News & views not related to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine …
Back to Main
April 3, 2025
Open (Neither Ukraine Nor Palestine) Thread 2025-068
Comments
@NemesisCalling on the topic of philosophers in general
How did they live? What drugs did they consume? What affairs did they partake in?
That’s actually a good question, I wonder why it doesn’t get asked more often. What did Wittgenstein think about the Tatsache that he is Wittgenstein?! —
Yes, I would love to teach philosophy. But, that said, four thumbs up for the bar, you are one curious lot!
I shall answer on the questions above.
I live in the city centre of Hamburg in a loft-like space which pays a modest, but still unaffordable rent, as it’s now consumed my inheritance; I’m eyeing a job as a mobile crane operator now. The building is more of an artist studio space, which lends a lot of freedom. My ideal situation would be a seaside cave in Crete, with a large stone in front upon which the sun shines all day; there I’d sit and have visitors. My preferred drugs are red wine and amphetamine, though I would rather not having missed out on mushrooms and LSD. 2-CE and TMA-6 were especially interesting for their synaesthesia-inducing qualities; cocaine however does nothing for me. If I had to choose only one, it’d be green tea. Not sure what kind of affairs you mean – the girl next door, or the paradigm change in metaphysics? The answer is yes.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 18:35 utc | 201
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 17:54 utc | 198
No, the syllogism stands if you believe in the two premises.
If you think that Universe (1) is infinite-kindly please tell me your reasoning.
If you think think time is not limitless-kindly please tell me your reasoning.
Otherwise, no amount intellectual squirming as well various mental contortions will change the logic.
Resistance is futile.
1. Means every fucking dimension, black holes, universes in black holes-all of it.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Apr 5 2025 16:49 utc | 191
I asked my Walmart chaGPT the above question-the answer was alright (see below) but yours was/is much more succinct and powerful-hard to inject human passion into a WalmartGPT AI..
Is Nietzsche a Fascist and is he right about liberal values being derogatory about mankind
“ChatGPT said:
Friedrich Nietzsche is a complex and often misunderstood figure, and it’s important to be careful when labeling him with terms like “fascist.”
Nietzsche and Fascism:
Nietzsche himself was not a fascist. In fact, he died in 1900, well before fascism as a political movement emerged in the 1920s and 1930s with leaders like Mussolini and Hitler. However, his work was later misinterpreted and co-opted by various fascist movements, particularly by the Nazis, who selectively appropriated his ideas, especially his concept of the “Übermensch” (often translated as “superman” or “overman”). Nietzsche’s concept of the Übermensch, which refers to an individual who transcends conventional morality and societal norms, was used by the Nazis to promote their vision of a “superior” Aryan race, but this was a distortion of Nietzsche’s original ideas.
In truth, Nietzsche was highly critical of nationalism, anti-Semitism, and the authoritarian mindset, all of which were central to fascist ideology. His work often critiques mass movements and the dangers of herd mentality, which is antithetical to the fascist emphasis on collective identity and conformity. Nietzsche’s concept of the “will to power” was often misinterpreted as a justification for tyranny, but in his philosophy, it was more about the individual striving for self-overcoming and personal growth, not domination over others.
Nietzsche on Liberal Values:
Nietzsche’s critique of liberal values, particularly those associated with Christianity and Enlightenment-era ideals of equality and individual rights, comes from his belief that these values were, in his view, life-denying. He argued that the moral systems underpinning liberalism (especially those rooted in Christian values) suppressed human creativity, vitality, and strength. He saw the emphasis on compassion, equality, and altruism as undermining the flourishing of exceptional individuals.
Nietzsche was critical of what he saw as the “slave morality” of the weak, which he believed was encouraged by Christian and liberal ideologies. According to Nietzsche, these values promoted humility, meekness, and subordination rather than strength, power, and excellence. He contended that such moral systems elevate weakness over strength, making them “derogatory” in his view because they limit human potential.
However, Nietzsche’s critique was not necessarily aimed at the modern liberal state or democracy in the way we think about them today. His concern was more about how moral systems could stifle individual greatness and the flourishing of powerful, creative individuals. Nietzsche feared that liberalism’s focus on equality could lead to mediocrity, where everyone is expected to be the same and the exceptional are not celebrated or allowed to thrive.
Is Nietzsche “right” about liberal values?
Whether Nietzsche was “right” about liberal values depends on one’s perspective. His critiques of modernity and liberalism can be seen as a challenge to complacency and conformity, urging people to think critically about the norms that shape society. Some may find his ideas inspiring, especially in a world that often seems to prioritize comfort and safety over innovation and individuality. Others, however, might find his ideas dangerous or misguided, particularly if taken to extremes. Nietzsche’s rejection of compassion, equality, and the “herd mentality” can lead to a rejection of values that are central to modern human rights, social justice, and collective well-being.
In conclusion, Nietzsche was not a fascist, and his views on liberal values are deeply philosophical critiques of what he saw as life-denying and suppressive moral systems. His ideas continue to provoke thought and debate, but they are best understood in the context of his overall philosophy, which sought to challenge established norms and encourage individuals to transcend conventional morality.”
LoveDumbass and assorted like minded Leftie Loonies would, I am confident, agree that there were not any Christians before Christ.
Yet, they designate Nietzsche (died 1890) as a Nazi before Mussolini and the word, ‘fascism’, was coined in 1915.
It’s called, ‘Looney Leftie Logic ‘LLL’ TM
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 19:03 utc | 204
##############
LOL
I am not a Leftist. I am just not a genocidal Zionist like you.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 5 2025 19:08 utc | 205
@canuck
the syllogism stands if you believe in the two premises.
Time being infinite is indeed a stretch, but it matters not for the argument. Spatial extension is not relevant for the case, because you can always adjust the metric (think yardstick) to include all of your system. In mechanics, these transformations are called diffeomorphisms, an especially useful idea; it can be imagined like having your way with play-doh, going back and forth, but not disrupting the continuum too much. What lies outside of your system per definition does not influence what happens within.
I’m assuming you are talking about ‘one-to-one and onto’ (bijective) relations between spatio-temporal coordinates here; the kind which lends itself to expression in numbers. Put differently, how do we get from here to there? The whole notion only makes sense if here and there somehow compare to begin with, so bijectivity is a must. Otherwise we’d be talking fiction.
My example from above stands. Assume two gravitational bodies in a bound system, which may begin at t=0 (a convention) at infinite or finite distance; they will then either trivially persist in their state, or gradually collapse unto each other, at which point the systems ceases to return to its original state – that’s a little spoken to imagination, for the maths is clear even without the notion of collapse. If this is possible, then the onus is on you to show that for the world-at-large such things do not happen at all. Please note that refutation of Nietzsche’s idea in this way leads to two distinct possible alternatives, as either it is not true, or merely undecided.
I’ll be holding your beer, canuck 🙂
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 19:36 utc | 206
The race is on for sloppy seconds.
An American Mine Still Has Millions of Tons of Copper, If Companies Can Get to It
Freeport-McMoRan, Rio Tinto and BHP are among the miners testing sulfide leaching as tariff threats send copper prices soaring.
After 154 years of digging at Morenci, all the easily recoverable copper has been mined. Left behind are towering piles of waste rock that hold nearly 10 million tons of the metal seen as critical to global electrification. It’s a cache that could prove key to President Donald Trump’s ambition to boost US production of critical minerals.
Freeport-McMoRan Inc., which owns Morenci, is trying to develop technology that can burrow within those gigantic waste piles and extract low-grade copper that miners previously saw as too expensive and difficult to process.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-04-02/skyscraper-high-waste-piles-hold-key-to-trump-s-copper-goal-as-tariffs-loom?
A ragpickers banquet. Beggars can’t be choosers.
Posted by: too scents | Apr 5 2025 19:38 utc | 207
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 19:36 utc | 206
To be honest you know much more about the, ‘malleability of time” and other such stuff that is way beyond my intellectual pay grade [not a big hurdle, editor].
But if we just use ‘traditional linear time’ its difficult to refute Nietzsche’s eternal recurrence.’ idea.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 19:03 utc | 204
##############
LOL
I am not a Leftist. I am just not a genocidal Zionist like you.”
Posted by: LoveDumbass | Apr 5 2025 19:08 utc | 205
Really? “I am a genocidal Zionist”?
I guess when a man whom possesses no wit, any Intellectual Charisma nor any cogent argument to defend or counter a logical provocative argument , he can only defend himself with crude, inaccurate ad hominens.
Sad.
@203 Canuck
Yes, you are right concerning chatgpt. I have to work out my anxiety using it. I think Persiflo’s garbage disposal observation is apt.
Looking at what it shot out, it portends to know what fascism is by declaring Nietzsche as not a participant in it. I scratch my head at the thought.
Is it a political party, a social identity, a series of qualifying thoughts or ideas that places you into its camp? Is it racial-based, economically-based, spiritually-based?
Is it extroverted or introverted? Is it a sharp dresser?
Is it drably-clothed?
Does it prefer multiple sexual partners? Can you climb out of it if you are having second thoughts?
