It now appears Taiwan’s new subs were developed using stolen technologies and blueprints from South Korea. Former South Korean engineers charged with handing over the sub designs to Taiwan.
Why parents still vaccinate their kids is beyond me – after the lid has been blown off Pharma’s biggest cash cow. And don’t even say “but polio”. That was a scam too.
Below article reports how four children were given the wrong shot by accident (an easy argument could be made that they’re all wrong) but won’t say which shot they were given.
The Kadena Health Clinic stated they will make necessary adjustments they strive to offer safe and effective healthcare.
I wonder if S&S will follow up to report if any of the victims die or become disabled.
I am confused about the vaccines I was given. One involved getting jabbed a number of times, resulting in a slightly sunken area. Another, according to my memory, was essentially a sugarcube with something dripped on it.
One was polio, the other smallpox; but I don’t remember and I am too lazy to look it up tonight.
The rest were all needles in the upper arm. Only Typhoid really hurt.
Hmmm… probably coming up on Tetanus again…
ChickenHead
3 months ago
Mcgeehee, i have always believed in the basic vaccines that very clearly show an unquestionable reduction of diseases I don’t want.
I further have always believed in the extended set that allowed me to scoff at Africans while drinking standing water off a pygmy corpse.
I understand there could be side effects. I understand there may (or may not) be some link to autism.
But the basic math of a risk assessment tells me the rate of side effects and autism is lower than the horror that once was smallpox in the pre-vaccine era.
These successful vaccines (and many failed ones) were properly tested on poor non-white people in poor non-white counties in sincere tests before being introduced to the people of the developed world.
I believe these vaccines were introduced with the good intentions of designers, manufacturers, and a government interested in public health and the wellbeing of the nation.
I also believe parents should be able to have a choice for their children. Unlike the covid vaccine, that everybody suspected didn’t work from the beginning, I have confidence in the mumps vaccine and give zero fúcks if your kids are vaccinated or not. Their lack of vaccination doesn’t “endanger my health.”
I will put my money where my mouth is on this and make out with anyone’s unvaccinated 16 year-old daughter if I need to prove my confidence.
But now I have noticed a growing number of required vaccines.
Many of them are for diseases that are rare and/or not really a problem. The risk of side effects become higher than the risk of the disease.
Designers are just doing their job, and their job is to get something to market quickly before the next congressional budget talks. The manufacturers want to put something out that brings in guaranteed montly income and they can easily generate statistics that shows the safety and effectiveness of snake oil and synthetic unicorn tears. The government is openly owned by everyone but the electors to the point they no longer care if it is obvious.
I no longer feel good intentions, I no longer trust anyone involved, and i don’t even trust the original vaccines aren’t adulterated in some experimental way.
There is open talk of ways to use subterfuge to get people vaccinated. And already new vaccines are coming out based on mRNA when we all just watched it fail in a spectacular way. Part of this failure was the whole concept of the covid vaccine, which couldn’t even work in theory, and part of it is the fundemental technology of mRNA which didn’t work as expected (or maybe it did.)
Example: It didn’t “stay in the arm” and it didn’t “go away in 3 days”.
But it does seem to hold promise, so they can keep experimenting until they get it right. The government can assist with mandates to make up for reluctance in the third world where they are no longer so cooperative. It is now cheaper to pay off a congressman than a dictator.
We have all just watched the rapid corruption of the pharmaceutical and medical industries in realtime and a govenrment that promoted this corruption by coercion, censorship, and force.
It is unclear what a parent should now do when it comes time to vaccinate their children.
It would require a lot more consideration than it once did.
Liz
3 months ago
I know our oldest son and his wife are planning on home schooling their (future, if they are blessed with them) children. I haven’t discussed vaccines with them…it will be interesting to see what they decide on that. I think they are less trusting after the past couple of years (they are both jabbed and had one booster…she had a mild autoimmune skin condition following the booster which has lasted over a year so far).
I am also of the opinion most vaccinations have a positive benefit to cost equation. There are some exceptions…I just know too many people with autistic children they swore were normal up until the day after a certain vaccination. Fortunately, that never happened to us.
This internal correspondence letter that dates back to 1979 in response to an unusual number of SIDs cases in one community following vaccination in Tennessee is telling, however. The decision was to make sure a limited number of vials in each location came from the same lot number, as a wider distribution would make the cause harder to identify.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
We know these facts:
– different covid vaccines batches had different levels of side effects and death
– covid batches were distributed in such a way it could be random or it could give useful information on the effects of different batch characteristics without people easily noticing
– red states got a statistically improbable number of harmful vaccines
We also know:
– the pharmaceutical industry has used distribution trickery to hide side effects
We can presume:
– the covid vaccine was poorly tested so approval could be given, not because the pharmaceutical copany wasn’t really curious about how it really worked
Draw your own conclusions.
In other news, how is that “Two shots and you won’t get covid” working out for you?
I clearly remeber being called a science denier for trying to explain information I knew in elementary school (viruses mutate) and more advanced information I knew in high school (why we don’t have vaccines for some viruses) and information I looked up in 15 minutes (is the corona virus like the viruses we have vaccines for or more like the ones that 70 years of research hasn’t delivered anything on).
“Well boys, no way it will be two and you are done. This will be yearly like the flu.”
“Where did you get your virology degree? Are you smarter than the experts? Blah blah blah.”
And here we are.
The 8th shot is not even a booster. It is “an entirely new vaccine.”
Seeing the future so clearly is a heavy burden… less so, if I’d keep it to myself.
How about this one: Have you all moved your investments out of companies that make things consumers waste their money on and into defence companies that governments waste their money on?
setnaffa
3 months ago
Maybe the “two shots and you won’t catch the coof” was meant to cover the expected lethality?
setnaffa
3 months ago
We’re having o-jing-o tonight, so I naturally thought of this:
Korean Man
3 months ago
Domestic help workers from the Philippines will start work in Korea beginning in March. Minimum wages will start from 2.06 Million won per month (minimum wage in South Korea), plus free government-provided women-only dormitory accommodations as well as free meals.
Considering that Filipina domestic helpers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Gulf States earn very poor salaries as little as $500 a month, living poorly with their employer hosts, this is a pretty sweet deal for the Filipinas who are entering Korea to work. The South Morning China Post had an article a few weeks back where the Filipina workers in those other countries are eagerly eyeing South Korea to apply for work since the wages are much higher and better living accommodations away from their employers, will be guaranteed by the Korean government.
The question is how many Korean families can afford to spend 2 million a month on child care. How is this going to make any dent in the birth rate? I don’t see how this is going to change anything.
Last edited 3 months ago by Korean Man
Korean Man
3 months ago
Alex Au, vice president of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), said South Korea’s proposed scheme should serve as a wake-up call.
“Clearly, the Koreans are embarking on this with a very different model in mind, which may prove to be a good example in terms of hiring employment conditions and so forth, with the question of higher wages, which could potentially damage the attractiveness of a place like Singapore,” Au told Al Jazeera, adding that his organisation has been contacted by South Korean journalists, researchers and members of parliament looking for a rundown of the “pitfalls they should be looking out for”.
“Places like Singapore, which has built its own economy on the model of cheap labour, face a reckoning in the years to come … This domestic worker problem is just the beginning of some serious challenges.”
Achala Perera, a 47-year-old Sri Lankan domestic helper in Hong Kong, said she would like to relocate to a country that doesn’t treat helpers “like robots” after putting up with 16-hour workdays and little time off.
“I heard from friends in Korea who said it has a good environment, good protection for workers … If possible, I’m happy to apply to whichever country to work for a comfortable family. I’m not dependent on one country,” Perera, who earns about 5,000 Hong Kong dollars ($640) a month, told Al Jazeera.
Endang Yusita, an Indonesian domestic worker who has been working in Singapore since 2007, said she would also consider South Korea as she has heard good things about the country, enjoys K-pop acts such as BlackPink and would like to learn the Korean language.
“I heard from my friends that Korea is nice, that it has a good salary also … They said they had to study for six months on how to read and speak Korean,” she said.
Last edited 3 months ago by Korean Man
ChickenHead
3 months ago
“How is this going to make any dent in the birth rate?”
Do you mean only 100% Korean babies?
Korean Person
3 months ago
When I first came to the ROK Drop, it was the Wild West.
The right-wing setnaffa was spewing racial hatred and conspiracy theories and fake news regarding the vaccine.
On top of that, he was using sockpuppets in an attempt to amplify his message.
For those who did not agree with him, he would call them chinabots, which showed his racism and unwillingness to listen to reason.
That’s when I started my campaign.
Although there are some ways to go, I believe I’m making headway.
setnaffa’s use of sockpuppets has been reduced and although he still spews conspiracy theories and fake news, it’s not as much as in the days of the Wild West.
Look forward to more actions by the Koreans this year to rein in the Setnaffarians and protect the Korean way of life.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
A quick statistical analysis of Korea Person’s word choice and sentence structure indicates the old entry-level chinabot was replaced with a better trained one.
It’s good to see ROK Drop has become more important in China’s geopolitical worldview.
Bonus: my ássless leather chaps mean it is always the Wild West at my place
Mǐn Xiù Xī
3 months ago
It’s good to see ROK Drop has become more important in China’s geopolitical worldview.
Really?
These pathetic hillbillies are so full of themselves that they believe that the PRC would invest any time in them.
Get a life already!
ChickenHead
3 months ago
“These pathetic hillbillies are so full of themselves that they believe that the PRC would invest any time in them.”
That’s what I always wondered.
Why would China be pushing its anti-Korean propaganda on this blog? And why would it be important enough to change to a sharper chinabot when the old one was so bad he invited deserving ridicule?
Then I realized life is cheap in China and, as all three chinabots are the same person, and they likely spend 12+ hours a day hassling western blogs for very little pay, it is hardly considered an expense by the Chinese government.
Perhaps on those blogs with a lot of stupid people, it gives a good return on investment.
Eventually, chinabot managrment will realize their amateur tactics don’t work here and they are just encouraging their stupidity to be exposed… and they will assign one of their best operators or they will realize they are making the situation worse for their agenda and quietly slink away.
I don’t expect the audience is large enough to take away a chinabot from Yahoo or CNN comment section, so I expect they will slink away, or maybe use ROK Drop for occassional advanced training.
“Ahhh, you tink you expert now? You twy WOK Dwop. They quick rike tiger, smart rike dwagon, you no beat dem.”
Stephen
3 months ago
Chickenhead is, of course, not a sockuppet … he is, however, a sick puppy.
Korean Person
3 months ago
As usual setnaffa/Chickenhead is delusional, hypocritical, and racist.
Specifically, what caught my eye is this;
“Ahhh, you tink you expert now? You twy WOK Dwop. They quick rike tiger, smart rike dwagon, you no beat dem.”
