Open (Neither Ukraine Nor Palestine) Thread 2025-074
News & views not related to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine ...
Posted by b on April 10, 2025 at 12:41 UTC | Permalink
next page »The military perspective is certainly interesting (and more entertaining than economy), but is inextricably intertwined with the world of money. Two articles that shed a light on the connection:
While this one is neither in depth nor some breaking news - everyone here generally knows this already - it nevertheless puts some numbers together, that might be helpful to grasp the frightening dimensions of the threat: https://sputnikglobe.com/20250409/how-us-mega-funds-secretly-control-europe-1121845686.html
Which in turn gives background to this: https://thephilosophicalsalon.com/rearmament-the-charade-and-the-game-of-chicken/
Again, not complete novel insights, but some facts and analysis put nicely together.
What is not mentioned in either piece is that the tentacles of the hedge-funds reach further than US and EU; Africa, Asia, Latin America are all prey.
Anybody who stands in the way of this Moloch is in the crosshairs of the Death Star right now. Capitalism, imperialism, colonialism, war, money, they are all different vistas of the same mountain.
Posted by: Hamburger | Apr 10 2025 13:53 utc | 2
"the Re-Arm Europe project (later more soberly rebranded Readiness 2030"
There's that year again.
Posted by: Mary | Apr 10 2025 14:18 utc | 3
@ Eighthman 1
Here's my short prognosis. If Washington and their Zionist overlords are rational, there will be no US attack on Iran. If they are irrational, all bets are off.
The empire started trying to destroy Iran right after the revolution, using Sadaam Hussein, a CIA asset, and the Imposed War. Which failed, but at the cost of more than a million lives. At any time in the 35 years from 1990, when the Imposed War failed, until now, Washington was highly motivated to attack Iran directly. But it never has because the cost of attacking is far too high: 1. Shutting off oil from the Persian Gulf would collapse much of the world's economies. 2. Iran would retaliate by destroying US bases in the region, and maybe by attacking some or all of the dictatorships which host those US bases. Since the 1990's, Iran's military has only gotten stronger and the empires had gotten weaker. So an attack now would be a bigger, faster and more certain disaster than ever. My own belief is that the genocide in Palestine has greatly weakened the Arab dictators and makes their overthrow more likely, war or no war. Certainly, if Iran is attacked, Iran would be tempted to arm the local populations and help them get rid of their garbage.
In short, with reason prevailing, there will be no war. Trump is going to sent his buddy, Steve Witkoff to Yemen to negotiate, which makes the Zionists unhappy. Trump must have been told many times, and believes it himself, that war will destroy his presidency.
But rationality may not prevail. Zionism has irrational leaders who might even be suicidal, and Washington is under their thumb.
Also, we must note that finance capitalism is in serious crisis, so it's possible the Rothschilds, Warburgs, etc. might prefer a desperate gamble, hoping a total economic disaster might give them a tighter grip on power.
Posted by: JessDTruth | Apr 10 2025 14:26 utc | 4
As usual Yankee firms - want to assets strip countries and leave the countries or someone else to clean up their mess - and if the countries ask for funds up front to clean up the mess - one of the Yankee playbooks the IMF cuts-off any funding to them.
"US lawmakers have introduced legislation to block International Monetary Fund (IMF) support for certain Central African countries in protest of a controversial regulation imposed by local fiscal regulators on foreign oil companies.
The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) requires international oil companies (IOCs) to deposit environmental restoration funds – estimated between $5 billion to $10 billion – into accounts controlled by the regional bank. The funds, intended for post-production environmental cleanup, are currently held in foreign banks."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:29 utc | 5
One of the Zio-Monsters most favourite enablers (and there are many) the USA - is going one step further to protect their Zionist buddies from any criticism.
"The US immigration will review applicants’ social media accounts and deny visas or residency to individuals who post content the US President Donald Trump administration deems anti-Semitic, according to an announcement the agency made on Wednesday.
Immigration agents can use social media posts interpreted as supporting “anti-Semitic terrorism” to deny applications for student visas or green cards, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:33 utc | 6
top unelected eu regime nazi bitch kallas:
[The] Republika Srpska leadership is threatening the fundamental freedoms of all Bosnia-Herzegovina citizens...We will not tolerate any threats to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and constitutional order of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
not that "territorial integrity" bullshit these nazis love throwing around, when her estonia recognized kosovo. she is also a strong supporter of an "independent kosovo", whatever that means in her orwellian doublespeak.
eu and their values, goebbels and adolf are celebrating that their legacy lives on.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Apr 10 2025 14:34 utc | 7
Speaking of genocide enablers - who also back Neo-Nazi's, and the dictatorship in Ukraine.
"The incoming German government, set to be led by Friedrich Merz, aims to increase the strength of the armed forces without resorting to mandatory conscription, the conservative politician has said. He shared his plans as the EU aims to spend hundreds of billions of euros on a large-scale militarization program.
Merz is set to become the next chancellor, following successful coalition talks this week between his Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD). A significant part of their agreement focuses on reforming the German military under the current defense minister, Boris Pistorius."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:34 utc | 8
Senate reconciliation bill is more deficit spending. Kicking the can down the road = dramatic „insolvency“ crisis in 2027.
Monitor treasury interest rates. If they continue to be higher-than-expected as is currently the case; then my prediction remains valid.
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 14:37 utc | 9
The German oligarchy, like their US counterparts, have chosen the path of easy profits through massive government largesse for them and austerity for the rest. The result will be the same, a significant weakening in national power. China, Russia and Iran are happy to sit back and watch the Western oligarchs cripple their own nation's power.
Friedrich Merz: Oligarch Tool
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 10 2025 14:38 utc | 10
It wouldn't surprise me - if the Neo-Nazi dictatorship in Ukraine, somehow attempted to shootdown the ISS - afterall, they have form in shooting down unarmed passenger jets; no doubt they'd blame it on the Russians, or the Chinese or North Koreans - and the West would back the little comedian who is now a little Hitler.
"Ukrainian-born Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Zubritsky, who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, faces a possible 15-year jail term for treason if he is ever apprehended by Kiev, according to media reports.
His sentencing by a court for treason was reported just weeks before he traveled to space alongside fellow Russian Sergey Ryzhikov and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim.
The Ukrainian newspaper Dumska has denounced the retired military pilot as a “traitor-cosmonaut” and deserter following his criminal conviction by a court in Vinnitsa in mid-March. A judge also ordered the confiscation of his property.
According to Zubritsky’s biography, he was born in 1992 in a village in Zaporozhye Region, which is now part of Russia but is still claimed by Kiev. He graduated from a military school in Kharkov as a pilot and served at an airbase in Sevastopol, Crimea during the 2014 Western-backed coup in the Ukrainian capital."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:39 utc | 11
Something is Broken!!!
Gold is up $67 today while the US 10 yr yield is increasing-yes the DXY (US dollar index) is down which contributes but you hardly ever see increases in yield in the long term US bonds
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 14:41 utc | 12
"Senate reconciliation bill is more deficit spending. Kicking the can down the road = dramatic „insolvency“ crisis in 2027.
Monitor treasury interest rates. If they continue to be higher-than-expected as is currently the case; then my prediction remains valid."
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 14:37 utc | 9
I am with you and your prediction.
Watching gold explode while US long terms are giving more yield-something is fucked.
