This post includes a very well done NDE, Star Trek TOS (in sections), the usual food and art fare, and some indications that American banks are collapsing left and right.
In case you all haven’t been paying attention, MM is a repository of a step by step staged archive of the end of the old world order, and the beginning of a new one.
Because, in the future REAL historians will be able to find this site, undetected by the present political powers, and pristine in ways that revisionism cannot corrupt.
But that’s not your concern.
What you concern should be enjoying today.
Big Big Meeting going on in Russia right now!
The Duran comments on it…
Big changes in the world today!
Have a great one!
Star Trek Balance of Terror (part 1 of 7) TOS (The Original Series)
Davos annual meeting comes across as rather outdated and obsolete with its now heavily tarnished global image all the more so.
While geopolitics is threatening to deal a heavy blow and most probably demolish the world created in the cauldrons of Davos, as has the Financial Times voiced their concerns, and surely not without a series of justifiable reasons, one of the unexpected leaders of the Global South, Indian PM Narenda Modi, rebelliously self-confident, said in his address to the world: “Our time is yet to come. We are all those who are not the Collective West ‘made to Davos measure”. Moreover, even the U.S. CNN couldn’t help noticing, this year’s Davos meeting (aka the Davos annual “gab fest” as Rowan Dean, Sky News Australia famously called it) has attracted a record number of visits but its relevance appears to be dwindling and slowly but surely vanishing into political void. Davos annual meeting comes across as rather outdated and obsolete with its now heavily tarnished global image all the more so.
The overwhelming fear this year’s WEF in Davos is frantically obsessing about internalizes the fact that the long-lasting period of peace and prosperity and global economic integrations is regrettably drawing to an end – not even the Financial Times try to handle the perils of their own pessimism in that they seem to specify to the smallest minutiae, who did prosper in that famous and infamous Collective West in the period of global integration, which has existed so far but is in a terribly precarious position now.
The conflict in Ukraine has shown the ways the war can suddenly sever the ties in economic relations on the foundations of which the globalization has been built so far. The European Union seems to be drastically reducing the import of Russian energy supplies and in so doing it further foments the inflation in Europe and renders some of its industries grotesquely uncompetitive and regrettably redundant. The politicians and industrial moguls are now casting scrutinizing looks along the horizon and beyond, in their comically concerted effort to possibly spot the next ominously pernicious threat. It sounds only too eerie that the London-based newspaper forecasts with a proverbial admonishing finger in midair. The U.S. channel says that this year in Davos, one cannot help noticing the absence of U.S. President Biden, the French President Emanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on one hand and the leaders of India and China Xi and Modi on the other. Some of them were obliged not to attend because of the backlash on their home turfs because Davos has become the toxic symbol of inequality and brutally merciless international capitalism.
There is surely a very good reason for this tarnished reputation, because in the last two years apparently, 1% of the richest of the rich have accumulated even two times bigger “new riches” than the rest of the world altogether. Those leaders who believe this is “not OK” such as Xi and Modi, did not attend Davos because they were otherwise engaged and they had to prioritize. But to get back to truly serious world leaders, PM Modi was absent for a good reason because instead of WEF, he addressed his audience in the Voice of the Global South Summit. Unlike that overwhelmingly pathetic pessimism in Davos, Modi’s voice was brimming with rebellious optimism. It is blatantly obvious that the world is in the grip of the global crisis. It is difficult to foresee how long this state of uncertainty will last – Modi started his elaboration and then went on to get across what is to come next. “We shall have the biggest share in this in the future. Three quarters of mankind live in our countries and we need to have an impact commensurate with that share and number. Therefore, whilst the eight decade long global governance behind us is gradually changing, we need to aspire to shape the emerging world order. The peoples and nations in the global South should not be deprived of the fruits of the global development out of purely selfish reasons. It is incumbent on all of us together to reconstruct our common political and financial governance. Only that can multiply our opportunities and increase prosperity”. All that, Modi points out, may happen with the respect for all nations, rule of law and peaceable resolution of all differences and disputes and the reform of international institutions, including that of the UN, so as to render them more relevant.
