News & views not related to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine …
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February 4, 2026
Open (Neither Ukraine Nor Palestine) Thread 2026-031
Comments
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 6 2026 18:41 utc | 498
Yeah, says Vance. Through the National Pulse.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 19:00 utc | 502
beat me to it. thats the gold in that record.
however-
“Now there faces captured in the lenses of the jackals for gold”
reminiscent to a degree (Fahrenheit?)
of Baby’s On Fire.
“Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 6 2026 17:04 utc | 470 Cold and misty morning I heard a warning born in the airAbout an age of power where no one had an hour to spareWhere the seeds had withered silent children shivered in the coldNow their faces turgid in the ranges of the jackals for goldI’ll be thereI’ll be thereI will be there ~ Emerson, Lake, and Palmer
Posted by: Saint Jimmy | Feb 6 2026 17:14 utc | 474“
Posted by: Not Ewe | Feb 6 2026 19:05 utc | 503
..UK is “Sodom” to US “Gamorrah” – special relationship.
Posted by: jared | Feb 6 2026 14:11 utc | 414
To varying degrees people here know what sodomy is, but what is gamorrahy? Any devotees of the OLD Testicles care to comment?
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 19:20 utc | 504
I see in the mainstream media that there is a fuss in the USA over the Trump administration producing a cartoon which reportedly depicts the Obamas as monkeys. Seems poopie the Presitrump is in it as “King of the Jungle”.
Of course it is wrong and unfair — after all, what real monkey ever started and continued several wars, composed a weekly “to be killed” list for use abroad, and had a CIA parent arranging the massacre of over half a million ehnic Chinese in Indonesia?
The present indignation is yet another surge of wokist hypocrisy; in fact, the biggest racism in the whole thing is that the Obamas got off — still get off — with so much in politics and media (and got awarded a Nobel Peace Prize) because of their skin colour.
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 6 2026 19:21 utc | 505
Could that be connected to how he is now busy destroying the Washington Post all of a sudden with massive layoffs?
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 18:10 utc | 493
My guess is that the destruction of the Post as a reputable mainstream newspaper isn’t so much sudden, but more picking up speed as it nears the bottom of the slope. Also, analyzing the sense in which papers like the Post, the NYT, the WSJ and news media like CBS can be deemed legitimate in ways something like the NY Post or Washington Examiner or the Western Journal or Fox aren’t is much too complicated to go into here. As I understand it, a very large portion of the money to make Melania was directly paid to Melania, who may or may not get a significant share of revenue from the box office. I could imagine Bezos working out a way to pay people to go into the theater, the way some books’ supposed sales are reportedly bulk buys from partisans and businesses. Or political pressure to include a given book in public library purchases (though conservatives seem to be abolishing libraries as a way to censor them, throwing the bathwater out with the baby so to speak.) I do think purchasing the Post was intended to support Trump, either directly or indirectly, to fight the Democrats by removing a major paper with the resources to cover government at close range.
What I’m not sure about, is who was Bezos bribing? Trump usually gets the money but in this case technically it’s Melania getting the money. But Trump may control Melania the same way a redneck controls his Ukrainian mail order bride in thriller movies? I looked at the provisions of the 25th amendment some time back and noted that all the president had to do was write a letter controverting the cabinet decision. And it would take a 2/3 majority to override a mere letter. As I see it then, the only way to 25th Trump would be if Melania, in her legal role as spouse, was to explain that Trump was too ill to communicate. So, who is Bezos bribing? Trump? Or Melania? And what is he buying?
[The majority of the cabinet signing off on disabling Trump is actually doable, given enough money. Sleaze like Bondi, Hegseth, Gabbard, Noem, RFK Jr are for sale. Others like Bessent, Lutnick, MacMahon are business people who could be brought on board by good deals I think. Promise Marco Rubio a hundred million for his presidential campaign, he’d organize the vote I think. It would take someone with deep pockets like Musk, Bezos, Thiel, Ellison….but there are so many deep pockets with political freaks attached, aren’t there?]
Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 6 2026 19:23 utc | 506
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 19:20 utc | 504
####
Believer or not, an adult should know these cultural references.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodom_and_Gomorrah
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 6 2026 19:23 utc | 507
Of course it is wrong and unfair — after all, what real monkey ever started and continued several wars, composed a weekly “to be killed” list for use abroad, and had a CIA parent arranging the massacre of over half a million ethnic Chinese in Indonesia? Posted by: Cynic | Feb 6 2026 19:21 utc | 505
That is an ill-chosen screen name! No genuine cynic would ever believe that a woman who slept with men of other races was ever anything but an asset, a hired prostitute, not a trusted leader setting policy and carrying out major projects for national security (as that kind thinks of it.) Also, no genuine cynic would ever believe that Trump disliked the Obamas because of the kill lists or even disapproved of the Jakarta method. Indonesia 1965 was a victory for the likes of Trump, instead of a losing forever war. Trump is not anti-war, he’s anti-losing. And any genuine cynic knows people who talk anti-imperialist are quite capable of pretending being anti-losing is all about being anti-war.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 6 2026 19:29 utc | 509
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 6 2026 19:21 utc | 505 PS My notion of the Nobel Peace Prize for Obama is, electing a Black man president made it so much easier to pretend the US was a force of good, instead of being the war chief of imperialism. Good PR, like Johnson promoting the end of Jim Crow while fighting Communism like a mad dog.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 6 2026 19:33 utc | 510
From my favorite Wagner officer,
🚨BREAKING
The new Madagascar government, which expelled France from the country, will hand over mining operations to Russian companies. Furthermore, it seems quite likely that the PMC Wagner group will send a unit to Madagascar for security reasons.🇷🇺🇲🇬
https://x.com/aleksbrz11/status/2019856138020483181
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 6 2026 19:35 utc | 511
No genuine cynic would ever believe that a woman who slept with men of other races was ever anything but an asset, a hired prostitute, not a trusted leader setting policy and carrying out major projects for national security (as that kind thinks of it.)
Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 6 2026 19:29 utc | 509
####
Incel detected.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 6 2026 19:38 utc | 512
Now ZH is telling jokes as this Premium posting title tells
Bitcoin More Attractive Than Gold In The Long-Term: JPMorgan
LOL!
Where is the Arby dude?….Hey, if Jamie Dimon says so its true, correct?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 6 2026 19:50 utc | 513
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 19:20 utc | 504 #### Believer or not, an adult should know these cultural references. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodom_and_Gomorrah
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 6 2026 19:23 utc | 507
Now tell us about Mohommed and the Al Zutt.
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 19:51 utc | 514
So, on one hand, The Post (2017), Spielberg’s historical drama, is all about the Washington Post stepping up in 1971 to publish the Pentagon Papers. You’ve got Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) and Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) taking huge risks to go against Nixon’s administration, exposing decades of government lies about the Vietnam War. The film makes it feel intense—fast-paced newsroom scenes, John Williams’ score, and that constant tension of “will they get shut down or worse?”—and it really frames the press as a check on power. Graham’s arc is especially compelling: she starts off hesitant, socially awkward, and ends up making the bold call to publish, while Bradlee’s the classic editor who pushes everyone to prioritize truth over comfort. The Supreme Court victory at the end just cements the idea that the press is essential to democracy.
