Links 9/11/2024

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1. The Rev Kev September 11, 2024 at 7:10 am

   “Elon Musk May Be Summoned to UK Parliament for Questioning on X Activities – Reports”

   Admiral Ackbar says that it is a trap! Don’t do it Elon. After you land you will have the British anti-terrorist squad board your private plane to arrest you the same way they did with Pavel Durov in Paris. And there will be no use protesting that you are due to talk to Parliament as they won’t care and Parliament won’t protest either.

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   1. Wukchumni September 11, 2024 at 7:41 am

      Elon wears his war chest like a crown
      He calls his satellites Starlink
      ‘Cause he likes the name
      And he sends them to the finest orbits above town

      Elon, Elon likes his money
      He makes a lot, they say
      Spends his days counting
      In a Tesla by the motorway

      He was born in Pretoria came here via Canada, eh
      When the New York Times said, ‘Elon is dead to us
      And the war’s begun’
      Oh, the old school media is a son of a gun today

      And he shall be Elon
      And he shall be a good man
      And he shall be Elon
      In tradition with the rocket plan
      And he shall be Elon
      And he shall be a good man
      He shall be Elon

      Elon sells Space-X in DC town
      His family business thrives
      They blow up occasionally
      As he sits on the porch swing watching them fly

      And Jesus H Christ on a cracker, he wants to go to Mars
      Leave the Earth far behind
      Take a rocket and go sailing
      While Elon, Elon slowly dies

      And he shall be Elon
      And he shall be a good man
      And he shall be Elon
      In tradition with the departure plan (whooo!)
      And he shall be Elon
      And he shall be a good man
      He shall be Elon

      And he shall be Elon
      And he shall be a good man
      And he shall be Elon
      In tradition with the departure plan (whooo!)
      And he shall be Elon
      And he shall be a good man
      He shall be Elon

      Levon, by Elton John

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEgEmTgAEUk

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   2. Jabura Basaidai September 11, 2024 at 8:22 am

      immediately thought the same thing – although………

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   3. timbers September 11, 2024 at 8:27 am

      Instead, Elon should invite the British Parliament to his private residence, explaining his concern its a trap and The West is not agreement capable nor can it be trusted. If Parliament falls for his trap, Elon instructs his security folk to arrest them.

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2. Wukchumni September 11, 2024 at 7:19 am

   Gooooooood Moooooooooorning Fiatnam!

   ‘You go to battle with the rhetoric you have-not the rhetoric you want!’

   Was what the platoon heard when shots were fired…

   Sometimes reminding me of being 16 again and if that oh so hawt cheerleader dissed you in a ‘everybody dislikes you!’ fashion, the sentence could be 4 years to life, the taunts ton macoute in action.

   The stakes in theory were higher than high school level levelings, but you go with the late stage empire you have-not the one you want.

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   1. ChrisFromGA September 11, 2024 at 9:07 am

      It might be instructive to go back and re-watch the 2008 VP debate between Sarah Palin and Joe, or even further back to the Clinton/Perot/GW Bush debates in the early 90’s. As a way marker for how far we’ve declined.

      That version of Joe seems positively Lincolnian in his oratory skills compared with the two bozos we witnessed last night. And Palin, while folksy and not as polished, still managed to make coherent points.

      https://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/debate.transcript/

      Warning: sudden bouts of realization of how badly we have declined may result in shock, similar to a meth addict who hasn’t been near a mirror in a while may be shocked to see their teeth have rotted out.

      Seek out professional mental health if you find yourself in despair, or pet a warm, cuddly emotional support animal.

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3. Stephen V September 11, 2024 at 7:20 am

   So it appears instead of a national steel policy, all we have is the usual corruption. Our policy has been, unbeknownst to me! One of de-industrialization. See doily’s mind-altering comment here:
   https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/08/why-people-stay-after-local-economies-collapse-%e2%88%92-a-story-of-home-among-the-ghosts-of-shuttered-steel-mills.html#comment-4094029
   One could argue that Nippon is returning the favor, but gods forbid we appear to act cooperatively.

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4. The Rev Kev September 11, 2024 at 7:30 am

   “Language inspectors to start working in Frankivsk”

   ‘A public initiative of language inspectors will be introduced in Ivano-Frankivsk to counteract the spread of the Russian language’

   They certainly have their work cut out for them. Last I heard, the Russian language has been spreading from the east and may soon envelop Pokrovsk while a brief foray of the Ukrainian language in the direction of Kursk is now being reversed and may not even stop at Kiev. These language inspectors were also heard to moan that a large section of the Ukrainian army is also speaking Russian. It’s. Not. Fair.

