The MoA Week In Review – OT 2021-053

I promised I would lecture c1ue on whether Sweden is socialist or not. The text is turning into an essay, and my capacity is limited, so I’m (seriously) hoping it’ll be done early in September.

Posted by: Jörgen Hassler | Jul 11 2021 12:43 utc | 1

Has this link been posted a hundred times already?
Should be a thousand.
I am a Green Party voter.
You may not like Republicans but you should try and understand
where they are coming from as they make up a large portion of this country.
I believe I brought objectivity to Russiagate as I am neither Democrat nor Republican.
This link pretty well (with a few complaints) sums up what I saw.
Understand your neighbor:
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/daryl-cooper-why-trump-supporters-are-pissed-and-dont-trust-anything

Posted by: librul | Jul 11 2021 13:13 utc | 2

Haiti
Not what we are led to believe:

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jul 11 2021 13:25 utc | 3

Isn’t it great The Billionaire Class is taking over space exploration for humanity? Imagine the state civilization would find itself if it weren’t for the Savior Billionaires. God bless Branson, Bezos and Musk for leading the way out of the primordial goo of useless eaters to the new shining city on the hill; Mars. The altruistic vision of Billionaires is inspiring.
God Save The Rich!

Posted by: gottlieb | Jul 11 2021 14:18 utc | 4

Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, Biden
Jackrabbit, I read some of your links and much of what Moise said in those links was obviously true. He probably saw the forces plotting his murder. However, I’m guessing he was a “player” until he was cancelled. The Haitian people apparently did not like him. He looks to me like a Noriega, Sadaam Hussein type player who was first promoted, then eliminated. He never was like Evo, Chavez, Fidel.
Orinoco Tribune has the latest news report out of Venezuela heavily quoting Venezuela VP Delcy Rodriguez laying out a massive operation which includes coup attempts in Venezuela and Haiti, along with operations planned against Argentina. Delcy Rodriguez is highly credible. She names names and exposes what she says is a coordinated plot from Biden, citing CIA director Burns’ recent trip to Colombia and Brazil. She lays out the use of street gangs in Caracas to spearhead the coup attempt which was fought and defeated by local residents along with the Venezuelan military. Guaido and Leopoldo Lopez were implicated.
from the article:
“The evidence: 26 Colombian officials, executors of this plan,” stressed Rodríguez, referring to the Colombian mercenaries implicated in the assassination of the Haitian president. ”There are reports of a contract similar to the one signed by mercenaries of Juan Guaidó for Operation Gideon, of which the US government is aware,” she added.
After his visit to Colombia, Burns went to Brazil to talk about Venezuela with Jair Bolsonaro. There were discussions about the Argentine government also in that meeting, and Vice President Rodríguez alerted about possible destabilization plans being organized against Argentina.
She added that Venezuelan Head of State, Nicolás Maduro, had alerted “our people at the end of June regarding the visit of the CIA chief to Colombia, aiming to destabilize Venezuela.”
https://orinocotribune.com/three-colombian-paramilitaries-captured-in-operation-gran-cacique-indio-guaicaipuro-in-caracas/

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 11 2021 14:26 utc | 5

Thank you, Miguel. Appreciate your situation reports.

Posted by: oglalla | Jul 11 2021 14:33 utc | 6

migueljose @Jul11 14:26 #5
… I’m guessing he was a “player” until he was cancelled.
It’s very clear that there’s a media operation to paint a certain picture of Moise. I don’t see any media that talks about what he actually said and did. They focus on what the opposition has said about him.
AFAICT He talked the talk and walked the walk. So I believe that he was eliminated so that he wouldn’t take Haiti into the same direction as Venezuela and Cuba. CIA coordination with anti-Venezuela ops makes sense as it is clear that they are taking a region-wide approach.
=
The Haitian people apparently did not like him.
Again, that view seems to be media bias. AFAICT the corrupt Haitian establishment simply hated Moise. They felt that way for a reason.
They wanted to drive Moise out of office like they drove Aristide out of office. But someone decided that approach was too uncertain and too lengthy.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jul 11 2021 14:39 utc | 7

Following on from the last open thread where I pointed out the news that the US government has created strike teams to vaccinate children under 18

New figures released by researchers in the UK show that just 25 under-18’s died from COVID from March 2020 to February 2021, two-thirds of whom had “chronic” health conditions, and that lockdown measures aimed at children “may prove a greater risk than that of SARS-CoV-2 itself.”
The numbers show that there is around a 1 in 500,000 chance of children dying from coronavirus in England, and that includes victims of pre-existing medical conditions, like heart disease and cancer.
“More than 75 per cent of the children who died had chronic conditions, while two thirds had more than one underlying condition and 60 per cent had life-limiting conditions,” reports the Daily Mail.
During the same time period, 124 children died from suicide and 268 died from trauma.
Studies conducted by researchers at University College London, the University of York and the University of Liverpool found that lockdown measures which remove children from social environments “may prove a greater risk than that of SARS-CoV-2 itself.”

Just 25 Under 18’s Died From COVID in England, Hundreds Died From Suicide and Trauma

Posted by: Down South | Jul 11 2021 15:12 utc | 8

Jackrabbit, you say Moise was a good leader. I’m not sure. here’s a link from the Bolivian news site interviewing a Haitian who says the opposite.
https://twitter.com/KawsachunNews
scroll down to July 8 & 9. The Haitian being interviewed is Patrick Mattelus, in Spanish with English subtitles. I don’t know who he is but Kawsechun News is a good source. His main two points are that Moise’s security was American controlled suggesting that the U.S. was involved which is what we all agree on. His second point is that the Haitian people did not want Moise but they are against his replacements. The Haitian people– not the elites– have strong ties with Venezuela and have historically mobilized massive shows of solidarity with the Venezuelan government and people. Venezuela has reciprocated this affinity and is currently releasing the most detailed information about what is going on which appears to involve many countries and follows the same blueprint as the failed Venezuela coup a couple of years ago.
Bottom line, Moise was killed, looks like a U.S. hit executed by Colombia, in tandem with yet another coup attempt in Venezuela. Don’t make Moise a hero. Venezuela is the most credible news source on Haiti at this point.

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 11 2021 15:38 utc | 9

thanks b…. i notice a readship increase and new posters… cool! a special shout out to gordog who is a great addition! i love the fact people talk and try to engage others here.. thanks everyone for all the informative posts and insights…
listening to tony allen and hugh masekela right now..the title is appropriate for large chunks of the world at present…
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela – Robbers, Thugs and Muggers (O’Galajani)

Posted by: james | Jul 11 2021 15:44 utc | 10

librul @ 2

a) The entrenched bureaucracy & security state subverted Trump from Day 1, b) The press is part of the operation, c) Election rules were changed, d) Big Tech censors opposition, e) Political violence is legitimized & encouraged, f) Trump is banned from social media.

Good summary
However, instead of understanding their neighbours, the left is doubling down:

CNN ran a broadcast Thursday with its own medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner declaring that it is “time to start mandating” coronavirus vaccines for all Americans to counter people opting not to take the shots.
CNN host Erin Burnett said to Reiner “when you look at this in the broader context, there’s still a third of the eligible population in the United States that hasn’t got a single dose.”
“Given where things are going, is it time to move on from saying please to mandating?” Burnett asked.
Reiner replied “I do think it’s time to start mandating vaccines. And I think that the private industry and private organizations will do that.”
“At GW university, where I work, starting in fall, you can’t be on campus unless you’re fully vaccinated,” Reiner added.
He continued, “We’re at the part of the pandemic now where the problem in this country is that 150 million Americans are not vaccinated. Half of that number is less than 18 years of age. But let’s look at the adults. Seventy-five-million adults have chosen not to get vaccinated<:blockquote>. That choice has consequences.”
Reiner noted that the government cannot physically force vaccinations on people (for now), but advocated making it basically impossible for those who choose not to take it to live their lives normally.
“Now, we can’t force you to take a jab in the arm,” Reiner said, adding “But there are many jobs, perhaps, that can prevent you from working if you decide not to get vaccinated. So I think we need to be more proactive, and we will see industry take the lead in this.”

