USS Ford hasn’t even made it to the battle front and it’s on fire, its hull rusty, and its plumbing overflowing with sh*t lol.
 

Iran: Don’t sink the USS Ford. Its continued and extended deployment is the greatest punishment of all to the sailors onboard.

https://x.com/cirnosad/status/2032107142954828005
 

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 12 2026 15:00 utc | 3

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 12 2026 15:00 utc | 3
 
RF used washing machine chips for their missiles, Iran has fully weaponized the washing machines 😀
 
Or maybe washing machine is now code name for missiles…
 
“A fire broke out Thursday aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) while the carrier was operating in the northern Red Sea off the coast of Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia.
According to U.S. Central Command, the fire originated in the ship’s main laundry spaces, has been extinguished, and two sailors are receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Naval Sea Systems Command is providing electrical support to the fleet.
The Ford is currently participating in Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, having transited the Suez Canal just last week alongside escorts USS Mahan, USS Bainbridge, and USS Winston S. Churchill.
The carrier has been deployed since June 2025 and has been extended multiple times. If it remains at sea through mid-April, it will break the post-Vietnam War record for carrier deployments, currently 294 days, set by USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020. A deployment through early May would rival the 300-day-plus records set during Vietnam-era Gulf of Tonkin operations.
The Ford’s extended deployment has already been marked by persistent technical issues, including widely reported sewage system failures. Thursday’s fire is the latest incident aboard a ship whose crew has been away from home for the better part of a year, with no clear end date in sight.”

Posted by: Newbie | Mar 12 2026 15:04 utc | 5

Posted by: james | Mar 12 2026 15:14 utc | 6
 
If, and that is a big if, it is as described, then it would be a major error for china.
 
That would, in spite of any previous doubts, throw iran an RF in each other’s arms and china would face only two supply blocks, us led or RF/iran  (and only the latter if the us escalates containment).
 
I like to read his articles from time to time but my doctor complained about the effect of the huge amount of salt in blood pressure…

Posted by: Newbie | Mar 12 2026 15:22 utc | 7

@ Newbie | Mar 12 2026 15:22 utc | 7
 
stay away from the salt and get plenty of exercise with your legs – not your fingers, lol.. 
 
i keep hoping china will cancel the visit with his royal pain in the ass… it is looking less likely at this point..   you might enjoy the video yesterday between nima and helmer where they are both coming to a different position in their speculative ruminations…  i tend to see it as nima does.. cheers.. 

Posted by: james | Mar 12 2026 15:29 utc | 9

@ juliania | Mar 12 2026 15:24 utc | 8
 
its quite horrific what you describe and ought to be on the minds of everyone, especially the leaders of countries, but alas they have money on their mind and servitude to the moneyed interest is a much bigger priority for them…. usa leadership ( and i don’t exclude canuck leadership here ) is completely horrible and predictable… they are all murders of the first order… trump, rubio, and etc – all no different.. 

Posted by: james | Mar 12 2026 15:32 utc | 11

All over bar the shouting:
How Iran Has Strategically Won
 

Strategic victory is a victory that provides ‘long-term advantage to the victor and/or undermines the enemy’s ability to wage war’. That is a Wikipedia quote which I’m embarrassed to use so I’ll unembarrass myself by citing Clausewitz at length.
But tl;dr, Iran has already strategically won A) because they have one and B) because they have thrown the whole global economy and tossed American fighting forces out of their bases. Now it’s just a matter of time before America flees, Palestine is released, and the world is more free. But don’t take my word on it. Read Clausewitz.

…

Posted by: ChatNPC | Mar 12 2026 15:38 utc | 13

juliania | Mar 12 2026 15:24 utc | 8
 

“We’ve seen it in the Palestine threads over and over — that vicious and criminal repeated targeting of  the heroes among us.”

The double tap was the SOP of the Ukrainian army against the civilians in the Donbass 2014-22.
 