‘Ahhh, you tink you expert now? You twy WOK Dwop. They quick rike tiger, smart rike dwagon, you no beat dem.”
Typical setnaffa/Chickenhead racism.’
Chinese is a nationality, not a race.
If I was making fun of Korean nationality, I would say, “Iteuh beddy beddy badeuh at LOK DLopeuh.”
Again, that would be nationalism rather than race.
Is it racism to say, “Pip pip, old boy. That butter knife is a prohibited weapon. I dare say you must stow it with your kit or I will be forced to put you on notice.”
Or…
“Ooo-la-la, zere are too many cars in lovely gay Paree, no? If we just had more Algerians, zis problem would be solved!”
Protip: I am 100% immune to being affected by all the common tools of the powerless, especially cries of -ist.
But their tears are encouraging.
Stephen
3 months ago
The 개고기 party is over.
The National Assembly on Tuesday decided to completely root out the dying practice of butchering and consuming dogs by passing a special bill that punishes such activities.
Korea Herald, January 9, 2024
“Root”?
Canuckistani subeditors replaced by Aussie comedians?
ChickenHead
3 months ago
Expect US strikes on Yemen very soon (possibly within hours) to retaliate for this week’s media weasel-worded “attack on shipping” that was actually an attack on American warships.
The aircraft carrier Eisenhower might not get hit, but it won’t be for a lack of encouragement.
It is being put in danger but everything is being done to protect it.
However, everyone knows that the protection is not 100%.
A carrier is a huge prize for America’s enemies but a successful attack would mean America is free to do anything it wants in the region.
The bonus is, if it sinks, the planned scrapping hassle and costs will be zero.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
Did I say “within hours”?
Silly me.
I meant “within the hour”.
setnaffa
3 months ago
CH, part of me thinks every time Iranian proxies shoot at US, Israeli, or allied ships, planes, or bases, someone should burn an Iranian Naval asset or missile site.
And if they get super squirrelly, a Republican Guard HQ.
And if they’re still uppity, Tehran.
But those ideas are why we’re all glad Mr. Setnaffa “Kill enough and they stop fighting” Lemay isn’t in the chain of command for strategic bombers, missiles, or the hush-hush stuff that can change sand into glow-in-the-dark-glass without massive explosions or radiation leaks.
I’m sure we’re all in good hands with the pronouns lined up and diversity insured.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
One of the things I do at work is predict certain events. I have a reputation for being right often enough that I still have a job.
Bonus: I figured out how to cheat.
I am always talking smack. Someone asked me to put some global predictions in writing. Here they are.
I added a couple of old predictions that came true. I couldn’t find any that didn’t play out.
If you disagree, feel free to say why. I have nothing to argue. This is just probably the way it will be. Time will tell.
My predictions:
– vaccine can’t work, might be dangerous, and Two Shot and Back to Normal will become Yearly Boosters
– Eventually, they won’t be able to deny covid was man-made due to genetic analysis, and it came from a Chinese lab
– Russia will invade Ukraine
– Ukraine will attack the Russian ammo storage in Transnestria to show a “victory” when funding dries up. The Russians will be happy because it removes the burden of what to do with all that outdated, unusable, toxic ammo
– The Eisenhower is due for an expensive and difficult scrapping. Letting someone sink it is preferable, as Iraq after 9/11, it gives America freedom to do whatever it wants with both domestic and international politics
– WWIII is the only way to solve America’s growing debt problem, where interest on the debt is the largest item in America’s budget, even more than defense.
– China will have economic problems which will bring about social unrest. China’s central government will either become much stronger or much weaker, ruling over competing regions with their own foreign policy. The second option is more probable.
– The Chinese government is saving an invasion of Taiwan and will use it immediately as soon as internal social unrest becomes a problem. That will delay their breakup.
– American ships vs Chinese missiles is not a contest.o
– three regional powers will emerge: Poland, funded by US defense money – Turkey, restoring the power they have had for all but the last 100 years – a remilitarized Japan securing their resource chain, much of it from a Pacific Russia and SE Asia.
– There will be encouragement to break up Russia from everyone outside of Russian to plunder its natural resources more easily.
– As church power became national power and ministers became prime ministers, Ukraine will be the first corporate state with thegovernment openly and shamelessly controlled by corporations. BlackRock will be a leader. The war will end when the corporations determine a balance had been made between Kiev being weakened to the point to accept this and the fear that Russia will take more territory the corporations want for themselves.
– History will determine the 2nd biggest loser of the war was the EU, from deindustrialization to destruction of the middle class.
– eventually, illegal aliens in America will be recognized for the problem they are. This recognition will be driven by increasingly uneducated American minorities who are facing increasing lack of jobs for the unskilled. This can be postponed by government assistance but it is unclear if that is sustainable.
– The president elected in 2024 (or 2028) is going to face incredible problems domestically, internationally, socially, economically. It will require new solutions. They will repeat the solutions that worked last time and it will be a disaster, such as Carter copying FDR. Trump is at high risk because he will copy Reagan.
– Trump will not be president (or not fully). Everyone worried about their agenda being disrupted will cheat, lie, and use lawfare. Worst case, they will kill him. It is unclear how the American public will act. The last “armed insurrection” had no guns. Americans will always look at their life and compare it to life if they revolt and fail. After watching the long pre-trial detainment and harsh sentences for peacefully walking around the capitol, most Americans will do nothing. Anyone who wants to get something done has to mobilize the losers with nothing to lose. They generally vote Democrat.
– Covid worked so well the first time, they will try again. If it is not a real threat, society will not cooperate. If it is a real threat, it can become uncontrollable.
– society will slowly recognize the Ruling Elite only looks like an organized and unified force becasue they always put their differences aside to unify against the masses. In reality, they fight amongst themselves with competing agendas, from reducing the world’s population to just destroying the middle class and making everyone a debt slave.
– Hard times will evaporate the crazy and the luxury values. The 2030s are going to be fantastic, socially, culturally, and economically. Unlike the 00s,10s, 20s, where there is no distinct decade culture, as there was from the 1900s-1990s, the 2030s will be amazingly rich. Like the 1950s after WW2, America will be focused on space.
Lots more. Discuss these, if you dare.
setnaffa
3 months ago
CH, you have a different view of human nature than I do; but I’m not willing to be against you.
@Chickenhead, I will take you up on your challenge. My comments are below each of your predictions:
– vaccine can’t work, might be dangerous, and Two Shot and Back to Normal will become Yearly Boosters
(I argue the vaccine was beneficial for the elderly and unhealthy people. There are yearly boosters and basically elderly and unhealthy people are the ones taking them. Most other Americans are now not taking the booster. The vaccine appears to have negative side effects in some people like other vaccines, but if it causing mass heart attacks like some people claim then why isn’t the US military that had mandatory vaccination not having a plague of heart attacks? I would argue the anthrax vaccine was more dangerous than COVID.)
– Eventually, they won’t be able to deny covid was man-made due to genetic analysis, and it came from a Chinese lab
(I think just about anyone with a functioning brain knows COVID came out of the Chinese lab.)
– Russia will invade Ukraine
(This was an easy prediction because Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014 and Putin’s rhetoric has always looked at Ukraine as part of Russia.)
– Ukraine will attack the Russian ammo storage in Transnestria to show a “victory” when funding dries up. The Russians will be happy because it removes the burden of what to do with all that outdated, unusable, toxic ammo
(I guess we will see what happens.)
– The Eisenhower is due for an expensive and difficult scrapping. Letting someone sink it is preferable, as Iraq after 9/11, it gives America freedom to do whatever it wants with both domestic and international politics
(US military leadership will never go along with allowing a carrier to be sunk.)
– WWIII is the only way to solve America’s growing debt problem, where interest on the debt is the largest item in America’s budget, even more than defense.
(Yes, the debt is not looking good and our politicians will probably keeping pushing off dealing with it, but in the next 20-40 years it probably cannot be ignored any more.)
– China will have economic problems which will bring about social unrest. China’s central government will either become much stronger or much weaker, ruling over competing regions with their own foreign policy. The second option is more probable.
(China’s economic problems are already happening and thus why Xi is increasing central control and emphasizing a “patriotic” education to the masses and control of the Internet. He needs the public motivated when the time comes to invade Taiwan.)
– The Chinese government is saving an invasion of Taiwan and will use it immediately as soon as internal social unrest becomes a problem. That will delay their breakup.
(Agree that Taiwan invasion is definitely on the table if economic issues threaten the rule of the CCP.)
– American ships vs Chinese missiles is not a contest.o
(Chinese missiles are very advanced and the US military has systems and plans to counter them.)
– three regional powers will emerge: Poland, funded by US defense money – Turkey, restoring the power they have had for all but the last 100 years – a remilitarized Japan securing their resource chain, much of it from a Pacific Russia and SE Asia.
(This sounds like you have read George Friedman’s book, The Next 100 Years. In the book he predicts the break up of Russia and China and the rise of Japan, Turkey, and Poland. Japan to me seems like they have a long ways to go to condition their largely pacifist public to want to be a global military power again. Turkey does seem interested in wanting to be the leader of the Middle East politically, but I doubt they want a return of the Ottoman empire where they have to rule all the crazies in the Middle East. Poland is definitely on the rise, but they just elected a leftist so we will see what happens with them. By the way in the book Friedman predicts the US and Poland will go to war with Turkey and Japan in 2050. I don’t see it happening.
– There will be encouragement to break up Russia from everyone outside of Russian to plunder its natural resources more easily.
(Friedman’s book predicted that Russia would go to war with Ukraine and the aftermath would lead to the collapse of Russia. Friedman also predicted that China would begin breaking up in 2020 which he was obviously wrong about.)
– As church power became national power and ministers became prime ministers, Ukraine will be the first corporate state with thegovernment openly and shamelessly controlled by corporations. BlackRock will be a leader. The war will end when the corporations determine a balance had been made between Kiev being weakened to the point to accept this and the fear that Russia will take more territory the corporations want for themselves.
(I don’t see a corporation like Blackrock running a nation as large as Ukraine. Would they have influence over the government, of course just like corporations through lobbyist have influence over the US government.)
– History will determine the 2nd biggest loser of the war was the EU, from deindustrialization to destruction of the middle class.
(Destruction of Europe would likely come from uncontrolled illegal immigration. It appears they are beginning to recognize this.)
– eventually, illegal aliens in America will be recognized for the problem they are. This recognition will be driven by increasingly uneducated American minorities who are facing increasing lack of jobs for the unskilled. This can be postponed by government assistance but it is unclear if that is sustainable.
(With sanctuary cities now even complaining about illegal immigrants this may become the defining compaign issue of the 2024 presidential election.)
– The president elected in 2024 (or 2028) is going to face incredible problems domestically, internationally, socially, economically. It will require new solutions. They will repeat the solutions that worked last time and it will be a disaster, such as Carter copying FDR. Trump is at high risk because he will copy Reagan.
