How genes shape birdsong, even when birds grow up far from home The Conversation
Tiny lightning bolts discovered in water droplets—and it might explain how life began on Earth StudyFinds
SpaceX Crew-10 docks at space station, Starliner astronauts to soon return to Earth Interesting Engineering
Climate/Environment
Severe weather disaster: 37 dead after destructive tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms, sweep across US Accuweather
Acid spill devastates Zambia’s Kafue River Africa News
Heatwave economy: How rising temperatures are dividing the rich and poor RT
Water
California, Arizona and Nevada all agree: The Trump administration needs to fix a key Colorado River dam Los Angeles Times
Texas is running out of water. Here’s why and what state leaders plan to do about it. Texas Tribune
Texas population continues growing faster than any other state Texas Standard
Electricity and Water Are Required To Run Data Centers. Texas Is Running Short on Both. Dallas Observer
Pandemics
We Were Badly Misled About the Event That Changed Our Lives Zeynep Tufekci, New York Times
Another cat food brand recalled due to possible bird flu contamination The Independent
China?
China unveils plan to boost domestic consumption The Business Times
Some highlights:
Stock market is a major focus: “Expand asset-based income channels and take multiple measures to stabilize the stock market. Strengthen strategic reserves and market stabilization mechanisms. Accelerate the removal of barriers preventing long-term funds—such as… pic.twitter.com/OHlCw61DYN— 李其 Lizzi (@wstv_lizzi) March 16, 2025
China’s Naura rising to the chip-making equipment challenge Asia Times
China ramps up criticism of Li Ka-shing’s BlackRock ports deal The Business Times
Tensions over Taiwan Pekingnology
Syraqistan
Mapping US attacks on Yemen Al Jazeera. “At least 40 US air raids in Yemen have killed at least 32 people and injured 101, most of them women and children.”
The US dropped bombs on a Cancer Center and medical facilities in Yemen.
A Cancer Center.
Over 151 Yemeni civilians killed and injured in the last 2 days.
They are deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
This is a war crime and a crime against humanity. pic.twitter.com/rIEtMu6duL
— sarah (@sahouraxo) March 16, 2025
Houthis Attempt Attack on Carrier Harry S. Truman After U.S. Strikes in Yemen USNI News
🤔 Passing Thought
If I’m a guerrilla force like Ansarullah, and have, say, 1000 antiquated drones/ASCMs, and a dozen previously withheld but much more capable ASBMs … I’d bleed off US air defenses with my old stuff, and then launch the good stuff in a single salvo. https://t.co/GfVNthmHgC
— Will Schryver (@imetatronink) March 17, 2025
Al-Houthi vows blockade against US ships amid series of airstrikes Al Mayadeen
US Will Keep Hitting Houthis until Shipping Attacks Stop, Hegseth Says Asharq Al-Awsat
Is the Trump Administration Using Yemen as an Excuse to Attack Iran? Larry Johnson, Sonar21
US attack on Yemen reportedly aided by Bahrain, KSA, Qatar, and UAE:
⚡️British KC2 Refueling Aircraft spotted off Jeddah likely refueling fighters
⚡️American RC-135V Rivet Joint Spy Plane & a KC-135R Tanker are returning to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar 🇶🇦
⚡️American MQ-4C Triton from Al Dhafra AB 🇦🇪 heading toward Yemen, transponders switched off https://t.co/hHqs3B2Css pic.twitter.com/Eaet23iWFt
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) March 15, 2025
US Considering Recognition of Somaliland in Exchange for Military Base Militarnyi
***
The Hidden Reason Behind Netanyahu’s Ugly, Shocking Firing of Israel’s Shin Bet Chief Haaretz
Israel gets 3 fighter jets from US amid uncertainty over Gaza ceasefire Anadolu Agency
***
Israel bombs south Lebanon three times in 24 hours, expands occupation The Cradle
Syria strikes Lebanon after blaming Hezbollah for killing troops Bloomberg.
The Israeli regime has occupied huge swathes of Syrian territory.
So what do Jolani and his al-Qaeda/ISIS thugs do?
They attack the Lebanese border.
— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) March 16, 2025
Iraq Seizes More than One Ton of Captagon Pills Shipped from Syria Asharq Al-Awsat. “Chemical courage.”
