Norwegian@291…. there’s a good chance the old fella is on blood thinners, as such one can easily bruise.
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jul 25 2024 17:37 utc | 304

oldhippie | Jul 25 2024 12:52 utc | 237
*** Her [Harris’s] slight of Netanyahu makes no sense at all for an American politician. She is married to Hollywood Jewish. Should she persist even a bit longer on this course the Jewish donors either abstain or go Trump. Jewish campaign workers and voters the same.
It looks a lot like an abdication in favor of Trump.***
Not necessarily …. bear in mind that Gantz, Bennett and others — though basically supporting Netanyahu’s genocidal agenda while worrying about the negative PR its style of execution generates — would not be particularly pleased to see most US politicians compete to see who could genuflect and arselick the most to Netanyahu in person.
Reason being that Netanyahu’s position being thus strengthened has the side-effect of Ben Gvir and other rabid theological nut-cases (support which keeps Netanyahu in office) getting strengthened too.
So the line that the KH gang are taking may be devised to appeal to Jews in the USA who seriously dislike Netanyahu himself (Trump having already captured the support of Netanyahu fans) as well as to his less fanatically religious opponents inside Israel.

Posted by: Cynic | Jul 25 2024 17:51 utc | 306

sean the leprechaun | Jul 25 2024 17:37 utc | 305–
I can attest to very-extremely–easily bruising and weakness of skin as one ages and is taking some type of blood thinner–Brillinta is what I take twice daily. And I get bruises from actions that never caused them before, and I’m merely 68.
////////////////////////
As an escape from our reality, I wrote an article around what I felt was a fanciful news item, “Water on Moon Provokes Fanciful Thinking”. It’s not Comic Relief, but it does provide relief from reality for a few minutes, which is better than no relief at all.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 25 2024 18:18 utc | 308

the idea that 1 put option represents 1000 shares shorted probably confuses many here as well… either one understands what put options are, or they don’t..
Posted by: james | Jul 25 2024 15:26 utc | 276
If it was just bought a put you are capped at what you paid, worst case scenario you don’t exercise the option to sell it to the person who took the prime and accepted a loss up to the number of actions in the option times the exercise value of the put (should the asset price drop to zero)
The news, and even comments here, are misleading.
Indeed if that fund had DJT and had an inkling that it MIGHT drop due to the untimely death of Trump…
That would be a nice way to edge without selling the stock “without a reason”

Posted by: Newbie | Jul 25 2024 18:26 utc | 310

“the idea that 1 put option represents 1000 shares shorted probably confuses many here as well… either one understands what put options are, or they don’t..”
Posted by: james | Jul 25 2024 15:26 utc | 276
The put option is the ability, but not the obligation, to sell the underlying equity at a marked price at a alter date; maybe a week maybe 6 months.
One pays a premium to buy an put or call option as they are not marked at the market-last selling price on the underlying equity.

Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 19:09 utc | 312

Posted by: Roger | Jul 25 2024 17:26 utc | 303
With all due respect you don’t know what you are talking about:
This white paper summarizes the views of the CO2
Coalition, a new and
independent, non-profit organization that seeks to engage thought leaders, policy
makers, and the public in an informed, dispassionate discussion of how our planet
will be affected by CO2 released from the combustion of fossil fuel. Available
scientific facts have persuaded Coalition members that additional CO2
will be a net benefit. Rather than immediately setting this document aside for promoting such
a politically incorrect view, readers would do well to act on the ancient motto of
Britain’s prestigious Royal Society—nullius in verba, “don’t take anyone’s word for
it,” or more simply, “see for yourself.”
Claims that “97 percent of scientists” agree that a climate catastrophe is looming
because of the emission of CO2 should be greeted with skepticism. Traditional
science has advanced by comparing observations or experiments with theoretical
predictions. If there is agreement with theory, confidence in the theory is increased.
If there is disagreement, the theory is abandoned or it is modified and tested again
against observations.
Scientific truth has never been established by consensus, for example, by “97
percent agreement.” History reveals many instances when the scientific consensus
of the day was later discredited. The widespread embrace and practice of eugenics
in the early 1900s; opposition to the theory of plate tectonics in geology; and the
dominance of Lysenkoist biology in the Soviet bloc, are a few recent examples. Given
the frequency of mistaken consensus, citizens everywhere should heed the Royal
Society’s motto and learn as much as they can about how increasing CO2
levels in the atmosphere will protect the planet.
verview
Green plants grow faster with more CO2
. Many also become more droughtresistant because higher CO2
levels allow plants to use water more efficiently. More
abundant vegetation from increased CO2
is already apparent. Satellite images reveal
significant greening of the planet in recent decades, especially at desert margins,
where drought resistance is critical. This remarkable planetary greening is the result
of a mere 30% increase of CO2 from its preindustrial levels. Still higher CO2
levels will
bring still more benefits to agriculture.
Plants use energy from sunlight to fuse a molecule of CO2 to a molecule of water,
H2
O, to form carbohydrates. One molecule of oxygen O2
is released to the air for each
CO2
molecule removed. Biological machinery of plants reworks the carbohydrate
polymers into proteins, oils and other molecules of life. Every living creature, from
the blooming rose, to the newborn baby, is made of carbon from former atmospheric
CO2
molecules. Long-dead plants used CO2
from ancient atmospheres to produce
most of the fossil fuels, coal, oil, and natural gas that have transformed the life of
most humans – moving from drudgery and near starvation before the industrial
revolution to the rising potential for abundance today.
The fraction of the beneficial molecule CO2
in the current atmosphere is tiny,
about 0.04% by volume. This level is about 30% larger than pre-industrial levels in
1800. But today’s levels are still much smaller than the levels, 0.20% or more, that
prevailed over much of geological history. CO2 levels during the past tens of millions
of years have been much closer to starvation levels, 0.015%, when many plants die,
than to the much higher levels that most plants prefer.
Basic physics implies that more atmospheric CO2 will increase greenhouse
warming. However, atmospheric processes are so complicated that the amount of
warming cannot be reliably predicted from first principles. Recent observations of
the atmosphere and oceans, together with geological history, point to very modest
warming, about 1 C (1.8 F) if atmospheric CO2 levels are doubled.
Observations also show no significant change in extreme weather, tornadoes,
hurricanes, floods, or droughts. Sea levels are rising at about the same rate as in
centuries past. A few degrees of warming will have many benefits, longer growing
seasons and less winter heating expenses. And this will be in addition to major
benefits to agriculture.
More CO2 in the atmosphere is not an unprecedented experiment with an
unpredictable outcome. The Earth has done the experiment many times in the
geological past. Life flourished abundantly on land and in the oceans at much larger
CO2 levels than those today. Responsible use of fossil fuels, with cost-effective
control of genuine pollutants like fly ash or oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, will be
a major benefit for the world. 91)
1.https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/FC7C4946-11A3-4967-BF28-8D0386608D3E

Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 19:15 utc | 314

@ Newbie | Jul 25 2024 18:26 utc | 311
yes, thanks… and of course their is a difference between buying puts and selling puts as well..
@ canuck | Jul 25 2024 19:09 utc | 313
thanks.. i understand how they work as i did option trading about 25 years ago, but you implied that i didn’t in your earlier post..
Posted by: james | Jul 25 2024 19:12 utc | 314
I got my Series 7 in 1987 became a stockbroker on Wall Street (actually 10 Broadway Avenue)and have done alot of option trading.
And I didn’t mean you ‘understand option trading’ I meant that as an investment as a short investor DJT with a horrible balance sheet would be a juicy target for a short trader; also, just because DJT was assassinated doesn’t mean the equity would neccessarily go down; with so many shorts they can be squeezed like GameStop which value is 80% because of ‘trapped shorts”
Finally, at $5.5 billion capitalization -seems big but it really isn’t- the DJT stock hasn’t enough geft for a big score

Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 19:28 utc | 316

@308
@309
For Biden likely not an issue, but anyone taking thinners should have their blood checked regularly, my father in law almost bled out internally, lousy medical system and all.
One does not have to fall to bruise on thinners, my personal experience just scratching an itch would break the skin and cause bleeding and bruising, as Karl mentions above……and blade shaving, you look like a horror movie extra. I’m sure many of the ahem, older barflies have had the experience to some degree.
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jul 25 2024 19:43 utc | 318

One does not have to fall to bruise on thinners, my personal experience just scratching an itch would break the skin and cause bleeding and bruising, as Karl mentions above……and blade shaving, you look like a horror movie extra. I’m sure many of the ahem, older barflies have had the experience to some degree.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jul 25 2024 19:43 utc | 319
Had post-op thinner jabs, also gave them to mrs when she broke her kneecap and had a cast on her leg .
No complications whatsoever.
Mileage may vary…

Posted by: Newbie | Jul 25 2024 19:56 utc | 320

With b on auto-pilot the open thread has declined into a stream of reddit posturing. It used to be where you could find updates on Latin America, Central Asia, people posting interesting articles they’d found. Now it’s just a bunch of guys watching people argue on a street corner about American (yawn) ‘politics’ (can’t think of the better word for what it is). I think the word ‘sniper’ has been used over 1000 times. The quicker the US slides into the Pacific the quicker we can stop having to listen to a bunch of narcissistic exceptionalists talking over others about how interesting (not) ‘their thing’ is.

