(Like DunGroanin up thread, I’m also up early today.) Between Mike Mihajlovic’s recent posts on his X account, and this story from the Daily Mail, I’m a bit aghast, wide-eyed, a bit shocked. Although it is early in the morning. (‘62,000 Serbs decided the war,’ said German Emporer Wilhelm II . …. )
To the Mail: Miami-bound flight crosses Atlantic then turns around at the Canadian border
Excerpt
A Stockholm-to-Miami flight was forced to turn around and head back to Europe after it experienced extreme turbulence over Greenland. [Ummm… does that mean kudos are due to Denmark? Along with the 62,000 Serbs?? Or ‘62,000 Serbs’?]
The aircraft returned to a base in Copenhagen to undergo checks and root out technical issues.
… well. Maybe b’s latest report also could imply that Congress should investigate the Pentagon for European expenditures outside the Ukraine??

Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Nov 15 2024 10:13 utc | 103

Posted by: mk | Nov 15 2024 9:00 utc | 98
King Crimson has been my favorite rock band since 50 years
And one of mine, mostly from when Bill Bruford came onboard for Larks’ Tongues In Aspic.
And if you dig wild man, Jamie Muir, on percussion, do check out Dart Drug, with Derek Bailey.

Posted by: john | Nov 15 2024 11:29 utc | 105

@ Posted by: flying dutchman | Nov 15 2024 8:54 utc | 97
“The Jews floated the unscriptural Dispensationalist scam in the 19th century. It had negligible Christian precedent.“
Kindly cite that.
Unless we can agree that the PB and all western Christianity was always the Original Jewish Plot going back to the Roman Empire, under control of the Richest and limitless suppliers of Siver to the Roman Caesars and Generals to buy mercenaries to build that Empire. Owned by the proto-judeo Kings of the Silk and Spice Roads straddling EurAsia and the African Arabian Indian Chinese Trade Routes by Sea.
All historical records I have come across says it came from the Plymouth Bretherens messiah Darby as they went to set up the ziofascist AngloEuropean imperial melting pot of the USA, as the next great empire metamorphosis to finally win the World Island, they had always desired. With an attacking front from the east by sea as well as west by land using the combined force of Western Europeans.
Failed every century as it is failing now. Hence the Eschatological bullshit and Red Heffers causing the mass extermination of ancient Semitics. As we stand by idly believing that it must be ok because after all ‘we are the good guys’ – we are going to pay the price in this life and if you believe in an after one – forever burn for that.

Posted by: DunGroanin | Nov 15 2024 12:30 utc | 107

@Nokaz | Nov 14 2024 16:54 utc | 12
According to the americans4innovation the deep state is the Pilgrim Society since around 1902 and they recently stated that it is now proven
Contributing Author’s Note: The latest trove of Pilgrims documents uncovered now PROVES numerous aspects of Pilgrims Society history and principals that we have long suspected due to their interlocked associations, but could not prove directly. Now we can. Hold on to your hats, grab the kids, hide your wallet and defeat these devils. Deep State = Pilgrims Society.
https://americans4innovation.com/2024-10-28-Keir-Starmer.html

Posted by: petergrfstrm | Nov 15 2024 12:49 utc | 109

This might be an interesting topic for a thread here – the geopolitical implications of China’s dominance of the EV industry.
Posted by: Andrew Sarchus | Nov 15 2024 11:38 utc | 106
Still haven’t seen anything in tanks, but that brutal torque in low RPM could make a nice hybrid of an economic diesel go head on against turbine ones (m1 and t-80, beware)
Might be an interesting challenge , the right mix of batteries and capacitors could prove a win

Posted by: Newbie | Nov 15 2024 12:57 utc | 111

All the prez men…..
Trump

NATO should allocate at least 3% of GDP for ‘defense’

Marco Rubio in a nutshell

Lets hit the chicom with tariff, sanction, Tibet, HK, Xinjiang…

Mike Waltz

Lets draw down from euro and ME and focus on China, the no 1 threat

John Ratcliff

covid a Chinese bioweapon
China is our no 1 threat

RFK

covid is a Jew/Chinese bioweapon targetting whites and blacks

Pete Hegseth

“China is Building An Army to Defeat America”

Fucker Carlson/Trump

Why’r the chicom allowed to fuck around in our backyard ?

Fucker Carlson/Trump

China should pay for the wuflu

Fucker Carlson/Trump

We’r fighting the wrong guys [Russians]
All whites should gang up on the chinaman, just like good ole days

Posted by: denk | Nov 15 2024 13:30 utc | 113

Trump’s appointments strike me as a turd sandwich, only in reverse.
When managing peeps who need correcting, you feed them a turd sandwich so it goes down better. The turd goes in the middle of two tasty slices of bread. Praise, correct, praise.
Trump instead gave us neocon turd appointments followed by tasty bread appointments. I suppose more turds will follow soon given the pattern.

