SoCal container ship line still there, but almost resolved
Checking Back On Southern California’s Container Ship Backup

As U.S. import demand fades and inbound cargo increasingly shifts away from Southern California ports, the highly publicized containership backup at the neighboring ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is finally showing signs of returning to some form of normal.
The Marine Exchange of Southern California on Friday reported that the backup hit a nearly 2-year low last Thursday, with just six containerships in the queue, before gaining two on Friday—bringing the number to eight. The six ships is the shortest the backup has been since October 22, 2020, when the pandemic-fueled import surge was just starting to take shape.
It’s been a wild ride these last two years. Before the backup started in Summer 2020, the “normal” number of containership awaiting at anchor was just zero or maybe one vessel. But as consumer settled in to their new normal and pandemic-fueled spending ramped up, within a couple months the backup grew to more 60 ships, in January 2021, before tapering back some in the first few months of last year. But with the arrival of summer shipping season in June 2021, the backup once again exploded in size through the end of the year before peaking at the January 2022 all-time of record of 109 ships.

I can attest to some anecdotal evidence of the shift. Amtrak has a free bus going to/from its Emeryville station on the East Bay – I ride it when taking Amtrak to various points around California.
Because I’m not driving and that the seats on the bus are well above the Bay Bridge guard rail, I can see what is going on in the SF Bay offshore from the main Oakland loading docks. The last several trips, there have been a dozen or more ships sitting at anchor there. Maybe 2/3rds were empty so presumably waiting on cargoes, but 1/3 were obviously fully loaded.
I believe we are in the nadir of the shipping season – but that the Xmas shopping rush is going to start soon. Will the decline in consumption due to the end of COVID buying plus gas price wallet shrinking mean no backups this Xmas shipping season?
We will see.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 28 2022 14:28 utc | 3

I’m surprised that there’s anything at all being dropped here. It seems to me that everything, literally everything, relates to the currently smoldering WW III the west has (un)declared against Russia, and against itself. How much longer can the rich and powerful in Germany ignore the willful destruction of its economy and people by its own government?

Posted by: pasha | Sep 28 2022 14:48 utc | 5

@too scents #6
Please post a link to one of these sub $1k lidars.
In particular, resolution and range are a factor.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 28 2022 15:33 utc | 7

Breaking News from Afghanistan
At last a thread not obessing on pipelines……
RF signs agreement to provide oil gas grain : would anyone like to speculate as top the currency which will be used to pay ?
This is the way to build a coalition to win the war in the Ukraine
« Taliban officials have signed a provisional deal with Russia to import gasoline, diesel, gas, and wheat to Afghanistan, according to Acting Commerce and Industry Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi.
Speaking with Reuters, Azizi explained that Moscow offered the Taliban “a discount to average global commodity prices.”
The deal calls for the Kremlin to supply war-torn Afghanistan with around one million tons of gasoline, one million tons of diesel, 500,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and two million tons of wheat annually.
After a trial period of an unspecified amount of time – and if the two sides are satisfied with the arrangement – a final deal will be signed.
No details have been provided on pricing or payment methods. Last month, Kabul offered to barter local products like minerals, dried fruits, and medicinal herbs with Moscow in exchange for fuel and grain. »
https://thecradle.co/Article/News/16230

Posted by: Gerrard White | Sep 28 2022 15:36 utc | 9

@too scents #6
Please post a link to one of these sub $1k lidars.
There have always been cheap lidars: short range and/or poor resolution and/or unreliable.
Doesn’t mean they can be used as a primary sensor in a self driving vehicle, but maybe the lidar people have done in 3 years what it took the semiconductor industry 50 years to achieve.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 28 2022 15:52 utc | 11

@c1ue | Sep 28 2022 15:52 utc | 10
Wild. My link didn’t post.
Search “Chinese MEMS LiDAR company Zvision”
The 2nd link was to a stupid project I worked on in the ’80s that was a research application for LIDAR. Our team just did the vision system for foot placement.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/36157/the-us-army-spent-millions-developing-giant-six-legged-walking-trucks-in-the-1980s

