Links 1/22/2025

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1. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 7:16 am

   ‘Kelly
   @broadwaybabyto
   Immediately after withdrawing from the WHO, Trump stops CDC, FDA & NIH from giving public health updates.’

   A strange move that – unless he wants his people in place there to vet any updates going out first that might disagree with the future narratives. But a stray thought popped up in my mind. Trump wants to take an axe to the Federal government, right? So I wondered if Trump was thinking about privatizing the CDC, the FDA and the NIH in his second term. I’m sure that the health care corporations would like to buy them up and run them the way that they should be.

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   1. ATR January 22, 2025 at 8:05 am

      Don’t they already recieve more than 50 percent of their budgets from private companies? Seems like that would be more honest

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      1. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 9:20 am

         On the other hand, those government labs spend billions to develop new drugs which are then handed over to Big Pharma corporations who work out the dosage and then slap their patent on it. Can you imagine if it was the US government slapping their own patents on those new drugs and funneling back the profits for new research?

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         1. jefemt January 22, 2025 at 9:23 am

            I can!

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2. Mark Gisleson January 22, 2025 at 7:21 am

   Looks like the Chinese are doing AI right. How much longer before BRICS nations figure out that copyright law keeps people from using personal computers like Star Trek replicators?

   It’s past time to legally and Constitutionally clarify the legality of making digital copies. Western capitalism has failed in every respect, giving BRICS an easy way to blow up Hollywood™©®’s absurdly punitive civil damages laws. Never forget that Congress passed a law allowing music downloaders to be sued for up to $20,000US per song or about a quarter of a million dollars per record album. The vast majority of new music is created, edited and released on equipment that costs well under $20,000. How does this make sense?

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   1. voislav January 22, 2025 at 9:38 am

      Copyright is governed on the country-by-country basis. Length in majority of countries is 50 years and in many of them civil damages are negligible to a point where there is zero enforcement. Insane penalties and over-the-top enforcement are mostly restricted to US, Canada and Europe, mostly due to trade treaties signed with US. Insane copyright protection was one of the pillars of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and was one of the reasons it failed.

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3. Zagonostra January 22, 2025 at 7:35 am

   >Trump announces an up to $500 billion AI infrastructure investment involving OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank Business Insider

   OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, and SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son attended the White House announcement.

   Would that be the same “Sam Altman” that Suchir Balaji, who was a whistleblower that mysteriously committed one of the most improbable suicides I’ve ever heard about, worked for? Larry Ellison, would that be the pro-Israel zionist who donated $17M to IDF recently? My Twitter feed is lite up with people who were very dubious of the rushed mRNA technology used for CV19 chiming in on what a Trump sell-out this is. David Icke is actually starting to make sense to some, these oligarchs are reptiles, reptilian at the very least. Going from transgender to transhuman?

   500 Billion dollars, that would go a long way to help some desperate people drowning under pile of hospital bill debts, local clinics, etc… that would go a long way to ease the servitude of millions of young people struggling to make monthly payments on student loans.

   It’s also very interesting that this is being sold as a personalized openAI solution for fighting cancer. No wonder all those tech billionaries who loathed Trump, where sitting all together during inauguration smiling.

   Also, didn’t Russia just announce that they found a mRNA vaccine for cancer and would be making it available for free? Sounds very similar. Stargate, StarLink, twinkle, twinkle little star, I’m not going where you are…

   https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/russia-vaccine-cancer-9744034/

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4. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 7:44 am

   “Zelensky demands at least 200,000 ‘peacekeepers’ on Ukrainian soil – Reuters”

   ‘From all the Europeans? 200,000, it’s a minimum. It’s a minimum, otherwise it’s nothing’

   He’s talking about NATO troops of course but 200,000? Wouldn’t that be like all the available troops that NATO has? Check out this page on the number of active military personnel in NATO countries in 2024-

   https://www.statista.com/statistics/584286/number-of-military-personnel-in-nato-countries/

