption. Boy, I don’t want that here!
Pelosi seems obliged to shift the focus to the Intelligence arena. Okay, but let the Justice Department get on with investigating Russiagate. That’s the intelligent thing to do. And I’m very sorry, President Zelensky. You didn’t deserve to be exposed that way. I hope such a thing never happens again. Everyone should be clear why it did this time. I hope Mr. Trump apologizes to you and does everything he can to help you ride this out. This was not his doing.
It’s your baby, Democrats. You did this thing. And I think the US public will be very aware of that.
Posted by: juliania | Oct 2 2019 17:06 utc | 12
Russia’s Valdai Discussion Club’s 16th annual meeting is underway. This links to one of the numerous papers and videos, “The East’s Rise and the New Russian Foreign Policy” and this short paper provides additional context, “Russia Facing the Challenges of Eurasian Regionalization”.
Lavrov is to participate in a panel discussion, “How does Russia see the Middle East today, what is its vision of its future and key objectives?” but that video has yet to be made available. Several other topics are under discussion. This page provides the program and list of speakers for this year’s topic, “The Dawn of the East and the World Political Order.”
Meanwhile, Putin’s attending the Russian Energy Week Forum from where two reports were published, RT’s about dollar destruction and Sputnik on Iran and Energy. The English transcript for the presser isn’t yet complete; with luck it will become available later today.
Posted by: karlof1 | Oct 2 2019 17:09 utc | 13
Very insightful article here from Matt Stoller, part of his overall series on the politics of monopoly, highly recommended!
How Bill Clinton and American Financiers Armed China
https://mattstoller.substack.com/p/how-bill-clinton-and-american-financiers
Stoller digs into the machinations that led to Mil contractor consolidation and legalized price gouging, and the misguided / crooked actions that allowed critical mil tech transfer to China. McDonnell-Douglas figures prominently in the story, and shades of Boeing, we hear a first-hand account of an engineer who realized what was being allowed to happen, but was powerless against the Executive suite and their cronies in the Pentagon.
Posted by: Roy G | Oct 2 2019 17:37 utc | 14
@TulsiGabbard Sept 30
Candidates for POTUS who are fundraising off “impeachment” are undermining credibility of inquiry in eyes of American people, further dividing our already fractured country. Please stop. We need responsible, patriotic leaders who put the interests of our country before their own.
1,631 replies 3,532 retweets 17,638 likes
@TulsiGabbard Sept 30
On day one of my presidency, I will call a summit between the United States, China, and Russia to work to end the new Cold War, stop the arms race, and reduce tensions and increase cooperation going forward.
On day one of my presidency, I will call a summit between the United States, China, and Russia to work to end the new Cold War, stop the arms race, and reduce tensions and increase cooperation going forward.
680 replies 1,223 retweets 5,758 likes
Sanders has to recover, coronary artery stent insertion.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Oct 2 2019 18:06 utc | 15
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Oct 2 2019 18:06 utc | 18
“On day one of my presidency, I will call a summit between the United States, China, and Russia to work to end the new Cold War, stop the arms race, and reduce tensions and increase cooperation going forward.”
What does she propose to do at this summit, end all US aggression including sanctions? Certainly Russia and China have nothing to end or atone for vis the US. There would be nothing to negotiate or “work” on. Not sure what she means by arms race. Russia and China have responded to US aggression.
Of course she’s self-evidently right about the “impeachment” scum. Fundraising is exactly the kind of thing which is the real purpose of this idiotic political theater.
Here is a list of our latest regime’s transgressions against the American people;
Committing campaign finance violations by paying hush money to two women with whom he allegedly had extramarital affairs, Karen McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels;
Obstructing justice in connection with the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller;
Defying congressional subpoenas;
Using the presidency for personal economic gain;
Abusing the pardon power to reward political allies;
Attacking the press and the judiciary;
Threatening to prosecute political opponents;
Abusing emergency powers to build his border wall;
Incarcerating undocumented immigrant children in concentration camps;
Attempting to strip millions of Americans of health insurance;
Promoting tax reform to benefit the super-rich;
Gutting environmental regulations and pulling out of the Paris climate accord;
Refusing to enforce the Voting Rights Act; and
Curbing the use of federal consent decrees to counter police misconduct.
The Russia did it meme, has morphed into a Ukraine debate. That is driven by the party of $, to keep the new cold war alive and well, to feed the MIC.
DJT is going nowhere, as long as the party of $ Dems keep pushing the “Russia did it”/ Ukraine meme.
As noted above, there’s much more reality around to act on…
Posted by: ben | Oct 2 2019 18:38 utc | 18
P.S. Not to mention the illegal wars and invasions committed by this country, resulting in the death and displacement millions
around the globe in years past.
Too bad impeachment isn’t retroactive..
Posted by: ben | Oct 2 2019 18:42 utc | 19
Crazy piece in Barron’s today: top hedge fund manager Ray Dalio suggests that a complete US decoupling from China – mooted publicly last week – is necessary as the money needs to be immediately reinvested domestically as a sort of last stand for capitalism.
From full spectrum dominance to total meltdown in less than a decade.
Posted by: jayc | Oct 2 2019 19:17 utc | 20
I can no longer access the Houthi news site.
https://english.almasirah.net/index.php
I find a lot of sites connected with the alliance centered on Iran to be blocked, yet the ISIS site Amaq was always available.
MSM would quote from it and I had it bookmarked and would check on it from time to time.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 19:22 utc | 21
Well, jayc at 23, it worked for Russia. I’d love to see our nation
start fixing its own problems instead of creating them for everyone
else. And now that the political scene is in shambles, my life is
considerably simplified. All I have to worry about is when will it
rain again and what will that rain be like? (Or snow.)
Yes, no more shipments of big bucks to warlords overseas. And no
more weapons factories. Just farms, and organic ones at that.
Dalio. Is he thinking of running for president? The field’s wide
open now that Nancy shot the Dems in the foot (I’m being polite; she
aimed a bit higher than that).
Posted by: juliania | Oct 2 2019 19:34 utc | 22
Peter AU 1 @24
I can no longer access the Houthi news site.
I can access it, I just had to add a “security exception”
Posted by: Norwegian | Oct 2 2019 19:36 utc | 23
@11 S.. yes, i was aware of that, but how does it work in this instance with this poster? does one have to click the image to be collected? i would like it if b comments.. thanks!
Posted by: james | Oct 2 2019 20:07 utc | 25
@21 & 22 Ben
Best to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. (Lincoln via proverbs)
Ben, you have mostly been a cheerleader for different posters the last couple of years and now you venture to post this drivel. There is nothing impeachable in any of the lines you wrote.
I would only suggest that you find the strength to ask questions instead of making really stupid purported statements of fact.
I’m telling you this, because I’ve traveled the road you are on. You better ask somebody.
b4real
your “Libertarian” friend.
Posted by: b4real | Oct 2 2019 20:22 utc | 26
Posted by: Norwegian | Oct 2 2019 19:36 utc | 26
For us ignoramuses, what do you have to do to add a “security exception”?
Posted by: Laguerre | Oct 2 2019 20:25 utc | 27
There’s no way Trump will get impeached and the Democrats know it. So why do it? I feel this is all a distraction from other things like:
- the Epstein case
- is it a simple case of revenge for what the Republicans did to them (i.e. Bill Clinton)? Maybe it’s driven by Hillary. IIRC, there was a recent interview with Hillary and Chelsea and the question if Hillary will try again in 2020. If so, then Gabbard will not get the nomination.
- is it to bury the Biden story?