Posted by: too scents | Sep 28 2022 16:09 utc | 13

@too scents #12
Chinese web sites maybe blocked due to slamming?
Any way, thank you for the link.
As I suspected, the “lidar” you reference is both short range and likely more akin to ultrasonic or magnetic proximity sensors than true lidar. As such, it’s low price doesn’t surprise me: BI”>https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/future-of-autonomous-driving-led-by-l-s-multi-lidar-solution-1031763809″>BI overview of Zvision
Note that the article above references both a long range sensor and short range ones; the $10k package I saw in other articles are using the short range ones.
So no, not major changes in cost as yet.
Regarding your game theory: that is part of the problem but not the major part. The major part of the problem is that the driving environment is not static. It has been clear for years now that the self driving startups have ceased making forward progress in the key, core environments of dense urban areas because tuning to fix one issue is causing others to appear (or reappear).
Nor is it clear that the technology works well in deep rural settings.
A tech which is good only for low density suburbs and which costs multiples of base car price seems like an economic dead end to me.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 28 2022 16:37 utc | 15

@too scents #15
Lol.
Elon, one of the single largest recipients of federal grant and tax break money as an example of technology guru?
Elon whose customers are uniformly rich?
Please tell me next how Apple is going to make the world a better place, too.
This way we can get all the Louis Vuittons of tech lined up.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 28 2022 17:00 utc | 17

Please tell me next how Apple is going to make the world a better place, too.
@c1ue | Sep 28 2022 17:00 utc | 17
—
The secret sauce is hiring 2nd tier employees from wealthy families that invest in the company.

Posted by: too scents | Sep 28 2022 17:16 utc | 19

Lavrov addresses “the organisers, participants and guests of the international scientific and practical conference Crimes of Militaristic Japan: Historical and Contemporary Aspects:

I am glad to welcome the organizers, participants and guests of the international scientific and practical conference “Crimes of militaristic Japan: historical and modern aspects”.
Your event is very timely. The crimes of Japanese militarism have no statute of limitations and therefore should not be forgotten. At the same time, unfortunately, official Tokyo not only does not hear words of remorse for the aggression against the states of the Asia-Pacific region, but there are completely unfounded and ridiculous accusations against our country. Such a voluntaristic approach to history, which also undermines the UN-centric architecture of the world order, is unacceptable.
At the same time, the Tokyo and the Khabarovsk trials of Japanese war criminals, which supplemented it, provided extensive legal material that still retains procedural relevance. In this regard, it is particularly valuable that during the conference the full certified text in Russian language of the verdict of the International Court of Justice in Tokyo, as well as related documents and materials, will be presented during the conference. Reliance on these primary sources is the key to a depoliticized, impartial study of the past.
I am convinced that today’s discussions will be held in a constructive manner and will contribute to the noble cause of countering historical falsifications and revising the universally recognized international legal results of World War II.
I wish you fruitful work and all the best.

I did a search to see if any papers related to this conference were recently published or if a website for it was established but nothing like that presented itself. Instead, I found this interesting PDF, “Researching Japanese War Crimes: Introductory Essays, published in 2006, 240 pages in length, consisting of eight essays that ought to interest others.

Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 28 2022 17:53 utc | 21

Norwegian @14
I posted same clip yesterday and now you an I are fascists to a faction here. Be 100% correct or be cancelled.
The lady looks like a dog in a fight. There is always collateral damage in a dogfight. I can hardly endorse everything she says. It does feel like I have a dog in this fight. Can’t remember a politician who ever made me feel that way. Not in this lifetime.

Posted by: oldhippie | Sep 28 2022 20:01 utc | 23

Posted by: oldhippie | Sep 28 2022 20:01 utc | 23
Well that is an interesting speech
I know nothing about her but she is saying the right words. Does she mean them?
I wonder how that marries with her unequivocal support of Ukraine and the EU?

Posted by: K | Sep 28 2022 21:02 utc | 25

old hippie @23.
“Be 100% correct or be cancelled.”
Quite so.
One of the problems with making progress is that too many who see themselves as progressive also believe that only they have solutions to the problems. As a result, any one with a contrary opinion is seen as an enemy. The irony is that they also see themselves as intelligent.