Posted by: cirsium | Mar 12 2026 15:51 utc | 15

#6   The relationship of Russia versus China as regards the Gulf Monarchies is quite different.  Irrespective, given both are expert at coordinated diplomacy does not mean that they necessarily maintain consistency with each other.  This is not an issue which I have seen discussed in the repartee regarding their official commentary or as regards their abstentions in the Security Council.  The dissolution of the American bases, American technological and financial presence in the Gulf Monarchies as well as the denouement of USISUK power projection can be expected to have considerable consequence for the stability of those monarchies, many of which purchase support via extensive emoluments to  their Sunni populace as well as the hard power of USIS backing.  Note the affirmed resolution comes from Bahrain which is experiencing the knife’s edge of the destabilization with riot police from Jordan being brought in.  Given that China sources at least 50% of their crude from West Asia, threats to the stability of those monarchies is problematic.  Iran’s  diplomats are well aware – hence the continuing emphasis on not being a threat to their “neighbors.”  Also, Iran’s  support comes not from the castrated Security Council, but the fatwa’s in support issued by leading Grand Ayatollah’s, not the least of which is al Sistani which has huge implications for Iraq politics which are somewhat less than pro USIS despite the tight oil revenue leash imposed by DC.  Finally, even within the US and Israel, few are unaware as to whose efforts built the fire, poured on gasoline and then lit the match.  All the while pretending to engage in diplomatic engagement.

Posted by: abierno | Mar 12 2026 16:03 utc | 17

Ahenobarbus and james –
To Kill A Nation is sitting next to me on my desk. I am half way through. Michael Parenti is excellent. I learned about him here from the motley MoA crew.
God help us all. We need it.

Posted by: lex talionis | Mar 12 2026 16:15 utc | 19

Savonarole @ 18
 

Maduro is still in cell … what are they trying to do ? A new Nelson Mandela ?

 
Interesting point. Why isn’t the global resistance doing exactly that, making Maduro a world wide symbol of repression and injustice like Mandela? TPTB have a total lockdown on the mass media, without it it’s become very difficult to create popular movements, everything is on the margins.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 12 2026 16:47 utc | 21

thanks guys
 
off to victoria for the day..  back much later..

Posted by: james | Mar 12 2026 16:58 utc | 23

MAKC: Data Centers, Imperialism & Ireland
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STt23zyP2bQ
 
“In this episode we’ll talk about the book ‘From the Bog to the Cloud: Dependency and Eco-Modernity in Ireland’, with authors Patrick Bresnihan and Patrick Brodie. The book critiques Ireland’s ‘green’ and digital transition, arguing that tech-driven development, particularly data centers, replicates colonial patterns of dependency and resource extraction, linking historical imperialism to modern techno-capitalism.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Mar 12 2026 17:58 utc | 25

Posted by: Savonarole | Mar 12 2026 16:04 utc | 18
 
No, Trump is more old school: McKinley in North America, and Cortez, Pizarro in South America.
Extorting gold in exchange for the leader’s life is more like him.
 
Let’s just hope he doesn’t take the imitation so far as to kill the leader after receiving the gold
May God help Maduro and Venezuela when they have to deal with a mad devil.

Posted by: Sebgo | Mar 12 2026 18:02 utc | 27

km | 12 марта 2026 г., 14:57 UTC | 2
 
Good evening, it seems things are starting to get a little more serious. A terrorist attack occurred at a Jewish school in Michigan, The Detroit Free Press reports. According to the press, the incident occurred at the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, located approximately 25 miles northwest of Detroit. The attacker reportedly rammed the synagogue building, then exited and opened fire.
 
 

Posted by: Sany Dnepropetrovsk | Mar 12 2026 18:50 utc | 29

My apologies for not previewing. The block quoting somehow ran together the paragraphs. The sentences within quotation marks are pasted from the WSWS and are their actual words, unlike a Gruff quotation.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Mar 12 2026 19:00 utc | 31

Posted by: Exile | Mar 12 2026 19:02 utc | 32
Not to mention the first Airline Hijacking.
 
 

Posted by: qparker | Mar 12 2026 19:48 utc | 33

The only choice left for USrael at this point is to play the nuclear card. Hopefully, it will take much more than just Trump’s/Netanyahu’s command to deploy such weapons.If they have any balls whatsoever, Russia and China must inform Washington DC and Tel Aviv that any attack on Iran using nuclear weapons will be considered an attack on Russia and China themselves. Just like a misbehaving child, USrael will continue their deadly shenanigans until they experience consequences.

Posted by: ReinhardVonSiegfried | Mar 12 2026 20:14 utc | 35

When it came to playing the monstrous Ukrainian Gambit  … (it cost 25 million lives to reach Berlin, and the Russians withdrew because they were told NATO wouldn’t advance an inch eastward) …
 
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017-12-12/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-western-leaders-early
 
Document 5 (!)
 
a Russian patriot, a good, rational player, would have built a solid air defense around Damascus and Beirut and turned Persia into his Ukraine. And NATO would have withdrawn a thousand or two thousand kilometers.
 