Posted by: cc | Nov 15 2024 14:36 utc | 115

Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 15 2024 5:27 utc | 89
Thanks, karlof1. I’m not against immigration, as I could be considered an immigrant myself, even though quite lately so, having been educated here and raised a family before deciding to join them as citizens. What I was alluding to, and I could of course be wrong, was an ‘open door’ policy for illegals under the Biden administration. I’m sympathetic to those as well, probably worked alonside a few in my working days and always was impressed by those,legal or not, for their dedication. But what I have read indicated that there were large numbers presently coming into the country and being encouraged to do so. Others can correct me that are closer to the border, if any here.
Thank you for the link. The Duran are more sympathetic to President Trump’s need to have sympathetic folk in his cabinet, which might be the reason for the Rubio appointment. I thought it detrimental of Richard Wolff to be so hard nosed launching into the inefficiency of cars that just idle around most of the time. Well, so does my washing machine. I must give it more whacks on the lid; churn, you slacker!

Posted by: juliania | Nov 15 2024 14:55 utc | 117

Whats US election ?
Lets make it simple for the yanks,,,…
Every 4/8 years, they swap out a bunch of MIC shills with another bunch of MIC shills. 😉

Posted by: denk | Nov 15 2024 15:04 utc | 119

Posted by: mk | Nov 15 2024 12:53 utc | 110
Oh yeah, kudos for the Tippett gig.
I entertain the possibility of reincarnation once in a while only because I’d love to come back as a musician. A good musician, and the attendant access to other good musicians.
Even if I remember what Fripp himself once said regarding the music industry,
This is not a field we enter if we like to earn a living. This is a field we only enter if there is nothing else we can do with our lives

Posted by: john | Nov 15 2024 15:27 utc | 121

Posted by: Jack M | Nov 15 2024 15:05 utc | 120
I can’t believe they even got NPR to go along with the obvious piece of fake news about the “assassination attempt” and how some crisis actor in the crowd got killed with one of those photoshop bullets, either.
NPR – The man killed in the assassination attempt on Trump died shielding his family
But it proves your assertion that some people are cattle.

Posted by: lex talionis | Nov 15 2024 15:42 utc | 123

Posted by: Jack M | Nov 15 2024 15:05 utc | 120
Please, Jack.
Trump was filmed by dozens of cameras when he was hit. At exactly the moment when the 1st shot is heard, he moves his arm to his ear, apparently because somewhat hurt him. He looks at his hand and there is some red fluid on it. This is caught on camera.
Tomato juice pad behind the ear?
Give me a break.

Posted by: mk | Nov 15 2024 15:52 utc | 125

Posted by: lex talionis | Nov 15 2024 15:42 utc | 123
David Dutch and James Copenhaver, the two men heavily injured on the day – crisis actors? Photoshop bullets?
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-men-wounded-gunman-opened-fire-trump-rally-say-secret-service-failed-rcna173357
Seriously?

Posted by: mk | Nov 15 2024 16:00 utc | 127

Even if I remember what Fripp himself once said regarding the music industry,
This is not a field we enter if we like to earn a living. This is a field we only enter if there is nothing else we can do with our lives
Posted by: john | Nov 15 2024 15:27 utc | 121
Roger Waters had also things to say about the music industry in “Have a Cigar”. Waters is a fantastic lyricist.

Posted by: jure | Nov 15 2024 16:11 utc | 129

https://www.counterpunch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/federalagencyemployment-680×500.jpeg
The table shows the number and percentage of civilian employees for each cabinet department as of May 2023. Sixty nine percent were employed by the security sector, namely, Defense, Veterans’ Affairs, Homeland Security and Justice. By contrast all the other non-cabinet agencies employed only eight percent.
These facts are just another piece of evidence that DOGE Elon Musk is another scam by frauds for fools.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Nov 15 2024 16:23 utc | 131

from Stars & Stripes
Air Force Silver Star recipients among those honored for repulsing Iranian missile and drone attack

An Air Force officer who became the third woman to be awarded a Silver Star since World War II was among 30 service members recognized this week for battling a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Nov 15 2024 17:14 utc | 133

@ my 133
“Iranian missile and drone attack . .”
Since we’re attacking the suppliers not the users. . .
How about the US bomb attack on Lebanon, a US ally?

Posted by: Don Bacon | Nov 15 2024 17:38 utc | 135

, Mike Waltz, on the China threat:

“This is a 1930s-era, Nazi
Germany-sized military …

From An outdated YT vid on China’s villages…
gringo

Chinese government needs to put more money to their people instead of military and golden medals

Cough cough !
Thats all folks

Posted by: denk | Nov 15 2024 18:23 utc | 137

@Posted by: Constantine | Nov 15 2024 15:01 utc | 118
Gabbard has repeatedly made anti-Muslim statements:

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has repeatedly stated “Islamism” and “radical Islamic ideology” fuel terrorism — claims that are made by anti-Muslim activists and organizations in support of criminalizing Muslim communities. Gabbard has met with foreign leaders who have been accused of war crimes and fomenting hatred against Muslims …
[In an interview] She stated, “I think that what’s important is we look at some of these messages and some of these threats that are being posed by different groups…by identifying the single common element amongst them…groups who are fueled by this radical Islamic ideology then once that’s identified, we understand it, then we can come up with a winning strategy to defeat it both militarily as well as ideologically.” …
Gabbard’s views on “Islamism” or “political Islam” are very similar to the claims made by anti-Muslim activists such as Frank Gaffney, Robert Spencer, and David Horowitz. Anti-Muslim activists and organizations have claimed the ideology of ‘radical Islam’ promotes violence and thus causes ‘terrorism.’ …
[a Hindutva apologist for anti-Muslim Modi and his incitement of anti-Muslim violence] In 2013, Gabbard opposed a House resolution that called for “religious freedom and related human rights to be included in the United States-India Strategic Dialogue.” The resolution specifically referenced the deadly riots in Gujarat, which occurred under Modi’s watch as chief minister of the state and resulted in the deaths of at least 2,000 people, mostly Muslims. In 2014, Gabbard told the press that “there was a lot of misinformation that surrounded the event [Guajara riots] in 2002.”

