Welcome to Saturday's Potluck - 2-11-23

Submitted by studentofearth on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 8:49am

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

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A few weeks ago an article in Russia Times it appears a small group of "clubs" under the umbrella of the International Group of P&I Clubs provides most of the protection and indemnity insurance for all the worlds ocean fright. China Mutual Association and the Korean P&I Club are not members are not members of the group.

The 13 P&I clubs collectively provide liability insurance for over 90% of the world's ocean-going ships and more than 95% of ocean-going tankers. The move will make it harder for both ship owners and charterers to obtain shipping insurance next year. Analysts say it could lead to a surge in shipping costs and force many ships to either sail uninsured or avoid the region altogether.

(Russia Times)

A warm and fuzzy informational video on the group controlling ocean freight of raw material, commercial goods and fuel. One of the choke points of international trade the US is influencing a nation's international commerce and humanitarian aide. Could also be providing forewarning of future conflict zones by watching where geographic exclusions or liability limits are implimented.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKYnDjrJKiw]

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It is interesting to read opinions of the values and importance of the United States by foreign authors. It can be a little like eavesdropping on the conversation at the table next to yours at the cafe. The odd ideas would not matter if his audience did not include so many influencers and policy makers.

Chinese balloons and US alchemic leadership Asia Times be Franscesco Sisci Feb 10, 2023

America and free society managed freedom by separating personal leadership from the system’s leadership. It doesn’t let a personal leadership, a given man, say a given president, replace the system’s leadership, the institute of American democracy.

It stressed a distinction between a leading person and the system. The two must find a balance, but one man’s power cannot replace or dent the system’s power. The distinction is known from ancient times, but with modern democracies, it found a new, more delicate, and effective balance. Then the American leadership doesn’t depend on one man, a good or bad president, but on the leadership of its system.

Leaders are important in America, but possibly as a group, as a class of people, each supposed to be leading in its own environment; leaders, as the sole man in command, are conversely despised and rejected as damaging to the system.
...
Competition between England and the United States did not lead to military conflict. Competition at one point between Japan and the United States did not lead to military confrontation. Economic competition between Europe and America again didn’t lead to military confrontation.

In all these cases, America prevailed because it proved that its economic and technological thrust, “collective leadership,” and intelligence system were “better” than the others.

“Better” is the ability to foresee and forecast first and foremost. Second, it is the ability to gain trust in this intelligence and gain investment and money from all over the world and then channel this money into projects for development in the United States or other parts of the world that will develop the highest returns. Of course, it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
...
Is it bad or good for America? America is a strange country that likes and thrives on competition. Without competition, it has little or no sense of purpose and can make huge mistakes, as in Iraq or Afghanistan. Then competition is good for the United States. It gives it a sense of purpose and a new drive to develop.

The plan to rebuild infrastructure, create a new generation of American industries, and develop new green energies is all driven by the sense of competition with China. The American response to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative is to build new infrastructure networks across the globe on a scale unprecedented in the American continent in Africa and Asia.

America will build its own infrastructure, and countries will have to choose between being with America or against America.
...
Well before the end of World War II, America and its allies started thinking about the shape of things after the conflict. We might now be in the same situation. America may want to clear a few issues with its allies, old like the European countries, or new like India. Each has their concerns in their ties with Washington.

More important, after World War II, America set up a series of institutions to keep peace and stability in international politics, trade, and economy. It is too early to set up new institutes replacing the United Nations or the International Monetary Fund, which might be outdated, but it may not be too early to start thinking about them.

These outlines could help provide the general goals that America and its allies want to reach at the end of the conflict, and maybe these goals could also help find a peaceful, constructive solution with China.

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CrossTalk with with Larry Johnson, Ray McGovern, Gilbert Doctorow and Peter Lavelle - on Ukriane politics and conflict status. (42:49 min)
Link to Rumble video

Pepe Escobar and Richard Medhurst on BRICS, Ukraine War, Russian Oil & Much More(1:31:32)
[video:https://youtu.be/Y3gEJPc3Zl8?t=1226]

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Rage Against the War Machine still on February 19, 2023.

If interested in attending a sister rally there are a few being listed around the country to be held on February 17, 18 or 19th..

Still able to order "Rage Gear" all proceeds are now being directed to the event. Last week it appeared only the profit was going to the event. Could be a legit increase in support or sales were so low the organization had to agree to purchase all goods and is trying to recoup cost. Who knows?

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Too much space is devoted to this subject. But if Rage Against the War Machine backs down on their selected speakers due to some verbal and written criticism - How can we expect them to be a vehicle to push back against against what some call the the most formidable military complex ever formed by humans?

A subject for a different time - Once a criminal always a criminal, regardless if served debt to society as ordered by judicial system.

the Washington Free Beacon Press February 9, 2023.