It’s incredible that it’s necessary to point out the obvious: Vladimir believes that Zionist lives are sacred and Russian lives are worth very little. Enough with so many lies; have the courage to face the harsh reality head-on. Enough with the fantasies.

Posted by: Valerio del Bierzo | Mar 12 2026 20:19 utc | 37

So Putin sells out Iran to Witkoff and Kushner and saves Trump from a stock market crash by selling the US and EU oil and this is what he gets in return? Seems like Putin will do anything to rejoin the G7

Posted by: Jake Tapper’s Cat | Mar 12 2026 21:49 utc | 39

Did you hear about the German fellow (Oskar Speck) during WW2 who didn’t wanna war?
He got some sticks, some fabric and crafted a canoe/kayak, and canoed from the river in his home town in Germany, all the way to Malaysia! (he spent a year in POW camp about 2/3rds along the way)
When society goes to heck in a hand basket, I will be aboard a smallish, old, bulletproof, fiberglass sailboat that has about 8 tons of the best bug out bag equipment you can shake a reef out at. If you can honestly deal with nature better than a corrupt system that is out to git you, think about being aboard a boat with everything you want and nobody you don’t. 

Posted by: Hot Carl | Mar 12 2026 22:17 utc | 41

The long-debunked bs that ‘Israel founded/funded Hamas’ still makes the rounds here and elsewhere. It didn’t. Here’s the proof:
 
Dispelling the Myth Propagated By Abu Mazen’s Fateh & Liberal Zios, that Israel Funded Hamas [a thread]
 
https://x.com/MujammaHaraket/status/1883340686281621724
 
“This is an old Fatah lie, anchored in, during the Israeli occupation of Gaza, Israel permitted Sheikh Yassin’s Islamic Society to open in 1967…”
 

Posted by: John Gilberts | Mar 12 2026 22:48 utc | 43

Russia has clearly done absolutely nothing to help Iran defend itself. It’s pathetic to see how so many “OSINT” people made up stories about Su-35s and S400s being sent to Iran. If Iran had any of that stuff there would be zero chance Tehran would be overflown by B-52s or even F-35s and B-2s.
 
Russia basically did what they did to Assad – pretended to help while they negotiated with Iran’s enemies for their eventual downfall. It makes perfect sense now why so many nations choose to ally with the US rather than Russia even though the US is well known to be a terrible ally… at least the US will give allies weapons to defend themselves.
 
China also has been useless but at least they have the excuse of being a big trading partner to the US (so they would suffer severely if they helped Iran). Russia has zero reason care about hurting relations to the US and has every reason to help Iran but does jack shit.

Posted by: Jake Tapper’s Cat | Mar 12 2026 23:36 utc | 45

Jake Tapper’s Cat is useless. All it does is sleep, eat and shit in the neighbour’s garden. 
 
 

Posted by: Menz | Mar 12 2026 23:48 utc | 47

I have not delved into Epstein at all but two things I have seen from emails are him pointing out the huge opportunities becoming available when the Ukraine war started and getting a grip on the 30 billion dollars of frozen Libyan funds. I’m sure there many more opportunities to get in on the ground floor of crisis created by the US. These deals were for size operators who were on his guest list.

Posted by: arby | Mar 13 2026 0:12 utc | 49

“Art is never finished, only abandoned”

 
Nice quote. It all but nails the problem with contemporary western concepts of perfection. At some point even Leonardo has to drop the hammer and say, good enough.
 
Let’s use a simpler example to tackle the problem. Say you want to make a perfect sphere from one chemical element, such as lead. This has been tried for some reason, and they were able to remove imperfections in the lattice down to a small number of atoms. But what you get is not so much a pure state of existence, for reality is usually more entropic. The claim that geometrically perfect order is the natural state of Being may appeal, but had to be abandonded by the old Greeks already. The modern quantum findings do away with the idea even more radically.
 
Perfection is not a unitary notion. Awareness is fleeting, hence all experience is transitory. Whatever we may like to call “perfect” must therefore be notionally so – that is, the perfect object has to concur with its idea. This can be had in the case of abstract geometry, but not in the messy realm of actual spacetime; not unless you change the criterion to “good enough” – which is even enemy to perfection, as the saying goes.
 