(Friedman’s book speculated that about every 40 years a President is elected that has to push America through some crisis. The last one was Reagan who pushed America through economic problems from the Carter administration and set conditions to end the Cold War. The 2028 timeframe would then be the next point in history where another great President would need to be elected to push America through another crisis.)
– Trump will not be president (or not fully). Everyone worried about their agenda being disrupted will cheat, lie, and use lawfare. Worst case, they will kill him. It is unclear how the American public will act. The last “armed insurrection” had no guns. Americans will always look at their life and compare it to life if they revolt and fail. After watching the long pre-trial detainment and harsh sentences for peacefully walking around the capitol, most Americans will do nothing. Anyone who wants to get something done has to mobilize the losers with nothing to lose. They generally vote Democrat.
(There is definitey a highly organized effort to not allow Trump to run for President. It is ironic that Democrats that claim Trump is trying to end democracy, which is of course absurd, are trying to prevent people for voting for him.)
– Covid worked so well the first time, they will try again. If it is not a real threat, society will not cooperate. If it is a real threat, it can become uncontrollable.
(I don’t think the lockdowns will be able to happen again. I don’t see the public supporting it after what happened with the lockdowns being argubly more damaging to the country than COVID.)
– society will slowly recognize the Ruling Elite only looks like an organized and unified force becasue they always put their differences aside to unify against the masses. In reality, they fight amongst themselves with competing agendas, from reducing the world’s population to just destroying the middle class and making everyone a debt slave.
(Every society all throughout history has ruling elites. What makes America different is that anyone could become an elite. Look at Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, etc. they all were not born as elites, but made themselves into one.)
– Hard times will evaporate the crazy and the luxury values. The 2030s are going to be fantastic, socially, culturally, and economically. Unlike the 00s,10s, 20s, where there is no distinct decade culture, as there was from the 1900s-1990s, the 2030s will be amazingly rich. Like the 1950s after WW2, America will be focused on space.
(I believe the next big driver of the US economy will be space technology and SpaceX is just the early example of this.)
setnaffa
3 months ago
@GI, @CH:
George Friedman is much more believable than Tom Friedman and his idiotic taxi-driver schtick.
However, Turkey is becoming more Islamist and intolerant of Israel, Japan is imploding, population-wise, and Poland just elected globalists who are arresting their political rivals.
Russia and China may indeed fall apart; but there may not be any neighbors able to take advantage.
We are, I fear, going to look back on 2023 as a year of peace and tranquility.
Korean Man
3 months ago
South Korean business in China, are moving their operations to other countries in SEA and Japan.
Unbelievable images of night streets in China, as Japanese and Korean businesses flee
Interestingly, Korean companies are choosing Japan to move their operations to, when Japan has always been thought of as a high-cost country. But see how times have changed since Japanese average wages are now about two-thirds of South Korea’s average wages. Not that SK has a fabulously high average wage. It shows how far and hard Japan has fallen.
It’s laughable that anyone would predict that Japan will rise again to rule Asia. Rolls eyes.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
Here is my reasoning.
– vaccine can’t work, might be dangerous, and Two Shot and Back to Normal will become Yearly Boosters
(I argue the vaccine was beneficial for the elderly and unhealthy people¹. There are yearly boosters and basically elderly and unhealthy people are the ones taking them. Most other Americans are now not taking the booster². The vaccine appears to have negative side effects in some people like other vaccines³, but if it causing mass heart attacks like some people claim then why isn’t the US military that had mandatory vaccination not having a plague of heart attacks⁴? I would argue the anthrax vaccine was more dangerous than COVID.)
¹I think I may agree the vaccine benefitted people at the highest risk. We saw this group catch covid on the Diamond Princess. There was a 4% fatality rate. That is higher than the side effect rate. The numbers are so twisted, it is hard to know, though. In most places, there were more cases and more fatalities with the “more mild” onicron strain after vaccination.
²Two Shots and Back to Normal will turn into yearly boosters. Yep. Where do I pick up my prize.
³”Like other vaccines” is a common way to normalize the abnormal. A big difference is this vaccine was not needed by healthy young men who experienced the most dangerous side effect with probable long-term consequences. In the few studies done on this, it appears the rate of hear inflamation was double digit. This is needless and unacceptable.
⁴I want to agree with this but you might remeber the whistleblower who released military medical records on this showing an increase in the things you would expect an increase in. After some denial, the new story was there was an accounting mistake that started right at vaccination time. Thst was fixed. No problem. Skeptical.
In the end, I have defined “working” as they defined working. “If you get this vaccine you won’t get covid.” and “You can’t catch or spread covid with this vaccine.” But it stops global warming and brings world peace if we redefine “working” every time the results change.
– Eventually, they won’t be able to deny covid was man-made due to genetic analysis, and it came from a Chinese lab
(I think just about anyone with a functioning brain knows COVID came out of the Chinese lab.)¹
¹anyone wirh a functioning brain should have known that within months. The mental gymnastics a d accusations of racism indicate most people dont have a functioning brain. The vast majority of people refused to believe or discuss it. I don’t forget.
– Russia will invade Ukraine
(This was an easy prediction because Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014 and Putin’s rhetoric has always looked at Ukraine as part of Russia.)¹
¹easy in hindsight. I predicted this in October before the invasion and predicted exactly how it would play out. (Breakaway areas would declare independence, Russia would recognize them, Russia wouldmcome to their rescue). Of any prediction I have ever made, this got the most denial and resistance. When multinationals and embassies started making expensive decisions, I started betting money. Spoiler: profitable.
– Ukraine will attack the Russian ammo storage in Transnestria to show a “victory” when funding dries up. The Russians will be happy because it removes the burden of what to do with all that outdated, unusable, toxic ammo
(I guess we will see what happens.)¹
¹Ulraine has few paths to get attention and show a “win”. Shelling civilians in border towns where there are no millitary targets is not going to impress anyone. Missile attacks on Crimea are not highly successful. The ammo depot in Transnestria would make a great headline. Blast radius would be mistaken for size of victory.
– The Eisenhower is due for an expensive and difficult scrapping. Letting someone sink it is preferable, as Iraq after 9/11, it gives America freedom to do whatever it wants with both domestic and international politics
(US military leadership will never go along with allowing a carrier to be sunk.)¹
¹Based on America’s past, it is unclear what leadership will go along with for a bigger benefit. The reality is, they are indirectly going along with it now. The Eisenhower is sitting in missile range waiting to be hit. And there is no reason or benefit to it being there excelt as a target. After years of Saudi bombing, Yemen doesnt really have anything left to bomb. As usual, any American military action there has no definition of victory (becasue there can’t be one). Yemen can keep sending $5000 drones until America runs out of 2 million dollar missiles. Eventually, one will get through. Everybody wants to see an American carrier get injured. Iran has some very good hardware and will supply it to Yemen. Russia remembers the real-time data America gave Ukraine that helped them sink the Moskova, Russia’s Black Sea flagship. They will be happy to point Yemen in the right direction. In short, America has no real reason to have a carrier in missile range of hateful people with a lot of missiles… except… if offering temptation.
– WWIII is the only way to solve America’s growing debt problem, where interest on the debt is the largest item in America’s budget, even more than defense.
(Yes, the debt is not looking good and our politicians will probably keeping pushing off dealing with it, but in the next 20-40 years it probably cannot be ignored any more.)¹
¹as of this year, the interest on the debt is the #1 expense and it will be even bigger next year as low-rate debt rolls over to higher-rate debt. This cannot get pushed many more years. America’s military budget will have to shrink as it grows. Of course, welfare could be shrunk, but that is buying subservience, and if it shrinks, the streets will be filled with angry burners and looters… who burn and loot even on a full stomach. Right now is the last chance while the military is at its peak.
– China will have economic problems which will bring about social unrest. China’s central government will either become much stronger or much weaker, ruling over competing regions with their own foreign policy. The second option is more probable.
(China’s economic problems are already happening and thus why Xi is increasing central control and emphasizing a “patriotic” education to the masses and control of the Internet. He needs the public motivated when the time comes to invade Taiwan.)
– The Chinese government is saving an invasion of Taiwan and will use it immediately as soon as internal social unrest becomes a problem. That will delay their breakup.
(Agree that Taiwan invasion is definitely on the table if economic issues threaten the rule of the CCP.)
– American ships vs Chinese missiles is not a contest.o
(Chinese missiles are very advanced and the US military has systems and plans to counter them.)¹
¹I just read a report on this issue (which also applies to the Eisenhower). Shortest version: statistically, America has to have a 100% success rate in defending against incoming missiles. The enemy only needs one to get through. As there are many potential points of failure in the system, the confidence level for 100% success is not high.
– three regional powers will emerge: Poland, funded by US defense money – Turkey, restoring the power they have had for all but the last 100 years – a remilitarized Japan securing their resource chain, much of it from a Pacific Russia and SE Asia.
(This sounds like you have read George Friedman’s book, The Next 100 Years.¹ In the book he predicts the break up of Russia and China and the rise of Japan, Turkey, and Poland. Japan to me seems like they have a long ways to go to condition their largely pacifist public to want to be a global military power again². Turkey does seem interested in wanting to be the leader of the Middle East politically, but I doubt they want a return of the Ottoman empire where they have to rule all the crazies in the Middle East³. Poland is definitely on the rise, but they just elected a leftist so we will see what happens with them. ⁴By the way in the book Friedman predicts the US and Poland will go to war with Turkey and Japan in 2050. I don’t see it happening.⁵
¹I just read a bit of it on your recommendation… will finish next week. He is spot on, so far… though fixed dates is a little bold.
²Japan is alread remilitarizing… and their upgrades are offensive rather than defensive in nature. It is already happening.
³I see Turkey being a leader in the islamic world, heavily influencing the Balkins, doing something in Syria, and occupying Armenia and Georgia at some point. They are hard workers and smart workers.
⁴the new leftist is a pro globalization guy… fits right into the plan
⁵I wouldn’t want to put a date on anything. As of now, I can’t see a US-Poland / Turkey war either.
– There will be encouragement to break up Russia from everyone outside of Russian to plunder its natural resources more easily.
(Friedman’s book predicted that Russia would go to war with Ukraine and the aftermath would lead to the collapse of Russia¹. Friedman also predicted that China would begin breaking up in 2020 which he was obviously wrong about.)²
¹nonsense. This war has made Russia stronger. It has increased the industrial base and unified the people. Bonus: 30% more oil revenue while Europe buys Russian energy at a higher price from middlemen from Turkey to India.
²Dates are tricky. It depends on the economy. Right now, America needs China. But as America reindustrializes, China will be less necessary. Bonus: reindustrialization will have robots doing the Jobs No-skill Americans Normally Do. They will remain a publoc expense.