https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-tulsi-gabbard/
The words of Tusli Gabbard’s guru (Chris Butler) “The Mohammedan philosophy is so full of violence. They’re completely allowed to kill any infidels—anyone who doesn’t worship God the way they worship God. You can blow them up, slit their throats… you’re doing it in God’s service.” A cult leader who she has followed for many years, an utter Muslim hater and religious kook.
She is quite smooth at covering up her bigotry with weasel words, but it is there. Remember that she was a Democrat for quite a while, so had to skillfully cover up any such beliefs. She is also absolutely pro-Israel spouting all the lies about October 7th, condemned pro-Palestinian supporters and labelled Hamas as “radical Islamist” terrorists when in fact they are a national liberation movement.
Syria is a secular nation, not an Islamic one, and the intervention in Syria set Islamic terrorist groups (groomed and supplied by Mossad, MI6, the CIA, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) against a secular nation. Those terrorist groups murdered and enslaved many of the Christian minority, as well as attacking moderate Muslims. They never attacked Jews. Her intervention in Syria perfectly fits with her world view. The US very stupidly turned an ally into an opponent, not the effective and efficient Empire that Gabbard envisages.

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 15 2024 18:30 utc | 139

@Posted by: denk | Nov 15 2024 18:23 utc | 137
Waltz is a delusional idiot, an utter moron who lives in a parallel universe in his own head. China spends 2% of GDP on defence, its just a hell of a lot more efficient at getting value for money for its Yuan. The US spends 3% of GDP on defence, and that’s not counting all the hidden money/black budgets; soon to go significantly higher under Trump. And most of that money goes on fat profit margins, a global network of military bases, and waste.

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 15 2024 18:35 utc | 141

By the way, I also believe that the Race War mentality is actually originated from the Judeo-Christian mentality. Jews are racist, that’s been obvious to most barflies here. But look at them Evangelical Rednecks, I began to understand where all the War Cries against China/Iran came from.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 15 2024 18:59 utc | 143

The webinar.
https://tube.kansanvalta.org/w/hkFj4fUiCH9WzRNzLTTKSM

Posted by: Jack M | Nov 15 2024 19:05 utc | 145

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 15 2024 18:35 utc | 141
—————-
//universe ,, exactly what I thought !
US ‘defense’ budget dwarfs China’s in per capita, per GDP and absolute terms !
The kicker …
China is encircled by 8NA bases, while USA faces no existential threats whatsoever !
Waltz and co are making a confession again !
Good nite Roger !

Posted by: denk | Nov 15 2024 19:29 utc | 147

Real fun in OKLAHOMA.
“OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters emailed leaders in Oklahoma school districts on Thursday telling them they would be required to play their students and parents a video showing Walters blaming the “radical left” and “woke teachers unions” for “attacking” religious liberty, then inviting students to join him as he prays for President-elect Donald Trump.”
NewsNation affiliate KFOR obtained a copy of the email Walters sent superintendents in Oklahoma school districts just before 4 p.m. Thursday.
In the email, Walters told superintendents they were required to play a video for all students and parents, in which Walters makes politically-charged statements, followed by a prayer for President-elect Donald Trump and the country.
The email said:
“Dear Superintendent:
We are in a dangerous time for this country. Student’s rights and freedoms regarding religious liberties are continuously under assault. The newly created Department of Religious Liberty and Patriotism will be working to thwart any attempts to disrupt our Oklahoma student’s fundamental freedoms.
In one of the first steps of the newly created department, we are requiring all of Oklahoma schools to play the attached video to all kids that are enrolled. We are also requiring that that school districts send this video to all parents as well.
Students are encouraged but not required to join me in this prayer.
Prayer for the Nation
Sincerely,
Ryan Walters
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oklahoma State Department of Education”
Walters begins the video by making an announcement. (The video is also included in the MSN News article.
“We’re excited to announce a new office here in the State Department of Education, that will be the Office of Religious Freedom and Patriotism,” Walters begins the video saying.
Without citing any examples, Walters continues to make political statements.
“For too long in this country, we’ve seen the radical left attack individuals’ religious liberty in our schools,” Walters says. “We will not tolerate that in Oklahoma. Your religious liberties will be protected.”
Walters also spoke about teachers union.
“We’ve also seen patriotism mocked and a hatred for this country pushed by woke teachers unions,” Walters says. “We will not tolerate that in any school in Oklahoma. We want our students to be patriotic. We want our students to love this country. And we want all students’ religious liberty to be protected.”
Then, Walters invites students watching the video to join him in a prayer. He makes clear students are not required to pray with him.
Gaetz nomination in serious trouble: GOP senators
“I will now say a prayer—and to be clear, students, you don’t have to join—but if you so wish, I’m gonna go ahead and pray,” Walters says.
Walters then bows his head and begins to pray.
The video is also contained in the MSN News article.
“Dear God, thank you for all the blessings you’ve given our country,” Walters says. “I pray for our leaders to make the right decisions. I pray, in particular, for President Donald Trump, and his team, as they continue to bring about change to the country. I pray for our parents, teachers and kids—that they get the best education possible, and live high-quality lives. I also pray that we continue to teach love of country to our young people, and that our students understand what makes America great, and that they continue to love this country. Amen.
More fun: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/oklahoma-superintendent-orders-schools-to-show-students-political-video/ar-AA1ua3QZ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=62dc2b7aed8345a7b052cdbc3bfad547&ei=20