So how can something that is outside of our experience be called perfect? The familiar answer given by the monotheisms, most strictly in Islam, is speculative. The idea somewhat resembles a limit problem in calculous: if we sum up over all experience ever to be had, by all beings of creation, we arrive at a notion of omniscience. But does this limit actually exist? Not necessarily.This problem of theology is called one-ness. That it exists and does indeed encompass everything, while also being a One in itself, is the classical idea of the unum from Christianity; later adopted in Islam. Hegel famously claims that the historical Weltprozess is the ongoing revelation which ends up in its telos of One-ness. However, what we currently experience is not like that. In addition to awareness beeing fleeting, there is also forgetfulness (and death); and experience [as a faculty; i.e. possessing awareness] is not confined to a single instance, but found  among multiple beings. Since “it” [specific experience] is not generally shared among persons, we discover another limit value of metaphysics, which Martin Buber calls thou.
 
The question of whether notional perfection is a meaningful idea has another famous answer to the one given by monotheistic theology; though the monotheisms also give differing answers. Compare what juliania wrote in the last OT (go on, juliania!) to what we have in Islam (LD sometimes writes about it). In Buddhism, ultimate Oneness is thought as distinct from experience, with the consequence that Oneness as such is at odds with awareness itself. Hence the ideal of “emptyness”, strived for through contemplation. I’m unable to trace this idea systematically in Buddhism, but will give one more example that’s a classic problem in Buddhist thought: since Oneness is an illusion, a broken glass is not essentially different from the glass when it was still whole. Methinks that is a bit of a stretch.
 
The solution to this theological problem I prefer to explore does not attempt to reduce the factual multitude of present beings into a notional of Oneness that also ties in all the individual experiences into the One. Rather, it remains simply observed. The observation may therefore act as a (quasi axiomatic) premise in systematical theology, which has interesting consequences. If you skip the need to place God outside of individual experience, you can instead find him inside; and the classical term nous (Aristotle) covers this fully. That’s why I sometimes call it the god spark. This view is also central to Manicheaism, though Mani has a cosmogony which also has a telos. Here, it is not the resolve of individual experience (as in Hegel), but the community of pure spirits that have shed the “darkness” and can therefore party hard for the rest of eternity in communion with God, who is also present. Again, this introduces a premise which Mani introduces as given to him in a revelation. It cannot itself be deduced systematically (that I am aware of). A cosmogony without a telos is also, in principle, possible. In this approach, eternity has no end and no beginning, creation is ongoing (and becomes essentially the same thing as revelation), while there is also forgetfulness. Agency over the process is shared among all Beings, but it’s hard to trace the possible motivations, and hence the role of “perfection”. Such a model has been proposed by former barfly Scorpion, who may or may not write a treatise on it. I hope he does.

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 13 2026 0:47 utc | 51

One addendum:
 
If the telos is shedding the “darkness”, we get a motivation behind the Weltprozess (history). Speaking a little flippant, this would be to tidy up the place for the celebration. Indeed, the desire to make order is the attribute of Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrism, a predecessor of Manicheaism and the other of the two big Persian dualisms. Intruigingly, the opposing figure in this teaching is literally called Angry Mind. This gives a nice twist back to the original question on perfection, and the painting of drying dishes I mentioned earlier. In some sense, it’s also relating back to making jewelry, from there the whole angle took off first.

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 13 2026 1:11 utc | 53

As protests against Communist Rule sweep across the island, the Cuban president Díaz-Canel announces that tomorrow at 7:30 AM he will deliver a special message to the nation on national broadcast.
 
There are no further details about the announcement.

Posted by: UWDude | Mar 13 2026 1:28 utc | 55

Cuban-American Congresswoman, María Elvira Salazar to Cuba:

Either you free all the political prisoners and abandon Cuba once and for all, or they will end up one by one in a 3×2 cell like their little friend Nicolás Maduro.Their time is up. It’s time to decide.

=============================
 
Cuba announces the release of 51 prisoners following an agreement with the Vatican

Posted by: UWDude | Mar 13 2026 1:37 utc | 57

@ Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2026 2:15 utc | 59 about his opal working…thx
 
I watched that bald guy working the pieces and thought of my 3″ grinder experience and the times I got too close to the wheel…I still have a scar or two…….don’t lose a finger Peter
 
Good luck with your efforts….the world will keep spinning w/o us watching closely.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2026 2:21 utc | 59

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 13 2026 0:47 utc | 52
 

… Since “it” [specific experience] is not generally shared among persons, we discover another limit value of metaphysics, which Martin Buber calls thou….