By the way, Russia has publicly supported this request by India to be granted the continual seat in the UN Security Council. “Despite the challenges the world is facing I remain an optimist,” Modi sends a clear resounding message. “Our time is coming. In the past century we have been helping each other in our struggle against foreign governance. We can do that again in this century so as to create the new world order, which will in turn ensure the well – being of our citizens” – says Modi. And not only him. An almost identical message was sent from Cairo, Egypt. After a meeting with the Arab League officials, the new Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang said “We have agreed to work together towards creating the new world order based on the rule of law and equality of the whole humanity, dedication to human values of the whole civilization together with their adamant refusing to politicize human rights issues and their (ab)use as a mere political ploy to interfere in the internal affairs of individual sovereign countries.” He did not utter this out loud and there was no need to do any such thing other than in this Qin Gang’s filigree diplomatic style, though it was blatantly obvious who Qin Gang was referring to.
Truth be told, the clear signs of the new non-Western world order are rapidly proliferating. Not only that 85 % of mankind have not joined “the Collective Biden” sanctions against Russia but as an example, thanks to these sanctions, India is now importing 33 times more from Russia than before. Iran, regardless of the U.S. sanctions on them, is now exporting more of its oil than before the sanctions. And the Republic of South Africa, as one very good but a somewhat different example, is dismissing the raging wrath expressed by the Collective West because of their (i.e. South African) marine military exercises with Russia recently. But as its key point, after Xi Jinping announced in Ryadh recently that China will be paying Saudi Arabia for Saudi oil in yuan, the Saudi Finance Minister confirms with a dollop of irony from Davos that the situation is abundantly clear that they will not sell oil exclusively in U.S. dollars. And, South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Naledi Pandor reveals that more or less since 2014 the BRICS countries have been working hard on creating an alternative to the dollar system. All the projections tend to indicate that by 2030 China and India economies will be the biggest economies in the world and Russia will graciously overtake the economies of Germany and Japan.
The new world order is not a mere buzzword for the idle ones any more. One cannot but wonder who will shape it and in what manner: economically, financially and politically. Will the Collective West do their diabolical best to prevent that from happening by resorting to what they have always done: the truly global world war and possibly aided with nukes?
Semiconductors: China is getting there by leaps and bounds.
China has broken up foreign monopolies of high- performance semiconductor temperature controllers.
China has been working on the research of adjusting the temperature of semiconductor chips and his team researches on micro semiconductor temperature controllers.
The controller can immediately produce the temperature difference of up to 100 C at the moment of getting connected to electricity, and works as an air-conditioner to cool semiconductor chips.
It took only three months to transfer the scientific research results to actual production and the monthly production capacity of the temperature controller has exceeded 300,000 pieces.
Last July, the domestic-developed temperature controller developed by the team was launched to the space with China-developed research rocket and completed the first successful in-orbit verification of 5,000 kilometers in space.
It means that China has realized the domestic production of a series of micro semiconductor devices from space grade to industrial grade, breaking the previous foreign monopoly on high-end temperature controller parts.
Currently the controllers are widely used in laser communication, vehicles, and biomedicine among other fields.
Hats off!
Balance of Terror (part 2 of 7) Star Trek TOS 1966 1967 1968)
Construction Workers Renovating The Lincoln Memorial Uncover A Secret Passage
When workers were renovating the Lincoln Memorial for a major event, they discovered something totally bizarre right beneath their feet. It turned out that Honest Abe was sitting atop a massive secret — literally. And millions of us have been inches away from this sight without noticing it. If you’ve ever set foot on the Tennessee pink marble floors and stared up at the stoic expression of America’s 16th president, you were actually standing right above a decades-old secret passage that few knew existed.
Workers made a startling discovery
A construction crew working at the Lincoln Memorial back in 1975 was tasked with renovating the bathrooms. Little did they know, their seemingly-simple task would lead them to an unexpected discovery. Not long into their project, they noticed something strange about the structure’s foundation that no one was prepared for.
The hidden room
When workers took a closer look at the foundation, they discovered a massive room beneath the chamber that housed Lincoln in his chair. As anybody else would do after discovering a major historical secret, the construction crew quickly spread the word about the mysterious area. It was a point of fascination. How long had this room been there, and why was it there in the first place?
Exploring the “cave”
Of the people told about the secret room, some were members of the National Speleological Society — AKA, they were passionate about exploring old, mysterious caves. And when they cave divers first ventured underground, they explored the giant room with awe. Stalactites and stalagmites formed during the years the space was neglected. It was while they were exploring that they had a startling realization.
Why was it there?
Oddly enough, the cave wasn’t naturally formed but man-made. And the room was massive: 43,800 square feet, to be exact. The more they poked around, the creepier Lincoln Memorial’s concealed level revealed itself to be. Besides the rats, insects, and general spookiness, its mere existence made the group prickle with paranoia. Why was no one aware of this clearly intentionally-made chamber?