Does it have a navy? Does it practice DEI? What about its culinary tastes? Does it revere the feminine? Is it chauvinist? What if someone is a declared fascist but is not a chauvinist?
Do we deny him the ability to self-identify as fascist?
Will I know it if I see it?
What about a blind person? Are they locked out of it entirely? Does it have a smell? A third nipple?
Is it afraid of dogs? Does it use emojis? Does it like Chinese, Japanese, or English gardening?
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Apr 5 2025 20:19 utc | 210
Fascism is others mobbing you. Pol-Sci type thinking naturally asks what binds those others together, but here you have already ‘changed the goalposts’ and abstractified from the immediate experience of it happening. What binds people together is, of course, an unceasing question.
@canuck – linear time notwithstanding. The issue, as I see it, is more on the question of what influences the process and its outcome. If you abstractify from time in such a way that you include all imaginable causes and effects, wizardry and all, then of course everything’s possible, including repetition. But if you carefully check what can be assured, the idea would be ruled out.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 20:28 utc | 211
@LoveDonbass | Apr 5 2025 17:50 utc | 197
I follow Taiwan stuff a little. The main thing is to overthrow the American puppet government, the rest will rejoin China quickly.
No matter who is in power in Taiwan- KMT, DPP, or anyone else, he/she surely gets to power with amerikkkan’s blessing (approval). Namely, you will NOT find or get one politician in Taiwan that does not follow orders from amerikkka to move closer to presidency. There is little pro-China voice publicly in Taiwan now. A rank-and-file policeman got disciplined by his superiors after he said he is a Chinese on social media. The original KMT’s candidate Hong in Taiwan 2016 presidential election was replaced by KMT chair Chu under amerikkkan order. Hong has no connection to amerikkka and is pro-China. She didn’t plan to visit amerikkka to get the master’s blessing after she became KMT’s candidate. Chu managed to replace Hong with himself and lost to Tsai. Chu is still the KMT chair now and likely an asset of the three-letter organization. In fact, KMT is already history without any significance as a political party now. DPP can rule very comfortably in Taiwan until the reunification.
After reunification, China needs to do an inside-out-outside-in cleaning for Taiwan. It is similar to what happened in HK. China started to update the curriculum in HK grade schools after the riots sponsored by amerikkkan and british. There was material in the textbooks to smear mainland and Chinese before the changes. It is worse in Taiwan now. Lee regime started to remove Chinese centric materials and describe things from Taiwan centric point of views in early 1990. DPP’s pro-indepdence Chen added on top of that. Then KMT’s Ma didn’t reverse that in his 8-year tenure. So anyone under 35 in Taiwan likely thinks himself/herself as Taiwanese instead of Chinese. IMO, at least most of two generations (those under 35) in Taiwan are goner in the sense of their national identity after reunification. China needs about 20 years to root out those bigoted material from the curriculum of grade schools.
Reunification likely takes place in 3-4 years from now, triggered by a provocation from Lai (DPP) under amerikkkan order. And China is getting ready for that.
Posted by: LuRenJia | Apr 5 2025 21:03 utc | 212
What I wanted to accomplish with my writing is the idea of mutual infection, that China made a deal with western elites (basically Satan) to make McDonald’s Happy Meal toys for us and you could expect bad things down the line. Now, what’s the problem? China used its mercantilism the same way the U.S. uses tomahawks. Who can argue against this? Are you really going to defend the position that when a nation guts its own manufacturing sector, that the accomplices to this policy will not reap a whirlwind down the line? “But it’s just friendly competition!” you will say. Sure, competition that when it enters the existential realities of a nation’s tenability will invite war and conflict in the future. We are seeing the fruits of this.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Apr 5 2025 16:12 utc | 188
Saying that “competition that when it enters the existential realities of a nation’s tenability will invite war and conflict in the future” is pure hogwash because it presupposes the existence of peace at present.
The world was never at peace. Pax Americana is a lie. You just felt safe because all the bombings and killings happened outside of America’s borders.
You also have zero clue on the cause and effect at play. The US deindustrialized because it was more profitable to manufacture things abroad than at home, not because of some grand conspiracy between China and American capitalists to defraud American workers. The profit motive is what drives capitalism. Tellingly, your first instinct was to find an external enemy to blame for deindustrialization. The hallowed profit motive must not be questioned – it’d be un-American to do so.
War and conflict is inevitable only because the capitalists refuse to make way for socialism and communism – the only systems capable of bringing the profit motive to heel. If you sincerely wanted peace (I don’t think you do), then your task as an American is to take your capitalists to task.
I know you and many other Trump cultists love to play up the whole “I’m just a poor blue-collar worker who’s suffering from anti-White racism” angle, but you consistently defend the very elites like Trump who sold out working class interests. You defend them because you yourself exchanged working class interests for cheap goods and resources extracted from the Global South countries. The Global South countries were forced to agree to exploitation by the ever-present looming threat of violence, covert and overt, from the US. This is why the Global South considers workers in the West to be the labor aristocracy.
You hear all that rah-rah chest thumping from your fellow MAGA cultists about how US is the biggest consumer market, that Trump’s tariffs will work because other countries are forced to sell their products to the US? Have you ever thought about why they’re forced to sell to the US? It’s because international trade depends on the US dollar, so countries need to sell goods to the US to obtain USD. This dependency was not natural but engineered by the US. OPEC was coerced by the US to sell oil in dollars, and those dollars were reinvested in the US in Treasury bonds (which allowed the US to finance its wars), thus creating the petrodollar. Those who tried to dedollarize have had the entire might of the US military brought to bear against them – Libya, Iraq, to name a few. As I’ve said before, Pax Americana is a lie.
Now that the Global South has developed to the point where some of them can reject exploitation, all of a sudden you find the US gutting its own manufacturing sector to be a bad deal? That sweet, sweet purchasing power of the almighty USD that you have been enjoying all this while is why you can sneer dismissively at “McDonald’s Happy Meal toys” – in your mind, they’re cheap crap. Your attitude also betrays the fact that you’re not some factory worker who understands the labor involved in the making of such toys, which have grown increasingly sophisticated over the years.
If you truly yearn for the US to reindustrialize, you’re going to have to start back from square one, from learning to make McDonald’s Happy Meal toys. Since you look down on Happy Meal toys, I doubt you’ll be the first in line for a mind-numbing assembly line worker job.
You speak as if you want to avoid “war and conflict”, yet you constantly promote Nietzsche and Heidegger who endorse and glorify violence and barbarism. You’re a fascist who believes that the solution for American decline is to shift from the current low-intensity warfare to a big conflagration where the decks get reshuffled, just like how WW2 and the reshuffling of the world order brought unipolar hegemon status to the US.
Nietzsche:
Let us now consider that morality which, according to Nietzsche, is necessary for breeding such a master race. In the beginning there is a renewed barbarization of the instincts: “A lordly race can only grow from terrible and violent beginnings. Problem: where are the barbarians of the twentieth century? Apparently they will only become visible and consolidate after tremendous social crises.” Here Nietzsche is clearly a prophet of Hitlerism.
Heidegger:
In the Notebooks, he praised Nazism as a “barbaric principle.” “Therein lies its essence and its capacity for greatness” — he worried only that it might “be rendered innocuous via sermons about the True, the Good, and the Beautiful” — metaphysical concepts that Heidegger sought to overturn in favor of his more grounded notion of Being.
Posted by: All Under Heaven | Apr 5 2025 21:05 utc | 213
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 10:58 utc | 179
Thanks for mentioning me in passing, persiflo! It’s perhaps well that while you and others continued to dwell upon the philosophers you know and I don’t, I was otherwise engaged with my leaky roof (always a challenge in a heavy rain, but this was a drizzly rain/snow overnight so my siphon system couldn’t really cope.) Northern New Mexico has had a longtime love affair with flat roofs; they do blend nicely into the terrain … well, I did know what I was getting into.
I did come online after midnight for a read of b’s latest review on the Ukraine front, put my further philosophical musings there, so I’ll go retrieve that post to add here where it perhaps better belongs. (Leaks have diminished – yay!)
Posted by: juliania | Apr 5 2025 21:08 utc | 214
I asked my Walmart chaGPT the above question-the answer was alright (see below) but yours was/is much more succinct and powerful-hard to inject human passion into a WalmartGPT AI..
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 18:56 utc | 203
An intellectual lineage can be traced. If you discard that, then you might as well do away with the idea of Abrahamic religions or concepts such as the People of the Book.
And if I wanted to converse with a chatbot, I might as well use the ChatGPT app, not head on over to MoA.
ChatGPT and all of these so-called “AI” models are biased towards whatever training corpus they have been exposed to, and they can be coerced to say things that align with the user’s viewpoint. They’re not some authoritative final source of truth. They are simply stochastic parrot machines.
Reliance on ChatGPT is what gave us the debacle of Trump imposing tariff on an island inhabited only by penguins. Trump’s tariff blunder also reflects the general ignorance of Americans: ignorance of how manufacturing works, how USD hegemony works, how “AI” works.