I am only just beginning your long post, persiflo, but this statement has two elements that caught my attention ( you probably knew it would).  As far as Euclidean geometry goes, the application does seem to be universal as a specific, if imperfect, experience, as shown by Socrates in the dialogue Meno.  To be sure, he walks the slaveboy through the demonstration, but there is a common thought process in which the boy can see that the result is as it should be.
 
And of course, I will be drawn in by your example of Martin Buber from I and Thou.  And in your first example, not all of us can be Leonardos, but ‘with a hammer’?  Don’t you mean Michelangelos?  But it’s a good example – the form residing within the stone would indeed only imperfectly reveal itself … but I see I have much more reading to do, backward as well as forward.

Posted by: juliania | Mar 13 2026 2:31 utc | 61

“I would like to again pick up on the topic of perfection in art, mathematics and philosophy which appeared at the tail end of the last OT.  I presented my view that aesthetic perfection in the realm of experience [Anschauung] must reside in imagination [Vorstellung], such as the objects of Euclidean Geometry only truly exist there. Once more, we get our noses stumped because western tradition likes to search for deeper truth and understanding in the objects that some say make up the world; these are, implicitly, objects “of substance”. The flip side of this very idea is that western “empirical” scientists like to claim that they do not know what consciousness is, with some going so far as to say it is inconsequential at last. I then went on to give a different view, grounded in the apparently different metaphysics of the far east.  The painter, Martin, who is now working in my studio is married to a Japanese woman, also an artist. We had an interesting conversation about the topic the other day. He affirmed my take on the different understanding of perfection in the aesthetics of the far east, and also confirmed that the Japanese language does not differentiate between arts and crafts…

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 12 2026 20:17 utc | 36

 
  Ah, there’s where you begin!  Yes,  as I see the art of iconography, there is a perfection being sought  with respect to how icons present themselves to either believers or nonbelievers.  For believers, icons  re-present  the spirit of beings – not as they physically appear (though some basic elements of that appearance are retained) but as their spiritual beauty radiates from them in the scriptural accounts we still possess, and as in prototypes painted by earlier iconographers.  So, icons are different from the later ‘from life’ paintings that copy the human form realistically from life models.  It’s a different kind of perfection being sought, (or perhaps a better word would be ‘glimpsed’.)
 
So I would still say that the perfection being described in the spiritual text “Be ye perfect… ” is the perfection unique to the person him-,  or her-self; as for God perfection is in His complete personhood.  That is, for individual humans, the perfection of an earthly life  uniquely lived to its unique completion.  
 
I will have to leave it at that for now.  Duty calls tomorrow; I shall return!

Posted by: juliania | Mar 13 2026 3:14 utc | 63

I’m not about to crack any mistery here. More like trying to find out what the word means – perfection. It conveys (or evokes) an idea, but not necessarily a good one. If we don’t get to refine them, we will be less oriented. To do that, one sometimes has to dig deep, and view its roots from many angles. Admittedly I got a bit carried away because one can see so much from the level that was reached. Guess I am quite nerdy about this after all. Thanks for your reply.
 
juliania as well. Leonardo, Michelangelo, something with Italy, to paraphrase another German philosopher and soccer player. Dropping the hammer is colloquial for ending a day’s work, I somehow thought it would translate into English. I liked the association too. I also like the formulation from the Constitution IIRC – to strive for an ever more perfect Union. That’s quite an idea, wording-wise.

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 13 2026 3:38 utc | 65

I agree with james about perfection and beauty. But what if you strive for beauty and are hindered by unclear notions of perfection? It can be outright misleading. Your relaxed attitude there is the result of a life as an artist. I first had to dig myself out of a hole relating to that to enjoy making music again, or perhaps at all. Many of my posts from the last week are a string of reflections originally directed at Peter who is starting something new. 

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 13 2026 4:11 utc | 67

How can anyone be sure anything is, or ever was, imperfect ? Ornot asked me at 43.  Perhaps I should have pointed out that this is weird to begin with, kind of a logical inversion. But this would also have meant to cede the topic to LD with 30,000 simplistic posts about his Allah since last sunday. This grabbing the microphone at full volume despite repeated polite remarks by others to please not trash the place is plain antisocial, and I have a hard time getting over it.