Lincoln’s biggest secret
The mystery of it all added to the general creepiness. How is it possible that one of the most iconic monuments in America, with over 7 million visitors each year, kept its gigantic “basement” a secret? Surely, the space once served a purpose. Even more confusing, when exactly did its existence fall between the cracks?
40 years in the making
Solving this mystery required the explorers to dig deeper into the monument’s past. Construction for the Lincoln Memorial kicked off in 1914. It took 40 years for the Army Corps of Engineers to create the Potomac Park shoreline that now serves as the attraction’s backdrop.
Digging into the earth
Workers dug 40 feet down in the earth to begin the project. Then, they installed a series of concrete pillars to support the rest of the structure. When they were finished, it looked like a cathedral all on its own. It was certainly grand enough to stand in the nation’s capital. Of course, something not-so-grand lurked beneath the ground.
It slipped from people’s minds
The crew then created the rest of the 19-foot statue and the 145 steps leading up to it. This massive undertaking took the majority of the builders’ time and energy. No doubt they were focused on installing the main event of the memorial — Lincoln himself — to properly honor the famous president. Somehow along the way, the underground chamber slipped from people’s minds.
Tourists explored the cavernous passages
But once the National Parks Service got wind of the Lincoln Monument’s killer basement, they had to show it off. Over 50 years after it was sealed off and forgotten, people finally filed into the hidden chamber. Without much preparation, the derelict space was opened to the public, and tours of amazed visitors shuffled through its cavernous passages.
A dark look behind the curtain
Officially, this space is called the undercroft, but it remains relatively unknown to the general American public. Though, some might reason it’s not that big a loss. After all, it’s a dark, dank look behind the curtain of how the dazzling Lincoln Memorial was constructed. But that still doesn’t answer why most people never see the space for themselves.
Dangerous air quality
Only those who visited the memorial during the ’70s and ’80s were lucky enough to glimpse the undercroft. Knowing that, for a time, people were allowed to traipse through the elusive passageways, why did they eventually shut it down? Well, it wasn’t exactly safe. During one tour, for example, someone spotted what looked like asbestos.
Shut it down
Countless tourists being struck down by an outbreak of asbestos poisoning was definitely something the government wanted to avoid at all costs. The National Parks Service needed to take care of the asbestos situation, and probably realized that the space was generally unfit for tours. So in 1989, the undercroft was shuttered to the public. Still, it didn’t lie untouched and forgotten for another 50 years.
Funny little illustrations
Over the years, select lucky adventure seekers have glimpsed the insides of the Lincoln Memorial undercroft, witnessing its most special feature — graffiti. Many of the columns in the basement are covered in funny little illustrations from those brave (or foolish) enough to dive below the surface. Some of the graffiti, however, comes from an unexpected source.
Traces of personality
Steven Schorr, the president of DJS Associates — a forensic consulting firm that took scans all over The National Mall and Lincoln Memorial — said, “The builders actually drew cartoons and they have them covered in Plexiglas.” Yep, the old-timey-looking cartoons were drawn by people back in the 1910s, not by modern teenaged ne’er-do-wells.
The century-old graffiti is being preserved
Drawing silly pictures on the pillars of a presidential memorial must have felt like the most rebellious act for those 1914 laborers. Nearly a century later, though, the cartoons are the shining jewels of the undercroft. Silly graffiti is definitely at odds with the more solemn black-and-white photos of the era. Perhaps that’s why they’re being protected — and for a staggering sum.
Plans for the undercroft
Billionaire philanthropist David Rubenstein has invested a mind-boggling $18.5 billion into a project to modernize the Lincoln Memorial, including the undercroft space. His hope is for more people to be captivated by the humanity of the doodles, humbled by Abraham Lincoln’s firm gaze, and, of course, fascinated by the once-forgotten underground chamber. The billion-dollar project won’t be completed overnight.
Its biggest update yet
The project marks the most extensive renovation of the memorial since its debut in 1922. Rubenstein is tremendously honored to contribute to preserving this new chapter for the Great Emancipator’s monument. Through his efforts, modernized construction equipment and healthy financial backing mean the updates will probably be completed sooner rather than later.
