Welcome to Saturday's Potluck - May 20, 2023

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

In my regular reading of Sputnik News to read about incidents in Oregon that do not show up in the local news sites ( such as May 16, 2023 Photo: US F-15 Eagle Fighter Jet Crash-Lands in Oregon Drainage Canal) there are other interesting tidbits about the US I missed at other news sites.

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US, China Had Secret Submarine Showdown Near Hong Kong Around Jan. 6 Events - Report Sputnik Globe may 15, 2023

The cat-and-mouse game between US and Chinese forces off the Chinese coast reached a dangerous point on January 5, 2021, when US aircraft began harassing Chinese submarines, prompting a Chinese show of force. The showdown happened amid a backdrop of high anxieties about the prospect of then-US President Donald Trump starting a war.

The incident was recently revealed by a Chinese journal, although the report was sparse on the details. According to the outlet, three US Navy aircraft launched an intense hunt for Chinese submarines in the waters between Hong Kong and the ring-shaped atoll known in English as Pratas and in Chinese as Donsha, about 190 miles off the Chinese coast.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) was conducting naval exercises in the area at the time and after the US aircraft dropped a slew of sonar buoys designed to pinpoint the location of submarines, the Chinese military dispatched a force to the region, the consist of which remains classified.
...
The US aircraft were not named in the report, but according to the South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI), a Beijing-based think tank focused on the waterway, the US Navy flew two kinds of sub hunters over the South China Sea that month: the P-8A Poseidon, a maritime patrol aircraft based on the Boeing 737 but modified to carry specialized sub-hunting equipment like sonar buoys and torpedoes, and the P-3 Orion, an older aircraft that also carries a magnetic anomaly detector for spotting the distortions in Earth’s magnetic field produced by a large steel object, such as a submarine.
...
US military leaders spoke with their Chinese counterparts several times during that period in an attempt to defuse tensions, one of which came two days after the insurrection, on January 8, 2021. US Gen. Mark A. Milley, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke on the phone for 90 minutes with his Chinese counterpart, PLA Gen. Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, to reassure him that the US military would not allow another attempted seizure of power. Milley later described him as "unusually rattled."

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Ukraine's Depleted Uranium Blast: Europe on Brink of 'Environmental Disaster' Sputnikglobe May 19, 2023

Sputnik News spoke with Dr. Chris Busby, physical chemist and scientific secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk, about how the West’s decision to provide depleted uranium (DU) ammunition to Ukraine has potentially caused a continent-wide ecological disaster. Below is his answer in full.
...
I have represented nuclear atmospheric test veterans in the Royal Courts of Justice in London and have seen many films of nuclear explosions: this was not one. A nuclear explosion is characterised by an immediate intense white light which wipes out the camera film or detector.

So, what was it? It was suggested by several commentators that an arms depot that had been hit contained the Depleted Uranium (DU) weapons sent by the UK to the Ukraine for use in the British Challenger tanks as anti-tank penetrators. That the explosion was one involving the burning of the DU in the fireball. Since I am a scientific authority on Uranium and its health effects, but have also examined its dispersion and behaviour in the environment, I will comment on what I believe happened, and why it is important.
...
What you need to know is that Uranium 238, when it decays with its alpha emission, turns into Thorium-234 and Protoactinium-234m which then turns into Uranium 234. Thorium 234 is a beta and gamma emitter delivering 6% of its decay energy as a gamma ray. Thus, large clouds of DU particulate aerosol will be detectable by gamma detectors.
...
You will see that a very highly significant increase in gamma radiation occurred at this detector, north west of the explosion site almost exactly when it would be expected on the basis of a distance of 250km and a mean wind speed of 5km/h. The increase, from 60nSv/h to 90nSv/h was highly statistically significant about 50%. Other detectors all across Poland showed an increase*, as the plume passed over them, the increase being weaker the further away (due to dispersion of the plume).
...
One final piece of evidence. We see videos on the internet of the Ukrainians clearing up the explosion site using Robot vehicles, not ordinary firemen. Why do they need Robot vehicles? The last times we saw Robot vehicles clearing up was in the ruins of Chernobyl and Fukushima.
If I am right, there has been an environmental disaster, and the DU particles will travel across Poland, Germany and Hungary, and will end up in the Baltics, probably later the whole of Europe including the UK (after all, the Chernobyl Uranium particles came to the UK).
They will deliver genetic damage and death like that seen in the Balkans and Iraq. Cancer, birth defects, miscarriage, infertility, lung damage, mental problems (Gulf War Syndrome) and so forth. The scientific and epidemiological evidence on this has been clear since the Gulf War. It is all there in the scientific literature—but the governments in the West and the military ignore it, deny it and cover it up.
...
Those who provide the weapons, the UK government in this case, are morally bankrupt. Unless it is their intention to destroy the Ukrainian people. Who knows anymore? The world has gone mad.