- is it to prevent Gabbard from repeating what Trump did? Make voters so disgusted with the Democrats that Trump is the better option.
I can’t think why the Democrats would politically commit suicide like this.
Piotr Berman | Oct 2 2019 18:06 utc | 18:
Gabbard knows it would be disastrous for the US if another arms race occur. They simply can’t compete against China. It would be a pleasant surprise if she does get the nomination. But her connection to the CFR gives me pause.
Posted by: Ian2 | Oct 2 2019 20:37 utc | 28
Laguerre
In the browser I used, in the box that appeared was a link saying ‘advanced’. At the bottom of the page that opens was a small link saying ‘proceed to ….. (unsafe)’.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 20:40 utc | 29
jayc @23 concerning Barron’s crazy call for full decoupling from China and juliania @25 noting that it worked for Russia.
Both are true, but jayc is correct to call it crazy because it cannot happen the way that the business strategists wish.
First, it worked for Russia because it was enforced from outside by American sanctions in an effort to decouple Russia from Europe and everyone else. That wasn’t Russia’s choice, and if it had been that would require a draconian authoritarian crackdown on businesses by the Russian government. American sanctions did the dirty work for Russia. Of course, that was hardly America’s intention, but in case anyone hasn’t noticed America’s actions are rarely having their intended results lately.
Trump’s tariffs against the world are efforts to simulate sanctions on America to force import substitution, but that cannot work so long as the US$ remains the global reserve currency. Dollars will not come home for investment so long as there are more profitable alternatives elsewhere and so long as central banks in most other countries need those dollars for trade. Trump & Co. will have to do the dirty work of cracking down on the “free market” himself if he wants America to reap the benefits of import substitution. That will be too painful for the American ruling class, though, so it is very unlikely that Trump will be able to pull it off… almost impossible, I would say.
If the US does decouple sufficiently for import substitution to start up in earnest, then it seems unavoidable that the US$ would lose its status as GRC. In the case of Russia and the sanctions, the amount of rubles that were chased home was not that big as there were not so many held in reserve around the world. If US$ all come home, and they will in a rush once started… well, it would take a whole lot of import substitution for America to make up for that disaster.
America is in a serious pickle and what Trump is attempting simply cannot work without disastrous side effects.
Posted by: William Gruff | Oct 2 2019 20:42 utc | 30
@1 S,
Please hit me up @ gemsys.org . I need some css help. I note that you have approached b on several occasions with ‘solutions’ to his page margins problems, but he has not publicly responded either way. I will pay for your assistance. Contact admin.
Thanks
b4real
Posted by: b4real | Oct 2 2019 20:42 utc | 31
@Posted by: karlof1 | Oct 2 2019 17:09 utc | 14
At the Russian Energy Week Forum he also gave his input on the “Greta issue”
“I may disappoint you but I don’t share the common excitement about the speech by Greta Thunberg”, he told an energy forum in Moscow on Wednesday.
“No one has explained to Greta that the modern world is complex and different and … people in Africa or in many Asian countries want to live at the same wealth level as in Sweden”, he continued.
“Of course, emotions are inevitable, but still if we want to be effective, we must stay professional.
“While young environmentalists should be supported, “when someone is using children and teenagers in personal interests, it only deserves to be condemned”, the leader argued.
“I’m sure that Greta is a kind and very sincere girl,” Putin added.
“But adults must do everything not to bring teenagers and children into some extreme situations.”
Posted by: Elora Danan | Oct 2 2019 20:45 utc | 32
William Gruff 33
Trump’s moves against China appear twofold. Bringing investment and manufacturing back to the US is a good part of it, but keeping China down, I think is the most important part.
Trump is try pull US investment out of China, a little may come back to the US but most will move to india, Vietnam and so forth.
Getting US investment out and ending US purchase of Chinese goods to slow China’s rise seems Trump’s main aim.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 20:55 utc | 33
james @28
Web servers record the IP addresses of all visitors in their logs. If it is your own web server then viewing the logs is easy. How to get people to visit your web server to see what their address is, though? Just host an image on your web server and then include a link to that image in the comments of a site where you want to harvest IP addresses. When visitors’ browsers try to load the image, they have to connect to your personal server and they leave their IP address in your server’s logs in the process.
If you want to harvest IP addresses from different sites, then just leave a different image at each site. That way you can tell which site your visitors are loading the images on your server from. That’s why Mikeee numbers his images the way he does. He is collecting address info from many places on the web to track where people go.
Usually these people trying to collect this info use small 1×1 pixel images that are difficult to spot, but Mikeee is being brazen about it.
Posted by: William Gruff | Oct 2 2019 20:55 utc | 34
Re the KSA
Thanks Jackrabbit for your links from the post on Saudi Arabia. Never come across arabnews.com, is it of Saudi origin? I sure like their layout.
A whole lot of praise for the deceased bodyguard general there. Guardian angel, quiet hero, wow. “His tall, slender body belied the muscular power that lay within; the calm, beardless face rarely if ever betrayed emotion, despite the importance of his role.”
I had made the case that the general’s death was linked to homosexual relationship stuff, but just on the off-chance. Having read the 2 articles you linked to I am now certain. The next of kin are his father and a nephew. No wife, no children there to receive the condolences. A “confirmed bachelor”, to be sure. So perhaps the shootout was some kind of blackmail scheme that escalated, what with the internal balance of power in motion.
Was anybody else here struck by how much the guy looked like Mussolini?
Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Oct 2 2019 21:00 utc | 35
Re:Greta,UN & Putin
A similar thing was done back in the day, in 1992 when Severn Suzuki (aged 13) spoke to the UN about ecological disaster. Being put up to the job by her activist parents. Its weaponised emotions when what is called for is fair and just actions in unison by all parties ~ which has and probably never will happen. There was something similar in the back of an ambulance in Syria – which turned out to be a staged event. That and young kids (aka Diplomats children) speaking about their country’s problems in Ukraine and repeated in Syria. I guess 77th Brigade and friends do what they can, but no government yet has suggested banning Coca-Cola (and its competitors) and asked people to mix sparkling water coffee /sugar in their kitchens to aid climate change. Burdens are loaded onto population not political sponsors….
Posted by: dennis | Oct 2 2019 21:08 utc | 36
Scotch Bingeington 38
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_News
“Arab News is an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia. It is published from Riyadh. The target audiences of the paper which is published in broadsheet are businessmen, executives and diplomats.[4][5]”
“The paper is one of twenty-nine publications published by Saudi Research and Publishing Company (SRPC), a subsidiary of Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG).[12] The chairman of SRMG and therefore, Arab News is Turki bin Salman Al Saud.[13]”
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 21:09 utc | 37
Tracking pixels works because they are cookies, not because of anything else. The upload of the image requires an IP address reveal for routing.
Easily fixable by simply not letting cookies get written, but one consequence is slower browsing.
The size of the image doesn’t matter; it is simply that images are treated differently by browsers than actual insertion of a tracking file, much less an executable or a Java code bit.
It is the name of the “pixel” that is the operator
Viewing is irrelevant.
Posted by: c1ue | Oct 2 2019 21:10 utc | 38
@B: IMPORTANT! You are under attack and investigation by Bellingcat AGAIN. SF too, all the receivers of the Serena Shim award.
Seems i was right about my feeling that accepting this award was a dangerous move. Its site looked sketchy, and its funding equally. Seems i was right, and Bellingcat now uses this to its advantage.
Better be prepared. They also try to follow the money of the award, so better be prepared on that front too..