CNN Doctor Says It’s “Time To Start Mandating” COVID Vaccines
Who are those 75 million?

Hayes blamed the ‘right wing media’, proclaiming “You saw some of it there, people of the most conservative parts of the country turning against the vaccine . The leaders of this movement are cowardly. They refuse to have the courage of their convictions. They will not come out and say they are against the vaccine. Instead, they take this straw-man stance saying they’re just against anyone trying to promote the vaccine or heaven forbid mandate it.”

Posted by: Down South | Jul 11 2021 15:49 utc | 11

Reality as it is:
Politico: US vassal Europe to fight Russia and China
–//–
The war for pseudo-science:
Parasitic politics plague Ivermectin use in Indonesia
–//–
Delusions of grandeur, or the ruins of a monument to the apex of the Empire:
‘We live in a desert. We have to act like it’: Las Vegas faces reality of drought
A thousand years from now, archaeologists will be excavating and analyzing Las Vegas with the same wonder as we are now excavating and analyzing Hadrian’s villa. The question asked will be the same: why the fuck did they build that?
–//–
Editorial by SCMP Editorial: Time is running short for Carrie Lam to tackle housing crisis
Oh, you mean that housing crisis that was absolutely no problem at all when capitalism reigned supreme and unleashed in Hong Kong? That has only become an urgent problem to be solved right now because Beijing clipped the liberals’ wings?
A classic example of liberal double standards/goalpost moving: something that wasn’t a problem in capitalism (or worse, was even treated as a feature or a status symbol) suddenly becomes an existential threat or huge crisis in socialism (or in what the liberals deem as “socialism”).
–//–
Sputnik V Gives 90% Protection Against Delta Strain of COVID-19, Scientist Says
The lesson is this: don’t blame science, vaccine or Russia and China for the problems endemic to the West. If your government has shitty vaccines made by greedy pharmaceuticals, be specific in directing the blame – don’t degenerate to an anti-vaccine, anti-Russia, anti-China crusade on the internet.
–//–
Extraofficial propaganda:
Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic crew prepare for space flight after delay (WaPo headline)
Richard Branson Takes Space Flight on V.S.S. Unity (NYT headline)
What it really is:
Musk wishes Branson ‘godspeed’ ahead of his suborbital flight aboard VSS Unity, while Bezos’ firm fires barbs (RT headline)
Now, from the point of view of a complete layman on the subject like me, the WaPo and NYT headlines gave the impression that Branson would travel on a plane with escape velocity – and then go back to Earth literally. That’s what interests the laymen on the subject: if we can or not colonize space. Suborbital flights do go to outer space, but that’s a technicality 99.99% of the people reading the headlines don’t know. Either way, the RT headline is much more informative than the WaPo and NYT ones, which make all the impression of a genius billionaire outright exploring deep space.
–//–
Recommended reading of the day:
Capitalism: has the leopard changed its spots?
–//–
@ Posted by: librul | Jul 11 2021 13:13 utc | 2

You may not like Republicans but you should try and understand
where they are coming from as they make up a large portion of this country.

Why? Are Republicans some kind of endangered species? Did they give the same benefit of the doubt to the Iraqi, Syrian and Libyan peoples?
Humanity has existed for millions of years without Republicans. They can do without them.

Posted by: vk | Jul 11 2021 15:59 utc | 12

Sketchy report/recap of events in Afghanistan and its neighbor’s responses. Update on Wang Yi’s visit to the Central Asian Stans that begins tomorrow. A little more info on what the Taliban hope to establish:
“During this trip, the Taliban’s envoys conveyed that they do not seek to ‘dominate’ the whole of Afghanistan, but to free the country from foreign occupation and set up a ‘free Islamic state system,’ the contours of which would be established through negotiations.”
Modeled on Iran’s system, Indonesia’s, Malaysia’s, Syria’s, Pakistan’s? We’ll discover what’s proposed soon enough. It seems the food situation remains critical as I speculated earlier, so getting through the upcoming Winter will politically be a very important test for the new government.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 11 2021 16:17 utc | 13

Regarding the links to the Delta Variant articles. I understand that its much more contagious than the original strain, and it seems that everyone agrees on this. However, I’ve read arguments that its not as bad as the original strain because its not as severe. I haven’t dug down into this claim. Is there any validity to it?

Posted by: mpn | Jul 11 2021 16:28 utc | 14

@2 Librul
Great link, and great perspective. Know your neighbour indeed.
@11 Down South
I’d view myself as left leaning and I’m still in the control group as are most of my immediate family. The doctor is not a lefty. He’s a whore. Here in the UK (I already had my suspicions) Brexit showed very clearly that left and right are false constructs designed to keep us at each others throats. You and I have more in common than what separates us, and there is a gulf between us and whores such as the good CNN doctor.
What ever happened to the hypocratic oath?!

Posted by: Some Random Passerby | Jul 11 2021 16:30 utc | 15

A nation conducting majority of its international trade in the US$ is a VASSAL of the Dollar Empire. A country under monetary imperialism doesn’t define its destiny.
Please name a nation that is 100 years old with a socioeconomic system that is sovereign, stable and secure. Please name nations with Absolute National Sovereignty. Which democracies aren’t a suzerainty? The very fact that none is sharing nations and democracies with complete sovereignty, implies there are ZERO sovereign democracies. How was your country ENSLAVED? By whom? Where is your nation going?
COMPLACENCY breeds failures. Vassal countries would do better by shattering complacency, gaining sovereignty and transcending to their destiny. Complaining doesn’t get one anywhere. Think and act creatively! One can never make any more progress than what they can IMAGINE…
“Be the change you wish to see in the world”
Why should a small private clans of people (Money Power – Global Financial Syndicate) profit by renting humanity its money supply?

Posted by: Max | Jul 11 2021 16:32 utc | 16

Below is a Xinhuanet report about government management of the private side of their MIXED ECONOMY that is light years different than the West
”
BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — China’s market regulator on Saturday announced a block on the Tencent-driven merger of the two streaming sites Huya and Douyu after an anti-monopoly review.
The ban was based on the country’s anti-monopoly law after the State Administration for Market Regulation on Jan. 4 launched an antitrust review on the merger filed by Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Tencent has a market share of more than 40 percent in upstream online-game operation services, ranking first in the market. Huya and Douyu have a market share of over 40 percent and 30 percent respectively in downstream live games, ranking first and second, and their total market share is over 70 percent, the review showed.
Tencent already has sole control of Huya and joint control of Douyu. If the merger went ahead, Tencent would have sole control of the new unit, further strengthening Tencent’s dominance in the live-game market, the regulator said.
If the merger was made, Tencent might have the ability and motivation to implement a blockade in the upstream and downstream markets, which may have the effect of excluding and restricting competition, hurting fair competition in the market, the regulator said.
”
I started my computer techie career in 1969 and got an economics degree in 1974. I have argued since the advent of Bill Gates that the world of Western techiedom is a disservice to humanity because it is too consolidated and advancement controlled/managed. It is a hoot to see China take a stance that will keep their techiedom vibrant much longer…..that said, there are those that would argue that America once regulated its corporations and look at it now….will China end up with the same private finance cult disease?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 11 2021 16:34 utc | 17

@Jörgen Hassler #1
You continue to confuse a timber- and hydropower- based welfare state with socialism.
Socialism is when there really isn’t enough to give everyone what they want and need, not giving your own population a nice living because of national export surpluses.
Otherwise the petro-states could be considered socialist too.
They also subsidize their citizens to an enormous degree due to their export wealth.