– As church power became national power and ministers became prime ministers, Ukraine will be the first corporate state with thegovernment openly and shamelessly controlled by corporations. BlackRock will be a leader. The war will end when the corporations determine a balance had been made between Kiev being weakened to the point to accept this and the fear that Russia will take more territory the corporations want for themselves.
(I don’t see a corporation like Blackrock running a nation as large as Ukraine. Would they have influence over the government, of course just like corporations through lobbyist have influence over the US government.)¹
¹BlackRock et al already control the American government and that isnt really hidden to anyone paying attention. Bills are written by industry. Donations are made by industry. Etc. In Ukraine, the corporate control of the country will be obvious to even those not paying attention.
– History will determine the 2nd biggest loser of the war was the EU, from deindustrialization to destruction of the middle class.
(Destruction of Europe would likely come from uncontrolled illegal immigration. It appears they are beginning to recognize this.)¹
¹Ha! It is a multifront assault on Europe. That is yet another one.
– eventually, illegal aliens in America will be recognized for the problem they are. This recognition will be driven by increasingly uneducated American minorities who are facing increasing lack of jobs for the unskilled. This can be postponed by government assistance but it is unclear if that is sustainable.
(With sanctuary cities now even complaining about illegal immigrants this may become the defining compaign issue of the 2024 presidential election.)¹
Yep. But the Deep State has made up its mind and the Administrative State goes along.
– The president elected in 2024 (or 2028) is going to face incredible problems domestically, internationally, socially, economically. It will require new solutions. They will repeat the solutions that worked last time and it will be a disaster, such as Carter copying FDR. Trump is at high risk because he will copy Reagan.
(Friedman’s book speculated that about every 40 years a President is elected that has to push America through some crisis. The last one was Reagan who pushed America through economic problems from the Carter administration and set conditions to end the Cold War. The 2028 timeframe would then be the next point in history where another great President would need to be elected to push America through another crisis.)¹
¹This is a known cycle. It is unclear to me if the Biden administration is Ford or Carter and if the next president will be Carter or Reagan. I dont believe copying Reagan’s solutions will work this cycle. I believe Trump would be at very high risk of trying to copy Reagan’s solutions.
– Trump will not be president (or not fully). Everyone worried about their agenda being disrupted will cheat, lie, and use lawfare. Worst case, they will kill him. It is unclear how the American public will act. The last “armed insurrection” had no guns. Americans will always look at their life and compare it to life if they revolt and fail. After watching the long pre-trial detainment and harsh sentences for peacefully walking around the capitol, most Americans will do nothing. Anyone who wants to get something done has to mobilize the losers with nothing to lose. They generally vote Democrat.
(There is definitey a highly organized effort to not allow Trump to run for President. It is ironic that Democrats that claim Trump is trying to end democracy, which is of course absurd, are trying to prevent people for voting for him.)¹
¹If he follows through on even a fraction of his promises, the globalist agenda will be aet back. They cannot let him be president.
– Covid worked so well the first time, they will try again. If it is not a real threat, society will not cooperate. If it is a real threat, it can become uncontrollable.
(I don’t think the lockdowns will be able to happen again. I don’t see the public supporting it after what happened with the lockdowns being argubly more damaging to the country than COVID.)¹
¹There is a shockingly high percentage of people who belive they are still alive only because of vaccines, masks, and lockdowns.
– society will slowly recognize the Ruling Elite only looks like an organized and unified force becasue they always put their differences aside to unify against the masses. In reality, they fight amongst themselves with competing agendas, from reducing the world’s population to just destroying the middle class and making everyone a debt slave.
(Every society all throughout history has ruling elites. What makes America different is that anyone could become an elite. Look at Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, etc. they all were not born as elites, but made themselves into one.)¹
¹Every society has a ruling elite is a nice statement but it misses the point that sometimes the ruling elite is composed of philosopher kings interested in a just an prosperous society and sometimes they are looking to own people. Even a cursory glance at most of the world leaders find dunces.
– Hard times will evaporate the crazy and the luxury values. The 2030s are going to be fantastic, socially, culturally, and economically. Unlike the 00s,10s, 20s, where there is no distinct decade culture, as there was from the 1900s-1990s, the 2030s will be amazingly rich. Like the 1950s after WW2, America will be focused on space.
(I believe the next big driver of the US economy will be space technology and SpaceX is just the early example of this.)¹
¹sad the government is looking to hurt Musk and his companies because he pretty close to a philosopher king
ChickenHead
3 months ago
I should elaborate a bit more on why American ships are vulnerable off the coast of Yemen.
Worse, everybody at the top knows they are vulnerable and they are intentionally being put in harm’s way by military leadership to provoke an attack that would give America domestic, and grudging international, support to retaliate against… whoever needs a smack.
This would probably be Iran… but who knows. Iraq got blamed for 9/11.
So why are American ships there and what is the plan, you ask?
That is a great question. Let’s see what constitutes victory.
There is no answer because there can be no answer. Farcical answers like bringing freedom and democracy to Yemen aside, there is nothing America can do without boots on the ground to modify current Houthi behavior.
Based on America’s track record, boots on the ground, a trillion dollars, and 20 years, would just replace the Houthi with a better armed Houthi with no modified behavior.
Maybe victory is stopping Houthi attacks on shipping.
Can America stop Houthi attacks on shipping?
Yes, until it can’t.
America does not have enough expensive air defense missiles to counter the Houthi’s unlimited supply of cheap threats. America does not have enough bombs to do anything 8 years of Saudi bombing did not.
Eventually, the American ships have to be resupplied, more AA missiles have to be made, and more money has to be printed to make this happen.
For all the talk of sustainability, I have not seen the American military practice it in any aspect besides encouraging a sustainable supply of marginalized people, most of which are marginalized for a reason and need to stay that way.
If there is clearly no path to “victory”, why get involved?
…unless you are stupid…
…or you have a deeper plan.
Assuming America is stupid, it needs to get unstupid.
This is not a problem that can be solved. It is a situation that must be managed.
Proper management would be telling Israel-associated ships, “Sorry, you brought this on yoursleves. You best take the long way ’round until this blows over.”
Then America pulls its navy out of the area and the whole situation deescalates. The Houthis fire their missiles at Israel instead of ships.
America uses the saved money to fix roads, encourage math education, maybe take another look at cheaper healthcare.
Instead, America is playing a game that cannot be won and, best case, will result in failure and embarrassment. Worst case, bigger failure and more embarassment.
Or maybe there is a deeper plan.
Somebody in the American navy must have been paying attention to the performance of American air defense up there in Ukraine.
It isn’t 100%.
When you park a carrier in missile range of people with missiles, who would get a great deal of street cred in a successful attack on a carrier, what exactly is your expectation when you fully know your defense success rate is not 100%?
Maybe, somewhere, an admiral is saying, “Sure, she works in a bar, but she is different.”
What conclusion can be drawn beyond there being some expectation by everyone involved of an eventual successful attack on an American warship.
Further, consider that America has one expendable aircraft carrier. That happens to be the one sent to the area where a successful attack on an aircraft carrier is a mathematical certainty with enough tries.
The Eisenhower is due to be scrapped and the expense and regulatory compliance is overwhelming. It is cheaper, easier, and more supportive of readiness to lose this old carrier and concentrate on its replacement.
We have motive, means, and opportunity here.
Of course it may not happen, but it won’t be for lack of encouragement.
I invite disagreement with the ideas presented here.
Most specifically, I am interested in:
– What would be considered victory where a mission accomplished banner can be hoisted and (non-alcoholic) champagne can be opened?
– What is expected to be accomplished by American strikes?
– What is the long-term plan, such as stay forever shooting down a functionally infinite supply of cheap drones/rockets/missiles?
– Have I mistaken the situation and the Eisenhower is, in fact, perfectly safe from any attack?
Stephen
3 months ago
Somebody in the American navy …
Shirley, Chief Petty Officer Korean Person will be wondering if there’s been another Philadelphia Experiment on the US Navy.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
“Shirley, Chief Petty Officer Korean Person will be wondering if there’s been another Philadelphia Experiment on the US Navy.”
Possibly.
And stop deadnaming me.
setnaffa
3 months ago
@CH, the USS Eisenhower is perfectly safe. All of their pronoun batteries are fully-charged and their non-binary aircraft are absolutely ready to take on white people and climate change.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
Carriers have layers and layers of protection.
…until you get the drop on them.
Remember MC’02?
It ws Van Riper vs. our old friend B.B. Bell, prior to getting another star and “leading” USFK.
Van Riper fought “non-doctrinally,” meaning he climbed out of the well and dropped rocks on the other frogs. That was… unfair.
End result: Using a low-tech attack to get around all the artificial handicapps designed to ensure a big win for the home team rather than any sort of actual learning experience, Van Riper sunk 19 ships, including the carrier, while Bell was still picking his nose and wondering what solid block of meteocrity he was going to carve is speech from when he got his next star.
If you look at the entire excercise, it arguably taught America’s enemies more than it taught America.
Iran could openly recreate Van Riper’s victory, but there would be concequences.
Yemen?
Let’s see… Iranian weapons and Russian guidance, as they raise their vodka glasses in remeberance of America’s participation in the sinking of the Moskova?
And what are the concequences?
Carpet bomb some ruins in Yemen and declare victory?
The sinking of an American carrier would benefit America’s enemies unbelievably… Iran, Russia, China… and there would be no real concequences for those actually responsible.
America would kick over the checkers board in all the proxy countries in shame, but there is a gentleman’s agreement they are disposable and to be used as needed… see Gaza, for an example.
Bonus: All the explanations about why this can’t happen really feel like rationalizations.
That’s right, CH. Our military, under the gallant leadership of the SCOAMF-in-Chief, pulled off a brilliant recreation of the wargames the Japanese under Admiral Yamamoto did just before the Battle of Midway. Their homage to that whiskey-drinking poker-playing, Harvard graduate is certainly to be studied in detail.
(“In pre-battle war games, the Japanese commander playing the U.S. “OPFOR” did exactly what Nimitz did, with results that were remarkably close to what actually happened, but his actions were ruled “impossible” by the game umpire, and the Japanese game losses were resurrected.” — see www[.]history[.]navy[.]mil[/]about-us/leadership/director[/]directors-corner[/]h-grams[/]h-gram-006[/]h-006-1[.]html)
They lost 4 aircraft carriers in that battle. However, as I pointed out above the Eisenhower’s crew have their pronouns and diversity fully squared away.
Oh, and no one but the jets of the USS Eisenhower could prevent Israeli jets from nuking Tehran and their allies in the region.
Last edited 3 months ago by setnaffa
Stephen
3 months ago
USS Iowa has sunk CSS DeSantis.
ChickenHead
3 months ago
DeSantis is possibly the 2nd dumbest man in politics right now.