Shit.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2019/09/30/pro-assad-lobby-group-rewards-bloggers-on-both-the-left-and-the-right/
PS: To SF: While Bellingcat was wrong to claim SF founders name, it is pretty clear it is funded by Russian gov (likely GRU, military intelligence, which runs all info war since at least 2001). They try to censor everyone now commenting this, but it is clear for recurring readers for years.
Posted by: DontBelieveEitherPr. | Oct 2 2019 21:11 utc | 39
@karlof1 (3): Yes, thanks for the Escobar piece. Indeed an eye opener.
It teaches once again, that “we” are not bombing a bunch of scorpion – eating sand morons but an incredibly rich culture, which we have no idea of. Mortifying!
Posted by: Cemi | Oct 2 2019 21:14 utc | 40
@Posted by: DontBelieveEitherPr. | Oct 2 2019 21:11 utc | 42
If you would have followed the line of discourse of SF since the beginning, you would be discarding that they could in any way linked to Russian Government…
Their reports on Syria were absolutely discouraging for the SAA side…and then you have who promote this site all the way…all US “analysts”…related to USAF…
IMO, SF is a USAF tool for cyberwarfare…although it could be linked to certain faction there…as they are many “military” blogs…
Posted by: Elora Danan | Oct 2 2019 21:26 utc | 41
I am still looking at things surrounding the (allegedly?) retracted paper “Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable Superconducting Processor” (here).
I might not get much further and I’m not sure there will be any point to it. There are things about it that I find strange but I need to look into it further and think more about it to have any confidence.
I have not seen any recent developments or official statements, please correct me if I’m wrong.
I did notice Scott Aaronson says things about the paper that look utterly untrue to me when I read it.
Has anyone like a tech or science reporter of some kind tried to get a comment out of any of the authors? Including anything completely innocent? I haven’t double-checked this yet but barring a mistake on my part there are seventy-six authors according to the paper itself.
The paper is important if it is real.
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Oct 2 2019 21:35 utc | 42
@ Posted by: juliania | Oct 2 2019 19:34 utc | 25
It worked with Russia because trade between both countries already was very low before (5% of both countries’ trade balances) and were mainly concentrated on high tech ballistic technology and whatnot (so this tiny trade was already essentially controlled by the USG).
Decoupling from China is another complete different beast. As I’ve already mentioned last post, American manufacturing continues to decline. The reasons for this are:
1) decoupling is not really happening: most American and allied companies are simply ignoring Trump’s sanctions (the same way the German capitalists are literally pretending Merkel doesn’t exist and continue to trade and invest in Russia). Trump’s sanctions, either way, are full of small print of exceptions, which make them, for all intents and purposes, null;
2) even in the few cases where production is getting out of China, they aren’t going back to the USA, but instead going to Vietnam or India. That means the deficit the USA had with China it now has with these countries; finally
3) globalisation is dead. That means total trade is not growing, but just being redistributed across the globe. But the USA is a capitalist economy, and a capitalist economy depends on infinite growth to survive. In this case, we cannot even talk about a Pyrric victory for the USA should China indeed collapse, since trade was already dead in the water since 2008.
Looks like those tariffs over Airbus will indeed happen:
US to Impose Tariffs on European Aircraft, Agricultural Goods
@Posted by: Elora Danan | Oct 2 2019 21:26 utc | 44
Of course, they do it very subtly, as they do “their thing” the associated “military blogs”…
In their Special Report on Hezbollah, they claimed the existence of a “suicide command” inside Hezbollah´s structure, which seemed to me fitted perfectly at the time with the aim of this US administration on declaring Hezbollah a terrorist organization and get European “partners” doing the same…
Hezbollah does not have any “suicide command” for the simply reason they do not need it, being an important political force in Lebanese parliament and not existing currently foreign occupation in the country.
Posted by: Elora Danan | Oct 2 2019 22:01 utc | 45
Sunny Runny Burger
How far advanced google or the US is in quantum computing is difficult to guage. From what I can see, Russia China and US all appear to be around the stage the google paper claimed.
I read two year old a Russian piece recently, a chrystal had been developed to reduce error that was tested in a similar manner to the claimed google test – running a known algorithm that would take many years to run in a conventional computer.
This is from 2017
https://futurism.com/a-new-breakthrough-in-quantum-computing-is-set-to-transform-our-world
If google is at the point it claims to be, then US is most likely well behind.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 22:10 utc | 46
Russia and China are both researching quantum computing for strategic defence. US no doubt wants it for offence. Whatever stage of development quantum computing is at in these countries, it will be a closely guarded secret.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 22:15 utc | 47
Thank you Ian2 #31, as I see it Tulsi Gabbard is the first candidate to resolutely oppose the USA Intelligence war machine and the MIC. Do inform me if there has been another such candidate in the past two centuries.
The Democrat machine must be fully aware that she has tapped into a deep sentiment in the USA electorate and that the voice of peace must be shouted down by any means. Hence impeach to take media attention (people’s attention not included IMO) away from the bleeding bloody obvious.
Distraction game to the max.
The Democrat machine is desperately clinging on to its gravy train and they are not about to let go. This obscene machine is owned ‘lock, stock and barrel’ by the IMIC. They will have Biden as their rep if at all possible and will do deal with the malleable Warren if necessary. Watch the hysteria build but amusingly watch the holes appear in their feet as they thrash about with distraction absurdity. Maddow will be in fine form if you bother to watch.
The big question is really whether Tulsi Gabbard or Bernie Sanders actually end up sheep dogs or lone wolves. Last time they failed to assert their power, maybe this time they will or they may assert betrayal.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Oct 2 2019 22:20 utc | 48
@ 29; Thanks for your advice, but your opinions, are just that, opinions.
Posted by: ben | Oct 2 2019 22:43 utc | 49
piling on — on impeachment…
Pelosi: “I think the president knows the argument that can be made against him, and he’s scared. And so he’s trying to divert attention from that to where it’s standing in the way of legislation.” . .USA Today
But it’s Pelosi who should be scared. The transcript shows no crime. It shows no abuse of power.
Mr. Democrat BJ Clinton (on the other hand) was impeached for committing crimes, including lying under oath to a grand jury, witness tampering, and covering up evidence. But even so, he wasn’t convicted.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 2 2019 22:47 utc | 50
“Woke” used to mean “politically aware” but it is now going the way of “conspiracy theorist” as someone deserving of derision.
MSM is pushing this line & alt-med is swallowing it:
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/470074-joker-wokeness-death-comedy/
Whilst the sentiment is accurate they are no longer labelling “political correctness” or “identity politics” as the root of the problem.
Posted by: ziogolem | Oct 2 2019 22:56 utc | 51
For the edification of some. One case in point.
Article 1 sec 9 of the Constitution;
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
ie-https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/foreign-counties-lease-trump-world-tower-emoluments-concerns-heighten
Considering DJT did not divest of his business interests, the income from these rentals goes right to his income. Or, am I missing something?
Posted by: ben | Oct 2 2019 22:59 utc | 52
@ Elora Danan | Oct 2 2019 21:26 utc | 44
Southfront seems to be mostly correct in there assessment based on comparison with other relatively reliable and diverse sources.
If there is a stop website posting usable info then so be it.
I think you are mistaken however. Southfront is about 1/2 pro Russia prop.
Speaking of psyop:
https://www.militarytimes.com/flashpoints/2019/09/29/syria-demands-withdrawal-of-all-american-turkish-forces/
Military speaking sense, now I am confused.