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5. Ignacio September 11, 2024 at 7:31 am

   Google’s 2.4 Billion Euro Fine Upheld By Europe’s Top Court in EU Antitrust Probe CNBC

   A tip fine for Google business which was estimated to be about €177 billion in 2023 according to the incumbents only in 2023. EU PR wanting to be seen as “antitrust” when they in reality permit and give allowances for whatever mono-oligopoly activity in their economic area.
   I guess that if Google ever pays that fine (they will almost certainly fight with allegations) they will be happy with that amount as long as they keep their monopoly. Knowing nothing about the US cases against Google my intuition is that these look more serious and go to the root of the problem.

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6. Trees&Trunks September 11, 2024 at 7:45 am

   US, China,small yard, high fences

   ” A prominent Chinese economist on Thursday bombarded Washington’s “small yard, high fence” investment restrictions, saying the strategy would only lead to a lose-lose situation as it makes China suffer, but does not benefit the United States.”

   It seems as if he hasn’t understood the Tonya Harding strategy of the US oligarchy.
   The US production capabilities are less than impressive and who knows how long it would take to rebuild it, if they even wanted, therefore they must knee-cap all others.

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   1. britzklieg September 11, 2024 at 8:24 am

      Here’s a neat 20 minutes between Danny Haiphong abd Zhang Weiwei, the latter described as “distinguished professor of Intl. Relations and head of the China Institute at Fudan University” also “senior interpreter for Deng Xioping” so a voice with experience at the top. He’s an eloquent advocate for China, stressing in particular the Sun Tzu approach as opposed to the west’s shock and awe assault on the world. A worthy listen:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_C3AEfo1F4

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   2. The Rev Kev September 11, 2024 at 8:30 am

      ‘they must knee-cap all others’

      That’s not a new idea either. Back in the late 90s the US decided to make sure that no other nation would ever arise that could challenge American supremacy for the 21st century. They were on top and they wanted to make sure that they stayed that way. The wars in the Middle East were an attempt to bring oil production under US control so that they could throttle the other nations of the world. That idea is badly fraying now with China being seen as the main challenger so it looks like Washington wants to bet the bank that they can put China back in their box.

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7. Zagonostra September 11, 2024 at 7:53 am

   >Temple or museum? How Diego Rivera designed a place to honor Mexico’s pre-Hispanic art Associated Press (Robin K)

   “Diego was quite controversial,” Moya said. “On the one hand, he had a huge interest in rescuing our pre-Hispanic heritage, but he also adhered to socialism in an unwavering way.”

   I think her wife, Frida Kahlo, and her affair with Trotsky, is probably even more “controversial.” I think Diego may have even known about the sexual liaison between the two and approved, but I might be wrong on the latter.

   https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-frida-kahlos-love-affair-communist-revolutionary-impacted-art

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8. Zagonostra September 11, 2024 at 8:02 am

   >US president calls Israeli killing of Turkish American activist in West Bank an ‘accident’ -Anadolu Agency.

   “Apparently it was an accident — it ricocheted off the ground, and she got hit by accident. I’m working that out now,” Biden told reporters Tuesday.

   Actually, they can and do make this “shit up” every single day. I forgot who coined “Empire of Lies,” was it Sergey Lavrov? I did not watch the Trump/Kamala debate, but from the Tweets I read this morning, the false allegations of rape continue to be spewed out without push back, there are some people who still believe that Speaker Johnson’s claim of Hamas baking babies in the oven is true and that the latter beheaded 40 babies.

   It’s shit being made up and served as the main course on American’s news diet every single day.

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   1. The Rev Kev September 11, 2024 at 8:56 am

      That ‘Empire of Lies’ quote was originally from Putin in one of his speeches and I gotta say, he’s not wrong-

      https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L-qy5V6O4cI

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9. Zagonostra September 11, 2024 at 8:12 am

   >The insane recklessness of Collective Biden* Gilbert Doctorow (guurst)

   Collective Biden is the term which Russian talk show hosts have applied to the US leadership given that the presidency assumed a collective form when the physical Joe Biden slipped into deep senility this past couple of years.

   Most of the article by Doctorow is familiar if you have been watching/listening to him on the various Ytube podcast that he appears on. What I found fascinating is the term “Collective Biden.” I first heard the term “Collective West” on the Duran. Are these the same people that Lambert refers to in his use of the term “inner circle?” or that Bob Dylan sings about in “Masters of War.” I can only hope that this “Collective Biden” dies soon, I just fear it will be replaced by “Collective Trump.”