This is why Nietzsche and Heidegger appeal to Americans. It’s because they advocate abandoning all reason and turning to vibes instead. Heidegger taught his followers to think passionately, but not critically. Trump puts out vibes-based policies and the crowd goes wild because it feels right, not because it actually does any good.
The greatest irony, of course, for a cult that’s supposedly worried about jobs being outsourced, is that they’ve outsourced their thinking to chatbots.
Posted by: All Under Heaven | Apr 5 2025 21:08 utc | 215
Okay, here is my ‘philosophy’ post from last night – can be traced on b’s neocons post, back to the post by suzan I mention in my intro. She had voiced her own values, apologizing for not having read the many other comments there:
Posted by: suzan | Apr 5 2025 16:04 utc | 283
suzan, your post is in harmony with one I posted earlier on this thread, which is that the values which Trump used to select his cabinet are not values of expertise in the economy or the like but simply friendship, which he did not have in his first term- those people then went off and did what they felt like doing, never mind what the president had wished. It is because of this that the difficulties b is pointing out have come about. In Russian terms, we humans operate as a troika wherein the side horses pull somewhat aslant from the central one which is friendship. So, they have to be constantly reined in by the driver, who must be Trump.
Friendship, family values, is Trump’s strong central point. I think Russia sees that because they have the same traditional values. They will help Trump as much as they can, to overcome the difficulties in expertise. We can see how terribly astray he is going with respect to the Middle East. There, it is as if the lack of understanding has meant the side horses have broken free, and one at least — disastrously that central one of friendship, family values — is charging ahead with bloody consequences we all decry.
Trump is the driver, not any one of the horses alone; he must bring the three of them back in line. Plato has the same trio of human instincts in his descriptions of what makes us function as human beings. It is a matter of getting them all into a proper balance, not of eliminating any part. It can be done, if the driver has the awareness and encouragement to bring it about.
Aristotle, for all his faults, has a term I admire: it is that of the
Great Souled Man. I think that is what Plato’s Republic is all about: Make the American Great Again.
Pre-modern thoughts, I will agree, but “The Demons” was before its time and doesn’t really anticipate a happy ending, Russian style, the way I do think “The Brothers Karamazov” does. It is, however, optimistic enough to take its hero to a more positive clarity than Cervantes was able to do with his, and that’s an important difference for me personally. It’s a while since I’ve read ‘Don Quixote’, but his contribution to my theme would be the friendship between the knight and his faithful companion — as is the bond between Socrates and Glaucon in the Platonic dialogue I put forward here.
Posted by: juliania | Apr 5 2025 21:29 utc | 216
Canock
You’v got an extensive share portfolio canock,
How much value has been lost by you this last week ?
Please dont take it out on MOA commenters.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 21:34 utc | 217
The post by the Chinese account Yuyuan Tantian said on Weibo that Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul had agreed to deepen cooperation on supply chains and continue negotiations on export controls. Japan and South Korea are seeking to import semiconductor raw materials from China, and China is also interested in purchasing chip products from Japan and South Korea, the account added
If true, Trump has succeeded where emperors failed – joining what broke apart centuries ago.
Posted by: Passerby | Apr 5 2025 21:34 utc | 218
“Canuck
‘You’v got an extensive share portfolio canock,
How much value has been lost by you this last week ?
Please dont take it out on MOA commenters.”
Thanks in advance.”
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 21:34 utc | 217
I have mostly gold stocks and properties, a niobium deposit (privately held) and some rare earths properties of which values was roughly stayed the same; oh, and I was short the SPX, made alot of money this last couple of weeks, but to be honest I have been short the SPX for the last six months raising my bet 20% month over month and did lose money on those bet till the ;last two weeks. On the paper winning altogether I’m up nominally-like 7%.
But you don’t have a real profit until one cashes out.
However, I would suspect after the awful NY close Friday the Europeans will sell in to their opening further depressing prices and sentiment and 5 hours later NY will open up at 9 30 am -“selling begats selling”-I’ll lighten up 50% of my shorts (ie I’ll buy in to close it out) around 10 am Monday morning.
However, I could be wrong and I will get spanked Monday morning-we will see.
Anything else you want me to disclose?
Have a good day.
Canock
Ha ha ha thanks for your openess on these matters.
Rather you than me !
Its gambling, right ?
If you want my considered opinion, i would bale out right now. As you hint you could be wrong and get spanked.
Being a gambler is all about never gambling more than you can afford to lose and knowing when to walk away from the table.
I’v never gambled exept as a buseness man making reality buseness decisions.
Summing up. The ponzi scheme is about to crash.
Dont be low hanging fruit. Thats what their after now….
You !
Cheers for replying. Gen
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 22:04 utc | 221
made alot of money this last couple of weeks, but to be honest […] I’m up nominally-like 7%.
I heard about an African style lottery, where everyone puts an equal and fixed amount of cash into the pot each month, which is then alloted to one of the participants. They buy a moped or whatever, and everyone’s happy. I find that rather intruiging.
It also rhymes well with the observation someone made here recently, that Africa (and others) fell prey to imperialist machinations because they were actually ethically superior. The German proverb Lügen haben kurze Beine (lies are short-legged) comes to mind – just look at what a culture of egoism and deceit has done to the US, a once young nation, now an old, bitter and psychotic crack whore.
Nothing against old whores by the way (and on a principled note), old girls are still girls. Machiavelli is no Casanova for acting it out on her, who was kind enough to use a cloth. I despise the denigration of female sexuality just as much as general faggotry./s Senseless, destructive and stupid. Pfui!
* * * *
I’m dreaming of a MoA lottery, with funds taken care of by the resident economists. Once we break threshold, a real bar is outfitted and open for a few weeks, with everyone who’s legitimately a barfly afforded travel from the sum. Medals are handed out, the Troll Brigade pays an honorary visit, alu cap model contests are held, Bernhard is applauded twice a day, a MoA all-star band plays all night in varying line up …
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 5 2025 22:27 utc | 222
Wow just wow !
I’v just finished listening to bbc radeo 4 a program called ‘call johnathan pie’
I swear that guy is right upto date with the comments on this blog ! It’s comedy (good therpy)
But dont be fooled see through the humour and concentrate espeacaly his last rant. Five star stuff.
Catch it on bbc sounds.
Be their or miss a gem.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 22:40 utc | 223
A must listen for all you fascists and us anti fascists alike.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 22:42 utc | 224
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 22:40 utc | 223
#############
In a world with unlimited free content, listening to state broadcasts may not be the best use of your intellectual bandwidth.
Not to mention that the BBC is loaded with pedos and Zionists.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 5 2025 22:44 utc | 225
LoveDombass @ 225
Of course your right.
The reason i listen to bbc is to monitor the enemy.
Now give me a break here. Usaly you and i are deffinatly on the same page.
Listen, then read your comment @225, and get back to me.
Comedy is a very powerfull force for good.
As you must know in an age of heavy heavy censorship satire becomes a very important weapon.
This shit is the best, the very best. And the point is….
This IS on the bbc.
Respect.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 22:55 utc | 226
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 22:04 utc | 221
Everything is in life is a gamble, never forget that-there is always a opportunity cost when you choose the more prudent path.
The trick is to maximize your wins and minimize your losses in any risk assessment ie get married-get a pre nuptial, play poker play in a game, not in a casino, put money on the horses know the jockeys, buy stock look sat historical trends et al..
One of the best trades I ever made was a mistake.
I was forced out of deal in 1992 as I was weak (married, 1 yr old, taking care of other family, little capital, less confidence) the stock was at 25 cents (I had got it up from 5 cents in over a year than bigger guys arrived at the show) -they offered to buy my 550,000 shares at 25 cents-I had margin/debt of $50k and my wife wanted to liquidate -so I did.
When I got home from the lawyers my wife noticed that the stock certificate was hold for 2 years-couldn’t sell it for 2 years-, so we were broke-Mom railed, more than once, how stupid I was not to look at the certificate-not a happy time.
2 years later, stock was at $6 a share ,I sold it and it accelerated my career in venture capital.
The Moral of the Story: “One would rather be lucky than good”
Canock yep i hear that !
My best gamble proved to be my worse gamble.
Did a big tree surgery contract for a telephone company, the maniger was so impressed he started ringing me every night asking me to advice him on investments (he had money)
I advised buy woodland freehold. He suggested a partnership half of my busseness for half share of the puchased wood land. I said yes we were making 10 grand profit a week . He got greedy and recinded the partnership. Lost his house over his familys head . Probably worth a million or more at todays prices.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 23:33 utc | 228
On topic
The moral of the tale….
Greed allways leads to a downfall.
Wealth is’nt about money.
Its about the people we choose to have in our life. Only.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 23:44 utc | 229
Friday smelled of forced liquidations, as the precious metals got a big sudden whack. When margin calls come in they sell anything that’s liquid, that’s how the selling spreads across markets. Agree with Canuck that Monday morning may be a washout and then a bounce, the market is already quite short term oversold. What happens after the bounce? That will tell us where next. A dead cat will not be propitious.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 5 2025 23:45 utc | 230
@All Under Heaven | Apr 5 2025 21:08 utc | 215
ChatBots in the Bar! In this bar!