Methinks the Bank of Enland, the City are short the gold, massively.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 14:43 utc | 13
Maybe Bessent is actually shitting himself inside - that the EU bigwigs do side with China - afterall - all America has done for the EU is to worsen its economy, make its citizens poorer - and use the landmass as a training ground - and a supply fort for their war against Russia via Ukraine - mind you the EU bigwigs, are all for backing the Nazi regime in Ukraine - if it weakens Russia - what a bunch of braindead f*ckers.
"US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has claimed that the EU would be “cutting its own throat” if it seeks a closer alliance with China while loosening ties with Washington.
Bessent commented on Wednesday after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had called for a reassessment of the EU’s trade relationship with Beijing earlier in the day. Sanchez told reporters during a diplomatic trip to Asia that the EU could benefit from closer cooperation with China amid uncertainty surrounding US trade policies and President Donald Trump’s recent moves to hike tariffs for nearly all trade partners."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:44 utc | 14
If they [USraeli overlords] are irrational, all bets are off.
@ JessDTruth | Apr 10 2025 14:26 utc | 4
All bets are off. T-Rex's motto for Russia China Iran (not to mention us woebegone US Americans) is "Beatings will continue until morale improves!" Nothing is ever absolutely crazy on the intelligibility gradient, but we're pretty close to the edge here, JDT.
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 10 2025 14:45 utc | 15
Trump's reply, when asked if hostilities could open up between the USA and China.
"Asked whether he was concerned about Beijing’s next moves – and a potential “escalation beyond the trade war” – Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping is “one of the very smart people of the world” who would never “allow that to happen.”
“We’re very powerful. This country is very powerful. It’s far more powerful than people understand. We have weaponry that nobody has any idea what it is, and it is the most powerful weapons in the world that we have. More powerful than anybody even, not even close,” he told journalists in the Oval Office.
“So nobody’s going to do that,” Trump added, reiterating that Xi is a “very smart man” who “knows exactly what has to be done.”
Trump has form on boasting about advanced weaponry.
"In 2020, Trump touted what he called a “super duper missile” that could fly “17 times faster” than anything America’s adversaries had in their arsenals."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:50 utc | 16
A great short speech from Ibrahim Traore
https://x.com/AfricanHub_/status/1910296171907608988
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 14:52 utc | 17
Is the Church of England going to return to the Roman Catholic fold?
I thought it curious that King Charles (as I understand the titular head of the Church of England), begged an audience with Francis called Pope.
Given the urgency portrayed in the press about King Charles wanting an immediate audience with a person on their near death bed; I was wondering what would cause such a push for this meeting?
My first thought was that King Charles wanted to ensure abolution for his sins.
But no, it had to be something else. Then it came to me. King Charles wants to formally do homage to the Pope and put the Church of England back under the religious authority of Rome. I could hear the Heavenly Choir singing.
Why then should he do such a thing. Then it all made sense. King Charles wants to merge the Vatican Bank with the Bank of England, recreate the Holy Roman Empire so he could be it's Emperor.A last gasp for immortality.
The Commonwealth thing isn't working out well for him, you know.
Posted by: Jerr | Apr 10 2025 14:53 utc | 18
You have to tip your hat to the courage of the Yemeni people - who are being bombed by the Zio-Monsters enablers - for doing the right thing with regards to the genocide in Gaza; the Yemeni's put the rest of us to shame.
"At least three civilians have been killed in new US airstrikes on Yemen's capital, bringing to 107 the total number of people killed in such attacks across the country since mid-March.
The al-Masirah television, citing Yemen's health ministry, said the strikes hit the al-Sabeen district early Thursday.
The ministry said the death toll from the attack has not yet been finalized, but based on initial reports, "three civilians have been martyred and a number of others have been wounded".
Al-Masirah, in a separate report, said US warplanes bombed the Bani Hushaysh district northeast of Sana'a in four attacks.
The Yemeni network also reported a US airstrike on Kamaran Island west of Hudaydah in the Red Sea.
According to the ministry, US air raids have killed a total of 107 civilians, including women and children, and injured 223 others between March 15 and April 9.
The US signaled on Monday that it is planning to step up its violent campaign of airstrikes on Yemen."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:56 utc | 19
The US signaled on Monday that it is planning to step up its violent campaign of airstrikes on Yemen."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:56 utc | 19
########
Yemen demilitarizing America.
Chef's kiss.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 15:00 utc | 20
Its probably true - that the P5+1 sell more weapons around the globe than any other nations - leading to a huge number of deaths.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P5%2B1
"A former US State Department analyst, who resigned over American complicity in the Gaza genocide, says the US government ignores human rights issues when it comes to weapons sales to allies.
In an article for Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Annelle Sheline outlined how the US uses human rights as a tool against adversaries while ignoring such issues for friendly governments.
“American leaders have consistently instrumentalized human rights concerns to target perceived adversaries while tossing aside such concerns when they apply to us partners” Sheline wrote.
Sheline also said the US government's desire for global military primacy and weapon sales overrides concerns for human rights and even US law.
“[US] law stipulates that the United States will not provide security assistance to any country whose government engages in a “consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” Yet this law, Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act, which Congress passed in 1976, has never been applied.”"
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 15:01 utc | 21
The Yemini as Dune's Fremen
Bedouin and San People:
Herbert based Fremen culture, in part, on the desert-dwelling Bedouin and San People, indigenous peoples of northern Africa and the Middle East.
Arabic Culture:
Herbert noted that the Fremen had "very ancient roots in Arabic culture, but an Arabic culture modified by the convulsions through which it had gone, over the centuries".
Islamic Traditions:
The Fremen's customs, language, and religious practices, including the use of beads and prostration in prayers, draw heavily on Islamic and Middle Eastern/North African cultural elements.
Messianic Figure:
The character of Paul Atreides, who becomes a messianic figure for the Fremen, is also seen as inspired by Islamic messianic figures.
Colloquial Arabic:
Herbert used vocabulary partly derived from "colloquial Arabic" to signal to the reader that the Fremen are "not here and now, but that something of here and now has been carried to that faraway place and time," according to Al Jazeera.
Zensunni Wanderers:
The Fremen are believed to come from the Zensunni ultimately considering Poritrin their homeworld.
Endangered Population:
In 12758 AG Leto II declared them an endangered population and his Fish Speakers moved them to the Fremen Museum which replicated the ancient sietch ways.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 15:06 utc | 22
Re - the last paragraph below - if any country is threatening not just a region, but the entire world - with its uncalled for military presence - its the USA - and not China; and well done to President Mulino for saying in no certain terms to Hegseth to F*ck-off.
"Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has floated the idea of establishing military bases in Panama, during a visit to the Central American country.
In a speech during the Central American Security Conference in Panama City, Hegseth proposed establishing US military bases in Panama, although he stated that such deployment would happen with the consent the Panamanian government.
Hegseth’s proposal included American troops controlling the strategic Panama Canal on a “rotational” basis with Panama's own armed forces.
The idea, however, was quickly slapped down by the Panamanian government.
“Panama made clear, through President Mulino that we cannot accept military bases or defense sites,” said Panama Security Minister Frank Abrego.
Hegseth also called for American warships to be given free passage through the Panama Canal.
His calls for American military presence and special privileges in Panama were accompanied by statements against China, accusing the country of capturing land in Latin America and threatening the region with its military presence."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 15:06 utc | 23
@ Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:50 utc | 16
re: "In 2020, Trump touted what he called a “super duper missile” that could fly “17 times faster” than anything America’s adversaries had in their arsenals."