Coming soon…
The plan was to reopen the undercroft to the public for the Lincoln Memorial’s centennial in 2022, but for now, construction is slated to be complete in 2026. One day soon, though, people will walk among those storied columns … and maybe even descend below the surface to another time. Until that day comes, there are still signs of the undercroft you can spot in person.
A point of fascination
People can see the coordinates marking the entryway to the chamber if they look closely. But even just standing on the coordinates can elicit a strange feeling. The enormous Lincoln itself has an overwhelming aura, one curator Harry Rubenstein, from the Smithsonian’s political history wing, explained to National Geographic. “It has that temple-like quality, and the statue reveals itself slowly as you walk up the steps — it doesn’t hit you all at once. And as you move up, you are made small by this incredible statue.”
Hidden symbolism
While the sheer scale of the giant Lincoln perched in a chair is what most people take in, the memorial is also richly symbolic. But some of the messages hidden within the statue’s design can be difficult to pick up on, even more so than its cavernous ‘hidden’ basement. So they tend to be missed by the average observer.
Straight from the drawing board
The intentional details concealed within the monument trace back to the immediate aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s murder. Pretty much straight away, people were calling for a monument to be raised in his honor. But it would take many decades and several design reworks for the project to really get off the ground properly.
The green light
It was only many decades after Lincoln’s death that a memorial was finally given the green light by Congress, which set aside $2 million for the project in 1911. Still, even at this point, progress remained very slow. For three years, debate raged about exactly what it should be and where it should be sited.
Greek inspiration
In the end, the person tasked with the memorial’s design was Henry Bacon, who’d previously studied in Europe. His stint abroad gave Bacon a taste for ancient Greek design, which would ultimately come to be seen in his plans for the Lincoln Memorial. If you look at the structure today, you’ll see a purposeful resemblance to the Parthenon temple that stands at the heart of Athens.
Off the wall
It’s difficult to imagine the statue of Lincoln standing inside any other building besides the one Bacon designed. But his idea was actually one of many. Another man named John Russell Pope also came up with a bunch of other designs that were ultimately rejected. And some of them were fairly off the wall.
Ancient temples
One of Pope’s rejected designs resembled a Mayan temple, which would house an enormous, undying flame. Another idea for the building was based on a ziggurat, a structure most famously found in ancient Mesopotamia. And yet another of Pope’s concepts resembled a pyramid from ancient Egypt. All were dismissed, but Pope would ultimately go on to design the Jefferson Memorial down the line.
From all over
It was Bacon who would design the Lincoln Memorial, and he had some strong ideas when it came to the symbolism his building would employ. For instance, he was adamant that the stone used in the construction should come from all over the United States. That, in his mind, would epitomize Lincoln’s commitment to the Union.
Another designer
Bacon’s design is full of little messages to be interpreted, if you look close enough. But what of the statue of Lincoln that’s housed there? Well, this thing is rich in symbolism, too, but it wasn’t Bacon who was responsible for this. No, he just designed the building. The statue was the work of Daniel Chester French.
Designed with care
French’s Lincoln statue was clearly designed with care. The president’s face is very expressive and thoughtful, plus he is seated — an unusual feature for statues of this nature. Why did French make these decisions? Well, that’s open to interpretation, as a writer behind a biography of the sculptor has explained to National Geographic.
Speaking for itself
According to Harold Holzer, French rarely chose to explain the finer points of the thinking behind the works he designed. Elaborating, he said, “My favorite French quote on this was: ‘A statue has to speak for itself, and it seems useless to explain to everyone what it means. I have no doubt that people will read into my statue of Lincoln a great deal I did not consciously think. Whether it will be for good or ill, who can say?’”
A long time
French worked on his statue for about five years. That’s a long time, but it clearly illustrates the scale of his task. Even just in terms of its size, it’s easy to understand why he needed so much time to complete the project. Even though the figure of Lincoln is seated, it’s still extremely tall.
Revisions
From the seated position, the figure of Lincoln reaches about 19 feet. But if it was standing up, it would reach about 27 feet. Incidentally, the original design was way smaller, but French revised it. His originally intended scale, with the seated figure reaching 10 feet, would have left it appearing dwarfed within Bacon’s immense temple.
Under stress
As for the expression on Lincoln’s face, French put in a lot of research to get it right. He studied photographs of the slain president, as well as reading descriptions of him. As Rubenstein said, “It was Lincoln under stress, who had the burdens of presidency and the war. Those are the photos [French] had to work with, not those of a young Lincoln.”