   And I hope that you die
   And your death will come soon
   I’ll follow your casket
   By the pale afternoon
   And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
   Down to your deathbed
   And I’ll stand over your grave
   ‘Til I’m sure that you’re dead

   [Dylan: Masters of War]

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10. GramSci September 11, 2024 at 8:18 am

    Re: Google and carbon capture

    The fine print:

    «The $100 price was also made possible thanks to the US government’s 45Q tax credit, which provides DAC suppliers $180 per ton of carbon removed.»

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11. The Rev Kev September 11, 2024 at 8:22 am

    “Harris Dominates as Trump Gets Defensive: 6 Takeaways From the Debate”

    Well according to old Joe Biden, Kamala won hands down. He said-

    ‘America got to see tonight the leader I’ve been proud to work alongside for three and a half years. It wasn’t even close. VP Harris proved she’s the best choice to lead our nation forward. We’re not going back’

    But then again, old Joe also believed the Israelis when they told him that they did not shoot that Turkish-American girl but that she was hit by a bullet that ricocheted off the ground so it was all an accident. Old Joe believes lots of stuff that isn’t true – or says he does.

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    1. k September 11, 2024 at 8:49 am

       as an immigrant, all I can say is American pets are tasty!

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12. CA September 11, 2024 at 8:23 am

    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/10/business/volkswagen-labor-layoffs-germany.html

    September 10, 2024

    Volkswagen Quits Labor Agreement, Paving Way for Job Cuts
    A week after the automaker announced it was considering closing factories in Germany, the company said it was exiting a labor contract that protected workers from layoffs.
    By Melissa Eddy

    Volkswagen told union leaders on Tuesday that it was ending a labor agreement that protected workers from layoffs, a week after the automaker said it was considering closing factories in Germany amid slumping sales and rising costs.

    The company warned last week that it needed to restructure its namesake brand to remain competitive in the face of falling demand in Europe and abroad and increased competition from China. The cost-saving measures could include closing one or two assembly plants in Germany, a step that would be a first in the auto manufacturer’s 87-year history.

    On Tuesday, Volkswagen said in a statement that the decision to quit the agreement that offered job security to some 120,000 workers, along with several other labor deals, was necessary to ensure the company’s future.

    “We must put Volkswagen in a position to reduce costs in Germany to a competitive level in order to invest in new technologies and new products from our own resources,” Gunnar Kilian, the head of human resources and labor at Volkswagen, said in the statement.

    The job-security agreement between Volkswagen and the union, IG Metall, which represents workers in the automotive and other heavy industries, has existed since 1994. It had provided protection from layoffs through 2029, but the company would be able to severe it with three months’ notice…

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13. flora September 11, 2024 at 8:24 am

    My take away from the (3-on-1) debate: KH talked about expanding allies (NATO) and defending Europe. T talked about ending needless wars. So, more war (hello, Dick Cheney), or less war. Decisions, decisions. / ;)

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    1. 123 September 11, 2024 at 8:52 am

       My takeaway on the debate. Both candidates are useful only to the elites and the rich. They will both fail the common good. We need bread, not stones. My big takeaway? We need a Soviet-style revolution in the country. Will that ever happen? Will that ever be possible? The last choice is either socialism, or extinction.

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       1. Martin September 11, 2024 at 9:14 am

          Should vote for Harris, then. You “will become Venezuela on steroids”, according to Trump.

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14. Zagonostra September 11, 2024 at 8:24 am

    >Trump vs Harris is just a front America’s political parties no longer exist Unherd

    Last year, 43% described themselves as independents…These independents do not share common values or views. They include libertarians who combine free-market economics with support for drug legalisation and populists who are Left-wing on economic policy but conservative on social issues.

    What they have in common, however, is the sense that they’ve been betrayed by the American political system — a system that hides the reality of oligarchic domination behind the façade of old-fashioned representative democracy.

    No, it’s not hidden, not even to the blind. It’s in your face and in your ear. We accept the spectacle. No live audience, mics turned off, scripted lies, a simulacra of a debate. It’s not only that political parties no longer exist, the American citizen does not exist. You have the manufacturing of consent on a population of mass consumers, and the “Collective” Biden/Trump, politician de jur will continue pursuing the interest/policy of the oligarchs.