>May 17, 2015 · The HVP's sleek design allows it travel much farther than tradition naval gun shells, from 30 to over 100 miles depending on what it's fired out of.
>Dec 10, 2020 · The Department of Defense is preparing to test-fire a next-generation hypervelocity projectile (HVP)
>Jul 19, 2021 · The Russian military has reported another successful test launch of a new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile.
>Oct 9, 2023 · WASHINGTON — The Army and industry teams have hit new distance records in recent tests as part of an effort to develop advanced projectiles for artillery weapon systems,
>Aug 9, 2024 · — The U.S. Army is slated to begin evaluating a hypervelocity projectile for the service’s artillery systems in 2025
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 15:17 utc | 24
>Hegseth also called for American warships to be given free passage through the Panama Canal.
>President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged a first ever $1 trillion defense budget proposal on Monday, a record sum for the military.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 15:30 utc | 25
@ 21
US quotes
weapons sales to allies
friendly governments
us partners
Iran quotes
Iran’s Islamist Proxies
24 proxies for country
Free fresh working proxy
working proxy servers
Iran’s first proxy
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 15:40 utc | 26
Re: Bosnia-Herzegovina
The Dayton Accords created a de-centralized state of 3 autonomous provinces. This has infuriated the EU War Party and Bosniaks ever since; whose war goals were a powerful central Gov’t. They‘ve been trying for 30 years to destroy the peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
SFSN
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 15:55 utc | 27
Re: Russian Cosmonout:
According to Zubritsky’s biography, he was born in 1992 in a village in Zaporozhye Region, which is now part of Russia but is still claimed by Kiev. He graduated from a military school in Kharkov as a pilot and served at an airbase in Sevastopol, Crimea during the 2014 Western-backed coup in the Ukrainian capital."
Recall of Kiev’s 40,000 troops stationed in Crimea; 30,000 volunteered to join the Russian Military. The remaining 10,000 were allowed to peacefully leave for Kiev controled areas.
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 15:59 utc | 28
Something is Broken!!!
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 14:41 utc | 12
---
The pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handle.
Posted by: too scents | Apr 10 2025 16:10 utc | 29
Don Bacon@1530 Apr10
Imagine the real purpose behind that TRILLION $$$$$ "defense" "budget". Not exactly what any sane individual would consider as a budget (budgeting) OR DEFENSE.
Okay: So here's the premise: Out and out lying as to either defense or budgeting. It's a matter of semantics, using and rinse and repeat extravagantly in order to ensorcel the public "mindscape". The object is to maintain some supportive or at least neutral "comfortably numb" boobtoob noose watchers.
People existing in the sub-urbanite, by the clock rat-race are too consistently stressed out to dig deeper than those lying headlines. Only thing those bass-turds are defending are the profits for the shareholder class deeply invested in the WAR-DEFENSE industry.
Blood Money dominates the airwaves and much of sociable media.
Posted by: aristodemos | Apr 10 2025 16:25 utc | 30
The US signaled on Monday that it is planning to step up its violent campaign of airstrikes on Yemen."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 10 2025 14:56 utc | 19
Because when blowing a billion to bounce rubble and kill wedding parties doesn't work, blow two billion!
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Apr 10 2025 17:00 utc | 31
Something is Broken!!!
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 14:41 utc | 12
---
"The pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handle."
Posted by: too scents | Apr 10 2025 16:10 utc | 29
Excellent Bob Dylan reference.
The original Vandals conquered North Africa in the early 5 century and even Rome in 455 AD-the the 530's the Justinian general Belisarius chased them out of Carthage.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 17:08 utc | 32
https://x.com/jasonhickel/status/1852731325498744990
Jason Hickel @jasonhickel
Every year, we perform 9.6 trillion hours of labour for the world economy. But the vast majority of this is controlled by capital and deployed to produce whatever is most profitable to capital. As a result we languish in conditions of mass deprivation and ecological breakdown.
Under conditions of economic democracy, by contrast, we could deploy our massive productive capacities instead toward improving human well-being, social progress, green transition, and ecological regeneration. We could address our social and ecological crises in very short order.
We live in a mere shadow of the world we could have.
Posted by: michaelj72 | Apr 10 2025 17:17 utc | 33
"The 30-Year U.S. Treasury is beginning to break down. This should NOT be happening. Money should be fleeing stocks into these bonds as a safe haven. Instead, these bonds are beginning to crumble.
If the Treasury market goes, then the Everything Bubble will officially burst. At that point, it’s GAME. SET. MATCH. for the financial system. The only thing that could hold things together would be if Central Banks went NUCLEAR with monetary interventions."
From a Zero Hedge Advertiser but I think he is on the scent-excuse the pun two cents
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 17:19 utc | 34
Posted by: canuck | Apr 10 2025 15:06 utc | 22
########
The God Emperor did to the Fremen what he was doing to all of humanity. Building up explosive creative energy for the time after his death to guarantee mankind's survival.
The Fremen were special because they were to help teach the descendants of Duncan Idaho and Siona how to survive in a universe without him. Also part of his breeding project combining Siona's unique Atreides genetics with older more robust Fremen stock.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 17:27 utc | 35
Question for the braintrust here:
Will China get the memo that globalization is dead?
Or will they cling to the notion that any sort of co-existence with the Empire of Lies is possible?
The answer to this question determines how the next 10-20 years play out.
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Apr 10 2025 17:39 utc | 36
@ Eighthman | Apr 10 2025 13:41 utc | 1
re: What do they have to throw at Iran?
The US has stationed six B-52 bombers at Diego Garcia. That would be a round trip of over 6,000 miles, less than the plane's range. For more than 60 years, B-52s have been the backbone of the strategic bomber force for the United States.
The Persian empire and Iran date back hundreds of centuries, so they know a few things. An Iranian nuclear storage facility is so deep underground that US airstrikes likely couldn’t reach it
AP:- 2023
A different set of images analyzed by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies reveals that four entrances have been dug into the mountainside, two to the east and another two to the west. Each is 6 meters (20 feet) wide and 8 meters (26 feet) tall.
The scale of the work can be measured in large dirt mounds, two to the west and one to the east. Based on the size of the spoil piles and other satellite data, experts at the center told AP that Iran is likely building a facility at a depth of between 80 meters (260 feet) and 100 meters (328 feet). The center’s analysis, which it provided exclusively to AP, is the first to estimate the tunnel system’s depth based on satellite imagery.
A smaller group of bombers carrying GBU-57s might attack deeply buried targets. The targets could include underground bunkers dug in Iran to house missile launchers, fighter squadrons, and critical parts of its growing nuclear program.
The Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based nonprofit long focused on Iran’s nuclear program, suggested last year the tunnels could go even deeper.
Experts say the size of the construction project indicates Iran likely would be able to use the underground facility to enrich uranium as well — not just to build centrifuges. Those tube-shaped centrifuges, arranged in large cascades of dozens of machines, rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it. Additional cascades spinning would allow Iran to quickly enrich uranium under the mountain’s protection.
“So the depth of the facility is a concern because it would be much harder for us. It would be much harder to destroy using conventional weapons, such as like a typical bunker buster bomb,” said Steven De La Fuente, a research associate at the center who led the analysis of the tunnel work.
The new Natanz facility is likely to be even deeper underground than Iran’s Fordo facility, another enrichment site that was exposed in 2009 by U.S. and other world leaders. That facility sparked fears in the West that Iran was hardening its program from airstrikes.