Posted by: Patroklos | Jul 25 2024 20:01 utc | 322

Trump Trump Trumpety Trump. B should set up a Trump thread so we know what to avoid.
@Roger: I don’t know why you bother.
There are thinkers and scholars dedicated to understanding the world and there are vested interests who profit from the inverted cause/effect thinking that typifies most people. The latter take the ideas of the former and bury them beneath a faux-form which they present to the public (Marxism, for example, is usually a complete misappropriation of Marx’s work). This is why there’s no substitute for becoming very acquainted with the primary material. This is also another way of saying don’t hang out here if you want to grasp the world in a nuanced and sophisticated way (unless you’re happy to gold-pan through a mountain of bullshit all day).

Posted by: Patroklos | Jul 25 2024 20:15 utc | 324

Sean the leprichaun @ 320
Its the smell of two dead presidents and a dead empire, open a window some one.
Anyone gat a shovel.

Posted by: Mark2 | Jul 25 2024 20:27 utc | 326

@Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 19:15 utc | 315
As a person of British origin I very much understand the disrespectful nature of “with all due respect”.
You did provide a very misleading reference for your quotes, as they are from the “CO2 Coalition” founded in 2015 in the US, not any US governmental organization. Founded by an Exxon scientist who was not a climate scientist, and another two scientists with no real background in climate science. A board made up of a physician, physicists with no in depth knowledge of climate change (or actually none at all) nor publications in relevant reputable scientific journals on the subject, an Exxon Mobil executive with no scientific background, a Heartland Institute (heavily funded by the oil and gas industry) advisor, and a couple of social scientists. And the Executive Director spent 35 years in the fossil fuel industry. A classic right-wing and fossil fuel industry constructed astro-turf organization, predominantly funded by right wing foundations known for their funding of such organizations. Please, don’t waste my time.
@Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 19:17 utc | 316
My use of sarcasm is not “losing your cool” actually quite the opposite.
It is interesting that I can have exactly the same type of discussions with biology deniers and with climate change deniers, full of misdirection and an utter inability to engage with actual reputably published scientific research, while both groups hate the other for “denying science”. It would actually be quite amusing if it wasn’t so sad. Well I will go back to my usual subjects on this blog, having received the usual expected responses.

Posted by: Roger | Jul 25 2024 20:30 utc | 328

Wild speculative fition: the genuine Donald Trump (half space alien, half baboon) has been replaced by an organic robotoid!

Posted by: lester | Jul 25 2024 20:39 utc | 330

Posted by: lester | Jul 25 2024 20:39 utc | 331
Mo? Mo lester?
So don’t be a pussy.
Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 20:37 utc | 330
Wasn’t it you that had some reserves about using anatomical parts when not applicable ?
As this is as OT as I’ll go let me wish B a snappy (and full) recovery

Posted by: Newbie | Jul 25 2024 20:45 utc | 332

Posted by: Roger | Jul 25 2024 20:30 utc | 329
You obviously didn’t read the ‘science’ I sent you.
Real simple Rog: in the last 2 MM years the Earth has had 17 ice ages-occurring once every 100,000 years or so.
So when the earth comes out of an ice age the earth gets warmer; after 40,000 years or so, the Earth gets cooler-it is a cycle.
We are just coming out of an ice age just 15,000 years ago so the earth get warmers and more C02 is created which creates arable land as it is now doing-the natural cycle.
75,000 years ago (global cooling) during the ice age there was only 20 breeding couples of homo sapiens still alive-now out that ice age with more arable land-which comes with elevated C02 levels and warmer weather- which is good for plants, animals and humans-please read my above email, Rog) and now there is 8 billion people.
Yet ‘global warming ‘is bad.
Wow.
Norwegian [who is much smarter than canuk, editor] he understand this; you talk about all the ‘scientists’ yet you have no idea what that is…amazing. Your types, and you are legion, remind me of the good folk who would say 500 years ago (all the scientists were against Galileo at that time-but which side was right?)listen to the Catholic priest read the bible in Latin and they had no idea what he was saying but they did what they were told.
You aren’t the only one they have deluded-yet you are not a dumb man do some research and go from Saul to Paul on this issue.
Study geology for awhile Roger that make make you understand the cyclical nature of climate nd perhaps unclench the tentacles WEF has over your mind..

Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 20:52 utc | 334

Anyone who thinks there was more than a single shooter and that they still MISSED is not playing with a full deck OR a student of history.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jul 25 2024 17:15 utc | 299
Good point. Have you considered that there was more than one shooter, but the intention wasn’t to kill Trump? If so, I would appreciate your thoughts on the subject. I cant help but think we are suppose to arrive at the Biden administration tried to kill Trump. The operational blunders are so painfully obvious, I am suprised that they didnt find Joe Biden’s passport at the rally.

Posted by: Turk 152 | Jul 25 2024 21:04 utc | 336

Posted by: Patroklos | Jul 25 2024 20:01 utc | 323
It was only the attempted assassination of one candidate, former president, and most polarizing figure in modern politics, and then the resignation of the president of the world’s most powerful and belligerent nation.
Quite irrelevant to geopolitics.