He was a shoe-in for 2028 if he had kept doing a sensible job in Florida, read the room, and supported whatever the voters were supporting (which seems to be Trump).
Instead, he tried to steal America-First MAGA Trump supporters by openly siding with the Deep State and crapping on Trump.
Madness.
He might recover by 2028 if he atones for the next 4 years by humming Trump’s nuts with enthusiasm proportional to Trump’s popularity.
Or maybe someone else will come along and he will be forgotten faster than Gary Hart, Michael Dukakis, and Hugh G. Rection.
Liz
3 months ago
Iowa caucus results are in…
Liz
3 months ago
In other news….
yesterday was the first day I’ve ever seen our beagle not want to go for a walk. Which is good, because it was -22. I touched the lock on the door outside and the metal was cold enough to burn.
Today it should be up in the 20s, so I’ll try that walk again.
It now appears Taiwan’s new subs were developed using stolen technologies and blueprints from South Korea. Former South Korean engineers charged with handing over the sub designs to Taiwan.
https://www.ft.com/content/e33fe697-1e12-4214-9c45-8e677a1e61d8
Happy 1st Weekend of 2024!
May your year be full of blessings that you can share!!!
They are now wangtta, their lives are over.
Why parents still vaccinate their kids is beyond me – after the lid has been blown off Pharma’s biggest cash cow. And don’t even say “but polio”. That was a scam too.
Below article reports how four children were given the wrong shot by accident (an easy argument could be made that they’re all wrong) but won’t say which shot they were given.
The Kadena Health Clinic stated they will make necessary adjustments they strive to offer safe and effective healthcare.
I wonder if S&S will follow up to report if any of the victims die or become disabled.
Oh, and I’m sure this is just a coincidence.
I am confused about the vaccines I was given. One involved getting jabbed a number of times, resulting in a slightly sunken area. Another, according to my memory, was essentially a sugarcube with something dripped on it.
One was polio, the other smallpox; but I don’t remember and I am too lazy to look it up tonight.
The rest were all needles in the upper arm. Only Typhoid really hurt.
Hmmm… probably coming up on Tetanus again…
Mcgeehee, i have always believed in the basic vaccines that very clearly show an unquestionable reduction of diseases I don’t want.
I further have always believed in the extended set that allowed me to scoff at Africans while drinking standing water off a pygmy corpse.
I understand there could be side effects. I understand there may (or may not) be some link to autism.
But the basic math of a risk assessment tells me the rate of side effects and autism is lower than the horror that once was smallpox in the pre-vaccine era.
These successful vaccines (and many failed ones) were properly tested on poor non-white people in poor non-white counties in sincere tests before being introduced to the people of the developed world.
I believe these vaccines were introduced with the good intentions of designers, manufacturers, and a government interested in public health and the wellbeing of the nation.
I also believe parents should be able to have a choice for their children. Unlike the covid vaccine, that everybody suspected didn’t work from the beginning, I have confidence in the mumps vaccine and give zero fúcks if your kids are vaccinated or not. Their lack of vaccination doesn’t “endanger my health.”
I will put my money where my mouth is on this and make out with anyone’s unvaccinated 16 year-old daughter if I need to prove my confidence.
But now I have noticed a growing number of required vaccines.
Many of them are for diseases that are rare and/or not really a problem. The risk of side effects become higher than the risk of the disease.
Designers are just doing their job, and their job is to get something to market quickly before the next congressional budget talks. The manufacturers want to put something out that brings in guaranteed montly income and they can easily generate statistics that shows the safety and effectiveness of snake oil and synthetic unicorn tears. The government is openly owned by everyone but the electors to the point they no longer care if it is obvious.
I no longer feel good intentions, I no longer trust anyone involved, and i don’t even trust the original vaccines aren’t adulterated in some experimental way.
There is open talk of ways to use subterfuge to get people vaccinated. And already new vaccines are coming out based on mRNA when we all just watched it fail in a spectacular way. Part of this failure was the whole concept of the covid vaccine, which couldn’t even work in theory, and part of it is the fundemental technology of mRNA which didn’t work as expected (or maybe it did.)
Example: It didn’t “stay in the arm” and it didn’t “go away in 3 days”.
But it does seem to hold promise, so they can keep experimenting until they get it right. The government can assist with mandates to make up for reluctance in the third world where they are no longer so cooperative. It is now cheaper to pay off a congressman than a dictator.
We have all just watched the rapid corruption of the pharmaceutical and medical industries in realtime and a govenrment that promoted this corruption by coercion, censorship, and force.
It is unclear what a parent should now do when it comes time to vaccinate their children.
It would require a lot more consideration than it once did.
I know our oldest son and his wife are planning on home schooling their (future, if they are blessed with them) children. I haven’t discussed vaccines with them…it will be interesting to see what they decide on that. I think they are less trusting after the past couple of years (they are both jabbed and had one booster…she had a mild autoimmune skin condition following the booster which has lasted over a year so far).
I am also of the opinion most vaccinations have a positive benefit to cost equation. There are some exceptions…I just know too many people with autistic children they swore were normal up until the day after a certain vaccination. Fortunately, that never happened to us.
This internal correspondence letter that dates back to 1979 in response to an unusual number of SIDs cases in one community following vaccination in Tennessee is telling, however. The decision was to make sure a limited number of vials in each location came from the same lot number, as a wider distribution would make the cause harder to identify.
We know these facts:
– different covid vaccines batches had different levels of side effects and death
– covid batches were distributed in such a way it could be random or it could give useful information on the effects of different batch characteristics without people easily noticing
– red states got a statistically improbable number of harmful vaccines
We also know:
– the pharmaceutical industry has used distribution trickery to hide side effects
We can presume:
– the covid vaccine was poorly tested so approval could be given, not because the pharmaceutical copany wasn’t really curious about how it really worked
Draw your own conclusions.
In other news, how is that “Two shots and you won’t get covid” working out for you?
I clearly remeber being called a science denier for trying to explain information I knew in elementary school (viruses mutate) and more advanced information I knew in high school (why we don’t have vaccines for some viruses) and information I looked up in 15 minutes (is the corona virus like the viruses we have vaccines for or more like the ones that 70 years of research hasn’t delivered anything on).
“Well boys, no way it will be two and you are done. This will be yearly like the flu.”
“Where did you get your virology degree? Are you smarter than the experts? Blah blah blah.”
And here we are.
The 8th shot is not even a booster. It is “an entirely new vaccine.”
Seeing the future so clearly is a heavy burden… less so, if I’d keep it to myself.
How about this one: Have you all moved your investments out of companies that make things consumers waste their money on and into defence companies that governments waste their money on?
Maybe the “two shots and you won’t catch the coof” was meant to cover the expected lethality?
We’re having o-jing-o tonight, so I naturally thought of this:
Domestic help workers from the Philippines will start work in Korea beginning in March. Minimum wages will start from 2.06 Million won per month (minimum wage in South Korea), plus free government-provided women-only dormitory accommodations as well as free meals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmmkU59NHt0&ab_channel=YTN
Considering that Filipina domestic helpers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Gulf States earn very poor salaries as little as $500 a month, living poorly with their employer hosts, this is a pretty sweet deal for the Filipinas who are entering Korea to work. The South Morning China Post had an article a few weeks back where the Filipina workers in those other countries are eagerly eyeing South Korea to apply for work since the wages are much higher and better living accommodations away from their employers, will be guaranteed by the Korean government.
The question is how many Korean families can afford to spend 2 million a month on child care. How is this going to make any dent in the birth rate? I don’t see how this is going to change anything.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/7/5/singapore-and-hong-kongs-domestic-helpers-eye-korean-dream
“How is this going to make any dent in the birth rate?”
Do you mean only 100% Korean babies?
When I first came to the ROK Drop, it was the Wild West.
The right-wing setnaffa was spewing racial hatred and conspiracy theories and fake news regarding the vaccine.
On top of that, he was using sockpuppets in an attempt to amplify his message.
For those who did not agree with him, he would call them chinabots, which showed his racism and unwillingness to listen to reason.
That’s when I started my campaign.
Although there are some ways to go, I believe I’m making headway.
setnaffa’s use of sockpuppets has been reduced and although he still spews conspiracy theories and fake news, it’s not as much as in the days of the Wild West.
Look forward to more actions by the Koreans this year to rein in the Setnaffarians and protect the Korean way of life.
A quick statistical analysis of Korea Person’s word choice and sentence structure indicates the old entry-level chinabot was replaced with a better trained one.
It’s good to see ROK Drop has become more important in China’s geopolitical worldview.
Bonus: my ássless leather chaps mean it is always the Wild West at my place
Really?
These pathetic hillbillies are so full of themselves that they believe that the PRC would invest any time in them.
Get a life already!
“These pathetic hillbillies are so full of themselves that they believe that the PRC would invest any time in them.”
That’s what I always wondered.
Why would China be pushing its anti-Korean propaganda on this blog? And why would it be important enough to change to a sharper chinabot when the old one was so bad he invited deserving ridicule?
Then I realized life is cheap in China and, as all three chinabots are the same person, and they likely spend 12+ hours a day hassling western blogs for very little pay, it is hardly considered an expense by the Chinese government.
Perhaps on those blogs with a lot of stupid people, it gives a good return on investment.
Eventually, chinabot managrment will realize their amateur tactics don’t work here and they are just encouraging their stupidity to be exposed… and they will assign one of their best operators or they will realize they are making the situation worse for their agenda and quietly slink away.
I don’t expect the audience is large enough to take away a chinabot from Yahoo or CNN comment section, so I expect they will slink away, or maybe use ROK Drop for occassional advanced training.
“Ahhh, you tink you expert now? You twy WOK Dwop. They quick rike tiger, smart rike dwagon, you no beat dem.”
Chickenhead is, of course, not a sockuppet … he is, however, a sick puppy.
As usual setnaffa/Chickenhead is delusional, hypocritical, and racist.
Specifically, what caught my eye is this;
“Ahhh, you tink you expert now? You twy WOK Dwop. They quick rike tiger, smart rike dwagon, you no beat dem.”
Typical setnaffa/Chickenhead racism.
“pathetic hillbillies” Sounds like it came off a redneck insult generator: http://jawjahboy.com/games/insult/
‘Ahhh, you tink you expert now? You twy WOK Dwop. They quick rike tiger, smart rike dwagon, you no beat dem.”
Typical setnaffa/Chickenhead racism.’
Chinese is a nationality, not a race.
If I was making fun of Korean nationality, I would say, “Iteuh beddy beddy badeuh at LOK DLopeuh.”
Again, that would be nationalism rather than race.
Is it racism to say, “Pip pip, old boy. That butter knife is a prohibited weapon. I dare say you must stow it with your kit or I will be forced to put you on notice.”
Or…
“Ooo-la-la, zere are too many cars in lovely gay Paree, no? If we just had more Algerians, zis problem would be solved!”