But fast-forward to now, early 2026, and it’s a very different vibe. Jeff Bezos owns the Post, and a lot of his moves feel… off in comparison. For one, Amazon’s MGM picked up a $40 million documentary about Melania Trump, with another $35 million for marketing. Brett Ratner directing. The whole thing screams glossy, image-boosting, and Bezos even reportedly had a pre-inauguration dinner with the Trumps. At the same time, the Post has made some controversial choices: not endorsing Kamala Harris in 2024, which apparently led to over 250,000 subscriber cancellations, and massive layoffs in 2026 that cut a third of the newsroom, including sports, books, and parts of local and international coverage. Critics, including Marty Baron, have pointed out the irony: dropping staff and dialing down confrontation with Trump while splurging on a Trump-adjacent project.
So yeah, the contrast is striking. The Post glorifies journalistic courage and taking risks for the public good, while the Bezos-era moves—big-money Trump doc, staff cuts, cautious political posture—feel like they’re about image management and avoiding heat. It’s hard not to see the Melania project as the opposite of what the movie celebrates: instead of audacity and ethical conviction, it’s a reminder of how much the paper’s posture has shifted.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 19:56 utc | 515
One more for the road….
Aljeera
‘Panama’s president hits back after China threat in canal ports rowPresident Mulino responds to China, insists his country upholds the rule of law and and has an independent court system.’
Signing off…
Posted by: denk | Feb 6 2026 19:57 utc | 516
Bitcoin only exists as data on readable storage media.
Nothing could possibly go wrong with that…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Feb 6 2026 20:12 utc | 517
‘Panama’s president hits back after China threat in canal ports rowPresident Mulino responds to China, insists his country upholds the rule of law and and has an independent court system.’
Signing off…
Posted by: denk | Feb 6 2026 19:57 utc | 516
The Panama Ports Drama
So here’s the scoop: Li Ka-shing’s company, CK Hutchison, has been running the two big ports at either end of the Panama Canal since 1997, handling massive cargo that’s a huge part of Panama’s economy. Suddenly, in early 2026, Panama’s Supreme Court ruled the long-term concession unconstitutional, pointing to audits, tax breaks, and other irregularities. That move voids the deal, throws a $23 billion sale of CK Hutchison’s global ports into chaos, and lets Panama hand operations to new players—Maersk is stepping in temporarily. China is furious, calling it “absurd U.S.-driven bullying” and warning of a “heavy price” like frozen projects or rerouted trade. Meanwhile, CK Hutchison fires back with international arbitration in Paris seeking big damages. It’s not about controlling the canal—the Panamanians have run that since 1999—but it’s a proxy battle over perceived Chinese influence in a key global chokepoint.
Li Ka-shing: Capitalist, Not Communist
For context, Li isn’t some CCP puppet. He fled mainland China as a kid, built his empire in capitalist Hong Kong, and turned into a global dealmaker—snapping up Canadian oil (Husky Energy), European utilities, you name it. He’s pragmatic and profit-focused, never a Communist ideologue—British records even called him “extremely anti-Communist,” and Beijing has slammed him as disloyal, like during the Hong Kong protests when he urged leniency for demonstrators. Still, China courted him and other overseas Chinese tycoons after 1978 because they brought cash, know-how, and credibility to kickstart reforms—the classic “Singapore model” Charlie Munger talks about, where Deng Xiaoping borrowed Lee Kuan Yew’s investor-friendly, pragmatic approach to turbocharge growth.
The Juicy Canada Twist
And here’s the kicker: Li’s long Canadian ties make all this even messier. PM Mark Carney’s juggling U.S.-China tensions, facing Trump’s “America First” tariffs and insults, while trying to diversify trade—EVs, agriculture, etc.—without triggering full-blown U.S. retaliation. That mirrors the Panama situation: Washington doesn’t want Chinese influence creeping in via Hong Kong-linked players or trade deals, leaving middle powers like Canada and Panama hedging against U.S. unpredictability. Li, the ultimate independent capitalist, ends up stuck in the middle of this superpower squeeze. Seriously, it’s like geopolitical soap opera meets billion-dollar business drama.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 20:15 utc | 518
Equity markets rallied Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed the 50,000 threshold for the first time ever.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 20:24 utc | 520
As someone who is genetically 3/8 Irish it pains me slightly to read various retarded statements here coming people of Irish descent. The common factor is they appear to live in North America. The 1/4 component of my makeup that is Polish is confused about this but my English matrilineal DNA smiles superciliously. Fortunately the remainder Scots DNA has no interest in der doodlesac.
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 20:25 utc | 521
re: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 20:25 utc | 521
Tut mir leid – der Dudelsack.
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 20:32 utc | 522
Sebgo @ 495:
I’ve read somewhere online that Haiti is not allowed by the US to develop its oil and gas deposits, even though the island is sitting on huge deposits, enough that even if partly developed the income from partial development could wipe out the island’s poverty.
The news of Haiti’s successful revolt against slavery back in 1804, against the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte, must have stung the US as well as France really hard. On top of the reparations Haiti was forced to pay to France for 150 years, US forces occupied the island at least twice (1914 and then 1930s) during that time. Sometime MoA commenter Carlton Meyer made a video about the US occupation of Haiti for his YT channel on US imperialism.
Jean Aristide was the president who was kidnapped.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Feb 6 2026 20:32 utc | 523
Sebgo @ 495:
I’ve read somewhere online that Haiti is not allowed by the US to develop its oil and gas deposits, even though the island is sitting on huge deposits, enough that even if partly developed the income from partial development could wipe out the island’s poverty.
The news of Haiti’s successful revolt against slavery back in 1804, against the forces of Napoleon Bonaparte, must have stung the US as well as France really hard. On top of the reparations Haiti was forced to pay to France for 150 years, US forces occupied the island at least twice (1914 and then 1930s) during that time. Sometime MoA commenter Carlton Meyer made a video about the US occupation of Haiti for his YT channel on US imperialism.
Jean Aristide was the president who was kidnapped.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Feb 6 2026 20:33 utc | 524
Sorry, didn’t mean to post twice but there were some hiccups in posting.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Feb 6 2026 20:34 utc | 525
Posted by: Not Ewe | Feb 6 2026 19:05 utc | 503
Thanks.
Posted by: Saint Jimmy | Feb 6 2026 20:42 utc | 526
Maybe neither here nor there but important nonetheless at least for our edification:
Aceh is the northernmost province of Sumatra, Indonesia’s western island, sitting right at the western entrance to the Malacca Strait — the narrow shipping lane that carries about 25% of global trade and 40% of seaborne oil every day. Sabang, a small port town on Weh Island just off Aceh’s tip, is literally the first landfall for ships coming from the Indian Ocean into the strait. Even though Aceh almost never makes Western headlines anymore, its location makes it a permanent strategic asset: whoever influences or destabilizes it can affect one of the world’s most vital maritime arteries.
After the 2005 Helsinki peace deal (brokered by Martti Ahtisaari) ended the GAM insurgency, the US quietly supported stability through post-2004 tsunami aid, diplomatic backing, and shared counter-terrorism interests — not by building bases or sending troops (Indonesia forbids foreign military bases), but by helping remove a conflict that could have turned the strait into a piracy or jihadist hotspot.