I must have rambled into the wrong bar – Oh dear! And I haven’t had a drop.
Think I’ll just go home and have some of persiflo’s ‘real green tea’ which might have some really interesting molecular and enlightening properties.
Posted by: Don Firineach | Apr 5 2025 23:52 utc | 231
Ahh yes the dreaded dead cat bounce 👀
I remember that from the northan rock crash.
Thankfully i saw that comeing and declind another big deal, that time from a high up judge.
His house was worth 4 million 40 years ago.
He lost the lot too.
Gambled you see. Really sad.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 5 2025 23:53 utc | 232
Thats what the elite do….
They know the middle classes are greedy, they know the middle classes dream of being at the top table with the elite.
Thats your achellis heal.
Throw morals out the window, do their bidding.
Win some hansome profit and ripe for more.
Then bang down you go, cleaned out over night. Greed.
I can smell, low hanging fruit on this thread ,
Pumped up with passed easy money.
Ready for the elite havest.
Be warned guys.
Say know to end game fascism and nazi eugenics.
Wealth is people not money.
Invest.
Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 6 2025 0:18 utc | 233
To be honest you know much more about the, ‘malleability of time” and other such stuff that is way beyond my intellectual pay grade [not a big hurdle, editor].
But if we just use ‘traditional linear time’ its difficult to refute Nietzsche’s eternal recurrence.’ idea.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 19:48 utc | 208
******************
… and by simple (logical??) extension, if we just use the four humours (fire, air, earth, water) we can effortlessly refute quantum mechanics – and demolish Newtonian Physics as a side-benefit along the way.
How far would you advise we go down this route?
Posted by: General Factotum | Apr 6 2025 0:46 utc | 234
When Volker successfully combated stagflation he had to throw everything but the kitchen sink at it. In September of 1981 Under Volker It cost the US 16% to get loans for its deficit spending
The debt was one trillion dollars.
Today the debt is 36 trillion dollars $330,000 for each taxpayer.
Interest payed this last year was a trillion (the principle in 81) at 4% and that is with the bulk still at low (free) interest rates. When those low (free) interest loans hit maturity they will have to be rolled over at the current rate.
Despite these realities the USA continues to add to its debt to the tune of four trillion a year. If the cost to service the debt increase that will also be added to the current debt at the current rate.
Japan goes insolvent long long long before 16%.
Without the possibility of raising interest rates stagflation could become a more or less permanent condition. Less because something breaks
THe forecast was bleak for the cost to service the debt even if the USA could find buyers at 3%. That was the basis for analysis. Interest rates will drop to 3% in 2025.
With a pool of 36 trillion bonds out there that always grows eternally and a real inflation rate of 10% or more who are the organizations that want to purchase USA debt at 4%? Does supply and demand not apply to USA treasuries? If one believes in supply and demand we have a financial instrument that has radically increasing supply and radically decreasing demand. That would dictate interest rates rise.
To understand the Ponzi you have to understand what a “primary vendor” is. Its called the opposite of what is for a reason. The primary vendors are the banks that have a contract that they have to buy all the treasuries at a treasury auction that no one else wants. How much they have to buy is called the “tail”. The federal reserve loans them the money. That way the treasuries on the federal reserve books is minimal. The federal reserve creates the money via book entry. The loans to the “primary vendors” go on the books to balance the money created.
Does the federal reserve buy US treasuries? Of course not. Thats called monetizing the debt and it destroys whatever currency is used. The federal reserve simply loans the “primary vendors” the money that they create via book entry to buy treasuries.
Thats just the first couple inches of the rabbit hole.
The reality is the world economy cannot support this debt. Nor do they want to but thats irrelevant. . If the debt represented real resources there simply are not that many spare to tie up in that amount of debt. Infinite debt requires infinite funding. There is no such thing in the real physical world. Thats why the basis for the fountain of youth is imaginary. It has to be.
Its a pretty slick ponzi. Usally a ponzi falls apart when there is no money to pay the investors. That is not a issue here although any objective analysis of where the “money” is sourced raises eyebrows. The ponzi gets revealed when the currency it is denominated in becomes worthless not the underlying assets are shown to not exist. There never were underlying assets. There never was collateral. Just promises. Those promises will be kept. Why wouldnt they? There is no barrior in the least to keeping them. The fed creates money. It has the loans on its books to balance. Treasuries are bought with the money created. Interest is payed with the money created. No barriors. Treasuries are declared “prime collateral” by the fed. The promises are the collateral. They are better than any other asset class in suitability for loans. Pawn shop Fed will always give you loans but not at lessor value but at greater value. Then all you need to do is buy more treasuries with that money! Its a perpetual motion machine and we didnt even know it!
What will the rate be?
Ask the fed.
They make it up. They decide the rate. Not the treasury bond “buyer’s”. You see there are infinite buyers. They created infinite buyers. That is the core kernel of the epitomy of the “free market” financial system.
The soviet Union with its economy manipulations was never that bold. This is some true psychedelic imaginary bizarre con man creativity. Insane but imaginative. I wouldnt even have a problem with it except this is how the wars are financed. It would be good fun without that. Yea collapse but thats how ponzis go. Good times! But no they has to get all serious.
Nuclear weapons spoil everything. I miss the 3.2 bars.
The sole connection to the physical organic economy’s is the use of the dollar for trade settlement. These things called dollars that dont even resemble what they were in 1981 yet alone 1881 were traded as a universal token for goods resources and labor. Somehow it worked. Everyone got a slice of the pie. Everyone used it. Every nation. You. Me. Universal. The success of the universal token was strong strong magic. Yes it was a toad licking con man hallucination but somehow it worked.
Trump just fucked everyone’s slice of the pie. Right after Biden and the EU tried to fuck Russia out of their slice of the pie. Hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen.
MR Wallace doesnt like being fucked by anyone but Mrs Wallace.
No one is that stupid. It would be like Al Capone telling everyone to get sober. Impossible. THe two stupidest presidents of all recorded history one after another ? Sorry. Not possible.
Toad licking con man hallucination 2.0 is coming. New cut distribution. We are not in the club. At least we never thought we were in the club. Now a lot of people who thought they were in the club find out they are not. Like the EU.
When a corp closes a franchise the supervisors lay everyone off. The next day the site manager lays them off. THey fold the whole thing in.
Trump just layed off the EU.
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 6 2025 0:55 utc | 235
@Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 6 2025 0:55 utc | 235
The inflation shock at the end of the 1980s was exogenously driven, due to the massive jump in oil prices (Brent Crude went from US$14 per barrel in 1978 to US$31.6 in 1979 and then US$36.8 in 1980 then US$35.9 in 1981). The excellent book “Secrets of The Temple” covers the Fed during the “Volcker Shock” and lays it out very plainly that monetary theory was used as a smokescreen to cover up the reality that the Fed was intentionally crashing the economy. They very much knew that money velocity can change and the whole theory was bullshit.
Global oil production only dropped 4% due to the Iranian revolution at the beginning of 1979, but oil prices went up massively. Only some limited rationing and increased efficiency would have rebalanced oil supply, and Iranian production would have slowly come back on line. State coordination to flush out the speculators could have quickly dropped the oil price. The effect would have been a very limited inflation surge.
But of course that did not happen and then the Iran-Iraq War broke out in September 1980, taking capacity offline in both Iran and Iraq. Saddam Hussein was a US puppet who in no way would have attacked Iran without US agreement (just as he did not attack Kuwait until he understood that he had US agreement). No Iraq-Iran War, oil prices fall back quickly, especially if government’s had punished the speculators and put in place even minimal rationing.
So the US ruling class decided that an oil price shock was fine perhaps for a number of reasons (i) it was worth it to crush Iran (ii) some of them made out like bandits from the huge oil price rise (iii) it would crush many nations and open them up to US financial dominance, a situation which was greatly exacerbated by the very high US interest rates (iv) it would give an excuse to crush the US working people during a time of increased challenges to the US ruling class. The latter delivered the US to the Reagan neoliberal revolution. Of course, the oil price rise and massive interest rate rise also crushed a large segment of US industry.
Volcker didn’t save anyone from inflation, the US ruling class decided that a huge oil shock was just fine and having Volcker raise interest rates massively was the preferred solution. A different solution to reduce demand in the economy would have been increased regressive taxes. It was all about crushing Iran, crushing the far too independent for the US South American and other nations, crushing the too politically strong for the US ruling class American plebs, and making a shit ton of money in the process. Volcker was not a saint he was a villain in on the fix.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 1:36 utc | 236
@Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 1:36 utc | 236
“inflation shock at the end of the 1980s” of course.
Oh and Thatcher played exactly the same “I believe in monetarism” BS game so she could crush the unions through a massive economic slump. Just as the flow of North Sea Oil was boosting the value of the pound.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 1:39 utc | 237
@ Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 1:36 utc | 236 for great summary and reference to the excellent book “Secrets of The Temple”…thanks
How do you see the crypto currency world fitting into the Western world of finance?