On Tuesday, more than a week after the firestorm over Ritter's participation in the event began, Libertarian Party leadership called for Ritter to drop out of the event and said it "confronted him about his criminal history." Internal correspondence, some posted by Ritter himself, calls into question the party's claims that they consider his past crimes to be "despicable" and "contradict our values."
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Ritter’s withdrawal caps a tumultuous behind-the-scenes debate over whether he should appear at the rally. Libertarian Party leaders asked Ritter to withdraw from the event last week after a Washington Free Beacon report about his criminal past. Ritter was detained twice in 2001 after he arranged meetings with undercover police officers posing as a 14-year-old girl and 15-year-old girl. He was sentenced to prison in 2011 after he masturbated online in front of an undercover cop posing as a 15-year-old girl.

Ritter was reinstated to the event after outcry from some of his fellow speakers. Andrew Napolitano, a former Fox News analyst, rallied to Ritter’s defense. So did Tara Reade, the former Joe Biden aide who has leveled unconfirmed sexual assault allegations against the president.

Libertarians called on Ritter again to drop out earlier this week, citing both his sex offender status as well as his comments that Ukraine was akin to a "rabid dog" that needed to be put down by Russia.

Ritter released text from the speech he planned to give at the rally (link from Linda Wood's diary). In it, Ritter strikes a decidedly pro-Russia tone and recites from Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech, which the civil rights leader gave at the Lincoln Memorial nearly 60 years ago.
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The Libertarian party has long been a home for those who have questioned the role of government in regulating sex between adults and minors. Just last year a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona named age of consent laws as something he'd move to change if elected. And in 2016 a Libertarian congressional candidate said all incidents of adults having sexual relationships with minors should be viewed on a case-by-case basis. "Hard age of consent laws don't take into account the actual maturity of the child," the candidate argued.
...
For some anti-war activists, Ritter is not even the most controversial speaker on the docket. Medea Benjamin, the founder of the far-left anti-war group CodePink, said she dropped out of the event because others in her organization were "opposed to the anti-gay, anti-trans, anti-women stands" of another rally speaker, Jackson Hinkle. She said Code Pink is also "concerned" about the Mises Caucus’s sponsorship of the event.

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This weeks Judging Freedom Interviews
Scott Ritter weekly interview with Judge Napolitano Feb 10, 2023 (24:32 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgg1Cl6rmxQ]

Col Doug Macgregor weekly interview with Judge Napolitano Feb 8, 2023 (27:55 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qFCco0bp0E]

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What is on your mind today?

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Comments

Submitted by QMS on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 10:47am

Sad to see Ritter and Benjamin pull out from the rage rally. Internal politics between
different factions (ie: Libertarian and Peoples Party) are bound to cause friction.
There is a more important overall goal to this attempt, that is to demonstrate against
perpetual war. Put pressure on the authorities and give voice to alternatives.

Thanks for posting SOE!

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 11:41am
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Unreported in the mainstream media is that Putin invoking article 51 which provides a legal justification for military intervention. And that Ukraine had increased its bombing of the Donbas which was recorded by the Officials from the Observer Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It’s too bad that the people who are supporting Ukraine because they don’t have all the facts will never read this.

Setting the Record Straight; Stuff you should know about Ukraine

On February 16, 2022, a full week before Putin sent combat troops into Ukraine, the Ukrainian Army began the heavy bombardment of the area (in east Ukraine) occupied by mainly ethnic Russians. Officials from the Observer Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) were located in the vicinity at the time and kept a record of the shelling as it took place. What the OSCE discovered was that the bombardment dramatically intensified as the week went on until it reached a peak on February 19, when a total of 2,026 artillery strikes were recorded. Keep in mind, the Ukrainian Army was, in fact, shelling civilian areas along the Line of Contact that were occupied by other Ukrainians.

We want to emphasize that the officials from the OSCE were operating in their professional capacity gathering first-hand evidence of shelling in the area. What their data shows is that Ukrainian Forces were bombing and killing their own people. This has all been documented and has not been challenged.

So, the question we must all ask ourselves is this: Is the bombardment and slaughter of one’s own people an ‘act of war’?
…..
The last point deals with the Minsk Treaty and how the dishonesty of western leaders is going to effect the final settlement in Ukraine. I am convinced that neither Washington nor the NATO allies have any idea of how severely international relations have been decimated by the Minsk betrayal. In a world where legally binding agreements can be breezily discarded in the name of political expediency, the only way to settle disputes is through brute force. Did anyone in Germany, France or Washington think about this before they acted? (But, first, some background on Minsk.)

The aim of the Minsk agreement was to end the fighting between the Ukrainian army and ethnic Russians in the Donbas region of Ukraine. It was the responsibility of the four participants in the treaty– Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine– to ensure that both sides followed the terms of the deal. But in December, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with a German magazine, that there was never any intention of implementing the deal, instead, the plan was to use the time to make Ukraine stronger in order to prepare for a war with Russia. So, clearly, from the very beginning, the United States intended to provoke a war with Russia.