The short version of where I think we are:
In the last 3 weeks, 5 trillion has been wiped off the American stock markets.
In the next 3 weeks, it’s going to be 2-5 times that at least, as all signs indicate a wide, direct war between Iran and Yemen and Israel and the US is…
— Alon Mizrahi (@alon_mizrahi) March 16, 2025
European Disunion
Southeast Europe erupts in weekend of protests Bne Intellinews
Serbian police reportedly use sonic cannon against protesters Bne Intellinews
Germany’s Greens support historic rearmament programme WSWS
Germany faces cuts along with financial package, Merz says DW
Rearmament is a noble lie Unherd
Merkel rejects accusations that she was always trying to “understand Putin” Ukrainska Pravda
Criminalizing Diplomacy: When War Is Peace Glenn Diesen’s Substack
Dead of Winter Doomberg. “Is another European energy crisis in the offing?”
New Not-So-Cold War
Trump and Putin expected to speak this week as US pushes for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire Reuters
UK proposes Western peacekeeping mission of 10,000 troops in Ukraine The Kyiv Independent
Macron says Russia’s permission not needed to deploy troops in Ukraine The Guardian
Macron and Starmer are playing dumb. Time and again they are told that peacekeepers must be from non-NATO states. No, we will send tens of thousands – just lay it out – you want to give military aid to the neo-Nazis in Kiev. That means war with NATO. Consult with Trump, scumbags.
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) March 16, 2025
Boots-on-Ground Theater Conceals Raging Impotence of Toothless Euro-Prats Simplicius
🇺🇦 Ukraine has almost run out of missiles for the Samp-T air defense system, — Corriere della Sera.
According to the Italian publication, Ukrainian authorities have been asking Italy and France to send missiles for several weeks, but the governments of these countries are in no…
— dana (@dana916) March 16, 2025
Trump 2.0
‘Beyond My Wildest Dreams’: The Architect of Project 2025 Is Ready for His Victory Lap Politico
Patrick Lawrence: Season of the Sophists Scheerpost
DOGE
Education Department staff cuts could limit options for families of kids with disabilities AP. Commentary:
Another agency diverting its resources to prioritize the foreign government of Israel and its lobby is ICE, which according to Haaretz has “paused its human trafficking and drug smuggling investigations to have agents monitor social media for posts and likes from pro-Palestinian… pic.twitter.com/zNB70xyUEz
— Harrison Berger (@BergerPosts) March 16, 2025
‘‘Delete’ is one of their favorite terms’: Inside DOGE’s IRS takeover ahead of tax season CNN
The Revenue and Distributional Effects of IRS Funding The Budget Lab at Yale “If the IRS shrinks by 50% (a workforce decrease of about 50,000 people),3 we estimate that this significant reduction in IRS staffing and resulting IRS capacity to collect revenues would result in $395 billion ($350 billion net) forgone revenue over the 10-year budget window.4 If the lack of IRS resources leads to a substantial increase in noncompliance, net forgone revenue could rise by $2.4 trillion over 10-years.”
Democrats en Déshabillé
Democratic Party’s favorability hits record low: Poll The Hill
Immigration
Trump administration deports hundreds of immigrants even as a judge orders their removals be stopped AP
A timeline of how the Trump administration raced to use the Alien Enemies Act yesterday, delivering 250 Venezuelan people to El Salvador’s brutal prison system without any chance to defend themselves, just before a judge could stop the planes. pic.twitter.com/YXzS1o1j1O
— Adam Isacson (@adam_wola) March 16, 2025
During the “war on terror,” the US practiced extraordinary rendition— kidnapping terror suspects and transporting them to secret prisons in foreign countries where they were tortured. That was a scandal.
This is similar, but much, much worse.
— Megan K. Stack (@Megankstack) March 16, 2025
‘Maga since forever’: mercenary mogul Erik Prince pushes to privatize Trump deportation plans The Guardian
Police State Watch
Pro-Israel group says it has ‘deportation list’ and has sent ‘thousands’ of names to Trump officials The Guardian
ICE relentlessly pursued this Fulbright scholar and forced her to flee the country because she had liked some pro-Palestine posts and signed onto a letter calling for Palestinian liberation.
