Who Would Win a Fight Between Knights and Samurais? History Defined
Climate/Environment
Extreme rain in China caused $2.2 billion in road damage, further straining public purse Reuters
Deforestation has killed half a million people in past 20 years, study finds The Guardian
Watch your step: a silent killer in the soil The Narwhal
Pandemics
Why scientists are rethinking the immune effects of SARS-CoV-2 The BMJ
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for long COVID: a prospective registry Nature
***
CDC director ousted after RFK Jr. pushed her to change vaccine policy WaPo
A Looming National Security Crisis of Incoherent Contradictions Pandemic Accountability Index
India
Trump’s Tariff Policy is Empowering BRICS… A Look at India and China Larry Johnson
China?
No Nvidia H20 China sales; AI chip capacity; Correct view of the history of World War II Sinocism
China rejects Trump proposal to join US-Russia nuclear disarmament talks South China Morning Post
Africa
A path to peace in Sudan The Continent
France Deploys Strike Fighters Near Sudan as French-Backed Militias Lose Ground Military Watch
Old Blighty
Thames Water agrees to £24.5m payment plan as ‘backstop date’ set Express
Syraqistan
Scoop: Tony Blair and Jared Kushner brief Trump on Gaza post-war plans Axios
Exclusive: US contractors in Gaza pursued MEE journalist before his killing Middle East Eye
Israeli army, settlers unite in collective punishment of Al-Mughayyir +972 Mag
Greece Hands Key Arms Plant to Israel
Israel’s SK Group has fully acquired Greece’s Hellenic Vehicle Industry (ELBO), sparking backlash.
SK, which already owned 79% since 2021, now controls 100%, turning ELBO into its first European base for armored vehicle production.… pic.twitter.com/AtxuHiNH57
— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 27, 2025
Israeli official Alexandrovich skips US court hearing on child sex charges Al Jazeera
US Envoy Barrack Cuts Tour of South Lebanon Short in Face of Protests Antiwar
Microsoft Workers Arrested After Occupying C-Suite to Protest Israel’s Use of Azure in Gaza Common Dreams
***
France, Germany and UK prepare to reimpose sanctions on Iran FT
Despite move to avert nuclear crisis, Russia faces explosive allegations in Iran Amwaj
European Disunion
EU industry chief warns of US trade deal review if Trump’s tech demands continue Politico
US envoy summoned by Denmark over ‘Trump’s spies in Greenland’ The Telegraph
German car industry sheds 51,500 jobs in a year DW
Germany: Rheinmetall opens new artillery ammunition factory DW
With Finance Minister’s Ukraine visit, Germany escalates war with Russia and austerity at home WSWS
French minority government’s potential collapse puts economy in stalemate Anadolu Agency
Peace in Ukraine spells disaster for mainstream political parties in Europe Ian Proud
New Not-So-Cold War
SITREP 8/28/25: Trump Scoffs at Russian Interests in Gross Display of Hubris Simplicius
Russia hits EU and British Council buildings in Kyiv New Voice of Ukraine
Fantasy plan has NATO, US heavily involved in Ukraine peacekeeping Responsible Statecraft
What’s next for Donbas? Julian MacFarlane
Can Russia weather Ukrainian drone attack fuel crisis? Intellinews
Russia’s Sanctioned Arctic LNG Plant Boosts Output to New Record Bloomberg
Exxon Held Secret Talks With Rosneft About Going Back to Russia WSJ
Wait, so now it’s the German deep state that blew up their own critical infrastructure via a Ukrainian surrogate trained by the Bundeswehr? Who conveniently “died” weeks after Trump won?
Classic spook massage, endless trap doors.https://t.co/qKPkVt4OmU— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) August 27, 2025
Caucasus
Turkey breaks ground on its section of the TRIPP rail corridor Eurasianet
South of the Border
Mexico to Raise Tariffs on Imports From China After US Push Bloomberg
China will let Maduro sink rather than confront US warships Intellinews
Argentina’s Milei pelted with stones on campaign trail amid corruption protests France24
Trump 2.0
Trump’s “War Department” Is All About Appearances Ken Klippenstein
Thinking Ahead to the Full Military Takeover of Cities Hamilton Nolan
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to be vacated in compliance with court order to shut it The Guardian
Police State Watch
DC Grand Jury Refuses to Indict Folk Hero Who Tossed Sandwich at CBP Officer Truthout
Democrats en déshabillé
77% of registered Democrats say Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. But only 6% of congressional Democrats (13) have called it a genocide.
75% of reg Dems oppose military aid to Israel. But only 19% of congressional Democrats (40) are co-sponsoring the Block the Bombs Act. https://t.co/zldqhUBctr
— aaron from queens 🇵🇸 (@aaronnarraph) August 27, 2025
How Former Biden Officials Defend Their Gaza Policy The New Yorker
Lew was chief of staff and treasury secretary under Obama and helped gut welfare under Clinton. He’s currently a visiting professor at the School of International and Public Affairs of Columbia University—just another war criminal molding the future American elite:
I just… pic.twitter.com/NHAFDvxadw
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) August 26, 2025
GOP Funhouse
On the Decline of Elite-Educated Republicans in Congress Cambridge University Press
Imperial Collapse Watch
China’s billionaires are building private universities to challenge Stanford. It might work. Kevin Walmsley
Immigration
That reported multi-million decline in US immigrants just doesn’t add up Peterson Institute for International Economics
Gunz
Two children dead in Annunciation Church shooting Minnesota Reformer
Tragedy after Turkish wedding as celebratory gunfire kills groom Turkish Minute
MAHA
The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses NBC News
AI
The Hero’s Journey What We Lost
Sports Desk
The Women’s Basketball Boom Dissent. “Can they leverage the sport’s growing popularity into a better deal for players?”
Groves of Academe
Beverly Hills Unified School District board members vote to fly Israeli flags inside schools CBS News
The Leader of Trump’s Assault on Higher Education Has a Troubled Legal and Financial History ProPublica
Our Famously Free Press
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Flock Wants to Partner With Consumer Dashcam Company That Takes ‘Trillions of Images’ a Month 404 Media
Zeitgeist Watch
The grift artist Mills Baker
Mr. Market’s Bubble
Nvidia’s AI chip sales surged again in latest quarter, but worries about a tech bubble persist AP
Why Trump’s Attack on the Fed Isn’t Spooking Wall Street Nathan Tankus, Politico
US Firms Racing Through $1 Trillion Buyback Spree in Record Time Yahoo! Finance
Class Warfare
What can be learned from states that made good faith efforts with work requirements? Can We Still Govern?
Why We Remember Katrina Black Agenda Report
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
“Peace in Ukraine spells disaster for mainstream political parties in Europe”
It gets worse. With the war over Russia will start demanding their $300 billion back again and they have the law on their side. But as Alex Christoforou has pointed out, all that is left of that money is a bunch of IOUs from the EU as it was all sent to the Ukraine. So can the EU afford to return that $300 billion back to Russia? It would probably have to be done under an installment plan is my guess. Damn fools bet the economies of their countries on beating Russia and lost. Time soon to pay up.
I was drinking with an old friend who had escaped the MIC in the NOVA area and he explained the situation with NATO to me as a group of people who hate each other, but they hate their neighbor more, so they’re willing to spend a lot of money on the same thing to make sure they can piss off off their hated neighbor. NATO as the vindictive HOA of Europe seems to fit nicely.
But by that analogy, if NATO no longer has Russia to hate then not only is there no longer a reason for NATO, then the French and the Germans go back to openly hating each other. Which would be interesting to watch.
Not as interesting as Poles and Ukrainians.
Have the used the frozen Russian money yet? I’ve seen a lot of threats that they will. But I thought so far that caution had won out.