The Piccirilli brothers
French didn’t work on his statue alone: it was far too big a project for that. No, he actually hired a group of brothers to carve the stone. The Piccirillis were six men originally from Italy who’d made a name for themselves in America as excellent sculptors.
Invaluable contribution
The Piccirilli brothers put in a lot of work on this project. Laboring in their workshop in the Bronx, New York, these men took great care to chisel out this statue in a series of slabs, which were then brought to Washington D.C. and assembled on-site. Their contribution was invaluable, yet they’re perhaps not as famous as you’d expect. French actually suggested carving their name into the plinth of the statue, but they declined the proposed credit.
Disruption
All in all, the whole Lincoln Memorial project took a long, long time. Work on the foundations started in February 1914 and was finished up in May 1915. Progress was steady on the main structure until April 1917, which is when the U.S. began to fight in World War I. That derailed the project, slowing it down drastically.
Taking shape
Still, by the end of 1919 the project was really starting to take shape. Throughout that December and the following month of January, the Lincoln statue itself was successfully pieced together. By 1921 paths leading to the landmark were installed, as were gardens. By May 30, 1922, the memorial had reached a level of completion where it could be officially dedicated. Finishing touches to the monument’s surroundings, though, continued for a few more years.
Beloved monument
Nowadays, it’s probably fair to suggest that the Lincoln Memorial is Washington D.C.’s most beloved monument. According to newspaper The Washington Post, a regular year will see something like 8 million people showing up to pay a visit to the structure. People of all stripes come to see the famous attraction firsthand.
American icon
For 100 years now, the Lincoln Memorial has been an American icon. It’s shown up in a bunch of movies, it can be seen on the currency, and it was the setting of some very important historical moments. Most notably, perhaps, Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” monolog there in 1963.
A lot going on
The Lincoln Memorial is instantly recognizable to so many people, who have grown up seeing it in films, on money, or in real life. But not everyone fully appreciates the symbols and messages hidden away under the surface. There’s a lot going on at that monument, even down to something as simple as the statue’s hands.
Showing character
French put a lot of consideration into these hands. And despite his reputation for keeping quiet about his work, he even wrote about them. He said, “It has always seemed to me that the hands in portraiture were only secondary to the face in expression, and I depend quite as much upon them in showing character in force.”
Left and right
The statue’s right hand is open, while the left is clenched tightly. You might not think much of this, but lots of other people have read plenty into it. They think the open hand is welcoming, an extension of acceptance and warmth to his one-time Confederate enemies. The closed hand, meanwhile, shows Lincoln’s resolve to win the war.
Sign language
This seems like a reasonable interpretation of the statue’s hands and their meaning. But other people have proffered some additional thoughts about what French intended to convey with them. They think the designer had an understanding of sign language, and that the position of the hands was actually expressing the letters “L” and “A.”
The evidence
This might seem like a stretch, but proponents of the theory do have evidence they can cite to back up the claim. French had previously produced a statue of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, who was a pioneering figure when it came to educating the deaf community. This statue showed Gallaudet teaching a child the sign for “A.”
Lincoln’s interest
On top of that, Abraham Lincoln himself was known to be interested in deaf education. He wanted to encourage the take-up of sign language, and even gave the go-ahead for Gallaudet University. As the name suggests, this school for the deaf was established by the very same man who, as intimated above, became the subject of another of French’s statues. It all fits.
Other signs and symbols
But who knows whether or not French really did intend his statue to communicate in sign? It’s possible, but let’s not dwell on it. There are, after all, plenty of other signs and symbols at the site that bear closer examination. Some people, for instance, see references to the Roman Empire in the design.
Power
The Lincoln statue is resting its arms upon stacks of timber known as fasces, which in Roman times expressed power. Elsewhere, the columns of the monument — which are based on the Parthenon — are themselves full of hidden meaning. There are 36 of them, which is important. They represent the 36 states that, during Lincoln’s time, constituted the Union.
Tilted columns
The columns also have an interesting quirk, which is more for practical reasons rather than symbolic ones. The pillars look straight, but in actual fact they’re tilted. If they weren’t, the structure as a whole would look a little out of shape. It’s strange, but the best way to make them look straight was to tilt them.
Chamber of secrets
Another secret hidden away at the Lincoln Memorial is a massive chamber that sits underneath the statue. Given the sheer scale of the monument, the foundations needed to go very deep into the ground. That meant a big, subterranean space was required, and it’s obviously still there today.