Even the most basic expressions of support for Palestinian human rights or critique of… pic.twitter.com/Vn677TTJoX
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) March 16, 2025
Obama Legacy
Always worth a reminder that Obama inherited ICE as a fledgling agency, increased its budget 300%, established a nationwide network of detention centres and expanded the ‘secure communities’ enforcement program from 14 counties under Bush Jr to all 3,181 jurisdictions in America https://t.co/eHEJy7UlH0
— Nate Bear (@NateB_Panic) March 16, 2025
AI
OpenAI and Google’s dark new campaign to dismantle artists’ protections Blood in the Machine
Tastes of almost-Friday Internal Exile. LLMs and “creative writing”.
Imperial Collapse Watch
French MEP demands the US ‘give us back the Statue of Liberty’ France24
A Tougher World for the Biggest Bully Tarik Cyril Amar
Supply Chain
Antitrust
Monopoly Round-Up: The Week Everyone Realized Apple Is Decaying BIG by Matt Stoller
Class Warfare
America Is Missing The New Labor Economy – Robotics Part 1Semi Analysis
The rebellious role of peasants in European history Michael Robert’s Blog
Tracing L.A.’s Mexican and Irish Connection for St. Patrick’s Day LA Taco
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
“Macron says Russia’s permission not needed to deploy troops in Ukraine”
And yet when Macron visited Kiev, he had to have his trip cleared with the Russian Federation to make sure that he would be safe. And this has been true of every western leader that has gone there, including Biden. But now Macron proposes to send in thousands of his military into the Ukraine without asking or clearing it with the Russians. If I were the Russians, I would tell them that they have 24 hours to move to the border or be attacked as a legitimate enemy force in that country – and they have said as much. Of course this is probably a cynical move on Macron & Starmer’s part so that when they are attacked, they can demand that Trump send in US troops into the Ukraine to back them up and next thing you know US troops are fighting with Russian troops.
I’ve got one just for you, Rev:
Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine promised green cards for the withdrawal of mercenaries from the Kursk region
The UkrainianArmed Forces (APU) are sending sabotage and reconnaissance groups of “volunteers” to use them to try to remove foreign mercenaries who are surrounded in the Kursk region. This was announced by the coordinator of the Nikolaev pro-Russian underground Sergey Lebedev, RIA Novosti reports.
According to Lebedev, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are assembling sabotage and reconnaissance groups that are trying to withdraw foreigners. It is noted that for this they are promised green cards in the United States.
https://lenta.ru/news/2025/03/17/boytsam-vsu-poobeschali-grin-karty-za-vyvod-naemnikov-iz-kurskoy-oblasti/
See? This is how we’ll keep the Ukrainians doing our dirty-work: when those NATO forces get into a jam, offer Green Cards for their rescue– no US troops needed!
And I’ll add…
The Russian Armed Forces have only one village left to clean up before the Kursk Region is completely liberated
The Russian military has only to clear out the village of Gornal until the Kursk region is completely liberated. This is reported by the Telegram channel Mash.
…
“There are less than 1.5 kilometers left before reaching the state border with Ukraine. Meanwhile, on the territory of the Sumy region, our troops continue fighting for Basovka. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are responsible for two-thirds of the territory of the settlement, ” Mash notes.
https://aif-ru.turbopages.org/turbo/aif.ru/s/politics/vs-rf-ostalos-zachistit-odno-selo-do-polnogo-osvobozhdeniya-kurskoy-oblasti
I am not yet celebrating. Putin still holds back his military’s ability to wrap this up and take Odessa & other Oblasts, more quickly than is happening now. I grow doubtful they ever will be taken by Russia at this slow pace. And Dima at Military Summary (yes his analysis of politics and diplomacy is usually off) say negotiations between US-Russia touched on how Ukraine can keep ownership of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and port access to the Black Sea. Which means surrendering part of the 4 Oblasts Russia has not yet captured.
Yes, this is Dima and he usually takes these reports of diplomacy too literally. But Putin has a long history of making many deals that turn out to be catastrophically bad for Russia because he consistently underestimates the West’s desire to destroy Russia, so it hits a nerve for me.
Putin can’t just negotiate away those parts of those four Oblasts not yet taken. Pretty sure that it is in the Russian Constitution that that is not allowed to negotiate away Russian territory so would be illegal and Putin as a trained lawyer would know that. Besides, Putin has to answer to a whole lot of factions in Moscow and there is no way that they would tolerate a situation where they win this three year long war but lose the peace which enables a western-backed Ukraine to have another go in a few short years.