I believe they’ve used it as collateral for loans and they’ve claimed ownership of the interested generated from it, but they have not fully expropriated it to an EU account they can spend from.
I’ll need to try that with the bank. “Can I have a mortgage please? My neighbours house is the collateral.”
They have been nibbling on it, and no one knows how much exacty.
Been going to physical therapy for my ailing knee, and it seems to help. The guy that runs the place is an avid golfer as that is what is on the telly all the time when I’ve been there, the ladies junior championship live from Reykjavík?…
It’s probably on. I’ve never been forced to watch so much whacking off in my life-a steady diet of 8 hours in a month of Wednesdays and Fridays, and then I walk in yesterday and Fox News is on about the latest assault rifle shooting spree, shock of shocks.
Now, keep in mind this is in the very beating heart of Godzone-Visalia that is, where they swing so hard right some of them occasionally tip over.
The 6 or 7 people in the room staff and patients, all vocally start sticking up for gun rights and it must have been a crazy person and you can’t stop crazy, blah blah blah.
It was quite a spectacle to behold~
I don’t think that you would have made yourself popular if you had suggested a law to keep guns away from crazy people. They would have argued that even crazy people have 2nd Amendment rights.
Rev, crazy people ( Adjudged 5150 at some point), wife beaters and convicted felons are all prohibited from possessing firearms, it’s been a federal felony since 1934.
It’s difficult to enforce because the AR15 is the most popular sporting rifle in the USA with more than 20,000,000 factory builds and an unknown number of home builds floating around.
That’s not to mention @5,000,000 AK variants.
They are here to stay, the question is how to deal with that reality
“…how to deal with that reality.”
Have you seen the price of ammunition lately? Soon, being a “firearms enthusiast” will be an elite affair.
There is also an appeal to the other PMC (Professional Military Contractor.)
As our society continues degrading, we will soon be witness to the rise of multiple small and medium sized bands of soldiers for hire. Thirty Years War anyone?
Stay safe. Stack deep.
<" it’s been a federal felony since 1934."
The 1934 act imposed a tax on the importing, making, and transfer of certain types of firearms and accessories, required licensing of businesses, and defined a "special occupational taxpayer" for those involved in the transfer of the covered items.
It also required individuals possessing such firearms at the time of enactment to register a serial number of the firearm with the BIR.
It did create a crime of removing a serial number.
For bad feelings and wasted time, it can be fun to note that the term “regulated” is right there in the original and what might be the intent there.
If pressed, they might say “well regulated” means Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and the Duly Christian Brotherhood Militia of Croakers Gulch are supposed to make up their own rules.
(That last one us made-up, I hope!)
There are plenty of 2A primers out there that will provide a detailed analysis of what “well regulated” meant at the time of enactment.
There is also Saint Luigi Mangione the Regulator, Patron Saint of Healthcare Justice.
I mentioned the nutty evang/militia/tax evader church in town, the other day.
These nutters had a plan to take over and ‘be in charge’ once the shit hit the fan, an ad hoc militia in our midst-the congregation of say 65 lost souls who departed to the great beyond of Idaho in order to better fit in.
Crazy people join military/police and get guns and bullets for free, targets too.
As to golf…well there a steady supply of amateur golf tournaments in the summer months. Some of these when staged by the USGA can be highly competitive, such as the US Amateur every year for example. I don’t even watch it myself, just a personal choice.
Shooter seemed to be a highly troubled, now deceased, soul. After completing my TPS reports for the workday, I settled in with a cold beverage only to watch the news stories. American culture in 2025; it’s pretty shocking this happened and some children were unfortunately killed.
“Been going to physical therapy for my ailing knee, and it seems to help. The guy that runs the place is an avid golfer […]”
Something doesn’t jibe here. Golf causes serious musculoskeletal harm amongst avid players: that simultaneous violent twisting and bending is one of the most stressful, detrimental movements for the spine. Tiger Woods has been operated no less than 5 times because his spine is completely ruined by years of practicing that “sport”.
A serious physiotherapist would not encourage the practice and rather promote swimming (not butterfly or breastroke with the head above water), walking and running (not on hard surfaces such as tarmac), or cycling (not racing and mountain biking).
Haha, you are not cynical enough!
1. He may genetically have super robust knees, as in very “tight” joints, little laxity. Some are built like that.
2. By being an “avid golfer” he will be popular with golfers, a community full of people messing up their knees. As in golf = knee replacement futures. He’s just a waystop.
That’s kind of their customer, the ailing hacker*, and i’ll watch the Chief going through swinging exercises, and its kinda comical to me, and i’m only too happy to observe goings on.
An established 18 hole course closes for good every 4 days in the USA~
Part of the reason is what you mentioned, all those injuries.
It’s the same thing in tennis with all those herky jerk sudden stops and starts & contortions. Notice how few people play tennis these days in the USA?
‘Tennis Elbow’ was a common affliction once upon a time.
* back when it meant a not very good golfer-not a very good online grifter
They now play pickleball, a game popular with seniors and orthopedic surgeons.
Lots of trips to the doctor with pickleball. I started playing when Covid started. While on the courts, I have witnessed two broken legs, multiple hamstring injuries, calf pulls and tears. Myself, I had a ruptured bursa, regular bursitis and a calf pull.
I quit 7 months ago. I might take it up down the road.
Mountain bike and road biking have been the exercise of choice. Be careful out there.
For a period of time, my employer banned pickleball corporate get togethers. Too many injuries, possibly worsened by the use of alcohol while playing. The only sport that seems more dangerous is indoor soccer for anyone over 25. ACL tear futures.
Given your comment and the one by Yves, it seems that I am indeed not cynical enough (but I am working on it).
Squash and tennis are infamous for joint injuries, whereas I have heard more about rotator cuff problems than tennis elbow amongst my acquaintances. Badminton used to be a fun game to play during holidays, on the beach (the wind and the sandy ground making it impossible to play competitively).
As for pickleball, thanks to Socal Rhino; I just learned about it. Unfortunately, wikipedia has some sombre tidings about it:
“[…] fracture injuries associated with the sport reportedly experienced a 90-fold increase from 2002 to 2022, with a majority of injuries among players aged 60 to 69.”
All those “sports” are actually games; one should not take them that seriously as the human body is not made to sustain an intensive practice of such activities.
I never get involved in any pursuit where they keep score.
How many Sierra peaks have you ‘bagged’? ;)
I climb mountains because they are there, somewhere around 45 but whose counting now?
Rotator cuff problems made me quit (recreational) bodybuilding, long time ago. Shoulders are complex, and complexity is bad for robustness.
Avid golfers are not doomed to knee and back ailments. According to the memoirs of one his coaches Tiger’s troubles stem from the Navy Seal training programnes he arrogantly pursued, not from practicing his swing which was a model of sustainable elegance and power. Take a look a Gary Player pushing 90 and still swinging. Golf courses are closing because fewer people have 5 hours to spare playing a round not because it’s crippling people.
Not to mention ever rising fees that still isn’t cover the even faster rising costs of running a golf club.
re: Missing Links
Not to mention that it often is worth much more as a real estate development.
The world is ruled by people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Nope. They don’t know price of many things.
https://people.com/food/bill-gates-ellen-degeneres-grocery-store-prices/
Joe Rogan and Knees-over-toes guy tell everything they know and everything they think they know about rehabilitating injured knees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqi12hqe_lQ
TL/won’t watch. Push and drag a weight sled forward and backward.
Has the Knees-over-toes Scientologist ever managed to cite one of these studies showing knees over toes is okay? Or does he just contine to refer to them in a vague way and annoy my ortho?
it’s a reasonable hypothesis/thesis that anyone on mental health drugs should be barred from owning a gun.
but given the nature of the topic(s) and the inability of America to have clinically detached examinations about stuff and AMerica’s inability to examine things from a multi-variate POV, I am not holding my breath
Seriously?!?