Posted by: c1ue | Jul 11 2021 17:06 utc | 18

Today the Modi regime evacuated the Indian so called consulate in Kandahar, shortly after announcing that it wouldn’t. Something like 40 “diplomats” were withdrawn from this “consulate “, a remarkable figure for a country with few Indian citizens and with a perfectly serviceable embassy in Kabul. In fact the question that should be asked is why India had to have no fewer than 4 consulates apart from the embassy. It isn’t a question that will bring a more satisfactory answer than the question why India had 40 odd “diplomats” in Kandahar. If they were diplomats at all.
Of course they weren’t. The Kandahar “consulate” existed for only one function: to push spies, saboteurs, terrorists, and Balochi insurgents through the Afghan border into Pakistan. Now you’ll see a sharp drop in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. And the Balochis will begin surrender negotiations.
Modi regime media is going off its collective nut, by the way, at the prospect of the Taliban coming to power in Kabul. They’re blaming Bidet. That’s the same Bidet that Modi allied India with. And Bidet, according to an increasingly shrill number of Modi media sources, is working to replace the gibbering globetrotting genocidal Gujarati gangster with a more marketable figure.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Jul 11 2021 17:14 utc | 19

RE: Pepe Escobar on Taliban 2.0
He basically seems to think the new Taliban have little in common with the old Taliban of the 90ies. They have now become multi-ethnic and welcome economic development. In one word they now embrace “modernity”. I think there’s some irony there. Although they fight the US occupation, they have become more like the US. Isn’t encouraging ethnic diversity what woke America is all about? The new Talibans may even surprise us with a new attitude towards women. The Talibans seem to have become more like the leaders the US wanted for Afghanistan. Surely there must be a way to construe that as a victory for the US.

Posted by: Robert Macaire | Jul 11 2021 17:14 utc | 20

Is there a secret deal between the U$A and Taliban?
According to Afghanistan’s ambassador to France there is a secret deal between the U$A and Taliban. What are its goals? To turn Afghanistan into a terrorist training camp and a battlefield, to disrupt the trade between China and Iran, and BRI. Create CHAOS in Asia, and increase region’s risk profile and lower development.
“An Afghanistan withdrawal will set the stage for events that unfolded following then-President Obama’s withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 that provided a path for the Islamic State Group to launch its reign of terror across the Middle East, Europe, and inspire attacks in America… Many analysts believe that should the United States and China come to blows in the Pacific, a second front will be critical given China’s ability to concentrate its naval and missile assets around Taiwan. Further, the thing the Chinese Communist Party fears the most is an uprising amongst its own people. … Reagan-era CIA Director Bob Casey famously launched a whisper campaign that convinced the Soviet leadership in Moscow that American intelligence agencies had assets based in Afghanistan supporting dissidents and underground cells of separatists in the Caucuses. This campaign caused the Soviet military to divert divisions away from Eastern Europe to the Caucasus and Central Asia.”
Are there financial sanctions and restrictions on Taliban? Where are they getting funding, weapons, resources… from? Where is the UN (resolution 1386)? Let’s see what China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan will do.

Posted by: Max | Jul 11 2021 17:19 utc | 21

Historical day or extravagant display of wealth?
Would the U.S. MSM coo about this ‘historical moment’ if it was a race between two Russian billionaire oligarchs, what is ‘historical’ about it? What new technology was developed by either one that has not already been developed and used by Russia, China, or even NASA?
There were a couple of times when even the reporters struggled to keep the story uniformly happy as they mentioned the cost of the tickets if you want to be the next time to get a ride. It’s more like an episode of Robin Leach’s, Lifestyles of the rich and famous’

Posted by: Christian J. Chuba | Jul 11 2021 17:20 utc | 22

Re: Peter Lee’s article mentioned above
I note again that others have previously written at length about:
1) The rise in China’s wealth leading to increases in meat consumption
2) The enormous animal farms – mostly chicken and pig – which have arisen to meet this demand
3) The swine flu epidemic – one of many both animal and human diseases – that have appeared coincident with 2)
4) In addition, instead of “organic” – mainland Chinese have wildlife or “wild-like” consumables of which pangolins etc are examples. This arose to some degree from the Chinese medicine/natural substances medical practice. “wild-like” are atypical animals raised for the “wildlife” market.
Given both the multiple diseases that have arisen in China in the last 25 years, why again is COVID so surprising such that it “must be a lab leak”.
No, it doesn’t.

Posted by: c1ue | Jul 11 2021 17:23 utc | 23

I’m late to the party, but I want to comment on the Huawei founder biography cited a week ago.
This is a very interesting document, but it must be understood that it cannot be taken at face value. Clearly the undercurrent is that Ren Zhengfei and his father were desperate to create the impression that they were dedicated supporters of the revolution, when in reality they were not, and the father was even working in a KMT arms factory. There is of course no evidence presented in support of the alleged revolutionary fervour of Ren’s parents, it is simply bland assertions. In view of the threats the family was facing due to the turmoil of the cultural revolution, if indeed the parents were right-wing reactionaries as I am suggesting, they clearly would have had overwhelming motive to distort and mislead the evidence. The fact that – by Ren’s own statement – the father’s status was left unresolved for such a long time and that he was denied a favourable judgement in that time makes it rather difficult to accept that there was any good reason to assume he was innocent. The local people where the father lived and where the mother taught should have had a pretty good idea of what sort of people they were, what sort of background they came from, and what sort of behaviour they had.
There was clearly a lot of chaos and turmoil at that time, and there must have been many injustices, many cases of false accusations, and many mistakes. But the extreme length of time of the “investigation” of Ren’s father and lack of resolution is in my view a very potent indictment against Ren’s assertions.
Bearing this in mind, the view that comes across of Ren’s character is not at all positive – he seems to be very cold, materialistic, ruthless and unsympathetic – an archtypical capitalist billionaire! His relations (or lack thereof) with his mother say a lot about his attitude towards his daughter Meng and her imprisonment in Canada – the US are certainly not going to have much success using Meng to put pressure on Huawei.
Altogether very disappointing, I would have hoped for a very different conclusion.

Posted by: BM | Jul 11 2021 17:28 utc | 24

@ 23 c1ue… what are you saying?? why not state your viewpoint?? i am curious.. thanks..

Posted by: james | Jul 11 2021 17:41 utc | 25

@ 24 bm… interesting conjecture… i read the article last week as well and found it insightful and informative…however, i can’t know what it was like, or what it is like at present in china… my views on the chinese are obviously skewed from growing up in vancouver and seeing the changes… i can make distinctions between the new arrivals in the 90’s from hong kong, verses 3rd or more generation chinese canadian.. and now i witness the new arrivals from china mainland.. they are all different… how do we know the system in china prior to the 70’s – was all that fair in their social status evaluations?? same deal today… i hear of people being docked merit points for jaywalking and etc. etc. and think what kind of conformist country is china building?? it is easy for me to play devils advocate… i just don’t know how one can formulate much of any viewpoint on ren zhengfeis dad based on all this, and yet it appears you do! i would be a lot slower to form a strong opinion as you appear to have done… i am curious why you are so confident in your viewpoint?? thanks..

Posted by: james | Jul 11 2021 17:47 utc | 26

Posted by: james | Jul 11 2021 17:47 utc | 26
To form an opinion you have to try to understand different points of view and judge what is plausible/implausible, consistent/inconsistent. To do that you have to look deeply. Sorry to say your problem James is looking too shallowly! If you go the other way you will see things very differently, and you will be able to understand people better.

Posted by: BM | Jul 11 2021 18:05 utc | 27

Librul @2 posted a ZH link on Russiagate. The article starts thus:
As the ruling class went to absurd lengths to try and dismantle Donald Trump, pissed off supporters watched in horror as a captured media peddled lie after lie – typically based on anonymous leaks from deep state bureaucrats
_________________________________________________________________
There is no need to read past that nonsense.
The Leaks all came from trump’s inner circle. There were mostly about things said in the Oval office and they all had one thing in common. They all were designed to eventually fall apart and turn into nothing burgers that would in the end make it look like trump won against an insurmountable attack.
Here is a Montage of the lift wing Media Declaring Trump is Finished.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppGj5FOFckM
Every single one of those stories declaring the end of Trump was triggered by a leak from one of Trump’s lackeys (or Trump himself) and every single one of them turned out to be nothing at all. It was all fake bullshit stories created by trump to make it look like Trump was engaged in mortal combat and in the end Trump defeated the Kayfabe opponents.