   The 5th largest contingent is the UK at 184,860 but that is like the entire UK military as in all of them. How many can the British Army send to the Ukraine then? I would guesstimate about 10,000 people – maybe. You start going through the numbers for each country on that basis and it does not add up to 200,000 people. The only way that it does is by having troops come from that country to the north of the Gulf of America which is what Zelensky is really talking about. But there would be a side “benefit” to having so many peacekeepers in the Ukraine. This Ukrainian guy was saying that they had lost so many men that the country is going to be a demographic disaster. Unless of course you had say 200,000 lonely men on duty in that country that could hook up with all those widows and single women and then problem solved. It made a bizarre sort of sense but more likely those women would use those soldiers as a ticket out of the country to one that is much safer.

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   1. JohnA January 22, 2025 at 8:33 am

      The Danish F 16 instructor allegedly killed in Ukraine by a Russian missile strike, had supposedly been ‘entertained’ by a Ukrainian woman who subsequently gave his whereabouts away to the Russians. Of course, the story has been denied by Danish authorities, but I did see a tweet in Danish by a guy claiming to know the instructor and that he was dead. Who knows in the Fogh (sic) of war.
      So maybe these widows and single women could also use them as a ticket to safety in Russia.

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      1. Aurelien January 22, 2025 at 8:46 am

         I’m contractually obliged to report that I have just posted an essay on the idea of a “peacekeeping” force in Ukraine, and related issues.

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         1. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 8:49 am

            Since any European peacekeepers are by definition NATO soldiers, you think that they would go with the idea of Chinese peacekeepers?

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   2. Acacia January 22, 2025 at 8:54 am

      Given that Ukraine cannot win, and that NATO cannot deliver enough people to be killed, it does seem like the real source of manpower would have to be “that country to the north of the Gulf of America” except that Zelensky must also know it’s never gonna happen. So this begins to look more like a desperate attempt to simply keep the gravy train war going.

      The Ukraine side of this conflict is beginning to remind me of that old Star Trek episode A Taste of Armageddon, in which two planets are fighting a centuries-long war entirely using computers, except that to keep score for the computers, their citizens were obliged to report to “disintegration chambers” in which they would be killed. The Enterprise crew gets caught in the crossfire, so to speak, are captured and being pushed to die in said disintegration chambers, basically in order to keep the “normalized” computer war going and thereby avoid a “real” war.

      Some eerie parallels here, as the larger narrative is that NATO+US should perform some “duty” to die in the Ukraine (instead of Ukrainian soldiers, to avoid demographic disaster you know), in order to somehow prevail and prevent a larger more “real” war with Russia. It’s just bonkers.

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      1. Wukchumni January 22, 2025 at 8:58 am

         I am Nomad

         …speaking for all Americans

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   3. ilsm January 22, 2025 at 9:38 am

      Put them in Poland!

      BTW Zelinskyy is as legitimate a “leader” as any of the puppets US put in Saigon. during that long ago quagmire

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   4. Camelotkidd January 22, 2025 at 9:54 am

      “Zelensky demands at least 200,000 ‘peacekeepers’ on Ukrainian soil – Reuters”
      And I want a pony

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5. Zagonostra January 22, 2025 at 7:52 am

   >Guillotine Watch

   It’s going to be very interesting to see if a Nation/regime that attempted to purge billionaire oligarchs from having control over public/foreign policy (Russia/Putin) will trump a Nation/regime that hands over public/foreign policy to them (Trump/Elon, et al).

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6. Vicky Cookies January 22, 2025 at 8:10 am

   So, the CIA will be using AI trained on massive amounts of propaganda to predict the behavior of world leaders. That should go well: “PutinBot, what are your plans for the next few years?” “Well, I plan to eat a bunch of babies, then re-take Alaska. Then, I’ll either die of cancer or poison Ameirica’s water supply to sap and impunity all of their precious bodily fluids; I don’t know which.”