I wonder what flipped Trump from being against crypto currencies to now trying to lead the “train”….???
The fleecing will continue until the zombies are ready for the Soylent solution.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 6 2025 1:58 utc | 238
LoveDumbass and assorted like minded Leftie Loonies would, I am confident, agree that there were not any Christians before Christ.
Yet, they designate Nietzsche (died 1890) as a Nazi before Mussolini and the word, ‘fascism’, was coined in 1915.
It’s called, ‘Looney Leftie Logic ‘LLL’ TM
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 19:03 utc | 204
______
I hold with those who identify fascism as a kind of authoritarianism characterized by the fusion of state and corporate power. (I also note that fascism has a remarkable propensity to occur in Catholic states and with that Church’s blessing.)
It’s been a while since I delved deeply into Nietzsche, but I don’t recall matters of state being a significant concern of his; in fact, I doubt it was a concern of his at all. Similarly, he had nothing to say about National Socialism.
Now Nietzsche may have been in some ways a forerunner of such movements, although I think it would be more accurate to say that ideas of his were (mis)appropriated by the — just as Nietzsche himself was, as they put it in my Lit Crit classes, “creatively interpreted” by that monster Heidegger. But that’s another matter altogether.
Does that mean I’m not much of a leftist?
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 2:30 utc | 239
@Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 6 2025 1:58 utc | 238
I gave up after the site rejected my post multiple times, even after edits to try to remove the banned words.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 2:52 utc | 240
Being (not beyng) dismayed, but hardly surprised, to see yet another thread degenerate into a philosophical wankfest, I thought I’d cough up a few lines of verse. Granted, they’re not composed by AI, like most of the great poetry around these parts, or by a great Nobel Literature Prize winner like “Bob Dylan®”, but rather by some third-worlder named Cesar Vallejo, but what the hell —
“A man walks by with a loaf of bread on his shoulder.
Should I then speak of my double?
Another man sits down, scratches himself, picks a louse out of his armpit, kills it.
How brave does one have to be to speak of psychoanalysis?
Another man jabs a stick into my chest.
Should one discuss Socrates with the doctor after that?
A cripple passes by, hand in hand with a child.
Should I read Andre Breton after that?
Another shivers in the cold, coughs, spits blood.
Will one ever be able to refer to the Deep Ego?
Another shivers in the cold, coughs, spits blood.
How can one write about eternity after that?
A bricklayer falls from a roof, dies, and never again eats lunch.
How can one form rhythms and images after that?
A shopkeeper cheats a customer out of a gram’s weight.
Shall one discuss the fourth dimension after that?
A banker forges his books.
With what face should one weep at the theatre?
An outcast sleeps with his foot against his back.
Should one discuss Picasso after that?
Someone weeps in a funeral procession.
Can one still join the Academy after that?
Someone cleans a rifle in the kitchen.
What is the point in discussing the beyond?
Someone passes, counting on his fingers.
How can one discuss the non-ego without screaming?”
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 2:56 utc | 241
@Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 2:30 utc | 239
Japan was not Catholic, Germany is mixed Protestant and Catholic. Fascism is what happens when bourgeois liberal democracy no longer serves the ruling class and it needs something stronger to stay in power. The ruling class controls the state, in fascism that control just becomes much more direct and the state more authoritarian. Philosophers such as Nietzsche just provide the philosophical cover for the fascist state. As liberal philosophers do for the liberal state. Its still all about the ruling class maintaining control. It can be argued that the protestant US went fascist under Wilson from 1917 to 1921 to force the population into WW1 and to crush the burgeoning socialist movements.
The AfD is funded and supported by the German oligarchy, kept as an option if the planned austerity for the majority and state-funded profiteering for the rich cannot be done under bourgeois democracy. What may very well be the case after the current CDS/CDU + SPD coalition has had its four years in power.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 3:12 utc | 242
In response to
”
@Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 6 2025 1:58 utc | 238
I gave up after the site rejected my post multiple times, even after edits to try to remove the banned words.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 2:52 utc | 240
”
Sorry about your typepad woes and thanks for trying….I will look tomorrow.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 6 2025 3:20 utc | 243
Sometimes I get the feeling I’m not smart enough to be in this bar.
Is the general mayhem a Great Reset reboot 2.0, only this time focused on political and economic chaos to prop up a new financial order (saving the “Masters of the Universe” crowd) and wrap up the collapsing Ponzi scheme?
Posted by: Suresh | Apr 6 2025 3:21 utc | 244
@ Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 3:12 utc | 242
I did refer to a “remarkable propensity” rather than identify Catholicism as a necessary condition. Perhaps you missed that.
Anyway against your examples I could offer Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Italy (duh), and arguably the two Iberian states. And didn’t Nazism arise largely in Bavaria?
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 3:21 utc | 245
@Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 3:21 utc | 245
The Catholic Church tends to be very much part of the ruling establishment, so it makes sense that they would go along with the new direction. That Church was also very much involved in the Nazi rat run to escape to South America. You also have Opus Dei which really grew under the fascist dictator Franco and is powerful within the current Catholic Church. The Church establishment also of course hates “godless communists” and moved to crush Liberation Theology in South America within the church.
With the Japanese Meiji Restoration in the 1800s, State Shintoism was put in place with the Emperor as a God. Shintoism was the state directed religion, so of course it served state fascism.
Protestantism in the US was very different to Europe, with the white population believing in divine governance that gave them the right to slaughter the indigenous and enslave the “lesser thans” etc. in the “New Jerusalem”. A lot of extremist religious sects like the Mormons, Evangelicals etc. Wilson was raised in the south and was an utterly racist sob, and Germans, Eastern Europeans etc. were associated with communism (and of course “Bolshevik Jews”) and the Irish with the hated Catholicism. So a churning mess where the “Other” could easily be constructed.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 5:06 utc | 246
@ malenkov | Apr 6 2025 2:56 utc | 241
Thanks for being one of the touchstones around ‘these parts’.
Posted by: waynorinorway | Apr 6 2025 6:12 utc | 247
MADRID/BARCELONA, April 4 (Reuters) – Canadian-based tech company Telus sent home as many as 2,000 people from its content moderation centre in Barcelona after Facebook owner Meta Platforms severed its contract (reuters)
Spain has more moderators today than there were censors during the Franco dictatorship.
Posted by: Passerby | Apr 6 2025 7:15 utc | 248
I find it repulsive from malenkov to call wanking what clearly evolved as a conversation here. Utterly abhorrent. Shall I start doing that to you, creep? On top of that it’s ignorant; this stands, or malenkov explains to us convincingly why metaphysics is better kept as an anathema. I put forth AI, parapsychology and the placebo effect as worthwhile topics further downstream.
Just suck it up, creep. Write about Musil instead.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 6 2025 8:36 utc | 249
Trump comes out in favour of Le Pen – who has been found guilty of misusing EU funds – of course another French political party did the same – but no one was barred from standing in elections – so there is some political motivation against Le Pen.
“US President Donald Trump’s public support for Marine Le Pen is tantamount to meddling in France’s domestic politics, French Prime Minister Francois Bayou has said.
Le Pen, the former leader of the right-wing National Rally party and three-time presidential candidate, received a prison sentence for embezzlement earlier this week.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump labeled Le Pen a victim of a “witch hunt” and claimed that she had been prosecuted for her political beliefs. “FREE MARINE LE PEN!” ”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 6 2025 10:21 utc | 250
Probably the right thing to do – the ball is now back in the Orange Yankee Zionist POTUS yard.
“Iran’s foreign minister has dismissed direct talks with the United States as “meaningless” given Washington’s threats to use force against the country, reiterating Tehran’s openness to diplomacy and indirect negotiations.
Abbas Araghchi made the remarks during a ceremony on Saturday, two days after US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran is willing to engage in direct talks with his administration.
Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran and sent a letter to the country, to which he has received a response.
Araghchi said that the content and tone of Iran’s letter were in accordance with that of Trump while preserving the opportunity to use diplomacy.
“Basically, direct negotiations would be meaningless with a party that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials,” ”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 6 2025 11:11 utc | 251
@ Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 5:06 utc | 246
Sure beats me why you keep going on about Woodrow Wilson. Sure, he was a racist, supported the dominance of corporations and banks, and even jailed opponents to his war, but none of this is at all unique in American history, and even under him multiparty elections continued, no more or less fraudulently as before. I’m just not seeing a requisite degree of authoritarianism.
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 11:33 utc | 252
@persiflo | Apr 5 2025 17:54 utc | 198
The simplest example is a pair of bodies like Earth and Moon who revolve around a common center of mass while slowly closing in until they collide – The End.
Except in reality the Moon is receding from the Earth due to tidal effects, the distance is increasing about 3.8 cm per year.
Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 6 2025 12:14 utc | 253
I find it difficult to believe in many conspiracy theories when long term trends contradict them.