The undercroft
The chamber is about three stories tall, and it’s known as the “undercroft.” It’s extremely evocative to think this massive, secret space exists underneath such a famous monument, and it’s easy to get carried away thinking about it. In reality, though, there’s not much down there, except from some stalactites and a little graffiti from the construction workers who’d labored there.
Beneath the surface
The Lincoln Memorial is obviously recognizable from the features we can see from the ground level. But the reality is that a huge proportion of the structure is actually beneath the surface. Roughly 40 percent of the total space it occupies lies underground, hidden away from public view.
Famous words
Back up on the surface, we can see a pair of the real Lincoln’s most well-known speeches carved into the walls. On one flank are the words from the Gettysburg Address, while on the other is his Inaugural Address following his reelection as president. These speeches are a huge part of the man’s legacy.
A mistake
You would think, then, that every single word would appear on the monument’s walls in pristine shape. In reality, that’s just not so. The truth is that the Inaugural Address was actually carved into the wall with a mistake. It shows up in the sentence that should read: “With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.”
“Euture”
Whoever was chiseling out this phrase made an error. Instead of carving out “future,” they accidentally used an “E” at the start of the word, spelling out the non-existent word “euture.” They must have been mortified! And while the mistake was covered over, if you look very carefully, you can still make out the blunder today.
Reading into it
Despite this mistake, the Lincoln Memorial is still one of the most revered monuments in the United States. And the man who created the statue within it always knew this would be the case. He was perfectly aware that people would study his design with a rabid intensity and interest.
Lasting legacy
So while the name Daniel Chester French isn’t terribly well-known today, his masterpiece is among the most famous creations in America. The sculptor put a lot of thought and effort into his design, loading it with meaning and symbolism. And even now, a hundred years after its unveiling, it continues to enrapture virtually all those who come to see it.
Sanctioning China Will Destroy The Dollar | America’s Ultimate Mistake
Kansas City Dogs
Enjoy these grilled beef Kansas City Dogs with mustard, pickle and barbecue sauce – a tangy dinner made ready in just 15 minutes!
Prep: 15 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 beef hot dogs
- 1 cup refrigerated original barbecue sauce with shredded pork (from 18 ounce container)
- 8 hot dog buns, split
- 1/2 cup pickle slices
- 2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)
- Mustard, if desired
Instructions
- Heat gas or charcoal grill.
- Place hot dogs on grill over medium heat.
- Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, turning frequently, until hot.
- Place sauce with pork in medium microwavable bowl; cover loosely.
- Microwave on HIGH for 45 to 60 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until hot.
- Place hot dogs on buns.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons sauce with pork on each bun.
- Top with pickles, onions and mustard.
Notes
To broil hot dogs, set oven control to broil. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place hot dogs on cookie sheet. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until hot.
China’s New Technology Secret Weapon: What Does It Mean for the West?
Never never underestimate others…..
https://youtu.be/GqeNgEcOO38
Balance of Terror (part 3 of 7) Star Trek TOS (The Original Series)
Only ONE Thing Can Stop a US China War Now!
An Artist Made Stunning Illustrations About Modern Society
Artist Steve Cutts is an illustrator and animator based in London.
Star Trek Balance of Terror (part 4 of 7) TOS (The Original Series)
Man Dies In Crash; Discovers Truth About Guilt And Forgiveness In Emotional NDE
His story is very compelling. But it is more than that. Not every NDE is a “real experience”. Some narrators are just using the venue for their own purposes, others want to express their experience, but throw in other things. This is genuine.
Definitely worth a listen.
Meet Hilda: The America’s Forgotten Pin-Up Girl
The typical 1950s pin-up girl was slim and conventionally-posed. But a recently-unearthed collection of images has revealed the less familiar Hilda, a plus-sized redhead who broke the mold with her plump figure and light-hearted demeanor.
More: Duane Bryers’ Hilda h/t: vintag.es
Hilda, the creation of illustrator Duane Bryers (191-2012) and pin-up art’s best kept secret. Voluptuous in all the right places, a little clumsy but not at all shy about her figure, Hilda was one of the only atypical plus-sized pin-up queens to grace the pages of American calendars from the 1950s up until the early 1980s, and achieved moderate notoriety in the 1960s.
Not only was Hilda one of the only plus-sized pin-up girls of her time, but she also displayed a fun, carefree and somewhat clumsy attitude, making her all the more charming.