Posted by: Steve from Oz | Sep 28 2022 21:16 utc | 27

imagine people in Africa taking a dimmer view of the piles of horseshit coming out of the mouth of that Mussolini bitch.
imagine people like Norwegian and oldhippie not being able to see her speech as a cri de rapine, calling for a new rape of africa.
what dregs of human scum and filth wash up from the sewers of nationalism.
hey, if american exceptionalism and nationalism doesn’t work for you, there’s always russia’s, china’s, hungary’s, italy’s, etc. boy they sure speak mo better english than blinken or biden does.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Sep 28 2022 22:00 utc | 29

Meanwhile in the Pacific the Biden administration, late to the party, is trying to force multiple Pacific islands into a joint declaration that somehow ‘fights climate change’ by increasing US coast guard patrols in the area. The Pacific leaders, who don’t like to be rushed into anything, feel pressured and the US is pointing the finger at the Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal) for being too close to China and obstructing the proposal. The MSM reportage on the subject omits to mention that the US has been funding insurrection in the Solomons for years.

Posted by: Raumati | Sep 28 2022 22:53 utc | 31

@ rjb1.5
It seems to me that counterpunch has become ‘schizophrenic’ in the old street argot version of schizo, that is dual personality. After Cockburn karked St Clair kept the thing going on his own for a few years but not only wasn’t it particularly successful, big donors from the dem party’s pseudo left began grumbling and developing shallow pockets. This has caused St Clair & Cockburn families to hand the free section over to dem zionist joshua franks while St Clair runs his small paywalled section. Unfortunately the paid section includes Alex’s brother Paddy cockburn a man who writes whatever he’s told to, something which kept him working in englander newspapers for his entire career, now he appears to be copping a retirement earner from counterpunch readers while still spewing out the same anodyne shit that he generated for the englander fishwraps.
There are still a few good articles but mainly you have to pay for them. Now p cockburn is so ensconced in the paid section, value for sub is doubtful unless you are a dead set environmentalist.
The freebie bit will keep on keeping on since they run anti russia tirades & other dem party lies as the donors are paying to prevent actual, you know, facts from hitting the freebie too often, but I don’t see much hope for the paywalled portion unless St Clair ditches cockburn which he may not be able to do.
A sad story but one that is entirely predictable when it comes to any media dependent upon professional news sources.
All the youtubers make similar compromises, thus far it hasn’t been too obvious but as alphabet cracks down on de-monetising whatever its owners don’t like on youtube I have no doubt that all of the current fan favourites will be shown to have feet of clay as well.
In other words it is same as it ever was – don’t believe any of the bastards, check what they are spewing because all media, new or old, corporate or independent lie. The only differences are frequency and degree, which are variables that cannot be taken for granted.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Sep 28 2022 23:32 utc | 33

community spread
U.S. Treasury Issues Iran General License D-2 to Increase Support for Internet Freedom
NY Post | Elon Musk opening up Starlink in Iran

Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 28 2022 23:59 utc | 35

In other news there is only one permitted legal border crossing by road from Russia into Georgia. A place called Verkhny Lars border crossing!
Interestingly, that road is currently under reconstruction since September 2021. The border crossing point was massively enlarged to 6.5 times the previous capacity.
Now prior to international travel both the Black Sea coastline in Ukraine, Crimea, and Georgia were the most popular affordable holiday places to go to. After the usual Baltic Sea coastal resorts.
Data from Georgia’s National Tourism Agency shows that each Russian tourist last year spent, on average, about $465 during their visit to Georgia — injecting more than $720 million into the Georgian economy. In 2018 the volume of Russian tourists was 1.8 million and increasing.
Thus we now have the perfect excuse for the usual dumber than a house brick USSA ‘z’ grade propaganda writers. To say look at all the Russians fleeing the country’s military draft. Lets not mention Russia has 24 million basic military reserves including stored military equipment.
Now, substitute pictures of tourists/bad translations/traffic backed up to Lars Border Station. Claim upgrades to the Russian Border Force buildings at Lars as a new recruitment center. Repeat often and sell trash propaganda as a fact to all Western Media(corporate/Murdoch/Five eyes).
The end result is yet another round of flying poop and fake dung!
Who benefits?

Posted by: Bad Deal Motors On | Sep 29 2022 1:29 utc | 37

tabloid Berlin Zeitung | Leaks in Nord Stream pipelines: did the Russians damage their own infrastructure?, 17.09.22

… The media are currently writing about a possible sabotage organized by special forces or with the help of a submarine. There are indications of “targeted” attacks, the Daily Mirror reported, referring to a person “initiated” in the assessment by the federal government. Der Spiegel also reported, with reference to government circles, that the federal government is not ruling out an attack – with the aim of unsettling European gas markets….