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 25 2024 21:05 utc | 338

Darn posted on China thread about Drumpff and Nuttyahoo visit .. nevermind I’ve got one more subject for now and it’s a doozy about the oldest satraps of Empire – the reason how America was discovered …
Humpty Dumpty
Does his Humpty Dumpty thang.
Bye Bye India – Moody Bastard has chosen to go the same ways as Banker Zionazi Bros and their other fake states created in the ME.
As they die so will the ‘Bharat’ Zion Dream.
The Anglo Indian oligarchy is going to be very annoyed.
Not only at losing the access and deals with both, but the total isolation in the ASEAN countries and the BRI.
The Rupee wil likely collapse and disappear.
I have no doubt Xi and VVP always knew they were dealing with the imperialists poison snake in the grass.
That’s why they kept him close.
But hey insta profits before politics, what!
‘ India to Continue Crude Oil Purchases from Venezuela
India’s largest private oil refinery, Reliance Industries, has received a license from the U.S. to continue purchasing crude oil from Venezuela. This allows them to bypass the renewed American sanctions on Venezuela.
Reliance Industries has a long history of purchasing crude oil from the South American country but had to halt shipments due to U.S. restrictions. Once the Biden administration eased sanctions, Reliance resumed its active acquisition of Venezuelan crude. From October 18 to April 18, the Indian conglomerate accounted for 90% of Venezuela’s total crude oil exports.’
https://t.me/multipolarmarket/8289
Goodnight barflies let’s see what the weekend brings.

Posted by: DunGroanin | Jul 25 2024 21:27 utc | 340

“canuck @ 315
Plants also need water. Cacti die if over-watered. Duh. If you think the biome that supports human habitat is indifferent to carbon dioxide at 150 or 400ppm you are as much a moron as Scotch. Why is this drivel always in infinite supply?”
Posted by: oldhippie | Jul 25 2024 20:48 utc | 334
With all due respect you are in intellectual impulse power on this issue, while I am at warp 8.
Kindly please read-below- and reform your thinking.
1.https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/FC7C4946-11A3-4967-BF28-8D0386608D3E
Posted by: Roger | Jul 25 2024 20:30 utc | 329
You obviously didn’t read the ‘science’ I sent you.
Real simple Rog: in the last 2 MM years the Earth has had 17 ice ages-occurring once every 100,000 years or so.
So when the earth comes out of an ice age the earth gets warmer; after 40,000 years or so, the Earth gets cooler-it is a cycle.
We are just coming out of an ice age just 15,000 years ago so the earth get warmers and more C02 is created which creates arable land as it is now doing-the natural cycle.
75,000 years ago (global cooling) during the ice age there was only 20 breeding couples of homo sapiens still alive-now out that ice age with more arable land-which comes with elevated C02 levels and warmer weather- which is good for plants, animals and humans-please read my above email, Rog) and now there is 8 billion people.
Yet ‘global warming ‘is bad.
Wow.
Norwegian [who is much smarter than canuk, editor] he understand this; you talk about all the ‘scientists’ yet you have no idea what that is…amazing. Your types, and you are legion, remind me of the good folk who would say 500 years ago (all the scientists were against Galileo at that time-but which side was right?)listen to the Catholic priest read the bible in Latin and they had no idea what he was saying but they did what they were told.
You aren’t the only one they have deluded-yet you are not a dumb man do some research and go from Saul to Paul on this issue.
Study geology for awhile Roger that make make you understand the cyclical nature of climate nd perhaps unclench the tentacles WEF has over your mind..
Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 20:52 utc | 335

Posted by: canuck | Jul 25 2024 21:32 utc | 342

Audio analysis of shots fired.
Where were the microphones located, by the shooter or around Trump?
If you have ever been shot at, you will hear the Crack of the bullet whizzing by you before the bang from the shot fired. So microphones around Trump would pick up both cracks and bangs.
Are these specially calibrated sound equipment designed for forensic analysis or just run of the mill media stuff?
It was not Deep State, they own both parties. Think of the rot as an onion, you have all these malevolent elements in layers and not everyone is connected.
You will never find out the truth because the main players will eliminate the nuisance element.