Both I and my husband are lifelong depressives on anti depressants for years. We are/were functioning professionals (I’m retired, he’s about to be) and generally solid citizens. I was president of our co-op for two years—which cost me some hard won mental health—and left office having doubled our reserves and cleaned up some nasty staff problems. Neither of us has a police record, although that could change given our activism in response to the federal takeover of our city.
Neither of us has the slightest interest in owning guns, but I firmly believe we could be trusted with them.
I have to say I wasn’t expecting this kind of prejudice among the NC commentariat at this late date.
C’mon man, you’re tarnishing (or worse) anyone who’s ever filled a scrip for anti-depressants. Think a bit before slapping at the keys.
That will provide an excellent motivation for authorities to administer psych medications to arrested demonstrators to “manage” their radical communist hysteria. No 2nd amendment rights for you after that! (To go along with the “no 1st amendment rights” on account for your being a radical communist.)
You are correct. SDR’s have a long history. But all one has to do is listen to the commercials. ‘Suicidal Thoughts.’ What did the Minnesota shooter do after the rampage? Commit suicide. Suicide and murder are opposite sides of the same coin. The commercials should say ‘suicidal thoughts and the urge to commit murder.’
Sucide and muder are not the same by any stretch of imagination. That is some evil thing that you are trying to push here (that you should be ashamed, instead of proud of).
P.S. If I remember correctly, father of Yves Smith killed himself. Maybe you should elaborate on him being practically a murderer.
Re; Despite move to avert nuclear crisis, Russia faces explosive allegations in Iran
This Mohammad Sadr has to be an Israeli or US asset. Iran and Russia have been exchanging military tech and assistance for quite some time now, so why would Russia suddenly come to Israel’s aid by helping them bomb Iran?
Especially when both countries recently signed the Iranian–Russian Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian%E2%80%93Russian_Treaty_on_Comprehensive_Strategic_Partnership
It seems unlikely. But people seem to forget that russians are just as capable of doing contradictory, stupid and downright nasty things.
Russia may have a close alliance with Iran, but that doesn’t mean they’d want them to have nuclear bombs.
And the Russia has a fairly close relationship with Israel. It is interesting that while many people talk of western countries trading with Israel, I have yet to see anyone saying Russia (or China for that matter) should stop trade with Israel.
Contradictory and stupid, yea, just like everyone. But for downright nasty, one would have to turn towards West (or Middle East, or some other way).
Of course people are saying Russia (or China for that matter) should stop trade with Israel. People from the West, that finance weapons for Israel with their tax money.
Russia is the biggest supplier of oil to Israel. They wouldn’t be fighting any wars without that.
China is their second biggest trading partner. As far as I can see they do not supply any direct military equipment. But you can be sure there are plenty of items in there that have potential military use.
There seems to be an awful lot of people who in their legitimate anger at what the West is doing, are all too eager to put Russia and China on undeserved pedestals.
According to an article in Cradle from yesterday, Israel’s crude imports are as follows:
Azerbaijan 40%
Kazakhstan 22%
Gabon, Niger, Kongo 37%
Brazil 1%
Things have changed in a few years, it seems. And Israel obviously can fight armed conflicts without Russian oil.
I’m not sure if you are serious, or just trolling with intentionally poor argumentation. Everyone is using Russian oil, including Ukraine. Leopard 2 tanks shooting at Russians are running on Russian diesel. Everyone is also using stuff made in China, because everything is made there. Just look around yourself. You can not control what people do with oil (and other things) after you sell it. It should be obvious by now, from all the futile attempts of the West to impose sanctions on ‘evil’ Russian oil/gas/etc. Not to mention that everyone and their mother knows that the pipeline to Isrel goes from Turkey, which seems to be OK in your book (and all the Arab countries that are helping Israel in exterminating their brethren).
Syria was directly destroyed by concerted effort of USA, Isrel, Turkey, and some Arab countries, but I guess you would blame Russia, Iran, and China for not being able to save it. If you really want to stop Israel from fighting wars, you need to destroy USA in its current form, and its vassals. It ain’t rocket science. All the bombs come directly from Uncle Sam, paid by proud tax-paying Americans. Embargo on shipments of dual use Chinese toasters and coffee machines to Israel just won’t cut it.
There seems to be an awful lot of people who in their legitimate anger at what the West is doing, are not letting their anger go towards someone else. And they are right, becase they want to address root causes. You are all too eager to shift the blame (probably form your own self to someone else). That is not only wrong, but plain evil if done intentionally. It’s a distraction intended to keep the status quo.
If you want to fix the problems, you don’t treat the symptoms, but the cause. The cause is the West (USA, UK, Israel, etc). Russia and China are currently among the few engaed in a hybrid war agains the whole of the West. Mother Russia (with help of foreign volunteers) have been spilling its own blood yet again, fighting the same old evil yet again. She deserves all the pedestals (you can keep the Nobel Peace Prizes). But, hey, what do I know, being a non-Westerner.
George Galloway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2vgrUhOC8k
“Who Would Win a Fight Between Knights and Samurais?”
Knights in armour with long swords? Samurai with katanas? Frankly I am a follower of the Indiana Jones school of thought here-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQKrmDLvijo
The Europeans found their equals in brutality when they arrived in Japan in the 16th century – a highly developed rigidly militaristic society. The samurai kept the Europeans in their place and Japan managed to avoid the colonization that destroyed other cultures in that period – expelling the Euros when the Japanese finally got sick of them. (I loved the old Shogun TV series that depicted this period.)
Mobility and finesse of the katana, for the win! over European cumbersome hacking. didn’t read the article thought, lol
Knight vs Samurai:
That’s a cliche about cumbersome hacking. Long swords are not that heavy..
Who would win depends on the two individuals.
As far as I’m aware, long sword was more of a renaissance era weapon not really ever seen on medieval knights except maybe in Spain during the late medieval. The European sword evolution during the medieval era transferred from Viking and Norman types to sorter and more pointed (to better punch trough the developing armor) than for length. Only during the Late Middle Age does the hand-and-a-half sword emerge allowing for (even) more versatile fighting techniques.
Also, as far as I know, the historical katanas were, with only a few exceptions, made from very low quality iron (high sulfur content) and thus had to be forged much, much more than central or northern European which made them extremely brittle even if the skilled swordsmiths did try all kinds of ways to recarbonate the blade.
This is why it was so important for Japanese swordmanship to only use cutting arches and follow the blade almost perfectly – even a little twist could snap the blade in pieces. Which many enthusiastic Japanese warriors found out to their detriment when dueling invading Mongols.
Which leads to final conclusion, the winner would be the Mongol with his slightly curved saber used in most places from China to Morocco at the time.
Katana vs Orc Sword
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t4ojjzJJZ4
The ones with better logistics would win.
Not going to argue about that. Mighty is the God of Logistics.
Agreed! My favorite is Sean Connery in The Untouchables… bring a knife to a gunfight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr1wCS3SJ9w
There were musket samurai and pistolier knights. The eras of even “classic” samurai and knights lasted a long time, not counting those flyibg F-15J or Su-35 today who claim samurai or knightly heritage….
The Magnificent Seven Musket Samurai Knights is a spaghetti Western that does not exist, but should.
It’ll need to be dated earlier than the usual Westerns. Maybe late 16th/early 17th Spanish Mexico? Musket toting Catholic samurai exiled from Japan (after Christianity was outlawed) fighting Spanish “knights” in what would become American Southwest to defend indigenous peoples would be a fun plot (even if not wholly historically accurate–but the Yucatan wouldn’t give that “Western” vibe.)