There is no US naval base, no permanent garrison, and no overt military footprint in Sabang or Aceh today — just occasional joint exercises, transit rights, and logistics cooperation under the US–Indonesia defense partnership. But the 2005 peace itself served US interests perfectly: it secured the western mouth of the Malacca chokepoint, protected ExxonMobil’s historic gas interests, and kept a potential terrorist safe haven off the map — all without the visible US occupation that would have provoked backlash. Local peace quietly doubled as great-power chess, and that’s why Aceh still matters even when no one’s talking about it.
And since Indonesia’s “bebas-aktif” policy explicitly forbids foreign military bases on its soil, the US has instead been openly bolstering its naval and logistical presence in northern Australia (Darwin and the Top End), with expanded facilities, rotational Marine forces, and joint training sites under AUKUS and bilateral deals. Washington doesn’t hide the purpose: counter Chinese maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific, secure sea lines, and project power closer to the Malacca Strait without violating Indonesia’s sovereignty. It’s the same strategic logic—control the chokepoint indirectly through allies—while respecting Jakarta’s red line on bases.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 20:47 utc | 527
Bebas-aktif—literally “independent and active”—is Indonesia’s core foreign-policy doctrine, and it’s one of the most durable strategic ideas of the modern era. Formulated in 1945, it commits Indonesia to maintaining full freedom of maneuver (no permanent alliances, no foreign bases) while actively engaging the world to shape outcomes rather than passively reacting. That’s why, even in 2026, Indonesia can deepen defense cooperation with the US, welcome massive Chinese investment in nickel and EV supply chains, lead ASEAN diplomacy, and still refuse formal alignment without contradiction. Far from fence-sitting, bebas-aktif is a deliberate strategy of autonomy: extracting benefits from all sides, hedging against great-power rivalry, and avoiding entrapment in someone else’s geopolitical script—the same principle that has quietly guided Indonesia across regime change, the Cold War, and today’s US–China competition.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 20:54 utc | 528
Princess Bodica @518, 527, 528:
Thanks for the helpful explainers…
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 6 2026 21:34 utc | 529
TNA: Brian Berletic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-acLi2QF5C8
“US consolidates control over proxies amid war on multipolarism.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 6 2026 21:36 utc | 530
The world of physics is quite different to the world we see and feel. A different discipline and requires a different line of thought. The neon light and the plasma cutting torch that I used in my mates workshop …..
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 6 2026 11:32 utc | 394
**************
Peter- I get your point, but surely the world of physics is the world we see and feel! The ‘physics’ (letters and numbers) just seeks to provide an explanation so that we can understand not only the ‘what’, but also the ‘how’ – and perhaps start to ask some tentative questions as to the ‘why’.
Your example of the neon tube and plasma torch hits the nail on the head. They are both plasmas, both highly ionised, somewhat different temperatures, hugely different energy densities (to labour a point…)
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 6 2026 21:41 utc | 531
Syriana Analysis: ‘What Epstein Emails Reveal About Rothschild, Israel & Russia’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itdB4Kbwpt8
“Kevork Almassian and Tarik Cyril Amar separate what’s in the documents from what is being claimed online, and explain why it matters geopolitically.”
The Duran: ‘Sorry Starmer Finished’
https://www.youtube.com/@TheDuran/videos
“Time’s up for Keir Starmer. Mandelson-Epstein ROCKS UK establishment.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 6 2026 21:43 utc | 532
Posted by: MoaMetal | Feb 6 2026 12:52 utc | 403
****
Thanks – good advice, and taken onboard!
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 6 2026 21:45 utc | 533
“The king is the slave of history” (Tolstoy in War and Peace) – thinks he rules but is ruled
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 21:45 utc | 534
Uk police searches Mandelson’s properties after it was revealed that he was passing to Epstein some sensitive financial information in 2008 during the lead to the stocks crisis.
He was EU commissary at the time!
Posted by: Tom | Feb 6 2026 21:52 utc | 535
The 6th of February is not only Bob Marley’ s birthday it is also the national day of my country, New Zealand – Waitangi Day. It’s an event that over its history has had a wide range of things happen. Here is some footage from yesterday*. For those who are interested in the broad range of views on matters vis a vis Maori – pakeha relations, I recommend reading the comments. Bear in mind though they are heavily weighted towards the retarded reactionary end of the political spectrum representive of maybe 20% of the population. But big enough and powerful enough for the dark forces of splitist politics to use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGS28rPXxbo
The distinguished older man speaking is our Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters – a legend of NZ politics. Back in (the less PC) day of the 1980s he was known to say sometimes in speeches “I’m half Maori and I’m half Scottish. Part of me wants to get pissed [get drunk] and the other half doesn’t want to pay for it!”
He once referred to the incomparable Maria Zakharova just as “some apparatchik” in the Russian foreign service.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/117921649/winston-peters-says-new-zealand-wont-respond-to-russia-alleging-defence-force-committed-crimes
Last year when the Chinese fired off their skyrocket when their ships were sailing down the Tasman Sea he happened to be in Beijing on an official visit. I hope the Chinese officials also mentioned what a star in China Maria is.
*I particularly recommend this for anyone who is thinking of “boltholeing” to NZ. No 2nd Ammendment or right to carry here!
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 21:59 utc | 536
Interesting.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 15:36 utc | 430
*******************
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ia2tHDNGfT8?feature=share
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 6 2026 22:01 utc | 537
The State Department intends to fund analytical centers and charitable organizations across Europe associated with Trump’s MAGA movement to spread his political positions, reports the Financial Times, citing sources.
According to their data, a senior State Department official, Sarah Rogers, traveled to Europe in December to meet with influential right-wing analytical centers and held talks with key figures of Nigel Farage’s party “Reform UK” about allocating funds to spread MAGA values.
The focus will be on initiatives in London, Paris, Berlin, and Brussels.
The US National Security Strategy, published last year, called for “developing resistance” to the current course of European development. The document stated that mass migration and “censorship of freedom of speech” could lead to the “destruction of civilization”.
“The US administration is waging a crusade to save Europe,” said one of the senior representatives of Reform UK, who spoke with Rogers. “They have genuine sympathy for the UK, but believe that it is threatened by dark forces spreading across Europe.”
@Slavyangrad
Posted by: Jo | Feb 6 2026 22:16 utc | 538
Posted by: Jo | Feb 6 2026 22:16 utc | 538
The National Pulse that someone quoted in this chat is close to this movement. It is run by one of Bannon’s protégés, originally from London now in the US, Raheem J Kassam.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 22:21 utc | 539
I believe Kassam is sincere but his backers use him: as a 2nd or 3rd generation Pakistani (?) immigrant, from East London, he is their guy to preach against mass immigration.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 22:26 utc | 540
Video of a WWI Enfield rifle with volley sights. I had never seen or heard of them before. Shooting at 3000 yards. He had the range spot on but was getting varying wind drift.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWOw9Q6bovs
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 6 2026 22:40 utc | 541
Trump-GOP Law Slashes Amazon’s Tax Bill by 87% as Company Fires 30,000 Workers, Profits Soar
Common Dreams
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 22:40 utc | 542
The mystery surrounding the Melania film solved?