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This site had an interesting feature of audio readings of the articles. If reading small text of articles is a challenge the NewsRescue site may be useful. Just need to be able to read the headlines.

UK in ‘geriatric decline’ – financier NewsRescue May 19, 2023

Brexit has harmed the UK economy and pushed it into a “sort of geriatric decline,” according to British investor and chairman of private equity firm Terra Firma, who spoke to Bloomberg on Friday.

The United Kingdom has been competing on the global arena since leaving the European Union, but the country’s current rules are unsuitable for the new environment, millionaire Guy Hands claimed in the outlet’s monthly ‘In The City’ podcast.

Unless something changes, the United Kingdom risks becoming poorer in comparison to other European countries.

“I look at the UK and see that, in 2030, Poland will be wealthier than we are,” he remarked. “By 2040, we will be Europe’s poorest country.”

According to Hands, the UK should not have left the EU since the country requires rule of law and consistency, but no politician has mentioned returning. He bemoaned that Brexit had effectively thrown the country back 50 years, to the 1970s, a decade largely recognised as a period of crisis, with surging prices, high unemployment, strikes, and power outages.

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The graphics in this article on moon exploration has great graphics. Takes a while to load.

Moon First contact Tass May 2023

The development of Earth’s natural satellite began with the Luna 2 probe. In 1959, this Soviet spacecraft became the first artificial vehicle to reach the surface of the Moon. It ushered in an era of great discoveries: the launch of the first automatic probes, the first lunar rover, and the first man to set foot on the Moon. Interest in lunar flights waned for some time after that, but now human eyes are again turning moonwards. Our report covers all lunar missions: from the first success of Luna 2 and the Apollo program to plans for new expeditions and the establishment of lunar bases.
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In October 1957, the USSR fired the first shot in the conquest of outer space by launching Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite (in Russian sputnik literally means “satellite”). A year later, both the USSR and the U.S. set themselves the target of reaching the Moon. The Soviet lunar program was handled by Experimental Design Bureau No.1 (OKB-1) under the leadership of chief designer Sergei Korolyov. The first launches of both countries were unsuccessful. In January 1959, the USSR sent the Luna 1 probe to the Moon. But due to a mathematical error, the device flew past its target and entered solar orbit, becoming the first artificial planet, known in Russian as Mechta (Dream)....
The most attractive landing site is the south pole of the Moon. Frozen water is present there at the bottom of the craters, while the ridges provide a place for continuous recharging of solar panels. It is at the south pole that Russia’s Luna 25 lander (also known as the Luna-Glob project) intends to touch down in 2022-2024. As in Soviet times, the program is being developed by the Lavochkin design bureau (renamed NPO Lavochkin), now part of the Russian Space Agency.

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The Judge is starting to use techniques to influence the dialog of his guests t create a common narrative for his audience. At the moment his guests are pushing through their original thoughts based on varied personal experience and sources. A common pattern to grow an audience and then start influencing their beliefs.

Early in this interview he asks a question, then before Patrick Lawrence can answer The Judge tells him what his other guests believe to be the answer before allowing a reply. The Judge is interrupting answers and talking over Lawrence at times. He also wasted about 25% of the interview asking irrelevant questions, Lawrence stayed focus and kept providing valuable information.

LIVE from Ukraine/Russia border - Patrick Lancaster Indy journalist (21:38 min)

The Judge is aware of what he is doing, I started this video a little past the beginning of the interview - watch at least for a couple of minutes.

How to Recruit a Spy - Phil Giraldi fmr CIA (21:39 min)

The the other livestream videos this week by Judge Napolitano channel ongoing discussions regarding current Ukraine/Russia conflict.

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What is on your mind today?

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QMS's picture

Today in the US is "Armed Forces Day" which we choose not to celebrate here locally.
What with the trillions spent each year on armed forces, it is just another day in the
debit account. The only ones celebrating this are probably the weapons industry.

Thanks for the judge and sputnik links. Good thing we have alternate sources.

Thanks for the OT!