Posted by: Ed | Nov 15 2024 21:33 utc | 149

A German citizen’s home was raided for retweeting an image calling Economy Minister Robert Habeck “weak in the head”
(english, german)
I have a question, perhaps moa readers can answer. What would happen to a Russian pensioner who called the Russian economics minister an idiot? What would happen to a Chinese citizen who called the Chinese economy minister “weak in the head”?

Posted by: Passerby | Nov 15 2024 22:17 utc | 151

Two short items that contain a bit more than their titles. “Russia’s Input at APEC’s Session 2,” https://karlof1.substack.com/p/russias-input-at-apecs-session-2
And “Lavrov’s Short Chat with Media at Abu Dhabi,” https://karlof1.substack.com/p/lavrovs-short-chat-with-media-at

Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 16 2024 0:37 utc | 153

Posted by: aristodemos | Nov 14 2024 15:42 utc | 2
“Trump’s choices for cabinet and similar positions appear to be a bit schizophrenic. ”
It’s not schizophrenia, it’s payback time. Victor Davis Hanson puts it in perspective for us.
https://x.com/VDHanson/status/1857579416471372198

Posted by: Paranaense | Nov 16 2024 1:41 utc | 155

This is 3rd try to get past some filter
I have now waded through the complete text of the Michael Hudson, Richard Wolff and Robinson Erhardt with the link provided again because of its educational value, IMO
https://michael-hudson.com/2024/11/beyond-surface-economics-the-case-for-structural-reform/
It can be a slog in places for some of us but nuggets of perspective abound for all.
Reading about Michael’s connection to future studies of the 1970’s brought back memories of my touch of the edge of that attempt at pubic policy discussion. I would challenge the Hudson/Wolff duo to develop cross-impact matrix parameters for something like ht tps://cross-impact.org/
Filling out the impact matrix would be an education of political/economic concepts using stinktank tools being hidden from public exposure. To me, it would provide a useful structure for the public discussion they are trying to encourage.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 16 2024 2:18 utc | 157

Hegseth is even more of a moronic lunatic than I thought, he actually supports the building of a Jewish temple on the site of the Al Aqsa mosque, the very thing that would trigger a was to the death in the Middle East.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/new-us-defence-secretary-called-building-third-temple-jerusalem

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 16 2024 3:16 utc | 159

Below are the example descriptors from the CIB method description example
A. Government
B. Foreign policy
C. Economy
D. Distribution of wealth
E. Social cohesion
F. Social values
CIB has for variants of those descriptors
A. Government:
A1 ‘Patriots party’
A2 ‘Prosperity party’
A3 ‘Social party’
B. Foreign policy:
B1 Cooperation
B2 Rivalry
B3 Conflict
C. Economy:
C1 Shrinking
C2 Stagnant
C3 Dynamic
D. Distribution of wealth:
D1 Balanced
D2 Strong contrasts
E. Social cohesion:
E1 Social peace
E2 Tensions
E3 Unrest
F. Social values:
F1 Meritocratic
F2 Solidarity
F3 Family
I think models like this can help describe our form of social organization in the West in contrast to other nations.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 16 2024 3:43 utc | 161

Kristi Noem, the woman who killed her pet dog because it “didn’t measure up” and has been selected as the Head of Homeland Security by Trump, has stated that she plans to implement nationwide “anti-semitism” (actually anti-Zionism under the ridiculous IHRA definition) laws. Only in the West can you go to jail for criticizing the policies of another country!
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 14 2024 17:43 utc | 18
IIRC under the law HR6090 and the definition of antisemitism it uses,
the New Testament, specifically the Gospels and their description of Jesus’ execution on the demand of the Jews,
are illegal in the United States…

Posted by: Delhiliterally | Nov 16 2024 5:33 utc | 163

There seems a bit of an uproar because Elon Misk has talked with the Iranian ambassador. But isn’t that the whole purpose of an ambassador – to have someone to talk to?