On the one hand, there are ideas that Zionists control Europe. OTOH, those idiot nations are loading up with Muslims, especially UK. Eventually, I think Britain-stan turns against Israel. And other EU nations,the same.
Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 6 2025 12:53 utc | 254
@Norwegian – wow, I didn’t know. Probably conflated it with Phobos. Anyhow, my example was meant to illustrate a bound, non-stable two-body system of Newtonian mechanics, so … here’s a refined one: a comet which enters and leaves the solar system like Oumua’ohMoA or whatever its name was is, versus one that gets pulled in and crashes into the sun eventually. Or into Jupiter, like Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 6 2025 13:05 utc | 255
Ecuador election next Sunday, April 13
“In a special interview with Orinoco Tribune, Ecuadorian human rights expert Fidel Narváez expressed his confidence in the victory of the Citizen Revolution (RC) candidate, Luisa González, in the second round of Ecuador’s presidential election to be held on April 13. However, he stressed that the public should remain alert for potential last-minute interference by Ecuador’s far right and US imperialism.”
Narvaez is Ecuadorian, was a key confidant and defender of Assange (he lives in London), and gives a good short summary of the likelihood of Luisa Gonzalez winning against banana oligarch scion and US imperial playboy Daniel Oboa. Biden moved to take over Galapagos– again– and US Centcom will not give that up without a fight. Translated… the Empire will play dirty.
https://orinocotribune.com/ecuadors-ex-diplomat-far-right-can-do-anything-to-sway-election-interview/
Posted by: migueljose | Apr 6 2025 13:10 utc | 256
Glenn Diesen: “Diplomacy at an Impasse, Trump Escalates Actions Against Russia and Iran”
Is this also part of the policies of the “deep state” in the US who dont want to have peace with Russia ? According to Alastair Crooke there are certainly negotiations between the US and Russia
More “smoke and mirrors” ?
https://glenndiesen.substack.com/p/diplomacy-at-an-impasse-trump-escalates
Posted by: WMG | Apr 6 2025 13:23 utc | 257
Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 6 2025 12:53 utc | 254
I had ruminated on the motivation of the huge inward migration to the collective waste (in majority caused by the wars they foment), and I suspect the motivation is largely threefold:
1) Keep wages and better working conditions suppressed, and
2) Maintain divisions within the working class to prevent any cohesion and to prevent people rising against the hierarchy, and
3) To thin, divide, and weaken the populations and social structures of the Middle East in preparation for what we are now witnessing unfold.
As an additional bonus, they can also use these cultural/religious/racial divisions to eventually create ‘civil’ war within the West if they deem it desirable to achieve their ends.
We are now starting to see this occur with the stripping of rights from those who voice support for Palestine, Yemen, et al, and the wall-to-wall “race-baiting” over everything and anything related to muslims in certain sections of the media and internet.
I, for one, would not at all be surprised if they are aiming for civil war within, as they can use this as a manufactured excuse (and Hegelian-style dialectic) for “tanks on the streets” and the planned transition to digital techno-feudal totalitarianism.
People may very rapidly get desperate enough, if conditions deteriorate apace, to accept whatever they can be convinced will keep them safe.
I find myself starting to think an Earth-directed X45-range X-ray solar flare that wipes out all electronics may be our only saviour from a manufactured hell.
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Apr 6 2025 13:29 utc | 258
“Trump is playing a dangerous game with Iran
Recent aggressive moves by the Trump administration have clearly been meant to threaten Iran. While this pressure might be an attempt to intimidate Iran into nuclear concessions, the threat of all-out war appears to be growing by the day.”
https://mondoweiss.net/2025/04/trump-is-playing-a-dangerous-game-with-iran
Posted by: WMG | Apr 6 2025 13:38 utc | 259
(Correction of post # 259)
“Trump is playing a dangerous game with Iran
“Recent aggressive moves by the Trump administration have clearly been meant to threaten Iran. While this pressure might be an attempt to intimidate Iran into nuclear concessions, the threat of all-out war appears to be growing by the day.”
https://mondoweiss.net/2025/04/trump-is-playing-a-dangerous-game-with-iran
Posted by: WMG | Apr 6 2025 13:42 utc | 260
Okay, since no one else did, I’ll say it: ʻOumuamua may have been an Assderoid.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 6 2025 13:49 utc | 261
@Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 11:33 utc | 252
Read “American Midnight” by Hochschild, it will change your mind. Wilson went full on fascist even before Mussolini, including his own brownshirts. Thankfully the bastard had a stroke and therefore his successor Warren Harding could undo a lot of the stuff that Wilson did. Not all of course, such as the mass deportations on political grounds to smash the Wobblies.
Wilson went into the 1916 elections promising that he would not drag the US into the European War, he was lying. Only a few months later he did just that and instituted a fascist regime to crush any opposition. Hochschild details all of this, he is just too polite to call Wilson the fascist that he was.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 14:03 utc | 262
New Russian EWS in Syria?
https://avia-pro.net/news/rossiya-razmestila-v-sirii-zagadochnyy-kompleks-reb-byushchiy-na-rasstoyanie-v-400-kilometrov
Russia has deployed a mysterious electronic warfare system in Syria, hitting a distance of 400 kilometers
According to official data, today the most long-range mobile electronic warfare system in service with Russia is the complex of the Krasukha family. With its range of about 250-300 kilometers….
….Nevertheless, as it turned out, recently another electronic warfare complex has been located in Syria, the range of “defeat” of which is at least 400 kilometers.
According to the ADS-B Exchange and Flightradar24 services, in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, very powerful interference with the operation of GPS equipment is observed. Judging by the identified zones where these interferences were detected, we are talking about a distance of about 400 kilometers, i.e. in fact, Russian systems successfully suppress the operation of electronics and on-board systems even at a distance of about 75 kilometers southwest of Cyprus….”
More at the link above.
Posted by: Mary | Apr 6 2025 14:19 utc | 263
Never mind. Just realized the date from above is 2022. (The date was lost/hidden in a series of ads)
Posted by: Mary | Apr 6 2025 14:25 utc | 264
… a mysterious electronic warfare system in Syria, hitting a distance of 400 kilometers …
Effective range would be a function of the target’s resilience. When the USS Donald Cook allegedly got blacked out in the Black Sea by some kind of EW pod from a SU-24, it came danger close to being shot down with a pickle jar; unless only styrofoam packages are available on a US warship, of course.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 6 2025 14:42 utc | 265
to Exile # 155. I’m retired now but I had the same problem fifteen years ago. Young people, some nice, some not, with absolutely no skills, including the simple stuff like “how to ride the broom.” Interestingly, I had the best luck with kids who had some musical training and thus had developed manual dexterity. They were also more fun to be with. It must be worse now. To use another old person remark “Trump’s drinking his bath water.”
Posted by: Formerly Miss Lacy | Apr 6 2025 14:44 utc | 266
@ Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 5:06 utc | 246
Sure beats me why you keep going on about Woodrow Wilson. Sure, he was a racist, supported the dominance of corporations and banks, and even jailed opponents to his war, but none of this is at all unique in American history, and even under him multiparty elections continued, no more or less fraudulently as before. I’m just not seeing a requisite degree of authoritarianism.
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 11:33 utc | 252
Agreed.
Further, Boyd seems ignorant that after Wilson had his stroke his wife, Edith, ran the country for the last 18 months of his term.
Hence, many of the Wilson govt. policies were hers’, not Wilsons’.
“Philosophers such as Nietzsche just provide the philosophical cover for the fascist state.”
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 3:12 utc | 242
Bullocks!!
Nietzsche writings were not Fascist.
Furthermore, the term, Fascist, was only coined in 1915 when after Mussolini’s party came on the scene 26 years after Nietzsche’s death.
I would suggest, Boyd, you do more reading of history and less posting if you want to keep your remarks credible.
@persiflo | Apr 6 2025 13:05 utc | 255
a comet which enters and leaves the solar system like Oumua’ohMoA or whatever its name was is, versus one that gets pulled in and crashes into the sun eventually. Or into Jupiter, like Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994.
You are talking about hyperbolic vs. elliptic orbits. While an object in a hyperbolic orbit visits the solar system once, objects in elliptic orbits mostly remain bound, but there is no “crashes into the sun eventually” about elliptic orbits. N-body systems where N>2 cannot be solved analytically so you in the very long run you can’t tell what is going to happen. Sometimes, seemingly stable orbits are disrupted by close encounters causing ejection from the system alltogether.
As a sidenote, I once (2003) photographed both Phobos and Deimos using amateur equipment, they are so close to Mars it is very difficult to do.
Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 6 2025 14:55 utc | 269
“The fascist is immunized against all dangers: One may call him a scoundrel, parasite, swindler, profiteer, it all runs off him like water off a raincoat. But call him a Trump supporter and you will be astonished at how he recoils, how injured he is, how he suddenly shrinks back: “I’ve been found out”.”
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 6 2025 14:57 utc | 270
Norwegian | Apr 6 2025 14:55 utc | 269
Phobos & Deimos
https://postimg.cc/5YC8sDJK
Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 6 2025 14:58 utc | 271
“Does that mean I’m not much of a leftist?”