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question everything

studentofearth's picture

@QMS Works well with a computer browser using multiple windows to prep reading individual stories. Less likely to miss a major event. C99, sputnikglobe.com/archive/ and zerohedge, APnews and Reuters are some links might find helpful to keep informed of various slants without using tons of time.

Other sites need to keep up with average refresh rate of changes. For example Asia Times refreshes once daily and a number of the articles are from individuals in organizations trying to shape events and policy.

Thanks for checking in this morning.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

The sign was planted yesterday, asking just under a million dollars if I recall correctly. I am going to miss tinkering down there in my little space, not sure what is allowed at the new spot yet. There are hundreds of rules to read and I haven't had time to digest them all. Just learned about the old shade screen the new landlord tore down, it will cost me $28 to have it put back up again. LOL! Well alrighty then!

I'm pretty sure y'all have seen better photos of the freak snow storm that happened in Sonoma County last February. Two outta three volunteer sunflowers lived through it and started blooming, now they are making seeds too early already. Confused.

February '23 - 4 inches of snow
snowday2023-02-24.jpg

May '23 - back to "normal"
springday-2023-05-20.jpg

White Dutch Clover, Evening Primrose, and some Spiderwort are the other volunteers that are still alive and growing in the dirt down there. Right on. Good weekend to all, have fun!

Peace and Love

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QMS's picture

@eyo @eyo

it's great you have helpful neighbors volunteering
thinning out possessions is somehow easier when
moving

PS: doesn't look like a million dollar property to me
maybe get 1/2 that over on this side of the wasteland

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question everything

studentofearth's picture

@eyo insect and bird life, the ripple of change continues to spread.

If someone has not read a recent rental agreement recently they would be shocked the detail of do, don'ts, fees for various situations and number of agreements to sign. In our area some of the Property Management used by landlords keep the fees and a percentage of rent to manage a property. Increasing the number and amount of fees has been a method to increase revenue.

Have a great week.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Pluto's Republic's picture

@studentofearth

...separate fees tagged on rental agreements, especially on rentals where HUD have some involvement, or where landlords have benefitted from new HUD policies. Many of these fees are the cost of doing business for landlords, and are not meant to be passed along to renters to increase landlord profits.

I don't think many folks know that HUD is solely responsible for the sudden and coordinated spike in housing prices across the nation. This hike translates to higher prices for home purchases, soaring appreciation in the resale value of rental properties, and significantly greater profits for landlords.

HUD claims they decided to re-value the basic rental cost of a one bedroom one bath apartment as a means to relieving the nation's affordable housing problem. The new value jumped about $500, and this increase is proportionally reflected in all sizes of rentals. The new values are also reflected in HUD's subsidy vouchers for those who do not earn enough to pay current rental costs.

HUD's revaluation plan triggered a nationwide investor frenzy, as corporations and insiders started scooping up multifamily properties and rental units in every state — while they were still valued under the old cap rate. These investments saw a massive increase in value, as millions of renters were hit with huge rent hikes. Soon, evictions and homelessness began to increase from coast to coast.

The good news is that many working class renters now qualified for HUD vouchers, which will subsidize as much as $1700 for a one bedroom apartment, for properties that are associated with HUD. The bad news is that there is a nationwide shortage of rental units that are associated with HUD. This means that families with vouchers have nowhere to use them.

To solve this new problem, HUD is now training voucher-holders how to sign up property owners to the HUD program. Prospective tenants are armed with applications and instructions for landlords, along with cash incentives for landlords that are willing to join the HUD program. HUD pays the rent directly to landlords, on time, so they never again have to collect from tenants.

This is how the US is solving its affordable housing problem. If you've seen this story in the news, let me know. So far, I don't think it's been reported.

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enhydra lutris's picture

@eyo

the dirt patch. Hope the move goes well and that all works out well at the new place. Good luck with the rules at the new place, agreements for everything seem to get more compendious and onerous each year,

have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

@eyo . We have one here in TX, I don't know if it's similar to the one you know. Ours is a deep blue and it thrives in the shade during the spring with enough rain. Once the summer heat sets in and there is a lack of rain, it's gone. But while it is here it's beautiful. Right now we have a lot of things in bloom because we have had some rain. We did not have snow this winter though. (Your snow picture is cool.)

Hope your move goes as well as possible and you can establish a new garden soon. Nice to see you.

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@randtntx is mostly blue, but in certain places, it is pink. I love them!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp , they came in pink. Very cool. I'll have to keep my eyes out for one of those.