Posted by: jinn | Jul 11 2021 18:27 utc | 28

China’s Didi = Goldman Sachs
Didi’s executive team and board of directors come from Goldman Sachs. Also, Goldman Sachs took them public along with Morgan Stanley earning banking fees of $89 million.
Didi’s executive team:
– DiDi’s founder and chairman, Will Cheng (Alibaba)
– co-founder and DiDi’s president, Jean Liu (Goldman Sachs)
– senior Vice President, strategy, capital markets and international business, Stephen Zhu (Goldman Sachs)
– CFO, Alan Zhuo (Goldman Sachs)
– vice president and head of capital market, David Xu (Goldman Sachs)
– director, Martin Lau (Goldman Sachs)
– director, Adrian Perica (Goldman Sachs)
Unfortunately, Didi has made many mistakes in its hubris. What are those big mistakes? It is good that China’s regulators are holding them accountable.
Wall Street running its own private rules & justice system
There were more traditional IPOs with negative earnings issued in the four years of the Trump administration than at any time in the last 40 years. Companies don’t have to be profitable to go public. Companies are like a casino tables. Welcome to the land of U$A (Usury, Slavery, Armaments).
Wall Street banks traded their own bank’s stock in their own Dark Pools. The regulators wore blinders as the Wall Street banks flagrantly violated the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation’s Volcker Rule.
How much free money did you get?

Posted by: Max | Jul 11 2021 18:29 utc | 29

In the U.S. there are two types of people currently regarding covid:
– Those that are still breathlessly talking about it and the “Delta-Variant” (Not a Chuck Norris movie) de jour.
– and those that, as with the Harry Potter books where the characters refuse to invoke the name of Voldermort, will not bring up covid at all anymore. Indeed, it is almost impolite to talk about it. People don’t even use the term covid to make a snarky joke, to roll their eyes at it.
This is what happens in America where you forcefully impose some anti-scientific will upon the masses, whether through good intentions or nefarious ones. The commonsense ones among us will simply ignore it after a while.
But the youth, OTOH, they seem to fancy their selves the stewards of goodness par excellence.
Ah…but the road to evil…

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jul 11 2021 18:49 utc | 30

@ Posted by: BM | Jul 11 2021 17:28 utc | 24
Nah, you’re going too deep. It was just a bread-and-butter small autobiography. Of course you have to read it critically, but it’s not a unique document by any standards of historiography.
If such types of document revealed so much of one’s soul than you’re implying, we would have to revise all the autobiographies we have.

Posted by: vk | Jul 11 2021 18:50 utc | 31

@ 26 bm… lol.. thanks! i have to say i agree with @ 31 vk here… we can’t cover it all… as i said, i have never been to china, so my viewpoint is obviously limited… at least some of us are happy to acknowledge our limitations…

Posted by: james | Jul 11 2021 19:06 utc | 32

@24 wrote. Bearing this in mind, the view that comes across of Ren’s character is not at all positive – he seems to be very cold, materialistic, ruthless and unsympathetic – an archtypical capitalist billionaire!
Just so you know Huawei is a company owned by its employees. Ren owns about 1% of the company stocks. He runs its like a co-opt.
I read one of his book and he discussed briefly about his family history. Yes, his father was sent to re-education during The Cultural Revolution and his family suffered a great deal. He was the eldest son in the family and the only one went to college. The rest of them have to work hard labor to support his education and for them to survive. He mentioned that he felt bad that he got all the benefits while his younger siblings have to eat less and wear no clothes. He has a hard time joining the PLA corp of engineer but after awhile he was able to join. Personally I think he has made his due to the China. Chinese government thinks of Huawei as a crowding jewel of Chinese industry. You have to understand that Ren always try to steer clear politics because he knows what it means to be on the wrong side of history.

Posted by: passerby | Jul 11 2021 19:23 utc | 33

Haiti
Here is a link to a 50 min. video: Dan Cohen interviews Kim Ives who gives lots of Haitian history and explains what has been going on. Ives appears to have a strong Marxist focus and talks about Jimmy Barbeque, an ex cop who is organizing a Fidel style revolution from his neighborhood, recently maligned in a Democracy Now segment. This video was released just hours after the Moise assassination so their conjecture was pretty raw but the history is priceless and well worth the hour watching.
Bottom line, the masses are suffering, screaming mad, starting to emerge, allied with Venezuela but face formidable threats from the local elites and the U.S.
https://orinocotribune.com/whats-behind-the-assassination-of-haitian-president-moise/

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 11 2021 19:58 utc | 34

@34 migueljose I was reading one of your comments where you recommended a book on South America and the U.S. operation there. I can’t seem to find it anymore. Can you repost? Thanks!!!

Posted by: passerby | Jul 11 2021 20:16 utc | 35

jinn @ 28
There is no need to read past that nonsense.
The Leaks all came from trump’s inner circle. There were mostly about things said in the Oval office and they all had one thing in common. They all were designed to eventually fall apart and turn into nothing burgers that would in the end make it look like trump won against an insurmountable attack.
Not so sure about that one. Trumps “inner circle” was almost totally pretty much the same retreads used by all administrations. Even his closest advisor was a Skull and Bonesman from that famed Yale fraternity that helped to mold the Bushes. He did not have the bureaucracies seal of approval like an Obama or the Shrubs.
He was not supposed to win. He demolished the chosen candidates in the primaries because the rank and file primary voters were so pissed off and wanted to recreate the lost and never coming back. Fearing he would win when it was getting close the bureaucracy launched operation crossfire hurricane. They were the crossfire, Trump was the hurricane. Peeing in Obama’s bed in Moscow was pretty funny on the face of it and the DNC paid for that nonsense.
In the Oval office everything is monitored, nothing is hidden from a select group of people.
In the end the left was allied with the hard right minus the Zionists. Trump had to go. Trump for the most part was at war with the press and the bureaucracy and we all know which part of the bureaucracy runs the media.
He is not going away short of a bullet in the head and he has learned nothing in the interim. Nothing has changed going into the next election. It will become a larger shit show if that were even possible. It is.
The one thing I find amazing is that in a world where checking the wrong box on a mortgage application can get you 20 years in prison that have yet to charge him with anything in any of his multitudinous business dealings. They turned his rat like attorney and got nothing. That bespeaks of some power blackmailing his enemies in the background. Probably the intelligence agency of everyone’s favorite country in the Mideast. Maybe those Epstein videos are finally starting to pay off.

Posted by: circumspect | Jul 11 2021 22:01 utc | 36

Posted by: passerby | Jul 11 2021 20:16 utc | 35
Re: repost of South America book link. This link will get you the updated epilogue to her original book which I think was her phd dissertation in the late 60s and is now very expensive so I’m not going to buy it. The epilogue is long, very good and gives lots of info into how the Empire and its fascist/nazi collaborators operate.
https://www.brasilwire.com/united-states-penetration-of-brasil-epilogue/
Knippers Black is now in her mid 80s but still a presence.
https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/people/jan-knippers-black

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 11 2021 22:31 utc | 37

And it was not even a “space flight” after all:
British billionaire has not reached space by 8 kilometers

Today, July 11, Richard Branson and five other Virgin Galactic crew members completed a successful suborbital test flight. The Unity-22 spacecraft was able to climb to an altitude of 92 kilometers, where the crew could feel weightlessness. A few minutes later, Unity-22 took a return course and landed at Cosmodrome America. The entire flight took about an hour.
[…]
Bezos’s company said even before Branson took off that he would not have a full-fledged space flight, since it would pass below the Karman line – an altitude of 100 km, from which space begins.

So it seems that not only it was a suborbital flight; it was a suborbital flight that didn’t even reach outer space. The EADaily also states that the company warned about this before the flight, so the WaPo and NYT deliberately issued fake news in their headlines.