A programmable logic controller based remote pipeline monitoring system, May 2021

… Pipeline Monitoring system can be wired, wireless or a combination of both to transfer data from pipelines to control station. Since pipeline networks are in line, connectivity always remains a critical feature. Pipeline inspection can be broadly classified into three major categories
• Using intelligent mobile sensing devices,
• Using standalone inspection systems, instruments
• Using resident pipeline sensors.
Intelligent mobile sensing devices are robots, pigs, or crawlers these are intelligent robotic devices that can move inside or above a pipeline to inspect the interior/exterior conditions of pipes. Standalone inspection systems utilize phased array ultrasonic technology and are mounted on the outer surface of pipelines they use electromagnetic waves to detect corrosion and defects at a given point in time and space. Hand held devices are also used for manual operation at certain location. Limited research has been conducted on using a distributed network system of sensors, deployed along pipelines, for inspection and monitoring.
Usually Gas pipelines are located underground or under water therefore wired networks can result in a number of problems as discussed in (Shi et al., 2021). Once a monitoring system is deployed it becomes difficult to physically access the structure from time to time, resulting in a demand to monitor and maintain the system remotely as much as possible. Remote monitoring can be classified into mobile and static monitoring as described in Fig. 1…

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on September 28, 2022

The Paper: Yesterday, China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center released a new investigation report on the cyber attacks by the US National Security Agency (NSA). The report detailed how the NSA’s Office of Tailored Access Operation (TAO) controls key infrastructure facilities in China and infiltrates into China’s Northwestern Polytechnical University’s internal network by using servers in countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark to host cyber weapons through stepping-stone attack via Japan, Germany, the ROK and other countries.

(Zero Days, TAO targets: spy or attack)

This enabled the TAO to steal sensitive data including user names and passwords, identification verification data, system logs, access information, files and documents, and network configuration, and information of people with sensitive identities. The US also secretly controls the telecom carriers of at least 80 countries and conducts indiscriminate wiretapping on global telecom users. Do you have any comment?

(Al Jazeera:”for people using the country’s largest [telecom] providers such as MCI[!] and Irancell, using their mobiles and getting the internet at home has become more difficult…”)

Wang Wenbin: This is the third investigation report issued by the relevant Chinese institution this month on the US National Security Agency’s malicious cyber attack on China’s Northwestern Polytechnical University. It has revealed more evidence of massive cyber attacks by the US security agency against China.
China has in recent weeks demanded explanation from the US and asked it to immediately stop illegal action through various channels. So far, however, the US has been silent. The US could not have been more bombastic and motivated when propagating the lies about “Chinese hackers”, yet it has deliberately chosen to be blind and mute in the face of the solid evidence collected by the Chinese institution. What exactly is the US hiding from the world? …

Posted by: sln2002 | Sep 29 2022 1:53 utc | 39

Tehran Times reports attempted color revolution following the death of Mahsa Amini under custody for violating religious dress code was coordinated by German embassy.

Posted by: Jun | Sep 29 2022 4:14 utc | 41

New Italian PM women has some specific body language, so that in combination what she said in that clip reminded me strongly of Maria Zakharova.
Posted by: Abe | Sep 28 2022 22:21 utc | 30
I’ll need to watch that clip! In the meantime, everyone (including bevin, rjb1.5 et al) sing along – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R4sbjgCQ2c

Posted by: tucenz | Sep 29 2022 5:52 utc | 43

Posted by: Melaleuca | Sep 29 2022 3:06 utc | 39
First Twitter comment posted by someone completely without foundational knowledge.
Countries like UK with sophisticated Treasury operations and the world’s centre of Forex Trading borrow in all sorts of currency and even issue Renimbi Bonds…….
A Central Bank runs a multi-currency portfolio to facilitate interventions – UK has borrowed in US dollars for at least 120 years – and in Yuan and Euros and Swiss Francs and Yen and SDRs for decades……..
How naive are people nowadays ?