I came across the article earlier, but I cannot find it right now. Putin recently mentioned the need to create a buffer zone, one originally 40 km from Russia’s border. This has since been extended to 140 km, and would include Odessa and several other major cities.
For Russian news coverage of the SMO, I use Yandex– Goo-gle just don’t work.
Those “volunteers” probably have secret orders that if they can’t get those NATO officers out of Kursk, then shoot them and bury the body in a shallow grave out in the woods – Green Card still guaranteed. Having the Russians put on display actual NATO officers is one card that the US does not want them to have so one way or another, they have to disappear. Tough luck for those NATO officers but to quote Super Chicken-
‘You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred.’
If I was a “liquidator” then I would run for the Russian line at first opportunity. Everybody has seen enough movies about what happens after you finish your assigned mission.
Yes, “removing” them from the region can be interpreted a few different ways.
As an employer, I’d still want proof of death to ensure the deed was done. In this age of DNA testing/identification, you wouldn’t need to drag a whole body across the border as proof– just a part of it… a part either so vital or of such importance that one would fight to the death not to give up.
Let your imagination run wild.
Given the source, I would want to see some collateral: we’ve had essentially the same story a number of times since 2022, and nothing has ever been substantiated. Meanwhile Martyanov today is upping the ante claiming that they are “officers of high tactical and operational level,” which, assuming he knows what he means, equates probably from Lt Col up to General, and implies that the whole Kursk operation is being commanded by a heterogenous bunch of senior NATO officers who won’t speak the language or be familiar with the equipment or doctrine. Recipe for failure scarcely begins to cover it. If they are just foreign enlistees in the UA I doubt the Ukrainians care very much. But it’s effective propaganda for all that.
More generally we are seeing a further stage of the blame-shifting process I have described elsewhere, and the positioning for post-Ukraine dominance on European defence issues. The British and the French may even wind up sending small forces, out of the way of direct conflict. After all, being “at war” with a country is a declarative political situation, not a legal one, and it’s improbable that either British or French troops would be allowed to engage in combat, or that the Russians would bother with them.
Given the source, I would want to see some collateral
Perhaps the New York Times will cover the story?
I am afraid that I am going to have to disagree with your last statement. The Russians will absolutely care about British and French troops scattered around strategic points. For the Ukrainians, they will be a source of fresh weaponry through those British and French supply lines. They will provide training and upgrade any Ukrainian outfits that they “happen” to be stationed next to. They could be used as cover so you might have British troops staying in a hotel where you have foreign mercenary troops or maybe where they stay will be used as a safe venue for British-French-Ukrainian units to confer. Or you may have French troops stationed next to a drone assembly plant to protect them from a Russian strike. And of course you have Starmer talking about having NATO aircraft over the skies of the Ukraine as well as a sort of de-facto no fly zone while they try to spot Russian emplacements. The British troops may have Union Jacks on their uniforms and the French the Tricolour flag on theirs but you can be sure that in their pockets they have NATO flags just waiting to be slapped on their sleeves. You then have de facto NATO protection of the Ukraine and what could possibly go wrong with that?
I believe that Simplicius might be right when he states that the sudden urgency does lend an interesting angle, as it seems to suggest that Ukraine’s situation is more dire than is being let on. (I believe he might be right because i was thinking exactly the same). If Macron and Starmer were to be sending troops, which IMO is very far from “operative” stage at this point, it would have minimal impact because most of Ukrainian troops are in the frontlines and performing security functions behind the lines wouldn’t release many troops to the frontline, which I think it is the main objective. Besides, i don’t believe that French or British troops would be really able to play any meaningful security role well behind the frontline, not to mention any kind of role near the frontline apart from making things more complicated. I gather that their effect would be close to nada and the Russians won’t care. The Russians will care only if they dare to use their weapons against them which would obviously kill the supposed concept of peacekeepers. This looks all very stupid. Very Macronite and Starmerite stuff without any second thought.
French, Spanish, and other Western European SS troops had their national flags on their uniforms, too, during World War II. If that wasn’t good enough, doubtful it’s good enough now.