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 6 2025 2:30 utc | 239
Your interpretation of Nietzsche is correct. Why Nietzsche’s philosophy is considered ‘proto Fascist’ is because Nazis and other misinterpreted his philosophy.
Looney Lefties make the same mistake as either they have do not posess the intellectual capacity to read the philosophy themselves properly or they just jump on the LLL band wagon.
You, on the other hand, you are a sensible Leftist.
@Posted by: canuck | Apr 6 2025 14:53 utc | 268
You should be following your own advice, seems you are projecting.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 15:02 utc | 273
Masters of the Universe
Rulers of the Earth
We decide who lives or dies
which laws and lies are birthed
No one would love them
if not for the nukes
the blackmail the sanctions
and CIA spooks
the stealing the lying
the torture the spying
the starving and dying
and flag falsifying
they are vulgar and crass
and bold as brass
and expect everybody
to kiss their ass
the exceptional nation
whose main occupation
is forced subjugation
and world domination
don’t dare to point out
their crimes or hypocrisy
or they may decide
to send in the democracy
Until the great fall
that ends the Cabal
we must put up our fronts
and bow to these c…. lovely folks
Posted by: ld | Apr 6 2025 15:05 utc | 274
“Volcker didn’t save anyone from inflation…”
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 1:36 utc | 236
You have no idea what you are talking about.
Volker took over the Fed chair in 1979 and raised the Fed Funds rate to 20% in early 1981; Voler’s interest rtres wnet up, inflation went down-that’s a fact , Jack!!
Volker was able to massively increase the Fed Funds rate because at the time the US foreign debt was under a billion dollars so it didn’t bankrupt the US in massive interest rate payments..
Today , if the Fed put the rates to 20% the 36 trillion dollar debt would cause an extra $7.2 trillion in interest charges annually-impossible to do without destroying the US govt.
Since then the PTB have changed many of the inflation metrics since then to disguise inflation today; hence it is about 100% higher if one uses the traditional metrics.
1. “Volcker served as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 1975 to 1979, and in 1979 U.S. Pres. Jimmy Carter appointed him to head the Federal Reserve System at a time when inflation in the United States had reached a high of almost 13 percent. Volcker was determined to end chronic high inflation, and under his leadership the Federal Reserve slowed the rapid growth of the money supply and allowed interest rates to rise. These policies caused the most severe recession (1982–83) in the United States since the Great Depression, but inflation was brought firmly under control and thenceforth remained low. Volcker was reappointed to a second four-year term in 1983 and continued his widely praised performance as manager of the money supply and controller of inflation.” (2)
2. https://www.britannica.com/money/Paul-Adolph-Volcker
I see that some people think that correlation is causation. A beginner’s error when it comes to thinking.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 6 2025 15:14 utc | 276
@Posted by: canuck | Apr 6 2025 15:12 utc | 275
Stop, get help.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 15:16 utc | 277
Trump rhetoric tier “analysis”.
I am rarely surprised by how vicious people can be, and yet they constantly astonish me by how confidently arrogant they may be in error.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 6 2025 15:17 utc | 278
malenkov, thanks for Cesar Vallejo. Norwegian, I will think of the 3.8 CM every time I look at the moon. Migueljose, yes indeed
watching that election closely. Luisa Gonzalez will have a tough fight – after she wins, which I hope she will. With the murikan military in the Galapagos (sacrilege !!! ) the Banana Billionaires and the oil companies against her she will need to be a Wonder Woman. As Claudia seems to be in Mexico. It isn’t mentioned so often in the “press’ but there are plenty of South American oligarchs who delight in crushing their own people. Recently a small fishing boat was run down, apparently deliberately, by a gigantic factory fishing boat. Seven crewmen missing, presumed dead. Country of origin? Chileno factory ship running down chilenos. And then there’s Argentina…. salud.
Posted by: Formerly Miss Lacy | Apr 6 2025 15:25 utc | 279
@Formerly Miss Lacy | Apr 6 2025 15:25 utc | 279
Norwegian, I will think of the 3.8 CM every time I look at the moon.
If you get the chance, be sure to see a total solar eclipse because that is eventually ending …
Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 6 2025 15:57 utc | 280
@Norwegian –
there is no “crashes into the sun eventually” about elliptic orbits. –
Oh, but there is! As I am still talking about the mathematical model, not the actual solar system; these are two different things. In my mathematician’s eye and parlance, there’s also not much about the distinction of hyperbolic and elliptic orbits, as these properties are special geometric cases owning to the Law of Gravitation. Using a diffeomorphic transformation, these orbit classes become either stable (perpetually equal distant, hence circular) or unstable, which has two cases – bound (spiralling in) or unbound (passing along). The “circle” which divides those two areas of phase space is a solution to the corresponding dynamic system, hence as thin as a real number. It’s also unique, as with all ODEs – their solutions (trajectories through phase) space generally do not intersect.
Your example of disturbance by passing objects and then getting thrown off orbit is a good example for the consequences of Poincaré’s theorem. And the pic is amazing! I never had the zeal and patience to properly set up a small amateur’s instrument I got as a christmas present, but read the Handbook of Astronomy that came with it twice in a row. I’ve always been more of a theoretician, I guess.
Posted by: persiflo | Apr 6 2025 16:14 utc | 281
@persiflo | Apr 6 2025 16:14 utc | 281
And the pic is amazing! I never had the zeal and patience to properly set up a small amateur’s instrument I got as a christmas present, but read the Handbook of Astronomy that came with it twice in a row. I’ve always been more of a theoretician, I guess.
It was a once in a lifetime opportunity when Mars was closer than it is going to be in thousands of years. The image was taken from a high mountaintop near Beneixama, Spain using an 8″ Schmidt Cassegrain telescope + 3x Barlow lens, i.e. effective 6m focal length. The camera was a modified Phillips consumer webcam with original optics removed and long exposure enabled. Obviously all mounted equatorially and tracking. By tweaking the exposure length it was just possible to see the moons. The problem is that Mars is “infinitely” brighter so it is a very fine balance.
Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 6 2025 16:38 utc | 282
Sorry this is so late in a dead thread, but I had to respond.
—-
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 15:30 utc | 182
Posted by: KOB | Apr 5 2025 3:15 utc | 158
“Ad hominem attacks are not a valid argument.”
Posted by: KOB | Apr 5 2025 3:15 utc | 158
In your case they actually are valid. It is who/whom. You are a fucking idiot with your “viruses don’t exist” idiocy. Do you think Bigfoot exists?
Posted by: Spectator | Apr 5 2025 3:33 utc | 160
——
Its much more complex than your realize , Antione Bechamp, was a contemporary of Pasteur’s.
Bechamp’s idea was called ‘terrain theory’ such that bacteria, viruses themselves are not the initiating incident they were fine until there was weak or damaged, or toxic tissue and they would would attack; voila infection..
On Pasteur’s deathbed his last words were, “Bechamps is right”.(1)
“1.Béchamp’s “Terrain Theory”:
Béchamps argued that microbes became dangerous when the health of the host (its “terrain” or environment) deteriorated, rather than being the primary cause of disease as Pasteur proposed with his germ theory.
————– part left out ————
Béchamp’s Legacy:
Today, Béchamp is largely remembered by those who promote alternative medicine and anti-vaxxers, who believe that food is medicine and that the body’s internal environment is the key to health.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 5 2025 15:30 utc | 182
—————
Its much more complex than your realize…
No it is not complex. Bechamp has been debunked for over 100 years. Attempting to use him as a “legitimate” source is the same old “teach the controversy” playbook that the creationists ran in the 1980s about evolution. I expect you to bring up “bombardier beetles” next.
There is even a Wikipedia (Deep State, cough, cough.) page about this, titled Germ Theory Denialism
Germ theory denialism is the pseudoscientific belief that germs do not cause infectious disease, and that the germ theory of disease is wrong. It usually involves arguing that Louis Pasteur’s model of infectious disease was wrong, and that Antoine Béchamp’s was right. In fact, its origins are rooted in Béchamp’s empirically disproven (in the context of disease) theory of pleomorphism. Another obsolete variation is known as terrain theory and postulates that germs morphologically change in response to environmental factors, subsequently causing disease, rather than germs being the sole cause of it.
Terrain theory
The terrain theory is a variation of Béchamp’s ideas that is also an obsolete medical theory that held that diseases were caused by the composition of the body. The “terrain”, will attract germs to come as scavengers of the weakened or poorly defended tissue. Béchamp believed that the pH of the body is important, and that an acidic pH will attract germs and an alkaline pH will repel them. Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation with a series of experiments in the 1870s. However, understanding the cause of a sickness does not always immediately lead to effective treatment of sickness, and the great decline in mortality during the 19th century stemmed mostly from improvements in hygiene and cleanliness. In fact, one of the first movements to deny the germ theory, the Sanitary Movement, was nevertheless central in developing America’s public health infrastructure. Providing clean water and sanitation reduced the environment for pathogens to develop, and mortality rates fell dramatically.