One of my pet peeves regarding period pieces in moving pictures, is the idea that everybody’s clothes are all brand new for the most part in every gahl durned movie-no matter the era.
There, I’ve said my piece.
Thank you for sharing the “A Looming National Security Crisis of Incoherent Contradictions” article. Those contradictions (its a lab leak bio-weapon but just a flu so suck it up) have been hard to wrap my brain around and while the writer doesn’t seem to have an answer they at least make me feel less crazy in my own confusion.
re: Katchanovski
Well this is one of those cases that just leave me speechless. Why even consider this bullshit. Lest post a single word on it. Would he be posting anything on Martians?
C’mon, man. You can see it all in that image. There is The Skipper helping his little buddy Gilligan back aboard after planting the charges. What more proof do you need?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3HFXSgWps8
Was Sy Hersh’s piece on the pipeline sabotage ever disproven? It made the most sense at the time, nothing since makes more sense.
Best…H
https://jacobin.com/2023/02/seymour-hersh-interview-nord-stream-pipeline
The complete erasure of his story from all the pro-war media is stronger evidence of its veracity than the physical implausibility of the current cover story.
Sadly, I suspect that Sy Hersh’s ‘sources’ are feeding him the narrative they want to. It is a common technique. Establish credibility and then feed the narrative. The Nordstream article is entirely credible. Nothing I have read from him since is. Hence cancelling my subscription.
How can POTUS et al. threaten to end Nordstream if Russia invades, then not do it when Russia invades? They need to do it for credibility. The article is technically implausible.
“Why Trump’s Attack on the Fed Isn’t Spooking Wall Street”
I have admired in the past Nathan Tankus’ dogged analysis of Fed accounting procedures, coinciding as it did with my own exploration of the history of fiat monetary operations. And while I have little to no use for Trump and his odious gang of vandals I just can’t get terribly excited about attacks upon a Federal Reserve “independence” which I have always regarded mostly as a charade perpetrated on the citizenry by elected representatives in an effort to insulate themselves from the systems of democratic accountability where national economic outcomes are concerned. Abdicating responsibility for managing the economy with their fiscal levers (which are vastly more flexible and powerful than monetary policy) while scuttling out of the picture behind the cloud of squid ink that is the constant media circus around the Fed and monetary policy strikes me as profoundly irresponsible.
So sorry, no — I just can’t get on board with the pearl clutching over an institution which I believe is, by design, aristocratic and hostile to labour.
A key to understanding the Federal Reserve is to remember that it was created by Congress on December 23rd, 1913 – two days before Christmas. Totally not suspicious.
Yes, it’ll be comforting to know that the Administration pushing government backing for crypto will be the one to consolidate the Fed & Treasury.
I saw Branco Milanovic comment that an independent central bank was at the core of the neoliberalism project, and everyone is so immersed in neoliberalism that they forget this and how recent the idea is.
Independent central bank, independent intel agencies, independent army, independent judiciary, independent (of the people) parties?
– ‘On the Decline of Elite-Educated Republicans in Congress’ – Cambridge University Press
The many problems with the Democratic party have been spelled out in detail by both contributors and commenters here at NC. But certainly one of the biggest is that their leadership believes the implications of bulls**t articles like this. The Dems are the party of “educated elites” while the Republicans are the party of deplorables led by demagogues pushing resentment. Why else would the red electorate refuse to vote for the party of Science and Reason?
That the hubris of this worldview has led directly to both the decline of “elite-educated” Republicans in Congress and the rise of Trump seems to be something that the “elite-educated” Democrats simply cannot grasp in their superior minds. Lessor-educated Republicans have been using this arrogance against Dems like judo masters. Articles like this make it easier.
Yes. Plus the people who run the Dem Party at the federal level are moral degenerates. Just self-dealing scum.
“On the Decline of Elite-Educated Republicans in Congress”
The authors of this paper strike me as rather obtuse. Is it possible that supposedly credible practitioners in their field are unfamiliar with Piketty’s 2022 paper, “BRAHMIN LEFT VERSUS MERCHANT RIGHT: CHANGING POLITICAL CLEAVAGES IN 21 WESTERN DEMOCRACIES,
1948–2020”?
Only in the third to last paragraph do they get to the frankly obvious, and then only as a query:
“Moreover, what are the implications that our findings raise for descriptive representation, with Democrats being so disproportionately more attached to elite educational institutions than are their voters? Will this lead to policy positions that set a further course toward the Democratic Party being perceived as less welcoming to voters without college degrees?”
Um, that ship sailed, what? Over a decade ago?
Sheesh …
I’ve been having the recurring thought that I need to reread Hesse’s “The Glass Bead Game”, it’s been 30 odd since I read it but my subconscious is after me on this…maybe someone can help here, but something about the disconnect between Magister Ludi and the real world. Next time I run across a copy I’m getting it
That one is my favorite Hesse book (so far): the main story is good, but the 3 lives tacked on at the end really drive it home.
If anything though, I suspect your typical Dem inner-party supporter would have a violently ego-dystonic reaction to that book. Or it would go “whoosh”, right over their head.
Knecht becomes Magister Ludi despite being a nonconformist always half-in / half-out of the ivory tower, and IIRC is implicitly maneuvered into place some by reformists. And then he chooses to leave it all behind *except* for the sincere “life of the mind” (or at least that’s how I interpret the ending). I think much of the story & the style of the main biography are supposed to be a send-up of scholastic types too.
Israeli official Alexandrovich skips US court hearing on child sex charges Al Jazeera
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hava Nagila
Hava Nagila
Lets rejoice
Lets rejoice
Lets rejoice and be happy he wasn’t thrown in the slammer
Hava Nagila
Lets sing
Lets sing
Lets sing and be happy we own the Americans
Hava Nagila
Awake, awake Zionist brotherhood
Awake brotherhood with a happy heart that what happens in Las Vegas doesn’t stay in Las Vegas
Hava Nagila
Hava Nagila, performed by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RCeaTjD4pg&list=RD4RCeaTjD4pg
The AG in Nevada was born in Israel, and a dual citizen.
Phil Giraldi covers Alexandrovich starting around minute 12:00
This guy is one nasty human being.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gXFxh-QCgnU
Re: Military Takeover of Cities
“Democrat controlled cities” tells the whole story. Simply fascism on the march.
I’ve heard “Democrat controlled cities with black mayors” but don’t know how true that is.
We should ask Pam Bondi.
When Godwins-reason loses dept:
It has a feel of the re-militarization of the Rheinland in 1936 by you know who in violating the Treaty of Versailles and Locarno…
…including a lack of response from the UK & France in the guise of Democratic Mayors & Governors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remilitarisation_of_the_Rhineland
That’s enough material for two seasons of Turkish soap opera.
accidentmeet jealousy, and Season III.“US Envoy Barrack Cuts Tour of South Lebanon Short in Face of Protests”
The guy has been acting like he was appointed Imperial Viceroy of Lebanon. The other day he called Lebanese journalists animal-like and was lecturing them on how to act civilized. He has also been pushing for Hezbollah to be totally disarmed because it is not fair how Israelis have to face a force that can shoot back. But now there is a push to turn an inner suburb of Beirut to be turned into a concentration camp for people that the Israelis do not like. Must be another Trump golfing buddy–
https://thecradle.co/articles/us-israeli-scheme-for-lebanon-includes-forced-displacement-turning-beirut-suburb-into-refugee-camp-report
So the ethnic cleansing of Southern Lebanon. I wonder who will occupy the land?
It will probably be “leased” to Israeli Settlers who already have their own maps showing their future settlements in southern Lebanon. Then the Netanyahu government can force all those Israelis who abandoned northern Israel to return back their by cutting off all the support that helps them live in the south of the country.