Posted by: jared | Oct 2 2019 23:06 utc | 53
@ ben 55
Emolument refers to all wages, benefits or other benefit received as compensation for holding some office or employment, and not to renting a room.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 2 2019 23:11 utc | 54
@ Don Bacon | Oct 2 2019 22:47 utc | 53
Trump needs to make as much noise as possible to draw in the voters. Dems are really out on a limb with the repeat of: Never mind the facts – look at what the bad man did.
Problem for Trump may be that there are many out to sabotage him in varying degrees.
Hopefully we can elect someone who will truly irritate the protectors of status quo – Trump was just a warm-up I hope.
Posted by: jared | Oct 2 2019 23:15 utc | 55
Juliania @ 25, William Gruff @ 33:
Decoupling worked for Russia in part also because there was underutilised capacity in some of its industries (like dairying and some other agricultural industries) so the US sanctions against Russia worked in a way similar to tariffs, had the Russian government decided to impose those on imported equivalents to the Russian products sanctioned. The effect of the US-led sanctions was to stimulate certain industries but not necessarily others.
As it turned out, one industry affected by US sanctions on Russia was the Finnish dairying industry, relying on the Russian market for its exports. I recall reading somewhere (might have been RT.com) that one Finnish dairy products manufacturer had to sack 800 employees as a result.
Decoupling could work in the US if, like Russia, it has industries in which businesses are still viable and have underused technology and underemployed people with the right skills, knowledge and experience, and moreover the financial / investment infrastructure exists to support them. But we have to ask whether such industries still exist and whether the US government at both federal and state levels, and banks and other financial institutions, are prepared to support them with the right lending products and programs, and the right regulatory and legal support environments.
If we take dairying (again) as an example, countries like Canada could be self-supporting because Canada uses a quota system to determine supply and pricing for milk and dairy products that among other things helps to support dairy farmers and allow them to run their farms as viable businesses and earn enough for their families to live comfortably. Countries like the US and Australia that don’t use quota systems leave their dairy farms to the mercy of huge buyers like supermarkets that can drive prices down and run dairy farms into the ground by forcing them to oversupply milk (driving prices down even more). Farmers then go out of business through losses and their farms can be taken over by agribusiness corporations.
Posted by: Jen | Oct 2 2019 23:28 utc | 56
to Ben # 21 & 22. Your list can be applied to the last four presidents. Remember Clinton-boy and R. Rich mentioned in the Whitney Webb articles, for example. I guess
that’s your point??? Regarding Tulsi Gabbard, she is the first politician in a long long while who makes sense. Unfortunately this means that the Killery machine will go for her just like they went for Sanders. Sigh. To Ian2 and others. Yes, it makes no sense at all. Does the Democrat machine have a death wish? Is Pelosi senile and over medicated? Every day there is a new upchuck of lies and mis-representations to what end? How can the world respect such a government? What are they really hiding? Is the economy about to meltdown? Or are they just plain stupid? Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by: Miss Lacy | Oct 2 2019 23:32 utc | 57
@ Jen 59
. . .one Finnish dairy products manufacturer had to sack 800 employees as a result.
US sanctions on Iran and Russia have been a twofer for the US, not only hurting designated US enemies but also stifling “ally” EU growth (EU being a US economic rival). Peugeot is an example, when forced out of Iran. Sanctions effect both buyer and seller, a fact scarcely ever mentioned.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 2 2019 23:49 utc | 58
The latest from Whitney Webb on Epstein:
https://www.mintpressnews.com/ari-ben-menashe-jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-israel-intelligence/262162/
This story MUST NOT die. For there is so much dirt in the layers. The scum of this earth, whether Clinton or Andrew, need to pay and be dragged in the mud.
Posted by: Uncle Jon | Oct 2 2019 23:50 utc | 59
@37 william gruff.. thanks.. i didn’t know how that works.. why does b let these posters post??
Posted by: james | Oct 3 2019 0:16 utc | 61
. . .good news via M.K. Bhadrakumar — Ukraine is free at last (perhaps) courtesy of “whistleblower”…..
. . .[Kurt] Volker’s [US ambassador, Russia hawk] exit is the surest sign that for the foreseeable future, US-Ukraine relations have become toxic. Put differently, for the first time after the “regime change” in Ukraine in 2014, no US official worth his salt will want to risk hobnobbing with the powers that be in Kiev.
This “hands-off” phase gives Zelensky a free hand to handle his country’s relations with Russia. The same holds good for Moscow which gets an opportunity to deal with Kiev without the Americans breathing over the neck of the Ukrainian president.
It is in this backdrop that we need to asses the outcome of the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine – Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe — in Minsk on October 1. The meeting agreed to a peace process known as the “Steinmeier Formula,” green-lighting local elections in the Russian-controlled regions of Donbas. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 3 2019 0:27 utc | 62
@60 Ben & 64 Don
Don, be nice. I would hope that the philosophy to ‘develop not condemn’ would remain prevalent here @ moa. You remain one of the most respected posters here because you post links both supporting your opinions as well as those that dispute whatever position you have taken. Ben has questions, let’s answer them please. You’ve been here longer than I, but I’ve noticed and have much respect for that.
@ ben
Donald Trump was renting rooms before he was president, therefore, it would be a stretch to claim that he was all of a sudden guilty of the emolument clause because people were renting his rooms since he was elected president. Could the case be made that he was giving preferential treatment to people who were renting from him, because he was president, he *might* have difficulties. However because ambassadors, etc… are renting from him now when he is president, when those rooms were always for sale, is not something that could be attributed to his holding the office of the presidency. It is the way our system works.
FYI, there is no doubt that there are likely many reasons D Trump should be impeached, but our system has not been able to pin one on him yet. Personally I am pleased, because I believe he is serving a greater purpose.
Don’t stop asking, and you probably won’t like every answer you get. It is a blast when you get it 100% correct though.
b4real
Posted by: b4real | Oct 3 2019 0:56 utc | 63
Don Bacon
From what I can see, the factional fight in the US is also being fought in other countries where the anti Trump faction trys to stymie Trump moves.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 1:10 utc | 64
During the first cold war it was said that an iron curtain fell and divided Europe. Today it is the bullshit curtain has fallen across the US and the West. Never has so much cow manure been spread by so many for so long. Trump has amplified the bullshit curtain.
Important stories are suppressed, ridiculous stories are expounded. It all has the feel of an intelligence agency coup d’état. It appears to be a physiological operation. False stories, false accusations, bureaucratic war, anonymously sourced attributions, outright lies.
There is enough not to like about Trump but we have reached a stage of ridiculousness that tires the populace and has been effective so far. If they keep pushing the whole operation may well blow back in their faces.
The economy is starting to turn down hard. The real estate market is starting to turn down as well. Trump will probably be gone in less than two years and they promise to destroy him after he is out of office. Have we ever seen this in the west?
They truly fear the old orange haired guy. Bush, Clinton Obama and Reagan never had them in a lather like Trump. JFK they truly feared as well and they took him out along with his brother. MLK turned against the war and they took him out as well. Blood must come at a high cost for them today. It was so easy for them in the ’60’s.
Posted by: dltravers | Oct 3 2019 1:19 utc | 65
“why does b let these posters post?” –james @65
Even though that question was likely rhetorical, I will take a stab at answering it.
First, I would say that b is probably pretty busy as it is and focuses attention on more disruptive issues. Despite being technically competent, b might not even have realized that tracking was what the poster was including the image for. I am fairly technically knowledgeable as well but did not realize right away that was what the image was for. I have included images in some of my posts, but they have all been from commercial image hosting or news sites, so they are useless for targeted harvesting of IP addresses. It wasn’t until I checked up on the server the image that Mikeee was embedding in his post was hosted from and found that it was an anonymous one set up just for IP harvesting that I knew for sure.