Posted by: Suresh | Jul 25 2024 21:40 utc | 344

canuck | Jul 25 2024 20:37 utc | 330
On forms/systems of governance and so forth, I have completely changed my veiws, not a 180, nor the German bimbo’s 360. Something quite different.
In watching the different systems, the main thing is – does that system suit the people and their culture and is the government of that country serving the people. And to take it the extreme, there some cultures that do still have a hereditary leadership that actually works in that the children are brought up with the sole aim of them becoming the next father of their country.
Russians system though is the same or similar to western systems yet much different. Russia went from Tzar’s and surfs to communism to the wild nineties befor becoming what it is now.
I looked up recent voting records not long back and now united Russia party generally gains about sixty percent of the vote and other parties 10% or less. Early on I think the communist party was getting around 30% but it seems that as average prosperity has increased it has become less popular.
Putin himself is very much a father to the country, but once I study Russia and its government, it is neither left nor right like here in the west we are told we should be.
They use policies that could be considered left and policies that could be considered right. Just whatever policy is needs for a particular situation or problem that will work best.
I see the same in China. Although they still have the communist government structure, China began depart from early communist theory after the death of Mao.
Looking at the early communism – until the Russian revolution was purely theoretical, in practice some aspects were unworkable. I think in the early communist theory there their was good solid aspects but also some utopian dreamer aspects.
A big part of that is in relation to private enterprise. In the early communism, both in Russia and China, there was little or no private enterprise. There was no real incentive for people to innovate, to excel.
In the Soviet Union, in the closed cities, that was a different matter. In those cities was higher wages, western goods in the shops – no doubt along with Russian goods and the general standard of living was much better in those cities.
The best and the brightest would strive to qualify for positions in those cities and they were the place were innovation and high quality products occurred. Be it weapons systems space craft of whatever.
Both the Russian and Chinese revolutions occurred when the majority of the peasants live in abject poverty and the administrative class in wealth and comfort.
Here in Australia, the earliest origins of the so called left is the shearers strike at Barcaldine. At that time, the shearers either walked or pedaled a bicycle to get from shed to shed and they could be long distances apart as the sheep runs of those days covered vast areas.
That was very much the working man vs the the men of capital with inherited wealth.
If we look at a number of places around the world, that was the early division – the working man vs the men of capital.
At that time at least in five eyes, the working man would try and get financially secure so he could provide for them before he married. Many of them here in Australia were also the sort that would try to establish a small business be it a small farm that first had to be cleared or a wagon and ox team and that sort of thing.
Here in Australia, with federation around 1900, the two political parties sprang up, one representing the men of capital, the other representing the workers.
The one representing the workers leaning towards the early communism or at least many aspects of it. I don’t now when the term progressives began to be used but looking back, I can see a number of progressive policies that would have been disastrous – Wiley E Coyote type stuff and other socialist policies that would have been or were good.
But what I see in the west now the division of left and right is just a means divide and conquer. Its very obvious in the western world that there is a power structure, a deep state that sits about the theater of politics. Theater used to entrance the masses and meanwhile this power structure that sits above politics is the new ‘Men of Capital’.
Early communism was a major threat to the western wealthy ruling class, but both the Russia and China of today pose a similar threat to the western power structure as they have governments that are ‘of and for the people’.
A big part of current western propaganda campaigns against current targets of choice is so the western peasants don’t look to closely at how their systems of governance work and within that see various aspects that may also work well here.
I can look at both an earlier America a current China and see that infrastructure building underpins any countries economy. That government infrastructure building is effectively socialism be it US or China.
There are so many aspects to look at I could ramble on for ages, but anyway, a bit of food for thought. I think we have to clear our minds of current perceptions and go right back to the foundations in the way we look a government and systems of governance.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 25 2024 22:08 utc | 346

No, it doesn’t. It merely transcends the rightful order. Its true basis is natural respect for everyone.
Posted by: persiflo | Jul 25 2024 12:00 utc | 231
################
What is the “rightful order”?
Rightful according to whom?

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jul 25 2024 22:28 utc | 348

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 25 2024 22:08 utc | 347
I am 4 dimensional on the subject. Not only is nation and people important to decide what form of governance works, so too is time and circumstance.
Not having read Das Kapital, I cant say Marx thought the same, but it seems to me hos theory of human progress was pretty accurate, all in all.
Perhaps, the punchline is new technologies redefine the phases, so often reaching communism can only hold for so long before new technology necessitates a return to capitalism to build said technology.
A cycle of resting on laurels until you have to earn new ones.
However, what is the point of progress if humanity can never enjoy the fruits, but must continue to struggle for more and more leisure?
The modern human has so much worry lifted from them, even meals for most people are delivered within one hours, and whatever the person desires.
Yet people are still incredibly stressed out and unhappy. Robotics have indeed freed up masses of workers in loud, noisy, dangerous jobs, but the work now is still quite difficult and taxing on the mind, be it software dev or grocery store clerk.
Overall, humanity can best be described with the “hard times make good men” proverb. It’s a constant cycle, without a one size fits all solution.