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Sep 29 2022 6:18 utc | 45

Posted by: Bad Deal Motors On | Sep 29 2022 1:29 utc | 37
Well look at it from NATO standpoint –
a) recruits are streaming across US southern border to recruiting stations at Fort Hood, TX
b) thousands of recruits are sailing in dinghies to England every day to recruiting centres in Kent
c) Germany is awaiting the caravan train from Turkey wending its way to recruiting centres in Berlin and Cologne……..
https://world-news-monitor.com/environment/2022/09/27/ukrainian-refugees-push-germanys-population-to-record-high-27-09-2022/

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Sep 29 2022 6:24 utc | 47

Paul Greenwood | Sep 29 2022 6:18 utc | 44
What I’m noticing:
“””The Bank of England will carry out temporary purchases of long-dated UK government bonds from 28 September until 14th October.
UK Money printer goes BRRRRRRR”””
https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1575130263843065862?cxt=HHwWjMCqtaWo_tsrAAAA
Sept 28:
https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1574843081014509568?cxt=HHwWgIDQzYbc-9orAAAA
“”””Bank of Japan spent an estimated 3.6 trillion yen ($25 billion) on the fx intervention last Thursday… today JPY is back at 145 almost entirely erasing the effects of the intervention…
Japan has reached the limits of QE and MMT.””””
Sept 27
https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1574627553100574725?cxt=HHwWisDRwdbamdorAAAA
“”””US 30y mortgages YoY % change since 1970 …
Draw your own conclusions on if this is bad “”””
Sept 29
https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1575133764988162048?cxt=HHwWgMC-_Yr0_9srAAAA
“”””Pension funds would have collapsed today without BoE action with ‘mass insolvencies’, Sky News has learned | live updates””””

Posted by: Melaleuca | Sep 29 2022 7:04 utc | 49

Yes. It’s twitter. (Eyeroll, if you must). For benefit of Lurkers and loiterers:
1: Carl Quintanilla. @carlquintanilla JPMORGAN, on #BOE: “.. the optics of QE may look odd .. just one week after it began QT asset sales. .. However, it is important to draw a distinction between QE as monetary policy and QE as emergency support .. Today’s BoE actions are very much the latter ..”
2: https://twitter.com/stackhodler/status/1575170990216458240
The Bank of England, the world’s 8th oldest bank, the bank that served as the model for most of the world’s central banks, today acknowledged that the only way pension funds will remain solvent is if the bank debases its currency to buy government debt. Can you see it yet?
3: https://twitter.com/FossGregfoss/status/1575286717409533952?cxt=HHwWgICxqYu7xdwrAAAA
4: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/28/bank-of-england-in-65bn-scramble-to-avert-financial-crisis
Bank of England in £65bn scramble to avert financial crisis.
>The Bank of England has been forced into emergency action to halt a run on Britain’s pension funds after the impact of Kwasi Kwarteng’s ill-received mini budget prompted fears of a 2008-style financial crisis.
> Threadneedle Street said the fallout from a dramatic rise in government borrowing costs since the chancellor’s statement had left it with no choice but to intervene to protect the UK’s financial system.
City sources said the surprise move, less than a week after Kwarteng’s unfunded tax giveaways, was needed to halt a “doom loop” in the bond markets that risked draining pension funds of cash and leaving them at risk of insolvency.
>The Bank was concerned that it threatened the financial health of Britain’s biggest pensions and insurance companies, which together manage trillions of pounds of people’s cash.
In a reversal of a policy position announced on the day before Kwarteng’s fiscal event, the Bank said it was setting aside £65bn to buy bonds over the next 13 working days to ease pressure on pension funds and insurance companies.
>”Were dysfunction in this market to continue or worsen, there would be a material risk to UK financial stability. This would lead to an unwarranted tightening of financing conditions and a reduction of the flow of credit to the real economy.
> A Treasury spokesperson said: “Global financial markets have seen significant volatility in recent days.
The Bank has identified a risk from recent dysfunction in gilt markets, so the Bank will temporarily carry out purchases of long-dated UK government bonds from today in order to restore orderly market conditions.
These purchases will be strictly time limited, and completed in the next two weeks.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/28/bank-of-england-launches-emergency-intervention-in-markets-after-kwarteng-mini-budget
Bank launches emergency intervention in markets after Kwarteng mini-budget
▶️Bank of England takes urgent steps to buy long-dated UK government bonds
❗️Business live updates: pound tumbles despite Bank move
> The Bank of England has taken emergency action to calm turmoil in financial markets amid the collapse in the pound and the increase in government borrowing costs triggered by Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget.
Threadneedle Street said it was taking urgent steps to buy long-dated UK government bonds, beginning immediately in an attempt to stabilise the market.
Taking evasive action less than a week after the chancellor announced £45bn in unfunded tax cuts, the Bank said it would undertake temporary and targeted purchases in the gilt market on financial stability grounds.