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 22:42 utc | 543
And finally for NZ Waitangi Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt0GtPnDKKA
and the singer’s son (Both hung out with Bob Marley when he visited NZ) –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHq2CELf_Ic
and 20 years later the te reo version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_eBzrIszXU
Posted by: tucenz | Feb 6 2026 22:43 utc | 544
Rare China L Panamanian Supreme Court orders the termination of contracts and ends China’s control of 2 ports in the Panama canal. It looks like doing nothing only works when no one tries to stop you. Ofc this to nothing and win approach is not a recipe for geopolitical success and anyone who thinks that it is us delusional.
Posted by: Q II TRFN | Feb 6 2026 22:49 utc | 545
Female Czech composer Vítězslava Kaprálová
https://youtu.be/QbKMaxL5sz8?si=-q1DO9rLNRDK54VA
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 22:55 utc | 546
This came up the other day between MOA user @fnord and I. The Chomsky Epstein conundrum.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/02/06/the-chomsky-epstein-puzzle/
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Feb 6 2026 22:59 utc | 547
Bitcoin only exists as data on readable storage media. Nothing could possibly go wrong with that…
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Feb 6 2026 20:12 utc | 517
You caught me with that line—ho ho
I guess everyone has all their dollars under their beds and everyone who owns stocks and bonds have them there as well.
Seems to me that the stuff most people have are just data. BWDIK?
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:18 utc | 548
Take General Factotum.
He’s got so much data that he probably ran out of room some time ago.
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:27 utc | 549
Jo | Feb 6 2026 22:16 utc | 538
(quoting)…..
*** “The US administration is waging a crusade to save Europe,” said one of the senior representatives of Reform UK, who spoke with Rogers. “They have genuine sympathy for the UK, but believe that it is threatened by dark forces spreading across Europe.” ***
Indeed there are such dark forces — especially the US-empire, NATO and Zionism.
Which not only threaten, but have already taken control.
So just what do these noble trans-Atlantic altruists intend to impose — even more of a bogus pantomime clash between fake factions of their own “crusaders”?
A reversal of the US occupation and ‘Yankization’ of Europe and Britain is what is really needed, with all Yankophiliac / Zionist traitors already active either deported, jailed or shot.
NATO “values” = Epstein values.
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 6 2026 23:27 utc | 550
Rare China L Panamanian Supreme Court orders the termination of contracts and ends China’s control of 2 ports in the Panama canal. It looks like doing nothing only works when no one tries to stop you. Ofc this to nothing and win approach is not a recipe for geopolitical success and anyone who thinks that it is us delusional.
Posted by: Q II TRFN | Feb 6 2026 22:49 utc | 545
Rare China L Panamanian Supreme Court orders the termination of contracts and ends China’s control of 2 ports in the Panama canal. It looks like doing nothing only works when no one tries to stop you. Ofc this to nothing and win approach is not a recipe for geopolitical success and anyone who thinks that it is us delusional.
Posted by: Q II TRFN | Feb 6 2026 22:49 utc | 545
and
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/5/panamas-president-hits-back-after-china-threat-in-canal-ports-row
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:34 utc | 551
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:35 utc | 552
I have a feeling that Panama will deeply regret kicking China out of its contracts. Of course the president who made the decision will just move himself and his millions top Miami.
We shall see.
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:41 utc | 553
I have an unorthodox idea. What if Epstein spied for the US deep state? How else would he have been allowed to operate in the US for years?
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 23:56 utc | 554
The US Embassy in Poland announced that it would cut ties with Polish parliamentary speaker Wlodzimierz Czarzasty after he said that President Donald Trump did not deserve a Nobel Peace Prize.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 7 2026 0:02 utc | 555
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Feb 6 2026 20:32 utc | 523
Thank you for your reply.
The US interventions in Haiti are indeed numerous. And there’s another one in preparation, covered by the focus on Iran.
The transitional government’s mandate in Haiti ends on February 7th, and they have been unable to extend the transition or organize elections.
The Trump administration has simply been assembling warships off the coast of Haiti for the past few days, instead of trying to find a political solution.
Their intentions are clear.
Will there be a “Haiti thread” soon on MoA? Let’s wait and see.
Posted by: Sebgo | Feb 7 2026 0:03 utc | 556
You see as soon as somebody started circulating the rumor that Epstein worked for Russia, you can be pretty damn sure he worked for the US deep state. Even Trump would agree the deep state is all about Russia Russia Russia 🇷🇺
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 7 2026 0:10 utc | 557
And that is why Trump is now working for the deep state. End of story. Peace out and see you soon.
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 7 2026 0:14 utc | 558
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:18 utc | 548
####
If you don’t hold it, you don’t own it.
And none of us holds anything digital.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 0:15 utc | 559
FYI–FYI–
Just finished watching the chat between Nima, Larry Johnson and Colonel Wilkerson that covers not just Iran but deals with my last two substack articles directly and tangentially–The Epstein Case & American Elite Morality: A Chinese Perspective and Xi Jinping on the Chinese Financial System. Indeed, as Larry rants at the end, the Iran issue fits with the elite morality issue raised by the Epstein article. One large error is being committed–Xi Jinping’s speech about China’s financial system is as I noted just over two-years old: It wasn’t just made in the last few days. Thus, China’s been working on its construction since mid-January 2024. The chat is just over an hour-long and is worth every minute. IMO, Johnson and Wilkerson’s reactions to Xi’s speech are quite revealing as is their short talk about the coordination now very visible between Russia and China. I should also remind barflies that both are founding members of The Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, which means that conflict will occur between those two, their allies, and the Trump Gang over what constitutes International Law–and that matters very large in Russia and China’s views on how the world must be organized and managed as they’ve both said again and again.
The gross illegalities and immoralities of the Trump Gang and global elites that had relations with Epstein are far more important than many suspect and have bearing on Geopolitics. What the Zionist Killer Netanyahu has to say about Epstein in trying to defend Mossad is sickening in an oddly humorous manner. Do, please, watch the chat.
Posted by: Exile | Feb 6 2026 18:50 utc | 500
Thank you very much.
Posted by: Sebgo | Feb 7 2026 0:31 utc | 562
LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 0:28 utc | 560—
The Pet Rock “inventor” was a high school classmate of mine. At least the rock is real, and you can adopt your own. I have an entire zoo from many different North American geological districts, some many millions of years old.
Thousands gather in Libya for funeral of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
Killing of Saif Gaddafi removes alternative to Libya’s rival governments
Death of former dictator’s son removes symbolic alternative to Libya’s entrenched political deadlock
One of the entrenched candidates is UN supported.
I would imagine that means the US’ UN, not China’s or Russia’s?
Does it matter?
Gaddafi’s father was a very independent thinker and actor on the world stage. He wasn’t a big fan of China at all. In fact, he slyly references China here in this brilliant speech before the UN:
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=VXKBpycMvd0&t=33
[ https://youtu.be/VXKBpycMvd0?t=33 ]
China never supported an African union nor would they today. Individual countries can shut up and get in line for BRICS.
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was way too honest about how the system works.
He had to go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlz3-OzcExI
China never minded, actually publicly expressing satisfaction at the prospect of ‘stability’ and the bright future prospects for Libya after Gadaffi’s murder.
Russia did actually make very condemnatory statements at the time.
But it’s not like they called for prosecutions and punishments!
That’s not how the game works.
That’s what Muammar Gaddafi was letting on.
Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 0:38 utc | 564
Live with it TDS sufferers:
– Senile and corrupt operatives have been removed from the WH – i.e.: the Biden crime family
– Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1200 points
– Dow Jones now exceeds 50000 points
– Real wages are up again
– Tariffs are generating hundreds of billions for the US treasury
– Over two million illegal aliens have been deported or have left the US voluntarily
– The Cuban government in Caracus has been eliminated. Political prisoners are now being released as we speak.
– All US J6 Biden/Garland-Garfinkel political prisoners have been released from custody.
– The US is now building the Golden Fleet of new missile Battleships and armed Ice Breakers.
– Canada’s backdoor scam for exporting foreign goods into the US has been terminated.
– Oil and mining permits are now released after being held hostage by Demented Joey Boy Biden.
– Armed forces recruitment is skyrocketing after trans are banned from the US military.
– Volo is now persona non grata in DC.
– DJT halted the wholesale slaughter of Palestinian civilians.
– The WPO propaganda machine has been killed.
– NATO EU countries will have to defend themselves, article 5 is now DOA.
– DJT has lifted sanctions on Serbia.
– Kosovo is now officially a scam state of illegal cartels.
There that does it……..
Posted by: tobias cole | Feb 7 2026 0:46 utc | 565
China has no power projection in that area of the world, it doesn’t make any sense to continue the deal and have the US take it anyways
Posted by: 69 | Feb 7 2026 0:47 utc | 566
karlof1@370: “The Epstein Case & American Elite Morality: A Chinese Perspective…” Thanks for posting this Chinese perspective on – ‘the level of American morality or lack thereof’, including by citing…’abetting the Zionist Genocide in Palestine…’ ‘But what about China’s own involvement in these activities…?’ How China is Quietly Aiding Israel’s Settlement Enterprise https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/china-quietly-aiding-israels-settlement-enterprise-how
Furthermore, a country and government that is among the biggest exporters to Israel by far and the third biggest importer of Israeli goods, much of this trade through the port of Haifa which they fully own and operate, whose population lacked any large demonstrations or protests against this awful support, rather undercuts an otherwise strong and convincing indictment.
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 6 2026 2:27 utc | 409
China Just Made This Unfixable for Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08acsdES-8M
KernowDamo183K subscribers
Feb 7, 2026 UNITED KINGDOMChina has officially blocked new investment into Israel, freezing money mid-deal and triggering panic inside Israel’s economy as genocide drags on.Right, so China has just cut Israel off from getting any more money, and it didn’t even bother telling anyone first. A Chinese fund has gone into an Israeli court and said their deal with the blue and white state is dead because Beijing now treats Israel as too dangerous to invest in. Not controversial. Not debated. Just blocked entirely.
►SOURCES:THE CRADLE: China labels Israel as ‘high risk area,’ bans all new investments: ReportPRESS TV: China labels Israeli-occupied lands as ‘high risk area,’ bans all new investments: ReportYNET: ‘The Chinese government bans all new investment in Israel’CALCALIST: Chinese fund: “The Chinese government has imposed a ban on any new investment in Israel”ROYA NEWS: China bans “new investments” in ‘Israel’: reportsAL MAYADEEN: China bans all new investment in ‘Israel’
Posted by: Friend_of_MLK | Feb 7 2026 0:54 utc | 567
Posted by: Princess Bodica | Feb 6 2026 23:56 utc | 554
I am not sure that there is much difference between working for the US “deep state” and that of Israel or even London. They are all interconnected, often by marriage.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2026 0:35 utc | 563
#####
I understand the personal and sentimental value. My point was that Crypto is an indulgence. While Westerners were spending money to collect rocks, the ROW was trying to feed themselves. No serious and sober person pays money for a rock and pretends that it is a pet.
A perfect illustration of the dichotomy between the colonizers and the colonized.
“Let them eat cake!”
“Let them adopt rocks!”
Imagine you’re starving in a country under sanctions like Syria or Venezuela, and you find out that Imperial citizens talk to little rocks in a box and pay more for those than you spend on food in a week.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 1:07 utc | 569
“watcher” seems unwilling to admit to the reality of what has been partly uncovered re Epstein activities ….. oh, but hardly any of them would rape, torture and kill small girls, for instance …. yet consideration of what the Western leadership (political and commercial) and its top servants knowingly inflicted on several entire countries — take Libya and Syria as examples — and especially on Gaza, proves beyond any doubt that they absolutely couldn’t care less about their own lies and infliction of extreme suffering and murder on hundreds of thousands of people.
For power and profit … and self satisfaction. Smug bastards winning. It is their mentality.
But “watcher” prefers to be convinced that all or most of the upper strata would not do seriously bad things on an individual basis? Why not? Since they find it so satisfying in bulk, just think how much more satisfying it must be to them to do it directly, on an individual basis. Especially since the victims are disposable.
Pretending a lot of important people with power aren’t into such activities — including ritual human sacrifice — may offer false reasssurance that things are nowhere near as bad as evidence increasingly indicates …. but multiplied throughout enough of the public (as it will be) that false reassurance is exactly what will ensure the continuity of such practices.
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 7 2026 1:20 utc | 138
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 7 2026 1:25 utc | 570
karlof1 | Feb 7 2026 0:29 utc | 561
Have just been watching the Nima video. Not through it yet but just cot to the point Larry is talking about Epstein working for Rothschild. That also starts to tie in with Krainer as he follows the money.This relationship between the London elites of the old money and the Jews. Is it the London elite rule and the Jews are proxies. Is it an intertwining of the Jews and the British. Do the Jews rule. This is something I have been looking at for a few weeks but cant find a definitive answer as yet.
I had been aware from a few days after the files came out that Epstein was connected to Rothschild, but it didn’t really click until Larry spoke about it.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 1:30 utc | 571
LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 1:07 utc | 569—
I agree with your reply. Pet Rock represents one example of Veblen’s Conspicuous Consumption as does all the Epstein antics and much more. The odd thing about the Leisure Class historically is that commonfolk also had hobbies–pastimes–because they had the leisure time. Some hobbies were also productive since they produced household goods for use or sale. Rocks can be made into bolos, for example.
An additional thought to my 571.
The Nima video with Krainer julania linked earlier. Krainers take on the Epstein files was that they were absolutely toxic for the British. I have been trying to find a reason they were released and that may well be the reason. To take down this combo of the Brits of London and the Jews.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 1:35 utc | 573
Here are links to the three articles ‘Friend_of_MLK’ referenced:
China labels Israeli-occupied lands as ‘high risk area,’ bans all new investments: Report
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/02/05/763573/China-Kibbutz-Hanita-Israel-Palestine-Gaza-
The Chinese government bans all new investment in Israel
https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/skeqnl08wg
China labels Israel as ‘high risk area,’ bans all new investments: Report
https://thecradle.co/articles-id/35786
These are all referencing the same $11 million dollar kibbutz ‘settler’ i.e. colonizer lawsuit that evidently has suddenly unearthed that the Chinese government actually essentially banned all investment in the genocidal entity since going back to Oct of 2023.
China hasn’t out-and-out banned investment in the genocidal entity rather it has put it on its ‘red category’ which is high risk.
It’s rather strange that something this important is coming out now when they themselves say it’s retroactive to Oct 2023.
‘According to a response letter from Ballet attached to the lawsuit, the Chinese government has classified Israeli-occupied lands as a “high-risk area” or “red category” due to the ongoing situation in the West Asia region, specifically since Oct. 7, 2023.