Posted by: vk | Jul 11 2021 22:31 utc | 38

mpn @14: It may be so that the Delta variant is less severe. The raw stats show few people hospitalised and dying from it – at about the rate of normal flu [1], maybe a bit higher.
On the other hand, those stats come from a population that has already a significant proportion vaccinated – the purpose of which is to reduce the chance of dying.
So there is enough uncertainty for zealots on both sides to cite the stats, add an unproven hypothesis, and declare victory 🙂
[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/997414/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_16.pdf

Posted by: Deltaeus | Jul 11 2021 23:58 utc | 39

Richard Branson’s (suborbital) flight is interesting from the standpoint that he did it in his own rocketship, but the *real* billionaire cosmonaut-dilletante is of course Charles Simonyi, rich from his Microsoft Office efforts, who has gone up twice after bribing the Russians sufficiently (Soyuz TMA-10 and TMA-14).
A comment on Haiti, Colombia, Peru, etc. – its seems to me that the Evil Empire, nads-deep in Colombia along with the shitty little country, and deep into Brazil with Trump-lite Bolsonaro as well. The EE wants the rest of South America, no doubt about it hence the efforts in Ecuador (where they got a win for Lasso), Peru (where they are trying to cheat their way to a win for Keiko Fujimori), Bolivia (where the succeeded in getting Evo out but were unable to keep their steal), Argentina (work in progress), and of course Venezuela, where they keep trying to get some traction with remnants of the random Guiado.
This may be the preferred fallback for the EE – much easier to control SA than the middle east since nobody south of Mexico has a serious missile development program.
Perhaps the rumors that the “British” billionaire Joe Lewis is setting up an alternative to Israel in Patagonia are true, and the escape route is being prepared…

Posted by: Simplicius | Jul 11 2021 23:59 utc | 40

Circumapect wrote:
Even his closest advisor was a Skull and Bonesman from that famed Yale fraternity that helped to mold the Bushes.
______________________________________________
yeah OK How does that refute anything I said? I agree that all you have to do is look at the people Trump appointed to see what he was up to.
______________________________________________
He was not supposed to win.
_________________________________________________
It looks to me that he was supposed to win. I was sure he was going to win in 2016. It looked to me that the FBI was helping Trump win by constantly reminding voters that Hillary was under FBI criminal investigation while saying nothing whatsoever against Trump. The whole story that the FBI tried to sabotage Trump’s election is ridiculous given that everything the FBI did helped Trump get votes and took votes away from Clinton.
The Steele Dossier could have done considerable damage to Trump if voters had learned of it, but the FBI and the Media went to great lengths to make sure that voters did not see it before the election. And then after the election the Steele dossier was trotted out to prove that Trump was the outsider. That gave Trump credibility among those who want to believe Trump’s “draining the swamp” bullshit.
Without the Steele Dossier, without the Mueller investigation, without the impeachment over a silly phone call how many supporter do you think trump would have? The answer is he would have a lot less supporters. Sure lots of voters realized that the attacks on Trump were silly and goofy and unfair. Trump got a ton of supporters by these silly, goofy and unfair attacks which was exactly what Trump wanted.
______________________________________________________________
The one thing I find amazing is that in a world where checking the wrong box on a mortgage application can get you 20 years in prison that have yet to charge him with anything in any of his multitudinous business dealings
________________________________________________________________
Well that alone should tell you that Trump is working with and for the oligarchs.
Of course they could find a ton illegalities in Trumps business past if they wanted to. But you take that to mean Trump was a saint all his life. That is ridiculous.
The whole story that Trump was/is doing mortal combat with TPTB is so ridiculous only the dimwits could possibly buy that story.

Posted by: jim | Jul 12 2021 0:15 utc | 41

Do not feed the troll nor his sock puppets.

Posted by: librul | Jul 12 2021 1:31 utc | 42

The Holocaust of Palestinians continues, UN doc:
https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humsa-al-bqaia-flash-update-7
And what are Geneva Conventions ‘High Contracting Parties’ doing about these obvious war crimes ?

Posted by: Paul | Jul 12 2021 2:13 utc | 43

@VK 12 “Suborbital flights do go to outer space” Suborbital flights in 2021, wow! Didn’t the US send men to the moon 6 times in one presidency 60 years ago? LMAO

Posted by: Jason C | Jul 12 2021 2:20 utc | 44

So what’s going on in Cuba and who is responsible? (Rhetorical question, but looking for details.)
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/street-protests-break-out-cuba-2021-07-11/

Posted by: Victor | Jul 12 2021 3:09 utc | 45

@ james #26 I have seen local police interact with jaywalking pedestrians in a big Chinese city and it’s nothing like that. They may stop and have a chat with them. Non-threatening body language, unarmed pedestrian traffic wardens, and then they go on their way. No forcing them to present their papers as you’d see in the West, no hand on a (non-existent) firearm. So they’re not being docked anything save a few disapproving glances from other rule-following pedestrians.
The uniformity of purpose and cohesive society manifests when there is an external threat, but under normal conditions Chinese life is colorful and joyfully chaotic.

Posted by: Billb | Jul 12 2021 4:44 utc | 46

The precedent of rigging elections through postal/mial-in ballots seems to be catching on.
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/528851-george-galloway-batley-spen-election-rigged/
” Postal votes used to make up a handful of votes in elections – now they comprise close to half. And, in Batley and Spen, they were all under the control of a Labour council which supported the Labour candidate. It stinks.
“George was matching Labour vote for vote, at one point he moved ahead of them. Then a whole slew of votes arrived on the table…”
This testimony from a rival party counting agent who witnessed the counting of votes at the Batley and Spen by-election is just a tiny sample of the evidence we shall lead in our legal action to set aside the result of the election and force a re-run of the contest. ”

Posted by: Blue Dotterel | Jul 12 2021 5:29 utc | 47

Below is a short Xinhuanet posting about governance future in China that includes a concept I have not seen used before, rule of virtue….any insight among MoA barflies about the concept?
”
BEIJING, July 11 (Xinhua) — China’s central authorities have released a plan on modernizing the system and capacity for primary-level governance.
The plan, issued by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, stresses upholding the full leadership of the Party over governance at primary level, and focuses on improving people’s well-being.
Measures should be adapted to local conditions and implemented step by step, while power should be delegated to primary-level governments and their burden should be reduced, the plan says.
It calls for establishing in about five years a primary-level governance system led by the Party organizations, with law-based duty performance by the government, cooperation from various kinds of organizations, and participation from the public. The governance model should combine self-governance, rule of law, and rule of virtue.
By another 10 years, modernization of the system and capacity for primary-level governance should be basically achieved, and the benefits of primary-level governance system with Chinese characteristics should be fully demonstrated, the plan says.
”

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 12 2021 5:48 utc | 48

@migueljose 34
BBQ is just another US stooge and it looks like a palace (intra-PHTK) coup and theater.

Posted by: Johan Meyer (2) | Jul 12 2021 6:13 utc | 49

http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210712000173
SK and Delta

Posted by: Mina | Jul 12 2021 6:34 utc | 50

@Robert Macaire 20
Well noted. I have also noticed this and I am not entirely sure I agree with Pepe. I am obviously not in Pepe’s league, but in this case it doesn’t really matter because we shall soon see.
I say ‘soon’ because the Taliban are *highly likely* (love that phrase, makes me look sophisticated) to be in proper charge of Afghanistan, not just because they already control a lot of territory, but Russia and China will undoubtedly want to help them get back into power, it improves their leverage and its easy to back the winning horse. In that case what will the Taliban gain by shedding their old skins?
Do we really believe the Russians and Chinese give 2 sh1ts about little boys being abused and women being treated badly?
So, perhaps, maybe Taliban 1.1, but I doubt it will be a whole new ‘interface’ (a breaking change) to merit the 2.0 moniker. The way I see it is that Afghanistan’s tribal culture has withstood the ‘test of time’ (read imperial invasions) and has ‘validated’ (in some way) their values, strategy and politics. Why would they change the winning streak and suddenly become globe-trotting, BRI building woke warriors?
Stretches credulity for me, don’t buy it unless I see it. But, hope dies last.

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 7:16 utc | 51

A Short Crucial Update on the Delta Variant and Much More
10:40 min

Posted by: pogohere | Jul 12 2021 7:26 utc | 52

@gottlieb | Jul 11 2021 14:18 utc | 4

Isn’t it great The Billionaire Class is taking over space exploration for humanity? Imagine the state civilization would find itself if it weren’t for the Savior Billionaires. God bless Branson, Bezos and Musk for leading the way out of the primordial goo of useless eaters to the new shining city on the hill; Mars. The altruistic vision of Billionaires is inspiring.