Posted by: Melaleuca | Sep 29 2022 7:59 utc | 51

Is that Hurricane Ivan that’s visiting Florida?

Posted by: tucenz | Sep 29 2022 8:29 utc | 53

Brazil having their election on the 2n of October
Anti-imperialist and socialist veteran Lula is expected to win!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Brazilian_general_election#Opinion_polls
“Lula Slams US Billions in Military Aid to Ukraine”
https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Lula-Slams-US-Billions-in-Military-Aid-to-Ukraine-20220604-0004.html
“Brazil’s Lula says Zelensky shares blame for Ukraine war”
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220504-brazil-s-lula-says-zelensky-shares-blame-for-ukraine-war
So…prepare for attacks by the EU/US/media if he win.

Posted by: Zanon | Sep 29 2022 8:46 utc | 55

Apple is threatening and forcing telegram to censor its posters, otherwhile it will ban telegram from apple instruments:
https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/news/druck-auf-telegram-messenger-sperrt-auf-draengen-von-apple-russische-und-prorussische-kanaele-li.270787.amp

Posted by: njet | Sep 29 2022 9:27 utc | 57

APPLE DEMANDS
Posted by: njet | Sep 29 2022 9:27 utc | 56
Yes, situation normal.
AND THIS via RT
Apple confirmed on Wednesday that it had removed the applications of the Russian VK company from its App Store, including the country’s version of Facebook, VKontakte. The US tech giant explained the move by citing alleged links between the company’s developers and “one or more parties” sanctioned by the UK.
In a statement, quoted by The Verge, Apple spokesman Adam Dema claimed that the applications from the VK ecosystem are being distributed “by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government.”
“In order to comply with these sanctions, Apple terminated the developer accounts associated with these apps, and the apps cannot be downloaded from any App Store, regardless of location,” Dema said.
He added that users who already have the apps installed can continue to use them. :
PLUS via RT
The European Parliament may call on the EU to freeze accession talks with Serbia and funding for Belgrade over its ties with Moscow, US state-run broadcaster Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) reported. Previously a group of MEPs stated that a country that does not sanction Russia cannot hope to join the bloc.
“The EU cannot continue accession talks with Serbia if they don’t align with EU sanctions against Russia. That’s what we will say in the Parliament’s upcoming enlargement report,” the Socialists and Democrats Group (S&D Group) tweeted on Monday, after Belgrade and Moscow inked a plan for bilateral consultations for the next two years.
The statement referred to a draft report on the EU’s enlargement strategy, the details of which were made public by RFE/RL on Wednesday. The station, which reviewed the document, said it includes wording calling on the EU to punish Serbia for not following Brussels in its relations with Russia.
——
Then there is the current beat up in Iran as well. No restrictions by Apple or Facebook being applied there, oh no.
So what is Russia, China and the grandiose outspoken SCO group of nations doing about this then?
Nothing.
They won’t do anything.
Same as they will not do anything about Ukraine or the USA/NATO’s threatening belligerence.
They will not back up Russia one bit.
Not until they get serious.
And they are not serious.
All they do is talk and issue press releases.

Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 29 2022 9:49 utc | 59

SeanAU | Sep 29 2022 9:49 utc | 58
All the TwitterApple bla blah you complain about is unimportant, is only of interest to westies addicted to this kind of false consciousness, is not to SCO and company
They are building a different system – one you do not and can not understand

Posted by: Gerrard White | Sep 29 2022 10:07 utc | 61

john | Sep 29 2022 9:43 utc | 57
She reminds me of a certain Barack Obama, who talked up a storm, so much so he was taken seriously as bringing in a new era of….
That turned sour very quick – even the ynaks have now lost their last illusions, apparently
In Africa there were many who fell for the bla bla, yet also many who knew he was just another ynak whatever the colour of his skin, spreading the same old snake oil
His trip to Kenya was an eye opener
She’s just as good a talker, I still hope she may prove less of a slave