Posted by: Passerby | Nov 16 2024 9:10 utc | 165

So, what’s the Danish news got to say about turbulence over Greenland, I wonder? I did find this: from the X account of Denmark at NATO
🇩🇰🇸🇰The #NATO Resilience Symposium 2024 has successfully concluded in Bratislava. Leaders and experts gathered to discuss how to deliver resilient deterrence and defence, focusing on advancing resilience planning to strengthen the collective defence of the Alliance. #WeAreNATO
https://x.com/DK_NATO/status/1857422837377593583
Canada’s CBC News the National reported last night, that the portrait of Winston Churchill that was stolen from an Ottawa hotel about three years ago, is back. In my haste to put this out there earlier, I suggested/wrote that Yusuf Kursh was the innocent buyer, who paid for the portrait not realizing it was stolen. He’s actually the photographer (okay, okay, I was too eager to suggest a link to the conflict in Palestine.) Anyway – here’s the three minute report:
https://youtu.be/8uYETlCfF5A
The Moment for last night’s the National was about an attempted theft of $13,00 worth of cheese. From Whole Foods, which is owned by the CIA, I thought. (Ray McGovern and Larry Johnson would have to provide context on that one, if there is context, and if there wasn’t context it wouldn’t be The Moment):
https://youtu.be/Il3L3li1ecM

Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Nov 16 2024 10:34 utc | 167

“There seems a bit of an uproar because Elon Musk has talked with the Iranian ambassador. But isn’t that the whole purpose of an ambassador – to have someone to talk to?”
Posted by: Passerby | Nov 16 2024 9:10 utc | 165
Here is Sonar 21’s take on this issue:
“By Larry C. Johnson on 15 November 2024
I believe that the FBI’s announcement on November 8 — three days after Trump’s victory — of an alleged Iranian plot to kill an Iranian American journalist was part of an intelligence information operation to manufacture a casus belli to attack Iran. I wrote about this plot in my last post (read here). I have checked with a retired FBI agent, a retired CIA case officer and a senior former DEA agent and asked them to critique my analysis. They all agreed with my conclusion — i.e., the 2019 bust of Farhad Shakeri in Sri Lanka, while trying to move 92 kilos of heroin, was done with the help of DEA and DEA then recruited Shakeri and CC-1 to become confidential informants. Shakeri apparently was directed to move to Iran and get a job in order to create his bona fides as an Iranian intelligence asset. It is likely that the CIA played a role in orchestrating this operation.
Why? This was part of a broader effort to create a reason to attack Iran and present Donald Trump with a war before he could assume the Presidency. Well, that plan appears to be falling apart. Trump dispatched Elon Musk to NYC to talk to Iran’s UN Ambassador on Friday. Why Elon? It is a clear message to Iran that Trump is serious about engaging them diplomatically because he sent a guy that all of the world knows is a new best friend of Donald. Iran will not be wondering if Elon is speaking on his own. Nope. Elon is doing so with the blessing of Donald Trump. By engaging Iran, Trump is trying to prevent a war, not hasten one.”

Posted by: canuck | Nov 16 2024 11:01 utc | 169

Cannuck @ 168
Tom Homan is also the person responsable for removeing 15,000 inocent children from their parentes and keeping them in cages.
This happend on the border between Mexico and north america under trumps presidency.
You, holman and trump are showing your extremist views. Ony two weeks after the election, now showing your true zionist and ‘banderite’ tendentcys.
You digust me and any right thinking person with humaine moral principles.

Posted by: Mark2 | Nov 16 2024 11:18 utc | 171

@ canuck | Nov 16 2024 11:08 utc | 170
Worse than that, me thinks.
1. WorldBank’s claims depend on statistics self-reported by a regime that can’t be trusted to audit itself. A report in 2009 said the military budget was already $1 T. Includes only self-reported stats but includes portions of funds given to DOE, NASA, etc. IOW, the “$war/GEP” numerator is significantly understated.
2. Inflation is significantly undercounted, each year for decades. Therefore, the denominator, GDP, is significantly overstated.
What happens when we double the numerator and halve the denominator?

Posted by: I forgot | Nov 16 2024 11:44 utc | 173

“@ canuck | Nov 16 2024 11:08 utc | 170
Worse than that, me thinks.
1. WorldBank’s claims depend on statistics self-reported by a regime that can’t be trusted to audit itself. A report in 2009 said the military budget was already $1 T. Includes only self-reported stats but includes portions of funds given to DOE, NASA, etc. IOW, the “$war/GEP” numerator is significantly understated.
2. Inflation is significantly undercounted, each year for decades. Therefore, the denominator, GDP, is significantly overstated.
What happens when we double the numerator and halve the denominator?”
Posted by: I forgot | Nov 16 2024 11:44 utc | 173
GDP is a poor measurement of a Sovereign’s economy. PPP (1)-Purchase Power Parity is much better measure. In that measure China is the #1 economy in the world fully 20% higher than that of the US-with Russia #4 surpassing Germany..
1. Purchasing power parity (PPP) is a money conversion rate used to express the purchasing powers of different currencies in common units. This rate expresses the ratio between the quantity of monetary units required in different countries to purchase the same “basket” of goods and services.