I watched the Branson “Virgin Galactic” spectacle live yesterday. If we ignore the nauseating Branson sycophants in the studio (that seemed like clones of the Musk sycophants), was there really anything real to shout about? They built a special purpose plane that could lift the rocket plane up to 50 000 feet and then released the rocket plane that ascended to ~265 000 feet and fell right back. Like Gordog has explained elsewhere, this is very, very far from reaching Earth orbit.
There was a technical glitch in video transmission from the rocket plane, so when the transmission was re-established a couple of minutes later it was all over! The whole thing lasted just about 5 minutes in a parabolic jump, and then they pat themselves on the back and say they are “astronauts” (Branson is “Astronaut 001” no less).
I am all for real space exploration, but this is a bad joke. An expensive roller coaster for billionaires is all it is.

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 12 2021 8:02 utc | 53

Norwegian
Thanks the description: I do not have TV and so even if I wanted to, which I probably wouldn’t, I could not watch it.
Sounds like it was nothing but PR.
So, lets just agree that Branson is still a space virgin.
So, Mr Bezos, you still have a shot at being first in space, or something…

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 8:21 utc | 54

@Jason C | Jul 12 2021 2:20 utc | 44

@VK 12 “Suborbital flights do go to outer space” Suborbital flights in 2021, wow! Didn’t the US send men to the moon 6 times in one presidency 60 years ago? LMAO

Make that 52 years ago, but yes that was my thought as well. I have always said that the ISS in Low Earth Orbit is pointless and a total waste of money, but it is a shining achievement in comparison to this suborbital farce.

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 12 2021 8:26 utc | 55

@Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 7:16 utc | 51
Alexander Mercouris on the developments in Afghanistan (video)
Russia and Taliban in Talks as Moscow mediates end to Afghan War
He describes it as a total collapse of the US neocons who have messed up Afghanistan for more than 40 years (ever since 1979). Instead of controlling central Asia and disrupting the Chinese BRI, the US involvement looks more like a Saigon 1975 style collapse. When the US military left the Bagram base without telling their host, they turned out the light and literally left like thieves in the night!
And the Taliban is in Moscow talking to the russians, ensuring them that the borders will be respected etc.

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 12 2021 8:41 utc | 56

The last thing we need is space billionaires.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 9:10 utc | 57

@Norwegian 57
Thanks for the video link: I don’t have time now, so will have to watch it.
And the Taliban is in Moscow talking to the russians, ensuring them that the borders will be respected etc.
Another thing I am not sure what to think about is this Russian focus on their border. I understand they are worried about Russia being encircled by NATO, US, but from what I understand, Afghanistan has not been the aggressor recently (ever?), so if anything, it is the Taliban who should be worried about ‘the border’.
Any bright ideas on this focus? Is that just a way of putting another ‘option on the table’ i.e. the border, the border, keep talking about the secure border, because if it is not secure we will be forced to do *something* about it.

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 9:20 utc | 58

@Smith 58
🙂 Think about it: take all the billionairs and send them on a one-way ticket to space: the Moon is ok, Mars is better, but a black hole would be my best option. Good riddance.

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 9:38 utc | 59

@ Idiocrates
Just send them straight to the sun.
The latest thing we need is techno-feudalism in space.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 9:43 utc | 60

Ontario, Canada: Mathematics has been used to normalize racism and marginalization of non-Eurocentric mathematical knowledges, and a decolonial, anti-racist approach to mathematics education makes visible its historical roots and social constructions.
WTF? Anyway, good luck with that. Maybe to honour this important day, when we have finally realized that mathematics is racist, we should ask Ontario mathematicians to ‘prove it’.

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 9:49 utc | 61

@Norwegian #56
The ISS (and Mir and the Chinese space station) at least are a test run of technologies to keep humans operational over a relatively long time period (such as a voyage to Mars). As far as I know there is little to no serious science that has emerged from the multifarious “experiments” on the ISS, other than related specifically to space travel but I’d love to be shown to be wrong on that account.

Posted by: Billb | Jul 12 2021 9:54 utc | 62

Finland and Denmark should sue the UEFA
https://twitter.com/FLAHAULT/status/1414246531176312838

Posted by: Mina | Jul 12 2021 10:04 utc | 63

migueljose @Jul11 19:58 #34
I agree with Johan Meyer (2) @Jul12 6:13 #49: Barbeque is far from the Fidel-like savior you depict him as. AFAICT he was a death squad leader many years ago (not just accused but convicted).
IMO too many are accepting media narratives without question. People need to investigate for themselves and form their own opinion. That is what I’ve tried to do and the result is the links that I provided @Jul11 13:25 #3.
This assassination appears to be a coup. USA is playing coy but is apparently prepared to send troops as requested by the coup plotters (Moise’s opposition).
Ask yourself: why would the Haitian establishment need to kill/overthrow Moise if Moise was pro-USA and supported by USA?
The only logical conclusion is that Moise was doing what he claimed to be doing: working against Haitian oligarchs and the Haitian political establishment that is in bed with the oligarchs (and USA).
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jul 12 2021 10:32 utc | 64

@Jackrabbit
Not all US puppets were obedient, Ngo Dinh Diem, Saddam Hussein (yes he was heavily supported by USA) for examples.
That’s why US has to assassinate them. There’s no loyalty, ever.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 10:40 utc | 65

@Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 9:20 utc | 59

Another thing I am not sure what to think about is this Russian focus on their border. I understand they are worried about Russia being encircled by NATO, US, but from what I understand, Afghanistan has not been the aggressor recently (ever?), so if anything, it is the Taliban who should be worried about ‘the border’.

Sorry for not being clear, it was about the Afghan border, i.e. respecting Taliban, but making sure they didn’t try to export ‘their way’ to neighbor countries like Tajikistan etc. Watch the video for details.

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 12 2021 10:43 utc | 66

This MintPressNews article reaches the same conclusion that I have: oligarchs and the pro-oligarch/pro-USA Haitian political establishment conspired to assassination President Moise.
Suspected Assassins of Haitian President Moïse Trained by US, Linked to Pro-Coup Oligarchy
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jul 12 2021 10:44 utc | 67

@Billb | Jul 12 2021 9:54 utc | 63

The ISS (and Mir and the Chinese space station) at least are a test run of technologies to keep humans operational over a relatively long time period (such as a voyage to Mars).

Mir was relatively short term, the Chinese one is brand new (so we give them some slack), but ISS was started 20+ years ago and only vague assertions about “test run of technologies” are ever provided. IMHO the main idea is to give corporations a way to send invoices to the public via governments. If something else had come out of it (trips to Moon or Mars) I would have concluded differently, but after 20 years we have to stop fooling ourselves.
Maybe the Chinese are different, I do not exclude that. We shall see.

As far as I know there is little to no serious science that has emerged from the multifarious “experiments” on the ISS

I think that is correct.

Posted by: Norwegian | Jul 12 2021 10:53 utc | 68

Idiocrates @62: “Maybe to honour this important day, when we have finally realized that mathematics is racist, we should ask Ontario mathematicians to ‘prove it’.”
No can do. Proofs are racist, didn’t you know?

Posted by: William Gruff | Jul 12 2021 11:11 utc | 69

Thailand tries the Sinovac+AZ mix
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57801251

Posted by: Mina | Jul 12 2021 11:26 utc | 70

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 9:20 utc | 59
Probably what they mean is that they’ll no longer support, tacitly or actively, terrorist cell groups in Central Asia that can posed and actual risk to Russia and of course China. Taliban officially backed ETIM but it seems they are willing to drop them for a far better gain.