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 25 2024 22:46 utc | 350

Overall, humanity can best be described with the “hard times make good men” proverb. It’s a constant cycle, without a one size fits all solution.
Posted by: UWDude | Jul 25 2024 22:46 utc | 351
Very much so. I have noticed it in studying the histories of various countries. People coming out of poverty and hard times are hard workers. Once a moderate level of prosperity is achieved, the succeding generations start dreaming all sorts of shit and the pinnicle of that would have to be what we see here in the west now.
Wokism. The absolute destruction of society.
You look back at the depression years of the US and the massive government funded infrastructure building program to give people work. Those projects were all completed before scheduled, under budget, and of good quality.
Now anywhere in the west, nearly every time – massive budget blowouts, take years longer than planned to complete, and even then are quite often of poor quality.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 25 2024 22:58 utc | 352

Law enforcement is getting enough heat as it is with Trump surviving. If he had died heads would roll.
Posted by: jinn | Jul 25 2024 22:53 utc | 352
When have heads rolled for any failure since sep 10th, 2001?
Falling up is the reward for failure now.

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 25 2024 23:07 utc | 354

psychohistorian | Jul 25 2024 23:31 utc | 356
We have the greatly envied privilege of watching collapse of empire, collapse of civilization, collapse of society from within.
Just think about how lucky we are to be in that unique position 🙁

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 25 2024 23:41 utc | 356

Thanks to whomever for the latest Pepe link at Strategic Culture…
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 25 2024 23:31 utc | 356
That was me, psychohistorian – happy to have helped!

Posted by: juliania | Jul 25 2024 23:51 utc | 358

Apparently, Biden’s live speech at 8pm eastern wasn’t so live, his watch said 6:13.
Too bad the watch did not have a date.

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 26 2024 0:09 utc | 360

Salaam to all.
On Thursdays it is of great spiritual benefit for one to express appreciation to the Supreme One, the Eternal the Living, for raising Muhammad (saws) as the Seal of the Prophets for the benefits of all Sentient Realms, all creation, all nations.

O Allah!
. Bless Muhammad
. Your bound devotee [Abd]
. Your Prophet [Nabi]
. Your Messenger [Rasul]
. The Gentile Prophet [Ummi Nabi]

百字讃
乾坤初始，天籍注名。
傳教大聖，降生西域。
授受天經，三十部冊，
普化眾生。
億兆君師，萬聖領袖。
協助天運，保庇國民。
五時祈祐，默祝太平。
存心真主，加志窮民。
拯救患難，洞徹幽冥。
超拔靈魂，脱離罪業。
仁覆天下，道冠古今。
降邪歸一，教名清真。
穆罕默德，至貴聖人。
. ~!M!~ ~!M!~ ~!M!~

Posted by: sunfof27 | Jul 26 2024 0:22 utc | 362

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 25 2024 21:01 utc | 336
Thank you, karlof1! My kiwi nephew in NZ has a Finnish partner and she is an incredible artist, a lovely person. They have visited her parents so I know Finland is lovely also. I love Valaam for their adherence to traditional chant, so I know I will enjoy your link to video and photos. It was from Valaam that the first Orthodox priests and monks came to settle in Alaska when it was still Russian territory. They were very gentle with the natives, not usurping their traditions but accommodating to them and assisting families as much as they were able. Saint Herman, the first American Orthodox saint exemplified this in his life there.

Posted by: juliania | Jul 26 2024 0:30 utc | 364

Refinnejenna | Jul 26 2024 0:21 utc | 362
2025 with Trump installed, Venezuela will come under a lot of ‘pressure’ from the US. Trump hates ‘commies’.
Thanks for that info. I had seen one or two propaganda pieces appearing recently in western media.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 0:36 utc | 366

Posted by: Refinnejenna | Jul 26 2024 0:21 utc | 362
Thanks, that’s plenty

Posted by: Newbie | Jul 26 2024 0:40 utc | 368

President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso has seen several assassination attempts in recent history and now seems to have a Russian special forces security detail with him in the capital of Ouagadougou.
Vampire France is slowly being pried off of Africa’s jugular vein by the Axis of Resistance.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jul 26 2024 0:48 utc | 370