Basically, I would say b probably doesn’t have time to check every single thing that gets posted and just overlooked it. He’s got to write the articles that he posts at some point, after all.
Now that posters have raise a ruckus, b might look into his own server logs and find out where this Mikeee comes from, though most likely Mikeee is using a proxy to disguise himself. All state actors and skilled hackers do at least that which is why claims that Cloudstrike could tell it was Russian hackers who supposedly hacked the DNC emails server from their IP addresses is laughable nonsense. Hackers can just set up a virtual server using Amazon or Google’s cloud computing services and use that for a relay, or rent a trailer in Utah and set up a server there to relay through, and Cloudstrike would have no way to tell where the hackers were really working from. This, of course, if the hackers didn’t feel like using freely available proxy servers that are scattered around the Web, or using more sophisticated techniques to hide their tracks (proxies are simple solutions and not sophisticated ones for hiding one’s footprints).
Posted by: William Gruff | Oct 3 2019 1:20 utc | 66
@ b4real 67
Don, be nice.
Blogs are designed for comments, and not, when trying to make a point, for just posting a link and walking away. A discussion of any given topic might be enlightening to readers who never post a comment. Readers should not be forced to use a hyperlink to try to fathom what the point is. Did Trump break the law or not? is an important subject. The fact that ben was unable to comment on this means he has no point.
So you be nice, I’ve got other priorities.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 3 2019 1:26 utc | 67
@71 Don
” The fact that ben was unable to comment on this means he has no point”
No, he didn’t have a point, he had a question. As awkwardly as he was able to phrase it, there was a question mark at the end of his post.
FYI, I also have a life on the white supremacy boards. Are you aware of how much they despise D. Trump? The problem they have been forced to address is that because the msm is calling Trump a white supremacist they are dealing with an influx of people (probably white people) who are curious about the white supremacist movement. They have continuously had to caution their members not to attack or demean new people to their site(s) who are trump supporters, because they are driving away likely supporters. The white supremacists will never accept trump because of his jewish ties, but beating up on inquisitive trump supporters has been counter productive to their beliefs and goals. Literally all of the white is right sites have told their members to cease attacking and belittling new comers, (who are mostly turmp supporters) because it does not help their cause.
Similarly, I believe it is imperative that when we are confronted with people who honestly cannot believe their own eyes or ears, due to the state of propaganda and obfuscation the U.S. is, and are seeking a truth, we should give them our honest opinions so that they can process this new opinion and find their truth. Unless and until they prove themselves to have a different motive for their seemingly inane queries.
You weren’t born with the ability to link and comment on boards the way you do now as is evidenced by your disappearance for about 3 years and your return, upon which people gave you a hard time (because they did not know who you are) and you disappeared again for a few months only to return and finally find acceptance, except for S. Johnson, he kinda hates you. 🙂
You can’t fight nor win the struggle we are facing alone, (and I don’t know what your priorities are), but discouraging a curious poster should not be on your list.
b4real
‘
Posted by: b4real | Oct 3 2019 2:17 utc | 68
Peter AU 1 #24 Thanks for providing this link. I was able to access this site. One story that caught my eye was
“Al-Houthi: Ready to Consult with Canada on its Burned Armored Vehicles”
Member of the Political Council, Mohammad Ali Al-Houthi, mocked the destruction of Canadian armored vehicles used by the Saudi Army which a large number of these vehicles were destroyed during Victory from Allah Operation.
“We are here to consult with Canada on the armored vehicles, especially the burned ones,” Mohammed Al-Houthi said in a tweet on his Twitter account.
Al-Houthi stipulated, in order to consult with Canada, “if it confesses to violating laws and corrects its position towards the Yemeni People.”
The Canadian newspaper Ottawa Citizen reported that “Saudi Arabia owes Canada $1 billion for light vehicles which are the jewel of the Canadian military forces.”
I can’t wait to see Justin explain “Canadian Values” to the Political Council. Those Houthi are not only damn good fighters, they aren’t too shabby at trolling either. Just think what they could do if they all had shoes! LOL
Well they are now armed with some Franco-Canadian ATGM in South Front article. I’m not sure if they will get many chances to use them on Saudi armor. It seems the Saudi’s run away leaving the keys in the ignition at the first sign of a fight. In the comments section there was one that caught my eye. “Those 5,400 + Eryx missiles (CDN Forces inventory) were declared surplus in 2015, and Canadian Government said they would be “destroyed”. Were we Canadians lied to once again ? If you have evidence of a secret missile sale, you do have a story. We are currently in a federal election campaign. Tell us more.
Another commenter provided a link to a National Post Story regarding the missiles. Are they the same missiles? The NP story tells us the missiles were sold to the US Marines. Did they end up in KSA? Did any make their way to Syria? This story could have legs if there were any investigative journalists left in Canada. Most are stenographers or prostitutes.
https://southfront.org/houthis-captured-french-canadian-guided-missiles-during-recent-operation-photos/
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=9087&cat_id=1
Posted by: Tom | Oct 3 2019 4:05 utc | 69
Elora Danan@44 – “…Their reports on Syria were absolutely discouraging for the SAA side…and then you have who promote this site all the way…all US “analysts”…related to USAF…
IMO, SF is a USAF tool for cyberwarfare…although it could be linked to certain faction there…as they are many “military” blogs…”
I never trusted that sneaky USAF or their certain factions. Bellingcat should look into this immediately!
Posted by: PavewayIV | Oct 3 2019 4:44 utc | 70
Tom | Oct 3 2019 4:05 utc | 73:
Were we Canadians lied to once again ? If you have evidence of a secret missile sale, you do have a story. We are currently in a federal election campaign.
Whaaat? Government not telling the truth? LOL I’m sure everyone here knows when politicians are lying. Weapon sales aren’t much of a story and are signed long before delivery. Maybe previous administration made the sale?
Sergei | Oct 3 2019 4:19 utc | 74:
Did those F-35’s have the Luneburg reflector installed? Usually those devices are installed for air shows.
Posted by: Ian2 | Oct 3 2019 4:52 utc | 71
Re Tulsi Gabbard, I’m not sure what to make of her reversal on impeachment as she had stood alone among Dem candidates in opposing it. She now favors impeachment inquiry after reading the Trump-Zelensky transcript. Maybe it’s purely political strategy and what she feels is necessary to compete as a Dem (with the potential side benefit of Biden going down). Maybe she doesn’t understand CIA’s involvement in this latest takedown effort (after the failed Russiagate scam). Maybe she knows little of US involvement in Ukraine and the reasons for it. Maybe other commentators have a better understanding of her position than me.
My gut level of seeing her use the transcript as reasoning for her reversal, joining the pack, was disappointment. I’ve always felt that Gabbard’s only hope of winning the nomination would be to totally expose the Democratic establishment, (as Trump did with Repubs in 2016). Now it’s common to hear pissant freshmen Dems become instant Ukraine experts, attacking Trump from the right, saber-rattling about the need for lethal aid to Ukraine. I hope Gabbard understands that what happened in Ukraine 2014 was a US regime-change operation (which is her signature issue).
Posted by: Kabobyak | Oct 3 2019 5:23 utc | 72
@70 william gruff… thanks for going into that with me / us here – for any following this..it makes sense all that you say..