We know what Biden would do if Russia armed the Mexican cartels and they started killing Americans and if Russia had plans to put nuclear weapons in Mexico. The sad thing is that the truth about the Ukraine/Russia conflict can be found if people only looked for it instead of just believing what the corporate, captured by the military industrial complex media told them. Once upon a time people would be interested in learning both sides of the story.

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Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 12:26pm
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there is a Libertarian Party and that it at times purports to speak with unanimity for Libertarians. But, whatever. Ritter, fwiw, got caught up in at least one sting where an agent showed up on a board restricted to those over 18 and then claimed to have identified as younger, though he had reminded them that it was for 18 and over. Dunno nada 'bout his proclivities and all, but priors due to sting ops really need to be discounted by everybody, that's the only way to stop the national LEO pastime of policing by entrapment.

Stopping war will require nearly universal pressure from all not involved in the military, we've had huge actions in the past that came to nothing. The phrase "general strike" comes to mind, as it so often does whenever there is a need to change something that is ingrained in the verey core of this country's being.

Thanks for the post.

be weell 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 --

Submitted by soryang on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 12:34pm
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I'm sure Sisci is a great source on Chinese literature and philosophy of antiquity. Unfortunately, like many Anglophile scholars of China, he reveals a great lack of insight into modern history, and makes a lot of conclusory statements.

Perhaps he should ask John Toland if the US had no prior indications and warnings of an attack on Pearl Harbor for example. His anti-Iran essay over on his website reeks of Anglophile orientation. Although he claims to understand the old WWII grievances affecting relations between Japan and neighboring states, perhaps he ought to ask Russians about who diverted Japanese forces away from the Russian far east at the Battle of Nomonhan/Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939. Maybe he should also ask Chalmers Johnson if Japan stood any chance of occupying the whole of China during WWII. I see he also needs to brush up on which state in fact that "holds Dokdo," it's South Korea. His essay posted here reeks of US worship. Maybe he's been living outside the west for too long. It's almost as if he's dreaming. His citation from the Art of War, is probably the most well known quote in the west. So I'm not getting how his background as a "sinologist" contributes to his geopolitical understanding. What about Machiavelli's influence on the west? My favorite historical reference is the Melian dialogue from Thucydides which lays out the western imperial perspective:

`Well, then, we Athenians will use no fine words; we will not go
out of our way to prove at length that we have a right to rule, because we
overthrew the Persians;78 or that we attack you now because we are suffering any
injury at your hands. We should not convince you if we did; nor must you expect
to convince us by arguing that, although a colony of the Lacedaemonians, you have
taken no part in their expeditions, or that you have never done us any wrong.
But you and we should say what we really think, and aim only at what is
possible, for we both alike know that into the discussion of human affairs the
question of justice only enters where there is equal power to enforce it, and that the
powerful exact what they can, and the weak grant what they must.'

This overbearing immoral attitude on the part of the Athenians, presaged their downfall.

Sisci has the language credentials and the impressive resume but his geopolitical analysis is pedestrian. Sorry Francesco. I prefer Kishore Mahbubani and Martin Jacques.

Great Crossfire discussion today! Also liked hearing Pepe's comments on the purported "expertise" of western advisors to the decision makers and the absence of diplomacy in the west.

Someone posted a report that the source for Hersh's story may have been from the PIAB. If that is true one could guess who it is, and even their motivation. But I will refrain from speculation without evidence. On the other hand, couldn't the so called single source be a fiction representing several sources. I think qui bono tells the tale anyway. And the reports of statements of certain public officials seem incriminating.

Thanks for the OT @studentofearth.

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語必忠信 行必正直

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 1:29pm
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CAF has been warning about this for years. Not many people are paying attention to what she says.

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Submitted by on the cusp on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 3:32pm

of the rally organizers.
As close as we are to nuclear war, I can overlook many areas of disagreement and personal disapproval to join hands with ANYBODY wanting world peace.
We got tickets to see a Lyle Lovett concert. I am putting in a call to his first cousin, a friend of mine, to see if he can arrange for a meet up with Lyle. Should be fun! A nice break from watching the nuke clock.

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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

Submitted by doh1304 on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 4:34pm

but this quote from Google is all the background I needed:
"The Washington Free Beacon is an American conservative political journalism website launched in 2012"
I can't talk about Ritter's sexuality - I probably wouldn't like it, but I have no liking of the FBI's actions and I am enraged by the use if his conviction (which he is supposedly still appealing) for nothing but character assassination because he hates Nazis more than Russians. (and quoting MLK - can you say "dog whistle"?) And though I have a real problem with Jackson Hinkle (I am an environmentalist, not a "green fascist") barring a fuller explanation of why she refuses to share an anti war stage with him costs Medea Benjamin more than Hinkle. "Holier than thou" is a condemnation, not a goal. I would refuse to share a stage with Dick Cheney or Hillary Clinton. There are lines that cannot be crossed, but why Jackson Hinkle?