Pete and UWDude
Apart from guaranteeing own prosperity, people are always faced with adversities. Those have transitioned from natural adversity towards adversity of action taken by other humans.
It is not possible to foretell how another will act, or a group will act, or another group will act.
The evolution of that is establishment of a family order, then a tribal order and eventually nation orders.
The rules are simple, failure means to perish.
There is no set format, as witnessed by the multitude of variations societies have taken.
The family order is clear enough, is understood as essential for survival and with the roles taken adapting to circumstance. The objective is known without a word being said, because those that have not followed the most basic lines have perished. The basic lines are cooperation, limited use of violence, respect for the other and similar, the objective is continuity.
There is an interesting mathematical theory I once read called ‘finite and infinite games’. With the finite game the objective is to end the game by winning, with an infinite game the objective is to keep the game going. Both are applicable in this circumstance, but the infinite game takes priority.
As dispersed populations evolved, they would either come into conflict, or they would co-operate. Here the finite game might be understood as equal to the infinite game. Claiming a hunting ground might be as successfull as co-operating to share that hunting ground.
We have not evolved much since that, a trial and error of either co-operation or of conflict, or of some combination of the two.
The social structure becomes increasingly diverse as a more complex order is created to manage the co-existance of a larger population. Even within a single social structure conflicts also continued as before, and often attempts to win (control) the whole structure would ensue.
The different tribes, going on civilised (civilised – related to city, etymology) , would also merge, conflict , distance, share and so on. All of this with a backdrop of contemporary thoughts and understandings, resource bounty or shortage, technical evolutions in productivity, and so on and so forth.
From there we start to look at the weaknesses of complex systems. Maintenance might become too costly , or a heavily interdependent system might allow corruption by providing opportunity for control of the system from an inconsequential access point, as simple examples and I could think of many more.
So is there “an answer” to how everything should be done ? I don’t think so, but at the same time we would be stupid to forget the basic underpinnings that allowed mankind to evolve to being slightly more capable.
UWDude. People in cities have access to much wealth and yet are trapped by their surroundings. It suits them maybe, but then why do they complain about how unfair everything is ? I live in the countryside, bought land and built a house for about ten thousand dollars. Basic living costs are a hundred dollars a month all in per person, and that is to eat well , clothe adequately etc. It does not feel poor at all, there are reserves to spend much more but in day to day there is just no need to. Even small reserves also go a long way towards ensuring security. Internet and computer tech is inexpensive, hobbies and choice of work are at own discretion and not expensive etc. There is so much to find to do out of fun and adventure that there is not enough time in a day.
This would not suit everyone obviously, there is some work involved, but it is just to provide contrast.
Here is a story for you (mineral rights sales) and Peter (the mechanical reactions of metal armour) , plus Peter is in Oz with lots of iron ore 🙂
So I detect, and come across an ancient furnace bloom. Hmmm. No iron ore around here apparently but I start to study iron ore sources, rock structure etc. and eventually find a very thin seam of geothermally deposited iron ore like rock. What is more there were signs of mining. I don’t have any kind of tech to sample the rock properly, so I decided easiest would be to build a small furnace out of mud, powered by home made bellows and try to refine the rock, to reduce the ore. That was lots of fun and more work than at first sight … first run and am melting the rock , by third attempt I have an iron bloom. That is just stunning, to pick up a some rocks and using three thousand year old methods to produce iron. The furnace has a life of its own, you are periodically tapping molten rock from it , it seems like a volcano at times. Then to break the furnace open and take out the bloom, consolidate it and end up with clean pure wrought iron. It looks and feels like having found silver, but iron is more useful really. Mind you, often silver is found near thermal iron deposits …. hmmm.
And so on. Beats tv or designer clothes as far as I am concerned, might provide some insight or inspiration as to how metal armour might melt also … or else if you get around to understanding how phase diagrams work possibly – there are some really strange metal transition points 🙂 .
Probably will not read replies … late and tomorrow is another day.

Posted by: Ornot | Jul 26 2024 0:52 utc | 372

@ Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 0:46 utc | 370 and Newbie about collapse
Newbie keeps referring to the West but doubt that China went through the Dark Ages the West did……like refusing to acknowledge the Crab supernova in 1054
I am old and will only maybe see the beginning which I expect to be better than the God Of Mammon jackboot of now with its monotheism proxy war in the ME

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 26 2024 0:55 utc | 374

Ornot | Jul 26 2024 0:52 utc | 373
Making iron. Have watched it a lot and one thing I wanted to do but was past doing. Back to the very foundations of our iron based civilizations of today.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 1:00 utc | 376

2025 with Trump installed, Venezuela will come under a lot of ‘pressure’ from the US. Trump hates ‘commies’.
Thanks for that info. I had seen one or two propaganda pieces appearing recently in western media.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 0:36 utc | 367
Well then Trump is wrong…Venezuela and Maduro are not communist…

Posted by: notlurking | Jul 26 2024 1:09 utc | 378

Trump will hopefully betray Netanyahu & the deep state, by having Netanyahu & Biden arrrested & placed Guantanamo Bay prison. Betrayal & exposure to the public, is apparently what they fear most.
There are a lot of morally strong people who have Trump’s ear, paying careful attention, who know Biden’s proxy war on Russia in Ukraine & full support of the genocide on Palestine are 100% sinister activities. They know many on both sides of the aisle are traitors to the American people & form one big group of fools, who are under AIPAC control.
Too many Biden fans are either in denial or are habitual liars, claiming they know exactly what Trump will do. The truth is that they don’t know which way is up & they’re all traitors – self serving while screwing the people.
“I think Trump is awful but is there anything Trump did during his terrible 4 years as president that comes even close to the horror of Biden’s support for genocide in Gaza?”
-Medea Benjamin
​​”Trump, despite all his faults, still has a pragmatic streak & recognizes that the United States must negotiate with other countries, including Russia, China, North Korea & Iran.”
-Larry C. Johnson
https://sonar21.com

Posted by: will-seymore | Jul 26 2024 1:23 utc | 380

@Posted by: Refinnejenna | Jul 26 2024 0:21 utc | 362

If the opposition were to win, Gonzalez will be a puppet figure and María Corina Machado the de facto leader. I am sure MoA barflies will be able to see parallels between these two clown figures and recent US governments under Democrat-affiliated presidents.