Posted by: james | Oct 3 2019 5:44 utc | 73
Anonymous Paranoid
Thanks. After my first post, I tried a proxy vpn which worked. In the past, I have found some sites that I check suddenly become blocked and could not access even with security exception and had not tried it this time.
If the security block comes up on an unknown page I generally don’t go there, but for sites that I have been to before I ignore it.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 6:32 utc | 74
@2 karlof1
Pepe Escobar made a mistake on naming the “Operation Nasrallah”!! Pepe has repeated the same mistake 4 times in his article. Yemeni operation name is ” Nasro men Allah”. Pepe Escobar has confused it with Nasrallah.
You may ask waht is the difference? Nasrallah is a popular name in Muslim world, also is family name of Lebanon Hezbollah leader, literally means ” god’s help”. While ” Nasro men Allah” is part of a very famous verse ( 61/12) of Quran. A fuller version of verse(61/12) in Arabic reads ” … Nasro men Allah van fathon qharib …”, translation :” A help from Allah [is coming] and a speedy conquest [ is nearer]”. Who ever hear the short version of the verse, in the Muslim world ( it was very often slogan of battles in history), will get message of the full version, it means an speedy conqest is near.
Posted by: arata | Oct 3 2019 7:30 utc | 75
arata, thanks for the translation and meaning.
Houthi have been making some claims recently of having various technologies and so forth. I suspect they do have an unpleasant surprise for the Saudi’s in the near future. Be interesting to see what it is.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 7:45 utc | 76
In re Boeing flyer 737NFG…illegal parts says aljaz…see>” On a Wing and Prayer” @ aljazeera 15 Dec 2010 15:20 GMT (yes, 9 years ago)
They say Boeing deliberately and knowingly put into the sky structurally unsafe and illegal aircraft with seriously unsafe bits deep in structure.
Posted by: Walter | Oct 3 2019 8:30 utc | 77
In Australia we are bemused by the relationship between Trump and our real estate lobbyists (AKA the government). It never ceases to amaze me how we in Oz insist on playing the fawning client to the USA even when it is a fat elephant in the room that we are a Chinese mining outpost. I would like to hear the views of the MoA commentariat on the US-Australia alliance, as well as what the scuttlebutt is about why our real estate bubble shows no sign of bursting. The political economy of Australia in relation to the global situation intrigues me—I have a few theories and adhere to the usual historical materialist longue durée explanations, but this is an intelligent blog with info on matters of great interest. Any long-view perspectives on Australia geopolitically, militarily, economically, etc?
Posted by: Patroklos | Oct 3 2019 9:00 utc | 78
Peter AU 1 | Oct 2 2019 19:22 utc | 24
I can no longer access the Houthi news site.
https://english.almasirah.net/index.php
That website just installed a brand new security certificate issued by cPanal, Inc. Certificate Authority, Valid from 03-10-2019 to 02-01-2020. The person who installed it may have been a bit premature, not realizing that in some parts of the planet it was not yet 3-10-2019, causing your browser to dismiss it.
There could also be other reasons, like your browser being out of date, not having recent CA’s (Certificate Authorities) installed. Computers and also smartphones need to be up2date. Install another browser if your web browser can not be updated (Firefox or Opera is what I am using).
If the green lock thingy in your browser says you get a different cert for english.almasirah.net then me, then you may have a man-in-the-middle. This can be trusted antivirus software that filters your decrypted web content looking for malware. Or it can be a VPN service you installed that sells your private data while giving you the impression you are secure. Get rid of all VPN services except Tor browser and only use that if you want to hide your IP from the site you are visiting.
Anyway, security is meant to be taken seriously. You should not just try too get rid of the warning. If your smoke alarm goes off, would you just yank it from the ceiling, pull the battery and toss it in a corner? Or would you first make sure your house is not on fire, identify the source of the smoke and open a window to refresh the air and make the alarm stop?
Posted by: Joost | Oct 3 2019 9:11 utc | 79
Joost
I can access the website ok now so the new security certificate must have been the problem.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 9:19 utc | 80
@ Sunny Runny Burger | Oct 2 2019 21:35 utc | 45
The paper is important if it is real.??
What is claimed in the paper?
Number of Qubit: 53 Qubit. What else? I am not tracing the Quantum computing but I knew Google had 16 Qubit setup last year, what was the result? These are academic play ground toys, they get some budget and recruit some post graduates, torture their brain, then write some papers with 100 reference, then argue with each other and get a position somewhere to teach the same.
What else the paper claims? Freeze the chip, down to 20 mK ( mili Kelvin, means almost absolute zero)! How much practical is it? Then connect 277 external analog channels, then hire Google existing conventional supercomputer to calculate state of Qubits. This is far from a serious breakthrough for Quantum computing theory.
Posted by: arata | Oct 3 2019 9:22 utc | 81
Patroklos 84
Only short but it is the starting point of what you are asking.
Five-eyes and the anglosphere.
Five-eyes means US receives any and all Australian intel which may only cover curtain areas. Australia relies on US for world veiw type intel. Basically, whatever the US feeds it.
On the anglosphere, the fact that our PM must swear an oath of allegiance to a foreign monarch rather than his of her country to take office – New Zealand and Canada the same. Many, especially in the current government seem to have a great belief in anglo supremacy and that we will always lead the world.
Defence – we rely totally on the US for much military equipment. Any country that relies on the US for military equipment and cannot produce its own is pretty much locked in.
As I see it we are heading for a fall in backing US actions against China. US will be kicked out of the region and in the meantime we will have pissed off our main trading partners plus others in the region that will see as and anglo outpost rather than as neighbours. If it comes to a shootup that doesn’t go nuclear, the US will still be kicked out and our neighbours extremely pissed.
Prior to WWII, as I understand it, the Brits were supposed to guarantee Australia’s defence. It ruled the seas and had the impregnable fortress at Singapore.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 9:40 utc | 82
Tom 73
Wikipedia entry on the missiles is interesting.
Current operators
Brazil[15]
France: 550 firing posts and 4,700 missiles ordered[15]
Malaysia[15]
In service with 10 Paratrooper Brigade only.[16]
Norway: 424 firing posts and 7,200 missiles[15]
Turkey: Produced under licence by MKEK[17]
Saudi Arabia[18]
Former operators
Canada
Canadian Army: 435 launchers and 4,500 missiles[19]. Withdrawn from service by 2016.[20]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ERYX#Current_operators
Most likely Canada sold the to Saudi arabia when they were withdrawn from service.
I read the Houthi article trolling Canada earlier and had a laugh.
Same again when I read your line – “Those Houthi are not only damn good fighters, they aren’t too shabby at trolling either. Just think what they could do if they all had shoes! LOL” 🙂
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 9:54 utc | 83
Patroklos 84
Swearing in ceremonies for Australian, Canadian and New Zealand prime ministers.
Australia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDqvWbA11OM
Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT1l5kesjKA&feature=youtu.be
NZ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CfS9Ewjczk
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 10:02 utc | 84
@ Peter AU 1
Thanks to you, b, and to all on this site. It’s my main go-to for analysis. I start with the SMH then Guardian Australia then MoA. By the time I’m done here I have whiplash 😉 I can’t listen to the ABC but occasionally the business editors make some nice observations about the economy here. I think they’re all closet Marxists.
Posted by: Patroklos | Oct 3 2019 10:33 utc | 85
In the months after MH17 I came to the conclusion that domestic policy is largely dependant on foreign policy, which is delivered from the US embassy or direct from the US so no longer follow domestic politics. Some foreign policy from UK as well – I suspect MH17 was more a UK operation than a US operation.