It’s about the land, but also the water resources (often overlooked). Very important to Israel. So was the Golan Heights.
Offshore gas&oil?
Ditto. Ditto Gaza.
We’ve got this guy, the Ambassador to Turkey and the founder of a firm called “Colony Capital” in there riling people up with this kind of demeaning, condescending speech because the current appointee to the position of Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, is unconfirmed. Barrack previously made the news by going on Israeli TV and displaying his ignorance about when Hezbollah was created. No worries, though, he must know the region, because not only were his parents Lebanese Christians (who left in 1900, according to wiki), but he was also investigated for FARA violations related to his major money lobbying on behalf of the UAE.
I’m not sure why Trump wouldn’t stick with Lisa Johnson, the previous Ambassador. Her résumé read like standard, boilerplate ruling class ghoul. She would also have pressured the military president of Lebanon to push his country into a civil war in an attempt to disarm Hezbollah, and could’ve certainly been counted on to be imperious and insulting. I guess there’s something to the ‘loyalist’ bit.
Beverly Hills Unified School District board members vote to fly Israeli flags inside schools CBS News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look over yonder
What do you see?
The blue 6 sided star is a-rising
Most definitely
A new day is coming (ooh, ooh)
Schoolchildren need indoctrination
Ain’t it beautiful? (Ooh, ooh)
White & blue persuasion
Better get ready to see the fight
War, destruction is the answer (ooh, ooh)
100 eyes for 1 eye
So don’t you give up on vengeance now (ooh, ooh)
So easy to find
Just look to your soul (your soul)
And pay it no mind
White & blue persuasion, hmm, hmm
It’s a new ultimatum
White & blue persuasion
White and
Blue persuasion
Maybe tomorrow
When IDF looks down
On every leveled field (ooh, ooh)
And every Gaza town
All of the future excavations
Of assorted generations
There’ll finally be peace in that god forsaken ‘hood
Beverly Hills cops to a feel
White & blue persuasion, yeah
White & blue persuasion, aah-aah
White & blue persuasion, aah-aah
(White & blue persuasion, aah-aah)
Crystal Blue Persuasion, by Tommy James & the Shondells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKMdJEiS5qo
Philz Coffee sold to private equity
https://www.kqed.org/news/12051278/no-layoffs-in-philz-coffee-sale-but-stock-owning-former-employees-will-lose-out
No Layoffs in Philz Coffee Sale, But Stock-Owning Former Employees Will Lose Out
Why scientists are rethinking the immune effects of SARS-CoV-2
A takedown of “immunity debt”. Plenty of evidence provided. The author, Freelance journalist Nick Tsergas, also delves into the “why” we still see immunity debt being pushed.
Long covid remains a hot topic among the public and researchers and has certainly raised awareness of postviral disease. Yet there persists an awkwardness, even a hostility, when it comes to the idea of SARS-CoV-2 undermining immune health.
More,
Jeimy (Samira Jeimy, clinical immunologist at the University of Western Ontario) thinks that people who are unwilling to consider the possibility of immune damage are perhaps driven by a fear of what those answers might mean. “Nobody wants to be the one that says, ‘Yes, covid-19 causes disability’ [beyond long covid],” she says, alluding to the health and economic implications of such a conclusion.
It’s good to see others recognizing the seemingly obvious.The not so good of course is federal policy.
RFK Jr. limits who is eligible for COVID shots, Axios. Quotes,
Why it matters: Patients who now want to get the COVID vaccines will first have to consult with their doctor rather than booking directly with a pharmacy, adding another step to the process.
It’s unclear whether insurance plans will continue to largely cover the vaccine. Lol!
Zoom out: This will be the first fall and winter season without widespread COVID recommendations since the vaccines were introduced for general use. The reality of our surroundings.
I asked about Novavax at the local CVS (where we’ve gotten it the last two years). Got a runaround answer, but the ever changing landscape was likely driving what was a “I have no idea” response.
The resignations at the CDC tell the story. “I will not be part of this. I will not put my name on this.” These are scientists who believe the science, not the ‘mob.’
Perhaps they could give those jobs to a few Jan 6ers.
And the resulting harm will be blamed on the vaccines. Like two week school closures are still blamed for bad education outcomes rather than the ongoing absences caused by kids repeatedly getting sick.
Looks like Novavax just made it through the approval process, so the vaccines probably won’t be in CVS for at least a few weeks. Hopefully Robert Kennedy, the Trofim Lysenko of Trumplandia, doesn’t change his mind between now and then.
Comments from Ashish Jha in that article:
Reports starting to appear in r/medicine………it’s back, probably Stratus. Whether it is the new strain or the fact that most people’s last booster was a while ago now it is going to be an interesting respiratory season with US hospitals already starting cutbacks to front run the looming Medicare/Medicaid cuts.
“Trump’s Tariff Policy is Empowering BRICS… A Look at India and China”
‘Did you pay attention to Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that he was approving 600,000 visas for Chinese students to attend American colleges and universities?’
Of course those Chinese students would know that they will be watched and spied up, even by their own instructors, and could easily find themselves charged with spying or something. Trump may want those Chinese students back as cheap help in the scientific field but how many will play that game?
There is something to be said for ‘pacesetters.’ My guess is they will be. The rest of the class will have to measure up.
Sad to say, but probably true.
IM Doc will love this:
Are A.I. Tools Making Doctors Worse at Their Jobs? (NY Times via archive.ph)
Hooray! Why even see a doctor, why not let me ask ChatGPT and let it legally write prescriptions. Sigh.
The article was featured in a “Coffee Break” two weeks ago.
NY Times occasionally re-runs older stories. Oops.
“Scoop: Tony Blair and Jared Kushner brief Trump on Gaza post-war plans”
If Trump, Blair and Kushner are meeting, it is not to help people. It will be all about making money. That all that these three ever do.
Reports are that Trump is $3 billion richer since taking office. He hasn’t even been in there a year.
Crassus riding his golden chariot into Parthia…
Trump, Blair and Kushner enter into a bar …
RE: Flock Wants to Partner With Consumer Dashcam Company That Takes ‘Trillions of Images’ a Month
On a related note, watched a decent video yesterday on how to thwart the Flock cameras. Head of our IT security department vouched for the accuracy of what Benn Jordan says here – Breaking The Creepy AI in Police Cameras
AI to write 7th grade term papers or lay off data clerks does not need huge data centers.
AI run surveillance needs huge data storage.
AI facial recognition can be 99%…..
I’m so very geeked up this morning…
Never really been a collector of things, aside from Mineral King related stuff, most of it in the guise of real photo postcards from 1900 to the 1960’s, and everything comes via eBay, and its in one of my searches and what comes up this morning but a color 1940’s 7 minute 8mm film of Mineral King and a pack trip by horse to Coyote Pass.
Nothing like this exists in either black & white or color pertaining to Mineral King, and the 1940’s was about the start of color film being used by the public in making movies.
Gonna get it converted to digital and also use a good many stills from the movie as photos too.
It all goes to our wing of the museum here in Tiny Town-the Mineral King Room
How well-preserved is the film? Depending on the process, old colour film has a tendency to degrade to all-red, or fade. I have also seen very well-preserved 8mm film with great colours — even if the image was a bit on the dark side.
The dozen stills in the seller’s listing looked great~
Don’t forget to make up backup copies to be stored off-site. Preferably in one of California’s museums or archives. Don’t want that film ever being lost forever.
We’ll be careful to do that, and it ties in perfectly in that Mineral King Preservation Society wants to do a presentation on mule packing-which was the way to get around before backpacking took over. (you almost never see anybody on a horse in Sequoia NP unless its NPS stock and is delivering food & sundries to a trail crew deep in the backcountry)
In 1950 there were 4 pack stations that vied for the public’s business in MK, now there are none.