I truly hope that Maduro wins, with the changes in government in Brazil and Colombia and the new assertiveness of both Russia and China, Venezuela stands some chance of climbing out from under the US economic wrecking ball even with a Trump presidency. Machado is a true oligarch neoliberal who will destroy everything achieved for the common people in one term – as we have seen in Ecuador and as we are seeing in Argentina.

Posted by: Roger | Jul 26 2024 1:44 utc | 382

2025 with Trump installed, Venezuela will come under a lot of ‘pressure’ from the US. Trump hates ‘commies’.
Thanks for that info. I had seen one or two propaganda pieces appearing recently in western media.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 0:36 utc | 367
Well then Trump is wrong…Venezuela and Maduro are not communist…
Posted by: notlurking | Jul 26 2024 1:09 utc | 379
Venezuela is top of the list for the Fortress America project that envisions backing away from failed neocolonial projects in the far-abroad and focusing on control of the New World, where US logistics and supply chains can be made shorter and more efficient than those for the US in the Old World, and the logistics and supply chains make interference from Russia, China, etc, much more difficult. Maduro is ‘communist’ in the sense that he won’t allow the US to take over and exploit the oil industry there. Resorting to ideological name-calling is necessary because fewer and fewer Americans are willing to invade foreign countries for their oil.

Posted by: Honzo | Jul 26 2024 1:54 utc | 384

…when it gets inclined towards territorial expansion.
Australia a potential target?
Posted by: Cynic | Jul 26 2024 1:55 utc | 386
I don’t think so and do not see anything pointing towards that at the moment. I think its more a matter of noting those underlying features of extremism and waiting to see which way India goes.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 2:02 utc | 386

Honzo | Jul 26 2024 1:54 utc | 385
Very much so. I believe a feature of the incoming nationalist/realist faction is securing their ‘backyard’ – south America. Venezuelan, Nicaragua, and from a few things said by the Mexican leadership, Mexico, are all rebellious regions of MAGA’s back yard. I assume there will be a few more as I am far from knowing all things south America

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 2:09 utc | 388

Honzo | Jul 26 2024 1:49 utc | 384
My thought is that it is not technology in it self that causes collapse but rather collapse of society leads to the collapse of technology.
Something along the lines of the first generation builds, second generation sustains and third generation squander what they have been handed.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 2:19 utc | 390

Roger | Jul 26 2024 2:15 utc | 390
The rise and fall rise and fall of very old civilizations that have carried through the ages. In that category I guess there is China, India and Persia.
I guess we look at civilization in terms of technology – archaeological stuff. Then there is the younger ‘civilizations’. written history plays a big part in how we look at things as in when did written history begin within various peoples.
And so we next are the Rus/Russians and Britain. But then we go to Britain’s colonies and the black sheep of the family – USA. Australia, Canada, NZ and US are all very young – toddlers. Expansion, land for free, indigenous brushed aside – like that dire straights song – Money for nothin and chicks for free.
So a very different mindset in the five-eye colonies. I look about me here in oz, and close none have any understanding of the much older peoples, cultures and countries.
They simply fear what they dont know and everything in the media now is about reinforcing that fear. Barbarians at the gates sort of thing.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 2:45 utc | 392

Roger 358
…so the US decoupling from China mirrors the EU cutting all ties with Ru. Natogrid and full USEU integration is what they plan. Do the US think that overregulation will help it put some order in the circus? Or the EU wants to have 2 percent if its population in jail?

Posted by: Minaa | Jul 26 2024 2:50 utc | 394

General Fiction | Jul 26 2024 2:49 utc | 394
And what happens to carbon monoxide when it enters the atmosphere?

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jul 26 2024 3:31 utc | 396

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-iris-satellite-plan-spacex-starlink-elon-musk-military-grade-space-rise-airbus-thales-alenia-space/
Suggestion for IRIS: just blow it like you did woth Nordstream. This is what it takes to be properly laid down.

Posted by: Minaa | Jul 26 2024 4:10 utc | 398

This why I say the US could not survive a nuke on a single city. It would create a hole in the web that would grow unpredictably even when, in the absolute sense, everything necessary to sustain the system was present SOMEWHERE in it.
Posted by: Honzo | Jul 26 2024 1:49 utc | 384
Russia could lose ten and come out stronger.
USA would collapse after one.
Reality show with nukes. Worst, cringe tik tok videos come from USA and Britain.

Posted by: UWDude | Jul 26 2024 4:25 utc | 400