Protip: I am 100% immune to being affected by all the common tools of the powerless, especially cries of -ist.
But their tears are encouraging.
The 개고기 party is over.
The National Assembly on Tuesday decided to completely root out the dying practice of butchering and consuming dogs by passing a special bill that punishes such activities.
Korea Herald, January 9, 2024
“Root”?
Canuckistani subeditors replaced by Aussie comedians?
Expect US strikes on Yemen very soon (possibly within hours) to retaliate for this week’s media weasel-worded “attack on shipping” that was actually an attack on American warships.
The aircraft carrier Eisenhower might not get hit, but it won’t be for a lack of encouragement.
It is being put in danger but everything is being done to protect it.
However, everyone knows that the protection is not 100%.
A carrier is a huge prize for America’s enemies but a successful attack would mean America is free to do anything it wants in the region.
The bonus is, if it sinks, the planned scrapping hassle and costs will be zero.
Did I say “within hours”?
Silly me.
I meant “within the hour”.
CH, part of me thinks every time Iranian proxies shoot at US, Israeli, or allied ships, planes, or bases, someone should burn an Iranian Naval asset or missile site.
And if they get super squirrelly, a Republican Guard HQ.
And if they’re still uppity, Tehran.
But those ideas are why we’re all glad Mr. Setnaffa “Kill enough and they stop fighting” Lemay isn’t in the chain of command for strategic bombers, missiles, or the hush-hush stuff that can change sand into glow-in-the-dark-glass without massive explosions or radiation leaks.
I’m sure we’re all in good hands with the pronouns lined up and diversity insured.
One of the things I do at work is predict certain events. I have a reputation for being right often enough that I still have a job.
Bonus: I figured out how to cheat.
I am always talking smack. Someone asked me to put some global predictions in writing. Here they are.
I added a couple of old predictions that came true. I couldn’t find any that didn’t play out.
If you disagree, feel free to say why. I have nothing to argue. This is just probably the way it will be. Time will tell.
My predictions:
– vaccine can’t work, might be dangerous, and Two Shot and Back to Normal will become Yearly Boosters
– Eventually, they won’t be able to deny covid was man-made due to genetic analysis, and it came from a Chinese lab
– Russia will invade Ukraine
– Ukraine will attack the Russian ammo storage in Transnestria to show a “victory” when funding dries up. The Russians will be happy because it removes the burden of what to do with all that outdated, unusable, toxic ammo
– The Eisenhower is due for an expensive and difficult scrapping. Letting someone sink it is preferable, as Iraq after 9/11, it gives America freedom to do whatever it wants with both domestic and international politics
– WWIII is the only way to solve America’s growing debt problem, where interest on the debt is the largest item in America’s budget, even more than defense.
– China will have economic problems which will bring about social unrest. China’s central government will either become much stronger or much weaker, ruling over competing regions with their own foreign policy. The second option is more probable.
– The Chinese government is saving an invasion of Taiwan and will use it immediately as soon as internal social unrest becomes a problem. That will delay their breakup.
– American ships vs Chinese missiles is not a contest.o
– three regional powers will emerge: Poland, funded by US defense money – Turkey, restoring the power they have had for all but the last 100 years – a remilitarized Japan securing their resource chain, much of it from a Pacific Russia and SE Asia.
– There will be encouragement to break up Russia from everyone outside of Russian to plunder its natural resources more easily.
– As church power became national power and ministers became prime ministers, Ukraine will be the first corporate state with thegovernment openly and shamelessly controlled by corporations. BlackRock will be a leader. The war will end when the corporations determine a balance had been made between Kiev being weakened to the point to accept this and the fear that Russia will take more territory the corporations want for themselves.
– History will determine the 2nd biggest loser of the war was the EU, from deindustrialization to destruction of the middle class.
– eventually, illegal aliens in America will be recognized for the problem they are. This recognition will be driven by increasingly uneducated American minorities who are facing increasing lack of jobs for the unskilled. This can be postponed by government assistance but it is unclear if that is sustainable.
– The president elected in 2024 (or 2028) is going to face incredible problems domestically, internationally, socially, economically. It will require new solutions. They will repeat the solutions that worked last time and it will be a disaster, such as Carter copying FDR. Trump is at high risk because he will copy Reagan.
– Trump will not be president (or not fully). Everyone worried about their agenda being disrupted will cheat, lie, and use lawfare. Worst case, they will kill him. It is unclear how the American public will act. The last “armed insurrection” had no guns. Americans will always look at their life and compare it to life if they revolt and fail. After watching the long pre-trial detainment and harsh sentences for peacefully walking around the capitol, most Americans will do nothing. Anyone who wants to get something done has to mobilize the losers with nothing to lose. They generally vote Democrat.
– Covid worked so well the first time, they will try again. If it is not a real threat, society will not cooperate. If it is a real threat, it can become uncontrollable.
– society will slowly recognize the Ruling Elite only looks like an organized and unified force becasue they always put their differences aside to unify against the masses. In reality, they fight amongst themselves with competing agendas, from reducing the world’s population to just destroying the middle class and making everyone a debt slave.
– Hard times will evaporate the crazy and the luxury values. The 2030s are going to be fantastic, socially, culturally, and economically. Unlike the 00s,10s, 20s, where there is no distinct decade culture, as there was from the 1900s-1990s, the 2030s will be amazingly rich. Like the 1950s after WW2, America will be focused on space.
Lots more. Discuss these, if you dare.
CH, you have a different view of human nature than I do; but I’m not willing to be against you.
@Chickenhead, I will take you up on your challenge. My comments are below each of your predictions:
– vaccine can’t work, might be dangerous, and Two Shot and Back to Normal will become Yearly Boosters
(I argue the vaccine was beneficial for the elderly and unhealthy people. There are yearly boosters and basically elderly and unhealthy people are the ones taking them. Most other Americans are now not taking the booster. The vaccine appears to have negative side effects in some people like other vaccines, but if it causing mass heart attacks like some people claim then why isn’t the US military that had mandatory vaccination not having a plague of heart attacks? I would argue the anthrax vaccine was more dangerous than COVID.)
– Eventually, they won’t be able to deny covid was man-made due to genetic analysis, and it came from a Chinese lab
(I think just about anyone with a functioning brain knows COVID came out of the Chinese lab.)
– Russia will invade Ukraine
(This was an easy prediction because Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014 and Putin’s rhetoric has always looked at Ukraine as part of Russia.)
– Ukraine will attack the Russian ammo storage in Transnestria to show a “victory” when funding dries up. The Russians will be happy because it removes the burden of what to do with all that outdated, unusable, toxic ammo
(I guess we will see what happens.)
– The Eisenhower is due for an expensive and difficult scrapping. Letting someone sink it is preferable, as Iraq after 9/11, it gives America freedom to do whatever it wants with both domestic and international politics
(US military leadership will never go along with allowing a carrier to be sunk.)
– WWIII is the only way to solve America’s growing debt problem, where interest on the debt is the largest item in America’s budget, even more than defense.
(Yes, the debt is not looking good and our politicians will probably keeping pushing off dealing with it, but in the next 20-40 years it probably cannot be ignored any more.)
– China will have economic problems which will bring about social unrest. China’s central government will either become much stronger or much weaker, ruling over competing regions with their own foreign policy. The second option is more probable.
(China’s economic problems are already happening and thus why Xi is increasing central control and emphasizing a “patriotic” education to the masses and control of the Internet. He needs the public motivated when the time comes to invade Taiwan.)
– The Chinese government is saving an invasion of Taiwan and will use it immediately as soon as internal social unrest becomes a problem. That will delay their breakup.
(Agree that Taiwan invasion is definitely on the table if economic issues threaten the rule of the CCP.)
– American ships vs Chinese missiles is not a contest.o
(Chinese missiles are very advanced and the US military has systems and plans to counter them.)
– three regional powers will emerge: Poland, funded by US defense money – Turkey, restoring the power they have had for all but the last 100 years – a remilitarized Japan securing their resource chain, much of it from a Pacific Russia and SE Asia.
(This sounds like you have read George Friedman’s book, The Next 100 Years. In the book he predicts the break up of Russia and China and the rise of Japan, Turkey, and Poland. Japan to me seems like they have a long ways to go to condition their largely pacifist public to want to be a global military power again. Turkey does seem interested in wanting to be the leader of the Middle East politically, but I doubt they want a return of the Ottoman empire where they have to rule all the crazies in the Middle East. Poland is definitely on the rise, but they just elected a leftist so we will see what happens with them. By the way in the book Friedman predicts the US and Poland will go to war with Turkey and Japan in 2050. I don’t see it happening.
– There will be encouragement to break up Russia from everyone outside of Russian to plunder its natural resources more easily.
(Friedman’s book predicted that Russia would go to war with Ukraine and the aftermath would lead to the collapse of Russia. Friedman also predicted that China would begin breaking up in 2020 which he was obviously wrong about.)
– As church power became national power and ministers became prime ministers, Ukraine will be the first corporate state with thegovernment openly and shamelessly controlled by corporations. BlackRock will be a leader. The war will end when the corporations determine a balance had been made between Kiev being weakened to the point to accept this and the fear that Russia will take more territory the corporations want for themselves.
(I don’t see a corporation like Blackrock running a nation as large as Ukraine. Would they have influence over the government, of course just like corporations through lobbyist have influence over the US government.)
– History will determine the 2nd biggest loser of the war was the EU, from deindustrialization to destruction of the middle class.
(Destruction of Europe would likely come from uncontrolled illegal immigration. It appears they are beginning to recognize this.)
– eventually, illegal aliens in America will be recognized for the problem they are. This recognition will be driven by increasingly uneducated American minorities who are facing increasing lack of jobs for the unskilled. This can be postponed by government assistance but it is unclear if that is sustainable.
(With sanctuary cities now even complaining about illegal immigrants this may become the defining compaign issue of the 2024 presidential election.)
– The president elected in 2024 (or 2028) is going to face incredible problems domestically, internationally, socially, economically. It will require new solutions. They will repeat the solutions that worked last time and it will be a disaster, such as Carter copying FDR. Trump is at high risk because he will copy Reagan.
(Friedman’s book speculated that about every 40 years a President is elected that has to push America through some crisis. The last one was Reagan who pushed America through economic problems from the Carter administration and set conditions to end the Cold War. The 2028 timeframe would then be the next point in history where another great President would need to be elected to push America through another crisis.)
– Trump will not be president (or not fully). Everyone worried about their agenda being disrupted will cheat, lie, and use lawfare. Worst case, they will kill him. It is unclear how the American public will act. The last “armed insurrection” had no guns. Americans will always look at their life and compare it to life if they revolt and fail. After watching the long pre-trial detainment and harsh sentences for peacefully walking around the capitol, most Americans will do nothing. Anyone who wants to get something done has to mobilize the losers with nothing to lose. They generally vote Democrat.