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   1. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 8:34 am

      You think that the CIA built themselves a TrumpBot to try to predict his actions if he was re-elected as President? Good luck with that one. But this article did finish on a bizarre note. So the CIA is going to bring in Silicon Valley to help drive their culture. Really? Sure they have been joined at the hip since the early days but is the CIA ready for that level of ruthlessness and urge for world dominance?

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   2. Randall Flagg January 22, 2025 at 8:36 am

      Don’t forget that he (Putin), is going to corner the market of washing machines so they have a guaranteed supply of chips for missiles.

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   3. midtownwageslave January 22, 2025 at 8:52 am

      “PutinBot, can you tell me how effective American sanctions are against Russia?”

      “PutinBot, can you tell me in step-wise detail how Americans can win in the Ukraine?”

      “PutinBot, can you tell me where i can find 200,000 able-bodied men to die in Ukraine?”

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7. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 8:20 am

   “India Set to Take Back 18,000 Citizens From US to Placate Trump”

   India is not worried by this development at all. As soon as those 18,000 Indians are back home, the Indian government will have them apply for H-1B visas and before you know it, they will be back again but legally this time. And they know that Vivek will always have their back.

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8. GramSci January 22, 2025 at 8:22 am

   Re: WHO to lose 1/5 of its budget.

   Good. No more US influence.

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   1. GramSci January 22, 2025 at 8:25 am

      I know. Queen Ursula probably still has a contract with Pfizer.

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      1. flora January 22, 2025 at 8:33 am

         Eh, the B & M Gates Foundation can probably pick up the slack. / ;)

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         1. ambrit January 22, 2025 at 9:51 am

            I suspect that the B&M Gates Foundation is already busy “picking up” the pace of the Jackpot.
            WHO soon to be World Helots Organization?

            Click to Edit – 

            

            I suspect that the B&M Gates Foundation is already busy "picking up" the pace of the Jackpot. WHO soon to be World Helots Organization?

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   2. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 8:37 am

      I understand that as the US has already paid their dues, that they will still be in the WHO for this year.

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      1. flora January 22, 2025 at 8:44 am

         Meryl Nass has followed all the issues around the WHO, the treaty, etc. very closely. Here’s her rundown on the issues as they stand.

         MSM is full of errors about the WHO withdrawal, so I will correct them.

         https://merylnass.substack.com/p/msm-is-full-of-errors-about-the-who

         (The MSM is full of errors? Can it be? / ;)

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         1. mrsyk January 22, 2025 at 9:34 am

            Thanks. I did not follow the MPox outbreaks carefully at the time. Is Nass’s point #8 correct?
            The WHO should not be managing international outbreaks, after its well-publicized delays and failures with the 2 largest Ebola epidemics in Africa, and what I would call its ridiculous performance over monkeypox, twice declaring it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. What we need to get rid of is politicized healthcare, and the WHO represents all that is wrong with centralized medical decision making.

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9. AG January 22, 2025 at 8:31 am

   Thierrey Breton formerly EU now Bank of America

   Revolving Wall Street door threatens EU sovereignty
   By Thomas Fazi
   https://unherd.com/newsroom/revolving-wall-street-door-threatens-eu-sovereignty/

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10. Richard Link January 22, 2025 at 8:33 am

    Platforming Moon of Alabama’s ignorant anti-DEI and anti-trans views? Gross.

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    1. flora January 22, 2025 at 8:38 am

       DEI seems like a jobs program for college grad aspiring PMC managers who need more things to manage. The US seems to have a surfeit of aspiring PMC wannabes. / ;)

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       1. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 8:54 am

          Wait. Are you saying that the Professional Managerial Class is not really the problem but the surfeit number of kids of the Professional Managerial Class trying to hustle themselves some new, made-up bs jobs? :)

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          1. flora January 22, 2025 at 9:05 am

             Why, whatever gives you that idea? / ;)

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       2. mrsyk January 22, 2025 at 9:05 am

          DEI should be umbrellaed within Creative Writing departments where future baristas congregate.