Posted by: Gerrard White | Sep 29 2022 10:20 utc | 63

Gerrard White | Sep 29 2022 10:20 utc | 62
She reminds me of a certain Barack Obama
I know what you mean, but in Giorgia’s case I do believe that she’s sincere. Problem is, things like sincerity tend to wither away rather quickly in the face of political expediency.
We’ll see…

Posted by: john | Sep 29 2022 10:42 utc | 65

Gerrard White | Sep 29 2022 10:53 utc | 65
I do know that nearly everyone bought the Obama scam,…
I did not. I voted for Cynthia McKinney, not because I thought she had any chance of winning, but because she is the most intelligent, informed, and gracious spirit of the true left to ever walk those menacing halls on Capitol Hill.
A symbolic vote, and my arrivederci to the electoral system.

Posted by: john | Sep 29 2022 11:08 utc | 67

Norweigan

” This is Italy’s new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.”

This also Italy’s new PM:
She supports Zelensky
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses/10653
She support riots in Iran
https://www.reuters.com/world/italys-meloni-praises-heroic-uprising-iranian-women-2022-09-28/?taid=633477bbccb787000131c4a4&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Posted by: Zanon | Sep 29 2022 11:17 utc | 69

Not me commenting @ 41, someone is using my name to troll BDMO and Farm Ecologist. I do not believe that the Russians or the Cubans have anything to do with whatever physical symptoms that US and Canadian diplomats experience in embassies and consulates in countries they may perceive as being hostile to their home nations.

Posted by: Jen | Sep 29 2022 11:38 utc | 71

Jen | Sep 29 2022 11:43 utc | 71
Thanks for information

Posted by: Gerrard White | Sep 29 2022 12:05 utc | 73

@Paul Greenwood #43
Start/stop a few times has no effect on computers – you don’t need a UPS for hardware damage. Software running – different story.
All you need for computers and other equipment are surge suppressors.
A simple example: a computer that is turned off can still be damaged by a surge.

Posted by: c1ue | Sep 29 2022 12:16 utc | 75

We used to get lots of trips here, usually coinciding with lighning bolts, even distant ones.
The network operator came and drilled six deep boreholes next to the last pole in the network branch to install an impressive network earthing point and we are much better and stable since.
Nonetheless I have a big APC ‘onduleur’ protecting the heating system which will run for a while until I connect a generator.
I have 6TB backup network drive and that is similarly protected, plus that onduleur will also force an ordered shutdown before turning the power off.
Other critical and expensive gear such as fibre wifi router is also protected.
I have also figured out that it these devices which contribute significantly to my continuous ‘baseline’ consumption 24*7 🙁

Posted by: Lapin | Sep 29 2022 12:37 utc | 77

tucenz | Sep 29 2022 5:52 utc | 43
awesome. if there’s one thing fascism represents, it’s innovation in theatrics. with the same images, songs, gestures, costumes, beliefs, speeches, etc., you too can preserve the unique greatness of your own national heritage!
go Norwegian go! save Norway with Italian fascism!
the superstate never gets the coronavirus, does it? it’s fun to watch little boys infinitize themselves thru an idealized superstate. what a little thing shows what you lack of a man.

Posted by: rjb1.5 | Sep 29 2022 16:22 utc | 79

“…the Bank said it would undertake temporary and targeted purchases in the gilt market on financial stability grounds.”
Posted by: Melaleuca | Sep 29 2022 7:59 utc | 51
That’s the Bank on aptly named Threadneedle Street (so ought to be called a Camel). Thank you for this informative post, Melaleuca, and for your appropriate bolded segments. Thanks to your analysis we are informed that the Bank so described is considered the earliest parent of central banks around the world.
And additional thanks to Michael Hudson for pulling no punches in his recent interview on Ralph Nader’s radio show. Here’s a portion of the initial post I referenced on an earlier thread:
“…The role of central banks is to prevent the government from spending money on social programs and to support the commercial banks in lending money to inflate the asset markets…”
(I thought I’d use a bold of my own, just so there’s no doubt what is happening as the camel begins to squeeze through the eye of the needle.)