Haven’t we watched the same movie three years ago (Summer 2022?), when France was fretting about some suicidal exfiltration mission during the Siege of Mariupol?
>We Were Badly Misled About the Event That Changed Our Lives Zeynep Tufekci, New York Times
Why haven’t we learned our lesson? …Only an honest conversation will lead us forward.
Reads like Ms. Zeynep Tufekci is speaking to kindergarteners. Not sure who this “we” is, some of us have been on to this since day 1.
Yep. Some of us have been talking about the dangers of GoF research for years. Still, it’s nice to see “the paper of record” is finally getting around to saying this; NyTimes is signalling to its readership it’s OK to think these thoughts. I know it sounds silly, but for a lot of people the NYTimes is gospel – so to speak. / ;)
Re: US Will Keep Hitting Houthis until Shipping Attacks Stop, Hegseth Says
Does this strategy sound eerily like, “We will stop the beatings when morale improves?”
Recently, F-18 has not had the usage that F-16 had so far. US needs to wear them out like the rest of the breakable weapons.
‘sarah
@sahouraxo
The US dropped bombs on a Cancer Center and medical facilities in Yemen.
A Cancer Center.
Over 151 Yemeni civilians killed and injured in the last 2 days.
They are deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
This is a war crime and a crime against humanity.’
Well that can’t be right. Israeli intelligence assured that US strike force that the place was an Ansar Allah command post.
And of course, all Yemenis are Houthis.
Command post on the war against cancer.
Understandable mistake really, since Israel sees itself as cancer.
>Trump ‘voids’ Biden’s pardons after ex president used autopen signature and moves to investigate Fauci and Cheney Daily Mail
Many post on Twitter/X decry MAGA morphing into MIGA. So consequently, Trump Inc. has to throw these increasingly disillusioned supporters some red meat. HRC was not arrested during T1, and the “autopen” is just a “head fake” in the current T2 reign to take attention off disastrous first 50 days in office, and what is looking like to be an even more pathetic first 100 days.
skimming through NC links this weekend, I saw one that said Trump is seeking to have Australia pay more for pharmaceuticals. What a downward spiral from a couple of election cycles back when people were discussing the merits of M4A. It seems “progress” in American politics is impossible when it comes to making the lives of ordinary people better. Only more war, more crumbling infrastructure, more debt, fewer good jobs, less affordable housing, more toxic chemicals in my food, air and water. Sad, sad, state of affairs.
That paragraph has been in every story I’ve read on this – but just that paragraph and no further details on the process or a review of timeliness on an thing signed.
As if former presidents rolled out of bed and just typed up whatever out of the blue and smacked down and autopen signature. I mean, historically, we have news stories about President expected to sign this, president expected not to sign that.
I’m sure all these things were discussed with Biden during pudding time or whenever.
I wonder if this is why Trump makes such a big song and dance about signing all those executive orders in front of reporters. Not only does he want to put his stamp on them but he may be thinking that he does not want any accusations of robo-signing with those orders.
I feel that somehow there must be endorsement fees from the Sharpie pen co. for those oh so very Richter Scale looking nom doubloons, look-a 6.3!
At least the Sharpie pen co. knows that Trump won’t be so stupid as to bodgy up a weather map to make him look right about a tweet he made this time round-
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/04/trump-hurricane-dorian-alabama-sharpie-map
Just thinking that the next few days will be interesting. Will Trump or Vance visit those new disaster areas in central and southern US or will they pull a Biden and pretend they don’t exist?
Be careful in regards to little Anthony Fremont-all grown up now, he can whisk anybody into the scorned field.
It’s a great life!
While the argument is stupid, it does harken back to ine question: who exactly were acting in Biden’s name in the last months of his alleged presidency? If, say, Jake Sullivan were acting as de facto unelected president and was really the one who issued the pardons, that’d be a serious problem.
I am getting the same “constitutional crisis” hysteria all across my family feeds this AM about the autopen issue.
Well, I have issues with this.
First of all as a physician, dealing with federal documents with CMS, I have to personally sign the 20-30 that come across my desk every day. Many of these are up to 10 pages, and each page has to be signed and dated in wet ink. Every single one of these documents has a disclaimer on the bottom that automated signatures and signature stamps are not allowed. Again, these are doctor’s orders for home health, medical equipment etc. and stamps and automatic signatures are specifically not allowed. It takes quite a bit of time every day to sign these.