Posted by: persiflo | Mar 13 2026 4:42 utc | 69

Bidets are only good when you have hairless nether Regions, wich Asians have! Caucasian Bear People arent that…
Posted by: Nobody | Mar 12 2026 22:11 utc | 139 (From the war thread)
 
****************
 
That’s probably why Caucasian people have to use toilet paper to wash the hair on their head? Perhaps that is also why bidets never really took off in England…
 
Just when I thought I was starting to understand international custom another complication surfaces. Life is sooo complex!

Posted by: General Factotum | Mar 13 2026 6:56 utc | 71

persiflo 66 
 
 …More like trying to find out what the word means – perfection. It conveys (or evokes) an idea, but not necessarily a good one   … 

 
That’s good, persiflo.  Makes me think I was on the right track,  or at least the same track, puzzling over that quotation I gave,  which seemed not a good one the way I’d previously understood that , because who could possibly be as perfect as God is?  I wasn’t seeing it in a good way, simple as that, until that particular moment during that conversation (can’t remember how it was but that doesn’t matter).  Thinking about God as Trinity, and Plato does have it that man is a small trinity of a sort, anyway conflicting parts of the soul needing to be in balance in order to go forward like a troika   …  so that makes the quotation work in a good way.  Especially as Athanasius does say that the way Christ shows his Father to be, he being the Son and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as it is said — so when we see and hear Jesus in the flesh his character is that of the Father.  He is ‘showing’ the Father to be as he is, fond of what he’s fond of, humble in the way he is humble and nonviolent and compassionate, all the good things as we humanly know what is good ourselves.  So, what James is saying about beauty, that is there as well — beauty and goodness go together. 
 
So our perfection is that, to be what we are.  It’s not an impossible task.  And I like going back to Plato because he seems to have been very humble; he doesn’t put himself in the dialogues (I think there’s maybe one place that he does) but puts his friends, his brothers and the big one, Socrates, who is making everyone think hard about where he’s going with all his apparently random pulls at the reins of whatever argument has seemed settled but isn’t quite.  He gets very close to theological thought in The Politeia with Adeimantes when he’s explaining why the poets cant be in his perfect city/state because of how they describe the gods, but that’s a side issue.  And I always wondered how he could say that about our lovely Homer, especially when he, Socrates, knows Homer by heart!
 
You should be happy with Plato, psychohistorian, as he does exactly what you describe — he makes up his own myths, or at least he has Socrates doing that at the end of The Politeia as if creating the perfect state has become way way too complex, but here’s how to grasp the truth of where it all has been leading…
 
And hopefully it’s leading me to slumber.   Peter, I hope you are hard at work with your beautiful opals!

Posted by: juliania | Mar 13 2026 7:05 utc | 73

Posted by: General Factotum | Mar 13 2026 6:56 utc | 72
 
I looked iy up once,for research for something I was working on.
 
the chinese invented toilet paper.  I saw it in a Chinese Historical Drama called Ming 1566, and a bureaucrat said to another, “hand me those records, I need to shit”.  
 
So originally, it was old records, the rich the first to have actual paper made just for Shitting (not the city in China), which was often perfumed.

Posted by: UWDude | Mar 13 2026 7:38 utc | 75

The Ameicans dominate the ME, they dominate the Gulf mini states, they swing around Saudi Arabia like a sling, Israel is bloodthersty as ever, Jordan and Egypt are a couple of puppets. Iran can survive the War, but it’s questionable if they can survive the Peace. They have a ton of economic problems due to the sanctions, and their military is sucking in alot of valuable currency. If China doesnt provide even trivial old military equipment like AD, aircraft and other equipment i am not confident about their survival.
Posted by: 4809 | Mar 12 2026 23:59 utc | 49

This reeks of concern trolling. New account, few posts and a big non sequitur. 
“Ameicans dominate the ME” that’s a big if going forward. Holding 72 bases under shelling with all of the logistics in a fire bag under unfriendly civilians is no small feat. 

Posted by: SOS | Mar 13 2026 10:01 utc | 77

Ukraine and World Affairs: Weekly Update, 13th March 2o26: May be Useful to Some: Ukraine and World Affairs: Weekly Update

Posted by: The Busker | Mar 13 2026 11:17 utc | 79

the monke will not choose iran or probably anyone else over israel if it comes down to it. zog/lobby theory applies more to russia than the usa.