Posted by: Hangar | Jul 12 2021 11:43 utc | 71

Haiti
Greg Wilpert has a 42 minute interview with Kim Ives which overlaps a similar but earlier interview from Dan Cohen of Ives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbbp118oEYg
Most of us have very little background understanding of Haiti and this assassination has left us scrambling to understand what is happening which inevitably leads readers to look for credible journalists whom we lean on while we piece together a way to make sense out of what’s going on.
At this point I’m looking toward Venezuela and Cuba along with journalists whom I’ve read/watched before. Greg Wilpert and Dan Cohen are journalists I trust but they, too, are just starting to get info on Haiti. Kim Ives is new to me. His history and stories of Haiti are also new (to me)– I’m guessing that the history he cites is solid and can be documented while his current assessments are more subjective because he injects speculation into his narratives. Ives paints a picture of the street gangs that sounds right and I want to believe that the same gangs are also trying to emerge as a force for good but human nature points to bribes, betrayals and power grabs along with attempts to ally with the resistance groups and countries.
Venezuela has lots of recent history with Haiti through Chavez’s Petro Caribe which was a massive oil aid and loan program– below market gas and low interest loans. Remember when Chavez’s CITGO was donating home heating oil to poor New Englanders? He was doing the same in the Caribbean with Petro Caribe. Clintons and U.S. elites hated it. Chavez started it in 2006/07 with Aristide’s successor Rene Preval. A big reason why Haitian people love Venezuela and Chavez is because of Petro Caribe. However,the large loan money stream was looted by Haitian elites and it’s part of what’s happening now because Venezuela shut it down in 2018, spiking gas prices and public uprisings.
https://www.cijn.org/petrocaribe-country-report-haiti/
http://woymagazine.com/2018/09/02/petrocaribe-who-what-where-when-why/
Bottom line, I don’t know much about Moise’s murder, I’m just starting to learn about Haiti; most of the journalists and sources I trust on this are Chavistas. U.S. and Colombian elites are deeply implicated. Venezuela and Cuba will continue to be a source of information and inspiration to me.

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 12 2021 12:31 utc | 72

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jul 12 2021 10:44 utc | 68
thanks for the link on Haiti– lots of dots connecting

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 12 2021 12:57 utc | 73

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 12 2021 12:31 utc | 73
“Biden” seems to be making trouble everywhere. There appears to be an attempt at a color revolution in Cuba. I think all independent countries in the W. Hemisphere had better watch out. “Biden” is incompetent, like Trump, but Trump’s nasty streak seems to have carried over too. “Biden” giving up on controlling everything won’t be good for the parts of the planet they try to keep.
And thanks for your contributions here.

Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 12 2021 12:57 utc | 74

Haiti and now Cuba, South Africa.
Protests, protests everywhere.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 13:18 utc | 75

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 9:49 utc | 62
I have seen any number of racists belittle supposed inferior races for their “inability to do the math”. Math is used for racist, bigoted ends, all the time. They used to say that about the Chinese.
And I believe that lots of working mathematicians today would agree that “math is not about objective reality”.

Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 12 2021 13:21 utc | 76

When I read “Biden is doing this or that here or in some foreign country”
I never think of Mr Crashtestdummy actually doing anything himself
except perhaps, at most, reading a cue card.

Posted by: librul | Jul 12 2021 13:39 utc | 77

@47 Blue Dotterel
I have posted about UK postal vote irregularities in the past. The first major one was the Scottish Referendum. The article goes to great lengths to explain this is actually a global phenomenon…
https://tinyurl.com/7fk2mjjm
I’d also argue that the 2019 UK General Election was rigged via postal votes. The fact that the results were told the day before via the BBC and that the postal vote system is now privatised and owned by an ex Tory MP. In the past, you had to justify why you needed one, now anyone can apply for whatever reason. It has been described as childishly easy to commit fraud.
No reason why it hasn’t been imported into the US.

Posted by: Some Random Passerby | Jul 12 2021 13:45 utc | 78

@Bemildred 76
Hmmm, not sure I understand your point. Sure, tools (and maths is one of them) have many uses: some racist and some not.
And also “math is not about objective reality” is very strange (suspect) statement. If that was not enough you then make references to ‘I believe’ and ‘lots of […] mathematicians’…errr I respectfully disagree with all of those…

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 13:54 utc | 79

Idiocrates @ 59
Russia is certainly not concerned about the Taliban attempting to invade its neighboring countries. What they are concerned about is that border regions not be allowed to become lawless, wild areas where the noble CIA could set up “refugee” ISIS or AQ training camps unhindered, and begin a steady stream of infiltrations of radicals across the borders to fan out through the ‘Stans and even Russia itself. So, they’re just wanting to clarify that they will pretty much leave the Taliban to their own devices so long as they agree that they will do their best to “secure” the border regions and keep them free from undesirables.

Posted by: J Swift | Jul 12 2021 13:55 utc | 80

Possibly reacting to the Chinese study published in Virology and which b has posted above, doctors in the EU are now advocating mandatory vaccination.
As with their wars, the governments fail the people until they get to the point of no return. It will certainly help them better control their borders and djihadists.

Posted by: Mina | Jul 12 2021 13:55 utc | 81

@Some Random Passerby 78
Thanks for the link. Are you aware of the court case brewing on this?
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/528851-george-galloway-batley-spen-election-rigged/

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 13:57 utc | 82

Chronicles of democracy…
An employee of the American embassy stole (video available) a railway sign in the Tver region of Russia.
FACEPALM.

Posted by: alaff | Jul 12 2021 14:39 utc | 83

@james #23
I’ve written at length about this but happy to repeat:
The lab leak theory has yet to be supported by any credible evidence.
All of the theories to date involve the literal definition of circumstantial evidence: either
a) Lab in Wuhan, COVID in Wuhan, or
b) military games in Wuhan, Fort Detrick etc.
The next level involve motives:
i) China doing bioweapons research
ii) US doing bioweapons research
The problem is that none of this means anything without said evidence.
I’ve said repeatedly: it is extremely difficult to do anything genetically.
COVID uses an infection path which was unknown to science prior to its emergence.
The scientific process can be used to discover unknown paths, but requires testing – at a minimum, tens of thousands of monkeys and likely human trials at some point to differentiate the “success” from all of the failures.
This is a non-trivial mountain of people (scientists, animal handlers, animal suppliers) and material (10000+ dead monkeys).
Then there’s the incompetence: you are a biological weapons developer. You create a fantastic COVID strain that is immensely transmissible. You catch it and give it to your friends and family because you’re competent enough to make it but not competent enough to follow standard biological quarantine procedures?
Net net: I’m not saying it couldn’t be a lab leak – but I am saying that the many previous examples of new diseases arising in China prove that the emergence of another one, COVID, is not unusual.
And I am saying that the utter lack of any shred of hard evidence concerning COVID lab leak is also a crippling problem to conspiracy theories.

Posted by: c1ue | Jul 12 2021 14:44 utc | 84

@ alaff
American lives their life like a youtube/tik tok video, all performance actors, they have been raised like this.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 14:46 utc | 85

@ Smith | Jul 12 2021 14:46 utc | 85:
True, but we’re also dealing with the belief that everything belongs, or at least ought to belong, to America and Americans (except of course that which is claimed by Israel). I imagine this belief is especially pronounced by American representatives abroad, whether State, CIA, military, or whatever.

Posted by: corvo | Jul 12 2021 15:02 utc | 86

@ corvo
It’s their education. Americans are entitled, it’s how they feel after they beat the Soviet.
Lord knows hubris is the downfall of every empires, I bet the romans felt the same when they salted Carthage.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 15:17 utc | 87

Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 12 2021 12:57 utc | 74
and librul
totally agree with you both. “Biden” is the group of craven wannabe smarties who don’t seem so smart. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is spending his golden years as a shell of the man who began his career as a struggling prostitute, as he himself describes here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oysFCNPg0DA

Posted by: migueljose | Jul 12 2021 15:18 utc | 88

@c1ue 84
The lab leak theory has yet to be supported by any credible evidence.
Sure, just like ‘The natural origins theory has yet to be supported by any credible evidence’. In both cases we may never have this evidence. So, in the meantime, we need to look at all the possible options, with vigour.
Also in the meantime, we have mounting circumstantial evidence (which is not proof) that it was a bioweapon.
Furthermore, I am of the opinion that the highest priority (but that is arguable) should be given to the ‘theory’ that it was a bioweapon (unleashed by you-know-who) because the implications of this are the most explosive, most far-reaching and we need to ensure that it does not happen again…or if it has already happened multiple times (wrt COVID) that we stop it ASAP.