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On to Biden since 1973

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 4:38pm
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Read today how Biden is taking the balloon story to every nation on earth so that he can justify sanctioning China some more and blowing up the threat that the balloons are to national security. It Twas such a big threat that Biden let it fly over the country before he blew it to smithereens. I can’t wait to find out just what they are busy blowing up and how whatever it is being such a big threat. Of course the media is making a big deal out of this squirrel. What nordstream story?

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Submitted by QMS on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 5:52pm

@snoopydawg

taking down civilian aircraft is the new normal
shoot first, then blame the Russians Chinese

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Submitted by mimi on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 5:35pm
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so, I am writing out my will with a help of a lawyer. I am going to explain to him the peculiarities of this blog.

It became clear to me that any part of the moneys I left behind after my death, would go to persons on this blog, which are known to me only under their nick names.

So, I said to myself, f*ck it, how can I give part of what I have to give, to people, who are just people I would I call 'nick-folks'.

That means you all get nothing. Ain't that great?

oh well, that's just what it is, the biggest nonsense ever uttered in foobar world by fed up senile lady, who just happened to love this.

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https://www.euronews.com/

Submitted by QMS on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 5:46pm

@mimi

$13 million with your name on it. Can't be that many mimi's in Germany?

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Submitted by mimi on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 5:59pm
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@QMS

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Submitted by janis b on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 7:30pm
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@mimi

Your intentions are warmhearted, even if the practicality is a challenge.

I loved the Maria Callas piece you posted. It's so strong, sad, and still somehow elevating.

I wish you all the best always.

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Submitted by mimi on Sun, 02/12/2023 - 8:00am
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@janis b
last thing I remember reading from you is that part of your house glided out of control and you had to seek refuge with neighbors or something like it. Your voice sounds so strong, so somehow, somewhat, you are still ok?

I am just going downhill. But thinking about the reasonableness going downhill, I am still proud of my remaining 'intelligence', because imagine I tried to go uphill.

For a sad reason I don't get many jokes exchanged on this blob anymore and I would like to apologize to anybody ( esp. QMS ) in case I crossed over as a little 'gaga'. Fact is I am a little 'gaga' these days.

At least that is my honest evaluation of my state of mind.

I wish you and all of you the best of luck. Europe is falling apart and going bananas and I stop getting upset about it. What would that be good for. Bananas

Be well all.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 7:42pm
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Again good gravy.

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Submitted by janis b on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 8:21pm
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@snoopydawg

to lose sleep over so they'll attend to it in the morning.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 8:28pm
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@janis b

They don’t know what it is, but let’s just shoot it down anyway and spend lots of money doing it. But hey maybe it’s alien scout crafts?

77E3450F-E570-44B1-B4DF-0F5DB80BDC2F.jpeg
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Submitted by janis b on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 8:48pm
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@snoopydawg

might be a healthy thing. Instead of something created by the wealthy, it could happen with sane 'aliens'.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 9:01pm
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@janis b

I keep hearing that no one is coming to save us, but maybe there’s hope for some aliens who strongly adhere to human rights or their brand of it have seen enough of what world leaders have done to us. A dawg can dream right?

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Submitted by janis b on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 9:07pm
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@snoopydawg

I'd love to see Sam again soon, she's so engaging.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 9:17pm
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@janis b

Yesterday she tried making snow angels, but they didn’t turn out so good. But she sure enjoyed trying.

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Submitted by janis b on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 9:20pm
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@snoopydawg

or just scratching her back ; )

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 9:34pm
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@janis b

She loves crawling through the snow on her belly and back and tunneling through it with her nose. Or she climbs the mound of snow and then slides down it anyway she can. She was trying to make snow angels. There’s never a dull moment with her.

Found out where the aliens came from.

Now that would be funny if Biden took out one of our own weather balloons. Boy he showed us didn’t he?

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Submitted by janis b on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 9:45pm
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@snoopydawg

Sam, or some crazy shit American drama. I'd have to say both for entirely different reasons.

I'm glad you guys are having fun.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Sat, 02/11/2023 - 10:19pm
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@janis b

off the bed this morning. I don’t know what happened, but I think she misjudged where the edge was and stepped off into thin air. The look on her face was priceless. I laughed for hours and it still makes me chuckle. Shhhh…

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Submitted by doh1304 on Sun, 02/12/2023 - 3:21am

@snoopydawg
along the lines of, "Now you did it; the Quitzpartlins are pissed!"

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