Posted by: canuck | Nov 16 2024 12:07 utc | 175

I don’t know if Trump is the kind of guy who can say one thing and still have his private thoughts pointing otherwise.
Posted by: grunzt | Nov 14 2024 21:11 utc
=====
Let’s look at it this way. This is the guy who – we learned recently from some of the audio recorded with Jeffrey Epstein by Michael Wolff – was Epstein’s best friend for ten years.
Who was Epstein? Apart from the pedophilia master he was the hierophant of Moloch – a name cognate with Malik, Lord, in semitic languages – and here signifying the Talmudic lord, Satan. Jesus of Nazareth addressed the Pharisees as sons of Satan, the liar and murderer. The Pharisees are the genitors of modern Rabbinic Judaism.
The Moloch temple was a noteworthy part of Epstein’s island. It’s funny everyone talks about sex with the pubescent girls but no one mentions the human sacrifice.
Participating in the torture and murder of the innocent sometimes leads among the susceptible to multiple personality. The more hardened are able to seamlessly switch between multiple selves. I’m guessing that’s what’s behind some of Trump’s weirdness. It’s noteworthy that biographical essays over the years in three magazines, one of them the New Yorker in the 90s, remark, seemingly independently, that Trump has no soul.
I’m betting that part of that is Trump “say[ing] one thing and still hav[ing] his private thoughts pointing otherwise.”

Posted by: sarz | Nov 16 2024 12:45 utc | 177

******* Ed @149
Gaetz nomination in serious trouble: GOP senators
***********
“I can hardly wait to see how this plays out. Desantis was going to appoint Gaetz as Senator when Rubio resigned. However, Lara Trump wants that Senatorial appointment. So BINGO Gaetz gets the AG position, and Lara is a shoe-in for the Senatorial appointment.
HOWEVER IF Gaetz does not get confirmed by the Senate all bets are off. I think Desantis will be speaking out on this approach if the going gets tough during the confirmation.
The Republican Senators will have an interesting choice – Gaetz in DOJ as AG, or Gaetz in the Senate and dealing with him in Republican Senate Cloakroom.”
Posted by: Jerr | Nov 16 2024 3:07 utc | 158
guys, Senate (1) does NOT have to confirm Gaetz to get the DOJ job-there is such a thing as ‘recess appointments’ where the president can appoint his choice during Senate recesses Couple :
“During the nation’s early history, Congress would take months-long breaks from Washington, and presidents could use recess appointments to avoid having an important job go unfilled. However, more recently, the process of recess appointments has been featured in partisan fights with the president.
President Bill Clinton made 139 recess appointments and President George W. Bush made 171, though neither used the process for top-level cabinet positions.
President Barack Obama continued the practice, using it 32 times.” (2)
1. “The Recess Appointments Clause, authorizing the President to make temporary appointments when the Senate is not in session, was adopted by the Constitutional Convention without dissent and without debate regarding the intent and scope of its terms. In the Federalist No. 67, Alexander Hamilton refers to the recess appointment power as nothing more than a supplement . . . for the purpose of establishing an auxiliary method of appointment, in cases to which the general method was inadequate. It is generally accepted that the Clause was designed to enable the President to ensure the unfettered operation of the government during periods when the Senate was not in session and therefore unable to perform its advice and consent function. In addition to fostering administrative continuity, Presidents have exercised authority under the Recess Appointments Clause for political purposes, appointing officials who might have difficulty securing Senate confirmation.”
2. https://www.kttc.com/2024/11/16/digging-deeper-history-recess-appointments-how-they-work/

Posted by: canuck | Nov 16 2024 13:23 utc | 179

As a Marxist one would think that you would have sympathy for the American taxpayers who work at low paying menial jobs. When these illegals enter the work force they force down blue collar wages-not to mention overcrowding schools, hospitals and housing.
Posted by: canuck | Nov 16 2024 12:23 utc | 176
_____
Most Marxists I know of would sympathize with both the illegal migrants and the American blue-collar workers, and emphasize that they have a common enemy in the bourgeoisie, especially the capitalists at the top.
I suppose some illegal immigration suppresses American wages, but of course only if employers break the law by giving them jobs. Illegal migrants who are paid in cash below the minimum wage don’t contribute meaningfully to wage suppression if the jobs in question are not ones that Americans want to or even are able to (because of the illegal wage offered) take. I suspect much of the wage suppression takes place when *legal* immigrants are brought in to replace higher-paid Americans, e.g. nationals from India brought into the US via H-1B visa to work in the tech industry.

Posted by: malenkov | Nov 16 2024 13:49 utc | 181

Jack M @ 144
This shtick has been played so many times fake should be the automatic default assumption for anyone with two brain cells to rub together. Remember the Maine! It was already old by time of the Maine.
The suckers fall for it every time. Current company no exception.
Analytically. I doubt Trump has the chops or the institutional reach to have pulled this one off. More likely it was handed to him. Of course he would be happy to play along. He’s an actor, play-acting is what he does. And now they own him.