Posted by: juliania | Sep 29 2022 16:41 utc | 81

Putin called the NS incident “international terrorism”. The UNSC meeting for today was prevented by nato countries who voted against it. The NS sabotage will be discussed tomorrow at UN

Posted by: rk | Sep 29 2022 18:05 utc | 83

God is dead!
Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 29 2022 9:58 utc | 60
.
Sean of the dead. Might be some laughs in a film called that…

Posted by: tucenz | Sep 29 2022 20:11 utc | 85

Newspapers inform me hurricane “Ian” has flattened a sizeable pidde of southwest Florida. I also read president Joe Biden has approved $1.1 billion in military aid for Ukraine. This choice of priorities surprises me.

Posted by: Passerby | Sep 29 2022 20:40 utc | 87

@ Melaleuca | Sep 28 2022 15:56 utc | 12
awesome… thanks! more of that……

Posted by: james | Sep 29 2022 22:45 utc | 89

If broken windows increase GDP – imagine the GDP boost from 30% of all electrical devices getting destroyed…/sarc
Posted by: c1ue | Sep 28 2022 13:28 utc | 1
Interesting not so.
So the expert is explaining the absolute worst-case scenario for a dumb grid.
Now, why do I suspect the author is deliberately withholding 98% of the real truth? About how modern smart electric power supply grids function in the real world of reality.
Care to explain why in the USSA. With either the great Con-Ed New York blackout. Or the more recent Ohio North East Grid super fail! Due to poor substandard transmission line maintenance in both cases. Or that of profits first and all users last USSA MBA standard business mantra!
Required no such factory level basic and home user replacement requirements in the USSA?
Who benefits? From the distortions by supplying 2% of the truth?

Posted by: Bad Deal Motors On | Sep 29 2022 23:39 utc | 91

And they are not serious.
All they do is talk and issue press releases.
Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 29 2022 9:49 utc | 59
Are there 2 Sean Au ? Or are you trolling using his ID ? Some of Sean’s posts are astute others like this one is just rubbish and entirely different style

Posted by: K | Sep 30 2022 2:51 utc | 93

@ K | Sep 30 2022 2:51 utc | 93
Yes, sorry, that was me. Posted info about Apple, then added a comment below that:
So what is Russia, China and the grandiose outspoken SCO group of nations doing about this then? Nothing. They won’t do anything. […]
(emphasizing) they are not serious. All they (SCO etc) do is talk and issue press releases.
Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 29 2022 9:49 utc | 59
It’s no big deal versus others issues, only it caught my eye, of how a self-righteous Corporation can lord it over anyone anywhere, including people in the SCO/BRICS nations and their govts etc cannot / will not do anything about it.
Nothing new here, it’s been like this for a long time already.
My comment is also driven by realizing the SCO etc do not even recognize Crimea’s referendum or as a legitimate part of Russia. There is a huge credibility gap between what they say (in announcements/summit press releases) and what they actually do and stand up for.
e.g.
Member states of the CSTO, BRICS and SCO remain silent on the matter.
Posted by: SeanAU | September 30, 2022 at 00:40
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/09/ukraine-open-thread-2022-161.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef02a2eed7e228200d#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef02a2eed7e228200d
and
I do not trust them at all. Russia and Putin should not trust or rely on them either.
Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 30 2022 3:05 utc | 195
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/09/ukraine-open-thread-2022-161.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef02a308e1def4200c#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef02a308e1def4200c
But that’s me. Others will see it differently and not see an issue.

Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 30 2022 5:14 utc | 95

The anti-conspiracy theory movement is itself an institutional conspiracy.

Posted by: blues | Sep 30 2022 5:45 utc | 97

pretzelattack | Sep 30 2022 6:54 utc | 98
Melaleuca | Sep 30 2022 4:01 utc | 94
K | Sep 30 2022 2:51 utc | 93
There are many other options and possibilities than the one you’re choosing to focus on.
How about it wasn’t a well thought or crafted comment/post but was done in a reactive mindset after seeing that report on TG? A spur of the moment kind of thing. There’s one possibility. Maybe there are others?
“If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail”.
Some humans are more complex beings than that. They are broadminded with different skill sets, interests and more often colourful not simplistic stereotyped shades of gray. Not all are one trick ponies either. They might be quite thoughtful, eclectic and nuanced, characterized by subtle shades of meaning and expressions.
Doesn’t matter, carry on regardless, and don’t mind me. Pretend I’m not even here.

Posted by: SeanAU | Sep 30 2022 7:45 utc | 99