Star Trek Balance of Terror (part 5 of 7) TOS (The Original Series)
Italian Sausage, Peppers and Onion Sandwiches
Yield: 6 sandwiches
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 green bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
Bread
- 6 crusty, submarine sandwich rolls, sesame seeded or plain
Instructions
- Slice the rolls making a nice pocket to fill.
- Place the sausages in a large nonstick skillet.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and pierce the casings with a fork.
- Cover sausages, reduce heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove sausages and slice into 1-inch pieces on an angle, if desired. Otherwise, leave them whole.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, if needed.
- Add garlic, onion and peppers.
- Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Add the sausages to the skillet.
- Toss and turn the sausage, peppers and onions, picking up all the drippings from the pan.
- Place the sausages and peppers into the sub rolls and serve.
Star Trek Balance of Terror (part 6 of 7) TOS (The Original Series)
U.S. B-52 “SIMULATES” NUCLEAR ATTACK AGAINST ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – VIOLATES AIR SPACE
A United States B-52 stratofortress long-range bomber simulated a nuclear attack against St. Petersburg, Russia today, and _apparently_ violated Russia air space in the process.
Arms control and disarmament are on life support, and John Bolton and the Washington Post have predictably come along to try to prevent any resuscitation. The Post masthead daily proclaims that “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” but the paper fails to recognize that there are seminal issues that affect the interests of democratic regimes. Arms control is one of these issues.
Bolton has been fighting arms control and disarmament for the past several decades, and the Post has willingly provided a sounding board for his specious arguments. In tracing the dangerous demise of disarmament, Bolton emerges as a dangerous and permanent presence. He was the key adviser to the Bush and Trump administrations when they abrogated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the Iranian nuclear accord).
These steps amounted to dangerous personal actions that were devoid of any consultative or substantive process. National Security Adviser Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were also enthusiastic supporters of regime change in Iran, which ignored our ill-fated experience with regime change in Iran 70 years ago. Bolton also played a key role in the disinformation campaign against Iraq in the run-up to the U.S. invasion of 2003.
Bolton was the arms control adviser to President Bush in 2002, when he guided the abrogation of the ABM Treaty, the cornerstone of strategic deterrence and one of the pearls of Soviet-American disarmament policy. Bush abrogated the ABM Treaty without cause in order to incur the outrageous and unnecessary expense of a National Missile Defense (NMD). There is no better example in the creation of our national insecurity than Bolton’s foolish belief in thinking the United States could create an impenetrable nuclear umbrella.
In addition to encouraging an end to the Iran nuclear accord, which promised to bring a measure of predictability to the volatile Middle East, Bolton orchestrated the abrogation of the INF Treaty, which was responsible for the destruction of more missiles than any disarmament treaty in history. The combination of ending the INF Treaty and any failure to renew the New START accord guarantees increased defense spending in the United States.
The Trump administration followed its INF disaster with withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty, which had allowed more than 30 nations to permit unarmed observation aircraft to fly over their territories to observe military forces and activities. President Dwight D. Eisenhower first proposed an Open Skies agreement in 1955 to reduce the risk of war for both intelligence and confidence-building purposes. The Soviet Union rejected the proposal, which opened the door to U.S. U-2 flights over the Soviet Union to collect strategic intelligence. In withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty in 2000, the United States ended the “only means” for European states to “alleviate security concerns through timely overhead imagery,” according to former secretary of state George Shultz.
As part of the Trump administration, Bolton took advantage of the total inexperience and ignorance of Trump and his key advisers regarding arms control and disarmament. (The Washington Post is similarly taking advantage of its readership in allowing a troglodyte like Bolton regular access to its editorial pages.) In addition to leading the way in abrogating important treaties, Bolton did his best to weaken the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), signed by 35 nations, to limit the sale of sophisticated weaponry, particularly advanced armed drones. Trump and Bolton ignored the restrictions of the MTCR in order to sell the MQ-9 Reaper to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have used advanced U.S. weaponry to conduct war crimes in Yemen.
Over the years, Bolton was also influential in making sure that the Pentagon’s Defense Planning Guidance assigned a high priority to replacing the current nuclear force, which was described as “obsolete” and “inflexible.” Similarly, the Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review typically referred to current strategic weaponry as “old” and “untrustworthy.” These documents are part of the Pentagon’s con game for greater defense spending in an effort to increase the overkill capability that currently exists.