Why is a doctor’s order for federal documents more important to be genuinely signed in ink than a President’s signature on a document of great import that is a Constitutional duty? Sorry, I am OK with him autopenning letters about veteran service, holidays, etc – but actual EOs, pardons, vetos, passed Congressional legislation and other constitutional requirements – absolutely not. What a joke that even is to contemplate.
But in my humble opinion all this talk about a constitutional crisis is about 2 years too late. The constitutional crisis started when we allowed an obvious dementia patient to stay in the White House. What is happening now with the autopen thing and many others is a natural outcome of that original sin. As I was screaming to my Dem and PMC friends for years – “There will be consequences” and here we are.
In the midst of the Civil War, a new type of money was introduced in 1863 that was called National Bank Currency, and the way it worked was say you owned a bank, and the Federal government would print banknotes that all looked the same for the 14,000 or so different banks that issued money, except for the name of the bank and geographic district lettering, you just had to send them funds to cover it.
Initially the bank cashier and bank president had to sign each note, but by around 1900, autopen signatures start showing up, in particular for larger cities where much more currency was issued.
This is what they looked like, amazingly beautiful banknotes, my favorite is the 1875 $2, known as the Lazy Deuce, on account of the elongated sideways 2 on the front.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bank_Note
“But in my humble opinion all this talk about a constitutional crisis is about 2 years too late.”
This is the argument in the excellent piece by Patrick Lawrence in today’s Links, though he takes it back about 10 years. Well worth reading.
> Tiny lightning bolts discovered in water droplets—and it might explain how life began on Earth StudyFinds
Listed as March 15, but I have the same article in my notes from Jan 21. ?.
Anyway, Lord Kelvin’s Thunderstorm is amazing. That Gerald Pollack’s work on Exclusion-Zone Water ain’t mentioned is not-able. His work on charge separation with liquid crystals in water is imo the best explanation of available electrons for life to piggyback on. See:
EZ Water and the Origin of Life [2022]
>Antidote du jour
[This cardinal looks like it means business]
May you come to find comfort in and remember:
Cardinals appear when angels are near.
So go now, sit outside and drink your tea.
Keep a look out for the little red bird —
It is there, your loved one will be.
Victoria McGovern
The cardinal, when I first glanced at it, was a Poppy? I notice, upon closer inspection, it is not wearing green.
That is a terrific photo. Thank you!
re: Germany
BSW asks DIE LINKE to cooperate with AfD to try stop the rearmament program. What does Mrs. former JACOBIN senior editor – now DIE LINKE head – answer? “NOOOOOO!”
p.s. an open letter by a couple of DIE LINKE members who are opposing the madness:
via JUNGE WELT daily
Disarmament, whatever it takes
Documented. Germany is rearming and making the world more insecure. An anti-militarist statement
https://archive.is/v4z4S
Thank you, Conor.
Further to the Yemen links, readers may not be aware that the border between KSA and Yemen has long been disputed. Conflict involving these two could get complicated.
Hadramaut / Hadramawt is split between Yemen and KSA. The Bedouin there identify as Yemeni. The bin Ladin family comes from there. So did 15 of the 9/11 hijackers. Saudis from Najd, the Hejaz etc. would not marry someone from that area / these tribes or vice versa.
Smuggling is rife as the mountains and deserts are not easy to police. Some of the area is beautiful. Some of Jizan is like Provence’s Gorges du Verdon. Imagine that in wartime and the potential for ambushes.
There are also tiny Jewish communities on either side of the border. You read that right. There are Bedouin Jewish and Christian communities, going back millenia, in KSA. The al Sauds leave them alone.
Dad worked for the Saudi government from 1992 – 2015. We could travel freely and did.
Re; Immigration
I’ve just had a brilliant thought: with all of these hardened gangbangers we are deporting, why not re-route the planes to Ukraine? They’re hurting for soldiers, and if these are hard-core gangbangers, they already are somewhat pre-trained… the aircraft can then load up with Green Card holders for the return trip.
If that happens, I think you’ll soon have representatives of Ukraine’s celebrated and influential organised criminal class complaining about all those foreigners taking their jobs.