Your interest in preservation of Mineral King history struck a cord with me in that sorting through my sister’s estate which included boxes full of stuff that date back to my grandparents time in Porterville in the early 1900s, I came across an amateurishly cloth bound type written account entitled;
Outdoor Insight from Deer Creek Canyon and California Hot Springs to the Kern River Plateau and Mr. Whitney and Ways of Mountain Men. Written by ex cowboy then park ranger Warren G. Moody. The 8.5 x 11 inch pages appear to have been run off a copy machine. Included are old maps and xeroxed black and white photos. Published by Andiron Publications.
I’ve just begun reading it. First was the author’s account of herding cattle to different grazing lands that mention the Tule Indian Reservation, Thompson Camp at Rube Creek, Tyler Peak, Merry Camp, Parker Peak.
He then recounts while in high school in 1919 the Rube Creek fire broke out and he joined a fire fighting crew. His account of living rough and fighting the fire with rudimentary hand tools non-stop for ten days is eye opening when compared to today’s airborne tankers and fireproof overalls and oxygen masks.
For instance they kept warm at night at the 4,800ft elevation while being swept by cold winds from the 7,500ft. nearby Parker Peak by sleeping in sandy creek beds with the sand prepared before hand with glowing coals from large burning tree branches.
In another chapter he relates of a mountain lion hunt organized in Powderhorn Meadow that carries into upper Parker Meadow.
Lots of places I’m sure you’ve hiked in SNP where he Park Rangered for years.
From Solari Report, utube, ~3+ minutes. Stablecoins and AI.
Countries and Central Banks around the World Are Looking at the U.S. Stablecoin Plan in Horror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfMnDo4gAQY
Good explainer about Private Equity. tl;dr – PE is no longer a better asset for pension funds to hold than a standard S&P500 index fund. From Business Insider, includes comments from Ludovic Phalippou and Anne Appelbaum. utube, ~31+ minutes.
You’re Being Lied To About Private Equity | Truth Complex
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pzLhWCxH_g
edit: That should read Eileen Appelbaum, PE expert. Sorry for the typo.
RE: The Women’s Basketball Boom
I may turn out to be spectacularly wrong here, but I suspect the women’s basket ball “boom” is similar to the current AI “boom” – it’s largely hype. The WBNA is not even the first women’s pro league. I’m so old I remember when Kate Starbird came to play for the Seattle Reign in the now defunct American Basketball League in the mid-90s – way before she started working a spook-adjacent researcher at UW helping Joe Biden censor US citizens (but that’s beside the point). She was supposed to bring some star power and jumpstart the new league, but the league never made any money and folded pretty quickly.
The WBNA has been around for nearly 30 years now and you have to read through most of the linked article to get to the crux of the issue –
“Now in its twenty-ninth year, the W has never turned a profit. The NBA, whose Board of Governors founded the WNBA in 1996, has historically helped to keep the league afloat.”
The WBNA has been subsidized by the NBA for a very long time and would have folded a long time ago without this largesse. You’d often see arenas with mostly empty seats during games. That has changed somewhat – I was recently in MN and saw a lot of fans heading to a Lynx game – but clearly not enough fans are showing up to turn a profit.
I’m a pretty big sportsball fan and yet I’d never heard of Caitlin Clark until she was on the verge of setting the college basketball scoring record, which wasn’t quite the record it claimed to be (she definitely set the women’s record, but Pete Maravich, whose record she technically broke, played in an era where academics were actually given priority and freshmen weren’t allowed to play varsity sports, so she had fours years against Pistol Pete’s three). Then she began being hyped beyond belief – I’d see her mentioned every day not just on ESPN, but on other non-sports platforms all over the interwebs. It was a massive marketing blitz to showcase the white lady, with many arguably better black players never given the notice that Clark received. Unless, of course, they happened to be arrested by Russia) – maybe Putin should get some of the credit for the increased popularity.
With no profits, I don’t see how WBNA players will even get close to having 50% of league revenue go to players’ salaries like in the NBA. Maybe this new league mentioned in the article will allow players to earn more, but this is a league with completely different rules than regular basketball, and those types of leagues have failed to catch on in men’s sports too.
I do hope women’s pro leagues continue – while I’m not personally a huge fan of women’s pro sports, I have a decent number of friends who are, so there is some market for it. But it may turn out that women pro athlete’s will need to go the Starbird route and find other offseason work, which was the case for a lot of male athletes in the major pro leagues too until recent decades, and still is in the smaller “pro” leagues like arena football.
Like you I never heard of Clark until her senior year in college. After that we hear about her all the time. Quite the talent, and takes a regular beating too. I don’t think some in the league like her much. That said, like you say, without the NBA they would probably be toast.
Which begs the question; what does anyone see in the NBA anymore? It doesn’t look like the basketball I grew up watching. More like barn ball where you can charge, double dribble, not play any defense, and chuck up 3 after 3. Not to mention some act like street thugs.
Pro basketball is just another sport that no longer interests me since it has changed so much. Football and baseball are getting there too. The NIL stuff will eventually ruin the college game if it hasn’t already, and TPTB have been ruining pro BB and FB as it is with the rule changes and such. The refs are doing a great job helping ruin the FB stuff. And of course if you want to watch pro baseball you have to buy a subscription from a gambling outfit only to be bombarded with gambling odds through the entire game. WTF?
I refuse to pay for this stuff so my only choice is to not watch (I’m retired, I have to watch something) or cheat them out of money, which I have no problem doing. So I cheat and pay nothing. Take that gamblers.
I imagine in a few years I will have to turn them all off.
I’m with you – I don’t much like the NBA these days with its emphasis on 3 pointers and highlight reel dunks. And don’t get me started on the “euro step”, which is what used to be called traveling. I much preferred the 80s style of basketball that Bird and Magic played. The women’s game is much closer to that style.
Baseball might be turning things around rules-wise. It had devolved into a home run derby much like the NBA devolved to a 3 pt shooting contest. But I do like the new larger bases which encourage stolen bases, and you even see the occasional hit and run again. I’ve even seen a sacrifice bunt recently!
Overall though, despite being a big sports fan, I’d like to see less promotion of sports all around. Leave it for the real fans – no need to spend squillions of dollars trying to convince the non-fans to tune in. Some people will make less money (the horror, the horror….) but overall it would be a better experience for true fans. I would not mind at all if the “pink hat” types – those fair weather fans who can be convinced to buy any swag regardless of whether it has true team colors or not – just stayed home.
I checked out of baseball for quite a few years, but since I am a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan, and they came to life last year, I started watching again. I knew they changed some rules, some I knew about (liked and didn’t like), but I didn’t know all of them.
So I’m watching a game last week. Tie game after 9 innings. I went to the bathroom between the 9th and 10th. I get back and the team has a guy on second base. How did he get there? I missed part of the game. Nothing happened in that half inning so the other team comes up to bat. How did that guy get on second base???? I didn’t leave this time. No walk, no hit, but a guy on second?
The ghost runner I find out. Didn’t hear about that rule, but have now. Not a big fan as I was a pure baseball traditionalist, but it is what it is. The pitch clock was probably needed as too many fiddled to long – both hitter and pitcher.
Want a new rule? I have one. Get rid of the armor, except for protecting the top of your feet (from getting hit from a foul ball – ouch and double ouch). Remember Big Papi? He came up to the plate and would hang his large arms out over the plate into the strike zone. He wore this armor all up and down his arms so if he got hit it didn’t hurt. NO, it’s suppose to hurt and you aren’t suppose to be hanging out over the plate. You might just get drilled, and should. Bob Gibson would have had a field day with him.