You and KOB are enablers of the Covid coverup. By making sure that your Denialist faction is prominent, the establishment can wave away any critics of the not safe, not effective vaccines as fringe crackpots. Its the classic “guilt by association” tactic. You further this “dirtying up” by conflating “eating healthy” with asking for an investigation of the dangerous, untested so-called vaccine.
Béchamp’s Legacy
Today, Béchamp is largely remembered by those who promote alternative medicine and anti-vaxxers, who believe that food is medicine and that the body’s internal environment is the key to health.
This makes my head spin. You rebut spectator by advertising Bechamp. Then you mention Bechamp’s failure in order to smear vaccine investigators. You are a master of bafflegab.
—-
Notice that the same Wikipedia (Deep State – kaboom, landmine) page does the very conflating I accuse you of:
A common thread among many alternative medicine proponents is opposition to vaccines, and some use their disbelief in germ theory to justify their claims Germ theory deniers make many claims about the biological underpinnings of the theory and the historical record that are at odds with what most modern scientists and historians accept. Another claim from the anti-vaccine community involves the theory that all diseases are caused by toxins due to inadequate diet and health practices.
Notice the instant identification of crackpot denialism with the “anti-vaccine community”. You try to make requesting better testing of one brand new type of “vaccine” the equal to denying the efficacy of all vaccines. Deniers, like you and KOB, are agents provocatuers in service of the pharma industry and the Event 201 crowd.
Posted by: john brewster | Apr 6 2025 18:31 utc | 283
@Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 6 2025 3:20 utc | 243
For Trump it was the Benjamins.
T*th*r actually has use as a means of exchange, being used more and more outside the US$ payments system.
B*tc!*n is driven by the four year cycle plus monetary policy. That’s been restrictive now for months (once the Fed drained the reverse repo account) and that has been holding it back. The other c!*ns are really just leveraged derivatives of it, always lagging when monetary policy is tighter and leading when its looser. I think that we may get a crash (and B*tc!*n is breaking down this Sunday afternoon) which will trigger a whole new round of QE and that will enhance and perhaps extend the end of the 4 year cycle. B*tc!*n etc. is far too volatile to be used as a means of exchange, more just another asset. It will probably do the same as gold, when there is a full on crash the margin calls will pull it down and then it will recover and soar much faster on easing.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 18:37 utc | 284
@ Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 18:37 utc | 284 who had to learn like me about the b*****n word that shall not be used in MoA company
Thanks for the follow up. Yes, the hysteresis is what will come back to slam the markets and we get to watch.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 6 2025 18:58 utc | 285
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 6 2025 10:21 utc | 250
Tv news had a short clip about Le Pen supporters in Paris, another about Trump protesters in New York. The difference was striking.
The clip about the Trump protesters had birds’ eye views of the Trump protest, to show how big the crowds were.
Meanwhile, the clip about Le Pen supporters was all close-ups, no panoramic views that might give an indication how big the crowds were.
Posted by: Passerby | Apr 6 2025 19:53 utc | 286
The deep state is extremely deep. The US president is just a puppet. When we say Zelensky is a puppet, we dont mean he is puppet of the US president. He is a puppet of the oligarchs deep in the den.
The US oligarchs are currently absolutely pissed at Trump and crashing the market. Notice how Dimon and Buffer sold their stocks just few days before.
They WILL destroy Trump. One way or other. Even Elon is absolutely powerless as he just realized and getting out of DOGE.
There is no US-Russia partnership. There is nothing that Russia can offer to the US. The war will go on. The middle east will burn. US will bomb Iran. Drones will rain fire on thatched huts and tribes in remote desert. The president will declare “mission accomplished” and life will go on.
Posted by: Olber Singularity | Apr 7 2025 0:27 utc | 287
Comme prévu, la manifestation du RN est un flop. Environ 6 000 personnes se sont déplacées, alors que le temps était idéal et que des cars étaient affrétés depuis les régions. Le RN a laissé le peuple se détruire seul devant sa télévision, et ce depuis des décennies. Depuis quinze ans, Marine Le Pen l’a incité à se taire quand on l’enfermait, le spoliait ou le brutalisait, se rangeant souvent du côté du manche, de l’ordre et des bonnes manières. Elle a cherché à canaliser cette colère vers un seul exutoire : les élections. Cette stratégie a fait du RN le réceptacle d’une colère respectabilisée par les urnes, mais aussi, et surtout, l’acteur central du dressage de la population par les forces qui nous détruisent depuis des décennies.
Maintenant qu’elle est mise hors jeu, Marine Le Pen ne peut même plus compter sur la peur que le peuple inspire aux pouvoirs qui la relèguent au rancart et se préparent à la remplacer. Les Français encore capables de réactions sont aussi ceux qui ont appris à se défendre, à se mobiliser ou à se révolter malgré Marine Le Pen et son parti, et ce depuis des années. Les concessions faites par ce parti pour duper la médiacratie et éviter d’offrir une résistance à l’air fétide qui souffle des lieux de pouvoir, ainsi que la perspective de voir un pur opportuniste incompétent, sans expérience porté à sa tête pour l’exécutif, ne l’empêchent pas de caracoler en tête des sondages. Pourtant, j’ai la conviction que ce n’est qu’un sac de papier gonflé d’air, que des puissances pourraient faire éclater d’un simple coup de main.
Il reste néanmoins porteur d’un espoir, non pas pour ce que la plupart de ses dirigeants en font, mais pour la puissance des attentes – même déçues – qu’il a suscitées. Le RN conserve le potentiel de devenir ce qu’il est sous la croûte de ses dirigeants depuis longtemps : un mouvement de libération populaire. S’il y parvenait enfin, il verrait revenir vers lui, en quelques mois, les millions de Français qui lui font défaut aujourd’hui. On ne pourrait plus le débrancher, et le peuple se ferait à nouveau craindre. Mais il ne le fera pas. Jusqu’à la fin, il trahira les espoirs de notre peuple pour tenter de ruser avec des pouvoirs pour lesquels il demeure transparent. À moins que je ne me trompe. Qui sait ?
Posted by: Laurent Ozon | Apr 7 2025 14:17 utc | 288
“Its much more complex than your realize…” Canuk
————————————————————————————————————-
No it is not complex. Bechamp has been debunked for over 100 years. Attempting to use him as a “legitimate” source is the same old “teach the controversy” playbook that the creationists ran in the 1980s about evolution. I expect you to bring up “bombardier beetles” next.”
Posted by: john brewster | Apr 6 2025 18:31 utc | 283
To be transparent I didn’t take the RNA vax.; I believe the autism epidemic is a mixture of processed food, environmental toxins, and some vaccines 1e polio; and, through my amateur nutritional career I have gotten 5 people off insulin just by diet alone-I do know what I am talking about, unlike many modern doctors.
But to rebut you john I don’t back any of the opposing theories; in fact, I see that they are complementary.
You must admit that damg4ed tissue is the ground where gersm are successful in attacking.
So undamaged tissue is the realm of exercise, good diet, strong immune system, a strong biome so there’s no ‘terrain’ for the germs to pillage.
But through injury of whatever we absolutely do need the drugs to combat germs that feed the bad terrain.
Now, the drug industry makes much, much more money than does the ‘preventive industry’ so which ‘narrative’ gets the most the media and ‘scientific’ grease?
I appreciate the reply but I do believe you should have good ‘long think’ about this issue.
@Posted by: canuck | Apr 6 2025 15:12 utc | 275
Stop, get help.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 6 2025 15:16 utc | 277
That’s your rebuttal; I could see you were running low, but with that response, are you now totally out of intellectual ammo?
The Chinese have actually been extremely cautious about “supporting Russia”. They comply with parts of the sanctions regime, even on lower levels. VTB Shanghai has a notorious reputation among Russians doing business in China for being subject to and causing problems, and there have been cases of random rural Chinese banks that have never dealt with the West refusing to work with Russians due to local authorities’ interference.
China continuing to trade with Russia on the macro level is, of course, extremely helpful, but they’re also price gauging hard, and negotiating very unfavorable deals because they know they can exploit the position Russia is in. They have sold hundreds of thousands of drones and drone parts to the Ukrainian army.
The Chinese are an opportunistic, neutral third party, not a trusted Russian ally. Of course, having a power like China be actually neutral instead of an outright enemy is already a big win in Russian situation…
Posted by: RWA | Apr 9 2025 11:17 utc | 291
The Kremlin will sell out all its friends and allies just to somehow extricate itself from the Ukrainian mire of life, whoever offers that to Putin, and for now, only Trump is offering that to Russia.
Posted by: Miha Viseslav | Apr 9 2025 11:47 utc | 292
Dmitriev is epitome of everything what was wrong with Russia during 90s .
It is not only embarrassing but worrying that he not only has Putin attention but the fact that he was sent to represent RF.
It will better for Russian people to get rid off people like him out of any position of power .
He is a national embarrassment.
Posted by: Dagny Taggart | Apr 10 2025 11:37 utc | 293