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15. Steve H. September 11, 2024 at 8:27 am

    > A Personal Meditation on Growing Old Rebecca Gordon, TomDispatch

    >> …one of my favorite Spanish words. In that language, you can say, “I’m retired” (“retirada”), and it literally means “pulled back” from life. But in Spanish, I can also joyfully call myself “jubilada,” a usage that (like “sabbatical”) also draws on a practice found in the Hebrew scriptures, the tradition of the jubilee, the sabbath of sabbaths, the time of emancipation of the enslaved, of debt relief, and the return of the land to those who work it.

    We should credit the author for understanding nuance:

    >> Rebecca Gordon, a TomDispatch regular, taught for many years in the philosophy department at the University of San Francisco.

    Online Etymology Dictionary: Jubilee:

    >> late 14c., in the Old Testament sense, from Old French jubileu “jubilee; anniversary; rejoicing” (14c., Modern French jubilé), from Late Latin iubilaeus “the jubilee year,” originally an adjective, “of the jubilee,” from Greek iabelaios, from iobelos, from Hebrew yobhel “jubilee,” formerly “a trumpet, ram’s horn,” literally “ram.” The original jubilee was a year of emancipation of slaves and restoration of lands, to be celebrated every 50th year (Levit. xxv:9); it was proclaimed by the sounding of a ram’s horn on the Day of Atonement.

    >> The form of the word was altered in Latin by association with unrelated Latin iubilare “to shout with joy” (for which see jubilant), and the confusion of senses has continued in the Romanic languages and English. The general sense of “season of rejoicing” is first recorded mid-15c. in English, however through early 20c. the word kept its specific association with 50th anniversaries.

    The author succumbs to ‘the confusion of senses’ when she writes *joyfully call myself “jubilada,”*. The word, Joy, has been given a specific political meaning by the Harris campaign teratogenically reflushing Obama’s Hope campaign with “I’m with Her” stapled to its forehead. The intent seems to be to a Meditation with a resultant praxis, in distinction to her partner’s *“but now I can be retired.”*

    But that praxis looks more like Eva Braun dancing in the bunkers while the city is demolished above. Does Gordon actually think Harris will bring *debt relief*? That is delusional. The Archdruid noted:

    > Every mature philosophical tradition gets to this realization eventually. The normal and healthy response is to shift gears from “What can we know about the universe?” to “How should we live in a universe we can’t really know?”

    I can understand a regular unthinker in a mirrored silo ignoring the evidence of their senses, but a wizard should know better. Why tf do I have to point to f’ing Eric Schmidt when he says ‘The country is going to have to learn critical thinking’ as a counterargument? Like a rave next to a concentration camp.

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16. Zagonostra September 11, 2024 at 8:34 am

    >Melania Trump demands ‘truth’ about shooting of husband

    Melania said in a video posted on X on Tuesday. “Now, the silence around it feels heavy. I can’t help but wonder…There is definitely more to this story, and we need to uncover the truth”

    Hey mister American spectator, “you can’t handle the truth!” Amazing how this story has lost all interest for most. You’ll get more chatter online over 1963 assassination of JFK. There are some Independent journalist out there that are pointing out all kinds of inconsistencies with official narrative. But if the MSM doesn’t report it, it’s like the Bishop Berkley’s proverbial tree in the forest that doesn’t make a sound if there is no one to hear it.

    https://www.rt.com/news/603799-melania-trump-shooting-truth/

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17. The Rev Kev September 11, 2024 at 8:50 am

    ‘Biesan Abu-Kwaik بيسان أبو كويك
    @BiesanAK
    Details from the incident of a UN convoy stopped by Israeli forces yesterday are shocking, notably the ramming of the car by a bulldozer with staff inside!’

    Not the first time the Israelis have stopped a UN convey this week or even the second time or even the third. They have stopped five UN convoys this week in fact and continue to display their courage and bravery when faced with an unarmed group. It is their nature-

    https://www.palestinechronicle.com/fifth-time-in-a-week-israel-denies-entry-of-un-convoy-for-polio-campaign/

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    1. doug September 11, 2024 at 9:01 am

       It must have been an accident. The dozer dude was trying for reverse, but the shift lever ricocheted…..

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18. ilsm September 11, 2024 at 8:57 am

    Vance and post liberal Catholics…..

    Catholics were associated with Franco, during the Spanish Civil War thousand of Catholics were murdered by opposition liberals!

    Are we back (Al Smith) to someone having to remind the rest of the US that dissing Catholics is defending a state religion not associated with Catholics?

    Pope Francis was not mentioned. As far as I read!

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19. Wukchumni September 11, 2024 at 8:57 am

    I should have never ordered that cat-chew chicken with dog fried rice, but that was before I learned of goings on in an eatery near you.

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