Yeah, the ghost runner rule is terrible. The rationale is to speed up the game by increasing the chance of a run being scored and keep them from lasting 14 or 15 innings, but that was already rare – most extra inning games finished in the 10th or 11th inning anyway. The average runs per game for a MLB team is just under 4.5 per game, meaning about 9 runs combined, or on average, about one per inning. So on average, one run would be scored in the 10th inning anyway and someone would win, so why the need for a ghost runner? You’d think with all the analytics eggheads calling the shots these days, someone would have figured that out.
As for the hit batsmen, I always loved Pedro Martinez’ response after he deliberately drilled a batter who’d previously homered off him, which instigated a bench clearing ball. When the guy later complained about getting hit, Pedro famously quoted A League of Their Own and said, “There’s no crying in baseball” !
edit: My last comment should read Eileen Appelbaum, not Anne Appelbaum. Eileen Appelbaum is the PE expert.
I’ve been having success when the edit function doesn’t show up by replying “test” to my erroneous comment which so far has opened the edit function for both comments so I can repair the broken one, then delete the test…saying this as only three mins between your comments implies this may have helped
Thanks! Good tip.
👍
China’s Billionaires Are Building Private Universities —
Good for them, and I wish them success. Interesting to note that Russian oligarchs don’t seem to be doing this. One would think that as some of the older ones approach their expiry date (e.g., Potanin is 64 and has $24 bn to squander, Usmanov is 71 and has $16 bn that he can’t take with him, to give two examples), they might engage in some reputational laundering a la university founding (the Yankee examples of Stanford and Duke and Vanderbilt spring to mind). But so far, no dice. Odd that, as Russians value education highly.
Pure speculation – maybe their riches will be fed into RU state spending via investment made in industry and that turned into government money eventually also used for education. It could well be that a Communist tradition will not want to see core institutions being built by single sources only. R&D needs pluralistic foundation and funding to secure its scholarly excellence. My limited experience tells me that Eastern Communist educational principles tried to merge STEM competence with humanities and arts. So in fact a “Renaissance Man mentality” tradition was formative at least in theory. I can´t imagine that history has been abandoned entirely.
Future IPs considered?
RE: Why We Remember Katrina
For those who need a refresher on how things went down, here’s Public Enemy – Hell No, We Ain’t Alright
Lyrics
See also Frontline’s docu The Storm. No paywall, ~1 hr. Made in Nov. 2005 in the near immediate aftermath of the storm. A friend who helped with emergency services response during and after the storm recommended this docu to me. The stories from another friend who was flying helicopter rescue missions over flooded parts of New Orleans match up with this reporting.
The Storm
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/storm/
Here’s a little Diddy I wrote for my Faceborg profile and Faceborg group called the “Louisiana Socialist Network:”
The Rich used Hurricane Katrina to break the Public’s control of New Orleans.
100,000 black people gone.
All that Real Estate snatched up for pennies by Landlords.
Public Housing DESTROYED.
Our Public Education CRUSHED and sold to private companies that RUIN our children and don’t teach critical thinking skills.
Naomi Klein talks about this is “Shock Doctrine: Disaster Capitalism.”
The Rich have stripmined New Orleans for everything that she’s worth.
What you see now is a pale husk of a society and culture once teeming with LIFE & LOVE.
The Rich have cut us off from International Tourism with its rapacious, warmongering faction of the Duopoly.
The slow strangulation of the Public continues with OUTRAGEOUS utility bills, rents, insurance, groceries.
Who will be the city’s champion of a new Public Economy that regulates the rich markets and frees the workers from debt slavery?
I finally got around to looking at the letters referring Schiff and James loans to the DOJ in regard to Mortgage fraud.
Schiff is probably OK, James may have a problem.
They both got “Conforming” loans which are for owner occupied 1-4 unit properties, Yves has explained the subtleties of “Primary residence”…both are probably OK on that basis.
James bought a 5 unit property with a loan type that is restricted to 1-4 unit properties, if the assessor’s records show that property as 5 units she is toast and the loan originator has a problem as well.
The appraiser might not be in the clear either if they described a property that is legally 5 units as 4 units.
On the other hand, if that 5th unit is an illegal conversion of a basement or a garage and the assessor shows it as 4 units James is probably OK…
Assessors records are usually available on line, sometimes with a nominal fee.
Personally, I despise both of these politicians, they are utterly corrupt and I’d be delighted if they were legitimately convicted of felonies.
I went a bit further down into the rabbit-hole about ‘principal residence’. It is unfortunate that the definition of ‘principal residence’ seems to differ on the mortgage (undefined on the mortgage?) compared to the IRS definition. The lender is required to fill out a form 1098 for the IRS and one of the things to fill in is related to ‘principal residence’:
https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1098
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1098.pdf
The IRS has defined ‘principal residence’ so the lender probably must use the IRS definition of ‘principal residence’ when filling out the IRS form. Possibly the lender might collect additional information to confirm if what the borrower stated in the mortgage forms meets the IRS definition of ‘principal residence’.
Instructions for the borrower is to use what is on the form 1098 to fill in form 1040 Schedule A:
https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i1040sca
I believe that the borrower might be able chose not to use what is on form 1098 if the borrower explains the reason why the number on form 1098 was not used.
As is then I am reluctant to go deeper into the US tax code (rumor has it that it is one of the most complicated in the world).
It would make things easier for the lender, borrower and the IRS if the lender made sure to include somewhere in the mortgage documents that ‘principal residence’ is as defined by the IRS. As is then it seems that there is some confusion that could be avoided if the information was clearer.
& just to be clear, never take tax-advice from unknown people on the internet, the above is what I found but my interpretation of the relevant tax-laws might be wrong so verify all with IRS and tax-professionals working with the US tax code.
Nobel Prize, Nobel Prize
Nobel all the way
Oh what fun it is to win
In spite of all your lies
Nobel Prize, Nobel Prize
Nobel all the way
Oh what fun it is to win one for peace
In spite of all your lies
Or, as Zelenskyyyy would say it, Piss Prize.
On Why scientists are rethinking the immune effects of SARS-CoV-2
This has been the best discussion of COVID induced immune dis-regulation I’ve seen outside of Twitter, where Leonardi posited this six years ago, and has been overwhelming correct, and was viciously demonized for it for talking out of turn as a recent PhD.
And so for drug trials and other studies, we effectively have no control group at all anymore. Everyone’s damaged by COVID. Fun times. To what extent is any past study for drugs or health outcomes valid anymore?
We can’t know the sex of samurais or knights? Really?
I wouldn’t bother making this observation, but a comment I wrote a couple of days ago in response to another commenter tying together resistance against Israel’s genocide in Gaza with so-called “trans” issues. My comment didn’t get posted, but I suspect it was a tech issue. So I feel compelled to say:
The samurai v knight link was fun. Except the writer scrupulously avoided sexing samurais and knights. As if we don’t or can’t know which sex wore 60-80 pounds of armor? And we dare not try to place that knowledge in the context of all that we know about these societies?
The article seeks to answer the question it poses by exploring what we know: how samurais and knights were trained, what they wore, etc. Facts are cited: how sharp blades were and precisely when these warriors roamed the earth. Yet even when referring to the subject in the singular, the writer uses the pronoun “them” instead of “him.”
If it’s worth knowing which group had blades sharpened on both sides, it’s most definitely worth knowing that samurais and knights were men! And all that implies. This may seem a minor point, but women are being harassed and hounded when we don’t drink the Kool-Aid, and stand up for girls’ and women’s rights to single-sex spaces and sports.
Samurais and knights were men and it’s okay to say it*. It’s important to understand how biological sex has determined how societies have been structured and run.
*Of course, there was probably the occasional exception.