Posted by: Idiocrates | Jul 12 2021 15:20 utc | 89

For the unaware, there is a grotesque attempt of color revolution in Cuba going on since yesterday:
A la Revolución la defendemos ante todo (+Video)
Miami Mayor Calls to Send Troops to ‘Protect’ Cubans From a ‘Bloodbath’ as Protests Sweep The Island
Biden Says US Stands With Cubans, Calls on Gov’t to ‘Serve Their Needs’
Either way, Russia is monitoring the situation:
Russia monitors situation in Cuba, considers outside interference inadmissible — diplomat
China is certainly doing the same.
This color revolution is claiming for more food and vaccines. This is funny, because they decided to time their riot on the same day the first of the five Cuban vaccines were announced as ready for mass distribution. Probably had to rush it so that the slogan wouldn’t be too outdated.
It will all depend on the size of the protests. I don’t think it will be that easy for the Americans to topple the Communists.
–//–
Bad news for the South Koreans:
Xi, Kim exchange congratulations on 60th anniversary of China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance
This is also the year that marks the 30th anniversary of the “collapse theory” in South Korea. They’re still waiting for it, but, if China steps in and North Korea is successful with its version of “reform and opening up”, Godot will be faster.
–//–
Only the Rich Could Love This Economic Recovery (NYT)
What happens to the economy when $5.2 trillion in stimulus wears off? America’s nascent economic boom has been propped up by history’s most expensive training wheels. Some doubt it will be able to keep growing under its own power. (WaPo)
From “this will be a boom like you’ve never seen”, “a different kind of boom”, to this.
They tried to hide it for many months since even before Biden was elected POTUS, but reality imposed itself over their propaganda.
The USA has degenerated to a point where reality itself has become offensive.
–//–
‘Unrecognizable.’ Lake Mead, a lifeline for water in Los Angeles and the West, tips toward crisis
The USG will declare water shortage. It is expected that Arizona and Nevada will be sacrificed first, in order to preserve California. If the level of the lake continues to fall, California will have to go through some kind of water deprivation.
And no, they can’t open the Hoover Dam. If they do that, Americans of the region will be without electricity, which is also at dangerously low levels.

Posted by: vk | Jul 12 2021 15:23 utc | 90

The Outlaw US Empire attempts to get Taliban to join its Anti-China Crusade over Xinjiang, allowing Global Times to point out what’s far beyond a double standard:
“Questioning the Taliban’s stance on China’s Xinjiang policy, does the US have any sense of shame? Just look at the human rights disaster the US created in Afghanistan. The most conservative estimates by local and international rights group suggest that close to 47,600 civilians were killed and more than double that number injured in Afghanistan during the 20 years of war.
“The US is now walking away irresponsibly after poking a hornets’ nest, leaving a devastated country and a shocking humanitarian disaster behind. And the US has not figured out a solution how to guarantee the safety of Afghan interpreters who worked for American military. And what about the atrocities the Australian troops did to Afghan civilians? Shouldn’t the US apologize to the Muslims in Afghanistan first if it truly cares about Muslims’ human rights?” [My Emphasis]
Biden provides a better fit for the CIA/DoD/State-led Imperial policy which continues to sow chaos because it doesn’t know how to do anything else. A big test is shaping up for the post-Afghan War Era in Central Asia. Wang Yi will visit three of those nations over the next several days then have a confab with SCO as this article recaps.
IMO, the SCO’s work relative to Afghan issues will be the first big test for the 20 year-old organization well beyond the feuding between India and Pakistan. How the Turks behave will be very important since they want to become a full SCO member, which IMO means they cannot promote NATO’s agenda and indeed must break from it.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 12 2021 15:28 utc | 91

@ karlof1
Taliban is too smart for that stunt. We will likely see more jihadists fighting Taliban soon, and more bombing in Pakistan.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 15:33 utc | 92

If the Outlaw US Empire actually “stood with the Cuban people”, it would immediately end the illegal embargo. It’s really too bad that Cubans aren’t aware of how much better off they are in Cuba versus the false glitz propaganda they’re bombarded with–Florida’s sinking; Cuba won’t since it’s not made of porous limestone.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 12 2021 15:33 utc | 93

Smith @92–
It appears Occupied Palestine Terrorists are active in Pakistan. Since Imran Khan became PM, the Outlaw US Empire’s illegal drone attacks have ceased, but several terrorist bombings still occur annually, like the one linked above that was clearly carried out by a foreign actor. From BigLie Media’s reporting, we learn the Outlaw US Empire is “desperately seeking” military basing rights in nations near to Afghanistan, meaning the meddling will continue if at all possible. Fortunately, no nearby nations want any type of NATO presence.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 12 2021 15:50 utc | 94

Apparently we don’t want to send troops to Haiti:
US Reportedly Refuses to Send Military Help to Haiti Despite Request From Interim Government

Posted by: Bemildred | Jul 12 2021 15:51 utc | 95

Jackie Chan wants to join the CPC

Posted by: Gordog | Jul 12 2021 15:56 utc | 96

@ Smith | Jul 12 2021 15:17 utc | 87:

It’s their education. Americans are entitled, it’s how they feel after they beat the Soviet.

Oh, such behavior well precedes the fall of the USSR. One example from many: countless illuminated manuscripts were “lost” from European archives and monasteries after World War II, only to reappear, page by page, in American flea markets.
If you want the attitude captured in a photo, just google “american soldier holy roman crown” to see some yokel wearing the crown of Charlemagne. Fortunately, the Americans actually returned it.

Posted by: corvo | Jul 12 2021 15:58 utc | 97

Posted by: alaff | Jul 12 2021 14:39 utc | 83
Thanks for that link, what a good laugh, what a picture of a character, and… Zakharova, in fact she’s got it easy, as easy as quoting the ones that pictured human beings with words but with more definition that the highest pixeled camera, no other than Chekhov to accomplish those portraits.
Here the short story by Chekhov quoted by Zakharova, “A Malefactor” in Russian and English, what a camera Chekhov had.
“A Malefactor” A. Chekhov

Posted by: Paco | Jul 12 2021 15:59 utc | 98

It’s all interesting, but the american chips are falling down. West Asia, East Asia, Eastern Europe, South America, you name it.
I think the last piece is Japan, let’s wait how the opposition party does this election, heard the JCP and DJP are actually teaming up this time, led by Yukio Edano.
If the japs can get someone who isn’t literally waiting to jump on the sword to die for the USA, it’s over for the US’s ambitions in Asia.

Posted by: Smith | Jul 12 2021 15:59 utc | 99

Russia’s representative to the OPCW at its Executive Meeting details the illegal nature of the internal corruption that’s caused a crisis for the organization’s legitimacy. Here’s just some of the meat:
“Now let us turn directly to the themes of the current session of the OPCW Executive Council. Naturally, we cannot help being concerned about what is happening in the Hague in terms of attribution. All the activities of the special branch of the Technical Secretariat – the Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) – are being conducted covertly, behind closed doors. As before, we refuse to accept this. The Group was established in violation of the Convention, in effect by a minority vote and in circumvention of international law, and its activities encroach on the exclusive competence of the UN Security Council.
“The IIT produces reports that are questionable in terms of common sense and scientific and technical facts, drawing conclusions along the lines of “there are reasonable grounds to believe”. On the basis of these conclusions, a vote was taken to impose a deliberately unrealistic ultimatum on Syria, followed by a decision to suppress its rights. Thus, an extremely dangerous precedent was set in which any State that is a full-fledged member of the CWC can be obstructed on the basis of unsubstantiated conclusions made by the entity that has been set up in circumvention of the Convention.
“Moreover, these reports are based on the conclusions made by another special mission of the Technical Secretariat, the OPCW Fact Finding Mission (FFM), whose work methods also raise a number of questions. We believe it extremely important that this structure should act in strict conformity with the provisions of the CWC Verification Annex and the basic principles of the OPCW. We call for the working methods of the FFM to be brought in line with the provisions of the Convention and for a possible revision of its terms of reference which were agreed a while ago bilaterally between the Technical Secretariat and Damascus.”
There’s more that’s grossly incorrect there, which throws into doubt the competency of other UN organizations as the Outlaw US Empire labors to destroy genuine multilateralism.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 12 2021 16:04 utc | 100

Back to Main