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          1. Googoogajoob January 22, 2025 at 9:23 am

             On the opposite end of DEI is the enduring belief in meritocratic hiring practices which in it’s own right is nonsence as well.

             As one of those evil PMC types, Ive found that the DEI messaging can be counterproductive in how it tends to be framed but all the teeth grinding about it comes off as nothing but coping from people who expected the world to be handed to them.

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             1. mrsyk January 22, 2025 at 9:42 am

                Thanks. Good point about opposite ends of the stick. I’d say messaging can be counterproductive in how it tends to be framed can be applied to both ends. Nonsensical applications is our default setting.

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       3. ChrisFromGA January 22, 2025 at 9:06 am

          I can’t recall the author – there was a blogosphere post a while back that made an argument that the biggest issue facing the West was overproduction of elites.

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          1. albrt January 22, 2025 at 9:15 am

             Peter Turchin is considered the current shepherd of that longstanding idea. His most recent book was reviewed a number of places including here.

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    2. Wukchumni January 22, 2025 at 9:13 am

       The Donkey Show banked on a tiny percent of the population being trans being so important that it became all encompassing, or in essence they couldn’t read the room, and then came the broom.

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       1. Emma January 22, 2025 at 9:22 am

          It could have be any other wedge issue. Abortion worked for 50 years and #metoo had its time in the sun. If the population ever comes to some sort of agreement in how to deal with transpeople in public, they’ll just put in something else. Maybe polygamists or people who always wear people will be next in line.

          What’s important is keeping the masses divided and having each other.

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          1. ambrit January 22, 2025 at 9:55 am

             “… people who always wear people will…”
             We’re well into ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ territory here.
             No matter how cynical you are, you are always behind the curve.

             Click to Edit – 

             

             "... people who always wear people will..." We're well into 'Eyes Wide Shut' territory here. No matter how cynical you are, you are always behind the curve.

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    3. Christopher Smith January 22, 2025 at 9:31 am

       DEI is pro segregation. All those racial affinity groups make me sick. Go ask my dad about the affinity bathrooms, affinity water fountains, and affinity schools from his youth in the south. Same thing, different era. More Moon of Alabama please, and less wokie wokism.

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       1. mrsyk January 22, 2025 at 9:53 am

          As Emma pointed out above, identity politics is pro-segregation. The natural result its weaponization is an overweight backlash. This cycle kills any chance of society gaining a beneficial outcome.

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11. CA January 22, 2025 at 8:51 am

    https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-01-22/Per-capita-income-in-rural-Xizang-nears-national-level-in-2024-1An2VDnVMmA/p.html

    January 22, 2025

    Per capita income in rural Xizang nears national level in 2024

    The per capita disposable income of rural residents in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region saw the fastest growth in the country in 2024, nearing the national average, a remarkable accomplishment considering the region’s challenging plateau conditions.

    During the year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in the region was 21,578 yuan (about $3,010), reaching 93.3 percent of the national average level, Li Jianshu, deputy head of the Xizang survey team at the National Bureau of Statistics, said at a press conference held during the annual session of the regional people’s congress concluding on Wednesday.

    The figure marked an 8.3-percent increase from the previous year, 1.7 percentage points higher than the national average growth rate, Li said.

    He further noted that the per capita disposable income of urban residents reached 55,444 yuan, up 6.8 percent, 2.2 percentage points higher than the national average growth rate.

    The per capita disposable income of all residents in the region surged by 8.2 percent to 31,358 yuan. This growth rate, the highest among the country’s provincial-level areas, exceeded the national average by 2.9 percentage points.

    Mountain-locked Xizang was once the only provincial-level contiguous poverty-stricken region in China, burdened by its high altitude, harsh environment, poor transportation and limited resources. By the end of 2019, however, the region achieved a historic feat by eradicating absolute poverty, lifting 628,000 people out of poverty.