Sorry, I need to amend my comment: I see that some women were indeed samurai. I don’t have the knowledge to know their numbers relative to men, or how they were viewed.
But my comment stands regarding knights. Joan of Arc was a remarkable exception. Some people speculate that she was “trans,” but she was a woman who defied the norms of her time and had to disguise her femaleness. She remained a woman.
Just trying to point out that the concept of humans changing sex is absurd. Existential threats loom, yet so many so-called progressives have embraced their own version of “alternative facts.”
Samurai originally means just a domestic servant, and only around 15th century narrowed down to mean military retainers of a daimyo. Only during the Togugawa period (17th to 19th century) the upper echelon of the retainers turned to a class of people colloquially know as samurai. So, at that time a daughter of a samurai would technically, legally and socially be a samurai, too.
The term for a warrior in Japan is bushi.
Western notion of knights, too, went through a lot of phases: ministeriales, or “serf knights,” were a thing until well into late Middle Ages in certain places, eg Germany. They were technically serfs, but with privileges, and lived like aristocrats. https://cdalebrittain.blogspot.com/2014/12/end-of-medieval-serfdom.html?m=1
There were no woman knights because women could not be knighted. Which is a different thing from saying there were no women who ran around in suits of armour.
Joan of Arc herself was never knighted. And as far as I am aware she didn’t actually fight but inspired the troops by leading them into battle. However, even if she had been a man she would not have been knighted as she was also a peasant. And that was a pretty big no no.
Secondary, but what about Joan is actually established knowledge?
Most likely she was a minor everything else about that character part of the French PR after the fact.
e.g. The true story behind the Roland myth too was about Christian Basques attacking Frankish troops at Roncesvalles after those had massacred a Basque village. Only after Roland´s death were they turned into evil Arabs ambushing poor knights. Which is what we were taught in school.
I believe her trial records, or good chunk of it, at least, survive?
They do. ; https://www.joanofarcsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1431trial.pdf; and others.
She said she never killed anyone, but she was wounded in battle. And she and her family were rewarded by King Charles VII (formerly the Dauphin, who was crowned as a result of her efforts), though as far as I remember none were ennobled.
Not French PR, but that of her opponents the English. Which they carried on for centuries.
I didn’t read the article because — who cares? Glad to have read your comment though — it reinforces my decision not to bother with the article.
We all know that what is now called the Defense Department in the US was originally called the War Department. Trump’s recent initiative to change the name back to the War Department therefore breaks no new ground.
I for one would applaud this reversion to its original name. The earlier change (in 1949, at the start of the Cold War) was clearly made to soften the image of a huge institution bent on invasion and killing, suggesting it is purely defensive in nature and that we are the good guys, always under attack by a world full of evil. Trump’s new proposal would score a point for truth in labeling, and peel away one layer of obfuscation from our daily discourse.
It will be entertaining to see if he gets away with it.
The real issue is the number of countries fielding hypersonic missiles while our War Chief…does pushups. Seems over invested in the special forces mystique. Ninjas have their uses but the modern battlefield is more about long fires and their supporting supply chains than light infantry.
Perhaps Donald can persuade Bibi to end the conceit of the IDF, and rename it the Israeli Offence Force — or perhaps even the IGF?
No, we don’t all know that. We do know that the War Dept and Navy Dept were merged, with the War Dept becoming the Army Dept and Army Air Forces and Air Corps becoming the Air Force Dept.
Of course the Navy was originally within the War Dept but was split out in 1798.
I, too, would like to see the name changed back to War Department. Somewhere, I read, maybe fifty or sixty years ago, “No Department of Defense has ever won a war.” I never researched it, partly because I don’t think any other country has ever had a Department of Defense, but mostly because I don’t care that much about it. George Catlett Marshall did a remarkable job of appointing and dismissing generals. We haven’t “won” a war since then, and I believe we’re going to lose the next one bigly. I’m sorry for most Americans, who mostly aren’t accustomed to suffering.
Re: Thames Water
Perhaps the money sent to Africa for clean water should be sent to the UK.
Is this for real?
https://x.com/RT_com/status/1960913254504345667
Fourteen-year-old protesting Israel gets ROUGHED UP in Germany
‘She’s only 14 and they arresting her again’
[video]
They charged him with a felony for throwing a sandwich at them.
Think about that.
And you think the word ‘fascism’ is overused.
In their defense, it appeared to be an ‘assault sandwich’.
Sturmwurstbrot. 🥪
Jawohl on Wry?
LOL, I’ve just copy-pasted Sturmwurstbrot (the word just invented for the purpose of a joke) in Internet search, and ended up on a Sandwich Tribunal.
https://www.sandwichtribunal.com/2020/03/german-wurstbrot/
I plead not guilty.
Re: Rheinmetall
Russia manufactured about 100 million artillery shells a year during WW2. They are currently manufacturing somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 million.
350000 ain’t gonna cut it.
350000 that will bring much more profit than all those millions.
“It’s All About the Benjamins”
John Bolton investigation ‘began under Biden administration’, Telegraph.
The mishandling of state secrets occurred facilitating the writing of his memoir.
Mr Bolton is alleged to have sent emails on an unclassified system containing state secrets to people helping him gather material for his memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which was published in 2020.
Shades of Petraeus. Although in Bolton’s case it would be blindingly obviously a ‘honeytrap operation.’
With Bolton it may have been more of a case of a ‘moneytrap operation.’
Lol, “Vanity trap”.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone here know what has happened to or with Ania K? She used to have frequent interviews with Larry Johnson, Andrei Martyanov, Scott Ritter and others of similar prominence (or notoriety, depending on your point of view). I believe she even had Michael Hudson on her channel. Lately however she has had no guests of that stature and I’m wondering why. Did she perhaps blot her copybook somehow?
Oh, I also noticed her absence a few weeks ago and idly wondered. But no idea.
re: Venezuela
via A Skeptic
“(…)
Iranians have confirmed the information from our sources: Russia may supply Venezuela with up to 2,000 Geran-2 attack drones. Such an arsenal could radically transform the country’s defense potential and allow Caracas to project power across the entire Caribbean region.
In addition to Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua are also being considered as possible deployment sites for the Geran-2.
(…)”
Out of all the wunderwaffen, cheap oversized doritos (doros?) turned out to be the real game-changer, now on a global scale. If I had a miltary, I would order XXXL package of those instantly.
‘US UN Ambassador Dorothy Shea defends Israel’s hospital strike’
https://xcancel.com/MyLordBebo/status/1960988336438333874
Because of course she does.
More than 600 staff across Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks have unionized after results of a summer election were certified this week.
According to the National Federation of Federal Employees, a union that represents employees of the federal government, 97% of employees voted to elect NFFE as their union representative. The voting lasted from July 22 to August 19, and included both permanent and seasonal employees.
According to one park ranger who was part of the parks’ unionizing effort, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, said the move was largely driven by the White House’s mass layoff of parks workers in February — many of whom were reinstated as the legality of the firings is being debated in court.
“These firings kind of tipped over the scale,” the ranger said. “We need to have some protections, and I wish that we had had them before February, but better late than never.” (KQED has reached out to NPS for comment on the unionization.)
https://www.kqed.org/news/12054083/yosemite-sequoia-and-kings-canyon-workers-unionize-amid-fears-of-further-firings
been busy.
havent been able to keep up with the news of the world.
but i made, over 3 days, a loaf of absolutely baddass pumpernickle sourdough.
first try at it, no less.l
so i sorta Rock,lol.
just wish i had some Brie.
You’d waste a wish on Brie?
…don’t go soft on us
CVS Holds Off on Offering Covid Vaccines in 16 States (NY Times via archive.ph)
America is going great!
(bold mine)
It’s almost as if COVID is neither seasonal nor over.