I hope the pollinators can rally a bit this spring, they had a rough go the last one. We've seen quite a few but I have no idea about the overall numbers. Even so, I'm very happy to see them all. (Except the flies...I know, I know, ...they have a niche to fill).

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Granma's picture

It is not nearly depleted enough since it still has the power to do so much damage.
I've been thinking it is a crime against both humanity and the planet to create such a weapon. I would start punishment with the person whose idea it was , and move down the line to include all who approved it.

I wonder how Sputnik learned of the F15 accident. I also live in Oregon and knew nothing about it, and do my best to keep up with local news.

Thank you for the OT and for the links.

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studentofearth's picture

@Granma news is frustrating. We have been divided into information silos and only informed on a need to know basis. While driving for the once a week listen to the talk radio station nearly always hear a few issues I had been unaware.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

soryang's picture

Tweet from WP reporter, one of several on G-7 themes.

One could probably go on ad nauseum on G-7 hypocrisy but I'll just contrast this recent report on the North Korean angle-

SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday condemned South Korea and the United States for planning to kick off their major joint live-fire drills next week, describing the drills as a "war exercise" against Pyongyang.

South Korea and the U.S. are set to stage the drills from May 25 to June 15 as they mark the 70th anniversary of their alliance. The drills are expected to involve advanced weapons systems, including F-35A stealth fighters, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, K2 tanks and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers.

The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the drills are a "serial and extension of the anti-DPRK war exercises." DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

The KCNA said such drills against a "nuclear power" are "sheer bullshit."

Pyongyang also issued a warning against South Korea and the U.S., noting the "dangerous war exercises" will take place "in an area only a few kilometers away from our front."

N. Korea bristles at planned S. Korea-U.S. live-fire drills
All News 07:34 May 19, 2023 Yonhap News
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230519000700325?input=tw

According to an earlier Yonhap report this month on the planned live fire exercises, they are expected to be the "largest ever." They are also styled as a celebration of the 70 year old US-ROK military alliance. My personal opinion is that the North Korean criticism is well taken. Live fire exercises taking place close to the DMZ is an unnecessary provocation. It's definitely not in the spirit of the 1918 Military Agreement intended to lessen tensions between North and South Korea by limiting military activity in either relatively close proximity to the DMZ or in areas such as the maritime buffer zones in the East and West Sea. My understanding at the time the agreement was concluded that the US didn't like it. Same with the Singapore understandings. Well, mission accomplished I guess.

The offers of dialogue with North Korea by the US, South Korea, and Japan are notable only for their lack of substance while huge military exercises taking place on a scale not seen in years continue.

When I woke early this morning as luck would have it, the live broadcast of the candlelight movement regular Saturday demonstration was broadcasting live a choral group performance of the Bamboo Spear Hymn. This is a song I learned of from the historical drama Nokdu Flower, about the peasant rebellion against the late Chosun dynasty in the late 19th Century. The rebellion evolved into a resistance movement against Japanese Imperial Armed Forces which had invaded the peninsula in an attempt to eliminate Chinese intervention in Korea. Long story short Nokdu, the rebellion's charismatic leader is defeated in the field by the Japanese Imperial Army, and executed by the Japanese. The theme song with its anti-Japanese and rebellious theme, is one detested by the current South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The candlelight turn out looked somewhat better than the last couple of weeks. I took a couple of screen shots from the crowd assembled between Sungnyemun (Namdaemun) and City Hall station on Sejong-no in central Seoul. One can see the clunky Japanese imperial style architecture of the old City Hall building in the distance, if one looks carefully. It sits in front of the modern city hall behind it. There have been other recent substantial demonstrations against the Yoon government by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and the Nurses Association, and Catholic, Protestant, and Buddhist groups.

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended a memorial service to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement on Thursday, where he stated, “The May spirit commands us to take action to uphold liberal democracy,” and declared, “We must stand up to all the forces and challenges that threaten freedom and democracy, and have the courage to take action.” Both sides of the political spectrum came out in full force to underscore the spirit of the people’s uprising of 1980.

Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi also slammed the address, stating, “Reconciliation and unity are just words, and there was no apology, reflection or promise to take firm action regarding the misbehavior of the government and ruling party officials who have threatened and undermined the Gwangju spirit over the past year.”

While Yoon’s call to “stand up to all the forces and challenges that threaten freedom and democracy” did not refer to any specific person, some believe it may have been aimed at the opposition parties and civic groups who have been critical of his administration.