That needs a coffee warning…
Hardened gangbusters are hard to find and might put up a fight. Easier to go after well-documented people at their homes or work – you’ve already got the address and know they are cooperative.
“Stock market is a major focus: “Expand asset-based income channels and take multiple measures to stabilize the stock market. Strengthen strategic reserves and market stabilization mechanisms.”
Holy Cr@p!!! Warren Molser frequently wondered what would happen to China when all those western educated economics students returned to China!
Regarding the Krystal Ball tweet, I personally know the woman apparently harassed out of the country by ICE, although none of the actual facts around her treatment. If true, the Nazis have already taken over the U.S.government.
Autopen, pardons and Dr. Fauci…
Interestingly if Dr. Fauci remains pardoned we actually have a greater chance of learning much more (if we follow the assumption that there was some kind of cover-up around covid). As a pardoned man, Dr. Fauci still could have been subpoenaed, however he could not invoke the 5th Amendment as he would not be testifying against himself as he faced no criminal charges because of the pardon. Likewise, he would be dumb to lie in his testimony because then he would be perjuring himself which would be a new crime not covered by his pardon.
“Israel gets 3 fighter jets from US amid uncertainty over Gaza ceasefire”
More likely the Israelis have mostly wrecked at least three of their F-35s by constantly using them to bomb Gazans to the point that they became hanger queens and a source of spare parts for other F-35s.
Aircraft inventory is a thing!
A fighter squadron is authorized XX aircraft equal to the number of aircraft that unit operates in “war”. That is called primary aircraft inventory (PAI).
The squadron is also issued x back up aircraft inventory (BAI) to account for aircraft hard broken or in depot when the squadron needs to go off anf fight.
I suspect the IDF/AF needs more BAI, due to poor reliability and parts shortages.
A BAI aircraft can be a warehouse for parts!
F-35 parts may be short world wide, which is bad bc IDF is flying so few.
Runnin’ Outta Steam
Sung to the tune of, “Runnin’ Down a Dream” by Tom Petty
Melody
It was a beautiful wall
The sun beat down,
On rusted metal laid on
Pallets and ground
Dreams went bye-bye
Me and Marge were singin’
A little runaway … AI was a lie
Trump is runnin’ out of steam
It never would come to be
Just like Roman history …
We’re going wherever he leads
Runnin’ outta steam!
It felt so good, like anarchy was possible
Ethics on cruise control, no red lines
The last three days, the cons were unstoppable
They were always bold, no sunshine
Chorus
Whoo-hoo! 6x
The lies rolled on, the market grew dark, Oligarchs put the petal down, like Yeltsin’s time
There’s something bad waiting down this road
I’m movin’ out to Lichtenstein
(Repeat Chorus)
Trump’s runnin’ out of steam
It never would come to be
Cookin’ up more hare-brained schemes …
Doling out misery
Runnin’ down the drain!
Trump’s runnin’ out of grit
Catchin’ line drives with no mitt
Rehashing his “Greatest hits!”
MAGA-world’s goin’ to s**t!
He’s runnin’ outta grit
Whoo-hoo …
> America Is Missing The New Labor Economy – Robotics Part 1Semi Analysis
We should appreciate when an author takes a knobkerrie to a topic and delivers such a shellacking, repeatedly layering evidence upon evidence, that it destroys a particular strategy. Jason Fung and Dave Kimble come to mind. The calf kick serves this function in mixed martial arts – while a single blow has won a fight, it’s generally used to destroy the ability of the other’s front leg to form a foundation to present an argument.
Have Another! My takeaway is that the US in particular is on dangerous ground, moreso as it starts banning Chinese goods in the tech realm. Not even taking part in the conversation. Our best out might be following Qiao Liang with decentralized three-dimension printers.
* * *
Dave Kimble: Does nuclear energy produce no CO2
: No longer available at:
http://davekimble.net/peakoil/news/index.phpdoes_nuclear_energy_produce_no_co2.htm
:: Descent version:
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2006-05-11/does-nuclear-power-produce-no-co2/
:: Cleanest version:
https://www.brattleboro.net/nuclear-power-articles/does-nuclear-power-produce-no-co2/
Qiao Liang: One Belt, One Road
limesonline.com/en/regions/one-belt-one-road-14720766/
: Not loading for me. Hmm. Archived it this morning: https://archive.ph/VLG4P
“SpaceX Crew-10 docks at space station, Starliner astronauts to soon return to Earth”
I wouldn’t let them leave without making sure that their back-rent is paid up first. Hummph. The story of Apollo 13 was epic in nature as well as how they survived. The story of that Starliner crew? Just woeful and embarrassing.