Posted by: oldhippie | Nov 16 2024 15:50 utc | 183

@Posted by: malenkov | Nov 16 2024 13:49 utc | 181
Your position on illegal (and mass legal) immigration is one of the major reasons why the “left” cannot gain traction with the working class. I don’t know your personal status, but so many Western Marxists sit in comfy jobs that disconnect them from the reality of actual working people.
Mass immigration (both legal and illegal) is a bourgeois capitalist oligarchy tool to keep the workers down. There is never a labour shortage, just a shortage of citizens not willing to work at the wages offered. In a normal functioning economy, where employers do not have the ability to bring in mass cheap labour, this leads to rising wages and increased efficiency. In a Canada that has experienced mass legal immigration, including foreign students with the right to work, we have seen the result. The lowest level of business investment in efficiency in the OECD and stagnating (at best) wages, while the costs of housing etc. go through the roof, soup kitchens are overwhelmed with foreign nationals, and citizens are competed out of entry level jobs. I see this every day in the actual Canadian city that I live within. The same is done in the US with mass illegal immigration, H1Bs etc.
If the left in the West wants to start being successful again it needs to start by re-orienting itself back to the actual needs and views of the working class. That would include a multi-pronged approach against mass immigration (legal and illegal) which identifies it as a bourgeois elite project to subjugate working people and absolute resistance to the foreign wars (overt, covert and economic) that drive so much of the immigration (e.g. Venezuela, Libya, Syria, Cuba, Nicaragua) together with support for the development of foreign economies as a way of both providing opportunities for foreign citizens at home and new markets.
Without this, the left simply opens the door to right wing nationalism and xenophobia. Utterly self-defeating, but sometimes I wonder if Western Marxism’s function is actually be a self-defeating sheep dog – just like Bernie Sanders. Dominic Losurdo wrote an excellent book on how Western Marxism ended up in this sorry state, helped on its way by the Western establishment as Gabriel Rockhill has so well documented.
The book Western Marxism: How it was Born, How it Died, How it can be Reborn
And a discussion with Gabriel Rockhill:
Gabriel Rockhill, “Western Marxism”

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 16 2024 16:15 utc | 185

****cannuck @179
guys, Senate (1) does NOT have to confirm Gaetz to get the DOJ job-there is such a thing as ‘recess appointments’ where the president can appoint his choice during Senate recesses
******
Yes but Mitch McConnell refused to recess the Senate for almost a year so Obama couldn’t appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court using the Recess Appointments Clause.
“Senators are scheduled to be on a break from Washington for the next two weeks, but they have left behind a rearguard to keep the chamber running on low gear, denying President Obama a chance to install his Supreme Court nominee.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/20/republican-senators-skipping-recess-to-block-obama/

Posted by: Jerr | Nov 16 2024 16:58 utc | 187

But hey its sataday lets chill…..
If anyone wants a really good laugh i recomend this weeks bbc radio 4 ‘spitting image’
An absalute classic. 30 mins.
Geo pol at its best.
Talk about bursting bubbles.

Posted by: Mark2 | Nov 16 2024 17:14 utc | 189

This is definitely a “maybe it’s just me” situation, but I thought this was brilliant.
From TASS – Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a warning to the OSCE (Here’s the whole report, it’s brief):
16 NOV, 08:59
Situation at OSCE security forum worsens under Danish chairmanship — Foreign Ministry
“The language of hostility and hatred was heard with renewed vigor at the Forum along with calls for the ‘punishment’ of the Russian leadership, which the Danish ambassador openly called ‘a source of inspiration’,” the department added
MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. The situation at the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation has significantly worsened under the current Danish chairmanship, with anti-Russian rhetoric being voiced with renewed vigor, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The situation at the forum has sharply deteriorated under the current Danish chairmanship,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated. “Ambassador Gronbech-Jensen, head of the Danish delegation, has taken a biased, anti-Russian stance and rushed to give representatives of the Kiev regime a platform.”
“The language of hostility and hatred was heard with renewed vigor at the Forum along with calls for the ‘punishment’ of the Russian leadership, which the Danish ambassador openly called ‘a source of inspiration’,” the department added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry added that these actions had received an appropriate response from the Russian side. “In an attempt to save face, Gronbech-Jensen attempted to provoke a ‘procedural’ crisis by acting in violation of the consensus rule, which forms the foundation of the forum’s operations,” the ministry noted.
It further criticized the actions of the Danish chairmanship, stating that “in a move contrary to all standards of decency and established procedural rules, the Danish leadership overstepped its authority and sought to impose a new operational model on participating states, embodying the notorious concept of a ‘rules-based world order’.”
The statement emphasizes Russia’s serious concerns regarding the chairman’s intention to continue acting within this line, including holding illegitimate gatherings, distributing falsified records of forum meetings, and appending unspoken statements to them. “No one has granted him such authority. Copenhagen’s blatant and irresponsible actions are discrediting the chairmanship and the forum as one of the OSCE’s decision-making bodies,” the ministry asserted.
It further stressed that these actions undermine the principle of consensus, a cornerstone of the organization, without which its existence is fundamentally compromised.
Firm protest
Russia has expressed “a strong protest over the gross violations by the Danish chairmanship of the OSCE consensus principle and rules of procedure.” “The ‘face’ of Danish diplomacy, distorted by Russophobia, testifies to its total degradation. If Copenhagen wanted to inscribe itself in the history of the forum, the method chosen for this purpose – the destruction of the core principles of the organization’s work – was clearly a failure,” the ministry stated. “The Russian side warns the current and next chairs: Moscow will do everything possible to return the forum to its mandate and rules of procedure, and will continue to deliver the truth from its rostrum.”
According to the statement, if Russia’s opponents do not need the forum, “they will be the ones to bear the responsibility for the destruction of this decision-making body and for the consequent defeat of the organization.”.

Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Nov 16 2024 18:04 utc | 191

Posted by: jure | Nov 16 2024 18:06 utc | 193
“Destruction caused by the “Collective West” in the form of NATO, being led by the US Empire.”
I agree that many immigrants are just happy to find a place where they can build a new life, just like here in America. However, I would be lying if I told you that there are no gangs or cartels using our lax immigration controls to build their networks bringing untold suffering and death to citizens or that there are no government agencies or politicians who want to exacerbate the chaos to strengthen their power and remake society to fit their Globalist vision.
And you would be lying if you denied the existence of Islamist networks in Europe trying to establish Shariah and punish infidels for insulting their prophet
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hebdo_shooting
And you would also be lying if you tried to deny the existence of groups like George Soros’ Open Society who are exacerbating and stoking the chaos of the immigration crisis in Europe to advance their Globalist agenda.
My question to you is, who are the European government leaders supposed to serve? Who should they represent, protect and answer to, the EU citizens or the change agents who are working behind the scenes?

Posted by: Paranaense | Nov 16 2024 18:58 utc | 193

Posted by: jure
“Destruction caused by the “Collective West” in the form of NATO, being led by the US Empire.”
I agree that many immigrants are just happy to find a place where they can build a new life, just like here in America. However, I would be lying if I told you that there are no gangs or cartels using our lax immigration controls to build their networks bringing untold suffering and death to citizens or that there are no government agencies or politicians who want to exacerbate the chaos to strengthen their power and remake society to fit their Globalist vision.
And you would be lying if you denied the existence of Islamist networks in Europe trying to establish Shariah and punish infidels for insulting their prophet as we saw in the Charlie He do massacre.
And you would also be lying if you tried to deny the existence of groups like George Soros’ Open Society who are exacerbating and stoking the chaos of the immigration crisis in Europe to advance their Globalist agenda.
My question to you is, who are the European government leaders supposed to serve? Who should they represent, protect and answer to, the EU citizens or the change agents who are working behind the scenes?

Posted by: Paranaense | Nov 16 2024 19:16 utc | 195

I agree that many immigrants are just happy to find a place where they can build a new life, just like here in America. However, I would be lying if I told you that there are no gangs or cartels using our lax immigration controls to build their networks bringing untold suffering and death to citizens or that there are no government agencies or politicians who want to exacerbate the chaos to strengthen their power and remake society to fit their Globalist vision.
And you would be lying if you denied the existence of Islamist networks in Europe trying to establish Shariah and punish infidels for insulting their prophet
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hebdo_shooting
And you would also be lying if you tried to deny the existence of groups like George Soros’ Open Society who are exacerbating and stoking the chaos of the immigration crisis in Europe to advance their Globalist agenda.
My question to you is, who are the European government leaders supposed to serve? Who should they represent, protect and answer to, the EU citizens or the change agents who are working behind the scenes?
Posted by: Paranaense | Nov 16 2024 18:36 utc | 195

Regarding Malmö in your other comment, answers will vary depending on who you talk to. Ask a right-winger from the SD (Sverigedemokraterna) and he will say it is hell on earth. Ask others and they say the issue is massively taken out of proportion, and Malmö is still a good and very safe place to live despite some social issues in isolated neighborhoods…
I do not deny that amongst these immigrants are also very angry people who eventually want revenge, and have even done so (hell, if my home would be bombed by the USAF and my country destroyed for not bowing to US interests, I would be pissed off too and possibly want revenge), and in some cases come together to form gangs, but political violence here in Germany is mostly done by the far-right. Recently in 2019, a German Neo-Nazi murdered a CDU politician (Walter Lübcke).
https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1076651/umfrage/extremistische-straftaten-aus-dem-bereich-der-politisch-motivierten-kriminalitaet-in-deutschland/
“Im Jahr 2023 wurden in Deutschland insgesamt rund 39.400 Straftaten mit extremistischem Hintergrund begangen und damit so viele wie noch nie zuvor. Davon kamen die meisten aus dem rechtsextremen politischen Spektrum.”
(In the year 2023, altogether around 39,400 crimes with an extremist background were committed in Germany, and therefore more than ever before. Most of these came from the extreme-right political spectrum.)
I also do not deny the Soros OSF and what they do. I very much know that OSF together with the NED and eventually other western NGO’s together with the US State Department are the instruments and agents of regime-change in the form of “color revolutions”, and sowers of chaos in countries not aligned with the US. The first time this was used, I believe, was in Serbia with the “Otpor” movement.
Obviously, our leaders here should not be cowardly, spineless vassals to the USA, but to serve the nation and its citizens as well as its interests.
However, I will never be friends with a xenophobic, extreme right wing party like the AfD, hence my support for Sahra Wagenknecht and the BSW.

Posted by: jure | Nov 16 2024 19:26 utc | 197

@Posted by: malenkov | Nov 16 2024 17:11 utc | 188
Oh God! The pissy passive aggressive BS, I have enough of this in academia. I don’t need it on this site. Either actually say something or STFU.

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 16 2024 19:50 utc | 199