“Since the outbreak of the fighting, the Chinese government has classified Israel as a high-risk zone (red category) and prohibited any new Chinese investment in the Israeli-occupied lands,” it said in the letter.’
Here and more often they talk about new investment in ‘Israeli-occupied lands’ without defining what exactly that means and where the line is.
It is safe to assume, given that they use the words ‘Israel’ and ‘Israeli-occupied’ that they don’t mean all of occupied Palestine rather they mean perhaps just Gaza and the West Bank.
None of this is clearly delineated.
China still does a fair amount of business with ‘Israel’ though it’s essentially a pittance of China’s overall dealings worldwide.
Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 1:37 utc | 574
Friend_of_MLK @ 567:
“The Chinese government bans all new investment in Israel…”
Thanks. Let’s hope so. If so, it certainly took a long time and a lot of genocide to finally bring them to this point. But...
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/241427/China-bans-new-investements-in-Israel-for-fear-of-security
“Despite these claims, no official confirmation of such a ban has been issued by Chinese authorities, including the Ministry of Commerce.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 7 2026 1:40 utc | 575
John Gilberts | Feb 6 2026 2:27 utc | 409—
Sorry, but I missed your posting. I see it’s been responded to. But yes, there was a great contradiction in China’s policy with goods and investment capital finding its way into Occupied Palestine. Russia also has a great problem with its constitutional duty to protect overseas Russians and those people’s role in the Zionist Genocide. China seems to have resolved its contradiction while Russia’s will continue until the Palestine problem is solved.
The YNet article says ‘all investment in the country’ a number of times so that would indicate the entire entity.
Different audiences, different translations.
Bizarre.
Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 1:42 utc | 577
Thanks John. From the article:
‘This incident occurs against the backdrop of evolving China-‘Israel’ relations, which have historically emphasized technology and infrastructure cooperation but faced strains due to geopolitical pressures.
Bilateral trade has remained robust, exceeding $16 billion in recent years, with China continuing to invest in ‘Israeli’ sectors despite US concerns over technology transfers and national security.
However, Beijing has implemented targeted restrictions elsewhere, such as banning US and ‘Israeli’ cybersecurity products for domestic use, citing national security risks.’
And again, no statement nor confirmation from the Chinese government on this.
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/241427/China-bans-new-investments-in-Israel-for-fear-of-security
Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 1:46 utc | 578
Take General Factotum. He’s got so much data that he probably ran out of room some time ago.
Posted by: arby | Feb 6 2026 23:27 utc | 549
*******************
Ha! That was indeed the case about thirty years ago. Then I started actively freeing up memory space to facilitate new storage, and new horizons magically appeared. Some refer to this process rather unkindly as senile decay or cognitive decline. In my case, I don’t believe the downside is age-related, and some of the more gross associated physical effects are easily ameliorated. For example, wearing a shovel-bib prevents damage to my keyboard from drooling whilst I type.
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 1:46 utc | 579
General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 1:46 utc | 579
I have trouble with spilling coffee and booze on my keyboard. The booze isnt so bad but coffee with three sugars really buggers up the works. The sugar and coffee are quite corrosive not to mention gumming the keys. The one I’ve got now, I can strip it down and wash it under the tap.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 1:52 utc | 580
Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 1:35 utc | 573—
Thanks for your replies. Those that have been sleuthing Epstein for years ought to be making all sorts of noise but not much has been heard so far. Yes, the money trail is key as it is always. I’m going to let those with their nose deep into this already and read what they find because I don’t have the time to investigate. You heard what Netanyahu spun which confirms the Zionists are deeply involved.
I was sent this China Daily article by Dr. Hudson about Xi’s new book release as he was queried by the authors for his views. Note this doesn’t have anything to do with the recent publication of Xi Jinping’s speech on China’s financial system, although the two do coincide in their public appearance, which IMO isn’t accidental.
@ General Factotum and Peter AU1 about keyboards….
My problem is sugar ants crawling all over the keys and getting squished because I don’t respect their right to invade my spaces.
Since moving into my shop to live in September it has been an ongoing issue to control the sugar ant infestations and the keyboard is less important than my bed….sigh
I have two approaches currently, commercial Terro and home made borax/powdered sugar
Other suggestions barflies?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 2:09 utc | 583
For Juliania and Peter (and any others who may be interested in birds)…
There are signs of life beyond MoA!
My son and I recently built a bird detection device, based on a Raspberry Pi microcomputer. It runs a Python language program on a cut-down version of Linux OS. One can build, assemble, or buy (PUC or Merlin) such devices – depending on interest and ability. One option (there are plenty more) to get started is here:
https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/classify-birds-acoustically-with-birdnet-pi/
It is easy to set up internet access, allowing anyone in the world to monitor bird calls that you detect in real time. There is a large network of such sites:
https://app.birdweather.com/
My wife and I set up our device in our garden. So far we have identified 65 species, with typical daily identifications ranging around 20 – 30. We have been establishing an Australian native plant garden of around 1 Ha for more than a decade. It is gratifying to have so many ‘locals’ fly in for a visit…
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:13 utc | 584
I have trouble with spilling coffee and booze on my keyboard. … The one I’ve got now, I can strip it down and wash it under the tap.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 1:52 utc | 580
*******************
Try the shovel bib, Peter! You’ll love it. Wear it with pride, man!
My favorite is the plum silicone koala bib (a steal at $10.19).
https://www.babybunting.com.au/product/plum-bib-steel-blue-132921
It’s lovely and makes a nice, subtle understatement, without excessive hubris. The problem is that these bibs are designed for babies. Recently I have found them to be less than 100% effective, especially when I become agitated over unkind (and untrue and unwarranted!) criticism on MoA from nice people who should know better. I’m looking for an adult model with mud-guards that will trap the tangential ejecta that presently seems to defy gravity. A high-velocity front-loading air scoop may be required in the near future…
https://www.babybunting.com.au/product/plum-bib-steel-blue-132921
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:32 utc | 585
General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:13 utc | 584
Mostly starlings a few Asian minors here. The only native bird I’ve seen is a little one though I don’t know what it is. I don’t grow a veggie garden anymore, But one year I killed of all the starlings, the Asian minors and the neighbours cats. I had broccoli growing amongst other things but the developing heads became infested with white moth grubs. The little birds came in in a flock and picked out every grub. I would sit on the veranda and watch them doing their pest control work.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 2:33 utc | 586
General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:32 utc | 585
Just saw that after I posted my first reply. Bloody hell general, you get me laughing.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 2:37 utc | 587
I have two approaches currently, commercial Terro and home made borax/powdered sugarOther suggestions barflies?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 2:09 utc | 583
***************
Hello Mr Historian. I’ll try to redeem myself by being serious…
I find Borax and honey to be more effective for sugar ants. Borax and peanut butter works well for ‘meat’ ants.
The trick is to use 50/50 or a bit less Borax. Too much, and you kill the ants before they get home, and more just keep coming. The ‘right’ concentration, and they take the poison home and kill the nest – so visits from relatives cease and problem solved (until next time).
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:38 utc | 588
Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 1:35 utc | 573
*** Krainers take on the Epstein files was that they were absolutely toxic for the British. ***
As things stand, the file releases will be to the advantage of Farrage’s Reform party, and the Liberal Democrats. Possibly the Greens as well.