Such underground facilities led the U.S. to create the GBU-57 bomb, which can plow through at least 60 meters (200 feet) of earth before detonating, according to the American military.[sure] U.S. officials reportedly have discussed using two such bombs in succession to ensure a site is destroyed. It is not clear that such a one-two punch would damage a facility as deep as the one at Natanz. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 18:01 utc | 37
@ aristodemos | Apr 10 2025 16:25 utc | 30
re: "It's a matter of semantics"
There will be more than semantics when China takes the US to task on trade and military (Taiwan). . .Stay tuned. . .
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 18:20 utc | 38
During the pandemic summer of 2020, the president of Wesleyan College Michael Roth “thought it would be great if colleges and universities took civic responsibilities more seriously and incentivized students to participate in the public sphere: work on a campaign or for a zoning commission.” Claiming the intent was to be “rigorously agnostic about what” students chose to work on—and also nonpartisan—he organized a network of “a few hundred schools that agreed in principle.”
Tilting one academy, his own, toward activism is strange—but such a broadly organized effort is stranger still. It assumed a common investment in “civic responsibilities,” which in itself seemed peculiar. That such a common investment could happen during a heightened period of political divisiveness & strife—which the summer of 2020 surely was, what w/ the George Floyd protests, the taboos about probing the coronavirus lab leak, the embargo on any pragmatism regarding Joe’s non compose mantis status—was impractical & ironic @ once.
By summer of 2020, we were soon to learn that interrogating the information found on the Hunter Biden laptop was “a non-story,” a way to play right into the Kremlin’s hands. By summer of 2020, the mendacity & disingenuousness under which the American public struggled made a mockery of “civic responsibilities.”
Wesleyan College’s president Michael Roth sees “authoritarianism” in 2025, attaching the term specifically to DJT’s admin—but he did not notice *authoritarianism* in the speech repressions & censorship suppressions, and even the vaccine mandate of 2021—long *before* it was understood that DJT would ever be on the scene again as a political force.
During that period, when he was failing to see an essential *authoritarianism* in civic repressions/suppressions, he was expanding the purpose of the academy to include “civic responsibilities” that in themselves were blind to a kind of authoritarian mission creep.
DEI programs began to proliferate in that environment, intensely race-conscious & exclusive in their own right.
When I noticed this week students lamenting the loss of Queer Mentorship on campus via the shuttering of an office for Queer Mentorship, I thought how strange it was that anyone believed a university’s mission might include Queer Mentorship. Such a focus has over-stretched the university’s purpose to a distorting extent.
Michael Roth speaks of intellectual & political insularity in the academy, especially among the elite schools, & liberal assumptions—a kind of smug stance of superiority: *I* went to a school w/ a 97% rate of rejection. And he states that JD wants his children to be treated by Ivy League doctors when they’re ailing, as if to say there is no medical excellence, a wasteland indeed of medical excellence, between that found in Ivy League programs and—his example—Viktor Orban University.
A part of me seriously wonders what planet this guy lives on.
When the grad student @ Tufts was nabbed on the street by ICE agents, Wesleyan College’s president believed every citizen and every university person should express outrage.
He saw antisemitism as a tool “for persecuting researchers and institutions that are not aligned with with the ideology of the person in charge.” But when Collective Biden was in charge and DEI initiatives were being written even into Infrastructure Acts, the Wesleyan College president did not identify that particular *ideology* as persecuting non-adherents in its own unique but unmistakable way.
I remember how chilling and nonproductive it was to have 40 minutes of our faculty in a Zoom meeting—70 people—focus on DEI, as if suddenly along w/ our other responsibilities we had to tackle this complexity. And what if many of us were not “aligned” w/ the “authoritarian” *ideology*-? Repercussions were unspoken, a murk all their own. Come up w/ a plan, faculty. *Our* problem, the DEI reps seemed to be saying, is *your* problem.
Moreover, they—the DEI reps—always exhibited a *talking down* behavior, as if they were tasked not only w/ identifying the non-DEI elements of our department but also w/ insisting by example of how to ameliorate this. There was always an “Eat your spinach” aspect to this, which no doubt bred resentment… That the resentment had to remain unexpressed went without saying.
This occurred during an environment in which Collective Biden had declared that white supremacy was the most critical domestic threat our nation faced. Suddenly the spotlight was on white supremacy, the domestic terrorism of white supremacy. This seemed to take in antisemitism, too—but the antisemitism of Collective Biden always hovered over white rural lone-wolf grievances against synagogues, for instance.
After 7 October, we were still laboring under the repressions of Collective Biden’s ideology, but suddenly the antisemitism angle had shifted to elite universities, where Jews felt unsafe in a place where free speech permitted pro-Palestinians to chant “From the river to the sea.”
“Antisemitism is a very useful tool of the right,” the Wesleyan College president says in April 2025. He identifies his “job as a leader of the university” as speaking “up for the values that we claim to believe in, especially when they’re at odds with people with enormous power.”
With Elon’s roll-out of the Twitter Files, we learned about state-sponsored speech repressions governing The Things We Couldn’t Talk About during the rise of Collective Biden: Matt Taibbi, Michael Shellenberger, Lee Fang & others who delivered that information were routinely skewered.
But those investigative journalists were *speaking up for the values* they and we believed in. Not *everyone* believed in these values, however, so the lambasting of the messengers continued. Even today, weirdly, Matt Taibbi has had to file a defamation suit against a member of Congress. The message is that what you’re doing is forbidden—you’ve breached a taboo—and you will pay the consequences.
During dangerous times, which some like Glenn Greenwald say began in 2001 w/ the War on Terror and others say sharpened particularly during the Russiagate hoax (2016-2020,) the president of Wesleyan College believes “that someone who is at a university and has a platform and can call an editor”—-well, they should do that: “because,” he says, “the missions are at stake.” He claims it is what the Kalven Committee should do, or the members of it who remain. The Kalven Committee @ the University of Chicago ultimately recommended a neutral stance for the academy in 1967 @ the height of protests against the Vietnam War.
Besieged @ Columbia for its climate of antisemitism, one of the colleagues of the Wesleyan College president asked him to network together a group of university presidents, but he was unable to do so. He sees complacency, maybe even compliance. He definitely sees other university presidents not embracing *the missions* and the *values.*
The government involves itself in academia through its funding & grants. The Israel Lobby steers the U.S. government. When academia becomes symptomatic of antisemitism, even seeming to foster it, then that is going to be a casus belli for the Israel Lobby to pressure the government to crack down.
“The government’s not going to tell you how to run your business,” the president of Wesleyan College, Michael Roth, says. He says that “Americans and the past governments we’ve had realize it is better if people can practice freedom.”
But he is wrong on both counts. First, the government *is* going to tell academia how the business gets run: we saw this w/ DEI initiatives under Collective Biden and we’re seeing that now w/ the collision of free speech & antisemitism.
It is not the case that “Americans,” whoever they are, and “past governments” have supported freedom—because we dwelled under the repressions of Collective Biden, for instance, which intensified the climate of fear.
Ultimately, the president of Wesleyan College seems like a simpleton: he says, “Autonomy of these different areas, like universities & the Kennedy Center, even if they’re entangled economical with the government or with rich people, is so important.”
The degree to which academia & the Kennedy Center got into bed w/ government & power, however, is the degree to which they relinquished autonomy.