    Thanks to the development of infrastructure, the booming tourism market, and the accelerated growth of various industries in the region, the income structure of residents in Xizang has greatly improved, leading to enhanced living standards for its people.

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12. Wukchumni January 22, 2025 at 8:51 am

    Just when you thought the numismatrix couldn’t get any more silly, the race to out meme one another in matters of cryptocurrency raised it up another notch.

    Let’s talk ramifications of the eventual reckoning sure to come?

    We didn’t hear a peep about crypto out of Genocide Joe, but Trump hit the ground running, and he’s an outlier in that it’s a young persons’ Mug’s Game-not something Gen X or Boomers are all that interested in.

    When they get burned (3rd degree at a minimum, possibly 4th degree lesions) young adult males are gonna be hopping mad, and how do they react?

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    1. Acacia January 22, 2025 at 9:11 am

       and how do they react?

       Something tells me it could involve firearms.

       The AR-15 type has been a popular choice (e.g., Thomas Crooks, Kyle Rittenhouse, et alia), and the vegan activist woman who shot up the YouTube HQ in California (she had been deplatformed) used a 9 mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol, but post-Luigi a 3D-printed “ghost gun” is probably the go-to.

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13. Henry Moon Pie January 22, 2025 at 8:53 am

    The past few days have me so excited. Sam Altman, Trump and AI are going to cure cancer…right after the Trump admin retakes the Panama Canal and goes to Mars. My question: will it all get done in the first 100 days?

    Golden Age in ‘Murca! Does that mean we all better buy gold because it’s all going to sh-t? The customers are usually none too happy when a salesman way oversells the product.

    Trump appears to be an accelerationist’s dream.

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14. ciroc January 22, 2025 at 8:54 am

    >The Black Book of Communism Is a Shoddy Work of History

    The British Conservative politician Daniel Hannan had a similar message as he prepared for “the most monstrous of centenaries.” According to Hannan, communism was far worse than slavery or Nazism: “The Atlantic slave trade killed perhaps 10 million people, the Nazis 17 million — but the Communists killed 100 million.” The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, which runs a museum in Washington, carries the following message on its website: “Communism Killed Over 100 Million: We’re telling their stories.”

    If we judge by the number of victims, the worst ideology must be capitalism.

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    1. Neutrino January 22, 2025 at 9:41 am

       That is a lot of statistics.
       Fauci asking when his contributions to world health will get a mention?

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15. AG January 22, 2025 at 9:06 am

    art history/ painting

    “On T. J. Clark’s Bruegel”
    by Daniel Zamora
    https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/world-upside-down

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16. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 9:11 am

    ‘Why you should have a cat
    @ShouldHaveCat
    Teacher teaching his student’

    Yeah, not a good idea this. You don’t want to accidentally hit your cat and get in a fight with it. That never ends well-

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMHkQDzt8VM (2:12 mins)

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17. Emma January 22, 2025 at 9:11 am

    Will Stargate Project be $20 billion for running Deepseek algorithm and $480 billion for “miscellaneous”?

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    1. The Rev Kev January 22, 2025 at 9:39 am

       That could be a job for the new DOGE – to investigate the people in the Stargate Project. Yeah, right. But the name of that project could be apt. You fire up that Stargate, threw billions into that event horizon, and then you shut it down with no trace of those billions left behind-

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8j9Fl34RAU (1:00 mins)

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18. Es s Ce Tera January 22, 2025 at 9:29 am

    I’m reading in Canadian news that Trump’s executive order reversing DEI targeted and reversed Lyndon Johnson’s executive order 11246 ending discrimination on the basis of race in federal government.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_11246

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19. ilsm January 22, 2025 at 9:46 am

    PLAAF has a sixth generation fighter type aircraft!

    They will probably build a few dozen and test around them.

    While the Lockheed is building more aircraft for the dividend flow. Every new F-35, and all those tooling about out in the world, needs a new engine which is not in anyone’s plan!

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