Labour can use the Mandelson issue to depose both the exceedingly unpopular Starmer and Mandelson’s successor at string-pulling the puppet PM.
They probably won’t rush though, as several MPs fancy being PM and would squabble.
Which will not make any significant difference — the situation in Britain could even get worse if Yvette Cooper (small, nasty and very much bought by Zionist interests) or Wes Streeting (Zionist acolyte of Mandelson, determined to sell the NHS to US corporate interests) got to be PM instead. Their party in parliament is notably short of credible “leader” talent.
Burnham a former government minister who is now Mayor of Manchester may become leader before the next election.
The Conservatives are in such a mess that at present they just concentrate on avoiding further collapse.
It looks suspiciously like the Political Establishment has already picked its Reform franchise to be the next UK government. By next election quite a number of Conservative MPs and ex-MPs will have switched to it.
It gains public support by being opposed to mass-immigration and wokism, while its economic stance is basically one of asset-stripping, favouring big business and finance, and widening wealth differentials (but the public have tended not to notice that). Reform is solidly pro-Zionist, pro-NATO and notably pro-USA. Unfortunately, that fits well — suspiciously well? — with the coming “MAGA values” propaganda blitz on Britain that’s just been announced by the Trump cabal.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are doing reasonably well by usually keeping quiet, They have long been a Party — laughably claiming to be “moderate” — which gains support when people forget how horrible they really are. No improvement on rival brands. Unlikely to be affected by the Epstein stuff.
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 7 2026 2:43 utc | 589
Mostly starlings a few Asian minors here.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 2:33 utc | 586
*************
We planted nectar-rich natives, as well as long-season flowering shrubs, so we have a wide range of flowers nearly year-round. This has attracted lots of honeyeaters and small insect eaters and other wrens and robins that like protection in low dense shrubbery. Works well for bees also – we keep around 15 – 30 hives, so have plenty of honey to give away (and sell for fund-raising).
I’ll try a list of the current 65 species:
Australasian Figbird
Gray Butcherbird
Red-browed Firetail
Australasian Swamphen
Gray Fantail
Rufous Fantail
Australian King-Parrot
Gray Shrikethrush
Rufous Whistler
Australian Magpie
House Sparrow
Sacred Kingfisher
Australian Raven
Laughing Kookaburra
Satin Bowerbird
Bell Miner
Leaden Flycatcher
Scarlet Myzomela
Black-faced Cuckooshrike
Lewin’s Honeyeater
Silvereye
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Little Corella
Southern Boobook
Brown Thornbill
Little Raven
Spotted Pardalote
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Little Wattlebird
Striated Pardalote
Common Bronzewing
Magpie-lark
Striated Thornbill
Crimson Rosella
Maned Duck
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Dollarbird
Masked Lapwing
Superb Fairywren
Dusky Moorhen
Musk Lorikeet
Variegated Fairywren
Eastern Rosella
New Holland Honeyeater
White-browed Scrubwren
Eastern Spinebill
Noisy Friarbird
White-throated Treecreeper
Eastern Yellow Robin
Noisy Miner
White-winged Chough
Eurasian Blackbird
Olive-backed Oriole
Willie-wagtail
Eurasian Coot
Pacific Koel
Yellow Thornbill
Galah
Pied Currawong
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Gang-gang Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
Golden Whistler
Red Wattlebird
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:48 utc | 590
Trump Calls For Country to ‘Move On’ From Epstein Files, as Scale And Scope of Criminals, Cover-Up Exposed
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/06/26/zxgp-f06.html
‘Email from September 22, 2016 to Epstein from ‘redacted’ includes a .jpg image attachment and the text, ‘Age 10’
“The haphazard release of millions of documents, emails, pictures and videos as part of the Epstein files last Friday has shaken the rotten foundations of the Trump administration.
In the days since the files release, it has become clear to millions of people that the administration, and the ruling class as a whole, is engaged in a massive coverup aimed at protecting not only the deeply implicated fascist in the White House but dozens, if not hundreds of politicians, celebrities and wealthy figures who cavorted with the deceased child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein…”
The Grayzone Live: ‘All Roads Lead To Tel Aviv ;)’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2wz4rGGRGA
“Max Blumenthal is joined by Kit Klarenberg to break down the massive new Epstein file dump, and to discuss the scandal surrounding UK Labour peer Peter Mandelson, which threatens to bring down Kier Starmer’s government.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 7 2026 2:50 utc | 591
591 corrected:
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/02/06/zxgp-f06.html
Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 7 2026 2:54 utc | 592
I am watching the latest Danny Haiphong video with Larry Johnson and Col Wilkerson.
Early on Col Wilkerson talked about the XI talk about China having the status of Reserve Currency….and how significant that will be.
The rest of the show is about the military situation in/around Iran and whether the US can and will do something…..they think it would be stupid to do so but lots of pressure to do so.
So after today’s Oman talks, the US has put more sanctions on Iran which tells me that a military option has been deprecated for the moment.
The point I want to make about the China having Reserve Currency status…….maybe the first country that comes under that umbrella is Iran, eh?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 2:59 utc | 593
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:13 utc | 584
- Wow! Bravo, GF! My sister in NZ has had a mallard pair visiting her often, even though she is at least a mile from any freshwater source — she gives them a paddle in her birdbath top which they enjoy. And last time they came, they had ducklings along as well! You have a great variety of birds coming through, that is wonderful. I know my own feathered neighbors pretty well — the one who resides in the overwall prickly pears is a fierce looking curved beak thrasher with yellow eyes. He’s about the size and look of a kiwi so I call him that. He looks fierce but is very polite around the other birds.
Posted by: juliania | Feb 7 2026 2:59 utc | 594
General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 2:32 utc | 585
Plenty of birds in that list. I did forget to mention that when fruit is ripening on the trees, pretty little parrots come in and eat the fruits of my labour.
I’m just on an ordinary house block and when I come here I set it up as a productive garden everything had to produce something edible. No law, no ornamentals. Herbs Fruit trees vines and veg. I dont do anything with the garden now and the place is overgrown with weeds. Fruit trees still producing but a lot of it I cant eat. Put up a hedgerow of citrus along the front fence but found out I have citric acid intolerance. Cherry plums are okay, they ripen around new year and are finished now. Figs I seem to be able to eat and they will be coming on in a month or so though have to battle it out with the birds to get a fig when they ripen.
……………….
Cynic, thanks for that. Farage, change yet the same. It may mean a switch from woke to conservative but from what I have seen of him, I assume other policies will remain the same. Establishment. I gather that is your take too.
I’m not up on the various personalities in UK politics, but my impression has been a monolith of the establishment, Galloway being about the only dissenting voice.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 3:04 utc | 595
Anyone interested in seeing and hearing the birds I listed… Cornell University runs a comprehensive site that has excellent images of birds around the world, as well as very good recordings of their calls:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/
Posted by: General Factotum | Feb 7 2026 3:05 utc | 596
Peter AU1 | Feb 7 2026 3:04 utc | 595
*** I’m not up on the various personalities in UK politics, but my impression has been a monolith of the establishment, Galloway being about the only dissenting voice. ***
Yes, that is pretty much how it is nowadays.