At a ceremony held earlier this year to commemorate the April 19 Revolution, the president drew criticism from the opposition when he said, “We have seen many cases around the world where forces that threaten democracy claim to be democracy activists or human rights advocates even as they support dictatorship and totalitarianism. We must not be deceived by such pretense and disguises.”
Groups with ties to Gwangju’s democratization movement have labeled Yoon’s remarks the “worst commemorative address ever.”

https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1092499.html

There is little doubt that Yoon is trying to repress opposition wherever it shows itself. His misuse of patriotic occasions related to the Korean independence movement and democracy movements, is an Orwellian attempt to appropriate the democratic movements symbols for authoritarian purposes, and thereby undermine a free Korean civic society and its goals.

Enjoyed today's Potluck SOE, thanks for the OT.

(edited typos)

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語必忠信 行必正直

studentofearth's picture

@soryang China to try and obtain a response they could categorize as military attack and not defensive to trigger multiple Mutual Defense or Security Agreements in the area. Making the assumption it would place US Military in the active leadership position of the combined armed forces. Korea area, Taiwan and Myanmar (Burma) are historical points of launching attacks into China.

Korea peninsula has also been used historically as an entry point into Russian territory.

Yes, nothing implies desire for peace and saving the planet from climate change like live ammo military war games. Admire the persistence of Korean citizens to keep pushing for a better future inspite of the horrific past actions of US inspired ad controlled suppression.

At the same time Team Biden has been considering freezing the Ukrainian conflict similar to Korean War.

Ukraine could join ranks of ‘frozen’ conflicts, U.S. officials say Politico May 18, 2023

U.S. officials are planning for the growing possibility that the Russia-Ukraine war will turn into a frozen conflict that lasts many years — perhaps decades — and joins the ranks of similar lengthy face-offs in the Korean peninsula, South Asia and beyond.

The options discussed within the Biden administration for a long-term “freeze” include where to set potential lines that Ukraine and Russia would agree not to cross, but which would not have to be official borders. The discussions — while provisional — have taken place across various U.S. agencies and in the White House.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

soryang's picture

@studentofearth ...he advised JFK never to get involved in a land war in Asia. "Anyone who gets involved in a land war in Asia needs to have their head examined." There's a revisionist take on this from the Diplomat. A MacArthur biographer contends MacArthur learned this from Japan's experience in China. Apparently, he didn't follow his own principle in the Korean conflict.

https://thediplomat.com/2018/10/a-new-take-on-general-macarthurs-warning...

SOE I think your observations about US intentions on China's periphery are exactly right. I've heard South Korean activist leaders on independent media comment more or less, "what are we going to be, the US military base for attacking China?" Yoon's foreign policy is regarded unfavorably for this reason, among others. MacArthur wanted to attack China from Korea, but China acted first. Then he wanted to use nukes. Imperial Japan had attacked China from both Korea and Taiwan. Japan profited economically from US wars in Korea and Vietnam. This is another reason why the South Korean opposition is leery of Yoon's pro-Japanese stance and the so called tri-lateral alliance against China. Yoon even entertained the notion of Japanese troops in Korea again along with the US if South Korea was attacked.

Brian Berletic frequently discusses the US strategy to encircle China, as you described. I'm also concerned about the chance of a mishandled military encounter in the South China Sea to possibly provoke a conflict. The US is using the Philippines with this in mind I think. The US also attempts to bootstrap itself onto other ASEAN nations' disputed maritime claims in the SCS. I heard one expert recently refer to China blocking Philippine fishing vessels from one area near disputed shoals as "interference with freedom of navigation." This is an incorrect characterization. That's a commercial use in disputed EEZs not navigation. I think public discussion of SCS issues is oversimplified and the US policy and that of the Philippines as a result is at risk of miscalculation. I don't trust President Marcos when he says the US expanded use of military bases in the Philippines will be "defensive only." Who knows what other misjudgment Marcos may make at US urging. Same goes for Yoon, and Kishida. Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan is another.

Cyrus Janssen has an interesting assessment of US hi tech trade restrictions imposed against China.

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語必忠信 行必正直

then China is not going as planned.

This article is an example of the illusions of grandeur of the group.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/20/ukraines-zelenskyy-hiroshima-g7...