By the way, Wesleyan College receives $20mn each year from the federal government. Its budget in total is $300mn.
“To use the tools of the government to make people align ideologically,” Michael Roth says, “is really different”—-and that is the simpleton speaking, or the guy who only sees the mote in DJT’s eye, not the beam in Collective Biden’s eye. The essence of what Collective Biden’s government was doing w/ DEI alone was in itself a tool for making “people align ideologically.”
Wesleyan College’s president wants to pretend that state-mandated ideology has uniquely begun in the first 80 days of DJT’s second term in office, but that is not credible. He failed to see the *tool* 4 years ago, because he believed so thoroughly in the ideology, in the “civic responsibilities,” that he didn’t recognize the *tool.* The *tool* was working its soul-crushing enforcement, but he was “aligned with the ideology.”
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Apr 10 2025 18:34 utc | 39
Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 18:01 utc | 37--
"... which can plow through at least 60 meters (200 feet) of earth..."
The mountains in question are made of rock, not earth as in soil. Also, the bombers would need to enter into Iranian AD range to drop what would likely be glide bombs, and they've been shot down in Ukraine by the same AD Iran has. The only way for a bomber to attack Iran outside its AD zone is with stand-off cruise missiles that can also be shot down once they enter the AD zone. Then there's the Iranian/Russian EW suite. I don't know if the Empire has ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, but it does have them on its subs, but they too must enter the AD zone. So, the #1 question is how many AD launchers and reloads does Iran possess? Also, Russian has delivered Su-35s to Iran and possibly Su-57s which could easily shoot down the bombers since the bombers must enter the operational range of Iran's fighters to complete their missions. The same situation exists for an attack on Iran from Occupied Palestine. Again, the key question is the amount of AD that's deployed and the number of fighters that could be sent in that direction. Can Iran defend against an attack from both directions simultaneously?
Iran decided to entertain indirect talks in Oman this Saturday arranged by Russia after two very secret meetings in Beijing then Moscow. Did Iran agree to talk because it's confident in its defenses or to gain time to complete them? Obviously, we don't know that answer. As Wilkerson reminds people, in all the US v Iran war gaming done, the US is the loser.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 18:01 utc | 37 Tactical nukes.
@39 Clearly, gibberish aka word salad is not the only symptom of mental pathology. I would love to know how the damage from so-called soul crushing is measured, an estimate of the number of victims and comparison to the amount of soul crushing inflicted by racism etc. to that inflicted by DEI...after of course somebody proving that DEI was actually a thing rather than a performance.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Apr 10 2025 19:04 utc | 41
The mountains in question are made of rock.
Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 19:00 utc | 40
---
Hilariously the highest peak near Natanz is Mount Karkas which in Persian means mountain of the vultures. You can image where that name came from.
Posted by: too scents | Apr 10 2025 19:17 utc | 42
Edit, adding.
Natanz if famous for its granite. The Iranians have burrowed into solid granite.
https://www.google.com/search?q=natanz+granite
Posted by: too scents | Apr 10 2025 19:20 utc | 43
Gold up 3.5% today
10 year Treasury back to 4.4%
The Big Money is jumping ship
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 19:26 utc | 44
Relative compressive strengths (rough values)
25,000 PSI Granite
3,000 PSI dirt soil
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 19:29 utc | 45
@40
Iran and RF tech support will likely hold off on showing their best A&MD.
US targeting and accuracy are not a major threat.
Best to observe…. Than show capabilities.
Shoot the easy ones.
Posted by: paddy | Apr 10 2025 19:33 utc | 46
Re: 2027 Federal Budget Crisis:
Barflies - help me figure out the various possible paths the Trump regime might take once 30-40% of Federal Income is devoted to axing interest on federal debt.
A thought exercise if you will
Thank you
Posted by: Exile | Apr 10 2025 19:44 utc | 47
How about Cheyenne mountain? Will a "bunker buster" destroy it?
Wilkerson says even nukes wont destroy the Iranian facilities.
Its pretty simple. Natural materials have a near infinite supply.
Granite is pretty tough if its not decomposed.
You figure out what you need.
Then multiply x10.
Why not?
Just ask any coyote trying to get to the rabbit.
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 19:45 utc | 48
@34
Cash! Stagflation is the risk, that drives term and rate risk up. The long bonds suffer.
That said traders are slow to flee stocks.
Short rates not appealing, and Powell seems to be neutral.
Look for change to balance sheet after 16:30 EDT today.
Trump is offering stock swings by tweet, if yohave an “in”
Posted by: paddy | Apr 10 2025 19:49 utc | 49
Today is the international day of the resistance against national socialism. Widely ignored in the West where Nazism is all the rage, especially in Ukraine and the Baltics.
Posted by: aquadraht | Apr 10 2025 20:00 utc | 50
Karloff @ 40
Subsonic cruise missiles and pure ballistic missiles of any type are not much of a challenge for AD designed with more modern threats in mind. Only question is can Iranian AD be overwhelmed by sheer volume? US inventories are not large. We shall find out what they can do with decoys. My suspicion is the available decoys are easy to spot trash. I'd not want to bet on that, it is my opinion.
US could barely fight Afghanistan, cannot fight Yemen. Iran should be fine.
Posted by: oldhippie | Apr 10 2025 20:05 utc | 51
too scents | Apr 10 2025 19:20 utc | 43--
Thanks for the chuckle and density stats. You've likely seen video of Iran's underground missile cities.
paddy | Apr 10 2025 19:33 utc | 46--
Yep, save the best for last. With all the recent practice sorties run from Diego Garcia, I'm sure the Iranians have a very good radar signature for all the planes involved, B-2s in particular. I believe they all need to be refueled going and returning, so that's another vulnerable point, and USAF doesn't have very many tankers anymore.
Iran is the only nation that really understands Pozzolons.
Iran has aggregates that are not available elsewhere and has unique distribution methods.
Now use a geometry that has incredible inherent strength and old reliable high strength/top grade structural steel as reinforcement to create the composite material commonly referred to as "concrete".
Place that under granite.
https://www.concrete.org/publications/internationalconcreteabstractsportal.aspx?m=details&i=51664217
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 20:07 utc | 53
oldhippie | Apr 10 2025 20:05 utc | 51--
Thanks for your reply. Yes, but Netanyahu has such a hard on for attacking Iran and believes his own propaganda, he'll probably try anyway.
So much for Trump fixing the government deficit. In the first six months of fiscal 2025, the deficit was US$1.3 trillion vs. US$1.14 trillion in 2024. Only the COVID affected 2021 deficit was higher.
It is also obvious that the tariffs will not produce a lot of tax revenue as Trump says, because they will significantly reduce imports upon which the tariffs will be paid. Only the imports that cannot be replaced and are absolutely essential will remain after a few years at the most.
All the while, Trump is pressing for the renewal of his 2017 tax cuts plus adding new tax cuts, and has just announced the first US$1 trillion military budget. Any recession triggered by the tariffs will reduce tax revenues (to add to the effects of the firing of so many at the IRS) and increase social spending. Bigger Deficits!
The US government is on the path to exceed the deficit levels of 2021, in a much higher interest rate environment. When does the shit hit the fan? Here is Adam Tooze discussing how close the US Treasury bond market came to a full “bond market meltdown” on Wednesday morning. No wonder Trump immediately took a step back. This problem has not gone away, the underlying conditions have not been treated.