(There is definitey a highly organized effort to not allow Trump to run for President. It is ironic that Democrats that claim Trump is trying to end democracy, which is of course absurd, are trying to prevent people for voting for him.)
– Covid worked so well the first time, they will try again. If it is not a real threat, society will not cooperate. If it is a real threat, it can become uncontrollable.
(I don’t think the lockdowns will be able to happen again. I don’t see the public supporting it after what happened with the lockdowns being argubly more damaging to the country than COVID.)
– society will slowly recognize the Ruling Elite only looks like an organized and unified force becasue they always put their differences aside to unify against the masses. In reality, they fight amongst themselves with competing agendas, from reducing the world’s population to just destroying the middle class and making everyone a debt slave.
(Every society all throughout history has ruling elites. What makes America different is that anyone could become an elite. Look at Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, etc. they all were not born as elites, but made themselves into one.)
– Hard times will evaporate the crazy and the luxury values. The 2030s are going to be fantastic, socially, culturally, and economically. Unlike the 00s,10s, 20s, where there is no distinct decade culture, as there was from the 1900s-1990s, the 2030s will be amazingly rich. Like the 1950s after WW2, America will be focused on space.
(I believe the next big driver of the US economy will be space technology and SpaceX is just the early example of this.)
@GI, @CH:
George Friedman is much more believable than Tom Friedman and his idiotic taxi-driver schtick.
However, Turkey is becoming more Islamist and intolerant of Israel, Japan is imploding, population-wise, and Poland just elected globalists who are arresting their political rivals.
Russia and China may indeed fall apart; but there may not be any neighbors able to take advantage.
We are, I fear, going to look back on 2023 as a year of peace and tranquility.
South Korean business in China, are moving their operations to other countries in SEA and Japan.
Unbelievable images of night streets in China, as Japanese and Korean businesses flee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72PuSFqeRtc&ab_channel=InsideChina
Interestingly, Korean companies are choosing Japan to move their operations to, when Japan has always been thought of as a high-cost country. But see how times have changed since Japanese average wages are now about two-thirds of South Korea’s average wages. Not that SK has a fabulously high average wage. It shows how far and hard Japan has fallen.
It’s laughable that anyone would predict that Japan will rise again to rule Asia. Rolls eyes.
Here is my reasoning.
– vaccine can’t work, might be dangerous, and Two Shot and Back to Normal will become Yearly Boosters
(I argue the vaccine was beneficial for the elderly and unhealthy people¹. There are yearly boosters and basically elderly and unhealthy people are the ones taking them. Most other Americans are now not taking the booster². The vaccine appears to have negative side effects in some people like other vaccines³, but if it causing mass heart attacks like some people claim then why isn’t the US military that had mandatory vaccination not having a plague of heart attacks⁴? I would argue the anthrax vaccine was more dangerous than COVID.)
¹I think I may agree the vaccine benefitted people at the highest risk. We saw this group catch covid on the Diamond Princess. There was a 4% fatality rate. That is higher than the side effect rate. The numbers are so twisted, it is hard to know, though. In most places, there were more cases and more fatalities with the “more mild” onicron strain after vaccination.
²Two Shots and Back to Normal will turn into yearly boosters. Yep. Where do I pick up my prize.
³”Like other vaccines” is a common way to normalize the abnormal. A big difference is this vaccine was not needed by healthy young men who experienced the most dangerous side effect with probable long-term consequences. In the few studies done on this, it appears the rate of hear inflamation was double digit. This is needless and unacceptable.
⁴I want to agree with this but you might remeber the whistleblower who released military medical records on this showing an increase in the things you would expect an increase in. After some denial, the new story was there was an accounting mistake that started right at vaccination time. Thst was fixed. No problem. Skeptical.
In the end, I have defined “working” as they defined working. “If you get this vaccine you won’t get covid.” and “You can’t catch or spread covid with this vaccine.” But it stops global warming and brings world peace if we redefine “working” every time the results change.
– Eventually, they won’t be able to deny covid was man-made due to genetic analysis, and it came from a Chinese lab
(I think just about anyone with a functioning brain knows COVID came out of the Chinese lab.)¹
¹anyone wirh a functioning brain should have known that within months. The mental gymnastics a d accusations of racism indicate most people dont have a functioning brain. The vast majority of people refused to believe or discuss it. I don’t forget.
– Russia will invade Ukraine
(This was an easy prediction because Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014 and Putin’s rhetoric has always looked at Ukraine as part of Russia.)¹
¹easy in hindsight. I predicted this in October before the invasion and predicted exactly how it would play out. (Breakaway areas would declare independence, Russia would recognize them, Russia wouldmcome to their rescue). Of any prediction I have ever made, this got the most denial and resistance. When multinationals and embassies started making expensive decisions, I started betting money. Spoiler: profitable.
– Ukraine will attack the Russian ammo storage in Transnestria to show a “victory” when funding dries up. The Russians will be happy because it removes the burden of what to do with all that outdated, unusable, toxic ammo
(I guess we will see what happens.)¹
¹Ulraine has few paths to get attention and show a “win”. Shelling civilians in border towns where there are no millitary targets is not going to impress anyone. Missile attacks on Crimea are not highly successful. The ammo depot in Transnestria would make a great headline. Blast radius would be mistaken for size of victory.
– The Eisenhower is due for an expensive and difficult scrapping. Letting someone sink it is preferable, as Iraq after 9/11, it gives America freedom to do whatever it wants with both domestic and international politics
(US military leadership will never go along with allowing a carrier to be sunk.)¹
¹Based on America’s past, it is unclear what leadership will go along with for a bigger benefit. The reality is, they are indirectly going along with it now. The Eisenhower is sitting in missile range waiting to be hit. And there is no reason or benefit to it being there excelt as a target. After years of Saudi bombing, Yemen doesnt really have anything left to bomb. As usual, any American military action there has no definition of victory (becasue there can’t be one). Yemen can keep sending $5000 drones until America runs out of 2 million dollar missiles. Eventually, one will get through. Everybody wants to see an American carrier get injured. Iran has some very good hardware and will supply it to Yemen. Russia remembers the real-time data America gave Ukraine that helped them sink the Moskova, Russia’s Black Sea flagship. They will be happy to point Yemen in the right direction. In short, America has no real reason to have a carrier in missile range of hateful people with a lot of missiles… except… if offering temptation.
– WWIII is the only way to solve America’s growing debt problem, where interest on the debt is the largest item in America’s budget, even more than defense.
(Yes, the debt is not looking good and our politicians will probably keeping pushing off dealing with it, but in the next 20-40 years it probably cannot be ignored any more.)¹
¹as of this year, the interest on the debt is the #1 expense and it will be even bigger next year as low-rate debt rolls over to higher-rate debt. This cannot get pushed many more years. America’s military budget will have to shrink as it grows. Of course, welfare could be shrunk, but that is buying subservience, and if it shrinks, the streets will be filled with angry burners and looters… who burn and loot even on a full stomach. Right now is the last chance while the military is at its peak.
– China will have economic problems which will bring about social unrest. China’s central government will either become much stronger or much weaker, ruling over competing regions with their own foreign policy. The second option is more probable.
(China’s economic problems are already happening and thus why Xi is increasing central control and emphasizing a “patriotic” education to the masses and control of the Internet. He needs the public motivated when the time comes to invade Taiwan.)
– The Chinese government is saving an invasion of Taiwan and will use it immediately as soon as internal social unrest becomes a problem. That will delay their breakup.
(Agree that Taiwan invasion is definitely on the table if economic issues threaten the rule of the CCP.)
– American ships vs Chinese missiles is not a contest.o
(Chinese missiles are very advanced and the US military has systems and plans to counter them.)¹
¹I just read a report on this issue (which also applies to the Eisenhower). Shortest version: statistically, America has to have a 100% success rate in defending against incoming missiles. The enemy only needs one to get through. As there are many potential points of failure in the system, the confidence level for 100% success is not high.
– three regional powers will emerge: Poland, funded by US defense money – Turkey, restoring the power they have had for all but the last 100 years – a remilitarized Japan securing their resource chain, much of it from a Pacific Russia and SE Asia.
(This sounds like you have read George Friedman’s book, The Next 100 Years.¹ In the book he predicts the break up of Russia and China and the rise of Japan, Turkey, and Poland. Japan to me seems like they have a long ways to go to condition their largely pacifist public to want to be a global military power again². Turkey does seem interested in wanting to be the leader of the Middle East politically, but I doubt they want a return of the Ottoman empire where they have to rule all the crazies in the Middle East³. Poland is definitely on the rise, but they just elected a leftist so we will see what happens with them. ⁴By the way in the book Friedman predicts the US and Poland will go to war with Turkey and Japan in 2050. I don’t see it happening.⁵
¹I just read a bit of it on your recommendation… will finish next week. He is spot on, so far… though fixed dates is a little bold.
²Japan is alread remilitarizing… and their upgrades are offensive rather than defensive in nature. It is already happening.
³I see Turkey being a leader in the islamic world, heavily influencing the Balkins, doing something in Syria, and occupying Armenia and Georgia at some point. They are hard workers and smart workers.
⁴the new leftist is a pro globalization guy… fits right into the plan
⁵I wouldn’t want to put a date on anything. As of now, I can’t see a US-Poland / Turkey war either.
– There will be encouragement to break up Russia from everyone outside of Russian to plunder its natural resources more easily.
(Friedman’s book predicted that Russia would go to war with Ukraine and the aftermath would lead to the collapse of Russia¹. Friedman also predicted that China would begin breaking up in 2020 which he was obviously wrong about.)²
¹nonsense. This war has made Russia stronger. It has increased the industrial base and unified the people. Bonus: 30% more oil revenue while Europe buys Russian energy at a higher price from middlemen from Turkey to India.
²Dates are tricky. It depends on the economy. Right now, America needs China. But as America reindustrializes, China will be less necessary. Bonus: reindustrialization will have robots doing the Jobs No-skill Americans Normally Do. They will remain a publoc expense.
– As church power became national power and ministers became prime ministers, Ukraine will be the first corporate state with thegovernment openly and shamelessly controlled by corporations. BlackRock will be a leader. The war will end when the corporations determine a balance had been made between Kiev being weakened to the point to accept this and the fear that Russia will take more territory the corporations want for themselves.
(I don’t see a corporation like Blackrock running a nation as large as Ukraine. Would they have influence over the government, of course just like corporations through lobbyist have influence over the US government.)¹
¹BlackRock et al already control the American government and that isnt really hidden to anyone paying attention. Bills are written by industry. Donations are made by industry. Etc. In Ukraine, the corporate control of the country will be obvious to even those not paying attention.
– History will determine the 2nd biggest loser of the war was the EU, from deindustrialization to destruction of the middle class.