Posted by: 222 | Mar 13 2026 11:30 utc | 81

Excuse this spamming – I posted this on the “open ukraine” thread by mistake – the “open” threw me.#trolls #spammingJust a reminder that uBlock works here on the new site just well as it did on the old site. 

Posted by: hh | Mar 13 2026 11:45 utc | 83

3rd time lucky…

Posted by: hh | Mar 13 2026 11:47 utc | 85

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Mar 13 2026 9:19 utc | 77
 
It is a joy to see you, Peter!  I scrolled through the righthand sidebar, and recognized so few till almost the end, and there you were.  So now, early here, I have read your post to persiflo as I begin my day.  And I will take all the spamming as the chaff in which precious seeds of wheat can be found, perhaps as you do for your opal quest ongoing.  The description is perfection.  I will say that persiflo’s quest is a different one, but it also makes me happy.  Thank you both.
 
Today I will visit my oldest son with his book of thanks from me,  Wind, Sand, and Stars.  We’ll get enchiladas downtown, but first I’ll wait in the Plaza for his shortened workday ending.  Time to reflect. perfect temp 70 degrees.  I’ve done this many times before, but this will be the first since Christmas.   He works at a ‘new’ hotel behind the cathedral so he will walk down and meet me in the plaza..  After lunch we’ll walk back up to retrieve his car, shop for my groceries, and home.  Wind, Sand, and Stars style perfection.   I and Thou perfection.
 

Posted by: juliania | Mar 13 2026 12:47 utc | 87

Did You Know?
 
King Louis IX of France (later canonized as Saint Louis) ordered the burning of copies of the Talmud in the 13th century. 📜🔥
 
What happened:
•In 1240, a public debate known as the Disputation of Paris was held in Paris.
•The accusations against the Talmud were brought by Nicholas Donin, a jewish convert to Christianity who claimed the text contained insults against Christianity.
•Four leading rabbis defended the Talmud before the king and church officials.
 
The result:
•After the trial, the Talmud was declared guilty of blasphemy by Christian authorities.
•In 1242, Louis IX ordered the confiscated manuscripts burned in Paris.
•About 24 wagon loads of handwritten books (roughly 10,000–12,000 volumes) were destroyed publicly.

 
https://x.com/truthtroll_X/status/2032196234489053347

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 14:42 utc | 89

@ persiflo | Mar 13 2026 4:42 utc | 70
 
i agree with you very strongly here regarding ld’s actions at moa… it says something about them and it is  not favourable..
 
@ juliania | Mar 13 2026 7:05 utc | 74
 
i like what you’ve said here… i have nothing to add ( which is rare, lol)… 
 
@ English Outsider | Mar 13 2026 14:33 utc | 89
 
the way i see it helmer is a very smart fellow, but he takes a different approach that rattles some.. at the moment he seems antagonistic towards putin and more generally putin and xi with regard to iran at the moment… as was witnessed in the nima exchange with helmer from a few days ago, it was quite fascinating to see this dynamic play out… it wouldn’t have happened if helmer had not said what he said… i related to nimas response to helmer, but i think helmer is very helpful it painting a more balanced and demanding perspective on russia related affairs.. i don’t question is loyalty to russia either… so, maybe i am in a minority!!  OH, and i like the guy and have had some nice e mail exchanges with him too! he’s quite civilized and receptive to others ideas as i see it, but also has a certain pragmatism that i appreciate… 
 
whew, that was a lot of words, lol…  i always appreciate your input and ideas EO!! 

Posted by: james | Mar 13 2026 14:56 utc | 91

This is the open thread, so I hope the correct one for this request.
 
I’m in an EU country now, and the mirror site (that I picked up from a comment here some years ago) that allowed me access to RT seems to now be blocked by the wonderful folks “defending our democracies”.  Does anyone have a current one?  I suppose I should break down and get a VPN, but I’ve done pretty well without one up to now.   I’ve tried a number of suggestions I found online without success.
 
Thanks for any suggestions and apologies for the interruption.
 

Posted by: NotBob | Mar 13 2026 17:29 utc | 93

The thing is, I wanted to write the perfect comment, had it all in my head. Unfortunately, however I seek perfection, there’s always some thing/event that mucks it up.
 
 
For example, I set aside the evening to compose this comment, but you know what? My girlfriend’s frickin dog just got into the kitchen and opened the fridge and scoffed a whole frozen chicken we were defrosting, packaging and all. 
 