The Fed money printing in 2021 was ten times the scale of that in 2008, what will it take this time? If (when) the Fed flips from QT to massive QE, the precious metals and crypto will explode. There could also be one last leg up to the peak for the stock market a la 2000.
https://adamtooze.substack.com/p/chartbook-370-is-a-treasury-market
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 10 2025 20:14 utc | 55
the composite material commonly referred to as "concrete".
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 20:07 utc | 53
---
Concrete made with crushed granite, which is a matrix containing mica and quartz, is way Way WAY stronger than concrete made with sand.
Posted by: too scents | Apr 10 2025 20:21 utc | 56
"
The Fed money printing in 2021 was ten times the scale of that in 2008, what will it take this time? If (when) the Fed flips from QT to massive QE, the precious metals and crypto will explode. There could also be one last leg up to the peak for the stock market a la 2000."
If one regards the tariffs as a threat of dollar scarcity. Everything has to be tight. They cant have dollar leaks from liquidity fountain of youths.
catch 22.
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 20:25 utc | 57
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Apr 10 2025 20:14 utc | 55
###########
Hey Rog, don't you know that it takes money to make money?
All of that Trump spending will make America the wealthiest country ever!!!
Freedom is Slavery
War is Peace.
Spending is Wealth-building.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 20:37 utc | 58
"Concrete made with crushed granite, which is a matrix containing mica and quartz, is way Way WAY stronger than concrete made with sand."
Yes. But the Portland wants to separate as higher percentages of crushed aggregates are used. The ultra sharp aggregates that create high strength squeeze the portland out with conventional mixing methods. even gravity squeezes it out. Use of a vibrator at all for consolidation totally separates the mix in seconds. It seems a easy recipe for super mud but it wont mix and wont stay mixed. No free lunch. Which doesnt mean crushed aggregates have no place in super mud. They are a necessity for super mud. But they are not without tradeoffs and require accommodation in other ways none of which are conducive to placement. . Super mud is one thing. Super mud that can actually be placed on large projects another. If you are giving up vibrator use you are giving up a lot. This is the art of aggregate geometry and distribution.
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 20:52 utc | 59
LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 20:07 utc | 53--
This was announced today, "China discovers new mineral species vital for strategic emerging sectors like semiconductors, photovoltaics":
China recently discovered a new mineral species — high-purity quartz, the CCTV News reported on Thursday, saying that this discovery is expected to reduce the country's heavy reliance on imports and support the high-quality development of related strategic emerging industries such as semiconductors and photovoltaics.Citing the Ministry of Natural Resources, the report said the newly designated mineral species is called high-purity quartz, referring to rock that can be processed and purified to obtain silicon dioxide with a purity of no less than 99.995 percent. The impurity and inclusion levels must meet the stringent requirements of high-tech fields such as semiconductors and photovoltaics.
Mao Jingwen, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was quoted as saying in the CCTV News report that the establishment of this new mineral species will contribute to the high-quality development of related strategic emerging industries.
Materials science is where it's at--from the outer skin of hypersonic missiles to producing a ceramic or other material capable of withstanding the intense levels of intergalactic radiation.
Ironic that Nixon started the War on Cancer and went to China, and in 2025, China may have won that war.
🇨🇳Chinese Scientists Can turn Off CancerA team at Tianjin University cracked the code behind MCT1’s transport mechanism - and found a way to break it.
Tumors shrank in both petri dishes and mice.
Source: CGTN
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 21:41 utc | 61
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Apr 10 2025 17:39 utc | 36
All the countries who have imposed sanctions, embargoes, etc on China and are in the death throes will seek to re-establish economic relations to save their economies. The same with Russia.
Posted by: horseguards | Apr 10 2025 21:41 utc | 62
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 10 2025 18:01 utc | 37
Israel is within reach of Iranian missiles.
Posted by: horseguards | Apr 10 2025 21:45 utc | 63
Any moment now, Big Pharma will license that and mark it up 1,000x for the US market, while claiming an American breakthrough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GjqdP6KSOE
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 21:46 utc | 64
Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 19:00 utc | 40
Given the Chinese interest and presence in Iran, it would be interesting to know their military and technological contributions.
Posted by: horseguards | Apr 10 2025 21:53 utc | 65
The rotors fell off a helicopter while in flight above NY. My condolences for the bereaved. (nypost)
Another news items that says the US is no longer what it was.
Posted by: Passerby | Apr 10 2025 22:14 utc | 66
oldhippie | Apr 10 2025 20:05 utc | 51--
Thanks for your reply. Yes, but has such a hard on for attacking Iran and believes his own propaganda, he'll probably try anyway.
Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 20:11 utc | 54
Seems that way. Agreed. Can't help but wonder who what might be pulling Netanyahu's strings?
Posted by: Tannenhouser | Apr 10 2025 22:15 utc | 67
Thought I'd take a look at Chinese language media and consulted Guancha which has numerous items to choose from. I chose "Overseas risks have intensified, and the US media is worried that the export of US services will become the target of tariff countermeasures: made these points and many others:
Brad Setser, an economist at the Council on Foreign Relations, said corporate tax avoidance tactics had also boosted exports of services. Many U.S. companies register in other countries with lower taxes and then pay fees to their U.S. parent company. These fees are counted as intellectual property or asset management fees and are classified as services exports. This is why the United States has a large trade surplus in services with Ireland, Switzerland, and the Cayman Islands....In addition, foreign consumers have begun to boycott American brands, and David Weinstein, a professor of economics at Columbia University, said that trade tensions with China during Mr. Trump's first term ultimately hurt American service companies doing business in China, "when you make enemies everywhere, you can't sell anything." [My Emphasis]
The main theme is services are the target, not goods because the Outlaw US Empire makes few of those. And what's key here is Trump hasn't just enraged governments but citizens globally, and not just for the tariffs but also for the continual wars and genocide support.
@56...
"Concrete made with crushed granite, which is a matrix containing mica and quartz, is way Way WAY stronger than concrete made with sand."
sand is quartz you phuckwit
Posted by: AleaJactaEst | Apr 10 2025 22:41 utc | 69
Iran, China, Russia and North Korea understand that DJT is a loose cannon; this encourages them to fortify their support for each other. If the U.S. bombs Iran, the Russians will continue to stock Iran w/ defensive weapons, of course. Both China and Russia will forcefully & publicly support Iran diplomatically.
The big issue w/ regard to Iran—-it’s not a question whether or not they’re building bomb. The problem is that Iran has the capability of enriching uranium & plutonium in order to make a bomb. Israel wants to nullify the possibility of Iran ever building a bomb.
But Iranians have made it manifestly clear that they are not going to give up their ability to enrich uranium & plutonium. Bombing Iran would require a massive undertaking for the U.S. right now. The Israelis want the U.S. to wreck Iran as the U.S. wrecked Syria.
Israel demands that the agreement that Iran *cannot* have nuclear weapons has to be Libya-style, where the U.S. goes in to emasculate Iran, removing all missiles, all defense.
But if the U.S. and Israel destroy Iran’s oil facilities, Iran will destroy oil facilities across the Middle East.
Posted by: steel_porcupine | Apr 10 2025 22:49 utc | 70
Posted by: AleaJactaEst | Apr 10 2025 22:41 utc | 69
####################
Surely there is a difference between solid quartz and sand.