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QMS's picture

@humphrey

does not portend well for the capitalists
about time they wake up

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enhydra lutris's picture

sputnik 1 quite well. I was in Jr. High and had done a paper and presentation in which I asserted, based on all the evidence, that the dirty russkies would beat us into space unless we seriously got our shit together. The VP, a Bircher clown, called me in and gave me hell over said paper. Many (most) of my fellow students did likewise. When sputnik went up we somehow found out around lunchtime on a school day and I spent much of the rest of the day going beep-beep-beep, especially when in the vicinity of said VP.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

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Pluto's Republic's picture

And remixing it in that way you have.

This item made me go WTF?

US military leaders spoke with their Chinese counterparts several times during that period in an attempt to defuse tensions, one of which came two days after the insurrection, on January 8, 2021. US Gen. Mark A. Milley, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke on the phone for 90 minutes with his Chinese counterpart, PLA Gen. Li Zuocheng, chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, to reassure him that the US military would not allow another attempted seizure of power. Milley later described him as "unusually rattled."

.
These psychopaths can freely provoke and torture another sovereign entity, and no one in the US has the power, or even the good sense, to hold them back.

This, and the sanctions and embargoes, is the same strategy the US used to provoke Japan into attacking Pearl Harbor. (Of course, the Chinese and the Japanese are temperamental opposites, but US intelligence has never used cultural filters in their military analysis. They will use religion as a filter, but in that regard, Asia has them bewildered.)

The existential threat presented to the world by a psychopathic superpower rooted in genocide — such as the United States — is that the US refuses to define a 'victory'. When the US embarks on a war involving the military, it is an open-ended operation. The tactics and the goal are the same: Controlled destruction, until there is no one left to fight back, and the land and all it contains becomes a surrendered asset. Or until the Pentagon suddenly runs out of money and everyone bugs out.

Cuba — the Taiwan of the Caribbean — illustrates the US point-of-view and policy.

As always, interesting news well told.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Pluto's Republic

against them that the military wouldn’t obey him. No idea where I read that, but the Republican base was calling for Milley to be charged with treason for doing it. I don’t know how to search for it either. Just something that has stayed in my brain every time I see Milley.

I’d think all that action against the Chinese sub would be considered an act of war?

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The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt

Pluto's Republic's picture

@snoopydawg

....to flex military muscle with China. I recall writing at the time that no President can simply stealth nuke another nation without the military's approval. The military has contingency plans for dealing with delusional Presidents. There is no red button for a President to press that will launch nukes against an enemy. The military deflected Trump's occasional delusions by allowing him to blow up the biggest bomb in the US arsenal over a mountain range in Afghanistan. Two months after his inauguration they gave him a red button that he got to press 59 times to remotely launch Tomahawk missiles into Syria. This was a major war crime, by the way. (Thankfully, there was little damage from the million-dollar missiles. Most were were intercepted by Russian missile defense systems.) If they gave President Biden a button, we can be sure that it's not connected to anything.

Can a President prevent a war? Can he stop his Neocon handlers from launching a nuclear attack on a rival nation? I have no idea. The submarine incident happened in the final days of Trump's Presidency. International consensus seems to be that no President from either party is in control of the war machine.

I have noticed a recent change in China's disposition toward the US. And, Xi is still not accepting any telephone calls from the US.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Pluto's Republic

and the military just didn’t do it, but they told him that they would. Also during Obama’s tenure he called for a cease fire and the pentagon troops attacked the state department troops and just ignored Obama’s order. Might have been the other way around, but they both totally ignored him. I don’t think the president is in charge of much anymore if they ever were except they get to travel around the world pretending that they are making deals with foreign governments. Eisenhower warned us about what would happen if the defense companies took charge. I doubt there’s anything we could have done to stop it, but congress could have before they sold themselves to the highest bidders. I posted an essay that had videos of congress talking to defense goons and it showed how subservient congress was to them.

Democrats say that this election is about saving democracy. We haven’t ever been one, but have been an oligarchy for some time. Maybe all the time we have been.

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The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists.
~Hannah Arendt

great OT. Thanks so much!
We all need to explore different news sources, since what we typically see is propaganda or omission of something we have a need to know.
It is just wonderful that lots of that deep search info comes here. We share.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

He deserves credit for it.

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@humphrey Unions are stymied by Right to Work, such as Texas.
Raise taxes on the rich, raise wages for the poor.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp

At least that is the way I took it.

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@humphrey to keep my mind open about him.
After a lifetime of D betrayals, it is very hard to think one would deliver on promises of benefits to the working class and poor.

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5 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981