I check on the ABC world news to see were we are going in foreign policy. Always two or more current articles on bad, bad China.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 10:43 utc | 86
About Luneburg lenses (from CIA compromised Wikipedia): “A radar reflector can be made from a Luneburg lens by metallizing parts of its surface. Radiation from a distant radar transmitter is focussed onto the underside of the metallization on the opposite side of the lens; here it is reflected, and focussed back onto the radar station.
In other words, Luneburg lenses are used as retroreflectors, reflecting the em waves from a radar station back to the source. If the emitter and receiver are in the same place, which is usually the case with conventional radar, then the reflector will show up clearly on the operator’s screen.
The radar system used by the German team to track the F-35s is a passive system and has no emitter. It uses ambient em radiation from regular civilian sources to illuminate the target, for example cellular communications towers and commercial radio and TV transmitters. A Luneburg lens would just reflect the signals from such sources directly back at those sources, not at the German team’s passive receiver, so the Luneburg lenses have no bearing on how the Germans were able to track the F-35s.
Just so that you know, passive radar systems were also developed back in the Soviet Union (at Donetsk University, no less!), so this is not new tech. The big difference is improvements in signal processing which allow the passive radar systems to be more compact and much more accurate, yielding weapons grade targeting data nowadays.
Short version: The presence or absence of Luneburg lenses makes no difference to passive radar systems.
Posted by: William Gruff | Oct 3 2019 10:45 utc | 87
Juliania @ 13 is right the USA house is defending the sovereignty of America. The house is standing its ground in the conflict between Article I [the duty of the popularly elected congress to save the sovereignty of America and the freedom of Americans] and Article II [elite controlled USA attempting to transfer control of USA governed Americans into new world order <=which most Americans hate<=slavery]. This conflict will provide many Americans with a glimpse of what the USA has been up to. as Juliania says, its an struggle between the internal American security and control by the new world order. Moreover its an issue on whether or not the intelligence services are serving American Interest.. the Justice department always fails when the elite are involved. Americans are still waiting to find out why the USA got involved in Ukraine? <=Basically the same World Ordere vs National Sovereignty issue with Bexit..
Roy G @ 17 says. McDonnell-Douglas figures prominently in the shades of Boeing, and transfer by Article II persons to foreign entities that are important to American sovereign interest.
Ben's list @ 21.. of the laterst Regime's transgressions against the American people.
Dollars will not come home for investment so long as there are more profitable alternatives elsewhere and so long as central banks in most other countries need those dollars for trade. William Grupp @ 33, 36.. Mr. Grupp its simple to fix, pass a law to eliminate the alternatives, no American presence or citizenship to anyone with foreign investments. Americans would love it if those corporate monopolies would leave, but wall street would go stark raving mad. China has substantial investments in the America particularly in Infrastructure (Railroads) and Farming sectors, in spite of the USA.
As Pepe points out in his article, the CIA is backing the exiled al-Saud prince-led group working to install a Constitutional Monarchy, while MbS apparently remains Trump's man. The impeachment attempt has gone further international. by: karlof1 @ 3, Cemi @ 43..
but Hassan Hassan exposes Saudi Cells operating at major American University and throughout America.. read
thanks for the paper Quantum Supremacy Using a Programmable Superconducting Processor Here Sunny Runny Burger @45 even the title seems a bit iffy? The paper left a lot out. for sure. . what has supremacy got to do with superconducting quantum state ice cold electrons? Its almost like somebody needed to say USA has quantum too.
The USA is a capitalist economy. by: vk @ 46 <= no capitalist economy exist, capitalist economies require a referee to keep the economic space free of monopoly powers to inure to a few against the many possible competitors. The economy the US allows in America is 100% a monopolistic feudal system ; worse the USA is self producing monopolies (by rule of law) and giving them to its feudal partners. Everyone in the world has been impacted by the failure of the nation state governments to maintain the competitive nature of the economic space. IMO juliania @ 13 defines globalism.
We have to ask whether such industries still exist and whether the US government at both federal and state levels, and banks and other financial institutions, are prepared to support them with the right lending products and programs, and the right regulatory and legal support environment Jen @59.. No such industries exist, .. the oil industry saw to that.. when they installed the EPA.
Posted by: snake | Oct 3 2019 10:53 utc | 88
joe 89
Why do you place a propaganda piece like that here.
Countries that have seen its capabilities demonstrated, and also how they have kept the US at bay in Syria are lining up to buy the systems. US have stopped F-35’s going to Turkey (a good thing for Turkey), talking about what they can do to prevent India buying them ect ect.
China and Iran are not far behind Russia, perhaps one or two generations but still far in advance of the US and far two strong for the US to attack conventionally.
US stealth aircraft have a small frontal radar cross section not zero cross section. Side view cross section is much larger. The aircraft can only point at one radar. Two radars separated will always detect the aircraft at a distance. Even with that, US traditionally under estimate first soviet, and now Russian radar. It is quite likely the Russian radars can pick up a very small cross section at quite long ranges.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 11:08 utc | 89
Joe
The letters PhD after the name impressed you I guess.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 11:10 utc | 90
My electronics days were with vacuum tubes and never serious, but I get that passive radar depends on background emissions and majorly on signal processing (and machine/man refinements in algorithms).
Of course the radar station depends on this background radiation being available – which in some places may be problematic.
a few kw emitted NVIS @ for example 7MC ought to illuminate a radial 100 miles or so nicely, it seems to me. Similarly, fairly distant transmitters – even spark (possibly lots of spark) would work nicely, and the SW bands would permit ionospheric bounced signals to be roughly directed into a Nth space with “needed” special illumination.
NVIS can pulse (at random on by signal or by clock, and send encrypted precise geolocation, as assist in passive signal processing accuracy. and be air dropped – and placed pretty much in a hole as it transmits up, bounces down, in inverting cones, sorta…
(We use NVIS in rugged back country where 2 meters is useless without a shot at a repeater)
This suggests to me that Russian jamming designs would probably, logically, coordinate nicely with passive radar designs.
The also obvious brute force method of polluting the air over a space with conducting and sticky dust – using cannon or rocket to boost something like aluminum paint-glue – make the nonreflecting coatings of lunckhup’s or boing all covered with nasty…
Just thoughts…
Posted by: Walter | Oct 3 2019 12:01 utc | 91
Peter AU1 # 90
In the months after MH17 …
At that time I went in the direction of the Malaysia petroleum break out – ie Malaysian nationalisation of Oil & Gas – Petronas… and affirmative actions by “friends of the seven sisters” against foreign petroleum players.
There was also the 9th May 2012 Jakarta airshow when Russia’s new Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 (airbus/Boeing competitor) suddenly decided to fly into the side of the only mountain in the region.
Malaysia Airlines started to accept delivery of a number of A380’s later in May 2012. (which it tried to sell three years later in 2015 – see below)
It seemed to stack up that someone was trying to put the squeeze on Malaysia… the background:
https://www.quora.com/Why-were-the-Sukhoi-Superjet-100-planes-not-successful-in-the-aviation-market
” The main reason of Superjet 100 problems is its foreign suppliers, especially French company Safran that manufactures critical parts for SaM146 engines. Problems occur in the so-called hot part of the engine, where fuel is burned. Cracks may appear in the combustion chambers or oil collectors after 2000–4000 flight hours (that is, in the second year of the aircraft’s operation), and sometimes after 1000 flight hours. The engine must be sent for long repair or replaced. However, Safran also does not produce enough replacement parts, so Superjets are just sitting and waiting a lot instead of flying.