Before you start insulting, make sure your argument is solid, or you end up looking dumb.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 22:50 utc | 71
Are President Trump's Political Chances Larger Than Roman Emperor Heliogabolus (218-222 AD)? Is Kirill Dmitriev Aiming To Succeed President Putin by Playing The American Card? (& vid)
"...To reassure himself on who rules, Trump has installed two baroque, gilt-framed mirrors on the Oval Office wall, mounted at head level so that when Trump enters or leaves the office he can see himself...
In the short history of the Trump presidency, voter disapproval of the president's performance has never risen above approval so swiftly...
In Moscow too, as the podcast discusses, the political succession to President Vladimir Putin is underway. It is in this context that Russians who count interpret Kirill Dmitriev's promotion of himself as the negotiator of peace terms with the United States.
For more on Dmitriev and the clash of his ambitions with FM Sergei Lavrov - first discussed two months ago - read this..."
Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 10 2025 23:19 utc | 72
The US and Israel can only run air raids against Iran, and you can’t win a war with nothing but air raids. Not to mention that even air raids are dangerous. An air raid always runs the risk of losing planes. How much damage can a single, or even series of raids do? Almost certainly not enough to significantly degrade Iranian capability. The Israelis don’t have much in the of surface to surface missiles. The US stock probably isn’t great and even if cruise missiles make it through AD, they’re not enough to cause crippling damage.
The only way it works is if every best case scenario in the US/Israel plan comes true AND Iran doesn’t immediately retaliate. Of Iran shrugs off an attack the empire looks incredibly weak. If it retaliates it has so many options. And the escalation ladder for the US is super short. Aside from more dangerous air raids it has nukes.
Posted by: Lex | Apr 10 2025 23:37 utc | 74
"Materials science is where it's at--from the outer skin of hypersonic missiles to producing a ceramic or other material capable of withstanding the intense levels of intergalactic radiation.
Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 21:18 utc | 60"
Material science is a appreciation of the wonder of our world. Everything really only comes from the natural world humanity just puts a tweak or two on it.
As the inevitable opening of the Caspian area happens who knows what resource wonders it will reveal. Perhaps even the tragedy of Ukraine can have some ensemble of justice as the logical terminus of the Caspian area opening. In fact I wonder if the stans could find themselves quite pleased with their standard of living as the value of resources becomes understood. Everything hinges on evolving beyond our use of resources for war. A unbelievably bright future shines if we can somehow against all odds change our nature. We will always compete but augmented pathogens and sucking chest wound serve no society now.
As far as "intergalactic". Humans will never be allowed to leave in their current state of consciousness. OK maybe just Putin and a handful of hottys. :)
Posted by: LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 23:49 utc | 75
Posted by: Lex | Apr 10 2025 23:37 utc | 74
##########
Trump keeps intimating that the US has hitherto unseen WunderWaffe.
He BSes so much it's hard to believe, regardless, military strategists have to plan for everything, including the unknown as best they can.
The issue isn't the raids so much as the raiding planes having airfields to return to.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 23:52 utc | 76
🇨🇳Chinese Scientists Can turn Off Cancer
A team at Tianjin University cracked the code behind MCT1’s transport mechanism - and found a way to break it.
Tumors shrank in both petri dishes and mice.
Source: CGTN
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 10 2025 21:41 utc | 61
If we were mice we would have conquered cancer little after nixon...
Not a joke, the quantity of treatments that work for them but don't work for humans...
P.S. Not against animal testing, just careful about its limitations
Posted by: Newbie | Apr 11 2025 0:06 utc | 77
Trump hasn't just enraged governments but citizens globally...
@ karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 22:25 utc | 68
And so rapidly! Officials needn't order Canadians to hate US Americans. We've richly earned their existential disgust -- to the point practically no wine, no whiskey sits on Canadian shelves for now. Forever as far as California vintners are concerned.
A proud tide of Mexican nationalism rises prodigiously, beating back against racist insults from north of the border. US American merchants, furious at being driven out of business, now show a mushrooming "tariff surcharge" on every receipt; so everyone knows what T-Rex's wonderful new world is costing us.
T-Rex's habitual feigned insouciance gets weirder (even Biden-like, at times!) with every photo-op. Mr. Market and even a fair number of oaken-headed US Americans grow very weary of his crooked "I dunno" shuffle. But it's too late now. We deserve for our country (not to mention its sacrosanct exchange currency) to be leveled like Alta Dena. Like Gaza.
T-Rex is our horrible destiny; Delivering just deserts with dispatch.
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 11 2025 0:13 utc | 78
"...sand is quartz you phuckwit"
Posted by: AleaJactaEst | Apr 10 2025 22:41 utc | 69
Sand refers only to the grain size distribution of sediments derived from the erosion of rocks. It is virtually never entirely pure quartz. Other common minerals in sand are feldspar, mica, olivine, ilmenite, and others. It depends on the source rocks from which the sand was derived, and the varying abilities of diffrent minerals to withstand the weathering processes.
So please don't insult other posters over technical matters on which you yourself are ill-informed.
Posted by: Spectator | Apr 11 2025 0:17 utc | 79
@ Newbie | Apr 11 2025 0:06 utc | 77
Popular understanding of "cancer" is one of the best illustrations of how the words we choose can get in the way of a more fruitful interpretation of reality. Throughout my long life, and long before, English-speakers have sought a "cure for cancer" without knowing what they're doing: Constructing a haphazard collection of innumerable animal and even plant malfunctions as a thing with a name: cancer, out of whole cloth.
As the multiple and multiplying origins of various "cancers" become much better understood, we hang like devoted novices to our ancient mythological attitude toward a cancer we might cure someday.
After all, if we can put a man on the moon... What was supposed to be the point of that, anyhow? -- something to do with Tang, I think. Meanwhile, down on planet Earth, countless pipes spew poison and plastic all over everything. All over and inside your inevitably "cancerous" body.
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 11 2025 0:30 utc | 80
Materials science is where it's at--from the outer skin of hypersonic missiles to producing a ceramic or other material capable of withstanding the intense levels of intergalactic radiation.
Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 21:18 utc | 60
Interesting fact - Gold is the only element that reflects infrared radiation.
Posted by: osi not ossi | Apr 11 2025 0:30 utc | 81
"Interesting fact - Gold is the only element that reflects infrared radiation."
Posted by: osi not ossi | Apr 11 2025 0:30 utc | 81
Not a fact. A 10 second internet search and a minute of reading shows otherwise.
Posted by: Spectator | Apr 11 2025 0:39 utc | 82
The Trump (n Dump) administration has ordered CBP and ICE to prevent (illegal)"IDEAS" from crossing the border.
https://www.newsweek.com/ice-illegal-ideas-border-security-social-media-post-2058217
Geez, I guess I just have TDS or something, but this sounds an awful lot like Big Brother and the Thought Police. Not as if the UK hasn't been doing this for a while, but they don't openly advertise it. See flyer at the link. LOL
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 11 2025 0:42 utc | 83
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 11 2025 0:42 utc | 83
Somewhere online yesterday I saw a novel description of "TDS":
Trump Deepthroats Satanyahoo
Posted by: Spectator | Apr 11 2025 0:52 utc | 84
Cancer. Cancer research. Funding and fund-raising for “cancer research”.
At one time I was very involved in local/family history.
I was reading the local newspaper from about 1910 IIRC. There was a largish article about cancer research and a benefit concert to raise funds for the American Cancer Research Center or similar/whatever.
By then I was cynical enough to wonder why our (then) remote community on the other side of the planet was raising funds for an American group.