The tragic reality is that nuclear weapons have no utilitarian value whatsoever, and the fact that American and Soviet leaders maintained a nuclear weapons inventory at one time that totaled more than 60,000 warheads points to the irresponsibility and cavalier attitudes of leaders in both countries. With the abrogation of the ABM and INF treaties and the possible expiration of the New START Treaty in 2026, we are looking at a renewed arms race and the further appropriation of scarce resources on unneeded weapons,
If the United States is serious about arms control, the Biden administration needs to respond to Vladimir Putin’s previous interest in engaging the United States on no-first-use of nuclear weapons; no militarization of outer space; and the creation of nuclear-free zones. Unlike Trump and Bush, who abrogated important arms control treaties. Putin merely suspended Russian membership in New START, which suggests the Kremlin hopes to resume the strategic discussion at some stage.
Meanwhile, Bolton argues that the strengthening of China as a nuclear power and its “entente with nuclear-superpower Russia” means that arms agreements with Moscow are not only “inadvisable but dangerous.” Au contraire! There has never been a more important time for rebuilding arms control agreements and the nuclear disarmament movement itself.
Jeffery Sachs | EUROPE is DOOMED
https://youtu.be/WBbpXMz0Kx8
It’s Official: Silicon Valley Bank Failed Due to a “Run” – $42 BILLION in Withdrawals
The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank was caused by a massive run on the bank, with customers initiating withdrawals of $42 billion this week.
The bank was placed into Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. receivership on Friday after the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) determined the bank had been rendered insolvent.
Prior to the run on the bank, the bank was in “sound financial condition,” according to the DFPI. Customers withdrew $42 billion, leaving the bank with a negative cash balance of $958 million.
Here’s the summary of what happened from the DFPI’s order taking possession of the bank:
On March 8, 2023, the Bank announced a loss of approximately $1.8 billion from a sale of investments (U.S. treasuries and mortgage-backed securities). On March 8, 2023, the Bank’s holding company announced it was conducting a capital raise. Despite the bank being in sound financial condition prior to March 9, 2023, investors and depositors reacted by initiating withdrawals of $42 billion in deposits from the Bank on March 9, 2023, causing a run on the Bank. As of the close of business on March 9, the bank had a negative cash balance of approximately $958 million. Despite attempts from the Bank, with the assistance of regulators, to transfer collateral from various sources, the Bank did not meet its cash letter with the Federal Reserve. The precipitous deposit withdrawal has caused the Bank to be incapable of paying its obligations as they come due, and the bank is now insolvent.
Prior to its collapse, Silicon Valley Bank was the 16th largest bank by assets in the U.S. Federal Reserve data shows the bank had $209 billion in assets as of December 31, 2022.
How It Happened . . .
Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and several other high-profile venture capital firms (i.e. Coatue Management, Union Square Ventures) advised their portfolio companies to pull money from Silicon Valley Bank on Thursday, responding to panic about the bank’s financial situation in tech startup circles.
They asked on Thursday. By Friday morning, the Bank was dead.
OPINION
It __looks__ like Peter Thiel and some of his Venture Capital buddies, panicked.
When they told their pals to pull money out of the bank over a measly $1.8 Billion loss during the Bank’s sale of some Mortgage Backed Securities, that set in motion the collapse of the bank.
Had Thiel and his pals just left things alone, it seems to many people the bank would still be standing.
Now, its a gigantic mess.
As a result of this mess, things can go one of two ways:
1) The mess is contained, FDIC comes in, protects basic depositors, and sells-off the rest of the Mortgage Backed Securities, and ****some**** of the uninsured Depositors get ****some**** of their money back . . . . years from now, OR;
2) The mess is NOT contained and this mess snowballs into a gigantic systemic collapse.
Next week will be telling about which way this will go.
UPDATE 9:25 AM EST (Saturday) —
The Bank of London is exploring the possibility of assembling a Rescue offer for Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) UK as start-up founders warn Jeremy Hunt that its collapse will “cripple” the British tech sector,
Elon Musk just said he is “open to the idea” to buy Silicon Valley Bank and become a digital bank. (HT REMARK: As long as no major U.S. bank is willing to touch it, I wouldn’t expect Elon’s “golden touch” to stabilize everything.)
China orders its Finance Ministry to sell its US Treasuries at “fastest pace.”
Meanwhile, the People’s Bank of China has added over 102 tons of gold in 4 months in an attempt to limit counterparty risk in a conflict with the US over Taiwan.
Star Trek Balance of Terror (part 7 of 7) TOS 1966-1968
What is next…