Galloway with his Workers party gets near enough zero mass-media coverage.
Farage — just a few years ago, got hardly any coverage, and then only negative — an outsider presumably because of being anti-EU (when he was a Euro MP). Last couple of years he gets on the BBC quite often.
A dramatic change to his awarded status.
Actually, the number of seats won by Reform in the 2024 election was misleading with regard to their support at the time …. they won only five seats in parliament while the Liberal Democrats got seventy-one, despite having far less in total votes than Reform.
Just bad luck for Reform the way the votes / individual constituencies worked out.
They were clever …. made comparative unknown Tyce (think he lived in Dubai) the Reform leader from 2021 till a few days before the voting, and then him and Farage switched so that on election day Farage was officially leader. It would have messed up other parties’ plans to specifically attack Farage during most of the campaign, expecting him to be leader from the beginning. Tyce is now their deputy leader.
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 7 2026 3:41 utc | 597
I didn’t know this….Whew!…from a ZH piece
Finally, and this will come as a surprise to nobody, despite 1.75% in rate cuts by the Fed since last September, we can now confirm that rates on credit cards have gone… nowhere as banks continue to bleed US consumers dry: at the middle of 2023 the average rate on credit card accounts was 22.16%… and on Dec 31, 2025 – and a half years years later, the number was higher at 22.30%, just barely below the all time high of 23.37% set one year ago. And all this despite 6 rate cuts by the Fed.
Average rate on credit card accounts……Holy Shit……I pay mine off every month and so don’t follow….think about the amount of GDP is payments of credit card debt.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 3:42 utc | 598
Yo, Barflies. Hi, General. This comment is a long one and likely of no interest to casual readers, as it expounds in much detail on the last week’s back and forth involving me and the General, both topically and personally wise. I recommend to skip if you are not onside.
Yes, general, I indeed had asked for you to chip in – but there’s a bit to entangle first before I can begin to explain my misfired attempt at a joke between us about a preceding misunderstanding. It all started with my baseless speculation about EMP weapons in Venezuela, as brought forth in an article from the unz review site which was linked here. You replied with two conceptual questions in an attempt to straighten out the whole issue, basically wondering if any modeling in the proposed direction – directional aircraft-mounted nuclear EMP devices of some sort – should at all commence or could be discarded right away. I mistook this comment as referring to the Heinz Pommer hypothesis which had come up in the meantime and was occupying my mind because I had just written a lengthy comment on the matter, while also trying to manage tending to a heated personal chat which was about to get a bit out of hand.
This then had me expanding on the wrong topic at first with another lengthy comment; there trying to take my assumed responsibility because it was me who had introduced and even pushed this particular angle on 9/11 on the forum during the two recent years. My intention was to provide enough conceptual substance for you to aim and fire from your superior understanding, thus forcing the issue towards understanding. Your next reply dropped the original inquiry and instead focused on Pommer and his model; I must confess I did not get too much out of this comment because in the meantime my personal chat had gone out of hand and my attempts to tranquil all proceedings by sipping another glass or two had not shown the desired results; instead the doorbell rang and my neighbor intruded on me, opening up another fragmentary chat while playing my guitar; and also having me politely (of course) pouring another round of drinks for us.
Then I realized my original error by going back to our conversation after a while. Because I don’t enjoy me making errors at all I began an attempt to rectify things, choosing a decidedly unwise approach during my ongoing situation, attempting a twisted joke, meant to re-connect the two conflated topical threads which had become entangled. I’m not going to revisit this comment now, I’m sure it was a real bummer, and in any case it didn’t work out as intended, but led to even more confusion which now has blown up into this here bizarre and lengthy essay on the history of our problem. The joke was meant to work by attributing an absurd motive to myself in regards to my very first post in this cascade, the one about EMPs and Venezuela. Actually, I do that frequently and consider it funny for real, but it doesn’t always work out, especially with people who have spent less time around me and couldn’t yet ponder my seminaries on humour which I like to give to everyone who seems unable to get away from me quick enough to avoid the ensuing troubles.
The logic applied here is simple and straight, but not everyone is used to think in this direction: if I say something that I can’t possibly have meant seriously, I didn’t, and you are supposed to laugh. It’s okay if you just smirk, but otherwise I will feel awkward, and for good reason. In any case, my joke was meant to effect the following: by absurdely claiming that I had posited my completely baseless Venezuela speculation in order to provoke the General into entering the discussion and proceed to solve the problem for me, I was trying to disconnect your original query with my unfitting Heinz Pommer reply, the point being apparent in the juxtaposition of relative gravitas: a baseless speculation about some detail in an event that is merely rumoured to have happened in a single source, versus the massive political ramifications tied to the 9/11 problem.
At the same time, I was distancing myself from this speculation by making it obvious it had close to zero meaningful substance to begin with – I merely brought it up, but pulled you in to do all the real work for me (not). There’s another layer here, btw, as this doubles as a subtle compliment to you, with me by default deferring to your science skills — and this then has yet another layer to it, where I pronounce that I will keep actively engaging such topics with you anyway.
The joke also had a secondary function. It was meant to get you off of my back on the Pommer topic, because I couldn’t manage this level of topical complexity in the given moment I was in at the time, plus I had not fully understood your critique of Pommer and his ideas, plus I was expecting to look stupid if I engaged on this again with you at all. I still did it, generating the long comment from me where I tried to pull whatever my notion of the Pommer model may be worth into the line of fire, so it could be effectively scrutinized. As I said, I’m not too fond of being in error about things, especially when I carry them into very serious discussions where other people are exposed to them (and not just me, which is bad enough already).
I ended this night on the Moon of Alabama by mispicking a sought-for English term two times in a row, first as duress, then to be under pressure, where distress would have been the word I was looking for. I bowed out by picking a tune from the jukebox about “people under pressure on the edge of the night”, sung as a duet by Freddy Mercury and David Bowie; one of the all-time greatest pop songs of recorded history and thus another compliment towards you while also expressing my hope and desire that we’ll get along here, whatever the laws nature may or may not say at some point in the discussions.
Immediately thereafter, I extended this gesture in a renewed form towards Sebgo, who seems to have caught some friendly fire before, and whose voice and position I wanted to strengthen. Methinks this man not only has some unique viewpoints to add, but he’s also extremely clever, and this is even more important here because his political views may remain a point of contention for some.
On a last note, my neighbor soon after pulled out and left, and my heated chat was resolved calmly to some degree of satisfaction. I went to sleep overly tired and exhausted from all that.
Sorry MoA for this overly personal, emotional and otherwise uninteresting comment; but sometimes I feel it’s a good thing to clear up some of my thought processes so that others can make sense of what I am trying to do.
Posted by: persiflo | Feb 7 2026 3:46 utc | 599
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 2:09 utc | 583
If you can’t get rid of them perhaps you can adjust to their presence. My youngest daughter has done so by keeping anything she doesn’t want them to invade in the fridge or freezer. A friend told her that if you have sugar ants you don’t have to worry about termites – the ants find them tasty apparently. She has a lot of wood in her home, beams and pillars and the like, so she tolerates the ants.
When I had them an age ago, I would put a jar of water with plenty of blackstrap molasses outside the house where their trail entered . They’d drown happy. But that was back in the day when everything worked the way it should.
Posted by: juliania | Feb 7 2026 3:47 utc | 600