*) so much opportunity for overhead skimming
*) how much oversight? How could organisers in our location be sure some or any of our money made across the seas to actually fund “cancer research”.
1910: I thought, How long has this “raise funds for cancer research” scam been operating ?
I think I was reading the old newspaper in about 2005. So, a century of funds from every tiny tinpot bumfuk nowhere all over the planet, being harvested for “cancer research”, and still, we are told, there is “no cure”.
Hmmmmm.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Apr 11 2025 0:58 utc | 85
"Affluence was an appealing target for indignation...If the problem had been described as wealth, one would have had to specify *whose* wealth. Wealth is property, it belongs to someone. Affluence... offered a way of talking about wealth without talking about class.... Affluence... attached to no particular persons or groups. It hung over the entire landscape like... a kind of smog with no known source or cure. Since it had no proprietors and perpetrators, affluence could be attacked without seeming to question the priorities of a business-dominated economy. --Barbara Ehrenreich" (1989)"
Posted by: Ben Trovata | Apr 11 2025 1:07 utc | 86
Meanwhile, down on planet Earth, countless pipes spew poison and plastic all over everything. All over and inside your inevitably "cancerous" body.
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 11 2025 0:30 utc | 80
Yes, post industrial cases seem to have increased significantly (even at younger ages , discounting the extended lifespan factor)
Would probably say that even agriculture might have done the same in a smaller scale thousands of years ago.
(Many things we eat from agriculture contain a non negligible amount of poisons)
But there were always cancers. Maybe they also overlap with other frailties that would kill the person before the cancer was visible.
Well, not too important, I just mentioned that cures for cancer are a dime a dozen… in mice
Posted by: Newbie | Apr 11 2025 1:37 utc | 87
I decided to do a full translation of the item I cited at karlof1 | Apr 10 2025 22:25 utc | 68 above and added some additional material to it, "When You Make Enemies Everywhere, You Can't Sell Anything". The graphic at the header is also very graphic.
LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 23:49 utc | 75--
Thanks for your reply. I've wondered about your moniker since it's the name of a town in California I'm very familiar with. Since you're interested in science as are others on this thread, I thought I'd reshare a report I provided back in February, "Plenary Session of the Future Technologies Forum at Moscow's World Trade Centre", which admittedly is a rather long read but filled with exciting cutting-edge science. Regarding materials science, the segment featuring Nadezhda Potekhina towards the end is fascinating; and when the video is watched, it becomes clear she was the hit of the session.
It is very easy to predict. China will keep selling its finished goods and industrial inputs (e.g. pharma base components) to US via one of the low tarrif countries but with a surcharge (US inflation). This is perfectly analogous to Russia selling oil and gas to the Collective Waste via India etc. The same as the hydrocarbons are a sellers market, so are the Chinese goods which no-one else could produce in the short term and at a similar price (the economy of scale already achieved).
Posted by: Kiza | Apr 11 2025 2:23 utc | 89
yahoo
Bolton: Trump tariffs ‘huge opportunity for China worldwide’
Former national security adviser John Bolton suggested Tuesday that he doesn’t believe China will cut a deal with President Trump amid the back-and-forth tariff war.
Instead, the former Trump official said import tax increases will only push companies into the hands of Beijing.
“What Trump is doing is a huge opportunity for China worldwide. These tariffs are a form of economic illiteracy.” Bolton said during an appearance on CNN’s “AC360” on Tuesday evening. “Trump has no idea really what he’s talking about. He doesn’t understand how tariffs works.” . . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 11 2025 2:29 utc | 90
LosBanos | Apr 10 2025 23:49 utc | 75--
"Thanks for your reply. I've wondered about your moniker since it's the name of a town in California I'm very familiar with."
Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 11 2025 1:44 utc | 88
When I was in college and taking Spanish lessons, I was told than "baños" is bathroom or toilet. Obviously there are other and much better interpretations of the word. Just saying that the word can bring up images that aren't very good among non-Spanish speakers.
Posted by: Spectator | Apr 11 2025 2:38 utc | 91
The Independent
Mysterious US military flight to Afghanistan sparks speculation about Bagram air base
Military cargo plane from Doha was reportedly carrying CIA deputy chief.
.1 day ago
Posted by: denk | Apr 11 2025 2:38 utc | 92
TOLOnews
Trump Slams Afghan Withdrawal, Highlights Strategic Bagram Air Base Value
1 day ago
Posted by: denk | Apr 11 2025 3:04 utc | 93
A former executive at Facebook testified yesterday before the U. S. Senate Judiciary Committee. She mentioned DeepSeek, which our host recently wrote about. Here's an excerpt:
Meta does not dispute these facts. They can’t. I have the documents. As recently as this Monday they claimed they do not operate services in China. Another lie.In fact, they began offering products and services in China as early as 2014. That hasn’t stopped. Their own SEC filings from last year show that China is now Meta’s second biggest market. Meanwhile, Meta’s AI model – Llama – has contributed significantly to Chinese advances in AI technologies like DeepSeek.
Posted by: David Levin | Apr 11 2025 3:29 utc | 94
There's method in Trump's seemingly extreme tariff madness..
South China Morning Post ‘Where can I go now?’: Chinese factories in Vietnam hammered by US tariffs 2 days agoRest of World
Trump’s tariffs test Vietnam’s role as manufacturing alternative to China
17 hours ago
Posted by: denk | Apr 11 2025 3:41 utc | 95
Trump Deepthroats Satanyahoo
Posted by: Spectator | Apr 11 2025 0:52 utc | 84
Good furckin description. I'm using it.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 11 2025 3:53 utc | 96
Trump Slams Afghan Withdrawal, Highlights Strategic Bagram Air Base Value
1 day ago
Posted by: denk | Apr 11 2025 3:04 utc | 93
He's so anti-war, ain't he? Or anti imperial. Anti globalist. Oops, there is my TDS flaring up again. The old definition, not the new one. LOL
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 11 2025 3:57 utc | 97
Spectator | Apr 11 2025 2:38 utc | 91--
Thanks for your reply. Yes, the town's name means The Baths due to local springs in what otherwise was a desert when the Spanish happened upon it. For the curious, Wikipedia's listing. It was once a sleepy farm town that became a bedroom commuter community that's now a small city. There was a restaurant we always stopped at, Casa de Fruta, along Hwy 152 that's still alive.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 11 2025 3:57 utc | 97
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As we all know, maga is against war against white Russia, its wet dream is an 8NA revival against the yellow peril !
TOLOnews
Trump: The US Should Not Have Lost Bagram Airbase
According to Trump, the US was interested in keeping Bagram Airbase due to its strategic proximity to China, but now, he claims, China controls...
.4 weeks ago
Posted by: denk | Apr 11 2025 4:18 utc | 99
Trump should not have been such a b1tch and lost an election he knew was going to be rigged.
More American government whining. They don't do something well, and they whine and whine about it.
What a bunch of crybabies.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 11 2025 4:28 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
I think the most important question for the world concerns the US military and Iran. Yes, the global economy is important but war with Iran could be worse for that than tariff threats.
I haven't seen anyone put the pieces together as to US capabilities. They have been drained by Ukraine and now Yemen. What do they have to throw at Iran? Maybe the whole idea fizzles out because the resources aren't there and won't be for some time. Futhermore, if they're pushing China into enemy status, that may encourage a move against Taiwan - which the Pentagon must be thinking about.
Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 10 2025 13:41 utc | 1