Initially the dynamic duo was supposed to be up there for a 3 day tour-a 3 day tour, and it isn’t as if they brought wardrobes as per Gilligan’s Island, so imagine how nasty those couple of shirts must be after 9 months in a leaky boat?
When I was a young boy
I wanted to sail around the world
That’s the life for me
Living on the Gemini, you see
Spirit of a sailor
Circumnavigates the globe
The lust of a pioneer
Will acknowledge no frontier
I remember you by, thunderclap in the sky
Lightning flash, tempers flare
‘Round the horn 16 x daily if you dare
I just spent nine months on account of a leaky Boeing
Lucky just to keep afloat
Stranded in space
Rugged individuals
Glisten like pearls
At the top of the world
The tyranny of distance
Didn’t stop the cavalier Russians
So why should it stop me
I’ll conquer and stay free
Ah, c’mon all you lads
Let’s forget and forgive
There’s a world to explore
Tales to tell back on shore
I just spent nine months on account of a leaky Boeing
Nine months on account of a leaky Boeing
Ship-wrecked love can be cruel
Don’t be fooled by her kind
There’s a wind in my sails
Will protect and prevail
I just spent nine months on account of a leaky Boeing
Nothing to it leaky Boeing
Six Months in a Leaky Boat, by Split Enz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSGpLto1yxU
Texas population continues growing faster than any other state Texas Standard
Before relocating to Knoxville, I considered Texas. Not long and hard, in part because the difference in property taxes was jarring – much higher in Texas. Though apparently job growth is higher in Texas so that’s the big draw, especially for younger looking for jobs who rent first instead of own a home. Knoxville despite having a few “sky scrappers” in it’s downtown, is really more like a great big small town. Any auto rush hour it has (and they are few) is located in the outlying areas/suburbs so that must be where much of the job growth is occurring. In contrast, one can drive into downtown with almost no traffic. Which is not to say downtown is not on the move – the University of Tennessee is thriving and new sports stadium is under construction all within walking distance of “downtown”.
Growth in Knoxville appears more gentle and even.
The WSWS article (Germany’s Greens support historic rearmament programme) is quite the development. I think it was only a few days ago we had a link here to a substack that I thought made a compelling case of how Merz had taken a gamble with his negotiations with the Greens and SPD. Does anyone have a link to that?
It looks like Germany very well could be going down that path after all.
The Greens, the party of the wealthy and warmongering upper middle classes, who fully represent the interests of the state and German imperialism…
Not what I used to think “Greens” were all about. What’s in a name? Apparently, not much.
IRS
I’m surprised that a 50% personel cut would only cost 40 billion a year in lost revenue . That’s less than 1 % of the federal budget
US Considering Recognition of Somaliland in Exchange for Military Base Militarnyi
And it shall be called Camp Bondsteel.
Sounds like something from 007. ‘The name is Bond. Bond Steel.’
I tried to post just a link to the photo, but the gremlins ate the post. Let’s see if it will go trough with this ballast text.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Le_Chiffre_by_Mads_Mikkelsen.jpg
Globaly, manufacturing has never been better.
However, manufacturing of consent is having a bit of a dip lately.
Trump’s plans for a sovereign wealth fund, a Thatcher redux:
Selling the family silver, American-style John Authers
[emphasis added]
And here I though it was just me.
People becoming more stupid…
The shift from reading to consuming video content may have diminished human intelligence, research finds
https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/278099865/people-becoming-more-stupid-study
I absolutely hate videos… well, most of them anyway. I must admit that there are some great ones out there, but when it’s a talking-head or two spouting-off, count me out: yeah, thanks for wasting my time… no transcript? Well then, double thank-you.
Videos that are great are the ones at kindergarten level: they give you a general overview, breaking-down a complex subject that you may be unfamiliar with and feeding you with understandable, bite-sized pieces– that can be a good use of screen-time, or a great introduction.
For true understanding and comprehension of any given subject matter, video is no substitute for reading and real-life experience.