(Destruction of Europe would likely come from uncontrolled illegal immigration. It appears they are beginning to recognize this.)¹
¹Ha! It is a multifront assault on Europe. That is yet another one.
– eventually, illegal aliens in America will be recognized for the problem they are. This recognition will be driven by increasingly uneducated American minorities who are facing increasing lack of jobs for the unskilled. This can be postponed by government assistance but it is unclear if that is sustainable.
(With sanctuary cities now even complaining about illegal immigrants this may become the defining compaign issue of the 2024 presidential election.)¹
Yep. But the Deep State has made up its mind and the Administrative State goes along.
– The president elected in 2024 (or 2028) is going to face incredible problems domestically, internationally, socially, economically. It will require new solutions. They will repeat the solutions that worked last time and it will be a disaster, such as Carter copying FDR. Trump is at high risk because he will copy Reagan.
(Friedman’s book speculated that about every 40 years a President is elected that has to push America through some crisis. The last one was Reagan who pushed America through economic problems from the Carter administration and set conditions to end the Cold War. The 2028 timeframe would then be the next point in history where another great President would need to be elected to push America through another crisis.)¹
¹This is a known cycle. It is unclear to me if the Biden administration is Ford or Carter and if the next president will be Carter or Reagan. I dont believe copying Reagan’s solutions will work this cycle. I believe Trump would be at very high risk of trying to copy Reagan’s solutions.
– Trump will not be president (or not fully). Everyone worried about their agenda being disrupted will cheat, lie, and use lawfare. Worst case, they will kill him. It is unclear how the American public will act. The last “armed insurrection” had no guns. Americans will always look at their life and compare it to life if they revolt and fail. After watching the long pre-trial detainment and harsh sentences for peacefully walking around the capitol, most Americans will do nothing. Anyone who wants to get something done has to mobilize the losers with nothing to lose. They generally vote Democrat.
(There is definitey a highly organized effort to not allow Trump to run for President. It is ironic that Democrats that claim Trump is trying to end democracy, which is of course absurd, are trying to prevent people for voting for him.)¹
¹If he follows through on even a fraction of his promises, the globalist agenda will be aet back. They cannot let him be president.
– Covid worked so well the first time, they will try again. If it is not a real threat, society will not cooperate. If it is a real threat, it can become uncontrollable.
(I don’t think the lockdowns will be able to happen again. I don’t see the public supporting it after what happened with the lockdowns being argubly more damaging to the country than COVID.)¹
¹There is a shockingly high percentage of people who belive they are still alive only because of vaccines, masks, and lockdowns.
– society will slowly recognize the Ruling Elite only looks like an organized and unified force becasue they always put their differences aside to unify against the masses. In reality, they fight amongst themselves with competing agendas, from reducing the world’s population to just destroying the middle class and making everyone a debt slave.
(Every society all throughout history has ruling elites. What makes America different is that anyone could become an elite. Look at Gates, Bezos, Zuckerberg, etc. they all were not born as elites, but made themselves into one.)¹
¹Every society has a ruling elite is a nice statement but it misses the point that sometimes the ruling elite is composed of philosopher kings interested in a just an prosperous society and sometimes they are looking to own people. Even a cursory glance at most of the world leaders find dunces.
– Hard times will evaporate the crazy and the luxury values. The 2030s are going to be fantastic, socially, culturally, and economically. Unlike the 00s,10s, 20s, where there is no distinct decade culture, as there was from the 1900s-1990s, the 2030s will be amazingly rich. Like the 1950s after WW2, America will be focused on space.
(I believe the next big driver of the US economy will be space technology and SpaceX is just the early example of this.)¹
¹sad the government is looking to hurt Musk and his companies because he pretty close to a philosopher king
I should elaborate a bit more on why American ships are vulnerable off the coast of Yemen.
Worse, everybody at the top knows they are vulnerable and they are intentionally being put in harm’s way by military leadership to provoke an attack that would give America domestic, and grudging international, support to retaliate against… whoever needs a smack.
This would probably be Iran… but who knows. Iraq got blamed for 9/11.
So why are American ships there and what is the plan, you ask?
That is a great question. Let’s see what constitutes victory.
There is no answer because there can be no answer. Farcical answers like bringing freedom and democracy to Yemen aside, there is nothing America can do without boots on the ground to modify current Houthi behavior.
Based on America’s track record, boots on the ground, a trillion dollars, and 20 years, would just replace the Houthi with a better armed Houthi with no modified behavior.
Maybe victory is stopping Houthi attacks on shipping.
Can America stop Houthi attacks on shipping?
Yes, until it can’t.
America does not have enough expensive air defense missiles to counter the Houthi’s unlimited supply of cheap threats. America does not have enough bombs to do anything 8 years of Saudi bombing did not.
Eventually, the American ships have to be resupplied, more AA missiles have to be made, and more money has to be printed to make this happen.
For all the talk of sustainability, I have not seen the American military practice it in any aspect besides encouraging a sustainable supply of marginalized people, most of which are marginalized for a reason and need to stay that way.
If there is clearly no path to “victory”, why get involved?
…unless you are stupid…
…or you have a deeper plan.
Assuming America is stupid, it needs to get unstupid.
This is not a problem that can be solved. It is a situation that must be managed.
Proper management would be telling Israel-associated ships, “Sorry, you brought this on yoursleves. You best take the long way ’round until this blows over.”
Then America pulls its navy out of the area and the whole situation deescalates. The Houthis fire their missiles at Israel instead of ships.
America uses the saved money to fix roads, encourage math education, maybe take another look at cheaper healthcare.
Instead, America is playing a game that cannot be won and, best case, will result in failure and embarrassment. Worst case, bigger failure and more embarassment.
Or maybe there is a deeper plan.
Somebody in the American navy must have been paying attention to the performance of American air defense up there in Ukraine.
It isn’t 100%.
When you park a carrier in missile range of people with missiles, who would get a great deal of street cred in a successful attack on a carrier, what exactly is your expectation when you fully know your defense success rate is not 100%?
Maybe, somewhere, an admiral is saying, “Sure, she works in a bar, but she is different.”
What conclusion can be drawn beyond there being some expectation by everyone involved of an eventual successful attack on an American warship.
Further, consider that America has one expendable aircraft carrier. That happens to be the one sent to the area where a successful attack on an aircraft carrier is a mathematical certainty with enough tries.
The Eisenhower is due to be scrapped and the expense and regulatory compliance is overwhelming. It is cheaper, easier, and more supportive of readiness to lose this old carrier and concentrate on its replacement.
We have motive, means, and opportunity here.
Of course it may not happen, but it won’t be for lack of encouragement.
I invite disagreement with the ideas presented here.
Most specifically, I am interested in:
– What would be considered victory where a mission accomplished banner can be hoisted and (non-alcoholic) champagne can be opened?
– What is expected to be accomplished by American strikes?
– What is the long-term plan, such as stay forever shooting down a functionally infinite supply of cheap drones/rockets/missiles?
– Have I mistaken the situation and the Eisenhower is, in fact, perfectly safe from any attack?
Shirley, Chief Petty Officer Korean Person will be wondering if there’s been another Philadelphia Experiment on the US Navy.
“Shirley, Chief Petty Officer Korean Person will be wondering if there’s been another Philadelphia Experiment on the US Navy.”
Possibly.
And stop deadnaming me.
@CH, the USS Eisenhower is perfectly safe. All of their pronoun batteries are fully-charged and their non-binary aircraft are absolutely ready to take on white people and climate change.
Carriers have layers and layers of protection.
…until you get the drop on them.
Remember MC’02?
It ws Van Riper vs. our old friend B.B. Bell, prior to getting another star and “leading” USFK.
Van Riper fought “non-doctrinally,” meaning he climbed out of the well and dropped rocks on the other frogs. That was… unfair.
End result: Using a low-tech attack to get around all the artificial handicapps designed to ensure a big win for the home team rather than any sort of actual learning experience, Van Riper sunk 19 ships, including the carrier, while Bell was still picking his nose and wondering what solid block of meteocrity he was going to carve is speech from when he got his next star.
If you look at the entire excercise, it arguably taught America’s enemies more than it taught America.
Iran could openly recreate Van Riper’s victory, but there would be concequences.
Yemen?
Let’s see… Iranian weapons and Russian guidance, as they raise their vodka glasses in remeberance of America’s participation in the sinking of the Moskova?
And what are the concequences?
Carpet bomb some ruins in Yemen and declare victory?
The sinking of an American carrier would benefit America’s enemies unbelievably… Iran, Russia, China… and there would be no real concequences for those actually responsible.
America would kick over the checkers board in all the proxy countries in shame, but there is a gentleman’s agreement they are disposable and to be used as needed… see Gaza, for an example.
Bonus: All the explanations about why this can’t happen really feel like rationalizations.
But let’s see.
https://warontherocks.com/2015/11/millennium-challenge-the-real-story-of-a-corrupted-military-exercise-and-its-legacy/
That’s right, CH. Our military, under the gallant leadership of the SCOAMF-in-Chief, pulled off a brilliant recreation of the wargames the Japanese under Admiral Yamamoto did just before the Battle of Midway. Their homage to that whiskey-drinking poker-playing, Harvard graduate is certainly to be studied in detail.
(“In pre-battle war games, the Japanese commander playing the U.S. “OPFOR” did exactly what Nimitz did, with results that were remarkably close to what actually happened, but his actions were ruled “impossible” by the game umpire, and the Japanese game losses were resurrected.” — see www[.]history[.]navy[.]mil[/]about-us/leadership/director[/]directors-corner[/]h-grams[/]h-gram-006[/]h-006-1[.]html)
They lost 4 aircraft carriers in that battle. However, as I pointed out above the Eisenhower’s crew have their pronouns and diversity fully squared away.
Oh, and no one but the jets of the USS Eisenhower could prevent Israeli jets from nuking Tehran and their allies in the region.
USS Iowa has sunk CSS DeSantis.
DeSantis is possibly the 2nd dumbest man in politics right now.
He was a shoe-in for 2028 if he had kept doing a sensible job in Florida, read the room, and supported whatever the voters were supporting (which seems to be Trump).
Instead, he tried to steal America-First MAGA Trump supporters by openly siding with the Deep State and crapping on Trump.
Madness.
He might recover by 2028 if he atones for the next 4 years by humming Trump’s nuts with enthusiasm proportional to Trump’s popularity.
Or maybe someone else will come along and he will be forgotten faster than Gary Hart, Michael Dukakis, and Hugh G. Rection.
Iowa caucus results are in…
In other news….
yesterday was the first day I’ve ever seen our beagle not want to go for a walk. Which is good, because it was -22. I touched the lock on the door outside and the metal was cold enough to burn.
Today it should be up in the 20s, so I’ll try that walk again.