 
Stupid mutt is whimpering like a puppy. Gotta go back to the vets. 
 
 
So, had to cut short my comment. Yeah, did use some AI to save time, prob 30%?
 
 
But even that speaks to the notion of perfection. 
 
 
Is perfect bullshi! perfect in and of itself, or is the fact that bullshi! is, by it’s very nature imperfect, indeed perfect? Who knows…
 
 
On Perfection, Asymmetry, and the Resonant Harmony of the Cosmos
 
 
In the struggle to find the meaning of existence, we are confronted with a paradox: the very notion of perfection seems to hinge upon asymmetry. Consider the cosmological origin.
 
 
Big Bang
 
 
That congenital fracture from which all unfolded. In that primordial rupture, symmetry was shattered, yet in its wake, the universe forged structures of staggering complexity. The perfect sphere balanced atop the perfect cone? An ideal image, yet ultimately a static ideal. Infinitely inert. Unchanging. But reality is dynamic; the sphere, unsteady in its perfection, begins to roll, to shift, to evolve.
This echoes a profound truth: perfection is not static harmony but dynamic resonance.
 
 
The Mandelbrot set exemplifies this beautifully. It suggests that what appears asymmetrical, the fractal’s infinite complexity, is, in fact, a form of perfect order. It is in the irregular, in the deviations and the fractal’s infinite detail, that we find the true essence of harmony, a harmony that embraces imperfection.
 
 
Now, let us turn to the ancient Pythagoreans, whose exploration of musical scales laid the groundwork for understanding resonance. They discovered that the universe’s vibrational fabric is woven through ratios. The fundamental octave, the perfect fifth, the major third, these are the primary, secondary, and tertiary resonances. The second order resonance, the octave, embodies the principle of doubling frequency, an echo of the fundamental harmony. The third order, the perfect fifth, relates to ratios of 3:2, an interval that has historically been considered ‘perfect’ in its consonance. The fourth order, the major third, with ratios of 5:4, introduces subtlety, complexity, and the richness of harmonic resonance.
 
 
What do these musical intervals tell us about the universe? They reveal that perfection is found in the resonance of ratios, not in rigid symmetry. The universe, much like music, thrives in the interplay of these ratios. Simple yet layered, symmetrical yet asymmetrical, perfect in its imperfection.
 
 
This perspective aligns with the notion that asymmetry is the true form of perfection. The universe’s inherent asymmetry, the uneven distribution of matter, the fractal intricacies, the cosmic expansion, are the very expressions of a deeper harmony. The imperfections, the deviations, are the resonant modes that give structure and meaning to the whole.
 
 
In the dialogue of cosmic and musical symmetry, it is the secondary, tertiary, and even higher-order resonances that generate richness and depth. They remind us that perfection is not a static ideal but an active, resonant process, a dance of ratios, deviations, and harmonies.
 
 
To echo the comments of “persiflo” on Moon of Alabama, perhaps the lesson is this: in embracing asymmetry, we discover the true nature of perfection: a dynamic, resonant state that sustains and elevates the universe itself. It is in the imperfect, the asymmetrical, that the divine order whispers its most profound truth.
 
 
To paraphrase Jesus, notwithstanding any relevant context, the words are nonetheless apposite:
 
 
“Anyone with two good ears should listen!”
 
Hammond A100 (B3) Funk Jam Improv with Leslie:
 
https://youtube.com/watch?v=hXrnlqyAubQ&pp=ygUcaGFtbW9uZCBvcmdhbiBsZXNsaWUgc3BlYWtlcg%3D%3D
 
 

Posted by: lachaussette | Mar 13 2026 17:41 utc | 95

3rd time lucky…
Posted by: hh | Mar 13 2026 11:47 utc | 86
 
*****
 
Three times lucky! Hat trick to hh 🙂

Posted by: General Factotum | Mar 13 2026 21:13 utc | 97

Cuban president Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuban officials have held talks with the U.S. 
 
The dialogue takes place after Trump issued an ultimatum demanding that  Cuba stop “political persecution”.
 
 
Key points from the statements:
 

•  The exchange has been respectful and seeks to identify bilateral problems and find solutions.
•  Cuba has reiterated its willingness to carry out actions for the benefit of both peoples.
• The dialogue also seeks to move away from confrontation.
• The willingness to move the process forward on the basis of equality and self-determination was made clear.

Posted by: UWDude | Mar 13 2026 21:36 utc | 99