Interestingly enough, Safran produces parts for a number of other engines used by Airbus and these parts/engines have no problems. Somehow only their SaM146 engines made specifically for Superjet 100 are faulty.
Hopefully, Safran will be eventually forced to manufacture reliable engine parts or perhaps these engines will be replaced by downscaled version of Russian engines PD-14 developed for next Russian project called MC-21 (original PD-14 is too powerful for Superjet). ”
So Asian airlines are not to buy Russian Jets.
https://theaviationist.com/2012/05/09/ssj100/
The Airshow accident is officially listed as a pilot error and this was the 4th airshow and likely the usual maximum performance stunts, accelerating fatigue of stress points and Russian pilots(?)…. but in the timings I certainly consider Malaysia Airlines 370 that disappeared on 8 March 2014 as suspect of foul play. That it was followed by the 17 July 2014 Ukraine shooting down adding more questions.
On 30 April 2015, Malaysia Airlines decided to sell or lease out all six of its Airbus A380s due to its ongoing financial crisis. It has since decided to keep the A380s in service.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_fleet
Re Petronas:
Sept. 10 2013 – Petronas exited one of the biggest petroleum projects in Venezuela – Petrocarabobo, it planned to invest $20 billion and build a 200,000bpd facility to convert heavy crude into light crude oil.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-venezuela-malaysia/malaysias-petronas-exiting-venezuela-crude-project-idUSBRE9880TU20130910
How Petronas was formed:
In 1974 the Malaysian Petroleum Development Act was approved, and Petronas was incorporated. Exxon and Shell had to by law surrender their concessions – which they initially refused to do or negotiate. In ’75 Petronas served notice on all foreign oil corps, that after April ’75 they would be operating illegally and subject to seizure if they didn’t negotiate.
In 2010 some very dark stuff happened in Sudan, which took 9 years to investigate:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/world/africa/south-sudan-oil-war-crimes.html
Who exactly did what is still to have it’s official record decided, but some contractors of some sort hired by somebody went fully off the reservation. As curators of the block the area was Petronas’s responsibility whether or not it sanctioned or conducted the killings. If successfully prosecuted – as Petronas is a Nationalised company – some sort of significant Malaysian sanctions/financial penalties will likely follow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas#Setting_up_a_state_oil_and_gas_company:_1970s
(scroll down to war crimes)
Then there is the politics from the 1MDB scandal of 2015 and corruption seems and election rigging seems to be par for the course.
https://theasiadialogue.com/2019/07/30/following-the-money-political-financing-in-malaysia/
There’s a history of contention over who runs the show in Malaysia, and I don’t discount foreign mischief by favouring airbus and hurting alternates via engine parts, killings in oil concessions, vote rigging, and other worse acts of statecraft to nudge Malaysian players into their allocated slots.
Posted by: dennis | Oct 3 2019 12:20 utc | 92
dennis @97
Boing has a long history of benefiting from competitors experiencing perfectly timed spectacular accidents while in the midst of competitive contract negotiations. Boing’s competitors’ products always seem to take just that moment to blow up or fall out of the sky.
Boing must just be really lucky, huh? Tragedy always seems to benefit them whenever there are $billions on the line.
Posted by: William Gruff | Oct 3 2019 12:55 utc | 93
Not only Boeing and contracts, big money and accidents run like ham n’ eggs… searchterm> “strange death of walter reuther”
Of course then there’s bobby and john and martin and seth and everybody in the business of FFs… Depends on if you count heads or skin color or location…but altogether, what, how many millions for the buckies? Well, since when? Do we count the dead from WW2 as well…all about the money or the “contracts”.
The lesson seems to be 1) stay away from the money, and 2) if #1 fails, then watch your back and trust no one.
I still take interest in Hunter Thompson’s “suicide”…why was that? I tug at strings…
Posted by: Walter | Oct 3 2019 13:12 utc | 94
to Uncle Tungsten # 48 Dennis Kuchinich. He was a candidate during O’Bomber’s first campaign. He had proposed a Department of Peace amongst other good things. He was polling pretty well until O’Bomber got the big bucks, and a “little help from his friends” whom I believe may have included Sleazy Leiberman, MacInsane’s pal as well as Gore’s running mate. Dennis was an honest, brave and thoughtful guy. A rarity in other words.
Posted by: Miss Lacy | Oct 3 2019 13:20 utc | 95
Dennis and William
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur_War_Crimes_Commission
Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission
“In November 2011 the tribunal purportedly exercised universal jurisdiction to try in absentia former US President George W. Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, convicting both for crimes against peace because of what the tribunal concluded was the unlawful invasion of Iraq.[7][8][9][10]
In May 2012 after hearing testimony for a week from victims of torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, the tribunal unanimously convicted in absentia former President Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, former Deputy Assistant Attorneys General John Yoo and Jay Bybee, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and former counselors David Addington and William Haynes II of conspiracy to commit war crimes, specifically torture.[11][12] The tribunal referred their findings to the chief prosecutor at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.[13]
In November 2013, the tribunal found the State of Israel guilty of genocide of the Palestinian people and convicted former Israeli general Amos Yaron for crimes against humanity and genocide for his involvement in the Sabra and Shatila massacre.[14]”
I see the superjet crash was 2012.
Flight 370, if it followed the course as per officialdom, would have been tracked from start to finish by over the horizon radar. One is based near Longreach Queensland, the other near Laverton in West Australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jindalee_Operational_Radar_Network
I haven’t looked into Petronas but 1MDB was a US job. My impression is the PM was corrupt, but it was the FBI that helpfully without being asked to do so produced the goods.
MH17 though, the US did not seem to have its narrative in place for a few days, whereas the Brit news was straightaway plastered with Putins missile which is why I suspect it was a brit operation. When I looked into the Brit involvement in Ukraine, they seemed to have had their own operation running that had been there a period of time and separate to the US games. Media operations and so forth.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 13:21 utc | 96
Peter, that seems to make sense. Big target like that would shine on OTHR. The MH17 bit – yeah, but some claim the target was Putin’s airplane… I find that far fetched, but I find the world far fetched these days…it was FDR who said that there are no coincidences…
But to meat> The Biden affair… see> “Novaya Gazeta Drops Documents That Show Ukrainians Transferred $3.4 Million in Criminally Obtained Money to Hunter Biden’s Business Accounts” @ Gatewaypundit.
Posted by: Walter | Oct 3 2019 13:35 utc | 97
@ : Peter AU 1 83
As I see it we are heading for a fall in backing US actions against China.
Thanks for your rundown on 5 eyes etc.
Another big factor is “The Quad” military alliance, US-Japan-Oz-India. The US Pacific Command has been renamed the Indo-Pacific Command, meant to extend US interests into the Indian Ocean and also to include India (and then India didn’t agree to it).
I suppose The Quad may not last, and in fact there has been a hint of US Navy dislike with it. The US is not known for cooperating with others and wants to control, not cooperate. Keep us posted! please
Looking at the map, it always has seemed to me that the Indonesia archipelago has been a natural barrier between Oz and uppity nations to the north.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 3 2019 13:38 utc | 98
Peter Au @75 you might try https://www.grc.com/fingerprints.htm to be sure the web page you are viewing is the page you intended to view.. I am finding many pages that do not have the proper finger print..
Posted by: snake | Oct 3 2019 13:41 utc | 99
Don Bacon
Asian (and other) hordes to the north have always beena great boogiemen. Indonesia has about 240 million of them plus its a muslim country. Very scary. But currently, China has the boogieman role.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Oct 3 2019 13:51 utc | 100